Chapter 6: The Gem
Within a mission world, one encounters all sorts of unexpected situations, such as the current scene—this calmly approaching assassin, wearing the Primordial Mask on his face.
Which faction this assassin belonged to no longer mattered. What Su Xiao wanted to know was how this person could use the Primordial Mask. Back then, why had he let the Primordial Mask leave? One reason was that this quasi-Original Sin object was very good at "eating" and had entered a stage of Original Sin growth, being both able to "eat" yet unwilling to work.
But now, this assassin walking forward with a composed stride had successfully used the Primordial Mask. It didn't seem like he had paid a price like sacrificing his primordial soul, which was very interesting.
As the creator of the Primordial Mask, Su Xiao felt that this assassin was more worthy of research than the mask itself.
At this moment, from the perspective of the Black Wizard Casper, everything before him appeared tinged with blood—a unique vision from wearing the Primordial Mask. As one of the costs of using this quasi-Original Sin object, his life force was continuously drained the moment he put it on, which had made him a regular customer of the Void Alchemist Guild.
Casper calculated the distance in his mind. Five more steps, and he would be within his optimal killing range. The closer he got, the clearer his thoughts became. However, this was his first time assassinating a Law Destroyer, and he felt a hint of excitement—this was a target double-bountied by both the Hunter Guild and Arcane Eternal Star.
Casper was ready to activate his signature ability, "Dark Devour." This ability would continuously erupt dark matter centered on him, dealing ultra-multi-hit attacks to all targets within a 20-meter radius. These attacks were triple-penetration dark matter damage: physical damage + soul damage + spiritual damage. If an enemy was within 3 meters of Casper, the penetration frequency of the dark matter would skyrocket from 2-3 times per second to 18-20 times per second.
Combined with Casper's five rings and several other precious accessories, all of which enhanced the power and penetration of the dark matter, this attack had a 30% chance of instantly killing an Absolute Strong of the same tier if caught off guard. Even if it didn't kill instantly, the target's body would be riddled with holes from the dark matter, leading to death at Casper's hands later.
Using this move, the Black Wizard Casper had killed four Absolute Strongs. These were Absolute Powerhouses, making this an impressive record. After obtaining the Primordial Mask, Casper had recently used the "Dark Devour" ability to instantly kill an Absolute Strong, even if the opponent was only at the lower end of that tier, it was still a remarkable feat.
Inside the noisy teleportation waiting hall, Casper continued forward. Three steps, two steps, one step... Now!!
The Black Wizard Casper's aura suddenly exploded. He could almost see the Law Destroyer's body riddled with holes from the dark matter, dying at his hands. The glee in his eyes was already impossible to hide.
"Die!!"
With Casper at the center, liquid or fragmented dark matter erupted. Su Xiao, Bubu Wang, Amu, Baha, and Alanna were instantly riddled with holes all over their bodies. As the dark matter spread further, the waiting hall of the space tower was filled with flying flesh and blood. At the center of the violent eruption, a brutal smile gradually appeared on Casper's face...
"Boss, what do you think he's thinking? Did he already imagine wiping us out, and that's why he's smiling so happily?"
A strange voice suddenly reached Casper's ears, causing the brutal smile on his face to freeze instantly.
That's right, everything Casper had just experienced was an illusion. The perfect disguise, the calm approach, the final flashy finishing move—all of it was an illusion.
The reality was: time rewind to 10 seconds ago. The Black Wizard Casper walked toward Su Xiao. One step, two steps, three steps later, hundreds of crimson tentacles from the Primordial Mask simultaneously pierced into Casper's head. Casper's body immediately went rigid, then, like a wooden stick, he fell straight down with a *thump*. The greatest struggle he made afterward was like a fish on the shore, convulsing slightly.
At this moment, the Primordial Mask had shifted from Casper's face to the center of his chest, embedded there. At the same time, countless crimson tentacles pierced into various parts of Casper's body, causing him to foam at the mouth and twitch unconsciously.
From start to finish, Su Xiao hadn't moved a single finger. He hadn't even released any mental fluctuations. He had only glanced at the Primordial Mask.
---
At 8 PM, inside a luxurious mansion in Night City.
