Chapter 351: Bu Quan Will Never Agree to Join
“An important guest?”
“What kind of person could be more important than me?”
The fishman magician Zhong Yong heard Zi Di’s explanation and couldn’t help but feel a bit suspicious.
He stared intently at Zi Di and muttered to himself, “Also, didn’t they say that the only two magicians in the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps had already been assassinated? How could there be another human female magician, and one of the silver level at that?”
“Since the commander is going to greet the distinguished guest, I’ll wait here too.” Zhong Yong didn’t rush to the captain’s cabin but lingered in place out of curiosity.
Soon, the distinguished guest he had been expecting arrived.
There was no fanfare, just an ordinary carriage.
Very ordinary.
“No, that’s not right!” After carefully examining it, Zhong Yong’s eyes widened in shock.
As an alchemist, he gradually realized that the carriage, though seemingly ordinary, contained a great deal of alchemy technology and was a high-spec alchemy creation.
Its ordinary appearance was deliberately crafted.
In reality, it had high defensive capabilities.
From the moment the door opened, Zhong Yong caught a glimpse of the interior of the carriage and spotted one of the alchemy components.
“A teleportation formation! The carriage is carrying a miniature teleportation formation!”
“This carriage must have cost at least 2,000 gold pieces!”
At that moment, Bu Quan stepped down from the carriage.
“A young snow elf girl?” Zhong Yong was puzzled, "She's too young, and she's only a silver level magician."
“Is she the only one in the carriage?”
"Is she the distinguished guest Commander Long Fu has been waiting for? Perhaps she's his lover, or maybe not..."
“Wait a moment.” Zhong Yong's expression changed, "She... she seems to be Bu Quan?”
Zhong Yong was deeply shaken.
He knew Bu Quan.
In fact, many alchemists knew Bu Quan, though Bu Quan did not know them.
Bu Quan was quite famous in the alchemy circles of the Ice Sculpture Capital.
She was a genius, one of the most brilliant new stars in alchemy in recent decades, and the winner of the Warm Snow Cup Alchemy Competition.
Her bloodline and talent were exceptional. The royal grand magician had once praised her, saying she possessed an extraordinary ability to make cognitive advances, and that if she continued to develop, she would achieve many innovations in alchemy and create results beyond the imagination of ordinary people.
Although the royal grand magician was not an alchemist, he was widely recognized as the strongest magician in the entire Ice Sculpture Kingdom. His evaluation of Bu Quan was undoubtedly very high.
“Miss Bu Quan, welcome to your arrival.” The dragonman youngster smiled as he walked to the carriage door to greet her.
Bu Quan also smiled at the dragonman youngster: “Commander Long Fu, I apologize for visiting you so early.”
“Regarding last night's matter, I have already considered my answer.”
“May I board the ship to discuss this further?”
“Of course, please come this way.”
The dragonman youngster escorted Bu Quan and Zhong Yong into the captain's cabin.
Zi Di followed them inside.
After everyone had seated themselves, the dragonman youngster introduced Zi Di to Bu Quan and Zhong Yong first.
“This is the Magician Yao Ma who has recently joined our Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.”
“She is trustworthy.”
Bu Quan glanced at Zi Di, a thoughtful expression fleeting across her eyes behind her glasses.
Zi Di laughed and said, “Newly joining is just a cover story.”
“Actually, I was ordered by the head of my family to come and support the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.”
“Thanks to the brave fighting of Commander Long Fu, we have broken through the deadlock at Snow Bird Harbor. Therefore, in the future, the head of the family will also increase investment in the Ice Sculpture Kingdom.”
The words of the dragonman youngster were thought-provoking, and it was easy to connect them to the arms dealer background of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.
Zi Di spoke the “truth” directly, immediately making Bu Quan and Zhong Yong feel her sincerity.
Furthermore, Zi Di also used the background of a powerful family.
Bu Quan thought to herself, “I knew it.”
Zhong Yong also thought to himself, “No wonder.”
The fishman magician adjusted his posture in his seat.
