Mechanical Alchemist

"So, Mr. Su Lun, you suspect that the followers of the outer gods are using the spread of the 'Red Death' as a means to achieve large-scale contamination?"

Hearing Su Lun's intelligence, Miss Lena's expression also turned very grave.

If that were truly the case, matters were indeed urgent.

Su Lun nodded, "Yes. The 'Red Death' has not yet spread widely, but there are already signs of it spreading in the lower echelons of society. If we do not find a way to stop it, the consequences could be unimaginable."

After a pause, he continued, "The trouble is that apart from knowing the nickname 'Curator' for the source of the potion, there is no other useful intelligence. The potion cannot be detected as problematic. This makes it hard to convince the public."

"..."

Listening, Miss Lena also furrowed her brows, deep in thought.

But she truly did not understand the underworld, and she had never even heard of this 'Curator'.

Thinking over it, she said, "How about we ask Sister Sabina? She has deep knowledge of Lingdun City's underworld; maybe she knows some information?"

Su Lun had naturally thought of this method too. The Dawn Organization during the camping had already established a mature intelligence system, certainly knowing more than he did himself.

But now it was already late at night. He had originally planned to disturb Mr. Hei tomorrow, but Miss Lena suddenly mentioned Sabina.

At that moment, Miss Lena took out a specially designed encrypted communicator and said, "This is the exclusive encrypted communicator between me and Sister Sabina; she can answer at any time. I'll try dialing…"

As she spoke, she had already dialed the communicator.

"What's up, what's up?"

"Mhm, mhm."

"..."

The two exchanged a few code words,

Su Lun found it quite interesting listening in.

True to their spy work, they thought of everything thoroughly.

It seemed they had confirmed that their counterpart was free to talk, and Miss Lena directly said, "Sister Sabina, Mr. Su Lun has a question for you."

Upon hearing this, the voice on the other side of the communicator immediately perked up with a soft and coquettish tone: "Oh~ my dear master, are you with Miss Lena? I hope I'm not disturbing you. Oh, I'm already on the train back, but it's a pity I can't arrive at Lingdun until tomorrow afternoon. My goodness, what a long night this is, I can't wait to see you, my dearest master..."

Su Lun listened with a helpless smile on his face.

The voice, seductive and tingling to the bone, seemed to bewitch even through the communicator.

It immediately reminded him of the seductive and multifaceted succubus.

Oh, Sabina's peach... how he missed it.

Truly as if by magic, that enchanting image emerged in his mind, and he couldn't get rid of it.

Since the communication was on speaker, Miss Lena had heard the entire conversation and let out a laugh, saying, "Sister Sabina usually acts like a cold queen to outsiders. With Mr. Su Lun, it's like she becomes a different person."

On the other side of the communicator, Sabina didn't shy away from the master-servant relationship at all, directly saying, "Oh, of course, Lena, you don't understand my feelings for the master."

Then with coyness, she added, "It's been so long since we met, master, have you missed your most tender and considerate maid?"

Hearing this, Miss Lena beside him covered her mouth and giggled incessantly.

Su Lun, hearing this, simply shook his head, uninvolved with the topic and said directly, "There's a very important matter that requires some information... that 'Curator', have you ever heard of him? Or is there any way to find people related to him?"

First the urgent matters, the rest… we'll discuss when we meet.

After all, it's not clear over the communicator.

Hearing Su Lun speak of serious matters, Sabina also put aside her frivolity and replied, "I've heard of him, he is a mysterious figure who seldom appears. There's not much information about him. Master, is this person important?"

Su Lun, "Yes, extremely important. I need to gather information on that fellow as soon as possible."

Sabina, "If that's the case... I actually have a channel that's about 80% likely to find information. It's that person known as the 'King of Lingdon's Underworld', 'Duke of Shadows'. He holds a full moon ball twice a month, and I just got a 'ticket'. Tomorrow night, when I meet up with you, master..."

Su Lun listened, somewhat surprised, and nodded, "Good!"

They didn't talk much longer and then hung up the communicator.

Only then did Miss Lena speak up, curious, "Mr. Su Lun, who is this 'Duke of Shadows'?"

Su Lun looked thoughtful and after a moment, said, "The king of Lingdun's underground mafia."

....

Even before coming to Lurin, Su Lun had heard of this 'Duke of Shadows'.

And those who could touch upon this name usually held no low status.

That "Duke of Shadows" was extremely mysterious, and he had been the real king of Lingdon's underworld for the past two or three decades.

Many people believe there are only two types of people in this world, those who follow the rules and those who don't.

But there is actually a third kind.

They are the ones who make the rules.

And this "Duke of Shadows" was the godfather who set the rules for Lingdon's underworld!

No, not just the underworld.

He even had an indescribable influence among the elite of Lurying.

Lingdon's underworld has a long history and is also a significant feature.

However, generally speaking, the underworld has too low a ceiling, so as they grow bigger, the ultimate path for these underworld bosses usually leads to going legitimate.

Otherwise, there is almost never a good end.

