Wizards: Starting with Fairy Crests

036: I am the Shadow Raven

Lin Qi thought the matter of the Phantom Cat Demon wouldn't be resolved anytime soon, but to his surprise, just a week later he received a letter from Maltz:

A wandering wizard apprentice happened to have this material.

However, the other party did not intend to sell the materials directly, and the transaction method was a bit special.

He is needed to assist in exploring a historical site...

......

Two weeks later, in Rusty City, at the "Mole and the Owl" tavern.

Wearing an unassuming gray-brown travel cloak, Lynch pushed open the scratched wooden door of "The Mole and the Owl."

The stale air, the greasy smell of cheap beer and barbecue, and the smell of sweat and some dubious spices immediately hit you.

The lighting was dim, the noise was deafening, and all sorts of people mingled together, most of them with their hats pulled low or hiding in corners.

He had only taken a few steps when a scantily clad, heavily made-up dancer swayed enthusiastically towards him, her hand, painted with bright red nail polish, reaching for his arm: "Hey, handsome sir, all alone? Want a drink, or…?"

Lynch sidestepped, the hood of his cloak obscuring most of his face, revealing only his sharply defined jawline.

He interrupted the other person in a calm voice: "I'm looking for 'Shadow Raven'."

The dancer looked bewildered. "Shadow Crow? Sir, we don't have any guests with that name here, nor do we have any birds like that. Have you come to the wrong place?"

Lin Qi slightly raised his head, and in the shadows beneath his hood, his gaze seemed to sweep over her: "No?"

His tone was emotionless, and he seemed to give up on pressing the matter: "It's alright. So, now I am 'Shadow Raven'."

The dancer was even more puzzled, blinking her eyes which were covered in heavy eyeshadow.

Lin Qi said no more, and took out a shiny gold coin from his pocket, which looked particularly tempting under the dim yellow oil lamplight of the tavern.

He casually tapped the gold coin lightly on the wooden table beside him with a soft "tap." The sound was not loud, but it seemed to have a magical power, instantly attracting the dancer's full attention. A greedy light flashed in her eyes.

"Find me a quiet, private room," Lin Qi instructed. "Also, prepare some food and drinks and bring them in. Also..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "If anyone comes looking for 'Shadow Raven' later, bring him to see me."

The dancer's gaze was practically glued to the gold coin. Upon hearing this, she instantly transformed, grabbing the coin with astonishing speed and stuffing it into her bosom. Her professional smile turned unusually eager: "Of course! Your Excellency, please follow me! We have the quietest back room here, guaranteed to be undisturbed!"

She swayed her hips and led the way eagerly, taking Lin Qi away from the noisy hall.

After passing through a narrow corridor filled with the smells of mold and food scraps, you arrive at the deepest part of a small room with a heavy curtain hanging on the door.

The room was small, with only a square table and a few old chairs, and a dim oil lamp hanging on the wall.

"My lord, are you satisfied with this?" The dancer lowered her already open neckline, revealing a patch of snow-white skin, leaned forward slightly, and looked on with undisguised expectation in her eyes: "Is there anything else... that I should specifically 'order'?"

Lin Qi didn't even glance at the parts of her body she was deliberately showing off. He walked straight to the table and sat down, his voice still flat: "That's all. Make sure to close the door when you leave."

A flicker of obvious disappointment crossed the dancer's face, but after touching the gold coins at her chest, she immediately put on a smile again: "Yes, sir, I'll go prepare your drinks and food right away! I promise it'll be quick!"

She turned and left, carefully pulling the heavy curtain closed behind her.

The room fell silent again, with only the faint sounds of laughter and clinking of cups and plates coming from next door.

Lynch sat quietly, without removing his hood, and simply took out a magic book to read.

Time passed slowly. About half an hour later, the curtain was lifted again.

The dancer stepped aside to let someone in, then quickly retreated.

The man who entered was of medium build, around thirty years old, wearing a dark cloak and a hood.

After he entered the room, his gaze quickly swept across the small space, finally landing on Lin Qi, who was sitting quietly at the table.

He took a few steps closer, and across the table, spoke in a deliberately lowered, tentative tone: "Shadow Raven?"

Lin Qi looked up, the shadow under the hood shifting slightly as if glancing at the door, before replying in a flat tone, "Looks like he's late."

Upon hearing this, the man did not press further about "Shadow Raven's" identity. Instead, he walked directly to the other side of the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down. He remained silent, only occasionally adjusting his posture subtly, revealing his inner wariness and waiting.

Only the soft breathing of the two people remained in the room, the atmosphere subtle and tense.

About half an hour later, the curtain was lifted for the third time.

This time, the dancer introduced a slightly slender figure, also wearing a hooded cloak, who seemed younger judging from her walking posture and the line of her exposed chin.

The newcomer stood at the door, and the eyes of the two people who had arrived earlier in the room immediately focused on him.

He raised his hand and slowly pulled down his hood, revealing a young, slightly pale face in his early twenties with a cynical smile, and his dark brown hair was somewhat messy.

His gaze swept over the two silent figures at the table, a slight smile playing on his lips. He spoke first, his voice clear and bright:

"Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you both. I think we're waiting for the same thing."

He paused, then his smile deepened.

"I am 'Shadow Raven'."

Shadow Raven, a wandering wizard apprentice from the outer witch realm, is the one who organized today's mysterious gathering. Shadow Raven is their secret code.

He was the owner of the Phantom Cat Demon bloodline, and Lin Qi's trading partner.

He originally didn't intend to sell the Phantom Cat Demon in his possession, but after hearing that Lin Qi was a wizard apprentice skilled in potions, he changed his mind.

He proposed that if Lin Qi helped him complete a mission, he would offer up the bloodline of the Phantom Cat Demon.

The Phantom Cat Demon has been entrusted to the Stock family, a third party, for safekeeping, and its reputation is fully guaranteed.

The task at hand is to assist him in exploring a historical site.

Lin Qi originally refused.

After all, there are always unknown risks in places like ruins, and it's not worth risking his precious and fragile novice period for a piece of high-level apprentice-level monster bloodline material.

Even if you can't get it right away, someone will eventually sell it to you.

However, after hearing the name of the site, Lynch quickly changed his attitude.

The name of this ruin is the Potions Garden.

As its name suggests, it is a ruin primarily for potions, and it is speculated that many valuable potion recipes can be found there.

Of course, these are not the point.

The key point is that I am quite familiar with this Ruins of Lynch; I have soloed it hundreds of times in the game.

They knew exactly what dangers were inside and where the treasures were.

More importantly...

Inside there...

However, there exists the most precious treasure in the wizarding world, the ultimate goal that all wizards dream of and strive for—

life!