Chapter 234: Activity Funds

"Iron and Blood Cross Order"... suspected of plotting a very major event... Lu Mian finally understood Mr. K's real purpose in letting him join a gang.

That involves the equally secret organization "Iron and Blood Cross Order," and seems to have a certain relationship with the struggle for belief and the situation in Triers.

After thinking for a while, Lu Mian asked:

"What kind of organization is the 'Iron and Blood Cross Order'?"

The more he knew, the more likely he was to perform actions that would gain Gardner Martin's appreciation and recognition.

Mr. K chuckled:

"Wait for Gardner Martin to tell you himself. If you master their specific situation in advance, you are likely to be seen as having problems in some details."

So, you found a simple country boy like me who is carrying a warrant to be a "spy"? What you want is a blank sheet of paper, a simple background? Lu Mian nodded thoughtfully.

He thought of the mystical items Gardner Martin brought into Triers through "Rat" Christopher, thought of the Savard Party also supporting Hugues Artois, and deliberated for two seconds:

"Could the matter the 'Iron and Blood Cross Order' is plotting be related to Hugues Artois?"

Mr. K answered in a hoarse voice:

"According to the information we collected, that is only one part of it, not the main body."

Is that so... Lu Mian turned to talk about the "Mirror Person" matter, and finally said:

"Gardner Martin seemed to know in advance that the item he let the smuggling caravan transport would bring corresponding accidents."

Mr. K was silent for a while:

"I suspect that is a very important and critical item. This is also a situation you need to figure out.

"Don't worry, our 'Aurora Order' will never be stingy with rewards. At that time, you can make any request."

Lu Mian just wanted to say in his heart "help me resurrect my sister," when he heard Mr. K add:

"As long as it is within my ability."

Quite honest... If I really become an official member of the "Iron and Blood Cross Order" and can access corresponding information, the "Iron and Blood Cross Order" will definitely give me some membership benefits, and I can turn around and ask the "Aurora Order" for rewards. *Hmm*... This is equivalent to further completing Madam "Magician's" task. She won't not reward me, the holder of a Minor Arcana card... Doing one thing and getting three rewards, such "treatment" is rare... Lu Mian sighed inwardly while holding the attitude that it didn't matter if he was rejected:

"I need some activity funds now."

The purpose of using activity funds is to improve personal strength and lay a "solid foundation" for completing the task.

Mr. K seemed to nod:

"No problem. I will give you 10,000 Vergold later. This is the benefit for you officially joining our 'Aurora Order' and participating in a high-risk mission."

In Intis, benefit is a common term, originating from Emperor Roselle.

Very generous... At this moment, Lu Mian couldn't help but think whether he should find a few more similar secret organizations to join and get a few more membership benefits.

Mr. K stood up, lowered his hands, and walked slowly around Lu Mian.

As he walked, he said solemnly:

"My Lord is the great existence that created this world and is the father of all living beings.

"Every one of us, in essence, comes from Him and possesses the divinity He gave.

"Divinity exists fairly in the body of every living being. No one is more noble than anyone else. The way we distinguish each other's status is by who is closer to my Lord and who can receive more of His teachings.

"It is precisely because everyone has divinity that we can take potions, accept tests one after another, accumulate more divinity, and finally become angels serving my Lord..."

Is this preaching? Lu Mian felt this was a bit like what Madam "Magician" said about the original creator self-disintegrating and splitting into different Beyonder characteristics. In essence, it seemed to be common.

This made him suspect that the "True Creator" believed in by the "Aurora Order" wanted to target the original one.

After nearly a quarter of an hour, Mr. K finally finished preaching and drew a cross on his chest in the order of up, down, left, and right:

"Praise you, praise you for creating everything, praise you for bearing the sins of the world."

Lu Mian followed the same actions and made the same praise.

Mr. K then introduced the situation of the "Aurora Order":

"We currently have a total of seven saints and twenty-two messengers codenamed by letters, distributed in different places..."

There are twenty-one others as strong as Mr. K? Saints are Sequence 4 and Sequence 3 demigods who possess divinity. The "Aurora Order" has a full seven? Lu Mian was stunned.

The strength of the Aurora Order is much more powerful than he imagined!

As for whether there are big shots at the angel level, Mr. K didn't mention it, and Lu Mian had no way to guess.

After a simple introduction, Mr. K held his right index finger with his left palm and *pfft* pulled it off, throwing it bloody to Lu Mian:

"Use it at a critical moment."

Lu Mian caught the finger with solidified blood and had phantom pain just like last time.

Although he wasn't afraid of pain or injury in battle and could stab himself without blinking when needed, he absolutely couldn't pull off a finger for no reason like Mr. K.

