Chapter 337: Escalation

"A strange object? Is this what you mean?"

Lind stared at the black sphere: "It looks like some kind of biological armor? Are you sure, master, that it can elevate my combat power to the level you mentioned?"

"Absolutely certain!"

Li Mochen nodded earnestly: "My judgment is relatively conservative; its actual capabilities may be even stronger. I can guarantee this in the new soul contract."

The ghostly flames in Lind's eye sockets flickered again, as if deep in thought.

"You put me in a difficult position, master. Lind does not wish to be bound again, but my common sense and logic tell me that greater power usually means a greater right to survival. I want to know what exactly are these harsher conditions you speak of?"

"The previous soul contract was more like that of a guest elder; I could only issue you five mandatory commands per year."

Li Mochen's lips curled slightly: "Now, I want you to become my retainer for these six hundred years."

"Retainer? Yet I would prefer to purchase this biological armor with the money I earn in the future."

Lind said reluctantly: "If that's the condition, I think four hundred years would be more appropriate."

"Then four hundred years, and you owe me an additional one billion gold shields at five percent annual interest, to be repaid within these four hundred years, OK? If not, I'll find someone else to use it. I mean what I say, no more haggling. This is a treasure that can grant a Legend near-Demigod combat power, no less than a powerful artifact. My price should be fair and reasonable."

Hazel, standing by, again looked at Lind with pity.

One billion gold shields was not an unbearable sum for a Legendary Lich; the latter's magic tower alone cost over 1.5 billion gold shields.

But Hazel felt this was a trap; she could already foresee the future outcome for this Legendary Lich.

Yet Lind Embers ultimately agreed: "My logic tells me that signing this contract will bode ill for my future. But my instinct and soul are tempted by your words, master."

The two soon began signing the new soul contract. After the dragonhide serving as the contract medium burned away, Li Mochen directly tossed the black sphere named 'Mania' to Lind, then took a piece of high-grade parchment and wrote down the translated instructions. This was because the instructions involved some Supreme Demon Script, which ordinary paper could not bear.

Given the current state of his soul, Li Mochen could not use telepathic communication with those he did not fully trust. Once the flaws and vulnerabilities in his soul were perceived, it could lead to extremely serious consequences. As for using 'Heavenly Heart Illumination', that would be even more unpredictable. He had strayed further and further in this mind-cultivation technique, deviating beyond the heavens, becoming extremely self-centered. So Li Mochen now avoided using it whenever possible.

After reading Li Mochen's translated instructions, Lind Embers formed a hand seal and sensed the condition inside 'Mania'.

Just a minute later, the soulfire in his eye sockets uncontrollably flickered outward.

Though Hazel had only known Lind for a short time, she recognized this as a sign of extreme excitement.

"You have not deceived me. I will abide by this new contract; it is valid. I will also inscribe Flesh Regeneration into my soul as soon as possible."

Liches, as undead spellcasters, cannot learn various spell abilities through study. Their spells are engraved into their souls through special rituals, and the strength of the soul determines the number of spells they can master.

"I'm glad you like it. By the way, if you can't find someone trustworthy to help inscribe your soul, you can come to me for help."

Li Mochen said as he dialed Jeremy Burt's phone: "Jeremy, from now on, help me gather all information about Moshlar ruins and artifacts. Of course, I know Sunrise Corporation is no longer my private company. All related expenses will be paid separately by my personal accountant."

The existence of the biological armor 'Mania' proved that what the Moshlar left behind, even if unrelated to Dugu Tianyi, still held great value. Perhaps he could find more silver boxes, or even the manufacturing technology for biological battle armor.

"Also, Jeremy, can you tell me what exactly happened in Atlanta these past two days? How did it escalate to a city lockdown? The hostage case three days ago hasn't been resolved, has it?"

By this time, Li Mochen had walked to the window and looked outside with a peculiar expression. Above Atlanta, not only were the 24 magic towers fully visible, but a visible light barrier covered the city like a birdcage. The entire urban area within a 100-kilometer diameter was under this barrier.

This was an 'Anti-Magic Field', which had been activated when he was refining the Legendary 'Secret Blood'. Ordinary people could pass through the barrier without issue, but professionals with magic energy levels above six would be blocked by the field. The higher the magic energy level, the greater the resistance.

Li Mochen initially thought the Magic Tower Committee was cooperating with the Atlanta City Police to pursue the hostage-takers. But the barrier had persisted until now, and it didn't seem like it would end anytime soon.

"How could it be that easy?"

Jeremy Burt replied with a helpless tone: "I heard you were nearby at the time, boss? Then you should know well: they committed the crime in less than two minutes with the magic tower array activated. At that time, there were at least forty Outlaws around those rich brats, including three above level 17. The key point is, they didn't choose to flee afterward but occupied the Arlington Building."

"The Arlington Building?"

Li Mochen pondered: "The one east of the Upper City? I recall it was once the office building of the Atlanta North City Police Station, later sold by the city hall during the economic crisis in the 1960s."

"Yes, so the building's defenses are exceptionally strong; it's a semi-militarized fortress."

Jeremy Burt continued: "Right after the incident, they used the hostages to coerce the Magic Tower Committee into fully activating the Anti-Magic Field."

Li Mochen was astonished. The robbers' audacity was greater than he had imagined.

"I want to know where these robbers came from. They have nothing to do with the Fenrir Wolf, right? And the Magic Tower Committee—did they just comply?"

Jeremy's expression turned strange: "Of course not. Two days ago, they organized a powerful force including five Legends to break into the Arlington Building. But that assault ended in a fiasco. Though few personnel were lost, two Legends were banished to the Astral Plane and can't return for now. Then, ten minutes later, four hostage bodies were thrown out of the building, including the first heir of the Krad family."