Wizard: I Have a Cultivation System

Chapter 573: Chapter 25: Bloodline

Anvil hesitated. "But, my lord, he... he doesn’t seem like an ordinary person."

Rodrick sneered.

"Not an ordinary person? In this part of town, who comes looking for me that *is* an ordinary person? They’re either looking to pledge allegiance, seeking a partnership, or they’ve gotten into trouble and want sanctuary. If he really had any clout, wouldn’t he have found an intermediary to get an introduction?"

He snorted, his tone icy.

"Enough. Just do as I say. If he’s truly sincere, he can come back tomorrow. If he doesn’t even have the patience to wait one day, then he’s not worth my time."

Anvil opened his mouth, wanting to say more, but seeing Rodrick’s sullen face and impatient gaze, he ultimately swallowed his words.

He bowed and said,

"Yes, my lord. I’ll see to it at once."

Anvil backed out of the study, gently closing the door behind him.

Rodrick picked up his glass and downed the brandy in one gulp.

As the liquor went down his throat, its spicy warmth spread through him again, washing away some of the frustration in his chest.

He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

The unknown visitor in the living room downstairs was already forgotten.

’Just some nobody.’

’Why would he be worth meeting?’

...

Anvil gently closed the study door and stood outside for two seconds, making sure no further sounds came from within before turning to head downstairs.

The staircase was covered with a thick carpet, muffling his footsteps.

But he walked slowly, his brow furrowed in thought.

’That Murphy... is he really just a nobody?’

He recalled how the man had looked, sitting in the living room.

Dressed in a black robe, not a speck of dust on him.

And those eyes. Anvil remembered them clearly.

Pitch-black and bottomless.

When they had looked at him, there had been no emotion in them whatsoever.

It wasn’t a deliberately suppressed indifference, but a genuine, instinctual disregard.

It was like a person walking down the road and noticing a few stones at their feet. Would they feel anything?

No.

Anvil had been around this neighborhood for twenty years and had seen all sorts of people.

The ones who were truly capable were often quiet, their gazes detached, their manner composed.

That Murphy was exactly that kind of person.

But Lord Rodrick was in a bad mood today, and he didn’t dare press the issue.

Anvil sighed, quickened his pace, crossed the foyer, and pushed open the oak doors.

Night had completely fallen.

In the flowerbeds lining the small path, the flowers that had been so vibrant during the day were now just vague silhouettes.

He walked briskly out of the wrought-iron gate and headed back along the dilapidated street.

Dim light shone from the wooden shacks lining the street, and the occasional cry of a child or curse of a man could be heard from behind the thin wooden walls.

Anvil paid it no mind, walking straight toward his own house.

His two-story building was considered impressive in this area, but compared to Lord Rodrick’s manor, it was the difference between a thatched hut and a palace.

He pushed open the unlatched door and went inside.

The lights were still on in the living room.

A few of his men were sitting around a table playing cards. Seeing him enter, they immediately stood up.

"Boss, how did it go? What did his lordship say?"

Anvil waved his hand, signaling for them to sit down.

He walked over to the table himself, pulled up a chair, and plopped down.

"Tommy, go tell that Mr. Murphy that Lord Rodrick is busy with official duties today. He just returned from city hall and is too exhausted to receive guests. Ask him to please come back tomorrow."

Tommy was taken aback. "Come back tomorrow? That’s it?"

Anvil said irritably, "That’s it. Just relay the message exactly as I said it."

Tommy scratched his head. "But Boss, what if Mr. Murphy asks about other things...?"

"Why are you asking so many questions!" Anvil waved his hand impatiently. "I told you to pass on a message, so just pass it on! If the gentleman asks, just say Lord Rodrick is truly unavailable today and ask for his understanding. Be respectful. Don’t cause any trouble for me!"

Scolded, Tommy shrank back and nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, don’t worry, Boss. I’ll go right now."

With that, he turned to run outside.

"Wait," Anvil called out.

Tommy turned back.

Anvil paused for a moment, then lowered his voice. "If he asks when Lord Rodrick will be available, tell him after dusk tomorrow. For specifics, tell him to come back and ask tomorrow."

Tommy nodded. "Understood, Boss."

Then he scurried out the door.

Anvil leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath.

He thought of Murphy’s calm eyes, and a faint sense of unease settled in his heart.

But it was only faint.

Lord Rodrick was right.

