"Based on the recent intelligence and the Chip's calculations, the creature tracking me is almost certainly that Bloodsucking Monster!"
"Furthermore, it's tracking me through scent! The number is unknown, but it definitely won't exceed two — it might even be just one!"
Leilin had previously used odor-eliminating powder to rid himself of his scent, then altered his appearance to enter a human city, hoping to mask himself completely within the dense human smell of the city and, at the same time, figure out the enemy's lineup and plan a counterattack.
It seemed to be working, more or less.
"A shame! My scentless powder is running low. Otherwise, I could have put much more distance between us." Leilin felt a twinge of regret. The Subterranean Blindworm was a fairly precious and rare Wizard material, always commanding a high price. He had spent considerable effort to obtain a small packet of the ingredients to refine into odor-eliminating powder. But the supply would last three or four days at most — far too short to cover any real distance. If the enemy simply expanded its search radius, his trail would inevitably be found.
"And besides, the sooner this is resolved, the better. If I end up chased all the way to my destination, that'll be a real problem!"
Leilin's expression was grim.
Even now, the powder on his body was beginning to wear off. He was relying entirely on the complex layers of scent within the city to mask himself — and yet those unidentified creatures had still been drawn here.
Back in his room, Leilin sat casually on the bed and linked up with the Chip.
"Chip! Based on the information gathered over the past two days, model the hostile creature's profile and start designing a kill plan!"
"Ding! Task established. Commencing hypothesis model construction… Map input… Subject combat power input. Simulating analysis…"
The Chip's mechanical voice rang out, cold and devoid of any emotion.
The Chip had been a tool originally designed to assist scientists with computational work in his previous life. How could it possibly possess intelligence or emotion? For reasons related to human rights and ethical concerns, the prohibition of intelligence and sentience had been written into the Chip's core sequence as an absolute priority directive.
"Simulation complete. Subject success rate: 67.7%. Target eliminated; subject sustains minor injuries!"
The Chip's voice came through, transmitting a large block of information into Leilin's mind.
"Minor injuries?" Leilin stroked his chin. "Is there any way to take it down without getting hurt?"
"Insufficient data!!! Further analysis of the hostile creature's information required!"
"I see!" Leilin shook his head. According to the intelligence he'd gathered from local thugs, the creature outside the city had already entered an extremely frenzied state and was attacking civilians nonstop. Within twenty-four hours, it would attempt to force its way into the city.
Although Wizards generally had an unwritten understanding not to disturb the lives of ordinary people, there were always a few who lost their heads. If massive casualties were caused and his identity was exposed, Leilin would end up sharing the blame with the Wizard behind that creature. He had no intention of letting that happen.
"67.7%! Good enough to gamble on. And even afterward, I'm confident I can withdraw in one piece!" A hard glint appeared on Leilin's face as he walked out.
The bar was as bustling as ever. The moment the bartender spotted Leilin, he stepped forward and bowed. "What can I do for you, sir?"
"I need you to find someone for me…" Leilin spoke calmly, laying out his request.
"No problem! This city may not have a Mercenary Guild or anything like that, but we do have our share of thieves. I can make contact for you!"
The bartender added, "Also, the city lord's manor has sent someone over. Our city lord, Lord Roland, would like to meet with you."
"The city lord?" Leilin nodded. A Preliminary Knight, no matter where they went, would always receive hospitality and recruitment offers from the local lord. If Roland knew Leilin's identity as a Wizard, the reception would be even more elaborate.
"I'm a bit occupied at the moment. Could we reschedule the meeting to the day after tomorrow?" Leilin considered for a moment.
"Of course!"
"One more thing — your steaks here are quite good. Send one up to my room tonight," Leilin added.
"As you wish!" The bartender smiled.
……
The next day, deep in the night, a figure draped in a grey robe appeared in a small grove that had been burned to charcoal.
"An investigation? What's there to investigate? There's no treasure here. It was probably some careless farmer who wasn't paying attention, and that's what caused the fire!"
The grey-robed figure was somewhat thin but moved with great agility, rummaging through the charred remains.
"Something's wrong! These marks — they weren't caused by an ordinary fire!" The grey-robed figure furrowed his brow. As an experienced thief, he could clearly tell that something was off about the burn patterns.
"This… seems like the work of a mysterious being!" The thief's hair stood on end. As a member of the underworld, he had only ever heard vague rumors about the so-called mysterious beings — and the most important thing about them was that they were enigmatic, cold, and utterly beyond confrontation!
"I need to get out of here now! If I'd known this was connected to a mysterious being, I wouldn't have taken this job even for ten times the pay!!!"
The grey-robed figure shook out his cloak, ready to leave.
"There you are. I found the scent of my enemy!" At that moment, a hoarse, grating voice sounded from behind.
The thief's body went rigid. He turned to see a hideous figure the size of a small child, floating in midair. Its body was covered in irregular scales, its face was studded with fleshy growths, and a forked, serpentine tongue flicked in and out of its mouth.
"I don't even think a demon could be this ugly!" The thought flashed through the thief's mind. He leaped off the ground and darted five meters away in an instant.
"I should have realized it sooner!!! I've been used as bait!!!" the thief screamed.