Return to the City

Duomeng City

Dole was somewhat speechless.

An intermediate wizard apprentice really was not much use. It did not improve his combat strength in the slightest, but after his mental power increased, he became more sensitive when brewing potions, more precise in judging the quality of medicinal liquids and herbs themselves, and the extracts he refined became more accurate. That much was true. Now that he had become an intermediate wizard apprentice, he should be even more precise.

He looked at Bal, his expression somewhat cold. "I've entered the intermediate stage now. It's time to go back."

Bal wore an expression that said do as you please. "Suit yourself. But personally, I suggest you wait until you've reached the advanced stage before going back. A magic crystal mine has been discovered in Duomeng City, and a huge number of wizard apprentices have flooded in. Going back now doesn't look promising."

Dole shook his head. "Let's go back first and talk later."

Bal gave a grunt. "Suit yourself." He got to his feet, shook out his fur, and stretched lazily. "Then let's head back."

Dole was a little stunned. "You're coming back with me too?"

Bal rolled his eyes at him. "There's no magic crystal mine here, and I've got nothing to do. I might as well go back with you."

Dole was somewhat pleased. "Then let's go."

The gates of Duomeng City were guarded more heavily than ever. City guards and patrol squads from within the city marched back and forth at the entrance, their vigilance airtight. Dole carried a huge bundle on his back, a hunting bow at his side, and a dog with him—the very picture of a hunter.

At this time, a separate road had been built from the city gates toward the mountain on the right. Cart after cart loaded with rocks and clods of earth came down from the mountain, dumping their loads into the ravine below before returning uphill. Horses, all sorts of strange pack beasts, and people all pitched in, working with blazing enthusiasm.

Dole was speechless too. In Bal's eyes, it was merely a small mineral vein, yet in the eyes of Duomeng City's various powers, it was like a fragrant bun fresh from the oven. The moment it was discovered, they had to dig it up, unwilling to wait even an instant.

That was the gap between them.

Before long, he followed the crowd into the city.

Future Pharmacy.

In the innermost room, Old Mi's grin nearly split his face as he counted the herbs Dole had gathered. He could not have been happier.

"Not bad, not bad. The quality of these herbs is even better this time. I'll give you twenty gold coins for all of them. What do you need?" Ever since learning that Dole was an independent wizard, Old Mi had completely relaxed. As long as they could maintain a long-term partnership, there would be plenty of transactions like this.

Dole relaxed as well and smiled. "I need some beginner strength potions. Do you have any?"

Old Mi nodded. "There isn't much stock, but I do have some. Strength potions are quite valuable, though. One bottle costs two gold coins."

Having revealed himself as a beginner wizard, Dole naturally had no intention of continuing to hide it. This was a private transaction between the two of them, and he was not afraid of a third person finding out. So he took ten bottles from his clothes.

They were all green bottles.

At the sight of those bottles, Old Mi froze. He glanced at Dole, then asked curiously, "You're sure you want to sell beginner mental power potions?"

Dole nodded and let out a soft breath. "They aren't much use to me anymore. I might as well exchange them for other, more useful potions."

Old Mi gleaned a great deal from those words. If beginner mental power potions were no longer of much use, then Lin Rui before him had surely reached the intermediate wizard apprentice stage. But how long had it been?

He dearly wanted to know what meditation method the other man cultivated. An independent wizard—what good meditation method could he possibly have?

He thought it over, but did not ask. The moment he opened his mouth, he would be offending someone.

He picked up a bottle of beginner mental power potion and examined it, gaining a rough idea of its quality.

"The market for mental power potions is far less active than that for strength potions, but those nobles are still willing to pay a high price for them. They're actually worth more than strength potions. Are you sure you want to exchange all of these for strength potions?"

Naturally, Dole shook his head. "I want five bottles of strength potion and five bottles of agility potion."

They were all beginner potions. Though there was not much stock on the market, they were by no means scarce.

Dole was also probing him, trying to see just how many wizard apprentices this man worked with. After all, aside from the Ability Society, only independent wizard apprentices could provide such things. Ordinary physicians could brew potions too, but without the aid of exceptionally strong mental power, their failure rate was astonishingly high—more trouble than it was worth.

Old Mi nodded directly. "Fine. A shipment just came in. I'll go get them for you." With that, he rose and walked out.

Dole understood somewhat. Old Mi's clerks and subordinates probably knew nothing about these dealings. Independent wizard apprentices all needed secrecy; they could not let others learn their identities.

How had he recognized him? Had he simply bluffed it out of him?

The corner of Dole's mouth twitched slightly. This old hand really had plenty of tricks up his sleeve.

A short while later, Old Mi returned carrying a small box. He opened it for Dole to inspect, then handed it over.

Dole did not examine it closely. He put the box away and said, "Let's settle the money. I don't plan to go out again anytime soon, so I won't be buying anything else."

Old Mi was immediately startled. "You're not gathering herbs anymore?"

"That's not a long-term plan."

Old Mi sighed. He had thought he had found a long-term supplier.

But he did not lose heart. Instead, he asked directly, "If I hire you to brew mental power potions, would that be possible?"

Dole smiled. "That depends on the payment." Who would ever turn their back on money?

Old Mi immediately broke into a smile. He had found his long-term supplier.

Not long after, Dole walked out of Future Pharmacy with only a small bundle left on him. He looked around, then headed straight for the slums. He had spent a long time in the pharmacy, and it was already late. He planned to rest for the night.

The night passed quickly. Early the next morning, before the sky had even brightened, Dole left his room. Alone and carrying nothing, he entered the city district.

He turned left and right, quickly arriving outside the residence of a wealthy household. He stood at the corner and waited quietly.

Before long, a bald middle-aged man emerged. It was Harley.

Harley stepped out of his house, intending to go to the police station again and ask whether Dole had been found after all this time. That child truly had a bitter fate.

Over the past few days, he had called in many favors, yet he still could not find where Dole was.

He came out of the house, shut the door, and was about to leave.

Just then, he saw someone at the corner, wrapped up tightly from head to toe, furtively greeting him.

"Ha, Ha, it's me."

The moment he heard that voice, Harley's eyes lit up. He glanced around, saw that no one was there, then quickly walked over.

When he reached Dole, he saw a completely unfamiliar face, but the voice was right.

He blinked.

Dole looked at Harley and sighed. "Ha, it's me, Dole. It's inconvenient for me to reveal myself right now. Can you help me? I want to keep working at your place."

Harley pondered for a moment. "What happened? How did you suddenly disappear?"

Dole sighed and rolled up both sleeves. Beneath them, his skin was covered in scar after scar, like several ugly centipedes crawling across it.

Dole lifted his shirt. His chest and back were covered in the same way.

Harley's face darkened beyond measure. In an instant, he understood.

"Who did this?"

Dole shook his head, his gaze firm. "Ha, I'll avenge myself. Right now, I just want to find a job. Besides, they won't be able to find me anyway."