Chapter 230: Sudden Digestion

Hearing Franca mention advancement, Lu Mian suddenly felt it was time to prepare.

It wasn't that he didn't want to become a Sequence 7 "Pyromaniac" and truly master sufficient mystical means, but the previous "Hunter" and "Provocateur" potion formulas came from the gift of Madam "Magician," and they were obtained too easily, so he wasn't in a hurry at all. He was just waiting for the "Provocateur" potion to be completely digested, then write a letter to contact Madam "Magician" to see what price to pay to exchange for everything needed for advancement.

More importantly, Lu Mian clearly knew that Madam "Magician" had a "Pyromaniac" Beyonder characteristic.

But thinking about it carefully now, he felt he still had to make some extra preparations:

Madam "Magician" likely didn't belong to the "Hunter" pathway and might not really have the "Pyromaniac" potion formula, and she might have already given that "Pyromaniac" Beyonder characteristic to someone else. After all, it wasn't just Lu Mian who held a Minor Arcana card, and it was unlikely they were all of other pathways.

Of course, with the rank and ability that lady displayed, it wouldn't be too difficult for her to get the "Pyromaniac" potion formula and corresponding main materials, but she might not be willing, or she might delay it for a long time.

Amidst his thoughts, Lu Mian looked at the wooden box lying on Franca's lap and hesitated:

"Sell it."

Although that evil scythe was exceptionally sharp and could drain the enemy's life through blood, fitting his fighting style of close-quarters combat, this thing was too inconvenient to carry, couldn't be hidden, and had great restrictions on usage occasions. Most of the time, it could only be placed in the Breeze Dance Hall or the Golden Rooster Hotel, useful when someone attacked him, or during an active raid, taken out in advance and covered by the night.

If he wanted to carry it with him, the only way Lu Mian could think of was to get a cello case and carry it on his back.

For a gang leader, this was very suspicious.

Actually, if it weren't for Franca mentioning preparing for advancement, Lu Mian started to feel that the four thousand plus Vergold on him was a bit far off and he needed to raise more funds. He actually wouldn't mind keeping that evil scythe named "Harvest Festival." After all, it could still be useful on some occasions. If it really didn't work, Lu Mian could still use the "Spectator Glasses" to disguise himself as a musician, carry the "cello" on his back, and assassinate the corresponding target.

Hearing this, Franca sighed:

"It can only be sold. It's actually quite good, but it doesn't quite fit my fighting style."

She then pointed to Lu Mian's waist:

"How about we take one bottle of each of those potions?"

To be honest, Franca wasn't too interested in "Berserk Potion" and "Bark Potion," only wanting "Scorpion Poison" and "Healing Potion," but considering Lu Mian also needed to coat his weapons with poison and perform some healing, she chose the most standard plan.

"Okay." Lu Mian agreed.

In the dark night, outside 126 Market Avenue.

Several policemen in black uniforms set up a cordon, preventing passing pedestrians from approaching the building behind them.

Inside that house, Angouleme de Francois, with golden hair, golden eyebrows, and a golden beard, stood in front of the female statue with soft features, gazing at the blood-colored words on the wall.

He, with a row of gold buttons on his chest, remained silent, making the surrounding "Purifiers" members and the police assisting them feel uncontrollably oppressed.

After a while, the "Purifiers" member with Southern Continent ancestry came out of the basement, walked to Angouleme's side, and said in a low voice:

"Deacon, there are clear traces of evil god worship underground, and a batch of dead living sacrifices.

"The prison cell doors have been opened, some of the kidnapped people have escaped, and the remaining ones told me that 'Black Scorpion' Luo Jie was indeed using evil arts."

Angouleme listened expressionlessly, looked around, and said to the surrounding police:

"So many people went missing, and you didn't notice any of it?

"Who told me that there were only some controllable Beyonders in the Market District, and if they were arrested, it would lead to new gangs entering, bringing greater chaos?"

The angry voice echoed in the living room of 126 Market Avenue, making every policeman lower their heads.

Just then, Angouleme suddenly turned his head and looked at the female statue with soft features.

He had vaguely felt a fluctuation of anger there just now, which flashed and disappeared.

A layer of gold appeared on Angouleme's body. He reached out his right palm and opened the abdomen of the statue.

There was a hollow space that could accommodate a curled-up human. A brownish-green seed lay quietly inside, turning into powder as soon as the wind blew.

Second floor of the Breeze Dance Hall.

Lu Mian suddenly frowned.

"What's wrong?" Franca asked.

Lu Mian didn't know whether he should be happy or puzzled as he answered:

"Just now, my 'Provocateur' potion was completely digested.

"Which incredible big shot did we provoke with what we just did?"

Franca guessed:

"That 'Miss Moon,' or the official Beyonders?"

