Chapter 229: Potions

Was the use of that finger a signal? Did Mr. K arrive so quickly? Or was he just happening to be nearby, observing me? Lu Mian's spirit tightened, and the exhaustion from the battle seemed to fade away.

This gave him a brand-new understanding of Mr. K's strength, adding a layer of fear.

Withdrawing his gaze, Lu Mian first picked up the "Fallen Mercury."

Its silver-black blade was scarred from burning and corrosion, making Lu Mian doubt whether it could last until the end of the year.

After putting away the "Fallen Mercury," Lu Mian began to examine the two corpses that had broken free from the blood wrapping and had mostly dissolved.

They showed clear signs of turning into wax, slumped on the ground, enough to give anyone who witnessed them nightmares for a long time.

The clothing on the two corpses had been highly corroded, as had most of the items on them, including Haman's poison-coated dagger and the axe Castina liked to use.

Less affected were several specially made, metallic-lustered iron potion bottles. Although their surfaces had obvious signs of corrosion, it hadn't reached the liquid inside.

Lu Mian observed them and discovered there were four types of potions, distinguished by the patterns etched on the bottles: one was a tree, one was a suspected bear's face, one was a spring, and one was a scorpion.

Haman and Castina each carried one of each, leaving behind a total of eight bottles.

After gathering them, Lu Mian walked over to the strange scythe that "Black Scorpion" Luo Jie had just used. It was pitch-black, sharp, and evil. It wasn't as small and portable as the kind used for harvesting wheat, nor was it as exaggerated as a giant scythe, failing to bring a sense of shock; it was only half a person's height.

As soon as Lu Mian touched the scythe with his black-gloved right palm, he felt it extend illusory spikes that burrowed into his flesh, draining his life bit by bit—cold and ruthless.

He quickly withdrew his right palm and found that his life force was no longer slowly slipping away.

I wonder if it's a magical artifact or a Beyonder weapon similar to "Fallen Mercury"... How should I take this away? Lu Mian fell into deep thought.

At this moment, Franca had finished setting up and began spirit channeling.

Lu Mian carried the eight potion bottles back to "Black Scorpion" Luo Jie's corpse and said to Franca from across the "Wall of Spirituality":

"Ask about the effects of these things, and also, how to carry that scythe."

Franca nodded, looking at Luo Jie's face protruding from the final makeup mirror, and asked:

"What are the effects of the potion bottles on Haman and Castina, and how do I identify them?"

Luo Jie, with his pale face, answered blankly and muddledly:

"The tree pattern is 'Bark Potion,' which can make your skin and muscles as tough as a tree.

"The bear face pattern is 'Berserk Potion,' which can allow you to erupt with strength beyond normal.

"The spring pattern is 'Healing Potion,' which can heal most external wounds, turning serious injuries light and making light injuries disappear.

"The scorpion pattern is 'Scorpion Poison,' mainly applied to weapons. It can cause people injured by it to have heart arrhythmias and respiratory paralysis, until death."

That's actually quite useful... Franca praised inwardly.

Her sleeve sword was just in need of a bottle of this "Scorpion Poison."

Franca continued to ask:

"How do you usually carry that scythe?"

"My study has a large wooden box. If you put it inside quickly, you can take it away." Luo Jie, with a pale face and cold expression, answered.

Franca pressed on:

"Is that scythe a magical artifact or a Beyonder weapon, and what are its abilities?"

"It's called 'Harvest Festival,' a weapon tainted by the aura of a gift. It possesses the 'Sharp' trait, and as long as it leaves a wound on the target and is stained with the corresponding blood, it can continuously drain the opponent's life." "Black Scorpion" Luo Jie described the situation of the scythe in a daze.

Franca accurately grasped the time and turned the topic to more important matters:

"Have you ever met 'Madam Moon'? How do you usually contact each other?"

Luo Jie's pale, pained face became a little more vivid:

"I saw 'Lady Moon' in a wilderness. No, she is 'Miss Moon' now. She sat on a unique carriage pulled by two devils, wearing a veil, making me feel she was very holy and had the radiance of motherhood.

"Usually, she comes to find me, makes me suddenly enter that wilderness, and gives me orders.

"She gave me a green seed to place in the abdominal cavity of the statue. If I encounter danger, I can use it to contact her urgently.

"Now, that seed is no longer needed. As long as I recite her honorific name completely, I can receive her response."

Can respond to the honorific name now? This person's rank is quite high... Franca didn't ask what "Miss Moon's" honorific name was, fearing being sensed by the other party.

She could guess what the answer was but still asked out of curiosity:

"Just now, why didn't you seek help from 'Miss Moon'?"

"Black Scorpion" Luo Jie answered blankly:

"I could win."

Still haven't snapped out of the delusion before dying? Franca "tsk"ed and said:

"Why do you support Hugues Artois?"

"It was 'Miss Moon' who told us to help him get elected." Luo Jie answered with hollow eyes, "She said Hugues Artois is a sufficiently enlightened person."

A sufficiently enlightened person... What does that mean? Franca found it hard to understand this evaluation.

