Saltwater Swamp

But after making the rounds.

Evan had gained a general understanding of the prices at Crow Market. At least he would not be completely clueless and get swindled without even realizing it.

One point deserved special mention: the common currency used for trade in Crow Market was the same as outside—Gold Lions and Silver Bulls. High-purity precious metals such as gold and silver were themselves valuable casting materials and highly useful to extraordinary persons.

"Luckily, I still have some Gold Lions."

Buying the Blue Flag Demon Shark's Extraordinary Characteristic had not cost Evan anything. He still had Gold Notes worth over three thousand Gold Lions in his pocket. As long as he did not spend recklessly, it was already a fortune enough to keep an ordinary person fed and clothed for life.

What disappointed Evan, however, was that the goods sold here did not seem to be of a particularly high level, and most of the extraordinary persons in the market were fairly average in strength.

When Evan activated his Spirit Power attribute, Data Vision updated along with it. Although he could not judge another person's Spirit Power at a glance, based on his own senses, he could still make a rough assessment.

Apprentice-level first-rank extraordinary persons made up ninety-nine percent of the crowd. There were very few knights like him; most had activated their Spirit Power and followed Spellcaster Profession paths.

But to Evan, who was already a Formal Knight, most of them were weaklings.

As Apprentice-level wizards, they could cast spells through potions or Sorcery Items prepared in advance, and conduct rituals. Their strength lay in being bizarre and unpredictable.

But in a sudden battle, their straightforward offensive power might not even surpass that of an ordinary sailor holding a musket.

This was the awkwardness of Apprentice-level Spellcaster Professions. Ninety-nine percent of the unlucky people captured and executed by the church were at this level.

If Evan had not taken up two paths at once, this would have been a problem he would also have faced.

After sweeping through the street stalls once, Evan turned his attention to the obvious shops around Crow Market.

Just as merchants with permanent storefronts outside naturally seemed more trustworthy than roadside vendors, his intuition told him that there should be more high-end goods inside.

But when Evan casually entered the first shop, what he saw made him pause.

This shop was actually a divination hut.

And Zorro, whom he had not seen since entering Crow Market, was sitting openly behind a table with a crystal ball on it, playing the role of a diviner.

Red curtains with golden tassels hung before him, while incense smoke curled through the air like clouds and mist. The atmosphere was intensely mysterious, even by wizard standards, making people instinctively hold their breath.

Moreover, Zorro's outfit had changed again. His face was completely covered by a silver mask set with white crystals. He wore a long white robe and all kinds of jewelry, giving him a distinctly androgynous appearance.

Amid the deliberately cultivated mystery, strangers could not even tell whether he was male or female, old or young.

"Zorro is actually a diviner?!"

The discovery surprised Evan, but it also explained how Zorro had learned about Leon's Diary hidden aboard the Supply Ship without even the quartermaster knowing.

Besides, whether in the fantasy works of his previous life or in what he had learned of the Extraordinary world in this life, diviners of the Prophecy School were not known for their combat power.

No wonder Evan had not seen him use any sorcerous techniques during the battle that night.

"Hello, guest! Would you like a divination?" An extremely androgynous voice sounded. Evan did not know whether it was an illusion, but he felt a powerful sense of anticipation hidden in Zorro's words.

"As long as it directly concerns something no higher than rank one, whether it is an object or a person, my divination is very accurate." Noticing Evan's hesitation, Zorro added another sentence.

"All right, then help me take a look." Evan truly did have something for which he needed reliable information. For the sake of an "acquaintance," he did not mind giving Zorro a chance.

Crow Market truly deserved to be called a gathering place for Spellcaster Professions. While collecting herbs earlier, Evan had gathered all the ingredients for Birdsong Potion in just one round. For Whale Potion, which could strengthen a knight's digestive and absorptive abilities, he lacked only one material.

But he had been unable to find that final ingredient, saltwater crocodile scales, in the market. Perhaps he could find the answer here with Zorro. And even if something went wrong, it would not matter much; he could simply look elsewhere.

Following Zorro's guidance, Evan sat across from him.

"You do not need to tell me what you need.

Please look at my crystal ball, then imagine your question. The more detailed and profound it is, the better the effect.

Afterward, I will tell you the answer."

In Zorro's calm tone, Evan stared at the crystal ball resting on a block of oak heartwood atop the table and tried his best to imagine the shape, texture, and use of saltwater crocodile scales.

"Done. Five kilometers to the northeast, you will find what you seek."

Evan was quickly awakened by Zorro's voice and instantly broke free from a state resembling meditation.

Just now, Evan had actually felt his spiritual perception become entangled with the crystal ball for an instant, even causing him to lose focus briefly. Fortunately, Zorro bore him no ill will. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

A faint cold sweat broke out across his back.

After hastily paying the divination fee, Evan, still shaken, did not chat further with Zorro. He turned and fled the divination shop as if escaping.

