In the ancient-style office, Qi Wen hung up the phone.
He wasn't as decrepit as he had sounded on the call, merely showing signs of age. His streaky white hair was meticulously combed, his suit crisp, and his brows stern, his presence commanding even without anger.
At the moment, he didn't show any irritation, just rubbed his temples slightly, his expression somewhat complex.
Behind the desk, the young man carelessly eating an orange looked up and asked casually, "Dad, what did she say?"
Qi Wen's expression remained calm. "She's young and naïve. She'll understand how good she has it at home in time."
"So she's ungrateful, huh?"
The young man sneered, "Her father is a good-for-nothing, and the daughter a cripple. Does she really think she became an Inspector on her own? Dad, you shouldn't waste your emotions on a liability who's just going to be married off anyway... Tsk, if it weren't for the Old Master's wishes, I wouldn't take this defective product even if she were free."
BANG!
Qi Wen's teacup smashed in front of him. Hot water splashed, nearly making him jump.
"Shut up, you failure! What are you thinking? Are the Old Master's intentions something you can fathom?!"
Qi Wen glared at him furiously, "Is the Savior Association something you can meddle in? Mingling with that bunch of lunatics, leaving evidence that ties you to that menace! Are you trying to send me to an early grave, Qi Yuan?"
"…"
Qi Yuan was stunned for a moment, then stubbornly said, "I was just trying to help the family, wasn't I?"
"Shut up! He Luo? He Luo, come in."
Qi Wen struck his cane sharply on the floor, and a lean, capable man entered from outside.
"Send this prodigal son home," Qi Wen said coldly. "If he dares to step out before the rumors die down, break whichever leg he uses!"
"Dad, aren't you being too harsh?"
Qi Yuan protested, "Why is it such a big deal when I make a little money? Weren't you the first one to get involved with them? What are you afraid of, Dad? That contemptible woman will have to serve you tea sooner or later. Would she dare offend us?"
Qi Wen was so angry he didn't want to deal with him anymore and closed his eyes.
Soon, Qi Yuan was dragged away by his bodyguards after some coaxing, leaving only He Luo in the office, his expression still calm, not speaking a word.
After a long while, Qi Wen rubbed his temples again and finally let out a long breath, regaining his usual deep, unruffled demeanor.
"Is it about the Savior Association?" he asked.
"King Ocean has been lurking in the suburbs these past few days, acting suspiciously, seemingly contacting someone," He Luo said. "The young master was deceived by him and seems to have put out a bounty. Although I've cleaned up the tracks, the trouble stirred up by the Savior Association might implicate us."
"Where is he now?"
"I don't know. He came to me this afternoon wanting to see you—" He Luo paused for a moment before relaying King Ocean's message. "He said he bears the will of the Baptized. As instructed, I told him the boss was recuperating and seeing no one. He then left."
Qi Wen lowered his shadowed eyes.
"Good," he said. "Very good."
In the silence, Qi Wen's fingers tapped on his cane, as if talking to himself. "For decades, why does Xinhai, such a backwater place, always have so many problems? After all these years of waiting, the Huai Family fell, then Yin's family came. We barely got rid of Yin's family, and now the Savior Association starts lurking in the shadows, endlessly causing trouble…"
He narrowed his eyes, whispering softly, "One after another, they all want to make others their pawns."
He Luo did not speak.
Qi Wen didn't need an answer.
As if wrestling with a difficult decision, his expression kept changing, now grim, now ferocious.
Until He Luo stepped forward, interrupting his thoughts. Disregarding Qi Wen's annoyed gaze, he said softly, "Boss, when a break must be made, it must be made."
"…"
Qi Wen gave his long-time subordinate a cold look. After a long, long time, as if finally making up his mind, he closed his eyes.
"What about that nosy Cowherd?"
"Dealt with yesterday. His body was sunk into the Sea," He Luo replied. "My people have confirmed it was his own private action, unrelated to the Astronomical Society."
Qi Wen's expression eased slightly. "Does Yin Qing know about what happened back then?"
"That matter was handled cleanly, leaving no loose ends," He Luo replied. "Afterwards, I had someone cast a Soul-Disorienting Charm. Everyone involved will gradually suffer from Source Substance boiling. Even if they don't die prematurely, they'll become imbeciles, remembering nothing. Even if she knows, she won't have any evidence."
In the silence, not even a breath could be heard.
After a while, Qi Wen lifted his gaze.
"Then let's end it."
His expression was cold. "Cooperating with them was a mistake from the start; otherwise, it wouldn't have led to this ongoing disaster. Tomorrow—no, tonight—you go and clean up all traces related to the Savior Association. Don't leave any loose ends. The Qi Family may be small, but we're not someone any lunatic can just push around…"
"Understood." He Luo nodded. "And Yin Qing?"
"...We don't have to lift a finger." Qi Wen squinted. "The priority now is to extricate ourselves and withdraw from the situation... Xinhai is about to undergo a major upheaval. I'd like to see how long she can dance on this bed of fire."
In the evening, Huai Shi received a delivery.