This mansion had been unoccupied for some time. Su Xiao had originally planned to head to the Ancient King City quickly, but learned from the staff at the teleportation tower that space teleportation there had been temporarily blocked. For other regions, this would be a major event, but for the chaotic Ancient King City, it was routine. It meant the major factions within the city were once again at odds, ready to fight.
Using the "Law-Destroying Teleportation Array" could indeed ignore the space blockade of the Ancient King City, even shatter it. But then, he would face a siege from all factions in the Ancient King City. That place was so dangerous that even the Dark God Cult, when trying to establish a branch, got slapped around several times a day. It wasn't worth recklessly provoking these lunatics. If the situation became urgent later, he could provoke them then.
The space blockade would be lifted by tomorrow morning. Tonight, Su Xiao didn't plan to leave Night City. He needed to find out which faction had sent this Black Wizard assassin. If it was just a bounty hunter coming for the reward, it was a minor matter. But if it was the Star Research Society, then he would have to consider how to retaliate.
Inside a warm, humid wine cellar, the lights flickered once. The Black Wizard Casper slowly opened his eyes, looked around, and found himself bound to a chair, his hands tied behind his back.
Amu stood behind Casper, holding his Bloodthirsty Battle Axe, ready to chop off his head at any moment.
"Everyone's time is precious, so let's cut to the chase..."
Before Baha could finish, Casper directly said:
"Cough~ I'm the Dark Wizard Casper, over 400 years old. I've forgotten the exact age, probably approaching middle age. The purpose of this assassination was the bounty from the Hunter Guild and Arcane Eternal Star. No personal grudges involved. My Hunter badge and bounty voucher are in my hotel room. The hotel is on the third street north from the city center, a special hotel serving assassins. My room number is 4009. Take the elevator to the fourth floor, turn right down the corridor, the room at the end. I also have over 10,000 Soul Coins in assets, deposited in the Goblin Merchant Guild's bank..."
Casper spoke in extraordinary detail. Was he scared? Not really. Although these pieces of intelligence were true, they weren't secrets worth dying for. It was better to just spill them.
As for betraying the Hunter Guild, it was a neutral organization. It accepted any commission but also didn't protect the hunters who came to accept them. Hunters didn't need to keep any secrets or show partiality to the guild. Conversely, the guild wouldn't help hunters get revenge. From start to finish, the two weren't in a superior-subordinate relationship; it was a clear-cut cooperation.
"You're quite sensible. Tell me, how were you able to use the Primordial Mask?"
"So this thing is called the Primordial Mask."
Casper nodded thoughtfully. This assassin had no brand, so naturally, he couldn't check the mask's attributes. He could only gradually explore its usage.
Casper was silent for a few seconds, then sighed and said, "Do you think, after all these years as a hunter in the Hunter Guild, why do I only have over 10,000 Soul Coins left in savings?"
Saying this, Casper felt a pang of regret. He didn't know what had come over him before. He had willingly fed all kinds of rare resources to the Primordial Mask, and he specifically chose difficult bounties.
Thinking about it now, this was destined from the moment he put on the mask. While the mask's abilities were powerful, it also corrupted the wearer's mind. It was already very close to a complete Original Sin object.
"You can't kill me. If I die, you'll be targeted by this mask."
Casper revealed his final bargaining chip. No one wanted to be targeted by an object that was about to become an Original Sin object.
"Hmm, you're right. You can't die yet."
Hearing this, Casper felt a slight relief in his heart. But the next second, Su Xiao, sitting across from him, raised one hand. The Primordial Mask on Casper's chest was immediately pulled away. Then, something happened that made Casper's eyes widen in shock.
Su Xiao held the front of the Primordial Mask in his right hand, while his other hand held a crystal vial. As his right hand, wrapped in a crystal layer, exerted force, a semi-transparent liquid seeped out from inside the mask, dripping into the crystal vial below. This liquid was a mixed "Special Source Matter," transformed by the Primordial Mask after devouring various rare resources. It would later be absorbed by the mask itself to enhance its power.
After a short while, the wooden Primordial Mask became dry and shriveled. Throughout the process, the crimson tentacles extending from the mask didn't dare to wrap around Su Xiao's right hand or forearm. They could only twist and struggle meaninglessly.
