Millennium Witch

In her last dream, she attempted to hack into the official website of the Civilization Survival Society, but was intercepted by a mysterious top rune hacker. After a fierce battle, she gave up, but unexpectedly, the other party still managed to find some clues.

In fact, it's not just a matter of clues. Because the account is verified with real names, finding her account often means that the fake identity of "Yvette Theon" has also been exposed.

Then why send this via private message?

A reminder? A warning? Or a provocation?

She thought for a moment and replied, "I'm interested in the 'doomsday' you're talking about, but I won't believe it easily. If the apocalypse is real, I'd like to know more."

Chapter 56 Novice Mercenaries

After sending the message, Yvette stood on the bank of the Lorne River and waited for a while. To her surprise, the first to reply was Welding Torch.

He didn't even reply with a text message, but with a shocked and excited voice call: "Holy crap, Miss Mage, you're not dead?"

“Some things happened that forced me to go into hiding for a while,” Yvette said.

"So that's it!"

Hearing that same calm and collected tone as four years ago, the welding torch was immediately relieved. It really was him; it was worth making that special voice call to confirm.

Then he excitedly said, "So, Miss Mage, are you still interested in our business?"

“Sure, how much do you want?” Yvette asked.

"Well... let's start with 10 portions." Welding Gun gritted his teeth and said. One Arcane Wind Blade costs 5, so 10 portions would naturally cost 50. This is not something an ordinary person can afford. Even he doesn't have that much working capital and would have to take out some small loans to afford it.

But he dared not buy too much, lest the young lady of the temple use the same trick again and suddenly disappear, leaving him, the middleman, with no business.

Meanwhile, Yvette purchased Black Tower Pharmaceuticals' remote packaging service after a long absence. After deducting the 5 packaging fee and adding the 50 credits transferred to her account with the welding torch, she suddenly had an extra 45 credits, making her much more financially secure.

However, this is definitely unsustainable. The welding torch manufacturer only took on a large order because he was afraid of running out of work later. Given the size of the gray market around Blackwater, it would probably take two or three months to process these 10 Arcane Wind Blades.

After hanging up the phone with the welding torch, Yvette saw a message from Mrs. Susan. She seemed to be preparing to set up a stall at the night market. After a moment of excitement, she took a few photos of Yvette before setting up her stall, the background still in the style of the Wright Apartments, and told her to come back and visit when she had time.

She also sent a voice message and transferred 5 credits to express her gratitude for Yvette's actions in the case of Regel's denunciation. It seems that she learned from some unknown channels how Yvette spent money to reduce her husband's sentence and how she gave Gos Groney a heavy sentence.

This was somewhat unexpected. After a moment of silence, Yvette accepted her thanks but did not accept the 5 credits.

For Mrs. Susan, who makes a living by setting up a stall and also has to support two children's schooling, 5 yuan is already a huge sum of money. She appreciates the sentiment but will not accept the money.

Then she asked Hans and Marie and learned that the two children were attending a boarding school. Although it was far inferior to Black Tower School, if they did well in the future, and if Regel Hoffman was released from prison and resumed his old ways, the couple would still have a chance to send the two children to the university section of Black Tower School, where they could reunite with their old classmates.

So, following suit, Yvette found a similar excuse for Rosalyn, and thinking that Mrs. Susan still had to work at her stall, she took the initiative to end the conversation.

……

Putting away the holographic image projected by the ring, Yvette left the banks of the Lorne River in a fairly pleasant mood and headed towards a bar on the dark street.

Although she already has nearly 50 yuan in start-up capital, she does not intend to give up developing her mercenary business.

Selling restricted techniques may seem easy and tempting, but in reality, the business cannot grow large. Once the reputation becomes well-known, there is a risk of being directly attacked.

But the mercenary business is different. In most countries of the Origin Civilization, including the United States of New Eden, mercenaries are a legal profession, and there are even legal platforms for taking orders. Even the police department occasionally entrusts some jobs that are related to the underworld to them.

Moreover, her dream this time is likely to last only three months, and apart from becoming a mercenary, there really isn't any faster way to make money.

"Since dreams are continuous, I should first establish a mercenary identity. Perhaps it will come in handy every time I enter a dream..." she muttered to herself.

Pushing open the door of this bar called "Floating Light Bar," unlike other bars with their deafening music, this place exuded a more lyrical atmosphere. However, Yvette had already gathered a lot of information online and knew that this was also a mercenary commission posting point, so she wasn't surprised.

