chsdbacks Chapter 54 Commission
Chapter 54 Commission
When Mrs. Howard entered the room, she was taken aback when she saw Suren inside. Then, the corners of her mouth turned up and a smile appeared on her face.
"What a coincidence, Mr. Suren, I was just looking for you."
Her voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet duty station.
Suren turned his head, his brows furrowed slightly, somewhat puzzled. He didn't know why Mrs. Howard wanted to see him.
Before Suren could speak, Lawrence walked out from behind the door and gently placed the items Suren had exchanged onto the counter one by one.
Suren's gaze swept over the objects on the table:
A water lily with layers of petals and a blue crystal ore—these two items were exactly the same as the ones Suren had seen at the "Mist Exchange": a "Nymph Teardrop Orchid" and a "Blue Crystal."
Then there were two bottles of silver potion, the liquid inside as thick as flowing mercury, settling quietly at the bottom.
Finally, there was a cylindrical potion, its color as deep as scarlet blood, with a thin layer of mist condensing on the bottle.
Suren nodded. The last bottle should be the "Source Knowledge Structure Stabilizer," an indispensable material for creating the Awakener's "Source Knowledge Essence."
After signing her name on the exchange form handed to her by Lawrence, Suren then put the four items into a storage bag—of course, it was just for show.
After doing all this, Suren turned around and looked at Mrs. Howard.
She wasn't alone today; she had brought a maid with her. She was currently looking around, her gaze sweeping from the notice board in the duty station down to the stairs on the right. Seeing Suren's gaze, she turned slightly and smiled elegantly. "Good morning, Mr. Suren. I had something I'd like to ask you, and I didn't expect to find you here. Would it be convenient for us to go to that café earlier to talk?"
Suren's gaze fell on her, and after a moment's hesitation, he nodded and followed Mrs. Howard out of the duty station.
The two walked side by side down the street, with the maid following behind Mrs. Howard. Soon the three of them arrived at the coffee shop they had visited earlier.
The store was still not doing much business. Last time I came, there was at least one old man, but this time there was only Suren and Mrs. Howard.
Suren and Mrs. Howard sat facing each other, while the maid stood outside the door, her hands folded in front of her, her eyes lowered, motionless.
"Mr. Suren, actually, there's something I need your help with this time." Mrs. Howard stirred her coffee gently with a small spoon, seemingly choosing her words carefully. "As you know, there are some things that 'they' can't do."
Suren knew that the "they" that Mrs. Howard was referring to were the "Eternal Oath Knights".
He didn't speak, but instead brought the coffee cup to his lips and took a small sip.
"You could be more specific, but my fees aren't cheap." Suren put down her cup, looked up at Mrs. Howard, and a slight smile appeared on her lips.
Hearing Suren deliberately emphasize the word "fee"—the same words he used when he left last time—Mrs. Howard looked at the dark-haired man before her and smiled silently.
"There's a rather rare material that requires venturing into the wilderness; it only appears at specific times." Mrs. Howard extended her right hand, her fingertips gently brushing aside a stray strand of hair from her temple. "They'll be leaving Loren Town soon, so they don't want to cause any trouble at this crucial moment."
She looked up at Suren's face and said slowly and solemnly, "I hope you can go to the wilderness area and obtain this material. The reward and the permit to leave the city are ready."
Suren stroked his chin, pondering the hidden message behind Mrs. Howard's words. As he thought about it, he picked up his coffee and took another sip.
Suren had seen similar materials in some books; they only appeared at specific times and locations, but without exception, the surrounding environment was extremely dangerous.
Thinking of this, he shook his head: "I can't agree to it right away. You need to provide the relevant information first before I can decide whether to take on this task."
As if she had anticipated Suren's answer, Mrs. Howard lowered her head and took out a neatly folded piece of paper from her storage bag. She placed the paper on the table and gently pushed it towards her.
Suren took the paper and unfolded it. The paper was covered with dense text, describing in detail a special mineral called "Oath Bloodstone," even noting its location and the time it was collected.
In a depression surrounded by black rocks in the wilderness—the territory of a "Dominator"—a "Covenant Bloodstone" will be formed there at 11:00 AM today. Suren's task is to obtain at least one.
Suren frowned, looked up at Mrs. Howard, leaned back in his chair, and said softly, "Your mission is somewhat dangerous; you'll be facing a Dominator. You should know that dealing with a Dominator requires at least one powerful 'Awakener,' plus several helpers, to have a realistic chance of success."
"This 'Bloodstone' is worth about 700 pounds on the market, and we will give it to you at that price." Mrs. Howard looked directly at him. "In addition, I can introduce you to other influential people to help you expand your business."
Suren lowered his head, his mind racing. The "Eternal Oath Knights" had likely ulterior motives behind their offer of this deal, aside from their genuine need for the material. Considering his impending life on the run, befriending an ancient organization might not be a bad idea.
After a moment's hesitation, Suren decided to accept the task. However, considering the dangers of "Dominating Demons," Suren didn't make any promises: "I can give it a try, but success is not guaranteed. Also..."
He tapped the table with his right hand, refocused his gaze on Mrs. Howard's face, and said slowly, "I am very interested in folk occult studies, especially the part about rituals."
He paused for a moment, then added, "Of course, it has to be that kind of extremely rare ritual knowledge."
Upon hearing Suren's words, Mrs. Howard did not answer immediately. She turned her head away, her gaze shifting from Suren's face to an uncertain spot outside the window, as if she were pondering something.
“There is one…” she turned her head, her eyes brightening slightly, “a nobleman from ‘Libraton’.”
"He is a renowned businessman and collector, as well as a seasoned enthusiast of the occult." She paused, her gaze falling on Suren's face, a meaningful smile curving her lips. "I've heard he has a considerable collection of forbidden books, some of which may be of interest to you."
She leaned forward slightly: "If you can complete the task, I can introduce you to the process."
"Libradon..."
Suren muttered to herself, "It's this city again. It seems like many secrets are buried here."