Chapter 14: Major Progress
At nine in the morning, the Sanctuary House.
The pendulum of the old grandfather clock swung left and right. Bubu Wang lay sprawled on the floor, basking in the sunlight streaming through the window. Not far away, Amu was maintaining the Dragonheart Axe, his movements clumsy but earnest.
"Boss, the current situation is, as long as we destroy the 'Fusion Root,' we win?"
Baha was in high spirits, since the main mission had basically had no clues before.
"You could put it that way. That thing is most likely inside the Dark Prison, but for now, I can't lock onto its location."
"I see."
Baha's thoughts were completely sorted out. It was because of the existence of the 'Fusion Root' that the Dark Prison and this world were merging, and the one leading this was Hao Gui.
His side needed the 'Fusion Root' to continuously devour Hunter relics, using the World Force within those relics to increase the fusion level between the Dark Prison and this world, ultimately achieving his goal.
Su Xiao opened the World Reputation list and checked the situation of the two Contractor teams. Molei's team was responsible for recovering relics, while Adele's team was busy with side missions.
The situation was becoming clearer by the minute. Su Xiao was no longer in a hurry to summon Tide Hunter. [Remnant Soul of Tide Hunter] could only be used once. Even if he extended Tide Hunter's existence time, it would be at most a few days or a dozen days. Tide Hunter was of the Tianba Clan, and her Drowning ability was very suitable for dealing with powerful enemies.
Ring, ring, ring~
The phone rang. Su Xiao picked it up, and a female voice came through. It was the liaison department of the Watch Guild.
"I'm very sorry, Mr. Kukulin. The Hunter identity badges you requested didn't arrive this morning. Please rest assured, the first batch of badges will be delivered in half an hour. According to your request, regarding the locations of those four 'special' Hunter identity badges, we have already taken confidentiality measures.
The several esteemed individuals have all agreed to your request. All information concerning those four Hunter identity badges has been destroyed. Personnel who knew their locations have all been recalled to headquarters and are prohibited from contacting anyone. You are now the only one who knows the locations of those four Hunter identity badges. After this call, I will also enter the 'Underground House' and sign a confidentiality agreement, prohibiting contact with others. Please pay attention to your own safety."
Hanging up the phone, Su Xiao frowned in thought. The Watch Guild was very reliable. The Hunter badges were things targeted by the Dark Demon and the Ghost Clan, yet they still delivered them to him.
Over twenty minutes later, a postman pushed the door open and entered. He placed a file bag on the table, nodded in greeting, and quickly left.
Su Xiao picked up the file bag and opened it, pouring out the contents. With a series of crisp clatters, nine Hunter badges, their chains already removed, fell onto the table.
All nine Hunter badges were black, indicating they were relics of nine old Hunters. After Su Xiao examined them all, six were worthless. The remaining three could be exchanged for 19, 23, and 27 points of World Reputation respectively.
Not all Hunter badges contained World Force, after all, every Hunter had different experiences. Su Xiao now had a total of four Hunter badges containing World Force. He wasn't in a hurry to exchange them for World Reputation; these things were the best bait.
Compared to the black Hunter badges in his hand, Su Xiao was more eager to obtain the Hunter badge left by the Major's grandfather, the kind left by the strongest echelon of Hunters.
That kind of Hunter badge would definitely be exchangeable for a large amount of World Reputation. Su Xiao even suspected that that level of Hunter badge was the most effective way to gain World Reputation.
The current mission time was still ample. Su Xiao had only been in this world for two days. The most crucial thing now was to find the location of the 'Fusion Root.' Once he found its position, everything else would fall into place.
[Tip: Fusion Root analysis complete.]
[Darkborn Imprint constructed. Due to the limited number of 'Fusion Root' samples obtained by the Hunter, the formed Darkborn Imprint can only resist one instance of erosion from the 'Fusion Root' main body.]
An imprint appeared on the cuff of Su Xiao's right arm. This was a good thing. Although it could only be used once, it could save his life at a critical moment. It was true that he had Cyan Steel Shadow Energy in his body, but if the 'Fusion Root' invaded his body, the instantaneous destruction would be severe.
However, the 'Fusion Root' seemed to have difficulty locking onto a single target, or perhaps when the 'Fusion Root' precisely attacked a specific target, it needed something like coordinates. Otherwise, its attacks would only be sporadic, like with Old Hunter Adam.
To find the 'Fusion Root,' blindly searching was the most unwise approach. He had to start with the Hunter relics, especially those left by the strongest echelon of Hunters.
