Chapter 170: Enchanting Humans
Shipwreck Bay.
This is a unique port city, with the harbor occupying one-third of the city. A lighthouse several meters high divides the port into two: to the left are merchant ships engaged in river trade, and to the right are large vessels for oceanic trade. The city feels somewhat noisy, with burly men bearing swords and daggers seen everywhere. Due to its unique geographical environment, Shipwreck Bay is somewhat mixed, with the influence of deities overlapping each other. It is also the largest trafficking port close to the Southern Coast.
Soren scanned the area and noticed three or four groups of people gathered together. They were either local gangsters or pirates hunting on the sea.
The temple’s influence here is quite mixed; it includes priests who worship the Lord of Storms and others who worship the Ocean Goddess, along with other deities that protect shadowy, evil, and illegal trades. This area is a chaotic zone where different forces intertwine, and it’s best not to stir up trouble. Soren, donning a dark red cloak, slightly stood out, drawing the attention of others. A young man sneaked a look around and then stumbled toward him.
“Uh-huh?”
Soren frowned, instantly seizing the young man’s wrist and twisting it behind his back, forcing him to the ground.
A scream erupted.
Clearly, three to five burly men had noticed and were coming over, but Soren had already released his grip, casting a cold glance at the kneeling young man and slowly said, “Keep your eyes open; next time you might lose your life.”
He was a thief.
Almost every city has such groups of people, preferring to target outsiders while taking shelter under local gangs. They hand over a significant portion of the stolen goods. Soren used to do just that, stealing from the docks and seeking easy targets, with outsiders being a priority since they are unfamiliar with the area, making them easier to deal with. However, this guy was really blind to steal from him; it could be because Soren wasn’t visibly armed, and the cloak he wore obscured any wizard insignia.
Silk gloves of a thief. A finely crafted dark red cloak.
Soren’s look was a little eye-catching; occasionally, a few women would glance at him. Upon seeing his somewhat handsome face, they would blush or stare a little longer. Due to his half-elf heritage, he already possessed considerable charm, and now, with the addition of a high-cold, regal, luxurious cloak, he appeared even more handsome than before. From any angle, the cloak enhanced his aura, giving Soren a slightly cold demeanor mixed with a refined, proud noble air.
This external charm left a strong impression on those who saw him. Men would remember him for his presence, while women would be surprised by his allure. His charm was originally 16 points but had risen to 18 points, making him seem like the first time he saw Gloria, genuinely stunned by her aura and subsequently retaining a profound impression, even without having seen her face initially.
Soren seemed a bit unaccustomed to such attention; he slightly furrowed his brow and turned to walk into an alley.
Having high charm brings its benefits, but it also comes with corresponding troubles.
People with extraordinary charm can easily become the center of attention in a crowd, standing out like a crane among chickens, which is not always beneficial for the Wanderer profession. Someone sneaked behind him, glancing a few times before moving to the other side. Gangs tend to take note of special individuals, and sometimes those guys even sell information. However, Soren was looking for a different kind of people. Gangs are mostly composed of unremarkable characters. He was searching for an organization that specialized in selling information.
Those are the true local informants!
Those who had not ventured into the gray areas would not recognize the cryptic symbols scattered throughout the streets; even adventurers need experienced Wanderers to guide them. Soren had come into contact with almost all top-tier gray area organizations, so he quickly found an unobtrusive symbol and then turned to a position deep within the alley, at a certain underground casino. At the entrance stood a burly bouncer. Upon noticing Soren was a newcomer, he frowned, but then forced a smile. Soren revealed a special badge.
“I want to inquire about some information; take me to see your boss, or I will twist your head off!”
Soren’s expression was very calm, but the bouncer shivered and hurriedly led him inside. Inside, there were a bunch of gamblers, including local residents and dockworkers, and occasionally a few fierce-looking pirates. Soren followed the bouncer up the stairs, where a circle of thugs lounged around. It was evident this place had quite a lot of manpower. Upon reaching the second floor, Soren heard women screaming. He immediately kicked the door open and walked in.