In this part of town, who came looking for him that was an ordinary person?

Still, for a nobody to be personally received by a First-Level Wizard was indeed a bit of an honor.

’His lordship is in a bad mood today, so it’s normal he doesn’t want to see anyone.’

’If it were me, after being given a hard time by those lords at city hall all afternoon, I’d also just want some peace and quiet when I got home.’

Anvil stood up and said to his remaining men, "Alright, break it up. Those on duty, get to your posts. The rest of you, go to sleep. Keep a low profile tonight. No trouble."

"Yes, Boss."

The men dispersed.

Anvil went up the stairs and returned to his room on the second floor.

The room was unlit, with only the faint moonlight from the window outlining several blurry figures on the bed.

There were three women.

One lay in the middle of the bed under a thin blanket, breathing evenly.

The other two were squeezed against the wall, one with her arm draped over the other, both fast asleep.

Anvil walked to the bedside and ripped off the blanket.

"All of you, get up."

The woman in the middle of the bed groggily opened her eyes. Seeing it was him, she immediately put on a fawning smile and reached out to wrap her arms around his neck.

"Boss, you’re back so late? We’ve been waiting for you for so long..."

Anvil smacked her hand away, his voice turning even colder.

"Cut the crap. Get up. Time to work."

The other two women woke up as well, rubbing their eyes as they sat up.

In the moonlight, one could see they were all quite young and attractive.

"Boss, you want..."

"Shut up."

Anvil didn’t say another word, simply unbuckling his belt.

For the time that followed, the room was filled only with the sounds of heavy panting and the creaking of the bedframe.

Just then, a frantic shout accompanied by the sound of rapid footsteps came from downstairs, piercing the silence of the night.

"Boss! Boss!"

Startled by the sudden yelling, Anvil felt a surge of Fire Qi flare up inside him.

"Son of a bitch!" he roared, jumping off the bed barefoot and yanking the door open. "Who the hell is screaming in the middle of the night! You got a death wish?!"

Under the dim light of an oil lamp in the hallway, a figure came stumbling up the stairs.

It was the underling who had gone to deliver the message.

He ran up to Anvil, his face as white as a sheet, his forehead covered in sweat. His lips trembled as he gasped for breath.

"B-Boss! It’s... it’s bad! Some... something’s happened!"

Anvil’s heart skipped a beat.

He looked at his subordinate’s ghastly pale face, and the rage that had just flared up was instantly doused as if by a bucket of ice water.

He grabbed the man’s arm, his grip so tight the man winced in pain.

"Wh-what is it? What happened? Spit it out, damn it!"

The man swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing violently. His voice trembled.

"That... that Mr. Murphy... he’s gone!"

Anvil froze. "Gone? What do you mean, gone?"

"Just... gone!" The man was so frantic he was babbling. "I went to the living room to find him, just like you said. But there was no one there! I searched the courtyard, and he wasn’t there either! I asked the guys at the gate, and they all said they never saw him leave! He... he just vanished into thin air!"

A chill shot up from the soles of Anvil’s feet to the top of his head.

’Gone?’

’A living, breathing person just vanished into thin air?’

Anvil’s mind went blank with a deafening BUZZ.

’He didn’t...’

’He didn’t go straight to Lord Rodrick, did he?’

The thought struck him like a lightning bolt, and Anvil’s legs felt weak.

He steadied himself against the doorframe, his mind racing.

’If Murphy really went to find Lord Rodrick, what would happen?’

’Lord Rodrick is already furious. If that Murphy doesn’t know his place and provokes him...’

Anvil didn’t dare to think any further.

Of course, he wasn’t worried about Lord Rodrick’s safety. After all, he was a First-Level Wizard; his power was undeniable.

’Even if that Murphy has some skill, what kind of trouble could he possibly cause?’

’His lordship should be able to handle him easily.’

’And then what?’

’Then his lordship would definitely send someone to question him.’

’What’s the deal with that guy named Murphy?’

’Didn’t you say he was still waiting?’

’How did he end up here with me?’

Anvil’s face grew even paler.

’How would he explain himself then?’

"Boss? Boss!" his man’s voice pulled him back to reality. "What do we do now?"

Anvil took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

He gritted his teeth and said to the man, "You, take a few men and keep an eye on the manor. Don’t get close, just watch from a distance. If you see any sign of activity, report back immediately!"

The man nodded repeatedly. "Yes, Boss!"

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