Chapter 385: The Commission
In his past life's game, Zhou Ning had visited Nathaniell more than once. The sunshine, the beaches, and the romantic nature of the Sepharic people contrasted sharply with their strict legal system—something that remained vivid in his memory.
Zhou Ning smiled and shook his head as he made his way toward the narrow alley where Ignatius Woods lived. After such a great upheaval, he wasn't sure whether this craftsman from the Byron Republic was still in Darkland.
When he arrived at the entrance of that cramped, dilapidated house, Zhou Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief. Through his powerful Observation Haki, he could sense Ignatius Woods's presence inside—the same chaotic, murky aura as before, teetering on the brink of corruption.
Zhou Ning reached out and knocked on the door. Heavy footsteps sounded from within, and after a moment, Ignatius Woods opened it. Upon seeing Zhou Ning, he paused briefly. Surprisingly, his attitude was much better than before.
"Wayne Sturwell? Come in."
There's an old saying—when someone who once looked down on you becomes respectful, they must want something. Zhou Ning wasn't sure what Woods was after, so he simply followed him inside without a word.
The room was just as messy as before. On the table sat a telegraph machine and a few telegrams that hadn't been cleared away.
Ignatius Woods opened a drawer, took out a small black crystal pendant, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Zhou Ning.
"This is called a Silent Pendant. When activated, it creates a small anti-magic barrier. Enemies within it won't be able to cast spells. It can be used fifty times, but keep in mind that its anti-magic effect lasts no more than four seconds and weakens with each use. Once its charge is spent, you'll need another craftsman to recharge it.
"When you wear it, all your offensive skills and weapons will be strengthened by dark power. In addition, you'll gain the ability to use a confusion skill—at a cost."
"Its drawback is that you'll constantly be exposed to the corruption of the dark side. Don't underestimate that effect. Many have fallen to such unseen influences."
"This is the best item I've ever made. If you're not satisfied, I can buy it back for four thousand Vecktas."
"I'm very satisfied." Zhou Ning raised an eyebrow and put it away. Ignatius Woods was easily the most talented craftsman he'd encountered.
Though this mysterious trinket had no additional attributes, its utility was phenomenal. The anti-magic barrier alone made it a mage-killer. The confusion skill, on the other hand, was like a weaker version of Harrison Rivers's clan ability—it could make people briefly hallucinate or lose their sense of direction.
Together, the two abilities complemented each other perfectly and would certainly enhance his overall strength. As for the negative effects, they were strong but manageable with caution.
Seeing Zhou Ning put the Silent Pendant away, Ignatius Woods hesitated for a moment before asking, "I've heard you're very strong. Would you take on an escort commission?"
"An escort commission?" Zhou Ning was a bit puzzled and asked calmly, "Where do you want to go?"
"Bantuen Port. I want to go to Bantuen Port." For some reason, Ignatius Woods's tone grew tense. "As long as you can get me there safely, I'll pay you seven thousand Vecktas."
A system notification appeared on Zhou Ning's interface:
"You have triggered a B-Rank Mission: Escort.
Accept the mission?"
"Mission Objective: Escort target Ignatius Woods to Bantuen Port."
"Reward: Unknown."
Bantuen Port—part of the Sepharic Kingdom—was a small harbor west of Nathaniell, less than a two-hour voyage away.
Zhou Ning fell silent. The string of coincidences made him wary. It felt suspiciously like the handiwork of that troublesome book again. But after some thought, he agreed. With his current power, he had enough confidence to face whatever awaited him—and he still had the White Emperor Descent Card as a trump card.
"All right. But I can only take you as far as Nathaniell City. I'll also need a two-thousand Vecktas deposit upfront."
"Deal." Ignatius Woods agreed without hesitation.
…Should've asked for ten thousand, Zhou Ning thought ruefully.
Still, he was a man of his word. Since he had agreed, he wouldn't go back on it. He accepted the two thousand Vecktas in cash and tucked it into his pocket. Just half a year ago, his monthly salary had been only five Vecktas—this amount was enough to save for thirty years without eating or drinking.
"Meet me at the east port the morning after tomorrow, at nine."
After setting the time, Zhou Ning hired a carriage and headed for his alchemy shop. As expected, he found Richie Burke—who had gone "missing" during the previous battle—busily working inside.
The aftermath of that fight had completely destroyed both his shop and the newly built guild base. Yet, just like before, players were still gathered outside. Their gazes toward Zhou Ning were now filled with even more reverence and excitement.
When he opened the forums, every section was flooded with posts about him and the upcoming Pro League.
Countless players were analyzing his battle against the god frame by frame, and many of their theories were, in Zhou Ning's opinion, utterly absurd.
Previously, players from other nations had regarded him as one of the game's protagonists—but now, he had become the universally recognized main character. To players of the Bryston Kingdom in particular, he was unique, the most trusted NPC of all, and the source of countless rewards and opportunities.
However, the upcoming story suggested that Wayne Sturwell would be leaving Bryston. As a result, players were furiously speculating about where he would go next—and whether he would remain the protagonist in the next version. No one knew for sure.
Still, the majority believed he would. Within twenty minutes of Zhou Ning's arrival at the alchemy shop, every remaining Starry Sky Guild Invitation had sold out.
"I'll be leaving Darkland in a couple of days, heading to Nathaniell in Sepharic. Do you have any contacts there?" Zhou Ning asked once the crowd had thinned a little, walking up to Richie Burke.
"Wayne Sturwell is leaving?"
Richie Burke frowned, feeling an odd sense of abandonment. After seeing him defeat the evil god Nyastora, Richie considered Wayne a golden ticket. Without his ship The Myrny Rooster back yet, it seemed far safer to stick with Wayne than to risk capture by the Church or the military.
After a brief thought, he replied, "Yes. Not just in Nathaniell—I've got contacts in the Byron Republic's Grottburg and Ruins Kingdom's Hurst City too. Northern pirates operate as one network. As long as you pay well enough, any of us can use its resources."
"But… I'd rather go to Nathaniell with you." Seeing Zhou Ning's questioning look, Richie forced a grin and shrugged. "I still owe you three years of service, and honestly, there's no point in me staying here. I might as well go with you. Besides, if the mithril deal goes through, I can hand over your share right away."
"Fair point." Zhou Ning nodded, accepting Richie Burke's rather forced reasoning. To advance to his third-tier class, he still needed to hunt three oceanic high-tier creatures, and a guide familiar with the sea would be invaluable.
Later, Zhou Ning met with Sherlock, entrusting him with managing the alchemy shop and his house at 117 Gibbon Street. The proceeds could simply be transferred to his Bryston National Bank account.
Once all arrangements were settled, Zhou Ning took out his pocket watch. The hour hand pointed to 6:40 p.m. According to the in-game schedule, there were about twenty minutes left before the first round of the preliminaries began—at the Darkland National Arena, near the canal district.
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