Who left their last words here?

Chapter 68 Let Me Try (Two Chapters Combined)

Zhu Luo Ji.

Since this is a matter of concern, Bai Zhou cannot turn a blind eye.

Stop and watch; someone is trying to repair it.

"let me try."

The speaker was a high-level extraordinary being with considerable strength. The witch looked at the vigorous spiritual energy emanating from him and a glimmer of hope rose in her heart.

In the mystical world, a high-level extraordinary being may not necessarily be a master of mysticism, but a master of mysticism is definitely not a low-level extraordinary being.

But not long after, with a hum from the wand, the magic runes that the person had carved on it faded on their own, and the wand glowed and rippled.

"Om-"

The man exclaimed in surprise, forced back several steps by the dark red ripples.

"What a fierce magic wand!"

The man shook his head solemnly:
"Common repair formulas are completely inapplicable; it's an ancient magic rune I've never seen before!"

At this moment, a passerby asked, "So, how many kinds of magic runes have you seen in total?"

"Uh--"

The man was speechless.

"Sure enough, it failed again..."

A passerby wearing a cloak remarked to the witch sitting behind her stall:
“You’ve been coming here for a year now, haven’t you? I’ve gotten used to you being a holdout.”

"We haven't been able to repair the magic runes on this wand even after a year... It seems unlikely we'll be able to in the future."

"How about we try selling him? I have him here..."

The words have not yet fallen.

The witch in the cloak looked up upon hearing this and cast her gaze from afar.

The burning spirituality blooms for a fleeting moment.

In that instant, the speaker felt a chill, as if being stared at by a prehistoric beast, with alarms sounding incessantly from the depths of his cells.

Although the feeling was fleeting, when the speaker came to his senses, he realized that his back was already soaked with sweat.

"If you can't help, then mind your own business!"

The voice was cold, gender ambiguous, and harsh, yet carried an inexplicable sense of oppression.

Clearly, the witch had taken special measures in this regard.

"you……"

The person who was about to speak hesitated, sweating profusely.

Finally, without uttering a word, he slunk away as if fleeing.

Seeing his dejected figure, the onlookers also began to consider giving up.

At this time.

An aged voice came from behind, and an old man leaning on a cane slowly walked over.

"How about I give it a try?"

"Pap, tap, tap..."

Before people arrived, there was the sound of a cane hitting the ground.

Although he was also wearing a black cloak, he didn't seem to care much about his identity being exposed.

His voice was undisguised, and the exquisite cane revealed some of his identity; he appeared calm and unfathomable.

Beside him, two men in black cloaks followed, obeying his orders and standing tall and straight.

It's clear that this old man has quite a presence.

"yes……?"

Some people can vaguely determine a person's identity by observing various characteristics.

But it is precisely because of this that we are even more suspicious and uncertain.
"Could they be from the armory?"

The hushed conversation reached Bai Zhou's ears.

A sense of curiosity arose in his heart.

Armory...which faction is behind this?
A new term.

It sounds like an official organization, perhaps one that manages ordnance logistics...

But what resources could someone from such an institution lack?
What are you doing in a "sewer" like the Ghost Market?
"Young man, you're lucky to have met me."

The elderly man, leaning on a cane, chuckled and approached.
"It looks like an antique; I'm quite interested."

"Give it to me, let me take a look."

His seemingly gentle tone, full of smiles, carried an air of undeniable authority due to his confidence and composure.

Intimidated by the other party's posture, the witch hesitated before handing over her wand.

"...Then thank you for your help."

A cloaked figure, resembling a follower, stepped forward, took the wand, and handed it to the old man with both hands.

"……Um?"

Holding the wand in his hand and examining it carefully, the old man, who had been in a casual state, gradually became serious.

Because he didn't understand it at first glance?
On the other side, watching the old man manipulate the magic wand from afar, Bai Zhou was able to see the entire wand.

The broken wand has a waxed ebony upper half that is smooth and warm, with a dark red gemstone covered in cracks at the top.

The lower half is made of corroded bronze, which is cut off after only one-third of its length has been extended.

But looking at its extended shape, one can't help but have doubts...

When its lower half is normal, it might be a sharp javelin.

—The upper half is a magic wand, and the lower half is a javelin that can be thrown?
What kind of design is this?

Such "pragmatic" behavior reminded Bai Zhou of the pile of gaudy junk on the battlefield.

A style that is exactly the same.

Bai Zhou knew without even thinking that there must be a mechanism on this magic wand!

He spotted the subtly embedded button in the ebony wood at a glance...

Bai Zhou even had reason to suspect that the wand was not severed by any external force.

