152: Chapter 0152 The Old Butler

"The matter of the passage... the superiors already know about it."

He looked up at Li Size, a hint of amusement in his eyes:

"We've decided to play along—you continue to monitor the progress of the passage's excavation. Once Feiting breaks through, we'll set up spatial traps inside. That way, they won't be able to return."

Li Size's eyes lit up:

"What do you need me to do?"

Sven smiled:

"You only need to report the clearing status of the passage regularly. Leave the rest to us."

He paused, tapped the desk with his fingertip, and shifted his tone to an official mission briefing:

"Additionally, this mission falls under the category of major contribution rewards. The Internal Affairs Department is directly awarding you 250 merit points—including your previous accumulation, your total merit points have now reached 300. Accumulate another 200, and you can be promoted to deputy captain, which will unlock higher-level permissions and access to resource applications."

Li Size's eyes brightened upon hearing this, and he immediately stroked his chin, falling into thought:

Flora had just opened up a trading channel on the Dark Web. Purchasing common wizardry knowledge there was clearly more cost-effective.

He planned to check the updated merit points Exchange Manual after being promoted to deputy captain to see if there were any rare, exclusive exchange items.

After completing the mission, Li Size did not return directly to Gray Mist Mountain Town but diverted to Lilith's apartment.

As he pushed open the door, the scent of roses washed over him. Lilith was sitting on the carpet in a light purple nightgown, with a burning Firebolt hovering in the magic circle before her—

The flame was pale blue, and its trajectory precisely struck the distant target.

She saw Li Size, and her eyes instantly lit up:

"You're here!"

Li Size walked over, hugged her from behind, and rested his chin on the top of her head:

"Your progress is very fast."

Lilith's cheeks flushed. She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck:

"It's all because you taught me well."

The soft light in the room spilled over them both. Lilith's fingertips traced Li Size's collarbone, and her breathing gradually became rapid.

Li Size's kisses landed on her forehead, eyes, and lips, his movements gentle yet possessing an irresistible force.

Lilith's body trembled slightly. Her fingertips tightly gripped his shirt, and faint moans escaped her throat.

The moonlight outside shone through the sheer curtains, casting mottled shadows on the floor. Only the sound of their breathing and the rustling of clothes remained in the room.

After their intimacy, Lilith leaned against Li Size, fiddling with the buttons on his chest with her fingertips:

"I have completed the cultivation of the meditation technique. Now I am practicing modifying the Firebolt Spell and the Ice Arrow Spell."

She raised her hand, and a pale blue Ice Arrow condensed at her fingertip. The Ice Arrow spun in her palm, emitting waves of cold air:

"See? I can control the trajectory precisely now."

Li Size smiled and pulled a silver pendant from his pocket—

The pendant was engraved with the rune for 'Resistance Enhancement' and emitted a faint golden light:

"This is for you. You can use it three times a day. It can resist most Wizard Apprentice spell attacks."

Lilith took the pendant, her eyes full of pleasant surprise:

"Thank you!"

Lilith suddenly sat up straight, her expression turning serious:

"Oh, right. I have made progress investigating Viscount Weisman."

She took out a photograph from a drawer—the photo showed Viscount Weisman's old butler talking with a man wearing a hat in a tavern:

"I found out through my friends in the journalist circle that the old butler goes to the 'Black Raven Tavern' every Wednesday night to meet this person. However, they use soundproofing magic when talking, so I couldn't hear the specific content."

Li Size took the photo, his fingertip stroking the man in the picture:

"This lead is very important. Keep watching him—tell me immediately if anything happens."

Lilith nodded:

"Don't worry, I will."

The moonlight outside gradually slanted westward, and the fragrance in the room remained rich.

Li Size looked at Lilith in his arms, a hint of tenderness in his eyes.

Li Size rubbed the edge of the photograph with his fingertip, his gaze gradually sharpening—although Lilith's clue pointed toward Viscount Weisman's butler, he knew that with Lilith's beginner-level wizardry skills, it would be difficult to deeply investigate the old butler's secrets.

He recalled Flora's Bloodline talent: the Lesser Invisibility Spell cast at night could almost deceive wizards below the First Ring. Unless she actively attacked, even a Formal Wizard might not detect her presence.

And Lina's management ability within the Miners Brotherhood was truly impressive. Flora currently had no urgent tasks in Wojin City either...

A plan took shape in his mind: have Flora transfer to Lilith's side, starting with the old butler to break through the chain of evidence regarding Weisman's treason.

He could have contacted Flora directly using a flying message, but remembering the ambiguous hint in Flora's eyes the last time they parted—the probing look regarding Lina—Li Size's heart stirred.

At the same time, he genuinely wanted to personally inspect the development status of the Miners Brotherhood: Was the secret smuggling route still safe? How was the little sorcerer donkey's automated production line running? Were the effects of the optimized potions truly as significant as reported?

The next morning, Li Size bid farewell to Lilith and boarded the wizardry train bound for Wojin City.

A faint scent of Demonic Energy permeated the carriage, and the scenery outside the window rapidly receded—it only took three short hours to go from the gray and black mineral veins of Gray Mist Mountain Town to the golden wheat fields of Wojin City.

When he stepped out of the station, Flora and Lina were already waiting at the entrance: Flora was wearing dark purple tight leather clothing, her silver-purple long hair tied in a high ponytail, and her light purple eyes sparkled with delighted surprise. Lina was in a cream-colored dress, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulders, her ivory-white ears slightly flushed, nervously clutching the hem of her skirt with both hands.

"(Great) Master!"

They called out in unison, their voices full of delight.

Flora quickly stepped forward and naturally linked her arm through Li Size's, her fingertip brushing against his wrist.

Lina followed behind, her eyes holding a hint of shyness and anticipation.

Li Size smiled and nodded:

"Take me to see your achievements."

Flora and Lina first took him to the entrance of the Miners Brotherhood's secret smuggling route—located beneath an abandoned warehouse in the eastern suburbs of Wojin City.

The passage was paved with anti-slip flagstones, the walls were inlaid with glowing magic crystals, and a hidden monitoring rune was placed every ten meters.

Lina took out a black ledger and traced the pages with her fingertip:

"Great Master, these are the smuggling orders from the last three months. Five of them are commissions from Gele City; all are anonymous, requiring the transport of rare metals and wizardry parts."

Li Size took the ledger, his fingertip pausing over the words 'Gele City,' his expression darkening slightly:

"Where are the shipping addresses for these orders?"

Lina replied:

"They are all from the 'Black Raven Tavern' in Gele City."

—The same meeting place as the old butler investigated by Lilith!