Can't I raise myself?

"Damn, isn't this Cassola Prison? Why did I end up here?"

Chapter 31: Hidden Profession Clues and Ambush

Cassola Prison is a rather famous place in Empress Online because it hides a very powerful hidden profession.

However, to unlock this profession, one must first complete the Berman City storyline and defeat the final boss.

This place is used by the Blood Cult to imprison sacrifices. After defeating Bill, a quest to purge the remaining Blood Cult members is unlocked, leading players to Cassola Prison according to the questline.

In reality, Cassola Prison was once used by Berman City to hold prisoners. Berman City was originally on the empire's border, constantly embroiled in war. Later, as the empire expanded its territory, Berman City was incorporated into the interior, and Cassola gradually lost its purpose.

After hundreds of years, the place has long been abandoned, and even most locals in Berman City rarely know of its existence.

With the new character's spawn point here, Ryan felt both happy and speechless.

If he could obtain the clue for the hidden profession, this character's value would skyrocket.

But now, trapped in prison, he couldn't go anywhere.

'Shyarly' stood up and walked around the cell, confirming that no idiot had forgotten to lock the cell key.

"Little girl, it's no use, we can't get out."

The person leaning against the wooden bars next door said in a low voice.

'Shyarly' turned her gaze and saw a middle-aged man, around forty or fifty years old, with dull eyes and a face etched with weariness and hardship.

"Were you captured?"

"Weren't you? We're all going to die, killed by those damned heretics."

"I don't know, I seem to have forgotten how I got here."

"Then you're truly lucky. Sometimes forgetting is a form of happiness; at least you have no regrets."

The middle-aged man murmured, then shifted his body and looked up to examine 'Shyarly' closely.

"You look a lot like my daughter. She was also young like you, with beautiful long hair... Do you remember your name?"

"Shyarly."

"Shyarly... ah, a lovely name, poor child."

The middle-aged man's expression turned sorrowful. "Perhaps you still have a chance to get out of here. They're treating you specially."

"I'm special?"

"Yes, at least in my eyes," the middle-aged man said. "They've locked you up alone, and the food they give you every day is much better than ours. But perhaps this is also a form of misfortune, who knows? Sigh, seeing you pains me. Would you like to hear about my daughter and me?"

[1: Be a quiet listener.]

[2: I'm too old to listen to others' happy stories.]

A quest triggered?

Ryan's eyelids twitched.

Since there was no storyline for Cassola Prison in the game, he had no idea what this guy was all about.

It wouldn't hurt to listen, at least.

[His name is Edward. He was a university professor with a beautiful and sensible daughter named 'Ellie'. Their family had always been happy and harmonious until the heretics set their sights on Edward.]

[Some people in this world live unfortunate lives, while others live in ignorance. Dying at the hands of heretics is an ignorant misfortune. Edward still doesn't know why he was captured.]

Half an hour later.

"Ah, thank you. After saying so much, I feel much better..." Edward sighed, then suddenly took off a small ornament hanging around his neck.

"This is for you. If you manage to get out, please tell my daughter Ellie that I've gone on a long journey."

[You have obtained Karut's Blade.]

A very small cross sword, its material unidentifiable, but very sturdy.

"This is a family heirloom. My grandfather told me it was a treasure, but after all these years, I never figured out its use. If you can get out, take it and find Ellie. My daughter will surely believe you."

After speaking, the middle-aged man closed his eyes and leaned against the wooden bars like an NPC who had completed his task.

"What heirloom? Isn't this just a quest item?"

The middle-aged man didn't recognize it, but Ryan did.

[Karut's Blade]

[Quality: None]

[Effect: Don't throw it away, it might have unexpected uses.]

"I didn't expect Karut's Blade to be here."

Ryan rejoiced inwardly.

This thing was the 'key' to unlocking the hidden profession. However, by the time the main characters reached Cassola Prison in the game, everyone inside was already dead, and Karut's Blade was hidden in a corner of a cell.

Ryan couldn't remember which cell it was in. If this person hadn't handed the item to 'Shyarly', he would have most likely missed it.

However, even with the 'key,' Karut's Blade wasn't the actual transfer relic. The relic was in another cell.

"I remember it should be in the lowest cell on the bottom floor of Cassola Prison. This definitely isn't the bottom floor. The problem is how do I get out?"

Although there were no guards, the cell was locked, and there was nothing around for him to use... Wait, who said there was nothing?

Ryan tossed the coffee spoon in his hand into his backpack, and in the next second, it appeared in 'Shyarly's' hand.

"Digging? A spoon is definitely not enough."

Ryan controlled 'Shyarly' to inspect the cell's structure. There seemed to be a sliver of hope, provided he had a bigger, sharper shovel.

'Shyarly' turned around and looked at the people in the other cells. Her current position was at the very edge. There were people only opposite and to her right, so the concealment was quite good.

The problem was...

"Starting a new account and immediately undertaking such a massive project?"

Ryan pondered for a moment. He wasn't too panicked. At worst, he could just bash his head against the wall and try again tomorrow. The worst-case scenario was just that, how much worse could it get?

If all else failed, he could find an excuse to bring the Bureau of Public Security along to attack, or perhaps use the Gate of Janus for a move, provided he could find this place.

Cassola Prison wasn't just one location, but many, and due to the passage of time, very few people knew information about it.

