Chapter 1 Sullen's Options

Sullen currently has only three options for advancing to a Tier 2 professional: the Inner City, guilds, and the black market.

The Inner City is out of the question for now, so that leaves the black market and guilds.

Professional advancement in the Outer City is entirely haphazard. You advance based on whatever conditions you meet, with no system at all.

Often, even if a profession doesn't match your talent, you have no choice, wasting your potential.

If Sullen wants to rely on the resources within the Cross Society to advance, he must first become a captain and gradually acquire contributions and resources.

But...

Even the captains of the Cross Society have limited advancement paths. They're mostly the same twenty or thirty advancement paths that the cadres already have, and most are common, ordinary professions.

A puppeteer?

That kind of niche professional is unheard of in the entire Cross Society, so naturally, they wouldn't have it.

In fact, the Alchemist Guild alone has over eight thousand Tier 1 professional options recorded, and thousands of Tier 2 professional paths...

And then there are those rare professions passed down from ancient times, which are even more dazzling.

Sullen doesn't want to waste his talent and potential.

So, the only option left for him is to try his luck at the black market.

Instead of groping around blindly, it's better to ask someone with experience and connections.

Mr. Emirich, the former vice-president of the Black Tower Alchemy Academy, is obviously the most suitable person.

...

Sullen arrived at the black market and went straight to "Rosen's Alchemy Shop."

He left a message for the owner, saying that he wanted to see that gentleman.

Then, as usual, he wandered around the various shops in the black market, looking for suitable curse materials and mechanical parts for himself.

Passing by the bulletin board, the original owner's wanted notice had been pushed into a corner.

Missions that haven't had any leads for a long time are gradually forgotten.

This is also the situation Sullen wants to see.

As for the ones at the top, apart from a new "S-rank" wanted criminal with an unfamiliar face, the others were all familiar faces.

The one at the top of the list is still that mysterious woman.

Now, her bounty has soared to a sky-high price of three million Lesos for providing information.

Sullen thinks that with such a high reward and no leads, the woman has either gone to the Outer City or, like him, changed her appearance and hidden herself.

Sullen didn't look any further and went to the "Whitebeard Mechanical Materials Shop" at the bottom of the black market.

The owner of this shop has very unconventional supply channels. The two body training devices he had previously found came from this shop. This time, he was lucky enough to find a "Cheetah 9 Miniature Six-Cylinder Steam Boiler" that was scrapped from an Inner City military factory. It was small, the price was beautiful, and it could still be used with some repairs.

Sullen bought it, planning to take it back and use it as a power boiler for his "Iron Man Mark II."

Coincidentally, after buying the stuff, he planned to return to Green Street. He didn't expect to see a familiar cloaked figure when he passed by "Rosen's Alchemy Shop" again.

"Sir?"

Sullen walked over and called out tentatively.

The cloaked figure turned his head. Although he couldn't see his face, his voice was very familiar and still gentle: "Heh... the boss just told me you wanted to see me. I didn't expect you hadn't left yet..."

Sullen confirmed the identity of the person in front of him and directly stated his intention: "I'm sorry, I do have some things I need to trouble you with."

After all, the other party is a top-tier professional, and he's so polite to him, a low-tier professional. Sullen also returned a polite greeting.

The cloaked figure nodded. "Let's talk while we walk..."

The narrow alchemy shop, barely big enough to stand in, isn't suitable for chatting.

...

The two walked on the streets of the black market, talking in hushed voices.

Sullen told him that he wanted some systematic alchemy knowledge.

The cloaked figure wasn't surprised. He even seemed "eager to help." "Knowledge is valuable. But when I meet someone who sincerely wants to learn, I'm still willing to give some guidance."

"Thank you."

Sullen listened, not expecting him to agree so readily.

Thinking about his identity as the dean, it wasn't strange anymore.

The cloaked figure continued: "But there's too much systematic knowledge. Potions, enchantments, implanted devices, runes, alchemical spells, mechanics, forging, mysticism, medicine... What the outside world vaguely calls alchemy is divided into more than a dozen disciplines in the Black Tower Academy. Which one do you want to learn?"

Sullen had a hodgepodge of knowledge in his mind. He wanted to learn everything. After thinking about it, he said, "I mainly want to learn alchemical spells and mechanical knowledge... but if possible, I'd like to refer to everything."

It's impossible to digest so many kinds of knowledge by self-study with textbooks alone.

But Sullen has the [Death Harvester].

