Chapter 43: Conspiracy
[Mission Prompt: In places beyond your sight, a conspiracy is brewing like a storm in the dark. Sometimes, small actions can have great consequences. When you save Vick University, you might very well be saving the entire world.]
[Mission Grade: B → A]
[Mission Objective: Try to stop the conspiracy.]
[Reward: 60,000–100,000 EXP; 1 Specialization Reward (Reward pool varies with mission completion level)]
Clearly, this mission was anything but simple. Otherwise, there wouldn't be two different reward pools prepared.
The EXP reward was generous, but it wasn't what caught Zhou Ning's eye—the real prize was the specialization reward. If he could pull off an A-grade completion, there was a chance to earn an elite specialization.
He suspected the key to the mission lay with that council member from Ruins.
With that in mind, Zhou Ning didn't answer right away but instead asked, "What about Mr. Kien? Isn't he handling this?"
Sherlock sighed. "Mr. Kien wanted to take care of it personally, but there's an important state visit tomorrow at the Withershire Cathedral Square. His Majesty the King will be in attendance, so Mr. Kien has to accompany him."
Zhou Ning nodded without hesitation. "No problem. What do you need me to do?"
"Straight to the point!" Sherlock gave a thumbs-up in approval, then asked with a curious smile, "How come you agreed so quickly this time?"
"To save the world," Zhou Ning replied with a deadpan expression.
Cough cough cough.
Sherlock choked on his own spit.
He quickly poured himself a glass of water to calm down, then said:
"For this case, we suspect that the person throwing the alchemy bomb might be a student, a staff member, a professor, or even a freshman or a student's parent. To avoid alerting the target, only a few top-level officials at Vick University have been informed."
Zhou Ning nodded in understanding. "So what exactly do you need me to do?"
"Very simple," Sherlock said, looking him in the eye. "We have a method to detect alchemy bombs, but we need people to go in ahead of time and prepare the site. You'll need to help with that. As for the operation tomorrow, I've already made arrangements. If possible, lend us a hand. This mission must go off without a hitch."
"No problem. But are you sure there's enough time to handle the bomb once it's detected?" Zhou Ning asked.
"Plenty of time. Alchemy bombs capable of causing fatal damage are never small in size. Even if the catalyst is ignited immediately, it still takes 5 to 10 seconds to detonate. As long as it's spotted in time, there's no issue at all."
Sherlock thought for a moment, then took out a pistol, popped out five bullets from the magazine, and let them clink onto the table. He slid them over to Zhou Ning.
"These five bullets are specially crafted. A single shot can disrupt the internal structure of an alchemy bomb. I don't have many of these—use them sparingly."
Zhou Ning nodded and pocketed the bullets. He hadn't known much about alchemy bombs in his past life, but he did know how to deal with them. They were typically made from dozens of high-explosive alchemical materials mixed together, then ignited using a special catalyst. Their internal structure was incredibly precise, requiring numerous tightly controlled catalytic reactions. If you aimed to sabotage them, they were quite easy to disable.
Sherlock sipped his water and smiled. "Any other questions? If not, head back to the university. I've got a few people waiting for you there."
"There's one more crucial issue," Zhou Ning said after some thought, choosing his words carefully. "According to reliable information, the Life Alchemy Society has sent a council member from Ruins. How do you plan to handle that?"
Sherlock: ?????
He was mid-sip and sprayed his drink everywhere in shock. "A council member? Are you sure?!"
Apparently even the Sentinels didn't know about this...
Zhou Ning's lips twitched as he nodded. "Unofficial intel, but it should be accurate."
To be honest, he had gotten the info from watching the Apocalypse series. It was probably reliable.
Zhou Ning would bet that Sherlock's expression right now looked just like Li Tie after a World Cup qualifying match blunder—completely flustered. The calm demeanor was gone as he jumped to his feet.
"Wayne, you head back to the university. I need to consult with Mr. Kien."
After leaving the West Lin General Store, Zhou Ning didn't linger. He stood by the roadside for a few minutes and flagged down a public carriage that came rolling in from the distance.
The coachman seemed to recognize him and greeted him with a smile. "Hello, sir. Heading to Vick University again?"
"Yes, what a coincidence."
Zhou Ning recognized him too and returned the smile as he climbed aboard. Funny enough, he had ridden this exact carriage just a few days ago on his way from Vick University to the Blair Bookstore.
"Four Roshens," the coachman quoted the fare, then shook his head with a chuckle. "Though I wouldn't really call it a coincidence. There are only two public carriages that pass by Vick University. We alternate shifts, working from 5 a.m. until late at night—more than sixteen hours a day."
"No rest breaks?" Zhou Ning asked in surprise.
"We do get breaks. One day off a month on the Sabbath, courtesy of the Ascetic Church," said the female fare collector in the carriage as she tore off a ticket and handed it to Zhou Ning. "Still, it's not too bad. Life's tough, but better than being unemployed. With Bryston's economy in the dumps, people are losing jobs everywhere. This kind of hard-earned money is better than none, even if it's just three Vecktas a month."
"Yeah, a few more months and I might be able to afford a slightly bigger place. Maybe in a year, my two boys will have a shot at school," the coachman added.
"Your boss might be a vampire, but compared to most employers, he's not the worst," Zhou Ning muttered as he sat down.
The coachman laughed. "That's true."
With that, the two horned horses pulled the heavy carriage forward.
Zhou Ning said nothing more and closed his eyes to rest.
By the time he returned to campus, it was already past 2 p.m. As soon as he reached the gates, the lively atmosphere caught him off guard.
From the main gate all the way to a large stretch of the schoolyard, stalls and tables were set up in every corner. Some places even had tents pitched.
Zhou Ning couldn't help but feel speechless. Was this a freshman orientation or a party?
Based on past experience, recruitment was supposed to begin at 7 a.m. the next morning. The alchemy department was one of Vick University's major branches and usually set up right by the front gate. Zhou Ning had originally planned to drag John along as labor, and maybe rope in a few girls from the department to help draw attention.
But now it seemed he wouldn't need to bother.
At the campus gate, a pretty woman waved at him. "Wayne! Over here!"
As he got closer, Zhou Ning saw there were three people waiting—one woman and two men, all dressed as students. After introductions, he learned the woman's name was Cherry. She was quite attractive, probably about Zhou Ning's age—early twenties—and looked natural in her black school uniform.
One of the men didn't introduce himself but looked strikingly like Jason Statham. He clearly packed a punch and had a seriously receding hairline. In that uniform, he looked less like a student and more like someone's dad.
The other was named Bobby—the same name as John's dumb dog. He had a stern look, and despite Zhou Ning staring at him for a good while, he couldn't connect him with that mutt. Zhou Ning hesitantly asked, "Why don't we go inside and talk?"