novelraw Chapter 247: High Risk, High Reward
Chapter 247: High Risk, High Reward
Lu Li's motivations went beyond simply improving his abilities.
The First Spiritual Pistol was becoming a burden.
While its power was sufficient for most threats that could be resolved physically, he usually found himself facing opponents where physical force was useless, or where using the First Spiritual Pistol against mere ghosts felt like a waste.
Common ghosts and weaker anomalies could be dispatched with an unenhanced spirit gun; there was no need to resort to the more powerful, yet more taxing, first pistol.
It was like using a dagger to kill a fly.
Despite this, Anna worried that Lu Li's Mind Level might drop to the next stage from frequent use of the spirit gun. Even if he was not susceptible to the distorting aura of a projection, just witnessing it was terrifying enough.
Lu Li's response was simple: a lowered Mind Level was better than death.
And so, Anna could only resolve to protect Lu Li herself, to keep him from ever needing to use the pistol.
Lu Li silently studied the exquisite roses engraved on the frame of the First Spiritual Pistol. Three stems intertwined, reaching toward the muzzle, with the first blossomed rose positioned just above the trigger. It was clear that once all three roses bloomed, their petals covering the entire frame, this elegant, art-like flintlock would possess a truly lethal beauty.
But to make the third rose bloom, he would likely need to destroy another vengeful spirit.Just as Tesla had said, the spirit gun was beloved by most exorcists for its ranged attack capability and the fact that it required no special skill to wield. It was more popular than basic equipment like rapiers, holy water, or the Book of Shadows. In the later stages, however, many exorcists abandoned it due to its low rate of fire and high cost.
Power and cost were two sides of the same coin: the greater the power, the greater the strain on its wielder.
Every shot from a spirit gun consumed a portion of the user's Mind Level, converting it into damage.
If someone in this world managed to invent a spirit flamethrower, no matter how powerful, no one would dare to use it.
Its flames would spew not just fire and projectiles, but life itself.
Just as Lu Li had predicted, the day passed quietly, with no one disturbing the peace of the detective agency. This tranquility lasted until the next morning, half an hour after sunrise.
A soft tapping came from the window.
Lu Li opened his eyes. Anna, already ahead of him, pulled back the curtains and, with a small exclamation, threw the window open.
The cool air and the sounds of the street rushed into the morning quiet of the agency. With them came a black crow. It hopped onto the back of the sofa and stared down at Lu Li with its black, bead-like eyes.
A small mail tube was tied to its right leg.
It was the same as always: the note from the tube for Lu Li, the crow for Anna.
[Welcome to the Investigators!]—the first line proclaimed, bringing good news.
[Your case has been reviewed and approved by the Investigators' committee. First and foremost, congratulations on joining the ranks of the Investigators. You now have access to extended privileges, and your weekly salary is officially increased to 700 shillings, effective today. It will be delivered by courier on the same day each week, so you need not worry about finances. Note: If you are in dangerous ruins or remote mountains, the courier will arrive upon your return.]
[You may now use a pseudonym to conceal your real name, or you may choose to keep it unchanged.]
[As a full-fledged Investigator, you receive the following rights: to join squads formed by higher-ranking Investigators; to purchase 'rot' from the Trader to summon the nearest courier and send messages; to purchase an 'eye' from the Trader to summon the nearest courier and contact nearby Investigators; to receive a 10% discount from the Trader on this day every year, including today; to recommend citizens for recruitment into the Investigators; to replenish one piece of basic equipment at a 20% discount from the Trader after each case; and, upon meeting certain conditions, to be promoted to Senior Investigator.]
[When a new event occurs in your region, a courier will deliver the relevant information to you. You may choose to participate or ignore it. If you are interested in events outside your region or past unsolved cases, you may review them at your regional Investigator base.]
[The Investigators' committee encourages participation in various events but does not mandate it.]
[The investigation points you earn are equivalent to contribution points and are valid across all three organizations. You may use investigation points to trade with members of the three organizations or with the Trader.]
[You may report information about anomalies encountered in your daily life or during events to the Trader in exchange for investigation points, though the amount is usually small.]
[If you have any questions, you may contact the supervisor at your regional Investigator base. One or more supervisors are usually on duty at the base.]
The note was filled with information, much like a user manual, and Lu Li studied it carefully.
Anna was lying on the dining table, feeding the crow a small piece of bread Lu Li had specifically saved from the previous evening. She propped her chin in her hand, watching it, but did not forget to talk to Lu Li. "If it keeps coming, maybe we can become friends, and I could pet it?"
"They send a different crow each time."
Having read the first side, Lu Li turned the note over.
There was text on the back as well.
"Huh? It's not the same one as last time?" Anna paused, staring at the crow.
"Mhm."
"What about the one you met on the Isle of Gaze?"
"No."
[Mission completed: Investigation of the origin of Hurricane Arthur—Atoll Reef]
[Mission difficulty: Simple—(Special)]
[Completion rate: 15%.]
[Total time to complete: 3 days.]
[Promotion trial, no mission reward.]
[You have been promoted to a full-fledged Investigator and awarded 100 investigation points.]
[The completion rate for a simple mission was 15%; you have been awarded 15 (completion rate) x 5 (simple mission multiplier) = 75 investigation points.]
And that was the end of the note.
It contained only the details of his promotion to Investigator and his mission statistics.
There was no news about the "Door," the bloody tentacles, or Friday.
Perhaps that information was with other crows, or perhaps those problems had yet to be resolved.
A total of 175 investigation points. If he exchanged them with the Trader, Lu Li could get 1,750 shillings, nearly doubling his current fortune. And there was additional income to be had: he could sell information to the Trader. It would not be much, but it was better than nothing.
Though this money had been earned at the risk of his own life.
The multiplier for simple missions was 5. If Lu Li had gathered enough information to be rated at 50% completion on a simple mission, he would have received 250 investigation points upon completion—equivalent to 2,500 shillings, not including the mission reward and any extra income from the Trader.
This was exactly what Lu Li needed. If time was short, he might consider taking on a few missions to earn money and speed up his plan to build a shelter.
Putting the note away, Lu Li turned to the crow, which was watching him. "I have no more questions."
"Caw!" the crow cried sharply, spread its wings, and flew out the open window.
"Does it understand human speech?" Anna asked curiously, watching the black dot disappear into the sky.
"Possibly."