Chapter 1: Harbor Oddities

Deep autumn morning.

The southern part of Weilan Giant Island, the Harbor District of Dawn City.

"Clang! Clang! Clang! Raise sails~~ lift anchor~~"

"Oysters~ fresh oysters~~"

"Please have pity on me, give me a small piece of black bread, I haven't eaten anything for two days~"

"Sir, want to have a go with me?"

As the number one harbor of the giant island, the Harbor District is extremely prosperous; commerce, especially the service industry, is highly developed.

Warehouses, banks, inns, brothels, restaurants, etc., pack the Harbor District to the brim.

"But even so, the harbor still struggles to fully meet travelers' needs."

"Especially those youngsters who just disembarked from ships, they're eager to fill every hole they see on the road."

On Seaside Boulevard, Public Security Captain Sai Deluo said to the man beside him:

This man is about thirty, with a sinister gaze and alert demeanor, dressed in all black, holding a dark-silver cane inlaid with white crystal.

Just like a black hound poised to attack.

He watched a cargo ship that had just finished unloading not far away, seeing the sailors rush toward the nearest brothel like rutting stallions.

"Captain Sai Deluo, I know all of that."

"I also know that in some part of the Harbor District there is a destitute mage who has completely forgotten Mother Nature's teachings, using evil methods to satisfy the sailors' desires."

"As an Executing Mage of the Ethics Supervision Office of the Holy Weilan Great Temple, I need the exact location of this evil brothel."

The Public Security Captain's face showed a hint of hesitation, and he subconsciously licked his dry lips.

"Mr. Luxius, I want to say there is no such evil brothel; every brothel in the Harbor District operates legally."

"Hmph!"

Luxius pointed to the mithril emblem on his left chest.

"Captain Sai Deluo, I think you should recognize this."

"I am not only an Inspector Mage, but also an Intermediate 11-star Combat Mage!"

"Don't try to fool me like a child; even if you don't tell me, I will eventually find out."

"But if I uncover it myself, all related personnel will be punished!"

This black-robed mage's tone was icy cold, like a venomous sea snake about to strike.

The Public Security Captain's body trembled slightly; after a moment of silence, he finally could not bear the immense psychological pressure and nodded dejectedly.

"Alright, there really is a brothel that's not ordinary."

Luxius nodded satisfied, his tone easing: "Tell me the details."

"Their girls are all beautiful, even rivaling Princess Selai. Oh no no no, I misspoke, I deserve to die!"

The Public Security Captain slapped himself hard, producing a crisp 'pa' sound, then continued speaking.

"Young, healthy, beautiful—all top-notch. The price is especially cheap; for just one penny you can enjoy an entire candle."

"Mmm~"

Luxius narrowed his eyes: "This is eighty percent cheaper than normal—it's market manipulation! Don't the other brothel owners object?"

The Public Security Captain glanced dubiously at the grim-faced black-robed mage and muttered: "Why wouldn't they object? Aren't you the one they hired?"

Luxius heard clearly, frowned, and said: "Captain, you're slandering me! I'm just doing my duty."

The Public Security Captain quickly said: "I apologize, sir."

Luxius didn't let go, raised his cane and pointed forward: "Come on, take me to that brothel to have a look."

"Yes, sir."

The Public Security Captain cooperated fully: "Brothers, follow me."

The captain led his squad forward along Seaside Boulevard, but in an angle unseen by the black-robed mage, he subtly gestured to one subordinate with his chin.

That subordinate understood, found a chance, and quietly slipped out of the group.

Seaside Boulevard was crowded with people, and the Public Security Captain's detachment had about ten men, so this move was very covert.

But after that member had taken just two steps, the black-robed mage's voice rang out.

"Captain Sai Deluo, keep your men in line, or else you won't be captain for long!"

Sai Deluo jumped, turned his head, and saw Luxius's icy gaze, instantly realizing his plan had been seen through.

