Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 3345: Chapter 3346: Encountering Dao Shen Again

Lip-reading, generally speaking, is not a very impressive skill.

But it depends on the situation.

In the Daylight Mirror Domain, the tribes are vast, including human forms, animal forms, peculiar forms... there are even gaseous forms. With so many different shapes among the races, even if they speak the same language, the position of sound production is different, and the lip-reading results are vastly different.

Take, for instance, the Serpentoid, which produces sound by flicking its tongue to create micro-waves in the air.

And due to variations in size among Serpentoid individuals, the length of their tongues differs, causing shifts in the sound production position.

The lip-reading technique they use is something ordinary people can’t easily decipher.

Even if Laplace were to try, it would be quite perplexing.

However, Angel clearly saw that multiple investigators and staff members at the Everything House were watching the Serpentoid’s demonstration with great interest, indicating that they most likely understood the Serpentoid’s lip-reading.

It must be said, the investigators and staff at the Everything House are very professional.

From this detail, one can see that in the area of information gathering, the Everything House is undoubtedly the leader in the Daylight Mirror Domain.

While Angel was contemplating, a tall man in a burgundy tailcoat seemingly noticed his gaze and turned to give them a glance.

Judging by his uniform, this man should be a staff member of the services office.

He hesitated for a moment, perhaps speculating whether Angel and the others were clients. A few seconds later, he decided to forego the mesmerizing programs at the display platform and walked over to Angel and the others, warmly inquiring if they needed any assistance.

Angel was about to wave him away when Sipolov stepped forward: ”I need assistance.”

Angel glanced at Sipolov, did not interrupt him, and allowed him to proceed.

Angel and Laplace then stood aside.

Sipolov went up to the staff member and whispered a few words into the other’s ear.

The staff member was taken aback, furrowing his brow as if he heard a difficult request, hesitating to respond; until Sipolov repeatedly provided assurance, he reluctantly nodded: ”Well... alright, sir, please wait a moment.”

After speaking, the staff member moved aside.

It was only then that Sipolov turned and presented an apologetic expression to Angel and Laplace.

Laplace said nothing, and Angel nodded, indicating understanding.

Although Sipolov and the staff member were whispering, they did not deliberately disguise the sound, and with Angel and Laplace’s keen ears, they naturally overheard Sipolov’s words.

What he told the staff member was, in fact, to check outside the Everything House’s entrance.

To see if his ”childhood sweetheart,” Ksenia, was outside ”waiting” for him.

Originally, Sipolov came to the Everything House not only to place a commission but also to avoid Ksenia, a passionate ”pursuer.”

Even though Sipolov had repeatedly either subtly or straightforwardly rejected Ksenia, she seemed like a stubborn, unshakeable rubber mud, sticking to him persistently. As if determined that a passionate man is afraid of a persistent woman.

Sipolov found this very difficult because he had no emotional feelings towards Ksenia at all. However, due to Ksenia’s special status, Sipolov did not dare to be overly ”boisterous” with her, so he could only find ways to isolate himself from her. Wherever she went, Sipolov escaped to another place, refusing to meet her.

Previously, Sipolov heard from Angel that Uncle Kuo and Angel told him that he and Ksenia would be waiting for Sipolov at the entrance of the Everything House.

Therefore, Sipolov asked the services office staff to help inquire whether Ksenia was still waiting at the entrance.

And because assisting in finding someone is actually bordering on the rules of the Everything House, the staff hesitated whether to help... Ultimately, Sipolov expressed that he just came out of the Ghost Steward and Dog Deacon’s Steward House, where he submitted a highly confidential commission list that might be coveted. Using the phrase ”you wouldn’t want anything to happen to your client,” he made the staff waver repeatedly before deciding to assist Sipolov.

To confirm whether someone was at the entrance of the Everything House would take some time. During the wait, Angel looked at Sipolov: ”Speaking of which, this demonstration has been going on for such a long time, if Ksenia is really waiting outside, it’s actually quite challenging.”

At least from a superficial standpoint, she seemed to be quite sincere.

After hearing this, Sipolov quickly shook his head: ”No, this, in my view, is not a matter of ’sincerity’ but rather a very crazy behavior.”

