Mechanical Alchemist

"Zoro Cerna?"

As Su Lun introduced himself, several women glanced over at him with evaluative eyes.

In fact, they had already noticed the man of extraordinary temperament beside Qiantiao.

But because he seemed quite young, they had not considered that angle.

Now, hearing Qiantiao's special introduction as "my friend," they all switched to the kind of scrutiny reserved for a potential son-in-law and looked him over again.

One of the women asked, "The Cerna family? Oh, from the No. 1 urban district's Cerna Biotech?"

Su Lun naturally had to play his role well, shaking his head, "No, not that."

The Cernas were not a prominent surname in the inner city, at least not among the commonly known major families, and the women racked their brains but could not figure out Su Lun's origins.

Qiantiao's aunt then tentatively asked, "Mr. Zoro, what profession are you in?"

Su Lun replied, "I am a bounty hunter."

Another woman, still unconvinced, inquired, "From the inner city's Order of Bounty Knights?"

Su Lun had heard of it; it was an organization the inner city nobles indulged in for amusement. He corrected, "No, a bounty hunter from the outer city."

The moment he said this, the atmosphere immediately turned cold,

....

The look in the ladies' eyes changed instantly, though their composure did not show anything odd.

However, the children nearby could not restrain themselves.

Hearing Su Lun's profession, several youngsters cast glances of disgust and disdain.

To the high society of the inner city, an outer city bounty hunter was a job even more demeaning than a bodyguard, a sort of blood-licking existence that never appeared in their normal view.

It wasn't meant as a serious insult, but their upbringing had deeply ingrained in them a certain perception of people from the outer city.

Bounty hunter = lower class individual.

This made them think that Qiantiao had found herself a petty thug.

Mrs. Camilla then turned to Qiantiao, asking, "By the way, Olli, have you known Mr. Zoro for a long time?"

"Yes. We are even living together now."

The atmosphere chilled instantly, which seemed exactly the effect Qiantiao wanted.

While saying this, she affectionately linked her arm with Su Lun's, her smile brimming.

Hearing they were "living together," the expressions of several noble ladies grew even uglier.

They could not explode with anger openly, so Mrs. Camilla could only pull Qiantiao aside, "Olli, come here for a moment, I have something to tell you."

....

Qiantiao seemed reluctant to go.

But she was still sternly pulled away by several ladies for a private talking-to.

With everyone gone, Su Lun was happy to have some peace.

His keen hearing caught everything crystal clear.

The noble ladies didn't seem to mind hiding their discussion; in fact, they seemed to intentionally want him to overhear as they talked while walking away.

"Oh, Olli, you actually chose a bounty hunter from the outer city? My goodness, I can guarantee you, our family will never allow you to be with such a person."

"You're being too reckless! If this gets out now, our Evelyn clan will surely become a laughingstock in the upper circles..."

"Also, stay out of the Reis family's issues this time. I know she's your sister's blood, but I was warned even before I came here... besides, it's an internal matter of the Reis family; outsiders shouldn't interfere... even if our Evelyn clan got involved, it wouldn't change the situation..."

"..."

Su Lun too was overwhelmed listening to all of this.

Every other sentence was about "family face," "family honor," "family interests"...

No wonder Qiantiao was reluctant to go back.

With her personality, if it weren't for the fact that they were relatives, anyone else rambling like this would probably have been met with drawn swords by now.

With one strike, a nosy woman was dead, and with two, a couple.

In an instant, the world became quiet.

.....

Julia was probably stuck being scolded for quite some time.

Only Su Lun and one other remained in the corner.

After all, Su Lun was unfamiliar with "Zoro" and Lena; the two had little to say to each other.

The atmosphere was slightly awkward.

Moreover, both of them were of the less popular sort at the social event, with nowhere else to go; the self-serve desserts, dancing, and mingling... none of it suited them.

Lena, thinking she should find a topic of conversation, started by asking, "Mr. Zoro, are you a bounty hunter?"

Su Lun nodded, "Mhm."

Lena then asked, "Have you heard of Mr. Su Lun?"

Su Lun, not knowing why she suddenly brought him up, said, "You mean the SS wanted criminal, Su Lun?"

Lena nodded, "Mhm."

Then, the two fell silent again.

Su Lun curiously asked, "Miss Lena, why do you ask about him?"

