Wizards: Starting with Synthetic Gems

Chapter 963: The Abyss Legion and Rose officially begin their war!
Douglas looked at Locke with some concern, but Locke didn't care. As a Star Ring Wizard, he could ensure his safety even if he went deep into the 21st layer of the Abyss, the Evil Heart Plains.

Locke said to the red orc demon, "Since the master of this place has specially prepared a banquet to entertain us, we naturally have no reason to refuse."

The fierce expression on the face of the second-ring level red orc demon general vanished instantly, replaced by a warm smile with a fierce aura.

“My master said that all who come are guests. Since you are guests from our hometown, we should naturally treat you with the etiquette of our hometown. This is a visiting card. It’s a pity that there are not many books here. Even if my master exhausts all the scriptures, he cannot fully restore the etiquette of the wizarding world. If there is any lack of hospitality, please forgive us.”

Locke said, "It's alright. We don't really care about etiquette in the wizarding world anymore."

The red orc demon general respectfully presented an invitation made of moon-white clover paper with his hands, which were as large as city gates and only about the size of a baby's palm.

This dramatic scene almost made Douglas burst out laughing.

It's like a ferocious demon holding a tiny toy—it's ridiculous.

Moon-white clover paper is a magical paper crafted by alchemists. It usually appears ivory-white with some golden patterns in the details. The magical characters on it can only be revealed under the illumination of magical light. It is an ancient type of magical paper.

Furthermore, without magic, the words written on it cannot be preserved.

These magical papers are very expensive because they require animal materials from endangered magical creatures to make, so a single sheet can cost 100,000 magic stones.

It's basically worth about the same as a crystallized magic weapon.

They never expected that the invitations the other party sent them would contain such a treasure.

Locke remained expressionless, waving his hand to make the invitation float into his hand automatically. Then, the red orc demon general immediately turned around and ordered his army to clear the way for Locke and his companions.

The three of them followed the demon army for most of the day. In fact, their speed was not slow. These red orc demons moved like the wind, and they automatically had a bit of spatial teleportation ability when they walked, so their movement speed was very fast. Douglas had to cast a first-level spell model [Thunderbolt Spell] on himself in order to keep up with the marching speed.

Locke, on the other hand, strolled leisurely, following the army that led the way at a steady pace.

Along the way, red orc demons prostrated themselves on the ground, their heads touching the earth, expressing their reverence to Locke and his companions.

King Lagmamon glanced at it and said, "These are rituals that were common only in the Age of Stars."

"In the Age of Stars, when two Witch Kings met, the more followers they had and the more loyal their armies were, the more prestige they gained. It seems that the Demon Grand Duke on this level attaches great importance to restoring the ancient etiquette system, but unfortunately it is so incongruous, and these are simply a bunch of demons."

Even King Lagmamon felt a kind of uncanny valley effect.

Looking at these seemingly proper rituals and the various forms of demons, he felt a little scared.

King Lagmamon said, "I guess he'll fire cannons at the gate."

"It should be six cannons."

As soon as the Witch King finished speaking, the magic-powered turret at the city gate, which was comparable in size to a planet-destroying cannon, suddenly fired eight shots at the sky of this plane. The entire sky seemed to be torn apart, the plane trembled, and the laws of the plane rejoiced, feeling happy about the chaos.

King Lagmamon looked displeased.

“This is against the rules. Only the Imperial Court and the Tower of the Black Sun are allowed to fire eight cannons when receiving guests. I thought he would overstep the bounds of etiquette, but I didn’t expect him to use the sacrificial rites of the Tower of the Black Sun directly.”

"This person seems to value etiquette and norms, but if he were to return to the Age of Stars, he would probably be killed by the entire wizarding world."

"He is so rude."

Douglas laughed and said, "Teacher, this is what they mean by 'Lord Ye loves dragons' (a Chinese idiom meaning someone who is terrified of others' love of them)."

King Lagmamon nodded. "That's right, this is a classic case of 'Lord Ye's love of dragons' (a Chinese idiom meaning to be terrified when one actually loves them).

