Eternal Thief

Tily was already back with a square glass bottle filled with translucent red liquid and two wine glasses on a tray, and she poured the Rose Ale for both the Floor Manager and Ace.

The Floor Manager picked up the wineglass and said, “Please, this is one of the finest ale in my collection. Have a taste.”

Ace naturally didn’t reject such a request and accepted it. He sipped the blood color ale and his pupils dilated. He felt like he just tasted boiling honey before the sensation turned icy and all kinds of flavors spread in his mouth.

He couldn’t help but praise, “Very good!”

Ace was also an alcohol maniac, and he had an extensive collection of stolen alcohol, but he had to admit this rose ale was probably the best alcohol he tasted so far.

The Floor Manager smiled with a hint of satisfaction. “Why, of course, this rose ale is very precious, and only 1000 bottles were made each year, and we have to fight tooth and nail for just one.”

“Can I bid for one next time?” Ace couldn’t help but wonder out loud.

The Floor Manager chucked, “Heh, if you join our association, then why not?”

Feng smile bitterly and said, “I’m afraid my mind is only good for the sword, not for such a complicated profession like alchemy.”

“It’s a pity, then, and I also admire your resolution to walk on your path without being swayed by momentarily benefits.” Floor Manager praise.

“This junior is flatter.” Feng politely raised his wineglass.

However, Ace didn’t let his guard down because he could sense this Floor Manager wanted something from the moment he heard his identity and that was why he offered him such precious alcohol and left a good impression on Feng.

And just as he thought, a sly glint flashed past the Floor Manager’s eyes when he saw Feng was optimistic about his treatment.

He inquired plainly, “So, I heard sir Earl has earned the first rank in the first phase of the blade domain training program?”

Feng puckered his lips. “Yes, I was merely lucky.”

The Floor Manager smiled. “How could such an achievement be just by luck? You’re currently the most dazzling star of our domain. Please accept my toast.”

Ace naturally didn’t reject and play along, and wait for it to come.

The Floor Manager suddenly said, “Sir Feng, I wonder if you’re interested in taking a personal request from me?”

Feng was startled before he said regretfully, “I’m afraid I can’t afford to waste time, and I have to focus on the training program. Please forgive me.”

The Floor Manager quickly replied as if he had already expected this kind of response, “Please hear me out first. I’m sure this request won’t hinder your training in any way.”

“Oh, if that’s the case, then please do tell.”

“It’s very simple. I heard that the number one contestant will have the access to the most precious reward list and there’s something I want from that list, and only you can get it. As for the reward points you’ll spend, I’ll compensate you with grade-3 Qi stones and double the amount at that. What do you think?” The Floor Manager finally revealed his intentions.

‘How did he know this kind of information? And what is the thing he wanted that can only appear in first rank participants’ reward list?’ Ace suddenly felt this Floor Manager wasn’t as simple as he seemed and might have many high-level connections.

Furthermore, he wasn’t taking advantage of Feng at all and even giving away double the value of the item he wanted. So, it was a fair deal that won’t take any effort on his part.

“If this just involved the purchase of an item, then I don’t mind.” Feng quickly agreed.

The Floor Manager merely smiled, but the ecstasy in his eyes was clear, which made Ace even more curious about what this guy wanted.

He said, “It would be great, you just have to purchase this item.” He handed Ace a portrait.

Ace curiously looked at the portrait and saw a white stone with black dots.

Although it looked somewhat precious, no matter from which angle he looked, it was just a stone, and it wasn’t even qualified to enter the first participant’s reward list. Moreover, if this thing was so precious, then the blade domain won’t put it on the reward list at all.

pan,da-n0vel,c-o-m ‘Nonetheless, I just have to see myself,’ Ace thought as he stored away the portrait.

“It’s a deal, then.” Feng smiled in acknowledgment.