After thinking, Lena spoke with some hesitation, "Well... although Mr. Su Lun has committed crimes, he's not entirely evil. He once saved my… aunt. She has high standards and said you're a very capable bounty hunter, so you must be very successful... If Mr. Zoro comes across that Su Lun, could you possibly show mercy... I mean, could you refrain from harming him? There might be some misunderstanding; he deserves a fair trial..."

Her tone was conflicted.

It even became somewhat incoherent.

Clearly, in her conception, "all wanted criminals are criminals," but this clashed with her own understanding.

She believed Su Lun was a good person, yet she couldn't deny that the wanted poster depicted him as a criminal.

"..."

Su Lun was both amused and bewildered.

She was pleading for mercy on his behalf?

The information Lena had was probably all from the wanted poster.

The official wanted poster described him, Su Lun, with words like "extremely vicious" and "utterly wicked."

And yet, the girl was unexpectedly speaking up for him?

Though... her intentions were good.

The now "SS ranked wanted Su Lun" was a figure most bounty hunters would choose to avoid entirely.

Show mercy?

If it were another bounty hunter, it would be uncertain who would spare whom.

A thought flashed through his mind, and he also replied, "Alright."

Upon hearing this, Lena politely smiled, "Thank you."

....

Two people who were barely acquainted had little to talk about.

After only a few words, the conversation ended again.

But after not too long, a beautiful, blonde girl quietly approached.

Su Lun had seen this blonde girl before.

During the commotion in the inner city, in front of the Moonlight Inn, she seemed to be called Julia, Lena's close friend.

As Julia passed by, without even a glance at Lena, she said urgently, "Lena, I've heard about your situation, I'm sorry I can't help you. My father sent someone to warn me not to get involved with problems of your seventh branch. I wanted to hire some mercenaries for you, but none of the mercenaries or hunter groups are willing to cooperate once they know it's you, no matter the price I offer. I only have a few personal guards who will obey me, tomorrow I will send them to find you, and you can command them..."

While speaking, she looked at Lena with a face full of apology, "I'm sorry, I can't talk more, otherwise it would create trouble."

Lena watched her hurriedly departing best friend, a hint of loneliness crossing her face, "Thank you."

Listening by the side, Su Lun gave another glance at the blonde girl's fading figure.

"Being able to lend a hand at this juncture really does show true sentiment and loyalty."

....

This was Su Lun's first time attending a high society soiree, it seemed tonight was meant for witnessing the myriad facets of high society, the warmth, and coldness of human relationships, and the manipulative games they played.

Not long after Julia had left, a handsome, brown-haired young man approached.

Su Lun remembered him; this guy was Young Master Eli Clark from one of the five major clans in the camp, the Clark family.

A crony of Young Master Danze from the Oliver family.

One of the masterminds behind the current predicament of the Reiss family.

Young Master Eli held a wine glass with a light smile on his face as he approached Miss Lena, his tone frivolous, "Miss Lena, long time no see."

Miss Lena seemed disinclined to entertain this ill-intentioned fellow but nodded slightly out of courtesy.

Young Master Eli continued, "Miss Lena, oh... I'm sorry to hear you've been having some trouble lately. If you think of us as friends, perhaps you could share it with me..."

Miss Lena had no intention of wasting words with someone with dishonest intentions and cut him off, "Sorry, not necessary."

"It seems you are in a bad mood..."

Eli listened but showed no anger.

A knowing smile flashed in his eyes as he went on, "Now that Princess Theresa has arrived, and I've got word that in no more than three days, you, me... and everyone else will have to go into the relics to hunt for game. I heard Miss Lena has yet to recruit a hunting team?"

He paused, a mocking curve to his lips as he scrutinized Lena's delicate, doll-like pretty face, "Actually, we can discuss this further, perhaps we could come up with a solution. If you don't mind, after this soiree, I'd like to invite Miss Lena for a drink, I wonder..."

The tone sounded like a query, but in reality, it was aggressive.

Lena's face already showed anger, and she didn't give this hypocrital Young Master any face, coldly stating, "Sorry, I don't have the time!"

Su Lun, listening from the side, raised an eyebrow.

The so-called high society is precisely this bothersome.

Knowing it was you who did it, even without tearing off any masks, without evidence, there was also no way to fight.

Because there's too much to consider.

Unlike in the Brotherhood, where everyone was barefoot, I damn well won't bother with you, and if you dare provoke me, I dare kill.

"That's really too bad..."

Lena gave no face at all, and Eli just shrugged.

