Chapter 309 Chapter308-The Trace of AGHHO
The reason John didn't auction off Mammon's Scepter wasn't due to stinginess.
It was simply because the weapon wasn't suitable for current players.
It was, after all, a weapon exclusive to Devils!
Not to mention that aside from John, no player met the criteria to wield it.
The dark energy contained within the Scepter alone was more than any player could handle.
Introducing such a weapon to the market would only bring disaster upon them.
Securing the Scepter at the very bottom of his inventory, John proceeded to sort through his other items.
This included the Skill Book he'd obtained from the Treasure Thief Rat, originally intended for Emma.
However, she wouldn't be logging in anytime soon.
Besides that, there were several top-notch recovery potions...
And the freshly brewed Silver Tear.
Having traded a considerable quantity of common-level Silver Tears from White Feather, John had refined them into epic-grade.
He now had several hundred vials stashed in his inventory, yet to be sold.
[Silver Tear (epic-grade): Tears of the Silver Church, said to be the ambrosia bestowed by the Silver Angel and highly prized. This Tear has been refined, drawn from a hundred drops of exquisite holy dew. Apply a single drop to the forehead to temporarily increase divine power and intelligence by 100% (lasts 12 hours) and earn an additional experience gain of +100000%.]
[Additional Effect: This substance is incredibly precious, bearing a certain divinity of the Silver Angel. Each drop can instantly eliminate Undead creatures below level 100.]
After a moment's thought, John reached out to Isabella.
He transferred 100 vials of Silver Tear, divided into ten sets of 10, over to her.
He instructed her to put them up for bidding at the upcoming grand auction at the Dawn Breeze Auction House.
The Silver Tear's potency against Undead creatures ensured it would always be in demand.
With the looming conflict between the Abyss and the Godslayer Continent, providing players with this resource would inevitably be beneficial.
Isabella gladly accepted the Silver Tears from John.
Aware of their value, she'd already been approached by countless players inquiring about the availability of epic-grade Silver Tear.
This confirmed its high demand.
Having wrapped up these tasks, John was considering spending some time guarding the arena when his communication channel suddenly flashed.
A message from Blue Sea popped up: "Brother Galewind, I have some news regarding AGHHO that you asked us to watch out for..."
John paused briefly, then responded, "Go on."
Blue Sea replied, "Some time ago, a member of our guild took on a mercenary quest in Cloud Sea to assist the City Guard in investigating the assassination of a local noble. The perpetrator, a local NPC assassin player who had a disagreement with the noble, was swiftly apprehended. He'd snuck into the noble's residence that night and murdered the entire family."
"Under the severe interrogation of the City Guard, the assassin revealed his true identity, claiming affiliation with AGHHO's peripheral assassins. Moreover, he divulged the location of one of their strongholds, reportedly home to several top-ranked assassins with numerical codenames within the top hundred."
John's gaze sharpened, "Which numerical codenames?"
Blue Sea quickly replied, "The highest-ranked among them seems to be 54."
A strange smile crept onto John's face. "Understood. Thanks for the update."
Blue Sea sent another message: "The City Guard of Cloud Sea is preparing to issue a mercenary quest to exterminate all AGHHO assassins at that location!"
John replied nonchalantly, "Don't get involved in this. These master assassins of this caliber are beyond your capabilities. Leave the rest to me." With that, he turned on his heel and headed towards the Mercenary Hall.
The Mercenary Hall of Silverglow buzzed with activity, with countless players coming and going, engrossed in their mercenary ranks and rewards.
The fiery Grand Archmage Saphir was in the midst of a heated tirade, berating his subordinates.
"Fools! How could you assign this quest to someone of such a low level? If that idiot decides to rashly head there and gets killed, won't we lose another mercenary?"
Saphir's roar echoed throughout the hall, drawing many sidelong glances.
The chastised staff member hung his head, looking utterly dejected.
John gently tapped on the glass.
Saphir, visibly irritated, looked up, "Who is it? Can't you see I'm busy?"
Upon recognizing John's teasing expression, he froze momentarily.
