Man on the ark, forced to become king

The old fox is indeed an old fox; he must have planned from the very beginning that he would want the staff.

Dealing with this kind of person is exhausting; it's all about suspicion and scheming. Can't they just be straightforward?

But despite the complaints, we still had to take the items.

Since it was the agreed-upon reward, Lin Lu didn't bother with formalities and directly opened the wooden box, taking the staff inside into her hand.

There were no fancy decorations; it was just an ordinary-looking black metal rod with the Thor Industries logo on it. The top was inlaid with six diamond-shaped crystals, which took up about a third of the rod. It wasn't heavy in the hand, weighing about ten pounds.

That's it? A custom-made one?

Lin Lu gained a deeper understanding of how unreliable the old dragon's words were, but she didn't care. Whether it was customized or not, it was free anyway, and as long as it worked, that was fine.

The price of 300,000 Lungmen Dollars is enough to hire a team of professional security personnel from Blacksteel International to deliver that item to Kazdel. He would be willing to make the trip even if he was only paid. The staff and the pure Originium were unexpected surprises, and there was nothing to complain about.

"Don't be fooled by its unassuming appearance. This design is actually to better utilize the staff's functionality. You know, in real combat, the more complex something is, the easier it is to break."

Wei Yanwu spoke in a very serious manner, and Lin Lu didn't know if he was serious or lying through his teeth. Anyway, as long as it worked, he didn't care.

"Uncle Wei, don't worry, the goods will definitely be delivered on time."

Having obtained the items, Lin Lu was eager to leave. She immediately took the two documents and the metal box in her hands, thought for a moment, and then, following the customs of Yan Kingdom, cupped her hands to Wei Yanwu and said, "It's getting late, Uncle Wei, I won't disturb you any longer, I'll be going now."

"You can't go."

Wei Yanwu stood up, blocked the view with his pipe, and pulled out another piece of paper from somewhere. He casually tossed it out, and the paper instantly straightened and flew out, slowly drifting down in front of Lin Lu.

"I heard those wolf cubs from Syracuse attacked you. This is where they're hiding. Do whatever you want with them."

"...Thank you, Uncle Wei."

Does this mean he should go and deal with those Syracuseans? Lin Lu's mind raced, she thanked him, and turned to leave.

This is a dangerous place, so it's best to leave quickly. Dealing with this kind of old fox is really exhausting, and he definitely won't come back next time.

"Is this your plan? To send him away?"

A gentle night breeze drifted by, and Lady Wenyue appeared at some point. She glanced at the courtyard gate, then at the wooden box on the table, and shook her head with a wry smile.

"You're just giving away a custom-made staff like that? You're really willing to do that. Are you that afraid he won't leave?"

"It would be best for him to leave within a month to avoid causing any trouble. Everything is still in the planning stage. His willingness to leave proves that his purpose in Longmen is not too important. Otherwise, given his status, this amount of money would not be enough."

Chapter Twenty: I Am a Kind-Hearted Person

Lin Lu had no idea what Wei Yanwu was plotting, nor was she interested in guessing.

He doesn't actually dislike being used. In this world, who can truly be free from conflict?

The key is... whether you have enough chips.

Without a doubt, Wei Yanwu's offer was generous and satisfactory enough, so no matter what he wanted to do, Lin Lu didn't mind helping him.

Moreover, the old dragon did him a favor in the end, which pleased him greatly.

Lin Lu crumpled the note with her address and basic information into a ball and threw it into the trash can. She then hailed a taxi and headed straight to her destination.

The address on the note was in a slum. He had never been there, but he had heard of it, so it wouldn't be difficult to find it.

The attackers have probably been taken to the police station by now. The Syracuses might move to a different place as soon as they hear the news, so if you want to take revenge, you have to do it quickly, lest they disappear and it becomes difficult to find them again.

You think you can just run away after offending Lin? Dream on!

Who in the entire border region doesn't know that Lin is a man who always seeks revenge and never lets things linger overnight?

Even if Wei Yanwu hadn't provided the information, he would have gone to find it himself anyway, so this saved him a lot of trouble.

-------------------------------------

"Thank you."

Taking the driver's change and watching the taxi speed away as if fleeing, Lin Lu took a deep breath and walked into the desolate street in front of her.

Taxi drivers have their reasons for not wanting to stay here. Unlike the bustling Upper Town, Lower Town, known as the 'slum,' is the most chaotic place in Lungmen, bar none.

This place is home to a large number of fugitives, Oripathy patients, and thugs. It is a lawless zone that even the Guard Bureau cannot intervene in, and there have been many instances of Guard Bureau officers being killed in the slums before.

The Lower City has its own rules. The laws of Lungmen are like waste paper here. No one can expect a group of people who can't even get enough to eat and struggle on the brink of life and death to talk about etiquette and morality. Petty theft is the least noticeable thing here. Murder, revenge killings, and robberies happen every day.

There are no tall buildings or bustling streets in the upper city, only narrow and cramped passageways and dilapidated structures everywhere. A corner sewn together from tattered cloth is sometimes someone's refuge.

People living in slums are like rats hiding in narrow underground spaces, living a precarious and dark life. Compared to the glamorous uptown, it is simply 'hell'.

No matter how many times Lin Lu came in, she could never get used to the atmosphere here. The slum dwellers, who seemed to move numbly like zombies, looked at outsiders with extreme greed and desire, like hungry wolves. It was only because of someone's restraint that they dared not act like wild beasts.

Of course, there was another reason that restricted their movement—the staff that Lin Lu had tucked into her belt, and the light blue light that hovered above their heads, illuminating a large area.

Shining Stone Magic: Starlight.

A basic spell that can only be used for lighting is now enough to show off one's status.

