Three jungle natives gravitated toward Lucius with an axe in hand, their battle consciousness alert as they watched the well-crafted sword in this man's grasp.
Lucius tilted his head, displaying a lethargic disinterest as he said,
"Jungle mongrels, you understand the language of us Cyart people, right?"
"How about some information on the Blood Cult? As far as I know, your kind is scattered across the East Coast, easily numbering in the thousands, but disunited and fragmented."
He attempted communication, but no one responded, the eyes of the three jungle natives burning with an intense, pressing hatred.
"Hey, if you don't want to talk, that's fine."
No sooner had his words fallen than Lucius's body burst forward, moving at an astonishing speed despite wearing a steel cuirass.
He always preferred to launch an attack during the "dialogue phase."
A thrust, a simple yet very effective move.
Lucius's physical abilities far exceeded the ordinary, blurring before the natives' eyes, and just like that, one of them had a longsword piercing through his chest.
"AAAAHHHHHHHH!"
The other two natives, coming back to their senses, raised their axes in utmost anger and charged at Lucius in almost perfect unison.
Lucius savagely pulled out his bloodied longsword and leaped back several meters with a powerful push from his legs, easily dodging the pincer attack.
The two natives were dazed for a moment, feeling like they were playing a game of hide-and-seek with an agile black cat, then fear began to rise within them.
Could this man possibly be an Extraordinary Exponent?
"Ha!"
Lucius charged again, swinging his sword with immense strength, the blade brutally smashing and shattering the neck bones, sending a jungle native's head flying.
The last native turned to run but had his thigh bone broken by the sword's edge, tumbling and struggling on the ground in agony.
The whole fight lasted less than ten seconds, and Lucius couldn't help but laugh and reflect, "If this were six months ago, it would probably have been a tough battle."
His senses, strength, speed, reaction, agility, and even weaponry had significantly improved—it was not like the old days anymore.
He hadn't even needed the power of his protective runes to effortlessly end the fight.
Meanwhile.
Karl's consciousness silently observed everything, his essence attached to Lucius's body, eager to learn what the sole adult male of the Fischer family would do next.
On the surface, Lucius seemed harmless and even somewhat likable to many, but in reality, he was a man with a merciless heart.
"Hey, don't bother trying to escape; I have a lot of questions for you."
Lucius smiled and squatted next to the anguished, howling native, his tone filled with the most primitive and concentrated malice.
The atmosphere all around turned icy cold, and the native trembled all over, suddenly realizing the man before him carried an evil bloodline!
His face bore a smile akin to that of a demon!
In the impoverished East City District of Nasir Town, a young alcohol vendor squatted in his shanty wooden home, waiting for news, frowning with anxiety as he paced back and forth.
Last week, the jungle natives had come to him out of the blue, hoping to get information about the Fischer family.
The vendor had instantly refused the natives without hesitation, even threatening angrily to report them to the patrol teams in Nasir City. Over the half-year he knew Lucius, the man had been quite generous and went out of his way to help him settle two robber gang disturbances.
He could not betray him like that.
Unfortunately, the natives had upped their stakes with promises and drawn their weapons menacingly.
The vendor finally realized he couldn't refuse. He had initially intended to divulge only some information about the Fischer family, avoiding getting too involved in either side's affairs.
Yet to his astonishment, he learned that simply by luring Lucius to the harbor's designated spot, he would receive a Gold Coin as reward!
He muttered to himself while pacing, "The deposit, all I've got now is the five silver coin deposit, my Gold Coin, oh, the Gold Coin!"
"Your Gold Coin, is it?"
The young vendor suddenly heard a familiar voice and instantly felt as though he'd been plunged into an ice-cold pit, wanting to run but finding his limbs entirely weak.
"What's wrong with you, don't be afraid, we are friends after all."
Lucius suddenly appeared with a smile, and like he was picking up a small animal, he grabbed and dragged him out of the house.
The young wine merchant was about to shout for help when he was suddenly met with a vicious threat.