Only after walking through the market outside did Evan suddenly remember that, in his panic, he had not had time to ask whether Zorro could divine the whereabouts of his sister Anita.

Still, now that he knew someone he knew possessed such miraculous abilities, Evan believed it would not be difficult to find him again next time.

"Strange, why does this person feel somewhat familiar?" Looking at Evan's retreating figure, Zorro felt an inexplicable familiarity with him as well.

But just as he had said, his current Divination Ability could not work on targets stronger than rank one. And apart from being a Wizard Apprentice, Evan was also a second-rank Extraordinary Knight.

Early the next morning, Evan prepared a map, dry rations, and the necessary equipment, then set out for the destination Zorro had divined.

Whale Potion could greatly accelerate Evan's Extraordinary Transformation. He had originally not begun gathering materials only because he did not want to expose himself. Now, by a twist of fate, he was only one step away from his goal, and he did not want to waste any more time.

So, after learning the location of the final ingredient, he set out immediately without delay.

The map showed that five kilometers northeast was a swamp not far north of the harbor.

Because of its low terrain, seawater frequently flooded back into it. Combined with the various creatures inhabiting it, it had gradually become a complex Saltwater Swamp over the years.

The swamp contained all kinds of marsh creatures—waterbirds, leeches, poisonous insects, water snakes, fish, and more. Naturally, it also had the Saltwater Crocodiles Evan needed.

Evan was not sure whether Zorro knew that.

But without Evan clearly telling him what he needed, Zorro had still reached such a conclusion. That already proved he truly had some skill compared to the so-called "masters" from Evan's previous life.

Although this place was already undeveloped wilderness, the map Evan had also bought from Crow Market indicated that it was not very dangerous. A Formal Knight could handle it with ease.

Splash—

Evan was extremely glad that he had prepared a pair of tall leather boots. They spared him intimate contact with the foul-smelling mud and filthy water that concealed who knew how many bacteria and parasites.

The terrain in the swamp was truly beyond description. What looked like solid ground might be mud, while what appeared to be water could support a person's weight. Even with Spirit Power enhancing his senses, Evan fell for it several times.

Not to mention the deeply camouflaged pythons, the endlessly irritating swarms of flying insects, and the highly poisonous thorny plants. Dangerous things were everywhere in this swamp.

"They're hiding far too well!"

After going deep into the Saltwater Swamp for nearly two full hours, all stretches of continuous land had disappeared, leaving only patches of low islets protruding from the rolling water and dense aquatic grass.

Here, Evan finally found traces of Saltwater Crocodiles crawling across a patch of mud.

With an initial clue, the rest was easy.

With Data Vision's assistance, Evan's tracking ability was no weaker than that of any seasoned hunter. Finding the creatures themselves was only a matter of time.

After searching for more than ten minutes.

Evan soon found several Saltwater Crocodiles lazily basking in the sun on a sandbank protruding from the water. And they carried on the fine tradition of fantasy-world animals: every one of them was enormous!

Looking at their tree-trunk-like bodies, thick scales, and sinister teeth longer than daggers, Evan did not think wrestling one of these huge creatures barehanded during his transformation period was a good idea.

Fortunately, the difference between humans and animals was that humans knew how to use wisdom and tools.

He took a plump waterbird he had hunted along the way from his belt, hid a four-pronged barbed hook in its belly, tied it securely with a sturdy rope, then threw it from afar toward the crocodiles.

Splash—

Water sprayed everywhere as the free meal triggered a scramble among them.

Unfortunately, in the struggle, the waterbird was torn to pieces, and the hook fell right out.

His first attempt ended in failure.

Already mentally prepared, Evan hunted another waterbird and used the same trick. When one crocodile was alone, he threw it directly before its mouth. The greedy beast opened its jaws and bit down without a second thought.

Crack!

How terrifying was a crocodile's bite force? Under that immense power, the hook pierced straight through both its upper and lower jaws.

Even Evan could not help shrinking his neck. "That must really hurt!"

"Aooow—"

"Roar—"

It was enough to make onlookers grieve and listeners weep. The intense pain made it struggle and roll, sending sand, dirt, dead branches, fallen leaves, and stones flying beneath the tremendous force of its limbs and tail.

Then hunter Evan stepped offstage, and fisherman Evan took the stage.

He continually controlled the rope in his hands, neither letting it slacken too much and allowing the crocodile to escape his sight, nor pulling it too tight and giving it a chance to snap the rope.

This was a contest of endurance.

Finally...

After more than half an hour of deadlock, the crocodile performed a "death roll" driven by unbearable pain. At last, the huge creature floated in the water without moving again.

Heave-ho—

He dragged it ashore with effort, took out a sharp dagger, and scraped enough scales from his prey bit by bit.

Only then did Evan let out a light breath. Even though he had already surpassed human limits and his attributes were still rapidly improving, holding out against such a massive creature for so long had truly been exhausting.

But the victor was still him in the end.