Chapter 31: Night Infiltration
Linley had vanished without a trace for over three years. Haydensen would never connect this incident to him, and even if he did think of Linley, he wouldn't believe Linley capable of killing six rank-nine experts.
However...
Haydensen didn't know that Linley had grown, grown at a speed beyond his imagination.
*******
In a quiet tavern in the provincial capital of Basil.
Linley sat alone, while Bebe occasionally drank beside him.
"Come here." Linley beckoned to the waiter.
"Sir, what can I do for you?" The waiter was very humble.
Linley casually tossed three gold coins. "I have a question for you. If you answer well, these three gold coins are yours." The waiter's monthly salary was only four gold coins, so his eyes lit up.
"Sir, please ask. I know a lot about this provincial capital." The waiter said confidently.
In a place like a tavern, people from all walks of life came and went. The waiter overheard many things and indeed knew a great deal.
"I'd like to ask if there's an old man named 'Perry' in Basil. He has silver-white hair and should have some status and power." Linley lowered his voice and whispered in the waiter's ear.
The waiter immediately smiled confidently and also lowered his voice. "You're talking about Count Perry, right?"
"Count Perry?" Linley's eyes brightened.
The waiter nodded. "In Basil, the only notable noble named Perry is Count Perry. And Count Perry is indeed an old man with white hair. No mistake."
"Oh." Linley nodded in satisfaction. "Do you know where Count Perry's mansion is?"
The waiter nodded. "Of course. Count Perry lives on Huating Street. It's the third mansion from the right."
"Come with me, and I'll give you another three gold coins." Linley said.
After all, Linley was worried about finding the wrong place on his own, so it was better to have the waiter take him there. That way, he wouldn't make a mistake.
Seeing Linley take out another three gold coins, the waiter grew excited. "Alright, sir. Please wait a moment. I'll tell the boss."
Even if he missed a day's work, he'd only lose a day's pay. Accompanying Linley for a trip was worth three gold coins!
...
Basil, Huating Street.
Linley looked into the distance at that ancient mansion. The mottled marks on the courtyard walls clearly showed centuries of history, and ivy densely covered the walls.
"Count Perry, the good old man?"
Linley sneered coldly.
That good old man in the waiter's mouth was actually the secret leader of the Radiant Church in the Northwest Province. The O'Brien Empire was extremely hostile to other religions. If someone like Perry were discovered, it would be a crime punishable by the extermination of his entire clan.
Having memorized the address, Linley immediately turned and left.
But Linley didn't notice that in the distance, a man stared at him in surprise. "That... he actually appeared here?" The man was full of astonishment.
"Hmm, three years have passed, and I never thought I'd be the one to discover him. Looks like I'll get that five-thousand-gold coin reward." The man was overjoyed inside.
Walking on the street, Linley paid no attention to ordinary people without any strength. Naturally, he didn't notice an ordinary man who was only a rank-three warrior.
...
In the private courtyard behind the hotel.
Sessler was sitting under a large tree in the courtyard. Seeing Linley push open the door and enter, he smiled and asked, "How did it go? Did you find out about that Perry?"
"I did. He's even a count, with no small status." Linley said.
Being the leader of a province, he definitely had some influence—either a noble with power or a wealthy magnate.
"Haha, good. Tonight, we'll go 'visit' him." Sessler's cold eyes flickered with a green light.
Linley nodded calmly.
"Rebecca, Lina." Linley looked up at the twin sisters walking out of the living room. "You two stay here tonight. Don't go anywhere."
"Understood." Rebecca and Lina both nodded.
Sessler smiled at the twin sisters. "You two follow the meditation I taught you. In a few days, I'll perform the 'Necromantic Inheritance' for you."
After this period of contact, Sessler had determined that the twin sisters were very suitable for practicing necromantic magic.
In fact, the seven schools of magic—earth, fire, water, wind, lightning, light, and darkness—had high requirements for mental strength. But the highest-level magic—the Great Prophecy, Life Magic, and Necromantic Magic—had terrifying demands on the soul.
Among the three, necromancers were considered the most knowledgeable about the soul, requiring high purity of the soul. In contrast, elemental affinity wasn't as important.
"Necromantic Inheritance?"
The sisters were both excited. They had always wanted to avenge their parents but lacked the strength. Once they learned necromantic magic, they would have enough power.
*******
Late that night.
"Black Roo, you stay here and protect Lina and the others." Linley instructed.
Dealing with a mere Perry was a very easy task. Linley and Sessler going alone was enough, and with Bebe along, it was foolproof.
"Be careful." Lina and Rebecca urged.
Sessler let out a strange laugh. "In this Basil, aside from that McKenzie, there's no one Linley and I need to take seriously."
"Let's go." Linley said calmly.
Both dressed in black, Linley and Sessler quickly and quietly left the courtyard. Bebe, with his pitch-black fur, followed Linley and Sessler without a trace.
In the darkness, Linley, Sessler, and Bebe walked through the alleys.