He gave a bitter laugh, quickly recalled his subordinate, and secretly sighed.

"Ah~ now I can't get free beautiful women."

No longer daring to play tricks, he honestly led the way.

Soon, the group arrived at the Harbor's warehouse district.

The warehouse district is filled with square, box-like stone-and-wood buildings; their appearance is uniform, arranged neatly like a giant chessboard.

In such a place, even locals who grew up here can easily get lost, let alone outsiders.

After walking a while, the black-robed mage Luxius felt a slight stir in his heart.

"That depraved mage is quite cunning, actually setting up a brothel in this kind of place. I'll have to be careful later, lest he escape."

After about fifteen minutes, the group arrived near an old warehouse.

From dozens of meters away, one could see the warehouse's main gate shut tight, with only a small side door open.

At the side door stood a tall, thin man wrapped in a hooded gray cloak that covered his head and face completely.

Every one or two minutes, a man would emerge from some unknown corner.

Half were sailors, half dockworkers—basically ordinary folks with hardly any money.

Luxius saw clearly: the men handed money to that person at the door, then happily went into the warehouse.

Whether it takes a long fifteen minutes or just a short few minutes, they will walk out of the warehouse satisfied.

The brothel's business was quite good; in the half hour Lu Xius observed, at least twenty men entered, and more kept coming.

Based on the flow of patrons, the brothel must have at least thirty girls.

He drew a preliminary conclusion.

"Building the brothel deep in an inconspicuous warehouse district to serve lower‑class customers suggests the hidden owner has limited background and is likely a small‑time opportunist."

With that, he could investigate boldly without worry.

After observing a while longer, Lu Xius asked, "Captain, you just said every girl inside is extremely beautiful?"

"Yes, very beautiful; each looks like a fairy."

"Are you sure you didn't missee?"

It's normal to see one or two beautiful girls—after all, flowers can grow even in a pile of dung—but a sudden surge of thirty to forty beautiful girls is extraordinary.

Sai De Luo nodded firmly, "I'm certain I didn't missee."

Lu Xius guessed preliminarily, "Then it must be a magical illusion."

Sai De Luo shook his head repeatedly, "Sir, it's definitely not an illusion!"

"I may not practice magic, but I'm a formally trained warrior, familiar with basic spellcraft knowledge, and I know how to discern illusion."

"I not only saw with my eyes, but also touched with my body and felt with my soul; they are undeniably real beauties!"

"If you don't believe, you can ask my teammates."

Before Lu Xius could ask, the teammates all nodded in agreement.

"The captain's words are absolutely correct."

"Sir, our minds and insight are far inferior to yours, but we're not fools."

"Perhaps the brothel's owner has moral flaws, but he's extremely generous; he lets us work for free. *cough* *cough*"

Lu Xius listened, his mind full of doubts.

Because magical illusion can indeed be easily uncovered.

Changes in lighting, shifts in the subject's mental state can break the spell, and physical touch is especially a weak point of magical illusion.

So the girls inside should be real people.

Then where did they get so many beautiful girls? "Could they have used the Transformation Technique on a group of ordinary girls?"

That doesn't make sense either—a candle costs a krun, and the customers are starving sailors and dockworkers; unless forced, no girl would agree to such dirty work.

"If it really is forced, then today I've done a great deed and will surely earn the Temple's commendation."

Thinking that, Lu Xius felt his heart race with excitement.

"Captain, send someone to block the back door, move quietly, don't make a big scene. I'll go to the front door to capture them."

As he spoke, Lu Xius's staff flashed brightly, a blue light rising from his feet and enveloping his whole body.

Within seconds, a thin film resembling blue crystal covered his body.

Seeing the security captain still frozen, he impatiently urged, "Aren't you going yet?!"

"Yes, yes, yes—I'm going right now."

The security captain immediately led his men toward the brothel's back door.

Lu Xius waited a moment, gauged that the time was right, inhaled deeply, and whispered.