Locke and the others followed the Red Orc Demon General into the city located in the middle of the tent cluster in the Evil Heart Plains. The city was magnificent and resplendent, making them feel as if they had entered the palace of a powerful magic kingdom in the Age of Stars. There were countless magic mirrors and all kinds of magic sculptures. These were all architectural styles favored by the wizard kings of the magic kingdom in the Age of Stars.

As Locke and his companions walked up a corridor, their faces were reflected in thousands of magic mirrors on the corridor walls.

A wizard dressed in a black robe and hat stood at the end of the corridor, his back to them, with four witch attendants beside him. These witches were all succubi, and it was unknown how they had mastered magical powers.

At this moment, the mysterious ruler of the 21st Abyss Plane turned around; he was a... Red Orc.

He was enormous, even larger than a typical red orc demon, with thick fingers, yet he feigned elegance, as if he were not a vicious lord of the abyss, but a courteous witch king of the Age of Stars.

The Red Orc Demon King emanated an astonishing magical pressure, at least at the Sun Ring level.

The Red Orc Demon King also wore a jet-black crown on his head, the Crown of the Demon Grand Duke, signifying that he was the Demon Grand Duke of the 21st plane.

"Ah, this must be the Star Ring Wizard."

"You obtained the Crown of the Sons of Chaos? Heh, it seems we have a lot in common. Are you still living in the Wizarding World?"

An elderly dwarf, an ordinary second-ring wizard, coughed loudly beside him.

The Red Orc Demon King immediately realized what was happening, "Please~"

Locke was somewhat dumbfounded, as this was the first time he had experienced such a profound cultural etiquette. Just as Locke was pondering his next move, the Witch-King Lagmamon whispered in his ear, "It is the Three Welcomes and Three Refusals Ceremony of the Age of Stars for welcoming distinguished guests. From now on, before entering his palace, you will pass through three gates, and he will invite you three times. You must offer your thanks three times."

"But these three welcoming and three declining ceremonies are the rites of the imperial court, the rites of the Black Sun Tower. He has overstepped his bounds."

"But when in Rome, do as the Romans do. This demon king wants to indulge in some refined pursuits, Locke, you might as well play along."

Locke nodded to the Witch King, then gave a slight nod to the Red Orc Demon King. The Red Orc Demon King's eyes lit up immediately, as if he had found a kindred spirit.

He immediately turned around and headed towards the second palace gate, striding forward with great speed and joy.

As Locke walked, he said to the Witch King Lagmamon, "But Witch King, don't you feel offended?"

King Lagma looked at Locke in surprise, then chuckled softly, “What do I have to be angry about? The Tower of the Black Sun should be angry, not me. This isn’t my ritual or rule.”

"Besides, how many people dare to overstep the bounds of etiquette? Who wants to spend their entire life simply following their assigned roles? I am not one to follow the rules. Why should the main branch of the family chosen as kings by the Tower of the Black Sun be kings forever? What gives them the right?"

"Is it about exploring magic, relying on strength, relying on the choices of the masses, or relying on so-called background?"

Locke recalled that if the Lagmamon Witch King had followed the normal order of succession, he would never have become the Witch King of the Badakhyan Royal Court. Perhaps his succession was not normal. He just didn't know why he was able to gain the recognition of the Tower of the Sun and have a burnt offering made to the Tower of the Sun.

Therefore, he himself was an overstepper.

The Red Orc Demon King then stood before the second palace door and gestured for Locke to enter. After Locke responded, he ran to the third palace door and gestured for Locke to enter again. Only after Locke agreed to attend the banquet did he reveal a very joyful expression.

"I have prepared a banquet for you in my palace, with singing, dancing, wine, and women—everything imaginable. All the wealth of our Evil Heart Plains plane is gathered in this Red Orc royal city!"

"We can enjoy it all together and have a great time."

"I never expected that you, young friend, would be so young yet show no signs of hardship, but possess such knowledge of ancient etiquette. It's truly remarkable. I've received some wizards before, but those wizards were incredibly tactless. The wizards from the northern border liked to criticize me, the wizards from the eastern border swindled me out of my treasures, the wizards from the southern border stole my army, and the wizards from the central border... I couldn't utter a single word for ages..."

"Young friend, you must be very talented in the wizarding world. Where are you from?"

Locke laughed and said, "Eastern Boundary."

The Red Orc Demon King paused for a moment, then changed the subject and stopped talking.