Swiftly changing his demeanor, he reined in his temper and laughed heartily, "Captain? What brings you here?"
Hearing Saphir's address, nearby players shifted their attention to John.
With his Asura Mask concealing all personal information, they were unaware of his true identity.
They assumed he was a high-ranking official from a mercenary guild.
John entered Saphir's office, casually closing the door behind him. "Quite impressive, fitting for the top administrator of Silverglow Mercenary Hall. Your presence is almost intimidating!"
At John's playful remark, a sheepish grin formed on Saphir's face. Scratching his head in embarrassment, he said, "Captain, you're teasing me again..."
John sighed, responding in a carefree tone, "Got any pressing matters? If not, set aside your work for now. Come with me to Cloud Sea."
Saphir blinked in surprise, asking with a hint of puzzlement, "Did we spot traces of a Devil again?"
John replied evenly, "It has nothing to do with Devils. Someone informed me of a secret AGHHO base in Cloud Sea."
Pausing, John gave Saphir a suggestive wink and continued in a hushed tone, "If my sources are correct, 54 is stationed there..."
Before John could say more, a ferocious and uncontrollable aura exploded within the room.
Papers from the desk were hurled into the air, scattering all around.
Some of the paper documents even spontaneously ignited.
John looked up, casting a glance at the now intensely brooding Saphir, and with a resigned gesture, waved his hand.
A chilly energy emanated from John, subduing Saphir's fury. "Calm yourself. At this moment, it's only a possibility. Whether 54 is truly there requires our own eyes to verify."
Saphir, with his head lowered, radiated an unwelcoming aura.
His crimson robe shimmered brilliantly. He let out a chilling laugh, his voice laced with gritted anger. "Ten years, a full decade, and we finally get a lead on those vermin. I thought I could face this with equanimity, yet when push comes to shove, I can't suppress this raging fire inside."
"Captain, let's depart now. I can hardly wait to see if that damned creature still deems himself worthy of this world."
Saphir's frame trembled slightly, not from fear, but from an overpowering excitement.
Not wanting to waste another moment arranging his tasks, he simply instructed his staff to handle the matters and hurriedly exited the Mercenary Hall with John.
Without delay, the two briskly made their way, and through a portal, they successfully arrived at Cloud Sea.
On their journey, John detailed the source of the information to Saphir. "Are you familiar with the manager of the Cloud Sea Mercenary Hall? If so, we could take on this quest directly from him!"
After the trek, Saphir's emotions seemed to have settled somewhat.
The fierce and terrifying aura that enveloped him had faded to a gentle hum.
Yet, John could still distinctly sense the turmoil deep within Saphir.
His fury hadn't subsided; it merely lay dormant in the deepest recesses of his heart.
Perhaps only the act of combat would provide solace to this hot-tempered Grand Archmage.
"The manager of Cloud Sea's Mercenary Hall? Let me think... I believe it's that old fellow, Niel..." Saphir squinted and confidently headed towards the Cloud Sea Mercenary Hall.
Cloud Sea remained as John remembered.
The dense clouds churned above, looking as though they might descend upon the earth at any moment.
Sunlight streamed through the gaps, casting luminous beams on the ground and adding a brilliant gold hue to the clouds.
The scenery was breathtaking, but neither of them was in the mood to admire it.
Upon reaching the entrance of the Mercenary Hall, Saphir strode straight to its depths without hesitation.
All Mercenary Halls essentially shared the same design, even the offices of the top administrators were located in the same spot.
Saphir swung open the office door, revealing an elderly, portly man seated at the desk.
The man's dark skin contrasted with his thick, long beard that almost touched the ground.
Recognizing Saphir, the old man's face broke into an expression of surprise.
"Saphir? What brings you to my domain?" His voice boomed, resounding through the room like a muted thunderclap.
"Niel, you dwarven-blooded rascal, if you knew of 54's whereabouts, why wasn't I your first call?" Saphir stormed in, a look of accusation painted across his face. "Don't expect me to buy you another drink anytime soon!"
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