"Get lost."
Su Xiao casually threw away the Primordial Mask. The mask immediately vanished, disappearing to who knows where. It didn't show any anger; instead, it quickly fled.
Now, looking at the Black Wizard Casper, his eyes were wide, his mouth slightly agape without him realizing it. His face was full of a look that said his worldview had been completely overturned. No wonder. During the time he held the Primordial Mask, he had treated it like a big daddy, always being polite when picking it up.
Casper stared at the Law Destroyer sitting on the wooden chair a few meters away. This time, he was genuinely panicked.
"I'm actually a very reasonable person."
As Su Xiao spoke, Azure Steel Shadow energy spread from under his right foot, forming a summoning array on the ground. The tree spirit of the [Greedy Tree of Life] was summoned.
Seeing this Tree of Life spirit, Casper realized it was somewhat similar to the Primordial Mask. Although not a true Original Sin object, it was only a step away.
Su Xiao poured the mixed "Special Source Matter" from the crystal vial onto the roots extending from the tree spirit. This "Special Source Matter" was too impure, so having the Tree of Life absorb it to produce "Life Fruits" was the safer approach.
"Five."
Su Xiao spoke. He meant that, including the one "Life Fruit" the [Greedy Tree of Life] already owed, for this supply of "Special Source Matter," the tree spirit would repay him with four "Life Fruits."
The tree spirit's roots writhed, indicating that Su Xiao's request exceeded its capabilities. But after being stared at expressionlessly for a few seconds, the tree spirit relented, indicating it would obediently deliver the five "Life Fruits" later.
Su Xiao raised his hand, signaling that the [Greedy Tree of Life] could also get lost. It wasn't that he had a bad attitude toward the [Greedy Tree of Life] and the Primordial Mask, but when dealing with these two, he had to maintain absolute dominance in momentum. Otherwise, he might suffer backlash.
The tree spirit faded into the air and disappeared. Across from him, the Black Wizard Casper's face darkened. He felt a hint of despair, knowing he was doomed today. His reliance on the Primordial Mask's karmic entanglement had just been slapped in the face, and after being slapped, the mask had slunk away in humiliation.
"Where were we?"
Su Xiao pulled a bottle of wine from the nearby rack. It seemed decent. He opened it and took a sip. It couldn't compare to Elemental Brew, but the brewing experience was commendable.
"You just said you were a very reasonable person."
"Oh, right, I did say that. So, do you think I'm reasonable?"
As soon as Su Xiao finished speaking, Amu, standing behind Casper, pressed the battle axe against the back of his neck. Feeling the sharp blade, Casper willingly said, "In my opinion, Mr. White Night, you are very reasonable."
After saying this, Casper even smiled and nodded to confirm. Although he was an Absolute Strong, he specialized in assassination. His overall strength was only slightly above average for an Absolute Strong, and his potential had reached its limit. As a traitor to the Wizard faction, Casper didn't care about maintaining an image of a strong expert.
Having successfully reasoned with him, Su Xiao asked, "You and I have no grievances, right?"
"Right."
"But for your own selfish gain, you tried to take my life. Is that right?"
"Wrong."
"Hmm. Since you provoked me first, it would be perfectly reasonable for me to spend some Soul Coins to have the Sea Clan of the Wind Sea Continent imprison you in the insect nest at the bottom of the sea, letting the decaying sea worms gnaw at you for a few hundred years to ease my hatred. That's fair, isn't it?"
Su Xiao's relationship with the Beast Clan on the Wind Sea Continent was average, since he had killed the old Beast King. But he had fought the old Beast King in a fair deathmatch, so the Beast Clan wouldn't retaliate. As for the Sea Clan, Su Xiao had always been hostile to them. However, by the time he left the Wind Sea Continent, his relationship with the Sea Clan had naturally eased. In fact, although he had never met the Sea King, they had tacitly cooperated. They had never met, but each held the other in high regard.
After hearing Su Xiao's amiable narration, Casper's expression began to change. If anyone else had said this, he would have dismissed it as a threat.