"Young friend, please take a seat."

They sat together at a huge table in a vast palace. The red orc demon king immediately brought his concubines, wives, and generals to sit at the table, enjoying the delicacies and treasures plundered from various worlds. Some of the food even had an enhancing effect on second-circle wizards.

The Red Orc Demon King coughed, tapped the table, and immediately made his beloved concubines and generals stand up, while Locke, Douglas, and the Witch King Lagmamon sat down.

The Red Orc Demon King picked up a Thunder Crocodile's leg, took a bite, and chewed, saying, "However, we Evil Plains have a rule: passersby must produce a treasure that allows them to pass through, otherwise we will not let them through."

"I wonder if any of you have prepared such a treasure."

The Red Orc Demon King's eyes gleamed.

Locke exchanged a glance with Douglas and the Witch King Lagmamon. No wonder the person in the key laboratory of the Central Region warned them not to carry any important treasures when they were on the 22nd floor of the Abyss.

It can only be said that the Red Orc Demons are still Red Orc Demons after all; robbing and looting are their true nature, so we still need to ask them for treasures.

Douglas looked at Locke with a probing gaze, wanting to see what Locke planned to do.

Douglas used the first-circle spell model [Electromagnetic Communication] to speak into Locke's ear: "Boss, we've already reached the 21st floor. Even if he turns against us, we're not afraid. At most, it'll just delay us a bit. I can secretly find that dimensional portal to leave this plane."

"We'll leave as soon as we find it."

Locke smiled. Douglas was still too hasty. After all, he was still immature and too impulsive.

There's no need to make an enemy of the Demon Grand Duke on this level right now. We might need his help in the future, or there might be opportunities for cooperation. Of course, it would be absolutely unacceptable for him to offer up his treasures.

He looked at King Lagmamon with a smile.

King Lagmamon smiled at Locke and said, "Very well then."

The Witch-King Lagmamon looked at the Red Orc Demon King and said, "Witch, I think you've got one thing wrong. Your dining etiquette is all wrong."

The Red Orc Demon King was enraged and glared at the Witch King Lagmamon.

"What did you say, you servant?"

King Lagmamon stood up, his voice laced with laughter.

"First of all, in the Age of Stars, servants, concubines, soldiers and generals, as well as guests and the Witch King, could not possibly sit at the same table. The table's dimensions are simply wrong… A long table of specific dimensions is needed, its size being…"

"Secondly, as the host, you should sit in the main seat. According to the magic level and status, you and Locke, the Star Ring Wizard, should sit at a separate table, while the servants should sit at a separate table."

The Red Orc Demon King was initially very angry, but after the Witch King's detailed explanation, his expression immediately became respectful. He listened with expressions of sudden realization and nodding in agreement.

King Lagmamon said, "I have finished speaking."

Then he sat down.

Locke looked at the Red Orc Demon King and smiled, "Well, isn't this treasure I'm giving you better than what those wizards left you before?"

The Red Orc Demon King suddenly realized what was happening, and then became extremely excited.

"It's a million times better."

"Today I feel as if I have heard the true music of the universe."

“If even one of your servants is so well-versed in etiquette, then his master—you—must be even more knowledgeable in these matters. May I ask your name? My name is Behemoth Diablo.”

Locke said, “My name is Locke Augustine, and I am a wizard from Mount Golden Crown.”

Diablo, the Red Orc King, had clearly never heard of Mount Golden Crown, so he simply nodded as if he understood, and then said, "Since Mr. Augustine has given me such a great gift, I should return the favor with a gift of my own. Whatever you desire, whatever is in my palace, I can give it to you!"

Locke glanced around his palace and shook his head slightly.

"We are friends, we don't need these gifts."

The Red Orc Demon King was clearly intrigued.

"No, no, no, I must give you a gift today. I can't bear this feeling."

"If you just ask, I will definitely give your friend a gift."

Locke deliberately made it difficult.

Douglas stared blankly at how things were unfolding. He hadn't expected things to turn out this way. Wasn't the Demon King planning to rob them at the banquet?

But how did Locke's few words suddenly turn into the Demon King insisting on giving them gifts?
Does this demon king know what he's saying?

