A gathering of Beyonder? Klein thought for a moment, then nodded in response:
"Can."
The collection of auxiliary materials for the " Marionettist " Potion should also be put on the agenda. He could also see if he could run into a Artisan... He subconsciously began to plan ahead in his mind.
Seeing that Gehrman Sparrow agreed, Danitz quietly breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help but smile.
In the past few days, with the bounty increased significantly and his important task of wiretapping on others under his command, he hadn't left the house at all, staying obediently in his hotel suite. He was feeling incredibly stifled and couldn't wait for night to come.
Danitz mentioned that the gathering of Beyonder takes place at the Fragrant Leaf Bar, a place frequented by pirates, informants, and adventurers, making it the top choice for gathering intelligence and purchasing supplies.
Klein, dressed in a black overcoat and a silk top hat, followed Danitz through the bustling, smelly bar hall and into a card room. Under the watchful eyes of several guards, he gave the agreed-upon signal and descended a hidden staircase to a spacious underground area.
Like the " Evil Dragon Bar " in Tingen City, this place has an underground market selling herbs, essential oils, ancient books, talismans, and various common occult materials. However, unlike the other markets, this place also sells all sorts of guns and ammunition. Klein even found antique muskets and lead bullets.
Ha, there are even people selling fake identity documents and making fake seals... No wonder it's an overseas colony, these kinds of industries are much more developed than in Tingen... I'll buy a batch of materials later to make talismans for the " Sea God " domain. There will always be some discounts for bulk purchases... Klein turned his head slightly left and right, taking in the situation in the underground area.
Danitz, who was standing next to him, had already begun to doubt his own makeup skills. He deliberately wore a baseball cap, pulling it down low to cover half of his face. At this moment, he skillfully led Klein to the other end of the underground trading market and knocked on the tightly closed door with two long knocks followed by four short knocks.
There was only one candle behind the door, its light flickering on the lamp stand on the side wall, casting a dim, yellowish glow that barely illuminated the small room.
Danitz pointed to the robes, masks, and other items hanging or displayed on the table, and said to Klein:
"Here, you can decide what kind of disguise to use, or you can choose not to."
Klein glanced around, his gaze sweeping over the guards in the room:
"I don't need it."
I'm now an informant for the Kingdom's military, and the Church of Storms knows this too, so there's nothing to be afraid of... If pirates and adventurers harbor ill intentions because I wasn't disguised and try to attack, hehe... Klein's mind suddenly conjured up images of bounties flying towards him.
Danitz subtly pursed his lips, picked up the black iron mask, and put it on.
Then, led by a guard, he and Klein walked through a dimly lit corridor and entered another room.
The place was decorated quite luxuriously, with thick carpets from the Southern Continent covering the floor, and shimmering golden lamps on the walls, while the light from freshly scented candles spread out in layers.
Klein glanced around, and without needing Danitz's help, found a brown leather sofa, sat down, leaned back, and crossed his right leg.
There were already more than twenty people gathered here, men and women, some wearing hooded robes and others openly showing their true faces. According to Danitz's description that morning, not all of those attending this gathering were Beyonder; there were also representatives of certain forces and adventurers, pirates, and occult enthusiasts who wanted to become Beyonder.
In the quiet atmosphere, time passed rather slowly. After about seven or eight minutes, the old man sitting in the armchair straightened his back, clasped his hands together, and chuckled:
"Let's begin."
His hair had thinned to a thin layer of white due to his age, but his light brown eyes remained clear, bright, and sharp.
"The organizer of the gathering is ' Strongman ' Oz Kent, a former notorious pirate and now the behind-the-scenes owner of the Fragrant Leaf Bar," Danitz introduced to Klein, turning slightly to the side and lowering his voice.
He had actually said it once that morning, but he was afraid that Gehrman Sparrow might not have understood and would blame him afterwards.
It's a sad thing when someone else knows your secrets... Danitz sighed inwardly.
Klein nodded almost imperceptibly, quietly observing the other people's transactions.
The recipes for Potion like " Warrior, Sailor Mystery Pryer " appeared here, but no one bought them, and the hopeful sellers were repeatedly disappointed and gave up.
Danitz glanced at Gehrman Sparrow's expressionless face, leaned closer, and whispered, "..."
"This gathering has no Notary, no powerful Divination, so the authenticity of the Potion recipe cannot be guaranteed. These things are too easy to fake, and even if someone recognizes the recipe as counterfeit, they can't punish the seller because they might also be a victim."
I know... this is one of the reasons why Potion recipes haven't spread widely... Klein lowered his raised right leg, leaned forward slightly, and spoke in a moderate voice:
"I need the remnants of the Ancient Evil Spirit Spirituality."
He made no mention of supporting materials such as the eyes of the Six-Winged Gargoyle or the water of the Sonia Golden Spring, fearing that others would guess from this that he was the " Faceless " and was preparing to advance to the " Marionettist ".