"Don't scream, or you and your brother are both dead!"
The neighbors, seeing the old mercenary clad in armor and wielding a blade, all avoided the scene, with nobody willing to come to his aid.
Having no way to escape, the young wine merchant was limply led away by Lucius.
"Tell me, what's going on? If what you say doesn't match his story, then you too shall die."
In the hidden alley, upon seeing the corpse of a jungle native who had been tortured and killed, the young wine merchant felt as if his very blood vessels had frozen.
He screamed in extreme fear, "I'll tell you everything! Can you let me go after I've spoken? Please let me go! I have a younger brother at home!"
Lucius nodded calmly, took a deep breath, and said without hesitation and with great seriousness, "Of course, I'll let you go, because deep down, I still consider you a friend!"
"I never break a promise, don't worry!"
The young wine merchant was stunned for a moment, then teared up with remorse as he confessed everything, truly regretting his actions.
The more Lucius listened, the more he frowned. The jungle natives had almost pinpointed the culprit behind the original incident and seemed to know quite a lot about the current affairs of the Fischer family.
According to what the tortured jungle native had said, it seemed that several priests from the Blood Cult who were at odds had come to an agreement: whoever could avenge the Fischer family would gain control of the old priest's resources.
The Fischer family was completely targeted, an undoubtedly terrible fact.
The young wine merchant relaxed a bit and forced a smile, "I've said everything, Lucius, let me go, please. I have a brother at home, and I will definitely compensate you in a few days."
"Alright."
The moment the young wine merchant smiled, Lucius nodded expressionlessly and swiftly swung his sword at the man's head. Red blood and white brain matter immediately splattered across the walls around them.
Traitors were even more despicable than enemies; betrayers had to be killed, for if the wine merchant lived and word got out, anyone would dare betray the members of the Fischer family in the future!
After searching and disposing of the body, Lucius sat in the young wine merchant's home with unsettled expressions, sitting silently on a chair.
As dusk fell, the merchant's younger brother returned home with a bundle of wild fruit, looking rather ordinary and only a few years older than Lucius's son.
"Who are you?"
The boy who had just returned from gathering wild fruit was stunned. The man waiting silently in his home wasn't his brother but a stranger he didn't recognize.
Lucius, sitting calmly on the chair from within the shadows, had an angular face devoid of any expression.
Knowing that someone had seen him taking the wine merchant from here, Lucius was clear that the seed of hatred had been planted, and even those who seemed harmless must be handled with caution.
Even an extraordinary exponent could fall to the scheming of mortals. Knowing how to nip such chains of hatred in the bud, he flashed a trustworthy smile.
"Your brother is looking for you; he has too much merchandise to move and asked me to bring you over to help."
The boy was skeptical but still nodded.
"Um, okay."
Lucius led the boy out of the house, and neither of them returned.
As night descended, the taverns of Nasir City filled with the boisterous voices of sailors.
The patrol of Nasir City was led by the local sheriff, who was a member of the baronial Hovern family, responsible for maintaining the town's basic security.
After dealing with the body, Lucius immediately went to the city hall of Nasir City, found the patrol team's department, and with a smile, pulled a silver coin from his breast and handed it to a member of the patrol team.
"Hey, you guys have been working hard. I'm Lucius from the Fischer family. I got some fine wine from the wine merchant and wanted to share it with the sheriff."
He wasn't afraid of the news spreading; killing someone who colluded with an evil cult was in line with the laws of the Cyart Kingdom and the True Gods Church, but Lucius knew that even when lawful and reasonable, a proper bribe was still very necessary.
The patrol team members exchanged glances, looking at the man with the bloodstained but smiling face.
"Don't be so serious, everyone."
The patrol team leader nodded, swallowed, took Lucius's hand holding the silver coin, and replied with a smile,
"Mr. Lucius, the sheriff will certainly be interested in the wine you mentioned."
The Fischer family soon recruited five more guards, all of whom, unlike the novice guards selected and trained from the servants, were experienced old soldiers, retired mercenaries, and skilled sailors brought by Lucius.