He silently warned himself: Be cautious when dealing with the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps. This is no ordinary force. Their backers could easily dispatch silver level reinforcements.
As for why they didn't dispatch gold level reinforcements?
The fishman magician already had the answer.
Because this was an unspoken agreement, or rather, an unwritten rule.
Silver level cultivators were considered low tier transcendents, suitable for reconnaissance.
Gold level was already mid-tier, with individual strength not to be underestimated; often, the ruler of a city was of this level.
When a gold level individual arrived, it always attracted attention and instilled fear.
The Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps came to explore the market, not to invade.
The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord originally had four gold level individuals, occupying the highest echelons of power. Among them, only one was an outsider, serving as the Clam Cloth Branch Leader.
This was because the Clam Cloth Merchant Alliance had extensive business operations within the Ice Sculpture Kingdom, with a scale of operations that was extremely vast.
With royal permission, the Clam Cloth Merchant Alliance was permitted to station a gold level individual at the main transportation harbor.
Local factions rarely allowed outsider gold level individuals to reside permanently.
A single gold level individual could rival an entire army, easily undermining local rule.
“This fishman magician...” The dragonman youngster was about to introduce him.
Zhong Yong hurriedly stood up.
He dared not be presumptuous and introduced himself proactively: “My name is Zhong Yong. I possess the bloodline of the Bluefin fishman and specialize in alchemy. The most common potions I create are the teary water and anti-movement powder.”
Zhong Yong was savvy enough to adopt this attitude, which immediately earned him smiles from the dragonman youngster and Zi Di.
In fact, the survivors were all aware of Zhong Yong’s background.
They knew the details of the few alchemists who had come.
When Zhong Yong was sold into slavery, he was still in his mother’s womb.
His mother died shortly after he was born.
It was a stroke of luck for Zhong Yong.
The noble family that purchased him had a granddaughter who needed a toy.
Zhong Yong became a prop for her make-believe games, primarily playing the role of an infant.
As the granddaughter grew older, he became a pet akin to a cat or dog.
Thus, during his childhood, Zhong Yong received treatment that was unimaginable for most fishman slaves.
As he grew older, his bloodline traits became more pronounced, and he was even detected to have magician potential!
Magician bloodlines among fishmen were far rarer than among humans, and even more so compared to snow elves.
The eldest granddaughter also grew up gradually. Due to the affection cultivated since childhood and the promising future benefits, she bestowed the name Zhong Yong upon him and invested resources to nurture him.
Once he had completed his education, he worked in the noble alchemist's workshop, creating value.
Zhong Yong's personal background was straightforward.
What pleased the dragonman youngster and Zi Di was that Zhong Yong had been raised by snow elves from a young age, receiving a servant's education, and had remained consistent, showing remarkable maturity.
He was good at following orders and was a very competent subordinate.
This could be seen from his recent performance.
“Magician Zhong Yong, you have traveled a long way to get here. Please have a cup of tea first.” The dragonman youngster greeted Zhong Yong first, gesturing for him to sit down again.
Then, the dragonman youngster explained to him in a gentle tone: “Although you arrived at the dock first this morning, the matter involving me and Bu Quan Miss actually occurred earlier.”
“Please wait a moment, okay?”
“Of course, of course,” Zhong Yong hurriedly replied. Deep down, he was extremely curious about why Bu Quan, such a genius, was involved with the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.
“Could it be that they are discussing a major deal?”
“This is good, I can see some of the strength of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps as an observer.”
Zhong Yong was filled with curiosity and looked forward to the negotiations between the dragonman youngster and Bu Quan.
But then, the dragonman youngster got straight to the point: "Last night's invitation to Miss Bu Quan made me reflect on myself. It was my uncontrollable emotions that caused such a sudden move. I've been eagerly awaiting your answer. Have you made up your mind? Will you join us?"
Bu Quan opened her mouth and was about to answer.
Plop.
Zhong Yong, who had just taken a sip of tea, spat it out immediately.
Fortunately, he lowered his head in time, spitting it onto the floor.