"Wind Walk!"

The staff flashed again; his body rose abruptly half a meter, weightless like mist, and surged forward over fifty meters in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, Lu Xius stood at the brothel's entrance, face‑to‑face with the gray‑robed money‑collector. Without waiting for a reaction, he raised his staff; the crystal tip emitted a sharp blue flash: "Sleep."

'Goo‑dong~'

The gray‑robed man behind the door collapsed softly to the ground, falling into a baby‑like slumber.

The commotion terrified the customers at the entrance.

"Mother Nature above~ the mage is killing!"

"Guard—where are the guards?"

"Don't be foolish; guards only protect the rich. Run!"

The patrons shouted and scattered.

Lu Xius ignored the chaos at the door and hurried into the warehouse.

The warehouse interior was rectangular, with two rows of wooden racks on each side; each rack held coarse, natural‑colored burlap sheets that partitioned the space into a series of small individual rooms.

In the middle a corridor was left, and on both sides hung dark‑red cloth curtains.

The customers behind the door were still unaware of the incident, lost in their pleasure.

All sorts of indecent sounds flooded Lu Xius's ears like a tide, making the mage blush and his heart race.

He immediately raised his hand and swiftly drew a Mother Nature sigil on his chest, muttering:

'Mother Nature, may you purify my spirit so I am free from evil's defilement!'

After finishing the prayer, his mood steadied slightly; he employed a Mage Hand to quietly pry open the dark‑red side curtain.

Behind the door was a small compartment four meters long and two meters wide, with a crude floor made of dry straw and coarse cloth, upon which two people lay.

One was a sailor; the other—just a glance, and Lu Xius couldn't help but gasp sharply.

"That bastard Sai De Luo wasn't lying after all; they truly look like fairies."

Such a fairy—ordinary commoners who haven't seen the world aside, even he himself can barely keep his composure.

'Wha‑la~'

He immediately lowered the curtain, raised his hand and repeatedly drew the Mother Nature sigil on his chest, sketching it over twenty times in one breath, only just suppressing the evil desire within.

But desire does not vanish into thin air; the unexpressed yearning quickly turned into a raging fury.

"This place is literally a hell of desire, an evil abyss that tempts mortals to fall; it must be purified at once!"

He strode to the middle of the corridor, and with his staff he thrust upward sharply like a conductor's baton.

With that motion, all the coarse burlap was drawn by an invisible powerful force, soaring into the sky and curling into a ball.

Ah~~~

The customers, lost in themselves, finally noticed the abnormality and hurriedly put on their clothes.

Lu Xius roared loudly.

"Temple Inspector Mage enforces the law! Everyone put on their clothes, clutch your heads, squat against the wall!"

"Defiers will be slain on the spot!"

No ordinary person would defy a powerful mage's command.

In no time, the customers all obediently squatted into a line.

But peculiarly, the girls seemed to hear nothing, still lying on the floor, preening.

Lu Xius shouted angrily, "Are you deaf? Put on your clothes at once!"

Still no response.

Lu Xius suppressed the flutter in his heart, carefully observed one of the girls, and as he kept watching, a look of profound surprise showed on his face.

He suddenly raised his staff and pointed at the girl, "Purify!"

A white light sphere the size of a fist shot out and entered the girl's body.

A few seconds later, the girl's body began to emit white light, which grew denser, as if solid.

Within the white light, the girl's body changed rapidly, and after a dozen seconds, she turned into a sheep.

The sheep looked at Lu Xius, bleated, and kept butting its rear at him!

Lu Xius was greatly shocked.

"A global Transformation Technique released on non-human aberrations!"

"How could this be possible?"

Transformation Technique is not rare.

The standard Transformation Technique is merely a low‑level ordinary spell, but what is astonishing is the precision of this Transformation Technique, which has reached an extremely remarkable level.

"The casting difficulty must be over 20 stars!"

