Fourth update, where are those monthly tickets? ... “Hello there, lovely ladies, would you care for a story?” In a secluded, open-plan manor, several elegantly dressed young noblewomen sat enjoying wine and pastries, their laughter soft and light. Just then, a handsome, dashing youth approached them, greeting them with warm enthusiasm. “It’s you again. What good tale have you brought us today?” The noblewomen clearly knew the youth well, asking with smiles. “I have countless stories, but before I begin tonight’s tale, let me tell you about a dream I had last night…” The youth chuckled heartily. “It was quite an interesting dream. Essentially, a huge, thick, black snake suddenly appeared, dove into the sea, and then plunged like a sharp sword into the very center of a half-eaten apple. It then transformed into a handgun and furiously began firing bullets inside. Do any of you know what this dream signifies?” “Oh my! What a dreadful dream…” The noblewomen blushed, scolding him playfully.

More than an hour later, the youth, through his compelling style and exceptional vocal mimicry, had completely captivated these lonely, beautiful noblewomen. He then departed gleefully, pocketing more than ten gold coins. As for the youth’s identity, it was, of course, Lin Luo… Oh, don’t misunderstand; there was nothing inappropriate in the preceding account. Lin Luo had simply told a few humorous, risqué stories that enriched the inner worlds of the noblewomen, who were ignorant of profound literature, thus earning his deserved reward. There was absolutely no sordid or physically intimate transaction involved.

Having decided to become a Puppeteer, Lin Luo certainly wouldn't waste any time. He diligently studied the manual on puppet making given to him by the middle-aged man. While the manual contained nothing truly groundbreaking—just basic methods for constructing puppets, including some alchemy—it was of little use to an established Puppeteer. However, for a complete novice like Lin Luo, there was nothing better.

Basics. For a beginner, these are paramount.

For an ordinary person, grasping these fundamentals would take at least a year, and that would be an optimistic estimate. But Lin Luo was different. He mastered every basic skill in less than a week, even managing to draw inferences and gain deeper insights.

Though his speed was bordering on the miraculous, it was entirely understandable. After all, he was once a Sky-tier expert, and in his past life, a Heaven Beyond Heaven powerhouse. Even though his strength was gone, his experience and comprehension abilities remained. Moreover, puppet crafting is a branch of alchemy, and whether in martial arts, demon arts, or alchemy, many paths converge. Thus, in terms of the speed of progress, even a Master Artisan would pale in comparison to him—a mere firefly next to the brilliant moon. They weren't even on the same level.

With the theoretical knowledge acquired, the next step was naturally practice. Here, he encountered a crucial hurdle that was incredibly difficult to overcome: Money!

Although Lin Luo, with his skills as a Minstrel, could easily support himself, using that income to fund puppet making was somewhat impractical. The most immediate issue was materials; even the crudest puppets required components—one couldn't simply fashion them from thin air, after all.

Then there were the tools. Crafting excellent puppets demanded specialized instruments. One couldn't possibly perform intricate carving and detailing with fingernails! Furthermore, the scarcity of Puppeteers nowadays meant these professional tools were rare, virtually nonexistent in the open market—except in the black market. Of course, some wealthy nobles maintained collections as well.

Finally, there was the venue. Puppet making required absolute concentration, utterly intolerant of interruptions; a quiet, spacious location was indispensable.

In summary, though Lin Luo's progress appeared rapid, he was actually struggling every step of the way. In one sentence: attempting to build something from scratch, with nothing to start with, requires far more than just making a resolution.

He wouldn't steal or rob, nor did he possess a knack for business. Forget everything else; just acquiring the raw materials for puppet making was an astronomical sum to Lin Luo right now.

This indirectly made Lin Luo understand why so many Puppeteers sold their creations to wealthy patrons: they needed money! Without sufficient financial backing, how could they construct the puppets of their ideals? After all, countless materials were invariably wasted during the crafting process.

Lin Luo knew this instinctively, without needing practical experience.

Fortunately, while Lin Luo lacked a business mind, after a period of careful consideration, he did find a viable avenue… the very noblewomen he had spent time amusing with idle chat about flowers and gossip.

These ladies possessed abundant disposable income but were profoundly empty inside. By catering to their tastes, securing some funds from them wouldn't be difficult—Lin Luo’s vibrant storytelling, for example. A grown man must be flexible when necessary; such work was hardly shameful for him.

