Hearing the gunshots and seeing the streetlights go out, for a moment, the Arbiter Cromwell had the impulse to break through the encirclement using this opportunity.
However, his caution and carefulness bound this impulse with invisible chains before he could turn it into actual action.
"Perhaps I should wait a bit longer."
"It might be a trap."
"Who can guarantee that the third party interfering in this matter is a friend and not an enemy?"
One thought after another, like bubbles, surfaced, preventing Cromwell from taking active steps.
On the other side.
Terros, with her twin-headed Sea Serpent tattoo, yelled, "Idiots, light the lamps! What are you all standing around for?"
So, a Gang member, dressed in blue-grey dockworker clothes, struck a match and lit a faint flame.
Before he could transfer this flame to the lantern offered by his companion, a gunshot rang out in his ear, and his thoughts and intentions froze, then vanished.
Because with a bullet hole in his forehead, he would have no other thoughts.
"Damn it, the light will make us a target! Why didn't I think of that!" the red-haired man cried out in annoyance, clutching his injured arm.
He felt his mind was hazy and found it difficult to concentrate.
Lex, on the warehouse roof, naturally knew that Terros was affected by the 'Blood Praise'.
This was a good opportunity to escape.
But with the faint light from the match just now, Lex, possessing astonishing eyesight, noticed that the Arbiter was still cowering there.
Recalling Terros's assessment of Cromwell earlier, a thought surfaced in Lex's mind: "He's worried I'm an enemy?"
"He's truly cautious!"
Without hesitation, Lex flipped and jumped off the roof, using the miscellaneous items piled against the wall to land on the ground, his two revolvers still firing to the left and right sides of the alley.
He sent bullets into the darkness, towards the positions where the Gang members were making sounds.
In the darkness, screams continued to ring out.
Lex quickly said to the Arbiter, "I am 'Duke' from the Hunter Club! Come with me!"
Duke!
Cromwell immediately recalled that when he returned to the club last night to report the mission clue, Old Parker had informed him that another colleague had joined the mission to investigate the Sea Serpent Gang.
His name, or codename, was Duke!
The Arbiter no longer hesitated, stood up, and decisively rushed to the left.
That was the opposite direction from red-haired Terros.
Lex was puzzled; once Cromwell made a decision, he would act decisively.
Normally, such a person shouldn't be overly cautious.
However, there was clearly no time for Lex to ponder these questions now; he immediately followed the Arbiter, not forgetting to suppress the Sea Serpent Gang behind them.
As he ran, Cromwell commanded with great authority, "Get out of the way!"
Two Gang members who were blocking the path instinctively lowered their heads upon hearing this and unconsciously moved aside.
By the time they realized what had happened, they had each taken a blow from Cromwell, their teeth knocked out, completely powerless to stop him.
When he saw the sign for the Evil Dragon Bar and the lights inside the tavern, the Arbiter stopped, clutching the pocket containing his pocket watch, and said in a voice only he could hear, "Mia, I'm alive again, thank the Goddess."
When he heard footsteps, he looked up to see his colleague, wearing an iron mask and a knee-length thin trench coat, whose hat had not even fallen off during the series of battles, putting away two distinct revolvers.
Cromwell extended his hand, "Thank you, Mr. Duke."
"You can go back on your own," Lex said after shaking his hand.
"Also, being too careful often leads to missing many good opportunities, and can even cost you your life."
"I hope you don't mind me speaking out of turn."
Cromwell gave a wry smile; he wasn't like this before.
He used to be full of confidence and daring in his actions.
But precisely because of that, he lost some important things.
Since that incident, he had changed, gradually becoming the way he was now.
"I will pay attention to that in the future."
"Oh, by the way, this clue tonight is yours.
I'm referring to the red-haired Terros; he's a cadre of the Sea Serpent Gang, and I suspect he's a Beyonder."
Lex nodded, not refusing the Arbiter's kind offer, and parted ways with him there.
Smoothly returning to the Violet Hotel and his own room, Lex felt no sleepiness.
The Materials for the Provoker potion were already gathered, and he was eager to advance.
Lex first fed 'Blood Praise' some blood, then took out a small, exquisite iron pot from the cabinet and the pure water he had prepared long ago.
This repeatedly distilled water had been prepared by Lex as soon as he obtained the formula Materials.
Taking out the pieced-together formula Materials, Lex took a deep breath, composed himself, and calmed his emotions.
Next, he began to put the auxiliary Materials into the iron pot, but at this point, the auxiliary Materials did not catalyze or show significant changes.
Lex first picked up the root of the Dragon Blood Man-Eating Flower; as soon as he threw it into the iron pot, the liquid inside began to gurgle with bubbles.
The originally somewhat turbid liquid now became intensely colored, like fresh blood.
Then, putting in the honey badger's gallbladder, a puff of smoke rose from the pot, and the liquid inside rapidly contracted, turning into a soft, sticky, interconnected, peculiar state.
Is that all?
Lex observed for a while, confirming that the potion had not undergone any other changes, before transferring it to a cup.
Looking at the liquid in the cup, Lex felt a bit nervous, a little excited, but mostly anticipation.
After tonight, he would be a Provoker!
Raising the cup, Lex adjusted his body and mind, and after his emotions calmed, he drank the potion.
Upon ingesting the potion, he first felt his tongue go numb, then a strange taste, neither bitter nor sweet, spread and permeated his mouth.
He felt the potion like a soft-bodied animal, growing countless tentacles that, like cilia, crawled on their own, down his esophagus, and into his stomach.
Lex almost wanted to spit out the potion, but it had already disappeared from his mouth.
After a second or two, Lex suddenly felt a sense of expansion.
He felt fearless, becoming brave and intrepid.
The corners of his mouth uncontrollably curled upwards, forming a scornful, mocking smile.
His eyes also changed.
His pupils sharply contracted, like the eyes of some wild beast.
Red fuzz emerged on his arms and back.
He wanted to laugh loudly, to say things that would provoke others' emotions, even make them lose their minds and burn their brains.
Fortunately, Lex covered his mouth in time and used the meditation method to shake off the slight overflow of the potion's power, which was somewhat out of control.
Otherwise, he would probably wake up Matthew and Gru next door, and then scare them badly.
If things went wrong, he might even end up visiting a mental hospital.