Ch 6 - Unknown Thieves

As soon as the change happened, Spectra felt a tingling sensation all over his body. Suddenly, his blood rushed faster, and the pleasant feeling turned cool and refreshing as his heart pounded rapidly.

Watching the attribute column, Spectra saw his strength increase from 0.5 to 0.45 At that moment, his muscles screamed in pain, and a powerful force surged from various parts of his body.

His arms, legs, and chest slightly expanded. Exhaling, Spectra felt the warmth of his breath.

The elder spoke again, advising them to combine the Secret Method with basic techniques for maximum impact. He emphasized the explosive potential at each stage.

"There are no shortcuts! Only hard work!" the elder exclaimed, satisfied by the students' response.

Everyone cheered, and the elder posted a paper before leaving.

Spectra's body bulged with energy, but he didn't feel cold. He relaxed, unnoticed by others caught up in excitement.

In the bustling hall, Erwin tapped Spectra's shoulder, asking how he felt.

"It's like a post-run feeling," Spectra replied eagerly.

Erwin, excited, shared similar sensations and discussed training benefits.

Encouraged, they decided to test their strength. Erwin led Spectra, Khairul, and Rodelisa to the courtyard.

Five sandbags awaited, labeled by weight. Students attempted, but none reached the white line.

Daris, a skilled fighter, took her turn but fell short.

Erwin managed 120 pounds easily, impressing the crowd. Spectra decided to try.

With three-quarters effort, Spectra hit 120 pounds, impressing Erwin.

Others, inspired, tried again, determined to improve.

Daris watched Spectra, wondering how he'd grown so quickly.

Spectra assessed his progress, noting Erwin's superior level. He anticipated further gains with continued training.

Leaving the ring content, Spectra took off his gloves and joined Erwin.

"I'll catch up to you soon, Senior Brother Erwin," Spectra remarked.

Erwin gave him a playful glare. "You're not the only one improving. Anyway, forget that. You need to head home for dinner, right? It's a long way to the city center. Don't get stuck without a ride."

"Yeah, I'll head out now." Spectra acknowledged the situation and exchanged greetings with two others as he left. He walked past the courtyard and exited the Martial Colosseum with a few fellow students.

The Silver Rod Dojo had branches in Huaishan City, but the main colosseum was on the outskirts, a distance from Oakwood Street where Spectra lived.

After struggling to find a carriage, Spectra and a female student shared one towards the city center. They sat quietly, Spectra resting with his eyes closed as the carriage clattered along the cobblestone road.

As they rode, Spectra noticed children celebrating Children's Day, carrying colorful boxes. "Oh, it's Children's Day today," he realized.

"It was yesterday, but some families celebrate it a day later to avoid crowds and keep it safer," the girl explained before turning back to her book.

Spectra dozed off but woke to the commotion outside. Looking out, he saw children playing as the carriage continued its journey.

A while later, they reached Mahogany Street, nearing Spectra's stop at Autumn.

"It's almost Autumn," the girl informed him.

Noticing the gray buildings and rows of candlenut trees, Spectra prepared to disembark.

The carriage stopped at the corner, and Spectra paid before heading towards Puffer Antiques.

Inside, he found the old man dozing at his desk. Ignoring him, Spectra went to the familiar spot where the Copper Tail Emblem lay.

Picking it up, Spectra assessed his potential in his Attribute Pane.

"You again?" the old man interrupted, teasing. "If you like it so much, why not buy it?"

"I'm trying to save up. Do you think I can afford it?" Spectra retorted, not facing him.

"Up to you. You make my shop lively anyway. But it's 10 bucks an hour."

"Fine, fine. You love money," Spectra chuckled.

After lingering over the emblem, Spectra left reluctantly, noting his slow potential increase.

"Take care of it. I'll be back," he promised.

"Sure, sure. You talk too much," the old man grumbled. "I'm closing up anyway."

"You're obsessed with money," Spectra teased before leaving.