King Lagmamon initially looked at Locke with confusion, wondering why Locke wouldn't grant the Demon King's request and simply ask for something worthless and leave.

Of course, we can't be foolish enough to ask for the truly valuable things from this Demon King right now.

To put it bluntly, after his encounter with this Demon King, he came to understand him. The man seemed warm and hospitable, but he couldn't hide his true nature as a bandit.

It may seem like he can give things away casually, but if Locke were to ask for something expensive, the recipient would immediately feel the pinch and change their mind.

Ultimately, the other party's primary identity is that of a demon grand duke, and only secondarily a demon who likes to cosplay as a wizard.

Besides, even a proper wizard wouldn't be so generous.

If they really take some good stuff, they probably won't be able to leave this abyss plane easily.

However, King Lagmamon quickly figured out what Locke really wanted.

At the banquet, Locke looked at the Red Orc Demon King and said, "If you ask me if I need anything? I think about it carefully and it seems like I don't need anything."

The Red Orc Demon King became very distressed. He clutched his chest and said, "My friend, please don't say that. It hurts me too much."

"My Evil Grassland is so vast, and it has so many treasures. Do you really think there's nothing that can interest you? I don't believe it. There must be something."

The Red Orc Demon King commanded a demon with a glance to pour Locke a cup of expensive wizard's wine called "Spring and Autumn Intoxication." This wine could even make a second-ring wizard black out, and a single drop of it could make any mortal in a small world drunk for an entire day, even if it were added to a river in that world.

If an ordinary person were to drink it directly, they would probably never wake up again.

Locke sighed.

"But I am so wealthy in the wizarding world, and I have just conquered a world. I really can't think of anything I would lack."

Douglas was completely out of touch with the psychological game between Locke, the Red Orc King, and the Witch King, so he was completely bewildered and didn't know what Boss Locke was talking about or who was always telling him that they didn't have enough money.
Diablo, the Red Orc Demon King, his eyes gleaming slightly. "Conquer the world? On what scale?"

Locke said, "Medium to large scale."

This is not a lie, because after advancing to the Star Ring level, the Three Cave Worlds have gained the ability to officially transform into a medium-sized world, and are currently in the process of transformation. Although this may take a hundred years, just tell me if this is a medium-sized world or not.

The Red Orc Demon King looked at Locke with even more enthusiasm and admiration. Abyssal demons all admire the strong, and in his eyes, Locke was already a plane conqueror as powerful as himself.

No wonder they're from the Wizarding World's homeland.

That's what makes it excellent.

The Red Orc Demon King also developed a sense of apprehension towards Locke, and his contempt for him diminished.

Locke said, "Well, I'm a bit troubled by the fact that I don't have anyone to help me mine ore in the world I just conquered. That's a problem. But if I just let people in, I'm afraid someone will take over the world I just acquired. So this is probably my only headache right now."

The King of the Red Orcs' eyes lit up. "So simple. I have countless men under my command. I'll just give you a hundred first-ring Red Orcs and make them obey you for life, won't that solve the problem? The Red Orcs here are quite capable."

“I want to be your friend, Mr. Augustine. I believe your name will one day resound throughout the endless void.”

Douglas, who was fidgeting, suddenly froze, then turned to look at his teacher, the Witch-King Lagmamon, who nodded slightly to him.

He looked at Locke with disbelief in his eyes. Good heavens, his boss even tried to trick the demons' army by just passing by the entrance of the demon palace.

So that's what it was for.

Indeed, these guys with exceptionally high physical density are the best at mining, because their body's magical pressure density is so high that they might not even need tools and could mine ore directly with their hands.

He couldn't imagine how fast these red orcs would work if he taught them some basic magic knowledge or gave them some magical abilities through magic scrolls or other means.

Locke said, "Let's not give it away. I'll just buy it. Or maybe we can do a buy-one-get-one-free deal."

Locke accurately grasped the Demon King's feigned generosity. He knew that if he didn't pay, it would be very troublesome to get anything from him, even if he succeeded.

Moreover, he had quite an appetite; a hundred first-ring red orcs were still not enough.

I need more.

Because mining the Azure Spirit Vein requires a large workforce, and these Red Orcs have such high physical abilities, I feel they are very suitable for mining ore for me.

