Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

Lyle's cuffs were soaked, and the Talent Ball covered the back of his hand like a film of water, ready to bounce off the next attacker.

Without Ralph's company, Lyle felt as if he were walking into a jungle surrounded by wild beasts as he approached the slums, his nerves on edge.

A rustling sound came from behind, like a blade cutting through burlap.

what is that?

“It’s me, Lyle, my darling.” Medusa peeked out from under Lyle’s coat, her hands rubbing against the fabric of her flowing coat.

"Medusa! I'm doing something important."

"Your idea of ​​doing real work is just keeping an eye on a bunch of people crawling through the mud?"

“You possess a unique and independent talent, as well as a wand that can think independently. Wolves do not consider lambs as enemies, because they are merely prey. Your water sphere can easily twist off a head, and I can quickly bite open their carotid artery.”

"So, I should focus more on efficiency instead of wasting my energy on these trivial matters?"

"So you should spend more time talking to your precious wand sister instead of looking around like a neurotic."

"..."

……

Old Ba Jin's dilapidated house is still in the same place, and the nauseating smell of herbal medicine is still the same.

This is the only place where Lyle might have a chance to try his luck with William, to discuss the new fieldwork, with the main purpose being to cooperate in exploring the secret realm.

Pushing open the door, one sees a passageway leading to the living room and a staircase on the other side that leads directly to the second floor. Based on the previous experience, William should be in the attic room at the bottom of the stairs.

Lyle walked in that direction.

He just stuck out his right foot.

"careful!"

A sudden upward pull came from his heels, causing his body to lean backward and his head to slam hard against the threshold. He was still dizzy from the impact and his body was now hanging upside down.

Lyle has fallen into an invisible trap.

When his mind cleared, William appeared in his field of vision, dressed impeccably. He had put on a rusty yellow cloak and wore his usual smile, but this time it was an infuriating smile.

"Look what you've done, William."

“Sorry, my brother.” Muttering this insincerely, William pulled a seven-foot wooden stick with a spiral pattern from behind him. As the end of the stick moved, an invisible lasso lowered Lyle down. “In this kind of environment, we have to be careful. There are quite a few people here who have their eyes on this dilapidated building. The invisibility powder works quite well.”

"Is that your magic wand?"

“Yes.” William tossed the spiral wood through the air and caught it. “Quite practical, much better than a spell, under normal circumstances.”

"Lyle, does your coming here mean you're ready to embark on an adventure with me?"

"Yes, there's another reason. I have another field mission. Would you be willing to go? Great Wizard, the price is negotiable."

"That nun is there too?"

"Karen is a paladin, and she's here too."

"We need to raise the price. I'll have to put in some effort to disguise it. By the way, is this one of your separate tasks?"

"No, Ralph will still lead the team."

"The deal is cancelled, no exceptions."

What about our brotherhood?

"Don't talk about feelings when your life is in danger."

"Alright, when does the secret realm exploration begin?"

"Meet in Cassandra 7th Street in an hour. By the way, according to the latest reliable intelligence, get dressed up and cover your entire body."

The rules sounded so familiar, but they weren't a problem for Lyle, who had been a plague doctor for quite some time. "No problem."

……

William put himself into a clown costume, his bloated belly contrasting sharply with his physique. With the tricorn hat and clown mask, he was just as conspicuous as Lyle.

"Haha, having a doctor as a side job is so convenient, you just need to wear a uniform."

Where did you get your clothes?

"It's from my time working in a circus; I was forced to do it because of life's hardships."

The two proceeded along the main road of District 7, a road Lyle remembered because District 13 was Cassandale's cemetery, and the Andreas family mausoleum was located deep within it.

The two stopped at a shop.

Black Bookstore.

It's a bakery I've seen before; it seems this place isn't ordinary.

The stall had long loaves of bread scattered about, arranged haphazardly, which made them unappealing to buy.

The shop owner was a strong, bald man with a small, curly mustache. His tattered light gray apron couldn't hide his muscular build, and his large, imposing eyes shone with an air of authority. He stood in front of the shop like a security guard, keeping a close watch on the entrance.

The windows were made of kraft paper layered with oilcloth, so you couldn't see inside the shop. Or rather, the shop owner never intended for customers to come in and do business properly.

