Chapter Ninety-One: A Bundle of Hot Underwear

Fitch, thinking himself cautious, tiptoed over like a thief and cast a furtive glance into Han Shuo’s room. In a low voice, he summoned a wraith and sent it through the crack beneath the door.

Han Shuo’s primal demon had been cultivated from a wraith as well, and a wraith could lend its summoner another set of eyes. But as a conjured familiar of a necromancer, a wraith carried a faint aura of death and wore a pale gray form. Anyone even mildly vigilant would notice it at once.

Han Shuo’s primal demon, having undergone the special refinement of demonic arts, bore no trace of magical fluctuation, and its shape hovered between substance and emptiness. So long as it did not run into a magical barrier, it was extremely difficult to detect. Added to that, as a minor fiend in the service of a devil cultivator, it was mentally linked to its master; not only could it be projected over a very great distance, but it also possessed considerable offensive power. In every respect, then, it was far more convenient and practical than a wraith.

After Fitch’s wraith entered Han Shuo’s room, it circled the chamber once before pausing by the window, as if silently watching for any movement.

Han Shuo lay on his side, breathing evenly, as though sunk in deep sleep and utterly unaware of what was happening around him. Outside, Fitch used the wraith to scout the room, then placed his left hand on the doorknob and applied a little force. With a soft creak, Han Shuo’s door was opened by Fitch.

A packet of powder appeared in Fitch’s hand. He tore it open and wafted it at the doorway; the powder drifted through the air, releasing a faint, delicate fragrance.

Powder.

Han Shuo now knew a little about poisons, and the moment that sweet scent began to spread, he recognized it. A cold smile rose in his heart. He did not hold his breath, continuing to breathe in and out naturally. With the strength he possessed after reaching the third tier of his demonic art, such a crude soporific would be utterly useless against him.

Fitch wore a malicious, dark smile of satisfaction. He walked lightly to the bedside, staring at Han Shuo with bitter hatred, thinking something over in his mind.

Through the primal demon’s sight, Han Shuo, with his eyes closed, took in every expression on Fitch’s face. Though his body remained in a sleeping state, he had long since prepared himself; if the situation turned bad, he would strike at once. If Fitch dared make a move, Han Shuo would dare kill here and now.

Yet Fitch, it seemed, was not as bold as Han Shuo had imagined. He stared for a while, then muttered to himself, “A lowly servant like you is not worthy of having Lady Vanni. I should have driven you out of the necromancy department long ago. It’s only because you’ve never been in the department that I let it go. But this time let’s see where you run. By tomorrow everyone will think you’re a filthy pervert. Even if Lady Vanni helps you, the academy will still expel you from necromancy. I spent a great deal of effort on this, heh heh.”

Fitch murmured under his breath. He took a large bundle from his chest, bent down, and shoved it beneath Han Shuo’s bed. Then, wearing a look of smug delight, he gave a sly, cruel laugh and slowly backed out of Han Shuo’s room, carefully closing the door behind him. Only then did he, light and pleased, head back to his own room.

After Fitch left, Han Shuo immediately got out of bed. He bent down to look and discovered that the bundle had actually been hung on a plank beneath the bed. If one were not careful, it would not be easy to notice.

He took it down and opened it, only to stare in astonishment.

Inside were numerous thin items of women’s intimate clothing. They came in all colors, trimmed with lace, made of scant fabric, some cute, some seductive. Some looked freshly washed, while two appeared to have been removed not long ago and had not yet been cleaned; traces from a woman’s body still remained on them.

Han Shuo looked through the bundle of women’s undergarments and could not help admiring Fitch’s truly remarkable methods. Inwardly, he had begun to respect him somewhat. What impressed Han Shuo was not Fitch’s poisonous scheme, but his skill. He had never expected that Fitch could so silently acquire so many female students’ underthings. He only wondered whether there might be any teachers’ among them.

Shaking his head with a laugh, Han Shuo knew that by morning, once the women in the academy discovered their underwear had been stolen, a tremendous uproar would surely erupt. Fitch must still have another move in reserve. Perhaps tomorrow someone would search each male student’s room one by one. If this bundle were found beneath Han Shuo’s bed, he would certainly be branded a filthy sexual deviant. By then, before the academy even expelled him, he might already be too ashamed to face anyone and never again dare appear within Babylon’s martial academy.

“You show no mercy, so how can I afford to be righteous? Fitch, oh Fitch, do not blame me for being vicious.” Han Shuo picked up the bundle, smiled wickedly under his breath, and climbed down from the bed. Sending a primal demon ahead to scout the way, he headed toward Fitch’s room.

Using almost exactly the same method, Han Shuo borrowed the primal demon’s sight and copied Fitch’s procedure step by step: first he spread the soporific powder, then he slipped soundlessly into Fitch’s room, placed the bundle beneath Fitch’s bed, and finally departed without leaving a trace.

Having finished that business, Han Shuo returned to his room but did not sleep. Instead, he watched Duke’s movements through another primal demon.

After arriving at the dark arts faculty building, Duke flew directly to a classroom on the fourth floor. At night the building was deserted. Duke remained motionless in that room, as though merged with the darkness itself.

Han Shuo’s primal demon lingered in the shadow of a great tree outside the window, silently watching Duke. Yet after Duke arrived, he remained still and made no further move. This puzzled Han Shuo greatly; he could not understand what Duke was doing alone in the faculty building in the dead of night.

