Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

A world of chaos and bloodshed, at the border of Twilight City.

The carriage wheels made a regular "clattering" sound on the official road.

Elian Valensos leaned back on the velvet cushions, gazing at the scenery slowly passing by outside.

He was the youngest count among the "reformists" and also the head of this diplomatic mission.

"Is this your first time in Twilight City?" the guide sitting opposite asked.

She was a vampire woman who looked to be only in her early twenties.

She was wearing the standard uniform of the Dusk City Foreign Affairs Department—a dark blue belted robe with a half-bright, half-dark sun emblem embroidered on her left breast.

"Yes."

El-Erian nodded, his gaze still fixed on the view outside the window:
"To be honest... it's not quite what I imagined."

"What's different?"

"I thought it would be... darker."

He chose his words carefully: "After all, it's a city inhabited by vampires, and located on the edge of a chaotic world of blood..."

The guide chuckled softly: "Many first-time visitors have this thought."

"But you will soon find out..."

Before she could finish speaking, the carriage suddenly drove out of a dense forest of blood vines.

Then, El-Erian's pupils suddenly contracted.

Light, it's light!

It wasn't the ambiguous, blurry light of the eternal twilight in the chaotic world of bloodshed; this was almost blinding...sunlight.

El-Erian instinctively shrank back, hiding in the shadows of the carriage.

His skin began to feel faintly hot, and some ancient fear deep in his blood was awakening.

That is the primal fear of sunlight etched into the genes of every vampire.

"take it easy."

The guide's voice came from the other side, reassuring:

"This is artificial sunlight from the 'Dawn Tower,' which is only one-fifth the intensity of real sunlight."

"It may cause some discomfort for ordinary vampires, but it will not cause any real harm."

As she spoke, she nonchalantly opened the car door and walked out.

Elian stared in disbelief as she stood in that golden light.

The guide's skin was indeed slightly red, like that of a human who had been in the sun for too long.

But she didn't avoid it, didn't struggle, and even seemed unusually comfortable—as if she were enjoying a warm sunbath.

"You are……"

Elion spoke with difficulty, his voice somewhat hoarse: "Daywalker?"

"The third generation of the Daywalker".

The guide proudly puffed out his chest, the sun badge gleaming in the sunlight:

"I underwent harmonization and transformation since I was a child. Although my strength decreases by about 20% in the sunlight, I also experience some burning sensation..."

She turned to face El-Erian: "But at least, we won't burn."

"It won't...burn..."

Elian repeated these words, feeling his worldview being reshaped.

As a vampire, he knew three things from birth:
They crave blood, fear the sunlight, and obey the king of their bloodline.

The first two are instincts, the latter is destiny.

Countless generations of vampires have survived, struggled, and ultimately turned to dust under these triple shackles.

No one has questioned the validity of these "ironclad rules" because they have existed since the birth of the first vampire.

But now, this young female vampire is standing in the sunlight, smiling as she tells him—the shackles can be broken.

Would you like to come down and experience it?

The guide extended his hand, making an inviting gesture:

“Artificial sunlight of this intensity is completely harmless to an earl like you; at most, it will only cause a stinging sensation.”

El-Erian hesitated.

Reason told him that he should trust the guide.

After all, the reformists and Twilight City have been cooperating for decades; if this were a trap, it would have been exposed long ago.

But the fear deep within his bloodline screamed wildly, urging him to get away from that golden light.

Ultimately, reason prevailed over instinct.

El-Erian took a deep breath and slowly stepped out of the carriage.

When the sunlight touched his bare skin, a stinging sensation came—like being pricked by countless tiny needles.

It was unpleasant, but bearable.

There was no burning, no smoke, and none of the horrific scenes of "skin melting and flesh separating" as rumored.

"How was it?" the guide asked with a smile.

Elian stood in the sunlight, looking at his reddened but undamaged hand, speechless for a long time.

After a long silence, he finally let out a sigh: "Unbelievable..."

"This is the first gift that Twilight City has given you."

The guide's voice was filled with pride:

"Lord Silas's research and development team spent a full thirty years to overcome the technical difficulties of simulating sunlight."

“Now, Twilight City has six hours of ‘daytime’ every day.”

"Six hours..."

Elian murmured, repeating.

This number may not sound like much, but for vampires, it represents a new possibility.

"Let's go."

The guide withdrew his hand, signaling the carriage to continue.

"The scenery that follows will surprise you even more."

The carriage entered the main city of Twilight City.

El-Erian had his entire face pressed against the car window, his eyes fixed on the street scene outside.

He has seen many cities.

I have seen the so-called modern cities built by the reformists, where order is well-maintained and planning is meticulous;
There's also Gear City, the industrial alliance's city, where chimneys stand tall and machines roar.
I've also seen the ancient castles of traditional vampires, which are gloomy, magnificent, and strictly hierarchical.

