**Beep beep beep.**
Bai Yi slowly opened his eyes, feeling groggy. At first, he stared blankly at his surroundings, then, after a moment, waved his hand casually. A worker bee, hidden in the hem of his windbreaker, flew toward the source of the mechanical sound and turned off the communicator.
He stretched and glanced at the stack of Barrett rifles piled high in the corner, a satisfied look crossing his face.
Instead of rushing to answer the call from the outside, he made his way to the treasure chests, staring at the bright yellow gold coins inside. As he took in the sight, a smile began to spread across his face.
It had been eleven days since his return to Dongwu City. In that time, the store's revenue had reached around three thousand gold coins. Bai Yi had deposited the coins into his panel. Now, he had nine thousand gold coins in hand, plus the Dawn Badge, which added another eighteen thousand in his bank account. His total savings had surpassed twenty-seven thousand.
This didn't even account for the equipment and items worth seven thousand that he had taken from the two Night Roses.
For the first time in a while, Bai Yi felt rich. Alchemy had three major categories and seven minor ones. He had already acquired knowledge in poisons and material science. Now, with his current wealth, he could afford to purchase another subject.
While the knowledge provided by the federal government was abundant and comprehensive—similar to university-level education—it was valuable nonetheless. However, to fully understand and utilize it, he needed to create physical objects, and Bai Yi realized that he still lacked the necessary material resources.
**Beep beep beep.**
As Bai Yi was lost in thought about his future plans, the mechanical sound of the communicator rang again. He frowned, but this time, he didn't ignore it. Instead, he quickly walked out.
It was afternoon, and Irene, the elf, was on duty. Neither she nor Orr would press the communicator twice unless something serious had happened.
The sound of gears turning echoed through the air as the huge metal door slowly opened. Bai Yi walked through the passage, opened another metal door, and entered the front hall.
"What's going on?" he asked.
Irene, who appeared a little pale, was still frantically pressing the call bell. At the sound of Bai Yi's voice, she jumped slightly, struggling to steady herself. With a trembling hand, she pointed outside. "Boss, look outside."
Bai Yi walked toward the door and looked out onto the street. The mummies standing on the sidewalk were hard to miss. The street, which was usually bustling with people, was now eerily deserted.
Outside, soldiers wearing black light armor and wielding Barrett Energy Guns were blocking the street. Two orc warriors with lower-silver strength stood guard at the entrance to Bai Yi's shop, keeping a vigilant eye on everything.
Bai Yi's frown deepened. It had only taken him ten days to upgrade his equipment and manufacture guns—what had happened in the meantime?
The soldiers outside were elite members of the Apocalypse Legion, who directly followed orders from the city lord. They acted as personal guards, typically stationed in the wealthier areas of the city. It was rare for them to mobilize on such a large scale, suggesting that something significant had occurred.
Before Bai Yi could ask about the situation, a young man in a white robe, wearing a cold expression, walked in, completely ignoring the two orc guards.
He scanned the room before locking eyes with Irene. "Did you see what happened just now?"
Although he posed the question, his tone was assertive, as though he already knew the answer.
Irene nodded, her voice strained and unnatural. "Y-yes, I saw it."
"Go ahead," the young man commanded. "Repeat what happened."
Irene hesitated, visibly frightened. "Just now, a person suddenly... split down the middle, like... like they were shedding clothes. A blood-red thing crawled out, and then the people around him started collapsing, their blood being sucked away into the air." Her voice trembled even more. "I-I don't know anything else."
"Trouble," the young man muttered impatiently. He took a step forward, but then froze, turning abruptly to look at the boy who had been standing beside him.
No one was allowed to commit crimes in an alchemist's lair, just as no one would dare break into a wizard's tower.
"What are you going to do to my employees?" Bai Yi asked calmly, though his voice carried a subtle edge of warning. His newly upgraded Demon Hunting Revolver was now aimed directly at the young man's head.
The young man's eyes flickered with annoyance, his gaze still cold. A faint magical aura began to radiate from him.
But just as things seemed to be escalating, the large screen behind Irene, which had been displaying product information, suddenly froze. Red lights flashed, and a scanning wave swept through the store, causing the data on the screen to jump.
[Detected super-indicator magic fluctuation. Scanning enemy attributes.]
[Name: Unknown.]
[Race: Human.]
[Occupation: Mage.]
[Level: 24. Rank: Mid-Bronze.]
[Danger Value: 0%.]
The commotion drew the attention of the guards at the door. The two orcs quickly moved in, their faces shifting with surprise. They hadn't expected this simple exchange to escalate into a confrontation.
The thinner orc warrior on the left quickly spoke. "Mr. Bai Yi, this is Seth from the Will family. He's working with Mr. Ernado, tracking a cult organization. Mr. Ernado is a powerful wizard above the silver level."
The orc on the right stepped forward, placing himself in front of Seth.
His voice was low, but firm. He provided Seth's identity and background, trying to de-escalate the situation.
As the orcs spoke, the large screen behind Irene flashed again, scanning the two newcomers. Their data appeared on the screen.
[Name: Garrett.]
[Race: Orc.]
[Occupation: Berserker.]
[Level: 36.]
[Rank: Lower Silver.]
[Danger Value: 30%.]
[Name: Magath.]
[Race: Orc.]
[Occupation: Swordsman.]
[Level: 35.]
[Rank: Lower Silver.]
[Danger Value: 30%.]
Bai Yi glanced at the data on the screen. After a brief exchange, Seth's information was confirmed.
He slowly lowered his Demon Hunting Revolver, then began putting on his leather gloves, his voice calm but firm. "You can leave now. There's nothing here that you're looking for."
Seth's eyes narrowed in arrogance, his expression one of disdain. He seemed to think Bai Yi's retreat was a sign of fear. Ignoring Bai Yi's words, Seth spoke again.
"I need to read her memory. This is an order from the Will family."
Irene flinched, her face paling. She instinctively moved closer to Bai Yi, not wanting anyone to invade her mind. After all, some of the spells that allowed wizards to probe memories could cause severe damage to the brain.
But Irene was caught in a difficult position. Seth came from a powerful family, and she dared not resist or make any enemies.
Bai Yi, however, stood his ground. He clenched his fists and turned his gaze to Magath. "Please leave."
Seth's gaze was full of contempt, his tone dismissive. "My Will family has been chasing the Scarlet Cult from Kyoto to the border. For the safety of the Dawn Federation, anyone who stands in our way will be crushed. Are you really going to oppose a member of a congressman's family?"
His words trailed off, as though implying Bai Yi was insignificant.
Bai Yi's eyes darkened. He met the orc's gaze directly, then picked up his revolver. Without hesitation, he aimed at Magath's head and pulled the trigger.
**Bang!**
A metal bullet, arcing with electricity, sped toward the orc. Magath, sensing the immediate danger, barely had time to react. He turned his head, but the bullet grazed his ear and struck Seth's forehead with deadly accuracy.
For a moment, Seth's eyes widened in disbelief, his expression shifting from arrogance to fear. He hadn't expected anyone in the Dawn Federation to dare challenge a member of the Will family.