She sat down at the bar and saw the bartender, a man in his twenties dressed in a black suit, walk over. He looked at her with amusement and said, "Little sister, are you sure you're not in the wrong place? Minors aren't allowed to drink alcohol, but you can order other drinks."

"A glass of mixed coconut juice," Yvette said calmly. After the bartender prepared the drink, she didn't reach for it with her hands. Instead, she used wind magic to bring the glass to her lips, took a small sip, and then silently put it down.

The bartender's expression changed slightly. He glanced at the magical ring "Black Tower S3" on the silver-haired girl's hand, and his tone became less frivolous: "Miss Mage, are you... taking orders?"

In the Origin Civilization, mercenaries typically seek commissions through online channels. These channels are often supported by the eight super corporations within their respective spheres of influence. One party places an order, the other accepts it, and the commission is considered complete. It even appears perfectly legal on the surface, no different from hiring a private investigator.

But in reality, it's definitely not that simple. Many commissions are illegal, and you can't actually post a commission on the platform asking a mercenary to kill so-and-so for you. Otherwise, the police would come knocking on your door the next day.

Therefore, the agreement is usually reached offline first, and then the transaction is completed online under any pretext, with the platform acting as a guarantee for both parties. If the transaction is not completed within the stipulated period, the deposit will be refunded normally.

At this point, places like Floating Light Bar can come in handy. They often post gray-market commissions for others, and once they've reached an agreement with a mercenary, they find a pretext to complete the transaction on an online platform, essentially acting as a middleman for middlemen.

“You can call me ‘Nameless’.”

Yvette gave her the nickname of her account registered on the mercenary platform, saying, "I just arrived in Agasher and am looking for some commissions. I know that Floating Light Bar also offers this service."

“I see.” The bartender nodded. “Well then, Miss Anonymous, let me introduce myself. My name is Carter, and I’m the middleman at Floating Light Bar.”

After Ivy nodded, he asked, "Miss Wuming, what is your mercenary account number and what are your points?"

On the platform, a percentage of each transaction is converted into mercenary points. For example, completing a large order worth 100 million credits will earn you 100 points. These points, combined with the order completion rate, can help determine a mercenary's skill level to some extent.

After Yvette gave him her account number, Carter immediately searched for it and looked troubled: "Miss Mage, are you sure you're not joking with me..."

He had just found this mercenary account called "Nameless," and good heavens, it was a brand new account registered today with no information whatsoever. How was he supposed to make a judgment? He only knew she was a young female mage from the first thing she showed, otherwise he would have already turned her away. This kind of novice mercenary, instead of doing some legitimate business to gain experience, came to him to do gray-area missions. Wouldn't that damage his reputation as a professional middleman?

“I can pay a large deposit, over 10,” Yvette said.

“No… Miss Mage, that’s not how it works.” Carter sighed. “We middlemen value reputation and completion rates. Even if you can pay the deposit, a failed deal is still a failed deal. Clients don’t place deals just to earn the deposit… Do you understand me?”

Yvette was silent for a moment, then asked, "Do you have any long-standing, difficult-to-complete projects on your plate?"

Carter immediately understood what the silver-haired girl in front of her meant. She wanted to find a commission that had been posted a long time ago but had not been taken on for a long time due to insufficient funds or high difficulty to prove her strength.

That's a good idea. The key point is that these kinds of commissions have been sitting around for a long time. Mercenaries all know how awful these commissions are, and messing them up doesn't affect their reputation...

“There really is such a request, but I’m afraid you wouldn’t dare to accept it even if you knew about it.” Carter thought for a moment, then revealed a playful smile, seemingly anticipating the reaction of the arrogant mage in front of him.

“Go ahead,” Yvette said, her voice completely flat.

“You should know the ‘Werewolf Killer,’ right? That infamous serial killer who shocked the entire Agasha, the one with a $100 million bounty on his head by the AJSP last month,” Carter said.

Yvette had no idea, but she still nodded in response, signaling him to continue.

"A fearless female reporter wanted to investigate the true identity of the werewolf killer, but was afraid of being targeted, so she posted a request to find someone to act as her bodyguard during the investigation. 5 credits for five days, with additional credits available after that, calculated at 2 credits per day thereafter."

Carter clicked his tongue and said, "This job doesn't pay enough, and it's risky. Who knows what level that werewolf killer is at? Nobody wants to take it, and the deadline is approaching in two days. If you're confident, go be that female reporter's bodyguard. If you're lucky enough to kill the werewolf killer, you can get a 100 million bounty. How about that, all fired up?"

"I'll accept it. Now you can post the transaction on the mercenary platform."

"...Really?"

