Listening to his words and thinking about the long return journey, Bologue felt a silent exhaustion.
Oubos is extremely large; it is said to be the most magnificent city among the nations, and this city is rapidly expanding. The new district is constantly being planned on the blueprints, like an arched wall.
Transportation is convenient, but whether it's the cable cars spanning the Rift, the subway racing underground, or the trams speeding on the tracks, no matter how convenient the transportation, it all makes distance seem far under this complex and vast cityscape.
Bologue made up his mind that he must get a "Key of the Crooked Path" to avoid this damn commuting as much as possible.
"This counts as your first mission, be careful. The other side might have a Condenser," Geoffrey was still a bit uneasy, "You know, if you were incapacitated and thrown into the deep trench of the Great Rift, I can't think of any way to get you back."
"That sounds good. Maybe I can personally explore if the Great Rift has an end."
Bologue appeared under no pressure, and Geoffrey quickly gave him a stressful look again, staring at Bologue, who could only wave his hand and say.
"Just kidding, I'll be careful. First, observe the situation, and then act."
Bologue truly took Geoffrey's advice, which made Geoffrey very pleased.
"I will become a Condenser too, right?"
Bologue inquired, for such immense power was hard not to be tempting.
"Yes, I'm already preparing your implantation ceremony, and maybe after this mission, you can begin the transition to become a Condenser. Don't be anxious; the early preparations for becoming a Condenser are plenty."
Geoffrey recalled the Order Bureau's procedures, estimating the timeline.
"However... making you a Condenser is indeed a very pressuring decision."
"Why say so?" asked Bologue.
"Because you are a Debtor, and your 'Blessing' is a power independent of 'Secret Energy' and Alchemy Armament. In this guessing game, the enemy might guess your 'Secret Energy' and your Alchemy Armament's power, but no matter what, they can't guess your 'Blessing', right? Not to mention your 'Blessing' is so strong.
The Undying Body.
Bologue, we're all looking forward to you. The Undying Body is a very powerful force; although you have the possibility of being incapacitated, the multiple resurrections give you more opportunities than others... more opportunities to trial and error."
Trial and error, fighting among Condensers always requires trial and error, but once out of control, trials and errors can lead to death. But not for Bologue, for him, death is merely a restart, and knowing the enemy's "Secret Energy", he will become the most lethal blade.
"Another chance to start over," Bologue whispered.
"You need to utilize your 'Blessing', not fall into a frenzy of hacking and slashing. For instance, you can completely play dead and give the enemy a fatal blow when they are off guard," Geoffrey suggested.
"Sounds... not too bad?"
Bologue imagined the scene, a dead corpse suddenly springing up and thrusting a throat-slicing sword, which indeed seemed insidious and cunning.
"But also remember, try as much as possible not to let the enemy realize your Undying Body, and even if they do, you must ensure one thing..."
Geoffrey did not continue, waiting for Bologue to respond.
"Kill them, all enemies who know I have an Undying Body must die," Bologue caught on.
"Yes, exactly."
Geoffrey patted Bologue's shoulder vigorously, laughing out loud.
"I'm already looking forward to you becoming the annual best newcomer!"
"The Order Bureau has such an evaluation mechanism?" This eerie title stunned Bologue.
"Of course! We have an internal incentive policy; otherwise, do you think such a life-risking industry can really be sustained merely by enthusiasm and ideals?"
Geoffrey looked like an old hand, then whispered.
"Don't think I'm joking; if you can really win the award, you can apply for some rewards."
"Like what?"
"For example, Alchemy Armament," Geoffrey said, "much more powerful than the standard equipment of the field staff."
He took out the revolver tucked at his waist. As Bologue had observed earlier, the gun was very plain, with marks of time's scratches on its metal surface. Bologue couldn't identify its exact model but could see a special emblem on the grip part.
Bologue closely observed that emblem, and judging from the Order Bureau and Special Operations Group's emblems, within the Order Bureau, these special emblems often represented something.
It was a fruit, with a snake coiled around the outside, attempting to gnaw at the flesh.
"It is the emblem for the Order Bureau's 'Research and Equipment Department', known as the 'Sublimation Furnace Core'. Currently, the Order Bureau's 'Alchemy Matrix' and Alchemy Armament are mostly developed by them, responsible for our research and equipment production as well as facility maintenance."
Geoffrey timely explained to Bologue.
"This gun is what I applied for after completing an important mission."
"What's its effect?" Bologue curiously asked.
"It's a secret." Geoffrey put his finger in front of his mouth and whispered.
"Such custom Alchemy Armaments are often very expensive, and even the Order Bureau can't be extravagant in this aspect. So if you don't want to spend your hard-earned salary to pay for these things, you'd better work hard to earn such opportunities," Geoffrey said.
"Secret... secret..."
Obviously, Bologue didn't take Geoffrey's words seriously and focused on the gun's capability, then he asked.
"Geoffrey, for people like us, do we always have to keep our information absolutely confidential?"
"Not really, you'll have a partner later, and the only one you can completely be honest with about your abilities would be your partner, as that will be the person who lives and dies with you," Geoffrey said.
"So, Geoffrey, your abilities are not absolutely confidential, your partner knows it all, right?"
"Hmm, what's up?" Geoffrey nodded.
"Then... since you were transferred to logistics, where's your partner?" According to Bologue's understanding, Geoffrey and his partner should be inseparable, but since he met him, Geoffrey had always been alone.
Geoffrey was silent for a few seconds, his gaze a bit dim, but he still spoke in a relaxed tone.
"Precisely because I no longer have a partner to accompany me, I was transferred to logistics."
Bologue's steps paused for a moment, he understood, and his tone paused, "I'm sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry for, that's how it is in this line of work," Geoffrey said, "That's also why I understand your desire for revenge for Adelle, isn't it? Because I've also avenged a friend before."
Unknowingly, the two had already reached the entrance of the Order Bureau, stepping out leads to the Rina District as Geoffrey mentioned, and beyond this door, they would reach the bustling world.
"The regret is, I failed," Geoffrey sighed, recalling such matters inevitably weighed heavily, "Perhaps recalling my past failures makes me more eager for you to thoroughly decimate the opposition."
Bologue looked at Geoffrey, slightly lost in thought; he hadn't quite understood Geoffrey's kindness toward him before. It seemed like he was truly a nice guy, but now he understood a bit more.
"Oh, absolutely, I'll pulverize him to dust!"
Bologue vowed.