Returning to the Mysterious Era-Chapter 483 - Bronze Key Obtained!

At Duke Augustus's manor, the conversation between Cassius and the Chief Mechanist had already come to a close.

Cassius had led the Treatment Ward to annihilate the Eclipse Society's northern branch and accomplished a tremendous feat, so the Chief Mechanist readily agreed to any requests he made. He immediately promised that Cassius could enter the treasury the next day to select something.

Furthermore, Cassius's second request could hardly be called a demand. Rather than a demand, it was more like a request to make an announcement in his capacity as Director of the Treatment Ward. The Chief Mechanist thought over the announcement for a few moments, then nodded.

Right after agreeing, he changed the subject and brought up the Eclipse Society. He chatted idly with Cassius for a few words before discreetly revealing his true motive. "The Eclipse Society is quite a dangerous faction among dark creature races. They’re quite formidable in the northern and eastern regions of the empire. You led the Treatment Ward to destroy their northern first branch, so they might retaliate against you in the near future. Be cautious when you inspect the Treatment Ward's branches across the empire; the Eclipse Society may launch an ambush aimed specifically at you..."

Cassius nodded in acknowledgment.

The Chief Mechanist continued, "How about this? The Dark Hunter Organization headquarters has been paying attention to and gathering information about the Eclipse Society for decades, so we have accumulated plenty of useful intelligence. For instance, we know the precise whereabouts of certain Eclipse Society branches in various counties, as well as certain factions that share close connections with the Eclipse Society. Perhaps it could be of some use to you on your journey... Tomorrow, when you come to headquarters, I will have Thomas organize all of this information. Think of it as a minor gesture of support." The Chief Mechanist spoke at length, his gaze calm and apparently sincere. On the surface, he seemed to be merely concerned about a subordinate.

Cassius gave a faint smile and said flatly, "Thank you."

Two men of imposing presence exchanged looks beneath the moonlight on the balcony, as if each glimpsed the hidden intentions behind the other's eyes, yet neither exposed it. They simply offered faint smiles.

The Chief Mechanist had said a great deal, all of it true and certainly helpful. However, his reasons for handing over the Eclipse Society's complete dossier to Cassius were not quite so straightforward.

Put simply, it was a way to kill with a borrowed blade, and perhaps to further test Cassius's capabilities. The Eclipse Society, as a powerful organization of dark creatures, could be considered a malignant tumor in the northern and eastern parts of the Hongli Empire. They had consistently been a thorn in the side of the Dark Hunter Organization, yet direct action against them had always proved difficult.

Even on the rare occasion that they acted, they only managed to trim away a few branches, leaving the society's foundation firmly intact.

There was no easy solution. The Dark Hunter Organization still had to guard against the Gate Organization, making it impossible to commit all their forces to subduing the Eclipse Society. If they only dispatched a small contingent, it was hardly enough to deal with the Eclipse Society, which possessed the Moon God statues.

Thus, they had always ended up treating the symptoms rather than the cause, only to see the Eclipse Society regrow like spring grass.

But now, circumstances had taken a turn. The mysterious and formidable Cassius had suddenly emerged, rebuilding the entire Treatment Ward in a very short span.

Moreover, the Treatment Ward's personnel consisted of prisoners from the Savage Beast Den who had been awaiting execution. Once Cassius had subdued them, they displayed astonishing combat prowess and a terrifying thirst for battle.

From an outside perspective, it looked as though the Dark Hunter Organization had suddenly gained a powerful new ally, who was fiercely aggressive. In particular, this ally was targeting the Dark Hunter Organization's enemies.

In a matter of days, they wiped out at least a third of the Eclipse Society's strength, which was remarkably efficient. They were, without a doubt, an exceptionally sharp blade. Therefore, using this blade to deal with heretics and enemies that plagued the Dark Hunter Organization headquarters was by far the best option!

What the Chief Mechanist meant was essentially this: Since you, Cassius, plan to leave Florence to travel around various parts of the Hongli Empire for business, why not conveniently take those vicious subordinates of yours to wipe out the troublesome Eclipse Society while you're at it! The headquarters will even provide intelligence support.

Cassius did not particularly mind. In fact, it suited him perfectly.

The Eclipse Society's Moon God Cult statues were indeed valuable objects! It was quite possible that each statue housed a fragment of the decaying flesh belonging to the Ultimate Dark Form, Moon God. By devouring the flesh of an Ultimate Dark Form, Cassius's Golem Covert Martial Arts would evolve further, raising its maximum potential.