But the person in front of him was a Shadow of Law Destruction. You could never predict what these guys would do. The deeds of those previous Law Destroyers were widely circulated in the Witch Realm. In particular, a certain female Law Destroyer had frequently harassed the previous Moon Witch. Witches were known for holding grudges, but they had endured it, truly not wanting to get entangled with the most vicious female Law Destroyer in history.
"Commissioning the Sea Clan would cost a lot of Soul Coins. I think it's unnecessary."
As Casper spoke, he had already made up his mind. He would find an opportunity to commit suicide to avoid a fate worse than death.
"Actually, I am a very compassionate person."
"?"
Casper stared at Su Xiao in confusion. If his hands weren't tied, he would have patted his ears, thinking he had misheard.
"I'm prepared to let bygones be bygones."
"??"
Casper opened his mouth to say something but didn't know what to say.
"I'm generously sparing your life. Sign a contract and do one thing for me. That's not too much to ask, is it?"
Hearing this, a different light appeared in Casper's eyes. He saw a glimmer of hope to escape this desperate situation. And when the other party mentioned signing a contract, as a betrayer, Casper was very skilled at avoiding contract penalties.
Su Xiao took out a blood-red parchment. As the contract unfolded, the Contract Parchment floated in front of Casper and attached itself to his chest. After a burning sensation, the Contract Parchment returned to Su Xiao's hands.
"Since you've already signed the contract in good faith."
Su Xiao signaled Amu to untie Casper. Amu undid the bindings, which were intricately knotted with hundreds of techniques.
"That's... signing a contract?"
Casper was astonished. He had never seen such an effective way of signing a contract. In fact, Su Xiao even had contracts that could be signed with just a glance, but those were too expensive to create and had weak binding force.
"The contract is actually not complicated. You help me deliver an Original Sin object to the Dark God Cult's headquarters, the Gloomy Church. Whether you give it to the Archbishop of the Abyss or his subordinates, it's fine."
Hearing this, Casper, who had just felt a sense of relief after surviving a disaster, was stunned for at least two or three seconds before reacting. Although it felt like a thunderbolt from the blue, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and ask, "What kind of Original Sin object?"
"Choose for yourself."
Su Xiao took out the [Book of Original Sin] and turned it toward Casper. The book opened, revealing the first page's "Collector," the second page's "Necronomicon," the third page's "Nether Bone Ring," the fourth page's "Scarlet Scepter," and the fifth page's "Soul Crown," which had been forced to the back.
Seeing this, Casper's mind buzzed. He didn't want to choose, but the contract penalty that was about to activate made him realize that his control over contracts was nothing compared to a contract master.
The reason Su Xiao had spared Casper's life was precisely this. After obtaining the Primordial Mask, Casper had gradually developed Original Sin resistance. Wearing an Original Sin object for a long time would be fatal, but temporarily holding it for a few days to deliver it to the Dark God Cult was fine. As for how he would escape afterward, that was up to him.
After an extremely difficult choice, the fluctuation of the Necronomicon emanated from the [Book of Original Sin]. Su Xiao released it. As for whether the Archbishop of the Abyss could use the Original Sin object, there was no need to worry. Su Xiao was the holder of these Original Sin objects. Even if the other party was highly compatible, they couldn't use it. Unless, like when Su Xiao dealt with the Sand King, he deliberately severed most of his karmic connection with the "Soul Crown."
The current situation was that after the Dark God Cult received the Original Sin object, they would only suffer immense losses and wear a "pain mask," with no benefits whatsoever.
The Black Wizard Casper left with the "Necronomicon." As for whether he knew the location of the Dark God Cult's headquarters, the Gloomy Church, there was no need to worry. As a traitor to the Wizard faction, he would inevitably have some dealings with the Dark God Cult.
---
Leaving the wine cellar and arriving on the second floor of the mansion, Su Xiao had just sat down when Baha flew in through the window and said, "Boss, someone's here to visit."
Hearing this, Su Xiao was a bit puzzled. He had chosen this mansion randomly. Seeing that it had been unoccupied for at least a year or two, he had borrowed it for the night. For someone to come visiting under these circumstances made him think that this person's influence in Night City was absolutely far-reaching.
Before long, a man in a dark brown leather jacket with slightly wrinkled trousers came upstairs. He wore a deep red scarf around his neck and the lower half of his face. On his belt was an ivory-handled dagger. He had a clean-shaven crew cut, and his face and head were covered in many fine scars. The most prominent one ran through his left cheek, left eye, and all the way to the top of his head.