William went up to the shopkeeper and said, "Shopkeeper, I'd like to buy some bread."

"Take it yourself from the counter."

"These won't do."

What kind do you want?

"I want [Roman bread]." It sounded like a coded message.

"Oh, do you have enough money?" The shopkeeper seemed somewhat tempted.

"Yes, I brought it."

How many people?

"The two of us."

The shop owner's eyes swept over the two of them. "Come in," he said, stepping into the shop first.

Lyle followed closely behind.

The interior was empty and unfinished. The two were led into a small room where a thin man in a black robe stood at the door.

"Give me the money and stand in the middle of the magic circle."

William took out two gold coins.

Oliwu.

The man in the black robe nodded in satisfaction. "It's genuine. Well then, according to the contract, I'll do my job properly."

Lyle and William walked into the magic circle, and accompanied by incomprehensible incantations, the two were teleported away.

Lyle noticed that the magic circle was a black inverted pentagram, and that purple magic runes peeked out from the gaps when the black-robed man chanted the incantation.

A black tower crackling with lightning appeared before the two, its rugged architectural style and a spiraling thundercloud gathering at its top.

The two were in a dirty alley when a figure with its face obscured nudged them.

"Alright, we're here. Get out of the way and don't block the way."

The muscular arms that were pushing him were wrapped in purple magic runes, and William stared in amazement at the black crystals on his body.

The two walked outside.

William muttered to himself.

"Lyle, we're considered trespassers. Don't panic. You need to disguise yourself and act like a regular visitor. Remember, whatever you do, stay calm."

Lyle looked at William, whose body was trembling with excitement.

"Ok."

Lyle turned and walked toward the demon guard who was standing to one side holding a battle axe.

"Hey bro, which dark zone is this?"

"Dark Zone Three, City of Sin".

Chapter 73 Are You a Devil?

The towering, dark purple structure, with its rough surface occasionally crackling with sparks of electricity, was not a traditional brick or stone structure, but rather resembled the cuticle of a living being. It was the absurd idea that had just formed in his mind that caused Lyle to feel a slight pulsation in the wall beside him.

Sin City was probably a special district managed by some demon lord. Most of the passersby on the street were demons, plus some lesser demons who were half a person tall. In such an environment, Lyle and William's strange attire always attracted the attention of the surrounding demons, but that was all.

William continued to mutter to himself, "Relax. According to the intelligence I've gathered, in this legendary city, as long as you disguise yourself properly, no one will easily interfere with you. I've heard there's a masked organization here that's not to be trifled with. Lyle, we need to disguise ourselves as members of this organization, and there are a few things to keep in mind."

"What is it?"

"Remain indifferent, calm, and treat all races equally. Yes, that sense of superiority, that feeling of being above worldly concerns. If necessary, persecute those around you." William took out a small, yellowed booklet with several lines of densely packed instructions. In the part William's fingers obscured, Lyle saw a familiar emblem: the jasmine flower. He pressed his fingers to his temples; after putting on the mask, this gesture replaced his usual habit of rubbing his temples.

"William, what's the name of this so-called high-and-mighty, utterly depraved organization you're talking about?"

“What was it again?” William turned to a page in the book with a capital initial on it. “Damn it, I forgot.”

"Andrei".

William clapped his hands. "That's right, Andrei, the Andrei gang."

Lyle, hidden behind the bird-beak mask, twitched his lips and touched the seal ring on his index finger.

There are quite a few misunderstandings from the outside world, which seems to be due to the literary society's inadequate publicity.

"In short, Lyle, we need to disguise ourselves as one of Andrei's."

Li Kui pretending to be Li Gui.

"Okay, now where do we go, stay here, or go to another district?"

William took a step back, his tone becoming serious. "Lyle, let me make this clear: this is a secret realm. The opportunities ahead will depend entirely on our own efforts. We must work together and act according to the order of arrival. Don't let infighting expose us and lead to our deaths here."

"You're right. Speaking of which, William, would you like to ride the drop tower?"

William was completely bewildered.

As the two continued their journey, the attention on the street did not diminish. Sure enough, were the Andrei members who appeared during the day really too strange?