While in Tingen City, Klein, relying on the combination of supplementary materials Duster Guderian was a potential " Spectator," thus uncovering his identity as a member of the Psychology Alchemists.
The residual Spirituality of a single Ancient Evil Spirit cannot be inferred further, as it is used in many rituals within the realm of the Death.
Although Klein made no attempt to disguise himself, he still maintained the necessary caution.
The room was silent for two seconds, then a slightly hoarse voice rang out:
How much do you need?
"Really?" Klein controlled his expression, not letting his joy show.
He turned his head to look at the person who was speaking and found that it was a man in his thirties with obvious local ancestry.
The other person had a bronze complexion, but it had a dullness that suggested long-term malnutrition or lack of sunlight. Their face was thin, their cheekbones were prominent, their eyes were sunken, and their skin was more white than black.
"A small bottle." Klein pulled out a small metal bottle as an example.
The thin, sallow-faced man remained silent for a moment before saying:
"500 pounds."
That's reasonable... Klein wanted to haggle, but out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of Danitz sitting next to him.
"I am Gehrman Sparrow, a ruthless and mad adventurer..." Klein repeated these words three times in his mind, took a quiet breath, and nodded calmly:
"Good."
He took out the thick stack of cash he had prepared beforehand and counted out a huge sum of 500 pounds.
The man with alarmingly large whites in his eyes took a glass test tube from his pocket and casually tossed it towards Klein.
"After more than a year, the Spirituality will be completely lost."
He wasn't worried that the other person wouldn't be able to catch it, because even if it broke, it wouldn't affect the material itself; it would just be a matter of changing the container.
Klein raised his right hand and accurately caught the glass test tube. He saw phosphorescent-like specks Levitation inside. When they touched the inner wall of the glass, they would expand strangely, transforming into a face with blurred features, opening its mouth and screaming silently.
It's true... Klein nodded to himself, handing the thick 500 pounds in cash to the approaching waiter, who would then pass it on to the seller.
Transactions continued, with most falling through and a few succeeding.
As the gathering drew to a close, the organizer, " Strongman " Oz Kent, chuckled and said:
I have a request.
As he spoke, he pulled a photograph from the inside pocket of his clothes:
"Find the person above; the reward is 1000 pounds, or the equivalent in common extraordinary materials. Remember, do not harm her."
1000 pounds? That would drive most adventurers crazy... I wonder who offered such a high reward... Klein was not surprised to see that everyone present expressed their willingness to give it a try.
The photo was passed around counter-clockwise and arrived in Klein's hands a few minutes later.
He glanced at it casually, and a sense of surprise suddenly welled up inside him.
The woman in the photo is quite beautiful, with striking red hair and emerald-green eyes. Her skin isn't fair, but she has a healthy appearance.
When taking the photos, she wore a lake-colored long dress, cinched at the waist with a ribbon tied in the shape of flowers, making her look exceptionally slender. She appeared to be smiling, but her overall demeanor was not cheerful and rather awkward.
A girl from a well-off family... Who would pay 1000 pounds to find her, on the condition that she can't be hurt... Hmm, a photo of her forcing a smile... Klein's mind was immediately filled with several love-hate entanglements.
What about a domineering pirate who falls in love with a wealthy merchant's daughter, abducts her to his ship, only to have her escape? What about a fallen noblewoman who becomes a pirate, gets captured, and engages in a sinful love affair with a " Mandated Punishers " and a high-ranking military officer, using this to escape her predicament and break free from her cage? What about a newly minted Witch, while bringing Pleasure, inadvertently gets herself into a love triangle...? As similar thoughts flooded his mind, Klein almost raised his hand to cover his face.
He'd read too many novels in his past life... and now the shadow of demons loomed over this world... He sighed inwardly, raised his head, and said to Oz Kent, the organizer of the gathering:
What's her name?
" Elaine," Oz Kent replied succinctly, "But she's definitely using a pseudonym now."
Elaine, a typical Intis female name... Klein asked again:
Do you have any of her frequently worn items?
Hair is fine too.
This is a medium used for Divination to find people.
Klein didn't mention that recently worn, unwashed clothes would also meet the requirements, fearing that the employer behind the scenes might throw her a pair of women's underwear, which would be quite embarrassing.
Oz Kent shook his head:
"No.
"She possesses strong counter-tracking capabilities."
"How capable is she?" another party participant asked.
Oz Kent solemnly stated:
The employer didn't describe it in detail, only saying that it wasn't too powerful, but stronger than Sequence 9.
"You don't need to capture her; just locate her and you'll receive your reward."
P. S.: Requesting monthly votes and recommendations for the last few hours of 2018! The annual popular character voting will end in a few hours. Regardless of the final outcome, we've maintained our number one position for so long, which is something to be happy about. I'll add an extra chapter at midnight. Thank you everyone.