Free Web NovelChapter 111: Chapter 107: The Beautiful Assassin
Inside the office of the Lord’s Mansion, Velin and Valerius stood shoulder to shoulder, observing a glass container.
A dark green vine soaked in a clear nutrient solution. Its main body still had the texture of a plant, but its roots had taken on the bizarre form of muscle fibers.
At the top of the vine, a fist-sized, blood-colored flower bud trembled slightly, a mature scarlet peeking through the seams of its petals.
This was a Blood-sucking Vine that had fed on a massive amount of the giant crocodile leader’s blood.
"I swear on my sixty-eight meager years of life, Velin, this is an absolutely brilliant creation."
Valerius’s graying beard trembled with excitement. He had his face practically pressed against the glass container.
"Its roots have completely transformed into fascial tissue... This means it’s starting to transcend the category of ’plant’! It no longer needs soil—it can take root in flesh and blood! This... This is the creation of a new species!"
His voice was filled with sincere admiration.
"In the past, we alchemists who study the domain of life always focused on those ancient and noble ’progenitor bloodlines’."
Valerius’s finger pointed through the glass, tracing the vine’s silhouette.
"We would attempt to purify and strengthen common bloodlines through tedious crossbreeding of progenitors. It’s a reliable method, but an exceedingly long one."
He turned his head, his eyes shining. "But you, Velin—you’ve taken a completely different path! You didn’t seek out some rare specimen. Instead, you used a Necromancy Potion and material induction to evolve an unremarkable Oil Vine!"
The old Mage’s voice grew louder, filled with the fervor of someone discovering a new world.
"This isn’t like any other path in the history of Alchemy! If you can develop more new species with this method, you’ll be a grandmaster, the founder of an entire new discipline!" Valerius’s voice cracked, as excited as a child.
Velin didn’t rise to the bait. His eyes never left the blood-colored flower bud.
"Master, it’s still just selective breeding, in essence. I merely provided sufficient nutrients and the right inductive environment."
"Instead of founding new disciplines... I’d rather discuss this Blood-sucking Vine, which has fed on the blood of a Level 4 Magical Beast."
Velin’s calm voice pulled the old Mage from his fervor back to reality.
"Its life force is contracting, all its energy is gathering at the top—it’s making final preparations to bear fruit."
Valerius leaned in closer, his scholarly curiosity overriding his excitement.
"Fruit? You mean seeds? Heavens... An Extraordinary plant, one mutated through artificial induction... Its offspring... Will its bloodline traits be stable?"
Velin shook his head.
"I don’t know. That’s the whole point of the experiment."
He reached out and gently tapped the container wall, sending a ripple through the nutrient solution.
"We need to record all the data as it matures, especially the energy structure within the fruit. This parent plant has reached its limit, but its offspring may be able to evolve again from a higher starting point."
"A higher starting point..." Valerius muttered to himself, the fire returning to his eyes. "Yes, yes! We can provide the second generation with more precise nutrients, and even... use the blood of other Magical Beasts for a second round of induction!"
A soft knock came from the office door.
A guard poked his head in.
"My lord, Captain Barrett has returned."
At these words, Velin’s gaze finally moved away from the container. He ordered the small, thin figure in the corner who was organizing parchment scrolls, "Xiaolan, go prepare some tea."
"Yes, my lord," a crisp female voice replied.
Valerius immediately took the hint. He gave the Blood-sucking Vine one last, reluctant look and straightened his robes.
"In that case, I’ll return to the laboratory to prepare the recording instruments. Data collection cannot be delayed for a single moment."
Filled with a sense of purpose, the old Mage hurried out, brushing past the two men who were just entering.
Barrett’s footsteps were heavy, his studded leather armor making a soft scraping sound.
The person following him, however, was like a shadow, utterly silent.
Velin wiped his hands and turned to the two at the door, a genuine smile on his face.
"Welcome back, Barrett. Your injuries have healed nicely. Has your bloodline stabilized?"
The words warmed Barrett’s heart. He grinned, flashing his white teeth. "Yes, my lord! I feel fantastic!"
With that, he formally stepped aside, drawing Velin’s attention to his silent companion.
"My lord, this is Kael, the friend I mentioned. A Level 4 Ranger specializing in tracking and... cleaning up messes. A good number of those bloated nobles from the Northern Lands have fallen at his hands, which is why he’s been on the run from warrants for the last three years."
Barrett’s introduction deepened the interest in Velin’s eyes.
His gaze finally left Barrett, officially settling on the Ranger named Kael.
Velin’s train of thought stuttered to a halt.
The man standing there was no ordinary assassin.
Kael’s skin was a cold, nearly transparent white, with a high brow bone and deep-set eyes.
Long eyelashes cast a small shadow beneath his eyes, adding a touch of refinement to his coldness.
’Beautiful.’
That was a word Velin usually reserved for Caroline’s ostentatious dresses or the intricately structured Energy Crystals in his laboratory.
But at this moment, he couldn’t think of a more fitting word.
If a face like that were to appear at a banquet in the Royal Capital, it would be enough to make those young noble masters who fancied themselves dashing dandies willingly offer up everything they owned.
Just as Velin was sizing him up, the silent shadow—Kael—slowly raised his head.
Their gazes met in mid-air.
Those gray-green eyes were as calm and bottomless as a deep pool in a windless forest.
He neither looked away nor tried to curry favor, but simply returned the gaze of the lord who would decide his future with an air of absolute equality.
The man was assessing Velin, assessing the room, assessing the plant that radiated a dangerous aura.
The Ranger was not just being scrutinized by Velin; he was scrutinizing Velin in return.
A strange feeling, like he had met his match, made Velin subconsciously activate [Inspect].
[Kael]
[Level: Level 4 Ranger]
[Bloodline: Shadow Mountain Cat (Golden Tier) 45%, Mixed Bloodline 55%]
[Abilities: Silent Kill, Ghostly Pace, Fatal Strike, Perceive Weakness]
[Overall Evaluation: A male half-elf with elven blood, possessing high potential. A born stalker and hunter of the shadows. A subtle conflict exists between the killing instinct latent in his bloodline and his personal will.]
[Purification Magic Potion: Main Ingredient: One heart of an adult Shadow Cat. Auxiliary Ingredients: 5 ten-year-old Silent Grass stalks, 100ml of Moonlight Well Water, 20g of Original Blood Crystal.]
[Preparation Method: ...]
...
’Wait, a guy?!’