Sipolov hesitated for a moment and continued to tell Angel: ”This kind of craziness has happened more than once. For example, I was sleeping soundly in a small room in the military camp, and upon waking up one morning, a woman suddenly sat beside my bed, and in an affectionate tone told me that she had prepared breakfast for me, and her Heart Fire had slipped into my quilt.”

”And this woman was Ksenia.”

”Furthermore, when I dined with my comrades in the camp canteen, the trays served to others were normal, but mine was a custom gold plate, filled with top-notch extraordinary ingredients made to perfection. The reason is she bribed the camp chef to deliver these meals from the luxury hotel in the capital city.”

”And while I was training, she changed the water in my bottle to frost flower dew...”

Sipolov continued to recount various examples, listing several before looking up at Angel: ”Sir, imagine yourself in my shoes. When you are pursued in such a manner, do you feel happy?”

Angel: ”...” He had just mentioned it casually, how did it lead to a swap of roles?

However, as far as Angel was concerned, these were not significant issues.

But if placed in the same position, Angel would feel somewhat suffocated; some of the actions were invasive of his privacy and repulsive.

But if he actually liked Ksenia, her actions, even if they crossed the line, might still be forgiven.

Angel expressed these thoughts, and Sipolov sighed: ”But the key point is, I have already rejected her multiple times.”

In such a situation, she still clung on, thinking she had done many good things for Sipolov... but from Sipolov’s perspective, it was merely an invasion of privacy and self-delusion.

Angel was also hard-pressed to comment on this, as he himself had no romantic experience and furthermore... oh wait, it’s not right, he had actually encountered similar incidents as well.

When he lived in Gru Town, his personal maid Ollie mentioned that there were many scented love letters sent to Angel’s mailbox.

Angel was oblivious to these, because... they were all taken by his brother Lyon, who reasoned that Angel was too young and not suited to read them, suggesting they be set aside until he grew up.

At the time, Angel was only eleven or twelve and naturally, this held no significance to him.

Later, however, Angel entered the Wizards’ Realm, and the love letter incident naturally had no follow-up.

In addition, after becoming an Alchemist, Angel also heard about having crazy admirers, who, in pursuit of him, even moved into his former rented small lodge in Apprentice Town.

But Angel never met these crazy admirers in person for one simple reason... at the time, he lived on Illusion Demon Island, where outsiders couldn’t enter. Later, he lived out in the ruins, further reducing encounters with people.

In summary, Angel had admirers, but they were all involuntarily isolated; the underlying reason being the disparity in status.

There were really no pursuers whose social status matched his.

Thinking of this, Angel felt some sympathy for Sipolov; he and Ksenia belonged to the same stratum, with similar status and identity, and if there were feelings between them, even their elders would be pleased.

In this case, Ksenia was still a relentless pursuer, making Sipolov’s plight quite dire.

But even so, for Ksenia to be able to trespass into Sipolov’s residence in the military camp late at night without deterrence was indeed over the line.

Sipolov sighed and said, ”She did receive some punishment for that intrusion into my room, but for her, it’s not much. Mainly, Senior General Oleg can’t afford to offend her because her identity is very special.”

As for how special, Sipolov didn’t continue, only becoming increasingly helpless in expression.

Sometimes, he was almost pushed to abandon his identity and leave Ice Country for the free New World... Yet the family’s honor and the knight’s code prevented such absurd decisions.

All he could do now was to find ways to distance himself from Ksenia.

While Sipolov lamented helplessly, a staff member in a wine-red tailcoat finally approached: ”Sir, we have confirmed that the lady you mentioned is not at the entrance.”

After a pause, the staff member added: ”According to our information, she was indeed at Everything House’s entrance initially, but about half an hour ago, when Changhuo Clan began their presentation, she was taken away by a Yingji Clan gentleman.”

After speaking, the staff bowed to Sipolov and then took his leave.

Upon hearing the staff’s report, Sipolov breathed a long sigh of relief, ”It’s good now that she’s gone...”

Then, without any psychological barriers, Sipolov and Angel started heading outside the affairs office.

The next journey led them from the affairs office to the reception area, and then leaving, requiring passing through two long corridors.

On the way out, Sipolov remarked with some sentimentality, ”The one who took Ksenia must be... Uncle Kuo. Only Uncle Kuo can stop her unreasonable behavior.”

Angel asked, ”From your tone, Uncle Kuo’s identity seems quite unusual?”

