"Are these all books?"
Katrina stared dumbfounded at the parcels being delivered, which varied in size, both big and small.
"Yes... I even prepared several bookshelves." Zheng Yichen took out a small knife and began to unpack the parcels. Soon, Katrina couldn’t help but join in the activity.
Although she knew that the parcels contained only books, the fun of unpacking was not in the outco but in the process. Whenever she spotted a book that sparked her interest, her mood would improve.
It took them over three hours to unpack the parcels and arrange the books. Zheng Yichen looked at the books on the shelves, most of which were related to biochemistry—the kind he had learned a bit of at school and then gave right back to the teachers after graduation... oh, wait.
So of the biological subjects indeed left a strong impression, but those that did were largely related to humans... well, interactions between humans and... others.
Chemistry, that was a different story. He rembered back in his novel days the textbooks included so material packages, which had so basic stuff in them. Unfortunately, he was too naive back then and played with those materials as if they were toys.
As for now, Zheng Yichen looked at the books and felt overwheld. There were just too many of them. It was better to leave the studying of these books to those who could actually focus. He, on the other hand, should just concentrate on doing his own thing.
The next day, Zheng Yichen visited the Dusk Cathedral, which, as always, seed as if ti eternally lingered in dusk. He saw a familiar figure there and imdiately went over to greet them.
"Good afternoon."
"Long ti no see." Hunter Arno smiled as he looked at Zheng Yichen approaching. He was about to say sothing else, but when he noticed certain special traces on Zheng Yichen, he imdiately revealed a look of surprise, "You’ve beco a Proxy Agent?"
"You can tell just by looking?"
"So can’t, but I know so characteristics of Proxy Agents," Arno pointed to his own eyes, his expression tinged with a touch of wistfulness, "I previously thought you could beco a Dusk rcenary, but I didn’t expect you to beco a Proxy Agent."
"I didn’t want it to be this way either," Zheng Yichen said with a hint of lancholy in his voice. The nun had already explained to him that Dusk rcenaries could leave at any ti, but being a Proxy Agent was different.
A rcenary sounded like a temp worker, but when it ca to the Dusk Cathedral, being a temp seed definitely better. Official employees couldn’t even run away.
"Ha—It looks like you’ve encountered quite a bit these past few months, probably had so bad luck," Arno carefully chose his words, being a Proxy Agent of the Dusk Cathedral isn’t easy. Generally, those with such an identity are ’sinners’.
This ’sin’ is not determined by human law but in a broader sense. At the sa ti, the person with this ’sin’ must also be considered ’innocent.’ This isn’t an impossible situation, generally, it’s a case of ’ignorance is innocence’ that can make the cut.
If you weren’t in this category, then you wouldn’t beco a Proxy Agent at all. Arno had interacted with other Proxy Agents, both good and bad, but basically, they were all in a state of ’ignorance is innocence.’
Now that Zheng Yichen had also beco a Proxy Agent, he was most likely tricked by soone and then did sothing ’remarkable.’
"Sigh, it’s a long story. I thought I had t a big brother, but he turned out to be black-hearted."
"What’s his na?"
Without thinking, Arno pulled out a cigarette case, then imdiately rembered where he was, put the case away, and tossed a piece of nicotine gum into his mouth.
"Raymond, a man with a big beard," Zheng Yichen briefly described Raymond’s features. After hearing this, Arno gently shook his head.
"With that description, it will be difficult for you to find him in the future. The na is probably fake, and a big beard can hide part of his true appearance."
Zheng Yichen described in such detail because Arno knew what Zheng Yichen was thinking. It was nothing more than wanting to find Raymond and then take him down. But the physical description Zheng Yichen gave was too common. Out of ten thousand people, you couldn’t say it would match a hundred, but it could match fifty.
A na? If there is no true na recognition, isn’t it just whatever the person says it is?
"Whew—just have to look slowly in the future, who knows, you might stumble upon him. You might also find colleagues related to him." Zheng Yichen waved his hand sowhat glumly, "By the way, other than the advantage of leaving any ti, is there any difference between Dusk rcenaries and Proxy Agents?"
After a mont of thought, Arno shook his head, "As far as I know, there isn’t much difference between the two. What Proxy Agents can enjoy, Dusk rcenaries can enjoy as well."
"..."
"Hahaha, that’s what they say, just what they say." Seeing the even more sullen expression on Zheng Yichen’s face, Arno couldn’t help but laugh, "They say that so outstanding Proxy Agents will be preserved by the Dusk Cathedral after death, aning they can be resurrected, whereas Dusk rcenaries cannot."
"Really? How outstanding does one have to be to be ntioned in such a hypothetical way?"
Arno spread his hands, "I don’t know, and I don’t want to know. I’m quite content as it is."
