Chapter 256: Biochemical Mode On
Aiden, having signed the contract, selected three ancestors to go with him to the goblins' stronghold.
"Are you going to choose your three disciples?" Salazar enquired with obvious curiosity.
"So in your eyes, they are my disciples," Aiden said with a smile. "Yes, I plan to give this opportunity to them."
"You're really good to your disciples. I plan to keep this opportunity for myself, so my descendants can inherit my aspirations and explore the limits of bloodline."
Salazar Slytherin's eyes were filled with anticipation for the future.
Aiden wanted to speak but hesitated, finally only saying, "Good luck."
"Same to you."
Who wants to be the same as you? Fortunately, Aiden didn't say this out loud.
Time returns to the present, with four people galloping on horseback with determined purpose.
Since goblins possessed strong anti-magic abilities, to avoid being discovered by them, the four could only choose transportation methods without magical power, that is, being ignored by both sides by default: Muggles.
Sean obtained four horses from ordinary merchant traders, and the group rode toward the goblins' location.
"Sir, what exactly did the goblins steal that could make the Wizards' Council so anxious?" Iris asked, coming closer to enquire.
"Heh, what they stole was a strange land discovered when wizards first explored the mysteries of the mind... Avalon," Aiden answered.
"Avalon, the legendary Eternal King?" Sean asked, raising an eyebrow.
"But isn't that just a fairy tale?" Elvis asked with obvious confusion.
"Parts of it are true. The legend of the Eternal King might be an allegory for the monster hidden beneath the Misty Illusion," Aiden said, narrowing his eyes.
"Monster, what kind?" Sean asked, becoming interested.
"You'll have a chance to find out," Aiden said mysteriously.
The group rode all the way to Ireland.
Goblin Hill, this land that had been managed by goblins for hundreds of years.
Its internal structure was intricate and complex, filled with traps set by the goblins.
As embodiments of greed in the world, goblins were very difficult to deal with.
"However, from another perspective, they're also very easy to deal with," Aiden said thoughtfully.
"Sir, who are you talking to?" Iris asked in confusion.
"To the audience," Aiden said with a wink.
Aiden carved a small alchemical matrix on the ground with precise movements.
The matrix flickered, and several pieces of gold appeared within the alchemical matrix.
Aiden broke the gold pieces apart and scattered them like grain along the roadside.
Gold particles formed a small path leading into the deep bushes.
An obvious trap to anyone with eyes, but it had a peculiar effect on goblins.
Aiden waited in the bushes with the three ancestors for prey to arrive.
"Mine!" "I saw it first!" "Everyone move aside, it should be mine!"
Soon arguing voices came, and the bushes began rustling with activity.
Three goblins rolled into a ball fighting over the gold pieces, eventually entering the dragon's trap.
"Good evening, lovely little ones," the dragon said, showing his fangs to the goblins.
"Wiz... mmh." The three goblins were just about to speak when they fell into baby-like sleep.
Aiden picked them up one by one and read their memories with careful precision.
Unfortunately, they were just gatekeeping foot soldiers, so he couldn't obtain much information.
He only vaguely learnt that the higher-ups had obtained the treasure and strengthened surrounding defences.
"They'll be discovered if not returned within twenty minutes?" Aiden muttered to himself.
"However."
His heterochromatic pupils revealed pleasure, and a sinister smile hung on the dragon's exquisite face.
The three ancestors beside him, though they were ancestors, trembled at the sight.
Aiden had developed the combination of magical power and abilities to perfection.
Extracting malice from himself, he fused curses filled with venom and disease into his abilities.
Aiden completed manipulation of the three goblins and placed mental plague on their consciousness islands.
This was the second time Aiden had used this ability since advancing to Sequence 4.
Unlike 'ordinary' Manipulators, Aiden added some extra ingredients. When the plague erupted, it wouldn't just be mental plague.
Virtual Personalities climbed onto their consciousness islands, and the goblins walked back in a daze.
Inside Goblin Hill, the supervisor of the three goblins came to inspect.
"Hey, you three, what are you holding!" the captain-like goblin scolded harshly.
The three dazedly pulled out the gold.
"Gold!" The captain immediately snatched the gold from their hands with obvious greed.
But all three shivered and sneezed.
"Ugh, disgusting." The captain dodged slightly but completely failed to notice the droplet contamination.
One of the goblins suddenly looked up and made eye contact with the captain. He seemed to see a pair of heterochromatic pupils.
After a shiver, the four felt like they had forgotten something.
Thus, with the four's contact, something unknown began spreading among the goblins.
Three days later.
"I'm going in to retrieve the item. You three stay here and don't move," Aiden instructed the idle ancestor trio.
The world turned upside down, the system commented.
"Sir, take us with you. Waiting outside is really boring," Iris pleaded with obvious desperation.
"Hmm... alright, but don't speak on the way, and don't leave a three-metre radius around me," Aiden instructed.
"Okay," came three voices in unison.
Then Aiden led the three to the entrance of Goblin Hill and raised both hands.
Raised... raised both hands. The ancestor trio's eyes widened in shock.
"What are you doing here!"
Two goblins at the gate pointed weapons at Aiden with obvious hostility.
"I've come to surrender. I have Wizards' Council secrets to report to your higher-ups," Aiden said, raising his hands.
The two goblins came forward and captured the four with practised efficiency.
They bound the four with special chains and confiscated the three's wands.
"Where's your wand?" A goblin's sharp spear pressed against Aiden's neck.
"I don't have a wand," Aiden said, shaking his head.
"Come on, Ahuan, they're all bound by chains. What more can they do, unless their strength is dozens of times greater than a troll's?" another goblin mocked.
"But I don't know why, I always have an uneasy feeling," Ahuan said with obvious worry.
"Did you exhaust yourself too much in your nest last night?" Ahuan's companion asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Screw you!" Ahuan said, kicking him.
Then they escorted the four into Goblin Hill.
In the prison cell, Aiden was hung from the rafters while the ancestor trio was tied to wooden stakes.
"Sir, what are you thinking? Just surrendering like that. Now we're caught by their magic-restraining chains. Aren't we just lambs for slaughter?" Sean grumbled with obvious concern.
"No hurry. I need to meet their higher-ups. I don't think any high-ranking person would come see me unless the beast is caged," Aiden said, remaining calm and composed.
"Just don't end up not meeting anyone and instead getting sent down to feed the Grindylows," Sean said, looking toward the bottom of the cell.
The bottom of the cell was a murky swamp. Weak firelight shone below, revealing pairs of glowing eyes.
It seemed this cell also served as an interrogation room. Quite impressive indeed.