บท 85: 85 - Subordinate
In Iyeta Harbor, even a novice wizard apprentice, using basic magic, could replace several, or even a dozen laborers. In desperate times, they could even serve as magic stones, an endless source of magical power. Therefore, most job positions were never in short supply.
As for the official wizards, they seldom engaged in production. They either held important positions within the harbor city or conducted magical research in a workshop, making them high-ranking figures.
No matter where they went, these three hundred or so people were always competing for business.
The reason they struggled so much was that they had not won over any support.
Unfortunately, they had no influential connections. They weren't affiliated with any magical workshop or related to any wizard.
But Laut didn't.
So, what could they do if they couldn't win a fight? Of course, they had to bear with it.
So, over the past half month, they had faced many hardships. They had lost some people, but they had gained a lot of valuable information. With the help of the dozens of crossbows Laut had brought, they managed to secure a foothold in the South District.
However, this wasn't a sustainable solution. Despite Laut bringing in trustworthy followers, if they couldn't achieve a breakthrough, their relationships would inevitably strain, no matter how solid they were.
Listening to Laut's grievances, Lynn finally understood the underlying rules of Iyeta Harbor. He realized that he still hadn't learned to see the world through the lens of magic, and many things continually challenged his understanding.
"Furthermore, we couldn't have established ourselves in the South District without your help." Laut flattered.
"It seems that during this time, you guys have been acting in my name..." Lynn's tone suddenly grew colder. He didn't want to unknowingly make enemies.
"No, of course not. It's just that many people know that we followed you through the Misty Sea and defeated the great whirlpool..." Laut hastily shook his head, claiming it was just the result of common rumors. They dared not do such a thing. Hesitating for a moment, he raised his right hand, tentatively saying, "And our cooperation hasn't stopped, right?"
Lynn immediately noticed a conspicuous flame-shaped mark on Laut's hand. His expression froze.
He had actually forgotten about this mark, as it had no practical function; it was purely meant to intimidate and ensure obedience.
However, Lynn chose not to expose it. After a moment's thought, he took out a pouch from his robe and tossed it to Laut. "Here are ten magic gold coins. Consider it payment for information and ongoing tracking expenses."
Laut gladly accepted it. In the Harbor town, a mere ten magic gold coins were nothing to him.
But things were different now. After losing most of his wealth in Eye of Death, Laut was barely making ends meet with so many followers. This money could at least alleviate some of their immediate financial woes.
More importantly, this indicated a re-established cooperative relationship.
"Next, keep an eye on the whereabouts of that apprentice. Do you know where he's hiding now?" Lynn inquired.
"The guy is very cautious. My people lost track of him by accident, but I believe his injuries haven't fully healed, so he'll probably go back there next time," Laut hurriedly explained.
Lynn nodded. "When he shows up again, have someone notify me immediately. Also, I need to know his identity and information as detailed as possible."
Laut immediately agreed. During this time, he had made connections with many well-informed informants. As a mere wizard apprentice, everything was possible with money.
"By the way, have you stirred up trouble with anyone in the South District these days?" Lynn was now concerned about the sailors of the "Ship Gang." They seemed to have recently gone through a battle.
"It's Red Serpent's Raylo. He's the gang leader in the South District and has undergone magical modifications. He's tough to deal with. Last time, we lost quite a few men before repelling his assault," Laut explained the situation. When he arrived at Iyeta Harbor, he had originally intended to return to his old business, engaging in commodity trade. However, he soon discovered that this area had already been claimed by several big shots. After wandering around, he had no choice but to join a lower-level gang.
The reason they chose to challenge Raylo's territory was that his power was the weakest in the area, and he had no significant backing.
"So, you're currently facing quite a bit of trouble... Is there a way to resolve it?" Lynn asked.
"Just your presence here today is more than enough." Laut cautiously replied.
Lynn paused for a moment, then quickly understood Laut's meaning. When he entered the South District, he hadn't disguised himself in any way. Someone with ill intentions could probably have learned about it.
"Is my reputation already this widespread?" Lynn couldn't help but be a little surprised.
"Now, the whole of Iyeta knows that you're a third-tier wizard under twenty, and your talent is even greater than Master Ogest.," Laut didn't spare his praise. Ever since the big battle in the Harbor town, he had realized that this young wizard who had just arrived in the wizard's land wouldn't be a nobody. However, he didn't expect that his name would already be well-known within half a month.
There were even rumors that, aside from his hellfire that seemed capable of incinerating everything, he possessed a powerful magic that could freeze everything.
In the face of Laut's praise, Lynn wasn't particularly concerned. He was well aware of his current strength. Without the assistance of the overload mode, dealing with a formal wizard would be a tough challenge.
Moreover, this reputation wasn't something anyone could suppress, at least not the Blood-Red Thorns, who dared to engage in such covert activities behind his back.
As Lynn continued to inquire about information concerning the South District and the magical workshops, Laut was forthcoming and shared all the information he had gathered over the past few days.
The more Lynn listened, the more astonished he became. Things like spending money on magical modifications weren't uncommon in the South District. Some magical workshops were even conducting chilling magical experiments, resulting in the unexplained disappearances of people every once in a while.
"Why is the order in the South District so chaotic? Don't the security forces do anything about it?" Lynn asked, perplexed.
"For the wizard lords, as long as the main city area is in order, they can't be bothered with such things..." Laut shook his head.
In other words, people like them, who couldn't play much of a role, were merely tools that the wizards kept for magical research.
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