But he had never seen...a city like this before.

Vampires and humans are not master and servant or hunter and prey, but simply... neighbors.

The shops on both sides of the street are lined up one after another, and their signs are printed with both vampire script and human common language.

A human baker wearing an apron is standing at the shop entrance, haggling with a richly dressed vampire lady.
Several vampire teenagers and human children chased and played in the square, their laughter as clear and crisp as silver bells;
At a roadside newsstand, an elderly human man wearing round-framed glasses is introducing the latest potion-making journal to a vampire apprentice.
There was even a vampire and a human couple walking hand in hand past the carriage, their faces beaming with the sweetness unique to lovers...

"This...this is impossible..."

Elian's voice trembled slightly: "How could vampires and humans possibly be..."

"coexist?"

The guide continued, "In Twilight City, this is just an everyday occurrence."

She pointed to a sign on the street corner.

The sign bore the same phrase in two languages: "Under the twilight, all beings are equal."

El-Erian stared at the words, unable to look away for a long time.

Of course he knew that statement.

This is the core concept of the city's founding declaration, and also the main target of criticism from the outside world.

"A fool's dream!"

"Vampires and humans are inherently opposed; how can they possibly be equal?"

"This is nothing but a lie to fool the lower classes!"

Elian had heard similar arguments since he was a child.

Even within the relatively enlightened reformist faction, many believed that "equality for all" was merely a political slogan used by Twilight City to win people's hearts.

However, at this moment, when he saw vampires and humans living in harmony on the same street, all his doubts seemed so pale and powerless.

"I'm sorry, I really don't understand."

El-Erian carefully considered his words:

"How exactly was all this done?"

"The hatred between vampires and humans has lasted for thousands of years and cannot be resolved by simply saying 'all beings are equal'."

"You're right."

The guide nodded in agreement with his concerns:
"Slogans alone are certainly not enough."

"Twilight City has spent fifty years carrying out countless institutional designs, legal reforms, and education expansions..."

"The most important thing is—aligning interests."

"Shared interests?"

"Yes."

The guide pointed to the shops outside the window:

"Do you see that bakery? The owner is human, but his flour supplier is a vampire."

"What about that tailor shop? The owner is a vampire, but the best embroidery is done by a human."

"And that building under construction—the contractor is the Human Merchant Guild, the funder is the vampire clan, and the designer is a wizard hired from the main world..."

Her gaze swept across the street scene:

"In Twilight City, the economies of vampires and humans have become deeply integrated."

"If the vampires suddenly start slaughtering humans tomorrow, the biggest losers will be the vampires themselves—because their supply chain will collapse immediately."

"The same applies to the reverse."

"When the interests of both sides are closely intertwined, peace is no longer a 'wishful thinking' but a 'rational choice'."

El-Erian fell into deep thought.

This logic... is unexpectedly cold-blooded, yet unexpectedly effective.

Beyond moral persuasion and religious indoctrination, naked self-interest calculations are often the most reliable approach.

When the cost of killing outweighs the benefits, peace will naturally follow.

"Of course, simply binding them together by mutual benefit isn't enough," the guide continued.
"We also have a sound legal system, an impartial judiciary, and..."

Her voice turned icy: "A powerful deterrent."

"Any attempt to disrupt racial harmony, whether by vampires or humans, will be punished most severely."

“In the early days of the city of Twilight, a viscount was publicly executed for massacring civilians in public.”

“Since then, no one has dared to openly challenge the bottom line of ‘equality for all beings’.”

These words made Elian's feelings even more complicated.

He vaguely sensed that the "peace" of Twilight City was not simply a "world of great harmony".

"Are you thinking that this kind of 'peace' is too...utilitarian?"

The guide seemed to read his mind: "No love, no tolerance, only cold-blooded calculations of self-interest?"

El-Erian did not deny it.

"Many visitors have had similar thoughts," the guide said with a slight smile.
"But I want to tell you that love and tolerance do exist."

"However, they are not the prerequisites for 'peace,' but rather the result of 'peace.'"

"After three generations of vampires and humans have lived on the same street, they will naturally develop feelings for each other."

"When vampire children and human children go to school together, play together, and grow up together, they will naturally become friends."

“Even…” she pointed to the interracial couple holding hands in the distance: “they might fall in love.”

"Peace comes first, then affection—this is the true philosophy of Twilight City."

To naively expect 'emotion' to create 'peace' is nothing but wishful thinking.

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Elian's head, but they brought him back to his senses.

First establish systems, first bind interests, first ensure peace... then, feelings will grow on their own.

