Chapter 597: Spoils of War

Lu Mian didn't stand on ceremony and agreed to "Gandalf's" "invitation."

This was firstly because the "Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society" had mixed pathways, and besides those relatively rare ones like "Demon," they had everything. He could come into contact with all kinds of knowledge and all kinds of items. Those might not necessarily be stronger than what he originally possessed, but if he truly encountered a suitable situation, they might play an unexpected role.

Secondly, this gave him a reason to continue acting as Aurora acting as "Muggle," which would make him produce a beautiful hallucination that his sister was still alive in some corner of the world.

After the four people finished communicating about what happened in that special sea area, the "Bard's" corpse had a change: dots of light precipitated, condensing on the corpse's right hand, and causing the flesh and bones to collapse simultaneously.

In the end, the palm broke off at the wrist, as if coming from an infant, both small and pale.

The paleness changed rapidly, stained with a dark color, very consistent with the environment of this ancient palace.

This was the Beyonder characteristic of a "Dream Stealer."

Lu Mian stared intently, always feeling that there was pale grayish-white mist existing inside that shrunken palm.

He walked over, squatted down beside the "Bard's" corpse, and searched for other items.

After completing this matter, Lu Mian took all the spoils of war from "Mad Woman" and "Loki" out of the "Traveler's Bag" and placed them on the dilapidated stone slabs of the ancient palace.

They were, respectively: a crystal stone transparent to the point of being near-illusory, a bracelet with three diamonds sandwiched between four gemstones of different colors, a pink gold ring embedded with a crimson-as-blood gemstone, a simple and plain silver ring, a dark golden mask that could completely cover the face, a small doll made of white cloth strips without facial features, a mechanical music box with a complex but exquisite design, and a grayish-white brooch with a metallic luster, resembling lightning.

Adding the not-too-thick blank sketchbook and the "Dream Stealer" Beyonder characteristic, there were ten items in total.

Lu Mian then raised his head and said to "Lady Lady Hai La" and "Gandalf":

"You come and pick. One item each."

"This is what we should do." "Gandalf" indicated that this was the high-level members of the "Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society" making up for their previous mistakes.

Lu Mian, wearing the hood, used Aurora's tone:

"What should be done and picking spoils of war don't contradict each other. Official Beyonders protecting citizens doesn't mean they can't accept rewards."

"Gandalf" hesitated for a few seconds, turned his head to look at "Lady Lady Hai La," and seeing she didn't object, said with a sigh:

"Alright."

Lu Mian's mouth curled, revealing a smile again, pointing at those items and introducing them:

"That transparent stone that looks very illusory is the 'Traveler' Beyonder characteristic left behind by the 'Mad Woman,' but it has suffered severe pollution. The pale grayish mist permeating inside is proof;

"The 'Dream Stealer' Beyonder characteristic also has pollution from that Celestial Worthy, but it's not that severe. The degree is lighter than the relics left behind by most evil god believers;

"That bracelet comes from 'Loki,' called 'Seven-Stone Bracelet.' Each diamond corresponds to one 'Teleport,' and each colored gemstone corresponds to one 'Flash' that can be maintained for ten seconds. Once used, it's gone. The negative effect is hearing some sounds randomly while wearing it. Sometimes it might just be some man cheating, and sometimes it originates from unknown organisms;

"This gold ring is called 'Blood Gold.' The name is engraved on the inner layer of the ring, along with a short sentence—'Control flesh, and you control everything.' Its role is to let the wearer control their own flesh like a 'Rose Bishop' and use three types of flesh magic: flesh bomb, flesh cloak, and flesh fusion. The negative effect is that using it multiple times will create a dependency on this ring. Once you stop wearing it, your body will collapse into a pile of flesh and can no longer maintain a human state. And if you wear it all the time, you will gradually become extreme, crazy, and eventually have the possibility of losing control. Carrying it with you also has the danger of infecting madness;

"That silver ring is a semi-finished 'Ring of the Sea Queen,' only possessing the high-status 'Theft' ability, which can only be used once. The negative effect is being noticed by a certain ancient surviving angel;

"That dark golden mask is 'Loki's.' It wasn't destroyed by his self-detonation. The specific role is temporarily unknown. I don't know if you have a feeling that while looking at it, you will heartily crave to wear it and believe you will become exceptionally powerful because of it. Let's call it 'Devil Mask';

"This white cloth doll without facial features comes from the 'Mad Woman,' corresponding to the 'Faceless' of the 'Diviner' pathway. After pinning it on your shoulder, shaping and adjusting its facial features and figure is changing your own. At the same time, it can also let the wearer master the ability to make 'Paper Figurine Substitute,' but only the first substitute paper figurine can produce an effect. Besides these two points, it can also let the wearer use flames to complete a jump and have a certain intuition about danger. The negative effect is that perhaps one day, you will discover its facial features have become the same as yours, and you are no longer yourself. Carrying it with you will have a not-strong bad luck curse;