If you were to hire wizards in the Wizarding World to mine ore, the cost would be incalculable.

While increasing revenue is important, controlling costs is the second most important aspect.

In the wizarding world, unless a wizarding academy is established on the spot and a large number of apprentices are recruited to study how to mine, the cost of other employment activities would be astronomical. And opening a wizarding academy requires the approval of the White Wizarding Association.

It's possible, but it would be very complicated to manage, and the academy itself requires long-term investment to see any returns.

The Red Orc Demon King was even happier after hearing Locke's words.

He thought Locke was indeed a good person. Not only did he not want his gifts, but he also wanted to give him money, just to exchange a few useless, brainless red orc demons for him.

Locke said, "But I need elites. I'm willing to pay 100,000 magic stones for a level one red orc. We can sign a contract."

The Red Orc Demon King patted his chest and said, "Good, of course good. The currency of the Wizarding World is hard currency in the Endless Void. From now on, you are a friend of the ruler of my 21st-level Evil Heart Plains, and I can even give you a discount."

"This time, I'll practically give it away for free. Whatever you buy, I'll give you the same amount. I'll even sell you my well-trained, loyal army directly. What do you say? Hahaha..."

Douglas did the math and realized that a level 1 creature could be bought for only 100,000 magic stones, which was a great deal.

Because a first-ring wizard's monthly salary is generally around ten thousand, and the red orcs obviously cannot be compared to the value of a first-ring wizard, but the problem is that this is a buyout of one hundred thousand magic stones.

These red orc first-level creatures are definitely high-quality first-level creatures in the endless void.

Even dealing with these beings requires considerable effort from him.

The sale of a first-ring wizard debt slave will not be cheap, starting at a price of at least a million.

Locke said, "Then I'll buy one hundred first-ring red orc demons first."

Buying 100 units costs 10 million magic stones. At the same time, they will also give you 100 first-level red orcs, which means you can get 200 red orcs.

With so many red orcs working as miners, I have more than enough.

Of course, demons are difficult to manage and prone to betrayal. If these two problems are not solved, then even if you buy these demons, they will still be a burden.

This is also why most wizards don't capture demons to be slaves.

If you have to send guards to keep these demons in line and incur huge costs, then the cost-effectiveness is not very high.

But Locke had observed along the way that among all the demons in the Abyss Plane, these Red Orc demons were definitely the most obedient. Moreover, he himself had a status that could indeed make them obey him. He knew that he possessed the power of the Abyss Dragon, the qualifications to compete with the Supreme Eye Demon for the position of Lord of the 78th Abyss Plane, and the crown of the Son of Chaos.

Therefore, at this time, his identity as the Child of Chaos and the Abyss Dragon is not just a disadvantage, but rather a unique advantage.

Moreover, mining is a rough job that requires the least amount of skill.

It's obviously not feasible to get these demons to produce anything sophisticated, such as enchanted scrolls; they would definitely lose money if they were asked to make them.

Diablo, the Red Orc Demon King, did some calculations and found that he had nothing to lose.

After all, these orc demons are worthless. The Abyss has plenty of people. If he gives away two hundred first-ring demons, he can just go to the planes in the endless void or other abyssal planes to plunder some more people and quickly replenish his demon population.

Locke produced a contract and activated the Eye of Truth as guarantor. Then, the Red Orc Demon King stood up and led Locke to the training ground of the Evil Heart Plains. Standing on the training ground, he ordered two hundred Red Orc legions, clad in full Abyss Black Gold plate armor and wielding Abyss Black Gold spears, to step forward.

Wherever these red orc demons went, they left behind abyssal flames. They were tall and strong, like demon gods. These two hundred red orc demons alone were enough to form a terrifying nomadic army that could plunder the world.

After all, an army of two hundred creatures with a combined magic power of around ten thousand is not considered weak.

Locke was able to trade for ten million magic stones, which was a great deal for him. This was not only because he had successfully outmaneuvered the Lord of the Abyss Plane on this level, but also because he himself seemed to have a relatively high title on the Abyss side.

At this moment, the Red Orc Demon King said to them, "From this moment on, your master is this wizard Locke Augustine. You will be completely loyal to him and leave the 21st plane."

"Do you understand? This is my order!"