"We've arrived." The guide's voice interrupted his thoughts: "Welcome to the core area of ​​Twilight City." "Foreign guests who are allowed to visit here have all undergone rigorous screening."

She glanced at El-Erian:
"The fact that you have obtained this qualification shows that you are quite important in the eyes of Twilight City."

Elian nodded and followed her down from the carriage.

As he stepped into the hall of the technology hub, a familiar yet unfamiliar aura wafted towards him.

That's the smell of magic—rich, pure, and full of vitality.

It's like standing next to a giant pool of magic, where you can feel the flow of energy with every breath.

"Your Excellency, Earl."

A voice came from ahead.

Elian looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young wizard in a dark robe walking from the end of the corridor.

The young wizard smiled and extended his hand: "Welcome to Twilight City."

El-Erian paused for a moment.

It's not because the other person is young; in the extraordinary world, appearance never reflects true age.

The person standing in front of me is like a deep, still pool of water.

On the surface, it appeared calm and still, but his intuition told him that unimaginable power was hidden beneath the surface.

“You are…” Elion began tentatively.

"Ron Ralph," the young wizard introduced himself.
"I heard that the reformists have sent a new inspection team. I happen to have nothing urgent to do today, so I came to take a look."

His smile was very sincere: "I hope to leave a good impression on the reformers."

El-Erian's pupils suddenly contracted.

Ron Ralph!

That name, demonized by the outside world as "the protector of traitors," "the destroyer of order," and "the ambitious one"!

Within Twilight City, he is hailed as "the light of hope," "the pioneer of change," and "the king of the future"!

Right now, I'm standing right in front of him.

"You...how could you..."

Elian was somewhat incoherent.

He never dreamed that the actual leader of Twilight City would personally come out to receive him, a mere earl.

"Don't be too surprised." Ron waved his hand.

"I only created an avatar here; my main body is still in the laboratory handling some matters."

He made an inviting gesture: "Come on, let me show you around."

"Let's also talk about the purpose of the reformers' visit."

The interior of the technology hub is much larger than it appears from the outside.

Elian followed Ron through corridor after corridor, past laboratory after laboratory.

Each laboratory was conducting different research—some were cultivating crimson crystals, some were testing rune weapons, and some were analyzing magical fluctuations…

The researchers included vampires, humans, and even some alien races whose names he couldn't recall.

They were dressed in uniform white work clothes, intently operating various precision instruments.

"This is the pharmaceutical research and development department."

Ron stopped in front of a transparent window.

Behind the window is a three-story laboratory with dozens of petri dishes neatly arranged, filled with liquids of various colors.

"Most of the derivative products of 'harmonizing potions' come from here."

He pointed to the petri dishes:

"'Daytime Potion'—grants ordinary vampires a certain degree of sunlight resistance, lasting approximately six hours;"

"'Bloodline stabilizer'—prevents berserk states; regular use can reduce the risk of berserk states by 80%;"

"'Fusion Catalyst'—promotes compatibility between vampires and human tissues, primarily used in the medical field..."

He introduced them one by one, as if he were showing the shelves of an ordinary store.

But El-Erian was horrified when he heard this.

"These medicines..."

He hesitated for a moment, but still asked the question that had been on his mind: "Will it be sold to the public?"

“The finished product can be sold,” Ron said bluntly, “but the formula is not.”

"This is the core competitiveness of Twilight City, and it is also our trump card."

His gaze sharpened:

"Your Excellency should understand that in this world, technological monopoly is the most effective source of power."

"Once the formula is leaked, Twilight City will lose its leverage to control other forces."

“At that time, today’s ‘ally’ may become tomorrow’s ‘enemy’.”

These words were blunt, but Elian could not refute them.

"but……"

Ron changed the subject:
"For long-term partners, we will offer more favorable supply prices and even license some non-core technologies."

"If the reformers are interested, they can send people here for training."

"Once you learn the basic potion production techniques, you can establish production lines in your own territory and no longer have to rely on Twilight City for everything."

This suggestion caught El-Erian's eye.

"You mean...technology transfer?"

“To be precise, it’s ‘technical cooperation’,” Ron corrected.

"Twilight City provides core raw materials and technical guidance, while the innovators provide production sites and manpower."

"Both parties will share the profits according to a certain ratio to achieve a win-win situation."

He smiled slightly: "Of course, the specific details still need further negotiation."

"But I believe that with the reformers' sincerity, we will definitely be able to find a solution that satisfies both sides."

The tour continues, with the next stop being the Rune Workshop.

Unlike the tranquility of the pharmaceutical research and development department, the rune workshop was filled with the sounds of metal clanging and instruments humming.

El-Erian saw dozens of craftsmen busy around the furnace.

"This is our flagship product – the 'Dawn Rifle'."

