Chapter 383 You... are you William?
William was unaware that his simple act of trading a pill had led Thaddeus to a profound moral dilemma.
He and Alice had wandered the market for quite some time. Alice saw many intriguing items, but the only things of value she possessed were the emerald dragon sinew on her wrist and the Sword of Soulbreaker, in addition to the glass bottle she had retained from the recent trade.
Attempts to use money or precious gems like diamonds for transactions were met with indifference.
This was a Soulmancer market, where mundane worldly items held little allure.
Luxuries, fine wines, or popular music albums stood no chance of enticing Soulmancers, who, if they desired such things, could easily convert their unique items into cash in the secular world.
"Do we really not buy anything?" Alice kicked a pebble on the ground, her boredom apparent.
Shopping without buying anything was frustrating.
In the past, if she liked something, she would simply use her credit card. Despite having billions of dollars in her account, she found herself unable to buy anything in this market.
Along the way, she had taken a liking to various items, like a pearl that offered beauty sleep and tranquility when placed near a pillow, and pets for sale, including a golden retriever that could walk upright and even box, reminiscent of Puss in Boots. She was quite taken with its fluffy appearance.
"You want to buy, you buy yourself!" William responded. "That golden retriever you liked is just an animal with some consciousness. What's so special about that? And I think it's the stall owner's pet; they probably won't sell it to you."
"I know... but..." Alice hesitated, not daring to ask William for another pill to trade, and reluctant to part with her precious glass bottle, she sadly followed William as they left.
"You've been reading for two days now. Go find the materials you need for alchemy. I'm heading back." William's book on alchemy had detailed records of the materials needed, including their appearance and properties, all available in the New Lands. n.(o)/V(.e/-L-)B..I))n
Just like that, he was ready to leave?
"Okay, I'll find them myself. Where are you going?" Alice asked, noticing William's somber expression.
"I've got something to take care of," William replied, his face not looking very good.
He then vanished from the spot, as he had just received a message in the 13th Bureau's group chat about some bizarre individuals on Mount San Juan Teotihuaca causing a massacre, with even the Bureau's agents...
Timothy Hill, William's former butler, had learned some divination techniques while working for him. His ability to predict and avert disasters earned him the reputation of a living deity among many people.
However, with the emergence of various Soulmancer Guilds in the ordinary world, and the news reports about the discoveries at Mount San Juan Teotihuaca, certain individuals harbored malicious intentions and sought to seize what was found there.
The government forces sent to protect the archaeological team were incapable of safeguarding Timothy Hill.
At Mount San Juan Teotihuaca, Vinumbrae, the drunkard who had previously accompanied Luna and others, had taken control of everyone nearby.
Under the influence of his wine, Timothy Hill had become ferociously violent, engaging in brutal fights with others on the site.
What was once a serene place had transformed into a hellish battlefield, with blood staining the ground.
Inside a house on the site, Vinumbrae discovered numerous items previously used by William, which he considered precious.
Even a seemingly ordinary chair retained remnants of William's energy, making it valuable. He realized that this might be one of the most treasure-filled places in the world.
After using a secret technique to probe Timothy Hill's memories, Vinumbrae encountered images of William.
Since William had never displayed his full strength in front of Timothy Hill, Vinumbrae couldn't gauge William's true power from these memories.
But thinking about it, he must be at most a mid-level Soulmancer, with limited experience. Otherwise, how could he have ignored all these artifacts inside the house?
Sitting in the chair William once used, Vinumbrae felt increasingly uneasy.
Outside the house, countless people had died or been injured.
Under the influence of Vinumbrae's 'Berserker's Brew,' Timothy Hill had completely lost his sanity, turning into a relentless killing machine.
The once kind and gentle old man now had blood-red eyes, his body enlarged with bulging muscles. His white clothes were soaked in blood, and his shoes were caked with it, symbolizing his transformation into a murderous demon.
"Unexpectedly, this old man has quite the potential! After drinking my Berserker's Brew, he's exhibiting the strength of a mid-level Soulmancer," Vinumbrae mused with interest.
As the slaughter intensified before him, Vinumbrae's power grew, yet a sense of unease lingered in his heart.
What if that William actually had even more powerful artifacts?
After parting ways with Luna and the others, the student-like Thanarok had warned him not to act rashly, advising that he should quietly build his power.
As souls who had escaped the underworld, they grew stronger through slaughter, which made the events on Mount San Juan Teotihuaca an attractive opportunity for Vinumbrae.
On the mountain, he discovered that the house was filled with objects wrapped in pure, residual energy, which was exceedingly strange. The real oddity wasn't Timothy Hill, but rather this person named William.
As Vinumbrae hesitated, the 13th Bureau had already dispatched numerous agents to the site. But without exception, they were all swiftly eliminated. Vinumbrae's strength might not match Luna and the others, but he was no less formidable than any Demi-God level elite.
Apart from Zoey, the 13th Bureau also had another Demi-God level powerhouse.
Initially, they did not know the strength of the person wreaking havoc on Mount San Juan Teotihuaca and only sent mid-level Soulmancers at most.
Stronger individuals were immobilized by Vinumbrae, who then forced them to drink his brew.
Those who consumed the Berserker's Brew either exploded and died or, like Timothy Hill, became mindless killing machines.
Vinumbrae narrowed his eyes as he watched the scene unfold.
Now, only Timothy Hill and another 13th Bureau agent sent for reinforcement remained.
Originally, those sent by the government to protect Timothy Hill were all killed by these two.
The mountain top was a scene of carnage, with a heap of corpses and a stench of blood in the air.
"Heh heh! Let's see which one of you will become my minion! Fight it out!" Vinumbrae, not bothering with details, used a spatial storage bag to empty the house of its contents. He then prepared to leave after watching Timothy Hill and the 13th Bureau agent finish their deadly duel.
As for that person named William, just kill him if you encounter him!
He really didn't believe that this world of ordinary people could have anyone surpassing the strength of a Quasi-Deity level powerhouse.
In his eyes, the world would ultimately be under their control!
Just as Timothy Hill and the 13th Bureau agent were about to engage in a fierce battle, a figure suddenly appeared on the mountain.
William, with a cold gaze, swept over everything before him. Stepping forward, both Timothy Hill and the 13th Bureau agent instantly snapped back to their senses.
Berserker's Brew?
What trash was that?
Vinumbrae, the drunken soul, was taken aback. How could these two suddenly break free from his control?
When did another person appear on the mountain?
And how had he failed to notice?
"You... are you William?" Vinumbrae's eyes twitched nervously. He found that he couldn't determine William's level of strength, which started to make him feel uneasy.