《Constructing-Style Wizard》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Preface updating daily with a guaranteed 5000 words, going as high as 10000. have ample stored drafts, continuous updates, no leaves, an exemplary author. welcome readers to follow! thank you! Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Land of suffering prologue: people think suffering makes one stronger, but in reality, most are tormented by suffering to the point of disfigurement. they are weakened, disabled, barely hanging onto life, until they die. shh, dont rush to act yet. lets confirm the guards patrol route once more. in the noisy train, someone was whispering, conspiring about something. noland lees vision was pitch black, his eyelids as heavy as if they were filled with lead. no matter how hard he tried, he couldnt lift his upper eyelids, let alone open his eyes to see who was murmuring beside him. whats going on am i not in my own home? why can i hear the sound of the train wheels and strangers talking? oh, i remember now. i stayed up too late last night and fell asleep at the table before closing my computer. the sounds of the train and conversation must be coming from the sound system. noland lees senses were slowly recovering. the pungent smell of cheap tobacco entered his nose, causing it to itch. however, as his body was unresponsive and he couldnt move his limbs, noland lee could only silently endure the discomfort. meanwhile, the swaying sensation of the moving train became much clearer. noland lee could feel the vibrations of the wheels rolling over stones. the subtle details felt so real that it instantly overturned noland lees previous assumption. am i not at home?! noland lee was shocked. he tried again to lift his eyelids but still couldnt open his eyes. considering the whispers he heard earlier, a disconcerting thought popped into his head.. was he kidnapped? but these days, even buying a ticket for a green-skin train requires an id. which kidnapper would abandon a car and transport a person on a train instead? wait what did that guy say earlier? confirm the guards patrol route again? shouldnt it be a service staff or security guard? also, this persons language was unfamiliar, unlike any that noland lee knew, yet he could understand it effortlessly. noland lee took a deep breath, had he time-traveled? get ready to act, the person who had spoken earlier whispered again: watch the guard on the left side. when he passes us, trip him up, and ill break the window. be quick, or well be shot. the person speaking was sitting on noland lees left, next to the window. as soon as his voice faded, another mans voice came from nolands right hand position by the aisle: bro, wait, this kids eyes are moving. he seems to be waking up. was the drug you gave him enough? did he hear our plan? dont worry about him. he wont wake up anytime soon. he must be dreaming. i poured all the sleeping powder i brought secretly into his water glass. this dosage will keep him asleep until we reach the korabo legions base. korabo legion whoever wants to go can go. we brothers wont. id rather jump off the train and die than go to that ghost place shh, the guard is coming. get ready the voices on either side fell silent. noland lee heard their heavy breathing and the increasingly closer footsteps. with each step the approaching guard took, the wooden floor let out a grating noise that made ones ears itch. this noise irritated noland lee, so he forced himself to calm down, his mind racing. what he can confirm now is: he must have time-traveled, and it was a soul-based travel. the body he occupies now was right between two people who wanted to jump off the train. the headache and weakness, the inability to open his eyes, were all caused by the so-called sleeping powder. the two people who were conspiring apparently drugged someone else on the same train because they didnt want to go to some korabo legion. noland lee could only feel a wave of helplessness. what should he do now? if these two failed to escape, would he be implicated? sin soldier noland lee jarvis, lift your head! the guard stopped beside noland lees row of seats, lifting his chin with the iron rod in his hand: sin soldier noland lee jarvis, did you hear me? lift your head and open your eyes. noland lees heart raced as he struggled to lift his eyelids, finally peering through a hazy slit to see the scene in front of him. it was an old, wooden carriage with a cracked surface and heavily peeling dark red paint. a yellowed, glass-covered chandelier hung from the ceiling, swaying left and right as the carriage trembled. the dim light barely illuminated the guards face in front of him. it was a typical western face, not very pleasant-looking. scruffy beard, yellowish whites of the eyes, a cigarette with glowing embers in his mouth, and yellow-brown teeth exhaling a strong odor of smoke as he spoke. what did this guy just call me? sin soldier noland lees heart sank; this was not a good title. the body he occupied had seemingly gotten into serious trouble sin soldier noland lee jarvis, open your eyes and speak! the guard rudely flicked noland lees eyelids open and examined his eyes under the light. his eyes were lifeless, reacting weakly to the light, and contracting very little. report! theres something wrong with sin soldier noland lee jarvis! the guard shouted towards the front of the carriage: theres unidentified white powder at the corners of his mouth! it looks like hes been drugged! clatter, clatter, clatter several footsteps approached from afar as multiple guards hurried from the distant carriages. the breathing from both sides of noland lee suddenly grew several times heavier. the two would-be escapees simultaneously let out a low cry: now! crash! the glass was shattered by a hard object, letting a bone-chilling cold wind into the carriage. ill take you all on! aaahhh! the man near the aisle pushed the guard in front of him, stumbling and shouting: you wouldnt have caught us if it wasnt for that traitor downstairs! you want to send us to the korabo legion to be cannon fodder? pah! ill go back and skin that traitor alive! the man began fighting with the guard. the man who smashed the window urged anxiously: the windows open! quick, jump off the train! the front door of the carriage was kicked open by the incoming guards: dont run! lie down! well shoot you right here! the man grappling with the guard roared as he rushed to the front of the carriage: bro! you go on! ill hold them off! you saved me so many times! let me save you for once! a stifled sob came from the man at the windows throat. just as he was about to crawl out of the window, two gunshots abruptly brought the commotion to a halt. bang! bang! the sudden gunfire made noland lees brow furrow, and his ears rang incessantly. it seemed some blood droplets splattered onto his face, warm yet chilling with the fading of life. drag these two bastards to the front and search their bodies properly. the guard who fired the shots spoke indifferently, regarding the lives of sin soldiers as merely pigs or dogs. chief officer, what do we do with sin soldier noland lee jarvis? the guard who examined noland lee panted. the guard who fired the shots grabbed noland lees hair, making him tilt his head back, then pinched his chin, turning his face left and right: such bad luck the higher-ups will be here to inspect soon the guard let go of noland lee, urging: take him to the carriage in the back and find an unoccupied single compartment to put him in. lock the door and dont let him out oh, if the chief officer asks why theres one less person here, say that sin soldier noland lee jarvis got severely carsick, and we moved him to the back so he could throw up without dirtying the carriage. yes, chief officer. noland lee felt himself being lifted and carried, slowly moving in the swaying carriage. muttered curses echoed from behind him: cant these sin soldiers have some self-awareness? still trying to run after coming to the suffering borderland? where to? this place is all ruins, with nothing but the imperial army and the disgusting undead everywhere! even if they could run, theres nowhere to go! dying on the train would be a mercy for them noland lee frowned slightly as he listened. suffering borderland, cannon fodder, undead the situation was indeed terrible Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: 2. Deconstruct Everything noland lee woke up leisurely in the narrow single room after some time. the fog in his mind quickly receded, and his vision became clear and bright. outside the window, gloomy gray clouds accumulated overhead, tinting the sunlight a dilapidated gray-white. the ground was covered with collapsed stone house ruins and sharp-edged rocks. in the shadowy areas where the sunlight could not reach, sneaky dark shadows silently appeared and lingered. inside the carriage, the worn green leather seat revealed its yellowed cotton stuffing, while a yellowed bulb on the ceiling emitted a faint dim light. the damp air was mixed with a choking smell of cigarettes. i really traveled this seems to be a world with a lower level of technology noland lee rubbed his eyes and slowly exhaled the breath he had been holding in, looking at the scene inside and outside the carriage. just as he acknowledged his situation, a faint electric current materialized in his head, swinging back and forth between the left and right sides of his brain. an ethereal pendulum-like pattern quickly formed before his eyes. noland lees pupils dilated slightly, and his breathing stagnated. the oscillation amplitude of the pendulum gradually increased, dragging out a connected afterimage that finally formed a fan-shaped system interface. the information stream composed purely of characters appeared on the simple white system interface. [detected that you have completely awakened, the deconstruction core system starts initializing] [initialization progress 1%2%] deconstruction core? noland lee raised his eyebrows. according to the basic rule of crossing, a traveler either possesses a plug-in or has a foreknowledge ability to foresee the world where they have traveled to. so the appearance of the current system interface did not surprise noland lee too much. but why is his plug-in the deconstruction core system? he was sure that he had not come across anything called this before crossing. however, various game modifiers and bizarre software were abundant on his computer. [system initialization completed, the exclusive skill deconstruction has been unlocked for you.] [deconstruction: after you designate an item with your gaze, thoughts, or any part of your body, you can consume a certain amount of energy points to deconstruct it. you will obtain the deconstruction result of the item. the more energy points invested, the more detailed the deconstruction result.] this text hovered on the system interface, with no additional content appearing afterward. noland lee habitually scratched his head, feeling a bit strange. before crossing, every system in the online novels he had read basically had a panel displaying the hosts body data. but this deconstruction core system, why wasnt there such a panel? moreover, his system interface was quite bare; except for the introduction of deconstruction, there were no other buttonsfunctions like lottery, sign-in, shopping mall, etc., all did not appear. at a glance, this system in his hands seemed a bit too minimalist noland lee contemplated for a little while, then suddenly had a thought. it seemed that he knew how to activate the personal panel function. noland lee looked at his hands, focused his attention on his palms, and silently recited in his heart: activate deconstruction and deconstruct myself. [system message: you are about to use deconstruction on yourself. it is estimated that consuming 1 point of energy can make the completion of the deconstruction result reach 100%. confirm to proceed with the deconstruction?] as i thought to obtain my personal panel, i just need to use deconstruction on myself. noland lee slowly nodded his head and silently recited, confirm. at this moment, he felt a brief daze, similar to yawning when drowsiness suddenly hit. his vision completed the process of changing from clear to blurry, then from blurry back to clear in just one second. at the same time, a rapidly filling progress bar appeared on the system interface, followed by a new sub-interfaceexactly the personal panel that noland lee had been expecting. [name]noland lee jarvis (reno jarvis)] [species]organic natural humans [identity1]sin soldier affiliated with: tatis empire, intelligence department 4, korabo mercenary corps identity description: enlist with a guilty status, perform meritorious services with a wearing guilt identity, and exchange military merit for a legal status. after completing three corps tasks, your sin soldier identity will be removed, and you will gain the identity of a korabo mercenary corps soldier. identity effect: you do not enjoy the citizen rights of the tatis empire. when interacting socially with any character from the tatis empire for the first time, their initial evaluation of you will be negative. however, if you can properly display your charm, the evaluation others have of you will be quickly revised. [identity2]debtor your current personal debt scale is 3.11 million new solon currency. this figure is enough to purchase a luxurious mansion with a garden and pool on the empires capital main avenue. or spend two whole years in luxury clubs, drinking and dreaming. [attributes] (numbers in parentheses represent the average values for adult men in the tatis empire.) toughness: 11 (15) this value represents your physical fitness and is related to resilience, endurance, and toxin resistance. agility: 13 (16) this value represents your mobility and is related to evasion speed, reaction speed, and flexibility. spirit: 15 (5) this value represents your mental power level and is related to willpower, mystical learning receptivity, abstract thinking ability, etc. Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: 2. Deconstruct Everything_2 the illiteracy rate in the tatis empire is as high as 60%. you, with your extensive knowledge, are a rare scholar among many. charm: 21 (7) before you come into contact with certain extraordinary factors, this value only relates to your personal image and temperament. the higher the value, the better or worse the impression you leave on people you interact with. the specifics depend on your relationship and interest alignment. [energy points] 14/15 your spirit attribute is 15 points. this means that the speed of your energy recovery is 15 points every 24 hours. [blood volume] immeasurable you are entirely organic. your blood volume cannot be displayed in data terms. however, your blood volume is similar to that of an average adult male, with nothing particularly unique. [soul strength] 2 points you have absorbed the soul of the original master noland lee jarvis. your soul strength is double that of an average adult. this attribute is basically useless until you learn how to consume soul strength. [skills] active skills: deconstruction, highest level. decompose anything you want to decompose, and you will get the answer. of course, the premise is that you have enough energy points. passive skills: none. scholarly skills: tatis modern mathematics, level 5, equivalent to the graduation level of city colleges moderate acumen. tatis modern literature, level 6, equivalent to the graduation level of city colleges moderate acumen. tatis empire history, level 15, equivalent to the graduation level of city colleges high acumen. archaeology, level 8, equivalent to the practical level of a city college history assistant teacher. (this panel will be updated synchronously as more scholarly skills and knowledge are mastered) noland lee read his personal panel from beginning to end, admitting in his heart that he was indeed a weak history student. the memories of the original master are stored in his mind. as long as he spots certain keywords, a memory fragment belonging to the original master will pop up from the depths of his mind. just by reading his personal panel like this, several memory fragments automatically began playing in his mind. noland lee has figured out the rough course of events. the original master had a formal job as an assistant teacher of tatis history at a city college. its precisely because the original master studied and researched history that noland lee has a tatis empire history skill of up to level 15 and an archaeology skill of level 8 and now, he, a person engaged in teaching history, is going to become a sinner in the suffering borderland how is this different from sending him to his death? as noland lee placed his hand on his forehead and sighed silently, a glance at the debt scale on his personal panel made his eye twitch violently. a personal debt of 3.11 million new solon currency this was too agonizing, too unbearable the original masters father was a dealer with a business group. he signed a big value distribution contract and needed to go to another city to expand the market. during the relocation to the new city with his goods and family, a disastrous car accident occurred. the original masters parents, brother, and sister, all died in the car accident. only the original master survived because he was in a different location. the goods waiting to be sold were all damaged in the car accident. due to the distribution contract, the dealer had to take responsibility for the damaged goods. after all the property of the original masters parents was compensated to the business group, there was still a significant financial gap. this financial gap, under the operation of laws such as the empires debt law, became a heavy debt. indeed, in the empire called tatis, like personal assets, personal debts are inherited by direct relatives after death. while one can choose to inherit assets or not, debts are compulsory to inherit. since almost all of the original masters family had died, the debt naturally fell on him. oh, no, to be more precise, it should be on my head. noland lee shook his head and sighed. speaking of which, this tatis empire really is peculiar. for serious criminals, the punishment isnt just a bullet to the head. their approach to disputes arising from debt issues has its unique methods too. when an individual is clearly unable to repay his debt, his citizenship rights will be forcibly taken away, reduced to a mere sin soldier, and sent off to the suffering borderland along with many other convicts to serve as fodder for the guns. now, noland lee was in precisely this situation. the suffering borderland, it certainly wasnt a pleasant place. it was the intersection of three forces. it lies to the west of the tatis empires western border and south of the golden federations southern borderline, east of the undead cults eastern narrow pass. the tatis empire and the golden federation belonged to the camp of the living, while the undead cult was the realm of the lost souls. life and death, its just like water and fire. the clash of the two invariably gives rise to intense conflict. usually, death is the end of life. every time a living being dies, it adds strength to the camp of the lost souls. therefore, the camp of the living naturally stands at a disadvantage when facing the camp of the lost souls. this was the the case in the suffering borderland: the undead cult held an absolute advantage, occupying more than eighty percent of the territory in the boundary, which includes large areas of surface land and nearly all of the underground caves. the living could only establish military fortresses on land and periodically clear the surrounding territories to contain the growth and spread of the lost souls influence. in this unfamiliar suffering borderland, the only thing noland lee could rely on at the moment was the deconstruction technique provided by the deconstruction core system. he had to plan his energy points well, not wasting them on deconstructing insignificant items. only things that could change ones life, trigger a transformation, or provide skills and knowledge are worth consuming energy points for deconstruction. then, what kind of things meet this criterion? noland lee touched his cheek gently, wiping away the dried filthy blood. he propped himself up on his arms, shifting from his half reclining position to a sitting one. the car window reflected a haggard young face, pale with high cheekbones and deep-set eyes. these eyes glistened with a crystal ice blue hue. the hard yet soft lines on the face made this male face quite handsome, albeit steeped in a gloom hard to dispel. temporarily ignoring this face that was both strange and familiar, noland lee fixed his eyes on the bleak view outside the window. under the dim sunlight, the ruins were full of broken furniture, furtive rats, broken gun barrels, and many horrifying bone remnants. all of these things could be deconstructed using the deconstruction technique, with the required energy point consumption ranging from 1 to dozens of points. he estimated that the deconstruction result should be similar to the personal panel an introduction to the specific parameters of the item. looking upwards, where the thick clouds covered the starry sky and the sun, noland lee curiously murmured, deconstruct cloud layer. the system feedback message was somewhat beyond his expectations. the cloud layer could actually be deconstructed [system message: you are about to launch a deconstruction technique on the abnormal cloud layer. every 1000 energy points consumed is estimated to improve the degree of deconstruction by 1%. confirm deconstruction?] [warning, your current energy points are insufficient, deconstruction technique will not get any results.] abnormal clouds could it be that these clouds didnt form naturally? just for 1% degree of deconstruction, it requires consumption of 1000 energy points i wonder what kind of deconstruction result deconstructing the clouds will yield noland lee furrowed his brow in thought. just then, heavy footsteps were heard from the narrow hallway outside his room. somebody stood in front of the rooms door, pulling the door open with his hand. the same cigar-smoking yellow-toothed guard from before appeared before noland lee. youre finally awake, sin soldier noland lee jarvis. dont idle either, cooperate with me for a statement, he said. the guard entered the small room, shutting the door behind him, locking the two of them inside. Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: 3. A cigarette butt name? the guard sat across from noland lee, asking without lifting his head. a yellowed notebook lay open on the table in front of him. noland lee jarvis. age? twenty-one. the guard flicked his ink pen at the floor, scribbling some words carelessly in the notebook: ah, you can speak fluently already and without any confusion in your consciousness. it seems that the severe vomiting and diarrhea didnt damage your brain. vomiting and diarrhea? noland lee was slightly taken aback. yes, vomiting and diarrhea. the guard glanced at noland lee, a warning in his gaze: if anyone asks what happened on the carriage, you only have these few words, got it? vomiting and diarrhea. the guards on the train must be afraid of someone leaking that sleeping powder was brought onboard. it was an unexpected incident with potentially big or small consequences. it all depended on how the informant handled it. beneath the eaves, noland lee honestly replied: yes, vomiting and diarrhea. good. the guard nodded in satisfaction, pinching the cigarette in his mouth with his fingers, flicking ash into the ashtray on the table before moving it back and taking a hard drag. as he exhaled a cloud of smoke towards the ceiling, he lamented: if only all the sin soldiers were as honest as you. it would save us a lot of trouble. cleaning up blood, sweeping glass fragments, and fixing windows; i was almost outdone by the trouble those two bastards caused. the guard wrote a few more words and continued talking to himself, seemingly treating this task of taking a statement as a rare break. why do you think those two sons of bitches wanted to escape through the window? did they think they could escape from the suffering borderland just because they dug up a few graves and sold some illegal tomb artifacts in south capital province? what delusional fools seeing the guard in a good mood and wanting to pry some information, noland lee timely asked: chief officer, according to you, are those two tomb raiders? the guards eyes lit up at being called chief officer and his liking for noland lee increased. he grinned: heh, tomb raiders? they are far more skilled than ordinary tomb raiders; they are tomb-robbing masters with some fame in the illegal forces of south capital province. the guard took a drag of his cigarette: i dont know the specifics. all i know is that these two are very good at stealing artifacts from ancient graves and have never failed. they are well-versed in tomb mechanisms and the obscure ancient tatis language. if it werent for their internal strife over the sharing of the spoils, local officers would have had a much harder time capturing them now. noland lee narrowed his eyes slightly. he keenly detected an unusual detail. there were only three sin soldiers in the carriage he had been in before. these were himself and the tomb-robbing brothers who met their end. the tomb-robbing brothers were proficient in the tatis ancient language. so was noland lee. three individuals proficient in that language, all with some expertise in archaeology, were placed in a single carriage to be watched. was it a coincidence or intentional? if it was intentional, what was the purpose behind the person who arranged it all? as noland lee pondered, a wailing whistle sounded from the front of the steam train, followed by the harsh noise of brake pads coupling with the wheels. the steam train was slowing down. the journey was about to reach its final destination. noland lee temporarily broke away from his thoughts and looked out the window, pressing his face against the glass to see ahead. the towering city walls rose up on the horizon, blocking part of the overcast sky. behind the walls was a stone fortress with a distinctly medieval architectural style, with the flickering lights on the outer walls and corridors barely visible. alright, sin soldier noland lee jarvis, your graveyard has arrived. the guard closed the notebook in front of him and stuffed it into his pocket. i have a pretty good impression of you dont die too quickly. if you are cautious enough and careful enough, you might survive three corps tasks. the guard held the door handle with one hand and pinched out the cigarette in his mouth with the other. he placed the remaining bit of the cigarette in front of noland lee: take it and hide it well. cigarettes are the most sought-after thing in korabo legion. remember what i said, vomiting and diarrhea. yes, chief officer. i understand. noland lee watched him leave. he picked up the pathetic cigarette butt, waved it in the air a few times to let the guards saliva dry quickly, and finally tucked the cigarette butt into his waistband. this must be the guards hush money. it might even become a lifesaver. the steam train entered the legion fortress, slowly stopping its heavy body. amid the long whistle of the train, noland lee was escorted off by guards and saw his fellow travelers. about 30 sin soldiers were disembarking from a distant carriage. like noland lee, these men had violated the empires law and had been sent to the suffering borderland as sin soldiers. however, their situation was somewhat different from noland lees. noland lee became a sin soldier as a result of the operation of the debt inheritance act and the individual debt processing act. from beginning to end, neither noland lee nor the original master had ever harmed anyone with violence. but apart from him, the other sin soldiers were thieves, robbers, and murderers, full of instability and aggression. simply executing them would be a waste of the empires resources spent on them. so, they would be sent to the suffering borderland as cannon fodder. when cannon fodder knows they are cannon fodder, then trouble comes. they wont sit back and wait for death to come. if management and control are slightly neglected, these highly explosive and dangerous men will revolt. for this reason, the soldiers who came to receive the sin soldiers used a special tool to manage them. that was the electric shock collar. once this hard and icy metal ring was fastened around the neck of a sin soldier, any sin soldier who dared to defy orders would immediately be subdued by the sizzling electric current. noland lee had one of these on his neck as well. at the same time, he received his sin soldier uniforma gray coat covered in dried bloodstains. on the front and back of the coat, there were a series of numbers. this was the sin soldiers identification number, replacing their names from now on. after all, there was no need for soldiers to remember the names of sin soldiers, who could die at any time. noland lees sin soldier identification number was 888. three eights, prosperous all the way, was the definition in his original world before crossing. but in the unfamiliar world after crossing, the number 888 had no special meaning and would not guarantee his success and fame. Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: 4. Empires Fist how come you only brought him? the soldier in charge of receiving pointed at noland lee, asking the train guard escorting the sin soldiers. mate, you dont know the whole story. there was a little situation on the way. the guard who took noland lees statement explained: sin soldier noland lee jarvis, or, sin soldier no. 888 now, this guy fell sick halfway, vomiting and diarrhea. we had to carry him to the back carriage. the other two sin soldiers you wanted, they took advantage of our time moving sin soldier 888, and escaped by breaking the window and jumping off the train. we shot and killed them on the spot. so now, only sin soldier no. 888 is standing in front of you. as for the two dead sin soldiers, they are lying on the carriage floor. do you want to bring their corpses back with you? noland lees thoughts stirred a bit. indeed, three people with some knowledge in archaeology appearing in the same carriage was no coincidence. the soldier in front of him specifically asked for sin soldiers with knowledge of archaeology. what was the intention of his army? noland lee didnt know for now. the soldier in charge of receiving the sin soldiers was clearly somewhat skeptical of the train guards words. he looked at noland lee suspiciously: sin soldier no. 888, youve been vomiting the whole way? noland lee pretended to be weak and said: yes, sir. i was very sick, probably not used to the environment, i just got better. the two sin soldiers are dead? the soldier asked again. noland lee glanced at the train guard beside him, who seemed a bit nervous. noland lee had some guesses, but still nodded and said: yes, sir, when i was vomiting in the single room, i heard the sound of glass breaking and gunfire, and i smelled blood. the soldier turned his head and stared at the train guard for a few seconds: alright, one will do. i will explain the situation to the chief officer. you, take those two dead sin soldiers to the underground morgue in the fortress. the train guard seemed relieved and took out a tightly wrapped cloth package from behind and handed it to the soldier: alright, ill handle the corpses and take them to the designated location. these are the personal belongings of the two sin soldiers. im giving them to you. the train guard turned around and got on the carriage. the soldier touched the cloth package and felt the things inside through the cloth C thin, long, fragrant treasures that could refresh ones mind. the soldiers expression was complicated. he craved for nicotine, felt disgusted at the train guards breach of disciplinary rules, and had a hint of i knew it enlightenment. noland lee saw all of this. he had always been insightful and could glimpse some hidden truths from the details. in this regard, the deconstruction core system was quite a match for him, as both liked to dig into the secrets behind events or things. but guessing the truth was of no use to him for now C he was just a sin soldier, and couldnt apply for an investigation noland lee wisely chose to remain silent, like an ancient tree that had seen through the vicissitudes of life. sin soldier 888, follow me. the soldier waved his hand, indicating noland lee to follow. the two walked along the crowded cement road, passing the metal pipes spewing white steam. on the walls of each room, there were dense clusters of brass pipes, valves, and instrument panels. it seemed that this tatis empire had taken the path of steam technology but was it really the case? no, it wasnt. the original owners memory told noland lee that the tatis empires technological development was skewed. it could even be described as skewed to the extreme. this was actually a country focused on researching biochemical mutation. the so-called imperial fist, a biochemical giant, was the empires trump card and a key force against the undead cult. according to public information, the imperial fist was an extraordinary route of the tatis empires military department. all those who take this extraordinary route possess a controllable mutation ability to transform into biochemical giants. the empires military department has never disclosed the threshold for this biochemical mutation route, the method of mutation, or the principle of mutation. ordinary people have no way of learning more about the imperial fist. so, now that noland lee had the deconstruction core system, could he obtain the mutation ability of a biochemical giant by deconstructing a military officer? even if he couldnt directly obtain the mutation ability, just getting the method to become a biochemical giant would still be good. his eyes shifted, and noland lee locked onto a middle-aged man wearing a lieutenant uniform. the lieutenant was heading towards the place of the thirty sin soldiers, apparently the military officer in charge of dealing with sin soldiers affairs. the ranks of the empires military, from bottom to top, were: private, private first class, private second class, corporal, sergeant, sergeant major, lieutenant, captain and above were levels that ordinary people could not reach. only by becoming a lieutenant can one become a first order imperial fist, which is common knowledge even for ordinary people. the soldier walking ahead of noland lee also noticed the lieutenant. the soldier saluted the lieutenant from a distance, then briefly introduced him to noland lee: that is lieutenant grett, an experienced officer in the legion, responsible for handling emergencies and managing sin soldiers. you wont be operating with the other sin soldiers. he is not your direct superior. once you get to the designated location, someone will explain everything to you in detail. yes, sir. noland lee nodded, his eyes still fixed on lieutenant grett. the lieutenants appearance was consistent with the image of a tatis empire military personnel: lean, silver-gray short hair, face contours that seemed to have been polished by a blade, and a stern expression that hardly smiled. the body transformed by the biochemical mutation agent was strong and sturdy, hidden underneath a neatly fitted dark green double-breasted military uniform. protruding muscles outlined arcs on the outerwear, like rolling mountain ranges. looking only at the broad shoulders and thick arms of the lieutenant, noland lee could perceive the formidable physical strength this officer possessed. compared to his figure, the sin soldiers seemed like mere chicks. this lieutenant had definitely been transformed through biochemical mutation- a true extraordinary being. deconstructing this lieutenant may reveal the way to become an empires fist. for now, noland lee did not consider the trouble he might encounter after illegally becoming an empires fist. all he wanted now was an additional guarantee to protect his life. it would be truly awkward if he died before exhausting all of his energy points. he focused his attention on lieutenant grett, squinting his eyes and reciting in silence: deconstruction. [system message: you are about to initiate deconstruction on lieutenant grett. it is estimated that every 10 energy points consumed will increase the deconstruction results completeness by 1%. do you confirm the deconstruction?] [attention: you currently have 14 energy points and can increase the deconstruction results completeness to up 1.4% at most.] [you can perform multiple deconstructions on the same target.] [the completeness of the deconstruction results from multiple attempts will be accumulated. each deconstruction will obtain new content. you will not gain duplicate mastery of previously obtained deconstruction results.] after brief consideration, noland lee thought it better to save a few energy points as backup. he chose to consume 10 energy points and initiate deconstruction, leaving the remaining four. as expected, the feeling of haziness arrived, and new text appeared on the system interface, unseen by anyone. [system message: deconstruction successful.] [the targets deconstruction completeness has increased to 1%.] [due to the low degree of deconstruction completeness, you have not unlocked the targets personal panel. however, you have gained some knowledge from the target.] the system message flashed before his eyes. afterward, a large stream of information emerged from the depths of noland lees mind. it seemed that the information had been sorted by the system. useless content had been removed, retaining the most valuable parts, which then appeared in a format noland lee could easily read. korabo corps fortress layout, completeness 5%. grave vaults 901 to 1121 tomb passage layout in suffering borderland, completeness 13%. the liquor quotation from dark water liquor company, completeness 100%. sensitive information concerning empires fist, completeness 2%. the so-called completeness referred to the amount of content deconstructed by noland lee. it was heartening for noland lee that the deconstruction technique could deconstruct the knowledge within a target. after all, knowledge is often priceless, and the channels to obtain certain knowledge can be incredibly expensive. noland lee had initially thought that this simplified deconstruction technique was an appraisal technique, or detection technique. now he saw that deconstruction was far superior to ordinary detection skills. from the four pieces of knowledge he deconstructed from the lieutenant, apart from the liquor quotation, the other three were more or less useful. noland lee directly selected the sensitive information about empires fist in his mind and read it quickly. within a matter of half a minute, he had finished reading, feeling a bit disappointed. it turned out that becoming an extraordinary being on the path of the empires fist required regular injections of biochemical mutation agent. under normal circumstances, a soldier would become a private after enlisting and receiving military training. six months after becoming a private, a promotion to private first class would follow. after one year, a promotion to private second class would follow. after two years, a promotion to corporal would follow. after becoming a corporal, the first injection of biochemical mutation agent would be administered. a corporal would serve for three years to become a sergeant, then another three years to become sergeant major. during the sergeant and sergeant major stages, the second and third injections would be administered, respectively. upon remaining alive and kicking after the three injections, all that was needed was to wait for the drugs effect to fully manifest, enabling control of the empires fist mutation ability. only after confirming that the empires fist ability could be used, would promotion to lieutenant follow. at least nine years were required to complete the entire injection process for the three injections of the biochemical mutation agent its not something that could be accomplished overnight it was obvious that the so-called empires fist was an extraordinary path linked to military rank and achievements. the higher the rank, the stronger the power. without a rank, there was no power. the plan of quickly mastering the empires fist was unworkable. nevertheless, the sense of disappointment did not linger long in noland lees heart. he immediately dove into reading the other knowledge. get on, sin soldier 888. behave on the way, and dont even think about causing trouble, or you know the consequences. the soldier opened the door to a steam locomotive, shoved noland lee into the metal-barred carriage, and sat in the drivers seat himself. Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: 5. Special Mission the exterior of the steam locomotive was almost indistinguishable from a large, mobile black coffin. it had a square iron body, four iron-clad wheels, and a front-facing steam boiler that released puffs of white steam with a gurgling sound. from a travelers perspective, it resembled a tractor after departing from the korabo legion fortress, the steam locomotive entered a desolate area filled with ruins. lacking any suspension for the carriage, it moved up and down along the rough terrain. noland lee held onto the edge of a seat to steady himself. the journey on the steam locomotive lasted much longer than noland lee had anticipated. from the time he boarded until the faint glow of sunset penetrated the cloudy sky, at least four hours had passed. just as the setting sun was about to disappear, the steam locomotive finally came to a halt at a temporary campsite. such a lengthy journey had completely drained noland lees energy, leaving him weak and famished. by the time he got off the train on an empty stomach and was led by a soldier into a single-person tent, all light had vanished from the sky, replaced by slowly rolling dark clouds. inside the single-person tent, a coal lamp in the corner emitted a warm glow. noland lee held a tray and shoved the pasty dinner into his mouth. chief officer. a soldier outside raised his hand to salute as a person approached. noland lee looked towards the source of the sound, and saw a military officer entering the tent. noland lee immediately put down his tray and stood up, saying: good evening, chief officer. the newcomer took off his cap, revealing short blond hair and handsome features. although he wasnt as bulky as the imperial lieutenant, he stood tall and strong. he placed the cap on the bedside table and glanced up and down at noland lee, seemingly scrutinizing him and also confirming his identity. unexpectedly to noland lee, the officers tone was quite gentle, unlike the other cold soldiers. you are noland lee jarvis, right? a history assistant teacher from bowerthain city college. yes, chief officer, noland lee forced a smile, but thats all in the past. the officer extended his hand to noland lee as if he was a real history assistant teacher instead of a sin soldier. noland lee was somewhat taken aback, and quickly extended his right hand to shake theirs. lets introduce ourselves properly. im lulenna mars, a sergeant of the korabo legion tomb cleanup squad. my duty is to lead my team on reconnaissance missions. i am your current and future superior, and you are the new member of my team. corporal mars squeezed noland lees hand firmly: welcome aboard, jarvisi wont call you sin soldier no. 888, ive never been good with numbers, and names are easier to remember anyway, im looking forward to seeing how you perform against the undead. dont disappoint me. good evening, captain mars. im noland lee jarvis, a sin soldier. i will follow orders and give my all. noland lee spoke calmly, but sighed inwardly the treatment he received was worlds apart from other sin soldiers. his superiorcorporal marswas also quite approachable and showed no signs of deliberately making things difficult. however, every word spoken by corporal mars weighed heavily on noland lees heart. it was well known that reconnaissance teams faced the most danger in war. this held true even when facing human enemies. so how much greater was the danger when facing the undead? sit down, lets talk. corporal mars took a seat on a chair opposite the bed and then asked: jarvis, you should know that the war between the empire and the undead cult has been going on for quite some time. from the fall of the ancient tatis dynasty to the rise of the new empire, the shadow of the undead cult has lingered over the empire, causing fear and unrest. how much do you know about such an enemy? several memory fragments flashed through noland lees mind, all taken from the headlines of bowerthain city newspapers. according to news reports, many people were executed by local law enforcement after reading the corrupt documents spread by the undead cult within the empire. some went mad after reading the documents, falling into a frenzy of self-mutilation or attacking others, and were killed on the spot by security officers. others underwent a drastic change in temperament, becoming gloomy and secretive, much like the weather in the suffering borderland. they would secretly plot dangerous events, endangering the lives of many. these people were deeply hidden in society, but eventually, they were rooted out by the empires division intelligence unit two special agents. whats more, the followers of the undead cult scriptures have caused great damage to the empire through group crimes. they secretly formed an illegal organization known as the death herald guild and have been the primary enemy of division intelligence unit two. the various social events jointly sent a warning to noland lee: never associate oneself with the forbidden writings of the undead cult, or severe torture will certainly befall. noland lees gaze trembled slightly, responding without hesitation: my knowledge of the undead cult is limited to the education i received at bowerthain city college, chief officer. apart from that, whether its teaching in the academy or joining local adventure teams to appraise ancient relics, i have never come into contact with any taboo books. relax, jarvis, i believe you have not read the undead cults teachings on your own accord. corporal mars smiled: otherwise, the person coming to see you would not be an officer like me from intelligence department 4, but a special agent from division intelligence unit two. corporal mars reached into his inner coat pocket, retrieving an envelope from it and held in his hand: you must be wondering why you receive treatment that is significantly different from other sin soldiers. i will give you the answer, jarvis. on one hand, it is because every person with knowledge is a precious talent to the empire and should not be treated as a cheap consumable. on the other hand, its because of this letter in my hand. corporal mars handed the letter to noland lee, signaling the latter to open and read it. after tearing open the beeswax seal and unfolding the letter paper, noland lee caught a glimpse of the contents. his pupils contracted sharply as he immediately closed the letter: chief officerthis letter corporal mars said: listen, jarvis. i am now officially granting you the authority to read the teachings of the undead cult. you dont have to worry about being interrogated by division intelligence unit two. i am not a spy from the death herald guild either. as an officer of intelligence department 4, i now order you to open this letter, read its contents carefully, and remember all the words on the document. noland lee instinctively swallowed his saliva staring into noland lees eyes, corporal mars emphasized with a solemn tone: intelligence department 4 is the empires military department responsible for resisting the undead cult externally. recently, intelligence department 4 has discovered a possible method to gain the upper hand in this war against the undead cult. however, whether this method is feasible or not still requires verification. a meticulous experimental plan was devised by intelligence department 4 for this purpose. and you, noland lee jarvis, because of your scholarship, were chosen by intelligence department 4. this is a special mission. before the success of this experimental plan, everything related to it, including all personnel and materials, is the highest level secret of the empires military intelligence department. mars paused, his voice dropping: accept your special mission, jarvis. it will bring you unparalleled honor and prospects. such a special mission should be very tempting for a native of the tatis empire, right? after all, no man can resist the call of duty. but noland lee is not a local, he is a despicable foreigner, no, a newcomer in a strange land his heart doesnt resonate much with what corporal mars told him. still, it cant be helped, especially since hes a sin soldier. yes, chief officer, i have no choice. corporal mars pointed to the letter: memorize it, ill stand guard here. i must remind you, even the punctuation marks must be remembered, and there should not be any mistakes. otherwise corporal mars sighed softly, his voice wavering slightly: otherwise, youll be torn into pieces by the evil magic of the undead cult, and even if the medical team from division intelligence unit three is right beside you, they wont be able to save you. noland lee pressed his lips together and looked down at the letter. now he knows why the imperial army needs sin soldiers skilled in archaeology. only cheap life like archaeology sin soldiers can undertake such a special mission with potential life-threatening risks involved. Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: 6. Forbidden Readings there are two languages on the letter. one is the undead runes, which is the common language within the undead cult. in the rumors of the tatis empire, undead runes were also considered as the language for channeling death energy and casting death-related spells. the undead runes on the letter are just forgeries from intelligence department 4, not the original text with magical effects. when noland lee released the deconstruction technique on the undead runes from the document, the system treated them as ordinary characters without any special explanation. the second language on the letter is the ancient language of tatis. the content written in undead runes is the original text of the undead cult doctrine. the content written in the ancient tatis language is the translation. setting aside the mission carried by the letter, the letters text quality is quite high. it was clear that the person who wrote this letter has deep knowledge in undead runes and the ancient tatis language. the only pity is that the letter was typed with a typewriter instead of handwritten, so noland didnt know whether the sender is male or female. in front of sergeant mars, noland lee read through the bilingual document several times, with only one thought in his mind: the content of the document is filled with filthy information that lures the living to despise life, hate life, and exalt death. no wonder the doctrines of the undead cult were regarded as forbidden texts in the empire, as they indeed caused severe mental pollution. such texts, not to mention the common people of the original world, even noland, a foreigner, found it utterly disgusting. the title of this document is the grudge teachings. with the theme of how mankind can be free from hatred, it forms an evil paper persuading the living to join the ranks of the lost souls. noland have played many games, watched many movies and read many novels before his transmigration. fantasy, magic, mystery, science fiction, and so on, he has seen all sorts of themes and genres. this translated document called the grudge teachings, although not serious and filled with vulgar language, for noland as a transmigrator, its impact is just similar to a cheesy necromancer-themed web novel, not a classic literary work. however, this is for the experienced transmigrator. if this document were to be disseminated and widely circulated among the common people of the tatis empire, it might indeed cause some extremely pessimistic incidents. after all, the average spirit attribute of the empires common people is only 5 points, and their ability to resist the contamination of mysteries is extremely limited. dont expect them to read any good mental literature. their mental world is not as colorful as nolands. even a slightly misleading and internally logical document may drive the empires peoples thoughts off track. no wonder the empire has always made it a top priority to eliminate the filth of the undead cult. noland shook his head, discarding his stray thoughts, and focused on reciting the translation. wait, shouldnt i have to recite the content myself? noland muttered to himself, aiming at the document and casting the deconstruction technique. the system informed him that it would only take 1 point of energy to deconstruct the document with a 100% success rate. currently, noland had 4 energy points, which was still sufficient. he directly used 1 point of energy to deconstruct the translated document. after a brief moment of daze, the system sent him feedback as promised: [system message: deconstruction success.] [the degree of deconstruction of the original text and translation of the grudge teachings has reached 100%.] [you have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [1. the system has recorded the document in your mind. you can access and retrieve it at any time.] [as a result, you have acquired a new scholarly skill: undead rune studies, currently at level 1.] [2. based on the knowledge of tatis history and archaeology you have mastered, you have deconstructed three translation errors in this document, and the system has marked the error points for you.] noland looked at the system message, raising his eyebrows the gains from deconstructing the document were greater than he had anticipated. first, after a 100% deconstruction, the document will be recorded in his mind. both the original text written in undead runes and the translations written in the ancient tatis language are the same. this actual effect of the deconstruction result is much better than noland memorizing the entire document himself. every letter, every punctuation mark, and every twisted undead rune on the document are deeply engraved in his mind, as if it would never fade with time. noland only needs to think, and the document will appear before his eyes, completely saving the effort of memorizing the document himself. additionally, the system marked the translation errors in the document, saving him the effort of proofreading it himself. at this moment, noland lee couldnt help but feel grateful for one thing: if it werent for the deconstruction core system at hand, this ordeal of memorizing and correcting errors would probably have taken him until late at night and been quite torturous. noland lee stared at the errors for two seconds, then raised his head to look at corporal mars: chief officer, i would like to report something. corporal mars was holding a small marching iron kettle in his hands, leisurely drinking water. as soon as he heard nolands words, he immediately tightened the kettle lid and became serious: whats the matter? jarvis. i have discovered three errors in the translated text. of course, this could be due to my lack of knowledge and causing misunderstandings. if possible, i would like you to help me pass a message to the writer of the document, asking him to verify the original text and translation on the letter. translation errors? it shouldnt be corporal mars seemed to know the writer of the document, his tone was somewhat indecisive: mark the wrong places with a pencil. ill ask him right now. yes, chief officer. noland took a pencil from the bedside table and quickly drew three circles on the letter. corporal mars told noland not to move, then left with the folded letter. about three minutes later, corporal mars returned from outside. he walked into the tent and immediately cast an admiring and somewhat impressed gaze at noland lee: you truly deserve to be a top talent from bowerthain city. no wonder you could become an assistant lecturer at the academy at such a young age. the three places you pointed out do indeed have translation errors. ive brought the writers response for you. corporal mars handed the letter to noland lee: here, take a look. she wrote some words for you. she? noland raised his eyebrows slightly, not expecting that a researcher in undead rune studies would be a woman. corporal mars didnt elaborate further, waved his hand to change the topic, clearly due to military orders and confidentiality requirements, he couldnt say more. noland opened the letter paper. next to the three errors he had marked, there were now three large paragraphs of handwritten text. the general idea was to express an apology for the negligence in her work and to affirm sin soldier no. 888s erudition. the three paragraphs were written with elegant and graceful handwriting, with no traces of correction, clearly written by a competent woman. noland pondered for half a second, feeling somewhat curious. if he were to use the deconstruction technique on the handwritten text, what result would he get? would he directly receive the writers personal information? wouldnt that make the deconstruction technique too powerful, a great weapon for tracking and killing enemies, and investigating mysteries? no time to lose. initiate the deconstruction technique. deconstruct these three paragraphs of handwriting. [system message: you are about to initiate the deconstruction technique on the handwritten text. it is predicted to consume 2 energy points and raise the degree of deconstruction to 100%. you currently have 3 energy points. do you confirm to proceed with deconstruction?] its just 2 energy points after all, i can afford it. let me see who wrote this letter confirm to proceed with deconstruction. after a brief moment of disorientation, noland obtained the deconstruction results. [system message: deconstruction successful.] [degree of deconstruction raised to 100%.] [you have obtained the following information:] [1. the writer is estimated to be 19 years old, a female, right-handed, height between 1.70-1.77 meters, of a normal build, slightly plump.] [2. the system predicts that 100% deconstruction of the writer requires 3,000 energy points.] noland nodded to himself. he figured that he had met a lieutenant or captain hiding behind the scenes, and a young woman with extraordinary abilities, who could stand firm in the army full of men. with the age of 19, she had achieved such accomplishments, it was estimated that the background of this unnamed woman was extraordinary. but then again is your deconstruction core system serious? how did you know through deconstructing her handwriting that she had a tall and slightly voluptuous figure? hmm? speak up, system. Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: 7. Biochemical Bait early the next morning. the transition between day and night in the suffering borderland is not very obvious. the sky at sunrise is almost as dark as before dawn, just with clearer clouds in the sky. noland lee pretended to recite translations last night until late night, finally going to sleep amidst corporal mars yawns. he dreamed of catching a charming demon, one of those from the japanese series. he accumulated a lot of energy points, and used them all to deconstruct the charming demon. just as he was about to get the mysterious elixirs from the demon, the loud whistles in the camp shattered his beautiful dream. noland lee could only get up bitterly, put on his clothes, and eat hard noodles for breakfast with his panda eyes. corporal mars lifted the curtain and walked in, placing a set of relatively clean clothes on noland lees bedside table: after breakfast, hurry up and put on this armored clothing. it provides some necessary protection and is much more reliable than your sin soldier uniform. be quick, were leaving soon. yes, chief officer. noland lee asked: where are we going? corporal mars moved to sit next to a chair, pulled out a roll of cigarette and sniffed it, but did not light it: were going to war against the undead army. the battlefield is grave no.1079. oh, ive been there twice before, a full three-layer underground grave vault, each level with a huge area. this battle is definitely going to last all day. noland lee nodded silently, glanced at the roll of cigarettes in the others hand, and then lowered his head to gnaw on the bread. what was bound to come would come, just unexpectedly soon. ah yes, the pun was intended. jarvis, let me remind you. corporal mars leaned forward and said solemnly: in our army, only sergeant alvin stafford and i know about intelligence department 4s experimental plan. only we know your identity and the tall and slightly plump 19-year-old girl, she also knows my identity and mission noland lee interjected in his heart. corporal mars did not know nolands thoughts and continued: youre about to act with my squad. my teammates dont know about your special mission, theyll just think youre an ordinary sin soldier. you understand what i mean, right? they might bewell, rude and not take you seriously. just dont take it to heart. once you complete your mission, youll naturally gain their respect. besides, ill try my best to look after you during the battles and not let you die for no reason. thank you, chief officer. noland lee sincerely nodded. after eating, changing clothes and preparing to leave with the army. noland lee met corporal marss squad members, five private second class soldiers and one corporal. just as corporal mars said, the squad members didnt treat noland lee nicely. however, they couldnt help but take a few looks at noland lee, attracted by his handsome face three times more good-looking than ordinary people ah ha, this damned charm~ its universally lethal to both men and women.. this should be the most useful thing left behind by the original master. tomb no.1079 is located about two kilometers west of the campsite. it has a majestic and historical tomb entrance. this entrance is composed of a stone arch made of square stone bricks, supplemented by a large number of ground tiles and walls covered in mysterious carvings. upon entering this gloomy place, the light immediately darkened several degrees. the sunlight outside seemed to be blocked by an invisible barrier, unable to illuminate the area inside the entrance. the flame from the coal lamp was also compressed and flattened by the mysterious force at the same time, reducing its brightness from illuminating a ten-meter radius to only illuminating a five to six-meter range. if noland lee were an expert in the field of mysterious studies, he would certainly be able to express some opinions on this peculiar optical phenomenon. but unfortunately, he is not. he could only follow the queue like a rookie, under the watch of the soldiers, and proceed slowly. imperial soldiers weapons and equipment were varied: short-barreled silenced rifles loaded with silenced bullets, box-shaped flamethrowers on their shoulders, sharp knives with serrated edges, multi-purpose engineering hammers, armored clothing to prevent sharp and blunt weapons, filter cartridge masks to block poison gas, etc. noland lee could understand these things and their uses. but what was the caterpillar-like creature that had to be swallowed all at once? this creature had an appearance similar to a caterpillar, with slender tentacles covering its body, presenting a dark green color. by wrapping it with the mouth and swallowing it completely, one could feel the stomachs contractions and see many small green protrusions, like goosebumps, quickly appear on the skins surface. each soldier swallowed a creature like this. however, noland lee was forced to swallow as many as five, with five rows of green bumps emerging on his arm. its worth mentioning: not only was noland lee the only sin soldier in the army, but there were also three other sin soldiers. these three looked unfamiliar to noland, and he wasnt sure if they had come on the same train as he did yesterday. the imperial army advanced deep into the tombs ground-level area. it was quiet here, and there were no traces of the undead. in a vast hall, sergeant alvin stafford led the troops for a brief rest. there were many reliefs on the walls of the hall, forming bizarre paintings. the reliefs were destroyed by soldiers who had arrived here in the past, covered in scratches, chisel marks, and burn marks, making it difficult to see their content. a chandelier hanging from the ceiling of the hall sprayed white fumes, and it was a gas purification device that cleaned the air inside the tomb. its gas delivery pipeline was arranged along the ceiling and walls, extending from the chandelier to the corner, connecting to the three cylinder-shaped iron canisters. these three iron canisters stored the reactants needed to produce gas. because of the white fumes, the air quality of the tombs ground-level area was not bad, and it could be inhaled directly. but near the staircase, the yellow-green toxic gas could clearly be seen, constantly rising from below, mixing with the white fumes, attacking each other, just like the enemies engaged in combat. sergeant alvin stafford arranged for the engineers to check and repair the gas purification device, and at the same time, he extracted a team to go check the situation in the underground level of the tomb passage. the reconnaissance squad now had its chance to shine. there were four reconnaissance squads in the army, each with three sin soldiers, including the newcomer noland lee, totaling four sin soldiers. noland lee and the other three sin soldiers were assigned to the four reconnaissance squads, becoming real front-line troops. these four reconnaissance squads would go to the first underground level of the tomb through four staircases. now, they were about to set off. sin soldier no. 888, you walk at the front. a private second class jabbed noland in the waist with the barrel of his gun, pushing him forward authoritably: be obedient and dont think about running away. well be watching you if you dont want to die, dont leave our sight, otherwise, the undead creatures attracted by the biochemical bait will take your life. noland lee touched his sore waist, glanced at the calm corporal mars, and turned his head to ask the soldier who had just pushed him: biochemical bait? what is that? the private, impatiently, explained: its the green bumps on your arm. they release a scent that attracts undead creatures, causing the slow-reacting undead to awaken from their slumber faster, revealing their presence. upon hearing this, nolands eyebrows twitched it turned out that sin soldiers played the role of bait in this reconnaissance mission, specifically to attract the undeads attention. the private who spoke hardened his face and lifted his chin slightly: dont ask so much, you are just a dispensable sin soldier. if it werent for the empires merciful laws, you wouldnt have the chance to join the sacred cause of exterminating the undead creatures. now, do your job. Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: 8. Stealth attack by the deceased although sin soldiers are used for scouting, they still have basic survival gear. a breathing mask with a filter cartridge was included in the combat equipment that corporal mars had provided to noland lee. once this device is worn over the head, the surrounding environment can only be observed through two thick glass lenses, and one can hear their own breathing, easily generating feelings of tension. noland lee had only seen such things in war-themed or zombie-themed works before, and this was his first time wearing it honestly, his curiosity about the undead outweighed his unease at least for now. it is a unique psychological state of travelers. they believe that because they have traveled and are accompanied by a system, they will inevitably survive and become legendary figures. before really facing a threat of death, they treat their journey with a gaming attitude. noland lee considers himself to be cautious enough, more cautious than the average traveler, but deep down, he knows that he will get through any dangerous situation. so when he stepped into the stairway leading to underground area one, his heart had a bit of slack caused by curiosity towards the undead creatures. soon, a small accident made him take up the attitude that he shouldnt have and treat his first employment task with complete seriousness. this accident came from a cunning undead creature. it lurked on the walls of the staircase. it looked identical to an ordinary stone wall, and no matter how you looked at it, it seemed like a regular stone brick. but when noland lee, who was emitting the scent of the biochemical bait, came about 10 meters from this stone brick, a dark shadow burst from the brick. in that instant, noland lee was completely defenseless. he caught sight of the approaching shadow with the help of the coal lamps light but could not control his body in time to dodge due to his lack of military training. he had seen it but couldnt avoid it; noland lees forehead throbbed, as if foreseeing his head being pierced by the dark shadow. fortunately, corporal mars kept his promise and quickly responded to the dark shadow, saving the slow-moving noland lee. a yellow bullet shot out from a short-barreled rifle with a silencer attached, accurately striking the stone brick that emitted the dark shadow and bursting open a splash of purple-black contaminated blood. a large clump of black, filthy flesh fell from the wall, turning into a mud mixture of bone fragments and hair. at the same time, the dark shadow that was about to fall on noland lees face completed the process from extremely hard to soft, then from soft to slack in just half a second and splashed onto the ground with a patter. noland lee slowly exhaled the air held in his chest and instinctively raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat on his forehead. only then did he realize that the breathing mask blocked his palm, and he could only let the sweat drip down his cheeks thank you. noland lee turned around and nodded in gratitude to corporal mars who had helped him. corporal mars deliberately pretended to be cold and responded with a barely noticeable nodding motion. he walked forward, past noland lee, and used the tip of the gun to pick up the dark shadow on the ground, illuminating it with the coal lamps light to take a closer look. as corporal mars moved, the true appearance of the dark shadow entered noland lees sight. it was a tentacle covered with tiny black hairs. the tentacle was connected to the mud on the ground, and its tip was a flower-shaped oral device with sharp teeth and fangs. one could imagine that if corporal mars shooting was delayed by a third of a second, the hairy tentacles oral device would have landed on noland lees face what is this thing? noland lee asked in a low voice. corporal mars shook the rifle, flicking the hairy tentacle to the ground, glanced at noland lee and said: cavern stalkers, a low-level sutured creature of the undead cult, disguise themselves as stone bricks, hide in the walls, and lie in wait to launch stealth attacks. it smelled the biochemical bait, so it immediately launched a stealth attack when you stepped into its range. corporal mars returned to the group and engaged in a brief conversation with the others, without avoiding the sin soldier. noland lee stood silently on the side, listening, and gradually realized how experienced the imperial army was in combat. they could infer the general situation of the underground grave vault based solely on the remains of a single undead creature. one of the corporals in the group said: this cavern stalker we encountered has tentacles with a total length of about 3 meters, and the cilia on the tentacles are short and stiff, about 6 millimeters in length i judge this to be a mature cavern stalker with vertical dispersal ability. another soldier took out the layout of the grave vault and placed it under the light of the coal lamp. corporal mars drew a few strokes on the map and presented his speculation: the vertical moving speed of mature cavern stalkers is 10 meters per second, and they can move swiftly through hard stone bricks and wall structures. it usually takes two months for the spiritual pivot to summon this level of cavern stalkers on a large scale. our current location is at a depth of two meters below the ground, and there is an estimated vertical distance of 100 meters between us and the tomb passages on the third underground level. my preliminary estimate is that there are a large number of mature undead creatures in the tomb passages on the second and third underground levels that have been there for at least two months. this is not good news. yes whats worse is that reviving such a large group of mature undead creatures would require at least a level 2 spiritual pivot. corporal mars concluded: we need more intelligence to pinpoint the exact level of the spiritual pivot. so lets move on, ladies and gentlemen, lets clear the way for the imperial army for the glory of the empire! the squad members responded with a growl: for the glory of the empire. the soldiers stopped talking and turned their eyes to noland lee. noland lee, not wanting to be difficult, obediently and slowly walked down the stairs beneath his feet. this time he was much more serious, completely restraining any unnecessary emotions and fully immersing himself in observing the surrounding environment. as he walked, he suddenly discovered a clever trick to using the deconstruction technique. when activating the deconstruction technique, the system will give a name to the target object. for example, the dark clouds in the sky of the suffering borderland. noland lee thought it was just an ordinary cloud layer, but the system directly labeled it as abnormal, reminding the host of the abnormality in the cloud layer. noland lee could take advantage of this to detect cavern stalkers disguised as stone bricks in advance. as he walked along, he kept casting the deconstruction technique without actually using any energy to deconstruct, merely obtaining the name of the target object from the system. this method was very useful. within five minutes of encountering the first cavern stalker, he discovered six lurking cavern stalkers using this method. although he had detected their presence in advance, noland lee did not take any extraordinary action. he did not want to expose his ability to detect cavern stalkers. instead of taking preemptive measures to avoid the cavern stalkers, noland lee simply crouched down and covered his head protectively at the moment they launched their ambush, leaving room for the soldiers behind him to shoot. this set of evasive moves like a frightened rabbit looked somewhat pathetic. noland couldnt be bothered with appearances anymore; survival was paramount, and image could take a back seat. its not possible to always expect corporal mars to be shooting true, right? the soldiers didnt say much and gradually got used to this sin soldier who would crouch and cover his head at the slightest sound corporal mars observed noland lees actions with a flicker in his eyes. people said the scholars at city college were well-dressed and highly respected, but they were all timid. when faced with danger, they would freeze on the spot like idiots. isnt noland lee jarvis doing a good job? well although crouching and covering his head was a bit silly, it was better than being dazed. corporal mars nodded silently, feeling reassured that noland lee could adapt to situations so quickly. after all, the reconnaissance work to come would not be as simple as it was now. Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: 9. The Gaze of the Dead at the end of the staircase was an artificial metal gate. this gate cut off the path between the staircase and the first underground level. under ideal conditions, the metal gate would block air flow between the inside and outside, sealing the poisonous gas emitted by undead creatures within the tomb passages of the underground crypt. but now, corroded traces appeared on the metal gate. around the door seams and hinges, there were many corrosion patterns like tassels. thin wisps of greenish-yellow poisonous gas seeped out from these damaged areas, flowing up along the corridor of the staircase. corporal mars raised the coal lamp to the door panel. faint but somewhat dazzling light reflected off the corroded spots. the corroded areas are very smooth, with no burrs. they must have appeared in the last dozen days, mars muttered under his breath. he turned his head to look at the sergeant behind him: when was the last time this door was inspected? the sergeant flipped through a diary a few pages to find the exact date: chief officer, the latest inspection was 21 days ago. corporal mars nodded thoughtfully: hmm, in other words, not long after we finished the inspection, the door was corroded by the poisonous fog behind it it seems there are quite a few undead in the first underground level. he took out the key for the metal gate, inserted it into the keyhole to unlock it, and then gripped the door handle with both hands: get ready, mates. im going to open the metal gate sin soldier no. 888, come help me open the door. remember, after opening the door, you cannot retreat without my permission. no matter what happens, you can only move forward or stand still. yes, chief officer. noland lee held the door handle, his heart rate slightly picking up. he had a bad feeling that the scene behind the door might be somewhat unexpected. the heavy metal gate was opened by the soldiers with their combined strength. nolands hands were filled with a coal lamp given to him by a soldier. under the urging of the soldiers gazes, he stepped into the completely dark space. as soon as he set foot in the tomb passage of the first underground level, the light of the coal lamp was further compressed. noland fiddled with the dimmer switch and then shook his head helplessly. this ghost place seemed to reject light. even if he turned the brightness of the coal lamp to the highest setting, the light could only hover within a one-meter radius. noland could only move forward almost in total darkness. the cold and sinister atmosphere in the air became more intense, the rolling chill penetrated the sin soldier uniform and clung to nolands skin, making him shiver. it was a cold that could pierce armor and body, directly affecting ones soul, as if it could rob the living of all hope and vitality. noland clenched his teeth and steeled himself to move forward. from the moment he stepped through the metal gate, his deconstruction technique never stopped. unable to see anything in the darkness, he could only rely on the system feedback messages to determine what he had passed by. [system message: you are about to perform deconstruction on ancient floor tiles] [system message: you are about to perform deconstruction on old wall lamp] [system message: you are about to perform deconstruction on awakening skeleton] wait, awakening skeleton? noland stopped in his tracks and listened carefully. from a few meters ahead, a very faint sound could be heard. creak, creak. it was like the sound made when fingers tapped on ribs. [system message: you are about to perform deconstruction on unknown name undead creature] an undead creature has appeared, where is it? noland lee widened his eyes and raised the coal lamp in his hand as high as he could, trying to extend his arm so that the light could reach farther. what the hell is this thing!? noland lee stiffened, his eyes glazed over. a giant skeleton was slowly standing up from the floor covered in bones. the skeleton was at least four meters tall, like a towering bone sculpture. as it stood up, white powder slid off its body, revealing a bone surface covered in scars. the coal lamps light reflected a cold, sharp glare off the skeletons forehead, causing noland lee to involuntarily shiver. a purple light ball lit up in the skull of the skeleton, as if indicating that this undead creature was awakening from its slumber. the brightness of the light ball was much dimmer than the coal lamps, and it seemed that it would take a while for this creature to fully awaken. however, noland lee could already feel its gaze. the giant skeleton was staring at him. noland lee forced himself to calm down. he looked back towards the direction of the entrance. corporal mars and the others were watching the enemy with solemn expressions, not issuing any orders for noland lee to retreat. one of them saw noland lees hesitance and shouted: stay still! thats a big skeleton, a low-level undead construct. the short-barreled rifles in the soldiers hands seemed to be pointing at the undead creature, but also towards the back of the sin soldier. seeing this scene, noland lee knew that the most difficult moment had arrived for him. scouting the number and composition of enemies was the purpose of the reconnaissance squad. to do this, soldiers had to make full use of the biochemical bait on the sin soldiers body, in order to awaken as many undead creatures as possible on the first underground level of the grave vault. this four-meter-tall big skeleton was just one of the first batch of undead creatures to awaken, and it was far from sufficient to determine the enemys strength. more and more undead creatures needed to awaken before the soldiers could estimate the total number of enemies on the first underground level. only then would the sin soldiers be allowed to retreat. instead of relying on corporal mars to issue a retreat order earlier, it was better to rely on his own abilities to turn the tide of the situation. after quickly thinking it through, noland lee came up with two plans. plan one: resolve the issue of the biochemical baits scent dispersal. if the biochemical bait doesnt emit a scent, the number of awakening undead creatures will continue to decrease, increasing his chances of survival. however, this might result in the awakening state of the undead creatures falling short of expectations, leading to the soldiers scrutiny. corporal mars might also become suspicious. plan two: find out the weaknesses and attack patterns of the undead creatures, and survive through their onslaught. noland lee thought this plan was better. it was more covert than the first plan, and wouldnt draw unnecessary attention. with his mind made up, noland lee immediately muttered: activate deconstruction, dissect this undead creature, and find its weaknesses! [system message: you are about to perform deconstruction on the big skeleton. it is estimated that each 1 point of energy consumed will increase the degree of deconstruction by 25%. you currently have 10 energy points. do you confirm to proceed with the deconstruction?] the majority of his existing energy points had been naturally restored over time. by spending about half of his stock, he could learn all the information about the big skeleton. as noland lee stared at the increasingly bright purple light in the skeletons eye sockets, he no longer hesitated. confirm the consumption of 4 energy points, and carry out a 100% completion deconstruction! Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: 10. Skull Heavy Hammer after a moment of haziness, noland lee got the deconstruction result. [deconstruction success!] [the degree of deconstruction of the big skeleton has reached 100%.] [you have gained all the information about this target.] .. [name]big skeleton this is a large skeleton that is significantly larger than other skeleton warriors, with a height usually exceeding 3.5 meters and a weight of over 400 kilograms. it possesses more significant physical destructive power. although it moves very slowly, every attack is forceful and heavy. additionally, the big skeleton in front of you has the ability to cast spells that ordinary skeleton warriors do not have. [faction]undead cult [type]undead construct undead creatures of this type must have four features: bloodless, fear aura, constant morale, and death magic protection. [hierarchy]low-level undead creatures undead creatures of this level do not have minds, autonomy, or the ability to think. they can only react to external factors according to the action strategies set by the summoners. [construct value]3000/3000 points destroying its skeleton integrity can reduce its construct value. when the construct value reaches zero, it will enter a temporary slumber state where it cannot take any actions. [soul strength]1 point as long as the soul is not extinguished, undead creatures will not truly die. the soul is the core of undead creatures. its importance is equivalent to the blood volume of humans. if you destroy its soul, reducing its soul strength to zero, you can truly kill undead creatures. [death energy]10/10 points death energy is the energy source for undead creatures, equivalent to the physical and mental energy of humans. attacking, moving, defending, and casting death-related spells all require the consumption of death energy. slumber can restore death energy. [features] bloodless: the big skeleton does not have flesh and blood, making it immune to bleeding effects and all attacks and negative effects specifically targeting flesh and blood creatures. fear aura: the big skeleton constantly causes fear effects on living beings with minds. fortunately, due to your vast experience, you have developed immunity to the terrifying appearance of undead constructs. constant morale: big skeletons do not have minds, so they will not lose morale due to severe casualties. they will fight until the last moment. death magic protection: when the big skeleton is under the influence of the spirit pivot, it will slowly revive after its construct value reaches zero. [knowledge] this target has no mind, and you cannot acquire its knowledge. [memory] this target has no mind, and you cannot acquire its memory. [skills] active skills: death pulse, level 1, death-related spells. consume 5 points of death energy to release a pulse ray containing death energy at the target. before casting, you need to prepare the spell for 3 seconds. if attacked during the preparation period, the casting will be interrupted. passive skills: close combat mastery, level 10. strong physical close combat ability. it only takes three hits to end your life. sturdy bones, level 16. very strong physical defense ability. only large-caliber rifle bullets and weapons of equal power can effectively damage it. mindless, highest level. no mind means it cannot be controlled mentally. the big skeleton is immune to fear, charm, illusion magic, psychic spells, and blocks its own knowledge and memories. undead revival, highest level. the big skeleton is under the influence of the spirit pivot. when its construct value reaches zero, it is expected to rejoin the battle after approximately 3 hours of slumber. fast integration, level 3. solely breaking apart the big skeletons bones will not cause any effective damage. if its bones are scattered, the big skeleton would only take 5 minutes to reassemble itself and rejoin the battle. [summoning requirements] 1. summoning materials ordinary materials: 3000 low-grade necromantic bones, 3 kilograms of bone melting powder core materials: 1 pure bone token, used to record the summoners action instructions. 2. summoning ritual low-grade necromantic construct summoning array. after obtaining the blueprint for this spell array, the panel information will be updated in sync. [weaknesses] one-hit-kill weakness: using death-related spells or items to break down the big skeletons soul can create a one-hit-kill effect. fatal damage weakness: dense barrages of large-caliber rifle bullets or attacks of equivalent power can effectively damage the big skeleton and reduce its construct value. action hindrance weakness: the big skeleton will only attack non-undead cult faction living beings. when you chant the undead cults prayers, show undead runes, or perform the undead cults prayer rituals, the big skeleton may regard you as a living human who has submitted to the undead cult, and thus will not treat you as a target of attack. deconstruction thoroughly analyzed the big skeleton from top to bottom and inside out, presenting all the information noland lee needed. not only did it include the summoning method and materials for the big skeleton, but it also listed the weaknesses of the big skeleton. especially the last few lines of the deconstruction result, they gave noland lee hope of survival. chanting the undead cults prayers and performing prayer rituals are definitely impractical because noland lee doesnt know the pronunciation of the undead runes and is unclear about the ritual requirements. however, there are death runes copied by the intelligence department 4 on the translated text of the grudge teachings. it should be possible to deceive the big skeleton by gesturing with these copied characters. noland lee tightened his lips, holding up the coal lamp with his right hand while silently stretching his left hand forward to gesture the death runes from his memory. Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: 10. Skull Heavy Hammer_2 he used his own body to block the soldiers sight, to avoid having his left-hand movement noticed by the soldiers. his fingertips slid back and forth in the cold air, drawing out the undead runes recorded on the translated script one by one. he was unsure if it was an illusion but after signaling several undead runes, noland lee felt the big skeletons gaze seemed to be less sharp. upon closer inspection, noland lee found that the big skeletons neck was subtly turning, its skull going from staring straight at himself to facing the metal gate. clearly, signaling undead runes had an effect, and the big skeleton no longer considered the sin soldiers in front of it as its primary targets. noland lee let out a slight sigh of relief, feeling many beads of sweat emerging from his back. however, before he could congratulate himself on escaping danger, his tense mood rose again to his throat. he saw the big skeleton retrieve its gaze from the metal gate and look at the sin soldiers in front of it. noland lee once again felt that chilly gaze from the undead, as if his signaling of undead runes had lost its effect. what was going on? why did the big skeleton take me as an attack target again? what accelerated noland lees heartbeat even more was that the big skeleton slowly raised the bone hammer in its hand, the movement and posture just like a pre-attack aiming for a ground rodent noland lee swallowed hard with difficulty, signaling the undead runes more devoutly with his left hand. he slowed down the signaling speed, trying to describe every detail of the undead runes so as to portray himself as a sincere believer. in the surrounding dark environment, the sound of bone friction echoed intensely as skeleton warriors completed their transition from slumber to awakening, treading chaotic footsteps and slowly approaching noland lee. without the need for the coal lamps light, noland lee clearly saw the surroundings: it was a dense skeleton ocean. countless purple light balls floated just over a meter above ground level. each purple light ball corresponded to a skeleton warrior of normal human size. with just a simple glance, noland lee realized that the number of skeleton warriors surrounding him might have reached hundreds. the connected purple light balls were enough to induce an episode in anyone with claustrophobia. the bone hammer in the big skeletons hand was raised higher and higher, the skeleton warriors slowly walked into the coal lamps light, the ghostly purple glow as numerous as star points on the verge of being surrounded by the skeleton ocean, noland lee felt intense pressure. if there was anyone to blame, it was the biochemical bait on his arm, which was simply too attractive to undead creatures. even signaling the undead runes couldnt eliminate his mockery value, nor dispel the undead creatures desire to attack him. noland lee anxiously looked back at the metal gate and couldnt help but curse inwardly: damn, wont mars let me retreat? a sin soldiers life is still a life! calling the sin soldier life protection association for support the bone hammer of the big skeleton was about to fall sin soldier no. 888, retreat to the staircase! hurry! corporal mars finally issued the evacuation order. noland lee immediately turned around and ran without looking back, bursting out with the fastest sprint speed in his life. as he took three steps forward, there was a sudden muffled impact sound coming from behind. the floor beneath his feet vibrated very obviously, and a piercing gust of wind grazed past his ears. noland lee looked back. the bone hammer in the big skeletons hand fell right down next to his back, slamming onto the floor, raising a large cloud of dust. if he were half a second late, that heavy hammer would have landed on his head, blowing it open with a loud bang noland lee had no time to rejoice over his close escape. he continued to run with his head down, taking three steps as two, dashing desperately. the noise of the big skeleton striking the floor seemed to signal the skeleton oceans attack. a dense surge of footsteps echoed behind noland lee. noland lee stepped into the metal door and looked back. the horde of skeleton warriors stumbled along the tomb passage like a wave swallowing fishermen, swarming towards the metal gate. fortunately, skeleton warriors are always slow-moving; otherwise, noland lee would have had no chance to escape the tomb passage alive. close the door quickly! sin soldier 888, dont just stand there! come help close the door! noland lee hurriedly propped the door with his shoulder and, along with the soldiers, pushed the heavy metal gate. the metal gate slowly closed, while ordinary skeleton warriors couldnt catch up to the speed of the door closing. however, the big skeleton could. that enormous skeleton soldier, which nearly took noland lees life, lifted the bone hammer with both hands and threw it with force after a short buildup. hu~ the heavy hammer tore through the air, raising a whirlwind and covering a distance of over ten meters in half a second, heavily hitting the metal gate. with a crashing sound, soldiers and noland lee, who were holding the door, were shaken by the fierce impact force, letting out low groans of pain. hurry up, close the door! damn, the power of this big skeleton is too astonishing! sin soldier 888, keep pushing the door! orders were continuously given to push noland lee into action faster. the soldiers on the scene were divided into two groups. one group was pushing the gate with noland lee, trying to close the door as quickly as possible. the other group provided cover fire with short-barreled rifles, slowing the action of the big skeleton. however, no matter how they shot, the large skeleton soldier still loomed like a silent titan. its heavy footsteps were like hammer blows, pounding the soldiers hearts one after another with great pressure. Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: 10. Skeleton Heavy Hammer_3 the most critical part was that the heavy hammer thrown by the big skeleton hit the metal gate with a critical strike, causing severe deformation of the door hinges. the distorted door hinges got stuck with the door in bad luck. despite noland lee and the soldiers best efforts, they could not push the metal gate any further ill break the door hinges, you guys keep pushing the door! corporal mars pulled an engineering hammer from his backpack and began hammering away at the misshapen door hinges. noland shook his head, flicking away the beads of sweat dripping from his eyebrows, then glanced at the scene behind the door, and immediately felt a chill down his spine. in front of the big skeletons skull, a bizarre purple-black light sphere was rapidly condensing. at this moment, the soldier responsible for shooting was reloading ammunition and didnt notice the big skeletons abnormality. corporal mars was also hammering the door hinges from behind the door and couldnt see the enemys movements. only noland detected this anomaly. thinking of the death-related spells mastered by the big skeleton, he immediately realized what was about to happen. noland decisively let go of the door handle and pulled the nearest soldier back: everyone, be careful! somethings wrong with that big skeleton! his words reminded the other soldiers, but it was still a little late. a black lightning bolt instantly passed through the door gap, bringing with it a wave of death and filth. the black lightning pierced a soldiers chest, and before it could stab into the heart of a second soldier, it dissipated due to its exhaustion of energy. the soldier pierced by the black lightning looked down in disbelief at the black-glowing hole in his chest. he wavered for a few moments before collapsing to the ground as weakly as a falling autumn leaf. he wailed, convulsed, and struggled, but it was all too late. in just five seconds, his body had completed the process from decay to rot, turning into a foul-smelling mud mixed with gray-white bone fragments. was this the power of death-related spells? just a level 1 death pulse alone could kill a soldier instantly? noland let go of the soldiers right hand and nodded in response to his grateful gaze. the clattering sound of teeth chattering rang out as a private second class turned pale, his teeth violently quivering. he looked at his comrade turned to dust in horror and stammered: it-its a big skeleton with casting abilitiesthe spirit pivot on tomb level three is at least level 5its highly likely that a death priest guarding itdo we really have to face such an enemy?! the commotion on the other side of the metal gate grew louder. the big skeleton and a dozen fast-moving skeleton warriors were about to reach the door. now was not the time for panic; the soldiers needed to act quickly. calm down. the only sergeant on the scene pressed his palms. mars issued a command in a somber tone: listen up, everyone, immediately retreat and cover each other back to the surface area. one person should quickly return to the surface to report the situation to sergeant major alvin stafford. ill cover the rear for you. according to the imperial armys combat guidelines, the higher ones military rank, the greater their responsibility. although the sergeant was the highest-ranking officer on the scene, he did not enjoy any special privileges. on the contrary, he had to stay at the back of the team, covering corporals and private second class soldiers C this was the sacred mission entrusted to him by the imperial army. just like him, the sin soldier had to stay at the end as well. corporal mars glanced at noland, his eyes full of appreciation. nolands reactions were quick, and he was quite reliable. if he hadnt pulled another soldier back while retreating just now, that unexpected black lightning might have claimed two soldiers lives at once. corporal mars was grateful that the other person saved his teammate. seeing noland unarmed, he handed over his engineering hammer: here, take this hammer. since you can save your teammates in times of crisis, i think i can trust someone like you to have my back. after finishing his words, mars gave noland a wink. obviously, his rhetoric was deliberately said for the team to hear, intending to help noland integrate into the squad more quickly. ps: panel information obtained from deconstruction does not count as part of the main text. i will ensure that each chapter still contains two thousand words of content after deducting panel information. also, after going on the shelves, panel information will not be placed in the main text; i will move it to the related works section. vip chapters will only feature key content from panel information. Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: 11. Skeleton Pursuers noland lee took the engineering hammer from mars hand and glanced at the ground. the private second class who had died from the death pulse left behind a set of individual combat weapons, including a short-barreled rifle, a bag of bullets, and a gun. it was understandable that corporal mars did not give the firearms to the sin soldier for use. but why had no soldier collected the firearms from the ground to take them back since the beginning? werent they afraid that undead creatures would grab the firearms and start shooting? uh could undead creatures use guns? noland lee was slightly stunned. it seemed that only in a few video games were there undead creatures capable of using firearms. in the vast majority of works, undead beings were not interested in firearms, which could easily cause damage. this may have been deliberately set by the author of the work. however, noland lee was now in a real world, and he needed to quickly make up for the common sense about undead creatures to avoid accidents due to negligence. noland lee, holding the engineering hammer, followed corporal mars up the stairs and asked at the same time: chief officer, is it dangerous to leave the guns here? will the undead use guns against us? before hearing noland lees question, corporal mars had been vigilant against the skeleton warriors, looking back at the direction of the metal gate from time to time. as soon as he heard noland lees question, an odd look appeared on the serious expression on his face. undead creatures using firearms? corporal mars glanced at noland lee, and there was a hint of confusion in his eyes, as if he hadnt expected the other person to focus on whether undead creatures would use guns when facing the pursuit of skeleton warriors corporal mars kept walking, pondering while walking, then shook his head slightly and said: no, undead creatures wont use firearms, at least not the low-level ones. low-level undead troops have very low iq, and they dont understand aiming and shooting. and the higher-level undead creatures are more terrifying than firearms, and they dont need the help of firearms. leaving the guns here temporarily will make it easier for us to retreat quickly. when we counterattack later, we will come back to collect this soldiers remains and belongings. now noland lees doubt was resolved. apparently, firearms were a kind of existence that couldnt win in either the high or low level in the ranks of the undead. it makes sense that skeleton warriors who have no mind would not be able to use firearms, and its already not bad that they can pull bows and swing hammers. just at this moment, a bony leg stretched into the staircase from the gap of the metal gate. a normal-size skeleton warrior squeezed into the staircase from the other side of the door. corporal mars gripped the short-barreled rifle in his hand, but didnt launch an attack. instead, he held noland lees shoulder and pulled him backward to continue the retreat. the two of them pressed on at the back of the team, defending the rear for the soldiers. dont bother with these slow skeleton warriors. their walking speed is slow and they cant keep up with us. corporal mars spoke in a low voice: the big skeleton wont catch up either. its size is too large, and the staircase is too narrow for it. our real enemy is a type of canine-liked undead construct called skeleton hounds. in noland lees mind, the image of the skeleton hounds from games quickly appeared. this kind of undead creature was as agile as a normal dog, moving at a very fast speed and purely made up of bones. if they got caught by this kind of undead troop, they would surely not have a good outcome. bang! bang! two loud noises came from the metal gate. the gap that had only allowed one skeleton warrior to pass through was forcefully widened even more by strong force.bang bang! another two loud noises. the heavy metal gate was blasted open by a fist the size of a washbasin, a masterpiece by the big skeleton. the skeleton warriors on the other side of the door swarmed into the staircase, slowly and fearlessly approaching the sergeant and sin soldier at the rear. continue falling back, dont engage. corporal mars calmly ordered, letting the soldiers continue their march while addressing noland lee: when you swing the engineering hammer, its best to aim for the skulls of the skeletons. knock their heads off their necks. it wont kill a skeleton, but it will make them spend some time picking their heads back up and slow down their attack rhythm. yes, sir. noland nodded. corporal mars looked him up and down, noting his condition: you were a bit flustered when you first encountered the first cavern stalker. but in the actions that followed, you were still relatively calm. youre more reliable than i imagined. keep it up. as long as you follow my orders, even if youre surrounded by skeletons, you can survive. yes, sir. noland transformed into a parrot, putting the obeying orders military guideline into practice. no matter what the sergeant said, he would only have this one sentence corporal mars nodded slightly in satisfaction. the next second, running footsteps echoed through the tomb passage on the first level. the sound was dense and hurried, coming from a group of creatures running on all fours. watch out, the skeleton hounds are coming. corporal mars flipped the short-barreled rifle in his hand, holding it by the barrel, and pointed the rifle with added iron plates at the front. at this moment, the rifle had become a hammer. the other soldiers did the same, wielding their rifles like hammers. noland entered a state of preparedness. he raised the engineering hammer in his hand, retreating steadily while staring at the metal gate. under his gaze, three teddy bear-sized skeleton hounds, crawled out from under the skeleton warriors legs, sprinting towards the soldiers on their short but agile little legs. noland squinted his eyes, carefully examining these small and deadly undead troops, dismissing the idea of using deconstruction. the reason was, these little creatures were as he had anticipated, there was no need to waste energy deconstructing them. as long as he wasnt bitten by them, there shouldnt be any danger. as the skeleton hounds rapidly approached, nolands heartbeat gradually quickened. he took aim at the skeleton hound on the left, watching its every move. the hound came in front of noland and leaped, opening its mouth full of sharp teeth, lunging for nolands neck. noland seized the opportunity, growled and swung his engineering hammer hard, giving the little head a heavy blow worth 80 new solon currency. after a crisp bang, the oncoming skeleton hounds head separated from its body. its head, like a baseball being hit, flew back into the tomb passage. without its head, the skeleton hound lost its ability to distinguish between friend and foe and bumped into the wall, swaying from side to side. noland took the opportunity to strike the hounds hindquarters with his hammer, knocking the little creature away with another 80 currency hit corporal mars held his short-barreled rifle and with a series of small combos to the left and right, sent two skeleton hounds heads flying. he saw nolands performance and couldnt help but praise: well done. noland smiled slightly and nodded toward him. the deconstruction core system suddenly sent a message, making his smile at the corner of his mouth rise even more, but he quickly controlled it. after reading the system message, nolands eyes burned with even more passion when he looked at the skeleton warriors and skeleton hounds again. Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: 12. The road is under your feet. [system message:] [you have completed your first battle, successfully unlocking the passive effect of deconstruction technique.] [when you take damage from a target or deal damage to a target, you will passively deconstruct them.] [the more damage you take or deal, the better the passive deconstruction effect on the target.] [you dealt 12 construct value damage to the skeleton hound.] [skeleton hounds deconstruction completion degree increased by 12%.] [you have obtained the following deconstruction result:] [the skeleton hound has the bone supply feature. its bones can be repurposed by skeleton warriors, big skeletons, and other undead constructs to replenish their own construct value.] putting the skeleton hounds feature aside for now, the passive deconstruction skill effect definitely made noland lees eyes light up. he had always been worried about not having enough energy to deconstruct everything he wanted. now! he had found a new way to deconstruct. that was through battle. deconstructing opponents in battle, mining all their intelligence, to offset the energy consumption and save a lot of energy. at this thought, noland lees heart grew hot. looking at the skeleton warrior and skeleton hound again, he had the illusion of facing a money tree as long as he struck hard at these money trees, they would continually drop money in the form of deconstruction results this money falling from the trees included the weaknesses of the undead constructs and, their summoning methods! noland lees pupils dilated slightly, and his heart twitched. a very fanciful and bold idea quickly took shape in his mind. could he, noland lee, become a necromancer? by deconstructing undead creatures and obtaining their summoning requirements. by deconstructing the spell books of the undead cult to understand the mysteries of death-related spells and the knowledge of summoning undead creatures. as long as he deconstructed thoroughly enough, invested enough energy, and tried enough times, he could potentially rely on the deconstruction technique to embark on the extraordinary path of necromancy. given time, he could completely stage a fake death performance through the undead creatures he controlled, use an incredibly realistic fake death event to break free from personal debt and the shackles of the imperial army, and become a free traveler. or, with the help of the undead creatures he controlled, speedrun military merit and rise through the ranks within the korabo legion to stay or to leave, it all depended on his own will. and all of this had to start with deconstructing the undead runes and undead creatures. at this moment, noland lee suddenly realized where the solution to his predicament lay. it turned out to be right under his feet, right in the midst of this dangerous, cold, and dark grave vault. watch out! corporal mars warned: here comes another group of skeleton hounds! knock their heads off and then well keep retreating! noland lee snapped out of his brief trance. he waved his engineering hammer in anticipation, eager for more skeleton hounds to attack. the oncoming lost souls enemies did not disappoint him, as this time 10 skeleton hounds surged out of the tomb passage. as soon as five of the skeleton hounds saw noland lee, they immediately regarded him as their primary target and charged at him without any regard for the soldiers nearby. noland knew that the biochemical bait was taking effect. he looked at the five ugly, baring-toothed skeleton hounds, took a deep breath to calm his nerves, and quietly retreated to corporal mars side, allowing him to share some of the defensive pressure. this move did not provoke any resentment from the soldiers. in the combat guidelines of the imperial army, there was no place for individual heroism; teamwork and mutual trust were the focus. if corporal mars handed a weapon to a sin soldier, then that soldier naturally became a temporary teammate, a trustworthy existence. to the soldiers, nolands retreat was not a betrayal of corporal mars but a rational strategic withdrawal to prevent the line from collapsing. in fact, his retreat had an immediate effect C two skeleton hounds shifted their attention, and the pressure on him was significantly reduced. as noland, the retreating soldiers, corporal mars, and the sin soldier came together to form a defensive line, the burden on nolands shoulders was further reduced, and only two skeleton hounds remained focused on him. noland watched the enemys movements closely, waited for the right moment, and raised his engineering hammer, striking down with force. with a clang, noland swung the hammer down on the head of a skeleton hound. the skeleton hounds head flew off in response, but noland did not dare to let his guard down. he forcibly twisted his waist to narrowly avoid the bite of another skeleton hound, and as it landed, he raised his wrist and swung the engineering hammer again. a crisp impact sounded, and the second skeleton hounds head bounced off, falling to the top of the staircase and then rolling down with a puff of smoke. before the headless skeleton hound could retrieve its head, noland struck it again with a righteous blow, sending its body flying down the steps, mixing it with the skeleton warriors that followed. whew~ noland gasped for breath. swinging the engineering hammer repeatedly made his heart pound violently, and his chest heaved like a bellows. but he didnt want to stop. he still needed to inflict more damage and gain a higher degree of deconstruction completion from the skeleton hounds. right then, another skeleton hound entered the staircase, chasing the soldiers along the stepstones. a battle-hungry smile appeared on nolands face as he tightened his grip on the engineering hammer and went forth with the soldiers to face the enemy once more. the sound of clashing echoed in the staircase, mixed with the heavy panting of humans and angry shouts. noland and the soldiers repelled wave after wave of skeleton hounds, but it was not a cause for celebration. due to the skeleton hounds containment and harassment, the squads retreat speed dropped significantly. the large group of slow-moving skeleton warriors caught up with them at a visible pace. when noland felt sore in his wrist and his palms became numb, a skeleton warrior swung its bone sword at him from close range. it was a critical moment when nolands old strength was exhausted, and the new hadnt yet arrived, making it difficult for him to avoid the attack. the skeleton warriors bone sword turned into a deadly weapon, aimed at nolands heart. watch out! at the crucial moment, corporal mars beside noland shouted, swinging the short-barreled rifle in his hand back and sweeping away the bone sword that was only 0.1 seconds away from piercing nolands heart. noland broke out in a cold sweat from the sudden turn of events. it wasnt until the skeleton warrior in front of him had its head knocked off by mars rifle that noland realized he had just had a close encounter with death thank you. thank you as noland gasped for breath and expressed his gratitude, he immediately raised his arm and swung the engineering hammer, helping mars knock away a sneak attack from a skeleton hound. corporal mars nodded to noland, offering a smile of gratitude, and his eyes filled with admiration. nolands performance did not disappoint him. nolands heart also gained some tacit understanding of teamwork and a slight recognition of the imperial soldiers. however, when he thought about his debt and his experiences after crossing, the sense of recognition that had just been born faded a bit. but the skeleton warriors didnt care about the emotional growth between the living; they emotionlessly continued to attack the imperial soldiers. Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: 13. Fight to the End (2 in 1) over time, the battle situation rapidly intensified. skeleton hounds slowed down the speed of the reconnaissance squads retreat, while the vast skeleton ocean surrounded them, trapping the squad in a fierce battle with the fearless undead spirit and deadly bone swords. noland lee, as a sin soldier, stood at the forefront of the squad against the enemy. on his left and right sides were imperial soldiers, behind him was an endless stone staircase, and in front of him were skeleton warriors with hollow, soulless eyes and eerie purple lights radiating from their skulls. not only did he have to maintain the steady line and slowly retreat upward, but he also had to be vigilant against the attacks of the skeleton warriors and skeleton hounds. it could be said that he was multitasking and operating with his hands and feet all the time, with no room for mistakes. one second, he swung his engineering hammer, smashing the head of a skeleton warrior. the next second, he had to thrust the handle of the hammer to block the bite of a skeleton hound. if he wasnt careful enough to keep up with the enemys attack rhythm, his legs, arms, and abdomen would be cut by sharp bone swords, spilling his blood onto the ground and walls. blood seeped out of the narrow wounds, staining his sin soldier uniform, flowing down his clothes and trouser legs, filling his shoes, soaking his socks and the soles of his shoes. the problem that came with it was slippery feet and unstable weight. as for the dizziness and tinnitus caused by blood loss, it seemed like the death knell ringing in his head, echoing, echoing, until death. noland lee couldnt remember how many times he had swung his engineering hammer, nor could he estimate how much blood he had shed. his vision began to blur, beads of sweat hung on his eyelids, and waves of blood loss-induced daze attacked him. he kept swinging his engineering hammer in a low growl, responding to the enemys aggression with his bodys instinct to survive, allowing the pain of torn wounds to accumulate in every corner of his body. he felt as if he was on a vast, boundless battlefield, surrounded by endless enemies on all sides. he was like a flatboat sailing on a vast ocean: either grip the oars and fight for survival or, float along with the waves and leave everything to fate. i cant die here, my journey as a traveler has just begun. noland lee shouted in his heart, forcing himself to be more mindful, but within three or five seconds, he fell into a state of spiritual collapse due to excessive blood loss and exhaustion. hold on! support is coming! corporal mars used the butt of his gun to deflect the blade in front of noland, grabbed his arm, and pulled him back from the edge of falling. chief officer, there are too many enemies! we need to do something! a soldier in the team called out: sin soldier no. 888 did a great job of awakening the undead and killing some of them with us but after all, hes just a sin soldier i mean its time for sin soldier no. 888 to respond to the call of the empire and accept the mission bestowed upon him by the empire! hearing this, noland suddenly felt uneasy. the so-called mission was nothing more than throwing him to the skeleton warriors. he would use the large amount of biochemical bait on his body to hold back the enemy and ensure the safe withdrawal of the reconnaissance squad. if this scenario were to happen, noland felt there was no chance of survival, and he would undoubtedly become a puddle of mud torn apart by the skeleton warriors. he struggled to raise his engineering hammer and hit it on a skeleton warriors skull to prove that he still had the ability to fight. however, due to excessive weakness, his hammer only made the skeleton warrior stagger a little, without flying the skull. noland felt the feedback from his touch and knew his attack was unsuccessful. his attempt to prove himself had already failed, leaving a trace of desolation spreading in his heart. corporal mars suddenly tightened his grip on nolands arm and conveyed a firm conviction: no! soldier! i reject your proposal! the empire raised us to adulthood, taught us patience, struggle, perseverance, and fight. when the sacred mission arrives, we will naturally accept the glory bestowed upon us by the empire but not now! sin soldier no. 888 has already proven his commitment to battle. if he is destined to face his fate here, i hope he can fight to the last moment. corporal marss voice exploded in nolands ear: did you hear that, jarvis? fight, keep fighting! let the flame of the empire burn in your heart, lighting your path, until your body turns to ashes in the flames! as for concepts like mission, destiny, glory, and empire noland had little concept in his heart. he was a traveler, not a native-born empire person. he didnt have the time to delve into the memories of the original master, feel his growth journey, or understand how the empire took care of its people. but he was very clear that fighting with all his strength was his only chance to survive. alas, what a miserable beginning, why wasnt the system i got a super powerful one? in the end, i still have to rely on myself noland raised his head to look at corporal mars and nodded heavily in his bright eyes before grabbing his engineering hammer and swinging it at the skeleton warriors. his attacks were weak and powerless, but he was still fighting. as if the surrounding soldiers saw the flames of the empire burning on him, they deeply felt how firm this sin soldiers fighting beliefs were. who would refuse a wounded man who still had the courage to continue fighting? Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: 13. Fight to the End (2 in 1) _2 who would be heartless enough to rob an imperial man of his chance to continue fighting? even if this man is a sin soldier, as long as he proves himself, he is worthy of respect. the soldiers no longer discuss leaving the sin soldier behind. noland lees actions have ignited their desire to fight and their competitive spirit. they want to prove their worth through their actions, proving that they are better than any sin soldier. the intense cries of battle grow louder, covering up the sound of footsteps in the skeleton ocean, echoing in the icy, lonely tomb stairway, composing a dramatic opera of life and death without an audience. time flows away, second by second, just like blood seeps from noland lees body, drop by drop. noland lee feels his body growing cold, his will fading, and he longs to gulp down waterthis is a delusion caused by severe blood loss, signifying that death is nearing. his blood drips and flows, staining each stepstone red, laying out his path to death. is he about to die? a bitter smile forms on noland lees face, hidden beneath the breathing mask. damn it, what bad luck to start a traversal like this the deconstruction core system, this thing is definitely not suitable for a battle. its correct use should be for research, cracking, translation, scientific examinations and so forth. taking such a system geared towards theoretical research to the battlefield indeed gives off the vibe of a man regretting his choice of occupation all his life noland lee is now on the verge of unconsciousness, only being able to rigidly wave around his engineering hammer. just as he feels his life about to slip away, a loud whistle comes from above, from the stairway entrance where the reconnaissance squad is. noland lee turns to look back, and his heart lightens. he realized that he has unknowingly retreated to the tomb ground-level area. whistle~~ the soldier standing at the stairway entrance who blew the whistle yells down to the reconnaissance squad below: soldiers, take note! we have the bee syrup bombs ready! you must quickly exit the stairway; we will cover your retreat! noland lee forces out the last of his strength, running up with the soldiers in the squad. under the cover of a barrage, he steps into the tomb ground-level area. finally saved as he steps beyond the door of the stairway, noland lees body slumps, and he falls to the ground, devoid of any strength. the corporal and soldier beside him share the same fate, with only corporal mars managing to remain standing. three bombs, shaped like beehives, fly over their heads and drop into the staircase. the fuses of the bombs rapidly ignite, and bright sparks billow out smoke. after the bang, the three bombs explode simultaneously. smoke billows out, and countless black dots fly out from the exploding bombs, rushing towards the skeleton warriors. these black dots seem like they are bee syrups altered by the empire, noland lee can smell a sweet scent. once the black bee syrup hits the skeleton warriors, it bursts into another explosion that splatters a large amount of black sludge onto the skeleton warriors. the moment the bones of the skeleton warriors touch the black sludge, they melt away rapidly, like ignited cotton. in merely tens of seconds, a large group of skeleton warriors that had made the reconnaissance squad extremely ragged melted into pools of black sludge noland lee sees the skeleton warriors melt away, and the last bit of his desire to fight dissipates. his vision darkens and he falls backward onto the ground. just when he thinks he is going to die from excessive blood loss, two medical soldiers dressed in white military uniforms lift him off the ground and place him onto a stretcher. a soft tube roughly the thickness of a finger is inserted into his throat through his mouth, stopping at the epiglottis. the medical soldiers press on the inflatable sac in their hands, manually pumping some green liquid into the tube. the green liquid squirms through the tube, flowing down into noland lees esophagus. the intense thirst brought about by blood loss stimulates noland lee, and he unknowingly swallows the liquid, not knowing its effects. somewhere he cant see, green scabs start forming on his skin and the flowing blood quickly ceases. at the same time, a warm sensation appears around the wound, making him comfortable, as if he was soaking in a hot spring. by the time he is carried into the temporary medical tent by the medical soldiers, he surprisingly finds that his brain has become much clearer and not as groggy and weak as before. shouldnt die herenoland lee watches the medical soldiers give him an injection, hangs a drip, and administers crimson plasma into his body, he feels a sense of vitality returning, a feeling of life being revived. as his body temperature returns to normal, his dizziness subsides, tiredness and sleepiness take over, noland lee cant help but falls into a deep sleep. . in a half-asleep state, noland lee hears the sound of footsteps getting closer. he barely opens his eyes and sees corporal mars, who just pulled aside the tent curtain. jarvis, how are you feeling? corporal mars comes next to the bed, checks the wound on his wrist, and says with a nod: seems like youre recovering quite well, the special effect medicine syrup supplied by division intelligence unit three always works fast and effectively. noland lee lifts his arm, looks at the green scabs on his skin, and sits up on the bed. well, one needs to admit that these medical supplies in the biochemical mutation line are indeed effective. the green potion combined with crimson plasma has pulled him, who was on the brink of death due to excessive blood loss, back from the jaws of death. and judging from the mechanical hanging clock on the wall, he has only slept for half an hour. in such a short amount of time, his injuries have completely taken a turn for the better, and most of his strength has returned Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: 13. Fight to the End (2 in 1) _3 these medical supplies from the tatis empire are quite something. noland lee briefly checked his condition and looked up at corporal mars: chief officer, how are the other three reconnaissance squads? corporal mars shook his head slightly, with a hint of regret in his eyes: its about the same for them. those three squads were also besieged by the undead constructs, and each of them suffered some losses. but fortunately, weve cleared the situation on the first underground level of the grave vault. sergeant alvin stafford is drawing up a plan to purify the first underground level. we estimate that in about an hour, well return to that area. noland lee considered for a moment before asking: are the other three sin soldiers still alive, besides me? the corporal was momentarily taken aback, seemingly surprised by noland lees concern for the other sin soldiers of the three sin soldiers one died in the battle, while the other two are in the same situation as you C barely alive. one sin soldier has died noland lee pursed his lips. although his duties were somewhat different from those of ordinary sin soldiers, he still wished that his fellow sin soldier companions could live longer as disposable people corporal mars didnt know what noland lee was thinking. he raised his hand and pointed outside the tent: come, follow me. before the formal purification of the first underground level, you still have some preparations to make. noland lee stood up, put on his blood-stained uniform, and followed the corporal toward the tent flap. just before leaving the tent, corporal mars paused, thought for half a second, and said: jarvis, during the previous battle, my team members all saw your courage and conviction. in order to better fulfill the army commanders orders, i think it is necessary for you to get acquainted with them i hope you wont blame the soldier who suggested leaving you behind in the battle since it is the imperial armys standard practice. this doesnt represent my attitude towards you, nor can it represent the attitude of my team members towards you in the coming period. noland lee nodded: yes, chief officer. i understand. corporal mars opened the tent flap. noland lee saw the soldiers outside the door, the very same corporals and privates who had fought the skeleton warriors with him before. as soon as they saw noland lee, these soldiers, who had once questioned whether sin soldiers could carry the empires glory, cast approving glances at him. only one persons eyes seemed to dodge and were filled with shame. noland lee knew that this man was the soldier who had suggested leaving him behind in the battle. at this moment, what noland lee saw was not a teammate who betrayed his comrades but a qualified soldier who dared to put forward suggestions at a critical moment and strictly abided by the empires military discipline. noland lee could forgive him or pretend to forgive him, harbor resentment in his heart, and seek retaliation when the opportunity arises. however, noland lee survived and fought until the last moment with his own willpower, without relying on the systems help. even corporal mars intervened in the matter. under such circumstances, noland lee had the right to forgive others for their verbal transgressions. noland lee shook hands with each of these soldiers, introducing themselves to each other. when it was the turn of the soldier with dodging eyes, noland lee shook his hand and smiled: what do you think? i did pretty well, didnt i? noland lees smile dissolved some of the knots in the soldiers heart. the soldier took a deep breath, sincerely saying: your performance has been impressive. i always thought that sin soldiers were merely cowards who disrupted order, a bunch of rats wasting food, but you showed me another side. please forgive me for my previous inappropriate words; you should not have been left behind. you deserve to enjoy the honor of defeating the enemy. i admit defeat wholeheartedly. i wont hold a grudge against you for what you said before; please believe me. noland lee wore a faint smile and nodded: i am noland lee jarvis, from the south capital province. you can still call me sin soldier no. 888. the soldier shook his right hand firmly: i am private second class corbin, from the eastern province. i used to be a horse groomer before joining the army, and im the only child in my family anyway, its an honor to receive your forgiveness, jarvis. Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: 14. Blood bottle blue bottle the preparations for the battle were underway. information gathered from the four reconnaissance squads had been compiled and distributed to each squad under the command of sergeant major alvin stafford. according to the scouts, there were numerous low-ranking undead constructs on the first underground level of grave no.1079. by conservative estimates, the imperial army would be up against around 200 fast-moving skeleton hounds, at least 6,000 bone sword-wielding skeleton warriors, 40 cavern stalkers lurking in the walls and ceilings, and six spell-casting big skeletons. in order to prepare for this battle, commander alvin stafford ordered the soldiers to be fully armed. for the undead constructs made of bones, they were given hammers imbued with biochemical nectar. this unique blunt weapon had a nozzle designed to spray the nectar when swung forcefully. the solid nectar particles could be dispersed like bait, dealing a lethal blow to the skeleton warriors within a small range. although the effect was slightly inferior compared to bee syrup bombs, it was no problem to melt an entire skeleton warrior in a minute. to counter the skeleton hounds and cavern stalkers, alvin stafford gathered a large number of biochemically enhanced battle dogs. these accelerated-growth dogs had keen senses of smell and hearing, allowing them to detect the cavern stalkers disguised as stone bricks. at the same time, they had been professionally trained for dogfighting and would immediately pounce on any discovered skeleton hounds, holding them down, and giving the soldiers room to deal with other enemies. as for the big skeletons with spell-casting abilities bee syrup bombs were the first choice. each squad was equipped with bee syrup bombs and a corresponding bomb launcher. these powerful weapons could only be used when confronting the big skeletons. at other times, the soldiers were only authorized to use firearms and hammers. with all these arrangements in place, noland lees mars squad had a clear division of labor: corporal mars and a private named mike adams were responsible for using honey hammers to engage the enemy. private second class corey, isaac, and kovin were in charge of controlling the dogs to clear out troublesome cavern stalkers and skeleton hounds. private second class corbin carried the bee syrup bombs and the bomb launcher, always ready to deal with big skeletons. as a sin soldier, noland lee was tasked with walking in the frontlines and drawing the enemys attention. of course, he received some preferential treatment, being allowed to wear plate armor and carry an engineering hammer. once he got the plate armor on, noland sat outside the squads tent, watching the hustle and bustle of the soldiers while wiping down his engineering hammer, soaking in the tense atmosphere before the battle. after applying the maintenance oil to the hammerhead, noland pulled up the system message to check it out. over the last hour, he had been constantly fighting, with no time to review any messages; now was the perfect time to catch up. [system message: you dealt 40 points of construct value damage to the skeleton hound.] [passive deconstruction activated!] [your deconstruction completion of the skeleton hound has increased from 0% to 4%.] [system message: you have been attacked by the skeleton hound completion increased to 7%] [system message: your deconstruction completion of the skeleton hound has reached 100%. you have obtained all the deconstruction results of the skeleton hound.] [you have mastered all information about this target through passive deconstruction.] [you have regained 1 point of energythis value is equal to the energy you would have consumed from actively deconstructing the skeleton hound.] noland raised his eyebrows in surprise, not expecting passive deconstruction to have such benefits. actively deconstructing a skeleton hound consumed 1 point of energy, while passive deconstruction provided a 1 point energy recovery. passive deconstruction saved him 1 energy point while also replenishing it; this effectively doubled his energy gain! it seemed that passive deconstruction had great potential though, the process was quite painful, as it required fighting the enemy half to death noland sighed inwardly at the harshness of life and pulled up the deconstruction results of the skeleton hound for a quick glance. there wasnt much special about the skeleton hounds panel, only the bone supply feature was worth noting. skeleton hounds with this feature could be broken down into bone parts by skeleton warriors and big skeletons, and added to their bodies to replenish their construct value. fortunately, there were not many skeleton hounds on the first underground level; otherwise, the empires army might really be worn down by the bone supply feature. he continued to check the system messages. [you inflicted 22 construct value damage on the skeleton warrior degree of completion increased to 1%.] similar messages appeared hundreds of times, meaning noland lee hit the skeleton warrior 100 times, or was hit by the skeleton warrior 100 times noland lee was too lazy to count the number of attacks on both sides and directly scrolled to the end of the message list. [system message: your degree of deconstruction of the skeleton warrior has reached 100%. you have obtained all deconstruction results of the skeleton warrior.] [you recovered 2 energy points.] the skeleton warriors panel was also unlocked. his own tremendous blood loss was finally not in vain. noland lee checked the skeleton warriors panel and his initially relaxed face gradually became solemn! unexpectedly, the skeleton warriors also had the bone supply feature, and they could all become nourishment for the big skeleton. not only that, in the [feature] column of the skeleton warrior, the words death supply were written in bold. [feature]death supply once this feature is activated, all death energy of this undead construct will be transferred to the target. afterward, the undead construct will enter a state of slumber. if the skeleton hounds are health potions for the big skeleton, then the skeleton warriors are a combination package of health and mana potions. a single skeleton warrior has 3 points of death energy. with 6,000 skeleton warriors, thats a total of 18,000 death energy. thats enough to cast 3,600 level 1 death pulses! a level 1 death pulse can guarantee the death of one soldier at least. 3,600 death pulses mean 3,600 lives will be harvested, right? how many soldiers are in sergeant major alvins army? noland lee quickly looked around and counted the number of tents about 300 people, for a total of 15 squads, 13 of which were combat squads, 1 belonging to division intelligence unit threes medical squad, and 1 was captain alvins guard squad. even if you include non-combat personnel responsible for material transportation, there are only about 350 people with such a size of troops, is there really no problem when fighting against a big skeleton equipped with health and mana potions? noland lee felt bothered, things seemed to be heading towards chaos. uh, wait, thats not right. noland lee had a sudden realization. the military of the empire has access to extraordinary routes. the renowned imperial fist hasnt made its debut yet. perhaps this is the trump card that has been secretly kept by his side. a biochemical giant should be able to take down a big skeleton, right noland lee thought to himself, and then put aside the matter of bone supply and death supply for the time being. he didnt plan to bring up these two terms to discuss them with corporal mars. firstly, he couldnt explain how he knew about this information. secondly, he believed that the experienced sergeant major alvin would take these two unstable factors into consideration. it wasnt for a lowly convict like himself to remind officers of what to do the oil on the engineering hammer was almost dry. noland lee picked up the cloth and wiped the hammerhead gently, following the maintenance method mars taught him, polishing the hammerhead until it shone, gradually finding the feeling of being in the army and going to war. Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: 15. Hidden Crisis the army was ready to set out, with all the soldiers gathered at the stairway entrance. corporal mars led his squad members in formation, quietly waiting for sergeant alvin stafford to issue the attack command. there were four staircases leading down to the first underground level, each located at a corner of the ground floor hall. sergeant alvin stafford decided that all personnel would descend using the staircase that mars squad had reconnoitered. the reason was that the staircase mars squad had reconnoitered was the only one with an open metal gate, while the metal gates on the other three staircases were closed. this was not to imply that mars squad had failed in their reconnaissance mission. in fact, they were the best of the four reconnaissance squads. the other three reconnaissance squads had also been attacked by the big skeleton, but their sergeants had ordered the metal gates to be strictly guarded and closed. although this move did indeed cut off the undeads route to the surface, it came at a heavy price. noland lee took advantage of the time when the army was gathering to quietly observe the other three reconnaissance squads. five startling casualties had been suffered by each of the three reconnaissance squads, with some dead, injured, and disabled. the dead sin soldier, it was said, had his thigh bitten off by a skeleton hound and was dragged to the foot of a skeleton warrior, where he was hacked into a muddy mess by a bone sword. the two surviving sin soldiers, one had several pieces of flesh bitten off by a skeleton hound, and another had his nose broken; both were nearly killed by the chaotic sword strikes of the skeleton warriors. if it were not for the swift support from the squads remaining on the ground level, nine out of ten of the three reconnaissance squads would have perished underground. this also indirectly proved that corporal mars was a wise commander who knew how to conserve his forces, tactically retreating, unlike other sergeants who were recklessly attention everyone. sergeant alvin stafford, with his short black hair, blew his whistle and walked past the neatly arranged soldiers: soldiers of the empire, its time to cleanse this filthy land. in the name of the empire, we shall punish our enemies with the weapons in our hands, pave the way forward with their bones, and let the empires wrath burn away the wickedness within the graves. sergeant alvin stafford took his honey hammer from a guard, raising it high: now, lets all move out, follow me into the darkness, and fight to clear tomb no.1079. with that said, sergeant alvin stafford, like a fearless warrior, took the first step into the poisonous fog-filled staircase, and his guard squad followed closely behind, acting as the pioneers for the rest of the soldiers. the reconnaissance squads had already paid for this operation with their blood during the scouting phase. during the formal fighting stage, they were granted a little privilege, allowing them to move at the rear of the army. with the other squads stepping onto the staircase one after another, noland lee followed suit with corporal mars to return to the staircase which he had temporarily left for 1 hour. on this downward path, noland lee saw many bones. the fully armed imperial army, with an overwhelming force, had fought their way from the ground level down to the first underground level, crushing all the skeleton warriors and skeleton hounds they encountered into fragments. when noland lee reached the end of the staircase and returned to the damaged metal gate, the remains of the soldier who had died from the death pulse had already been tidied up by the soldiers who had arrived first, and had not been trampled on by the imperial army as the skeleton bones had. corporal mars took out a prepared metal can, collected the soldiers remains, and spoke with some sorrow: private second class jack, when this battle is over, we will return you to your loved ones. corporal mars took out a strap, wrapped it around the metal can, and tied it to himself. seeing this scene, noland lees mind stirred, and he stepped forward and said: chief officer, let me carry him. although i spotted the big skeletons aberration in time, i couldnt save him, and i regret that. corporal mars determined face showed a slight softening. the other soldiers also showed their approval and admiration for noland lees words. private second class koben, who was carrying honey bombs, had his eyes twinkling and was about to come over and pat noland lees shoulder jarvis, i appreciate your kindness, but ill take care of this. its my duty as the squad commander. besides, you havent injected the strengthening potion yet, so carrying the metal can would be inconvenient for you. corporal mars gently refused noland lees request, then waved his hand forward: keep moving, brothers, lets use the undeads bones to send off private second class jack. the soldiers followed mars through the damaged metal gate. as they passed noland lee, they patted him on the shoulder to show their approval and consolation. noland lee nodded his head to the soldiers in salute, falling to the back of the line. ah, how embarrassing noland lee sighed quietly in his heart before crossing over, he was rather introverted. usually, he was either working as a socially awkward employee at his company or playing games at home, with very little social interaction. however, as a hardcore player of role-playing games, he knew very well how to use words to gain character favorability. after crossing over, when he learned about the imperial fist and encountered undead creatures he had only seen in games, he couldnt help but feel that he had stepped into a game world. just now, seeing corporal mars take care of the fallen subordinates remains, noland felt an impulse to gain some favorability points and followed through with it. although the results proved to be significant, and he indeed won more approval from the soldiers, noland lee always felt a bit uncomfortable noland lee shook his head slightly, dispelling the strange feeling in his heart. after all, he was a little too innocent because he had little social interaction before the crossing. if it were an experienced socialite who had fought in society for many years, would they be ashamed to take advantage of other peoples feelings? grave vault underground level one. after being equipped with targeted weapons by the imperial army, the skeleton warriors were no longer a threat. only the tall, spell-casting big skeleton was troublesome. fortunately, sergeant alvin stafford had extensive experience. he led his team to set up several launching positions and sent a team to lure the big skeleton scattered around the grave vault underground level one. the big skeletons that came after the scent of the living hadnt released the death pulse when they were bombarded by the bee syrup bombs, turning them into beehives in name and reality. with a series of battles that were too smooth, noland lee always felt an uncertain unease in his heart, feeling that he had overlooked some critical details. as he swung the honey hammer to clear the skeleton warriors from the edge of the battlefield, he asked corporal mars, who was next to him: chief officer, can you tell me about the spirit pivot? i heard about it while scouting the first level of the grave vault. what is it, and what does it do? noland lee asked three questions in succession, but corporal mars didnt feel annoyed. on the contrary, mars saw noland lee showing his curiosity as something to be acknowledged. heaven knows how many sin soldiers he had seen who were waiting for death and thinking about escaping every day. noland lee jarvis was the first sin soldier he had met who was thirsty for knowledge. it was no wonder he was a top student at city college. jarvis these questions youre asking are exactly what i wanted to tell you. corporal mars calmly said as he smashed a group of skeleton warriors with his hammer: the spirit pivot is a very sinister death-type magic building. its scope is vast, covering the entire grave no.1079 where we are now. the level of spirit pivot varies according to the magical effects it possesses. if it possesses only one magical effect, it is a level 1 spirit pivot. if it possesses two magical effects, it is a level 2 spirit pivot, and so on. every spirit pivot is at least level 1, which means it must possess the magic effect of resurrecting the lost souls. it can resurrect undead creatures on a large scale, allowing them to rejoin the battle. mars kicked the melted bones at his feet: just like these skeleton warriors. they may seem like mush right now, but if we dont destroy the spirit pivot on the third underground level, theyll just stand up again in a few hours and fight us once more. mars took a breath, waved his hammer, and crushed the struggling skeleton warriors under his feet, continuing: as for the spirit pivot on the third underground level of tomb no. 1079 his expression became serious, and he lowered his voice: that spirit pivots situation is very bad. sergeant alvin hasnt announced his guess. but as far as im concerned, i estimate that the spirit pivot is at least level 6 because it has shown six magical effects so far. the wide range resurrection of the lost souls, the ability to summon three types of undead constructs: skeleton warriors, skeleton hounds, and big skeletons, the stitching magic that creates cavern stalkers, and the magical effect that grants spellcasting abilities to the big skeletons are the six magical effects controlled by that spirit pivot. corporal mars put down the hammer in his hand and flicked it lightly: hmm level 6 spirit pivot ive only seen it twice in my years in the military, and this is the third time. in those previous battles, necromancers from the undead cult were present, and we had to fight them off with great effort. corporal mars paused as if briefly lost in memories, with a hint of regret and sadness flashing in his eyes. two seconds later, he focused his thoughts and said firmly: the battle this time is likely to be as fierce as the previous two battles. we have to be mentally prepared i dont know how many more people will fall here corporal mars continued to clean up the wandering skeleton warriors. behind him, noland lees eyes showed a thoughtful look. if the two characteristics of bone supply and death supply were also conferred by the spirit pivot, wouldnt that make it an 8-level spirit pivot? thats two levels higher than what corporal mars expected noland lee squinted his eyes at the battlefield illuminated by the coal lamp and suddenly realized that the imperial army seemed to have fallen into a trap. from the beginning of the battle to the present, no skeleton warrior or skeleton hound had been used as a bone supply for the big skeletons. from the start to the end, the imperial army never discovered the two magical features bone supply and soul supply. it was as if the undead cult had planned it the undead cult seemed to be concealing something plotting something sinister, cunning, and patient the undead cults scheming was quite deep Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: 16. Undead Advantage the battle on the first level of the tomb was more difficult than noland lee anticipated. bullets, which can easily penetrate the human body and tear apart muscles and viscera, were much less effective when attacking skeletons. upon further thought, the power of bullets mainly comes from the cavity effect formed when the bullet enters the human body. in order for the cavity effect to be achieved, the targeted object must have blood flesh tissues, such as internal organs and muscles. however, skeleton warriors, big skeletons, and skeleton hounds lack these blood and flesh tissues. thanks to their bloodless feature, bullets, which can cause considerable damage to the human body, can only pierce through the bones and fly off bone fragments when confronting skeletons. as such, when facing the numerous skeletons on the first level of the tomb, honey hammers, bee syrup bombs, and biohunting hounds were the primary weapons of the imperial army. the first to be completely eliminated were the fast-moving skeleton hounds, as they were all killed by the biohunting hounds. the salivary glands of these military hounds had undergone a deep biochemical transformation, and their saliva secretion, a turbid liquid containing biochemical nectar, was poisonous to undead constructs. when the military hounds bit the skeleton hounds, they could dissolve a small part of their target, making their killing efficiency extremely high. the second to be wiped out were the big skeletons. these large, conspicuous undead creatures were targeted and slaughtered by the imperial army. the remains of four big skeletons that had been melted by the bee syrup bombs piled up over eight meters high, forming a small mound that almost touched the ceiling of the first level of the tomb. finally, the most numerous skeleton warriors and the cavern stalkers disguised as stone bricks were eradicated. after the demise of the undead, their remains covered the floor of the entire first level of the tomb. soldiers had to move on top of the carpet of bones, unable to see the stone brick floor underneath. when no more undead could be seen on the first level, sergeant alvin stafford ordered the placement of air purification devices. rolling white fog poured from trumpet-shaped nozzles, quickly neutralizing the yellow-green poisonous fog. upon contact with the undead remains, the white mist formed a layer of white wax on the bone surface, turning the bones scattered across the ground into wax sculptures. noland lee raised his eyebrows and asked corporal mars about the situation. only then did he learn that division intelligence unit three had incorporated an anti-undead resuscitation enzyme into the purification fog, which could delay the revival speed of undead creatures to a certain extent. now, it was estimated that big skeletons, which originally took three hours to revive, would need at least five hours to rise again. invisibly, the imperial army now had more time. after hearing this piece of intelligence, nolands worry subsided somewhat. indeed, the imperial army came well-prepared and should not fall easily into the traps of the undead cult. while the main force was resting on the first level, the four recon squads set off again. after changing the filter cartridge on his breathing mask, noland nodded to his squad mates, leading the way into the staircase leading to the tomb level 2. although he had gained trust and approval from the soldiers, he could not disobey orders and throw off his sin soldier identity. he still had to do what a sin soldier must do. scout ahead, lure the enemy, play the vanguard, and lead the hidden cavern stalkers out. move cautiously in the dark, stay vigilant and attract the attention of the revived undead. with no complaints, noland performed his duties dutifully. however, this time it was different. he was not walking alone in front of the group. corporal mars and noland lee walked side by side, explaining the situation on the second level of the tomb as they went, in the hopes that the sin soldier hed approved of would have a better chance of survival. there are a few things you need to remember, jarvis. with a wary eye on the corridor ahead, corporal mars whispered: first, where there are skeleton warriors, there are sure to be skeleton hounds. among the undead troops, skeleton hounds play the role of cannon fodder, scouts, and vanguard troops. the undead cults standard strategy is to use skeleton hounds to hold the enemy in place while skeleton warriors overwhelm them. second, where there are big skeletons, there are skeleton warriors. big skeletons are the elite soldiers among the low-ranking undead constructs and have the broadest surveillance range and fastest awakening speed from their slumber. they are the leaders of the skeleton warrior squads and the observers of an alert zone. third, the closer you get to the spirit pivot, the stronger the undead creatures and the more diverse their types. you might encounter skeleton archers, metal skeletons, or suicide skeleton soldiers as enemies later on. be extremely cautious and listen carefully to my commands i dont want you to die here. yes, sir, thank you for reminding me. noland lee responded with gratitude, silently admiring the corporals diligence. unfortunately, due to the shackles placed on him by the empire, noland lee couldnt genuinely feel good about it. the only thing he could do was give a mental thumbs-up to mars personal performance. curious, noland lee asked, right, chief, are there any roles in the undead troops similar to medical soldiers? undead medical soldiers corporal mars pondered for a moment before nodding slowly. there are, but theyre not enemies we can deal with. ive never seen one myself, but ive heard rumors about them. apparently, in the undead cult, low-ranking necromancers have mastered two different systems for summoning undead creatures. generally speaking, these two systems are the summoning of undead constructs using undead construct summoning arrays and summoning sutured creatures using arrays that stitch together corpses and bones. undead constructs and sutured creatures, as the two most common types of undead creatures, have already come into contact with you so theres no need for me to elaborate on them. low-ranking necromancers enchant the two types of summoning systems onto the spirit pivot. with the help of the spirit pivots range of influence, they can summon large numbers of undead creatures. the spirit pivot serves as the medium through which necromancers perform large-scale summoning spells. corporal mars paused a moment, therefore, when a spirit pivot can simultaneously summon undead constructs and sutured creatures, it must be under the control of a low-ranking necromancer. with the team rounding another stairway corner, corporal mars continued, the undead medical soldiers you mentioned ive heard healing undead creatures is a magical ability of mid-ranking necromancers; however, their methods differ from those of mankind. mid-ranking necromancers can grant their undead creatures the effects of bone supply and death supply at the mention of these terms, noland lee raised his eyebrows. wasnt this exactly what he was looking for? bone supply and death supply are abilities granted by mid-ranking necromancers to their undead creatures. the spirit pivot on the third underground level of tomb no.1079 was controlled by a mid-ranking necromancer, not a low-ranking one. weighing the possibility, noland lee patiently waited for mars to finish before asking another question, so, chief, is there a possibility that a mid-ranking necromancer is present on the third underground level? this mid-ranking necromancer has granted the effects of bone supply and death supply to undead creatures, but hasnt used them. the objective of the mid-ranking necromancer is to lull us into a false sense of security by underestimating their strength, so they can strike a heavy blow when the opportunity arises for example, they could drag us down to the third underground level, wait until the underground level 1 and 2 lost souls have revived, and then use the effects of bone supply and death supply to cut off our retreat while we are trapped and surrounded. noland lees words left corporal mars dumbstruck. the well-seasoned sergeant stopped in his tracks, deep in thought. the soldiers around him had also heard noland lees words and were exchanging uneasy glances as they saw the uncertainty in each others eyes Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: 17. Original Masters Sin you have quite an imagination no, i mean your ideas are very profound, jarvis. sergeant mars snapped out of his contemplation: however, this is not for us to worry about, that is the job of sergeant major alvin stafford and his guards. while we are exploring the second underground layer, they should be deep into studying the skeletons at the first underground level. by the time we finish exploring the second underground layer, their investigation results should just be ready. by then, well know whether the undead creatures on the first underground level possess the effects of bone supply and death supply. so thats how it is i guess i was over-thinking. noland lee breathed a sigh of relief. he sincerely praised the empire armys cautious and meticulous working attitude, slightly improving his score for the empire army. mars took strides forward, once again leading the team: jarvis, youre very smart and eager to learn. can you tell me why you became a sin soldier? honestly, im curious, because in your personal record, it only mentioned that you were marked as a sin soldier for violating the debt act. but honestly, i rarely see someone who is passionate about knowledge, eager to learn, defaulting on debts. i dont see any traces of crime on you. your speech, habits, behavior, everything, gives me the impression of a bona fide scholar. all the soldiers looked at noland lee, their eyes all filled with curiosity. a sin soldier like lee was really rare, almost a unique existence. as for me huh im unlucky, chief. lee chuckled bitterly. whenever he had a spare moment now, he would flip through the original masters memory to help himself assimilate into the new world more quickly. the more he looked, the more uncomfortable he felt, this original master was an ill-fated existence, very bad luck. noland lee strongly suspected that the continuous dangers he encountered after crossing over were entirely due to the karma created by the original host my parents have three children, sir. i had the misfortune to be the middle one, the second child of the family. noland lees statement struck a chord. most of the soldiers in the team had their own siblings. they knew, except for the oldest and the youngest child, other children are often overlooked and blamed by their parents these kids often end up being ostracized, none of their growth history is happy.. i had a strained relationship with my parents, and my relations with my brother and sister were also very poor so after i was admitted to bowerthain citys city college, i moved out and lived alone, severing all contact with my family. while working part-time as a private home tutor to earn tuition, i also studied tatis history and archaeology at the college. after graduation, i became a teaching assistant at the college. noland lee saw a different glint in the soldiers eyes it was a admiration and shock that a struggling student suddenly found before them stood an academic deity noland lee was clearly just over 20 years old. at such a young age, he was able to complete his college studies on his own, without any help from his parents, and was retained by the college as a teaching assistant, a testament to his amazing iq and self-control. it is worth noting, the college hires teaching assistants by written invitation, not by open recruitment to the public. one must have a high level of scholarship to be valued by the academy. it could be said, given a bit more time to gain seniority in the academy, publish a few papers in academic society, find a responsible professor to guide him, then it would only be a matter of time before he became a professor. but how did a person like this become a sin soldier? the soldiers were on guard while they were listening. one day after class, an officer from bowerthain city found me and took me to the police station. the officer regretfully and mournfully told me that my parents, brother, and sister had perished in a tragic accident during a long trip. noland lee took a deep, depressed breath, as if these things had truly happened to him: my family didnt leave me any property. all their savings had been taken away by the weston group. the reason was, my parents, as dealers of the weston group, had caused severe damage to a batch of precious goods due to a car accident. according to the contract signed between the group and the dealers, any accidental loss of the goods during the transportation process must be compensated by the dealers toward the group. my parents property was taken away by the weston group, as was the personal assets of my brother and sister. i, unable to escape the debt inheritance act, ended up in the same penniless state. noland lee spread his hands, expressing his helplessness. the laws of this empire were really absurd. its said that when a person dies, their debts are extinguished, but its different in this empire, where the children are made to pay the debts of their parents. that car accident ended up saddling the original masters parents with more than 4 million new solon debts. after their assets were used to cover the debts, there still remained a substantial amount of debt unpaid. this debt ended up falling on the original master due to the workings of the debt inheritance act i am deeply sorry for your misfortune, jarvis, corporal mars patted nolands shoulder: the name of the weston group, i have heard of too. its a large scale high-end chemical firm that is fully controlled by the weston family, and it seems that they are in cahoots with division intelligence unit three. even though you left your native family and have nothing to do with your parents business, the legal department of the weston group would still find various ways to register you as a joint debtor such is the morality of a major corporation. yeah, how could i possibly withstand such a behemoth? the lawyer hired by the academy for me chickened out at the name of weston. so here i am noland chuckled bitterly. private second class corbin, who was on the side, chimed in: the debt you owe should not be much, right? i believe you can pay it back. our korabo legion is a mercenary organization, our salaries are not high, but bonuses are always generous. uhcorbin, i owe 3.11 million new solon coins, noland lee admitted. hiss private second class corbin was left dumbfounded. corporal mars and a number of other military officers also went into a protracted stunned state. some were left with their eyes wide open, looking at noland in utter shock, treating him as they would a person who has been declared a life sentence for a case of injustice. threethree hundred thousands new solon coins on this mission we can only share twenty thousand at the most corporal mars opened his mouth even if he wanted to console his new team member, at this moment, he didnt know where to start: alright, jarvis, this is indeed a large sum of money but as long as you can stay alive, there will always be hope to pay it off dont lose faith in life just because you are burdened with debts. yes, chief officer, i understand this principle, noland lee nodded, mentally cursing the creators of the debt inheritance act corporal mars gathered his thoughts and waved at the soldiers next to him: lets move on, ladies and gentlemen. for our fallen comrades, for the glory of the empire for jarviss debt, lets go meet the undead creatures on the second underground layer. Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: 18. New Enemy the stairway end to the underground level 2 was also blocked by a metal gate. it was thicker and more solid than the prior gate, requiring four soldiers to pull open together. at my command, prepare to open the gate, corporal mars looked at noland lee: jarvis, you will go in and awaken the undead as before. be extra cautious. yes, chief officer, noland took a deep breath and smelled a faint stench of decay. as corporal mars commanded the soldiers to open the gate, he cautioned noland: remember, you must not retreat without my order. awaken as many undead as possible. if we dont, our reconnaissance results could be seriously skewed, putting more soldiers at risk. yes, chief officer. the metal gate slowly opened, revealing a dim slit to noland. as soon as he crossed, he felt discomfort. tightness in his chest, shortness of breath, labored breathing. ringing in his ears, pressure in his eyes, and weakness in his limbs. was he poisoned? noland steadied his mind, shaking his head slightly to concentrate. the unpleasant sensations receded significantly. the tightness in his chest disappeared, followed by the ringing in his ears, and the other symptoms vanished as well. it wasnt poison, but some kind of psychological effect caused by the environment. noland frowned and maintained a highly focused state. he took one step at a time, advancing slowly under the dim light of the coal lamp. the same strategy appliedwalking while casting deconstruction, using system messages to judge his surroundings. [you are attempting to deconstruct mottled stone brick] [you are attempting to deconstruct stain left by soft-bodied creatures] [you are attempting to deconstruct black hair left by the undead] strange, why were there no bones? in this second underground level, he found only stains and hairno bones whatsoever. didnt corporal mars say that there would be undead constructs like skeleton archers here? noland was baffled. trying to make out objects a few meters away, he searched for the purple glow in the skull of the skeleton soldiers. however, there was no faint purple light. instead, a dark green light appeared in patches, like a vast starry sky surrounding noland. these scattered dark green lights flickered. first, they were bright for three seconds, then suddenly dim for three seconds, followed by another three seconds of brightness, as if breathing regularly. noland looked back at corporal mars and the others, who wore incredulous expressions. he realized that the situation had exceeded their expectations. noland threw a deconstruction at one of the dark green lights and was surprised. these were not the skeleton soldiers corporal mars had anticipated, nor any other troops he had encountered on the first underground level! [system message: you are attempting to deconstruct an unknown type of undead creature.] [estimated to consume 5 points of energy, achieving 100% degree of deconstruction.] [you currently have 10 points of energy. confirm deconstruction?] noland felt a sinking feeling in his heart. five points of energy was half the consumption of a big skeleton and 2.5 times that of a skeleton warrior. the energy consumption was not a simple linear relationship with the strength of the target being deconstructed. deconstructing a big skeleton required 10 points of energy. deconstructing a skeleton soldier required 2 points. the ratio between the two was 5 to 1. but to say that five skeleton soldiers could take down one big skeleton was utter nonsense. thus, energy consumption wasnt calculated solely based on the strength of the target. however, the extent of energy consumption could, to a certain degree, reflect the strength of an individual. there were few big skeletons that required 10 points of energy to deconstruct, but there was a large number of unknown undead creatures requiring 5 points of energy to deconstruct right before his eyes. noland suddenly had the urge to turn and run but quickly controlled himself. noland shifted his gaze and forced himself to remain calm. he cast deconstruction on the awakening undead creatures one by one to see if there were any elite troops that required a large amount of energy to deconstruct. after more than a dozen casts, noland let out a soft huh sound. he discovered an unusual presence far in front of him, in the dark zone. [system message: you are attempting to deconstruct a magical device engraved with undead runes.] [estimated to consume 10 points of energy, achieving 100% degree of deconstruction.] [you currently have 10 points of energy. confirm deconstruction?] finally, something requiring 10 points of energy to deconstruct had arrived. noland had a hunch that this item would certainly affect his life and death. confirm 100% degree of deconstruction. after silently reciting the incantation, noland lees figure swayed slightly before steadying himself in a daze. the stored energy points were consumed entirely, and the deconstruction result immediately appeared in his mind. [name] soul-binding stone tomb this is a death magic building. its appearance is similar to an ordinary stone tomb made of hard and ancient rocks. priests of the undead cult have arranged unique death-type magic circle runes on this stone tomb, giving it some powerful death-related magic effects. [building value] 110,000/110,000 building value is the data representation of the completeness of a building. when the building value reaches zero, the death energy inside the tomb will also be depleted, and the tomb will enter a slumber state. [soul strength] 1 point soul strength is the health of all death-related things. [death energy] 61/61 points death energy is the mana of death-related buildings and can be recovered during slumber. [skills] active skills: death pulse, level 1. consume 5 points of death energy to release a death pulse ray. casting preparation time is 3 seconds. command the lost souls, level 1. this building can efficiently direct undead creatures for teamwork in combat. capture soul, level 1. souls of people who die within 100 meters of this building will be absorbed and bound. living people within 100 meters of this building have a chance of having their souls drawn out. souls captured by this building will be turned into undead troops under its control. fanatic command, level 1. consume 50 points of death energy to make undead units controlled by this building enter a frenzied combat state for up to 10 minutes. after the frenzy state ends, the undead units will enter a weakened state for half an hour. spell preparation time is 10 seconds. passive skills: death foundation, level 1. at the cost of sacrificing all mobility, this building gains the ability to instantaneously cast death-related spells. damage link, level 5. any damage this building receives will be borne by 50% of the bound undead. undead commander, level 3. this building can control 300 undead units. currently, it controls 282. resurrection of the dead, level 1. this building is within the influence range of the spirit pivot. upon reaching zero building value or death energy, it is expected to be operational again after 3 hours of slumber. death guardian, level 1. incorrect modification of the undead runes on this building will activate this passive skill, triggering a level 1 death storm. the death storm will cause massive death-type magic damage to all things within a 1-meter radius of the target. [building requirements] (omitted) [weakness] one-hit-kill weakness: using death-related spells or items to extract souls from the device can completely destroy this building. fatal damage weakness: a single large-scale destruction of undead runes or a large-scale purification of souls bound by this building can inflict fatal damage. restraining action weakness: undead runes are the logic language of this building. modifying the undead runes on this building will cause its operational state to become unstable, subsequently lowering its building value, death energy, or rendering its skills inoperable. noland lee narrowed his eyes, a flash of inspiration crossing his mind! he now knew what the secret experimental plan of intelligence department 4 was! he also knew how to give the empire an upper hand in this war. modifying the undead runes to paralyze the death-type magic buildings was the goal of intelligence department 4! this deconstruction technique is really amazing. the feasible approach that intelligence department 4 spent years researching was discovered by me at the cost of only 10 points of energy. noland couldnt help but be astonished and gave the system a thumbs up. Chapter 25 - Chapter 25:19. Sorrow of the Soul chapter 25:19. sorrow of the soul translator: 549690339 looking at the soul-binding stone tomb control panel again, noland lee had only one thought in his mind. and that was to get the hell out of there! otherwise, his life would be in serious danger. an instant death pulse was no joke. perhaps it was because corporal mars had heard his cry for help, or maybe because mars had finished scouting. either way, one moment noland was worried for his situation, and the next, he heard mars calling out to him. jarvis! jarvis! hurry back! without hesitation, noland turned around and fled. his movement seemed to have provoked a violent reaction, much like cold water splashing into boiling oil. a wailing cold wind swept through the tomb, stirring up the poisonous fog, causing it to roil violently. noland was staggered by the gusty wind coming from behind him and he nearly lost his balance and fell to the ground. just as he was steadying himself, he immediately felt a profound sense of sorrow emanating from the cold wind. faint sounds of agony echoed in his ears, piercing his shell and pricking his heart, triggering his heartbreaking past experiences and painful memories. a hatred towards the bitterly cruel fate and the injustices of the world quickly filled his heart. the capture soul skill of the soul-binding stone tomb had activated! this eerie death-related structure was trying to snatch nolands soul! countless memory fragments flashed in front of noland like a carousel, making him dizzy and absent-minded. if the original master was here, he would surely be overwhelmed by these vivid memories and become incapacitated, eventually having his soul absorbed by the soul-binding stone tomb. but noland was not the original master. he was a traveler who was naturally detached from the original masters past experiences. the original masters sadness or happiness were nothing more than idle reading material for noland rather than his own feelings. therefore, it only took him two seconds to recover from the trance. heh! trying to shake my soul by using the original masters memories. your actions are as ridiculous as using a sword from the previous dynasty to behead an official of this dynasty! noland ridiculed in his heart, harboring a few more fears towards the unpredictable death-related spells. without stopping, he raced towards the metal gate. suddenly, there was a bright flash. while being astounded, noland looked back over his shoulder. he saw numerous semi-transparent human figures staring blankly at him with blood -thirsty and menacing looks, full of malicious intent to tear him apart. the light that illuminated tomb level two, was coming from these semi-transparent figures and was emitted by the sad, aggrieved souls within them. noland narrowed his eyes, catching on to the situation. using his abundant game experience, he identified the origin of these semi-transparent figures. they should be the wronged souls bound by the soul-binding stone tomb. in some games, they were known as vengeful spirits, in others as demon spirits, and also as ghost warriors. regardless of their names, they referred to a type of undead creature that moved quickly, had strong physical defenses, and fought with cold ruthless attacks. perhaps, the undead creatures of this world could even fly. after all, their bodies were purely composed of death energy and lost souls, bearing little weight. noland lee stepped over the doorframe and joined the soldiers to close the door. while pushing the door, corporal mars said with a somber tone: mates, the situation is very tricky. underground level two, there are stone tomb bound spirits! this is a very rare type of undead troops. they are ethereal beings, impervious to various physical harm. only pure energy beams and a few other methods can effectively kill them. whats worse, i saw a majestic soul-binding stone tomb deep in the grand hall of underground level two, it would take at least half a ton of explosives to completely destroy it. corporal mars put some effort in, then continued: we need to close this door fast, then go report to sergeant major alvin stafford huh luckily, the cavity inside this metal sluice gate contained an anti-spiritual entity panel, or else we would all be finished in this ghost place. chief officer, chief officer! private second class corbin pointed at the soul-binding creature inside the door, and yelled: these undead are moving! they are drifting towards us! i.. i.. i see jack, hes over there! second private corbin, who lacked combat experience, was inevitably going into a panic. jack was a soldier who died in the last staircase area. corbin saw him melted into scraps by the black lightning, but now he saw him again in underground layer 2 this scene was quite uncanny. even experienced sergeant mike adams was sweating heavily and filled with uncertainty at this moment, as this seemed to be his first time encountering a soul- binding event. noland lee glanced back at the door and saw this soldiers soul. it was like a balloon, slowly, swaying left and right towards the metal gate, the eyes were a mere blood red, like death-seeking demons, the green light on the face made it even more ghastly. stay calm, soldiers, stay calm. corporal mars glanced at his team members, and said steadily: jack was killed with honor. what you are seeing now is a false image created by the undead cult with evil magic. the soul that resembles jack is just imitation. this is the despicable tactic of the undead cult. they used jacks image to attempt to interfere with our judgment and execution. do not let this fictitious image affect you! corporal mars closed the metal gate, forcefully pulled down the latch and locked the gate, afterwards signaled towards the floor above: lets move, soldiers. follow me upstairs to report the situation. sergeant major alvin stafford needs our recon report. mars led the soldiers towards the staircase. noland played his part, tailing behind the team, covering their retreat. his gaze locked on marss back, and he gave a heavy sigh in his heart. all this talk about false illusions, about imitations of jack these were all lies. the ghost that the soldiers saw, that was jacks soul, just controlled by the soul-binding stone tomb. soul-binding, wasnt that all about binding souls if these inexperienced soldiers knew that after dying here, they wont actually get to rest but would instead become creatures of the undead cult these young soldiers would probably collapse on the spot. because, to them, they believed that dying in battle would mean they could rest in peace with the empires glory, rather than becoming undead and fighting against their teammates in life or even being controlled by the undead cult to use their weapons against their loved ones. they fought on the same front in life, but they become enemies after their death, thats such a cruel situation.. Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: 20. Slightly plump (2 in 1) chapter 26: 20. slightly plump (2 in 1) translator: 549690339 the reconnaissance squad discovered soul-bindings and stone tombs on the second level of the tomb! upon hearing this news, the campsite was immediately thrown into turmoil. young privates second class inquired the corporals for information, corporals who had never encountered soul-bindings asked sergeants for an update, and sergeants shared what they knew with their teammates while casting solemn glances towards sergeant alvin staffords tent. for a moment, noland lee felt as if storm clouds were brewing, as if every soldier was carrying a heavy burden on their shoulders. it made sense. what is a soul-binding stone tomb? an evil structure capable of capturing the souls of both the living and the dead simultaneously. what do soldiers fear the most? not being able to serve the empire in life, and not being able to rest with honor in death. the various features of the soul-binding stone tomb targeted the empires army weaknesses, inevitably causing unrest amongst the troops. the soldiers had mixed opinions. if sergeant alvin stafford was wise, he should issue an order to postpone the attack now, right? even retreating altogether wasnt out of the realm of possibility. jarvis, come with me. someone wants to see you. corporal mars, returning from the commanders tent, woke noland lee, who was dozing off while leaning against a wall. opening his eyes, noland lees gaze was clear, not because his nap had cleared his mind, but because he had anticipated being summoned for a conversation. thats just the kind of person noland lee was, always thinking a step ahead and being perceptive of even the slightest detail. some might say that someone like him would find life exhausting because they would always be thinking and predicting things. but as far as noland lee was concerned, he didnt find it tiring at all. on the contrary, he enjoyed the process and immersed himself in it. chief officer, please lead the way. noland lee stood up, wiped his face, straightened his clothes, and followed corporal mars out of the rest area for their squadron. passing through a large number of tents in the temporary camp, the two quickly arrived at the entrance of the commanders tent. however, corporal mars didnt take noland lee inside, but instead led him to a more secluded corner. in front of a cluttered tent on the outskirts, corporal mars stopped, gestured towards the interior, and then stood guard beside the tent, which looked like a makeshift warehouse. go in, jarvis. someone is waiting for you inside. ill be standing guard out here, and no one will disturb you. remember, dont leak anything about the people or things you saw in there; this is the intelligence department 4s top secret. yes, chief officer. noland lee took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and stepped into the tent after lifting the thick curtain. a faint, refreshing fragrance lingered in the air, reminding him of expensive perfume or some kind of fragrant medicine. inside the tent, a coal lamp emitted a soft light. a folding screen behind the curtain blocked most of the light and the visitors view. noland lee walked around the screen and saw the person he was meant to meet, his eyes slightly narrowed. a woman was leaning against a table, smoking. she was dressed in a simple black military uniform that couldnt conceal her charm. her slender arms were crossed over her chest, holding a thin cigarette in her right hand, which she pursed her lips around, inhaling slowly and exhaling a mesmerizing plume of smoke. upon hearing noland lees movements, her dazed eyes became focused, turning her face to look at the newcomer. noland lee, too, got a good look at her delicate face. her features were sharp, her eyes bright, her lips thin, and her expression cold, which together with her long legs and waist-length hair gave her an aloof demeanor. reporting for duty, chief officer. noland lee raised his right hand and saluted properly. the officer before him held a higher rank than sergeant alvin stafford, as she was a captain with third-order imperial fist capabilities. noland lee jarvis, do you know who i am? the female captains tone was cool, her smoking posture unchanged, showing no uneasiness at noland lees arrival, exuding confident energy. reporting, chief officer. i do not know your identity, just have some guesses. what guesses? the female captain raised her chin slightly. just say it. the letter given to me by corporal mars must have been written by you. yes, indeed it was. i have also seen the level of knowledge of the academys teaching assistant, which is indeed much stronger than that of a non-academic military background like me. youre too kind, chief officer. i must thank the empire for nurturing me, noland lee replied with a straight face. not every flower bathed in sunlight can bear fruit. your achievements also have to do with your own talents and efforts please sit, jarvis, lets discuss official matters. once the other party sat down, the female captain continued: i am marsha murphy, a captain of intelligence department 4, and i am fully responsible for the secret plan that you are currently experiencing. captain murphy paused: internally, we call this plan broken coffin, implying the use of simple and efficient methods to crush the schemes of the undead cult have you seen the tomb on the second level of the stone tomb? noland lee nodded: yes, chief officer. its an old, gloomy, and sinister stone structure. did you notice that there are many black markings on the surface of the stone tomb? they are distributed regularly on the stone bricks, as if they were deliberately carved. i noticed, chief officer. captain murphy put her cigarette in the ashtray, took a seat at her desk, and adopted a standard sitting posture: so, what do you think those black markings could be? Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: 20. Slightly plump (2 in 1)_2 chapter 27: 20. slightly plump (2 in 1)_2 translator: 549690339 noland lee seemed to have known the answer in advance, but he still pretended to be thinking, hesitated, and said: could it be the undead runes? people who have read books are indeed different. their thinking ability is much higher than that of ordinary people, captain murphy said: since youve caught the key point, i wont beat around the bush with you, jarvis. we need you to modify the undead runes on the stone tomb and weaken this evil death-type magic device captain murphy saw the puzzled expression on noland lees face: you may not know yet, but there is a layer of magic protective shield outside the spirit pivot. a large number of undead runes also exists on this shield. our original plan was to have you modify the undead runes on the magic protective shield after the army had cleared the undead from tomb level three, so as to remove the magic protective shield and let the imperial army directly attack the main body of the spirit pivot. however, the plan could not keep up with the changes. no one expected that a magic building with carved undead runes would appear in tomb level two, and it was a rather dangerous one at that. captain murphy bent her arms on the table and interlaced her fingers in front of her: so you have to accept your mission ahead of time, jarvis. today, in the underground layer 2 of this grave vault. mixed feelings of entanglement and hesitation flashed across noland lees face, as if he had learned of his mission for the first time. he didnt let those expressions linger on his face for too long. in just three or five seconds, he replaced them with calmness and determination, shaping himself into a courageous and faithful imperial man. yes, chief officer. i will give it my all. captain murphy looked at noland lees changing expressions and felt an increasing affection for this handsome and determined young man. a slight arc appeared at the corner of her mouth as she said with a faint smile: you dont need to worry too much about your safety, jarvis. corporal alvin stafford has two sin soldiers in his unit. i will hand them over to you to command. you will distinguish the undead runes on the stone tomb and command them to modify the undead runes. before they sacrifice themselves for the empire, you dont have to worry about bearing the consequences of their mistakes. it was indeed a case of the monk not dying. why didnt the empire send more sin soldiers noland lee sighed silently, pondered for a moment, and decided to maintain his persona. chief officer, corporal mars told me that if the runes were modified incorrectly, i would be torn apart by death magic. can you tell me what will happen specifically? is there a way to avoid such a risk? i want to be mentally prepared. after all, each mistake costs a life i dont want anyone to die because of my mistakes i know where your concerns lie. captain murphy reached out her fair right hand, took another thin cigarette from the box, and held it between her fingers: a young history assistant teacher who has never fought in a war or seen bloodshed has the same simple and kind attitude toward life as the ordinary civilians. however, jarvis, you are commanding two sin soldiers, not real soldiers. their hands are stained with the blood of innocent civilians. you are not murdering them, but representing the empire in pronouncing judgment on them. if you think about it that way, you might feel much better.. noland lee nodded silently, perfectly portraying the demeanor a young teaching assistant should have, not revealing his careless nature as a traveler. he was just such a cautious person. as for the death magic after modifying the runes incorrectly i can tell you that it is not insoluble. captain murphy lit the thin cigarette, took a slow puff, and said while exhaling the fragrant smoke: the death magic is called death storm. we believe it is a pulse-type energy beam composed of high-energy particle rays. according to monitoring data, it is somewhat like a miniature gamma ray storm noland lee raised his eyebrows in surprise. he didnt expect that the empire had gone into such depth in researching death-related spells, and that they analyzed it using scientific theories, not mystical approaches. no wonder there is a saying: all magic can be reduced to mathematics, physics, and chemistry C using mathematics, physics, and chemistry knowledge to analyze the principles of magic. captain murphy continued in a pragmatic military tone: first order imperial fist physical fitness is already enough to resist this degree of pulsed energy beams. however, it will also cause serious physical damage to them, and it is the kind of damage that cannot be repaired. thats because the energy beam will interfere with their cell activities, leading to disorder in their cell division process. like this captain murphy put the lit thin cigarette on the edge of the ashtray and reached for her chin. under noland lees astonished gaze, captain murphy pinched her skin on her neck and slowly lifted her disguise, revealing a severely burned-looking face. the cheeks were a dark red color, covered with black worm-like protrusions, hideous and ugly. hiss noland lee looked at the scene before him and couldnt help but gasp. the severely burned face was marsha murphys real one. the previous cold and gorgeous face was just a bionic face skin artificially created. it was hard to imagine how much this 19-year-old girl had paid for the empire in her heart. Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: 20. Slightly plump (2 in 1)_3 chapter 28: 20. slightly plump (2 in 1)_3 translator: 549690339 how many people would be willing to bear the pain inflicted on their bodies for the fleeting honor ot the empire? in order to verify that the undead runes i translated were correct, i modified the undead runes on the death magic buildings many times. ive succeeded and failed. the cost of failure was heavy, but fortunately the empire didnt abandon me, and i didnt disappoint the empire i didnt scare you, did i, jarvis? no, not at all. youre truly admirable, chief officer. without your sacrifice, there would be no translations for me to review. noland showed deep respect, not for anything else, but for the dedication and courage of the other party. with the disguise covering her face, captain murphy gently massaged her cheeks with her hands, allowing the two faces to fit perfectly together. so you see, jarvis, your predicament is only temporary. as long as you can prove with your actions that the broken coffin plan is truly effective, you will gain the empires sponsorship. you can shake off your identity as a sin soldier, become a true soldier, and be promoted to imperial fist. considering that you are not an imperial fist and yet we are letting you carry out such a dangerous operation, we have arranged for two sin soldiers to accompany you so you can try your hand. captain murphy took up the lit cigarette: intelligence department 4 has suggested that i convey some things to you. after this corps task is over, you can enjoy all the treatment of a corps soldier C clean hot water, adequate vegetables and meat, warm marching tents, the refreshing time every half a month, and so on. this is the promise of the intelligence department 4 to you. of course, your identity is still that of a sin soldier, you should know the reason for that. yes, i understand its the rule set by our great emperor. according to historical records, the current reigning tatis i came from a sin soldier background. in his day, there was no talk about a sin soldier being reformed. only after he established the modern tatis empire, did sin soldiers have a chance to reform. these historical facts were found by noland in the original masters memory. alright, ive said everything i needed to, captain murphy put down her cigarette, and saluted to noland saying: salute to every warrior of the empire. noland stood up, his eyes sparkling, and saluted: salute to the fearless pioneer. chief officer, you are my role model. with a determined tone, persevering gaze, and impressive appearance, captain murphy was very satisfied with the sin soldier in front of her. she nodded with a smile: go, jarvis, i look forward to hearing good news from you. corporal mars will teach you how to use the rune modification tool. yes, chief officer. noland left the tent. outside the tent, upon seeing nolands exit, corporal mars immediately cast an inquiring gaze at him. noland quietly spoke as he moved beside him: chief officer, i understand what i need to do. ill do my best to complete the task. corporal mars gave noland a pat on the shoulder: good, i knew you wouldnt back down, a true imperial man! come, let me take you to meet the two sin soldiers, then ill fetch you the tool for modifying undead runes. noland took half a step back and followed corporal mars. about 40 minutes earlier, noland considered himself a socially awkward person who is bad at scheming. however, his performance and acting during the meeting with captain murphy were as naturally as they could be. even noland himself found it a bit surprising. did these series of events after his transmigration trigger some latent personality in him? well, maybe im just revealing my true self noland turned back, squinted at the tent, quickly sketched a map of the whole campsite in his mind, and marked the position of the tent on it. no doubt, that tent is quite unremarkable. if it werent for someone who is aware, no one would think that there was a lone female captain usually smoking inside a female captain possessing the strength of the third order imperial fist noland carefully dredged up the memory. indeed, she could be described as somewhat plump, but under this attractive exterior hides a scar-covered body. its really a pity.. Chapter 29 - Chapter 29:21. Battle between Heaven and Man chapter 29:21. battle between heaven and man translator: 549690339 over an hour later. grave vault, first level. sergeant alvin stafford prepared in two ways. on one hand, he requested support from the legion fortress. on the other hand, he ordered the attack. the army was gathering. the campsite was bustling with activity. every soldier about to join the battle had a lightning spore on their arm C a mutated product that can release forked lightning. after the soldiers drank an unknown mutagenic agent, these sprout-like things grew from their arms. noland lee didnt understand how it worked. sergeant alvin stafford made a temporary change in the military personnel arrangement. including sergeant alvin stafford himself, his army had a total of 1 sergeant major, 18 sergeants, 80 corporals, and the rest were private second class. originally, the 18 sergeants were the captains of the various small teams or members of the guard team. now, alvin extracted 12 of them and put them together with the sin soldiers to form a special team: soul-binding stone tomb disassembly squad. corporal mars was appointed as the captain. the sergeants were responsible for escorting the sin soldiers to the stone tomb, and under the supervision of the sergeants, the sin soldiers would tamper with the undead runes on the stone tomb. at this point, intelligence department 4s secret plan was semi-public in alvins army. even if sergeant alvin stafford ordered to keep it a secret, the plans disclosure would only be a matter of time. noland lee didnt care about this, as he was just a sin soldier and didnt need to consider the bigger picture. now he only wanted to safely modify the undead runes. however, some people just didnt give him peace of mind 1 dont care where youre fom, you detter listen up clearly.. the only three remaining sin soldiers of the army stood together, discussing the modification of the undead runes, occupying a small open space in the camp. one tall, big sin soldier spat on the floor and said viciously: if you dare to command blindly while modifying the undead runes and cause my death i guarantee that before i die, i will definitely drag you down with me. noland lee glanced at the scar on the eyebrow of this sin soldier and stared back at him without any fear: if youre smart enough, stay quiet. with just a thought, i can use death storm to crush you. what about you? what can you do besides yelling? you should be grateful that i need you to scout for landmines, otherwise heh heh, whether youre alive or dead, it means nothing to me. who cant talk big, do you think i survived in the holy city of night by doing nothing? for dealing with such a bully, li had to shut him up completely, otherwise, he would become even more arrogant. noland lees words were more effective than low-level threats in terms of confidence and logic. anyone with an iqhigher than a child could understand their meaning. as expected, the sin soldiers eyes trembled slightly, and a hint of cowardice appeared in his tough attitude. he twisted his neck, glared at noland lee, and looked away: you just wait, one day ill get you.. noland lee wasnt concerned and turned to look at another sin soldier standing beside him. he was a man with just a slightly stronger build than noland lee and a very well-proportioned body. throughout noland lees introduction of the undead runes, this guy remained silent, just lowering his head and nodding quietly without saying a word. compared to the domineering scarred sin soldier, this silent sin soldier made noland lee more wary, likely the ruthless type who could easily capsize someone in the gutter. noland lee noticed that this guy was missing a middle finger, seemingly forcibly removed, and guessed that he might have been a caught thief or something wait, it might not be a thief noland lee narrowed his eyes and had another guess about the identity of the silent sin soldier. there was another profession that would also have their middle finger cut off voluntarily does such a profession exist in this world? noland lee was uncertain. the army was ready to go. everyone wore breathing masks and lined up to enter the staircase. soldiers responsible for engaging the enemy in close combat had the assistance of lightning spores, while the sin soldiers who needed to alter the undead runes each had a rune staff. the rune staff is an alchemy item that allows ordinary people to modify undead runes. its appearance is a dull gray metallic staff, about the length of a baton, with complicated and profound alchemy inscriptions on the surface, produced in the gold federation where alchemy is prevalent. its usage is as simple as an ordinary pen. by drawing on the undead runes on the stone tomb, one can change the existing undead runes to others. sin soldiers did not have lightning spores, as they were powerful and sudden weapons. if the sin soldiers had malicious intents, it is highly likely that they would use the lightning spores to create chaos. this terrible situation must be avoided. so when noland lee set foot on the battlefield this time, he had only a hard rune staff in his hand and carried no other weapons. he and two other sin soldiers were escorted in the middle by sergeants. corporal mars walked at the head of the team. he glanced back at noland lee with an encouraging look, raised his right arm, aimed the lightning spore at the front, and dashed through the metal gate into the battlefield on tomb level two. the moment he followed the team through the door frame, a thrilling battle scene unfolded before noland lee. the vast tomb level two was illuminated by the ghostly light of hundreds of stone tomb bound spirits, and the three-story-high stone tomb stood in the middle of the grand hall. in mid-air, the stone tomb bound spirits flew in groups, swarming toward the imperial soldiers like locusts and launching wave after wave of swooping attacks with howling gusts of wind. the soldiers maintained their phalanx, gathered around sergeant alvin stafford, and raised their right arms to release a large swath of lightning. electric light flickered, as electric snakes surged. over a hundred lightning spores fired forked lightning, which wove a bright blue net above the phalanx. as soon as the stone tomb bound spirits touched the lightning, deafening screams erupted. eerie, terrifying, and painful howls made the living tremble in fear. a stone tomb bound spirit was struck right in the forehead by lightning. its body swelled in just one second and then exploded like a popped balloon, scattering a wide area with purple fog. a grieving, ethereal human face emerged within the purple fog and was sucked into the stone tomb amid endless wails. this scene delivered a spiritual shock to the soldiers witnessing the spectacle. some private second class soldiers were suddenly lost in thought, their hands slowed for a moment, and they lost their attack rhythm. because of this fatal mistake, they became food for the stone tomb bound spirits. a dozen stone tomb bound spirits took advantage of the soldiers distracted minds, sneaked through the holes in the lightning net, and rushed straight toward these stunned soldiers. as the stone tomb bound spirits passed through the soldiers bodies, they took away their body heat and lives, instantly turning the living soldiers pale and withering their bodies into fragile sculptures that would shatter upon touch. the stone tomb bound spirits sneered and flew away from the soldiers formations. the sight of their comrades being instantly killed made the surrounding soldiers even more afraid. fortunately, sergeant alvin stafford promptly shouted out a reminder, pulling the morale of the army back from the brink of collapse. soldiers! do not let the wicked tricks of the undead cult break your will! attack, keep attacking! the empires flames will guide our path! and i, alvin stafford, will fight with you until the very last moment! sergeant alvin stafford blew the horn. the soldiers stabilized their minds and released another wave of lightning alongside their commander. noland lee watched the scene of lightning sparks and shrieking bound spirits, deeply admiring sergeant alvin staffords composure in the face of danger. corporal marss voice suddenly came from the front of the team: attention! enemies approaching from the 3 0clock direction! prepare for battle and keep moving! the time sergeant alvin stafford has bought for us is very limited, so we must reach the stone tomb as quickly as possible! Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: 22. Spy Crisis chapter 30: 22. spy crisis translator: 549690339 the soul-binding stone tomb detected the approaching imperial squad. it summoned over thirty bound spirits from the sky to launch an attack on the squad. biochemical bait was effective on spirit-like undead creatures as well, so the three sin soldiers became the primary targets of the bound spirits. noland lee looked up at the sky, the scarlet eyes of the bound spirits glowing with bloodlust. noland took a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm. he held a rune staff in his right hand, while his left hand quietly formed a gesture. a few bound spirits flying toward him no longer focused their scarlet eyes on him but stared at the two sin soldiers beside him instead. seeing this, noland felt reassured. as expected, the stone tomb bound spirits also fell for this tactic, attacking only non-undead cult creatures and not targeting living followers who submit to the undead cult as their primary targets. at the moment, the gesture noland formed with his left hand was an undead rune recorded in the grudge teachings. using fingers to draw undead runes was too slow and had significant movements, making it easy to get caught. so, he came up with this method of simulating undead runes using hand gesturessome individual undead runes had a relatively simple structure, and could be simulated using five fingers. testing it on the spot, it really worked, and noland couldnt help feeling secretly delighted. the thirty or so stone tomb bound spirits in the sky began their dive attack. more than half of them were targeting the other two sin soldiers, leaving only five focusing on noland. noland and the other two sin soldiers were standing very close to each other, so he wasnt worried that others would notice anything suspicious through the flight trajectories of the stone tomb bound spirits. he followed corporal mars prior instructions, crouching with the rune staff and using the electric net emitted by the sergeants to avoid the stone tomb bound spirits. electric sparks were everyvvhere, bound spirits were howling, and the squads speed dropped drastically, barely advancing at a snails pace amid the diving attacks. a sneaky figure took advantage of the sergeants focus on the battle to leave the team without permission. he had barely stepped out of the formation when he was noticed by corporal mars. sin soldier no. 039! return to the team immediately, or i will shoot you on the spot! corporal mars roar didnt make the sin soldier stop. noland heard mars voice and looked in the direction he was pointing. the disobedient sin soldier 039 was the one who had been silent all this time. he saw the sin soldier skillfully dodging the stone tomb bound spirits attacking him, rolling on the spot to cover a distance of about two meters and then using his feet to steady himself, rushing toward the stone tomb without looking back. such a smooth set of evasive maneuvers was impressive, as if sin soldier 039 was a natural. noland raised his eyebrows in surprise, secretly cursing the unexpected skill of sin soldier 039. he quickly cast deconstruction at the retreating figure of sin soldier 039. [system message: you are about to use deconstruction on sin soldier no. 039.] [estimated consumption of 200 energy points will raise the degree of deconstruction to 100%.] [you currently have o energy points and cannot perform deconstruction.] 200 energy points to achieve 100% deconstruction! so sin soldier 039 was a hidden expert after all, no wonder he didnt say a word it seemed like he would need to form the habit of throwing deconstruction spells at everyone he meets in the future. speaking of which, why is he running towards the stone tomb? what is his purpose? as noland secretly worried, corporal mars stopped hesitating and directly punished sin soldier 039. however, mars didnt opt to draw his gun and shoot, but took out the remote control to activate the electric shock collar. after aiming the remote at sin soldier 039 and pressing the button, corporal mars was surprised to find that the collar didnt work as expected, and no electric sparks appeared. at that moment, sin soldier 039 leaped forward just in time to avoid the dive of two stone tomb bound spirits. upon standing up, he turned to face mars with a mocking smile. he raised his left hand, fiddled behind his neck for a moment, and the electric shock collar clicked and snapped open, slipping off his neck. the electric shock collar not only failed, but was also removed in front of him by sin soldier 039. this action undoubtedly trampled on corporal mars bottom line. corporal mars quickly drew his gun from his waist and aimed at sin soldier 039. a dark shadow flew over with a swoosh and accurately hit mars hand, imocking the gun away. however, sin soldier 039 caught the falling electric shock collar, flicked his wrist, and shot it as a hidden weapon, hitting corporal mars right hand. such a superb throwing skill damn it! i imow who you are now! as he watched sin soldier 039 run away, corporal mars angrily ordered: hansen, zina, shoot quickly and stop sin soldier 039. dont let him reach the stone tomb! hansen and zina were the deputy captains of the squad. upon hearing mars order, they immediately took out their short-barreled rifles and fired. mars tried to retrieve the gun lying on the floor a few meters away, but was forced back by the approaching soul-binding spirits. the sound of gunfire rose, announcing an unexpected turn for the demolition team. this noise traveled hundreds of meters to sergeant major alvin staffords team. the soldiers, who were struggling against the stone tomb bound spirits, were attracted by the sudden gunfire and all saw the sin soldier running towards the stone tomb. before sergeant major alvin stafford could loudly inquire about the situation, chief officer! sin soldier 039 is a spy from the death herald guild! that bastard disguised himself as a sin soldier and infiltrated our team! noland lee looked in sergeant major alvin staffords direction. this brave army commander suddenly became serious, and the clouds on his face were even thicker than before when he faced the morale on the verge of collapse. bang, bang, bang, bang! the gunfire continued, but none of the bullets fired by the demolition team could catch the agile sin soldier 039. it wasnt that the sergeants shooting was inaccurate, but that sin soldier 039 seemed to have eyes on his back, always evading the bullets behind him. sergeant major alvin stafford realized that something was seriously wrong. he clenched his teeth and made a decision: corporal mars, i order you to immediately lead your team to catch the spy. this is our top priority order! well settle the score with division intelligence unit two later! yes, chief officer! corporal mars turned his head, gave noland lee a cautious look, and then shouted with a wave of his arm: charge, charge! stop the death herald guilds spy! the sergeants couldnt bother escorting sin soldiers any longer. they used the lightning net to drive back the stone tomb bound spirits, sprinted wildly, and chased after sin soldier 039. noland lee wanted to catch up with the sergeants but was held back by a hand gripping his shoulder like an iron hoop. noland lee frowned. he could feel unabashed malice coming from the power in his shoulder. hehehe you little bastard your retribution has come. the scarred sin soldier forced noland lee to stand still, let go of his rune staff, and clenched his fist, making a crunch sound. his face looked fierce, he was sneering continuously, and his eyes were filled with cruelty: do you think that having a good relationship with that sergeant will protect you? let me show you the truth of this world now. the scarred sin soldier lifted his sandbag-sized fist: in this world, only fists are the truth! what the fuck do you think you are, daring to command me?! noland lee tried to pull his shoulders out of his opponents grip. but the body he acquired after crossing over was just too weak no matter how hard he struggled, he couldnt move his opponents hand from his shoulder. noland lee steeled his heart, raised the rune staff with his right hand, and swung at the scarred sin soldier, but his staff was easily knocked away by a punch, leaving his hand numb. the gap in physical strength had become an insurmountable chasm between him and the scarred sin soldier.. Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: 23. Watch people serve dishes now chapter 31: 23. watch people serve dishes now translator: 549690339 looking at the faint tension in noland lees eyes, the scarred sin soldier couldnt stop sneering. he threw a straight punch, his fist stabbing toward noland lees chest like a dagger. noland lee caught the attack trajectory of the scarred sin soldier, tried his best to dodge the heavy blow by twisting his body. but the scarred sin soldiers other hand was always gripping noland lees shoulder thud. a dull sound. the sandbag-like fist grazed noland lees chest and smashed into his arm. pain spread throughout his body. at least this was a better result of his effort to dodge than being hit squarely in the heart. the scarred sin soldier swung his fist again. as noland lee made a movement to dodge, he suddenly realized it was a feint. it was apparent that the scarred sin soldier had a wealth of hand-to-hand combat experience. as he swung his fist, his right foot hooked onto noland lees lower leg, instantly causing him to lose his balance. before noland lee could steady himself with both hands on the ground, the scarred sin soldier swung another punch, hitting him in the abdomen. the body left behind by the original master for noland lee had neither eight-pack abs nor a layer of fat to protect him. the iron-weighted punch on such a stomach caused an actual critical hit. noland lee only felt a storm of pain in his stomach, as if it were being whipped repeatedly by a soaked whip. at this moment, the three soul-binding stone tomb spirits arrived dozens of meters above the two heads, staring down at the two humans below with their crimson eyes. the stone tomb bound spirits didnt care about why the enemies were fighting; they just wanted to take away the life and soul of humans. seizing the opportunity while the two humans were fighting, they hovered in the air for a moment and then dived. the scarred sin soldier detected the threat from the air. he grabbed the collar and waistband of noland lees clothes, picking him up from the ground and holding him horizontally over his head. looking at noland lees face twisted in pain, the scarred sin soldier laughed arrogantly: hahaha! you brat, go feed the undead! remember the reminder your grandpa gave you, dont be so arrogant in your next life! tears blurred noland lees vision as the pain in his abdomen stimulated his tear glands. he barely suppressed the pain in his abdomen, and upon hearing the scarred sin soldiers words, he immediately realized that the situation was bad. without giving noland lee a chance to struggle, the scarred sin soldier gathered his strength, spun in place while holding noland lee, and threw him into the diving soul-binding stone tomb spirits. noland spun halfway in mid-air, caught a glimpse of the spirits that were attacking him, and immediately raised both hands to make two hand signs. big brother! i am one of you, big brother! the yelling muscleman below is your enemy, not me! maybe the hand signs worked. the three stone tomb bound spirits in the air looked at noland lee, hesitated for a moment, then changed direction, passing by his side and rushing straight toward the scarred sin soldier. standing on the ground, the scarred sin soldier had not yet escaped far when he looked back and saw noland lee falling and the three spirits plunging toward him. damn it! hell! why didnt they tear that kid apart! do the undead also pick and choose?! the scarred sin soldier felt a chill. his plan to use noland lee to hold off the spirits had failed! his eyes glanced at the gun that had fallen to the ground, and he promptly lunged for it, rolling on the ground, picking up the gun, and hurriedly shooting. by the time noland lee heard the gunshots, his body had just hit the ground. a bullet whizzed dangerously past his ear, startling him into a cold sweat. dodging the scarred sin soldiers line of fire and assessing the situation, noland lee touched his sore, numb arm and painfully aching stomach, feeling his heart go cold. on the left were three spirits chasing the scarred sin soldier, blocking the shortest route to reunite with corporal mars. the scarred sin soldier was doomed to perish under the soul binding. once he died, noland lee would be the next target of the soul-binding stone tomb. sergeant alvin staffords army was over a hundred meters away. if noland ran over there, he would undoubtedly become a target for other stone tomb bound spirits. but if he didnt run towards corporal mars and didnt join alvin staffords army, where should he go? noland furrowed his brows and quickly pondered over it. every time a soldier died, their soul would be taken by the soul-binding stone tomb and turned into a new stone tomb bound spirit. a few living soldiers, due to their weak willpower, had their souls extracted by the soul-binding stone tomb while in a trance, and turned into hollow mummies. under such circumstances, the number of stone tomb bound spirits remained virtually unchanged, but the number of soldiers visibly decreased. if they couldnt destroy the stone tomb, everyone would eventually be consumed by the soul-binding stone tomb. most importantly, the two death-related spells of the soul-binding stone tomb hadnt been used yet. whether it was the death pulse or the fanatic command, either would bring the already precarious morale to the brink of collapse. noland knew very well how critical the situation was. even if he escaped, he would be executed as a deserter by the soldiers on the first floor of the grave vault, which would be even worse than taking his chances at the stone tomb. so, his only choice was: hurry up and circle around the scarred sin soldier and the bound spirit, then catch up with corporal mars as quickly as possible. noland didnt hesitate, running in an arc around the scarred sin soldier towards the direction of the stone tomb. bang! bang! two gunshots sounded near noland, with the bullets hitting the ground next to his feet, causing him to falter. the scarred sin soldier had spotted noland. he raised his gun and pulled the trigger towards the latter: stay and feed the undead, you bastard! why arent these bastards chasing you? is the biochemical bait on you fake?! it must be! damn it, no wonder your scrawny body survived in the hands of the skeleton warriors! a stone tomb bound spirit had caught up with the scarred sin soldier! it reached out its cold hands towards the sin soldiers back. the scarred sin soldier didnt bother to use bullets to stop noland and threw himself forward in an escape. he barely evaded the fatal strike but was grazed by the bound spirits body. immediately, he shuddered as if electrocuted, and his body stiffened as if falling into an icehouse. he swayed left and right before collapsing to the ground. three stone tomb bound spirits pounced on him, passing through the fallen scarred sin soldier repeatedly. ah! ah- ah ah the scarred sin soldier screamed miserably, progressing from high-pitched wails to tremorous cries, and finally to weak and barely audible whimpers. in the end, he died, turning into a pale human shadow and taking his last breath. noland glanced back at the scene, his brows twitching uncontrollably. the three stone tomb bound spirits were now chasing him in a straight line, unaffected by his hand gestures. im done for. its my turn now. was the scarred sin soldier an idiot to pick a fight at this crucial time? no wonder he ended up as a sin soldier. gee, hes going to get me killed noland pursed his lips and looked towards the direction of the stone tomb. the death notice spy ran as if he had cheats enabled in a game. he had a lead of nearly a hundred meters ahead of corporal mars and others, and now he had reached the stone gate of the stone tomb. as for corporal mars and his group, they were slowed down by the bound spirits and needed more time to catch up with the spy. worse still, after the spy arrived at the stone tomb, he fiddled with his rune staff against the wall of the tomb, causing quite a stir! Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: 24. Noland Lee” is dead. chapter 32: 24. noland lee is dead. translator: 549690339 enjoy the carnival! heh-heh-heh. the death herald guild spy chuckled condescendingly at the entrance of the stone tomb gate, then disappeared into the gate with a quick flash. as soon as his laughter died down, drastic changes happened to tomb level two! the spirits that were previously hovering mid -air changed from green to red, their bodies glowing all over with the color of hot iron. their eyes were filled with even intenser red, almost as if they could bleed out. in an instant, the whole area of tomb level two was illuminating with a fierce red glow. the piercing red light shone intensely over the yellow-green poisonous fog, blinding everyone and making it impossible to open their eyes. everyones field of view immediately shrank by a considerable amount. the back of corporal mars disappeared from noland lees sight, completely obscured by the red-glowing fog. sergeant major alvin stafford and his soldiers were similarly obscured by the fog, leaving only their occasional roars and the crashing noises as proof of their existence. meanwhile, the three spirits pursuing noland lee charged forward madly, their earsplitting screams echoing as they rushed towards him. this was the effect of the fanatic command! the spy activated the fanatic command of the soul-binding stone tomb, he knew how to modify the undead runes! noland lee immediately understood what had happened, but found himself with no way to deal with the current situation. three spirits, glowing bright red, arrived before him in just two seconds, each eagerly rushing through his body. the sensation of cool and hot converged upon his soul at the same time. the feeling of spirits moving through his body felt like nothing more than ice water pouring down the collar of his shirt. they unearthed noland lees overwhelming warmth, seeping from behind to the front, from the outside to the inside, moving through his chest. noland lees sensed the heat in his soul. it was a fiery burning pain. it was like someone using a laser cutter to tear his soul into two halves. this torment of ice and fire came fast and departed just as quickly. after the spirits penetrated his body, noland lee staggered a few steps, yet he didnt collapse nor did he turn into a desiccated corpse. why am i not dead?! noland lee stood stunned where he was. the three spirits melted into the nearby fog and disappeared, seemingly oblivious to the living person in front of them. now noland lee was completely confused. he touched his face and chest, and then looked down at his thighs. there wasnt a lost piece of flesh, a spritz of blood, or a strand of hair. whats going on [system message: you have been attacked by the soul-binding spirits. you have permanently lost 1 point of soul strength. your current soul strength is now 1 point.] the soul strength has decreased from 2 points to 1 point. that part of soul strength he got from the original master, was taken away by the spirits of the stone tomb! noland lee widened his eyes, feeling incredulous. the soul strength left behind by the original master, it actually saved him from a fatal attack! [system message: you have received a mortal attack from the soul-binding stone tomb spirits.] [passive deconstruction activated!] [the deconstruction degree of the soul-binding spirits has reached 100%!!] [you have attained the panel information of the soul-binding spirits.] [as you have used the passive deconstruction technique, and have deconstructed the soul-binding spirits by 100%, you receive 5 energy points.] noland lee stabilized his mind, knowing it wasnt a good time to carefully examine the panel of the spirits. for some unknown reason, the spirits only absorbed 1 point of his soul strength and didnt absorb all of it. but that didnt matter anymore, he had to reunite with corporal mars as quickly as possible. as soon as noland lee took his first steps, another line of characters appeared in his mind. [system message: due to the soul sacrifice feature of the soul-binding stone tomb, you have received a soul mark.] soul sacrifice? soul mark? noland lee could no longer suppress his curiosity. he slightly slowed down his running speed, splitting a bit of his focus to tap on the soul mark entry in his mind. a 3d mark made up of 4 undead runes appeared in front of him, its overall appearance resembling a rectangular token. noland lee squinted at it. the undead runes that make up the soul mark are the four characters of grudge teachings. noland lee instinctively cast his deconstruction spell on the soul mark and was surprised to find that it can be deconstructed by the system. [system message: you are attempting to deconstruct the soul mark.] [it is estimated to consume 1 point of energy to achieve 100% degree of deconstruction.] [you currently have 5 points of energy. do you confirm the deconstruction?] noland lee didnt want to be entangled with something ambiguous, so he directly consumed 1 point of energy to carry out the deconstruction. [name] grudge teachings of the soul mark, simply known as grudge mark [type] death-type magic mark [level] 1 [uses] you have not yet acquired knowledge about this marks meditation. you can use a magical catalyst (for example a rune staff) to engrave this mark on an object, granting the item a certain death-type magic effect. with this mark, the mindless undead summoned by the undead cult resentment faction will not see you as a target of attack unless you show them intention to attack. because you have biochemical bait in your body, the actual effect of this application will be weakened. [source] soul sacrifice. sacrifice 1 point of soul strength to any undead creature that possesses the grudge mark , and you can obtain this mark from them. repeated acquisition of this mark can elevate the level of the mark and enhance the effect of using the mark. with the correct method of asceticism, this mark can be obtained. [explanation] due to your lack of understanding of death-type magic, this panels meditation and asceticism entries are missing. this panel will be updated synchronously when you obtain more information. this grudge mark is a pass for the grave vault! noland lees eyes lit up. no wonder he ran towards the stone tomb for so long, and not a single stone tomb bound spirit came to cause trouble. it turns out that in the eyes of these bound spirits, he, a living human, is equivalent to a member of the undead cult. if it werent for the biochemical bait, wouldnt it be as comfortable as strolling while walking in this tomb? at this instant, noland lee came up with the idea of finding a chance to break away from the legion and search for an exit in the suffering borderland all by himself. the next second, he dismissed this idea. reason is simple although he wouldnt be attacked by the undead here, he is not an undead but a living person after all. living people need to eat, drink, pee, and sleep. its better to stay in the legion and take advantage of his immunity to undead attack, muddle along, and make something out of it but one thing caught noland lees attention. the panel clearly states that the grudge mark can only make mindless undeads from the undead cult C resentment faction not attack him. if he encounters other factions of the undead cult, or undead with intelligence, he will still receive warm reception. so here comes the problem how many factions are there in the undead cult? cant be that each faction has a type of soul mark, right? how much soul strength does one need to sacrifice to collect all the soul marks from all factions? noland lee sneered, feeling a headache. so far, the only way he knows to increase soul strength is through traversals. besides that, he has no clue. where could he go to increase his soul strength? Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: 25. Modify Rune chapter 33: 25. modify rune translator: 549690339 in front of the stone door of the stone tomb. corporal mars and his group were leaning against the door, panting heavily. a fierce battle had just taken place here. over thirty frenzied stone tomb bound spirits surrounded mars and his men. penetrating, biting, and icy cold touches that could steal ones soul. the forked lightning released by the lightning spore couldnt stop these crazed spirits. it was a suicidal attack. the bound spirits that surrounded corporal mars and the others eventually vanished in the lightning, but the human side also paid a heavy price. three sergeants died in battle, and the survivors were left utterly exhausted. hang in there, mates, corporal mars reached into his pocket and pulled out an all-metal injector. without hesitation, he stuck the needle into his neck, pushed the plunger forcefully, and injected the unknown colored fluid into his body. his face twisted in pain, but the fatigue quickly faded away. meanwhile, a few wisps of gray appeared in his hair in a brief amount of time. inject yourselves with the cell division promoter, everyone. otherwise, we wont have a chance to stop the death notice spy. following corporal mars example, the surviving sergeants also injected themselves with the battle potions that exchanged their lives for increased physical strength, energy, and rapid injury recovery. one sergeant, covering his chest while coughing, said: captain, sin soldier no. 079 and sin soldier no. 888 didnt follow us their chances are slim we must get the rune staff from the death notice spy, its our only hope to destroy the undead runes i am willing to be the first to try to destroy the undead runes! no, soldier, if someone must pay the price to destroy the undead runes, it will be me first. corporal mars smiled bitterly and said: sigh, who would have thought that sin soldier no. 039 was a death notice spy? damn it! he actually knew about the undead runes! just what did he do to the stone tomb that drove these bound spirits mad? recalling the actions of the death notice spy, fury burned in the depths of corporal mars eyes: those bastards from division intelligence unit two, how do they audit the identities of sin soldiers? they let a death notice spy slip in the sergeants heard this and started cursing. youre right, captain. the guys from division intelligence unit two almost got us killed. what have they been up to! division intelligence unit two didnt even properly investigate the real identity of sin soldier no. 039 before stuffing him into our team a bunch of irresponsible bastards! i just want to settle the score with them now as the teams condition rapidly improved and their speech grew stronger, corporal mars clenched his fist and said: alright, mates, weve rested enough. lets move. wait a minute, wait for me- a voice came from the red fog of the poisonous fog. the sergeants raised their short-barreled rifles. some pointed their lightning spore at the direction of the voice. dont shoot, it sounds like jarvis. mars face trembled with excitement and a strong sense of happiness appeared on his tough face. however, he remained vigilant and did not immediately lower his firearms. its me, captain, dont shoot, its me! noland lee came panting, with bruises all over his body, a noticeable swelling on his elbow, looking miserable. noland lee waved his rune staff and shouted joyfully at the sergeants: thank goodness, ive finally found you all! this poisonous fog has me spinning, almost losing my direction. dont come any closer! mars raised the muzzle of his gun, but the joy on his face disappeared, replaced by a hint of deliberation in his eyes. speaking frankly, the series of events that happened earlier were too urgent. so much so that mars and the sergeants attention was entirely focused on the death notice spy and the stone tomb bound spirits, leaving them no time to pay attention to noland lee and sin soldier no. 079. at this time, recalling these events, corporal mars realized that his last impression of noland lee was at the moment when he ordered the team to chase the spy. after that, what happened to noland lee, corporal mars had no recollection jarvis, how did you and sin soldier no. 079 fall behind while we were chasing the death notice spy? why did only you catch up? wheres sin soldier no. 079? noland lee stopped three meters away from corporal mars, not feeling upset about the latters questioning. instead, mars display of alertness raised noland lees evaluation of him. noland lee bent over, clutching his chest and gasping for breath, shaking his hand at corporal mars with a tone full of fear: that was too close, chief officer, too close. as soon as you guys started chasing the spy, sin soldier no. 079 secretly intercepted me and hit me hard with a few punches. noland lee rolled up his sleeve and showed the bump on his elbow to the sergeants: this jerk held a grudge against me because i had an argument with him before we set off. hes such an idiot to seek revenge on the undeads territory what happened after? corporal mars slowly lowered his gun, showing his trust in noland lee. later, both he and i attracted three stone tomb bound spirits. probably because he was bigger and had more flesh, the stone tomb bound spirits chased after him. i took the opportunity to rush over to you guys. he picked up your gun and shot at the bound spirits and me. before the poisonous fog turned red, i had already run away. after the fog turned red, he seemed to have died, killed by the bound spirits. i didnt dare stay and ran as fast as i could, finally arriving at the stone tomb. noland lee finished speaking, shaking his head with relief: fortunately, those three stone tomb bound spirits didnt chase after me, otherwise, i would have been a goner sergeant mars waved at his teammates: put down your guns; what he said should be the truth.. sergeant mars looked at noland lee: ..honestly, youre lucky. those three stone tomb bound spirits should have gone to surround sergeant alvin stafford and his team. after all, compared to you, his soldiers are a much greater threat to the stone tomb. sergeant mars waved his hand and led the team into the stone tomb: come on, jarvis keep up and dont fall behind again. noland lee breathed a sigh of relief after dodging the interrogation, and followed the team into the stone tomb. the size of this ghostly place was equivalent to two basketball courts. from the exterior, it was about three stories high. behind the door were three narrow corridors leading to unknown destinations, with undead runes on the walls on both sides. these undead runes emitted a dark red light, illuminating the corridors and making the atmosphere here extremely eerie. corporal mars frowned as he glanced at the corridor, unable to find any traces left by the death notice spy. he turned to look at noland lee: jarvis, your task is to use the rune staff to modify the undead runes on the walls. start now, and well cover you. you dont need to be too fast; safety first. alright, ill do it. noland lee nodded, his gaze quickly scanning over the undead runes. he had completely deconstructed this stone tomb already. as he looked at the undead runes on the wall now, he felt an understanding in his heart. he could easily identify the places modified by the death herald spy. noland lee frowned, pretending to think hard. he raised the rune staff in his hand, deliberately hesitating before poking at the rune on the wall. seeing this, the sergeants immediately stood far away from him, not wanting to be affected by the possible death storm.. as for noland lee himself, he was quite confident in his abilities. he began working intently, changing back the undead runes with the rune staff that had been modified by the death herald spy. when hatred appears, we must repay it with passion and fervor. no, no, thats not how its written. the original text should be we must accept it with silence and patience. and this line, hatred is a seed that will bloom into furious blossoms this line was also modified by the spy. the original text is it will bear melancholic fruits. the touchpoint of the rune staff drew a few strokes on the wall, and noland lee modified the undead runes. as noland lee operated, the light inside and outside the stone tomb changed the red light indicating the frenzy state of the bound spirits disappeared. the sharp wails of the bound spirits during their attack were also gone. with the disappearance of the red light, visibility improved. in the distance, sergeant alvin stafford and the soldiers let out a cheer, filled with joy and excitement for having escaped calamity. those fierce bound spirits seemed to lose their energy and weakly swayed in the air, no longer displaying their ferocity and speed from before. imperial soldiers could easily shatter these slow-moving undead spirits with forked lightning. the weakness of the bound spirits was likely due to the aftereffects of the fanatic command. haha! it worked! corporal mars rejoiced, waving his fist. the expressions of the sergeants around him were the same.. Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: 26. Perception Obstruction chapter 34: 26. perception obstruction translator: 549690339 hansen, you stay here to protect jarvis. the rest of you, follow me. sergeant mars cast an encouraging glance at noland lee, and along with his team, stepped into the corridor. the sergeant who stayed behind to protect noland lee had the typical face of an imperial man. standing approximately four meters away from noland, he held a gun in one hand, and a lightning spore in the other, vigilantly watching the exterior and interior of the stone tomb. noland lee had mastered the translation of the grudge teachings. he could basically understand the undead runes on the stone tomb. if he goes all out and works at full speed, modifying all the undead runes would be only a matter of time. despite his reluctance, noland had to admit he owed a debt of gratitude to the spy from the death herald guild. the spys action of modifying the undead runes and activating the fanatic command provided noland with a classic case for modifying the undead runes. how to properly modify the undead runes without triggering the death storm? follow the spys approach. the spy had replaced silence and patience in the original text with passion and fervor. similarly, noland could replace words like loneliness, pain, and forbearance in the original text with reunion, comfort, and consolation, among others. to be cautious, noland chose phrases unrelated to fanatic command and death pulse when he wrote new undead runes, to avoid activating the stone tombs skills. before the battle began, the stone tomb had 61 points of death energy. after casting fanatic command, the stone tombs death energy dropped to 11 points, enough for two casts of death pulse. noland did not want to accidentally activate death pulse due to a mistimed operation, leading to his unexpected demise. 5 minutes later. after modifying over a dozen of undead runes, noland received a system message. [you have limitedly destructed the structure of the runes of the soul-binding stone tomb. there are changes in the information on the panel of this building.] for things that have been fully deconstructed, noland can deploy the deconstruction technique without consuming energy points and will get an updated panel. noland summoned the panel for the soul-binding stone tomb and looked over it. the skill capture soul dropped temporarily from level 1 to level o. at present, the stone tomb couldnt absorb souls to create new soul bindings. in addition, the word instability appeared in the introduction of the death pulse skill. the system explained that there is a high chance of failure when the stone tomb attempts to release this skill. besides these two changes, there were no other alterations to the stone tombs panel. noland turned back to gaze at the passage they had come through. the number of undead runes at the entrance was relatively limited, he had modified all he could. next, he must delve deeper into the tomb to modify the undead runes within. noland and sergeant hansen discussed, and the two choose the path the team under the command of sergeant mars had taken. after stepping into the narrow, dark passageway, the poisonous fog in the air became even thicker. as they walked, the air displacement created by noland formed rippling waves in the poisonous fog. at the same time, their field of vision was extremely limited. noland walked haltingly, staying close to the wall, his eyes wide open, observing the undead runes on it, and from time to time, tapped the wall lightly with his rune staff. after maintaining this status for a while, he suddenly realized something was wrong. too quiet. there was absolutely no sound around. the atmosphere was oppressively silent, as though he was in a hushed coffin. noland couldnt see sergeant hansens figure, all he could see was poison fog. looking ahead, his vision was obstructed by the fog, making it impossible to see the end of the corridor. firing a gun in a narrow space is dangerous, as the sound waves will echo inside and cause significant damage to the hearing as they cannot escape and dissipate. however, this also meant that if someone fired a gun in this spot, noland would undoubtedly hear it. but since sergeant mars led the team into the corridor, no sound had come out, which was very unusual. the stone tomb was too quiet. as if sergeant mars and his crew had vanished into thin air. now, sergeant hansen also mystifyingly disappeared. nolands heart rate increased slightly. he summoned his personal panel, his eyes narrowing slightly. at some point, a new entry had appeared on his personal panel: unknown negative effect. noland lee selected this entry, activating the deconstruction ability. without hesitation, noland confirmed the deconstruction. the system quickly provided the complete deconstruction details. [name] perception obstruction [level] 3 [type] psychic spell [effect] your field of vision is reduced to 3 meters and your hearing range is reduced to 10 meters. [origin] a magical item that you havent discovered yet is casting this spell on you. noland browsed through the system messages, frowning involuntarily. about eight minutes ago, the system had issued a warning, reminding him that he was under the effect of perception obstruction. it was his fault for being too focused, so engrossed in modifying the undead runes that he had not checked the system message in time, only realising now that he had been affected. noland shook his head helplessly and pondered on a countermeasure. there was supposedly a magic item hidden within the stone tomb that could even cast psychic spells. this could pose some trouble. it would be better to head back as soon as possible, otherwise he might end up losing his life here. noland kept close to the wall, intending to return to the main entrance of the stone tomb, only to find his way blocked by a solid wall that had abruptly appeared in the corridor he had just traversed. noland blinked in surprise at the wall. he noticed that there were no undead runes on the wall, and its hue was different from that of the stone tomb. the walls of the stone tomb were composed of aged, worn square stone bricks. however, this wall blocking the corridor had a fully intact surface, devoid of any stone brick gaps, and appeared more vibrant, unlike the worn condition of the stone tombs walls. therefore, this wall was not naturally part of the stone tomb and was deliberately placedor perhaps createdby someones spell. as noland was thinking this, the stench of decay wafted into his breathing mask. subconsciously covering his mouth and nose, he gazed towards the other end of the corridor. under his gaze, a humanoid creature swathed in grimy bandages was shambling slowly and unsteadily towards him. noland raised an eyebrow, recognizing what this thing was. it had been referred to by many names in fantasy and sci-fi works: zombies, the walking dead, and so on. all these names referred to the same kind of undead creatures. they possessed rotting bodies and filthy blood, potentially carrying toxins. though their movements were slow, they were incredibly resilient and could only be defeated by directly damaging their central nervous system or brain. instead of raising his rune staff in defense, noland let his arms hang by his sides and silently watched the approaching undead. facing this incoming enemy, he felt a hint of nervousness, but just a hint. he had the mark of resentment. as long as this undead creature belonged to the resentment faction of the undead cult. he should not have to worrv about being attacked. of course, this was provided that he did not show any signs of hostility, and his biochemical bait did not act up. sure enough, this particular undead stopped at a distance of three meters and looked at noland with its faintly glowing green eyes, tilting its head slightly if one ignored the rotting flesh and blood on it, this action would almost seem cute and silly, much like amumu from league of legends. the undead seemed to be pondering in confusion. it seemed unable to comprehend why the human in front of it seemed to be one of their own, but also exuded a delicious scent seeing that the undead did not attack, noland heaved a sigh of relief. he slowly moved along the wall, attempting to walk past the undead. the undead creatures head slowly followed nolands figure. Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: 27. Monster killing location chapter 35: 27. monster killing location translator: 549690339 the walking dead ignored noland lee. but noland lee did not want to let it go. sooner or later, this thing would be a disaster. its better to get rid of it now. at the same time, use the passive deconstruction effect of deconstruction to deconstruct it. noland bypassed the walking dead, walking a short distance into the depths of the corridor. he didnt encounter more walking dead or find any stone walls blocking the road. for safety, he didnt go too deep into the corridor and soon returned to where he was. the walking dead was still standing in place. it simply looked back when it heard nolands footsteps, then resumed its silly daze. noland moved quietly, approaching the shadow of the walking dead step by step. according to the gaming experience before crossing, the defense of the walking dead was stronger than that of the skeleton warrior, but it required a decaying body to move. if the skeleton warrior loses its head or limbs, its passive skill, fast integration, will work, urging it to find its lost bones and reconnect them. but in the case of the walking dead, there are generally no similar passive skills. as long as its legs are cut off, it will completely lose its ability to walk, and similar effects apply to other parts. noland stood behind the walking dead, staring at it for a few seconds, and targeted the most vulnerable parts. he stared tightly at the back of the walking deads head and held the rune staff in his hand. one end of the rune staff was a conical contact, like the tip of a pencil, but much harder and can be used as a sharp short spear. noland took a slight breath and slightly gathered strength. with a squish, the rune staff stabbed into the back of the walking deads head. the walking dead suddenly got hit at the vital spot, its body violently convulsed, and it let out an angry moan. noland held both ends of the rune staff and stirred and waved it with force. the walking dead suddenly lost its balance, its body tilted, the back of its head cracked open, and filthy blood and brains flew. noland kicked out. the walking dead crashed into the wall and slid down along the wall. noland seized the opportunity to raise his right foot and stomped on the head of the walking dead. blood splattered, and flesh and blood spilled out. feeling like a real-life version of dead space amidst the stench, noland lee suppressed the impulse to vomit and felt emotional. [system message: you have inflicted fatal damage on the tomb walking dead and successfully killed the target.] [activate passive deconstruction!] [your degree of deconstruction of this target has reached 100%, and the targets panel is unlocked.] [you have recovered 1 point of energy.] nolands eyes flickered, and he felt a kind of enlightenment. he was sure of one thing: either being hit with fatal damage or inflicting fatal damage would enable him to use passive deconstruction to complete 100% deconstruction of the target in one go. thats the fastest way to get the complete deconstruction result and recover energy points. noland fixed his mind and shook the flesh off the rune staff. he glanced at the end of the corridor without going deeper, standing still to modify the undead runes on the wall. 000, 000 a moaning sound reached nolands ears. are more enemies coming? noland looked in the direction of the sound, and a burly tomb walking dead entered his field of vision. like the previous one, it stopped three meters away from noland without any intention to attack its strange, another one? is this a spawning point? would undead creatures keep refreshing if he stayed here? noland puzzledly touched his head and inadvertently saw his personal panel floating in the corner of his vision. on his personal panel, the negative effect called perception obstruction still exists. is it because the magic item that casts perception obstruction has detected that he is alive, so the controller of the item sent another tomb walking dead to kill him? noland snapped his fingers and thought it made sense. he squinted and looked at the burly tomb walking dead, boldly walking around it, and sensed a bit of huluwa saves grandfather. defeat weaker enemies, and stronger ones will come. if he defeats the stronger ones, wont even stronger ones come? enemies come one wave after another, with increasing numbers and strength, until noland dies in battle. at this moment, noland had the illusion that he was playing a tower defense game considering everything, the sooner he modifies more undead runes, destroys the stone tomb, and collapses the maze-like area, the better chance he has to escape. otherwise, he would have to wait for soldiers to come and rescue him from outside. noland looked at the walking dead in front of him, thought for half a second, and decided it was better to get rid of it. noland lee circled around to the back of the enemys head, grasped the rune staff, and stabbed it towards the soft flesh at the base of the zombies skull. with a crack, the tomb walking deads brain was pierced. noland lifted his right foot and stomped down heavily, putting an end to the zombie. a system message unexpectedly appeared in his mind. only then did noland realize that this muscular tomb walking dead was different from the others he had killed previously. [system message: you inflicted fatal damage on the strong walking dead and successfully killed the target. [passive deconstruction activated!] [your targets deconstruction has reached 100%, unlocking its panel.] [you have recovered 2 energy points.] he glanced at his personal panel, noticing that his energy points had recovered to 6. this eased nolands mind and even made him look forward to the upcoming undead troops the only thing he worried about was when he could finally escape this place. the breathing mask required a filter cartridge to function. a filter cartridge could be used continuously for half an hour. noland had already used up three filter cartridges. replacing the fourth cartridge, noland felt slightly weak and couldnt hold on much longer. the dark, oppressive atmosphere wore down on him as a living human. this fourth cartridge was his last reserve. if he couldnt get out of this area within the next half-hour, he would definitely die from the poisonous fog. in the past two hours, noland had slain over a dozen tomb walking dead, eight strong walking dead, and two armored walking corpses clad in metal armor. the enemies were growing stronger, and noland was finding it difficult to keep up due to his physical exhaustion. during the last wave of attacks, the armored walking corpses brought two tomb walking dead with them to cause trouble for noland. while fighting, noland nearly got killed by the three zombies, the situation was dangerously close. thankfully, noland successfully ambushed and killed the most powerful armored walking corpses, which was how he managed to survive while being surrounded by the two tomb walking dead. so far, the only good news was that the soul-binding stone tomb was close to collapsing. nolands continuous modification of the undead runes for more than two hours had rendered most of the stone tombs skills ineffective. the building value of the stone tomb had significantly decreased every time noland made a key modification. now, the building value of the stone tomb was just under 10,000 points. the rectangular stone bricks that formed the walls visibly crumbled at an accelerated pace, losing their previous hardness. noland just needed to push a bit harder to topple the stone tomb. however, before doing that, he had to deal with the upcoming enemies. noland sat on the ground, regaining his strength and looking deep into the corridor. based on the time intervals of the previous waves, the next wave of enemies should be arriving soon. he didnt know when these continuous attacks would eventually end with a sigh, noland grasped his rune staff and stood up from the ground, patiently waiting for the enemies. clonk, clonk, clonk an unusual sound of footsteps entered nolands ears. it seemed that the enemy this time wasnt a regular walking dead. could it be a new type of undead troops? noland furrowed his brow. his energy points were almost full again. if a new type of enemy appeared, the energy gained from passive deconstruction would overflow. this was not good news. noland steadied his mind and remained vigilant. a green-eyed ogre walking corpses approached from the poisonous fog, stopping in front of noland with an inexplicable grin. noland felt a chill rise from his back, reaching straight towards his forehead. the face of the walking dead was a bizarre grey-white color, and the surface of its skin had centipede-like stitches forming countless undead runes. it had a malicious smile with a bloodthirsty look in its eyes, and an intense surge of evil flowed through its glowing green eyes. it was the face of sin soldier no. 079. we meet again, you little bastard didnt expect this, did you? i have a new master. the death priest of the undead cult has granted me a new body. i will tear you apart, savoring your despair. nolands heart sank, and he quickly understood what had happened: after the soul of the scarred sin soldier had been extracted by the soul binding, it fell into the hands of the death priest controlling the stone tomb. and that death priest transformed the scarred sin soldier into a zombie. worse yet, it still retained its consciousness. it retained its memories, awareness, and even its combat experiences from when it was alive. mark of resentment had no effect on such creatures with conscious minds. the previous strategy of relying on the enemys lack of hostility to ambush from behind was no longer feasible in the face of this conscious sin soldier zombie.. Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: 28. Sin Soldier fears utensils. chapter 36: 28. sin soldier fears utensils. translator: 549690339 ah- this new body is so strong- i am very satisfied. the sin soldier zombie raised its arm, bending the limb and flexing its muscles. the sense of intoxication was clear on its grey, dead face. such hefty muscles, such perfect outlines. i feel full of power, like ill never tire this damn feeling is fascinating if i knew necromancy was so powerful, i would have joined the death herald guild, instead of becoming a bandit. watching the sin soldier zombie obsessing over muscular strength, noland lee tightened his lips, his grip on the rune staff in his hands slightly harder. the zombie didnt seem to consider him a threat, completely lost in admiring its new body. noland saw enormous self-confidence in these actions. he found himself pondering intensely on how to fight this battle, unable to launch a preemptive strike in a conflict where the opponent clearly his surpass in strength. his gaze swept over the undead runes on the wall, a cunning glint of an idea apparent in his eyes which was overlooked by others enough, worm. embrace your death. the sin soldier zombie, in spite of its sewn-together face, sneered frostily as it clenched its fists and twisted its neck: you should feel lucky that the death priest gave me orders to drag your intact corpse back. otherwise.. hehehe i would have pounded you to mush. the zombie marched towards noland with heavy steps, its daunting figure was akin to a ghastly miniature mountain. it squashed another walking corpse along the way, its foot splattering filthy undead blood. it appears, youre capable getting rid of so many undead. a fleeting surprise flickered across the sin soldier zombies eyes as it surveyed the littered ground, but it was swiftly dominated by its overbearing confidence. these feeble undead are insignificant. i can crush their skulls in one hand. boasting as he strutted towards noland, the sin soldier zombie was convinced of its impending victory. it picked up a fallen corpse, noticing the gaping hole in its skull. this fatal wound piqued its curiosity. connecting the dots with the rune staff in nolands hands, a smug satisfaction flashed in its eyes, the satisfaction of uncovering an opponents tricks: hehe, so youve been skewering these fools with your rune staff. it squashed the skull in its hand effortlessly, allowing the filthy blood to spray over its body, as if it was basking in death. it grew silent from then on. after two boisterous laughs aimed at noland, its heavily-built body, big enough to block the corridor, charged at noland like a train. die! die! hahaha! once i bring your corpse back, the death priest will grant me even more power! calm in the face of danger, noland lowered his center of gravity, retreated steadily, his focus solely on the sin soldier zombies fist. without wasting the opening provided by the zombies constant babbling, noland decisively expended 4 energy points all at once to thoroughly deconstruct it. in the blink of an eye, sin soldier zombies data panel flashed in nolands mind. the tomb walking dead, strong walking dead, armored walking corpses, and all other undead creatures bearing the title walking dead belonged to the sewn-together undead category. the sin soldier zombie before him was essentially an elite variant of the sewn-together undead, known as a tomb skeleton soldier. the undead runes constructed from the sutures endowed it with extraordinary strength, approximately three times the strength of a regular adult male. after being fortified by the undead runes, its skin was as hard as an iron plate, presumably impenetrable to anything less than an imperial soldiers rifle bullet. against such an enemy, noland deeply understood that his only ray of hope was triggering the death pulse from the stone tomb. the panel data of the stone tomb currently showed that 11 points of death energy remained, sufficient to activate the death pulse twice. if a death herald guilds spy could modify the undead runes to activate the stone tombs fanatic command technique, then he should be capable of doing the same. however, the problem now was which part of the undead runes should be altered so that the stone tomb would unleash the death pulse on the sin soldier zombie? noland lee didnt know the answer, but that didnt stop him from trying. the iron fist of the sin soldier zombie attacked, the punching wind whistled past noland lees nose. if noland lee hadnt been on his guard, the powerful punch would have been enough to smash his breathing mask. one punch after another, the sin soldier zombies fist always aimed at noland lees breathing mask, but each punch controlled the perfect balance of strength and speed. he clearly could throw a swing punch followed by a straight punch, directly smashing nolands head, but he always reduces the force just as he is about to hit noland head on. noland understood that the sin soldier zombie was holding back from smashing the mouse for fear of breaking the jar. the opponent was afraid he wouldnt control his force, accidentally damaging the integrity of the corpse, and delaying the death priests task. this concern of the sin soldier zombie undoubtedly offers noland more room for manoeuvre. damn it, you little brat, stop hiding! if i wasnt afraid of smashing you to pieces, i wouldnt let you keep dodging. the sin soldier zombie was cursing, his face flashed with impatience and annoyance. the force in his hands gradually increased, the rolling punches stirred up a violent surge of poisonous fog. the sin soldier zombie was unstable. on the contrary, noland lee, who was at a disadvantage, was different. his combat skills were not as good as his opponent, and so was his physical fitness. but his strong point was keeping a cool head in the face of adversity. the more dire the situation, the calmer he became. faced with wave after wave of attacks from the sin soldier zombie, his footsteps never faltered, always retreating quickly in a steady posture. just when the sin soldier zombies patience was about to be ground down, noland finally, through a series of dodges, arrived next to the stone wall he envisaged. hatred brings fatigue! fatigue forges hardship! hardship brews regret!o noland suddenly shouted at the sin soldier zombie. the rune staff was raised by him, not aimed at the enemy, but at the undead runes on the wall. what the hell are you barking at, you pretentious bastard? the sin soldier zombie cursed, but both hands were drawn back to his chest, taking a defensive stance, watching nolands every move vigilantly. why arent you hitting me anymore? trash, why didnt you come after me? noland was waving the rune staff back and forth on the wall, sarcastically saying: come on, keep hitting me. are you afraid ill bring a death storm and take you with me? huh, is that all your courage? i didnt expect you to be braver after getting stronger. damn it the sin soldier zombie slowly moved forward, staring fixedly at the point of contact of the rune staff. seeing his opponent in this state, noland raised the corner of his mouth and smirked: oh- i see. after the death storm destroys my corpse, the task assigned to you by the death priest will fail. and the price of failure is to have your mind erased by the death priest, right? hehe, sin soldier no. 079, you dont want your mind to be erased by the death priest and turn into a mindless undead, do you? noland guessed the sin soldier zombies inner thoughts clearly. these words directly targeted the sin soldier zombies weakness. the sin soldier zombies fear towards noland reached its peak. if youve got the guts, just stand there the sin soldier zombie stopped, standing two meters away from noland, glowering viciously at him: im not in a hurry, you little brat, not in a hurry at all in at most half an hour, the filter cartridge on your breathing mask will fail. then ill take my time dealing with you.. Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: 29. Black Tornado chapter 37: 29. black tornado translator: 549690339 under the gaze of the sin soldier zombie, as if it wanted to devour people, noland lee remained calm. he took a deep breath and smiled confidently: sin soldier no. 079, remember this. the one who killed you is noland lee. if you can revive again, do it. every time you come back, ill kill you again. hearing this, the sin soldier zombie realized something was wrong, and quickly took a step forward, trying to snatch the rune staff from noland lees hand. at this moment, noland raised the rune staff and poked it at the wall, the runes moved like swift snakes. in just half a second, he modified several undead runes in one go. resentment brings calamity! calamity forges death! death brews lament!o noland recited the undead runes he had written. dark beams emanated from the wall, the overpowering aura of death gushing out. seeing these rays of light, noland became confident, waving his rune staff towards the approaching sin soldier zombie: rest, sin soldier no. 079! a black shadow shot out from the wall and rushed straight towards the sin soldier zombie. upon seeing the black shadow, nolands eyebrows twitched. this was not the death pulse he had anticipated! it was a stone tomb bound spirit! as the stone tomb spirit left the wall, its black light faded, revealing its verdant ethereal form. piercing the sin soldier zombie at an incredible speed, the spirit swung back and forth through the enemy like a pendulum. the undead runes on the surface of the sin soldier zombies skin began to change. whenever the stone tomb spirit passed through the corpse, the zombie would tremble as if electrocuted, and its undead runes would emit bursts of black light in response. clearly, it was these skin-stitched undead runes that protected the sin soldier zombie, preventing its soul from being snatched up on the spot by the stone tomb bound spirit. seeing that the stone tomb bound spirit could not instantly kill the sin soldier zombie, noland decided to take matters into his own hands. he swiftly stepped forward, thrusting his rune staff at the enemys face. the sin soldier zombie was immobilized by the stone tomb spirit and realized too late that nolands rune staff was already upon it! with a soft sound, the sharp tip pierced the zombies eye socket. a horrible scream rose abruptly. the sin soldier zombie grabbed the rune staff, trying to pull it out. noland didnt give it the chance. he gripped the end of the rune staff with both hands and, with all his might, pushed it further in. another piercing snap resounded. the filthy blood splattered everywhere, revealing the rune staffs unexpected sharpness. the tip had penetrated the sin soldier zombies skull and emerged from the back of its head! the sin soldier zombie raised its left foot, kicking noland in the stomach. noland flew back, crashing into the wall behind him, and grunted in pain. he got up and was about to deliver the final blow but suddenly stopped in his tracks. the sin soldier zombie had plunged into utter chaos after its eye socket was pierced. screaming, it flailed its arms about, swaying as it stumbled towards the wall. as luck would have it, the tip of the staff protruding from the back of its head scraped against the wall, destroying one of the undead runes. nolands eyes widened, and he quickly retreated further away. an overwhelming force of death energy, capable of crushing everything in its path, descended upon the sin soldier zombie in an instant, forming a black tornado about two meters in diameter. no! no! i wont die! i am undead! death storm wont hurt me! no! the sin soldier zombie shouted deceitfully. the shrill voice became deep and then faded, blending with the howling wind of the black tornado, making it difficult to discern. sharp black wind blades scraped over its body, like countless blades cutting its skin, its muscles, its runes, and grinding everything into dust. the powerful death storm vanished in an instant, and the rapidly spinning black tornado dissipated. apart from the disturbed poisonous fog, the death storm left nothing behind, and the sin soldier zombie no longer existed. noland lee leaned against the wall, cold sweat streaming down his face, taking several heavy breaths before his heart finally settled down. this death storm lived up to its name as a storm, truly powerful and terrifying. oh no! noland lee slapped himself on the forehead, scanning the area where the death storm had disappeared: did the rune staff also get shattered by that black tornado? noland lee cautiously walked forward, wanting to search the area. a green figure emerged from the wall, hovering in front of noland lee. it was the stone tomb bound spirit that noland lee had accidentally summoned. noland lee treated it as an ordinary soul bound without a mind and didnt take it seriously. after all, he had the mark of resentment on him, and it wouldnt attack him. however, when noland lee raised his head and looked at the face of the bound spirit, he suddenly froze. it was an identical face to his own. the same high nose bridge, deep eye sockets, the same melancholic short black hair, and the same facial contours and angles hiss noland lee gasped, furrowing his brow, and stepped back. fate or fortune, or some undiscovered principle of magic, led him, a traveler who occupied anothers body, to meet the soul of the original owner. right there in the dark tomb, on the floor where the death storm had just ravaged. the bound spirit hovered in place without moving, its crimson eyes staring at noland lee. he didnt know if its an illusion or a psychological effect, but noland lee felt an indescribable meaning in the eyes of the spirit who didnt show aggression. it seemed to be pondering, or perhaps seeking liberation noland lees heart was slightly tense. he leaned against the stone wall, threw a deconstruction technique at the stone tomb bound spirit in front of him. as his degree of deconstruction for undead creatures like the stone tomb bound spirits had reached 100%, he could access their panel without consuming any energy points. noland lee quickly read the panel of the bound spirit and his expression turned serious. he hadnt had the time to examine the deconstruction result of the stone tomb bound spirit he had obtained before. now, upon careful inspection, he discovered two critical points. first, the stone tomb bound spirit was classified as a vengeful spirit by the system. it had been transformed into an undead spirit creature by death magic because of the resentment in its heart at the time of death. second, as a spirit creature with resentment as its foundation, if the resentment in its heart isnt dispelled, it will never find release and will grow stronger due to being unable to find peace. attacking the stone tomb bound spirit with lightning and fire is a good way to physically liberate it. but noland lee had neither lightning spore nor a flamethrower on hand. more importantly, he had a premonition: if he missed the opportunity to eliminate the bound spirit today, he might be attacked or betrayed by the soul of the original owner in the future. if such things were to happen, the price he would pay would most likely be his life no, i must strangle the potential crisis in its bud stage. noland lee pursed his lips, calmed his heart, and pondered his strategy.. Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: The 30th Generation’s Oath chapter 38: the 30th generations oath translator: 549690339 a man and a bound spirit stared at each other in the dark corridor for a long time. it took noland just five minutes for his brows to relax from their furrowed state. he thought of a method to perform a live exorcism on the bound spirits original master. that was to draw a mark of resentment on the opponents body, and see what kind of effect this mark had, perhaps it could just exorcise the lost souls. noland stepped gently, bypassing the bound spirit and came to the place where the black tornado disappeared. after squatting down and searching for a few moments, noland secretly sighed in relief and picked up the intact rune staff from the ground. this thing was worthy of being a military-grade alchemical tool, having survived the death storm noland gripped the rune staff and stood in front of the bound spirit. he took a deep breath, raised his arm, and pointed the tip of the rune staff towards the chest of the bound spirit. if he touched the bound spirit with any part of his body, he would be hurt by its soul sacrifice skill. only by using the contact point of the rune staff as a medium could he avoid the effects of soul sacrifice while still etching the mark of resentment. the contact point slowly approached the bound spirit, and eventually touched the green light-emanating surface of the soul. from the feedback of touch from the rune staff the souls body was similar to jelly, with a bit of elasticity when poking it noland focused his mind, banishing stray thoughts, and gradually moved the contact point to draw the mark of resentment. in the process of drawing, noland could feel his energy seeping away. this energy flowed from his body up his arm, onto the rune staff, and merged into the mark. just as noland was secretly speculating about the effects of this mark, the bound spirit suddenly floated forward a few centimeters. the contact point inadvertently pierced into the bound spirit, bringing the nearly completed mark drawing to a halt. nolands heart skipped a beat. without waiting for him to withdraw the rune staff, the bound spirit rushed towards him, straight and rigid. noland immediately let go of the rune staff in his hand and retreated, but the bound spirit showed no sign of wanting to let him go and chased after him directly. could it be that the act of drawing the mark was regarded as an attack signal by the bound spirit? nolands heart sank slightly as he realized that the situation was somewhat bad. he dodged left and right in the corridor, retreating quickly, and the bound spirit always chased after him. what was strange was that noland found the bound spirits flying speed not very fast. the opponent did not give full power and instead slowed down, like a mud truck with the accelerator pedal to the metal, chasing the target with a relatively gentle and slow attitude. noland was puzzled, but his footsteps never stopped. finally, he retreated to the end of the corridor, hitting the stone wall that appeared out ot thin air. the bound spirit stopped in front of him. noland swallowed and said: brother, what do you want? if you want to beat me, just do it. dont just look at me without saying anything listen to me, what happened between us is an accident silent, the bound spirit accelerated in an instant and drilled into nolands body. noland was caught off guard by the opponents move. his body stiffened suddenly, and he could only rely on the stone wall behind him to maintain his balance. it turned out that the bound spirit did not want to fight! noland did not feel the cold touch, nor the intense pain at the soul level. on the contrary, in his own eyes, scenes of the past in the original masters memory surfaced. father richard jarvis, a graduate of the business specialty at bowerthain city college. mother bagley, a laundry worker who learned to read only after meeting her husband. starting from the year he stepped into society, his father joined an affiliated dealership of the weston group, working diligently and sincerely from an ordinary salesman. the mother, on the other hand, made ends meet by doing odd jobs. for the original master, they were not qualified parents. they did not stand up for the original master when he was treated unfairly, and they rarely bought birthday gifts for him during his childhood. the original masters fate was inevitable. his birth and growth coincided with the most difficult stage of his family. his parents worked day and night to make ends meet, enduring their bosses abuse, while the mother had to endure her employers exploitation. after a day of work, both were exhausted. however, the oldest son and the younger son made them very worried. the oldest son spent all day mingling with poor students at school, severely testing their parents patience. the younger son, who was the original master himself, had just been born and did not understand the troubles of adults, and spent every day making a mess with his crying and clumsy hands and feet. this situation lasted until the birth of the little daughter. at that time, the father became a supervisor-level figure with a generous salary, so the mother no longer needed to work part-time jobs. the little daughter became the most cherished person for both parents. as the second child, the original master was someone who had never been pampered since childhood and had to bear the pressure of life on his own. so, did the original masters resentment come from his parents? was he jealous of his sister? nolands heart was touched. he sensed the thoughts of the original master and muttered to himself: no, i can feel that you dont hate your parents. reading history makes people wise. your hobbies and professional knowledge allow you to view things that have happened to you with a more objective and tolerant attitude than ordinary people. in fact, when you grew up, youve already experienced the bitterness of your parents. you forgave them. if given time, you will have your own children, and you will never let the hardships you endured repeat on your children. this is the progress of history, the experience and lessons you draw from it noland sighed and said: so, where does your resentment come from? a picture appeared before his eyes, a symbol, a large logo engraved on the outer wall of a building. the appearance of the symbol was a beaker and alcohol burner pattern made up of letters, and those letters came from the word weston. noland knew the answer now. the original master harbored resentment towards the weston group. his parents and siblings all perished in a car accident. the weston group not only expressed no remorse for their employee but also exploited a sales agreement to shift the resulting debt onto the original masters head through legal manipulations. the weston group took away all the original masters inheritance and thrust him into the suffering borderland, where he became a sin soldier. if there was someone the original master could never forgive, it would have to be the weston group. however attempting to confront such a massive entity with ones own strength, isnt that a bit of overconfidence noland lee sighed softly: if you want me to shake the foundations of the weston groupl can only say, i will do my best in my lifetime before noland lee could finish speaking, the memory scene abruptly changed, and the image of a middle-aged woman took over his mind. this woman was conversing with the original masters father. the conversation took place in the fathers house. the original master, his mother, and his siblings were all present. the memory scene began to play. at first, this woman was laughing and chatting with the original master and his family. she was the fathers supervisor, and her visit was to deliver a promotion letter to the father. this was supposed to be a joyful occasion. however, the scene shifted, and after the pleasant meal, the original master was reading in his study room. he inadvertently glanced at the scene outside the window and saw the cold expression on the female supervisors face as she looked over his residence due to the difference in light between the inside and outside of the house, the original master took in the female supervisors expression, but she failed to notice the gaze from within the window. because of the female supervisors performance, the original master felt troubled and uneasy. at this point, the memory scene paused. noland lee suddenly understood the original masters meaning. the original master was suspecting the fathers female supervisor, questioning the coincidental and reasonable nature of the car accident. a faint, weak voice, almost inaudible, floated in noland lees mind. it was so slight, so frail, as if it would dissipate at any moment: .please help me investigate the truth behind the car accident please let the evildoers be punished, and the good people rest beneath the earth. i must go, stranger. we must part forever. i do not know who you are. i do not understand why you can occupy my body. as long as you promise to fulfill my request, im willing to give you my body please investigate the truth, let my family rest let me rest i will bless you the soul binding emerged from noland lees body, now almost entirely transparent. uncontrollably, noland lee reached out and clasped the spirits palm to his: fine! i promise you. i will avenge your grievances and take revenge on your behalf. if someone indeed orchestrated your tragic fate, i will make them pay in blood!o the crimson light in the soul bindings eyes quickly faded, giving way to clear vision. he moved noland lees right hand to his chest and placed it on the rune staff. noland lee hesitated for a moment, then subconsciously grasped the rune staff, completing the final stroke of the mark of resentment. for a moment, a gentle warm wind enveloped the two, and the green light on the soul binding was blown away by the inexplicable breeze, revealing a flawless, transparent spirit body. he looked upwards, gazing through the ceiling as if he could see the edge of the universe in the distant heavens above. spreading his arms, his body floated upwards, disappearing completely in a brilliant sunlight that descended from the sky. the original masters soul had found peace. noland lee didnt know what he saw when he looked up or where the warm wind and sunlight came from. however, he was certain that the original master was now at peace. noland lee slowly exhaled the breath he had been holding for some time, only to find that his entire body was soaked in sweat. that was really close if i hadnt witnessed it with my own eyes, i would never have thought that the mark of resentment would allow me to communicate with the soul binding noland lee shook his head, flicking the beads of sweat from his brow. a faint yet unmistakable colorful light quickly flashed on the rune staffs touchpoint. what is this? noland lee reached out and caught the light that was slipping from the touchpoint. his hand felt like it was touching ice-cold water, as if a tiny ice cube was melting in his palm. this cold sensation melted into his skin. several system messages emerged in his mind. [you consumed 7 energy points and successfully engraved a mark of resentment on the soul binding.] [during the engraving of the mark of resentment, you broke the magic binding imposed on the soul binding by the undead cult.] [the soul binding recovered some of his sanity and revealed his thoughts to you.] [in your conversation with the soul binding, you entered a soul pact and appeased the resentment in the soul bindings heart. the soul binding was purified by your actions.] [you obtained a large soul shard left behind by the liberated vengeful spirit.] [you absorbed this soul shard, and your soul strength increased by 0.5.] [the soul binding blessed you.] [you gained a restricted active skill:] [soul frost, level 1, daily usage: 1/1, death-related spell. instant cast, no consumption. you may consume energy points to upgrade this skill. upgrade options include increasing available daily uses or enhancing skill effect.] [touch the target with any part of your body and silently recite the name of this skill. you may then activate it.] rrpha bewildered state, lasting for 1 second. the actual duration of the skill effect depends on the targets soul strength.] [note 1: your promise to the original master is the cornerstone of this skill. it is the testament of your soul pact with the original master. if you fail to keep your promise when capable of doing so, this skill will disappear.] [note 2: i will avenge you, dad, mom, my dear brother, and sister or i will have someone avenge you! C noland lee jarvis..]o Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: 31. Flowers bloom elsewhere chapter 39: 31. flowers bloom elsewhere translator: 549690339 killing the sin soldier zombie, appeasing the original masters soul, and obtaining a small spell that might have unexpected effects, noland lee could not help but feel somewhat down. because he had no spare filter cartridges left. the filter cartridge he was currently using would lose its effectiveness in about 10 minutes. not much time remained for him. noland lee had no choice but to speed up the modification of the undead runes. however, he soon discovered an even more confusing and troubling issue: no matter how he modified the runes on the wall, he could not reduce the remaining 1000 building value points of the stone tomb. these remaining 1000 building value points clung to the stone tomb as stubbornly as a dog skin plaster, immovable no matter how hard noland lee tried or how he struggled. unless he could completely remove these 1000 building value points, the stone tomb would not collapse due to a zero building value, and noland lee would remain trapped in this ghostly place. his only other option was to take a risk and follow the direction from which the zombies had appeared, delving deeper into the corridors to see if there was another exit deep inside the stone tomb. but honestly considering the death priest mentioned by the sin soldier zombie, noland lee believed that going forward alone was not a safe choice. if that death priest was waiting at the deepest part of the stone tomb, wouldnt he be walking into a trap? noland lee could only try his best to modify any runes he could see. at last, as the air in his breathing mask became murky, he gradually felt suffocated and dizzy. the sudden appearance of the stone wall not only blocked the path from here to the entrance of the stone tomb, but also became the dividing line between life and death for him. noland lee sat down next to the stone wall, leaning the back of his head against it. his eyes stared blankly at the swirling poisonous fog in front of him. the filter cartridge was about to fail, and its filtering effect had become very poor. smelling the sour and rotten stench, noland lees consciousness became somewhat blurry. in his drowsiness, he seemed to hear rustling noises, like footsteps or the movement of a crawling creature. he tried to muster some energy, squinting towards the depths of the corridor, wondering if another wave of zombies had arrived. just then, he heard a distant shout, as if from the far-away mountains. jarvis jarvis was it an auditory hallucination or a whispering like whispers of ancient gods? did the newcomer know illusion magic? noland lee stood up with the help of the wall, concentrating on the poisonous fog in front of him, waiting for his enemy. whether it was a zombie or a charming demon, he would fight to the end. jarvis jarvis are you still alive? thump thump thump was the knocking sound coming from behind? noland lees gaze trembled slightly. he finally identified the source of the sound. indeed, the sound came from behind the stone wall! he turned around, felt around on the wall, but could not find any cracks or anything of that sort. if there was someone on the other side of the wall, they must be shouting with all their strength to barely carry their voice through to him>. noland lee clenched his fist and knocked on the wall a few times in response but dared not to shout out loud for fear of alerting any enemies that may be lurking deeper in the corridor. jarvis! jarvis! is that you? if it is, knock on the wall again, three short and one long! this time noland lee heard it clearly, it was sergeant mars voice. hadnt he chased the death herald guild spy into the depths of the tomb? how did he end up on the other side of the wall? a huge question mark arose in noland lees mind, but without stopping his hands, he knocked out the three short and one long signal with his fists. its really him! ha ha! i knew it! hes still alive! it must have been him who modified the undead runes, allowing us to break out of the enemys encirclement! marss joyful voice came from the other side of the wall: hurry, hurry, hurry! bring the explosives! jarvis, jarvis, step away from the wall, were going to blast it! noland lee quickly retreated, hiding around the corner nearby. the sound of hammering on the wall came through, and mars and his team chiseled a small hole in the stone wall to insert the explosive. then came a booming explosion and a fierce surge of air. noland lee waved his arms to dismiss the debris and dust in front of him, to see the approaching imperial soldiers, who were members of mars squad. corporal mars handed a filter cartridge to noland lee: hurry up and change it; your filter has turned green he glanced at the situation in the corridor and his eyes widened as if he saw something unbelievable: my god, youve managed to modify so many undead runes on your own! looking at the corpses on the ground, corporal mars was even more astonished: are these all walking dead that you have killed?! for a moment, corporal mars looked at noland lee with intense disbelief in his eyes. the other soldiers and private second classes had the same expression, almost wanting to surround noland lee and observe him closely. dont get me wrong, chief officer. they came at me one by one. if they had swarmed at me all at once, i would have been dead. noland lee changed his filter cartridge and, under the scrutiny of everyone, asked: what happened outside, chief officer? where is sergeant hansen? he and i got separated in this stone tomb. the wall appeared too suddenly, jarvis. it stopped you in the corridor and hansen outside. hansen wasnt trapped in the corridor like you were. hes fighting the undead outside, so dont worry about him. mars walked forward, and the sight of many dead walking corpses met his gaze; further away, the undead runes modified by noland lee were displayed on the walls. a sense of admiration welled up in his heart. noland lee jarvis, truly a dedicated imperial man, persisted in modifying the undead runes under the onslaught of so many enemies. mars raised his hand, patted noland lees shoulder, and cheered: well done, jarvis! youre really good! come on, lets go into battle with us. when weve cleared the grave vault level two of enemies, ill tell you all about the previous battle. mars turned his head and reached out to private second class corbin, who was carrying supplies: corbin, pass me a revolver and a bag of bullets. corporal mars took the lethal weapon and handed it to noland lee: take it, jarvis. from now on, you are qualified to use it. after this, corporal mars did not linger here, ordering the team to return the way they came and set off to leave the stone tomb. noland lee followed behind the team, clutching the revolver and bullet bag in his hands. his gaze swept over the undead runes on the wall, and he had some guesswork as to why corporal mars was so excited about it. he had spent more than two hours in the dark corridor, successively modifying more than thirty square meters of undead runes, and killing almost 20 walking dead this unseen effort and sacrifice could have played a crucial role in a battlefield of this tomb. from the way mars talked, it seemed that they only managed to break through the encirclement because the stone tombs undead runes had been destroyed. as noland lee passed through the blasted stone wall, the perception obstruction effect disappeared. he could already see the flashes of fire outside, a scene completely different from the darkness and narrowness of the stone tomb. he looked back at the stone tomb corridor where he had almost suffocated, and memories of the past two-plus hours flashed through his mind. not tomb walking corpses, strong walking dead, nor armored walking corpses were able to overpower him. sin soldier no. 079 who had become a tomb skeleton soldier was also taken care of by him with the help of death storm. and the potential threat of the original master vengeful spirit turned into a friendly soul contract that bestowed him with a death-related spell. he had made it through wave after wave of these crises? noland lee raised his eyebrows, suddenly realizing that he seemed a bit impressive why didnt he show this side of himself before the crossing? well, it must have been the different environment. with a change in the major environment, his potential was unleashed. Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: 32. The Secret of Spirit Pivot chapter 40: 32. the secret of spirit pivot translator: 549690339 noland lee walked out of the stone tomb gate and saw the continuous gunfire in the battlefield, realizing that tomb level two had already turned into chaos. at first, within the vast underground space of tomb level two, there was only one towering building C the soul-binding stone tomb. but now, a giant stone coffin made of bones and bricks had broken through the floor of the tomb level two and risen up, standing tall in the grand hall of tomb level two. countless walking dead and skeleton warriors were pouring out of the vertical coffin entrance, stumbling towards the position of the imperial soldier. all sorts of weapons and equipment were pushed to the frontline by the imperial soldiers. water-cooled machine guns that made a tearing sound when fired, fragmentation grenade launchers with a loud bang, flamethrowers that sprayed long tongues of fire, and so on C every lethal weapon noland lee could think of was here. gunfire and explosions echoed in the grand and empty space of the tomb level two, making noland lees ears ache and his head swell. no wonder there was a saying about new recruits being scared out of their wits in their first battle. the continuous roaring in this scene would be unbearable for any new recruit without noise-cancelling headphones. being exposed to such a large-scale battle for the first time, noland lee could only grit his teeth and lower his head, keeping close to corporal mars as they moved forward. their location was either in the northeast corner or the southwest corner of tomb level two. noland lee was not sure which corner it was, as he hadnt been to the ground level for quite a while and couldnt figure it out. the key point was that there was a nest of undead nearby. a large group of walking dead, emanating a putrid stench, surrounded them like a horde of single men who hadnt seen a young lady for a long time, upon seeing the living imperial soldiers. the walking dead moved at a slow pace, but when they gathered in the pitch-black mass, they were incredibly oppressive. corporal mars calmly led his squad, weaving in and out of the gaps in the encircling line of the walking dead. the group ran and shot their way around the battlefield, barely escaping the vast undead army before the encircling line closed in. halfway through, noland lee tried to fire two shots with the roaring noise by his ears, experiencing the shooting thrill that he hadnt felt before crossing into this world. once they entered the empires army defense line and returned to the camp on tomb level one, noland lees hearing gradually recovered amidst the ringing in his ears. at this point, the imperial army had entered full combat mode. a transportation track was set up in the stairway between the first and second levels of the tomb. large numbers of ammunition boxes slid down the track, supplying the defensive line in tomb level two. injured imperial soldiers, whether they had skin injuries or broken arms and legs, were placed on the track by medical soldiers and sent back to tomb level one, where they were treated with injections of special elixirs and hooked up to iv drips by the medical soldiers on tomb level one. after blood transfusions, fluids, and medications, scabs formed on skin injuries and severed limbs were restored. the soldiers then boarded the small rail cars again and rushed back to the battlefield. besides the painful memories of being injured, the battle left no negative impact on the soldiers. one could say that due to tatis empires extensive experience in biochemistry, as long as the soldiers did not die on the spot, the empires medical system would always find a way to pull them back from the brink of death and quickly return them to the battlefield. noland lee didnt know the ingredients of the special elixir, but its side effects were visible to the naked eye. all members of mars squad, except for noland lee, had their hair turn white a dull, grayish-white. without asking, noland lee knew that this was a manifestation of overdrawn life force. the soldiers who took the special elixir must have known how terrible its side effects were. so why were they so willing to consume it? was it because of the salary? was it for the honor? or was it some unknown factor that noland lee was not aware of? furthermore, with just one battle costing the soldiers so much of their life force, how large must the turnover of personnel in the empires army be? there must be a secret about this that noland lee was unaware of. noland lee and his squad members briefly rest in the camp before heading to the front line. as they were waiting in line to board the rail cars, noland lee finally asked corporal mars the question that had been on his mind: chief officer, the special medicine you take seems to cause a lot of harm to your body, right? arent you worried about your health? corporal mars and the soldiers beside him looked at each other and smiled, then mysteriously winked at noland lee: well, jarvis, in consideration of your outstanding performance and the possibility of being promoted to a private, i can tell you some things that arent really secrets in the legion. corporal mars lowered his voice and pointed to the trolley full of ammunition: look at these bullets, grenades, fuel cans, and us soldiers, each of us is shaped by the empires money and resources. a bullet costs 3 dollars. a biochemical bomb, 300 dollars. a water-cooled machine gun, 2000 dollars. a rapid skin wound repair special medicine, 300 dollars mars spread his arms and gestured a large circle toward the bustling campsite: war is a competition of logistics and supplies, a competition of money. the clear-up of tomb no.1079 alone requires so many human and material resources. there are over a thousand tombs like this in the suffering borderland. how much tax do you think the empires tax bureau needs to collect from the people to cover this expense noland nodded in thought, corporal marss words hit the nail on the head. the tax burden of the empire is not heavy, with an average corporate tax rate of 13% and an average personal tax rate of 7%. but the cost of clearing tombs is also real. so, the answer is clear noland narrowed his eyes and said: chief officer, you mean clearing tombs is not as simple as just clearing them there are sources of profit i dont know about, right? mars patted noland on the shoulder and laughed: yes. you guessed right. i was supposed to tell you the answer after clearing tomb no.1079. but after thinking about it carefully, its not a problem to tell you now mars pointed to the stone bricks under their feet and continued: do you know, jarvis, the spirit pivot the undead cult set up in the tomb may be an evil death magic device, but its also a rare treasure. a glint flashed in nolands eyes a faint expectation appeared in corporal marss eyes, his voice became somewhat ethereal, as if recalling a scene that had shook his mind: the spirit pivot has a total of five layers from the inside out. the outermost layer is the magic protective cover, lurking lethal threats in pure darkness. the second layer is the metal shell covered with undead runes, gorgeous and delicate, comparable to the silverware of a royal court. the third layer is filled with death energy, and the fourth layer is the core component of the magical device in its innermost layer, there is the vibrant eternal essence, a milky white, smooth gel-like substance, as delicate as a young girls skin. nolands pupils shrank slightly: eternal essence? can this thing make people immortal? wouldnt the empires bigwigs go crazy for it? if emperor qin shi huang had this then it would have been like emperor qin shi huang touching the switch no, no, no, it cant make people immortal. mars shook his hand: its a magic material that contains the breath of life. the spirit pivot uses it as a power source C dont ask me how the undead cult transforms something rich with life energy into death energy, honestly, i dont know. i only know that division intelligence unit three has determined that this thing can quickly repair all cell damage and replenish overly consumed life. as long as we conquer this tomb, sergeant alvin stafford will give each of us medical soldiers who take the special medicine a bottle of elixir prepared from eternal essence, to make up for the lost life. the name of this elixir is life elixir. as for the name eternal essence um i think its somewhat exaggerated, this is named by division intelligence unit three. anyway, ive never heard that anyone can be truly immortal by taking this regularly. corporal mars stepped onto the small train, his face still full of lingering satisfaction. noland glanced at the infatuated expressions of the other soldiers, and became somewhat curious about the so-called eternal essence in his heart.. Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: 33. Yell until your eyes are sore. chapter 41: 33. yell until your eyes are sore. translator: 549690339 tomb level two. the imperial army had set up a defensive line inside the grand hall. the soldiers dug up the ground tiles, filled them with special soil, planted squirming grey worms, and poured a viscous yellow-brown liquid on them. within three minutes, violently swelling grey bulges rose from the ground, continuing until they grew into perfectly square stone dunghills. this was the tatis empire armys unique bio-crafted building C the gray worm barrier. it took shape quickly and was easy to construct; it was indispensable for blocking the boundless undead army. alongside, they also prepared bee syrup bombs for skeleton warriors, liquid flame throwers for the walking dead, and biochemical war dogs for skeleton hounds and cavern stalkers. everything was prepared for the undead. noland lee stood at the frontlines, facing the seemingly endless undead army, without an ounce of anxiety. the game was called billion zombies, a real-time strategy zombie game.o now, he felt like one of the machine-gun soldiers in that game, holding a machine gun, standing in place, and spraying bullets at the swarming undead army. of course, he couldnt truly be considered a machine-gun soldier, at best, he was just a low-rank soldier with a small handgun, providing negligible fire support. noland lee was well aware of his limited firepower. thus, he focused mainly on searching for unknown undead troop types. taking advantage of the unlimited ammunition supplied currently, he endeavored to passively deconstruct all undead troops he had not yet deconstructed, in addition to recovering his energy points. however, noland lee soon realized he had oversimplified the concept of fighting. when the wave-like undead creatures closed in under the gunfire, all he could do was continually open fire and shoot. as the saying goes, good marksmen are made by bullets. no matter the shooting talent, after firing hundreds, even thousands of rounds, one could gradually develop the so-called gun feeling. noland lee fired continuously for nearly half an hour, his elbow numbed by the recoil, when he finally unlocked a new passive skill. [system message: through extensive training, you have mastered the passive skill kinetic weapon shooting proficiency, currently at level 1.] noland lee looked at the system message in front of him and nodded in satisfaction. he observed the undead under the rain of bullets once again and noticed something strange. why wasnt the floor of tomb level two covered with the remains of skeleton warriors killed by bee syrup bombs, or the walking dead reduced to black charcoal by the liquid flames? shouldnt their numbers have been increasing, forming little hills? noland lee narrowed his eyes and focused on a walking dead not far away. the creature was being scorched in the liquid flames and was about to turn to black charcoal and fall to the ground. just as the walking dead fell, noland lee was startled to see the black charcoal it had transformed into seep through the cracks of the ground tile like fine sand. noland lee had been focusing on shooting until now. this was the first time he noticed such a bizarre phenomenon. he strained his voice over the deafening gunfire to shout at sergeant mars, who was beside him manning a water-cooled machine gun: chief officer, chief officer! sergeant mars barely made out noland lees voice against the thunderous gunfire. he released the grip of the machine gun, shook his numb hands, and asked: whats wrong, jarvis! i saw the dead undead turn into black sand and seep away through the cracks in the ground tiles! are they going to tomb level three? corporal mars dug out his ears and yelled over the deafening gunfire: yes, jarvis! youre very vigilant! the spirit pivot on tomb level three has been awakened by the death herald guild spy! this giant stone coffin is the necropolis coffin summoned by the spirit pivot! it will continuously deploy undead creatures stored within the spirit pivot onto the battlefield! as for the phenomenon you mentioned! thats the spirit pivot pulling the fallen undead into itself, allowing them to revive faster and re-enter battle sooner from the necropolis coffin! dont worry! this is a normal occurrence! we just need to keep firinq! fire! fire! after finishing his words, corporal mars took a swig from his water bottle and poured the remaining water onto the machine gun barrel, then hollered as he squeezed the trigger. dakka dakka dakka the sound of gunfire was constant, like tearing paper, but the effect wasnt all that great. skeleton warriors didnt have flesh and blood and didnt fear bullets. at most, they would only have bone dust blasted off by bullets. although the walking dead had flesh, it was rotten flesh and filthy blood, so losing a piece of flesh wasnt a big deal. even if their legs were blown off by machine gun bullets, they could still crawl forward using their arms. that being said, no man could resist the feeling of continuous firing. ohooohoo! i love spraying the enemy! corporal mars let out a couple of strange cries and smiled at noland lee: every time we clear the grave vault! as long as we get past the initial reconnaissance phase! its our favorite shooting phase! the machine gun overheated and jammed. noland lee quickly teamed up with private second class corbin to change the gun barrel and refill the water tank of the machine gun. after almost 20 seconds, the machine gun started to spit flames again. noland lee shouted loudly and asked: chief officer! speaking of which, have you caught that death herald guild spy yet! why did you guys appear outside the stone tomb! i thought you would come out from the depths of the stone tomb! corporal mars clenched his fist and waved it in the air: ah! speaking of that spy, it makes me feel sick! that guy is definitely a death notice assassin who has carried out many assassinations! his skills are too good! he also had the undead to help him! weve been chasing him all the way from the underground tunnel in the stone tomb to tomb level three, but we still couldnt stop him! after he got to tomb level three, he was immediately protected by the monks of the undead cult! we had to forcibly fight our way out of the staircase from tomb level three to two to finally shake off the pursuers from tomb level three! by the way! many thanks to you, jarvis! on our way to escape from tomb level three, we were surrounded by the soul binders from tomb level two! if it werent for you changing the undead runes of the stone tomb and causing confusion among those soul binders, we would surely have been trapped and killed in the staircase! we have already reported the situation of the death herald guild spy to the intelligence headquarters. after we finish this battle, we will go and settle accounts with the personnel from division intelligence unit two. corporal mars winked at noland lee: you not only saved me and the other sergeants! you also saved sergeant alvin stafford! this is a huge favor! i estimate that sergeant alvin stafford will personally commend you! personally commend noland lee scratched his head. what kind of commendation? to directly go from being a sin soldier to a regular soldier? if its really like that, then himself spending more than two hours in that corridor would really be a profitable and worthwhile deal noland lee thought like this, but he knew that going from a sin soldier to a regular soldier directly was impossible. only by completing three corps tasks could this be done. this was a rule decided by the emperor himself.. Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: 34. Cultured Scum chapter 42: 34. cultured scum translator: 549690339 the gunshots on the tomb level two were incessant, and the undead army seemed endless. without dealing with the huge stone coffin, this battle could not end. in order to save ammunition and prevent the soldiers from being exhausted after continuous fighting, sergeant alvin stafford decided to launch a counterattack. corporal mars said the main force of this counterattack was the guard squad led by alvin stafford himself. the weapons they used were not ordinary guns and bombs, but the extraordinary means created by the tatis empire C imperial fist. this surprised noland lee. according to the current deconstruction results, it seems that only warrant officers can transform into biochemical giants, right? alvin stafford is just a sergeant major. how could he master the imperial fist? noland lee soon learned the answer. alvin stafford and his four guards came to the open space in the center of the line. they took metal syringes out of their pockets, inserted them into their necks, and injected the unknown liquid in the syringes into their bodies.o alvin staffords veins bulged, his skin turned red, and waves of heat emanated from him. his body swelled rapidly, rising from a height of about 1.9 meters to a height of 8 meters. his muscles protruded like sharp iron ingots, and just the muscles of his forearm were as big as noland lees head. his eye sockets were pitch black, all pupils, without any whites, and a glance could make people shudder in fear. uh there was one funny detail. it seemed that body swelling only magnified the bones and muscles, and did not affect the hair. alvin stafford changed from an imperial man with a short, sharp haircut to a giant with a birds nest hairstyle, with only a small tuft of hair in a small area on top of his head. of course, this did not affect their formidable image. after alvin stafford and the guards transformed into biochemical giants, their uniforms also expanded, so there wasnt a scene where several giants burst out of their clothes. medical soldiers carried several large glass jars and came to the group of biochemical giants. alvin stafford used two fingers to hold the glass jar and poured the turbid liquid inside the jars head into his mouth. for a moment, his spine grew quickly, breaking through the skin on his back, extending out from his back. before noland lee could be surprised, alvin staffords exposed spine grew rapidly, expanding into a layer of bone armor that covered most of his body. alvin staffords left and right hands also gained a pair of sharp bone axes made of pure bone.o looking at his guards, three of them became melee giants holding bone swords and shields. the other also had bone armor protection but held no weapon; instead, a cannon made of bone was on his back. its easy to imagine that this person should be a long-range combat biochemical giant. noland lee watched in amazement. he had never heard before of an elixir that could transform someone into a biochemical giant with just an injection didnt that mean the imperial army could bring out a large number of biochemical giants at critical times? chief officer, whats going on? noland lee asked quietly: what did sergeant alvin and the others inject themselves with? can we use it mars shook his head slightly: this is a secret of division intelligence unit three, and i dont know the details either but from my many years of experience, this elixir has a time limit and can only last for about half an hour. it also has severe side effects and will severely deplete energy and vitality. so it was a biochemical mutation elixir with severe side effects noland lee nodded slowly and lost most of his interest in this elixir, but he was still curious about the biochemical giants. however, considering that he needed to save his energy points for tomb level threes spirit pivot, he had no plans to deconstruct the biochemical giant using the deconstruction technique for the time being. after the imperial fist intervened, the stalemate finally changed. alvin stafford and the three melee giants, like snowplows in snowy weather, swept through the undead army. walking dead and skeleton warriors were sent flying by the bone sword, scattered like snowflakes. a casual slap of the bone shield could crush a bunch of undead into rubble. alvin stafford only needed to swing his axe, and whole groups of the undead would lose their upper bodies. the efficiency was even more astonishing than firing light machine guns side by side. even more exaggerated was the long-range giant. after the melee giants cleared the path to the huge stone coffin, the long-range giant lay on the ground, using four supports as a turret, aiming his back cannon at the giant stone coffin in front. the long-range giant roared with all his strength, and a terrifying red light orb appeared inside the cannons barrel. with a loud bang, the cannon shot out a scorching energy shell. the recoil of the cannon was so immense that it not only caused the distant titans body to tremble a few times but also shook the nearby ground constantly. the energy shell instantly crossed a distance of a hundred meters and struck the huge stone coffin with its door wide open. noland lee and a group of soldiers, standing behind the temporary barricade on the battle line, felt an onslaught of a fierce wind and their breaths halted for a moment. the next second, the huge stone coffin, hit right in the center, exploded, and countless fragments of stones and bricks scattered like cannon fire in all directions. fiery airflow and deafening blast enveloped everyone around the scene in an instant. when noland lee managed to steady himself on the trembling ground while covering his ears, the giant stone coffin had already collapsed and shattered into pieces, turning into mud and slipping away through the cracks in the ground tiles. is the power of the biochemical giant so great? four melee giants and a distant giant wiped out the entire battlefield?! noland lee marveled as he looked around the now-empty tomb level two. sergeant alvin stafford, escorted by his guards, walked out of the smoke-shrouded area and slowly approached the soldiers. the participating military officers showed initial signs of fatigue, but otherwise, they had no other issues. it seemed that after a rest of about ten days to half a month, alvin stafford and his guard could once again use the potion to transform themselves. imperial soldiers! alvin stafford stopped in his tracks and spoke to the soldiers with a faintly hoarse voice: the way to the tomb level three is now open, and the evil spirit pivot is just within reach. nothing can stop us from cleansing this filthy grave now! let us completely purify this tomb, ladies and gentlemen! let us enjoy the glory of the empire amid the collapse of the spirit pivot! alvin stafford received a shot from a guard and plunged the needle unhesitatingly into his neck. fatigue disappeared, and the bloodshot in his eyes quickly faded too. alvin staffords face grew increasingly aged, his hair turned gray, but his spirit was revived. given his age, after taking this shot, he should no longer get another. huff! the soldiers were motivated by their commanders courage and bravery, their fighting spirit soared instantly, and they each injected themselves with the life-overdrafting elixirs. watching this scene, noland lee was taken aback. it was the first time he had seen such a squandering of life. werent these imperial soldiers afraid of sudden death? or was it they had great confidence in the eternal essence inside the spirit pivot, convinced it could make up for their dying vitality? while noland lee was pondering, sergeant alvin stafford approached him. youre sin soldier no. 888, right? the former history assistant teacher at bowerthain city college. sergeant alvin stafford asked with a steady tone. yes, chief officer. noland lee calmly replied. my guards have personally inspected the stone tomb and confirmed what you have done in it. well done, sin soldier 888, you have lived up to the expectations of the empire. the surrounding soldiers quieted down, listening to the conversation between alvin stafford and lee noland. chief officer, it was my duty. i had to do my utmost to destroy the undead runes in the stone tomb. thats my mission.p> noland lee tightened his facial expression, talking solemnly, seeming like an exemplary imperial man. hmm, although thats true, what i value more is your discipline and dedication shown in adversity. alvin stafford nodded and said solemnly: i promise that once you are promoted to a private soldier, i will apply for the korabo legions one-star hero medal for you as an encouragement and acknowledgment. thank you, chief officer! noland lee saluted genuinely. as soon as the words fell, a mocking laugh came from the direction of the staircase. heh, sergeant alvin stafford, you are a military officer of intelligence department 4, and a seasoned officer of the korabo legion. when did you start making promises to a sin soldierp> who the hell is acting up?noland lee frowned slightly, looking towards the source of the laughter. a group of neatly uniformed soldiers walked out of the staircase in formation. the man leading them looked cold and had gold-framed glasses on his nose bridge. his eyes were cold with a hint of disdain. this man had a tall and straight figure and wore a spotless imperial army uniform. his middle-parted hair was meticulously combed, and his appearance was quite handsome too. however, noland lee wasnt sure if it was an illusion, but he sensed a sense of darkness from this person. the man gave noland lee a feeling similar to a venomous snake lurking in the dark waiting for prey, and his beautiful appearance was meant to deceive. he had a vibe of a disguised villain.. Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: 35. Cold War in Another World chapter 43: 35. cold war in another world translator: 549690339 at the entrance to grave no.1079, sergeant alvin staffords guards stand watch. any unauthorized person trying to enter the grave must go through guards reporting and sergeant alvin staffords approval. looking at the expression of the man with the gold-rimmed glasses, it doesnt seem like he would be the type to wait outside the grave for permission. indeed, when the man with the gold-rimmed glasses stood in front of sergeant alvin stafford, a guard rushed out of the stairway. there was a clear slap mark on the guards face, which seemed to be fresh. after saluting sergeant alvin stafford, the guard reported: report, chief officer! military intelligence department personnel have forcibly broken in, and 11 couldnt stop them. alvin stafford swept his gaze over the guards slap marked face, anger rising in his eyes. staring fiercely at the man with the gold-rimmed glasses, he growled: sergeant pim! are you challenging the imperial armys combat discipline? this is grave no.1079, the frontline of the korabo legion! what right does a division intelligence unit two investigator have to interfere in the affairs of intelligence department 4? right? heh. the gold-rimmed glasses man, called pim, chuckled and pulled a perfectly folded document from his pocket. he opened the document and placed it in front of sergeant alvin stafford: take a good look, sergeant alvin stafford. this is an order issued by the intelligence headquarters. the death notice spy who appeared in the combat zone under your command is a despicable assassin who has committed countless crimes within the empire. he has assassinated more than a dozen important imperial officials and high-ranking members of commercial conglomerates and holds many secret files. the intelligence headquarters orders that he must be captured alive or killed on the spot. i dont think i need to explain why i would show up here. capturing illegal forces causing trouble within the empire is actually the job of our division intelligence unit two. i dont doubt your intelligence department 4s capabilities on the front lines, but pardon my saying, when dealing with treacherous and cunning illegal personnel, division intelligence unit two has the edge.o he looked up at the surrounding soldiers, feeling disgusted by the mud on their bodies: let your soldiers step down, sergeant alvin stafford, and dont obstruct my investigation of the death notice assassins trail. sergeant alvin stafford stepped forward, glared at pim, and argued with his white hair against pim: want to investigate the death notice assassins trail? fine. but we have an account to settle first. your military intelligence second division soldiers severely neglected their duties, allowing a death notice spy to infiltrate my team, almost leading to the annihilation of the entire army. the soldiers glared at pim, their eyes filled with rage. if it wasnt for his skin and title, pim would have probably been beaten up by the soldiers on the spot sergeant alvin stafford pointed at noland lee: if it wasnt for the dedication and unwavering effort of this sin soldier altering the undead runes of the stone tomb to confuse the soul binding, my soldiers and i would have all perished in this grave! and you, division intelligence unit two investigator, sergeant pim, had you stepped foot into this place, you would have been torn to pieces by the walking dead and soul binding, and buried here with us. alvin stafford glared at pim with angry eyes, roaring like an old yet strong lion: you and i are both sergeants. what right do you have to command me on my turf? now, get out of here. otherwise, you better give me a good explanation for why that damned death notice assassin has appeared here! sergeant pim took off his glasses, pulled out a clean, dust-free cloth and wiped the saliva off the lenses, speaking slowly: the death notice used a secret channel unknown to our division intelligence unit two, alvin. they used this channel to send the assassin here. if you stop me and prevent me from thoroughly investigating, you should know the consequences pims words slightly changed alvins complexion. pim put on his glasses, folded the eyeglass cloth into a neat tofu cube, and tucked it into his pocket. he glanced at noland lee nearby and sneered: if we dont catch that assassin soon and subject him to a harsh interrogation, more death notice spies will infiltrate your intelligence department 4. or perhaps there are other spies already on site, accomplices to the assassinl have heard that your intelligence department 4 is executing a secret mission that would endanger the foundation of the empire sergeant pims gaze lingered on noland lee for a while, as if the other spy mentioned in his previous words was noland lee himself: letting a mere sin soldier master undead runes and learn the doctrine and texts of the undead cult. has intelligence department 4 grown so bold as to disregard potential threats? how can you be sure that sin soldier no. 888 hasnt been tainted by the undead cult? how can you be sure he wont betray you in battle and use the knowledge he has gained to join the undead cult? how can you determine that he isnt a spy carefully packaged by the death notice? sergeant alvin stafford angrily retorted: this is an internal matter for our intelligence department 4, and you have no right to interfere. we are doing this to reduce losses at the frontlines. i am fully responsible for everything, and there is no need for outsiders to worry. pim glanced at alvin stafford, revealing a hint of coldness in the corners of his mouth: you? can you bear this responsibility? oh, alright, lets not talk about responsibility. am i not aware of the style of your intelligence department 4? sin soldier no. 888 is just an experiment of yours, and when the experiment is over, you will naturally enough! alvin shouted angrily: with my promise, sin soldier 888 will not be abandoned unless he truly betrays the empire! now, leave, sergeant pim! both sides were tense and hostile. alvins soldiers all gripped their firearms. sergeant pims soldiers from the military intelligence second division also appeared to be on guard. just when an internal conflict seemed about to be ignited by anger, another guard from alvins team ran out of the staircase. report, chief officer! lieutenant grett has arrived! sergeant pims brows furrowed slightly, his expression darkened. in contrast, alvin stafford immediately straightened his back and spoke with more confidence: please bring lieutenant grett in. yes, chief officer! the guard glanced at pim and quickly ran off. in a short while, the tall and robust lieutenant grett, with his extraordinary abilities, walked steadily into tomb level two. this was the very lieutenant noland lee had seen when he got off the steam train, whose deconstruction noland had performed. chief officer! sergeant alvin stafford saluted. although sergeant pim was reluctant, he still raised his right hand due to military regulations: chief officer! lieutenant grett was the highest-ranking, oldest, and most experienced military officer among those present, and also the one with the most formidable individual strength. as his steps drew nearer, an undeniable powerful aura descended upon everyones heads. lieutenant gretts eyes were sharp, and he spoke with vigorous energy, like a booming bell. sergeant alvin stafford. yes, chief officer. i order you to immediately lead the team to tomb level three, eliminate the undead cult priests and the undead army there, and clear the area around the spirit pivot as soon as possible. yes, chief officer. lieutenant grett turned his head and looked at pim with eagle-like sharp eyes: as for you, sergeant pim. i have also seen the intelligence headquarters order. i will instruct alvin to take his men to blow up the corridor leading from tomb level three to the necromancers crypt. you stay and guard tomb level two. as long as the death notice assassin is alive, he must return the same way to leave this tomb. at that time, you will be able to catch the rat. yes, chief officer. sergeant pim hesitated for a moment and continued: report, chief officer. my orders from military intelligence second division include strict surveillance of sin soldiers. i request to enter tomb level three for close supervision of the only sin soldier at the scene. no, sergeant pim. i refuse your proposal, but you can send one of your own men to work with sergeant alvin stafford. yes, chief officer. sergeant pim was discontent but had no choice but to obey the order. he looked resentfully at noland lee, only to see him holding a dirty rag in his hand. noland lee held the rag in his palm, casually kneading and twisting it into various irregular shapes. an intense sense of discomfort immediately rose in sergeant pims heart. the lines of his face tightened at once, and his teeth clenched tightly together, wishing he could snatch the rag from nolands hand and fold it himself Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: 36. Situation Analysis chapter 44: 36. situation analysis translator: 549690339 hehehe noland lee watched sergeant pim, who was grinding his teeth at him, and quietly laughed. this whatchamacallit investigator from division intelligence unit two is an arrogant, fallacious, and smooth talker, with inexplicable hostility towards him, noland lee. accusing him of being contaminated by the doctrines of the undead cult, labeling him as an accomplice of the death notice assassin, and warning him of betraying the imperial army at crucial moments it was unclear what was going on between intelligence department 4 and division intelligence unit two which caused an investigator from intelligence unit two to harbor resentment towards a sin soldier. this really made noland feel perplexed, and for the time being, he had a hard time making sense of it. but there were two things noland could confirm. the first: the investigator before him, named pim, had a serious obsessive-compulsive disorder. he combed his parting meticulously so that it was perfectly symmetrical on both sides. he also neatly folded his documents and glasses cloth into perfect squares and arranged them in different pockets on his left and right side, respectively. all symptoms of ocd. noland might not rank as high as pim, nor did he hold a higher status, but he could still use some tricks to make this guy burn with anger. dont underestimate the power of making someone tick. some people could rage for an entire day in the heat of anger. others would lose their composure when they couldnt vent their anger, inadvertently exposing their weaknesses. if they could make this pim lose his temper to the point of irrationality, it wouldnt be a bad way to probe his inner thoughts. the second thing noland could confirm was related to himself. as expected, he had probably become the centerpiece of something passively. that something was masterminded by intelligence department 4, with the aim to test whether they could destroy death-related magic devices that rely on undead runes by modifying the runes. for example, destroying the undead runes of the soul-binding stone tomb, causing it and its soul bindings to crash. or destroy the undead runes on the magic protective cover to make the shield disappear, so the grave vault could be cleared faster and eternal essence could be obtained from the spirit pivot more quickly. the idea of intelligence department 4 was simple: to use the method of modifying undead runes to complete military tasks faster and reduce combat losses more significantly. but there was a hidden danger that couldnt be ignored. the exchanges between alvin and pim indicated: exposing ordinary people to undead runeseven if its just memorizing the translation presented by the ancient tatis languageis a high voltage circuit anyone who touches this high voltage circuit could potentially become the enemy of the empire by understanding the doctrines and texts of the undead cult and getting tainted by their wicked ideas, consequently facing the inevitability of death. moreover, the death herald guild has a high likelihood of proactively reaching out to such people, trying to lure them into joining the guild, making them a member of the death herald guild. as noland lee played with the cleaning cloth in his hand, his eyes slightly squinted, realizing that this matter wasnt easy. from his earlier deductions, as a sin soldier with access to the undead runes, he was highly likely to be tempted by the death herald guild once intelligence department 4 abandoned him. in that case, the goodwill sergeant alvin stafford had blatantly shown and the hostility from pim could be explained. sergeant alvin stafford, a military officer subordinate to intelligence department 4, voluntarily promised to award a sin soldier a medal. this could be seen as a way to placate the sin soldier and aimed to keep him stable, not to be swayed by others whims, and faithfully fulfill the mission assigned to him by intelligence department 4. sergeant pim, an investigator from division intelligence unit two, was responsible for security matters within the empire, similar to phoebus before crossing. he viewed everyone who could have potential ties to illegal forces as his suspects to scrutinize and observe. his hostility towards noland stemmed precisely from this. noland lee stopped his actions, balled up the cleaning cloth and randomly stuffed it in a pocket, intentionally leaving half of the cloth hanging out. with one glance up, he saw pims rigid face, hiding a layer of coldness beneath. he had the intuition that pims hostility towards him was not merely limited to suspecting his betrayal of the empire. it seemed to hide a deeper reason. this was nolands intuition. his intuition had always been rather accurate before his crossing, its as if he possessed some strange mental power like malice detection. sin soldier no. 888 i will keep my eyes on you. sergeant pim suppressed his anger, took his eyes off him, and turned to the guard next to him: sergeant piggs. yes, chief officer. sergeant pim stared at noland lee and gave an order in a deep voice: you keep a close eye on this guy for me, dont let him out of your sight for a moment. do you hear me? yes, chief officer. the one called piggs, just like his name, was slightly fat and had a turned-up nose. he stepped over to stand next to noland lee and started his close surveillance. lieutenant grett gave a nod to alvin stafford and then waved his arm to signal everyone to do what they needed to do. people dispersed. sergeant alvin stafford led the team to the first underground level to rest for a while. sergeant pim took his men towards another staircase, planning to set up a temporary camp on the first underground level. noland lee glanced at sergeant piggs who was following him like a shadow, then looked at sergeant pims back, casually tossing a deconstruction technique his way. [system message: youre about to cast deconstruction on sergeant pim.] [estimated to cost 700 energy points, this can increase the deconstruction completion level to 100%] [your current energy points are 15. do you confirm to proceed with the deconstruction?] noland lee paused for a half second, muttering to himself. sergeant pims strength was a bit beyond his expectation. truthfully, he was quite strong. it required a full 700 energy points to be able to fully deconstruct him. consider this: lieutenant grett was a first order imperial fist. for noland lee to completely deconstruct him, it only took 1000 energy points. and to deconstruct people like sergeant alvin stafford or corporal mars, it only cost 500 or 200 energy points respectively. the consumption to deconstruct sergeant pim was 40% more than that of sergeant alvin stafford. it seemed that pim did indeed have some skills, hiding a deep strength, which is why he was so arrogant. noland lee frowned slightly, feeling a hint of pressure for having provoked such a person. the next second, he steadied his mind. touching the undead runes, memorizing the doctrines of the undead cult, although these actions were indeed dangerous and could lead to suspicion and attention. but noland lee believed that as long as he was extra careful, considering three steps ahead for every step he took, he could still survive. if intelligence department 4 really planned to eliminate witnesses after the plan succeeded then they couldnt blame him, noland lee, for taking the unusual way. at that time, feigning death at the hands of the undead to escape from sergeant alvin staffords army could be a method. as noland lee walked, he thought about his future and how to deal with all kinds of dangers. he wondered if the medal mentioned by sergeant alvin stafford was a solemn promise or just an unattainable pie in the sky to be safe, lets regard it as an unattainable pie in the sky. speaking of which, was it really okay to let intelligence personnel participate in direct combat? noland lee muttered to himself. this tatis was really chaotic.. Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: 37. Silent Counterattack chapter 45: 37. silent counterattack translator: 549690339 jarvis the fully-armed imperial army was about to set out, and corporal mars raised his hand to touch the silent sin soldiers shoulder. since the quarrel between alvin and pim, noland lee had been lost in thought, like a silent rock capable of obeying commands. this made corporal mars feel a bit uneasy. jarvis, dont take pims words to heart. hes an intelligence department 2 investigator who always doubts everything. every day, his job is only to question this and that. you were indeed chosen by intelligence department 4 to carry out a secret plan. but that doesnt mean youll be silenced by them. only intelligence department 2 and 6 could do such a thing. our department 4 values discipline and honor. we wont do anything to you unless you betray the empire. trust me. yes, sir noland lee slowly exhaled, nodded, and replied in agreement: i just feel like im not in control. ever since my parents and siblings died in a car accident, it seems like ive lost my autonomy, and i can only be maneuvered by others. noland lee smiled helplessly: its just that i havent gotten used to my identity yet a sin soldier doesnt have much freedom to speak of in the first place. having been allowed to serve the empire bearing the weight of my crimes is already a kindness from the empire law. dont see your future as gloomy, jarvis. corporal mars lowered his voice and moved closer to noland lees ear, saying: i wont hide it from you. i want to tell you a semi-public secret that you might be interested in. corporal mars spoke softly, and noland lee listened attentively. it all starts with an investigation conducted by intelligence department 4 according to statistics, it takes about 8 million new solon currency to clear a large-scale undead grave vault like grave no.1079. you should know how huge an amount this is noland lee was taken aback, 8 million? that much? yes, dont be surprised. corporal mars explained: over 60% of that money is spent on breaking the magic protective cover of the spirit pivot. we have to burn the magic protective cover non-stop for 24 hours using liquid flame, so as to gradually consume its energy and finally disable it. this process takes at least three days. if we encounter a counterattack from the undead army, the time to burn the cover will be even longer. it might even be interrupted, causing the magic protective cover to regenerate, and forcing us to start burning from scratch soldiers who have participated in a grave vault clearing mission are well aware of this. corporal mars shook noland lees shoulder: so, do you understand? youre not disposable or a sacrificial lamb, jarvis; youre a pioneer. as long as you can prove through your actions that modifying undead runes can remove the magic protective cover, intelligence department 4 can save a lot of money every year, as well as a lot of expensive liquid flame fuel. the money saved will be converted into more advanced weapons, better armor, and fewer casualties. and you, noland lee jarvis, youll at least receive a five-star warrior medal. have you ever heard of someone who made a contribution to the imperial army being silenced by their own people? no, right? even if that were to happen, intelligence department 4 would be the first to disagree. so, jarvis, just focus on carrying out the tasks assigned to you by intelligence department 4 and dont overthink. what corporal mars had said was logical to noland lee. however, noland lee remained cautious and took his words with a grain of salt. he was a cautious person and wouldnt change his mind just because of someone elses few words. i feel much better now, sir. noland lee smiled, maintaining a surface harmony: i couldnt tell before, but youre really good with words, just soothing me with a few sentences. only i can talk to you. corporal mars winked at noland lee: maybe you dont know it, but ive also been to city college. i studied modern literature and education. originally, after graduating, i was going to work as a teacher at a private education institution. noland lee raised his eyebrow, no wonder youre so eloquent so, how did you end up joining the army? corporal mars shook his head in reminiscing, laughing somewhat self-deprecatingly: well, what other reason could there be wounded by love, i guess. the girl i liked married someone she didnt even like. right when i was in pain, i happened to come across the imperial army recruitment. then, here i am now, having accidentally fallen in love with army life. noland lee tutted with a sigh: it seems that behind the success of every man, there are always a few key women. you can say that again. corporal mars and noland lee exchanged smiles. noland lee put away his smile and remained calm in his heart. he looked around and noticed that the tailing sergeant piggs was gone. at this moment, private second class corbin ran over from a nearby campsite with a hint of a smirk. report, sir. corbin stopped in front of corporal mars, smiling mischievously: piggs drank all the nutrient solution we prepared for him in one breath, and now he cant leave the dry toilet. corporal mars nodded, very well, koben, return to your team. after saying that, corporal mars smiled at noland lee and said: our team doesnt allow anyone to mess around. let piggs watch the dry toilet. corporal mars waved his hand and led the team into the staircase and boarded the small rail car. noland lee followed the team and looked back at the camp, feeling slightly uneasy in his heart. would it be too reckless for mars to let koben use laxatives to distract piggs? that sergeant piggs didnt look like a good-natured guy at first glance. werent they afraid of piggs revenge? after contemplating for a bit, noland lee shook his head slightly and set the matter aside. no need to worry about it, as mars would take care of it. in a corner of the army camp. is anyone there is anyone therei need paper pffft beep beep beep a series of wet fart sounds rang out in the stinky dry toilet, followed by sob-like trembling sounds and even weaker calls for help. but it was a pity. because of the bad smell, the dry toilet was placed in the most remote place. the calls for help wouldnt travel far before being completely absorbed by the mottled stone walls and floor tiles. moreover, it was now the time for the entire army to attack, so basically no one would come to the dry toilet for a stroll. unless there was an accident, piggs would remain here for a very long time sergeant pim, piggs superior, was in his tent reading the combat reports of alvin staffords army. this report was obtained from alvin stafford by pim under the pretext of joint operations and investigating spies. the report recorded the details of the battles, casualties, and materials used by alvin staffords side in the process of clearing tomb no.1079. as an investigator responsible for reviewing the empires internal affairs, sergeant pim had the right to know all this. when he saw the undead constructs bone supply and death supply special features recorded by alvins army, sergeant pims eyes flickered for a moment, and his face darkened a bit. guards, come in, sergeant pim shouted to the guards outside the tent. reporting to you, chief officer, the guards entered the tent and saluted. how many people did sergeant alvin stafford leave to guard the first and second underground levels? report, sir, there is a three-man squad on the first and second floors respectively. sergeant pim furrowed his brow, with a strange look in his eyes beneath the glasses: thats all? are you sure? yes, chief officer. sergeant pims face stiffened as he waved his hand for the guards to leave. after being left alone in the tent, sergeant pim clenched his teeth, slammed down on the armrest, and his face was filled with gloom. very well, very wellgrett, alvin stafford, you two really played a good gameasking me to help you guard the first and second underground levels from the standpoint of military discipline, since sergeant pim had intervened in this military mission under the pretext of joint operation, and he himself had followed lieutenant gretts instructions to stay in the main camp if the main camp were breached by the resurrected undead legion, pim would definitely bear the primary responsibility. only then did sergeant pim realize that he had been set up by grett and alvin stafford without knowing it he took several deep breaths, suppressing the anger in his chest. he carefully folded the military report in front of him, placed it into the file bag, smoothed the edge of the bag, and filed it neatly. i wonder how piggs is doing sergeant pim muttered to himself, calling his guards again:o guards! Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: 38. The Power of War Songs chapter 46: 38. the power of war songs translator: 549690339 in the stairway from the second underground level to the third underground level. the imperial army marches forward, heading for the battlefield. if one claims not to feel nervous about the upcoming battle, it is pure untruth. the surrounding silence and the muffled breathing sounds emitted by the breathing masks all reveal the immense pressure on the soldiers minds. as they approach the depths of the third underground level, the coal lamps light is barely visible. an invisible magic force envelops the imperial army, pushing everything related to light and hope to the farthest corners. the light released by the coal lamps cannot escape the range of the lampshade, only lingering on the inner side of the glass cover and not even illuminating the soldiers faces. everyone has to take potions with night vision effects, and act under rough sight conditions. at the same time, faint painful whispers linger in every soldiers ear. sorrowful tunes, miserable screams, and meaningless words torment the soldiers minds constantly, planting seeds of despair. the cold poisonous fog of the third underground level torments the soldiers bodies. the whispers in their ears are a mental torment. clearly, since the appearance of stone tomb bound spirits on the second underground level, the difficulty of cleaning up tomb no.1079 has risen sharply, and it is no longer something the alvin army can take on alone. sergeant major alvin sent out a distress signal to the legion. lieutenant grett responded and came to assist as an extraordinary. his joining was undoubtedly an adrenaline shot for the soldiers. the soldiers thereby gained the courage to challenge the third underground level. there is one place that cannot be ignored. on noland lees personal panel, a negative effect appeared. he spent 1 point of energy and deconstructed it. [resentment prayer: with undead runes as the carrier and resentment-induced pain as the theme, the priests of the undead cult are chanting this sorrowful song that lures people to death. [every 10 minutes, your tenacity will temporarily decrease by 1 point. when tenacity reaches zero, you will die immediately.] nolands current tenacity attribute value is 11 points. if he cannot resolve this battle within 110 minutes, he will perish here. even if the other soldiers tenacity attribute values are higher than his, it is estimated that they will not be able to endure for long in this environment of slow death. from the beginning till now, the imperial army has been dealing with things as they come. in the face of this sorrowful song, the imperial army brought out its own trump card. a portable record player appeared within the army. after turning on the mechanical switch of the record player, a buzzing sound came from the loudspeaker, followed by a sonorous and uplifting imperial battle song. the soldiers cheered up and sang along with the music: emperor, empire, military officer, soldier. forever brave, forever loyal. our army fights at any location. our army faces the enemy at any time. soldiers of tatis, eliminate your enemies, let them suffer the deserved failure. soldiers of tatis, face your mission, let us enjoy the glory of the empire. the singing set off waves of sound in the tomb passage, rallying all the soldiers courage and determination to win, instantly dispelling the ominous signs imposed on them by the death priest. [system message: you are affected by tatis empirewar march. ] [your tenacity temporarily increases by 20 points, agility temporarily increases by 10 points, the effect lasts for about 1 hour. during this period, the undead cults resentment prayer will not affect you.] for the first time, noland intuitively felt the positive effects of the battle song. his arms, his thighs, his chest, and his back, every muscle in his body suddenly gained tremendous power and seemingly endless abundant energy. a casual swing of his fist would create a whistling wind noise. random fiddling with the revolver would quickly complete the entire action of loading the bullet chamber. so strong, so agile, this sharp increase in base attribute values deeply shocked noland. an idea couldnt help but rise in his heart. given time, by mastering death-type magic and controlling his own army of the lost, he must compose a battle song for his own army. undead prelude sounds cool and easily evokes emotions, but it is far from the gloom and coldness of the army of the lost, and doesnt quite fit the image of the army of the lost. noland lee contemplated for half a minute and reached a conclusion. the theme song for hunting duel, rise up dead man, might be more suitable than the undead prelude. he wondered what the effect would be after transforming the song into a war anthem warriors and soldiers of the empire! the vigorous call came from the front of the team, and it was the tall and burly lieutenant grett who started to give orders: these sneaky undead think they can carry out their dark deeds under the empires nose. the facts prove them wrong! the emperors gaze penetrates every piece of land, and even this sunless grave vault cannot escape the emperors scrutiny. lieutenant grett turned around and looked back at the soldiers who had stopped. he roared and transformed into a huge biochemical giant. unlike sergeant major alvin stafford, who needed to inject potions to transform, lieutenant grett transformed into the biochemical giant without the use of any auxiliary tools. his gray skin surface secreted a unique gray grease, which formed a set of protective biochemical armor covering his whole body within three short seconds. he opened his hands wide and held them high in the air. the bones in his hands quivered violently against the skin, and the steel-like color spread over his fists. soon, gretts left and right hands became the true empires fisttwo huge fists firmly wrapped with steel-hardened bones, as heavy as a big iron hammer. this amazing transformation scene greatly boosted the soldiers confidence, and the singing on the scene became more and more impassioned. let us conquer this land together, trample all the lost souls under our feet, kill the evil death priests and destroy the spirit pivot that desecrates corpses! lieutenant grett swung his fist: attack! as soon as his words fell, lieutenant grett passed through the wide stone gate at the end of the staircase and killed hundreds of lost souls that emerged from behind the door. although sergeant major alvin stafford could not transform and was a bit weak, he still fearlessly participated in the battle and had already stepped into the gate. behind alvin and grett, the soldiers followed their chief officers steps and launched a relentless charge. the roaring sound of guns and flamethrowers resounded, but noland lee didnt feel uncomfortable like before. it was the effect of the substantial improvement in tenacity attribute. the thunder-like gunshots alone could no longer shake noland lees mind. he stepped through the stone gate, raised his revolver, and pulled the trigger after just a casual aim. the gunfire flashed, the bullet head whirled, the poisonous fog was stirred by the bullet, and a walking deads forehead burst open. the improvement in the agility attribute was also astonishingly huge. under nearly blind shooting conditions, noland lee hit with every shot, becoming a gun god and sending the six bullets in the chamber accurately into the walking deads head. while reloading ammunition, a walking dead suddenly attacked and rushed towards noland lee with a piercing scream. noland lee grabbed the engineering hammer hanging from his waist with his left hand, sidestepped the walking deads snapping bite, and backhanded a strike on its lower back of the head. its skull shattered, and filthy blood splattered. such a series of movements would have been wrought with various mistakes if noland lee had performed them before, but now they were smooth and flowing. for a moment, noland lees heart was filled with a strong desire to enhance his basic attributes. if he had such a set of attributes when facing sin soldier no. 079, he wouldnt have been beaten down by him. mates, look over there. sergeant mars raised his hand and pointed to the center of the grand hall. a towering black tower stood there, watching the battlefield like a terrifying giant shadow, silent yet intimidating. this tower, from bottom to top, was in the shape of a wide-bottomed, narrow-topped cone. its edges were sharp, and it was covered with dead bones. at the top of the tower, there were two sinister silhouettes. the one on the left was facing away from the battlefield, wearing a black robe and holding a bone staff that emitted green light. the one on the right was suspended in the air by swirling green evil light. his body constantly convulsed and twisted, and his skin and hair gradually lost their luster, turning into lifeless gray. from his clothes, it was clear that this man was the death herald guild spy who had infiltrated the army. sergeant mars said angrily: those death herald guild bastards are undergoing the undead cults transformation ritual, and he will soon become a genuine undead. we have to destroy the tunnels leading to the necromancers crypt before the ritual is completed. otherwise, he will escape through them. sergeant mars turned back and waved at his team members: quick, follow me. we will flank from the edge of the battlefield! lieutenant grett and his team will draw the enemys attention on the front lines. we must not let them down! yes, chief officer! Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: 39. Lure away the enemy chapter 47: 39. lure away the enemy translator: 549690339 the legitimate imperial fist has even greater destructive power on the front battlefield. lieutenant gretts transformation into a biochemical giant. while not as heavv as a tank, could still effortlessly crush large swaths of undead. what shocked noland the most was that lieutenant grett was versatile in both close and long-range combat. his steel giant fists could smash the big skeletons. spreading his fingers, the pillar of fire shot from his palm could sweep away groups of walking dead. no matter if these walking dead were equipped with armor or not, they would all melt in the scorching sticky flames and become piles of dark ashes. every time such an all-consuming pillar of fire appeared, lieutenant gretts back would split open two rows of gaps, discharging billowing black smoke and waste. apparently, the ability to spew fire pillars might be related to biofuel and the built-in biochemical reactors, noland speculated. as lieutenant grett relied on biochemical modification to unleash his unparalleled mode, the soldiers hastened to build their defenses. the balance of victory on the field seemed to be leaning towards the imperial army, yet dont forget about the spirit pivot. the whole dark tower was the spirit pivots main body. the mournful song filled with death aura spread from the top of the tower, enveloping the entire field. the onslaught of the undead became even more intense. the most classic example would be the tomb walking dead. they become nimble and agile, completely changing their wobbly walking style, turning into agile rampaging corpses, frantically charging at the imperial armys firepower net. as the battle cries and gunshots roared through the sky, the undead army was relentless, cut once and then continued to grow. the undead fell one after another, and the battlefield fell into anxiousness. the big skeleton that mastered the death pulse received special attention from the imperial army, so far it was unable to release even a single pulse of energy under the bombardment of bee syrup bombs and lieutenant gretts big iron fist. however, as long as a new unstable factor appears, the fragile balance between the imperial army and the undead army would be ruthlessly broken. the ensuing death pulse would run rampant, the imperial army would suffer major losses, morale would collapse, and the entire army would be wiped out. noland saw all of this. he had no sense of belonging to the tatis empire, but he didnt want to see the imperial army defeated either. he raised his hand to shoot, blowing up the skulls of the walking dead and skeleton warriors, and reloaded with one swift motion. his footsteps never stopped, following the team moving along the edge of the battlefield, shaking off clusters of skeleton hounds and cavern stalkers behind him. even with a dense horde of undead in front of him, noland pressed forward fearlessly and never looked back. his exhilarating fighting spirit ignited the fiery zeal in his heart, and no enemy could touch his clothing, nor could any enemy escape his gunfire. at this moment, he felt as if he had transformed into an elf ranger from a medieval magical world. the densely packed undead army was like countless flowers, and he was the butterfly frolicking among this sea of death flowers, nimble and agile, lethal and precise. picking nectar at will, snatching away the enemys lives, but always managing to stay safe. this situation of crushing the enemy relying on basic attributes didnt last long. accurately speaking, 15 minutes after the battle started, when the team came to a place 100 meters away from the entrance of the underworld cavern, they encountered their first thorny problem. corporal mars led the team, running at the forefront. he lifted his right hand and clenched it into a fist, making the stop moving forward gesture: mates, the death priests placed self-destructing skeleton warriors and metal skeletons on our must-pass path. corporal mars turned his head, frowning, looks like we have to split up. noland pulled the trigger, shaking his wrist to kill the approaching walking dead, and took the opportunity to look at the area in front of the team. not far away was an underworld cavern entrance filled with dense poisonous fog. for living people, the thick toxic fog had an extremely high toxicity, and a strong corrosive effect, capable of penetrating the filter cartridge of a breathing mask. only absolutely undead creatures could survive in such an environment with no issues. a large group of skeleton warriors made up of iron-grey metal rods were entrenched in front of the entrance to the underworld cavern. corporal mars spoke quickly, introducing the new undead troops to everyone. according to him, these seemingly metal skeletons were not really metal skeletons in the true sense, but just had an additional metal coating on their bones. however, do not underestimate their physical defense capabilities. ordinary bullets are unable to penetrate their metal coating, only a water-cooled light machine guns bullet storm can tear them apart. even worse, their metal coating has a good resistance to biochemical nectar. it is almost impossible to kill them with bee syrup bombs. whats even worse is: in the group of metal skeletons, there were a few with bulging bellies and round chests C suicide skeletons. the deadly dark green glow was scattering from the gaps in their ribs. these bloated skeletons would detonate the magic bombs in their bodies and release a large amount of death energy the instant they approached the enemy, perishing together with the imperial soldiers. when the metal skeletons and suicide skeletons combined, they formed a truly iron defense line that would have to be dealt with. the only way at the moment is to have some people draw the enemy away. sergeant mike adams suggested that he lead a private second class to attract the enemys attention. however, corporal mars shook his head decisively: no, mike. please excuse me for rejecting your proposal. corporal mars looked at his team members: sergeant mike adams, private second class corbin, isaac, kovin, comi, sin soldier jarvis, listen to the order. yes, chief officer. the soldiers straightened their heads and chests, ready to sacrifice themselves for the demolition mission. corporal mars took off his back rifle and the burdens on his body, handed them to his teammates, and left himself only a handgun and a bag of bullets: i order you to escort the bomb to the entrance of the underworld cavern and do your best to complete the demolition mission. now, sergeant mike adams is temporarily appointed as the squad commander. chief officer, this this is an order, soldiers. corporal mars opened corbins backpack and poured several bottles of biochemical bait potion into his mouth, and said while drinking: this mission cannot fail. i am the only military officer in the team who has been inoculated with strengthening potions twice, and i am the person with the most combat experience. therefore, it is the wisest choice for me to distract the enemy. alright, get moving, soldiers! corporal mars saluted: i look forward to the fireworks you ignite at the entrance of the underworld cavern. i will return safely. see you at the defense line of the imperial army. after saying that, corporal mars ran directly towards the metal skeleton soldiers, shouting loudly and attracting the enemys attention all the way. soon, the metal skeleton soldiers, covered with a metal coating and holding rusty iron swords, locked onto the lively human in front of them and chased after him with clattering steps. a large open space suddenly appeared in front of the entrance of the underworld cavern, with only a few slow-moving skeleton soldiers still lingering. hurry up, set the explosives and detonate them right away! mike adams shouted loudly, running and shooting, leading away the remaining enemies at the scene. private second class corbin ran to the entrance of the cave, put down his backpack, and took out cluster explosives and detonators. noland lee and three other soldiers took out engineering hammers and iron chisels, chipping away at the walls around the cavern to create detonation points for the planting of cluster explosives. at this time, an imperial squad that was not part of the combat plan, charged out from a nearby enemy pile. noland heard the gunfire from this team. he looked up and locked his eyes on the leader of the other team, who happened to be sergeant piggs, who was supposed to be watching the defenses from the dry toilet.. Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: 40. Shrimp and Pig Heart (Important note at the end of the article) chapter 48: 40. shrimp and pig heart (important note at the end of the article) translator: 549690339 finally caught up with you guys! sergeant piggs led the military intelligence second division soldiers, cutting through the army of the lost. he scanned the members of mars squad, noticing that sergeant mars, who held the same military rank as himself, was not present. an expression of delight and cruelty immediately crossed his face. he stormed toward private second class corbin and punched him in the shoulder: you son of a bitch, daring to mess with my nutrient solution! if it werent for sergeant pim sending someone to find me, id still be puking and shitting in the dry toilet. corbin was knocked to the ground and pinned down by piggs foot on his chest, not daring to fight back. the sergeant outranked him C he was just a private second class. intentionally sabotaging the gathering operation before battle, i suspect you are a death notice spy planted in the imperial army. no! im not a spy! corbin cried out in panic as he lay on the ground. sergeant piggs turned to his men and ordered them: come, take this guys gun and uniform. bind him up and take him back for interrogation. two soldiers stepped forward and took corbins issued gun; just as they were about to strip off his clothes, mars squad soldiers surrounded them and blocked the military intelligence second division soldiers action. the military intelligence second division soldiers had their wrists grabbed, unable to move. sergeant piggs twisted his neck, yelled out the laws of the imperial army, and ordered the mars squad to back off. all noland lee wanted to do was complete the demolition task quickly so he could rejoin the main force. he was growing impatient as sergeant piggs interrupted the mission. his lips tightened as he looked at the terrified expression on corbins face, then lifted his head to stare directly at the hateful sergeant piggs. what the hell was he thinking? escalating conflict on the battlefield? wasnt this a blatant disruption? sergeant mike adams, who had previously lured several metal skeletons away, returned. when he saw private second-class corbin pinned under piggs foot, his anger flared up. sergeant mike pushed away the intelligence division 2 soldiers around corbin and stood in front of piggs: what are you doing?! sergeant piggs! we are currently carrying out the highest-priority military task! release corbin immediately! with a cold smile, sergeant piggs faced the furious members of mars squad and said: soldiers carrying out the highest-priority military tasks do indeed enjoy special treatment in emergency situations. but thats not a reason for you to drug me, a military intelligence second division sergeant. i now suspect you have intentionally obstructed this mission. any one of you could be a death notice spy.o with a sinister smile, sergeant piggs lifted his foot: you said this is the highest-priority military task, tine. as a frontline observer dispatched by the military intelligence second division, i have the right to supervise your mission. start setting up the explosives; my soldiers and i will keep an eye on you. anyone who dares to slack off or gets careless will be executed on the spot. sergeant piggs kicked corbin in the waist: get up, you son of a bitch. hurry up and plant the explosives. youll be the one to detonate them later. this is an order. private second class corbin was overwhelmed by the series of unexpected events, his face turning pale. shaking, he picked himself up from the ground and hesitated before saying: chief officer, we use an automatic fuse that can ignite and explode without manual operation automatic fuse? sergeant piggs pressed his gun against corbins chin, sinisterly saying: my experience in military intelligence second division tells me not to believe anything a suspect says. i highly doubt whether the automatic fuse you mentioned can actually work. do you understand what i mean, private second class corbin? if you want to prove that youre not a death notice spy, you have to detonate the explosives manually. but, sir, the length of the fuse shut up, private second class corbin, you have no right to contradict me. sergeant piggs spat on the ground, do as i say. corbins body trembled, his eyes welling up with tears, and his fists clenched and unclenched. he lowered his head, and after two seconds of silence, he nodded with difficulty: yes, chief officer. get moving, stop standing there. sergeant piggs waved his right hand, driving away the mars squad members around him. noland lee, holding the engineering hammer, headed towards the wall but was stopped by sergeant piggs. hold on, sin soldier no. 888? thats a revolver on your waist, isnt it? who allowed you to carry a hot weapon? soldiers, take off his gun and ammunition! noland lee was held in place by soldiers approaching from behind, who then took away his issued gun and bullet bag. as he turned around, he saw sergeant piggs pig-like face. the opposing side was laughing triumphantly, but noland lee detected the same disgust in his eyes that hed seen in sergeant pims. for some inexplicable reason, both the current sergeant piggs and the obsessive-compulsive, gold-rimmed glasses-wearing sergeant pim held hostility toward him, a sin soldier. this baffled noland lee. what about him triggered such hostility from pim and piggs? noland lee took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. he temporarily suppressed the various thoughts in his heart and focused on the task at hand. about 3 minutes later, the explosives were set. in order to completely destroy the huge underworld cavern entrance, soldiers need to detonate multiple explosives in a short period of time. according to the original plan, mars squad would use an automatic firing system. the operator only needed to stand in the distance and press the remote control button in their hand to ignite multiple fuses at the same time, implementing a rapid explosion. but now, private second class corbin had to operate the detonator manually. during the process of setting up the explosives and fuses, everyone had not yet detected any abnormalities. it was only when corbin squatted down next to the detonator that noland lee and his party, who were guarding against the undead not far away, discovered a huge hidden danger. once the explosives exploded, the underworld cavern entrance would collapse, and the high concentration of poisonous fog inside would rush out with the shockwave. because they had originally planned to use automatic fuses instead of manual ones, the reserved fuse lengths were very limited. now, for corbin to operate the detonator manually, he had to stand about two meters in front of the underworld cavern entrance. this distance was extremely dangerous. it was very likely that corbin would be swallowed by the high concentration of poisonous fog in the underworld within half a second after the explosion. fortunately, the engineering hammer, which could extend his arm reach, was more than a meter long, allowing corbin to press the detonator at a greater distance. just as the members of the mars squad were worried about corbins safety, sergeant piggs spoke again, adding fuel to the fire. he held his waist, bulging his round belly, glanced scornfully at the members of the mars squad who were glaring at him, and laughed, then shouted at the figure near the cave entrance: listen, private second class corbin. i order you to show your loyalty and courage to the tatis empire. you must accept the mission bestowed upon you by the empire. when you press the detonator, you must use both hands and not the engineering hammer. otherwise, i will shoot you on the spot and let your comrades press the detonator for you. sergeant mike adams was furious: damn it, piggs, youre going to get corbin killed! the mars squad was furious and wanted to stop piggss order, but they were blocked by his subordinates. noland lee was not completely on the same page with the mars squad, but at this moment, he was more or less angered by sergeant piggs. not long ago, corbin had proposed to leave sin soldier no. 888 behind and let the latter fulfill his duties. now, this treatment had fallen on corbins own head noland took a glance at the miserable corbin and couldnt help but sigh inwardly. sergeant piggs was unmoved by the angry gazes of the mars squad. he took out his issued gun and aimed it at the figure by the cave entrance: make your own decision, private second class corbin. do you want to enjoy the glory of the tatis empire, or be killed by me on the spot, so your parents know that their only son, after graduating from the empires military academy, did not become a glorious imperial soldier, but fell into the role of a despicable death notice spy. damn, heart-wrenching noland clenched his teeth and became extremely vigilant towards piggs. sergeant mike adams gritted his teeth and took a big step forward, shouting: i am the deputy squad leader. ill detonate the explosives! without waiting for him to rush to the underworld, private second class corbin held up his right hand, saluted from afar with tears streaking his face, and then suddenly squatted down and pressed the lever of the detonator. for the empire, for glory, for my mom and dad! boom!! explosion roared, debris flew, poisonous fog surged, and swept over several meters around the cavern entrance. as the dust floated and the fog rolled, no one came out of the poisonous fog, nor were there any screams or cries of pain. corbin had already been corroded to nothing by the poisonous fog. noland lee was pushed back by the fierce shockwave, barely managing to stand still with the help ot his teammates. sergeant piggs put away his issued gun and scanned the furious members of the mars squad without any fear. he looked at noland lee with a hint of satisfaction: sin soldier 888, ive heard that you are brave and disciplined, right? well, im giving you a chance to show off. sergeant piggs waved his hand forward: all personnel, move out and return to the frontline positions immediately as for you, sin soldier 888, you will stay behind with me and guard the rear for everyone. noland lee scanned piggs face with an apparently frightened gaze, then bowed his head, covering his features with hanging hair, his eyes turning icy and deep. this tatis empire was beyond salvation. the command system of their imperial army was in such chaos. ps: the confusion in the command system that appears in this chapter is one of the flaws in the empire in this book. there is no need to worry about setting problems. the author has done research before starting the book, and this chapter was not written based on imagination. the chaos in this chapter is just a presentation of one aspect of the empires disorder and is related to the subsequent plot. please comment rationally. worried that qqreading friends cant see it, so this note is put in the main text.. Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: 41. Pig Cook’s Play chapter 49: 41. pig cooks play translator: 549690339 sergeant piggs arranged for noland lee to stay at the rear of the unit but did not give him any weapons. he confiscated noland lees issued gun and engineering hammer, and even took away the rune staff hanging from his waist. noland lee might be able to deal with the skeleton warriors barehanded, but if he encounters a walking dead covered in pus, his only option would be to run as far away as possible. despite noland lees dire situation, sergeant piggs still planned to take advantage of him, even going so far as to put him at the very back of the team, in an attempt to use the biochemical bait on his body to attract the undead. noland sensed the tangible malice. sergeant piggs, an investigator of intelligence officer 2, not only coerced private second class koben into sacrificing himself using words and authority but also wanted to kill the sin soldier using the undeads power. other members of mars squad saw through sergeant piggs scheme as well. while they fought the undead at the front and cleared the path to the front line, they occasionally glanced back at the unarmed noland lee in frustration. sergeant piggs, let me cover the rear! sergeant mike adams shouted back. i can cover the rear too! private second class comi also shouted. the other two privates, isaac and kovin, also followed suit and suggested to their temporary chief officer. mars squad could not afford to lose any more members. private second class jack was killed in the stairwell on the first underground level. private second class koben, forced by sergeant piggs, bravely sacrificed himself in the bombing operation. sergeant mike adams and three privates didnt want to see such a result. most importantly, since sergeant piggs dared to force private second class koben to sacrifice himself in front of his teammates, he must have hidden means to avoid being held responsible and questioned. otherwise, piggs wouldnt have returned to the front line so confidently to face the wrath of lieutenant grett and sergeant major alvin stafford. among various ways to eliminate hidden risks, the most convenient and efficient one was to use the army of the lost to bury the entire mars squad here. therefore, sergeant mike adams and the other squad members anxiously wanted to stand with noland and then use the chaos created by the army of the lost to escape from sergeant piggs unit and return to the front line alone. it seemed that sergeant piggs had seen through sergeant mike adams plan, or he just had a soft spot for sin soldier no. 888 and didnt want to harm the other members of mars squad. alternatively, he may not have any intentions to bury mars squad at all. as he was faced with suggestions from the members of mars squad, he suddenly raised his hand, pointed to a big skeleton not far away, and yelled: that big skeleton seems to be targeting us. i cant let it release the death pulse. sin soldier no. 888, i order you to come with me to divert that powerful enemy! when sergeant mike adams and the rest looked up, they saw the big skeleton looking at their group. the addition of military intelligence second division soldiers greatly increased mars squads firepower, but it also made the team bloated, losing its original flexibility, and attracted more attention as a result. when mars squad previously approached the underworld cavern entrance, they had passed by that big skeleton without attracting its attention. now, due to the noise and chaos created by the squad, the big skeleton had turned its gaze from the imperial armys frontline and looked towards mars squad on the edge of the battlefield. it slowly picked up its bone hammer from the ground and led the skeleton warriors to surround them. sergeant piggs raised his rifle high and cried out the slogan used by the imperial soldiers when they attacked. my fearless charge will bring glory to the empire! his face was filled with determination and courage, and he saluted his teammates with raised hand: bless me, everyone; i will lead the enemy away for you sin soldier no. 888, come with me, thats an order! the rest, keep moving forward and return to the front line immediately to support lieutenant grett in setting up defenses! barely finishing his words, sergeant piggs pushed noland lees back hard and then used his elbow to make him move forward. within two seconds, their figures disappeared into the sea of skeleton warriors. the big skeleton and its subordinates no longer swarmed towards mars squad. move, mates. dont waste the opportunity that jarvis and sergeant piggs have bought for us. sergeant mike adams ordered to move forward. even in profound grief, he and the other squad members had to prioritize the mission at hand. all they could do was pray that captain mars and noland lee could return safely. the team had only advanced about twenty meters when private second class comi pulled sergeant mike adams aside and whispered: sir, i can understand your decision to follow sergeant piggs orders and insist on returning to the front line, but i have to tell you something comi lifted a corner of his backpack, revealing the bee syrup bomb: now everyone m the team is a private second class. only you are a sergeant, and the temporary commander on site. if you give the order, well turn back and use the bee syrup bombs to kill that big skeleton and save sergeant piggs and jarvis. sergeant mike adams frowned and his breathing grew heavier. sergeant piggs killed koben and deserved to die, but saving piggs meant saving noland lee, right? sergeant mike adams pondered for two seconds, gritted his teeth, and made his decision: everyone, listen up! turn back immediately and launch an attack on the big skeleton comi, im entrusting you with the task of launching the bee syrup bombs. the rest of you, follow me and clear a path for comi! yes, sir! the group changed direction and charged towards the sea of skeleton warriors behind them. the big skeleton stood in the middle of the sea of skeleton warriors, raising the bone hammer in its hand to smash the ground. the hammer fell to the ground, and blood splattered in all directions. one of piggs and noland lee had fallen! fire the bomb, quickly fire the bomb! sergeant mike adams shrieked anxiously. comi hurriedly ran a few steps, and at the bomb launchers maximum range, he fired the bee syrup bomb with a bang.. Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: 42. That’s all. chapter 50: 42. thats all. translator: 549690339 time reverted to three minutes ago, when noland lee had just been escorted into the sea of skeleton soldiers by sergeant piggs. noland lee had been seized by the arm by piggs. this bugger was filled with a mix of fat and flab all over his body, and the strength in his palm was quite astonishing, equally matched with scarred sin soldier whom noland lee had killed twice before. noland lee couldnt break free from piggs grasp and could only watch helplessly as the skeleton soldiers surrounded the two of them. the skeleton soldiers wielding bone swords simply surrounded them but made no move to attack. noland lee knew that the effect of his grudge mark had taken hold. he was empty-handed and hadnt thrown a punch, so naturally, he hadnt displayed any attacks. with the grudge mark in effect, the skeleton soldiers treated him as one of their own. it was only because the biochemical bait on him attracted the skeleton soldiers attention that they surrounded him. but why wasnt sergeant piggs also attacked by the skeleton soldiers? noland lee suddenly looked towards piggs alongside him, his gaze drawn to the amulet in his hand. this amulet was made of stone material, with intricate undead runes on its grey surface. the undead runes emitted a chilly grey glow, blending perfectly with the illumination environment of the third underground level, hardly noticeable. it was this barely noticeable glow that pacified the surrounding skeleton soldiers, protecting sergeant piggs. at that moment, a burst of inspiration flashed through noland lees mind. innumerable flashes symbolizing insight raced through him, making him shiver slightly, with goosebumps rising on his skin. division intelligence unit two opposes intelligence department 4s research into undead runes, taking a firm stance against it. yet a division intelligence unit two investigator had a protective amulet inscribed with undead runes. judging from piggs relaxed demeanor and proficient movements, it wasnt his first time using this amulet. he was very familiar with the undead army and the undead runes, comfortably using death-related items that the empire deemed forbidden. so, there was only one truth. piggs, youre actually a spy from the death notice guild! noland lee stared at the smug piggs. hehe, yes, youre pretty sharp, figuring out my identity so quickly. it saves me the trouble of having to explain everything to you. piggs who had his right hand clasping noland lees arm, stepped forward to face him, his face full of cunning smiles: sin soldier no.888, lets get properly acquainted. i am a mid-level spy for the death notice guild, codename fatty, your future contact. future contact? what do you mean? noland lee pursed his lips, a wary look in his eyes. have you seen the amulet in my hand? waving the amulet, piggs strolled over in front of a skeleton soldiers face and said leisurely: this is a gift from the death herald guild. it allows me to roam freely among the army of the lost without worrying about being attacked. anyone who has physical contact with me can enjoy this honor. but take note, it only applies to those who are in direct contact with me. piggs looked at noland lee, saying indifferently: the moment i let go of your hand, you will lose the protection of the death notification amulet. the skeleton warriors will tear you apart, and the big skeleton will obliterate you with its bone hammer. now, the choice is in your hands, sin soldier no. 888. piggs blew on the amulet in his hand, letting the pendant swing gently along its cord, entirely the picture of being in control: do you want to survive, enjoy my protection, and continue to rise in intelligence department 4, or would you prefer to die valiantly here, becoming a hapless spirit under the hand of the skeleton soldiers? piggs took out the gun issued on his waist and fired a few symbolic shots, creating the illusion that they were battling the skeleton warriors. i dont understand, what value does a plain sin soldier like me hold for you noland lee appeared tempted, but with just the right amount of doubt etched onto his face. sin soldier no.888, you are vital. piggs holstered his gun after shooting the empty magazine, reloading with one hand while he spoke: in intelligence department 4, there exists a deeply concealed undead rune research team, so secretive that even division intelligence unit two does not know which specific members are in the team or how far their research has progressed. out of all the lower-ranking military officers and soldiers, you, mars, alvin stafford, and lieutenant grett are the only ones who might have been able to come into contact with this research team. out of these four people, only you meet the recruitment standards of the death herald guild. noland lee felt slightly moved, and the face of marsha murphy flashed in his mind. as long as you survive, you will definitely have the opportunity to meet all the members of this team and keep supplying us with information. when the time is ripe, you must cooperate with us to eliminate all members of this team and completely disrupt intelligence wepartment 4s researcn into tne unaeaa runes. zeal and cruelty rose on piggs face: only we, the death herald guild, have the qualification to study undead runes. only we are the true death messengers. anyone who dares to bypass the death herald guild and secretly studies undead runes, touching the mysteries of death, will be crushed by us. the same goes for the undead rune team of intelligence department 4. piggs looked around, then spread the hand holding the gun towards noland lee: so do you understand now, sin soldier no. 888? you are important, you can help us eliminate the enemies within the empire and solidify the death herald guilds position as the precursor in death guidance. piggs paused and shrugged slightly: but, do not overestimate your own importance. even without you, the death herald guild can thwart intelligence department 4s plans. we have always preferred to make preparations on both hands. i can pay you some remuneration in advance, sin soldier no. 888. this remuneration is a critical piece of information, enough to make you see the reality, to let you know how powerful our death herald guild is. piggs pointed with the muzzle of his gun to the fire in the distance, which was the jet of flame shot by lieutenant grett: this troublesome imperial warrant officer will die today, right here in tomb no. 1079. the one who will kill him is a death notice assassin currently undergoing an undead transformation ceremony at the top of the tower. alvins army will face a crushing defeat as a result and will flee from tomb no. 1079 in panic. you will be one of the survivors. i will use my identity from division intelligence unit two for a secret interrogation on you. but in reality, ill bring you anything you want, fine wine, cigarettes, women, and so on. anything you want, you will receive during each secret interrogation session, as long as you sincerely cooperate with our tasks. piggs gave a mysterious smile: even, if you wish, the death herald guild can mediate between you and siton industries, to resolve the misunderstanding. your debt will be written off. you will be rid of the sin soldier status, return to the world of civilized people, and resume the work of a teaching assistant. and all you would need to do is to stumble upon ancient relics that could prove the legitimacy of the death herald guild during archaeological activities in the academy you should understand what i mean, the voice of the academic world is also crucial. sergeant piggs casually took a pocket watch out of his inside pocket: ..oh, its been two and a half minutes already. the last time i diverted the undead for the soldiers, it took two minutes. this time, i broke my personal record. thats not a good thing. sergeant piggs put away the pocket watch and waved the amulet in front of noland lee: so, tell me the answer, sin soldier no. 888. do you want to submit to the death herald guild and enjoy wealth and power, or follow the bullshit empire and bury yourself in fake glory? noland lee took a deep breath and gave a slight smile: you dragged me into the pile of the undead, threatened me with life and death, showed me the power of the death herald guild, and finally promised me rewards. you deterred me with might, enlightened me with reason, and moved me with benefits. your procedures are pretty standard, sergeant piggs. it seems unnecessary for me to refuse. thats more like it, haha, i knew it would be easier to talk to someone who is educated. however, pigg, theres one thing im certain of; there arent any spies from your guild in the undead runes research group, right? thats why youre pinning the heavy responsibility solely on me, a sin soldier. upon hearing this, sergeant piggs narrowed his eyes, his gaze turning cold: what are you trying to say? is the reward im offering not enough? i warn you, sin soldier no. 888, you are not irreplaceable. do not try to take advantage of the situation to squeeze more benefits from me. its already a huge preferential treatment to be able to deliver cigarettes, alcohol, and women to you, and help you solve your debts. no, no, no, sergeant piggs, honorable fatty sir. noland lee suddenly laughed. a fit of rage burst from his eyes! i reject your proposal, you fat pig! not for any empire, nor for any glory, but just for the pride in my heart! who the fuck do you think you are, daring to shit on my head?! piggs cursed: you ungrateful bastard, youll become undead fodder here! he released the grip on nolands shoulder. but the next second, his eyes widened in surprise. he realized that the surrounding undead didnt show any desire to attack at all! all the skeleton soldiers, even the big skeleton, looked at noland coldly, showing no hostility at all! it was like noland was not an enemy, not an ally, not one of them, but just a plain stone in their eyes. impossible impossible piggs looked at the amulet in his hand, confirming again and again that there was no physical contact between him and noland. then there could only be one answer piggs pupils contracted sharply. he stared at noland, pointing shakily at him. his voice trembled uncontrollably, as if he had seen something shocking: you you you noland gave a cruel laugh, grabbed piggs arm with one hand, and pulled the amulet from his hand with the other: goodbye, scum of the death herald guild. soul freeze activated! in piggs eyes, a huge frost-covered mountain rose behind noland, overshadowing the sky, pressing down on him. the extreme cold and snow arrived! solitude and winter were coming! the limitless chill froze piggs soul instantly, leaving him unable to control his body! noland snatched the amulet from piggs hand and kicked him in the stomach. piggs fell directly to the ground, rolled over a few times, and ended up under the big skeleton. without the protection of the amulet, piggs had become a juicy piece of meat in the eyes of the undead. the skeleton soldiers cracked their arms, aimed their bone swords at piggs, and swung mercilessly. the big skeleton raised its bone hammer and forcefully smashed it down like a punishing executioner. schlick! blood and flesh flew about, mud mixed with blood splashed everywhere. just at this moment, noland lee heard the gunshot from sergeant mike adams and others. he immediately threw away the amulet in his hand, rolled over, and picked up the rune staff that piggs had dropped on the ground. fire the bomb! quick, fire the bomb! boom! crack! the bee syrup bomb arrived above nolands head, exploding upon hitting the big skeleton. black biochemical nectar covered the entire area, quickly dissolving the skeleton soldiers. noland wiped off the biochemical nectar on his face, stood up, and looked at the approaching imperial soldiers. he deliberately put on a desperate face and shouted: help- help- noland was surrounded and escorted away by the members of the mars squad. he looked back towards the entrance of the underworld cavern, seeing the image of private second class corbin solemnly saluting, resolutely pressing the detonator. did you see it, corbin? piggs is dead. you dont have to thank me. i had suffered a lot before i came here. i know the desperation of those who are being coerced. i am not a vendetta-driven knight, nor a compassionate saint, nor a self-sacrificing saint mother. i only hope that good people will meet a good end, and the wicked will face punishment. nothing more.. Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: 43. Pim’s plan chapter 51: 43. pims plan translator: 549690339 on the first underground level of grave no.1079 vault. within the temporary campsite of division intelligence unit two. sergeant pims guard was in a hurry. he returned from the third underground level back to the first underground level and quickly ran towards the chief officers tent, panting and standing outside the curtain, shouting: report! come in! sergeant pim sat by the desk, holding a nail clipper and leisurely trimming his nails. the guard pulled open the curtain and stepped into the tent, saluting and said: reporting, chief officer! we received a message from the frontlines of intelligence department 4sergeant piggs was killed in action during the mission to blast the entrance to the underworld cavern. sergeant pims actions paused, and as he held the nail clippers tight, he slowly placed them on the tabletop. the nail clippers gently fell onto the tabletop without making a sound. but as sergeant pims face darkened rapidly, the atmosphere in the tent became oppressive, as if a lava-churning volcano was about to erupt. killed? sergeant pim took a deep breath, paused for two seconds, and asked expressionlessly: how did sergeant piggs die? facing his chief officer, the guard swallowed hard and said: .report, sergeant piggs subordinates said that they caught up with mars squad, who were executing the blasting mission near the entrance of the underworld cavern. as corporal mars was not present at the scene, sergeant piggs took command and personally directed the blasting operation. while providing cover for the retreat, serzeant pizzs held the rear for his team members and was attacked by the big skeleton and skeleton warriors. ultimately, he was unfortunately killed in the onslaught of the big skeleton. astonishment and confusion flashed in sergeant pims eyes, his eyebrows knitted together as he muttered to himself, attacked, killed by the big skeleton he was silent for a moment and asked again: besides sergeant piggs embracing the empires glory, which other soldiers from the blasting mission team were sacrificed? report! private second class corbin from mars squad was killed in action during the blasting mission. thats all? sergeant pims pupils constricted slightly, and the astonishment in his eyes became more apparent, but it was quickly masked by his oppressive gaze: besides sergeant piggs and private second class corbin, no one else was killed are you sure youve thoroughly investigated the situation? yes, chief officer. the guard was intimidated by sergeant pims stare and shrunk his neck a little, speaking with some difficulty: reporting, chief officer mars squad filed a complaint with sergeant alvin stafford. they claimed that sergeant piggs abused his authority and carried out personal vendettas during the operation i mean the guard hesitated, afraid to continue further sergeant pims face darkened, and then? finish what you were saying, dont stutter. the guard took a breath, steadied himself, and said: sergeant piggs subordinates did not object to mars squads complaint; they implicitly acknowledged the authenticity of the complaint. sergeant alvin stafford suggested applying to intelligence headquarters for an audit on sergeant piggs after the corps task is over. auditing a hero who sacrificed himself to cover the retreat of his teammates? hmph. i think the big-headed soldiers from intelligence department 4 are getting delirious. sergeant pim picked up the nail clipper on the table, lowered his head to trim his nails, and without looking up, said: listen. yes, chief officer. go tell sergeant alvin stafford that i will personally investigate whether sergeant piggs abused his authority during the execution of intelligence unit 2 tasks. moreover, applying for an audit on sergeant piggs is questioning the fact that he sacrificed himself for his teammates. he is a hero and shouldnt be questioned. do you understand what im saying? you must convey my words verbatim to sergeant alvin stafford. yes, chief officer! after delivering my message, call sergeant piggs subordinates, i have something to ask them now go. yes, chief officer the guard saluted, turned around, pulled open the curtain, and rushed toward the staircase. only sergeant pim was left in the tent. suddenly, he clenched his fist and swung fiercely at the curtain beside him, throwing the nail clippers in his hand, making a cut in the thick curtain. sergeant pims face was dark as the pitch-black waters of the deep pool. he knew why sergeant piggs volunteered to hold the rear for the soldiers and how he had the confidence to face the skeleton army. the amulet in sergeant piggs hand was the key. sergeant piggs was crushed to death by the big skeleton. this meant that he didnt have the amulet in his hand before he died. someone stole sergeant piggs amulet and used the undead to kill him. afterwards, they became greedy and kept the amulet, intending to possess it forcefully. secondly: after using the undead to kill piggs, this person didnt keep the amulet, but threw it into the pile of undead. sergeant pim knew in his heart that the last person to come into contact with sergeant piggs must have been sin soldier no. 888. thats because he personally gave the order to sergeant piggs. the specific content of this order is self-evident, which is to let piggs try to persuade sin soldier 888, and if the persuasion fails, execute him on the spot. however, the problem was that sergeant pim couldnt be sure if the amulet was in sin soldier 888 1s hands. if it was in sin soldier 888s hands, pim could use division intelligence unit rlwvos authority to completely subdue sin soldier 888 under the pretext of further investigation, and then take the amulet back. but if sin soldier 888 didnt have the amulet that would be the worst-case scenario intelligence department 4 might accidentally discover the amulet while cleaning up the battlefield and then apply to intelligence headquarters to investigate all personnel related to tomb no. 1079. sergeant alvin stafford applied to investigate piggs with human evidence but no physical evidence. however, if intelligence department 4 uses the amulet to investigate piggs, and sin soldier 888 also reports piggs as a death herald guild spy, both human evidence and material evidence will be complete, only lacking the evidence chain to connect the two clues. at this thought, sergeant pims heart raced, and the lines of his face twisted due to anxiety. he took off the glasses from the bridge of his nose and wiped them over and over again, barely managing to maintain his composure. five minutes later. the soldiers of military intelligence second division, who ran all the way, entered the chief officers tent. after listening to the soldiers accounts of the incident several times, pim grew more and more uneasy. after rescuing sin soldier 888 from the pile of undead, the soldiers with physical contact with sin soldier 888 and sin soldier 888 himself were all attacked by the undead without exception. thus, there was only one answer. damn sin soldier 888 unexpectedly resisted temptation and didnt make a move on the amulet that could ensure his safety from undead attacks! was he an ex-addict or what? how could he resist it? are the personal qualities of sin soldiers so high nowadays? a row of question marks formed in sergeant pims mind. he suddenly realized that sin soldier 888s history book was not read in vain; indeed, he was more patient and restrained than ordinary sin soldiers, and more rational. sergeant pim waved his hand, letting soldiers of military intelligence second division leave. he sat in his chair, turned his head to look at the metal box hidden under the bed, his expression extremely complex, with a determined, yet cautious, deliberation after pondering for a few minutes, he slapped the armrest and silently sighed: forget it, i cant use that ultimate weapon in advance, or it will affect the follow-up plans. ill find the amulet myself. in the meantime, i have to keep the situation under control. pim opened the drawer, picked up the comb, tidied his hair, adjusted his clothes, and then shouted outside: come in. reporting to you, chief officer! the guards entered the tent. how long before the korabo legion reinforcements arrive? sergeant pim casually asked. report, according to the legions notice, the reinforcements have already set off and will arrive at tomb no.1079 in two hours. pim nodded slowly. he stood up, hands behind his back, speaking in a steady tone: intelligence department 4s soldiers are fighting on the third underground level, shedding sweat and blood for the empire. sergeant alvin stafford and lieutenant grett lead the charge. theyve left us to guard the rear. although were understaffed, we must not let their efforts and sacrifices go in vain; we must hold on until the reinforcements arrive. after an impassioned speech, pims expression became solemn: the undead revival on the first and second underground levels is imminent. now, i order everyone to enter the highest level of combat readiness. we will defend all korabo legion positions in tomb no.1079 to the death! sergeant pim snapped to attention and saluted: for the glory of the empire! we will fight to the death as long as we stand our ground! the guard saluted loudly in response: yes, chief officer! for the glory of the empire! we will fight to the death as long as we stand our ground! Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: 44. Noland Lee’s plan chapter 52: 44. noland lees plan translator: 549690339 third underground level. the imperial army cleared out the area near the staircase and hastily set up a sturdy defense line using the grey worm barrier. the barrier of grey worm obstacles halted the advance of the undead army. water-cooled light machine guns were set up inside the barrier, firing through windows and using a torrent of bullets to fend off the undead. bee syrup bombs were launched through fixed bomb launchers, accurately targeting and killing distant big skeletons. the sticky flame thrower spewed red flames, burning piles of walking dead to ashes. lieutenant grett, transformed into a biochemical giant, was simply a terrifying human war machine. having fought continuously for nearly half an hour, his attacks remained sharp without any stagnation. he moved from the left side of the hall on the third underground level to the right side with a swoosh, and then smoothly back to the left again, like a giant metal plough rolling back and forth, crushing the undead army. this grand combat scene was captured in the eves of the wounded soldiers. transforming into flickering light and shadows on their irises. noland lee half laid on the floor, leaning against the wall, and let out a slow breath. next to him, sergeant mars was holding his arm, grimacing and gasping: ugh i almost lost my life to that metal skeleton. luckily, i always carry a strong combat stimulant with me, otherwise, i really would have died in this ghostly place noland glanced at the bandage on the arm of mars and shook his head slightly. mars singlehandedly dealt with the metal skeleton and the self-destructing skeletons, skulking around the edge of the battlefield for more than ten minutes before taking a stimulant and returning to the front line. he probably fell in love with army life due to the sensation and excitement of being caught between life and death sergeant mike adams, sitting paralyzed on the ground, complained: chief officer, please dont leave us alone next time. if only you were with us, sergeant piggs wouldnt dare to bully us the expression of sergeant mars darkened, as he slammed the wall and his eyes welled up with tears: its all my fault im the one who asked koben to drug piggs nutrient solution koben couldve given me away, but he didnt he never mentioned me how could i face his parents its all my fault sergeant mike adams opened his mouth to say something comforting, but due to his simple mind, he couldnt find the right words and looked at the former history assistant teacher instead. noland met his gaze, shook his head, and made a gesture for silence. there was no use in saying more. it was better to let sergeant mars digest his negative emotions by himself. mars was smart and adaptable, but he lacked experience and seemed a bit impulsive. perhaps after this incident, he could understand that his first responsibility was as the commander of the squad, followed by being a brave military officer. the atmosphere of the team became quiet, with each person thinking about their own concerns. taking advantage of the break, noland quickly reviewed his memories relating to pim and piggs. there was one thing he was almost certain of: pim was indeed a death notice spy. there wasnt much to question about that. piggs was assigned by pim, and his hostility and gaze were identical to pims. regardless of whether it was through intuition or confidence, noland would treat pim as a death notice spy. so, if pim were to put himself in their shoes, after discovering that his subordinate had unexpectedly perished and lost his amulet, what would he want to know the most? two points: how piggs died and the exact whereabouts of the amulet. concerning these two problems, noland knew the answers, and pim knew that noland knew. so, the future development of the incident was rather clear. pim would surely take away sin soldier number 888 to interrogate him privately at some point in time, for an irrefutable reason. when that time comes, the trouble ill face is no less than when piggs coerced me into joining death herald guild. i must be prepared and find a way to suppress that son of a bitch pim. otherwise, there will be endless trouble. now, what should i do noland lee pondered secretly, vaguely having an idea. he looked up at the tall spirit pivot in the center of the hall. around the spirit pivot, a translucent black curtain of light was the magic protective cover. this protective cover wrapped the spirit pivot from top to bottom, even covering the altar on the top floor. with the help of a telescope, the numerous, densely-arranged undead runes, as small as tadpoles, on the curtain of light could be observed. these undead runes were the key to maintaining the operation of the protective cover. and that is what noland lee needed to modify. thats right, chief officer. noland lee turned his head and asked corporal mars, who was wallowing in his emotions alone: do you know when we will start decrypting the magic protective cover? so that i can prepare in advance. corporal mars wiped away his tears, lifting his bandage-bound arm and pointed to the two figures at the top of the tower: look at the death notice assassin undergoing the undead transformation ritual. i estimate, probably in about 20 minutes or so, the ritual will be completed. the order from intelligence headquarters is to cooperate with division intelligence unit two to capture the assassin or kill them on the spot. at least we must wait until we capture the assassin, or kill him, before we can deal with the death priest on the tower. corporal mars paused for a moment: we must deal with the assassin and the priest, and then move on to cracking the magic protective cover. there must be at least a i-hour time difference. noland lee slowly nodded his head: so, when the skeleton warriors on the first underground level revive, i should be adjusting the undead runes, right? at that time, will the imperial army return to the first underground level to support sergeant pim? corporal mars had been distracted from his regrets about koben by noland lees question, emerging from his self-blaming and remorse. after gathering his thoughts, he continued: yes jarvis, i dont know if youve noticed, but the complexity of the undead runes on the magic protective cover far exceeds the translated text i gave you. you may only recognize a small part of the runes on the cover. you are right, chief officer. i found this problem. corporal mars spread his hands: so, it would be impossible for you to remove the magic protective cover all by yourself. in fact, you only have to slightly modify some of the undead runes to prove that doing so can indeed weaken the strength of the cover quickly, and your task will be complete. after this, we will still use a burning method to forcibly remove the magic protective cover. before the next clean-up of the grave vault, i will bring you more translated texts so that you can modify more undead runes. this is a gradual process. after all, we are worried that by exposing you to too much undead culture at once, you might become mentally confused. noland lee now understood: i got it, chief officer. when the skeleton warriors on the first underground level revive, sergeant pim will only have his own troops to resist the undead. we cant spare any hands to help him. yes, if nothing unexpected happens, thats the case. corporal mars added: however, you do not need to worry about sergeant pims troops being defeated. reinforcements from the legion are arriving soon. sergeant pim should be able to hold on until then. even if it comes to the worst, he can always retreat to the ground level. as long as the grave vault does not riot, the undead will not escape to the surface. noland lee looked at the spirit pivot, blinked his eyes and had a whimsical idea with pig cooks matter hanging over his head, pim would definitely fear for his own safety. after the undead revival, fighting in a bloody battle would undoubtedly demonstrate his loyalty with a ploy of distress. based on this, noland lee was certain that pim would fight to the death on the first underground level, rather than retreating to the surface. so, should he deliberately drag his feet when adjusting the undead runes, so that pim could spend more time getting along with the skeleton warriors? maybe, pim would die at the hands of the skeleton warriors. uh that seemed a bit unrealistic. if pig cook had an amulet, then pim should have one too. it should be quite easy for pim to survive among the skeleton warriors. to deal with pim, a more secure method must be figured out. noland lee opened his personal panel, checked the resources he had mastered, and entered a contemplative state amidst the gunfire.. Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: 45. Soul Shield chapter 53: 45. soul shield translator: 549690339 view the upgrade information for soul frost. noland lee murmured the command, letting the system bring up the spell interface to evaluate the pros and cons of upgrading soul frost. soul frost, as a unique contract skill, has no consumption and is instant. but it has a daily usage limit. noland had used soul frost once when dealing with pig cook. now, the daily availability of this skill is 0/1. when noland checked the upgrade information, the system sent two paragraphs of text: [you can consume 10 energy points to raise soul frost to level 2 and choose one of the following two upgrade effects:] [option 1: immediately gain one usage count and increase the daily usage limit to 2 times.] [option 2: increase the control time of soul frost to 2 seconds.] noland had no choice but to choose the first option to meet his needs. he glanced at his personal panel. he had 15 energy points on hand, enough to upgrade soul frost to level 2, and the skill would have one more use. but theres one problem that cant be avoided: the activation condition of soul frost is very strict. noland must have direct contact with pim to trigger the skills control effect. this is undoubtedly a dangerous casting method. with pig cooks death, pim would definitely be more vigilant against sin soldier no. 888. for noland to use the same method to let pim die at the hands of the undead would undoubtedly be much more difficult. moreover, pim, who was already on guard, might have set up a backup plan in advance to deal with any possible emergencies, or even lay traps to counterkill sin soldier no. 888. based on this consideration, noland abandoned the idea of upgrading soul frost and turned to think about the second coping strategy. the new strategy has a great deal of uncertainty. that is to deconstruct the spirit pivot in front of him, the intermediate necromancer, death notice assassin, or imperial soldiers such as corporal mars and lieutenant grett. if he can randomly deconstruct useful knowledge or key information from these people and objects, noland can handle pim without leaving any traces by setting up in advance. huge randomness is the only drawback of this strategy. the good news is that noland can choose the magic protective cover of the spirit pivot as his target. not only can he do this to find a way to deal with pim, but also increase the success rate of cracking the magic protective cover. with good luck, he may get a deconstruction result he has never imagined. with full energy points in nolands hand, after weighing the pros and cons, he finally made a decision. deconstructing the magic protective cover is safer. chief officer, do you have a telescope? i want to study the magic protective cover, noland lee asked. corporal mars reached into his pocket and pulled out a retractable monocular telescope, saying: jarvis, dont worry, weve arranged for the modification of the undead runes. before you officially start modifying the runes, ill bring you a detailed investigation report on the magic protective cover. intelligence department 4 and the undead cult have been fighting for so many years, and weve basically figured out the weaknesses and key points of the magic protective cover. noland lee took the monocular telescope and was struck by an idea upon hearing marss words. then he asked with a bitter smile: chief officer, as you know, if i accidentally modify the undead runes wrong, ill have to meet my ancestors on the spot can you reveal more knowledge about the magic protective cover, so i can mentally prepare myself? corporal mars thought for half a second: thats not impossible, youll know sooner or later anyway. corporal mars raised his hand and pointed to a corner of the spirit pivot, guiding noland lee to observe the direction he was pointing with the telescope. . look there, look carefully. when the undead cult built the spirit pivot, they deliberately concealed the energy nodes.. hmm, you might not know what energy nodes are. it doesnt matter, it wont affect anything. you can consider them as valves of the steam pipeline. noland lee raised the telescope, closed one eye, and looked in the direction mars pointed with the other eye. indeed, the thickness of the magic protective cover in that area was thicker and darker than other places. it would not be easy to find it in a dimly lit environment without being told about this peculiar area. corporal mars said: the place i pointed out to you is a relatively important energy node, which is a necessary path for the death energy to flow in and out of the spirit pivot. if you modify the undead runes in that area, the magic protective cover will be significantly weakened. however, you may not recognize the undead runes in that small area. well talk about it then. noland lee nodded and thanked him casually. he focused his gaze on the unique area and cast the deconstruction technique. [system message: you are about to cast deconstruction on the energy node of the magic protective cover.] [as your undead rune studies level is 1, the energy points consumed for this deconstruction are reduced by 10%.] [estimated consumption of 90 points of energy to achieve a 100% degree of deconstruction.] [you currently have 15 points of energy available, do you wish to proceed with the deconstruction?] noland lee reserved 5 points of energy for backup, inputting 10 points into the deconstruction technique. a moment of dizziness passed, and a stream of information poured out from the depths of his mind. [system message: deconstruction successful!] [your deconstruction completion rate for the energy node has reached 11.1%. at the same time, the deconstruction completion rate for the entire magic protective cover has reached 0.3%.] [you have achieved the following deconstruction results:] your undead rune studies skill experience has slightly increased, allowing you to recognize more undead runes.] you have obtained the incomplete spell blueprint of soul shield with a completeness of 50%.] spell blueprints?! noland lee slightly opened his mouth, his heart full of astonishment. he quickly suppressed the joy in his heart, not allowing it to show on his face. maintaining the observation of the magic protective cover, he multitasked in his mind, opening the just-received spell blueprint. a three-dimensional figure, composed of dozens of black light spots and black lines, appeared before him. unfortunately: this three-dimensional figure was clearly missing half of it C while the left side was complete, the right side was marked with a question mark by the system. but! the incomplete spell blueprint did not make noland lee feel discouraged. after he consumed 1 point of energy and completely deconstructed this spell blueprint, the system sent him an exciting message: [you have acquired a death-related spell, details as follows:] [name]soul shield [type]death-related protective spell [level]l, can be leveled up to 100 [casting requirements] energy points are the mana and blue bar required for casting spells. soul strength is the casting material required for casting death-related spells. by drawing the spell blueprint, consume 1 point of energy and 0.1 point of soul strength to cast the spell. [effect] after casting this spell, your soul will be wrapped in a shield. any negative effect and damage applied to the soul, regardless of its potency and effect, will be completely blocked by the shield. as this skill is at level 1, the soul shield can block 1 soul-targeted attack for you.] [flaw] the shields duration is reduced from 60 seconds to 30 seconds. noland lee considered the flaw in this spell to be acceptable. the duration reduction of 30 seconds dramatically decreased the margin for error when casting. however, as long as his operation awareness was in place, he should still be able to use it to block damage and control effects. the damage to the soul from effects like the stone tomb bound spirits soul sacrifice can be blocked by soul shield. noland lee raised an eyebrow, a smile forming in his heart. the stone tomb of underground layer 2 was about to resurrect soon. ine soul smeld spell came just in time, providing mm witn a combat advantage in underground layer 2. if he could lure pim into the underground layer 2, the soul shield might have miraculous effects. not bad, quite clever.. Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: 46. Strong killing intent from the wall chapter 54: 46. strong killing intent from the wall translator: 549690339 there were less than 30 minutes left before the undead revival on the first underground level. the imperial army had finally wiped out the undead on the third underground level. a large number of air purification devices were installed all around the tomb hall by the soldiers. rolling white fog enveloped the remnants of the undead, quickly dispersing the yellow-green poisonous fog. it was time to deal with the death notice assassins on top of the tower. noland lee practiced the soul shield spell blueprint in his mind while standing up and hiding in the defensive shelter with mars and others, aiming their firearms at the two figures on top of the tower from a distance. the death priest was in poor condition. his figure was hunched and sluggish. the death energy flowing from his fingertips was now intermittent and nearly transparent, giving a sense of impending exhaustion. as for the death notice assassin who had undergone the undead transformation ritual, his skin was already dark gray, his eyes were blood-red, and his smirks were both unrestrained and mad, clearly full of energy. the undead runes, woven into tattoos covered every inch of his body. although his size had not changed much, these sinister and striking undead runes exuded a breath of destruction that should not be underestimated. that death priest is nearly done for, corporal mars frowned, pointing at the swaying figure, it looks like hes transferred all the death energy inside him to the death notice assassin. noland lee asked in confusion: isnt he afraid of being killed by us? can he really escape from the collapsing underworld cavern entrance? corporal mars shook his head: no, he doesnt need to run. we can only defeat his physical body here, but we cant really kill him. so him dying here makes no difference from escaping. i dont know the principle, but thats what sergeant major alvin stafford told me. noland lee pondered. it sounded like some kind of clone spell, or a spell puppet, or even a long-range resurrection spell. he wasnt quite sure which one it was. since there were too many spells that could achieve this effect in the fantasy works, he saw before crossing over. hmmC a deep cold wind blew from the direction of the spirit pivot, carrying a nauseating smell and a chilling coldness. noland lee his senses and looked up with a slightly focused gaze. he saw the death priest withdraw his palm from the death notice assassin. he turned around, raised his bone staff, and faced the imperial army with a pale and withered dead face. a black whirlwind suddenly appeared at the feet of the death priest. this whirlwind spiraled upward, quickly engulfing the death priests body. wind blades sliced his body like sharp blades, and countless fragments were swept away, pooling into the floating bone staff above him. what is he doing? noland lee was a bit confused by the situation before him. the other members of mars squad were in a daze; corporal mars was no exception. standing in the center of the defense line, lieutenant grett suddenly shouted to the soldiers: attention, everyone! the death priest has sacrificed himself to his evil wand! all of you, hurry up and before lieutenant grett could finish speaking, dozens of sturdy stone walls rose thunderously from the ground! the stone walls continued to rise, banging against the ceiling. in just three to five seconds, these stone walls divided the third underground level into dozens of closed areas. several imperial soldiers were caught off guard and were crushed into a pulp by the sudden stone walls against the ceiling. the frontline positions of the imperial army were cut apart by tall stone walls. just as noland lee managed to steady his footing from the shock of the stone walls, a new change occurred at the spirit pivot! a large amount of yellow-green poisonous fog jetted out from the top of the spirit pivot, mixing with the white fog emitted by the purification devices. as the poisonous fog gradually gained the upper hand, it pushed the white smoke back into the purification devices. with crackling noises, the air purification devices exploded into a shower of sparks, and then burst open with a bang. the falling poisonous fog completely destroyed the air purification devices! but it didnt stop there. noland lee glanced at his personal panel. unknowingly, a familiar negative effect appeared on his panel. it was the mental negative effect that could limit the range of sight and hearing perception obstruction. on the battlefield, lieutenant gretts voice was blocked by the stone walls, and the figures of other soldiers were also hidden behind the walls. all members of mars squad, however, were still together, not separated by the stone walls. as everyone was puzzled and uncertain, the experienced noland lee and corporal mars were the first to calm down. my field of vision has become very narrow, i can only see things within one or two meters nearby, is it the same for you guys? corporal mars asked in a deep voice. everyone responded affirmatively. it seemed that everyones vision was limited, but their hearing remained normal. in that case, everyone, gather around me and do not act separately. the squad members assembled around the team commander. corporal mars looked around at his squad members: you all must have seen the stone walls that emerged from the ground, blocking our path. this situation is similar to jarvis being trapped in the stone tomb. my idea is to use bombs to blast some walls and join the nearest engineering squad as soon as possible, as they have more bombs. everyone nodded. alright then. corporal mars pointed in a direction, lets start by blasting that wall, i remember the engineer squad is in that direction. boom. the muffled explosion sound came from the direction corporal mars pointed to. huh, is the engineer squad also blasting walls? corporal mars made a stay alert gesture and led the way out of the cover. noland lee, holding a revolver, walked at the end of the team. another boom sounded, this time clearer, and indeed came from the direction of the engineer squad. however, separated by several walls, the sound was somewhat blurry, making it difficult for people to judge whether the other party was blasting walls or bombing enemies. mars squad cautiously approached the stone wall. boom! corporal mars put his ear against the wall, listened attentively, and asked sergeant mike adams who was close to him: somethings wrong. did you hear the scream just now? sergeant mike adams nodded: i did, there was definitely a scream. as soon as sergeant mike adams words fell, corporal mars face drastically changed due to something he heard from behind the wall: quickly retreat! thats not the sound of explosions! big skeleton is smashing the wall! comi, prepare the bee syrup bomb! boom! a huge bone hammer covered in flesh and blood smashed through the stone wall. debris splattered, and dust filled the air. corporal mars, who was closest to the wall, was sent flying by the hammer and landed somewhere unknown. noland lee, being farther away, had enough reaction time. after hearing corporal mars call, noland lee immediately rolled over and then sprinted, quickly hiding behind the cover. looking towards where the giant hammer appeared, darkness filled noland lees vision. the perception obstruction stubbornly restricted his field of view, making it impossible for him to see the situation in the distance. this was a big problem noland lees eyebrows furrowed deeply. it wasnt that he was in trouble, but corporal mars and the others. with the mark of resentment on him, noland lee was not afraid of the undead causing trouble. as long as he did not encounter any intelligent undead, he was definitely the safest person on the scene.. Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: 47. Getting Started with Bone Cards chapter 55: 47. getting started with bone cards translator: 549690339 noland lee intended to assist comi with launching the bee syrup bombs. after emerging from his hideout, he listened intently to gauge the situation. the big skeleton was flailing its bone hammer about ten meters ahead. the gasps of two humans surrounded the big skeleton, seemingly holding it in place, drawing the creatures attention in place. so where was comi with the bomb launcher? noland shouted into the darkness: comi, where are you? do you need help? there was no response from comi in the darkness. on the other hand, in between dodging the big skeletons attacks, mike adams managed to yell out: jarvis quickly check on your right. comi seems to have been knocked out by a rock; he hasnt managed to launch the bee syrup bomb. alright, im on it.. noland lee started to move, asking at the same time: how is captain mars? not sure.. i think hes passed out. dont worry, hes taken two strengthening potions, his physical condition is much better than ours. distracted by the conversation, sergeant mike adams let his guard down, moaning as he was inadvertently grazed by the hefty bone hammer. noland lee ran to the last place he spotted comi. there was no one there. only a piece of cloth hanging on a sharp rock gave proof that someone had been there. was comi also in danger? where had his bee syrup bomb gone? nolands heart tightened slightly, as he yelled loudly: comi! comi! where are you?! we need the bee syrup bomb! the dark environment caused by perception obstruction seemed ready to swallow all life. after shouting for a while, noland received no response. the battle between sergeant mike adams and the big skeleton was growing more intense, screams of pain becoming more frequent. noland lee frowned lightly, realising that the odds were tipping against them. just as he turned around to support his comrades, a dark shadow fell from the sky, crashing onto the floor before him. comi?! nolands eyebrow twitched, as he held the revolver and glanced at the corpse on the ground, and above it. comi, who was still breathing just half a minute ago, had now become a desiccated, shriveled mummy. there were round wounds on his forehead and the back of his head, apparently left by some sort of piercing weapon. wait a second, wounds caused by a weapon? i feel like ive seen this somewhere before nolands heart missed a beat, as he suddenly realised that he had inadvertently revealed his intent to attack. he immediately twisted his waist and rolled to the side. wham! a long, thin shadow shot out from a high point, landing on the spot where noland had just been, breaking the stone bricks. the cavern stalker had sneakily launched an attack! this cunning sutured creature had killed comi and drained him into a mummy! all of this became clear to noland lee in an instant. he steadied himself during the roll, squatted, and raised his revolver towards seeing its attack had failed, the cunning cavern stalker retracted its black whip, ceasing all movement and silencing all sounds. it intended to evade nolands detection through silence, hoping to launch another creepy attack when he let his guard down. however, it had made a mistake this time. its enemy was not an ordinary imperial soldier. it was a man with the deconstruction core system. noland squinted into the direction from where the whip had come, executing a dozen deconstruction techniques. soon, he was able to accurately pinpoint the enemys location through the system message. did you think hiding as a stone would save you? die, creature! noland pulled the trigger. bang! a bullet spun out from the guns muzzle amidst a spark, accurately shooting towards the cavern stalker. a shrill screech came from the darkness overhead. noland decisively fired continuously, emptying the chamber, killing the cunning creature on the spot. with a splat sound, the cavern stalker exploded and died, sliding down from the wall, leaving a puddle of mud mixed with white bone fragments on the ground. noland slowly let out the breath he had been holding in his chest, replacing the ammunition while heading towards comis remains. rest in peace, soldier, i will use the bee syrup bomb to eliminate that big skeleton. however, this is not for the bullshit glory of the empire, but to increase my survival rate. facing the corpse, noland lee sighed in silence. he crouched down and took off the heavy supply backpack from the other persons body, carrying it on his own. before leaving, he looked back at the remains of the cavern stalker and noticed a faint light on them. noland lee was struck with a thought. seeing no one around, he quickly walked over to the remains, poked around the muck with his rune staff, and pulled out a bone fragment as fair as a maidens skin. this bone fragment was about the size of a one yuan coin, white as frost, untainted by stains, and quite extraordinary at first glance. noland lee cast a spell of deconstruction, raising his eyebrows immediately. [system message: you are trying to deconstruct the pure bone card.] [since you have mastered the common knowledge related to the necromancers summoning array, the energy points required for this deconstruction have dropped to o.] [do you confirm the deconstruction process?] this was noland lees first encounter with a situation where no energy points were consumed, and deconstruction could be carried out with 100% success. who wouldnt love a freeloader? noland lee grinned and muttered confirm deconstruction. [deconstruction success!] [you have obtained the panel information of this item:] [name] pure bone card [type] death-type magic material [usage 1] soul link engrave your magic mark, such as the mark of resentment, on the bone card to endow it with the effect of soul link. by placing the bone card inside the body of an undead creature, you can control the undead creature directly. note, this control method only works for mindless undead creatures and when they perish, you will feel pain at the soul level. [usage 2] store command engrave your magic mark on the bone card and conceive instructions to guide the actions of the undead creature and you can store the action commands in the bone card. upon placing the bone card inside the body of the undead creature, the undead will act according to the instructions on the bone card. noland lee tucked this little thing into the pocket of his clothes, secretly complimenting his own luck. this cavern stalker actually dropped a good loot. the academic name for this pristine bone fragment was pure bone card, a crucial prop for summoning undead constructs, sutured creatures, and other undead creatures. mindless undead creatures must strictly follow the commands of the summoner. the purpose of the bone cards is to store the summoners action commands. this is the most common usage. the usage of soul link mentioned in the deconstruction results was something noland lee learned of for the first time. however, thats not the key point. the key is: as noland lee followed the imperial army, he personally killed no less than 30 undead creatures along the way, witnessing the fall of countless undead creatures. but this was his first time discovering a pure bone card from the remains of an enemy. at other times, the bone cards he saw were all broken, terrible, damaged they were all completely destroyed by bullets, flamethrowers, or biochemical nectar, losing their value for reuse. only the piece in his hand now was pure, i.e., the kind that meets the material requirements for necromancer summoning rituals. this was what brought noland lee so much joy. ah! a scream came from the battlefield. noland lee steadied his thoughts, wiped out his distractions, and hurried over. mike! isaac! kovin! hold on! ive brought the bee syrup bomb! noland lee yelled as he approached the battlefield. he had seen koben and comi use bomb launchers and was now attempting to mimic them accurately. he carried this device, much like a rocket launcher, on his shoulder, lowered the sealing cover at both ends, loaded a bee syrup bomb from the front, flipped open the folding mechanical aiming device after a series of operations, the bomb launcher entered a ready state. attention! im about to fire! dont let the big skeleton escape! jarvis! shoot towards me! the big skeleton is between you and me. the elevation angle is about 15 degrees! the voice of sergeant mike adams came from the darkness, indicating the direction of the launch, even as he himself was hit by the big skeleton and cried out in pain. you didnt even need to talk i could find the big skeleton myself noland lee inhaled deeply, lifted his arms slightly, adjusted the angle, and pulled the trigger hard. bang! crack! the bomb exploded on the back of the big skeleton. the biochemical nectar swiftly penetrated the entire body, dissolving the form of the big skeleton. the big skeleton, which had been dominating just a little while ago, quickly wilted under the effect of the biochemical nectar.. Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: 48. Spider on the wall chapter 56: 48. spider on the wall translator: 549690339 upon seeing the big skeleton turn to debris, mike adams and two other soldiers breathed a sigh of relief as they slumped to the ground, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath. noland lee entered their field of vision, letting out a deep sigh: comi has been sacrificed, killed by the cavern stalker. ive avenged him. the three of them looked downcast. noland lee glanced at their injuries, took off his backpack with supplies, and put it in front of them: youd better use the medical supplies in the bag to treat your injuries. im going to check on mars. jarvis, wait sergeant mike adams took comis silenced short-barreled rifle from the supply backpack and handed it to noland lee, who was about to turn and leave: take this with you. dont go too far; well come find you once weve bandaged our wounds. yes, chief officer. noland lee slung the silenced short-barreled rifle over his shoulder and buckled the bullet bag to his waist before stepping into the darkness. deconstruction became noland lees eyes in the darkness. he cautiously approached where corporal mars had disappeared, constantly casting deconstruction. floors, stone bricks, stone walls, ceiling anything that appeared before him was identified by his deconstruction technique. however, among all the system messages, there was no trace of corporal mars. did i get the direction wrong, or was mars dragged away by the undead? noland lee felt a sinking feeling in his heart, realizing that something was wrong. faint vibrations were in the air, signaling that the imperial soldiers were fighting elsewhere. from it, noland lee discerned screams, gunshots, explosions, and the muffled sound of bone hammers hitting stone walls. it seemed that mars squad was not the only one being attacked at the same time. he wondered how many imperial soldiers would be left after this battle. and where was the death notice assassin turned undead lurking? was he fighting lieutenant grett? noland lee had many questions in his heart. honestly, if not for knowing that on the first underground level of the temporary camp there was a secret imperial captain, he would have been pondering how to escape from the increasingly pessimistic battlefield by now. marsha murphy, the captain with the strength of a third order imperial fist, should be the trump card of the imperial army on this trip. no fool would dare to provoke an enemy knowing there was a big shot supporting them. if noland hadnt guessed wrong, marsha murphy was the imperial armys trump card for turning the tables in their disadvantage and ensuring lieutenant gretts survival and the armys victory. hehehe look what ive found an ominous voice came from the darkness, as raspy as a blunt knife sawing through wood, like a low wailing of lost souls. who? noland lee frowned, pulling out the short-barreled rifle from behind him and aiming it at the high point on the wall in front of him. the area was pitch black, as if some creature with multiple legs was crawling on the wall. noland could hear the sound of footsteps rubbing against the wall. he had previously checked the wall with deconstruction, and the system feedback showed only stone bricks and nothing else. but now, when he cast deconstruction again, the system indicated that an unknown undead creature was clinging to the wall, watching him. just then, nolands field of vision was artificially adjusted from being able to see a range of only one or two meters to ten meters. as his field of vision expanded, the unknown undead creature on the wall came into noland lees sight. noland suddenly felt his scalp tighten, and the hairs on his body stood on end. it was a spider-like undead creature, half-human and half-spider! it had eight furry spider legs, with outward-turned joints and a terrifying appearance. its black feet were covered in suction cups, enabling it to easily stand on vertical walls like a real spider. the upper half of its body was an undead being with undead runes all over its skin. the creatures eyes were a striking crimson, as if they could spill vivid blood. from the contours of its face, it was sin soldier no. 039, the death herald guilds assassin! it had actually become like this! why was it here? wasnt it supposed to cause trouble for lieutenant grett? as noland instantly recognized the enemys identity, he cautiously moved backward step by step. for every step he retreated, the spider monster advanced by one step. the spider monster had a playful smile on its face, as if toying with its prey. its two chelate were shaped like hooks, and their fangs shimmered with a faint green light in the dim environment. pieces of tough-looking bone armor were arranged on its head and chest. as for its eight spider legs, they moved as agilely as serpents. system feedback showed that deconstructing this monster completely would require a total of 1500 energy points, half more than what was needed to deconstruct lieutenant grett. noland knew very well in his heart that he couldnt fight or defeat such an opponent. even escaping from it would be a problem. he could only hope that comrades like sergeant mike adams would hurry over to provide support. sin soldier no. 888 hehehe didnt expect us to meet again, huh? the spider monster let out a series of creepy laughter: before entering the second underground layer, i found out that you know a lot about undead runes, much more than ordinary people. where did you learn about undead runes? hmm? sin soldier no. 888. tell me who taught you? give me your answer. thats the only way ill consider sparing you. noland remained silent, staring intently at the enemy while slowly moving his feet closer to where mike adams and the others were. the spider monster suddenly let out a soft chuckle, opened its mandibles, and revealed its ferocious fangs before spitting out a white substance with a puff. noland dodged to the side and quickly jumped away. the white object landed on the ground with a plop, spreading out a large grayish-white spider web and blocking nolands retreat. dont move. hehehe. next time, i wont have a slip-up. the spider monsters abdomen twitched for a moment. a thick, bowl-sized strand of spider silk shot out from its belly toward the sky, pulling a bulging cocoon of spider webs from somewhere out of sight. nolands pupils slightly contracted. his gaze penetrated through the semi-transparent cocoon, and he could clearly see the silhouette of a person wrapped inside. it was none other than corporal mars, who had been missing for some time. he was wrapped with several layers of spider webbing, and there was only a small slit barely allowing him to breathe through the filter cartridge of his breathing mask. now, answer my question honestly. who taught you the undead runes? the spider monster closed in, swung the cocoon of webs in front of noland, and threatened: if you dont tell me, ill wrap you up, slowly corrode your brain and body with saliva, and savor your pain.. Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: 49. No need for deconstruction chapter 57: 49. no need for deconstruction translator: 549690339 faced with the spider monsters interrogation and coercion, noland lee knew that he could not betray the imperial army for the time being and reveal any information about the broken coffin plan. not for any glory of the empire, nor for any mission of an imperial man. as a newcomer traveler, he had no deep- rooted stance or concept. the only reason that made him temporarily submit was strength. on the side of the imperial army, captain marsha murphy was in charge, but the death herald guild and the undead cult had not arranged any other trump cards at the scene C at least noland lee had not discovered them yet. under such circumstances, any rational traveler would not try to please the spider monster in front of them while knowing that there are powerful people hidden in the army. but the spider monster didnt know what kind of powerful enemies were hidden within the imperial army. it just wanted to extract information from nolands mouth. seeing that noland showed somberness and some fear but was unwilling to reveal any secrets, the spider monster sneered mockingly and said: i didnt expect this sin soldier to be so loyal. heh. arent you afraid to die, sin soldier no. 888? my spider silk can easily slit your throat and kill you or torture you slowly like a blade as the spider monster was speaking, in the dark not far away, the voices of mike adams and others came: jarvis- jarvis- where are you- damn, captain mars is gone, and jarvis is missing too how did they both disappear without making a sound at all.. wed better not split up in search. both of them vanished after they were alone. maybe its the cavern stalkers who took them jarvis- where are you- captain mars- can you hear us? noland lee glanced back, barely seeing the silhouette of mike adams and the other two. his own field of view had been artificially raised a bit, but the field of view of the three of mike adams remained the same. so even if noland had been able to see them, they couldnt see him at all. the spider monster said sinisterly: you dont have to tell me who taught you the undead runes; its fine. ill make you talk, or ill make mars talk. the spider silk cocoon that wrapped corporal mars opened a gap, and the upper half of corporal mars face was exposed, but the mask of his mouth was still firmly sealed by the spider web, unable to open>. corporal mars was frantically signaling to noland with his eyes, filled with the meaning of generously sacrificing his life C go! jarvis! go! dont worry about me! before noland had any chance to take action, the spider monster opened its mouthparts and vomited three times in succession. three bundles of sticky spider web draw parabolas in the air, landing around sergeant mike adams and the other two one after another, forming a spiderweb cage, trapping the three of them inside. what the hell is this? i cant move my feet! its a spiderweb! were in trouble! weve run into cavern evil spiders! no wonder mars and jarvis are gone, they must have been captured by this guy! the spider monster let out a hearty moan. it raised its head, grinning and shouted: you two watch, i am going to eat the three imperial soldiers right in front of you! hehehe! with its eight spider legs moving rapidly, the spider monster took a tick-tock dance step on the vertical wall, bypassing noland and rushing straight towards mike adams and the other two behind him. noland seized the opportunity and tried to rescue corporal mars. however, as soon as he took a step forward, his back leg was suddenly wrapped in a spiderweb, firmly fixed in place. just stay there and watch! sin soldier 888! youre not going anywhere! just enjoy my bloody feast honestly! the sharp laughter frightened everyone. seeing the oncoming monster, mike adams and the other two panicked, raising their guns and shooting. corporal mars, like a squid on a scorching hot iron plate, fiercely twisted his body, wanting to break free from the binding of the spiderweb cocoon. noland exhibited the quality of calmer in danger and became the only person on the scene who remained calm. he narrowed his eyes to look at the spiderweb that bound his leg and found countermeasures without having to cast deconstruction after some thinking! he put down his short-barreled rifle, flipped the backpack on his back to the front, pulled the zipper open, and quickly rummaged through it with his head down. found it! noland lee pulled out an iron kettle from his bag, unscrewed the cap, and poured the liquid inside on his heel. within just two seconds, more than half of the spider web had disappeared. noland lee exerted force on his thigh, stomped the ground with his back foot, and successfully freed himself from the webs restraint. seeing this, corporal mars was overjoyed. a strong smell of the liquid invaded his nostrils, and he immediately understood what was going on. noland lee had used a protease-rich potion. corporal mars was drenched with the potion from head to toe in noland lees hands. as soon as he could speak, he praised: you really are a teaching assistant! you managed to find a solution in such a short time! hurry, hurry, open my jacket pocket, theres a special copper whistle inside, blow it quickly! noland lee quickly tore open the spider web in front of the corporals chest and took out an antique-style copper whistle. noland lee removed his breathing mask and blew forcefully. the ball inside the whistle was driven by the air flow, spinning wildly, but no high-pitched and piercing sound came out. is this whistle broken!? noland lee put his mask back on, looked at the copper whistle in his palm, and was at a loss. its not broken, its not! the sound it makes is just inaudible to us. mars mustered all his strength, finally breaking free from the gradually dissolving spider web. he grabbed his rifle, lifted it up, and shot at the spider monster: monster! your enemy is me! jarvis, keep blowing the whistle, keep blowing! someone will come to save us soon! this whistle is specially prepared for intermediate undead forces! noland lee continued to lift his mask, blowing the whistle with great effort. bullets clattered all over the spider monster, but they were like peanuts hitting a stone, bouncing off and rattling on the stone brick ground. at this moment, the spider monster was in the midst of inflicting torture on the soldiers in front of it, fully engaged in its bloody killing spree. after this barrage of gunfire, it fell into a state of rage, the red light in its eyes flared up like headlights. you two bastards, dare to interrupt my meal! the spider monster raised its head: now die! i will dig out your hearts and chew them up in one bite! the spider monster screeched incessantly, abandoned the three soldiers in front of it, and turned towards mars and noland lee. plop plop plop! several webs were ejected from its mouth, flying towards noland lee and mars one after another. noland lee rolled sideways and narrowly avoided the volley of webs, with the copper whistle still clenched in his mouth. it wasnt until he couldnt hold his breath any longer that he put his mask back on. with a slight bend of its eight legs, the spider monster leaped into the air, like an eagle swooping down on its prey, aiming at the just-straightened soldier: die! die! i will eat your brain! noland lee and mars had just reloaded their bullets, and they immediately dodged and shot, smashing bullets into the enemys body. boom! a sudden burst of noise came from the side, and a red pillar of flame pierced through the shattered stonewall, targeting the spider monster suspended in mid-air and getting bombarded with bullets. the spider monsters face changed drastically. it quickly contracted its abdomen, pulling on the spider silk connected to the ceiling. with the pulling ot the spider silk, it quickly soared upward and disappeared into the darkness. the flame pillar brushed past the spider monster from below. the intense heat distorted the light and shadows, but it didnt hurt the monster at all. as soon as the spider monster left, noland lees field of vision reverted to normal, and he could only see the scenery within a meter or two of him.. Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: 50. Stinkbug Flies chapter 58: 50. stinkbug flies translator: 549690339 the stone wall was pierced by the flame pillar, shattering rocks and scattering dust. lieutenant gretts voice came through the sound of falling stones: this cavern evil spider is really cunning! i was just a little short of hitting it each time! which team just blew the copper whistle? are you guys still alive? were still alive cough, cough, cough sergeant mars waved away the dust in front of him, coughing as he spoke: chief officer, mars squad reporting to you! thank you for coming to our aid! upon hearing the name of the squad, lieutenant gretts tone became more serious as he yelled towards the dark area separated by the wall: be careful! mars! that cavern evil spider is a death notice assassin transformed. its target is you and sin soldier no. 888! its after our plan! dont let it succeed! you havent told it anything, have you? no, chief officer! sergeant mars glanced in nolands direction but saw nothing due to the darkness obscuring his figure: neither i nor sin soldier 888 have betrayed the empire. that cavern evil spider knows nothing! thats good! stay where you are, ill be right over. from now on, youll act with me, and do not leave my sight. lieutenant grett clanged against the stone wall, attempting to enlarge the hollow in the wall to accommodate his giant figure. sergeant mars turned to noland and shouted: jarvis, come over here. yes, chief officer. noland replied, holding his silenced rifle, inching closer. his vigilance did not waver. when he saw the flame pillar, he knew it was lieutenant grett coming to their rescue. but this did not mean the crisis was averted. in fact, noland had already located the cavern evil spider hiding on the ceiling using deconstruction. just as lieutenant grett had said, this cavern evil spider which had transformed from the death notice assassin, had come for their secret plan. after hiding on the ceiling, it did not leave the area due to lieutenant gretts arrival. its target was right here. it would not give up easily, even if lieutenant grett was here. it lingered on the ceiling like a cunning hunter honing in on its prey, ready to strike at any moment of vulnerability. as noland moved, his eyes constantly lingered on the ceiling above him, releasing deconstruction repeatedly to keep track of the enemys movements. sergeant mars saw noland emerge from the darkness. following nolands gaze upward, he saw nothing but impenetrable darkness: whats wrong, jarvis? what are you looking at? noland told the truth: chief officer, i have this feeling that the cavern evil spider hasnt left. it seems to be watching us from directly above our heads. sergeant mars clenched his rifle, frowning as he scanned the ceiling, but never finding a trace of the enemy. he listened. besides the noise of lieutenant grett smashing the wall, nothing else seemed noteworthy in the air. sergeant mars looked away, gesturing for noland to follow: jarvis, dont overthink it. that monster must have temporarily fled to someplace farther away. lets hurry and join lieutenant grett. just then, two faint vibrations of air came from above. nolands gaze sharpened, grabbing sergeant mars arm and pulling him to the side. with a couple of splats, two globs of sticky spider web fell from the sky, landing next to them and forming two web walls. rlhvvo more air vibrations came through. this time even sergeant mars heard the sound. without even having a chance to thank noland, he pushed him away, dodging the attack, then leveled his gun to fire. but before he pulled the trigger, a glob of spider web accurately struck his gun, wrapping it up and whisking it toward the ceiling with a whoosh. and just like that, sergeant mars had been disarmed! after avoiding the cobwebs, noland lee didnt pull out his gun to shoot, but instead took out his copper whistle and blew it again. at the moment corporal marss gun was taken away by the cavern evil spider, lieutenant grett, using his special ear structure, heard the whistle. this damn creature is still here!?! lieutenant grett roared: where is it? can any of you see it? quickly fire your bullets, let me hear the sound of the bullet impact, so i can pinpoint its location! noland lee remained calm and composed, showing no alarm in the face of danger. he raised his rifle, squinting towards the sky, ignoring the layers of darkness, and fired several shots in rapid succession. for the first five shots, he aimed near the cavern evil spider on the ceiling, deliberately missing to create the illusion that he was searching for the enemys position with his bullets. with the last shot, he precisely targeted the cavern evil spider. the sound of a bullet hitting stone bricks is different from the sound of hitting the cavern evil spider. the former is sharper, while the latter is more of a dull thud like a throwing imife hitting a wooden stake. upon hearing the distinct sound of impact, lieutenant grett immediately raised his right hand and released a flame pillar at the point of impact. the cavern evil spider, having been hit by the bullet, screeched: damn you, sin soldier! how can your luck be so good?! how did you find me so quickly!? facing the incoming flame pillar, the cavern evil spiders anger surged: grett! ill tear you apart! it leaped from the ceiling, narrowly avoiding the scorching flame pillar. although it said it was going after grett, the creatures body, under the guidance of its spider lines, completed a high-difficulty aerial change of direction and swooped down towards mars belowtruly cunning. the light of the flame pillar could illuminate ordinary darkness but could not dispel the perception obstruction darkened vision. noland lee could lock onto the cavern evil spiders movements through deconstruction, but corporal mars couldnt see the cavern evil spider in the light from the flame pillar. mars didnt know that the cavern evil spider was already pouncing on him! noland had to think of a reasonable way to remind mars. his mind spun rapidly, and in an instant, he had a plan. chief officer, catch this gun. noland tossed the rifle with both hands, intentionally throwing it to the empty space beside mars, instead of directly tossing it to mars himself. corporal mars heard nolands voice and reached out to catch the gun. in order to accurately catch the rifle, he instinctively moved half a meter to the side. this shift, just enough to make the pouncing cavern evil spider miss. as soon as corporal mars grabbed the rifle and looked sideways, he came eye-to-eye with the cavern evil spider corporal mars was startled by the sudden appearance of the monster and hurriedly held the rifle horizontally, pushing it forward to block the chela reaching towards his chest: its here, sir! its right in front of me! whoosh! a flame pillar responded instantly! corporal mars rolled on the spot, dodging the dangerous flames. at the same time, the cavern evil spider retreated back to the ceiling: ah! my patience is exhausted! damn imperial fist, damn imperial soldiers. the most damnable is you, sin soldier! youre always ruining my plans! all of you can go to hell, all of you! the cavern evil spider roared in anger. as unknown to what it did, the air was suddenly filled with a strong stench, along with a buzzing sound like swarms of locusts moving in unison. not good! this thing doesnt plan to leave any survivors! its summoning the stinkbug flies! lieutenant grett cried out anxiously: run, both of you! dont let the poisonous insects catch up with you! ill hold this monster here! you both hurry up and retreat with the other soldiers to the first underground level, dont mind me! ill cover your backs! corporal mars choked out: sir! go! lieutenant grett shouted without any doubt: the cavern evil spider is even stronger than me.. the stinkbug flies it summoned with all its power are enough to kill all the soldiers on the scene! hurry up and tell everyone to retreat! this is an order! Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: 51. The Second Copper Whistle chapter 59: 51. the second copper whistle translator: 549690339 jarvis, follow me! lets save mike and his men! sergeant mars swung his hand, beckoning noland lee to follow him as they rushed towards where mike and his men were located. a scream from the cavern evil spiders echoed from above: you will not escape! no one is allowed to leave! i will drain your brains! a column of flame shot towards the ranting cavern evil spider, lieutenant grett had made his move, intending to hold the enemy back with all his might. but this time, the cavern evil spider faced the column of flame without choosing to flee. it stayed on the ceiling, with its chest bone armor split in half, a massive dark green airflow gushing from its chest cavity. the putrid smell of decay instantly filled the battlefield, accompanied by constant booming hums of insect wings. upon closer inspection, it was apparent that the dark green airflow gushing from its chest was composed of countless green-headed flies. the outcome was clear when the stinkbug flies faced the biochemical giants flame pillar. what was initially capable of penetrating fragmented stone walls and torching lower-level undeads, the flame pillar was now encountering a formidable opponent. the glossy green flies were seemingly immune to the flames, showcasing impressive fire resistance. they charged right at the flame pillar, like moths to a flame, stubbornly crashing into it. the high temperature of the flame pillar didnt seem to affect the flies, it couldnt even ignite them. for every inch advanced by the flies, the flame pillar was forced to retreat by the same length. the cavern evil spider laughed triumphantly, utterly arrogant: wahahaha! feel my power! grett! my little darlings will shred your body, and eat every piece of your flesh! there was a sudden increase in the airflow spewed out by the cavern evil spider, even more green-headed flies emerged from its body. the flame pillar was suddenly reduced to half its original length by the surge of insects. the immense swarm of flies was on the brink of attaching to lieutenant gretts face. activate overload mode! inject pain suppression drug! inject rapid-release hemocell! inject vortex response catalyst! lieutenant grett roared to the sky. the flame pillar emerging from his palm expanded exponentially, transforming into a veritable fire dragon, barely managing to fight back to a stalemate in his struggle with the stinkbug flies. mars and noland lee found mike and his men. aside from sergeant mike, the other two soldiers had already fallen. sergeant mars looked grim, but there was no time to mourn due to the urgency of the situation. he lifted mike, whose leg was broken, onto his back, saluted to lieutenant grett before turning and leaving with noland: jarvis, we need to move quickly. we cant let lieutenant gretts sacrifice be in vain. hes activated his auxiliary injection chamber, that could buy us at most 20 minutes. we must inform the other soldiers to retreat as quickly as we can noland picked up mikes severed leg and followed mars, running away from the battlefield. his face showed a well-executed performance of shock and admiration, while his heart remained calm, like that of a bystander. lieutenant gretts self-sacrifice, risking his own life for his men was indeed commendable. however, to be honest, noland wasnt worried about lieutenant gretts situation. he was certain that the odds were high that grett would turn the danger into safety. based on nolands earlier conjecture, it should be about time for marsha murphy to make her move. she would come to the third underground level to deal with the cavern evil spider, and rescue lieutenant grett. this action would kill two birds with one stone, it would both preserve the strength of the imperial army and remove obstructions before they could reach the spirit pivot. captain murphy had no reason to refuse. as long as she was not foolish, she would definitely act accordingly. of course, this was just nolands own guess. what direction the actual situation would develop in. was not for him to determine. regardless, it was an absolute impossibility to stay at the third underground level. returning to the first underground level was the wisest choice, otherwise, they might be affected by the aftermath of the battle between the powerhouses. noland lee looked at mike adams on marss back, who had fainted due to a fractured thigh and excessive blood loss. he wasnt sure if he could make it to the first underground level. he then glanced back at the incessant darkness where roars and screeches entwined. lieutenant grett was engaged in a fierce battle with the cavern evil spiders. noland lee felt somewhat powerless. he was too weak at the moment, only capable of protecting himself, but he couldnt intervene in battles of this level. however, noland lee believed that, given time, he would certainly be able to control the entire situation. jarvis, i have an idea. leading the way, corporal mars suddenly stopped, turned back, and said. you take sergeant mike adams up first, quickly. or he will bleed to death. i will take care of notifying other squads to retreat and in the meantime, try to find any traces of sergeant alvin stafford. what do you think of this plan? noland lee pondered for a moment and nodded, saying: no problem, chief officer. come, take mike. noland lee half-squatted and moved the blood-soaked casualty onto his back. mikes fractured thigh had been briefly treated by mars with a medical spray. the heavy bleeding had stopped, but small amounts of blood were still oozing out. noland lee could no longer care about the slippery feeling of the semi-coagulated blood; immediately, with both hands, he secured sergeant mike to his back, sandwiched mikes broken leg between his waist. corporal mars raised his hand, pointing in a direction: the staircase to underground layer 2 is right there. i estimate that the guards stationed at the staircase have already blown up a pathway to retreat using a bomb. you should be able to go without any obstructions and not be blocked by a stone wall. hurry up and get going, jarvis, be careful along the way! yes, chief officer. noland lee took a few heavy steps and then turned to score some favorability: be careful, chief officer, you must come back alive, as we still have a special mission to accomplish. corporal mars was slightly taken aback, resolve glinting on his face: right, a special mission. compared to this mission, our current setbacks are nothing. once ive notified the other soldiers, ill come and join you as soon as possible. yes, chief officer. noland lee turned and left. corporal mars stayed put for a few seconds, watching as the figure of noland lee disappeared into the darkness. when noland lee had walked far enough, corporal mars reached into his inner pocket and took out another quaintly styled copper whistle. commander murphy, you were right the death herald guild did indeed intend to eliminate lieutenant grett here. fortunately, you arrived at this grave vault in advance, ready to rescue lieutenant grett. corporal mars put the copper whistle to his mouth, blew hard, sending a whistle sound that could not be heard by ordinary humans. that should be enough i dont know how long it would take for captain murphy to come im sorry, mike, isaac, kovin. captain murphy only allowed me to use this copper whistle after lieutenant grett activated auxiliary injection chamber. i absolutely cannot violate the principles and orders of the military. im sorry just as he finished speaking, a gust of wind brushed past his ear, causing his clothes to rustle in the wind. a cold female voice echoed from behind him: well done, corporal mars. your message was very timely. corporal mars was startled, not expecting captain murphy to have arrived at the third underground level so quickly. the vertical distance between the first and third underground levels alone was as much as 50 meters. including the length of the tomb passage and staircase, it was at least a kilometer. the strength of a third order imperial fist was really hard to comprehend. still in shock, corporal mars wiped the tears off his face and saluted the darkness before him. reporting to you, chief officer lieutenant grett and the cavern evil spiders are in that direction. hmm, i can feel it the repugnant aura of the undead spirits and the heightened spirit of morale brought on by the injection of a potent battle potion.. Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: 52. Army without a leader chapter 60: 52. army without a leader translator: 549690339 captain murphy took a step forward, entering the field of vision of corporal mars. her tall figure was hidden under a black cloak, and a black hood covering her face was added to her head. she wasnt wearing an imperial uniform, but instead had changed into a black outfit with no logos or identification numbers. no matter from which angle, she looked like a person in all black, difficult to associate with the imperial army, and even her gender was difficult to discern. if not for knowing her identity in advance, no one would connect her with the army. through her drooping hat brim and strands of hair, captain murphys gaze fell on mars face, stained with dirt and tears: did lieutenant grett give you any orders? he told me to inform the soldiers to retreat to the first underground level, said corporal mars. then you go follow his command, mars. ill take care of the field. also, i heard your muttering. your teammates are all brave imperial soldiers, and ill provide them with triple the compensation. once the broken coffin plan is successful, each will receive an additional medal. corporal mars took a deep breath, his head heavy with emotion: yes, chief officer. captain murphy continued: im going to kill the cavern evil spider now, ending this battle unfavorable to the empire. when the cavern evil spider is dead, ill take lieutenant grett away. corporal mars, remember my command: keep my presence here secret and dont let anyone know i was here. as for lieutenant grett, he has already heroically sacrificed himself here. do you understand? with a serious expression, corporal mars straightened his posture and replied: yes, chief officer, i understand. until the broken coffin plan is successful, you are an empire officer who perished in tomb no.669. lieutenant grett is also a hero of the empire who died in grave no.1079. very well, go on. do what you must. captain murphy took a step back, her body fading into the darkness. a chilly gust of wind blew, and captain murphy followed it, rushing towards the distant battlefield like a whirlwind. once again, corporal mars felt his heart quiver at the strength of a third order extraordinary person. he identified the direction and ran to the nearest hole in the wall: quickly retreat! quickly retreat! intermediate undead forces have appeared here! its a murderous cavern evil spider, transformed by a death notice assassin! lieutenant grett is buying us time; we must retreat quickly, or his sacrifice will be in vain! on the other hand, noland lee was carrying sergeant mike adams, slowly walking along the wall. he suddenly felt a faint breeze brush past him, stirring the yellow-green poisonous fog and leaving ripples. noland lee raised his eyebrows thoughtfully, turning his body towards mars direction and throwing a series of deconstruction techniques. [system message: you are about to launch the deconstruction technique on special copper whistle] [system message: you are about to launch the deconstruction technique on marsha murphy] oh, so thats why. noland lees eyes lit up slightly, revealing an enlightened expression. no wonder corporal mars was determined to act separately; he wanted to secretly use the second copper whistle to contact captain murphy. then it seems that the outcome of the battle on the third underground level is basically determined. the cavern evil spiders strength is roughly equal to 1.5 first order imperial fists, far from a third order imperial fist. it is estimated that in a few rounds, the cavern evil spider will be smashed into mud by captain murphy. i really want to see how this battle scene goes, but unfortunately, i still have a mission however, to be honest. corporal mars is quite ruthless. really ruthless. he clearly had a trump card in hand, but he watched his team get wiped out before calling captain murphy to help. noland lee didnt quite understand the reason behind this. anyway, he felt that if he had a weapon capable of turning the tide, he wouldnt wait until all his teammates were dead to use it. noland lee shook his head slightly and continued towards the staircase. in his mind, the thought of leaving the dreadful suffering borderland became increasingly firm. near the staircase of the third underground level. the imperial soldiers stationed here were busily overwhelmed. seriously injured on the battlefield, the wounded would be carried by squad members to the staircase, and then taken by the guards watching the staircase to the upper level for treatment. the guards watching the staircase were exhausted by all this effort. carrying people back and forth on the lengthy stairwell was a grueling task, even for guards who had been injected with a strengthening potion. what the hell happened at this level of the grave vaults? after the stone wall rose from the ground, why did so many wounded people suddenly start turning up here? the guard leaned against the wall at the entrance of the staircase, panting and muttering under his breath. the two other guards next to him were in a similar state. their rapid consumption of physical strength made their faces pale and their arms and thighs tremble slightly. there shouldnt be any major problems didnt you notice that the wounded brought here were all injured by the bone hammer of the big skeleton? i estimate that the big skeleton should have been killed by our people at this point. i hope so hey? theres someone else coming. the guards stopped talking and looked up at the figure emerging from the poisonous fog. he had a surprised look in his eyes. no wonder, though! noland lee suddenly discovered that he had left the range of the perception obstruction technique! it turned out that near the staircase, the influence of perception obstruction had reached its limits. his vision instantly returned to normal, and the negative effects indicated on his personal panel disappeared at the same time. it seemed that the perception obstruction only affected a certain area of the third underground level, not the entire level. noland lee collected his thoughts, and with an anxious expression on his face, he said to the guards who were looking at him: quick, evacuate! there are cavern evil spiders here! cavern evil spiders?! the three guards watching the staircase were close to jumping up on the spot: are you sure? the guards face showed doubt. noland lee had anticipated their reaction. he propped up mike adams on his back, freeing up his right hand to reach into his pocket and pull out his copper whistle, showing it to the soldiers: really, im not lying to you. as soon as we encountered the cavern evil spiders, corporal mars had me use this copper whistle to call for support. lieutenant grett arrived just in time. he saved me, corporal mars, and sergeant mike adams on my back, holding off the frenzied cavern evil spiders. his command to corporal mars was to let all the soldiers on the third underground level evacuate as soon as possible! as noland lee spoke, his tone was urgent, but with clear logic. only then did the guards believe him and stepped aside to make way for him. at this moment, many soldiers emerged from the poisonous fog and converged near the entrance of the stairwell. they looked obviously panicked on their faces. this scene struck right at the hearts of the guards watching the staircase. did you encounter cavern evil spiders as well? yes, mate, we better retreat now. lieutenant grett is sacrificing his life to block the intermediate undead creatures for us. we must regroup on the first underground level by the way, has anyone seen sergeant alvin stafford? we didnt see him the whole way here. facing the inquiry, the guards watching the staircases looked downcast: sergeant alvin stafford is in a coma due to severe injuries! he is too old and his body is already weak. after using too many life-draining battle potions, he has been taken to the campsite on the first underground level by his guards. this is really terrible! with sergeant alvin stafford unconscious, and lieutenant grett held up by the cavern evil spiders who among us can act as a commander? the soldiers looked at each other. sergeant pim one soldier gritted his teeth and said: this disgusting military intelligence section two investigator is the highest-ranking officer here if we return to the first underground level, we will definitely have to follow his command, until sergeant alvin stafford wakes up or the korabo legion sends a new commander. noland lees pupils shrank slightly.. Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: 53. Act after careful planning chapter 61: 53. act after careful planning translator: 549690339 if sergeant pim wanted to bury the entire imperial army in this ancient tomb, he would have to complete two steps: beheading and seizing power. beheading, that is, using the undead to kill lieutenant grett and sergeant alvin stafford, causing the imperial army to fall into a state of leaderlessness. seizing power is to take advantage of the military rank when the army has no commanders and control the overall situation. now, sergeant alvin stafford is unconscious, and lieutenant grett is being held down by the cavern evil spiders. thus, sergeant pim has become the undisputed commander. the soldiers didnt like this guy, but they had no choice but to follow orders and walk into the staircase, heading to the first underground level to face their new commander noland lee, carrying the unconscious sergeant mike adams, walked in the middle of the team, thinking as he walked. he always felt that he had overlooked some details. some critical details. look, captain murphy appeared on the third underground level as expected, going to rescue lieutenant grett. then after that, wouldnt lieutenant grett return to the first underground level? isnt the command of the imperial army still in the hands of intelligence department 4? not seized by sergeant pim from division intelligence unit two. but if thats the case, how do you explain that lieutenant grett didnt die on the third underground level? wasnt he supposed to be killed by the cavern evil spiders? furthermore, if one tries to forcefully explain the reason why lieutenant grett didnt die, it inevitably involves the hidden power within the imperial army. that would likely expose the existence of marsha murphy. noland lees eyes flashed with insight, and he suddenly understood. so, lieutenant grett must die. its just a nominal death, not an actual sacrifice. after being saved by captain murphy, he would go from being in the open to being covert, becoming a hero who died gloriously in the eyes of the soldiers and a dead soul in sergeant pims eyes. but why would captain murphy want grett to die in name only? noland lee was a bit confused, not fully understanding the situation, and felt that there was a hidden secret he did not know about. he shook his head to drive away the distractions and started thinking about his predicament. his situation is very bad. with sergeant alvin stafford unconscious and lieutenant grett disappearing, it means that there will be no one to help him block the pressure from sergeant pim. this death notice spy, sergeant pim, is likely to target him with devious means. how should he deal with it then? should he rely on corporal mars and fight him head-on? noland lee shook his head slightly, denying the idea. after all, corporal marss military rank is a level lower, making it difficult for him to deter sergeant pim. he must figure out another way. the soul shield protects his soul. but thats not enough. his body must also be protected. the best method is to master a death-type offensive spell, strike decisively when facing pims threat to his life, and crush pims malice. but, death-type offensive spells are too flashy, and its easy to attract others attention, which is not suitable for dealing with pim in front of the soldiers moreover, he had not yet deconstructed an offensive death spell. in that case, summoning an undead to fight for him would be better. after the undead on the first and second underground levels are revived, their traces can be seen everywhere. the undead that noland lee summons can hide among the undead army until the critical moment. this plan has its pros and cons. the advantage is that the undead he summons have the undead army as cover and will not be distinguished by the imperial army. however, the disadvantage is that it could be accidentally injured by the imperial army. but even this disadvantage is not without a solution. choosing the cavern stalkers as the summoning target would solve the problem. their appearance is just like stone bricks, so as long as they dont make unnecessary movements, they wont attract the attention of the imperial soldiers and can survive in battle. noland lee reached into his pocket and held the chilly bone card in his hand, continuing to think. he now possessed the pure bone card, the core material for summoning undead creatures. there were plenty of bones and corpse fragments needed for the summoning in the grave vaults. the bone-melting powder needed for the summoning rituals should be the white bone ash on the skeleton warriors, which can be found everywhere and is not scarce. now he just needed the spell to summon the cavern stalkers. but where should he look for this spell? what should be deconstructed to get the summoning spell blueprints for the cavern stalkers? noland frowned slightly, his thoughts spinning rapidly. the next second, he slapped his forehead and muttered to himself that he was well, theres no need to take the risk of being discovered and summon the undead creatures directly. he was a bit foolish not thinking of this before. just find a ready-made cavern stalker, pluck the bone card from its body, and insert his own bone card. wouldnt that allow him to use it as if it were his own summoned unit? others might not be able to pull off this cunning trick, but he certainly could. he could easily approach the cavern stalkers with the mark of resentment on him, as long as he didnt show any intention of attacking. if he was quick enough, he could pluck the bone card from the stalkers body before it could react. theres no need to worry that this would waste the bone cards. as long as the pure bone card wasnt damaged, noland could remove it from the undead at any time and save it for future use. after finalizing his initial plan, noland had only one problem left: what kind of sinister trick would sergeant pim come up with to deal with him, the sin soldier? the defeated imperial armys morale was low. they marched in a heavy atmosphere, arriving at the first underground level and entering the campsite. fortunately, the stone tomb bound spirits hadnt revived yet, otherwise, this group of beaten soldiers would definitely be beaten up. sergeant pim had learned of the imperial armys defeat early on from the guards. he put on his crisp uniform, meticulously combed his hair, put on his spotless glasses, and walked out of the tent. looking at the disheveled and dirty imperial soldiers in front of him, sergeant pims face showed a hypocritical smile: you have worked hard, soldiers of the alvin army. i have already received news of your failure on the third underground level. lieutenant gretts self-sacrificing spirit is worthy of everyones admiration. he is a true hero of the empire. now, soldiers, listen up sergeant pim walked slowly back and forth in front of the soldiers with his hands behind his back: i am the highest-ranking military officer present, and i will assume temporary command of the alvin army report, chief officer! a soldier boldly interrupted, his face showing a touch of stubbornness and discontent: sergeant alvin stafford is resting in the camp. maybe hes already awake hehehe sergeant pim raised his hand, slowly smoothing his hair: no, sergeant alvin stafford is exhausted. he needs deep sleep to stabilize the injuries on his body, otherwise, his internal injuries will worsen. soldier, you dont want sergeant alvin stafford to fight with a serious illness, do you? could you bear to see him coughing blood in front of you? the speaking soldier lowered his head, no longer voicing any protest. the other soldiers also looked down at the ground. all right, time is running out. according to the combat regulations of the imperial army, it is only natural for me to take command. you have no right to object. sergeant pim returned to the front of the formation, scanning the crowd and spotting sin soldier no. 888 at the back, but there was no trace of corporal mars. a flash of ruthlessness flickered in sergeant pims eyes as he looked at sin soldier no. 888. attention, everyone rest in the camp. no one is allowed to leave the first underground level without my permission. after finishing his words, sergeant pim raised his hand and pointed in nolands direction: guards, bring sin soldier no. 888 to me! i suspect hes a death notice spy! i want to interrogate him right now! what are you trying to dowhy would you imprison me noland feigned panic, allowing himself to be carried away by pims guards. he snickered inwardly. pim was really in a hurry, wasnt he? good, very good. it seemed that what had happened to pig cook was indeed like a sharp thorn, piercing deep into his heart. noland was calm and composed, his heart as still as water with not a trace of panic, contrasting sharply with his outwardly frightened appearance.. Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: 54. The truth of the crime chapter 62: 54. the truth of the crime translator: 549690339 two guards held noland lee up from his left and right, escorting him into sergeant pims tent, and placed him on a chair fitted with shackles. noland lees wrists and ankles were both secured by metal cuffs. the electric shock collar around his neck was firmly attached to a magnet on the back of the chair, making it impossible for him to turn his neck. sergeant pim waved his guards away and walked over to his desk, sitting down. his eyes, hidden behind the lenses of his glasses, showed no emotion as they stared at noland lee as if he were a dead man: sin soldier no. 888, ive looked at your file. real name, noland lee jarvis; you used to be a history assistant teacher at bowerthain city college. ive heard that you history buffs consider yourselves to be intelligent and keenly intuitive. i suppose youve noticed my disdain for you and that i intentionally target you. but can you guess why? go on, sin soldier 888 C tell me your thoughts. before noland lee could open his mouth, pim raised his hand to stop him and then continued: drop the forced panic act, sin soldier 888. i specialize in internal investigations and have studied psychology C i can tell if someone is genuine or fake from their micro-expressions. youve done an excellent job at pretending, good enough to fool those without professional training, but not good enough to fool me. i advise you not to lie to me. otherwise, every word you say might be a reason for me to execute you on the spot. noland lees expression became serious as he realized just how hard it could be to deal with professionals. he steadied himself, dropping the panic-stricken act and calmly saying: alright, chief officer pim, since youve already said all this, lets be frank with each other. you asked me why you regard me as an enemy. at first, i didnt know, but something corporal mars said gave me a clue. what did he say? pim asked, with an air of arrogance. fuel. the fuel for the burning magic protective shield. noland lee replied. impressive, sin soldier 888. though pim saw noland lee as an enemy, he couldnt help casting him an appreciative glance: im sure pig cook must have told you why he despises you, right? the death herald guild sees itself as the precursor of death and the sole harbinger of death within the empire. the members of the guild cannot tolerate outsiders learning the undead runes. i thought your answer would be related to the death herald guild. soldier 888, im somewhat interested in you now, and you might have the chance to work for me. noland lee remained calm under pims gaze. he spoke evenly: any illegal force has significant financial expenses, and the death herald guild is no exception. aside from illegally expanding its reserve members within the empire and extorting money in the name of death, you all must find a stable, long-term financial backer. many businesses within the empire can afford this. but only one company would be upset by the imperial army attempting to modify the undead runes. that would be the weston group, which mainly deals in fuel and chemical manufacturing. am i correct, pim? its your sugar daddy who asked you to prevent the imperial army from modifying the undead runes, isnt it? if the modification of the undead runes indeed removes the magic protective shield, then the imperial army will no longer place such massive fuel orders from the weston group. the weston group will suffer a significant loss, and consequently, the death herald guilds operating funds will be drastically reduced. thats the real reason why you all despise me. noland lee shrugged slightly: i can see it now. i, the most easily strangled sin soldier, either die now or join your death herald guild and thoroughly destroy the plan to modify the undead runes. then, like garbage, ill be discarded by you. either way, in the end, it seems i cant escape death. noland lee looked at the solemnness on pims face, knowing he had guessed correctly. pim was a member of the death herald guild. the weston group was indeed the financial supporter behind the death herald guild. the broken coffin plan. broken coffin, broken coffin. this coffin was not simply a magic protective cover shielding the spirit pivot. those complex chains hidden beneath the water, based on the magic protective cover, were also dragging the tatis empire into a coffin of death. how pathetic and lamentable. noland lee went on: ive thought of more than that, pim. the tragedies that befell my parents, brother, and sister, as well as my own debts, were all orchestrated by you, right? your goal was to force me, a young history assistant teacher with no experience or connections but top-notch academic skills among my peers, into the imperial army as bait. once i started modifying the undead runes, it meant that the fish you wanted to catch had taken the bait. that was the first step in your plan. the next step is to bring a pitiful person like me into your fold and turn me into a servant who you can use and send around, capturing everyone involved in the broken coffin plan. clap clap. pim applauded, a wonderful speech. he gave a faint smile, picked up the comb from the table, and spoke as he tended to his hair: however, there is one point i must correct. after you join our death herald guild, you will not die nor become a servant. you will return to the civilized world, living a legitimate and upright life as a respectable history professor. you may not believe me even if i give you multiple assurances but it doesnt matter. you only need to know that the death herald guild needs the academys support. pim put down the comb, slowly unbuttoned his cuff, and rolled up his sleeve while saying: alright. weve talked enough, sin soldier no. 888. whether or not you compromise is not important to me. as long as youre still in the suffering borderland, you cant escape my scrutiny. your patience and principles will be crushed by suffering one day. by then, ill naturally appear before you and guide you towards a brighter future. pim rolled up his sleeves to his elbow, revealing his well-defined and proportionate forearms. he pulled open a drawer and took out a tray filled with bottles and jars, then proceeded to mix some kind of potion in front of noland lee. you should be grateful that youre currently in the combat phase. i have lots of things to do. i need to check on the soldiers conditions, gather ammunition, command soldiers to repair the barriers, and deal with the undead revival on the first underground level, etcetera. in short, ill be extremely busy for the next period of time and wont have time to deal with you. otherwise, id bring torture devices from my car through the guards and entertain you a little, forcing everything i want to know out of your mouth with a more artistic approach.o after preparing the potion, pim held a bottle of yellow elixir and approached noland lee: youre lucky not to bear physical suffering. but that doesnt mean you can escape my interrogation. pims left hand shot out like lightning, grabbing noland lees cheek, using his thumb and index finger to open noland lees mouth. he poured the elixir into noland lees mouth and confidently laughed: let me introduce this beverage to you. its one of our death herald guilds specialties called the soul interrogation potion, specifically designed to deal with clever people like you. its far more effective than the truth serums used by the division intelligence unit two. itll definitely make you spill all your secrets. enjoy it, sin soldier 888. oh, right, i forgot to tell you. when the potion takes effect, youll feel as comfortable as if you were asleep, and wont remember anything when you wake up.. Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: 55. Fake Potion Vomiting (2 in 1) chapter 63: 55. fake potion vomiting (2 in 1) translator: 549690339 the potion named soul interrogation potion was forcefully poured into noland lees mouth by pim. the bitter taste instantly exploded in nolands mouth. a coolness rose from his mouth, rushing straight to his forehead, feeling as refreshing as if hed chugged an entire bottle of fragrant positive energy water. a system message appeared in nolands mind. [warning! you have been forced to ingest a soul interrogation potion.] [you have acquired a negative effect:] [soul interrogation, lasting for 1 minute.] [during the duration of this effect, you will involuntarily answer truthfully to the questions posed, and you will be unable to retain any memories from the potions duration.] [system reminder: your soul shield can effectively resist the effects of the soul interrogation potion. as long as you use the soul shield to protect yourself, during the shields duration, you can provide incorrect answers and not lose any memories related to the conversation.] only noland himself knew how intense his emotions were just now. just hearing the words interrogation potion, his heart trembled, thinking that it was something similar to a truth serum. but on careful consideration of the potions name wasnt the soul interrogation potion specifically targeting the soul! then the skill soul shield was a perfect match for it! as expected, the system message confirmed nolands guess. in that instant, the burden on nolands heart vanished entirely. in his mind, an alternative plan he had already thought of appeared. while noland was recalling the details of the plan, the soul interrogation potion began to take effect. noland felt his body become weightless, as if he were floating in the air. his head was heavy and muddled, with various thoughts crashing around in his mind. he wanted to blurt out everything in his heart but didnt know where to begin, desperately needing someone to provide a topic for him. pims voice sounded in his ear: sin soldier no. 888, tell me honestly, what happened between you and sergeant piggs? noland barely managed to maintain his final clarity under the foggy circumstances. in his mind, he quickly sketched out the blueprint for the soul shield spell, completing the casting preparations within 1 second. [system message: you consume 0.1 point of soul strength and 1 point of energy to cast soul shield. for the next 30 seconds, the effects of the soul interrogation potion will be blocked, and you can answer questions with false responses.] the soul shield had no outward manifestation, no spell animation, and no light or shadow. it only nullified the truth-telling effect and wouldnt dispel nolands confused expression and muddled thoughts. so nolands expression and facial movements remained unchanged as the potion took effect. pim never realized that the soul interrogation potion he used had already been broken by the sinner before him. noland was delighted, but he didnt let it show. instead, he calmly considered his course of action. pim, that treacherous fellow, had repeatedly taken advantage of his rank and status to bully noland. he must be dealt with quickly, and without hesitation, to avoid more trouble later on. while he didnt have powerful strength yet, the only means to deal with pim was by using the sword shark people. as someone who had already seen through part of the truth, noland quickly came up with a plan to eliminate sergeant pim using captain murphys help. he couldnt help but thank pim for providing the potion. nolands lies would undoubtedly be taken as the truth by pim. pim would then follow his lead step by step, falling into the fatal trap noland had laid. heh heh heh- after noland had thought about it, he finally spoke. his voice was hoarse, eyes unfocused, and he appeared completely dazed. he spoke haltingly, like someone experiencing a blackout from drinking too much. sergeant piggs dragged me into the undead pile, but strangely, we werent attacked by the undead. sergeant piggs said it was the amulet he carried that protected us. sergeant piggs tempted me with money, alcohol, and women, wanting me to become a spy for the death herald guild within the imperial army. pim raised his hands, pulling down his rolled-up sleeves and fastening the cuffs. he returned to his desk, tidied the bottles and jars on it while listening to nolands account of the situation. what happened later? keep going, sin soldier 888. i refused sergeant piggs. although i am just a sin soldier, i will never become a traitor. the empire is my mother, and i will never betray her. i will protect the empire like i protect my own mother seeing noland go off-topic, pim stopped his actions and growled: stop talking nonsense! im asking you how sergeant piggs died and where his amulet is now. noland continued in his mumbled voice: sergeant piggs became furious and tried to push me into the undead pile. but then, a mysterious stranger suddenly appeared beside us. a glass bottle slipped from pims hand, rolling around on the tabletop. it was only when the glass bottle was about to slide off the edge that pim came back to his senses and hurriedly stopped it.. Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: 55. Fake Potion Vomiting (2 in 1)_2 chapter 64: 55. fake potion vomiting (2 in 1)_2 translator: 549690339 pims breathing became rapid, as if nolands words had struck his soul directly. you better explain clearly, sin soldier no. 888. what mysterious figure? what does he look like, what clothes was he wearing, and what tone and habits did he have when speaking. tell me quickly. noland pondered in his heart the so-called mysterious figure was someone he had imagined. if he had to describe the mysterious figure, wouldnt that person be wearing a set of unmarked black clothes? only such clothes could prevent others from discerning the persons background and make it less likely for them to be detected in an environment like the third underground level. noland said: that mysterious person wore a set of black clothes, and i couldnt see his appearance or figure. he snatched the amulet from sergeant piggs hand, gestured me a silence sign, and kicked sergeant piggs under the big skeleton. then, sergeant piggs was killed by the big skeletons hammer. for some reason, pim shuddered as if he had heard something horrifying. his hands trembled slightly as he picked up the tray from the table. amid the clattering of glass bottles, he put the tray into a drawer. he sat down, leaning back against the chair, supporting his forehead with one hand, and muttered to himself, his head bowed. his previous calm and composed demeanor was nowhere to be seen. its a messlts really a mess nowso the information was truethe emperor is indeed secretly forming a new military intelligence division 2. their primary mission is to secretly investigate the extent of the death herald guilds infiltration into the existing military intelligence division 2 nolands face still looked half-asleep, but his heart was clearly stunned. forming a new military intelligence division 2? what does that mean? to what extent has military intelligence division 2 been infiltrated by the death herald guild? upon careful consideration, a bright bolt of lightning flashed across nolands mind! he suddenly connected all the events together and instantly understood the huge plan he had become involved in! it was well-known that the targets of the death herald guilds assassinations and murders were all important figures who were utterly loyal to the empire. on the other hand: only those who truly remained loyal to the empire without bending to the death herald guild would become targets of their assassinations and murders. the death herald guild was like a giant sieve. whoever they targeted was branded with the label of absolute loyalty to the empire. this was equivalent to a very cruel personnel selection process. those who were truly loyal to the empire were destined to die under the onslaught of the death herald guild. for example, lieutenant grett, who was currently fighting on the third underground level. however, if an external force intervened and secretly rescued lieutenant grett while creating the illusion that he had perished together with his enemies then, wouldnt this absolutely loyal soldier naturally become the empires shadow agent? such people would be more trustworthy to the emperor than the existing military intelligence division 2. noland understood. marsha murphy, the powerful yet always hidden captain, must have been unable to appear before the imperial soldiers to personally command the battle because she had already been officially declared dead by the death herald guilds assassination. in addition, nolands previous question also had a clear answer at this moment. after being rescued by captain murphy, would lieutenant grett return to the first underground level to take charge of the overall situation? the answer was clear. he would not appear on the first underground level, nor would he replace pim as the acting commander of alvins army. most likely, captain murphy was currently on the third underground level, informing lieutenant grett about the plan to create a new military intelligence division 2 and converting him into a shadow agent. from now on, lieutenant grett, like captain murphy, would become a member of the new military intelligence division 2, skulking in the shadows, assuming the identity of an invisible man, secretly investigating how infiltrated military intelligence division 2 was by the death herald guild. this was the reason why lieutenant grett would not return to the first underground level even if he survived the cavern evil spiders. if pim went there now, he would definitely uncover the secret, and then murphy would silence him. this suited nolands needs perfectly and created the opportunity for him to manipulate the sword shark people. sin soldier no. 888, tell me, how powerful is that mysterious person? pim took several deep breaths, trying to maintain his composure. he approached noland lee, staring at his face with eyes filled with fear and cruelty. though nolands mind was hazy, his reactions were not slow. he had already sensed the murderous intent in pims heart. pim undoubtedly had plans to go to the third underground level to kill the mysterious person and forcibly retrieve the amulet. this could be a fatal weakness that could put him in immediate danger. thinking of this, noland was fully prepared. i dont know how powerful the mysterious person is, but he seems ordinary, just like an imperial soldier. i saw him push the skeleton warrior away and run when pig cook was killed by bone hammer. i have no idea where he went. pim stared at nolands face for a few seconds. his mouth twisted, pupils dilated, eyes lifeless, speech slurred, drool dripping from the corner of his mouth, these were indeed the symptoms when the potion took effect. so, everything sin soldier no. 888 said was true. pim firmly believed this. death herald guilds specialty soul interrogation potion has never failed before! pim paced slowly around noland with his hands behind his back, his eyebrows furrowed, and began to mutter to himself: the emperor actually assigned an ordinary person as an investigator for the new military intelligence division 2 no wonder we have never been able to investigate which warrant officers and military officers were involved in the plan to establish the new military intelligence division 2. it turns out that our investigation target was wrong. the active members of the new military intelligence division 2 are not warrant officers and military officers as we imagined, but ordinary soldiers. no, no, no, they might not even be soldiers. they could be just ordinary people who have received professional training. only in this way can they completely escape the sight of the current military intelligence division 2. the mysterious persons power is indeed not that impressive. he is probably not even extraordinary, but only able to move unhindered among the undead due to some means. since he is so weak, dont blame me for silencing him then pim stopped in front of noland with a cold smile on his lips: very well, sin soldier no. 888, i am satisfied with the information you provided. the next time you have such important news, i hope you will tell me honestly. oh, sorry, i forgot that the potions effect hasnt worn off, you wont remember what i said. never mind. ill help you remember with torture when i interrogate you next time. pim took out his pocket watch, counted a few seconds according to the second hand, then picked up a glass jar from the table and forced the clear water from the jar into nolands mouth. when nolands gaze became clear and his expression changed from confusion to contemplation, and then from contemplation to panic and fear, pim laughed satisfied. what did i say, what did i say nolands eyes were blank, his anxiety and fear were palpable: what did i say why cant i remember anything sin soldier no. 888, i already know everything i want to know. just wait to see the outcome. before long, youll succumb to me. i hope that by then, youll still be able to talk to me openly. after saying that, pim didnt give noland a chance to ask, and shouted directly to the outside: guards, come in! the guards lifted the tent curtain, stepped in, saluted: reporting to you, chief officer. pim patted nolands shoulder, speaking in a gentle tone: ive already interrogated him. sin soldier no. 888 may have a loose attitude and carries sins, but his nature is not bad and he maintains absolute loyalty to the empire and the emperor. now, take him to mars squads tent. yes, chief officer. the guards removed nolands leg shackles, handcuffs, and the magnetic device around his neck, helped him up from his chair, and escorted him out. noland hung his head, covering his face with his hair, appearing to be utterly dejected and desolate. but in fact, he could hardly contain his laughter. hee hee hee! pim! rest in peace! Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: 56. The wise sleep less. chapter 65: 56. the wise sleep less. translator: 549690339 in mars squads tent. noland lee was placed on a chair by the guards. about one minute after the guards left, a sharp whistle suddenly rang out in the camp. twee! twee! twee! this was the whistle that scouts would blow when they encountered an emergency situation: report, chief officer! theres a big problem! the undead on the first underground level and underground layer 2 have revived ahead of time! theyre assembling a huge army and surrounding our camp! pims voice reached noland lees ears: stay calm, soldiers! everyone, listen up! i command you to defend the camp at all costs! no retreat! chief officer, what about lieutenant grett on the third underground level? we must go and save him! no, soldiers, i will go save him! i will lead my strongest men and venture down to the third underground level to rescue lieutenant grett. you all must stay here and hold the position! understand? dont let lieutenant grett return to see a devastated camp! yes, chief officer! pims speeches were impassioned and stirring, touching the hearts of the soldiers on the scene. his military intelligence second division soldiers and all of alvin armys soldiers were left behind. only four guards followed him, leaving the camp to rescue lieutenant grett on the third underground level noland lee supported his head and sat on the chair, his grin gradually growing more pronounced. he didnt know how pim had caused the undead to revive ahead of time. he only knew that pim was now rushing to the third underground level and would definitely run into murphys gun. noland lee closed his eyes, intending to rest for a bit to let the side effects of the soul interrogation potion dissipate, as his head felt like a spinning top was constantly turning the next second, he opened his eyes, and a self-critical light flickered in their depths. what are you thinking about, noland? pim is not dead yet, how can you sleep? how can you be so sure that he will definitely die at murphys hands? if he doesnt die, wont he still be a never-ending trouble? only when hes dead and turned to dust, you, noland lee, have the right to get a good nights sleep! noland lee deeply criticized his own laziness. he lifted his hand to hold the chairs armrest, suppressing his dizziness as he stood up. if pim is doomed to die, then noland lee should also put additional layers of iron plates and rivets on pims coffin! only then could he put his mind at ease completely. ah, many times, being a wise schemer is such a hassle. the more you think, the more you worry, the less time you have for a sound sleep. its better to be a simple-minded, physically strong violent machine. it doesnt matter if youre bullied, you can always learn from the crow brother and flip the table. unfortunately, his acquired system isnt as incredible as it seems, unable to make him invincible in a short period of time noland lee shook his head, trying hard to suppress the dizziness in his mind. he glanced at the empty tent and sighed quietly in his heart. he picked up the rifle leaning against the wall and staggered away from the spot, stepping into the chaotic frontlines of the battlefield. pulling open the curtain and stepping outside the tent, noland lee witnessed the grand scene of the undead revival. faint purple-black qi flow seeped out from the floor cracks and extended straight upwards. countless bone fragments floated up from the ground, driven by the purple-black qi flow, and hovered in mid-air. shin bones stood upright on the ground. the spine connected to the leg bones like a centipede. rib bones inserted into the grooves of the spine. the eye sockets of the skull were hollow and lifeless. with a pop sound, it perfectly connected to the upper end of the spine. in less than 10 seconds, the bones on the floor of the first underground level turned into skeleton warriors wielding bone swords. those big skeletons killed by the bee syrup bombs also entered the resurrection process. dark remnants formed pale bones in dozens of blackened piles, followed by the big skeletons thighs, palms, and skull, as well as the chilling bone hammers. these objects, completely melted by the biochemical nectar, appeared once again in front of the imperial soldiers. having witnessed the entire process of the undead revival, noland lee felt incredibly amazed. was magic really so amazing?! why would complete bones emerge from the residue of only liquids and particles? werent these bones dissolved by the biochemical nectar? could it be that magic could ignore the basic rules of physics and chemistry, reversing synthesis reactions? also, what was up with those skeleton warriors that had been washed over by the bullet flood? why were there no bullet holes or marks on them, just some mottled traces? and what about those skeleton warriors burned into ashes by the liquid flame? hadnt they all turned to ashes? how could they still stand up? noland lee touched his head full of question marks, unable to understand the magical principle of undead revival. all he could say was that magic was undoubtedly magic, not quite the same as science. no wonder there was a saying, only magic can defeat magic. noland lee suppressed the doubts in his heart and gripped his firearms tightly. his gaze moved back and forth outside the campsite. he happened to see pims figure running into the staircase but could never find corporal mars. where did mars go? was he still on the third underground level? oh, maybe. since he could summon captain murphy with the copper whistle, chances were he had some other tasks like helping captain murphy with lookout and vigilance noland lee pondered quietly. he was not worried that mars would block his plan to kill someone with a borrowed knife. according to pims character and principles, he would forcibly break through even if mars stopped him. neither mars rank nor strength was higher than pims; it was impossible to keep pim outside the third underground level. noland lees heart had only one concern that he couldnt be completely sure of. that was how to guarantee a hundred percent that pim would explode on the spot and leave no corpse. noland lee reached into his pocket, gripping the icy bone cards, his eyes becoming deep. he scanned the bustling battlefield, and once he saw that no one paid attention to him, the sin soldier, he decisively stepped into the unguarded staircase. unavoidably, after the armys continuous combat, there was a reduction in personnel, resulting in defensive lapses. this provided opportunities for noland lees actions. he entered the staircase, descending along the stairwell, and the layout of the entire underground tomb emerged in his mind. pim had just gone down from staircase 3, which was the shortest route to the third underground level. if he was defeated by captain murphy and escaped with heavy injuries, he should return to the first underground level through staircase 3 and then flee to the ground level this is the shortest and quickest route. unless pim could burrow through the ground, he would have to pass through staircase 3. in that case, ill look for a suitable cavern stalker in staircase 3 noland lee stepped into the second underground level, and his breathing paused momentarily. he saw groups of stone tomb bound spirits. fortunately, the mark of resentment on him was still effective. those stone tomb bound spirits only glanced at him and continued to hover and drift in the air. noland lee jogged his way to staircase 3, searching for a suitable cavern stalker.. Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: 57. Ice and Fire Dragon Head (5K Big Chapter) chapter 66: 57. ice and fire dragon head (5k big chapter) translator: 549690339 third underground level. previously arrogant cavern evil spiders are now fleeing in desperation. theyve already laid a large number of spider webs in advance on the ceiling and corners of walls. as long as they shoot spider silk from their abdomen and connect to the webs, they can dodge attacks swiftly and flexibly under the traction of the silk, or attack enemies from all kinds of treacherous angles. but now, no matter how they dodge, they cant get rid of the pursuers behind them. chasing behind them is a frost dragon head emitting a white chill, fierce, ferocious, and icy, covered in a large number of ice-blue dragon scales. the frost dragon heads moving speed is not fast, far less than the moving speed of the cavern evil spiders with the traction of the spider silk. however, the frosty atmosphere of the dragon head is astonishing. rumbling cold air falls like a waterfall from the dragon head. wherever the cold air goes, frost is instantly condensed, and even the air is filled with many crystal-clear ice particles and snowflakes. even if the cavern evil spider merely touches the air or wall where the dragon head has passed, it is enough to turn them into an ice sculpture. as for casting stinkbug flies to retaliate? dont be kidding! stinkbug flies is a spell that requires casting time, and if the cavern evil spider uses this spell, it would become a live target. all it can do now is flee around like a mouse being chased by a cat. who are you? with your abilities, why do you want to deal with me? as a dignified third order imperial fist, bullying a small spider like me, arent you afraid that other extraordinaries will laugh at you? who i am is not important, scum from the death herald guild. all i know is that dealing with the likes of you doesnt require fairness and justice. all of you are a bunch of sneaky and disgusting rats, and only by crushing you with violence can i walk the right path. the cold female voice echoed on the third underground level but did not come from the frost dragon head. upon closer inspection, one could see that the ice dragon only had a head and neck, but no torso. one end of its neck is the head, and the other end connects to the left shoulder of the hooded figure. at first glance, it looked like a human with a dragon neck and head growing out of their body. a bit bizarre, but with a lot of visual impact. it was clear that the black-clothed figure was captain murphy. her handling of the cavern evil spider could be described as effortless. she didnt enter the biochemical giant state. simply turning her left arm into a frost dragon head was enough to treat the cavern evil spider like a duck and run it down. she had the ability to kill evil spiders instantly, so why didnt she do it? grett, mars, have you prepared the potions? captain murphy turned her head slightly, looking at the middle-aged lieutenant and young sergeant sitting cross-legged in the corner. chief officer, the mutagenic agent is ready. im ready. lieutenant grett stood up with a glass jar containing rippling liquid in his hand. on the ground beneath his feet was a portable potion-making box filled with bottles and jars. sergeant mars played the role of an assistant. he packed up the potion box and stood to one side carrying it. very good, i will kill this monster now. as soon as possible, you will immerse the mutated material inside it in the medicament and drink it. yes, chief officer. lieutenant grett nodded with a dull expression, looking up at the cavern evil spider fleeing on the ceiling with an admiring look in his eyes. only a lieutenant like him would know that promotion from a first order imperial fist to a second order is not as simple as regularly taking medicine or injections. precious mutagenic materials are needed as a medicament, and the core organs of middle-level undead creatures are very suitable for use in medicine. grett originally thought he would die here, honorably sacrificing himself. now the situation has reversed, not only did he not die, but he can even enjoy the mutated material the ups and downs of life are really unpredictable. dont be distracted, grett. captain murphy cautioned: i know what youre feeling. once you have consumed the mutated material, i will naturally explain everything to you. yes, chief officer. captain murphy raised her head, and under the black hood appeared a pale neck. she looked at the cavern evil spider on the ceiling like a clown and sneered: alright, scum, ive had enough fun. you can die now. as soon as the words fell, the frost dragon head, chasing the cavern evil spider, opened its huge mouth and sprayed out a fierce frosty chill. this chill was as swift as lightning, and in the blink of an eye, it landed on the cavern evil spider. no! no the cavern evil spider turned into an icy sculpture in the cold air without even finishing its scream. the frost dragon head shattered the ice sculpture in one bite and then retracted under the control of its master. murphys left arm was restored to its original form. in her left hand was a pulsating black heart. this is it, the cavern spider mothers divided heart, an excellent quality second order mutagenic material. captain murphy threw the item to grett and said at the same time: drink it while its still hot, dont be disgusted. it can give you a powerful ability to mutate. although the ability brought by this mutation is random, the foundation of the cavern evil spider is not bad, and its extraordinary abilities are all good. even if youre of very ordinary luck, youll still gain above-average results. thank you, chief officer. lieutenant grett soaked the dirty heart in the solvent, then tilted his head back and drank it all at once, draining the bubbling potion completely.. Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: 57. Ice and Fire Dragon Head (5K Big Chapter)_2 chapter 67: 57. ice and fire dragon head (5k big chapter)_2 translator: 549690339 corporal mars stood by, watching lieutenant grett drink the potion with envy. the mutant potion will take effect in 5 minutes, and youll be unconscious for about half an hour. ill take advantage of these five minutes to tell you about the emperors secret plan and answer your doubts. first of all, your original promotion plan is cancelled; you wont be transferred to intelligence department 6. instead, you will be just as captain murphy was about to explain gretts new role, a very faint sound emerged from a corner of the third underground level. szzz szzz the sound was like an electric current surging, or rodents gnawing on something hard. captain murphy gave a silence gesture to the others. grett and mars closed their mouths and held their breaths. looking in the direction of the sound, captain murphy stretched out her left arm and used the frost dragons head to retrieve a small object from the darkness. whats this? a death notice amulet. how did it end up here? could it have been left by the death herald assassin who turned into a cavern evil spider? grett, have you seen this before? reporting, chief officer, i have not seen this before. you havent seen this what about you, mars? reporting, chief officer, i havent seen it either. hiss where could this have come from? captain murphy fixated on the amulet in her hand, frowning slightly, her eyes full of contemplation. pitter-patter footsteps approached from afar. an unexpected person had arrived at the third underground level. as he emerged from the staircase, he didnt stop for a moment and rushed straight toward the location of captain murphy and the others. his target was clear, the vibrating amulet in captain murphys hand. it seems like hes coming for me no, hes after the amulet. could he be another death notice assassin? captain murphy signaled grett and mars with her eyes: hide. ill handle this. lieutenant grett nodded, pulled corporal mars over, and hid in the shadow of the wall. the strangers footsteps grew closer, and his panting could now be heard clearly. upon seeing captain murphy, he hesitated for a moment, then scanned her and the amulet in her hand and began to laugh uncontrollably: hahaha! ive caught you now! im glad you didnt run, saving me the trouble of using the position locator in the amulet to find you. his right hand held a remote control, the very device that made the amulet vibrate. its function, to help him find the amulet. gradually, captain murphy turned around to face this mysterious man who had suddenly appeared. her beautiful face was hidden in the shadow of her hood, her brow furrowed as she contemplated the situation. why would someone wearing the division intelligence unit two uniform and bearing a sergeant major rank abandon the safety of the camp and venture to this eerie third underground level? how was he able to make the amulet vibrate? as captain murphy pondered, her expression quickly retreated. enlightenment and indifference occupied her face, cold like bone-chilling frost. ah, i see you, a senior investigator of division intelligence unit two, are a spy for the death herald guild. youre here to retrieve this amulet, arent you? the cold tones couldnt conceal the softness of a young womans voice. faced with this mysterious person, pim hesitated C sin soldier no. 888 hadnt mentioned that the mysterious person was a woman. it didnt matter; the mysterious person was destined to die anyway. pim raised both hands and leisurely adjusted his hair and collar, fixing his disheveled appearance from running. with a relaxed expression, he said: now that you know my true identity, it doesnt matter yes, i am a spy for the death herald guild. however, youre the one who should be concerned for your safety. i will interrogate you properly and pry the emperors plans from your mouth. pim raised his polished gun, pointing the pitch-black barrel at his opponent: take off your hood, let me see your true face. youd better cooperate with me so that i can treat you like a gentleman, considering you are a woman captain murphy clenched her left hand, and the amulet was crushed in her palm. crackling sounds emerged from her grip. she opened her left hand. a cloud of dust sprinkled between her delicate fingers. the amulet was effortlessly crushed by her. pims heart trembled as he suddenly realized that something was wrong. such a hard-textured amulet was crushed to powder by his opponents bare hands! didnt sin soldier 888 say that the mysterious persons strength was almost equal to that of an ordinary soldier!? at this moment, pim deeply doubted whether the potion he had given sin soldier 888 had worked but it was too late! the mysterious person suddenly raised both arms, stretching out two slender forearms from beneath her cloak. her skin crawled, bones twisted, and muscles mutated! the two arms transformed into two dragon heads, lunging toward pim. the left dragon head was covered with frost, emanating cold air. the right dragon head was engulfed in flames, wrapped in magma. before being bitten by the ice and fire dragon heads, pim screamed out the mysterious persons name in fear: the twin-headed dragon colossus of the empire!!! youre marsha murphy!! werent you supposed to have died in grave 669!? splat! pim was bitten by the ice and fire dragon heads, instantly torn to pieces.. Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: 57. Ice and Fire Dragon Head (5K Big Chapter)—3 chapter 68: 57. ice and fire dragon head (5k big chapter)3 translator: 549690339 his corpse burned in the flames, turning into black ashes and dust that sank towards the ground, and before it touched the ground, it was encased in ice, turning into crystalline ice dregs. at that moment, an inconspicuous black ray shot out from the dragons head and traversed several dozen meters at high speed, lurking in the staircase area. captain murphy let out a surprisingly surprised cry: this guy is actually protected by the death herald guilds soul retreat crystal! he is a high-level spy of the death herald guild, not ordinary intelligence personnel! captain murphys figure blurred for a moment, leaving behind afterimages as he dashed towards the staircase. grett, wait for me here, dont move. i must catch up with that spy, or our plan will be exposed. mars, you guard here too. if i dont come back in time, take grett to tne nrst unaergrouna level. yes, chief officer. grett answered in unison. they stuck half their heads out from behind the wall and saw only the poison fog rolling, unable to see murphys trace. just as they were marveling at how captain murphy came and went like the wind, they saw his figure reappear in front of them, and he also had a broken gray crystal in his hand. sergeant mars asked: chief officer, did you catch the spy? captain murphy stared at the broken crystal in his hand for a few seconds before shaking his head and saying: i didnt catch the spy but our plan is not revealed either. whys that lieutenant grett couldnt help but mutter in confusion. captain murphy held the crystal in his hand and said: because the spy is dead, killed by the undead. he activated the soul retreat crystal and escaped from under my guard. his soul indeed fled, but all his belongings were left here. captain murphy bent over and picked up another amulet from pims remains: were lucky. his soul left too abruptly and could not take his amulet with him. just as he escaped into the first-level underground staircase, he encountered the awakened undead. his soul retreat crystal was shattered by a cavern stalker, and his soul vanished in an instant. grett and mars understood the story and finally relaxed. death in the grave vault had two possible outcomes for humans. if they were killed by a soul binder, their souls would be collected by the stone tomb and turned into a soul binder. otherwise, if killed by creatures like cavern stalkers, their souls would not be transformed into soul binders, but dissipate out of the blue. so pim was dead for good. the warrant officers and sergeants on the scene who had experienced many battles were well aware of this fact. after pondering for a few seconds, captain murphy decided to make some flexible adjustments to his plan: grett, listen up. yes, chief officer. the emperor authorizes me to secretly establish a new military intelligence division two. all personnel will be selected from targets assassinated by the death herald guild. you are one of them. lieutenant grett, suddenly learning the truth behind the events, was shocked. his mouth involuntarily opened, while all the wrinkles on his face deepened simultaneously. before he could say anything, murphy raised his hand to stop him: time is urgent, let me finish speaking. my original plan was to use the assassination attempt by the death herald guild to turn you, an ostensibly deceased imperial soldier, into a covert agent for the new military intelligence division 2. you will be promoted to second order imperial fist right here, while also becoming the shadow of the emperor, secretly investigating the current military intelligence division 2 personnel captain murphy pointed at the wreckage on the ground: however, there were unexpected variables in the plan, such as this death herald spy disguised as a division intelligence unit two investigator. his appearance disrupted my plan. we must give some reasonable explanations for his disappearance, or it will affect my follow-up actions. so, i have a new action plan looking at lieutenant grett, murphy raised his hand in salute: congratulations, grett, your death has been postponed. you will continue to serve as a livinq imperial warrant officer, replacing serzeant major alvin stafford in commanding the imperial army to clean up grave no. 1079. the next time the death herald guild launches an assassination attempt on you, it will be the time for me to transform you into a shadow agent. understand? yes, chief officer. grett saluted, and a hint of exhaustion flickered on his determined face. his mutant potion was about to take effect. prepare to enter slumber, i will keep watch here until you wake up. remember, you and mars will return to the first underground level, find out what happened first, then adapt accordingly and give a clear explanation about the death of the division intelligence unit two investigator and your own survival. dont give military intelligence division 2 any ammunition. the emperor judges that the current military intelligence division 2 has been severely infiltrated by the death herald guild. with his body shaking and swaying, lieutenant grett seemed to be passing out at any time. still, relying on his strong will, he said: yeschief officer its so unexpectedthat military intelligence division 2, which has always seen itself as the enemy of the death herald guild has become the pawn of the death herald guild snap. lieutenant grett fell to the ground, snoring softly. his pores all over his body emitted spider silk at the same time. after ten seconds, his body was wrapped in a huge cocoon formed by the spider silk. seeing this scene, captain murphy nodded slowly, knowing that the potion had taken full effect inside him. mars, how much longer until the korabo legions reinforcements arrive? theyll be here within an hour. i heard that the team leader is a hot-headed lieutenant named sterling. hmm, sterlingthats who ive been waiting for, said captain murphy. what do you mean by that, chief officer? murphy tilted his chin slightly, pointing at grett on the ground: like him, sterling is also a target of the death herald guilds assassinations. tomb no. 1079 has become a place for the death herald guild to carry out serial assassinations on imperial warrant officers. for some reason, murphy sighed softly: oh. division intelligence unit two has placed intelligence personnel in the death herald guild, which is effective. the assassination plan i obtained from the death herald guild came from that. however, division intelligence unit two has also been severely infiltrated. this is perhaps the drawback of inserting intelligence agents into illegal forces.. Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: 58. Energy Explosion! (2 in 1) chapter 69: 58. energy explosion! (2 in 1) translator: 549690339 first underground level. the frontlines were ablaze with the fires of battle. all squads were performing their duties according to the defensive formations sergeant alvin stafford had set up earlier, launching fierce attacks against the sea of skeletons. mars squad was assigned to barrier 8, using a water-cooled light machine gun to resist the enemy. however, the members of mars squad either died or were injured. the only two who were still alive and energetic were noland lee, the sin soldier who had no command authority, and the sergeant who had never returned to the first underground level. as a result, barrier 8 fell into a paralyzed state. inside this barrier, made up of gray worm obstacles, noland lee was the only one waiting silently at this moment, noland lee was sitting in a corner. his face was pale, his expression was dazed, his eyes were unfocused, as if he had suffered some serious psychic trauma. if someone saw him like this, they would definitely think that he had been scared silly by pims interrogations. but it wasnt so. maintaining his silly expression for more than ten seconds, his eyes suddenly brightened, and the corners of his mouth turned up, laughing happily. his laughter was genuine and refreshing, like finally being relieved of a burden on his heart. hehe! as expected, i can only rely on myself- if it werent for my cavern stalker, which was laying in ambush on the path of pims escape in advance, pim might indeed have escaped as noland lee laughed, he accidentally touched the faintly painful nerves in his head, gritting his teeth and rubbing his skull to stop his laughter. recalling the scenes from before, noland lee sighed with relief amidst his excitement. about ten minutes ago, he encountered a cavern stalker in the staircase. he reached out with both hands, groped inside the disgusting body of the cavern stalker, and quickly found the bone card embedded in the seams of the bones. he pulled out the cavern stalkers bone card, and inserted his own in its place. it was like plugging in and unplugging a usb drive. he wasnt sure if doing so would give him control over the cavern stalker. but fortunately, he guessed right. the system sent him a message, confirming that his approach was entirely feasible. [you have plundered a summoned creature, cavern stalker, by modifying the logical instructions.] [since you have already unlocked the universal panel of cavern stalker, you can obtain its panel information without consuming additional energy points.] [panel information of the summoned creature is as follows:] [name] cavern stalker [sutured life] 300 points sutured life is a unique life attribute for undead sutured creatures. this life attribute is quite special and does not recover automatically like the health of organic life forms. only by suturing new undead materials to the sutured creature can its health be enhanced. [soul strength] 1 point equivalent to the core health of undead creatures. only when soul strength reaches zero, the undead creature will die completely. [death energy] 10/10 equivalent to the stamina of undead creatures. [skills] active skills: swift lash, level 6. consumes 2 points of death energy, and emits a whip. this skill can accurately strike within a range of ten meters, posing a high threat. burrow travel, level 15. consumes 1 point of death energy, and moves 15 meters in any direction through hard soil or walls. passive skills: stone pattern disguise, highest level. uses stone-patterned skin created from suturing materials to camouflage itself as a stone brick. since the undead creatures have no life signs, this disguise can not only evade the naked eye search, but also shield many detection methods such as infrared and heartbeat sensing. lost souls revive, level 1, no longer effective. the bone card you made was not recognized by the spirit pivot. therefore, even if this undead creature is within the influence range of the spirit pivot, it cannot be revived by using the spirit pivot. soul link, level 1. when you input action instructions into the bone card, you boldly opened the soul link. this allows you to sense the surroundings of the summoned creature with your soul and personally control the creature. in return, the summoned creatures pain will be fed back to you through the soul link, causing your brain and spirit to enter a temporary state of confusion. this so-called soul link is the main culprit behind noland lees headache and dazedness. when he input the action instructions into the bone card, the system sent him a large amount of information. the general idea of the information was: hey, buddy, do you want to add the soul link feature? this thing is really useful, allowing you to command summoned creatures as if they were an extension of your arm! using it to command undead creatures is far more efficient than mechanized instructions just a bit painful in order to ensure the success of the plan, noland lee agreed without a second thought. only now did he know that the so-called a bit painful was genuine pain. he could indeed control the cavern stalker personally. however, the intense pain when the cavern stalker was killed by someone was also fed back to him through the soul link. and the person who killed the cavern stalker was marsha murphy. the weapon she used was a frost dragon head transformed from her arm. all of these scenes were seen by noland lee through the soul link. i really didnt expect marsha murphy to use part of her extraordinary abilities without fully transforming into a biochemical giant. is this a unique attack method for those at the captains level of strength? and yet her extraordinary abilities are related to dragons. Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: 58. Energy Explosion! (2 in 1)_2 chapter 70: 58. energy explosion! (2 in 1)_2 translator: 549690339 so there are actually dragons in this world. why wasnt it mentioned at all in the curriculum of bowerthain city college? oh, i get it now, dragons must be from other kingdoms. tatis empire really is a closed-off country. even the original master, who was a history teaching assistant, had no way of learning about other kingdoms the image of captain murphy attacking a cavern stalker flashed in noland lees mind, and he still felt incredibly shocked when thinking about it now. the general course of events went like this: his cavern stalker was lying in the staircase between the third and second underground levels. faint sounds of fighting came from the third underground level, and he happened to hear them. after that, a black light flew up from below. noland lee found it strange, so he immediately used deconstruction on the black light. upon learning from the system that the black light was pims soul, noland decisively used the cavern stalkers swift lashing skill, shattering the crystal outside pims soul and causing pims soul to dissipate. captain murphy arrived just in time to see the cavern stalker shattering the crystal. she took the shattered crystal and before leaving, she killed the cavern stalker in one hit. due to the soul link, noland lee was observing the surroundings through the perspective of the cavern stalker. when captain murphy attacked the cavern stalker, it was as if she was attacking noland himself. the gigantic frost dragon head, with its overflowing chill and surging white frost, every dragon scale and wisp of icy mist, entered noland lees mind with incredible realism. in that moment, noland deeply realized how vast the gap was between ordinary people and the extraordinary ones. they were not even living beings of the same level, the extraordinary ones were practically like gods to ordinary people. from now on, ill make sure not to use the soul link when inputting commands for the bone cards, unless absolutely necessary. the feeling of being bitten by an ice dragon really hurt like hell noland touched his head and sighed quietly, feeling somewhat helpless. currently, he could barely be considered a half-baked apprentice necromancer C the type who has no guidance from others. his understanding of death-related spells came entirely from deconstruction, and no one systematically taught him how to properly use death-related spells. undead creatures were meant to be cannon fodder. just think about it, a summoner absolutely cannot establish a soul link with cannon fodder. otherwise, the summoner could be mentally destroyed by a massive amount of pain and die from the agony. noland simply suffered from the lack of guidance, which led to his mistakes in this area. however, this wasnt entirely a bad thing. his plan to have someone else do the dirty work succeeded! pim accidentally ran into captain murphy, and their battle was fleeting, ending with pims disgraceful retreat. the only flaw in the entire plan was personally remedied by noland lee. phewC noland took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and called up the system interface in his mind. when i smashed the crystal protecting pim, it seemed like the system sent me some messages let me see what they were noland scanned the text content, his eyebrows raising slightly and a flash of delight in his eyes. he actually killed two birds with one stone. he used passive deconstruction to deconstruct two things at the same time! [system message: you dealt fatal damage to the soul retreat crystal.] [passive deconstruction activation!] [the degree of deconstruction of the soul retreat crystal increased from 0% to 100%.] [your energy points have been restored by 500 as a result.] [you now have 500/15 energy points.] [before your energy points drop to below 15, the automatic recovery of energy points will be suspended.] [you unlocked the standard template of the soul retreat crystal, detailed information is as follows:] 500 energy points! holy shit! this is like instant wealth! the reward for passive deconstruction is so sweet, i love it- the corners of nolands mouth couldnt help but lift. he had been worried earlier that the energy points he got from passive deconstruction would be wasted since it exceeded the limit. now it seemed that he was worrying for nothing. the energy points acquired through passive deconstruction directly added to the existing energy points and could exceed the limit. this was good news. the only downside was that the automatic recovery of energy points would be halted until the current energy points fell below the limit. the longer the energy points exceeded the limit, the longer the automatic recovery would be stalled. noland would lose a lot of automatically recovered energy points due to this, which was undoubtedly a burden. he needed to find a way to consume the overflowing energy points as soon as possible. this made him feel a bit anxious. however, noland quickly controlled his emotions and continued to check the system interface. [system message: when you destroyed the soul retreat crystal, you inflicted slight damage on the ethereal being pims soul. ] [passive deconstruction activation!] [the degree of deconstruction of pims soul increased from 0% to 7%.] [you acquired a memory fragment from pims soul, details are as follows:] pims memory fragments were too numerous, so noland set them aside for the time being. he selected the deconstruction result of the soul retreat crystal and started reading it from the beginning.. Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: 58. Energy explosion! (2 in 1) _3 chapter 71: 58. energy explosion! (2 in 1) _3 translator: 549690339 as he read, his head nodded up and down as if in understanding, and his eyes gradually deepened. the soul retreat crystal, a death-type magic artifact, serves to protect the soul detached from the physical body and assist the soul in retreating quickly. it is a one-time escape device. it can swiftly leave the battlefield with the users soul, after the users physical body is destroyed. it has three drawbacks: firstly, the escape speed becomes slow after being initially fast. when leaving the physical body, the crystals escape speed is rapid, but this speed can only be maintained for a few seconds. in the following time, the soul inside it must continuously provide soul strength to keep the crystals escape speed above 10 meters per second. if the soul strength is not sufficient, the crystals escape speed will plummet. it will easily be locked in by the enemy. the second drawback is that this crystal is very fragile, basically shattering upon contactthis is why it is shattered by the cavern stalkers. the third drawback: this thing can only provide the most basic protection; it cannot envelop the soul as completely as the physical body does. anyone can directly see the soul inside it. the crystal cannot block the prying of others on the soul like the physical body does. overall, this is an escape device that is only used when there is no other choice, rather than a vehicle that allows the soul to travel freely in the material world. the deconstruction result lists the materials and methods to make this artifact. complex and expensive. noland lee couldnt afford to tinker with it for the time being. what intrigued him, though, was one detail. clearly, the soul retreat crystal is meant to be used in conjunction with other magical devices. for example, a receiver for it to better protect the crystal and the soul within. or perhaps, arranging a new body in advance for the soul inside the crystal to be protected by a physical body as soon as possible. obviously, pim would not rely solely on the soul retreat crystal to fly out of the suffering borderland and return to the death herald guilds headquarters. he must have arranged some backup plans so that his soul, after leaving his physical body, could quickly turn danger into safety. so, the answer is obvious! noland lee squinted his eyes, looking in the direction of pims tent, a hint of a smile on his lips. if there were no surprises, a high-value magical artifact should exist inside pims tent. it could be a rare item capable of properly handling detached souls, or it could be an un-souled human body. what exactly is it? noland lee pulled up the deconstruction result of pims soul and started browsing through the newly acquired memories. a minute later, noland lee finished reading. he clenched his fist, feeling both angry and relieved. the deconstruction result of pims soul was full of pims recent memories. noland even saw the scene where pim was interrogating him he was angry at pims abuse of private punishment and relieved that he could escape the others clutches. none of these mattered. what mattered was that noland found what he wanted in these memory fragments! he knew what was hidden in pims tent now! i must get into pims tent as soon as possible! noland stood up from the ground, rubbing his hands in front of him, and his thoughts raced. that is a key artifact for me to build an undead army faster; i must find it! even if i cannot claim it for myself, i will devote all my energy points to its deconstruction! my energy points are already overflowing! Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: 59. Finger Bone Magic Wand chapter 72: 59. finger bone magic wand translator: 549690339 haste results in failure. impatience leads to mistakes. noland lee understood these principles. as much as he wanted to get hold of the item in the tent, he maintained a calm mindset, not letting his urgency affect him. he looked around the campsite, his gaze sweeping over the numerous tents. sergeant alvin stafford, the commander of the imperial army, was bedridden with illness. acting commander pim had left the campsite under the pretext of rescuing the chief officer, and had already met his end at the hands of murphy, thanks to noland lee and the sword shark people. the command authority on the scene was undoubtedly vacant, with nobody in control. the various combat squads could only engage the enemy according to pre-arranged battle plans. the chief officers guards were responsible for overseeing the battle. they had followed their superiors through intense, continuous fighting, consuming a great deal of life force and suffering heavy losses. now, only four guards appeared on the front line, barely maintaining order in battle. as for pims guards, they had all been taken away by pim himself and were not in the camp at the moment. this meant that pims tent was likely unguarded! as long as they could bypass the supervisory guards, they would be able to explore pims tent. noland lee pondered for a moment, crouched down, and picked up the ammunition box on the ground. he iozzed awav from barrier 8, pretendinq to urqentlv need more ammunition, running past the guards on the high platform. sin soldier no. 888! the guard, clutching his rifle, stared intently at the soldiers on the front line. as soon as he saw noland lee emerge from the shelter, he looked over. sir, chief officer! noland lee stood still and looked up at the guard on the high platform. the guard glanced left and right, leaned slightly, and said to noland lee: sergeant alvin stafford woke up a little while ago. he knows that pim interrogated you without authorization and lost his temper, causing him to pass out again. dont worry, well definitely settle the score with pim. thank you, chief officer. youre the one who saved sergeant alvin stafford and the rest of us sergeants. we cant let division intelligence unit two suppress you. otherwise, where would we, the military officers, put our faces? the guard looked in the direction of barrier 8: its a pity, mars squad suffered heavy casualties. sergeant mike adams was seriously injured and unconscious, and corporal mars has yet to return. its not easy for you, a single sin soldier, to hold out the guard looked down at the empty box in noland lees hands: are you out of ammunition? hurry up and load up. yes, chief officer. noland lee breathed a sigh of relief, ran past the high platform with increased speed, and rushed into the densely populated campsite. there werent many people in the camp; the hurried soldiers coming and going were all there to transport ammunition. as long as they avoided the route from the supply tents to the front line, it would be fine. noland lee took advantage of an empty moment on the road, slipped into the nearest tent in a flash. he moved from tent to tent under the cover of curtain and gunshots from the front line. in just three to five minutes, he arrived near pims tent. as he had deduced, pims tent was unguarded. this was somewhat incredible but true since pim had taken all of his guards away. pim was a clean freak. wherever he stayed would be spotless and shiny. for noland lee, this was not good news. without careful attention, he would leave conspicuous traces of dirt everywhere. like a clean carpet, tidy tabletops, wrinkle-free bed sheets, and so on. these areas became particularly noticeable once dirtied and easily aroused suspicion in others. noland lee paused at the entrance of the curtain, not rushing in yet. he called up pims memory fragment and played it in his mind, making comparisons with the actual scene before him. ten seconds later, noland lee looked at the bed in the right front and focused on the encrypted metal box underneath. the magical artifact was in it. there was an extremely complex mechanical lock on the metal box. but that was not a problem. noland lee had already obtained the locks password from the memory fragment. it was a static number that wouldnt change over time, with as many as 16 digits. now the only issue was how not to leave any traces. blood and dirty water had dried on his military uniform, forming stubborn stains. his pant legs, soaked and then dried by the chilly wind, were practically coated in mud as for his shoes, they were covered in dust from front to back. it seemed he would have to sacrifice a bit of comfort noland lee took off his dirty jacket, pants, and, bending down, his grimy shoes as well. these things were all hidden outside the tent. he also took off his socks but didnt put them outside. instead, he wore them on his hands as temporary gloves. barefoot on the floor, noland lee approached the bed, pulled out the metal box, turned the password disc of the mechanical lock, and entered the correct password. with a crisp click, the lock was disengaged, and noland lee slowly lifted the lid of the metal box. facing the contents of the box, noland lee took a deep breath. though he had already seen it in the memory fragment, he was still awestruck by its extremely bizarre appearance when confronted with the actual object. it was a wand made purely of bone, about the length of a forearm, with a thin front and a thicker rear, resembling a slender spindle. noland lee didnt know why pim, an ordinary person, would possess a magic wand, but it didnt stop him from appreciating the wand from the point of view of an aficionado. from pims memory, the material of this wand was the bones of a little finger.. Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: 59. Finger Bone Magic Wand_2 Chapter 73: 59. Finger Bone Magic Wand_2 Translator: 549690339 These bones come from different Imperial Warrant Officers, the ones with extraordinary abilities, known as Imperial Fists. The wand core is even more extraordinary. Although it is a little finger, it came from a son of the Emperor. After being soaked in a special potion, the slender white finger bone becomes as soft as a boiled noodle. The wand maker wrapped the finger bones together, twisting them into a rope-like shape, and embedded a captivating dark green gem at the end of the wand. Impeccable, smooth, and lustrous. The outline and material of the gemstone are beyond reproach. Its presence allows the wand holder to hold it more comfortably. Upon closer inspection, one would find that the bone surface is covered in numerous rice-grain-sized white runes. They are as white as ivory, yet as lifeless as a corpse. These are the magical runes written in Undead Runes, the secret of this wand. From the material selection to the manufacturing technique and the seemingly pure but actually malicious white Undead Runes, this wand exudes an evil aura throughout. Overall, this wand has only one flaw: it is not yet finished. There is a noticeable gap at its tip, and it probably needs three more finger bones to form a perfect cone. As it is now, it looks like a strawberry with its tip bitten off. Noland Lee quietly observed it for a little while, not immediately reaching out to take it and play with it directly. In fact, the metal box enclosing this wand is also extraordinary. Inside the metal box, numerous magical runes are engraved, sealing the power of the wand and concealing its aura. If Noland Lee were to take this wand out, the Undead on the first and second underground levels would immediately erupt into a full-scale riot. Pim used this wand to accelerate the process of Undead Revival. What he did was not casting spells but merely taking the wand out of the box for three seconds. Faced with such a powerful weapon, the always cautious Noland Lee wisely chose to give up and not claim it for himself. Noland Lee gazed at the wand and whispered: Deconstruct this wand. [System Message: You are about to use Deconstruction on the Unfinished Wand.] [It is estimated that 15,000 energy points will be consumed to achieve a 100% degree of deconstruction.] [You currently have 500 energy points, and you can raise the level of deconstruction to a maximum of 3-3%.] [Do you want to confirm your deconstruction order?] 15,000 energy points? What level of magical item is this wand? Noland Lees heart trembled, his brows slightly furrowed. Honestly, such a huge energy requirement far exceeded his expectations. After pondering for a moment, Noland Lee concentrated on the dark green gem: Deconstruct this gem, System, do not deconstruct anything else; I only want to deconstruct the gem. [System Message: You are about to use Deconstruction on the Unknown Name Magic Gem.] [It is estimated that 5,000 energy points will be consumed to achieve a 100% degree of deconstruction.] Noland Lee stared at the Undead Runes on the surface of the wand and threw out another deconstruction technique. Yes, as expected, the energy required to deconstruct the Undead Runes was higher than that required to deconstruct the gem, about 8,000 points. Due to the level of Undead Rune Studies being 1, the system also gave a 1% discount. Minus eight thousand and minus five thousand, there are still two thousand left. That means the two thousand must be on the finger bones. Noland Lee pondered for two seconds. Between deconstructing the gem, runes, and finger bones, he finally chose the Undead Runes. I should reserve 100 energy points for emergencies, in case I encounter unexpected situations or enemies. Nolan held his breath, his heart pounding: System, consume 400 energy points and deconstruct the Undead Runes on the wand. As soon as his words fell silent in his mind, a strong sense of dizziness came over him. A total of 400 energy points were absorbed by the system. The dizziness soon passed, and Noland got the deconstruction results. [Deconstruction successful!] [Your deconstruction completion rate for Bone-mending Wand Runes has increased from 0% to 5%.] [1. Usage Instructions of Bone-Connecting Wand, completeness 5%.] [2. Spell Blueprint: Fear Spell, completeness 50%.] [3. Original manuscript of Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary, completeness 100%.] A new death-related spell. Fear Spell, just by the name, it seems to be a control-type spell. Finally, I can face my enemies head-on! Also, this Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary is complete, not a fragment. The only regret is that its not the full text, but just the summary Anyway, this time, I cant lose! Nolands pupils shrank, and he was ecstatic, his heart racing. I must not get carried away! I need to leave quickly before something changes! Forcing down his joy, he calmly closed the metal box and returned the mechanical password lock dial to its original numbers. He pushed the metal box under the bed, made sure everything was back to normal and that he left no traces, and quickly dressed and left the room. He carefully made his way to the supplies tent, then carried the ammunition box back to the front line like a proper soldier. Halfway there, he passed his teams tent. He paused briefly to fetch his backpack, then continued to the front line carrying the heavy ammunition box. Guards stood on the high platform, maintaining the order of the battle. Seeing Noland had returned, he glanced at the backpack and said, ..Ah, you went back to the tent for food and medicine, no wonder it took you so long. Yes, Chief Officer. I feel this battle will last a long time, so Ive taken the initiative to place some supplies in the bunker The guard thought for a moment and waved to Noland, You reminded me. Its been three hours since our last meal. Alright, Sin Soldier 888, your team is short of people and cant form a proper firepower unit. So dont go to Barrier 8. The guard gestured on the smoky battlefield: You help me run some errands, transport more food and water to the front line, and distribute them to other fighting teams. Yes, Chief Officer! Im on it! Noland shuffled his legs and turned around, briskly walking towards another barrier. After handing over the food and medicine from his backpack, he jogged back to the camp to carry new supplies. Overseeing the battlefield from the high platform, the guard saw Noland and couldnt help but sigh, Sin Soldier 888 is indeed a very disciplined and helpful lad! Its a pity, though, that hes not very lucky. On his first mission with the Legion, he encountered an Intermediate Necromancer and high-level Spirit Pivot. Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: 60. Harmless Deconstruction Chapter 74: 60. Harmless Deconstruction Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee was completely unaware of the guards emotional outbursts. His mind was only focused on looking at the deconstruction results just now. The first deconstruction result: Usage Instructions of Bone-Connecting Wand. This item teaches how to use that wand, and Bone-Connecting Wand is the name of that wand. The awkward thing was the completion of this instruction manuals deconstruction was only 5%. Noland Lee only got a small part of the content of this book, which is the Table of Contents in the first few dozen pages of this book. Apart from knowing that this wand can be used for summoning rituals and enhancing magic spells, he knew nothing else. Noland Lee threw the instructions aside. The second deconstruction result: Spell Blueprint: Fear Charm, completion 50%. Noland Lee read the instructions on the blueprint carefully and nodded in satisfaction. The blueprint introduced as follows: [Name] Fear Charm [Type] Death-type Magic Spell [Consumption] 0.1 point of Soul Strength and 1 point of Energy. [Effect] Aim at the target, draw the spell blueprint, cast the spell, and transmit the will of fear to the target. The target will develop a great fear of you and desire to escape from you. The fear effect lasts up to 5 seconds, subject to reduction based on the targets spell resistance. During the duration of the fear effect, the target will move rapidly away from you. If the target is attacked while under the fear effect, it may break free from the fear state prematurely. [Flaw] The duration of the fear effect has been reduced from 10 seconds to 5 seconds. Noland Lee was very familiar with this spell, very, very familiar. Before crossing over, his main profession was warlock in Mount Kigate, and the Fear Charm was the main crowd control method for the warlock profession. With proper use, it can completely make the enemy rush into monster pile and get killed. It is very suitable for sneak attacks on the enemy or using the enemys enemies to kill the enemy. Noland Lee selected the blueprint, directly consumed 1 point of energy, and learned it. The third deconstruction result: Martyrs Ten CommandmentsGeneral Outline original manuscript, with a completion degree of 100%. Noland Lee casually cast the deconstruction spell on the General Outline to see how much energy it would take to store all this stuff in his brain. The system feedback message left him stunned. Original text. Original manuscript. One is text, the other is manuscript. One word difference, worlds apart. The content of the original text is the same as the original manuscript, but the author of the original text may not be the author of the original manuscript, typically a copyist who transcribed the original manuscript. The word manuscript means that the document was written by the original author himself. Every stroke, every line, is imbued with the authors will. In the world before crossing, the original manuscripts of rare scriptures are worth a fortune. In the world after crossing, the original manuscripts written by extraordinary people will be endowed with extraordinary power by the author and have an ineffable influence on the readers mind and soul. The Martyrdom Ten Commandments?General Outline deconstructed from the bone-mending wand is the original manuscript rather than the original text. Every undead rune on it is filled with the power of the writer. The breath of death will enter the readers mind during the reading process, defiling their mind, tainting their faith, and twisting their cognition. After reading this original manuscript, it is equivalent to undergoing a metamorphic transformation from an ordinary person to a desperate worshiper of death. Who can resist this mental pollution? Compared with the benefits brought by the original manuscript, what does this pollution count for? The harvest this time is even greater than I imagined. I didnt expect that the original manuscript of Martyrdom Ten CommandmentsGeneral Outline which I deconstructed would have such great power Noland Lee held his pounding heart and tried to calm the tumultuous feelings in his heart. Looking at the system message again, the trembling of his heart and mind couldnt help but come again. Since crossing, there have been two most important things for him. One is Soul Strength, which directly limits his casting frequency. Faced with the effect of the Soul Interrogation Potion, he used Soul Shield twice in succession and perfectly covered the I-minute duration of the potion. o Now, he has 1.3 points of Soul Strength left in his hands. The second most important thing is his Spirit attribute. This attribute determines the automatic recovery rate of his energy points. Now, the methods for increasing both attributes have emerged, in this original manuscript of Martyrdom Ten Commandments?General Outline! [System Message: You are about to launch Deconstruction on the Martyrdom Ten CommandmentsGeneral Outline original manuscript.] [It is predicted that it will consume 1000 energy points to achieve 100% completion of the deconstruction.] [Warning!] [The system has detected that there is extraordinary power left by the author in this original manuscript. During the process of deconstruction, you will be forcibly infused with the following contents:] [1. A strong desire to join the Undead Cult.] Absolute loyalty to the Death Herald Guild.] The requirements for mysterious school symbols, designations, and prayer rituals aimed at the author.] The death magic school Martyrs Cultivation: Fundamental Practices.] Martyrs Cultivation: Fundamental Practices! Death Magic School! Although its just the basic part, it should record the methods for improving the Spirit attribute, right? Noland Lee only wanted the Martyrs Cultivation: Fundamental Practices, and was not interested in any other content- For example, Joining the Undead Cult, Loyalty to the Death Herald Guild, and Authors Mysterious Symbols can all go away and not bother him. Is there any way to avoid these unfavorable deconstruction results? Noland Lee couldnt help but worry. Fortunately, the system message didnt just end there; new message content appeared before his eyes. [It has been detected that deconstructing the Martyrdom Ten Commandments General Outline will have a negative impact on you. The Deconstruction has been updated, with an added active deconstruction method:] [Harmless Deconstruction.] [When you deconstruct a target that can bring both positive and negative effects, you can consume extra energy points to cast Harmless Deconstruction to obtain the positive effects separately and avoid the negative effects.] Yeah! Nice! Just take the essence and get rid of the dross. How can I not love such a system! Noland Lee praised the system silently in his heart. He aimed at Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary in his mind and muttered Harmless Deconstruction. [System Message: Youre about to initiate Harmless Deconstruction on the Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary.] [Predicted consumption of 10,000 Energy Points, enhancing the degree of deconstruction to 100%.] [Youll get the complete contents of Martyrs Cultivation: Fundamental Practices, while avoiding all negative effects brought by Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary.] [Your current Energy Points are 99. Do you want to proceed with deconstruction?] The cost of Harmless Deconstruction is ten times that of a regular deconstruction, from 1,000 to 10,000 points. With such a substantial cost, Noland only felt that his brows tightened. Its okay, its okay As long as Im still alive, its just a matter of time before I completely master the entire contents of the Fundamental Practices. Noland held his chest, comforting himself a few times as his thoughts surged in his mind. From the cost of ordinary deconstruction and harmless deconstruction, he could see some clues. In this world, if ordinary people want to gain extraordinary power, they need to pay a significant price. For example, Imperial Fist. To master the controllable mutation ability, one must serve the army for nine years. Only by going through this baptism of war can one become an Imperial Fist. This is considered a relatively friendly situation. For example, if an ordinary person wants to master death-type magic, they not only need to give up their youth but also put their lives in the hands of the Death Herald Guild. Everyone yearns for extraordinary power, but very few people question the price they need to pay before they acquire it: What is the price? The answer is cruel and real: The price is life and soul. Noland now felt somewhat relieved. Fortunately, he had the Deconstruction Core System in his hands. He could freely master the power of the extraordinary without selling his soul and body.O Otherwise. he would certainlv fall into the Dit of twisted mentalities and filthv spirits. From this point of view, spending 10,000 Energy Points to master the Fundamental Practices without side effects is absolutely worth it. Noland steadied his heart, suppressed the random thoughts for the time being, and thought silently: Consume 85 Energy Points, keep 14 points, and Harmlessly Deconstruct the Martyrs Ten Commandments ! Noland felt a little dizzy for a moment. Energy Points dropped below 15 points, down to the lower limit of 14/15 points, and began to recover automatically. Noland recovered from his momentary dizziness, pressed his rapidly pounding chest, and held his breath unconsciously, looking at the results of the deconstruction. His ice-blue pupils gradually enlarged. [Deconstruction successful!] [The harmless deconstruction of Martyrs Ten Commandments is increased from 0% to 0.85%.] [Youve obtained an incomplete Spell Blueprint: Soul Absorption with 20% completion.] [Spell Introduction is as follows:] [Name] Soul Absorption [Type] Death-type Spell [Level] Not applicable [Effect] Approach a corpse that has died within half an hour and absorb soul fragments from it to increase your Soul Strength. If the target doesnt have any soul fragments, the spell will not take effect. [Explanation] You used harmless deconstruction to obtain this spell. The system has stripped away all factors that could cause negative effects for you, such as spell chanting, spell gestures, and casting materials. Therefore, this spell has a fixed 20% completion and cannot be repaired. Its effectiveness is only about one-fifth of its normal state. However, correspondingly, when you cast this spell, you will not need to consume energy points, have no casting preparation, nor have any light or shadow effects. Nothing can detect you using this spell. Soul Absorption It only has a 20% completion rate, and it cant be upgraded or improved. Its very nice that it wont be detected by others. But exactly how many soul fragments could this spell collect? 0.5 points of Soul Strength? Or even less than that? Noland smiled at the corner of his mouth, feeling secretly delighted, and murmured in his mind. He thought he would deconstruct something like a meditation method. Unexpectedly, the first thing he got was a spell to enhance Soul Strength. Its good, its better than deconstructing something useless. Just for this, the system deserves praise. Noland raised his hand and wiped the corner of his mouth, then picked up the ammunition box and rushed toward the front line. He had already thought about it. Later, if casualties occurred at the front line, he would approach the corpses under the guise of helping transport the dead and see how much Soul Strength a soldier could contribute to him. No matter how much, he would definitely stick to the bottom line. He would never cause deliberate harm by extinguishing his humanity, just for the Soul Strength brought by the death of soldiers. Hes not that kind of person. Neither in the past, at present, nor in the future. His wish and starting point remain the same: good people will eventually have a good end, and evil ones will face justice. Huh? Right. Do the undead killed by soldiers have soul fragments? Noland smacked his head, somewhat puzzled. He ran to the barrier of a combat squad, put down the ammunition box in his hand. His eyes swept around, locking onto the Walking Dead that had just been torn apart by a bullet. As Noland passed corpse of the Walking Dead, he muttered in his heart. Soul Absorption. [System Message: Soul Absorption failed!] [Reason: The casting target is protected by Spirit Pivot. You cannot collect Soul Fragments from this type of target.] Ah, this Nolands mouth twitched. Stinky Spirit Pivot, one day Ill overturn you. But on second thought, it makes sense. The source of the Undead Army is the soul. If the Soul Absorption spell with only 20% completion can ignore the protection provided by Spirit Pivot and forcibly take away the souls of the Undead Army, it would be too exaggerated. Noland shook his head slightly, not feeling angry with the failure of the skill. Hell try again later with a deceased soldier. Imperial Soldiers cant possibly be protected by Spirit Pivot, right? Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: 61. The Hero Returns Chapter 75: 61. The Hero Returns Translator: 549690339 In front of the fallen soldiers tent. Noland Lee lifted the tent curtain, stroking his chin and thinking. The fallen Imperial Soldiers were actually under the protection of Spirit Pivot No. Thats not accurate. The correct statement should be: The moment the Imperial Soldiers fell, the Spirit Pivot would absorb the soul fragments from their corpses. Over the past half an hour, Noland Lee had moved three fresh corpses and repeatedly confirmed this fact. Furthermore, any living beings that died within Spirit Pivots range, regardless of whether or not they were killed by the Undead, would have their soul fragments taken by the Spirit Pivot. If Noland Lee wanted to increase his Soul Strength, he would have to avoid the scope of Spirit Pivots influence. Looking at the heated battle on the front lines, Noland Lee had a strange feeling. He felt as if the Undead Cult was doing a risk-free trade. Using the Eternal Essence inside the Spirit Pivot as bait and the threat of the land being tainted, they forced the Imperial Army to come and cleanse the Grave Vaults. In the process, the Imperial Army had invested large amounts of resources and expended a great number of troops. What did the Imperial Army gain? The life-giving Eternal Essence and the Grave Vaults that could be taken by the Undead at any moment. The Undead Cult paid with the Eternal Essence, magic materials for constructing the Spirit Pivot, and casting materials for summoning the Undead Army. Beyond that, there shouldnt be any additional costs, right? Were these expenses too much for the Undead Cult? Noland Lee wasnt an insider in the Undead Cult, so he wasnt sure about the specifics. But he thought that if the cost of war for the Undead Cult was a significant burden, then the group of Lost Souls would choose to rest underground and accumulate power. Instead of instigating trouble in various Grave Vaults from time to time, as they were doing now, and forcing the Imperial Army to step in and clean up. No matter how you looked at it, the Undead Cult had paid the material costs and gained souls in return. For the Undead, who lived on souls, this was definitely a surefire gain. Chief Officer, Ive moved the corpses of the fallen soldiers into the tent, Noland said, wiping the sweat from his forehead and looking up at the guards on the high platform. The guard looked down, about to say something, but his face suddenly filled with joy as he caught a glimpse of the staircase out of the corner of his eye: My God! Look, everyone! Lieutenant Grett is back! Lieutenant Grett is back! His shout was barely audible amidst the roar of gunfire, but the name Grett was too eye-catching. Several soldiers poked their heads out of the barricade, looking in the direction the guard was pointing, then turned to shout at their comrades. Its really Lieutenant Grett! Look, mates! Lieutenant Grett didnt die! Let me see! Damn! I cant believe he managed to escape from the Cavern Evil Spiders! Whos that with Lieutenant Grett? Is that Pim? Ah? No, no, its Sergeant Mars! Did Sergeant Mars and Sergeant Pim work together to rescue Lieutenant Grett? Wheres Sergeant Pim then? Forget about that Intelligence Officer 2 guy. Just the thought of his face makes me sick. A grown man, always either combing his hair or trimming his nails. Its disgusting. The gunfire on the front lines briefly weakened as soldiers poked their heads out of the barricade, chatting and gazing in the direction of Grett and his companion. If it werent for the guards on the high platform shouting loudly to maintain order in the battle, the front lines might have fallen into a silence state. Its no wonder the soldiers couldnt maintain discipline C the scene of Lieutenant Grett returning to the campsite was just too shocking. A man who was doomed to die appeared alive before them, and the suspense was enough to captivate everyones curiosity. Noland stared in the direction of Grett and his companion, slightly opening his mouth and letting his face show a surprised expression. He knew Lieutenant Grett wasnt dead. He also guessed that Sergeant Mars would be returning with Lieutenant Grett. But a good Sin Soldier No. 888 was a traveler who had mastered the death spell. Noland Lee, with a perfectly surprised look on his face, ran towards Captain Mars, as if he was a squad member who had seen his Chief Officer survive. Captain Mars, youre amazing. You actually managed to save Lieutenant Grett, Noland said with a hint of admiration as he approached Captain Mars. At this moment, Mars was helping Grett, who had his right arm over his shoulder, make his way to the campsite. As for Lieutenant Grett, this burly man had his eyes tightly closed, gritting his teeth, with veins bulging on his face. He was covered with wounds and there wasnt a single spot on his body unharmed. He looked to be in great pain. But in reality Noland knew all too well that Lieutenant Gretts condition was quite good. The first time Noland Lee saw Lieutenant Grett, he needed 1000 energy points to completely deconstruct him. Now, that number had doubled, reaching a whopping 2000 points. This indicated that Lieutenant Grett had advanced from the First Order Imperial Fist to the Second Order. The painful expression on his face and his body injuries were deliberately faked. Noland secretly shook his head, thinking to himself, what kind of army had he joined? Everyone was an actor Sergeant Marss acting skills were not bad either. He intentionally tensed his facial muscles, and with a solemn tone, he said: Jarvis, now is not a good time to chat. Go get the Medical Soldiers to help quickly. Lieutenant Grett overexerted himself fighting the Cavern Evil Spiders and sustained severe injuries. He needs immediate treatment.. Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: 61. The Hero Returns 2 Chapter 76: 61. The Hero Returns 2 Translator: 549690339 Yes, Sir, Ill go right away. Noland Lee glanced at the staircase behind the two and pretended to look for Pim. His face displayed an accurate mix of struggle and aggrievement, and finally, he sighed and turned to leave: Sir, there is something I wanted to talk to you about. Sergeant Pim well, never mind, lets talk about it later. Ill go get the medical soldiers now. As soon as Noland left, soldiers who had been observing them closed in on Grett and the others. They surrounded the two heroes and started moving towards the medical tent. Some of the soldiers were impatient and straightforward and couldnt help expressing their anger. Captain Grett, Sergeant Pim was simply appalling! Yes! We wanted to save you, but he stopped us! He suspects Sin Soldier 888 is a Death Notice spy, he didnt even bother to ask Sergeant Alvin Stafford; instead, he just detained Sin Soldier No. 888 and interrogated him! Isnt this too much? Isnt this a slap in the face of us sergeants? After all, Sin Soldier 888 has saved us sergeants! What?! Jarvis was interrogated by Pim? When did this happen? Corporal Mars was taken aback. Lieutenant Grett, although his eyes are tightly closed, also visibly trembled. It was clear that he was very concerned about this. Sergeant Hansen, who had collaborated with Noland Lee earlier, held Noland in high regard. He continued: It happened just after we retreated from the third underground level. The fact is that theres nothing wrong with Sin Soldier No. 888! Pim couldnt get anything out of him. He had no choice but to release Sin Soldier 888 By the way, Mars, wheres Pim? Didnt he and his four guards go to rescue Lieutenant Grett? Yeah, where is Pim? Everyone looked at each other in front of the dark staircase and had no choice but to turn their gaze to Mars. Corporal Mars took a deep breath, a flash of sorrow crossing his face, and his voice became hoarser: Sergeant Pim He He died, along with his four guards. After I and Lieutenant Grett escaped to the Second Underground Layer, we were surrounded by the Stone Tomb Bound Spirits Group. If it werent for Pim and his guards sacrificing their lives to rescue us, the ones who died in the Second Underground Layer would have been the two of us. Dead Pim is dead He got his just desserts! Ah, sorry, I mean, Pim was truly brave Who would have thought Pim would also sacrifice himself I always thought he was a total bastard Corporal Mars looked at the soldiers in front of him, feeling somewhat helpless. He and Lieutenant Grett both knew that Pim was a spy for the Death Notice. But this news couldnt be made public at this time. At least not now. Because between the Death Notice spies, there exist both dual line and single line connections. In single line communication, the overseer knows the identity of the undercover, but the undercover doesnt know the identity of his overseer. For double line connections, both parties are aware of each others identities. Pims real identity is undoubtedly known to other Death Notice spies. If news of his identity being compromised gets out, it would quickly alert other Death Notice spies and affect Captain Murphys future plans. For the greater good, they would have to bear with it for now and only reveal Pims identity after they have completed the mission here. Just as the soldiers were being sentimental, Noland returned with the medical soldiers. He just heard about Pims death, and his expression became extremely complicated. There was a sense of satisfaction as if he had finally vented out his suppressed anger. There was also joy at the sudden death of the one he despised. There was a hint of surprise, as if he hadnt expected Pim to sacrifice himself for others. It took him a long time to express this series of subtle emotions. His goal is very clear. That is to portray himself as a common Sin Soldier who knew nothing about Pims true identity. Sergeant Pims sacrifice is truly regrettable. I initially thought he was just a troublemaker. I didnt expect him to be so fearless. With a light sigh and sentimentality, Noland Lee dissipated the complex look on his face and stepped aside: Chief Officer, the Medical Soldiers are here. Lieutenant Grett was gently placed on a stretcher. The medical soldiers lifted the heavy stretcher, waved their hands to disperse the crowd, and ran towards the Medical Tent. After Lieutenant Grett left, the atmosphere on the scene was no longer as intense. The soldiers went about their business, all heading towards their respective defenses. Sergeant Mars grabbed Noland Lee and walked towards their teams tent. Jarvis, tell me what happened. How did Pim interrogate you? What did he ask you and how did you answer? Once inside the tent, Sergeant Mars lowered his voice, with an unusually serious tone: You didnt reveal our plan, did you? No, sir. He identified himself as an investigator from Military Intelligence Section Two, and forced me to confess who taught me the Undead Runes using an Electric Shock Collar. I didnt say anything. Noland Lees face was earnest as he spoke. He was determined to extricate himself from this trouble and could not allow any mistakes. But Sergeant Mars looked Noland Lee up and down, apparently somewhat disbelieving. He was all too familiar with the tactics of Military Intelligence Section Two. How many people could withstand Pims cruel interrogation methods? But looking at Noland Lee, he seemed to have not been harshly interrogated, and there were no injuries on his body No, something was off. Had Pim used Truth Serums? Sergeant Mars gaze hardened slightly as he stared intently at Noland Lees face, fanned his nostrils slightly, and took a few breaths. The smell of Truth Serums was quite pungent. Anyone who ingested it would have a distinct smell left in their mouths. Also, those who drank Truth Serums would experience symptoms like pupil tremor and mental trance. Only those with excellent physical conditioning, such as the Imperial Fist, could be immune to side effects. Noland Lee showed none of these symptoms, and he was not an Imperial Fist. So there was only one answer. Noland Lee was not fed the Truth Serum, Pim really did interrogate him with the Electric Shock Collar, and Noland Lee indeed did not give away Captain Murphy. Sergeant Mars suddenly slapped his forehead with a murmur of self-deprecation: Ah, I almost didnt piece it together If Pim knew that Captain Murphy was hidden in the army, he would definitely leave the Grave Vault immediately, instead of going to the Third Underground Level to find death. So, you definitely did not reveal Captain Murphys existence. What? Chief Officer? What are you talking about? Noland Lee feigned confusion on the surface, but inwardly heaved a sighCaptain Mars, you finally got it. No, no, its nothing. You did well, Jarvis. I trust you. You absolutely did not leak the plan. Sergeant Mars patted him on the shoulder. He was about to say something comforting, when a whistling sound came from outside the tent.. Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: 62. Lost Sparrow Announcement Chapter 77: 62. Lost Sparrow Announcement Translator: 549690339 Chirp-chirp-chirp- The whistle outside the tent was light, not like in an emergency situation. Corporal Mars listened carefully and nodded his head, saying: Its the whistle for the arrival of reinforcements. Lets go, Jarvis. Alvins army should withdraw. Tomb No.1079 will be handed over to Lieutenant Sterlings army. However, the two of us will stay, you know why. Yes, I know, Chief Officer, to modify the Undead Runes. Good to know that you are mentally prepared. As Corporal Mars walked out, he said: Jarvis, have I not introduced you to the tombs numbering system yet? No, Chief Officer. Oh, Ive been careless, Im sorry. Ever since I met you, Ive been thinking about the secret plan and forgot to tell you the basics. Corporal Mars lifted the door curtain, came outside, and continued: The tombs numbers range from 1 to 1121. The smaller the number, the more difficult it is to clean the tomb. Tombs above 1000, like the current Tomb No.1079, are low in combat intensity. Mostly low-level undead creatures appear here. Skeleton Warriors and Cavern Stalkers are common and relatively easy enemies. Noland Lee nodded his head slowly: So, it shouldnt be normal for enemies like Stone Tomb Bound Spirits to appear in Tomb No.1079, right, Chief Officer? Yes, thats right. Do you remember the two features, Bone Supply and Death Supply? They are also common in tombs numbered 500 to 999 instead of Tomb No.1079 we are in. Tombs within the 1000s have higher combat intensity. Each cleaning takes about a week or sometimes up to half a month or even a month. Corporal Mars pointed to the army negotiating with the guards: Lieutenant Sterling has a total of three troops under his command, which are responsible for Tombs 700 to 729. Their equipment is better and more advanced than ours. Basically, everyone is equipped with Biochemical Weapons all the time. The Lightning Spore, which we sometimes use, is just a standard weapon for their team. Noland Lee squinted his eyes and examined the reinforcements. They were full of spirit, dressed brightly, and highly motivated, unlike Alvins battered army. But not everyone was shining. There were many Sin Soldiers in Lieutenant Sterlings army. Noland Lee quickly counted and saw at least 30 of them. The condition of these Sin Soldiers was much worse than his own. Missing arms and legs, lack of noses and ears, black and green eyes, they were in a terrible state. It was evident that Lieutenant Sterling was simply using the Sin Soldiers as cannon fodder without any concern. The treatment of Noland Lee was unique. As for Lieutenant Sterling himself, he was indeed a tough man. He looked around 30 years old, but had a thick gray goatee. His entire upper body was sharply triangular in shape. The muscles of his shoulders, chest, back, and arms were virtually blindingly huge. His two thighs were as thick as elephant legs, and the leg muscles had formed obvious folds in his pants. Noland Lee was doubtful if this kind of man could kick a Big Skeleton in the head so effortlessly. He held a bulky power saw in his hand. When starting it, it would emit a roaring noise. So thats Lieutenant Sterling? His weapon is quite peculiar, its a power saw spitting black smoke. Noland Lee shook his head slightly: I have to say, he looks much stronger than Sergeant Alvin Stafford. Alvin Stafford is really getting old. Corporal Mars eyes flickered as if he felt a bit emotional. Watching the two armies exchange, he murmured: Alvin Stafford He was actually supposed to leave the Suffering Borderland a few years ago, but he stayed for the plan. He insisted on staying until he saw it succeed. I can understand his thoughts. After fighting the undead for a lifetime, he longs to see the hope of victory before he retires. Fighting the undead for a lifetime? Noland Lee was secretly shocked: You mean, Sergeant Alvin Stafford has been in the Suffering Borderland for a long time? Yes. Since his son was killed by the undead, he has been here looking for a way to defeat the undead. You may not believe it, but he was already over 40 when he joined the army. Stubborn as he was, he insisted on joining the army to avenge his son. If it werent for his strong body, strong will and his ability to learn military knowledge, the Imperial Army definitely wouldnt have accepted him Now that I think about it, hes really amazing to have endured so long here Perhaps the power of revenge is whats supporting him. As the two spoke, the medical soldiers just walked out of the Commanders tent carrying Sergeant Alvin Stafford and Lieutenant Grett on stretches towards the entrance of the tomb. Corporal Mars looked at the old mans form on the stretcher with concern, then shook his head and stopped the topic: Come help, Jarvis. Lets move the tent a bit to make room for Lieutenant Sterlings soldiers. For the next few hours, the two of us can rest assured. Everything will be taken care of by Lieutenant Sterling. You just have to wait and modify the Undead Runes. Are you sure? Well just sleep in the tent? Chapter 78 - Chapter 78:62. Lost Sparrow Announcement_2 Chapter 78:62. Lost Sparrow Announcement_2 Translator: 549690339 Right, theres no need to worry about the battle. Thaless army on the frontlines is enough. Sergeant Mars said confidently. As his voice faded, gunshots erupted from the fortress. After a short pause, gunfire flourished again along the line. The combatants of Thales army began to output firepower against the sea of skeletons. Similarly, using water-cooled light machine guns to sweep the skeleton warriors, their firepower was far beyond Alvins army! Those skeleton warriors were like paper cutouts, falling in swathes, and the entire skeleton sea visibly shrank quickly. Noland squinted and took a closer look, only to feel his teeth itch. This Thales army was too rich! The bullets they used for their machine guns were actually filled with Biochemical Nectar. The power of these enchanted bullets was far beyond the ordinary bullets used by Alvins army. No wonder their shooting against the skeleton sea was as simple as cutting leeks Such luxury Noland lightly clicked his tongue, withdrew his gaze, and assisted Mars in moving the tent. By the way, Chief Officer, are the Second Division Intelligence personnel leaving too? Them? We cant control that. Were temporarily teamed up with them to deal with the undead because of the order from Intelligence Headquarters. After our combat mission is complete, well be on our way. As for whether the Second Division personnel leave or not, thats entirely up to them. They may send one of their soldiers to retreat, or send a new investigator over. Anyway, its none of our business, and we dont need to bother with them. Mars paused for a while and then speculated: But I reckon itll take some more time for Division Intelligence Unit Two to arrange for a new investigator. The tomb No.1079 is quite a distance from Legion Fortress. Accounting for the time discrepancy between Pims death report and the arrival of a new investigator, it could be at least five or six hours. So the withdrawal of their soldiers should be a high probability event. Its unlikely they would send a new investigator. Oh, I see Noland nodded slowly. Alvins army left. Lieutenant Grett left too. Now only the strangers Noland and Mars were left in the vast campsite along with the ever-hidden Captain Murphy. The battle on the first underground level ended quickly, and the campsite fell silent amidst intense gunfire. Lieutenant Sterling Parker brought only one platoon with him this time, but he still effortlessly crushed the sea of skeletons on the first underground level. He didnt stop for a moment and led his team to attack underground layer 2 directly. After the army left, the campsite became quiet, with only guards patrolling back and forth. Noland lay on the hard bed in his tent, yawned, and closed his eyes for a slumber, using his arm as a pillow. Mars did the same. Altogether, the two had fought continuously for nearly eight hours, and its indeed time for them to rest. In his sleep, Noland continued a dream he hadnt finished. He dreamt himself wandering in an alien world and catching both a Japanese-style Charming Demon and a Western-style one It gave him a headache. He had limited Energy Points and could only deconstruct one of the Charming Demons. The two Charming Demons, seductive and enticing, posed a dilemma for him on which to deconstruct. After an unknown period of time, he suddenly realized it! He was dreaming! Couldnt he be more daring and keep both? Noland rubbed his hands together in the dream, a mischievous smile on his face. He pulled out his Personal Panel with the intention to manually change the number of his energy points to 999,999. After all, this was his dream, so anything is possible. But at that moment, the status bar on his Personal Panel caught his attention! Perception Obstruction appeared again on the status bar! The words Perception Obstruction extinguished Nolands desire to deconstruct the Charming Demon. He instantly opened his eyes, returning to the silent reality. Damn it Its not a dream I can truly call up my Personal Panel in my dreams. This is too magical, right? How is it possible that I can still call up my Personal Panel in my dreams? And the information and data on the panel are in sync with reality Noland lay flat on the hard bed board, staring blankly at his panel in front of him. He really did call up his Personal Panel in his dreams. But this wasnt the only bizarre thing. Even more astonishing to him was that Perception Obstruction indeed appeared on his Personal Panel as a negative effect. He listened carefully to the sounds inside and outside the tent. Only Marss breathing could be heard inside the tent. Outside the tent was dead silence, as if there were no living creatures at all. Noland stealthily turned over and sat up without making a sound. He shook Mars awake, held a finger to his lips, and gestured for him to be quiet. Mars was awakened from his dream and discerned the person in front of him before picking up the firearms beside him. Jarvis Whats wrong? Mars saw Nolands serious expression and asked in a low voice. Chief Officer, its too quiet outside the tent. Besides, the lights outside are gone. Sergeant Mars looked towards the curtain, where there was originally a beam of light entering through the gap. Now, the beam of light had disappeared. Even the purified fumes flowing into the room from outside had become much thinner. Something is off in the campsite, Sergeant Mars said as he picked up the gun beside him and got up.. Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: 62. Looking for sparrows announcement_3 Chapter 79: 62. Looking for sparrows announcement_3 Translator: 549690339 He came to the side of the door curtain, carefully lifted the curtain, and looked outside, but could only see things within a ten-meter range. Sergeant Mars cursed under his breath: Damn, its that sickening spell again. Our vision and hearing range are limited. Noland Lee came to the door and glanced at the dark outside: Where are the guards in the camp? Why havent they sounded the alarm? Sergeant Mars had the same question in mind. Lets go check the Commanders tent, Jarvis. There should be at least one guard on duty there. Sergeant Mars was about to step out when he retracted his foot in the next second and hastily retreated. Hush someones coming. Its not clear if its a guard. Click, click Footsteps on the ground tiles approached from a distance, entering the range of Noland Lee and Mars vision and hearing. Canary Canary Where are you? Canary The person outside whispered, calling the name and walking past every tent in the campsite. Dont let us down at this critical moment, Canary. Were just missing your Bone-mending Wand. Come out, Canary. The footsteps were getting very close. It seemed that the person was looking for someone named Canary to get a Bone-mending Wand from them. He would lift the curtain and take a peek every time he passed a tent. Noland Lee and Mars clenched their firearms, using the hard bed as cover, hiding behind the bed, with their guns pointing at the door curtain. The person outside came to the entrance of their tent. He stopped, looked at the tents number: Alvin Armys Mars Squad How come there are other armys tents here Did Sterling not notice this tent when arranging people to camp? Sergeant Mars eyes flickered rapidly, seemingly pondering quickly. He raised his hand, gesturing to Noland Lee do not shoot, then pressed his palm down, indicating to put away the firearms and hide his entire body behind the bed board. As soon as Noland Lee hid himself, the person outside lifted the tent curtain and looked inside. An empty tent Hiss Did the Alvin army forget to pack up this tent when they left? The man murmured a few words at the doorway. A strong smell of blood drifted in from the entrance. The smell was so strong that it was nauseating, as if the man had just walked out of a slaughterhouse, Noland Lee was lying on the ground at this moment, placing his entire body behind the bed. His head was close to the ground, and he could see the mans feet through the gap under the bed. Noland Lee saw fresh filthy blood on the shoes and pieces of flesh on the soles. He had a thought and used Deconstruction technique. System Message: You are about to use Deconstruction on a Death Notice Assassin. Death Notice Assassin It seemed that the assassin had just dealt with the guards in the camp, no wonder the camp was completely silent. Canary, where are you? Come out quickly. Were all ready, waiting for your Bone-mending Wand. The assassin at the door saw that there was no one inside, put down the curtain, turned around, and left. He called Canary while checking other tents. Noland Lee looked towards the direction of the door curtain, blinked his eyes, and felt something odd in his heart Isnt the Bone-mending Wand the Death Notice assassin wants inside Pims tent? Why not just go and take it? Ah, now he understood. The assassin only knew that the person he was to meet was called Canary, but did not know the real identity of Canary.. Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: 63. Chain reaction Chapter 80: 63. Chain reaction Translator: 549690339 Chief Officer, who is Canary? asked Noland Lee when the people outside had left. It should be the codename for the Death Notice Spy. Corporal Mars thought for a moment and said: Hiss Could Pims codename be Canary? It seems quite possible Noland Lee pretended to be shocked, Sergeant Pim is Canary ? What do you mean, Chief Officer? Is he a spy for Death Herald Guild? Yes, Jarvis. I wont hide it from you anymore, Pim is the Death Notice Spy. Corporal Mars said through gritted teeth: Hes not a hero at all. This bastard is the Death Notice Spy. He wanted to use the opportunity of the Undeads premature awakening to go to the Third Underground Level to retrieve Sin Soldier 039s lost Death Herald Guild amulet, just happened to stumble upon Captain Murphy rescuing Lieutenant Grett. He was exposed by Captain Murphy and killed on the spot. Noland Lees face was full of surprise: So it was Captain Murphy who saved Lieutenant Grett Pim is not the Hero of the Empire this is unbelievable. Corporal Mars suddenly furrowed his brow and asked: Jarvis, do you know why the undead on the First and Second Underground Levels awoke early? I dont know Noland Lee shook his head in confusion. Thats strange. The undead would only awaken ahead of schedule if an external force intervened. At the time of the undeads premature awakening, there were no abnormalities on the Third Underground Level with Captain Murphy guarding it. Corporal Mars clapped his hands: It must have been Pim who did something on the First Underground Level that caused the undead to awaken early. Wait, could it be that the Bone-mending Wand caused the early awakening of the undead? Could it be in Pims tent? Didnt the people from Division Intelligence Unit Two leave? Corporal Mars had finally come close to the answer. As a military officer who excels in battle, it is not easy for him to think of so much. He walked lightly to the side of the tent curtain and motioned for Noland Lee to follow him. He led Noland Lee out of the tent and headed for the campsite of Division Intelligence Unit Two. Contrary to Corporal Marss previous speculation, the soldiers of Division Intelligence Unit Two hadnt retreated at all. All their tents remained, and Pims tent hadnt been moved. Just as Corporal Mars led Noland Lee to approach Pims tent, a clattering sound of searching came from Pims tent. Someone was rummaging through boxes and cabinets in the tent, mixed with the crisp sound of glass bottles colliding. The person cursed while searching: Damn it! So Pim is Canary! Where did all these elixirs in his drawer come from? These are all treasures of our Death Herald Guild! Last time this bastard interrogated me, he didnt show any signs of being one of us! He beat me so hard I couldnt get out of bed for two days! How could he do this? There was more than one person in the tent. Another person responded: Forget it, we didnt know each others identities either. Just like you and me. If we hadnt killed the guards in front of us at the same time after receiving the signal, we wouldnt have been able to confirm each others identities. Thats true. But seriously, Lumberjack, your short knife skills are impressive, you chopped off the guards head in one swift movement. Your dagger skill isnt bad either? Youre a great hand at stabbing hearts, Heart Driller. One codename was Lumberjack, the other was Heart Driller. The two Death Notice assassins complimented each other for a moment. One of them dragged out a heavy metal box from under the bed, tapping the box lid, making muffled thumps. Bang bang bang. Other than the elixirs in the drawer, this metal box is the most special thing in this tent. Its possible The assassin codenamed Heart Driller squatted down: What a pain, this box has a 16 -digit mechanical lock. Why did that bastard Pim have to die before our assassination of Sterling Parker? I heard from Alvins people that Pim died trying to rescue Grett. Paugh! Is he really that kind of person? In my opinion, he must have faked his death! He put on a show, creating the illusion that he was killed by the undead. Then, when Sterling lets down his guard, hell suddenly reappear, and give Sterling a vicious stab in the back. Its possible. I also think Pim faked his death. Lumberjack pondered for a moment: Lets just take the box with us directly. Maybe, well run into Pim halfway. Lumberjack heaved the box up with heavy breaths, Give me a hand, mate. This box is too heavy. Right away, right away. Hehe. The elixirs in this drawer are all good stuff. I heard the bigwigs in the Death Herald Guild rely on these elixirs for meditation. Glug glug glug- Ah- Refreshing! Lumberjack, want a bottle? Heart Piercer had a wicked idea. He grabbed an elixir from the drawer, poured it into his mouth, and didnt forget to share it with his partner.o Lumberjack hesitated for a moment but couldnt resist the temptation of the elixir. He put down the metal box and glug glug drank several bottles of elixirs. What the bigwigs drink is indeed different, sour and sweet. I think its much better than the dark wheat beer in the tavern. The two of them sighed briefly and carried the metal box out of the tent. They each picked up a few coal lamps and threw them toward the tents around them. They continued to carry the box only when the flames broke out. There was a raging fire in the campsite. The fire quickly spread from Pims tent to every corner of the campsite, igniting all the fabrics and supplies in its path. Bang bang bang! The tents storing explosives and ammunition werent spared, as waves of air burst out, fueling the flames. Two Death Herald Guild assassins entered the stairway to the next level before the first underground level was engulfed in the sea of fire. In another stairway, Noland Lee and Mars wore breathing masks and stared at the sea of fire in a daze. Although their vision was limited and they couldnt see the entire sea of fire, the feeling of the rolling heat waves couldnt be restricted by Perception Obstruction. Chief Officer, will Captain Murphy rescue Lieutenant Sterling Parker? Whats the Bone-mending Wand? And where have the bones of the skeleton warriors from the first underground level gone? Noland transformed into a question-asking machine, firing off one question after another. Mars shook his head: All I know is that Captain Murphy will save Lieutenant Sterling. As for the other questions, I dont know the answers. So what do we do now? Put out the fire or stop the Death Herald Guild assassins who are moving the metal box? Uh, we we do nothing Are you sure, Chief Officer? Im sure, Jarvis, we dont need to do anything Mars had a strange expression: Look at this fire, we cant put it out by ourselves. As for Lieutenant Sterling, Captain Murphy will save him. As for the two assassins and the metal box Pim is dead, and no one can open the password lock on the metal box. Even if that Bone-mending Wand is really inside the metal box, what would it matter? The two assassins cant open the box because Pim is truly dead. When you think about it we really dont need to do anything Noland suddenly realized that the plan he borrowed from the Sword Shark People might have caused quite a chain reaction He lured Pim to the third underground level and disrupted Murphys plan, causing Lieutenant Grett to survive and deprive Murphy of a candidate for the New Military Intelligence Division 2. Now, with Pim dead, the metal box containing the Bone-mending Wand could not be opened, leaving the Death Herald Guilds plan to assassinate Lieutenant Sterling Parker missing a crucial link. As a result, Lieutenant Sterling couldnt be killed either Wouldnt Murphy be short of another candidate for the New Military Intelligence Division 2? Ah, this. Is it good to foil Murphys plan twice in a row? Mars also realized this problem. After Pims death, the Bone-mending Wand could not be activated. Didnt that mean that the assassination mission on the third underground level had failed before it even started? For those two Death Herald Guild assassins, dragging a metal box they could not open to the third underground level was tantamount to committing suicide. Jarvis, come with me. Lets go to the third underground level and see the situation. Mars gestured for Noland to follow him. He had a strong feeling in his heart: Captain Murphys mood should be quite complicated right now.. Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: 64. Genuine Attitude Chapter 81: 64. Genuine Attitude Translator: 549690339 Third Underground Level. The spacious Tomb Hall was packed with undead creatures from the First Underground Level to the Third. From Skeleton Warriors on the First Underground Level, to Bound Spirits and Tomb Skeleton Soldiers on the Underground Layer 2, all squeezed into the Third Underground Level, completely clogging the tomb passages. The Big Skeleton finally played its trump card. It used Skeleton Warriors and Skeleton Hounds as bone material to fill up its wounds. It casually grabbed a handful of Skeleton Warriors and stuffed them into the blast holes in its chest, healing the injuries caused by the Bee Syrup Bombs quickly. Ribs regenerated, spinal bones repaired, and leg bones thickened once again. Not only that, but Skeleton Warriors and Skeleton Hounds were also used as blue bottles. The Big Skeleton targeted the Imperial Armys position and fired several Death Pulses in quick succession, squandering its death energy. As soon as its energy ran low, it snatched up Skeleton Warriors, stuffed them into its mouth, crunched them down, and swallowed their shattered bones and souls. The depleted death energy instantly recovered, and several more Death Pulses were thrown out. If it wasnt for the Empires Fists barrier being reinforced with layers of thick steel plates, these Death Pulses would have swept away the entire army. Although the scene was crowded with undead, the Undead Cult was not gaining the upper hand. Instead, they were being suppressed by the well-equipped Imperial Army. Bee Syrup Bullets, high-strength liquid flamethrowers, Bee Syrup Grenade launchers fired from fixed turrets, powerful Lightning Spores shooting concentrated lightning beams, and more C these powerful military weapons were killing the undead one after another, keeping them at bay. The Imperial Fist was giving the undead a severe beating. Is this all youve got? Scraps! A huge figure descended from the sky. The massive feet, over half a meter wide, easily crushed Skeleton Warriors and Walking Dead, with flesh splashing and bone dust scattered all over. The enormous Power Saw spit out red flames and carved through the sea of undead, splashing out blazing magma. The fiery saw teeth buzzed while the saw sliced through enemies and, using the blades high temperature, completely melted the remains. Facing the Big Skeletons Death Pulse attack, the giant figure charged forward without dodging, running through the black lightning. The gigantic Power Saw sliced from bottom to top, splattering countless sparks, and cut the Big Skeleton in half. The sparks sprayed onto the nearby Stone Tomb Bound Spirits, who quickly melted like ignited cotton, killing them as they let out shrill wails. Huh! Too weak! Too weak! What were you trying to achieve by calling all these undead from the three underground levels, feeding me? Hurry up and show me your real abilities, you scraps! Im getting so sick of playing! Lieutenant Sterling Parker transformed into the Imperial Fist, wielding his gigantic Power Saw and rushing headlong through the battlefield, sweeping away hordes of undead as if he was unaffected by the Perception Obstruction. Sterling, your time is up! A shout echoed from the staircase. Two Death Notice assassins carrying a metal box came to the Third Underground Level. They placed the metal box on the ground and laughed wildly, one holding a heart-ripping dagger and the other a beheading short knife. Sterling, prepare to die! Weve brought the Bone-mending Wand! Its enough to drive all undead mad, making you feel the agony of an elephant being devoured by ants! Your little finger bones will belong to the Death Herald Guild! Yes, thats right! Die, Sterling! Canary, Canary, come out, and open the box quickly! What kind of bullshit Bone-mending Wand are you guys talking about? Sterling stomped on the floor, crushing the undead beneath his feet. He leaped high, landing heavily in front of the two Death Notice assassins. His titan face loomed oppressively in the air, as he stared at the metal box in front of the two. Whats in here? Bone-mending Wand? Is it some magical artifact developed by the Death Herald Guild? Damn you idle bastards, always poking around with such wicked tricks. Sterling clenched his fist and struck down, banging the metal box with a clang. The metal box didnt budge, responding to the fist in silence and solidity. Sterlings eyes flashed with surprise, as the soldiers beside him felt the same. This ordinary-looking metal box actually withstood Lieutenant Sterlings punch in his titan form. The two Death Notice assassins were sweating coldly from Sterlings actions and frantically shouted: Canary! Canary! Come out now! Pim, you damned son of a bitch! Stop hiding! Come here and open the box! What does this have to do with Pim? Lieutenant Sterling turned his head, looking towards a tent in the front line, but received no response. What a weird assassination attempt. What the hell were you Death Notice guys trying to pull? Sterling said, bewildered. He waved his fist and smashed the two Death Notice assassins into a pulp. He beckoned two soldiers and asked them to carry the metal box into the tent. The soldiers picked up the metal box, entered the tent, and placed the box in front of the screen. A soft sigh echoed inside the tent. The metal box was drawn by an invisible force as it floated into the air, circled around the screen smoothly, and landed on the conference table inside the tent. Murphy looked at the metal box in front of her, her pretty face showing a mix of relief and regret. She turned her head and looked at the figure by the table. It seems that the Death Herald Guild still doesnt know about Pims death, or they would have ordered the assassins to withdraw.. Morster, did you suppress Pims death? Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: 64. Genuine Attitude_2 Chapter 82: 64. Genuine Attitude_2 Translator: 549690339 Yes, Murphy. Otherwise, I wouldnt have come in person. The shadow nodded nonchalantly. The figure, known as Morster, wore a silver mask that obscured his face and a black cloak wrapped around his body and most of his face. There were no gaps in the silver mask, not even breathing holes or observational eyes, completely hiding this persons appearance. His voice was quite immature; he didnt sound very old. Murphy stared at the metal box and said: Your guess was right, Morster. After Pims death, no one could use the Bone-mending Wand. The Death Herald Guilds plan to assassinate Sterling naturally fell through. But I really cant understand why Pim suddenly appeared on the third underground level and happened to be caught by me. Morster remained silent for a moment. motionless. Approximately half a minute passed before he spoke. Murphy, what do you think of Sin Soldier Noland Lee Jarvis? Hmm a standard Imperial Scholar, a qualified history assistant teacher, a brave Imperial man. Thats my opinion. I think you can add one more. Morster paused for half a second: Such as, a patient wise man. Murphy frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled: A patient wise man? Patient, sure. If I had gone through what he has, I would probably have been overcome with a desire for revenge. Hes certainly learned a lot, but he wouldnt be considered a wise man, right? Morster shook his head slightly: Real wise men know how to hide themselves. They prefer to control everything from behind the scenes rather than stand on the stage like Sterling. Murphy laughed lightly, Are you talking about yourself? Hey, lets just say Im complimenting myself. Morster chuckled: Alright, Murphy. Since all the Death Herald Guilds assassins who were to assassinate Sterling are dead, I should send Division Intelligence Unit Twos soldiers back. What about this metal box? Are you just going to leave the Bone-mending Wand inside it right here? Murphy asked. Yes, leave it here. To be precise, I hope you can take it and stay out of the Legion Fortress, do not enter the Fortress, and do not hand it over to any member of Division Intelligence Unit Two. If possible, I want you to try and see if you can destroy this wand yourself. Are you serious? Have me destroy the wand? Isnt that supposed to be Division Intelligence Unit Twos job? Im serious, Murphy. Morster took a shallow breath, feeling a bit heavy in his heart: To tell you the truth, ever since the Emperor secretly transferred me from Place Six to Place Two, Ive encountered many people and things. Do you know how it feels to be dizzy from all the confusion? Every day different people flash before my eyes, saying noble words, doing things that cant technically be called wrong, taking care of every detail flawlessly. Its hard for me to tell how many of these slick people are aligned with the Death Herald Guild, but its obvious that those responsible for destroying the wands could also be problematic. I cant fully trust them. Alright, Ill help you. Murphy nodded, her eyes slightly indulgent, After all, of all my brothers and sisters, you are the one I find most pleasing. Morster touched his nose: Is that so? I also think Im overly handsome. Cough, back to the topic. The high-level wizards in the Death Herald Guild have an inexplicable connection with this wand, and they can generally sense the wands location. You need to be very careful when youre roaming around outside. The people from the Death Herald Guild may not come looking for you themselves, but they can guide the people from Division Intelligence Unit Two to trouble you through spies theyve planted in Division Intelligence Unit Two. You should try to avoid the members of the Magic Wand Destruction Team. One of them is your foolish sister, brash and dominating, who only got involved in Division Intelligence Unit Twos work because she is the youngest of the same batch of children and is particularly favored. A touch of disgust flashed across Murphys face, If she dares to appear before my eyes, Ill pull her hair out. Morster shrugged, Nevermind, just dont be too rough. I know Murphy replied nonchalantly. Morster snapped his fingers: Right, Murphy, about Sin Soldier Noland Lee Jarvis, I have some thoughts. Although he is bait thrown in front of us by the Death Herald Guild, to some extent, I think he is an ordinary person who can be slightly trusted. The death of Pim is an example. Of course, I know you dont quite understand whats going on, but thats okay, you just need to know that Noland Lee Jarvis can be trusted for now. Morster pondered for a half-second, and then continued: Thinking about it from his position, if I were Noland Lee Jarvis, what could be done to make me feel at ease? Before Murphy can answer, Morster answered his own question. Oh, I got it. Romance. Only romance can provide both material and spiritual enjoyment and can also dull the mind of a wise person. Morster clapped his hands, laughing: Then Ill arrange a sibling romance for Noland Lee Jarvis. Hahaha. Filling him with the missing motherly love and affection. With this, hell be completely at Romance, and sibling romance at that, you sure have a perverse taste Murphy muttered. In fact, she was puzzled and couldnt keep up with Morsters thoughts, and she just blinked her eyes confusedly.. Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: 64. Genuine Attitude_3 Chapter 83: 64. Genuine Attitude_3 Translator: 549690339 Morster didnt bother with her, simply shook his hand and slowly faded into a lingering shadow, disappearing from the seat. Goodbye, Murphy, my dear sister. Dont mention me to anyone, because in the eyes of outsiders, as a member of Intelligence Department 6, I should be wandering around the Golden Federation at this time. You can think of yourself as the person solely responsible for the Broken Coffin plan, and Im just giving you advice. Murphy looked at the empty seat, then the metal box on the table, feeling overwhelmed: When will Morsters problem change? He always leaves halfway through a conversation. Murphy stored the metal box and quietly waited for the battle on the third underground level to end. About 10 minutes later, Sterlings loud voice came from outside the tent: You told me someone would come to try to modify the Undead Runes, but why didnt you tell me hes a Sin Soldier? After killing most of the Undead, Sterling left the rest of the fight to his soldiers. He strode into the tent with large steps, followed by an embarrassed Mars and a calm Noland Lee. Murphy nodded to the saluting Mars and looked at the strong man with a goatee beard, asking: Whats wrong, Sterling? Is there anything inappropriate? Lieutenant Sterling Parker glared at Noland Lee: Burning the Magic Protective Shield with flames is slower, but all I have to do is shut off the liquid fuel pipeline, and the flames will disappear. What about him? If he has any tricks, I cant guarantee that I can stop him. Murphy raised her hand to stop the other persons words: Watch your tone, Lieutenant. Alright, Sterling blew on his beard and said: Letting this Sin Soldier try to modify the Undead Runes is your order, and I cannot refuse. But let me make it clear that if he dares to mess around, I will immediately have someone detain him. No problem, I accept your proposal. Murphy ignored Sterlings tone and ordered: Lieutenant, go clean up the battlefield, make space, and let the soldiers stand by upstairs. As soon as youre ready, Ill immediately let Jarvis try to modify the Undead Runes. Yes, Chief Officer. Sterling turned and left, glaring at Noland Lee before leaving. Now Noland understood that this was the normal attitude of an Imperial Warrant Officer towards Sin Soldiers. Since he was a Sin Soldier and also involved with the Undead Runes, his impression in the hearts of traditional Imperial soldiers like Sterling was even lower. Noland didnt mind facing such aggressive people. It would be tiring to worry about other peoples attitudes all the time. This time, he indirectly helped Sterling by pinning down Pim. If something similar happens in the future, Noland will definitely have to weigh his options, and it wouldnt matter if this kind of Warrant Officer was saved or not. Jarvis, the promise I made to you during our last conversation still stands. As long as you complete this task, you will enjoy the treatment of a soldier from today, and you will no longer be treated as a Sin Soldier. Of course, before your identity is no longer that of a Sin Soldier in the records, I will help you complete the three Legion tasks as soon as possible. Murphy sat at the table and spoke slowly with her index finger raised: In addition, considering the potential threat of the Death Herald Guild, I think its necessary to increase your protection. After you finish this task, I will ask Division Intelligence Unit Three to inject the First Strengthening Potion for you. This way, youll be even more composed when facing danger. Only corporals are eligible for the First Strengthening Injection. Now, Noland received special treatment, which was undoubtedly a good thing. Of course, the premise was that he could complete the modification of the Undead Runes task. Thank you, Chief Officer. Murphy pointed to the chair near the curtain. You guys take a rest here, and go out after Sterling has prepared the field. Yes, Chief Officer. Noland sat down on the chair, his heart beating slightly faster. Not because he could admire Murphys profile up close, but because he was about to try to modify the Undead Runes on the Magic Protective Cover. You see, when modifying the Undead Runes in the Stone Tomb, Passive Deconstruction still worked normally. This means that the action of modifying the Undead Runes can normally trigger the effect of Passive Deconstruction. However, since Noland had already fully deconstructed the Stone Tomb at that time, the triggered passive deconstruction had no gains, only updating the Stone Tombs panel information. But now its different. He hadnt fully deconstructed the Magic Protective Cover outside the Spirit Pivot. If he can successfully modify the Undead Runes on the protective cover, theres no doubt that he can gain a lot with the help of passive deconstruction.. Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: 65. Stage Progress Chapter 84: 65. Stage Progress Translator: 549690339 About twenty minutes later, all the undead gathered on the third underground level had been killed. Bloody stains, chisel marks, and bullet holes appeared in large quantities on the floor and walls. Chilling limb fragments were visible everywhere, making it impossible to distinguish which remains belonged to human soldiers and which were remnants of undead creatures. The sight was a literal bloodbath, far more terrifying than when Alvins army cleared the undead on the third underground level. Noland Lee felt his scalp tingle at the sight. However, it was a testament to how powerful Lieutenant Sterlings combat troops were. Noland Lee seemed to understand why Lieutenant Sterling, even as a mere lieutenant, dared to throw down the gauntlet in front of Captain Murphy. If Noland Lee himself had such a formidable combat-force under his command, he might even be more arrogant than Sterling. Near the Spirit Pivot. Lieutenant Sterling Parker, arms folded, was intently watching Noland Lees back. Sergeant Mars had permission to witness the process of modifying undead runes. He stood next to Lieutenant Sterling, nervously alternating between hands in his pockets and crossed arms, seemingly anxious about Noland Lees situation. Underneath the towering Spirit Pivot, Noland Lee stood alone, his back appearing lonely and desolate. Hey- Jarvis, if youre not sure, think about it before you start- Seeing Noland Lee hesitate for a while, Sergeant Mars cupped his hands into a makeshift horn and shouted towards him: We just want to verify whether modifying the undead runes can weaken the magic protective shield. So, it doesnt matter if you make minimal changes, as long as you dont make mistakes. Noland Lee turned around and waved towards Sergeant Mars: Alright, Chief Officer! I was just recalling translations, thats why I delayed. Dont worry, I dont want to lose my life here either. Noland Lee looked once again at the magic protective shield in front of him. He was indeed recalling translations and trying hard to decipher the undead runes on the magic protective shield. After all, this matter was related to his own safety; he had to think it through before making a move. Facing the towering Spirit Pivot, Noland Lee was as calm as still water. Black death energy clung tightly to the outer shell of the Spirit Pivot, forming a layer that seemed light but was practically unbreakable; an energy membrane. This black energy membrane was the magic protective shield. Upon close observation, it was not difficult to find undead runes dispersed all over the energy membrane. The numerous minuscule characters constituted the cornerstone of the energy membrane. Noland Lee circled the Spirit Pivot, scrutinizing the undead runes near the ground level over and over again. He pulled out the rune staff from his waist and cautiously brandished it above the magic protective shield, deliberately displaying his caution and hesitation. After ensuring that his nervousness was rightly portrayed, he finally touched the magic protective shield with the contact point of his staff. Hiss.. Sergeant Mars watching Noland Lees action couldnt help but suck in a cold breath. Even Lieutenant Sterling Parker next to him slightly adjusted his posture, revealing a hint of nervousness. Fortunately, Noland Lee was trustworthy. The contact point moved slowly and steadily on the magic protective shield, modifying an undead rune without triggering a death storm. The modified area spewed out black fog, leaking a significant amount of death energy. It was as if Noland Lees actions had punctured a tiny hole in an inflated balloon. The magic protective shield trembled slightly, weakening just a tad. This minor change was easily perceived by observers standing ten meters away. Lieutenant Sterling Parker was taken aback with surprise. He rested his hand on his goatee, furrowed his eyebrows, and closely observed Noland Lees every move, falling into deep contemplation. In this moment, his faith wavered. As a seasoned member of the Imperial Army, he was well aware of how hard it was to deal with the magic protective shield. The amount of death energy released into the air just now was not much, with an energy reading of around 30 points. But Noland Lee had achieved such results merely by gesturing with the contact point a few times! If it had been a flame burning magic shield, it would have taken at least ten minutes to burn away. The efficiency gap between the two was so vast, it could only be described as colossal and immense, it was like night and day. Furthermore, it even saved a substantial amount of fuel. At that instant, Lieutenant Sterling Parker couldnt help but be captivated by Captain Murphys daring experiment. Sergeant Mars, I have a question for you. Lieutenant Sterling Parker asked in a low voice: Is it necessary for a scholar at the level of a history assistant teacher to understand the original text and its translation? Sergeant Mars, returning from his elation, paused to ponder before shaking his head: No, Chief Officer. Its not necessary to be a history assistant teacher. Originally we applied for three Sin Soldiers from the Intelligence Headquarters. Noland Lee Jarvis was one of them and the most knowledgeable. The other two Sin Soldiers were a pair of brothers, habitual tomb raiders. Their understanding of the ancient Tatis language was limited, but they were sharp-witted enough to understand the original text and its translation. Lieutenant Sterling nodded thoughtfully and then asked: What happened to those tomb raiders? Why didnt you let them try? Sergeant Mars replied helplessly: Well, they both died on the steam train. The train guards said they tried to jump off the train and escape. They resisted fiercely and were killed on the spot. By the time the train arrived at the Legion Fortress, only Noland Lee Jarvis and two cold corpses were left. Oh, I see Lieutenant Sterling exhaled slightly regretfully and asked again: Are there any other personnel, Sergeant Mars? Without mincing my words, two days ago, my scouts informed me that the death energy concentration in Grave 717 was rapidly approaching the critical value Sergeant Marss complexion changed slightly: Grave 717? Youre referring to that special geographical burial site? Correct, thats it. This burial site has always been a key point of attention for me. The process of clearing it is always arduous, and there is a high risk of counterattacks from the undead army when destroying the Spirit Pivot. Lieutenant Sterling stroked his beard, deciding to be straightforward: If you have any other candidates, can you lend one to me? Once I dismantle the Spirit Pivot at Grave 717, Ill share 10% of the spoils of war with you. Sergeant Mars seemed troubled: Chief Officer, the spoils of war arent the focal point. The real issue is that only Jarvis is currently capable of dispelling the magic protective shield. If you want to borrow his assistance, I would suggest having a discussion with Captain Murphy, I dont have the authority to make that decision. I see Are there so few people who understand the ancient Tatis language? Lieutenant Sterling glanced back at the tent. Yes, Chief Officer. I suppose spending so much time at the Suffering Borderland means youre disconnected from the heart of the Empire. Sergeant Mars clarified: Ever since the establishment of the Death Herald Guild, the Emperor has ordered a reduction in the scale of the Tatis history major. The City College has seen a reduction in the intake of new history major students. This number has dropped from an average of 15 per year to a maximum of 3. Of these, only about a third graduate successfully. As for someone like Jarvis who was offered a position immediately after graduation, they are exceedingly rare, one in a million. Lieutenant Sterling inquired: What about the tomb raiders? Where did they learn about ancient knowledge? Sergeant Mars lowered his voice and replied: The two of them are dropouts from the City College of Mingdok. This is a scandal that Mingdok City has been trying to suppress. So its college students again The bar for this line of work is really high. Lieutenant Sterling stroked the corner of his mustache. He looked at the silhouette of Noland, nodded his head, Alright, then let it be Sin Soldier 888. Ill talk to Captain Murphy. When the time comes, Ill report to the Legion and apply for a joint operation with the Alvin army to clear Grave 717. Understood, Chief Officer. Sergeant Mars let out a quiet sigh of relief. The plan had finally made significant progress. In the Imperial Army, there were many soldiers like Lieutenant Sterling who were staunchly opposed to studying Necromancer runes yet urgently desired to defeat the Undead Cult. If Sterling was able to accept the practice of modifying Undead runes, then the other warrant officers should be able to as well. Once this approach is universally accepted, the war between the living and the dead should be nearing its end. Sergeant Mars silently hoped for the day the war would end. Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: 66. Good luck in operation Chapter 85: 66. Good luck in operation Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee heard the conversation behind him, but couldnt spare the attention to listen to the content for now. His focus was entirely on modifying the Undead Runes. An excited shimmer danced in his eyes. After he modified an Undead Rune, the system sent the promised message. [System Message: You have altered the state of the Magic Protective Shield by modifying Undead Runes.] [Passive Deconstruction Activated! ] [Your degree of deconstruction for the Magic Protective Shield has increased from 0.3% to 0.8%.] [You have obtained the following Deconstruction Results:] The Energy Points needed for the Harmless Deconstruction of Martyrs Ten Commandments have been reduced from 9915 to 9910, a total reduction of 5 points.] Soul Shield Spell Blueprint completion degree has increased from 50% to 55%. When it reaches 100%, the defect of this spell will be fixed.] This was undoubtedly exciting good news! Noland Lees eyes sparkled, and a fiery passion emerged as he looked at the Magic Protective Shield. A treasure trove was laid before him to plunder, yet it was surrounded by danger. With a single misstep, he could be devoured by the Death Storm It all depended on whether he could be careful and cautious enough to extract the wealth from it! He couldnt let greed cloud his judgment and lead to mistakes. Noland Lee took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and continued modifying Undead Runes with the touchpoint. One after another, System Messages emerged from the depths of his mind and appeared before him. With a thought, Noland Lee moved the System interface to the corner of his field of vision, controlling his urge to check it. There was no need to hurry; the Deconstruction Results would not run away. Only by carefully modifying the Undead Runes could he focus on the most important task at hand. One, two, three In 20 minutes, Noland Lee continuously modified more than 20 Undead Runes. This was not his limit, but it was the limit of his height and arm span. In the area near the ground, the number of Undead Runes he could modify was limited. In the area more than two meters above the ground, there were still many places on the Magic Protective Shield that could be modified. If Noland Lee wanted to continue further, he would have to find Sergeant Mars and ask for tables, chairs, or a ladder. But climbing near the Magic Protective Shield was very dangerous. Death Energy was a type of energy that repelled non-Undead Creatures. Once the tables and chairs were exposed to Death Energy, they would accelerate in decay and become withered. Only special alchemical products like the Rune Staff could repeatedly come into contact with Death Energy without transforming. It was very likely that Noland Lee would lose his balance while standing on decaying wood, bump into the Magic Protective Shield, and be turned into white bones by the Death Energy. So he wisely chose to stop and turned to leave without greed. Chief Officer, Ive finished modifying the Undead Runes near the ground. Noland Lee approached Mars and Sterling, raised his arm, and made a few gestures on the Spirit Pivot: There are still some Undead Runes that can be modified in high places, but I cant reach them. Shall I continue to modify them, or should I stop here? Sergeant Mars patted Noland Lees arm and said with a smile: Thats enough, Jarvis! You did a great job! Give me the Rune Staff, Lieutenant Sterling Parker said as he extended his right hand. Noland Lee handed it over. Lieutenant Sterlings palm was quite large, and the Rune Staff appeared particularly short in his hand. He first carefully observed the appearance of the staff, and then swung his arm, throwing the Rune Staff toward the Magic Protective Shield. As the touchpoint of the Rune Staff brushed the Magic Protective Shield, a black whirlwind-like Death Storm instantly descended. Since there were no people or other objects near the Spirit Pivot, this artificially created Death Storm didnt cause any harm Uh, no, it was just the Rune Staff that was damaged. Fortunately, it was of excellent quality. After the Death Storm ended, it clattered to the ground with a crisp sound, completely undamaged. Corporal Mars was somewhat puzzled: Chief Officer, what is this? Lieutenant Sterling Parker shook his hand: Its nothing, I thought the magic protective shield went on strike He looked deeply at Noland Lee: Youre quite skilled, and your psychological quality is also very strong. You really didnt make a single mistake. You flatter me, Chief Officer. Noland Lee replied neither humbly nor arrogantly. Lieutenant Sterling Parker waved his hand and turned to walk towards Captain Murphys tent: Im going to talk to the Captain. Oh, right, go call my soldiers in and have them set up the flamethrowers to burn the magic protective shield. Yes, Chief Officer. Corporal Mars nodded, said a word to Noland Lee, and then ran towards the staircase. Jarvis, you just wait outside the Chief Officers tent, Ill be back soon. Watching Corporal Mars run away with light steps, Noland Lee secretly breathed a sigh of relief, as his tasks finally came to an end. He stood by the tent and dragged back the system interface to check the messages. [Your deconstruction completion of the magic protective shield has increased from 0.8% to 1.3%.] [Your deconstruction completion of the magic protective shield has increased from 1.3% to 1.8%.] [Your deconstruction completion of the magic protective shield has increased from 11.3% to 11.8%.] After each modification of the Undead Runes, the increase in the deconstruction completion was fixed, always at 0.5%. Correspondingly, the energy points needed for precise deconstruction of Martyrs Ten Commandments were also constantly decreasing, now requiring only 9800 energy points. The completeness of the spell blueprint for Soul Shield has now reached 100%. Its spell flaw is gone, the duration has increased from 30 seconds to 60 seconds, greatly improving its fault tolerance. Not only that, but the Soul Shield has also been upgraded. It jumped directly from Level 1 to Level 4, saving Noland Lee the energy points needed to upgrade the skill. Now, the Soul Shield lasts for 60 seconds, and during that time, it can negate up to 4 negative effects and damage affecting the soul. The above three gains were indeed good, but compared to the final gain, they were truly insignificant! [System Message: You have changed the condition of the magic protective shield by modifying the Undead Runes.] [Passive Deconstruction activated!] [Your deconstruction completion of the Magic Protective Shield has increased from 9.8% to 10.3%.] [Deconstruction completion breaks through the integer barrier of 10%!] [You have acquired an extra reward:] [Incomplete Spell Blueprint: Death Finger.] Noland Lee had already lost count of how many times he had acquired new spells. He was still delighted in his heart, but he soon calmed down, just like a wise sage Noland Lee pulled up the spell blueprint and clicked to view it, then the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. Death Finger is a higher-level spell than Death Pulse. By simply making a specific gesture, one can instantly unleash a ray of death energy. But! It actually requires consuming 100 points of soul strength and 100 points of energy! Noland Lee couldnt help but complain bitterly in his heart about the extra reward for breaking through the integer barrier. Sin Soldier, go in, your Chief Officer is looking for you. Lieutenant Sterling Parker walked out of the tent, awakening the dazed Noland Lee. He passed by Noland, heading towards his own troops. This time, he didnt glare at Noland anymore. Noland Lee didnt bother to pay him any attention, turned around, lifted the tent flap, and walked in.. Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: 67. Noland Lee’s crazy race. Chapter 86: 67. Noland Lees crazy race. Translator: 549690339 Jarvis, what did the Captain tell you? At the entrance of the tent where Captain Murphy was located. Sergeant Mars was standing here, waiting for Noland Lee. He turned his head at the sound of the curtain, seeing Noland who had just walked out. Noland had just ended his conversation with Captain Murphy, and at this moment, all he wanted to do was return to the camp to rest, have a hot bath, give himself a scrub, and catch some sleep. Unfortunately, the slightly plump Miss Murphy clearly didnt want to let him relax. Noland and Mars walked towards the staircase together, speaking at the same time: Captain Mars, Captain Murphy told me that the first Strengthening Injection is most likely to produce side effects and I need to rest for several days before being able to go outdoors. She asked me to go to the Medical Department of the Legion Fortress as soon as possible to take a shot, so as not to affect upcoming Corps Tasks. Sergeant Mars nodded in agreement: Yes, shes correct. The occurrence rate of side-effects is as high as 95%, basically, everyone will experience symptoms of light nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. Some severe cases could even be afraid of light, water, wind, or have a high fever. Generally speaking, after the first injection, individuals need to allow approximately 10 days before they can participate in outdoor activities, otherwise, they are likely to contract odd immune diseases. Noland frowned slightly: The probability of experiencing side-effects is so high, sounds quite risky. Have there been any instances of death after taking the shot? You can rest assured about that. Sergeant Mars reassured with a smile: When the Division Intelligence Unit Three was developing the Strengthening Potion, they arranged a special protection mechanismuhlet me think, how were those professional terms phrased Sergeant Mars contemplated: I once heard a nurse from the Medical Department explain that what they call side effects are actually immune responses that occur during the first human body modification process brought about by the Strengthening Potion. When the intensity of the immune response reaches the critical value that the human body can bear, the active ingredients in the Strengthening Potion will decompose due to the high body temperature. The active ingredients of the potion will then become ineffective, and the human bodys immune system will gradually return to normal. Sergeant Mars snapped his fingers: So, you can understand it this way, the longer the duration of the side effects after the injection, the longer the effective ingredient works, the more impressive the initial human body modification effect will be. In fact, it really is like this. The Division Intelligence Unit Three did a statistic, in which all of the military officers that had been promoted to the Third Order Imperial Fist had experienced side effects for more than 10 days after the first Strengthening Injection, without exception. Whats more, some even reached 15 days, which is the theoretical limit that a human body can endure. Therefore, the Division Intelligence Unit Three uses the duration of the side effects as an important indicator for observing the development potential of the military officers. Noland asked: So how long did you experience side-effects for? Sergeant Mars gave a forced smile: Heh, I almost made it to the 10th day. My body is not very cooperative, I unexpectedly developed a fever on the afternoon of the 9th day. By that evening, my body had returned to normal, and all of the side effects disappeared. Now thinking about it, its really a bit unbearable, a hot fever that came and went quickly, directly destroyed all the effective ingredients in my body As Noland and Sergeant Mars were chatting, they traversed the staircase, second underground layer and the first floor to finally return to ground level and get into the steam locomotive. The steam locomotive swiftly moved through the uneven ground and quickly arrived at the Alvin Armys station. Sergeant Mars didnt get off. He had a chat with the soldier on guard. The soldier ran to Sergeant Alvin Staffords tent, and when he returned, he had a remote control in his hand. Sergeant Mars took the remote control, turned the steering wheel, bypassed the station and drove directly towards the Legion Fortress on the horizon. He aimed at Noland and pushed the button on the remote control, removing the Electric Shock Collar from his neck. Noland watched the Electric Shock Collar fall from his neck, breathing out slowly. He had tried deconstructing the Electric Shock Collar before, but the system indicated that 300 Energy Points were required to complete the deconstruction. Noland couldnt muster up that many Energy Points in such a short span of time. Besides, even if he deconstructed the result, he might not be able to remove the Electric Shock Collar. Only by accommodating the Imperial Army, he could have the opportunity to unlock the collar in the shortest possible time. Now, his efforts have at last sprouted fruits. From the time he arrived at the present, less than 24 hours had elapsed when he got rid of the Electric Shock Collar. The freedom he traded with patience, makes him cherish it greatly. This is a crucial part of his plan to escape from the harsh lands. Congratulations, Jarvis. From now on, you will be able to operate as a soldier. Normally, we would have to wait until No. 1079s Spiritual Pivot is unlocked, and Lieutenant Sterling Parker gets the Life Essence inside, and then distributes the Spoils of War to Sergeant Alvin Stafford before we could return to the Fortress with the main force. However, since Captain Murphy has instructed, I will take you along first. Otherwise, we would be delayed for three to four days. Noland touched the still-warm Electric Shock Collar, nodding: Alright, Chief Officer. Sergeant Mars spoke while driving: Captain Murphy has spoken to me about this, your treatment will be arranged according to a Private Second Class soldier of the Corps. Once every half a month, you can stay in Refreshing Time for free, each time for a maximum of three days. There, you have unlimited hot water, beverages, delicious food, as well as cigarettes and alcohol. Of course, there are also essential pleasure services. After you go through the side-effects of the Strengthening Injection, you will be able to experience the inn.. Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: 67. Noland Lee’s Crazy Race_2 Chapter 87: 67. Noland Lees Crazy Race_2 Translator: 549690339 Apart from that, within the entire Legion Fortress, as long as theres no Do Not Enter sign hanging on the door, you can go in and have a look, such as the man-made indoor garden, underground hot spring pool, shopping alleys, etc. Is there a library? Noland Lee interrupted and asked. Huh? Library? Corporal Mars looked sidelong at Noland Lee: Theres no library, but there is a reading room. However, there are only books related to the undead left there. Entertainment books such as novels, poetry collections, and illustration collections have long been hidden away by some soldier. I guess private shops may have these items. Only books related to the undead Well, thats enough. Noland Lee nodded slowly: I just want to study this field of knowledge. After all, I have to live here for decades, so of course, I need to understand the details of my neighbors. Corporal Mars shook his head and sighed: Ah, truly a genius, learning wherever you go. I thought youd be like the other soldiers and stay in the Refreshing Time for three days straight. Id rather not join the like-minded, its too dirty Noland Lee changed the topic: By the way, Chief Officer, I have another question Go ahead The two chatted as they went along. Noland Lee kept asking questions. The issues centered on the Legion fortress. From the public facilities in the Legion Fortress to the basic situation of the Legion, and then to the current situation and risks faced by the Korabo Legion, Noland Lee inquired about everything. Corporal Mars patiently answered one by one, helping Noland Lee make up some basic knowledge. As they talked, the appearance and figure of Captain Murphy came to Noland Lees mind, and he thought of her distinct calm demeanor that set her apart from other girls, so he couldnt help but ask: Chief Officer, Captain Murphy seems very young Ah ha, I knew you were going to ask that. Corporal Mars wiggled his eyebrows and laughed playfully: You mean, even though she looks like a young girl who just came of age, she behaves very maturely and has already become a warrant officer at a young age. I can tell you the reason for that. Noland Lee listened carefully. Corporal Mars continued: During the promotion to a Third Order Imperial Fist, a reverse aging phenomenon might occur. Captain Murphy is one such case. After completing the reverse aging, her appearance will be fixed, staying as she was when the reverse aging phenomenon ended until the end of her life. What we see now is Captain Murphy when she was younger, probably around 19 years old. But in reality, heh, in reality, her age might be much older than ours. Noland Lee seemed to understand, his eyes flashing. The System had once assessed that Marsha Murphys age was around 19 years old. In this way, the 19 years old here refers to the bodys age of 19 years old, not the actual age. Corporal Mars waved his hand and said: Well, of course, Captain Murphys appearance is just a facade Severe burns? Noland Lee uttered a word. Corporal Mars glanced at Noland Lee with a slightly surprised look: She even told you this Well, yes, her outermost skin is fake; its a layer of artificial skin. Underneath is her real skin, just like severe burns. Thats left from the Death Storm. Noland Lee took a slight breath: Shes truly a brave trailblazer. I think so too Outside the car window, faint sunlight scattered from the horizon, making the sky a little brighter. It seemed that the sun was about to hang high in the sky, but layers of dark clouds still covered the Suffering Borderland, blocking the sunlight that should have illuminated the earth. Corporal Mars was already used to this scene, just glancing at the ruins on both sides of the road before looking away. Noland Lee, on the other hand, raised his head, and his gaze fell on the dark clouds through the car window, feeling vaguely uneasy. At some unknown time, the amount of Energy Points needed to deconstruct the abnormal dark clouds had risen from 1000 points for every 1% to 1050 points now. Without a doubt, the abnormal dark clouds had become stronger. Korabo Corps Fortress. This was a relic left by the Ancient Tatis Dynasty. The Tatis Empire utilized modern technology to renovate it both inside and out. Using cement to fill the gaps in the city walls, they installed metal pipes within the wall structure and set up steam boilers underground, among other things. The ancient military fortress was given new life. This was Noland Lees second time arriving at this steam-filled fortress. The place was still bustling with activity. On the crowded streets, soldiers hurriedly moved about amidst the white steam. Steam trains docked at the platforms one after another, unloading food and medical supplies from the Empires heartland and loading up garbage and medical waste, starting their return journey amidst the billowing air and whistles. As soon as Sergeant Mars drove his car into the fortress, he had to stop in front of the bustling crowd. He turned the steering wheel and parked the car in a shed beside the city wall, reaching back to the rear seat to find a Private Second-Class jacket with his right hand. Put this on. Your Sin Soldier uniform is too conspicuous. Ill take you straight to the Medical Department. Noland Lee put on the jacket of a Private Second-Class and followed Sergeant Mars, pushing through the crowd to the Legions main building. The so-called grand building was actually a castle left behind by the ancient dynasty. There is a phrase that can vividly describe its current appearance: a steam -spewing hedgehog. Countless metal pipes protruded from the stone bricks on the surface of the castle, exposing their pipe exits to the air and spewing white steam. From afar, the entire castle seemed wrapped in steam, like a sky fortress floating among the clouds. The humidity in the air increased, and even a casual touch on the wall would yield a handful of tiny water droplets. Noland Lee was not very comfortable in this damp environment. Sergeant Mars, however, was used to it. He led Noland Lee into the main entrance of the Legions Grand Building, passing through several checkpoints guarded by soldiers, and arrived at the castles third floor. The dcor was similar to that of a hospitals inpatient department. As they exited the staircase, a metal gate blocked unauthorized personnel. Sergeant Mars peered through the glass window in the metal gate and knocked on the door panel with his knuckles. Before long, a sweet-looking little nurse hurried over, pushed open the gate, and threw herself into Sergeant Marss embrace. Noland Lee raised his eyebrows slightly So this was the real reason Sergeant Mars was so attached to the life in the Legion, right!?! What about the nonsense of combat thrill, the illusory Imperial glory, and anything compared to spending time with a girl?! Just as the little nurse was about to say something to Mars, she suddenly noticed a stranger standing nearby, and a blush quickly spread from her cheeks to her ears This is Noland Lee Jarvis, a member of my team. Mars pointed to the nurse hugging his arm and smiled apologetically: This is Melinda Rocard, a nurse here. Just call her Melinda, she doesnt like people using her last name, she thinks its too masculine. Noland Lee raised both hands and gestured the difference in height between the two. About ten centimeters apart. Noland Lee nodded seriously: Not bad, not bad, very compatible. Just the right height difference for knowing each other inside out. Sergeant Mars looked confused, not quite understanding the meaning. Nurse Melinda, on the other hand, hesitated for a moment before her adorable face turned completely red. She clenched her small fists and hammered Marss chest before burying her face in his arms. Finally, Sergeant Mars understood how suggestive Noland Lees words were Hahaha- just a little joke. Well, the indigenous people of this world were really naive. Noland Lee burst into laughter in front of the blushing couple. After taking off his electric shock collar, his mood had been quite good. The improvement in his mood wasnt because he was now treated like a person, but because he had taken an important step toward freedom. He was well aware that the Tatis Empire was closed-off and extremely xenophobic, reflecting the Emperors authoritarian rule at every turn. As an unstable factor, if he did not seek to free himself from suffering, he would only face one outcome: annihilation.. Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: 68. Dusk Sleep Chapter 88: 68. Dusk Sleep Translator: 549690339 About injecting the enhancement potion, Noland Lee found himself overthinking. Having seen too many sci-fi and fantasy works before he time-travelled, an image would always surface in his mind whenever he heard about biochemical transformations and injections. It was a scene from a movie: o He was stripped naked and then pushed into a big glass jar filled with liquid. Medical staff operated the injection device inside the glass jar from a mechanical panel nearby. With a slicing sound, a row of needles pierced his skin. Then, he would start to scream, welcoming his transformed body while wailing aloud. But it wasnt like that at all. At least not when taking the first enhancement injection. Accompanied by Corporal Mars, Noland Lee followed the normal physical examination procedure. He measured his height, weight, blood pressure, and pulse, had his ears, nose and throat examined, and had his blood and urine samples collected. After he took a bath and changed into a hospital gown, Nurse Melinda, pushing a medical trolley, entered his private room and began to prepare the injector on-site. The enhancement potion was not ready-made. It required the nurse to mix it on-site before injection, which involved a process of blending various elixirs and medicinal powders. Corporal Mars glanced at Melinda, who was busy next to the medical trolley, and then turned to Noland, saying: Ill head back to the station first, Jarvis. In a few days, when Sergeant Alvin Stafford gets the spoils of war, Ill come back with the main force. Just stay here until the adverse reaction disappears. If anything happens, tell Melinda, and shell notify me through the medical department. Okay, Chief, dont forget my book, Noland said, sitting up on his bed. No problem, Ill leave your books at the door of the medical department before I leave the fortress. Corporal Mars walked to Melinda, whispered a few words in her ear, and then he left the single room after giving Noland some lovey-dovey display. Noland squinted his eyes slightly as he looked at the injector in Melindas hand. A pale golden elixir was slowly being filled into the glass tube of the injector. It was the product Melinda made after mixing several potions, which would soon be injected into Nolands body. Noland took a look with his Deconstruction Technique. It required a whopping 3000 energy points to deconstruct this thing completely. It was undoubtedly the crystal of the biochemical mutation route and the stepping stone to the Imperial Fist. Melinda, is it possible for this enhancement potion to be cracked by illegal forces? Noland asked. Melinda put the injector aside, took an alcohol swab and came over to Nolands bedside. She asked him to roll up his sleeve. After some thought, she started to disinfect Nolands arm, saying: It probably wont be cracked by illegal forces. Regardless, ever since I joined Division Intelligence Unit Three, I havent heard of any illegal forces or pharmaceutical groups that have cracked the formula of the enhancement potion. Division Intelligence Unit Three is very careful about this, and they take their security measures very seriously. She pointed at the medical trolley: Take me for example. You saw how skilled I was when I mixed the medicine on-site, without making any mistakes. But actually, I dont know the names or effects of those drugs as the nurse. I can only identify them by the characteristics of water and powders given in the operation manual provided by Division Intelligence Unit Three, and then mix them according to the standardized operation process. Thats really thorough Noland sighed. Yes. Ill have to return the empty bottles next. They have to be stored in a locked room. Not one bottle can be missing. Even the residue of medicine needs to be removed. After finishing the disinfection, Melinda took the injector and aimed it at Nolands arm. A short burst of pain was followed by the complete injection of the pale golden plivir As Melinda quickly cleaned up the medical trolley, she told him: You should lie down now. Youll most likely become drowsy within five minutes. You might sleep for 24 hours. If you wake up, just pull the cord by the bed, and the on-duty nurse will come to check on you. Alright, Melinda, thank you. Noland stretched out his legs and covered himself with a blanket. Did your mission go smoothly this time, Jarvis? Did you run into any dangers? Melinda asked before she left. Noland considered for a half-second and then responded: It was a bit close. We ran into some difficult enemies, but luckily the legion commander called for backup in time. Once the backup arrived, Mars and I retreated from the Grave Vault. . Im always worried that Mars might not return one day Melinda opened the door, pushed her cart out and left. Noland looked up and saw Melindas worried face. Well, it couldnt be helped. In a battle, how could there be no dangers? Especially when the enemy was the Undead. Noland could only silently send his blessings to the pair. However, judging from the relationship between Mars and Captain Murphy, Mars safety should not be a big problem. After all, he held a copper whistle that could call for Captain Murphy, which meant he could call for powerful backup at any time. As for Noland himself, he needed to secure more trump cards as soon as possible. Thinking about his future plans, Noland gradually began to feel sleepy. He yawned, adjusted his sleeping posture, and closed his eyes on the soft bed. His consciousness began to dip endlessly, as if sliding into a bottomless abyss. Right on the verge of falling asleep, a line of text appeared in front of his eyes.. Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: 68. Dusk Sleep_2 Chapter 89: 68. Dusk Sleep_2 Translator: 549690339 [System Message: Due to injecting the First Strengthening Potion, you have acquired an Unknown Temporary Effect.] Noland Lee felt that his condition was strange. On the one hand, under the influence of the potion, he entered a sleep state, shrouded in darkness, with only system text floating in the air. On the other hand, he couldnt control his limbs, nor could he respond to external stimuli while in this sleep state. But! His consciousness was clear! He had previously dreamed of the Charming Demon and pulled up his Personal Panel in the dream. The situation this time was the same as before. It was as if he was actually awake and not asleep, just entering a dark area devoid of the concept of time and space. Noland could think about what the Unknown Temporary Effect was, browse his own personal panel, see the Temporary Effect on the status bar, and even release the Deconstruction Technique on it. This kind of magical state, similar to a lucid dream, only appeared after he acquired the Deconstruction Core System. How amazing! Was he asleep or not? Noland was puzzled but didnt plan to delve deeper into it. He casually threw the Deconstruction Technique at the Temporary Effect on his personal panel. [System Message: You are about to launch the Deconstruction Technique on the Unknown Temporary Effect.] [It is estimated that 5 Energy Points are needed to deconstruct this effect 100%.] [You currently have 15 Energy Points. Do you confirm to proceed with the deconstruction?] Deconstructing Perception Obstruction only required 1 point of energy. But this temporary effect required 5 points. The consumption increased by 5 times! Noland unhesitatingly silently confirmed, Proceed with Deconstruction. The Deconstruction Technique activated. A fleeting sensation ignored the sleeping state, flashing through Nolands mind. The system sent a message: [Deconstruction Success!] [You have obtained the panel information of the temporary effect:] [Name] Dusk Sleep [Level] Level 1 (Level 15) Due to the influence of the Mutation Inhibitor, the intensity level of Dusk Sleep dropped from Level 15 to Level 1. As the dosage of the Mutation Inhibitor decays, the level of Dusk Sleep will increase by 1 level every 24 hours, up to Level 15. [Type] Mutated Inducing Factor, Mutated Modulation Formula. [Effect] The test of Dusk Sleep on you has begun. Every 24 hours, the strength level of Dusk Sleep will increase by +1, your Tenacity attribute value will decrease by -2, and you will gain one non-fatal effect. Under the influence of the Mutation Deterioration Blocker, when your Tenacity attribute is about to drop to zero, Dusk Sleep will automatically end, and your Tenacity attribute will rapidly return to normal. Meanwhile, the reward settlement process begins. The reward will be in the form of character attributes. The number of rewards will be determined by the level of Dusk Sleep at the time it ends. The higher the level, the more attribute rewards you will receive. [Description] Your Tenacity base attribute value is 11 points. Under the influence of Level 1 Dusk Sleep, your Tenacity attribute drops to 9 points. System prediction: In 5 days, the effect of Dusk Sleep will end, the intensity level will be Level 5, and your Tenacity attribute will permanently increase by +5. It is estimated that the first effect brought about by Dusk Sleep will officially take effect in 3 minutes. The effect is: Twilight Dream. Oh! I see! So thats how it is! Noland suddenly realized. The so-called duration of adverse reactions is the number of days it takes for the Tenacity attribute to drop to zero. On the ninth day, as his Tenacity attribute was about to drop to zero, he triggered the automatic termination effect of Dusk Sleep, which is why he was able to clear all adverse reactions in a high fever. Understanding this, its not hard to come up with a formula: Duration of Adverse Reactions = Base Tenacity attribute value + 2. Rounding down the calculation results will be the duration of adverse reactions for each person. With this formula, we can make an approximate inference: Those with an adverse reaction duration of more than 10 days each have a Tenacity attribute value of over 20 points. Furthermore, as long as one has a Tenacity attribute value of more than 20 points at the time of the first injection of the Strengthening Potion, they will inevitably be promoted to a Third Order Imperial Fist in the future. Imperial Fist is an extraordinary path that values the Tenacity attribute. Nolands Tenacity attribute is only 11 points, lower than the average value of ordinary adults. So, he will most likely not be able to advance to the Third Order Imperial Fist in the future. But this isnt necessarily a bad thing He had never thought about staying in the army forever. In addition to repaying the massive debt for a lifetime, he would also be treated as a toolman, doing dangerous work that could lead to death in a Death Storm at the slightest mistake. That kind of life wasnt what he wanted. If he cant become a Third Order Imperial Fist, then he wont be one. Who cares about it anyway? Noland curled his non-existent lips. Just as he was complaining about his Tenacity attribute being too low, the 3 minutes passed in a flash. The first effect brought by Dusk Sleep had arrived. The Twilight Dream began. Dim light emerged in the darkness before him. The light grew stronger, illuminating his vision. It resembled the dawn at sunrise, but also the evening glow at dusk. After adjusting to the change in light, Noland took a closer look and felt his heartbeat speed up several notches.. Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: 68. Dusk Sleep_3 Chapter 90: 68. Dusk Sleep_3 Translator: 549690339 The setting sun hung low in the sky, casting its light on the mountain peaks, releasing tens of thousands of radiant glow, turning the entire sky a blood-red color. The breathtaking view of the sunset was captivating, yet Noland Lee couldnt bring himself to exclaim in admiration. All because of an enormous figure, whose neck was bound by a rope dangling from an infinitely high place, hung dead in the twilight sky. The giant figure seemed to reach the heavens and touch the earth, as if it could shatter the clouds with a simple flick of its hand or crush mountains and rivers with a single step. But, it was hung to death. It died on a black rope that extended from the depths of the cosmos. Noland raised his head and squinted into the distance, but his eyes couldnt find the end of the black rope in the sky through the fiery red clouds. Mysterious wind blew past. The enormous figure hanging in the air swayed with the wind. A thunderous rumble emanated from the figures body, unleashing roaring sound waves that blew away all the scattered clouds and made the earth tremble incessantly. A full minute later, the echoes in the mountains finally subsided. The earth returned to its calm state, with light clouds and gentle breeze, and the setting sun remained unchanged. What kind of Dreamscape was this? Who was the person hung dead in the sky? What did he look like? Why was he hanged? Who hung him there? Where did that rope come from? Did this Dreamscape have any hidden meanings? A long list of questions floated through Nolands mind. He looked down at his body. His torso and limbs were gone, replaced by a light golden orb floating one meter above the ground. He tested his limitations. In this mysterious Dreamscape, he could fly freely. His flight speed was comparable to the running speed of an average human. He could also fly upward at an unchanged speed. It might appear to be close, but the mountain range beneath the giants feet was his point of reference, so the horizontal distance between Noland and the giant should be around twenty kilometers. And, the altitude of the other party should be more than two thousand meters high. Despite this significant distance and height difference, the giant still occupied half of the sky and blocked a part of the sunset glow, revealing just how astonishingly enormous his size was. No matter how hard he tried, Noland couldnt estimate the true scale of this astonishing giant. Anyway, I have to go to the mountain range beneath the hanging figure. Its the nearest place, and there might be something to discover, he thought. Noland floated forwards before quickly realizing he had forgotten something. Facing the direction of the hanging figure, he muttered in his heart: Activate Deconstruction Technique targeted at the hanging figure in the sky. [System Message: Youre about to use Deconstruction on an Unknown Target. ] [It is predicted that every 3 billion Energy Points consumed can increase the degree of completion by 1%.] [You currently have 10 Points of Energy Value. Do you want to continue with the Deconstruction?] [System reminder: Your Energy Points are too low. It may not yield accurate deconstruction results.] Damn it! It takes 300 billion Energy Points to fully deconstruct this! What in the world is this thing? Noland sighed towards the figure and said: Master, what is it that you do? Why is it that even after you died, I still need to consume so many Energy Points to deconstruct you? Are you a dead Creator God? Noland thought about the passive effect of Deconstruction Technique, and his heart was on fire. It wont work! If nothing else works, Ill go all-in and use all the Energy Points I have to deconstruct him before the Dreamscape ends. Oh right, this Dreamscapes duration is limited. I must hurry up. Noland checked his Personal Panel. As expected, there were a few new lines of text on the Dusk Sleep entry: [It is predicted that in 23 hours and 55 minutes, the Twilight Dreamscape will come to an end. You will be forced to wake up from your sleep, and you will receive a new negative effect. The system predicts a mild feeling of nausea.] I need to hurry up Noland buried his head and sped silently towards the mountain range beneath the hanging figure.. Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: 69. Black curved hook Chapter 91: 69. Black curved hook Translator: 549690339 In this Twilight Dream, Noland Lee doesnt need to catch his breath, nor does he consume physical strength. Even after running for a long time, he doesnt feel tired. 20 hours pass and he finally arrives at the mountain range beneath the mysterious figure. This journey has far exceeded his expectations. Along the way, he comes across three strange incidents. First: The slender object suspending the mysterious figure in the air is not the rope he had imagined. To be precise, it is not wrapped around the mysterious figures neck. Instead, it is a pure black hook. Noland Lee cannot determine its material, but he is certain that the black crescent-shaped hook pierces the figures chin, coming out from the top of the skull. The hook has penetrated the mysterious figures skull from bottom to top. All of the figures weight is placed on the curved hook, and there is no other place for support. If the mysterious figure is still alive, they must be suffering immense pain. And this leads to the second strange incident Noland Lee discovered! The mysterious figure has no clothing on their body. their muscles are withered, skin dull C the dried, darkening dirty blood spreads like a dark red river across the body from their skull. The pierced, lower jaw is torn apart, the wound curled back, revealing dark red rotten flesh and clots. The figures face is twisted in pain, with their eyes pale and lifeless, like those of a dead fish. Despite all this, the mysterious figure is still not dead. Every hour, their head would twitch as if trying to break free from the curved hook. Each movement would cause the hook to sway, intensifying their pain. The thunderous roar echoing in the sky is the result of their cries of sorrow and pain. Noland Lee hears approximately 20 of these cries on this journey. As he gets closer to the mysterious figure, each cry he hears is more powerful and mournful than the last. The last cry he heard was 50 minutes ago, and another one is due in ten minutes. At this moment, Noland Lee doesnt hurry on his way. He stops, hiding behind a rock, his golden figure secured in the crevice. This action is in response to the third strange incident. When the mysterious figure cries out, a powerful gust of wind is created. In the dreamscape, Noland Lees body is a golden light ball. He can feel sunlight and wind passing through his body, and feels a weak sense of touch when in contact with flowers, trees, and rocks. This peculiar light ball is very light. The gusts created by the mysterious figures cries are powerful enough to lift him up and throw him away in the opposite direction. So, he needs to find shelter from the wind before the mysterious figures cries arrive. This is the experience Noland Lee has gained after experiencing several cries. However, this time the cries are different. The suspended mysterious figure is directly above Noland Lee. After hiding in the rock crevice, Noland Lee looks up at the figure, using the countdown on his Personal Panel to silently calculate the timing of the next cry. After counting down 30 seconds, the figure cries out on time. the head turns slightly, lifeless eyes scanning the ground, as if noticing the golden light ball beneath them. Noland Lee suddenly feels the mysterious figures gazenumb with a trace of hope, as if pleading for help and rescue. The mysterious figures cracked lips open slightly, and the cries come as expected. The fierce wind blows from high above, and the surrounding trees sway with a rustling sound, while dust fills the sky. Noland Lee quickly huddles further into the rock crevice, preparing to take off vertically after the cries subside. Unexpectedly, amidst the howling winds, he hears an unfamiliar noise. Plop! It sounds like a sharp weapon piercing flesh or a scab falling off a wound. The sound is faint amidst the wild wind but can be clearly heard. Noland Lee looks up and sees the mysterious figure spitting out a clump of darkening dirty blood. The dirty blood scatters as it leaves the body, blown by the wind into numerous black blood droplets that fall in all directions. That strange sound came after the mysterious figure spat out the filthy blood and the curved black hook re-pierced the persons skull. The mysterious figure must have seen me. They seemed to want me to help them escape. So why did they suddenly spit out filthy blood? This didnt happen during the previous cries. Noland Lee ponders in the gradually calming wind: Could it be that something hidden in the dirty blood scattered by the wind might help them escape? Thats possible. Maybe the black curved hook piercing the skull again is a punishment for the person who tried to help themselves. Noland Lee looks towards the corner of the sky where the nearest black blood droplets have fallen. Now, he has less than 4 hours of dreamscape time left. His original plan was to arrive beneath the mysterious figure, try to ascend and touch their feet as fast as possible, and then explore the method of Passive Deconstruction. Now, he has a new plan, which is to investigate what the black blood droplets are. This plan is safer than the original one. Because theres nowhere for him to hide from the wind while ascending vertically. If he cannot touch the mysterious figures feet within 1 hour, he would likely be blown away, rendering his efforts of the past 20 hours in vain. From a safety standpoint, seeking out the black blood droplets would be more prudent.. Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: 69. Black curved hook_2 Chapter 92: 69. Black curved hook_2 Translator: 549690339 But if the black blood droplets had no deconstruction value, it would mean that Noland Lee had made a wasted trip and would be delayed by a few hours. Noland Lee weighed his options and decided to go check on the situation of the black blood droplets first. After waiting for the gale to subside, he crawled out of the crevice between the stones, floated up to a height of ten meters, and discerned the exact landing spot of the black blood droplets. The good news was that the black blood droplets seemed to be highly corrosive. Upon landing, they reacted violently with the plants on the ground, sending up black smoke pillars that marked the direction for Noland Lee. Noland Lee didnt hesitate, flying directly towards the nearest black blood droplet. The mountain range covered with forest was lush with greenery and fallen leaves. The refreshing air often mixed with the musty smell emitted by rotting leaves. Noland Lee had already become accustomed to this scent. However, as he flew towards the black blood droplets, a stench distinct from that of decomposing leaves entered his nostrils along with the gentle breeze between the trees. Noland Lee couldnt help but slow down and be on alert. At this moment, the system sends a message: [Caution! You have been affected by an unknown influence and have acquired a negative effect with an unknown name.] To be safe, its better to find out about the negative effect before proceeding and not be too stingy with energy points. Noland Lee used his thoughts to select the negative effect with an unknown name and silently recited deconstruction. [System Message: You are about to cast Deconstruction on the negative effect with an unknown name.] [It is estimated that 3 energy points will be consumed, and the degree of deconstruction will reach 100%.] [Do you confirm the deconstruction?] Noland Lee silently recited in his heart: Confirm the deconstruction. A brief sense of trance flashed through his mind, and the system message came again: [Deconstruction Success!] [You have gained the panel information of this negative effect:] [Name] Soul Corruption [Level] Level 1 [Type] Death-type Magic Effect [Effect] When affected by this effect, your Spirit attribute value decreases temporarily by 1 point every minute. When the Spirit attribute value drops to zero, 0.1 points of Soul Strength will be lost every minute. [Explanation] Your Spirit is 15 points, and Soul Strength is 1.2. If Soul Strength falls below 1 point, you will lose skills, knowledge, or memories at random. The lower the Soul Strength, the more serious the consequences. Theoretically, you can stay in the Soul Corruption for up to 26 minutes. The Soul Shield can effectively suppress Soul Corruption. After activating the Soul Shield, you will be temporarily immune to the effects of Soul Corruption. After leaving the range of Soul Corruption, the temporarily reduced Spirit will recover. After leaving the Twilight Dream, your lost Soul Strength will recover, but the skills, memories, and knowledge lost due to Soul Strength falling below 1 point will not be restored. Noland Lee looked up and scanned the dim bloodstains on the shadowy figure. It seems that there are many of these negative magic effect-causing filthy blood on the shadowy figure. I need to be more careful. By the way, the hook that penetrated the shadows skull, could it be a death-type magical creation? Noland Lee thought while quickly flying towards the root of the black smoke pillar. In no time, he saw the black filthy blood. A large area of the forest had withered because of the filthy blood. The leaves were scorched yellow, decomposing into waste, and the trees were withered and decaying. A strong smell of rot filled the air. As the cause of all this, the filthy blood originally the size of an adult man had now turned into a small pool one meter square. The pool of filthy blood was as black as ink, viscous in texture, with numerous tiny bubbles surfacing on it. As the bubbles burst, strands of greenish-yellow smoke were emitted into the air, tainting the purity and tranquility of these woods. Greenish-yellow smoke Noland Lees gaze deepened. He thought of the poisonous mist in Grave No.1079. The stinking fog emitted by the undead creatures was exactly like the smoke coming from the filthy blood in front of him. Moreover. The figure in the sky was obviously not a human but more like a giant or a deity. Assuming he is some kind of giant creature. Then his relationship with the filthy blood was similar to that of the Imperial Fist and the Undead Cult, right? He is a giant. The Imperial Fist is also a giant, albeit an artificially created biochemical giant. The negative effect of filthy blood, Soul Corruption is a death-type magic effect, and the Undead Cult is also an enemy force related to death magic. In both the Twilight Dream and reality, giants and death-type magic appear to be in clear opposition to each other. A torrent of thoughts raced through Noland Lees mind. For a moment, he found it difficult to determine the connection between reality and the Twilight Dream. If we assume that the conflict between the biochemical giants and the Undead Cult in reality existed first, and then the Twilight Dream came into existence. Then the so-called Twilight Dream would be a reflection of reality. But if we assume that the Twilight Dream existed first, followed by the conflict between the biochemical giant and the Undead Cult. Then the antagonistic scene between the biochemical giant and the undead in reality would be the result of the Twilight Dream interfering with reality. Whether reality existed first or the Twilight Dream did, its important. Noland Lee always felt that the Empires development of biochemical giants was not a coincidence. From the Tatis history knowledge mastered by the original master: The ancient Tatis Dynasty was a typical feudal dynasty, with no extraordinary individuals, no extraordinary paths, and no one possessed extraordinary power. However, everything changed dramatically during the process in which the emperor overthrew the old dynasty as a Sin Soldier. The biochemical giant Imperial Fist is an extraordinary path created single-handedly by the current emperor when he overthrew the old dynasty and established the Empire. In Tatis history, the Undead Cult infiltrated the royal family of the ancient Tatis Dynasty and secretly plotted an evil plan to sacrifice the entire dynastys people. And the Tatis emperor was the hero who saw through the Undead Cults conspiracy, prevented the evil plan, and overthrew the evil dynasty. If Noland Lee hadnt witnessed the Twilight Dream, he would have undoubtedly believed in the Tatis history knowledge and thought that the biochemical giant was independently developed by the Empire. But now He saw the Twilight Dream. A new idea quickly took shape in his mind: The Tatis emperor was inspired by the Twilight Dream and was thus able to develop the Imperial Fist in reality. His goal was to recreate the giants of the Twilight Dream using the power of biochemical technology. Perhaps the evil force of the Undead Cult also discovered the Twilight Dream or other things that could bring extraordinary power and thus mastered death-type magic. The origin of extraordinary power has always been a topic that no one dared to discuss within the Empire. It is arcane, obscure, mysterious, full of uncertainty and crises, and very likely to lead people to the Undead Cult. The original master of Noland Lees body did not know much about this. The professors at City College were also in the dark about itat least on the surface. But now it seems that the Twilight Dream, this realistic and bizarre dream, is definitely related to the emergence of the biochemical giant Imperial Fist. Noland Lee stared at the pitch-black pool for a long time before gradually regaining his senses. He absentmindedly picked up a branch and threw it into the pool. The moment the branch touched the water, thick smoke burst out. In less than half a minute, the branch was corroded away by the filthy blood in the pool, leaving only some residues floating on the surface. It seems that this pool of filthy blood, other than being highly corrosive and releasing Soul Corruption, has nothing special about it. Noland Lee was a little disappointed, so he turned around and left. At this moment, a series of bubbles emerged from the black filthy blood, and as the blood rolled, something that was being rapidly corroded floated up from the bottom of the pool. Noland Lee stopped, turned his head to look. The thing floating on the surface was bright red, like a fresh blood clot, or as if it was wrapped in fresh blood. Noland raised his non-existent eyebrows and released the Deconstruction technique. [System Message: You are about to launch Deconstruction on the unknown extraordinary feature. An estimated 30 points of energy will be consumed, and this item can be 100% deconstructed.] Extraordinary feature! The figure in the sky spat out a bunch of extraordinary features!? Noland Lee was slightly startled, and immediately ran towards the pool.. Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: 70. Vitality Surge Chapter 93: 70. Vitality Surge Translator: 549690339 The filthy blood produced a small pool, astonishingly corrosive. The bloody red extraordinary trait, just like a fizzling tablet dropped in water, was rapidly dissolving among a dense flurry of bubbles. Noland Lee, hasty, gathered some branches, standing next to the pool and fishing out the extraordinary traits from the filthy blood. A foul, toxic fog rushed towards his face and aimed straight for his head. The system immediately presented multiple warning messages: [Warning! The effect of Soul Corruption has intensified! Its intensity level has increased from Level 1 to Level 2! Your Spirit attribute will temporarily drop by 2 points after 42 seconds!] Noland Lee ignored the system messages and focused on scooping out the extraordinary traits. So long as he didnt make a mistake in his haste, his high Spirit attribute of 15 points could fully withstand Soul Corruption. Hang in there, hang in there good, just a little morecmon, extraordinary trait. Why are you as soft as melted rubber This extraordinary trait has soaked in the filthy blood for too long, the inside and outside are full of pores left by the corrosion. Noland Lee poked it with a stick, breaking the extraordinary trait in half, it became a muddy substance, divided into a large and small pile. The smaller pile of Mud, in the blink of an eye, was completely corroded by the filthy blood, leaving debris that sank to the bottom. The larger pile of mud managed to hold on a little longer. Noland Lee quickened the movement of his hand, wielding the branch and forcefully scooping the mud. The mud left the surface of the water, formed an arc in mid-air, and landed on the grass with a plop. Noland Lee cast Deconstruction again, feeling a slight weight in his heart. An extraordinary trait that originally required 30 points of energy to deconstruct now only needed 4 points! Its size had also shrunk over 80% from when Noland first saw it. Noland felt regret and anxiety. He didnt have time to examine what this tiny cluster of extraordinary traits possessed, instead, he quickly wrapped it in a leaf, held it in his hand, and flew towards the next smoke pillar. If his guess wasnt wrong, there should be an extraordinary trait in every drop of filthy blood. If he was late, the extraordinary traits in the filthy blood would be corroded. He needed to speed up, to fish them out from the filthy blood before the extraordinary traits turned into wastes! Noland Lees speed continually increased, flying swiftly above the forest mountain range. About 40 minutes later. Noland Lee returned to the large rock where he had previously hidden from the storm and placed down 6 extraordinary traits on the open ground. This was the final yield from his strenuous rescue effort. The other extraordinary traits had all been thoroughly corroded by the filthy blood before he had arrived at the pond. The surviving six extraordinary traits varied in shape, size, and color. The bright red extraordinary traits were the majority, with three of them. The white extraordinary traits were next in number, with two of them. An extraordinary trait with various colors, red, yellow, white, black and others mixed in, there was only one. Noland Lee cast Deconstruction on them one by one, nodding slowly in thought. The bright red extraordinary traits had been severely corroded by the filthy blood, each had reduced in size by over 80%, and now only required 3 to 9 points of energy to deconstruct them. The condition of the white extraordinary traits was good, obviously possessing a strong ability to resist corrosion. The two white extraordinary traits that Noland Lee rescued required 15 and 16 points of energy respectively for a complete deconstruction. As for the extraordinary trait with mixed colors, its colors were quite unusual. It looked ugly and appeared as if several colored clays had been mixed together. However, it required as much as 80 points of energy for a complete deconstruction. Noland Lee looked at the bright red extraordinary trait that required 3 points of energy and silently activated Deconstruction. After a fleeting moment, the system message appeared in his mind. [Deconstruction Success!] [You have obtained the panel information of the Extraordinary Trait:] Name: Vitality Surge Level: 3 Type: Single-use Extraordinary Trait Effect: By directly ingesting this extraordinary trait, you will unlock a new basic attribute, Vitality, and after the adverse reaction to the Strengthening Potion ends, your Vitality attribute will rise to 3 points. Vitality represents your self-healing power. The higher your Vitality, the faster you can heal minor injuries to your skin, and your speed of recovery from serious injuries like bone fractures, internal bleeding, and brain damage will slightly increase. Explanation: After your death, this extraordinary trait will not separate from your body because it is a one-time consumable. Vitality Surge can only give you Vitality equivalent to its level. For example, consuming Vitality Surge of level 3 or below repeatedly, does not increase your Vitality. Only by consuming Vitality Surge of level 4 can your Vitality be raised to 4 points. Noland Lee picked up the bright red extraordinary trait from the ground and As he expected, the extraordinary trait that the titan spat out from the sky had positive effects. The negative effect named Soul Corruption was not created by the titan, but the effect of death-type magic applied to the titan by the black curved hook. The black curved hook polluted the titans blood, transforming it into Filthy Blood with corrosive properties and the effect of Soul Corruption. The extraordinary traits the titan spat out originated from himself, who was in a hostile relationship with the black curved hook, hence they were subject to the corrosion of Filthy Blood. Noland Lee looked up at the sky, his gaze swept over the giant palm of the titan. No matter what the motive of the titan was for spitting the extraordinary trait onto the ground, Noland Lee had no intention of missing this unexpected windfall. He opened his mouth and swallowed the red extraordinary trait in his hand in one gulp. As soon as it entered his mouth, the extraordinary trait melted like cotton candy, turning into a warm current that slid down his esophagus, then dispersed into several streams in his stomach and extended into Nolands limbs. System Message: You have ingested the Extraordinary Trait: Vitality Surge. You have unlocked a new basic attribute, Vitality. Your Vitality will be raised to 3 points after the adverse reaction to the Strengthening Potion ends. Noland Lee picked up another bright red extraordinary trait, pondered for two seconds, then swallowed it. System Message: You have ingested the Extraordinary Trait: Vitality Surge (Level 5). After the adverse reaction to the Strengthening Potion ends, your Vitality attribute will be raised to 5 points. Noland Lee now understood. The bright red extraordinary traits were all Vitality Surge. The bigger they were, the higher their level. However, if he wanted to continue raising his Vitality, he would have to swallow a bright red extraordinary trait larger than the level 5 Vitality Surge. I just dont know whether the titan will spit out any extraordinary traits next time it screams. Noland Lee looked up at the sky, quietly praying for the titan to be more generous, to spit out more extraordinary traits. Of course, if too many extraordinary traits were spat out at once, leading to the titan being killed by the black curved hook, then nevermind Noland Lee shook his head, returning his gaze from the sky. He picked up the remaining bright red extraordinary trait from the ground and put it into his mouth. As expected. It was a Vitality Surge of Level 9. After he finished suffering the adverse reactions of the Strengthening Potion, his Vitality would be raised to 9 points.. Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: 71. Noland Lee is very stable. Chapter 94: 71. Noland Lee is very stable. Translator: 549690339 There were 3 extraordinary traits left in front of him. Two were white. One was a mixed color. Noland Lee weighed the remaining few energy points he had, deciding to trust his own judgment. That kind of white extraordinary characteristic should not have any side effects. As for the mixed-color extraordinary characteristic, he wasnt sure about that one. Noland Lee picked up the white extraordinary characteristic while thinking, bit off a small part, and put it in his mouth. If there were any negative system messages, he would immediately spit it out. Fortunately, the result was good; he had gambled correctly. The white extraordinary characteristic had no negative effects. [System Message: Youve consumed a part of an unknown extraordinary characteristic. ] [Passive Deconstruction activated!] [Your deconstruction completion of the unknown extraordinary characteristic has increased from 0% to 10%.] [Youve obtained the following deconstruction result:] [This item is called Extraordinary Characteristic: Tenacity and Vitality. Consuming it directly will increase your Tenacity attribute to a value equivalent to its level.] Noland Lee raised his eyebrows slightly and swallowed the white extraordinary characteristic in a few bites. [System Message: Youve completely consumed a Extraordinary Characteristic: Tenacity and Vitality (Level 16).] [Passive Deconstruction activated!] [You obtained this items panel information.] [Your energy points have recovered by 16 points! You now have 25 energy points.] [Your Tenacity attribute will increase to 16 points once the negative reaction of the strengthening potion ends!] Hmm, not bad. As long as I dare to boldly try, I can quickly recover my energy points just by using passive deconstruction. If active deconstruction is for stability, then passive deconstruction is for pursuing high-risk and high return in adventure! Bright light flashed in Nolands eyes, and the sudden 16 energy points secretly delighted him. He was in need of energy points! Noland Lee looked down at the ground, picked up the smaller white extraordinary characteristic, and swallowed it in a few bites. This thing was Extraordinary Characteristic: Tenacity and Vitality, but its level was only 15. Nolands Tenacity didnt change, nor did his energy recover. It seemed that he could only receive rewards from consuming a higher level of Tenacity and Vitality. Next, there was only the mixed-color extraordinary characteristic left. Noland Lee was extremely cautious, hesitating whether to swallow it in one bite. Instinct told Noland that the color of this thing was a bit off, somewhat too messy. Especially the black and yellow-green parts, Noland subconsciously thought of the black curved hook and undead poison fog when he saw them. Id better allocate some energy points and partially deconstruct this thing. Lets see if the system can deconstruct the side effects for me. Noland made up his mind, clenching his fist and lightly tapping his hand. He squatted down, locked his eyes on the black area of the mixed-color extraordinary characteristic, and muttered: System, listen well, I just want to know if this thing is harmful. When you deconstruct, its best to aim at the black or yellow-green areas. I guess they should be related to negative effects now, activate Deconstruction Technique. [System Message: Youre about to activate Deconstruction Technique on unknown extraordinary characteristic. [An estimated 1 point of energy will be consumed for a 1.25% increase in the completion of deconstruction.] [You currently have 25 energy points. Confirm deconstruction?] Consume 1 point of energy to deconstruct. Noland Lees squatting figure shook slightly, recovering from his trance. [Deconstruction Success!] [Your deconstruction completion of unknown extraordinary characteristic has increased from 0% to 1.25%.] [You obtained the following deconstruction result:] [This item is called Extraordinary Characteristic: Chaotic Mutation (Level 80). ] [Its formed by the fusion of an unknown targets extraordinary trait and Death Energy, and its consumption effect has significant uncertainty.] [ You need to invest more energy points in deconstruction to obtain the specifics of each consumption effect and their probability.] Noland Lee suddenly felt a headache. He had really guessed correctly, this mixed-color extraordinary characteristic indeed had hidden dangers. Can I pick out the black and yellow-green parts, and only consume the white, red, and other colors? Noland Lee scratched his head, randomly picked up a twig, and poked at the mixed-color extraordinary characteristic. Unfortunately, this thing was integrated, with no gaps, and couldnt be separated into several parts. Noland Lee tried using both hands to pry it open, or even using stones to smash it, but he couldnt decompose the mixed-color extraordinary characteristic. He thought that using teeth to bite would have the same result. Now, he had only two paths in front of him. The first, to play it safe, put this mixed-color extraordinary characteristic aside, pretending it didnt exist. The second path, to go all in, swallow the mixed -color extraordinary characteristic in one gulp, and bet on a bright and dazzling future coming from an unknown danger. Noland Lee considered himself a man who pursued progress while remaining cautious. so. He raised his right foot and kicked the mixed-color extraordinary characteristic away with a whack. He wasnt the kind of gambling addict who would bet his entire fortune on uncertain gains. He best keep this strange thing at a distance to avoid needless confusion. As he managed to harvest Vitality and Tenacity attribute values and 16 energy points in this rlWilight Dream, Noland Lee was already satisfied, and would definitely not let momentary greed lead him to fall into the abyss of regret. Yeah! Thats how resolute he was! Thats how determined! Noland Lee opened his Personal Panel and checked the countdown of the Dreamscape. In another 2 hours and 5 minutes, the Twilight Dream would end. The next wail would come in five minutes. Once the wail had passed, Noland Lee would have to prepare to deconstruct the Titan. His goal was simple, to cause damage to the Titan and generate a passive deconstruction, obtaining the deconstruction result. First, he had to solve the problem of effectively damaging the Titan. The titans life level was ridiculously high. Ordinary stone knives and stone hammers would probably be unable to break through its defenses. Noland Lee was currently unarmed, without even a gun, so piercing the Titans defenses would be no easy task. An answer formed in his mind. It was to use the Death Energy contained in the Filthy Blood to attack the Titan. But how could he get the Filthy Blood from the ground to the sky? That was another problem. Noland Lee could not find a perfect plan after much thought. Five minutes later, the wail came, and a raging wind swept through the forest mountains. Noland Lee hid in the crevices between the rocks to avoid the gale. As soon as the wind subsided, he crawled out of the crevice, looked up at the sky, and then shook his head with slight disappointment. There was no extraordinary characteristic-containing blood clot expelled by the Titan during this wail. It seemed that such opportunities probably only happened once. The raging wind stopped. Noland Lee flew to the nearest Filthy Blood pool. He wandered through the putrid woods, pausing to make a container by hand. About an hour later, he returned empty-handed and disappointed to the side of the boulders. He made a stone basin, but the corrosion effect of the Filthy Blood was too astonishing. After Filthy Blood entered the stone basin, a hole corroded through the basin bottom in less than three minutes. Trying to carry Filthy Blood in a container made of ordinary material was nothing but wishful thinking, fraught with risk. Seeing that there was only one hour left in the Twilight Dream, Noland Lee was determined to fly up into the sky no matter what it took to take a close look at the Titan. If he couldnt leave a scratch on the Titans skin, he would check if there were still red and white extraordinary characteristics on the Titans body or try damaging the soft tissue. Anyway, no matter what, he had to take a gamble and actively deconstruct the Titan before leaving this place. Noland Lee glanced at the sky, his eyes fixed, and then a flash of light suddenly flickered at the bottom of his eyes! Hey, I almost forgot that theres not only the Titan in the sky but also that black curved hook! If I get injured by the black curved hook, wont I be able to activate passive deconstruction as well? I dont have to cling to the Titan. The only trouble is controlling the damage, not killing myself in the process Noland Lee suddenly paused: Wait, this is a dream. If I die here, will the real me also die? If I die in a dream and it doesnt affect realitythen isnt this Noland Lees heart surged with excitement. This emotional fluctuation spawned by speculation didnt stay in his heart for too long, as he quickly suppressed it with reason and caution. Since the extraordinary characteristics gained in this dream can affect my physical body in reality, then negative effects and death should also be able to affect my body. So, I must be very very careful and not allow any mistakes.. Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: 72. Soul Casting Secret Technique Chapter 95: 72. Soul Casting Secret Technique Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee used he to refer to the Titan in the sky, which is somewhat inaccurate. The Titan didnt have the normal physiological features of a human. At least from what could be seen on its surface, the Titan had no handle or headlights or anything like that. The corresponding limbs were either covered with filthy blood or completely bare. Noland Lee didnt care much about the Titans gender. His focus was on the wound on the Titans head. The flesh was torn there, bleeding profusely, punctured by a black curved hook. Every time the Titan screamed, he would twist his head, worsening his injury. The black curved hook would scrape the edges of the wound like a file, grinding out filthy blood and pieces of flesh. This sight scared Noland, but he had to force himself to stare at the Titans wound intently. Because there were numerous red, white, green, and light blue extraordinary traits around the wound. After the black curved hook squeezed the wound, those things emerged from the skin beneath the Titans surface, sticking to the skins surface. But the problem was, the black curved hook corrupted these extraordinary traits at an incredibly fast speed, turning them into a mixed-color substance known as Extraordinary Characteristic: Chaotic Mutation. Noland observed these details when he flew to the Titans chest area. Facing the personal attribute reward within reach, he didnt immediately continue to soar, snatching clean extraordinary traits from the hands of the black curved hook. All because the black curved hook was not made of metal, and it was not a lifeless object. Noland saw it clearly now. That thing was a living, dark tentacle, covered in cysts on the surface, slippery and sticky. When the sunlight shone on it, it reflected a greasy light, easily reminding people of partially dried tar. This black tentacle, resembling a curved hook, was alive. It contracted and expanded rhythmically as if it were breathing or drawing food from the Titans body. From time to time, the cysts on its surface would tremble, splitting open a small crack, revealing dark green eves. The eyes would slightly rotate, secreting poisonous fog from the dark green mucus. When the mucus dripped onto the Titans skin, it burned blisters, corroded the surface, and seeped into the Titans blood vessels and subcutaneous tissues. All the extraordinary traits it passed along the way would be contaminated by this mucus. When Noland saw this scene, he only felt a throbbing in his temples. If he really intended to touch the black tentacle, he doubted he could survive. It is very likely that just touching the cyst secretion, would immediately result in his death. It seems that the difficulty of this place is too high for me; its not a level I can handle, Noland thought. Noland stood on the Titans chest hair, looking down at the mountains and clouds below, his gaze falling on the smoke pillars: Perhaps the significance of the Twilight Dream lies in the large cluster of extraordinary traits expelled by the Titan. As long as youre clever enough and act quickly, you can rescue the extraordinary traits before they are completely corroded by the filthy blood pool. Like flying into the sky to observe the Titans wound up close, or trying to attack the black tentacle, these actions should be potential dangers in the ft?vilight Dream. As long as you dont mess with them, youll wake up smoothly in bed after the dream ends. Noland thought quietly to himself, turning his gaze to the sky. Countless extraordinary traits were right in front of him, but due to the terrifying appearance of the black tentacle and the strong corrosive nature of the cyst secretions, he couldnt take another step forward. He could only watch as the extraordinary traits were contaminated. Ah, its so uncomfortable Noland sighed quietly, carefully searching for something in the area around the wound. He was looking for a special kind of mixed color extraordinary trait. During the time he stood on the chest hair observing the wound, he had figured out a deconstruction rule: Deconstruction required energy points, which were determined by the targets size and color complexity. The smaller the volume of the extraordinary trait, the lower the energy points required. If the color was closer to a single hue, the energy point demands would also decrease. If he could find a mixed color extraordinary trait only the size of a fist and not too complicated in color, Noland would still be able to afford the cost of deconstructing it. But why was he so fixated on the mixed -color extraordinary trait? Why not take a look at other pure-color extraordinary traits? The reason was simple. Noland found that: When the cyst secretions polluted the pure color extraordinary traits, the secretions that seemed to have self-awareness would spit out mixed color secretions from within their bodies, wriggling towards the next cluster of pure-color extraordinary traits. This seemed like a type of feeding behavior C the cyst secretions with a slimy appearance treated the pure-color extraordinary traits as food, while the mixed-color extraordinary traits were their excrement. Obviously, these cyst secretions didnt have the habit of eating their excrement. After excreting the mixed-color extraordinary traits, they would neglect them and only circle around the pure-color extraordinary traits. If Noland really wanted to take something away from the Titan, he could only try his best to avoid the cyst secretions and regard the mixed-color extraordinary traits as his target. Otherwise, he would clash with the cyst secretions, leading to uncontrollable consequences. Time passed as he carefully searched. In the blink of an eye, the duration of the Twilight Dream had dropped to 10 minutes. Noland glanced at the countdown on his personal panel, but he didnt feel anxious.. Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: 72. Soul Casting Secret Technique 2 Chapter 96: 72. Soul Casting Secret Technique 2 Translator: 549690339 He was a contented and happy-go-lucky person. He had already gained a lot from this Twilight Dream; there was no need to pursue more. If he could get a suitable mixed color extraordinary trait, that would indeed be a great thing, something to be added as a bonus. If he couldnt Well, then he couldnt. Just as Noland Lee put his mind at ease, a cyst secretion squirming on the titans chin released a small cluster of mixed color extraordinary traits. The size and color of the cluster perfectly matched Nolands standards. Noland glanced at the countdown. He still had 1 minute left. If he started now, there was still enough time. He stepped on his feet in the hair on the titans chest, bent the hair, and with the elasticity of the hair, shot himself straight into the air. During the flight, his eyes locked onto the small cluster of mixed color extraordinary traits, and he released the Deconstruction technique. [System Message: You are about to launch the Deconstruction Technique on Extraordinary Trait: Chaotic Mutation (Level 15). ] [Estimated consumption of 15 energy points, guaranteed Deconstruction of the target.] [You currently have 24 energy points; do you confirm to proceed with the Deconstruction?] Well, as expected, after reducing the volume of mixed-color extraordinary traits to the size of a fist, the energy points required are very, very few. This level of mixed-color extraordinary traits should be considered rat droppings in the eyes of cyst secretions Noland silently recited in his mind: Confirm the Deconstruction. Nolands flight posture slightly wobbled and then returned to normal after a brief trance. [Deconstruction Success!] [You have obtained the target objects Panel Information:] [Name] Chaotic Mutation [Level] 15 [Type] Parasitic Extraordinary Trait [Effect] Can be used as a Mutated Inducing Factor. Once you have mastered the scholarly skills related to mutation, this panel will be updated synchronously. Can be used as a basic material for Alchemy. Once you have mastered the scholarly skills related to Alchemy, this panel will be updated synchronously. Direct consumption. System prediction: 11% chance: Your Toughness +3, Agility -3, Charm -15, Spirit +15. You will develop irreversible mysterious patterns on your forehead. 29% chance: Your Toughness +15, Agility -15. Your forechest and back fat layers will harden irreversibly. 30% chance: Your Spirit +15. You will gain an irreversible negative effect Parasitic Infection: Inferior Eye Bugs. 30% chance: Your Agility +15. You will gain an irreversible negative effect Parasitic Infection: Abdominal Pincers. [Notes] When your basic attributes are below o points, you will suffer corresponding negative conditions. These negative conditions are dangerous and deadly, lasting until your basic attributes are back to o points or higher. Direct consumption will cause irreversible changes to your Race entry and Personal Panel. All attribute changes will take effect after the adverse reaction of the Strengthening Potion ends. Huh? So thats what Chaotic Mutation is all about. Subtracting the value of a certain attribute and adding it to another attribute, or gaining a large increase in a single attribute at the expense of suffering permanent negative effects. No matter which mutation direction I end up with, I cant afford its cost. So what do I need this thing for? Theres no need to turn myself into something neither human nor ghost for the sake of a few personal attributes. Noland stopped and flew no further upward. There were about 20 seconds left until the end of the Twilight Dream. The titans next wail would occur at this point in time. At this moment, Noland was on the titans neck. Before the titans wail, it would inhale deeply, causing its neck to expand slightly. Noland could already see this detail. By his estimation, the titans wail should happen simultaneously with the end of the dreamscape. Seeing that he was about to experience the titans wail at close range, Noland immediately threw himself onto the back of the titans neck and secured himself to a hair. The titan inhaled sharply, causing the air to rush backward and into his mouth and nostrils. Noland clung to the hair, preventing himself from being sucked into the titans mouth. There were still 5 seconds left in the Twilight Dream countdown. 5. 3. 2. In the last two seconds, a roaring explosion burst from the titans mouth, and ferocious sound waves indiscriminately attacked everything in their vicinity. The black tentacles tensed at this moment, closing their cysts. The cyst secretions were bombarded and cut by the sound waves, reduced to powder by invisible air blades. Those extraordinary traits that lingered on the titans surface, whether tainted by the black tentacles or not, were all shattered by the wailing, becoming dust that scattered with the wind, spilling onto the mountains and forests below. This was the first time Noland had seen these details. Previously, when the titan wailed, he had always been on the ground, unable to imagine the power of the wailing sound waves. A ripping pain engulfed his entire body in an instant, as if countless sharp daggers were stabbing into him at the same time. As his consciousness was about to be completely submerged by the vast pain, a system message pulled him back from the brink: [Warning! You are suffering soul damage!] [The Soul Shield can resist this kind of damage!] Nolands thoughts flashed like lightning. The system message had appeared for only 0.1 seconds, and he had already sketched the Soul Shield blueprint in his mind.. Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: 72. Soul Casting Secret Technique—3 Chapter 97: 72. Soul Casting Secret Technique3 Translator: 549690339 A blue ellipsoid the size of a duck egg covered his body! It was then that Noland Lee realized that he had been acting as a soul in this Dreamscape all along! [You consumed 0.1 point of Soul Strength and 1 point of Energy to cast the Soul Shield!] [The shield can resist 4 attacks!] [Warning! Shield shattered!] The blue ellipsoid disintegrated under the sound waves and wind blades, turning into countless tiny light fragments that dispersed with the wind. Noland Lees mind moved at unprecedented speed, and he once again constructed a Spell Blueprint to cast a new Soul Shield. The blue ellipsoid had barely appeared before it crumbled to pieces. Thankfully, the Dreamscape was also over. The violent wind came to an abrupt stop, the sound waves dissipated, the tens of thousands of glow and the brilliant sunset returned to darkness, and the Titan and the black tentacles vanished. Only darkness remained before Noland Lees eyes. But soon, the rumbling sound of a medical trolleys wheels rolling across the single room partitions door and into his ears woke him up from his deep sleep. Noland opened his eyes, gazed through the window at the bedside, and saw the dimly lit Clouds. The distinct smell of disinfectant water was swirling around his nose in the hospital. The whispered conversation between the nurse and the patient next door came through faintlv. The crisp sound of the nurse breaking open the ampoule was like the vibration of a string. All of this felt much more real than the Twilight Dream. Taking a deep breath, Noland Lee sat up from the bed and leaned against the wall. Those last two seconds before it ended were really thrilling. He nearly got killed by the Titans wail. Luckily, he had the Soul Shield at hand, or else he would have perished in the ft?vilight Dream. Since he narrowly escaped unharmed, did he gain any deconstruction results? The sound waves and gas blades were caused by the Titan. So, logically, the result of Passive Deconstruction should be related to the Titan, right? Noland Lee checked the system message and a glimmer of joy erupted at the bottom of his eyes! [Passive Deconstruction Activated! ] [Your degree of deconstruction of the unknown object has increased from 0% to 0.08%!] [You have obtained the following deconstruction result:] [Dusk Giant Soul-casting Technique Basic Edition, completeness 12.5%.] Dusk Giant so that Titan is called by such name. Scenes of the Twilight Dream flashed through Noland Lees eyes. In the seemingly eternal dusk hung a Titan, and the black tentacles hanging down from the endless height were obviously an alien object. He couldnt tell where those two things came from and how the Dusk Giant got entangled with the black tentacles. For the time being, Noland put the thoughts of the Dreamscape aside and clicked on Soul-casting Technique. After carefully looking through it once, Noland slowly nodded with restrained joy in his eyes. He had made a fortune on this one! The contents of the Soul-casting Technique were recorded in the language of the Dusk Giants. Although Noland hadnt learned this language, he could easily read it, thanks to the Deconstruction. The so-called Soul-casting Technique was actually a method of increasing Soul Strength and Basic Attributes by training the body. By following the training methods in the book and constantly exercising the body, one could achieve simultaneous growth of Soul Strength and Basic Attributes during the process. It was a time-consuming art that required a great deal of time. Noland obtained the Basic Edition with a completeness of only 12.5%, missing many essential contents. For example, the book mentioned that taking specific drugs and mutation materials during the exercise could make the training more effective. Unfortunately, the detailed content about the drugs and mutation materials was missing. The content presented in the book was all about the techniques and decompositions of the bodys training. It covered everything from breathing and exertion methods to movement trajectories and muscular control, which was enough to guide a newcomer. Noland Lee looked at the single room partition he was in and shook his head helplessly: If only I had my own private space, I could practice the Dusk Giants Soul-casting Technique every day, but now well, better to bear with it. Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: 73. Hang-Up Treasure Land Chapter 98: 73. Hang-Up Treasure Land Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee closed his mind to the Dusk Giant Soul-casting Technique and suddenly felt a churning sensation in his stomach, followed by nausea and retching. He knew that he had triggered the second effect of Dusk Sleep C Nausea. According to the panel information of Dusk Sleep, at the same time tomorrow, he would trigger the third effect C Photophobia. The situation would definitely be worse than today. Noland Lee gathered his thoughts, trying hard to suppress the urge to vomit, and lifted his hand to pull the rope on the wall. The bell rang at the nurses station at the end of the corridor. Footsteps came closer, and soon they arrived at his door. The person who stepped in was not Melinda, Corporal Mars partner, but another slightly older and more voluptuous female nurse. She had a sharp chin, melon-seed face, delicate skin, and soft hair, more mature and graceful than Melinda. She could be described as a tender branch bearing fruitful results. She pushed the trolley into the room, stopped, and stared at Noland Lee for a few seconds, as if she was carefully observing him before asking: Do you feel nauseous in your stomach, want to vomit, but theres nothing in your stomach to throw up? At this moment, Noland Lee was enduring the gastrointestinal discomfort and couldnt speak, so he could only nod in response. Dont worry, its normal. The female nurse parked the trolley, picked up the notebook on the bedside, and glanced at the injection information. . Noland Lee Jarvis, a Private Second Class in the Alvin Army, correct injection information. Im Sully. Before you leave this room, Ill come here every day at this time to check on your condition. Sully briefly introduced herself and went back to the trolley to prepare the elixirs. Your physical examination report has come out. Your cardiopulmonary function score is slightly below average. Therefore, you will likely spend about 5 to 6 days with side effects. However, this is not absolute. The actual number of days may be extended, depending on how you slept last night. Noland Lee raised his eyebrows, curious. Why did it depend on how he slept last night? Is it related to Twilight Dreams? Sully was preparing the potions and didnt see Noland Lees expression. He couldnt ask any questions because he couldnt speak. Division Intelligence Unit Three is highly concerned about the injection of strengthening potions. After every strengthening potion injection, the person must cooperate with a nurse for a continuous investigation lasting several days. This investigation starts on Day One after the injection and lasts until the side effects disappear. This is the basic knowledge that Noland Lee had learned from Corporal Mars. He thought that Melinda would handle this, but why was there a voluptuous nurse instead? And she seemed to be older than him Noland Lee was puzzled. Sully prepared the elixirs, handed them to Noland Lee to drink, and then took out a notebook and asked while writing: Did you have any dreams after you fell asleep yesterday? The elixir moistened Noland Lees throat, temporarily suppressing the discomfort in his stomach. Noland Lee held his stomach, lifted his head, and asked with a puzzled expression: Dreams? Perhaps his good looks had an effect; Sully looked at his handsome face and seemed a little dazed before saying: Yes, dreams. The strengthening potion has a sedative component, so you quickly fall asleep. Sully stretched out her finger and circled it near her head: While youre asleep, the mutagenic component in the strengthening potion starts to work, affecting your brain activity and causing you to dream continuously. Noland Lee slowly nodded: I did have a strange dream. Sully wrote down a few notes on the notebook and looked at Noland Lee again with her beautiful eyes: Do you still remember the scene in your dream? Noland Lee lowered his head, looking at the bed sheet, his eyes flashing rapidly: The scenes in the dreamhissl cant quite recall. What I remember most clearly is myself trapped in a room with no light, continuously groping for the door and the switch to turn on the light. While Sully was recording notes, she said: Well, its a normal dream. Basically every soldier who receives a strengthening potion injection has this experience. It should be caused by insufficient brain activity while dreaming Are there any other dreams? Jarvis, think carefully. Noland Lee lifted his head, looking confused, and shook his head: No, thats all I remember. However, it seemed that just before I woke up, I saw a strong light. But I cant tell if that light was in my dream or came through the window. Sully looked disappointed: What a pity, Jarvis. The effect of the strengthening potion on you may be very limited. According to your dream, the side effects will only last for five days. Dreams Sully mentioned dreams, so Division Intelligence Unit Three indeed knows about the existence of Twilight Dreams and cares about it a lot Noland Lee pretended not to understand and asked: Why do you say that? Sully looked outside the room, seeing no one passing by, and whispered: The mutagenic component stimulates your brain and causes you to dream. The level of realism and content of the dream is related to the absorbed dose of the mutagenic component. The more you absorb, the clearer the dream. On the other hand, it would be like you, sleeping hazily all night, and only when youre about to wake up and your body has absorbed enough mutagenic component, the dream becomes clearer.. Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: 73. AFK Treasure Spot_2 Chapter 99: 73. AFK Treasure Spot_2 Translator: 549690339 Unfortunately, at this moment, the sleep aid component in the Strengthening Potion has been fully metabolised by your body. You will quickly wake from your sleep and stop dreaming. Theoretically, the Dreamscape can be as real as the Real World. You would be able to see the sunset. Noland Lee heaved a slight sigh of disappointment: It seems my body is not up to par. Its a pity; I will not be able to witness the Dreamscape you referred to. Sully consoled him with a comforting smile: Dont be disheartened. Its due to the weak constitution of your body. Youre young, and as long as you train well physically, youll be able to see the Twilight Dream when you take the second and third injection. Noland Lee responded with a self-deprecating smile, before asking: So, Sully, if I were to consume enough sleep aid and continue to sleep, would that give me a forced viewing of the Twilight Dream? Sully slanted her head slightly, pondered for a moment before saying: No, it wouldnt be possible. Im not clear about the specific reason. In any case, 24 hours is the extreme sleeping duration after the first Strengthening Injection. If its any longer, there may be a risk to your life. Noland Lee got the hint: Ah, I see. So, for the second and third injections, the sleeping period will be extended, correct? Yes, thats correct. It will be extended by 48 hours and 96 hours respectively. Noland Lee was slightly taken aback: 96 hours? Thats plenty! For the third injection, wouldnt that mean Id have to spend about 5 days in sleep? Sully closed her notebook and said: Thats right. The potency of the Strengthening Potions increases with each dose. The stronger the effect, the longer the sleep duration Okay, lets leave our chat here, Jarvis. Get some rest. Ill bring your meal shortly. Sully left pushing her medical trolley. Now there was only Noland Lee left in the partition room. He looked towards the window, his gaze deepening. After a simple conversation with Sully, he basically understood one thing: The Strengthening Potions that the Empire uses are directly related to the Dusk Giants. The main component of the Strengthening Potion is highly likely to be derived from the Dusk Giants or other extraordinary materials that can put a person into the Twilight Dream. If he dares to imagine further: Does the Tatis Empire have a Dusk Giant corpse in their possession? The main component of the Strengthening Potion is extracted from the corpse of a Dusk Giant. Of course, this idea leans towards assumption and lacks a solid basis. Because looking at the history of the Tatis Empire from the Original Masters perspective, whether in the ancient dynasty or the modern empire, an extraordinary creature like the Dusk Giants had not appeared. Therefore, Noland Lee leans more towards another guess: The Tatis Empire has managed to obtain some sort of extraordinary material related to the Twilight Dream, instead of the body of the Dusk Giants itself. As evening approached. Noland Lee sat by the bed, idly flipping through the system interface. Sully entered the room pushing the door, placed a meal box and a few books at his bedside. I brought the books you wanted, Jarvis. Thanks, Sullv. Your first negative reaction is nausea. So, try to eat smaller, more frequent meals. Otherwise, it will strain your digestion and intensify the adverse effects. Got it, Noland Lee opened the meal box to smell it. Mashed vegetables and potatoes, roasted sausages, mushroom soup. The smell was quite enticing, but Noland Lee felt nausea. It cant be helped. This adverse effect completely loses ones appetite. Sully was prepared for this. This nauseous feeling is psychological, not physiological. Your digestive function is normal, you just cant control the urge to vomit. She brought a trash can from outside the door, thoughtfully place it by the bed, pointed at it and said: Go ahead, eat and vomit. Thats the only way. Generally speaking, you eat more, you vomit less, and some food can always stay in the stomach. Not eating will in fact worsen the adverse effects. Thanks Sully. You can go on with your work. Okay, if you need anything just pull the bell rope, Ill be right over. Sully turned and left. The room was once more enveloped in silence. Noland Lee wasnt in the mood to eat for now. He picked up a book that Sergeant Mars had borrowed from the Reading Room and got absorbed in reading. With the System, he didnt have to read books himself anymore. Just by activating the Deconstruction Technique and consuming some Energy Points, he could memorise the entire book. However, valuable Energy Points should be put to good use, like using them to deconstruct the Martyrs Ten Commandments instead. Noland Lee focused his mind, using reading to counter the urge to vomit that surged in his heart. Time passed, and Noland found himself immersed in the delight of reading. Suddenly, a burst of commotion echoed down the corridor, disrupting his mindset. Noland Lee raised his head, a slight frown on his face, the nausea intensifying. He covered his mouth, took a few deep breaths, trying to suppress his discomfort. Just then, the hurried footsteps of several people passed by the door of his room. Hurry up! The Captain is about to pass out! The operating room is this way, follow me. That was Sullys voice, guiding the soldiers. Captain, hang in there. Dont fall asleep. Captain, wake up.. The soldiers voice was choked with sobs. Noland used his arms to support himself up from the bed, leaning against the wall, he approached the door. He opened the door and looked outside. Several soldiers, their bodies covered in grime and blood, were rushing down the corridor with a stretcher. The floor they passed was dotted with blood, marking the path of the stretcher carrying the Captain. Noland squinted for a moment, gave a slight shake of his head, and sat back down on the bed. The captains chest was a bloody mess, skin and flesh gaping open. It seemed as if he had been gutted by the undead, his viscera ripped out. The medical technology ot the Tatis Empire was advanced, that was a tact, but such a critical wound was far beyond emergency treatment. That captain was likely not going to survive for long. Indeed, about 10 minutes later. Sad cries came from the end of the corridor. The soldiers pushing the stretcher passed by Nolands door once again. But this time, the figure on the stretcher did not leak any blood, nor showed any signs of life. Noland observed this tragic scene, a thought stirred in his heart. As the stretcher passed by his door, he silently chanted: Collect Soul Fragments. [System Message: ] [Soul Absorption successful.] [Soul Strength +0.2 points, now at 1.4 points.] Inside the Twilight Dreamscape, Noland had used the Soul Shield twice, consuming 0.2 points of Soul Strength. After exiting the Dreamscape, this 0.2 points of Soul Strength was restored. Noland didnt know why this was. But that wasnt the point. The point was, he suddenly realized that this medical department of Division Intelligence Unit Three was a gold mine! The main thoroughfare of the medical department was outside his door. Any wounded needed to enter the operating room had to pass by his door. More importantly, transporting the dead soldiers from the operating room to the incineration furnace or the underground morgue also followed this path! What did this mean! Nolands pupils constricted sharply. This meant that he only had to sit here, watching the movement in the corridor, and he could collect soul fragments from the dead soldiers at any time. Wasnt this the equivalent of semi-automatic botting for Soul Strength? And he didnt need to face undead creatures, there was no life-threatening danger. Noland was somewhat excited, but it quickly calmed down. Truthfully, this method of harvesting Soul Strength was indeed very convenient and fast. Yet Noland found it a bit difficult to adjust to. Each time he collected a soul fragment, it represented the death of an Imperial Soldier. Thinking that his power was built on the premise of humans losing life made him feel a bit awkward. It felt as though he was like a cold-blooded vulture standing by the living, always waiting for their death. Noland shook his head slightly, driving away the stray thoughts in his mind. The deaths of the Imperial Soldiers are caused by undead creatures, it has nothing to do with me. All Im doing is making the best use of everything, taking the soul fragments from their bodies after their death. Im not deliberately causing more death, I dont have to be responsible for anyones death. So, I have nothing to feel guilty about. Noland Lee calmed his thoughts, picked up his book, and once again submerged himself in reading.. Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: 74. Sister cuts fruit Chapter 100: 74. Sister cuts fruit Translator: 549690339 Quick! Quick! Quick! Gurgle After nightfall, another stretcher cart passed by the door. Noland Lee put down the book in his hands and took out the Personal Panel to do some calculations. Not counting the stretcher cart just now, from this afternoon to eight oclock in the evening, a total of 20 severely wounded military officers had been sent here by the soldiers. Eight of them were successfully rescued and transferred from the Surgery Room to the wards. The remaining 12 people were all critically injured, and the soldiers carried them to the incineration furnace or the morgue. Noland Lee collected 2.4 points of Soul Strength from these 12 people and now had 3.6 points of Soul Strength in hand. According to this ratio, if he stays up all night and keeps a close watch on the corridor, he can collect at least 50 points of Soul Strength before leaving the Medical Department. This is a considerable expected income. Enough to use half of the Death Finger. Upon thinking of this spell, Noland Lee felt a headache coming on. After having dinner just now, he put 10 points of energy into the Death Spell UP Pool C the Martyrs Ten Commandments. If 1 point of energy is equal to drawing one card, 10 points of energy would be a 10-card draw. A ten-card drawshould at least have a guaranteed card, right? But this Death Spell UP Pool was extremely twisted. Noland Lee only got a death-related book for the 10 points of energy he spent.. The Grand Collection of Death Art. This is the name of that book. Before crossing, Noland had read works like A Thousand Ways to Die, Detective Drum Washing Machine, and so on. These works are similar to The Grand Collection of Death Art, introducing various bizarre methods of death. However, The Grand Collection of Death Art is more artistic. It processes the remains from the perspective of color, shape, and implication, giving the works specific mystery meanings. When death and art are combined, it creates a disgusting yet irresistible book. To avoid losing his appetite and seeing all meat as white flesh, Noland Lee didnt read much of this book and left it aside as a reference book. Gurgle gurgle Whimper The stretcher cart came out of the Surgery Room with a low whimper and passed by Noland Lees door. Under the dim moonlight, Clouds lingered, unable to disperse, and a sense of desolation deepened in Medical Center Unit 3. Noland Lee skillfully took the soul fragments from the dead military officer. Just as he was about to continue reading, another stretcher cart entered the corridor. Is it possible that there will be so many injured people coming to the Medical Department for rescue late at night? Noland Lee furrowed his brows If the wheels keep rolling, there will be no sleep tonightnot because the noise will disturb the sleep but because sleeping would delay the collection of soul fragments. Noland Lee got out of bed, came to the door, and opened it. Three soldiers, who had clearly just come from a battle, pushed the stretcher cart past him, rushing towards the Surgery Room. Noland Lees gaze followed the moving stretcher cart. By now, he had some experience. As long as he throws the Deconstruction Technique at the wounded, he would know whether they can be saved or not. The principle is simple. If the energy required to deconstruct a wounded person is much lower than the persons military rank, then there would be hardly any chance of saving the person. For example, a lieutenant-ranked military officer. A completely healthy and able-bodied lieutenant would require 1000 energy points for a 100% deconstruction. When a lieutenants injuries become too severe to be saved, the energy required for deconstruction would plummet to 300 points, 200 points, or even less than 100 points. Noland Lee didnt quite understand the principle behind this yet. But he knew that when a lieutenants deconstruction consumption fell below 300 points of energy, the probability of declaring the rescue a failure was almost 100%. Noland Lee couldnt guarantee that the rule he discovered was a fixed rule. Because the sample size was not large enough and further sampling and verification were needed. Noland Lee watched the stretcher cart enter the Surgery Room, shook his head slightly, and sighed silently. Deconstructing the injured sergeant would only require consuming 70 energy points; there was no way this person could be saved. Is it the noise of the stretcher cart thats bothering your sleep? A mature womans voice came from outside the door on the other side. Noland Lee looked at the direction of the voice and said with a hint of regret: No, not really, Sully. Its just that at least 20 soldiers have died today. As a soldier of the Empires Army, I feel powerless, as if Im watching the families of the fallen soldiers crying in front of their tombstones. Its hard to imagine how many people will be buried here in a year. Sully walked over with a tray, her expression somewhat melancholic: The battle situation outside the fortress seems to be quite bad these days. There havent been so many injured people needing rescue before. From morning to evening, there were only about five cases. Since I started working here, there have only been two or three instances where injured patients were continuously sent into the Surgery Room like today. While the two were talking, the stretcher cart just now left the Surgery Room. The soldiers faces were tear-streaked, and the person on the stretcher cart had their face covered with a white cloth; the result of the rescue attempt was clear. Noland Lee took the soul fragments from the dead soldier as the stretcher cart passed by. Sully, standing nearby, was completely unaware of his actions and could only watch the soldiers leave. Another one of Davis Wilsons soldiers has died. Sully lamented with sorrow: Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: 74. Sister cuts fruit _2 Chapter 101: 74. Sister cuts fruit _2 Translator: 549690339 Just today, Daviss army has lost 6 corporals, 4 sergeants, and 2 senior sergeants. It seems theyve encountered huge trouble in Grave 612. May the Empire bless their triumphant return. Daviss Army Noland Lee slowly nodded. He had seen the word Davis on the soldiers uniform before. Is this military unit famous within the Legion? Sully. Noland Lee asked. Yes, they are one of the three long-established military units in the Korabo Legion. The position of the army commander and guards is controlled by the Davis family, and only family members can hold these positions. Sully glanced behind Noland Lee and swept her gaze across the meal box on the bedside table: It seems your appetite isnt very good. Shall I peel some fruit for you? Apple or orange? Noland Lee smiled and didnt refuse: Dont bother, Sully. Just bring me an apple, Ill eat it myself. Okay, you wait here, Ill be right back. Sully gazed at Noland Lees ice-blue eyes, momentarily lost in thought, her cheeks faintly reddened. She turned around, holding the meal tray, and walked towards the nearby nurses station with her head down. Noland Lee chuckled and shook his head, even more perplexed. He thought the original masters appearance was indeed stunning but not to the point where it would cause a female nurse whom he had only seen a few times to expose her feelings Tsk, is this the treatment of a male deity? It didnt take Sully long to return with a glass box in her hand. Not waiting for her to speak, a figure walking out of the stairway entrance caught his attention. Yog, are we out of disinfectant? Sully looked in the direction of the person and asked. Nolan Lee squinted to take a closer look. This sergeant named Yog seemed to have an illness. His skin was frighteningly pale, like white paper, and his fingers trembled uncontrollably. He wore a senior soldiers uniform, but his size was similar to Noland Lees, not as rugged and robust as Corporal Mars or Sergeant Alvin Stafford. Blood vessels were visible on the whites of his eyes, and his dark eye bags indicated poor sleep quality. He spoke weakly, accompanied by bouts of coughing. Ahem ahem ahem Sully disinfectant, I still have some. The sergeant called Yog walked over with the smell of disinfectant, and spread his pale palms, saying: I am not here for disinfectant I came to tell you that the underground morgue is almost full. We need to clear some space by sending unnecessary corpses to the incineration furnace. This needs to be done as soon as possible. As I heard from soldiers who brought the corpses here, Graves 612, 613, and 614 had a joint undead uprising. Daviss army is suppressing the undead at all costs. A joint uprising from three grave vaults? Thats terrible no wonder so many wounded have been sent here for rescue in the past few days. Sully frowned slightly and took out a notebook from her coat pocket: Wait for me, Yog. Give me some time to check the registration list Some corpses should be able to go to the incineration furnace. Their conversation paused momentarily. Noland Lee raised his hand and saluted the soldier in front of him: Good evening, Chief Officer. Private Second-Class Noland Lee Jarvis, reporting to you. Sergeant Yog grinned and waved his hand, saying: Dont call me Chief Officer anymore. Im just a pitiful man of the Empire. Sully interjected while looking down at the notebook: Dont say that, Yog. Every Imperial man can conquer the undead, but not everyone can stand guard in the morgue like you do. Noland Lee said: So, Chief Officer, are you the Corpse-keeper of the morgue? Ive only heard of this job in City hospitals and suburban cemeteries, never thought it would exist within the Legion fortress as well Yog coughed lightly: Ahemhey, yes, I am the Corpse-keeper of the Legion. Yog looked at the clothes on Noland Lee: You are here for the first strengthening injection, right, Private Second Class? Let me guess, Sully must have told you that your adverse reactions will not last more than seven days, right? Just like mine at the beginning. Noland Lee showed an appropriate disappointment, and laughed awkwardly: Yes, Chief Officer. I probably wont have a chance to become a captain in the future. However, I am already very satisfied to serve the Empire as a sergeant. Sully looked up and smiled gently: Dont be disheartened, Jarvis. If the second and third injections go well, you still have a chance to become a captain. Yog waved his hand and said: Enough, Sully. The first injection is the most important A cold gleam fell on his face, and Yog shuddered. His gaze swayed between the two, and he saw something in Sullys warning-filled eyes. Yog suddenly realized that he was about to spoil Sullys plan. He hurriedly coughed a few times and changed the subject: No, no. What I mean is, the Empire will take good care of every sergeant. For example, the strengthening potions had very limited effects on me. I thought I would always be a corporal, at most promoted to sergeant by the Legion before retirement. But look, now Im a senior sergeant and have a group of soldiers under my hand uh, of course, theyre dead. Anyway, Im grateful for the Empires cultivation, allowing me, a soldier with a relatively poor physical foundation, to enjoy the treatment of a senior sergeant one day.. Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: 74. Sister cuts fruit_3 Chapter 102: 74. Sister cuts fruit_3 Translator: 549690339 Sully nodded in satisfaction, took back her gaze, and continued to check the list. Yog felt the killing intent in the air had dissipated, he slightly breathed a sigh of relief, and winked at Noland Lee, puckering his lips towards Sully, his eyes full of playful laughter. Noland Lee responded to the other party with an awkwvard but polite smile. Alright, Im done checking the list. Sully took out her pencil from her pocket and drew a few horizontal lines on the notebook, deleting some names and numbers: Yog, please clean up the corpses on the third layer of the morgue cabinet. Send all the other corpses except numbers ZB051 and ZB052 to the incineration furnace. Yog thought about it and said: ZB051 and ZB052, they seemed to be the corpses of a pair of Sin Soldier brothers. Okay, I got it. Ill send all the other corpses on the Third Layer to the incineration furnace. A flicker of movement crossed Noland Lees heart. Sin Soldier Brothers? Could it be the corpses of those tomb raiders? Noland Lee had some thoughts in his mind, but his face remained expressionless, as if he had nothing to do with ZB051 and ZB052. Yog kept repeating the two numbers in his mouth, afraid he might get them wrong. He waved at Noland Lee and went into the staircase, thumping down to the underground morgue. Noland Lee took the glass box from Sullys hand, shook it gently and said to her: Thank you for the fruit, Sully. Its really kind of you to not only help me wash and slice them but also peel them. I havent enjoyed this treatment since I left home. Criticize vaguely, but praise specifically. List all the praiseworthy aspects, and the person being praised will be over the moon. At this moment, when Sully heard Noland Lees words, her cheeks turned red, and her eyes seemed to sparkle like little stars. Her breath was gentle and warm, she whispered softly: While youre staying here, Ill bring you fruit every night. Great, thank you again, Sully. Noland Lee smiled and responded, then glanced puzzledly at the staircase: Theres something I dont understand. Why would the Legion arrange a Sergeant Major to guard the morgue? Isnt this a bit of a waste of Sergeant Yogs talent? I remember in the city, with an issued gun, even ordinary people can do this job. Sully turned her head and looked at the corridor back and forth. Seeing no one in the hallway, she leaned in closer to Noland Lees ear, gazing at his near-perfect profile, whispering quietly: His hands tremble uncontrollably, making it impossible for him to hold a gun. Even the Medical Department cant cure him. He was supposed to be sent back, but he has a severe skin disease and cant be exposed to sunlight. In the whole Legion, only he is willing to stay in the basement all the time. So, he became the long-term morgue keeper. Noland Lees eyes flickered for a moment, then quickly returned to normal: Oh, I see. I was wondering about thatSully, thank you. Im always the curious type, asking questions here and there. Please dont mind. I think youre great like this, more steady and cultivated than ordinary soldiers. Sullys eyes sparkled, her cheeks blushing: If you need to read other books, I can help you run errands to borrow from the reading room or buy from the private shop. Buying from the private shop? What to buy? Colorful entertaining reading materials? Ding-a-ling. The bell on the nurses station rang. Hurry up and eat the fruit, it wont taste good once its oxidized. Sully put her hand on the glass box and brushed against the back of Noland Lees hand in passing. She then turned around and left, leaving her voluptuous silhouette. Noland Lee returned to his room, closed the door, and looked at his hand in confusion Its so strange. Although it is said that its easier for a woman to pursue a man, surely it isnt this simple, is it? It feels like Sully is giving herself away like that.. Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: 75. Sully’s invitation Chapter 103: 75. Sullys invitation Translator: 549690339 Temporarily set aside Sullys issue. Noland Lee had made up his mind to stay up all night. He must always pay attention to the situation in the corridor. As long as a military officer dies, he will immediately collect the soul fragments. Opportunities like this, where he can sit and wait for soul fragments to be delivered to him, are very rare. He must seize them, to avoid regretting later. Noland Lee sat on the bed, opened the glass box, and suppressed his urge to vomit with a cool apple slice. Corporal Mars had borrowed five books from the reading room. One of them, Noland Lee had already read almost half of. Since he wasnt sleeping tonight, he might as well use it to read all night. Noland Lee picked up the book, laughed self-deprecatingly, and muttered to himself: Unexpected, indeed unexpected. The bad habit of not being able to read before crossing has been cured by the threat of the Undead Cult after crossing. Indeed, only when ones life and death are at stake, does one have the motivation to read and learn The night got deeper, and the Medical Department became quiet. From time to time, the sound of stretcher carts would come from the corridor, breaking the silence here. Noisy, sorrowful, and yet hopeful. Sixth day after entering the Medical Department. 2 PM. Shivering all over, his hands and feet were cold, and his teeth chattered. With a black eye mask on his eyes, Noland wrapped himself in the blanket, resisting the multiple negative effects brought by the strengthening potion. Sully walked into the room, adjusted the speed of the liquid from the drip, and gently brushed her hand over Nolands burning forehead, her eyes full of sympathy. Hold on, Jarvis. Your body temperature has reached 42 degrees. At most 5 minutes, the remaining potion ingredients in your body will completely decompose under the high temperature. Sully sat at the bedside and pressed a few times at the head of Noland, her movements extremely gentle, helping him to relieve the headache. Noland wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead, sat up from the bed, took off the eye mask, gazed blankly, looking out the window, having a feeling of surviving the ordeal. After the Twilight Dream, the first adverse reaction he encountered was nausea. The second one was photophobia. This made him have to wear eye patches during the day, and he had to turn off the lights in the room at night, otherwise, his eyes would suffer intense pinpricks, constantly tearing, and it was very difficult. Now that he had taken off his eye patch, his eyes were stimulated by the light, and tears immediately gushed out. The subsequent three adverse reactions were muscle pain, fear of wind, and loss of smell, respectively. Various negative effects converged, collectively acting on him, there was no need to mention how refreshing this feeling was. He almost spent the last 24 hours in a daze. If it were not for Sully frequently coming over to help him with the IV drip, unconsciousness from dehydration would have been unavoidable. Noland withdrew his gaze from the window and looked at Sully who was wiping his tears. Thank you for taking care of me these days, Sully. If you need my help in the future, just let me know. Sullys red lips trembled slightly, a trace of shyness flashed in her eyes: Then, after I have a few days off, lets go to the Artificial Garden and the Private Shop. I need to buy some things. Noland nodded, No problem. Good, then well meet at the Castles First Floor Hall at that time. Ding ling ling. The bell in the room rang. Sully went to the door and looked, then turned around and said to Noland: Your chief officer is here, Ill go and bring him in. With that, Sully left with her brisk steps. Nolands expression calmed down, and the micro expressions of pain, discomfort and so on left on his face by adverse reactions disappeared completely. He called up his personal panel and started to check carefully. The moment the adverse reactions ended, the system sent a lot of messages. [Note! The Dusk Sleep effect caused by the strengthening potion has ended.] [You have received the following rewards based on your performance in the Twilight Dream and the adverse reaction stage:] [Tenacity +5, now 16 points.] [Vitality +9, now 9 points.] [Added the following passive skills:] [Iron Stomach, Level 5. Transformed from the adverse reaction nausea. Your stomach capacity and speed of digesting food increase by 5%.] [Dim Light Vision, Level 4. Transformed from the adverse reaction photophobia. You can see the surroundings within a a-meter radius in dim light.] [Muscle Resilience, Level 3. Transformed from the adverse reaction muscle pain. Your explosive power and endurance increase by 3%.] [Wind Listening and Position, Level 2. Transformed from the adverse reaction fear of wind. You can roughly lock onto moving targets within a 2-meter radius by changes in the wind direction.] [Keen Sense of Smell, Level 1. Transformed from the adverse reaction loss of smell. You can track abnormal odors within a I-meter radius with your sense of smell.] [Your personal panel has been updated and is as follows:] [Attributes] Tenacity: 16 points Vitality: 9 points Agility: 13 points Spirit: 15 points Charm: 21 points [Energy Points] 11/15 points [Soul Strength] 55 points Noland nodded in satisfaction. Just one injection of the strengthening potion gave him 14 attribute points and 5 passive skills. This kind of routine where you just need to get an injection to become stronger, should be the feature of the Biochemical Mutation route, definitely can be considered as efficient and convenient. Even if he leaves the Imperial Army in the future, he must find a way to get a few strengthening potions to inject himself, to improve his attributes and get more passive skills.. Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: 75. Sully’s Invitation_2 Chapter 104: 75. Sullys Invitation_2 Translator: 549690339 Footsteps in the corridor were gradually getting closer. Noland Lee raised his head and saw Corporal Mars. Youre looking quite spirited, Jarvis. As soon as Corporal Mars entered the room, he winked at Noland Lee: I heard it from Melinda. Hey, you really got some game, capturing Sullys heart in just a few days. Shes a famous beauty nurse in the Legion Fortress, and I dont know how many soldiers shes turned down. Eh? Chief, dont listen to Melindas nonsense Noland Lee twitched the corner of his mouth, not expecting his gossip to spread so fast. Corporal Mars stopped there: When you two officially establish a relationship, well have to have a drink Alright, lets talk about something else. You take a shower and change clothes. Our troops have returned to the Legion Fortress. Next up is a 10-day vacation. Youre in luck, Jarvis. Your vacation starts today, not the day you entered the Medical Department. While Mars rummaged through the wardrobe for clean military uniforms and placed them on Noland Lees bed, he kept talking and sharing his experience: In my opinion, there are only three places in the Legion for couples to stroll around. One is the Artificial Garden, located on the first underground level of the fortress. Another is the Private Shop Street, where you can find many trinkets brought from the Empires hinterlands. The last is the Train Restaurant. On the abandoned railway, there are several carriages renovated into restaurants. However, youll need New Solon Currency there. Corporal Mars glanced at Noland Lee and noticed his troubled face. He shook his head and said: I know your identity does not allow you to hold currency, Jarvis, but its not absolute. The Empires Legal Department does have the ability to bypass you and directly take your spoils of war from Sergeant Alvin Staffords hands. However, there is one thing the Legal Department cannot take thats military merit. Corporal Mars reached into his shirt pocket, took out a small booklet, and handed it to Noland Lee. Noland Lee took a look and raised his eyebrows: I already have 30 points of military merit? How is this calculated? The detailed calculation method is too complicated; I can only briefly explain it to you. Corporal Mars raised his fingers and said: Killing the Undead, destroying the magical devices of the Undead Cult, rescuing teammates, dismantling deadly traps, completing reconnaissance tasks, and so on, all these things can earn military merit. Sergeant Alvin and his guards are specifically responsible for recording the performance of each soldier in the corps tasks. Generally speaking, soldiers can only get 10 points of military merit for clearing tasks like Crypt No.1079. You got more merit because you modified the Soul-binding Stone Tomb and the Rune of the Spirit Pivot. Noland Lee put the small booklet close to his chest, and then asked: Whats the use of military merit? Corporal Mars laughed: There are many uses for it. In addition to exchanging it for New Solon Currency, potions, elixirs, paid vacations, the most important use is to change your army. Alvins Army is a very small force, ranking over 30th place within the Legion. The larger your Legion, the fiercer the battles you face, and the more spoils of war and military merit you get after the battles. If you want to save enough money to buy a house on the bustling streets of the Empires capital before you retire, you have to work hard during your military service. Spend 100 points of military merit to apply for a better army, and then live to retire, and you can achieve this beautiful wish. Chief, do you plan to apply for a better army? asked Noland Lee after he changed his clothes. Corporal Mars waved his hand, signaling Noland Lee to follow him, then shook his head and said: No, Im fine staying in Alvins Army. Well, otherwise Melinda would have to worry. Whos to argue ah, women are indeed the most lethal. Corporal Mars smile was both sweet and helpless. Noland Lee followed Mars out of the Medical Department. Halfway, he saw Sully, who was preparing potions for the wounded. The two tacitly exchanged glances and then parted ways. From an objective point of view, Noland Lee felt that his progress with Sully was rapid. Subjectively speaking, Noland Lee felt that his plan was successful. No matter whether there was any trickery in Sullys initiative to approach him, it didnt prevent him from using Sully to his advantage. As the saying goes, withholding the dragon. His real goal was to leave the Imperial Army, so he could not openly express his true thoughts. His infatuation with Sully was a disguise, a testament to his desire to stay in the Legion for a long time and a cover-up for his real plans. Where are we going, Chief? On the steamy streets, Noland Lee walked beside Corporal Mars. Mars raised his hand and pointed to the city gate in the distance: I was supposed to take you to the Refreshing Time, a hotel specifically for soldiers to have fun. But considering Sullys presence, you might not want to go there. So, Ill take you to the camp outside the city to stay. During your vacation, if you dont want to spend money staying in the fortress, you can go to the camp to sleep. Of course, by the rules, we cannot bring women and alcohol to the camp, so be sure to remember that. Alright, Chief. Theres one more thing, Jarvis. What? Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: 75. Sully’s Invitation_3 Chapter 105: 75. Sullys Invitation_3 Translator: 549690339 The Alvin Armys next Legion Task has been determined. We are going to assist the Thales Army in clearing out Grave 717. Noland Lee asked: Grave 717? Isnt that the place where a lot of Soul Bindings, Walking Dead, and even mid-level Undead Creatures appear? The next task for us might be too difficult, right? Dont worry, Jarvis, Corporal Mars dodged two coal-carrying trolleys and continued: Were there for support, not as the main force. The Thales Army is responsible for clearing out all tomb passages in Grave 717, while we secure the corpses of the Undead and delay the progress of the Undead Revival Corporal Mars lowered his voice and said: There will be an extra task for you and me. You should understand what I mean. Once the Thales army clears out the Undead Creatures around the Spirit Pivot, its your turn. Noland Lee took a deep breath, turning the white steam he inhaled into a worried sigh: Yes, Chief Officer, I understand. But thinking about Sully makes me feel somewhat heavy. Corporal Mars raised his hand and patted Noland Lees shoulder: I believe youll be fine. The Captain is looking forward to your performance in the next Task. In a few days, she will bring you some new reading material. These materials can increase your success rate. When she is ready, I will notify you. Noland Lee nodded, Alright, Chief Officer. I really hope that someone else with the same knowledge as me will appear in the Legion Fortress. There will be. The Legion is working hard to scout for them. As the two were chatting, they left the City Gate and entered the barracks camped outside the city walls. Thanks to his involvement in the Broken Coffin plan, Noland Lee had a small single tent in the camp, the same one he arrived in. Inside the tent were a bed, a stool, and a folding desk. There was no hot water or place to wash clothes, but fortunately, there was a public bath in the fortress where one could take a bath, wash clothes, and get haircuts. Basically, living in the camp was quite comfortable, except for not being able to bring women or have drinks here. Especially during the holidays, when soldiers from the army flocked into the fortress, the camp was practically deserted, with only the soldiers on patrol strolling around, providing a quiet and relaxing environment. After sending Noland Lee to the tent, Corporal Mars immediately left to wait for Melinda, who was on holiday, at the entrance of the Medical Department. He probably wouldnt be coming back tonight. Noland Lee was happy for the tranquility. He lit the fireplace inside the tent, boiled a pot of strong tea, and contentedly sat on the stool, reading a book. Nine days later. It was the last day before the Armys departure. For eight consecutive days, Noland Lee had been going to the Medical Department, being the epitome of a man who fell in love. Finally, today, he met Sully, who was off duty. In the Grand Hall of the Legion Castle. A huge Crystal Coal Lamp hung from the ceiling, sending warm light in all directions. Noland Lee, dressed in clean military attire, leaned against the wall, waiting for Sully. A fragrant breeze approached, and Sully, wearing a long skirt, shirt, and shawl, came to him. Her outfit perfectly showcased her mature and slender figure, but her face showed a hint of guilt and anxiety. Jarvis, I suddenly have an urgent matter. Can you wait for me? Ill be back soon. Noland Lee smiled gently: Sure, Ill wait right here Do you need any help? Im at your service. Sully thought for a moment and grabbed Noland Lees wrist: The Underground Morgue is urgently moving corpses. I need to go and watch the soldiers operate, otherwise there will be trouble. Are you willing to go with me? That place is rather gloomy and smells bad. Noland Lee stood straight: No problem, lead the way, Sully. Seeing that Noland Lee did not refuse, Sully stretched out her arm and held onto his: Good- Follow me. Lets go upstairs first. I need to change my coat so that the disinfectant doesnt fade it.. Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: 76. Continuous Riots Chapter 106: 76. Continuous Riots Translator: 549690339 In the staircase leading to the underground morgue. Sully hurriedly put on her white coat for work and rushed down the stairs. Her tone was full of apology: Ah, sorry, Jarvis. I just received a temporary order from Division Intelligence Unit Three, so I have to go to the underground morgue to supervise the work. Its alright, Sully, I understand. Noland Lee followed closely behind her, holding her arm to prevent her from falling down the stairs in her haste. Noisy sounds came from a far distance below, echoing in the stairwell. Noland listened carefully, and it seemed like there were a lot of people gathered there. Sully stopped, leaned on the stair railing on the second floor, looked downstairs, and shouted, waving her arm: Yog, Yog, has the Vidas Army Military Officer arrived? A weak shout came from below. It was evident that the person shouting had used all their strength: Yes, Sully. Theyve brought all the corpses that need to be stored. Come quickly, were waiting for you. Alright, Im coming right now. Sully immediately sped up her pace. Noland looked straight ahead, not asking about the details, content to be just an observer. About 1 minute later, Noland followed Sully into the cold first underground level. There was dim light and dry air, filled with the strong smell of disinfectant and preservatives. Noland saw the crowded scene in here. Dozens of corpses sealed in body bags filled the entire walkway, leaving no space to step on. Listening to the conversation between Sully and the Vidas Army Military Officer, Noland gradually understood the situation. As a veteran army within the Korabo Legion, the Vidas Army was powerful. During Nolands vacation, this army was suppressing a joint rebellion between Grave Vaults 612, 613, and 614. After the rebellion of these three vaults was quelled, Vaults 615 to 700 successively experienced outbreaks. The army responsible for defending these vaults had all been sent into battle, with the Vidas Army as their leader. The enemies they encountered were ruthless, fierce, and difficult to track. In just the few days Noland was hospitalized, at least 50 Military Officers were sent to the Medical Department for emergency treatment, with shattered intestines and rotting internal organs, dying in a horrible state. This situation persisted even until now without any improvement. The morgue was constantly clearing and refilling corpses, always remaining full. What kind of enemy could cause such injuries? This question was precisely what Division Intelligence Unit Three wanted to investigate. All corpses with such injuries were sent to Division Intelligence Unit Threes laboratory, and only when there was no more space were they moved to the morgue for temporary storage. According to the Vidas Army Military Officer: Many soldiers were attacked by unidentified undead troops, leaving no corpses behind. Reinforcement squads only found blood and pieces of flesh at the attack site. Those corpses in body bags, like the ones in front of Noland, belonged to the category of better-preserved bodies. The Korabo Legion backed the Vidas Army. Behind Korabo Legion was Intelligence Department 4. The demand of Intelligence Department 4 was simple: for Division Intelligence Unit Three to quickly investigate and find all the information on the unknown undead troops and effective ways to restrain them. The update and iteration of undead troops were rapid. .Transparently lacking in morality, humanity, and the constraints of human social laws, death-type magic had no taboos while creating undead creatures. Death Priests were unscrupulous in achieving their goals, trying every combination they could conceive. When a new kind of undead troop excelled in actual combat, it would quickly spread from a few vaults to all other vaults. It was conservatively estimated that this process would take no more than half a month. In other words, Division Intelligence Unit Three had to complete the investigation of unknown undead troops within half a month, starting from the joint rebellion of the three vaults. Even a days delay would trigger a chain reaction. At the very least, lieutenants would fall, or vaults would be completely lost, becoming areas occupied by the Undead Cult. With time pressing and tasks heavy, the primary participant would be extremely busy. Sully took out her notebook for recording the names and numbers of corpses and directed soldiers to clear the corpse cabinet, making room for more. The good news was that she was only a head nurse, not in charge of follow-up research. After finishing the task of rearranging corpse cabinets, her overtime work for the day would be over. Half an hour later, Sully was speaking with a dry mouth. Noland went upstairs and got a cup of water in a disposable paper cup. Sully drank the warm water Noland brought while directing the soldiers, and her eyes sparkled as she looked at Noland. She whispered gently: Itll be done soon, Jarvis. Once the soldiers finish sorting the third-layer corpse cabinet, we can leave. Alright, Sully. Noland glanced to see a soldier walking out of the cold morgue. Sully, there are two corpses of Sin Soldiers in the third-layer corpse cabinet. Should we also move them out and throw them into the incinerator? Sully waved her hand: No, soldier. Someone will come for those two corpses. Oh, okay, its rare for someone to collect the bodies of Sin Soldiers. The soldier muttered, picked up the body bag on the ground, and went back into the morgue.. Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: 76. Continuous Riots_2 Chapter 107: 76. Continuous Riots_2 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee tilted his head slightly, his gaze passing through the doorframe and seeing the metal corpse cabinet. He narrowed his eyes, sizing it up carefully, locked onto the position of the tomb raider brothers, and was somewhat curious. What kind of person would come to collect the bodies of the Sin Soldier Brothers? Seeing his expression, Sully took the initiative to explain: These two Sin Soldiers have some background. Their families spent money to clear the way, so they can take their bodies back and bury them in their own graves. I think their families should be on their way to the Legion Fortress by now. Once they arrive, the train guards will take the bodies to the train. Noland Lee raised his eyebrows: Oh, I didnt know this could happen I thought everyone who died in the Suffering Borderland would be sent back in an ashes box. Sully pointed to other morgues: Not necessarily. It depends on whether they chose to preserve their bodies as much as possible when they joined the army. Look at those few morgues, the bodies inside are to be sent back to the Empire. Of course, the extra cost is borne by the family. If they were willing to go into the incinerator, the compensation for the family would be even greater. Things like returning to their loved ones in the form of a body are usually only required by wealthier families. Noland Lee nodded and said: Im much easier. A fire can send me back. Sully pinched Noland Lees waist lightly with her hand: Dont jinx it. I dont want to collect your body. Noland Lee smiled gently, warmth in his icy blue eyes. Sullys cheeks flushed slightly, and she hurriedly looked away. One after another, the long-parked bodies were carried out of the morgue by soldiers and sent to the incineration furnace on the third underground level. Noland Lee stood in the corridor, dodging the soldiers carrying the bodies that had been frozen grey and white, passing by him. The bodies that appeared here were mostly military officers who had failed to be saved. Each had their own loved ones and their own past lives. But now, they all died in the same miserable way. Wait a second. Whats wrong with this body? Noland Lees gaze trembled, and his heart was full of doubts. All because when he unconsciously released the deconstruction technique, the system sent out a strange message: [You are attempting to deconstruct a body that has been stored for more than 6 days].] [It is estimated that consuming 80 Energy Points will reach a deconstruction completion rate of 100%]. ] [You currently have 14 Energy Points. Do you confirm to proceed with the deconstruction?] Why does it need so many Energy Points to completely deconstruct a body? Is this an exception or a common case? Noland Lee took back his gaze, calmly scanned the entire scene, and sprinkled a large amount of Deconstruction Technique over it. [You are attempting to deconstruct a body that has been stored for more than 5 days].] [It is estimated that consuming 60 Energy Points will reach a deconstruction completion rate of 100%]. ] [You are attempting to deconstruct a body that has been stored for more than 4 days].] [It is estimated that consuming 40 Energy Points will reach a deconstruction completion rate of 100%]. ] Noland Lee seemed to have discovered something. The longer the storage time, the more Energy Points are needed to achieve a 100% deconstruction. What about the bodies that havent entered the corpse cabinet yet? Noland Lee looked down at the body bag and released the Deconstruction Technique. [You are attempting to deconstruct an eviscerated body]. ] [It is estimated that consuming 2 Energy Points will reach a deconstruction completion rate of 100%]. ] Yeah, thats right. This is the deconstruction consumption a body should have. After all, when a person dies, their muscle strength, memory, and knowledge all disappear with death. Decomposing a body can only result in a panel of information with incomplete data. The missing part of the panel is the bodys basic attributes, memory, Imowledge, skills, etc., before death. Noland Lee continued to release the Deconstruction Technique, trying to obtain more information. Unfortunately, unless he was willing to spend a large amount of Energy Points to deconstruct the corpses that had been stored for several days, he would not be able to obtain more useful information. Noland Lee watched as the soldiers carried the body away, pondered for a moment, and finally decided to save this expense. It was better to invest Energy Points in the Death Spell UP Pool. Besides, these bodies with abnormal deconstruction consumption were about to be put in the incineration furnace and turned to ashes. Even if they were extremely strange, could they escape the flames? Noland Lee composed himself and his heart became calm again. The sergeant from Vidas Army approached. Sully, all the bodies that need to be studied by Division Intelligence Unit Three have been put in the corpse cabinets. We are leaving, and we look forward to your research report very soon. The sergeant from Vidas Army exchanged pleasantries with Sully, then left with the soldiers. Sergeant Yog closed the door to the morgue, yawned, and walked towards the dormitory at the other end of the corridor. Sully, Im going to rest now. If researchers from Division Intelligence Unit Three arrive, have them knock on my door. Sully waved her hand at him: Im not in charge of that stuff anymore, Yog. Im on vacation. If the higher-ups had not asked me to come here and direct this, I wouldnt have come to the morgue. Yog rubbed his sleepy eyes, glanced at Noland Lee, then at Sully, and a smile appeared on his pale face: Oh, well, you are making progress fast. I thought you were on duty, now you are on vacation. No wonder Jarvis came along. Sully rolled her eyes at Yog, who was attempting to tease her, and walked into the staircase with Noland Lee : Lets go, dont mind him. He likes to hide in the dorm, reading those indecent books, and is always ready with a greasy comment. Noland Lee was slightly stunned: Indecent book? What is that? He instinctively thought about extraordinary books related to the Undead Cult Yogs expression combined with the gloomy morgue surely pointed to books related to mysterious death-related matters, right? But what Sully was talking about was obviously not that. Hey, when you were in Bowerthain City College, didnt you see such books in the black bookstore? Bowerthain City College It was Mars and Sully who mentioned Bowerthain City College, wasnt it? Probably not. As long as they followed the clues of Bowerthain City College and history assistant teacher, it wouldnt be hard to inquire about the fact that Noland Lee Jarvis was Sin Soldier No. 888. Mars must have given me a heads-up first, agreed on a story, and then confided in Sully. Otherwise, many things would be exposed. But now, Sully knows that I have been to the City College How did she know? A gleam flashed in Noland Lees eyes, but he maintained a smile on his face, saying: Ah, okay, Sully, I know what kind of book youre talking about. The action romance novels that use a large amount of detailed description and physical movements as carriers to vividly portray the emotions of men and women. Are you talking about this? Honestly, Ive never read such books. Sully quietly snorted, seemingly dissatisfied and pouting her lips, but soon laughed again: The two returned to the Medical Department, chatting and laughing, placed Sullys work uniforms, walked through the Castle Hall together, and stepped into the steam-filled Street Alley. Jarvis, tell me about your experiences at City College? Im curious. Sully lifted her slender neck, looking at Noland Lees profile, her eyes filled with longing. Noland Lee spoke with a smile: I talked about it with Corporal Mars. Melinda should know too, hasnt she told you? Sullys soft body stiffened slightly as if she was caught off guard by Noland Lees question, but she quickly recovered. She lowered her head slightly and said: Oh, she just told me that you had been to City College before, but she didnt go into detail about your experiences. Noland Lee sighed silently in his heart, pretending not to notice Sullys abnormality, and his face still had the same smile: I am honored to share my past with you, Sully. Let me tell you all about it. Sullys appearance was not a coincidence after allNoland Lee quietly cast Deconstruction. Consume 13 Points of Energy, deconstruct Sully. System, I do not need her medical skills list and medical knowledge. Dont deconstruct the wrong thing. Noland Lee had thought about deconstructing Sully before. But considering that he might be doing it for nothing, he abandoned the idea and put all his Energy Points into harmlessly deconstructing the Martyrs Ten Commandments instead. Now it was time to see what Sully was really about.. Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: 77. Come play cards. Chapter 108: 77. Come play cards. Translator: 549690339 [System Message: You consumed 13 energy points to launch Deconstruction on Division Intelligence Unit Three member-Sully.] [Deconstruction Success!] [The completion of your Deconstruction of Sully has risen from 0% to 22%.] [You have obtained the following Deconstruction results:] [1. Partial Panel Information:] [Name] Sully [Age] 24 years old [Gender] Female [Place of Birth] Southern Province?Ator Valley [Identity] Division Intelligence Unit Three.Medical Department.Senior Medical Nursing Staff [Attributes] Toughness: 8 Agility: 12 Spirit: 11 Charm: 24 [Features] Loyal and Law-Abiding, Unwavering Loyalty, Gentle and Wise, Understanding and Reasonable [Skills] Insufficient Deconstruction Completion, unable to acquire related information. [2. Youve obtained Sullys recent significant memory fragments:] [First fragment:] [Received orders from Division Intelligence Unit Two, you have been assigned a special mission, Sully. You must get close to Noland Lee Jarvis and establish an explicit intimate relationship with him. If you can accomplish this mission, your father who lost both legs will receive a pair of prosthetic limbs. This is a kindness bestowed upon you by the Imperial Intelligence Division. ] [Second fragment:] [The image in the center is your face.] [Sully murmurs to herself: Hes not as terrifying as I imagined maybe marrying him would be a good outcome.] [Third fragment: ] [The image shows you delivering warm water back and forth in the stairwell to Sully.] [Sully murmurs to herself: I assumed men were reckless and careless. But Jarvis has proved me wrong. His gentleness and consideration melt into my heart like honey. ] (Excluding numerous romantic brain fragments) It looks like the troublemaker is indeed from Division Intelligence Unit Two. To keep me, a Sin Soldier, in check, theyve really gone to great lengths. Poor Sully. Whether its her appearance, habits, way of thinking or even her panel information, she is the ideal type to settle down with. What a shame. I am determined to leave the Suffering Boundary Land. Atter I escape the suttering, Sullys task Will be torcibly halted, and her tamers treatment will also be discontinued. Suffering doesnt disappear, it just gets transferred. This damnable phenomenon is as unshakeable as truth. Eight oclock in the evening. The clouds in the sky masked the starry night and moonlight. Fortunately, there were streetlights on both sides of the road to light the way home. Two figures strolled leisurely down the road, their shadows often merging into one. My dormitory is just ahead. Would you like to come up for a while? Sully pointed bashfully and expectantly towards the dormitory building not far away, her eyes meeting Nolands. Noland looked up, his gaze following the road towards the direction Sully was pointing, unnoticeably sweeping over several individuals whose Deconstruction Consumption was abnormal. Those individuals were concealing themselves well, appearing no different from the ordinary soldiers and passerby, but their Energy Point requirement for Deconstruction gave them away. They were probably the intelligence personnel Division Intelligence Unit Two had sent to monitor Sully, their goal being to confirm that Sully had completed her task. Noland gave Sully a smile: Im joining the army to Grave 717 tomorrow. Butl find it hard to refuse your invitation. Sully was momentarily captivated by Nolands smile, then she lowered her head blushing and led the way ahead. Noland lightly inquired: Sully, what do you think the Empire would be like if the Undead Cult wasnt causing chaos? Sully looked up towards the street light and blinked: Hmm I havent really thought about that. Lets imagine it then. Noland raised his arms and slowly gestured in front of him: You wake up from your bed at dawn. Outside your window, there are no stern-faced soldiers of the Empire, but ordinary people like you who get up early to work. You dont have to hurriedly gobble up breakfast due to the morning bugle. Sitting at the table, reading the newspaper and slowly savoring the hot tea and breakfast is indeed a perfect start to the day. The news that the newspapers present is not about the Death Herald Guilds destruction or killings, or the disturbs caused by Division Intelligence Unit Two. You would read about minor everyday occurrences in the newspaper, as if theres no more big news in the world for the media to pay attention to As Noland walked, he painted a picture for Sully of a peaceful and stable society. As a traveler himself, Noland knew very well what such a society is like although theres still injustice and imbalance, in most situations, a diligent, honest, and reliable person would indeed be rewarded for their hard work. Then look at this messy Tatis Empire. The Emperor sits in the resplendent royal court, looking down upon the world from his throne made of gold. The entire Empire, from top to bottom, must comply with his will. If there is defiance, they will be punished as sinners. Everywhere manifests his tyranny and prestige. Honestly, in the short time since he had crossed over, words like glory , duty, and for the emperor had been heard by Noland Lee so much that his ears were almost calloused. This was a cage oppressing to the extreme, making him, a bird from outside the cage that once breathed freedom and peace, feel extremely uncomfortable. Does the life you describe really exist, Noland Lee? Sully pushes the door open, places her bag on the table, slumps on the chair, her eyes vacant: As long as you work hard, you dont have to worry about essentials and there are no disturbances from the undead. Is there really such a peaceful and happy However, Noland Lee didnt immediately answer Sullys question. He squints slightly, meticulously studying Sullys single dormitory room. In this roughly 25 square meter small room, there are a square table, a chair, and a bed. A wardrobe and a washing room are in the corner. The room layout is a bit crude, but virtuous Sully has decorated it very nicely. It was not only clean and spotless, but there were also some cute and small plants and ornaments. Deconstruction technique swept over everything in sight. Everywhere that Noland Lee could see, was fully explored by his deconstruction technique. There were no such black technologies as eavesdropping devices or CCTV cameras. Taking into account the level of scientific research in microelectronics in the Tatis Empire, it wasnt enough to invent any decent eavesdropping devices. Its windy, Sully, Ill close the window. Noland Lee walks over to the bed, closes the window, and draws the curtain. The deconstruction technique followed his gaze, sweeping over the streets and alleys. Just now, those few Military Intelligence Department Personnel who were monitoring Sully had basically withdrawn. Only two of them were on the street, paying attention to Sullys movements here. Noland Lee glances at the Personal Panel. Energy Points: 3/15. Before he closed the curtains, he threw his deconstruction technique at an Intelligence Officer 2 below. [System Message: You spent 2 energy points to use deconstruction on unknown name Military Intelligence Department special agent.] [Deconstruction successful!] [You have acquired a relatively important memory fragment:] [ Our target been hooked Number 1, Number 2, you two stay here and continue to keep an eye on the target, then withdraw after half an hour. The rest of you, leave now. Everyone rest well tonight, report to me tomorrow morning, theres a new task.] Noland Lee glanced at the characters in his mind, his eyebrows raised slightly, he settled in his heart. He turned his head to look at Sully in a daze. The other party was still immersed in the beautiful vision described by Noland Lee. Noland Lee walked over with a smile: Its very late, Sully, we should exchange each others deepest secrets now Sully came back to her senses, her cheeks flushing, she lowered her head with a blush. Hmm. Click! Noland Lee pulls out a pre-prepared notebook from his pocket and places it on the table, shattering Sullys pleasant dream with a crisp sound. Sully was stunned and confused, she dumbly looked at the notebook in front of her. The cover read Ancient Tatis History Research Notes. She opened her mouth slightly, stammering speechlessly. Nolandwha-whatwhat are youare you going to give me a lecture tonight? Study new knowledge? Yes, new knowledge, not new posture Noland Lee smiles: Hehehe Sully, I told you, before I joined the army, I was a history assistant teacher. In my spare time, I had a curious idea. A disappointed expression flashed across Sullys face, followed by a faint dissatisfaction. Her chest rose and fell a few times, and she pouted: Do you have to bring up your curious idea at this time? Time is pressing, Sully. Im leaving for Grave 717 tomorrow. Then youre not doing what you should be doing! Calm down, Sully, calm down. What Im about to do is what I should be doing. Noland Lee opens the notebook, takes out the papers clipped inside, and spreads them on the table. Sully was drawn by this action, she took a slight breath, her expression turned to curiosity: Whats this? Deck area, discard area, hand area I was idle during these days, so I researched a set of card games based on the ancient Tatis dynasty. I named it Ancient Tatis Confrontation Card. Noland Lee shook the notebook onto the table, dropping many simplistic cards from the book. Sully flipped through the cards on the table one by one, muttering: Card? Is it like the poker cards often seen in pubs? No no no. Poker cards only have one number representing size, but your cards have several numbers, obviously not poker cards. Sully blinked, looking at Noland Lee with adoring eyes, she asked: Did you create a card game by yourself? Yes, Sully. Noland Lee nodded solemnly: This is a complete rule, fair and reasonable, easy to start but difficult to master, suitable for all ages, a new type of card game, completely designed by me, inspired by the history textbooks. Come on, Sully, let me tell you the rules. Ive been wanting to play a game with someone. Noland Lee unblushingly and confidently named himself the chief designer of this set of cards. But only he knew, the game this set of cards imitated, was the well-known Gwent Card. Changing the commander, soldiers, field cards, and skill cards in Gwent Card into ancient Tatis materials, wouldnt it be ancient Tatis confrontation card? A card game like this, with simple rules but a certain depth, definitely could send Sully to sleep. In this way, a bitter experience that would feel good at the time, but leave a wound on Sully afterward, would be resolved invisibly. At this moment, Sully was completely immersed in reading the rules. Noland Lee looked at the beauty who was within his reach and sighed in secret. He still couldnt take that definitive step towards complete villainy. Ever since he crossed over, he has lied, set traps, even schemed against others, but that was all in response to others oppressing him, or it was against sinister and despicable enemies. Using his relationship with Sully to show his submission to the empire is a point that Noland Lee can still accomplish. But to allow him to leave an incurable scar on Sully, Noland Lee could only say that it contradicted his principles.. Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: 78. July 17th Chapter 109: 78. July 17th Translator: 549690339 The next morning. The second Corps Task officially began. The steam locomotive team set out from the Legion Fortress, moving along the road amid the ruins. The carriage swayed from side to side. Noland Lees body oscillated slightly. He glanced at the carriage window behind him and sighed silently in his heart. The past few days of vacation were really exhausting. Not only did he spend several days going to the Medical Department for his health, but he also had to coax Sully to sleep as soon as possible last night. No matter how sulky Sully looked, Noland had not crossed the line. When he returned to the camp last night, it was already late. Truthfully, the views on men and women in this world are quite peculiar. Both conservative and unrestrained. If two people dont like each other, everything is in vain. But if they are in love, things can become serious just the night they establish their relationship. Its as if the suppressed feelings and desires suddenly found an outlet, becoming strong and uncontrollable. This may be due to the barrenness of the spiritual world and the long-term unsatisfied psychological needs. The original masters parents were like this, as were the couples he knew. As Noland sat in the carriage thinking about it, he found it difficult to say whether his great self-control or his animal instincts were more impressive. The steam locomotive gradually moved away, and the Legion Fortress turned into a shadow, standing at the edge of the horizon. Noland looked back in through the carriage window. What, are you thinking about Sully? Corporal Mars leisurely wiped his gun oil and teased. Noland nodded slightly: Yeah, I hope we can come back safely this time Chief Officer, has your hair grown back? Hmm, yes. Last night Sergeant Alvin Stafford brought a Health Potion. After we drank it, our exhausted life force was restored. As for Private Second Class Corbin and the others potions, Ive already exchanged them for New Solon Currency, and Melinda will help me send them to their families. Upon the mention of the comrades who had sacrificed themselves during the previous Corps Task, Corporal Marss expression darkened, but he quickly recovered. It was unclear whether he had become accustomed to the pain or if it had made him more resilient. He scanned the people in the carriage, cleared his throat, and began to speak: Alright, mates. Youve all met each other in the past few days, but Ill repeat the names here just in case anyone forgot them. I am Lulenna Mars, commander of the reconnaissance squad. Sitting to my left is Sergeant Mike Adams, the deputy team leader. When Im not around, hell be in charge. Sergeant Mike Adams leg had regrown. After 10 days of vacation, he had fully recovered. The medical treatment in the Tatis Empire was truly extraordinary. Sitting to my right is Private Second Class Jarvis. If both Sergeant Adams and I are away from the team, you all follow his command. In the last mission, Noland had proven his value. The Korabo Legion made special arrangements allowing him to act as a Private Second Class. Of course, in the file information, he was still listed as a Sin Soldier. The other soldiers in the Alvin Army were unfamiliar with Nolands specific circumstances. All they knew was that Noland had been promoted from a Sin Soldier to a Private Second Class, unaware of the underlying reasons, and assumed that it had only been after completing three Corps Tasks that he was regularized. Corporal Mars gaze swept across the three fresh soldiers opposite him and reported their names one by one: Private Second Class Alec Rodgers, Harman, Yan, your mission is simply to obey orders and not to act on your own initiative. Yes, Chief Officer. The three newly joined soldiers responded in unison, all fresh out of Military Academy. This Corps Task was to guard the frontline camps, and most of the time there was no need to confront the enemy directly, making it quite suitable for training new recruits. In Marss words: Assisting the Thales army would be much easier than the Alvin Army clearing a Grave Vault on its own. Because the strength of the Thales army was too strong. There were three Lieutenants under Lieutenant Sterling Parker. Each lieutenant had three Sergeants Major under their command. A total of nine Sergeants Major, each leading a squadron of more than 270 people. The scale of Alvins army was barely on par with the smallest squadron under Lieutenant Sterling Parker. From the current situation, this Corps Task was basically similar to a Big Shot speedrunning a dungeon with newcomers. The only thing that was worrisome was the recent emergence of the unknown Undead Troops. Gossip about this type of undead had already spread through the Legion Fortress. The mutilated corpses with their insides crushed were quite frightening. Fortunately, Division Intelligence Unit Three had not been idle during Nolands vacation. They had already found some leads. Mates, listen carefully to what Im about to say. Corporal Mars pulled out a document and handed it to a subordinate for circulation while saying: Our destination for this Corps Task is Grave Vault 717. Its quite a distance from the vault where the riots occurred, so the chances of encountering the unknown type of undead are relatively small. Corporal Mars paused: However, this doesnt mean we can let our guard down. What Im showing you now is the latest research result from Division Intelligence Unit Three. Noland glanced at the information on the document, frowning slightly because the research results of Division Intelligence Unit Three were very limited. The fallen Imperial Soldiers all share the following characteristics: neat wound edges, crushed internal organs, no significant damage to other parts of the body, and no toxins in the blood and muscles.. Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: 78. July 17th_Number 2 Chapter 110: 78. July 17th_Number 2 Translator: 549690339 Sergeant Mars said, flexing his fingers: Based on these clues, Divisional Intelligence Unit Three carried out many simulation experiments and concluded that the unknown undead creatures were short, not exceeding 1.2 meters in height, with lean bodies, quick and silent. They use a sharp weapon. About the crushed internal organs, Divisional Intelligence Unit Three conjectured that these unknown undead creatures had a taste for internal organs. Their mouths would be straw-shaped, only able to suck in liquid food and unable to chew. Thats why they grind the organs into pulp, rather than swallowing them. Divisional Intelligence Unit Three has termed these undead creatures Spectral Rippers for the time being. The three new recruits swallowed hard. The brutal methods and disgusting habits of the Spectral Rippers made them somewhat fearful. Sergeant Mars solemnly warned: The suggestion from Divisional Intelligence Unit Three is to avoid venturing out alone. As far as we know, all military officers who have encountered the Spectral Ripper have died. There is no survivor. Those who died in their hands were acting alone. This suggests that the individual strength of the Spectral Ripper is not strong, they usually attack those who are alone. If you encounter them, you must raise the alarm immediately, understood? Yes, sir. Everyone nodded in response. Good, now that the most urgent matter has been addressed, lets get into some basic knowledge. Sergeant Mars withdrew his document, tucked it away, and started chatting with his teammates about Grave No. 717. It was a medium-sized underground tomb with five levels underground. Its underground layout was quite unique. The first to third underground levels were interconnected and could be reached directly by the stairs. However, between the third and fourth underground levels, there was a naturally formed underground river. The army must cross the river before reaching the entrance to the fourth underground level on the opposite bank. The fourth and fifth underground levels were interconnected and had staircases. Thales army would set up a frontline camp next to the underground river. The primary task of the Alvin army was to guard the temporary bridge spanning the underground river. This was not an easy job. Sergeant Mars paused for a moment and said in a deep voice: Fellows, I have to tell you. Everyone listened attentively. That underground river serves as an internal canal for the Undead Cult. If we are unlucky, we may encounter the underground fleet of the Undead Cult. Noland Lee raised an eyebrow at the news. He initially assumed that the underground river would only be a few meters wide. It was only at this point that he realized it was a broad river. If it could accommodate a fleet, the river had to be at least twenty meters wide, right? Sergeant Mike Adams couldnt help but ask: Sir, does the Undead Cult have a fleet? What do they need to transport by boat? Corpse? Bones? Or stone bricks for constructing buildings of death? Sergeant Mars gave a slight nod: Yes, youre right, Mike. Generally speaking, the Undead fleet we may encounter on the underground river is a cargo ship transporting supplies. The goods on board are likely dirty things like rotten meat and bones. Their guard strength is not very high. But this is not absolute. Sergeant Mars said gloomily: If our luck is extremely bad, then the most difficult situation will arise. He raised a finger and added emphasis: A cult fleet. This kind of fleet is the most dangerous among all fleets. The cult is the armed force of the Undead Cult, composed of at least one intermediate Death Priest, three lower-level priests, and more than a dozen Undead Monks. There are also a large number of undead creatures on the ship. If we encounter such a fleet, we must retreat immediately. This is Lieutenant Sterlings order. A gasp echoed in the room. The three new recruits clamped their mouths shut, clenching their firearms with white-tipped fingers. Sergeant Mike Adams frowned and looked at his own thigh, as if foreseeing his leg being broken again. No wonder they were so shocked, the words of Mars were just too astonishing. The strength of an intermediate Death Priest corresponds to a third-order extraordinary among humans. A lower-level Death Priest corresponds to a second-order extraordinary. Undead monks can transform into intermediate undead troops, corresponding to first-order extraordinary. In Tomb No.1079, the assassin of the Death Herald Guild, disguised as Sin Soldier No. 039, was transformed into an Undead Monk by an intermediate Death Priest, thereby acquiring the extraordinary ability to transform into cavern evil spiders. A religious group formed by Death Priests, Undead Monks, and undead troops is equivalent to an army in human kingdoms. As long as its an Undead Cult, there must be an intermediate Death Priest, that is, a third-level extraordinary of the Undead Cult. This is a higher-level existence than Lieutenant Sterling, who is a second-order Imperial Fist. So immediate retreat is the most reasonable choice. Noland Lee seemed calm in the face of these messages. The Undead Cult that Mars mention has appeared in the books in the reading room. Noland had read these content when he was vaccinated with the strengthening potion in the medical department, so he was prepared in his heart. Alright, chaps. This is the basic knowledge you need to know. Encountering an undead cult is the most extreme situation. In our legion, there are few armies that can see the undead cult throughout the year. We shouldnt be that unlucky. Sergeant Mars clapped his hands and ended this topic.. Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: 78. July 17th_Number 3 Chapter 111: 78. July 17th_Number 3 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee looked at him, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly C the other partys words were like tempting fate, making people feel a bit uneasy The wheels turned, and the body of the vehicle swayed. The steam train drove along the bumpy road, leaving behind a meandering trail of steam. In the rumble of the steam boiler, the soldiers marched towards their destiny or perhaps towards their graves. Grave No. 717 had arrived. It was located in a ruin filled with jumbled rocks, with a relatively low terrain. Like Grave No.1079, Grave No.717 also had a magnificent entrance. On the tall stone archway, traces of wind erosion were visible, giving off an ancient and lifeless atmosphere. Facing this historically significant building once more, Noland Lee seemed to be much more composed than when he had entered Grave No.1079 before. He combined the grave scene he saw with the ancient history in his mind to deduce quite a bit of information. There were 16 large circular stone pillars in the first underground level of the grave vault. Vertical wave patterns were visible on the surface of the stone pillars. Although the wall reliefs had been deliberately damaged, they could not hide the grand festive scenes and the meticulously carved patterns, which were both grandiose and exquisitely realistic. Stone pillars of this style and those style of reliefs were generally common during the middle period of the ancient dynasties. Corresponding to the rule of Tamsin IV to Tamsin XII. This was the most prosperous stage of the ancient Tatis Dynasty. In addition, there was a staircase entrance beneath each of the 16 stone pillars, leading to the gloomy first underground level. The number of staircases alone was four times that of the Grave No.1079, which could only imagine the complexity of the tomb channels in Grave No.717. Gathering all this information obtained from observations, Noland Lee tentatively concluded: Grave No. 717 should be the tomb of an ancient Marquis. The exact name of the tombs owner is unknown. So, why had the tomb been invaded by the Undead Cult? Noland Lee had no idea. These topics had never been discussed in ancient history classes and had been deliberately concealed by City College. Ready, mates? Sergeant Mars, with a silenced short-barreled rifle on his back, stood in front of the squad members: We are responsible for investigating the situation inside Staircase No. 16. Our mission is to ascertain the tomb passage at the end of the staircase and estimate the number of Undead there. In this scouting mission, we will be working with Zina Squad from the Alvin Army. Like us, they are a reconnaissance squad. Noland Lee glanced at the side, and Zina Squad was there. There were a total of 8 members from the other party, two more than Mars Squad. The Death Herald assassin, who had previously disguised himself as Sin Soldier No. 039, was from Zina Squad. Division Intelligence Unit Two had temporarily suspended the examination of Sin Soldiers, so no Sin Soldiers were present for this mission. Regular Imperial Soldiers were now responsible for standing in the front row and attracting the Undead. Each Private Second Class swallowed three Biochemical Baits, jointly undertaking the task of attracting the enemy. Sergeant Mars checked the green swellings on the recruits arms and exchanged glances with Sergeant Zina. The two of them jointly gave the order to move forward. Zina Squad, with a larger number of members, took the lead, while Mars Squad followed closely behind. Noland Lee was sandwiched in the middle of the team, following Sergeant Mars through the doorway and into the pitch-dark staircase. The closed staircase door was opened, and a cold breeze blew up from below, bringing both the pungent stench of poisonous fog and thick water vapor. Sergeant Mars wiped the glass with his hand, and the water droplets glistened on his fingers. He and Sergeant Zina, who was walking in front, looked at each other, each seeing the astonishment in the others eyes. The underground river was located in the area below the third underground level, a vertical distance of at least 80 meters from the ground. Between the ground and the third underground level were long staircases, three layers of intricate tomb passages, and heavy metal gates. Under such circumstances, how could water vapor still reach the ground? Moreover, this water vapor was so dense that it felt as if the surface of the underground river was within reach Noland Lee couldnt help but feel a little unsettled, realizing why Marss face had revealed surprise. The situation on the first underground level might be unexpected. PS: The battle process in Grave No. 717 will be greatly simplified, directly entering the main storyline of the protagonist leaving the Suffering Borderland.. Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: 79. Waterlogged Corridor Chapter 112: 79. Waterlogged Corridor Translator: 549690339 Click, click, click The reconnaissance squad trekked through the water, splashing as they went. There was standing water in the staircase , just covering the toes, soaking everyones shoes and socks. The water flowed out from the water channels at the corners of both sides of the walls. There was so much water in the channels that it overflowed, gathering into small streams on the stairway, flowing down along the narrow stairs. The nobles of the middle of the ancient dynasty were really extravagant. The original master of this tomb had even arranged an artificial water scene in the tomb. Under ideal conditions: The long-life tomb lamps on the walls of the staircase would emit a gentle glow, illuminating the stairway and the water channels on both sides of the walls. Aquatic flowers would be planted in the water channels. The entire stairway would be filled with light, flowers lining the path, and the sound of water flowing crisp and pleasant. If all these conditions were met, the tomb would be as beautiful as an artificial garden. Unfortunately, this place has now become a battle zone. Cobwebs hung from the long-life lamps on the walls, aquatic flowers in the water channels were nowhere to be seen, but the water pipes and valves inside the wall structure were still functional. After each cleanup of Grave 717, the Thales army would ensure that the valves in the tomb were closed, even destroying the key waterways, so that no underground river water would appear in the water channels. But now, the tombs water system had mysteriously started up. This resulted in the standing water phenomenon in the staircase. No need to ask, this was definitely the work of the Undead Cult. At the end of the staircase was a metal gate, with impenetrable stone walls on both sides. The entire stairway was like a semi-enclosed container sloping downward, with the only opening being the entrance to the staircase on the ground level. By using the tombs water system to flood the staircase with large amounts of underground river water, the path of the Imperial Army could be sealed off. This would undoubtedly effectively prevent the Imperial Army from going deeper into the tomb. Luckily, the Imperial Army arrived in time. Otherwise, just draining the standing water in the staircase would take quite some effort. About 10 minutes after entering the staircase, the reconnaissance squad reached the end of the stairs. On their way, they did not encounter any Cavern Stalkers, their journey unimpeded, but they had to stop just before the metal gate. Stop moving. Sergeant Zina walked at the front of the team, raised his arm, clenched his right fist, and signaled the team members to stop. Turning his head to look at his teammates, he said: Corporal Mars, come take a look. The standing water situation is quite serious up ahead. Mars walked forward for a glance and took a deep breath: His more than half of the door panel has been submerged, things might get tricky. Corporal Mars lifted a coal lamp and pointed it at the door hinge: Even worse, this door opens towards the staircase. We either need to drain the water here before opening the door, or well have to force the metal gate open against the water pressure with ropes. Corporal Mars thought for half a second and consulted with Sergeant Zina: I suggest we send someone back the way we came to report the situation to Lieutenant Sterling. The rest of us will try to see if we can force the gate open. If the other staircases also encounter the same situation, the top priority would be to concentrate power, open the metal gate closest to the water valve, and quickly close the valve on the first underground level. Sergeant Zina thought and nodded: Youre right, Mars. I remember Staircase 1 is the closest staircase to the water valves. The staircase we are in, Staircase 16, is far away from the valve. On the way to the water valve, there must be many undead creatures. The Undead Cult will not let us close the valve easily. The team responsible for Staircase 1 will face dangerous enemies but thats not for us to worry about. Sergeant Zina paused, called out a name, and had one of his team members go upstairs to report. The two squad leaders ordered the door to be forced open. The private second class soldiers responsible for carrying supplies unloaded their backpacks, took out military ropes, waded through the waist-deep water, came to the side of the metal gate, and secured the ropes to the door bolt and handle. All the soldiers wrapped the other end of the rope around their shoulders, shouted in unison, and gritted their teeth with effort. The metal gate itself weighed several hundred kilograms. After more than half of it was submerged in water, the difficulty of opening it increased exponentially. The soldiers on the scene worked together, exerting all their strength, managing to open a small crack in the gate. Whoosh! The river water pressing against the door panel quickly flowed through the crack, creating a swirling whirlpool. Hearing this sound, the soldiers breathed a sigh of relief. This indicated that there was no serious standing water issue on the first underground level behind the gate. Otherwise, the standing water in the staircase wouldnt flow so quickly to the other side of the door. The standing water in the staircase quickly decreased, the metal gate became lighter, and the soldiers made another effort, finally opening the gate completely. At this moment, the water channels on both sides of the staircase were still overflowing with river water. The river water cascaded down the steps, reflecting the light of the coal lamp, and flowed into the tomb passage on the first underground level. Click, click In the pitch-black first underground level, very distinct footstep sounds were heard. Someone was walking on the water stream, heading in the direction of the staircase! The crowd instantly tensed up, gripping their firearms tightly.. Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: 79. Accumulated Water in Corridor_2 Chapter 113: 79. Accumulated Water in Corridor_2 Translator: 549690339 There wont be any Imperial Soldiers in the First Underground Level. The approaching figure must be an Undead Creature! But why is there only the sound of one persons footsteps? Shouldnt there be many Skeleton Warriors and Skeleton Hounds? Noland Lee stood in the back of the team, his heart pounding. He glanced down at the water on the stepstone and felt something was amiss. The impurity-filled river water could conduct electricity. Theoretically, a strong electric current could wipe out all the soldiers whose shoes and socks were soaked. If the Undead Creature appearing in front of them had the ability to discharge electricity, all the soldiers would die in the combination of water + electric current. But can the Undead Creatures generate electricity? Noland Lee was slightly taken aback. Would the Undead Creature walking towards the staircase be carrying a battery on its back, and wielding exposed wire heads in its hand? If not, why would it come to face the Imperial Soldiers alone? The more Noland Lee thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong. Corporal Mars obviously considered the potential danger too. Everyone, cover each other and retreat. He raised his hand and made a few gestures, silently ordering the others. Sergeant Zina also made the cover each other and retreat gesture. Both reconnaissance squads slowly retreated up the staircase. For each step they took back, the Undead Creature in the First Underground Level advanced one step. Click, click The footsteps of the Undead were regular, always moving at a steady pace towards the Metal Gate. Just as both reconnaissance squads retreated about ten meters away, a bony leg emerged from the dim doorway. Then, a skinny skeleton, a skull glowing with dark purple light, and a tattered but still magnificent deep blue cloak were revealed. This was a unique skeleton. It was three heads taller than ordinary Skeleton Warriors, with a sturdy body, and in its hollow chest, a frost-white heart floated. A surge of cold air gushed out of the icy crystal-like heart. In an instant, the temperature of the water-filled staircase dropped sharply, and white snowflakes appeared on the water surface. Noland Lees pupils shrank violently, and he couldnt help but shiver! The cold air swept over, invading the soldiers uniforms and crawling on their skin. Sergeant Zina exhaled white fog, his face solemn, and ordered loudly: Its a Frost Skeleton Mage! Shoot! Shoot! Launch Bee Syrup Bombs! Quickly, quickly, quickly! Bang! The Private Second Class responsible for the launcher fired a Bee Syrup Bomb. The honeycomb-like bomb crossed ten meters within half a second, just about to hit the Frost Skeleton Mage when an ice wall emerged from the water below to block it! Crack! The Bee Syrup Bomb hit the ice wall and exploded, splitting into pieces and splashing dark biochemical nectar. The biochemical nectar smeared on the ice wall, and within three to five seconds, it was frozen into black ice debris. Not a single drop of biochemical nectar fell on the Frost Skeleton Mage! Dont stop! Keep shooting! Keep launching the bombs! All of you, provide cover fire and keep retreating! Sergeant Zina shouted orders, aiming and firing her gun. Bullets rained down on the ice wall, splashing fragments of ice. Corporal Mars shouted: Mars Squad, listen up, use your rifles, maintain a fire cover! Hand our Bee Syrup Bombs to Zina Squad! As long as we still have bombs, this Frost Skeleton Mage wont dare dismantle the ice wall! Everyone, aim for the skull, not the Magic Heart! That Magic Heart is indestructible, its no use shooting it! The soldiers held their Silenced Rifles and fired bullets at the Frost Skeleton Mages skull. Doing so could not damage the enemy protected by the ice wall, but it could damage the wall itself. The bullet heads hit the ice wall like chisels. After three rounds of rapid fire, a hollow appeared in the ice wall, revealing the skeletons skull. Bang! Another Bee Syrup Bomb was launched, aiming for the hollow in the ice wall. Suddenly, a cold wind blew through the staircase, making people shiver, and white frost even appeared in the air. In an instant, the hollow in the wall was repaired, and it became smooth again. The second bomb followed the trajectory of the first, hitting the undamaged wall. Splash of biochemical nectar turned into ice debris, still unable to harm the Frost Skeleton Mage. Keep retreating, maintain fire cover! The two sergeants alternated orders. The soldiers retreated again and again, finally reaching the higher part of the stairs. Since the stairway slopes downward, the Frost Skeleton Mage was soon biockea by the ceiling. The soldiers lost sight of the enemy, and the gunfire stopped accordingly. There were no Extraordinary individuals in the two reconnaissance squads. If the Frost Skeleton Mage pursued persistently, the team would have serious casualties. Corporal Mars knew this. With his gun pointing down the stairs, he commanded without looking back: Jarvis! You, go upstairs and send a message for reinforcements. Go! Noland Lee had just replaced his magazine when he heard Marss order and immediately ran upstairs without looking back: Yes, Chief Officer! The Frost Skeleton Mage just now was absolutely beyond their abilities to handle at the moment. Noland had deployed his Deconstruction Technique as soon as the Mage appeared. [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct the Frost Skeleton Mage.] [It is estimated to consume 1,800 Energy Points to achieve a 100% degree of deconstruction..] Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: 79. Accumulated Water in Corridor_3 Chapter 114: 79. Accumulated Water in Corridor_3 Translator: 549690339 [You currently have 11 Energy Points, do you confirm to deconstruct?] 1800 Energy Points! This number is 800 points higher than deconstructing the First Order Imperial Fist. Undoubtedly, the Frost Skeleton Mage is a more formidable presence than the First Order Imperial Fist. Fortunately, the reconnaissance squad brought Bee Syrup Bombs, otherwise, the battle just now could have been described as completely one-sided for a little while. Thinking that the two reconnaissance squads brought only 6 Bee Syrup Bombs in total, Noland Lee immediately quickened his pace and rushed forward. As he ran, a strong smell of blood entered his nostrils. Noland Lee looked up, his gaze passing through the slanted corridor and falling on a strange shadow in the distance. Upon closer inspection, it was a corpse lying on the Stepstone with its chest facing upwards, and an extremely gruesome death scene. The crimson bloodstains and shattered flesh flowed downstream with the river water, passing by Noland Lees side. Noland Lees eyes narrowed, realizing that he and Corporal Mars and others had overlooked a crucial detail. Dont act alone! This is the key to dealing with the Spectral Ripper! The soldier on the distant Stepstone was killed by the Spectral Ripper after separating from the team. Who says that it is unlikely for a Spectral Ripper to appear between Grave 717 and Grave 700 due to the distance?! Damn it! Corporal Mars, how did the flag you inserted yourself come true on me?! He stopped, looked around. There were no Imperial soldiers in sight. Noland Lee lowered the gun, slung the firearm on his back, and removed his hands from the gun body. He had a Mark of Resentment on him. As long as he didnt show any aggression, the mindless Undead Creatures of the Undead Cult C Resentment Faction wouldnt target him. Noland Lee was now almost certain that there was a Spectral Ripper in the corridor above. But heres the problem. Where did this Spectral Ripper come from? The reconnaissance squads hadnt encountered any enemies on their way here. Could there be hidden mechanisms and secret doors in this staircase? Moreover, is this Spectral Ripper an Undead Creature of the Resentment Faction? Does it have a mind of its own? Noland Lee was a little unsure. The Mark of Resentment might not work on this Spectral Ripper. As he pondered, a weak cold wind blew upwards from below. The cold wind grazed Noland Lees neck, causing him to shiver. Loud gunshots rang again in the Staircase. Corporal Mars and Zina Morgan estimated that it was unlikely that a Spectral Ripper would appear in Grave 717. Thats why, subconsciously following the standard combat rules, they only arranged for one soldier to go and report. Theyll probably only realize the grave mistake theyve made when they see the corpse on the Stepstone. Of course, they might all die at the hands of the Frost Skeleton Mage and not even find the corpse in the upper staircase. Noland Lee felt that he couldnt defeat the Frost Skeleton Mage, so he had no choice but to go up. Fortunately, he still had some tricks up his sleeve. Over the past ten days, he had devised a deconstruction plan: Leave 10 to 14 Energy Points as a reserve. All excess Energy Points should be used for Harmless Deconstruction of Martyrdom Ten Commandments Summary. Over these ten days, he had deconstructed a lot of useful items with a harmless method. Some deconstruction results are efficient but not safe, leaving traces for others to track. Some deconstruction results come at a price, but they are safe enough not to be easily traced by the Empire side. Aside from the Fear Spell, Noland Lee also had a control-type Spell in hand that would be useful right now. He calmed down and continued at a steady pace. His eyes moved quickly, constantly observing the dark corners. The open and gutted corpse was close at hand. A cold glint arrived as expected, stabbing from the most sinister angle. Sure enough, this Spectral Ripper didnt buy Noland Lees Mark of Resentment trick. Noland Lees muscles suddenly tensed, and goosebumps erupted all over his skin. He sensed the knifes blade close at hand, but made no evasive action, as if resigned to his fate.. Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: 80. Signs of Riot Chapter 115: 80. Signs of Riot Translator: 549690339 At the critical moment, Noland Lees thinking was as rapid as lightning. A blueprint for the spell rapidly coalesced in his mind. The ghastly bone knife stabbed out from the shadows, aimed straight at his chest. The tip of the knife penetrated his uniform, sliced open his armored clothing, and was about to stab into Nolands chest. At that moment, the blueprint of the spell in Nolands mind took shape, an invisible wave of energy radiated from him. This energy drilled into the bone knife, travelled along the blade, the handle, and flowed into the hands of its wielder. The sharp bone knife abruptly paused, two seconds later, the bone knife slowly retracted, abandoning its prey. Noland let out a long sigh of relief, feeling a bit of glee at having narrowly escaped death. Phew- Thank god Im skilled in drafting spell blueprints. I released the spell I learned the day before yesterday in just 0.1 seconds. Several lines of text surfaced in his mind. [System Message: You have consumed 1 point of Energy, successfully activating the death-related spell Soul Bribery.] [You have selected the undead creature in front of you as the bribery target.] [You have consumed 0.5 points of Soul Strength as a bribe.] [Soul Bribery has been successfully launched!] [The enemy will not actively attack you for the next 3 minutes.] [Note! If you exhibit the desire to attack, the ceasefire state brought about by Soul Bribery will end prematurely.] Noland acquired the Soul Bribery skill from the Martyrs Ten Commandments, which cost him more than ten Energy Points. This skill worked on mindless undead creatures, regardless of their strength, making it ideal for combating powerful undead creatures of a higher level. Since obtaining this skill, Noland knew it would save him time and time again. You want Soul Strength? Take it, take it all. He had over fifty points of Soul Strength lying dormant on his Personal Panel. As long as he didnt encounter intelligent undead troops, he was confident he could survive against stronger enemies. Nolands heartbeat gradually returned to normal. He cast a glance at the Spectral Ripper standing before him. Now he finally knew why no one had ever captured a Spectral Ripper before. Because this kind of undead creature could use magic! And also magic with an invisibility effect! Just a second ago, it appeared out of nowhere in front of Noland, lunging at him with its bone knife. Its appearance was more or less as Division Intelligence Unit Three had speculated. Small stature, holding a blade, with a tubular mouth. Overall, it looked like an upright-walking anteater. Just as Noland was closely observing the Spectral Ripper, this organ-eating undead creature entered an invisible state. The Undead Runes on its body emitted a hazy black light. The light faded from strong to weak, rapidly dimming. The Spectral Ripper disappeared in the changing glow. Before the creature turned invisible, Noland cast his Deconstruction spell. [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct the Spectral Ripper.] [Estimated consumption is 230 points of Energy, which can achieve 100% degree of deconstruction.] [You currently have 10 Points of Energy Value. Do you wish to confirm the deconstruction?] [Notice! You have lost the target and cannot proceed with the deconstruction temporarily.] It only takes 230 points of Energy to fully deconstruct. Not bad, its relatively cheap. Noland nodded slowly, his mind whirring with new ideas. Once he has enough Energy in the future, he will certainly seize the opportunity to deconstruct the Spectral Ripper. Nothing else, only for the Undead Runes on its fur. If his guess is correct, the Spectral Ripper achieves invisibility by relying on the Undead Runes. Once he gets these Undead Runes, could he use his Rune Staff to enchant his clothes? Would clothes imbued with this magic gain the power of invisibility? Would it mean that both the person and the clothes would turn invisible, or just the clothes Noland was curious, but now was not the time to delve into this. As he continued to climb the stairs, he cast a lot of deconstruction spells. The system feedback message showed that all of the Deconstruction spells he threw did not encounter the invisible Spectral Ripper. He didnt know if it was because the Spectral Ripper had already left, or if the Deconstruction spell could not treat invisible things as deconstruction targets. Noland did not linger, he had to deal with the Frost Skeleton Mage below. This undead, capable of controlling Frost Power, is very likely to possess intelligence and would be unaffected by Soul Bribery. In order to avoid direct confrontations with it, Noland had to quicken his pace and could not afford to waste time here. Walking through the water, his steps splashing, he leapt over the soldiers remains. As he glanced at the dead soldiers, he did not pause, and continued past the blood-stained steps. At the temporary camp on the ground level of the Grave Vault. Several soldiers rushed out from different staircases, hastily heading towards Lieutenant Sterling Parkers tent. The moment they entered the tent, they couldnt wait to report their findings. Report! Chief Officer! Weve discovered a large number of magic traps within Staircase 3! The reconnaissance squad was attacked by Skeleton Archers while clearing the traps. One soldier has been killed, and two have been seriously injured. Requesting reinforcement! Report! The water level in Staircase 2 is serious. The Underground River has flooded one-third of the staircase. We urgently need a water pump! Report! The water situation in Staircase 1 is also severe, and the water contains highly toxic substances! Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: 80. Signs of Riot_2 Chapter 116: 80. Signs of Riot_2 Translator: 549690339 Lieutenant Sterling Parker sat with his arms crossed behind the command console, looking at the 3D sand table of Grave 717 in front of him. As the scouts reported their findings, the guards would place flags on the sand table corresponding to the situation. Regardless of how difficult the situation reported by the scout, Lieutenant Sterling remained seated like a silent mountain, calm and composed. His strong aura quickly affected the scouts who came to report. The scouts were no longer anxious. They stood quietly in place, waiting for the commanders instruction. Staircase 1 on the first underground level is closest to the water valve. The Undead Cult is bound to defend it heavily. They filled the staircases with poisonous water to delay our closure progress of the water valve. The Undead Cult anticipated our move, and we already at a disadvantage. Following their arrangement will only put us into a complete passive position. We need to open up a new battlefield! Looking at the sand table in front of him, Lieutenant Sterling said in a deep voice: Summon my orders. Yes, Chief Officer! The guard at the door saluted. Lieutenant Sterling picked up the command stick, pointed at the 3D sand table, and locked his gaze on the water valve at the second underground level: I order Lieutenant Pompey to immediately lead three squads to enter the first underground level from staircases 14, 15, and 16 on the ground floor, and quickly proceed to staircases 1, 2, and 3 leading to the second underground level. If the situation on the scene allows, Lieutenant Pompey can continue to the second underground level and try to close the water valve there. Looking at the layout of the tomb passages on the 3D sand table, the smaller the staircase number, the closer it is to the water valve. Staircase 1 on the ground floor is closest to the water valve on the first underground level, so the Undead Cults defenses are the strongest. On the other hand, staircases 14, 15, and 16 on the ground floor are the farthest from the water valve on the first underground level, and the defense forces within these three staircases should be the weakest. In staircases 14, 15, and 16, before receiving any scout reports, the Imperial Army, as long as well-equipped, might still be able to forcefully break through the enemys defenses and reach the staircases leading to the second underground level. Lieutenant Sterlings approach was indeed a bit reckless, but it was not a huge gamble with great potential gains. Done well, they could overtake from behind and turn a disadvantageous situation into an active one. If not executed properly, Lieutenant Pompeys three squads would be facing a very low chance of survival. The guard who received Lieutenant Sterlings command was about to lift the curtain and leave, but he saw a handsome Private Second Class walk in. Private Second Class Jarvis reporting, Chief Officer! Noland Lee saluted and said quickly and clearly: A Frost Skeleton Mage has appeared in Staircase 16. Mars Squad and Zina Squad are using Bee Syrup Bombs to suppress the enemy. Their bomb inventory is running low. Requesting backup! Frost Skeleton Mage Lieutenant Sterling frowned, pursed his lips, and the corners of his goatee lifted, as Nolands report clearly surprised him: Guards, stop, dont deliver the order. Yes, Chief Officer. The guard who was about to deliver the order withdrew his foot from outside the curtain and turned back into the tent. Lieutenant Sterling originally thought that the Undead Cult would not likely heavily defend staircases 14 to 16. However, Nolands scout report was far from what he had expected. In Staircase 16, the one farthest from the water valve on the first underground level, surprisingly, intermediate undead forces had appeared, and they even included the advanced Frost Skeleton Mage. No scout reports from staircases 14 and 15 had arrived yet, but the situation there was estimated to be similar to Staircase 16. Just as Lieutenant Sterling was about to launch a surprise attack from staircases 14 to 16, the Undead Cult deployed intermediate undead forces to block their surprise attack route. The enemys reaction was extremely quick and precise. The enemy clearly understood Lieutenant Sterlings command style as if they had a firm grasp of his temperament. After contemplating for two seconds, Lieutenant Sterling stood up and said in a deep voice: The Undead Cults defense of Grave 717 this time is unprecedentedly strong. They must be plotting something dark in the fifth underground level. This is a life-or-death race against the Undead Cult! We must seize every minute and second to reach the underground river as soon as possible and cut off the main water valve connecting the first to the third underground levels from there. lieutenant Sterling looked at the guard at the door and gave his orders: Order Lieutenant Pompey to lead three squads to enter the first underground level from staircases 6 to 8 and build a forward defense line on the spot. Order Lieutenant Maken to lead three squads to advance from the forward defense line to staircases 6 to 8 on the second underground level. Order Lieutenant Otto Wright to lead three squads to enter the third underground level from staircases 6 to 8 on the second underground level, and build a forward defense line there. Order all squads to converge on the forward defense lines on each underground level after completing their current tasks, clear out the undead creatures, and open up the road from the ground level to the third underground level. Yes, Chief Officer. The guard lifted the curtain and left the tent. Lieutenant Sterling looked at another guard: Tell Sergeant Major Alvin Stafford to send a combat team to escort the reconnaissance squad in staircases 14 to 16 back, bring more Bee Syrup Bombs and flamethrowers, and everyone must wear Insulated Rain Boots and Insulated Cloaks. Yes, Chief Officer. The instructed guard ran away.. Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: 80. Riot Warning Sign_3 Chapter 117: 80. Riot Warning Sign_3 Translator: 549690339 Lieutenant Sterling Parker looked at the third guard: Send an urgent message to the Legion Fortress, we need Legion support, at least a lieutenant must be sent here to maintain order. Yes, Chief Officer. Lieutenant Sterling waved his hand to disperse the scouts in the tent: All of you return to your team Jarvis, you follow Sergeant Alvin Stafford, do not go back to Staircase 16 alone. The other scouts turned and left, but Noland Lee raised his hand and saluted again: Report, Chief Officer. A Spectral Ripper has appeared in Staircase 16. Lieutenant Sterling had just sat down and picked up his tea cup, but hadnt taken a sip yet. At Nolands words, he clearly paused: Are you sure? How do you know its a Spectral Ripper? . . How did you survive if you really encountered it? Noland looked confused and lucky: Chief Officer, before I returned to the camp, Sergeant Zina had already sent a soldier back to report the situation. On my way back, I saw the corpse of that soldier, his stomach ripped open and entrails rotten, which is indeed the method of the Spectral Ripper. I was shocked at that moment, thinking that I was doomed. But strangely, I was not attacked, and I didnt even see the shadow of the Spectral Ripper. Lieutenant Sterling knew that the corpse couldnt lie, and Nolands words must be true. If there really was a Spectral Ripper in Grave 717, it would mean Lieutenant Sterlings eyes widened at once, uttering two chilling words: Rebellion Lieutenant Sterling put down his water cup, clenched his fists, and hammered the tabletop: Damn it, these filthy undead are planning a rebellion on the fifth underground level! In the past half a month, a rebellion has occurred in every grave where a Spectral Ripper appeared! The Spectral Ripper is a sign of grave rebellion! . Come here! Come quickly! The guard outside the door had just stepped in when Lieutenant Sterling pointed at his nose and shouted: You, go and cancel my order! Except for the team going to the staircase to rescue people, everyone else stays at the first level, not one is allowed to leave! Go quickly! Yes, Chief Officer! The guard left, and a tremor came from beneath everyones feet. Boom boom boom Nine consecutive dull sounds traveled from the lower tomb passage to the first level, echoing in the empty tombs grand hall. The ancient tomb shuddered a few times under this series of dull sounds, and a large amount of dust and sand fell from the ceiling. The commotion seemed to be caused by a giant object rising from the floor. Noland raised an eyebrow, thinking of the giant stone coffins that could produce a large number of Undead Troops. In Tomb No.1079s Underground Layer 2, the Undead Cult had used a giant stone coffin to create many Tomb Walking Dead and Skeleton Warriors. Now, at least nine giant stone coffins had emerged in the underground floors of Grave 717. How many Undead Troops came out of these coffins? Lieutenant Sterlings expression was extremely serious. He reached under the command table, pulled out a heavy metal box, and opened it on the tabletop. While fiddling with the bottles and jars in the metal box, Lieutenant Sterling said to Noland: Jarvis, you go and follow Sergeant Alvin Stafford. Do not act on your own. Do you understand? Yes, Chief Officer. Noland left the tent, frowning in thought. The Spectral Ripper in Staircase 16 had exposed a flaw. If the Imperial Army thought deeply about it, they would inevitably discover his abnormalities. For his own safety and freedom, the plan to escape the suffering must be accelerated.. Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: 81. Seeing Jiegu again Chapter 118: 81. Seeing Jiegu again Translator: 549690339 10 minutes later, at the entrance of Staircase 16. Dozens of Imperial Soldiers fled chaotically from the staircase interior. They were the members of the reconnaissance squad and the combat squad led by Sergeant Alvin Stafford. The entities chasing them were not Frost Skeleton Mages, but Tomb Walking Dead covered in rotting flesh, and skeletal soldiers with empty eye sockets. An endless Undead Army swarmed out from the staircase interior, treading on the heels of the Empires soldiers, and crossed into the first underground level of the tomb hall. The phenomenon happening at the entrance of Staircase 16 was not an isolated case. All staircase entrances, except the first and second blocked by the river, were flooded with a huge number of undead forces. Dadada The ripping sound of gunfire rang out. The water-cooled light machine guns waiting at the staircase entrance spouted tongues of flame, facing the approaching undead with a flood of bullets. The flesh of the Tomb Walking Dead split apart, ripped to shreds by the sharp barrage of bullets. The stench of rotten meat and filthy blood splashed everywhere, instantly filling the tomb hall of the first underground level with a putrid smell. The Undead Army surged forward, stepping on the corpses of the Tomb Walking Dead. At this moment, the undead creatures fully demonstrated the advantage of Constant Morale. No matter how the machine guns roared, the Undead Army would never stop their advance. The moment the living and the dead made contact, the battlefield situation skipped the probing stage and went directly into the most intense phase. Squad commanders bellowed orders. Fire! Fire! Quick, change the gun barrels! Reload the ammunition chain! Bomb launchers prioritize attacking Skeleton Archers, their arrows are poisoned! Flamethrower troops press forward! Alternate flame jets! Prevent overheating of the flamethrower! The flamethrower operators, dressed in heat-resistant suits, looked bloated and moved slowly, constantly bearing the tremendous recoil of the flame jets. They strode forward under the force of the fire jets and were pushed forward by comrades standing behind them. The unique liquid flame had excellent adhesion, no low-level undead troops could shake off its corrosion if touched by the flame. It could be said that as long as the Undead Army was trapped inside the staircase, the fierce flames could purify everything. It could effectively damage the Undead Construct and Sutured Creatures, much more efficient than machine gun bullets loaded with Biochemical Nectar and Bee Syrup Bombs. With the flame dragon leading, the on-site situation instantly went under control of the Empires Army. Mars reconnaissance team had just escaped from the staircase and could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Noland Lee flung open the breathing mask, wiped away the cold sweat from his forehead, still feeling a lingering fear thinking back to the scene inside the staircase. The Frost Skeleton Mage retreated when the giant stone coffin appeared, seemingly only aiming to prevent the reconnaissance team from entering the first underground level. Once the Frost Skeleton Mage had left, a large group of Skeleton Hounds fled into the staircase, followed by a dense crowd of Walking Dead and Skeleton Soldiers. The explosive capacity of giant coffins was indeed extraordinary. The staircase was instantly crammed with the undead, yet more undead continued to squeeze into the corridor from the metal gate. Fortunately, the combat team which came for the rescue brought Biochemical Army dogs and successfully slowing down the Skeleton Hounds. Otherwise, the combat team would surely fall into a dangerous situation of being besieged by the undead while trying to save people. Mars, Jarvis! Alvin Staffords guards came over and relayed the commanders instructions: You both, come with me. Someone wants to see you. Sergeant Mars was slightly startled, Someone wants to see us? Oh, I see. Mike, you take command of the team. Jarvis and I will go see the chief officer. Alright, Captain. Sergeant Mike Adams nodded. Mars gestured to Noland Lee, and the two of them ran off with the guard. They pushed through the crowd, avoided ammunition-toting trolleys, and struggled through the crowded camp. Boom! A sudden explosion resounded throughout the field, making peoples scalp tingle and their eardrums ache. Noland Lee turned around and looked in the direction of the sound, witnessing a shocking scene. In the staircase that had been sealed off by flamethrowers, several Metallic Skeletons suddenly appeared marching together. Metallic Skeletons resisted the spray of flames with their metal covered bodies, with greater burning resistance than other undead troops. While they held on for only a few seconds, they successfully escorted the Suicide Skeleton Soldiers to the ground level! The moment the Suicide Skeleton Soldiers appeared, the Empires side had no time to switch off the flamethrowers! Boom! Boom! The fire exploded repeatedly, and the smoke engulfed the sky. Noland Lee stood in the camp, feeling the gusts of wind brushing past him. No need to mention the flamethrower operators closest to the staircase entrance, all of them were blown up into the air by the violent explosion. The fire attack was broken, smoke filled the staircase entrance, and the Undead Army disregarded the remaining fire, rushing out of the staircase. Noland Lee watched all this with a grave expression. The Undead Cult was truly cunning. They stealthily mixed Suicide Skeleton Soldiers into the crowd, breaking the Empires defense line in one fell swoop It has to be said that the low-rank undead troops, the Suicide Skeleton Soldiers, indeed work wonders when breaking through a firepower blockade. Ultimately, the range of the flamethrowers was just too short. If the range were long enough, the Suicide Skeleton Soldiers would never have been able to explode in front of the flame-throwing soldiers, let alone break through the Empires Army Defense Line. But its too late to say that now. On the first underground level, nine giant stone coffins were spewing soldiers at full power, as if to bulldoze the Imperial Army. Grave 717 had completely revolted. Snap out of it, Mars, Jarvis, follow me! the guard leading the way shouted over the gunshots. Noland Lee came to his senses and followed him through the noisy camp. The three of them passed through the great gate of the tomb, boarded a waiting steam locomotive, and ten minutes later, entered the camp of another hidden army in the ruins. Only then did Noland Lee and Mars learn that there was not only Lieutenant Sterling Parkers army at Grave 717, but also the Vidas Army hidden nearby. However, the Vidas Army was not here to support Lieutenant Sterling Parker; they had another purpose here. The warrant officer of the Vidas Army wants to see you. Mars, you go in first. Jarvis, you go in after Mars comes out. The guard led the two to the door, gave a few instructions, and then turned and left. Corporal Mars caught his breath, straightened his uniform, nodded at Noland Lee, and took the lead in stepping into the meeting tent in front of him. Noland Lee waited at the door for about five minutes before seeing Corporal Mars come out with a look of distress on his face. Jarvis, you go in. Corporal Mars moved to the side with a worried face, not mentioning a word about the meeting. Apparently, he was given a gag order. Noland Lee took a deep breath, calmed himself, lifted the curtain, and walked into the tent, passing around the screen. A conference table appeared before his eyes. At this table, he saw Captain Murphy sitting in the main seat. A few lieutenants and second lieutenants he had never met before were seated on either side of the conference table. As soon as Noland Lee entered the tent, he was stared at by several sharp gazes. The unknown warrant officers stared at Noland Lee, sizing him up as if scrutinizing him. They were expressionless, with tense lines, sharp sideburns, stern and serious expressions, tall and stalwart. They resembled huge bears seated on chairs. Despite these formidable officers, Noland Lee remained calm and composed, his back straight. No matter how they scrutinized him with their eyes, he didnt even furrow his brows. Private Second Class Noland Lee reporting in! Captain Murphy sat at the end of the conference table, the position of the host. She held a thin cigarette with her fingertips and lit the cigarette in a crystal ashtray. 10 silent and oppressive seconds passed in the meeting place. When Captain Murphy finished her cigarette and stuck the cigarette butt in the ashtray, she finally broke the silence: This is the Noland Lee Jarvis, whom I mentioned to you. At that time, it wasnt just me at the scene. Lieutenant Sterling Parker, who is under Major Bale, was also present. Both Lieutenant Parker and I can attest to the abilities of Noland Lee Jarvis. Under the gaze of the military extraordinaries, Noland Lee nodded slightly, accepting the praise from Captain Murphy, and responded with a standard answer: To go through fire and water for the Empire is an honor bestowed upon me by the Empire. Capain Murphy looked at the lieutenant next to the conference table: So, Lieutenant Slyke Thompson, what do you think of my proposal? Let Noland Lee Jarvis accompany your elite squad, and let him disrupt the magic barrier of the Necromancers Watchtower. This is quicker and more discreet than you using a flamethrower. With his participation, your success rate of raiding the Necromancers Watchtower is almost 100%, and the possibility of alerting the Undead Cult is almost zero. Necromancers Watchtower? Wheres the Necromancers Watchtower? Noland Lee mumbled in his heart. He remained calm and composed, locking his thoughts firmly in his mind without showing them. The lieutenant called Slyke was hairy, with a full beard and fluffy hair, like a male lion. He stared at the handsome and young Noland Lee and asked Captain Murphy: Chief, are you sure that rigid Lieutenant Sterling Parker also recognizes the ability of this private second class? Im not doubting you. Its just, Major Bale and his officers are all very stubborn and rigid. Its hard for me to imagine that the guys who only know how to use flamethrowers to deal with magic shields would accept the fact that modifying Undead Runes can also destroy shields. Although the other officers did not explicitly say so, their eyes revealed their doubts about Noland Lee. Clearly, when it came to the issue that ordinary people could modify Undead Runes and not make mistakes, the officers remained skeptical. Even with Captain Murphys guarantee and Lieutenant Parkers testimony, many officers still couldnt fully believe in Noland Lees capabilities. I understand whats holding us back from reaching an agreement. Seeing is believing. Captain Murphy lowered his right arm, picked up a black metal box from the ground, and opened it on the conference table. Jarvis, remove the magic shield in the box to prove your ability. Noland Lee took the rune staff from the guard, walked to the conference table, and looked into the box. His eyes were calm, but his heart skipped a beat. The item in the box was the evil magic wand named Bone-mending Wand. Either due to an operational error or some other reason, this wand activated its self-protection function. It wrapped itself in a small magic shield to prevent outsiders from touching it. Seeing the Bone-mending Wand again, Noland Lee couldnt help but sigh. So far, the Bone-mending Wand should be the most powerful magical item he has ever seen. Dont forget, the Martyrs Ten Commandments, known as the Death Spell UP Pool, was deconstructed from the Bone-mending Wand. Theoretically, the Empires army should have taken the Bone-mending Wand for destruction. Noland Lee didnt expect to see this wand again. It was definitely false to say that he wasnt tempted, but under the surveillance of the military big shots, there was no way he could keep it for himself.. Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: 82. Escape the Natural Barrier Chapter 119: 82. Escape the Natural Barrier Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee stood beside the magic wand deep in thought, his gaze moving across the Magic Protective Cover, seemingly discerning the Undead Runes on it. He raised the Rune Staff, glancing around, giving the signal that he was about to modify the Undead Runes, allowing the surrounding warrant officers to be mentally prepared. Captain Murphy said: Modify the Undead Runes without hesitation. Even if there are mistakes, causing the Death Storm, it doesnt matter. The power of this Magic Protective Cover is weak and not enough to threaten your lives and ours. Yes, Chief Officer. Noland nodded, extended the Rune Staff, and placed the tip on the surface of the Magic Protective Cover. After drawing more than a dozen lines in a row, a crack opened on the Magic Protective Cover, and black Death Energy spewed out from it, soon dissipating and disappearing in the air. The breaths of the warrant officers around became heavy, seemingly shocked by the sight. Noland put down the Rune Staff and said in the surprised eyes of the officers: Report, Chief Officer. I only know a small part of the Undead Runes on this Magic Protective Cover. I have modified the Undead Runes I recognize. As for the remaining Undead Runes, I did not take the initiative to modify them on my own. Well done, Jarvis, Captain Murphy closed the metal box and put it back at her feet. Then she said to the warrant officers on both sides: Do you believe it now? As long as you have the original text and translation, and the Rune Staff, anyone can modify the Undead Runes, not just the monks of the Undead Cult or the members of the Death Herald Guild. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson placed his ten fingers on the table, exchanged glances with the other officers at the meeting place, and nodded to each other. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson said: Well then, Commander Murphy, we accept your proposal. Private Second Class Jarvis may join the Elite Squad and assist us in military actions near the Underground River. However, we reserve our opinion on Private Second Class Jarviss loyalty. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson flipped through the files in front of him: We noticed that Private Second Class Jarvis has not received a systematic education from the Empires Military Academy. In other words, there is no credible record in terms of the loyalty assessment. He never swore under the Holy Statue of the Emperor. In contrast, Corporal Mars, as a distinguished graduate of the Empires Military Academy, possesses ample conviction and unquestionable loyalty, and has also studied modern literature and educational sciences. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson paused and looked at the frosty Captain Murphy and said: We hope Corporal Mars could also participate in this mission, serving as a full-time supervisor for Private Second Class Jarvis. The translation should be handed over to Corporal Mars. If there is a chance to cooperate again in the future, we hope it would be Corporal Mars who modifies the Undead Runes. Or, Private Second Class Jarvis, who completed the education from the Imperial Military Academy, could undertake this task. Captain Murphy slowly exhaled a puff of smoke: Cultivating talents in history is not an easy task, Slyke. Jarvis was able to memorize the translation in such a short time and accurately modify the Undead Runes C this is due to his knowledge accumulation over the past few years, not luck or military training. However, since you mentioned it, it indeed is a problem. After Jarvis finishes these two Legion Tasks, I will find an opportunity to send him to the Empires Military Academy. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson opened his mouth hesitantly and said: . Commander Murphy, perhaps you forgot something No, I didnt. Commander Murphy stopped the topic, extinguished the cigarette butt, and looked towards the officers present: Since you have decided to let Private Second Class Jarvis join the action, go and get prepared. In half an hour, set off on time Jarvis stay, others are dismissed. Yes, Chief Officer. The officers stood up, saluted, passed by Nolands side, and left the tent. After the others left, Captain Murphy spoke to Noland, who was alone in the tent: Intelligence Department 4s spies reported that the Undead Cult is transporting a shipment of critical magical ore. A fleet of six cargo ships will come through the Grave 717 below. The Grave 717 riot is related to this Undead Fleet. In fact, wherever this Undead Fleet went, the Grave Vaults would riot. The so-called Grave Vault riots are measures taken by the Undead Cult to prevent the Empire from destroying the shipping. We have only recently discovered this fact. Watching the changing expression on Nolands face, Captain Murphy continued: The Undead Cult has established outposts along the Underground River. If we want to sabotage the Undead Fleet and intercept the shipping, we must destroy the Necromancers Outpost. The core area of the outpost has a Magic Protective Shield. Your task, under the cover of the team, is to modify the Undead Runes and dismantle the Magic Protective Shield. As long as you dismantle one Magic Protective Shield, you will have completed this Legion Task. When you return to the ground, you will cooperate with the Thales army to clean up Grave 717 and complete two Legion Tasks at once. Yes, Chief Officer. Captain Murphy blew out a fragrant smoke, Do you have any questions, Jarvis? After thinking for a while, Noland asked: Chief Officer, from what I know, people with a stain on their life cannot enter the Military Academy, can they? Oh, yes. Thats just what Slyke wanted to say. Captain Murphy extended her fair fingers and rubbed them on her temple, worry showing on her exquisite face: Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: 82. Escape the Natural Barrier_2 Chapter 120: 82. Escape the Natural Barrier_2 Translator: 549690339 This is a headache for me, Jarvis. I am well aware that in the entire Broken Coffin plan, aside from the soldiers fighting on the front lines, you and I are the ones bearing the greatest pressure and responsibility. We are both learning the Undead Runes and enduring the suspicion and doubt of our Imperial colleagues while risking our lives in the face of the ever-looming Death Storm. If the Broken Coffin plan succeeds, you should enjoy the honor with us. But how can we clear your name and allow you to legitimately embrace victory Captain Murphy furrowed her brow, took a puff of her cigarette, and fell into thought. After a long time, she said: Ill find a way, Jarvis, Ill find a way. In the Empire, only the Emperor can pardon someones sins. When the plan succeeds, I will emphasize your contributions in the report. If all goes well, the Emperor might absolve your debts and erase your sins, returning you a clean life. Noland Lee nodded and said: Thank you, Chief OfficerWhy do you care so much about me, a Sin Soldier? To be honest, I am a bit flattered. Captain Murphy shifted her center of gravity backward, leaned on the chair, and fell silent for a few seconds. Her eyes flickered, and her expression cycled between complex and calm. She sighed gently and said: You dont need to know the reason, Jarvis. Im just following my heart, wanting to do something within my power that can change the Empire. In fact, I dont know if I can clear your name, just like I dont know where the Empire is headedAlright, lets stop here. You go get ready. I hope you come back safely. Alright, Chief Officer. Noland Lee nodded, saluted, and turned to leave the tent. The tent returned to silence. Captain Murphy opened the personal file in front of her, looked at the word Sin Soldier on it, and fell into thought. As Captain Murphy felt a headache coming on, Noland Lee stood outside the tent, facing the overcast sky, and sighed silently in his heart. Clearing his name? Ah, nevermind. Noland Lee knew how difficult this would be. Unless the Emperor personally issued an order, it would be impossible to clear his name written in the files. Thats more than three million New Solon Currency. The Weston Group would never allow such a debt to be canceled. Who could come up with so much money to help a debtor pay off his debts? Either way, Noland Lee had no hope of clearing his name. Captain Murphy had good intentions, but it didnt mean she could accomplish good deeds. Rather than relying on her, its better to rely on oneself. Noland Lee steadied his mind and looked around, noticing Corporal Mars, who was chatting with someone. Jarvis, youre out. Corporal Mars had already recovered his calm after a brief period of distress. He terminated the conversation and walked towards Noland Lee: Come with me. Ill take you to get armed. The team will be setting off in a little while. Alright, Chief Officer, lead the way. Noland Lee walked beside him. Corporal Mars began to explain as they walked: I just heard someone say that Lieutenant Slyke Thompson mentioned the issue of your personal stain right in front of you. Dont worry, your contribution is undeniable, and no one can take it away. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson suggested that I should modify the Undead Runes, which would have cost me my life. I, who have only studied modern literature and education, do not know ancient languages. Corporal Marss tone turned bitter. Truly, its dangerous to have inexperienced people giving orders. Modern literature and ancient language may appear to be related and not too different. After seeing Marss personal resume, Lieutenant Slyke Thompson naturally assumed that the other party could master ancient languages. Isnt this forcing something onto someone? Ah, lack of professional knowledge combined with blind direction can indeed be fatal. Corporal Mars grumbled all the way until they entered the tent where armor and firearms were stored. He finally suppressed the complaint in his heart and began to talk about the matter at hand. Ive learned from the elite squad members that the Undead Fleet is transporting high-quality Death Magic Stones containing highly pure Death Energy. Uh, you probably dont know what Death Energy is yet, do you? No worries. Ill give you a simple explanation. Corporal Mars said: Military Academy teaches this: With the proper magic, energy corresponding to natural phenomena can be extracted. For example, the Undead Cult is skilled in extracting Death Energy from the dead. Some practitioners of the Shadow Arts can extract Shadow Energy from areas where sunlight does not reach. No matter what kind of energy it is, proper magic must be used to utilize it correctly. As for how it is specifically done, I dont know since the Academy never taught it. Corporal Mars raised his arm, pointing to a black silhouette on the edge of the northern sky: That Undead Fleet set sail from the Undead Cults hinterland in the south and has been sailing northward ever since. Their destination is likely the massive mountain at the far north called Blade Mountain Range. That place belongs to the other legions of the Empire and is where the fighting is most intense. For many years, our Imperial Army has been competing with the Undead Cult for the underground tombs and narrow passes on the mountain range. Noland Lee followed the direction Corporal Mars was pointing. The Blade Mountain Range was indeed worthy of its name, Blade.. Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: 82. Escape the Natural Barrier_3 Chapter 121: 82. Escape the Natural Barrier_3 Translator: 549690339 It was like a long snake lying on the ground, covered with knife blades all over its body. Not only were the mountains layered and stretching for thousands of kilometers, but there were also numerous towering, blade-like peaks pointing towards the heavens. Chief Officer, do you mean that the underground river beneath our feet flows from south to north towards the Blade Mountain Range? Noland Lee asked thoughtfully. Sergeant Mars replied while changing his clothes: Yes, the flow from south to north is downstream. Moreover, the water volume of that underground river is relatively stable, with a swift flow. If it werent for the large scale of Undead Cults fleet, their extremely high load, and slow sailing speed, we would have no chance of stopping them. Noland Lee nodded thoughtfully and asked: What is on the other side of the mountain range? Ah, I remember now; its the Golden Federation, right? It was mentioned in the Academys classes. Hmm, it indeed is the Golden Federation. When the Emperor established the Modern Empire, he agreed with the Grand Sage of the Holy Hall of the Golden Federation that the east-west Blade Mountain Range would be the boundary between the two nations. To the south of the Blade Mountain Range is our territory, while the north belongs to the Golden Federation. Has the Golden Federation also been attacked by the Undead Cult? Noland Lee asked. Welll dont think so. Sergeant Mars pondered and then said: In the Military Academys curriculum, it was stated that the Blade Mountain Range is an insurmountable barrier. Underneath the mountain lies a turbulent underground river, dangerous quicksand, and scorching magma. The surface is a sand alkali land with stormy winds howling, the wind force is at least Level 12, capable of overturning a steam locomotive. The wind force in the sky is even more fierce; a hot air balloon would be torn apart by the hurricane on the spot. Inside the mountain, there are caves leading to the northern clifftops, but those caves are constantly harassed by the Undead Cult, and the exits are all on the cliffside of the north side of the mountain range, with a significant height difference from the ground level. So if the Empire wants to do business with the Golden Federation, it would have to go around the east side through the sea, taking the trade route within the nearshore area. Noland Lee shook his head and sighed: The place we are in now, to the west and south are the Undead Cult, to the north is the Blade Mountain Range, and to the east, although it is flat terrain with ruins scattered across the plains, there are Imperial Army forces everywhere. The only way to enter and exit the Suffering Borderland is to take the steam train. No wonder no one has ever escaped from the Suffering Borderland. Thats for sure, Jarvis. If the Empire didnt tightly seal the eastern part of the Suffering Borderland, the Undead Cult would have bypassed the defense line both above ground and underground and attacked the cities of the Empire a long time ago. Sergeant Mars put on his plate armor and began to teach Noland Lee how to wear it. After putting on the fully protective armor, Noland Lee suddenly asked: Chief Officer, my Life Elixir exchanged with military merit wont be forcibly taken away by the Empires Legal Department, right? No, it wont. Mars shook his head: The materials exchanged with military merit wont be taken away, so you can change them without any worry. After all, we cant send you to the battlefield with a weak body after drawing on your life; that would be no different from sending you to your death. Well, thats good, thats good. Lets go, its about time. When you meet the members of the elite squad later, just greet them briefly and leave the rest to me. This time its a covert operation, so there will be a lot of tactical language and gestures involved. Just stay close to me. Yes, Chief Officer. Noland Lee followed Sergeant Mars out of the tent. Halfway there, Noland Lee looked towards the Blade Mountain Range, his eyes becoming both profound and bright. The caves inside the mountain were connected to the clifftop on the north side of the mountain range. Other people might not be able to reach the Golden Federation through the cliffs, but Noland Lee secretly believed he could do it. As long as he had enough Soul Strength and collected spare Life Elixirs, it wouldnt be impossible to force his way across the mountain range. After all, he still had a hidden card he could never use carelessly. This skill was what he drew from the Death Spell UP Pool; the one he was most satisfied with. The only drawback was that the Soul Strength consumption of this skill was just too big, way too big. Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: 83. Battle of the Watchtower Chapter 122: 83. Battle of the Watchtower Translator: 549690339 The Elite Covert Ops Team is in charge of secret operations, consisting of a total of 15 members. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson takes the role of the team captain. The three lieutenants under his command serve as the deputy captains. Except for Noland Lee and Mars who are not sergeant majors, all other team members hold the rank of Sergeant Major. But they are not ordinary Sergeant Majors. As Corporal Mars explained, these Sergeant Majors do not lead troops into battle. They specialize in emergency handling and assault, they are pure combat machines. They are not warrant officers, but each of them can transform into a Biochemical Giant for an extended period with the help of potions, even longer than Sergeant Alvin Stafford. In essence, this so-called elite squad is aimed at sabotage behind enemy lines; everything is predicated on efficiency and destructive power. Noland Lee understands the reason. But the question is, why are these burly Sergeant Majors all bald, and why do they have dark black numbers on the back of their heads? This is the characteristic of Empires Military Academys elite fighters, Jarvis, I am used to it already, said Corporal Mars. Corporal Mars slid into the carriage and whispered to Noland Lee beside him, Before entering the Imperial Soldier Academy, you had to have a physical examination, right? Only those who passed the physical could enter the Academy. If the exam results were outstanding, they would be assigned to the elite fighter class. Shaving their heads and spraying numbers on the back of the heads are all characteristics of the elite fighters. These people are generally guaranteed to become warrant officers. From the moment they set foot in the Empires Military Academy, they can be directly promoted to lieutenants after three years of continuous service. Those lieutenants you see who dont lead troops all got promoted this way, like Lieutenant Grett. Noland Lee exclaimed, So some people are born warrant officers. Isnt that the case, Boom, boom The steam locomotive started and smoothly set off to the ruins outside the camp. The engineering team from Intelligence Department 4, dug many spiral downward tunnels in the ruins. Through these underground tunnels, one could directly reach the river bank underground without encountering undeads. It was faster and safer than taking the tomb passage. Lieutenant Slyke Thompsons original plan was to take Grave 717, but his plan was disrupted by the sudden undead riot. As a last resort, he requested to use the secret underground tunnels dug by Intelligence Department 4. These underground tunnels are secret and are protected with the strictest confidentiality measures. Now, it is time to activate them. The soldiers of the engineering department guarding here received the news in advance. They opened the entrance of the underground tunnel waiting for the elite squad to enter. Members checked the military supplies they carried for the last time and entered the underground entrance hidden in the ruins in turns. Right at this moment, a slightly noisy sound came from the direction of Grave 717. There were gunshots, shouts, echoing roars of exploding bombs, and howls fluttering with the wind. Everyones movements paused a bit as they stared towards the tomb. The battle there was fiercer than before. A considerable number of undead actually circumvented their way out from the dark door of the First Underground Level and went around to the front door of the tomb, blockading the Imperial Army inside the Grand Hall. These undead could be called elite forces. They were all Metal Skeletons, Self-Destructing Skeletons, Tomb Skeleton Soldiers, and Stone Tomb bound spirits bringing an eerie wind. There were countless Skeleton Hounds that were agile, good at restraining enemies. Only at this moment did Noland Lee realize the terrifying power of the undead uprising. The undead attacked from all directions like mad, completely averting the normal path. In the past, they would never appear on the ground. But now If not for the presence of Lieutenant Sterling Parker, who transformed into a biochemical giant, at the tomb entrance, the Thales army would certainly fall into a situation of being attacked by undeads from both sides. Quickly increase the speed, keep moving. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson ordered with a wave of his hand, leading the way into the underground entrance. Noland Lee and Corporal Mars walked at the back of the team. As they stared at the distant Grave 717 with mixed feelings, they noticed a small fleet approaching from the horizon. Who are those people? Noland Lee squinted his eyes to look at the fleet, Could it be that Lieutenant Sterlings reinforcements have arrived? No, it isnt. Corporal Mars furrowed his brows, I saw the emblem of Division Intelligence Unit Two on their carriages. Again, Division Intelligence Unit Two What are they doing here? Noland Lee, remembering the Death Notice spy hiding in the medical district, felt a little uneasy. Who knows? These guys, relying on their power to internally review, can go wherever they want. It doesnt matter if its Grave 717 or even the office of the Legion Commander, they can get there. Corporal Mars shook his head, patted Noland Lees shoulder, Lets go, dont worry about Division Intelligence Unit Two. Our Broken Coffin plan has the support of the Emperor himself; theres no way they can stop us. Noland Lee withdrew his gaze, then looked again at the Vidas Army, staring at the tent where Captain Murphy was. Division Intelligence Unit Two might not be there for Grave 717 at all. Could their target be Captain Murphy and the Bone-Mending Wand? Noland Lee thought for a moment, then dismissed the idea and followed Corporal Mars into the underground entrance. The spiral downward underground tunnel was dim and stuffy. There were no lighting facilities here, only the coal lamps on the helmets of the elite squads provided light. Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: 83. Watchtower Intense Battle_2 Chapter 123: 83. Watchtower Intense Battle_2 Translator: 549690339 After walking for about half an hour in this claustrophobia-inducing tunnel, Noland Lee heard the sound of trickling water. Reflective water curtains began to appear on the walls on both sides. Noland took a deep breath and smelled the unique dampness of the underground river. After passing three more turns, the scene before him became more open and bright. The width of this underground river was much larger than Noland had imagined. Like a winding giant snake, it meandered through the underground space filled with poisonous fog. Dark green spots dotted the surface of the river, giving it a greenish hue. Upon closer inspection, those shimmering dark green spots were the undead contamination flowing with the river towards the south. Green glowing bones, flickering green rotting flesh, unidentifiable scales with green glow, and countless severed limbs and dried corpses. All of these filthy things that flowed from the depths of the Undead Cult carried sinister dark green light and had contaminated the underground river entirely. This was no ordinary underground canal. It was the best testament to the Undead Cults heinous and sinful acts. Upon seeing this river, everyones eyes were filled with anger and disgust. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson felt that way, the elite fighters felt the same, and so did Sergeant Mars. Only Noland was slightly different. While despising the rivers pollution, he maintained his thoughts and cast out a Deconstruction technique. [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct the Abnormal Underground River] [It is estimated that every 1100 energy points consumed will raise the degree of deconstruction by 1%] [You currently have 13 energy points. Would you like to confirm the deconstruction?] Abnormal Underground River. He saw the word abnormal again. The last thing judged as abnormal by the system was the layer of clouds hovering over the Suffering Borderland. Now its this underground river in front of him. He didnt know if it was a coincidence. Noland discovered that there was another similarity between the underground river and the clouds. Was their deconstruction consumption the same? Noland pulled up the system message and scrolled back, finding a message from his attempt to deconstruct the cloud layer days ago. Indeed. Both deconstructing the underground river and the clouds required 1100 enercv D0ints to increase the comoletion of deconstruction bv 1%. Why was that? As Noland followed the team, he couldnt help but fall into deep thought. Everyone, halt. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson raised his right fist and led the team to hide in a shadow. He first stuck his head out to quickly observe the situation ahead, then turned back and gestured a series of hand signals to his teammates behind him. Noland watched, dazzled, not understanding what the other looked meaning. Sergeant Mars whispered an explanation: Our current position is about 10 kilometers beneath the area north of Grave This is the most suitable place to intercept the Undead Fleet, but there is a Necromancers Outpost about 100 meters ahead of us. The magic protective shield of the outpost has been activated. It covers the watchtower but not the wall, indicating that the outpost is in second-level alert mode. The outposts undead sentries are still unaware of our arrival. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson pointed at several elite fighters and continued to make a series of hand gestures. Sergeant Mars continued translating for Noland: The commander is arranging assault routes and personnel. Group 1 will attack in Imperial Shield Giant form to distract the Necromancers Turret and sentries on the wall. Group 2 will attack in Imperial Ranger Giant form to breach the wall and clear the undead soldiers inside the outpost. Group 3 will attack in Empire Artillery Giant form to remotely stop the expansion of the magic protective shield and snipe the enemys War Spirits commander. We dont need to worry about the battle. After receiving the signal, we just need to break the magic protective shield. Noland nodded and asked: You just mentioned that the commander of the Necromancers Outpost is a War Spirit? What is a War Spirit? The books in the reading room didnt mention this. Its normal that the books didnt mention this because you wont encounter War Spirits during battles in the tombs. Sergeant Mars pondered for a moment before explaining: You can think of War Spirits as the Undead Cults troop commanders, ones that are only responsible for commanding the undead in battle and not managing spirit pivots. They are the top of the mid-level undead creatures, possessing strong combat abilities, and are capable of summoning undead on the spot or forcing slumbering undead to join the fight. In short, War Spirits are difficult to deal with. Noland asked again: War Spirits can summon undead on the spot? But didnt the books say that the Undead Cult needs to set up ritual arrays to summon undead? Yes, I didnt make a mistake. War Spirits can indeed summon undead on the spot, which is why they are so difficult to deal with. I dont know how they can do that. Sergeant Mars raised his index finger, making the gesture to keep quiet: Shh The battle teams are about to move. Lets talk later. Noland closed his mouth, looking at the group of bald men. Each team had its own mission. They took different colored injectors out of their pockets. The members of Group 1 lifted their breathing masks, unafraid of the poisonous fog in the air, and injected themselves with gray elixirs. Then, with a low growl, they transformed into Bone Armor Giants, wielding bone shields and bone swords.. Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: 83. Watchtower Fierce Battle_3 Chapter 124: 83. Watchtower Fierce Battle_3 Translator: 549690339 The originally spacious underground space suddenly became narrow. The Imperial Shield Giants had a height of over eight meters, and their arms and waists were even thicker, looking like moving mountains of flesh. They accelerated their charge in battle, stomping heavily on the ground, splashing gravel and dust like black meteors, crossing a distance of hundreds of meters, and violently crashing into the watchtower walls. The appearance of the necromancers outpost resembled a classical military fortress, with a towering watchtower in the center, surrounded by tall rock walls on all sides. This ancient and broken city wall was much more solid than it appeared. The bone shield from the shield giants hit the wall, making a crisp metallic sound. The wall structure trembled, sand and stones slid down, and visible cracks and craters appeared, but the walls did not collapse. Toot The undead sentries on the walls were tomb skeleton soldiers with minds of their own. As soon as they saw the Imperial Giants, who were only two meters shorter than the city walls, they blew their bone horns. The next second, their heads were shattered by sharp bullet heads that suddenly appeared. It was Group 2 of the elite squad that had completed their transformation, using the gun barrels in their palms to shoot bullets and kill these undead sentries. Group 2 had transformed into Imperial Ranger Giants. These giants were relatively small, with a height of only about 4 meters, but they moved extremely quickly. Their left hands turned into biochemical firearms with flesh and blood framework, capable of shooting thin bullets from the high-pressure air chamber inside. Their entire right arms turned into sharp bone knives with curved shapes. The muscle lines all over their bodies also had a streamlined shape, and their movement was like agile snakes swimming through water. They were not only swift as the wind but also capable of dodging and maneuvering through the air. Within 0.1 seconds after the shield giants hit the walls, the ranger giants reached the vicinity of the walls. They slightly lowered their center of gravity, then leaped high up, drawing an arc and jumping over the walls into the outpost. The sharp bone knives on their right arms swept through the interior of the outpost like a fierce wind. Dozens of tomb skeleton soldiers were blown into the air by the powerful force, and, before they could land, they were cut into several sections by the bright blade light. At the same time, the shield giants used their bone shields to strike the wall surface and their bone swords to sweep away the undead sentries on the walls. Although the situation on the scene seemed to be completely under control of the Empires side, it changed as a deep and blurred shout echoed. A pitch-black figure appeared on the rooftop of the watchtower, letting out a skyward howl. In his hand was a bone treasure sword flickering with dark green light. The bone treasure sword pointed at the surface of the underground river, shooting out a ghastly green light column. The river water was stirred by the light column, turning into a water tornado, risinq and spiraling alonz the li?ht column. Large amounts of corpses, flesh chunks, and blood were pulled up from the river water by the light column. Fire the heavy cannon! Quick! Lieutenant Slyke Thompson shouted at the Cannonball Giants who had transformed into quadrupedal turrets. Boom! Boom! Boom! Three loud noises. The Cannonball Giants fired three cannonballs the size of human heads from the turrets on their backs while their limbs were on the ground. Flames spewed, blast waves surged, and the turrets fired forcefully. The cannonballs smashed heavily onto the magic protective shield in front of the figure on top of the tower. Fire and smoke billowed, and the underground space echoed with the sound of explosions. The surface of the river was covered with dense ripples. As the smoke cleared, the magic protective shield recovered its original state with a change in light, and the figure at the base of the tower remained unscathed. The ranger giants inside the outpost were also blocked in place by enemies who appeared out of thin air. These undead creatures were of similar size and power to the Imperial Fist, formed solely from the sinful remains found within the river water, surrounded by rotting water, creating a terrifying and chilling appearance. Damn, they managed to summon the Skeleton Colossus again, muttered Lieutenant Slyke Thompson, squatting in the shadows. He then gave consecutive orders: Group 2, lure the Skeleton Colossus out of the outpost. Group 3, keep suppressing that War Spirit with cannon fire!. Mars, Jarvis, come here! Ill escort you into the outpost! Group 1, cover me! Prioritize intercepting the necromancer turrets attacks! Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: 84. Deconstructing Profits from Blood Money Chapter 125: 84. Deconstructing Profits from Blood Money Translator: 549690339 Lieutenant Slyke Thompson roared as he transformed. He was a Second Order Imperial Fist, who possessed an even stronger controllable mutation ability. His body rapidly expanded, growing by several meters on the spot. Countless hardened bones grew beneath the skin all over his body. These iron-gray bones were harder than ordinary steel, and they were all secreted by Slykes internal biochemical glands. In just 10 seconds, Slyke, who had previously been a human warrant officer, transformed into an Iron Giant wrapped in a hardened exoskeleton! Bright red flames scattered from the spiral-shaped furnace in his abdomen. The air temperature around him rose a few degrees. The heat spread outwards, and Noland felt a burning sensation on his face as if he was standing in front of a steel smelter. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson is actually the Iron Forge Giant! No wonder hes the captain of the elite squad. His steel shell is best suited for escorting personnel, and the lava flow inside him is extremely lethal. Sergeant Mars had trembling eyes, full of longing. He grabbed Noland and ran towards Lieutenant Slyke Thompson. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson bent down and stretched out his wide steel palm, allowing the two to stand on it. His chests steel exoskeleton opened in half, revealing a space barely large enough for two people. After putting Noland and Mars in the space, a muffled rumbling of heat waves surged within Lieutenant Slyke Thompsons body, similar to the roaring of a powerful internal combustion engine. Woo woo- White steam jetted out of Lieutenant Slyke Thompsons back, and his body accelerated rapidly. Hidden in the steel exoskeletons space, Noland firmly gripped the steel bones beside him to remain standing against the strong pushing sensation. Gazing through the gaps between the steel exoskeleton, Noland saw the rapidly enlarging Necromancers Outpost. The distance between Lieutenant Slyke Thompson and the Necromancers Outpost was quickly reduced, as the incredibly strong high-pressure steam propelled the Iron Forge Giant on his way. The War Spirits standing on the watchtowers rooftop became clearer in Nolands eyes. It was a tall skeleton undead wearing a black armor and cloak, covered in mysterious Undead Runes all over its bones. With a big figure, wide and solid shoulders, and exquisite yet antique armor, it had an embedded diamond-shaped black gem on its forehead and a white Bone Treasure Sword with swirling green lights in its hand, full of evilness. The Bone Treasure Sword was probably not a melee weapon. It was very likely similar to the Bone-mending Wand, a spell-casting medium in the form of a sworda sword-shaped magic wand. Nolands brow furrowed as he pondered secretly. He had already mastered several Necromancer Summoning Arrays by now. These were harmlessly deconstructed from the Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary. However, due to the lack of ritual materials and venues, he had always been unable to summon his own undead followers. If he could summon undead as easily as the War Spirits, he would undoubtedly save a lot of trouble and not have to worry about secretly setting up summoning arrays. He had some Energy Points on hand now and desperately wanted to acquire a spell to temporarily summon Undead Creatures. Did the War Spirit itself possess the ability to summon undead on the spot, or was it the Bone Treasure Sword that gave it this ability? If he would gamble on it and fail to acquire the temporary summoning spell, wouldnt that be a big loss Before Noland could draw a conclusion, there was a new change within the outpost. The War Spirit at the top of the watchtower grasped the Bone Treasure Sword with both hands, and forcefully stabbed the sword down, inserting it into the watchtower beneath his feet. The bright green light gushed out of the Bone Treasure Sword like flowing water, quickly drenching the watchtower from top to bottom. For a moment, the watchtower seemed to come alive. Several cracks appeared on its surface, absorbing the green light as they opened and closed. Several thick bone cannons protruded from the cracks, emitting a ghastly green light from the muzzle as they quickly accumulated the energy needed to fire shells. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson immediately noticed the anomaly at the top of the watchtower and quickly shouted: Group 1, intercept the Necromancer turret! Cover me! The Shield Giant used his hands to support himself on the ton of the wall. leant onto the wall, and raised his shield to block the Necromancer turret. Sharp, baby-like cries echoed as green light flickered on top of the watchtower. The Necromancer turret shot out dark green energy beams, hitting the Bone Shield held by the Shield Giant. Green water splashes burst out as the green energy beams collided with the shield surface. Anything splashed by the green water splashes quickly dissolved in the smell of rotting, thick black smoke. The Shield Giant roared in pain, his body swaying as he stood on the wall and barely maintained his balance on the structure of the outpost. The Bone Shield in their hands was bluntly reduced by half by the green energy beams, almost being pierced by them! Mars, Jarvis, brace yourselves! Im going to jump over the wall! You two need to be quick! The power of the Necromancer turret is not to be underestimated! Even I can only take five consecutive shots! Lieutenant Slyke Thompson leaped forward and jumped over the wall, landing steadily on the street within the outpost. The Skeleton Colossus was already being dragged outside the city by the Ranger Giant. The two fought each other, having no time to care about Sub-Lieutenant Slyke Thompson within the city. The Necromancer turret was blocked by the Shield Giant. And the War Spirit standing on top of the watchtower was suppressed by the Cannonball Giants cannon fire. The War Spirits had no time to summon new Skeleton Colossi and Necromancer turrets, and could only struggle to call upon the power of the Magic Protective Cover to resist the Empires barrage.. Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: 84. Deconstructing Profits from Blood Money_2 Chapter 126: 84. Deconstructing Profits from Blood Money_2 Translator: 549690339 Now is the best opportunity to modify the Undead Runes, a window of opportunity created by the full efforts of the Elite Squad, fleeting! Noland Lee knew all this. He stared at the scene outside the armor, his gaze sweeping back and forth on the Magic Protective Cover. Corporal Mars nervously held the Undead Cults teachings and translations in front of Noland Lee for reference. These translations were also translated by Captain Murphy, corresponding to the original texts of other factions of the Undead Cult. Noland Lee had already memorized all the documents in Mars hand, and now he just pretended to glance at them a few times. He raised his arm and pointed to a corner of the protective shield: There, Chief Officer, at your three oclock, about 4 meters above the ground. Ive seen the Undead Runes in that area in the translation carried by Sergeant Mars! Lieutenant Slyke Thompson dodged the energy beams fired by the Necromancer turret while moving in the direction Noland pointed to. After reaching the target location, Lieutenant Slyke Thompson opened the hardened exoskeleton on his chest. Nolan Lee crawled out from the interlayer and stood on the platform built by the exoskeleton, extending his right hand holding the Rune Staff. Sergeant Mars acted as a stand, holding the document beside Noland Lee. Noland took a symbolic look at the translation, and then began to modify the Undead Runes. The touchpoint of the Rune Staff moved quickly on the Magic Protective Shield, and Noland Lee erupted with the fastest modification speed in history. These operations were interrupted from time to time by the energy beams shot by the Undead Turret. Noland Lee was calm, always achieving a 100% success rate in modifying the Undead Runes. About two minutes later. A large mass of black fumes sprayed out from the Magic Protective Cover. The energy flow speed of the protective shield has visibly slowed down, and the black surface has flickered several times, conveying a signal of energy instability. It is clear that the Magic Protective Shield around the watchtower is not as advanced as the Spirit Pivots. Even a slight modification of the Undead Runes is enough to cause an energy disorder. War Spirits standing at the top of the tower immediately detected the abnormality of the protective shield, casting their gaze at the Iron Giant below. Two shells exploded in front of him, but the War Spirits didnt care, letting the shrapnel and flames from the explosion rush over them. With a roar, they raised the Bone Treasure Sword, danced it out, and stabbed it diagonally toward the Iron Giant below. A pale green column of light shot out from the Bone Treasure Sword, straight at Lieutenant Slyke Thompsons face. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson raised his arms and activated the hardened exoskeleton on his arms, constructing an oval-shaped steel bone shield. Green light splattered, the bone shield melted, and a foul smell ran rampant. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson barely managed to block the energy impact full of decay and rot. Seeing that his own attack had little effect, the War Spirits anger erupted, and they roared again, swinging the Bone Treasure Sword downward, intending to drive the troublesome Iron Forge Giant away from the Watchtower. But! Its too late! Noland Lee, taking advantage of the time when the two were fighting, destroyed more than a dozen Undead Runes in one breath amidst the booming and shaking! On the Magic Protective Shield, another large crack spraying black mist appeared ! Larger than the previous crack! And it still hasnt closed! Haha! Jarvis, well done! Lieutenant Slyke Thompson laughed out loud, taking a step forward and pressing his red-hot furnace abdomen against the crack. Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz A series of electrophoresis-like vibrations emanated from his body, and the temperature of the air suddenly rose, almost boiling. The vibrations beneath Noland Lees feet were endless, as if there was a fierce beast wrapped in flames about to rush out of Slykes abdomen. Die, filthy War Spirits! And be destroyed, sinful Watchtower! Lieutenant Slyke Thompson roared: Melt! Steel! Beam! Shoot!! A scorching red beam shot out from Slykes abdomen, plunging into the crack in the Magic Protective Shield. After entangling with the protective shield for a third of a second, the scorching beam forcibly penetrated the shield and pierced the wall structure at the base of the Watchtower. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson tilted his body back, facing upward. The scorching beam moved as his angle changed, sweeping from the base of the Watchtower to the rooftop, splitting the entire tower in half! The walls cracked, the boulders rolled down, and the earth trembled, with thick smoke churning. Sub -Lieutenant Slyke Thompson closed the steel exoskeleton on his chest. Before the Watchtower collapsed, he took Noland Lee and Mars out of the outpost. The Undead turret fell silent, the thick bone barrels shattered into fragments, and disappeared with the collapse of the watchtower. The Skeleton Colossus swelled and exploded like an inflated balloon, scattering foul river water and debris across the field. The Magic Protective Shield flickered a few times, and eventually could not withstand the impact of the Watchtowers destruction. It shattered like glass, dissipating into the air as little broken lights. The Elite Squads transformed Imperial Giants assembled outside the outpost, witnessing the Watchtowers transformation from existence to nonexistence. By the time the thick smoke had subsided and the line of sight had become clear, the outpost had turned into ruins. Only a skeleton clad in armor and cloak, holding a Bone Treasure Sword in hand, stood alone in the dust. This was a battle with no suspense. The Empire side dispatched a Second-order extraordinary, three First-order extraordinary, and nine elite fighters who could rival a First-order extraordinary. On the other hand, the Undead Cult had only War Spirits: an extraordinary stronger than a First-order Imperial Fist, but slightly weaker than the Second-order. If it wasnt for the troublesome Magic Protective Shield and the Undead Turret, the War Spirits would not have had a chance to fight.. Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: 84. Deconstructing Profits from Blood Chapter 127: 84. Deconstructing Profits from Blood Money_3 Translator: 549690339 Now that Noland Lee had cracked the magic protective shield, wouldnt the Empire side be like an unstoppable force, crushing the enemy with ease? As if clinging to life, a Cannonball Giant crawled on the ground, the sound of its ammo loading echoing from inside its body. Just as it was about to fire at the War Spirit in front of it, Lieutenant Slyke Thompson stopped it. No need to bother with that weakling. The Undead Cult requires the War Spirits stationed at guard posts to treat the watchtower as their phylactery and fight to the death. Weve destroyed the magic shield and the watchtower, which is as good as destroying their phylactery. That guy will die soon; its not worth our ammunition. Clack clack The moment Lieutenant Slykes words fell, a series of crisp noises sounded from the War Spirit that was leaning on the Bone Treasure Sword. Its bones were cracking, and the Bone Treasure Sword had many cracks as well. The crisp noises grew more intense, like firecrackers exploding. The War Spirits body shed countless bone fragments and dust, and finally, amidst a deafening sound of cracking, it collapsed in a heap of bone fragments. The black gem embedded in its forehead shattered instantly, sinking into the ruins. The same happened to the Bone Treasure Sword in the War Spirits hand. A chill wind blew, sweeping up the dust in the ruins, causing the soul of the War Spirit to scatter and perish on the spot. What did Lieutenant Slyke Thompson just say? That watchtower was the War Spirits phylactery! Noland Lees pupils shuddered, and a trace of ecstasy flickered in his eyes. He tried to suppress the joy in his heart, controlling his facial expressions and breathing rate, appearing perfectly composed, but his mind was already filled with thoughts. What is a phylactery? Hehe. Just thinking about it, Noland Lee couldnt help but secretly smile. A phylactery is a death-type magic artifact used by sentient undead creatures to protect their souls. Undead creatures will not die as long as their souls remain unvanquished. The soul is the essence of an undead creature. Powerful undead create a phylactery to properly store and protect their souls from being destroyed by enemies. Put in game terms, a phylactery is the respawn point of an undead creature. As long as the undead creatures soul isnt destroyed, it can be revived through the phylactery. Destroying the phylactery is equivalent to destroying the undeads soul, which means completely killing the undead. Noland Lee never thought that the Undead Cult would ask the War Spirits to treat the watchtower as their phylactery. What a pleasant surprise! [System Message: You and Tatis Empires elite squad have joined forces to destroy the phylactery of the Undead Watchtower Commander.] [Your battle contribution is: The integrity of the magic barrier.] [After the system appraisal, you have caused the containment action level of weak point damage to the phylactery.] [Activate passive deconstruction!] [Your deconstruction completion rate of the War Spirit increases from 0% to 24%.] [Your deconstruction completion rate of the phylactery increases from 0% to 12%.] [Your completion rate of deconstructing the Magic Protection Shield increases from 11.8% to 21.8%.] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results] Before Noland Lee could carefully examine the system message, Lieutenant Slyke Thompsons voice came from outside the exoskeleton mezzanine: Jarvis, Mars, you two come out and dont go too far, just stay nearby. Everyone else, proceed according to the plan. Squad 1 is in charge of scouting the southern river, Squad 2 is in charge of scouting the northern river. Squad 3 clears the ruins of the watchtower, leveling the ground to make space for intercepting the Undead cargo ship. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson arranged for two people to go to the ground level to send a message and notify the army to come quickly. Noland Lee stepped on Slykes palm and came out of the exoskeleton mezzanine, landing on the ground. He and Mars stood aside, watching the Biochemical Giants clean up the battlefield. Nobody was more suitable for this heavy physical labor than the Biochemical Giants. For a while, Noland Lee and Mars became the most relaxed people on the scene. Only then did Noland Lee have the time to check his gains. [System Message: Your deconstruction completion rate of the War Spirit increases from 0% to 27%.] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] You have mastered more Undead Runes. Undead Rune Studies has increased from level 1 to level 2.] Due to the improvement of your Undead Rune skill, the difficulty of harmlessly deconstructing Martyrdom Ten Commandments C Outline decreases, and the energy consumption goes from 9,800 points to 7,100 points.] You have obtained a small portion of the panel information of the War Spirit. The key content is that the War Spirit is a First-order Extraordinary from the Undead Cult C Insanity Faction.] You have completely obtained the Spell Blueprint: Enslavement of Deceased. The magic panel is as follows:] [Name]Enslavement of Deceased [Type]Death-type Magic [Level]Level 1, can be upgraded to Level 100 [Effect] Control and enslave the lost souls spell, namely, Enslavement of Deceased. Consume 1 point of energy and 0.1 point of Soul Strength to forcibly enslave 1 lost soul for battle. During the spells duration, consume 1 point of energy every 10 minutes. [Note] The skill level of this technique is level 1, which means you can only enslave 1 lost soul. The higher the life level of the enslaved soul when it was alive, the greater the probability of this skill failing. Currently, you can achieve a 100% success rate when attempting to enslave lost souls with ordinary life levels. The Soul Strength you put into the enslaved target will not be returned upon its demise. Noland Lee sat in the corner to rest and read the system message with his thoughts, excitedly clenching his fist. Enslavement of Deceased! He finally obtained the spell that allows him to summon undead creatures on the spot! Noland Lee tried to calm himself down and compared the Enslavement of Deceased and the Necromancer Summoning Array, quickly discovering the differences between the two spells.. Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: 84. Deconstructing Profits from Blood Money_4 Chapter 128: 84. Deconstructing Profits from Blood Money_4 Translator: 549690339 Enslavement of Deceased is more suitable for use in skirmishes. It has a high consumption of Energy Points and Soul Strength, but it can make use of materials on-site and does not require prepared materials such as Bone Cards, bone materials, or bone powder. As a result of using on -site materials, summoners cannot determine the strength of the undead creatures. They can only use whatever remains are available, and cannot use good materials or Bone Cards to customize their summons. In comparison, the Necromancer Summoning Array appears cumbersome. To summon undead via the Array, three conditions need to be met: Ritual materials. Summoning Undead Constructs requires Bone Cards, bone materials, and bone powder. Summoning Stitched Undead requires rotten flesh and filthy blood. Array energy source. Energy must be continuously supplied by the caster, or by placing Magical Ore into the Array. Magic Array pattern. The operating logic and energy flow of the Array are contained within the Magic Array pattern. Only by fulfilling these three conditions can the Summoning Array function. From this perspective, the Summoning Array is more like a magical facility. Energy Points must be paid only when the Array is activated, and there are no additional energy costs, making it very suitable for summoning large numbers of undead. Since the Summoning Array cannot be easily moved, the summoned undead are more suitable for defending fixed locations rather than accompanying their master in battle. If Enslavement of Deceased is considered a combat spell, the Necromancer Summoning Array spell is specifically designed for siege warfare and city defense. Regardless, Noland Lee finally acquired both types of undead summoning spells! He continued reading the next system message. [Your progress in deconstructing the Life-saving Box has increased from 0% to 12%.] [Deconstruction results are as follows:] Your experience in Undead Rune Studies has increased from Level 2 to Level 3.1 The Energy Point consumption for Harmless Deconstruction of Martyrdom Ten Commandments C Outline has been reduced from 7100 to 5900 points.] You have obtained an incomplete Magic Item Blueprint: Necromancer Outpost Commanders Life-protection Box.] Noland clicked on the newly acquired magic item blueprint, quickly scanned it, and was very satisfied. Although this blueprint is incomplete and its content is not complete, its value cannot be overlooked. All because there is a prefix to the name of the blueprint: The Necromancer Outpost Commanders Life-protection Box. The key lies in the words Necromancer Outpost Commander. Not only does the blueprint have the production method for ordinary Life-saving Boxes, but it also records the construction methods for watchtowers and Necromancer turrets. According to the contents of the blueprint, Noland could make not only ordinary Life-saving Boxes like Stone Sta tues but also a watchtower capable of launching Death Energy beams. The value of this blueprint is absolutely gold, worthy of appreciation. Noland temporarily set it aside for further research when he would have the opportunity. Next are the results of the third deconstruction. [Your deconstruction progress for Magic Protective Cover has increased from 11.8% to 21.8%.] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] The Energy Point consumption for Harmless Deconstruction of Martyrs Ten Commandments has been reduced from 5900 points to 4900 points.] Your deconstruction progress for the Magic Protective Cover has exceeded 20% of the integer threshold!] [You have obtained a complete Spell Blueprint: Magic Shield.] A Magic Shield! I actually managed to deconstruct the Magic Shield! . Nolands heart trembled as his eyes burst with joy. As a veteran gamer, he knew what this skill meant. What makes the Imperial Army feel troubled? Magic protective cover. What can block physical attacks in the form of energy, is not afraid of fire, water, or electricity? Magic protective cover! What is an essential item for Magic Masters, the nemesis of physical fighters that allows Magic Masters to withstand enemy burst damage without dying? Its still the Magic Protective Cover! The Magic Protective Cover is used to protect buildings. Magic Shield is a simplified version of the Magic Protective Cover, specifically designed to protect the caster itself. While the Magic Shield is a lower-level spell than the Magic Protective Cover, it is more than sufficient for individual use. Noland took a deep breath to calm himself down, and clicked to check the spell panel. [Name] Magic Shield [Type] Universal Magic The specific type of this spell depends on the type of energy used to cast the shield. [Level] 1, can be upgraded to a maximum of 100 levels. [Effect] Consumes any type of magical energy to form a protective shield that blocks damage. You are currently only able to use one type of energy C Soul Energy. As a result, you can only summon a Protective Soul Shield. The Protective Soul Shield provides excellent adaptability, blocking all types of damage, but has a high Soul Strength consumption. A shield with a strength of 10 points can be created by consuming 0.1 points of Soul Strength and 1 point of Energy, and can withstand any type of damage. [Description] In the case of 0% resistance, 1 shield strength point can resist 2000 joules of damage or 1 point of magical energy. Damage types are unlimited, including kinetic, thermal, electromagnetic, explosive, etc. Faced with the detailed spell panel, Noland breathed a sigh of relief. From now on, he wouldnt have to be particularly afraid of bullets. The system cannot lie. The data presented on the spell panel is absolutely reliable. Magic Shield can surely block bullets and Death Pulse spells. This undoubtedly greatly guarantees his personal safety and adds a solid layer of insurance to his plan to escape his hardships. These passive deconstructions were a fortune! Upon careful thought, it seemed that participating in group battles or sniping was the right way to trigger passive deconstruction Nolands eyes sparkled with thought, as if he had discovered a new world.. Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: 85. Energy explosion again Chapter 129: 85. Energy explosion again Translator: 549690339 More than half an hour had passed since the elite squad broke through the watchtower. Above the underground river, thousands of kilometers away from the Imperial Army. The undead cargo ship, carrying the aura of death and decay, sails from the heartland of the Undead Cult. They carry heavy cargo, like iron ploughs crossing the river surface, sweeping the filthy water to both banks. The goods on the ship are extremely heavy, causing the river to rise noticeably where they pass. These cargo ships are made of rotten wood and rusted nails, covered with dark green moss and greasy sludge, as if they have been sunken in the seabed for hundreds of years. But these seemingly fragile ships have been sailing steadily for a long time with the creaking sound of the wood, without encountering any accidents like leaks, tilts, or anchors being thrown. Without a doubt, it is the Death Runes that protect them. On the decks and cabins of the cargo ship, there are a large number of dark imprints, which are the Undead Runes written by the Death Priests. Undead spirits always enjoy using this blasphemous power to protect their magical devices and important facilities. Today, they are doomed to fail. Because, when these cargo ships are sailing, they cannot activate the Magic Protective Cover, otherwise the interaction between the river water and the magic of the cover will disrupt the ships navigation. Another reason why the fleet is doomed today is that they are completely unaware of the crisis on the shore and in the river. The ruins of the watchtower were pushed by the Imperial Army into the underground river, accumulating on the riverbed and forming obstacles that emerged from the water. On the shores of the poisonous fog, ten full platoons were lurking. They built temporary barricades with gray worm barriers and set up a fierce interception line, camouflaging themselves. Within this line that merged with the riverbank, hundreds of large-caliber gun barrels pointed towards the floating wreckage on the river surface. Noland Lee personally joined the interception mission and even got a light machine gun with a biochemical bullet head. He wasnt supposed to have this treatment. But ever since realizing that the real use of the Deconstruction Technique is for team battles and last hitting, he boldly went to Lieutenant Slyke Thompson and bluntly asked for a light machine gun. That was more or less what he said to Lieutenant Slyke Thompson: Chief Officer, I dont know when Ill die in the Death Storm. As an Imperial man, I dream of feeling the thrill of holding a light machine gun and shooting enemies in the roar of gunfire. Can you give me a light machine gun and assign me three Private Second Class soldiers to help me change the ammunition chain and water box? After pondering for a moment, Lieutenant Slyke Thompson agreed. This might be a compromise made by Lieutenant Slyke Thompson after recognizing Noland Lees value. Noland Lee didnt think about it that much; his heart was only focused on how to make the last hit. Everyone, enter a silent state our enemies are coming. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson gave the order with gestures. The Imperial Army fell silent. All military barriers disguised as rocks remained quiet and still. Without prior agreement, each unit waited for their long-awaited undead fleet in silence and observation. There is only one fatal flaw in this interception operation: That is the disappearance of the watchtower from the shore. The undead fleet must have a route map of the underground river. If they find out that the place where the watchtower should have been has turned into an empty space, they will definitely sound the alarm right away. But thats not a concern. To intercept the undead fleet, that causes tomb uprisings wherever they go, the Vidas Army has invested heavily in manpower, ammunition, and explosives without regard to cost. The moment the Undead Fleet discovers the disappearance of the watchtower, a sky-full of bullets and bombs have already fallen on their heads. Whoosh- Whoosh- The river water surged, the river surface rose, and the water splashed against the banks. Noland Lee raised his head and looked at the approaching undead cargo ship. A series of Deconstruction Techniques were launched by him, scanning all the cargo ships within his field of vision. There are six ships in the fleet. The first and last ships are heavily armed warships, carrying a small amount of magic stones. The four ships in the middle are pure cargo ships, with only ordinary undead crew and cargo, without any significant defense forces. Tomb Skeleton Soldiers are the laborers on the ship. Ghostly crew members are the helmsmen and sailors manipulating the oars and masts. Skeleton heads hanging on the ships side and watchtower are unfortunate Skeleton Warriors, acting as the ships lookout. Both in combat vessels and cargo ships, there are two sources of power. One is the water. In the windless underground space, undead ships can only travel downstream. The other source of power is the giant leg bones protruding from the bottom of the ship. These leg bones are about 20 meters in length, with four on each cargo ship. Stepping on the riverbed with the leg bones, they carry the cargo ships as they walk, both speeding up their navigation and sharing the weight of the cargo, so that the ships are not overwhelmed by the death element stones that piled up into a mountain. What Noland Lee paid most attention to was the Death Priests and Undead Monks standing on the combat ships. These guys all have the power comparable to the First Order Imperial Fist. No doubt when they start their offense, they will cause a massive impact. But likewise, there is no need to worry about their existence. Because the Vidas Army has inserted a total of 30 elite fighters, 6 lieutenants, and 1 chief officer into the interception line. This is an unequal battle; the Empires strength is extremely powerful, and it always remains hidden without alerting the undead.. Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: 85. Energy explosion again 2 Chapter 130: 85. Energy explosion again 2 Translator: 549690339 Heads up, Jarvis, the target ships are coming. Corporal Mars was holding a chain of bullets, ready to reload for Noland Lee at any time. He pointed at the fifth boat from the end in the fleet. The Imperial Army would divide these six ships into three groups. Their first killer, is the mines buried beneath the river surface. Honk-I The leading warship noticed the missing watchtower and sounded a loud horn. At the same time, Lieutenant Slyke Thompson gestured and gave the order: Detonate! Upon receiving the order from their superior officer, the soldiers pressed the detonators in front of them without hesitation. In an instant, several water pillars rising to the ceiling erupted on the long river surface. Boom, boom, boom A series of explosions echoed throughout the underground space, creating huge waves on the river surface. When the mines detonated, the force of the explosion stirred the river water, tore apart the riverbanks, and caused the river to pour back onto the shore. The rivers flowing speed became unstable, and the riverbed was blasted into deep and shallow craters. The giant leg bones at the bottom of the undead ships could not escape the explosion. The chaotic water flow pulled their joints, making them unstable, and accidentally stepped into the craters created by the mines, losing their balance. These giant leg bones were connected to the cabins, and once they were pulled, the ships began to tilt and collapse. Boom, boom, boom, Several more explosions erupted from the underground river, but this time it was not the Empire setting off mines, but the ships losing control and crashing ashore. The ships hull crushed the weak riverbank and fell towards the ground. A clattering noise of rolling objects sounded inside the cargo hold as numerous death magic stones collided with the walls. Some walls were particularly weak and broke open when they could no longer bear the weight of the tons of death element stones. The death element stones rolled out of the broken walls, falling onto the riverbank or into the smelly river water. All these earth-shattering events happened in just 20 seconds. When the undead creatures on board started to counterattack, all six undead ships had already run aground at the shore. Fire! Fire! Annihilate these filthy scum! Lieutenant Slyke Thompson roared and was the first to pull the trigger on his light machine gun. At that moment, the underground riverside was covered with 270 streams of fire! Each stream of bullets corresponded to a light machine gun! In just a second, the hulls of all the undead ships were full of bullet holes! The undead fleet didnt even have time to activate its magic protective cover! The appearance of numerous bullet holes undoubtedly destroyed the undead runes on the ships hull. The rotting, decaying ships bodies, which should have long been destroyed by natures power, finally came to their end. As the runes were destroyed, the rotten wood on the ships quickly withered, turned into black mud, and fell into the river. Rusty nails fell as iron filings, turning into black sand and sinking to the bottom of the river. Whether it is the death element stones, the gruesome grave-vault undead soldiers, or the ghostly crew, they all lost their lives as their decaying bodies sunk into the water, pierced by the torrent of bullets. Only undead monks and death priests who possessed extraordinary powers could survive the sinking of the ships. But all they had left was a path to death. Cavern evil spiders, the intermediate undead forces that once drove Noland Lee to flee in panic, could only endure three seconds under the concentrated fire of the cannonball giants before being blown to pieces and sinking into the water. The frost skeleton mage drawing water from the river to create a wall of filthy ice around it could only hold on for two more seconds. In just 0.1 second, after the bullets penetrated the ice wall, its skeletal body, skull, and everything else vanished in the howling bullet stormexcept for its magic heart. Could ethereal undead creatures that are immune to physical attacks find this feature useful in this battle? NO! All ethereal undead troops received special treatment from the Empires side. Bullets loaded with liquid explosives, lightning bullets that exploded upon impact, and honey syrup bullets filled with biochemical nectar. These much more expensive specialized bullets, whether effective or not, were all directed at the ethereal undead forces. Ghostly crews lasted half a second. Ghostly first mates and captains lasted two seconds. Wailing banshees with disheveled hair lasted three seconds. Death skeleton mages wearing cloaks and wielding scythes, protected by a magic shield survived only five seconds. Lieutenant Slyke Thompson, transformed into a molten steel giant, burned the heads of several intermediate undead creatures with a lava ray from his abdominal furnace. The cannonball giants cannon was unstoppable. The powerful cannonball specifically used to attack magic protection shields easily obliterated the undead extraordinary when aimed at them. When the last undead creature fell, the area above the underground river was filled with gun smoke and dust, and the echoes of countless guns lingered in the underground space for a long time. This was a battle where gunfire triumphed over the undead. The Empires side deployed over 200 light machine guns, millions of conventional bullets, hundreds of thousands of special bullets, and at least 300 honey syrup bombs. The participating forces included ten companies of the Vidas Army, about 3000 ordinary soldiers, and at least 40 extraordinary army members.. Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: 85. Energy explosion again_3 Chapter 131: 85. Energy explosion again_3 Translator: 549690339 Was such a massive investment worth it just to intercept an undead fleet? The answer was obvious. It was absolutely worth it! Those death element stones that rolled onto the riverside and sank to the riverbed were the most direct result of this battle. Just these death element stones alone were enough to cover the cost of the battle. Not to mention intercepting a ship full of ores could create a great advantage for the legions fighting in the Blade Mountain Range. No matter what the Undead Cult wanted to do in the Blade Mountain Range, nor why they were in such a hurry to transport a large amount of death element stones there. Anyway, these death element stones were now Korabo Legions! Everyone act according to plan! Lieutenant Slyke Thompson raised the megaphone, shouting loudly amidst the cheers of the soldiers on site: Our battle is not over yet! We must deliver these ores to the Legion Fortress as soon as possible! All, heed my command! Clear the battlefield immediately! Lieutenant Slyke Thompson shouted several times in a row, finally calming the agitated soldiers. It wasnt that the soldiers had lost their discipline because of their victory. It was the previous fight that was so intense. Over two hundred light machine guns, along with more than 2,000 rifles, made a terrific noise. It was amazing that the soldiers didnt pass out from it. Anyway, Noland Lee had to clean his ears several times before finally hearing Lieutenant Slyke Thompsons call amidst the ringing in his ears. Honestly, this battle was definitely the most exhilarating one Noland Lee had experienced since his journey began. Most importantly, triggering passive deconstruction by attacking undead creatures with light machine guns worked! In that short period of time just now, Noland received numerous system messages. Taking a closer look at the text, Noland felt a bit embarrassed. Due to the poor accuracy of the light machine gun and Nolands first-time operation of it, his previous hectic effort seemed very lively and exciting, but in fact, he had only claimed two kills. However, that was enough! [You inflicted fatal damage to a Cavern Evil Spider with your light machine gun!] [You successfully killed a Cavern Evil Spider!] [Passive Deconstruction Activated! ] [You unlocked the common panel of the Cavern Evil Spider.] [You recovered 1,400 Energy Points!] One thousand four hundred Energy Points! Noland had been living in poverty since his arrival in the Suffering Borderland, and he had never seen so many Energy Points before! And that was just one of the gains. [You successfully killed a Frost Skeleton Mage!] [Passive Deconstruction Activated!] [You obtained the panel information of the Frost Skeleton Mage.] [You recovered 1,800 Energy Points!] Energy Point inventory suddenly rose to 3,213! It was like a dream! Noland couldnt help but pinch his thigh hard a few times, wondering if he was sleepwalking. This surreal, illusory feeling of getting rich overnight was almost too good to be true. Taking advantage of bending down to pick up the death element stones, Noland took several deep breaths, finally calming himself down and accepting the fact that he had become wealthy. He pulled up the panels of the Cavern Evil Spider and Frost Skeleton Mage, flipping through them briefly, a look of understanding flickering across his eyes. So this is how the Undead Cults extraordinary system works Noland murmured to himself. In simple terms, the extraordinary abilities of middle-tier undead creatures were derived from precious magic materials. Inside the Cavern Evil Spider, there was a magic material called Cavern Spider Mothers Divided Heart. The Cavern Spider Mother was the leader of the Undead Cult-Resentment Faction, holding the position of Archbishop. The Cavern Spider Mother would periodically give her subordinates its divided heart to use. Ordinary undead creatures, after receiving this magic material, would transform into extraordinaries, mastering a portion of the Cavern Spider Mothers extraordinary abilities. Similarly, the Frost Skeleton Mages extraordinary abilities were also derived from the leader of a certain Undead Faction. This faction was called the Stubborn Faction. Its leader was the Frost Demon Bone. The Frost Demon Bone would transform the organs of undead creatures into magic organs with a Frost Energy Source. The casting abilities of the Frost Skeleton Mage were derived from this magic organ. The magic materials in the eyes of the Undead Cult were mutation materials in the eyes of Tatis Empires Division Intelligence Unit Three. Imperial Warrant Officers who had mastered various extraordinary abilities had used these mutation materials as medicaments, thus obtaining extraordinary abilities through controlled mutations. Only those of Warrant Officer rank and above in the Empires military were likely to have access to such information. Noland closed the system interface and carefully looked around the scene. As expected, Lieutenant Slyke Thompson and his subordinates were not interested in death element stones. Their attention was entirely on the magic materials that the undead crew had dropped. Noland sharply detected the smiles playing on their lips, no matter how well they tried to conceal them. Noland glanced around, his gaze locked on a frosty magic heart. He launched the Deconstruction spell, briefly scanned the feedback information from the Deconstruction, and then shook his head regretfully. The magic heart could indeed grant frost system extraordinary abilities. It sounded great but was actually very dangerous. Just like the Deconstruction of the Martyrdom Ten CommandmentsGeneral Outline, the system offered two types of Deconstruction methods: regular Deconstruction and Harmless Deconstruction. Regular Deconstruction of the magic heart would contaminate the user with the Undead Cults mental pollution, twisting their mind and thoughts.. Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: 85. Energy Bursting Again_4 Chapter 132: 85. Energy Bursting Again_4 Translator: 549690339 Harmless Deconstruction can avoid this negative effect, but it requires more than 30,000 Energy Points Noland Lee looked at the warrant officers on the scene again, squinting slightly. These officers did not show any signs of corruption or decay. It seems that Division Intelligence Unit Three has not been in vain all these years, and they have already found a solution to counteract the negative effects of mutated material. It must have taken a massive amount of manpower, financial power, and physical resources, and it is not impossible that some people have lost their lives in the process. If Division Intelligence Unit Three and the Emperor of the Empire knew that the Deconstruction Core System only needed to consume 30,000 Energy Points to obtain their decades of research results Then they would surely go crazy for the Deconstruction Core System. On the one hand, there is the painstaking research over the years, and on the other hand, there is the simple investment of Energy Points. Comparing the two, the awesomeness of the Deconstruction Core System is undoubtedly highlighted. Noland Lee now realized how much energy the Deconstruction Core System had in terms of research. It was like the existence of a nations researchers. How should I spend the more than 3,200 Energy Points I have now? Noland Lee picked up the Death Element Stone while silently calculating how to spend his energy points. Theoretically, he has two good avenues to expend energy points. The first avenue is to upgrade his existing skills. Enslavement of Deceased, Magic Shield, Fear Charm. One attack, one defense, one control. These three skills directly relate to personal combat power, so the priority for upgrading is high. Investing energy points into these three skills will not be a loss. The second avenue is the harmless deconstruction of Martyrs Ten Commandments Summary to gain even more extraordinary knowledge and death-related spells. With 3,000 energy points invested, the things he could deconstruct would be dazzlingly vast. However, the specific returns are difficult to predict. It could lead to a biting off more than one can chew situation: Deconstructing many things that are temporarily useless, like Grand View of Death Arts. Or it could be the more skills do not burden the body situation: Providing Noland Lee with a large number of death-related spells in one go, filling his spell list to the brim. Both situations are a bit too focused on long-term interests, ignoring the short-term improvement of combat power. Noland Lee thought about it and came to a conclusion. First, upgrade the skills that should be upgraded. When the cost-effectiveness of upgrading skills decreases, hell harmlessly deconstruct Martyrs Ten Commandments C Outline. Noland Lee brought up his Personal Panel and focused his attention on the spell entries. Just as he was about to upgrade his skills, footsteps sounded from behind him. Temporarily pressing down the upgrade operation in his mind, Noland Lee turned around to look. He saw Corporal Mars running over with a somewhat anxious expression, holding a copper whistle in his hand. Jarvis, come with me. Corporal Marss face was solemn, and he lowered his voice, Captain Murphy needs your help, its urgent. Alright, lead the way, Chief Officer. The two of them jogged forward. Lieutenant Slyke Thompsons guards, who had been informed in advance, did not stop them from leaving. Not too far from the shore and close to the underground tunnel, Mars stopped and saluted into the darkness. A slender figure walked out of the shadows. It was Captain Murphy, and in her hand was a metal box containing the Bone-mending Wand. Mars, you go back first, continue following Lieutenant Slyke Thompson to carry out the task. Jarvis, you stay. Yes, Maam. Mars turned and ran off. Now only Noland Lee and Murphy were left on the scene. Reporting to you, Chief Officer, what do you need me to do? Noland Lee saluted. Murphy gestured for him to follow her. The two of them walked further away from the army before finally stopping in an unnoticed dim area. Captain Murphy wore a hood, masking her face with a veil and her long hair, still maintaining her cold and beautiful appearance. However, her words contained an unexpectedly urgent tone: Jarvis, quickly help me remove the Magic Protective Shield guarding the wand. Military Intelligence Department personnel have been tracking the Magic Protective Shields aura. I have to deal with this problem as soon as possible, or they will catch up sooner or later! Well, so another call for help Noland Lee steadied his mind and nodded. Okay, Chief Officer, I will do my best.. Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: 86. It’s hard to save a fool. Chapter 133: 86. Its hard to save a fool. Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee glanced at the magic wands in the metal box, his brows slightly furrowed. Something was off with the Bone-mending Wand. Not that there was a problem with the wand itself, but there was something abnormal with the magic protective shield surrounding it. Noland clearly remembered that he had reduced the thickness of the magic protective shield in front of the warrant officers at the meeting place. But now, the magic protective shield wrapped around the Bone-mending Wand had only grown thicker and sturdier than before. Correspondingly, the Undead Runes on the magic protective shield had become much more complex, doubling in number. Feeling that the situation was a bit tricky, Noland had no choice but to face his superiors and continue working. As Noland frowned at the magic wand, Murphy pulled out a cloth bag from under his cloak and handed it over to Noland: You need the original text, translation, and rune staff to modify the Undead Runes. Ive brought them all for you. Theyre in the cloth bag. Remove the magic protective shield here. Ill go lead the Military Intelligence Department personnel away. Act quickly, Jarvis. Division Intelligence Unit Two has sent many investigators, and theyre all after this wand. Noland reached into the cloth bag, pulling out the document and the rune staff. As he looked up again, the swift Murphy had already vanished without a trace, only the spinning mist on the spot proving that she had just been there. Looking at the translation in his left hand, the rune staff in his right hand, and finally lowering his head to look at the Bone-mending Wand in the metal box, Noland felt like he had become a qualified toolman. He wondered why such a dangerous task as removing the magic protective shield fell entirely on him. Moreover, everyone believed that he, Noland, could handle the job alone, without worrying about his personal safety, even if they merely reminded him to be careful. And about these Military Intelligence Department personnel, if they followed the smell of the magic protective shield to the scene, they would only see a Private Second Class messing with the wand. This Private Second Class would definitely not end well, while his superiors would simply run off and not have a problem. When the time came, this Private Second Class, Noland himself, would undoubtedly be implicated in the whole incident, and even become the scapegoat. In that instant, Nolang felt like he had reverted to being a corporate slave. Before anything went wrong, everyone shoved work his way. As soon as something happened, everyone washed their hands of the situation and put the blame squarely on the head of the person who had been doing their job diligently. Before crossing into this world. Noland had experienced this treatment in his company. How did it come to pass that, even after crossing over, he couldnt change this situation? What was the reason for Noland becoming a toolman Noland complained inwardly, secretly grumbling. Thinking about how Military Intelligence Department personnel might appear at any moment, he couldnt help but settle down, cast aside his distractions, and focus on the task at hand. He circled the metal box at his feet a few times, changing angles to observe the magic protective shield, and quickly found a troublesome spot. If there were a thousand Undead Runes on the magic protective shield, the translation provided by Murphy would only account for about 400 of them, or 40%. Following her translation to modify the Undead Runes, at most, Noland could reduce the strength of the magic protective shield by 40%. If he wanted to remove the magic protective shield completely, Noland would have to make use of the teachings from the Martyrs Ten Commandments Summary Forget it; 40% is 40%. Once the magic protective shield weakens, Ill close the metal box, and the investigator from Intelligence Officer 2 shouldnt be able to track me down that easily As Noland thought this, he crouched down and began modifying the Undead Runes. Before that, he didnt forget about the exploding amount of Energy Points in his account. Last time, he spent 500 Energy Points to deconstruct the Bone-mending Wand and get the Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary. What would they gain if they invested another few hundred points this time? Noland decided to try spending 100 Energy Points first. System, consume 100 Energy Points and deconstruct this Bone-mending Wand. After a moment of disorientation, the System sent a message: [Deconstruction success!] [Youve received the following deconstruction results:] Usage Instructions of Bone-Connecting Wand , completeness raised from 5% to 15%.] The Use, Crafting, and Improvement of Death Wands, completeness 45%.] [3. How to Water Wands with Love, completeness 35%.] [4. A Long Segment of Wailing and Painful Sounds, completeness 100%.] What are these things Nolands mouth twitched. Why is it all knowledge related to wands Am I supposed to open a wand shop in the future? Noland took a deep breath and decided to try again. If they couldnt get what they wanted from the draw this time, it was time to cut losses. System, consume another 100 Energy Points and deconstruct the Bone-mending Wand. [Deconstruction success!] [Youve received the following deconstruction results:] Usage Instructions of Bone-Connecting Wand , completeness raised from 15% to 25%.] The Use, Crafting, and Improvement of Death Wands, completeness increased from 45% to 100%.] How to Water Wands with Love, completeness increased from 35% to 100%.] Processing and Synthesis of Wand Cores, completeness 50%.] Noland scanned the deconstruction information in his mind, clutched his chest, and let out a muffled breath. It seems Im really going to become a wand store owner soon. Noland gently tapped his chest: *cough* *cough* I actually got hold of so much wand knowledge, from making and repairing wands to using them, everything! Alright, Im not mad. At least its magical craftsmanship. I wont starve to death in the future if I rely on making wands. Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: 86. It’s difficult to help a fool_2 Chapter 134: 86. Its difficult to help a fool_2 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee shook his head, steadied his mind, and cut off the idea of continuing to disassemble the Bone-mending Wand. As an experienced player who had spent a fortune in mobile games, he was well aware of one thing: Fate cannot be changed by playing games more, nor can a fortune be spent to change destiny, but with hard work, one can make up for their shortcomings. Facing a new pool, if the first 20 draws dont yield anything good, its better to stop. Save the money, buy something delicious, its better than mindlessly spending. Noland Lee took a few deep breaths to calm himself and entered the mode for modifying the Undead Runes. Time passed as he worked on breaking the Magic Protective Cover. Unconsciously, Noland had weakened the magic protective cover by nearly 40%, and was on the verge of a great achievement. During this period, no investigators from Division Intelligence Unit ft,vo appeared before him. Imperial soldiers who were collecting Death Element Stones on the riverside also never came to pry. Noland Lee worked in the quiet environment, his attention highly concentrated. Crunch, crunch Someone walked over, stepping on the rocks. Noland stopped his pen tip, took a pause in his breath, put the Rune Staff and the translated text into the cloth bag, flicked the metal box closed with the tip of his foot. He could be sure that the person coming was definitely not Murphy. Because Murphy would come and go like the wind, without any apparent movement. People like the one who had walked toward him, with footsteps, were very likely military investigators from Division Intelligence Unit Two, who were now tracking the Bone-mending Wand. Noland picked up the cloth bag, stepped lightly, and slowly retreated towards the riverside to withdraw. As for the metal box containing the Bone-mending Wand, let it go, whoever wants this hot potato can take it, he didnt want to carry the blame. Noland Lee retreated step by step, quickly about to leave the scope of the shadows. A womans voice rang out in his ear: Stay where you are, Sin Soldier No. 888. Upon a closer look, a thin red light column pierced through the poisonous fog from a distance, landing on his chest. It was as if someone was pointing a guns laser sight right at him. When the person who emerged from the poisonous fog stood in front of Noland Lee, he realized that the red light column was emitted from the Red Bio-Spores on her arm. Judging from her clothes, she was a Senior Investigator from Division Intelligence Unit Two with a Sergeant Major rank. She was older, probably around 30 years old. As he looked at her well-maintained beautiful face, Noland Lee couldnt muster any appreciation, only thinking about how to escape. Dont move, Sin Soldier No. 888. It only takes one-tenth of a second for my Blazing Spores to blow a hole in your chest. The female investigator stared at Noland and stopped at the metal box. She kicked the edge of the box with her right foot in her long boots, opening the lid. Looking at the abundant Death Energy magic protective cover, the female investigators eyes remained unmoved. She raised her head, her expression flat, and asked Noland: What were you doing just now, Sin Soldier No. 888? Do you Imow what this Facing her inquiry, Noland Lee pursed his lips, chose to remain silent, and hoped for Murphys prompt return. I know what you are waiting for, Sin Soldier No. 888. Ive seen many people like you. The female investigator raised her hand and pointed to the cloth bag in Nolands hand: I can assure you, your Chief Officer wont be back. Shes tied up with trouble and cant get away. You cant expect her to appear here or help you block anything. Now, hand over whats in your hand. You can also choose not to hand it over, but if I use the Blazing Spores, the stuff in the bag will be mine too. Noland Lee took a slight breath and waved his right arm, throwing out the cloth bag. The female investigator caught the bag, glanced at its contents, and looked at Noland Lee again: Im satisfied with your cooperation. Now Im informing you as an Investigator of Division Intelligence Unit Two that you must undergo a review by Division Intelligence Unit Two because you are suspected of participating in illegal activities of the Death Herald Guild. Hand over your issued gun, raise your hands, and squat down, holding your head. Im going to take you back to the Legion Fortress immediately. Any resistance will be killed on the spot. Chief Officer, Im still on a Corps Task. Noland tried to argue. No, from the moment I appeared, your Corps Task has already been terminated. Dont try to challenge my patience. Any resistance or argument will only confirm your identity as a Death Notice Spy. Now, hand over your gun, raise your hands, and squat down, holding your head. Dont make me repeat myself. The female investigators attitude was tough, her tone cold. The red spores on her arm wriggled slightly, revealing a faint flame light; the threat was more than evident. So youre saying Im guilty, right? The female investigator sneered lightly: Yes, Sin Soldier No. 888. Face the facts. Either youll end up on the gallows, or youll spend your whole life in prison. No one can save you, not even Murphy. All right. Ive imagined this day would come. Luckily, Ive never been fond of asking others for help. Nolands eyes narrowed slightly, and an odd light flickered at the bottom of his eyes. He scanned her appearance and posture from top to bottom, his gaze becoming more and more unrestrained, as if he had unlocked some kind of shackle in his mind. He slowly moved his hands, unloading the rifle from his back and the gun from his waist. Why dont you just kill me, Chief Officer? Noland Lee threw the guns on the ground and casually asked. After he finished speaking, he didnt raise his hands as she wished, but naturally let his arms hang down on both sides of his body, straightened up, looked straight into her eyes without fear.. Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: 86. It’s difficult to help a fool_3 Chapter 135: 86. Its difficult to help a fool_3 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee became quiet and calm, no longer as tense as before, completely ignoring the red spores on the others arm. I am an investigator of Military Intelligence Section Two, and I must abide by the rules. According to Empire Law, only the Tribunal can punish you. The female investigator slightly furrowed her brows. The changes in Noland Lee made her feel uneasy, but she couldnt figure out the reason behind them. Raise your hands, hold your head and squat down, Sin Soldier No. 888. The female investigators tone grew colder, and the flame light on her arm became even brighter. Noland Lee remained unmoved. He tilted his head slightly upward, looking at the ceiling, and exhaled: You wont kill me, Chief Officer. Theres no need to repeat the same words. The only people who want to kill me are the spies of the Death Herald Guild. Its rare for me to see a real Military Intelligence Section Two investigator. Dont stall for time, Sin Soldier No. 888. The female investigator aimed her arm at Noland Lee, and the red spores swelled, spraying a stream of flames. Enough already. Put down your arm. Arent you tired of holding it up? Noland Lee sneered, shook his hand, and walked to the wall, crossing his arms and leaning against it. Dont test my patience! The female investigators face was filled with anger, not looking like the cold superior from before. Noland Lee crossed his arms, looking teasingly at the female investigator, not hiding his admiration for her figure. Chief Officer, may I know your name? The female investigator pursed her lips, a hint of anger in her eyes, but she didnt use the spores to shoot the blazing flames in the end. Relax a bit, Chief Officer. There are only the two of us here. Lets talk. Lets talk about the Empire, the Undead, and this damn Suffering Borderland. Noland Lee looked at the angry but hesitant female investigator and smiled: Did you know, Chief Officer? If it werent for my lack of resources at the moment, you would never have the chance to act so arrogantly in front of me. In my eyes, both you and Marsha Murphy seem as stupid. Sin Soldier No. 888! Watch your words! Dont force me to kill you. The female investigators voice was sharp, and she took a step forward. A flame erupted from the red spores and rushed toward Noland Lees face, but disappeared before touching the tip of his nose. Powerless roars. just as annoving as a dog barking. Noland Lee remained calm, raising his right hand, stretching out his fingers, and pointing to his own head: Your way of thinking is not quite good, which results in you always being led by the enemy. Want me to prove it to you? Sin Soldier No. 888! Raise your hands, hold your head, and squat down! The female investigator withdrew her arm, took out her issued gun from her waist, and held the freezing cold muzzle to Noland Lees chin. Noland Lee moved her gun away with his index finger, and walked towards the metal box on the ground: How much do you know about this magic wand? Do you know what the patterns on it represent? Do you know its status in Death Magic? Do you know what it will bring to the Korabo Legion? The female investigator rushed over, grabbed Noland Lees arm, pushed him away from the box, then used her toes to cover the box, aiming her gun at Noland Lee with both hands: Her eyes widened, grinding her teeth, and said word by word: Sin Soldier No. 888! One more step, and well shoot on the spot! Noland Lee completely ignored her, mumbling: Ah- well, its a pity, Chief Officer. It seems you dont know what this wand does. Considering your terrible attitude, I wont tell you either. Noland Lee turned around, pointing to the direction of the riverbank, and said to the female investigator with a playful smile: Look over there, along that underground riverbank and in its water, there are many, many high-density Death Element Stones. The Vidas Army has earned a big harvest. Theyve intercepted a large number of Death Element Stones, planning to send them back to the Korabo Corps Fortress. The spoils of the Legion have nothing to do with you, Sin Soldier No. 888. You are under arrest now. The female investigator pulled the trigger and fired a silenced bullet from her gun. The bullet head fell beside Noland Lees foot, splashing a shower of stone fragments. Dont provoke me anymore, Sin Soldier No. 888. You guessed right, I really wont kill you. But that doesnt mean you can leave here unscathed. Faced with the female investigators threat, Noland Lee just shrugged his shoulders: Oh, really? Are you planning to break my leg? Which one? If you ask me, you should choose my left or right leg because theyre the weakest. piu- Another silenced bullet shot out, brushing past Noland Lees cheek. Just kidding, dont be so tense. Noland Lee chuckled, slowly moving towards the female investigator: Ive always been puzzled by one thing; where on earth did the Undead Cult get so many casting materials? Oh, sorry, I forgot, you lot are more dim-witted. You dont even know what Im talking about. But, never mind Noland Lee stopped in front of the female investigator, allowing the muzzle of her gun to press against his chest. He outstretched his arm, placing his wrist in front of her: Go on, arrest me. Take me back to the Legion Fortress. Then Ill know the answer to my question. Noland Lees sudden capitulation confused the angry female investigator. It took her a full two seconds to react and realize she should take out the handcuffs. Noland Lee had been leading her by the nose all this time, and a feeling of humiliation welled up in her heart. The female investigator swung her right hand, striking Noland Lees temple with the butt of the gun, and yelled angrily, her saliva splattering: Sin Soldier No. 888! Put your hands on your head and squat down! Noland Lee held his throbbing temple, his body swaying but not squatting uovvn: Only criminals squat down! Dammit, you bunch of pigs with low IQ. Ive made myself so clear, and you still dont get it? Shit, Ive had enough! Serving people like you is like throwing your lives away for nothing. The female investigator tripped Noland Lee, causing him to fall to the ground. Then she bent her knee, pressed it onto his back, forcefully twisted his arm, and handcuffed his hands together. The female investigators anger flared even more after Noland Lees insults. She angrily hammered on his lower back, pulling him up from the ground. Her voice grew shrill due to the overwhelming anger, just like a street scolding shrew: Sin Soldier No. 888, youre finished! Im going to add three charges to your record! Insulting an investigator from Military Intelligence Section Two! Refusing to cooperate during interrogation! Resisting arrest with violence! You just wait to face the gallows! Noland Lee suddenly calmed down. He turned his head and looked at her with a sorrowful expression on his face: Fools arent worth saving. This is a tragically doomed nation. Your actions have actually lifted a great burden from my heart. Thank you. After saying that, Noland Lee fell silent. He checked the system messages that appeared in his mind. [You have received minor damage x4!] [Passive Deconstruction Activated!] [Your Kasha Deconstruction Completion Rate has increased from 0% to 0.6%.] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [1. Deconstruction target is named Kasha, Senior investigator of Military Intelligence Section Two, Sergeant Major Rank, 35 years old this year.] [2. One relatively important recent memory fragment:] [A shady-looking Military Intelligence Section Two personnel, standing in front of Kasha, said:] [I have received reliable intelligence that a group of Death Notice Spies is wandering around Suffering Borderland with a dangerous magical item. That item may be a powerful magic wand. I order you and Lieutenant Cavado to search for the magical item and bring it back to the Korabo Corps Castle for destruction. [Also, I have received information that among these spies is an Imperial Captain named Marsha Murphy. Yes, the same Marsha Murphy rumored to have perished in Grave 669. Obviously, she has joined the enemy. Bring more men with you and be sure to bring the wand back.] No wonder theyre after the Bone-mending Wand Noland Lee looked at the man speaking in the memory fragment. His appearance isnt clear, but the badge on his chest is quite distinct. It reads Magic Wand Destruction Team Leader. It seems that the investigators from Military Intelligence Section Two who came to track down the wand are all members of the Wand Destruction Team.. Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: 87. Be yourself Chapter 136: 87. Be yourself Translator: 549690339 The female investigator took Noland Lee, the metal box, and the cloth bag away. The hidden corner fell into silence. About half an hour later, Murphy appeared here, panting heavily. That bunch from Division Intelligence Unit Two took me seriously. Do they really need to mobilize more than ten elite fighters to track me!? Murphy complained in her heart. She looked at the corner where the poisonous fog rolled, and whispered: Jarvis, hows the magic wand? Jarvis? Jarvis? After several calls and a few laps around the corner, Murphy never saw Noland Lees figure. She quickly took out a copper whistle and blew it. Soon, Corporal Mars came running. Reporting to you, Chief Officer, Mars saluted formally. Mars, have you seen Jarvis? Murphy tried to maintain her composure, but the slightly trembling tail of her voice exposed her inner anxiety. Mars looked around and said, No, Chief Officer. Isnt Jarvis with you? Murphy felt something was wrong immediately. Did he sneak away with the things No, no, impossible. I deliberately added a counterweight block to the metal box. He couldnt lift it on his own. Was he taken by Division Intelligence Unit Two? Murphys eyes darted around, searching the ground nearby. Her vision in the poisonous fog was much better than that of ordinary people. At a glance, she found a bullet shell wedged between the cracks in the rocks. To prevent firearms and ammunition from falling into the hands of illegal forces, the Military Intelligence Department Personnels issued guns and ammunition were specially made, with obvious marks. As soon as Murphy saw the two black lines on the bullet shell, she realized the seriousness of the problemthe black lines were the mark of Division Intelligence Unit Two. Damn itJarvis was taken by Division Intelligence Unit Twos people Definitely, Kashas doing! No wonder I didnt see her on the ground! Murphy clenched the bullet shell, gritted her silver teeth, turned her head, and asked Mars, who had a confused face: Mars, how much magic ore have you collected? How long will it take to transport the magic ore back to the fortress? After estimating silently, Mars said: Report, Chief Officer. Six undead ships, with a total carrying capacity of 2/+00 tons. We have collected about half of the Death Element Stone. The remaining ore has sunk to the bottom and cannot be collected. It will take approximately 8 hours to transport these 1200 tons of magic ore from here to the Legion Fortress. Just getting them to the ground will take at least 5 hours. If we encounter undead counterattacks, the time will be extended a bit. 8 hours 8 hoursNo, there may not be enough time. Murphy pondered as she said: Division Intelligence Unit Two will definitely hide the magic wand. It will take me quite some time just to find the magic wand. I have to find someone to get Jarvis out of him Mars, listen to your orders. Yes, Chief Officer. Mars stood up straight. I order you, try to delay the time as much as possible and dont let this batch of Death Element Stone enter the fortress so quickly. Mars was stunned and puzzled: Chief Officer, did I hear wrong? You want me to delay the time? But this batch of Death Element Stone is too important for the Legion. The longer it takes, the higher the possibility of encountering a counterattack from the undead Murphy raised her hand and stopped the others words: No, Mars, you dont understand the situation. Murphy took a breath to calm her emotions: I shouldnt have told you about these things because they involve Undead Runes and are considered a sin in the Empire. But you are the only one I can trust now. Anyway, in order for you to accomplish my task, I need to tell you my findings. Mars nodded and listened carefully. Murphy took out a notebook from the pocket of her personal clothes, turned to one of the pages, and showed it to Mars. March 6th. I was ambushed by a Death Notice assassin in Grave 669. I was dragged into a Necromancers Crypt where I experienced despairing torture. Before I was rescued by the Emperors Imperial Guard, I observed the general process of the Undead Cult summoning a large number of Undead Creatures. Overall, there are three tasks that the Undead Cult needs to complete. First: The Undead Cult needs to prepare a large number of corpses; the more, the better, but the corpses do not need to be intact. Second: The Undead Cult needs to prepare enough Death Element Stones. I saw with my own eyes that tons of Death Element Stones were depleted of energy by the ritual array. Third: The Undead Cult needs to draw a ritual array containing magical logic. A ritual array is often misunderstood as a huge, bulky, and extravagant disc with lines. People think it should be at least as big as a bedroom. But in fact, it can be compressed to half the size of a card table, or it can be carved on a dinner plate, or even become an inconspicuous pattern on a spoon handle. For example, in the summoning ritual I witnessed, the ritual array used by the Death Priest was engraved on a rib. The size of the ritual array depends on the engravers skill. This is very similar to the alchemy array of the Golden Federation. Of course, Im not doubting that the Golden Federation planned the Undead disaster. They have their own troubles and dont have the energy to disrupt our kingdom. In a word: After meeting the three conditions of casting materials, ritual array, and energy source, the Undead Cult can summon a large number of undead creatures. As long as we concentrate our efforts to eliminate one of these three conditions, the Undead Cult will not be able to use ocean-like undead to deal with us.. Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: 87. Be Yourself_2 Chapter 137: 87. Be Yourself_2 Translator: 549690339 Marsha Murphy Written in the Gloomy Borderland of Suffering The contents of the notebook end here. Mars doesnt know about death magic, but that doesnt mean hes not smart. He looked back at the riverside, and at the spot where the metal box had been placed, opened his mouth slightly, his expression frozen with astonishment: Chief, do you mean that there is a summoning ritual array on the magic wand? Murphy nodded slowly: Yes. I was reminded by someone to carefully study the secret of the magic wand. There are not only ritual arrays on the wand but also some other patterns. However, my understanding of death magic is limited, and I couldnt distinguish the meaning of those patterns. Mars shook his head in amazement: The Military Intelligence Section Two brought the wand into the fortress, and we then transported the Death Element Stone, which is equivalent to providing the Undead Cult with the two conditions for the summoning ritual. How can the third condition be achieved? There shouldnt be so many remains in the legion fortress Murphys eyes were misty, and she paused, sighing softly: Yes, Mars. This is also the part that puzzles me. The imperial military fortress has long prohibited the long-term storage of remains. Even the morgues night watchman has been replaced with an imperial soldier. With only the remains in the morgue, the Undead Cult should not be able to cause trouble within the legion fortress. It is because the casting materials condition is not met that I didnt take my research record to remind the legion commander, but just tried to keep the wand from entering the fortress. Murphy looked at the underground river, her eyes somewhat hazy: Perhaps Im wrong, Mars. The simultaneous appearance of the Death Element Stone and the wand in the legion fortress is just a coincidence, not the product of careful planning. Now in retrospect, I just got overstimulated by Kasha taking Jarvis away, so I ordered you to delay the transportation of the magic ore in an emergency. Murphy looked at the underground river as if trying to see something from the stinking river water. She pondered for almost half a minute, shaking her hand and saying: Never mind, Mars. I withdraw my order just now. I was too impulsive. Eh I am too impulsive and not suitable to lead soldiers into battle. Seeing Murphy withdraw the order, Mars didnt mention the previous topic again but asked instead: Chief, what about Jarvis? No one can withstand the interrogation of Military Intelligence Section Two. As soon as she thought of the Military Intelligence Department personnel forcibly taking Jarvis away from her, Murphys face instantly became cold. Ill have Lieutenant Grett intercept Kasha. Ill have Jarvis locked up in an ordinary prison, rather than the Interrogation Room of Military Intelligence Section Two, on the grounds that he holds the secrets of Division Four. Murphy sighed with a sense of helplessness: I can only do so much. If there is no turning point in the situation, he may have to stay in prison for a very long time as for my promise to him I can only do my best. After speaking, Murphy turned and walked into the poisonous fog, leaving the area with swirling vapor. Mars fell silent for a few seconds before turning and walking towards the riverside: Poor Jarvis, you were almost about to harvest medals and a new life Mars sighed heavily again: Im in trouble too Those warrant officers will surely make me modify the Undead Runes Korabo Corps Fortress. The Military Intelligence Section Two convoy drove through the city walls and entered the crowded street alley. Inside the tightly closed carriage, Noland Lee frowned and pondered. The cold and hard shackles that bound his hands and feet scraped his skin and caused bleeding. Noland didnt care about these things at all. He always believed that as long as he kept thinking, pain would disappear. Find the truth in thinking, find the turning point in the truth, solve the problem in the turning point, and then the pain will naturally disappear. Focusing too much on temporary suffering and gains and losses would only interfere with thinking, interrupt it, and make oneself confused and frustrated. Once people become confused, they will lose their direction, take a detour, or even backtrack. Noland was clear about this, so he was obsessed with the feeling of being awake, not wanting to sink into the ocean of desire. Hiss The steam locomotive made a sudden stop. Nolands body swayed, pulling himself out of his thoughts. Noisy quarrels came from the front of the convoy. Noland vaguely distinguished Kasha and Lieutenant Gretts voices, but he couldnt hear the specifics of the quarrel. After about two minutes, the quarrel stopped abruptly. Kasha stomped on the stone bricks and came to the side of the carriage, rudely pulled open the door, and grabbed Noland out: Sin Soldier No. 888, youre lucky! Remember, Ill be watching you. I remember everything you said to me underground, and they will become solid evidence of your violent resistance to arrest. Noland completely ignored the noisy sound and didnt even look at Kasha, treating her as if she were air. Lieutenant Grett walked toward Noland and received no more attention than Kasha. Nolands mind was not on these people. He glanced around at the Military Intelligence Department Personnel and Imperial Soldiers surrounding him. He looked at the sewers and manhole covers on both sides of the street and the train and tracks not far from the narrow road, and finally, his eyes shot straight up into the clouds. Noland looked up at the sky, chuckling, with a relaxed brow: Heh, so thats how it is. I thought the legion fortress was impregnable, easy to defend but hard to attack. Now it seems, its no big deal. Jarvis, what are you talking about? Lieutenant Grett had just been promoted recently, and his uniform was still brand new.. Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: 87. Be Yourself_3 Chapter 138: 87. Be Yourself_3 Translator: 549690339 He had heard about Noland Lees affairs from Murphy, knowing what mission the young man before him was tasked with. He was somewhat concerned about Noland Lees mental state, but not out of kindness, rather out of caution. He worried that Noland Lee might have his mind twisted and his spirit tainted by coming into contact with too many Undead Runes. Noland Lee reined in his smile and looked calmly at Grett: Lead the way, Chief Officer. Are we going to the Imprisonment Room of the Third Underground Level? Your eyebrows twitched, it seems I guessed right. How boring too easy Noland Lee laughed heartily, drawing even more attention to himself. His gibberish and inexplicable laughter made it easy for people to think he was mentally unstable. Noland Lee cleared his throat with a light cough, restrained his smile, and resumed his cold demeanor: Ahem, I apologize. Having been stuck in this godforsaken place for so long, I somewhat miss my hometown. I dont usually talk like this. Its just that Ive been holding it in for a long time, and after being stimulated, I got a little carried away. Usually, I am quite polite and sensible. Captain Gretts eyebrows were tightly knotted, as if he couldnt keep up with Noland Lees train of thought. He paused for half a second before realizing that he still had something important to do. Enough with the nonsense, follow me. Captain Grett grabbed Noland Lee by the shoulder and escorted him to the castle at the end of the street: Watch your words, Jarvis. Youre still a Sin Soldier, and you must obey discipline. The soldiers on the street cast their gazes at the group. As the person involved, Noland Lee nonchalantly returned their glances without any sign of an accelerated heartbeat or blushing embarrassment, as relaxed as if he were just taking a stroll after dinner. Dont pay attention to the gazes of others, especially those who have no benefit relationship with you. Noland Lee had understood this principle since he was 8 years old. No matter the soldiers or military officers before him, they were all passers-by in his eyes. Only a few people were worth his attention. Grett, send me a hearty dinner. Ill stress it again, Sin Soldier No. 888. Your identity is that of a Sin Soldier, and you have no right to order me around. Oh. Noland Lee turned back, and shouted to the Division Intelligence Unit Two team behind him: Kasha, I have something to tell you, its about Murph Enough! Captain Grett growled under his breath, glaring at Noland Lee: Follow me. As for dinner, Ill handle it. Why not say it sooner, instead of waiting for me to take action? Do you think I watched those palace dramas and imperial dramas before crossing for nothing? I just dont want to use it on you. Noland Lee laughed and said: Remember, Grett, a new era begins tonight. War is never one-dimensional, it is as multidimensional and voluptuous as a dancing girl. Imperial Soldiers and ordinary soldiers could not grasp this fact, which is a perfectly normal phenomenon. It was a limitation of the times. But it was not Noland Lees limitation. Noland Lee laughed from the bottom of his heart. That was the reason he had been unhappy. He had been trying to fit into this era and become a part of this new world. But in reality, he did not have to constrain himself like that. Why not let this world adapt to him? If he had never gained the power of the System, when he encountered setbacks, he would surely look for the causes within himself first. That has always been his way. But now he had the System. If he encountered setbacks, it must be because there was a problem with external factors, not that he himself was at fault. Since thats the case, why not use the System to properly correct others mistakes? No It was more about benefiting and absorbing nutrients from others mistakes. Tatis, this ghost place, is not worth my salvation. I should stand by its side like a vulture, drawing all I need from its death. Starting tonight.. Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: 88. Exert energy Chapter 139: 88. Exert energy Translator: 549690339 The isolation room of the Korabo Corps Fortress is located on the third underground level of the Legion Castle. Drinking and causing a commotion, unauthorized use of controlled medicine, illegal reading of controlled books, leaving ones post without permission anyone who violates the order of the fortress will be locked up here. Narrow pigeon cages, hard floors, and foul-smelling thatched pits are standard features of these rooms. There are no beds or windows. The floor serves as the bed, and the flat, elongated window on the door serves as the window. The corridor light that enters through the flat window is the only source of illumination. From the moment Noland Lee was brought into the isolation room until Captain Grett locked the metal door, he had not spoken a word, silently enduring the terrible air and the cramped room. In fact, ever since his Energy Points soared to over three thousand, Noland Imew his turning point had come. Reflecting on it now, his mindset had begun to change from the moment his Energy Points exploded, giving him the confidence to say, You cant rely on me. Through the door, Captain Grett glanced at the silent Noland, and knocking on the door outside, he said: Jarvis, the captain told me to tell you that she will try her best to get you out. I dont know why she values you so much, but youd better behave. The captain ordered me to lock you up in the isolation room, not to serve your food and drink. Despite his words, Grett still arranged for a delicious dinner for Noland. Elaborately prepared tomato beef soup, crisp and delicious vegetable shreds, accompanied by sweet and fragrant milk bread slices. The sumptuous dinner could be described as envy-inducing. The soldiers locked in the isolation room, upon smelling the enticing aroma, began pounding on their doors, asking the guards why the newly arrived soldier would receive such treatment. It took several guards to shout them down and restore order. Noland paid no heed to the commotion. He sat on the ground, leisurely eating the delicious food on the tray. After tonight, it would be a bit difficult to enjoy another meal like this one. At least until he left the Suffering Borderland, tender and smooth stewed beef brisket would be considered a luxury. Noland took a sip of hot soup and called up his Personal Panel. After being delayed by a series of events for so long, he finally had the chance to upgrade his skills. Within the next 8 to 10 hours, a disaster would definitely occur in the Korabo Corps Fortress. Noland firmly believed this. The time frame corresponds to 10 pm to 12 am. Dark and windy nights, chaotic fortresses, were the perfect time to break free from the Legions control entirely. The Fear Spell needed to be prioritized for upgrading. It is a very useful control skill. If used well, it can not only control the Legion soldiers but also make them attract the Undead, achieving two goals at once. Noland operated through his thoughts and spent some Energy Points. [System Message: The level of Fear Spell has been upgraded from Level 1 to Level 5] [The effect of Fear Spell has been enhanced!] [The duration of Fear Spell has been increased by 10 seconds. It is now 15 seconds.] [The number of targets you can apply Fear Spell on has increased by 2. You can now cast Fear Spell on three targets simultaneously.] Hmm, not bad. It can be considered a small-scale group control skill. I just dont know if there will be any light and shadow effects when casting Fear Spelll hope not. Noland nodded in satisfaction and spent another handful of Energy Points. This time he upgraded Magic Shield, also to level 5. As for why he did not continue upgrading after level 5 That is simply because the cost-effectiveness had decreased. Upgrading from level 1 to level 2 requires 10 Points of Energy Value. From level 2 to level 3 needs 20 Points of Energy Value, an increase of 10 points. By this logic, the upgrade consumption is equal to the level multiplied by 10. From level 4 to level 5, it requires 1+0 points. From level 5 to level 6, it needs 50 points. The cost-effectiveness drops dramatically. Noland is not yet rich enough to ignore upgrade consumption, so he can only carefully calculate and raise his skills to level 5 before stopping. He operated through his thoughts and eventually upgraded Fear Spell, Enslavement of Deceased, Magic Shield, and the concealed trump card, Death Finger, to level 5. As for Soul Bribery and the ritual array for summoning large numbers of Undead Troops, Noland did not upgrade them. Although Soul Bribery is only at level 1, it is sufficient. This is because it is a rather awkward skill. Powerful Undead can instantly kill Noland, leaving him no chance to use Soul Bribery. Weak Undead cannot defeat Noland, so there is no need for bribery. Therefore, Noland does not plan to upgrade it. Summoning Undead with a ritual array, this kind of strategic skill would not be needed in the short term. so there is no need to lingrade it- Only skills like Enslavement of Deceased and Magic Shield truly affect individual combat power. After upgrading Enslavement of Deceased, the number of controlled targets has increased. Noland can now control five Lost Souls at the same time. Magic Shield enhances the shields thickness. Upon reaching level 5, 0.1 points of Soul Strength can be converted into 15 points of shield strength. The trump card skill Death Finger has also been upgraded. Its skill consumption has been reduced, dropping from 100 points of Soul Strength and Energy Points to 90 points, a total decrease of 10 points. Each level upgrade reduces the consumption by 2 points. Honestly, this upgrade effect was a bit beyond Nolands expectations. If it werent for the severe shrinkage of Energy Points, he would have wanted to level up Death Finger directly to level 50 and see if he could cast the skill without consuming any points.. Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: 88. Exert energy_2 Chapter 140: 88. Exert energy_2 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee still had a trump card skill for crossing the Blade Mountain Range. Unfortunately, this skill couldnt be upgraded, and it was already at its highest level when he obtained it. Noland Lee looked at his Personal Panel. He had more than 2400 Energy Points left. It took 5 points of energy to control five Lost Souls. Casting Death Finger once required 90 points. Casting Magic Shield once required 1 point. Frightening a target required 1 point. Soul Bribery also required 1 point of energy for each use. To be on the safe side, Noland Lee decided to reserve over 400 energy points as a backup. He could consider lowering his energy points only after finding a safe landing place. Anyway, he shouldnt expect his energy points to recover automatically in the short term. The longer I stay in this Suffering Borderland, the more energy points I will recover automatically, and the greater my loss. I must leave this ghost place as soon as possible. Noland Lee patted his chest lightly, feeling the pain in his heart. Only by drawing dozens of cards in the Death Spell UP Pool could he ease the regret in his heart. It was an excellent opportunity to check out the new skills he had acquired and see if they were worth upgrading while drawing from the card pool. He brought up Martyrs Ten Commandments Summary, without hesitation, and invested 1000 energy points. [System Message: You have consumed 1000 energy points, harmlessly deconstructed Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary. ] [You still need to invest 3900 energy points to achieve 100% deconstruction completion.] [In this Harmless Deconstruction, you have achieved the following:] Undead Troops Basic Encyclopedia, 100% completeness.] Basic Knowledge of Necromantic Domain Construction, 100% completeness.] Two Construction Methods of Undead Soldier Factory: Bus Type and Soul Axis Type, 100% completeness.] Production Guide and Illustrated Explanation of Elite Undead Troops, 16% completeness.] Noland Lee saw a waterfall of system texts appear before him. These 1000 energy points were absolutely worth it, just for the amount of death-related knowledge books he got, enough to make ones eyes dizzy. After about ten books of knowledge passed before him, Noland Lee finally caught a glimpse of the death -related spell blueprints! [System Message: You have acquired three spell blueprints.] [They are:] [1. Spell Blueprint: Limb Reattachment, 100% completeness.] [2. Spell Blueprint: Cripple Technique, 100% completeness.] [3. Spell Blueprint: Tracking the Living, 100% completeness.] Limb Reattachment Technique? Is it attaching someone elses limb to my body? Wouldnt that turn me into Gresick? Noland Lee muttered in his heart and opened the Limb Reattachment magic panel. Oh well, I was overthinking it. Its actually a sewing-type death magic that allows the undead to take materials from the surroundings to repair themselves. Its essentially a healing spell specifically for undead creatures. If the attached limb is strong enough, it can barely be considered a spell for strengthening undead troops. Noland Lee shook his head and sighed, then opened the Cripple Technique and Tracking the Living magic panels. These two spells are nice. Cripple Spell can forcefully reduce the targets movement speed. Tracking the Living is a magic vision spell that can track living beings within a horizontal distance of 20 meters and a vertical distance of 10 meters; the higher the level, the greater the vision range. Noland Lee spent three energy points and learned all three spells. He activated Tracking the Living, and the scene before him instantly faded to grayscale, a monotonous sight composed of black, white, and gray. And the soldiers in the adjacent and opposite rooms appeared as dark red silhouettes in his field of view. This skill is interesting, as it can see through walls, turning me into a real wall hacker. Well, it doesnt count as hacking if its just a little peeking. Noland Lee went to the thatched pit and directed his eyes towards the water, shaking his head slightly with a hint of regret: The only downside is that my eyes turn pure black without any white when casting this spell. It looks like Ill need to wear sunglasses or a hood to cover my eyes in the future. Noland Lee deactivated Tracking the Living but didnt bother trying the Cripple Spell. Because he was the only one here, he couldnt cripple himself .. Noland Lee took a glance at his personal panel, and he still had over 1400 energy points left. It would be difficult to say whether the three newly acquired skills needed to be upgraded immediately. Anyway, he planned to reserve 400 energy points, so it wouldnt be too late to upgrade on the spot. Noland Lee once again accessed the Death Spell UP Pool, without hesitation, invested 1000 energy points. Now, he only had more than 400 backup energy points left on the books. [System Message: You have consumed 1000 energy points, harmlessly deconstructed Martyrdom Ten Commandments C Outline.] [You still need to invest 2900 energy points to achieve 100% deconstruction completion.] [In this Harmless Deconstruction, you have achieved the following: J Research Report on Undead Monks Cultivation Methods, 32% completeness.] Faith Attribution of Undead Monks, 80% completeness.] [3. Extraordinary Path of Undead Monks, 30% completeness.] [4. How Undead Monks Protect Themselves, 50% completeness.] Hiss Have I stumbled upon the Undead Monks lair? Why are there so many books about Undead Monks It took a full half a minute for the system to finish broadcasting the results of this Harmless Deconstruction. Noland Lees eyebrows furrowed as he scanned the text waterfall before him.. Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: 88. Expend Energy_3 Chapter 141: 88. Expend Energy_3 Translator: 549690339 This time, he didnt deconstruct a spell blueprint, not even a fragmented one. All were books pertaining to the life, work and rest of Undead Monks Judging from the introductions of the books, the authors were not part of the Undead Cult but rather appeared to have written these books after in-depth observations of the Undead Cult, likely masterpieces of the Death Herald Guild. Noland Lee didnt know the real situation, but looking at these books, he felt his eyebrows twitching violently and a feeling of suffocation in his chest. This is a massive loss 1000 energy points exchanged for a pile of textbooks. Noland Lee sighed with his head down and absentmindedly opened a book to start reading. After all, it was exchanged with energy points. No matter what, he had to at least skim through it all. Otherwise, the energy points would be wasted. Noland Lee, following the order from top to bottom, took Cultivation Guidance for Undead Monks as the first read. As his reading deepened, his expression changed from regret to profundity, and then from profundity to severity. After finishing the book, he immediately consumed 1 energy point to remember it all, then brought out the magic panel of Mark of Resentment. At this moment, a dramatic change had already occurred in the Usage column of the Mark of Resentment. Detailed text information finally appeared for the Meditation entry, no longer just saying, You have not yet obtained the meditation knowledge about this mark. [Usage of Mark of Resentment] [Meditation] Activate the mark to enter meditation state. Memories related to Resentment will be forcibly awakened, and you shall be immersed in it. If you can break out of it, you may obtain Spirit attribute points. The meditation process will continuously consume Soul Strength. The consumption of Soul Strength is related to the difficulty of meditation. The more intense the Resentment emotion in the memory fragment is, the higher the difficulty of meditation will be and thus, more Soul Strength will be needed. You can only obtain Spirit attribute points from each Resentment memory once. [Instructions] Because you obtained this meditation method through Harmless Deconstruction, the system has stripped away meditation steps that would pollute the soul for you. These steps include: drawing meditation ritual patterns, preparing meditation materials, chanting meditation prayers, begging for meditation permissions from designated targets, etc. Now, you just need to select Mark of Resentment on the panel and quietly chant Meditation to begin your meditation. At last, Ive got a method to increase the Spirit attribute! In the dim isolation room, Noland Lee clenched his fist, waved it, and a broad smile lifted the corners of his mouth. He had been waiting for this moment for too long. Who would have thought that the method to improve the Spirit attribute would be hidden in Research Report on Undead Monks Cultivation Methods? These series of research books on Undead Monks definitely were the teaching materials within the Death Herald Guild. Following the logic of these magic teaching materials, anyone could become an Extraordinary member of the Death Herald Guild. Noland Lee summarised the ideas in the books roughly as follows: The undead despise the world of the living, yet they also yearn for their own memories. They recall their past in agony. Some undead will fall in their recollection, longing to return to the livings side. These kinds of undead will gradually fade due to becoming lost and eventually, their soul will wither. Only the Undead who conquer their past and their memories can gain sublimation from their painful recollections, making their consciousness stronger. The people of the Death Herald Guild, referencing the Undeads method of enhancing the Spirit, have researched a meditation method suitable for living people. This meditation method is called by the people of the Death Herald Guild as Martyrdom Meditation Method. That was roughly the idea. In Noland Lees view, this method of increasing the Spirit attribute was like a masochistic version of mental asceticism. As long as one could bear the pain of the memories and endure it, they would become stronger. This was the core principle of the Martyrdom Meditation Method. Considering the meditation method, magic wand, magic books and other aspects, the Death Herald Guild, a group kept out of the public view by the Empire, seemed to be a group of wizards. Otherwise, how could magic wands and meditation methods come out from the Death Herald Guild? Noland Lee slapped his forehead, feeling quite the revelation. Since he crossed over, his schedule had been so packed that he didnt realize the relation between the Death Herald Guild and wizards until now. Regaining his composure, Noland Lee rose, approached the door, and peeked through the window on the door panel into the corridor. It should be around 6 pm in the evening, less than 4 hours away from 10 pm. There was still plenty of time. Given this, he might as well try meditation. Noland Lee returned to his seat, crossed his legs, leaned against the wall, and closed his eyes. He chanted in his mind: Activate Mark of Resentment, start meditation. [System Message: Memory of Noland Lee Jarvis has been activated. The system has filtered out memory fragments related to Resentment for you.] [Please choose one from these fragments] As the system text flashed by in his mind, several small windows appeared, each containing a snapshot of a memory fragment. These windows were the memory fragments Noland Lee could choose from, all related to Resentment. The system had kindly annotated the difficulty of meditation and the Soul Strength required to meditate on this fragment under each window. The difficulty of these memory pieces for meditation was not high, ranging from level 1 to level 5. Noland Lee casually chose a memory fragment with level 1 difficulty to start his first meditation. Maintaining his closed-eye posture, a glow gradually brightened before his eyes. Vague chattering could be heard beside his ears.. Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: 89. Opening drumbeat Chapter 142: 89. Opening drumbeat Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee always believed that there was an insurmountable gap between him and the Original Master. He wouldnt empathize with the Original Masters memories. Indeed, it was so. He acted from the main perspective during meditation. He saw the doll his parents bought for his little sister, heard their praises, and observed their disgusted glances towards himself. These scenes, sounds, and expressions were played back through memory, presented before Noland Lee. At the same time, the resentment deep within the Original Masters heart appeared in Noland Lees own. However, Noland Lee always remained unmoved. He silently bore the Original Masters experiences and understood his mindset. The unfair treatment and accumulated resentment from the Original Master passed through his mind without leaving a trace. Ive seen your past suffering, Noland Lee Jarvis. Im not a person who gets trapped in painful memories, even though I am in a difficult situation now. Noland Lee closed his eyes and tilted his head slightly upwards. The memories in his mind continued to play. He heard the admonishments from the Original Masters parents and felt the humiliation and anger when the Original Master was bullied. Noland Lee exhaled slowly, murmuring to himself: People often think that suffering makes one stronger. However, in reality, most people are tortured by suffering to the point of becoming unrecognizable. They become weak, disabled, barely alive until they die. In my view, suffering is never worth praising. What we should truly admire is the rationality, determination, and courage demonstrated in the face of suffering. I will honor the soul contract between you and me, Noland Lee Jarvis. Now, let your memories be gone with the wind. As his words fell, Noland Lee heard a faint, shattering sound, weak but incredibly clear, as if it were coming from his brain. Afterwards, a refreshing stream flowed from the depths of his mind, encircling his cerebral cortex before returning into the depths of his mind. That brief moment of comfort made Noland Lee emit a satisfied low hum, like drinking ice-cold cola on a hot summer day. [System Message: You successfully freed yourself from one of Noland Lee Jarviss memories.] [Your Spirit +1.] [Your Energy Points limit +1] [You recovered 1 Energy Point.] [Your current Energy Points are: 412/16 points.] [You meditated for 3 hours, consuming a total of 30 Soul Strength points.] Noland Lee opened his eyes and smiled at the gray wall in front of him. Simply watching other peoples memories and experiencing their inner changes could earn 1 Spirit point. This was too convenient and efficient. Its hard not to love the meditation method developed by the Death Herald Guild. Noland Lee grinned, looking at his Personal Panel, and his smile froze, turning from playful to bitter Was the meditation consumption a joke? Exchanging 30 Soul Strength points for 1 Spirit point? Whats the difference between that and robbery? Poor Noland Lee had painstakingly accumulated 60 Soul Strength points, which were suddenly cut in half, leaving only 30 points remaining. As expected, high efficiency corresponds to high consumption. The 30-to-l conversion ratio was indeed somewhat unbearable. Oh well, I can collect more Soul Strength. At least I found a way to increase Spirit, so I should be happy. Noland Lee rubbed his stiff cheeks and got up. He walked to the door and peeked outside. It was about 9 PM now. In as little as 1 hour or as much as 3 hours, chaos would erupt in the Legion Fortress. He had to make preparations for the upcoming actions. Noland Lee sat cross-legged on the floor, facing the wall. He began drawing a rough map of the Legion Fortress on the dusty surface. His spatial awareness had always been excellent. He had already mapped the entire ground level after accompanying Sully on a few walks around the fortress. Speaking of Sully Noland Lees eyes narrowed slightly. To appease Sully and not take things further with her, he had to resort to his self-created Ancient Tatis Confrontation Card. To be on the safe side, he should eliminate Sully to prevent any leak of information. However, Noland Lee didnt think he was that ruthless and decided against it. Ugh, Im still too young. Although I can discern the truth, I cant bring myself to kill. Besides, killing might not solve the problem. Maybe Sully has already reported everything about us to her master. Noland Lee shook his head, sighed, and continued making the simple fortress map. Tap, tap, tap Footsteps echoed from the corridor outside the door. Noland Lee raised an eyebrow and swiftly smeared the wall, erasing half of the map he had just drawn. The footsteps gradually approached and stopped in front of Noland Lees room. He looked up and met teary eyes. The visitor was none other than Sully, who was forced by Intelligence Officer 2 to have a blind date with Noland Lee and eventually became interested in him. Noland Lee could only put on a forced smile, as he gazed at her tearful eyes. He got up and walked to the door. The guard by Sullys side sternly slammed the metal stick on the door, making a clanging noise: Step back, dont lean against the door. You have 10 minutes to talk. Sully fumbled in her purse, took out a stack of paper and handed it to the guard: I have some private matters to discuss, so can you please step back a bit? Will this be okay? Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: 89. Opening Drumbeat_2 Chapter 143: 89. Opening Drumbeat_2 Translator: 549690339 Guards rubbed the paper in their hands, slightly nodded, dropped a sentence, and walked away expressionlessly: Remember, you only have 10 minutes. As the guards walked away, Sully leaned towards the door, tears glistening in her eyes. Wiping her tears, she whispered: Jarvis, have you been treated unfairly? I have settled things with the guards outside, and they promised to deliver food and drinks to you on time Noland Lee sighed inwardly. The charm of his current appearance was astonishingly powerful, at least three times as effective as an ordinary persons. The charm was indeed deadly. To be honest, such a charm level wouldnt be considered extraordinary in the city district. There were many handsome men and beautiful women there, and everyone had ways to vent their loneliness. But in the strict and disciplined Legion Fortress, it was enough to enchant every lonely woman. Facing Sully, who was completely infatuated, Noland Lee shook his head and interrupted her: Sully. Thank you for doing so much for me. Thank you. What Sullys expression froze, her mouth opened, and her tears flowed even heavier. Noland Lee slowly approached the door and said: But you must understand that we are impossible. I knew that from the beginning. I admit, your appearance, figure, knowledge, and profession are impeccable. If we were at a different time, in a different place, with different identities, we might have had a better outcome. But now, Sully, face reality. Dont waste your time and money on a troublesome person like me. It will not only cause you pain but also add to my burden. My existence is a mistake, so lets end it here. Sully covered her mouth, lowered her head, and tears streamed down her face: I know, Jarvis. I have known about your situation from the Chief Officer for a long time. I also know that there would be no end to our relationship, but I still want to do something. Unrequited love is somewhat similar to wetting ones pants. Everyone can smell the scent of unrequited love, but only the person wearing the wet pants can feel the warmth Although this analogy was crude, it was not wrong Facing Sully, who cried even harder, Noland Lee raised his hand and knocked on the door: Sully, tell me, what time is it now? Sully tried to stop crying, rummaging through the purse and taking out a mechanical clock: Now now its 9:30 PM. What is the safest place in the Legion Fortress, where the Imperial Fist is always guarded? Noland Lee asked again. The armory and the medicine warehouse are the safest the medicine warehouse is located deep inside the Medical Department, and there will be several Lieutenants guarding it. After thinking for two seconds, Noland Lee said: Alright, I understand. Your time is almost up, you should go. We are done here, understand? Do not get too attached to me. You will meet someone more suitable in the future. Sully cried some more, covering her face with both hands and sobbing. I know, I know I just cant accept your situation all of a sudden Why did they treat you like this? You were just following orders. Youre not a Death Notice Spy, nor a life-threatening bandit. Why did they? Sully left with tears and sobs, her beautiful figure indescribably desolate. Her cries only completely disappeared from Noland Lees ears when the sluice gate at the end of the corridor was closed by the guard. *Squeak* A pair of eyes appeared on the door across from him. The owner of the eyes grinned at Noland Lee and made two calls: Mate, youve got some skills. We all heard it. How did you make that woman so devoted to you? Hehe, yeah A woman came here late at night and cried so pitifully, it almost broke my heart. Goofy conversations spread from the nearby isolation rooms. Listening to the commotion, the guard opened the sluice gate and knocked on the wall a few times with a metal rod, and the corridor fell quiet again. Noland Lee had no time to engage with those soldiers. He returned to the ground, sitting cross-legged and continuing to sketch the fortress map. *Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle* In the dim isolation room, Noland Lee was holding his arm and staring at the map he had made. Suddenly, the sound of bubbles bursting came from the toilet pit in the corner. Undead spirits are here? Noland Lee raised an eyebrow, quickly wiped away the map, and looked at the water surface next to the thatched pit. A few strands of dark green sewage rose from below the water surface, carrying bubbles to the surface. These bubbles were also dark green. They burst on the surface, releasing a similarly colored gas into the air. Noland Lee locked his eyes on the strange colored gas and unleashed the Deconstruction technique. [System Message: You are about to deconstruct A Strand of Undead Poisonous Fog.] Not bad, just as I thought. Using the connection between groundwater and the fortresss water channels, the Undead Poisonous Fog spreads throughout the Legion Fortress. This is the Undead Cults first step in destroying the Korabo Corps Fortress. This alone is enough to kill a third of the people in the fortress. Those who survive are either Military Officers who have had their First Strengthening Injection or ordinary soldiers and people who are not asleep yet. Noland Lee did not reveal his plan to Sully, nor did he issue any further warnings to her.. Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: 89. Opening Drumbeat_3 Chapter 144: 89. Opening Drumbeat_3 Translator: 549690339 Because there was no need, no reason, to protect a person who wouldnt be involved with him anymore at the risk of exposing himself. Besides, she only interacted with him following the orders of Division Intelligence Unit Three, not out of genuine desire. As Noland Lee has previously said: If we could change the time, change the place, change our identities, and meet again, the outcome would naturally be better. The fault lies in the identities of both parties and the timing of the encounter. After all, who wouldnt be attracted to a gentle woman with voluptuous curves? Noland was not someone filled with excessive kindness; he did not have the urge to protect Sully. Therefore, whether it was Sullys pretty face or her ample waist, none could move his heart. Noland took off his shirt and stuffed it into the thatched pit, blocking the bubbling water surface. The poisonous gas wafting out of the pit was immediately reduced. Noland moved to the side of the door, squinting out. Traces of toxic fog were already drifting out from the isolation rooms on both sides of the corridor. The toxic gas snuck out through the window in the door, entered the bright corridor nonchalantly, travelled through the underground levels ventilation system, slipped into the vents on the walls, and wafted towards other corners of the castle. Noland took off his pants and plugged them into the small window on the door, slowing down the time it took for the outside poisonous gas to enter the room. He had a way to survive in the toxic fog, but that would consume Energy Points and Soul Strength. To save his limited casting resources, he needed to get a Breathing Mask as soon as possible. Noland looked at the wall; his gaze penetrated through several walls and landed on the duty room of the guards. He activated Track the Living and saw two guards fast asleep in the duty room. Gurgling, gurgling Two muffled sounds came from the thatched pit in the corner. A large amount of toxic gas spurted out from the gaps in the shirt, wandering around in the narrow isolation room. Noland listened attentively to the outside noise, nodded to himself, and began calculating the best time to hold his breath. Hey hey! Bang bang bang! A soldier woke up from his dream, knocking on the door while shouting into the corridor: Hey hey hey! Guards! Quick! What the hell is happening! Cough cough Why is there Undead poisonous gas in my room! Cough cough. A hoarse cry for help came from another isolation room: Help! Quickly open the door! Cough cough Help! Anyone there! Guards! The coughing and panting screams reached Nolands ears and the third underground level became noisy. Those soldiers, in pain, desperation, and helplessness, were like people being smothered by quicksand, or ducks sinking to the bottom of the water. The guards they hoped for did not appear. Only Noland knew that those two guards were already dead in their sleep. Alcohol and poisonous fog from the water pits had taken their lives. Bang, Dang, Dang. Nextdoor, a series of muffled knocks sounded as the soldier locked inside banged against the door like a madman. The remaining soldiers also started to bang on the door, hoping to escape their tombs. Crash! A door was forced open and hit the wall. A powerful soldier, clutching his chest and coughing violently, walked out of the isolation room and staggered along the wall. Matecough cough Help mecough. Open the door for me. Cough cough cough, quickly open the door, matelm dyingcough cough cough Open the dooropen the door The other soldiers in the isolation rooms, after having witnessed that soldier hazily entering the corridor, hastily cried out for help, The soldier, who received everyones hope, fell to the ground with a loud thud after taking just a few steps in the corridor. His fall seemed to be the opening beat to the chapter of death. A series of heavy thuds came continuously from the isolation rooms. In the blink of an eye, Noland Lee was the only living person left in the vast third underground level. Noland Lee took a deep breath, held it, took down the pants blocking the window, and put them on.. He locked his gaze on the soldiers corpse in the corridor and silently commanded: Rise, Lost Soul. Unseen energy waves followed Nolands gaze and fell on the soldiers corpse. The soldier who had just lost his life, controlled like a puppet with pulled strings, moved his joints and slowly stood up from the ground. Ah- is this the power of controlling the dead? Quite fascinating indeed. No wonder so many people are drawn to death. Noland felt a silent exclamation as he gave an order to open the doors to his first undead servitor. Im sorry, Korabo Legion. Given the chains and suffering youve inflicted on me, I wont do anything for you in this feast of death. I will quietly watch as you step into your grave, turning into dust in the pages of history I wonder how many soul fragments the death of the Extraordinary can bring me. Really looking forward to it. Crash. The dead outside opened the door for Noland, silently standing aside, welcoming their newly freed master. Mhhh- Humming Rise up Dead Man, Noland emerged from the isolation room, leisurely as a poet strolling under the sun.. Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: 90. Spy” Yuge Chapter 145: 90. Spy Yuge Translator: 549690339 The internal security of the Korabo Legion is quite lax. There arent even any breathing masks or filter cartridges provided in the guard room Suppressing his breath, Noland Lee quickly rummaged through the guardroom under the illumination of the coal lamp, skillfully searching without daring to slack off. He opened drawers, turned over bed boards, and checked storage cabinets, searching every possible location but never finding any trace of breathing masks or filter cartridges. The internal defense of this Legion fortress is full of loopholes, which I truly despise. Have they never considered the possibility of an undead invasion? Feeling helpless, Noland Lee changed his course, taking the key ring from the guard and opening the great gate to the third underground level, and entered the empty staircase. There were no ventilation ducts or sewage pipes in the staircase, making it one of the handful of places with the thinnest concentrations of the undead poison fog. Noland Lee took a few deep breaths here, purging the waste gases from his body, then sucked in fresh air before reentering the guard room of the third underground level. In the guardroom, there were firearms, ammunition, plate armor, armored clothing, along with essential combat supplies such as hemostatic and nutrient solutions. Noland Lee took a uniform and protective gear from the storage cabinet, put them on himself, then armed himself with a gun and a short-barreled rifle. He grabbed several nutrient solutions and hemostatics and stuffed them into his pockets. He returned to the staircase to get a breath of fresh air, then went back to the guard room, crossed the metal gate, and entered the corridor of the isolation room. A robust corpse was waiting for him there. Noland Lee issued a command to it: Follow me, Ill unlock the isolation room doors. You drag all the corpses inside the guard room. Although it seemed dumb and silly, the undead possessed some leftover intellect from its previous life. After Noland Lee opened the doors of the isolation room, the undead dragged the corpses into the corridor and placed them on the floor of the guardroom as its master intended. During this process, Noland Lee collected the soul fragments from the corpses of the soldiers. However, he wasnt there to obtain soul strength. He was willing to spend time on this underground level mainly to delay any potential pursuers. Noland Lee was well aware that if he didnt handle his own trail properly, he would definitely attract at least two groups of people. Both the military officers from Intelligence Department 4 led by Murphy and the investigators from Division Intelligence Unit Two led by Sergeant Kasha would relentlessly pursue him. A clever scene arrangement was essential if he wanted to mislead his pursuers, and a raging flame that burned everything could cover up most of the truth. About five minutes later, the corpses of the isolated soldiers were spread throughout the guardroom. Noland Lee entered the staircase, commanded the undead to close the door of the guardroom from inside, and locked the metal door. He then hung the key ring on the hook on the wall. As such, the guardroom and the isolation room connected to it became a hidden chamber. Noland Lee issued another command. The undead lifted the coal lamp from the table and smashed it on the floor. The spilled coal ignited the furniture and corpses inside the guardroom. Watching as the fire grew more intense, Noland Lee calmly nodded and snapped his fingers, releasing his Enslavement of Deceased technique. The undead creature serving its master stumbled and fell, joining the flames to become a burned corpse. Undead poison fog has appeared on the underground third level. The soldiers detained inside have rioted, forcibly breaking the doors of individual rooms and entering the guardroom. Due to the poison gas, they lost their senses and accidentally knocked over the coal lamp, causing the scene to become engulfed in flames. The burning gas and lack of oxygen, combined with the poison fog from the undead, have killed the trapped soldiers. Their bodies would be burned to ashes, mixed together, and unidentifiable. Noland Lee pondered, grinned, and commended himself: In this way, Intelligence Officer 2 and 4 will have to spend quite some time trying to figure out if I was burned to death or not. Noland Lee turned around and headed up the stairs. At this moment, the undead poison fog had entered and the shouts were echoes in the stairway. Noland Lee didnt rush to the ground level. He walked slowly, lightly, making no sound. He activated Tracking the Living with his eyes shrouded in darkness. The condition of the personnel on the underground second level emerged before his eyes. This floor was a common supplies warehouse for the Legion, filled with various items such as tables, chairs, nails, and hammers. The Legions armory was not in the castle, so it was kept in a secret location unknown to Private Second Class soldiers. However, the defense forces in this underground level were not strong, just the ordinary soldiers responsible for the night shift patrol. They were lucky not to be slacking off during their shift. A few minutes after the undead poison fog appeared, they left the second underground level without permission to seek refuge on the ground level. Noland Lee observed the second underground level with Tracking the Living, and only after repeatedly confirming that there were no living people inside, did he push open the partially closed staircase gate and enter. Not bad, there are indeed breathing masks here. Inside the warehouse filled with breathing masks and filter cartridges, Noland Lee put on a mask and picked up a backpack. He filled it with an entire pack of filter cartridges, food, and water. Then, he opened the door and went to the next warehouse.. Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: 90. Spy” Yuge_2 Chapter 146: 90. Spy Yuge_2 Translator: 549690339 To climb the Blade Mountain Range, climbing axes and cable ropes are essential. Let me see where they are Oh, my little treasures, so you are here. Huh? Theres this stuff in the materials warehouse? Noland Lee came to the warehouse filled with wooden chests, picking up the cable rope with his left hand and wrapping it around his shoulder, fastening the climbing axe to his waist with his right hand. He glanced at a few wooden chests at the corner of the wall and hesitated slightly. He quickly walked over, opened the lid, and took out a pair of brand new climbing boots and anti-skid gloves. Taking a closer look at the black stamp on the wooden chest, Nolands eyes narrowed as a glint flashed at the bottom of his eyes. These few wooden chests contained military supplies to be transported to the Blade Mountain Range! Noland swapped his boots and gloves, walked deeper into the warehouse for some distance, and took a lap around the stacked shelves with wooden chests. So, this warehouse is specifically used to store and transfer supplies. According to the logistics information on the stamp, there are eighty boxes of mountain supplies here that need to be transported to the Blade Mountain Range as quickly as possible. Nolands eyes flickered as he pondered and noted down the warehouse. He closed the lid of the wooden chest, shut the warehouse gate, and wandered through the corridors on the underground layer 2. One level up would be where the morgue and incineration furnace are located. Noland immediately thought of the corpses of the Tomb-raiding Brothers. He still hadnt figured out what was so mysterious about these two corpses, and why those corpses also preserved in the morgue needed dozens or even hundreds of Energy Points to deconstruct 100%. Noland knew there was something strange about it, and it might be related to the plans of the Undead Cult to attack the Legion Fortress. Staring at the ceiling, he paced back and forth down the corridor of the second underground level, using Tracking the Living to glimpse the situation on the first underground level. Upon observing, he immediately noticed something wrong. There was a living person on the first underground level, and there was only one. The person passed by one morgue room after another and lingered in front of each corpse cabinet in the morgue rooms. From the changes in the red contour lines of the human body, it seemed that this person opened the corpse cabinet and then pushed the corpse inside onto the floor. He repeated similar actions until he had pushed all the bodies in all the morgue rooms to the floor before he stopped. Noland wondered in his heart but couldnt figure out what the person was doing. Moreover, could this person be that pale-skinned Sergeant Yog who seemed like he hadnt seen sunlight for a long time? The strange person on the first underground level entered a room and remained still inside it. Noland followed him, arriving at the same position on the second underground level. After some thought, Noland had basically determined the other partys identity. It was indeed that pale-skinned Sergeant Yog, and the room he was staying in now was his dormitory. Instead of intending to escape in the face of the rapidly spreading undead poison fog, this guy was meddling with the corpses in the corpse cabinets What was he trying to do? Noland didnt dare to enter the staircase between the underground levels rashly without understanding the situation. As Sergeant Yog stayed in the dormitory on the first underground level, Noland stood at the area directly below him. If the other party didnt move, neither would Noland. This eerie standoff lasted for about 5 minutes. As the undead poison fog was about to flood the second underground level, Sgt. Yog finally made new movements. The red human body contours on him became much lighter, transforming from a red-hot branding iron to an almost transparent red phantom! Nolands heart trembled! In the magic vision provided by Tracking the Living, the red human body contours symbolized the living. The brighter the red light, the stronger the vigor of the person. Conversely, dim red light and blurred contour lines were external manifestations of a weak body and thin living spirit. Since the contour lines on Sergeant Yog had become very blurred, and the color was also dim, didnt that mean he was about to die? Noland frowned, realizing that things were not as simple as they seemed. Being cautious, he still didnt step into the staircase space as the poisonous fog on the second underground level was about to drown his head. At this moment, a chill-inducing cold breeze blew from the staircase, stirring the dark green poison fog on the second underground level and causing ripples. Accompanied by the cold wind, Noland heard faint whispers. He listened attentively for five seconds before his face changed slightly. Sergeant Yog was actually chanting the ritual prayer for summoning undead spirits. He was summoning grave zombies in large quantities! Right inside the first underground level, right inside this Korabo Corps Fortress! It was really unexpected that Yog, an imperial military officer with a sergeant major rank, was also a Death Notice Spy Wait, why did I say also? Nolands mouth twitched, feeling that the Korabo Legion was like a leaky, dilapidated house with gaps everywhere for Death Notice spies to infiltrate. Never mind, lets not worry about this Yog. Its a good thing to let him attract the attention of the Legion Fortress so that I wont be stared at as soon as I return to the ground. Noland calmly glanced at the ceiling of the first underground level. The contour lines of Yogs body were becoming even more blurred, and correspondingly, his vitality was rapidly thinning. Noland knew that casting an undead summoning ritual in ones living form must necessitate this outcome. There was a crucial step in this summoning ritual. That was to stimulate the death energy within the array and infuse it into the corpses, awakening the lost souls. As the initiator of the ritual, Yog came into contact with the death energy through the array. His body was washed away by the death energy, and his vitality declined significantly.. Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: 90? SPY” Yog—3 Chapter 147: 90? SPY Yog3 Translator: 549690339 This explained why his physical outline changed dramatically. Noland Lee remained motionless, silently waiting for Yog to complete the summoning ritual. He heard rustling footsteps, dense and disorderly, coming from the morgues upstairs. The imperial soldiers and military officers who died due to failed rescue efforts got up from the cold floor, swayed through the door, and entered the corridor. Following Yogs instructions, they gathered at the entrance of the staircase on the first underground level. A hoarse laughter came from the direction of the staircase and entered Noland Lees ears. The laugh was full of joy, but also weak. I finally succeeded Indeed Ordinary people can master death too haha cough cough The voice in my head was real! Hahaha As long as one is close enough to death, anyone can master this great power Upon hearing this, Noland Lee blinked. The voice in his head? Did Yog see some Death Herald Guild propaganda material and get mentally polluted by it? There was new activity in the staircase. The walking dead controlled by Yog entered the staircase, walking up the corridor. Yog himself walked in front of the walking dead, leading his minions to the ground level, shouting excitedly: Go, go, my undead soldiers, destroy the undead of the Undead Cult! Ive been waiting for this day for a long time! I want to prove with real actions that the mighty power of death can also be mastered by mankind! I want to save the Korabo Legion! I want to protect my imperial mother! I want to dedicate the power of death to the Emperor! Noland Lee looked bewildered, obviously startled. Wasnt Yog a spy for the Death Herald Guild? What is he, then? An idiot? Taking the walking dead to fight at this point, if he wasnt shot to pieces by the legion soldiers as an enemy, that would mean he was lucky. He even thought about reversing the situation with this small force; isnt that just foolish Noland Lee shook his head slightly, not quite understanding the thoughts of this imperial man. Whether it was about saving the Legion or dedicating power to the Emperor, Noland Lee did not sympathize at all. As a traveler, he had no sense of belonging to the Tatis Empire whatsoever. Noland Lee silently waited for the walking dead on the first underground level to leave. When there was no movement upstairs, he squeezed through the poisonous fog, entered the staircase, and cautiously explored upward. Noland Lees current goal was only one thing, the life elixir stored in the Medical Departments warehouse. Once he got his hands on it, he would leave the Legion Fortress while collecting soul fragments. As for how to go to the Blade Mountain Range after leaving the fortress, he would figure it out later. The great gate of the first underground level staircase soon appeared in front of Noland Lee. After carefully thinking it over, he silently pushed open the sluice gate, walked along the bloodstained walkway, and arrived at Yogs dormitory. Piercing the gap in the door, sweeping over the messy layout in the dormitory, Noland Lee locked onto the ritual array that summoned the walking dead. It had a black circular graffiti appearance, emitting a faint black light, and sporadically spraying a puff of black mist into the air. And its power source were the dozen or so Death Element Stones embedded in the center of the array. Noland Lee sent a deconstruction technique to the ritual array, read the system message, and slowly nodded his head. The summoning array used by Yog was a first-order undead array specifically designed to summon the walking dead. Noland Lee knew it too. He extracted it from the Death Spell UP Pool. As for how Yog learned this magic spell, Noland Lee did not intend to delve into it. Noland Lee retracted his gaze, turned around and left, sighing in his heart: Yog, oh, Yog, dont die too soon. At least wait until I leave the Legion Fortress, and help me distract more attention by falling afterward. Ill bet its not the undead who kill you, but bullets from the Legion.. Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: 91. Manual Task Chapter 148: 91. Manual Task Translator: 549690339 On the ground floor at the entrance of the staircase, Noland Lee leaned against the door, peering into the castle hall with one eye through the crack. The crystal coal lamps on the ceiling were extinguished, making the hall completely dark and oppressive. The undead poison fog had risen to a height of two or three meters above the ground, pouring into the stairwell through the gaps in the door. All the night guards who did not have time to put on gas masks fell to the ground, lying on the marble floor of the Castle Hall, lifeless. However, they did not rest. As Yog passed by these victims, he activated the ritual arrays magical power. He turned all these recently deceased people into walking dead under his control. By the time he left the castle hall with his torrent of followers and headed for the chaotic outdoors, there was not a single person left in the hall, not even a corpse. Noland Lee looked down at the ground, his gaze directed towards Yogs dormitory. To stop Yog from forming his army of the walking dead, the ritual array in the dormitory must be destroyed. Theoretically, Yog could use all the corpses within 30 meters centered on his dormitory, which was about the range from the third underground level to the third aboveground level of the castle. Noland Lee didnt want to meddle in Yogs affairs. He only hoped that the other party could draw attention away from himself. Noland Lee withdrew his gaze, turned around, pushed aside the undead poison fog in front of him, and walked up the spiral staircase to the second floor. The ground floor stairwell had windows with transparent glass installed. Noland Lee stopped at the stair corner, poked his head out from behind the window, and looked at the scene outside the fortress, squinting his eyes slightly. Its rare for it to rain in this damn place in the Suffering Borderland Since becoming a Sin Soldier, Noland Lee had been stationed in the Suffering Borderland for more than half a month, and this was the first time he had seen a armzne. Raindrops fell from the dark clouds above, passed through the spreading undead poison fog, fell to the eaves, flowed down along the smooth steam pipelines, dripped onto the ground, and flowed into sewer pipes. Just during the short time Noland Lee stopped to observe, the rain rapidly intensified from a light drizzle to a torrential downpour. The howling gloomy wind whipped up the rainwater, hitting the window glass in front of Noland Lee, splashing up black water droplets like blooming death water lilies. Black rainwater Noland Lee locked his gaze on the oddly colored raindrops and threw out his Deconstruction technique. [System Message: You are about to launch the Deconstruction technique on Abnormal Rainwater. It is estimated that 170 Energy Points will be needed to reach a 100% Degree of Deconstruction.] Noland Lee glanced at the system text, becoming more vigilant. This rainwater must come from the Abnormal Dark Clouds. No doubt, the Undead Cult had used a long-hidden trump card to destroy the Legion Fortress. Time is running out; Id better get moving. Just as Noland Lee was about to leave, he suddenly froze in his tracks, then clenched onto the window frame, staring intently at the street outside. The gunshots from inside the Legion Fortress were mainly coming from areas outside the walls. Although Noland Lee couldnt see outside the walls, from the density of the gunshots and the frequency of the firelight flashes, the soldiers defending the city seemed to be fighting the undead army surrounding the fortress. Yog was leading his own walking dead troops down the street and encountered many panicked soldiers. As expected, his actions caused chaos. His walking dead were considered enemies by the Imperial Soldiers and were cornered on the street before they could even leave the city. However, Yog and his walking dead were not killed by the soldiers. Because, within half a minute after the rain intensified, a large group of undead creatures covered in black contaminated water violently broke open the manhole covers and crawled out of the sewer pipes. The bodies of these undead creatures seemed to be made up of rainwater. They appeared fragile, as if they could disintegrate at any moment. With each step they took, large drops of black contaminated water fell from their bodies, making them a little smaller in size. But the next second, the black rainwater falling from the sky merged into their bodies. Their bodies swelled up in the blink of an eye, becoming stronger and taller. As they shed black water from their bodies and absorbed water from the rain, their size and appearance barely remained stable through this continuous process of growth and decay. The appearance of these undead disrupted the battle situation within the fortress. The attention of the fortresss garrison was focused on the undead army outside the city, and they did not notice the unusual situation inside the fortress in time. It wasnt until the soldiers heard the gunshots on the street, wiped the rainwater off their faces, and turned their heads to look at the city that they found the undead army wreaking havoc on the streets and fighting with the citys soldiers. Where the hell did these guys come from! Quick! Ring the alarm bell! Send an alert to the other soldiers in the city! Ding ding ding- The soldiers on the wall pulled the rope hard, ringing the alarm bell hanging overhead. More soldiers were awakened by the ringing of guns and alarm bells. They rushed to put on their uniforms and entered the battlefield armed.. Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: 91. Manual Task_2 Chapter 149: 91. Manual Task_2 Translator: 549690339 Using the house walls as a barrier, they shot at the black undead on the streets, marveling at the bullets weak power and shouting for ammunition supplies. If it werent for the intervention of the Imperial Fist, the soldiers in the city alone would have difficulty dealing with the bizarre undead formed by rainwater. The chaotic street scene reflected on Noland Lees retinas through the window. He frowned slightly and pondered in secret. Undead creatures formed from black rainwater. I feel like Ive seen information about this somewhere. He opened the deconstruction result in his mind and found the magic book called Undead Troops Basic Encyclopedia. The volume of this book is large, and it contains detailed illustrations and text. Without hesitation, Noland Lee invested 5 Energy Points to memorize the entire contents of the book. A torrent of information emerged from the depths of his mind, with countless undead runes and undead creature illustrations shuttling before his eyes. Half a second later, the vast ocean of book knowledge was completely digested by Noland Lee. He looked at the black undead creatures on the street and nodded calmly. Dark Wrathful Spirits. Thats the professional name of those black undead creatures. The black rainwater falling from the dark clouds is the casting material for summoning Dark Wrathful Spirits. These rainwaters are filled with filth, made up of tiny particles of debris C Yin Ash. On ordinary days, Yin Ash floats in the sky like dust, forming dark clouds that block the sun and starry sky. When its necessary to summon Dark Wrathful Spirits, Yin Ash falls with the rainwater and becomes the ritual material for summoning a large number of Dark Wrathful Spirits together. Dark Wrathful Spirits are difficult to deal with. Their main components are Yin Ash, water, and Death Energy. Their internal structure is loose, and the Yin Ash is bound together only by water containing Death Energy. Bullets can pass through their bodies, but they cant cause significant damage. Fire and electric attacks are effective, but in rainy weather, both flames and lightning have limits to their use. Moreover, the attack methods of Dark Wrathful Spirits are also difficult to defend. As long as they have physical contact with the living, they can use the Death Energy in their bodies to die together with their enemies. Noland Lee witnessed a group of soldiers being surrounded by Dark Wrathful Spirits, and black lights burst at the scene. After the lights disappeared, both the soldiers and the Wrathful Spirits vanished, leaving only piles of hair, flesh, and the residue of flowing, filthy blood. This kind of undead creatures made of Yin Ash and Death Energy has obvious drawbacks. From the moment they were summoned, their Construct Value has been declining. Were it not for Yin Ash in the rainwater constantly healing them, this group of undead creatures would have turned to dust long ago. It seems that the Undead Cult has been secretly building a hidden airborne force for many years. As long as the dark clouds in the sky still exist, and there are sufficient energy supplies and corresponding summoning arrays on the ground, the Undead Cult can create an airborne team at any point on the surface. Now I know what the abnormal dark clouds are, the headquarters of the airborne force Noland Lee gazed up at the dark clouds, feeling emotional. He calmed himself, activated Track the Living, and looked at the second floor of the castle. From the second floor to the top floor, the entire Korabo Legions military area spans five floors. The second floor is the Sergeants Office, the third floor is the Medical Department, the fourth floor is the Lieutenants Office and the fifth floor houses the Legion Commanders Office and Conference Room. Each floor is guarded by the Legion Commanders direct guard, who only listens to the Commanders orders. As long as the Legion Commander has not ordered an attack, this group of guards will always stay at their posts. Noland Lee has been standing in the hallway for so long, but he has not seen a single soldier leaving their post to go and support the city streets, which is enough to prove how strict the discipline of these direct guards was. The situation is a bit tricky. I can see 20 fully armed soldiers in the rooms that I can see through, and there must be more of them waiting in the rooms deep within the second floor. There must be members of the Imperial Fist among these. Noland Lees face was solemn, and his gaze penetrated the ceiling overhead and reached the entrance door to the second-floor staircase. There were two soldiers guarding that area. From their movements, they were staring intensely at the staircase without any slack. There was no way Noland Lee could go up there without being caught by the two soldiers. He had to think of a way to divert these two soldiers. As Noland Lee furrowed his brow, pondering his strategy, he suddenly heard a thunderbolt coming from outside the room! Crack! Crack! Several twisted black lightnings emerged from the void, tearing through the night sky like venomous snakes and striking the fifth floor of the Korabo Legions castle! Boom! The roof was hit by black lightning, leaving the beams shattered, walls collapsed, and crumbled stone bricks falling from the windows in front of Noland Lee, creating a loud crashing sound as they hit the ground outside the house. The staircase trembled significantly, and the floor underfoot vibrated incessantly. Those black lightnings seem to be Death Pulses! The dark clouds in the sky can actually emit such a powerful death energy rays! Noland Lee steadied himself against the wall, and then he heard another round of thunder like the explosion of a silver bottle. Crack! Boom! More stone bricks fell from the window, mixed with severed limbs and fresh blood. A dark green light shone into the window, causing Noland Lees pupils to shrink sharply. When the light dimmed, Noland Lee involuntarily gasped as he looked at the sky once more.. Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: 91. Manual Task_3 Chapter 150: 91. Manual Task_3 Translator: 549690339 The all-encompassing black rainwater seemed to be summoned by an invisible force, and was converging towards the fifth floor of the castle, forming a sky-obliterating black funnel! The commander is under attack! The commander is under attack! There are a lot of undead on the fifth floor! Hurry! Quick, go and support! The staircase was full of chaos. Soldiers from every floor were shouting loudly, hurrying towards the fifth floor. The number of people from the second to fourth floor was declining rapidly. This was a perfect opportunity to obtain the Life Elixir! Noland Lee checked the weapons and equipment he had with him, straightened his face and stepped onto the stairway. Whoooosh The sudden sound of water flowing from afar to near, from top to bottom, reached Noland Lees ears. Noland Lees eyebrows arched up, and he quickly bent down, tucking the legs of his pants into his climbing boots. By the time he stood straight, the inky black rainwater had turned into a bubbling stream and was flowing down the staircase corridor. The black water stream was frothing with bubbles. The inflated bubbles burst due to the gusts of cold wind, spraying out black mist. Noland Lee flicked his fingers and cast the Magic Shield. His skin rippled with an invisible fluctuation, instantly adding an unnoticeable layer of transparent shield. As Noland Lee released his magical shield, the black water stream surged up into a two-meter-high water curtain. The Dark Wrathful Spirits revealed their forms when the water curtain fell. For a moment, the spacious staircase became exceptionally cramped. Just a second ago, only Noland Lee was standing there, alone and isolated. The next second, several pitch-black Dark Wrathful Spirits appeared on the stairway in front of Noland Lee. The Undead Cult is amazing! The speed of your troop deployment is even more exaggerated than the Insect Queens! Noland Lee stared at the Dark Wrathful Spirits blocking the way, murmuring to himself. You absolutely cannot get entangled with these Dark Wrathful Spirits, otherwise you will be in trouble! These guys are rejuvenated by rainwater, they recover injuries very quickly, and they are hard to destroy in a short amount of time. Moreover, they love to perish together with their enemies. You must leave the staircase and enter the third floor as soon as possible! Noland Lee motions with his mind, points his finger forward, taps his fingertips three times, and casts three Transparent Lightning: Fear Spell! The three Transparent Lightning bolts hit the heads of three Dark Wrathful Spirits, entering their bodies. Three distressed twisted human faces appeared on the faces of the Dark Wrathful Spirits, emitting a horrifying shriek. The three Dark Wrathful Spirits turned their backs to Noland Lee and ran as if he was an indescribable entity. With their escape, they tore open a gap in the encirclement. They crashed into the Dark Wrathful Spirits behind them, pushing the latter back off balance, and then collided with even further Dark Wrathful Spirits. After continuous collisions, a narrow passage appeared in front of Noland Lee, just enough for one person to pass. Hurry, you need to pass quickly! Noland Lee ignores the Death Energy on the Dark Wrathful Spirits and charges straight towards them, aiming directly at the gap in the encirclement. He takes several steps in succession, pushes away multiple obstructing enemies, and successfully turns a corner in the staircase. Crack A crisp cracking sound comes from the surface of his skin. Magic Shield has reached its limit after being touched by the Dark Wrathful Spirits several times, and the shield strength returned directly to zero. Noland Lee didnt hesitate, he once again silently recited the spell incantations, casting a new Magic Shield. At the same time, he raised his hand and pointed three times again, releasing another wave of Fear Spell. After rounds of controlling and shielding, he finally broke free from the Dark Wrathful Spirits. With a heavy push, he stepped into the Medical Department he had been away from for days. Noland Lee then locked the door behind him and leaned his body against the door panel that the Dark Wrathful Spirits were pounding against. Glancing at the dim corridor without any lights, Noland Lee maintained his Tracking the Living magic vision, he breathed a sigh of relief under his pitch -black eyes. Quite good, theres no one on the third floor, even the soldiers guarding the Medicine Warehouse have been called to support the Legion Commander. Noland Lee smirked, but his expression froze instantly. He saw that the ventilation outlets on the ceiling had been forced open by the rainwater. Several black water pillars stood up in the corridor Black water flooded into the corridor, spreading out everywhere. Tens of Dark Wrathful Spirits stood up from the water, looking eerily at the only human on the scene. Oh my! No people here, but there are monsters! Is the fortress of the Legion going through a flood on the fifth floor? Why is there black water everywhere? Noland Lee got anxious, and immediately became aware of a problem: If you kill undead creatures here, can you receive soul fragments? You can! Definitely can! Didnt he just collect the soul fragments from the soldiers in the isolation room on the third underground level earlier! This indicates that there are no Spirit Pivots in the Legion Castle, there is no Death Device to compete with Noland Lee for soul fragments. Once he understood that, Noland Lee didnt see the Dark Wrathful Spirits as trouble anymore. These are clearly just a bunch of monsters without a health bar appearing. Heh! You have triggered a combat mission, host. For each Dark Wrathful Spirit killed, you will be rewarded with an unknown amount of soul fragments. Noland I grabbed the revolver hanging at his waist with a smirk- He manually gave himself a mission.. Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: 92. Contested Object Chapter 151: 92. Contested Object Translator: 549690339 Clang, clang, clang The Dark Wrathful Spirits in the staircase were crashing against the stairwells sluice gate. These Dark Wrathful Spirits might not be highly intelligent, and their behavior seemed relatively simple. Instead of using self-destruction to forcefully destroy the gate, they were merely using brute force to ram the door, trying to forcibly open it. Noland Lee leaned against the door panel with his body, managed to put down the door latch, and temporarily blocked the Dark Wrathful Spirits in the staircase. Just as Noland mentally prepared himself to go on a killing spree, a strange scene occurred with the Dark Wrathful Spirits inside the Medical Department. In the dark water flooding the corridor, there were about seventeen or eighteen Dark Wrathful Spirits. Upon seeing Noland, a living human, they exhibited two entirely different reactions. The three Dark Wrathful Spirits closer to Noland charged at him without hesitation, intending to perish together with him. However, the dozen or so Dark Wrathful Spirits further away from Noland uniformly turned their heads as if they hadnt seen him at all, and moved towards the rooms deeper inside the Medical Department without looking back. Noland was slightly surprised by this situation, but he didnt dare to let his guard down. He glanced back at the Dark Wrathful Spirits banging against the door panel, trying to enter the Medical Department from the staircase, and couldnt help but ponder. Why do I feel like these Dark Wrathful Spirits are coming for something specific in the Medical Department? Noland shook his head, temporarily dismissing the random thoughts. He faced the three Dark Wrathful Spirits that were heading straight for him, and calmed his mind as he drew the Magic Array Blueprint. Once the spell blueprint had been completely deconstructed, casting spells became as simple as drinking water for him. Each stroke and line on the blueprint seemed ingrained in his very bones, as if they were instincts. It took him just a second to draw three Magic Array Blueprints. He pointed his fingertip towards the first two Dark Wrathful Spirits, casually threw two Fear Spells at them, and frightened them away. Then, he swiftly changed the direction of his fingertip and sent a Cripple Spell towards the third Dark Wrathful Spirit. Although continuously using Fear Spells to delay enemies wasnt a long-term solution. It was crucial to find a way to kill the Dark Wrathful Spirits as soon as possible. Noland purposely left a crippled Dark Wrathful Spirit, wanting to test how to kill such undead creatures. He was not without ideas. The Undead Troops Basic Encyclopedia introduced the basic information about Dark Wrathful Spirits, but it didnt mention how to summon them. However, the knowledge from the book was enough. The basic information of the Dark Wrathful Spirit included three apparent weaknesses. Manual detonation. The Dark Wrathful Spirits attack method was self-destruction. Inside its body, there was an energy node that could explode upon contact. By using bullets, knife points, or blunt weapons to hit this energy node, one could detonate the Dark Wrathful Spirit prematurely. Weak electricity. Strong current could destroy the Dark Wrathful Spirit directly. Healing prohibition. The Dark Wrathful Spirits Construct Value would always be declining, so it needed to constantly touch the rainwater filled with Death Energy and Yin Ash to maintain its bodys integrity. Isolating it from the rainwater would trigger its self-destruction. At the moment, Noland couldnt find a safe and controllable power source, nor could he build a water barrier, so he only had the option of manually detonating the Dark Wrathful Spirits. He raised the revolver equipped with a silencer, aimed at the staggering Dark Wrathful Spirit. Upon casting the Cripple Spell, transparent magic chains appeared on the legs of the Dark Wrathful Spirit, obstructing its movement. The speed of the Dark Wrathful Spirit was reduced drastically, and it could only slowly approach Noland. Theoretically speaking, Noland had ample time to shoot bullets, gradually probing the location of the self-destructive energy node. However, considering the unpredictability of the battlefield, Noland didnt hesitate to consume capacity and immediately used Deconstruction. System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct Dark Wrathful Spirit. Since you have already mastered the basic information of such undead creatures, the necessary Energy Points for deconstruction are reduced by 8. It is estimated that it would consume 12 Energy Points to reach a 100% degree of deconstruction. Do you confirm the deconstruction? Not bad, the Undead Troops Basic Encyclopedia is like a general-use discount coupon. As long as the undead troops appear in this book, I can deconstruct them all at a discounted price. Noland nodded slightly, delighted in his heart, before promptly muttering, Confirm deconstruction. After a brief moment of trance, a large chunk of system text appeared in his mind. Noland quickly read through it, squinting his eyes. He aimed at the approaching Dark Wrathful Spirit, targeted its neck, chest, and abdomen, and fired three bullets consecutively, emptying the bullet chamber. The first two bullets splashed water on the Dark Wrathful Spirit with little effect. However, with the third bullet, the Dark Wrathful Spirit exploded with a bang as soon as it was hit, scattering the black rainwater in all directions. Noland lifted his hand to block the splashing water droplets and skillfully reloaded the revolver. The self-destruct energy nodes location varied randomly for each Dark Wrathful Spirit. The node would flow quickly within their bodies like water, constantly changing positions. With good luck, one could hit it with a single shot. With bad luck, it would be like just now, requiring three shots to hit the node. Thank goodness I have a bag full of spare ammunition, or I wouldnt be able to bear such a hassle. Once the duration of the Fear Spell ended, the two Dark Wrathful Spirits frightened away by Noland charged towards him.. Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: 92. Contested Item_2 Chapter 152: 92. Contested Item_2 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee cast a Cripple Spell towards these two enemies, raising his gun to shoot again. The silenced revolver quivered three times, followed by two explosions and the sound of rainwater splashing. Luckily this time, two Dark Wrathful Spirits were killed by three bullets. Releasing Soul Absorption, the system sent a message as desired: [Soul Strength+0.2]x3 The killing reward given by the Dark Wrathful Spirits was quite good. Noland Lee narrowed his eyes and looked at the black water on the ground, trying to cast an Enslavement of Deceased. Unfortunately. Although the black water was rich in debris particles, Noland Lee couldnt summon the lost souls. It seemed that the Dark Wrathful Spirits had their unique summoning spell. Noland Lee reloaded his ammunition while bypassing the water column hanging from the ventilation pipe, firmly walking towards the deepest part. He had been through this corridor many times. The room not far ahead was where he injected the Strengthening Potion. At the end of the corridor was the surgery room; the medicine warehouse was on the left, and the medical equipment warehouse was on the right. Noland Lees gaze swept across the black water on the walkway floor, seeing no new Dark Wrathful Spirits rising from the water, he focused on the end of the corridor. He listened carefully. The clanging sounds were coming from the medicine warehouse on the left side of the corridor. Could it be that the target of these Dark Wrathful Spirits was also the Life Elixir? Noland Lee felt an ominous feeling. If it was true, he had to kill all these enemies; otherwise, he wouldnt be able to get the Life Elixir inside the room. As Noland Lee pondered over this, he suddenly heard the thunder rumbling outside the building. Crack, crack, crack As many as five black lightnings struck the fifth floor of the castle. Noland Lees heart tightened, gripping the door frame next to him. The next second, the entire castle shook violently, and the ceilings and walls were severely deformed! The walls suddenly cracked several terrifying fissures! Broken bricks and dust flowed down from the centipede-like cracks, followed by black rainwater. For a moment, several dozen more cracks in the walkway flowed with black water, and the height of the black water at his feet visibly rose. This castle seems to be collapsing! No, I cant waste time! I must launch a strong attack! Noland Lee steadied his breath, stepped on the black water, and ran towards the end of the corridor, leaving a trail of black water splashes behind him. Several Dark Wrathful Spirits guarding the entrance of the surgery room saw Noland Lee and turned to run towards him. Noland Lee held a gun in his right hand and waved his left hand in front of him. With a quick four-finger flick, he cast both Fear Spell and Cripple Spell, instantly completing the operation of dividing and controlling the soldiers. He took a step forward with his left foot, fixed his body with his waist and abdomen strength, raised both hands to hold the silenced revolver, and pulled the trigger without hesitation. Click, click, click, click The silenced gunshots connected, bullets linking together, attacking the two slowed Dark Wrathful Spirits. Bang! Bang! The Dark Wrathful Spirits exploded as they were hit, turning into black water and falling to the ground. Noland Lee put the empty revolver back in its holster, pulled out the silenced short-barreled rifle from behind and pulled the trigger again. Click, click, click, click Bang! Bang! The other two Dark Wrathful Spirits shattered, clearing the path ahead. Noland Lee reloaded the ammunition while running forward, and didnt forget to collect the soul fragments. Crack! Crack! Another series of lightning explosions echoed in the corridor. Noland Lees face changed slightly, and he stopped in his tracks, his hands gripping the door frame tightly. This time the tremors were even more astonishing; the entire corridor shook without any place remaining still, the floor twisted and warped, creating waves of distortion. At the same time, the Dark Wrathful Spirits attacking the medicine warehouse grew more aggressive. Their intensive impact was like the rapid beats of a drum climaxing. Noland Lee faintly heard the sound of the door breaking. He clenched his teeth and pursed his lips tightly. Not waiting for the floor to stop shaking, he forcibly rushed towards the medicine warehouse, relying on the wall for support. Just as he reached the end of the corridor, the Dark Wrathful Spirits attacking the medicine warehouse gate broke open the tightly locked door with a clang. Damn! Those lost souls really came for the Life Elixir! Noland Lee felt a sense of crisis. He was about to raise his gun and shoot when a glaring electric light shot out from inside the room! Magic Shield! Noland Lee hurriedly cast the shield, slightly squatting to lower his center of gravity. With a powerful leg push, his feet left the water surface. Sizzle- Bright electric snakes jetted out from the medicine warehouse, and in the blink of an eye, they crawled along the black water on the floor, reaching every corner of the medical department corridor. Magic Shield! Magic Shield! The sound of the shields shattering was continuous. Noland Lee cast several shields without considering the casting consumption. Finally, after casting several shields in a row, the electric lights in the corridor completely dissipated. The whole process was extremely risky, but it happened within half a second when Noland Lee desperately leaped up and left the water surface. Noland Lees feet splashed down, landing heavily on the floor. Seeing the intact shield on his skins surface, he knew that the electric current in the water was gone and took a long breath of relief. When he came to the side of the medicine warehouse door and looked inside, he finally understood what had happened. Tsk, tsk, tsk. The Dark Wrathful Spirits attacking the door could never have imagined that the medicine warehouse was hiding an electric shock trap. The soldiers guarding the medicine warehouse had left, but they set up the electric shock device before leaving. If you didnt use the door key to open the room, the tripwire behind the door would be triggered, activating the electric shock device. If it werent for Noland Lees Magic Shield in hand, he would have been caught off guard by this insidious electric shock trap.. Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: 92. Contested Object_3 Chapter 153: 92. Contested Object_3 Translator: 549690339 Now, the Dark Wrathful Spirit had opened the door for him and blocked most of the current, conveniently outfitting him for the journey ahead. Noland Lee was secretly delighted, but his vigilance remained. He used the Deconstruction technique to thoroughly check the room, only stepping in once he was sure there were no other traps. He walked past several storage shelves filled with potion bottles. He periodically cast Deconstruction, using the system messages to assess the value of the medicines. Concentrated Disinfectant, Ill take a bottle. Battle Stimulants, Ill take a few, better safe than sorry. Biochemical Reactor Maintenance Oil, I dont need that. Im not an Imperial Fist. Biofuel Catalyst, Pain Suppression Drug, Composite Haemoglobin, Vortex Reaction Catalystthese are all specifically for the Imperial Fist. I dont want any of it Wait, is that a locked metal box? Noland Lee paused in a corner of the warehouse, his eyes fixed on the metal box. He drew his gun from his waist, firing a bullet to explode the mechanical lock on the box. He opened the box and scanned its contents, it was packed full of thin glass tubes, much like toothpicks. He roughly estimated there to be about sixty tubes in total. Noland pulled out a tube and glanced at the label, nodding in satisfaction. Very nice, sixty Life Elixirs that were just freshly prepared and yet to be distributed to the officers. Any treasure that lands in the hands of someone capable belongs to them. Ill accept them graciously. He habitually cast Deconstruction on the Life Elixir. Immediately, he stood rooted to the spot like hed been struck by lightning, staring blankly at the box before him. You can actually make this potion by boiling Extraordinary Trait: Vitality Surge in water? Noland Lee was dumbfounded, all because of what the system message in his mind said: [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct the Life Elixir.] [As you already possess the panel information for Extraordinary Trait: Vitality Surge(Level the energy points required to deconstruct the Life Elixir are Leuuceu LU 1. J [Do you confirm the deconstruction?] Noland didnt hesitate. He mentally affirmed, Confirm deconstruction. Reading the deconstruction results that appeared in his mind, he looked at the Life Elixir in his hand as if it were a counterfeit product peddled by a rogue merchant. My goodness. This Life Elixir, which supposedly rejuvenates people, was indeed brewed using the Extraordinary Trait: Vitality Surge. Moreover, the process was incredibly straightforward. Just one Vitality Surge could produce tens or even hundreds of Life Elixirs in bulk, with a very high conversion rate. Each batch corresponded to one Life Elixir. The deconstruction result showed the item level of the Life Elixir Noland held was level 10. It could temporarily increase your vitality stat by 10 points, speed up the healing of internal and external wounds, and supplement lifespan depleted by Battle Potions. It was diluted from a Vitality Surge with an incredibly high item level of 60. Noland couldnt help but shake his head and clicked his tongue, lamenting such a waste. If one has a level 60 Vitality Surge, wouldnt it be better to consume it directly? Why use it to make Life Elixirs? Wait a minutethats not right. How big is a level 60 Vitality Surge? Noland closed the metal box, wrapped it gently in medical cotton cloth, and placed it in his waterproof backpack. As he walked out, he used his hand to estimate. A level 3 Vitality Surge is about the size of a dung beetle. A level 9 one is about half a fist. Extrapolating from that, a level 60 Vitality Surge is approximately 0.005 cubic meters in volume. This Vitality Surge is the Eternal Essence within the Spirit Pivot. Corporal Mars once said, if you remove the Magic Protective Cover of the Spirit Pivot and open its outer shell, once its energy pipelines are disrupted, you can see the Eternal Essence. Just how much Eternal Essence would be inside a Spirit Pivot as tall as a high tower? At least 3 to 5 cubic meters, surely. Lets take 3 cubic meters for the calculation. A known volume of 0.007 cubic meters of Vitality Surge can produce 60 vials of level 10 Life Elixirs. Then, with 3 cubic meters of Vitality Surge, you can prepare more than thirty thousand level 10 Life Elixirs. A Tatis Imperial Squad typically consists of around 300 men. If each soldier receives a Life Elixir after a battle, that would require a total of 300 vials. The gap between the demand for 300 vials and a production of more than thirty thousand vials is a staggering thirty thousand vials difference! Hiss Noland Lee drew a sharp breath, muttering in his mind, Rogues, real roguesthis is daylight robbery. Where did the remaining thirty thousand Life Elixirs go? Noland shook his head, utterly perplexed. He looked back at the storage shelves in the medicine warehouse. His gaze swept over each item, falling on the metal box in the corner. A huge question mark arose in his mind. Where did the Undead Cult get the Vitality Surge from? Wasnt this something dropped by the Dusk Giants? Nolands pupils slowly dilated as he arrived at a startling guess. Could it be that the Undead Cult has the body of a Dusk Giant? They obtained the Vitality Surge from this bodythen what was the deal with me entering the Twilight Dream after injecting the Strengthening Potion produced by the Empire? Nolands eyes widened, his breath hitching for a half-second as goosebumps erupted all over his body. I seel understand now Its likely that the relationship between the Tatis Empire and the Undead Cult is as follows: The Undead Cult has possession of the body of a Dusk Giant, while the Tatis Empire has the Dusk Giants Dreamscape, which is, the spirit world or the soul of the Dusk Giant. The conflict between the two sides seems to be a life and death war, but in actual fact, theyre vying for the body and spirit of the Dusk Giant! Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: 93. Blessings to good people Chapter 154: 93. Blessings to good people Translator: 549690339 The Tatis Empire occupied the spiritual world of the Dusk Giants. The Undead Cult owned the body of the Dusk Giant. This conjecture was undoubtedly astonishing, and at the same time elusive. Noland Lee felt uncertain in his heart, but he didnt think too deeply about it. The reason was nothing more than the lack of information he had on hand; no matter how much speculation and analysis he did, it was all just as good as guessing. In the future, when he had enough strength and capital, he would surely dig out the secrets between the Undead Cult and the Tatis Empire clearly and thoroughly. But now, it was more important to save his life! During the short time Noland Lee packed the Life Elixir, the water in the medical departments walkway had already risen to the height of his calves. In the splashing water flow, sounds of flowing water were distinctly mixed in. Noland Lee came to the door of the medicine warehouse and looked outside. More than a dozen newly-spawned Dark Wrathful Spirits were running towards him, unfortunately blocking the path to the staircase. Looking into the distance and gazing in the direction of the staircase, the door, locked by a bolt, was about to be broken opened by the Dark Wrathful Spirits outside. Noland Lee knew that it was impossible for him to return the same way. He raised his hand and cast three Transparent Lightning bolts, controlling the nearest Dark Wrathful Spirits with the Fear Spell. Quickly scanning the medical departments walkway, an open window caught his eye. Outside the window, the sky was extremely gloomy, and heavy rain swept across the ground. The black funnel formed by the rainwater still occupied a large part of the sky. Several Dark Wrathful Spirits bypassed their scared companions and ran toward Noland Lee. Noland Lee swung his arm, shooting several Transparent Lightning bolts, consuming his Energy Points and Soul Strength to hold these Dark Wrathful Spirits with the Cripple Spell. He quickly ran to the window, stuck his head out to look, and leaned down to gaze. There was a way out, after all. Below him was an office belonging to a military officer, with a small balcony protruding from the wall structure. Noland Lee fastened the straps of his backpack, securely binding the precious Life Elixir to his body. He leaned out of the window, took a deep breath, and let go of his hands gripping the window frame, allowing himself to fall freely. Didnt expect Id have a Jackie Chan moment. Noland Lee muttered to himself, landing steadily on the small balcony of the castles second floor, with his feet touching the ground and his knees bent to absorb the impact of the free fall. Feeling the slight numbness under his feet, Noland Lee raised his eyebrows. Since the improvement of Tenacity, he hadnt had a chance to test his physical fitness. After taking this leap, he realized that he no longer needed to fear a height difference of about three meters. His knees and ankles perfectly withstood the force of the fall without any pain. If that was the case, he would continue to jump down to avoid going through the hallway and encountering the Undead face-to-face. Noland Lee looked at the pitch-black interior of the building and saw no sign of enemies. He then came to the balcony railing and looked down. At that moment, a loud noise came from the sky! Crack! Noland Lee was startled by the thunder and quickly shrank his neck, covering his ears with both hands and looking up at the sky. He saw a black lightning, at least tens of thousands of meters long, slashing across the sky and striking the rooftop of the castle. Noland Lee followed the trajectory of the lightning and saw the wall of the top floor of the castle being shattered by it. Large chunks of rocks fell from the top, crashing down. Noland Lee jumped over the balcony railing, landed steadily on the ground outside the castle, and ran at a continually accelerating pace. Stepping on the ankle-deep water, he left the castle grounds. Stone bricks falling from the fifth floor of the castle landed behind him, splashing water all around, but not a single drop touched his clothes. Noland Lee navigated through the street alleys, avoiding the Dark Wrathful Spirits, and randomly chose an unoccupied house. He smashed the window and jumped in, using the wardrobe to block the door and windows. After catching his breath and quickly calming the agitation in his chest, Noland Lee finally had the time to check his surroundings. The room he was in should be a dormitory for the Fortress Guards. Single beds lined up neatly on the floor. The bedding and clothes on the beds were in disarray, a clear indication that the sleeping guards had been awakened by the unusual happenings in the fortress and hastily dressed to leave their post. Noland Lee searched the room briefly, changed into a waterproof insulated Guard uniform, and put on a wind and rain-protecting hooded raincoat. He then found a waterproof cloth and carefully wrapped his backpack, spare firearms, medicine, and the food he found in the room. Looking at himself in the floor mirror, Noland Lee slowly nodded. His figure and face were completely concealed by the breathing mask and hooded raincoat. He wore the uniform of a Fortress Guard, and no one could recognize him as long as he remained silent. Noland Lee walked to the top floor of the dormitory, stood at a high vantage point, and gazed at the entire city. First, he looked at the fifth floor of the Legion Castle. The black funnel, which occupied a large part of the sky, was transferring vast amounts of corpse particles to the fifth floor of the castle. The Skeleton Colossus, a horrible-looking stitched Undead of the same size as the Biochemical Giants, quickly formed with the help of the black funnel. Warrant Officers of the Commanders Directly Affiliated Guard turned into Biochemical Giants, entangled with the Skeleton Colossus.. Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: 93. Blessings to the Good Person_2 Chapter 155: 93. Blessings to the Good Person_2 Translator: 549690339 While Biochemical Giants prepared for the battle with exoskeletons, the Skeleton Colossus descended onto the field with its bone armor. The Biochemical Giants emitted Flame Pillars using biochemical reactors, while the Skeleton Colossus, with its jaws wide open, unleashed the Death Pulse rays. Brandishing weapons, the Biochemical Giants severed the arms of the Skeleton Colossus, but could do nothing to resist the opponents rapid repair under the drizzle. The Skeleton Colossus gripped the arm of the Biochemical Giant, bit into it, piercing the exoskeleton and tearing off a large chunk of bloody flesh. But in the blink of an eye, the Biochemical Giants wounds were healed amidst the squirming of fresh flesh, displaying incredible self-healing abilities. The fight between them was as if they were mirrored images of each other. No matter what moves one party used, the other party always had a way to counter the attack. Each time they collided, the castle would tremble. Steam pipelines outside the walls burst, stone bricks on the walls cracked, and bits of metal, mud, and rocks continuously fell with the rainwater. Its because they have the same mentorship so they cant break through each others attacks. Tis a stalemate. Noland Lee shook his head and sighed when he saw the cracking castle wall. Stop fighting, you guys. This castle is being torn apart by you, its a valuable ancient structure, itd be a pity if it collapses Forget it, its none of my business. I must swiftly find a safe route and climb over the fortress wall. Noland Lee surveyed the fortress. The internal battles in other areas followed the same pattern as this one. The Imperial Fist was dealing with the Skeleton Colossus. The regular soldiers were concentrated near multiple large sewer pipe entrances. They were constructing their firepower network, frantically blocking the Dark Wrathful Spirits that emerged from underground, unable to spare any hands or time to sweep away the other Dark Wrathful Spirits wandering the streets. It wasnt only soldiers and military officers in the Legion Fortress but also many ordinary people. These were ordinary people recruited from throughout the Empire, including laborers moving goods next to the steam train station, and workers in the dining hall, hotel, artificial gardens, and boiler rooms. These people were too far from the line where Imperial Soldiers assembled. They couldnt get protection and could only emit cries of despair, calling for the soldiers rescue. Noland Lee felt helpless to intervene in the situation. He could only silently pray for these ordinary peoples safety. He pondered for two seconds, listening to the chaos outside while calling forth the map of the fortress he had drawn in his mind. After transferring the map onto the wall in the isolation room, Noland Lee used his Deconstruction Technique to etch it into his mind. Now, with a single thought, the map would appear before him. He identified his location based on the house specifications and directions of the streets on the map. I am currently situated on the southwestern side of the Legion Fortress, about 600 meters away from the nearest fortress wall. If I were to go straight, Id have to cross Shop Street and the Firearms Workshop. Perhaps I can still travel comfortably within the city, but what about outside? Noland Lee raised his eyes to gaze at the walls in the southwest. It was quite a distance away, and the sky was dark, but the fiery lights of gunfire on the walls couldnt be concealed. Noland Lee could vaguely see many soldiers ferrying ammunition and artillery in a flurry, cranking up the firepower of the city defense cannons and fixed machine guns, showering the outside city with gunfire. The impressive city defense cannons fired continuously without any pause. The soldiers operating the cannons wished they could hoist the cannons onto their shoulders and retaliate directly against the encroaching Undead Spirits outside the city walls. As retaliation, the Undead Spirits sent back with poisoned arrows, noxious globs, and deadly Death Pulse rays that were harming the soldiers upon the wall. The hollow howls of the Skeleton Colossus emanated from amidst the pandemonium, making ones heart tremble with fear. The fight outside the city is so intense just how many Undead Spirits are besieging us Noland Lee frowned as he scanned through the map again. About half a minute had passed when the sound of a wardrobe toppling over came from downstairs. Noland Lee went over to the stairs, looked down and saw a few Dark Wrathful Spirits storming into the house, circling around him. Noland Lee realized he had stayed here for too long. He crawled out of the window onto the balcony, then from the railing, climbed onto the roof, walking from one stone house roof to another. Along the way, he collected soul fragments. Every corpse within his sight gave a boost to his Soul Strength. The previous battles depleted most of his stored Soul Strength, but now it was beginning to recover. Noland Lee breathed a sigh of relief. Choosing to make a slight detour in the city, he went to all areas at the wall, and then decided from which spot he would climb over. He had thought about having someone drive a steam locomotive, leaving the Legion Fortress by train. Unfortunately, the Undead Cult must have some capable individuals influencing it. The tracks that the steam train relied on for motion had already been destroyed by the Dark Wrathful Spirits and the Skeleton Colossus. Noland Lee went around the parking area where the steam locomotives were parked but left with nothing gained. The city gates were tightly shut, the Undead army was outside the city, and the parked steam locomotives were destroyed by the Undead, so it was impossible to break out of the fortress in a steam locomotive. The conclusion was inevitable; there was only one way. The only way he could leave the Legion Fortress, similarly to Bus Line 11, was to depend on his legs and walk away. Noland Lee checked his Personal Panel. He had been wandering around and his Soul Strength had increased to over 400 points. The soul fragments he collected were all from ordinary soldiers or people, none of them were from the Imperial Fist. This fact alone reveals the horrendous state of ordinary lives in the Legion Fortress. While on the roof deciding his direction, Noland Lee caught a few charging Dark Wrathful Spirits with his hands and turned to another area with a concentration of common creatures to capture the soul fragments, intending to leave once he had accomplished his goal.. Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: 93. Blessings to the Good Person_3 Chapter 156: 93. Blessings to the Good Person_3 Translator: 549690339 A cry came through the rain, although it was drowned out by the gunfire, Noland heard the incredibly weak voice. Guards! Guards! Yes, you! The one standing on the rooftop lost in thought! Quickly, save me! I cant hold on any longer! Noland felt surprised that there were still living people nearby. This was really strange. He had always been using Tracking the Living and actively avoiding soldiers and civilians who were alive, so how could he be discovered by someone? Noland looked towards the direction of the voice, and the corner of his mouth, hidden beneath his mask and hood, twitched slightly. It was actually Yog, the man who controlled the walking dead This guy was slumped on the ground, his arms bleeding profusely, severely injured. His face was as pale as yellow wax paper, cheeks sunken in, skin and bones, and the bags under his eyes were dark and heavy. Most importantly, his life force was incredibly thin, as if a gust of wind could blow him to his sudden death. Under the magic vision of Tracking the Living, Yogs appearance outline had already become close to transparent. Furthermore, he was at the limit of Tracking the Living vision, which was why Noland hadnt detected the man covered in death energy in time. Considering that the other party was using death-type magic with good intentions, Noland decided to follow his own code of conduct. Let the righteous receive a rightful end, and the wicked be punished. Noland hopped and ran on the rooftop, speeding up until he was about ten meters away from Yog. He raised his hand and fired ten shots in succession, using bullets to sweep and lure the dark wrathful spirits surrounding Yog away, and then blew them up one by one. In less than half a minute, Noland successfully rescued the pale man guarded by a few walking dead. Thank you.. huff huff.. I was almost done for, these strange undead are really tough. I barely managed to shake off the imperial soldiers, but I got caught in this alley by these damn undead. Yog gasped, giving a thumbs up to the guard who blew up their enemies. Just as he was about to praise the other partys marksmanship, he saw the gun aimed at his walking dead. Yog hurriedly stood up from the ground and waved his arms, yelling: No, no, no, dont shoot, dont shoot, these walking deadumthese soldiers are just helping, theyre just sick, so thats why they appear kind of strange. Noland deliberately aimed his gun at the walking dead to maintain the appearance of a guard who had never met Yog before. Seeing that the guard didnt shoot, but aimed the gun at him instead, Yogs expression suddenly turned mournful: Dont shoot, dont hurt mel just wanted to helplm sorry, I Imow this is against the rules, but I really just wanted to help. All of my comrades died on the battlefield, right in front of me, and I couldnt do anything Tears streamed from the corner of Yogs eyes, his hands covering his face, as he knelt down on the ground: Dont kill mewhimperl just wanted to help I have a serious illness, even Division Intelligence Unit Three cant cure me, my hands wont stop trembling, I cant even hold a gun, and I cant stand the sunlight. This is the only way I can help you Dont kill me, please stop chasing melm a good person, Im not a Death Notice Spy. Noland sighed silently, reaching into his backpack and tossing over a few elixirs, then leaped off, his body passing through the curtain of rain and quickly leaving the scene. Yog wept for a while before finally noticing the elixirs that had rolled to his feet. Hemostatic and Life Elixirs! Thank you! Thank you! I really needed these! Yog grabbed the bottles and looked up towards the rooftop, but the guard was nowhere to be seen. He opened his mouth, his eyes showing confusion and contemplation. He applied the hemostatic to his wounds, stopping the bleeding, and drank the Life Elixir to replenish his vitality. After thinking deeply for five seconds, he placed the elixir bottles on the ground, ordered the walking dead to crush them with their feet, and then swept all the glass shards into a nearby sewer grate. No matter who you are, no matter why you carry the Life Elixir, and no matter why you act alone. Since you helped me, Ill help you. Dont worry, I will erase these traces for you. I have never seen you before, never seen you. You are a good person. Whatever you do, I will bless you. Yog wiped the water droplets from his face, unable to distinguish whether they were rain or tears. He waved to his walking dead: Lets go, mates. Well go help at the nurses dormitory. Their combat abilities arent as strong as the soldiers. We need to escort them to the defensive line as soon as possible Sully shouldnt want to kill me Shes so kind The brief encounter with Yog didnt affect Noland Lees following plan. Noland wiped the rain off his visor goggles, standing in the shadows and looking around. Howling, screaming, roaring, gunshots, explosions. Deep in the center of the battlefield, like standing on a mountain engulfed by a torrential flood. The black rain never stopped, the flood rose, and the invisible pressure converged from all directions, forming a circle that strangled vitality and hope. A gust of cold wind pierced through the gap in the hood, causing Noland shivering and feeling he was being targeted by an invisible killer, like the scythe of the Reaper lurking in the rainy night. Noland understood that this was the psychological effect of lifes hope gradually diminishing. The casualties of the fortress garrison were approaching the critical point of morale collapse Noland re-identified the direction and ran towards the city walls. After having been discovered by Yog, he became even more cautious. Lowering his bodys center of gravity, using shadows to conceal his figure, moving through exposed areas at the fastest speed. Paused briefly in the shadows to make sure no one had noticed him before breaking through the rain curtain and moving to the next foothold. If the undead outside are as numerous as dumplings, Ill move clockwise around each part of the city walls. If I cant find a place to climb over Ill have to use the backup route. The so-called backup route was actually a route without much certainty When Noland and Sully were playing along, they only went around the ground a few times and never went underground to check the situation. Theoretically, there should be several escape routes underground. They were the backup routes chosen by Noland. If there was someone in the chaotic Legion fortress Noland couldnt let go of, It would probably be Sully C Noland admitted there were hormonal factors in his reasons for thinking of her. Mars, Mike Adams, Alvin Stafford, and Murphy should still be near Grave 717 completing their tasks. Those who had befriended Noland inside the city were only Sully, Melinda, and Yog. Yog had just said that he was going to join the nurses. Well, Sully and Melindas safety should be guaranteed then. Noland paused, looking in the direction of the Nurses Dormitory. After hesitating for a moment, he still didnt choose to go check on Sully and the others. It wasnt that he was callous and didnt care about the safety of the people he knew, but rather that he had his troubles and going to help might cause a counterproductive effect. All he could do was wish them well, hope they were safe and sound.. Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: 94. Unexpected encounter underground Chapter 157: 94. Unexpected encounter underground Translator: 549690339 [System Message: You have successfully collected soul fragments.] [Soul Strength +0.2.] [Current Soul Strength is 420 points.] My soul strength far exceeds expectations Noland Lee stood at the foot of the fortress wall, his body hidden in the shadows, and a few corpses of soldiers lay at his feet. The soldiers deaths were not Noland Lees doing. They had fought intensely against the undead creatures on the wall and were accidentally hit by the enemy, falling to their death from the wall, and only then did they become the subjects of Noland Lees soul fragment collection. Noland Lee looked up at the city walls with solemn eyes. After the Dark Wrathful Spirits and Skeleton Colossi, the Undead Cult monks and priests had also entered the stage. Noland Lee saw the splash of Cavern Evil Spiders spider webs across the sky above and falling onto the streets of the city, where they then exploded into a sticky web. He also heard the sounds of Cavern Evil Spiders releasing Stinkbug Flies. The flies stench and the sound of their buzzing as they flew scraped against the wall, and in an instant, they took the lives of the soldiers. This Cavern Evil Spider died quickly under the artillery fire, but its death did not stop the Undead Army from continuing to attack. More Cavern Evil Spiders used their silk as towlines to jump on from the outside of the city walls, engaging Imperial soldiers in close combat. The Legion had no choice but to deploy more Imperial Fists to respond to the situation on the walls. Worse still, the Cavern Evil Spiders had allies. Inside the Undead Cult, the battle areas seemed to be divided according to factions. The Cavern Evil Spiders obeyed the commands of the Spider Mother and belonged to the Resentment Faction. They appeared in groups on the northern walls of the Legion Fortress, where Noland Lee was at. Frost Skeleton Mages belonged to the Stubborn Faction, under the command of the Frost Demon Bone. They launched their attacks from the western part of the Legion Fortress. Appearing in the southern part of the Legion Fortress were War Spirits. They had the ability to summon undead troops on the spot and could even summon undead cannons and confront Imperial soldiers after a long preparation for casting. The War Spirits came from the Undead Cult C Insanity Faction. As to who the mastermind of the Insanity Faction was, Noland Lee had no idea. Anyway, these extraordinary undead creatures capable of individual and group battles were much harder to deal with than the Cavern Evil Spiders and Skeleton Mages. In the eastern part of the Legion Fortress, where the steam train platform and tracks were located, the Stitched Creatures, led by the Spectral Ripper and Tomb Skeleton Soldiers, had become the main force. Noland Lee had wandered around there briefly, collecting all the soul fragments he could but could not find the extraordinary undead spirits controlling the Stitched Creature army nor could he determine which faction they belonged to. Either way, Noland Lee had to grit his teeth and follow through with his plan to escape the fortress. He seized the opportunity, and when no one was paying attention to him, he went up to the city walls to take a look at the outside. Sigh The scene of the battle outside the city made Noland Lee gasp. Within his field of vision, under the dim night sky, wherever his gaze reached, there were all kinds of undead troops, such as Skeleton Warriors, Big Skeletons, Walking Dead, and Soul-binding creatures. Near the edge of his vision, at the edge of the horizon, Noland Lee saw the fire of the battle waged by the army, as well as the silhouettes of many Biochemical Giants. These Imperial army forces that appeared on the edge of the battlefield were supposed to support the Legion Fortress. They were intercepted by the Undead Army halfway, and they not only failed to rescue the fortress in time but also got themselves embroiled in the chaotic battle. Another glance at the scene near the walls, Noland Lee frowned deeply. Climbing over the wall and appearing outside the city now was undoubtedly a death sentence. Even with his trump card, he didnt have to worry about the undead attacking him, but he would still be very likely to be hit by stray bullets flying everywhere. The soldiers on the wall and within the wall structure were pouring out bullets like crazy, filling a large area outside the wall with barrages. Noland Lee didnt have the guts to bet his life on not being hit by stray bullets. He had to find another way. Theres no other way but to follow my back-up plan. Noland Lee avoided the soldiers on the wall, went from the wall to the ground, and shuttled through the dim and oppressive streets. He activated the Tracking the Living skill, avoiding living people, and used Fear Spell and Cripple Spell to get the undead out of the way, quickly running towards the position of the underground boiler room. The steam boiler needed to be fed with clean water before it could produce white, high-temperature steam. The key was the source of water. Steam was essential for the Legion Fortress and was the main energy source for various workshops. Noland Lee had already calculated that there must be a wide underground river with superior water quality beneath the Legion Fortress. Otherwise, where would all the clean water for the boiler room consumption in the Fortress come from in the middle of the Suffering Borderland? The Tatis Empire didnt have the strength to construct a water transfer project for itself. Based on these various judgments, Noland Lee made the underground river below the fortress his back-up escape route. Of course, considering that the undead poison gas came from underground, the underground river that the fortress used as a clean water source was probably polluted by now. Noland Lee didnt care about this. He only knew that as long as he followed the water inlet pipe of the steam boiler room, he would find the underground river he had imagined. Three meters below the Legion Fortress. A clear underground river flowed from south to north towards the distance, leaving behind winding marks below the fortress. The dark green pollutants in the river water were so glaring that they were like bruises on the knees of a pure bride.. Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: 94. Underground Encounter_2 Chapter 158: 94. Underground Encounter_2 Translator: 549690339 The dark green pollutants that tainted the river water were sprayed out from the round holes in the riverbed. Although the pollutants were soon diluted by the flowing river water, the lingering murky green hue still worried people about the future of the river. Click-clack click-clack Light footsteps approached from a distance, passing by the jetting chemical emissions at the bottom of the river. Noland Lee glanced at the greenish hue in the river water and silently lamented, Polluting the environment is shameful. He tried to lighten his steps as he moved northward along the underground river, putting aside his distraction and focusing on the task. He was in the underground space in the southern part of the Legion Fortress, with the vast steam boiler room right above him. Going from here to the north, he would pass under the steam train station, the fortress main road, and the armor workshop before reaching the area right beneath the Legion Castle. Yes, the area directly beneath the Legion Castle. Thats the precarious structure, always on the verge of collapse and possibly crushing the ground underneath. Noland Lees biggest worry now was that hed arrived at the castle just in time for it to collapse, bringing down the foundation and burying him alive under tons of rubble This worry wasnt unique to him. After walking for nearly 10 minutes, he stopped near the castle. A group of unexpected humans appeared near the underground river, and they were blocking Noland Lees path. Quickly, quickly, move faster. Move all these ancient relics, and dont leave a single one behind. We have to take everything we can carry before the castle collapses! The familiar, harsh female voice came from the front, passing through a distance of 30-40 meters and entering Noland Lees ears. Hearing the voice, Noland raised an eyebrow, twisted his foot, and hid behind a rock. He used the rock in front of him to shield himself and used Tracking the Living to see the scene not far away. About thirty Military Intelligence Second Division soldiers were there, fully armed with plate armor, silenced short-barreled rifles, and breathing masks that filtered out poisonous gases. Most of them were in motion. They were running in and out of the cave entrances on the walls. Noland took a closer look. The soldiers were coming from deeper underground. The cave entrance they entered seemed newly dug, with fresh soil and rubble nearby. It connected to an underground tunnel leading to the northwest. It seemed that the soldiers were transferring the ancient relics buried underground to the tunnel at an urgent pace. As for the woman standing still and giving orders with a loud voice, it was Kasha, the female investigator of the Military Intelligence Division Two. But why was she here? Shouldnt she be in the city to stop the Undead Army at this time? According to Kashas words, they were moving ancient relics Could it be that the Military Intelligence Division Two was executing some secret mission here? Noland Lee muttered in his mind and dared not act rashly. There were more than 30 guns in the hands of the enemy, plus Kasha herself held the rank of a Sergeant Major and could turn into the Imperial Fist using her potion. Noland Lee had no chance of a head-on confrontation with them and decided to be cautious. He listened carefully. In the downstream of the river, to the north of Kashas position, there were dense and chaotic footsteps. The sound brought back memories to Noland Lee. In his mind, he recalled the scene where he was chased by Skeleton Hounds. As expected, a large group of Skeleton Hounds ran along the river, heading straight for Kasha and her team, who were moving the ancient relics. Kasha detected the Skeleton Hounds at the first moment. She swiftly took out her firearm from behind her back, using the lead-loaded fire-starter as a hammer. The soldiers who were carrying the relics wanted to put them down and fight, but Kasha interrupted their actions with a resolute tone. You continue moving the relics! Got it? Put your guns away and keep carrying! Kasha raised her hand and pointed at two soldiers, ordering: You, and you, transform into Imperial Ranger Giant Adams and stop all these undead creatures. Dont let them interfere with our work! Hurry up! Dont dawdle! The Skeleton Hounds were getting closer, about to have a melee encounter with the personnel of the Military Intelligence Division Two. The two soldiers who received the order to transform put down the ancient relics in their hands, grabbed their metal injectors, and turned into the agile Ranger Giants with a roai. They took a few steps forward, sweeping their arc longswords and plunging the Skeleton Hounds into the water, then raising their arms, firing bullets from their palms, and exploding enemies that leaped toward them. The battle was about to start, and more and more Skeleton Hounds poured in from the northern part of the underground river, filling the gaps in their front line and fighting with the Ranger Giants. Although the Ranger Giants were agile, they were, after all, a type of biochemical giant with a body far larger than a normal person and couldnt ensure that they could block every small and agile Skeleton Hound. There were always about a dozen Skeleton Hounds that managed to penetrate the defense line and crawled under the Giants legs to attack the soldiers of the Military Intelligence Division Two. Kasha begrudgingly held back from using her transformation opportunity and didnt strike in the extraordinary form of the Imperial Fist. She brushed away the Skeleton Hounds with her gunstock and kicked the head of another Skeleton Hound that flew by. Seeing the increasing number of enemies, she quickly shouted at the soldiers who were busy carrying relics: Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: 94. Underground Encounter_3 Chapter 159: 94. Underground Encounter_3 Translator: 549690339 Quick, everyone stop! All stop! Everyone build a firepower network on the spot to take out these Skeleton Hounds! Hurry up! And you guys, quickly go into the underground tunnel and call people over to help! Noland Lee hid behind a rock, frowning at Kashas performance. Lacking on-the-spot command experience and over-trusting her own judgment, Noland Lee doubted if she had received formal military education. If she had built the firepower network and called for support earlier, the situation wouldnt have been so dire. Just as Noland was shaking his head and secretly criticizing Kashas command ability, a more difficult situation emerged. As the saying goes, where there are Skeleton Hounds, there must be Skeleton Warriors, and where there are Skeleton Warriors, there must be a Big Skeleton to command them. As the Intelligence Division Two soldiers were barely able to use firepower to stop the Skeleton Hounds, a group of metal skeletons with a metallic sheen began marching towards the firepower network, undeterred by the silenced bullets. Behind this group of metal skeletons, the figure of a Big Skeleton appeared one with a metallic coating, unlike the ordinary Big Skeletons that lose a bit of bone dust with every step. Kashas face changed dramatically, and her voice became sharp and piercing, like a crows scream: Damn it! How can these undead military units of the barbarian faction appear here? I hate these undead creatures with metal coatings the most! Quickly, get the Bee Syrup Bombs from the car! Hurry up! Wheres our backup? Wheres Cavado?! Kasha, watch your language. A deep male voice rang out, and although it was neither sharp like Kashas nor loud, it instantly silenced the enraged Kasha. Kasha, isnt it just letting that Sin Soldier No. 888 slip away from you? Look at your current state, you dont look anything like a Senior Investigator of Military Intelligence Second Division. I hope youll calm down as quickly as possible. The man who was speaking emerged from the entrance of the underground tunnel, followed by soldiers carrying light machine guns and bomb launchers. Kasha was reprimanded by her chief officer, her chest heaving and her hands tightly gripping her rifle. Her face flushed and paled, both ashamed and indignant. Sir, Im sorry for my behavior. Kasha trembled before lowering her head under the oppressive gaze of the officer, and she tried to explain: Sir, the Undead Poisonous Fog is spreading in the castle. Murphy and Grett are fighting outside the castle. Sin Soldier No. 888 may have already been poisoned to death in the isolation room. All Im thinking about is catching him quickly, thats why I am so anxious. The Lieutenant Intelligence Officer 2 called Cavado used gestures to give orders to his subordinates, before looking at Kasha and speaking in a deep voice: I know you want to pry everything that could be detrimental to Murphy from Sin Soldier No. 888s mouth. You sisters are like this, clear about each others malice, but not letting go of each other. Kasha spoke bitterly, and muttered under her breath: I am not related to that vile woman studying the Undead Runes She tainted her own bloodline, and I would love to see her hanged. Noland was stunned by this. Do Kasha and Murphy look alike? Not really. But then, why did Cavado say they were family? Were they adopted, or was it a family issue after remarriage? Wrong, not right. Kasha mentioned the word bloodline, so there must have been a blood relation between her and Murphy. But why didnt they look alike? Noland was baffled.. Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: 95. Guard the tree while waiting for rabbits Chapter 160: 95. Guard the tree while waiting for rabbits Translator: 549690339 Kasha, listen carefully to what Im saying. Lieutenant Cavado ignored the other partys nagging and whispered: Youll have many more opportunities for promotion in the future, so dont let recklessness and impatience ruin your chances. As long as Murphy is still studying Undead Runes, youll always have something on her. That Sin Soldier No. 888, if hes dead, hes dead. There will be Sin Soldier No. 666, Sin Soldier No. 777 coming up. Do you understand? Yes, Chief Officer. Kasha nodded. Lieutenant Cavado turned to look at the menacing metal skeleton, picked up his large-caliber revolver, and shot a Bee Syrup bullet at the metal giant skeleton. The bullet hit the skull of the metal giant skeleton, exploded a large black Biochemical Nectar, and interrupted the metal giant skeletons casting action of the Death Pulse, but did not cause any substantial damage. Whether it was the high-speed spinning Bullet Head or the Biochemical Nectar, both were blocked by the metallic coating on the surface of the metal giant skeleton, at most making its skull tilt back. The Skeleton Warriors and Skeleton Hounds covered with a metallic coating also showed astonishing defense capabilities. Imperial soldiers had to continuously shoot the same skeleton with a light machine gun for nearly three seconds to deliver the Biochemical Nectar-filled bullet heads into their bodies and cause effective damage. What a troublesome opponent. I didnt expect metal monsters from a barbaric faction to stop us from transporting ancient relics. Lieutenant Cavado grumbled impatiently. While using the revolver to prevent the metal giant skeleton from casting, he also said to Sergeant Kasha beside him: The Korabo Legion is about to fall. We must speed up our actions and not allow the ancient relics, which carry the true history, to fall into the hands of the undead. If the Undead Cult hypocrisies get their hands on these ancient relics, they will remember even more memories, and they will become even more powerful Kasha, how many things in the Artifact Repository have not been moved yet? Noland Lee frowned slightly. The Undead Cult cultivated Spirit by transcending the limit through their memories. The more memories, the more Spirits that could be improved. So for the monks and priests of the Undead Cult, memory is equivalent to Spirit. According to what Cavado said, the ancient relics should not fall into the hands of the Undead Cult, because they would recall more memories and improve their strength. Noland Lee could basically understand the meaning of this sentence, but two things puzzled him. First: What does it mean to carry the true history of ancient relics? Is the ancient history knowledge taught in City College fake? Second: Why would ancient relics help the undead recall more memories? Ancient relics are related to the Ancient Tatis Dynasty. Theoretically, they could only be used to awaken the memories of the people of the Ancient Tatis Dynasty, right? In that case, according to Cavado, there should be quite a few members in the Undead Cult who were originally humans from the ancient dynasty era. This is interesting. The war between the Undead Cult and the Tatis Empire actually involves the grievances and hatred of the new and old dynasties. Noland Lee pondered silently, carefully chewing on Cavados words, and continued to eavesdrop on the conversation between the two. Sir, there are still a third of the ancient relics that have not been loaded onto the car. Mainly, life-sized Terracotta Figures, which are not easy to move, fragile and heavy Stone Statues, and Antique Bookcases containing ancient books. Kasha said. Lieutenant Cavado thought for a moment and ordered: Kasha, I order you to burn the ancient books and antique bookcases on the spot, smash the terracotta figures and stone statues, and then use explosives to blow up the Artifact Repository. We cant delay here any longer, but we cant leave anything to the undead either. Understand? Go now. Yes, sir. Kasha saluted. She signaled a few soldiers to fetch fuel and bombs from the truck. The mysterious Undead Spirit behind the metal skeletons might have heard the conversation between the two, or it might have judged something from the actions of the humans. Anyway, after Kasha entered the cave entrance with the bombs and fuel barrels, the metal skeletons offensive intensified. Lieutenant Cavado had no choice but to transform into the Imperial Fist in the midst of his roar. A dual light machine gun extended from his stomach, while his left and right hands each turned into light machine guns with muzzles spewing fire. In the midst of the roar, he activated the firearms in his abdomen and both hands, spraying Bee Syrup bullets at the enemies. Dual-link means assembling two guns together for use, doubling the firing speed and firepower. In total, there were four light machine guns capable of piercing steel plates at the scene, and all the bullets fired were Bee Syrup bullets specifically designed for undead constructs. The firepower of the Division Intelligence Unit Two soared several levels in an instant. The metal skeletons became as fragile as paper, falling in large swathes under the relentless onslaught of the four machine guns. The metal giant skeleton became Cavados primary target. The concentrated barrage hit the giant skeletons chest, piercing it completely in less than half a second. The giant skeleton had no choice but to use the nearby metal skeletons as bone supplies, grabbing them and stuffing them into its chest cavity. The bones coated with a metallic coating melted like wax, filling the gaps in the giant skeletons chest and quickly healing its wounds. But this was of no use. Lieutenant Cavado seemed to have an endless supply of ammunition, mercilessly pouring fire. And the barrels of those guns seemed to never heat up, always maintaining a high-speed firing state.. Chapter 161 - Chapter 161: 95. Guarding the Stump Waiting for Hare 2 Chapter 161: 95. Guarding the Stump Waiting for Hare 2 Translator: 549690339 The rain of bullets continued until Kasha returned from underground. Kasha shouted over the sound of the machine gun: Chief Officer! All the ancient relics that couldnt be moved in time have been destroyed by me! The passage to the artifact repository has also been blown up by us! We must leave quickly! Excellent! All listen up, everyone get out of the underground river! Ill cover your retreat! Quick, quick, quick! Dont dawdle! Lieutenant Cavado roared orders. After his body had grown larger, his voice naturally became louder. The soldiers present all heard the Chiefs voice. Hurriedly, they picked up their light machine guns and bomb launchers, retreating towards the entrance of the underground tunnel. Lieutenant Cavado stayed at the rear of the team, slowing down the enemys pursuit with his light machine gun. After the soldiers nearby had retreated into the underground tunnel, he finally disbanded his transformation, returning to human form, and with a ragged back figure, ran into the narrow entrance. Following behind Cavado was a long string of metal skeletons, no less than three hundred of them, among them a large number of nimble skeleton hounds. The size of the metal Big Skeletons was substantial, so naturally, they should not have been able to enter the tunnel entrance that only humans could pass through. But the metal Big Skeleton at hand was different. It surprisingly allowed its subordinates to disassemble its bones and carry its leg bones, rib bones, spinal bones, and skull to chase after Cavado After such a large group of the undead with a metallic coating left, no one or undead remained at the scene except for Noland Lee. Noland Lee treaded lightly, coming out from behind the boulder where he had been hiding. He listened carefully for any sounds, and apart from the flowing water, there was silence. Noland Lee slowly moved towards the tunnel entrance leading to the artifact repository. He used his Deconstruction skill to clear the way. After confirming it was safe, he moved down the spiraling tunnel and reached the repositorys gate destroyed by the bomb. This place had already turned into ruins. Chaotic stones had filled the entire tunnel, blocking the path and leaving no crevices for Noland Lee. Noland Lee tried to move some of the stones but invoked a series of cascading stone slides, forcing him to abandon his plan to manually dig open the tunnel. Seems like I wont be able to know what the so-called true history is what a shame. Noland shook his head slightly, ready to turn around and leave, when he felt an abnormal sound beneath his feet. Crack It seemed like a stone chip had been crushed by him. Noland kneeled down and picked up the fragmented stone chip. Feeling the raised pattern on the stone chip, Noland casually cast Deconstruction. [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct the fragment of an ancient relic.] [Based on your scholastic skills, the energy points needed to deconstruct this item have decreased to 1 point.] [Do you confirm to proceed with the deconstruction?] The fragment of an ancient relic Noland murmured a phrase and kneeled down again to search around the nearby ground. Its possible that the soldiers had accidentally broken an ancient relic while moving them. After searching for a while, Noland found more than a dozen pieces of various-looking stone chips. By putting them together, you could barely make out the shape of a large, potbellied stone urn. Noland returned to the bank of the underground river, opened his backpack, took out the coal lamp, lit it up behind the boulder where he was hiding, and scrutinized the ancient stone statue in his hand. From the ancient historical knowledge he possessed, this finely carved ancient relic, which was in good condition, should be a product of the late Tatis Ancient Dynasty. Noland knew that time was pressing and he didnt have the leisure to perform archaeology, so he directly cast Deconstruction on the stone chips combined together. [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct a damaged ancient stone figure.] [Based on your scholastic skills, the energy points needed to deconstruct this item have decreased to 5 points.] [Do you confirm to proceed with the deconstruction?] As Noland saw that the consumption of energy points was not large, he immediately chanted Confirm Deconstruction. [Your degree of deconstruction of the damaged ancient stone figure has risen from 0% to 100%.] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [1. Your Archaeology level has increased +1, reaching Level 9.] [2. You have obtained the basic information of this relic:] [The history of this ancient artifact can be traced back to 120 years ago. It corresponds to the late period of the Ancient Tatis Dynasty, during the reign of Zorah Ill. Zorah Ill was the last king of the Ancient Tatis Dynasty.] [The pattern on the surface of the ancient stone statue indicates:] [Zorah Ills Royal Knight Dure found a large amount of mysterious blood on the Springtime Plain, known as the Land of Bountiful. According to Dure, this blood accumulated on the flat plain formed a lake. The surface of the lake was golden like wheat, and the water was as sweet as fruit wine with a tenderness like a maidens skin.] [Upon Dures observation, this mysterious and noble blood came from a giant human figure suspended in the sky above the Springtime Plain. Every three to five days, fresh blood would slide down the human figure and fall into the lake below.] [Just as Dure was reporting this matter to Zorah Ill, new messages came from the Springtime Plain. Some said that the human figure in the sky fell into the Blood Lake below. The rising water flooded a lot of farmland, causing many farmers who relied on cultivation for a living to lose their homes.] [Zorah Ill ordered Dure to confirm this message. A month later, Dure sent an urgent letter confirming the authenticity of the message and requested Zorah Ill to mobilize troops to suppress the rebel army causing an uproar around the Blood Lake..] Chapter 162 - Chapter 162: 95. Guarding the Tree Stump Waiting for Hares_3 Chapter 162: 95. Guarding the Tree Stump Waiting for Hares_3 Translator: 549690339 [In order to record this significant event, Emperor Zorah Ill ordered the creation of a batch of stone statues that would not easily be eroded by time, and the general course of the event was portrayed on the stone statues in the form of carvings.] Noland Lee slowly exhaled, his emotions in turmoil. If the carved content on this antique stone statue is true, then his previous guess might well be right. The Dusk Giants were not an illusion; they did indeed appear in history and occurred at the end of the ancient Tatis Dynasty. It could even be said that it was their descent from the sky that led to the demise of the ancient dynasty and the emergence of the New Empire. Noland Lee closed the coal lamp and recalled his knowledge of history in the darkness, eager to find more clues. First of all, in the history of the ancient Tatis Dynasty taught at City College, there was indeed a place called Springtime Plain. From the current geographical map of the empire, the so-called Springtime Plain is precisely the Suffering Borderland where Noland Lee is currently located. It was the most prosperous and wealthy place for the ancient dynasties, with numerous fertile lands, fertile lands, and a dense population. Not only did the living like it here, but so did the dead. The tombs of the nobles and royal families of the ancient dynasties were chosen in this prosperous and scenic place- Now that he thought about it carefully, many things made sense. The enmity between the emperor himself and the Undead Cult was ancient. It was a chain of hatred that spanned hundreds of years, involving the tragic deaths of friends and family and the miserable experiences of countless ordinary people. Noland Lee was so adamant because of the two words rebel army mentioned on the stone statue carvings. During the reign of Zorah Ill, or the end of the ancient dynasty, the only army that could be called the rebel army was the one led by the modern Emperor Tatis I at that time. It was estimated that the modern Emperor started off his extraordinary road by leading his soldiers to surround Blood Lake and seize control of the Twilight Giants body. At that time, the modern emperors military power was not strong, and he was soon driven away by the large army assembled by Zorah Ill. He could only take away the most important things from the Twilight Giants body, leaving the corpse to Zorah Ill. This perfectly explains why the emperor would possess the Twilight Dream and why the Undead Cult controlled a large amount of Vitality Surge. Dreamscape is obviously much easier to carry than a giants body. As for why the humans of the ancient dynasty became the undead and formed the Undead Cult. Noland Lee had the answer in his heart too. Do not forget that the Twilight Giant was suspended in the air by the black tentacles. The humans of the ancient dynasties were probably corrupted by the contamination of the black tentacles, causing them to fall into the undead and stand against the living. Ive delayed enough time; I have to act quickly. Noland Lee cast aside his distracting thoughts, picked up the damaged stone statue in front of him, and placed it back in the tunnel leading to the Artifact Repository with a 408-drop orientation. Moving back to the vicinity of the underground river, Noland Lee thought for a moment and decided to leave through the underground passage dug by the Division Intelligence Unit Two. The reason was simple. Division Intelligence Unit Two obviously entered the underground using the steam locomotive. If they wanted to avoid the ocean-like undead army while driving, they must have found a safe route beforehand; otherwise, they would have perished. This route might lead to the Division Intelligence Unit Twos stronghold and put Noland Lee in their territory. But it didnt matter; once he left the undead sea above ground, Noland Lee had plenty of ways to slip away from the Division Intelligence Unit Two. Noland Lee checked the items he was carrying to make sure he didnt leave any clues that could expose him. Then he activated Tracking the Living and stepped into the dim underground tunnel. In the black, white, and gray picture in front of him, two very clear ruts appeared, left by the wheels of the steam locomotive. The two tire prints were also scattered with the bullet heads of silenced rifles and many bone fragments. It seemed that even the Division Intelligence Unit Two could not avoid the attack of the metal skeletons even after getting on the car. The further forward he went, the more skeletons there were in the tunnel, most of which were remnants left after being melted by the Bee Syrup Bombs. A huge metal skull was stuck in a wall crack, the skull was dim and lightless, without the dark green soul light, and there was a spider-web-like crack in the center of the brow. These were the skulls of the Big Skeletons, and they had been killed by the Division Intelligence Unit Two personnel. The other parts of the body were scattered in fragments throughout the passage. By this point, all the Undead Constructs pursuing the Division Intelligence Unit Two were dead under the bombardment of firearms. It seems that as long as theyre willing to use ammunition, these metal-coated skeletons can still be wiped out like theyre made of paper. On his way, Noland Lee hasnt encountered a single living skeleton and even made off with a bunch of soul fragments for free. Taking advantage of others feels good, but Noland Lee couldnt bring himself to smile. With the skeletons gone, he was only left with members of Division Intelligence Unit Two waiting for him up ahead. Noland Lee proceeded with the utmost caution, trying to step as lightly as possible. As he moved silently forward, he cast Deconstruction spells and used the system feedback messages to scout the path for himself, in case Division Intelligence Unit Two casually laid some nasty traps. After about 20 minutes of feeling his way forward in this darkness, faint light appeared at the end of the tunnel. Listening closely. The hustle and bustle of voices and the sound of a steam locomotive engine travelled along the night wind and into the tunnel. The light at the end of the tunnel flickered as the silhouette of people constantly passed by the coal lamp. Noland Lee slowly approached the ground level and stopped at a distance of only 20 meters from the entrance of the cave. At this distance, he could already use Tracking the Living to see what was going on above ground. 1, 2, 3, 4 There are at least 20 members of Division Intelligence Unit Two in front of me. It seems like theyre loading materials from the building onto the steam locomotive. Are they preparing to flee? Noland Lee didnt dare to act rashly. He hid his body in the shadows, avoiding being exposed by the swaying light. After a short while, a whistling sound came from outside. The soldiers of Division Intelligence Unit Two who were carrying materials neatly put down their items and ran towards the source of the whistle. In order to hear the sound clearly, Noland Lee moved forward a bit and then stopped again. He continued to observe the scene above ground with his insight ability. Lieutenant Cavado was giving loud orders: Everyone, listen. I just received the news. The garrison of Korabo Corps Fortress is organizing a breakout. We need to send a combat team through the secret passage back to the fortress and provide the garrison with a breakout route map. Right now, listen to my command. The responsibility of on-site command is temporarily handed over to Sergeant Kasha. She will lead you to a safety outpost. I will personally deliver the route map to the garrison Before Lieutenant Cavado could finish his words, Sergeant Kasha shouted in a sharp voice: Report, Chief Officer! Let me go. I have spent the most time at Korabo Corps Fortress, and I am very familiar with its layout and terrain. I promise to deliver the route map intact to the Commander of the garrison! Kasha Lieutenant Cavado muttered under his breath, seemingly annoyed by her presumptuous behavior. But contrary to Noland Lees expectation, Lieutenant Cavado neither scolded Kasha nor refused her proposal. Alright, Kasha, I accept your proposal. You can replace me in delivering the route map. But remember, you must complete the task I assigned to you first before you can go to the isolation room. Do you understand? Yes, Chief Officer! Kasha replied loudly. Lieutenant Cavado mentioned several names and then said: Those I just mentioned, stay and assist Sergeant Kasha with her operation. The rest of you, follow me to the carriage, leave this place and head to the safety outpost. Yes, Chief Officer, the soldiers replied in unison. Impatiently, Sergeant Kasha said to the temporary squad members: Hurry up, put on the weapons and equipment, take mutant potions and battle potions, and fill the steam locomotive with coal and water. We must return to the Legion Fortress as soon as possible. There was a commotion above ground. Underground, Noland Lees figure had long since disappeared. Hey. Kasha, a while ago you were protected by more than 30 soldiers, with a Lieutenant by your side; I couldnt touch you then. But now, youre surrounded by only two elite fighters. No one will wait for you forever, Kasha, except for Old Six. Noland Lee sprinted at full speed into the depths of the underground tunnel.. Chapter 163 - Chapter 163: 96. Rain in the Heart (Single Update of 10,000 Words) Chapter 163: 96. Rain in the Heart (Single Update of 10,000 Words) Translator: 549690339 Underground riverbank. Nearby the Artifact Repository. The trickle of the river water only seemed to make the area more silent. This rare moment of tranquility was disrupted by the roar of an engine echoing in the underground tunnel. A steam locomotive arrived from the surface, coming to a halt amidst short bursts of brakes. Four men and a woman alighted from the locomotive. With a slam of the car door, they grabbed their guns, shouldered their combat gear, and arrived by the underground river via the tunnel. About half an hour earlier, Kasha had evacuated this area with the bulk of the troops, escorting the ancient artifacts to the surface. Half an hour later, she returned to the same spot, followed by four elite fighters. Returning to familiar ground, a faint smile played at the corners of her mouth. This had nothing to do with her soon becoming the guide for the fortress garrison. It was because she could finally return to the fortress, go to the third underground level of the castle, and confirm whether Sin Soldier No. 888 was still alive or not. If Sin Soldier No. 888 was still alive, that would be excellent. She could then capture him, take him outside the city, and lock him up in the dungeon of Intelligence Department 2 Outpost. With an escape route map in hand, Kasha wasnt worried that her actions of forcibly capturing Sin Soldier No. 888 would be stopped by the members of the Korabo Legion. The moment I capture Sin Soldier No. 888, Ill torture him with the cruelest instruments. He must know many of Murphys secrets, otherwise he couldnt have predicted the attack on the Legion Fortress with that weird speech. She stopped by the entrance to the Artifact Repository and instructed her elite fighters to stay on guard, especially against any possible threats downstream, where a large number of metal skeletons had recently appeared. As she faced the tunnel leading to the Artifact Repository, Kasha frowned thoughtfully and uttered, I remember a soldier accidentally broke a stone statue. The fragments should be inside the tunnel. Should I send someone to clean them up, so as not to fall into the hands of the undead Forget it, its just a stone statue. Just this small object shouldnt allow the undead to recover too many memories. With a flick of her hand, Kasha, trailed by her four followers, continued to move forward. Just as they were passing the entrance to the Artifact Repository, a figure, shrouded from head to toe, emerged from the dark tunnel. His left hand extended forward, his index finger aimed at Kashas head, and his right hand held a revolver. Without any unnecessary chatter or superfluous movements, he did not give the elite fighters monitoring the surroundings any time to react. His left finger gave a slight tremor, and a streak of transparent lightning, emitting a thick death aura, shot from his fingers and landed on Kashas skull. Squish! The head was cracked open, with blood and brains splattering on the faces of the elite fighters. Enemy attack! The elite fighters eyes widened in shock, filled with burning rage as they raised their guns and opened fire. Bang, bang, bang The attackers revolver spewed rounds, completely disregarding the bullets heading his way from the four men. At the same time, the bullets from the elite fighters managed to tear the attackers rain cloak, penetrated the armored clothing, and aimed for his vital areas such as heart, neck artery, eye sockets. However, these bullets seemed to have hit an incredibly soft material as they reached the attackers skin and ricocheted out, spinning in the air and falling into the river, splashing water droplets. The elite fighters looked on astounded, their eyes filled with disbelief. In their comprehension, anyone who only wore armored clothing and a rain cloak should have fallen dead to their silenced rifle bullets. But now, the assailant appeared entirely unhurt. This sight was beyond the grasp of the elite soldiers. This momentary distraction provided the attacker with the perfect opportunity for heinous assault. The bullets from the revolver connected with the head of an enemy, pierced through the eye socket, went through another mans neck, and spattered a string of bright blood. The last standing elite fighter finally realized what he needed to do. He began using his comrades corpses as a shield, pulling out a metal injector to stab into his neck. Suddenly, transparent lightning streaked past. An unexplained terror descended upon his head. Aaah! He quickly dropped the metal injector, shoved their human shield aside and started screaming and running away from the attacker in panic. Bang, bang. The last two bullets from the attacks gun blew open the back of the elite fighters head, sprinkling blood on the ground. The corpse fallen onto the ground, with body heat disappearing rapidly. Tch. Noland Lee, the attacker, faced the scene before him with a disdainful chuckle, calmly reloading his revolver, Well, that was enlightening. This so-called Imperial Fist is seriously malformed. Their Biochemical Giant Form is powerful and quite strong, but in human form, their defense is about the same as an ordinary person. If their head or other vital parts are hit, they will die instantly as well. Noland squatted down beside Kasha and started searching through her pockets and backpack, constantly voicing his complaints, Really, it was such a waste to use Death Finger just now. If Id known her human form was as weak as a chickens, I wouldnt have used my trump card It hurts, it really hurts. To ensure a 100% instant kill, ninety points of Soul Strength and ninety Energy Points were used up Well, at least Passive Deconstruction was activated, otherwise I really would have been at a loss.. Chapter 164 - Chapter 164: 96. Rain in the Heart (Single Update of 10,000 Words)_2 Chapter 164: 96. Rain in the Heart (Single Update of 10,000 Words)_2 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee emptied Kashas pockets and stuffed various battle potions into his backpack. He reached into Kashas backpack and took out a rolled-up route map in the shape of a barrel. When Noland Lee opened the map and took a look, he couldnt help but feel troubled. He did not consider himself an excessively kind-hearted person. But if there was a chance to save many lives by lifting a finger, he would not ignore it. So, he had to find a way to get this breakout map into the hands of the soldiers stationed at the Legion Fortress. Noland Lee stood up and pushed Kashas corpse into the river with a forceful kick. He did the same to the other four elite fighters corpses as he passed them, pushing them all into the water. The river carried the corpses northwards while Noland Lee swept the bloodstained mud back into the water, retrieving all the casings and bullet heads from the ground. With that, the corpse disposal was complete. No one would know how Kasha died unless she appeared as an undead on the battlefield. Of course, the collection of soul fragments was also essential. Seeing a corpse and collecting soul fragments had become Noland Lees instinct. Noland Lee glanced around to ensure that he hadnt left any clues behind before heading toward the steam boiler room. He checked the spoils of the recent battle in his mind. [System Message: You killed Military Intelligence Section Two investigator Sergeant Kasha with Death Finger. You killed four elite fighters from Military Intelligence Section Two with a revolver.] [Passive Deconstruction activated!] [You gained the following Deconstruction Results:] Your Kinetic Weapon Shooting Proficiency gained a lot of experience and increased to Level 4.] You unlocked the standard panel for Tatis Empire Military Intelligence Section Two Sergeant, rewarded with 1000 energy points.] You unlocked the standard panel for Tatis Empire Intelligence Department 4 Special Forces, rewarded with 500 energy points.] You gained the personalized panel information of Sergeant Kasha.] [4. You gained the personalized panel information of Four Elite Fighters.] As Noland Lee rushed to his destination, he checked the results of the deconstruction. The panel information of the four elite fighters was nothing special. Their Tenacity and Vitality attributes were relatively prominent, and their skill levels related to shooting and biochemical mutation were high. The knowledge and memories they possessed were quite similar to one another, essentially the military courses they had taken at the Empires Military Academy. Now Noland Lee understood a pattern. The knowledge and memories obtained from using the Deconstruction technique were not the entire content of the deconstructed objects, but the knowledge they used most often or memories that were relatively vivid and important. For example, memories of a child growing up playing in the mud and other such experiences would not appear in the panel information. Instead, classroom contents like Imperial Army Combat Regulations , Uncovered Shooting Training , and Military Bunker Construction Tutorial were displayed on the panel information. Noland Lee quickly flipped through the memories of the elite fighters and soon found them dull and uninteresting, all of which were rigid soldier training and classroom content. He pushed these pieces of knowledge and memories aside and began to check Kashas recent memories. What he saw made Noland Lee break out in a cold sweat. He suddenly stopped in his tracks, the hooded figure swaying with the abrupt halt. His head turned jerkily behind him, the gaze following the course of the river up north. I never would have guessed that Kasha and Murphy were both daughters of the Emperor. How did I get myself tangled up with the Emperors blood feud? Are you people with royal bloodlines all out of your minds? Coming to the frontlines to cause trouble for no reason? And hiding your names and identity, making yourself look like ordinary soldiers Noland Lee placed a hand on his forehead, shaking his head helplessly as he resumed his journey. The top-to-bottom hierarchy of the Tatis Empire is all twisted. I give up. Doesnt the Emperor care about his daughters? Why put them through trials in the army? As Noland Lee walked, his pace slowed, shaking his head again in amazement at the memories he saw: . No wonder the Emperor doesnt keep his children close. There are too many of them. He has over two thousand wives and at least five thousand descendants. He breeds more than a pig Losing a daughter shouldnt be a deep hatred for him Despite saying this, Noland Lee still felt a chill in his heart At a glance, the soul strength collection record made Noland Lee realize that the Emperors daughters, besides being famous, were not much different from ordinary people. Kashas soul strength was the same as that of an ordinary person, 0.2 points. Moreover, according to panel data, the soul strength of the living elite fighters and Kasha was also only 1 point, the same as an ordinary person. Noland Lee initially thought that the souls of the Imperial Fist would be special somehow. Now it seemed that was not the case. Ah, what a waste ot that Death Finger Now I have to go back to the pile ot corpses to replenish my soul strength.. The loss of soul strength was a minor issue, with time making up for it. However, what really concerned Noland Lee was a passive skill on Kashas panel: Bloodline Sensing. As the name suggests. The Emperor could vaguely sense his children through their bloodline connections, knowing their general location and life status.. Chapter 165 - Chapter 165: 96. Rain in the Heart (Single Update of 10,000 Words)_3 Chapter 165: 96. Rain in the Heart (Single Update of 10,000 Words)_3 Translator: 549690339 The Emperor must have realized that Kasha is dead. That was the real reason Noland Lee was anxious and couldnt help but criticize the Emperor just now. Noland Lee thought that he had dealt with the scene very well and shouldnt be tracked by anyone. But theres always a chance Also, Noland Lee discovered a very unusual thing from Kashas memory: The Emperors daughters dont look like him, but his sons do. Among the Emperors more than 5,000 descendants, there are only 15 sons, and the rest are daughters! In addition to these secrets involving the Emperor, Noland Lee also found some horrifying truths in Kashas memory Some true military secrets. Top-secret experiments. Murder for show. With just a simple look, Noland Lee felt a trembling in his heart. Somewhere to the east of the Korabo Corps Fortress. The Division Intelligence Unit Twos teams are driving under the cover of night, speeding away from the war-torn area behind them. Lieutenant Cavado drives the car himself, leading the way in the front of the convoy. The coal lamp hanging at the front of the car emits a gentle light, barely illuminating the road ahead. In the ruined corner that this light cannot reach, a shadow flashes in front of Lieutenant Cavados vehicle. It is as ghostly and as swift as the wind, followed by the crisp sound of opening and closing car doors. Facing this eerie scene, Lieutenant Cavado seemed to have been accustomed to it already. He glanced at the rearview mirror and saw a person wearing a silver mask and black hood through the smooth mirror. Lieutenant Cavado raised his right hand and saluted the mirror: The air in the carriage gradually solidified, and the oppressive atmosphere was condensing. Lieutenant Cavado felt that something was wrong, but he could only keep his hands on the steering wheel and dared not ask further. Youre in trouble, Cavado. Morsters voice is still young, but it doesnt hide the majesty of being a superior. Lieutenant Cavado swallowed hard, his eyes flashed with panic, and his gaze swept back and forth between the road ahead and the rearview mirror: Chief Officer What happened? What did I do wrong? Morster leaned back and put his back on the chair, slowly saying: Intelligence Department 1 sent me an urgent letter, and then I appeared in front of you. You should know what this means. Sweat broke out on Lieutenant Cavados face, and he slammed on the brakes and at the same time stretched out his left hand out the window, clenched fist, signaling the team to stop. The guards from the rear got off the car and hurriedly ran to the team commander to ask what was going on. Lieutenant Cavado issued several orders in a row. He told the teams to keep moving and escort the ancient relics to the safety outpost, while he should turn around and return the way he came. Thus, the Division Intelligence Unit Twos teams got on the road again, but they were missing Lieutenant Cavados car this time. Lieutenant Cavado turned the steering wheel and floored the accelerator, tightly gripping the shaking steering wheel in the roar of the engine. What did the urgent letter from Intelligence Department 1 say, Chief Officer? Lieutenant Cavado wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and casually wiped it on his clothes: Is Kasha seriously injured and unconscious, needing urgent treatment, or is she already dead? Morster did not speak but silently took out a potion. When Lieutenant Cavado saw the potion, his body shuddered, and he stuttered: Truth serum Truth serum Is the situation that serious Has Kasha died Struggling to control his trembling hands, Lieutenant Cavado took the truth serum from his superior and gulped it down: Ill drink, Ill drink, I know the rules Lieutenant Cavado convulsed slightly, lying back in his seat, the glass bottle rolling into the crevice of the seat. His eyes were blank and his expression dull, entering a state where he answered whatever was asked. Morster threw question after question at him, all related to Kashas death, focusing on the matter of Lieutenant Cavado letting Kasha return to the fortress. About 5 minutes passed. Lieutenant Cavado woke up with splitting headaches. He grabbed the water bottle next to him and chugged a full mouthful. Through the sound of gulping water, Morster, sitting in the back seat, slowly said: Cavado, I already know everything I want to know through the truth serum. When Kasha asked you to let her lead the team back to the fortress, you should have stuck to the rules and refused her suggestion. But given her true identity, you agreed to her suggestion. I confirm that you are not an accomplice to the murderer, but you have to pay for your mistakes in command. Morster looked at Cavados pale face through the mirror reflection: Listen, Cavado. Now go back to the Korabo Legion Fortress and call up our intelligence personnel we have placed in the Legion. You must investigate Kashas death thoroughly. No matter if the murderer is a Death Herald Guild thug or an Undead, you must report the truth to me. You need to act quickly and not miss any details. Otherwise, all traces, all clues, may be completely disappear with the fall of the Korabo Legion Fortress.. Understand? Chapter 166 - Chapter 166: 96. Rain in the Heart (Single Update of 10,000 Words)_4 Chapter 166: 96. Rain in the Heart (Single Update of 10,000 Words)_4 Translator: 549690339 Yes, Chief Officer. Lieutenant Cavado endured the headache brought on by the Truth Serum, started the steam locomotive, and headed towards the secret entrance of the underground tunnel. With the opening of the carriage door and a gust of wind, the man in the back left. Lieutenant Cavado slammed the steering wheel angrily, gritting his teeth and growling: Damn murderer! Ill crush you! You ruined me! Lieutenant Cavado vented his anger at the car. When he finally calmed down, he noticed that his chief officer had left a letter on the co-pilots seat. Driving the steam locomotive while opening the envelope and reading it, Lieutenant Cavados expression changed from furious to solemn, and then to somber. The anger in his eyes dissipated completely, replaced by full of confusion and contemplation. Before Kasha died, her bloodline power failed to send any warning to the Emperor! She didnt even have a chance to use the elixir and transform into the Imperial Fist before the murderer snuffed out all her vitality. Snuffed out her vitality Intelligence Department 1 preliminarily determined that Kashas vitality was snuffed out. Lieutenant Cavado pondered for a moment: Hiss So, its either the Undead controlling death energy or the Death Herald Guild scum that ambushed Kasha? However, as far as I know, the people in the Death Herald Guild dont have the ability to instantly unleash death energy. They have to chant spells or raise their magic wand to store power. That brief time should have been enough for Kasha to discover the enemy. Only a small number of Undead Creatures could snuff out her vitality before Kasha could react. Recalling the metal skeleton that emerged from the downstream of the underground river, Lieutenant Cavado furrowed his brow tightly. For the metal skeleton to instantly kill Kasha it could only be possible with the Death Pulse. However, this death magic requires at least 3 seconds of preparation time. Although Kasha wasnt in her best state tonight, it wasnt bad enough for her not to notice the movement of the metal skeleton preparing to cast Death Pulse or rather, she was unable to detect the enemy casting. Lieutenant Cavados pupils shrank a bit: I get it it might be the work of a self-destructing skeleton. Only such a treacherous thing could kill Kasha in a sneak attack. Lieutenant Cavado slapped the deformed steering wheel again: Damn it. These lingering bastards, why did they just happen to show up there when Kasha passed by the underground river? Lieutenant Cavado pressed the accelerator hard, wishing he could stomp through the floor of the carriage. The steam locomotive let out a sharp whistle as it sped through the ruins. After hurrying along the way, Lieutenant Cavado finally returned to the entrance of the underground tunnel. The place was a desolate area, located to the northwest of the Korabo Legion Fortress, surrounded by ruins of broken pillars. Lieutenant Cavado entered the underground tunnel, took a careful look at the tire marks on the ground, and found no unexpected traces. He held his firearms, drank the Night Vision Potion, and ran wildly along the underground tunnel, soon reaching the tunnels end. Kashas vehicle appeared before his eyes. Lieutenant Cavado carefully checked the perimeter, and after confirming that there were no traps, he began to inspect the supplies in the vehicle. Water, food, medicine, ammunition, rescue signal guns, topographic maps Nothing in the vehicle was missing. Lieutenant Cavado walked through the tunnel entrance to the underground river, immediately attracted by the leg bone on the rocky riverbank. At the sight of the bone fragments, bee syrup bomb black smudges, scattered bullet heads and shell casings, and the trail of bone prints The scene of Kasha being attacked immediately flashed through Lieutenant Cavados mind! A group of Undead Constructs ambushed Kasha on her inevitable path, launching a deadly attack as she stepped out of the underground tunnel. Lieutenant Cavado found many pieces of flesh damaged by the explosive impact force in the cracks of the ground and walls, further confirming his speculation that Kasha was killed by a self-destructing skeleton. Taking deep breaths of the damp underground river air, Lieutenant Cavado barely managed to suppress his inner rage. Glimpsing a shadow in the corner, Cavado quickly noticed a military backpack torn apart by the explosive force. He crouched down beside the backpack and pulled out a barrel-shaped route map from it, quietly breathing a sigh of relief. Kasha was dead, that was irreversible. But at the very least, the breakout route map had not been lost, as it also served to complete the task of assisting the Legion Fortress garrison in breaking out. Its a good thing that the brains of Skeleton Warriors never worked well, and they had no interest in anything other than living people. Otherwise, the survival of the route map in this backpack might not have been guaranteed. Lieutenant Cavado sighed for a moment. He walked upstream along the underground river, carefully examining all the traces along the way, but he never saw Kashas corpse or the corpses of the four elite fighters. Well, there was only one answer. Lieutenant Cavado stopped walking, gazed at the underground river not far away, and looked at the surging river surface. Those Undead Constructs not only ambushed Kasha and the four elite fighters with self-destructing skeletons but also threw their remains into the underground river. Or perhaps, the skeletons used dark death-type magic to desecrate the corpses of Kasha and the others. Either way, those Undead Constructs were dead meat! Chapter 167 - Chapter 167: 96. Rain in the Heart (Single Update of 10,000 Words)_5 Chapter 167: 96. Rain in the Heart (Single Update of 10,000 Words)_5 Translator: 549690339 He quickened his pace, sprinting upstream along the underground river, reaching an area beneath the steam boiler room. Here, he encountered a dozen Imperial Soldiers who had just finished their battle. The sound of Lieutenant Cavados footfalls startled the soldiers, who were bandaging their wounds behind the military barricade, visibly wounded. They immediately raised their guns, aiming at him. If they hadnt recognized the military uniform on Lieutenant Cavado, a friendly fire accident almost occurred at the scene. Hold fire, dont shoot, it seems to be an investigator from Division Intelligence Unit Twopresenting my report, Chief Officer! A sergeant ran out from the crowd of soldiers and saluted the lieutenant that was coming towards him: Korabo Legion Fortress Guards, the 115th Garrison Squad is on duty, could you identify yourself? Superintendent Investigator Cavado from Intelligence Unit TwoWhat happened here? Did you see a group of Skeleton Warriors? Lieutenant Cavado crossed the defense lines railing, asking questions one after another. The sergeant spoke: Report, sir. Not long ago, a team of Undead Constructs walked over using the underground river, attacking the Steam Boiler Room. We immediately set up a defense line and successfully annihilated this Skeleton Army. Good job. I have brought the breakout route map. Now I need to meet the Fortresss Commanderhows the situation on the ground level? Lieutenant Cavado, while walking towards the entrance of the Steam Boiler Room, asked the sergeant. Report. The Legion Castle has been occupied by the undead. Left with no choice, the Commander ordered the destruction of the second to fifth floors of the Castle, to prevent the confidential files from falling into the hands of the Undead Cult. The Commander is now near the Steam Train Station, gathering troops, preparing for the breakout to outside of the city. Lieutenant Cavado silently nodded, pushed the metal door open, and stepped into the Steam Boiler Room. The underground river path he just walked through, although it leads straight to the suburbs, was too narrow and had poor terrain. Legion troops walking through this path would be easily surrounded and annihilated by the undead army in the underground. Therefore, a breakout route that could be used by a large army was necessary. Division Intelligence Unit Two wasnt just idling all day. While they were keeping an eye on the illegal forces within the Empire, they also, under the request of Intelligence Department 4, secretly assisted all Legions in arranging backup escape routes. That breakout route map recorded the escape route for the Korabo Legion Troops. Only by proceeding in the correct way would the escaping soldiers not trigger the traps and explosives used to fend off the undead. To hand over the breakout route map to the Fortress Commander, half of Lieutenant Cavados mission on this journey would be completed. During the remaining time, he just had to take back the remains of the self-destructing skeleton that killed Kasha, to give Intelligence Department 1 an answer. However Would this be a bit too rash Lieutenant Cavado came to the ground level, faced the pitter-pattering black rainwater, and sank into contemplation. In his own view, Kasha was indeed killed by a self-destructing skeleton, and those Skeleton warriors who attacked Kasha were already Killed by the soldiers guarding the Boiler Room. But would Intelligence Department 1 believe all this? Lieutenant Cavado was doubtful whether his words could earn the trust of the Chief Officer and Intelligence Department 1. All he knew was that he must find a way to make the investigation results more convincing. Ooh err Ooh err A weird noise entered Cavados ears. Lieutenant Cavado alertly raised his gun, looked at the passing refugee group, his expression shocked. By the Emperor, what have I seen a few Walking Deads are actually escorting a group of female nurses! And none of the female nurses in the scene are resisting! A chill ran up Lieutenant Cavados spine! Without any hesitation, he pulled the trigger. Bang bang bang bang.. After a series of rough gunshots, the heads of the Walking Dead burst one after another. The gunfire startled the nurse group which had not long escaped danger, causing a series of screams. Among the many females, the male soldier with a pale face and heavy dark bags under his eyes was so striking. He was exuding a powerful scent of death all over his body, like a breathing walking corpse. Bang! There was one more round hole in his forehead. He opened his mouth, trying to say something, but couldnt get a word out, his eyes filled with sadness and loss. He swayed a few times, finally falling to the ground with heavy fatigue, falling into the accumulated water. No! Why did you kill him! Why did you kill him! A voluptuous female nurse ran out from the crowd, she squatted on the soldiers body mournfully screaming: He saved us! He saved us from the undead! Why did you kill him! Why! No reason, nurse. He violated the Empires taboo. As an investigator for Division Intelligence Unit Two, I should kill him on the spot. Lieutenant Cavado blew the smoke from the muzzle, came to the deceased soldier, picked up the body with one hand, shouldered it, and turned around to leave. Behind him, the female nurse lay desolate on the ground, in front of her was black accumulated water and the bloodstains left by the deceased soldier: Whywhywhy did you hurt Yog, why did you kill him why did you hurt Jarvishe merely followed ordershes not a bad person Sully lifted her head to look at Lieutenant Cavados back. Her face was covered with water droplets, it was unclear whether it was rainwater or tears. Her lips quivered violently, as though there was endless grief and indignation that she couldnt voice out.. Chapter 168 - Chapter 168: 96. Rain in the Heart (Single Update of Chapter 168: 96. Rain in the Heart (Single Update of 10,000 Words) 6 Translator: 549690339 Mars girlfriend, little nurse Melinda, came to Sullys side and helped her up from the rainwater. Sully staggered to her feet, grabbing the chest badge on her bosom. Even though the pin on the badge pierced her soft palm, she forcibly ripped it off. She smashed the badge to the ground, shook off Melindas arm, buried her head, and walked unsteadily to the assembly point, leaving behind feeble sobs and cries in the dark night. It was still raining. The dark rainwater not only soaked Sullys body but also made her heart cold and silent. This tragedy didnt attract much attention. Starting with the groans of the walking dead and ending with the bullet that took Yogs life, it would eventually fade from peoples memories like raindrops falling to the ground a few days later. In fact, whether it was the female nurses escorted by Yog or Sully herself, they knew that Yog wouldnt have a good end, and everyone subconsciously kept their distance from such a person. Those who received Yogs help would be grateful to him in their hearts, but they would not and dare not react to his death in any way. Sully was the only exception. Near the secret tunnel entrance of Division Intelligence Unit Two, behind a low hill made of rubble. Noland Lee held the monocular telescope and saw Lieutenant Cavado walk into the underground tunnel leading to the underground river from far away. The bone remains at the entrance of the artifact repository, the flesh mud in the stone cracks, the leg bones hanging by the river, and other things were all Lees masterpieces. However, dont misunderstand. Not a single unrelated person was persecuted. In fact, from beginning to end, Noland Lee simply made reasonable use of the defeated skeleton warriors by Division Intelligence Unit Two and the canned pork in his backpack He consumed some of the freshly-acquired energy points, leveling up his Enslavement of Deceased skill from level 5 to level 10. Although the large expenditure of energy points made him feel the pain, he gritted his teeth and formed a decent skeleton army. First, he arranged Kashas death scene, creating the illusion that Kasha died after encountering an attack by self-destructing skeletons. Then, he had his own skeleton warriors move towards the direction of the steam boiler room. Noland himself hid on the ground, using system messages to judge the condition of his skeleton warriors. As expected, the little fellows were killed by someone, and Enslavement of Deceased skill was forcibly terminated. Not long after, Cavados steam locomotive appeared in Nolands view. Noland closely observed Cavados every move using the monocular telescope. The other party entered the tunnel and never returned to the ground. Seeing this, Noland knew that his plan was a great success. That escape route map should have fallen into Cavados hands. Now I can leave here with peace of mind. Noland put away the telescope, pulled out the telescopic cane from the side pocket of his backpack, and walked forward through the pitch-black ruins. There was something that was beyond Nolands expectations, but within reason. This had to do with leveling up skills. When leveling up Enslavement of Deceased to level 10, the system sent a message: [System Message: You have upgraded Enslavement of Deceased from level 9 to 10.] [Summoned Creatures quantity for Enslavement of Deceased +1.] [You have triggered a level-up reward for reaching level 10.] [Please choose one of the following three options:] [Option One:] [The maximum number of Summoned Creatures for this technique has been increased by 20. The number of summonable Undead Creatures from the Enslavement of Deceased technique has been increased from 10 to 30.] [Option 2:] [Add the Energy-efficient Casting feature to Enslavement of Deceased technique. Permanently reduce the casting consumption of Enslavement of Deceased by 20%.] [Option 3:] [Add the Aggressive Casting feature to Enslavement of Deceased technique. You can now forcefully enslave Lost Souls of higher life levels.] [Forcefully enslaved Lost Souls will occupy at least 5 slots for summoned creatures instead of 1, and the energy points and soul strength required will be at least 5 times higher.] [Your current life level is Tatis Empire Army Corporal Template, and you can enslave only the same-level human remains and the ordinary low-level Undead Troops remains.] [After choosing this option, you can enslave remains equivalent to Tatis Empire Army Sergeant Template to fight for you, or enslave elite units of lower-level Undead Troops, such as Big Skeletons in lower-tier Undead Constructs.] To be honest, if it wasnt for the need of putting together a skeleton army of suitable size, Noland Lee wouldnt choose Option 1. Option 2 offers a permanent reduction in the casting consumption of the Enslavement of Deceased technique, which would save one-fifth of energy points and soul strength consumption. As the level of Enslavement of Deceased increases, the limit on the number of summoned creatures would go higher, and the energy points and soul strength saved by Option 2 are substantial. Now, lets look at Option 3. Well, well, well. Forcefully enslaving Big Skeletons is a prestigious thing to do, but the only downside is the massive consumption during casting. However, theres no other choice With only 10 pitiful little skeletons, it is impossible to make Cavado believe him. So, Noland had to choose Option 1 and gather 30 skeleton warriors to send as cannon fodder Hell have the opportunity to choose Option 2 or 3 later on. Noland Lee shook his head slightly and walked through the ruins, trying to stay focused. He looked up and squinted at the silhouette of the distant mountains to the north, remembering the Suffering Borderland map that Kasha had known. Heading north from his current position, he would have to pass through three imperial defense lines and over a dozen underground tombs, which would be full of difficulties and dangers. There are also Imperial Patrol Teams roaming in the ruins. These patrol teams are not here to capture deserters. Their mission is to inspect the condition of the underground tombs, checking on the concentration of death energy inside and whether there are any unplanned activities happening. But if they find deserters like Noland, they will deal with them by executing them on the spot or disarming them and taking them back to the nearest outpost. The good news is that as an investigator for Division Intelligence Unit Two, Kasha is familiar with the layout of tombs, the structure of the imperial defense lines, and patrol routes. All of this information appears in Nolands mind as memories. Theoretically, as long as the actual situation doesnt change, Noland can bypass all obstacles and reach the foot of the Blade Mountain Range to begin his mountain crossing journey. Unfortunately, after checking Kashas memory, Noland had realized that his killing of the Emperors Daughter would likely bring pursuit. For this reason, he had to give up his plan to enter the Legion Fortress again to absorb soul fragments and instead use the limited time to create a false scenario to deceive Cavado. As he had anticipated, Cavado indeed appeared and stepped into the illusion crafted by him. This would provide Noland with plenty of time. However, he also lost the opportunity to replenish his soul strength. Now, he has just over 300 soul strength points, which should be enough for him to cross the Blade Mountain Range. However, he cant help but feel empty and unfulfilled due to the difference in his inventory. Noland suppresses his desire to scavenge for soul fragments and sets out on his journey to escape suffering. Before he left, he glanced at the dark clouds in the sky and lingered on the black rain curtain that resembled a waterfall, feeling a subtle discomfort in his heart. My time in the Suffering Borderland was unpleasant, but to be honest, as a fellow human, I hope the suffering can end soon. Noland withdrew his gaze, allowing the sound of rain to become the background noise for his journey. Who could put an end to this suffering he pondered in his heart.. Chapter 169 - Chapter 169: 97. Accidentally Hit the Mark Chapter 169: 97. Accidentally Hit the Mark Translator: 549690339 It had been four days since the Korabo Legion fell. That morning. In a secret outpost of Division Intelligence Unit Two somewhere in the Suffering Borderland. Morster wore a silver mask and black hood, covering himself tightly without revealing any skin, not even a strand of hair appeared under the brim of his hood. He sat behind his desk, his arms bent, his elbows resting on the chairs armrests. His ten fingers crossed in front of him, forming a triangular peak. Cavado, three days ago, you submitted an investigation report to me. In the report, you said that the murderer who killed Kasha is likely an imperial traitor named Yog. It was he who controlled the undead to assassinate Kasha Morster paused for two seconds: The emperor cut off the person who originally sat in my position and let me command you. This is an act of hope for the Division Intelligence Unit Two to make cnanges, cavaao. so you nave to ac1Just your previous ways or working. 1 want the truth you investigated, not a fake lie you created that you think can be used to deceive Now, Cavado, tell me. After I denied the results of your first investigation, what kind of investigation report have you brought this time? Lieutenant Cavado stood next to the desk, took off his hat, held it in his hand, placed it in front of his abdomen, his tone was heavy. Im sorry, Chief Officer. It was my oversight last time. This time Ive brought a new investigation report. Through my investigation, Kashas death is very suspicious. I initially thought that the murderer was the Undead Cults undead or that traitor named Yog, but as the investigation deepened, I found something wrong. Well, thats more like it. Trust in the evidence rather than unfounded imagination. Continue. Morster gave an almost imperceptible nod of his chin. I found the vehicle Kasha drove in the underground secret passage. All the supplies on the vehicle were there, including the outstanding battle potions and the tobacco loved by the imperial soldiers. I went through the underground secret passage gate and arrived at the underground river. I saw a battle scene. At that time, I thought that the traces of the battle were left by the undead attacking Kasha. At that time, I preliminarily determined that the murderer who killed Kasha was the self-destructing skeleton soldier. But Division Intelligence Unit Threes laboratory report denied this guess. Lieutenant Cavado put a stack of paper documents in front of the Chief Officer: After the examination, the bone fragments and ground meat stuck in the stone cracks showed obvious anomalies. The bone fragments were indeed left by undead constructs, but there were bullet marks left by machine-gun bullets on them. Kashas team did not carry light machine guns. Also, the ground meat was not human limb fragments, but pork, to be precise, pork from canned pork. So someone deliberately forged the crime scene, right? Yes, Chief Officer. You see, Cavado, arent we one step closer to the truth now? So, who is the person who forged the scene? Morster asked. Chief Officer, I found some important clues, but to tell you the truth, Im even more confused. Lieutenant Cavado opened his briefcase, took out several documents, and put them on the table: After I entered the Korabo Corps Fortress, I connected with the undercover inside the legion using a secret order and obtained important information from him. First, Yoge, who guarded the underground morgue and the incineration furnace, was contaminated by the Undead Cult and violated the taboo. In his dormitory, he arranged a ritual array to summon the Walking Dead, and in the process, desecrated nearly seventy corpses. Regarding the source of the magic array pattern and the origin of the death element stone that supplies energy to the array, etc., I already have preliminary investigation results, all in the documents. Morsters hands didnt move, keeping his fingers crossed. His gaze fell on the desk, and the documents on the table floated up without wind, turning pages slowly in front of him. A mixture of shock and envy appeared in Lieutenant Cavados eyes as he faced this scene. Morsters reading speed was very fast. In half a minute, he had read dozens of pages of the report. Lieutenant Cavado introduced: The person who provided Yoge with the knowledge of the magic array pattern and the death element stone was a spy from the Death Herald Guild. Their cover was the guards of the steam train, who have now been stripped of their guard status and sent to the mountain to become Sin Soldiers in the legion. These spies have been transporting Sin Soldiers for the legion for many years. After these two corpses were sent to the underground morgue, Yoge gained access to the forbidden knowledge inside their bodies. He practiced the art of stitching corpses using the corpses in the morgue. He also prayed to important figures in the Death Herald Guild and laid out the ritual array to summon the Walking Dead under their bewitchment. We should have discovered the anomaly in Yoge earlier. But Yoges skin disease is too confusing. His pale skin just happened to conceal the external manifestations of being eroded by death energy. I estimate that this is the main reason why the Death Herald Guild chose him as an insider spy in the legion. Morster finished reading the document, raised his finger slightly, and signaled Cavado to continue. Chief Officer, we simulated the impact range of Yoges summoning array. Through calculation, the underground third level to the ground third level is all within the scope of the array.. Chapter 170 - Chapter 170: 97. Accidentally Getting it Right_2 Chapter 170: 97. Accidentally Getting it Right_2 Translator: 549690339 We have repeatedly confirmed and reached a conclusion. That is, although Yogs summoning array can affect the third underground level of the castle, it is some distance away from the scene where Kasha was killed. If Yog wanted to send his undead minions to fake the scene or launch an attack on Kasha, he would have to take his troops around the majority of the fortress and enter the underground through the steam boiler room. This is impossible, as many people saw him near the castle that night. Our informant in the fortress can also prove that Yoga stayed on the ground and never went underground. After realizing that my investigation direction was wrong, I immediately started looking for new clues. I quickly received new information from the army cleaning up the ruins of the fortress. Continuing, Lieutenant Cavado placed another document on the table: On the night the Korabo Corps Fortress fell, about 20 soldiers who had committed mistakes were imprisoned in the isolation room on the third underground level. These soldiers all died horribly in the fire in the guard room but one escaped C Sin Soldier No. 888, Noland Lee Jarvis. The army that cleared the castle ruins confirmed they did not see the body of Noland Lee Jarvis. The person who confirmed this was Corporal Mars, Jarviss direct superior. Its worth noting that the door connecting the guard room to the staircase was locked from the inside. The fire that killed the soldiers was also confined to the guard room. All these signs indicate that someone helped Noland Lee Jarvis escape the isolation room and faked his death. It was then that I remembered, the range of Yogs summoning array included the underground isolation room Morster raised his hand, interrupting Cavados speech: Youre saying that after the soldiers in the isolation room died, Yog turned them into walking dead, helping Noland Lee Jarvis escape from the third underground level. Then, Yog manipulated the walking dead to lock the guard room door from the inside, and set a fire, faking Jarviss death, right? So you think Noland Lee Jarvis is Yogs accomplice. They conspired to murder Kasha together? No, Chief Officer. I think the murderer is Noland Lee Jarvis. Because Yog has only shown his extraordinary abilities to control the walking dead, our informant has not seen him commanding skeleton warriors. At the scene of Kashas murder, I only saw the remains of skeleton warriors, and the undead attacking the steam boiler room were also just skeleton warriors. Lieutenant Cavado took a deep breath: So, I finally concluded that Noland Lee Jarvis is the murderer. But but, I cant figure it out. How did he command the skeleton warriors? I asked everyone who had been in contact with Noland Lee Jarvis, and everyone reported they saw no traces of death energy erosion on him. His complexion is normal, his speech is full, and he shows no signs of weakness or shortness of breath. Morster pondered for a moment, and asked: Cavado, assuming that Noland Lee Jarvis is the murderer, the grudge between him and Kasha would be his motive. But the gap in their strength is too wide, isnt it? Ive observed Noland Lee Jarvis; hes just an ordinary person whos just been injected with a strengthening potion, without any energy fluctuations. Have you thought about how he could kill Kasha before she could react? And also, do you think the person who faked the crime scene at the underground river was Noland Lee Jarvis? Yes, Chief Officer. I even suspect that the team of skeleton warriors attacking the underground boiler room was arranged by Noland Lee Jarvis, but vadum, vadum, vadum. Morster finished the sentence for him: But the fact that Noland Lee Jarvis shows no signs of contamination from death confuses you, and you always find it hard to believe your own conjecture, right? Yes, Chief Officer. Anyone who has been in contact with forbidden power will show obvious outward characteristics. Yog also has them, but they have been concealed by his physical defects for a long time. Noland Lee Jarvis has no physical defects, and we see no abnormalities on him. But one thing is clear; Noland Lee Jarvis is very knowledgeable about death magic. When Kasha arrested him, he raved and ranted, accurately predicting the fall of Korabo Corps Fortress. This part of the content is also in my report. Lieutenant Cavado opened the document and showed it to the Chief Officer. Morster read it aloud while reading:upda@te by new novel. or g Talk about the Empire, talk about the undead, talk about the damn Suffering Borderland, Youre all just like idiots, only being led by the nose by the enemy Hmm, interesting. Noland Lee Jarvis spoke his mind; hes always been impatient with us and clearly knows the crux of this life-and-death battle. I initially arranged for a nurse to be his love interest, hoping to use love to weaken his 10. but he didnt fall for it and became even more awake. Such a highly intelligent person is the hardest to deal with. Morsters ten fingers shook rhythmically, making a wave-like curve. Cavado, I have some guesses. Im all ears, Chief Officer. The one who killed Kasha was not Jarvis but a wizard from the Death Herald Guild. On the night the fortress fell, Yog received instructions from the object of his prayers during his prayer. He helped Jarvis escape from the isolation room and guided him to meet with the wizard from the Death Herald Guild. After they met, they both left the fortress through the underground river.. Chapter 171 - Chapter 171: 97. Accidentally Hit the Mark_3 Chapter 171: 97. Accidentally Hit the Mark_3 Translator: 549690339 Jarvis harbored resentment toward the Imperial Army, so he accepted the Death Herald Guilds invitation. He and the guilds wizards met Kasha halfway. Jarvis asked the guild members to kill Kasha to take his revenge. The guild members then killed Kasha and staged a false crime scene. In this way, it completely explains Kashas cause of death, who staged the false crime scene, and why Jarvis showed no signs of contamination. Because the one who took action that night was not the ordinary person that is Jarvis, but rather the Death Herald Guild wizard who came to pick him up. After hearing this, Lieutenant Cavados eyes trembled, and he pondered for a few seconds before nodding heavily: Yes, Chief Officer. Your speculation is more convincing and more in line with the actual investigation situation But why would the Death Herald Guild members help Jarvis? You know why, Cavado, just think about it. You have captured so many Death Herald Guild wizard apprentices, but how many of them can write Undead Runes with a 100% success rate? Noland Lees talent in the path of a wizard is far superior to that of a wizard apprentice. Cavado revealed a look of sudden realization: Yes, Chief Officer, yes. After your reminder, I realized how talented this fellow Jarvis is. If he joins the Death Herald Guild, he will definitely become a headache for us. So what do we do next, Chief Officer? Should we go to the eastern border to carefully search for Jarviss traces and those of the Death Herald Guild wizards? No. Morster shook his head: The Death Herald Guild members wont take Jarvis eastward. Since the moment the Korabo Legion fell, the entire border has been on the highest alert. Even I might not be able to cross the border and return to the depths of the Empire. Morster raised a finger: There is only one way for Jarvis to follow the Death Herald Guild members back to the heart of the Empire, and that is to cross the Blade Mountain Range, reach the Golden Federations Fission Wilderness, and then return to the Empire from the wildernesss illegal pass. We cant control the Golden Federations illegal pass, but we can block the narrow pass in the Blade Mountain Range. Sealing the pass But Chief Officer, what if Jarvis and the Death Herald Guild members do not cross the mountain from our Empire-controlled pass, but instead take the Undead Cult pass? Wouldnt we still be unable to catch them? Cavado asked. That wont happen. I am very clear about the character of those people in the Death Herald Guild. Morster waved his hand confidently: The Death Herald Guild members crave the power of death while alive and look down on the Undead Cult members from the bottom of their hearts. They have finally managed to get a gifted apprentice from the Empire and they will certainly cultivate him well, turning him into a genuine Death Clan wizard. They would never send him into Undead territory to become an Undead. So, there is a very good chance that the Death Herald Guild members will take Jarvis across the Empires checkpoint, crossing the Blade Mountain Range, and reach the Golden Federation. As for who is the Death Herald Guild wizard that helped Jarvis escape the fortress, I have some speculations. It is highly likely that it is the leader of the Wand Destruction Team who betrayed the Empire with the Bone-mending Wand. It is this traitor who cooperated with the Undead Cult, and initiated the summoning ceremony of the Undead Army within the Legion. Cavado agreed wholeheartedly, sincerely saying: Chief Officer, your reasoning is far more reliable than mine. I will personally go guard the pass with others and prevent Jarvis and the Death Herald Guild members from crossing the mountain range. Fine, Cavado, I officially authorize you to go to the pass to carry out this task. Also, there is one more thing. Morster continued: No matter if the Death Herald Guild member beside Jarvis is the traitor of the Wand Destruction Team or not, they still possess considerable strength. In order to ensure the success of the operation, I will allow you to deploy a group of Biochemical Soldiers with Reproductive Armor. !! Lieutenant Cavados eyes widened, and his tone suddenly became excited: Reproductive Armor, Biochemical Soldiers Chief Officer, has our research plan succeeded?! Has the Emperor approved the use of Reproductive Armor and Biochemical Soldiers? This is great! We must prove to the Imperial Army that the Empire doesnt need to understand Undead Runes to defeat the Undead Cult! The power of Biochemical Mutation is enough to defeat everything! Morster raised his hand to calm his excited subordinate: Cavado, calm down. The research plan has not been completely successful yet, and many research parameters still need to be adjusted. Your mission to search for Jarvis this time will be a good opportunity to test the combat effectiveness of Reproductive Armor and Biochemical Soldiers against the Death Herald Guild members. After you return, remember to write a detailed report and submit it to Division Intelligence Unit Three. If you discover the traitor during the search for Jarvis, I permit you to use any means necessary to detain him. This order takes priority over the search for Jarvis because the traitor possesses the Bone-mending Wand. Yes, Chief Officer! Cavado loudly responded, straightening his back, his heart surging. He took the transfer order from Morster, saluted, and turned to leave. Only Morster was left in the office room. A sigh echoed through the office room. Dealing with a group of people who have no idea what a wizard is, is really difficult. In a country where magic is not acknowledged, commanding a bunch of fools who get excited at the mention of wizards is even more difficult. Father, oh father. Since you despise wizards and magic, and you also refuse to accept Alchemy, then why did you call me back to take over this mess? Did you just want to take advantage of the extraordinary knowledge in my mind to help you manage Division Intelligence Unit Two? The power of magic is majestic, father, as are wizards. Even if I help you destroy the Death Herald Guild, new magical organizations will appear in the Empire. Each one stronger and more radical than the last Are you asking me to confront these monstrous entities Looking troubled, Morster lit a cigarette. He held the cigarette between his fingers. The burning end did not touch the mask or lips. He took a slow breath. The fire at the end of the cigarette brightened and the smoke burned quickly. Hoo- With an exhalation, no white smoke could be seen in the office room. Lets maintain the status quo for now. The Death Herald Guild is still manageable The real fear is that the new magical institutions will be beyond my reach.. Chapter 172 - Chapter 172: 98. Join” Two Places Chapter 172: 98. Join Two Places Translator: 549690339 Since leaving the Korabo Legion Fortress, Noland Lee had been traveling day and night. Every time the afternoon heat became unbearable, he would find some ruins to rest in until evening, then continue on his way under the dim light of the setting sun Day in and day out, night after night. He safely passed through all the defense lines on the plains, avoiding the steam locomotive patrol teams and passing by the silent and eerie tomb entrances. All the way to where he found a shady spot nearby the Blade Mountain Range, he hadnt found any place that could replenish his soul strength. In fact, since he avoided all living beings along his route, he never encountered gasping humans on the way, nor any small animals like rats, wild dogs, or wildcats. It was as if there were no living creatures in this world except him. This sense of isolation and loneliness screeched to a halt on this days afternoon when it was torn apart by the rumble of carriage wheels coming from the road. This place was about 20 kilometers south of the Blade Mountain Range. Since it was close to the narrow pass controlled by the Empire, there were relatively more people nearby, and teams of carriages would often pass by the road, leaving noise and dust behind. Noland hid among the ruins, using a telescope to observe the distant teams of carriages. His gaze followed the teams as they moved north, watching them enter the massive narrow pass at the foot of the mountain range. The Blade Mountain Range was extremely steep, with slopes almost perpendicular to the ground level, covered in mud and rocks, and had very little green vegetation. Attempting to climb from the foot of the mountain with climbing axes and crampons was nearly impossible. The only choice was to enter the mountain through the two narrow passes held by the warring sides. The Undead Cults pass was about 100 kilometers west of where Noland was currently. It was a large underground corridor that extended down into the mountains, with the entrance guarded by undead creatures all year round. In Kashas memories, the number and strength of the undead creatures there were comparable to those in the Grave Vaults caught in an uprising. As a living person, it would clearly be unwise for Noland to try to enter through the Undead Cults pass, as there was a high chance of being detected by the undead scout forces. Since he couldnt walk through the Undead Cults pass, there was only one road left. He could infiltrate the pass controlled by the Tatis Empire, find an opportunity to climb the mountain range, pass through the peaks, reach the north side of the mountain range, jump off the clifftop, and escape. As for how to survive the jump without dying, Noland had his ways. What really troubled him now was how he could blend in with the pass controlled by the Empire. Carriages transporting supplies, transporting troops, escorting Sin Soldiers, transporting building materials This Empires pass is just as busy as Kasha remembers. Just standing here, I have seen several carriages with different functions pass by. Noland looked up at the sky: Wait until nightfall, place a stone on the road to force the convoy to stop and clear the obstacle, then use Track the Living to avoid the soldiers, and hide in the carriage. Hiss, this method is quite dangerous. If the guards were to thoroughly inspect the carriage before entering the pass, I would most likely be caught. And if specially trained military dogs were involved in the search, Id almost definitely be found out I must think of a safer and more reliable way. Noland sat cross-legged on the ground, hiding his body in the ruins. He brought out his Personal Panel and carefully examined the resources in his hands. From Kashas memories to the recent knowledge acquired through deconstructing the Martyrs Ten Commandments, Noland went over all the resources he had. One of the books from the Undead Cult caught his attention. The book was titled How Undead Monks Protect Themselves. At a first glance, Noland thought it was a simple record of mundane facts. Now, upon further examination, Noland found that the book was far from ordinary. It was actually a textbook on disguising and stealth. The book documented several ideas for the undead to survive in the world of the living, even including a death-related spell with a disguise property. This book should contain the secret to infiltrating the pass System, deconstruct this book for me, Noland whispered in his mind. [System Message: You are about to use Deconstruction on How Undead Monks Protect Themselves. ] [System Reminder:] [Since you have obtained this book from Martyrs Ten Commandments Summary through Harmless Deconstruction, all the content that could cause mental pollution has been erased. Its completion level is fixed at 50%.] [During the deconstruction of this book, you will not be able to obtain complete deconstruction results due to its low level of completion.]S,earch newn0vel .0r g on google [Expected consumption: 10 Points of Energy Value, which can achieve the maximum completion level, which is 50%.] [Do you confirm to proceed with the deconstruction?] Noland wasnt surprised to see that the books completion level was only 50%, as all deconstructed books could only reach that maximum. He glanced at his energy points in stock and silently whispered, Confirm to proceed with deconstruction. [Deconstruction Success!] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] A translation in modern Tatis language, with a completion level of 50%.] An incomplete Spell Blueprint: Disguise Living Corpse, with a completion level of 50%.] Nolands eyes lit up. Disguise Living Corpse. That should be what he needed. He opened the spell blueprint, invested 1 point of energy in it, and immediately decided to learn this magic spell.. Chapter 173 - Chapter 173: 98. Join” Two Places_2 Chapter 173: 98. Join Two Places_2 Translator: 549690339 He closed his eyes, familiarizing himself with this magic spell, and then began to draw the Magic Array Blueprint needed in his mind. His facial features changed. His cheeks became wider and the contours more pronounced. Overall, his face seemed somewhat swollen. Noland Lee opened his eyes, looked at his hands, and then rolled up his pants to examine his thighs. His body shape changed significantly, overall growing fatter, resembling a swollen living corpse. He found a mirror, scrutinizing his appearance and nodded in satisfaction. This magic spell came at the right time. Its normal use is to erase all scents from the Lost Souls, change their appearance, body shape, and voice into living corpses with obvious distinctions from the Lost Souls. At the same time, it also allows the Lost Souls to possess physiological characteristics such as heartbeat, body temperature, and pupil response, achieving the goal of blending into the society of the living. The Spell Blueprints Noland got were only 50% complete. The spell retains the functions of erasing the casters scent, modifying appearance, voice, and body shape. But it lacks the effects of simulating heartbeat, body temperature, and pupil response. And it also cannot change the eye color. Honestly, its not a big problem. Since Noland is alive, he naturally has things like heartbeats, and there is no need to use the spell to fake vital signs. As for the problem of eye color not being changeable, its even simpler: he could wear sunglasses or find someone with the same icy blue pupils as himself as the disguise target. This magic spell is the only known flaw but is almost as good as no flaw in all known spells. Having solved the difficult problem of changing appearance, the next step is to select a suitable team and blend into them. Noland carefully thought: The ideal team would transport soldiers and Sin Soldiers. There are many people in this type of team, and it is relatively easy to infiltrate. I have Deconstruction in hand, which can get the recent memory of the disguise object at any time, so I dont have to worry too much about being exposed. Noland picked up the telescope, gazing into the distance to choose the right target. Two days later, late at night. Night fell as the gloomy evening wind drifted through the ruins. Starlight never appears in the Suffering Borderland; the invisible oppressive atmosphere is always lingering in the soldiers minds. If it werent for the Refreshing Time every half month in the fortress, the morale of the soldiers would always be at freezing point. A steam locomotive transport team heading through Sin Soldiers, drove along the dark road. At last, there was a steam-powered vehicle responsible for following behind. Two soldiers were sitting in the car, one driving, while the other dozed off leaning against the door frame. Ker, wake up, were almost at the narrow pass. The driver glanced at his companion, shaking his head helplessly: I told you not to go crazy at Refreshing Time. Now youre all worn out from those crazy women and dont have any strength. Be quiet Isa, how far is it? Ker opened his eyes in a slit, looking at the silhouette of the mountains at the end of the road: Theres at least half an hour left before we get there. Let me sleep a bit more. Hmph, once we go back, Ill show those crazy women who the king is. Come on, with your skill, it will be over before it even starts Ah! Be careful!!! Driver Isa suddenly slammed the brakes and turned the steering wheel hard to the limit. The front and rear wheels scraped two arcs on the ground. Several shadows fell from the pile of ruins on the right side of the road. Instantly, there were obvious dents on the vehicle. The steam-powered vehicle stopped during the emergency braking, parked sideways on the road. Isa clenched the steering wheel, watching the falling boulders from the pile of ruins, still in shock. Ker, in the passenger seat, was doing worse. When the boulders rolled down and hit the car, his head happened to be resting against the door frame. The boulder hit the door frame and the door frame hit his head; the impact instantly knocked him unconscious. Isa repeatedly slapped Kers face but couldnt wake him up. If it werent for Kers faint breathing and the fact that his heart was still beating, Isa almost thought Ker was dead. Wake up, Ker! Wake up! Hey, wake up! Damn, why doesnt the Empire send someone to clean up the ruins? I was almost killed by these stones. Isa grumpily opened the door and got out of the car. He raised his hands and waved at the team ahead: Hey! Wait for us! Hey! Our car has been hit by stones! I have to move the stones before I can continue driving! Hey! The steam-powered vehicles in front heard Isas voice. The entire team stopped moving. The steam-powered vehicles transporting Sin Soldiers were several semi-trailer vehicles pulling large iron cages. There were wheels under the large iron cage so that they could be dragged. The iron cages were filled with Sin Soldiers. These low-quality, aggressive creatures began mocking and laughing when they heard that the team had encountered trouble. The soldier managing the Sin Soldiers took out a remote control, aimed at the Sin Soldiers causing trouble, and pressed down. The current was discharged from the Electric Shock Collar, and after the sizzle of the electric shock, only then the noisy Sin Soldiers quieted down. Two soldiers came to the rear of the car, shouted to Isa across the stones on the ground: Isa! We have to get the Sin Soldiers over there as soon as possible; otherwise, these bastards will definitely take advantage of the chaos! There arent many stones. You and Ker can move them on your own! Hey! Are you guys kidding? Are you going to leave both of us here? Hey hey! Ker is unconscious! Dont go! Ker is unconscious! Chapter 174 - Chapter 174: 98. Join” Second Place_3 Chapter 174: 98. Join Second Place_3 Translator: 549690339 In the end, Isa couldnt stay with the convoy and could only watch the team carrying the Sin Soldiers leave. Damn, bloody bad luck Isa sounded unwilling, but could only bend down and move the rocks himself. As he gritted his teeth and put all his strength into moving the rocks, a shadow shot out from the ruins and hit the back of his head with precision. Isa couldnt even let out a scream before he fell to the ground. Isa, Ker These must be the two soldiers names, right? Noland Lee walked out from the ruins, his gaze sweeping over Isa and Ker on the car. He came to Isas side, checking his breath and pulse to confirm that he had only fainted. He took out an elixir, poured it down Isas throat, then carried him and placed him in a crater he had dug in the ruins beforehand. The elixir I gave Isa will make him sleep for a whole day. I just need to pass through the narrow pass within a day. Noland Lee observed Isas physique and appearance, activated the Disguise as a Living Corpse technique, and changed into Isas appearance. He chose between Isa and Ker and finally chose Isa as his disguise target because of their similar appearance and the same ice-blue pupil color. Noland Lee threw a Deconstruction technique at Isa lying in the crater, consumed more than ten points of energy, and obtained his recent memories and partial panel information. He digested Isas memories while cleaning the road. Just as he thought everything would go according to plan, an unanticipated convoy drove up from the south road. Noland Lee turned to look at the convoy, narrowed his eyes and scanned their vehicles. Strange. Why would there be a convoy at this time? Noland Lee observed the area for two days, combined with Kashas memories, and confirmed that the convoy passing here at 11 0clock every night was the last convoy of the day. That was when he set the trap and intercepted Isa and Kers steam locomotive. But now, another convoy unexpectedly came towards the narrow pass. Facing this sudden situation, Noland Lee was a bit nervous but still managed to calm his mind, without panicking. He bent down and continued to move the rocks, devoting himself to playing the role of Isa. About ten minutes later. The convoy behind stopped nearby, and a Sergeant Major walked down from the leading vehicle and shouted at Noland Lee : Hey! Private Second Class! Yes, you, which convoy are you from, and what are you doing? Noland Lee let go of the rock in his hand, clapped his hands to shake off the dust, and saluted: Reporting to you, Chief Officer. I am Isa. Guard of the Sin Soldier transport convoy of the Paramount Legion. My vehicle encountered a rockslide. I am clearing the road. As Noland Lee spoke, he also identified the origin of the approaching convoy. It was a convoy from Division Intelligence Unit Two. They must have come to the narrow pass for an emergency task and accidentally encountered him. The Sergeant Major who questioned him looked Noland Lee up and down and enid? Why are you clearing the road alone? Where are the others? Whats the matter with the guy in your car? Why isnt he helping? The Sergeant Major walked to the side of the car, knocked on the door frame, and stared at Ker in the car. He was showing the vigilance a member of Intelligence Unit Two should have. Noland Lees face remained unchanged, and his mind calm: Reporting, Chief Officer. My convoy, which is carrying the Sin Soldiers, has already gone ahead to the narrow pass. My companion was hit by a rock and is currently unconscious. Oh, hes unconscious The Sergeant Major saw the bump on Kers forehead and nodded. He turned around, went back to the Convoy, and called a few people over to help move the rocks. Noland Lee saw this and knew that he had successfully fooled them. Together with the soldiers from Unit Two, they cleared the rocks on the road. When it was time to start the engine of the steam locomotive, a small problem arose. Noland Lees vehicle had been hit by a rock in the engine, and it had broken down. Despite several attempts, the engine still wouldnt start. This is funny now Do I have to hitch a ride with Unit Two? Noland Lee complained to himself in his heart, but didnt stop. He went over to the Sergeant Major, saluting and said: Reporting, Chief Officer. My vehicle has broken down. Could you please send some people to help me push the vehicle to the side of the road, and also relay a message to my convoy to pick up me and Ker? Theres no need for that. The Sergeant Major waved, calling his subordinates to help: You guys, go use ropes to tow that car. Faced with the enthusiastic soldiers from Unit Two, Noland Lee could only respond with an awkward but polite smile. Wow- Would he, a fake, actually be able to follow Unit Twos people into the narrow pass? Its thrilling just thinking about it. Chapter 175 - Chapter 175: 99. Second Ring Wizard Chapter 175: 99. Second Ring Wizard Translator: 549690339 After a flurry of activity, the broke-down locomotive was successfully connected to Section Twos vehicle. Noland Lee officially set off on the road to the Narrow Pass. He released the handbrake and switched to neutral so that the locomotive under him was being towed by Section Twos locomotive, while scanning the approaching imperial Narrow Pass with a squint. It was a military fortress built into the mountainside. The elevation of the military fortress was about 300 meters. Its main structure was inside the mountain, predominantly consisting of tunnels and underground bunkers that never saw daylight. Parts of the fortress protruded out of the mountain body, hanging like a bas-relief on the smooth cliff. To enter the fortress trom the ground level, one must take the elevator. With the backing of someone from Division Intelligence Unit Two, the guards at the narrow pass barely inspected Noland Lee and let the entire convoy pass. Noland Lee and his steam locomotive beneath him steadily ascended along with the elevator platform. Watching the receding ground beneath his feet, Noland Lee sighed with relief. When the elevator platform ascended to its highest position, it docked on the ground floor of the military fortress. Noland Lees steam locomotive was pulled off the elevator platform by Section r Two and parked in a nearby shed. Thank you once again, Chief Officer, Noland Lee saluted and watched the warm-hearted Military Intelligence Section Two investigator leave. He lifted Ker from the co-pilots seat, draped him over his shoulder, and dragged him towards the vehicle escorting criminal soldiers. The guards of the convoy were counting the criminal soldiers in the vehicle along with the soldiers at the narrow pass. The captain of the convoy saw Noland Lee, waving his hand and shouting: Isa! Ker! Youre here. Captain, you guys are just too unkind! You left me and Ker on the road. If we hadnt met a kind-hearted investigator from Military Intelligence Section Two, we might still be eating dust on the road Noland Lee mimicked Isas tone and grumbled incessantly. While speaking, he carefully observed the captain standing in front of him. Seeing that he didnt realize that he was an imposter, Noland Lees tension eased considerably. It was all for completing the delivery task on time, Isa. Now enough of the complaints. Has Ker woken up?Still unconscious, huh? Well then, hell have to be taken to the medical department. The captain spoke to a soldier at the narrow pass for a moment. The soldier called over two team members to carry the unconscious Ker into the medical department. Without the burden of Ker, Noland felt much lighter. Isa, dont stand idle. Help the guards at the narrow pass escort the criminal soldiers into the prison cell. The captain handed a remote control to Noland Lee, urging him: Hurry up, dont make a mistake. These criminal soldiers are urgently needed by the garrison at the narrow pass, you mustnt let them escape along the way. Noland Lee looked at the remote control in his hand and blinked. What a turn of fortune. He also had a day when he could control an electric shock collar with a remote control Noland Lee recalled Isas habit of escorting criminal soldiers. He took out the metal stick around his waist, banging on the iron cage while shouting: Losers, listen up. Were here at your graveyard. Now, Im going to take you to the shithole. Anyone who dares make trouble, Ill shock you until bitter water comes out. A few criminal soldiers glared at him fiercely. Noland Lee didnt say a word more, directly pressing the remote control against them. Zizzz. The current surged. Those criminal soldiers fell to the ground, convulsing and begging for mercy. The other criminal soldiers also became much honest. Halfway, a courier soldier rushed over and spoke to the soldiers in the team: Guys, here are the latest instructions from above, we are to cooperate with Division Intelligence Unit Two in arresting a Death Notice Spy There was a slight stir in Noland Lees heart as he listened in. Could it be that the Section Two convoy he encountered earlier was here to capture the Death Notice Spy? The courier soldier continued to speak: According to orders from above, Bunkers No.l to No.15 are under wartime alert and cannot be entered by anyone other than the bunker guards. Bunker No.16 is as usual. If you are transporting criminal soldiers to the front lines, go through Bunker No.16, the other bunkers are not accessible. Alright, we got it, thanks mate. The courier soldier dashed away and ran towards the convoy escorting the criminal soldiers, bringing the news to the guards at the narrow pass who were watching the criminal soldiers. From the higher command, Noland Lee smelled the scent of a trap. The exorbitantly luxurious royalty of the ancient Tatis Dynasty built many heavily fortified tombs in the Blade Mountain Range, hoping to rest here undisturbed by the outside world forever. The Blade Mountain Range was always shrouded in gusty winds, so neither the undead of the Undead Cult nor the Imperial Army could fight on the surface. Both sides unanimously chose to fight within the massive tomb clusters inside the mountain. To defend their positions and seize the tombs, the Undead Cult invested in spirit pivots, while the empire built bunkers within the tombs. Noland Lees original plan was: He would blend in with the battle teams in the bunker, seize the opportunity to leave the battlefield, reach the surface through the corridor of the underground tomb, and then move to the northern side of the mountain range against the gusty wind. If it werent for the current instruction, he couldve chosen any bunker from No.l to No.16. Now, only Bunker No.16 was a viable option. Isnt this a strategy of leave one side open for retreating? Perhaps Bunker No.16 is a trap already set for the Death Notice Spy to jump into. What a bad luckl happened to run into Division Intelligence Unit Two capturing a spy, and my escape route was sealed While maintaining a calm exterior, Noland Lee was churning with thoughts inside.. Chapter 176 - Chapter 176: 99. Second Ring Wizard_2 Chapter 176: 99. Second Ring Wizard_2 Translator: 549690339 Could it be that my whereabouts have been exposed? How could it be such a coincidence otherwise? As Noland Lee pondered the possibility of his cover being blown, he followed the troops into the tunnel leading to the prison cell. The coal lamps hanging on the walls emitted a dim flame, illuminating the square walls made of stone bricks. A thick layer of dust coated the floor of the tunnel, and bullet marks were clearly visible on the walls. It seemed that battles had taken place in the Empires narrow pass. The accompanying soldiers began to converse. We have to cooperate with the Second Place again to catch spies Ugh, it happens every two or three days. I dont understand why the higher-ups sealed the fortress? In the past, when we caught spies, didnt we just check their names and identities? I estimate that the entire border defense line in the east must be on high alert. For the Death Notice spies to leave the Boundary Land, theyd have to cross the Blade Mountain Range and take boats back to the Empire from the Golden Federations illegal crossing. Such incidents have happened quite a few times. Havent those famous senior members of the Death Herald Guild done it like this before? The people of the Death Herald Guild really have some skills, just flipping over such hizh mountain ranqes like that. Hey, be careful not to let the Second Place hear you say that, or you will suffer. But dont think the Death Herald Guild people are too amazing either. The price they paid for forcibly crossing the mountains is huge. I heard that they must first use magic to turn themselves into Skeleton Warriors, and then jump off the clifftop. After reaching the ground, they find their heads, arms, and thighs, and put them back together. If theyre missing a few bones, then transforming back into human form is painful, half dead, and could even be fatal. Tsk, what do the Death Herald Guild people want by going through all this trouble? What else can they want? Of course, its to bring important magical items back with them. Ive heard that the thing that led to the fall of the Korabo Corps Fortress is a genuine magic wand. Dont you think the Death Herald Guild would want to bring it back? One of the soldiers praised: Wow, mate, I never thought youd know so much. Noland Lee also thought that the talkative soldier knew too much. Unconsciously, he glanced over and then froze. It was because that soldier was looking at him with a deep gaze, a faint smile playing at the corner of his mouth: Hehe, of course, I know more, much more than all of you combined. Dont you think so, Private Second Class Isa? Noland Lees heart trembled. Just as he was about to create confusion and flee the scene, he was suddenly struck by a transparent lightning. Invisible heavy pressure came from all directions, pinning him firmly in place. [Warning!] [You are affected by the Unknown Magical Effect and are rendered unable to move!] [System Reminder:] [Magic Shield can effectively block this magical effect!] In Noland Lees mind, he outlined the casting blueprint of the Magic Shield spell. Crack, crack, crack. Three crisp sounds came from his body. The Magic Shield blocked the immobilizing magical effect. The heavy pressure on his body subsided significantly. Noland Lee twisted his body forcefully, breaking free from the pressure, and turned to run back down the tunnel they had come from. The casting soldier looked surprised: Huh? Interesting. You can actually cast a Magic Shield, breaking free of my Paralysis Spell. Youre indeed not Isa! Who are you? The other soldiers and Sin Soldiers were confused by the scene before them, not knowing what had just happened. A few soldiers were about to chat with the casting soldier when they saw him raise his hand toward them, flicking his fingertips several times, releasing a series of transparent lightning. The soldiers and Sin Soldiers were struck by the transparent lightning on their brows, their eyes becoming empty and their expressions dazed, standing rigidly in place. The casting soldier flicked his wrist, pointed at Noland Lees retreating figure, and calmly uttered a single word: Freeze. An even greater pressure fell upon Noland Lees head than before. He continuously cast several Magic Shields but couldnt counter the pressure on his body, and was forced to hold still. The casting soldier slowly walked past the transfixed soldiers and Sin Soldiers Your disguise is very convincing, mysterious wizard. But my understanding of your team is better. I know the habits and details of each one of you, including the Isa you disguised yourself as. Perhaps you havent realized that from the moment you appeared before me, I have found many flaws in you He lifted his right hand and pinched Noland Lees face a few times:S earch newn0vel( 0rg) on g00gle Oh- you didnt use a makeup technique to change your appearance. I can feel very slight energy fluctuations on your skin. Your control over the disguise spell is quite good, being able to compress the energy fluctuations on the skin surface and not letting it dissipate. No wonder I didnt notice the energy fluctuations on you until now Let me remove your disguise. The mans fingertips rubbed Noland Lees forehead a few times, sprinkling a layer of hazy fumes. A chill emerged on Noland Lees skin. His brows furrowed as he couldnt move but still noticed the change in his body. He knew that he had changed from Isas appearance back to his original form and was forced to return to his normal size. The system sent a warning message at the same time. [Note!] [Affected by the unknown name magical effect, Disguise as a Living Corpse is forcibly terminated..] Chapter 177 - Chapter 177: 99. Two-Ring Wizard_3 Chapter 177: 99. Two-Ring Wizard_3 Translator: 549690339 [System Reminder:] [After leveling up Disguise as a Living Corpse, it may negate this magic effect.] A handsome face, a young man from the Empire, with ice-blue eyes Let me guess, you must be that unlucky bastard Noland Lee Jarvis? The spell-casting soldier stood before Noland Lee, examining his face closely with great interest: It seems that the curse we placed on you has brought you some extraordinary gains. Instead of dying in the Korabo Legion Fortress, youve mastered the power of magic and become a Wild Wizard. You just used the Magic Shield spell earlier, didnt you? Do you know any other magic? The soldier laughed and snapped his fingers: Oh, sorry, I forgot, you cant speak now. The pressure around his mouth eased, and Noland Lees lips were free to close again, but he chose to remain silent, staring at the other with indifferent eyes. Your composure makes me sick, Jarvis. The soldier lifted his hand and gripped Noland Lees chin, his fingers pressing down on the mans bones, trying to elicit pain from his face. Unfortunately, Noland Lee did not show the fear and timidity the soldier expected. He remained composed, even daring to provoke him further: Youre a filthy maggot from the Death Herald Guild? No wonder your mouth reeks of piss and shit. Youre fucking asking for death! The soldier glared at Noland Lee, and increased the force on his chin, squeezing harder and eliciting a creaking noise from his bones. Let me tell you, Noland Lee Jarvis, you might have some talent in the path of a wizard, and our Death Herald Guild needs people like you. But unfortunately, I dont have taking vou back to the Death Herald Guild on mv schedule. So. do me a favor and draw the attention of Division Intelligence Unit Two. The soldier released his right hand, snorted coldly, and casually threw out several Transparent Lightnings. People hit by the Transparent Lightning walked mechanically, following the soldier deep into the tunnel. Noland Lees mouth was sealed again by an invisible pressure and joined the zombie-like marching queue. Hehe, those from the Death Herald Guild really have a short fuse. Pig Cook, Pim, and this guy here, just a little provocation and theyre all pissed off. My trash-talking skills are pretty good, I must say. Although Noland Lees body was controlled, he was not panicked at all and even felt a little pleased. Just now, when the other party squeezed his chin hard, it caused some actual damage to his body. This damage triggered the Passive Deconstruction. [System Message: ] [Passive Deconstruction Activated! ] [Your deconstruction completion of Death Herald Guild Member Greenshaw has risen from 0% to 0.02%.] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] His name is Greenshaw, 48 years old, male, 1.90 meters tall, weighs 55 kg, and does not have an eight-pack.] Greenshaw is from the Death Herald Guild and is a Second-Ring Death Clan Wizard.] It will take approximately 20,000 Energy Points to completely deconstruct Greenshaw.] Noland Lee read the deconstruction result and nodded inwardly. For both Second Order Extraordinary people, there is a difference in the difficulty of deconstructing the Imperial Fist and a Second-Ring Wizard. This should not be due to the disparity in their strengths, but more likely to be the huge difference in the amount of knowledge and skills they possess. After all, as an Imperial Fist, one only needs to know how to fight, unlike a wizard who has to learn a vast amount of theoretical knowledge and memorize various spell blueprints. However, on the other hand, Why would the Death Herald Guilds wizard appear here? Noland Lee recalled what Greenshaw said earlier and had some speculation. Could it be that the Bone-mending Wand is inside the Narrow Pass? Were a group of Death Herald Guild spies trying to transport it out through the Blade Mountain Range? If thats the case, this Second-Ring Death Series Wizard Greenshaw is likely to be the leader of these Death Herald Guild spies.. Chapter 178 - Chapter 178: I want to report! Chapter 178: I want to report! Translator: 549690339 Noland Lees idea was quickly confirmed! After being forcibly taken into the underground prison cell where Sin Soldiers were kept, he saw the metal box containing the Bone-mending Wand, as well as eight other Death Notice spies. I brought you four Imperial Soldiers. Greenshaw pushed open the prison cells heavy iron door, waved his hands, and guided the Sin Soldiers and soldiers to stand in the corner. Eight Death Notice spies gathered around, reaching out to strip off the clothing of the Imperial Soldiers. Wait, dont be hasty. Greenshaw conjured a gust of wind, pushing his spies away from the soldiers. He went to Noland Lees side, pointed at him, and told the spies: Which of you recognize him? Is this Noland Lee Jarvis? A spy with a mouthful of yellow teeth bent down and respectfully said: Sir, we all recognize him. We were in charge of guarding him when he arrived at the Suffering Borderland on the steam train. Oh, really? Thats great. I just happen to need a genuine bait to attract the attention of Division Intelligence Unit Two. Ill use him then. Greenshaw waved his hand: Strip off the clothes of the soldiers, except for Jarviss. Yes, Sir. The eight spies continued to strip off the clothes. Noland Lees eyes slightly shifted, looking at the spy with yellow teeth. I thought there was something wrong with you when we got off the train! I didnt expect you to be a Death Notice spy! No matter how Noland Lee inwardly criticized, he couldnt express it. Being bound by magic, he had difficulty talking, let alone cursing at the yellow-toothed spy The three soldiers clothes were stripped off and worn by three spies. Greenshaw reached into the pocket of their clothes and took out a sharp folding knife. With the knife, he dug out a part of the soldiers heart, chewed it into a paste in his mouth, and smeared it on the spies faces. The appearance of the three spies changed to resemble those soldiers who had their clothes removed. Their height, temperament, eyes, voice, etc., were all identical to those three soldiers. Most importantly, this disguise technique only revealed a trace of energy fluctuation when the spies appearances changed. Once the technique was complete, there would be no energy fluctuation. Seeing this, Noland Lee could only secretly think that the Empire lost for a reason. This enough-to-fake disguise technique was probably the primary means for the Death Herald Guild to infiltrate the Imperial Army. It was at this moment that Noland Lee realized for the first time what Harmless Deconstruction had spared him. Undoubtedly, only by killing a living human like Greenshaw, extracting their heart, and chewing it in his mouth could a corresponding disguise be achieved. Harmless Deconstruction spared Noland Lee from this sinful and bloody process. After confirming that his subordinates were fully disguised, Greenshaw waved his hand and motioned for the spies disguised as soldiers to follow him to receive the next group of Sin Soldiers and, while at it, to abduct a few more soldiers inside. In the large underground prison cell, Noland Lee and several Sin Soldiers stood against the wall, facing five ill-intentioned spies and a dark metal box. Nolands gaze subtly moved, scanning the dimly lit prison cell. After confirming that no other Extraordinaries were present, he secretly smirked and brought up the Magic Panel, selecting Magic Shield. System, lets upgrade Magic Shield. [System Message: Magic Shield is currently Level 5.] [Consume 50 Energy Points to increase the level by 1.] [Confirm upgrade?] Confirm the upgrade. Noland Lee whispered, then immediately pictured the Spell blueprints in his mind, recasting the Magic Shield. Hiss, its not enough. The shields intensity is still insufficient. Noland Lees brows silently furrowed and he whispered again, Upgrade Skill. 60 Energy Points were poured into the skill, raising Magic Shield to Level 7. This time, the pressure on him eased considerably. Crack crack crack A series of shattering sounds emanated from his body, attracting the attention of the five Death Notice spies. Noland Lee shook his body a few times and finally broke free from the restraints. Not good! Hes escaped Lord Greenshaws magic! Dont let him get away! Shoot! Shoot quickly! Kill him! The Death Notice spies drew their pistols from their waists and aimed at Noland Lee. Noland Lee did not dodge, casting Magic Shield to protect himself while his right hand drew the revolver from his belt. Bang Bang! Bang Bang Bang Bang.. Intense and thunderous gunfire bloomed in the prison cell. The five Death Notice spies covered their necks and heads, falling to the ground, and breathed their last amidst the gushing blood. Noland Lee stood still, calmly reloading ammunition. He walked to the side of the metal box, glanced at the mechanical lock on it, and immediately shook his head helplessly. The box was used to carry the Bone-mending Wand. When Murphy got this box, she destroyed the password lock and forcibly opened it. Now, a new password lock appeared on the box, with 20 numbers on the password disc. The 16-digit password Noland Lee found in Pims memory could not be used to unlock the mechanical lock on the metal box. He squatted down while searching the Death Notice spies Spoils of War and checking their memories. Many of his doubts were cleared up.. Chapter 179 - Chapter 179: 100. I want to report!_2 Chapter 179: 100. I want to report!_2 Translator: 549690339 After the fall of the Korabo Corps Fortress, these eight spies disguised as train guards were caught by Division Intelligence Unit Two, subjected to severe torture, and sent to the Narrow Pass as Sin Soldiers. Greenshaw, the second ring Death Notice Guild wizard, had a disguised identity as the team leader of the Wand Destruction Group of Division Intelligence Unit Two. On the night the Legion Fortress fell, he took the opportunity to take away the Bone-mending Wand and was now planning to pass through the Golden Federation to return to the Empire and bring the wand back. Noland Lee learned the background of the spies and the Death Notice Guild wizard from the memory fragments. As he read deeper, more information poured into his mind. So the Tomb-raiding Brothers corpses contained the materials and magic books for the Walking Dead summoning array, no wonder their corpses required so many Energy Points to deconstruct Yogs insomnia and skin disease cover up the side effects of learning death-type magic, which are white skin and black eye sockets, just like a dead person. So, if I hadnt used Harmless Deconstruction to study Martyrs Ten Commandments, would I also have horribly pale skin and black eye sockets? The way the Death Herald Guild teaches magic is somewhat peculiar. They are actually based on the model of online teaching. Prepare the materials for the prayer ceremony, recite the prayer, focus your attention, and you can establish a spiritual connection with the imagined Chief Lecturer, communicating with the other party in a half-dream state. What level of existence is the Chief Lecturer? Noland flipped through the memories of the spy. His time was limited, and he couldnt finish watching all the spys memories. Based on the parts of the memories he had viewed so far, he had gained nothing. There was no information related to the Chief Lecturer in them. This was a little strange. These five spies had all had spiritual connections with the Chief Lecturer, but they left no memory fragments behind- It seems that the Chief Lecturer-level Death Notice Guild Wizard is already an existence capable of interfering with the mind and memory, at least a fourth rank, or even a higher Extraordinary level. Noland stuffed the useful things from the spys body into his pocket. He glanced again at the metal box on the ground, sighing silently in his heart. There were no clues related to the password in the spies memories he had read. However, not being able to take away the Bone-mending Wand is not a bad thing. Wizards usually leave their marks on valuable magical items. Carrying the Bone-mending Wand with me would be tantamount to exposing my position. Noland had no attachment and decisively gave up on the Bone-mending Wand. He walked out of the prison cell, avoided the sight of the Sin Soldiers, and activated Disguise as a Living Corpse again. This time, Noland didnt know who he was disguised as; the person was just a random pick among the sin soldiers. There was no one in the tunnel outside the prison cell. Noland sprinted, running to the end of the tunnel in one breath. He came to the ground level and stood among the bustling crowd, shouting urgently: Help! Someone come quickly! Theres a Death Notice spy in the underground prison cell! Hurry! Wheres the Death Notice spy? A tall figure pushed through the crowd and squeezed in front of Noland. Noland saw the opponents appearance and sash, and his heart skipped a beat. Isnt this Lieutenant Cavado? Todays Narrow Pass Fortress is really lively. There is not only the second ring wizard of the Death Notice Guild but also Cavado, who has been fooled by Noland. How did they all get together? Noland temporarily put away his distractions, pointed his finger behind him, and said: Chief Officer! Hurry up! Theres a Death Notice spy among the sin soldiers in the prison cell! Noland stepped aside to make way. With a wave of his hand, Lieutenant Cavado led his subordinates into the tunnel. The soldiers gathered more and more at the scene. Noland squeezed through the crowd, claiming that he was going to report to the captain, and smoothly came to the outskirts of the crowd. Looking up, he saw Greenshaw and the Death Notice spies disguised as soldiers escorting a group of Sin Soldiers, with five soldiers following behind. As everyone was flocking toward the tunnel entrance, Noland, being the only person moving in the opposite direction, stood out. Greenshaw spotted Noland right away, who had just squeezed out of the crowd, and upon hearing the surrounding discussions, his face changed dramatically. Before the other party could make a move, Noland raised his hand, pointed it, and cast a Fear Charm. Greenshaw saw the Magic Lightning coming towards his face and immediately cast a Magic Shield, summoning a black light shield to protect himself. In just these few seconds, Noland had blurted out a long string of words: That man is a Death Notice wizard of the Death Clan! The three soldiers beside him are Death Notice spies! Catch them quickly! Dont let them escape! Where are the rest of the Death Notice scum?! A crude shout came out from the tunnel, and it was Lieutenant Cavado carrying a metal box that ran out like a mud truck, knocking the crowd at the tunnel entrance out of the way. There! There! Chief Officer! Noland shouted and pointed at Greenshaw. The next moment, a broken sob came from his throat, and his body was forcibly rooted in place. Greenshaw had made his move. He pointed at Noland from afar and used a Paralysis Spell to make him shut his mouth and stand still. He pulled out a dark-black magic wand from his pocket, pointed it at Lieutenant Cavado in the crowd, and screamed: Damn it, Division Intelligence Unit Two hyenas! Take your filthy hands off the holy relic! A horrifying black lightning shot out from the tip of Greenshaws wand and zapped into the crowd, crossing the dozens of meters distance in an instant. It really is a Death Notice Guild wizard! Sound the alarm!! Chapter 180 - Chapter 180: 100. I want to report! _3 Chapter 180: 100. I want to report! _3 Translator: 549690339 Lieutenant Cavado roared in fury, his body swelling dramatically as he fanned out an aggressive palm strike that pushed away the soldiers in front of him. Black Lightning streaked through the crowd, grazing the air beside the soldiers, before landing on Cavados chest. Crackle! From the Black Lightning sprung forth a multitude of electric serpents. The surrounding soldiers were struck by these meandering electric serpents and instantly turned into dry husks, their eye sockets hollow as they were ground to dust in the impending tempest of obliteration. Lieutenant Cavado withstood the Black Lightning, bearing the brunt of the damage. His body swayed as he stumbled back several steps, colliding with a wall with a loud clang. The metal box in his hands fell to the ground at the same time. On his chest, a large hole erupted, aflame with Black Flames! His skin, bones, and internal organs all sizzled beneath the burn of the black flames. Ah ah ah! Cavado clutched his wound and shrieked in agony, his face a contorted mix of rage and a strange kind of ecstasy: Your timing is impeccable! Damned Death Notice Guild Wizard! Weve been looking for you! Hahaha! Cavado laughed facing the sky, completely disregarding the injury in front of him: If youve come of your own accord, then all the better! Men, activate the Biochemical Soldiers! Lets show this Death Notice rabble our might! The Empire is nothing but trash who only know how to manipulate humans! Bring as many as you like, I will kill them all! Im still short of two fingers of Imperial Warrant Officers for my holy objects! Ill start by using you as material! Screeching, Greenshaw transformed into a twirling column of black smoke, like a whirlwind rushing towards the metal box next to Cavado. As he seized what they referred to as the holy object, not forgetting to address the cause of all this mess: You too! Go die! A bolt of lightning shot from the black smoke, aimed directly at Noland Lees location. But the lightning fell short, striking the ground tile with a crackle and spraying fragments and dust everywhere, not even touching the hem of Lees clothing. This was not the time to delay; Noland Lee was not a fool. He had already taken advantage of Greenshaws distracted attention, and shaken off the magical restraint, fleeing for his life. As the Black Lightning struck the ground tile, he had already darted into another tunnel, leaving Greenshaws screams far behind him. Noland Lee glanced back at the scene of flying debris, then sped up his pace again, sprinting towards the end of the tunnel without stopping for a moment. Let Greenshaw and Cavados Biochemical Soldiers busy each other. Speaking of the Biochemical Soldiers, Noland Lee frowned slightly, and Kashas memory fragments surfaced in his mind. The memory showed a type of soldier without a skull. Their brains were exposed, and missing a small portion. The missing part was artificially removed, responsible for processing human emotions and feelings. The memory on Biochemical Soldiers was limited to this, which Kasha accidentally saw in a report prepared by Cavado. But just from this one scene, Noland Lee could deduce many things. For instance, the Empire was heading towards the abyss of eradication of humanity. They had been driven mad by the Undead Cult, planning to defeat them at all costs. Out of the various means of defeating the Undead Cult, they chose the one most devoid of humanity, the one that had no bottom line. That was to erase all feelings and emotions from soldiers and transform them into thorough war machines. This extreme means of exploiting the value of soldiers is not unique to the technological path of Biochemical Mutation. In the path of Synthetic Humans technology, the Wet Parts transformed from living people have great similarities with Biochemical Soldiers.updat? by n?wno?el .?rg Without saying a word, Noland Lee ran with all his strength and soon arrived at the end of the tunnel. This was a junction, originally guarded by soldiers. The commotion on the surface had lured away the guards, so now there was no one to interfere with Noland Lee as he tried to determine his direction. Let me see if the memories of the Death Notice Spy contain any information on an escape route. After two seconds, Noland Lee nodded vigorously: Got it! Greenshaw had once told his subordinates that they would take the route from Bunker No.ll, where naturally, there would be someone to meet them. The Death Notice Spy inside Bunker No.ll had already prepared the tunnel leading to the Northern Mountain Range, about 1000 meters above the ground level at the tunnel exit, a fast-descending cable is available. Oh- So the Death Notice Guild has a secret passage leading north, and it even comes with a fast-descending cable. So Greenshaw, that bastard, was lying when he bragged about becoming a skeleton warrior and jumping off a cliff Noland Lees lips twitched slightly, and he turned around and sprinted into the tunnel on his front side.. Chapter 181 - Chapter 181: 101. Inferior products Chapter 181: 101. Inferior products Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee found the Death Herald Guilds escape route in the memory fragment, but he didnt head towards Bunker No.ll mentioned in the route. Connecting with the spy required a secret code to confirm each others identities. Regrettably, Noland couldnt find the secret code for the rendezvous with the spy in Bunker No.ll from his memory fragment. It didnt matter, though. With Deconstruction at hand, taking any other route to another bunker was just as feasible. Turning a few corners, Noland encountered soldiers patrolling the tunnels. They were in groups of three, guarding a fork in the road. Time was of the essence, Noland had no time to be discreet. He threw out three Fear Spells and three Cripple Spells, gifting one of each skill per soldier, and chased after them to knock them all out. He targeted a stunned soldier and cast Deconstruction, consuming some Energy Points to acquire their recent memories. Killing the soldiers would trigger Passive Deconstruction, granting him their memories without consuming Energy Points. But Noland didnt do that. Anyone whos played Big Cousin 2 knows that needless killings only lead to a bad outcome. Noland believed in the concept of karma, so unless necessary, he refrained from unnecessary killings. Otherwise, itd be terrible if he ended up on the path of a demon in the future. Of course, when it was time to strike, Noland wouldnt show mercy. He selected one of the three soldiers, transforming himself into that soldiers build, and wearing his uniform. While changing his appearance, he read through the newly obtained memory fragment and nodded in satisfaction. The route map to bunkers No.10-16 was now engraved in his mind. This was one of the most valuable pieces of information from the soldiers memories. Besides that, Noland decided on his dream destination. It was Bunker No.12. Its altitude was around 1200 meters. The tomb, where it was located, had a total of twelve exits leading directly to the northern cliffthese exits were originally the outflow mouths of the tombs aqueduct system. Once the aqueduct system dried up, the outflow mouths became tunnel exits. The more exits there were, the more routes he could temporarily switch to. If he wanted to reach the Golden Federation, such a bunker with numerous exits would be the optimal choice. Noland took the Firearms and ammunition from the soldiers and stuffed them into his pockets and backpack. As soon as he entered the tunnel leading to Bunker No.12, he heard footsteps behind him. Is it the Death Herald Guild spies catching up? Noland didnt stop to observe the situation behind him and continued running through the narrow tunnel. Dada dada The footsteps became clearer and more rhythmic. Nolands heart stirred, realizing the people behind him were after him. He slowed down slightly, quickly looking back and throwing out a Deconstruction Spell. Oh shit, biochemical soldiers? How did these unhuman and unghostly things know where I was? Noland stared at the three silhouettes tens of meters behind him, his pupils dilating slightly. [System Message: You are about to use Deconstruction on Tatis Empire Army Biochemical Soldiers. ] [Estimated consumption of 1300 Energy Points, which can increase the degree of deconstruction to 100%.] Thirteen hundred Energy Points? More than deconstructing a Lieutenant! Noland frowned and continued running. The three biochemical soldiers behind him stared blankly with their empty, emotionless eyes and stiff facial features. Their heads were exposed, and more than half of their brains were protected by a transparent hemispherical glass cover. Yellow-green liquid rippled within the glass. Connected to their brains, several transparent tubes pumped various elixirs. Upon spotting Nolands back, one of the tubes filled with red elixir, which rushed into their brains. Tracing the energy fluctuations of death-type magic Trace successful! Target found! Activate Witch Hunt Mode! Wipe out the Death Herald Guild scum! For the glory of the Empire! The three biochemical soldiers mouths opened and closed, uttering stiff, mechanized sentences without any fluctuations in their voices. Their eyes turned red, and a dazzling red light burst from their cold pupils, aimed directly at Nolands back. [Warning! You have been locked onto by an unknown named biochemical aiming device ! ] Noland suddenly received a system message, alarmed, and immediately cast a Magic Shield. He looked back at the biochemical soldiers, who were chasing after him with wide, crimson eyes. Rectangular, scorching-red Blazing Spores extended from their left and right ears. Obvious flames crawled out of the spores launch chamber, indicating that a fiery baptism was imminent. At the moment Noland looked back, six slender Flame Pillars sprayed out from the biochemical soldiers. And it didnt stop there. As the biochemical soldiers released their flames with their Blazing Spores, they held their arms out and aimed their palms forward. A pungent, flammable gas sprayed from the circular holes in their palms. As the gas and flames met, the reddish flames turned blue-white, and the heat increased exponentially! Boom! In the blast wave, plumes of dust fell from the ceiling, and the scorching hot air slammed against the narrow tunnel walls. Searching for energy fluctuations within detection range Detected energy fluctuations of death-type magic! Warning! Target not killed! Increase targets threat level! Switch to Second Gear! Chapter 182 - Chapter 182: 101. Inferior Products_2 Chapter 182: 101. Inferior Products_2 Translator: 549690339 Activate Experimental Type I Proliferation Armor! Flames dissipated and dust swirled. Noland Lee waved his hand to disperse the smoke in front of him, furrowing his eyebrows and locking his gaze on the wriggling biochemical soldiers. Their skin and clothes were broken by the bone fragments drilling out of their bodies. Within three seconds, armor made of hardened bones appeared on the biochemical soldiers. Their hands and feet also transformed into biochemical spores, bone firearms, and biochemical rocket boots with jet holes at their ankles during the wiggling of their limbs. The skull of the biochemical soldier was covered with a helmet made of bones. His gaze was still incredibly indifferent, without any emotional fluctuation. Noland Lee shook his head slightly and sighed softly: The Empire is treating soldiers purely as tools now.. Before the biochemical soldiers launched their attack, he sidestepped around the tunnels corner. In the previous brief clash, he had tried the Fear Spell and the Cripple Spell. The Fear Spell had no effect on emotionless and unfeeling enemies like the biochemical soldiers. The System directly indicated that the spellcasting failed. The Cripple Spell was successful, but the System indicated that the effect was minimal. The rocket boots on the biochemical soldiers feet could provide a significant increase in movement speed, using powerful flames to propel them forward, essentially negating the effect of the Level 5 Cripple Spell. As for using firearms and bullets to attack biochemical soldiers that was even more absurd. The hardened exoskeleton on their bodies was identical to the armor on the Biochemical Giant, able to withstand bullets as well as energy beams. When facing such uncontrollable, powerful, and highly defensive enemies, running away was definitely the best option. Noland Lee abandoned the idea of resistance without hesitation, desperately shielding himself and enduring the lightning, flames, and barrage behind him, running thousands of meters in one breath. Finally, he reached the end of the tunnel and saw the heavy iron door of Bunker No.12. In front of the heavy metal gate, there were two firepower teams guarding on both sides. As soon as they saw Noland Lees figure, they raised their rifles and directed the light of their coal lamps towards him. Dont shoot! Its me! Its me! Quick, help! There are monsters summoned by the Death Herald Guild behind me! The guards looked at Noland Lees appearance and military uniform, confirming that he was a member of the tunnel patrol team they often saw. They turned their guns towards the area behind Noland Lee and immediately changed their expressions! My God! What kind of monster is that! Mates! Stop these monsters! Noland Lee shouted anxiously: Were being attacked by the Death Herald Guild! Theres a wizard from the Death Herald Guild on the surface! These three monsters were summoned by the bastards of the Death Herald Guild! Noland Lee took advantage of the gap in intel. Even Kasha, an Intelligence Officer 2, had no knowledge of the existence of biochemical soldiers, let alone Lieutenant Cavado. How could these guards possibly know about such things as biochemical soldiers? Noland Lee crouched and dodged the guards guns, standing behind them. The biochemical soldiers continued to fire lightning, flames, and bullets at him, completely disregarding the guards in front of him. Da da da da da Bang, bang Clack, clack! Fire flashed in front of Bunkers great iron door, with lightning and bullets flying in the chaos. In just an instant, three guards were killed by merciless lightning and flames! Guards from behind the door heard the commotion outside and rushed out to fight the enemy. Gunfire roared at the scene, creating chaos. Noland Lee took the opportunity to sneak into the bunker, darting through the crowded corridor. As he left, it seemed to enrage the biochemical soldiers. Encountering heavy firepower resistance! The target is speeding up! Switching to the third gear! Boom! came the deafening blast from the bunkers great gate. After that, numerous chilling screams followed. Noland Lee glanced back. Apart from flying limb fragments in the flames and smoke, nothing else could be seen. No matter what, escaping was the right choice. Anyway, it was not him who caused the terrifying deaths of the soldiers. Blame the creators of the biochemical soldiers for not having a properly functioning friend or foe identification system. Noland Lee passed by the soldiers dormitories, commanders office, medical department and other areas of the bunker, heading straight for the tomb entrance deep within the bunker. This tomb entrance was not like the stone archway of Grave No.1079, but rather a man-made entrance created by the Imperial Army in the wall of the tomb. The tomb hidden within the mountains had its official entrance on the surface of the mountain range, which had already been destroyed by the Imperial Army. There were only two ways to enter a tomb inside a mountain like this. One was to enter the tombs water system outlet from a cliff on the northern side of the mountain range. The other was to pass through the man-made entrance guarded by the Imperial Army. At the moment when the bunker was under attack, the guards at the man-made entrance did not move an inch, remaining steadfast at their posts. Noland Lee looked at the gate of the man-made entrance and immediately felt overwhelmed. The gate was about six meters wide and ten meters tall, allowing the passage of military supplies and transport as well as the Imperial Fist. Noland Lee could effortlessly eliminate the soldiers guarding the entrance, but how would he open the gate? Wouldnt it be better to use steam power to control such a metal gate? Has the Imperial Army installed steam pipelines for opening the gate? Noland Lee searched for a possible steam switch near the gate. Just as he was worrying, he heard the loud sound of explosions coming from the direction of the bunkers entrance. The sound of the explosion grew closer, signaling that the three biochemical soldiers had pursued him through a hail of gunfire. Noland Lee frowned. Just as he was about to cast the Fear Charm to drive away the soldiers next to the metal gate, he heard a piercing scream coming from the bunker entrance. Ah! Curse you, Division Intelligence Unit Two! One day Ill turn you all into human clubs! It was the voice of Death Notice Guild Wizard Greenshaw! Noland Lee raised an eyebrow, dispelling the Disguise as a Living Corpse and Magic Shield on him, covered his face with the brim of his hat, and hid in a room next to the tombs entrance. His energy fluctuations were gone. But Greenshaws were still there. Warning! The energy level of the target has disappeared! Warning! Loss of energy signal from the target! Warning! New energy signal detected! Identified as an enemy of the highest threat level ! For the glory of the Empire! The three biochemical soldiers pursuing Noland Lee turned on the spot and returned to the bunker entrance, rushing straight at Greenshaw who had just arrived there. Tsk I understand now. The development level of these biochemical soldiers is still very low, and they are overly focused on destructive power. Whoever was responsible for developing them didnt bother to add pheromone tracers that could be used to track the enemy. However, after tonights battle, the Imperial Army should realize the importance of friend-foe identification systems and diversified tracking methods. Noland Lee hid in the room, observing the surroundings through the crack in the door. He saw the three biochemical soldiers. To be honest, they were no longer human. The three of them had fused into one person. Three heads and six arms. An overly obese body. The exoskeleton armor bristled with backward-facing spines. Their arms were as thick as elephant legs, appearing hideous and terrifying, their body covered with the fragmented limbs of soldiers hanging from the spines. In this form, the biochemical soldiers had combat power comparable to a First Order Imperial Fist. The biochemical soldiers confronted Greenshaw head-on, and a battle erupted instantly. How are there biochemical soldiers here too! Greenshaw screamed as he raised his arm, casting black lightning from his magic wand. Crackle! Crackle! Greenshaw demonstrated the spell control power befitting a Second Ring Wizard. The two streams of dark, death-infused lightning accurately pierced the gaps in the bone armor of the biochemical soldiers. The biochemical soldier, who was invincible in the face of gunfire, died violently when the black lightning entered their body. Their body swelled dramatically, their bones shattered and flew apart, and in three seconds, they turned into a round, inflated balloon, which then burst with a pop, turning into a rain of thick bloodstains and filthy limb fragments. Hahaha! What a stupid invention! The Imperial Army is still as weak as ever! Hahaha! Greenshaw laughed wildly. He appeared in his true form, in the line of sight of Noland Lee. He was a tall, thin man with pale skin, high cheekbones and sunken eyes. His face was bloodless and his lips were black, looking like an ancient corpse that had just crawled out from a coffin.. Chapter 183 - Chapter 183: 102. Reveal the bottom card Chapter 183: 102. Reveal the bottom card Translator: 549690339 Greenshaw held the pitch-black cone-shaped magic wand in his right hand and the metal box containing the bone-mending wand in his left, swaggering through the fortress. He casually threw out several black lightning bolts, igniting the imperial soldiers on both sides of the road, enjoying the feast of death amid the splattering blood. Too weak! The Imperial Army is too weak! Isnt there anyone here who can fight? As his words fell, two tall figures burst out of the walls on both sides of the road, rushing towards him with flying stone bricks. Greenshaw suddenly screeched like a duck with its neck wrung. The Imperial Fist is hiding here! The fortresss commanding and assistant warrant officers were on the move! One of them was a lieutenant and the other a second lieutenant, both possessing extraordinary abilities of the Second Order and First Order Imperial Fist. At the same time they appeared, angry shouts came from the direction of the fortress entrance: Damn Death Notice Guild wizard! Your time has come! Three mountain-like biochemical titans rushed in from the entrance, pushing all the soldiers they encountered along the way. There were two more second lieutenants and one lieutenant! The situation on the scene changed in an instant, with Greenshaw now at a disadvantage. With a scream, he turned into a floating black smoke, barely dodging the jets of fire shot out by the titans, making a sharp turn in midair, lightning-fast, heading for the tomb entrance. Halfway there, the metal box that followed Greenshaw was hit by several shells from the titans. The noise of the metal shattering echoed throughout the area. The metal box that sealed the bone-mending wand was broken! No, no, no! Greenshaws screams continued unabated. The bone-mending wand fell to the ground and rolled around several times. Greenshaw stopped flying with an emergency brake, lunged for the bone-mending wand, but hesitated to pick it up. As the Imperial Titans surrounded him, he let out a crazed scream, stretched out his arms towards the bone-mending wand on the ground, and grabbed it: You forced me to do this! Even if I die, Ill drag you down with me! When he grabbed the bone-mending wand, his skin began to boil like hot, surging water! Rolls of black smoke gushed from his facial features and hair, and the scenes light quickly dimmed. Stop him quickly! Dont let him draw power from the wand! The Imperial Titans roared, firing shells and flame pillars into the black smoke, and the deafening explosions made the entire fortress tremble. Floors, walls, ceilings, cracks appeared everywhere, and chunks of rubble were falling down with loud crashing noises. All soldiers, evacuate quickly! The leading Imperial Captain ordered. The black smoke grew thicker, spinning rapidly, swirling around the central figure. A black, humanoid figure that seemed to swallow up all light and shade emerged in the smoke. The Imperial Titans clenched their teeth, madly outputting ammunition and flames, but they couldnt move the smoke and figure at all. All the shells, all the flames, were crushed to dust by the black smoke the moment they entered, falling to the ground as ashes. Just when all the titans thought Greenshaw was about to counterattack, they saw the figure in the black smoke shoot towards the tomb entrance, crashing through the metal gate with a loud bang, and disappearing into the dark tomb passage behind the door. Not good! This guy doesnt want to fight to the death! Hes trying to slip away through the tombs waterway! Everyone, chase after him! We must stop him! We cannot let him bring the magic wand back to the city! The Imperial Titans, with their heavy steps, rushed into the tomb, broke open the door with their iron-like elbows, and stepped into the tomb following Greenshaws footsteps. Once both sides left, dust filled the scene, as wails broke out everywhere. Dead soldiers lay dead, wounded soldiers clutched their arms and thighs, moaning in pain on the ground. Noland Lee cast Disguise as a Living Corpse to hide his face and figure, pushed open the door, and quickly ran towards the tomb entrance. No one noticed him. Everyone was dealing with their injuries or lying on the ground waiting for death. As Noland passed the guardhouse at the entrance, he reached out and grabbed the guards breathing mask and filter cartridge from the bench. As soon as he stepped into the tomb passage, a cold, damp tomb atmosphere hit his face, and the air was filled with yellow-green poisonous fog. This poisonous fog was the air that undead creatures in the realm of the undead relied on for survival. Noland observed the fog with his naked eyes now. The fog was thin, and the light from the fortress easily penetrated the fog, shining on the walls of the tomb passage. This meant the fog concentration was low, and the number of undead inside the tomb was small. However! The bone-mending wand could drive the undead mad and greatly enhance their combat capabilities. Otherwise, when the Death Herald Guild tried to assassinate Lieutenant Sterling Parker, they would not have placed their hopes entirely on the bone-mending wand. Facing this situation, Noland remained extremely vigilant. He used a Magic Shield to cover himself, held the Cripple Spell and Soul Bribery techniques in his hand, ready to throw them out at any time. The dim tomb passage extended diagonally upwards, with Noland using deconstruction to probe the way ahead, spotting the Cavern Stalkers lying on the walls in advance. These creatures, which should have been disguised as stone bricks, were now climbing out from the walls. They swayed their whips in the air, looking eager to fight someone. Noland understood that this was the effect of the bone-mending wand, which had driven the undead in the tomb into a frenzy.. Chapter 184 - Chapter 184: 102. Reveal the Trump Card_2 Chapter 184: 102. Reveal the Trump Card_2 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee was worried that the sound of gunfire would reveal his whereabouts, so he did not pull out his gun to shoot. He pointed at a Cavern Stalker and cast Soul Bribery. The snarling Cavern Stalker immediately quieted down, retracted back into the wall structure and lost the desire to attack. Eh? I didnt expect Soul Bribery at only Level 1 to be able to soothe a raging undead. Not bad at all, this skill is quite similar to the Calming Shot and Soothing spirit from Mount Kigate. If used properly, its a divine technique. Noland Lee saw the effectiveness of Soul Bribery and was secretly pleased. He repeated the process, soothed the enemies, and kept moving down, stepping into the tomb hall of an unknown layer. Here, Noland Lee saw two gigantic corpses which were torn apart. Two Imperial Fist of the first order had perished here. The violent manner of their death made Noland shudder. Around these two giant corpses was a large circle of Tomb Skeleton Soldiers awakened by the combat. Their eyes were bloodshot, saliva dragged from the corners of their mouths, their fingernails were thirty centimeters long, and the Bone-mending Wand had completely ignited their desire to fight. However, they did not attack Noland Lee but lay on the ground, devouring the corpses of the giants voraciously. It was clear that the corpses of the giants were extremely tempting to the lost souls. When Noland Lee, a live human, stepped into the Tomb Hall, the Tomb Skeleton Soldiers didnt even glance at him, their attention fully focused on the giant corpses. There should be a Spirit Pivot in this tomb, right? Noland Lee tried to cast Soul Absorption on the giant corpses. As expected, the attempt to collect soul fragments failed. There was indeed a functioning Spirit Pivot in the tomb. The soul fragments of the fallen Imperial Soldiers within the range of Spirit Pivot would be taken away, and these Biochemical Giants were no exception. Noland Lee stayed close to the wall, far from the Tomb Skeleton Soldiers. He was not overly stingy with his casting materials, using Soul Bribery to control the few Tomb Skeleton Soldiers closest to him to avoid any accidents. Doing so was like reducing the hate range of the monsters. In MMORPG games, soothing monsters, reducing their alert range, and avoiding ADD combat is the most basic operation. Seeing that the Tomb Skeleton Soldiers did not attack him, Noland calmed his mind and observed the direction of the tombs waterway carefully. The water in the aqueduct system came from the meltwater on the Blade Mountain Range. Every summer, when the temperature rises and the sun shines brightly, the accumulated snow on the mountains would melt. The melted snow flows into the inlet of the Tomb Aqueduct System and makes a circuit around the tomb before eventually flowing to the outlet on the north side of the mountain range. So, following the flow of the aqueduct would lead to the water outlet, instead of a reservoir or pond. Noland Lee identified the direction after a brief moment and turned his head to enter the staircase at the corner of the wall. He listened carefully to the sounds from below. The faint rumbling of battle echoed in the staircase. The fight between Greenshaw and the Imperial Titans was in full swing. Judging from the screams of the Imperial Titans, Greenshaw was simply dominating the fight. Noland Lee thought for a moment and decided to delay his action, or he would encounter Greenshaw at the peak of his combat power. He deliberately slowed his pace and approached the stairway entrance at a snails pace. About three minutes later, the commotion from the battle below ceased, followed by Greenshaws sinister laughter. Wahaha! Cough, cough, coughhahaha! A bunch of garbage, daring to fight me! With the Bone-mending Wand in hand, I am invincible! Cough, cough, cough Greenshaw laughed and coughed, his voice raspy as a box with a broken hole, interspersed with gurgling sounds of phlegm stuck in his throat. Ah spit! Greenshaw spat a thick puddle of phlegm on the ground, and with an uneven step, he disappeared into the tomb hall below. Noland Lee waited in place for about five minutes, waiting for Greenshaw to walk away, before moving towards the stairway entrance. His body pressed against the wall, he quickly peered inside the door, and was taken aback by the scene inside the Grand Hall Describing the scene he saw as a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood would not be an exaggeration. Everywhere he looked, there were filthy blood and fragments. Not only were the Imperial Titans torn apart, but even the Skeleton Colossus here had been crushed by Greenshaw. This Bone-mending Wand is indeed powerful I just dont know what the price is for using it, Noland Lee used the Deconstruction technique to inspect the tomb hall. After confirming that there were no enemies and traps, he stepped in. He saw the phlegm spit out by Greenshaw. It was a bubbling black puddle about the size of a fist, floating with fragments of internal organs. A corrosive smell wafted out from the burst bubbles. Noland Lee threw out his Deconstruction technique and raised an eyebrow. Isnt this the pond I saw in the Twilight Dream? The kind that corrodes extraordinary traits and contaminates the ground I have to stay away from it to avoid being affected by the Corrupted Soul. I dont want to lose Soul Strength for no reason. Noland Lee kept a safe distance from the phlegm. Through the bloodied footprints on the ground, he identified the direction Greenshaw had gone. Greenshaw must have gone towards the water outlet. Noland Lee nodded slowly. After a closer look at the direction of the surrounding waterways, he couldnt help frowning. The final direction of these waterways all pointed to the stairway where Greenshaw was. This is a bit tricky. My route overlaps with Greenshaws. Like me, he is heading for the water outlet. I should wait until he leaves before going to the water outlet. Greenshaw can fly. He should have an easy time reaching the ground more than a thousand meters below.. Chapter 185 - Chapter 185: 102. Reveal the Trump Card_3 Chapter 185: 102. Reveal the Trump Card_3 Translator: 549690339 Hiss, thats not right. After using the Bone-mending Wand, he might need to rest before leaving Perhaps hes in a weakened state now? I can take advantage of this opportunity and get a final blow to him? Noland Lee hesitated for a moment, his heart both excited and cautious. He calmed his mind and stepped into the staircase leading to the exit. The faint sound of the wind seemed to swirl around his ears. The poisonous fog in the staircase was stirred up by the wind blowing in from the exit, creating ripples. Noland Lees heart moved, and his eyes sparkled. Finally, Im going to escape from the Suffering Borderland Ill never come back to this ghostly place in the Tatis Empire unless I have to fulfill the Original Masters last wish! Whats the point of staying in a place where you cant see the sun and the moon all day? Eh I wonder what the starry skies and the sun in this world look like? Are they the same as the world before I crossed? If they are, does it mean that I didnt cross and just came to a different point in the past or future of the original world? Im not sure, Ill find out when I get to the ground. Noland Lee, full of anticipation, crossed the threshold of the stairway entrance and moved toward the direction of the breeze. The wind grew stronger, and the toxic fog in the air became thinner, indicating that he was getting closer to the cliff on the north side of the mountain range. A circular hall adorned with a fountain sculpture appeared at the end of the walkway. On the wall behind the sculpture, there were a row of doorways through which starlight and fields could be seen. Noland Lees heart stirred, slightly quickening his pace while paying attention to his surroundings. Just as he entered the circular hall, a hunched figure emerged from a corner. Hehehehe Ive finally waited for you *cough cough* Noland Lee Jarvis You must have something like a parachute in your backpack, right? Otherwise, how could you, a Wild Wizard whos only a First Rank Wizard at most, choose this place as your escape point? *Cough cough* Hand your backpack over to me, and then Ill consider leaving your corpse intact Greenshaw Noland Lee stared intently at the stooped figure. The mans body was bent almost at a 90-degree angle, his back hunched and unable to straighten up; he had to tilt his head back to speak. One look at his face C old, withered, the skin like dead bark clinging to his face C showed no trace of the tall and thin figure he used to be. It seems that using the Bone-mending Wand has had a significant negative impact on you, Greenshaw. Werent you able to fly? Why not just fly out? While talking, Lee walked slowly around the circular fountain sculpture. Greenshaws gaze closely followed Noland Lees movement. He suddenly raised his right hand, directing a black lightning bolt from his wand in hand. Noland Lee managed to summon several Magic Shields in succession, barely blocking the attack, and retreating several steps in the explosion of the lightning. Greenshaw had indeed become weak. Half an hour ago, his black lightning would have severely injured the Imperial Fist. But now, Noland Lee was able to use his shields to block the strikes. Lees eyes filled with anticipation, for he truly had a chance to snatch the final blow from a Two-Ring Wizard. Seeing that Noland blocked his Magic Lightning, Greenshaw hesitated for a moment, seemingly startled, but tried to play tough. Know the difference between us, brat. Youre not qualified to negotiate with me. Give me your backpack now. If I werent afraid of damaging the parachute, I would have already blasted you to pieces with my magic. Greenshaw bent over, maintaining the levelling posture of his wand. Noland noticed that the wand Greenshaw was using was his own, not the Bone-mending Wand. Upon closer inspection, Noland detected a long, thin shadow bulging out of Greenshaws clothes; that must be the hidden Bone-mending Wand. Whether it was an illusion or not, Noland felt as if he had fallen into a vast, filthy swamp when his gaze touched the Bone-mending Wand; around him were corpses, bloodstains, and limb fragments. A feeling of extreme emotions, filled with death and hatred, flashed through Noland Lees heart. Zzz A crisp sound came from Greenshaws wand, pulling Noland out of his brief daze. Noland Lees brow furrowed, and he stopped looking at the Bone-mending Wand, which was just too strange. He squinted at Greenshaws right hand. A soft black glow emerged from the tip of the wand in the mans hand, coiling at the tip as if accumulating power. The glow gradually grew stronger, carrying a threatening intent. Hand, over, the, backpack, Greenshaw said, pausing between each word. Noland didnt budge and continued to move his feet, heading towards the walkway. Crack! Another black lightning bolt struck. Noland Lee summoned a shield just in time, blocking the black lightning but was forced to stagger back by the impact of the spell, hitting the wall. He casually glanced at Greenshaw, raised his right hand, and flipped him off: Come on, Greenshaw, follow me, come closer. Follow me to the edge of the exit, and Ill show you a big treasure. What tricks are you playing? Greenshaw looked alert. His strength was greatly weakened after forcibly using the Bone-mending Wand. The fact that two consecutive black lightning strikes failed to break Noland Lees shield showed how weak he had become. Come on, Greenshaw.. Noland smirked, stepped into the walkway leading to the exit, faced Greenshaw, and backed out with his back to the entrance: Chapter 186 - Chapter 186:102. Reveal the Trump Card_4 Chapter 186:102. Reveal the Trump Card_4 Translator: 549690339 Come on, you coward. Dont you want my parachute? Come and get it. If you dont come, Im leaving. Noland Lee tilted his head back slightly, intoxicated by the scent of grass in the wind: SniffC I love this smell. Since I arrived in the Suffering Borderland, I havent been in touch with the green nature. Are you sure you dont want to take a sniff? Greenshaw. Noland continued moving back, his gaze scanning the wall in search of corrosion marks, trying to tell which ones were caused by the wind and which ones were due to the undead poisonous fog. When the fringe-like corrosion patterns on the wall disappeared and turned into a mottled pattern of elongated wind-eroded craters, Noland stopped walking slowly. He glanced at the outlet behind him and estimated the distance from himself to that point. Looking back at Greenshaw, the mockery in Nolands smile grew thicker: You really are a coward, Greenshaw. Come on, hit me, beat me up, or Ill be leaving. Greenshaw hesitated to come closer, worried that the enemy might have a hidden card to turn the tables. Noland Lee, facing him and the Bone-mending Wand, remained calm and jokingly said, which made Greenshaw wary. Noland removed his backpack and retreated a few steps, reached into it, grabbed a plump parcel, and threw it outside the outlet. Oh dear, I need to clean my backpack before opening the parachute. If I carry too much stuff, I wont be able to open it. Noland threw one item after another outwards. Suddenly, his hand was filled with several gleaming glass vials. These small items were only about the size of a pinky finger, but they drove Greenshaw insane. Give them to me! You bastard! Give them to me! Greenshaw released streaks of lightning, roaring as he stormed forward. Hahaha, you want the Life Elixir, come and get it- Noland opened the bottle and took a sip of the potion in front of Greenshaw, one after another, his face full of enjoyment and satisfaction. Greenshaw took several quick steps, hurriedly closing the distance between him and Noland. Noland, like feeding a dog, tossed the potion bottle from his hand. Greenshaw lunged forward and quickly picked up the potion bottle, shaking as he poured the liquid into his mouth. Go to hell, Greenshaw. You have left the influence of the Spirit Pivot. Your soul belongs to me now! Nolands eyes turned cold, and he closed the laughter in his mind, drawing the last stroke of the magic array blueprint. [System Message: ] [You have activated the Death-type Transformation spell. Caster Form: Death Incarnation!] [This spell consumes 1% Soul Strength per second, generating 10 times the consumed Soul Strength in Death Energy. If the unused Death Energy is not used in time, it will dissipate from your body and form a Death Storm , causing damage to everything in your vicinity.] [During the duration of this spell, you can only cast death-related spells and can only use Death Energy to cast spells.] [Your Spirit temporarily +20, Agility temporarily +10] [Your death-related spells are greatly enhanced, as follows:] [All control-type death spells control time +100%] [All summoning-type death spells control quantity +1000%] [All detection-type death spells detection range +500%] [All attack-type death spells casting consumption reduced by 50%] [Magic Shield transforms into Death Shield, shield strength +100%, and its resistance to kinetic, electromagnetic, thermal, and Death Energy damage is increased to 90%, but its resistance to some damage is reduced to [When you suffer fatal damage in the Death Incarnation state, you will not die on the spot, but will be forced to terminate the spell and enter a near-death state of extreme weakness] [After Death Incarnation ends, this skill enters a cooldown period of 10 days.] [Because you used a harmless structure to obtain the magic array blueprint for this spell, it has an irreparable flaw C it cannot be upgraded.] As soon as the transformation spell was activated, black lightning burst from Noland Lees body, quickly traveling along his silhouette. In an instant, his skin turned into a thick darkness, with only his ice-blue pupils and white eyeballs remaining. Deathly energy sprayed from his limbs and torso, spreading quickly throughout the channel. Greenshaw lay face-down on the ground, cradling the potion bottle in both hands, stiffly raising his head, looking up at the shadowy figure before him. When he saw the true appearance of the figure, his body shook violently, as if he had witnessed something inconceivable. His expression was dull, his pupils contracted, and his eyes were full of terror: Nonoimpossiblewhy do you have high-level Death Magic?impossibleimpossiblewhy can you use this magic spell without Professor Authorizationwho are you Noland didnt want to talk. He raised his right hand, aiming at Greenshaws forehead. Dense black lightning erupted from his fingertips. Each strand of black lightning represented a Death Finger attack. Within this half-second, Noland had fired ten black lightning strikes, which meant ten Death Finger attacks. Faced with the threat of death, Greenshaws eyes widened as he tried his best to cast a Magic Shield. The black lightning, surrounded by deathly energy, pierced through the shield, easily tore apart the magical barrier protecting Greenshaw, penetrated his body, shot into the channel behind him, and hit the fountain sculpture, causing a rain of stone chips.. Chapter 187 - Chapter 187:102. Reveal the Trump Card_5 Chapter 187:102. Reveal the Trump Card_5 Translator: 549690339 Greenshaw couldnt let out a cry of pain. His body exploded with a bang, scattering large patches of black dust. Noland Lee took the opponents soul fragments with ease. A successful system message was transmitted to his mind. Noland Lee glanced at the numbers on the message, his eyes filled with joy, feeling extremely fortunate that he had lured Greenshaw out of the range of the Spirit Pivot before taking action. Otherwise, this soul strength would have been a cooked duck taken away by the Spirit Pivot! [System Message: Soul Strength +102 points.] Noland Lee didnt have time to check the results of Greenshaws passive deconstruction for now. His gaze locked onto the Bone-mending Wand on the ground, and the feeling of being surrounded by filth came over him once more. Withstanding the discomfort, Noland Lee didnt pick up the Bone-mending Wand but tapped it three times with his finger, releasing a swarm of black electric arcs. The Bone-mending Wand was bombarded with death energy but remained unscathed. Not only that, it even accumulated a force of recoil, releasing a black light aimed directly at Noland Lee. Noland Lee had anticipated this and immediately abandoned his interest in the Bone-mending Wand. He turned around and sprinted away, using the Death Shield to block all incoming attacks from behind. At the same time, he took advantage of the opponents impact force to leap forward, transforming into a large bird flying towards the vast wilderness and open sky. Golden Federation! Im coming! Noland Lee soared in the sky like a bird, drifting with the wind. A vast wilderness came into view; it was the southernmost region of the Golden Federation C Fission Wilderness. In contrast to the desolation and misery of the Suffering Borderland, the Fission Wilderness was filled with low-growing green plants, winding rivers, serene lakes, countless forests, and lush green slopes. For Noland Lee, this desolate wilderness, while devoid of human activity, was already an incredibly wonderful existence. The thrill of free-falling couldnt rival the allure of the passive deconstruction results. Seeing that he was still a distance from the ground, Noland Lee checked the system message he had received earlier while hovering in midair. [System Message: You have killed Death Notice Guild Wizard-Greenshaw.] [Passive Deconstruction Activated!] [Your degree of deconstruction on Death Notice Guild Wizard Greenshaw has reached 100%.] