piratefiction Chapter 170 Searching for Ashran
Chapter 170 Searching for Ashran
Chapter 170 Searching for Ashran
A charred hand emerged from the ashes.
Immediately afterwards, a charred humanoid figure struggled and slowly rose from the wreckage.
The hard scabs from the burns on the skin peeled off, revealing the tender new skin underneath.
Before long, the eschar had almost completely fallen off, and a whole, smooth body was fully formed.
Kane opened his eyes.
He looked around at the mess:
Scattered on the ground were the charred and twisted remains of a small car, solidified wax, ash-covered pieces of cloth, and the burnt remains of Quassom.
The walls were also blackened by the smoke.
His eyes flickered slightly as he summoned the panel and scanned a series of experience tips.
The proficiency in Burning Hands and Protection against Evil has each increased by one level.
Although experience points are reduced by 30% due to the death penalty, the gains far outweigh the losses.
"The effect of a dust explosion in defeating a large number of enemies is indeed excellent."
He pondered to himself.
"But repeated use will inevitably lead people to suspect that I have the ability to come back to life."
"If we are to use this method again, we must ensure that all witnesses are eliminated and that no survivors are left."
Kane made his decision without hesitation.
He lowered his head, then suddenly frowned.
His clothes were completely burned in the explosion.
Unlike the last time when they perished together with the fused wax demon, this time the dust explosion was far too powerful.
His clothes and shoes all turned to ashes.
At this moment, he was basically in a state of moral depravity.
"Never mind, let's talk about it after we leave the passage."
Kane continued along the path the Wax Demons had taken, which was the third path on the left among the many forks in the road.
Although he wasn't a knight-errant, he had learned some tracking skills while he was with the Night's Watch.
He quickly discerned the direction and walked all the way to the end, finally stopping at a deep pool of water.
The water in the pool was pitch black, and its bottom could not be seen.
"Arundel said that the underground passages of the Mage Academy were designed to test the mages."
Whatever appears at the end is not surprising.
Kane gazed at the pool, understanding dawning on his mind.
"Luckily, I've mastered water manipulation. Let's dive into the pool and take a look."
Without further hesitation, he plunged into the icy pool.
Susas Outer Court, South District.
After an unknown amount of time, a figure emerged from the water in the center of a secluded pool; it was Kane.
With his wet hair plastered to his forehead and a curved knife clenched between his teeth, he swam quickly toward the shore.
Looking around, the trees around the pool are towering, and next to it is a cluster of low houses in the typical Sussas style.
Using his water manipulation skills, Kane quickly stripped most of the water off his body, leaving only water droplets clinging to his hair and eyelashes.
"Right now, we need to find the friend Ashland that Ella mentioned."
Although she is a mage at Susas Academy, she is also the local head of a major merchant guild in a free city-state.
He cleared his mind.
"In that case, we should be able to find her chamber of commerce's address by asking around in the commercial district."
Kane had just made up his mind and was considering whether to "borrow" the two pieces of clothing using the mage's hand when a scream suddenly rang out.
Kane turned his head and saw a half-elf couple staring at him in disbelief at the boundary between the pool and the woodland.
The female half-elf screamed in terror, covering her eyes; her male companion, his face contorted with rage, pointed at Kane and berated him: "You shameless Nord! How dare you commit such a vulgar act in the great royal court! I'm going to report this to the sheriff!"
Kane's lips twitched slightly.
The male half-elf was one thing, but the female companion who covered her face and screamed had her fingers clearly not closed, and her gaze was secretly scanning him back and forth.
"—Never mind, I don't need to worry about clothes anymore."
He walked towards the two of them.
As he approached, the two half-elves realized something was wrong.
The male half-elf tried to pull his female companion away, but found he couldn't manage it.
Kane moved slightly, closing in, and his hand swiftly fell.
Bang, bang.
A man and a woman collapsed to the ground and fainted.
Without hesitation, Kane began to strip one of the men of his clothes.
A moment later, he was walking on the streets of the South District.