"Cough cough cough. I-I apologize for my rudeness." Zhong Yong coughed while apologizing, looking utterly embarrassed.
At the same time, he was filled with shock.
“Goodness gracious, what did I just hear?”
"Long Fu is actually recruiting Bu Quan? What gives him the right?"
Zhong Yong admitted that the dragonman youngster was indeed extraordinary, capable of slaying a gold level opponent as a silver level. The Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps also had powerful backers; anyone capable of being an arms dealer must have formidable connections.
But none of this gave grounds for recruiting Bu Quan.
An outsider might not be qualified, but Zhong Yong was an insider; he was well aware of Bu Quan's status.
She was a prodigy who had been the focus of attention since she first emerged. Her mentor adored her and was willing to invest heavily in her cultivation.
The investment was substantial, almost treating Bu Quan as the next heir to the magician tower.
The president of the Royal Alchemy Guild also held high hopes for Bu Quan. During a banquet, he publicly evaluated the alchemy prodigies that had emerged in the kingdom over the past few decades.
Bu Quan was ranked fifth.
This position meant that as long as Bu Quan's bloodline potential was high enough, she would grow up to become a pillar of the alchemy field in the Ice Sculpture Kingdom.
How could such a figure be recruited by a mercenary group?
Even if the arms dealer behind the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps were to intervene, it still wouldn't feel right.
In Zhong Yong's heart, Bu Quan's bright future should be like this.
She would be nurtured and continue to grow.
She would achieve success step by step, and her title would rise at a speed that ordinary people could not match.
When she became a gold level alchemist, she would be entrusted with important responsibilities.
She would be cherished and protected by the kingdom, free from any mundane concerns, allowing her to devote all her energy to the study of alchemy.
Perhaps, in the distant future, one of the alchemy items she created would greatly enhance the military strength of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom. Or perhaps an alchemy technique she improved would significantly improve the quality of life for the people. Or perhaps an alchemy principle she discovered and verified would become a tool for alchemists worldwide to explore, and her name would be remembered by all, immortalized for generations to come.
“This is the destiny a genius like Bu Quan should have.”
“This is the path a person like Bu Quan should take, the life that best showcases her value.”
“But now, she's been recruited by an arms dealer?”
"What's so hard to guess about an arms dealer's motives? He just wants to use Bu Quan's alchemy skills to manufacture weapons!”
“But is that something Bu Quan should be doing?”
“Of course not.”
“That’s something alchemists like me should be doing. A genius like Bu Quan should be allowed to create and explore the frontiers of alchemy for the kingdom!”
Zhong Yong harbored the pride of an alchemist.
He had no choice but to join the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, and he valued the background of the dragonman youngster and the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.
But compared to Bu Quan, Zhong Yong looked down on the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps from the bottom of his heart! He deeply felt that the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, and the arms dealers behind it, were unworthy of a genius like Bu Quan.
“Bu Quan will never agree to this!”
Yes, magicians were short on funds and pursued various resources. But it was only to facilitate their pursuit of knowledge and exploration of mysteries.
The stench of money could not buy a magician's dignity!
As a magician, Zhong Yong naturally had his own dignity.
Especially since he was an alchemist and resided in the Ice Sculpture Kingdom, where alchemists were treated with such high regard.
He believed he was merely forced into this situation, a fate he could not resist.
But this was not what he desired.
The life he sought was to own his own alchemy workshop, craft alchemy items with his own skills, sell them to sustain himself, and simultaneously fund his own alchemy experiments, dedicating his entire life to exploring the mysteries of alchemy.
This was the heart of a magician.
Rising above mortals, pursuing knowledge and truth!
Zhong Yong believed himself to possess the heart of a magician, but such was simply his fate.
He was even more convinced that Bu Quan also possessed the heart of a magician!
How could someone without the heart of a magician exhibit such genius and receive such high praise from so many people?
“Bu Quan would never agree to such a recruitment!” Zhong Yong growled inwardly.
He was incomparably certain.