Whatever, at worst, he'd just kill off another alt. There were always more solutions than problems.

As for now...

Ryan left the coffee shop and found a place selling shovels. He bought one and tossed it to 'Shyarly' to slowly dig with. In his memory, the place where he could obtain the hidden profession should be on the floor below. If he dug through, everyone would be happy. If not, he'd just wait for the other operation.

It was useless for her to force her way through. The Blood Cult, while not having the best character, was undeniably formidable.

When he returned to the coffee shop, Jack was back too, sitting in his previous spot and looking around.

"Captain, captain!" he called out, his face beaming with excitement, "Guess what I just discovered?"

Ryan replied, "The female police officer left the restroom door open?"

Jack froze, his face flushing red. "How would I know something like that? Even if I could turn invisible... Ugh, it's not that. It's Director Norman. I just saw him take a call. It sounded like someone from the Hand of Darkness, discussing attacking the train station with him!"

"Heavens! I can't believe my ears. That guy is the head of the Bureau of Public Security, yet he's colluding with heretics to kill the Princess! This world has gone mad!"

For a nineteen-year-old student, such explosive news was indeed shocking.

"Calm down, Jack. It's not time to celebrate yet," Ryan said. "You can't just make everyone believe the Director of Public Security is compromised based on a single phone call. You need evidence."

"Ah, right, evidence, evidence... How do we do that?"

"Leave this matter to me. Your task now is to follow him and figure out the Hand of Darkness's plan. That way, we can help Director Jonathan."

What Norman was up to was not important. However, since Adler had entrusted this matter to him, it meant he would maintain contact with the Hand of Darkness.

"Be careful. If you encounter a Transcendent, try to stay away," Ryan cautioned.

"Don't worry, Captain!"

Watching Jack leave with great enthusiasm, Ryan opened his mouth, unable to offer any more reminders.

Was this guy getting a little too excited?

This wasn't a good thing. Experience told him that young people shouldn't be too arrogant. Ryan had been arrogant once yesterday, and the result was 'Lin Qi' losing her sister.

He left the coffee shop. According to his agreement with Adler, he needed to retrieve Norman's criminal evidence.

At twelve noon, Ryan successfully obtained the evidence.

A quick flip through it revealed that Norman's crimes were already at a heinous level. This guy had been secretly contacting people from the Hand of Darkness, using his position to secretly hand over some prisoners to them.

Some of the people used in the ritual at 228 Black Ding Street were provided by Norman.

This matter alone was enough to put Norman on the roasting spit.

Ryan continued to flip through. Norman's crimes, spanning over ten pages, included, but were not limited to, raising children in captivity, harboring gangsters, murder, and forcing women, among others. Bribery, in his case, had become a minor issue.

He stored the evidence and returned to the coffee shop, only to find that Jack hadn't returned yet.

"Why is it taking so long?"

Logically, there shouldn't be any Transcendent beings in the General Bureau of Public Security. With Jack's abilities, there shouldn't have been any problems.

After hesitating for a moment, Ryan headed towards the General Bureau of Public Security.

At this moment, officers were constantly coming out, heading towards the train station to maintain order in advance.

Ryan presented his identification as the Deputy Captain of the East City Branch and was smoothly allowed inside.

"I'm looking for Director Norman."

He said to the officer in charge of reception.

"The Director is out on business."

"Out? Where?"

"I don't know."

Norman wasn't here, so Jack likely wouldn't stay inside either. Ryan left the General Bureau with a sense of confusion, only to be grabbed as soon as he stepped outside.

"Captain! I've been looking all over for you!"

"Jack?"

The Transcendent kid grabbed Ryan and pulled him aside without a word, urging, "Quick, quick, quick, or Norman will get away!"

"Where?"

"Over there?"

Ryan followed Jack around the main building to the back, then saw Norman get into a car and drive off.

Cars weren't fast by today's standards, but they were faster than two legs. However, Jack had overheard where Norman was going beforehand. The two ran all the way, and by the time they reached the location, Ryan was almost dead from exhaustion.

In contrast, Jack was unfazed. The enhanced physical abilities of a Transcendent were truly formidable.

"This is... the East District?"

To be precise, it was a border area between the Central and East Districts, an undeveloped old residential zone with large areas of abandoned houses everywhere.

The two found Norman's car and finally set their sights on an abandoned factory in the distance.

This place used to be a steel processing plant, but with the expansion of the Central District, the benevolent nobles couldn't bear to see the workers toiling day and night in the steel mill, so they forcibly shut it down.

Eventually, the city government relocated the plant to the outskirts, and this steel mill, which once supported countless families, was abandoned. As far as Ryan knew, the land ownership was later acquired by a noble.

Ryan took out his pocket watch and checked the time. It was 1:30.

"That guy should be meeting with people from the Hand of Darkness. I heard it with my own ears, and he also brought a map, like a layout of the train station. He definitely wants to leak the information," Jack whispered. "What do we do, Captain? Should we go for a big score?"

"How do we do it? Just you and me?"

Ryan retorted.

Jack scratched his head. "Then how about I sneak in and check out the situation?"

Ryan remained silent, considering if it was worth the risk. If they had to fight Transcendent individuals from the Hand of Darkness, they would have to use their Character Card abilities.

Then, could they win?