Therefore, the partnership benefited both sides according to their respective needs. It was a true win-win so Cassius felt no need to avoid it.

At seven-thirty in the evening, Cassius and the Chief Mechanist concluded their discussion after the banquet had run for an hour and a half. The Chief Mechanist still had matters to attend to so he entered the hall with Aaron, informed Duke Augustus, and then departed.

Cassius stood in the breeze on the square balcony. He was in a pleasant mood that day and felt quite relaxed. One hand rested against the lacquered wooden railing, cold and smooth to the touch. His other hand hung loosely in the pocket of his coat.

The evening breeze carried the fragrance of garden flowers from beyond the balcony, gently lifting the hem of his coat. Cassius narrowed his eyes slightly as he gazed at the dark sky to the east. By his reckoning, Fog Man and Nine Serpents were likely nearing the Alphama Mountains.

He hoped they would move swiftly; no matter who possessed the Demon Box or which power held it, they needed to storm in and seize it for him. He did not mind if they were fierce, brutal, or ruthless!

That overbearing style defined the new Treatment Ward from top to bottom! Anyone standing in the way ought to die swiftly, like straw trampled underfoot.

Cassius was in need of the Book of the Devil. He had long wished to retrieve it. For instance, the missions assigned to Ghost-Man and Iron Knight at Black Rain Manor all pointed toward certain precious resources or secrets in the World of Calamity.

Yet those missions lacked complete information, so identifying targets was difficult, and the process itself was perilous and challenging. However, if he had the Book of the Devil, it might even produce a map. He would only need to follow its directions.

Although he did not know whether it would succeed, it certainly seemed worth attempting. Once he obtained the Book of the Devil, he would then acquire the fake-death pill. After that, he could move on to his main goal of traveling to the Eternal Archipelago to secure the Southern Dipper Waterbird Fist!

"Whew..." Cassius exhaled softly and as he let his hand fall from the railing.

"Mister White Aster, do you have any worries on your mind?" asked a lovely young woman in a courtly green gown as she stepped onto the balcony from the hall. Her full lips accented her warm smile and fair skin.

Moonlight spilled in from one side of the balcony, outlining a tall, slender, yet curvaceous figure. If one had to describe it, it was like a slender bough bearing ripe fruit. As the Ninth Princess was a political marriage tool of the royal family, her looks, aura, and figure were all top-notch. It was the stuff of many men's dreams.

Angela wore her usual enchanting smile. She was usually the focal point of every male gaze in attendance at a banquet. Even though she had recently faced rejection, Angela still possessed unwavering confidence in herself.

She moved lightly across the floor, positioning herself to Cassius's right. She seemed poised and elegant in the moonlight, and her hair carried a subtle fragrance. It seemed even more appealing than the scent of the night breeze carrying flowers.

"If there was something weighing on you, you could share it with someone. That might make you feel a bit better..." Angela placed her pale hands on the railing and said with a faint smile.

"Heh heh heh..." Cassius let out a sudden laugh, turning his head to look at Angela. His blue eyes appeared unusually profound, as though twin whirlpools spiraled within them, leading to an unfathomable darkness.

That depth, which seemed capable of devouring even light, provoked a faint chill in anyone who saw it. He smiled faintly and said, "Are you sure you want to hear it?"

His tone was light and unremarkable, drifting lazily into Angela's ears.

However, Angela shuddered, a sense of foreboding rising in her heart. She did not know why, but she felt that if she truly listened to Cassius's worries, she would be plunged into an inescapable abyss.

An intangible prickle of danger seemed to pass over Angela's smooth arms like a poisoned needle, raising a wave of goosebumps. She crossed her arms and rubbed her palms along her skin, trying to dispel the chills.

"Do you still want to hear it?" After a brief moment of silence, Cassius spoke once more, his face devoid of emotion.

He had turned completely around, half his face bathed in moonlight with the rigid, chilling quality of a statue. Though strikingly handsome, he inspired inexplicable fear.

Angela involuntarily retreated two steps, her breathing becoming rapid. She slowly looked away from Cassius's unwavering stare and shook her head.

"That's more like it. Children shouldn't pry into the affairs of grown-ups. You are better off remaining innocent at your age. Don't overthink things, or you may only harm yourself. Run along and spend time with your friends at the banquet..." Cassius slowly turned to gaze at the cool moonlit sky beyond.

His profound features exuded an air of solitary mystery. Meanwhile, Angela walked out of the balcony like an obedient puppet as if enthralled. She did not snap out of it until the clamor of the hall rushed up to greet her, leaving her looking utterly bewildered.