Going legitimate can consist of entering politics or engaging in business.

Consequently, two of the three big underworld gangs that once controlled Lingdon City, the "Hydra Society" and "Blackstone Gang," have almost gone legitimate.

Now they have become the "Hydra Commerce Group" and "Blackstone Security Consulting Company."

One monopolizes industries such as shipping, education, healthcare, energy, and most others in the black market;

While the other deals in private-military contractors, mercenary business, and arms smuggling.

They also have considerable influence in the parliament.

Caroline Worster, whom Su Lun had met earlier on the cruise, is an executive of the Hydra.

The two gangs have indeed gone legitimate, and many things on the street are inconvenient for them to handle directly, so the real low-end underworld does not trust them.

Thus, the only remaining gang, "The Red Oak Society," gradually took control of nearly the entire underworld of Lingdon.

The society's leader, "Duke of Shadows," then became the true king of Lingdon's underworld!

The nickname "Duke of Shadows" spread because people in the underworld thought he had rights nearly equivalent to a top nobleman, yet remained hidden in the shadows.

There were rumors in the underworld that he could accomplish anything.

If someone wanted to sleep with a certain royal princess, as long as the price was right, that princess would be lying in your bed, stripped and washed clean, by evening.

The power behind him could only be imagined.

But as time passed, after this overlord took control of Lingdon's underworld, he also retreated behind the scenes.

Although the "Red Oak" has never gone legitimate, their games have become more high-end.

Somehow, within the underground circles, this "Full Moon Gala" emerged.

It holds two events each month, at the beginning and in the middle, without a fixed location, and admission is by invitation only.

Though it's called a "gala," it's actually a top-level resource exchange platform.

Reportedly, the circle is no longer made up of common underworld thugs, but truly comprises nobility and big shots from high society.

The admission criteria for this gala are exceedingly high, and its confidentiality is extremely strong.

Only through the introduction of more than three veteran members can one join.

But correspondingly, at this venue, one can access the top resources of Lurying.

It is said that Lurying's hot celebrities at the gala can be freely picked by guests as female attendants; the male models from fashion shows are merely servers carrying trays.

Large-scale mineral transactions, large arms trades, black market assassination commissions, official appointments, conflict mediation, intelligence gathering...

Any need you can think of, you can fulfill at the gala.

No one dares to kill a person protected by that "Duke of Shadows," and nobody he wants dead can live.

Of course, these are mostly rumors.

Because none of the people whose memories Su Lun has harvested so far have been qualified to attend that gala.

At least the former boss of the Vaughn Brotherhood never qualified.

...

Su Lun did not expect Sabrina to have an invitation to that "Full Moon Gala."

If the gala really was as magical as rumored, perhaps it could indeed solve this problem.

Su Lun thought that he should share all the information he had obtained today with Mr. Hei. He let the early morning intelligence officers pass the message to "Duke Lance" and "Duke Roberts," two Senior Councilors, to give them a head start for precaution. Regardless of political stance, the "Giant Hermit Society's" foreign god was an enemy to all alchemists!

The late-night meal was almost finished, and several large plates on the table were empty.

Su Lun asked, "Are you full?"

"Mhm."
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Miss Lena nodded obediently.

Su Lun called the owner over to pay the bill; the two of them had eaten quite a bit and only spent a little over two hundred Lisos.

He paid three hundred, the extra being the tip.

Then the two got up and walked towards the steam motorcycle parked by the roadside.

Miss Lena followed behind Su Lun, her demeanor slightly awkward, and asked, "Mr. Su Lun, have you booked a hotel for tonight?"

"Not yet."

Su Lun casually responded and took out the motorcycle keys, inserting them into the vehicle and started the steam engine.

Miss Lena's eyelashes fluttered slightly, her crystal eyes shimmering with hesitation.

Finally, she mustered her courage, her voice as delicate as a thread, "How about going to my apartment?"

The rumbling noise of the motorcycle seemed to drown out her voice, making it hard to discern those spring breeze-like gentle words.

The moment the words left her mouth, a thought surged in her heart, if he didn't hear, so be it.

Because of that phrase, she could no longer muster the courage to say it again.

Su Lun mounted the motorcycle, pausing for a moment as if deeply considering something. Turning back, he saw the girl with flushed cheeks, nodded, and smiled, "Sure. Get on!"

Miss Lena revealed her white teeth in a grin, climbed onto the back seat of the motorcycle, and smiled brightly, "Mhm!"

It turned out that bravery truly could receive a happy response.

...

The next morning.

Golden sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains into the room.

The fog of Lingdun mostly affected the poor in the southern city, who rarely saw the sun. However, the rich area in the north had special large air purifiers and fog dispersal devices, so the morning sun was still visible in the marketplace.

Rich Lady Lena's apartment in the rich northern area by the Lokwarren River was a high-end mansion that could enjoy the beautiful riverside scenery and the morning sunlight.

It was the start of another beautiful day.

At seven o'clock, even though he had gone to bed late the night before, Su Lun woke up driven by his biological clock.