Floor Manager grinned with a hint of elation, “Now to the official business, you’re supposed to get A Hundred Soul Recovery pills and A Hundred Soul Calming Pills from rank 6-star to 9-star and ten units of soul herbs from each pill. But using my authority as the floor manager, I’ll make them 150 pills and 15 units of peak rank. What do you think?”

Feng’s eyes lit up and quickly utter with gratitude, “Please accept my thanks!”

“There’s no need. Since we’re close now, this is the last thing I can do for you.” The Floor Manager chuckled in a good mood.

“So, how much do I need to pay?” Feng asked.

“It’s on the house. Consider it my deposit for my request. Tily retrieved the pills and materials.” The Floor Manager ordered.

“This…” Feng seemed hesitant.

“Just take it as my token of sincerity.” The Floor Manager waved his hand coolly.

“Then you have my thanks.” Feng bowed slightly.

Afterward, they chat for a while before Tily came with the soul pills and soul materials and handed them over to Feng.

The Floor Manager asked if he wanted other things, but Feng politely rejected and left after thanking him and promising to complete his task.

Now only Floor Manager and Tily were in the room.

Tily said with a hint of elation, “Master, I never thought it would be this easy to achieve our aim.”

The Floor Manager chuckled coldly, “Well, who would’ve thought the guy I was going to pay a personal visit will come on his own at my doorsteps? Furthermore, he’s nothing like rumor described him to be, and easy to persuade.”

Tily nodded with a cold smirk, “Yes, he was so obedient, like a dog. In the end, he was just like the others who lick our feet for benefits.”

“That’s only natural. Now we just have to wait before this idiot can get that thing out of the blade tribe’s treasury. Who would’ve thought those morons didn’t know the value of that item and kept it locked away all these years and now even putting it on a mere reward list?

“If not for master’s connection and getting the hands on the reward lists, I could never know such a thing was in the blade domain treasury all these years…” The Floor Manager lamented.

Tily asked curiously, “Master, just what is that stone? Furthermore, those reward lists are also obtained by others. What if someone else tries to snatch that item?”

The Floor Manager smiled mysteriously, “My dear disciple, you’ll see once he brings it here. You just need to know with ‘it’ I can probably enter the rank of 4th-grade alchemist! Besides, no one knows what that item is except me!”

—

Ace exit the life demon treasure pagoda while still thinking about his strange encounter with this mysterious Floor Manager.

‘What if I hadn’t come to this place at all? Could it be that the guy was planning to approach me from the start and I just walk right into his hands? Heh, but it’s not easy to take advantage of me.’ Ace smiled thievishly.

System voice also rang at this moment.

======

[Treasure Blueprint Scanning has been completed!]

[Treasure Blueprint has been delivered into the thief’s space]

[Warning: Treasure Blueprint will disappear after the mission completion or when the time of the mission ended.]

—

[Target’s Scan Report] (Only contain informant about restrictions above 3rd Grade) 

-Restriction(s):

1. Ghost Monitor Formation (Grade-4)

Range: Entire Target

2. Alarm Array (Grade-4)

Range: Entire Target

3. Sense Locks (Grade-5)

Number: 20

4. Attack Array (Grade-4)

Range: Entire Target

5. Sense & Entrapment Lock (Grade5)

Number: 1 

6. …

…

======

Ace was shocked to see the number of high-level traps, and each one of them was enough to give him a massive headache. Furthermore, those fifth-grade locks weren’t something he could dispel with his current level!

Ace couldn’t help but complain, “Just why did you always put me in a quandary?”

He sighed helplessly when no answer came, and he put his focus on this treasure blueprint inside his thief’s space.

He saw it was a blue color scroll, but he didn’t take it out since he was still outside and decided to examine it when he went back, and who knows he might find a way to complete his mission which seemed nothing but impossible right now.

At this moment, Ace suddenly became alert. ‘So, they do come, huh? But how did they know I was here so quickly? Well, I still have some time to waste. Let’s collect some memories in the meantime…’

Ace coldly smirked as he walked like he noticed nothing. But his soul probe was already activated!