Chapter Thirty-Nine: Visitors from Hongdu, The Viscount Calls

Around four in the afternoon, visitors began arriving at the lighthouse.

Lin Bo paused his work on the electrical wiring to welcome the townsfolk seeking medical care. This time, he did not set up his clinic in the open air; having performed his examinations in front of the crowd previously had been necessary to build trust, but now that his medical skills were recognized, he simply arranged his consulting space on the first floor of the lighthouse. Besides, the Watchman intended to use this opportunity to practice his Verbum Illusionism.

The freedom of Verbum Illusionism far surpassed that of Verbum Manipulation, as it allowed one to reflect whatever was in their mind directly into the phantom.

"(Verbum) Steel."

Lin Bo chanted the true name, and the咒 power of the Logos materialized into a gleaming silver sphere, hovering above his palm. As he focused his thoughts, it shifted into a handbell. Illusions created by Verbum Illusionism did more than just deceive the eye; they mimicked reality in smell, taste, touch, and every other sensory experience. This was, of course, because the mage possessed a profound understanding of the semantics of the true name; had it been a mage who only knew the name of steel from books, the resulting illusion would likely have been riddled with flaws.

He gripped the handle and gave it a gentle shake. The clapper struck the side, emitting a crisp, resonant chime. Anyone listening would swear it was a real bell, but Lin Bo knew better—it lacked "language." To a mage of true names, even inanimate rocks, rain, and snow were living things; only silent illusions were truly dead. Still, it was more than enough to fool the uninitiated.

Today's visitors had learned their lesson; knowing they had to wait, most brought their own stools and chairs, settling into the lighthouse courtyard. Lin Bo did not use a registration system, leaving them to queue up on a first-come, first-served basis. Groups of visitors chatted in low voices, their gazes drifting past the open lighthouse door, where a temporary incandescent bulb cast a brilliant, orange glow.

The light illuminated the dry hearth and hanging stove, the shelves stacked with spice jars, withered bouquets, and glass jars filled with fireflies, and the burlap sacks and wicker baskets stored against the wall, filled with bread, potatoes, salted fish, and vegetables. Fine dust motes danced in the orange light like a warm mist.

The Watchman sat at a mottled wooden round table in the center of the room, flanked by two square stools. He faced the door, holding the silver iron bell. With a slight flick of his wrist, the light caught the steel surface like a spark.

*Ding-a-ling—*

"Please, come in."

The first visitor stepped into the lighthouse, closing the door behind him and leaving it ajar. He noticed the Watchman set the bell on the corner of the table; it was truly a beautiful piece of ironwork, he thought.

[Skill check successful...]

Gaining proficiency in Verbum Illusionism was not difficult. As long as an individual with the capacity for judgment believed the illusion was real, the training counted. Whether multiple proficiencies could be gained by deceiving several people at once was something he would have to experiment to find out.

Lin Bo smiled and gestured for the man to sit. He placed a soft wrist pillow under the patient's arm and began to take his pulse. This was a young fisherman who worked the night shift and slept by day; his face still held a tipsy flush, suggesting his first meal after waking had been at the White Conch Tavern.

"Once I've gathered the herbs in a few days, I'll be able to prepare medicinal soups for you all," Lin Bo said casually while applying needles to the fisherman.

He spoke of gathering herbs, but in truth, he was preparing to cultivate medicinal mushrooms. The number of patients in Stone Tower Town was significant, and relying solely on foraging would not meet the demand; he would have to depend on fast-growing, versatile fungal strains.

The young fisherman was covered in cold sweat—the acupuncture had frightened him—and he chatted with the Watchman to distract himself. He brought up the latest news in Stone Tower Town: distinguished guests had arrived, and the Mayor had been waiting at the dock since noon to greet them.

"Viscount Pearl accompanied the lords and ladies from Hongdu," the fisherman said.

Lin Bo knew of this Viscount Pearl. Stone Tower Town and the surrounding villages were the hereditary fiefdoms of the Pearl family; the employment contract for the lighthouse keeper even bore the signature of the current head, Vilon Pearl. The Watchman and the rest of the townsfolk were all subjects of this Viscount. Even though the power and prestige of the nobility had greatly declined following the reforms of the past century, they still held significant secular authority.

He asked with a smile, "Did you see them?"

"Of course! They toured the town for a while, and everyone went to see the commotion. You should have gone, too—you don't often get to see the Viscount. And there was a beauty from Hongdu with him, a woman who studies at the university! That’s even rarer!"

"I wish I had that kind of leisure," Lin Bo replied, shaking his head. "Alright, go sit on that stool for a while. I’ll come over shortly to remove the needles. Tell me if you feel any discomfort."

The fisherman, afraid to move, stiffly shuffled to the stool by the wall and sat down.

*Ding-a-ling—*

The Watchman shook the iron bell.

