Chapter 234

Chapter 234

The Annual Arcane Academic Conference, along with the Annual Young Mage Awards ceremony, lasted for three days.

The first morning featured the opening ceremony, award presentation, and academic lecture by legendary mages. The afternoons of the first, second, and third days were dedicated to discussions divided by schools and fields of study. The final afternoon included a closing lecture and banquet. Most senior mages either gave lectures or moderated discussions, while individuals like Garrett Nordmark roamed the venue, attending sessions that piqued their interest...

Inside and outside were both bustling. Over the course of these three days, news related to Garrett was gathered bit by bit and summarized at the back entrance of the academy’s restaurant, then passed on to operatives by the restaurant owner:

"Garrett Nordmark has joined the Thunder Horn, but he hasn’t been to the peak in the past month."

"Garrett Nordmark used to frequent the area around Clark Peak. It seems he’s been in the Dwarven Quarter all along..."

"Every time he comes down from the Dwarven Quarter, he follows a convoy of cargo caravans. There are at least two dwarves in the convoy, along with a team of cavalry escorts led by a fifth-level knight, and his barbarian companion."

"He hardly goes out for a stroll. No, for the past six months, none of our informants in the city have seen him out on the streets."

"We’ve found his laboratory! There’s no mistaking it; his name is still hanging on the wall of the lab!"

"The laboratory is in a very secluded location..."

"Someone is delivering supplies! For the past two months, deliveries have been made every day! The delivery person said that besides Garrett and his barbarian companion, he hasn’t seen anyone else!"

The owner squatted under the dim oil lamp, one by one, digging out intelligence from shells, firewood, dirty but shiny purses, and various other strange places to share with the waiter. Marcus Breno cradled his injured leg, curled up in the woodshed, studying the map of Nevis City, his eyes shining brightly:

"There’s no need to think about the peak. It’s a gathering place for high-level mages; someone like me would be dead if I went there."

"The forge area... the forge area won’t work either. It’s too difficult to get anything out of the dwarves."

"An ambush along the way is impossible... I’m injured, and I don’t have the authority to mobilize other personnel this time. This small team won’t be able to handle it. It seems that the only option now is to visit that laboratory."

"Help me find out the situation inside. How many people are there, when—"Vissit novelbin(.)c.om for updates

The owner skillfully continued: "And also the layout of the laboratory, defense measures, surrounding environment, patrol routes, retreat routes... Don’t worry, I know them all! Do you need anything else? I’ll have someone check it out together!"

cat scurried back over the wall, dragging its broken tail, then limped away into the wilderness. Marcus clenched his fists with excitement. He found that the barbarian was only active during the day, and the time he was most likely to be distracted was when he was busy doing something. At night, it was quiet around the laboratory. Even if there were patrols passing by, they didn’t stop to check, and they only shone their torches around. Marcus couldn’t see their faces, and they couldn’t see him hiding in the shadow of the wall...

The sun sets. The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky red, and the stars appeared gradually, as if punctured with tiny holes. The air was filled with the fragrance of roses and the sweet aroma of the night-blooming jasmine in full bloom. Amidst the rustling of the leaves, the howls of wild animals occasionally echoed in the distance.

Marcus leaned against the wall, holding his breath, waiting for the patrol to pass by, then quickly jumped up. With a soft leap, he easily jumped over the high wall. He didn’t even need to use any magic, just a little bit of skill in climbing. He landed softly, like a bat, on the soft grass. He looked up at the dark sky and smiled slightly. Tonight, the moon was hidden behind the clouds, the stars were dim, and the surrounding area was pitch black. He was like a fish in water, blending into the darkness.

He straightened up and silently approached the laboratory. The iron gate was closed, and the door was tightly shut. There was no light inside, only the sound of heavy breathing and occasional loud noises.

Marcus frowned slightly, then looked around. He approached the wall and reached out to touch it gently. The wall was smooth and cold, without any flaws. He took a deep breath and took a step back. He closed his eyes and silently chanted the incantation.

The air around him began to vibrate slightly. The sound of his heartbeat gradually synchronized with the vibration of the air, forming a strange resonance. The resonance spread out in all directions, like ripples on the surface of a calm lake, gradually spreading to the surrounding area.

Marcus opened his eyes, and the world seemed to have changed. The darkness was no longer silent; it was filled with countless faint sounds. The grass under his feet swayed gently, the leaves on the trees rustled softly, and the air itself seemed to be alive, pulsating with a mysterious rhythm.

Marcus smiled slightly and raised his hand. He gently touched the wall again, and this time, he felt a slight vibration. He closed his eyes and focused all his attention on the wall. He could feel the faint echo of his touch, as if the wall was responding to his presence.

He concentrated harder, focusing all his energy on the wall. Slowly, he began to sense something, a faint presence, a subtle fluctuation in the air. He narrowed his eyes, trying to discern the source of the disturbance.

Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his head, as if a knife were being driven into his skull. He cried out in agony and staggered back, clutching his head with both hands. The pain was unbearable, like a thousand needles piercing his brain, like a fire burning through his veins.

He gritted his teeth and forced himself to focus, to push through the pain and continue his investigation. He reached out again, ignoring the pain, ignoring everything except the wall in front of him. He could feel the vibrations growing stronger, the presence growing clearer, until finally, he could see it, a faint shimmering in the air, a ghostly outline of something hidden beneath the surface.

He gasped in astonishment, his heart pounding with excitement. He had found it, the hidden entrance to the laboratory, concealed beneath a layer of magic, invisible to the naked eye. He smiled triumphantly, his pain forgotten, his mind racing with possibilities.

He took a step forward, reaching out to touch the hidden entrance. But before his hand could make contact, he felt a sudden jolt of energy, a surge of power that knocked him off his feet and sent him sprawling to the ground. He cried out in shock and pain, his body convulsing with spasms as the magic surged through him like a tidal wave.

He struggled to get up, to fight back, but it was no use. The magic was too strong, too overwhelming. He could feel it tearing through his defenses, ripping through his mind, tearing him apart piece by piece. He screamed in agony, his voice lost in the darkness, as the magic consumed him utterly, leaving nothing behind but a broken shell, a hollow echo of the man he once was.

And in the darkness, the laboratory remained silent, its secrets safe for another day.

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