Skilled in preparing potions to treat illnesses and even cultivating medicinal herbs in the sewers—this must be a "Pharmacist," right? Is she a member of the Life School, or a devotee of the Earth Mother? Most likely, she's wild-born. Kline listened attentively without interrupting. In the Kingdom of Run, due to the Storm Church's opposition to the eternal noon sun, the gods of knowledge and wisdom, and the resulting rivalry between the Night Goddess Church and the War God Church, only the Earth Mother Church had been granted the right to preach. Yet, under the concerted pressure from the three major churches, the Earth Mother Church maintained only scattered churches with a sparse number of followers—so few that even a small team of extraordinary individuals wasn't deemed necessary. And even if such a team were established, it would not gain official recognition from the government and thus could not collaborate with the police, remaining an "unrecognized armed force." Internal records of the Watchers indicate that the Earth Mother Church holds two pathways: "Farmers" and "Pharmacists." However, the latter appears to be less well-developed. The man who appeared to be the "pharmacist" had his hood open, revealing a face masked in iron-black material, though the mask only covered the area above his nose, clearly showing the fullness of his cheeks, as if slightly trembling. "Let me repeat myself," he said. "I need someone to help me clear the wild beasts that have recently appeared in the drains, limited to the area around the Beckland Bridge. I'll pay four bottles of precious potions as compensation—two of them are particularly effective at stopping bleeding and promoting wound healing. Believe me, this is better than undergoing a simple surgical suturing at the clinic; their effects will last for six months." The man then stated his request and corresponding terms. He suddenly chuckled and continued: "The other two bottles, with a shelf life of one and a half months, can reignite a man's youthful drive from his late teens and twenties, transforming him into a truly exceptional lover—ah, you know what I mean. Even after the expiration date, they still work, though the effects spread throughout the body, making the user exceptionally vigorous—great strength, speed, and agility—though after half an hour, he'll begin to grow weak." How very much like an old army doctor taping up flyers on utility poles, proudly promoting expired medicine... Clain couldn't help muttering a few thoughts to himself. Seeing that the living room remained silent, with no one speaking, the man who had seemed like a pharmacist finally gritted his teeth and said: "In addition to the four precious potions, I'm adding thirty pounds!" Finally, a man seated at the edge of the sofa spoke up. He glanced around, spoke in a low, steady tone: "I accept this commission. You pay two potions—one of each—witnessed by Mr. Eye of Wisdom." "Under no problem," the elder on the single sofa nodded. Deep lines of expression crossed his cheeks, his skin slightly dry, his voice carrying a sense of age; from this, Caine judged him to be a man of considerable years. "Good," the man who seemed to be the pharmacist exhaled in relief. The transaction seemed to invigorate the gathering, and soon a woman whose face was entirely obscured by the shadow of her hood spoke: "I would like to sell two weapons." Weapons? Caine adjusted his seating posture, growing more attentive. As he had not yet advanced in rank, his only means of strengthening himself lay in acquiring external assets. "One is a runic steel sword crafted by the Church of Eternal Scorching Sun, with purification and protective properties against spirits and demons—particularly effective against water ghosts, vengeful spirits, and undead—capable of serving for three years, though its edge is sharp enough to cut through flesh and kill." "The woman's voice rose and fell, clearly attempting to conceal her true intentions, 'Five hundred pounds, or the formula for Sequence 8—the 'Barbarian'—and you'll have it.' That's quite expensive... for me, there's no pressing reason to obtain it... If I were to encounter an undead creature I couldn't handle, simply blowing the copper horn would be more effective... Even without involving Mr. Azk, that messenger alone would likely intimidate many undead beings. Kline nodded silently, listening as the lady introduced the second weapon: 'A meat-cutting saw, featuring an elegant mechanical structure that allows it to transform and is easy to carry—this is a practical field weapon, crafted by a master artisan and therefore not common, priced at twenty-five pounds.' How significantly the price differs between a weapon with extraordinary effects and one without—what a difference! Kline observed the proceedings until the enchanted steel sword was purchased by a somber man from another corner, and the meat-cutting saw became the possession of Mr. Eye of Wisdom." Several subsequent transactions proved successful, while others fell short. The only one that truly stirred克莱恩's interest was the "Prosperity Accoutrements"—an extraordinary item said to boost one's fortune within three months. Yet this was not his primary objective, and the price was quite unattractive. As the atmosphere settled back into silence, he slowly exhaled, speaking softly: "I would like to sell an item." Once his attention had drawn the group's gaze, he produced a wrought-iron cigarette box and presented the deep red, jelly-like extraordinary property within. Without needing to organize his words—having rehearsed it thoroughly—he introduced: "This came from a corpse. I don't yet know what its function is, but I find it remarkably magical. Perhaps someone among you has encountered it before?" 