Over the next weeks, Spectra balanced his academy routine with visits to the antique store. His potential steadily increased, though he pondered where to allocate his attribute points.

Meanwhile, his relationship with his sister seemed strained, with her becoming more distant.

As midterms approached, Spectra prepared lightly, knowing his focus lay elsewhere.

One afternoon, Spectra walked along Autumn Street, lost in thought. He headed to the antique store, eager to continue his routine.

The man looked around 40 years old, sporting a neat little mustache above his lips. His face had a mature air about it. He wore a black top hat and a long black trench coat that reached down to his ankles. What caught Spectra's eye was the black pipe he held, puffing on it patiently with a frown on his face, occasionally releasing white fog from his nostrils.

Next to him stood a very pretty woman, possibly in her twenties or thirties, with light blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. She exuded elegance and cleanliness, her white trench coat spotless. With her delicate, beautiful face, she seemed professional, decisive, and straightforward.

Spectra's arrival went unnoticed by the three people in the room. He walked softly until he reached the old man's side and listened in.

"...The time of the crime should be last night. We'll have to deduce the exact time based on the evidence at the scene," the man said, rubbing his chin.

"That's correct," the old man replied in a low voice. "That's all I know. I've told you everything. Oh, this is one of my regular customers, Spectra."

The man glanced at Spectra, then nodded. "Can I ask you a few questions?"

"Sure, no problem," Spectra replied quickly.

The man asked Spectra about the shop's condition the previous night before wandering around with the woman in white.

Old Man Gregor was on the floor, picking up scattered old books, quietly cursing the thief.

"Old man, you were robbed?" Spectra kneeled to help.

At the mention of "robbed," wrinkles on Old Man Gregor's face twisted. "I wasn't feeling well today, so I decided to only open in the afternoon. You know me, I wasn't opening just for you. Who would've thought, as soon as I walked in, I saw..."

The old man and the young man got along strangely well, forgetting their age difference when they chatted, forming a cross-generational friendship. Spectra felt warm inside. He knew the old man was fine and had been for days. The old man always opened the shop for him in the afternoon before his visit and closed right after he left. He didn't care about money at all. He knew Spectra only came to see the emblem, so he opened the shop exclusively for him.

Old Man Gregor was too lonely. He wanted something to kill time, and perhaps bickering with Spectra was one of the most interesting parts of his day.

"What's missing?" Spectra suddenly worried, remembering the Copper Tail Emblem.

"Some things, including the Copper Tail Emblem you like," the old man confirmed Spectra's fears.

"Damn!" Spectra's expression changed. "Are you sure it's lost?" Then he remembered something and suggested, "Maybe you missed a spot when you searched. The emblem is small. It could be hiding in a corner somewhere." He quickly cheered up.

"No need to search again. The emblem is lost," the old man shook his head. "I searched everywhere before you came..."

Spectra fell silent. The emblem was crucial for him to improve his potential. He had searched all over Huaishan City, and the Copper Tail Emblem was the only thing with the potential for him to absorb. Now that his sole source of improvement was lost, the perfect life and bright future Spectra had planned suddenly darkened.

"Who are those two?"

"They're federal detectives investigating the serial thief case: Damien Silvers and Miss Selene. They're here to help solve the case," the old man whispered to Spectra.

Crimes in this world are usually solved by detectives. Famous detectives and policemen had the right to investigate crime scenes immediately after crimes were committed. Since most cases were solved by detectives, famous detectives had a high societal ranking.

Spectra nodded and watched as Damien Silvers and Selene negotiated with a strong-looking man in black at the end of the street. Spectra squinted his eyes, assessing the man's combat level.

"Is that Damien Silvers's friend?" He gestured toward the sturdy man.

The old man peeked in the direction. "Yep, that's the friend. He was here earlier."

Spectra nodded, comparing the man's body language and aura to his own.

"Based on his body type and aura, he's likely an ordinary adult with above-average strength, probably trained in military combat and possibly special explosive techniques."

Spectra focused on his skill panel, contemplating his next move.