Su Xiao took a map from the drawer. It was a map of the entire Rhine Kingdom. Compared to other kingdoms or duchies, the Rhine Kingdom produced the most Hunters. The reason was that the Rhine Kingdom supported the Watch Guild the most, almost to the point of staunch backing. One year, the funds provided by the Rhine Kingdom to the Watch Guild were so much that the Watch Guild returned some.
With more and more funds year after year, the high-ranking members of the Watch Guild were somewhat embarrassed, after all, quite a few civilians died from supernatural incidents every year.
The high-ranking members of the Watch Guild were basically ordinary people. If they coveted wealth, they wouldn't have joined the Watch Guild in the first place. This was one of the two most dangerous professions in this world; the other was the Hunter.
After drawing a few circles on the map, Su Xiao put an X on the circle representing Sodo City. The Major's grandfather's Hunter badge had already been taken. The remaining four red circles represented the relics left by four Hunters of the strongest echelon.
These four relics were distributed across three cities. As long as the Watch Guild didn't produce a large number of traitors, the locations of these four relics would most likely not be exposed, because this was originally the highest level of confidentiality. For the safety of those Hunters' descendants, the Major's tragedy had thoroughly enraged the Watch Guild.
Su Xiao's finger tapped, and the map on the table turned into fragments. The circles he had just drawn were all in the wrong positions. He needed to confirm whether he was being monitored by the enemy.
"Tiffany."
"You're going to boss me around again. Do you take me for a maid?"
"..."
Su Xiao moved the cylindrical glass bottle to the front and looked at the transparent liquid inside.
"From now on, you are the acting manager of this Sanctuary House."
"You're leaving? What if Hao Gui comes again?"
Tiffany's emotions were quite unstable, evident from the churning transparent liquid.
"He won't come again. If any other Dark Demon comes, run."
Su Xiao didn't think Hao Gui would come again, because he had already discovered the 'Fusion Root.' Hao Gui wasn't stupid. Under these circumstances, unless absolutely necessary, the other party wouldn't show his face again.
"Why didn't I think of that? I can run. What a great idea!"
Obviously, Tiffany was being sarcastic. As soon as she finished speaking, *bang*, the lid of the cylindrical glass bottle popped open from anger.
"The fire in your heart hasn't gone out..."
"Stop, stop, stop. You guys always use this line to stir up a sense of mission in us small fries. Fine, I give in."
Although Tiffany said this, she had clearly agreed.
"Ever since I met you, nothing good has happened to me. Either I get my head ripped off, or I have to watch over a Sanctuary House."
Tiffany materialized part of her body and floated upstairs to find some clothes. Bubu was sometimes afraid of her, because this woman sometimes acted like a lazy ghost.
After explaining the main matters to Tiffany, Su Xiao took Bubu Wang, Amu, and Baha and left. He was going to seize those four relics, not just for the main mission, but also for the World Reputation.
The Sanctuary House fell silent. Tiffany leaned back in her chair, the anger on her face gradually fading, becoming somewhat lazy.
"So this useless person is still useful after all. So what if he's a God Hunter? He still has to rely on me."
As she spoke, a slight smile curled at the corner of Tiffany's mouth.
*Ding-a-ling~*
The door was pushed open. Molei, her arm in a cast and her face bruised and swollen, walked into the Sanctuary House. Her eyes were full of anger, because she felt she had been set up. The team she had painstakingly formed had announced its disbandment last night.
Not only that, but Molei had also learned one thing: she already knew the owner of this Sanctuary House. As a Battle Angel, due to a certain unexpected incident, she knew many secrets, such as world missions, such as Hunter relics.
"Where is Kukulin Bai Ye!"
Molei shouted. Her confidence was now bursting at the seams, because she had obtained a Hunter relic, a blood-red Hunter badge. This item was judged as an important object. She didn't need it herself, but the owner of this Sanctuary House needed it very much. Remembering the grievances of the past, Molei decided to have her moment of glory.
Molei's loud shout startled Tiffany. To have this attitude towards a God Hunter, this person must not be a small fry.
"Hello, I am the acting manager."
Tiffany smiled very gently, but in reality, she had already pulled out the small knife from under the table.
"He's not here?"
"He went to take on a commission."
Tiffany didn't tell the truth, and she couldn't possibly tell the truth.
"Great, this bastard who loves using human wave tactics. Hoo~, saying what's on my mind feels so good!"
Molei felt she had achieved transcendence. The flow of physical energy in her body became smoother, and her strength had slightly increased.
"Uh~"
Tiffany's expression was extremely strange. She raised her only arm and pointed behind Molei.