Chapter 443 - 412: Coup de Grâce

"Hurry up. Search."

Mia immediately lunged toward the enormous safe.

No key was needed.

For a succubus who had spent years navigating the gutters, a physical lock like this was a mere toy.

"CLICK."

The safe door sprang open.

"Whoa..."

Mia gasped in amazement.

Inside, a dozen or so thick ledgers were neatly stacked, along with a pile of letters sealed with wax.

The envelopes were prominently stamped with Baron Hector's family crest, as well as a personal seal in the distinct style of the Imperial Capital.

This was the ironclad evidence Velin wanted most.

Besides these, at the very bottom of the safe lay a black-covered manual: *Records of Plague Liquid Purification and Mutation Experiments*.

Next to it was a small, lead-lined box.

Mia carefully opened it a crack.

A wave of extreme cold spilled out.

Inside lay three vials of a silver-gray liquid, within which countless tiny, wailing faces seemed to float and sink.

"Black Abyss Mercury!"

Mia sucked in a sharp breath. "A single vial of this is worth two thousand Gold Coins! And it's the kind you can't buy even if you have the money!"

They'd struck it rich.

This time, they had truly struck it rich.

But the biggest surprise was yet to come.

Kael walked to the center of the room.

There stood a stone pedestal half a man's height, and suspended above it was a complex orb of light about half a meter in diameter.

Countless golden Runes flowed within the orb, extending hundreds of threads of light that connected to various control nodes on the walls.

This was the core Magic Array that controlled the entire underground workshop's operations.

Normally, an Array of this level would be fixed into the foundation, completely immovable.

But Kael discovered that at the bottom of the orb, there was, unexpectedly, a metal base.

A line of small text was carved on the base: [Fourth-Generation Portable Magic Power Hub - Prototype].

"Mia," Kael called out.

Mia, who had been drooling while clutching the Black Abyss Mercury, ran over and followed Kael's finger with her eyes.

The next second.

Her eyes went wider than saucers, and she even stopped breathing.

"Th-this is..."

She reached out a trembling hand and caressed the metal base.

"A portable core Magic Array?! How is that possible? This kind of technology is a classified secret of the Empire's Royal Mages!!!"

What did this mean?

It meant that if they dismantled this thing, they could pack up and take the entire mature plague production line—its logic, its energy distribution system, even its defense mechanisms!

With this, Velin could replicate an efficient Magic Workshop in the Grey Marsh Territory at any time!

This was the true priceless treasure.

"Can you dismantle it?" Kael asked.

"I can! I have to! If I can't get this thing off, I'll chew through the pedestal myself!"

Mia, so excited she was talking nonsense, immediately pulled a whole bunch of delicate dismantling tools from her waist pouch. She practically plastered herself to the Array, a light called "Greed" glinting in her eyes.

「Ten minutes later.」

With a crisp "CRACK."

The once-floating orb of light slowly contracted, finally turning into a palm-sized hexagonal crystal disk that fell into Mia's hands.

The rumbling of the entire underground workshop vanished.

The lights went out.

Only the emergency Fluorescent Stones remained, emitting a faint glow.

It was all over.

Mia clutched the array disk, which emanated an enchanting glow of Magic Power. She haphazardly wiped the dirt and blood from her face with her sleeve, revealing a dopey grin born of pure avarice.

She turned her head and raised her prize toward Kael, who was busy bandaging his wounds.

"Boss..."

"This time, we've really struck it rich."

Kael looked at her miserly expression, then glanced down at the thick stack of incriminating evidence in his own hand.

His left arm was broken, and his body was covered in wounds.

But on his stern face, the corners of his mouth curled into a rare, genuine smile.

"Withdraw."