10 PM, in the alley behind the Bravehearts Bar.
Wearing a black double-breasted tuxedo and a matching top hat, Klein simply strolled around the area before making his way to the nearest street, just as he had done before.
He had just stepped out of the alley when a carriage stopped in front of him, and behind the glass window were Maric's brown eyes, which always seemed to be suppressing malice.
Klein adjusted his top hat, gripped his sturdy cane, and calmly and composedly climbed onto the carriage, as if he had waved it down himself.
He sat down, straightened his tie, and looked like a gentleman on his way to a banquet.
"This kind of attire is not suitable for combat." Maric, dressed in a white shirt, black vest, and tight pants, looked him up and down, then rubbed his suddenly furrowed brow.
It's clear that he still has some doubts about Klein's abilities, but he chose to trust Sharron.
Klein smiled easily and said:
"My extraordinary abilities and fighting styles are different from yours. This kind of clothing will not cause any negative effects; in fact, it suits me quite well. For example, it has many pockets, which can hold different items in different places to avoid accidentally grabbing the wrong item in a hurry and losing my life due to a ridiculous mistake."
As he spoke, he took out the remaining three tranquilizers from a sewn-in hidden pocket—special tranquilizers concocted by the " Apothecary "!
No sooner had he finished speaking than a figure flashed across the other side of the car window.
A figure wearing a black court dress and a small soft hat.
This is Sharron, Sequence 5 powerhouse from the Mutant Pathway, known as " Wraith ".
"You've explained too much," Sharron said, her azure eyes fixed on Klein, her tone unfocused. "It's not natural enough."
... I just wanted to gradually get into character... Klein chuckled twice in response:
"It's probably because I'm a little nervous."
Before Sharron could speak again, he handed the three tranquilizers to Maric:
"Find an opportunity to drink it yourself."
"I'm sure you're more experienced than me; you won't drink too early, too late, or too little or too much."
Maric looked at the sealed, transparent glass test tube, gently shook the liquid inside, and said:
"Two and a half. Any more than that, and I'll really calm down and won't want to do anything for a while."
"Very good." Klein praised, then turned to Sharron, "Have you decided on the ambush location?"
Sharron nodded slightly and said:
"We're on our way there."
She did not directly reveal the planned battle location to Klein.
Very cautious, very careful... Klein thought for a moment, then asked:
Will you be harmed by the Purification?
"' The Living Corpse ' will, and I will too when I'm in spirit form," Sharron replied succinctly.
In other words, Purification is unlikely to be effective when the " Wraith " of Sequence 5 is still in a physical state... Klein asked thoughtfully:
"Exorcising evil spirits?"
"Where's the Demon Hunter?"
Because she was dealing with a powerful opponent who shared the same path, Sharron made no attempt to conceal anything:
"Demon hunting can harm our bodies, while exorcism can harm both the body and the spirit, but neither is fatal."
Klein smiled and exhaled, saying:
"I see."
He thought for a moment, then carefully considered his question before asking:
"Can you feel the power of Purification and exorcism now?"
"No," Maric replied hoarsely from the side.
"Very well, the Cage of Spirituality mutated from the Wall of Spirituality can indeed isolate the influence of the ' The Sun Brooch,' but... I'm so hot..." Klein sighed inwardly, then confirmed:
"Besides the Crimson Moon Corona, what other magical items or extraordinary weapons do ' Wraith ' Steve, ' Living Corpse ' Jason, and ' Werewolf ' Tyre?"
"We don't know." Maric pinched his brow again, looking somewhat irritated.
With a major battle imminent, it was inevitable that he, who was already suppressing his malice and desires, would experience some emotional fluctuations.
Sharron listened quietly, then replied in a calm tone:
"Affected by the ' Crimson Moon Corona,' Jason and Tyre will be in a rather frenzied state."
"Even if they possess magical items, they lack the sanity to use them."
"Unless it's a passive type," Maric added, "And for a ' Werewolf,' claws are his extraordinary weapon. That's true for me, for Tyre, for Jason —they can cut through steel and are inherently poisonous."
Klein's eyes flickered slightly, and he nodded:
"Okay, I have no more questions."
In the sparsely populated night, the carriage sped along, its wheels occasionally churning over puddles and splashing tiny specks of dirt.
About ten minutes later, Maric had the Living Corpse driving the car rein in.
Klein looked out the glass window and saw a dark, layered area of a dilapidated building, with the sound of rushing water coming from not far away.
"This is the West Balam Dock, which has been abandoned for a year and is about to be converted. Our planned ambush site is in its warehouse area," Maric explained.
