After having established a high level of trust through consistently reliable actions over an extended period, and with the added credibility of the Antares Mercenary Office under their banner.
When assessing various factors such as skills, reliability, teamwork, personality, and character, it becomes challenging to identify a more competent force than them.
Perhaps individuals like Chen, who collaborated with him in neutralizing the terrorist organization Falcon, could meet Lennok’s criteria.
However, it appeared that he was preoccupied with business preparations, so Lennok opted not to initiate contact with him.
Lennok double-checked that there were no unintentional audio leaks and proceeded to provide a concise account of the events that had transpired thus far.
Although there was no immediate necessity to disclose his possession of a portion of the ‘Compassion of Archangel’ relic, he found himself obliged to elucidate the circumstances that had led to his conflict with the exploration team, as cooperation without this context would be unfeasible.
As he attentively listened, Dylan’s countenance grew increasingly somber.
“Hmm…”
He scratched his fully-masked visage and, with a canned coffee in hand, articulated his thoughts.
“So, in a nutshell, you’re planning to square off against the Arasha Exploration Team.”
“No, it has practically already started.”
“So they’re not yet aware that you’re the opponent?”
“I assume so, but I could be exposed at any time.”
Listening to Lennok’s response, Dylan concurred with a nod.
“Then it is indeed risky.”
“Risky, you say?”
“Not for you, but for Jenny. Weren’t you with her at the auction house?”
“………”
Dylan persisted in conversation, observing Lennok’s wordless demeanor.
“There’s no guarantee that the exploration team, active outside of Vulcan, won’t mess with the broker. From their point of view, once they finish their business in Vulcan, there’s no need to follow any unwritten rule of not messing with the brokers.”
“Hmm…”
It was an accurate assessment.
In fact, it was an issue that Lennok had been aware of but hadn’t given serious consideration until now.
Up to this point, commission resolutions had strictly maintained a business-client relationship, and self-defense had been his sole responsibility.
However, this situation was distinct.
The threat posed by the exploration team was a risk stemming solely from Lennok’s personal affairs, and it wouldn’t be equitable for Jenny’s establishment to bear the full burden of that.
Observing Lennok’s intricate expression, Dylan offered a reassuring pat on his shoulder, accompanied by a warm smile.
“It really shows that you haven’t been in this line of work for long.”
“………”
“Don’t overthink it. Do you really think Jenny is only relying on the unwritten rules between brokers? More likely, she has dozens of contingency plans for self-defense.”
Certainly, Jenny had been a broker in this city long before Lennok arrived, so he wouldn’t expect her to be careless in such matters. However, it’s still another story if she suffers because of him.
Being a business partner strictly on a professional level, he needed to be cautious about incurring any debt in such matters.
“So, you have to deal with Irina Pheffield… Now that’s interesting.”
Dylan pondered, stroking his chin with his gloved, hefty hand.
“I’m quite familiar with her name. She’s rumored to be a top-notch player among the currently active exploration teams…”
“………”
“An exploration team, huh… Hmm…”
Dylan sank into deep thought for a long time.
Considering his usual impulsiveness, this was a surprising reaction.
It was quite different from Lennok’s expectation that he’d quickly get an answer, be it acceptance or rejection.
However, that didn’t mean Lennok couldn’t give Dylan time to ponder, so he sipped his canned coffee and silently waited for his decision.
Lately, he has been cutting down on smoking and instead pacifying his cravings with various quit-smoking and health products. Coffee hasn’t been too bad either.
After a brief moment, Dylan hesitantly opened his mouth.
“Sorry, the truth is I had something already planned. It took me some time to decide.”
“That’s fine. If you have a prior commitment, you don’t need to focus on my request.”
Dylan was his first choice, but it doesn’t have to be him.
If he needs a suitable substitute right now, there shouldn’t be a big issue finding someone within this Antares mercenary Office.
Weren’t there people among those who were mumbling about him earlier who wanted to work with Lennok?
However, Dylan shook his head firmly.
“But if you promise me one thing, I’d like to cancel my plans and collaborate on your task.”
“There’s no need for that.”
Despite Lennok’s hesitant reply, Dylan continued.
“Arasha Exploration Team is famous for exploring many ruins and collecting artifacts, but the actual number of items they’ve released to the public is relatively few compared to other teams. Hence, there’s a lot of talk that they must have hoarded a considerable treasure.”
“Is that so?”
“Forget everything else. Just let me pick one item from their treasure after everything is done.”
Dylan’s expression was more serious than ever.
“There’s something specific I’m looking for. I want to participate in this operation for that reason alone…I won’t accept any payment.”
“……..”
Lennok did not immediately respond, instead crossing his arms.
“I’d like to hear what it is you’re looking for first.”
If it’s the ‘Compassion of Archangel’ that Dylan wants, regrettably, it would be hard to accommodate his request.
Because of an incident at Rabatenon University, Lennok had already verified the potential of the rainbow-colored gem he’d acquired.
A teleportation formula that didn’t require mana.
For Lennok, that was virtually the only clue that could solve his chronic lack of mobility.
Though the technique was only confirmed to work on inanimate objects through various experiments, its potential when combined with Irina’s wand remained unknown.
For that reason, Lennok had to secure the ‘Compassion of Archangel’.
After a moment of consideration, Dylan replied.
“I’m looking for an item from the ‘Gido’ series. You should be able to identify it easily.”
“‘Gido’?”