Their combat abilities were clearly stronger, but the expenses for food, clothing, housing, and wages were also greater, such that the current finances of the Fischer family could only support the many guards and servants for a few months.
The Fischer family desperately needed more money, whether it was to buy Extraordinary materials, maintain the family's fixed expenses, or to figure out a way to purchase Mysterious rare artifacts.
Irene naturally did not forget the important oracle; the mission of the Fischer family was to find Mysterious rare artifacts for the great Lord of the Lost.
However, Mysterious rare artifacts were exceptionally valuable, costing even more than Extraordinary materials.
According to information obtained from sea merchant John, even the lowest level "Collectible class" artifacts were priced the same as Class 2 Extraordinary Materials.
The price of Class 0 Extraordinary Materials was around one Gold Coin, while Class 1 Extraordinary Materials fluctuated between five to ten Gold Coins, and Class 2 Extraordinary Materials and Collectible class Mysterious rare artifacts required at least thirty Gold Coins to have a chance of acquisition.
Thirty Gold Coins were equivalent to a whopping twelve thousand copper nals, a sum that many ordinary people in Nasir Town could likely never earn in a lifetime.
The wealthy sick in Nasir Town had already been thoroughly exploited, and the chance for Irene to heal others and earn money from the wealthy had become more difficult.
As for the money from the poor.
The poor also get sick but truly have no money.
Irene often treated the town's poor for free. At first, Lucius had some objections, but later he understood that accumulating goodwill from the common people was also a resource, only insisting that she must accept the most basic treatment fees to avoid resentment from the wealthy.
Simply put, the Fischer family urgently needed a way to further obtain funds.
Today, a distinguished guest arrived—the heir to the knight clan living in South City, the Taylor family.
The Taylor family's heir was named Robert, who appeared very scholarly, distinctly different from his uncles and aunts who revered the knightly spirit.
The Taylor family inherited the bloodline of the Firework Giant Lizard, with a total of three Extraordinary Exponents at the first level of power of Bloodline, including Robert's father, uncle, and grandfather.
While Robert was not yet an Extraordinary Exponent himself, his family was gathering funds in hopes of concocting another Magic Potion to awaken the bloodline and make him the fourth Extraordinary Exponent.
He had left the Cyart Kingdom several years ago to study abroad in the Lorne Empire, the central part of the Ouden Continent.
The Lorne Empire, often referred to as "The Empire" by many, is one of the most powerful nations on the Ouden Continent, against which the Cyart Kingdom and the other three countries of the eastern continental region could not stand to compete.
The East Coast area is only a part of the Cyart Kingdom, and the port town of Nasir in the East Coast is not even one of the most notable towns there.
When Robert Taylor arrived at the Fischer family, he was received by Irene and Lucius; Irene was the only publicly known Extraordinary Exponent in the Fischer family, while Lucius acted as the regent of the household.
Robert, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and sporting a small mustache, dressed in elegant light purple attire, sat down and smiled, saying,
"I didn't expect that a few years after I left Nasir Town, a new Extraordinary Exponent would appear here."
Lucius displayed a trustworthy smile and said, "It's nothing more than the gods' blessing and good fortune for the Fischer family to have an Extraordinary Exponent among them."
Robert instructed his servant to bring in a gift, then continued speaking,
"I have recently returned from studying in the Lorne Empire, and I can feel that the developments there are starkly different from here, particularly in the last few years, something called a 'steam engine' has played a significant role."
Irene, sitting beside him, couldn't help but ask, "The steam engine you mentioned, is that a Mysterious rare artifact?"
Robert was startled for a moment, then laughed and answered, "That steam engine is not a Mysterious rare artifact. In fact, so far the steam engine has not shown any Extraordinary traits, although many believe it to be a marvel of its own."
"The power of a steam engine is comparable to a horse's; it can easily and automatically drive various things without the help of human or Extraordinary power."
