"The people from the Furnace Stone are looking for you?"
The third-level witch with wine-red hair smiled alluringly as she spoke in a soft, playful tone.
This sudden statement sent a jolt through Lynn's heart, no matter how composed he usually was.
Had the Furnace Stone tracked him down here? And they had already discovered him?!
Lynn, who had escaped from [Landscape], was well aware that the high-ranking figure from the Furnace Stone would not easily let him go.
In an instant, a chilling sensation flashed through his mind. Fortunately, he possessed a trump card that could stand against a third-level wizard the Azure Sky Spirit.
Ever since advancing to the rank of a first-level wizard, Lynn had finally been able to wield the Azure Sky Spirit properly. He had even sensed that a powerful residual force remained within it.
He speculated that this lingering power must have been left behind when Maple Tree unleashed its final move, which granted the Azure Sky Spirit its strange and wondrous abilities.
If this energy were to be depleted, he would be unable to use the artifact unless he found a way to replenish it.
And according to his perception, this residual power was extremely potent. If he could fully unleash it, even a third-level wizard might not be able to withstand its might.
But soon, Lynn calmed himself down.
Leaving aside the uncertainty of whether the Azure Sky Spirit could kill this alluring witch, even if he succeeded, he would immediately become a wanted man in the Mechanical City.
Moreover, as he regained his composure and thought more carefully, a realization gradually dawned on him.
If this captivating woman with wine-red hair were truly in league with the Furnace Stone, she wouldn't need to summon him here in person.
She could have simply handed him over to the Furnace Stone without any effort.
With her status and authority, controlling a mere first-level wizard like him would be as easy as lifting a finger.
Especially in the current lockdown situation in the Mechanical City, where high-ranking officials had even more power to deal with someone like him.
And yet, she hadn't done that. Instead, she had summoned him here…
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, the wine-haired woman suddenly chuckled softly, her eyes glimmering with amusement.
She covered her red lips and let out a teasing sigh, her phoenix eyes curving slightly as if enjoying his reaction.
"Ooh, for a moment there, you looked a little scared…"
Lynn blinked in surprise, fixing his gaze on her. A sense of unease crept over him, but before he could say anything, she spoke again.
"Alright, enough teasing. You must have heard about me from Darwin, right?"
The wine-haired woman casually waved her delicate hand, resting one hand on her slender waist as she exhaled lightly, her entire demeanor exuding an air of lazy elegance.
And this statement immediately caused a flicker of realization in Lynn's mind.
"Darwin? Could she be the senior apprentice Darwin mentioned?!"
The Warhammer Master had three students in total Darwin, who ranked third and was just a mortal.
Marco, who had tried to attack Lynn multiple times, was a peak first-level wizard and ranked second.
And this extraordinary, breathtaking woman before him must be the Warhammer Master's first disciple Chris!
A wave of lingering fear surged through Lynn's heart.
Now that he understood her identity, he realized how close he had come to disaster. If he had reacted impulsively and attacked this sorceress earlier, he would have been doomed beyond salvation.
Darwin had once mentioned that Chris was pursuing the path of a Morning Star Wizard.
That meant her strength was at least at the peak of the third level!
Even with his trump card, Lynn would have had little chance of landing a fatal blow on Chris…
"Lady Chris, Darwin has indeed spoken of you before…"
A thin layer of sweat formed on Lynn's forehead, but he didn't know what this powerful woman was thinking, so he answered cautiously.
At the same time, he also started to piece things together.
It seemed that his appointment as the First Author, replacing Vidar, must have had something to do with Chris.
But why had she summoned him to the Seventh Layer, only to immediately bring up his feud with the Furnace Stone? This left him utterly confused…
"Lynn, you don't have to be so formal."
Chris narrowed her eyes slightly, flashing a charming smile as she spoke in a gentle but meaningful tone.
"You're Darwin's friend, which makes you no outsider to me. Besides, you now hold citizen status in the Mechanical City and have already made significant contributions at the research institute. As the vice director of the institute, I must protect you."
She paused briefly before continuing:
"You don't have to worry. As long as you stay in the Mechanical City, the Furnace Stone won't be able to touch you."