To elaborate, it means the Law of Ghosts.
It might sound unfamiliar, but Lennok was surprisingly well-acquainted with the term.
It’s the name of an enigmatic cult in the universe of WORLD 2.0, a game Lennok used to immerse himself in as a Magic Musketeer.
To encounter that term now couldn’t be mere chance.
Dylan’s clandestine agenda, or perhaps the fundamental motive for his presence in this city, must be intricately linked to that cult.
If he’s requesting an item from the ‘Gido’ series as payment upon the operation’s success, it suggests that Dylan is urgently searching for something connected to it.
His candidness instilled a slightly higher level of trust in Lennok compared to others.
“Alright.”
Lennok nodded.
“Then we just need to find one more vanguard from this mercenary group.”
There was a rationale behind Lennok’s insistence on locating two suitable vanguards for this mission.
While he diligently gathered intelligence on the Arasha Exploration Team from various sources, their publicly available information was limited, almost negligible when compared to other factions in Vulcan.
To swiftly decipher the enigma of such a relatively obscure adversary, Lennok had to be prepared for every eventuality.
Being capable of handling any situation by himself was one matter, but the necessity of a companion to help him focus all his magical prowess when required was of significant importance.
“Uh, can I recommend someone then?”
Dylan’s grin accompanied his words.
“I happen to know someone who’s free at the moment.”
“If they’re competent, there’s no need for discussion.”
“Of course. You might even know the person.”
“…I might know them?”
Lennok furrowed his brow, sensing Dylan’s grin simultaneously.
******
Sebastian adeptly deciphered the numerical code that Lennok handed over. Managing such encrypted messages was a fundamental skill for brokers. While brokers themselves didn’t directly engage in code-breaking, familiarity with decryption experts was par for the course.
[Dealing with confidential documents often, you get used to handling a mixture of letters and numbers. In that sense, it wasn’t that hard.]
Listening to Sebastian’s composed voice on the phone, Lennok nodded.
[Rather, it wasn’t that difficult to figure out that the data, made up only of numbers, was related to geographical locations. By setting an absolute coordinate in the sky, I was able to backtrack the locations where the messages originated.]
The explanation was both straightforward and intricate, but Lennok grasped it effortlessly.
The spell for transmitting voices through the ‘Compassion of Archangel’ must operate via some intermediary point.
Once Lennok decoded the structure of the ability and extracted meaningful values, comprehending it wasn’t a formidable task.
[By using the planetary orbit and longitude coordinates at the moment when you backtracked the information, it wasn’t hard to find out where the information was being sent from.]
“So the information led to that mansion?”
Lennok replied, glancing around.
Situated on the border between Districts 22 and 24 was a dense forest. Officially, it was designated as an undeveloped area to preserve the environment, but nobody took that designation at face value. Hidden behind the thick foliage lay several secluded estates.
“These must be exclusive spots for the wealthy or politicians. This also gives an idea of the level of support the explorers receive.”
While Lennok shared his thoughts, someone seated beside him mumbled.
Dylan sported an unconventional attire that concealed every inch of his skin, accompanied by a full-face mask.
“The mansion looks even better than the photos.”
“According to Sebastian, a wealthy person bought the land to convert it into a new hospital. It’s a special villa probably built for someone’s recuperation. We can guess who that might be.”
“That’s an interesting story.”
Dylan, who had been examining the surroundings through a telescope, spoke with excitement.
“It feels like sneaking a peek into a superstar’s private life.”
“I’m quite curious as well.”
Mila, seated beside him and cleaning her shotgun, chimed in. As she swapped the magazine and racked the firearm, specks of dust swirled around, tainting her vibrant blue hair.
“Just from the rumors, it doesn’t sound like they’re treasure hunters but rather explorers. Other than the ‘Compassion of Archangel’, do we split the remaining treasure among the three of us?”
In response to Mila’s casual comment, Dylan shook his head disapprovingly.
“You idiot, worrying about that could get you shot. If you want to die, go hunt for treasure alone.”
“And what’s so great about you, who digs up antiques?”
“So you want to settle this here?”
As both exchanged steely glares, Lennok sighed.
“These idiots…”
He found it hard to believe that Dylan had recommended Mila, given their incessant quarreling.
Moreover, they weren’t even arguing about anything substantial; it was over petty matters.
While both were undoubtedly skilled mercenaries, working with two individuals who never missed an opportunity to complain became wearisome.
“Focus. I’m going to go over what we need to do before we go in.”
“……….”
Fortunately, both had previous experience collaborating with Lennok, so when he spoke, they listened.
This was natural, especially since Lennok had specifically requested Mila’s involvement in anticipation of this mission.
It was also possible due to his proven capabilities, earned through several successful ventures.
He silently channeled his mana into the ground, observing as the two individuals gathered around him.
Whizz..!
A surge of blue magical energy coursed through the grass, rapidly delineating the mansion’s structure.
The mercenaries’ expressions turned serious as the intricate magic projection unfolded before them, almost resembling a hologram.
“Heh, really…”
“Your manipulation skills are monstrous every time I see them. Is this even possible without the help of equipment?”
They were well aware of the formidable skill required to gather mana, shape it into light, create lines with that light, and sustain those lines to produce the illusion of a hologram.
The more they understood about the flow of magical energy within the body, the more they marveled at the techniques at Lennok’s fingertips.
Disregarding their reactions, Lennok extended his finger.
“There are three things we need to do.”
