NOVPUB
Chapter 181: Gathering Information
Aldrian and the group stepped out of the teleportation portal, immediately noticing a security checkpoint at the teleportation station plaza entrance. Six lines were set up to filter newcomers and prevent overcrowding. Soldiers, clad in armor bearing the symbol of the Rivas family, inspected each newcomer one by one with an artifact shaped like an Orb of Origin, which everyone had to touch before passing through.
Aldrian knows the sequence well, so he and his group join one of the lines, patiently waiting for their turn to pass through the checkpoint. While waiting, Aldrian sharpens his senses, listening closely to conversations around him to gather information. From his observations, he learns that much of the discussion revolves around the situation at the front lines. Although the war is distant, he can sense a deep unease among the people here, who seem all too aware that the situation isn’t as optimistic as they would hope.
Many rumors are spreading—some say the empire is likely to lose the war, forcing its people to seek refuge in neighboring lands, while others claim that certain citizens have already betrayed the empire and joined forces with the devils. One piece of information, however, captures Aldrian’s interest: news that his mother was recently seen in a certain part of the front lines. Now, he only needs to confirm her location through a trusted source.
Not long after, it was finally Aldrian’s turn, and the soldier there instructed him to inject his energy into the orb. However, Aldrian looked at the soldier and asked,
"Do you have another orb like this here? Or is this the only one?"
The soldier, confused by the unusual question, replied nonetheless, 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓅𝓊𝒷.𝓬𝓸𝓂
"Of course, we have more. There’s no way we wouldn’t have a spare. Now hurry up and inject your energy; don’t make the others wait."
"Good," Aldrian responded.
As Aldrian injected his energy into the orb, the reaction from the soldier and onlookers was shocked. A sudden, blinding golden light erupted from the orb, illuminating the entire teleportation plaza in an intense glow that could be seen from a great distance. Expecting only the usual energy response, and primarily on guard for signs of devil’s characteristic, the people were caught completely off guard by this unprecedented display. After the light faded, the orb cracked sharply and, just as Eleine and Sylphia had anticipated, the orb shattered into countless pieces, leaving those around stunned and speechless.
Many people widened their eyes in shock, stunned by the sight before them. None of them had ever seen or heard of an Orb of Origin being destroyed simply by checking someone’s properties. The radiant golden light was unlike anything they had witnessed, leaving them to wonder about the identity of this young man and the type of cultivator he might be.
The soldier conducting the check seemed uncertain about how to handle the situation and looked at Aldrian with hesitation.
"Uh, please wait a moment. I’ll need to ask my superior about this."
However, he didn’t have to search for his superior, as one of them was already approaching. Aldrian observed the middle-aged man with a mustache, emanating the aura of a low King stage cultivator—a level that seemed overly qualified for merely overseeing these checkpoints. However, this also demonstrated just how seriously the Rivas family was taking this matter.
"What happened, Private? What was that golden light?" the superior asked the soldier.
"Well, sir, here’s the situation..." The soldier then explained about Aldrian and the surprising outcome of the check, glancing between Aldrian and the shattered Orb of Origin. When the soldier finished recounting the events, the superior looked at Aldrian thoughtfully before taking out another Orb of Origin.
"Please inject your energy once more," he instructed.
Aldrian did exactly as the commander instructed, injecting his energy into the orb once more. As expected, the result was the same—the golden light blinding everyone present before finally destroying the orb. The commander stared at the shattered remains of the orb solemnly, then turned his gaze to Aldrian’s serene expression.
"The energy you just released... what kind of energy is that? It exerted pressure on my own energy, but it’s definitely not devil energy or demonic energy so I think he is good. There’s no trace of excessive negative energy either."
He silent for a moment before addressing Aldrian directly.
"I apologize, young master. You may pass. I hope you understand our caution, and I’m truly sorry for the inconvenience."
"It’s okay, sir. Actually, it’s a usual occurrence for me to be checked like this, which is why I asked this soldier if he had a spare orb," Aldrian said.
