Since they already knew the monster they faced was most likely a Plague Wraith, Lynn and Geralt took out their premixed Specter Oil and carefully spread it evenly over their silver blades.
Coating a weapon with sword oil suited to the monster would allow it to deal more damage.
This was common knowledge among witchers.
As long as witchers knew beforehand what they would be facing, they would generally mix the appropriate sword oil and apply it to their blades.
Of course, if they got it wrong, not only would the sword oil fail to work, it might even mean twice the effort for half the result.
After applying the sword oil, the two began taking potions.
The abandoned mine was pitch-black.
Cat Potion, which allowed witchers to see in the dark, was therefore essential.
Next came Petri's Philter.
Lynn and Geralt had both taken it once before, when hunting the Grave Hag.
This potion enhanced the effects of Signs.
Against incorporeal creatures such as wraiths, Signs were just as important as silver swords.
Especially the Yrden Sign.
The Yrden Sign was remarkably effective against almost all wraiths.
Last came the Tawny Owl Potion.
It accelerated the recovery of stamina and magic.
After downing several bottles of potions, Lynn's face immediately lost its color. Every blood vessel stood out clearly, his veins bulging.
An itching sensation filled the area around his eyeballs.
There was also a faint tearing sensation within his body.
This meant the accumulated toxicity of the potions had reached the upper limit of what even a witcher's body could barely withstand.
Taking any more potions would put even a witcher's life in danger.
But when Lynn glanced at Geralt, he found that the White Wolf's symptoms were much milder than his own. Clearly, those potions had not yet brought him to his limit.
And that was indeed the case.
Considering the unknown dangers in the abandoned mine, even though he intended to give Lynn some experience, the White Wolf still drank an extra bottle of Wolf Potion to enhance his agility and a bottle of Thunderbolt Potion to enhance his muscular strength, ensuring their safety and leaving room for error.
Finally, the two checked the alchemical bombs hanging at their waists.
Just as they were about to proceed, Lynn and Geralt suddenly turned in unison to look back down the mine tunnel they had come through.
The sound of deliberately light footsteps came from that direction.
Specters did not make footsteps.
Lynn and Geralt exchanged a glance.
Neither drew his sword; they simply continued watching the tunnel they had come through.
Before long, Thor appeared, holding a blazing torch.
When he saw how ghastly the potions had made Lynn and Geralt look, he was so frightened that he nearly dropped the torch.
"Master witchers, what's happened to your faces?"
Lynn did not answer, instead throwing a question back at him. "Thor, what are you doing here?"
The newcomer was Brovar's son, the dwarven captain Thor, who had escorted them to this mine.
Thor said stiffly, "I've come to rescue you two masters."
Lynn looked at Geralt.
Geralt looked back at Lynn.
In the end, Lynn handled the conversation with Thor. "I don't understand."
"You don't need to understand. You only need to know that you can get five hundred orens for free without doing anything."
As he spoke, Thor took out a money pouch and tossed it toward Lynn.
But Lynn did not catch it.
He let the pouch fall to the ground, the gold coins inside clinking crisply against one another.
Sensing something wrong with the atmosphere, Thor swallowed and continued.
"Listen, masters, I personally have great respect for witchers. That's why I risked coming here to warn you. The monster inside is far beyond anything you can imagine..."
"Of course I'm not looking down on you two masters, but if you can get paid without taking any risks, why wouldn't you?"
Lynn rubbed his chin with his fingers. "Perhaps because the elder offered four thousand orens and a Gwyhyr Sword that can slice through iron like mud."
"And what you're offering doesn't even look like five hundred."
"Damn it," Thor said, visibly growing anxious. "For plague's sake, master witchers, the elder lied to you. You won't get a single coin."
His voice was full of temptation, like a devil's, as it echoed through the empty mine tunnel.
"Want to know why? Because you'll die here. Once you're dead, the elder won't have to part with a single copper."
Lynn spoke in an odd tone. "Thor, if I remember correctly, the elder is your father, isn't he?"
He paused, and then his next words nearly made Thor's eyes pop out in shock.
"Why are you plotting against the elder? Just because he hasn't given you special treatment?"
Thor's eyes shifted, and he did not even dare meet Lynn's gaze.
There was no doubt that this was a sign of a guilty conscience.
"I... I don't understand what you're saying."
But Lynn had no intention of letting him off, pressing him aggressively instead. "No, you understand. Of course you understand what I'm saying. Offering us money to leave is part of the plot too, isn't it?"
Thor's expression finally darkened. "I was going to ask you nicely, you damned mutants. Couldn't you just take the money and leave? Why did you have to make this so ugly?"
"Finally done playing the nice guy?" Lynn smiled. "Actually, even if you don't tell me, I can probably guess some of it."
"Although I don't know why you want to overthrow your own father, if the problem in the abandoned mine isn't resolved, sooner or later it will undermine the elder's rule. That's why you want to pay us to leave."
"But Thor, surely you know what professional ethics are? You must also have heard the saying about staying true to your mission and honoring the trust placed in you."
As though he had been insulted, Thor grew so agitated that his face flushed bright red.
"Shut your mouth, you vagabond! Do you even know who you're talking to?"
"Just listen to yourself-professional ethics, staying true to your mission, honoring people's trust?! You're not worthy of any of that! I'll say it one more time: take the money and get the hell out! I won't say it a third time!"
Lynn remained unmoved by Thor's threats.
"Whether someone is pulling your strings or you're the mastermind yourself, those plots against Brovar won't succeed."
"If you leave now, Thor, at least you'll still have a chance to pack your bags and get out of Mahakam alive."
Thor took a small step back, swiftly drawing the battle-axe at his waist.
"You brought this on yourselves, scoundrels! I'll kill you and your accomplice. Those tricks of yours won't help you, because I've brought a Turtle Stone!"
Lynn smiled.
The Turtle Stone was renowned.
Just as dimeritium was the bane of sorcerers, rumor had it that a Turtle Stone could be used against witchers.
As long as you carried a Turtle Stone, even the most savage mutant would be no match for you.
This was a lie!
Dimeritium really could prevent sorcerers and witchers from casting spells.
But the Turtle Stone was nothing but a complete fabrication.
Lynn had no idea why so many people believed this patently shoddy rumor.
Lynn did not want to cast a Sign on Thor.
Nor did he intend to draw his sword and clash head-on with Thor's axe.
He merely turned sideways to dodge the swinging axe blade, then followed up with an uppercut to Thor's chin.