Previously, he always thought Uncle Kuo was Ksenia’s family butler or servant because his communication with Angel gave off a ”person in charge” vibe; but hearing Sipolov’s tone, Uncle Kuo didn’t seem to be that?

Sipolov gently nodded, ”Uncle Kuo’s identity is even more special than Ksenia’s; regarding his specific identity, I’m not qualified to mention it.”

Simply put, it is a military secret.

Angel understood and didn’t continue asking, instead he changed the topic: ”Changhuo Clan presented, and Uncle Kuo took Ksenia away, seems because of ’Barrier Break and Mirror Domain’.”

Sipolov also nodded in agreement, ”Should be so; no one expected that the biggest highlight of this presentation would be Changhuo Clan...”

As the words fell, Sipolov seemed to recall something and hurriedly supplemented, ”Also, the Dream Mirror log-in device is another big highlight.”

Angel shook his head, smiling lightly, ”No need to deliberately add that.”

Sipolov scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed.

Angel didn’t mind, the log-in device’s worth will be apparent soon enough.

Now with Mystic Book Dragon’s sudden arrival and its interest in the log-in device... many plans will occur sooner.

For instance, Calamity Puppet Sylph’s matter, initially thought to wait until the gathering ends and Glaipnir goes to Hundred-Dragon Divine Kingdom to discuss; but now it’s already communicated with Mystic Book Dragon.

With Mystic Book Dragon’s insight and action, it may not take long before the leaders of the clans know about this.

By then, the log-in device will be the core of dealing with the Calamity Puppet plan, inevitably entering various clan’s sights.

Therefore, Angel doesn’t mind the current reviews of the log-in device, as soon enough, the reviews will naturally change.

Not long later, they arrived at the reception area.

Under the gaze of the service personnel at the reception, Angel and the others disappeared at Everything House’s entrance.

Returning to the subtly misty Cloud Soil, Angel felt a refreshing air return. Everything House’s interiors were too complex, with space segmented into pieces, each connected by winding corridors like a Rubik’s Cube space filled with spider webs.

Though not truly dangerous inside Everything House, a sense of oppression lingered; returning outside relieved the oppressive mood. However, realizing the Cloud Soil wasn’t genuinely the outside world but within Giant City Spirit’s core, true relaxation was unattainable.

Currently, the courtyard where Everything House is located is more crowded than before. Mainly, the main presentation has concluded, secondary booths are viewable at any time, and interconnections among various clans commence privately.

Everything House serves as Daylight Mirror Domain’s intelligence hub, so the traffic is unsurprisingly high.

As Angel and others headed towards the courtyard exit, a group of black-cloaked individuals entered Everything House.

Initially indifferent to the passing crowd, Angel noticed that amongst this batch of black-cloak folks, as one brushed past him, seemed to detect something and glanced back at him.

By the time Angel realized, turning to look, that person had already entered Everything House’s main entrance.

”Who was that just now...” Angel hadn’t seen the opposition’s face clearly, but he sensed the probing gaze.

As Angel pondered silently, Laplace beside him said calmly, ”It’s the human we encountered earlier.”

”Human?” Angel paused, a silhouette emerged in his mind—tight-uniformed high ponytail man.

Angel asked, ”Are you referring to... Blood Hunter, Dao Shen?”

Laplace nodded, ”Correct.”

Angel hadn’t noticed him, but Laplace’s Perception was fully open, instantly catching his figure as he turned.

Indeed, the human who had claimed to be Dao Shen.

”Dao Shen?” Angel murmured lowly.

Angel had a good impression of Dao Shen; perhaps due to a ”encountering kin in a foreign land” situation, Dao Shen showed significant goodwill toward him, even gifting a contact badge, offering assistance if needed.

Thus, it seemed normal for Dao Shen to turn upon seeing him.

Yet, he only glanced without calling him over, why?

Bear in mind when he and Dao Shen first met, despite the distance, Dao Shen actively approached.

Perhaps it’s due to his companions?

Angel took one last glance towards Everything House’s doorway but Dao Shen’s group’s silhouettes had vanished, evidently entering within, and Everything House’s entrance is a sort of teleport mechanism that allocates entrants to different reception areas, making meeting hard even if Angel pursued them now.

Angel shook his head, deciding not to dwell further, ultimately a fleeting encounter.