If it were someone else, the cloaked figure would probably think he was greedy. But looking at Sullen, he said, "Heh... I don't know why, but I always feel like you'll give me a big surprise in the future."

He didn't refuse and casually agreed, adding: "That's easy. I happen to have a set of textbooks that I used to use. They're the most complete and suitable introductory learning materials in all of Old Lingdun. I don't need them anymore, so I can just give them all to you."

When Sullen heard this, he said, "Thank you for your generosity. In the Outer City, it's already rare to get some knowledge."

The cloaked figure didn't take it to heart and seemed to be smiling. "After all, my original name is a bit troublesome. You can call me 'Mr. Black.'"

His tone was relaxed, without any of the timidity of other wanted criminals. He said, "Just giving you a few books isn't enough to repay the favor I owe you. So... I think you should have something else to ask me."

As always, he was a gentleman and didn't want to take advantage of anyone.

The other party knows "mind reading," so Sullen wasn't surprised to hear this.

He didn't reveal too much emotion and went straight to the point, "As you know, people in the Outer City have very little knowledge about the realm of high-level professionals. I'd like to ask, what are the considerations for advancing to Tier 2? Or... do you know what options there are for a puppeteer to advance to Tier 2?"

"Oh? When it comes to this question, it seems that no one can give you a better answer than me."

Mr. Black smiled, seemingly mocking his former profession of teaching and educating people.

...

"After becoming a professional, the subsequent advancements are actually all for acquiring the necessary abilities around your main profession. There's no fixed advancement path. It depends on how you plan your future profession."

As Mr. Black spoke, he glanced at Sullen and continued, "For example, a normal puppeteer might choose to merge with 'Perception Enhancement,' 'Skill Enhancement,' or 'Puppet Element Control' related cursed objects to gain the ability to improve the control and combat power of the puppets. But some special puppeteers, who don't lack attack methods, might choose more advanced auxiliary abilities, such as 'Multitasking' or 'Space Control.' After all, the number of controllable puppets is also a standard for measuring a puppeteer's combat power; and some puppets with special laws cannot be put into storage rings, so space abilities are also very practical... There are also various powerful mixed advancement paths, such as 'Corpse Research,' 'Mind Control,' 'Elemental Annihilation,' and 'Reverse Alchemy'..."

"So many choices?"

Sullen listened, feeling like his eyes had been opened.

Only now did he know that there were so many considerations for advancing to Tier 2.

"So, that's why I said it depends on how you plan your future profession to make a choice..."

Mr. Black didn't continue to speak, saying, "It would be too much to go into detail, and I wouldn't be able to finish it in a short time. As far as I know, there are more than thirty Tier 2 ability choices suitable for puppeteers. Of course, the more special and rare the ability, the harder it is to find the corresponding cursed object. Ultimately, it depends on your own ability to choose the best option. Sometimes, professional advancement also requires some 'luck.'"

"I see... Thank you for your explanation, sir."

After hearing these words, Sullen also felt that it was the right choice to ask this "Mr. Black."

...

At this time, Mr. Black seemed to have thought of something and suddenly said, "However... you're very special. I have a small suggestion for your future professional planning."

Sullen thought he had seen something and once again restrained his emotions, adding, "Please tell me."

"Hmm... that's 'Mental Power Control.'"

As Mr. Black spoke, he looked at Sullen, seemingly observing something.

After pondering for a moment, he then said, "I've noticed a problem with you. That is, you have very good emotional control. You're also the only beginner professional I've ever met who makes me feel like my mind-reading ability is limited. I noticed it last time in the Ginkgo Street apartment, but I couldn't figure it out..."

Sullen listened, with a slight change in his expression.

It's not surprising that someone with very powerful mind-reading abilities can see this.

Mr. Black suddenly changed the subject, obviously having figured it out, and said in a serious tone, "You've suppressed some of your emotions in exchange for your always being calm. But this kind of long-term suppression is very dangerous and even fatal to your spirit. The more severely you suppress it, the more deadly the backlash will be..."

"..."

Sullen listened to these words, his eyes narrowing slightly.

This Mr. Black has pointed out a real hidden danger that even a psychological expert from his previous life hadn't seen.

He didn't feel there was anything to hide and said calmly, "I didn't expect to live long before, and I didn't care. But now..."

In his previous life, he had no joy, and no matter how long he lived, he felt he had no expectations for the future.

After transmigrating to this mysterious other world, he really couldn't bear to die like this.

Now that Mr. Black can bring up this topic, Sullen guessed that he might be able to solve it, so he asked, "So... Mr. Black, do you have a solution?"

