Myths Reawakened

Once Wayne and Veronica left, the bar fell silent. After a while, Franco finally crawled up, putting the thick wad of money into his pocket with a look of bemusement. Taking the beating was quite worth it. If Wayne hit him every day, he would sooner or later become a rich man. However...

“Do you think he really doesn’t know?”

“He likely doesn’t, or he wouldn’t have gone so hard. Franco’s head was bleeding...”

“No, I think he knows and did it on purpose. His acting was too stiff, especially the lines about the goddess. Although he didn’t lie... Anyway, he opted for an unorthodox method and acquired one Philosopher’s Stone.”

“What do you think, Franco?”

I think he’s paid me more than enough for my cooperation!

Franco took a deep breath and lifted the brochure promoting the church. “I was the one getting beaten up, so I have the most say in this matter. He didn’t know. He’s a devout candidate.”

“Oh no!” the bartender exclaimed.

“What?”

“If he’s truly in the dark, won’t he solve the other two challenges with his fists, too?”

“Um...”

“What are you waiting for? Make the calls so that they can adjust their acts, or he will collect all three stones in a day.”

While they rushed to make calls and hop into cars to notify their colleagues that things had changed, a burly man sleeping in a corner of the bar slowly sat up, removing the fedora covering his face and downing his stale drink.

“Interesting!”

“I’ve never seen a candidate who cleared a challenge like that. Is he doing it intentionally, or truly doesn’t care...”

“I don’t hate it, though. If he becomes the Anointed One, things will become quite exciting at headquarters...”

“Huh, is he a genius or what?”

The rough-looking man had brown curls and a full beard that blended with his sideburns. He rose to his feet and left the bar with a bottle of liquor, reeking of alcohol.

Franco and the others never once reacted to him, as if he weren’t even there.

***

The second lead pointed to a warehouse on the street. Bunyan, a mafia boss, hung up and sat back in his chair, resting his feet on his desk as he asked his busty secretary to light his cigar.

Inhaling and exhaling smoke, he smiled derisively, making the scar on his face twitch. “That useless Franco handed over the Philosopher’s Stone too easily. He’s too much of a coward to serve the goddess properly. He has no sense of sacrifice at all.”

“So he beat you up. Just let him. He wouldn’t have beaten you to death in broad daylight with so many people watching.”

He scoffed. With the cigar between his teeth, he opened the drawer and took a handgun out, slamming it onto the desk. He said to his secretary, “Tell everyone to be careful. Our target is a reckless man with a brain. If he dares to use violence, I permit the use of firearms. As long as they don’t kill him, I’ll take full responsibility.”

“Is that really wise, Bunyan?” his secretary challenged coolly.

“Why?”

“Headquarters only sent people once every twenty years, while the High Reverend is always here. Besides, the targets are Auston Lando’s children. Even if the High Reverend doesn’t do anything to you, Lando may, and he has both the authority and the criminal underworld in his pocket. You’ll be the one to take the fall.”

Bunyan’s eyes twitched. She made a valid point. The High Reverend would have to follow the standard procedures to come after him, while Auston could do it as easily as sneezing.

“Even so, I, Bunyan, have long pledged my life to the goddess. The Lando family isn’t enough to intimidate me.” He unbuttoned his collar. “Tell everyone to go about it the peaceful way and put the guns away. Use the crowbars...”

“And activate the magical barrier. Auston’s son is black-hearted. He’s certainly going to launch a surprise attack.”

The secretary nodded and left.

Bunyan mumbled with the cigar between his teeth, “I can’t let them have the Philosopher’s Stone easily, at least not on my end. There are dozens of members at the base. Even if they barge in, we should be able to hold them off for three days...”

“Yeah, it’ll be fine.”

Bam!

Following the loud noise, the ceiling fell off. If Bunyan hadn’t reacted quickly, he would’ve been buried under the rubble.

“Bunyan, isn’t it?” Wayne stood amid the rubble and addressed a shocked Bunyan. “In the goddess’s name, I’ll bring retribution to you scumbags. You’re only allowed to run free because you’ve never met me.”

“Bullshit, you have to know.”

“Know what?”

“Um...”

“Can’t say it, can you?” Wayne clenched his teeth with a sneer and shattered the magical barrier with a punch, snarling, “Oh, you’re not only a mafia boss, but also a dark mage who has committed every crime under the sun. I’m your reckoning. The goddess will punish your sins.”

Bunyan couldn’t believe it. He had never met anyone as shameless as this man. He raised his voice and said, “My subordinates—”

“Are all getting beaten up outside!”