Carter paused for a moment. The other person's words were so natural that he doubted he had heard correctly. But the silver-haired girl's calm eyes and attitude seemed to have a magical power, making him subconsciously choose to do as she said.

At the same time, he remembered the propaganda pamphlets of the notorious cult "Holy Spirit Sect," which described the various necessary conditions for the birth of "vengeful spirits," and hurriedly muttered to himself, "I've said everything I need to say. Don't come back to haunt me as a ghost when you die..."

Chapter 57 Case

After paying a deposit of 5,000 credits, Yvette and Carter completed the commissioned transaction and arranged to meet the female reporter who was the client at the bar the next afternoon to discuss the details of the operation.

Unlike the rumored ruthless middleman who always devours people without spitting out the bones, Carter seems to still have some humanity left, constantly implying that if Yvette can't do it, it's better to pay some deposit than to lose her life.

Clearly, in his view, this nameless young woman's level of madness was comparable to that of the female reporter who had been the client, and she was involved in the case of a serial killer.

Yvette naturally understood his thoughts. It was only because she had the Black Eye ability as a trump card that she would not have considered high-risk commissions even if she had become a mercenary during the last dream.

After leaving the bar, Yvette rented an apartment in the Bayard district through an agency and looked up information about werewolf killers.

This is a notorious criminal who committed a murder just last month. Since his first operation six months ago, he has killed at least eight people, including a highly skilled rune compiler. He earned the nickname "Werewolf Killer" because witnesses discovered he could switch between being a giant wolf and a human.

According to information released by the police, the source of the werewolf killer's abilities is unknown. No major company has disclosed that it possesses similar technology, and even if it does, it would certainly be military technology that requires strict regulation and would be difficult to circulate among civilians.

Given the werewolf killer's haphazard and indiscriminate killings, many people speculate that the werewolf killer's origins may lie with a mad scientist, a common theme in urban legends.

……

The next afternoon, the sky over Agasher was overcast, but it didn't rain; instead, it simply cast a somber gray over the city.

Pushing open the door of the Floating Light Bar, at Carter's gesture, Yvette saw the client of this operation, a young female reporter who looked like she had just graduated from university.

She was dressed in standard business attire, carrying a small bag, sitting in a corner, sipping a cup of hot coffee.

When Yvette sat down in front of her, she looked a little dazed. After a while, she reacted and said, "Little sister, don't tell me you're the 'nameless' lady who came to accept the commission."

Yvette hummed in agreement and nodded slightly.

"Really??" The female reporter's expression immediately stiffened. She imagined many scenarios of the female mercenary who would take the job, guessing that she might be burly, with a face full of scars, more like a tough man than a woman, or perhaps a seasoned cyber mage, her whole body covered in glowing magical machinery.

But she never imagined that she would see a beautiful, innocent-looking 16 or 17-year-old high school girl.

She really does look good, dressed in a chic black top and skirt, like a little black rose that hasn't fully grown yet, and she's all naturally beautiful...

She secretly admired it in her heart, then turned her face dark and looked towards the bar.

“Don’t look at me, Miss Eileen. No one else would take this order except this one.” Carter said innocently as he stood behind the bar, wiping the glasses. “At least Miss Nameless is a genuine mage.”

Hearing the teasing tone in Carter's words, the female reporter childishly pouted, looked away, and introduced herself to Yvette: "Hello, my name is Erin Parker, I'm a reporter from 'Byrd News,' nice to meet you, Miss Anonymous."

“Hello,” Yvette said.

Such a concise response left the air momentarily silent.

Not knowing how to make small talk, Miss Eileen went straight to the point, saying, "I hope you can protect me while I investigate the werewolf killer's identity, at least until AJSP arrives... Can you do that?"

"can."

“Um, let me ask you something first. You know about the Werewolf Killer, right?” Miss Eileen emphasized. “He’s not just a murderer who poisons ordinary people; he also killed a mage of considerable skill. That mage worked at Black Tower Medicine and was injected with a high-quality ‘Active Rune Set.’ From a mercenary’s perspective, he seemed to be among the top experts… You know that, right?”

"know."

"So you still think you're capable of taking on this task?" Miss Eileen raised her voice slightly at the end.

"can."

"..."

Faced with the silver-haired girl's calm and concise reply, Eileen remained silent.

Well, she wasn't one to judge by appearances. Since the nameless lady insisted that she had the ability and was the only mercenary willing to take the job, she didn't need to show any more distrust.

After hesitating for a moment, she decided to reveal her secret, lowering her voice as she said, "Well, during the investigation, we might not necessarily be attacked by the werewolf killer... it's just a possibility. If you encounter him while you're alone, just tell him my name, tell him that it's Erin Parker from 'White Sand High School' investigating, and maybe... maybe he'll let you go."

