Dark Wizard: Rise! My undead army!

Over the years, the resource verification team has come twice more, and each time it was not the same person.

But they all acted like it was business, checking everything and leaving without causing Lynn any trouble.

Clearly, he had received instructions from his superiors and was living a comfortable life.

Of course, Lynn has never stopped "paying tribute" to him over the years, and he has always delivered on time and in full, without playing any tricks.

It's not appropriate to offend a whole bunch of people for a few measly gains.

Now, the mission is almost over.

Lynn packed up and headed to the Soul-Sinking Outpost to prepare for the handover.

...

Inside the cold stone hall of the outpost, Grom remained seated in the main seat, quietly sipping his fragrant tea.

He lived a comfortable life as the person in charge, with a steady stream of resources flowing into his pocket as long as he stayed at the outpost.

It's perfect for someone like him who has no hope of advancing to "Sacred Mark" to retire.

Lynn pushed open the door and entered, bowing slightly: "Lord Grom."

Grom looked up at him, about to nod in response as usual, but his gaze suddenly froze.

He was stunned.

For a moment, he even doubted that there was something wrong with his perception.

But repeated mental scans yielded the same result: the young man before them was no longer at the second ring level, but...

"The Third Ring Road?" Grom's voice was slightly hoarse, and he was unusually flustered.

Lynn nodded: "A lucky promotion."

Grom fell silent.

He stared at Lynn for a long time, his expression shifting from shock to complexity, and then from complexity to... an indescribable feeling.

Six years.

It only took six years to go from the Second Ring Road to the Third Ring Road.

Moreover, he found that he could no longer see through this young man.

That vast spiritual power, that unfathomable fluctuation of rules, had far exceeded the limits of his perception.

This kid...

"......monster."

He finally uttered only those two words, exactly the same ones Gregor had said six years earlier.

What is a genius? This is a true genius!

If there was any wizard in the Bone Spire with the potential to advance to "True Spirit," Grom would definitely vote for this kid in front of him.

"It is entirely thanks to the support of you, sir and my colleagues, that I was able to be promoted by sheer luck."

These were just polite words; his promotion had absolutely nothing to do with the others.

Grom understood this and waved his hand to indicate that Lynn didn't need to be so polite.

Lynn stated his purpose directly: "My lord, my term of service is coming to an end, and I have come today to hand over my duties."

Grom took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and nodded: "I understand. As for the specifics, go to Haske, and he will take care of it for you."

After he finished speaking, he seemed to remember something and added, "Come to the outpost in three days."

Lynn paused slightly, then asked, "What are your orders, sir?"

"Nothing else to tell you," Grom waved his hand again.

"You'll find out then. Consider this... a farewell gift for you."

Lynn looked at him with a puzzled expression, but didn't ask any further questions and nodded in agreement.

...

Three days later, Lynn returned to Soul Station.

He paused slightly as he entered the banquet hall of the outpost.

The hall was brightly lit, and the long table was laden with all kinds of dishes. The level of luxury was even greater than that of the city lord's mansion in Beiming City.

What surprised Lynn the most were the guests inside.

Not only were all the official wizard-level garrison wizards and deacons present at the outpost, but the garrison wizards from the other mine outposts also came.

Even Roland, the lord of Beiming City, sat at the table with his two children.

Everyone stood up at the same time when Lynn entered.

"Lord Lynn!" Haske was the first to greet him, beaming. "Congratulations on your advancement to the third ring! Congratulations!"

"Lord Lynn!" City Lord Roland quickly stepped forward and bowed. "It's been several years, and you've already reached the third ring. I admire you greatly!"

Roland did not mention the previously agreed-upon "look after" promise.

It's fine as long as everyone knows the truth; talking about it every day will only annoy people.

The other resident wizards gathered around, offering their congratulations in unison.

Lynn returned the greetings one by one, wearing a polite smile, but inwardly he was somewhat puzzled.

He wasn't familiar with these people; apart from Haske, with whom he occasionally crossed paths, he hadn't seen the others for years.

Is this huge spectacle a bit over the top?

Grom stood up from the head of the table, raised his hand and gestured for everyone to be quiet.

He looked at Lynn, a rare smile appearing on his face:

"Lord Lynn, today's banquet serves two purposes: first, to celebrate your promotion to the third ring, and second, to bid you farewell."

"You have been stationed here for ten years, and you have never slacked off. You are truly a role model for us all. We have all seen your achievements, and we will definitely report to the college to give you a proper reward in the future."

"Please, take a seat!"

Lynn was speechless when he heard Grom's praise.

Diligent and conscientious? A role model for our generation?

Are you just exaggerating?

That would probably apply to any resident wizard.

It seems that the real purpose of this banquet was not to "celebrate" for himself, but rather to promote "dining culture" with the aim of building relationships.

Lynn was led to sit down next to the head of the table, her eyes drawn to the delicious food on the table.

Moonlight Silver Deer Ribs: Silver deer ribs from Moonlight Forest, marinated and roasted with moon dew, the meat has a moonlit fragrance and can enhance perception and increase resistance to illusions.

Void Crystal Crab Claw Sashimi: Giant crystal crab claws from a void rift, sliced ​​and eaten raw, are sweet, crisp, and tender, containing a trace of spatial power, which can slightly enhance spatial perception and evasion abilities.

Thunder Rhino Eye Brew: The Thunder Rhino's eyeball is used to brew wine with Thunderstorm Flower. The wine sparkles with electricity, has a tingling sensation on the palate, and can temporarily enhance reaction speed and control of the thunder element.

...

This meal came at a high price; the wine and meat alone are probably worth tens of thousands of magic stones...

Of course, not everyone receives this treatment; apart from Lynn and Grom, the meals for the others are slightly inferior.

After several rounds of drinks, everyone took turns offering toasts.

Some said, "You have a bright future ahead of you," some said, "Please take care of me in the future," and some said, "Let's cooperate in the future."

Lynn agreed to everything, her attitude polite but tactful.

Roland led Carl and Irene to him, raised his glass, and said:

"Lord Lynn, when you first arrived in Beiming City, I felt that you were no ordinary person. Now it seems that my judgment was not wrong."

He paused, then sighed.

"It's a pity that Karl and Eileen are dull-witted and haven't made much progress over the years. If there's an opportunity in the future, I hope you'll give them some guidance."

Lynn glanced at Carl and Eileen.

Both of them were third-class apprentices, and their auras were more solid than they were six years ago, but there was indeed no sign of a breakthrough.

He nodded: "Lord Roland, you are too kind. I will remember this opportunity if it comes to me."

Roland was overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly.

Carl and Ellie behind them also bowed to thank them.

Back then, when Lynn, a mere first-ring wizard, received such courteous treatment from their father, they were somewhat dismissive. But now, they had to admire their father's foresight.

Indeed, experience is the best teacher!