The townsfolk were seen one by one. Lin Bo could not cure every ailment; for conditions beyond his reach, he could only offer advice on recuperation and do his best to alleviate the patient's current pain. The bell was set down and picked up again and again. The chime indicating a successful Verbum Illusionism check rang repeatedly.

As it neared five o'clock, a restless commotion broke out outside the lighthouse door. Lin Bo initially thought someone was cutting in line, but the noise quickly subsided, and he paid it no further mind, continuing to treat the woman before him.

A moment later, he shook the illusionary bell.

The slightly ajar door was pushed open by the stooping Mayor, whose plump frame slipped into the room, ushering in the group behind him. The guests filed through the narrow doorway and fanned out inside. The lighthouse keeper looked up from his table. Leading them was a young, healthy noble man, and beside him was a woman in a dress who carried an air of scholarly refinement.

Her eyes lingered on the Watchman's face the moment she stepped inside. The whalebone fan in her hand was half-open, but she had forgotten to hide her slightly parted lips.

The Mayor loudly introduced the young noble: this was Viscount Pearl, the chief security officer of Stone Tower Town and the ruler of this territory. The patients in the room scrambled to stand and greet their lord. The Mayor then hurriedly introduced the Watchman to the distinguished guests as the finest physician in Stone Tower Town.

At these words, the guests from Hongdu and Viscount Pearl offered their greetings—the lady with a slight curtsy, the men with a polite bow. The mage stood and responded with a smile and a nod.

Viscount Pearl saw the patients along the wall with needles stuck into them and his eyelids twitched. "I knew Stone Tower Town had a new Watchman. This is our first meeting. I didn't expect you to know how to heal, and I certainly didn't expect you to be a foreigner."

The lady from Hongdu asked, "How did you come to be here? Did you attend a medical school?"

Lin Bo responded concisely. His words were few, and his Kening accent sounded exotic to the listeners.

A professor from the archaeology department in the group was fond of excitement and took the initiative to ask the Watchman for a check-up. Lin Bo felt his pulse, then asked with a smile, "You exercise frequently, don't you?"

The professor, in his prime, replied, "I just enjoy being close to nature often."

"Hmm. Your knees have some wear, there are old injuries to your lower back and ribs, your neck and shoulder muscles are quite stiff, and your fascia tissue has some adhesions."

"You can tell all that just by feeling my wrist?" the professor said, astonished.

"Was I wrong?"

"No, you are very accurate. I have indeed sustained many injuries during my expeditions, and they ache whenever it rains."

"What is there in Stone Tower Town worth exploring for you?"

"Some vague rumors. We are just trying our luck. If nothing comes of it, we'll consider it a trip."

Lin Bo took out a self-made needle-knife, pierced the professor's skin, and moved it to slice through the fascial adhesions. This therapy was unlike anything they had seen before. The professor endured the pain in silence, while the onlookers felt a shudder just watching the slender needle-knife moving beneath the skin, their faces pale with shock.

After the needle-knife therapy, it was as if a misaligned gear had been set right; the relief was immediate, and the old, hidden injuries were greatly improved. When the Watchman followed up with a massage, it felt as though every part of the professor's body had been renewed, leaving him feeling immensely refreshed in both body and mind.

"Doctor, I truly regret not meeting you sooner."

"If you had come to Stone Tower Town earlier, you still wouldn't have met me," Lin Bo said with a smile.

"Then it must be the Old One who guided me to be here at the right time," the professor said, his tone towards this fellow believer bordering on ingratiating.

Viscount Pearl and his party watched the professor, who now looked as if he were floating on air, and knew the Watchman was indeed a man of talent.

The lighthouse environment was not suitable for entertaining, so the lady from Hongdu invited Lin Bo to attend the evening banquet, clearly intending to get to know him better. Even Viscount Pearl, as the host, saw no impropriety in this; after all, this was a physician. However, the invitation was politely declined, as Lin Bo had plenty of reasons to be busy.

"What a pity. Then, let us say goodbye for now."

Viscount Pearl and his guests took their leave. Behind them, the *ding-a-ling* of the bell rang out, clear and bright. A few of them turned back to look; the Watchman was holding the iron bell, shaking it, the swaying steel glowing like a flame in the lamplight.

[Skill check successful...]

The proficiency check sounded as many times as there were people who looked back.

"What a fascinating man," the lady from Hongdu said, her tone lingering.

The archaeology professor flexed his loosened arm. "The lighthouse keeper must patrol the coast often. Perhaps he knows clues about sunken ancient coins. Let's find a private moment to ask him tomorrow or the day after."

"If we really find lost treasure, it would be a remarkable archaeological discovery. My thesis will be saved!" the lady said, her spirits soaring.

"More than that, perhaps you will even be hired by the university," the professor smiled.

The group chatted and laughed as they boarded their carriage, the wheels rolling away into the distance.