Chapter 69 - 009: Fear!

Chapter 69: 009: Fear!

The vendor asked curiously, “What’s the matter? Do you have a way to strike it rich?”

Barton replied, “No real method, just a windfall. If you can help me find someone, I can give you a portion—fifteen percent.”

“Oh?” The vendor’s interest was piqued. “Let’s hear it.”

Barton said, “My mentor once took on an apprentice—a junior of mine. A few years ago, he was killed.”

The vendor smirked sarcastically. “I didn’t expect someone like you to talk about feelings. Did I hear you right?”

Barton shot back with equal sarcasm, “Feelings? Have you forgotten who I am, you idiot?”

After a pause, he explained, “Before that kid died, I bought him a revenge mark. The plan was to profit after his death. I waited for ages, and he finally died. But the meat chicken that killed him has been elusive ever since.”

As he spoke, Barton’s expression twisted into something grotesque. “Of all places to die, that fool had to die in the Dark Forest. Damn it, utterly damn!”

From the tone of their conversation, it was evident this wasn’t the first time they’d done something like this. The vendor wasn’t at all surprised, instead laughing dryly. “Hahaha, miscalculated, didn’t you? No profit, and you wasted a revenge mark. What a pity.”

Clearly, what he thought was a pity was the wasted mark, not the dead apprentice.

Barton said, “That’s what I thought at first too. After the mark’s location appeared on my map, it stayed holed up in the Shadow Tower and didn’t come out. Then not long after, it completely disappeared from the map.”

The vendor said, “Nothing you can do. It must’ve been erased.”

“No.”

Barton’s expression turned strange. “If that were the case, I wouldn’t have come here. The odd thing is, the mark hasn’t fully disappeared. It occasionally reappears on my map, always at the Shadow Tower.”

The vendor was startled. “That’s bizarre. I’ve never heard of anything like that.”

Barton said, “I found it odd as well. I even wondered if my map was faulty, so I had it checked. Turns out there wasn’t anything wrong with the map—the problem lies with the mark.”

“A few days ago, the mark reappeared on my map. But this time, it was in the Human World. It was the first time it left the Shadow Tower in years.”

“As soon as I saw the mark, I rushed over. Unfortunately, I was still a step too late. Just the day before yesterday, the mark disappeared again. Its last location before vanishing was in this area, likely somewhere nearby.”

The vendor said, “I get it. You think the marked meat chicken might’ve come to the Wizard Market, so you’re looking here. Any leads?”

“None.”

Barton shook his head, his gaze instinctively sweeping his surroundings as he spoke. A chilling gleam flickered in his eyes. “But I have a feeling that meat chicken is definitely somewhere in this market—maybe even right near me.”

His gaze lingered briefly on Lynch, standing nearby, before moving on.

The vendor said, “Then you’ve got your work cut out for you.”

Meanwhile, at a stall nearby, Lynch was crouched, sifting through goods.

Though the weather was pleasant and his temperature-controlled cloak provided comfort, Lynch felt a chill coursing down his spine, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

If it were back when he’d first transmigrated, he’d likely have been scared out of his wits by now. Even if no one acted against him, he would’ve panicked and exposed himself.

Thankfully, years of experience had tempered him. Both his abilities and mental fortitude had grown significantly. Even though fear gnawed at him, Lynch betrayed no outward sign of discomfort.

Now he finally knew who had purchased a revenge mark for Richard back then, but…

’This… is way too obsessive!’

He genuinely hadn’t expected it. His pursuer hadn’t given up after all these years and was still lying in wait. Perhaps his lingering mortal mindset had let him overlook the fact that while a few years might be long for ordinary people, they were trivial to Wizards.

If he hadn’t stayed within the Tower’s sphere of influence all these years, refraining from wandering around, who knows how tall the grass on his grave would’ve been by now…

Lynch had a guess as to why the revenge mark sporadically appeared on Barton’s map.

When he erased the mark back then, he hadn’t destroyed it. Instead, he kept it for research, storing it in his Space Ring. Over the years, he’d occasionally taken it out to study.

Since the Space Ring isolates spatial coordinates, Barton’s map couldn’t track the mark when it was inside. The few times it appeared must’ve coincided with the moments Lynch had taken it out for research.

Right before heading to this market, Lynch had organized his Space Ring and briefly taken out the mark. That must’ve been when Barton locked onto it.