To be exact, an unmarked vehicle stopped outside the Stone Marrow Pavilion. After calling Huai Shi to come out, someone tossed a box down and drove off.
"Yesterday Express's style is just like this: guaranteed quality, quantity, and speed, but don't expect too much in terms of service attitude."
Raven stood on the table, sliding her claws over a row of mobile phones. Lists on various apps Huai Shi didn't recognize continuously updated, featuring a wide range of goods and a jumble of currencies for settlement.
Constant DING sounds chimed, like takeout orders being received.
Having acquired basic tools, she seemed to have been making various Potions recently.
Ostensibly, she claimed she was working hard to supplement the household income, but Huai Shi had no idea how much money she was actually making. He only heard her complain daily about how hard life was and how her income never covered expenses.
As if anyone believes that...
When Huai Shi carried the box into the basement, all he saw were several Crucibles bubbling away on the table, with gases of various colors rising. If it weren't for the 100-watt bulb overhead, he would have suspected he'd walked into some mad Alchemist's laboratory.
"Honestly, it's only because we lack resources that we have to use such primitive stuff, relying on flasks and beakers."
Raven expressed her disdain, "Our current budget can't even afford a decent centrifuge or a solution crystallizer, let alone a cleanroom setup, a pyrolysis furnace, and a whole lot of other things…"
After looking over her wishlist, Huai Shi felt like this woman was planning to set up a chemical plant underneath his house! My head hurts. Since when did Alchemy become so cutting-edge?!
"Don't be naive. Can beakers and Crucibles, things only good enough for a middle school chemistry class, compare with professional equipment worth millions or tens of millions?"
Raven turned to look at him. "The essence of Alchemy is burning money. How can you get stronger if you don't spend money?"
Huai Shi answered bitterly, "I've spent so much, and I haven't seen myself get any stronger!"
"That just means you haven't spent enough. Spend some more! You dare to say you've truly paid up when you haven't even spent enough for a Ferrari?" Raven rolled her eyes, motioning for Huai Shi to place the items on the table.
At noon, she had sold off the loot that Huai Shi risked life and limb to bring back—the horns of the Crying Snakes.
Reportedly, they were all in good condition, so she decided to barter, exchanging them for a host of materials.
After checking them over, Raven nodded in satisfaction. "Good. With this, you can now gather the rest of the Potion ingredients and the major components needed for the Stigma."
"Just these?"
Huai Shi looked down at the box, filled with various bizarre things sealed in bottles. A few bottles of different colored powders, a crystalline cluster, several dull black pieces of iron ore, and various liquids that looked like plant extracts…
He had no clue what was going on.
"This is rainbow ash. In the past, Nordic people called the natural phenomenon of spatial transference the Rainbow Bridge. This is the natural material that remains after the phenomenon ends, a superior ingredient used as an admixture.
This is a Silent Ones' Token. It looks like ore but is actually a Source Substance aggregate. It's a rare item that can appear after a person guards a secret with vows and trust for their entire life; you could call it a crystallization of will and loyalty. For it to be as large as a thumb, that secret must have been quite significant.
As for the ores, they are just common ones from the Border—yin iron and frost silver—actually the cheapest. All these are indispensable materials for making your Stigma."
As Raven explained, she finally looked at the Sacrificial Knife Huai Shi had laid on the table. "However, the main material is, in fact, this thing."
The Sacrificial Knife trembled under her gaze as if in fear, continuously trying to jump out of its sheath and flee. But with a light press of her claw, it stopped. The knife just wailed pitifully, as if begging for her mercy.
Once a fearsome, blood-drinking demon blade, it now looked like nothing more than a lab rat awaiting dissection.
Raven suddenly asked, "Huai Shi, do you still remember what a Stigma is?"
"Yeah, I remember you saying it was… 'a solidified miracle'?"
"Right, correct. The Stigmata's essence is the name given to intangible miracles when they're granted a physical form," Raven shrugged slightly. "Even though these miracles often bring Disaster—but anyone who expects a miracle found in Hell to bring happiness must be out of their mind, right? The Border Relics are special not just for their Hell-proven abilities, but also because they are products of Abyssal miracles. Calling them a different type of Stigma wouldn't be too far off—"
Hearing this, Huai Shi finally understood and couldn't help but roll his eyes. "So, what you're saying is, you want to dismantle a car, take out its engine, and build me a scooter, right?"
"That's pretty much it. Robbing Peter to pay Paul," Raven flapped her wings, seemingly full of confidence. "Don't worry, I won't use much. I'll piece together what's left, and that knife of yours will probably still be usable… maybe?"
Huai Shi couldn't be bothered to say anything more. All he could do was pray that the Stigma she made for him wouldn't be too terrible. He wasn't asking for much, just hoping she wouldn't strip out the basic functionality and sell it as DLC. Occasional pre-sales were bad enough; if she released a Gold Edition later, who could stand it?
"By the way, what's that?"
Huai Shi pointed to a corner where a basin displayed a strange map, vaguely recognizable as the terrain of Xinhai. In a remote area on the map, a small point of light silently flickered.
"Oh, that."
Raven glanced at it, her expression meaningful. "That's where King Ocean is currently hiding."