Lu Xius took a deep breath, again suppressed the flutter in his heart, walked to the second girl, and meticulously examined her bodily details.

The more he looked, the more shocked he became.

"Absolutely flawless!"

Transformation Technique is like shaping clay; most mages can shape it, but it is hard to shape well, and even harder to shape precisely.

Because spell energy is difficult to control finely, and the casting time lasts only a few dozen seconds.

The situation before him is equivalent to a sculptor, wielding unwieldy tools, completing a Master's work in less than a minute.

It is nothing short of a miracle.

Lu Xius, unconvinced, said, "Turning one fairy is one thing, but turning more than thirty, each with distinct traits—how could this be possible?"

If only a few were transformed, there is a shortcut called Mirror Transformation.

It involves finding a real beautiful woman, obtaining her form via a mirror image, then replicating it with Transformation Technique.

But this requires dual‑line casting skill, and its difficulty is not much lower than plain Transformation Technique.

The problem is, where to find so many charismatic and uniquely charming beauties? "Could it be a gang operation?"

The black‑cloaked mage, riddled with doubts, inspected them one by one, purifying each after inspection.

When the inspection was finished, the warehouse contained more than thirty sheep.

All the "customers" served were not a single human.

At the same time, Lu Xius reached an even more astonishing conclusion.

"The identical casting style strongly suggests it was done by a single mage!"

On the other side, the customers were also dumbfounded, each unable to speak.

Security Captain Sai De Luo also entered, and upon seeing the scene, his jaw nearly fell off his face.

"Mother Nature above, this... this... this..."

Lu Xius's expression turned grim, "Did you catch the brothel owner?"

Sai De Luo took a moment to recover, then said, "I didn't see anyone run out the back door."

Lu Xius frowned, "Bad!"

He immediately turned and ran out of the warehouse to check the gray‑robed money collector, only to find the gray‑robed man still sleeping on the ground.

He lifted the man's hood with his staff and discovered an utterly ordinary middle‑aged man.

He tried the purification again, and the man also turned into a sheep.

The entire brothel had not a single person, only sheep!

From start to finish, the brothel owner stayed hidden behind the scenes, never actually appearing.

Lu Xius gritted his teeth and sneered, "How cunning—let's see how powerful you really are!"

He hurried back to the warehouse, consecutively casting 'Wind‑Trace Detection', 'Clear Water Divination', 'Ash Divination', 'Mind Guidance', and other tracking arts.

The result was still nothing! The brothel owner was even adept at anti‑tracking, having destroyed all traceable magical information.

A sense of helplessness rose in Lu Xius's heart, even a faint awe.

This fellow mage was far stronger than him, by a large margin.

Not only was his magical power more abundant, his knowledge deeper, and his casting ability utterly crushing.

If he persisted in the investigation, he might face mortal danger.

He fell silent for a while, and after his mood settled a bit, he turned his head toward the Security Captain: "You've seen him. Forget it, even if you have, it's no use."

The opponent is a Shapeshifting Master, also called the Thousand‑Faced Master; an ordinary person watching him is just watching in vain.

The fact is, the trail of clues has been completely cut off.

Lu Xius stood silently in the middle of the warehouse, reluctantly analyzing the known information, and finally reached two conclusions.

"This fallen mage is cunning and cautious, possesses extremely strong mobility, has extensive knowledge of spells, a deep well of magical power, and is a true Shapeshifting Master."

"At the same time, he is severely short of money, knows women's bodies intimately, may be maintaining good relations with dozens of beauties, and is likely a playboy addicted to pleasure to the point of squandering his fortune."

These two conclusions contradict each other.

A mage is also mortal; his energy and time are limited.

If he spends every day lounging on a woman's belly for pleasure, he could never achieve such astonishing feats in sorcery.

Lu Xius scratched his scalp in a somewhat frantic manner.

"Mother Nature, what kind of person is this, truly?!"

(End of Chapter)