Clock Tower · Special Incident Management Department
"All right, once you sign this reimbursement form, you can leave," the Clock Tower staff member told Ximen, who sat across from him.
"Eighty thousand Youyang Currency? Why don't you just rob me!"
"All I did was blow up one tavern and accidentally melt part of the road and a few streetlights! How does that come to eighty thousand Youyang Currency?" Ximen protested indignantly.
"You openly used thaumaturgy in Brent, and quite a few mun-ordinary residents witnessed it. We had to use a considerable amount of Mnemosyne Spray containing [Memory Erasure]. That expense should fall to you," the staff member answered sternly.
"Bullshit! The Clock Tower has memory-erasing thaumaturgy. Why would you splurge on Mnemosyne Spray? You're just trying to fleece us! I won't stand for it. I'm appealing to the Clock Tower!" Ximen shouted, slamming the table.
"Sir, please refrain from slandering us! Every claim requires evidence. That is one of Heaven's own principles." The staff member righteously rebuked Ximen's "false accusation."
Then the staff member pulled out a large stack of documents and handed them to Ximen. "Here. If you wish to appeal, please complete all these forms. The Clock Tower will review your appeal within one year. You will remain in custody during that period."
"..."
In the end, Ximen obediently signed the reimbursement form.
"You may leave. Your guarantor happens to be outside."
Ximen left the interrogation room looking thoroughly disgruntled and headed outside. Once he emerged, he spotted Evan and Xia Xiu sitting on a bench in the waiting area. Xia Xiu had his legs crossed as he read the Fog City Daily. Ximen moved closer, just in time to catch the large black headline.
"Major gas leak strikes Fog City's Brent District"
"You're out, senior." Xia Xiu folded the newspaper and smiled at Ximen.
The blond boy's smile involuntarily reminded Ximen of how he had eaten without paying. He replied irritably:
"I'm out."
"I've cleaned up all those heretics. Evan, did you recover the item?" Ximen then asked Evan beside him.
"I did."
"Good. That just leaves the fringe members." Ximen nodded in satisfaction.
"Kid, give us one more day. In one day, I'll have a nice big present ready for you." Ximen turned to Xia Xiu.
"Then I wish you both success in battle."
Terra Calendar, 1589.2.22
It was a special day for Fog City, because the number of gas leaks in the city that day exceeded the total for the entire previous year. Quite a few residents even wrote to the city government to complain about the Gas Company.
The unfortunate Gas Company also lost a considerable amount of investment as a result.
Brent District · Cafe.
Ximen and Evan returned to the Cafe where Xia Xiu had freeloaded a meal. They spotted the Shiba Inu tethered by its collar, its brows tightly furrowed. It looked rather unhappy.
It doesn't look too happy. Maybe other dogs have been bullying it.
Thinking this, Ximen pushed open the door. They found Xia Xiu in the familiar corner.
This time, he was not eating a deluxe set meal. Instead, he was drinking a cup of milk coffee, with the latest issue of the Fog City Daily in his hands. As the two sat down beside him, they caught sight of the large red headline.
"Residents: Gas Company, get out of Fog City! Compensate us for our financial losses!!!"
"Huh? Senior Ximen, you actually managed to come?" Xia Xiu said in surprise upon seeing him.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ximen demanded unhappily.
"He got away quickly this time, and no civilians saw him. The only property damaged belonged to those fringe members of Flesh. The Clock Tower turned a blind eye to it. They don't like sewer rats either, after all," Evan explained.
"Oh." Xia Xiu, who was one of those sewer rats himself, indicated his understanding.
"So, seniors, my things..." Xia Xiu rubbed his hands together and gave the two a friendly smile.
Clack-
A black leather briefcase and an ornate leather pouch were placed on the table. Looking pained, Ximen pushed them toward Xia Xiu.
"Take a look. This is how a senior supports his junior." Ximen tried to sound magnanimous, though his expression could have been a little more natural.
Xia Xiu hefted the leather pouch. It was heavy, and solid objects rattled and scraped against one another inside. He opened it and took a look.
Gemstones corresponding to the four basic elements of thaumaturgy...
Rubies to aid in casting fire thaumaturgy, topazes to aid in casting earth thaumaturgy, malachite to aid in casting air thaumaturgy, and sapphires to aid in casting water thaumaturgy.
There were plenty of them, and they were all of the finest quality, scarcely inferior to the ruby Byron, the professor of Thaumaturgy Overview, had given him.
Xia Xiu put them away in satisfaction, then opened the black briefcase.
Thaumaturgy Stones lay in neat rows, filling the entire briefcase. Xia Xiu gave them a quick count. There were fifty Thaumaturgy Stones in all. He closed the briefcase in satisfaction and smiled at Ximen and Evan.
"My beloved seniors, I feel extraordinarily honored to be your junior."
"If you really feel honored, settle the bill later," Ximen said, rolling his eyes at him.
"This is the payment we promised you. We can give you the thaumaturgy you wanted now, too." Evan summoned his Lineage Book. The cover of the vivid Red Book depicted an armored warrior holding a Warhammer.
"Summon your own Lineage Book, place your hand on mine, and swear in Eden's name. I'll grant you authorization and spend my points in Heaven to help you obtain the thaumaturgy."
Evan placed his Red Book in front of Xia Xiu. Thoroughly familiar with this ritual, Xia Xiu summoned his Red Book in his left hand, then placed his right hand on Evan's.
"In Eden's name, I shall make good use of the power in my hands."
[Authorization assignment detected-] [Angels (the think tank's affectionate name for the Heaven Lineage), you will temporarily receive authorization to link to the "Book of Preaching." The cost of this transmission will be paid by Principalities.] [Please silently recite what you require-]
Xia Xiu silently named the three thaumaturgies he wanted, and their sigil imprints and weaving methods were transmitted into his mind.
[Extraction successful!]
Xia Xiu withdrew his hand and thanked Evan:
"I've obtained the thaumaturgy I wanted. Thank you very much for granting me access."
"You earned it," Evan replied briefly.
"Our mission to recover 4-331 is complete. We'll be heading back to the Sanctum to report shortly, so I want to ask you one more time." Ximen addressed Xia Xiu solemnly.
"Xiu Abraham, would you be willing to return to the Sanctum with us? You should know that you're only at the Angel rank right now. You haven't reached the rank needed to link to the 'Book of Preaching' on your own.
"But once you return to Sanctum territory, to the [Unknown Lands], you can easily link to the 'Book of Preaching' through the [Holy Ark]. The [Holy Ark] can also provide all kinds of boosts. Whatever way you look at it, that's better than staying at Deer College."
"No, senior. I have my own reasons for staying at Deer College. At this stage, I have no plans to return to the Sanctum." Xia Xiu smiled and shook his head.
Are you kidding? My low rank is precisely why I don't dare return to the Sanctum.
That damned [Holy Ark] program gives the two lowest ranks, Angels and Great Angels, no privacy whatsoever. If I return to the Sanctum before advancing to Principality, they'll discover on the spot that I have the Flesh Supremacy Lineage, then gun me down as a traitor.
(End of chapter)
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