Inside were two stunning prostitutes, heavily made up with smoky eyes and vibrant red lips; they looked like they would even apply arsenic to their faces. The two women were intertwined, one rising and falling, while the other twisted against her. Beneath them was the man Soren was looking for, a man with a somewhat cold demeanor. He appeared displeased with the intrusion, and his expression darkened considerably, as if he were about to explode with anger.
“Get them out!”
Soren simply sat down opposite him, flashing a badge before the man. In the next moment, a bead of cold sweat appeared on the man’s forehead, and he hurriedly pushed the two women out. It was a special false mask symbol, which appeared eerily reminiscent of something sinister; he did not dare closely examine the authenticity of the badge and quickly composed himself and stood up.
The local informant’s expression was astonished, and after sharing a glance with the two women, they obediently exited, one even giving Soren a provocative glance with a shake of her chest.
“Your Excellency.”
The man before him stood up, looking somewhat nervous, “What does Your Excellency need?”
Soren’s expression remained haughty, glancing at him dismissively before slowly saying, “I want to know everything related to the Demon Son of Fear.”
Clang.
He threw out a coin pouch with several gleaming Gind coins spilling out. The man’s eyes immediately fixated on them. At that instant, Soren’s gaze became somewhat enchanting as he stared into the man’s eyes, saying, “Tell me everything you know without any concealment, or you should know what will happen next.”
—”Gaze of Fear!”
—”Enchanting Humans!”
The man seemed momentarily dazed by Soren’s gaze, then his expression froze for a second before returning to normal. He stood up respectfully, nodding, “Rest assured, Your Excellency. I will absolutely not conceal anything!”
Time quickly passed.
When Soren walked out of the room, he slightly furrowed his brow.
Once he exited the underground casino, the cold man seemed to snap back to reality, murmuring, “What just happened? How did I end up telling him everything?”
He involuntarily shivered, appearing somewhat frightened, but upon seeing the coin pouch in front of him, he quickly picked it up.
“Anyway, he paid for the information.”
The man shook his head, “Such a person is just too dangerous; it’s best not to provoke him.”
In the alley.
Soren walked toward the inn. Using enchanting spells to gather information was still very effective; previously, it was the sorcerers who would do this, but now he could cast the spells himself. The effect of enchanting humans isn’t very strong; it can’t forcibly change a person’s will, at most it creates a kind of psychological hint, similar to hypnotizing the target, but the other party would remember the process. This is a will-based spell with many evil applications.
Unfortunately, the spell’s saving throw probability is quite high, and in combat, it is far surpassed by violent attraction and higher-tier ‘control spells.’
Mind control is the truly useful spell.
The information provided was quite limited; Soren only learned that the Demon Son of Fear had caused disturbances across the southern regions, with seven or eight instances of Demon Sons appearing, causing significant chaos in their mutual slaughter. Among these sons, the one with the most information was a vampire, and it was unclear how the Demon God of Fear trained this vampire son; however, he was indeed the most dangerous one. He had already killed three to five other Demon Sons, nearing the strength of a high-tier Legendary Domain.
This guy’s whereabouts spanned many areas, seemingly hunting other sons incessantly, currently approaching coastal locations.
The latest information suggested he had appeared near the City of Wealth.
There was no news of Vivian.
The informant was merely part of an organization worshiping the God of Wanderers and didn’t possess extraordinary intelligence capabilities.
The only useful piece of information Soren obtained was that the vampire son seemed to have offended some existence, as a legendary paladin had been hunting him down lately.
Soren was familiar with that paladin, known as the “Silver Hand.”
This was a paladin who worshiped the God of Truth, alongside another known as the “Hand of Justice.” Both of these paladins were incredibly powerful, and of course, their equipment was even more formidable.
Because they each wielded an artifact!
Most paladins are zealots, at the very least, devout believers; this profession makes it easy for deities to look favorably upon them, and they are considered top-tier enforcers for the deities.
It’s no wonder the vampire son is constantly on the run, being pursued by paladins who are one of the best counters to dark creatures.
Soren planned to stay here for two days before continuing southward in search of Vivian’s whereabouts.
……………(To be continued ~^~)