Standing in a corner of the hall, she recalled what had just occurred. It felt like he had treated her as some inexperienced kid and lectured her in a tone befitting an elder. He had paid no attention whatsoever to her feminine allure.

For a moment, Angela felt a pang of loneliness, as she even began to question her own charm. Yet there was nothing she could do. She could only walk back to the center of the hall and seat herself on the same plush sofa as before.

"Was the Ninth Princess turned down? She looks rather disheartened..."

"I recall the last banquet vividly. The moment the Ninth Princess showed up, all those young, handsome nobles and prodigies flocked around her like peacocks displaying their feathers..."

"Look over there. She's coming back from the balcony. I believe the only one still there was that Number Two Shadow Hunter right? Tsk tsk, heh heh..."

Three minutes later, a tall figure stepped away from the balcony and returned into the bright glow of the banquet hall. Cassius strode forward, heading directly toward the duke.

"Hey, what do you think? Since the Ninth Princess got turned down... Does that mean we might have a shot?" Whispers emerged from certain cliques in the hall.

In an instant, a flock of gorgeously attired ladies rushed forward to chat Cassius up. Some were bold, some bashful, others seductive, and others gentle.

For a brief moment, he was inundated with their attention.

Angela, sitting on the sofa in the distance, looked quite upset. However, as time passed, her expression gradually returned to normal, and she even felt a measure of relief.

Cassius had not just refused her; he had turned them all away equally. None of the noble ladies had managed to catch his interest. So apparently, it was not that her own charm had waned. It was just that this one cold, unyielding piece of rock was far too tough to bite into.

After a few more seconds, Cassius proceeded in that icy, aloof manner until he reached Duke Augustus. "Mister Augustus, my apologies, but there are still matters within the Treatment Ward awaiting my attention. I will be taking my leave now."

"Ah, no trouble. You are busy with your duties, I understand. It is the same for the Chief Mechanist and Mister Aaron. They always have tasks to handle..." Duke Augustus continued to beam at him as he waved him off.

"Farewell." Cassius nodded and departed the banquet without another word. He showed no inclination to take even a scrap of the grandeur or luxury of the duke's event, nor did he linger for even a moment.

It was as if he were an outsider, quietly observing humanity's drama of joy and sorrow from afar.

The next day, Cassius and the Chief Mechanist met within the headquarters of the Dark Hunter Organization in a dim, chilly underground corridor in front of the treasury. Torches blazed quietly at the edges to offer some light.

The Chief Mechanist led the way, with Cassius following close behind. Their footsteps echoed throughout the corridor until they gradually overlapped.

After three minutes, they were greeted by a metal gate. The Chief Mechanist removed a polyhedron that resembled a metallic sphere from his coat and pressed it into a recess on the door.

Immediately, the gate parted, and a wave of stale air drifted forth.

They walked inside, and the Chief Mechanist clapped his hands lightly. The entire treasury was immediately flooded with light as flames floated across the vaulted ceiling.

"This is the first level of the treasury. The second and third levels are also below. You may select one item from each of the three floors. Once you finish choosing from the first level, let me know. I will guide you to the next." The Chief Mechanist spoke slowly, his gaze calm.

Cassius nodded and proceeded to browse through the first level of the treasury. Indeed, it looked every bit like the treasury's first floor. By his estimation, there was nothing truly remarkable there. In the end, Cassius casually picked out a pair of interlocking bronze rings.

They could be separated and carried by two individuals. They were unique in that they would still transmit simple messages even if separated by thousands of miles. Essentially, it was a primitive kind of telephone, but in the distant era of the Hongli Empire, such an item was precious.

Next, the two moved on to the treasury's second level.

Cassius picked out an incomplete ancient art that the Dark Hunter Organization had collected at some unknown time without hesitation. Its contents were recorded on an ancient piece of parchment, of which only two-thirds remained.

The Dark Hunter Organization only knew that it was some sort of ancient art, but they could not decipher it. The writing resembled illegible scribbles, so they had left it unused.

Cassius, however, was different. He was about to acquire the Book of the Devil. He could simply spend a bit of essence of calamity and have the Book of the Devil translate it for him. There was even a chance he might recover the missing portions.

This was the second item, and he considered it well worth procuring. The two then arrived at the third level of the treasury. The massive stone door rumbled open, and lamps began to glow.

Cassius noticed the very first item on the left side of the third floor at once.

It was a bronze key that was somewhat corroded! Clearly, it was the key required to access that particular ancient ruin...

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