Chapter 563: Section 350: Zhongyong: I want 500 gold!
This night, Bu Quan had also not slept well.
Unlike the Dragon-man youth, she was awakened by a nightmare.
In her dream, she had returned to the deepest parts of her memory, to the moment she could hardly bear to recall.
Holding a middle-aged female Snow Elf in her arms, she cried out in agony and despair, “Amu, please don’t die, don’t die! Don’t leave me…”
The nanny, who had almost raised her from childhood, looked at Bu Quan with gentle and loving eyes, “Little Quan, though Elves are long-lived, they ultimately must die.”
“Our parting has merely come a bit sooner.”
“Do not think of seeking revenge, absolutely not. Run, hurry and leave this place.”
“You are too kind-hearted, child. After you leave Amu, be cautious, and do not be too trusting of others. You know, it is very difficult to judge a person’s heart by their appearance, or even by their actions.”
“Hearts change even more.”
“Take good care of yourself, Amu can no longer be with you.”
“Live on well…”
The middle-aged female Elf in Bu Quan’s arms breathed her last.
The next moment, Bu Quan opened her eyes on her bed, her face full of tears.
The overwhelming sadness made it hard for her to fall asleep.
She sat at her desk, pulled out an alchemy device from the drawer, and activated it.
The Magic Image of her nanny appeared before her.
In the past, whenever she could not cope, she would activate this alchemy device, drawing hope for survival and motivation for revenge from the maternal love it provided.
“Amu, please rest in peace.”
“I have avenged you, with the alchemy tool I sent out.”
Many times, like now, she awoke from similar nightmares.
But this time, recalling what had happened in the dueling field, the sadness in Bu Quan’s heart was no longer so intense, and much of the pain was removed.
Bu Quan turned off the alchemy tool and put it back in the drawer.
In the drawer, there was also another alchemy tool containing a Magic Image, which recorded the dueling process of the Dragon-man youth against Teng Donglang.
Bu Quan placed the two alchemy tools side by side.
In another corner of the drawer was a diploma.
It was signed by her mentor.
During her days at the Alchemy Guild, her female mentor had greatly supported her.
The scene of their parting was forever etched in the deepest part of her memory.
“Teacher, I’m leaving.” At the door of the Mage Tower, Bu Quan said goodbye reluctantly.
The middle-aged looking female Elf sighed, “Bu Quan, do not waste your talent, do not let down my expectations for you.”
The female mentor knew that Bu Quan was returning to Snowbird Port for a reason.
She wanted to say something caring, but knew that it was best to keep this secret to herself.
She fell silent for a moment, then finally said, “I won’t say much else.”
“Here is your diploma, use it to report to the local Alchemy Guild, and you will receive the appropriate support.”
“Come back soon.”
“No matter when you return, the door here is always open for you.”
The other apprentices behind the female Mage heard this and were immediately astonished, then showed envy and jealousy towards Bu Quan.
“I remember!” Bu Quan choked up, tears welling up in her eyes, and finally she left.
As her memories faded, Bu Quan’s eyes refocused on the diploma.
She gently touched the certificate cover with her fingers, feeling the texture of the frosted surface.
The nanny taught Bu Quan to be skeptical.
Her mentor taught her to always remain curious and strive for knowledge.
The combination of these two shaped the heart of Bu Quan as a Mage.
Her original plan was: after successfully avenging herself against the Saber Gang, to return to the Mage Tower, back to her mentor, and continue exploring the vast and mysterious domain of alchemy.
Bu Quan had never expected that the Saber Gang would be destroyed so suddenly, so swiftly.
This surpised her, and she was also mostly unprepared.
And at the ball, the invitation from the Dragon-man youth made her heart flutter.
The path of her life had brought her to a crossroad.
One path led to the Mage Tower, towards the alchemical world she was curious and yearned for.
The other path stood a Dragon-man youth, reaching out his hand, inviting her with a smile.
However, behind the Dragon-man youth was shrouded in layers of mist.
After serious thought, Bu Quan realized she knew very little about the Dragon-man youth.
“What kind of person is he really? I’ve only seen his performance in battle, but what about his true character? What are his past experiences?”
“Could he be another version of the Saber Gang? His cordial invitation, could it mainly value the alchemy in me?”
“After all, my perception of him and his perception of me are completely different.”
“Behind Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps is a mysterious arms dealer. I am an alchemy master, with multiple Alchemy Workshops under me; isn’t this exactly what an arms dealer needs?”
The deeper Bu Quan thought, the more furrowed her brows became.
Her heart was filled with inquiry, confusion, and growing suspicion towards the Dragon-man youth.
As Zi Di analyzed about the Dragon-man youth— once Bu Quan really thought things through, she would distance herself more from the Dragon Lion Mercenary Group.
