Wizards begin with Occlumency.

Chapter 232 Want to have a go?

"poverty?"

Jasmine was somewhat puzzled.

Then, she said, puzzled, "I know you're poor, but that's not what you're asking."

That really hit home, bro.

Link was about to take a sip of green tea when his hand, which had been holding the glass, froze in mid-air, and he couldn't come to his senses for a long time.

What words are the most hurtful?

The truth is the most hurtful because it is impossible to refute.

With a soft "pfft".

Jasmine laughed.

She said that on purpose, just to vent her anger.

They were gone for several days without a word.

At least let them know you're safe.

Even if cross-border communication is expensive, you can still afford to spend these magic stones.

Even if you're stingy and reluctant to spend money, I'll pay for it!

Moreover, they didn't tell me they were coming back beforehand; I only found out when the butler, Hamid, informed me.

This has happened several times already; it's the same every time.

This is infuriating!

Now I'll let you experience what it's like to be angry, and see if it feels good or not.

I just wanted to annoy you, hmph!

Jasmine looked up, wrinkled her pretty nose, and made a face at the back of Link's head.

"Stop fooling around."

Link said something quietly, then picked up his cup again and took a sip of tea.

Upon hearing this, Jasmine composed herself, remembering the important matter at hand. She lightly patted Link's chest and scolded, "Stop messing around! I was just talking to you about something important, why are you interrupting me?"

"What did you just ask? Your thoughts on the mission?"

Link took another sip of tea and sighed, "My only feeling is that it started off so seriously and ended so inexplicably. Even now, I still have many questions that I haven't figured out."

"What's suspicious?"

Jasmine asked curiously, "How did it start so seriously and end so abruptly?"

Link said, "Normal conscription, normal assembly, normal meeting, unified thinking, clear division of labor, and setting goals. Head to the destination, conduct reconnaissance, begin investigation, and then, a sudden change occurs."

"An anomaly? What anomaly?"

"A level 3 Zerg world suddenly sprouted a level 5 hive, and even harbored mutations of an even higher-level Zerg!"

"Level 5? How did you manage to escape safely?"

"I'm not too clear on the specifics, but I guess it involved calling in people."

"Call for backup?"

"The great-granddaughter of two great sages, going on an adventure, won't she be accompanied and protected by someone?"

"Oh, you mean this? I thought you were recruiting from the academy."

"It's not that we can't find anyone, it's just that there won't be enough time, and we probably won't make it in time."

"Hmm. Continue. Didn't you say there were still some questions you didn't understand? What are those questions?"

"First, what exactly is the mission briefing that Sandra Diomande, the one who summoned me and the great-granddaughter of the two great sages, received?

Why is the situation in the mission world so different from the mission details she sent me?

Secondly, why would she need a hive, a program to enhance the Zerg, or a method to enslave the Zerg?

Furthermore, what exactly happened to the Zerg in the mission world?

Where did that level 5 mother hive come from, and what was its purpose?

Are the Zerg that unleashed the curses and howls the same one?

Are the tiny spots that act as a medium for the curse biochemical pheromones or occult connections?

What is the principle behind parasites parasitizing remotely?

How are insect eggs spread?

What are the results of the parasite test?

Finally, what exactly is that behemoth hidden behind the level 5 mother hive?

After we left, how did we deal with it?

Link briefly explained to Jasmine the doubts he had not understood but was very eager to understand.

Unfortunately, most of these questions are destined to remain unanswered.

After a brief pause, Link shook his head and said, "Forget it, it's all in the past. There's no point in thinking about it."

"Then don't think about it anymore, you should get some rest."

Jasmine straightened up, pulled up a stool and sat down, then lowered the upper part of Link's chair.

Her fair, delicate hands rested on the area around Link's eyes and gently massaged it to relieve his fatigue.

He then gave the butler, Hamid, a wink, and instructed Hamid to build a transparent canopy.

In this way, the two can enjoy the sunshine without being uncomfortable from the wind.

Light a daylily scented diffuser to make the air fresher and more calming.

I went through a mission that wasn't very long, but was full of twists and turns, and I remained highly vigilant throughout.

Even when resting at the rear camp, they were always worried about encountering accidents at any time, and their minds were on edge.

Link was indeed a little tired and longed for stability.

Listening to the thumping sounds and feeling the slight undulations, Link gradually relaxed and fell into a deep sleep under Jasmine's massage.

She heard Link's soft snoring and saw his brows gradually relax. Jasmine massaged Link's brows for a while before stopping.

She gently lifted the upper part of the chair slightly to support Link's upper body and head while maintaining a comfortable reclining position.

After kissing Link on the forehead, Jasmine got up, went around to the front, and lay down on her side as well.