This man looked travel-worn but carried an undeniable bloody aura. His eyes, with faintly bloodshot pupils, were like a hungry wolf in the night—fierce and focused.
After sitting down, the man pulled down the scarf covering the lower half of his face, revealing a short stubble. A smile gradually appeared on his face as he said, "Mr. White Night, a pleasure to meet you."
Without a doubt, this man was from the underworld. And indeed, he was the second-in-command of the underground forces controlled by White Bull, known as the Bloody Executioner, Lucius. His relationship with White Bull was extraordinary. They had known each other since they were small-time figures and had fought their way to their current positions together.
Within White Bull's forces, besides White Bull himself as the boss, "Second Boss" Lucius held the most power and influence. Below him was White Bull's sister, Nilin, and then "Third Boss" Thais.
Thais was fiercely loyal to White Bull. He had been present during the last attack on Arcane Eternal Star. As for Second Boss Lucius, even White Bull knew that this man had a rebellious streak. But if the two fell out, White Bull's forces would collapse. Without the organization, both White Bull and Lucius would come to a bad end, and soon, they would die isolated and surrounded by their enemies.
This created an interesting dynamic. On the surface, White Bull and Lucius were like brothers, but behind the scenes, both wanted to eliminate the other. Yet the reality was that they absolutely could not eliminate each other—that would be digging their own graves.
The reason Lucius had come to visit was that he had many businesses in Night City and held considerable influence there. If Su Xiao needed anything later, he could come to him.
Why was Lucius, as fierce as a hungry wolf, being so polite? The reason was that Su Xiao had previously needed to rapidly establish the reputation of the Holy Flame Alchemist in the Void to achieve the plan of having Arcane Eternal Star invite him. To do this, he had to sell large quantities of potions brewed by the Holy Flame Alchemist in the Void.
The channel for the Holy Flame Alchemist to sell potions in the Void was through White Bull's forces. To speed up this process, Su Xiao had given up the profits from potion sales, which mostly went to White Bull's sister Nilin and Lucius.
Now that Lucius knew Su Xiao was in Night City, he was naturally willing to visit and express that if there were future collaborations on potions, he could be contacted.
Su Xiao didn't plan to refuse this cooperation. If Lucius could provide the materials and a brewing location, he wouldn't mind cooperating once. At most, he would brew a few hundred potions and have Lucius help sell them. This time, he would take a cut—at least 60% or more.
Moreover, as a local big shot in this world, Lucius could provide many conveniences for dealing with the Dark God Cult later.
After initially agreeing on the cooperation, Lucius left. Busy until now, Su Xiao was about to have a late-night snack when a notification appeared.
[Detected that you possess the "Soul Gem" and have embedded it into the Eternal-grade weapon Dragon-Slaying Flash. This action has triggered the contract effect imbued in the "Soul Gem."]
[Due to the Soul Master actively intensifying this contract effect, you will trigger this contract early.]
[You will be forcibly teleported to the Soul Master to sign a Soul Contract. After signing this contract, you will gain the right to use the "Soul Gem" at the cost of a portion of your soul. Additionally, all your possessions after death will be automatically sacrificed to the Soul Temple and disposed of by the "Soul Master."]
[The above is a one-way contract. Except for the forced teleportation to the Soul Temple, you may decide whether to agree to the other terms.]
[Warning: The Soul Temple where the Soul Master resides is not a neutral area. Within this area, there are no impartiality restrictions.]
[Due to the imminent forced teleportation, the Soul Master can now perceive some of your information through the "Soul Gem."]
[Detected that the Soul Master is examining your Soul Strength and Soul Trait abilities.]
[Your Soul Strength is: 890 points.]
[You possess a triple Soul Sever effect (Blade Technique, Soul Severing Shadow, Soul Gem).]
[The Soul Master is attempting to interrupt this forced teleportation.]
[This forced teleportation cannot be unilaterally terminated. If you agree, the teleportation will stop.]
[You have refused to terminate the teleportation. The teleportation will continue.]
[You are about to arrive at the Soul Temple.]