vncnus 046: Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor!
046: Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor!
Opening his eyes, Lin Qi's bright light slowly receded, but the sense of spiritual renewal and strength remained incredibly clear.
With a slight thought, the familiar semi-transparent system panel unfolded in his field of vision.
Name: Lin Qi
[Status: Mild Evil Eye Contamination]
【Occupation: Intermediate Apprentice lv6 (3/15000)】
[Secondary Class: Intermediate Knight (62/3000)]
[Attributes: Strength 5.8, Agility 6.2, Constitution 5.3, Spirit 6.8]
[Mana: 68/68]
"6.8..." A sharp and satisfied smile appeared on Lin Qi's lips.
The total amount of mental energy has increased by nearly 30%, which is more than just a change in numbers.
He clearly felt that the "tentacles" of his mental perception had become more sensitive and extended to a wider range, and his ability to distinguish free elements in the environment had been significantly improved.
The duration of deep meditation has also increased by about a quarter, which means that the cumulative efficiency of daily practice has increased again.
After reviewing the progress of his wizarding path, Lynch's gaze continued downwards, landing on his secondary profession and attribute panel.
For the past eight months, his knightly training had never stopped. With the help of the bio-energy sublimation potion, his knightly training progressed by leaps and bounds, and finally, last week, he broke through that threshold naturally.
Intermediate Knight.
This rank, placed among human nations, undoubtedly represents high-end combat power, capable of taking on a hundred opponents on the battlefield.
It could pose a threat even to ordinary low-level wizard apprentices.
Just by looking at the attribute panel, you can see that his strength and agility both exceed 6 points, which is more than six times that of an average adult male, making him a veritable humanoid beast.
"Monster-like physical attributes, coupled with a steadily improving wizard level..." Lin Qi slowly clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking crisply as he felt the surging power contained within his muscles and the profound magical power flowing in his spiritual sea.
Two completely different power systems formed a unique complementarity and enhancement in him.
Strength is the cornerstone of putting one's will into practice.
And some old grievances...
"It's time to do the math!" Lin Qi closed the system panel, a cold glint flashing deep in his eyes.
Not long ago, Shadow's Nest sent confirmation that the detailed intelligence and recent information on Jackman and Dyson that he had commissioned to investigate had been collected.
Since that's the case...
What else is there to say?
......
A few days later, in the Kingdom of Rosenthal, at the Campbell family's forest hunting grounds.
Dyson's family was originally just a small, declining baronial family in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Rosenthal, with a barren territory.
He was merely the second son in the family without inheritance rights, and his original destiny was to receive a meager settlement allowance after reaching adulthood and then go out to make a living on his own.
However, everything changed after the wizard's constitution was identified.
Dyson went from an insignificant, marginalized heir to become the Campbell family's greatest asset for decades to come, causing the family's status to skyrocket.
At this moment, in the hunting grounds, Dyson, dressed in dark green hunting attire, was riding a magnificent pure black warhorse, his gaze lazily sweeping across the woods, his face filled with undisguised arrogance and self-satisfaction.
He was surrounded by a group of royal nobles, dressed in rich clothes but with respectful and even obsequious expressions, like stars surrounding the moon.
Everyone seemed to have become mere accompaniment and background to his personal performance, only daring to follow cautiously to the side, offering praise or flattery at the right time.
"Lord Dyson, you have excellent eyesight! You spotted that deer even though it was hidden so well!"
"My lord, your arrow was truly masterful, displaying the skill of an ancient hunter!"
"Mr. Dyson, are you tired? There's some fine fruit wine and snacks prepared over there..."
After leaving the Gray Mist Jungle and returning to the "magic-free zone" of the human world, Dyson, who was not the diligent and hardworking type to begin with, almost immediately abandoned his cultivation.
The sparse, drowsy environment became his perfect excuse to enjoy life and indulge his desires.
His schedule was filled with endless pleasures:
By day, he would hold grand court banquets, ride horses and hunt on his own territory, and accept gifts and flattery from nobles from all over the world; by night, he would linger among women or hold absurd private parties in his own mansion.
Women were readily available to him; a glance, a hint, or even without saying a word, someone would naturally send the most beautiful young women to him.
Just now, the gesture of a count's female companion wiping her cheek with a handkerchief aroused him. With a single glance, the noble lady came over and allowed him to molest her.
Her husband, the esteemed count, dared not utter a word and had to stand by with a smile, "giving advice" so that he could have more fun.
However, it's far inferior to Jackman.
Thinking of his delicate junior, Dyson felt a slight warmth rise in his body. It was a pity that the kid had returned to his territory after leaving the Gray Fog Jungle.
"My lord, there's a deer over there!" Just then, a sharp-eyed attendant nearby alerted him.
Dyson immediately shouted, "Chase them!"
They chased after the startled deer, weaving through the dense forest, gradually leaving behind the sycophantic nobles and servants.
Finally, in a small, relatively open clearing in the woods, the deer, exhausted, staggered.
Dyson calmly drew his bow, aimed, and released the string.
"Whoosh—Pfft!"
The arrow pierced the deer's neck with pinpoint accuracy. It let out a mournful cry and collapsed to the ground, its limbs convulsing.
"Haha!" Dyson reined in his horse, letting out a smug chuckle, and habitually prepared to turn around to receive the expected cheers and flattery.
However, when he turned his head, his smile froze on his face.
Behind him, there was nothing.
Not only were there no followers as expected, but even the sounds of horses' hooves and human voices disappeared.
The nobles, servants, and hunting dogs who were supposed to follow closely behind, drive the prey for him, and cheer him on... had all disappeared.
The once bustling hunting grounds were now deathly silent.
"What happened?" Dyson frowned, his smugness replaced by a strange unease. He raised his voice and shouted, "Where are they? Where have they all gone? Willie? Old Cole?"
His voice echoed through the silent forest, sounding particularly abrupt, but received no response.
"rustle……"
Just then, a clump of dense holly bushes not far ahead suddenly moved without wind, making a slight rustling sound.
Dyson turned his head sharply, his gaze fixed on the bushes.
He shouted sternly, "Who's there? Come out!"
The swaying of the bushes stopped.
A voice sounded from behind, calm, clear, and even carrying a hint of...cold amusement:
"No need to call them anymore. I've already 'sent them away'."
As soon as he finished speaking, the bushes parted to the sides. A figure walked out unhurriedly.
The man was dressed in an unremarkable dark gray traveler's outfit, with a cloak of the same color draped over his shoulders. He wore a plain white bone mask without any decorations, revealing only the outline of his eyes and chin.
The eyes behind the mask were calmly watching Dyson on horseback, their gazes as deep as two ancient wells, undisturbed, yet they inexplicably made Dyson feel a pang of unease.