"This may not be a bad thing for us alchemists..."

Mr. Black didn't nod or shake his head, adding, "If I'm not mistaken, your mental power before you took on your profession should have been much higher than that of ordinary people."

Sullen smiled noncommittally and jokingly said, "May I ask, are you a doctor, Mr. Black?"

Mr. Black didn't mind and corrected, "No, my profession is [Polymath]. But when it comes to those anecdotes, ancient alchemical knowledge, and difficult and complicated medical cases... there are really few people in all of Old Lingdun who know more than I do. So you're not wrong to think of me as a doctor."

Sullen heard these calm but domineering words and suddenly felt a sense of admiration in his heart.

Only now did he understand what that heavy aura on this Mr. Black was all about.

It turned out that his vast knowledge gave him a pair of eyes that seemed to be able to see through everything in the world.

Mr. Black continued, "The solution is also very simple."

Sullen listened attentively, "I'd like to hear the details."

Mr. Black: "The root cause is still in 'control.'"

Sullen: "..."

Mr. Black said, "Relying solely on human willpower can't control that kind of violent backlash, so you need to borrow some external force, such as mental power secret methods."

"Mental power secret methods?"

Sullen frowned slightly as he listened.

This was another blind spot in his knowledge. Even in any of the memories he had stripped, no one knew this concept.

Mr. Black seemed to have seen his doubts and explained, "This is a field that only high-level professionals are qualified to touch. Even in the Inner City, this is a 'forbidden technique' that the Black Tower high-level officials restrict from spreading."

"Forbidden technique?"

Hearing this, Sullen realized that he was probably getting into some high-end secrets.

"I once read in ancient books that ancient super-order alchemists would all practice mental meditation secret methods to increase their mental power and control their mental power, which is also used to release high-level spells... Forget it, those things are too advanced for you now. It's meaningless to say them and will only bring you trouble."

Mr. Black said here, seemed to have some scruples, and didn't say more, "You only need to know that learning a mental secret method that suits you can control that part of the disordered mental power."

"I see..."

Sullen suddenly understood. So, there's a way to treat his "disease?"

But since ancient alchemists could cultivate it, why would the Black Tower list it as a "forbidden technique?"

Suddenly... he felt like he had guessed part of the reason for this Mr. Black's defection.

Hearing this, Sullen looked at Mr. Black again, seemingly expecting something.

"I'm indeed exploring and practicing a mental secret method, but it's extremely dangerous and not suitable for you."

Mr. Black saw through Sullen's thoughts, shook his head slightly, and smiled, "Telling you this is just to let you know that if you encounter similar secret methods in the future, you can pay attention to them... Now that the underground 'Dawn City' has been discovered, a large number of ancient relics have been excavated, and there will be many good things appearing in the black market recently. Perhaps you can find a mental power secret method that suits you before they finish looting the Inner City..."

"Dawn City?"

"Yeah... it's a large ancient ruin that was newly discovered underground. Not many people in the Outer City know about this news yet, but it should spread soon."

"Oh..."

Sullen's first reaction was that it was the ancient ruins he had transmigrated to.

But he was more concerned about the "mental power secret method."

He doesn't lack mental power, and even has a lot of it.

[Death Harvester] is an S-rank talent. Every time he harvests soul fragments, it will increase his mental power a little. Although the mental power stripped from ordinary people's corpses is getting less and less now, his current mental power value has reached 75 points, which is more than twice as much as when he first became a professional!

However, this doubled mental power value has not brought Sullen double the benefits.

It's not that there isn't enough mental power, but that he can't use it.

But it's like a pile of loose sand. If he wants to use it, he can't pick up much with just his hands...

Before, he felt like he was missing something. Now he knows that this world has the concept of "mental power secret methods."

...

The two walked and talked, and more than half an hour had passed.

Mr. Black didn't seem to have any intention of continuing to speak and said, "The more you know about the path of alchemy, the more doubts you will have. There's no end to it. After you finish reading those textbooks, I guarantee that you will probably need ten times or a hundred times more knowledge to solve your doubts..."

"I don't mind you asking me. But meeting me often will bring you big trouble. So, as the last part of repaying the favor, I can introduce you to a place where you can access high-level knowledge..."

Sullen: "There's such a place in the Outer City?"

"Yeah, it's in the black market."

Mr. Black: "It's not a forbidden organization. It's just a small circle for high-level professionals to communicate. Generally, only Tier 2 professionals are qualified to accept invitations. I happen to be going there now, so you can come with me."