Instead, it triggered a mechanism that fired the javelin, leaving only half of it!
The other half of the javelin might not necessarily end up in the head of any old skeleton.

...At this moment, the old man was curiously studying what the button did.

More and more people gathered nearby.

Even in the mysterious world, extraordinary individuals cannot escape the human nature of watching a spectacle.

After a while, he took out an exquisite quill pen with a spiral pattern, while the person next to him took out a box of paint that faintly gleamed with a mysterious luster.

Dipping the brush tip in paint, the old man began to paint along the broken lines of the magic wand.

"No mistake, this is Mr. Li, the specially appointed consultant of the armory!"

Those who knew their stuff recognized the old man by his paint and quill brush.

"Which expert, Li?"

Someone asked uncertainly, "You're not talking about that..."

"It's what you think it is."

"The Arbiter-300 enchanted pistol, which is popular among high-ranking officials, is his masterpiece!"

"Whether it's the improvement of the gun's structure or the enchantments applied to it, they are all works of art."

Immediately, people started discussing it:
"The Arbiter-300 enchanted pistol... isn't it a notoriously popular and sought-after item in the Ghost Market?"

"Last time one appeared in the ghost market, it was equipped with fifteen enchanted bullets, and it was sold for a high price within five minutes."

"..."

Bai Zhou understood immediately upon hearing this.

Sure enough, it was pretty much as he had expected.

The armory's specially appointed consultant was, of course, responsible for researching and modifying weaponry...

If it were other types of weaponry, Bai Zhou could say he didn't know much about them.

But what about "Arbitrator-300"?
He truly knows this.

After all, he happened to have one.

...I just never expected to meet its developers here.

No wonder he doesn't care much about whether his identity is discovered.

Not to mention the two unpredictable people beside him, even if he were to reveal his true colors and parade around the city, no one would dare to do anything to him...

In the Ghost Market, a place frequented by extraordinary loners, the word "official" carries immense weight!

In the mouths of these people, a master of mysticism in magic runes seems to be rarer and more worthy of awe than an ordinary high-level extraordinary person!

—Every master of mysticism who is proficient in their respective field is like an aristocrat among the extraordinary!
After all, for extraordinary individuals who are used to digging up graves, repairing magic runes, breaking curses, and deciphering secret codes are simply daily routines they cannot avoid in their lives.

Everyone needs to ask for help sometimes, unless you are an all-rounder.

Therefore, every master of the occult, even if they are not very good at fighting, usually looks like an old scholar, trembling and unsteady...

But if they were willing, the energy they unleashed would be absolutely terrifying, and no one would want to offend them.

This expert, a genuine master craftsman specially appointed by the government and involved in the development of enchanted firearms, was already a legendary figure unattainable to the people in the Ghost Market. There was no reason for him to appear in a mere Ghost Market.

A single word can secure various resources from official organizations; going to the "ghost market" is just a waste of time.

Unless, something attracts him—

Bai Zhou's eyes flickered, and his heart tightened.

He thought of the auction.

"..."

"Om-"

As I was pondering this, I suddenly heard a soft sound.

The magic runes the old man had drawn on it faded and disappeared, and ominous ripples emanated from the wand.

The old man retreated repeatedly, and his wand fell from his hand, only to be caught by the quick-thinking witch.

Supported by two attendants, the old man's earlier smugness and self-satisfaction vanished, leaving him awkwardly silent for a long time.

"Ashamed."

"It should be a product of this civilization, but it is at least an enchanted weapon from two thousand years ago, or even earlier."

The old man shook his head.
"I tried more than a dozen magic rune repair methods, but none of them could guide the magic rune to continue successfully. It seems that its magic rune has its own system, which is very different from the magic rune theory commonly seen in modern times."

"Come to think of it, I seem to have seen similar patterns recorded before... but I need to go back and consult the ancient texts."

As he spoke, he looked at the witch who was carefully examining her wand and said seriously:
"Young man, I'm quite interested in studying its magic runes. If it's convenient, would you be willing to part with it?"

"The price is negotiable."

"You should know that research on it may contribute to the advancement of official equipment."

"...I'm a little confused about what you're talking about, old man."

The witch scratched her head, her androgynous voice speaking directly:

"You almost dropped my wand on the ground just now, and I haven't even asked you for compensation yet!"

"—Doesn't this sign clearly state? Repairing magic runes! Not for sale!"

Enraged by the witch's rudeness, the two attendants stepped forward:

Do you know who you're talking to?!

A subtle spiritual stirring.