I squeezed into a chair with Link, closed my eyes, and drifted off to sleep peacefully.

For the few days that Link was away, Jasmine lived in constant fear and anxiety, and she didn't get any rest at all.

During this period, she had to force herself to study, manage the affairs of Grand Pharmacy, and remotely control "whatever she wanted to do," all while barely managing to cope.

Now that Link has returned safely, all worries and anxieties have vanished, and with a relaxed mind, he naturally feels sleepy.

I slept from morning until sunset, when the sky was ablaze with the colors of the evening glow.

Link was the first to wake up.

He opened his eyes and looked at Jasmine, who was sleeping soundly, coiled around him like an octopus. He didn't move in time so as not to wake the girl.

Looking at the girl nestled against his chest, with only the tips of her ears peeking out from her hair, he couldn't help but find her exceptionally adorable.

I really want to pinch it.

As he watched, Link became lost in thought, lost in reverie.

How did their relationship develop to this point?

Link asked himself this question, and then began to recall every little detail of his interactions with Jasmine.

Our first meeting was at Viscount Holloway's castle.

Jasmine demonstrated how to conduct a wizard aptitude test in front of a large group of children.

At that moment, Jasmine displayed a composure and poise beyond her years.

This is in stark contrast to the childish behavior of the vast majority of twelve- or thirteen-year-old "peers" in Viscount Holloway's territory.

What left a deep impression was the dramatic change in attitude before and after making the choice when disembarking.

The sudden shift from a normal, unfamiliar interaction to one of close intimacy is quite naive.

Furthermore, after enrolling in school, he showed both ambition and a tendency to be playful.

It wasn't until that unpleasant incident during the lakeside lawn picnic at the "New Blood Mutual Aid Association" that he put away his playful thoughts and focused on his studies.

The change began at that time.

Just like Jasmine originally only wanted to "stick with" Link to get some guidance and convenience in her studies;

Link originally only regarded Jasmine as a caged "canary" to spice up his boring daily life.

Who knew that a young girl's heart was always filled with poetry?

Jasmine, entering puberty, was experiencing her first stirrings of love, whether she realized it or not.

At that time, she was always by Link's side, sticking to him all the time.

And Link is indeed more outstanding than other people his age.

Naturally, Jasmine's attitude towards Link changed.

From "exploitation" to "dependence", from feigning "sexiness" to gradually becoming shy.

What was originally a fake, feigned admiration has turned into a genuine, undeniable affection.

All the slouching skills he had learned from childhood were completely forgotten.

As long as they're by my side, I'm happy; I have no interest in engaging in idle chatter.

This is why Jasmine always laments that she has broken herself.

And what about Link?

When did Link change his mindset and stop following the "three no's scumbag" strategy?

It's likely that she went to a training ground for apprentice-level cultivators, and returned a month later to find that Jasmine, in order not to fall too far behind, had risked accepting the immature "Bone-Spitting Worm Plan" from the wizard Celine, forcibly improving her wizarding aptitude.

Just as he was thinking this, Jasmine woke up with a soft moan, disrupting Link's thoughts.

She stretched out her arms and yawned, twisting and rubbing against herself.

Once her muscles and bones had relaxed, Jasmine began the next step of getting out of bed.

"oops."

With her hands braced against Link's chest, Jasmine tried to get up, but her hands went numb and she fell back down.

As luck would have it, I had just shifted my body upwards to get up.

Now that's great, when she pounced on Link, their lips met.

Mua gave him a quick kiss.

"Ugh! Humph!"

A moment later, Jasmine once again propped herself up on Link's chest, gave a coquettish sigh, and walked out of the transparent canopy with her head held high.

She wasn't shy at all, just like a little fox stealing chickens.

"Is this what they call tsundere?"

Link sighed and got up to go back to the restaurant, ready to treat his stomach.

I haven't had a decent meal in days, and I'm so miserable.

The next day, early in the morning.

Link drove the Phantom Coupe to take Jasmine back to the Advanced Academy, and then returned to the North District, heading towards Celine's Wizard Villa.

Now that you're back, you should report it to the authorities.

It was still early, and the wizard Celine hadn't left home yet to go to work at the apothecary.

"You're back already? How did it go?"

In the living room, the wizard Celine greeted Link, and the first thing she asked him after sitting down was this question.

Link thought for a moment and said seriously:

It's a long story!

The biggest feeling is that there is a huge disparity between people.

What I cherish may be nothing more than a toy that can be discarded at will by some.

For me, it was a perilous adventure of pioneering and exploration, but for others, it was a valuable experience.

Upon hearing this, Wizard Celine smiled slightly and said, "Isn't this something you already knew? Why are you suddenly feeling so many emotions?"