No one who can survive in the slums is a fool. They wouldn't dare to lay a hand on a well-dressed mage who has mastered Originium Arts. If you want to survive, don't mess with people who don't look like they can be messed with. Every slum resident knows this.

Under the gazes of those who were either numb or greedy, Lin Lu walked through the passageway and headed straight for the dwelling of the Syracuses. If he remembered correctly, that location was not too far from the intersection where he got off the bus.

"Here...here...shouldn't we get there if we go around from the front?"

After stopping at the fork in the road to check her location, Lin Lu frowned and, after confirming that she hadn't gone the wrong way, took out the staff from her belt and held it in her hand before continuing forward.

But just as he turned the corner, he saw a figure rushing towards him from the other end of the passageway, followed by a number of people.

This is practically a daily occurrence in the slums, and normally he would definitely avoid it—it doesn't matter to him whether the person running ahead has robbed or stolen anything.

However, upon seeing the approaching figure with its fluffy wolf ears and swaying tail, Lin Lu changed her mind.

It seems... whether they were chasing or running, they were all from the Rupo tribe of Syracuse.

Moreover, the clothes worn by the people chasing him were very similar to those of the assassin who attacked him at dusk—not the popular style in Lungmen. In other words, it seemed that he had already encountered the main culprit without having to go any further.

"Run!"

At this moment, the girl running at the front also saw the people who suddenly appeared at the end of the passageway. She quickly called out to warn them. She knew how crazy these lunatics behind her were. If they blocked her way... she would definitely be killed on the spot!

But as soon as she was distracted, the people behind her seized the opportunity and threw seven or eight throwing knives from behind. The girl nimbly turned her head to dodge, but one of them still cut her shoulder, leaving a conspicuous bloodstain.

"Aren't they in cahoots? Could this be the Texas descendant that Snake was talking about?"

Seeing the girl's disheveled appearance, Lin Lu raised an eyebrow and instead of retreating, charged forward with her staff in hand.

His figure passed the girl, his staff rising in his hand, the magic emblem representing the magic academy flashing and disappearing, the bottom of the staff suddenly shining with a dazzling blue light, forming a sharp cone that instantly plunged into the ground.

The magical power spread outwards from where the staff pierced the ground, condensing into fine lines resembling cracks. Surging blue energy burst forth from the cracks, causing the entire ground to tremble for a moment. A violent shockwave erupted, and the ground shattered, blasting away all the Syracuses who had just rushed close.

Pyrostone Magic: Shatter Rock!

One of the magic academy's Radiant Stone spells involves channeling magic into the end of a staff, which is then driven into the ground to create a magical shockwave. This spell is perfect for this situation.

"You bastard! You—"

One of the Syracuseans was probably quite resilient; after being blasted away by the shockwave, he immediately got up from the ground. However, before he could finish speaking, a dazzling blue light pierced the air and accurately struck his chest, knocking him back to the ground.

It was only then that Lin Lu realized that not only was the Lupo girl in a very sorry state, but the Syracusans who were chasing them were also in a bad situation. They all had wounds on their bodies, some from unknown weapons. After being hit directly by the shattered rock, some of the wounds that had already scabbed over were reopened, and bright red blood quickly stained large areas of their clothes.

Yeah, it looks really bad.

"Are you Dassim's people?"

"Pah! Even if you know the boss, we won't let you go—"

"Alright, then that's correct."

Lin Lu swiftly interrupted their clamor with a single, decisive shot of Radiant Stone Shards. She raised her hand, rested her staff on her shoulder, and magic surged forth, quickly forming an enormous blue hammer that pointed at the struggling Ruperts.

“I am a kind-hearted person and I can’t bear to see you suffer so much, so I will send you on your way.”

Chapter Twenty-One: No one can resist a lightsaber!

"Wait! We—"

"No need to wait, don't worry, I guarantee it won't hurt. That's because I'm a kind-hearted person!"

Lin Lu grinned maliciously and raised her arm, interrupting the young man Luper, as the hammer in her hand expanded once more.

A gigantic magic hammer, as tall as a person, extended out from the staff, and before the Ruperts could all get up, the enormous hammerhead had already crashed down.

A translucent hammerhead descended from the sky, striking the young Rupert who had been the first to get up. The sound of bones shattering filled the air. Centered on him, a magical shockwave, even more powerful than the shattering of the rock, erupted outwards. The shockwave, almost tangible, spread out in a ring, lifting large sections of the already cracked ground. Everyone caught in the shockwave was thrown into the air by the overwhelming force, their limbs twisted.

Shining Stone Magic: Hydra's Great Hammer!

The magic taught in the Hemo classroom at the magic academy uses magic to form a giant hammer for striking, which is arguably the most powerful group magic that Lin Lu can currently use.

The mages in the Highmore Classroom are essentially equivalent to the law enforcement team of the magic academy. The magic they practice is specifically designed to quell conflicts and is extremely powerful. Although its upper limit is somewhat low, it is easy to control and has a low lower limit.

Moreover, their spells all share a common characteristic: they have a wide range, enough to incapacitate the target, but are not as lethal as other magic.

With one blow from Hymo's hammer, almost all of these henchmen were knocked unconscious. Each of them had at least a few broken bones, but they were still breathing and wouldn't die anytime soon.

The slums have their own rules, and Lin Lu didn't want to kill people indiscriminately here. He wasn't one of those vicious desperados; it wasn't worth offending the Rat King for a few lackeys.

"Huh? Why haven't you left yet?"

With that, Lin Lu put down his staff and turned around, only to find the Lupo girl who had brushed past him earlier leaning against the wall of the passageway, panting heavily. He was immediately puzzled.

Logically, since he stopped these people, shouldn't she have taken the opportunity to escape?