Chapter 51

As the only millennium-old power in Thousand Sails City, the influence of the Mongchi family was truly terrifying. On the third day of Ryan's visit to Granger, the Gilded Rose received a notice of查封 from the Alchemists' Guild.

The person in charge was a middle-aged alchemist, looking to be in his forties or fifties, with a somewhat slender build. Standing at the entrance of the Gilded Rose, his eyes were gazing at the sky, and his face was filled with a condescending expression.

To be honest, this was not specifically targeted at the Gilded Rose.

This was a common ailment among members of the Alchemists' Guild. As members of the guild, they generally held this attitude toward the alchemy shops in Thousand Sails City, including the Flash Gold Chamber of Commerce from years ago.

In their view, these alchemy shops, which seemed to be making a fortune, were actually just puppets put forward by the Alchemists' Guild.

Without the permission of the Alchemists' Guild, they couldn't even recruit a decent alchemist, because the guild always controlled the rules of the entire industry. The survival of these alchemy shops was just a matter of a word from the Alchemists' Guild.

Just like this Gilded Rose...

A few days ago, it launched the Hope Elixir and was the talk of the town in Thousand Sails City, but now, with just a word from the Alchemists' Guild, it was facing the danger of being sealed.

"Alchemist Morin, what... what are you doing?" Lin Yun had been staying at the Sage Tower these past few days, so the Gilded Rose was only managed by the old butler. Upon hearing that people from the Alchemists' Guild had arrived, he hurriedly came out to greet them. However, as soon as he reached the hall, his smile froze.

More than a dozen alchemists in black robes were now affixing seals to the shelves. Each time a seal was affixed, a dedicated alchemist would count and record it, and the one in charge of all this was Morin, whom the old butler had dealt with several times.

Morin was responsible for market supervision in the Alchemists' Guild...

When the Gilded Rose resumed operations, the old butler had visited Morin several times to avoid being harassed by the Alchemists' Guild, even secretly offering him several substantial bribes.

At the time, Morin had patted his chest and guaranteed that any issues with the Gilded Rose would be his responsibility, and if any problems arose, he could be approached.

Who would have thought that after just a month, Morin, who had given such a guarantee, would come to seal the Gilded Rose with seals...

"Wait a moment, there must be some misunderstanding..." The old butler immediately knew something was wrong. He hurriedly tried to stop the black-robed alchemists from affixing more seals and lowered his voice to seek help from Morin, who had taken his bribes: "Alchemist Morin, can we talk privately for a moment?"

"Say what you have to say here." If it were before, Morin might have agreed to a private conversation, as it would mean another substantial bribe in his pocket. But this time, he didn't even think about it and directly refused.

"This..." The old butler's heart sank, knowing this was bad. However, he quickly forced a smile: "Alright... Alchemist Morin, may I ask why the Gilded Rose is being sealed?"

"Why is it being sealed?" Morin snorted: "What have you done at the Gilded Rose, don't you know yourselves? I'll tell you straight, Old Pavie, the Gilded Rose is in big trouble. Considering our past relationship, I'll give you a piece of advice: don't ask too many questions, cooperate with my people in the sealing process, and then clearly explain the issues at the hearing. Don't be overly optimistic; the problems with the Gilded Rose are very serious."

"Hearing..."

"This is a decision from above; no one can change it." Morin finished, looking up at the sky. Seeing that his subordinates were moving too slowly, he grabbed a few seals and started affixing them to the shelves himself, instructing them: "These, these, and these... take them all back!"

With each command, Morin affixed a seal.

However, unlike the black-robed alchemists, who affixed seals to potentially problematic goods, Morin affixed seals to the most expensive items at the Gilded Rose.

This was the difference between Morin and the black-robed alchemists...

Why did Morin love sealing alchemy shops so much? Because it meant a substantial income. Just like now, a few casually affixed seals represented goods worth hundreds of thousands of gold coins. Once these goods were delivered to the Alchemists' Guild, they would be handled by Morin personally.