The two hundred red orc demons looked at each other, their demonic eyes beneath the masks made of abyssal black gold remaining unchanged. They all looked at Locke, but made no comment.

The Red Orc Demon King chuckled, but he couldn't care less. In the Abyss, getting other demons to obey was simple: just be a demon stronger than him.

It is extremely difficult for an outsider to subdue an abyss demon without being betrayed or preventing it from causing trouble in secret.

But for the Abyss Lords, all they need to do is follow the Abyss law of the jungle.

Diablo looked at Locke and said, "My good friend, you can now take over your army."

As soon as he finished speaking, the lord's mark on these demons disappeared. The principles of the 21st plane rejected them, which meant that they were no longer the abyssal demons of the 21st plane.

Locke did not look at them immediately.

He took out a thousand magic crystal cards from his astral ring and handed them to the red orc demon king.

Then, Locke's shadow on the ground turned into a demonic dragon.

Locke recalled the image of the dragon wizard with a pipe in his mouth. When he turned around, his dragon nature erupted, and abyssal energy enveloped him. He briefly transformed into a colossal abyssal dragon that stood tall and imposing.

The abyssal energy and the power of the demonic dragon mingled together, radiating a terrifying power that was unique and full of destructive force.

The star ring belonging to the dragon appeared behind the dragon. It was a black and purple star ring with the dragon's head biting its tail, forming an ouroboros pattern.

As if the end of the world had arrived, a great dragon from the abyss roamed here.

The Abyss Demon wears a crown of the Son of Chaos atop his head, a special title bestowed upon him by the Abyss plane as an embodiment of chaos.

Diablo's face showed a hint of fear. Although Locke had only shown the power of the Star Ring level, the special nature of the dragon's power made him feel suppressed, and he had not yet obtained the Crown of the Child of Chaos!

After witnessing the dragon's immense power, the two hundred red orc demons finally moved. They knelt down on one knee before Locke, bowing their demonic heads and acknowledging him as their new master.

“Master, we are the most terrifying legion in your hands. We will plunder and loot everything for you.”

A ray of abyssal light flashed from the crown of the Son of Chaos atop Locke's head, followed by his lord's mark striking the souls of these abyssal demons.

This is a lord-vassal relationship.

Of course, the position of the lord of the abyss is not particularly stable. This lord's mark can only roughly sense their location, vaguely sense what they are doing, and let these red orc demons know who their lord is.

The problem is that these demons are just ordinary first-ring level demons, while he is a Star Ring Wizard. The difference in strength between them is too great, so this Lord's Mark has been amplified.

Locke could even detonate the Lord's Mark within them to kill or weaken them.

This is the abyss.

The greater the gap in strength, the greater the lord's power. If these demons suddenly increase in strength, the function of the lord's mark will decrease; if they approach the second ring, the mark may even lose its basic function of vaguely sensing location.

When Locke turned around again, he had transformed from a dragon into a human.

The Red Orc Demon King became even more convinced that Locke was not someone to be trifled with, and that they shared a great deal of interest.

"Hahaha... My good friend, I'll send you away from the abyss now. I just hope you can visit the Evil Heart Grassland often when you have time. Hahahaha..."

……

Along the Tianjiang River, at the headquarters of Silver Peach Garden, Wizard Terence kept trying to contact Locke, but all his messages seemed to have sunk without a trace.

He rubbed his forehead in frustration.

Because the Olayer Shop Alliance seems to have torn off its last pretense. Before, it was just developing quietly and slowly squeezing out the market share of Silver Peach Garden. But after publicly announcing its intention to intervene in the research of Peach Blossom Branch yesterday, it means that they have completely torn off their pretense and are going to take action against Silver Peach Garden.

The Peach Dart Branch is the iconic magical plant weapon of Silver Peach Garden and is currently the best-selling super item.

If the other party announces its involvement and research into this super-powerful plant weapon, it means that they already intend to completely replace the Silver Peach Garden.

Terence the wizard was extremely distressed. Since yesterday, a large number of designers and wizard employees had started to resign, and an entire team had even been poached by Olayer. He tried to contact Locke Augustine, but he was unable to reach him no matter what he tried.

He rubbed his head, feeling a headache coming on.