Kane glanced around and noticed that it was different from the war city of Rinord.
Perhaps due to the long period of peace, the residents here have a noticeably gentler and more peaceful demeanor—which usually signifies a better standard of living.
Smoke curls from chimneys between the Susas-style buildings along the streets, and young half-elf children can be seen running and playing from time to time.
If it weren't for the residents' distinctive pointed ears, he would almost have thought he had returned to a historic town on the continent of Obalo.
Kane's appearance has changed at this moment.
-
To avoid potential arrest, he used disguise techniques to change his hair and eye color to that of a human with blond hair and blue eyes.
After making several inquiries, he finally arrived at the commercial street in the southern part of the city.
The population here is increasingly dense, and the ethnic composition is far more diverse than in residential areas:
Besides half-elves, you can also see humans, dwarves, and even halflings.
Kane followed the address he had found out and finally stopped in front of a shop, but his brows furrowed deeply.
This shop is clearly being demolished.
The shelves were emptied, goods were being packed into boxes, and several human and half-elf laborers were busy moving bundles of what looked like cloth.
Kane stopped a laborer who was carrying loads and asked, "Excuse me, what's the deal with this chamber of commerce?"
The laborer frowned and sized him up, his gaze lingering briefly on the curved sword at his waist before he said indifferently, "What's it to you?"
Kane forced a slightly awkward smile: "I ordered a batch of fabric from the Free Cities here before, and I just paid the deposit."
As he spoke, he quietly activated his friendship-making technique.
The laborer's eyes glazed over for a moment, but when he looked at Kane again, a hint of sympathy appeared on his face.
"The female manager of this chamber of commerce seems to be involved with a noble family in Twin Harbor who committed a crime. She has been ordered to stop trading and must leave Sussas."
Not long ago, she laid off most of her staff.
Your deposit—I'm afraid you'll have to try and find it at that female manager's estate.
Kane's eyes flickered slightly. After confirming the address of the manor, he left.
Watching his departing figure, the laborer shook his head blankly, muttering to himself in confusion, "Why did I say so much to a stranger? Oh well, back to work."
The night was deep.
On the outskirts of the southern district, there is a manor surrounded by mountains.
Kane stood watching from the shadows.
The manor, which once looked quite luxurious, is now in a state of disrepair.
According to Ella, this female mage named Ashran is her friend and would never betray her.
In reality, the other party's chamber of commerce was clearly implicated and forced to evacuate from Sussas.
Judging from the hasty sale of all the goods, the losses must have been substantial.
"A small favor is appreciated, but a large favor breeds resentment. Human nature is unpredictable; it's always best to be prepared."
Kane's eyes narrowed, and he scaled the wall and sneaked in.
The manor was deserted late at night, and the main gate of the building was locked.
He moved through the shadows of the trees, avoiding the few patrolling maids, and stealthily made his way to the innermost three-story main building.
He looked up at the sky and quietly activated his Spider-Like Technique.
He clung to the wall like a gecko and began to climb upwards.
The layouts of these manors are mostly similar, much like the residence of the royal representative in Nord, with the owners usually living on the top floor of the main building.
The faint sound of water could be heard coming from the third-floor window; someone was taking a bath.
He silently pushed open a window and climbed into the room.
Before me was an empty living room, with the outlines of furniture visible in the darkness, all covered with white dust-proof cloths.
He walked in cautiously.
But just as he took his first step, an unusually crisp "creak" sound came from the floor beneath his feet.
"A trap? A magical trick!"
Kane immediately realized the problem.
This is the most basic trick, yet it is often used to set up some kind of alarm trap.
The other party, being a mage, had clearly altered the properties of the wooden plank, causing it to make a strange noise when stepped on.
boom!
The bathroom door was suddenly kicked open.
A wet figure, wrapped only in a bath towel, rushed out.
"Damn thief—"
In the dim light, the woman's wet hair clung to her cheeks as she glared resentfully at Kane, raising her right hand towards him.
"A cold finger!"
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