"...What do Dusk rcenaries usually do? If it’s taboo to ask, then never mind."
Arno was unconcerned with Zheng Yichen’s question, "There’s no taboo. It’s just investigating so matters, clearing up so things. The jobs we do are pretty similar to those of a Proxy Agent. They say, you know, that Proxy Agents are a bit of extra leeway granted by the Dusk Cathedral, a bit of tolerance for the unlucky ones."
"Huh, being one of the unlucky ones really sucks," Zheng Yichen let out a heavy sigh.
Arno laughed heartily, "It’s still better than being dead, isn’t it? Besides those characteristics you ntioned, does the person have any particular skills? I’ll keep an eye out if I get the chance."
Zheng Yichen shook his head; he genuinely didn’t know if Raymond had any specific skills. He tried to recall the tis they fought side by side; Raymond’s combat style had always been standard, not weak but without any distinctive features either.
It was like he had applied a perfectly standard warrior template – watertight without any leaks. If he knew more about Raymond’s personal details, he could harbor a longer-term thought of seeking him out for revenge, but now, it was a far-fetched idea.
"That’s too bad. It looks like it’ll be tough to run into the person you’re talking about in the future," Arno shook his head, "Wanna play cards?"
"Sure."
Having asked Arno a lot of questions, Zheng Yichen naturally didn’t turn down the invitation.
"Just a mont." Arno took out his cell phone, and quickly, two Hunters arrived, making a full table of four with Zheng Yichen, good for a ga of mahjong. Once everyone was assembled, Arno said, "Those mahjong tiles you left , a lot of people I know have really taken to them."
"As long as they like them. Just as long as they don’t gamble excessively with them."
"Is this the young man you were talking about? He looks sturdy," comnted one of the Hunters that Arno had invited, giving Zheng Yichen a look-over, "A Proxy Agent, huh? You really are unlucky."
"..." Zheng Yichen didn’t want to say anything.
Arno chuckled, "Let’s not talk about that anymore. Ti to play cards."
As he spoke, he took out a little bag, "I’ve recently acquired so trivial items that I don’t need, so let’s use them as prizes."
In the bag were so dried leaves. Seeing Zheng Yichen’s puzzled look, Arno explained, "Lighting these leaves can effectively repel mosquitoes and eliminate so odors from the body."
The other Hunters also brought out so small items they didn’t need, which left Zheng Yichen looking puzzled.
"Is this how you usually play cards?"
"Yeah. So little things we don’t use, but they make nice stakes," Arno nodded. Playing cards was about enjoying the process for him, not about gambling to make money. Dusk rcenaries like themselves had a significant need for money, but not to the extent that they would gamble for it.
Yet playing cards without so stakes felt lacking, so in the circles he knew, they generally brought so trinkets they didn’t use much.
Zheng Yichen thought for a mont and pulled out a bag from the church’s storage. Inside were so teeth, "These are so vampire and werewolf teeth I got; they might be good as collectibles."
"Hm? Vampire teeth? Which type of vampire are these from?" Arno asked while fiddling with his tiles. Dusk rcenaries had encountered many worlds and learned of various vampires - not all vampires were the sa, so human-like, so not.
"The inhuman kind, really ugly. If attacked by that type of vampire, the wound will keep bleeding profusely, and you have to use the brain marrow of that vampire to help stop it."
"I see? Then these teeth could be used as good additives," said one of the Dusk rcenaries called by Arno.
After several rounds of mahjong, Zheng Yichen lost so of his vampire teeth but gained a few dried leaves and two crystal shards that resembled broken diamonds. Those crystals were a form of ice pellet provided by another Dusk rcenary. The crystals felt cool to the touch but didn’t show any signs of lting.
Once they ca into contact with water, however, they would lt quickly; a single pellet could turn about five liters of water into ice water. It was quite a magical little item. Arno and the others didn’t inquire about where it ca from, just as with the vampire teeth Zheng Yichen brought out, Arno only asked what type of vampire they ca from.
As for werewolf teeth, the Dusk rcenaries showed no interest whatsoever.
"If you obtain anything special in the future, you can co to the Dusk Cathedral after midnight. There will be more Dusk rcenaries around then," Arno told Zheng Yichen after checking the ti, "Most other tis, it’s mostly Hunters from Hazy City here."
After the card ga, Zheng Yichen walked away with fewer vampire teeth that weren’t so useful, but he gained other things like the leaves that repelled mosquitoes, small ice pellets that could quickly cool water, and nuts similar to cherries that were refreshing and acted like coffee without the taste of coffee.
It must be said, Arno’s group sure knew how to have fun.
Later, when Zheng Yichen was about to leave and head ho, Sister Tia blocked his way...
Reviews
All reviews (0)