Later, it was reduced to two!
Scared of going bald!!
The Hades Meditation Array could call to the nearby Four Elements to actively gather, much like the elemental version of the Spirit Gathering Array. Wayne had used it before, and the effect was outstanding with an extremely satisfying experience.
The Golden Mage’s exclusive Hades Meditation Array had a stronger effect and was generally set up at major Church strongholds. Due to its terrifying extraction effect, unauthorized use without permission was illegal and would get you labeled as a Black Sorcerer, becoming a favorite target for Bounty Hunters to chase after.
There’s a saying that makes a lot of sense, you can’t just pluck wool from one sheep, or you’ll end up like that guy, and even a blind man could see it coming.
Even a rabbit knows not to eat the grass by its own burrow!
With his way of plucking, Lundan might not become that guy, but thirty Spirit Gathering Arrays would mean thirty Elemental Forbidden Zones, which rounds up to about thirty patches of baldness—a blind man could still see it.
Two is enough, you can’t overdo it, after all, the Four Elements are a public resource.
If you can’t help yourself and insist on doing something illegal, it’s not impossible. Find a place with a low concentration of mages, shoot and change locations, and if you pluck it bald, there’s no way to trace it.
Eclipse Town, where Mona was located, was perfect; one hundred kilometers from Lundan, right next to Jianhe County with a small population and no Church strongholds. Setting up a few Spirit Gathering Arrays along the way and then making a run for it—a very tempting thought.
Wayne originally planned to sneak a bit of energy from Jianhe County, but going to Eclipse Town would have the same effect. Afterwards, he could double back to Jianhe County to check in and even save on fuel costs.
But well, he couldn’t tell Xianke that. To get him to go on a long trip, he’d definitely have to pay more.
He’d best add up to 180,000!
In the end, after some bargaining back and forth, the amount for the commission was settled at 80,000.
Wayne, puzzled, looked at Xianke: "As far as I know, her family is stingy. Why spend so much money to hire me out of all people?"
"What do you mean, I don’t understand?"
"No, you understood. I mean exactly that."
Xianke’s heart skipped a beat, and since the topic had been broached, he simply didn’t hide it anymore and looked around: "Her family has informants in the White Glove Association... don’t look, it really isn’t me. After the Evil God descended on Dragonheart Island, she asked me for help to introduce her, and she applied to your Detective Agency."
Xianke shrugged. He had asked, and Mona wouldn’t say. According to the Holy See’s way of doing things, it was very possible that even Mona didn’t know what she was looking for.
Wayne touched his chin, thinking could the Holy See also be searching for the Saint Heir or Holy Knight? Did they see him as one of their own because he had driven away the Blood Tyrant?
"Wayne, when do you plan to set off?"
"I’m going to get something from home. I’ll meet you here in half an hour, and then we can leave." Wayne needed to put the diary back in his bedroom, and he also intended to bring a handgun for self-defense.
In Windsor, afraid of gun violence!
"That’s fine, I’ll stop by the Detective Agency. I’ve got a commission not far from Eclipse Town. After I find Mona, I’ll head to Silent Ridge. See you in half an hour—don’t be late this time."
Xianke was not particularly interested in the task of finding Mona; he was just the messenger. He couldn’t let a small matter from the Church get in the way of making big money.
Wayne dug in his ears, wondering if he had misheard.
Oh, it turned out to be Mute Town!
Wayne’s eyelids twitched at the ominous-sounding name and said kindly, "I’ve been to Jianhe County, life in university there was wonderful, and I stayed for a while. I consider myself quite familiar with Jianhe County and the surrounding areas, but I’ve never seen the name ’Silent Ridge’ on a map."
"It’s a small place; it’s normal not to be marked on a map."
"Fine, call the Detective Agency if there’s an issue, and my assistant will notify me. Remember to split the money with me when the time comes."
"Wayne, you’re too suspicious. Not every place has problems."
He was not sure about other places, but with a name so ominous as Silent Ridge, there definitely had to be something wrong. He’d bet 50 Jin that Xianke would encounter something evil on this trip.
Half an hour later, two cars headed out of Lundan City one after the other.
Xianke in the lead car was showing the way, and Wayne followed at a safe driving distance, strictly adhering to traffic rules.
Seeing Xianke drive in his own car instead of riding with him, Wayne knew that the guy planned to ditch as soon as he arrived; his careless attitude indicated he definitely wasn’t from the Church.
Having worked in the detective industry for many years, Xianke was very familiar with the roads in and around Lundan. As an experienced driver, he did not need a map and took shortcuts all the way. Wayne was still trying to figure it out when they arrived at Eclipse Town.
"What kind of broken roads were you taking? They were too narrow."
"Just say whether it was fast or not!"
Xianke glanced at his watch, tea time, showed Wayne around the small town, and precisely located the nearest bar.
Eclipse Town was not a bustling city; like other rural towns, it was quite desolate due to the impact of industrialization and the massive migration to cities.
Eclipse Town was also a small town, but being more remote and without train access, it was much worse than egg-producing Enrold Town.
Given such circumstances, the bar’s business wasn’t great either. When the two walked in, the bartender was slumped over the bar, fast asleep.
Xianke ordered a light meal and a beer, and seeing that Wayne only ordered two sandwiches, he nodded in approval: "That’s right, you should drink less in a bar. Drink too much and you could get pregnant. I’ve seen many people like that; they wake up and don’t even know who the father of the child is."
Stop talking nonsense and eat quickly. Once we’re done, we’ll find the person.
Wayne couldn’t be bothered with Xianke and wolfed down the sandwiches with an ungraceful speed that fit the bar’s ambiance.