After all, their connection was weak, with meetings being few and far between.
The carriage wheels rolled rapidly on the cobblestoned street, producing a series of light clatters.
At this moment, an Alchemy Mage sat in the carriage, sharing the same curiosity and troubles as Bu Quan.
“Long Fu, what kind of person is the squad leader who could, as a Silver Level, defeat and kill a Golden Level!”
“What exactly is the Dragon Lion Mercenary Group? Is being a mercenary group just their outward identity?”
This Alchemy Mage was called Zhongyong, his Mage Level was Silver Level, and his professional title was Alchemist.
He was covered with blue scales, had a fish head, with yellow eyes tinted with a hint of green.
He was not tall, with a broad back, and a back fin shimmering with a touch of gold.
This was characteristic of the Fishman Race— Blue Gold Fin Bloodline.
The magical talent of Fishmen is poor, but the Blue Gold Fin Bloodline is a rare magical bloodline among the Fishman Race.
Zhongyong was also very lucky.
The concentration of the Blue Gold Fin Bloodline in his body was not low, sustaining him all the way to Silver Level, which was his limit.
The achievements of the Dragon-man youth amazed Zhongyong.
Even though he was a Mage, being a Transcendent like him, Zhongyong understood how rare such achievements were.
Feeling the pressure already from Long Fu, whom he hadn’t yet met,
“To create such achievements, he must be extraordinary. It also explains why the family decided to transfer me to him.”
Zhongyong was willing to follow such a strong leader.
His real concern was— would the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps provide him with a good working environment? Could they provide him with sufficient alchemy materials?
A mercenary group and a family are different.
The mercenary group often traveled around, while Zhongyong had long been accustomed to and enjoyed making potions safely at the family base.
Zhongyong had never thought that his unchanging life would undergo such a drastic change the day before yesterday.
His personal will was easily overlooked in the face of the family’s big plans.
Zhongyong, raised by the family since childhood, although unwilling, had not said a word to fight for himself. He always understood his position.
He was a Fishman, an Alchemist trained by the family, now a crucial chip for the family’s major interactions.
“The most important thing is my salary.”
“My annual salary in the family is 260 gold.”
“The normal market price is 300 gold per year.”
“When negotiating with the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, start by asking for 500 gold, to facilitate bargaining.”
“Both of the Mercenary Corps’ Mages were assassinated, they urgently need an Alchemy Mage, and with the mysterious arms dealer backing them, perhaps they would agree to the 500 gold!”
The carriage arrived at the wharf, and the sky was not yet bright.
From afar where the sea met the sky, a white glow was already visible.
It was dawn.
The Fish Market had started, and the sounds of trading gradually increased.
Zhongyong got off the carriage, stood at the wharf, and saw the sea ships of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.
“Why are there only three ships?” the Fishman Mage was momentarily disappointed, “Even the flagship is only Black Iron Level?”
These assets seemed rather meager.
What Zhongyong did not know was, before he arrived at the wharf, Zong Ge had already led a group of people, embarked on a ship, and gone out for military training.
During this time, the vast majority of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps lived on the ships, without even setting foot on the dock.
After the Saber Gang was destroyed, Zong Ge finally seized the opportunity.
He endured another day, knowing the Dragon-man youth had returned from the dinner, and finally confirmed it was safe.
By early the next morning, he was eagerly leading a bunch of people running off.
According to him, these guys needed training, a lot of training, to make up for the previous waste of time!
The Fishman Mage explained his presence, and the guarding mercenary immediately went to report.
Soon, the Dragon-man youth personally came down to welcome him, “Hello, Zhongyong Mage, I am Long Fu, welcome to join my mercenary group.”
Zhongyong hurriedly showed his gratitude.
The Dragon-man youth, just standing before him with his burly figure and unusual demeanor, made him sense the stature of a strong man.
“So young.”
“The person before me is the one who won over someone stronger, killed a Golden Level existence!”
“But now, he personally came to welcome me.”
Zhongyong felt valued and it further firmed his thoughts while on the carriage.
“It seems that the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps really needs an Alchemy Mage. An annual salary of 500 gold is quite possible. As long as I insist…”
Zhongyong pondered, however, in the next moment, the Dragon-man youth did not board the ship with him.
A female Human Race Mage approached Zhongyong, “Hello, Zhongyong Mage, I am Yao Ma, Silver Level. Please board the ship.”
Yao Ma was Zi Di’s new identity.
Zhongyong was puzzled, “Isn’t the squad leader coming with us?”
“No, he is waiting for an important guest!” Zi Di explained with a smile, “We just received the news too.”
Zhongyong then realized, the Dragon-man youth hadn’t come to welcome him!