Chapter 33: An Impossible Request

That second night, the black-clothed man appeared once again in Su Chen’s room.

Su Chen had already been waiting in the room for quite some time. Upon seeing the man arrive, Su Chen pointed at the tea tray behind him and said, “Come drink a cup. I heated it a while ago for you. It’s a very high quality Purple Cloud Tea.”

Hearing that, the black-clothed man was not polite. He walked towards the tea before raising the cup and draining it in one gulp.

Seeing him behave in this manner, Su Chen felt much more relaxed. He knew that more likely than not there was a way forwards.

Indeed, after the black-clothed man drank the tea, he said, “The conditions that you raised were too excessive, and the higher ups did not agree. However, they had some ideas of their own about your expedition to the Scarlet Mountain Range. If you are willing to cooperate, perhaps we can help you a little.

“What did they say?”

The black-clothed man poured himself another cup of tea and drank it before saying, “The organization wouldn’t agree to just give you Origin Tools for free. However, after considering the danger of the Scarlet Mountain Range, they were willing to temporarily lend them to you. After you return, you are to them back.”

“Fine.. But if it’s just this, aren’t you guys paying too little of a price?”

The black-clothed person harrumphed, “Brat, don’t be too greedy. Do you think that there is no risk to lending you these Origin Tools? If you die in the mountain range, how could we recover anything?”

“Then why not be a little more generous and give me some things that can increase my odds of survival? In any case, your organization is very large. There must be odds and ends that are lying around unused. To toss them away would be a waste. So,why not give them to me? Perhaps I could make use of them.”

The black-clothed man paused for a moment before saying, “You actually got it right.”

As he spoke, he tossed over a bag.

Upon opening the bag, Su Chen found a battle armor, a battle blade, a black pipe, a pair of battle boots, a large number of medicine vials, a couple of black pearls as well as pouch of low-grade Origin Stones.

“Inside the vials is a healing medicine. As long as it’s not a life-threatening wound, you will recover when you drink it. However, these bottles are failed products. Although you will recover after drinking them, there are a few negative side effects. As for what the side effects are, each bottle is different so it’s hard to say. Perhaps you will have diarrhea, perhaps you will be weakened for a few days, but you definitely won’t die…… Even failed products should be respected.”

“The black pearls are called Cracked Soul Magic Pearls and they can be crushed to release a soul attack, which will directly attack the other party’s soul and consciousness. However, these are also a kind of failed product. Although it can be used to attack one’s soul, the user will also experience similar harm…… it doesn’t differentiate between friend or foe within its range.”

“The Amethyst Battle Armor is a unique armor forged from amethysts. Upon activation, it can form an Origin Energy barrier. Even if the Origin Energy barrier is broken, it's inherently strong material can be used for protection. However, this Amethyst Battle Armor is also a defective product. Its frontal area has been damaged, so the protection it offers is incomplete. It can only protect one against attacks from behind, not the front.”

“The Flaming Hunter Blunderbuss is a fantastically crazy defective product. Originally, it was made to convert Origin Energy into kinetic energy- motion. It can fire at most eight profound bullets in rapid succession and is a specially modified crossbow. However, upon manufacturing it, we discovered that it is simply too loud, its recoil is frightening, and most importantly its range is very limited. Its accuracy cannot be trusted past a distance of a hundred feet. It was built as a long-range weapon, yet it can only be used for close quarters combat. It’s probably the crappiest Origin Tool.”

“The Cloud Stepping Battle Boots come with a built-in Origin Skill. Upon activation, it will raise your speed and allow you to fly freely. This thing is actually not defective, nor is it damaged. It’s just too old and can’t withstand constant use. Likely, it will break before long.”

“The battle blade is called the Black Streak Battle Blade. The blade is inscribed with a Cloud Ink pattern using beast blood. The Cloud Ink pattern records a powerful Origin Battle Skill, Blood Slaughter. Upon activation, its power is extremely great, and it is the only eighth-rank Origin Tool here. However, this blade was damaged during battle. Although it can still be used, every time it’s activated it will absorb the user’s physical energy, making it unsuitable for long, drawn-out battles.”

“Does your organization view me as a trash disposal? Dumping all the trash you cannot use to where I am?” Su Chen laughed dryly, “You sent so many things but not a single one of them is actually good?”

“There are. Origin Stones,” the black-clothed man replied.

“……”

“.......”

The strength of Origin Tools could only really be brought out by Origin Qi Scholars. Since Su Chen’s cultivation base had not reached that point, it was hard for him to use them, and so he could only use Origin Stones as a substitute source of energy to power these Tools.

Origin Stones contained Origin Energy and could be used to control and use various kinds of Origin Energy Tools, and could also be used to replenish one’s own Origin Energy. However, because the Origin Energy in Origin Stones contained impurities, they could only be used to recover, not cultivate.

Origin Stones were not exactly naturally occurring. Rather, they were created by infusing one’s own Origin Energy into special kind of stone. Their original purpose was to serve as a stockpile of Origin Energy.

Thus, Origin Stones were things that every Origin Qi scholar could produce.

