A Wizard's Methods

Seeing Lynn about to leave, foolish Mary naturally clung tightly to him.

The moment they had gone only a short distance from the City Lord's Residence, Bloodhand Gang members who had long been lying in ambush nearby swarmed out and surrounded them.

"Abacus Snake, the boss wants you back!"

The minor leader at the front grinned viciously.

Lynn sneered. He did not resist and allowed them to "escort" him and Mary back to the gang's headquarters.

He wanted to see how One-Eyed Wolf intended to deal with him.

At that moment, the headquarters courtyard was brightly lit with torches.

At One-Eyed Wolf's command, every gang member had gathered in the courtyard, ready to watch the boss enforce the gang rules.

Vasa's bald head gleamed under the firelight. Beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, but he had no time to wipe them away.

After all, he had played a part in Lynn's escape...

One-Eyed Wolf sat imposingly in his chair, his foot planted on Skinny Monkey, who had been beaten black and blue and was barely clinging to life.

When he saw Lynn being brought back, a ferocious smile appeared on his face. "Lynn, my little 'Abacus Snake,' what's this? Your wings grown in? Trying to fly away?"

Lynn looked at him with great interest, feeling that this guy was actually rather adorable when he was angry.

Mm... stupidly cute!

One-Eyed Wolf rubbed his chin, feeling somewhat uncomfortable under Lynn's inexplicable gaze.

Clearly, Lynn had already fallen into his hands, yet it somehow felt as though he was the one being surrounded.

This brat was so fearless... could he have passed the test?

The thought startled him.

If that were true, not only could he not touch Lynn, he would have to find a way to serve this young master properly.

First, he needed to find out whether the brat had passed the test!

At that thought, the fierceness vanished from One-Eyed Wolf's face at once, replaced by a fake smile.

"Lynn, it's not like I was stopping you from taking the test. Why did you have to go to all this trouble? You're still young and haven't seen how dangerous this world can be."

"Becoming a wizard apprentice may let you rise to the heavens in a single step, but the road ahead is fraught with deadly danger..."

"What's so bad about staying in our little gang? If we join hands and build the gang up, then in the future, the gang will be ours to command. That's far better than becoming some wizard apprentice!"

One-Eyed Wolf spoke with such apparent sincerity that he seemed to truly regard Lynn as his successor.

This sudden change left the murderous gang members beside him dumbfounded.

They looked at one another, completely bewildered.

What was the boss getting at?

Why was he suddenly trying to butter him up?

Wasn't he supposed to enforce the gang rules?

Could this be the ceremony for appointing a vice boss?

Should we be smiling too?

Lynn remained noncommittal, merely watching One-Eyed Wolf's endless speech with an amused smile.

After talking for so long without Lynn taking the bait, One-Eyed Wolf could no longer maintain his smile and simply asked directly,

"By the way, how did today's test go? If you really passed, let your big brother know. All the brothers are here today, so we can give you a proper celebration!"

The smile on Lynn's face immediately faded. He shook his head and sighed.

"Becoming a wizard isn't so easy. I didn't pass the test..."

The moment those words came out, One-Eyed Wolf's face darkened instantly. Gritting his teeth, he said,

"Damn it, then what the fuck were you putting on airs for?!"

"The gang has its rules! A traitor loses a leg! Make sure you remember forever who your master is!"

Well, he was not even pretending anymore, was he?

If I'd lied, wouldn't you have exploded?

Before Lynn could finish mocking him inwardly, One-Eyed Wolf shouted harshly, "Yellow Tooth, carry it out!"

"Right away, Boss!"

Yellow Tooth licked his lips excitedly, grabbed a heavy iron rod, and slowly walked toward Lynn with twisted excitement on his face.

He wanted to see despair rise on Lynn's face.

Unfortunately, things did not go as he wished.

Not only did Lynn show no despair, but as he watched that mouthful of huge yellow teeth rapidly approach, his expression instead filled with disgust.

The excitement on Yellow Tooth's face completely froze...

What, death was staring him in the face and he still dared to taunt him?

Kid, you've got guts!

The iron rod whistled through the air as it smashed viciously toward Lynn's leg!

Kneel, you worm!

Mary shrieked and shut her eyes in terror, clutching Lynn's arm with all her strength. The noise made Lynn's head buzz.

Just as the iron rod was about to strike Lynn's leg, a sudden change occurred!

A mass of ink-black mist appeared out of thin air, instantly wrapping around Yellow Tooth's arm before rapidly spreading across his entire body!

"Ah—!!!"

A miserable scream burst from Yellow Tooth's mouth. The agony that sank into his bones made him wish he were dead.

Before everyone's horrified eyes, Yellow Tooth's flesh rapidly corroded and peeled away. His skin shriveled and turned gray, his eyeballs bulged out, then crumbled into ash...

In just a few breaths, a living man became a pale white skeleton!

Only that unmistakable mouthful of yellow teeth stubbornly remained on his jawbone, looking especially bizarre.

The skeleton shook its head, its jaw clicking. Sickly green soul flames burned within its hollow eye sockets as it "looked" at One-Eyed Wolf.

Looking at those huge yellow teeth, Lynn could not help muttering, "Tsk. Even negative energy couldn't wash that mouthful of yellow teeth clean..."

This eerie and horrifying sight instantly plunged the entire courtyard into dead silence!

Every gang member was scared out of their wits, their limbs turning ice-cold.

When had they ever seen anything like this?

The ferocious smile on One-Eyed Wolf's face froze completely, instantly transforming into boundless terror. He let out a strange cry and turned to run without hesitation!

A wizard!

Lynn had actually brought a wizard with him!!

"Since you've come, then stay."

An indifferent voice echoed through the air.

More black mist poured from the shadows like a tide of death, instantly engulfing the entire courtyard!

One-Eyed Wolf tried to rely on his speed to escape the courtyard through the black mist, but Yellow Tooth pounced on him and wrapped both arms tightly around his thigh.

That mouthful of huge yellow teeth bit viciously into his fat buttock, tearing off a large chunk of flesh.

"Urgh—ah—"

Amid One-Eyed Wolf's screams, the black mist swallowed him completely.

Screams, the grinding of bones, and the sound of flesh dissolving rose one after another, only to quickly fall silent.

When the black mist dispersed, apart from Lynn and Mary, who had collapsed to the ground in terror, only over a hundred skeletal soldiers remained standing in the courtyard, green soul flames flickering in their eyes!

They picked up the scattered weapons from the ground, then stood silently in the courtyard like emotionless killing machines.

The black-robed wizard's figure slowly emerged in the distance, as though he had never left.

He looked with satisfaction at this new batch of "materials" and nodded at Lynn.

Lynn took a deep breath and bowed to the wizard in thanks.

"Thank you for your help, my lord. Lynn will remember this kindness forever."

"Kehehehe—"

The wizard let out a strange laugh and turned into black mist once more, drifting away into the air. Only a sentence remained where he had stood.

"Remember, my name is Xilu..."

After the wizard departed, the skeletal soldiers dispersed on their own and took up positions around the courtyard, guarding Lynn.

So this was a wizard's method?

Powerful and strange indeed!

He wondered how strong these skeletons were.