Dark Wizard: Rise! My undead army!

Thinking of this, Lynn's face immediately displayed just the right amount of fear and gratitude, his tone tinged with self-deprecation:

"Boss, you're joking! What kind of person is the Wizard? I'm not fortunate enough to have such an honor."

"To be honest, a wizard came to my hometown three years ago, and I went to have my fortune told out of curiosity."

"Oh?" The one-eyed wolf narrowed his single eye slightly, leaned forward, and exuded a sense of oppression.

"What were the results? What was used to measure them?"

The key question is here!

Lynn's face showed a mixture of composure and slight regret:

"It uses... a crystal ball that lights up."

"Unfortunately, I put my hand on it for a long time, but the ball didn't move at all. The wizard said at the time that I didn't have the talent and told me to give up."

He sighed at just the right moment, "I was sad for quite a while back then."

He accurately named the testing tool "crystal ball," a detail he had obtained from his trusted little beggar.

Sure enough, the doubt in the one-eyed wolf's eyes dissipated by most.

"Hmph, not having talent isn't necessarily a bad thing."

One-Eyed Wolf leaned back in his chair, his tone carrying a subtle hint of relaxation and a deeper meaning.

"The wizarding world is not as glamorous as the legends suggest; it's... darker and more brutal than the underworld of us."

He lowered his voice, speaking with the air of someone who had been through it all:

"Think about it, we just recruited one round last year. All the talented young people in the city who were old enough were picked last year."

"Here we go again this year? Where do so many geniuses come from in this tiny Black Swamp City?"

"The test fee was ten gold coins in previous years, but this time it has been changed to one gold coin. It is obvious that they want more people to participate in the test. There must be something fishy going on here."

"I've heard... that some so-called 'dark wizards' recruit apprentices not to train them, but to use them as... 'material'."

He paused meaningfully.

"Do you know what 'material' is? They treat you like a expendable resource, experimental subject, understand? The mortality rate is terrifyingly high! Going in there is a nine-out-of-ten chance of death!"

Lynn gasped in surprise, his face showing a mixture of fear and relief, and patted his chest, saying:

"I see! Thanks for reminding me, boss! Luckily I don't have any talent! With you protecting me in the gang, I'd be living the high life, having the best of everything!"

"I'm thinking of saving up more money so I can marry a beautiful wife in a couple of years and settle down! It's much better than becoming some kind of 'material'!"

His statement of "lacking ambition" and "being content with the status quo" clearly pleased One-Eyed Wolf.

A smile appeared on the one-eyed wolf's face, but the next moment, the smile turned cold.

"It's good that you think that way, Lynn, you're a smart man."

One-Eyed Wolf tapped his fingers on the table, making a soft, rhythmic sound. "I know you weren't entirely honest when you were out buying things; you skimmed off a little something."

Lynn's heart tightened, his face drained of color, and he stood up abruptly, stammering, "Boss! I...I..."

The fact that One-Eyed Wolf knew this was part of his plan.

He deliberately left some not-so-secret flaws in several purchases, so that Skinny Monkey could "accidentally" discover them and report them to One-Eyed Wolf.

He needed to give One-Eyed a "small handle" to prove that Lynn was only after petty gains and had no greater ambitions.

Such is human nature: a completely flawless subordinate can actually make a superior uneasy.

"sit down!"

One-Eyed Wolf growled, but his tone wasn't particularly harsh, "A little bit of money is nothing to me."

"I understand the principle that 'too much clarity will leave no fish.' As long as you are dedicated to the gang and don't go too far, this small reward is my way of giving you a bonus."

Lynn sat back in her chair as if she had collapsed, her face filled with gratitude, her voice choked with emotion:

"Boss...I...I, Lynn, swear to God that I will be loyal to you from now on and will never do anything to harm the gang's interests! Otherwise, may I be struck by lightning!"

"Alright, just remember what you said. Go now." One-Eyed Wolf waved his hand, a satisfied look on his face as if he were in complete control.

Lynn meekly left the room, and the moment he closed the door, all the fear, gratitude, and humility on his face vanished.

Instead, there was a cold calm, and even a barely perceptible curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He ultimately won this confrontation.

This not only dispelled the one-eyed wolf's suspicions about the wizard test, but also confirmed his persona of being "greedy for small gains and lacking ambition," making him lower his guard.

Back in his luxurious room, Lynn locked the door and looked at the dim moonlight outside the window. A smile finally bloomed on his face, tinged with mockery.

Did the one-eyed wolf think he could keep him under control with a few petty benefits and a false sense of "trust"? How laughable.

Black wizard?

material?

A narrow escape from death?

So what! At least we've earned the right to climb to the top!

If he stays in the Blood Hands gang, he will forever be just a "snake in chains," and might be crushed to death by the so-called "knights" or "wizards" at any time.

Or, like the Ghost Fox, they might be eliminated by the One-Eyed Wolf after losing their usefulness.

The path of a wizard, however dark and dangerous, represents the possibility of breaking free from shackles and taking control of one's own destiny!

He must seize this opportunity!

He touched the heavy little cloth bag in his arms, which contained all his savings, a full twenty gold coins.

This was enough for him to pay for the testing, and enough for him to flee if he failed.

Two days later, the moment that would decide their fate would arrive.

...

On the first day of the talent test, Lynn went about her usual routine of purchasing and checking various industry projects, showing no signs of anything amiss.

The city lord's mansion was unusually lively. Some teenagers who had just turned ten, or those who had failed to produce ten gold coins last year, or those who had already taken the test but were still unwilling to give up, flocked into the city lord's mansion to take the test.

Most of them were dressed smartly, or at least their clothes were clean and tidy.

After all, those who can participate in the test are all people with some assets, otherwise they wouldn't be able to afford even a single gold coin.

It wasn't until nightfall that things finally quieted down inside the city lord's mansion.

Lynn did not inquire about the first day's test from anyone else, and even his trusted little beggar lost contact with him.

Especially in times like these, it's crucial to stay calm!

On the second day of the test, Lynn remained unchanged, showing no abnormalities whatsoever. However, as evening approached, a look of curiosity appeared on his face when he passed by the Nightingale Pavilion.

"Monkey King, is this place really as wonderful as Vasa described?"

Vasa is in charge of the gang's casino, and whenever Lynn checks the accounts, he warmly invites him to relax at the "Nightingale Pavilion."

Of course, Lynn did not agree.

His young Lynn was still a minor and couldn't withstand such intense combat.