"This mechanical music box was searched from 'Loki's' corpse parts. I don't know which pathway or sequence it corresponds to. It is said that the music it plays will either let the person who hears it die directly or become a lunatic, but the premise is to listen to the music for at least ten seconds;

"This blank sketchbook is what I just found on the 'Bard.' The specific role and negative effect are still unknown, but according to my experience, perhaps the things drawn on it will come to life or show special effects. Hmm, only nine pages of drawing paper are left, with traces of being torn;

"This brooch is the 'Mad Woman's.' It seems to be prepared for the loss of the 'Viceroy of the Sea' authority and the sea becoming violent. It can let the wearer grow fish scales, reduce damage, and breathe and move underwater like a fish. Every attack carries an electric shock effect and may trigger natural lightning strikes. In rainy weather, the probability is close to one hundred percent. This likely corresponds to Sequence 6 or Sequence 5 of the 'Sailor' pathway. The negative effect is that even just carrying it, there is a not-small probability of being struck by lightning when going out on a rainy day, and wearing it will also make you become irritable and impatient."

Lu Mian finished introducing those ten spoils of war in one breath.

His understanding of these items all came from Miss "Magician."

It could be discovered that for the success of the Sea Prayer Ceremony operation, "April Fools'" had put most of the magical artifacts with the "Mad Woman." The "Bard" only had a blank sketchbook that looked ordinary, but "Loki," this leader of "April Fools'," clearly had private hoarding. It wasn't known if it was his nature or if he had specifically taken them back for the operation of hunting Ludwig.

"Gandalf" looked toward "Lady Lady Hai La":

"You pick first."

"Lady Lady Hai La" walked quietly in front of Lu Mian, her gaze sweeping over those ten items.

Soon, she pointed to the "Traveler" Beyonder characteristic left behind by the "Mad Woman":

"It has very severe pollution. Whether you keep it yourself or find a 'Craftsman' to make an item, there will be no small danger. Better hand it to me."

Her implication seemed to be that she had a way to deal with it to a certain extent and reduce the corresponding harm.

"Good." Lu Mian didn't object.

He respected the wishes of every picker, letting them choose whatever they wanted. Of course, there was a distinction in the order of picking: his team last, and himself last of the last.

"Lady Lady Hai La" stretched out her right hand, and the night outside the ancient palace seemed to have some kind of surge.

That illusory crystal stone with grayish-white mist swirling inside disappeared, gone.

After "Lady Lady Hai La" turned and walked back to her original position, "Gandalf" began to pick.

Seeing the president's gaze examining the remaining nine items back and forth, Fors felt her heart lift involuntarily, whispering silently:

Don't pick the "Seven-Stone Bracelet," don't pick the "Seven-Stone Bracelet"...

That was the "teleportation" she had longed for for a long time!

—The "Traveler" Beyonder characteristic was too dangerous, she didn't dare to think about it. Although the "Seven-Stone Bracelet" was a one-time item, it won by having enough quantity, and the negative effect was also okay.

"Gandalf's" gaze stayed on that dark golden mask, saying as if to himself:

"Really want to study what ability it actually has, what it can bring...

"But it is indeed too dangerous. I am very tempted to wear it right now...

"Hmm, the 'Blood Gold' ring helps me experiment with some dangerous things, the blank sketchbook remains to be studied...

"The high-status 'Theft' ability is also worth studying... but the gaze of an ancient angel is not a small matter..."

After repeated consideration, "Gandalf" turned his body and said to "Lady Lady Hai La":

"Can I put that silver ring here? Every time we gather, I want to come in half an hour early to study it."

"You can." "Lady Lady Hai La" agreed to "Gandalf's" request.

Thus, this president of the "Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society" picked the semi-finished "Ring of the Sea Queen."

Fors suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, laughing and saying to "Gandalf":

"President, you really should walk the 'Reader' pathway. You and their style are very compatible."

Why did he have to pick "Warrior," just to make the title "Gandalf" live up to its name?

The half-giant "Gandalf," wearing a linen robe, looked at Fors, smiled, and didn't respond.

Lu Mian put the remaining items back into the "Traveler's Bag," not giving Fors a chance to pick first.

…………

Santa Port, near the Solo Hotel, inside the room rented by "Loki."

Lu Mian received a reply from Miss "Magician":

"Even I can't see the detailed ability of that dark golden mask, which shows it has sufficient specialness. You can ask Mr. K if he wants it. If not, put it with me for the time being. I will seal it and wait for the opportunity to come. At that time, it might be able to come in handy.

"Miss 'Hermit' wants that mechanical music box. Other items have no meaning to her, but this one is at least very exquisite.

"Mr. 'Moon' wants that faceless doll. As for the reason, I don't know either.

"You continue to distribute the rest."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 598 =====