<h4>Chapter 28: Chapter28-The Invitation</h4>


    John swallowed, feeling an inexplicable tension. This nervous excitement was like finally meeting the girl of your dreams after a long and arduous journey, filled with both anticipation and anxiety.


    "Mentor?"


    "Let me calm down and prepare myself first..."


    Taking a deep breath, John steadied his breathing.


    He walked slowly to the crate, extending his hand to gently touch the surface of the ellipsoid. In the next moment, a line of text appeared before his eyes.


    [Golem Core VI]


    Quality: [Epic]


    Item Effect: [Drives golem operations.]


    Item Description: [Though this is an old model, it still functions perfectly. It was retired only because it was too bulky and inconvenient to carry.]


    Yes!


    Reading the item''s description, John''s heart pounded faster, and his breathing grew rapid.


    He hadn''t dared to hope too much, merely asking Fara to try his luck.


    John had almost given up, thinking he would have to wait until he found a moreplete Marite Alchemist''s manual or simr item.


    But here it was, a [Golem Core], right before his eyes!


    With this [Golem Core], repairing the [Golem Remains] was now a possibility!


    "Fara, how can I ever thank you..."


    "Mentor, I''m your apprentice. There''s no need for thanks between us. I''m already happy that you''re willing to teach me alchemy. Besides, I want to see what it looks like when a golem, which only exists in records,es back to life."


    Fara had spent nearly all her savings, almost 200,000 silver coins, to buy this [Golem Core] from a collector. But she believed it was worth it.


    As a merchant and, more importantly, as John''s apprentice, she understood the immense value of the word "Alchemist."


    If she could learn alchemy, all her initial investments would be worthwhile.


    She would have the right to return to Everglow, to her family, and im what was rightfully hers.


    And those things were worth far more than 300,000 silver coins!


    "Mentor, I''ll leave you to it. Good luck!"


    "Yes, good luck!"


    After storing the [Golem Core] in his yer''s inventory, John returned to the room to share his joy with everyone.


    "Your apprentice, Miss Fara, really respects you," Helena remarked, gazing at the [Golem Core], itsplexity rivaling that of precision instruments. "You''re quite fortunate. If you can repair this [Golem Remains], its value will be immeasurable."


    "Rather than its value, I''m more interested in itsbat capabilities. Can it live up to its extravagant worth? Honestly, John, once you fix it, can I give it a try?"


    "Stop dreaming. What if you break it? Until I can create a [Golem Core] myself, the golem can only be used in crucial battles. If it gets damaged, the loss would be enormous."


    John''s immediate rejection left Exiled Immortal a bit disappointed.


    "Alright, since the core issue of driving the golem is solved, let''s put the wild BOSS hunt on hold and focus on repairing the golem. If we seed, ourbat strength will significantly increase. As for the internal matters of Pioneer Squad, Helena, let me know once you''ve made a decision."


    "I understand. If there''s anything else you need help with, just ask."


    Seeing Johnpletely absorbed in the [Golem Core], Helena gave a wry smile and prepared to leave.


    Having spent so much time with John, they hade to understand his personality.


    When he found something that interested him, he would throw himself into it entirely.


    Staying would only make John resent them for being unhelpful.


    So, Lily also quietly left without disturbing him further.


    ...


    The room fell silent once more as John began examining the internal structure of the [Golem Core].


    After a thorough inspection, he was astonished to discover the intricate mechanisms hidden within the two-meter-diameter ellipsoid.


    To support a nearly one-ton steel behemoth, the [Golem Core], in John''s eyes, did not entirely fall outside the realm of technology.


    Using his alchemical insight, John realized that this itembined advanced technology with the world''s alchemy and magic, resulting in a design that was both ingenious and cutting-edge.


    The preciseponents and intricate connecting rods left John dizzy.


    However, figuring out how to activate the ellipsoid became John''s immediate challenge.


    "Perhaps I should use chant essence? Hmm... It seems only pure mana can get it running."


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the Pioneer Squad base.


    Qing threw a punch, his straight fist striking swiftly and powerfully, the force of it generating explosive sounds in the air.


    As an extreme power-type yer, Qing embodied the essence of brute strength, enhanced by his talent.


    His SS talent [Roar of Ares] had the effect of increasing all attributes by 2% each time he was attacked inbat, stacking up to ten times.


    This meant that when Qing''s talent was fully stacked, he gained a 20% boost to all attributes.


    Compared to Exiled Immortal''s [Windwhisper] and Lily''s [Affinity], Qing''s talent exemplified simplicity and raw power to the fullest! As a [Warrior], Qing naturally had high [Attack] and high [Stamina], making him, with the added boost from his talent, unquestionably the strongest yer in direct confrontations.


    In private, Exiled Immortal and Qing often sparred, engaging in friendly practice matches.


    When Qing''s talent wasn''t fully stacked, Exiled Immortal could barely manage to entangle him using his own talent. However, once Qing reached his peakbat state, Exiled Immortal couldn''t withstand his monstrous strength unless he remained airborne the entire time.


    A few days ago, Qing made an incredibly bold move by soloing the Basilisk dungeon, emerging victorious with only minor injuries, demonstrating his terrifyingbat prowess. However, his impressive physical strength seemed toe at the expense of his mental acuity.


    Recently, he had been feeling quite agitated. After smashing a wooden stake into splinters with a powerful blow, Qing sat down on a stump, wiping the sweat from his forehead and breathing heavily.


    "You came all this way. Why note over?"


    Draining an entire jug of warm water in one gulp, Qing continued, "Lawrence, you''re here about that thing we talked about, right?"


    "You didn''t give me a clear answerst time, just said you''d think about it. So, what have you decided?"


    "I''m not doing it. I''m not interested in your sneaky schemes, and I don''t want to get involved. I joined Pioneer Squad because of Big Sister''s charisma and her talent, which always keeps me a step ahead. Look at what Pioneer Squad has be now. Take Yuta, for example. Just now, I wanted to smash his head in. He''s nothing but a stray dog who thinks he''s the master."


    "That''s not entirely true. Yuta can be quite useful in certain ways."


    Lawrence approached with a smile, unbothered by Qing''s sweaty state, and sat down next to him. "We''ve both seen Helena''s strength. Her talent alone isn''t enough to control Pioneer Squad. The squad will only continue to grow. If we let it develop wildly like before, it will lead to its downfall. More and more, this ce feels like the real world, just with swords and magic. Only the strong can set the rules, and we are the strong ones."


    "With your strength and my intelligence, we can make Pioneer Squad the most powerful mercenary group. Helena''spassion is a burden holding us back."


    As Lawrence spoke, he took out a majestic, purple-quality war halberd, its ck body glinting with a sharp edge, and ced it before Qing.


    "So, why not consider working with me?"