If some damage occurred during the handling, it couldn't be blamed on Morin. Alchemical items were inherently fragile, and some damage was normal, right?

Besides, who would investigate such losses?

The Gilded Rose, which had already been sealed? It would be better to focus on how to pass the hearing...

Morin's small eyes quickly scanned the shelves, and each expensive alchemical item that caught his eye made him excited and greedy.

One, two, three...

In just a moment, Morin had affixed seals to seven or eight expensive alchemical items, but he was still unsatisfied. His small eyes soon focused on the alchemy laboratory on the second floor. His intuition told him that the truly valuable alchemical items were in that laboratory.

"You, you, you, and you, come with me." Morin casually pointed out a few black-robed alchemists and led them toward the second-floor laboratory.

However, just as Morin was about to step onto the stairs, a light sound suddenly echoed in the air.

Before Morin could understand what was happening, he was suddenly thrown into the air.

Fortunately, he didn't fly very high.

So Morin quickly fell back down.

However, he landed face-first...

"Who, who is it!" Morin struggled to get up from the ground, his face bruised and swollen, looking like a smashed peach, red, blue, and white mixed together: "Who attacked me? Show yourself if you have the guts!"

Then, Morin saw the attacker stand up...

It was a young mage in his twenties, wearing a new black robe, with a thin and pale appearance. Standing there, his right hand was still in the gesture of casting a Hurricane Lash.

"Did you attack me?" Although the Alchemists' Guild usually acted low-key, unlike the Mages' Guild, which dominated Thousand Sails City, they held the power to set industry rules. Members of the Alchemists' Guild always had a sense of superiority.

Especially Morin, who held the power of market supervision, could be described as walking with impunity in Thousand Sails City. Even the alchemy shops that were sealed usually spoke to him politely, fearing any offense. How could he have expected that just sealing an alchemy laboratory would result in being thrown by a Hurricane Lash?

This was a great humiliation!

"My name is Mafa Merlin." Lin Yun, seemingly oblivious to Morin's expression, slowly walked out from the crowd, entered the Gilded Rose's hall, and stood in front of the bruised and swollen Morin: "The Gilded Rose you are sealing is my property."

"Mafa Merlin?" Morin was slightly stunned, then remembered that Rog Merlin indeed had a son named Mafa Merlin.

But what if Rog Merlin's son? Even if Rog Merlin himself attacked him, he would have to pay a price, let alone Rog Merlin's son.

"You dared to attack me?" Morin's eyes were filled with unpredictable anger: "Do you know what you are doing? Do you know what consequences obstructing the Alchemists' Guild's market supervision will bring to the Gilded Rose?"

"What consequences?"

"Ha, what consequences, you'll know when you come with me." Morin waved his hand, and his black-robed alchemists immediately surrounded him: "Take this person back. To dare attack me, what a bold move..."

"Yes."

These black-robed alchemists, who had been dispatched by the guild to carry out the sealing, were all powerful, with all of them being at least level 5 mages, and some even reaching level 9. Upon receiving Morin's order, a strong magical aura immediately spread throughout the Gilded Rose.

"What's all the commotion?" At that moment, an elderly voice echoed from the crowd.

"The Alchemists' Guild is carrying out official duties; bystanders should step aside." Morin coldly said, preparing to have his black-robed alchemists arrest Lin Yun.

"The Alchemists' Guild is really full of itself. Go back and ask Rais if he dares to make me step aside."

"Rais, the president's name is also..." Morin half-scolded, but suddenly remembered that this elderly voice sounded familiar...

Thinking of this, Morin couldn't help but turn around.

Then, Morin's face turned pale...

Damn, it's Saruman!

In that instant, Morin felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his entire body stiffening. His eyes were filled with terror, and he looked at Saruman as if he were a monster. His already bruised and swollen face now showed a bizarre mix of shock, fear, and confusion, making him look like he wanted to cry but couldn't.

For a moment, Morin's mind was blank, with only one thought repeating: Saruman, why is it Saruman? What is he doing here?

**************

It's a bit late today because I woke up late in the afternoon.

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