Young Master Eli, his expression momentarily darkened, then suddenly stopped pretending and scoffed, "But I gave you the chance, and you didn't take it. I won't force it. If Miss Lena changes her mind, you can always come to me..."

If he could win over the eldest daughter of the Reiss Clan Leader, he stood to gain more than if he simply destroyed them.

Unfortunately... this woman was not astute enough.

Meanwhile, Young Master Danze and the heirs of several other families who watched this unfold also pointed and laughed.

Seemingly placing bets.

Young Master Eli lost, utterly humiliated.

....

Listening to these blatantly humiliating words, Lena's pretty face flushed with anger.

But manners and upbringing kept her from retaliating with harsh words. She could only turn her head away, disregarding him entirely.

This was a negotiation doomed to fail from the start, seeming headed towards an unhappy conclusion.

But Su Lun didn't expect that he, a mere bystander partaking in gossip, could also be affected.

Possibly because he was snubbed by Lena, Eli was somewhat angered too.

He looked at Su Lun and asked coldly, "This friend looks unfamiliar? Which clan's Young Master are you?"

The tone was unmistakably threatening.

I damn well don't allow anyone to help the eldest line of the Reiss Clan, and yet you dare defy me?

"..."

Hearing this, Su Lun didn't even lift his eyes, completely ignoring him.

"You upper-class folks worry about social etiquette; I'm just a thug from the underworld."

"Who cares, who gives a damn."

Being ignored by Miss Lena was tolerable since she was on the same level. But being ignored by Su Lun now, Young Master Eli felt a tremendous insult.

He stared at the two interacting alone, made some assumptions, and said sarcastically, "Oh... Miss Lena, is this the help you found?"

Lena seemed unwilling to involve Su Lun and quickly turned around to say something, "He has nothing to do with it..."

But at that moment, Su Lun interrupted her, disclosing his alias: "I am Zoro."

We are going to be enemies anyway.

Let the hatred be full.

Upon hearing this, Eli thought for a moment and couldn't recall anyone by that name: "Hah, it seems you don't recognize me?"

He felt the man was unfamiliar, thus surely not from one of the inner city's top families, and so he had nothing to worry about.

He didn't know yet that he had messed with someone a hundred times more troublesome than any top tycoon.

"I don't recognize you."

Su Lun glanced at him with disdain and said, "So, you want something?"

That comment effectively ended the conversation.

If he doesn't know you, there's no point showing off anymore.

Young Master Eli's face turned sour, his skin twitching, at a loss for words.

After struggling for a while, he managed to squeeze out a few words with a malignant look, "Zoro, is it? Hah, you're capable. Just don't fall into my hands..."

Su Lun felt the tangible murderous intent and glanced at him, "Oh."

But he didn't pay it much attention.

In this party, no one dared to make a move.

....

Young Master Eli left in a huff, and Lena turned back to Su Lun with a face full of apologies: "I'm sorry for the trouble, Mr. Zoro."

Su Lun shook his head lightly and said indifferently, "It's okay."

Lena thought Su Lun really didn't recognize Young Master Eli and anxiously explained: "It's not that—the guy just now is the young master of the Clark family… messing with him is troublesome..."

Su Lun shook his head nonchalantly, "I know."

"Ah?"

Lena was a bit perplexed, knowing yet still offending?

Not to mention the outer city bounty hunters, even in the inner city, there aren't many who dare to provoke that young master.

She wanted to say something more, but just at that moment, the entire venue of the party suddenly quieted down.

All eyes turned, and a young girl in a magnificent princess dress, surrounded by a group of attendants, entered the venue.

The arrival was naturally tonight's protagonist, Princess Theresa of the Duke's estate.

They had met briefly in the afternoon when Princess Theresa was fully veiled.

Now, although lightly veiled again, only covering her eyes, it allowed people a good look at her exquisitely beautiful face.

For a moment, the gaze of every young master and lady in the inner city was captivated.

Su Lun, however, was not as impressed; he had separate the visage of Princess Theresa from a fifth-tier memory fragment before.

But seeing the memory fragment and seeing the person were two different things.

"This lady's charm is quite high..."

Somewhere, Su Lun always felt that Princess Theresa seemed familiar to him.

Not just the face, but a certain special familiarity, as if... he recognized a unique aura or a distinct vibe.

And when Su Lun looked at the butterfly brooch pinned on the chest of the princess' dress, his pupils instantly constricted.

It was identical to the brooch he had once buried in a cave somewhere!