Lynn stared at her stunning face, watching as her wine-red hair swayed gently in the breeze. Her lips curved into a subtle, unreadable smile.
Her presence was overwhelming, making it nearly impossible to discern her true intentions.
While her reassurance did bring him some relief, he couldn't afford to let his guard down completely.
He bowed slightly and expressed his gratitude: "Thank you, Lady Chris. I am truly grateful."
Chris raised her eyebrows slightly, her eyes flickering with satisfaction at his response.
Then, her expression shifted subtly, her tone softening but carrying a hint of deeper meaning.
"However, Lynn, staying passive isn't a long-term solution. One day, you will leave the Mechanical City. And in the southern regions, the Furnace Stone is a force to be reckoned with."
She paused for a moment before asking:
"The conflict between you and them how did it start? Perhaps I could help mediate."
But Lynn could only remain silent, for the origin of their feud was complicated and sensitive.
It involved extraterrestrial creatures and the mysterious fragments of the Golden Scales things he could not reveal so easily.
After a brief silence, he sighed lightly and finally responded:
"Thank you for your kindness, Lady Chris, but my conflict with the Furnace Stone stems from an altercation during an expedition just a minor dispute between insignificant individuals."
He lowered his head slightly, weighing his options.
"As long as I stay in the Mechanical City long enough, perhaps the Furnace Stone will eventually forget about me and let the matter drop. There's no need to trouble you over this."
Chris chuckled softly, her tone carrying an air of intrigue. "If that's the case, then so be it."
After a bit more casual conversation, they finally turned to the main topic Lynn's reason for being here.
They discussed academic papers, research funding applications, and the development of purification devices for extraterrestrial environments.
Each of these purification devices was incredibly expensive, worth a fortune. The recent expedition had resulted in heavy losses of such devices.
Thus, multiple project teams including Lynn's were working on targeted improvements. It wasn't just his group but many others pushing forward with this research.
Lynn and his team were the first to produce tangible results in their project.
As a result, in addition to increased research funding, they also received a batch of reward funds.
As the first author, Lynn received the largest share of the reward an impressive sum of 100,000 magic stones, which greatly alleviated his financial difficulties.
Beyond that, the research paper bearing his name began circulating within the institute, earning him some recognition and making more people aware of his existence.
After giving Lynn a few final instructions and finishing their business, Chris let him leave.
Chris watched as Lynn disappeared into the elevator, a thoughtful expression in her eyes.
She already knew that Lynn had deceived her because she had received a message from Furnace Stone delivered by none other than Silvergray, a highly regarded Third-Level Grand Wizard from their ranks.
If it were truly just a minor conflict between insignificant figures, as Lynn had claimed, why would someone of Silvergray's stature get involved?
However, since Lynn was unwilling to talk about it, Chris had no intention of pressing further.
Had it not been for Silvergray contacting her directly and the fact that Lynn seemed to have a good relationship with her third junior brother she wouldn't have bothered to meet with him at all.
After all, her time was extremely precious. What mattered most to her was finding a way to break through to the rank of Morningstar Wizard. Everything else was secondary.
"The path to Morningstar… It's truly difficult…"
Chris shook her head with a helpless smile.
If Lynn had knowledge related to the Morningstar rank, she might have acted differently.
But it was obvious he was just a First-Level Wizard.
Even if he had some unique methods, he was, at best, at the level of a Third-Level Grand Wizard.
She had been too desperate in her pursuit of the path, naively thinking that a young wizard who had drawn Silvergray's attention might possess knowledge about Morningstar Wizards.
She had been overthinking it…
Chris chuckled self-deprecatingly before turning and heading deeper into the great hall.
In a villa on the fifth level of the City of Machinery, sunlight streamed in through large windows, illuminating the interior with a warm glow. A faint, pleasant fragrance filled the air.
Vidar sat on a spacious sofa, flipping through a newspaper, occasionally pausing to ponder something.
Suddenly, he sensed an unusual presence and turned his head to see Lori entering the room, dressed in a flowing white gown.
"How was it today?"
Vidar looked at his daughter and inquired.
Lori blinked her large eyes and smiled faintly.
She pursed her lips, lowered her head in thought, and then softly replied:
"Well… He's a bit reserved and doesn't talk much, but I can tell he's not a bad person. And… when I'm with him, I always feel safe and comfortable."
