Sorcerer’s Handbook

Calamity Walker!

Though the name carries an aura of sinister madness, its effect was almost like Ashe challenging Freya—exhilarating, followed by certain death. A mere +5 to luck isn’t much, but at critical moments, it’s as if luck plummets to -50.

Winning is like gaining a tiny piece of candy, losing is like losing an entire factory, akin to the losses one can suffer in the stock market.

In addition to that, ‘ more likely to trigger mysterious events, more likely to encounter complications, more likely to be observed by Destiny, more likely to trigger major failures.’ In short, it means being more prone to misfortune, and once misfortune strikes, a -50 to luck, a perfect combo as if Bewitcher had launched an attack with both hand and mouth.

If Ashe had a stable life, even just a normal family, he could somewhat counterbalance the disadvantages brought by his Occupational Traits.

After all, a -50 to luck seems daunting, but it actually requires triggering a ‘critical moment’ as a prerequisite. Therefore, the method to avoid it is simple—just as moral blackmail requires a target with morals, if Ashe lived a calm and uneventful life, even the lowest luck would merely affect his Probability of Eating Wallace’s Spray.

1

However, Ashe doesn’t have a stable life, not even a home.

He even doubts if sleeping under a bridge would, due to his Occupational Traits, lead to non-stop encounters with robberies/gang wars/serial killers/Bewitcher hunts/Sorcerer invasions from Exotic Lands and other such events throughout the night.

Hence, for Ashe, the option of ‘blending in from the bottom of this Kingdom’ carries an exceedingly high risk. Finding a place to live, looking for a job, even searching for Sorcerer resources—all these tasks are extremely troublesome to begin with. Add to that a -50 to luck, and Ashe feels like everyone he meets is bound to be a shady middleman.

Annan’s hundred-day Contract, while restricting Ashe’s freedom, also ensures his safety—the very first clause stipulates that the master must protect the Slave.

With Annan acting as a mediator, Ashe could at least safely navigate the perilous ‘newbie phase.’ He didn’t believe that bad luck was like lightning specifically targeting him; rather, it must be akin to a fifty-meter radius event-level Map blast centered on him. This would inevitably drag others, such as Igor and Annan, into the fray, at least allowing him to share the misfortune. Should anything happen, he wouldn’t be the only one facing the consequences.

It seemed likely that the negative status of Calamity Walker was planted when Selina bumped into him, followed by two severe incidents: Annan taking advantage of a crisis and the young girl Lise’s cute but deceitful scam. The ‘+5 to luck’ hadn’t shown its face yet, but the ‘-50 to luck’ was indeed exceptionally potent.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, they arrived in the living room.

Annan’s place appeared to be a large flat design, with the entire 51st level below ground constituting her home. The living room alone was easily over a hundred square meters. As Ashe and the others arrived, they spotted several mechanical spiders returning to their web nests to recharge.

As soon as he entered, Ashe noticed these mechanical spiders cleaning. There was no need for further description; the advantages of such spider machines were evident to the naked eye: extremely flexible, not missing any cleaning dead spots, and offering three-dimensional thoroughness.

There were no signs of other servants, suggesting that the daily cleaning was managed entirely by these mechanical spiders.

Considering the unmanned drone delivery systems and the advanced network of automatic vehicles outside, it seemed that manual labor had lost its exploitative value in this place.

Although it was a Sorcerer-led nation, the level of development here, both macro and micro, seemed to comprehensively outshine the Blood Moon Kingdom. Ashe couldn’t help but consider the possibility—was the Blood Moon truly the most barbaric and underdeveloped Sorcerer civilization?

Could his transmigration have started him off in hell?

“Please, take a seat,” Annan, already waiting for them at the end of a long table, invited. She had changed into a set of purple silk pajamas—Ashe felt he could already guess the color of this woman’s underwear. The white-haired young girl Lise sat next to her, holding a cup of milk and wearing cute bunny pajamas, her eyes bright and lively.

That was to be expected; during the one-hour car journey from the outskirts, where the Four Pillars Cult was located, to the downtown area, only Lise had enjoyed a sound sleep. Ashe and the other two had merely taken turns resting their eyes.

Butler Banjeet stood by, serving with a demeanor that belied his youthful appearance; he exuded the steadiness of a seasoned butler well over sixty.

On the table lay four aluminum rings with a metallic luster, each engraved with numbers from 1 to 12, exuding a high-tech vibe—three large and one small.

“You can wear it on any finger, the method is to put it on and then give it a twist,” Annan said while filing her nails. “These are the latest Gospel Rings from Salome, available in starry gray, matte black, and sparkling blue. If you have a preferred color, you can mention it now and switch within seven days. The numbers on the rings are just to indicate time, they’re decorative.”

“Gospel Ring?” Igor examined the ring closely with interest.

“That’s right, just as you are thinking,” Annan confirmed. “Once you put it on, you’ll be able to open the ‘Gospel.’ Most of your questions can be answered through the ‘Gospel.’”

An eager Lise had already put on her ring and decisively gave it a twist upon hearing this. Ashe and the others exchanged glances and followed suit.

The next moment, four distinct books appeared before them: Lise’s was a crystal cover emitting a rainbow luster; Harvey’s seemed to be bound in white bone, emitting a misty gray vapor; Igor’s was dazzling with golden light…

Ashe’s book was the most peculiar—while the others had covers of solid colors or various runes, his showed an inverted hooded figure holding a book to cover their face, shrouded in mystery.

Annan couldn’t help but take a second glance at Ashe’s book, but quickly lost interest. “Look at your Gospel and mentally say ‘mine.’”

