Chapter 346: A Magician Before Going Onstage

10 o'clock at night, in the alley by the back door of the Bravehearts

Bar.

Like the previous time, Klein, in his black double-breasted frock coat

and matching half top hat, had merely circled the bar once before he

walked to the nearest street as though he were on a stroll.

Just as he walked out of the alley, a carriage stopped in front of him.

Behind the glass window was Maric's pair of brown eyes which were still

suppressing any signs of malicious intent.

Klein pressed the top of his half top hat and, holding the sturdy cane

in his hand, calmly boarded the carriage as if he had hailed it himself.

He sat down and straightened his bow tie like a gentleman attending a

banquet.

"That outfit isn't suitable for battle." Maric, who was wearing a white

shirt, black vest, and tights, sized him up a few times and frowned.

It was obvious that he still had some doubts regarding Klein's strength,

but he had chosen to trust Sharron.

Klein smiled casually and said, "My Beyonder powers are different from

yours. Our fighting styles are different too. This type of clothing will

not affect me negatively in any way; it even suits me very well. For

example, it has a lot of pockets, and they can be used to store

different items in different places, so as to avoid taking the wrong

things when in a hurry and losing my life through such a laughable

mistake."

As he spoke, he took out the remaining three sedatives from a sewn

concealed pocket---they were the special sedatives concocted by the

Apothecary!

Just as he finished his sentence, a figure quickly outlined itself on a

window of the carriage.

A figure wearing a long black regal dress and a small soft hat.

It was none other than the Sequence 5 Beyonder of the Mutant pathway,

Wraith Sharron.

"You explain too much." Sharron looked at Klein and said in an ethereal

tone, "Not natural enough."

... I just wanted to get into the act... Klein laughed dryly

and replied, "Probably it's because I'm a bit nervous."

Without waiting for Sharron to speak again, he handed the three

sedatives to Maric.

"Find a chance to drink it yourself.

"I'm sure that you're more experienced than I am. You won't drink it too

early or too late, much less drink too little or too much."

Maric looked at the sealed and transparent glass test tube, gently

shaking the liquid inside and said, "Two and a half. Any more and I will

really be sedated. I wouldn't do anything for a short period of time."

"Very good," Klein praised and turned to look at Sharron. "Have you guys

decided on the ambush spot?"

Sharron nodded.

"We're on the way there."

She didn't directly reveal the intended location to Klein.

Very prudent, very careful... Klein thought for a moment

before asking, "Will you be hurt by purification?"

"As a zombie, yes. Same when I'm in my spirit state," Sharron explained

succinctly.

*In other words, when a Sequence 5 Wraith is still in their physical

state, the purification effects wouldn't be effective...* Klein

thoughtfully asked, "What about exorcism?

"What about demon-hunting?"

As they were dealing with a Beyonder of the same pathway, Sharron didn't

hide anything from him.

"Demon-hunting will deal damage to our bodies. Likewise for exorcism, to

both our bodies and spiritual bodies. But it wouldn't be fatal."

Klein curled his lips into a smile and exhaled.

"I understand."

He pondered for a moment, and he asked again after some deliberation,

"Do you feel the power of purification and exorcism now?"

"No," Maric replied hoarsely.

*Very good, this spirituality cage, modified from a wall of

spirituality, is indeed able to isolate the effects of the Sun Brooch.

However, I'm so hot...* Klein secretly sighed and confirmed,

"Wraith Steve, Zombie Jason, and Werewolf Tyre, do they have any other

mystical items or Beyonder weapons besides the Scarlet Lunar Corona?"

"We don't know." Maric pinched his glabella, looking a bit irritated.

With the battle at hand, he couldn't help but be stirred by these

emotions while suppressing his maliciousness and desires.

Sharron listened silently and replied without any hints of discomposure,

"When influenced by the Scarlet Lunar Corona, Jason and Tyre will be in

a rather fervent state.

"Even if they have mystical items, they would lack the reason to use

them."

"Unless it's something passive," added Maric. "But to a Werewolf, their

claws are their Beyonder weapons. It's the same for me, Tyre, and Jason.

It can tear through steel and comes with venom."

Klein's eyes darted about as he nodded.

"Alright, I have no more questions."

In the night with few pedestrians, the carriage sped across the streets,

its wheels going over puddles of water from time to time, splattering

fine dirt onto itself.

After ten minutes or so, Maric had the zombie driver stop the carriage.

Klein looked out through the glass window and saw a dark, dilapidated

building. Not far away, the sound of running water could be heard.

"This is the West Balam dock that has been abandoned for a year and is

about to be rebuilt. Our planned ambush point will be around its

warehouses," Maric introduced.