Passersby were shocked to discover that these two seemed to be Level 3 Extraordinary Individuals.
Even if they are not Level 3 Extraordinary, they will not be too far off.

The fact that these two individuals were assigned to accompany and protect him demonstrates the Armory's high regard for this "expert master."

unexpectedly……

The witch, who had been holding back for a long time, immediately glared back, her surging aura erupting once more:

"—Then do you even know who you're talking to?"

A terrifying oppressive force emanated from the witch, baring its fangs and claws as it enveloped the two of them, instantly turning their faces, hidden beneath their cloaks, deathly pale.

The pressure is immense and relentless.

Only then did they realize the immense pressure the person who had slunk away earlier had been under...

This seems to be a...

Level 5 Extraordinary?
Where are Level 5 Extraordinary Individuals not in positions of high rank and power?

—Setting up a stall on the side of the road in the ghost market?

They've run into a brick wall, but you can't really blame them.

Who knows what kind of weird thing this iron plate has? It likes to disguise itself as cotton!

"I'm very sorry, please forgive them for taking matters into their own hands..."

The old man, leaning on his cane, came forward, apologized politely, and then tentatively inquired with uncertainty.

"you are……"

The witch then withdrew her imposing aura and let out a cold snort:
"I don't care who you are, this is a ghost market, understand?"

In the ghost market, everyone hid their faces.

In other words, whatever the people here do will not be exposed immediately.

"Understood, I understand..."

The old man nodded, then shook his head with a wry smile.

"Actually, I didn't mean any harm; I was just tempted by the opportunity..."

Miss Witch waved her hand:

"It's nothing. I'm just not very interested in contributing to Tinghai. You guys should go look around elsewhere; you might find something new."

The words, which were a veiled attempt to get rid of him, made the old man sigh, and he then prepared to leave.

Although the unfamiliar magic runes captivated him, he was speechless in the atmosphere, and it was clear that the other person cherished the wand immensely.

They never intended to sell it.

They can't fix it, and the one with the bigger fist is the one who has the strongest fist. What else can we say?
"..."

Beneath the cloak, the witch's flat chest pounded loudly.

So exciting!

Normally, the [Gem Witch] would never dare to speak so arrogantly to official experts and masters.

But things are different now.

Nobody knows her.

There is no kind neighbor, the Gem Witch, to the weak who listen to the sea; there is only a mysterious merchant, stall owner, and vendor.

Don the cloak and be yourself!
She had disliked this old man for a long time.

Whether it was the other party's arrogant and condescending demeanor, or their subsequent righteous and self-righteous attitude that demanded others make contributions...

Although those feelings were very faint, as someone who directly faced them—

How she was initially fooled and obediently handed over the wand, and how angry and annoyed she became when she realized what had happened.

But it's okay—

After I finished yelling at them, the other person quieted down, and I felt refreshed.

From toes to the top of the head, everything feels refreshed.

Who told her to have such big fists?
I wish I could be the "Jewel Witch" during the day and transform into a masked, cloaked figure at night, striking hard against anything I don't like!

The only pity is...

The witch gazed at the wand held in her hands and sighed softly.

Unfortunately, the wand could not be repaired.

It's been a year, and even these so-called experts can't do it...

Is there really anyone who can repair the Listening Sea?

Actually, repairing the wand itself might not be particularly important to her.

The important thing is that she needs someone who can repair these magical runes.

Only in this way can she have hope...

Forget it.

The witch shook her head.

Ignoring the awe-inspiring onlookers from afar, the disheartened witch prepared to pack up and leave.

However, at this moment——

"let me try."

A soft voice suddenly came from a corner behind the crowd.

Everyone turned their heads to look.

Who is it?
So stubborn, didn't you see Master Li getting humiliated?
The elderly expert, who was about to leave with his group, also stopped and looked back in surprise.

A mysterious person wearing a very strange cloak—

And so it came into everyone's view.

He's really "mysterious," so mysterious that he has words on his body!
"A mass grave... what is this?"

Some people couldn't help but read out the strange characters on it.

When he realized what he was saying, he immediately shivered and stopped talking abruptly.

Reason in his mind quickly stopped him from continuing to read.

Why does it feel like... a curse attached to the cloak?
Do such high-class mystery cloaks really exist?
then.

A person wearing a strange cloak stepped out from the crowd, drawing various curious glances.

Bai Zhou silently calculated the auction's time, realizing he might be in a bit of a rush.

He needs to speed up the process of getting things done.

Then, under the witch's strange gaze, he pointed to the magic wand in her hand:
"I feel like I have a special connection with it."

Bai Zhou coughed lightly and asked:
"—Let me try?"

(End of this chapter)