...Already?

Yes, already, thought Wayne. And you’ll be down sooner.

Despite both being Silver-ranked mages, Wayne made quick work of Bunyan and pinned him to the floor while punching him.

Pow! Pow! Pow!

“Speak, dark mage who steals from the faith of Nature. Where did you hide the Philosopher’s Stone?”

“Hahaha, you can’t kill me. I would sooner call you ‘father’ than tell you that.”

Five minutes later, Bunyan bawled on his knees. He had underestimated Wayne; while playing dumb, Wayne showed no hesitation to beat him to an inch of his life.

Every time, he beat Bunyan until he was eighty percent dead before healing him to fifty percent dead. Bunyan didn’t know if someone else would be able to endure the repeated abuse, but he couldn’t. He handed over the Philosopher’s Stone semi-voluntarily and wailed that he would be the Lando family’s new foster son.

“Piss off!”

Wayne kicked Bunyan away. Only in his dream could someone with such an ugly mug become Auston’s grandchild. Wayne tossed the brochure of the Church of Nature at Bunyan’s face, growling, “The goddess is merciful, so she’ll give even a scumbag like you a chance. I won’t kill you today, but I’ll be back in three days. If you can’t recite this brochure by heart, I’ll beat you up again.”

It was a physical way of evangelization.

(╥⌓╥)

Bunyan was ready to burst into tears. Maybe I’ve already memorized all of it? Have you considered the possibility? Or the fact that the brochures were actually printed at my factories?

“Damn scum, I can’t bear looking at you. You should thank the goddess for Her mercy, or you’ll be dead today.”

Wayne took the Philosopher’s Stone and left the office while muttering threats. When he passed through the warehouse, he ignored the piles of brochures and beckoned Veronica over. The two of them hopped into their car, heading straight to the destination that the last clue pointed to.

If they were quick about it, they would not only collect all three Philosopher’s Stones in one day, but also make it back to the Lando Estate just in time for dinner.

***

“Is this really the smart thing to do?” In the passenger seat, Veronica sighed at the two Philosopher’s Stones. “You knew they were followers of Nature, but still went so hard on them.”

“Doesn’t it mean that their script is so good that we’re fooled?”

“Yes, but this is a test of intelligence, too. You wouldn’t get a high score when you couldn’t even recognize your own, will you?”

“They know that I’m only pretending not to have seen through their act. Unless they admit that their script is garbage...” Wayne grinned. “Either way, I’m not to blame. The mission didn’t go well because their script is flawed. They know what they should do if they don’t want the higher-ups to blame them.”

“You’re so used to doing this!”

“Our father taught me well. There is a lot I still need to learn from him.”

Not long after, they reached their third destination: an abandoned church.

There was no one, not a single soul.

According to the script, there should be an NPC with clues on the Philosopher’s Stone waiting here, having set up challenges to make sure that only a devoted and kind soul could acquire the information from the NPC.

Clearly, the script had gone through a last-minute modification.

“Damn it, we’re too late,” Wayne lamented, shaking his head.

Veronica chuckled. “What did I tell you? We should’ve split up.”

“Then what? We’ll get all three Philosopher’s Stones in a day and make a new record for the shortest mission clear time. As a result, all members of the auditing team are going to be punished by the higher-ups, losing their jobs after being thoroughly humiliated. Is that what we want?”

Wayne’s question left Veronica speechless. He stroked her blonde hair. “Let’s settle down in a hotel for the next three days, giving the team time to write a new script. One should know when to stop, especially geniuses like us. We’ll be stepping on toes if we keep our chins too high.”

“You already did.”

“How? For the next three days, I’ll be led on a merry chase by useless clues.”

“What does that even mean...” Veronica understood only parts of his intention. She asked awkwardly, “Wayne, is this part of your calculation, too?”

“I didn’t calculate anything. Just don’t treat others as idiots. Let them treat us as idiots and assume that we will play along because of what has happened, thus losing their initiative.” Wayne glanced at Veronica. “Remember, Veronica, we should always keep the initiative in our grasp.”

“We have the upper hand now. The auditing team will beg us to play along if they don’t want to be punished.”

“Our scores may not be high because they resent me for all the trouble I’ve stirred up. However, our scores won’t be low, either. If things get out, they will be the ones to suffer the consequences.”

“Um...”

“What? Any more questions?”

“Wayne Lando, you resemble your father too much. Am I adopted?”

“Oh, when did you find out?”