Chapter 293: Max

Luchi had struggled for a long time but still couldn’t advance to a second-class wizard apprentice. His limited potential held him back.

His family wasn’t well-off, so they couldn’t afford to exchange resources to enhance his potential.

After realizing the harshness of reality, Luchi had no choice but to accept his fate.

That was until he met Mr. Max, and Luchi’s life changed.

Mr. Max introduced him to the great gods of the Abyss Plane.

After coming into contact with these gods, Luchi’s spirit was reignited.

He now had a new goal in life: to do everything in his power to help the gods descend and change this decaying world.

Mr. Max was a first-level wizard and the owner of a woodcarving shop.

His woodcarving skills were exceptional, and many of his pieces sold for high prices.

This was because many of his carvings were enchanted with spells, some of which he had created himself.

For example, his sleep-aid series of carvings—just place one in your bedroom, and you’ll never suffer from insomnia again.

There were many other small enchanted items with special functions, and Max’s carvings were always in high demand.

Due to the limited supply, customers often had to place orders in advance.

Luchi wandered through the commercial district, weaving in and out of various shops, using back and front doors to exit.

To a casual observer, it looked like he was just shopping, but in reality, he was trying to shake off any potential followers.

Luchi knew that the wizards of the Land of Dawn feared the arrival of the gods.

If the gods descended, the wizards would fall from their thrones and lose their control over the land, so they were terrified.

If the wizards discovered that Luchi was a follower of the gods, he would be as good as dead.

Not only him, but Mr. Max would also be implicated.

More importantly, if they were both captured and killed, the descent of the gods would be delayed.

Although they had distributed many wooden sculptures and gained some followers, very few of them were truly useful.

So Luchi was always cautious, minimizing the risk of exposure.

After wandering around the commercial district for a while, Luchi arrived at a secluded courtyard.

Few would have guessed that such a quiet place existed in the bustling commercial district.

Luchi knocked on the back door of the courtyard, and soon, the sound of calm footsteps approached.

The door opened, revealing a middle-aged man with a thick beard.

This kind, approachable man was none other than Mr. Max.

“You’re here,” Max said softly, leading the way inside.

Luchi closed the door and followed Max into the house.

Max’s residence was a three-story building with a unique design. The structure was unlike ordinary houses, clearly the work of a skilled architect with an artistic flair.

The house was filled with various woodcarvings, along with half-carved logs and unfinished pieces scattered about.

It seemed that Max worked on his carvings wherever he pleased.

Luchi followed Max upstairs to the attic on the third floor.

The attic door was secured with a magical lock that only the owner’s magic could open.

If anyone tried to force their way in, Max could trigger the house’s protective wards with a single thought.

The wards were connected to the magical lock, and if activated, the entire three-story building would be engulfed in flames, reduced to ashes.

Max placed his hand on the magical lock, channeling a bit of magic into it. The lock clicked open, and the door swung wide.

Luchi followed Max inside, finding what appeared to be a woodcarving workshop.

Tools and materials were scattered on the floor and shelves, but this room seemed to focus on carving one specific type of sculpture.

On the table, rows of completed carvings were lined up. Without exception, they all depicted a snake-headed, human-bodied figure.

This type of imagery wasn’t uncommon in the Land of Dawn, where many myths and legends featured similar monstrous figures.

But Luchi and Max both bowed their heads respectfully, showing reverence.

They knew that this carving represented the image of the great god.

Of course, it was only a vague representation.

The true form of the god was impossible to gaze upon and could never be fully captured in a carving.

Max had been devout enough to glimpse the god’s form once, and from that, he had created this rough depiction.

Since then, Max had sought the god’s approval to carve its image and spread its will through the sculptures.

“Have you used up the last batch I gave you?” Max asked.

He and Luchi didn’t meet often—only when Luchi needed more sculptures.

“Yes, Mr. Max. We’ve gained a few more followers recently, but none of them are truly useful yet,” Luchi replied.

Max spoke slowly, “That’s fine. There’s no need to rush. Spreading the god’s will is a long process. Take your time. These sculptures on the table have been recently blessed by the god. Take them.”

Luchi respectfully gathered the sculptures and stored them in his spatial ring.

“Mr. Max, is there anything else I can do besides this task?” Luchi asked eagerly, wanting to do more for the god.

Max’s voice lowered. “For now, keep a low profile. I’ve heard that Pruis recently captured an Abyssal cultist who worshiped a different god. The wizards will be on high alert for a while, so we need to be careful. You must be even more cautious in your actions.”

“I understand,” Luchi nodded.

After a brief conversation, Luchi left through the back door of Max’s residence.

Max, expressionless, locked the attic door and went back downstairs to continue working on his unfinished carvings.

Meanwhile, Helag sat in a corner of a tavern in the commercial district, quietly sipping his drink.

The tavern was lively now, filled with noise and chatter. The atmosphere wasn’t overwhelming, though—it was the kind of warmth that could make a lonely person feel a bit less alone.

Helag watched as Luchi left the three-story building through the back, and as Max continued carving on the second floor.

He began to think about his next move.

This wasn’t something he could rush. Helag had already noticed the magical lock and wards protecting the attic.

The defenses were tight, and acting hastily could result in the loss of all evidence and valuable information.

Luchi didn’t seem to be a key player in all of this, and it would be easy to deal with him alone.

But the real challenge was ensuring that Max was also captured after dealing with Luchi.