Abraham Setrakian. Once a folklorist, later a fiend hunter, now making a living from an antique shop. Unkempt silver hair framed his forehead, ears, and jaw, as if the Bloodline's resurgence had stolen even his time for grooming.
Li Ang, wearing the silver mask, sat behind the desk that had belonged to the cardinal. He gave a slight nod. "Mr. Setrakian, please sit."
"Does the authority of St. Benedict's Cathedral now rest with you?" Abraham glanced at Paul, standing deferentially to the side. His face was aged, his chin, earlobes, and eyelids succumbing to gravity's tyranny. Yet, the multitude of wrinkles served as excellent camouflage for his emotions.
Paul reprimanded sternly, "Do not be discourteous to the Holy Em—"
"You may leave. Close the door. I wish to speak with Mr. Setrakian alone." Li Ang waved a hand, dismissing Paul.
With Paul gone, only the two of them remained in the vast study, facing each other across the desk. "For a cardinal to be so compliant," Abraham rasped in a low voice, "you must hold a lofty position within the Church?"
"There is no need for probing," Li Ang replied impassively. "Who I am is of no consequence to you. What matters is that I possess the 'Light of the Fallen' you desire, and you must offer a price that moves me."
"And this price? Gold? Dollars?"
"Neither. Only two things interest me: the Sardu walking stick in your possession, and... the formula for extracting the ground essence of the bloodworm."
Sardu was a European lord centuries past, afflicted with gigantism, his frame towering above all others, taller than the roofs of peasant cottages in his domain. Yet this was no divine blessing, but a congenital disease. His muscles lacked the strength to support his elongated, heavy skeleton; at times, even walking pained him. Forced to rely on a cane, his was silver, its handle shaped like a twisting serpent, its head engraved with a wolf—the Sardu family crest. Furthermore, the shaft concealed a steel sword, silver-plated, sheathed within the cane's outer casing. Sardu's a shortcoming and upbringing fostered humility, bestowing upon him nearly perfect noble traits. He loved nature, pitied the weak, adored children, and traded sweets and trinkets for their smiles. Tragically, he once wandered into a cavern and there encountered the Patriarch. The subsequent story was predictable: parasitized, he became a new vessel, losing himself. But his cane remained, passing through many hands until it reached Abraham, serving as both his walking aid and his weapon. Li Ang estimated a ninety percent likelihood this cane-sword was a Law artifact, and not a low-tier one at that.
As for the bloodworm extract formula—a method to grind the worms and distill a certain essence—Abraham had acquired it from another hunter. Its use extended lifespan and revitalized vigor. This formula was crucial for Abraham, now in his eighties or nineties, to remain alive, agile, and capable of battling the Bloodline. Without it, he would long have been bedridden. Li Ang wished to test if this extract could also aid an Awakened One in combat. At the very least, brought to Canglan, it would constitute a valuable elixir. The promise of extended life alone would make many covet it.
"If I give you the cane and the formula, you will give me the Light of the Fallen?" Abraham's right hand gripped the Sardu cane. He wore fingerless wool gloves, hiding hands made ugly by injuries decades past.
"No. Not give. Lend it to you for study." A flash of white light under Li Ang's palm, and the "Light of the Fallen" materialized. "You may read it here, within the cathedral. You cannot take it. What you glean from it is your own affair."
Witnessing this, Abraham's eyes widened, drawing a sharp breath, his face a mask of disbelief. While the Patriarch's power was formidable, it was comprehensible. This near-magical display, however, astonished him utterly.
"This transaction is uneven," Abraham stated after a full seconds of stunned silence, his gaze fixed on the silver tome from three meters away. "If it is merely borrowing, I can offer only the formula." His eyes were resolute and冷毅. Beneath a crumbling masculine exterior lay passion and courage that never faded! Even Li Ang's inexplicable display could not shake his resolve.
"Then I can lend it to you for five days. That is fair." Li Ang spread his hands, his composure unruffled behind the mask.
"Very well. A pleasure doing business." Abraham approached the desk and extended a hand.
Li Ang shook it, smiling. "This is but the beginning. I believe we shall have many more pleasant transactions."
Trading five days' access to the "Light of the Fallen" for the formula was undoubtedly worthwhile for Li Ang. In just over a minute, Abraham transcribed the formula using the desk's paper and pen, then remained in the study to peruse the silver tome he had long coveted.
Li Ang briefly departed to the basement to procure a bloodworm and, following the formula, extracted its ground essence. (As for why bloodworms were in the basement: among those bitten by the infected priest days prior, Li Ang had deliberately spared one, imprisoning it below.) The extraction method wasn't complex; the key lay in the steps and the few added ingredients—common substances for which Abraham had spares. Within ten hours, Li Ang had refined a single dose.
A system scan of its properties delivered a delightful surprise.
[Bloodworm Extract Essence: Restoration-type Law Elixir]
[Origin: Abyssal World of The Strain]
[Quality: Silver]
[Properties:]
1. Extends lifespan by 1-10 years. Actual extension varies by individual. Effective only on first use.
2. For ordinary humans: instantly restores full health, mending the body and invigorating the spirit. Effects last one month.
3. For Awakened Ones: instantly restores 30% of maximum Health, and grants beneficial statuses of Health Regeneration +5/sec and Mana Regeneration +5/sec for 24 hours. Effects do not stack.
[Usage: Apply to eye membrane or ingest orally.]
[Warning: Administration induces intensely painful stimulation. Those with weak willpower may lose self-control for several seconds. Use cautiously during combat.]
[Description: Originating from an ancient fiend hunter's secret recipe, it harnesses mysterious power extracted from evil creature.]
[Evaluation: Even light must sometimes draw strength from darkness!]
Life extension and revitalization were effects shown in the original narrative. The true surprise was Property 3. The 24-hour regeneration buffs were secondary; the crucial element was the instant restoration of 30% maximum Health! In a life and death in a single breath moment, this could pull someone back from the brink of death. To Li Ang's knowledge, the restorative potions commonly used by Abyssal Knights were mostly Bronze-tier. Even the best instant-healing option was a minor health potion restoring merely 300 points—paltry compared to percentage-based healing. Were it not for the side effect, Li Ang felt it could challenge the Gold tier. After all, it also added 1-10 years of life—a one-time boon, but one for which certain powerful, dying individuals would pay any price.
While Li Ang refined the essence, the old hunter Abraham wrestled tirelessly with the Light of the Fallen. Some secrets one must discover alone, or wait for facts to manifest. Otherwise, even if Li Ang told him directly, he would struggle to believe.
Several days later, on the sixth night since Li Ang's arrival in this world, Abraham, his silver hair disheveled, still pored over the tome without sleep. Li Ang kept him company, both to ensure the book wasn't stolen and to await Quinlan's arrival. Abraham had been here three days, yet Quinlan showed no sign. This stirred slight anxiety in Li Ang—his ultimate plan required Quinlan's martial prowess. Abraham, after all, was old; his strength lay more in wisdom and experience, less directly useful for slaying the Patriarch.
"Has Quinlan perhaps not paid heed to the news of the Light of the Fallen? If so, I may need another method to capture his attention..." No plan in the world was absolutely perfect; unforeseen variables always arose, causing complications during execution. But plans could also adapt. After a moment's contemplation, Li Ang decided against further passive waiting. He would take the initiative—commit a grand act to make Quinlan see his strength and value.