Link replied, "Perhaps it's because I only knew about it before, but now I've experienced it firsthand."

"hehe……"

The witch Celine chuckled a few times, then asked, "So, what are your plans for the future? Will you accept her invitation?"

Clearly, the sorceress Celine had some understanding of how people like Sandra Diormand would recruit "subordinates".

Perhaps she had encountered a similar situation before?

Link said solemnly, "I took the opportunity to express my feelings, so she didn't invite me out."

"Well……"

After a moment's thought, the wizard Celine said, "It's quite normal. Whenever she remembers and needs you anywhere, she can just issue another call for you. If you have free time, how could you not accept the offer? So, whether she issues an invitation or not, whether you sign an agreement or not, doesn't make a big difference."

After a pause, Old Lady started driving, her wheels running straight into Link's face: "In this way, you'll be voted for nothing again and again, not only without getting any benefits, but your body will also be ruined by the votes. It's not worth it! You might as well have given in to her from the beginning, at least you could have gotten a bed."

Link chose to ignore these words and pretend he hadn't heard them.

Racing against old Silkie?

Only a madman would do that.

Seeing Link put on a serious demeanor, the witch Celine curled her lip, showing great disdain for men who were two-faced.

They've already raised children with these games, and now they're acting serious?

Serious my ass!

Suppressing her complaints, the wizard Celine returned to the main topic and asked, "You must have something to say to me. Hurry up, I need to go to the apothecary later."

Link then asked, "Someone warned me to be careful of Rukia. I'd like to know if anything has happened while I was away these past few days."

"Watch out for Rukia?"

The sorceress Celine frowned slightly. "Ever since Lucia reconciled with you, she has kept a completely low profile and hasn't done anything unusual. If there's any change, it's only this: Sauron has begun his transformation."

"Well……"

Link was deep in thought.

After a while, there was no progress, so I decided to put it aside for the time being and ignore it.

Having finished discussing the important matters, and without delaying the wizard Celine's time, Link rose to take his leave.

After leaving Celine the Wizard's villa, Link drove to Grand Pharmacy.

This place has just opened and is not yet open for business.

I greeted each of the shop assistants who came through the "do whatever you want" channel to work part-time or full-time, showing my presence as the shop owner.

Link headed straight for the underground laboratory.

For Sandra, the mission was completely over the moment she called out to her mother, Ms. Lisandra.

However, for Link, there were still some tasks left to be completed.

Using the memories in the Hall of Thought, as well as the materials, results, and samples stored in the "Little World," Link began writing the report.

There are three reports in total.

The first part is the ecological structure of the mission world, which is mainly based on micro-level data, such as the test results of soil, water, and humus, to make a model hypothesis.

Because of the lack of supporting data, especially macro-level data, this report is not very valuable.

However, it can barely correspond to one of the three original objectives of the mission: investigating the ecological structure.

The second report details the unusual changes in the insectoid race. It is based on a series of observations, autopsies, live studies, and the detection of dead insect eggs near the culture tank. The report identifies an external source, and concludes that the external source is "light radiation."

Because of the lack of comparative data on the anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry of evolved individuals, this report is more valuable than the first one, but not quite as robust.

It can only barely correspond to the second and third of the three original objectives of the task: investigating the abnormal changes and the causes of the anomalies.

The third report, which perhaps shouldn't be called a report, mainly explores the connection between sonic attacks and parasites.

Without data or direct evidence, the entire text is based on Link's existing knowledge system, consisting of assumptions, conjectures, and analyses.

After writing these three reports, I checked them carefully again.

Link sent the three reports to Lanny Taylor, asking her to forward them to Sandra.

This can be considered a formal conclusion to Link Grand's mission.

After leaving the underground laboratory and arriving on the first floor, Link saw Wizard Cody walk in.

"Come here for a moment, I need to go somewhere with you."

Wizard Cody waved to Link and said politely.

"Where are you going? What's up?"

Link asked, puzzled.

"You'll see when you get there; I won't rip you off."

Wizard Cody has entered a period of transformation; he has become more emotional in his speech and actions, and has even started to keep people in suspense.

Link had no choice but to leave the apothecary and drive after Wizard Cody, heading towards the West End.

Two cars, one in front of the other, drove into an airport terminal.

"This is for you. Open it and see if you like it."

Wizard Cody got out of the car, looking quite expectant, and pointed to a shipping container, saying to Link.

"it is good."

Link was also quite looking forward to it, and he turned on the container door.

Upon opening it, I was instantly overjoyed.

What was loaded in the container was actually a naval cannon.

The main gun of an interstellar warship capable of firing star-destroying cannons.

Wizard Cody gave a cannon as a gift.

He truly deserves the title of "The Butcher of Men."

That's hardcore!

(End of this chapter)