While Fors pored over the Trickmaster potion formula, Luo Lin pocketed the cash from their deal. He knew this transaction had likely boosted his standing in both Fors's and Xio's eyes.
This, no doubt, would smooth the way for future dealings.
Just then, a waiter approached with a slip of paper. The spiritual materials Luo Lin had requested had a seller, but the price required a face-to-face discussion.
Luo Lin raised an eyebrow, glancing toward where Mr. A had been standing, only to find him gone. With a wry smile, he nodded and followed the waiter to a small room.
The waiter opened the door, bowing and gesturing for him to enter. As expected, Luo Lin stepped inside to find Mr. A, cloaked in his hood, waiting.
No surprise there. Luo Lin casually sank into the sofa across from Mr. A, who rose silently and dropped to one knee—a shadow both fervent and fiercely loyal.
"Is this an Aurora Order thing?" Luo Lin asked, eyeing the kneeling Mr. A with amusement. Compared to the disposable Hynas Vansen, Mr. A was far more valuable—a true fanatic of the True Creator, close enough to receive divine oracles regularly.
"Respect is only proper for the God's Favored," Mr. A replied, head bowed, his tone earnest.
"Fair enough," Luo Lin said, nodding as if in approval. "So, care to share what kind of oracle the God sent down?"
Luo Lin was genuinely curious. How exactly did the True Creator describe him to His zealous followers?
He wasn't worried about Mr. A sniffing out any flaws. For a fanatic, unless the God Himself spoke otherwise, they wouldn't dare raise a hand against His Favored.
Mr. A, true to form, showed no suspicion. With fervent expression, he recounted the True Creator's oracle.
Whether it was Mr. A's muddled retelling or the True Creator's own cryptic phrasing, the oracle was a chaotic mess. It took Luo Lin some effort to parse its meaning, which boiled down to: "The person before you is My Favored. Ask what he wants, meet his needs, and invite him to join the Aurora Order. If he refuses, so be it."
Boss True Creator, magnanimous! Luo Lin snarked to himself.
Glancing at Mr. A—his face ablaze with zeal but his demeanor oddly dim—Luo Lin said, "Joining the Aurora Order? Pass. I'm rather fond of my sanity and plan to keep it."
Mr. A's expression flickered with regret but no surprise. After all, the Aurora Order wasn't the only group venerating the True Creator, so a Favored One not being a member wasn't unthinkable.
"As for my needs…" Luo Lin paused, a smile curling his lips. "Gather some intelligence for me—on the Beyonders lurking in Backlund. In return…"
"In the near future, I'll make the Old Creator manifest again in this era. Pass that message to the God exactly as I said it. He'll understand."
Though Mr. A instinctively felt Luo Lin's tone was less than reverent for a Favored One, his fanatical faith kept him from questioning. "Yes, Your Excellency," he said, bowing lower.
Then, as if struck by a sudden whim, Luo Lin leaned forward, grinning at Mr. A. "Say, Little A, how about joining my Jester Club?"
This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment idea but a long-brewing plan. In the treacherous world of Weird, going it alone was a death sentence. Luo Lin's abilities and circumstances made a lone wolf approach impossible, so building his own organization was a necessity.
The Jester Club—his brainchild—currently had a grand total of one member: himself. But Luo Lin was confident that one day, its name would echo across the Weird world.
Mr. A blinked, clearly blindsided. Being poached by a Favored One when he was usually the one recruiting for the Aurora Order? Unheard of.
If anyone else had made the offer, Mr. A would've refused—or worse. But with Luo Lin bearing the God's favor, his faith left him hesitating.
Just then, Mr. A tilted his head, as if listening to something. A moment later, he looked at Luo Lin, his hesitation gone. "My honor, Your Excellency."
Clearly, the True Creator was watching and had issued a timely oracle.
Luo Lin wasn't surprised. He suspected Mr. A was essentially a spy sent by the True Creator to keep tabs on him. No matter—Luo Lin didn't care. "Welcome aboard, Little A," he said with a grin. "I'll fill you in on the club's details later."
"Oh, and one more thing," Luo Lin added, smiling. "I've got some Roselle Diaries I'd like to sell. You don't mind helping with that, do you?"
…
When Luo Lin emerged from the room, carrying a suitcase stuffed with spiritual materials, the gathering was nearing its end.
"You were gone a while," Xio said, exhaling in relief as he returned to their corner. "We were starting to worry something happened."
"The deal involved a lot of materials, so haggling took some time," Luo Lin replied with a smile. "You know how it is—money's always tight, so every penny counts."
He wasn't lying. After wrapping up the serious business with Mr. A, he'd secured a batch of spiritual materials—free of charge, naturally.
Luo Lin felt no guilt. He was already planning to summon the Ancient Sun God during his eventual meeting with Medici, both to curry favor with the fiery spirit and to fulfill his deal with the True Creator.
Compared to "making the Old Creator manifest again in this era," what Luo Lin asked for was trivial.
As for why he was so sure the True Creator would be pleased with the deal? Simple. Whether it was to probe Luo Lin's abilities, meet His past self, or even attempt to alter a doomed tragedy, Luo Lin was confident the True Creator wouldn't pass up the opportunity—especially with the bonus of involving a certain fiery spirit.
"I'm practically a saintly merchant," Luo Lin mused, conveniently ignoring that his motives stemmed from a love of stirring the pot.
(End of Chapter)