abnormal mutation

Chapter 66 The Paradoxical Worm
“The white bear and that silver-robed man should both be Sequence 8. Captain Kuran is a Sequence 8 Oath Knight of the Knight pathway, and I am a Sequence 8 Potions Apprentice of the Apothecary pathway.” Yulia saw through Roland’s intentions at a glance.

"That silver-robed man is also Sequence 8?" Roland was a little incredulous. How could there be such a big difference between two Sequence 8s?

“Combat is not the only measure of extraordinary abilities,” Yulia explained. “Ancient scholars are special; the more ancient secrets they unravel, the older they are, the stronger they become. Yesterday, that person didn’t rely entirely on his own abilities; that staff was quite extraordinary.”

As for the Knight's Path, its full name is Oath Knight, and its lineage is very ancient, but..."

She didn't finish speaking, but Roland understood immediately. It seemed that the less imposing names "Gluttony" and "Ancient Scholar" were much stronger than "Oath Knight," at least in terms of combat.

"So that's how it is." Roland silently ruled out the Knight and Apothecary paths, one being too weak and the other too supportive.

He nudged the backpack with his foot: "What's in here that could drive those people so crazy?"

"A magical item that can be used to concoct your own potions!"

"Don't you know how to make potions yourself?" Roland asked, puzzled.

"The accurate term is 'blending.' All potions are blended. It's not difficult to do with a recipe, but no one can guarantee the purity of a potion."

But it's different. You just feed it the ingredients, and it can automatically adjust its properties, reaching or even exceeding the limits of a potion master's abilities." Yulia's expression was extremely solemn.

"It's alive?" Roland silently stepped back a few paces, looking at the backpack with surprise and doubt.

“It’s called the Paradox Worm, and it’s probably alive. Don’t be afraid; it’s always been sealed away, and its information is recorded in the secret vault. I don’t know where the Remnant Light Society got this information from; we were completely unaware of it beforehand,” Yulia sighed.

"No wonder they were chasing after you so relentlessly; it turns out you intercepted their target," Roland laughed.

However, it's worth it. High-quality potions are money, scarce resources, the foundation of a power, and a ladder to advancement.

"Let me make this clear beforehand, I can only try to get it for you, but there's a high chance I can't give it to you. The Chamber of Commerce is a complex entity, not what it used to be. The Remnant Light Society is also a big problem; they won't give up." Yulia's expression was serious, and she felt somewhat guilty.

“I understand.” Roland had anticipated this; the Chamber of Commerce would likely reward him handsomely, which was a common practice among powerful forces.

“Moreno and the others came by just now. Captain Kuran has been rescued. Including him, four guards survived, all thanks to you. The spoils have been sealed away. You can collect them at dawn. If you don’t understand anything, just ask me.” Yulia’s eyes held a hint of melancholy.

"Okay." Roland said without changing his expression. This was what he deserved, and he had nothing to be embarrassed about.

Seeing the fatigue on Yulia's face, he stood up, preparing to leave: "You should get some rest."

"Hmm." Yulia appeared very weak in this state, completely different from her usual self. Her spirit was damaged, and sleep was the best way for her to rest.

At this moment, a hint of dawn appeared on the horizon.

A steaming hot breakfast was laid out on the table on the first floor. It was plentiful, with generous portions and delicious taste. Roland was already starving and ate most of it by himself, while Alex only ate a little bit.

After dinner, he greeted Alex and then went out for a stroll.

The camp was not lively; only a few dozen houses in such a large camp emitted smoke, and apart from patrolling guards, there were only a few scattered workers and hunters. According to his observation, the camp had stopped expanding and the main work was to stockpile supplies and repair and decorate the existing houses.

'This is clearly a village.' He felt that with such a large investment, it was unlikely that it was just a temporary camp, especially since ruins had been found nearby.

A commotion arose as a group of guards escorted a tall man northwards, his feet dragging on the ground as he muttered incessantly.

“…I’ve broken away from the White Bear. I have nothing to do with him, really…” Roland turned his head and saw Caius. He took a few steps forward and raised his hand to indicate, “I can prove it.”

The guards paused, and the lead guard looked over at the sound. The moment he saw who it was, his body trembled, his cold expression melted like spring snow, and he bowed slightly: "Good morning, Your Excellency Otto."

Roland nodded in acknowledgment; it felt quite nice to be addressed as "Your Excellency" for the first time. He had seen this squad leader before; his name seemed to be Will—a very common name, but he was certainly handsome.

"This man is called Caius, and he has indeed broken away from the White Bear."

"Release them immediately." Will said decisively. "Please forgive me, Lord Otto, but the White Bear Labor Company, in collusion with cultists, attacked the Northern Merchant Guild. We are currently investigating all related personnel."

“I understand.” Roland said knowingly. It seemed that White Bear’s men had all been captured last night.

Caius, looking slightly flustered, hid behind Roland, his face bruised, indicating he had suffered some pain.

“My name is Will. Lord Otto, you may come to me anytime you need anything,” Will said in a friendly manner.

"it is good."

Watching the guards leave, Caius finally felt relieved, but his expression was bewildered, and he looked at Roland with astonishment: "What on earth happened?"

"Don't you have ears? Last night, the White Bear, along with the cult, attacked the Northern Merchant Guild, and many people died. I happened to be there and killed the White Bear on the spot, so... you're free." Roland smiled faintly.

Caius, dazed, plopped down on the cold ground, muttering, "No wonder, the polar bear... just died like that..."

He waited until very late yesterday. When a riot broke out in the camp, he was afraid of being caught in the crossfire, so he hid in the labor camp to rest for the night. This morning, he went to inquire about the news on an empty stomach, but was recognized by the laborers and was immediately subdued by the guards.

After a long while, he stood up and looked at Roland with awe. He wasn't stupid; the guards' attitude made it clear that what happened last night was definitely not that simple.

"The Chamber of Commerce has no law enforcement power. The law enforcement officers should be here soon. Think carefully about your wording. Don't mention that the law enforcement agency demanded that White Bear hand over the murderer within a specified period. Just clear your name," Roland instructed.

“I understand.” Caius was a seasoned veteran; his emotional intelligence wasn’t so low as to directly slap the law enforcement officer in the face. He knew the crux of the matter lay with Roland, and given his earlier words, the law enforcement officer shouldn’t make things difficult for him.

"From now on, do something serious," Roland instructed before turning and leaving. With the white bear dead, Caius's role became rather useless.

"Yes, thank you." Caius placed his hand on his chest, lost in thought.

Roland originally wanted to go up to the treehouse to take a look, but then he saw Vice President Moreno rushing over.

“Mr. Otto, I have something important to discuss with you. Would it be convenient for us to talk somewhere else?” Moreno asked with a smile, but his fatigue was hard to hide.

“Okay.” Roland’s heart skipped a beat; he guessed it must be related to the spoils of war.

He followed Moreno north along the street, turned right after passing Julia's small building, and stopped in front of a tall wooden building a few dozen meters later.

Its unique shape is embedded in a giant tree with a diameter of nearly 20 meters. It has nine stories, each at least five meters high, with the outermost layer being a spiral staircase. Its primitive style makes it look like a house growing out of the tree.

As Roland climbed the stairs, he discovered that the house was merely decorative; it was essentially a tree hollow, with doors attached to the trunk, though not on every floor. He followed Moreno up the spiral staircase, and looking to the side, the entire camp came into view.

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(End of this chapter)