After waiting a while, just as Han Shuo was beginning to grow impatient, a mass of black light suddenly appeared in the distance and slowly made its way toward the building.

If one were not paying close attention, that black glow would have been almost impossible to notice in the darkness. Han Shuo’s expression sharpened at once, and he immediately focused more intently on its movements. The black radiance within it was thick, like layers of cloud, making it difficult to discern anything inside.

Only after the black glow entered the dark arts faculty building did the previously motionless Duke seem to sense it. He suddenly gave a faint, soft cough.

At that sound, the black glow hesitated slightly, then quickly crossed the stairs and went straight to the room where Duke was waiting.

At last Duke and the black glow met with only a door between them. Duke glanced at the black glow lingering before the classroom door, a faint smile on his face, and said softly, “People from the empire’s Black Nether are indeed everywhere. Even here at Babylon’s martial academy, there are Black Nether agents in hiding. It is a pleasure to meet you. I suppose it is time for you to reveal your true face?”

“I have been in this academy for many years. Back then, getting me in cost the organization a great deal of effort, and my identity absolutely cannot be exposed. Within Babylon’s martial academy, there are several archmages at your level, and the headmistress is even at the grand mage realm. If she is alerted, the trouble will be far from minor.”

A familiar voice to Han Shuo came from within the black glow. Then the black radiance, like a thick garment, seemed to be peeled away layer by layer, revealing the figure of Camira, the old witch of the dark arts department.

It was her! Han Shuo was startled and immediately paid even closer attention, fearing he might miss a single word of their conversation.

The Lanslot Empire had a hidden organization called the Dark Veil. The Kassi Empire must surely have a similar organization as well. From the looks of it, this Camira ought to be a Kassi Empire operative, and not just that, a member of Kassi’s Black Nether organization. That was rather interesting.

“So it was you, then, heh. I even saw you today and never imagined you were one of ours. The empire’s Black Nether truly has wide reach. It seems my mission this time should go much more smoothly.” After Camira revealed her true appearance, Duke also seemed very surprised.

“Meeting here between us is extremely dangerous. The Lanslot Empire’s Dark Veil are not easy to deal with either. I have crossed paths with them several times here, and they are like flies, always around you. If my identity is exposed, I will not only die a miserable death, I will also fail in the empire’s trust. Cut the nonsense. What exactly did you contact me for?” Camira looked at Duke and impatiently urged him to get to the point.

Duke nodded and said solemnly, “This time in the Lanslot Empire, I carry many responsibilities. If I could solve it alone, I would never trouble your Black Nether. Today I asked Lady Vanni of the necromancy department, and I heard that besides the libraries of each department, this academy also has a private library. We need to find some information, so I wanted to ask whether you know where this library is and how one might enter it.”

“There is indeed a private library, filled with some extremely rare and precious books. I have not only heard of it, I have even been fortunate enough to enter and browse there once. But the library is protected by a magical barrier personally set up by the headmistress. Without her permission, outsiders have no way in.

The last time I went was because I needed to consult something about dark arts curses, and I entered only with the headmistress accompanying me. If you try to force your way into that private library, the headmistress will definitely notice. I advise you to find another way!” Camira said with a helpless expression, warning Duke earnestly.

Hearing this, Duke thought in silence for a moment, then spoke to Camira. “If that is so, then I must trouble you to think of a way to get in. The empire wants all information regarding the Eye of Darkness. Go inside and see whether there is anything related to it. Before I came this time, the people above you in Black Nether instructed that in critical moments, you may be directly mobilized. I trust you understand.”

“If the empire wants to investigate this matter, it only needs to issue the order to me through Black Nether. Why go to the trouble of sending you here in person?” Camira asked, looking at Duke in confusion, and did not immediately agree.

“This is no concern of yours. Since the empire sent us here, it naturally has other plans. All you need to do is enter that private library and help me ascertain every scrap of information concerning the Eye of Darkness,” Duke said, frowning with some displeasure.

“What exactly is it? From the sound of it, it seems to be something connected to our dark arts. First tell me what it looks like, and give me some basic information about it.”

“It is not something of the dark arts. It was created in the age when necromancers were at their height, and it conceals the secret to opening the Grave of Death. Legend says the Grave of Death is the sacred land of necromancers. Many years ago, when necromancers ran rampant across the continent, the Grave of Death was a place evil enough that no one on the entire continent wished even to speak of it. It may contain the grim scripture of terrifying necromancers. The empire needs the secrets within, so you must do everything you can to uncover the truth of the Eye of Darkness!”

Camira’s expression changed slightly. After thinking it over, she said, “Very well. I’ll find a way to get in and take a look. But each time I go in, the headmistress will be nearby, so I can only do my best.”

“All right. After you get in, whether you find anything or not, notify me as soon as possible. For the next period of time, I’ll be staying in the wind-element division of Babylon’s magical academy, making some exchanges in wind magic with them. With your identity, you can come find me openly under some other pretext.” Duke nodded and said to Camira.

With that, the two of them had reached a temporary understanding. They did not continue talking and each departed separately from the faculty building, one after the other.

After withdrawing the primal demons, Han Shuo carefully reviewed the two of them in his mind. After some frowning thought, he finally drifted slowly into sleep.