Just a few breaths later, Mr. K grew a new finger with pale skin and very tender skin.

Because the gathering wouldn't be until nine in the evening, after Lu Mian got the 10,000 Vergold, he found the "Old Periodical Library" open to the public for free by *Clairvoyance* magazine in this luxurious six-story building at 19 Shell Street and stayed there until 6 o'clock.

Then, he found a restaurant nearby and spent 2 Vergold on a cheap set meal.

This included a bottle of ordinary red wine, a soup, three dishes, a dessert, and unlimited bread.

The three dishes were self-selected from the provided menu. Lu Mian wanted a beef stew, a braised rabbit, and a roasted cauliflower.

By the time the gathering started, he, who already had scorpion poison, sold the water monster blood, water monster poison scales, and other things he didn't need, exchanging them for 100 Vergold.

Up to this point, he had 14,710 Vergold and 24 Copper in cash, most of which was given by Mr. K.

This made him full of confidence in raising 30,000 Vergold in a short time.

Borrow some here, misappropriate some there, plus the income from the spoils, wouldn't he have it?

Near 11 o'clock at night, Lu Mian returned to the Honest Market District.

Ruhl and Michelle, who lived on the third floor and sold photos of "Street Academy Beauties" near the Souhait Steam Train Station, were dragging a bulging linen cloth bag up the stairs.

Looking at the white-haired couple, Lu Mian asked with some confusion:

"So late?"

He knew Ruhl and Michelle were also part-time scavengers and had met a few times before, but he remembered they would end this job by nine at the latest.

Ruhl, who was in ragged clothes and slightly hunched back, piled up a smile and said with some joy:

"Tonight, the Member of Parliament's office is holding a celebration banquet and threw out a lot of valuable trash. We waited until the bag couldn't hold any more before coming back."

The Market District Member of Parliament's office is celebrating Hugues Artois's election? Lu Mian nodded lightly, passed the old couple, and returned to room 207.

He hadn't lit the calcium carbide lamp yet, but with the help of the crimson moonlight seeping in from the window, he saw a piece of white paper folded into a square lying quietly on the table.

Observing the neatly folded state of the paper, Lu Mian suspected this was a letter from Madam "Magician."

"Pyromaniac" potion formula? Before I came back, she let the messenger put the "Pyromaniac" potion formula here? Is she so sure I will definitely become an official member of the "Aurora Order"? Or is there something else to notify me? Amidst his thoughts, Lu Mian lit the calcium carbide lamp, picked up the white paper, and carefully unfolded it:

"Your next task is to complete the task given by Mr. K. Understand what I mean?

"'Pyromaniac' potion formula:

"Main materials: Fire Salamander gland, Magma Spirit core;

"Auxiliary materials: 50ml of Fire Salamander blood, 10g of Magma Bright Stone powder, 10g of Red Crown Balsam powder, 10 drops of Holy Star Lily pure dew.

"Usage method: What do you think?"

She actually wrote down the names of the main materials... Is this because the byproducts of the main materials are needed to prepare the potion? Does Madam "Magician" also want to figure out the current situation of the "Iron and Blood Cross Order"? How did she know Mr. K would arrange for me to do this today? Or, she doesn't care what Mr. K lets me do, just hoping I can further gain Mr. K's trust and gradually become a core member of the "Aurora Order"? Lu Mian tended to the former guess, but didn't exclude the latter possibility.

The only thing he could choose now was to do as told.

After two mystical gatherings, Lu Mian had a certain understanding of the value of potion formulas, knowing that the "Pyromaniac" potion formula in his hand was worth at least nearly 30,000 Vergold.

If he could sell it, he could exchange it for a "Pyromaniac" Beyonder characteristic.

Of course, this was just a fleeting impulse of Lu Mian's. Without Madam "Magician" clearly expressing her attitude, he wouldn't dare to do this.

Isn't this equivalent to taking the potion formula given by Madam "Magician" and adding some money to exchange for Madam "Magician's" "Pyromaniac" Beyonder characteristic?

In comparison, Lu Mian felt that a certain transaction plan popular in Intis, which has the titles of "Commercial Paradise" and "Financial Empire," was more feasible:

10,000 Vergold down payment, the remaining 20,000 paid in installments within a year, including 10% to 15% interest.

After thinking seriously for a while, Lu Mian, who felt that Madam "Magician" likely had divinity, gave up this idea.

He had already raised nearly half of the cash now, so there was no need to take the risk of blaspheming a demigod to talk about installment payments.

Even if "Harvest Festival" couldn't be sold for a good price, and Franca was extravagant and had no savings, there was still a large amount of cash in the financial safe of the Breeze Dance Hall. As the protector of the dance hall, what's wrong with misappropriating a little?

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 235 =====