"Ahead is Huating Street." Linley had an excellent memory. After walking through the complex city once, he remembered it completely. Linley, Sessler, and Bebe went through the alleys behind the houses and arrived outside the wall of Count Perry's mansion.
Looking at this ancient building before them, Linley and Sessler exchanged glances.
"Sessler, make sure you get it right." Linley had never seen Count Perry before.
"Don't worry." Sessler grinned.
Linley led Sessler as they leaped over the courtyard wall. Both were familiar with the layout of mansions. The front part was usually the reception hall, while the second row of buildings was where the master slept.
But Sessler stopped in front of the second row of buildings and began to chant a spell silently.
After a moment—
Gray mist began to spread toward the building, quickly covering the entire second structure. The gray fog continued to spread, eventually covering all the buildings in the mansion. Seeing this, Linley was puzzled.
Linley smelled the mist and felt a slight dizziness, but he instantly became clear-headed.
"What are you doing?" Linley whispered.
"Just making those with low power fall unconscious. Those at rank seven can use battle qi to counteract it. That Perry is a rank-eight warrior." Sessler knew Perry's strength.
"Who's there?"
Several angry shouts rang out, and then an old man and three middle-aged men ran out of the room. The leading old man coldly stared at Linley and the others. Because of the gray mist and the darkness, they couldn't see Linley and Sessler's faces clearly.
"Count." Three more voices sounded in the courtyard. Two middle-aged men and a young man ran over.
The count's mansion had five rank-seven experts and two rank-eight experts.
"Who are you?" Count Perry shouted.
"Gaga, Perry, have you forgotten me?" Sessler stepped forward, and behind him, two sturdy golden-furred zombies emerged.
The mist thinned, and Count Perry could see clearly.
"It's you." Count Perry's eyes widened. He knew Sessler's strength well. Even five or six rank-nine experts couldn't do anything to him.
Seeing Sessler appear, Perry also understood that Lamperson and the others were likely doomed.
"And you?" Count Perry looked at Linley and suddenly froze.
Linley's portrait had long been distributed by the Radiant Church to every regional leader. Compared to three years ago, Linley's hair was a bit longer, but his appearance hadn't changed much.
"You're Linley?" Perry was somewhat surprised.
Linley smiled and nodded. "Count Perry has good eyesight. On this beautiful night, Sessler and I have quite a few things to discuss with you. Sessler, let's begin."
"Kill." Sessler immediately ordered.
The two golden-furred zombies turned into golden lightning and charged at the other six people. A series of screams rang out, and three people were killed instantly. The remaining three's faces changed drastically.
"Clang." A young man slashed at a golden-furred zombie with his sword, but the impact split his hand open. The golden-furred zombie's most terrifying trait was its defense.
"Roar." With a low growl, the golden-furred zombie backhandedly slapped the young man, smashing his head.
"Pfft."
A middle-aged man kicked hard at a nearby rockery, sending huge stones flying at the golden-furred zombie. The zombie charged at him like lightning, and the stones, faster than a catapult, slammed into it. "Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!"... Each stone carried tens of thousands of pounds of force, but hitting the golden-furred zombie had no effect.
"Pfft."
A black shadow flashed, and the middle-aged man fell to the ground in shock.
"You big guy, you're too slow." Bebe growled at the golden-furred zombie, then jumped onto Linley's shoulder.
The golden-furred zombie's speed was comparable to a normal rank-nine expert. But compared to Bebe, it was far too slow. After all, Bebe and Black Roo were rank-nine magical beasts best at speed.
The six people were killed in an instant by the two golden-furred zombies and Bebe. These golden-furred zombies were rank-nine undead, and the others had no resistance at all.
Perry remained silent throughout.
When he chose to become the Radiant Church's leader in this region, Perry had prepared for this day. He just thought he'd be killed by the O'Brien Empire, not by Linley and Sessler's people.
"Linley, did you kill Lamperson and the others and rescue Sessler?" Perry pressed. Before dying, he was just curious.
"Yes." Linley answered bluntly.
Perry nodded and smiled. "As expected of a descendant of the Dragonblood Warrior clan. After three years, your strength has increased so much. Don't bother asking anything. You won't get anything from me." At this moment, Perry's face actually had a holy glow.
"Do we need to ask?" Sessler sneered coldly.
"Grab him." Sessler ordered coldly.
The two golden-furred zombies rushed at Perry from both sides, grabbing him before he could resist.
"Linley, keep watch for a moment. I'm going to perform a 'Soul Search' on him." Sessler said to Linley.
Linley was shocked.
Soul Search? Linley had never heard of anyone being able to search a soul. Even the Radiant Church didn't have such an ability. But necromancers, as mages most in contact with souls, had far more research on the soul than other mages.
"Soul Search?" Hearing this, Perry was also stunned. "Impossible." He had never heard of a 'Soul Search' technique.
"Haha, it's too late for you to die now."
Sessler walked up to Perry, and his withered, chicken-claw-like five fingers pierced directly into Perry's skull. At the same time, Sessler's eyes instantly turned a deep green.
"Urgh, ah..." Perry's body trembled violently, and he let out agonizing groans.
(Three chapters completed today.)