Ron picked up a beautifully crafted firearm and handed it to El-Erian:
"A powerful weapon used by human soldiers to fight against vampires."

"But compared to the Industrial Alliance version, ours is more accurate, more durable, and has a longer range."

El-Erian took the rifle and examined it carefully.

Although he is not an expert in talisman literature, he still has basic appreciation skills.

“The Industrial Alliance has spent fifty years trying to crack this technology and still hasn’t been able to,” the guide added. “They can only buy finished products from us at high prices.”

“It’s not just rifles,” Ron continued.
"There is also the 'blood energy battery'—which converts the magic in the blood of vampires into universal energy, with an efficiency three times that of the traditional blood energy engine;
'Protective Rune Armor' - Lightweight and sturdy, even the claws of a viscount-level vampire are difficult to penetrate;
'Communication Runestone'—enabling instant communication across hundreds of kilometers…

He casually pointed to the various products in the workshop:
"These things, whether they are from the reformists, the industrial alliance, or the neutral clans, all depend on the supply from Twilight City."

El-Erian fell silent.

Twilight City possesses the world's most advanced technology, produces the highest quality products, and controls the most crucial supply chain...

Any power that wants to oppose Twilight City must first consider whether it can afford to lose these supplies.

What are you thinking about?

Ron's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"I'm thinking……"

El-Erian carefully considered his words:

"Just how big are Twilight City's ambitions?"

"Ambition?"

Ron raised an eyebrow:

"Does Your Excellency believe I desire to rule the entire Chaotic Blood World?"

"Is not it?"

Elian looked him straight in the eye:

"You possess the most advanced technology, cultivate the most loyal followers, and establish the most extensive network of allies..."

“These layouts don’t look like something a ‘remote’ town conglomerate should be doing.”

Ron chuckled lightly: "Your Excellency is very frank, so I will also be frank with you—yes, I have ambitions."

“But my ambition is not simply to ‘rule’.”

His gaze deepened: "Do you think the current state of the Chaotic Blood World is reasonable?"

"Vampires and humans are locked in a blood feud, traditional clans are at odds with the Industrial Alliance, and various factions are scheming against each other..."

"This internal strife has lasted for thousands of years, consuming countless resources and costing countless lives."

"But what was the result?"

"The world remains in chaos, with no progress whatsoever."

“I hope I can change all of this.” Ron’s voice became firm:

"Let Twilight City become a model, so that everyone can see that another possibility exists."

"Vampires and humans can coexist, different factions can cooperate, and technological advancements can benefit everyone..."

"When more and more people accept this idea, change will happen naturally."

The last stop on the tour was the "Information Center".

"The Dawn Newspaper—the official newspaper of Twilight City, and one of the largest-circulation publications in the Chaotic Blood World."

Ron explained, "Its tentacles reach into every corner."

"In the reformist territories, it is the officially recognized mainstream media; in the Industrial Alliance, it circulates under the guise of 'business intelligence'; in the traditional vampire territories..."

He paused slightly: "It is a strictly forbidden 'banned book'."

"But the more it is banned, the more people want to see it."

El-Erian picked up a sample copy and flipped through it casually.

Newspapers contain not only news, but also serialized novels, popular science articles, and even satirical cartoons.

His gaze lingered on a cartoon.

In the scene, an obese vampire nobleman is riding on the back of a human slave, holding a whip in his hand.

His face was painted extremely ugly, with protruding fangs and greedy eyes.

In the distance, the lights of Dusk City flickered, and a group of people were running in that direction.

The title is: [What are you waiting for?]

"Aren't you afraid of this kind of thing being banned if it circulates in traditional territories?"

"Erian asked."

“You’re right, they do get raided frequently.” Ron nodded. “But there are always people willing to take the risk.”

“Because…” his gaze became distant: “hope is more powerful than fear.”

"When people see a glimmer of light in the darkness, they will do everything they can to chase after that light."

Even if the road is full of thorns, even if danger awaits ahead... they will still move forward without hesitation.

"This is the purpose of Dawn News—to sow seeds of hope in the darkness."

"Then, wait for them to take root, sprout, and eventually grow into towering trees."

Elian put down his newspaper and gave Ron a deep look.

“You said that Twilight City doesn’t want to ‘rule’, it only wants to ‘change’.”

“But in my view, you are already establishing a new ‘rule,’ or even a new ‘faith.’”

Ron did not refute:

“The word ‘faith’ is too heavy; I prefer to call it ‘consensus’.”

"When enough people accept the same idea, that idea becomes a 'consensus'."

“Once a consensus is formed, it is more enduring than any violence or fear.”

"Because it is rooted deep in people's hearts, it will not disappear because of the death of any one person." (End of this chapter)