"Even if we contact Mr. Augustine, it might not solve the current problem, but... as the administrative head, he must know about these things. Moreover, he is the core figure of the Red Dragon lineage, and only he has the ability to deal with Rose the Witch."

As Terence recalled his three meetings with Rose the Witch, cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

He always ended up losing out.

Every time, Rose the Witch looked at him with her aggressive gaze, as if he were nothing more than food.

He even developed a fear of Rose the Witch.

The Olayer Shop Alliance seems to have established a firm foothold along the Tianjiang River, while Silver Peach Garden seems to have missed its best opportunity to suppress it.

Just when Terence was at a loss, a wizard reported to him that Rose the witch of Olayer and Joshua the wizard were requesting an audience.

Wizard Terence paused for a moment, then had the other wizard invite the two in.

At this moment, Rose the Witch curiously walked through the rather ancient-looking corridor of the Silver Peach Garden, then entered Terence the Wizard's office. She then sat down uninvited at Terence's desk, leaving Terence, who had stood up to pour three cups of wizard tea, stunned.

Suddenly, the witch Rose spoke to him, "Witch Terence, I admire your talent. Why don't you leave Silver Peach Garden and come to me?"

……

At Mount Jinmian, Locke himself entered into deep meditation in his dormitory. He did nothing but follow his senior brother's advice.

At the same time, he did notice the message that Wizard Terence had sent him.

Locke simply couldn't spare the time, and he was also unwilling to get involved right now.

If Auleyer is willing to be the peach dart branch, then let them be.

In a sense, this was something he tacitly approved of. Rose's fighting style was indeed fierce, with every move hitting the very core of Silver Peach Garden.

Whether it's squeezing out business or poaching talent, cutting off Yinzhuang Taoyuan's current cash flow will accelerate Taoyuan's decline.

The problem is that these things were done with his own tacit approval.

To put it bluntly, what I want is a truly revitalized paradise that can start afresh and be brought back to life, not one that takes off with a bunch of parasites that are destined to go bankrupt—that would be too exhausting.

Previous new administrators failed to grasp this point, believing they could restore profitability while riddled with corruption. But no matter how many reforms were implemented, they would be devoured by this rotten core.

"After reviewing those documents, I don't believe I'm better at management than them. Therefore, if I were to take over Silver Peach Garden, these rotten elements would have to be removed. Even if Rose doesn't help me remove them, I will fire them."

'I've already had Terence lure the truly valuable members away by concentrating resources and increasing their salaries. Whether Rose wants to recruit a bunch of opportunists is her own business.'

Locke stopped thinking about such things; he had other plans for Silver Peach Garden.

At this moment, he received a message from the wizard Trajan, who informed him that the process was complete and that he should go to a designated location the next day to undergo a "power composition test".

"Is this the reason why my senior brother wanted my physical body to do nothing for a week?"

Locke said.

"I've pretty much finalized my clone potion and clone negotiations in Dragonfall Lands. It seems I can indeed focus some of my attention on the Tianjiang River coast."

"Of course, my focus is on getting familiar with the environment of the key laboratory as soon as possible."

……

Along the Tianjiang River, Wizard Terence glanced at Locke's side, which had not responded, and whispered, "Ms. Rose, Mr. Locke Augustine still hasn't replied to me. In such a terrible situation, he hasn't said a word."

Rose the Witch smirked. "He's really willful."

"This is consistent with the personality I know him to be. Although he seems very calm, I can sense his unruly and capricious nature."

"So, are you scared of such a capricious leader? Want to work for me? I've prepared a suitable position for you, with a half-level raise in salary..."

Wizard Terence said, “That’s why I can’t switch jobs. After all, it shows that the lord is confident. To be honest, I was really flustered just now. If that lord had contacted me immediately, I would have been even more flustered. But now it seems that in that lord’s eyes, there is nothing to worry about at the moment. Is my position easy to hold, Ms. Rose?”

Rose the witch stood up, her face displeased.

“I know you love this shop alliance, but as a wizard, you’re too sentimental. I will never offer you this deal a second time.”

Joshua the wizard shook his head and immediately followed.

"Lady Rose, wait for me."

　I originally wanted to write more, but the author simply can't write much more... I'll write more when I have the chance. After all, I need to maintain the quality and the plot.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)