克莱恩 deliberately omitted that this was an extraordinary property, nor did he mention that the deep red "jelly" could serve as a substitute for the primary ingredient of the "Hunter's" potion. This was due to the Unyielding Law of Extraordinary Properties—he wished not to undervalue the members of this extraordinary gathering. Moreover, Klein approached with a sense of inquiry, hoping to gauge whether anyone here was familiar with the immutable law of extraordinary properties—such individuals were undoubtedly stronger or came from more distinguished backgrounds, making them ideal candidates for a bodyguard assignment. At the same time, he continued to maintain the persona of an ordinary person with limited knowledge of the extraordinary circles. Although the guests at the gatherings could not see through his iron mask and thus could not discern his appearance, Caspar Kanylin knew his looks, and several others in the living quarters were likely acquainted with this black-market weapons merchant. "Caution" and "prudence" were the words Klein repeatedly emphasized as he left and returned home today. A series of eyes scrutinized the deep-red object in his hands, yet Klein, as an observer, could not discern the specific implications. Several seconds passed without a word being spoken—the living room remained silent, as still as a cemetery. At that moment, the elder gentleman on the single sofa, known as the "Eye of Wisdom," coughed and said: "I have a good idea what it is and understand its function, but knowledge requires payment to be exchanged." "I offer 400 pounds. Believe me, this is absolutely fair—though you are free to decline." The primary ingredient for the Sequence 9 potion is estimated between 150 and 200 pounds, with two units required, totaling approximately 400 pounds... a very reasonable price... The gentleman known as the "Eye of Wisdom" seems to have recognized this as belonging to the "Hunter" sequence—without needing to consult the oracle, he identified it directly. Could it be the Sequence 7 "Appraiser" from the "Universal Knowledge" path? Klein thought for a moment and said: "Deal." "However, sir, you need not pay immediately. I have another commission." "What commission?" asked the elderly gentleman, his voice deep and weathered. Caine said thoughtfully, "Here's what happened. I've offended someone—well, according to your circle's terminology, someone who should be a Sequence 6, perhaps a Sequence 5. I'd like to hire a bodyguard." "A Sequence 6, maybe a Sequence 5? Why not simply die quietly? If we've reached this level, why do we still attend such small gatherings?" the man resembling a pharmacist exclaimed, surprised yet with a hint of scorn. Though the other attendees remained silent, no one accepted the assignment—indicating their thoughts were quite similar to that of the man resembling a pharmacist. The elder with the "Eye of Wisdom" chuckled and said: "Perhaps you're not yet fully familiar with our circle. A Sequence 6, or even a Sequence 5, is a very powerful and formidable figure—indeed, there have been instances in the past when Sequence 8 or Sequence 9 characters have defeated such strong figures. But these are rare, hard-to-replicate feats. I daresay none of you here would be willing to take such a significant risk to protect you. Well… if it were certain that the opponent holds only a Sequence 6 and possesses no special magical items, perhaps someone would step up to accept this challenge." "Well, I can't be certain about that," Klein gestured helplessly, then added, "Then I'll have to rely on my own efforts. What can 400 pounds buy, by the way—what exactly did you just mention about these magical items?" "Believe me, the magical items that can be purchased for 400 pounds will not only fail to counter your enemies, but may even pose an added threat to you. I recommend that you go to your opponent and sincerely apologize. Perhaps with that gesture, the 400 pounds will earn his understanding." "The Elder with the 'Eye of Wisdom' offered his sincere advice. To be frank, I've considered it, but I think they'll never accept... Just as Kline was about to respond, the man who had previously taken on the task of clearing the sewer beasts suddenly smiled and said, 'Perhaps you could take a chance on luck.' 'I have here a magical item—I'll sell it to you for four hundred pounds.' 'It will allow you to hear the voices of the great beings. If your luck is good and you extract useful information from it, you'll grow powerful, and protecting yourself will no longer be a challenge. But if your luck is poor and you interpret a curse—or fail to interpret at all—you'll suffer harm, even death.' 'Would you like to take a risk?' He had scarcely finished speaking when the Elder with the 'Eye of Wisdom' roared lowly, 'Black Serpent, don't mention your ill-omened item!' "The Black Serpent chuckled, "I haven't lied. I haven't broken any of the rules here. I've presented him with both the advantages and the drawbacks, letting him decide for himself. As for the probability of extracting useful information—well, it's probably only about ten percent. Shall we take a chance?" The Russian roulette of the Extraordinary Realm... hearing the voice of a Great Being... is this the 'Listener' of the Aurora Circle? The artifact left behind when the Sequence-8 'Listener' from the Secret-Prayer people lost control? Klein gazed at the figure he believed to be a member of the Aurora Circle, and a cascade of associations flowed into his mind. Perhaps it's worth a try? No—this isn't quite gambling, because I intend to bring this object into the Gray Mists before using it. I already have the capability to transport tangible items into the Gray Mists. This way, I can mitigate the risks as much as possible. Still, this is merely an artifact belonging to a Sequence-8 Extraordinary Being, and the rewards it yields may not be particularly outstanding. Four hundred pounds isn't a small sum. As his thoughts swiftly turned, Klein nodded firmly: "Agreed."