The Wizard sighed softly, the sound echoing through the deathly silent hollow:

"I originally thought the incident at Taymer Palace was a ruse by the Enchanting Witch, a means to conceal her true movements or divert attention."

"After all, to a great being like her—rational, dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, and blessed with a long life—what is a mere child, a mere lover? They are not like those pathetic, ignorant, short-lived mortals."

He lifted his hood slightly, his gaze falling upon Murphy from beneath the shadows:

"Until I witnessed your performance in Ximu Town firsthand."

"That ’little trouble’ that was lured over... Although it was just a crude, hastily catalyzed creation with no developed intellect, its physical strength and Energy resistance had solidly reached the level of the Peak of Mortality, perhaps even slightly beyond it. An ordinary Great Knight, even one at the so-called Peak of Mortality, would have found it impossible to take down."

The Wizard’s tone held a trace of unconcealable admiration.

"What was more crucial was how you wielded your Energy when you finally slew it—so condensed, so pure, and even possessing a certain unique rhythm."

"That is not a realm an ordinary Great Knight could reach simply by grinding through the years and relying on talent. The quality of that power was infinitely close to, and perhaps had even touched, the limits of a Wizard Apprentice. This degree of qualitative transformation in Life Energy is nearly impossible to achieve naturally on the Path of a mortal Knight, which lacks systematic knowledge and guidance from specific resources."

"Unless..." The Wizard took a small step forward, his voice filled with near-certain speculation. "A higher-level being spared no cost to perform a deep ’baptism’ or ’infusion’ upon you with the power of their own Origin. For a great being like the Enchanting Witch, the most direct and precious Origin is none other than her own ’Source Blood.’"

He stared intently at Murphy, as if trying to see through those calm, dark eyes to the truth of his power’s source.

"For her to expend her precious Source Blood to build such a solid foundation for you... this level of importance far exceeds what would be afforded to a mere lover or ally."

"You, Governor of Melfield, are far more important to her than the outside world imagines. It’s no wonder the Ironspine Duke specifically had me send his regards. No wonder she was comfortable letting you step into this deathtrap. She must have... given you plenty of ways to save your own life, I presume?"

Murphy listened in silence, his expression as placid as ever.

He met the Wizard’s gaze, his voice just as calm. "Your guesses and inferences have nothing to do with me. I’m only interested in the ’deal’ and the ’truth’ you mentioned earlier. If you’ve shown yourself just to verify these irrelevant speculations, then this conversation is over."

The Wizard didn’t seem surprised by Murphy’s reaction. Instead, he let out a low chuckle, this one lacking some of its earlier mockery.

He nodded. "Very good. Direct and to the point. In that case, let’s get down to business. The ’little thing’ I need you to retrieve for me is just ahead, inside a dilapidated hall half-buried by an ancient seal."

"It’s an ’Erosion Core,’ about the size of a fist, and it gives off an unstable, dark purple energy glow. It has a disruptive effect on the anchor structure you’re here to destroy. Retrieving it might help you complete your own mission."

He paused briefly, observing Murphy’s reaction. Seeing that his expression remained blank, he continued, "In return, I will tell you the precise location and defensive features of a true ’anchor point’ nearby—far more accurately than any of the potential spots marked on that crude map of yours."

"Furthermore, I can provide a relatively safe path that avoids most of the patrolling monsters, guiding you there. And I can even... share some information about the ’additional value’ that anchor point might be hiding—something the Church Court hasn’t mentioned."

"Of course," the Wizard added, "you and I can make a simple Soul Oath, limited to this expedition in the Deep Red Wilderness. We will not be enemies, and our information sharing will be restricted to this transaction. How about it? This proposal should be far more appealing than simply being part of the Church Court’s suicide squad, don’t you think?"

Murphy didn’t respond immediately after hearing the proposal.

He was silent for a moment. His deep, dark eyes showed no sign of being swayed, but instead flashed with an icy glint.

He slowly uttered two words, his voice low but ringing with finality: "Not enough."

The brow beneath the Wizard’s hood seemed to arch slightly.

Murphy continued:

"You want me to retrieve the Erosion Core for you first, and only then will you trade the so-called anchor point information and safe path? And you think that I—or rather, the person chosen by the Enchanting Witch—would be some ignorant fool who’d willingly be ordered around based on a few of your empty promises?"

"You tell me you need the Erosion Core, but only vaguely mention that it disrupts the anchor point. How exactly does it disrupt it? Does it weaken its defenses, cause an Energy disturbance, or something else? What is the nature of the ancient seal on the dilapidated hall? What is the cost to break or bypass it? Will it trigger an alarm and draw unwanted attention? You haven’t mentioned a single word about any of this crucial information."

"As for your promised reward—the location of a true anchor point..."

He shook his head slightly:

"Do you really think that’s enough? Let’s not even discuss its authenticity. Even if it were true, I would be the one going in alone, facing unknown defenses, and shouldering all the risk. And you? All you have to do is move your lips."