Extraordinary Party
"Alright," Lin Ruo nodded, observing as Kaspers effortlessly blended into the crowd and made his way toward the back of the bar.
The lack of vigilance here is surprising. If I were an official Extraordinary, I might have exposed them outright… Lin Ruo mused to himself as he scanned the patrons, uttering a word under his breath before taking another sip from his glass of wine.
He ordered a Su Le shandy. To be honest, the taste was passable, albeit nowhere near the quality of wine Lin Ruo was accustomed to. Nevertheless, he wasn't overly picky in this regard and drank it without complaint.
After consuming about half of his drink, Kaspers reappeared before him. The man approached in a few brisk strides and spoke in a hushed tone, "They've agreed. Come back here at this time tomorrow, and I'll take you to meet them." He paused briefly before adding, "Of course, it'll cost you two pounds."
"Tomorrow…" Lin Ruo set his glass down and inquired, "Should I pay you today or tomorrow?"
"Today," Kaspers replied almost reflexively.
"No problem!" Lin Ruo nodded, promptly retrieving two pounds from his bag and handing them over to Kaspers, eliciting an appreciative grin from the man. "Keep the change!"
With that, Kaspers clenched his right fist, struck his left chest, and said, "May the storm be with you!"
Lin Ruo smiled but didn't offer a response. He exited the Bravehearts Bar, hailed a carriage, and returned to his residence.
Once there, he busied himself in the kitchen for a while, prepared dinner, and enjoyed his meal while reading the evening paper, giving his mind a rare moment of relaxation.
Suddenly, he froze.
"Effective…"
Ray Bieber had managed to escape the jurisdiction of the Storm Church.
Lin Ruo's lips curled into a subtle smile, and a truth-engraved fountain pen materialized in his hand once more. He began to write: "Hanass Vincent and Sirius Arapis will be discovered by the Extraordinary of the Church of the Storm next week, revealing their membership in the Aurora Society."
This particular "truth" didn't consume much energy, and it wasn't surprising. After Lin Ruo's warning, it was only natural for the Storm Church to intensify the search for hidden Aurora Society members in Tingen. Under these circumstances, the likelihood of Hanass Vincent and Sirius Arapis being exposed was high, and thus, the energy expended to establish this fact was minimal.
It was another link in Lin Ruo's intricate plan.
"In the style of Ince… After Hanass Vincent and Sirius Arapis are discovered, they should be promptly eliminated, and then…" Lin Ruo toyed with the pen in his hand, his gaze darkening. "What will follow…"
"Will it hasten the descent of the offspring of the malevolent god…"
With these thoughts in mind, Lin Ruo retrieved the pen and stretched lazily.
"It's time for more learning…"
The night passed without further incidents. After completing his studies, Lin Ruo slept soundly into the morning, commencing another day of work and learning. During this time, he found himself back in Tingen in the afternoon, though due to Klein's busy schedule, he remained unaware of any developments or actions among the official Extraordinary community.
Not that Lin Ruo was concerned; he simply engaged in casual conversation with Klein, delving into intriguing trivia from the world of Extraordinary abilities and the romantic histories of Emperor Roselle.
As evening approached, Lin Ruo, back in Backlund, assumed the appearance he had worn to the Brave Bar the previous day through the Faceless Man's power. He then executed a second disguise before leaving his residence.
After a few carriage rides, Lin Ruo disembarked at the entrance of the Bravehearts Bar.
Passing through the imposing black wooden doors and the burly doorman from the day before, Lin Ruo entered the establishment and spotted Kaspers enjoying a glass of wine at the bar.
Approaching, Lin Ruo lightly patted the man on the shoulder and greeted, "Good evening, Mr. Kaspers."
Kaspers looked at him, recollection flickering across his face. He set down his wine glass and said, "Come with me."
Kaspers led Lin Ruo to the bar's kitchen and then out into the back alley, eventually arriving at a dimly lit house.
He handed Lin Ruo a mask that covered only the upper half of his face, saying, "This is for you."
Lin Ruo accepted the mask and donned it after a quick glance.
Kaspers knocked on the door with a specific rhythm, and soon, the small wooden panels on the door slid open to reveal a pair of brown eyes.
The person inside first glanced at Kaspers, then turned their gaze to Lin Ruo before finally opening the door and inviting them in. Simultaneously, they handed Lin Ruo a hooded robe.
Lin Ruo put on the robe and followed the person through a dimly lit living room and into the ground-floor parlor.
The living room remained shrouded in darkness, with only a single candle on the coffee table providing faint illumination. More than a dozen individuals, all wearing masks and robes, sat around the coffee table, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a scene from a horror movie.
Lin Ruo found a quiet corner to sit in and began scrutinizing each person, trying to discern their identities.
A portly-faced man, likely the "Pharmacist" from the original book, exhibited slightly dry skin as he occupied a solitary sofa. A woman, her face completely hidden by a hood...
After observing everyone present, the elderly man seated on the solo sofa cast a glance at the wall clock and declared, "It's time. We won't wait for those who are tardy; let's proceed!"
"I have a weapon to sell," the Woman with her face hidden Began. "A dagger, crafted by a master artisan, is highly venomous, with each strike inflicting a different poison. Additionally, there's a chance it may cause uncontrollable bleeding when it wounds someone, a condition unremediable by ordinary means. Its duration is six months..."
The woman with the completely concealed face then continued, "Price: 450 pounds, or the Barbarian Potion formula, and it's yours."
Lin Ruo glanced at her before responding, "I possess the Barbarian Potion formula, but I'm not interested in your weapon. What I'll accept is a gold pound transaction, 450 pounds, or a Provoker Potion formula."
"I'll take the gold pounds!" The veiled woman hurriedly replied, seemingly afraid Lin Ruo might change his mind.
"Agreed!" Lin Ruo nodded and retrieved the pre-copied potion formula. In preparation for this deal, Lin Ruo had already transcribed all the potion formulas he knew.
He handed the folded paper to the server, who presented it to the "Eye of Wisdom." The old man produced a ring adorned with numerous finely cut diamonds and green gems. Using the ring's extraordinary power to authenticate, he confirmed the formula's authenticity and effectiveness.
The veiled woman breathed a sigh of relief, counted out 450 pounds from her bag, handed them to Lin Ruo through the server, and then eagerly retrieved the paper. She couldn't wait to verify the recipe even before the meeting was concluded.
Lin Ruo collected the gold pounds and remarked, "I also require the Provoker Potion formula, available for purchase with gold pounds or as part of an exchange, such as the Barbarian's follow-up potion formula as a sweetener. Of course, I'll compensate for any difference."