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] Guild Death Notice Second Ring Death Clan Wizard standard panel.] Greenshaws recent memory and recent knowledge used.] Approximately 20,000 energy points.] 20,000 energy points! Oh-I Noland Lee took a deep breath in the evening breeze: This Deconstruction Core System of yours really needs a new name. You should be called the Get Kills, Get Rewards System. ..My gains this time werent small, but theres still some regret. That wand was very sinister; I couldnt damage it, so passive deconstruction didnt activate Oh well, there should be more opportunities in the future. *Splat!* Before Noland Lee could check Greenshaws memories and knowledge, he fell heavily to the ground, forming a human-shaped crater on the soft grass Death Incarnate kicked in, negating his death. Noland Lee was immune to death and forcefully ended his transformation to avoid the fate of being smashed to pieces. However, while death was avoidable, pain was not. Ouch, ouch, ouch It hurts so much Noland Lee lay on the ground, unable to move, as pain coursed through his body. Blood seeped into the whites of his eyes, turning his vision crimson. Blood gurgled from the corners of his mouth. He had cast a Death Shield on himself in advance, mitigating much of the fall damage, but the impact with the ground caused him severe internal injuries. However, it didnt matter. Before leaping, he had drunk more than a dozen Life Elixirs. At this moment, a surging vitality bloomed within him, quickly repairing his battered body. An icy sensation like flowing water washed over Noland Lee as he felt like he was floating in a swimming pool. He called up Greenshaws memories and knowledge, using reading to pass the time while waiting for his body to heal. As he delved further into his reading, another realm in this world unfolded like a painting in his mind. Ulnas Magic Ring. This was a Wizard Kingdom standing in the center of the world stage. Compared to it, the isolated Tatis Empire was a mere speck in the corner of the world. There were four major magic departments within the Ulnas Magic Ring: The first magic department: The Wizard Council, which integrated all wizard factions. This department was responsible for coordinating faction relations, arbitrating wizard-related issues, and resolving faction disputes. Considering the Ulnas Magic Ring as a whole, it was an organization standing in the chaotic neutral faction. However, if it was broken down into individual factions, each one had its own interests and moral compass, ranging from absolute good to chaotic evil. Breaking it down further, each branch within the factions had its own stance. The Death Notice Guild was a wizard force within the Undead Branch of the Death series. From the perspective of the living, it was a wizard force belonging to the chaotic evil faction. However, from the perspective of the lost souls, it was a wizard force aligned with either chaotic good or chaotic neutral. The second magic department: The Wizards Teaching Forest, which guided wizard students in learning magic. Wizard students referred to wizard apprentices, First Rank Wizards, and Second Ring Wizards. Starting from the Three-circled level, wizards were free to operate independently outside of the Wizards Teaching Forest. The teaching method of the Ulnas Magic Ring was quite unique, simultaneously conducting both online and offline teachings, divided into three steps.. Chapter 188 - Chapter 188: 102. Reveal the Trump Card_6 Chapter 188: 102. Reveal the Trump Card_6 Translator: 549690339 Firstly, lecturers who want to enroll students make magical items containing their spiritual will and spread them worldwide through trade and other means. In the Tatis Empire, a lot of circulating magical items are made this way. Secondly, people with higher Spirit attributes, after accidentally obtaining magical items, will study them. Just by spending some time and mental effort, these people can decipher the knowledge within the magical items and, guided by that knowledge, establish a spiritual connection with the lecturer in the distant Ulnas Magic Ring. Finally, after consolidating and maintaining the spiritual connection, lecturers establish regular online classrooms. There are also mentors within each wizard force to provide on-site teaching and training tasks for wizard students. The lecturer will teach the apprentice magical knowledge and instill their values through the spiritual connection. After Noland Lee obtained the Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary, establishing a spiritual connection with the lecturer who wrote this document would occur if he used conventional methods of deconstruction. The System considers this mental pollution, which Noland Lee agrees with, so he chose to use the Harmless Deconstruction method instead. At its core, this so-called mental pollution comes from the values of the lecturer. Noland Lees true purpose is to let good people end well and ensure that evil people are punished. He believes that this is a simple concept of right and wrong, good and evil. The values of the lecturer differ greatly from his, which is why the System defines it as mental pollution. As for what the values of the lecturer are, Noland Lee doesnt know, because Harmless Deconstruction removed all relevant content. However, judging from the content of Martyrs Ten Commandments Summary, the values of the Death Herald Guilds behind-the-scenes lecturer Decartare likely quite anti-mankind. The third department of magic: The Wizard Advancement Association, responsible for researching nationwide extraordinary phenomena within the global scope. Nationwide extraordinary phenomena refer to the exceptional occurrences that impact an entire nation, such as the Undead Cult within the Tatis Empire. The Death Herald Guild is a First Level Magic Research Institute within the Wizard Advancement Association, specifically studying the Undead Cult in the Tatis Empire and providing materials for Lecturer Professor Decart to research death-related spells. There is also a similar organization in the Golden Federation, called Elemental Judgement. The Death Herald Guild is considered an illegal force by the Tatis Empire and the Golden Federation. In the Golden Federation, the Alchemy Cathedral, which controls the entire situation, has a somewhat ambiguous attitude toward Elemental Judgement. They have neither recognized its legitimacy nor declared it an illegal force. Elemental Judgement has always operated in secrecy, never appearing in public view. Only large-scale non-ordinary forces within the entire Federation know their details. Regardless, the relationship between Elemental Judgement and the Death Herald Guild is definitely not good. Because in Greenshaws memory, he never mentions the specific personnel, location, or style of action of Elemental Judgement. However, he prays repeatedly that he never encounters anyone from Elemental Judgement when he passes through the Fission Wilderness. If he gets the chance, Noland Lee plans to look for traces of Elemental Judgement in the Golden Federation, make contact with them, and see if they can have a friendly exchange. The fourth department of magic: The Mass Wizard Tombs, which is responsible for exploring the starry sky and burying the remains of wizards. Greenshaws strength is not enough to learn the details of this department, so his understanding of this department is limited and only knows its name. The above content is what Noland Lee found from the Deconstruction Results. Honestly, after seeing this content, Noland Lee has only one thought The Tatis Empire, truly living up to its name as an empire Extremely closed off. Extremely xenophobic. The Emperor sitting in the royal court fears the Ulnas Magic Ring will take his throne, so he tightly blocks any information about it. Especially the Undead Runes. The Emperor has imposed extremely harsh restrictions on their proliferation. Because this language is a basic language that locals in the empire must learn to become a wizard. Only by learning it first can one join the Death Herald Guild and, with their help, gather the magic materials for online courses. It took nearly ten years of infiltration for the Death Herald Guild to finally establish a foothold in the empire. Noland Lee puts the Deconstruction Results aside and tries to move his fingers. A sharp pain from his fingertips shoots into his heart, indicating that his injuries have not fully healed yet. Noland Lee checks his Personal Panel and sees that it will take at least another half-hour for the Life Elixir to fully restore his health. Resigned, Noland Lee sighs quietly, pulls up Greenshaws Deconstruction Results, and continues reading. The surroundings are silent, with only the low hum of insects. People in the Golden Federation would never dream that there is an upstart in their territory.. Chapter 189 - Chapter 189: 103. Passionate Wilderness Chapter 189: 103. Passionate Wilderness Translator: 549690339 The escape from suffering was like a rebirth. But this rebirth was not all about peace and tranquility. As soon as Noland Lee healed completely, he began to wander alone in the lush wilderness. With the wind as his company and the grass as his mat. When tired, he would sit down on the grass, resting his head on his arm to enjoy the blue sky. When thirsty or hungry, he would go to the river to drink, and fill his mouth with leaves and wild fruits. With his Tenacity and Vitality significantly higher than ordinary peoples, there were no problems with drinking river water or eating raw leaves. The existence of Deconstruction allowed Noland Lee to cleverly avoid poisonous plants. The first day, far from the bustle of the world. While walking, Noland Lee reviewed the knowledge he gained from the passive Deconstruction of Greenshaw. The joy brought by this tremendous gain was soon diluted by the trivialities of survival. He felt like an animal, with no more social significance. He had to worry about drinking, eating, and resting at all times, and constantly guard against wandering packs of wolves and wild horses in the wilderness. The second day, far from the bustle of the world. He began to understand why people are social beings, and started to miss hot meals, delicious iced tea, wanting a comfortable sofa and a sleeping environment without mosquitoes. He was no longer charmed by the majestic beauty of nature, but instead felt disgusted with the primitive lifestyle, eagerly desiring to communicate with people and return to human civilization. The third day, far from the hustle and bustle of the world. His heart returned to tranquility. He spent the whole of the previous day reminiscing about the beauty of the human world, but it also brought to mind many heart-wrenching and dark intrigues. The fourth day, far from the bustle of the world. He was once again repulsed by the primitive life, craving a hot bath and a soft bed. The fifth day, far from the crush of humanity. In his solitary contemplation, he understood philosophy and analyzed his own psychology. He realized that his swinging back and forth between primitive life and civilized life was not his own problem, but was caused by human nature rooted in the human soul. The sixth day, far from human habitation. Um. If he didnt indulge in wild thoughts this day. The engine roared at the edge of the sky, attracting all his attention, driving away all philosophical thoughts and debates in his mind. Ive been walking for so many days, and at last I see a human figure- At a certain place in the southern part of the Fission Wilderness, Noland Lee stood on a low slope, looking north, following the movement of the convoy not far away with his eyes. He ditched the supply pack before jumping off the cliff, along with it was a monocular telescope. Now he could only use his eyes to observe the distant scene. He was certain that the tiny moving black spots not far away were a relatively small convoy. The speed of the convoy was fast, with about 10 vehicles in total. Definitely not the steam trains of the Tatis Empire. Noland Lee was certain of this. Because the Tatis Empires classic cars cant move that fast. I have to hurry over to see the situation before this convoy goes too far. Maybe, if I follow in their tracks, I could quickly reach a city in the Fission Wilderness. Noland Lee stepped on the soft soil, jogging in the direction of the convoy. His right hand had been pressing on a package under his clothes to prevent it from falling out while running. The contents of the package were all he had brought back from the Suffering Borderland. Five days ago, he landed at the bottom of a cliff on the northern side of the Blade Mountain Range. When he landed, he used his own body as a cushion, and shielded the potion with a Magic Shield, which was how he managed to save some Life Elixir. After using the Life Elixir to heal all the injuries on his body, out of the original 60, now only more than 30 remained. These are my lifeline, and in the future, whenever I need to make a comeback, they will be the ones to heal me. Noland Lee felt the Life Elixir stashed close to his body through his clothes. He felt a bit like Son Goku from Dragon Ball. And the Life Elixir was the Senzu Bean. Goku relied on Senzu Bean to make a comeback, and now Noland Lee had to rely on Life Elixir Always relying on potions to escape predicaments was not a solution after all. The Life Elixir would run out one day. He must find a replacement in the Golden Federation Mainland. While jogging, Noland Lee recalled the information about the Golden Federation in his mind and furrowed his eyebrows slightly. Tatis Empire is a very secluded country. Its people have hardly any chance to learn about other countries. Like the customs of the Golden Federation, geographical features, the talents of Alchemists, the philosophy of Alchemy, etc. For most Empire people, they are all very unfamiliar. Noland Lee did not find much clues from Kashas memories. Instead, in Greenshaws memories, he found a lot of information related to the Golden Federation. But it is limited to knowing the appearance of the locals in the Golden Federation, knowing that there is an illegal crossing point in the eastern part of the Fission Wilderness, and knowing about the existence of the Elemental Judgement, a wizard organization. After all, Kasha is an investigator of the Division Intelligence Unit Two, who specializes in internal review in the Empire, and Greenshaw was originally a Magic Wand Destruction Team Leader of the Military Intelligence Section Two. They both were not the agents of Intelligence Department 6 tasked with infiltrating the Golden Federation. Their lack of understanding of the Golden Federation is understandable. Being unfamiliar with the place is just one of the problems Noland Lee has to face. Noland Lee is not worried about the language barrier. He has many Energy Points, enough to gain knowledge about the native language of the Golden Federation through Deconstructing Ordinary People.. Chapter 190 - Chapter 190:103. Passionate Wilderness_2 Chapter 190:103. Passionate Wilderness_2 Translator: 549690339 What he was really worried about were the two issues of appearance and legal identity. He had a high-bridged nose, deep eye sockets, icy blue eyes, and his skin was somewhat pale due to the sunlessness all year round. All of these traits were unlike the local people of the Golden Federation. Moreover, Noland Lee had tried, but the Disguise as a Living Corpse technique had very limited ability to modify skin color. Noland Lee could roughly simulate the appearance of the Federation people, but he had no way of changing his skin color. The skin of the Golden Federations people was much darker than that of the Empires people, noticeably darker. This was caused by the two suns overhead Yes, two suns. In the Empire, the sun and the stars were never seen. There was no such trouble in the Federation. There were two suns in their sky. One large and one small. Like a grown-up sun brother, dragging a still-childhood sun brother, wandering in the blue sky. Looking up at the two suns from the ground, the larger sun was about the size of a clenched fist. Its appearance and color were exactly the same as the sun in Noland Lees memory. As for the smaller sun, it was only the size of a 1 yuan coin and showed a dim blue color. When Noland Lee first saw the suns of this world, he was truly shocked. But he soon discovered that having an extra sun in the sky didnt seem to be a big problem It was nothing more than being hotter, stuffier, having darker skin, and needing to drink a few more glasses of water every day. As long as a third sun didnt appear, forming the legendary three-body structure, everything was still within an acceptable range. Under these lighting conditions, Noland Lee felt that his skin would soon become like that of the local people of the Golden Federation. Just these few days of wind and sun exposure had worn off much of his original skin color. What was more troublesome was the color of his pupils. Most of the Federation had black or brown pupils and no icy blue ones. Noland Lee could cover his face with a face towel, and wait until the facial features of the Empire people faded before removing the face towel. But how could he deal with the color of his pupils? He couldnt just dig his eyes out and replace them with fake ones, could he So the best way was to wear sunglasses to cover his pupils, which would reduce a lot of unnecessary attention. Pa pa pa The crisp sound of gunshots echoed through the empty wilderness. Noland Lee pulled away from his thoughts and slowed down his pace. He listened sideways and determined that the gunshots came from the direction of the caravan. Going up to a high spot, he saw that the caravan had stopped not far away and was engaged in a battle with another group of people using firearms. Both sides were fighting fiercely, and neither had noticed that an unfamiliar person had appeared at the edge of the field. Noland Lee used the gentle slope of the wilderness to hide his figure, inching closer to the battlefield. He crawled forward, sticking close to the ground, reached the top of a gentle slope, and peeked out half of his head from the grass to take a look at the caravan as well as the people fighting the caravan. Interesting, the vehicles of this caravan are four-wheeled motorcycles with wide tires, and thick, large exhaust pipes. It seems that the Golden Federation has mastered internal combustion engine technology. The motorcycles have many patches and human skulls hanging as decorations. Hmm, these guys dont seem to be good people, otherwise, they wouldnt use skulls as a sign of authority. Noland Lee determined that the caravan in front of him was not a kind one. After seeing the actions of this caravan, he was even more convinced of this. The attire of the caravan members was dominated by greasy waxed jackets and jeans with holes. The weapons they used were roughly made homemade firearms double-barreled shotguns made of rusty metal plates, revolvers with slightly deformed barrels, and shotguns with overly large muzzles. Such a group of wasteland-styled people stopped in the wilderness, not for camping, but for robbing a campsite. The tents in this campsite were dark green, similar to the color of the grass. From a distance, it was difficult to find traces of the campsite. Noland Lee also noticed the existence of this campsite just then. There were ten people on the caravan side and only five on the campsite side. Both sides had crudely made firearms, but due to the large difference in numbers, the battle was soon decided. It was at this moment, as Noland Lee watched in secret, that the people on the campsite side had already been annihilated by the caravan, and three of the caravan side had also died.S?arch ?ew??vel .?rg on g??gl? The surviving caravan members entered the campsite and looted it, taking all the fresh water, food, firearms, medicine, and backpacks to their vehicles. Some of them were extremely cruel, cutting off the heads of the dead and hanging them on the back of the vehicles. In the Suffering Borderland, a ghostly place, the suffering of mankind came from the Undead. But in the Fission Wilderness, a place filled with greenery, the enemy of mankind seemed to be only mankind itself. The cruelty and bloodshed inflicted by ones own kind was far more shocking than when Noland Lee first encountered the Undead. Seeing this situation, Noland Lee had the intention to take action. Not for the sake of so-called justice, nor to avenge the unrelated campsite side. But the evil deeds of the caravan side had given Noland Lee the impulse to passively deconstruct the caravan members and obtain a large amount of information. And in this process, he would not feel any psychological burden at all. [System Message: You are trying to deconstruct unknown named car team members] [It is estimated that consuming 15 energy points will increase the degree of deconstruction to 100%] Chapter 191 - Chapter 191: 103. Passionate Wilderness_3 Chapter 191: 103. Passionate Wilderness_3 Translator: 549690339 15 Energy Points these team members are ordinary people without extraordinary abilities. Noland Lee figured out the details of the seven opposing members and didnt hesitate anymore. He circled around to the rear of the team, using the bushes as cover, and slowly approached the four-wheeled motorcycles. The team members were excitedly scavenging the campsite, completely unaware of the stranger approaching them. Noland quietly came to the side of the motorcycles and found a revolver and a dagger in them. He held the dagger in his left hand, pressed it below his gun-wielding right hand, and cast the Magic Shield while leaning on the motorcycle to initiate an attack. Bang! A team member who was carrying a backpack fell on his back, with a round hole in the center of his forehead. The sudden sound of gunfire alarmed the team members in the camp. They dropped their spoils of war and pulled out their firearms to counterattack. After realizing that there was only one attacker, the six surviving team members laughed wildly and pulled the trigger, showering the bullets all around their opponent. They thought their enemy would be intimidated by the bullets, burying their head and passively taking a beating. But they were wrong. Noland faced the bullets flying towards him, calmly aimed at the forehead of his next target, and pulled the trigger, then at the forehead of the third target He had a Magic Shield and could completely ignore the threat of small caliber bullets, allowing him to directly face the enemy. The arrogant team members turned into living targets. Noland emptied the bullet chamber, sending precise shots into the forehead of each of his opponents. Only then did the remaining team members realize that something was wrong. The moment he turned to run, he was caught up by Noland, who slit his throat with the dagger. Surveying the messy campsite, Noland picked up a water bottle and towel from the ground to clean the blood off his hands. He checked the deconstruction result, carefully read the team members memories, and let out a mixed sigh of joy and caution. Turns out this Fission Wilderness isnt as peaceful either. The campsite belongs to the fisherman, the team is a scavenger team. The scavengers are backed by big city gangs. Behind the big city gangs, there are local forces like the Alchemist Association, Chamber of Commerce, Consortium, and companies. There are no alchemists among the scavengers, but all big city gangs have alchemists stationed. Basically, the leaders of each gang are Alchemists of First to Second Order. Higher-level alchemists are all recruited by the local forces behind the gangs Noland washed the blood off his hands, rubbed his chin, and slowly nodded. Judging from the memories of these scavengers, the Golden Federation is a nation that values strength even more than the Tatis Empire. In the Tatis Empire, ordinary people have no access to the Imperial Fist. But in the Golden Federation, all kinds of alchemists are everywhere, deeply integrated into various aspects of society. From planting crops to manufacturing firearms, to building cars and houses, everywhere there are alchemists. Its hard for ordinary people not to be exposed to alchemists. Noland grinned. I like this place, even though there are many extraordinary people and the competition is fierce, but accordingly, extraordinary people are less restrained. As long as I dont show those horrifying death-related spells, life can still be fulfilling. Noland searched the camp and found a metal box containing Compressed Rice Soup. This was a type of alchemical food that would dissolve upon contact with water. After being soaked in hot water, it would quickly turn into a soft, sticky, thick rice soup. Although it sounded similar to Compressed Biscuits, it was not made by the food industry but was a product of Food Alchemy. In the Golden Federation, alchemists are not only extraordinary people who can participate in battles, but also the main force in mass producing social materials. Their productivity is ten times or even more than that of ordinary people. Production lines are something that ordinary people would use. In the eyes of an alchemist, all materials can be transformed from other materials or energies according to alchemy formulas. Following the guidance of alchemy formulas, drawing alchemy arrays with alchemy runes, and placing the correct alchemy materials will yield the alchemical products indicated by the alchemy formulas. Alchemy formulas, alchemy runes, and alchemy materials are the lifelong pursuits of alchemists. The scarcity of these items is enough to fascinate every alchemist. A complete alchemy blueprint will include the formula, runes, and materials list. These are common knowledge that scavengers and other such people know, but it is limited to this. If one wants to learn more about alchemy, there are only three paths. The first path is to take the entrance exam of the Alchemy Cathedral and enter the Alchemy Academy as an alchemy apprentice to study orthodox alchemy Imowledge. This path has extremely high IQ requirements, as just the entrance exam would eliminate over 99-9% of the candidates. The second path is to join a gang sect or company, accumulate wealth through daily work, and then purchase alchemy knowledge from the affiliated forces. This is the path taken by those who are not smart enough but still wish to learn alchemy, such as scavengers and fishermen. Scavengers are backed by gangs, while fishermen are backed by alchemy companies specialized in making canned fish. The third path is to purchase alchemy knowledge from the black market. This Imowledge could be the same as that taught by the Alchemy Cathedral, companies, or gangs, or it could be compiled by illegal alchemists. Learning alchemy is too far-fetched for now. Finding a safe place to settle down first is the most important thing. There is only one city in the Fission Wilderness C Union City. An identity card is required to enter Union City. Noland is not worried about this issue now. He found several identity cards from the scavengers and fishermen, corresponding to the forces they belonged to. As long as Noland changes his appearance and puts on his sunglasses, he can impersonate a scavenger or fisherman and blend into Union City using the identity cards. After that, he might be able to hitch a ride on other types of identity cards in the citys black market. He doesnt have to worry about his Imperial features attracting unnecessary attention either Because in the memory of the scavenger, many people from the Tatis Empire came to the Fission Wilderness through various means and multiplied for several generations. Imperial peoples appearances are indeed different from the local people but are not uncommon. Out of caution against fellow countrymen stabbing each other in the back, Noland doesnt want to have any contact with the Imperials in Union City. But sometimes, it is just so coincidental. The more you dont want to meet someone, the more likely you are to meet them. Noland disguised himself and came to the campsites exterior. Just as he figured out how to drive the four-wheeled motorcycle, he looked up and saw another team driving in his direction. He picked up the telescope hanging on the motorcycle and took a look, and the leader of the team was a standard Imperial man When the man noticed Noland observing him through the telescope, he also raised his telescope and looked back. The two locked eyes through the lenses Hiss I need 10,000 energy points to deconstruct him completely. This guy is a big shot. But he doesnt seem to have anything special about him Eh? Theres a stranger covering his face and hands over there? The skin in the gap of the face towel is so white, is he an Imperial who just smuggled himself over here? Chapter 192 - Chapter 192: 104. Iron Thorn Shield Chapter 192: 104. Iron Thorn Shield Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee slowly moved the telescope, shifting the lens from the leader of the convoy to the convoy itself, heading straight towards him. Nearly forty four-wheeled motorcycles, each vehicle carrying one to two people, everyone armed with firearms. In other words, if they have ill intentions, Ill have to face sixty to eighty enemies, including one extraordinary individual requiring a full 10 ,ooo Energy Points to deconstruct. Noland Lee put down his telescope and glanced around. There were 15 corpses near him, ten were scavengers, and five were fishermen, barely enough to form a group of Walking Dead. Using the Enslavement of Deceased technique, along with a Magic Shield and a Fear Spell, he should be able to take out the ordinary people in the convoy. But how to deal with the big shots in the convoy? The Caster Form: Death Incarnation is still cooling down; itll take about four days to be usable again. Noland Lee pondered for a moment, feeling that it was a bit troublesome. The safest way to deal with it was to mount the four-wheeled motorcycle and take off before he entered the firing range of their firearms. That way, if the convoy wanted to catch him, they would have to divide into several teams and encircle him from different directions. Noland Lee couldnt beat the big shots in the convoy, but he should have no problem wiping out their teams and breaking through. Having thought through this, Noland Lee straddled the motorcycle, turned the key, and started the engine. Suddenly, a whistling sound and loud shouts came from the convoy. Whistle- Hey! Brother! Were from the Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm! Were not scavengers! Noland Lee squinted and looked over. Someone in the convoy had raised a flag, waving it left and right in his direction. The flag had a spiked shield pattern and the words Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm on it. Noland Lee picked up his telescope again and observed the details of the convoy, finally confirming their identity. It was indeed a security companys convoy. Upon closer inspection, the clothing of these people was more uniform, with black jackets on the upper body and a slightly casual lower body, wearing various clothing styles. On the left chest of the black jacket was the spiked shield pattern, the emblem of the Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm. Furthermore, their motorcycles did not have any skull or human head symbols associated with blood-curdling terror. Overall, they looked more dignified and more civilized than the scavengers. Noland Lee accessed the scavengers memories, retrieving information related to the Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm. After quickly reading it once, he turned off the engine and chose to wait at the original location for the convoy. Seeing that Noland Lee stayed in place without leaving on his motorcycle, the convoys leader waved his hand at the team members behind him, asking them to lower their firearms. Both parties established initial trust through mutual probing, resolving an unexpected conflict. The convoy stopped in front of Noland Lee. Some team members entered the campsite and began cleaning up the scene. Others held their guns in alert, looking vigilantly around at the grasslands and gentle slopes. The leader of the convoy had a deep brown buzz cut, stiff facial lines, and a strong nose bridge. If he were dressed in an Imperial Army uniform, he would look like a typical Imperial Soldier. However, he was currently wearing loose jeans, a thick plaid shirt, and a black jacket. His walk was swaggering and his movements casual. It was Noland Lees first time discovering that the rigidity and dogmatism of Imperial men could change. When an Imperial man was placed in the Fission Wilderness, he could also become relaxed and casual. After getting off his motorcycle, the convoy leader walked directly toward Noland Lee. He put his hands on his hips, looked Noland Lee up and down, then asked in the language of the Tatis EmDire: Mate, youve just arrived in the Fission Wilderness, havent you? This is the so-called beware of others. While resting in the camp, Noland Lee had changed into a blood-stained local outfit and covered his face with sunglasses and a face towel. The replaced Tatis Empire Army uniform and cloak were rolled up by him and stuffed into his backpack, waiting for an opportunity to be burned. Now, when he heard the convoy leader expose his identity, Noland Lee knew that the exposed skin color in the gaps of the towel had betrayed him Right, I just got here a few days ago, Noland Lee replied calmly. He spoke in the Federations local language. The convoy leader slightly raised his eyebrows, surprised: Youve just arrived and already speak the local language so fluently? Well, lets not talk about that. Everyone who comes here from the Empire has their own hardships. Since youre here, let it all begin anew. The convoy leader waved his hand, no longer inquiring about Noland Lees past. He reached out his right hand and said: Im Kent, the armed Captain of the Iron Thorn Shield Security Company, a First-order Alchemist, with sixty to seventy brothers under me. About eight years ago, I arrived here on a cargo ship. I know how hard it is to be unfamiliar with everything. If you trust me, follow my convoy. Once you reach Union City and find a job, you can pay back the security fees for the journey along the way. Of course, if youre worried its a trap or ambush, I understand, after all, I was thinking the same way back then.. Chapter 193 - Chapter 193: 104. Iron Thorn Shield_2 Chapter 193: 104. Iron Thorn Shield_2 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee pondered for a moment, stretching out his right hand to shake with the other party : I wont talk about my previous identity. It wasnt very pleasant. Now, I just want to start a new life. You can call me Ray Lee. Kent wasnt bothered by the caution in Nolands words. He raised his hand and waved over the campsite filled with corpses and bloodstains: Can you tell me what happened here, Ray Lee? This fishing camp was under the protection of the Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm. Although I am not the person in charge of security here, and I didnt come here for the slain fishermen, as an armed captain hired by Iron Thorn Shield, I think I should ask someone for the situation as I pass by to feel more secure. Can you give me an answer? Of course, theres nothing I cant say. As you can see, the fishermen here are all dead. They were killed by scavengers. I happened to need some food, drink, and transportation, so I killed all these scavengers. Nolands tone was still calm, as if killing a few villains were as simple as crushing a few ants. Kent looked at the revolver and dagger on Nolands waist and rubbed his chin in recollection: Hmm Just now, we rushed here when we heard the gunfire, and from beginning to end, we only saw you alive. Indeed, you were the only one on the scene who could have killed the scavengers. Kent put his hand on his crew-cut head, scratched the top of his head, and looked at the scavengers shot right in the forehead, exclaiming: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 You killed six scavengers with a revolver. Another person had their throat cut open, that should also be your doing, right? I never expected In the years since I left the Empire, young people in the Empire have become so capable. Kent clapped his hands and took out a business card from his pocket: Here, take this. Its my business card. If you are looking for a livelihood, consider our Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm. Noland took the card and glanced at the characters on the paper: Are you guys really short on manpower? You even dare to accept me, a smuggled Empire native. Kent crossed his arms, shrugging: You just came here, so you may not know the situation. This place is much more dangerous than the Empire. Fission Wilderness is a place with the most people but at the same time the shortage of people is huge. Gunfights and fights can be found everywhere. If you want to know, companies dare to accept wanted criminals and Sin Soldiers from the Empire. Regardless, they collect money and sell their lives. The companies paying us and us selling our lives is enough, theres no need to worry too much about it. Looking at the corpses of scavengers and fishermen, Noland said, Yes, Ive already felt the enthusiasm of the Fission Wilderness. The turnover of people here is really not ordinary But sorry, Kent, I havent even settled my identity card, Im afraid I cant even enter the city. Noland said this to avoid revealing that he could easily change his appearance and physique, rather than that he really couldnt enter the city. Oh, thats a small issue. Iron Thorn Shield has quite a wide range of businesses. Kent spread his hands: If you are interested in joining, getting you a clean identity card is no problem. You can ask any of my mates, this is the most basic treatment offered by Iron Thorn Shield. Are you sure? Noland Lee was slightly surprised. Of course. But you should also know that there is a cost to it. A clean identity card requires at least 100,000 Union Coins. If you accept this card, you must pay it back before you can leave. As for whether you want to stay in Iron Thorn Shield or develop in other companies or gang sects after paying it back, its up to you to decide Nolands heart was slightly stirred, and he suddenly found that Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm had some capability. In the scavengers memory, 100,000 Union Coins could only buy an inferior card with a criminal record on the black market. This card was called an Inferior Card. People who held Inferior Cards could only move within a small designated area and would be restricted in consumption and accommodation. There would be no such problem with a clean identity card, and one could move freely within the lower town of Union City. A clean identity card was priceless on the black market, and basically, no one was selling them. It seemed that only security firms like Iron Thorn Shield could obtain clean identity cards through stable channels. Noland originally planned to freeload a better Inferior Card in the black market. But now that he had the opportunity to get a clean identity card, he might as well try it out. Noland thought for a moment and asked: Are you not afraid that Ill run away with the clean identity card, Kent? How can you be so sure Ill be able to pay back the 100,000? Good question. To be honest, we have encountered the situation you mentioned before. Some guys didnt think it through, took our identity card and ran. Although they were all caught in the end, it still caused quite a bit of trouble. Therefore, Iron Thorn Shield uses an employment contract protected by the Alchemy Cathedral to protect our interests. Once you arrive at our company, youll see the contract. Kent snapped his fingers: As for how I can be sure that you can pay back the 100,000, I have a suggestion. We are currently executing a security mission, so consider it your probation period. As long as you cooperate with me to complete the task in the subsequent time, I will consider you passing my inspection.. Chapter 194 - Chapter 194:104. Iron Thorn Shield_3 Chapter 194:104. Iron Thorn Shield_3 Translator: 549690339 You must be wondering if having a stranger like you involved in this task might have a negative impact, like maybe youd bring enemies along with you, or youre a spy from a rival sect. If you have such suspicions, I can only say youre overthinking. I dont think someone whod step out and kill scavengers at gunpoint would be a member of any sect. Noland Lee pocketed the business card and gave a slight nod: Alright, Kent. I have no objections; Ill start with this security mission If Iron Thorn Shield can really provide me with a flawless identity card, then working for them to save up a hundred thousand doesnt sound bad. Great, its settled then. Kent grinned: After this mission is completed, youll receive your remuneration as usual, but as you know, the remuneration during the probation period may be less. The exact amount will be confirmed once the mission is over Do you have any questions? No, none. Noland Lee shook his head, expressing no objections to Kents arrangements. Glad to hear that. Kent turned around, urging his team to speed up their work: Move faster, guys. We cant afford to waste too much time here. Yes, boss. Understood, boss. Kents subordinates replied in unison to his call, and the campsite suddenly became bustling. Noland Lee observed the scene and his impression of the Iron Thorn Shield improved. Compared to the gang members who bullied the weak and wantonly killed, Noland Lee preferred security firms like Iron Thorn Shield. Before fully getting acquainted with the Fission Wilderness, staying with the Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm might be a good option. When his knowledge and strength are enough to support him becoming independent, he can consider leaving then. He had numerous spells at his disposal, so as long as he wished, he would surely find a way to leave. Noland Lee secretly nodded to himself, feeling confident that joining Iron Thorn Shield temporarily was the right choice. About five minutes later, all the corpses and belongings in the camp were taken care of. Before leaving, Kent wrote a message for the Iron Thorn Shield patrols in the area, explaining the situation. After that, with a wave of his hand, he gestured for his team members to board their vehicles, leaving the scavengers motorcycles and equipment behind for the patrol security team to deal with. Noland Lees motorcycle was the one he had seized from the scavengers. He practiced for a bit and gradually drove like a pro, following the long convoy heading northwest. Wheels rolled over the grass, leaving two marks on the fresh green ground. Noland Lee controlled the handlebars while looking towards the head of the convoy, his eyes falling on Kents back. A strange light flashed through his eyes, which were hidden behind sunglasses. Strange, very strange. Kent looked like an ordinary person, with no extra limbs, and no glowing eyes or hair, so why was his energy consumption for deconstruction so high? 10,000 energy pointsten times the consumption of deconstructing an Imperial Lieutenant. Was Kent a powerful extraordinary individual disguised as an ordinary person? Or perhaps the energy consumption in deconstructing an alchemist was higher than that of Imperial Fist-type techniques, just like when deconstructing wizards? Noland Lee had only encountered one alchemist so far, so he was unsure about the key issue and for the time being attributed the cause to alchemists mastering vast theoretical knowledge. System message: You have driven the simple four-wheeled motorcycle continuously for three hours, unlocking the new passive skill Vehicle Control Study; current level is 1. Noland Lee glanced at the message in his mind, rubbing his numb legs as he got off the motorcycle, letting out a long sigh of relief. After a long journey, Kents team finally arrived at their destination. Noland Lees buttocks and thighs finally got the chance to rest. This was a valley filled with a lush forest, bright flowers, and various lively animals. Moreover, a clear stream flowed from the depths of the valley, gathering into a small lake near where the convoy was. If this place was fenced off and a toll booth was set up, it would be enough to make it a tourist attraction. Of course, this was what he would have done in the world before crossing over. In the Golden Federation, beautiful places like this were basically held by extraordinary forces. Noland Lee and his fellow team members inquired about the area. The valley in front of them was called Water-fetching Valley.upd?t? ?t ?ew?o?e? .o?g The entire valley belonged to the Golden Commerce Guild. All the mountain spring water produced here was monopolized by the Golden Commerce Guild. Kents mission was to escort high-quality mountain spring water to Union City. Dont assume that high-quality mountain spring water was cheap. If the spring water was cheap, the Golden Commerce Guild wouldnt have hired sixty or seventy security guards to escort it. In fact, the spring water produced here was an essential raw material for making high-grade alchemy potions in the alchemy workshops in the city. Referring to his memories before and after crossing over, Noland Lee expected several trucks filled with water barrels to emerge from the valley. Soon, however, he discovered that he had made an incorrect assumption. From the depths of the valley walked out an Alchemist. He was wearing khaki overalls, a workwear top, and thick glasses on the bridge of his nose. His black hair was unkempt and slightly disheveled. Feedback from deconstruction revealed that. like Kent. it would take 10.000 energy points to achieve a 100% deconstruction rate for this man.. Chapter 195 - Chapter 195: 104. Iron Thorn Shield_4 Chapter 195: 104. Iron Thorn Shield_4 Translator: 549690339 There are indeed notable differences between one Extraordinary and another. The First Order Imperial Fist can be fully deconstructed with just one thousand Energy Points. For Alchemists and Wizards, the cost increases tenfold based on this. This is a universal phenomenon, not an exception. As Noland Lee was trying to figure out why this phenomenon occurred, the Alchemist in work clothes pulled a pendant from under his collar. A bright yet gentle white light flowed from the elliptical stone on the pendant, capturing Nolands attention. All teammates, including Noland, cast their eyes on the dazzling stone. This should be an Alchemy Stone Noland stared at the stone emitting white light and initiated Deconstruction. [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct an Alchemy Stone with unknown effects.] [Estimated consumption of 9000 Energy Points is required for a 100% complete deconstruction.] An Alchemists Alchemy Stone is handmade by the Alchemist themselves, and can only be used by them. In the common sense of Alchemy, an Alchemist and an Alchemy Stone are inseparable. Deconstructing an Alchemy Stone requires 9000 Energy Points Deconstructing an Alchemist requires 10,000 Energy Points So by that token, deconstructing an Alchemist alone would only require one thousand Energy Points, right? Noland squinted and fixed his gaze on the Alchemist in work clothes, casting the Deconstruction spell solely on him. [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct an Extraordinary person with unknown designation.] [The estimated consumption of 10,000 Energy Points is required for a 100% complete deconstruction.] Noland furrowed his brows and tried to cast the Deconstruction spell on the man in overalls from different angles. No matter how he tried, the system feedback remained the same. The answer was clear. Noland could deconstruct an Alchemy Stone in isolation, but he couldnt do the same for an Alchemist. It was as if the Alchemy Stone was the true form of the Alchemist. This indeed resonated with the saying that was widely circulated in the Golden Federation: All of an Alchemists abilities lie within the Alchemy Stone. Noland became somewhat curious about the secrets of the Alchemy Stone. He called up his Personal Panel and took a look at his Energy Points inventory. [Energy Points] 21162/16 points Theoretically, by investing less than half of his Energy Points, he would be able to fully deconstruct the Alchemy stone. However, considering that this knowledge could be found in Union City or that it could be acquired by attacking the Alchemy Stone, he felt that it was not worthwhile. Only when the cost of mastering alchemy through fighting and learning exceeds the cost of deconstructing the Alchemy Stone, would Noland consider extracting secrets from the Alchemy Stone through deconstruction. Otherwise, it would be an unprofitable trade. After some thought, Noland decided to suppress his curiosity for the time being and reach Union City first. He raised his head to look at Kent and the man in work clothes, just in time to see the Alchemist pulling a hazy sphere of light from the glowing elliptical stone. The Alchemist turned his hand upward, holding the light sphere in his palm. The light of the sphere contracted inward, forming a transparent glass container. The glass container was filled with clear Mountain Spring Water. The measure on the container showed that this palm-sized container contained 3000 litres of Mountain Spring Water. Noland glanced carefully at the measure, confirmed he wasnt mistaken, and indeed it reads 3000 Litres. So in a sense, the Alchemy Stone can be used as a space bag Noland nodded in thought. Kent, Ive already packed the spring water Why did you guys take so long to get here? The Alchemist asked as he held up the transparent container. Kent examined the liquid volume in the container, saying at the same time: Dont even mention it, Fars. We ran into a bunch of Scavengers on the road. Those damn maggots wrecked our place, killing five fishermen. When we get back to town, the Company will definitely seek payback from their Gang Sect. Kent confirmed the liquid volume in the container was correct. He stood straight, looked at the glow in the sky: Since everything is ready, lets get going. If we move quickly, we should be able to get back to Union City before midnight everyone, get in! Kent turned to the young man next to him and said: Mark, give your seat up for Fars. You go and sit with Ray Lee; give him an introduction of Union City while you are at it. Fars is the Alchemist in charge of water storage. Mark, the deputy captain of the security team, is a local from Union City. He has dark skin, a slender figure, evenly balanced muscles, and has short braided hair. He looks rather energetic. Upon receiving Kents instructions, he nodded and ran off: Alright, Captain, I also wanted to hear some stories about the Empire. Cheeky lad, if he doesnt want to talk, dont ask too much. Kent yelled after Marks retreating figure. Mark waved back, I know, Boss, I know my place. As he watched the deputy captain running toward him, Noland shifted over, freeing up the drivers seat. Hello, Mark. You can drive the motorcycle. Im not confident enough to control the direction with another person on it. No problem, leave it to me. Your command of the Federation language is really good. Did you study it by yourself before leaving the Empire? Mark plopped down in the front seat, proficiently starting the motorcycle and following the team out of the valley. Facing Mark, the people person, Noland shrugged nonchalantly and placidly responded: Chapter 196 - Chapter 196: 104. Iron Thorn Shield_5 Chapter 196: 104. Iron Thorn Shield_5 Translator: 549690339 Since Im preparing to leave the Empire, I need to make some preparations, right Speaking of which, Mark, what was that transparent container in Fars hand just now? Did I see it wrong? How could it hold 3,000 liters of mountain spring water? Upon hearing Noland Lees question, Mark immediately became excited. He raised his arm and waved it, shouting with anticipation. This is the power of alchemy! Teammates in front and behind cast their calm gazes at him, as if they were already used to the deputy captain getting carried away whenever alchemy was mentioned Mark held on to the handlebars of the motorcycle, staring at the ground in front of him, and rattled off a laundry list of alchemy common knowledge to Noland Lee. His words were filled with passion for alchemy. Noland Lee initially thought that the common knowledge he mentioned would be similar to the knowledge in the memory of a scavenger. However, as the content unfolded, Noland Lees eyes began to fill with anticipation and approval. Alchemists, this extraordinary group, are truly rooted in alchemy theory and experimentation. Their understanding of spirit is vastly different from that of the Undead Cult. The Undead Cult is comprised of lost souls with everlasting, rotting bodies. They seek liberation from tortured memories, using it to enhance their spirit attribute, and then pair it with war and the Spirit Pivot to collect soul fragments in large quantities, increasing their soul strength. Alchemists are not like this. They believe: To improve intangible thingslike spirit and soulone must first transform them into tangible forms and then enhance them indirectly by remodeling those forms. The tangible form mentioned here is the alchemy stone that every alchemist possesses. The main material of the alchemy stone is the alchemists own spirit and soul. Through a special Spirit Soul Transposition Ceremony, they convert the intangible spirit and soul into an alchemy stone that can be held in their hands. Using gaming language: Alchemy Stone is the physical manifestation of the attributes of spirit and soul strength. Enhance the quality of the alchemy stone with better alchemy materials. Add special effects to the alchemy stone with alchemy runes. Apply more powerful alchemy formulas to transform regular alchemy stones into unique alchemy stones. All of the above operations can enhance the attributes of spirit and soul strength and grant alchemists corresponding extraordinary abilities. This is where the secret of an alchemists mastery of extraordinary power lies. For instance, Fars, who was responsible for extracting and filling mountain spring water, only possessed the extraordinary ability to transport large quantities of mountain spring water at once after adding the Water Drawing Rune and Water Storage Rune to his alchemy stone. This seemingly harmless extraordinary ability is actually offensive. With the addition of Acid Resistance Rune and Injection Rune, Fars can pre-store acidic liquids and spray acid water with corrosive effects on enemies during battles. The higher the grade of the rune, the better the corrosive effect of the acid water, the further the distance of spraying acid water, and the more significant Fars attack effect. This enhancement of strength comes from more efficient combinations of alchemy runes. It can be said that there are no trash alchemy runes, only alchemist who is trash at combining alchemy runes. As long as theyre smart and willing to study, any alchemy rune can shine in a particular field. And the key to all this lies in having ones own alchemy stone. Mark talked eloquently about this topic: In the entire Golden Federation, only the Alchemy Cathedral masters the Spirit Soul Transposition Ceremony. Every year, the Alchemy Cathedral allocates a certain number of ceremony quotas to each city, allowing those who meet the conditions within the city to become alchemists. For example, our Union City receives more than 300 quotas every year. More than 70% of the quotas are controlled by the Alchemy Academy in the upper city area, usually given to alchemy apprentices who pass the entrance exams. The remaining 30% belong to various extraordinary forces. If you save up to one million Union Coins and pass the Independent Alchemist Exam of the Alchemy Academy, then you can purchase a ceremony quota from the Iron Thorn Shield. Our Iron Thorn Shields financial backer is the Golden Commerce Guild, which receives at least 20 quotas every year. A lot of people fight tooth and nail for a chance to see if they have what it takes to become an alchemist overnight. But every year, only one or two people can pass the exam and get a quota from the Golden Commerce Guild. Noland Lee repeated the numbers: One million Did you just say that purchasing a ceremony quota requires one million Union Coins? Doesnt that mean it would take a long time for someone working in a security corporation to save up this amount of money? No, no, no, Ray Lee. Mark shook his head repeatedly: Our main income is not the base salary, but the task remuneration. Just like this task. If we can safely deliver Fars and the 3,000 liters of mountain spring water to the alchemy workshop, each of us can earn between 8,000 to 10,000 Union Coins. If we encounter bandits along the way, the spoils of war from defeating them can also be exchanged for a considerable amount of money. Conservatively estimated, this task alone is worth half a months salary. Oh, thats pretty good Noland Lee nodded. However, many people can make a million Union Coins, but most cant hold onto the money or dont even consider becoming an alchemist. Mark shook his head with a wry smile.. Chapter 197 - Chapter 197:104. Iron Thorn Shield_6 Chapter 197:104. Iron Thorn Shield_6 Translator: 549690339 Why is that? Noland Lee played the role of the sidekick. They know they cant pass the Independent Alchemist Exam, so they spend their money on wine and women, or buy a house and find a woman. They keep working for a security company until they save enough money and then go to a safer company to live a mundane life. Mark sighed and shook his head: I dont think I can pass the Independent Alchemist Exam, but I still want to try. If I fail the first time, Ill take it again. If I fail twice, Ill have to admit defeat, and use the money I saved to buy a house and find a beautiful and honest woman. Speaking of this, Mark swallowed his saliva At his age, the attraction of women was indeed quite strong Noland Lee wasnt very interested in women. Instead, he wanted to learn more about the so-called alchemy exam. He couldnt help but ask: What makes the Independent Alchemist Exam so difficult? Although its aimed at self-taught alchemists, the exams difficulty is actually the same as the entrance exam. There are many questions, theyre difficult, and there are too many knowledge points. There are also many conjecture questions and text experimentation questions with no standard answers. Marks face turned long when he thought about book knowledge: Just the alchemy books that need to be memorized are piled up half a persons height. Ive only read the most superficial ones I really dont know how our captain passed the exam. Alright, it seems that passing the Independent Alchemist Exam is not an overnight task. Although he said this, Noland Lees eyes were sparkling. Once upon a time, he had judged that the Deconstruction Core System was not suitable for combat and was more biased towards theoretical research. He had regretted not having such a system before crossing over. Otherwise, he would have definitely won the national exams. Now, his chance to prove himself as a top student had arrived. The alchemy exam, which focused on the accumulation of knowledge, was tailor-made for him. Mark, would you mind lending me some alchemy books? I want to see if I have any talent in this area. If I need to pay, thats no problem. Mark shook his head and said: No need for money, Noland. When we get to Union City, Ill take you to the inn where well stay. You can come by my place and borrow any book you want. I recommend starting with A Brief History of Alchemy in the Golden Federation, The content is quite interesting?, Actually, theres another way to become an alchemist. What? Noland Lee blinked. Thats to explore the relics of the Golden Dynasty. If you can discover precious alchemy blueprints, sage manuscripts, sage particles, and the like, the Alchemy Cathedral will directly reward you with a set of alchemy weaponry and help you become an alchemist. Look at our captain. Hes obviously not good at studying. He just had some luck and accidentally found an ancient alchemist sage manuscript, which enabled him to become an alchemist Hey, wait a minute, wait a minute! As Mark was bragging, he suddenly stopped, picked up his telescope, and looked at the distant horizon. The setting sun was about to disappear under the earth, and the sky was blood-red. People and objects in the distance were presented in silhouette. Noland Lee followed Marks gaze, squinted his eyes, and threw Deconstruction at the distant black spot crawling on the horizon. [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct Extraordinary with an unknown name J [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct Fully-Armed Scavengers J Enemies were approaching Noland Lee instantly understood the situation. The one marked as Extraordinary with an unknown name by the system should be an alchemist as well. Mark didnt have a system, so he could only rely on telescopes and his naked eye to observe the situation in the distance. Kent and Fars Scott, both alchemists, probably didnt have any extraordinary abilities related to long-range reconnaissance. Like Mark, they used telescopes and looked for a few minutes before realizing the intentions of the approaching party. Attention! An unidentified convoy has appeared at 11 0clock! Kent shouted to the team members behind him: Everyone, check your weapons and gear. Put on your helmets and bulletproof masks. Load your bullets and get ready for battle! Mark handed Lee the telescope, and while controlling his motorcycle, he checked his firearms and ammunition. After observing for a little while, Noland Lee asked: Mark, I think I saw a human-faced wolfhound pattern on the flag. Which gang does that symbol belong to? The Ferocious Hound Gang! Mark paused his hand, then shouted forward: Captain, Noland saw the flags pattern. Those guys are probably the Ferocious Hound Gangs armed scavengers! Kent glanced back at Noland Lee, a trace of an inexplicable light flashing in his eyes, as if he had suddenly guessed part of Noland Lees true identity. Noland Lee nodded calmly. He knew what Kent was thinking. It was all deliberate. At this moment, when the sunset was about to sink completely under the earth, a dim light surrounded them. In this low light intensity environment, which kind of Empire man can see more clearly than others?? Thats right, its the Imperial Soldiers who have been injected with the Strengthening Potion of the Imperial Army. Specifically, it is the Dim Light Vision brought by the Strengthening Potion that helps the Imperial Soldiers distinguish people and objects in dim light. After absorbing some of Kasha and Greenshaws memories, Noland Lee had crafted a reasonable Imperial identity for himself. Deliberately showing his unique vision was his first step in establishing a false identity. Kent took his gaze back from Lee, and shouted: Everyone, raise the bulletproof board of your motorcycles, keep a close eye on your surroundings, and dont be entangled by the Ferocious Hound Gangs wolfhounds! Those bastards love to use starved wolfhounds to bite people! Mark flicked the bullet nest, loaded the bullets, and pulled out a metal bulletproof board on both sides of the motorcycle as cover. He smiled at Noland Lee, revealing two rows of teeth that shined in the setting sun: Those guys are probably the scavengers from the Ferocious Hound Gang. They must have mistaken us for a regular traveling team. This battle should be over soon. Because our team has alchemists, but theirs doesnt. A slight twitch appeared at the corner of Noland Lees mouth hidden under the face towel. Mark had many good qualities. He was talkative, self-assured, warm, and straightforward. But his habit of setting up his team members He should change it as soon as possible. Chapter 198 - Chapter 198: 105. Mysterious Ray Lee Chapter 198: 105. Mysterious Ray Lee Translator: 549690339 Awooo- As the sun dipped below the ground, the howling of wolf dogs echoed through the sky. The wild animals swiftly ran on all fours, huffing and rushing towards Kents teams. The explosive power of these wolf dogs was astounding, quickly catching up with the speeding motorcycle teams from the side. Bang bang bang gunshots rang out in the dark night after the sunset, with muzzle flashes and bullets targeting the foul-smelling wolf dogs. While driving, Mark also fired his gun, his movements skillful, obviously having participated in many similar skirmishes before. Noland Lee was wearing sunglasses and activated Tracking the Living. His icy blue eyes, hidden behind the lenses, turned pitch black. Within a range of 20 meters, all the wolf dogs were exposed in his sight. Noland Lee drew out his revolver from his waist, flicking his wrist three times, sending three bullet heads precisely into the eye sockets of the wolf dogs. Each bullet would be followed by the painful whine of a wolf dog. After three shots, all the wolf dogs following the motorcycles were killed. Hearing this commotion, Mark immediately whistled in admiration: Haha, your shooting and eyesight are really great, hitting such precise shots even with sunglasses on. No wonder Imperial people, who are always fighting, have such exceptional skills. I would rather have the war end sooner Noland Lee muttered, pulling the trigger once more, blowing off a wolf dogs head. Seeing Noland Lees swift moves, Mark handed his revolver to him: Here, Ray Lee, you take care of the shooting, Ill drive and reload. Noland Lee took the revolver without any courtesy. As soon as he held Marks revolver, Noland Lee could feel its extraordinary weight. The revolver was obviously heavier than the scavengers revolver. Upon further examination, Noland discovered a metal protective ring fitted with brass knuckles on the grip. A knuckle-heavy revolver? Did you modify this gun yourself? I dont have the ability to modify guns. An alchemist from the Alchemy Club modified it for me. If you like it, you can save up money and go to the Alchemy Club to customize your own weapon. Noland Lee had only seen a knuckle-heavy left-hand revolver in games before, this was his first encounter with the real thing. He clenched the heavy left, aiming at the charging wolf dog, and fired a shot with a bang. The wolf dogs entire skull exploded, instantly turning it into a headless corpse flying backward. The power of the heavy left was indeed extraordinary, far stronger than the small-caliber revolvers. Noland Lee immediately fell in love with this violent weapon. The most obvious drawback was the high recoil, which required excellent wrist and arm strength to control. Noland Lee repeatedly pulled the trigger, successively blowing up the wolf dogs that had caught up. He handed the empty gun to Mark to reload while he continued shooting with another pistol. After the battle, several people in the security teams were bitten by wolf dogs, but none fell behind. However, the attack by the wolf dogs inevitably slowed down the teams speed. Seizing the opportunity provided by the wolf dogs holding the enemy, the Ferocious Hound Gangs teams sped up, stopping in front of Kents teams, and set up a firewall. Seeing the situation, Kent decisively ordered: Everyone, stop! All the team members clenched their brakes, swaying to a stop, and rolled off their motorcycles, hiding behind the bulletproof metal plates and vehicle bodies. The two factions started a firefight tens of meters apart in the dark night. The crackling gunshots and jumping sparks tore the silence of the night apart, leaving the wilderness restless for a long time. Noland Lee decided to treat the Magic Shield as a trump card and would not use it lightly. He buried his head behind the metal bulletproof plate, not exposing himself to the enemys gunfire for a counterattack. The dense rain-like bullets fell on the bulletproof plate, the splattered iron filings scratching peoples faces painfully. Mark clutched his heavy left, hugging his head, also not daring to put his head out. After listening to the gunshots, he muttered lowly: Damn it, these scavengers are not ordinary ones. Theyre after our goods. Otherwise, they wouldnt use Wasp submachine guns to deal with us. At the same time, Kent also realized that the enemys firepower was too fierce. He crouched down to avoid the gunfire aimed at his head, letting the chaotic bullets skim over his back. Behind him, Alchemist Fars remained calm. Fars had already activated his Alchemy Stone. He grabbed a continuously changing mass of Pure Water from the stone and slapped it onto his chest. The Pure Water quickly spread across his bodys surface, forming a thin layer of water membrane, wrapping him up from head to toe. Bullets landing on this water membrane seemed to be frozen in place, stuck. The water membrane bulged slightly, expelling the bullet with a pop. The bullet, which could easily end a humans life, left no traces on the water membrane, and Fars remained unharmed. It seemed that ordinary firearms and ammunition could no longer hurt well-prepared first-order alchemists Noland Lee quietly took note of this detail. Kent brought Fars to Mark, and said: Mark, Im temporarily handing command of the team over to you. Ill go over there and draw their fire. When you hear my gunshots, use grenades to take them out. The enemys firepower is unusual, and they may be harboring Extraordinary individuals. You must protect Fars at all costs. In order to transport all the water at once, he has removed all unnecessary runes and only retained the Bulletproof Water Film Rune that blocks bullets.. Chapter 199 - Chapter 199:105. Mysterious Ray Lee_2 Chapter 199:105. Mysterious Ray Lee_2 Translator: 549690339 Alright, Captain. Mark nodded, reaching into his backpack and distributing five grenades to the other team members. Kent pulled out a pendant from under his clothes, grabbed a grayish light ball from his own alchemy stone, and slapped it on his head. The gray light ball melted like ice, spreading from Kents head to his feet. In just a seconds time, a plain-looking gray armor appeared on Kents body. On his head was a cylindrical metal helmet, with two metal horns pointing towards the heavens on top. In his left hand, he held a metal round shield, and in his right hand, a rifle with an ax attached to the barrel. Kent took a deep breath, stomping his foot hard on the ground, leaving a crater in the grass, and rocketed into the sky like a cannonball. A brief gust of wind brushed past Noland Lees head, and Kent had already disappeared into battle mode. Noland looked up to see Kent flying in an arc in the air. Heading straight towards the opposite team, a dull iron-gray glow appeared on his body, blocking all bullets. At the moment he landed, violent gunshots erupted from the Ferocious Hound Gangs ranks, sounding like the piercing roar of an executioner before carrying out their sentence, as one burst of bloody blossoms bloomed in the dark night. The security teams pressure was greatly reduced, and the enemys line of fire was all diverted to Kent. Fire the grenade! Mark growled, raising his hand and shooting the grenade lodged in his muzzle. Nolands revolver hadnt been modified, so he couldnt fire Iron Thorn Shield Security Firms specially designed grenades. As the other team members fired grenades, Noland focused all his attention on searching for the enemys Extraordinary. Five grenades soared across the battlefield, landing in the Ferocious Hound Gangs ranks, exploding large shards and shredding the gunmen who hadnt mastered Extraordinary powers. At this moment, the bushes behind Fars shuddered, and a huge werewolf leaped out, followed by a large group of drooling, red-eyed wolfdogs. This was a coordinated attack! Kent left his own ranks to launch a surprise attack from the enemys rear. At the same time, the Werewolf, still commanding the wolfdogs, circled behind the security team, aiming directly at Fars carrying their goods. A large group of frenzied red-eyed wolfdogs rushed in, attacking the security team members who had just fired grenades, grasping their wrists with sharp teeth, shaking their heads from side to side and violently biting. Despite being protected by the bulletproof water membrane, the werewolf lunged at Fars. He knew he couldnt break through Fars water membrane in a short amount of time. He simply spread his arms, hugged Fars tightly, hooked his claws into the water membrane, forcibly restrained Fars, bit down on his head, and turned to leave. Hahaha! You Iron Thorn Shield trash, this alchemist and his mountain spring water are mine now!!! The werewolf laughed arrogantly and taunted. The security team members had their wrists clamped down by the wolfdogs, and couldnt even raise their guns, let alone use bullets to stop the werewolf from leaving. Just as the werewolf was about to step into the bushes, a transparent lightning bolt struck from behind him. Ahhhhh! The werewolf immediately let go of Fars and fled like a madman, wailing like a ghost, completely disregarding the wolfdogs on the scene and his original goals. Crawling on the ground, he frantically scrambled away from the battlefield, vanishing into the dark night within just a few seconds. As he left, the red-eyed wolfdogs began to foam at the mouth and fell to the ground, convulsing. The security personnel finally freed themselves from the wolfdogs grasp, raising their guns and shooting at the convulsing creatures. Fars returned to the team, collapsing next to the motorcycle, patting his chest in terror: Whew, next time I need to leave some offensive runes on my alchemy stone, so I dont get ripped off like prey by these Ferocious Hound Gang scumbags. Mark killed the wolfdogs in front of him, looked up in the direction where the werewolf had disappeared, and said confusedly: What just happened? Why did that Wolfpack Guard run away? Everyone looked at Alchemist Fars, the only alchemist on the scene. No, it wasnt me. In order to transport all of this months spring water, I removed all the extra runes from my alchemy stone, leaving only the runes needed for storing water and the Bulletproof Water Film Rune. Fars looked at Noland: But, I did sense a faint enerzv fluctuation, as if it were emanating from Rav Lee Everyone stared blankly at him. Cough, cough, cough Noland wheezed weakly. His sunglasses were skewed on his face, covering his left eye, but his right eye was exposed. As Noland coughed, he lowered his right lens. Everyone looked at his coughing, just in time to see the pitch-black right eye of Noland. They instantly felt chills running down their spines. Even with his right eye covered by his lowered lens, the chilling sensation in their hearts did not stop immediately. Cough, cough, cough It was me an extraordinary ability with a cost cough, cough, cough Dont let your guard down, my ability can only keep the werewolf away for a little while, he will be back soon. Noland glanced at Fars as he spoke. What did he say just now? Detected an energy fluctuation? It seemed that alchemists, an extraordinary profession focusing on the Spirit attribute, were much stronger in sensing energy fluctuations than the Toughness-focused Biochemical Giants.. Chapter 200 - Chapter 200:105. Mysterious Noland Lei_3 Chapter 200:105. Mysterious Noland Lei_3 Translator: 549690339 All security team members knew there was an Empire person who had just sneaked into their team. However, it was their first time knowing that this seemingly young Empire person possessed an extraordinary ability to force his enemies to flee! Isnt the extraordinary path of the Tatis Empire the Imperial Fist? That is, the extraordinary ability to transform into a Biochemical Giant. But why did this Empire person in front of them use an extraordinary ability without turning into a Titan? Its truly baffling. What is his background? Countless questions swirled in everyones minds, and for a moment, they all forgot that there were gunmen from the Ferocious Hound Gang not far away. Noland Lee raised his revolver and fired a few shots at the vehicles opposite him, breaking the silence and bringing everyones attention back to the battle. Mark came to his senses, motioned to a few teammates, and ordered: You, you, you, and you, you four are responsible for greeting the Ferocious Hound Gangs scum with grenades. The rest of you, watch the back and sides of the convoy with me, dont let that Wolfpack Guard approach Fars Scott. Mark handed the backpack containing grenades to his teammates and held the revolver himself, vigilantly watching the surroundings. His gaze involuntarily slid onto Noland Lee for a curious glance, then moved on. The other team members also had the same timid expression, wanting to look but not daring to stare. That was exactly what Noland wanted. What costly extraordinary abilities, what exhaustion after use, what continuous coughing C all of this was deliberately displayed by him. Since he had to create a persona and play the game, he had to highlight his value and uniqueness. The extraordinary ability he just used was the Fear Charm, which consumed only 0.1 points of Soul Strength and 1 point of energy. If others knew that the cost of using his extraordinary ability was not as great as it seemed, they would certainly treat him like a toolman and force him to obey orders and fight relentlessly. His treatment in the Suffering Borderland had proved this point well. Noland learned his lesson and deliberately exaggerated the cost of using extraordinary abilities. This way, others would not dare to casually make use of him. And he could thus retain some strength and hide more trump cards. Such a win-win situation was carefully orchestrated by Noland Lee. If someone asked about how he got his extraordinary ability, Noland had already prepared an answer. All of this could be attributed to the Military Intelligence Division Two and Three of the Tatis Empire. Greenshaw had served as the head of the Magic Wand Destruction Team of Military Intelligence Division Two, and he was aware of some secret intel. These two intelligence divisions jointly formulated two horrifying experiment plans. One was the Human Body Reproduction Armor Experiment Plan, and the other was the Biochemical Soldiers Experiment Plan. Noland had already seen the experimental products of these two plans in the fortress C those were the three Biochemical Soldiers. Various experimental projects were involved in these two plans. The most deeply hidden experimental project was the study of how to manipulate death-type magic as a Biochemical Soldier. Such soldiers, contaminated by the death power, would have some brain tissue removed, lose their emotions and memories, and become tools for the Empire Army to control the death power. In the experiment plan, Division Intelligence Unit Two and Three named these toolmen a title: Death Experiment Subjects. The persona Noland fabricated for himself was that of a Death Experiment Subject who had escaped from a secret laboratory. Of course, he wouldnt reveal his identity as a Death Experiment Subject upfront to the Federation people he encountered. He would occasionally leak bits of information, allowing others to gradually dig up clues related to Death Experiment Subjects based on their judgment and understanding. Only in this way would those who were concerned about his real identity firmly believe their speculation and think that the Death Experiment Subject was Nolands true identity. That was Nolands plan. He resolved the identity problem and retained enough trump cards. This plan had another potential benefit. Only those who stepped into the Empires core secrets circle knew the existence of Death Experiment Subjects. Military Intelligence Division Two Group Leaders, Military Intelligence Division Three Special Researchers, and so on C only people of this level and level of qualification could know about the Experiment Plan. Upon discovering Nolands abnormality, unrelated people would only regard him as an Empire person with secrets. But if someone paid special attention to Noland or even directly mentioned the name Death Experiment Subject, that person was most likely an important member of the Empire Intelligence Division, such as a senior special agent of Military Intelligence Division Six. Therefore, Noland not only fabricated Death Experiment Subject as his real identity but also used it as a tool to distinguish between friend and foe. The werewolf who was frightened away by the Fear Charm returned to the battlefield soon. From departure to return, it only took 10 seconds, much shorter than the duration of the Fear Charm on the Magic Panel. Noland knew that the difference in life level and the gap between himself and the werewolf were too great. Even though he had mastered many spells, he was still an ordinary person after all, with a gulf between him and a First-order Extraordinary person.. Chapter 201 - Chapter 201:105. Mysterious Ray Lee_4 Chapter 201:105. Mysterious Ray Lee_4 Translator: 549690339 The duration of the Fear Spell was inevitably reduced due to the difference in life levelsit was akin to the penalty for challenging a higher-level enemy in a game. With the Tracking the Living always on, Noland Lee detected the ferocious werewolf immediately. The life force of this creature was extremely strong, like a red-hot iron seared onto the magical vision of Tracking the Living. Noland took a closer look. The werewolf was almost 3 meters tall, with bulging muscles, thick fur, and long, sharp claws like short stingers. With its mouth wide open, it was able to enclose a human head within it. Its eyes emitted red light, indicating excellent night vision capabilities. As soon as it approached the teams, it targeted Fars Scott within the group. Its two arms swung in front of its body, its sharp claws tearing the air as transparent wind blades shot from its fingertips. Several security team members couldnt dodge in time, with the wind blades tearing their armor apart, lacerating their flesh, splattering blood, and exposing white bones. Some even had their necks severed, heads rolling away and blood gushing out. Screams and cries of pain hit the security team members like a heavy hammer. Everyone raised their guns and fired, continuously pulling the triggers and emptying their magazines. Facing the bullet storm, the werewolf bent its arms in front of its body and curved its waist slightly. After gathering a bit of force, it suddenly spread its arms and let out a sky-piercing howl. Awooo! The hairs on its body stood on end, transforming into sharp, thin spines. The bullets collided with these upright hairs, making a crisp, clinking noise. Most of the bullets fell to the ground, while some rebounded back into the crowd, causing a bloodbath. Having exhausted their ammunition, everyone failed to inflict any harm on the werewolf. Instead, some were injured by the ricocheting bullets. The resounding howl deafened the security team members, who clutched their ears in pain. Weaker individuals vomited blood and had blood seeping from the corners of their eyes. Their faces turned deathly pale as they fell to the ground. Within this brief period, the degree of carnage reached its peak, with at least five people killed on the spot. The werewolf took advantage of this and leaped toward Fars Scott, covering several meters in the air. Fars was protected by a water membrane and was not afraid of being hurt. He casually picked up a gun and fired continuously, but it was of no use. Damn it! Ive really messed up this time! If it werent for the fact that my alchemy laboratorys lease is almost up and I desperately need rent money, I wouldnt have thought of transporting so much spring water at once. Get away from me, you foul-smelling werewolf! Fars shouted as he retreated in front of the menacing crimson eyes. From his reaction, Noland could tell that Fars wasnt a combat alchemist like Kent, but rather a non-combatant who was engrossed in alchemy experiments. Noland feigned a weak cough, pinched the frame of his glasses, lifted the right lens, and revealed his black right eye. After a flash of transparent lightning, the werewolf that was about to catch Fars once again shrieked and fled. This time, everyone saw it clearly! It was definitely done by the Empire People in the group! As long as Noland stared at the werewolf with his black right eye, the latter would instantly flee the battlefield, as if encountering something extremely terrifying. What an amazing power! How did he get such an eye? Everyone stared at Noland curiously, only to see him coughing feebly, his voice now much hoarser. Be careful *cough cough* Ive used my extraordinary abilities too many times today *cough cough* The control effect is weak *cough* The werewolf will be back soon. As Nolands voice faded, a howl came from the bushes. The werewolf leaped past the low plants and landed in front of the security team members, its furry face full of rage. Son of a bitch! Whos attacking me?! Aha, it must have been you! Have you installed the Rune of Fear on your alchemy stone? No wonder I keep feeling irrationally afraid of you! Fars was an alchemist and had a sharp mind. He knew he had been wrongly accused, but at this point, he had no choice but to accept it. Noland had saved him twice after all. He couldnt possibly shift the blame to Noland when he was weak. Fars spat on the ground and gritted his teeth, saying to the werewolf: Come on, you stinky werewolf! Ill show you what I can do! Tch, you think I cant deal with you? The werewolf feigned a leap but stopped midway. After leaving some harsh words, it made several jumps and hurriedly left the scene. You got lucky, Fars. The Ferocious Hound Gang is watching you, as well as those treasures in your laboratory. One day, Ill make you taste suffering. Bang! Bang! Bang! The loud sound of the gun followed the werewolfs retreating figure. Kent, who had dealt with the Ferocious Hound Gangs gunmen, returned to his own team. He fired three shots at the werewolfs back. Each bullet pierced through the tough fur and lodged into its flesh. Due to the pain, the werewolf sped up, soon becoming a mere black shadow on the horizon. Ferocious Hound Gangs bastards, if it werent for the fact that Im running out of armor-piercing bullets, Id make you pay. Kent blew the gun smoke from the muzzle, glanced around, and focused on the injured team members and the frightened Fars.. Lastly, he looked at Noland, who had collapsed to the ground and continued to cough lightly: Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: 105. Mysterious Ray Lee_5 Chapter 202: 105. Mysterious Ray Lee_5 Translator: 549690339 Those who are uninjured, stay alert. Injured people can first use alchemy potions to stabilize their injuries and wait until we reach Union City for further treatment. Fars, I told you to train more in combat while at the company. If you had listened to me, you wouldnt be so panicked now. .Ray? Did you injure your lung? Mark, give him a healing potion and put it on his tab. Lung injuries are much more troublesome than broken bones Uh..Boss Mark was tending to the injured, and at Kents words, he scratched his head and said: Rays not injured, he justuhhes just weak from using a power with a significant aftermath. Extraordinary abilities? Kent was momentarily stunned. Yes, boss Mark quickly recounted the events, and in the end, mumbled: Anyway, Ive never heard of any Empire people having his kind of ability Kent was also greatly astonished: What happened to the Empire after I left it? He removed his gray armor, turned it into a grey sphere of light, and let it crawl into the collar of his clothes. As he walked toward Noland, he spoke to Mark: You handle the injured, take care of the spoils of war, and put the dead team members into body bags to take backlm going to have a chat with Ray. Alright, boss. Mark glanced at Noland and ran towards the injured not far away. Kent squatted down in front of Noland, staring at his sunglasses and face towel, and said: Youre an Imperial Soldier, right? Ray? Only Imperial Soldiers can have such good vision at night. Hmm Let me guess, you must be in a lot of trouble, thats why you always cover your face and eyes. Kent scratched his head, somewhat troubled: This is a bit tricky. I initially thought you were just a retired Imperial soldier I never thought youd have extraordinary abilities Ordinary people cant have extraordinary abilities in the Tatis Empire. Even if you dont say, I can guess where your extraordinary abilities come from. Its most likely from illegal forces, like the Death Herald Guild. Kent spread his hands: Why dont you give me a clue, Ray? How much trouble are you in? To be honest, if your troubles are small and you can live in peace as long as you cover your face and eyes, Iron Thorn Shield is still welcoming you. After all, every person with extraordinary abilities is worth several ordinary gunmen. But if your troubles are so big that the Imperial Intelligence Department 2 and 6 are alarmedthen Im out of solutions. Even if youre really good, Iron Thorn Shield wouldnt dare to use you. Noland reluctantly suppressed the urge to cough and slowly said: My troubles are smaller than you might think, Kent. I wont hide it from you, the Empire people think Im dead, no one would think Im still alive. No one would want to look for me because my family and friends are also dead. Plus, my extraordinary abilities have nothing to do with the Death Herald Guild So thats ityour life is really full of twists and turns Kent sighed softly. Noland coughed lightly: *cough cough* Im not covering my face and eyes because Im afraid of being recognized. As I just said, Im already a dead man in the Empire. Even if I reveal my real face, it wont cause any trouble. But for some reasons, my appearance is quite peculiar. Noland raised his sunglasses slightly, revealing half of his right eye. Kent saw the pure black eye that Mark mentioned, and his face showed both curiosity and astonishment. As you can see, my eyes tend to attract attention. To avoid unnecessary looks, I have to keep them covered. Kent nodded and said: Hmm, I understand your situation. After I go back, Ill consult with the companys directors and presidents. Before we reach a definite decision, you can stay at the company. Your base salary and task remuneration wont be shortchanged. Alright, boss. Noland nodded slightly. You rest for now. Kent stood up, clapping his hands, and shouted to his team members: Everyone listen up. No one is allowed to talk about the battle that just happened! Alright, boss. Understood! The team members responded one after another. Kent lifted his chin towards Fars next to him: Fars, when you go back, make sure to add the Rune of Fear, okay? Ehyeah, I know, I get it, for confidentiality. Fars shook his head, hands in his jacket pockets and smiled at Noland: Ive always been clear about whos who, who helps me, I help them, dont worry, Ray, Ill take responsibility for you. Speaking of which, Rune of Fear seems to be quite useful, I have to put it on my alchemy stone from now on As a person being protected, Fars had nothing to do at the scene. He trotted over, squatted down next to Noland, and asked: Dude, can you let me see that eye? Why did it turn black? Why do people run away the moment you stare at them? Did you just use it to release Soul Energy? Whats the principle behind it? How did you obtain this extraordinary ability? Can I also master it? I dont mind paying for it, Ill have money after I pay the rent for the alchemy laboratory! Let me look at your eye again, buddy, maybe a great alchemy invention is hidden in it! Mother A hundred thousand questions? Is Fars an alchemy fanatic? Why does he need to know everything? Nolands mouth twitched, he covered his mouth to cough, and waved at Fars repeatedly. Fars! Dont disturb Rays rest. Kents authoritative voice came, and he was collecting the corpses of the dead team members. Alright, alright. Fars left dejectedly, sat down next to another motorcycle, and continued to stare curiously at Noland.. Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: 106. The disaster is not over Chapter 203: 106. The disaster is not over Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee was working on his persona while not forgetting to get down to business. After coughing for a while, he got up from the ground and ran to help Mark and the others gather the spoils of war. Seeing that he had recovered well, Mark handed him the task of tidying up the ammunition bags. Taking this opportunity, Noland lee collected all the soul fragments on the corpses. [Soul Strength +0.2] [Soul Strength +0.2] Noland Lee glanced at the system message and nodded secretly. In terms of soul strength, ordinary people of the Golden Federation and the Tatis Empire are exactly the same. When they are alive, they have exactly 1 point of soul strength. After death, the soul fragments left behind account for 0.2 points of soul strength. Noland Lee found this phenomenon quite interesting. First of all, the panels of the local people in the Golden Federation are very different from those of the people of the Empire. The Tenacity attribute of the empire people is generally higher, while the Spirit is lower. Inside the Golden Federation, the atmosphere of alchemy for all people is strong, and there are very few illiterate people. The local peoples Spirit attribute has a higher average value, reaching 10 points, which is twice the average level of the Empire people. Logically speaking, with higher Spirit, soul strength should also increase somewhat, right? So why is the soul strength of the federation people also 1 point? Noland Lee could not find the answer, so he could only regard soul strength as a unique attribute independent of basic attributes. It is worth mentioning that there were no soul fragments on the wolfhounds of the Ferocious Hound Gang. When Noland Lee returned to the motorcycle with his ammunition bag, he passed by the fallen wolfhounds but did not collect any soul fragments from them. He had used the gun to blow the wolfhounds head earlier, and had already deconstructed the wolfhound once using passive deconstruction. Looking at the panel attributes of the wolfhounds, Noland Lee found the problem. Wolfhounds, animals with a certain degree of intelligence and aggression, do not have the attribute of Soul Strength. On their panel, there are only two basic attributes: Tenacity and Agility, plus several passive skills. There is no Spirit attribute, no knowledge entry, and no memory entry. After ruling out the relationship between the Spirit attribute and soul strength, Noland Lee deduced a preliminary conclusion: Only living beings who possess both knowledge and memory entries can have soul strength. Inversely, this sentence seems to hold true, that is, the living being has soul strength, it will possess knowledge and memory. Noland Lee wondered if this conclusion was correct Everyone, gather and get ready to leave. Kents voice pulled Noland Lee out of his reverie. Noland Lee suppressed his mixed thoughts and quickly tidied up the ammunition bag and secured it to the motorcycle with a rope. The Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm had just won the battle, with 5 dead and more than ten injured. They captured 12 four-wheeled motorcycles, guns and ammunition, cash, and some food. The scavengers of the Ferocious Hound Gang were defeated, with 26 killed and the only Extraordinary injured and fled. The scavenger team had less than half the number of the Iron Thorn Shield security team. The werewolf, an Extraordinary within the team, was good at movement and assassination, not a combat-capable alchemist. It was clear that the Ferocious Hound Gang had made an attempt to win big with a small team. If the werewolf could kidnap Fars Scott, that would be great. If they couldnt, at least they would have tested the strength of the security team. Perhaps, there were members of the Ferocious Hound Gang waiting in ambush up ahead. Based on this consideration, Kent decided not to follow the usual route, but to use an alternative route that was unknown to outsiders. He asked the team members to turn off the vehicle lights, slow down a bit, and move silently under the cover of darkness. Mark was in charge of controlling the motorcycle, and Noland Lee sat behind, watching over the spoils. In areas far away from the city, there is very little light pollution. As the team turned off their vehicle lights, the starry sky above became clearer. Noland Lee raised his chin, looked up at the sky, and stared at the stars of this world. In his perception, the starry sky should have numerous tiny stars. But here, in the calm and deep black background, most of the stars were faint and hazy, with only a few starlights being clear and bright. Moreover, these brighter stars seemed to be much larger than the other stars. Some stars were as pale as bones, while others were surrounded by colorful storms. There were also some that had a dark red color, similar to bloodstains. The strangest thing was the moon. It was a shattered bright celestial body. If the moon of the previous world was the size of a chicken egg, then the moon of this world was as big as a basketball, seeming close to the ground and creating a sense of oppression. Its surface was silvery white, with a hideous crack near the equator. This crack spanned the entire celestial body, as if the moon had been eviscerated. Innumerable fragments flowed out of the crack, surrounding the moon to form a silver belt like a halo. Compared to this eviscerated moon, the bright stars with different colors of light seemed much more normal. Noland Lee tried to apply his deconstruction technique to these celestial bodies. The system feedbacks he received were similar. [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct the moon. An estimated 36 billion energy points will be consumed to achieve 100% deconstruction result.] [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct the star surrounded by a colorful storm. An estimated 9 billion energy points will be consumed to achieve 100% deconstruction result..] Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: 106. Disaster Not Over_2 Chapter 204: 106. Disaster Not Over_2 Noland Lee remained calm in the face of numbers on the scale of trillions. Whether it was the moon or the stars, their deconstruction consumption was nothing compared to even a small portion of the suns. It took over 30 trillion energy points to deconstruct a larger sun completely. A smaller sun was somewhat better, requiring just over 10 trillion energy points. Noland had become numb to these numbers In all honesty, if the entire cosmic space could be deconstructed, he estimated it would require at least quadrillions to start with. Noland glanced at his inventory of energy points, feeling utterly impoverished. In contrast, a First-order Alchemist could be completely deconstructed with just 10,000 energy points, which was incredibly cheap. Noland composed himself, patted the deputy captain on the shoulder, and asked: Mark, tell me about that werewolf? What did you call it? Wolfpack Guard? Is it a person or a wolf? Oh, youre asking about that. This is actually one of the most interesting aspects of alchemy. Wolfpack Guard is the most basic alchemical weaponry in the Wolf God series. Members of the Ferocious Hound Gang love the Wolf God series of alchemy sets. Most of their alchemists master the Wolfpack Guard alchemical weaponry. As soon as Noland brought up the topic, Mark started talking like water gushing out of a floodgate. Do you know what alchemy weaponry is? Ah, you dont? Thats okay; its easy to understand. After obtaining an alchemy stone, you can use alchemy materials and runes to create your own alchemy weaponry. These weapons will be stored in your alchemy stone, never leaving your side. Of course, you can also do like Fars Scott and remove the alchemy weapons from the stone, making room for storing water and other things. Alchemy weaponry includes both armor and weapons. Each type of weaponry has its fixed combination of armor and weapons. If I were to become an Alchemist, I would definitely choose the Thorny Venomous Snake from the Serpent God series. Ive been coveting that silent alchemical revolver for a long time. Not only is it silent when fired, but it can also use venom bullet heads Mark chattered away, giving a thorough rundown of standard knowledge about alchemy weaponry. The Alchemy Cathedral publicly provides the recipes and materials for twelve different alchemy sets. These twelve sets are related to the most common animals within the Golden Federation. The basic Iron Guardian Wild Bull in the Bovine God series of alchemy sets is the alchemy weaponry used by Kent. It has excellent defensive performance and powerful close combat ability. The so-called basic model is the alchemy weaponry for First-order Alchemists. In addition to the Bovine God series, there are eleven other alchemy sets named after animals combined with God, such as wolf, snake, cat, crocodile, sparrow, and monkey. The Animal + God naming convention has profound historical and cultural significance. Before the modern Golden Federation appeared, this land belonged to the Golden Dynasty. The Golden Dynasty was an ancient alchemy kingdom that worshiped alchemy intensely. As can be seen from its name, turning stone to gold is one of the everlasting research topics within the field of alchemy. The twelve extraordinary forces guarding the Golden Dynasty were called the twelve pillars of the dynasty. These twelve pillars represented twelve alchemy families. Based on alchemy, they researched the extraordinary traits of magical beasts in depth, eventually developing alchemy weaponry named after the magical beasts themselves. These twelve alchemy weaponry series are officially sold, with quality assurance, comprehensive manufacture and installation, and excellent after-sales service. As long as one becomes an Alchemist, they can buy them from the Alchemy Cathedral. Besides these twelve sets, the Alchemy Cathedral also sells eight research-oriented alchemy sets and four alchemy sets that cater to both combat and research. However, the alchemy sets sold by the Alchemy Cathedral account for less than one-tenth of the entire alchemy set system. Many ancient alchemy sets from the Golden Dynasty have become lost in the sands of time, buried beneath the land of the Golden Federation. There are three main types of hired Security Corporation tasks we receive. Mark held up three fingers and introduced them one by one: The first is the escort mission were doing now. Deliver designated persons and objects to specified locations. The second is to investigate ancient relics. Wealthy and powerful Alchemists who discover clues about ancient relics will hire us security companies to scout for them or guard entrances. The third type of hired task is to assist in hunting magical beasts. The extraordinary organs of magical beasts are needed to produce alchemy weaponry. The key lies in these extraordinary organs of magical beasts, which are indispensable and must be freshly harvested and used immediately. Mark raised his arm and pointed in several directions: For example, there, there, and over there. If you keep going in those three directions, youll enter the magical beasts territory. Those places are quite dangerous. If you really want to hunt magical beasts, youd need at least two security teams working together. Noland nodded slowly and asked: Whats the deal with magical beasts? Why have I never heard of them when I was living in the Empire? Ah, havent heard of them? Thats strange; I thought there were magical beasts everywhere. No wonder the boss always says that magical beasts are the Golden Federations specialty. Mark shook his head and spoke with an air of familiarity: Chapter 205 - Chapter 205: 106. Disaster Not Over_3 Chapter 205: 106. Disaster Not Over_3 Translator: 549690339 According to the books, the origin of magical beasts can be traced back to the early days of the Golden Dynasty. It is said that a long, long time ago, the animals on the earth did not possess any extraordinary abilities. But one day, a dramatic change occurred in the heavens, and an enormous, immeasurable, and unobservable extraordinary will came down to earth, distorting the bodies and spirits of animals. Since then, animals with higher intelligence levels have gained extraordinary abilities. People call them magical beasts. For example, the Wind Howling Wolfs Throat used by the Wolfpack Guard comes from a magical forest wolf that can control the wind. Noland Lee pondered and said: It sounds like the appearance of magical beasts is the result of external forces He wasnt sure if it was just an illusion, but Noland always felt that this was similar to the Dusk Giants landing in the Ancient Tatis Dynasty In Greenshaws memory, such extraordinary phenomena were relatively common, occurring in countries all around the globe. It was precisely because these extraordinary phenomena were widespread that the Wizard Advancement Association of Ulnas Ring became the department of magic with the most wizards and the most complex internal forces. The teams moved quickly in silence, only allowing the use of headlights after leaving the previous battlefield far behind them. The backup route chosen by Kent was safe but somewhat detoured. After taking out the scavenger teams of the Ferocious Hound Gang, not a single person was encountered on the road until midnight. The surrounding grasslands and bushes became sparser, with more broken stones and sandy areas that could easily kick up sand whenever the wind blew. Without green vegetation, the number of small animals available for hunting would sharply decrease, and freshwater resources from river water would become scarce. Aside from people performing special tasks who would come to such barren places, most others would avoid these desolate wastelands. On a gentle slope with drifting sand and dust, Kent ordered the vehicles to stop. He held an alchemy compass in one hand and a telescope in the other, scanning the area. Weve reached the edge of the Savage Stone Wasteland. This godforsaken place has no food or water and is extremely large. To stop us here, there must be at least a team triple our size. The manpower and material costs involved would be close to half the total value of the goods. As long as the gangs are not stupid, they wont appear here. Kent nodded calmly and pointed to a building in the distance: Lets go there for the night and set off tomorrow morning. The convoy continued on and soon arrived at the abandoned, ancient-looking building. It had a mottled wall, a bumpy courtyard, and a three-story ancient castle with drafts blowing in from all directions. The dried vines hanging on the outer wall of the ancient castle could easily be crushed into powder and scattered by the wind when pinched by hand. Boss, what is this place? Mark got out of his vehicle, directing the team members to park their vehicles while asking Kent. Kent rubbed his chin and stretched his neck to take a glance at the empty ancient castle hall: On the companys internal map, this place used to be a military outpost of the Golden Dynasty. After the establishment of Union City, it was successively used by several gangs and companies as an army base for their wild patrol teams. Eventually, since there was nothing of value in this desolate place, all the gangs and security companies abandoned this campsite. Abandoned campsite Mark scanned the ancient castle hall and pursed his lips: Heh, the people who left before us cleaned it up pretty good. They didnt even leave the windows or doors behind Just make do. Assign some work for the guys and take turns keeping watch during the night. As soon as the sky gets bright, well set off back to Union City. Oh, check the fuel of the motorcycles too. If theres not enough fuel, dismantle the fuel and armor plating from the scavengers motorcycles and leave the vehicles here Im going to search the ancient castle for any traps or anything like that. Better safe than sorry. Kent lit the lantern in his hand, called two team members to follow him, and stepped into the pitch-black ancient castle. Mark took over command of the scene, issuing orders. After assigning the members, he looked at Noland Lee sitting on a motorcycle, wiping a handgun, and said: Ray Lee, you dont have to keep watch tonight. Get some rest. If theres a fight again, well have to trouble you to protect Fars. Alright, Mark. Noland Lee put away his gun, scanned the ancient castle hall for a suitable place to lie down, and suddenly saw something unbelievable Fars had stored a few sets of sleeping bags in the alchemy stone. He had already gotten into one of the sleeping bags and was lying down. Hearing Noland would not be keeping watch, Fars immediately took another sleeping bag from the alchemy stone, spread it beside him, and then clapped his hand on the surface of the sleeping bag, making a pat, pat, pat sound. Come on, Ray Lee, come here. I have a spare sleeping bag here. We can talk about the rumors of the Tatis Empire. Im really interested in the biochemical mutation techniques from your place. Facing Fars warm invitation, Nolands brows jumped fiercely. How can I still be so attractive to both men and women even with my face covered?! Uh-huh?! So covering my face doesnt affect the Charm attribute at work?! He took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and barely suppressed the urge to give the middle finger. Thank you, Fars. Im really tired. We can discuss this when we get to Union City. Noland Lee nodded, ignoring Fars eager eyes and sat down in a corner of the ancient castle hall.. Chapter 206 - Chapter 206: 106. The Disaster is Not Over_4 Chapter 206: 106. The Disaster is Not Over_4 Translator: 549690339 He had grabbed some scavengers clothes from the car, which now served as a makeshift pillow. Having spent the last few days sleeping on the grass, constantly on alert for any nearby activity to avoid becoming prey for grassland animals, he could finally relax and get a good nights sleep now that there was someone else on watch duty. The moment his head hit the makeshift pillow, exhaustion washed over him like a tidal wave. As he was being drowned by weariness, Noland Lee reflected on the earlier combat scene. Truth be told, a First-order Alchemist seemed a bit weak. Neither the werewolf nor Kent should have been a match for the First Order Imperial Fist. Noland Lee suspected there was a distinction between civilian and military use. First Order Imperial Fist was a military-grade product. However, the werewolf from the Ferocious Hound Gang and Kent from the Security Corporation, were just civilians, not professional soldiers of the Golden Federation. Thus, it was understandable that the alchemical weapons they used were inferior to the First Order Imperial Fist. As these thoughts crossed his mind, he writhed a few times on the hard stone floor. He found a comfortable position and drifted off to sleep. Creakcreakcreak The faint rubbing sound woke Noland Lee up. He opened his eyes slightly, scanning the inside and outside of the room. The ancient castles grand hall was filled with people sprawled on the floor, their snoring noises echoed throughout the room. In the courtyard outside, the night-watch security members were chatting under the dim light of a smokeless stove they had set up to boil water. Everything was peaceful, with no sign of intruders. The creak creak sound that he had heard must have been the result of the wind blowing against something. Noland Lee turned his body around and went back to sleep. After a while, the faint but noticeable noise came again. Noland Lee immediately opened his eyes without moving his body, focusing on trying to locate the source of the noise. Creakcreakcreak It seemed like the noise was coming from underneath the floor? Noland Lee moved his pillow, pressing his ear against the ground tile. Creakcreak The sound was indeed coming from underground. Was there a basement under this ancient castle? Was the noise caused by rats or other animals? Noland Lee rubbed his eyes and turned on his Tracking the Living ability to scan the ground beneath him. His body stiffened abruptly, and his breath hitched in his throat. He rubbed his eyes again and stared at the ground, his pupils narrowing. He hadnt made a mistake! There were indeed five living beings beneath the floor tiles. From the way they walked on all fours, these creatures were definitely not humans, but rather they seemed more like animals living underground or magical beasts. Perhaps the people in the grand hall had disturbed the rest of these underground creatures. These underground creatures were following the snoring noises coming from the grand hall, rubbing the underside of the ground tiles with their front limbs, as if trying to find a way to lift the tiles and get up to the ground surface. The grand hall floor was composed of large square stone bricks. The gaps between the stone bricks were sealed with cement, leaving no gaps. For the underground creatures to come up to the surface, they would have to select a stone brick and shatter it completely. Noland Lee propped himself up with his hands, moving from a flat position to a semi-sitting position on the floor. He looked around at the sleeping security team members and then back at the ground, finding the situation strangely eerie. It was as if they were lying right on top of an underground creatures nest Fars Scott was also awakened by the noise from the underground. He turned his head and saw Noland Lee sitting on the ground. He whistled through the gaps in his teeth to attract Nolands attention: Psst. Ray Lee, did you hear that noise from underground? I heard it too. Is it a rat? Or some other type of burrowing animal? Noland asked in a low voice. Hm, not sure, but it feels odd. Listen carefully, the sound is very regular. Its moving along the gaps in the stone bricks, as if something is searching for an exit. With every word, Fars grew more enthusiastic. It was clear that anything out of the ordinary would spark his curiosity. He crawled out of his sleeping bag, tiptoeing past the sleeping security crew members. He squatted down next to Noland, listening attentively and moving slowly as he followed the source of the noise underground. All my years of alchemy tell me that such regular sounds must be made by intelligent beings. There should be a spacious room under our feet, perhaps the castles basement, or something similar. The intelligent beings making the rubbing noise must have been burrowing and accidentally ended up in the space under the castle wait a second, theres more than one being underground Fars stopped in his tracks and lay flat on the floor, tapping on the ground tiles with his knuckles. The knocking sound triggered a disturbance in the underground. The creaking sound became more noticeable. The nearby security members woke up one after another, looking quizzically at Fars Scott with his buttocks in the air, his face facing the floor. Mark yawned as he woke up, rubbing his drowsy eyes, asking, Fars, what are you doing? What are you up to being bent over like that in the dead of night? Do you have some strange fetish? Shush. Fars held up his finger, indicating for everyone to stay quiet. The noise from the ground grew louder as Mark rambled on. What was initially just a scratching noise against the stone turned into a dull thumping against the ground tiles. Bangbangbang Noland Lee furrowed his brows as he looked at the ground, his solemn gaze hidden behind his sunglasses.. Chapter 207 - Chapter 207: 106. Disaster Not Over_5 Chapter 207: 106. Disaster Not Over_5 Translator: 549690339 The five creatures on all fours were wildly slamming into the stone bricks. They clearly possessed extraordinary jumping capabilities and physical fitness, able to leap vertically from a standstill and hit the lower section of the bricks with their backs. Huh? How interesting. What kind of underground creatures are these? Theyre quite strong. Fars places his hand on the slightly trembling ground tile: Look. Theyre loosening the tiles by hitting them, and the cement in the gaps is about to crack. The clear sound of the impacts from below echoed throughout the room: clang, clang, clang Cigarette in mouth, Kent, the night watchman, walked in, exhaling smoke and asking: Whats going on, mates? Its late, and none of you are sleeping C holding a storytelling session? Boss, Fars says theres something underground hitting the tiles. Mark runs his hands through his hair. Kent, come and listen. The thing underneath seems like its going crazy. Fars, full of curiosity, tilts his head with his ear close to the ground: Could it be some magic beasts locked in the basement of the ancient castle? Basement? What basement? Ive been searching for several rounds, and I havent found the stairs or any secret door. Kent grumbles and comes over to Fars, his gaze catching the cracks in the cement between the tiles. These hair-thin cracks spread rapidly across the cement filling the gaps. Kent grabs Fars by the collar, pulling him up from the ground, quickly issuing orders: Everybody, wake up, head out, all of you! The cement in the gaps of the ground tiles is cracking C the floor might collapse. Everyone, get out! Kents voice had barely faded when the sound of shattering crack, crack, crack C was heard. Retreat, retreat, everyone get out! Mark waves his arm to drive his companions away, reaching out to wake the sleeping team members. Noland Lee takes several steps back, jumps out of the window, and turns his head to stare at the underground creatures. At the moment when the five creatures hit the bricks, several more of the same type of creatures run from far away underground. They assemble together, pounding against the ground tiles with a series of thuds. As the sounds intensified, more and more strange creatures emerged from the depths of the underground, joining the queue to pound the tiles. At this point, everyone realized that something was wrong, without Kent and Mark needing to remind them loudly. Kent pulls the gun from his waist and shouts: Grab your weapons, brothers! I have a feeling that the creatures underground are tricky. They must be carnivorous magic animals. Perhaps its the smell of our meat that attracted them. Boom As the security team members were waiting outside, a loud noise sounded from the castles grand hall ground tiles collapsing, and clouds of dust spewing from the doorways and windows. More than a dozen strange-looking gray-skinned monsters walked out of the ancient castle, leaving wet, sticky footprints behind. They resembled humans, having two arms, two legs, and a head, but rested on the ground and walked on all fours like a crocodile. Their skin was smooth and featureless, lacking eyes, nose, and mouth, appearing as a smooth gray from top to bottom. Damn it! How could it be aberrations?! My God! What am I seeing?! How could there be aberrations outside the city? Arent those things only found in the Great Rift inside the city?! The security team members cried out in alarm. Even the faces of Kent and Mark were filled with shock. As for Fars, it was as if he discovered some explosive news, so he exclaimed excitedly: Wow! Wow! Wow! We actually saw aberrations outside the Great Rift! Does anyone remember the last time aberrations nests appeared in the wild? Whatever, it doesnt matter, our encounter tonight is definitely going to make the headlines of Alchemy Weekly! Noland Lee stared intently at the gray-skinned humanoid aberrations, a flicker of a different color in his eyes. So, these creatures were the culprits responsible for the destruction of the Golden Dynasty? They certainly looked peculiar. How the Golden Dynasty rose to power was still an unknown thing for the scavengers. But how the Golden Dynasty fell, every scavenger could describe it in detail. Its because the disaster that destroyed the Golden Dynasty has not ended yet. From the memory of the scavengers, Noland Lee found this information about the gray-skinned aberrations that destroyed the Golden Dynasty. They appeared overnight all over the dynasty. Some said they were alchemical creatures secretly developed by the Golden Dynasty. Others claimed that the Golden Dynastys obsession with alchemy led to many horrific man-made disasters. The victims cursed the perpetrators, turning the participants into these monstrous aberrations. There were also people who believed the aberrations were buried deep beneath the city, older than even the Golden Dynasty itself. When the Golden Dynasty explored deeper underground, they accidentally awakened these creatures, leading to the kingdoms catastrophic downfall. Regarding the origin of the aberrations, there were multiple theories, and no one Imew which one was true. The Alchemy Cathedral did not provide any definitive research conclusions. However, there was one point on which everyone could agree. That is, when you find one aberration, there must be a whole nest nearby! Their reproductive ability was as strong as that of cockroaches! Chapter 208 - Chapter 208: 107. Monster Hunting Sanctuary Chapter 208: 107. Monster Hunting Sanctuary Translator: 549690339 Quick! Take some fuel from each vehicle and pour it onto the scavengers motorcycles! Hurry up! Move faster! Group 1 and Group 2, you go and move our motorcycles outside the wall and build a defense line! Group 3, Group 4, Group 5, cover Group 1 and Group 2 while they build the defense line! All the others, shoot with me and suppress the aberrations with firepower! Dont let them chase our motorcycles! Kent yelled orders and raised his gun to shoot first. The team members received their orders and started to act. Although the appearance of the aberrations shocked everyone, they were seasoned security personnel who had carried out many missions and did not fall into a state of confusion. The scene was well-organized and orderly. As Kent fired, he spoke to Mark: Mark, Ray Lee, you two escort Fars Scott out first and wait for us on the northern slope. Ill blow up the scavengers motorcycles, and then well evacuate by car. Wait for us on the slope, dont come over. Understood? Yes, captain! Mark grabbed Fars and ran out without looking back, Follow me, Ray Lee, Fars! Lets leave this place to the captain! Noland Lee squinted his eyes and carefully observed the misshapen creatures before turning to run. These humanoid creatures, with heads, hands, and legs, showed no resemblance to humans in their actions. Their heads were smooth gray ellipsoids. When attacking, these ellipsoids would split open at the top, exposing rows of tiny sharp teeth and a filthy mouth. Gray, long tongues would shoot out from this terrifying mouth, whipping at enemies like a whip. After bending their limbs, they could leap high like grasshoppers. Their limbs could extend in mid-air, grabbing onto corners or windows of houses ten meters away, allowing them to dodge and move around. Their movements were so unpredictable that they could easily avoid clumsy gunfire. What was even more horrifying was that these aberrations had astonishing defense capabilities. When a bullet hit their skin, it didnt splatter any blood but formed a small crater at the point of impact. In just half a second, the bullet would be ejected from the crater and the gray skin would return to its original state. The good news was that although the aberrations skin could block bullets, it couldnt completely nullify the bullets impact. When they were hit, they would open their mouths and let out a painful scream, and their attacks would pause as well. As long as the firepower was strong enough and the damage was pouring in, it was still possible to forcibly kill these monsters. Before leaving, Noland Lee didnt forget to use his Deconstruction technique. [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct a small misshapen creature [An estimated 10 Points of Energy will be consumed to achieve a 100% completion rate.] [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct a standard misshapen creature [An estimated 20 Points of Energy will be consumed to achieve a 100% completion rate.] Small form, standard form Noland Lee glanced back at the battlefield halfway through his run. Kent activated Alchemy Weaponry Iron Guardian Wild Bull and shot an armor-piercing bullet with his alchemy firearm, shattering the head of an aberration. A large splash of gray pus exploded and fell to the ground, evaporating into gray fumes and dispersing with the wind. The aberration killed by Kent was the small type, about the same size as a 12-year-old, and not more than 1.5 meters long. Just one alchemical armor-piercing bullet was enough to kill the small aberration. A more troublesome kind was the standard form aberration. The standard aberration size was about the same as an adult man and very resilient. Noland Lee saw Kent fire three armor-piercing bullets just to destroy the head of the standard aberration. The effectiveness of the other security team members firepower didnt need to be mentioned. They couldnt break through the aberrations defense and could only impede its movements. Had it not been for the fact that the aberrations whipping tongue was not very powerful, the security personnel would have suffered casualties by now. Noland Lee suddenly had a crazy idea. If the aberrations fall into Tatis Empires hands, wouldnt they have a tremendous effect? Maybe, the Empires Division Intelligence Unit Three could, based on this, research bulletproof skin or something. Wait, I remember that in the Biochemical Soldiers Experiment Plan, there was mention of bulletproof skin. Could it be that this research achievement was inspired by the aberrations? Where else could Division Intelligence Unit Three find such exceptional bullet-resistant mutant materials? Theres no creature or monster in the Empire that can block bullets with merely their flesh like the aberrations. The more Noland thought about it, the more he believed that the Empire had already begun researching the aberrations. However, due to his lack of memory from the researchers in the Division Intelligence Unit Three, he couldnt confirm this yet. Fars, have you alchemists systematically studied aberrations? Is there any way to kill them efficiently? Noland looked at the panting alchemist beside him. Fars was a man who focused on alchemy experiments; he had a weak physique and was utterly exhausted from running on the sandy slope for just a short distance. Huff- huff- Fars gasped for breath and finally mustered some strength to answer the question: Of course, basically every alchemist has studied aberrations since theyre quite common in the Great Rift in the city center.. Chapter 209 - Chapter 209: 107. Monster Hunting Sanctuary_2 Chapter 209: 107. Monster Hunting Sanctuary_2 Translator: 549690339 Hmm, there are many ways to kill aberrations. Just like humans, they need to breathe and can die from suffocation. Sticky flames and alchemy bombs loaded with armor-piercing shrapnel can also kill them. Most alchemy weapons have enough cutting and penetrating power to kill aberrations as well. If you can shoot them in their mouths, allowing the bullet to pass through their soft upper jaw and brainstem, you can kill them instantly. Butwell, Fars Scott changed his tone and continued: However, these methods are only effective against lower level aberrations. Simply put, only aberrations with a size no larger than that of a normal human are vulnerable to suffocation, burning, alchemy bombs, and the hand of a First-order Alchemist. Higher level aberrations can hold their own against Second and Third-order Alchemists, so they arent so easily killed. Aberrations have been around since ancient times, and we can only contain their expansion. We cant eradicate them completely. Fars bent down, arms bracing on his knees, Ah, I cant run anymorehuff, huff Fars, dont stop! Mark grabbed his arm, pulled him up hard, urging him repeatedly: Hurry up, hurry up! Aberrations are catching up! Upon hearing this, Noland Lee looked back. Groups 1 and 2 had set up a defensive line outside the wall using motorcycles. When Kent led the team from inside the wall to the defensive line outside, they accidentally let two aberrations slip through. Utilizing their extendable and retractable limbs and excellent jumping ability, the two aberrations evaded the security teams crossfire and were now hopping and sprinting towards them. The soft sand didnt slow them down at all. Noland furrowed his brow and said: It seems the intelligence of these aberrations isnt low, as they know to take advantage of the situation. Upon seeing the approaching aberrations, Fars broke into a cold sweat and started running: Yes, yes, aberrations not only have human-like intelligence, but they also have a clear social division. Believe it or not, a group of alchemists who specialize in studying aberrations have come to an astonishing conclusion: there is a language system among aberrations! While we humans communicate through written and spoken language, aberrations use body fluids to transmit messages! Isnt that amazing? Whats even more surprising is that aberrations are appearing here! It has been at least three years since the last aberration sighting in the wild! Wow, this is definitely a great discovery! When I return to Union City, Ill submit my article to Alchemy Weekly first thing Fars was excited, shouting and running like mad. Mark wore a speechless expression on his face as he complained: Do you have to talk about all this while were running, Fars? You should be thinking of a way to take care of those two aberrations! Youre an alchemist! I dont understand you researchers who are so focused on alchemy experiments. Why on earth did you remove all the offensive runes from your alchemy stone and even get rid of all your alchemy weaponry I didnt want to remove them huff I had no choice, my alchemy laboratorys rent is due Fars looked back, noticing the two aberrations had shaken off the security personnel trying to intercept them and were getting closer. He immediately screamed in horror: Ahhh! Ray Lee! Were counting on you! If you can scare these two aberrations away, Ill show you my labs big treasure! Nolands mouth twitched slightly. He reached out to Mark and said: Mark, let me borrow your heavy-duty revolver. Here. Mark handed over his heavy revolver, taking Nolands in return. Noland waved to the pair and turned to face the two aberrations alone: Dont stop, keep moving up the slope and wait for the captain. Ill try to see if I can take out these two aberrations. Taking on two aberrations alone was a dangerous move. But Nolands tone was calm, exuding a confidence that seemed assured of victory. Alright! Ray Lee! Its up to you! If it gets too difficult, just run towards me, Ill cover you! Mark continued running, pulling Fars along. Noland gripped the heavy revolver, spun the cylinder, and aimed at the incoming aberrations. One small-bodied, one standard-sized. Noland raised his left hand and moved his sunglasses, revealing his black right eye. Two transparent lightning bolts shot out, accurately hitting the elliptical heads of the aberrations. Fear Spell activated! Squeak! Squeak! Instead of turning and running away, the two aberrations halted their steps in unison. They stood on all fours, facing Noland with their heads raised, their mouths wide open, revealing their sharp fangs. They screamed repeatedly but didnt shoot out their tongues. They didnt attack, nor did they retreat. They simply moved their feet in place uneasily, looking like they wanted to attack Noland, but were afraid of him at the same time. Huh? Noland looked at the scene in surprise. The system message he received just in time cleared up his confusion. [System Message: You have used Fear Spell on the aberrations.] [Notice!] [Aberrations dont have fear psychology, so the fear effect of Fear Spell hasnt taken effect as intended.] [The actual effect of Fear Spell is converted to Intimidation:] [Enemies will keep their distance and not dare to attack you actively. When you attack them, the intimidation effect will end prematurely.] Aberrations possess thoughts and emotions, but their minds dont contain the concept of fear.. Chapter 210 - Chapter 210:107. Monster Hunting Sanctuary_3 Chapter 210:107. Monster Hunting Sanctuary_3 Translator: 549690339 They dont fall for the Fear Spell gimmick, but they are still affected by it. Noland Lee slowly nodded, feeling that this was not all bad news. When the Fear Spell works normally, the target turns and runs away, becoming a fast-moving target. But now, the Fear Spell causes the aberrations to stagnate and become stationary targets. This is much more convenient than shooting at moving targets. Noland held the handle of the heavy left-handed gun with both hands, lifting the weighty firearm in front of him. He squinted slightly, aligning the mechanical aiming device with the aberrations mouth. Bang! With a single shot, the bullet found its mark. A foul-smelling gray liquid burst from the standard aberrations mouth as its head was penetrated and blown apart by the large-caliber bullet, scattering a mess of gray flesh. [System Message: You have dealt a fatal blow to the Standard Aberration.] [Passive Deconstruction Activated! ] [You have unlocked the standardized panel for Aberration (Level [You have gained 20 Points of Energy.] After Noland fired the shot, the Level 2 Aberration of standard size died on the spot, while the smaller Level 1 Aberration snapped out of its intimidated state and charged at him. Noland once again lifted the right lens of his sunglasses, casting a Fear Spell to immobilize the Level 1 Aberration. Bang! The second bullet was fired, penetrating the small aberrations upper jaw, flying through its head, and taking its life. [System Message: You have dealt a fatal blow to the Small Aberration.] [Passive Deconstruction Activated!] [You have unlocked the standardized panel for Aberration (Level 1).] [You have gained 10 Points of Energy.] Noland blew the smoke from the guns barrel and collected the soul fragments of the two aberrations while pondering. [System Message: Soul Strength +0.1, Soul Strength +0.2.] Nolands eyes lit up! The Level 1 Aberration gave 0.1 point of Soul Strength. Level 2 gave 0.2 points. Soul Strength = Aberration Level divided by 10! Then, higher-level aberrations would yield more soul fragments! Using 1 Fear Spell to harvest a Level 1 Aberration is not a bad deal. If a Level 2 Aberration is killed, therell be a net gain of 0.1 point of Soul Strength. Noland suddenly became very interested in hunting aberrations. He checked the deconstruction results and quickly skimmed through them. For ordinary people, the origin of the aberrations is mysterious, but at this moment, the Deconstruction Core System has unveiled a glimpse of the truth. Out-of-control alchemy creations Hmm. The aberrations are indeed products of alchemy, to be precise, they were once subjects of living alchemy experiments within this branch of alchemy. Why did they go out of control? Oh, I see. They were contaminated by a curse-like extraordinary power. Noland pondered to himself: Another extraordinary power contamination? But why does this extraordinary power contaminate aberrations and not humans? Was it done by wizards from Ulnas Magic Ring? Or does this pollution come from the starry sky instead of the wizards doing? At present, Noland knows very little about alchemy and is just getting acquainted with the so-called extraordinary power contamination. Therefore, the panel only displays that much information. Once more knowledge is acquired, the panel information will be updated accordingly. So, there is no hurry to solve the mystery of the aberrations. Seeing the aberrations dealt with, Mark waved his arms and shouted to the captain: Well done, Ray Lee! Your extraordinary power is amazing! Captain! Were safe now! You guys get out of here quickly! At the same time, Fars Scott shouted from the top of the slope: Hey! Ray Lee! Come over here! Noland heard their calls and glanced wistfully at the distant battlefield, where there were many aberrations. Ah, lets leave it for next time. Next time, Ill definitely have a satisfying hunt. Noland sighed quietly and turned to run towards Fars and the others. Fars, you said earlier that there are many aberrations in the Great Rift within Union City? What does that mean? What is the Great Rift? Noland is currently very interested in aberrations. The Scavengers memories provide very little related content. Fars leaned on his waist, panting, and said: Literally, Ray Lee. Legend has it that on the day the aberrations appeared, a devastating earthquake swept through the Golden Dynasty. After that, several bottomless fissures appeared on the earth, and the aberrations emerged from these earthquake-induced Great Rifts. Apart from the large crack in Union City, all the other cities cracks have been closed, so only Union City has the appearance of aberrations, while other places are quite safe. Noland raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised: Why not close all the rifts? Wouldnt that eliminate the aberrations? Fars waved his hand and said: Its not that simple, Ray Lee. The Alchemy Cathedral has organized three attempts to close all the rifts, but they eventually had to accept the fact that there will always be one Great Rift in an open state. For example, if we close Union Citys Great Rift, the other rifts will inevitably be forced open by some strange force. The Alchemy Cathedral decided its better to keep the rift closest to the Suffering Borderland in an open state all the time. Huh, I see Noland nodded and said: Isnt that unfair to the people of Union City though? Living under the shadow of aberrations day in and day out. Chapter 211 - Chapter 211: 107. Monster Hunting Sanctuary_4 Chapter 211: 107. Monster Hunting Sanctuary_4 Translator: 549690339 Actually, its not too bad. Aberrations might be disgusting but their feces contains high-purity universal metal powder which is quite valuable. Plus, the Alchemy Cathedral is fairly just, and provides substantial compensation to Union City.Fars Scott slightly shrugged his shoulders: Im a typical example. The number of quotas offered to Union City by the Alchemy Cathedral for fresh alchemists every year, is three or four times than that offered in other regions. The competition in other city exams is beyond your imagination. For someone like me who doesnt score highly academically, making it hard to get into an Alchemy Academy, but is willing to risk it, Union City is the place to take the independent alchemist exam. Honestly, without this compensation policy in place, I may not have become an alchemist. Noland Lee blinked. This foregin worlds alchemy exams seem somewhat familiar The entrance alchemy exam is the most standard path for further study full-time, full-day education. Independent alchemist exam gives the feeling of a professional masters degree, part-time, and not full-day education. Both are extremely challenging and their vibe is quite similar to that of a college entrance exam. Once upon a time, before he crossed over, his parents also considered sending him to attend the college entrance exam in another place, because there were more college slots available, and the exam papers there were simpler. This training method actually exists in this foreign world too How interesting How astonishing Ah, of course, the special favor we enjoy is not without conditions. Fars finally caught his breath. He stood tall and said: Every alchemist who has been promoted here in Union City is required to work here for at least five years before they can permanently live in other places. Thats why even though I can stay in the alchemy lab, I have to go out to run tasks every now and then. Theres no way around it, Union City is crowded and land is scarce, rents are too high. If I dont run tasks, Id have no place for alchemy experiments, and I wont even be able to complete the annual research task Boom! Boom! Explosion sounds came from the ancient castle in the distance, cutting off Farss chatter. A flame lit up the sky and thick smoke poured out from the first floor of the castle, forming a black smoke pillar pointing to the night sky. Mark cheered: Oh ho! The captain had the scavengers motorcycles raw into the castles grand hall. Four cars exploded together. This should be able to trap the aberration underground for quite some timeprepare to get on the car, the captain is here! The security teams convoy rushed over. As they passed by Noland and the two others, Kent quickly grabbed Fars and placed him onto the back seat, then pointed to the motorcycle they had been towing behind them: Get on quickly, Mark, Ray Lee. Kents gaze lingered on Ray Lee for half a second, then he sighed: I saw your fight with the aberrationl really didnt expect your extraordinary abilities to work on aberrations as well. Now I have to keep you in the Iron Thorn Shield, were in need of a method to deal with aberrations. Noland Lee sat on the motorcycle, calmly nodded slightly. Mark loosened the motorcycles tow line and sat in the front seat. He manipulated the motorcycle handle and abruptly twisted the throttle, drove the motorcycle to catch up with Kents car, and drove alongside with him: BOSS, wnat are we gomg to say arter we get DaCK< will tne news or aDerrat10ns appearing here be directly reported to the Alchemy Cathedral in the Upper City Area, or are we only informing the president? Kent rubbed the short hair on his head, contemplated and said: Aberrations appearing places outside Union Cityuh This matter is really a shocker. Who knows to what extent has the aberration nest under our feet developed? Lets leave it to the president to worry about. I will talk to him personally. No one of you is to mention it to outsiders, understood? Kents last sentence was addressed to his team members. Yes, Boss. Alright, boss, we definitely wont talk nonsense. Thinking about it now, it really does seem like a dream, aberrations actually appearing in Savage Stone Wasteland The team members whispered among themselves. Kent glared at Fars: Did you hear that, Fars? If the president doesnt allow you to speak, you cant say anything. Alright- alright- but if the president approves my draft, you cant stop me, Kent. Fars responded while shaking his head. Boss! Look back quickly! Look at the castle! A member in the backseat yelled anxiously. Everyone twisted their head simultaneously to gaze at the rear. There were immediate exclamations of surprise within the team. This is unbelievable! How long has this aberration nest under our feet existed? Why is there a seeder running out of the castle! Noland Lee picked up the telescope, looking towards the direction of the old castle, his gaze falling on the terrifying silhouette under the moonlight. It was an aberration standing over three meters high. Unlike common aberrations, this creature had six arms and six legs. Although it walked on all limbs just like the others, its back carried an enormous mushroom. Tentacles hung from the cap of the mushroom. There were so many of them, swaying in the wind like the tendrils of a jellyfish. Seeder this is an aberration with a distinct name, Nolans heart sank a bit as he cast the Deconstruction Technique. [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct the Seeder-type Aberration.] [Estimated to consume 1200 Energy Points, which can increase the degree of deconstruction to 100%.] Nolands brow furrowed. Based on previous experience, creatures or monsters that required 1000 energy points for deconstruction were all part of the Extraordinary lineup. Does it mean there are Extraordinaries amongst these aberrations too? Thats so odd. If it were not explicitly stated on the panel information that aberrations were originally the product of Living Alchemy, Noland would find it hard to believe that such a man-made monster could also possess the distinctions of Ordinary and Extraordinary. Perhaps, the Extraordinaries amongst aberrations are the elite products of Living Alchemy? Yeah, thats possible. In a game context, this would probably qualify as an elite monster. Noland slowly nodded. After observing for a bit with the telescope, Kent gave an order with a wave of his hand: Everyone, dont panic. The Seeder wont stray far from its nest. It wont chase us. We just need to pick up our speed Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Yet, Kents tone grew unexpectedly serious: On the other hand, if the Seeder were to chase us, it would actually be a good thing. That would mean the aberration nest beneath us hasnt formed a substantial size and isnt worth the Seeders defense. Having glanced behind him again, Kents face grew even more grave: That Seeder indeed didnt chase after us. Thats the real trouble. The aberration nest underground in the Savage Stone Wasteland may be far worse than we thought Everyones expression shifted in accordance with Kents tone. The mood hanging above the entire team became tense and everyone silently pushed their accelerators to the max. Frowning, Kent seemed lost in thought. Boss, are you worried they might quit voluntarily? Whispered Mark, who drove alongside Kent. Yeah, exactly. Mark, youve been with me the longest and you should know what we fear most. If the Upper City Area intends to clear the aberration nest here in the Savage Stone Wasteland then we, the security companies from the Lower Town, will have to be the vanguard. Whether its you or me, we will end up as cannon fodder paving the way for the alchemists of the Upper City. How many are willing to do such work Kent looked worried. Mark was downcast. As for Nolan, well, ha-ha, times have changed. When he was cannon fodder in the Suffering Borderland, he was weak, without any substantial spells to support him, and he had no freedom. But now, he had spells, Energy Points, Soul Strength, and most importantly, freedom. And even more crucial! Because of the Spirit Pivot, he couldnt gather soul fragments from the undead he killed in the Grave Vault in the Undead Cult, but he could from the aberrations! So, what was there to fear? Just grind away like crazy! This Savage Stone Wasteland was a dangerous place? No, no, no. This was a Mon! Ster! Grinding! Holy! Land! Same goes for the giant fissure in the city. Its also a holy land for monster grinding! Chapter 212 - Chapter 212: 108. A useful tool for buying” books. Chapter 212: 108. A useful tool for buying books. Translator: 549690339 The sun was just rising, and the morning light came into view. Noland Lee sat on the speeding motorcycle, squinting his eyes, raising his hand to block the dazzling sunlight, and gazing at the black line on the horizon. In a certain animation related to Titans, there had been a massive high wall surrounding the city. Noland Lee was now seeing it in person. The black line rising on the horizon gradually became the city wall spanning tens of kilometers. Standing as tall and thick as a large water conservancy dam project, the wall reached for the heavens, shielding the sky. The wall stretched several kilometers underground, enclosing the entire aberration den in the Great Rift, forming a semi-closed container. Such a massive alchemy engineering project was not designed to protect the residents within the wall from the invasion of the outer world, but to monitor and limit the aberration den in the Great Rift inside the city. The iconic building of Union City was this circular wall surrounding the entire city. Essentially, every alchemy workshop, alchemist, ordinary person, every building, and every person in the city were contributing to the containment of the aberrations in the Great Rift. What interested Lee was, why were the people and buildings placed on the inner side of the wall? Noland Lee raised this question to Farrell Scott. Fars Scott shook his head and spoke like a storyteller: In the beginning, Union City was not called Union City; it was called the Aberration Control Zone. Inside the wall, there were no buildings or humans, only regular entries into the fissure to clean up aberrations and maintain the underground pipeline facilities. I told you before that high-purity all-purpose metal powder is contained in the feces of aberrations. While constructing the wall, the Alchemy Cathedral installed a complete set of alchemy devices for collecting aberration feces and extracting all-purpose metal powder in the underground aberration nests. Every three months or so, the underground alchemy devices use strong air currents to eject the collected all-purpose metal powder onto the ground, forming a metallic dust rain lasting about one day. We call this day Spray Powder Day. Fars sighed: Human greed is the driving force for all things, Ray Lee. Originally, according to the plan, people could only enter the city wall on Spray Powder Day to collect all-purpose metal powder. However, some people violated the rules and built strongholds inside the wall, occupying advantageous positions for a long time. This caused infighting among the many alchemist factions. The Alchemy Cathedral intervened and, together with the various parties, decided to allow all alchemist factions to develop areas within the city. The Alchemy Cathedral divided the city into more than 20 lots, which were auctioned off to alchemist factions. The specific ownership of the lots was determined by the auction results. After that, the Union City you see now came into existence. Noland Lee nodded slowly, So in this case, if we think its too crowded inside the city, we could still move out and live, right? As long as we enter the city before Spray Powder Day, it would be the same, right? No, no, no. Farss head shook like a rattle drum: What you dont know is that after the ownership issue was resolved, everything inside the lot belongs to the lots owner, including the air above the lot, the un-fallen all-purpose metal powder, and all underground areas below the lot. You cannot collect the all-purpose metal powder in the lot without the authorization of the lot owner. So thats how it is Noland Lee thought and said: In other words, the so-called division of lots is actually the division of the area for collecting powdered metal, right? If there is more metallic powder falling in a certain area, the price of that lot will be high; otherwise, it will be relatively cheap. Thats more or less the idea. Fars looked at the wall blocking the view, his tone becoming excited: Finally back! Once I deliver the spring water to the alchemy workshop, Ill take the remuneration to pay the rent for the laboratory and then soak in there for ten days and half a month before coming out Ah, no, no, Mark, when is the next Spray Powder Day? Mark has been driving the motorcycle all night.Se??ch ?ew?o?e?, o?g on ?oo?l? He raised his hand, covered his mouth and yawned, counting with his fingers: Let me think about seven or eight days from now. Im not sure. Mark turned his head and looked at the captain: Captain, do you know the date of the next Spray Powder Day? Spray Powder Day is in seven days. Stay in Union City for the time being, so you wont miss it. If you want to make money, Spray Powder Day is the most crucial thing. As long as the alchemy facilities are intact, the collected powder will naturally be abundant, and the remuneration from the company will not be lacking. Kent smiled at Noland Lee: If your luck is good, youll have the 100,000 on your identity card sorted out in seven days. Our Security Corporation doesnt directly participate in the powder collection work, but we do protect the alchemy facilities that collect the powder. If the facilities are undamaged, then well have a good harvest. Kent gently touched his head and sighed: But Im just afraid of people causing trouble. Iron Thorn Shield has offended quite a few gangs. During the three days of Spray Powder Day, gang members will come out like rats to sabotage and cause yet another scene of bloody turmoil. Noland Lee asked puzzledly: Why does the Alchemy Cathedral allow such violent gang forces to exist? In the Empire, such groups would be treated as illegal forces, but the situation in the Golden Federation is completely different.. Chapter 213 - Chapter 213:108. Buying” Book Weapon_2 Chapter 213:108. Buying Book Weapon_2 Translator: 549690339 Who knows Anyway, it was like this when I arrived. Kent shrugged. Mark also looked dumbfounded. It seems being a local, he had long been used to the existence of gangs and had never considered this issue. Fars shook his head slightly and clicked his tongue: Make you study well, but you just dont. Now you dont know, do you? This part has been mentioned in the books. Fars waggled his fingers as he boasted: We Alchemists value One Qi, Two Directions, Three States, and Four Elements. One Qi represents the Qi of nature, meaning all alchemy materials, alchemy runes, and alchemy formulas can ultimately be traced back to nature. Two Directions refer to the movements of ascent and descent. Approaching chaos is rising, and returning to order is falling. Three States represent the ascending state, stable state, and descending state, symbolizing the state of things. Four Elements is self-explanatory, nothing more than fire, wind, earth, and water C the four basic elements. Your security company corresponds to the descending state of returning to order, while gangs represent the ascending state pursuing chaos. If both of you are considered as a whole, your antagonistic relationship would be the stable state. Of course, the sages in the Alchemy Cathedral know that gangs are not a good thing. But you see, they value these principles. They believe that the coexistence of the three states is the most perfect state. Thats why theres a situation where you guys and the gangs are opposed to each other, and neither can really do anything about the other. Think about it, every time things get really bad between you, isnt it the Alchemy Cathedral that sends people to mediate? Kent sneered at the boastful Fars: Where are you showing off again? Whats the use of all this dry theory? In the end, you still need me to help you out. Mark on the side, clutching his head with furrowed brows, looked like he was trying to grow a brain: Ah its so complicated. It seems Im not cut out for studying. I might as well try my luck in the ruins of the ancient dynasty. Boss, please take me with you next time you enter the ruins. Noland Lee glanced around at the other team members, and they all looked as if they were listening to a heavenly book, gazing blankly at Fars As expected, the Federations high literacy rate doesnt mean that ordinary people have a high level of scholarship. Locals in the Federation may be able to read and write, but understanding the profound alchemy theories is not as fun as pulling a trigger or fighting with others. Fars pretended not to hear Kents mockery, shook his head, and said with self-indulgence: Say what you want about me, Kent. Anywvay, after the Spray Powder Day ends this time, dont expect me to come out of the lab. Even if you beg me to help you identify things, I wont bother. Then dont expect me to help you fight next time Help or dont help- The closer to Union City, the more lively the atmosphere within the team. After a day and night of a long journey, the exhausted faces of the team members began to show smiles of relief from their burdens. Watching Kent and the others bicker, Noland Lee couldnt help but laugh to himself. As they approached the City Gate, the car slowed down. The citys land plots are divided into fan-shaped areas around the central Great Rift, and the city gates connected to these areas are guarded by the holders of the plots. Iron Thorn Shield is a subsidiary of the Golden Commerce Guild. The Golden Commerce Guild holds Sector 7 in the Lower Town. Correspondingly, Cave Door 7 on the wall is guarded by Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm. Noland Lee finally understood how the clean Identity Cards came about It turned out they were issued by the security company and gangs themselves Who printed clean Identity Cards and who got the clean Identity Cards were all controlled by the higher-ups in the security company and gangs, they knew everything clearly. If there were clean Identity Cards appearing on the black market, the higher-ups of the gang would find out who sold them in no time. Those who sold them couldnt escape, and those who printed them didnt bother for such money. This was probably the reason why there were no clean Identity Cards on the black market. With Kent, the security captain, Noland Lee passed the inspection without any trouble and entered Sector 7 controlled by the Golden Commerce Guild. As they went through the bustling streets, smelling the haze in the air, and seeing ordinary people wearing work clothes, trench coats, and dresses, Noland Lee felt as though he had returned to urban life. The buildings in the city were not very tall, with none exceeding five stories, Dut stanamg tignt1Y against tne roaas createcl a sense or overcrowding. There were sewage drains, manhole covers, and street lights for nighttime illumination C everything was incredibly reminiscent of his pre-crossing modern life environment. However, there were no powerlines, power poles, or transformers. The lighting here came from alchemy lamps. Built-in glowing alchemy runes steadily transformed the energy from coal into light and waste gases. Similar alchemy household items included alchemy stoves, alchemy washing machines, and alchemy water kettles, and so on. They all operated with alchemy arrays. Comparing the products of alchemy civilization with those of information civilization, Noland Lee thought they each had their strengths and weaknesses. As Noland Lee was swaying his head left and right, immersed in observing the alchemy society, the team stopped in front of a grand building. Kent shouted as he got out of the car: Alright, mates, mission accomplished! As usual, those who need to rest, rest; those who need to go to the hospital, go. Tonight, well meet at Money and Good Dreams. Ill bring the remuneration to the celebration dinner; it wont be short of yours Mark, you take care of the corpses and Spoils of War with your team. Im going to report the task completion and talk to the boss. Fars, you can go to the alchemy workshop by yourself.. Chapter 214 - Chapter 214:108. Buying” Book Tool_3 Chapter 214:108. Buying Book Tool_3 Translator: 549690339 Alright, boss! Were outta here! Oh ho- Money and Good Dreams babes, here I come- Hey, I need a hand getting down from the truck with my injured leg Hold on, before you leave, help me bring these body bags to the morgue! Mark called out to a few team members, carrying the body bags from the truck. Fars Scott thanked everyone hurriedly, muttering about his alchemy laboratory as he left. Noland Lee wanted to see where the morgue was, so he could prepare some casting materials for his Enslavement of Deceased in advance. He picked up the body bag and followed Mark and the others into the grand building. After placing the body bags in the Third Underground Levels morgue, Noland Lee quickly walked around, confirmed its small scale with only a few corpses, and lost interest. He returned to the ground level, and the team members couldnt wait to leave and have fun in the Money Dream. Yawning, Mark waved to Noland: Come, Ray Lee. Ill show you your dormitory. If youre not satisfied with your dorm, you can choose to rent a house outside. You can ask the captain to apply for an accommodation subsidy. But I reckon you wont need it for now, so follow me. They arrived at the fifth floor via the staircase. Mark opened the door of a small, 5-square-meter room and threw the key to Noland: Alright, were here. This room is yours now. Settle in yourself. Restrooms and showers are shared and at the end of the corridor. Oh, the captain asked me to give you some advance moneyto buy clothes and daily necessities and stuff Mark took a handful of crumpled bills from his pocket, stuffed them into Nolands hand, and then rushed to the staircase: If you need me, come find me in Money and Good Dreams. Ive been delayed for so long, I dont know if my little sweetheart is still waiting for me Thump thump thump The sound of footsteps gradually faded away. Noland looked at the money in his hand, glanced at the staircase, and smiled wryly. With thoughts of women, Mark even forgot about borrowing books. Unknown to what kind of woman could bewitch these bloodthirsty men like this. Noland shook his head lightly, entered the room, and locked the door. He pushed the tables, chairs, and benches against the wall, propped the bed board against the wall, and cleared some space in the room. He had been coveting the Soul Casting Technique from the Dusk Giants for a long time but never had the private space and time to practice it. Now, he finally had the chance. Noland unslung his backpack, took off his filthy coat, and piled them on the table in the corner. He called up the Soul Casting Technique in his mind and, comparing it with the charts, adjusted his movements. As he extended his hand and took a lateral bow step, Noland discovered something he had never noticed before. He had already used Deconstruction to store the Soul Casting Technique in his mind, and he was entirely familiar with it. But, when it came to actually performing it, his body felt uncoordinated, deviating, transforming, or becoming unsteady. Its as if he knew how to build an airplane, but he couldnt twist the screws properly. This unusual feeling made Noland feel as if his thoughts and actions had diverged. Is it because my soul hasnt fully merged with this body? Or, did using Deconstruction to memorize the Soul Casting Technique engrave itself only in my mind, without converting it to physical instinct? Noland nodded slightly, feeling that the latter scenario was more likely. He calmed down and practiced the first set of movements of the Soul Casting Technique completely. As sweat dripped onto the ground, and a layer of water glistened on his skin, Noland gasped for breath, lowered his outstretched arm, and completed the final move. [System Message: You attempted to practice the first set of movements of the Soul Casting Technique.] [Action Completion Rate: 31%.] [You did not unlock the related passive skills and attribute rewards, please keep up the good work.] The system gives an action completion ratethats useful feedback, saving me the trouble of correcting my moves in the mirror. Noland raised an eyebrow, secretly delighted, and practiced the first set of moves again. Not getting enough sleep in the latter half of the night made him feel a bit hazy, but the body forging training excited him. This was something he had only seen in novels! Countless novel protagonists relied on martial arts secrets, forging techniques, and breathing methods to reach the pinnacle of martial arts and achieve an immortal physical body! Which man could resist such a temptation? Anyway, Noland couldnt. Though he already had death-related spells, more skills wouldnt hurt. Wouldnt training his body just give him an extra trump card? Others thought he was a death experiment subject, but he was actually a cool cheat who mastered death spells. Others thought his trump card was death spells, but Noland could transform into a Super Saiyan on the spot and use a Big Iron Fist to show them what a real cheat was. No good Traveler Necromancer came without huge muscles! That scene, tsk, was so thrilling just thinking about it. Under exhaustion and excitement, he practiced the movements over and over again until he was finally tired, muscles trembling, and the system sent him congratulations. [System Message: ] [You have successfully practiced the first set of movements of the Soul Casting Technique!] [Action Completion Rate: 60%.] [Based on this completion rate, you received the following rewards:] [1.. You gained an Active Skill:] Chapter 215 - Chapter 215: 108. Buying” Book Tool_4 Chapter 215: 108. Buying Book Tool_4 Translator: 549690339 [Power Burst, Level 1, daily usage 1/1.] [After activating this skill, your Strength attribute temporarily increases by 1. The skill consumes 1 point of energy per 10 seconds and can last up to 1 minute.] Youve unlocked the Strength attribute, which is solely related to your physical destructive power. The current attribute value is 1 point.] Youve unlocked the training progress bar for the first set of moves in Soul Casting Technique. The current training progress is 0.6%.] [Once the training progress bar reaches 100%, youll receive attribute rewards.] Training progress bar? wow Not bad A visible progress bar increase is the most motivating this is effective positive reinforcement. Noland leans on the wall to stand up, puts the bed board back in place, and lies down again. While resting, he thinks about his future plans in his mind, gradually clarifying his schedule for the days ahead. Firstly, he should maintain a certain stockpile of energy points and soul strength. Energy points need to be at their maximum capacity, so he needs to come up with a way to spend them without affecting their auto recovery. Having energy points equal to the maximum value minus 1 and 200 soul strength should be enough to face emergencies. Secondly, the top priority is to increase his Spirit to raise the energy points limit. Finally, he should use his spare time to practice the Soul Casting Technique. Noland wants to see what specific attribute rewards he will get when the training progress bar is full. Before having the ability to protect himself, everything should be focused on enhancing his strength. He wants to be a top student, a magic master, and a muscle king! Yes! Its decided then! After lying down to recover some energy, Noland reluctantly sits up and starts tidying up the room. 10 minutes later, he heads to the shared shower room, carrying a security uniform he found in the wardrobe. After taking a shower, he puts on clean clothes, a face towel, and sunglasses, completely covering his face and neck before heading to the first-floor grand hall. While the Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm mainly serves the Golden Commerce Guild, they also take on other jobs, so theres a female receptionist at the hall. After chatting with her for a bit, Noland learns where alchemy books can be purchased. After leaving the door, turn left and walk straight ahead. Enter the alley at the third corner on the right, and youll find a bookstore. The bookstore owner has a cooperation agreement with us and will give you a discount. The receptionist blinks curiously at Noland, whos hiding his face, her eyes full of curiosity. Her colleague beside her has the same expression Noland waves his thanks and leaves, while the whispers of the two women can be heard behind, discussing how good-looking he must be Nolands mouth twitches, and he sighs in silence. It seems that the effect of the Charm attribute is not only related to appearance but also temperament, as described by the System. Although hes covering his face, his walking posture, speaking tone, habits, and body contour are unchanged, also revealing his temperament Forget it; let Charm do its thing. In front of the bookstore called Time Grinds People, Noland pushes open the glass door and enters the bookstore, accompanied by the sound of ringing bells. Bookshelves fill the left and right sides, while a counter stands at the front. An old, bald man wearing glasses lazes in a reclining chair, holding a colorful album in his hands. Seeing a customer enter the store, he puts down his book without embarrassment, clears his throat, takes out a plain-looking book from the counter, and greets: Oh, welcome, please feel free to look around. The old man adjusts his glasses and scans the customer through his thick lenses: Are you the new armed security personnel from Iron Thorn Shield? Why are you wearing a face towel? You scared me; I thought my shabby store was getting robbed. Noland finds the old man amusing and casually remarks: Im too handsome, and Im afraid of being kidnapped by women, so I cant be without the face towel. The old man disdainfully responds: Tsk, young man with your smooth talk What kind of book do you want to buy? Pleasurable readings? Theyre on your left-hand side on the bottom shelf, just have a look. I came to check out the books for the independent alchemist exam. Nolands eyes dart around as he releases Deconstruction. Mark has them; you can ask him for it. Its not worth buying here. You guys who wield knives and guns cant focus anyway; itll be a waste. You dont want to do business, huh? A rare customer comes, and you dont even suggest they buy something. Noland touches the bookshelf, his fingertips turning gray, and he seems to understand something. Looking at the old man, he throws out Deconstruction and his eyes tremble sngnt1Y. Not waiting for the old mans reply, he speaks with his usual tone: Mark went to Money and Good Dreams to meet women, completely forgetting what he promised about lending me books. How about you let me have a look first, and if I can focus, Ill pay for the books. Oh, alright, poor little Mark is going to have his wallet squeezed out by women again. The old man shakes his head, puts down his book, grabs the armrests of the chair, and stands up shakily: He rummages in the counter, takes out a hardcover alchemy book from the drawer, and puts it on the table. Here you go, have a look. A Brief History of Alchemy in the Golden Federation, Basic Alchemy Theory, Basic Alchemy Array Theory, Sages Particle Basic Encyclopedia, Common Types of Sages Manuscripts The old man recites the names of the books.. Chapter 216 - Chapter 216: 108. A Useful tool for Buying” Books_5 Chapter 216: 108. A Useful tool for Buying Books_5 Translator: 549690339 A pile of books half-a-person high quickly appeared atop the counter. Noland Lee swept over the spines of the books from bottom to top, continuously casting Deconstruction. Mark recommended that I start reading A Brief History of Alchemy in the Golden Federation, what do you think, boss? The old man didnt answer immediately. Instead, he adjusted his glasses, sizing up Noland with his eyes: Only those with rich reading experience would ask others for their opinions before officially embarking on a new field of study Have you received a good education? Young man, how did you end up in a security team as a desperate gunman? The old man waved his hand, not requiring Noland to answer his question: If you want to systematically learn Alchemy, I recommend that you start with Basic Alchemy Theory. Although this book is dry, it serves as the General Outline for beginners of Alchemy. Once you understand it, you would have grasped the principles of Alchemy. Then with other readings, you would know what the text is talking about, instead of treating Brief History as a storybook, like Mark. The evolution process of Alchemy in the Brief History is the main theme of the book, and those bloody fighting scenes are just the desserts of the main course. Thats a very solid piece of advice, thank you, boss. How much does the Basic Theory cost? Noland Lee smiled. The whole Basic Theory series consists of three volumes: the first, middle, and last volume. You should start with the first one, its 1500 Union Coins. 1500 for a book? Whew Noland was momentarily surprised, he hadnt realised that books of Alchemy were this expensive. Considering the relationship between the bookstore and the Iron Thorn Shield, the old bald man probably didnt trick him. Noland searched his pockets, handed over all the cash he had left, even the money Mark gave him to buy clothes. It was just a little over 1500 coins. The old man pushed the first volume forward along with the change and bent down to return the remaining books into the drawer: If you think you cant continue reading, you can return the book. However, I can only refund you half of your Union Coins, its the rule in town, you can ask around. Okay, boss. Noland picked up the book without leaving in a hurry. He then slowed down his pace. His eyes, hidden behind his glasses lenses, began scanning swiftly, casting loads of Deconstruction techniques. It wasnt until he had taken a look at all the books in the bookstore that he gave a slight nod and waved to the old man who was lying down: Im leaving, boss. Oh, please go gently when you open the door. The door hinge is about to break. Once he had exited, Noland began to check the system messages while walking back. [You used Deconstruction. 218 books have been completely Deconstructed, consuming a total of 5575 Energy Points, leaving available Energy Points at15587/16 points.] Hehehe. Im a cheater, but you, system, you are the real freeloading tool-Wahahaha- Dont assume that using Energy Points to scour the bookstore is a losing deal. Noland saw it. The most expensive book in the bookstore was located behind the old man and protected by an acrylic cover, and underneath, a velvet cushion. The cover of this book was sparkling gold, with the words Limited Edition and the authors autograph. Clearly, it was the old mans highlight of the store, a true treasure! Even though the price wasnt labeled, it must be extremely expensive for the old man to show it off in such a way. Among all the books Deconstructed, the one that consumed the most Energy Points must have been this book. Noland searched in his mind and quickly found this distinct book: Alchemy Set: Supreme Intelligence The Most Outstanding Alchemy Invention of this Century. Limited Luxury Edition. Only 100 copies are issued Federation-wide. It includes the autograph of the original author, Torrence Manx. The Energy Points consumed for its Deconstruction was: 4000 points! Keep in mind, the Deconstruction of Basic Alchemy Theory: Volume One had only cost approximately 10 points. If Basic Alchemy Theory: Volume One is worth 1500 Union Coins, then how much would this book, needing 4000 points to Deconstruct, be worth? 600,000 Woah, thats a lot. I just saved 600,000 all at once. Noland gave the system another thumbs up once more.. Chapter 217 - Chapter 217:109. Dangerous Meow Meow Chapter 217:109. Dangerous Meow Meow Translator: 549690339 Deconstruction is really domineering and efficient in gathering knowledge. I, a person who doesnt even have an Alchemy Stone, actually got the alchemy blueprint for the Supreme Calculation Alchemy Suit directly! There must be everything in this book! After all, its a limited deluxe edition, its not possible to just use a few diagrams to deceive people. Tsk, tsk, tsk, whats the difference between this and not getting a drivers license but driving a Lamborghini first? Noland Lee kept sighing in his heart. He held the newly acquired books with his elbow and leisurely walked towards the Iron Thorn Shield Company Building. With a mental click in his mind, he opened the book Alchemy Armor: Supreme Intelligence. Noland Lee just glanced at the table of contents, and immediately felt overwhelmed, like a primary school student trying to digest linear algebra, calculus, and probability theory and mathematical statistics all at once. The overwhelming alchemical symbols, terms, and professional jargon squeezed into his eyes, rapidly stirring in his mind. Nolands body swayed slightly, and his stomach churned and convulsed. Before he could vomit, he forcibly closed the Supreme Computational Power. My Godyue- I just looked at the table of contents, it shouldnt be enough to cause nausea and vomiting Noland pressed his stomach, stood by the side of the street, and leaned against the wall with his hand. He faced the graffiti-covered wall and slowly took a few breaths, finally suppressing the discomfort in his stomach and dizziness in his head. [System Message: ] [You attempted to read Alchemy Armament: Supreme Computing Power.] [Due to insufficient Spirit attribute, you are unable to comprehend the extraordinary knowledge in the book, and suffer a mental shock, entering a mildly dizzy state.] [System Reminder:] [Having deconstructed this book, you have obtained its panel information. Please confirm that your Spirit attribute meets the reading requirements presented on the panel information before reading.] Noland lightly rubbed his temples and gradually recovered from the mild dizziness. He glanced at the information sent by the system and realized that he had just made the mistake that every man would make. He was too impulsive in the face of the extreme temptation of the Alchemy Suit. He opened the book directly to read it without even looking at the Supreme Calculation panel information. Fortunately, there wasnt any dirty content recorded in the book, otherwise, that rash act of flipping through the book would have caused him considerable trouble. Hmm this is a lesson I must remember. I need to keep in mind that in this world, the price for obtaining extraordinary power may be life and soul. From now on, I need to develop good habits. First, check the panel information in the deconstruction results, confirm there are no side effects, then read any book that brings extraordinary power. Noland lifted his hood, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and continued towards the Company Building. He operated a bit in his mind, moved all the newly acquired books to the side, and instead began to look at the panel information for each book. Sages Particle Basic Encyclopedia Reading Requirements: Spirit 2 20 points. Basic Alchemy Theory Reading Requirements: Spirit 2 15 points. A Brief History of Alchemy in the Golden Federation Reading Requirements: Spirit 2 10 points. Alchemy Armament: Supreme Computing Power Reading Requirements: Spirit 2 90 points. Noland currently has 16 points of Spirit, just enough to understand Basic Theory. He opened Basic Theory and also opened the Sages Particle Basic Encyclopedia, which required 20 points of Spirit to understand. Comparing the two, Noland noticed something unusual. He had already deconstructed Basic Theory once, and all the contents of the book had been engrained in his mind, never to be forgotten. It was easy for Noland to read it, even being able to guess the next sentence from the previous one. And here came the magical part. According to his previous deconstruction experience, after deconstructing the Sages Particle Basic Encyclopedia, he should have engraved the knowledge of this book in his mind. But now, when he reads it, he feels very obscure and cant recall the contents of the book at all, completely different from the experience of reading Basic Theory. Could this be a protective mechanism of the System? To prevent my brain from being breached by extraordinary knowledge, does the System intentionally block knowledge I cant understand in order to protect my brain? Noland felt more and more that this might be a possibility. Otherwise, the System wouldnt have specifically marked the Reading Requirements column on the panel. Noland entered the Company Building while pondering and bumped into Kent who was chatting with the receptionist. Ray Lee, Ive been waiting for you. Kent waved the milky white document in his hand: This is a contract protected by the Alchemy Cathedral, you can take a look at it first. If you think theres no problem, you can sign it now. Your Identity Card is ready, and I can give it to you at any time. Noland threw Deconstruction at the contract in the others hand, secretly alarmed, and took the contract. This contract linked to the Alchemy Cathedral required over 1,000 Energy Points to deconstruct, quite extraordinary. As soon as he got it, Noland noticed something different. The paper used for the contract felt like cloth, tough and finely textured, with a soft texture, as if it was resistant to fire, water, and knife cuts. He looked at the text on the paper, and the gorgeous yet dignified printed font caught his eye. After a careful read, Noland knew the binding force of this contract.. Chapter 218 - Chapter 218: 109. Dangerous Meow 2 Chapter 218: 109. Dangerous Meow 2 Translator: 549690339 In short: When he signed this contract, an Alchemy Mark would be applied to his body by magic. If he fulfilled the contract, the Alchemy Mark on his body would disappear after the terms were completed, and the contract would then be destroyed. But if he reneged on it, the Golden Merchants Sword team of the Golden Commerce Guild would track him down using the Alchemy Mark as a clue. Noland Lee blinked as he looked at the contract in front of him and suddenly had a wild idea Boss, I have a question. Noland asked as he read: The Alchemy Mark mentioned in the contract, can it be forged or modified? Dont get me wrong, Im just wondering if violators could move their Alchemy Marks to others and let them take the fall. Kent chuckled heartily after hearing this and replied: Thats impossible. You can think of the Alchemy Mark as a lock. The Alchemy Runes used to make it are the material, craftsmanship, and password of this lock. The Alchemy Mark on the contract is personally made by a Great Sage in the Alchemy Cathedral. Only the Great Sage knows what Alchemy Runes he engraved in the Mark. Unless the forger is stronger than the Great Sage, theres no way to crack the Alchemy Mark, let alone know what Runes are used or how they are arranged. Noland nodded thoughtfully, picked up the pen, signed his name Ray Lee, and then pressed his thumbprint onto the contract. A faint energy fluctuation emanated from the contract, pouring into his thumb, leaving an invisible, intangible Alchemy Mark on his fingertip. Kent took a clean Identity Card out of his pocket and placed it in Nolands hand. Seeing Noland examining his thumb, Kent reminded him: I believe you wont back out, Ray Lee, but I still need to add something. Cutting off your thumb wont work, the Alchemy Mark will move to another part of your body. Some fools have tried it before Kent gestured: Lets go. You can leave the contract at the front desk. Follow me to the Money Dream for a drink. Oh, right, I forgot you cant take off your Breathing Mask. Well you can just show up and formally meet the team. Noland handed the contract to the receptionist, who had been curiously watching him, and turned to follow Kent: Boss, what tasks will our team have for the next seven days? Kent opened the companys front door and began walking along the street, speaking as he went: Take three days off first. On Day Four, were gonna install an Alchemy Facility for collecting dust in Sector 7. Well have to check all the streets and sewers, both above and below ground. On the seventh day, the town gates close and no one can enter or exit Union City; we must be on standby in the company at all times. On the eighth day, its Spray Powder Day. The whole town will be filled with Metallic Dust, and for three consecutive days, you wont see the sun or the moon. If you need to go outside, make sure you wear your Breathing Mask, or the Metallic Dust could kill you The two men walked through the crowd, traversing the bustling street for about ten minutes, until they arrived in front of a lavishly decorated store. The stores front was constructed from dark black glass that did not let light through. Glowing tubes hanging on the wall outlined the figure of a sensual woman and the design of clinking cocktail glasses. As soon as he saw the front of the Money Dream, Noland knew this place wasnt for him. Being a model young man of the new era, he didnt smoke, drink, go clubbing, go to KTVs or get foot massages. He certainly wouldnt be able to handle the atmosphere inside the Money Dream. As for beautiful women. He had even held himself back from the curvaceous Sully, so what other woman could make his blood boil? None of them. Absolutely none. Money Dream is a property of the Golden Commerce Guild, inside they have card rooms, bars, guestrooms, hot springs, swimming pools, a dining hall, a hoying gvm and nn Ragicallv_ anv leiqnrp or entertainment activity you can think of, they have it. Kent stood at the entrance, introducing the place to Noland who was beside him: All expenses for security staff here are deducted by 20% but you cant purchase anything on credit. You can find all your daily needs here. If you cant get used to living in the dormitory, you can move here. The procedures are simple, and you can enjoy a housing subsidy. Noland nodded in agreement, I think the dormitory is quite good, its sufficient. He really meant it. He had found out the first time he used the public shower and the washroom that all the facilities were very clean and fairly new, hardly anyone was using them. After snooping around the corridor a couple of times, he was almost certain all his colleagues lived in Money Dream instead of the dormitory. This suited him perfectly as it made the entire dormitory quiet, perfect for reading and working out. After hearing Nolands words, Kent laughed awkwardly: The life in the Empire has carved rigidity and dogma deep into our bones. I was like you when I first got here, thinking I should save the money for my family or to start my own family. But then I realized, smooth skin of a woman feels so much better than saving money- A womans voice, dignified and graceful, drifted through the half-opened door: Oh? Kent, which wild woman are you planning to spend money on? Have you gotten my permission yet? At this, Kents expression flickered, and he laughed nervously in embarrassment.. Chapter 219 - Chapter 219:109. Dangerous Meow_3 Chapter 219:109. Dangerous Meow_3 Translator: 549690339 No offense, Cindy, Im just trying to get our new brother to relax a bit. I think hes too uptight, so thats why I said what I did Pfft- The woman named Cindy chuckled lightly. She leaned against the doorframe, wearing a black velvet dress that accentuated her figure, with gemstone accessories around her neck and wrists that reflected sunlight. A thin cigarette was held between her slender, pale fingers. This woman named Cindy exuded a mature, poised aura, as if she could effortlessly see through a mans heart like an experienced general on the battlefield. How does the saying go? Playing the beauty card by itself is a losing game. But combining beauty with cunning is a killer blow. Such women who know how to use their looks and seem to have high status are definitely not to be trifled with. Noland Lee became fully alert in his heart but saw Kent approaching with a smile and hugging Cindy Let me introduce you, Ray Lee, this is Cindy, the vice president of Money and Good Dreams. Without her help, I wouldnt have my alchemy weaponry. Good afternoon, Ms. Cindy. Noland Lee nodded and greeted. Look how well-mannered he is, Kent. You big, unpolished oaf, when will you ever learn to be as courteous as our new friend here? Cindy smiled at Noland Lee: Why are you wearing a face towel and sunglasses, Ray Lee? Kent whispered: Dont ask too much, Cindy. Ray Lee is in a special situation. Oh- Alright then, I can tell from your voice that youre a handsome young man, such a shame I cant see your face Cindy turned around, swaying her soft waist as she walked into the store: Come along, both of you. Kent wrapped his arm around Cindy and asked: Have all my team members arrived? Except for a few drunken fools who showed up half-dead, everyone else is here I heard you guys ran into the Ferocious Hound Gangs alchemist? Kents tone became slightly solemn: Yes, and we encountered an upsetting situation C an aberration nest appeared in the Savage Stone Wasteland. Well, lets get the celebration started, so the guys dont have to wait too long Ray Lee, come on, were here. Go meet everyone and say a few words. Kent opened the door. The noisy dining hall appeared before their eyes, with three long tables full of people on both sides, the tables laden with steaming, delicious dishes and various drinks. Bright glow tubes dangling from the ceiling, casting colorful light over the entire scene. Kents arrival caused the atmosphere to pause for half a second, followed by even more exuberant cheers. Boss! Youre finally here! If you didnt show up, we wouldve started eating! Lets have a drink first! Lets have a drink! Kent raised his arms and walked to the front, shouting: Mates, lets talk about having a drink later! Now, lets welcome our new team member! Lets all shout out his name Ray Lee! Ray Lee! Ray Lee! An incredible Empire man! Your eyes are awesome! If I had Ray Lees eyes, I could walk around Lower Town like a boss! The deafening noise made Noland Lees ears ache, almost triggering his long-suppressed social anxiety All eyes were on him, including Fars Scott, showing curiosity, admiration, subtle fear, or well-hidden jealousy. Noland Lee saw these gazes. He suddenly realized why he used to have social anxiety. His ability to discern the meaning behind the gazes was too fast, too accurate. In just an instant, he could notice the minute expressions on someones face and vaguely detect their thoughts. This was like throwing him many socially challenging puzzles involving peoples hearts. If it had been in the past, when he didnt have extraordinary abilities, he would have had to carefully handle these social puzzles. But now, as he had a trump card and a hidden strength, he didnt need to be so careful. Keep a safe distance from friendly people. Teach the offenders to be polite with a fist. Thats enough. No need to worry too much about other peoples feelings. Noland Lees heart regained its calm, undisturbed by external factors. Federation folks sure are warm-hearted. Under the bright moon, the gate of Money and Good Dreams opened and closed. Noland Lee came out alone from the door inside. He tilted his chin up, facing the moon in the sky, and breathed out a sigh of relief. He reluctantly stayed for a little while before finding an opportunity to slip out amidst the overwhelming hospitality. In a world without computers and the Internet, without short videos and games, celebrating with reckless abandon after a life-or-death mission is probably the best thing the security team members can look forward to. Noland Lee chuckled and shook his head, walking in the streetlamp light towards the company building. The night at Sector 7 was exceptionally serene. The daytime crowd had disappeared, with occasional motorcycles passing by the streets, and more often, stray cats and dogs lurking in the shadows. How should I spend my three days of vacation? Should I go out of the city for a trip, hunt down some reckless gang members, scavenge for supplies and soul fragments, or stay in the dormitory practicing the Soul Casting Technique and the Undead Cults meditation method? Noland Lee pondered and made up his mind. The relationship between scavenging for supplies and practicing was like chopping wood and sharpening a knife. First, raise the basic attributes and then chop wood, thats the safest approach.. Chapter 220 - Chapter 220:109. Dangerous Meow_4 Chapter 220:109. Dangerous Meow_4 Translator: 549690339 So Ill hole up in the dormitory for three days. Except for eating and going to the toilet, nobody can make me go out. Noland Lee quickened his pace. He raised his hand, lowered his head to look at his thumb, and his gaze fell on the alchemy mark on the pad of his thumb, while his mind was filled with thoughts. I currently have three fake identities. First, an Iron Thorn Security Team Member, second, a Death Experiment Subject, and third, Sin Soldier No. 888 Noland Lee Jarvis. Considering the hostile wizards, the Empires Military Intelligence Section 6, and even the powerful alchemists I might accidentally offend in the future, its best for me to prepare more fake identities, layering them on top of each other. That way, even if I cant beat my enemies, I can fake my death and escape through my fake identities. Compared to identity cards, I feel that the alchemy marks made by the Great Alchemist are more likely to convince my enemies. Well, it looks like Ill have to add forging alchemy marks to my plan. Noland Lee knew about two other identity-mark-like magical effects similar to alchemy marks. One was the Mark of Resentment of the Undead Cult, which allowed mindless undead from the Resentment Faction to ignore him. The other was the Wizards Law Seal mastered by Death Notice Guild Wizard Greenshaw. Greenshaws wizard seal consisted of three parts: The emblem of the wizard faction in Wizards Teaching Forest, the personal seal of the lecturer professor, and a personal seal designed by Greenshaw himself for himself. Its worth mentioning that among these three components, only Greenshaws personal seal is intact, while the other two components are severely missing. In Greenshaws memory, Noland Lee couldnt find the missing parts of the seal. Undoubtedly, some great magical power erased the things that shouldnt exist in his memory when Greenshaw died suddenly. Other examples include: Online teaching specifics and teaching content, the appearance of the lecturer professor, the identities, and appearances of high-ranking members of the Death Herald Guild, etc. So, the seal is a big deal in this world. Its definitely one of the essential tools for proving ones identity. If he cracks it, he could be Greenshaw, a Great Alchemist, someone else from other wizard forces, or even Kasha um yeah, never mind cross-dressing In short, any magical items that can achieve a nesting effect should be taken seriously. Its not all about securing multiple escape routes for Noland Lee. The experience of exploiting the deconstruction technique to enjoy books for free during the day gave him a vague plan. If he can solve the issue of faction identity and infiltrate various factions, he would be able to freely enjoy the knowledge within. The deconstruction technique doesnt have any external manifestations or noise during the process of enjoying books for free. As long as he settles the issue of identity, all other problems will be solved. And then the rolling profits will follow. Knowledge is priceless, and the cost of obtaining knowledge is also extremely high. Noland Lee may not be the creator of knowledge, but he can be the carrier of knowledge. Sell the knowledge he enjoyed for free to those who need it. Undoubtedly, this is a highly profitable business, with low asset requirement, high turnover, quick monetization, strong push factor, low cost, and high return. Deep down, Noland Lee has a feeling He might not be the strongest person in this world in the future, but he will definitely be the most knowledgeable And all this will start with deconstructing the alchemy mark on his thumb. Noland Lee steadied his mind, stared at the mark, and cast the deconstruction technique. But before he could check the system message, a cold light suddenly shot out from the alley he was passing by! Noland Lees hair stood on end as he dodged the attack sideways. With a swish, the cold light brushed past his waist and cut the strap of his gun holster. His only firearm fell to the ground, and just as Noland Lee was about to pick it up, two more cold glints shot out. The first pushed the firearm away, and the second aimed at the back of his hand. As the cold light was about to land on his hand, the arm movements in Soul Casting Technique emerged in Noland Lees mind. He subconsciously followed the instinctive guidance of his body, forcibly rotating his shoulder and arm. His arm twisted like a turning python, adopting a strange posture to avoid the cold light. Clink. The cold light fell short, striking the ground tiles in the street, rolling twice, and stopping in place C it was a chilling wolf tooth dart. A member of the Ferocious Hounds? Noland Lee didnt have time to take a good look at the attackers figure, as he darted into a corner. As soon as he steadied himself against the wall, a slender curved dagger came stabbing from the other side of the corner. There was a furry hand holding the dagger, presumably the Ferocious Hound Alchemist attacking him. The attacker probably didnt intend to kill him. Neither the previous wolf tooth darts nor the current dagger aimed at his shoulder targeted Noland Lees vital points. Noland Lee guessed the attackers intention while twisting his waist, pulling his upper body, and avoiding the dagger blade. He leaned against the wall, taking several steps on his tiptoes before retreating sideways. The attackers dagger missed and struck the wall with a clang, emitting sparks. A pair of well-proportioned thighs and a perfectly curved waist were the first things revealed from behind the wall, then followed by a furry upper body with female features and a surprising cat face. This was not a Wolfpack Guard but an alchemy weapon related to cats. When Noland Lee used to watch Tom and Jerry , he wondered why Tom was fascinated by the white cat, but now he knew the answer. It turns out that there are indeed charming and graceful feline ladies! Chapter 221 - Chapter 221:109. Dangerous Meow_5 Chapter 221:109. Dangerous Meow_5 Translator: 549690339 And that too with golden-orange fur all over its body! If a Flurrie-lover were here, they might just faint with joy Noland Lee was not a Flurrie-lover. He remained as calm as he should be. His gaze focused intently on the Assassins hand movements, narrowly avoiding the Dagger while he yelled: Hel Before he could even finish the first syllable, the Feline Lady opened her mouth slightly and emitted a thick pink mist. The pink fog rushed towards Nolands face like a Sharp Arrow. Noland quickly swallowed the words he was about to say, held his breath, covered his mouth and nose, and retreated back at faster speed. Is this cat lady trying to test my limits? Or kidnap me? Under the Sunglasses, Nolands eyes remain calm. He fired a Deconstruction Technique at the Cat-Lady. [System Message: ] [You are about to launch Deconstruction Technique at Unnamed Extraordinary One.] [Estimated to consume 17,000 Energy Points, reaching 100% degree of deconstruction.] Hmm, she doesnt really want to kill me. Shes using 7,000 more energy points than Kent. If she used all her strength for a sneak attack, I might have to use Magic Shield to withstand it. Whats your goal, Meow Meow People?Are you after my right eye? Noland leaned back to dodge the Dagger aimed at his ear, raised his right hand and reached for the glasses frame. The Cat-Ladys left hand trembled, shooting a Wolf Tooth Dart towards Nolands right hand. Noland had anticipated it and managed to dodge the cold Hidden Weapon in time. Although his movement to raise the frame was interrupted, he didnt panic. On the contrary, he became even more composed. So far, only people from Iron Thorn Shield knew that he had to lift his glasses to reveal his right eye while activating his Extraordinary Abilities. The Cat-Lady in front of him seemed to know that as well. There were only two possibilities: One: The Cat-Lady was from Iron Thorn Shield or some closely related power that knew Nolands signature move. She was here to gauge Nolands true strength. Two: There was a spy within Iron Thorn Shield who had leaked Nolands information to rival Gang Sects or other hostile forces. The Cat-Lady might be here to capture Noland alive. No matter which possibility, it strengthened Nolands judgment: It was his fake extraordinary ability that had attracted this Meow Meow person. Heh, I didnt expect my fake identity to draw attention so quickly. Who are you really? Noland chuckled to himself. If she wasnt using her full strength, it was best to try to wear her down first. The two figures tangled on the empty street alley, advancing and retreating, moving through the crosswalks in a cat-and-mouse chase. Impatience appeared on the Cat-Ladys face, her gem-like eyes flashed with cold light, and her attack became even more fierce. Her Dagger-swinging motion suddenly accelerated, leaving trails of afterimages under the Lamp. The Daggers tip shone coldly, and amidst a series of feints, it was aimed at Nolands lower body. Noland felt an icy chill on his legs. He knew that he could no longer hold back. Noland directly activated the Fear Spell through the lenses of his Sunglasses. Transparent Lightning shot out, aiming for the Cat-Ladys face. But a White Moonlight appeared out of nowhere, floating in front of the Cat-Lady, blocking the Transparent Lightning. Nolands gaze became slightly focused, and he felt a bit surprised in his heart. White Moonlight neutralized the Transparent Lightning, and both disappeared without a trace. The Cat-Lady withdrew her Dagger and slowly stepped back. A mysterious smile hung on her lips as if she had achieved her goal. Ill come for you again, Ray Lee. Lets talk next time. Facing Noland, The Cat-Lady retreated backwards, her golden-orange fur shining even brighter under the moonlight. Her figure began to fade, as if she were about to activate some extraordinary ability with an invisibility effect. Noland tilted his head slightly, appearing calm as if he were just watching her leave, but inside he was puzzled. Did I let you go? Kitten.. Chapter 222 - Chapter 222:110. Meow Meow Judgment Chapter 222:110. Meow Meow Judgment Translator: 549690339 This feline lady started by assaulting someone without uttering a word, who spoiled her with that bad habit? Noland Lee sketched the casting blueprint of Tracking the Living in his mind, and his eyes turned pitch black. The figure of the feline lady quickly entered the invisibility state under the moonlight, and Noland Lee couldnt see the outline of her body with the naked eye. But in the magic vision of Tracking the Living, the graceful feline lady was still incredibly clear, making it difficult to ignore. Noland Lees mind moved, and another casting blueprint quickly formed. A transparent lightning shot out, aiming at the retreating feline lady. Invisibility state usually comes with the negative constraint effects of being unable to cast spells and attack. The feline lady was in this situation right now. Her body became transparent, fully entering the invisibility state, and she couldnt summon the white moonlight that blocked spells. Noland Lees transparent lightning landed on her without any hindrance. The humanoid moonlight curtain shattered on the ground, breaking into countless small light spots like shattered glass. The figure of the feline lady was revealed, and she was forced out of the invisibility state. Noland Lee didnt give her a chance to argue, and with a flick of his fingers, he cast three Fear Spells. Transparent lightning connected from end to end, directly pointing at the delicate body of the feline lady. A piece of white moonlight emerged out of thin air, blocking the first Fear Spell. Another piece of white moonlight followed closely, blocking the second Fear Spell. But when the third Fear Spell approached, the feline lady suddenly swayed, her eyes became confused, and she failed to summon the white moonlight. It seemed that summoning two white moonlights in a row had reached her casting limit. The third Fear Spell hit the feline ladys face! The feline ladys body trembled, her fearful face covered in golden-yellow fur, and her pupils shrank to the size of spikes. She turned around, her back facing Noland Lee, and ran away with a shiver. At this time, the first streak of transparent lightning by Noland Lee took effect. He had used the Cripple Spell when breaking the feline ladys invisibility state. When the feline lady was forced to reveal her shape, her legs were struck by two bundles of transparent magic lock chains, which added a heavy burden to her. She couldnt run wildly to escape the fearful Noland Lee but instead, like a person wading through water in a river, struggled to move her legs. Activate Power Burst. Noland Lee muttered in his heart, feeling the surging power emerging from the depths of his body, spreading rapidly to his limbs. He stomped on the ground with his hind feet, leaned his body forward, took a few steps, and then violently exerted force on his waist and back. His right fist, like a bayonet, thrust towards the feline ladys back. There was a muffled thud! sound. The fist entered the feline ladys soft fur, leaving a depressed fist mark on her back. Noland Lee sensed a backlash from his fist and felt like he was hitting a highly elastic plush toy. He turned and retracted his right arm, actively unloading the backlash, and at the same time, threw another Fear Spell. That punch just now directly forced the feline lady out of her fear state, but before she could say or do anything, a new sensation of fear suddenly emerged. Ah- The feline lady screamed in terror again. Noland Lee retreated a step, lowered his center of gravity, bent his elbow, and then twisted his waist and back, charging with a straight punch. Thud! The second heavy punch hit the feline ladys back. Noland Lee glanced at the result of Passive Deconstruction and nodded in satisfaction. He didnt act greedily, immediately jumped back on his tiptoes, and in the blink of an eye, moved several meters away. Ah The feline lady turned around, covering her back with her hand in pain, and looked at Noland Lee with teary eyes: You, you, you, you, youwuwu Noland Lee was as still as an old monk, completely unmoved by the delicate and weak feminine charm. He spoke in an indifferent tone: Call it even, lets stop here. Next time you come to discuss something with me, be polite. Youhmm The feline lady wiped her face, flicked away her tears, sniffed, turned and ran, entering the invisibility state again. Noland Lee kept the Tracking the Living active, watching his surroundings vigilantly, and looking back and forth. The buildings on both sides of the road were mostly shops and alchemy workshops, and there was no one inside at this time. The battle just now should have alerted no one. Noland Lee bent down and picked up the firearm on the ground. Huhu- He blew off the dust on the gun holster, tapped off the mud, and carried the holster in his hand. That Meow Meow person just cut off my lanyard. Next time I meet someone from Elemental Judgement, I must make them pay for a new holster. Noland Lee glanced at the ground a few times but couldnt find any traces of the wolf tooth darts. The feline lady left in a hurry and had no time to pick up the darts. But now, the darts were gone. There was only one possibility then: These wolf tooth darts, which served as hidden weapons, were created by Sage Particles. The book Basic Alchemy Theory introduced Sage Particles, an extraordinary creation. At least a Tier 7 Alchemist, which was a Sage level Alchemist, could create Sage Particles. The function of Sage Particles is to fix the creation of a specific number of items or a specific concentration of energy. For example, the wolf tooth darts of the feline lady corresponded to the effect of Sage Particles, which should solidify the creation of a few darts within the alchemy stone for the owner to use.. Chapter 223 - Chapter 223:110. Meow Meow Judgment_2 Chapter 223:110. Meow Meow Judgment_2 Translator: 549690339 These things created by Sage Particles can only be used by the owner of the Alchemy Stone, and as long as the owner has a thought, they will be taken back into the Alchemy Stone. This is the reason why the feline lady didnt pick up the darts but could still take them away. Some extraordinary abilities can forcefully plunder tools and energy created by Sage Particles. However, since these extraordinary abilities are not peaceful enough, they are not explicitly presented in the book but merely mentioned in a few sentences. Noland Lee stuffed the revolver into his pocket, closed Power Burst and Tracking the Living. He jogged all the way back to the company, retrieved his books from the front desk, and returned to the dormitory. He closed the doors and windows tightly and checked the entire room thoroughly. After repeatedly confirming that nothing in the room had been touched and that there were no unexplained items, Noland Lee sat down on the chair in the room, and recalled the system message he had just received. [You dealt minor damage x2 to Wizard Shandora Betty!] [Passive Deconstruction Activated!] [Your deconstruction completion of Wizard Shandora Betty has increased from o to 0.02%!] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [Name] Shandora Betty [One of the Identity] Formal member of Elemental Judgement [Strength] First Ring Elemental Wizard, and First-order Alchemist The deconstruction result only has this much, but it already explains the problem. The feline lady is both a First Ring Elemental Wizard and a First-order Alchemist. She dabbles in both alchemy and elemental magic, so it would take Noland Lee 17,000 energy points to 100% deconstruct her. Wizards Teaching Forest divided the extraordinary powers of the world into several factions. The most famous of these two factions are the Truth Faction and the Nature Faction. The principles one believes in are the truth. Truth Factions extraordinary people use their theoretical knowledge to process the energy and materials that appear in the natural world, shaping them into what they desire. For example, extracting the metal components from ores to make firearms, metal sticks, etc. Alchemists are the typical Truth Faction. They use the alchemy array to create alchemy items, thereby indirectly controlling elemental energy. Nature Factions extraordinary people tend to use the energy and materials in the natural world directly. For example, Death Herald Guilds wizards manipulate Death Energy directly to cast spells, at most using a magic wand to assist in casting for efficiency. Thats the difference between the Truth and Nature extraordinary factions. In many cases, the distinction between the Truth Faction and the Nature Faction is not so clear. Very few people use this theory to strictly categorize every extraordinary person. This information comes from Greenshaw. It must be said that this long-dead Death Clan Wizard has contributed a lot of knowledge about the Realm of Wizards to Noland Lee. Noland Lee glanced at the deconstruction results and tossed them aside, then opened his panel and looked at the Charm attribute, silently giving it a thumbs-up. This attribute is more than just useful. Its not just because Noland Lees attractiveness to the opposite sex increased after his Charm went up. In fact, the function of the Charm attribute is to distinguish between friend and foe. On this entry, the system introduced it like this: The higher the value, the better or worse the impression of you is on your social object. The specific situation depends on the relationship between you and your social object. In more detail: If a stranger is on the same side as Noland Lee and shares common interests, Noland Lees Charm will have a positive effect, making them more and more attracted to Noland Lee, even having a greater tolerance. If a stranger is hostile to Noland Lee, like Pim and Pig Cook, they will express disgust and other negative emotions towards Noland Lee quite clearly. If a stranger is neutral, then whether Noland Lee is handsome or not doesnt matter so much because there are no interests involved. It can be said that: As long as you pay a little attention to the reactions of others towards Noland Lee, you can basically identify their relationship with Noland Lee. Like the feline lady Shandora Betty. Elemental Judgement, the organization behind her, clearly intended to make friends with Noland Lee, so they only sent a weak little cat instead of a powerful wizard to put pressure on Noland Lee. As for Shandora Bettys actions during the first encounter, Noland Lee thought about it for a while and temporarily attributed her offense to the capriciousness of a young female wizard instead of elevating it to an undue level. Well in that case, Ill just wait for Elemental Judgements next visit. They should send a more mature and steady wizard than Shandora Betty. Noland Lee rubbed his chin in contemplation. Interests can change and often occur inadvertently. For now, Elemental Judgement has no malice towards him, but it doesnt mean it wont in the future. To always negotiate issues on the negotiation table, one must possess strength, so the other party does not dare to show hostility. Ultimately, strength is the capital of negotiation. In Elemental Judgements eyes, I have two possible identities. First, I am a pure Wild Wizard, that is, a self-taught person who has not attended online teaching. Second, Elemental Judgement regards me as a wizard with the support of a Lecturer Professor.. Chapter 224 - Chapter 224:110. Meow Meow Judgment_3 Chapter 224:110. Meow Meow Judgment_3 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee faced the wall, blinked, and the common knowledge of the Realm of Wizards that Greenshaw possessed appeared in his mind. In this world, some people could indeed master the secrets of magic solely on their wisdom and luck. These people were called Wild Wizards. Their development potential was not as great as people imagined. Because exploring magic alone was full of crises and uncertainties. Most of them died recklessly in magic experiments, killed by their own magic. Their methods of death might have been recorded by the Wizards Teaching Forest and used as teaching material for Wizard Apprentices, but Wild Wizards could not access this knowledge and would still fall into pitfalls. This was the risk of exploring magic on their own. Generally speaking, a First Rank Wizard was the end for Wild Wizards. Going further up, the danger increased. Wild Wizards must join the Wizards Teaching Forest, accept systematic teaching, and avoid fatal detours. Noland Lee now had two choices. The first choice was to treat himself as a Wild Wizard. In doing so, Elemental Judgement would attempt to recruit Noland Lee during their second encounter. If Noland Lee did not agree to join Elemental Judgement, the final outcome might not be good, and he would most likely be kicked out of their guild. Noland Lee was unsure how Elemental Judgement would act. After all, the Death Herald Guild treated wizards within the empire who were not part of their guild like this. From Bettys reaction, it seemed that Elemental Judgement were not completely heartless, but this did not prevent Noland from considering the worst-case scenario. If safety is the first principle, then I have only one choice. Noland clenched his fists and lightly hammered his palm: I must fabricate a strong background for myself, and invent a powerful lecturer professor. If Elemental Judgement really harbors ill intentions, they will certainly not dare to trouble me because of the fear of the professor behind me. They might either draw a clear boundary with me, and avoid contact, or they might communicate with me as a collaborator, not a superior. Noland touched his head: In Greenshaws memory, there is no information about Lecturer Professor Decart, but there are a few other lecturer professors. Maybe I can choose a suitable one from among them But there is one thing that is troublesome. If the people from Elemental Judgement ask me to talk to my lecturer professor and have him greet the lecturer professor from Elemental Judgement, wouldnt that expose me Jeez its really difficult. As Noland pondered, he cleared the room by moving the tables, chairs, benches, and bed boards. The earlier beating of Sandra Betty Davis stirred some interest in him. Dont get it wrong, he was not a scumbag who bullies women; he just suddenly felt that the feeling of fist-to-flesh was quite good. As Noland Lee exercised and practiced the Soul Casting Technique, he also thought about how to deal with Elemental Judgement. Two days later, at midnight on Day Three. Noland opened the dormitory window, stretched lazily towards the empty street below, and his eyes showed a bit of fatigue. I wonder when the people from Elemental Judgement will arrive at my door Noland yawned and muttered to himself. He had spent three days immersed in the Soul Casting Technique and the ocean of Alchemy knowledge. While exercising his body, he was also focusing on cracking the Alchemy Mark. Practicing the Soul Casting Technique was purely a matter of polishing, as long as one persisted in the long term, there was no need to pursue significant short-term progress. But in forging Alchemy Marks, Nolands attitude was the faster, the better. He consumed 3000 energy points to completely deconstruct the Alchemy Mark on his thumb and obtained a scholarly skill called Alchemy Mark Knowledge at level 1. Many knowledge about creating Alchemy Marks poured into his mind. A small part of it resonated with the Basic Alchemy Theory and became content that he could understand. This mainly involved the conceptual analysis, basic principles, and other introductions of Alchemy Marks, but did not involve specific Alchemy Runes, Formulas, and Materials. The rest of the content was all core knowledge points. They were all sealed due to Nolands insufficient Spirit attribute and could not be forcibly read. He meditated three times in succession, consuming 130 points of Soul Strength and gaining 3 points in Spirit. His Soul Strength inventory dropped to around 50 points, and his Spirit attribute increased to 19 points. As the Spirit attribute increased, the number of Alchemy books that he could read increased. Noland unlocked the Alchemy Rune Study skill and has already raised it to level 3 through reading. By saving up another 100 points of Soul Strength, he could raise his Spirit to 20 points through Meditation. By then, the Alchemy books stored in his mind, which were sealed by the system due to their profoundness, would unseal and integrate into his Imowledge. The core content of the Alchemy Formulas obtained from deconstructing Alchemy Marks would no longer be unattainable. Starting tomorrow, the security team will be checking Sector 7s above and underground areas. I heard from Mark that there are a few spots in the underground area where aberrations appear from time to time. I have to try my best to join the team that checks the underground area. Oh, no, there probably arent many people who want to do this kind of work. I guess my competition wouldnt be too big. Right I must save up 100 Soul Strength points by the Spray Powder Date and raise my Spirit to 20 points. Then, I can use the task reward to buy Alchemy materials, rent an Alchemy room, and start experimenting with Alchemy Array/Formations. All these arrangements are connected, and none can be lacking. I must not be negligent. If I lack money, Ill go out into the wild and hunt some monsters. Right after the Spray Powder Day, there is a small vacation.. Chapter 225 - Chapter 225:110. Meow Meow Judgment_4 Chapter 225:110. Meow Meow Judgment_4 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee raised his head to the sky, his gaze moved upward along the smooth wall, looking towards the top of the high wall. He was in the Lower Town district, which was the ground-level city area. Above surrounding the Top District, there were many dazzling buildings and lush greenery along the 50 meters high walls. They encircled the Lower Town in a ring. The nights moonlight shone on the white walls of these buildings, reflecting a cold and pure light, contrasting sharply with the gray air of the Lower Town. Upper City Mainly large alchemy factions were set up in the Union City, as well as alchemy academies opened by the Alchemy Cathedral. People from the Lower Town who wanted to enter the Upper City could only rely on their strength either by being promoted within the large alchemy factions and companies or by passing the alchemy exam. Noland Lee squinted at the high-rise buildings, and his thoughts gradually became clear. He planned to participate in the Independent Alchemist Exam, to pass the test in one go, and exchange the opportunity to enter the Alchemy Academy for the Spirit Soul Transposition Ceremony. He would accumulate a large amount of energy points in advance, tearing apart all the alchemy books he saw along the way and obtaining his alchemy stone in the process. But then, he would deconstruct the Spirit Soul Transposition Ceremony, deconstruct the alchemy stone, and extract sage particles refining methods, and so on. Hiss- The faint sound of breaking wind came from outside the window, interrupting Noland Lees daydreams of the future. Noland Lee squinted his eyes and stared at the white spot flying towards him, throwing out the Deconstruction technique. The system message feedback stated that the thing was a folded square piece of paper and required only 1 point of energy to deconstruct without any extraordinary effects. Noland Lee raised his gloved right hand and caught the note steadily. He glanced at the direction the paper ball was thrown from. The feline lady who threw the paper ball just emerged from her concealed form. Under the bright moonlight, she stood on the roof of the building opposite, her snow-white hair shimmering with a pale glow. This female cat person had a taller figure than Sandra Betty, and the furry face did not show any childishness. She had a white silk cloak with excellent fabric covering some of her body, and her evenly proportioned long legs were faintly visible under the hazy silk material. As she met Noland Lees gaze, she bent her left arm, put her left hand behind her waist, and her right hand in front of her, slightly bowing in greeting, across the street alley to Noland Lee. She looked at the paper ball in Noland Lees hand with her green eyes, nodded her head lightly, indicating that Noland Lee should read the writing on the paper ball. Another Meow Meow person. This female cat person is much more mature than Sandra Betty, and more polite. Is the Elemental Judgement from top to bottom all Meow Meow people? What a bizarre organization. Why dont we rename it Meow Meow Judgment As Noland Lee pondered, he responded politely to the greetings while casting Deconstruction technique. [System Message: You are about to unleash Deconstruction technique on the Unnamed Extraordinary One. ] [It is expected to consume 26,000 points of energy and achieve a 100% degree of deconstruction.] Well, this female cat person is at least a Second Ring Wizard. Noland Lee unfolded the paper ball in his hand, and a line of graceful writing appeared before his eyes. To the unknown wizard, the Elemental Judgement salutes you. The local Elemental Judgement Wizard Base is a first level magic research institute established by the Elemental Judgement in the Golden Federation according to the Wizard Advancement Associations instructions. We are responsible for receiving wild wizards, wandering wizards, and visiting wizard merchants. We do not mean any offense, but according to the Ulnas Ring No. 6 Wizard Law, we need to briefly confirm your identity. If you are a wild wizard who has not yet entered the Wizards Teaching Forest, the Elemental Judgement can act as your guide, introducing you to the basic knowledge related to the Ulnas Ring, and leading you to join the Elemental Judgement or other wizard factions. The Elemental Judgement Wizard Base provides teaching services for the wizard students phase. If you are a wandering wizard, please display a credible wizards mark or other tokens. The penholder: MMI. Philia, Senior Wizard Student of the Elemental Judgement. What had to come eventually came. Fortunately, Noland Lee was prepared. Meow Judgment would definitely hold a discussion internally before sending out Meow Meow people to contact him. If his guess was correct, the memories of this female cat person in front of him would include methods to identify the identity of the stranger wizards. If he could reconstruct this method, he might be able to use that to prove his identity. Noland Lee muttered in his heart: Consume 1,000 points of energy and deconstruct the female cat person. [System Message: Deconstruction successful!] [Your degree of deconstruction for Wizard Mion Philia has increased from 0% to 2.4%] [You have received the following Deconstruction results:] Targets personal panel information:] [Name] Mion Philia [Identity 1] Senior Student of Elemental Judgement [Identity 2] Staff of the Alchemy Kitty Shop [Strength] Second Ring Elemental Wizard, and First Ring Alchemist [Traits] Empathetic, Toughness, ??? ??? As the degree of deconstruction was insufficient, no more panel information was obtained Recently obtained important memories of the target:] [Alchemy Kitty Care Manual, 20% completeness] [Alchemy Kitty Store Bills, 50% completeness] [Various suspicions and coping methods for the unknown wizard in Sector 7, 100% completeness] Chapter 226 - Chapter 226:110. Meow Meow Judgment Chapter 226:110. Meow Meow Judgment Translator: 549690339 This is the one Im looking for Noland Lee opens the third memory and consumes 1 point of energy directly, recording it all in his mind, completing the reading in an instant. A conversation quickly plays through his mind. The two conversing are the Feline Lady named Mion Philia in front of him and a veiled, noblewoman, who looks quite noble and beautiful, while also being calm and dignified. In this memory, Mion Philia patiently listens to the noblewomans speech: Philia, the day when you can stand on your own is getting closer. I will now teach you how to identify unfamiliar wizards. According to Sandra, during her contact with the unfamiliar wizard in Sector 7, he cast three spells: a Fear Spell, a Cripple Spell, and a spell that could detect hidden units. Fear Spell is the signature spell of the Death Series, but Im sure that wizard is not a member of the Death Herald Guild. Because he prefers to use Soul Energy as casting materials instead of Death Energy. This is a rare occurrence among Death Clan Wizards. The noblewoman paused for a moment and continued: Remember this, Philia. There are three Magic Professors in the Death Series who prefer to use non -Death Energy for casting. Sleeping Monument Master, Silent Maiden, and Lantern of the Reborn. Sandra said that the wizard did not use offensive spells to counterattack, but of physical strength. Considering this, the wizard should be a Wandering Wizard under the Sleeping Monument Master. Because only this branch of Death Clan Wizards uses Soul Energy for casting, and also values physical strength. The noblewoman traced a magic pattern in the air with her finger. The main body of the magic pattern is a curled-up skeletal figure, like a sleeping baby. The skeleton is holding a stone tablet in its arms. This is the magic mark design of the Sleeping Monument Master. The noblewoman lowered her right hand and added: If the wizard traces this mark, he is not our enemy. The Sleeping Monument Master and his wizards are gentle, and we wont have any conflicts with them as long as we dont initiate trouble. If the conditions are right, we might be able to collaborate with him in the future, tracking down the Blackbone Hermit and his gang together. Yes, teacher. The memory stopped playing, freezing on the scene where the noblewoman picked up her teacup. This conversation was rich in information and full of sentences, but Noland Lee finished reading it in just half a second, with thoughts racing through his mind like lightning. The noblewoman actually knows the mark patterns of other Magic Professors. Her position within the Elemental Judgement must be extraordinary, probably a mentor in charge of guiding the native wizards. This helps me a lot. She thinks I am one of the Sleeping Monument Masters people Well, this idea coincides with mine, and I also feel like the Sleeping Monument Masters Wandering Wizard. The so-called Wandering Wizard refers to wizards on an experience task. Magic Professors in the Wizards Teaching Forest rarely leave the Ulnas Circle. They would issue orders, sending their wizards to travel around the world. The purpose of the travels could be to observe the Magic Professors magic experiments, collect experimental information, or simply record the changes in various parts of the world. Such ordered traveling wizards were Wandering Wizards. Sleeping Monument Master had a characteristic. He spent most of his time in a deep sleep, where he couldnt be awakened. This was common knowledge for Greenshaw, a Death Notice Guild Wizard If Noland were to accidentally encounter a Wandering Wizard of the Sleeping Monument Master , his cover would be blown. However, this was a matter for the future. The urgent task was to secure the people involved in the Meow Judgment, and if necessary, find a chance to change his identity. Noland retracted his gaze from the slips in his hand and looked at the Feline Lady on the rooftop across from him. Learning the Alchemy Mark is the process of learning to invoke internal energy. Noland had to rely on a Rune Staff to assist him in drawing the marks while in the Suffering Borderland. But now, if he simply draws the mark patterns in the air, he no longer needs the Rune Staff. He raised his right hand and slowly traced the magic mark of the Sleeping Monument Master. Invisible soul energy flowed from his fingertips, turning into a transparent mark pattern in the air. The Feline Ladys gaze followed his fingertips, her eyes filled with an I knew it expression. Once Noland made his identity clear, the Feline Lady lightly threw another paper ball with her right hand. Noland caught the paper ball. The Feline Lady bowed and then entered an invisible state, leaving the rooftop. Noland opened the newly acquired paper ball, scanned the text briefly, then burned both slips of paper to ashes. The second paper indicated a location and a password. The people of Elemental Judgement said that if Noland encountered the Blackbone Hermits people, he could contact Elemental Judgement at the location indicated on it. As long as he provides the whereabouts and persons of the Blackbone Hermit, he could receive the remuneration in Union Coins or equivalent materials. The meeting point indicated on the paper was in Sector 8 next door, a life essence society Alchemy Kitty Shop. It seemed that the populace of Elemental Judgement in the Golden Federation was in fact affiliated with the Cat Society under the Life Essence Society. Noland felt familiar with Blackbone Hermit because Greenshaws memory did not mention this term. Perhaps this Blackbone Hermit force is a recently emerging illegal force in Union City. Noland suppressed his thoughts and didnt ponder further. He glanced at the vacant rooftop across from him, having made up his mind. As the saying goes, one more friend means one more way. Since Elemental Judgement bears no ill will, Noland thinks its harmless to make contact and collaborate with them. Of course, as long as he doesnt blow his cover.. Chapter 227 - Chapter 227: 111. Cutting-edge Era Chapter 227: 111. Cutting-edge Era Translator: 549690339 Now, lets start forming groups. In the Iron Thorn Shield Security Firms grand hall. Kent stands in front of a group of security team members, holding a list. Starting today, the security teams are to inspect the surface and underground areas of Sector 7. Their task is to ensure that all alchemy devices used for collecting universal metal dust are functioning properly. Kent is now dividing his subordinates into teams. He called out dozens of names, then looked at the deputy captain and said: Mark, youll lead the team I just called to inspect the surface area. Youll decide on the specific division of labor. Make sure to be thorough. Check whether the alchemical array of the powder collector devices is intact and if they need any maintenance. If they do, note it down and report it to the company. Understand? Yes, Chief. Kent called out a few more names: The names that I just read are to accompany me to the underground area. Ray Lee, youll come with me. Fars Scott, you too, well inspect the alchemy devices underground together. Yes, Chief. Noland Lee responds with a glance at Fars beside him, who is full of worry, as if their laboratory had been bombed. Kent claps and announces the end of the meeting: Now everybody get moving. He comes to Fars, pats him heavily on the shoulder, and says: Cheer up, Fars. We still need you to help adjust the alchemical array on-site. Its just that the deadline for the Alchemy Academys research task is approaching, whats there to be so worked up about? You dont understand. Kent. You dont understand. Fars looks very bitter: There are still many tasks in my research project that remain incomplete. If it werent for the fact that I could do some research during this trip underground, I wouldnt even have had time for it. Kent shakes his head and says: Its your own fault. The Alchemy Academy offers so many research tasks, but others only choose ones they can complete well. You, on the other hand, just choose the ones that interest you without considering the cost or difficulty of the research. So you end up taking on the development task for alchemical constructs. My advice is to take advantage of Spray Powder Day this time and put on a good performance. Kill more trouble-making aberrations, and you might just earn enough to cover the lab rent for the next half year. Isnt that right? Alright, youre right. I should start taking aberrations seriously. Fars sighs quietly, touching the alchemy stone hidden under his clothes: Ive brought an alchemical construct with me this time, which should help kill quite a few aberrations. When the time comes, you better keep a clear count of my kills, Kent, not missing even a single one. Dont worry, Ive got it in mind. Kent beckons, leading the team out, while introducing Noland Lee, who is participating in the mission for the first time: There are more aberrations in the underground area, Ray Lee. The Golden Commerce Guild has set a price: kill one small aberration and get rewarded 100 Union Coins. Kill one standard-size one, get rewarded for 200 coins. If you can kill a powerful aberration like a Seeder, the reward will be at least 2,000 coins. This money will be divided amongst us. Conserve your extraordinary abilities, dont waste them on ordinary aberrations, and save them for fighting the Seeder. Alright, Chief, Ive got it. Noland Lee grips the strap of his backpack, hoisting it up and tightening it. With the goal of earning Union Coins and collecting soul fragments, he withdrew several firearms and a large amount of ammunition from the Iron Thorn Shield Gun Vault. The other security personnel who had signed up for the underground patrol team were dressed similarly, their eyes shining with the excitement of hitting a big jackpot. Theoretically, there are numerous pipeline entrances connecting the underground area. Manholes on the ground, stormwater pipe exits, wastewater pipe exits inside buildings, and so on, are all connected to the citys underground area. However, in each city sector, theres only one pipeline entrance that allows human access, usually located in the private backyard of the security forces. In Sector 7, for example. Theres a large underground tunnel entry, covering over one hundred square meters, located behind the Iron Thorn Shield Security Company building. A spacious warehouse covers the underground entrance, shielding it from outside view. Security personnel guard the area inside and outside the warehouse all year round, only allowing Iron Thorn Shield security personnel to enter and exit. First-order alchemists like Kent are only allowed to lead the team on the first till the third underground levels, within the underground waterway area of the city. Starting from the fourth underground level, the Fissure Corridor area begins. Only second-order alchemists, like the company directors of the Iron Thorn Shield, are capable of venturing into the Fissure Corridor. Members of large alchemist factions, such as the Golden Merchants Swords, can also step into the Fissure Corridor. Their private channels go from the Upper City Area directly to the Fissure Corridor. Security firms like Iron Thorn Shield head to the underground area to maintain the facilities in the Lower Town. For specialized fighters in the Upper City Area, their approach is different. Their focus is on containing aberrant expansion, repairing powder collection devices, and recovering alchemy suits buried deep in the Fissure Corridor. It is said that about 30 years ago, the Alchemy Sanctuary gathered a large number of alchemists to dig the Fissure Corridor, a passage that leads directly from the surface to the aberration nest. Their goal was to build the citys underground wall, as well as to install alchemy devices to extract universal metal dust from aberration feces.. Chapter 228 - Chapter 228: 111. Cutting-edge Era_2 Chapter 228: 111. Cutting-edge Era_2 Translator: 549690339 In the depths underground, near the Aberration Den, the alchemists suffered a brutal attack. Although they eventually succeeded in sealing the expansion of the Den with walls and installed alchemy devices to collect the dust, the alchemists also suffered heavy losses under the onslaught of the aberrations. Many Third Order alchemists and above were killed deep in the Corridor, and countless lesser-ranked alchemists shared the same fate. Only a small portion of their relics were brought back to the ground level, the vast majority forever buried in the underground regions below the 80th layer of the Fissure Corridor. The Alchemy Cathedral announced that anyone could own the alchemy materials, manuscripts, Sage Particles, and other rare items abandoned in the areas below the 80th layer underground if they managed to retrieve them. Upon hearing this news, all factions rushed to recruit alchemists, plunging into the Fissure Corridor. The career progression from the Iron Thorn Shield to the Golden Commerce Guild is evident. First-order alchemists held the position of Captain in the security team, gaining experience from layers 1 to 3 underground. Second -order alchemists held the position of Company Director in the security company, gaining experience in the Corridor area between layers 4 to 20 underground. Third-order alchemists were absorbed by the Golden Commerce Guild to become the Golden Merchants Swords, gaining experience in the Corridor area from layer 21 underground or in the Iron Thorn Shield as a vice-president or president. The higher your capability, the higher your position, and the deeper the layers of the Underground Area you could access. These were the common knowledge that Kent explained to Noland Lee during the preparation stage before entering the Underground. Only then did Noland Lee realize that if he wanted to spend a prolonged time hunting monsters underground, there were only two routes. The first route was legal. The path was to gain rank within the Iron Thorn Shield ascents into the Golden Commercial Guild, becoming a Golden Merchants Sword controlling greater autonomy and personal time. The Golden Merchants Sword is a combatant of mercenary nature. The Golden Commerce Guild barely binds them and granted them a vast space for autonomy. Correspondingly, Golden Merchants Swords could not learn the inner secrets of the Golden Commercial Guild. If Noland became a Golden Merchants Sword, he could stay underground continuously for ten days or half a month without issue. No one would control what he did. The second route was illegal. That was to ally oneself with the illegal forces lurking within the Fissure Corridor. While inspecting supplies, Kent chatted about the old days: The Alchemy Cathedral rallied at least 300,000 alchemists to construct the underground walls of Union City back then. What concept is this? When a group of people this big stands together, theyre as tall as a building thats several stories high. There were all sorts of people among them. Ancient families that descended from the Golden Dynasty, noble families of the Federation with perennial territories, and various kinds of alchemist groups and alchemy powers. The Fissure Corridor is far more than a simple corridor; it is actually a massive underground structure of unprecedented scale. There are not only conventional passageways like rapid descent channels and spiral stairs but also entertainment sites, underground campsites, underground alchemy workshops, and other areas established to seal off the Aberration Nest. Even after so many years have passed, the underground facilities are not abandoned, and countless rats occupy it. If you encounter any illegal alchemists from the underground, I want you to keep as much distance from them as possible. Dont listen to how nice they seem or let them trick you, or else youll be captured and taken to the Black City hidden deep underground! That place used to be the main base for resisting the aberrations, and it is located a thousand meters beneath the earths surface. If youre caught there, dont even think about returning to the surface! The illegal alchemists in the Black City will refine you into products of Living Alchemy, like alchemy slaves. Got that? Yes, Captain! Noland and the others responded in unison. A young-looking team member asked quizzically: Captain, I have a question. Why dont we destroy the Black City? Wouldnt it be better to clear it out and place our own people from various alchemical factions there? Kent snorted and laughed: Ha, if only it were that simple. Guess how the illegal alchemists in the Black City got there. Werent they the alchemists who were sent underground by the alchemist factions and the Alchemy Cathedral? They control the underground alchemy devices that collect the metallic dust, using them as bargaining chips in negotiations with the Alchemy Cathedral and major alchemy powers, which is why theyve managed to survive to this day. After inspecting everyones supplies and equipment, Kent stood in front of the team with his hands on his hips and continued: Our Golden Commercial Guild, which is behind our Iron Thorn Shield, is just focused on doing business and doesnt have any ulterior motives. It can be said that among all the alchemy powers in the Federation, there are none that cherish peace more than the Golden Commercial Guild. But other alchemy powers are different. Take the Sectors 1 to 6 next to us, for example. They are controlled by the Re-forged Alchemist Association. From the name alone, its clear that the Re-forged Association has a huge demand for Universal Metal Dust. In the Black City, a group of illegal alchemists fled from the Re-forged Association. But if you think these alchemists are traitors to the Re-forged Association, youre being too naive. There are rumors that this is a show staged by the Re-forged Association itself, aiming to justify sending a group of people to the Black City to control the alchemy device that gathers the dust, so they can secure more say for the Re-forged Association on the surface. Kent shrugs slightly: I dont know if these rumors are true or not In any case, you guys have to remember this. If you encounter an alchemist of unknown identity underground, you must keep your distance and avoid talking with them.. Chapter 229 - Chapter 229: 111. Cutting-edge Era_3 Chapter 229: 111. Cutting-edge Era_3 Translator: 549690339 Yes, sir! All right, once everything is prepared, drink the Night Vision Potion, bring backup lanterns, and lets set off! Kent tilted his head back and drank the Night Vision Potion in his hand, nodding to the security personnel guarding the entrance nearby. The security guard in the guardhouse reached out and pulled down the lever. Gears grinding beneath the floor, the metal sluice gate parted in the middle, revealing an underground tunnel lit by alchemy lamps. Lets go. We are headed to the first to third underground levels. They are close to ground level but have diverse terrains and complex layouts. Stay close, or you might get lost. Kent led the way, stepping into the sloping underground tunnel. With the entire team inside the tunnel, the metal gate above slowly closed. With a click, the door panels sealed shut, leaving no gaps. The atmosphere in the underground tunnel became oppressive in an instant. The night vision provided by the potion was limited, allowing everyone to see only about 20 meters around them. To avoid alarming potential enemies, portable lighting devices such as lanterns were kept as backup emergency lights only. Blindly, the group followed Kent up the stepstones in silence. On either side of the underground tunnel, variously sized metal pipes covered the walls, resembling both entangled tree roots and large beast veins. Drip, drip The sound of water droplets falling from somewhere made the silence of the underground tunnel even more pronounced. Once they reached the corridor on the first underground level, Kent gauged left and right, seeing no anomalies before waving to Fars Scott and saying, Fars Scott, start detecting energy leaks. Repairing the underground facilitys alchemy array is our top priority. All right, leave it to me. Fars Scott grabbed a bundle of light from the Alchemy Stone and spread it out in the palm of his hand. The ball of light shrank and condensed into a palm-sized alchemy device. Noland Lee had read a lot of alchemy knowledge in the past three days. He now understood the function of this alchemy device without having to use Deconstruction. This device, called a Handheld Energy Detection Device, can detect abnormal energy fluctuations within a radius of 30 meters. Common energies used by alchemists include Fire, Air, Earth, and Water elemental energies, as well as soul energy. Soul Energy can be used as any other energy, with high adaptability. It can be transformed into other energy types at a certain ratio. Alchemists use the Alchemy Stone to turn Soul Energy into Four Elements energy. Whereas Death Herald Guild wizards use Meditation Methods, magic wands, magic robes, or other magical items to turn soul energy into death energy. In the alchemy field, soul energy is also known as unattributed energy. In a wizards eyes, soul energy is one of the three primal forces inherently possessed by every human, alongside physical muscular strength and life force. Noland Lee learned this knowledge through reading books. He confirmed that the Soul Energy repeatedly mentioned in the books refers to the Soul Strength in the system panel information. Although there may be some difference in the deeper implications between the two, in most cases, they can be treated as the same thing. Fars Scott waved the Energy Detection Device in the air, reading the energy readings on the devices panel. Raising his hand and pointing to the side, he said, Well go in that direction first, Kent. The water elemental energy is noticeably high there, indicating an alchemy device handling sewage has likely experienced an energy leak. Follow me. If I remember correctly, the place Fars Scott is pointing to should be the sediment pool for domestic wastewater. Kent considered the general route and led the team into a corridor. The number of metal pipes on the walls decreased, but a layer of damp mist appeared instead. The alchemy creations made by the Golden Federation were of high quality. These metal pipes, soaked in water vapor for years, showed no signs of rusting. It was the alchemy array that was more fragile. It was somewhat like the circuit boards in the field of microelectronics. Using the Rune Staff to pick up conductive Energy Liquid, alchemists drew array patterns on smooth metal panels. The array patterns were composed of alchemy runes, which served as the logical language for the arrays operation. If the energy input into the alchemy array was unstable, the arrays patterns would become damaged, causing the energy to leak out. This situation is similar to a circuit board being punctured by high-voltage current. The energy anomaly Fars Scott detected originated from a damaged Sewage Collection Device. He opened the side cover of the device, turned off the devices switch, and removed the metal panel with the alchemy array from it. The alchemy array, a complicated pattern made of alchemy runes and radiating four elemental lights, lay before them. It consisted of uneven, varying-width fold lines, circles, and arcs, densely packed and dizzying to look at. Noland Lee focused on the alchemy array, threw out a Deconstruction technique, and nodded secretly. [System Message: ] [You are about to cast Deconstruction on Damaged Sewage Collection Array.] [You have mastered Basic Alchemy Theory, and your Alchemy Rune Study skill is Level 3] [The energy consumption of this Deconstruction has been reduced to 35 points.] [Do you want to confirm the Deconstruction?] When he first arrived, he used Deconstruction to pick out translation errors from the translated text.. Chapter 230 - Chapter 230: 111. Cutting-edge Era_4 Chapter 230: 111. Cutting-edge Era_4 Translator: 549690339 Now facing the broken array, he could undoubtedly use Deconstruction to locate the damaged spots and obtain the solution from the system. This is undoubtedly good news. It proves that Deconstruction is also useful in depicting and modifying alchemy arrays. Let me see where the damage is Fars Scott frowned as he inspected the array, completely unaware that someone at the scene could easily give him the answer. You guys stay outside and watch. Ray Lee, you stay here with me and be on guard, Kent ordered. The Sewage Collection Room became quiet, Fars took out his Rune Staff and repaired the damaged parts while pondering. The whole team entered the working state. In the next three hours, the team moved from the First Underground Level to the Second Underground Level, repairing the alchemy array of the Sewage Collection Room, Drying and Wetting Room, and Powder Recycling Room in sequence. As they reached the entrance to the stairway from the Second Underground Level to the Third Underground Level, Kent raised his arm, clenched his fist, and signaled the team to stop. There must be enemies in the Third Underground Level because it is the isolation zone separating the Underground Waterway Area and the Fissure Corridor, Kent warned solemnly. He continued, As I said before, do not let your guard down. In the Third Underground Level, there will not only be Aberrations but also possibly Illegal Alchemists of Black City. In the past, when I led the team, if there were casualties, it was definitely due to encountering Illegal Alchemists in the Third Underground Level. Now, everyone, check your firearms and alchemy bombs again. We have to go through the entire Third Underground Level and make sure all the metal sluice gates are closed. Its a long and dangerous journey. Noland Lee took out his short-barreled rifle and checked the firing pin and repeating spring as his eyes glanced at Fars, only to see the other person extracting a peculiar alchemy object from the Alchemy Stone. The appearance of this alchemy object resembled a spider, about the size of a basin, with eight metal mechanical legs and a metal shell. The overall color was a dim gray that blended easily in the underground area. Upon closer inspection, it was not hard to see that the spiders body and legs consisted purely of mechanical parts, and beneath its matte metal shell, Noland could vaguely sense energy fluctuations. What is this? someone in the team curiously asked. Fars smiled and replied, showing off, This is the most cutting-edge alchemical product in the Alchemy Cathedral, mates. Its name is Alchemical Construct, a type of alchemical product that can be controlled by an alchemist. This little thing in my hand is an experimental product. I got it from the Academy, and my research task is related to it. I just happen to test its combat effectiveness in the Third Underground Level this time. So how do you control it? the curious baby in the team asked again. I use this, Fars took out a thick leather glove from the Alchemy Stone: This glove has a whole set of alchemy arrays that can recognize gesture signals. I can use gestures to control the Alchemical Mechanical Spider. Fars put on the glove, shook his palm, and moved his fingers. His five fingers waved like waves in the air. Receiving the gesture signal, the Alchemical Mechanical Spider tapped its legs in place like the sound of footsteps and performed various actions such as turning, jumping, rolling, agile, and lively, far more nimble than a real spider. People in the team started to chat. What a nimble little thing It looks like it has a gun barrel in its mouth, Fars. Did you install firearms in Yes, you guessed it right. It has a shotgun inside it that can switch between buckshot and single slug. Theres a Perceptual Link between it and me so I can directly see the images it sees and hear the sounds it hears, making it perfect for dangerous tasks. So how many Alchemical Constructs can an alchemist control? Good question. You may not know, but thats the hottest topic in the alchemy world this year. As a First-Order Alchemist like me, I can only use my left and right hands to control alchemical constructs, and controlling two at a time is my limit. However, Third-Order Alchemists can use the Supreme Calculation Alchemy Suit, which combines their thinking ability and the suits computing power to control ten or even more Alchemical Constructs at the same time. Nolands gaze, hidden behind sunglasses, flickered as he looked at the chatty Fars When he had checked the panel information of the book Supreme Computational Power previously, he already knew the relationship between the alchemy suit and the Alchemical Construct. But he didnt expect to see the real thing now. He sent Deconstruction at the Mechanical Spider. In the system feedback message, the string of zeros made Nolands head ache. It turned out that the Alchemical Construct needed 10,000 energy points to be completely deconstructed. Not only that, the system also prompted him that he must meet the requirements for reading the book Supreme Computational Power before he could understand the deconstruction result of the Mechanical Spider. Now Noland was clear about his own position. In the field of alchemy, his level was equivalent to a second-grade elementary school student. As for Supreme Computational Power and Alchemical Construct, they corresponded to the difficulty of doctoral research projects. No matter what, he needed to learn advanced mathematics and mathematical modeling first to understand the cutting-edge research reports. The same goes for Alchemical Constructs and Supreme Computational Power. However, just using Alchemical Constructs should not require such high standards, right.. Chapter 231 - Chapter 231: 111. Cutting-edge Era_5 Chapter 231: 111. Cutting-edge Era_5 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee narrowed his eyes at Farrel Scotts glove and cast the Deconstruction technique, his mouth twitching slightly. It takes 150,000 Energy Points to deconstruct this glove? Hiss. Maybe I should pull out my revolver now and give the glove a few shots. Even if I cant understand the panel information, it would be nice to get those 150,000 Energy Points. Resisting the temptation of this huge amount of money, Noland Lee forcefully suppressed his inner impulse. A worried team member said: If this alchemical construct becomes popular, will we security personnel lose our jobs? Farrel Scott laughed enigmatically, clearly thinking that the replacement of human security by alchemical constructs was only a matter of time: Well, you have a point. But there are still many difficulties to overcome before alchemical constructs can truly replace security personnel. Dont be fooled by how nimble this little thing is; thats just due to my skillful control. When the day comes that alchemical constructs can operate autonomously without the control of alchemists, then you guys should worry about your employment. For now, its too early. Dont you alchemists fear an Al crisis? Watching Farrel Scotts arrogant display, Noland Lees mouth twitched slightly. Kent coughed lightly and spoke up: Alright, quit bragging, Farrel Scott. Control your little guy to scout the way for us and show us what it can do. Im curious to see if its as useful as you say. Watch and see, Kent. Ive been practicing a long time to showcase this cutting-edge technology for you guys Help me open the sluice gate, my little treasure is about to set off. Farrel Scott waved his right hand. The mechanical spider moved from the floor to the wall, crawled into the crack of the door Kent opened, and vanished into the dimly lit staircase. Farrel Scott stood in place, closed his eyes, his eyeballs rolling under his eyelids, and murmured: Oh, its so dark in here. Good thing I installed the Night Vision Rune on the little spider in advance. Hmm, I can see the condition of the Third Underground Level. Its all messed up, and there are dried bloodstains and sewage on the floor and the wall. Were lucky there are no fresh muddy footprints near the stairway entrance. It means no Aberrations have passed by here recently. Kent reminded him: I heard that the control range of alchemical constructs is limited. Dont let it go too far. Alright, dont worry, Kent. I know what Im doing. I have a control range of about a hundred meters or so. If the Perceptual Link becomes unstable, Ill naturally have it return. Huh? Thats strange, Kent. Did we have a hole in the ground last time we were here? A part of the hallway floor on the lower level seems to have collapsed, and I can see the floor of Underground Layer 2. Kents expression changed, and he quickly asked: Wheres the hole? Give me a rough location. Farrel Scott maintained his closed-eyed state. He raised his arm, pointing through the Underground Layer 2 floor to the corridor of the Third Underground Level: There, a hole more than two meters in diameter, cutting across the corridor. My little spider has to walk on the wall to get around this hole. Everyone closed their mouths, slowed their breaths, and looked in the direction Farrel Scott pointed, carefully listening to the sounds coming from there. Due to the excellent build quality, they couldnt hear a thing, let alone the sound of the little spider moving. Ill have to be careful not to let my little spider fall into the hole Alright, its passed the hole Ahhh! Farrel Scott suddenly cried out in pain, blood pouring from his nose, and his eyes shot wide open, filled with bloodshot veins, his pupils constricted like pinpricks. He clutched his head, clamped down on his hair, squatted on the ground, and began to tremble in pain, teeth chattering uncontrollably. Whats wrong, Farrel Scott? Kent asked in a deep voice. Someone attacked my little spider! It was shattered in an instant! The Perceptual Link between us was forcibly severed! I suffered a severe backlash I have to go to the Third Underground Level immediately, retrieve the core components of the spider, or else its going to be a big problem! Farrel Scott struggled to get up but was unable to move due to the needle-like pain in his head. He could only collapse to the ground, suffering the agony of a forcefully severed Soul Link. Noland Lee raised his eyebrows, a realization dawning in his heart. So the Perception Link used by alchemists is similar to the Soul Link with the Lost Souls I control through Bone Cards. Noland Lee controlled a Cavern Stalker, dealing Pim a fatal blow, but it quickly died at Murphys hands. The soul-level pain was utterly torturous, and it took Noland quite some time to recover. Now looking at Farrel Scotts miserable state, Noland couldnt help but empathize Kent, please help me find the Alchemical Cube inside the little spider. Thats the core alchemical component. Farrel Scott pleaded, gripping his hair. Alright, Im on it Kent assigned two team members to protect Farrel Scott, then waved his hand, leading the rest of the team through the metal gate. Noland Lee followed the group, quietly activating Track the Living, looking towards where the little spider was attacked. Things are getting a little tricky. In the vision of Track the Living, two vivid red silhouettes of people were lingering beside the hole in the floor of the level below. They squatted on the ground, feeling around as if searching for something among the scattered parts.. Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: 112. Start brushing, start brushing Chapter 232: 112. Start brushing, start brushing Translator: 549690339 Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, pitter-patter In the staircase leading to the Third Underground Level, messy and hurried footsteps echoed. Security personnel were not regular soldiers after all, and their vigilance was lacking. Even though they were aware an enemy was present, they exposed their own footsteps. Noland Lee followed in the team, frowning slightly and watching the spot where the mechanical spider had an accident. The two bright red figures were alarmed by the footsteps. They picked up several alchemy parts, then lightly jumped down through the hole into the Fourth Underground Level. Throughout the entire process, they didnt make any strange noises. It was apparent that they had been in this dark underground area for quite a while and had rich experience. They might be illegal alchemists from Black City Noland Lee speculated in his heart. As he had this thought, he immediately saw those two figures waving their arms in the Fourth Underground Level, as if sprinkling something. A large number of tiny red dots flew out from their bodies, swarming into the corridor of the Third Underground Level. These tiny red dots looked like swiftly flying little bugs. They vibrated their wings and shuttled through the corridor, quickly approaching the staircase. The faint sound of wing vibrations reached the inside of the staircase, alerting Kent. He stopped and raised a finger, signaling the team members to keep quiet. After half a second of listening, he suddenly shoved the team member beside him backward and summoned his alchemy weaponry, blocking everyone in front. He lifted his arm forward, and a thick brown light curtain appeared out of thin air, sealing up the staircase like a tall wall. The little black insects crashed into the brown light curtain with a pattering sound, making a rain-like collision noise. Their abdomens were bulging, filled with muddy black liquid. After colliding with the light curtain, they exploded into a mess of splashing water. In just a few seconds, the shiny and clean light curtain became as dirty as rusty waste metal. The air in the staircase also filled with a strong smell of rust at the same time. Its Rust Insects! Put on your breathing masks! Kent shouted while maintaining the light curtain to block the attack. Noland Lee had experience fighting in the Suffering Borderland. He put on his breathing mask in the first moment without hesitation, moving much faster than the other security personnel. He even had time to aim at the little black insects and throw out a Deconstruction Technique. [System Message: You are about to launch Deconstruction Technique on Alchemy Product: Rust Insects.] [Based on your knowledge of alchemy and alchemy rune study skills, the energy point consumption for this Deconstruction has been reduced to 70 points.] Noland Lee glanced at the system message but didnt silently confirm Deconstruct. Kent had introduced his alchemy weaponry before their departure. The light curtain he summoned could be penetrated only from one side. The team members standing behind him could shoot the enemies without any problem. Now was not the time to counterattack! Noland Lee took out the revolver from his waist, opened the cylinder, unloaded the bullets inside, and replaced them with specialized snake bullets. These bullets were used for hunting snakes. Their pellets were smaller, with more pellets per shot and a larger spread, making them suitable for shooting smaller fast-moving targets at close range. After loading the snake bullets, spinning the cylinder, and flicking his wrist, the cylinder clicked back into place with the ratchet sound. Noland Lee raised his hand and fired six shots, emptying the cylinder and releasing a large number of pellets. Six bursts of blood exploded almost simultaneously, and several clusters of Rust Insects burst before they could hit the light curtain. Noland Lee successfully triggered Passive Deconstruction as he wished. [System Message: Passive Deconstruction success!] [You have obtained the following Deconstruction results:] [1. Energy Points 70.] [2. Panel Information on Rust Insects:] [Name] Rust Insects [Type] Insect Alchemy Product [Alchemy Recipe] Alchemy Rune: ???? Alchemy Material: A bottle of canned iron-eating insects, two liters of blood from a four-legged Ground Snake, 300 grams of gray sedimentary rock powder, ???? ???? Alchemy Formula: ???? (Once you gain more knowledge about insect alchemy, this panel will update accordingly.) [Requirements] Mastering Insect Alchemy and the Insect Flute. [Skills] Self-explosion Attack, Jet Rust Slurry, Rust Corrosion Metal, Air Pollution Noland Lee calmly reloaded the ammunition, reading the Deconstruction results in his mind. Upon hearing the gunshots, the other team members reacted and launched their counterattacks in succession. These security team members were quite clever. Seeing the effectiveness of the snake bullets, they changed their ammunition and loaded snake bullets into their shotguns, firing continuously with a loud bang. The gunshots created a wave of sound in the staircase that made everyones eardrums ache. After a storm of bullets, the swarm of insects that had flooded the staircase disappeared, leaving behind a dirty rust slurry that covered the floor and walls. Kent maintained the light curtain and moved forward slowly, inching towards the area where the mechanical spider malfunctioned. Using the Tracking the Living skill, Noland Lee checked the position of the hole and shook his head slightly. That sudden insect swarm attack earlier was clearly intended to stall him and the others. The two figures who had released the insects had already run away, disappearing into the depths of the Fourth Underground Level corridor. Kent walked out of the staircase and entered the corridor, shining his light towards the hole and sighing deeply. Damn we must have run into illegal alchemists from Black City Everyone, stay alert. Ill fill up this hole.. Chapter 233 - Chapter 233: 112. Start swiping_Start Swiping_2 Chapter 233: 112. Start swiping_Start Swiping_2 Translator: 549690339 The team members raised their guns, aiming around and protecting Kent in the middle of the team. Kent took out a foam gun from the alchemy stone and sprayed grey expanding foam towards the hole. The foam moved around the edges of the hole, filling it in layer by layer, and soon blocked off the access to the fourth underground level. Thump thump thump Kent crouched down, tapping the hardened foam with his knuckles, then said: The hardness of this layer of foam is the same as that of the floor. We can stand on it without any problem, but it will only last for half a month. When we get back to the ground level, Ill report to the company and let them send someone to repair the floor. Now listen up everyone. Ray Lee and I will keep guard, you all search the ground level and gather all the alchemy parts of the mechanical spider. Leave the parts that fell to the fourth underground level, so we dont run into any illegal alchemists while collecting them. The team members put down their firearms, strapped them to their backs, and crouched down to search the floor. Noland Lee held his short-barreled rifle, scanning his eyes over the alchemy parts that the team members picked up from the ground, and quietly cast deconstruction. [System Message: ] [You are about to apply Deconstruction on the sliding sleeve.] [Based on your knowledge reserves and related skill levels, the energy points required for this deconstruction have been reduced to 35.] [You are about to apply Deconstruction on the steering universal joint] [You are about to apply Deconstruction on the four-phase energy conversion unitJ The energy points needed to deconstruct alchemy parts varied from tens to hundreds. A thought came to Noland Lee, sparking a burst of inspiration. He recalled an experience from before he crossed into this world. When he was a kid, he was envious that others could play with toy guns that shot bullets. Being penniless, he could only watch others play. Once, when he was freeloading and reading books in a bookstore, he found a book named Construction and Principles of Automatic Weapons. He followed the diagrams and knowledge in the book, using cardboard, a stapler, glue, and springs, to make a few passable imitation paper shell guns. Given time and access to machinery, he could have upgraded the paper to metal, and the glue to welding, to create something brilliant. Of course, it was just a fantasy. These paper shell guns, which held his childhood memories, were lost after many times of moving houses. But the experience of chewing on the tough knowledge and making paper shell guns by hand was deeply etched in his mind. Now, seeing the parts inside the mechanical spider, an idea popped up in Noland Lees mind: Could he mimic the parts inside this mechanical spider and manually make a cheap alchemical construct? Noland Lees eyebrows rose, and his mind opened up. In fact, he didnt have to be obsessed with deconstructing the entire mechanical spider. He could start with individual parts, breaking down the big problem into many smaller ones and solve them one by one. This process was just like when he was self-learning Construction and Principles of Automatic Weapons. No, it cant be said to be exactly the same. When he was self-learning that book, Noland Lee could understand the text and read it smoothly. However, now, he didnt even have the ability to open Supreme Computational Power, let alone gotten any books related to alchemical constructs. To put it this way, he didnt even know the specific terms needed to manufacture the Supreme Computational Power alchemy suit and alchemical construct, let alone core content like alchemy runes and alchemy formulas. Noland Lees thoughts raced, looking for a breakthrough in the problem. Let me think Alchemical constructs can be seen as robots in electronic information civilization. Sensors, controllers, motors, these three things are the core components of a robot. When applied to alchemical constructs: The sensor responsible for collecting external environmental information can be replaced by a Soul Link. Also, the function of the controller can be achieved by a Soul Link. The central problem I need to solve is how to manufacture the power system and transmission system that alchemical constructs need, which correspond to the motors and transmission parts of a robot. As for where to find the motor and transmission parts Noland Lee looked at the alchemy parts on the ground and a thunderbolt struck through his mind! The answer is right in front of me! What I really need to do now, and only have to do, is to copy the transmission system designed by the Alchemy Academy and install it in my homemade robot. After all, I dont have the time to delve deeply into the dreary subject of mechanical engineering and design a mechanical structure with flexible joints and free movement. If everything goes according to plan, in the end, I will have a unique product that combines both alchemy civilization and death-type magic abilities. It can use both elemental energy and soul energy. Considering soul energy is too precious, providing it energy with an alchemy array would be better. In this way, its power system has a solution. Its transmission system comes from the alchemical constructs designed by the Alchemy Academy, and the controller and sensors are realized by a Soul Link. Although it feels like its made up of odds and ends, this thing should be usable! All I need to do is find a harder metal armor plate and more powerful firearms and ammunition to enhance the combat capabilities of the homemade construct. This is certainly more convenient than the Enslavement of Deceased that focuses on the quality of corpses. Moreover, the homemade construct doesnt conflict with the Enslavement of Deceased, so its like I have a new ace up my sleeve. Damn youre impressive, Noland Lee.. Only you could come up with such a wild idea! Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: 112. Start brushing, start brushing_3 Chapter 234: 112. Start brushing, start brushing_3 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee silently cheered in his heart while maintaining a calm expression on the surface. He was no longer stingy with his energy points. A large amount of Deconstruction techniques were aimed at the alchemy parts piled on the ground and released. [System Message: ] [You have obtained the deconstruction results of the Lightweight Sliding sleeve. ] [You have obtained the deconstruction results of the Durable Universal Swivel Joint.] [You have obtained the deconstruction results of the Miniature Four-Phase Energy Conversion Unit.] [You have obtained the deconstruction results of the High-Capacity Energy Storage Array (Damaged). ] [You have obtained the deconstruction results of the Durable Directional Speed Control Valve and Reducer.] A waterfall of system messages appear in Nolands mind. Noland temporarily moves the system interface to the corner of his vision, so as not to block his view. About five minutes later, the security team searched the surrounding area and found it empty. Nolands energy points inventory plummeted to below 3,000 points. The lost energy points were all converted into deconstructive results. He obtained no less than 100 sophisticated alchemical blueprints for mechanical structures. Just by glancing at the panel information obtained from the deconstruction, Noland felt incredibly satisfied. Once everyone had checked the ground carefully, they headed back to the Underground Layer Two. Fars Scotts condition had improved significantly. He bled from his nose and had bloodshot eyes. At this time, he was pale and slumped on the ground. When he saw Kent and others coming back, he took the alchemy parts hastily, squatting on the ground to count them. Wu-wu-wu the alchemy cube is gone thats the core of the alchemical construct, containing the alchemy array for the Perceptual Link and the alchemy device connected to the glove gone, all gone Im finished Wu-wu-wu Fars, calm down, Kent said sternly. Is there an alchemy mark on the alchemical cube you mentioned? From the Academy, or yours? Fars nodded and said with a desolate expression: Yes, both. I have to take care of the experimental subjects I receive. As soon as I got it, I engraved my alchemy mark on the cube. But it seems that my alchemy mark has been erased While talking, Fars took out the energy detection device and showed the readings on the instrument panel to everyone. The energy detection device can be used to track the alchemy marks of the owner. Its principle is similar to receiving electrical signals. The alchemy mark can be considered a signal source that continuously emits electrical signals. The readings on the panel showed 0, which means that none of Fars own alchemy marks were detected in the range. There are two possible explanations for this. One is that the alchemy mark is beyond the range of the instrument, and the other is that the alchemy mark has been artificially erased. Either way, it means that the security team cannot retrieve the Alchemical Cube. This is a bit troublesome Kent scratched his head: We must notify the Academy to send someone to search for the Alchemical Cube. Only their people can track their own alchemy marks. No, no, dont tell the Academy yet, Fars shook his hand anxiously: Let me think of a solution first Noland raised his arm, pointing to the alchemy parts, and interrupted them with a question: Excuse me for asking, you guys, how do you think this mechanical spider was attacked? It seems to be quite solid and durable, not like glassware that shatters on touch. Kent slapped his forehead: Thats right, Fars. Noland is right. Arent the materials for your alchemical construct of controlled substance level? How could it so easily scatter all over the place? The controlled substance level in the Federation is equivalent to the military grade in the Tatis Empire, which shows how high the quality is. However, such high -quality alchemical products suddenly shattered, which was indeed very strange. With Nolands involvement, everyone on the scene realized something was wrong and focused their attention on Fars. He paused for a moment, then quickly became agitated, shivering as he began to assemble the mechanical spider, muttering to himself: Yes, yes, youre right! Its all because of the backlash effect of the Perceptual Link that I panicked. I need to figure out how the mechanical spider was shattered first. An attack that could scatter the mechanical spider in an instant undoubtedly points to its fatal flaw! My research task is to investigate the potential defects of the mechanical spider! Once he entered the working state, Fars calmed down and stopped panicking. He grabbed a ball of light from the alchemy stone and slapped it on himself. His hands glowed faintly, and the assembly speed of the mechanical spider increased significantly, creating a trail of shadows under the light. The alchemy parts on the ground quickly decreased, being transferred to the assembled mechanical spider. After about five minutes, the alchemy parts became the mechanical spider, appearing in front of everyone with a slightly damaged exterior and internal structure. Fars held up the mechanical spider, raised his arms, and looked at it from all angles, muttering to himself: Strange, strange, very strange why is it like this? A team member couldnt help but ask: Whats strange, Fars? Just say it clearly. Fars was immersed in observation and thought, forgetting to answer. Kent explained: There are no obvious indentations on the mechanical spider, and the external armor plates have no missing or damaged parts. Its as if it exploded from the inside, which is the strangest part.. Chapter 235 - Chapter 235: 112. Start brushing, start brushing_4 Chapter 235: 112. Start brushing, start brushing_4 Translator: 549690339 Oh What happened next? The team member asked, still utterly confused. Unlike the perplexed team members, Noland Lee noticed the problem with the mechanical spider without even using Deconstruction Technique. He just stared at it for a few moments. He probably figured out whats going on. However, he didnt plan to get involved in this matter. So, after mentioning it earlier, he became silent. Fars Scott, who looked careless like a silly fool only interested in alchemy experiments, was actually very smart. As long as he focused on a specific problem, he could grasp the answer. Damn it! Fars cursed: I know whats going on now! Ive been set up! Fars placed the mechanical spider on the wall, and moved its legs to simulate the spiders wall climbing motion. When the spiders legs touched the wall, a tiny gap was revealed between the base of the leg and the outer armor plates. A hidden weapon shot through that gap, striking the energy storage array directly, making it highly likely to cause instability in the array and subsequently trigger an internal energy explosion. Thats how the energy storage array got damaged. The power of this explosion was average and the damage limited, but it was enough to cause the mechanical spider to fall apart. The angle and target of the hidden weapon showed that the attacker was very familiar with alchemical constructs. Also, the sudden appearance of the hollow in the floor and the enemy hiding right beneath it, was way too coincidental. It was as if someone had known Fars schedule and his habits in advance. All the clues indicated that it was not just a simple coincidence C there was an inevitability behind the randomness of this event. It must be the alchemist who took the same research task as me! This research task is like a bidding competition. There are over ten people who took it, but there are only five spots to complete it. The Alchemy Academy will grade our research outcomes from high to low and select the top five. If I lose my alchemical cube in the experiment then Ill be automatically disqualified! Fars appeared a bit agitated. Kent sighed, patted him on the shoulder and said: You should consider yourself lucky, Fars. Your opponent only wants you to be disqualified instead of costing your life. Ive told you many times not to take research tasks you cant afford. Youve invested at least one million union coins in this task, right? How many people in the Lower Town area can afford that? I dont need your introduction to know that the alchemists who took the same task as you all come from rich and powerful backgrounds. Dont compete with them. Just focus on killing more aberrations. Like I said, dont take tasks you cant afford next timeleave some room for yourself, right? Fars clenched his fists and roared with his head lowered: All Im doing is pursuing my alchemy dreams! Whats wrong with that?! If I succeed, I can move my parents to the Upper City Area! If I succeed, my sister will get extra points in the Basic Alchemy Exam! Why is it wrong for me to compete with them and strive for my dreams and my family! They are the ones who are wrong! After saying that, Fars put the mechanical spider back into the alchemy stone, pushed open the teammates in front of him, and stormed into the dark staircase. Fars! Fars! Kent immediately chased after him but couldnt stop him. All because Fars suddenly activated his alchemy weaponry and transformed into an armored cheetah, breaking free from Kents grasp and disappearing into the darkness of the staircase. Damn it, hes still so impulsive! Guys, as a favor to me, lets put the task aside for now and come back another day to clean up the aberrations! Ray Lee, take my map and lead the others back to the ground level. Ill go after him on my own! Yes, Captain! Kent activated his alchemy weaponry and ran off in a cloud of smoke, disappearing into the staircase. A paper map appeared in Noland Lees hand. He cast Deconstruction Technique, spending 3 energy points to store the map in his mind, then gestured for his teammates to follow him. As he returned to the entrance of the tunnel along the same route, Noland sent his teammates away but didnt leave the tunnel, instead heading back downstairs alone to Underground Layer 2. He managed to get rid of his teammates, who were like deadweight, under the pretext of helping the Captain and Fars. He didnt have to worry that his solo return to the underground would bring any trouble from Kent and the Iron Thorn Shield. The Meow Meow People of Elemental Judgement appeared around the company twice in a row, even having a brief face-to-face conversation with Noland during the second encounter, which was already a clear indication of the problem at hand. It was very likely that the higher-ups of Iron Thorn Shield had reported Nolands situation. The Golden Commerce Guild received the news and contacted Elemental Judgement in secret. Thats why the Elemental Judgements Meow Meow People could encounter Noland twice, and no extraordinary members from Iron Thorn Shield interfered. It was an unspoken agreement between all parties. Noland wouldnt cause trouble, wouldnt undermine Iron Thorn Shield or harm the benefits of the Golden Commerce Guild, and in return, Elemental Judgement and the Golden Commerce Guild would turn a blind eye. Like what Noland was about to do. He returned to the underground alone solely to wander around the dark underground area and find the feeling of monster hunting.. Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: 112. Start brushing, start brushing_5 Chapter 236: 112. Start brushing, start brushing_5 Translator: 549690339 If the Golden Commerce Guild knew that they had a wizard who was willing to clean up aberrations among their ranks, theyd laugh in their sleep. Businessmen, after all, always put profits first, and they would never refuse an opportunity for gain. Moreover, within the territory of the Golden Federation, wizards other than those specifically declared illegal were not considered criminals, they just couldnt openly come to the forefront. This was much better than the ghostly situation in the Tatis Empire. By turning a blind eye to Noland Lees existence, the Golden Commerce Guild didnt break any of the laws and rules set by the Alchemy Cathedral, and could not be accused of harboring illegal forces. As long as Noland didnt do anything excessive, this tacit agreement could be maintained. Once he understood this, Noland became more measured in his actions. In the dim tunnel, he activated Tracking the Living, cast a Magic Shield, and took a revolver in each hand. With no onlookers, this series of operations became much easier. He pushed open the sluice gate of the staircase, descending to the third underground level. Jumping over the foam-sealed hollow, he continued forward until he saw traces of battle on the ground. A dozen small aberrations were torn in half by sharp weapons, their bodies lining the walls of the corridor. Blood from the aberrations was splattered all over the walls. As Noland passed the corpses of the aberrations, he silently chanted Collect Soul Fragments. [System Message: ] [Soul Strength +0.1 point] [Soul Strength +0.1 point] Not bad, these corpses were fresh, and each had soul fragments. Noland collected soul fragments as he continued forward. Not far away, he saw a metal gate that was wide open on the wall. According to the map provided by Kent, this gate led to the fourth underground level, and should normally be closed. Noland noticed claw marks left by the leopard on the door frame and bolt, probably the work of Fars Scott. He considered it, then left the door half-closed without locking or barring it, as a return route for Fars and Kent. The fourth underground level might still have some fresh aberration corpses, but it also posed unknown dangers. Faced with this tempting yet dangerous situation, Noland decisively bypassed the metal gate and continued deeper into the third underground level, acting as if he had no knowledge of the soul fragments available on the fourth underground level. He was just that cautious. About 20 seconds later, the air became more acrid, indicating the presence of aberrations ahead. Noland brought up his skill list, investing 100 Energy Points into Tracking the Living to raise it from level 1 to level 5. His vision suddenly cleared, and the horizontal range of his sight was extended from the original 20 meters to 60 meters. Many swaying red silhouettes entered Nolands vision, running towards him. Judging by the way these creatures moved on all fours, they were aberrations. Bring it on. Noland grinned, raising both arms and pointing his revolvers at the two aberrations at the front. Two transparent bolts of lightning shot out, instantly covering fifty meters and piercing the aberrations. The two aberrations suddenly stopped in their tracks, colliding with the ones following closely behind. Instantly, chaos ensued as the creatures roared and screeched. With the help of Tracking the Living, Noland could easily discern the aberrations movements and attacks. When an aberration opened its mouth, he knew. He even knew how they opened their mouths. Noland aimed at the top of an aberrations head, slightly lowering his aim, and fired the first bullet with a loud bang. Splurt! Bullets whirled, penetrating the fragile upper jaw inside the mouth, pulverizing the soft tissue, and shooting out from the back of the aberrations head. The first aberration fell, the rest shrieked and roared, charging towards Noland Some of them sprinted on the floor, while others leaped high up, crawling on the walls, bouncing back and forth between the left and right walls. Noland Lee remained calm in the face of danger, sweeping the muzzle across the aberrations rushing towards him, throwing a bunch of transparent lightning. Fear Spell x3! Cripple Spell x3! Six aberrations were instantly controlled by him. Bang bang bang bang bang bang! He alternated shooting with both hands, sending bullets flying one after another, with the sound of flesh ripping echoing in the corridor. After six shots, only three aberrations fell. Noland Lee frowned slightly, knowing that his shooting skills were too poor to achieve the desired effect. But he didnt get discouraged, once again casting control spells and pulling the trigger. Emptying the bullets of two revolvers, he casually tossed them aside, pulling out two more revolvers from his waist and continued shooting. Instead of falling to the ground, the discarded revolvers are drawn to hang on the side of the backpack by the retractable rope inside. This was a small mechanism that Noland Lee designed in advance to prevent losing firearms. Bang bang bang Gunshots rampaged in the corridor as aberrations fell one after another. Of the whole group of aberrations, only one made it to Noland Lees face, and he blasted its upper jaw at close range. All the other aberrations died halfway. Noland Lee breathed a sigh of relief, with a smile on his lips. He touched the revolvers hanging on the backpack, glanced at his personal panel, and his eyes swept across the aberration corpses in front of him, silently calculating the gains and losses of the battle. I invested 12 revolvers, about 70 bullets, consumed 3 Soul Strength and 30 Energy Points, and killed 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 at least 30 aberrations. With all these moves, how much Soul Strength am I going to get? Noland Lee collected the soul fragments at the scene and glanced at his personal panel: 14 level 1 aberrations, 17 level 2 aberrations, a total of 4.8 points of Soul Strength, a net gain of 1.8 points. Kinetic Weapon Shooting Proficiency has risen to level 7, and Dual Gun Shooting Proficiency has been unlocked. Not considering ammo consumption, its like using 30 Energy Points to exchange for 1.8 points of Soul Strength and related passive skill experience. Well, this deal is definitely not a loss, but its just a small gain. Noland Lee kicked a corpse at his feet and muttered in his heart: These level 1 aberrations are really dragging down my efficiency in killing them. If all the aberrations were level 2, my Soul Strength acquisition rate would be much higher. He looked up at the dark corridor, I wonder if there are only IVI 2 aberrations in the depths of Underground Layer 2 Noland Lee changed the bullets in the 12 revolvers, inserted them into his waist, and continued forward with anticipation and caution. I didnt bring any food or drink. The backpack is all filled with bullets. Unless I shoot all these 700 bullets, no one will be able to make me go back. HeheEh? Wait, I think I forgot something. Noland Lee stopped in his tracks, his eyes scanning the ground, and locked onto a relatively intact aberration corpse. With a thought, he traced the spell blueprint and cast the Enslavement of Deceased spell, subconsciously holding his breath. The aberration wobbled to its feet, obeyed his will, and came to his side, crouching down in a completely submissive manner, like a loyal servant. Noland Lee glanced around. Aberrations caught by his gaze got up one after another and stood by his side. So, the Enslavement ot Deceased can be used to enslave non-human undead as well. Thats interesting. Noland Lee rejoiced inwardly, but didnt gloat. After all, the Enslavement of Deceased spell also consumed Soul Strength and Energy Points. Whether summoning aberration undead to fight for oneself is profitable or not, there is no definite conclusion yet, and only a test in real combat will tell. Lets get to it- Noland Lee waved his hand and, along with his little minions, ran towards the depths of the Third Underground Level.. Chapter 237 - Chapter 237: 113. Throwing Money” Spell Chapter 237: 113. Throwing Money Spell Translator: 549690339 30 years ago, during the massive wall-building movement, the Alchemy Cathedral invested a vast amount of manpower and resources. At least a third of the floors in the Fissure Corridor were used to temporarily store and transfer supplies. In order to deliver urgently needed supplies to the alchemists underground as quickly as possible, the Alchemy Cathedral designed multiple vertical shafts stretching downward on each floor. These vertical shafts were rapid descent channels, equipped with metal chains, rapid descent ropes, fall arresters, traction devices, and lifting platforms. People could go down the rapid descent channels, and so could supplies. Now, Aberrations could too, and they are far more flexible than humans and supplies in doing so. Deep in the third underground level of Sector 7, there is a vertical shaft with a diameter of over 20 meters. The vertical shaft is located in an open underground space. According to the map given by Kent, this place was a food storage warehouse 30 years ago. And that vertical shaft was connected to the recreational area on the 70th underground layer, specifically for transporting food ingredients required for the recreational area. Theoretically speaking, if Noland Lee doesnt mind getting dirty and has enough courage, he could jump into the vertical shaft and, with the help of gravity acceleration, crash on the floor of the 70th underground layer in no time. But, well, he isnt stupid and wont do such a foolish thing. Besides, the current situation here doesnt allow him to do it anyway. This place has been occupied by a large nest of Aberrations. Ceilings, floors, walls, corners, wherever mucus can be accumulated, are all covered by body fluids secreted by Aberrations. On the floor, theres a thick mucus carpet, and in mid-air, there are silken mucus strands hanging down from the ceiling. When the light hits this foul-smelling and sticky layer of mucus, the filthy, oily reflection can make everyone who loves cleanliness vomit. yue- Facing this messy scene, Noland directly gave a retching sound that echoed throughout the space. Rustling noises came from various parts of the food storage warehouse, as countless quadrupedal humanoids wandered in the dark zone outside the light. Thev scurried about like cockroaches that were startled. One Aberration screamed towards the source of the light and rushed at it first. Many other Aberrations responded to the scream and followed closely behind, rushing towards the human who disturbed their beautiful dreams with a retching sound. Their bodies seemed like black snakes swimming in a rotten pond, bringing a foul, gloomy wind with them. Noland held the lantern in his hand, brought the corners of his mouth up, and grinned. He threw the lantern towards the swarm of Aberrations, grabbed the revolver at his waist with his right hand, and fired a bullet. The bullet shot towards the lantern in mid-air, shattered the glass cover for wind protection, and penetrated the fuel box with flickering firelight. Boom- A large flurry of sparks sprinkled the Aberrations, sizzling as if they were red-hot iron bars, scalding the Aberrations and causing blisters all over their bodies. All the Aberrations that were dwelling in the food storage warehouse were enraged by his actions! Noland took the opportunity while the Aberrations were collectively furious, turned around and ran into the corridor, and fled at full speed. The Aberrations howled incessantly, rushed towards the corridor, and chased after Nolands silhouette. They used their hands and feet together, running wildly on the floor of the corridor, or leaping into the air, bouncing left and right off the walls on both sides. A small portion of the Aberrations had an innate talent, with suction cups in their palms, and they could swing forward along the ceiling like monkeys. Noland activated Tracking the Living, glanced back at the scene behind him, and accelerated his pace. Thirty corpses of Aberrations appeared in the corridor ahead, scattered haphazardly on the floor. Noland stepped between the corpses, skillfully and quickly passed through this section of the corridor littered with corpses, as if he had practiced many times before. After he left, the thirty Aberration corpses shakily stood up from the ground and formed a human wall of Aberrations, blocking the middle of the road. The chasing Aberrations, upon seeing these peculiar counterparts, showed no signs of confusion or contemplation, nor did they halt their pursuit. In their eyes, these lifeless counterparts were similar to dead objects like stones and walls. They didnt know why the dead counterparts could stand up, forming a wall, and they didnt want to know. They leaped like hurdling a barrier, wanting to jump over the human wall and continue pursuing the human not far away. However, these thirty dead Aberrations were not willing to let them go. Noland stopped about twenty or thirty meters away from the human wall, raised his revolvers, and turned to face his pursuers. In his mind, he gave the thirty Aberration Lost Souls an attack command, and threw out three control spells. The controlled Aberration Lost Souls became agitated, no longer standing still like fools. They bared their teeth, waved their limbs, and launched fierce attacks on the living Aberrations. The living and the dead, the two groups of Aberrations with different life characteristics, fought together, and both sides entangled in chaos, effectively blocking the narrow corridor. For a moment, the Aberrations pursuing Noland were thrown into chaos. Noland tightened his arms, wrists, and the backs of his hands, shooting continuously with both hands. Bang bang Bullets spun and flew out of the guns muzzle with sparks, not aiming for the enemies entangled by the Aberration Lost Souls, but targeting those who broke free and squeezed out of the human pile.. Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: 113. Throwing Money” Spell_2 Chapter 238: 113. Throwing Money Spell_2 Translator: 549690339 These aberrations that had managed to slip through the blockade had just left the sealed corridor when they were struck by the transparent lightning of the Fear Spell, causing them to instinctively open their mouths and roar loudly at Noland Lee. Before they could finish their roar, bullets lodged into their upper jaws, shattering their heads and taking their lives. Bang bang bang bang The gunfire persisted, and the aberrations fell to the ground one by one. Waves of echoes filled the corridor, interspersed with the angry roars of the aberrations. Finally, after three minutes, the last aberration fell. At the same time, the 30 lost souls that had blocked the corridor and held back the aberrations for Noland Lee also collapsed. They used their bodies to divert enemies for Noland Lee, letting only two or three aberrations through at a time. Thanks to them, Noland Lee had the confidence to calmly deal with a large nest of aberrations. After completing their mission, these 30 aberration undead stiffened and lay limp on the ground, becoming part of the dead aberrations. Noland Lee glanced at the crowded corridor, ensuring that there were no living creatures left, then clenched his fist, swung his arm, and celebrated his victory. Ohoho. Enslavement of Deceased is so useful! These aberration undead diverted the enemies hatred for me, saving me a lot of trouble. With them around, I, as the ADC, can output damage worry-free. Noland Lee glanced at his ammo inventory in his backpack. With the addition of the aberration undead, his shooting accuracy had significantly improved, and his ammunition consumption had decreased considerably. Along the way, he must have dealt with at least five nests of aberrations. He still had 200 bullets remaining, so his ammo supply was sufficient for now. As for soul strength gains. The aberrations occupying the food storage warehouse were mostly Level 2 aberrations, with a few Level 1, 3, and 4 aberrations. Level 3 aberrations had suckers in the palms of their hands, allowing them to cling to smooth walls and ceilings, and were larger in size than Level 2 aberrations. Level 4 aberrations had suckers on both their hands and feet, making them even more agile than Level 3 aberrations. It seemed that the higher the aberrations level, the more extra parts they had on their bodies. Each Level 3 aberration contributed 0.3 points of soul strength to Noland Lee, while each Level 4 aberration contributed 0.4 points of soul strength. After absorbing all the soul fragments from the corpses at the scene, Noland Lee checked the systems statistics and felt pleased. [System Message: ] [Soul Strength+20.2 points.] [Current Soul Strength: 62 points.] Not bad, not bad. Summoning 30 aberration undead cost me 3 points of soul strength and 30 energy points. Casting control spells 12 times cost 1.2 points of soul strength and 12 energy points. In total, I invested 4.2 points of soul strength and 42 energy points, and gained about 20 points of soul strength. This transaction was definitely profitable. Noland Lee looked at the corridor littered with corpses and filthy blood, and nodded slowly. Ultimately, his profits were mostly because of the terrain advantage. The corridor was less than two meters wide. The 30 aberration undead fully blocked the corridor, allowing Noland Lee to divert the enemies. If it had been an open area, he wouldnt have been able to handle it as easily. Elemental Judgement has control over elemental magic, so they should be able to change the terrain, in theory. I wonder if they have any paid teaching services. If I could learn a few terrain-changing spells, I could create favorable terrain for myself anytime, anywhere. As Noland Lee mulled it over, he suddenly slapped his forehead, realizing his own stupidity. He had only just remembered that the wizards of this world didnt have the habit of cross-domain communication. In Greenshaws memory, all wizard factions were very closed-off, and so were the branches within each faction. They refused to exchange magic between branches, and spying on the magical knowledge of other factions was considered an unforgivable sin. For Noland Lee to change the terrain, he would need to try a different approach. Maybe I could look for some alchemy items that can change the terrain. As long as there are narrow terrains and the undead, I can handle a hundred low-level aberrations by myself without any problem. Noland Lee abandoned his plan to learn elemental magic from the Elemental Judgement faction. He continued his walk, deep in thought, towards the food storage warehouse with the vertical shaft. On the map Kent provided, there were notes he had written himself. The primary content of those notes was what needed to be done when patrolling the Third Underground Level each time. In addition to ensuring that all entrances to the staircase connections were closed, Kent also had to carefully check the situation with the vertical shaft and close its sluice gate. This task was recorded on the map using bold text, and marked with an exclamation point, so it seemed to be the most important task. Since Kent wasnt there now, Noland Lee didnt mind helping him complete this task. Stepping over the sewage-streaked ground and scaling the small mountains of piled corpses, Noland Lee entered the vast food storage warehouse. He checked every corner, making sure there were no enemies, before heading to the dark entrance of the vertical shaft to peer down. The situation here seems pretty serious The semi-circular sluice gate of the vertical shaft entrance has been chiseled apart, and the door hinges are broken. No wonder there were so many aberrations in the food storage warehouse. These aberrations must have crawled up from the vertical shaft. Noland Lee leaned on the railing of the entrance to the vertical shaft and looked down. It was pitch black, and the bottom was invisible. This vertical shaft, which went straight down to the Seventieth Underground Level, swallowed his gaze like a giant abyss.. Chapter 239 - Chapter 239:113. Throwing Money” Spell_3 Chapter 239:113. Throwing Money Spell_3 Translator: 549690339 In the vertical shaft entrance, the two semi-circular metal gates were violently broken open, with the doors severely deformed. The two door panels hung in the shaft like dead leaves ready to fall from a branch, suspended by fragile hinges. It seemed that there was no way to close the metal gate sealing the shaft entrance. Iron Thorn Shield would need to send someone to install a new gate. Noland Lee made a note of this to report back to Iron Thorn Shield. Just as he was about to turn and leave, a sudden sound of gears turning startled him. Noland Lees body shivered as he turned to look at the shaft, his gaze falling on the cable used to pull the lifting platform. There were four vertical metal chains. The top of the chain was connected to the traction device in the ceiling, while the other end hung in the shaft, extending far below. Now, the traction device in the ceiling was struggling to move, and the rusty gears emitted a grating noise. The device was slowly pulling up the metal chains, hoisting something from below. The four chains were taut. It seemed that whatever was being hauled up was quite heavy. What the hell! Who activated the traction device? Ive been walking around in this food storage warehouse, and I havent seen the switch for the device Could it be controlled by a remote control, or is the switch on the seventieth underground level, not in this food storage warehouse? Noland Lee watched the bizarre scene in front of him, slightly dumbfounded. Looking around the food storage warehouse, it was indeed a perfect setting for a horror movie. Not only was there no illumination, but the floor was also covered with aberration secretions. Filthy and gloomy, it could easily serve as a location for works like Alien or Dead Space. Glancing at the four chains being pulled back, Noland Lee, despite his alarm, became a little curious. He approached the edge of the vertical shaft entrance and leaned out slightly, casting his gaze into the darkness below. Before entering the underground, he had drunk a Night Vision Potion. The potions dark vision effect was limited, but the range of Deconstruction was quite large. If there were no obstructions all the way down, Deconstruction could completely examine the bottom. Noland Lee, his face towards the darkness, cast out a series of Deconstruction techniques. At the same time as the system message came through, faint voices came through from the vertical shaft. A man lowered his voice and whispered harshly: Fucking hell, the noise from the traction device must have alerted the security personnel above! Why cant you find time to fix it?! Damn, if you want to fix it, you go and fix it! Why the hell are you bossing me around? Im not your father, why should I indulge you! The speakers voice gradually rose, clearly angered by being ordered about. Shut up! You two damned fools, choose the right time and place to argue. The third persons voice appeared, suppressing the oncoming dispute. After he finished speaking, he called out to the entrance above: Hey! Are you from the Iron Thorn Shield Security Corporation? We are maintenance workers from the Re-forged Association working on the seventieth underground level! We heard gunshots and came to check! Were not bad guys! Noland Lee heard the shout. He glanced at the system message with a cold smile emerging at the corner of his mouth. [System Message: ] [You are about to initiate Deconstruction on Living Alchemy Products.] [Based on your understanding of living alchemy and the level of related passive skills, the energy points required for this Deconstruction have been reduced to 110 points.] [System Message: ] [You are about to initiate Deconstruction on Unnamed Alchemist.] [Estimated to consume 6,000 energy points, reaching 100% completion.] Maintenance worker? Which maintenance worker requires 6,000 energy points for Deconstruction? Which maintenance worker has two living alchemy products with them? Those two living alchemy products were clearly Kents mentioned alchemy slaves. Transforming people into slaves was something that only illegal alchemists of Black City could do. And to say that, I am a maintenance worker of the Re-forged Association (sarcastically repeated) Who are they trying to fool! Noland Lee reached into his backpack, grasped two fragmentation hand grenades intended as a trump card, pulled the safety pin without hesitation, and threw them down. These two fragmentation hand grenades were impact-activated. Within 0.5 seconds of removing the safety pin, they would not explode upon impact. After 0.5 seconds but before 7 seconds, they would explode upon touching something. When the 7 seconds had passed, they would explode even if they hadnt touched anything. About 3 seconds after Noland Lee released them, the two hand grenades exploded with a bang. From this, it was not difficult to conclude: Those three guys were about eighty or ninety meters away from the shaft entrance. However, that was not important. What was important was the blast wave and the debris from the hand grenades, creating a deafening noise in the vertical shaft. Metal fragments from the hand grenades flew everywhere, hitting the walls of the shaft and producing a series of crisp sounds. The two alchemy slaves were torn to shreds by the fragments, becoming tattered corpses before they could even scream. [System Message: ] [You have eliminated Alchemy Slaves x2 with fragmentation hand grenades.] [Passive Deconstruction activated!]] [You have obtained the following Deconstruction results:] [1. 110 Energy Points.] [2. General panel information for Alchemy Slave:] [Name] Alchemy Slave [Type] Alchemy creation of living alchemy [Alchemy Recipe] (Too bloody, not suitable for display, so omitted) Chapter 240 - Chapter 240:113. Throwing Money” Spell_4 Chapter 240:113. Throwing Money Spell_4 Translator: 549690339 [3. Significant recent memories of these two Alchemy Slaves:] (Too gruesome to reveal, hence skipped) Noland Lee skimmed through the manufacturing method of the alchemical slaves, his scalp tingling with horror. The illegal alchemists of the Black City were treating humans like tools and beasts. They had installed numerous alchemical items onto the alchemical slaves, such as mechanical arms, tool bags, material packs, water containers, and so on, which was sheer madness. Its madness rivaled the zeal of the Tatis Empire in its development of biochemical soldiers. Noland Lee held his breath, closed the panel information of the Alchemy Slaves, and didnt bother to look at their recent memories. He tightened his grip on the firearm and began to retreat. No messages from the system had come regarding any damage inflicted on the alchemist of Black City, indicating that the fellow had been unscathed in the explosion just now. At this moment, there was no other sound in the vertical shaft, apart from the sound of debris sliding off the wall structure. It was obvious that the Black City Alchemist was feigning negligence, intending to lull the Iron Thorn Shield security personnel on the third underground level into thinking he was dead. Noland Lee was not hoodwinked by him, thanks to the System. That Black City Alchemist, having survived unhurt, must certainly be planning a treacherous counterattack. Noland Lee tread lightly, maintaining the magical line of sight of Tracking the Living, and keeping his eyes pinned on the Vertical Shaft Entrance. Strange, can the Black City Alchemist hold his breath that long? There isnt a single movement Noland Lee retreated all the way back to the corridor entrance without noticing anyone climbing up from the bottom of the vertical shaft. He did not let his guard down, his gaze still locked onto the Wellhead. Suddenly, the small shadows wriggling at the wellhead caught Noland Lees attention. As soon as those tiny shadows emerged from the Wellhead, they clung to the Mucus Carpet and swam towards Noland Lee like venomous snakes launching a rapid assault underwater. It was noteworthy that those small shadows did not appear to be alive. They did not have red outlines in the magical vision of Tracking the Living. Noland Lee grew even more cautious and fired a deconstruction technique at the tiny shadows. But before he could check the system messages, dozens of tiny shadows turned into black sharp arrows and shot towards him! Noland Lee rolled aside again and again, making consecutive dodges in the corridor, and quickly retreated several meters away. Click, click, click He couldnt dodge in time, and several tiny shadows hit him, shattering the Magic Shield covering his body. Eh?! You are not security personnel? Who are you? How come you know the skills of a wizard? A surprised voice echoed in the air. Noland Lee didnt bother to spare any words with him. Taking advantage of the moment the tiny shadows paused, he crouched, steadied his body, and fired several shots at the tiny shadows hovering in mid-air. Bang, bang, bang Whizz, whizz, whizz.. All the bullets that hit the tiny shadows turned into stray bullets darting around. Noland Lee raised an eyebrow at the sight. This Black City Alchemist had conjured up an object impervious to bullets! What exactly is it? And where is that Black City Alchemist? Noland Lee calmly replaced the emptied revolvers, maintaining a constant output of firepower while looking at the system messages in his mind. His expression was slightly surprised, and his face, concealed under the breathing mask, looked somewhat taken aback. These tiny shadows were indeed the Black City Alchemist. No, to be precise, they are the Blackbone Hermit! [System Message: You have caused slight damage to Blackbone Hermit Kodar.] [Passive Deconstruction Activated!] [Your degree of deconstruction of the target has increased from 0% to 0.08%] [You have obtained some partial panel information:] [Name]Kodar [Identity] An official member of the Blackbone Secret Society, i.e., the Blackbone Hermit [Strength] First Ring Alchemist [Features] Blackbone Physique: Kodar has modified himself using evil Living Alchemy. He has transformed his body into 10 black Alchemy Bone Fragments. Hes lost most of his physiological capabilities, but in turn, hes gained the extraordinary ability to disperse his body, allowing the 10 bone pieces to act separately. Immune to Pain, Bloodless Constitution: Kodars black bone physique, eliminates his pain and blood. He doesnt experience the effects of pain and bleeding. Immunity to Detection (partial): When Kodar separates himself into 10 bone pieces, he enters a bone piece state, becoming a non-living entity that entirely lacks vital signs. In this state, he can become immune to detection skills including heartbeat sensing, body temperature detection, odour tracking, Tracking the living, Tracking the evil, etc. Only when he leaves the bone piece state and returns to human form can these detection skills work on him. This is the result of passive deconstruction. Noland Lee immediately grasped the key point. The reason why his Tracking the Living couldnt see human outlines was related to Kodars bone piece state. When Kodar was split into 10 black bone pieces, his life signs disappeared. He was no longer a living being. Therefore, Tracking the Living didnt work on him. Indeed, it was a strange alchemy technique. Noland Lee, while pondering, fired the trigger, shooting down the black bone pieces attacking him. Kodar seemed to be probing his abilities, wanting to see if he had any other defense methods besides the Magic Shield. After several rounds of fight, they both consistently maintained the scenario of me shooting bone pieces and you shooting bone pieces at me without exposing more of their cards.. Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: 113. Throwing Money” Spell_5 Chapter 241: 113. Throwing Money Spell_5 Translator: 549690339 One minute later, Noland Lee discarded the gun that shot photon bullets from his hands, and reached for his waist, only to come up empty. Damn, Ive used up all 12 revolver bullets This Blackbone Hermit Coudal is really hard to deal with. As the gunfire stopped, Noland Lee immediately felt uneasy, quickly shifting aside to dodge the black bone pieces flying toward his face. Evil laughter echoed through the corridor: Hehehe! Little brat, if you have any tricks, use them quickly! Relying on your shield magic alone wont stop me! 10 black bone pieces gathered together, rapidly swirling around an axis to form a black whirlwind. The sharp bone pieces traced arcs in the air, like blades slicing through everything in their path. Noland Lees eyes narrowed, focusing on the thickest black bone piece in the center of the whirlwind, which he estimated to be the core of the 10 pieces. Noland Lee raised his finger, tapping the tip and firing off a burst of transparent lightning. Just as the transparent lightning was about to pierce the black whirlwind, another bone piece shot out, colliding with the lightning and blocking Noland Lees attack meant for the central bone piece. The transparent lightning disappeared into the bone piece, causing the black whirlwind to shudder. All the bone pieces came to a sudden stop, then resumed rotating around the center, their speed doubling. Hahaha! Did you just cast magic? I felt like I was being tickled! Is this what you wizards are capable of? The system notification informed Noland Lee that his Fear Spell had failed due to interference from some alchemy array. It seemed that these black bone pieces were not just bulletproof; they contained a complex and powerful alchemy array controlled by the Blackbone Hermit, one that could resist spells. Seeing this situation, Noland Lees heart remained calm, even becoming more composed. He stepped firmly on the filthy blood, retreating while using his Magic Shield to withstand the black whirlwind. As the black bone pieces passed by his body like razors, a series of snap sounds indicated the breaking of his shield. This fierce attack looked vicious, but it never managed to harm Noland Lee in the slightest. Coudal snorted dissatisfiedly and once again accelerated the black whirlwinds rotation. Whoooosh- Drafts of cold wind swept through the dimly lit corridor, lifting the filthy blood and mucus trom the ground and stirring up the polluted air. Rip! Noland Lees clothes were torn by the bone pieces, a gash revealing fresh red wounds on the skin beneath. This was the first time since the battle began that Coudal had injured an enemy. One, two, three More wounds appeared on Noland Lees body. Noland Lee remained silent, not even uttering a cry of pain, appearing completely pressured by his enemy. Coudal burst into triumphant laughter. Mwahahaha! Your shield magic is as fragile as Joyces! Do you not have any other means of attack besides firearms? Hurry up and use them! Otherwise die! Coudal believed he had figured out his enemys weakness. He willed the whirlwind to change. It transformed from its original form into a massive black crossbow bolt in midair. The black bolt hovered, gathering power for a deadly strike. A hint of amusement played across Noland Lees face within his breathing mask. What hed discovered through the wounds, using his Passive Deconstruction Results, was the opportunity to turn the tide of the battle. Passive Deconstruction Results showed: Coudal couldnt maintain his bone piece form for long, lasting no more than three minutes. If not, his psyche would be thrown into chaos due to excessive separation. Noland Lee didnt understand the principle. All he knew was that more than two minutes had passed since the battle began. Coudals transformation into the black crossbow bolt was his final blow before being forced to revert to human form. As long as he could endure those last 10+ seconds, Coudal would have to change back to his human form. Noland Lee lifted his hand and fired off several more bursts of transparent lightning. Cripple Spell x3! Three transparent lightning bolts were blocked once again by bone pieces flying out of the bolt. Noland Lee waved his arm, casting another three Cripple Spells. These three spells were also stopped by the bone pieces and had no effect. However, the crossbow bolts charging motion was repeatedly disrupted by the onslaught of magic lightning. Coudal cursed furiously: What kind of wizard are you?! Why do you have such fast casting speed?! Youre even more annoying than those damn Elemental Judgment whores! Before Noland Lee could fire off another bolt of transparent lightning, Coudal forcibly launched the black crossbow bolt. It transformed into a slender shadow and shot out! Noland Lee glanced at the Aberration corpse beneath his feet, quietly sighing he knew he had to use his trump card. Enslavement of Deceased activated! Rise, my lost souls! Five Aberration Undead quickly stood up, blocking the path of the crossbow bolt. The black bolt pierced through the bodies of all five undead, tearing them to shreds, but was exhausted in doing so! Ahhhh! Coudal angrily screamed in frustration. Bone pieces scattered, clattering as they landed on the ground. Within two seconds, the black bone pieces melted like water and reassembled into a terrifying, gloomy-looking old beaky man. He wore a black cloak adorned with numerous pouches, and behind him was a pitch-black leather pouch. Due to his gaunt figure, the black cloak looked like it was draped on a hanger, displaying sharp and prominent angles.. Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: 113. Throwing Money” Spell_6 Chapter 242: 113. Throwing Money Spell_6 Translator: 549690339 Bang bang bang bang Noland Lee didnt give the opponent a chance to speak, pulling out his gun and firing directly. He had already loaded the bullets into the four revolvers, waiting for Kodar to transform into a human form. The bullets were aimed at various critical points on Kodars body, one after the other. Noland thought that the opponents human form couldnt be bulletproof, but in the next second, his eyebrows frowned, and he exclaimed in frustration. The bullets hitting Kodars body produced a crisp sound of metal collision, all of them being deflected by his hard body. Kodar laughed coldly and hoarsely: Hehehe You didnt expect it, did you, Wizard? Your bullets are completely useless against me. When did the wizards start having someone like you who only uses guns? Oh, sorry, I forgot, you can also enslave the undead. Are you from the Death Herald Guild? Hiss, no, no I heard that people from the Death Herald Guild only use death energy. But from the beginning to the end, youve been using soul energy to cast Kodars tone was full of doubt. He couldnt figure out Nolands background. But that didnt stop him from attacking. He took off his black cloak, revealing his bare, dark upper body, which looked like a dry, skinny black skeleton. He spread his arms wide, facing forward, flipping his lips to reveal a small black bone flute hanging from his mouth. Toot A faint flute sound came out of the bone flute. Kodars black skin writhed as many round holes appeared on his body, and numerous alchemy beetles flew out from within him, attacking Noland, who was shooting. These alchemy beetles were not just simple rust insects, they included many modified hornets and poisonous insects. Moreover, each of them had the ability to spray venom, acid water, and sticky bullets from a distance. What was worse was that there was nothing in the corridor that could be used as cover. Noland cast Magic Shield five times in a row and summoned some aberration undead to act as shields, barely blocking the insects volleys. Seeing the bugs about to hit his face, Noland knew he had to use some of his trump cards, otherwise the battle would become more unfavorable. He brought up his Personal Panel, quickly scanning it, his eyes locked on the long-unused Death Spell UP Pool. System, consume 2000 energy points, Harmless Deconstruction of Martyraom ren commapaments-operal outline! QUICK! raster, system! [System Message: Deconstruction success.] [You need to consume an additional 900 energy points to raise the completion rate to 100%.] [You gained the following deconstruction results:] Death Notice Guild Wizard Students Guide, a total of 11 articles.] Lecturer Professor Decarts research notes on the Undead Cult, a total of 5 articles.] Lecturer Professor Decarts training instructions for the Death Notice, a total of 7 articles.] Damn it, System, dont give me this stuff, I need death-related spells! Dont force me to use Death Incarnate to deal with the enemy, Ill lose too much! You gained the incomplete Spell Blueprint: Evil Blast] You gained the incomplete] Wait a minute! Evil Blast! Nolands eyes lit up, his heart pounding furiously! This was it! He didnt bother to check the subsequent deconstruction results, and directly clicked on the newly acquired spell blueprint, spending 1 energy point to learn it. As a signature death-related spell, how could Evil Blast be absent from the Martyrs Ten Commandments C Outline? Noland Lee had always wanted to get this spell, and now his wish was fulfilled! He quickly read through the Magic Panel, investing 10 energy points to upgrade the Evil Blast to Level 2. He turned and sprinted, paying no attention to the Alchemy Beetle swarm chasing him from behind. Kodar laughed wildly, raising both arms and chasing after Noland Lee, releasing one swarm of beetles after another. The remains of the slain aberrations piled up in the corridor, forming a small hill. Noland Lee used both his hands and feet to climb over the hill and reached the other side. He ran more than 20 meters away, stopped, and turned his head to look at Kodar, who was standing on the hill with a mocking expression. You run, Wizard, keep running! You really disgrace wizards! Is this all youve got? Hehehe! My little babies will devour you bit by bit! Noland Lee raised his hand and gestured a middle finger toward Kodar, then flicked his finger, producing a crisp snap. Snap. Boom boom boom The pile of corpses under Kodars feet erupted, spewing airwaves and raging soul energy like a volcano. The swift wind carried a boundless wave of blood and limb fragments, violently surging forward and backward in the corridor. Just before the explosion, Noland Lee crouched down covering his head, lowering his center of gravity and crawling on the ground, but he was still pushed by the fierce wind and rolled several times. As for Kodar and his beetle swarm located at the epicenter of the explosion, there was no need to mention them C they were all torn to shreds! [System Message: ] [You consumed 20 points of Soul Strength and 200 Energy Points, detonating 10 Level 2 Aberration corpses.] [You eliminated Blackbone Hermit Kodar, Rust Insects, Venomous Hornets, Bell Beetles, Winged Centipedes, Hooked Bamboo Bugs, and Self-Destructive Armored Beetles.] System messages slid down in his mind like a stream of water. The blood mist caused by the Evil Blast slowly sank in the corridor. Noland Lee stood up and wiped the blood off the goggles of his breathing mask. Looking at the vanished Alchemy Beetle swarm and Blackbone Hermit, he took a deep breath. Evil Blast, awesome! Worthy of being a Necromancers signature spell! Worthy of being a novice Necromancers pioneering weapon! Noland Lee glanced at the system message, twitching his mouth slightly: Err theres just one downside. The spell blueprint of this technique is seriously incomplete, and the Soul Strength and Energy consumption is ten times the normal rate. The level of the corpse you want to detonate determines the level of your Evil Blast skill. Moreover, the upgrade effect of Evil Blast is not to reduce the casting consumption, but to increase the level of the exploding corpses. Overall, Evil Blast is a pretty good trump card for turning the tables in a battle. Noland Lee estimated the costs. Detonating a Level 1 corpse consumes 1 point of Soul Strength and 10 Energy Points, and the explosive power is similar to one Undead Cults Self-Destructing Skeleton. If he uses the Evil Blast to detonate a Level 2 corpse, the power is equivalent to two Self-Destructing Skeletons detonating simultaneously, and so on, which is quite frightening. The most economical and efficient detonation method is to lure a large group of enemies to the corpses and then activate Evil Blast. In this way, the huge cost of casting Evil Blast can be compensated through the spoils of war obtained by eliminating a large number of enemies.. Chapter 243 - Chapter 243:114. Legacy of the Black Bone Chapter 243:114. Legacy of the Black Bone Translator: 549690339 The blood fog settled, and the corridor was silent. Noland Lee raised his hand, selecting a few relatively intact aberration corpses to serve as his undead minions. As he directed the aberration undead to clean up the battlefield and collect the spoils of war, he checked the system messages from earlier. [You have eliminated Blackbone Hermit Kodar, Rust Insects, Venomous Hornets, Bell Beetles, Winged Centipedes, Hooked Bamboo Bugs, and Self-Destructive Armored Beetles.] [Passive Deconstruction activated!] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] First Order Black Bone Alchemist, as well as standardized panel information for various alchemy beetles.] Recent important memories of Blackbone Hermit Kodar.] A total of 6700 Energy Points. 6000 points for unlocking the standard panel of First Order Black Bone Alchemist; 700 points for unlocking the panel information of various alchemy beetles.] I have so much Energy Points now- I cant spend them, I just cant spend them Noland Lee was secretly delighted as he used his gloved hands to collect soul fragments from the indistinguishable remains in front of him. [System Message: Soul Absorption activated successfully!] L ruu nave cumecueu soul [Soul Strength +40 points.] [Current Soul Strength is 122 points.] Refreshing! Haha! Noland Lee chuckled quietly. The soul strength consumed by the Evil Explosion Technique had been fully recovered! The soul strength required for meditation was also sufficient! This pleasant surprise was beyond Noland Lees initial expectations. He originally thought he would have to enter the underground area once again to gather enough soul strength needed for meditation, never would he have thought that he had collected enough just now. Good, very good. Ill quickly collect the spoils of war from the site and then return to break through my Spirit to 20 points. Then, Ill be able to understand most of the basic alchemy-related materials. Noland Lee focused and directed his undead aberrations to clear the battlefield with full force. He instructed the aberration undead to separate the corpses from the spoils of war. All corpses were swept into the vertical shaft to destroy the evidence and traces of the death-related spells he had cast. As for the spoils of war, Noland Lee checked each one carefully to ensure there were no potential hazards before handling them. Isnt this Kodars black bone fragment? They actually remained intact after the explosion of the Evil Explosion Technique, how strange. Noland Lee picked up the black alchemy bone fragments with his gloved hands from the ground. He originally thought that when Kodar died, his black bone fragments would vanish into thin air. But now, the alchemy array on these black bone fragments had disappeared, yet the bone fragments themselves remained intact. Noland Lee realized that these black bone fragments were not as simple as he had initially thought. He pulled up Kodars panel information and carefully read through it once. All the truths were revealed. It turned out that these black and tough alchemy bone fragments were actually the unique Alchemy Stone materials used by Blackbone Hermits! The book Basic Alchemy Theory stated: When a learner enters the Spirit Soul Transposition Ceremony Array/Formation, draws out a portion of their own Spirit and Soul, and integrates them into the Essence and Soul Container provided by the Alchemy Cathedral, they can create an Alchemy Stone. From then on, modifying the Alchemy Stone would be equivalent to modifying ones own Spirit and Soul. In the Blackbone Secret Society, the Blackbone Hermits infused their Essence and Soul into black bone fragments to create their unique Alchemy Stone. These black bone fragments served as the Essence and Soul Containers for the Blackbone Hermits! The Alchemy Cathedral-provided Essence and Soul Containers have a smooth, cobblestone-like appearance and are indestructible. Though the Blackbone Secret Societys Essence and Soul Containers are dark bone fragments, they are also equally indestructible and made from rare materials. This resulted in the situation where Kodar had died, but his black bone fragments remained unharmed. Once Noland Lee understood the cause and effect, he suddenly had an idea. Since the Blackbone Secret Society could create their own alchemy stones, this meant that they had mastered a complete Spirit Soul Transposition Ceremony Array/Formation. This meant that the extraordinary ceremony of Spirit Soul Transposition was not exclusive to the Alchemy Cathedral, and others could replicate it as well. If he were to start a business in the future, providing specialized Spirit Transmutation services to others, wouldnt that mean hed make a fortune A gleam flickered in Noland Lees eyes, but he quickly hid this lucrative opportunity deep within his heart. Without sufficient strength, privately providing Spirit Transmutation services would undoubtedly provoke the Alchemy Cathedral. This would be a suicidal act. Just look at the situation of the Blackbone Secret Society. From Kodars memories, it was clear that these self-proclaimed hermits had a hostile and deeply-rooted resentment against the Alchemy Cathedral. Due to the Alchemy Cathedrals powerful strength, the Blackbone Hermits had no choice but to hide in the deepest part of the Fissure Corridor, using the alchemy devices to collect aberration feces as a bargaining chip to force the Alchemy Cathedral into a stalemate and not dare to launch a full-scale attack to cleanse the Black City. There were no memories in Kodars mind about who the higher-ups in the Blackbone Secret Society were. However, from his personal experiences, the Black City was a dark, resource-scarce, and chaotic place. There were many illegal forces like the Blackbone Secret Society in the city. Each of them had different interests, but they had one thing in common: they all had the same enemy C the Alchemy Cathedral. In order to better cope with the pressure from the Alchemy Cathedral, the illegal forces in the Black City had planned a dangerous and daring operation! Chapter 244 - Chapter 244:114. Legacy of the Black Bone_2 Chapter 244:114. Legacy of the Black Bone_2 Translator: 549690339 They were attempting to tame mutants, transforming these freakish monsters into their own pets! This plan was extremely dangerous, but the illegal forces of Dark City had already achieved some success. The aberrations that showed up in the Food Storage of the Third Underground Level were a prime example. Blackbone Hermit Kodar and his alchemy slaves were responsible for spreading the aberration disaster in the underground area of Sector 7. They manually transported aberration eggs, placing them on various underground levels, periodically patrolling and monitoring breeding data, like raising aberrations, and this Fissure Corridor was their pasture in their eyes. Noland Lee had caused quite a commotion when he was clearing the food warehouse before, alerting Kodar and causing the earlier battle. As for why Kodar was not hostile to aberrations, and how he transported the eggs of aberrations and other details, Noland Lee found the answer in his memory fragments and panel information. All these operations were achieved through Living Alchemy. Modified by Living Alchemy, Kodar and his alchemy slaves would release the same smell as the aberrations. When aberrations saw them, it was like seeing their own kind, and naturally, they would not regard them as attack targets. Regrettably, Noland didnt find any related alchemy information in Kodars memory. It was estimated that Kodars modification by Living Alchemy took place a long time ago, which didnt appear in the more important recent memory fragments. Noland didnt feel too much regret about this. Its just aberrations, hed kill one when he encountered one, without considering making friends with them. Noland chuckled, deftly tidying up the spoils of war in front of him. He opened his backpack, took out a clean cloth, wiped off the stains on the Black Bone Fragments and placed them in his backpack. All 10 black bone pieces were collected by him without exception. Elemental Judgement was looking for clues about the Blackbone Hermit, right? Noland decided to give a small portion of the Black Bone Fragments to Elemental Judgement and see how much remuneration they would offer. If the remuneration was generous enough and sincere, Noland wouldnt mind killing a few more Blackbone Hermits to help boost Elemental Judgements morale. After properly handling the Black Bone Fragments, next was the Insect Flute for controlling Alchemy Beetles. This small gadget had been blown into three sections by the Evil Blast. Noland pieced together the broken flute, barely gathering the real appearance of the Insect Flute. About the size of a little finger, it was a hollow bone with several holes on its surface. By blowing it like an accordion, airflow would be sent to the holes, and a unique melody for controlling alchemy beetles would be played. Evil Blast had killed many types of alchemy beetles, and Kodars memory also contained knowledge of playing the Insect Flute. There was too much related panel information and knowledge for Noland to look over at once, so he simply set them all aside to look through slowly back at the dormitory. Wrapping the broken flute in a towel and placing it in his backpack, Noland picked up a deformed metal box. This metal box was the size of a palm, painted all black with unknown material, and barely withstood the impact of the Evil Blast, causing it to become twisted. After confirming that there were no traps, Noland opened the metal box. A row of needle-thin injector syringes and a row of unknown-purpose elixirs appeared inside the box. Noland quickly searched through Kodars memory and nodded slowly, closing the metal box and putting it into his backpack. The hair-thin injector was an alchemy tool used exclusively for Living Alchemy. The accompanying elixirs included various psychotropic drugs, hormone potions, concentrated alchemy compounds, and so on. After losing most of their physiological functions, living alchemists regularly injected themselves to stabilize their physical condition and mental state, otherwise they could easily go insane. Noland wouldnt need these injectors and elixirs. He planned to keep a few as samples, and give the rest to Elemental Judgement to see if they wanted them. Standing up, he scanned around, his gaze and Deconstruction technique double-checking the nearby ground. I should have picked up everything by now Noland concentrated, checked once more, and snapped his fingers, commanding the Aberration Undead under his control to jump into the vertical shaft. The entire food warehouse and corridor suddenly became quiet and empty. All traces related to Enslavement of the Deceased and Evil Blast had been erased. Noland thought about it, turned around, went to the Vertical Shaft, and lifted the Gatling Shot Metal Chain. After a round of firepower output, the four metal chains suspending the lifting platform were shot through by bullets, and the lifting platform below entered free fall. Noland silently counted for more than ten seconds, hearing a faint collision sound coming from the distant underground. Clang Very well, the lifting platform has landed. It would take quite some effort for the illegal forces of Dark City to return to the Third Underground Level in a short period. Or, they could only take the vertical shafts from other sectors. Noland didnt linger any longer. He tightened the straps of his backpack, stepped on the ground covered in filthy blood and slime, and quickly ran towards the staircase leading to the ground level. Eh? Right, should I go look for Fars and Kents whereabouts? Noland slapped his forehead, slowed down his pace, and pondered in silence. Kodar and his two alchemy slaves came up from the 9th Underground Layer in Sector 7, They did not encounter Fars and Kent before boarding the lifting platform of the vertical shaft. This means that Fars and Kent did not run to Underground Layer 9. Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: 114. Legacy of the Black Bone_3 Chapter 245: 114. Legacy of the Black Bone_3 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee accessed Coudals memory fragment and examined it carefully. It was around midnight yesterday. Two unfamiliar Black City Alchemists came to the underground area managed by Coudal. The two parties communicated briefly. From the conversation, these two strange Black City Alchemists received a hiring task. The specific content of the task was to ambush Fars Scott and his Mechanical Spiders on the Third Underground Level. These two Black City Alchemists did not elaborate on who hired them, but from Farss experience, it should be competitors vying for alchemy task targets. They told Coudal that after they completed the task, they would leave through the vertical shaft on the Fourth Underground Level and return directly to the Black City. So Fars and Captain Kent probably did not catch up with these two Black City Alchemists. Captain Kent let his team members collect the scattered alchemy parts, which wasted some time, and Fars analyzed the situation after obtaining the alchemy parts, which also wasted some time. The possibility of them catching up with the Black City Alchemists was very small. With Captain Kent around, Fars should not be so irrational as to jump into the vertical shaft, right? Noland Lee blinked as he ran, thinking that the possibility of Captain Kent and Fars already returning to ground level was greater, so he shouldnt worry about them. To be honest. Farss willingness to take on challenging alchemy tasks is commendable and deserves praise. He took on competitive alchemy tasks so that his family could have a better life, which was not wrong. His dreams, starting point, and ideas were all fine. None of these were the real reasons for his setbacks. The real mistake he made was not having a clear definition of himself. His ambitions were high as the sky, but his fate was as thin as paper. He had great ambitions, but due to his humble origins, many things were beyond his control. Under the rule of the Alchemy Cathedral, the Alchemist ranks were strict. How could Fars hope to confront competitors with powerful alchemists supporting them on his own In a pessimistic way: If Fars cannot correct his mindset in time, he might fall into the confusion and foolishness of one moment and be deceived by the Black City Alchemists into siding with the Black City. This is undoubtedly a more tragic situation than failing an alchemy task. Hiss No, no. If Fars falls into the Black City, even though I have no responsibility, I still feel a little guilty Noland Lee stopped running, frowning in deep thought. Before crossing over, as an ordinary person with no background, no support, and no system, he also experienced the coldness and misfortune of the world and encountered heavy blows on his life journey. If it werent for meeting someone to help him at a critical moment, Noland Lee doubted he could have walked out of the gloom in a short time and might have been on the verge of self-destruction in extreme pessimistic emotions. From that time on, Noland Lee understood one truth: Adults collapses happen in an instant, and resolving this tragedy only requires a little bit of kindness and hope. Farss experience made Noland Lee feel sympathetic, as if he saw himself before crossing over. Both of them had humble beginnings, relied on their own strength to achieve results, and suffered from societys battering If Noland Lee could receive help from someone at a critical moment, why couldnt he be the benefactor to Fars? Passing on this helping hand at a critical moment spirit might reduce many tragedies. In more worldly terms, adding flowers to the brocade is not as good as sending charcoal in snowy weather. Given time, if Fars becomes a famous alchemist, he will surely not forget Noland Lees help. After all, Fars once said, I am a person who distinguishes between gratitude and grudges. Whoever helps me, I will help them. Noland Lee slowly nodded, coming back to his senses from his contemplation. Whether its investing in Farss future or compensating for his own psychological need to have been helped by someone in the past, he decided to lend Fars a hand. But not now. He was running low on ammunition, and his physical strength was somewhat exhausted, so it was better to return to the ground and rest. Perhaps Fars didnt need Noland Lees extra guidance and had already overcome his predicament with Captain Kents help Noland Lee steadied his mind and sped up his journey. The footsteps echoed in the silent corridor. As he left, the dim Third Underground Level fell into a deathly silence. Iron Thorn Shield Controls underground entrance. The metal gate on the floor slowly moved to both sides, revealing the underground tunnel below. Noland Lee walked out of the underground entrance with a body full of sewage, lifted the Breathing Mask, and turned his face covered with sunglasses and a face towel toward the security personnel nearby: Mate, have Fars and Captain Kent come back? The security guard was holding his arms and looked at this brave man who dared to stay alone underground. He nodded and said: The two of them are back. Both have been injured. Captain Kent is fine, able to walk, able to talk. Fars, however, had it rough, unconscious all the way, and had to be carried back by Captain Kent. Oh, thats good. Noland Lee let out a silent sigh of relief, the worst-case scenario in his imagination did not happen. He waved to the security personnel and walked towards the Warehouse Gate: Thanks, mate, see you. Hey, buddy, did you go and kill all the aberrations on the Third Underground Level? the security guard shouted at Noland Lees retreating figure. Noland Lee waved his hand to neither confirm nor deny before leaving the warehouse in silence.. Chapter 246 - Chapter 246: 114. Legacy of the Black Bone_4 Chapter 246: 114. Legacy of the Black Bone_4 Translator: 549690339 What a strange person The security personnel shrugged slightly, turned around and pressed the close button, shutting the sluice gate on the floor. Clang. The gate closed. Noland Lee walked out of the warehouse and stretched lazily in the afternoon sunlight. He took the stairs on the outside of the building directly to the fifth floor, entered the dormitory, put down his backpack, took clean clothes and went to take a shower. Half an hour later, Noland Lee put on clean clothes and packed the items to take to the Cat Society, and came to the company reception. Help me pass this map to Captain Kent By the way, did he leave any messages for me? As Noland asked, he handed over the map given to him by Kent. The receptionist took the map, tilted her head, and thought for half a second before saying: Huh? No. After Kent came back, he went straight to the medical office on the third floor with Fars Scott and hasnt come out yet. Later, if Kent asks about me, you can tell him that I went to the Cat Society in the next sector. Alright. In an alchemy society without mobile phones and pagers, the receptionist acts as a communicator. INUIc:tnu le?1L Like vvcuneu LUWCUU DecLU1 0. With his clean Identity Card, he could pass through the entire lower town of Union City. Sector 8 is controlled by the Life Essence Society C Cat Division. Its neighboring sectors 9 to 11 are respectively the sectors of the Dog Society, Plant Society, and Stone Mining Society. Order in Sector 8 is guarded by the Cat Society security personnel. Sector 9, belonging to the Dog Society, is the territory of the Ferocious Hound Gang. Sector 10 of the Plant Society is guarded by the Plant Society Security Company. Sector 11 of the Stone Mining Society is the territory of the Razor Gang. A security company, followed by a gang sect, then another security company, and another gang sect. This defense force layout seems bizarre to Noland, the traveler, but its quite normal in the eyes of the locals in the Golden Federation. Interestingly, gangs like the Ferocious Hound Gang and Razor Gang dont target other divisions within the Life Essence Society; instead, they attack security companies not affiliated with the Life Essence Society. This is like the Life Essence Society playing both good cop and bad cop, giving a sense of legitimately and lawfully using gang sects to compete with other alchemy factions for wealth and resources. Such a peculiar social construct not only exists in Union City but also in other cities of the Golden Federation, where intertwined forces of good and bad have emerged. It cannot be denied that the Three States theory advocated by the Alchemy Cathedral has a significant impact on the social construct Noland used his identity card to pass the Cat Society security personnels inspection and smoothly enter Sector 8. He followed the signs on the road and found the Alchemy Kitty Store opened by the Cat Society. It was a large store with a spacious five-story structure and an open first-floor grand hall. Various products filled the store, attracting customers of all ages, while meowing sounded from the display cases. All kinds of kittens in the display cases put on a show to attract customers, hoping to be taken home and raised. Nolands gaze swept over the cats in the window and then connected with a staff member, That staff member must have received instructions from Elemental Judgement. When she saw Noland, she hesitated for a moment, then came forward with a smile, leading Noland into a guest room on the third floor of the store. Sitting in the elegantly decorated guest room, after a short wait and while tasting dessert and tea, Noland met Mion Philia, a woman he had met once before. Philia was the female cat person who initially verified Nolands identity, and she was more polite than Sandra Betty Davis, the first female cat person. Noland had a good impression of Philia, and now he was pleasantly surprised by her human form. Philia wore a simple and neat beige strapless dress, and her fair arms and smooth shoulders were covered by a semi- transparent silk shawl. Her features were distinct, her eyes bright, her demeanor serene, her chest rising and falling slowly as she breathed evenly. Out of politeness, Noland put down his teacup, stood up, and said to her: Hello, Miss, its our second meeting. Greetings, Mr. Ray Lee, I am Mion Philia, an employee of the Alchemy Kitty Store. Of course, you know my true identity, so theres no need for us to introduce ourselves. Philia smiled politely and invited Noland to sit down. Noland quickly got over his appreciation of her beauty and didnt feel restrained by it. Just call me Ray. After sitting down, he cut straight to the chase, picked up the backpack at his feet, and put it on the tea table between them: You need clues about the Blackbone Hermit, right? I brought them here. Open and have a look. Okay, please wait a moment. Philia raised her hand to touch the pendant around her neck, grabbed a cluster of light from the glowing green jade, and placed it on the backpack. The light cluster merged into the backpack, and one by one, the contents were brought out and laid flat on the tabletop. Blackbone Hermits black bone piece, insect flute, injector storage box. Philia recognized the items in front of her at a glance, speaking somberly: Ray, can you disclose the specific location where you met the Blackbone Hermit? Of course, it was near the vertical shaft entrance of the third underground level in Sector 7. Noland described the general course of events but left out details of the specific combat actions. For example, he did not divulge how he blocked the alchemy beetles, or what methods he used to kill the Blackbone Hermit, skipping over such details.. Chapter 247 - Chapter 247:114. Legacy of the Black Bone Chapter 247:114. Legacy of the Black Bone Translator: 549690339 Not even the name Coudal was revealed by Noland Lee. Thats because there was no identity information of the Blackbone Hermit on the spoils of war he collected. Thats how it happened, Philia. I didnt initially connect the Black City alchemist with the Blackbone Hermit you mentioned. It wasnt until I saw him split into ten black bone pieces that I realized this was the Blackbone Hermit you were looking for. Noland picked up the teacup and moistened his throat with the warm tea. Philia pondered for a moment and asked: Are you willing to sell the seven black bone pieces you brought to us? The Alchemy Cathedral has issued an arrest warrant for the Blackbone Hermit. For each black bone piece handed over, the Alchemy Cathedral will reward 10,000 coins. If you sell them to us, we are willing to pay double the amount, that is, 20,000 coins for each black bone piece. Seven black bone pieces would amount to 140,000 coins. Including the 10,000 coin reward for providing the clue, you can get a total of 150,000 coins. What do you think? Its a good deal, and I see no need to refuse. Noland laughed, then, with a change of tone, asked in confusion: Philia, theres something I dont quite understand. The Blackbone Hermit should be a living alchemist, right? Why are you interested in them? And why are you willing to spend a lot of money to buy these black bone pieces at a higher price? Of course, if it involves secrets, you dont need to explain, I was being presumptuous. Philia slightly raised her shoulders and said with a light sigh: Actually, theres nothing that cant be said. I dont know if youve noticed, but these black bone pieces are not only hard in material, can withstand bullets but also have excellent elemental resistance. Noland had a thought and called up Coudals panel information for a look. He immediately understood the problem. [Coudals Feature] Sturdy Blackbone: Whether in bone piece form or human form, Coudal has no less than 80% elemental and kinetic resistance. He can be immune to most elemental states, such as burning, electrosensitivity, paralysis, poisoning, etc., and can deflect most projectiles. This feature appeared on the panel information only after Noland killed Coudal. Now that he thought about it, the fact that Noland could kill Coudal actually had some element of luck. Thats because the energy released by the Evil Blast was Death Energy, not the four elemental energies of water, wind, earth, and fire, nor the kinetic energy caused by bullets. Coudals Blackbone Body had no extra resistance bonus against Death Energy, so it was naturally wiped out by the Evil Blast. Indeed, it seems to be the case. Noland pretended to think and said: My regular methods couldnt hurt the Blackbone Hermit. In desperation, I used my trump card, and thats how I managed to take him down. Now that I think about it, youre right. The resistance of the black bone pieces is excellent. Yes, its this point that caught our attention. Philia nodded: We found that the bone pieces used by the Blackbone Hermit can effectively block flames and electric shocks, and have a good defense against toxins and wind blades. Legal alchemists mainly use fire, electricity, poison, and wind, these four types of attack methods. The black bone pieces can effectively counteract these methods. Our Elemental Judgement attacks are similar and are also restrained by the black bone pieces. So you want to study the black bone pieces in depth and find a solution, right? Yes. Philia blinked and added a few more sentences: If you have any other black bone pieces, we will also buy them at a price of 20,000 coins each. In addition, if youre willing, wed like to invite you to join us in hunting the Blackbone Hermit in the Fissure Corridor during Spray Powder Day and in the days to come. Well I do have a few more black bone pieces. However, I plan to keep them as research materials. Noland didnt give in just because of the beauty in front of him: As for cooperation, Ill visit you if I have time. Noland pointed at the insect flute and metal box on the table and said: Do you need these two items? Philia shook her head slightly in response: We wont be buying these two. Oh, then this transaction is over. Noland Lee clapped his hands, pushed the black bone pieces to Philia, and put the insect flute and metal box into his backpack. Philia squeezed a ball of light from the green jade pendant and placed it on the tabletop. The light of the ball dissipated, revealing a stack of coins. Noland used Deconstruction to sweep through them, looked at the item names displayed in the system messages, and instantly completed the task of counting the money. He smiled at Philia, didnt count the money in front of her, and put the coins directly into his backpack, showing complete trust. Philia stood up and escorted him to the shop entrance. Noland waved at her and merged into the crowd on the street. 150,000. Hisss. He suddenly got 150,000. Theoretically, after returning to Iron Thorn Shield, he could pay the 100,000 coins to erase the alchemy mark on his thumb, becoming a free man not bound by Iron Thorn Shield and the Alchemy Contract. But Noland Lee wasnt in a hurry to do so. First, he hadnt completely studied the alchemy mark on his thumb. Erasing the mark prematurely meant losing research materials. This was a losing deal, and Noland wouldnt do it. Secondly, he had an urgent need and a specific plan for the 150,000 he had just acquired.. Chapter 248 - Chapter 248: 114. Legacy of the Black Bone_6 Chapter 248: 114. Legacy of the Black Bone_6 Translator: 549690339 After returning to Sector 7, he first visited the Time Grinds People bookstore and bought the entire self-study material for the Independent Alchemist Exam from the bald old man. He has already stored all the books in his mind using Deconstruction, but he still had to make it look believable. If others were to find out he had only bought one book and passed the Independent Alchemist Exam, they would surely find it strange. In order to avoid drawing attention, Noland Lee spared no expense in purchasing the entire study guide, spending 30 ,ooo Aggregation Coins. Afterward, he left the small alley where the bookstore was located, passed by the gate of Money Dream, and entered the Alchemy Marketplace opened by the Golden Commerce Guild in this sector. Pushing through the bustling crowd, Noland Lee stopped in front of the Alchemy Club named One-to-One Exchange. This Alchemy Club was run by Golden Commerce Guild, providing comprehensive services for legal alchemy enthusiasts. They have everything from alchemy material, alchemy facilities, alchemy rooms, to test sites for alchemy items. All services and materials can be purchased with Aggregation Coins. Noland Lee went inside, opened a membership account with his Identity Card, deposited 100,000 Aggregation Coins as club fees, and rented a small Alchemy Room. Following the leading of a staff member down the corridor, Noland Lee arrived at the third floor of the club. Mr. Ray Lee, this is the Alchemy Room you have rented. The service staff unlocked the mechanical Password Lock on the door and introduced the layout of the Alchemy Room. Although small in size, it was fully equipped. The modern Golden Federation has bid farewell to the past coal stoves, stone crucibles, and manual mixers, replaced by constant temperature alchemy furnaces, full-metal floating crucibles, and mechanical arms that automatically stir the pulp. Even the lamps hanging from the ceiling have evolved from candlelight and coal lamps to stable and bright Glow tubes. As long as there is still money on Noland Lees membership card, he can use these modern alchemy facilities. In addition, the Alchemy Room also includes a small partition that provides modest accommodation and shower services for those immersed in alchemy research. From the first to the third underground floors of the club, there is a colossal alchemy material warehouse filled with diverse materials. Similarly, as long as he has the money, Noland Lee can freely use those materials. After the service staff left, Noland Lee threw his backpack onto the corner desk, looked around the room with his hands on his hips, and checked everything using Deconstruction. No formations or tools that should not exist were detected in the room. Noland Lee was quite pleased. It makes sense, if the Alchemy Club were to monitor the every move of its customers, it wouldnt be any different from stealing alchemy research outcomes. The Alchemy Room contains no monitoring devices or formations, which is completely normal. Starting from today, Ill officially begin exploring the mystery of alchemy. Whenever Im free, Ill be here. Now, which project should I start with? Should I attempt to draw an Alchemy Mark, or draw some simple alchemy formations, or perhaps modify my firearms with alchemy to increase ammo capacity and firepower As Noland Lee rubbed his hands and paced the room in thought, he suddenly clapped his hand on his head: Thats right, the backpack problem is what I should tackle first. Right now, I can only use a normal backpack to hold things. Not only is the capacity limited, but Im also constantly worried about the items in the bag being affected in a battle. To carry more goods and supplies, I should first transform my backpack using alchemy, thats the priority. Noland Lee conjured the alchemy books in his mind and rapidly flipped through: As I recall, in Basic Alchemy Array Theory, there are several alchemy formations for constructing Folding Space. When I first read this part of the book, I knew I would definitely need it let me find it, which page was the Folding Space alchemy formation on Noland Lee snapped his fingers: Oh- found it. The standard small capacity Folding Space requires 20 alchemy runes and more than a dozen types of alchemy materials. The Alchemy Formula is also in the book. As long as I follow the instructions, I can transform a normal backpack into an alchemy backpack with 0.5 cubic meter Folding Space. The only downside is that this kind of Folding Space can only last for about a week. I need to regularly use Alchemy Array to solidify the Folding Space wait a minute. Noland Lee thought of something, paused his thoughts, and began to search Coudals panel and memories. He had not had time to delve deeply into Coudals panel information before, just scanning through it hastily. But he vaguely remembered seeing a skill similar to Folding Space in Coudals Passive Skills. The Folding Space provided by that skill is very peculiar. It uses human blood as a carrier and opens up a very concealed storage space in the body. Coudal relies on this skill to store a large number of Alchemy Beetles and Insect Flute in his body. Noland Lee was deeply impressed by Coudals scenes of releasing alchemy beetles, and at this time couldnt help feeling very curious. He stood in place, slightly furrowed his brows, lost in his search. After about two minutes, his eyes lit up, and his expression showed a hint of excitement. I found it, the Blood Storage Alchemy Array under the Living Alchemy technique, an alchemy technique that opens storage space in the blood, storing living and non-living things. The storage space shaped by this alchemy array is far more sophisticated than the Folding Space shown in Basic Theory.. Chapter 249 - Chapter 249:114. Legacy of the Black Bone_7 Chapter 249:114. Legacy of the Black Bone_7 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee searched Couders memory for information related to the name Blood Storage Alchemy Array. Another two minutes went by. Noland let out a long breath, his face showing both excitement and regret. In front of him were two pieces of news. One good news, and one bad news. The good news was that the Blood Storage Alchemy Array needed regular maintenance to ensure the stability of the storage space in the body. Coudal had to maintain the internal storage space by using arrays and medicines almost every week. His memory contained a complete set of information for building the Blood Storage Alchemy Array. Runes, materials, formulas, everything was there. But the bad news was This Blood Storage Alchemy Array would damage the body. It would make people lose weight until they became skinny as a skeleton, with an emaciated complexion and weak constitution. In the language of gamification: The Blood Storage Alchemy Array would create storage space within the body while significantly reducing Tenacity, Vitality, and Charm attributes. To give up a handsome appearance, enchanting features, and well-proportioned body for a hidden storage space in the body Perhaps the Black City Alchemists could do it. But Noland Lee couldnt bring himself to do it. System, Harmlessly decompile Coudals memory of the Blood Storage Alchemy Array. As Noland whispered, the system responded. [You are about to initiate Harmless Deconstruction on the Blood Storage Alchemy Array.] [Based on your alchemy knowledge and skills, it is estimated to consume 2122 points of energy and reach 100% completion.] [The following deconstruction results will be obtained:] [An incomplete but harmless Alchemy Blueprint: Blood Storage Alchemy Array. ] [Following this blueprint, you will create a harmless Blood Haven in your body.] [The harmless Blood Haven has an initial capacity of 0.5 cubic meters.] [You can only store items without life characteristics, not living creatures, such as living Alchemy Beetles, cats, dogs, and mice.] [Also, the harmless Blood Haven will not cause negative effects to your panel attributes, but each time you store an item, it will consume at least 1 point of energy. The specific energy consumption is related to the volume of the stored item.] Noland smiled. Not bad. Harmless Deconstruction only requires more than 2000 points of energy, much lower than my budget. In that case, theres nothing to hesitate about System, I confirm to proceed with the Harmless Deconstruction! After a brief moment of dizziness, an alchemy blueprint appeared in Nolands mind. [Name]Harmless Blood Storage Alchemy Array [Type]Living Alchemy [Level]Level 1, cannot be upgraded with energy points As you gain more Living Alchemy knowledge, this panel will update accordingly, and you will obtain methods to upgrade this array/formation. [Alchemy Formula] Alchemy Rune: Alchemy Material: 5 liters of Plateau Lizard Blood, 3 sets of Prairie Stone Crabs Pincers, 300ml of Purple Leaf Grass Essence Juice after rain, 500g of White Stone Flowers Pure Powder Alchemy Formula: (Omitted some indescribable solid geometrical figures) [Array/Formation Effect] Create a harmless storage space for your body. The initial size is 0.5 cubic meters, limited to items without life characteristics. [Deficiency] The harmless storage space cannot store living creatures. Upgrading the array/formation cannot fix this defect, but only increase the storage space size. Yo-ho, time to start alchemy- Noland glanced at the results of the Harmless Deconstruction, emptied his backpack, slung it on his back, and turned to leave the Alchemy Room. There were alchemy materials provided in the Club House. However, to ensure that his alchemy purpose would not be spied on by others, Noland decided to take only a part of the materials from the Club House and purchase the rest from the Alchemy Market of the Other Sectors. In this way, it would take more effort for those with ulterior motives to find out what he had done in the Alchemy Room.. Chapter 250 - Chapter 250: 115. Knowledge Profits Immensely Chapter 250: 115. Knowledge Profits Immensely Translator: 549690339 At the same time when Noland Lee was running around collecting alchemy materials, Philia came to another building with a faint look of worry, knocking on one of the room doors. Knock, knock, knock Come in, Philia. A gracious female voice came from inside the room. Philia pushed the door open, seeing a woman reading a newspaper under the afternoon sunlight. If Noland Lee were here, he would recognize this woman instantly. This was the noblewoman who introduced the Sleeping Monument Master magic mark to Philia, her mentor. Even in the crowded, polluted Lower Town, this noblewomans appearance and demeanor still stood out. In her room, there were alchemy plants arranged to absorb noise and air pollution, which protected her from haze and workshop noises and maintained Teacher, Ray Lee just came by. I bought seven black bone pieces and one piece of information about the Blackbone Hermit from him Philia closed the door gently and recounted her previous transactions: Ray Lee declined my invitation to track the Blackbone Hermit together. Teacher, we must find another Death Clan Wizard to help us, or use our own researched death-type magic artifact in advance. Otherwise, we could hardly harm the Blackbone Hermit with our extraordinary techniques alone. Hmm, Philia, Ray Lees refusal to join us was within my expectations. The wizards under the Sleeping Monument Master are like that, focusing only on their tasks and avoiding external interference. The noblewoman put down her newspaper, pushed her glasses up with her fair fingers, and said gently: Heres what well do, Philia. Our self-developed death-type magic artifact is still a bit undercooked and could potentially harm the user accidentally, so lets invite other Death Clan Wizards to help us instead The noblewoman twirled her fingers in the air. A register flew out of a drawer and floated in mid-air. The pages of the register flipped slowly, and the noblewoman muttered: In the Lower Town of Union City, apart from Ray Lee, there should be seven other Death Clan Wizards. Two of them are observers placed here by the Death Herald Guild. Excluding them, there are five Death Clan Wizards left; only the Soul Shapers subordinates are relatively easy to get along with. A sheet of paper flew out of the register and floated into Philias hands. Philia read it silently: Hickman Arlington, a wandering wizard of the Soul Shaper, is researching the possibility of capturing the souls of aberrations and shaping them into aberration soul beasts Philia looked up, a hint of confusion in her eyes: Teacher, this wizard seems to be fond of playing with souls and is not a kind person Should we really cooperate with him? The noblewoman nodded slightly: Yes, Philia. This is our best choice. Hickman Arlington has only the strength of a first rank wizard, and both you and Sandra can easily control him. Although cooperating with him might be unpleasant, as long as you are careful and keep an eye on him, we can safely eliminate the Blackbone Hermit. The other wizards are stronger than you, so you cannot command them. Hickman Arlington is our only choice. Alright, teacher, Ill contact him right away. Philia put the sheet of paper into her pocket. The noblewoman said: Theres one more thing, Philia. Ive been thinking that relying on Death Clan Wizards to help us deal with the Blackbone Hermit is not a sustainable solution. Heres what well do. After you meet with Hickman Arlington, go and find Ray Lee again, invite him to visit our manor, and see whether he is willing to help us improve our death-type magic artifacts. Although Ray Lee may only have the strength of a first rank wizard, he is a wandering wizard of the Sleeping Monument Master and has no conflicts of interest with us. His suggestions for improvements should be fair and effective, and he wont have the intention to damage our magic artifacts on purpose. So, dont be stingy with money, Philia. As long as Ray Lees reward is not excessive, you can agree to it on the spot and pay him. As for the specific amount of the reward, you can calculate it yourself and have an idea in mind. Yes, teacher, I got it. Philia took her leave. With the door opening and closing, the room returned to its peaceful state. The noblewoman retrieved the register and picked up her newspaper again. One-to-One Exchange alchemy club. Inside a small alchemy room on the third floor. Noland Lee was leaning against a desk with his eyes closed and his eyebrows furrowed, as if experiencing some terrible memories. The wall clock on the wall made a ticking sound as the second hand jumped with each pause. As the dusk outside the window faded and night fell, a long sigh echoed in the room. Noland Lee came out of his meditation, his eyes bright and clear. [System Message: You have consumed 55 points of Soul Strength for meditation.] [Meditation successful!] [Spirit +1, now 20 points.] [Deconstruction results of Sages Particle Basic Encyclopedia, Basic Alchemy Practical Manual, Maintenance and Transformation of Alchemy Arrays are now unlocked.] [You can now read the above books without any barriers.] [Based on your current knowledge, you have unlocked a new skill: Alchemy Runes and Array Learning, Level 10, Knowledge Skills] [This skill is related to the drawing, modification, and maintenance of alchemy runes and arrays, representing your skill level in the field of hand-drawn alchemy runes and arrays].. Chapter 251 - Chapter 251: 115. Knowledge Profits Immensely_2 Chapter 251: 115. Knowledge Profits Immensely_2 Translator: 549690339 [You can now create alchemy runes and arrays with a maximum level of 10.] [Note that the actual effects of runes and arrays created and modified by yourself need to be tested in practice. The level of this skill only represents the highest theoretical level.] The skill is at level 10 as soon as its unlocked! This is much better than learning undead runes reluctantly. The systematic alchemy teaching mode here in the Golden Federation is just perfect for me! Noland Lee couldnt help but be overjoyed. He was willing to consume a large amount of soul strength to quickly improve his spirit, with the purpose of unlocking the Basic Alchemy Practical Manual. This is a very practical guidebook, covering all the details of drawing alchemy runes. With its help, Noland Lee can draw standardized and effective alchemy runes. Noland Lee opens the book in his mind, and countless written knowledge leaps onto the page, incredibly agile and vibrant. With just one glance, Noland Lee recalls all the content in the book. This is the benefit of having the Spirit up to standard. He takes a small piece of stone brick and dips the rune staff in the energy liquid, then draws a simple alchemy rune on the stone brick. There are various combinations of alchemy runes. The more functions the rune combinations have, the more runes they contain. The simplest rune combination is a single alchemy rune. Right now, Noland Lee is drawing the Fire Tongue Rune, Once the energy liquid that forms the rune dries, Noland Lee puts the stone brick in the center of the table. He holds the rune staff and puts the tip on the rune, sending a weak soul energy into the rune. Puff- A half-meter-high flame tongue sprouts from the rune, burning steadily on the stone brick while releasing light and warmth. Success! From now on, I can convert soul energy into elemental energy! Noland Lee grins and cheers, and the system message in his mind makes him even more delighted! [System Message: ] [You have consumed 1 point of energy, drawing a Fire Tongue Rune (Level 1).] [You have sent 1 point of soul strength to this rune.] [Under the effect of the rune, 1 point of soul strength is converted into 100 points of Fire Elemental Energy.] [You have activated Fire Tongue Rune (Level 1), successful in igniting its internal fire elemental energy. It will continue to burn until the fire elemental energy inside is exhausted.] [The estimated burn time is 100 seconds.] [Your Alchemy Runes and Array Learning has gained some skill experience.] Noland Lee counts 100 seconds silently, facing the wall clock. As time is up, the fire elemental energy inside the rune is used up, and the flame disappears. Noland Lee clenches his fist and swings it, feeling extremely excited. Whether in the field of alchemy or wizards, there is an undeniable truth: Using soul energy for casting spells is extremely wasteful! As a form of energy everyone possesses, soul energy is best not used directly as casting material, as doing so is very cost- inefficient. The Death Clan wizards of the Death Herald Guild generate a constant supply of death energy through their magic organs within their bodies. The higher the wizards ring level, the more magic organs they possess, and accordingly, the more death energy they generate every moment. Greenshaw, a two-ring Death Clan wizard, generates about 20 points of death energy per hour, with 200 points of death energy stored in his body which allows him to freely cast Death Pulse. Noland Lee initially thought that the energy consumption of Death Finger was too great. After absorbing Greenshaws memory, he realized it was only because he was using the wrong energy. If he could generate 20 points of death energy per hour, casting Death Finger would naturally be no problem. Similarly, using elemental energy to drive alchemy runes can also enjoy discounts in casting. Take this Fire Tongue Rune for example. With the help of alchemy runes, Noland Lee transformed soul energy into fire elemental energy at a 1:100 ratio and created a half-meter-high fire tongue that lasts for 100 seconds. The fire tongue itself can serve as an offensive method and also as the energy source for alchemy tools. Combining this rune with alchemy materials, one could easily make alchemy items like flamethrowers, fire rings, and flame fists. An alchemy flamethrower that continuously sprays fire for 100 seconds only requires 1 point of soul strength to provide energy, boasting great power and low soul strength consumption. Thinking of all the spells he had cast using soul energy, Noland Lee feels an intense sense of loss. If only he could get his hands on the magic organ used by Death Herald Gluld wizards and continuously generate death energy, he would not have wasted so much soul strength But theres no other way, I am a wild wizard who no one teaches, no one loves If I hadnt come to the Golden Federation and learned so much alchemy knowledge, I wouldnt have known about the alchemy runes that convert soul energy into elemental energy Noland Lee sighs slightly, wiping away the frustration in his heart. Regardless, from today on, he will no longer be the fool who unknowingly squanders soul energy. He clears off the tabletop and begins to set up the Blood Storage Alchemy Array. The alchemical materials required for the array have already been bought ready-made, or he has prepared them in advance. Now, he just needs to follow the operating instructions of the alchemy formula, draw alchemy runes on the alchemy materials, and then arrange them in a specific order to construct a complete array.. Chapter 252 - Chapter 252: 115. Excessive Profits from Knowledge_3 Chapter 252: 115. Excessive Profits from Knowledge_3 Translator: 549690339 He busied himself till eight oclock in the evening. Noland Lee wiped the beads of sweat on his forehead, took a brief rest, and extended his left arm towards the stereo array on the desk. The overall appearance of the Blood Storage Alchemy Array resembled the open mouth of a monster. Its upper and lower rows of teeth were made up of Prairie Stone Crabs pincers. The crimson tongue was fresh beef soaked in Plateau Lizards blood. All these items were carved with alchemy runes. If Noland Lee puts his left arm into the monsters mouth and onto the soft tongue, then injects soul energy, he can activate the array. He took a deep breath and used Deconstruction to examine the integrity of the array. After confirming that the array could perform normally, he mobilized Soul Energy from his left arm to the start runes on the tongue. A burst of crimson light lit up from the start runes and began to spread throughout the array like a flowing stream. Inside the Alchemy Room, a red light produced a spectacle, and the air seemed to be filled with droplets of blood. [System Message: ] [You have consumed 10 soul strength to activate the Blood Storage Alchemy Array.] [Under the action of the array, 10 points of soul strength have been converted into 1000 points of active energy.] [Array activation is successful.] [A fragmented but harmless Blood Haven is forming in your body.] [This process will take about half a minute.] Tick, tock the wall clocks second hand moved precisely. Noland Lee sweated profusely, feeling like a large hand was randomly Imeading his insides, tearing his blood vessels and bones apart. This tumultuous torment lasted exactly 30 seconds. As the time arrived, the glow on the array quickly faded away. The alchemical materials auicklv turned to sand. They lost all essence, turned into countless grains of sand like shattered clay sculptures, and fell from the tabletop. Amid the rustling sound of falling sand, Noland Lee gasped for air and looked at his left hand. On the back of his left hand, a crimson array pattern appeared, which was the anchor point of the Blood Haven. As long as this array pattern is intact, he can use the Blood Haven in his body normally. [System Message: ] [You have successfully opened a Blood Haven, with a space size of 0.5 cubic meters.] [You have unlocked a new skill:] [Living Alchemy, Level 1, a knowledge skill.] [The level of the Living Alchemy products you produce will not exceed this skill level.] [Knowledge skills can gain experience by acquiring knowledge and hands-on practice.] Noland Lee lifted his right hand, placed it on the back of his left hand, and closed his eyes. A crimson ocean appeared before his eyes, where blood water was churning all around, and a small piece of land was in the center of the scene. This piece of land located in the blood sea was his Blood Haven. Noland Lee grabbed the Rune Staff from the table, experimented for a while, and quickly figured out how to store and retrieve./p> He just needed to hold the item he wanted to store, bring it close to the back of his left hand, and silently say store to consume Energy Points and put the item into the Blood Haven. The operation was nearly the same for retrieving the item. Put his right hand on the back of his left hand, mentally lock onto the item in the Blood Haven, and then he could take it freely. Storing items costs energy points, but retrieving items is free, which seemed quite cost-effective. Noland Lee stored the life elixir he carried in the Blood Haven. He picked up a stone brick from the table, aimed at the sand and gravel on the ground, and activated the runes. A whirlwind engulfed the sand and gravel, lifting them off the ground and pouring them into the folding space inside the stone brick. With the help of alchemy, tedious work that used to take a lot of time, like manually sweeping the ground, was completed with ease. One must admit that the effect of these Rubble Collection Runes was much better than a vacuum cleaner. Noland Lee tidied up the Alchemy Room, put on his backpack, and left. Its probably 8 PM now. After I get back, I will practice the Soul Casting Technique in the dormitory. If there are no tasks tomorrow, I will go ask Iron Thorn Shield to buy a batch of military supplies to store in the Blood Haven. Things like Fragmentation Hand Grenades, Full Power Pistol Bullets, I will take several boxes of each. I refuse to believe that, with so much ammunition at my disposal, I will still run short of bullets Noland Lee was in a good mood; he walked toward the Iron Thorn Shield building while planning for the Blood Haven. Hm, you are finally here. At the entrance of Money and Good Dreams, a sweet voice attracted Noland Lee from his thoughts. When he looked up, the beautiful supervisor of Money and Good Dreams, Cindy, was standing at the door in her figure-hugging velvet long skirt, putting away on a cigarette. The alternating changing light sent out by the neon tube of the entrance penetrated the fluttering smoke and landed on her skin and gem pendant, as if illuminating a charming and spirited sculpture. Good evening, Cindy. Noland Lee nodded at her, his handsome face obscured by sunglasses and face towel, and he stopped to chat with her: How is Kent doing? Hes okay, right? Hes made of sturdy stuff, theres nothing to worry about. Cindy crossed her arms, propping up her breasts, leaned against the door frame, and took a leisurely puff from the thin smoke between her fingers, she released a fragrant cloud as she spoke: Come with me, Noland, lets go inside to talk. A young girl asked me to give you a letter. Cindy led Noland into the building and into the visitors room next to the Grand Hall. She gave a gentle wave on her pendant and drew a shining sphere that transformed into an invitation: Here it is. Its an invitation from the Cat Society of the Life Essence Society, inviting you to their manor. Hmm- are you planning to jump ship? I knew this small place couldnt keep someone important like you. Chapter 253 - Chapter 253: 115. Knowledge Windfall Chapter 253: 115. Knowledge Windfall Translator: 549690339 Cindys words had a hidden meaning. Noland Lee remained unmoved, pretending not to hear them. He took the invitation and glanced over it briefly. The invitation was issued by Philia, who agreed to meet at Cat Society Manor in Sector 8 before the arrival of the Spray Powder Day. From the address, the manor was located in the core area of Sector 8, near the Great Rift. The invitation did not mention any other content, and Noland subconsciously felt that this should not be just a simple visit to the manor. It might be true as Cindy guessed, that the Cat Society wants Noland to switch to their side. Of course, the switching here refers to an overt change in identity, from a security personnel of the Iron Thorn Shield to a staff member of the Cat Society. Not from a Wandering Wizard of the Sleeping Monument Master to a Wizard of Elemental Judgement. Noland gave it some thought, accepted the invitation, and decided to go take a look and broaden his horizons. Noland waved the invitation in his hand: Thank you, Cindy. If theres nothing else, Ill go first. There is actually something Id like to discuss with you. Cindy smiled and said: Have you ever thought about moving to a different place? The president and I have talked about finding you a spacious and comfortable house nearby. Ive already picked one out. As long as you agree, you can move in anytime. Without waiting for Nolands response, Cindy furrowed her brow, looking troubled: Honestly, weve hosted quite a few wandering wizards before. But youre different from them. Youre more reserved and simple, living like an ascetic, yet not feeling any hardship. Others, once they arrive here, blatantly reveal their identity and demand us to do this and that. Its my first time encountering such a low-profile guest like you, so I always feel like Im not doing enough It seems that my thorough cleaning of the third underground level has been discovered by the Iron Thorn Shield. The invitation from Elemental Judgement also confirms my identity as a wandering wizard. Noland nodded to himself. He knew that he needed to make some changes to match the conclusions others had drawn from observing him, or else it would backfire. Looks like my low-profile style has troubled you a lot, Cindy. Noland shook his head slightly and said: Its due to my personality and the education Ive received However, youre right, I should make some adjustments. If you dont mind, after I return to the dormitory, Ill pack my things and move into the house youve chosen. Ive been waiting for you to say that. Cindys face brightened up like a clear sky after rain, and she handed over a key ring: These are the keys to the house. The address is written on the attached tag. If you need any housekeeping services, just let me know. There will be someone to serve you daily meals and take care of your daily needs. If you find them to be a nuisance, you can dismiss them. Noland took the key ring and weighed it in his hand: Youve made very thoughtful arrangements Ill be staying in Sector 7 for a while. If you need my help during that time, feel free to reach out. Of course, remuneration will be discussed separately. No problem, Cindy said, relieved, as if she had just completed an important task. She pulled an alchemy contract out of her pendant again, which was related to the identity card. Cindy stuffed the contract into Nolands hand and seemed to complain: And this contract, Ill give it to you as well Seriously, you should stop borrowing Empire peoples identities in the future; it can cause a lot of misunderstandings. Alright, I got it. Noland accepted the contract, his expression unchanged. Ha. If I could have found the mark of the Sleeping Monument Master in Greenshaws memory earlier, I would have certainly posed as a wandering wizard. But I couldnt find it, so I had to disguise myself as an escaped death experiment subject. However, this isnt necessarily a bad thing. Having one more layer of disguise adds more security. Noland put away the alchemy contract book and the key ring but didnt hurry away. Instead, he asked while standing there: Cindy, you mentioned that youve dealt with many people similar to me? Are they still in Sector 7? Cindy shook her head, her hair swinging like a waterfall: Theyve all left. I can confirm that there are no other guests in the sector beneath our feet, except for you. As for other sectors, hmm, there are quite a few guests like you. They received invitations from the Alchemist Association and stay there permanently. Our Golden Commerce Guild is in the business of trade, with no interest in battles and with no desire to research extraordinary items, so those guests only stay temporarily with us before switching to other alchemist factions. Oh, I see. No wonder you thought I would switch to the Cat Society earlier. Noland seemed to understand and nodded. Cindy was right. Wandering wizards arent interested in doing business, as they all carry specific experience tasks. No matter which factions wandering wizard, once they arrive in Union City, they quickly integrate with the relevant Alchemist Association. After all, they arrive carrying the experience tasks given by their respective professors, so they cant waste time at the Golden Commerce Guild. Its essential to join the Alchemist Association as soon as possible, engage in deep exchanges, and complete experience tasks. As a group of businessmen, the Golden Commerce Guild values the principle of being inclusive and open to all; they dont reject anyone. Wizards from any faction can enjoy equal treatment here without worrying about being discriminated against.. Chapter 254 - Chapter 254: 115. Knowledge Windfall—5 Chapter 254: 115. Knowledge Windfall5 Translator: 549690339 In other Sectors it was different. For example, Sector 8, controlled by the Meow Meow People, was clearly aligned with the law-abiding and good-hearted side. They definitely wouldnt welcome the permanent presence of wizards from villainous factions. Other Sectors also had their own stance and would explicitly oppose the appearance of wizards from certain factions. Wandering wizards who had just arrived would stay in Sector 7 under the Golden Commerce Guild for a while, and as soon as they connected with the corresponding Alchemy Society, they would leave immediately In this way, Sector 7 of the Golden Commerce Guild often became a stepping stone for wandering wizards Noland Lee Jarvis didnt know about this unspoken rule before, only now understanding the procedure for wandering wizards visiting the local area. It was quite the coincidence. After arriving here, the first force he encountered was a subsidiary of the Golden Commerce Guild, which saved him from a lot of unnecessary friction and disputes. Had he stepped into a sector that didnt welcome wizards from the Death Series, he would have been in real trouble. Upon closer consideration, Noland found the philosophy and position of the Golden Commerce Guild quite to his taste. His Deconstruction technique didnt limit the wizard factions or alchemy factions he targeted. He was able to deconstruct anything, making it highly versatile. Placing him within a single wizard faction would inevitably limit the diversity of his deconstruction results. Only a colorful social platform like the Golden Commerce Guild could satisfy his deconstruction needs. Upon deeper reflection, it wasnt difficult to realize If one day, Noland had to choose his faction affiliation An absolute neutral wizard faction would be his first choice. Only in that way could he encounter the broadest variety of people and objects, and have diverse deconstruction results. This coincided with Nolands grand plan to peddle knowledge in the future. If he didnt possess enough diverse knowledge himself, how could he live up to the role of a knowledge broker? As he pondered deeper, more ideas and thoughts emerged from the depths of his mind. Noland took a light breath. Waving goodbye to Cindy, his mind was filled with internet platform-related words like platform, catch, channel, flow, as well as broker, commission, confidentiality, and more. A vague and massive plan was quietly taking root in the depths of his heart. On the afternoon of the second day. Sector 7, First Avenue 101. This was a standalone building with a garden and pool. Inside the wardrobe in the master bedroom on the second floor. Noland Lee Jarvis was standing in front of a floor mirror, getting dressed. While Cindy was arranging his accommodation, she also sent a talented lady-housekeeper. Noland Lee Jarvis asked her to go to the marketplace and, within a mornings time, brought him the clothes he needed. The shirt was a white Empire cashmere dress shirt in the style and design of the Tatis Empire. It was quite formal, perfect for visiting the Cat Society Manor. The material of this dress shirt was very soft, easily wrinkling with a pinch. So, you had to keep your back straight while wearing it. Otherwise, it would look cheap and ruin your image. The pants were herringbone pinstriped dress pants in dark blue, giving them a textured, granular feel while maintaining a solemn appearance due to their dark color. After putting on the shirt and fastening the collar and cuffs, Noland took out a dark red patterned necktie, nylon suspenders, silver tie clip, and a dark blue herringbone formal jacket. Wearing these clothes and accessories one by one, an image of Noland that was long absent appeared in the mirror. Its so nostalgic Standing in front of the mirror, Noland gazed at his reflection with a misty look in his eyes. He removed the face towel and sunglasses from his face, activated Disguise as a Living Corpse, and changed his facial contours while his flesh writhed. Half a minute later, Noland saw his pre-crossing appearance in the mirror. It was a handsome man in a suit who worked daily between an office building and home. He never thought he would see this appearance again in this world. The only regret was his eye color. Before crossing, his eyes were black, and now, even with the help of Disguise as a Living Corpse, they remained the icy blue of Noland Lee Jarvis. Noland picked up the brown sunglasses on the table and put them on to cover his Empire-colored eyes. He lifted his hands and gently rubbed his face, pinching into existence another visage. Since he was going to formally visit the Manor, wearing a face towel would undoubtedly be impolite. A presentable face was essential. After some preparation, a face with prominent brow bones and deep eye sockets characteristic of a local from the Federation appeared on Nolands face. He opened the door and left the standalone building walking on the spotless stone, passing through the front courtyard garden, and got on the waiting steam locomotive outside the fence. Cindy had informed him that he was going to the Cat Society Manor, and in advance, had sent a special car from the Golden Commerce Guild. Noland ignored the Commerce Guild emblem outside the carriage, got into the car, and followed the steam locomotive through the streets to enter Sector 8. The Cat Society Manor occupied a vast area, located in the citys core area close to the Great Rift. Behind the metal fence gate was a long garden passageway shaded by trees, with delightful animals and fountain sculptures spraying water on the lawns on both sides. After the exclusive car of the Golden Commerce Guild entered the Manor Gate, it continued driving deep into the Manor and ultimately stopped in front of a castle-like building. Noland got out of the car, his gaze moving upwards along the steps in front of him. At the castles entrance, ten meters above the ground level, he saw Philia wearing an off-the-shoulder long dress and a shawl.. Chapter 255 - Chapter 255: 115. Knowledge Windfall_6 Chapter 255: 115. Knowledge Windfall_6 Translator: 549690339 Philia didnt expect Noland Lee to remove the face towel. With a look of surprise and admiration, she took a step down and came to Noland, extending her right hand to greet him gently. Welcome, Ray Lee. We are delighted that you accepted our invitation. The distance between the two narrowed, and Philia noticed from Nolands facial expression that he had made modifications to his appearance. Philia didnt find it inappropriate, as covering ones face is common among wandering wizards. She maintained her composure with a smile and led Noland up the stepstone. The two walked into the spacious castle hall, strolling on the mirror-like marble ground tiles and passing through several exhibition rooms displaying Alchemy work of the Cat Society. Our Elemental Judgment headquarters is located in the Ulnas Circle. The wizards base here in Union City is one of the three First Level Magic Research Institutes affiliated with the Elemental Judgment, as well as the location of the Academy for Elemental Judgment Wizard Students. Philia explained while walking. After introducing Elemental Judgment, she shifted the topic toward the Life Essence Society. The Life Essence Society focuses on optimizing life forms. They use Alchemy to extend the lifespan of living beings, remove diseases, hidden ailments, and defects, striving to elevate each life form to a state of perfection. The Cat Society is a legitimate extraordinary force that specializes in optimizing cat-like life forms. Ordinary house cats and wild cats are studied by common pet research institutes. Magic cats are the main subjects of the Cat Society. The Cat Society domesticates Magic Cats, monitors their extraordinary traits, understands their habits, explores the functions of their magical organs, and investigates their evolutionary pathways. All these efforts serve the Alchemy materials related to Magic Cats. These Alchemy materials require the usage of parts from the Magic Cats bodies. The higher the life level of the Magic Cat, the better the quality of Alchemy materials it can contribute. As for the yield of Alchemy materials, it depends on how to breed Magic Cats on a large scale. Overall, after taking a tour, Noland Lee had a definitive assessment of the Cat Society. It is an Alchemist Faction specializing in breeding and improving Magic Cats, with Elemental Judgment as its financier. There are many types of Magic Cats. Their extraordinary abilities involve the four basic elements: wind, fire, water, and earth. Other magic beasts extraordinary abilities are not as comprehensive as Magic Cats, only involving one to three of the four basic elements. Probably because Magic Cats can master magic from all four elemental series, Elemental Judgment chose the Cat Society as its legitimate identity. Elemental Judgment so openly revealed its background to pave the way for the upcoming exchange. As Noland sat down in the small guest room, he looked at Philia across the table and patiently waited for her to get to the main point. Philia gradually shifted the topic to the Blackbone Hermit. Our initial conflict with the Blackbone Hermit began half a year ago, Philia said slowly. In Underground Layer 11 to 15 of Sector 8, there is a large Demon Rat Nest. In the past, we sent people to hunt Demon Rats every month, taking the demon meat materials for making cat food. Everything went smoothly until half a year ago when the illegal forces of the Black City discovered it, and the Blackbone Secret Society occupied the Demon Rat Nest. The conflict between us and the Blackbone Hermit ensued. So youve always wanted to drive away the Blackbone Hermit occupying the Demon Rat Nest, right? Yes. Philia nodded and her pretty face darkened: But as you know, elemental magic cant do much to Blackbone Hermits. Weve been seeking help from wizards of other factionshowever, dont get me wrong, Ray Lee, my invitation isnt to force you to join the fight against the Blackbone Hermit. I actually wanted to ask for your help in debugging Death-type Magic Artifacts. Debugging magical items? Noland was taken aback by this answer, caught off guard. He thought they had invited him to strategize. Weve created a magical item ourselves that can release a Death Pulse. Its essentially functional, but it sometimes has weird glitches. Philia stood up, took a metal box from the cupboard in the guest room, and placed it on the tabletop between them, opening it. A threaded magic wand was revealed to Noland. This wand was thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom, with a round ball-shaped black gem at the front end and a sharp point at the tail end, resembling a bee sting. It was about 1.2 meters long, weighing approximately 6 kilograms C a wand that could be used with one or both hands. The sunlight outside the room shone on it, reflecting a bright glow. Noland took a closer look; the wand was not made of metal but a smooth-surfaced tree root. The black gem embedded at the front end was secured by the tangle of root hairs. Nolands gaze moved along the surface of the wand, deeply observing every detail. A series of deconstruction techniques followed his gaze, landing on various parts of the wand. Noland spent some energy points to perform a simple deconstruction of the wand in front of him. He reviewed the deconstruction result in his mind and slowly said: Philia, let me guess, does this wand occasionally leak death energy? Philias eyes brightened, her voice filled with hope: Thats right. You truly are a Death Series Wizard, immediately identifying the problem. So do you know how to fix this issue? If you need a reward, just name your price.. Chapter 256 - Chapter 256:115. Knowledge Windfall_7 Chapter 256:115. Knowledge Windfall_7 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee pretended to deeply examine the front and rear ends of the magic wand. Hmm hmm hmm hmm He hummed as he pondered, then he looked up and said: I know where the problem is, Philia, and I also know how to fix it. Its just that the price might be a bit high Philia blinked, How much would it cost? Noland Lee faced the magic wand, his face showing a trace of thought. Philia emphasized her tone, looking forward to saying: Dont worry, Ray Lee. We wont treat you unfairly. We are willing to pay a high price for you to repair this magic wand. I know this will involve knowledge of death-type magic, rest assured, we wont steal this knowledge. High Price Repairing Magic Wand Noland Lees heart trembled slightly. He didnt expect to play the role of a wand maker so soon. Whats more, he didnt expect that the wand knowledge deconstructed from the Bone-mending Wand would be useful so quickly. Ahem. Noland Lee coughed lightly with a clenched fist, covering up his inner turmoil. I can help you, Philia. But first, you have to promise me two things. Alright- go ahead. First, you cannot reveal that I helped you. You know the reason. It might affect the reputation of me and my teacher. Ah- Thank you for the discrimination and gap between wizard factions- Each wizard faction regards its own knowledge as a treasure and will never expose it to wizards of other factions. The huge information gap and profit created from this make Noland Lee fall head over heels! Make him go crazy! Alright, no problem, thats what we should do. Philia nodded repeatedly: Whats the second thing? The second thing. Noland Lee paused: I can guarantee to fix the problem with the magic wand for you, but during the process, you must not interfere with my work, otherwise, it will be in vain. This is very important. Moreover, the process of repairing the magic wand might be a bit crude. I will provide you with a closed, private space. Philia frowned slightly and asked in thought: What do you mean by crude? Is it related to repairing the magic wand? Yes, Philia. Let me be frank, I will appear violent, crude, and a little bloody. Only then can the problem with this wand be fixed. Noland Lee said calmly. Can you reveal some specific details? Philia tilted her head slightly and asked. I can. The problem with this wand lies in its wand core, Philia. This is a Threaded Magic Wand, which pursues power. The power of a death-type Threaded Magic Wand lies in obsession. This obsession can be hatred, stubbornness, madness or other negative emotions. You were too peaceful when you made this magic wand. So you want to Philia looked at the magic wand and said. Noland Lee responded solemnly: I need to disassemble this magic wand first, then process its wand core using a more aggressive method. This involves some violent steps, and you also need to provide a living Magic Cat. The more powerful the Magic Cat, the better, preferably the kind you guys hate. That way, when I kill it, you wont have too many complaints about me. Philia pondered for a moment, then nodded heavily: Alright, I understand. Ill go talk to my mentor first. If she thinks its okay, Ill set up the venue and prepare the materials. Please wait here for a while. Okay. Noland Lee watched Philia leave. Oh yeah- Haha! This is the correct way to use Deconstruction, right! Earn the profit of the information gap! Noland Lee clenched his fist, shouting in his heart while keeping his exterior calm. He picked up the teacup with his trembling fingers and sipped from the shaking tea water. As long as Philias mentor agrees, he will be able to get a huge amount of Energy Points through Passive Deconstruction from the magic wand and Magic Cat later. At the same time, he would also receive a generous reward from Philia. This money made from the information gap is too easy to earn. Is this what it feels like to use the information gap and enjoy huge profits? Love it, love it! Its just an improvement to the magic wand, right? No problem. Its good that the wand knowledge deconstructed from the Bone-mending Wand has no place to use.. Chapter 257 - Chapter 257: 116. Interrupt abruptly Chapter 257: 116. Interrupt abruptly Translator: 549690339 Let me see how to nurture a wand with love Noland Lee sat at the table, and in his mind, he accessed books related to wands. The Use, Crafting, and Improvement of Death Wands How to Nurture a Wand with Love Processing and Synthesis of Wand Cores When he first got these three books, Noland was consumed by them, thinking he was going to be forced to become a magic craftsman. Now, on a second look, they seem incredibly appealing. Noland casts Deconstruction Technique on these three books, with a requirement of having 13 Spirit points or more. With 20 Spirit points, Noland is already overqualified. He directly consumes 20 Energy Points to digest them. The completion of the first two books is 100%. The completion of Processing and Synthesis of Wand Cores is only 50%. At that time, when Noland couldnt deconstruct the spell he wanted from the bone-mending wand, he immediately gave up. Now thinking back, he is a bit regretful If the completion of Processing and Synthesis of Wand Cores could reach 100%, it would undoubtedly provide great help in the work to come. However, regrets are now useless. Noland can only remind himself in his heart that as long as his energy is sufficient, he shouldnt be too stingy, lest he miss out on the chance to acquire high-return knowledge. He calmed himself down, quickly reviewing all the wand-related knowledge in his mind. As the deconstructed knowledge becomes vivid, rows of system messages appear in front of Noland. [You have acquired knowledge related to wands.] [You have gained two new skills:] [Wand Making Science, Scholarly Skill, Level 10] [This skill is related to the crafting, improvement, maintenance, and processing of wands, representing your professional level in the field of handmade wands.] [You can now craft wands with an Item Level of up to 10.] [Note that the specific effect of personally crafting and processing wands needs to be tested through practical actions.] [2.] [Mastery of Death Wands, Passive Skill, Level 10.] [This skill is only related to the effectiveness of using death wands. You can now use death wands with an Item Level of up to 10. This skill can be upgraded by reading books and investing Energy Points.] [The Mark of Resentment you have grasped has changed, and the panel information in the Usage: Remodel category has been updated, as follows:] [New Usage:] [Wand Making] [Using emotions to guide energy is one of the essential courses for wand-wielding casters.] [Wand makers can imbue extreme emotions into the wand core, allowing the extreme emotions to guide the wands energy flow, concentrating all the wands energy on one point. In this way, there will be no dispersion of the wands energy.] [You can now use the Mark of Resentment to collect extreme negative emotions and engrave them on the wand core to give the wand the Energy Concentration (Emotion-guided) feature.] New usage, wand making Could it be that I will have to dabble in sword selling later on? Nolands lips twitched slightly, and his gaze shifted to the threaded wand in front of him. Aiming at the wand, he cast Deconstruction Technique again, and this time the system feedback was quite different from before. [System Message: You are about to launch Deconstruction Technique on the Flawed Death Threaded Wand.] [You have previously deconstructed it, with a completion of 2%.] [Now, based on your wand knowledge and skills, the Energy Points required for deconstruction have dropped from 30 points per 1% to 8 points per 1%.] [It is estimated that consuming 784 Energy Points will increase the deconstruction completion to 100%.] [Do you confirm the deconstruction?] Not bad, not bad. Knowledge is power. With the addition of scholarly skills, the amount of energy consumed for active deconstruction has greatly decreased. I wonder if the energy gained through passive deconstruction will also decrease It should. With nothing to do, Noland simply closed his eyes and called up books in his mind to read. Knock, knock, knock. The sound of knocking on the door. Philia gently pushed the door open and entered the guest room. She smiled at the wide-eyed Noland and said: Ray Lee, my teacher has accepted your suggestion. I will take you to the magic laboratory. In at most 10 minutes, we will have the venue ready and bring you a Sand Iris Cat. Philia picked up the metal box on the table, extended her hand towards the door, and left the guest room with Noland. Noland steadied his excited heart, trembling hands, and muttered to himself, There will be many more lucrative opportunities like this in the future. I must remain calm and composed. He followed behind Philia, walked through the shiny marble corridor, and passed by columns of light projected from colored glass. The two of them arrived at the castles first-floor magic laboratory. This was Nolands first encounter with the legendary magic laboratory. Everything here was quite a novelty to him. Floating magic brooms, hovering two or three feet above the ground. Bookshelves that automatically align the spines of books. A magic kettle that would brew a hot cup of tea when guests arrived. And the ink pen that automatically dipped in ink and copied books onto blank notebooks. Noland had only seen these items in games and movies before. Now, he had to pretend to be familiar with them, control his curious gaze, and avoid looking like a country bumpkin coming to the city. Here is the visitors magic laboratory, Ray Lee. We are now in the laboratory hall. There are eight doors on the surrounding walls, corresponding to eight different test areas with different purposes.. Chapter 258 - Chapter 258: 116. Interrupt abruptly_2 Chapter 258: 116. Interrupt abruptly_2 Translator: 549690339 Philia took Noland Lee for a tour around the Laboratory Hall as they waited for the preparation of the site, using the opportunity to show him around. As they walked, she explained: We often have wizards from other factions visiting here. If they need to use a magic laboratory, they come to this place. We havent had many visitors recently, so you can use this place as you wish. A pale green wind vortex floated over, extending a flattened wind belt in front of Philia, pointing to a door nearby. The information fed back from the Deconstruction technique showed that the wind vortex was a Magic Servant. Philia understood the meaning of the magic servant: The Magic Craftsman Table and the Magic Cat are ready. Lets head there. They stopped in front of the door. On the door, it read Wand Crafting Room. We didnt originally have a place for making wands of the Death Series here. To make our own Death Series wand, we temporarily transformed a room into a wand crafting room. The room may lack some tools and magic materials. If you find that something is missing, you can tell me anytime. I will be waiting outside. Philia entered the wand crafting room and placed the metal box containing the magic wand on the circular craftsman table. Apart from the tools required for wand making, there was also a small yellow-brown cat locked in a metal cage on the table. Its head had a triangular shape, somewhat like a sand fox. Its eyes were dark brown and clearly revealed vigilance and ferocity. Its four paws were black, with sharp nails protruding from the paw pads, apparently in a state of readiness to attack at any moment. This is a Sand Iris Cat, possessing a strength comparable to a high-level Wizard Apprentice. It has mastered at least 5 types of Earth Elemental Magic and 3 types of Wind Elemental Magic. The Rune Cage restricts its actions. As long as you dont open the cage, it cannot cast any magic. Philia patted the cage, causing the Magic Cat inside to hiss angrily, baring its teeth. The cat looked extremely wild, with fierce light in its eyes, clearly not wanting to be tamed. As for docile cats that were willing to be close to humans, the Cat Society had a gentle attitude towards them. They would use methods that did not harm the cat to remove the magic material from their bodies. Treatment would be different for overly wild cats like the Sand Iris Cat. Even the gentle Philia seemed to be somewhat impatient and disgusted with it. The Sand Iris Cat has a very strong temperament. Be careful when you operate, and dont get hurt by it. Philia gave a few reminders before leaving the wand crafting room, leaving the space entirely to Noland Lee to control. Noland Lee locked the door and stood in front of the Magic Cat, throwing out his Deconstruction technique. [System message: You are about to use the Deconstruction technique on the Sand Iris Cat (Level 20).] Four thousand energy points! If I just use the Passive Deconstruction method to completely deconstruct this Magic Cat, I could gain 4000 energy points! Noland Lees breathing paused, and his heartbeat accelerated slightly. He took a deep breath, suppressing the turbulence in his heart, and started to work around the Craftsman Table. The first step was to confirm whether the tools and magic materials needed for wand making were in place. This step was not difficult. Noland Lee visualized the wand making instructions in his mind, and step by step, put the required items on the Craftsman Table. The items included: A Magic Craftsman Apron with enchantments such as Toughness, Resist Energy, Emergency Shield, and multiple other magic effects. A Magic Surgical Knife with enchantments such as Blade Sharpness, Stable Edge, and Painless Cutting. A Magic Metal Injector with enchantments like Enhanced Penetration, Liquid Stopback, and Rapid Injection. And so on. Noland Lee neatly sorted these items on the table, then put on enchanted gloves that were waterproof, resistant to poison, and insulated from energy reactions. He then began his first magic experiment since crossing over. As an inexperienced person unfamiliar with this world and without professional training, this operation seemed quite challengin like forcing a duck to climb a tree. However, it doesnt matter. Wand making is a process with only the first time and countless times after. One day, I, Noland Lee, will become a wand making master. Yes! Noland Lee clenched his fists, cheering himself on. He picked up the Threaded Magic Wand and added the Wood Softener. Fine bubbles appeared on the surface of the magic wand. After about three minutes, the hard texture of the threaded rod became soft. He took a hammer and chisel, and tapped the threaded surface along its texture, cutting open a gap at the closed part of the threaded rod. He then gently rubbed and slightly pried the crack, revealing the Wand core hidden inside. When Philia and the others made this wand, they used a Fresh Magic Seed as the Wand core. When Magic Seeds are soaked in a nutrient solution rich in magic energy, they can absorb and store vast amounts of magic energy, continuously supplying power to the magic wand C this function is similar to a battery. As the Magic Seed grows and sprouts, the power of the wand becomes more potent, and its appearance changes accordingly. This method of using the Magic Seed as a Wand core is prevalent in written examples of wands making. It could be said that more than 30% of wizards use this method to make their wands, favoring this slowly growing and strengthening magic wand as long it is carefully nurtured. However, in the field of Death Series magic, this approach is not feasible.. Chapter 259 - Chapter 259: 116. Interrupt abruptly_3 Chapter 259: 116. Interrupt abruptly_3 Translator: 549690339 Even soaking the Magic Seed in a nutrient solution rich in Death Energy wouldnt work. Thats because the Magic Seed itself is a living thing, not a Lost Soul. It can forcibly absorb Death Energy to power the wand, but it will also be eroded by the Death Energy, suffer damage, and cause energy leakage. This is one of the problems with this wand. Noland Lee used tweezers and fine scissors to cut the roots surrounding the Magic Seed and removed it from the wand. A system message, as expected, arrived. [Warning!] [You have destroyed the wand core of the Death Threaded Wand!] [You have dealt a fatal blow to the target!] [Passive Deconstruction activated!] [Your deconstruction completion of the Death Threaded Wand has risen from 2% to 100%!] [You have obtained the following Deconstruction Results:] 784 Energy Points.] Standard Panel Information of the Flawed Death Threaded Wand.] Noland Lee breathed a sigh of relief, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. As expected, as long as he removed the Magic Seed serving as the wand core, it was as good as completely destroying this magic wand. Very good, very good; no need to go through the trouble of smashing the magic wand with a hammer. These 784 Energy Points were weakened by his scholarly skills, but it was better than nothing, so he gladly accepted them. Noland Lee placed the Magic Seed in a glass dish, added nutrient solution to prevent it from dying due to lack of nutrients. Thats right, it would die abruptly, not wither. The Magic Seed is extremely fragile; a small mistake can lead to its death. For this reason, it is extremely expensive, and Noland Lee didnt dare to neglect it. The Magic Seed absorbed the nutrient solution like a thirsty man drinks water, and the liquid level dropped visibly in the glass dish. Noland Lee poured more nutrient solution into it until he was sure the Magic Seed had drunk enough, then moved on to the next step. He took the Magic Metal Injector filled with an anesthetic potion for magical creatures. Standing next to the Rune Cage with the bulky syringe in his hand, Noland Lee smiled at the Mad Cat inside: Hmph, if you dare to bare your teeth at me today, you will dare to eat people tomorrow. I cannot be lenient on you. Be at peace. He stabbed the needle through the Rune Cage and slipped it into the cat through the gap in the bars. Noland Lee swiftly plunged the needle into the Magic Cats body. He slowly pushed the plunger, injecting the potion bit by bit into the Magic Cat. This was done to maximize the stimulation of the Magic Cats negative emotions. Its eyes turned red, staring intently at the human in front of it with bloodthirsty eyes. It bared its fangs, opened its mouth wide, and growled at the human with the fiercest expression. Noland Lee called up the casting blueprint of the Mark of Resentment, lifted his free left hand, and drew the mark with his fingertips. Soul Energy fluctuations emanated from his fingertips, forming a transparent Magic Mark in third-an The cats anesthetic potion took effect as its growls subsided, but its inner rage, resentment, and bloodlust did not diminish in the slightest. Thin, purple-black threads wafted out of the Magic Cats body, continuously burrowing into the mark Noland Lee had drawn. This process continued until the Magic Cat fell completely asleep. [System Message: ] [You have consumed 1 point of Soul Strength and 10 Points of Energy Value to cast the Mark of Resentment.] [You have collected 12 Levels of Resentment emotions from the Sand Iris Cat.] A unique Mark of Resentment floated above the tabletop. Its appearance changed from its original transparent state to a purple-black color filled with negative emotions. At just a glance, Noland Lee experienced a slight hallucination, as if hearing the cats growl before it fell asleep. Noland Lee threw a Deconstruction Technique at the mark, then quickly continued his work. The emotion intensity on this mark was decaying; it dropped by 1 level every 10 minutes. It would only stop decaying if it were attached to a specific carrier. The emotion intensity directly affected the item level of the finished magic wand, so Noland Lee couldnt afford to slack off. Noland Lee put down the metal injector, picked up the Enchanted Surgical Blade, and returned to the Magic Cat. The anesthetic potion was powerful enough to ensure that the Magic Cat would pass away painlessly. After opening the Rune Cage and completing a series of operations, Noland Lee put down the surgical blade and went to wash his bloody hands in the sink, while checking the system message. [You have killed the Sand Iris Cat (Level 20).] [Passive Deconstruction activated!] [You have obtained the following Deconstruction Results:] [1. 4000 Energy Points.] [2. Standard Panel Information of the Sand Iris Cat (Level 20).] Noland Lee set aside the Deconstruction Results for now, as he didnt have time to celebrate and check the panel information. The Magic Cats magic organs still needed his attention. It was a Magic Heart tangled with yellow-brown bands of light, and its expiration date lasted until the mana on the Magic Heart dissipated. Noland Lee took the Magic Seed, soaked it and the Magic Heart in the same glass basin, and poured in a few bottles of Magic Seed Catalyst. Many fluffy roots grew from the Magic Seed, wrapping around the Magic Heart, quickly digesting it, and fusing it together with itself. Ten minutes later, the Magic Heart was broken down into nutrients and completely absorbed by the Magic Seed. The penultimate step has succeeded. Noland Lee sighed with relief. He called up the resentful Magic Mark, slapped it onto the Magic Seed, then used tweezers to place the Magic Seed back inside the Threaded Magic Wand.. Chapter 260 - Chapter 260: 116. Interrupt abruptly_4 Chapter 260: 116. Interrupt abruptly_4 Translator: 549690339 Little by little, the bark on the threaded rod was kneaded back to its original shape and stabilized with Wood Fixative. At last, the great work was completed. [System Message: ] [You have successfully crafted a Level 10 Death Threaded Wand.] [You have gained a large amount of Skill Experience.] [Wand Making Science has increased to Level 11. You can now craft Level 11 wands!] [You have received the Panel Information for this item:] [Name] Death Threaded Wand [Type] Death Magic Tool [Level] 10 Only those with Mastery of Death Wands at Level 10 can use this wand. [Lifespan] 100 uses Each use of the wand consumes a small amount of mana from the Magic Mark inside. After 100 uses, the wand will be temporarily unusable. [Mana Storage] 0/1000 points of Death Energy The stored Death Energy in the wand can be used as casting materials or to enhance the casting effect. [Magic Slots] 0/3 This wand can store up to 3 Death Series spells of up to Level 10. Any wizard can activate the magic stored in the wand. The magic stored in the wand will prioritize consuming the energy stored in the wand. [Magic Feature] Quick Casting, Level 10, reduces casting preparation time by 10%. Stable Casting, Level 10, reduces the chance of casting being interrupted by 10%. Magic Amplification, Level 10, consumes wand energy to enhance magic effects, increasing the effects by up to 100%. This feature is exclusive to the Threaded wand. Energy Focus (Emotion Guidance), Highest Level. Under the guidance of the Magic Mark, the energy of the wand is concentrated and released forward without any energy dispersion or wand control issues. The wielder will continuously be affected by resentment emotions. The stronger the emotions, the better the wands Magic Amplification effect. [Maintenance Requirements] Use Death Energy-infused nutrient solution or Magic Stone to charge the wand. Input Resentment emotion to strengthen the Magic Mark on the wand core before it becomes invalid. Noland wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced at the system message in his mind with a smirk. Hehehe, it seems I have a talent for making wands. I succeeded on my first attempt. Taking another look at the Maintenance Requirements, Nolands smile grew even more vigorous. The Magic Mark he used to guide the wands energy was the Undead Cults Mark of Resentment. Only members of the Undead Cult or the Death Herald Guild could recognize the origin of this mark. If Philia and the others wanted to maintain the wand, they would most likely seek help from Noland himself. Otherwise. they could only seek hell) from the Undead Cult or the Death Herald Guild. If they did so, Noland wouldnt mind taking some unconventional measures to eliminate his competitors. After all, neither the Undead Cult nor the Death Herald Guild were any good, so Noland had no psychological burden in getting rid of them. Huh? Wait Noland stared at the wand, smacking his head as he suddenly realized he had overlooked something. Clearly, the Meow Judgment intended to use the Threaded Magic Wand against the Blackbone Hermit. But there was a problem. This wand is Level 10. Only those with Mastery of Death Wands at Level 10 can use it. Does anyone in the Meow Judgment meet this criterion? Noland blinked, feeling slightly awkward. It couldnt be that in the end, he would have to pick up the wand himself and participate in the task of eradicating the Blackbone Hermit, could it? That would mean everything would come full circle back to him Noland scratched his head, picked up the wand, and went to find Philia to explain the situation with a stiff face. If it really didnt work, Noland decided to make another trade and sell the Imowledge of controlling Death Series wands to the Meow Judgment as a paid after-sales service for improving the wand. Opening the door, Noland found Philia reading a book by the bookshelf and handed her the wand in his hand. Now, try its power and condition, Philia. If there are any minor flaws, I can make adjustments on the spot. Philia took the wand, her delicate hand gently brushing the hard surface, her slender eyebrows slightly furrowed: I seem to feel a very faint resentment emotion. Is this the characteristic of the Threaded Death Series wand? Noland nodded slowly, patiently explaining to Philia: Yes, Philia, thats how Threaded wands work. They rely on extreme emotions as the bond between the wielder and the wand core. The stronger the resentment in your heart, the more powerful the wand. In extreme cases, the magic effect will double. At this point, Noland had a more profound understanding of the Bone-mending Wand. The Bone-mending Wand was made from the little finger bone of one of the Emperors sons as the wand core, and the body of the wand was constructed with numerous Empires Fist little finger bones. Such a wand, filled with the remains of many Extraordinary individuals, undoubtedly possesses enormous emotional strength. It can be described as the collection of extremely negative emotions. Thats why it can only be stored in a specially made metal box. Otherwise, the negative emotions that escape from it would be enough to drive the living and the Lost Souls around it insane. When Noland was dueling with Greenshaw, he inadvertently glanced at the Bone-mending Wand and immediately sensed a strong impure aura. This phenomenon was caused by the Magic Mark inside the Bone-mending Wand and proved how enormous the extreme emotions it carried were.. Chapter 261 - Chapter 261: 116. Interrupt abruptly_5 Chapter 261: 116. Interrupt abruptly_5 I cant seem to control it Philias face turned pale, with beads of crystal-clear sweat on the tip of her lovely nose. Do you feel like you cant suppress your hatred? Yes, Ray Lee. Alright, dont force yourself, Philia. Noland Lee reached out to take the magic wand, a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes. He didnt feel the negative emotions that strong, so why couldnt Philia suppress it? Strange. Could it be that after his own ordeal in the Suffering Borderland, his grit and determination had made him highly resistant to negative emotions? Hmm. That is possible. In such a desolate place, the ghostly Suffering Borderland, you either die or go mad. Escaping like Noland had made him one in a million; its normal for him to have strong mental strength. Thinking for half a second, Noland Lee said: Philia, are there any wizards with stronger willpower around here? You can ask them to try. To control this magic wand, willpower is essential. If the situation is difficult, I can make some more time to help you all adapt to it. Philia considered it and shook her head, smiling gratefully: Dont trouble yourself, Ray Lee. We can take some magic elixirs, that should help us use it. Oh, thats good. Noland Lee nodded, feeling relieved. After all, it was the large Elemental Judgement household, there must be ways to force the use of the magic wand. He didnt need to worry. Come on, lets go to the guest room. I will take the wand to test it. After making sure there are no issues, I will bring the compensation. Philia went inside to fetch the metal box, put the wand into the box, and asked while walking: How much compensation do you think is appropriate, Ray Lee? In addition to Union Coins, you can also choose magical materials and magical items. Like Revealing Dust, Underwater Breathing Potions, Wisdom Elixirs, one-time use Food Creation Scrolls. We have some stock here. Youve provided the experimental site and materials, and Ive only provided knowledge and some effort Noland Lee quickly pondered. The Level 10 Death Threaded Wand had a lower power than First Order Alchemy Armor, about 80% of its level. If the alchemy stone isnt counted, the official price given by the Alchemy Cathedral for a First Order Alchemy Armor is one million Union Coins. 80%, which is 800,000. He hadnt provided materials and space, only service. Therefore, the 800,000 needs to be reduced. That Sand Iris Cat had excellent quality, delicate and smooth fur, and a diamond-like magic heart. Its worth a lot of money. He had already earned the Energy Points, so slightly reducing the price to cement the friendship between both parties is not bad. Philia, how about 300,000 Union Coins? Considering my good impression of you all, this is a friendly price. Thank you, Ray Lee. Philias full moon-looking face deflated, and she sighed in relief. She smiled and said: Your price is quite fair. I initially thought you would slaughter me mercilessly. Haha-Noland laughed cheerfully: Im not that kind of person. Business and friendship are all about long-term relationships. Yes, youre right. If you need to purchase products from the Cat Society, just come to me. All prices start at a 20% discount. Alright, I will. Philia opened the door to the guest room, settled Noland in, and left with the metal box. Noland sat in the soft chair and took a sip of the warm tea. His first deal based on knowledge was about to be completed. It would be a lie to say he wasnt excited. Standing by the window of the guest room, Noland watched the garden and butterflies outside, and the agitation in his heart quickly settled. His gaze passed through the manors wall, falling hundreds of meters away where an uneven black line appeared on the ground. This black line looked curved and jagged at the edges. It stretched from the far left of his view to the far right, as if someone had slashed the earths belly. This was none other than the Great Rift of Union City. Due to the angle of observation, the rift appeared as a thin crack stretching for several kilometers in Nolands eyes. But in reality, when seen from the high vantage point of the Upper City Area, the rift appears as a black abyss swallowing all light and sight. It presented an irregular, round shape, with radial fissures all around the outline. A whole circle of metal fences surrounded it. Only authorized individuals could enter. People could follow the suspended ladder, scaffold, and Fissure Corridor walkways, starting from the clifftop and step into the depths of the rift, one level at a time. At this moment, several alchemy devices appeared near the Great Rift, designed to extract metallic dust. They had huge horn -shaped collectors and an astonishingly powerful air-pumping array. At full power, at least 70% of the Universal Metal Dust sprayed from the rift would be absorbed by the alchemy devices and stored in their internal storage space. The remaining 30% of the dust would slowly settle in the air, helped by the sprayed mist from the alchemy devices, landing on the ground and flowing through the drainage pipeline into the underground waterway areas on the first and second levels. The underground waterways would intercept two-thirds of this dust. The remaining Universal Metal Dust would sink into the earth and flow back into the deepest part of the Aberration Den in the Fissure Corridor. Noland mentally simulated the whole process and couldnt help but marvel at the grand scale of the alchemy engineering.. Chapter 262 - Chapter 262: 116. Interrupt abruptly_6 Chapter 262: 116. Interrupt abruptly_6 The universally applicable metal powder is worth it for the Alchemy Cathedral to do this. It is a catalyst, a purifier, which can intensify the alchemical reaction of metal objects, enhancing the purity of the product. According to the book, from the fourth-rank alchemy set onward, it was heavily dependent on universal metal powder, or the product quality would be as low as an astonishing 20%. Boom- Hmm? What was that sound? Noland Lee turned his head to look toward the door. He had just heard a muffled explosion, which seemed to come from the corridor. Noland Lee opened the door of the guestroom, stood in the corridor, and looked in the direction of the sound. Boom- Another muffled explosion. Noland Lee listened carefully, it seemed to come from the magic laboratory. Could it be that Philia made a mistake while testing the wand? Noland Lee frowned slightly. This was someone elses territory, he couldnt move around freely, so he had to stand in place and wait. In the ensuing three minutes or so, a few more muffled sounds came. After that, Philia came over with a look of complexity on her face. What happened? Any accidents? Noland Lee asked confused. UmRay Lee Philia intertwined her hands in front of her, her face showing both embarrassment and anxiety. She took a deep breath and said: The wand lost control and exploded Noland Lee didnt immediately reply to Philia. He pulled out the system message and carefully checked the panel information of the wand. It was clearly written in the system: The wand will not lose control and leak energy. That wand wont lose control, Philia. Noland Lee reached out to press Philias hand , helping her to calm down: Can you tell me the specific test process? What spells did you use? And what are the specification of the magic dummy for testing? I will tell you the answer! A shrill male voice came from deep within the corridor. Noland Lee shifted his gaze, circumventing Philia, looking behind her. A strip of black material was shuttling in the sun-drenched corridor. It brought a cold wind and landed in front of Noland Lee, turning into a middle-aged man with hollow cheeks, bulging eyeballs, and sparse hair. I have said it before that the Sleeping Monument Masters wandering mage has no skill in wand making. You should have allowed me to improve that wand, instead of finding this pink-faced boy. The first half of the middle-aged mans words were addressed to Philia, and the second half was directed at Noland Lee. Noland Lee keenlv detected that there was a blurred energv fluctuation on the mans face. Apparently, like him, the man had made some disguises on his appearance. The man was wearing a black classical robe, made of black velvet, with grey sequins as embellishments. On his wrists, hands, neck, and other exposed skin, there were apparent black tattoos, drawn with images of beasts, magical beasts, birds of prey, and other motifs. Unlike Death Notice Guild Wizard Greenshaws tall and thin shape, this man had a thick body and robust muscles. His face was flushed deep red, and he talked fast, giving a strangely ecstatic feeling. Taking a closer look, Noland Lee then checked using the deconstruction technique. Now, he knew what fellow practitioners are enemies meant. This man was a Death Clan Wizard, a full deconstruction of which needed no more than 10,000 energy points. The deconstruction requirement was about half of Greenshaws, likely a first-ring wizard. One could tell straight away that it was definitely this guy who had tinkered with the wand to trigger the explosion. So it seemedthat Elemental Judgment had brought in such a Death Clan wizard to help deal with the Blackbone Hermit and test the wand? Noland Lee took a small breath and said calmly: Regrettably, Philia, I was supposed to be a bystander during the test. To avoid coming into contact with your secrets, I didnt bring it up. Now, I regret it a bit. The middle-aged wizard suddenly stepped forward, standing in front of Noland Lee, lowered his voice, and whispered menacingly: What you should regret is interfering with my matters, kid. Keep your eyes sharp, Elemental Judgment has already asked me for help, they dont need your involvement. Even if you are at the testing site, you cant change anything. Now, leave here. Considering your professors reputation as the Sleeping Monument Master, I will let you off this once. Hickman Arlington, Ray Lee is my guest. Philia hardened her face, looking annoyed: Dont you think its a bit too much to threaten Ray Lee in front of me? Heh, threaten? The middle-aged wizard called Hickman Arlington stepped back, and snickered with a hypocritical smile: Only weak wizards would consider my words a threat. Lets go, Philia. Taking advantage of the time before Spray Powder Day, I need to quickly create a wand. In this way, even after I leave Union City, you guys of Elemental Judgment will still have the capability to deal with the Blackbone Hermit. Look, this is the attitude of doing the job when paid, unlike some peoplehehe Arlingtons body rolled up like a carpet, turned into a black ribbon, and flew towards the magic laboratory. Philia sighed helplessly, took an envelope from her pocket and put it into Noland Lees hand: Im sorry, Ray Lee. This is the 30,000 Aggregation Coins we paid for the hard work, please accept it. I am willing to believe that there is no problem with the wand you modified, but please forgive our incapability. Elemental Judgment has limited understanding of Death Magic, we couldnt discern whether Hickman Arlington had tampered with it. Noland Lee took his gaze away from Arlingtons back and smiled at Philia, taking the envelope and stuffing it in his pocket: Chapter 263 - Chapter 263: 116. Interrupt abruptly_7 Chapter 263: 116. Interrupt abruptly_7 Translator: 549690339 The barrier of knowledge is both a high wall that divides domains and a deep ditch that blocks progress, right? Who is that Hickman Arlington, a wizard from which professor? How can he be more arrogant than the members of the Death Herald Guild? He is a student of Soul Shaper Gilbert Winchester, Ray Lee. A small group and a recently emerged death branch. Its said that Gilbert became a lecturing professor-level wizard just half a year ago. Oh, no wonder I dont recognize him, hes a member of this new death branch. Ill talk to the teacher about it. I also hope that Hickman Arlingtons presence wont harm our friendship. All misunderstandings will be resolved, I promise. Noland Lee said. Philia nodded lightly, Well, Ill send you out. No, no need, I know the way. Noland Lee waved at her, By the way, in which sector does Hickman Arlington live? Area No.19, but he hasnt joined any Alchemist Association and has always been doing his own thing. Okay, I got it, goodbye. Looking forward to our next cooperation. Noland Lee turned around and left, his steps steady, without showing any sign of defeat or frustration. A good start is half of success. The beginning of failure is the end of success. Its better to expose the flaws in a business plan at the start of a venture than to be driven out of the companys structure when sitting on a gold mine. Noland Lee had done big business before crossing over and would not be discouraged by small setbacks. In fact, he felt a little excited. Yes, excited. In the world before crossing over, you had to be reasonable and legal to make your competitors disappear, otherwise, you would give others leverage. But here, in this place where extraordinary power flows everywhere, it would be reasonable for a first-rank wizard to mysteriously disappear, right? Hell. If Hickman Arlington were of a good alignment, Noland Lee would indeed have to weigh his options. But since the other party is not a good person, lets borrow his head for a moment. Ah, it seems that in this world, buying and selling knowledge also requires strength first. Noland Lee opened the car door, sat in the steam locomotive, his eyes deepened, and quickly planned the full set of plans for the mysterious disappearance of a first-rank wizard. Let me see how Hickman Arlingtons deconstruction results are first [System Message: You are about to launch Deconstruction Technique on Wizard Hickman Arlington. ] [Based on the death-type magic knowledge and related skill levels you have mastered, the energy point consumption for this deconstruction has been reduced from 120 points per 1% to 80 points per 1%.] [It is estimated that 8000 energy points will be consumed to reach 100% deconstruction completion.] C] (May refer to lines left out, thus translated to English for consistency) [You have consumed 2000 energy points to deconstruct Wizard Hickrnan Arlington] [The result of this deconstruction is as follows:] [You have obtained Hickman Arlingtons panel information.] [Name] Hickman Arlington [Faction] Death Clan Soul Shaper member [Identity] Gilbert Winchesters Wandering Wizard [Strength] First Level Death Clan Wizard [Soul Strength] 350 points [Death Energy] 280/300 Affected by Skeleton Body and Heart of the Deceased, 20 death energy points are generated per hour. Meditating and slumber increases recovery speed. Skeleton Body, Heart of the Deceased, and the magic robe each provide a 100 point death energy storage limit. [Basic Attributes] Toughness: 5 Vitality: Not applicable, Hickman Arlington is not a living entity. Power: o Agility: 8 Spirit: 22 Charm: 7 [Status Bar] There are no active buffs or debuffs at the moment. [Memory] Brief. Some memory fragments about the destruction of the Death Threaded Wand. [Features] Skeleton Body: Hickman Arlington is an Undead Creature, his original form is a sentient skeleton. He is immune to bleeding and suffocation effects, immune to the effects of Tracking the Living, and has extremely high resistance to poison effects. His skeletal body can automatically generate Death Energy, 10 points per hour, and provide an upper limit of 100 points for Death Energy storage. Death Erosion: The desire for death erodes Hickman Arlingtons soul, making him follow his inner desires to create slaughter. Plot Precedence: Hickman Arlington tends to use conspiracies to attack his targets. He will only take action when he is fully prepared. [Skills] -Active Skills: Death Pulse, Level 10. Chant for 3 seconds and unleash a Death Pulse beam. Soul Extraction, Level 4. Continuously channel for 30 minutes to extract the targets soul, memory, and intellect. Soul Shaping, Level 3. Continuously channel for 30 minutes to shape the targets soul into an ethereal being under your control. Scythe-wielding Skeleton, Level 5. Summon a skeleton wielding a scythe to attack enemies. Cripple Technique, Level 1. Reduce targets movement speed by 50%. Death Shield, Level 8. Block damage for the body. Soul Shield, Level 5. Block damage for the soul. Death Flight, Level 9. Transform into a Death Energy cluster for flying. Maximum speed is 32.4 kilometers per hour. Consumes 0.1 point of Soul Strength or 1 point of Death Energy per kilometer. Magic Organ: Heart of the Dead, Level 1, Enabled. Generates 10 points of Death Energy per hour and provides 100 points upper limit for Death Energy storage. Soul Shaping Meditation Method, Level 1. In a meditative state, consume Soul Strength to feed your Soul Beasts, communicate with Soul Beasts, train Soul Beasts, and increase your Spirit attribute value. -Passive Skills: Ethereal Being Domination, Level 5. Store up to 15 ethereal beings. Control 5 ethereal beings simultaneously. Mastery of Death Wands, Level 15. -Scholarly Skills: Several scholarly skills related to Death Magic. [Magic items] Death Spike Wand, Level 15. Magic Amplification 15% to 100%. Equipped with a magic lock that prevents others from using the wand. Masking Robe, Level 10. Conceal true appearance, conceal undead identity, provide 20 points of Death Shield, and an upper limit of 100 points for Death Energy storage. Soul Shaping Tattoo, Level 5. Hickman Arlington has stored 5 ethereal beings of up to Level 5 inside his body. They are Poisonous Snake Soul Beast (Level 5), Poisonous Toad Soul Beast (Level 4), Aberration Soul Beast (Level 2), Black Blade Leopard Soul Beast (Level 5), and Shadow Skull of the Banshee (Level 5). [Weaknesses] One-Hit-Kill Weakness: A single blow that deals massive damage can penetrate all of Hickman Arlingtons defenses, resulting in an instant kill effect. It is estimated that igniting 8 Level 2 Aberration corpses can instantly kill Hickman Arlington. Fatal Damage Weakness: Magic and extraordinary items targeting ethereal beings and skeletons can cause fatal damage. Restraining Actions Weakness: All magic and extraordinary items that can cause negative effects on the intellect, skeleton, and ethereal beings are effective. Death Erosion, Plot Precedence It seems that Hickman Arlington is a habitual offender. With just 8 Level 2 corpses, I can kill you in an instant. Hickman Arlington, what right do you have to be arrogant in front of me? The gleam in Noland Lees eyes flickered a few times. With Deconstruction, all of Hickman Arlingtons hidden cards were exposed. Before fighting, whoever figured out the others hidden cards first would essentially win, just like in JOJO, modern warfare, and gambling. At this moment, Noland Lee cannot help but correct one of his misconceptions. He originally thought that the Deconstruction Core System was not suitable for fighting. Now he found himself wrong. When he has strength, capital, and means, the intelligence function provided by the Deconstruction Core System becomes the most critical part of the battle. If he doesnt instantly kill Hickman Arlington, it would be a pity for the information provided by the Deconstruction Core System.. Chapter 264 - Chapter 264: 117. Five-week Plan Chapter 264: 117. Five-week Plan Translator: 549690339 Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm, third floor, medical office. Noland Lee wore a face towel and sunglasses, carried a fruit basket for consolation, and entered the hospital ward inside Iron Thorn Shield. That old guy Kent was discharged from the hospital yesterday at dusk. He took his younger brothers for a tour on the third underground level and confirmed that Noland Lee had cleared the third underground level alone. Kent relayed the message to the top of Iron Thorn Shield, who then sent Cindy to negotiate with Noland Lee, leading to the scene where Noland Lee and Cindy met at Money Dream at eight oclock last night. Noland Lee came to the Iron Thorn Shield ward today to visit Fars Scott. This young alchemist with a humble background but ambitious ideals impulsively followed his enemies into the fourth underground level. Those two Black City alchemists who ambushed the mechanical spiders had already taken the lifting platform in the fourth underground level and descended the vertical shaft. Fars, furious, cut off the cable of the lifting platform and continued to explore. He was eager to intercept the enemy in the deeper underground. Unfortunately. He encountered the Seeder lurking in the fifth underground level. This enormous, strangely-appearance extraordinary aberration with flesh mushrooms captured Fars with the tentacles of its flesh mushrooms. It almost suffocated, dissolved, and melted him into nutrients for aberration eggs. Fortunately, Kent appeared in time to rescue Fars and forced the Seeder to withdraw using an alchemy bomb he carried with him. Otherwise, Fars, who had lost his mind in anger, would have really died at the hands of the Seeder. Noland Lee sat at the bedside, peeling an apple, while listening to Fars narrating the events. Im grateful to Kent for saving me. Looking back now, I was indeed too impulsive at the time. But I really had no other choice, Ray Lee. Without the alchemical cube, the mechanical spider is equivalent to the failure of my alchemy task Fars leaned back on the bedside, his face and left arm bandaged, looking dejected and desolate. Underneath the bandages were skin eroded by the Seeders acid, and tender flesh buds from the healing wounds. The medical care level in the Golden Federation is a bit worse than in the Tatis Empire. It is estimated that it will take another three days for Fars to recover, leave the hospital, and exit the medical office. Fars, do you know my real identity? Noland Lee packed the chopped apples on a plate and handed them to the other party. Uh Yes. Its a bit awkward to say, its all because you were too good at disguising yourself. Every time you cast a spell, you lift your glasses and reveal your right black eye. I didnt realize you were casting a spell at the time, and I mistakenly thought you were launching some kind of extraordinary abilities caused by extraordinary organs. If you didnt lift your glasses and directly released energy waves, then I would have recognized you as a wizard in a second Fars ate the apple slices and laughed at himself: I really cant do anything right, Im too frivolous and impulsive. If I think about it now, the first time I saw you cast a spell, I could have discovered your true identity as long as I calmed down and thought for a moment. I would never have mistaken you for a native empire person Ah, your disguise was too good Are all wizards like you Theres no choice, Fars. This is the Golden Federation. The Alchemy Cathedral has not declared us wizards as legal extraordinary individuals, so I have to hide. Noland Lee smiled. Changing the topic, Noland Lee asked: Ive talked to Kent, and on Spray Powder Day, Ill be waiting underground. Ill help you guard against the illegal alchemists on the third and fourth underground levels. I plan to help you find the whereabouts of the metal magic cube along the way. Do you have any suggestions? When you were tracking those two Black City alchemists _ did find any important clues? Youre willing to help?! Fars Scott got excited, straightened his back, and his eyes shone with hope. I do intend to help, Fars. Im just researching the extraordinary power of Black City, helping you find the metal magic cube is just along the way. But I Im out of money Fars expression darkened, his back slumped, and he leaned back against the bedside. You can pay with information, Fars. To be honest, before my mentor sent me on this journey, he didnt give me any materials. Ive only gradually learned about the Golden Federation and Union City after I got here, relying on my own investigation and exploration. Noland Lee spread his hands: Why not use the information you know as a reward? Alright just ask, as long as it doesnt involve tightly regulated alchemy knowledge defined by the Alchemy Academy, as long as I know the answer, Im willing to tell you. Noland Lee pondered for a moment : Start with the Fissure Corridor. I couldnt find any books on this topic in the bookstore. It would be great if you could tell me what is on each floor of the corridor and the characteristics of the corridors under each sector. Oh- I see. Are you asking about the resource-type Sage particles left underground by the alchemists in the Wall Building Mission 30 years ago? Fars shook his head and said: I knew it, for you wizards, those resource-type Sage particles underground are the most attractive. Noland Lee blinked, not quite understanding what the other person was saying. His original intention was to ask Fars and Kent about the Area No.19. If there was no gain, he would go to talk with Cindy. Unexpectedly, before he could lead the topic to Area No.19, Fars threw out an unexpected gain.. Chapter 265 - Chapter 265:117. Five-Week Plan 2 Chapter 265:117. Five-Week Plan 2 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee nodded calmly: Yes, thats what I wanted to ask. Tell me about it. Ahem, alright. Fars Scott straightened up and said: Heres the thing, Ray Lee. In the wall-building task 30 years ago, many high-level Great Alchemists participated. They either died in battle or fled the battleground in a panic amidst the attack of the aberrations. In any case, they were unable to retrieve their Sage Particles in time. Er, Sage Particles, you should know what they are, right? They are magical alchemical substances that can solidify and generate specific materials or energy. This is knowledge found in basic alchemy books. But in fact, the utility of Sage Particles goes beyond these details. In the field of alchemy at the Sage Stage: The substances produced by Sage Particles can include not only daggers, flying Imives, and armor-piercing bullets, but also resource-type alchemy resource points like spring sources, coal mines, mushroom forests, and orchards. These Sage Particles can stably produce alchemy materials. Once they are placed, it takes a long time to withdraw them back into the Alchemy Stone. They are called Resource-type Sage Particles. Fars Scott gestured as he explained: So, you see, when the Aberrations breached the defenses of the Alchemists strongholds, the Great Alchemists simply had no time to retrieve the Resource-type Sage Particles. They could only leave them there and wait until the counterattack to retrieve them. But the troublesome part is that to recover activated Sage Particles, one needs the Alchemy Mark of the Great Alchemist themselves, to deactivate the Sages Lock of the Sage Particle. Nolands pupils narrowed, interrupting: Does it have to be the Great Alchemists own Alchemy Mark? Yes, thats right. Fars Scott nodded vigorously. Noland took a slight breath, Alright, continue. Fars shrugged: But you should know that even Great Alchemists cant survive in the midst of an Aberration frenzy. After a Great Alchemist dies in battle, their activated Resource-type Sage Particles can no longer be successfully recovered. For this situation, we have only one solution Fars raised his finger: Over time, the Sages Lock that seals the Sage Particles will lose energy. When the Sages Lock becomes ineffective, the Sage Particles enter an unowned state. At this point, as long as the alchemy array for capturing Sage Particles is properly drawn, you can claim them as your own. As Fars spoke, he suddenly clenched his teeth as if making a crucial decision. He placed his hand on the Alchemy Stone, pulling a cluster of light and putting it in Nolands hand. The light of the cluster quickly receded, turning into a white Alchemy Card. What is this? Noland raised an eyebrow, looking at the card. Fars sat on the bed and bowed: This Alchemy Card is my Academy access card. With it and the handwritten letter I give you, you can enter the Subdivision of Alchemy Cathedral in Lower Town. There you can find information about Underground Sage Particles. Not only information about Resource-type Sage Particles but also Trap-type, Treasure-type, and Prison-type Sage Particles. In addition, you can find an overview of the alchemist factions in various sectors of Lower Town. Ray, I ask that you help me keep an eye out for the Alchemical Cube. Your wizards abilities are no less than our Alchemists, and perhaps you can help me find the whereabouts of the Alchemical Cube. The temporary use of this Alchemy Card is the most generous remuneration I can offer. Are you sure me using your access card to look up information wont affect you? Noland asked thoughtfully. It wont have any impact. I will give you a letter introducing you as my research assistant. With this letter, you can pass the guards inspection. Alright, Fars. Start writing the letter now. I plan to go look up the information later. Dont worry, as soon as I find any clues about the Alchemical Cube, Ill report back to you regardless of whether I can help you retrieve it or not, Noland nodded. Thank you, Ray. You are truly a good person. I knew I didnt misjudge you when we first met. I havent thanked you for saving me from the Wolfpack Guard. Fars Scotts face brightened significantly as he dubbed Noland a good person card. Noland accepted the compliment, the Alchemy Card, and the written letter with a smile. While waiting for Fars to finish writing, he casually chatted: Does your family also live in Union City? Fars took out a notebook and pen from the Alchemy Stone and started writing while conversating: Yes, my parents are workers at the Alchemy Farm and usually live in the farm outside the city. My sister works at the Cat Society in Sector 8. She works during the day to save money. In the evening, either I teach her or she studies on her own. I want her to try the Basic Alchemy exam and see if she can become a student at the Alchemy Academy. If that doesnt work out, shell do as I did and take the Independent Alchemist Exam to live in Lower Town. Mmm, sounds like you two siblings work hard, Noland felt a sense of relief, knowing he had helped the right person. Remuneration is secondary. The main thing is that the character of the person receiving help must be good. Otherwise, helping a lazy person through difficult times will inevitably make one feel resentful. Now that Noland heard that Fars sister is also diligent, he felt satisfied that he had helped the right person. Not only did he help Fars, but he also indirectly helped the others sister. One act of kindness could help two people avoid suffering, making it a worthwhile effort.. Chapter 266 - Chapter 266:117. Five-Week Plan_3 Chapter 266:117. Five-Week Plan_3 Translator: 549690339 Of course, the premise is to find clues to the Alchemy Cube; otherwise, everything would be in vain. Fars Scott put down his pen, blew on the ink, and handed the letter to Noland Lee. After chatting for a while, Noland stood up, ready to leave. At that moment, a familiar voice came from outside the door Brother- Ive washed all your dirty clothes for you, and Ive brought you clean clothes and beddings for the next few days. Noland looked over at the sound and saw two slender arms carrying a luggage bag taller than their head. He almost burst out laughing as he threw a Deconstruction Technique at the delicate arms holding the luggage bag. [System Message: You are about to use Deconstruction Technique on Wizard Shandora Betty.] What a coincidence indeed. The Female Meow Race, who would fight at the drop of a hat, turned out to be Fars Scotts sister?! Is this your sister, Fars? Noland asked with a smile after calming his emotions. Huh? Is someone here? Half of a head emerged from behind the luggage, revealing a ponytail and forehead: You! Um Who are you? Betty Daviss voice was first surprised, then became confused after a sharp turn. Fars shook his hand at her: Put down the luggage first, Sandra. This is Ray Lee, the one Ive told you about Ray, this is my sister, Sandra Betty . Noland nodded slowly: So your surname is Davis, Fars? No, no, its not. My full name is Lamo Fals. Fals is my last name. Sandra is my cousin, my mothers brothers daughter, and she follows her mothers surname. I see Noland looked at Betty, who seemed a bit nervous and flustered. As a human, Betty did have some similarities with Fars, but she also had her own unique features. Her long orange hair had curly tips, and her small and cute face resembled a well-taken care of little orange cat Hello, Betty. I brought some fruit over; you can have some too Fars, Ill be going now. Ill come to you as soon as I have news, or Ill have Kent and Cindy relay a message to you. Alright, Ray, be careful with everything. Fars waved, watching Noland leave the room. Fars picked up the tray on the table and handed it to his sister, Here, apple slices, Ray peeled them. Crunch, crunch Betty grabbed an apple slice and took a few bites, Is that strange Empire guy you mentioned earlier the one who just left? Fars scratched his head: He Uh Okay, you can think of him as an Empire person, but hes not strange at all. Hes actually a Wizard, the kind you often read about in novels. However, dont go around spreading the word. Wizards are very low-key, and they cannot appear in public in the Golden Federation without permission from the Alchemy Cathedral. Fars rubbed his chin and pondered: If you dont pass the Alchemy exam, should I make you a Wizard Ray is quite a nice guy; maybe he is willing to teach you magic Pfft Hey! Sandra, you spit all over my bed Im sorry, Im sorry, I accidentally choked These apple slices are so delicious, Brother, eat some more. In the corridor, Noland took a deep breath and almost suffocated from holding back his laughter. It could be seen from the feedback of the Deconstruction Technique: Shandora Betty is a Wizard and Alchemist, while Fars Scott is just an Alchemist. However, he didnt know when Betty had secretly become a Wizard without Fars knowing Such interesting siblings. Poor Fars, still worrying about his sister, not knowing that Betty was already a First Rank Wizard. Noland recalled the night when Betty came to find him. The agile movements, sharp attacks, and triumphant smile. Now that he thought about it, Bettys contrast between her inside and outside was indeed huge The well-behaved cousin in front of her brother, the wild Meow Meow Race in the moonlit nights. Tsk tsk tsk. Noland sighed to himself, quickened his pace, and left the Iron Thorn Shield Security Corporation Building. The Alchemy Cathedral branch in the Lower Town has an independent sector, located between Sector 13 and Sector 14. It is the backbone force guarding the Lower Town, not intervening in the competition and conflicts among Alchemist factions, focusing only on monitoring the Great Rift and dealing with any Aberrations that might appear on the ground. However, if the conflict between Alchemist factions affects civilians, the Cathedral branch would intervene as an Arbitrator, imposing punishment on the Alchemist factions. The layout of the Cathedral branch is similar to the Alchemy Academy, with a Rune Wall, a library, a Comprehensive Affairs Hall, and a large dedicated area for Alchemy experiments. Only those who have passed the Alchemy exams can enter the Cathedral branch. Any Alchemist who passes the Alchemy exam can accept Alchemy Tasks issued by the academy in the Upper City Area or pay a huge sum of money to rent an Alchemy Room in the experiment area. Fars Scotts laboratory is located here. However, this is not Nolands destination for this trip. After passing the guards inspection, Noland followed the signposts, went through the green-lined corridors, and arrived at the Comprehensive Affairs Hall. So as not to make a mistake like a complete novice, Noland stood in the corner of the hall for a while. Through observing the Alchemists here, he figured out the uses of various Alchemy facilities in the hall.. Chapter 267 - Chapter 267: 117. Five-Week Plan_4 Chapter 267: 117. Five-Week Plan_4 Translator: 549690339 That kind of alchemy facility for consulting materials consists of floating glass spheres lined up against the wall and separated by frosted glass. By inserting an alchemy card into the base below the floating glass sphere and placing ones hand on the sphere, a light screen will be projected onto the wall. Rotating the glass sphere allows you to switch the images on the light screen. This type of alchemy facility is called the Alchemical Access Device, and is similar to a personal computer in the information civilization. Noland Lee figured it out as he watched. He found an unused Alchemical Access Device, inserted Fars Scotts alchemy card, and raised his hand to press on the floating glass sphere. An operating interface appeared on the wall, written in the local language. In lines of text, the interface listed all the available databases for access. Fission Wilderness Area: Common resource-based sage particles ownership, their creators, and related alchemy tasks Fission Wilderness Area: Trap-type sage particles to be aware of Fission Wilderness Area: Opening, unsealing, and related alchemy tasks of secret sage particles Fission Wilderness Area: Common situation of magic beast divisions The complete knowledge of basic and advanced alchemy (non-regulated) Overview of the Fissure Corridor underground floors 1 to 20 In total, there were over a dozen entries available for Noland Lee to view. Noland Lee clicked on the first entry to flip through the information on resource-type sage particles. What first caught his eye was: Alchemist Fars recent alchemy tasks related to resource-type sage particles The sub-interface introduced that Fars had brought back three tons of mountain purified water from the Water-fetching Valley four days ago. Noland Lee clicked on the Water-fetching Valley interface and glanced at it, finally realizing how resource-type sage particles came to be It turns out that alchemy sages obtained them from the natural world. When an alchemy sage found a location abundant in alchemy materials in the natural world, they would use a large environmental alchemy array to store the location within a special storage space. This storage space allows living things to exist and can sustain life, while its time flow remains consistent with the natural world. Encapsulating the storage space into the size of a grain of rice and adding the sages own sage lock results in a resource-type sage particle. For example, the Water-fetching Valley producing mountain purified water has already been made into a sage particle by the great alchemist of the Golden Commerce Guild. When the day comes to transfer resources, the sage would go collect the spring source of the mountain spring water and take it to a new location, where they would unfold the sage particle. The space formed by the unfolding of the resource-type sage particles is referred to as the resourceful sage space. Nolands purchase of Sages Particle Basic Encyclopedia only covers basic content. Resource-type sage particles are advanced alchemy knowledge and would naturally not appear in the basic encyclopedia. If Noland had not borrowed Fars alchemy card and come to the subdivision of the Alchemy Cathedral to consult materials, he would have never known that the great alchemists could already move natural resource points to this extent. How could such an alchemist with extraordinary powers be killed by an aberration? Noland began to doubt. How strong must the aberrations deep within the Fissure Corridor be Wait a minute, I think I overlooked a piece of knowledge. Noland slapped his head, pulled up the Sages Particle Basic Encyclopedia, and turned to the page about negative effects of sage particles. The book said: Possessing sage particles imposes a tremendous mental burden on alchemists. Alchemists need to spend a lot of energy and time maintaining the array foundations of sage particles. In gaming terms, Noland understood this as: Once you possess sage particles, you will acquire a semi-permanent negative effect. This negative effect would significantly reduce the alchemists spirit attribute until the sage particle is eliminated. So those great alchemists killed by aberrations must have been bogged down by the resource-type sage particles, resulting in their unfortunate demise. At first, Noland had thought about collecting some resource-type sage particles when he learned about their existence. Now, Noland thought better of it. Considering the negative effect of resource-type sage particles, theyre even too much for great sages to bear, so Noland decided not to get involved. Noland concentrated and carefully consulted the databases. He found the sage particles related to the Fissure Corridor and brought up the corresponding interface. Noland faced the text on the walls light screen and cast Deconstruction. System Message: You are about to use Deconstruction on Sage Particles Lost in the Fissure Corridor. The estimated consumption is 6 energy points, which will achieve a 100% degree of deconstruction. Only 6 energy points are needed. It seems that fully deconstructing pure textual information doesnt require much energy. Noland muttered confirm deconstruction and took in all the information about the lost particles. He rotated the glass sphere, switched the light screen interface, and clicked on all the entries from top to bottom in sequence. One Deconstruction after another was cast at the light screen. In a short time, over 100,000 total words, along with a large number of diagrams, became Nolands acquired knowledge. The efficiency of Deconstruction in acquiring hidden knowledge and information is terrifyingly high. Among them, what interested Noland the most was The complete knowledge of basic and advanced alchemy (non-regulated). This included many interesting alchemical products, such as alchemy traps, alchemy cloaks, and alchemical mixtures, among others. It not only provided alchemy recipes but also recorded classic examples.. Chapter 268 - Chapter 268:117. Five-Week Plan Chapter 268:117. Five-Week Plan Translator: 549690339 Such alchemy knowledge is not controlled. As far as the Alchemy Cathedral is concerned, there are only three types of controlled alchemy knowledge: Alchemy Mark knowledge involving the Sage level, core knowledge for the creation of Alchemy Armor, and knowledge to forcibly plunder Sage Particles. Alchemical Products made with uncontrolled knowledge are also uncontrolled. Noland Lee hasnt passed the alchemy exam yet and is not a First-order Alchemist. But as long as he has Deconstruction and knowledge, he can still produce uncontrolled alchemical products. Thats because the deconstruction results brought to him by Deconstruction Technique contain not only the function of alchemical products but also their alchemy formulas! The harvest this time is much bigger than I imagined. Noland stared at the uncontrolled alchemy knowledge in his mind, lost in thought for a while. In just a short moment, the system refreshed a lot of text information in his mind. [System Message: ] [You have completely deconstructed Alchemy Trapology, Alchemy Cloakology, Alchemical Elixirology Illustrated, Alchemy Mechanology Encyclopedia, and 15 other uncontrolled alchemy knowledge materials from within the Alchemy Academy.] [Your Spirit attribute meets the reading requirements of this knowledge, therefore, you automatically mastered the above-mentioned content.] [You unlocked new Skills:] [Alchemy Trapology, Level 10, Scholarly Skills.] [Alchemy Cloakology, Level 10, Scholarly Skills.] [Alchemy Elixirology, Level 10, Scholarly Skills.] [Alchemy Mechanology, Level 15, Scholarly Skills.] [The above skill levels indicate the maximum item level of the related alchemical products. The actual item level is related to your practical ability and the production process.] This wave of knowledge harvesting is fantastic. Deconstruction is amazing! Noland took a deep breath. A large wave of uncontrolled alchemy knowledge surged into his mind, becoming his own knowledge reserves, and deepening his understanding of alchemy products at once. Like the alchemy access instrument in front of him. Noland only knew how to operate it before, but now he merely needs to look at it, and the related alchemy knowledge would unconsciouslv flow in his mind. He made several reasonable guesses and conjectures about the mechanical structure and array principles of the Alchemical Access Device almost instantly. This wonderful feeling made him feel as if he had suddenly become an Alchemist who was well-versed in both basic and advanced Alchemy. And he was an old Alchemist who had been immersed in alchemy for many years. Hiss, I get it now. Spirit is the key to open the door of knowledge! Enlightenment struck Nolands mind! In the future, as long as my Spirit meets the requirements, I can gain scholarly skills directly through deconstructing books, completely saving me the time of learning knowledge and doing exercises. This is equivalent to skipping the entire learning process! Noland looked down at his palm, slowly clenched his fist, and felt extremely excited: For me, after mastering scholarly skills, I only have one thing to do. And that is to transform knowledge into practical results through actual operations. Just like when I learned Wand Making Science, I personally improved the Death Threaded Wand. As long as I follow the guidance of knowledge and carry out practical operations seriously, I can produce the highest-level items with a 100% success rate! In this way, not only can I make money from selling knowledge in the future, but also producing high-quality extraordinary items will be my way of making a living! With the new scholarly skills, his methods to deal with Hickman Arlington had increased a lot all of a sudden. Noland calmed his mind, tried to settle his surging emotions, and continued the task at hand. He pulled up Fars Scotts alchemy task list. The holographic screen showed that Fars Scott had picked up alchemy task number XB-ZZ-182, with the theme of researching the potential defects of Mechanical Spiders. Thirteen other people received the same tasks along with him. The Alchemy Academy made the list of personnel public, and Noland used Deconstruction to remember these peoples basic information. Nolands plan was simple. In the process of hunting down Hickman Arlington, he also planned to locate these 13 people. He would use a Deconstruction Technique on each of them to check their recent memories. Whoevers recent memories include Black City Alchemists or Fars Scotts alchemy cubes is the mastermind behind the scenes. Noland checked the intelligence in his mind, making sure he didnt forget any content, then withdrew the card and left. As he walked, he pondered his hunting plan. Hickman Arlington, a Wandering Wizard under the command of Soul Shaper Gilbert Winchester. Currently residing in Sector 19, an area controlled by a coalition of several medium and small alchemist factions. Philia didnt go into detail about Hickmans whereabouts, but Noland had his own way of finding him. I didnt expect to make use of the Insect Alchemy technique that Coudal contributed to me so soon. Bell Beetle, this small but practical little creature is just right for reconnaissance tasks. The Bell Beetle is an alchemical insect with one mother and several offspring. By refining a nest, one can obtain one mother bug and three to seven child bugs. Child bugs have a certain memory and can remember the appearance and smell of specific targets. Once the target is found, the child bugs will vibrate their wings silently and transmit signals to the mother bug. The mother bug, upon receiving the signal, will make a bell-like sound. Using child bugs to monitor key areas and the mother bug to receive signals is a common reconnaissance method used by Insect Alchemists.. Chapter 269 - Chapter 269: 117. Five-Week Plan 6 Chapter 269: 117. Five-Week Plan 6 Translator: 549690339 How the mother bug and child bug transmit signals through the air has always been a research subject in the Alchemy Academy. Noland Lee doesnt care about the principles; he just wants practical results. He came to the One-to-One Exchange Alchemy Club, staying inside the Alchemy Room, making Bell Beetles and drawing a half-length portrait of Hickman Arlington. Two hours later, Noland Lee left with the Bell Beetles that remembered Hickman Arlingtons appearance, changed his face, and entered Sector 19. He placed one at the entrance of the most luxurious entertainment venue in the sector, another near the Alchemist Factions stronghold, one at each exit of the Alchemy Market, and another on the must-pass route returning from Cat Society Manor to Sector 19 Wherever Hickman Arlington might appear, Noland Lee had arranged Bell Child Bugs. Are there ways to avoid the gaze of Bell Child Bugs? Yes. Hickman Arlington can avoid surveillance by disguising himself or altering his appearance. Secondly, applying alchemy potions that emit specific scents can drive away the Bell Child Bugs. Noland Lee believed that Hickman Arlington wouldnt change his appearance in the short term, as he had already entered a collaboration with Elemental Judgment, and frequent changes would affect the collaboration. As for using the scent of alchemy potions to repel the Bell Child Bugs. Heh-heh. Noland Lee wished for it. As long as theres a scent, it can be tracked. Noland couldnt be more pleased if Hickman Arlington always had a traceable scent on him, which would save him the trouble of locating the target. He had once heard a saying: Whats most important in todays society? Talent. And what about after talent is obtained? Of course, its information, intelligence, databases, and the like, which can help talents grasp the overall situation and predict trends. Noland Lee now had the entire map of Union City Undercity in his head, all publicly disclosed Sage Particle coordinates and introductions, and most of the layout diagrams for the Fissure Corridors from the underground level 1 to 20. Just give him a point. A single coordinate point representing Hickman Arlingtons current location. He could then use alchemy and magic to build a full-fledged reconnaissance network to track Hickman Arlingtons movements continuously. As a traveler who once lived in a city full of CCTV cameras, Noland Lee knew very well how to set up his cameras to ensure that he could track the target with as few blind snots as possible- Now he just needed to get the exact coordinates of Hickman Arlington. Once would be enough. To detect Hickman Arlingtons whereabouts as soon as possible, Noland Lee also planned some backup moves before leaving Sector 19. At 11 0clock on the late night of the same day. A faint bell sound rang in Noland Lees alchemy room. Ding- Ding- Ding- The Bell Mother Bug lay on the tabletop, flapping its wings and tapping its pomegranate-seed-sized abdomen, emitting crisp noises. Noland Lee was studying alchemical constructs by the alchemy platform at this moment. He detached from his work and rubbed his tired eyes before pulling the desk chair open and sitting down. Sketching spell blueprints in his mind, Noland Lee activated the Enslavement of Deceased technique with the Soul Link feature, awakening the bird Lost Souls sleeping on the street corners in Sector 19. On a cloudy night, the moonlight was hazy. As the night deepened, the entertainment district of Sector 19 was still noisy. On the open-air fighting arena, competitors sweat profusely, fists hitting flesh, sprinkling blood and sweat on the surface. The surrounding spectator stands were packed with alchemists and ordinary people who had nowhere to let off steam. They ate barbecue, drank iced malt beer, and cheered loudly for the intense fighting on the arena. This noisy racket floated upward along the outer walls of the buildings, turning into piercing, irregular, and annoying notes echoing above the entertainment area. The buildings that had already turned off their lights stared solemnly like silent giants at the entertainment area beneath them, silently enduring the clamor of mankind. On the roofs of these buildings lay birds that had died from penetrating wounds to the back of their heads. They lay on their sides, their eyes pitch black and lifeless. Convulsions and movements like electric shocks spread from the back of their heads to their beaks, wings, and zygodactyl feet. They propped themselves up on the ground with stiff wings, got up crookedly and staggered towards the edge of the building in a hesitant posture. They swayed with each step, like mindless puppets, quietly executing their masters orders. The people watching the fight didnt know that above their heads, there were a dozen more pairs of dark eyes gazing down at them from a high place. The eerie flock of birds slowly turned their heads, their eyes following the movement of a shadow below. They observed every move of that person. They saw him get off the steam locomotive, sit at a table next to the fighting arena, getting drunk and feasting. A moment later, the man, smelling of alcohol and grease, entered the tavern next to the Fight Club, slept with a hot woman in the third room on the south side of the third floor. The eerie flock of birds on the roof turned into sculptures in the shadows, making no more movements. Noland Lee opened his eyes, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. Hickman Arlington, you sure know how to enjoy yourself for a skeleton. Tomorrow is spray Powder Day and you still want to eat abalone tonight. Noland Lee stood up, pushed open the window of the alchemy room, gazed into the distance, taking in the overlapping rooftops and streets illuminated by streetlights. Desire drives this city, but the controllers neglect to monitor the dark side of desire, leaving many gaps. What Noland Lee saw was not a highly developed alchemy society.. Chapter 270 - Chapter 270: 117. Five-Week Plan_7 Chapter 270: 117. Five-Week Plan_7 Translator: 549690339 Instead, it is a backward area full of surveillance blind spots and management loopholes, with chaotic rules. An vast ocean where, if one digs carefully and makes good use of previous experiences, one can seize a lot of treasures and wealth. To consolidate his position as a knowledge broker, Noland Lee devised his first high -intensity plan. The First Ground Area Five-Week Plan. Over the next five weeks, he will create a monitoring system covering the entire Lower Town. All areas, except the Subdivision of the Alchemy Cathedral, will be monitored using custom-made cameras. Any wizard stepping into this city, he has to be one of the first to know of their presence. If an evil sorcerer comes, who may hinder his business, he will set a trap and ambush them. If a kind-hearted sorcerer comes and he could communicate with them amicably, he would tacitly allow their existence. To ensure his ability to precisely eliminate enemies, Noland Lee also formulated The First Rift Corridor Five-Week Plan. Within these five weeks, he will spread his network of informants to the fourth underground level of all sectors, grasping the activities of the alchemist factions in the underground area. By doing so, he can avoid the alchemist factions and safely and boldly lure unfamiliar enemies underground. During the process of the first five-week plan above and below ground, Noland Lee will continuously use alchemy and magic to create ideal CCTV cameras. Inside the bird corpses that were monitoring Hickman Arlington, Noland Lees self-made Pure Bone Chips had been inserted. Using the Pure Bone Card to cast Enslavement of Deceased on the corpses remotely, was a small trick Noland Lee had recently discovered. There is no record of it on the Magic Panel, making it a hidden skill. Noland communicates with the dead birds through the Soul Link. If they were hurt, they would cause serious mental damage to Noland. To avoid such a situation and to save himself the trouble of carrying dead birds to rooftops, Noland plans to develop a metal-constructed, alchemy array, and soul energy-driven mobile surveillance camera. The final appearance of this object has not been determined, and Noland Lee needs to conduct numerous experiments before a conclusion can be drawn. But one thing is certain. That is, only soul energy can drive these cameras. Because soul energy has the smallest movement among all energies. Death energy has distinct black light, and the energy of fire elements and other elements are also like this. For this, Noland Lee needs to solve the problem of soul strength consumption, and this coincides with his hunting of competitorshe can gather more soul fragments from extraordinaries than from monsters or demons. Of course, the Imperial Fist is an exception. Everything of the two five-week plans will start tomorrow, starting with Hickman Arlington. Use him and his soul as offerings to start the plan. Ive found the exact location of the large demon rat nest that Philia mentioned. Its located on the 10th to 15th underground floors of Sector 8, a huge nest spanning over 20 meters vertically. Hunting Hickman Arlington is a top priority. For this, Noland Lee deeply engraved the entire layout of the demon rat nest into his mind. As for helping the Iron Thorn Shield guard the Third Underground Level, Noland Lee glanced at the alchemical products on his alchemy platform. He had already concocted alchemy items to guard the third underground level on his behalf. Alright, stop daydreaming. I need to get to work. Noland Lee took a short break to regain some energy. He moved to the side of the alchemy platform and continued to study the mobile CCTV camera. At the same time as Noland Lee stayed up late for his plans, In a study room in the Cat Society Manor. The noblewoman was holding a tea cup, browsing through a magic book with animated illustrations. Philia knocked and entered the room, her face carrying a tinge of anger and resentment. Teacher, Hickman Arlington is just too despicable. He broke Ray Lees improved wand yesterday, and today, using the excuse of making a Spiked Wand, he forcibly took magic materials and a sum of Union Coins from me. The mana lock on the Spiked Wand, only he knows how to remove it. And he refuses to tell us how to remove it, willing only to lend us the wand occasionally. Do we really have to work with such a person tomorrow Facing the complaining Philia, the noblewoman put down her teacup and pursed her ruby-red lips and said: What a vivid lesson, isnt it, Philia? Under my care, you have grown like a healthy, lively bird. When you try to venture out of my protection and soar in the sky, rain and thunder will fall. Its not that youre unlucky, just as you try to entertain visiting wizards, encountering scum and losers. Its that the sky has always been filled with darkness. The tranquility and ease you have felt in the past were artificially created, the result of my indulgent protection. Yes, teacher I understand. Sandra, and several other wizards and I, were able to grow happily because of your care. Philia lowered her arms, folded her hands uneasily in front of her, and lowered her head, feeling a little helpless: Then how should I deal with Hickman Arlington? I can feel that he only has the strength of First level, and I am a little better than him. But his cunning makes me lack confidence and assurance. I am always worried that he is hiding some strength. The most critical point is that Hickman Arlington refuses to completely remove the magic lock on the Spiked Wand and give it to us to use. Counting his own wand and the one made after taking the materials from me, he now has two Spiked Wands. Its so infuriating. We provided the materials, yet he refuses to give us the completed wand. What is the name of our magic institution, Philia? Elemental Judgement. Yes, elements and judgement. The use of elemental energy is our foundation. And judgement is our mission. The noblewoman snapped her fingers, and a crystal key, crafted from water shards, flew out from a desk drawer, landing smoothly in Philias hand: In the past few years, Ive taught you how to use elemental energy. Now is the time to guide you onto the path of judgement. Take this key, and when your heart is full of anger, it will naturally tell you what to