Chapter 1336 1336. Spy
The hooded man didn't know much. He was only one of the weakest henchmen in a large organization that dealt with multiple aspects of the Immortal Lands. According to his words, that secret force even had a few rank 8 existences in its ranks.
The man's name was Fergie, and he had a fire aptitude. He had short black hair and red eyes. A series of scars filled his body, and he appeared unable to remove them even with his divine status.
The item that had instantly killed two Scorpions before came from the division leader seated in Vagona city. It was something given to him after he completed multiple missions, but it was nothing more than a disposable weapon capable of great power.
Fergie had never met the leader of his division. He only had a special inscribed notebook that allowed him to communicate with the secret organization's higher-ups. He didn't even know the name of that force. He was only aware of its existence and that it was one of its members.
The secret organizations had members in every part of the Immortal Lands, according to Fergie's knowledge. It mostly dealt with rare items and specific political missions in Vagona city, but there didn't seem to be a limit to the types of jobs it could complete.
Moreover, it didn't have any competitors in its field. Fergie claimed that his organization was the only secret force in the entirety of the Immortal Lands.
The most incredible fact about that force was that most cultivators were unaware of its existence. The higher-ups of the other organizations and families ensured that it remained a secret from the ordinary citizens, and they even provided fees to keep it active.
'This isn't a simple group of rebels or mercenaries,' Noah thought as he listened to Fergie's explanation. 'This organization has deep roots in the very structure of the Immortal Lands. I'm surprised something like this even exists in this place.'
Noah knew a lot about secret organizations. He had been the Patriarch of a former underground sect, and he had witnessed multiple revolutions. The fact that something so big could survive among other powerful forces made him sure that its leaders couldn't be simple rank 8 existences.
"I don't know anything else," Fergie said. "This kind of knowledge is easy to obtain once you are inside the organization, but you won't find anything about it if you use normal methods. You can only trust my words."
"You are nothing more than the last wheel of a power that you don't understand," Noah coldly replied as he massaged his temples.
The situation had instantly become more complicated. Noah didn't expect to face repercussions for his actions in the cave, but he now knew that the Immortal Lands were hiding a lot from him.
Taking into consideration the many families and famous forces was easy. Remaining wary of a secret organization that could influence the entire human domain was a stressful matter. Noah also wanted to use that knowledge to his advantage, but he didn't know how far he could push his luck in that situation.
"I can set up a meeting with the division leader," Fergie proposed. "Inscription masters are a rare resource in the higher plane. I'm sure the organization will give you special benefits, especially after it learns about your species."
"Why would anyone willing meet stronger existences?" Noah asked in a rhetorical tone.
Meeting important figures inside the secret organization was out of the question. Noah couldn't ensure his safety in front of those existences. It would be perfect if he could seize benefits from afar, but he didn't know if that was possible in his condition.
"Give me everything contained in your space-rings for now," Noah eventually said as deep thoughts surged inside his mind.
Fergie began to gather his companion's resources while Noah continued to evaluate his situation. He had a few options at hand, but he didn't which one could benefit him the most.
Becoming an external ally to the secret organization was the best option, but the other party could label him as a threat and hunt him down. The risk of creating more enemies was something that Noah had to consider thoroughly.
Instead, ignoring everything learnt from Fergie was a waste. Noah could kill him to remove the last witness of those events. No one would be able to warn the secret organization about his knowledge at that point, but he would also lose his only contact with that force.
'I need to use him,' Noah concluded in his mind.
He couldn't find a perfect solution, but Fergie gave him the chance to approach the secret force without exposing himself. The only problem was how freely he could control him.
"Do they check your memories?" Noah asked when Fergie neared him to deliver the goods.
"They won't unless I reach higher places inside the organization," Fergie replied. "I have been forced to join after I offended a member of the Sailbrird family. I need to work for it until I repay my debt."
"Which will probably never happen," Noah concluded Fergie's line.
A series of items fell in front of him. His pursuers didn't have much. They only owned a few Soul Stones and some valuable material. They didn't have any technique with them, but Noah could finally obtain the items capable of fending off the sky's pressure.
'A little more than six hundred Soul Stones and materials that I can't sell here,' Noah thought as he inspected the special items. 'Maybe commissioning a robe to a tier-three master has been too much at my current level.'
"Why are inscription masters so rare here?" Noah asked as he played with six black bracelets.
Noah had been able to gain three hundred and ten Soul Stones in a few days, but those cultivators were poorer than him even if they belonged to the secret organization. He suspected that the library had failed to teach him some crucial aspects of the Immortal Lands.
"It's hard for us natives to develop inscription methods," Fergie answered. "We don't live through the human ranks, and the divine materials of the higher plane prevent us from gaining experience in those fields. Only wealthy families can nurture talents since the heroic ranks."
That was another piece of knowledge that the library had failed to give him. Noah knew that divine magical beasts could give birth to heroic creatures, but he had no idea if the same applied to humans.
No cultivator in the human ranks could survive the Immortal Lands' environment, but there weren't many ascended experts in the entire higher plane. Still, Fergie quickly solved his doubts.
"Humans use artificial environments," Fergie replied. "Most families have special separate dimensions that nourish their children until they reach the heroic ranks. They pay good money to the libraries to keep the reports about them outside of their structures."
Dark matter seeped inside the bracelets and confirmed that they were harmless. Noah wore one of them and sensed some pressure leaving his mind. He could finally fly freely under the white light of the sky. He had obtained one of the items needed before the journey toward the Land of the Fallen.
"Tell the organization that I used my hybrid status to win against your group," Noah said after he decided how to use Fergie. "Tell them that I managed to run after killing the others, and mention that you want to move in the Land of the Fallen. I want to review every mission you receive from now on."