"In a few years, I've seen the Lorne Empire progressively use steam engines in mining and textile production, greatly increasing the output of both, and I've come back this time to raise funds to buy a batch of machinery for the Cyart Kingdom."
He said this while pushing up his glasses and naturally remarked, "It's just that the current available funds of the Taylor family are somewhat lacking."
The implication was obvious, and Lucius, with his life experience, knew all too well that those who borrow money are the real bosses; he has never taken to such schemes.
Lucius chuckled, his eyes narrowing as he said, "I believe that the sea merchants, the town chief, the clan elders, and the respected Lord Baron in Nasir Town all have the ability to provide more funds. They would probably be glad to invest in you."
"It's just that the Fischer family has been having quite a difficult time with cash flow recently, and we really can't be of help."
Irene knew nothing about what a steam engine was and immediately fell into a deep silence.
She also felt it was unreliable, more like some sort of scam to get people to invest; perhaps it would be better to find a way to dismiss the matter.
Suddenly, Irene felt an indescribable, great will—an awareness that it originated from the Lord of the Lost, and that He was interested in that man's "steam engine"!
In the past six months, Irene had had few chances to receive divine revelations, yet her faith grew increasingly devout.
Whether rich or poor, after she had healed others time and time again, she constantly reaped their gratitude and amazement. That warm force always managed to display the greatness and benevolence of the Lord of the Lost.
Oh great Lord of the Lost, Your will is the destiny of the Fischer family, and I, your faithful servant, have heard Your thoughts!
Disappointment that was hard to conceal spread across Robert's face, but then he suddenly heard Irene say:
"We are willing to invest ten gold coins."
Robert was initially stunned, then ecstatic with disbelief, and asked, "Really? Miss Irene, I didn't mishear you, did I?"
"Of course it's true," Irene said, nodding her head calmly and sincerely.
Lucius, on the other hand, almost fell off his chair, barely steadying himself before he couldn't help but turn to look at Irene in shock.
He saw the extreme piety in Irene's expression and instantly understood what was happening.
A divine oracle from the Lord of the Lost?
It seemed that the "steam engine" was not such a simple scam after all.
Lucius fell into deep thought. He had witnessed the breath of the black light that ends all things and had been contemplating what exactly the Lord of the Lost was ever since he gained his power.
As the time since his contact with the black light grew longer, it seemed like the effects of some extraordinary force were gradually fading, and the awe in the depths of Lucius's heart was slowly unable to suppress his arrogant nature anymore.
In his decade-long mercenary career, he had seen mysterious beings lurking in some villages, claiming themselves as gods by relying on a sliver of extraordinary power, deluding those ignorant folk.
Perhaps, the Lord of the Lost was similar to those beings revered by the jungle natives of the Blood Cult, a very powerful mysterious existence.
Whatever it was, it was, above all, a tremendous opportunity for the Fischer family.
He took a deep breath; it didn't matter what it was, as long as he could use this powerful force to achieve his goals!
Lucius narrowed his eyes and then laughed again, speaking loudly, "Mr. Robert, we actually have one small request."
Robert quickly nodded and eagerly asked, "What is the request? I can help with anything within my power!"
Lucius continued, "The Fischer family would like to purchase some alchemical tools and alchemical weapons, but we currently lack the channels."
He felt it was necessary to make full preparations for the possible revenge of the natives.
Robert answered with a smile, promising, "No problem, I can solve that any time. In fact, I have a friend in the Sun Church who sells alchemical products."
A few days later, the Fischer family obtained a batch of alchemical products from Robert.
They included ten blood potions for healing injuries, costing ten silver coins, and five small alchemical explosives, costing twenty silver coins.
There was also a flintlock that had been modified with alchemy to increase its accuracy, along with ten high-powered special alchemical bullets; ordinary bullets could also be used, totaling one gold coin for the alchemical flintlock and the special bullets.
However, months went by and the assault by the jungle natives that the Fischers had prepared for never occurred. They later learned that the natives of the East Coast had broken out into a large-scale internal conflict, which would not end for a long time.
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