*The abandoned West Balam dock... If an accident were to really happen,

the Tussock River would be the best escape route... According to my

previous survey, there is a Lever Cathedral about two kilometers

northwest of here, one belonging to the Church of the God of Steam and

Machinery...* Klein quickly recalled his surroundings.

He disembarked from the carriage, tidied up his clothes in a leisurely

manner, and, with his cane in hand, followed Sharron and Maric into the

dock which awaited renovations.

After walking for about five minutes, they came to an open space

surrounded by several warehouses.

The soil here was dark brown, with withered weeds lying everywhere. A

wooden chest quietly sat in a dark corner.

"Those are the explosives you asked for." Maric pointed.

Klein immediately nodded and said, "Aren't you afraid that a tramp might

steal them?"

"My zombies are sleeping underground here. If anyone enters, they will

scare that person away." Maric pointed to a few other spots. "Avoid them

when you bury the explosives."

"No problem." Klein smiled and nodded before asking, "Will my

purification and exorcism effects hurt your guys?"

"No, they are equivalent to corpses when in deep slumber, and there's

also a thick layer of soil shielding them." Maric gave an affirmative

answer.

After looking around, Sharron became talkative for once.

"Stay here and make your preparations. We'll go and lure the enemy over.

"It won't take more than thirty minutes. Please make use of the time.

"After you finish your preparations, hide in a warehouse. Don't be in a

hurry to make your move. Make sure to be patient.

"No matter how dangerous the situation is, treat it as normal.

"When I become weak and the Scarlet Lunar Corona appears, you can use

that 'eye' to search for Steve and launch a sudden attack on him. I will

also use my mystical item to complement you."

Klein listened attentively, chuckled, and said, "A very simple plan."

"The simpler the plan, the more effective it is," Sharron calmly

responded.

Maric pinched his forehead, shook his head, and said, "Steve isn't a

fool. If any problem arises in a complicated plan, it will lead to a

complete disaster.

After they finished their exchange, Sharron vanished and Maric quickly

departed from the dock.

After watching them leave, Klein took out a small square metal box from

his pocket. Its surface was covered in a thin film of spirituality. This

was the spirituality cage that had been modified from a wall of

spirituality.

It could, to some extent, isolate the outside world from the effects of

certain mystical items, but it couldn't abate the negative effects they

had on the possessor.

Of course, Sealed Artifacts which were too powerful or too strange were

definitely not something that a spirituality cage could deal with. They

required a special sealing environment that was specially designed for

it.

*Four warehouses, overgrown with weeds. The ground is muddy from the

rain earlier...* Klein took out a piece of paper and shook it.

Pa!

The paper quickly became taut and as hard as an iron plate.

Klein held the note and dug a shallow hole in the middle of the open

ground. He buried the small square iron box in his hand. There was only

a thin layer of soil between it and the outside world.

Next, he took out the explosives from the wooden box and buried them in

different corners and in different warehouses.

He buried the remaining explosive sticks near the center.

After finishing all of this, he took out his revolver and adjusted the

ratio of the bullets again---3 purifying bullets and 2 exorcism bullets.

Putting away the revolver in his underarm holster, Klein tidied his

clothes, walked to a gap between two warehouses, and threw a paper

figurine there, right above some buried explosives.

He examined his surroundings again, and then he took out another square

metal box. He removed the spirituality cage on its surface and took out

the dark golden sunbird shaped brooch, solemnly wearing it on his left

chest.

Phew... Klein let out a breath, left the place, circled the

exterior, threw out some inconspicuous items, and burned away the used

piece of paper.

When he returned, he climbed to the top of one of the warehouses and hid

in the shadows.

Reaching out his hand, he counted and confirmed the various charms,

extract, and herbal powders. He touched the iron cigar case and snapped

his fingers.

The paper figurine he had left between the two warehouses stood up and

transformed into a gentleman wearing a black double-breasted frock coat,

a silk half top hat, and was holding a hard cane.

The gentleman's position was rather remote and hidden, making it

difficult for anyone who came in from the outside to notice him.

With his stand-in present, Klein's figure disappeared from where he

stood.

However, his vision wasn't affected in any way, and he could clearly see

the road that led to the clearing.

Even though he had made preparations and had experienced many battles,

Klein was still a bit afraid and nervous at that very moment.

No matter how good a performance was, it could still be seen through!

Furthermore, the enemy was a Sequence 5 wielding a mystical item! There

was also a Sequence 6 and Sequence 7!

Is this the state every magician is in before he goes onstage?

Klein took a silent breath, suppressing his emotions and the heat of his

body.

That night, the crimson moon was constantly obscured by the clouds, and

there was only a glimmer of light in the clearing.

Before long, Klein saw three figures rapidly approaching.

One in front, one in the middle, and one at the back!