A low-grade Origin Stone took roughly an entire day’s time for a Qi Drawing Realm Origin Qi Scholar to complete. Thus, the value placed on a beginner Origin Qi Scholar’s labor was determined by this. When considering the extensive use of Origin Stones to the point that they had slowly become a form of exchangeable currency for Origin Qi Scholars, low grade Origin Stones were the most basic unit of currency.

The Origin Stones in the pouch numbered one hundred. If he wasn’t too extravagant in spending them, it would be enough to use. These stones could be considered the most valuable thing that the organization had given him.

Although these were all flawed or defective items, Su Chen was satisfied. After all, Origin Tools were not easily found. If these products weren’t defective, it was likely the other party would not be so willing to lend them to him.

That night, just as Su Chen was in his room, preparing for his expedition tomorrow, he suddenly felt the back of his hand heat up. An imprint of a small red snake began to glow on the back of Su Chen’s hand.

This was the Smoke Snake Imprint Gu Qingluo had especially left for Su Chen. It was not particularly useful, but those with the same imprint could sense each other within a certain radius.

Upon seeing the imprint light up, Su Chen knew that Gu Qingluo had arrived.

Su Chen opened the door to the house and headed towards the back of the mountain.

Upon arriving at the cave, where the spring gurgled, he saw Gu Qingluo sitting there rubbing her chin out of boredom. It was unknown what she was thinking about.

Upon seeing Su Chen arrive, Gu Qingluo excitedly jumped up to greet him. “You’re finally here?”

“Looking for me at this hour, is there something going on?” Su Chen asked.

Gu Qingluo wore a mysterious expression as she leaned closer to Su Chen. “I finally found out who Yue Wuti is.”

“Oh?” Su Chen was interested. “Who is he?”

Gu Qingluo turned around, clasping her hands behind her back in a haughty manner and walking a few steps. “So if you ask me I’m just supposed to answer? This maiden spent a lot of effort to find this information, yet you don’t even say a word of thanks.”

Su Chen laughed, “Miss Gu possesses remarkable abilities. How could this little matter count for anything? To you, it’s like stretching your hand out and grabbing it.”

His flattery was very effective. Gu Qingluo’s smile blossomed when she heard this. She turned around and said to Su Chen, “Seems like you know how to speak.”

She bounced over to Su Chen, then leaned in near his ear and said, “I found out that this Yue Wuti is actually the head commander of the Secret Task Force in Coiling Length City.”

Head commander of the Secret Task Force in Coiling Length City?

Su Chen was shocked.

Coiling Length City was the capital of Long Sang Country, and the Secret Task Force was a group that wielded considerable might and influence in Long Sang Country. They were responsible for reconnaissance, assassinations, monitoring, and ensuring the country’s safety, which were all very important tasks, and so they had tremendous influence. The Secret Task Force’s head commander had even more of an elevated status, and his influence was even greater. He could be considered a major figure of the country.

Who knew that Yue Wuti’s status was so high, and this mysterious organization even dared to kill Yue Wuti! Regardless of strength or courage, they had greatly surpassed Su Chen’s expectations.

To cooperate with such an organization, wasn’t it basically an impossible request for someone at his level?

Unfortunately, at this moment Su Chen no longer had any way of retreating.

Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that from the moment he overheard their scheme he had no other choice. His options were limited to being killed by the other party or striving to protect himself, and maybe even turning the tables and using the other party for his own gains.

Gu Qingluo was saying, “This group of people actually even dare to assassinate the head commander of the Secret Task Force. They certainly have a lot of guts.”

“They do have a lot of guts, but since they dare to have this idea, they most likely have a number of tactics prepared. Qingluo, after you return you should probably prepare a secret letter to warn this Yue superior.

“There’s no need. As the head commander of the Secret Task Force, who knows how many people want to kill him every year? But if it were so easy to kill him, he would have died a long time ago. Writing Yue Wuti a letter wouldn’t cause him to increase his defenses. Rather, this would only invite trouble,” Gu Qingluo shook her head as she said, “Who knows whether a group of the Secret Task Force would come for you, asking you where you got this information from, and whether you had any ties to the assassins? And if the matter became too high-profile and reached the ears of that organization, it would put you in danger.”

Gu Qingluo came from a large clan, and she was very clear about how people of high status did things. She knew that the other party would not believe you just because you wrote them a letter. Writing the letter would only bring oneself difficulty.

Su Chen responded as if he had awoken from a dream. “That was my carelessness. It makes no difference to Yue Wuti whether or not I warn him.”

“However……” Su Chen suddenly thought of something and said, “Since it’s like that, why is that organization behaving so carefully? They even accepted my blackmail?”

Gu Qingluo also knew about Su Chen’s plan. At the moment, she was also stunned upon hearing this.

The two of them simultaneously fell into deep thought.

After a moment, Su Chen said, “Could it be that what they care about is not whether or not Yue Wuti has defenses in place, but rather……”

Gu Qingluo’s eyes faintly lit up: “Rather that whatever Spirit Burying Terrace?”

The assassination was not their goal. It was the Spirit Burying Terrace.

“What exactly is that place?” The two of them spoke out at the same time.