While Franca was spirit channeling "Black Scorpion" Luo Jie, Lu Mian wasn't waiting nearby. Wearing the face of Alse, he walked into the study and briefly searched for valuable items.

He tried to open the safe door with a piece of wire he carried, but he failed.

He only found a wooden box in the study suitable for holding the evil scythe. He carried it down the stairs and arrived at the basement with the door wide open.

It was very clean here; except for the stone platform suspected of holding the statue, there was nothing.

Lu Mian searched for a while and, relying on his "Hunter" observation skills, discovered a secret door.

A heavy friction sound rang out. He pushed open the secret door and found a corridor behind it. On both sides of the corridor were prison cells enclosed by iron bars. Dozens or hundreds of people were crowded inside. Most of them looked like homeless people, but there were also well-dressed gentlemen, young ladies, and children suspected of being lost.

At this time, nearly one-third of the prisoners were lying on the ground, their skin shriveled and lusterless, looking more like skeletons than humans.

They had no breath left, their bowels were completely incontinent, and a foul stench permeated this private prison.

Lu Mian's gaze swept over these shivering humans, seeing many evil and strange symbols on the ground beneath their feet, the walls behind them, and the iron bars in front of them.

No wonder the "Warlock" is so strong on his home turf... Lu Mian suddenly realized.

Not only is there a "magic circle" full of dead souls to assist, but he can also extract life from others at any time to replenish himself!

Lu Mian, holding the wooden box under one arm, drew his revolver again, pressed it against the door of one of the cells, and pulled the trigger.

With a bang, the iron lock was shattered and fell to the ground.

After replenishing the revolver with ammunition, Lu Mian didn't look at the prisoners again, stepped forward, and destroyed the iron locks of the remaining cells one by one.

Then, he tucked the revolver back into his underarm holster, turned around, and left this place, leaving behind a group of blank and numb survivors.

When Lu Mian returned to the first floor, Franca had just finished spirit channeling and lifted the "Wall of Spirituality."

"Any gains?" Franca asked casually.

Lu Mian pointed to the wooden box tucked under his left arm:

"It should be able to be used to hold that scythe. I couldn't open the safe. The servants here might have fled to the second floor or gone to the garden in the back; I didn't run into them."

"Don't worry about them. As believers of an evil god, once they lose protection, they will soon be cleared out. Besides, we did enough disguising; they won't recognize us." Franca nodded and said, "Go pack up 'Harvest Festival.' We are leaving here now. Right, that scythe is called 'Harvest Festival.'"

It didn't take long for Lu Mian to return to "Black Scorpion" Luo Jie's corpse with the scythe and hand the wooden box to Franca.

Then, he squatted down, tore off the hem of his pajamas, and balled it up, staining it with the blood here.

"What are you doing?" Franca asked curiously.

Lu Mian didn't look up and answered concisely:

"Give the official Beyonders a hint."

After speaking, he returned to the living room with the blood-stained cloth ball and wrote Intis words on the wall next to the female statue with soft features in messy strokes:

"Great Mother."

After finishing this, Lu Mian discarded the cloth ball and walked toward the door.

"Why does it feel a bit provocative..." Franca sighed and turned around.

Behind her, clusters of black flames emerged, leaping upward, burning away the various traces left by the two and the residual spirits of the dead.

Immediately after, Franca sprinkled fluorescent powder, chanted the "Invisibility" incantation, carried the wooden box, and disappeared in the foyer area.

Lu Mian then pushed open the front door and swaggered out of 126 Market Avenue.

He didn't close the door, letting the scene inside be presented to passing pedestrians:

Under the yellowish light of the gas wall lamp, a corpse lay near the foyer, surrounded by bloodstains.

Lu Mian crossed Market Avenue, constantly changing his direction, and returned to the alley where he had previously changed clothes and disguised himself.

He simply cleaned the makeup off his face, changed back into his original clothes, and no longer gave people the feeling that he was Alse.

The next second, Franca revealed her figure in a hooded black robe, took the "Ring of Punishment" from Lu Mian, and put it back into her purse.

This "Witch" looked at the unconscious Poisonspur Gang member Alse and said to Lu Mian, who was planning to leave:

"Aren't you going to deal with him?

"He knows that Charles knocked him out, and the person who killed 'Black Scorpion' Luo Jie disguised himself as him."

Lu Mian didn't answer, directly drew his revolver, half-turned, and pulled the trigger on Alse, who was covered in a blue and white striped shirt.

Bang bang, two shots. This Poisonspur Gang member, who had gained the trust of "Black Scorpion" Luo Jie, was shot in the chest and lost his life.

Seeing Lu Mian in a state of not caring about anything, doing whatever she suggested, Franca shook her head inwardly and dealt with the remaining spirits and traces in the alley.

Then, she hid her figure again, left here with Lu Mian, and returned to the second floor of the Breeze Dance Hall by climbing the outer wall.

When Lu Mian used the special potion from Lentas to wash away the excess black on his hair and truly changed back to the appearance of Charles Dubois, Franca smiled and asked:

"Do you want this scythe? If not, I'll sell it and split the money.

"Your 'Provocateur' potion should be almost digested, right? You need to prepare money and materials for advancement."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 230 =====