Chapter 1144 Market Chaos
From the MC's Perspective:
Inside the Gregor Mansion, I jolted awake after witnessing the cruel deaths of the guards. I knew it was important to leave before anyone discovered what had happened.
Swoosh!
I teleported back to the stall. After taking one last glance at the corpses, I walked out. Outside, people were still going about their business, completely clueless about the murders that had occurred.
I began weaving through the crowds to reach another exit. When I finally arrived there, I saw people leaving without much hindrance. I followed them as they exited the Main Market.
A few minutes later, I successfully left the Main Market and found myself on one of the busy streets in Verdant City. My mind was racing with too many thoughts.
I glanced around until I spotted a good coffee shop and walked toward it. Upon arriving, I noticed the place had private rooms as well.
I entered the shop and made my way upstairs to the second floor, where I found a seat near the balcony. From there, I could see the bustling street below.
The view of people going about their business on the busy street lifted my spirits. I settled into my chair and ordered a coffee, still wearing my mask. While it attracted a few glances, no one dared to approach me.
Shortly after, the waiter brought my coffee. I began to enjoy it while reflecting on how to proceed with my mission.
My task was to collect even the smallest clues possible. Not only had I obtained a second sample box, but I had also witnessed the murder and gotten a clear look at the Transmutation Wizard.
I believed this information would be enough to convince Elder Paul. There was no reason for me to put myself in harm's way; the Transmutation Wizard was no joke.
He was non-human, and the strange appendages extending from the old man's palm would remain deeply etched in my mind. He was incredibly powerful—capable of killing a Level-7 Wizard with ease.
This matter would be better left to Level-8 and Level-9 Wizards. There are plenty of arrogant wizards in society; they could handle it. Once I calmed my nerves, I continued sipping my coffee.
Meanwhile, the Main Market was plunged into chaos. Someone had finally discovered the dead bodies of the guards—officials who had returned to check on them. When they initially noticed their signals had gone dead, they knew something was amiss.
Their suspicions turned out to be correct when they discovered the bodies of the Guards. The officials immediately called for a forensic team to investigate the scene.
The circumstances surrounding their deaths were mysterious, with visible signs of torture on the bodies. It was presumed that the killer had sought information from them. The officials were terrified—they had a killer on the loose.
The suspected killer was identified as an Advanced Level Wizard, given that both Guards were Level-6 Wizards with combat strength comparable to that of an Elite Wizard.
In Verdant City, only the most qualified wizards can serve as Guards; they must pass through multiple selection processes to be chosen. Therefore, the officials concluded that the killer must be a powerful wizard, likely at Magic Level 7 or higher.
The current market was in chaos. The murder had disrupted normal activities, leaving the officials with no option but to shut it down. As time went on, news of the double murder quickly reached higher authorities, who then reported the incident to the True Elements Society.
At a coffee shop, after finishing my drink, I exited and began walking toward the Teleportation Platform when suddenly my storage bracelet buzzed with a notification. Checking the screen, I saw it was a call from Elder Paul. I quickly scanned the area for an empty spot to take the call.
As I touched the screen, a holographic image of Elder Paul Lin appeared.
"Elder, what is it?" I asked.
"Where are you right now?" he inquired.
"I'm in Verdant City," I replied.
"Good. Return to campus immediately. Someone has killed two of our Guards in the Main Market. The suspected killer is believed to be a Level-7 Wizard," he said.
"This isn't something for you to handle," he added.
"Alright," I responded, and we ended the call. A glint flashed in my eyes. As I had expected, the bodies had been discovered. I was uncertain whether to report what I knew or not.
"Anyway, I should return first," I convinced myself.
About 20 minutes later, I arrived back at the True Elements Society. Instead of going to see Elder Paul right away, I decided to head to my dorm.
I needed to prepare myself for questioning, knowing that Elder Paul wouldn't take my word at face value. To everyone else, I was just a Level-6 Wizard.
If I claimed to have seen the killer, Elder Paul would bombard me with questions. I needed to prepare myself before facing him.
Once I returned to my dorm room, I shut the door and went to take a shower. I wasn't aware of how the intelligence network of the True Elements Society operated. If they had a method to detect lies, I could find myself in serious trouble.
Therefore, lying could lead to significant consequences. I wanted to impress the higher-ups by gathering intelligence, as that might provide me with the backing I needed.
If I didn't share what I knew, all my efforts would be in vain, and I would continue to navigate the dangers posed by the Aristocratic Wizards.
Sighing, I continued my shower.
About 10 minutes later, I finished and changed into comfortable clothes before heading to bed.
The Following Day:
I woke up early. After getting out of bed, I began my morning routine.
About an hour later, I left the dorm building to find Wizards observing me as I walked along the path. They appeared to be involved in their tasks, but I could tell that was not the case; they were there for me.