Ashe did as instructed, and the Gospel immediately unfolded, listing rows of information:

“Ashe Heath”

“Current Points: 0”

“Points available this month: 0”

“Current Ranking: None”

“Eh?”

Ashe turned to look and saw Igor and Harvey with expressions of shock. Ashe felt a bit odd; the design wasn’t much different from a Chip Holographic Screen—was it really that surprising?

“Annan, I’m number 10 on the ‘Azura Beauty Ranking’!” Lise exclaimed excitedly.

Ashe blinked in surprise.

“Two Wings Necromancy Ranking   Azura Sub-Ranking” first place.” Harvey spoke somberly: “It seems that the Necromancy Faction isn’t that developed here, for me to be in first place…”

“Wait, Harvey, when did you become Two Wings?” Ashe suddenly noticed a detail: “You were still a One Wing sorcerer during the Blood Moon Tribunal!”

“My accumulation was actually enough a while ago. During the days of escaping from prison in the Virtual Realm, I absorbed enough arcane energy and successfully made a Breakthrough to the Gold Tier in the Necromancy Faction Realm. Then, by promoting my Lifeline Spirit to Two Wings, I smoothly entered the Time Continent.” Harvey shrugged: “Even a Necromancer who has just been promoted to Two Wings like me is ranked first here… Sigh, I feel like I’ve arrived in a cultural desert.”

“Isn’t being first a good thing?” Igor raised his eyebrows: “Two Wings Mind Ranking   Azura Sub-Ranking second place, Azura Beauty Ranking fifth place… The beauty ranking aside, but to think that there’s a Mind Sorcerer at the Two Wings level with a higher Faction Realm than me here. If this were at the Blood Moon, I might already be thinking about hiring you to assassinate that colleague.”

“How strange you are. If someone is stronger than you, shouldn’t you be thinking about how to surpass him with real strength?”

“Isn’t spending money to assassinate him also real strength? Resources, connections, power, intelligence, these are the real strengths of a Mind Sorcerer; arcane energy is just a trivial part of it.”

After some thought, Harvey actually agreed with Igor’s twisted logic: “That’s also true, after all, corpses count as my strength too, arcane energy alone is not enough to summarize everything about me…”

As they were talking, they suddenly realized they were missing a noisy voice.

Both turned to look at Ashe: “Ashe, what is your ranking?”

“Me, oh me,” Ashe said dismissively: “This is very important confidential information, how can I just reveal it carelessly like you two—”

“Turn your ‘my’ pages here and let me see.” Annan said.

In an instant, Ashe, along with the others, did so. Lise also obediently turned her book around, and Annan, after a glance, confirmed that the name on it was indeed “Lise” and that the account had zero Points, thus dispelling the last shred of doubt he had about this mysterious little girl.

At that moment, Ashe’s page was also fully exposed to Igor and Harvey’s view.

Igor feigned surprise and bellowed loudly:

“Ah, my dear Ashe, do you not have a ranking at all?”

“Can it be that only Ashe has no ranking? Only Ashe? Only Ashe!?”

“It’s just like Ashe to have something so embarrassing to hide, definitely can’t let everyone find out how shameful this is—”

Ashe’s mouth twitched with irritation. That damn Bewitcher Igor is one thing, but even Harvey, who usually has the expression of a dead fish, was laughing as if high on Moon Sugar, his shoulders shaking so hard he was nearly flinging his pajamas off.

“Harvey, during our escape from prison, it’s clear who was dragging their feet, who was slacking off. The conclusion is pretty obvious now.”

“Indeed, indeed, hahaha. Sorry, Ashe, I really can’t help you, it’s just too hilarious hahaha—”

“Hmph, laugh it up,” Ashe resigned himself: “As long as I work hard, I can definitely make it to the top!”

“‘As long as I work hard, I can definitely get into college’!” Igor’s mouth was almost grinning to the heavens, “Ah, the nostalgia. That classmate who said those words seems to have become the ace ‘Silver Fire Dragon’ at the Mud Café.”

“Ashe, don’t be like that.” Harvey chuckled: “I assure you, if there was a Corpse Ranking, I’d do everything in my power to get you to the top!”

“Daddy, don’t be sad!” Lise clenched her little fists and said: “I won’t despise you!”

“Do you really have to keep calling me daddy?” Ashe couldn’t help but say.

“Eh? But who else will promise to always protect Lise, to always listen to Lise?” Lise earnestly said: “I believe that even a daddy who’s powerless can still protect Lise well!”

“When did the duration of the Contract extend to forever—”

Harvey reminded: “When she made her vow, there was no mention of a time Restriction; theoretically, even after you die and are turned into a undead by me, you’d still have to continue protecting her.”

“Stop, stop.” Annan gently tapped the table, “Now that you roughly understand the significance of the Gospel, we should move on to the main topic.”

“Points?” Igor guessed: “The higher the ranking, the more Points you get. Do you want us to give all our Points to you?”

“Since I was sixteen, I have been on three or more Ranking Lists, the same number as Banjeet,” Annan said languidly. “Those Points of yours don’t catch my eye.”

“But your job is indeed related to the Ranking List, related to the Gospel.”

Annan blew on his nails: “I need you to become the future number one.”

Footnote:

1. Probability of Eating Wallace’s Spray(吃华莱士喷射的概率):

   Wallace is a famous fast-food brand in China. It is rumored online that eating at Wallace can cause diarrhea, turning one into a “spray warrior.” (Personal experience seems to confirm this.)

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