Sunlight filtered through the thorn flower curtain gaps onto the wall, like uncollectable golden seeds, casting a spectacular pattern of light and shadow.

Unlike usual, there was someone extra by his side.

Su Lun looked at the delicate body he was holding in his arms and smiled slightly.

The pristine white sheets outlined stunning contours, and the intimate touch of shared body heat reminded Su Lun of the beautiful dream from the night before.

After tossing and turning for most of the night, the girl with black hair was probably tired and was sleeping soundly.

He stared at her for a couple of seconds, and, as if sensing his gaze, Miss Lena's long eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes.

The night was the best shade to hide her allure, but now that it was light, the shy blush could no longer be concealed.

Seeing Su Lun looking at her, she too remembered the passion of the previous night, a shy joy flickered through her gleaming eyes for just a moment before disappearing.

She responded with a brimming smile, asking, "Mr. Su Lun, don't you want to sleep a bit more?"

Su Lun, holding the stunning body in his arms, replied, "No. I'm used to waking up early. Besides, I have to meet Mr. Hei in a while."

"Oh."

Miss Lena snuggled into his embrace,

quietly enjoying the rare moment alone together.

For a long time, neither spoke.

Su Lun's clothes were scattered around, some on the sofa, some on the coat rack, and some on the carpet."

After a while, likely knowing that Su Lun had things to attend to later, Miss Lena proactively got up and said, "I'll get your clothes for you."

With that, she lifted the silk duvet and stepped barefoot onto the carpet.

Miss Lena's innate grace made her walk soft as a feather, her steps resembling a fashion show, elegant and pleasing to the eye.

She walked over, bent down to pick up the clothes on the floor, her slender legs fully revealed.

Su Lun captured that stunning silhouette, his eyes gently rippling with a soft smile.

The feeling of being together was wonderful, like a spring breeze and first love, a subtle joy, a gentle desire.

Miss Lena naturally noticed that gaze, yet felt not the slightest discomfort, boldly displaying herself.

Because Mr. Su Lun had said he liked it very much.

Now and then, she glanced sideways, turning back a smile.

She didn't bring back the clothes Su Lun wore yesterday; instead, she picked up the dirty clothes and tossed them into the wicker storage basket.

Then she went to the wardrobe, rustling around for a moment before unexpectedly pulling out two sets of men's suits.

As she walked, she said, "Sabina said the apartment should have a few sets of suits that Mr. Su Lun can wear. Said that you would use them when you come…"

"Ha, ha..."

Su Lun heard this and couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.

Although it had been a long time since they'd seen each other, he knew that Sabina truly was the one who understood his temperament the best, having arranged everything perfectly.

Miss Lena showed off the two suits, clearly the workmanship of top-tier tailors, and asked, "Mr. Su Lun, which one do you like?"

One was black, and the other was also black.

The styles were slightly different, composed and understated, yet with a hint of luxury.

Miss Lena's aesthetic was naturally not lacking; Su Lun looked and was satisfied with both styles, saying, "Either is fine. Lena, choose whichever you think looks better."

Compared to the clothes, he found the person holding the clothes more beautiful.

"Oh."

Miss Lena knew she was not dressed and faced the man in front of her with composure.

As she faced that intense gaze, her face showed no embarrassment, instead boldly displaying, saying, "Then this set?"

Su Lun said, "Good."

Lena saw some changes, gently smiled.

Su Lun stood up, "I need to leave soon, or I will be late."

"Oh. Then let me help you get dressed."

Lena put down the outer coat and started bustling about like a caring little wife. She interrupted Su Lun's attempt to dress himself and seriously said, "No need. I'll help you."

Ru Ying's gentleman suits were quite complicated to wear, with several layers both inside and out.

This rich lady took the task very seriously, very meticulously dressing him.

Clearly unaccustomed to serving others, her movements were somewhat stiff. Bending over was quite inconvenient, so she simply knelt on the carpet.

Instantly, the atmosphere turned warmly intimate.

Su Lun, looking at the busy Lena in front of him, teased, "Did Sabina teach you this too?"

Everything was just right, capturing that teasing moment perfectly.

Lena had nothing to hide, she tilted her head to glance at him, her face brimming with a naturally gentle expression, "Yes, Sabina said you would definitely like it. But, this is also something I wanted to do for Mr. Su Lun myself."

While speaking, she smiled brightly, her charm evident.

Su Lun felt an inexplicable sense of thoughtfulness.

Being with Lena was truly delightful.

Even suddenly, there was such a moment, making one feel that such slow, beautiful times could stir the soul.

Once the clothes were on, Lena carefully adjusted the creases at the collar, showing a satisfied expression, "All done~"

She admired her handiwork, her eyes gleaming with pride as she complimented, "Mr. Su Lun really is the most handsome!"

Su Lun reached out to flick her forehead, his fingertips lightly touching, then stirring the loose strand of hair beside her ear, and he kissed this girl.

Another vibrant morning.

A beautiful day.

PS. Had to go out, got delayed, apologies for the fewer words.