NO_NAME
patreon
Chapter 385: The Crimson Meteor
🕑 Added 2024-10-23 06:57:40 +0000 UTCThis bizarre scene left Pettis speechless, his face darkening in frustration.
Rhett, standing nearby with his mouth slightly agape, now had a much clearer impression of Heisenberg...
"No wonder people say his reputation isn’t great…"
"Without the support of Saint-level power, this guy would probably have been killed a long time ago..."
Sighing inwardly, Rhett felt troubled. It seemed this man’s temper was incredibly stubborn, and likely unyielding even in the face of reason.
—Even if that principle seemed quite strange, Heisenberg would surely stick to it.
But given that, how could he approach him to discuss alchemical matters?
Pettis's face showed a flicker of anger. He wanted to shout in frustration but, aware of the presence of others, took a deep breath and restrained his emotions. He turned to Rhett and said softly:
"Dagula, you may go now. I’ll report the matter of the new spell and request a suitable reward for you."
"Thank you, Commander Pettis!" Rhett placed a hand over his chest in salute, knowing that further involvement in the conversation between these two Saints wasn’t possible. Though reluctant, he had no choice but to leave.
After departing the ice fortress, Rhett decided to visit the alchemy workshop.
As he passed through a grove of green pines, a familiar aura caught his attention. Turning his head, he saw Riley standing under a pine tree, speaking with a short, dwarf-like man.
Riley seemed to be keeping a wary eye on his surroundings. When he noticed Rhett approaching, his face lit up with surprise, and he waved enthusiastically.
Curious, Rhett glanced around and then walked over quickly.
"Fimos, what are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you all to rest?" Rhett asked sternly as he reached them. He was using the name of the person Riley had possessed.
As he approached, Rhett cast a sidelong glance at the short man. Noticing the man’s beaming face and adoring gaze fixed on him, Rhett couldn’t help but feel puzzled—who was this person?
The short man, seeing that Rhett didn’t recognize him, grinned and whispered in a fawning tone, "My lord, it’s me!"
"Ming?" Rhett’s pupils suddenly shrank, and his expression shifted. He barely managed to hold back a startled response. Glancing around once more to ensure no one was paying attention to this secluded spot, he finally felt slightly more at ease.
He gave the short man, Ming, a once-over, wondering how he had managed to avoid detection and take possession of this body.
Could the mental fluctuation Heisenberg mentioned earlier have come from Ming, not Manu?
Taking a deep breath, Rhett patted the shoulders of both men and whispered, "There are Saints in the camp, and Commander Pettis is still in the ice fortress. Be cautious with your words and actions."
Fimos and Ming both nodded solemnly. "Understood!"
After a moment's thought, Rhett led the two of them to a quiet room designated for resting. He pulled out a borrowed pen and paper, placed them on the table, and wrote the first line:
"Ming, when did you possess this body, and when did you arrive in this world?"
Standing by the table, Ming, who was just tall enough to be at eye level with the seated Rhett, took the pen and scribbled a crooked reply:
"I arrived here as soon as the world formed. The person I took over was gravely injured at the time. When I devoured his spirit, I unexpectedly gained access to parts of his memories and took control of his body. I never had this ability before."
At the end, Ming added: "Thanks to your purification, Lord, I regained my sense of self."
Reading this, Rhett was stunned!
—Ming had such an ability?
During the previous simulation at the dawn of creation, Rhett hadn’t noticed this ability. After all, the people in that world were strange, and Ming hadn’t devoured a complete soul before he died.
But in a normal timeline, his true potential had emerged.
While absorbing the shocking revelation, Rhett’s eyes locked onto another part of Ming's message. He frowned and wrote:
"You devoured a soldier's soul?"
After writing this, Rhett fixed Ming with a questioning gaze. He wasn’t one to tolerate wanton harm, especially from a former blood demon enforcer who hadn’t yet fully redeemed himself.
Ming froze for a moment, then hurriedly began to explain:
"I..."
"Shh!"
