Chapter 52: The Twin Serpent Coin
Chapter 52: The Twin Serpent Coin
From the moment Finn's body was animated to Linsey's capture, and from Linsey's forest hunt to the successful pursuit and elimination of the ice boar, confirming the situation and returning to town to inform everyone, the night seemed to stretch on endlessly.
As the sun's first rays bathed the church at dawn, the burial ceremony for Finn officially began.
The old man who had dedicated his life to knowledge should not have been subjected to such turmoil after death. So, Linsey hurriedly moved Finn's coffin from the wooden cabin to the church early in the morning, prepared the teacher's body, and then laid it to rest once more.
Under the witness of the town's Awakened.
Linsey wielded a shovel, digging a grave for his teacher with his own hands.
After the entire burial process was completed, the other Awakened in town gradually left, leaving only Anna and Torch, who were close to Linsey, still at the cemetery.
"Brother Linsey, please accept my condolences," Torch comforted Linsey.
Anna knelt before Finn's grave, quietly expressing her sorrow.
After about a quarter of an hour, the three returned to the chapel.
Linsey had already made up his mind, so he found Red Moon, who was copying documents.
Red Moon seemed to have anticipated this moment.
She put down her pen and silently gazed at Linsey, waiting for her disciple to speak.
"Mother Superior, Uncle An Rui plans to organize a team to find and bring to justice the mastermind behind all this."
Red Moon spoke in a calm tone, "You're going too."
Linsey nodded, "Regarding Teacher Finn's matter and the attack I experienced, I can't remain indifferent at a time like this."
"..."
"Then be careful."
Red Moon, as always, was economical with her words.
But after confirming Linsey's decision, she conveyed her instructions in her own way.
Linsey bid farewell to Red Moon with a nod.
As he exited the church, Anna and Torch were waiting at the door. Anna was the first to ask, "Linsey, how is it?"
Linsey headed straight for the town, explaining, "We'll go to your place first. Uncle An Rui mentioned organizing a long-range team, right?"
"Are you going too?" Anna's eyes widened. "But this team should be selected from the powerful Awakened in town..."
Linsey interrupted Anna, "This isn't about strength; it's something I must do."
"Desecrating the teacher's body and repeatedly threatening my life—no one can remain indifferent to such matters."
Upon hearing Linsey's response, Anna's purple eyes lowered.
Putting herself in Linsey's shoes, she couldn't help but feel the same.
Torch, standing beside them, remained silent but thoughtful, quickening his pace to catch up with Linsey.
The three walked towards the Lord's Manor.
It was early morning when a thin, dried-up figure stood in front of a civilian house by the road. Upon seeing Linsey and the others, he approached without hesitation and stopped them.
"Linsey, I have something I'd like to discuss with you privately."
It was Somjin, the grocery store owner.
Linsey glanced at the old man, knowing he had Awakened as a merchant, but nothing more.
Not wanting to waste time, he sidestepped the elder, "Mr. Somjin, I'm in a hurry to see Uncle An Rui. If you have something to say, we can talk later..."
"You want revenge, don't you?" Somjin blocked Linsey's path, interrupting him with confidence, "Come with me; it won't take long."
Linsey paused, looking at Somjin, who smiled, "No more than three minutes."
The two stepped aside, and Somjin got straight to the point, "I know you plan to join this punitive expedition. In my personal opinion, this mission will be highly rewarding, and you, among this team, are the most worthy of investment."
Somjin took out a walnut coin engraved with a pattern of intertwined twin serpents and handed it to Linsey, "I hope that when you return, you'll tell me everything you've seen."
Upon seeing the coin, Linsey felt an irresistible allure, as if it held the same attraction for a greedy merchant as gold.
"What is this?"
Somjin explained, "My merchant currency, child. You can use it to restore your essence, heal your injuries, or tempt other greedy life forms."
