Bishop Keith’s reasoning was clear, and Wayne had also come to these conclusions, but unfortunately, the Black Sorcerer had never shown himself from beginning to end and was likely already scared away.
Putting himself in the villain’s shoes, if he were the Black Sorcerer, with his insufficient strength exposed, he would definitely flee far away, prioritizing his survival before thinking about anything else.
On the other hand, Darcy, following Keith’s deduction, suddenly thought of something, "Keith, do you remember that rancher? I recall he mentioned that the insect plague in the neighboring village had escalated to the insects gnawing on corpses, and even the cattle sheds on the ranch were harassed by the swarms."
"Are you saying the Black Sorcerer’s lair is in the village next to the ranch?"
"Yes, if we hurry there now, we might still catch him." Darcy looked towards Wayne, waiting for the latter to decide.
"Turn around, if we can’t catch him alive, we’ll at least leave the corpse behind!"
Mist shrouded the area, with houses scattered neatly on both sides of the road.
The village had few lights, and it was unnaturally quiet, with only the occasional bark of a dog before silence resumed. Due to the insect plague, villagers had gone home early, and normal entertainment activities were also forcibly halted.
The mist emanated from the millipedes, carrying a slight toxin. Dozens or hundreds of millipedes had little effect, but once they formed into a substantial size, they were not so friendly to the nearby humans.
Poisoning was evident as drowsiness, weakness, and fatigue. Over time, the toxin would penetrate deep into the bone marrow, and their flesh would become the most delectable treat for the insects.
In the southeast direction of the village, there was an abandoned barn.
The barn, long neglected, had collapsed in one corner, and the surrounding area was overgrown with weeds. Apart from the rare secret lovers, few ventured near.
Recently, there were even fewer, as everyone was lethargic and sleepy, and even stress-relieving activities beneficial to health had stopped.
Millipedes had constructed a nest under the barn, where the dark, damp environment was suitable for their reproduction. The rustling sounds as they moved around ended at a door concealing the light at the end of the nest.
The dark and cramped insect tunnel only allowed one person to pass by stooping. Through a wooden door, the laboratory inside was considerably more spacious.
Ten square meters, besides an experimental table and a chair, the rest of the space was filled with bottles and jars.
The Black Sorcerer had a hard life, viewed as a street rat by everyone, with Bounty Hunters specifically targeting them.
But the Black Sorcerers themselves didn’t see it that way. They held grand pursuits, disdained to mix with the mundane, calling themselves the free pioneers breaking shackles, finding happiness and fulfillment in ancient Alchemy.
The Black Sorcerers firmly believed they were ostracized not because their methods were bloody and brutal, but because their pursuit of truth broke the monopoly of established classes, and the vulgar of the Magic Realm envied their talent.
Quentin was one such Black Sorcerer. He was originally an Entomologist at Jianhe University, obsessed with insects. He saw infinite potential in them and believed that insects were the true sovereigns of nature.
Especially the arthropods that existed since ancient times — ancient, mysterious, immensely charming.
Quentin’s research on insects reached the point of obsession. As a researcher who had transcended base interests, his study brought in no money and made it hard to procure funds, persevering year after year solely out of passion.
Until one day, a secretive visitor sought out the financially strapped Quentin. The visitor did not provide funding, only a book on Alchemy and a statue that was half-human, half-insect.
From Alchemy, Quentin gained knowledge, and from the statue, he drew Magic Power; his thoughts, too, were corrupted, coming to favor dark environments like the insects.
He focused on researching the millipedes, hiding in Jianhe County to build his own laboratory, vainly trying to resurrect the ancient millipedes using Alchemy.
The bottles and jars contained his failed experiments. Because of a chance invasion of mist, Quentin’s research made a breakthrough.
He successfully created two types of millipedes.
One kind had an astonishing reproductive ability, and due to the fog, had undergone inexplicable mutations, able to secrete mist within its body;
The other was massive, with a hard shell impervious to knives and swords, its strength and biting force were remarkable.
The first kind of millipede caused the insect plague in Jianhe County, a very successful experiment. The second type wasn’t as fortunate and required a constant nourishing mist to survive, or it would soon perish.
In order to protect his masterpiece and to approach perfection himself, Quentin, after sacrificing to the statue, conceived an utterly insane idea.
He used Alchemy to merge himself with the insect.
The experiment was highly successful. Quentin, after several modifications, transplanted the millipede’s segmented body onto himself and gained the ability to control the swarm.
At this point, he closely resembled the half-human, half-insect statue. He gained even more power from the mist and believed his life had been sublimated, becoming even more obsessed with insects.
Later, Quentin saw that secretive visitor again, who praised his rebirth and reminded him to keep himself hidden.
The visitor then introduced the Magic Realm to Quentin, a world of cumbersome, outdated rules.
Quentin’s new life broke the bounds of evolutionary potential and would inevitably face opposition from the mediocre, especially the self-proclaimed just Mages. If they were to discover him, all his research would be destroyed.
Quentin heeded the warning, maintaining a low profile without any major disturbances, focusing all his thoughts on research.
Until today, when a group of more than ten people began investigating the insect plague.