"Both are possible." Lu Mian didn't think about it since he couldn't figure it out. Anyway, this was a good thing.

This meant he could start advancing to Sequence 7 "Pyromaniac"!

And this also gave him an intuitive understanding of a situation:

It's not that you have to summarize all the acting rules to completely digest the corresponding potion.

After summarizing a portion of the acting rules that belong to oneself, as long as one acts appropriately and continuously receives feedback, one can completely digest the potion by accumulating times or time.

Therefore, most Beyonders, without knowing the "Acting Method," are also likely to rely on time and encounters to digest potions... Lu Mian realized and muttered silently.

After distributing the potions and deciding to sell all other spoils for money, Lu Mian said goodbye to Franca, deliberately walked around the Breeze Dance Hall, and then left Market Avenue to return to the Golden Rooster Hotel.

Just as he went up to the second floor, he saw the door of room 206 open, and the light of the calcium carbide lamp shone into the dark corridor.

As Lu Mian passed by, he glanced inside and found Gabriel wearing his favorite black suspenders, sitting by the bed, observing the corridor outside.

"You're finally back!" The playwright stood up happily.

Lu Mian raised his right eyebrow:

"You haven't been arrested by the police yet?"

"..." Gabriel didn't know how to answer for a moment.

After a few seconds, he said with unconcealable joy:

"Mr. Nathan Lope didn't call the police and even signed a contract with me, buying that script of mine.

"He said he originally wanted to give a 1500 Vergold down payment, but considering we scared him, he deducted 500. When the play officially premieres, I can get 2.5% of the box office revenue for every show."

Lu Mian laughed:

"I thought it was the revolver that made him agree, and he would definitely go back on his word afterward. I didn't expect your script to truly move him."

Since you thought so, why did you do that? Gabriel instinctively complained inwardly.

He explained:

"Mr. Lope understands the eccentricities of artists and doesn't mind similar things. He said his last mistress was a female painter who not only raised a sheep on his balcony but also wanted to try the feeling of messing with a man, prepared fake props for this, and tried to persuade him. They broke up because of this."

"You Triers people..." As the prank king of Cordu Village, Lu Mian couldn't help but sigh.

Gabriel came from the provinces and wasn't a Triers native, so he didn't care about Charles's mockery at all.

He said sincerely:

"I really thank you. Although I don't agree with your methods, if it weren't for you, my script would never have been seen by Mr. Lope."

Speaking of this, Gabriel asked with some confusion:

"Mr. Lope said our writers don't do things thoroughly at all, actually covering our faces only when we reached his door. After he chatted with the doorman in charge of the lobby, he knew our appearances. Once he called the police, none of us would be able to escape.

"When you tied up the doorman, why didn't you cover your face in advance?"

Gabriel felt that Charles, as a gang leader, shouldn't be so careless.

Lu Mian asked calmly:

"Why cover it?"

"..." Gabriel asked blankly, "Then why did you cover it later?"

Lu Mian answered in a flat tone:

"Because Jenna covered hers."

What kind of logic is that... Even as a playwright, Gabriel felt he couldn't understand Charles's thinking.

He could feel that Charles's state last night wasn't quite normal, but he didn't know the specific reason and couldn't deduce the other party's mental state and the root of his behavior.

Gabriel sighed and said:

"It's good that the result was good, otherwise we would all be arrested by the police..."

Speaking of this, he paused, because he remembered that Charles was the leader of the Savard Party, and every crime he had committed was more serious than last night.

Lu Mian laughed and patted Gabriel on the shoulder:

"Even if arrested, you would only be an accomplice. You didn't carry a weapon, so you could be released on bail with a little money."

After speaking, he walked toward his room and opened the door to 207.

Gabriel looked at Charles's back, a bit dazed and a bit fortunate.

In room 207, Lu Mian carefully examined the "Fallen Mercury."

He felt that if this dagger wasn't repaired, it would only last for three months.

"Actually, I can ask Franca. She might know a few people who can repair magical artifacts and Beyonder weapons..." Lu Mian half-closed his eyes and began to "communicate" with "Fallen Mercury."

After a while, he knew what fate he had exchanged for this time:

The fate of "Black Scorpion" Luo Jie drinking heavily.

Lu Mian then put away the "Fallen Mercury," stood up, left the room, and went up to the third floor.

He walked to the door of room 310 and heard that madman still shouting in fear:

"I'm going to die, I'm going to die!"

Lu Mian took out the piece of wire, opened the door, and saw the madman squatting on the floor filled with moonlight, holding his head and shivering.

Lu Mian leaned against the door frame and laughed:

"You're quite lucky. The Monsuri ghost hasn't come to kill you yet.

"I don't know if it's too busy or just slacking off."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 231 =====