Seeing Riley put a finger to his lips, Ming quickly calmed down, realizing in his excitement he had almost spoken aloud. Remembering the presence of Saints in the camp, he continued to write:
"I didn’t intend to devour him at first. I only wanted to parasitize his spiritual sea. But after communicating with him, I discovered he was a traitor, colluding with the orcs. That’s why I devoured him!"
Rhett’s eyes narrowed. "A traitor?"
Ming met Rhett’s gaze and nodded heavily, writing:
"After gaining access to his memories, I learned that he was a low-level lackey, turned only a few months ago. While he hadn’t provided any critical intelligence, he did know the identities of a few other traitors. Though I’m not sure if it’s everyone, I believe this information will be valuable to you!"
"Tell me their names immediately!" Rhett's brow furrowed in concern. He couldn't let such traitors go unpunished.
As Ming began listing the names, there were three in total. Two of the names were unfamiliar to Rhett, as they hadn't come up in any information he’d gathered over the past few days.
But the third name hit him like a thunderbolt—Rehn, the deputy commander of the Tiger Hunter Corps, a name Rhett had heard often in recent days.
"Rehn? How could it be him!"
Rhett murmured in disbelief, his face darkening.
After thinking deeply, he realized the situation wasn’t as simple as it seemed.
The Tiger Hunter Corps had saved his forces from total destruction after their defeat, pursuing the remnants of the Bearman army. Could this have been a trap as well?
If the traitor had informed the Bearmen of the Tiger Hunter Corps’ movements, the Bearmen’s attack might have been part of a larger plot, with more dangers lurking ahead!
Taking a deep breath, Rhett resisted the urge to rush immediately to Pettis. Instead, he calmly wrote another question:
"Where is Manu? Have you seen him?"
"I don’t know. Lord Manu came with me, but he has no possession abilities and left halfway through. We haven’t met since."
Rhett nodded thoughtfully. It seemed the mental fluctuation Heisenberg had detected earlier likely came from Manu, who had sensed danger and gone into hiding.
His brows furrowed slightly. Without Manu, how could he approach Heisenberg to discuss alchemy?
Suddenly, Rhett’s eyes fell on Ming’s short stature, which bore a striking resemblance to Heisenberg’s.
With an odd expression, Rhett asked:
"Do you know anything about alchemy?"
Ming blinked, then, with a proud look, wrote:
"Of course! I once ruled over the Golden Blood Academy, parasitizing the greatest alchemist of the time for over a thousand years. While my innate talent for alchemy is average, I can still perform at a master level. I can even discuss Saint-level alchemy topics to some extent."
Rhett nodded slightly. Ming’s current body appeared to be quite young, likely no more than a few decades, making him the perfect candidate to send to Heisenberg. He could establish a relationship.
A smile played at Rhett’s lips. Ming’s presence was perfectly timed!
"In that case, keep the traitor matter confidential for now. I have an important task for you."
"At your command, my lord!"
After giving Ming a series of instructions, Rhett returned to the ice fortress with him.
By then, Pettis had returned and was sitting alone at the war table. When he saw Rhett approaching with the short figure, his expression turned odd.
"Dagula, is there something else you forgot to report? You’re not usually one to be forgetful."
Stepping forward with a smile, Rhett replied, "I’ve come to recommend a talent to you, Commander."
"A talent?" Pettis’s gaze shifted past Rhett to the small figure behind him. "You mean this little guy? What’s so special about him? Are you going to tell me that, like Heisenberg, he embodies the idea that 'great things come in small packages'?"
Even Pettis laughed at his own joke, clearly not taking this possibility seriously.
"Commander Pettis, you’re correct. This person happens to have remarkable alchemical abilities. A few years ago, he casually visited an alchemy workshop and quickly mastered advanced techniques. After surviving the recent battle, he had an epiphany about alchemy and is eager to fulfill his potential in the workshop." Rhett paused before adding, "If I recall correctly, didn’t I hear Heisenberg was looking for talents like this?"
Pettis raised an eyebrow in surprise, glancing between Rhett and Ming. He stood up from his chair and walked briskly over.