Yvette raised an eyebrow slightly. She thought that this Miss Eileen was not acting on a whim. It seemed that she had some personal connection with the werewolf killer.

Before Yvette could speak, Eileen added, "This isn't the right place to discuss this in detail. Let's find another place to talk."

Ten minutes later, the two stood in a deserted corner by the Lorne River, facing the filthy water filled with floating garbage. Various shuttles flew overhead, many carrying parcels, like a swarm of busy bees.

“I roughly know who the werewolf killer is,” Eileen said.

Yvette hummed in agreement, gesturing for Eileen to continue. As a bodyguard, she wasn't actually required to participate in the investigation; her job was simply to guard against danger. But since the client was willing to share some confidential details, she figured she might as well listen.

“He might be my high school classmate, Tennyson Norton, a boy from a poor family, who used to be...on good terms with me.”

A look of reminiscence appeared in Eileen's eyes, but seeing the change in Yvette's gaze, she quickly added, "But we weren't in that kind of relationship. He just had a crush on me. He never confessed, and I never accepted him."

Evie nodded and continued listening.

"After graduation, he didn't go to university and went straight to work. During that time, my contact with him was completely cut off."

"Six months ago, during the first Werewolf Killer attack, the police captured a blurry shot showing a partial profile of the Werewolf Killer in human form. Although he was wearing a mask, I still think that his profile, hair color, and eyes look too much like Tennyson's."

"Then, out of curiosity, I tried to contact Tennyson, but received no response for a long time. Finally, I felt something was strange and went to Tennyson's house, only to find out that Tennyson had disappeared last year. The police investigation concluded that he had been scammed online, believed in a job that could make money, and was sold to the Rusty Bone Free State. He was either still alive but living a life worse than death, or he was already dead, his soul and body separated and used as experimental material by cultists."

Upon hearing this, Yvette's heart stirred, and some information about the Rusty Bones Free State came to mind.

While there are some small countries in Kuroshio Island, there are three major countries that are considered significant.

First, there is the United States of New Eden, one of the world's two superpowers, which is the birthplace of "Black Tower Pharmaceuticals" and "Lintui Biotechnology".

Secondly, there is the Kuroshio Federation, a small country located on the northeast coast of Kuroshio Island. It mainly relies on the "Kuroshio Corporation" as the economic backbone of the entire country, somewhat like the relationship between South Korea and Samsung.

Third is the Rusty Bone Free State, a country even smaller than the Black Tide Federation. Its society is chaotic, lacking super-corporations, but it is the birthplace of the infamous cult "Holy Spirit Sect." Due to the extreme evil and danger of its forbidden necromancy research, which requires extensive human experimentation, the Rusty Bone Free State is also known as the "Land of Human Traffickers" or the "Land of Scammers."

However, because the prospects of necromancy as described by the Holy Spirit Sect are indeed tempting, such as the resurrection of the dead, immortality, and skeletal laborers, even though it is all just empty talk and touches on the bottom line of human ethics, it still has many believers all over the world, which is quite a headache for governments around the world.

Eileen continued, "...but I think the story about being sold to Rustbones is false. If someone were sold to Rustbones, the normal procedure would be to force them to call home and extort money from their relatives. But the Tennyson family didn't encounter this situation."

"I suspect the truth is that Tennyson must have had a painful experience and then some extraordinary encounter that led him to become what he is today and gain immense power. His reason for killing so insanely might be to take revenge on those who wronged him, or perhaps he wanted to send a message to the outside world in this way."

Finally, Eileen's eyes hardened, and she said earnestly, "I want to crack these information, find the underlying reasons behind the werewolf killer's operation, and then reveal the truth to the world... I hope you can help me, Miss Nameless."

……

As an impatient young woman, Erin Parker took Yvette to a community park in the Bayard district that very evening after hiring a bodyguard.

That was the place where the werewolf killer committed his first crime; the victim was a homeless man who had pitched a tent in a park.

According to an elderly woman living nearby, she was sleeping that night when she woke up to strange and terrifying noises. She opened the window and looked out, only to find a giant wolf tearing at the body of its deceased victim in the park, its eyes bloodshot and frightening. However, after she screamed in terror, the wolf immediately fled, disappearing without a trace as if it had vanished into thin air.

This was all information the police had already gathered, and when they went to visit again, Eileen didn't find anything new. Besides, six months had passed, and asking again would probably be less accurate than asking the police's publicly available information.