Blood Ring Mountains, deep in the Black Mist Rift Valley.
Locke had been searching for an opportunity to send out the intelligence; unfortunately, the situation in the Black God Abyss was extremely peculiar. On the one hand, he was monitored, and on the other, he had to be careful not to be discovered.
As days passed, he had still not found the right moment or method.
“These Black God Society guys keeping us underground all day, no wonder they are hardly known outside, and few are aware of their internal affairs,” Locke admitted, finding the Black God Society overly cautious.
“This place is the domain of sorcerers; they collude with alien world forces and, of course, dare not show themselves,” the Silkworm Queen said.
“If all else fails, we may just have to force our way through,” Locke said resignedly.
“Do not act rashly,” the Silkworm Queen opposed the idea of an assault. Their goal was to rescue Randall, and any rash actions would undoubtedly bring greater difficulties to the mission.
By doing so, they would be acting contrary to their aims and could sabotage Ivan’s efforts.
The Silkworm Queen knew Ivan’s stance well. Regardless of the situation, he would never abandon his mentor, Randall.
“Alright, I’ll think of another plan.” Having understood the reasons from the Silkworm Queen, Locke complied and calmly stepped outside his dwelling, “Gentlemen, how should I address you?”
“Don’t try to establish connections, you low-level insect commander.”
There were still two guards outside, cloaked fully in black robes and masks, revealing only their eyes, likely to conceal severe insectification, but they were not the same two as before; these had just been swapped in today.
Still, the guards’ attitude remained unfriendly.
Locke’s lips twitched slightly, and he forced a smile onto his face.
“Listen to you, given more time here, I’m sure I’ll be like you, an intermediate insect commander. Then we would be colleagues,” he hinted at a sense of superiority similar to that of a Level 2 Sorcerer.
Strength ruled, a universal truth everywhere except for idiot Fanta.
“Speak quickly if you have something to say; we don’t have time to chat,” one of the guards warmed a bit, as expected.
“I want to inquire about a person, a sorcerer named ‘Thomas,'” Locke pressed.
“Oh, Thomas? Did you know him before?” The guard looked at his colleague in surprise.
“You low-level insect commander, stop talking nonsense. Who knows you?” Thomas quickly denied, currently still under control; he did not want any trouble.
Thomas received a heavy punch that hammered into his stomach.
“Damn you, Thomas, in Shana City your sister Lilith screwed me over big time. A sister’s debts fall on her brother to pay,” Locke gritted his teeth while speaking, landing another punch.
The two punches were so swift that the guards didn’t react in time, causing Thomas to spit out a mouthful of blood.
“Stop it, how dare you commit such disrespect!”
“I’m just venting some anger, it’s his sister who misled us.”
“Aren’t you afraid of backlash?”
“To vent this anger, I think it’s worth it.”
As soon as the words fell, Locke’s face suddenly changed, and he quickly turned and went back into the cave.
That restraining force was acting up again, tearing at his body and will, bringing intense pain, but his expression was not as gloomy as one might expect.
A stroke of luck, he had found a breakthrough.
He knew some dirt on Thomas, and with the right guidance and some promised conditions, he might be able to win Thomas over and thus pinpoint Randall’s exact location.
Several days had passed, and Locke was secretly implementing his plan, which progressed smoothly as he anticipated.
Everything was ready, just waiting for the boss to arrive.
Ivan didn’t keep him waiting long. That night, when all was silent, Locke lost control of his body.
“Locke, how are things?”
“Boss?”
“It’s me, I’ve arrived at the Blood Ring Mountains, not far from the Black Mist Rift Valley.”
At this time, Ivan had come nearby and tried to use the “One Body Three Manifestations” Secret Technique to project his consciousness. After several attempts, he succeeded.
The conversation took place on the level of Locke’s consciousness.
“That’s great, I was just thinking of a way to get the intelligence out. Boss, listen to me, I’ve obtained the complete Black Beard Chapter Meditation Method and also located Sorcerer Randall’s exact position—–“
Upon seeing Ivan, Locke eagerly shared his gains, his discoveries, and his speculations.
It was only then that Ivan realized how complex Locke’s experiences with the Black God Society had been, and he learned the true nature of the society as well as the dangers of the Black Beard Chapter.
“Boss, when do we turn their world upside down?” Locke couldn’t help but ask at the end.
“You’ve done well this time. I will inform you in advance about when and how we will act, and you’ll need to coordinate with the Silkworm Queen,” Ivan didn’t rush to make a decision.
“That Thomas and Lilith—-“
“Your decision is my decision.”
To win Thomas over, Locke had previously promised some conditions, and hearing Ivan’s response made his face break into a wide grin.
Before long, Ivan’s consciousness returned to outside the Black Mist Rift Valley.
Jenny, the swamp ants, and the Scented Butterfly were all present, carefully guarding the surroundings, wary of any potential surprises. Thanks to the high-end magic of the “One Body Three Manifestations” Secret Technique, the communication went smoothly and did not alert anyone else.
Ivan gestured for everyone to leave first.
They moved a distance away to avoid the eyes and ears of the Black God Society.
“How is it?” Jenny asked.
“The waters of the Black God Society are deep, but fortunately, Locke is well-prepared, and he and Sorcerer Randall will not have problems for a short period. This time, we must give it our all and act swiftly to rescue them and then withdraw.”
Ivan did not conceal anything, recounting the intelligence from Locke, especially concerning the strength of the Black God Society.
Hearing that there were several Level 3 Sorcerers and possibly even Level 4 or higher alien creatures, Jenny immediately felt uneasy, realizing that the Black God Society was indeed a dangerous den.
Level 4 was a significant threshold, incomparable to Level 3 strength. Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire
Jenny wanted to storm the Black God Society alone and bring Sorcerer Randall out, but she knew Sorcerer Ivan would not agree.
“Should we report them directly to the Abnormal Creature Monitoring Investigation Institute?”
“Without solid proof, the people at the Institute might not believe us, and even if they do, they might not prioritize it. However, your suggestion is good. Once we complete the rescue and obtain the relevant evidence, we can denounce the Black God Society.”
This place wasn’t East Capital; unfamiliar with local conditions, Ivan mulled it over several times and decided not to complicate matters, lest it affect the rescue of Sorcerer Randall.
Then he and Jenny discussed plans for the rescue at length.
Once everything was in place, Ivan decided to act five nights later, by which time the power he had cultivated from the Black Beard Chapter would have completely transformed into the new Meditation Mana.
The new Meditation Mana, derived from the Black Beard Chapter, differed greatly, ensuring that Locke would be less affected by the ambiance there.