He trusted Rhett, knowing him to be a reliable subordinate. But the day had already brought too many surprises, and Pettis wasn’t sure what to think.
Just to be certain, Pettis asked Ming several questions about alchemy.
Ming not only answered fluently but also provided deeper insights, completely dispelling any of Pettis’s doubts.
"Good, good, good!" Pettis exclaimed, delighted. His eyes sparkled with astonishment.
Rhett felt a sense of relief, knowing that his plan had succeeded. He then asked, "Before I left, I heard you and Heisenberg discussing his work at the alchemy workshop. Did he agree?"
At this, Pettis's face showed a hint of resignation. But seeing Ming’s potential, he quickly brightened again and said:
"He agreed, though with conditions. He insisted on only interacting with 'pure' souls, meaning alchemists of short stature. Fortunately, our workshop has a few short-statured alchemists, though their talents are average at best."
"That’s great!" Rhett said, smiling. Then, as if something had occurred to him, he asked casually, "What kind of offer did you make to attract such a genius?"
"Ah, genius is the right word!" Pettis chuckled. "I simply informed him that the orcs had shown unusual signs of activity. After hearing that, he became very eager to stay."
"Oh? You mean... the atavism among the orcs?" Rhett asked, feigning surprise.
"Exactly. To my surprise, Heisenberg is particularly interested in the changes occurring among the White Bearmen and Shadow Tigers. He seems determined to uncover their mysteries. For now, he’ll be staying at the alchemy workshop." Pettis's smile never faded as he tapped the table with his fingers, eyeing Ming. "And your recommendation fits perfectly. I’m sure Heisenberg will change his attitude when he meets this genius."
"Thank you, Commander, for this opportunity!" Ming bowed gracefully, showing his appreciation.
Pettis nodded in satisfaction. His gaze fixed on Ming as he asked, "By the way, what’s your name?"
"My name is Mil Flynn," Ming replied.
"Well then, Mil Flynn, I’m giving you an important task. At all costs, you must become Heisenberg’s disciple!" Pettis's smile faded, replaced by a serious expression.
Ming hesitated for a moment but then nodded resolutely. "For alchemy and for the kingdom, I will do my best!"
"Good! From now on, you’ll be sent on an official mission and declared dead. You’ll take on a new identity—Peter Costello."
Pettis had thought things through carefully. While he tasked Ming with becoming Heisenberg’s apprentice, he knew that even if Ming failed, there would be no consequences. After all, Heisenberg was eccentric and difficult to predict.
Even if Heisenberg left one day, Pettis would continue to nurture this alchemical genius. Such a talent would be wasted on the battlefield.
Ming nodded firmly. "I’ll follow your orders!"
After leaving the ice fortress, Rhett, under Pettis’s command, spent half a day gathering a new thousand-man army.
To coordinate with Pettis’s plan, he then spent the night reorganizing the troops, preparing for a surprise mission.
Their target was a Bloodmoon Werewolf unit.
According to the scouts, this werewolf unit was an elite reinforcement force, arriving from the recently fallen southwest front. They were considered top-tier warriors.
A full moon rose into the clear night sky.
Rhett led his dark mass of troops through a dense forest, arriving at the last known location of the Bloodmoon Werewolves mentioned in the intelligence report.
"Report, Commander. We’ve searched the surrounding area and found no signs of battle."
"Report, Commander. Nothing here either."
…
The scouts, grouped in teams of ten, came from all directions to report their findings. Then, standing straight, they awaited orders.
"Understood. Return to your positions."
Rhett stood beside a large rock, his shadow cast against it. With a serious expression, he waved the scouts away, glanced up at the moonlit sky, and after a moment of thought, issued a new order:
"All troops, head southwest!"
"Yes, Commander!"
The soldiers’ united shout echoed loudly, followed by the rhythmic stomping of feet, filling the quiet land once more.
Suddenly, a crimson streak shot across the sky, catching Rhett’s eye. He blinked, realizing it wasn’t a meteor.
Previous Chapter | | Next Chapter