The abandoned West Balam Dock... If anything goes wrong, the Tussock River is the best escape route... According to my previous reconnaissance, about 2 kilometers northwest of here, there is a " Leverage Church " belonging to the God of Steam and Machinery... Klein quickly recalled the surrounding situation.
He alighted from the carriage, casually straightened his clothes, picked up his cane, and followed Sharron and Maric into the shipyard that was about to be renovated.
After walking for about five or six minutes, they arrived at an open space enclosed by several warehouses.
The soil here is dark brown, withered weeds lie fallen everywhere, and a wooden box sits quietly in a secluded, dimly lit corner.
"That's the explosives you wanted," Maric said, pointing.
Klein nodded and said:
Aren't you afraid a homeless person will steal it?
"My Living Corpse sleep underground here; they'll scare anyone who enters." Maric then pointed to several other locations. "When you plant bombs, avoid them."
"No problem." Klein chuckled and nodded, then asked, "Will my use of Purification and exorcism abilities harm your little ones?"
"No, they are essentially dead when they are dormant, and there is also a thick layer of soil to prevent them from getting in the way," Maric replied affirmatively.
Sharron looked around and, unusually, spoke at length:
"You stay here and get ready, we'll go lure the enemy over."
"It won't take more than thirty minutes, please keep track of the time."
"Once you're ready, hide in a warehouse at random. Don't rush into action; you must be patient."
No matter how dangerous the situation, treat it as normal.
"Once I'm weakened and the ' Crimson Moon Corona ' appears, you can use that 'eye' to find Steve and launch a surprise attack. I will also use my magical artifact to assist you."
Klein listened attentively, then chuckled softly and said:
"A very simple plan."
"The simpler the plan, the more effective it is," Sharron replied calmly.
Maric rubbed his forehead, shook his head, and said:
" Steve isn't a stupid guy, and a complex plan can fall apart completely if even the slightest problem arises."
After the exchange, Sharron vanished instantly, and Maric quickly ran away from the dock.
Watching them leave, Klein took out a small square iron box from his pocket. A thin "film" of Spirituality was attached to the box, which was a " Cage of Spirituality " derived from the " Wall of Spirituality ".
It can isolate certain magical items from external influences to some extent, but it cannot mitigate the negative effects on the holder.
Of course, those Sealed Artifact that are too powerful or too bizarre are definitely not something that the " Cage of Spirituality " can deal with; they require a special sealing environment.
Four warehouses, overgrown with weeds, the ground muddy from the previous rain... Klein pulled out a slip of paper and flicked it casually.
Snap!
The strip of paper quickly tightened, becoming as hard as an iron plate.
Klein gripped the note, quickly dug a shallow hole in the center of the open space, and buried the small square iron box inside, separating it from the outside world only by a thin layer of soil.
Then, he took out explosives from the wooden box and buried them in different corners and warehouses.
He buried the last few roots near the center.
After doing all this, he took out his revolver and readjusted the bullet ratio: 3 " Purification " bullets and 2 "exorcism" bullets.
Klein tucked the revolver into his armpit holster, straightened his clothes, and went to the gap between the two warehouses. He threw a paper figure there, on top of the buried bomb.
He surveyed his surroundings again, then took out another square iron box, removed the " Cage of Spirituality " from its exterior, and took out the dark gold brooch in the shape of the Sun, solemnly placing it on his left breast.
Whew... Klein let out a breath, left the place, took a walk outside, dropped some inconspicuous things, and set fire to the used note.
Upon returning, he climbed to the top of a warehouse and hid in the shadows.
After counting and confirming the various talismans, hydrosols, and herbal powders, Klein touched the metal cigarette case and snapped his fingers.
The paper figure he had previously tossed between the two warehouses suddenly stood up and transformed into a gentleman dressed in a black double-breasted tuxedo, a half-high silk hat, and carrying a sturdy cane.
The gentleman's location is quite secluded and hidden, making it difficult for outsiders to see.
With its replacement, Klein's figure completely disappeared from the spot.
However, his vision was not affected in any way, and he could clearly see the road leading to the open space.
Even though he was well-prepared and had experienced many battles, Klein was still somewhat fearful and uneasy at this moment.
Even the best performance can be seen through!
Moreover, the opponent is Sequence 5 powerhouse wielding a magical item! There's also a Sequence 6 and a Sequence 7!
"Is this what every Magician is like before going on stage?" Klein took a silent breath, suppressing the various emotions in his heart and the burning heat in his body.
Tonight, the crimson the Moon was obscured by clouds, and only a faint light shone in the open space.
Before long, Klein saw three figures approaching at an extremely fast speed.
One in front, one in the middle, and one in the back!