However, Vidar did not dwell on Lori's impression of Lynn. Instead, he asked directly:
"And what about Lady Chris? How did Lynn's conversation with her go?"
Hearing this, Lori's smile stiffened slightly, and a trace of helplessness flashed in her eyes.
She awkwardly waved her hand. "Well… I wasn't in the room, so I have no idea how their conversation went."
Seeing his daughter's exasperated expression, Vidar was momentarily speechless. With a casual wave of his hand, he gestured for her to leave.
"Forget it. Go on."
He then shifted his focus away from her and returned to reading his newspaper.
Yet, even as his eyes scanned the pages, his mind was racing with thoughts.
Muttering to himself, he said, "What a pity… I still can't confirm whether Lynn is the third disciple of the Warhammer Master. If he is, I could make my move without hesitation…"
He continued to ponder. Although Lori didn't seem to dislike Lynn, if Lynn truly was the Warhammer Master's third disciple, it would be a perfect opportunity.
What's more, the information from Lady Chris only made him more confident in his speculation.
There was at least an 80% chance that Lynn had some connection to the Warhammer Master's third disciple.
Vidar lowered his head again, carefully analyzing the information he had gathered.
It turned out that Vidar had somehow obtained information from Chris, mistakenly believing that Lynn was the mysterious third disciple of the Warhammer Master.
Among the higher-ups, it was already well-known that Darwin was the third disciple.
However, lower- and mid-level wizards only knew that the Warhammer Master had taken on a new student they didn't know the identity of this disciple.
Perhaps Chris had let slip something during their conversation, leading Vidar to mistakenly believe that Lynn was the one…
And from there, everything else followed.
Lynn's instincts had been right Vidar had sent Lori to accompany him to offer her as a match.
However, Vidar wasn't interested in matching his daughter with a First-Level Wizard who had decent mechanical talent.
What he wanted was to connect her to the Warhammer Master's elusive third disciple…
"I'm getting old… Who knows how this war will end… I have to find Lori a good match…"
...
After a long day, Lynn finally returned home.
He immediately instructed Bethany to prepare a meal, quickly ate without much thought, and then went straight to his laboratory.
Compared to his bedroom, he preferred to think in the lab.
Standing in the center of the room, he waved his hand. A flash of light appeared, and Yfgríd slowly materialized.
The enormous extraordinary plant emerged at the heart of the lab, its branches stretching outward, lush and full of vitality as if wrapping the entire space in greenery.
The vines subtly intertwined, forming a natural protective barrier around the laboratory.
Within this enclosure of branches, Lynn finally felt at ease.
With his extraordinary plant guarding him, he had no fear of being spied on or having his secrets exposed.
Especially after being summoned to the seventh level today and questioned about Furnace Stone it made him even more cautious about his privacy.
"Furnace Stone… Chris…"
Lynn muttered to himself, his gaze fixed ahead as he sank into deep thought.
Recalling his conversation with Chris, he carefully reviewed the details but found nothing particularly suspicious.
Perhaps this Third-Level Grand Wizard had no special interest in him.
Chris might not be a problem, but Furnace Stone certainly was they had found him again!
"How did they track me down? To them, I'm just a First-Level Wizard. I've been off the radar for so long there's no reason for them to keep hunting me, is there?"
Lynn was puzzled.
He knew that the wizarding world possessed prophecy-like magic, but with the protection of the Azure Sky Spirit, ordinary divinations shouldn't be able to locate him.
If prophecy didn't work, then tracking him down should have been time-consuming and difficult.
Even if he put himself in their shoes, he couldn't see why a major figure from Furnace Stone would devote such attention to a mere First-Level Wizard.
Unless…
A thought struck Lynn.
Could it be that Furnace Stone wasn't looking for him… but for someone else?
And he was merely found by coincidence?
With this in mind, Lynn quickly retrieved the Azure Sky Spirit. He placed the pale green crystal before him and gently stroked it.
Immediately, fragments of golden scales appeared, each piece radiating faint light.
As the golden shards materialized, cryptic messages emerged from them.
Summarized in just three words:
"I'm here."
Seeing this, Lynn's eyes narrowed sharply.
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