The Record of Unusual Creatures

Panda Novel

When the young witch mentioned Hessiana, Hao Ren was drinking some seemingly unsuspecting liqueur, which he had picked up from the table. He unwittingly spat the contents of his mouth onto the face of the wizard, who was sitting opposite him.

Not his whole face since the wizard’s face was under a hood, but Hao Ren still felt sorry for him.

“Cough cough, sorry,” he apologized to the wizard, who appeared magnanimous and just wiped the liqueur off his face without a fuss. Then, Hao Ren turned to look at the young witch. “Did you just say that the arrested witch is called Hessiana?”

Before the young witch could say anything, Madam Marie snorted. “Helen! How could you reveal that on a whim?”

“Marie, mind your attitude,” the young witch talked back and did not seem to be afraid of Madam Marie. It sounded as if they were equal. “You do not have more say than I do here. Besides, I did not disclose anything I was not supposed to disclose. This wizard found the clue. I am just telling the truth, unlike you. You’re a habitual liar.”

“We are also short of people,” said another witch. She looked pale as if she had just recovered from a major illness. Her voice sounded hoarse and cold. “A wizard who is good in fighting, and purebred werewolf lady are not our enemies at the very least. On top of that, we have common enemies.”

Madam Marie glared at the two witches, and the veins on her neck squirmed like vipers. But alas, she calmed down. The young witch named Helen looked curiously at Hao Ren and asked, “Wizard, do you know Hessiana?”

Hao Ren looked at Helen, still sizing her up. She was cute with long brown hair, brilliant blue eyes and thin lips. Despite wearing a witch’s robe, Hao Ren could see that Helen had a great figure. It was hard to associate her with the cold and bizarre witches who cooked up potions in dirty wooden houses.

Helen could have faked her appearance, but Hao Ren could not help but observe her carefully. He was trying to recall if there was someone with the same temperament as Helen around Hessiana. It was easy for vampires to disguise themselves as wizards, especially with their superb magic skills. It was something that Hao Ren could not match.

Hao Ren quickly figured out how to answer Helen’s question. He sounded uncertain when he replied, “I know a friend named Hessiana, but she could be a different person who happens to have the same name. The Hessiana I know is not a Blood Mage.”

Of course, the witches could be lying too in saying that Hessiana was a Blood Mage.

“I suppose. After all, we do not know if Hessiana has ever known a wizard like you,” Helen said. “Wizard, we have told you many things. Is it not time for you to talk about the intelligence you have?”

Hao Ren deduced in his mind that since he had come from the future, keeping his word to a bunch of dead people from centuries ago was utterly unnecessary. So he pulled out the sacred silver dagger at once and just made up a story. “A few demon hunters could be nearby.”

Sure enough, upon hearing the “important intelligence”, the witches suddenly became quiet. Even the hooded wizard who had been sitting still all this while seemed to stir a little, as though the mention of demon hunters made him uncomfortable.

No one made a sound. It was as if the demon hunters were really in the vicinity, and they feared that any movement or sound would give away their position and bring death upon themselves.

“This dagger in your hand…” Madam Marie looked at the sacred dagger anxiously as if she had seen a ghost.

“The demon hunters are not invincible.” Hao Ren continued to bluff, “I killed a demon hunter when one of them pursued me. This dagger proves what I say.”

“Demon hunters never discard their weapons,” Helen the witch said in a low voice. “Unless they voluntarily give up their weapons, the Sacred Flames sealed inside their enchanted weapons will consume any living being. So you could not have possibly stolen this dagger. The only explanation is that you have killed a demon hunter.”

“Again, as I’ve said, demon hunters are not impossible to kill but only hard to kill,” said Hao Ren with a shrug. “Did they not fall on the battlefield in great numbers during the Mythological Era?”

Madam Marie finally looked less horrified, but she still found it unbelievable. “But this is not the Mythological Era anymore. Wizards are no longer gods… Ah, you have a helper.”

Madam Marie’s eyes landed on Lily not far away. The husky maiden felt bored since Hao Ren was only talking to the witches. So she sat at the table and ate. While Hao Ren was suspicious of the food, the hungry husky could not care less. Had people not been looking, she would have climbed on to the table to feast on the food.

“Huh? Are you talking to me?” Lily looked up at Madam Marie in confusion when she noticed the stare. “Just let me finish my dinner. I’m starving after a long day of running around.”

“All werewolves are like this—frank,” Hao Ren said.

“I know.” Madam Marie’s face was deadpan.

“Ahem, we should discuss the demon hunters,” Hao Ren said. “It’s not clear how many of them there are because I’ve only met one. But I am sure he must have companions nearby. I suspect this city to be their target; there are no other places to stay in the vicinity. All the more so when there is now a witch held captive in the city.”

The witches did not seem surprised except for that moment when news of the demon hunters was mentioned; they had known that this day would come. “They’ve arrived earlier than expected. We have to move fast.”

“May I ask, why are all of you gathering in this city?” Hao Ren looked at the witches. “Is it just to save a witch, or are there other reasons?”

“We’ve already told you; we are looking for the protection of a large organization,” Helen said. “The Blood Mage named Hessiana comes from a place called the City of Shadows. It is one of the few free places that provide shelter to people like us. We can practice magic freely and interact with other wizards there without fear of the demon hunters and Church Knights.”

Madam Marie now regarded Hao Ren as a god-sent. Also, probably because she wanted to rope Hao Ren in, she decided not to keep any more secrets from him. “But there is a caveat—the City of Shadows is not open to strangers. Just like any organization providing asylum, they are worried about espionage. After all, there have been too many weaklings who have been intimidated by the demon hunters and been willing to become their running dogs.”

Hao Ren looked up and asked, “So when you heard that a ‘messenger’ from the City of Shadows was arrested, you thought it an excellent opportunity if you could rescue her and ask for a letter of support?”

“What is a letter of support?” the witches asked in unison.

“It is to recommend you.” Hao Ren hemmed and said, “I am very interested in the City of Shadows. If it is possible, I hope to join your rescue operation. I think my partner will be more than happy to help.”

Hao Ren glanced at Lily, who looked up from the table and asked, “What?”

The situation turned a bit awkward, and Hao Ren continued, “Ahem, my partner is willing to help—don’t ask ‘what’, you just need to nod your head.”

Lily nodded.

So they struck a deal.

Hao Ren had initially wanted to disguise himself as a demon hunter, but now, circumstances had made him a wizard instead. He could only lament that no plan was perfect. After he chatted with the witches about magic and the current situation, he left the conversation and went to the side. Like a lone wizard who was bored of the chattering, Hao Ren gazed blankly at the fog-covered cemetery. He could not keep up with the witches’ conversation and feared that he may blow his cover. After all, his knowledge about magic came only from his previous conversations with Vivian and was no good for an in-depth discussion with the witches.

The wizard, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly got to his feet and slid up quietly beside Hao Ren like a ghost.

Hao Ren turned to look at the man. “I thought you have fallen asleep there.”

“I just don’t like to talk, especially in a group of noisy witches,” the hooded man said in a low voice. It was the first time Hao Ren had heard him speak.

“Are you looking for me for something?” Hao Ren frowned.

“You are not interested in the City of Shadows,” said the hooded wizard bluntly after a moment of silence. “You do not really want to help. You are after something else.”

This time, Hao Ren was utterly surprised.