’This dangerous thing needs to be dealt with as soon as possible once I get back… But that’s a matter for later. Right now, I need to leave here…’

With that in mind, Lynch stood up, ready to make a swift exit.

The nearby conversation carried on.

The vendor chuckled jokingly. “But who knows? Since it appeared near the market, it’s quite plausible it’s now here. Look carefully—you might really find something.”

Barton, determined, said, “That’s my thought too. I paid a hefty price for that revenge mark. I’ll sniff it out if I have to!”

He sniffed the air, his nose twitching slightly.

But that slight movement made his expression change abruptly.

The vendor asked, puzzled, “What’s wrong?”

Barton hesitated, then said uncertainly, “Weird… Was it just my imagination? I think I caught my junior’s scent…”

A cold wave washed over Lynch. His entire body felt like it had been plunged into ice.

Suddenly, he recalled that many of Richard’s belongings were in his Space Ring. When organizing it earlier, he had inevitably handled some of those items.

According to Richard’s journals, Barton’s body had undergone multiple organ modifications, including sniffing cells from a Split Demon Hound being implanted in his nose. Could it be that even faint traces carried over?

’No, impossible!’

’Even a Split Demon Hound couldn’t have such exaggerated olfactory abilities.’

’Stay calm!’

Constantly reminding himself, Lynch subtly channeled his spiritual power and silently prepared spells, ready for the worst-case scenario.

“Where is it?”

Barton’s nose twitched more rapidly as he slowly moved closer to Lynch…

Lynch’s palms were slick with sweat. His spiritual energy was tightly coiled, and several magic models in his Sea of Consciousness were already silently activated, primed for combat.

’Thump! Thump!’

Despite the noisy street, Lynch could almost hear his own heartbeat pounding in his chest.

Thankfully, after sniffing for a while, Barton shook his head, as though he hadn’t discovered anything.

He said, “Finding that little rat won’t be easy in a short time. I’m planning to head to the Ramos Duchy for a feast before resuming my watch. Want to join me?”

The vendor said, “You dare go there? You and your mentor are wanted men now. Aren’t you afraid the White Wizards will come for you?”

Barton nonchalantly replied, “We’ve already paid the price for breaking the rules. If those white-robed fools come after us now, they’ll be the ones overstepping. And a meal served at my doorstep… tastes far better than ordinary mortals.”

He opened his mouth, extending an impossibly large tongue to lick his thick lips, a gleam of pure greed in his eyes.

’Whew….’ Lynch exhaled in relief.

’It’s been years. Any scent left on Richard’s belongings would’ve completely dissipated by now. Even if faint traces remain, they can’t possibly cling to me from just brief contact. Not even a Split Demon Hound could catch a whiff.’

’All this is knowledge—clearly documented in books. Perfectly understood. Then why am I afraid? What’s there to fear?’

’Ultimately… it’s still…’

’A lack of cultivation…’

He had thought his progress in recent years was sufficient to thrive in this cruel Wizard World. But now, Lynch realized he was far weaker than he had imagined.

Both in strength and mental fortitude, he had much to improve.

The smooth sailing he’d experienced recently, along with his complacency after advancing to a Mid-level Apprentice, evaporated quickly. Though nothing had truly happened today, the terror served as a sharp reminder:

In this brutal world, he was still weak—so weak that he couldn’t truly protect himself.

’Keep it up!’

Shaking his head, Lynch turned and quickly disappeared into the bustling market crowd…

…

Who knows how much time had passed…

“Achoo!”

Grupa stretched and woke up under a tree.

“Where am I?”

Rubbing his eyes, he looked around to find himself in a strange forest.

Grupa recalled in confusion, “How did I end up here… Ah!”

His face changed as he remembered that peculiar experience. Images of the bizarre market and that man with the exaggerated mouth crashing into him flooded his mind.

“Right, that eerie market… and them… where did they go?”

But as he scanned his surroundings, he found no trace of any market or Wizards. This was merely a plain, desolate wilderness.

“Could it have all been a dream?”

Grupa shook his head and laughed at himself. “Haha, hahahaha.”

“I can’t believe I’d dream about something so strange. Guess Jack and the others are right. I should stop indulging in unrealistic fantasies. Time to find a woman and settle down…”

Before he could finish, his voice abruptly ceased.

That was because he had suddenly noticed a massive, golden pile of glittering gold at his feet.

Grupa’s eyelid twitched violently.

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