[Hunting Simulation] → [Simulated Business]
【Artifact: Twin Serpent Coin】
【A one-time consumable created by Tier 4 Merchants, the Twin Serpent Coin is a concentrated form of their personal wealth. Its value can be used to restore Essence, heal injuries, and even allure creatures.】
【The Twin Serpent Coin is difficult to craft and highly sought after, making it quite expensive.】
Upon reading this description, especially the phrase "expensive" in the item's information, Linsey's attitude immediately became serious:
"This investment is not to be taken lightly."
Somjin smiled and replied:
"Intelligence and hope have always come at a high price."
Linsey tentatively asked:
"What if I don't bring back the news you want, or if I deliberately conceal it?"
Somjin remained calm and composed in his response:
"Investments always come with risks and rewards. Moreover, if the trader defaults, merchants have their own ways of dealing with it."
After saying this, Somjin turned and left without further delay.
"..."
Linsey watched Somjin depart.
He looked at the Twin Serpent Coin in his hand and eventually put it away.
After bidding farewell to the merchant blocking their way, the three young people quickly arrived at An Rui's Lord's Manor.
The task of investigating the mastermind behind the scenes would undoubtedly involve force.
Therefore, the Awakened individuals responsible for production and those without strong combat abilities had already left early, leaving only seven people in front of An Rui.
Linsey recognized Dan and Alan among them, while the other five were only passing acquaintances.
At this moment, An Rui was assigning tasks:
"This expedition is of great importance. Considering the possibility of the enemy using the 'divide and conquer' strategy, we can't abandon the town's defense either... I definitely can't leave the town."
The female hunter leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and interjected:
"To find the mastermind, my tracking ability is indispensable. An Rui, how many people can you assign to me?"
An Rui nodded, agreeing with Dan's suggestion:
"Only two."
"But apart from me, you can choose any other Awakened in town."
Hearing this, Linsey knew he had arrived at the right time and immediately stepped forward to express his desire to join the task:
"Uncle An Rui, I also wish to be part of this mission."
Linsey's statement naturally attracted the attention of the other Awakened.
After three years, Linsey had already proven his abilities to Dan, and the female hunter readily accepted this familiar helper:
"No problem, then Linsey, you're in."
"And the other one... how about Alan? Didn't he also ascend and master his third skill recently? If we encounter tough opponents, he can be a valuable asset."
Alan immediately stepped forward, assuring seriously:
"No problem, I swear to do my best and become a sharp blade in your hand!"
With that, the two candidates seemed to be decided.
However, to everyone's surprise, just as they were about to disperse, Torch suddenly spoke up:
"Uncle An Rui, can I join this operation too?"
"Although I've only ascended and gained one ability, I believe my experience in the hunting team can still be of some use..."
Before Torch could finish, his mother was already fuming, "You're just a kid, don't cause trouble here. With your limited skills, what use could you possibly be?"
But Torch remained undeterred, meeting his mother's reprimanding gaze with a firm rebuttal:
"Does that mean I'm not an Awakened?"
"I've never had any issues in the hunting team, and my archery and basic wilderness tracking skills are quite good!"
The female hunter took two steps towards her son, her eyes fixed on Torch:
"If you truly believe you've grown wings, then I'll teach you a good lesson."
"Alright, Dan." Surprisingly, it was An Rui who spoke up at Torch's obvious rebellious behavior, "Young warriors must be tempered in crises, and Torch is already a capable young man. You can't protect him forever."
"Think about Cole."
"..."
"He's not a warrior, he's my son." The female hunter wanted to shout back, but upon hearing Cole's name, her anger vanished, and she fell silent.
Cole was Torch's father and Dan's husband.
The female hunter recalled her own adventures and Cole's figure as he ventured into the Black Mountains.
Finally, she looked at Torch, his lips tightly pressed together, his gaze resolute, mirroring her own expression when she left home years ago.
She turned away, no longer offering any objections.
(End of Chapter)
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