"Then please enjoy Rivas City, young master. Although the situation here is quite tense, I assure you, you are safe," the commander replied.
As he watched Aldrian walk away, the commander couldn’t help but think to himself...
"I have to inform Lord Rivas about this and ask for his opinion. How could the Orb of Origin, which can even check Emperor stage cultivators, be destroyed just by checking him?" The commander’s face then furrowed, a sense of uncertainty washing over him. "But why... when I look into his eyes, do I feel like I’m seeing Lady Irene in them?" He felt a strange sensation but quickly pushed it aside, focusing on Xin Haotian and the others still waiting their turn.
Aldrian walked away and waited for the others to finish their checks. Many people continued to watch him with curious gazes, wondering who he was. They couldn’t sense his cultivation, but they didn’t underestimate him. After all, someone who could shatter the Orb of Origin, something no one else could do, was not to be taken lightly.
After a few minutes, Aldrian’s group finally stepped out of the plaza. Their first priority was to gather more detailed information about what had happened in the territory and to find a way to reach the frontline as soon as possible. Aldrian turned to Eleine and asked,
"Eleine, you know this place the best. Where should we go to find reliable information so we can understand the real situation on the frontline? And if possible, somewhere that can also arrange for us to be brought to the battlefield." Although Aldrian had the assassins from the Thunderous Shadow Pavilion as his informants, he also wanted to gather information here to deepen his understanding of the situation.
"If we exclude the Rivas family directly, the only place that can provide us with accurate information in this city is the Information Guild. What most people don’t know is that the information guild of the Doria empire is still under Rivas family management. However, despite this connection, the guild operates independently in most cases. This setup should work for us, it will allow us to avoid direct interaction with the Rivas family while still obtaining the information we need." she replied.
"Although I am sure what you did earlier in the teleportation station will reported to the main family or worse to the lord Rivas." She added in her mind.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go there."
Eleine then guided them to the large building with the sign of the Information Guild above its grand entrance, not far from the teleportation station. The building was packed with people, as it was an important place for newcomers to the city and even the Doria Empire. The constant activity here never seemed to cease. In addition to offering common knowledge about the city and empire, the Information Guild provided details that not everyone knew— though access to such information required payment, and the cost depended on the level of the information.
This is the way the Rivas family controls information while also profiting from it. As long as the information doesn’t pose a threat to the Rivas family, they can inquire about anything within the Doria Empire. In a sense, this is one of the Rivas family’s intelligence networks.
After entering the building, they made their way to one of the fortunately vacant counters, where they were immediately greeted by the receptionist.
"Welcome to the Information Guild. How may I assist you today?"
"I would like to know about the situation on the front lines, where the Rivas family is battling the devils, particularly regarding the condition of the young miss of the Rivas family, Irene Rivas," Aldrian replied.
The receptionist looked at Aldrian for a moment before asking,
"I’m sorry to ask, but may I know why you need this information?"
"We wish to assist the Rivas family in fending off the devils. I’ve heard that the situation is quite dire, so we want to offer the Rivas family a helping hand," Aldrian replied.
The receptionist thought for a moment before replying,
"Are you affiliated with any faction, or are you registered with a mercenary or adventurer guild? If you want to help the Rivas family, you can simply go through those guilds. Right now, all their forces in the Rivas Grand Duchy have been dispatched to the front line."
"No, we don’t have any affiliations. We’re just vagabond cultivators and unregistered adventurers, but we still want to offer our help on the front line," Aldrian answered.
"Then I’m sorry customer, but you’ll need to be registered with at least one of the guilds in order to help battle the devils. The Rivas family is cautious about who they allow to assist them, as they are wary of devil infiltrators. So, you—"
Before she could finish her sentence, Eleine suddenly pulled something out to show her. The receptionist’s eyes widened as soon as she saw the token.
"The Rivas family direct bloodline’s retainer token!"