Lin Luo still maintained some decorum. Given his appearance and eloquence, if he were willing to sell his body to carouse with these noblewomen, the money earned would easily surpass his storytelling earnings tenfold or a hundredfold. He could even have materials and tools delivered to him without lifting a finger, as several lonely noblewomen had already sent him suggestive glances.

However, he ultimately disdained that path. That was an entirely different matter from earning money by telling stories.

With dozens of gold coins, plus what he had earned previously, Lin Luo could finally purchase the first batch of materials needed for puppet making. He immediately rushed to the shop he had arranged beforehand. As for tools, one of the noblewomen who enjoyed his stories happened to collect Puppeteer implements, and he had sweetly talked her into parting with them. Though the quality wasn't superb, given his current skill level, there was no need to demand perfection in his tools. Buying from the black market would have incurred a hefty expense, so these were sufficient for the time being.

The last requirement, the workshop, was no issue at all; it had been secured days ago.

And so, he arrived at the shop. After half an hour of haggling that left the shopkeeper looking pale with frustration, Lin Luo finally departed, contentedly carrying four large wooden crates toward four different residences… Fortunately, the materials weren't excessively heavy; otherwise, moving them alone would have been impossible. Even so, he struggled considerably with the load.

Lin Luo resided near the slums, which, despite the poor environment, offered relative quiet—and most importantly, cheap rent. Now, whatever he did, money was his primary consideration… How vulgar!

He had initially felt some apprehension living in such an area. People in the slums often included tough characters, and if someone decided to act on greed, he currently lacked the confidence to fend them off. However, the city’s public security was decent, and he had spent days observing, meticulously calculating escape routes and survival measures. Generally, unless the entire slum erupted in revolt or Heaven itself intended his demise, he should be fine.

“Huh?” After painstakingly carrying the heavy boxes to the door of a two-story shack, Lin Luo set the crates down to catch his breath before climbing the stairs. He noticed a slovenly youth crouched in the corner by the wall, appearing to be around fourteen or fifteen. His clothes were ragged, his face smeared with dirt, and his naturally beautiful blonde hair was tangled and filthy.

Why is a slum urchin over here?

Lin Luo instantly recognized the boy as a resident of the ‘neighboring’ area, muttering under his breath. In the next moment, he dismissed the thought and bent down to lift the boxes. There were countless beggars in the world; he couldn't save them all. He wasn't a savior. Even if the boy looked pitiful, with his own future uncertain, he couldn't afford to worry about others right now.

But just as he lifted the boxes to head upstairs, the youth raised his head. Contrary to his ragged exterior, he possessed surprisingly clear eyes, bright as spring water from an ancient well, which looked remarkably comforting. This stirred a hint of compassion in Lin Luo.

Forget it. Encountering him now felt like fate. Besides, he wouldn't cost much. I’ll just treat it as hiring a helper.

“Hey, kid, take these.” Lin Luo immediately walked over to the youth and handed him two of the crates.

The youth, perhaps accustomed to being ordered around, reflexively stood up and took them.

Lin Luo lifted the remaining two boxes and started upstairs. After just a few steps, he noticed the youth remained rooted to the spot, wearing a vacant expression. He barked, “What are you waiting for? Come on up!”

The youth seemed to suddenly understand, his eyes lighting up. He quickly followed, carrying the boxes.

A moment later, they reached the second floor and Lin Luo opened the door to a bare room. Save for a table and a cabinet, it held almost nothing. Lin Luo began unpacking the boxes without turning around, saying, “Go wash up in the bathroom next door. There are clean clothes in there. Then come see me.”

The youth didn't speak, only nodding once. He set down the boxes and entered the adjacent room, from which the splashing sound of washing water soon emerged.

Since it wasn't a girl, Lin Luo didn't pay much attention, focusing entirely on unpacking the materials.

The materials were light and reasonably sturdy, but for safety, Lin Luo handled them with extreme care, terrified of breaking something and losing a significant amount of money. Time passed, and just as he finished removing all the contents unharmed, a voice spoke from behind him.

“Master, I’m finished washing.”

“Mm, just wait there for a moment… Huh?” Lin Luo started to reply casually but trailed off, suddenly sensing something was amiss.

Strange. The person I brought upstairs should have been a boy, so why is that a girl's voice?

Lin Luo immediately turned around, and the scene before him nearly made him spit up blood.