do. Philia looked at the crystal key in her palm and felt something drawing her in. This sensation was vague, like a distant call from an unreachable mountain. The noblewoman looked at the entranced Philia, and reminded her: Im only worried about one thing, Philia. Im afraid that Hickman Arlington might use the underground trap space to plot against you. Youve already mastered the method of identifying trap spaces, so you know how to avoid them. But be careful, because Im afraid Hickman Arlington has other accomplices, such as illegal alchemists in the Black City. If they team up against you, and force you into a trap space, things could get troublesome. Other accomplices? Illegal alchemists in Black City? Philia snapped back to her senses: Do you mean that Hickman Arlington will betray us? Why? The noblewoman pondered for a moment and said: Yes, as long as the benefits greatly outweigh the risks, he will do it. If he can really rely on the help of illegal alchemists to erase you without leaving a trace, take the spoils of war safely, and flee to the Black City, I think Hickman Arlington wont refuse such an opportunity. In this case, your lives would be the qualification for Hickrnan Arlington to enter the Black City. Philia, the path of a wizard is a cruel one, as Im sure youre feeling now. Yes, teacher I will be very careful and keep a close eye on Hickman Arlington. Philia nodded heavily, her face serious, tightly clutching the crystal key in her hand. The noblewoman snapped her fingers, and a barrel-shaped magic scroll floated out from the drawer, landing gently in Philias hands: Take this. It contains a very useful advanced elemental magic C Elemental Vision. Philia caught the scroll, her small mouth slightly opened in surprise: Is this the advanced elemental magic that can see through walls and obstacles to observe the distribution of elemental energy? Yes, the noblewoman smiled: Advanced magic is also known as Lecturer Professor level magic. Only after becoming a Lecturer Professor, can you learn them. When you reach the power of three-circled, you can temporarily borrow the power of a Lecturer Professor to cast advanced magic. As a Second Ring Wizard, you can only cast advanced magic through Magic Scrolls. The Magic Scrolls that record advanced magic are extremely precious. You are my student and are about to face danger in the Trial Task, so I cant be stingy. You will need this Magic Scroll. Keep it safe. Yes, thank you, teache Chapter 271 - Chapter 271: 118. Mysterious Connection Chapter 271: 118. Mysterious Connection Translator: 549690339 Spray Powder Day arrived. A deep rumble emerged from the depths beneath the ground, like the sounds of countless wild horses running on the cliffs ot the Great Rift. With a deafening explosion, the sky was filled with black metal dust pouring out of the Great Rift. They turned into dozens of black smoke pillars, more than ten meters wide, shooting up into the sky, heading straight for the azure heavens and the large and small suns. The ascent of the black smoke pillars quickly faded, drawing arcs in the air, falling towards Lower Towns various sectors in a parabolic trajectory. Already waiting on the ground, the powder collection devices opened their horn-shaped collectors, operating at full capacity, absorbing the all-purpose metal powder as it descended from the sky. For a time, hundreds of vortex-shaped black clouds appeared around the Great Rift, and numerous large, dense powder blocks were pulled away by the powder collection devices. The lightweight metal dust drifted with the wind, flying to various parts of Lower Town, and then slowly sinking under the influence of gravity. Alchemy devices dispersing fumes appeared in the alleys and streets. The water mist met with the metal dust, helping each other condense quickly into black contaminated water, reducing air pollution. Carbonated water rich in all-purpose metal dust slid down from the eaves and walls, flowed on the ground in the troughs, and entered the underground waterways. Already waiting at the first and second underground layers, the members of the extraordinary forces were greeted with an exciting moment. Guarding their own underground waterways and stopping hostile forces from attempting to destroy them would earn them rewards from their factions. At the end of Spray Powder Day, the more metallic powder the water storage devices in the underground waterways collected, the more rewards the personnel participating in guarding the waterways would receive. Such generous remuneration attracted all those eager to make a fortune in a short time. In Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm, all security team members who wanted to accumulate wealth in a short period of time volunteered to participate in the task of guarding the first and second underground layers. At this time, within the underground waterway area of Sector 7, Kent and Mark each led a team to guard the second and first underground layers, respectively. And on the third underground level, there was only Noland Lee guarding it. He carried a backpack with an added folding space, moving around the entrances of various staircases, placing inconspicuous metal boxes in hidden corners. Every time he put down a metal box, he took out broken stones and sand from the folding space, spread it on these metal boxes, and disguised them as a pile of useless sandstones. In the third underground layer, there were six staircases leading to the fourth and second underground layers, with metal gates at each entrance. There were two passage entrances leading to neighboring Sectors 6 and 8, also with metal gates. Together, there were eight metal gates that Noland needed to guard. Noland set two alchemy traps next to each metal gate, which was already his limit in terms of productivity. After spending all of last night and the whole day today frantically creating his self-developed alchemical products, his back was nearly broken With the last box of alchemical traps set up, Noland gently patted his waist, stood up, and let out a long sigh. After mastering scholarly skills, it was no longer difficult to produce this kind of alchemical trap equipped with an energy storage array that could emit elemental energy beams and alchemical fumes. The Deconstruction Technique played an indispensable role in this process. After Noland produced a semi-finished alchemical trap, he just had to throw the Deconstruction Technique, and he would know the final pass rate of the semi-finished product. According to the deconstruction result, he could adjust the semi-finished product to improve the pass rate, eventually producing high-quality alchemical traps with a 100% success rate. Cindy had asked him to help guard the third underground level, giving him 100,000 union coins as operating funds, with a promise to pay an equal amount as a reward after the end of Spray Powder Day. Noland didnt withhold any operating funds, using them all to buy alchemy materials. Thats how these 16 alchemy traps came about. They were enough to stop the ruthless gang gunmen, as for the gangs alchemists, those would be dealt with by Kents team above. Noland looked around in satisfaction, put on the hood of his alchemy cloak, and activated the alchemy runes inside the cloak. Swift Runes C use wind elemental energy to increase movement speed, with an improvement of about 30%. As soon as the rune was activated, his body became lighter, and the weight of the backpack felt as if it had disappeared. Getting used to the effects of the rune, Noland pushed open the door of the underground staircase and entered the fourth underground level. The air was filled with the stench of aberrations, and the walls were covered with mucus webs. Wearing a breathing mask, Noland glanced left and right, checking his spell list. During the previous battle with Coudal, he had harmlessly deconstructed Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary in the heat of the moment, obtaining two death -type magic spells. One was the astonishingly powerful high-level death-type magic, Evil Blast. The other was the Breath of the Dead which he did not have time to examine at that moment: It consumes 0.1 point of Soul Strength and 1 point of Energy, allowing one to disguise themselves as one of the Walking Dead for the next hour. Losing vital signs such as heartbeat, body temperature, and breathing, exuding a faint stench of death, and appearing as a walking corpse with grayish-white skin. Upgrading increases the strength of the disguise. Upon casting the Breath of the Dead, a cold sensation came from his skin, penetrating the muscles and fat, and directly affecting his bones and soul. Is this what it feels like to be dead Noland clenched his pale hands. He could still feel the power of his muscles, but there was a constant sense of weakness in his heart, as if his body was an insensate piece of wood.. Chapter 272 - Chapter 272:118. Mysterious Linkage_2 Chapter 272:118. Mysterious Linkage_2 Translator: 549690339 The effects of Breath of the Dead seem to have erased my senses of touch, smell, and pain. The stench from the aberrations is a little weaker now, and even the feedback from hitting the wall with my fist is much fainter than before. Noland Lee took out his dagger, removed his glove, and lightly scratched the tip of his finger. Looking at the small cut oozing blood, Noland realized that Breath of the Dead was more useful than he had initially thought! His sense of pain was now reduced to about 50% of what it had been before. Noland accessed the magic panel, investing 100 Energy Points into Breath of the Dead, raising it to Level 5. He cut the tip of his finger again, and the pain was significantly weakened, only about 10% of what it would usually be. This would undoubtedly help him overcome the pain and stay focused during combat. Noland applied some medical ointment to his fingertip, put his glove back on and held the dagger. He cut through the mucus web and quickly walked through the corridors, following the map in his mind. It wasnt long before he found the staircase to the next level and descended into the even darker and more oppressive fifth underground level. The aberrations paid him no mind, treating him as if he were a walking corpse. Even if they were face-to-face, the aberrations wouldnt give him a second glance. Noland activated Tracking the Living, doing his best to avoid the elite aberrations. The Seeder was one of the most common elite monsters. It was Level 15 and could be considered as a gaming monster with an elite template. Its strength was higher than a civilian first-order Alchemist but lower than Tatis first-order Imperial Fist. It had eight legs, and it moved about just like a turtle. Its back was covered in hanging tentacles on a fleshy mushroom and specialized in using tentacles and venom to attack. Its tentacles were fast-growing and as tough as a snakes body, capable of instantly severing a humans thigh. The barbs on the tentacles hardened, resembling the needles of an injector, capable of easily piercing through a first-order Alchemists Alchemy Weaponry and injecting venom into the target. The Burrower was a Level 16 aberration elite monster. It looked similar to a giant python, drilling through the wall structure to create a tunnel made of mucus mat. Usually, it would lurk within the walls, emerging from holes on the wall surfaces to spray corrosive venom when an enemy was detected. To kill them, one had to find their hidden heart within the wall, making them very difficult to deal with. Devourers were Level 18 aberration elite monsters. They had four limbs, two powerful hind legs, and a fleshy tail, resembling velociraptors with a body length of more than five meters. Their attacks consisted of spitting mucus bullets and using their extending neck and limbs to attack enemies. The horn on their head was extremely sharp, easily piercing through a first-order alchemy armor defense. They were agile and ferocious. Seeders, Burrowers, and Devourers were the most common elite aberration monsters Noland encountered along the way. With Breath of the Dead activated, he was as good as entering stealth mode in the eyes of the aberrations. The aberration elite monsters were like patrolling monsters with a Piercing Disguise effect. Noland traversed through the corridors, gradually finding that familiar feeling of sneaking around Mount Kigate, playing as a thief, and utilizing the Stealth skill to open treasure chests in instances like Steamvault and Lower Blackrock Spire There were the same sneaking techniques and the same need to avoid aberrations with anti-stealth effects. Phew, finally reached the 10th underground level. Noland stopped in the murky air of the walkway. He looked around. It was dark, tilled with aberration mucus, and the slippery sound from aberrations walking around filled the air. The Demon Rat Nest was located on the underground levels 11 through 15 in Sector 8, with the entrance being on the 10th underground level of Sector 8. Noland was currently located on the 10th underground level of Sector 7. Since there wasnt much of interest to explore in Sector 7s Sage Space, the area was desolate, with only Black City alchemists with ill intentions lurking about. Noland silently moved through the corridors of the 10th underground level and soon found the metal gate leading to Sector 8. He scraped the mucus off the latch, unlocked the mechanical lock, grabbed the handle, and slowly opened the heavy gate. Faint light passed through the door from the corridor behind it, filtering into Nolands eyes. Noland squinted and looked towards the source of the light. It was an alchemy lamp hanging on the walls of the corridor, with energy infused in its storage array. Unlike the area he was currently in, the 10th underground level in Sector 8 was well-lit. Aside from bloodstains and dried mucus on the ground, there were no signs of aberrations. The Cat Society had cleared the 10th underground level of Sector 8 of any aberrations, assigning people for long-term guarding duty in order to eliminate distractions and focus on hunting Demon Rats. After the Blackbone Hermit drove away the members of the Cat Society, they occupied the area. They kept things the way they were, not bringing any aberrations into the area. This meant that their goal was to exploit the alchemy resources in the Demon Rat Nest, not simply target the Cat Society. They didnt spread aberrations in the area because they would have hindered the collection of resources by the Blackbone Hermit. These were Nolands speculations. He found some evidence to support his own judgment. For example, the alchemy beetle hanging on the wall.. Chapter 273 - Chapter 273: 118. Mysterious Connection_3 Chapter 273: 118. Mysterious Connection_3 Translator: 549690339 Scouting Bell Beetles and attack type Alchemy Beetles responsible for stealth attacks were among the tools that the Blackbone Hermit had devised to guard against attacks. As Noland Lee opened the sluice gate, the Alchemy Beetles lying in wait on the walls had already detected his presence. These Alchemy Beetles should have sounded the alarm, but unfortunately, Noland was currently neither alive, an Alchemist, nor an Aberration. He was now a dead man. It was evident that the Blackbone Hermit had not issued any orders for his little treasures to watch the dead. Therefore, Nolands arrival did not alert the Alchemy Beetles. Noland shut some of the doors, leaving only a barely visible crack. His gaze penetrated the crack, staring intently at the corridor behind the door. Come on, just one patrolling Alchemy Slave is enough. Just dont let the Blackbone Hermit show up, or Ill have to resort to my backup plan. Perhaps hearing his prayers, a faint sound of footsteps approached from the distance. Patter, patter The persons steps were erratic, his pace sometimes fast and sometimes slow. He also drank alcohol while walking. Glug, glug. Ah- so refreshing- The Wheat Beer up on the ground level is so much better than the one in the Black City- Thankfully, Im cunning enough to have seized the opportunity to patrol on Underground Layer 10, or else where would I find this treasure-I Glug, glug. *burp* An Alchemy Slave with mechanical arms implanted in his back and wearing round goggles came into view. This guy was bald and had buckteeth jutting out. He wore a dirty jacket without buttons, exposing his chest and stomach covered in scars and suture lines. Liquid-filled soft tubes were inserted into various parts of his body. He swayed from side to side, unsteady on his feet, carrying a bottle of Wheat Beer in each hand and barely managing to control the mechanical arms on his back to steady himself against the wall. As he walked, drank, and burped, he was completely oblivious to the gaze spying on him. Noland gently closed the door and listened intently to the movements behind it. The Alchemy Slave came to the metal sluice gate, using his mechanical arm to knock on the door panel, giving the closed gate a simple check. Noland held the door latch, pushed against the door, and steadied the metal gate. Once he confirmed that the door panel was completely still, the Alchemy Slave turned around and left with a burp, leaving his back exposed to the metal gate. Noland silently opened the door, holding the Alchemical Hand Crossbow in his hand and aiming it at the Alchemy Slaves back. The Alchemy Slaves mechanical arm was brutally implanted into his body, connecting directly to the spine. At the junction of the arm and skin, a patch of worm-like rotten flesh and large amounts of black, filthy blood were present. Ordinary people would have fainted long ago from such treatment. But Alchemy Slaves wouldnt. The Black City Alchemists had stripped them of their pain perception, all of it. Shoo- In the faint sound of breaking wind, a cold light shot toward the nape of the Alchemy Slaves neck. Huh? It itches- The Alchemy Slave mumbled before reaching out to scratch his neck vigorously. He felt his hand was wet. Pulling it back, he saw a bright red stain. Am I hurt? The confused Alchemy Slave fell to the ground, soon succumbing to massive arterial blood loss. Without pain, there were no cries of agony. Without cries of agony, there was no alarm raised. In complete silence, Noland used the Alchemical Hand Crossbow to fire short crossbow bolts, drawing first blood in this mission. [System Message: You have killed Alchemy SlaveGulja.] [Passive Deconstruction Activated! ] [Since you have unlocked the standard panel for Alchemy Slave, this Passive Deconstruction did not grant an Energy Point reward.] [Deconstruction results are as follows:] The individualized panel for Alchemy Slave-Gulja.] The targets recent significant memories.] Noland didnt look at the deconstruction content for now. He had added a Cleaning Rune to the arrowhead of that arrow-shaped bullet, which was used to remove the blood. From beginning to end, not a single drop of blood had been spilled in the corridor, saving the need for cleanup. Noland stepped into the corridor of Sector 8, coming to Guljas side and inserting a Pure Bone Card into the wound at the back of his neck. He smeared medical dressings to stop the bleeding, then wrapped the wound with a dirty cloth, disguising it as a scarf. Noland completely concealed Guljas wounds. He took out an Alchemical Potion for Dispelling Demonized Rats and poured it evenly over Guljas body. The potions scent quickly evaporated, turning into a layer of odorless white frost adhering to Guljas skin, resembling inconspicuous wall dust as if it had been scraped from the wall. Noland waved away the scent of the potion and took out several Pure Bone Cards from his Blood Haven to hide them in Guljas coat pocket. Finally, he wiped away all his traces and retreated to the corridor of Sector 7. Noland closed the metal gate, leaning against the door panel while casting the Enslavement of Deceased on Alchemy Slave Gulja by means of a Pure Bone Card. The existence of Enslavement of Deceased couldnt stop corpse decay. Noland naturally didnt apply any alchemical antiseptic potions with strong scents to Gulja to prevent decay. Within at most half an hour, Gulja, who was truly dead, would emit a foul odor, alerting the Blackbone Hermit. Noland had to act fast. As he controlled the deceased Gulja to stand up from the ground, he searched through the latters memories. From the memory fragments, Noland identified the other Alchemy Slaves and the Blackbone Hermits overseeing them. One memory, in particular, caught Nolands full attention.. Chapter 274 - Chapter 274:118. Mysterious Linkage_4 Chapter 274:118. Mysterious Linkage_4 Translator: 549690339 In the memory scene: Gulja and several Alchemy Slaves were busy working beside the alchemy furnace, preparing food and drinks for two Blackbone Hermits. One of the Hermits had bronze-colored skin, was extremely thin and had severely sunken cheeks, without a mask on his face. The other Hermit wore a black crow mask, and the black alchemy robe he wore was adorned with more patterns. He wore a bone ring with crow wing patterns on his fingers, which indicated a higher status. Young Master Raven, I received a message from Hickman Arlington last night, said the maskless Hermit to the man wearing the crow mask: He said that the Elemental Judgement member went behind Hickmans back and found another Death Clan Wizard to help. Fortunately, he discovered it in time and drove them away. Today, there will only be one Death Clan Wizard in the Elemental Judgement team that will come to trouble us, and there wont be anyone else. I have confirmed with him several times that the Elemental Judgement team will consist of one Second Ring Wizard, four First-Rank Wizards, and dozens of armed team members from the Cat Society Security Company. Hmm. The Blackbone Hermit called Young Raven hummed lightly and said: Coudaman, are the alchemy bombs set up in the Demon Rat Nest? Yes, sir, replied the Hermit named Coudaman respectfully: As long as the people from Elemental Judgement are lured by Hickman Arlington to the pressure step board, the alchemy bombs on the ceiling of the nest will detonate. Even if they are not killed on the spot, they will fall into the nest due to the floor collapsing and be crushed by the traps below. Dont worry, sir, I have personally checked everything. The alchemy bombs and pressure step board are absolutely fine. Very good, Coudaman. You have done well. Young Raven stood up and didnt even glance at the dishes served by the Alchemy Slaves. As he walked out of the memory scene, he said: I leave everything here to you, Coudaman. Once the people from Elemental Judgement are dead, bring Hickman Arlington to me at Underground Layer 13. We will take in as many people who dare to trample on Elemental Judgements face as they come. Yes, sir. Coudaman stood up and bowed as he saw Young Raven off. This was where the memory fragment ended. It was the most important part of Guljas recent memories. The rest included eating, drinking, patting his belly, and urinating After watching the memory, Noland Lee understood everything at once. That Hickman Arlington was indeed a cunning and sinister man, who had conspired with the Blackbone Hermits to deceive the female Meow Race. Unacceptable. No matter if it was because of his cooperation with Elemental Judgement or the beauty of the female Meow Race, Noland Lee decided to thoroughly sabotage the plans of the Blackbone Hermits. Noland Lee pondered on his strategy in his mind, while also keeping an eye on Guljas perspective. There was a large open area at the intersection of the corridors of Sector 8s Underground Layer 10. Here, the alchemy furnace, hanging beds, and simple alchemy platform were set up. This was the place Noland Lee saw in the memory scene. This area was originally the temporary camp built by the Cat Society, but now it had been occupied by the Blackbone Hermits. Next to the alchemy platform of the temporary camp was an alchemy slave sharpening a knife. He saw Gulja staggering over and yelled at him: Gulja, why are you just getting back? Lord Coudaman took some people and went to squat near the pressure step board to ambush the Elemental Judgements women. He said that after you finish patrolling, just stay here and dont go anywhere else. If you ruin the plan later because youre so drunk, dont blame me for telling Lord Coudaman! With an intoxicated and muddled expression, Guljas eyes were dull and his face dirty. He raised his hand and waved it randomly, throwing the unopened bottle of Wheat Beer in his left hand. As the knife-sharpening Alchemy Slave caught the bottle, he quickly took a big gulp and grinned with his mouth full of alcohol: You sure know your place! Gulja waved his hand in response, walked past the alchemy platform without a word, passed through the crude camp, and entered another corridor. The knife-sharpening Alchemy Slave was too busy drinking to notice Guljas actions. The hole cut off the entire corridor and blocked the way forward. It connected to a passage that led downward at an angle. There was muck, feces, and messy mud footprints inside the passage. This was the underground passage leading to the Demonized Rat Nest, filled with a pungent stench that just wouldnt dissipate. Without a word, Gulja jumped into the hole and entered the dimly lit passage. This way, he stepped into a Resourceful Sage Space. Apart from the foul smell and floating dust in the air, there were also fluffy energy lines. They moved slowly in mid-air like willow branches blown by the wind. These energy lines could not be touched or controlled, and their colors varied. They were a crucial criterion for distinguishing between the natural world and Sage Spaces. Encountering such visible yet untouchable energy lines meant that one had entered a Sage Space unfolded by Sage Particles. In textbook knowledge, these energy lines were defined as the stereo array lines of a Sage Space. If a Sage Space is well maintained, the stereo array remains stable and the array lines will not be exposed. However, if a Sage Space is neglected for a long time, it becomes unstable, and the stereo array gradually loses control, resulting in the appearance of visible array lines within the space. In the entire Sage Space, the area with the densest energy lines is where the Sages Lock lies.. Chapter 275 - Chapter 275: 118. Mysterious Linkage_5 Chapter 275: 118. Mysterious Linkage_5 Translator: 549690339 Whoever can control the Sages Lock can then control the stereo array of the Sages Space, manipulating the Sages Space as if pulling the strings of a marionette. At that point, whether to fold up the Sage Space and transform it into Sage Particles to take away, or to remodel this space, is entirely up to the will of the controller. Noland Lees original plan did not involve delving deep into the Demon Rat Nest. He had manipulated Undead Gustav to enter the Underground Layer 10 of Sector 8, to open the doors of several other corridors, allowing the aberrations to enter Sector 8, lured by the scent of living humans. Once the situation on the scene became chaotic and enough corpses were available, Noland would have Gustav implant the Pure Bone Cards into the corpses. Noland would cast the Enslavement of Deceased technique on these corpse carriers from afar, controlling them to surround the isolated Hickman Arlington and wait for the opportune moment to activate the Evil Explosion and kill him instantly. As long as they could ensure that there were no witnesses, this would be a safer course of action. There was just one downside When the Evil Explosion is triggered, Noland must maintain the Enslavement of Deceased technique. He would bear the excruciating pain of the explosion of the lost souls. Noland had prepared an alchemy potion for pain relief for this reason. Now, it may be necessary to alter this plan. Because Noland found the alchemy bombs set up by the Blackbone Hermit. They were near the entrance of the nest. In the first layer of the Demon Rat Nest, a herd of hand-sized demon rats gathered around Gustav, thick as thieves and chirping incessantly, resembling starving piranhas waiting for their meal. The incisors of these demon rats were as wide as a palm. They hovered around Gustav, both greedy for the chunks of flesh on him, yet afraid of the scent of the alchemy potion he exudes. The alchemy bomb was right above Gustavs head, within arms reach. They were in the southeastern corner of the first layer of the Demon Rat Nest, corresponding to the Underground Layer 11 of Sector 8. They were hooked onto the ceiling of the nest and connected by several threads to the floor of Underground Layer 10 of Sector 8. The floor connected to the bomb had been modified by the Blackbone Hermit to become a pressure step board that would trigger the threads with a single step. Once the team from Elemental Judgment came from the Staircase of Underground Layer 9 to Layer 10, stepping on the pressure step board would trigger the bomb. They would fall into the Demon Rat Nest, dropping into the trap space directly below. In just 0.1 seconds, the trap space that was originally filled with mud would be filled with high voltage lightning, deadly toxic fumes, and metal spikes. The trap space was designed to deal with high-grade alchemists and powerful aberrations. Its immense power was more than enough to instantly kill the team from Elemental Judgement. Those four alchemy bombs controlled by the pressure step board were no ordinary items. They were categorized as controlled items by the Alchemy Cathedral. Although each one was only as large as a fist, its power was comparable to 50 kilos of high explosives. Once ignited, they would unleash a tsunami-like shockwave and a massive amount of sharp fragments. This explosion could not only destroy the ceiling of the first layer of the rat nest but could also penetrate the floor of the first layer, exposing the trap space in the second layer. Noland manipulated Gustav to cut the four threads, removing the four bombs from the hooks. In this way, the pressure step board could no longer pull the threads and pull out the safety pin of the alchemy bomb. Even if the Meow Meows from the Elemental Judgment danced on the pressure step board, it wouldnt trigger the bomb. Noland manipulated Gustav, carrying the alchemy bomb, to return to the temporary camp at the crossroads of the corridor. Undead Gustav waited behind in the corner of the wall, monitoring the situation inside the temporary camp. Having confirmed that no one extra had appeared in the camp, Noland pushed open the Metal Gate and silently sneaked close to the camp. The alchemy slave lingering near the alchemy platform had just downed the last gulp of wheat beer when he died from a silent crossbow shot. Noland disposed of the corpse, erased the scent of blood, and used the Enslavement of Deceased technique to turn it into his own undead. He took all the Bone Cards from Gustav, and carefully lifted the alchemy bomb from Gustavs arms. He attached the alchemy bomb to Gustavs body, and tied the safety pin of the bomb to Gustavs finger with a thread. Thus, a suicide bomber undead made its debut. Noland quickly erased his own traces and hid back in the Underground Layer 10 of Sector 7. He manipulated the undead Gustav, who was carrying the alchemy bomb, to head towards the pressure step boards location. Another alchemy slave undead followed behind Gustav. Noland tried to soften the steps of the two undead to avoid making any noise. In no time, several stealthy figures appeared in Gustavs vision. A Blackbone Hermit named Coudaman, along with several alchemy slaves whose combat capabilities had been enhanced, guarded the corridor in front. About 50 meters in front of them was the pressure step board. Further ahead was a staircase leading from Underground Layer 9 to Layer 10. The Blackbone Hermit and his team had prematurely destroyed the other staircases and left only this one. The team from Elemental Judgment could only enter the Underground Layer 10 from this staircase. Alternatively, they would have to do as the Blackbone Hermit didblast a hole in the floor of Underground Layer 9, entering Underground Layer 10 from an unexpected location rather than taking the usual path. Boom- Noland Lees eyes suddenly shot open, a puzzled expression on his face. He was one hundred percent sure he had heard an explosion. The slight vibration of the floor beneath his feet confirmed that an explosion had indeed occurred. No way, right? The Meow Meows from Elemental Judgement, could they really have blasted the floor of Underground Layer 9? Chapter 276 - Chapter 276: 118. Mysterious Linkage_6 Chapter 276: 118. Mysterious Linkage_6 Translator: 549690339 Oh ho- I didnt expect that, Philia and the others didnt blindly step into the trap. Noland Lee chuckled in his heart, closed his eyes, and focused on controlling his Undead. From the perspective of Undead Gustav at this moment, gray dust was blowing from behind, carrying a large amount of rubble, which was smashing against the walls with crackling sounds. The Elemental Judgement team had indeed blasted the floor of Underground Layer 9. On the ceiling of the Temporary Camp on Underground Layer 10, many centipede-like cracks appeared. Large pieces of stone bricks were sliding off the ceiling, falling to the ground. With just one or two more ordinary Alchemy Bombs, the barrier between Layers 9 and 10 would be shattered. Damn it! Those cunning bitches didnt use the staircase! Blackbone Hermit Kodaman suddenly turned his head, seeing both the shattered ceiling and the two Alchemy Slaves running towards him at an increasing pace. Undead Gustav opened his right arm, making a hug gesture, as if enthusiastically embracing an old friend, and held Kodaman tightly. Another Undead lunged, leaping two meters in the air and hugged Kodamans legs with both arms, not giving him a chance to move. Without waiting for Kodaman and the nearby Alchemy Slaves to react, Undead Gustav raised his dangling left arm forcefully. Boom!!! Kodaman and the Alchemy Slaves were swallowed by the massive blaze before they could understand the situation! These four Alchemy Bombs, worthy of being regulated items, directly triggered a long-lasting, small-scale earthquake with their impact. The stone bricks around the center of the explosion cracked, instantly creating countless shard-filled bullet holes. The floor and ceiling were blown open with large holes, with sand and rubble pouring down. Noland Lee held onto the door panel and opened his eyes on the trembling floor. He held his head, his eyebrows furrowed and his face full of pain. Gasping for breath, he quickly recovered from the backlash of the Soul Link. Hey, I must say, the pain suppression effect of Breath of the Dead is awesome. It even suppressed the death-related pain passed on by Soul Link. The pain this time is far less than when the Cavern Stalker was shattered by Murphy. It seems that I have to keep Breath of the Dead active from now on to embrace the death of the Soul Link target. Noland Lee wiped the sweat from his forehead, glanced at the system message in his mind, and smiled. A First-Order Black Bone Hermit plus six Alchemy Slaves, a total of seven enemies, had all been bombed in one fell swoop. Since he had already unlocked the standard panels for the First-Order Black Bone Hermit and Alchemy Slave, Noland Lee did not receive Energy Points reward. However, he still triggered Passive Deconstruction and obtained the recent memories of Kodaman and the Alchemy Slaves. The system in his mind refreshed a large amount of text content, which also included some skill level-up information. As Noland Lee read the deconstruction results, he also observed Hickman Arlington in the Elemental Judgement team. As for how to know what Hickman Arlington was doing, it was much simpler. Noland Lee faced the Metal Gate, activated Tracking the Living and looked at the corridor of Sector 8 through the gate. After seeing the sights in his Magic Vision, he shook his head in disappointment. No good. The range of Tracking the Living is not large enough; I cant even see the temporary campsite. I need to expand the observation range of Magic Vision by at least 60 meters before I can monitor the movements of the temporary campsite. Noland Lee brought out the Spell interface of Tracking the Living, consumed 350 Energy Points in one breath, and decisively upgraded this frequently used Death Series Spell to Level 10. [System Message: ] [The horizontal range of Tracking the Living vision is increased by 50 meters, which is now 110 meters. The vertical range is increased by 25 meters, which is now 55 meters.] [The level of Tracking the Living has broken through to Level 10, triggering an upgrade reward.] [Please choose one of the following three options:] [Option One:] [The vision range of Tracking the Living is greatly enhanced, expanding to 220 meters in the horizontal direction and 110 meters in the vertical direction.] [Option Two:] [ Tracking the Living transforms into Life and Death Tracking. The vision range remains the same, but you can now see the living, corpses, and Undead at the same time. Continuing to upgrade this skill will increase the vision range.] [Option Three:] [Tracking the Living transforms into Peering at the Living. The vision range remains the same, but you can now vaguely see the blood flow mode and the status of important organs inside the living body. Further upgrading this skill will allow you to choose between increasing the vision range or enhancing the viewing effect.] Hiss Which one do I choose? Noland Lee slapped his forehead as he suffered from difficulty in making a decision. Although he couldnt see the temporary camp right now, vivid human body outlines had already appeared in his Magic Vision. As long as he consumed some more Energy Points and upgraded Tracking the Undead, he would be able to better observe the Elemental Judgement team. So Option One has a low priority. Option Two allows for tracking both the Undead and corpses. Option Three is specifically for the living, peering into their physiological structure. Considering that he currently has more death-related spells in hand, Option Two should be the best choice. Noland Lee clenched his fist, tapped his palm, nodded, and silently said, I choose Option Two.. Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: 118. Mysterious Linkage_7 Chapter 277: 118. Mysterious Linkage_7 Translator: 549690339 Magic Vision flickered, and a white light emerged. The white light quickly dissipated, revealing blue outlines within the field of vision. Noland Lee narrowed his eyes, looked at the blue outlines, and casually threw the Deconstruction Technique. Through the systems feedback information, Noland Lee confirmed that those blue things were the fragments of Coudaman and his alchemy slaves that were blown up by Alchemy Bombs. In the explosion that just happened, only Coudamans black bone pieces could survive. All other things, including the bone cards that controlled Gulja, had been completely crushed into waste. Not bad, its quite convenient. I can see the fragments of corpses in a range of 110 meters horizontally, and I can also deconstruct them with Deconstruction Technique um, um, um? Wait! Noland Lee suddenly had an epiphany! A lightning of enlightenment flashed through his mind, breaking through the fog of doubt! If I can cast Deconstruction Technique on the corpses in the Magic Vision of Life and Death Tracking, can I also use Evil Blast on them!? Noland Lee shivered with excitement, his gaze piercing through the sluice gate and the wall structure, focusing on a blue outline. He quickly sketched out the blueprint of the spell but stopped casting just before it was complete. Two lines of system messages floated in front of him, making him extremely delighted! [You are about to cast Evil Blast on Coudamans body fragments (level 1)] [Due to your manual termination of casting, the spell is interrupted.] I can remotely cast the Evil Blast Technique now! Thats awesome! In the future, I just need to secretly squat nearby and wait to ignite corpses around my enemies! Noland Lee cheered inwardly, clenched his fist, and swung it forcefully. That was close, really close. If I hesitated for a few more moments, I might have chosen option one or option three! Im glad I considered the current magic components instead of thinking about miscellaneous matters. Otherwise, I would have missed this awesome skill linkage effect! Noland Lee inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, barely calming his turbulent heart. He secretly decided to add the research topic of Remote collection of soul fragments to his Five Week Plan and give it a higher priority. Soul Absorption could be cast remotely, and Noland Lee didnt need to see the target. However, its range was limited to a sphere with a radius of 10 meters centered on Noland Lee. Once he found a method for remotely collecting soul fragments, he could create a sneaky and powerful build that combined remote assassination and remote collection of soul fragments. Noland Lee focused his mind and observed the corridor of Sector 8. As his gaze swept towards the depths of the corridor, two slender red outlines were approaching him Noland Lees expression shifted slightly, uncertain whether he had been discovered or if the two people were merely coming to check the metal gate. He tiptoed backward without making a sound. As he moved, the leader of the two people stopped. A bizarre scene unfolded. Noland Lee and the leader of the party seemed to be able to sense each others presence, both retreating back into their respective corridors. It was like two cheaters with an extrasensory ability confirming each others identities by alternatively pressing the Q and E keys and shaking their heads left and right to give signals. This was similar to how the little cheaters in the game Escaping from Turbo Suka gave secret signals to one another A sense of absurdity welled up in Noland Lees heart. He increasingly felt that the other party could see him. Noland Lee frowned, throwing the Deconstruction Technique at the leader of the two shadows. [System Message: ] [You are about to use the Deconstruction Technique on Wizard Mion Philia] So, its Philia It seems that she has mastered some magic with a perspective effect. Noland Lee did not relax his vigilance and continued to retreat. Philia was the same. She steadily retreated while pulling Betty with her. Betty was puzzled and looked at Philia, whose eyes were radiating four different elemental colors. She asked in confusion: Sister, whats wrong? Didnt you say you were coming to check the status of the sluice gate? Why are you pulling me backward Theres something fishy behind that door. The wind elemental energy there has been disturbed It seems like some upright walking creature is moving away from us An upright walking creature Is it an Aberration? Betty blinked and asked. No, Im not sure. I dont know what it is. It seems that it can see us or at least hear our voices. As soon as we approached, it started moving away Philia led Betty back the way they had come, giving up on checking the metal gate. Just before the two of them left his magic vision, Noland Lee cast Deconstruction Technique at Philia.. Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: 119. Great harvest Chapter 278: 119. Great harvest Translator: 549690339 [System Message: You consumed 50 Energy Points and deconstructed Wizard Mion Philia. ] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [1. Targets panel information is updated, with the addition of the Status Bar:] [Status Bar] C Buff Effects: Elemental Vision, Level 5, Elemental Detection Magic, Advanced Magic. This effect comes from a one-time-use magic scroll, with a remaining duration of 110 minutes. During the effect, Philia can intuitively see the flow of elemental energy within a horizontal range of 50 meters and a vertical range of 25 meters. Cyclic Wind Shield, Level 25, Elemental Protection Magic. Shield Strength: 55 points. Wind Elemental Energy Damage Resistance: 90%. Resistance to other elemental energy damage and kinetic damage is fixed at 70%, while resistance to other damage ranges from 0% to 30%. This magic shield has the Cyclic Casting feature. Philia does not need to cast it manually, as it automatically draws the casters mana to replenish the shields strength. C Debuff Effects: None. [2. You have acquired a relatively important recent memory fragment from the target:] [The noblewoman hands the magic scroll to Philia, Take this. It records a very useful advanced elemental magic Elemental Vision.] Ah, I see. It was that noblewoman who serves as a mentor who helped Philia cheat. Noland Lee quickly scanned the deconstruction information in his mind and immediately knew why Philia could find him. It was the effect of the Elemental Vision Magic Scroll. This spell was referred to as Advanced Elemental Magic by the noblewoman, so the magic scroll made from it should be quite expensive, right? The noblewoman was indeed generous. It seems that she, as a mentor, cares a lot about Philia, Betty, and other First Ring and Second Ring Elemental Wizards. Noland Lee figured out Philias situation and was no longer worried about her and her teams safety. In all those cultivation and fantasy novels he read before crossing over, disciples or students like Philia who were valued by their masters and mentors definitely had other trump cards hidden. Rather than worrying about Philia and the others safety, Noland Lee should hurry up and find a way to deal with Hickman Arlington. This damn guy is definitely still in the Elemental Judgment team, gritting his teeth and fighting the Blackbone Hermit alongside Philia and the others. For someone like him, he should either find an excuse to escape from the danger immediately or patiently wait for the opportunity to betray and cooperate with the Blackbone Hermit to attack the Elemental Judgment team. The Blackbone Hermit known as Young Raven is stationed on Underground Layer 13 of Sector 8. That is the third layer of the Demon Rat Nest, very close to the Sages Lock, and the core area of the entire nest. Noland Lee believes that if he were Hickman Arlington, he would definitely take survival as his first priority, finding an excuse to withdraw from the task and leave the underground. I need to make two preparations now. Noland Lee compared the Fissure Corridor map in his mind and fell into deep thought: The first preparation is to guard against Hickman Arlington fleeing and returning to the ground level. In this case, I need to set up a network of informants near Sector 8 to grasp Hickman Arlingtons movements as soon as possible. The second preparation. In case Hickman Arlington chooses to go to the Black City, I have to set up defenses at the Vertical Shaft Entrance to stop him. Considering the range of Elemental Vision, I must assassinate Hickman Arlington several tens of meters away from Philia, otherwise, I will definitely be exposed Sigh, plans can never keep up with changes. The Meow Judgment went against the norm, completely disrupting my plan to assassinate Hickman Arlington on Underground Layer 10. But its normal. The only constant is constant change. As long as I adapt to the situation and operate carefully, I can still kill Hickman Arlington. Noland Lee shook his head slightly, dispelling his distracting thoughts, and began to set up his plan in the dim corridor. No matter if Hickman Arlington returns to the ground or goes to the Black City, he must die. Noland Lee is just that cautious, no, he should be called vigilant. Even if his opponent goes to the Black City, which cant interfere with his business activities on the ground, Noland Lee doesnt intend to let him go. Because in Noland Lees view, allowing Hickman Arlington to go to the Black City is like letting a tiger return to the mountain. In time, Hickman Arlington who returns from the Black City may become a big shot. To avoid such a situation, Noland Lee decided to strangle all evil beings who clashed with him in the Bud Stage. Especially those evil ones who have been divorced, had their families destroyed, fell off cliffs but miraculously survived, or yelled things like Dont bully the young and poor. Hell take them all out and snuff them all out when theyre vulnerable. Of course, the premise is that he must not be exposed. Sector 8, Underground Layer 10, Temporary Camp. Hickman Arlingtons face was gloomy, his eyes staring intently at Philias face, his expression revealing a mix of disbelief and slight fear. With a slightly shocked tone, he opened his mouth and said: . I really didnt expect that your mentor would give you the Elemental Vision magic scroll. Its so generous of her. Such an item would still sell for a lot even in the Ulnas Ring. Philia was directing the Security Team to clean up the campsite. She glanced at Hickman Arlington indifferently, using her eyes scattering four-color elemental light to examine him: Oh, so you also know about the high-level elemental magic Elemental Vision. Since you know, its best to be honest. We, Elemental Judgment, are bound by the Ulnas Ring No. 6 Wizard Law and cannot do anything to you, a wandering wizard with evil intentions who has yet to disrupt the local order. However, this does not mean that I cannot see the dark thoughts in your heart. Dont think I dont know where those pressure step boards are. Elemental Vision has already shown me their locations.. Chapter 279 - Chapter 279:119. Bountiful Harvest_2 Chapter 279:119. Bountiful Harvest_2 Translator: 549690339 Hickman Arlington, hearing pressure step board, slightly tensed his facial features: I have no idea what youre talking about.. It doesnt matter whether you understand or not, Hickman Arlington. As long as you cooperate honestly, we will handle things according to the No. 6 Wizards Law. Philia looked away, no longer focusing on the anxious Hickman Arlington. Her gaze moved along the fissure caused by the explosion toward the pressure step board. Many fragments of corpses torn to shreds by the explosive force appeared in her field of view. The Elemental Vision magic revealed: The pressure step board is an alchemical product, composed of metal parts and stones, and carries a faint trace of earth elemental energy. The silk thread connected to the pressure step board is a pure metal object, and it also carries a faint trace of earth elemental energy. These threads extend from the floor of the underground Layer 10 to the ceiling of the Underground Layer 11, which is the top of the Demon Rat Nests first layer. Clearly, the silk thread is controlled by the pressure step board and is used to trigger a certain deadly trap. For instance, four controlled-grade alchemy bombs. The energy shock caused by these four bombs was so evident that it was hard for Philia to ignore their existence. But the question is, how did these four controlled bombs, which should have been placed in the nests first layer, get detonated near the pressure step board? Moreover, it just happened to kill the Blackbone Hermit and Armed Alchemical Servant guarding this place Not to mention elemental wizards like Philia being confused, even the petty Hickman Arlington is very baffled. Could there be a hidden force on the scene? Both Philia and Hickman Arlington had this speculation in their hearts. Philia suspected that it might be related to the strange creature behind the Sector 7 Metal Gate. Hickman Arlington considered the hidden force as the wizard sent by Philias mentor. The two, each with their own thoughts, patiently waited for the security team members to finish clearing the temporary camp. Philia lowered her gaze and looked down at the floor under her feet. Her gaze penetrated the passage from the first to second layer of the Demonized Rat Nest and fell on the third layer. In the magical vision of the Elemental Vision, each tunnel layer was filled with a strong earth elemental energy and wind elemental energy disturbed by the Demon Rats. Only in the third layer of the nest and near the Sages Lock, the elemental energies were displaced by extraordinary forces, leaving several blank areas in the shape of human silhouettes. Those human silhouettes, which repel elemental energies, are lurking in the dark corners of the third layer of the nest, just like the evil beasts waiting for their prey to come to their door. Elemental energy is a very magical thing. Tthe human bodys blood contains water; thus, blood carries water elemental energy. Normal individuals blood is always in motion. In the Elemental Vision, this would be reflected as a continuing flow of water elemental energy within the body. What kind of human silhouettes would contain absolutely no trace of blood, thus possessing no water elemental energy? The answer is self-evident. A mysterious smile appeared on Philias mouth, and a mocking look as if she had caught a mouse appeared in her eyes. With an ambiguous gaze, she glanced at Hickman Arlington. Although it was just a casual look, it made Hickman Arlington jitter nervously, his entire face turning ghastly pale. Hickman Arlington, you should have guessed what I saw, right? With the help of Elemental Vision, all Blackbone Hermits are exposed to me. Philia said coldly: Now you have two choices. First, provide sufficient mana to the Death Spike Wand, unlock your magic lock, and completely hand over the right to use it. If you cooperate, not only will I allow you to return to the ground level the way you came, but I also will allow you to keep the reward for creating the wand. Our cooperation ends here. The second choice. You can choose not to hand over the wand, but you have to go to the third layer of the nest with me. If you dare to do anything during this period, I will be the first to wipe you out My mentor didnt just give me the Elemental Vision scroll. The color of Hickman Arlingtons face alternated between pale and ashen; his pupils constantly contracted, and his gaze swayed around. He was torn inside. He said laboriously in his hoarse voice: I I will give you the wand. Good. Hickman Arlington took a deep breath and continued: If you have enough money, I can sell you a piece of information information related to the third layer of the nest. But you have to give me the money first before I can tell you. The elemental wizards around him heard his words and looked at Hickman Arlington with disgust. They probably knew what kind of information he wanted to sell. This kind of person without principles who only recognizes money and can sell anyone, its better to leave the team sooner. Philia smirked contemptuously and grabbed a handful of light orbs from the alchemical stone and threw them over: You have offended the Alchemist of the Black City and should be eager to leave the Fission Wilderness, right? This bag contains a one- time Food Creation Magic Scroll, a one-hour Flying Broom Summoning Scroll, and an additional 50,000 Union coins, is that sufficient? Hickman Arlington caught the light orbs. It was a cloth bag containing the items Philia mentioned. Hickman Arlington put away the cloth bag. He pulled out the Death Spike Wand he had made for the Elemental Judgement, and as he replenished the wand with energy, he said: Its the Third-Order Alchemist, Chiraven from the Blackbone Secret Society. He is guarding the third layer of the nest with a group of alchemists whose strength is not less than the First Order. Third Order Alchemist, Chiraven Philia became serious.. Chapter 280 - Chapter 280: 119. Bountiful Harvest_3 Chapter 280: 119. Bountiful Harvest_3 Translator: 549690339 Hickman Arlington charged the wands energy, flicked the spikes on the wands surface with his fingers, then passed the wand over: Ive charged it, and Ive also turned off the magic lock on the wand. Press the spikes on the wands surface, and you can use the death magic in the wand. The three spikes from top to bottom correspond to Death Pulse, Fear Spell, and Hailing Skull. Their magic power is about the same as a death series wizard casting themselves. Philia held the wand, examined it for a few seconds, then pressed down on the first spike towards the corner of the wall. Black lightning shot out from the tip of the wand and exploded on the ground at the corner of the room. It obliterated the stone bricks and left a smoking hollow behind. A thick scent of death energy floated around. Philia nodded in satisfaction, confirming that she had complete control of the wand: You can leave now, Hickman Arlington. Exit via Sector 8. Dont think about sneaking underground and betraying us to the young raven. I will keep an eye on you with my magic vision. Hickman Arlington didnt say anything, he turned into a black billowing cloud and swiftly flew toward the entrance of the staircase. He was very clear that if he were slow, he would certainly be entangled by the Blackbone Secret Society, and his end would be terrible. Alright, sisters, mates. Philia put away the wand, looking around at the wizards and security team members: Weve figured out the enemys situation. There is a Third-level Alchemist in the enemys team, which is a tricky problem. So, I have decided Philias voice lowered. Hickman Arlington was only concerned with hurrying, he could no longer hear the words from the other side. He was dragging his black billowy form, flying into the staircase, swiftly darting through the staircases and corridors, climbing floor by floor. Judging from the intensity of the energy fluctuations in Philias gaze, the power of the Elemental Vision was likely quite low, only comparable to an Elemental wizard apprentice. Hickman Arlington was very clear: Philias vertical magic vision was not as vast as the horizontal magic vision. This is a common problem with detection-type magic. Therefore, probably at about the fifth underground layer, the Elemental Vision would reach its limit. Hickman Arlington stopped on the fifth underground layer of Sector 8, feeling instantly malicious. In this floors corridor, a team from the Cat Society was stationed, guarding the crucial path that led from the ground to the Demonic Rat nest. They knew of Hickman Arlingtons existence, so they only looked puzzledly at the black cloud hovering in mid-air before retracting their gazes. When Hickman Arlington saw that the others had dismissed him, his devious thoughts began to flourish. Sector 8, connected to sectors 7 and 9. The Sector 9 is the territory of the Ferocious Hound Gang. The Ferocious Hound Gang was backed by the Dog Society, which allied closely with the Cat Society under the Life Essence Society. If he left through Sector 9, he might fall into the hands of the Ferocious Hounds. Instead, theres no such worry in Sector 7. That was the territory of the Golden Commerce Guild, and they were not as close to the Life Essence Society. Given these circumstances, there was room for flexibility Hickman Arlington formulated a preliminary plan: He would go around the Demonic Rat nest from Sector 7, and strike at the critical moment to aid young raven, winning back young ravens trust in the process. If successful, not only would he receive the magic scrolls for Food Creation Technique, Flying Broom, and the reward, he could even retrieve the wand given to Philia. On top of that, he might even, hehehe Evil thoughts flashed through Hickman Arlingtons mind. He changed direction and flew towards the fifth underground layer of Sector 7. He opened the metal sluice gate connecting the two sectors, wriggled through the gate, closed it, and stepped into the pitch-black fifth underground layer of Sector 7. The moment he saw the dark environment here, Hickman Arlington felt much more at ease. As expected, the security company of the Golden Commerce Guild was focused entirely on the water systems on the first and second underground layers. They were dedicated to the collection of all-purpose metal powder and had not arranged any defense forces on the fifth underground layer. There were no lights here. The ground was covered with a mucus carpet, mucus webs hung in mid-air, and the creepy voices of the abominations filled the air. Hickman Arlington deactivated his flight status, withdrew his disguise, lifted his hood, and showed his face. An utterly deceased individual, a departed soul with a mind. And aberrations dont attack departed souls, let alone dead aberrations. Wait a moment. Dead aberrations? Hickman Arlington was taken aback and looked at the dead aberration at his feet. Boom!!! [System Message: ] [You consumed 20 points of Soul Strength and 200 points of Energy, casting XIO Evil Blast and detonating 10 level 2 dead aberrations.] [You inflicted fatal damage to Hickman Arlington.] [You killed Hickman Arlington.] [You destroyed the Death Spike Wand, the Masking Robe, the Soul Shaping Tattoo, several magic scrolls, and some cash.] [You killed the Poisonous Snake Soul Beast, Poisonous Toad Soul Beast, and Aberration Soul Beast sealed in Soul Shaping Tattoo, and the Black Blade Leopard Soul Beast.] [You inflicted fatal damage to Hickman Arlingtons soul beast: Shadow Skull of the Banshee, but failed to kill the target.] [Passive Deconstruction activation!] [You have achieved 100% degree of deconstruction on Hickman Arlington, the Death Spike Wand, the Poisonous Snake Soul Beast, and other targets!] Chapter 281 - Chapter 281: 119. Bountiful Harvest_4 Chapter 281: 119. Bountiful Harvest_4 Translator: 549690339 [Your completion level of deconstructing the Banhees Shadow Skull has reached 80%!] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] Airwaves rolled in the corridor as the echo of the explosion continued, and the aberrations slime splattered everywhere. A translucent female skull burst out of the smoke caused by the explosion. Two small horns grew on her head, two slender fangs protruding beneath her upper lip, and her hair tied like venomous snakes swayed behind her head. Her face was lovely, but it exuded an eerie vibe. Fear and joy flashed through her eyes: Evil Blast? Hahaha, even Hickman Arlington had a downfall coming his way. Im free, Im free! Im going to eat some fresh flesh. Ah, I crave the blood of a virgin! No, no, no, who ignited the corpses? Theres someone here! I have to leave quickly Before the banshee skull could flee, an aberration undead hiding behind a corridor corner charged out. Boom! [System Message: ] [You consumed 1 point of Soul Strength and 10 points of energy, casting the Evil Blast, and detonating a level 1 aberration corpse.] [You have defeated the Shadow Skull of the Banshee.] [Activating Passive Deconstruction!] Noland Lee admits he was quite curious about the talking banshee skull. However, that didnt mean he was willing to have a calm conversation with it. For magical beings with a certain level of intelligence that he couldnt control, it was better to learn about them through passive deconstruction. Furthermore, the Shadow Skull of the Banshee clearly wasnt something good. Whose pet would shout about drinking virgin blood the moment they broke free? So, using the Evil Blast to kill it was enough, and no negotiation was needed. The explosions airwaves and smoke gradually dissipated. Several lifeless aberrations stood up from the ground, collected the fragmented corpses and shattered magical items, and threw them all into the vertical shaft entrance. After this, the aberration undead jumped into the wellhead, ending their mission and erasing all traces that shouldnt have existed. This vertical shaft led directly to the 60th underground layer, where all things would be shattered into mud from the massive height difference. Tranquility returned to Sector 7s underground layer 5. Witnessing the explosion in the corridor of the fourth underground layer above the Evil Blast site, Noland Lee preserved the Magic Vision of Life and Death Tracking, his eyes pitch black. He raised the corner of his mouth, contentedly patting his belly. All full- Hickman Arlington himself contributed more than 400 points of Soul Strength. Hickman Arlingtons five Soul Beast pets C venomous snake, poisonous toad, aberration, black blade leopard, and the banshees head contributed a total of 80 points of Soul Strength. The Shadow Skull of the Banshee contributed the most, around 50. In total, 480 points of Soul Strength joined Nolands panel, bringing his stock to nearly 600 points. Bloody profit- Bloody profit- In Nolands joyful smile, there was a trace of worry. He indeed killed Hickman Arlington in an instant, but Hickman Arlington came over from Sector 8 and died in Sector 7s underground layer 5. If the Meow Judgment were to investigate to its core, Noland Lee would still be implicated. I need to think of excuses in advance to remove myself from this incident Noland pondered and checked the deconstruction results one by one. [System Message:] [You have unlocked Wizard Hickman Arlingtons entire panel information, earning a reward of 6,000 Energy Points.] [You have unlocked the standard panel of Poison Toad Soul Beast and other Ethereal Beings, earning a reward of 650 Energy Points.] [You have unlocked the standard panel of Disposable Food Creation Magic Scroll and other magical items, earning a reward of 6,700 Energy Points.] [You have earned a total of 13,350 Energy Points as a reward for unlocking the above panels.] [Due to the passive deconstructions of Magic Scrolls, Masking Robes , Death Spike Wand, Magic Organs, etc., you have gained experience reward in relevant Scholarly Skills and unlocked new skills. Specific rewards are as follow:] [Wand Making Science level +1, now up to level 13.] [New wand blueprint: Death Spike Wand] [This wand enables the unlocking or locking of its magic lock by adjusting the surface spikes. If forcibly used when the magic lock is in locked position, the wand will attack the wielder.] [You have gained a new Scholarly Skill:] [Magic Scroll Making, Level 5.] [Now, you can make Magic Scrolls from your known spells. The highest level of magic that can be recorded on the scroll is Level 5.] [Magic Tailoring, Level 3. New magical fabric blueprint: Masking Robe.] [Soul Sculpting Magic, Level 5. New Soul Map: Poisonous Toad Soul Beast and more. New Soul Shaping Tattoo design: Soul Storage Tattoo. After mastering the related Active Skills, you can extract target souls and transform them into your Soul Beast pets.] [Death-Type Magic Organ Skill, Level 1. New Magic Organ Blueprint: Heart of the Dead. Now, you can process your own organs into Death-Type Magic Organs.] [Through the passive deconstruction, you have gained important recent memories of Hickman Arlington: ] Noland Lee silently chuckled at the information in his mind. Now, he was indeed on the path to becoming an omnipotent wizard in the world of magic. So many new Scholarly Skills had been added, making it simply dazzling. In the future, if he had the chance to visit the Ulnas Circle, he might even open up a magic shop there.. Chapter 282 - Chapter 282: 119. Bountiful Harvest_5 Chapter 282: 119. Bountiful Harvest_5 Translator: 549690339 Out of the many scholarly skills, Noland Lee was most interested in Death-type Magic Organ Studies. Magic organs are used to generate death energy. Death energy is produced from death, which is both present and ongoing. Lost souls who are already in a state of death will steadily generate death energy, like Hickman Arlington. At the same time, when a living creature loses its life, it will also produce death energy in the process of dying. Noland Lee didnt understand this before, but now it was clear in his mind: The spirit pivot set up by the Undead Cult contained eternal essence, which is an object full of life. In the process of decay, it would generate a large amount of death energy, which in turn became the energy source to drive the spirit pivot. The effects of magic organs are the same. Processing living organs into magical organs, allowing them to enter a state of death without decaying, could continuously produce death energy. Hickman Arlingtons Heart of the Dead was such a thing; it was a dead heart, but it wouldnt rot, stink, or wither. If Noland Lee wanted to stably obtain death energy, then making a death-type magic organ would be the best choice. However, this matter had to be carefully considered, as magic organs have high production and maintenance costs, and require a wizards own organs, not someone elses. Hickman Arlington was so poor because he had to spend money regularly buying magic potions to maintain his Heart of the Dead, magic wand, and robes. I cant go broke before I get wealthy. Ill think about magic organs later. Noland Lee shook his head slightly, brushed away the scholarly skills and related knowledge content in his mind, and decided to look at it again when he has time. He called up Hickman Arlingtons recent memory fragments, reading them one by one. Hickman Arlington betrayed Young Raven and received a reward from Philia. Philia thought that he had offended the Blackbone Hermit and would hurry to leave Union City, so she gave him a flying broom summoning scroll as a reward. So, I just have to pretend that I never met Hickman Arlington. When Meow Judgment sees Hickman Arlingtons disappearance, they will only think that he left Union City and escaped far away. They will never imagine that he died in my hands. There is no witness nor evidence to connect me to Hickman Arlingtons disappearance. Noland Lee was relieved and secretly thankful for his caution, as he didnt leave any clues when he killed Hickman Arlington. This assassination mission was a great success. There was only one thing that Noland Lee found somewhat regrettable: He didnt gain any knowledge related to Death Flight through passive deconstruction. This death-type magic could turn a wizard into a band-shaped cloud, enabling them to fly quickly in the sky. Noland Lee saw Greenshaw and Hickman Arlington use it, killed both of them, but didnt gain the knowledge of this skill. It seems that through passive deconstruction, at most, he could only obtain achievements related to scholarly skills, and not directly gain active and passive skills. Now that he thinks about it, he acquired active skills by actively deconstructing magic books and magical items. So, unless he finds a magic book with Death Flight spell blueprint, it would be difficult to learn this magic. Wait a minute. Noland Lee slapped his head and called up Martyrs Ten Commandments Summary. I havent emptied the Death Spell UP Pool yet, right? I should still be a few hundred points short of complete deconstruction. I have plenty of energy points right now; Ill just completely perform the harmless deconstruction at once. Maybe Death Flight is hidden in the remaining deconstruction results. Noland Lee cast a deconstruction spell on the document in his mind. [System Message: ] [900 more Energy Points are needed to make the completion rate of Harmless Deconstruction of Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary reach 100%.] [Do you confirm the deconstruction?] 900 points, a mere trifle. System, initiate Harmless Deconstruction. Noland Lee muttered, feeling slightly dazed. A large number of system messages appeared in his mind: Homework Exercises Collection for Learning this Magic Book XIOO.] Reward from Professor Dekart for Students who Completed Studying this Magic Book] Ah, this 100 Exercise Collections. The last bit of the pool actually contains exercise collections?! Noland Lee took a breath, suppressed the excitement in his heart, and then threw a deconstruction spell at Professor Dekarts Reward. [You consume 15 energy points to completely deconstruct this item] [You have obtained a fragmentary Spell Blueprint: Bone Spirit Flight Technique] [You have received Praise from Professor Dekart:] [Congratulations, my student! Your diligence and hard work deserve my reward.] [Our Undead Branch is an emerging force among Death Clan Wizards.] [As a traditional flight-type magic for death-type wizards, Death Flight has a history of thousands of years. Now Its time to prove to other branches of the Death Clan our determination to forge ahead in the Undead Branch!] [I have created a flight spell exclusive to the Undead BranchBone Spirit Flight Technique. I shall teach it to you.. I look forward to seeing you shine in the Wizard Competition held at Wizard Teaching Forest! Use the flight spell I have given you to conquer those arrogant traditional death-type wizards!] Chapter 283 - Chapter 283: 119. Bountiful Harvest_6 Chapter 283: 119. Bountiful Harvest_6 Translator: 549690339 C -Your esteemed lecturer professor, Dekart.] Bone Spirit Flight Technique? That sounds pretty good. Noland Lee directly consumes energy points to learn the newly acquired spell blueprint. He quickly sketches the spell blueprint in his mind. Pfft. A black light flashes, accompanied by a very faint air rhythm. In the blink of half a second, Noland Lees body explodes into a large pile of gray particles, turning into a white skull with gray glow in the eye sockets. Wow, Ive become a flying skeleton head. Noland Lee tries to navigate through the corridor. The agile flying skull avoids the oncoming aberrations and mucus webs, ascending, diving, stopping abruptly in midair, turning around, performing various flying actions. Noland Lee returns to the stable position in the staircase and reverts to human form. After glancing at the panel information, Noland Lee has a clear assessment of the Bone Spirit Flight Technique. Bone Spirit Flight Technique, currently at level 1, has a top speed of 1 meter per second and consumes 0.1 soul strength points per kilometer. Leveling up can increase the flight speed. Generally speaking, its flight speed is similar to Death Flight, but the external appearance of the spell is much more low-key than Death Flight, with only a slight faint light inside the skull. Noland Lee steadies his mind and reaches out to open the metal sluice gate leading to the underground third floor. A smell of blood drifts out and enters Noland Lees nostrils. Bang bang bang Why are there alchemy traps here! Dont be dumbfounded! Hurry up and bring the bomb, and blow up the electrified wire mesh in the alchemical trap! Those guys with Iron Thorn Shields are really cunning! They didnt send people to guard here, but they set up so many alchemy traps! Bang bang Buzz As Noland Lees eyebrows raise, he knows that his own alchemy traps are making the gang members howl in disorder. The sound resembling power surges, buzzing is the noise produced when the electrified wire mesh is energized. In order to ensure that he does not have to worry about the state of the underground third floor, Noland Lee added sufficient firepower and defense to the alchemy traps. These alchemy traps are not only powerful but also not easily damaged. In addition to the electrified wire mesh, there are cross-shaped flame jet traps that spray flame pillars, directional spray of acid and mucus in corrosive traps, and so on. Ordinary firearms are incapable of inflicting effective damage on alchemy traps, naturally making the gang gunmen howl in pain. Ill stay here for the time being. Hunting down a few reckless gang alchemists will also yield spoils of war and soul fragments. Noland Lee enters the underground third-floor corridor, releases the Breath of the Dead, and retains the Life and Death Tracking. He casts a Magic Shield, takes out an alchemical crossbow and a revolver, and begins to exchange fire with the enemy. There! The damned alchemist who set up the alchemy traps is there! Bang! A gang gunman who discovered Noland Lees whereabouts dies from a bullet hitting him between the eyebrows. Quickly kill him! Kill him before he summons alchemy weapons! Concentrate fire! You guys cover me, Ill fire the grenade! Bang bang bang The gunshots alternate. Whizz whizz whizz Crossbow arrows are fired. Buzz buzz buzz Electric currents surge on the wire mesh. Crack crack The shield cracks and quickly solidifies. After the fierce and brief exchange of fire, Noland Lee clears out all enemies on the underground third floor. The gang marksmen never understood why Noland Lee didnt summon alchemy weapons and still managed to kill them. Noland Lee himself also finds it hard to grasp his own strength. He is not an alchemist with an alchemy stone but can control advanced alchemy techniques to create alchemy traps. He is not a wizard with the backing of a magic professor, his chain-level is uncertain, but he can master a large number of spells. Its as if hes a unique entity that hovers outside various exceptional systems. He draws knowledge and nourishment from existing exceptional systems, enriches himself, while also not being restricted by the other partys rules. As if he created the system himself. If thats true, what would he call his system? Noland Lee collected the spoils of war while pondering this question. Deconstruction Wizard? Hmm- I guess that should be the name. Deconstruct knowledge, master knowledge, apply knowledge, merge knowledge, surpass the original creator. I am an extraordinary system above ordinary extraordinary systems, living off their struggles. I support the Deconstruction Wizard path alone with my Deconstruction Technique, I Hey! Ray Lee! Just as Noland was indulging in the advantages brought by the Deconstruction Core System, he heard a shout from the end of the corridor. Looking up. Kent came down from upstairs and stood at the exit of the stairway, waving and calling out to him: Ray Lee! I want to discuss something with you; do you have time now? Noland temporarily put down what was in his hands, avoiding the filthy blood on the floor, and walked over, saying: Whats wrong, Kent? Is there any trouble upstairs? Ah, no, there isnt. We temporarily blocked the metal gate with obstacles, so the gang members cant pass through sectors 6 and 8. Kent waved his hands and said: Im looking tor you tor something else its related to the Cat Society. Noland raised an eyebrow, Whats the matter? They said they want you to help them. The helper they originally found bailed on them at the last minute. They urgently need your help, and the reward is very generous. Kent reached into his shirt pocket and grabbed a stack of banknotes: Here, this is the deposit they gave, a total of 100,000 Union Coins. Damn, to be honest, I didnt know that deposits between wizards were counted in units of one hundred thousand. I cant help but want to help them. The Cat Society is asking for my help Nolands face hidden beneath the towel became strange. It was clear that the Cat Society was paying him generously to deal with the Young Raven. He didnt expect it to come back to him after all that trouble. The people from the Cat Society said this 100,000 is just the deposit. After the job is done, theyll give you another 300,000, and all your expenses will be reimbursed. Kent clenched his fist, looking as if he wanted to sign up to support the Cat Society: What do you think? Will you agree to help them? The Cat Society has a good relationship with us, and they keep their promises, so you dont have to worry about them going back on their word. Okay, Kent. Noland put the 100,000 into the folding space of his backpack: Ill go and lend the Cat Society a hand. You take care of things here. These alchemy traps are created by me, with them in place, you should have an easier time. Alchemy traps? You made these? Kent looked around, somewhat dumbfounded. He had only been talking before, now noticing the electrified wire mesh on the metal gate. You made all of this? Are all wizards this capable? You just arrived, and you know how to create alchemy traps using alchemy arrays?! Kent was amazed and exclaimed: No wonder, no wonder the higher-ups gave me orders to find a way to keep you cough, Ray Lee, cough, do you think I have the talent to learn magic? Kent lowered his voice, elbowed the packing Noland with his arm, and his face was full of expectation. Noland looked at him and had some confusion in his heart. What do you need to become a wizard? According to the results of Deconstructing Martyrs Ten CommandmentsGeneral Outline, there are three essential elements: Meditation Method, Magic, Constraint Method. The Meditation Method provides a channel for converting soul strength into spirit. Magic provides a means for wizards to defend and attack. Constraint Method shapes the values and guidelines that wizards follow. Death Herald Guilds wizards obey the rules set by Professor Dekart, master the Martyrdom Meditation Method, and use death-type magic. So, they are defined as wizards of the Death Undead Branch. Theoretically, if Noland taught someone the meditation method, magic, and established guidelines, that person would become a wizard. But is it that simple? Noland shook his head inwardly. His ability to cast spells successfully was purely because the Deconstruction Technique imprinted the casting blueprint into his instincts. Looking at the exercise book assigned by Professor Dekart, it was full of casting trammg. Ordinary people learning magic could suffer a lot; easily getting hit by magical backlash if they fail at casting. With good intentions, Noland shook his head at Kent and said: Sigh, Kent, dont learn magic, stick to the alchemy path. Honestly, alchemy is much simpler and safer than magic. You dont want to make Cindy a widow because of casting failure, do you? Ok Kent shook his legs, Youre right. Chapter 284 - Chapter 284: 120. There’s a big difference in repression. Chapter 284: 120. Theres a big difference in repression. Translator: 549690339 The Cat Societys Sector 8. The 10th layer underground. Noland Lee revisits his old haunts, his expression calm and composed, Gazing at the cracks on the floor and the walls and the remnants of corpses with soul fragments yet to be collected, Noland Lees eyes reveal a thoughtful expression, as if he was learning for the first time that a battle had occurred here. The fragments of corpses on the ground were Coudamans and those of the armed Alchemy Minions; amongst them were even two Lost Souls he himself had controlled. They still had soul fragments on them. Noland Lee pondered for a moment, but did not take these soul fragments. Having deconstructed so many scholarly skills, he understood very well what he could and couldnt do in front of Meow Judgment. Like the soul fragments on these corpse fragments for instance. In the extraordinary group known as the Wizards, the existence of soul fragments is not secret, but common knowledge. They are a kind of spoils of war. Since they are spoils of war, ownership is important. These corpse fragments were indeed caused by Noland Lee himself-that wasnt wrong. But as they were now on the territory of Meow Judgement, even if Noland Lee was the true killer, he could not freely collect the soul fragments from the corpses. If he did so, he would be overstepping the rules. At the very least, he needed to get Meow Judgments approval. There was another point to be careful about. Noland Lees method of collecting soul fragments is through harmless deconstruction, which is very different from the ordinary Death Clan Wizards. In the memories of Greenshaw and Hickman Arlington, when they collected soul fragments, half-transparent grey matter would be drawn out from corpses in an illuminating and animated way. There was none of this when Noland Lee collected soul fragments. It might still be fine when he does it on his own, but if others were watching, this would inevitably draw their attention. So, very wisely, Noland Lee chose to ignore the soul fragments on the corpses, as if he hadnt seen them. Ray Lee, youre here- Philia greeted him warmly, her eyes gleaming with the light of elemental energy, There are some soul fragments on these corpses. Would you like to take them? This can be your share as spoils of war. Noland Lee curiously observed the others eyes, shook his head, and politely declined, No, Philia. Im still recovering from the aftereffects of the Meditation method. I cant collect soul fragments for a while. When collecting Soul Absorption with harmless deconstruction, the system stripped off the negative effects of collecting soul fragments. Normally, collecting soul fragments would disturb the spirit of the collector. This is because soul fragments are essentially residues of emotions and thoughts. Taking in too many soul fragments in a short period of time would affect the spiritual activities of the collectors. While absorbing soul fragments could be harmful, the same goes for the meditation method. Immediately after practicing the meditation method, the practitioner would be more sensitive, and the negative effects of soul fragments on him would be amplified. The reason Noland Lee gave himself at this time couldnt be more appropriate. What a pity. Philia sighed regretfully and waved towards the direction behind her, Sandra, come collect these soul fragments from the corpses. Be quick, the soul fragments are starting to disperse. Sandra? Is it Sandra Betty? Noland Lee was visibly surprised. He tilted his head, looking past Philia at the timid figure behind her. Sandra Betty was like a little girl whos done something wrong, hiding behind Philia, her face filled with tension and fear. You know Sandra? Philia was taken aback for a moment, Oh, right. You should know her. Yes, shes Fars Scotts cousin. But she hasnt told Fars about being a wizard. Moreover, please keep it a secret for her. Noland Lee recovered from his surprise, nodded with a smile, Fine, I will keep her secret. But poor Fars, hes still worried if Betty can pass the alchemy exam. Its alright, thats not a big problem. Sandra will absolutely pass the alchemy exam. She just hasnt thought of how to explain it to Fars yet Alright Sandra, you dont need to hide behind me anymore, quickly collect the soul fragments. Whilst urging Sandra forward, Philia pulled a shy-looking Betty from behind her. Betty stuck her tongue out at Noland Lee before skipping away. She reached the corpses and took out a transparent hexahedral crystal from her pocket, raising it above the corpses. Four colors of light shot out of the crystal, scanning the fragments of the corpses, and absorbing strands of semi-transparent, grey matter into it. Noland Lee threw a deconstruction technique at the crystal in Bettys hand. [System Message: ] [You are about to apply the deconstruction technique on the Universal Soul-absorbing Crystal.] [Based on the level of your Alchemy and Magic scholarly knowledge, the energy points required for this deconstruction have been reduced to 300 points.] [Do you confirm the deconstruction?] Noland Lee mentally confirmed the deconstruction, glanced at the deconstruction results, and nodded to himself. He received the recipe for the Soul-absorbing Crystal. This is a kind of magical creation, that could also be made using alchemy. It can store a maximum of 100 points of Soul Strength, with a shelf life of seven days. Once the shelf life is up, the soul fragments in the crystal will disappear. It was a valuable magic tool that could replace Soul Absorption. Noland Lee planned to carry a few extra ones as spare. Noland Lee turned to Philia, who was instructing her team members, and asked, Philia, what happened here? Do you have any tasks for me? Yes, Ray Lee, Ive thought of a task for you. As you can see, weve had a serious conflict with the Blackbone Hermit who lingered here.. Chapter 285 - Chapter 285: 120. There’s a big difference in restraint 2 Chapter 285: 120. Theres a big difference in restraint 2 Translator: 549690339 Philia pointed to the ground and said: Over there, in the direction, Im pointing, on the 13th floor underground, in the central area, there are some Black Bone Hermits. There are four of them in total. One is a third-level Black Bone Hermit and three are first-level Black Bone Hermits. There are also at least 20 armed alchemy slaves Did you see them using the Elemental Vision?, Noland Lee asked, pretending to be surprised, even though he already knew the answer. Yes. My mentor gave me an Elemental Vision Magic Scroll. The magic vision can probably last for a little over an hour. Philia gently touched her chin and said: However, the Elemental Vision can only help me see the number of enemies, it cant determine the strength of the enemies. Hickman Arlington backed out at the last minute and sold me some information. He told me that among the people below, theres a third-level Black Bone Hermit, a guy named Young Raven. Noland Lee pretended to ponder for a moment and then said after a second: I see. Hickman Arlington is a traitor, right? He found out that you can use the Elemental Vision, got cold feet, and sold out the Black Bone Hermit as a way to gain your forgiveness. Where is he now? Did you let him go? Philia sighed helplessly and said: Sigh, youre right in your guess. I could only let him go. Magic Law No. 6 has a powerful binding force on us, the Wizard Advancement Associations subordinates in magic institutions. Hickman Arlington did betray us, but he stopped in time and didnt cause substantial damage. For this kind of wild wizard with ill intentions but who hasnt actually damaged the interests of the magic institution, our Elemental Judgment can only let him leave and cannot forcibly detain him or punish him. Otherwise, the Wizard Council will send the wizard enforcers Wizard Enforcers Noland Lee slightly frowned.. He knew about the existence of the Wizard Council C that was knowledge from Greenshaw, but it was limited to the Councils functionscoordinating faction relationships, arbitrating wizard-related events, resolving faction disputes, and so on. However, as for whatever refined organizations that are under the Wizard Council, Noland Lee really didnt have any detailed information. What Philia mentioned Wizard Enforcers, definitely rang an alarm bell for Naland Lee. He has a premonition If the Wizard Council knows that he, a fake magician, has erased a legitimate magician, it will definitely trigger a life and death pursuit. Now that he thought about it, he seemed to be a bit too fearless An imposter Sleeping Monument Master. Illegally stealing the core knowledge of a non-owned wizardry school. Deliberately deceiving the magic institution and intentionally hiding the true identity of the wild wizard. Deliberately plotting murder and assassination of a legal wandering wizard endorsed by the Lecturer Professor. If wizard enforcers come after him, Lee does not think he will surrender, even adding the charge of violently resisting the Wizard Councils decision to arrest him. wow. Exciting. While Noland became more vigilant, he also felt a bit eager to make a move. This method of muddling under the eyes of a powerful magic institution is more challenging than the next-door neighbor. Noland considered himself a hardcore player, the bigger the predicament, the higher the interest. As long as he has enough cards and disguises sufficiently rich, and is careful enough, he can definitely live until the day when he has the capital to stand against the Wizard Council. If he didnt have this confidence after crossing over with an external application, he might as well go back to the Suffering Borderland and play in the mud. Noland stabilized his mind and listened patiently to Philias arrangement. I want to assign you to the 14th floor underground, which is the floor below the nest of the demonized rats. Philia took out a corridor map and explained: Look. The core area of the demon rat nest occupies the 11th to the 13th floors of Sector 8 underground. These three floors do not have vertical shaft entrances. If the Black Bone hermits want to withdraw, they must move from a gap in the floor of the 13th floor into the 14th floor underground below the nest, and then leave from the staircase or vertical shaft entrance on the 14th floor. In my plan, you and the armed security personnel will ambush the fleeing Black Bone Hermit on the 14th floor underground, and leave the fighting in the primary battlefield to me and others. What do you think? Noland used Deconstruction to record Philias map in his mind and asked after a bit of thinking: Are you confident in dealing with a third-level Black Bone Hermit? The third level is the peak of lower-level extraordinary beings, only one level away from the middle level. In case Young Raven has any hidden tricks, you will be in danger. Shouldnt you call for more help? Truth be told, if it were up to Noland to address the current problem all by himself, there would only be one solution: Blow it up. Blow the hell out of it. Simply blow holes in the ground between the 11th to the 13th floors and bombard the area with lockdown alchemy bombs. Regardless of whether theyre first-level Black Bone Hermits or third-level Black Bone Hermits, just cover everything with cannon fire. Why bother going through the trouble of confronting them face to face? However, Noland clearly misinterpreted the intentions of Philias mentor. No, Ray Lee. This is the promotion trial assigned to me by my mentor. I can only use limited funds, manpower, and magical items to solve the problem at hand. In fact, if its just to drive away the black bone hermits in the nest, the Life Essence Society can just send Demon Hunters. Those battle-specialized individuals who start off as fourth-level alchemists are way more efficient than us. Philia paused, her tone dimmed, and she muttered: It seems that I still have a lot to learn, just learning how to deal with people with ill intentions is enough to make me pull my hair out. My mentor only gave me 2 million union coins as trial funds. Not only is it all gone now, Ive also used my savings. Ah. Chapter 286 - Chapter 286: 120. There’s a big difference in restraint Chapter 286: 120. Theres a big difference in restraint Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee touched his nose, smiling awkwardly yet politely. You must be dreaming if you think Ill give back the money Ive earned, hmph, even if you are a beautiful witch with a great figure. This must be Philias bargaining tactic. Yeah. Definitely. Seeing Noland Lee remaining indifferent and maintaining a courteous smile, Philia glanced at him with a hint of resentment: ..lf you had agreed to help from the beginning, I wouldnt have been robbed by Hickman Arlington Noland Lee continued to smile without saying anything. Sister, Ive processed all the soul fragments. Betty Davis ran over with a crystal in her arms. Philia composed herself, placed the crystal filled with soul fragments into the alchemy stone, and turned to call her team members together. After some arrangements, Noland Lee and a ten-person security team set out. They left the Underground Layer 10, passed through the neighboring Sector 9, and headed to the Underground Layer 14 in Sector 8. In the frontline battle, Philias side had one Second Ring Wizard, four First Rank Wizards, and 30 armed security personnel. Philia was the only Second Ring Wizard. Betty was one of the four First Rank Wizards, and the other three First Rank Wizards were also female and about the same age as Betty. Dont think they are weak because of their gender. They all possessed the talents of being elemental wizards and alchemists second to none. Otherwise, they would not have mastered an extraordinary branch of knowledge in addition to the magic and alchemy of their age. The difficulty of studying this is similar to pursuing a double major in chemistry and physics. Philia and the others summoned their alchemy weaponry, transforming them into female meow race. Philia waved her hand, and a handful of light orbs were taken out from the alchemy stone and scattered on the ground, summoning five mechanical spiders equipped with alchemy firearms. She took out five control gloves, distributed them to the four First Rank Wizards, and put one on herself. Five wizards wore the alchemy weaponry, controlling the alchemical constructs. Their left hands were gloved for controlling the alchemical constructs, and their right hands held their magic wands. From their skillful movements, it could be seen that this group of delicate-looking female meow race had mastered some kind of ambidextrous coordination. Noland Lee and the armed security personnel arrived at Floor 14 Underground and set up a blockade beneath the ceilings hollow. The armed security personnel took out light machine guns, electric shock guns, and other weapons; they built a firepower net with various gun lines to seal off the enemys escape routes in all directions. They also deployed electric shock traps and directional explosive alchemy land mines near the metal sluice gates throughout the 14th underground layer. The entire 14th underground layer was tightly guarded with no gaps for air. Unless the Blackbone Hermit had invincibility all the way, they would take a few hits while trying to escape. Could the Elemental Judgement succeed in encircling and killing the Blackbone Hermit by doing this? Noland Lee thought it was uncertain. Lets not talk about the situation on the frontlines for now C just the blockade to intercept the enemy was a significant issue. Why did the Blackbone Hermit have to go through the 14th underground layer? Wouldnt it be the same if they blasted open the nest walls of the 13th underground layer on both sides and left from the adjacent sectors? The nest of the demonized rats was indeed a Sage Space, but that didnt mean it couldnt be destroyed. Sage Space could be seen as a container created by Great Sages. When the Great Sages were present, anyone who dared to destroy the container would be beaten by the Great Sages. With the power of the Sages, the Sage Space would be indestructible. But now, the Great Sage who controlled the demonized rat nest was long gone; no one could prevent the Sage Space from being destroyed, and no one could repair the damage to the Sage Space in time. So, the Blackbone Hermit could entirely take an unconventional route, break horizontally through the wall, and enter Sector 7 to retreat. This was just one loophole Noland Lee thought of. Of course, he was just a hired hand in this matter; it wasnt his concern. Philia had the map of the corridors, and given her meticulous thinking and the intellectual training she had received, she should have considered the potential loopholes in the encirclement plan. Noland Lee had the social experience from before crossing over and knew the strategy of saying less makes fewer mistakes for blending in. At this time, all he had to do was carry out his task; he didnt want to think about anything else. In the corridor of Layer 14 Underground. Noland Lee was standing behind two light machine guns and an alchemy trap, with tense security personnel by his side. He activated Life and Death Tracking and looked up at the demon rat nest above his head. Many rats with the size of a washbasin were silhouetted before his eyes. There were also several half-human-height demon rat elites walking upright. They were human-faced demon rats. It was said that for every ten thousand demonized rats, one human-faced demon rat would appear, possessing higher intelligence, speaking basic human languages, and able to understand simple sentences. The ordinary demonized rats had mastered three types of magic: Summon Earth Mound, Acid Spray, and Demon Rat Frenzy. On top of that, the human-faced demon rats had additional spells like Command Rat Swarm, Spread Rodent Plague, Rat Explosion Technique, and Falling Rock Technique, each with considerable power. This information came from the access instrument of the Subdivision of Alchemy Cathedral. For many years, the Cat Society had been developing the demon rat nests and had gained experience in safely traversing the nests. After applying an alchemy potion to repel rat swarms to themselves, Philia and the others entered the nest, traveling from the first level to the second level, and gradually approached the third level. The supposedly smooth journey was interrupted by a sharp whistle. The sound came from the third level of the demon rat nest, high-pitched and piercing, like a chorus of countless rodents. Squeak! Everyone who heard the sound made a uniform, covering their ears response.. Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: 120. There’s a big difference in restraint_4 Chapter 287: 120. Theres a big difference in restraint_4 Translator: 549690339 The whistle sound ended quickly, but the ensuing ringing in everyones ears continued to echo in their heads. Not only that, but it also set off a wave of collective frenzy among the demon rats. All the demon rats simultaneously grew hair, expanded in size, muscles twisted, their eyes turning red and glowing. Their black spiral tails extended twice as long, like dark venomous snakes writhing on the ground. A sea of rats swarmed towards Philia and the others, surrounding them without any blind spots in all directions. Noland Lee stared intently at the battlefield above him. To his astonishment, he found that the vast swarm of rats was stopped five meters away from the group. It was as if an air wall several meters wide appeared between the swarm of rats and the team. Bullets rained down, guns roared, and energy beams swept across the horde of rats. Dozens of bright red bouquets of light exploded in the magic vision created by Life and Death Tracking. The overwhelming momentum of the rat swarm was daunting, but they could only be held back by the power of magic on the outskirts of the group, their lives reaped by alchemy firearms and elemental magic. Noland couldnt help but think about how he would deal with the frenzied rat swarm. Would he cast the Bone Spirit Flight Technique and turn into a flying skull to escape? Or use the Magic Shield to resist damage and wait for an opportunity to use the Evil Blast? Noland concluded that he couldnt remain as calm as Philia and the others. Such magic to isolate the enemy at a safe distance was one of the ways Noland lacked to deal with the situation. It seems that on the path of a Wizard, I still have a lot to deconstruct, Noland thought to himself. Nodding silently, Noland set aside his distracting thoughts and immersed himself entirely in the task at hand. Let me see where are those Blackbone Hermits Noland slowly shifted his gaze, carefully searching the frenzied rat swarm. The number of demon rats was astounding, filling the entire den with their bodies. Places where no demon rats appeared were either walls, stone pillars, or floors, or occupied by the Blackbone Hermits. Noland quickly discovered several human-shaped silhouettes in the red outlines filling his vision. He tried throwing deconstruction spells at these black gaps. Unfortunately. System feedback messages showed that his target for deconstruction was the ceiling of the underground layer 14, not the Blackbone Hermits he had expected. It seemed that only living people, dead people, and corpses clearly marked by Life and Death Tracking in the Magic Vision could be considered targets for deconstruction. Noland wasnt discouraged, maintaining his calm composure. He shifted his gaze slightly and targeted several red outlines next to him, casting his deconstruction spell. [System Message: You are about to launch a Deconstruction Technique on the Alchemy Slaves. ] Mm-hmm, thats right. The Blackbone Hermits are indeed in the center of the third layer of the nest, hiding behind the frenzied rat swarm and protected by the demonized rats. Noland squinted his eyes, his thoughts racing like lightning. Using Evil Blast to ignite the corpses of demon rats and instantly kill the Blackbone Hermits and Armed Alchemy Slaves is a viable method. But the drawback is that it easily causes friendly fire and exposes my own trump cards. I could change the location of the Evil Blast to somewhere else like on the escape route the Blackbone Hermits have to take from the battlefield. Noland looked down and focused on the corridor below. He could see through the underground layers 15 to 20 of Sector 8 in a single glance. The Cat Society had stationed people on underground layers 1 to 14 to develop resources in the demon rat nests, neglecting the management of underground layers 15 and beyond. There were more aberrations in the hallways there. If Noland could clear out the aberrations on the 15th to 20th floors in advance and create some aberration corpses, he felt confident in killing the young raven during his escape. Just as Noland was pondering his ambush plan, a strange sight appeared in the magic vision of Life and Death Tracking. On the underground layer 20, at the vertical edge of the magic vision, a group of elite aberrations had gathered together. They roared into the sky, seemingly summoning their companions. About half a minute later, a dark army of aberrations, led by a group of elite aberrations, attacked the sluice gate leading to the staircase A slight solemnity floated in the depths of Nolands eyes. He realized he had overlooked a detail. Coudal and Coudaman, the two deceased Blackbone Hermits, had clearly known about the secret infiltration of the aberrations by Black City. Black City had initially researched a method to control the aberrations. The backup plan that the young raven had prepared for the enemy was likely the aberrations emerging from the depths of the underground. I understand now! Suddenly, a flash of lightning crossed Nolands mind. He connected the memories of Coudal, Coudaman, and Hickman Arlington together and figured out the causes and relationships among them! Hickman Arlingtons Experience Task was to convert the souls of the aberrations into spirit pets. He needed a large amount of soul materials, which formed a massive demand for aberrations. Uncontrolled aberrations were obviously not as reliable as the controlled ones from Black City! Hickman Arlington knew that he could find a large number of tamed aberrations in Black City, easily carrying out his magic experiments. Thats why he would betray Elemental Judgement, using the blood of the elemental wizards as a token to join Black City. This also corroborated the speculation that the aberrations on the 20th underground layer were being manipulated by others and were about to support the young raven. As Noland connected the pieces of the information chain, the aberrations in the depths of the underground had forcibly broken through the metal gates of the 20th underground layer and stormed into the 19th underground layer.. Chapter 288 - Chapter 288: 120. There’s a big difference in repression_5 Chapter 288: 120. Theres a big difference in repression_5 Translator: 549690339 The elite Aberration at the front roared loudly, gathering the Aberrations from the 19th underground layer and then leading the team to charge towards the staircase sluice gate connecting to the 18th underground layer. One metal gate after another was smashed to pieces, and during this time, many Aberrations were crushed into pulp by their own kind from behind. The death of their own kind didnt stop the Aberrations rampage. They rushed into the 16th and 15th underground layers, and crazily struck the metal gate leading to the 14th underground layer, even though the ones at the front had already been crushed into mud, but they wouldnt stop at nothing. The Aberrations went mad and were driven mad by human intervention. Noland Lee coughed softly and said to the security personnel, who were staring at the ceiling around him: Mates, do you hear the commotion downstairs? Huh? What commotion? The security personnel lowered their heads in confusion and listened carefully. Noland Lee felt a little helpless This Fissure Corridor had excellent quality, and its soundproofing effect was far better than that of a paper-thin room. Alright, mates, its not a bad thing if you cant hear the noise from below. Now, everyone listens up and leaves this place, Noland Lee ordered solemnly, his face turned towards the bewildered security personnel, emphasizing his words: Everyone, leave! Ill stay here by myself. If you dont want to die, go back to the 10th underground layer. Hurry up! Noland Lee waved his arms, pulling up the security personnel who were still sitting there: Dont stand there! Run! The Aberrations from below are coming up! Run! The security personnel hesitated, their actions sluggish, but the next second, their faces changed drastically, and they hurriedly ran away without being urged by Noland Lee. Bang! There was an explosion from the metal gate leading downstairs, and the clear outline of the Aberrations appeared on the door. Bang! Bang! Bang! All the metal gates leading to the lower levels were echoing with terrifying loud noises! The continuous noises became more intense with each passing moment. The Aberrations in each stairwell seemed to be competing, putting in their full force to crash those doors. Ah! I saw the silhouette of a Devourer on the door! Mates, retreat! Its really a Devourer! And a Seeder! Retreat! Retreat! The security personnel at the scene didnt bother to pick up their firearms and alchemy traps; they just took off running. It was no joke; those were Devourers and Seeders! Even a fully armed First-order Alchemist might not be able to defeat them! It would be best if their ordinary gunman group didnt join the commotion! Thank goodness the captain arranged a wizard for us! The security personnel turned their heads to look at Noland Lee, who was standing alone in the corridor, each giving him a thumbs up: Dude! Awesome! Youre not even running! Is a wizard this powerful? I want to be a wizard too! The praise from the security personnel fell into Noland Lees ears, making him feel somewhat helpless and noisy. Just go, brothers, just go. If you dont go, how am I supposed to activate my skills? Am I supposed to perform a corpse transformation in front of you all? Boom- The first Aberration that entered the 14th underground layer ran headlong into an alchemy landmine set up by the security personnel. The flash of fire, the gush of flames, and the blast wave made the corners of Noland Lees clothes flutter loudly. As soon as the security personnel heard the explosion, they immediately panicked and ran even faster. Dont forget to take the metal gate with you! Noland Lee yelled at them as they disappeared from the view. The security personnel waved their arms, giving him admiring glances: No more words, mate! Youre awesome! When we get back to the ground level, Ill definitely buy you a drink! Finally, the group of ordinary people who could only drag Noland Lee down all left. Before leaving, they didnt forget to help Noland Lee with the metal gate. At this point, Noland Lee was the only one left in Sector 8s 14th underground layer. Noland Lee took a deep breath, activating Breath of the Dead and Magic Shield, transforming himself into a dead person without breath and heartbeat. Several elite Aberrations charged into the corridor and immediately fixed their eyes on Noland Lee standing in the middle of the road. They raised their heads towards the stiff dead person and opened and closed their petal-shaped mouthparts as if sniffing the scents in the air, trying to identify what exactly he was. Noland Lee knew that now was not the time to save Energy Points. He pulled up the spell list, selected Breath of the Dead, and invested 350 Energy Points in one go, raising the level of Breath of the Dead to 10! [System Message: ] [The level of Breath of the Dead + 5, now Level 10.] [The disguise effect of Breath of the Dead has significantly increased!] [Characters, items, and skills up to Level 20 will be unable to see through your disguise, with the exception of skills and items specifically targeting Lost Souls.] [You have triggered the upgrade reward for breaking through to Level 10.] [Please choose one of the following three options:] [Option One: ] [The disguise effect of Breath of the Dead is further enhanced. Characters, items, and skills up to Level 25 will be unable to see through your disguise, with the exception of skills and items specifically targeting Lost Souls.] [Option Two:] [The Breath of the Dead gains the new feature AFK Level Up.] [If this skill is activated, you will automatically gain skill experience. It is estimated that after 50 hours of activating this skill, the level of Breath of the Dead will be upgraded to Level 11. Each subsequent level of AFK time will increase by 10 hours.] [Option Three:] [The Breath of the Dead gains the new feature Skeleton Form..] Chapter 289 - Chapter 289: 120. There’s a big difference in restraint 6 Chapter 289: 120. Theres a big difference in restraint 6 Translator: 549690339 [Activating this skill will turn your body, along with your clothes, into a skeleton instead of a walking dead, and enter a detachable state. You can freely switch between a complete humanoid skeleton and a skeleton divided into six segments. Beware! If you dont restore yourself to a complete humanoid form before deactivating this skill, you may suffer severe injuries.] Skeleton Form? A skill skin? And its functional too! Is it really okay to have so much fun with this? Noland Lees interest was instantly piqued! At first glance, Skeleton Form seemed like lots of fun, and it would surely have unexpected effects in special scenarios! But but this AFK Level Up was just too tempting. Breath of the Dead is now at level 10. To manually level it to 11, it would require 100 energy points. To AFK level up to 11, Breath of the Dead needs to be activated for 50 hours, consuming 5 Soul Strength points and 50 energy points. The energy consumption is reduced by half in comparison! If Noland Lee chose the AFK Level Up feature, he would undoubtedly save a lot of energy points. It is a good cost-saving method. However, instead of figuring out how to save money, its better to think about how to use Skeleton Form to increase income by obtaining more energy points. After all, from Noland Lees two lifetimes of experience as a human, saving money would not make people rich; it would only slow down the rate of poverty. The only thing that can truly make people rich is making a fortune. There was no doubt that Skeleton Form was a feature that could take shortcuts and make a fortune! I choose option three! Skeleton Form! Noland Lee murmured and then had a thought in his heart. His body transformed from its original flesh structure into a pure skeleton. The next second, the skeleton split into six segments. His skull, two arms, two legs, and the torso fell apart, dropping to the ground, and rolling a few times before stopping. Noland Lees figure could no longer be seen in the corridor, and instead, there were only piles of gray-white bones left on the floor. The aberration elite monsters seemed dumbfounded, as it was evident that they froze for a few seconds. It wasnt until they were bumped from behind by the little aberration monsters that they snapped back to reality. Chirp! The leading Devourer let out a hiss, charging forward and heading straight for the hole in the ceiling. When they reached the spot directly below the hole, you stepped on my back, and I stepped on your arm, using their bodies to build a ladder leading to the ceiling hole. A mound of flesh more than 5 meters tall appeared in the corridor. One aberration after another stepped on their companions bodies, leaping into the hole in the ceiling and successfully reaching the demon rat nest. At the bottom of this flesh mountain formed by the accumulated aberrations, two human arms struggled to squeeze out of a narrow gap. They grabbed the two legs behind them and pulled hard, finally managing to pull the two legs free from the pile of flesh after a lot of effort. Noland Lees head lay on the ground, looking up at the flesh mountain in front of him, feeling incredibly small all of a sudden Its an illusion, an illusion. Its because my head isnt attached to my torso that my viewing perspective has changed, Noland Lee looked around, taking in his legs, arms, and torso lying around his skull, his eyes filled with a spark of novelty. He muttered in his heart and turned back into a complete human figure. He looked down at his skeletal body with gaps in it and took out a mirror to examine his hollow skull. Noland Lee discovered what was different. The skeletons he had encountered before had a light orb inside their skulls. The Undead Cults skeletons had dark green or purple-black light orbs, and Hickman Arlington had black light orbs. However, there was no light orb inside his skull. The inside of his head was empty, and he didnt feel anything unusual when he stuck his finger in and stirred it around through his eye sockets. Noland Lee didnt understand why his skeleton form was different from other common skeletons. The aberrations kept passing by both sides of his body, treating him like air. Seeing that no aberrations paid attention to him, Noland Lees heart was at ease. He put away his mirror and looked up at the demon rat nest, finding the location of Philia and the others. The combination of demon rats and aberrations sounded powerful, but in reality, it wasnt very effective. The aberrations were artificially interfered with and came to support the Blackbone Hermit. But when they entered the nest, they first saw the lively demon rats instead of Philia and the others. It was clear that the Blackbone Hermit had a way to summon the aberrations, but their control over them was very limited. They couldnt stop the aberrations from fighting the demonized rats. When Noland Lee looked up, he didnt see Philia and the others retreating, but a gruesome scene of the aberrations and demonized rats locked in battle against each other. Mad aberrations were covered with insane demonized rats, their fangs sinking into them from head to toe. The frenzied demonized rats tore into the aberrations flesh, ripping out chunks of blood and gore. The aberration elite monsters unleashed their full firepower. Devourers, similar to velociraptors in appearance, used their iron-whip-like tails to sweep back and forth. With a snap sound, they whipped circle around the spot, directly exploding the body of the demonized rats, shattering their fangs. The Seeders tentacles flailed wildly, like willow branches tormented by a violent wind. As the tentacles lashed at the demonized rats like whips, they also spread massive amounts of venom, creating a bloody storm of tentacles. In other words, the arrival of the aberrations only caused a chaotic situation among the parties involved, without providing any help whatsoever. Unless all the demonized rats at the scene were exterminated, the aberrations couldnt even see Philia and the others, because there were too many rats blocking the nests corridor and completely occupying their field of view. For the Blackbone Hermits side, things got even worse. Their position was right in between Philias group and the aberrations. If they tried to walk toward the first or second layer of the nest, theyd run into Philia and the others head-on, resulting in a chaotic battle mixed with rats. However, if they escaped into the underground 14th layer through the hole in the third layer, they would encounter the chaotic battlefield of the aberrations ana me aemomzea rats. What could the Blackbone Hermits do in such a situation? Wait and set up defenses, or take advantage of the chaos to flee? Noland Lee thought that if he were the Young Raven, he would definitely choose to flee. The reason was simple. They managed to repel Philia and her group this time, but next would come the Life Essence Societys core combat power C the Demon Hunters. This was a professional alchemist combat team, equipped with control-type alchemical suits. If they didnt flee now, would they wait for experts to come and clean out the nest? Noland Lees thoughts coincided with those of the Young Raven. While he was pondering the enemys motives during this time, intermittent cries of panic and frustration could be heard from the hole above. Keep moving forward! Dont you dare look back! Dont look back! Push these damn aberrations and rats away! This is an order! You lazy alchemy slaves! If you dare to retreat, Ill rip your hearts out! The Young Ravens voice was filled with desperation and anger. Damn it! Damn it all! All these aberrations are idiots! Go kill those from Elemental Judgement! Go! You useless creatures! I called you here to deal with Elemental Judgement, not to play cat and mouse! Leave these damn rats and kill Elemental Judgements people!! Roar! Unable to stand the Young Ravens incessant nagging any longer, a Devourer let out a furious roar and led a group of underlings to charge at the Young Raven and the Blackbone Warlocks. You bastards! Im your master! Get away! Back off! It was unclear what the Young Raven did, but several muffled explosions were heard coming from the third layer of the nest. The aberrations that had charged at the Young Raven died one after another in rapid succession. Noland Lee couldnt see the specific situation inside the nest. But! He immediately noticed the large number of corpses that appeared beside the Young Raven! Regular demonized rat corpses were only Level o and couldnt be used as targets for casting Evil Blast. Although the humanoid rat corpses were Level 3, they were too scattered and few in number. The sudden appearance of a large number of aberration corpses beside the Young Raven C who could resist the temptation if they had mastered the Evil Blast technique? It was like Yasuo having his ultimate move ready when he sees a Stone Golem knocking five enemy heroes into the air! If he unleashed the move, he might die, but he would only regret it for a second. Not using it would lead to regret for the entire game! Whats the point of holding back when you have a powerful move? To raise goldfish? Die! For! Me! Chapter 290 - Chapter 290: 121. River of the Mind Chapter 290: 121. River of the Mind Translator: 549690339 Boom- The third layer of the Demon Rat Nest is attacked by Evil Blast. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh Great amounts of mud, flesh, and bone fragments slid down from the ceiling. Before the aberrations could rush into the hollow, all of them were overturned by the explosive blast, falling to the ground of the 14th underground layer. [System Message: ] [You consumed 50 points of Soul Strength and 500 points of energy to cast Evil Blast x25, igniting 25 level 2 mutant corpses.] [You successfully killed 10 Alchemy Slaves and three First Order Black Bone Hermits.] [You inflicted fatal damage on Third Order Black Bone Hermit C Young Raven, but your opponent did not die.] [Passive Deconstruction Activation!] [Since you have already unlocked the standard panel for Alchemy Slaves and First Order Black Bone Hermit , this passive deconstruction did not obtain an energy points reward.] [The deconstruction result is as follows:] Personalized panel information and important recent memories of three First Order Black Bone Warlocks.] Personalized panel information and important recent memories of ten Alchemy Slaves.] Partial panel information and important recent memories of the Young Raven. Your degree of deconstruction for the Young Raven is 70%.] Young Raven didnt die? It seems that the Third Order Black Bone Hermit has some tricks up their sleeve. Noland Lee raised his eyebrows. He called up the panel information of the Young Raven and quickly scanned the content. A unique buff effect caught Nolands attention. [Gaze of the Ancient Crow Spirit] The Black Bone Hermit C Young Raven himself has been granted the protection of a certain ancient crow spirit. When he receives fatal damage, this passive effect automatically triggers. For the next 5 seconds, he will not receive any damage and will enter the uncontrolled and unhindered Raven Spirit Messenger form. In the Raven Spirit Messenger form, the Young Raven becomes an ethereal being, immune to kinetic damage, and can fly at low altitude without object collision effects. As soon as Noland finished reading the buff effect in his mind, he saw a dark-winged crow flying out of the hollow, This crow was entirely cloaked in pitch-black feathers that did not reflect any light, imbuing it with a pure dark essence. Its beak was curved like a hook, forming a half-arc drooping down in its face. It had a larger size than a normal human, and when its black wings spread out, they blocked the entire walkway with over three meters in width. Upon seeing Noland, endless fury erupted from its brass-colored eyes! Its you! You must be the bastard who attacked me! Die! Young Raven, who had received the protection of the ancient crow spirit, had a near-transparent phantom-like appearance. This should be the visual effect of the crow spirits protection. At this moment. he could flv freelv through the aberrations without hindrance or damage. He contracted his two wings, crossing them in front of him, then suddenly spread them wide, releasing a barrage of black feathers. These feathers were like venomous snakes, sharp arrows, and countless wicked daggers aimed straight at the heart. They surged forward, reaching Noland in less than a tenth of a second. Caster Form: Death Incarnation! Activate! Crackle! Several black lightning bolts shot out of Nolands body, and for an instant, he transformed into a silent, dark presence. A black shield half a meter thick appeared out of thin air in front of him, blocking all the feathers! What?! How can someone as weak as you master High-Level Death Magic?! Noland furrowed his brow slightly. This was the second time he had heard such words, and he felt somewhat strange, but he didnt have the time to think about it. Seeing Nolands appearance, Young Raven turned pale and exposed a flaw. Noland raised his hand, firing a dense mass of black lightning. Crackle! Crackle! Crackle! The protection from the ancient crow spirit on Young Raven had just ended! In an instant, Young Raven reverted to his human form, no longer resembling the massive black crow from before. His immunity to damage also vanished at the same time. Bang! Young Raven was hit squarely by the black lightning, exploding on the spot, shattering his body to dust and turning into a mist of blood and debris. His face mask flew more than ten meters away. While Nolands Death Incarnation activated, every second of its activation consumes 1% of his Soul Strength, generating 10 times the amount of Death Energy consumed. No matter how many times Noland used Death Finger to bomb the area, he could not use up the Death Energy generated each second. These unused Death Energies escaped from his body, forming a Death Storm that enveloped several meters around him. In the short moment Noland killed Young Raven, all the aberrations around him had been crushed into powder by the Death Storm. [System Message: ] [You inflicted fatal damage on Third Order Black Bone Hermit C Chiraven.] [You successfully killed the target.] [Passive Deconstruction Activation!] [You received a reward of 25,000 energy points.] [You obtained the panel information and important recent memories of Chiraven.] Noland scanned the system message, confirming Young Ravens death, and hurriedly turned off the Death Incarnation skill. Glancing at the data on his panel, Noland felt a mix of frustration and excitement. [Energy Points] 41255/20 I cant spend it all. I really cant spend it all. With over 40,000 energy points, just when would I be able to reduce it to below 20? It seems that I wont have a chance to regain auto-recovery energy points until I push my energy point limit to one or two thousand Thinking of missing out on hundreds of auto-recovery energy points, Noland felt a wave of disappointment.. Chapter 291 - Chapter 291: 121. River of the Mind_2 Chapter 291: 121. River of the Mind_2 Translator: 549690339 He shook his head regretfully and sighed silently. He glanced at the mess around him and looked up at the hollow above. When he cast Death Incarnate just now, a Death Storm erupted around him, instantly killing the stacked Aberrations like a small mountain, at least 30 of them. At this moment, there were probably around 50 Aberrations left in the corridor of Underground Layer 14. Instead of running towards the hollow after coming out of the staircase, they were confused and spinning around in place, like they had suddenly lost their direction. Nolands gaze fell on the remains of the Young Raven, and he pondered as he lightly tapped his chin. The thing that attracted the Aberrations should be the Young Raven itself. With the death of the Young Raven, the thing attracting the Aberrations disappeared. Thats why the group of Aberrations that had just stepped into this corridor had awakened from their artificially controlled mental state, and instead entered a puzzled state of who am I, where am I, and what am I doing. So, what exactly helped the Young Raven in controlling the Aberrations? Noland brought up the panel information of the Young Raven and was drawn to one of his Active Skills. Name: Mind Control Type: Mental control skill, high-ranking magic Level: (20) () represents that this skill is borrowed from another character and is not a skill possessed by the Young Raven himself. Integrity: 10% This skill is borrowed by the Young Raven. Its effect is only one-tenth of its normal state. Effect: After activating this skill, the Young Raven can establish a psychic link with Aberrations tainted by Ancient Raven Spirits and call them to protect him. Description: The owner of this skill is an Ancient Raven Spirit. The Young Raven borrowed this skill from the Ancient Raven Spirit, and the Young Raven is not the controller of this skill. If the Ancient Raven Spirits retake the permission for the Young Raven to use this skill, the skill will temporarily become unusable. What did the Young Raven say just now? Why can such a weak person like me use high-ranking magic? Confusion arose in Nolands heart. He had heard similar words before, spoken by Greenshaw before his death. At that time, Noland had activated Caster Form: Death Incarnation and stood in front of Greenshaw. Greenshaw immediately recognized that the magic was a high-ranking death-type magic. He incredulously said, How can you use this magic without the authorization of the Lecturer Professor? Being questioned twice in a row about the legitimacy of using high-ranking magic, and seeing the high-ranking mental magic Mind Control, Noland suddenly understood where the problem was! It turns out that in this world, using high-ranking magic requires the authorization of powerful Extraordinary individuals like Lecturer Professors! Without the authorization of the Lecturer Professor, subordinate Wizards cannot use high-ranking magic. Similarly, people like Young Raven who follow Ancient Raven Spirits cannot use Mind Control without the permission of the Raven Spirits. Greenshaw, as a Second Ring Wizard, had no right to use high-ranking magic. Young Raven was a Third Order Black Bone Hermit and a higher rank than Greenshaw, allowing him to use high -ranking mental magic. so At least a Third Order Extraordinary Person is eligible to use high-ranking magic? Is that what it means? Noland blinked his eyes and suddenly realized that the Deconstruction Core System was far more awesome than he had imagined. Only he knew that he had obtained high-ranking Death-type magic through Harmless Deconstruction, completely bypassing the step of Lecturer Professors authorization. This was like a breakthrough in monopoly and bypassing technical blockades! The Deconstruction Core System could do this Hiss, so impressive. Noland silently praised the System in his heart, while also becoming more alert. Undoubtedly, using high-ranking magic with the false identity of a First Rank Wizard was a fatal flaw that could expose his secrets. Luckily, Noland discovered it early. It seems that I will have to avoid others when using high-ranking magic in the future As for this time when I used Death Incarnation, how should I explain it to Philia? The energy fluctuations from the recent battle must have been detected by her and the others Noland squinted his eyes and looked towards the Demon Rat Nest. Without the intervention of the Young Raven, the Demon Rat upheaval gradually subsided and the Aberrations regained their clear consciousness. Both sides paid a heavy price in the chaotic battle. Under the leadership of the Human-faced Demon Rat, the Demon Rats retreated from the battlefield first, rushing into the rat holes in the nest. As the Demon Rats retreated, the corridors of the nest became spacious. Philia and the others advanced swiftly and soon encountered the Aberrations lingering on the third layer of the nest. Electric flashes, licking tongues of flame, earth spikes spewing, wind blades swirling, high-intensity elemental energy fluctuations filled the third layer of the nest, mixed with alchemy bombs, energy beams, machine gun bullets, and so on. After a frenzy of bombing, the Aberrations were crushed by the fierce firepower. Philia and the others succeeded in reaching Nolands position above at the cost of some casualties. When Noland saw them coming, he turned off the Breath of the Dead skill. Ray! Did you stop the Young Raven? Philia jumped down from the ceiling hollow, landing gracefully on the pile of debris covering the floor. Her white fur was not stained by dirty water, still pure and flawless. Philia glanced at Noland, who had changed from a skeleton to wearing clothes and a face towel, and was not surprised. This kind of Death-type magic that transforms oneself into a skeleton is quite common.. Chapter 292 - Chapter 292: 121. River of the Mind_3 Chapter 292: 121. River of the Mind_3 Translator: 549690339 She gestured at her teammates to clean up the aberrations on layer 14 of the underground. Scanning the corpses and the torn strips of black cloak on the ground, a complete look of astonishment arose on Philias fluffy cat face: Huh? Young Raven is dead?! How did you do that, Ray? Upon hearing Philias exclamation, the rest of the team diverted their gazes towards Noland. Little Miss Betty appeared far more surprised than the others. Having crossed paths with Noland before, she knew well that his level of strength was not enough to kill Young Raven. But then, how did Noland manage to do it With her head slightly tilting to one side, the orange catfolk Betty wore a look of curious concern. Ah- Noland sighed with a sense of despair, his tone tinged with melancholy. Although they could not see his face hidden behind the face towel, they all could feel the depression in his heart. Philia, I used the mentors Evil Burst Art Magic Scroll and Death Avatar Magic Scroll to kill Young Raven. I am at a great loss in this task Philias petite body shivered and her eyes glazed over. She stuttered in response: Death Death Death Avatar Magic Scroll Isnt this a bit extravagant, Ray? Young Raven was just a third-order alchemist. You dont need to use such a precious magic scroll. Its much, much more valuable than the Elemental Vision Magic Scroll. Noland glanced at Philia, then lowered his head in a sigh. Philia, it was urgent. I was forced to use the magic scroll. Just look around us now, so many aberrations. They were all drawn here by Young Raven, I can confirm this. Since killing Young Raven, these aberrations have stopped rushing into the nest, as if they have lost their commander. Philia, with her brow furrowed in thought, glanced at the mountainous pile of aberration corpses. As her gaze shifted, it landed upon the aberrations lurking near the entrance to the staircase: It seems to be the case Youre rightthese aberrations have indeed stopped piling into the nest Noland raised his hand, pointing at the Raven Beak Mask scattered nearby on the floor: What if I told you that Young Raven was under the protection of a raven spirit, would you believe it? After I used the Evil Burst Art Magic Scroll provided by my mentor, all other Blackbone Hermits were blown to bits, only he remained alive. He transformed into a massive black crow and flew out from a hole. If I hadnt quickly activated the Death Avatar Magic Scroll, I would be a puddle of ground meat with black feathers stuck in it now. See, Young Raven is dead, but that mask remains undisrupted. It might have been its protection. A ravens protection? Philia pointed her finger, casting a gust of wind to sweep away the filth on the Raven Beak Mask, lifted it from the ground and examined it in her hand. When Philia saw the mystical patterns inside the mask, the tone of her voice became solemn: I believe you, Ray This is no ordinary mask. Theres an odd pattern of magical runes inside. I cant figure out what these runes are for, we need to have the mentor identify it. Philia noticed, in the key point of the magical patterns, there was a black raven with its wings spread wide: This seems to be the emblem of a raven spirit. A black raven spirit. This could mean the Blackbone Hermit has a Lord-level raven beast behind him. This will be problematic. Raven beasts all long for flight, they will think of all possible ways to return to the ground. Who is this raven spirit? And why would it appear underground Noland leaned in to look at the emblem on the mask, his gaze flickering as he pondered. Lord-level demon beasts are equivalent to the faction leaders of the Undead Cult in the magic beast community. They are the pinnacle of their respective magic beasts, possessing intelligence comparable to mankind. The classification of types of magic beasts considers three aspects: appearance, ability, and habit. Black crows that command wind magic and are omnivorous, and black crows that command both wind and earth magic and are omnivorous, although having identical appearances and habits, they would be considered different species of magic beasts due to the difference in the branches of magic they hold. With such detailed classification, black magic beasts of the crow species alone can be divided into dozens of different types of magic beasts. Each type of raven magic beast has at least one Lord -level existence. Therefore, it can be hard determine who is the protective spirit of Young Raven, based on its black appearance. Philia has to return to the surface to consult the experts C such as the bird society leader in Life Essence Society. In this, just the act of identifying the origin of the raven spirit and pulling out relevant archives could consume a lot of time. The worst part is, judging from Nolands description and the scene, this raven spirit that protects Young Raven, can potentially control aberrations. All alchemist factions would be put on high alert at this, including the Alchemy Cathedral. Lets return to the surface as soon as possible. Philia held the Raven Beak Mask in her hand. She caught her team members attention, instructing them to clean up the weapons and follow her back the way they came. Just before leaving, Philia solemnly assured Noland: Rest assured, Ray. Once I have collected the reward for the mission from my mentor, I will come and pay you. As for the scrolls expense, I will find a way to reimburse you in full. However, it will take time, please be patient. The identification of the Raven Beak Mask wont be quick, and the number of raven beasts is just too much. If my mentor confirms the importance of this mask, reimbursements for your magic scroll will not be a problem.. Chapter 293 - Chapter 293: 121. River of the Mind_4 Chapter 293: 121. River of the Mind_4 Translator: 549690339 I understand, Philia. I trust the reputation of the Cat Society and Elemental Judgement. Noland Lee followed her as they ascended the staircase floor by floor. In his heart, he knew that the identification of the Raven Beak Mask might not go smoothly. To avoid exposing his secrets, he deliberately left out a word just now. He used Raven Spirit instead of Ancient Raven Spirit to refer to the Raven Beast Lord that protected the young ravens. As a newcomer wandering wizard, it was normal to not immediately discern the origin of the Raven Spirits. Only those wizards or alchemists who had studied Raven Spirits for years could tell at a glance that the pattern on the Raven Beak Mask pointed to an Ancient Raven Spirit instead of a modern Raven Spirit. Simply missing out the word ancient could make a huge difference in the scope of their investigation. Besides, when he heard that the magical runes on the mask were related to mental magic, Noland Lee initiated the Deconstruction Technique without hesitation. [System Message: ] [You are about to initiate the Deconstruction Technique on the Ancient Raven Spirits Mask.] [It is estimated to consume 1000 energy points and can achieve a 100% completion of deconstruction.] [Warning!] [Detected that deconstructing the Ancient Raven Spirits Mask would have a negative impact on you.] [Do you want to use harmless deconstruction to perform deconstruction?] [It is estimated to consume 10,000 energy points and can achieve a 100% completion of harmless deconstruction.] Another artifact that triggered harmless deconstruction! The last time the system suggested harmless deconstruction was on Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary. This time, it was a mask related to the Ancient Raven Spirits. There was one similarity between the two. Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary was personally written by Lecturer Professor Decart, who was behind the Death Herald Guild. The Ancient Raven Spirits Mask could be a magical item made by the Raven Spirit itself. Both carried the spirit and will of powerful beings. Trying to understand them recklessly could lead to interference from these powerful beings, forcing one to distort their beliefs and principles. Having had the experience of harmless deconstruction on Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary, Noland Lee saw a pattern. Every object that could cause mental pollution was a rare treasure. As long as he had enough energy points, he couldnt let this opportunity slip away! Confirm the consumption of 10,000 Energy Points and initiate harmless deconstruction on the mask. Noland Lee, confident with his resources, directly issued the deconstruction order. A strong sense of dizziness emerged in his mind, and he covered it up with the motion of scratching his head. [System Message: ] [Harmless Deconstruction Success!] [You have achieved a 100% completion in deconstructing Samuelsons Mental Mask! ] [Due to your use of harmless deconstruction, all deconstruction results have been irreversibly reduced.] [The system has stripped all factors that could have negative effects on you, including but not limited to casting chants, gestures, and materials.] [The deconstruction results are as follows:] Twilight Raven Samuelsons brief information, 15% completeness] The Third Bank of the River of Mind: Volume One, 25% completeness] Magic Blueprint: Mind Mask (Item Level 30) , 10% completeness] My goodness Three deconstruction results with the highest completeness being only 25%? The mental pollution carried by this mask is ridiculously strong. Noland Lee sighed secretly. After considering it, he didnt check the details of the deconstruction results there and then. In case he couldnt help but laugh out loud and be seen by Philia and the others. Noland Lee restrained his inner excitement and continued walking with the Cat Society members. Upon reaching the Underground Layer 3 of Sector 8, Noland Lee proposed to go separate ways as he still needed to guard the underground area with the Iron Thorn Shield. Members of the Ferocious Hound Gang would have to pass through Sector 8, the Cat Societys territory, to reach Sector 7, where the Iron Thorn Shield was located. When Noland Lee arrived at Sector 8s Underground Layer 3, he ran into several gang members who were going to Sector 7 to fight. Philia waved her hand and ordered the metal sluice gate to Sector 7 to be sealed. Seeing this scene, those gang members immediately protested: What gives you the right to close the gate? Exactly! Youre breaking the rules! Im reporting this to the Main Society! Open the gate! Philia, still maintaining her tall and slender white-furred female Meow Race appearance and her alchemy weaponry, stood her ground. She pointed at Noland Lee, who was wearing a face towel and goggles, and said authoritatively: If you guys are determined to cause trouble in Sector 7, I definitely cant stop you. But think carefully, this man beside me is the extraordinary guard that Sector 7 has invited. He killed four Blackbone Hermits without using his alchemy weaponry. Do you still want to go and die? Security personnel from the Cat Society also chimed in: Its true, mates from the Dog Society. What Captain Philia said is true. You dont know, this gentleman single-handedly stopped hundreds of aberrations, including many Devourers and Seeders. Its better not to go to Sector 7 to throw your lives away. Philia and the security personnel convinced the members of the Ferocious Hound Gang. Seeing the unassuming Noland Lee, members of the Ferocious Hound Gang felt an inexplicable chill Although they still had some doubts, they reluctantly changed their course and went back to their own gangs Sector 9 area, out of respect for Philias authority.. Chapter 294 - Chapter 294:121. River of the Mind—5 Chapter 294:121. River of the Mind5 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee smiled and said: Looks like I can take a nap in the meantime. He waved to Philia and Betty, then turned and stepped through the metal gate heading to Sector 7. Ill come find you once I have news, Ray Lee-I Philia shouted to Nolands retreating figure. Noland waved his arm in response. Kent, Im back. Oh, Ray Lee, looks like your task was quite relaxing. Noland found Kent sitting in a corner smoking on the third underground floor of Sector 7. Ive greeted Philia and the Ferocious Hound Gang from the Dog Society. No members of the Ferocious Hounds will cause trouble today, Noland said as he walked towards Kent. The face of wizards is really impressive. Even if I, the captain of security, go to plead with the Cat Society to close the sluice gate, they will not bother with mewant one? Kent took out a pack of cigarettes. No, thanks, Noland waved his hand. Kent put away the cigarette pack, patted the dust on his buttocks, and stood up: Then Ill go stay upstairs. Those kids must be playing cards and drinking when Im not around. I have to go back and keep an eye on them. Kent entered the staircase to the upper floor and soon left with the sound of the gate switch. Noland glanced at the empty corridor. During his absence, Kent had sent someone to clean up the scene. The bodies and bloodstains had been removed, and the spoils of war were neatly stacked in the corner. As a result, Noland avoided the trouble of cleaning up the battlefield. He checked the status of the alchemy trap, put the spoils into the folding space of his backpack, and then found a place to sit cross-legged. In his mind, he called up the results of Harmless Deconstruction, selected the first entry, and clicked to view it. Concise Information of Twilight Raven Samuelson, 15% completeness. This document consists purely of text. Twilight Raven is the title of Samuelson. Samuelson, this creature, is a wizard who embarked on the path of magic in the guise of an ancient raven spirit. Thats right. In this world, undead like Hickman Arlington can become wizards, and ancient raven spirits can also become wizards. As an ancient raven spirit, Samuelsons history can be traced back to about 300 years ago. At that time, he had just become a magical beast lord of the raven species, passed the practicing test of the Wizards Teaching Forest, and became a lecturer qualified to legally teach mental magic. For the next two hundred years, he excellently completed the teaching tasks assigned by the Wizards Teaching Forest, and undertook a research task assigned by the Wizard Advancement Association. The specific content of this research task was not mentioned in the Concise Information. But one thing is clear: During Samuelsons execution of the research task, he repeatedly violated the laws proclaimed by the Wizard Council and refused to repent, resulting in a bounty being placed on him by the Council. He thus lost his identity as a lecturer. Up to now, this ancient raven spirit who ascended to the ranks of lecturer as a wizard is still at large, and remains one of the wanted criminals on the Wizard Councils list. The deconstruction results show that Samuelsons strength is Seventh-Ring. In the commonly accepted knowledge of the realm of wizards: Wizard apprentices, First-Ring wizards, and Second-Ring wizards are collectively referred to as wizard students, corresponding to the three learning stages of junior, middle, and senior grade. Third to Sixth-Ring are formal wizards. Seventh to Ninth-Ring wizards are high-level wizards. The minimum requirement for becoming a lecturer is Seventh-Ring. Samuelson was Seventh-Ring strength when he was first wanted, but his current strength is unknown. The Concise Information did not record it. Also, according to the information obtained, mental wizards are classified as the chaotic faction by the Ulnas Circle. This chaos is a neutral term, not derogatory. Other chaotic factions include shape-shifter wizards, illusion wizards, and so on. The number of wizards in the chaotic faction is very small. The number of mental wizards is even smaller. There are only two main lecturers in the Ulnas Circle who specialize in mental magic. After Samuelson was removed, there is only one left now. This concludes the content of the Concise Information. After reading it, Noland had only one feeling This world is really small; you can meet wizards anywhere. If its not a competing wizard trying to steal business, its a criminal wizard on the Wizard Councils long- term wanted list. Just point to any extraordinary person, investigate them, and eventually connect them to the term wizard. It really feels like a Wizard Village. Noland put the Concise Information aside and clicked on the second deconstruction result. The Third Bank of the River of Mind: Volume One, 25% complete This is a magic book. To be precise, it is a mental magic textbook written by Wizard Criminal Samuelson himself. Noland cast Deconstruction on this magic book, consuming some energy points, and obtained the information panel of this book. [Name] The Third Bank of the River of Mind: Volume One [Type] Mental Magic Textbook [Author] Twilight Raven Samuelson [Completeness] 25% Due to Harmless Deconstruction, a large amount of teaching content is missing, and all magic array blueprints have defects. The missing teaching content and defects in the magic array blueprint cannot be repaired. [Book Introduction] In the conventional sense, there are two banks for a river: this shore and the beyond. In the field of mental magic, there are three banks for a river: this shore, the beyond, and your minds boat. If you are on this shore, you belong to this shore.. Chapter 295 - Chapter 295: 121. River of the Mind 6 Chapter 295: 121. River of the Mind 6 Translator: 549690339 If you are on the other side, you become a part of it. Only on your own boat of the mind can you truly be yourself. [Reading Requirements] None You have obtained this book through harmless deconstruction, and the system has stripped all reading requirements. [Knowledge in the Book] Common knowledge of Mental Magic, including an introduction to common mental spells. Five spell blueprints with defects: Mind Control, Mental Vision, Mind Beacon, Mental Shield, Perception Obstruction. There are quite a few mental magic spells in the magic book, which makes Noland Lees eyes dazzle. Theoretically, as long as he is willing to consume Energy Points, he can change his profession to a mental wizard on the spot. But. Noland Lee opens each spell blueprint and carefully reads the panel information of the spells, discovers a very awkward place. The completeness of these spell blueprints is only 10% to 25%. When Noland Lee used Harmless Deconstruction on Martyrdom Ten Commandments C Outline, the spell blueprints he obtained were also incomplete. The defects of these death-related spells are usually increased casting consumption, shortened spell duration, or unupgradeable spells. As for The Third Shore book, all the spells on it have a defect that significantly reduces the casting effect. The higher the completeness of the spell blueprint, the higher the actual casting effect. To give an example. Perception Obstruction. Noland Lee is very familiar with the mental magic effect, as it can reduce the targets perception range, such as limiting the field of view. A defect-free Level 1 Perception Obstruction can reduce the targets perception range by 10%. A Level 1 Perception Obstruction with only 10% completeness can only reduce the targets perception range by 1%. Isnt that too insignificant? Noland Lee has to level up the 10% completeness Perception Obstruction to Level 10 in order to be on par with a 100% completeness Level 1 Perception Obstruction. Isnt the defect of the mental spell blueprint a bit too fatal.. Noland Lee feels a little depressed. He patiently reads the teaching content of The Third Shore. An hour later, a flash of realization shines in his eyes. He understands whats going on now. He misunderstood the system. The system didnt do anything wrong. The completeness of mental spell blueprints should only be this low and cannot be any higher. The reason is very simple: Mental magic manipulates the mind. Normally, all mental spells will cause 10% to 50% of the same effect on the caster during the casting process. This is the inherent backlash of mental magic, and ordinary mental wizards can never avoid it. Because the principle of mental wizards manipulating other peoples minds is to use their own minds as weapons to attack other peoples minds. This is like stabbing a metal shield with a dagger; the more aggressive the stabbing, the deeper the scratch on the shield. At the same time, the more damage there will be to the blade of the dagger itself. If the dagger breaks during the stabbing process, it means that the caster has suffered a severe backlash from the failed casting of mental magic. The attack and defense of the mental realm perfectly illustrate the saying, the force of action is mutual. It seems that the system has reduced the completeness of the mental spell blueprints to below 25%, but actually, it has helped Noland Lee remove the huge cost of casting mental magic! With the help of the system, Noland Lee can avoid the backlash effect of casting mental magic and cast mental magic carefree! Awesome, system. I have wronged you. Noland Lee slowly nods his head, and all his depression is swept away. He scans the spell blueprints in the book again, becoming more and more satisfied with the results of this harmless deconstruction. He temporarily suppresses the idea of learning mental magic immediately and calls out the third harmless deconstruction result. Magic Blueprint: Mind Mask (Item Level 30) , Completeness 10% This thing called Mental Mask is that mask with a ravens beak. The wearer can establish some mental connection with the creator of the mask. Due to the low completion level of the magic blueprint, the mental mask made by Noland Lee has only one effect: Mind Beacon. When wearing the mask, the wearer will gain the effect of the Mind Beacon, allowing Noland Lee to cast mental magic towards them remotely. However, because of the low completion level, the effect of the Mind Beacon is only 10% of what it would be normally. If Noland Lee were to use the 10% complete Perception Obstruction on the 10% complete Mind Beacon, the actual effect of the Perception Obstruction would be Uh 10% * 10% = 1% He didnt miscalculate; its only 1% Ah, this. Noland Lee was taken aback, stunned by the calculation he made: This mask requires over ten types of magic materials to make, and most of these materials are things Ive never even heard of. I will have to put in a lot of effort to make it. But in the end, the practical effect of using it to cast spells remotely, is only 1% of the normal situation. Why do I even bother creating it? Is it like Im just trying to find something to do after eating? Noland Lee waved his hand, sweeping the blueprint of the mask aside. He started reading The Third Bank of the River of Mind: Volume One intently, concentrating on learning the newly acquired mental magic. As Noland Lee immersed himself in reading, Philia led Betty Davis and the other Elemental Wizards onto the steam locomotive returning to the Cat Society Manor. After entering the manor, Philia gave the order to disperse, telling Betty and the others to rest well as she would immediately report the task to her mentor. In the manor castle on the third floor, the domed glass greenhouse. Outside, the metallic dust was flying chaotically in the sky, covering the natural light. Inside, the magic light source released a gentle glow, scattering the artificial sunnght around. Butterflies fluttered among the flowers as the artificial water channel flowed with crisp, melodious water. The noblewoman controlled the water bottle with magic, strolling in the blooming greenhouse garden. She watered the flowers while checking their growth conditions. Teacher, Im back. I found something strange underground, and I wanted to ask for your help to identify it. Philia held the Raven Beak Mask and approached the noblewoman. The noblewoman withdrew her gaze from a nectar-collecting bee and turned her head with a smile of congratulations, but her smile instantly turned rigid, her expression slightly shocked: Samuelsons mental mask? Where did you find this thing? Ah? Teacher, you recognize this! Thats great- Itll save me from dealing with the Bird Society. Philia smiled cheerfully, her eyes curving like crescents. However, as she smiled, she slowly noticed that the atmosphere was somewhat awkward since her teachers expression had clearly grown grave. Philia immediately restrained her smile and asked softly: Teacher, whats wrong? Is the mask quite troublesome? Very troublesome. The noblewoman took the mask, holding it with her left hand. With her right hand, she swept across her chest, drawing out a vine magic wand with a green sprout. She bent her right arm, aimed the short wand at the mask, murmured a spell, and projected a colorful light at the mask. A hazy gray smoke emerged from the mask, conflicting with the colorful light, much like a dark cloud blocking sunlight from reaching the ground. The colorful light lasted for three seconds before dissipating. The noblewoman sighed heavily: Ive checked it with the Appraisal Technique, and indeed, this is Samuelsons mental mask. Samuelson is a wanted criminal of the Wizard Council, his number is Inferior Mage Level 106. He became a lecturer professor under the title of Lord of the Twilight Raven more than 300 years ago. In the past fifty years, he has been involved in at least eighty cases related to the Wizard. His profound knowledge in mental magic allows him to deceive the minds of all wizards below the rank of lecturer professor, so he always escapes from the grasp of wizard enforcers. I never thought such a troublemaker would appear in our territory. Philias face tightened, and her pretty face was filled with seriousness: Teacher, should we report this to the Wizard Enforcement Department? Yes, definitely, and we need to act quickly. The noblewoman snapped her fingers, causing the water bottle in the air to fly back to the storage shelf. She then gestured to Philia and said, Come with me, Philia. Ill listen to your task progress while writing a letter to the Wizard Enforcement Department. Did you use the crystal key I gave you? How does it feel? Doesnt it feel like a brand-new experience? Philia smiled awkwardly and stuck out her tongue slightly, saying, Uh, teacher, I didnt use the key you gave me. Oh? How did you get this mask then? The people who have it are protected by Samuelson. Teacher, this is what happened. I used the Elemental Vision Magic Scroll that you gave me The two of them talked while walking, leaving the greenhouse and entering the study along the sunlit corridor.. Chapter 296 - Chapter 296: 122. Reward and Participation Chapter 296: 122. Reward and Participation Translator: 549690339 The reward from Iron Thorn Shield is 100,000 Union Coins. The task deposit from Cat Society is 100,000 Union Coins. The remaining reward to be given after the tasks completion is 300,000 Union Coins. The spoils of war that I confiscated on the third underground level include 24 revolvers, 15 shotguns, 6 alchemy bombs, and 5 grenades. The quality of these items is quite low, with item levels of only three or four. In the game, they would be considered basic weapons at most. Well, Ill sell them all to Iron Thorn Shield Inside the Alchemy Room of the long-term rented Alchemy Club One-to-One Exchange. Now its noon the day after Spray Powder Day. Early this morning, all the metallic dust in the city was completely collected, and the residents resumed their normal activities. The members of the various factions who had been squatting in the underground waterway area also ended their tasks. After Noland Lee left the underground, he slept for a while in the single cottage provided by the Iron Thorn Shield. After eating and sleeping enough, he couldnt wait to come to the club to count his loot. He dumped the contents of his backpack on the large workbench, took out paper and pen, and appraised his spoils one by one, tallying up his harvest during Spray Powder Day. Without even having to calculate, one could easily see that the main source of income came from Philias task rewards. The next biggest reward came from guarding the Iron Thorn Shields territory on the Third Underground Level. Not much money could be squeezed out of those ordinary gang members. As for the alchemists of the Gang Sect, they had already been informed about Noland Lees pending duty to guard the Iron Thorn Shields territory. They didnt show up during Spray Powder Day and just stayed obediently in their own territories. Only those not-so-bright, ordinary gang members, who are focused solely on making money, would be blinded by their interests and end up delivering themselves to their deaths at Nolands guarded areas. After calculating the value of his spoils, Noland took a backpack full of supplies and left the club to exchange money with Kent from Iron Thorn Shield. About an hour later, he pushed a trolley full of alchemy materials back into the alchemy room and began executing his two five-week plans. In the Five Week Plan Above Ground, Noland decided to place his own surveillance cameras throughout Lower Town. At first, he used a combination of Pure Bone Card and Enslavement of Deceased to control bird Lost Souls as cameras. Now, he had a better plan. All inspiration came from the recent acquisition of The Third Bank of the River of Mind: Volume One. In this magic textbook, there is such a spell: [Name] Mind View [Type] Mental Detection Magic [Level] Level 1, can be upgraded up to Level 100 [Comprehensiveness] 25% [Effect] The range of the magic vision is 25% of the targets real vision range. During the effect of this spell, consume 1 point of energy every 10 minutes. [Description] The spell target must meet the following requirements: The target must have a mind or be affected by a Mental Beacon effect applied by you. The target must be completely unguarded against you. If the target becomes aware of the spells existence, the spell will be forcibly interrupted. As the duration of the spell progresses, the targets chances of discovering the spell gradually increase. When the targets level surpasses the spells level, the target will certainly be able to immediately discover the existence of the spell. Looking at the magic panel, you might not know what this spell means. Try it yourself, and youll know the answer. Noland Lee stood by the window and selected a silly bird idling on the eaves to cast Mind View. The view in front of Noland changed from his own perspective to that of the silly bird. Whatever the silly bird could see, he could see. It was as if the bird had shared its field of view with him. Mind View does not have any side effects. The Soul Link provided by the Pure Bone Card, on the other hand, causes psychic trauma to Noland when the link is forcibly severed. From this perspective, Mind View is far more suitable for monitoring Lower Town than the Enslavement of Deceased + Pure Bone Card spell combination. The only drawback is that Mind View has a completeness of only 25%. If the silly bird could see things within a range of 100 meters, Noland would only be able to see things within a range of 25 meters from its perspective. Scenes beyond the 25-meter range were just a hazy mist in Nolands eyes, making it impossible to see the specific scenery there. It doesnt matter if the magic view range is limited, as this skill can be upgraded. Noland moves his thoughts, selects the skill, and directly consumes 450 points of energy to raise Mind View to Level 10. [System Message:] [Mind View level increased by 9, now at Level 10.] [Mind View provided magic view range increased by 90%. Now, the range of magic view is 47-5% of the targets real vision.] [You have activated the upgrade reward for breaking through to Level 10.] [Please choose one of the following three options:] [Option One: ] [Magic view range increased by 50%, raising it to 60% of the targets real vision.] [Option Two:] [Mind View adds new High Efficiency Energy Saving Casting feature. The consumption required for casting is permanently reduced by 90%.] [Option Three:] [Mind View adds new Vision Leap feature.] [Select the first casting target and apply Mind View to open the Magic View..] Chapter 297 - Chapter 297:122. Remuneration and Meeting_2 Chapter 297:122. Remuneration and Meeting_2 Translator: 549690339 [You can select a second target that meets the casting conditions within this Magic Vision, and cast a new Mental Vision on it to obtain a new Magic Vision. You can continue to select the third target in the new Magic Vision and acquire the third Magic Vision.] [In this way, you can achieve up to 3 vision leaps. The spell consumption will increase with the number of vision leaps.] [When upgrading Mental Vision later, you can choose between increasing your sight range by 10% or increasing the number of leaps by 1.] As an experienced player, Noland Lee didnt have to think further and swiftly chose Option Three. People who have played as a hunter profession in Mount Kigate know that hunters have a skill specifically designed for sightseeing called Eagle Eye Technique. Old hunters rely on this skill to summon Soul Beasts. By using a high-terrain hill as a target for Eagle Eye Technique, they obtain the view from the hill. Then they find a lake at the foot of the mountain from the hill, and use the lake as the target for the Eagle Eye Technique to move their vision to the lakeside. Through this skill, hunters can see the lake on the other side of the mountain without climbing the mountain. This feature of leaping vision within the Magic Vision is called vision leap. With this feature, Mental Vision can allow Noland Lee to see the situation in Sectors 8, 9, or even 10 directly from Sector 7 via 3 leaps of vision. Using this feature with surveillance cameras would undoubtedly reduce the overall number of cameras. Although the camera itself does not have a soul, it can still be used as a target for Mental Vision. This was related to Nolands new approach. Noland Lee found that the Mind Beacon skill was useful. When casting a Mind Beacon onto an inanimate object, such as a glass, he can use Mental Vision on it. Undoubtedly, once the Mind Beacon skill is acquired, mental wizards can freely choose the target of their mental magic. Their spell targets are no longer limited to living beings with souls or lost souls. With this feature alone, Mind Beacon can be considered a high-level mental magic. Indeed, Mind Beacon is a high-level mental magic, a spell that requires Lecturer Professor Authorization to use. Noland Lee bypassed this restriction with the help of the System. He used his alchemy and magic knowledge to create many custom-designed magical items, staying in the Alchemy Room for nearly four days straight. This included the first batch of successful surveillance cameras. These cameras were disguised as iron cigarette cases. The iron cigarette case was covered with dents and rust to resemble a real abandoned one. Inside the iron cigarette case, there were several spell papers disguised as rolling papers. Using the rune staff, Noland Lee engraved the Mind Beacon pattern on these papers, establishing a stable mental connection with them. By pulling out the Mind Beacon List in the System User Interface and selecting one iron cigarette case, Noland Lee could cast Mental Vision and view the scene around the iron cigarette case The beacon inside the iron cigarette case needs periodic charging. To solve this issue, Noland Lee sets up an alchemy array for storing energy inside the case. A one-time charge of 1 point of Soul Strength can maintain the beacon for a month. To prevent the unique iron cigarette case from falling into enemy hands and becoming a tracking device, Noland Lee also added an Acid Burst Rune with a one-button destruction function. With just a thought, he could make the Acid Burst Rune spurt out acid, destroying everything inside the iron cigarette case. Noland Lee invented several items that combined mental magic and alchemy, like the surveillance camera. Due to their high production difficulty, only the cameras with iron cigarette case appearance were considered successful inventions. The other fascinating innovations were still in the design phase, or some finished products had been made but had not been tested for specific effects yet. I made a total of 50 cameras. Now, I just need to choose the right places to put the iron cigarette cases. Including 3 vision leaps, I should be able to see the situation in about 6 to 7 sectors nearby from Sector 7. It wont be a problem to search for a single target, Noland thought to himself as he practiced the forging body movements of Soul Casting Technique in the Alchemy Room. Ill put three cameras in my single cottage; one inside the house, and the other two, one in the front and one in the back. In sectors where Clan forces and small, extraordinary forces are present, Ill place several cameras to monitor potential evil sorcerers. Also, I need to find the whereabouts of other wandering wizards in Lower Town and place some cameras in the sectors they are in. Deeply absorbed in thought, Noland Lee took a pause, continuing with the movements of the Soul Casting Technique. He suddenly realized that he had overlooked one thing. He didnt know how many wandering wizards were in Lower Town, let alone how many of them were Death Clan Wizards. Information regarding this should only be known to the Elemental Judgement, right? Chapter 298 - Chapter 298: 122. Remuneration and Conference_3 Chapter 298: 122. Remuneration and Conference_3 Translator: 549690339 After all, in the Golden Federation, only Elemental Judgement was the legitimate magic institution established by the Ulnas Circle, specifically responsible for receiving and registering wandering wizards. I have to find an opportunity to ask Philia or use Deconstruction to find the answer from her memory Noland Lee practiced the movements of Soul Casting Technique over and over again. After a long time, he stopped to rest with sweat all over his body, picked up the water cup on the table, and took a sip of warm water. [System Message: ] [You have successfully practiced the first set of moves from the Soul Casting Technique.] [Action completion 95%.] [Progress bar +0.95%, now at 100%] Noland glanced at the system message, feeling somewhat excited. He had practiced about a hundred times in total, finally filling up the progress bar. [Your Strength +1, Tenacity +1, Soul Strength +1.] [In addition, your Energy Points limit has increased by 2.] [You now have 30655/22 Energy Points.] Glug Noland swallowed the warm water in his mouth. He rubbed his eyes and double-checked that he wasnt seeing things wrong. His Energy Points limit had indeed increased without any change in the Spirit attribute. So there is this hidden way to increase the Energy Points limit. As long as I practice the Soul Casting Technique extensively, I can gain more Energy Points when my attributes increase to whole number thresholds. Is this Energy Points limit increase reward only triggered when I practice the Soul Casting Technique myself? Noland raised his eyebrows, thinking that this special reward seemed quite reasonable. Energy in a conventional sense refers to how long a person can work continuously without feeling tired. The more energetic the person, the longer they can work continuously. A good body is clearly a prerequisite for being energetic. Regular exercise of the body improves the physical condition, and energy naturally becomes better than before. If you consider Energy Points as a data of energy production, then the increase in Strength and Tenacity, through exercise, should indeed impact the Energy Points limit. The attribute reward provided by the System not only has no problem but also suddenly ignited Nolands passion for practicing. But why didnt my Energy Points limit increase after I injected the Strengthening Potion? Well, never mind that. Let me practice that movement again and try to get my Energy Points limit up to 1000 points as soon as possible! Looking into the mirror in the room, Noland struck a pose and pinched the muscles on his arm. So hard, so solid! Just as he was about to take his stance, there was a knock on the door. Before entering the Alchemy Room, he would hang a Do Not Disturb sign on the door. The person outside must have urgent business to come and find him. Noland wiped the sweat from his face, put on a face towel and sunglasses, opened the door, and saw Betty blinking her eyes. Philia invites you to the manor, Ray Lee. Human-form Betty was two heads shorter than Noland, reaching only up to Nolands chest. She had a head of orange hair, curly at the ends, a slightly chubby face, and round -framed student glasses. She looked like a well-behaved and cunning little sister next door. She pointed outside the building and said: The Cat Societys car is waiting for you at the door. Do you want to go to the manor with me now, or are you going by yourself later? Lets go now, Betty. Give me a few minutes, and Ill change my clothes. Noland closed the door and made some preparations. He wiped the sweat from his body and took out his fish-scale suit from the folding space of his backpack, which was specially designed to set up shop. After some grooming, he appeared in front of Betty with a local Federation appearance. Betty slightly tilted her head, looking puzzled at his face: This shouldnt be your real appearance, right? You Death Clan Wizards seem to like to use magic to disguise yourselves. Why is that? Noland smiled and said: Its because our real appearance as Death Clan Wizards is too shocking, Betty. Either we have pale skin, a thin physique, like a white cardboard, or were Walking Dead with rotting flesh on our bodies or skeletons with leaky bodies. This tendency towards the appearance of Lost Souls is a common problem for those studying Death Series magic, and everyone is plagued by it. Im no exception. Oh- so your real appearance is quite astonishing, right? Betty opened her small mouth. More or less. Noland nodded, then asked: Did you identify the origin of that Raven Beak Mask? Yes, we got the result. Philia asked me to pick you up to tell you about it. The two of them walked out of the Club House and boarded the steam locomotive waiting at the door. On the train, Noland and Betty sat face to face with a board acting as a table between them. Betty took a small notebook out of her pocket, looked at the characters recorded in the book as she spoke to Noland: Philia said that the mask belonged to a wizard criminal named Samuelson. He is a wanted criminal who has been stripped of his Lecturer Professor status. The Wizard Enforcement Department has classified him as an Inferior Mage Level criminal, with a specific criminal number of Inferior Mage Level 106. It seems that weve encountered an unexpected enemy this time, Noland said. This was his first time hearing the term Inferior Mage Level. It was estimated that within the Interior of Ulnas Circle, the Law Enforcement Department had a clear classification method for criminals.. Chapter 299 - Chapter 299:122. Remuneration and Meeting_4 Chapter 299:122. Remuneration and Meeting_4 Translator: 549690339 I wonder what their criteria for dividing criminals is Betty continued reading in comparison to the notebook: The mentor has reported Samuelsons presence in Union City to the Wizard Enforcement Department. It is estimated that the Wizard Enforcers will arrive here in about three months. Three months later? Arent the Wizard Enforcers afraid that Samuelson will escape? Noland Lee asked. Betty drummed her cheeks, her little face slightly frowning, looking somewhat helpless: This is inevitable, Noland. The Golden Federation is too far from the Ulnas Circle, and there are no Wizard Enforcers stationed within the Federation territory. The Law Enforcement Department can only contact the Enforcer closest to us and ask them to come here as soon as possible after completing their current task. Moreover, an Inferior Mage Level criminal is not worth the Enforcer opening a Teleportation Gate. In any case, we can only wait patiently. Noland Lee shook his head slightly and sighed: If Samuelson leaves Union City in these few months, the Wizard Enforcers will have made a wasted trip. Betty pointed with her index finger at the pages of her notebook, reading word by word: Yes, you are right. Therefore, the Law Enforcement Department has arranged a task for us Elemental Judgement, Noland. They asked us to assist the Enforcers in monitoring Samuelson. It would be best if we could capture Samuelson and lock him up in a cage before the Enforcer arrives in Union City. What is the opinion of your Elemental Judgement? Noland Lee asked. Betty said worriedly: The Mentor accepted this task of assisting in the capture of the criminal. Because no one knows what conspiracy Samuelson is plotting. If he causes chaos in Union City, that would be troublesome. The Alchemy Cathedral has never really liked our Magic Research Institutes. If we dont take the initiative to capture the Wizard Criminal, the Alchemy Cathedral will definitely be dissatisfied with us. They may even try to drive us out of Union City. If that happens, the Elemental Judgement will be forced to terminate the Research Task issued by the Wizard Advancement Association. As soon as we leave, a new Magic Institution will move in. Noland raised his eyebrows, A new Magic Institution stationed in Union City? What do you mean, Betty? I dont quite understand the operation of the Wizard Advancement Association, would you mind explaining? Well Betty thought while pinching her chin: I am not quite sure about the specifics either. I heard it from Sister Philia. She said that for every country with a national-level exceptional phenomenon, the Wizard Advancement Association would tailor a series of Research Tasks around that phenomenon. This includes the question of who will study the exceptional phenomenon. Take the Golden Federation, for example. Aberrations have appeared here. About 10 years ago, our Elemental Judgement competed with the Wizard Advancement Association for the opportunity to research Aberrations. We are the only ones eligible to be stationed in the Golden Federation. Since 10 years ago, we have set up a First Level Magic Research Institute affiliated with the Wizard Advancement Association in the only place in the Golden Federation where Aberrations have been found. Thats why theres an Elemental Judgement in Union City. Betty held up her index and shook it, saving If we are expelled by the Alchemy Cathedral, we can only leave the Golden Federation by force. The research on Aberrations will thus fail. But then, the Wizard Advancement Association will recruit new wizard forces to study Aberrations and establish new First Level Magic Research Institutions in Union City. As for which wizard force will undertake this research task at that time, that will be up to the Wizard Advancement Association. We, Elemental Judgement, have no say in the matter. Moreover, we cant apply to research Aberrations again. Its a rule laid down by the Wizard Advancement Association. So thats how it is Noland Lee pondered for a second and then asked: What plans does your mentor have? She wants to invite all the wizards in the city to the Manor for a discussion on capturing Samuelson. Betty took an invitation from the notebook and handed it to Noland Lee: Here, this is it. The discussion meeting is tonight. If you want to participate, you can stay at the Manor until the meeting begins. Noland Lee took the invitation, on which was a handwritten invitation letter. The meaning of the letter was similar to what Betty had said orally, with an additional commitment related to remuneration. As long as they assisted Elemental Judgement in capturing Samuelson, every wizard participating in the capture would receive a bounty and material rewards according to their contribution. Noland Lee noticed that the font on this invitation letter was not Philias. On the night he first met Philia, Noland Lee got a handwritten note from her. The characters on the note were different from those on the invitation letter. Philias writing was more elegant, while the writing on the invitation letter was more stable and restrained. This invitation letter should have been written by the mentor of Philia and Betty. Nolands heart stirred, and he aimed at the writing and launched the Deconstruction Technique. [System Message: ] [You are about to use the Deconstruction Technique on Handwritten Characters.] [It is estimated that it will consume 1 point of energy and can reach a 100% degree of deconstruction.] [Do you confirm to proceed with the deconstruction?] Confirm. Noland Lee paid the 1 point of energy happily. [Deconstruction Success!] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [The writer is a Magic Ink Pen, 16 centimeters long, 1 centimeter in diameter, the pen tip] Stop! Chapter 300 - Chapter 300: 122. Remuneration and Meeting_5 Chapter 300: 122. Remuneration and Meeting_5 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lees heart twitched when he saw the deconstruction information, his eyebrows furiously twitching He initially thought that the deconstruction results would contain words like age over 100 years old, well-maintained, and perfect body curves since it was personally written by Philias mentor. Who knew that a magic ink pen would pop out Ah, this This is so much different from his imagined deconstruction results Noland Lee composed himself and focused on thinking about the invitation. To attend or not to attend the discussion? If he doesnt attend, he wont be able to meet the other wizards in Union City and naturally wont be able to learn about their situations. This would be a deliberate act of giving up on gathering information. If he attends, it means that the possibility of exposure increases. If he encounters a difficult question during the discussion and cant handle it properly, exposing himself would be almost certain. Moreover, he had killed the young raven, and thus had offended Samuelson. Not attending the discussion might make him an isolated existence, an information island, and unknowingly become a target for Samuelsons revenge. In order to gather more information and understand the wizard community better, Noland Lee had to make a bold decision. He raised his head and said to Betty Davis: No problem, Betty. I will attend the discussion. Great, then we can move on to the next matter. Betty took out the ink pen and drew a horizontal line on the notebook, representing the completion of the task: Philia said that she has already helped you secure the opportunity to reimburse the magic scroll. Including the 300,000 as payment agreed to be given to you, and the amount for the magic scrolls reimbursement, we will pay you a total of 5.8 million Union Coins. Among them, the amount for reimbursing the Evil Burst Art Magic Scroll is 1.5 million, and the amount for reimbursing the Death Avatar Magic Scroll is 4 million. She asked me to ask you if youd like Union Coins, magical items, or something else? If you want magical items, I can take you to the manors treasure vault. Philia will be busy with the discussion today, so she wont be available for now. 5.8 million? Noland Lee was a bit dumbfounded facing this huge amount of money. Uhyou think its too little Betty scratched her head, explaining: She said that in the Golden Federation, its very difficult to get magic scrolls. The price of magic scrolls here is much higher than in the Ulnas Circle. Theres no exact number for how much higher it is. If youre not satisfied with this amount, I can go and discuss it with her again. No, you misunderstood, Betty. The amount is finelet me think about whether to take the Union Coins or magical items. Alright then. Betty quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Noland Lee leaned back in his chair, pondering. Some magical items with strong power or prominent defense effects might be more suitable for him right now. Because what he lacks now isnt a trump card that can turn the tables, but something that can be used openly without worrying about other peoples suspicions. Its not like he can always take enemies to a deserted place stealthily then use his trump card to finish them off, right? Its fine to do it once or twice. But doing it too often and for too long will inevitably attract attention and scrutiny. Considering all of this, obtaining magical items would be a better choice. Noland Lee clenched his fist and lightly pounded it on his palm: Betty, please take me to the treasure vault later. Alright- Betty picked up the pen, drew the second horizontal line in the notebook, then gave herself a checkmark, smiling happily. Alright, Ive finished everything that my sister asked me to do. Seeing Bettys adorable appearance, it was hard for Noland Lee to associate her with the sneaky Meow Meow person who attacked him that night. Perhaps that was Bettys mischievous side. Betty, how is your brothers injury? He asked me to investigate the whereabouts of the metal magic cube. I found that a few of his competitors are backed by some extraordinary alchemist factions. Can you tell me about it Noland Lee began talking about Fars Scotts situation. Bettys expression became even more serious than before, her little face full of solemnity. It seemed like she cared about her unlucky brothers troubles deeply. Cat Society Manor. The treasure vault located on Underground Layer 2. It was divided into three areas by airtight stone brick walls. From the outermost to the innermost areas, they were the Visitors Area, Collection Area, and Treasure Zone, corresponding to the three categories of people who could access the areas: visitors, wizards from Elemental Judgment, and mentors. As a visitor, Noland Lee could only select magical items from the Visitors Area. Magical items can be divided into single-use and needs recharging according to the number of uses. Single-use is self-explanatory, items that can only be used once. As long as magical items that require recharging have energy within them, they can be used repeatedly. Generally speaking, things that are inconvenient to be known by outsiders will be made into single-use items, such as magic scrolls that record spells. Only things with more widely circulated magic principles will be made into rechargeable magical items, such as magic lamps, magic ink pens, and so on. Among these, there is one exception. That is magic robes and wands that serve as durable items. Each wizard branch has its magic robe and wand, and they also dont want outsiders to know the principles behind them. But theres no choice, people have to wear clothes and hold wands. You cant make these items one-time use, right? Otherwise, if the clothes disappeared during a fight, it would be very awkward.. Chapter 301 - Chapter 301:122. Rewards and Meetings_6 Chapter 301:122. Rewards and Meetings_6 Translator: 549690339 Due to the expensive materials used in magic wands and robes, their owners usually repair them for a year, mend them for another year, and then another year of patching. Many times, the owner would be gone, but the magic robe and wand would remain. This has created a unique scene in the visitor area of the Treasure Vault: Several rows of glass door wardrobes hanging magic robes, lined up against the wall, taking up the entire wall. On the wall next to these wardrobes, magic wands are fixed on display racks with magically fixed silk threads. Across from the wardrobes and wand display racks, a small number of disposable magical items are placed in a display cabinet covered with a glass cover, just over a aozen In total. If visitors want to take something from here, they can only choose from previously worn robes, used wands, or magic scrolls with spells like Meal Creation , Water Creation, Light Creation. Ordinary visitors would definitely be a little disappointed. But Noland Lee is different His eyes lit up. There were more than thirty magic robes in the wardrobes, and more than ten wands on the display rack. If he could lay his hands on all of them, how many energy point rewards could he get through Passive Deconstruction? He didnt even dare to think about it. At the very least, it would be 200,000 points. Of course, that could only be wished for This was the territory of the Elemental Judgement after all. Ray, go and choose whatever you want. Betty Davis stood in the central open space of the Treasure Vault and introduced: You can choose either a magic wand or a magical fabric. After that, you can take away a few magic scrolls or choose a sum of Union Coins to make up the difference. The exact amount to make up the difference is determined by the magic items you take. Noland Lee stopped in front of the glass wardrobe. The magic robes in the wardrobe were wrapped in an air shield that prevented their mana from radiating out. This way, mana clashes between different robes could be avoided. In front of each magic robe was a sign describing its functions. Constant Cleanliness is the most basic function of a magic robe, allowing the wearer to stay clean and dry. Constant Temperature is an advanced function that maintains the wearers body temperature. Charging Shield is a must for every magic robe. One charge can stabilize a few to a few dozen points of shield strength. If the magic shield from the robe is broken, it needs to be recharged. This type of shield is not very strong, but it is suitable for defending against sudden dangers. Energy Resistance is a personalized function, each magic robes energy resistance is different. Other personalized features include: Energy Amplification, Energy Affinity, Constant Levitation, Air Circulation and so on. After looking at the magic robes, Noland moved to the area where the magic wands were displayed. Helix wands focus on power. Spiked wands can identify whether the user is the owner. If not, the spikes on the surface of the wand will attack the wand holder. Feathered wands focus on casting speed. Branch wands focus on the wands self-growth. And so on and so forth. Wands with different appearances have different base functions. In the display cabinet where disposable magic items are placed, in addition to magic scrolls, there are also disposable amulets, disposable elemental bombs, etc. After looking around at these magic tools, Noland had made his decision. He pointed to a magic robe hanging in the wardrobe: Betty, I choose that magic robe. Betty opened the wardrobe, unlocked the magical lock, and took down the robe. Noland took the robe and put it on. The soft black velvet lining adhered to his body. After tightening the slightly constrictive waistband, the cuffs of his wrist and the hem of the robe also automatically contracted, adjusting to perfectly fit Nolands body shape. This was a low-profile black magic robe without any patterns, only two thin silver lines on the collar. Noland infused his soul energy into the magic robe. The surface of the magic robe flickered and became transparent, revealing the fish-scale suit underneath. This way, ordinary people would not notice the magic robe on him, a feature every magic robe had. Noland nodded with satisfaction. This was a magic robe from a Necromancer. It had the features of Death Amplification and Death Affinity. The permanent Death Shield had a shield strength of 50 points. And it also featured a Death Energy Storage Array that can store death energy. Death Amplification could enhance the effect of death-type magic. Death Affinity could improve the success rate of casting, which was not really beneficial for Noland. As for the Death Energy Storage Array, that was serious stuff. Noland originally needed to consume 0.1 point of soul energy to cast Fear Charm. Now, by consuming 1 point of soul energy and placing it into the Level 20 Death Energy Storage Array, he could store up to 20 points of death energy in the array. With the help of the energy storage array, he could extract 1 point of death energy from the robe to cast Fear Charm. The benefit of doing this was obvious: the energy consumption of casting was reduced to 50% of the original. A Level 20 Death Energy Storage Array could store up to 200 points of death energy at most. The energy charge rate of the array was 10 points per minute. Noland only needed to maintain the charging operation for 20 minutes to fill the array. Such a convenient magic array has a drawback. When he uses death energy to cast spells, he will inevitably come into contact with death energy, which will harm his body and spirit.. Chapter 302 - Chapter 302: 122. Remuneration and Meeting_7 Chapter 302: 122. Remuneration and Meeting_7 Translator: 549690339 Unless he completely abandoned his identity as a living being and joined the ranks of the Lost Souls, he couldnt avoid this problem. The good news was that Noland Lees vitality was higher than that of an ordinary Death Clan Wizard, so perhaps he could resist the erosion of the death energy on himself. How effective it would be was still unknown, and Noland Lee would have to try it out when he had the opportunity. Ill take this one, Betty. Alright-Then, Ill also pay you 1.1 million Union Coins to make up the difference. Betty reached into her pocket and took out a coin card issued by the Golden Commerce Guild with a face value of 1.1 million Union Coins. When Noland Lee and the Iron Thorn Shield settled their task rewards, they also received an unnamed coin card. This alchemy card for large amounts of cash can be exchanged for cash unconditionally in the Golden Commerce Guild, making it ideal for large transactions. Noland Lee shoved the coin card into his pocket and then asked: Betty, if I want to make a magic wand, can I rent your Magic Laboratory? Yes, you can. We also have materials to make magic wands here, do you need them? Yes. Noland Lee nodded. Then, after tonights discussion meeting, Ill take you to the Magic Laboratory later or tomorrow. Betty flipped through a few pages of her notebook and then slapped her forehead, saying: Uh, Noland Lee. I forgot to remind you, although the Death Herald Guild is a First-Level Magic Research Institute in the Tatis Empire, they have also sent two people to be stationed in Union City for a long time. If you choose this standard mage robe, you better be careful not to reveal it in front of those two. Otherwise, it will cause trouble. Do you allow members of other magic institutions to be stationed here? Noland Lee was somewhat surprised. Betty touched her chin and said: Yes, its necessary. Its the rule of the Wizard Advancement Association. In each First-Level Magic Research Institution, there will be observers from other wizard forces. Generally, different magic institutions from the same region will send people to observe each others research tasks. Here is Alchemist Island, and there are only two countries, the Tatis Empire, and the Golden Federation. The corresponding two First-Level Magic Research Institutions are the Elemental Judgement and the Death Herald Guild. We have members from the Death Herald Guild here, and they also have our observers over there. If the Death Herald Guilds people cause trouble here, the Wizard Advancement Association will punish the Death Herald Guild directly. So theres that It seems that there are more than just Death Herald Guild Wizards in the Tatis Empire. Will the Death Herald Guilds wizards be present at tonights discussion meeting? Noland Lee asked. Well they probably will. Not only will they attend the discussion meeting, but there should also be several wandering wizards from other branches of the Death Clan. Noland Lee caught the implication: Do you mean that all the wandering wizards in Union City are Death Clan Wizards? Yes, thats right. It has always been this way. The wizards who come and go are all Death Clan Wizards. The Death Herald Guild doesnt allow wandering wizards to enter Tatis or study the Undead Cult in the Suffering Borderland. So they have no choice but to stay temporarily in Union City, which is the closest to the Suffering Borderland. Betty was walking and talking, guiding Noland Lee to leave the treasure room and head to the Visitors Lounge for rest. Noland Lee specifically asked Betty for a resting room with a view of the Manor Gate. He planned to observe the wizards invited to participate in the discussion meeting before it started. By slightly consuming some energy points, and learning about the backgrounds of the wizards and combining it with his own intelligence, it would be much easier for him to deal with the meeting later. After dinner, Noland Lee sat down in the Resting Room. He went to the window, covered most of his body with curtains, and looked through the gap in the curtain towards the Manor Gate. A black steam locomotive drove into the gate and stopped in front of the castles main building. Two tall and thin middle-aged men stepped out of the car, wearing black windbreakers, black ties, black gloves, and black top hats atop their heads. Noland Lee recognized their identities at a glance: Death Herald Guild Wizards. The feedback from Deconstruction showed that both had Second Ring abilities. Noland Lee consumed 200 energy points, 100 points per person, to get a part of their recent memories and a small portion of their personalized panel information. Before Noland Lee had a chance to carefully examine the deconstruction results, three more steam locomotives arrived. Three vehicles had one woman, one woman, and one man come down from them, respectively. From their awkward greetings, it was evident that the people in these three cars were from different wizard forces. Noland Lee cast three Deconstructions as usual and spent 100 energy points per person. In the following time, another steam locomotive arrived. The person who came down from the car was a short and thin man. Noland Lee patiently waited for Betty to come and lead him to the meeting place. He called up the deconstruction results in his mind and quickly read through them. The Death Notice Guild Wizards, two of them, Sawyer and Parker, are both Second-Ring Wizards. The memory fragments Ive deconstructed show that they discussed whether or not to participate in chasing Samuelson before the meeting. They unanimously decided not to participate. The missing Bone-mending Wand which was supposed to return to the Tatis Empire through the Fission Wilderness is what they were after. They were all focused on finding the Bone-mending Wand and the missing Greenshaw and didnt have time to deal with the Elemental Judgement. There are two theories within the Death Herald Guild. The first is that Greenshaw died due to forcibly using the Bone-mending Wand and that the wand fell into the hands of the Imperial Army. The second is that the Elemental Judgement captured Greenshaw and seized the Bone-mending Wand. As the Death Herald Guild, which is supposed to be an observer on the Elemental Judgement, only its members are allowed to appear in the Golden Federation according to the rules of the Wizard Advancement Association. Greenshaw is not an observer sent by the Death Herald Guild, and his entry into the Altered Wilderness is an act explicitly prohibited by the wizards law. The Elemental Judgement has the right to arrest him. These two think that the Elemental Judgement might use the Bone-mending Wand and Greenshaw as bargaining chips to force them to join the hunt for Samuelson. Noland Lee blinked, not expecting to learn about the Bone-mending Wand again And the matter was not unrelated to him. It seems that my killing of Greenshaw has caused a lot of headaches for the Death Herald Guild. I wonder if these two will battle with the Elemental Judgement at the discussion meeting. Will this meeting turn into a fight and wrangling? Chapter 303 - Chapter 303: 123. Blank Check Chapter 303: 123. Blank Check Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee opened the next deconstruction result and started to read it. Revivalists Cult wizard, female, named Denise Green, Three Circle Strength. The Energy Points required for a complete deconstruction of her are sixty thousand. Noland Lee thought carefully: Denise Green yeah, I remember her. The one wearing a top hat, her face concealed by a magic veil, and dressed in a tight-waisted dress that accentuated her curves, just like Sully. If she comes from the Revivalists Cult, the Lecturer Professor would be the Lantern of the Reborn. Noland Lee stopped for a moment, his confusion barely noticeable. Right, what exactly is a Revivalist? I only know the name, but Ive always been unaware of its meaning. Noland Lee looked at Denises panel information, which did not mention the specific meaning of Revivalist, but it did display many unique spells. Toxin Suppression, delays the onset time of poisoning effects, or reduces the effects of poisoning. Pain Suppression, reduces the degree of pain. Lesser Flesh Regeneration, heals a small piece of body part that has become rotten flesh for various reasons. Lesser Death Defense Barrier , protects the target from all damage and effects that would cause their death for a short period of time. Lesser Reverse Death, reverses the targets death process, restoring their vitality, construct value, and other values related to Blood. Noland Lee looked carefully at Denises Identity column, repeatedly confirming that she was indeed a Death Clan Wizard. This really was strange. A Death Clan Wizard actually mastered so many healing and protective spells. Could it be that this witch named Denise Green also mastered Resurrection Magic? Due to the limitations of the degree of deconstruction, Noland Lee was unable to know all of Denises spells. Noland Lee narrowed his eyes slightly. He had the urge to deconstruct Denise fully, wanting to see if she really has mastered Resurrection Magic or similar magic. Of course, it was just a thought. Noland Lee dismissed his distractions and looked at Denises deconstruction results again, shaking his head regretfully. He didnt get Denises recent memories. However, from her willingness to participate in the discussion meeting, it could be inferred that this magnanimous witch was also after the Bone-mending Wand. Noland Lee rubbed the bridge of his nose. As the one responsible for it all, he felt a little embarrassed. Seeing the Elemental Judgement taking the blame for him, he felt somewhat apologetic He looked at the next deconstruction result. Fugidia, female, Three Circle Strength, Death Clan, from the wizard forces Night Spirit Cult. The Energy Points required for complete deconstruction are sixty thousand. As soon as Noland Lee saw the name Fugidia, her appearance came to his mind. She was a witch about 40 years old, with slightly aged looks but very tender skin, comparable to Betty Davis. Her features were extraordinarily enchanting, with bright red lips, seductive eyes, and a hint of blood red in them that exuded a soul-stirring bloody beauty. Night Spirit Cult Noland Lee opened Fugidias panel information and memories and murmured: The Night Spirit Cult is a Death Clan Wizard force similar to vampires. They are Death Clan Blood Magic Wizards who specialize in manipulating blood and death, one of the oldest Death Clan Wizard forces No wonder Fugidia looks so enchanting as if she just finished drinking blood. *Knock Knock Knock* The knocking on the door woke up Noland Lee from his thoughts. Come in. The person outside heard Nolands voice, pushed open a crack in the door, and peeped into the room with half of their head. It was none other than the lovely Betty Davis. Ray Lee, the meeting place is ready, but there were some changes What happened? Betty. Betty pushed the door open, closed it behind her, and her face was full of embarrassment: The mentor said she wants you to not participate in the discussion meeting Noland Lee raised his eyebrows: Did I do something wrong? No, no, no. Betty quickly shook her hands and said: Its not your fault, its because the wizards who were invited to the discussion started arguing. Argument.. Noland Lee thought to himself, it seems those people really did start fighting over the Bone-mending Wands issue. What exactly happened, Betty? Noland Lee asked knowingly. Betty said: I didnt quite understand what happened. I just know that the wizards who were invited to the discussion started arguing with each other as soon as they arrived. Some of them got too excited and even acted rudely towards my mentor After listening for a while, I finally understood what they were talking about. It seems that the Death Herald Guilds primary research task has encountered a problem. They lost the experimental results of their primary research task in the Fission Wilderness. It is said to be a high-level magic wand with the potential of Holy Objects. The primary research task of the Death Herald Guild? Lost the_MAGIC WAND? Noland Lee asked with a slightly furrowed brow: So-called primary research tasks are tasks that must be completed, right? So if they cant find that wand, the primary tasks of the Death Herald Guild will fail, is that what it means? Thats right. The consequences are very serious. Failure of the primary research task will deduct a lot of assessment points. If the Death Herald Guilds assessment score falls below the passing line, they will have to leave the Tatis Empire and make room for other wizard forces. Bettys words stirred up a storm in Noland Lees heart. So this First Level Magic Research Institute also had to undergo evaluations! Chapter 304 - Chapter 304: 123. Blank Check_2 Chapter 304: 123. Blank Check_2 Translator: 549690339 If the score is too low and the assessment fails, according to the rules set by the Wizard Advancement Association, the Death Herald Guild will lose the right to research extraordinary phenomena within the Tatis Empire. In other words, the significance of the Bone-mending Wand stretches far beyond its own magical power, and is also related to the Death Herald Guilds presence within the Tatis Empire. Noland Lee shook his head secretly. Looking back, if he had not intervened, Greenshaw could have easily brought the Bone-mending Wand back, given the infiltration of the Death Herald Guild in the mountain forces. He never thought that his action of killing Greenshaw on the clifftop would involve so many matters. God knows that at the time, he just wanted to grab some soul fragments Betty, what should I do now? Why wont they let me go to the conference site? Noland Lee asked. Betty shook her head: I dont know the reason. My mentor asked me to stop you, and by no means should you show yourself. She said she might have an urgent task to entrust to you. Alright.. Noland Lee thought, Bettys mentor wouldnt want him to find the Bone-mending Wand, right As soon as this thought came up in his mind, the door was knocked on again. This time, it was a slightly serious-looking Philia who entered. Philia patted Bettys head like an elder sister and asked her to go to the conference site to maintain order, as she needed to speak privately with Noland Lee. Betty obediently left through the door. Philia smiled bitterly, her smile somewhat forced: Im sorry, Ray Lee. The conference hasnt even started yet, and the scene is already in chaos. Lets sit down and talk. Noland Lee and Philia each took a seat on a one-person sofa. Philia took out a barrel-shaped sheepskin scroll from her pocket and passed it: Betty mentioned the urgent task to you, right? This contract contains the tasks details, and youll understand when you read it. Noland Lee took the sheepskin scroll, unfolded it vertically, and placed it in front of him. Several sets of dynamic spell patterns appeared before his eyes, accompanied by large paragraphs of descriptive text. As someone who had used a smartphone, Noland Lee was not surprised by the constantly changing spell patterns. He took a quick glance at the animation on the scroll and then started reading. After about 10 minutes, Noland Lee put down the sheepskin scroll, revealing a calm and thoughtful expression, but inwardly he felt awkward and speechless. In short, the chaotic situation at the conference site was formed like this: The Death Herald Guild has been the only First Level Magic Research Institute in the Tatis Empire for about 10 years, occupying the research rights of the Undead Cult. The primary research task assigned by the Wizard Advancement Association to each First Level Magic Research Institute has a deadline of 10 years. Once the 10-year deadline arrives, the Death Herald Guild must submit a satisfactory answer sheet to the Wizard Advancement Association; otherwise, they will be deducted points and lose research qualifications. The Death Herald Guild was anxious because they lost the Bone-mending Wand needed to complete the tasks just before the deadline of their primary research tasks. Other death series wizard forces were overjoyed- Because once the Death Herald Guild loses the Bone-mending Wand, theyre finished and must leave the Tatis Empire. In this way, other Death Clan Wizard forces have the opportunity to enter the Tatis Empire and establish a new First Level Magic Research Institute. Of course, this is not an absolute matter. When the Wizard Advancement Association selects the next research institute, they will not only consider Death Clan Wizard forces, but also other factions and branches of wizard forces. In any case, the Death Herald Guild must not be given the Bone-mending Wand. This is the consensus of all wandering wizards at the conference site. As a result, there was a quarrel between the Death Herald Guilds observers and the wandering wizards It wasnt until both parties had a falling out, and turned to Bettys mentor for mediation, that the Elemental Judgement learned about the important magical items lost by the Death Herald Guild on their territory! From beginning to end, the Elemental Judgement had no idea that the Bone-mending Wand had appeared on the border of the Fission Wilderness! But who would believe that The Death Herald Guilds observers didnt believe it and insisted that the Elemental Judgement secretly confiscated the Bone-mending Wand. Other Death Clan wandering wizards also didnt believe it. They repeatedly emphasized that the Death Herald Guild violated the rules by allowing non-observers to enter the Golden Federation and should have the wand and people confiscated by the Elemental Judgement. Alright. Heres the problem. If you want to discuss the Bone-mending Wand, please go outside to discuss. We gathered everyone here today to discuss how to capture Samuelson. Please dont deviate from the subject. The Elemental Judgement repeatedly stressed the task of capturing Samuelson and finally managed to steer the conference back on track, but it quickly drifted again. The Death Herald Guild said they wouldnt help without the Bone-mending Wand. The other Death Clan wizards said that if the Elemental Judgement handed over the Bone-mending Wand, divided it into several sections, and granted them each a section as task rewards, they would undoubtedly help capture Samuelson. The focus of the matter returned to the Bone-mending Wand. So finding the Bone-mending Wand as soon as possible became a top priority. And so, Noland Lee received this contract. After teaming up with Noland Lee to deal with the Blackbone Hermit, the Elemental Judgements trust in him far exceeded that of other Death Clan wandering wizards. Additionally, other Death Clan wandering wizards all had two-ring or three-circled strength. Only Noland Lees strength was relatively low, being a First Rank Wizard.. Chapter 305 - Chapter 305:123. Blank Check_3 Chapter 305:123. Blank Check_3 Translator: 549690339 Elemental Judgement made a decision after considering all factors: They wanted to utilize Noland Lees knowledge of death energy magic to search for the whereabouts of Wand. In order to cooperate with Noland Lees search and to prevent him from leaving alone with the Bone-mending Wand, Philia would accompany him. By signing the contract and accepting the urgent task, they would immediately receive a 500,000 Coin deposit. The reward for completing the task would be calculated separately and would be at least one segment of the Bone-mending Wand. Noland Lee hadnt considered the tasks compensation for the time being. There was a place in his heart that was full of doubts: When he deconstructed the Bone-mending Wand, he obtained the Usage Instructions of Bone-Connecting Wand with 25% completeness, covering a quarter of the entire books content. According to the content of the book he had at hand, the Death Notice Guild wizards could sense the location of the Bone-mending Wand. The intensity of the connection between a Death Notice Guild wizard and the Bone-mending Wand was related to the wizards strength and the distance between them. The higher the strength of the wizard, and the closer the distance between them, the stronger the connection would be. Under sufficiently close conditions, a Second Ring Death Notice Guild Wizard would be able to break through the blockade of the enchanted metal box and sense the Bone-mending Wand. It was precisely because of this that when Murphy carried the Bone-mending Wand in the Boundary Land, she couldnt avoid being targeted by the Death Herald Guild. Couldnt the Death Herald Guild use this connection ability to locate the Bone-mending Wand? Noland Lee was puzzled. Philia, I have a question Is it so easy for magic items with the potential of becoming holy objects, like the Bone-mending Wand, to be lost? Such things are related to whether lecturer professors can be promoted to Council Professors, he said. The so-called Holy Objects are symbols of power and status. Take the Undead Branch where the Death Herald Guild is located as an example. Dekart is a lecturer professor in the Undead Branch and the puppet master behind the Death Herald Guild. He directed the Death Herald Guild to study the Undead Cult, accumulating a wealth of magical Imowledge. He integrated his magical knowledge, carefully arranged it, and began to forge the Bone-mending Wand, which would bear the essence of all his knowledge. Once the Bone-mending Wand was fully formed, this magical item containing the knowledge of the Undead Branch would transform into Professor Dekarts Holy Object. At the moment they created their own Holy Object, Dekart, as a lecturer professor, would have the right to apply to become a Council Professor. Once the application was approved, he would be promoted from a lecturer professor of the Wizards Teaching Forest to a Council Professor of the Wizard Council, beginning to involve himself in Ulnas Circles witch-related affairs. Noland Lee hadnt figured out the specifics of witch-related affairs yet, because it wasnt mentioned in the memories he collected from the Death Herald Guild Observer. But one thing was clear. If the Bone-mending Wand couldnt be found, Professor Dekarts many years of hard work would be destroyed, and his Death Herald Guild would suffer a heavy blow. However, how could such an important thing just be lost Philia also had doubts in her heart: I heard from the people in the Death Herald Guild that about half a month ago, a Second Ring Wizard named Greenshaw, carrying Wand, crossed the Blade Mountain Range intending to return to the Empire by going through Fission Wilderness. During his journey through the mountain range, Greenshaw and the Imperial Army had a conflict. The Death Herald Guild sensed Greenshaw had used the Bone-mending Wand. After the incident, the Death Herald Guilds spy in the army reported that Greenshaw had killed all the Biochemical Giants tracking him in the Grave Vault. Greenshaw himself and his lecturer professor lost contact and are presumed dead. However, since then, the Death Herald Guild sensed that the Bone-mending Wand had been in a state of constant movement. But before the wizards from the Death Herald Guild in Union City could respond, the Bone-mending Wand mysteriously disappeared on the edge of the Savage Stone Wasteland. From that moment on, the Death Herald Guild could no longer sense its location, as if it had vanished into thin air, she said. A wave of question marks surfaced in Noland Lees mind. After listening to Philias account, he was almost confused. He clearly remembered that after killing Greenshaw, he didnt pick up the Bone-mending Wand, but directly jumped off the cliff. In theory, the Bone-mending Wand should be lying at the water outlet on the clifftop, shouldnt it? How did it enter a state of mobility? Could it be that Greenshaw hadnt died? Noland Lee kept a poker face and called up the deconstruction result in his mind, finding the system message where he had killed Greenshaw. After reading the system message several times, Noland Lee was 100% sure that Greenshaw was dead. And there was nothing related to revival on that guys panel information. So there was only one answer. Indeed, there was someone or something that, after Noland Lee left, found the Bone-mending Wand and brought it into the Fission Wilderness. Noland Lee slowly nodded, pulling his thoughts together: The Bone-mending Wand disappeared in the Savage Stone Wasteland Do you know that there is a new Aberration Den there? Yes, Ray. The Alchemy Cathedral has already informed all alchemist factions. I also know that you and Kent were the first ones to discover the Aberration Den. However At the moment, we are not sure if theres any connection between the sudden appearance of the Aberration Den and the disappearance of the Bone-mending Wand, she said. Philias gaze fell on the contract: The mentors idea is to conduct the search for the Bone-mending Wand and the pursuit of Samuelson simultaneously. Its fine if you dont want to search for the Bone-mending Wand, and it wont affect your participation in the operation to capture Samuelson, she said.. Chapter 306 - Chapter 306: 123. Blank Check_4 Chapter 306: 123. Blank Check_4 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee inhaled slightly, allowing the air to linger in his chest for a little while. It was not until about ten seconds later that he exhaled. I accept this emergency task, Philia. I killed the Young Raven and offended Samuelson. If I join the action to hunt down Samuelson, I might be targeted as soon as I show up in the Fissure Corridor. In comparison, the search for the Bone-mending Wand should be safer. That couldnt be better, Philia breathed a sigh of relief: To be frank, it is much easier to get along with you than any other Death Clan Wizard. They are indeed powerful, but the erosion of Death Energy on them is somewhat severe. They are eccentric, arrogant, and gloomy. Only you and Miss Denise Green do not have these detestable characteristics. As Noland Lee signed his name on the contract and pressed his thumbprint, he asked: So, if I didnt agree, you would have asked for Miss Denise Greens help? Probably so. The mentor said that the monks of the Revivalists Cult can communicate well, but the remuneration for their tasks tends to be quite unconventional I do not know what they would require as the mentor did not elaborate to me. Philia took the contract, checking the signature and Nolands thumbprint: All right, its done Betty told me you plan to make a wand, is that right? Yes. Then lets wait for you to finish making your wand before we set off. Can I show you to the Magic Laboratory now? Ill waive the rent and give you a 30% discount on your magic material purchases. If everything goes well, Id like to start looking for the Bone-mending Wand early tomorrow. Noland Lee pondered for a moment, No problem, Philia. They both stood up, leaving the guest room, and avoided the bustling discussion meeting. They walked from the secluded Castle corridor to the Magic Laboratory. Philia handed keys to the Wand Crafting Room to Noland, taught him how to command the Magic Servant, and then hurriedly left with the contract. Noland stood in front of a tall glass wall, his gaze penetrating the transparent glass surface. He glanced left and right at the shelves behind the wall, and hey felt a deep admiration for the Elemental Judgement. Where he stood was a Magic Storage maintained entirely by Magic Servants. A glass wall stretching from the floor to the ceiling separated him from the storage shelf where the magic materials were placed. A few dozen whirlwind-like air masses emitting a greenish glow lingered behind the glass wall, shuttling between the shelves more than ten meters high. These agile air masses were magic servants. To be precise, they were magic summoned creatures called Spirits of Wind Element. Noland could communicate with them using the gestures taught by Philia, asking them to fetch magic materials from the shelf for him. If I could find a way to start a fire here, burn all the shelves and magic materials, how many Energy Points could I earn from the Passive Deconstruction Noland imagined the Magic Material Warehouse engulfed in a sea of fire and shrugged: Better not. The Meows of Elemental Judgement are quite cute, its not worth treating them like that Noland raised his hand, gestured in sequence, and commanded the Spirit of Wind Element to bring him a Magic Wildcat. The Spirit of Wind Element holding the Rune Cage came to the side of the glass wall and passed the Magic Wildcat through a window that appeared on the wall. The selling price of this magic material was marked on the Rune Cage that sealed the Magic Wildcat. The prices of other magic materials were also marked in this way on the surface of their containers. Noland took out his account book, quietly calculated the expenses, and had the Magic Servants bring one piece of magic material after another. Soon with several Rune Cages, he walked into the Wand Crafting Room. At eight oclock in the evening, after dark. The visitors of the Cat Society Manor left by car, concluding the noisy meeting. The wizards of the Elemental Judgement busy to maintain the order of the meeting could finally catch their breath. Betty and the other First level Elemental Wizards retired for their rest in the dormitory. Philia was left alone to enter the mentors study, placing the contract signed by Noland on the table in front of him. Mentor, Noland has agreed to help. As per your instructions, I guided him to avoid the wizards participating in the discussion. Our search for the Bone-mending Wand should remain unknown to the other wizards. The noblewoman sat behind the desk, lightly massaging her eye sockets with two fingers, and shook her head slightly before speaking: Dont underestimate those Wandering Wizards and observers from the Death Herald Guild, they likely realized something was off. Noland did not attend the meeting, but his chair was arranged at the meeting place. By the time we noticed that everyones mood was abnormal and wanted to remove Nolands chair, it was too late Philia was dazed for a half-second before expressing her regret: Sorry, mentor. I should have removed Nolands chair earlier Its not your fault, Philia. Accidents are bound to happen, the key is how we handle these accidents. Luckily, I was cautious and did not reveal Nolands existence. If anyone asks who that chair was reserved for, you can just leak Hickman Arlingtons name. He has secretly left Union City and wont know that we are using his name to cover up Nolands presence. The noblewoman smiled gently, comforting Philia before continuing: You have to be extra careful when you are outside the city. In the past two years, among my wizards, only you have sensed the existence of the Elemental Realm and advanced to a Two-Ring Elemental Wizard. In the eyes of those Wandering Wizards, you wouldnt be absent on important tasks, such as the operation to hunt down Samuelson.. Chapter 307 - Chapter 307: 123. Blank Check_5 Chapter 307: 123. Blank Check_5 Translator: 549690339 Wizards that joined the hunt will surely look for you if they discover youre not in the line-up, In their eyes, besides the matter of hunting Samuelson, only guarding the Bone-mending Wand and that rule-breaking Greenshaw would hold such importance for me as their mentor. If youre not in the hunting lineup, then you must be watching over the Bone-mending Wand and Greenshaw. Thats what the Wandering Wizards will think. If they have any bad intentions, they may stealthily track your whereabouts, plotting to steal the Bone-mending Wand. Yes, Teacher, I understand. I will be extra careful and definitely not let them track me and Ray Lee. I believe you can handle it. With a snap of her fingers, the noblewoman caused a ring to fly out from the drawer and land in Philias hand: Take this. It is a precious Magic Ring. The spell Elemental Vision is stored in it. Once you put it on, you can use the Elemental Vision spell three times a day, each usage lasts for one hour. No matter who took the Bone-mending Wand from the Death Herald Guild, they will have lett some traces. With this ring, finding the Bone-mending Wand should be no problem. The noblewoman paused for a moment before continuing: I must remind you, Philia. Never touch the Bone-mending Wand. Leave its sealing to Ray Lee, only the Death Clan Wizards can withstand the Death Energy on the Bone-mending Wand. If you encounter a formidable enemy, safety should be your first priority. Dont take risks, and come back and report the situation to me as soon as possible. I will send Demon Hunters to aid you. Mmm, I noted all of that, Teacher. After wearing the ring, Philia asked: Teacher, how do you plan on capturing Samuelson? Do you want to wait until Ray Lee and I retrieve the Bone-mending Wand before taking action, or Philia didnt finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear If the Bone-mending Wand promised to the Wandering Wizards isnt available, its like theyve given a blank chequea coin card that cant be cashed or withdrawn from. If the Wandering Wizards discovered this, the face of Elemental Judgement would be hard to maintain, even resulting in the failure of the hunt. A trace of worry crossed the noblewomans face. She sighed with a helpless smile and said: Thats exactly my concern. If it wasnt for the rules restricting me from leaving Union City, I would have already flown to the Savage Stone Wasteland to search for the Bone-mending Wand Im going to take a balanced approach, Philia. Ill send a few Wandering Wizards skilled in infiltration to investigate the situation in Black City, to find out the bottom line of the Blackbone Secret Society and Samuelson. Once Samuelsons specific location is confirmed, and youve obtained the Bone-mending Wand, Ill join forces with the Demon Hunters of the Cat Society and the Wandering Wizards to catch him. Philia nodded repeatedly, promising she would complete the task. The noblewoman glanced outside at the night: Ray Lee is still in the manor, right? Go and check on him. When hes finished making the magic wand, you send him back with your invisible magic vehicle. He isnt one of us, its not appropriate for him to stay overnight at the manor. Philia, I know its hard work for you. Teacher, its my duty. As the room door opened and closed again, only the noblewoman was left in the study room. She turned her head and gazed at the southern sky, murmuring to herself: Sigh, I just dont know which wizard forces will enter the Tatis Empire after the Death Herald Guild departs The Night Spirit Cult? The Revivalists Cult? Or other wizard forces Union City, Sector 17, a sector controlled by multiple small Extraordinary Forces. The two observers of the Death Herald Guild live here permanently. Both of them have their own single cottages, which are benefits provided by the local Extraordinary Forces. As a trade-off, they occasionally provide some magic services for these forces. And the place where they provide these magic services is a Magic Laboratory located within a secluded building. This is a magic laboratory filled with the scent of death. A stitching table and operation table soaked with dried blood, a blood-colored water tank filled with preservatives, saws and hammers dripping with blood droplets and so on. Any person coming here for the first time would be confronted by a filthy aura that directly assails their senses. Dirty, bloody, sour, and causing nausea. However, this kind of place often sees the presence of small extraordinary force members. Dont get me wrong, these members of extraordinary forces are not looking to transform themselves into walking dead. Their goal is healing. Death-type magic is the magic of manipulating death. It can bring death to someone, but it can also keep death away from someone. In the Ulnas Circle, there is a saying: Ignore the nauseating process of casting, overlook the despicable scene of the casting, and death magic can be used to both cause and save from injury and death. The large amount of hands-on experience amassed in the field of stitching is enough to make each Death Series Wizard a highly skilled surgeon. Thats just one of the advantages of a Death Series wizard becoming a physician, but its enough to make the observer from the Death Herald Guild a famous figure locally. Damn, damn it! The Bone-mending Wand must be in the hands of Elemental Judgement! Hidden in the treasure vault in the manor! Elemental Judgement must have used some Magic Barrier to seal it, so we couldnt sense the wands whereabouts! An observer from the Death Herald Guild hammered the tabletop, shaking it and making the surgical blades dance on the tray.. Chapter 308 - Chapter 308:123. Blank Check_6 Chapter 308:123. Blank Check_6 Translator: 549690339 His knuckles protruded out like iron nails, effortlessly leaving a fist imprint on the table surface. Quiet, Sawyer, Im thinking. Another Death Herald Guild observer said discontentedly: Dont you think theres one less person at the meeting? Whos missing? Parker. Sawyer dragged a chair over, collapsed into it, and lit a roll of cigarettes in his mouth. The Death Herald Guild observer named Parker had two lanky arms without a trace of muscle, covered in pale skin that clung tightly to the bones. Parker lit a roll of cigarettes for himself, exchanged cloud-like puffs with his companion while pondering: I dont know who it is, but I have an idea. Think about it, the wandering wizards who showed up at the debate earlier, arent they the ones weve seen before? So, that chair must have been left for the new wandering wizard. The new wandering wizard? Who? Sawyer took several quick drags on his cigarette and exhaled a large cloud of smoke. I dont know. Parker shrugged: Lately, weve been busy tracking the Bone-mending Wand, and we havent had time to inquire about the Elemental Judgement whether any new wandering wizards have arrived recently. The more Sawyer smoked, the more irritable he became. He finished one, put on a new one, and the speed of his speech accelerated: So what? What are you trying to say, Parker? What does the absence of a wandering wizard at the debate have to do with the Bone-mending Wand? Maybe he had to leave suddenly. I dont think its that simple. Parker took a deep drag and slowly exhaled: Havent you noticed? Before the debate started, we were all arguing like cats and dogs, but from time to time, Elemental Wizards would leave. First, it was that little girl named Betty Davis, then the only two-ring Elemental Wizard, Philia. These two left the meeting one after the other, and after Philia left, Betty returned. What does that tell you, Sawyer? Use your brain. What could that mean?! Sawyer impatiently slammed the table: Just tell me, Parker! My mind isnt as good as yours, and you know that! Parker sneered and raised his voice: Tsk. You shouldnt have tinkered with your mind in the first place. Cant you figure this out? Philia and Bettys departure from the meeting probably means they went to find the wandering wizard who was absent! Theyre hiding something from us! Parker sucked the remaining roll of cigarettes in one breath, speaking amid the thick smoke: The tutors of Elemental Judgement cannot leave Lower Town and can only operate on the ground level of Union City. This is the rule set by the Wizard Advancement Association for these institutional tutors. Philia is the only one among this generation of local Elemental Wizard students who has reached the second ring. Her presence signifies an important task arranged by the Elemental Judgement. No matter what Elemental Judgement wants to do, we must keep a close eye on Philia and follow her closely. Sawyer rubbed his head, thought for ten-odd seconds, and finally caught up with Parkers train of thought: Do you mean, if she goes to Fissure Corridor, if she goes to Black City, should we follow her? Yes, wherever she goes, we go. We can always Parkers tone became gloomy, and he gestured a throat-cutting motion towards Sawyer. You want to kidnap her? Sawyers eyes immediately brightened, but then he looked fearful in the next second: No, Parker. That would be too easy to be discovered by others. Didnt the tutor of Elemental Judgement say that in no more than three months, Wizard Enforcers would be here? If we kidnap Philia at this time and then force Elemental Judgement to hand over the Bone-mending Wand, wouldnt we be deliberately putting ourselves against the Wizard Enforcers line of fire? Heh, how come when it comes to enforcers, your head clears up? Parker laughed dismissively: If we move quickly and leave no traces while forging a perfect alibi, who would know that we kidnapped Philia? Dont tell me you think Im stupid enough to use the name of the Death Herald Guild to ask Elemental Judgement for the Bone-mending Wand. Sawyer appeared anxious, as the imminent arrival of the Wizard Enforcers put a lot of pressure on him. He grabbed his hair forcefully, pulling on his loose scalp like kneading dough, then released it, letting the scalp snap back onto the head with a thwack. This action seemed to ease his tension. After repeating a few times, Sawyer relaxed and continued smoking: Just say it straight, Parker, what are you going to do? Lets see how the Elemental Judgement pursues Samuelson. Parker suddenly asked with curiosity: Sawyer, Samuelson was originally a lecturer professor, right? Hes been wanted by the Wizard Enforcement Department for years, which must have left him homeless with no time to concentrate on practicing the Meditation Method. What do you think of his current strength? Has he regressed? How would I know that Sawyer mumbled. Parker, seemingly lost in thought, asked with his gaze drifting: Do you think theres a possibility that the Bone-mending Wand was actually snatched away by Samuelson or other wizard criminals hidden in the shadows? Its not in the hands of Elemental Judgement. Huh? Sawyers face was stunned, completely at a loss for why the other party would say that. Look. Parker pondered: The Bone-mending Wand went missing four days ago, precisely on Spray Powder Day. Elemental Judgement usually assigns their wizards underground to guard the resources in the Resourceful Sage Space. To completely shield our ability to sense the Bone-mending Wand, it would require magicians above the sixth ring or the use of magical items of the same level. If the Elemental Judgements wizards were all detained in town by Spray Powder Day, wouldnt Samuelson or wizard criminals like him be the only ones capable of snatching away the Bone-mending Wand on that very day? Sawyer played with his scalp in distress: So what are you saying? Are we going to capture Samuelson again? Parker furrowed his brows, contemplating for a long time. He shoved the cigarette butt into the ashtray, clenched his fist and said: Regardless of whether the Bone-mending Wand has fallen into the hands of wizard criminals or not, it will eventually be obtained by the Elemental Judgement. Because the tutors of Elemental Judgement promised to use the Bone-mending Wand as remuneration to pay the wandering mages reward. So we dont need to worry about that, Sawyer! Figure out Philias movements, set a trap, and kidnap her.. Use Philia to exchange for the Bone-mending Wand! Chapter 309 - Chapter 309: 124. Sightseeing tour? Chapter 309: 124. Sightseeing tour? Translator: 549690339 Sector 7, Noland Lees single cottage. In the moonlit garden, a wonderful rhythm of hazy light filled the air, and a magic car appeared out of thin air on the grass. Noland pushed open the car door, stepped out, and turned to nod in thanks to Philia who was sitting in the drivers seat. Philia made some polite remarks with him and then reached out to pull a lever next to the steering wheel. Accompanied by a faint electrophoretic sound, the black magic car was covered with a transparent veil that hid its body. The magic car, driven by air currents, soared into the sky, drawing an arc before flying towards Cat Society Manor. It was a magic car that could fly and become invisible. No wonder the Alchemy Cathedral disapproved of the Ulnas Circle. If such things were widely spread on the Federations land, it would undoubtedly affect the Alchemy Cathedrals control over its forces. Noland withdrew his gaze from the night sky with the hanging moon wheel and turned to walk towards the front door of the house. There was light in the single cottage. A shadow was cast on the curtain, with someone inside ironing clothes on an ironing board. Noland inserted the key and unlocked the door. The sound of the core turning startled the shadow inside, followed by the footsteps of someone quickly walking toward the door. Sir, youre back. Noland opened the door and saw the lady housekeeper taking slippers from the shoe cabinet. Did Cindy and the others leave me a message? Noland changed into the slippers, crossed the entrance, and stepped into the house. The lady housekeeper followed him and said: Yes, sir. The Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm will be dispatching a security team in the near future, in cooperation with the Golden Commerce Guilds combat professionals, the Golden Merchants Sword, to investigate the Aberration Den that has appeared in the Savage Stone Wasteland. Captain Kent sent me a message to ask if you would like to participate in the investigation. They are willing to offer a deposit of 200,000, and guarantee that the reward after the investigation will be no less than 300,000. As expected, once Spray Powder Day was over, the extraordinary forces in Union City were eager to explore the Aberration Den in the Savage Stone Wasteland. Noland had anticipated this situation. When he had just taken a ride home in Philias magic car, she had told him that their search for the Bone-mending Wand must be kept low-key and not be discovered by anyone else. Going to the Savage Stone Wasteland in a magic car capable of flying and becoming invisible was undoubtedly an excellent choice. With the transportation problem solved, the next thing to consider was to avoid contact with other legal forces as much as possible, otherwise misunderstandings could arise, attracting unnecessary attention. Noland picked up the newspaper from the table, sat on the sofa, and asked while browsing: Did Kent mention any specific action plans? For example, when do they plan to set off? Aside from the Golden Commerce Guild sending the Golden Merchants Sword, which other extraordinary forces will be investigating the Aberration Den? Yes, sir, Kent told me about this. In this investigation of the Aberration Den, only the Golden Merchants Sword and the Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm will participate, and they are expected to set off in three days. After the investigation, the Life Essence Society and the Re-forged Alchemist Association, along with five or six other small and medium-sized extraordinary forces, will also participate in the cleaning up of the nest. Additionally, during the cleaning up phase, there will be test teams from the Alchemy Academy. Alchemical Constructs Noland put down the newspaper in his hand. Based on his experience of more than half a month since his arrival in Union City, Alchemical Constructs were indeed suitable for dealing with Aberrations. Many times, the places where Aberrations were located were too narrow and crowded, making it difficult for humans to move freely in that terrain. Considering human emotional fluctuations, as well as the psychological and physiological factors such as the need for air and food, Alchemical Constructs, which do not need to eat, drink or breathe, have even more advantages. From this perspective, Alchemical Constructs are equivalent to the combat robots in Nolands original world. It seems that in any world, unmanned, intelligent, and mechanized technology is the direction of future combat development. Alright, I got it. You can pass a message to Kent for me: in three days, if Im still in the city, Ill join the investigation. If Im not in town after three days, theres no need to wait for me. Understood, sir. The lady housekeeper asked: Are you planning to travel recently? Do you want me to prepare your luggage? I dont need any luggage prepared; the Cat Society has some tasks for me. Noland folded the newspaper and put it on the table, then got up and walked towards the staircase: Im going to rest; you should sleep after you finish ironing the clothes. Yes, sir. The lady housekeeper watched Noland go upstairs, then returned to continue ironing the clothes by the ironing board. Noland entered the bedroom, took out his DIY CCTV Camera, went to the open-air balcony, and threw the iron cigarette case onto the roof. After his absence from the meeting, several of the attending Wandering Wizards and observers of the Death Herald Guild probably guessed that a new Wandering Wizard had arrived in Union City. He was hidden from other Wandering Wizards and had the secret mission of Elemental Judgement. Its better to be prepared in advance when it comes to guarding against snooping. Noland made a round on the second floor, placing three iron cigarette cases in the corners of the roof. In this way, as long as the Mental Beacon inside the iron cigarette case was not damaged, he could remotely view the outside of the small cottage by casting Mind View on the iron cigarette case in midair.. Chapter 310 - Chapter 310: 124. Sightseeing tourism? _2 Chapter 310: 124. Sightseeing tourism? _2 Translator: 549690339 He hadnt tested how far away he could be before his connection with the Mind Beacon would break. This journey provided a perfect chance to find out. As for whether or not to place a surveillance camera in the cabin After considering it, Noland decided not to. The lady housekeepers daily routine was on the first floor, occasionally coming to the second floor to clean. Setting up a CCTV camera in the cabin seemed to somewhat infringe on the housekeepers privacy Guided by the principle of not peeking without permission, Noland dismissed the idea of setting up a camera in the room. The next day, in the early morning. Noland arrived at the Cat Society Shop in Sector 8 and went to the backyard to board the magic car driven by Philia. Their silhouettes, along with the magic car, entered invisibility status, smoothly flying over the citys buildings. The magic car passed through the City Gate of Sector 8 and entered the wilderness outside the city at a height of ten meters above the ground. No one noticed us leaving, right? Philia gripped the steering wheel, looking left and right at the rear-view mirrors on both sides. Noland sat in the passenger seat, looking back and forth, and tossed a Deconstruction Technique towards passing vehicles and pedestrians below. The interior of the magic car was covered in dark brown leather, which felt delicate and smooth to the touch, clearly using high-quality leather materials. To Noland, a foreigner, the cars interior decoration style seemed quite retro, reminiscent of classic British cars. This type of car was quite common in the Harry Potter series. The exterior of the magic car looked similar to a combustion engine vehicle, but it used elemental energy as its power source and was driven by numerous intricate and complex alchemy formations and magical runes. In the flying process, there was not the slightest sound, and it was astonishingly stable; one couldnt feel the wind from the wilderness blowing over the ground outside the car. According to Philia, the magic car was produced in the Ulnas Circle and was brought here by the Elemental Judgement when they set up the First Level Magic Research Institute in Union City. When Noland heard the words Magic Scroll and Magic Robe before, he thought that the Ulnas Circle was a country with a medieval setting, full of castles, metal armor, knights, and the like. Now, after seeing this magic car, Noland realized that his imagination of the Ulnas Circle was off. The urban style there should be similar to what is in the Harry Potter series. After all, a vehicle that embodies a countrys industrial foundation, a symbol of modern civilization, couldnt be created by a magical kingdom with a medieval backdrop. Combining this with the Invisibility Magic Array on the magic car, it was not difficult to conclude: The Ulnas Circle is a country with both highly industrialized standards and magical accomplishments. I dont think weve been discovered by anyone, Philia. The invisibility effect of this magic car is quite good, Noland said as he looked away from the window. We mustnt let our guard down, Ray. Two-Ring Wizards definitely cant detect this magic car, but Third-Ring Wizards might not be the same. Third-Ring Wizards have been to the Ulnas Circle and know how to identify invisible magic vehicles. As she drove, Philia spoke with longing: I wonder when I can advance to the Third-Ring. I really want to go to the Ulnas Circle to see for myself. My teacher told me that there are floating cities and miniature oceans everywhere there. Yeah, Id love to see it too Noland agreed and changed the subject, By the way, Philia, did the Observer from the Death Herald Guild give a specific location where the Bone-mending Wand disappeared? The Savage Stone Wasteland is vast, with just the fringes stretching hundreds of kilometers. We cant just fly around aimlessly in the sky like headless flies. No, the Observer from the Death Herald Guild only said that the Bone-mending Wand disappeared in the southwest corner of the Savage Stone Wasteland, without mentioning a specific location. Philia shook her head, pointing to the magical runes on the cars console: Ive entered the coordinate positions of the southwest corner of the Savage Stone Wasteland into this cars Navigation Array. Once I drive the car to an uninhabited area in the wilderness, Ill activate its automatic navigation function to move at full speed.. Automatic, navigation Noland twitched his mouth and was suddenly reminded of his life before crossing to this world Yes, automatic navigation, isnt it amazing? Its said that old horses know the way, but this car doesnt even need a horse to guide it, and it can still automatically follow a predetermined route, Philia said with a smile. As they chatted, they drove and flew. When the city walls of Union City were no longer in sight on the horizon, Philia pressed on the steering wheel, infused elemental energy, and activated the magic cars automatic navigation function. Her hands left the wheel, allowing the Navigation Array to take control of the car. Airflow was expelled from two pipes at the rear of the car, accelerating its flight. Looking out the window at the rapidly passing grasslands and wild horses below, Noland grew increasingly curious about the highly industrialized magical kingdom of the Ulnas Circle. Unfortunately, the Ulnas Circle stipulates that wizards born outside the Ulnas Circle must possess three circles of strength before they can enter the circle under the guidance of a mentor and a lecturer professor. Both Three Circle Strength and the guidance of a mentor and lecturer professor are indispensable. The boundless Savage Stone Wasteland was an ocean of sand and stones. People would feel as insignificant as tiny grains of sand when they lingered on the vast sandy ground. Looking down at the yellow sand sea from a higher vantage point, the feeling of desolation, emptiness, and loneliness became even stronger.. Chapter 311 - Chapter 311: 124. Sightseeing tour? _3 Chapter 311: 124. Sightseeing tour? _3 Translator: 549690339 The violent gale swept up sand and stones over the Sand Sea, causing the vast expanse to roil like a true ocean. After almost a day of travelling, the magic car finally reached the edge of the Savage Stone Wasteland. At sunset, the side of the Sand Sea facing the light gleamed with the colors of twilight, while the side away from the light was as dark as an abyss. The invisible magic car slowly flew along the edge of the Sand Sea in the sky. Philia rubbed the magic ring on her finger and cast Elemental Vision on herself. She exchanged seats with Noland Lee, taught him how to control the steering wheel, and let him take charge of the flight direction of the magic car. Philia herself leaned against the window of the passenger seat, looking towards the Sand Sea below. Fly a little lower, Ray Lee, lower, yes, this is the right height, I can just see the elemental energy on the surface of the Sand Sea. Philia looked at the Sand Sea and instructed: Just go slowly like this, Ill search the ground. We should move from here to the southwest, by the time we reach the north side of the Blade Mountain Range, we should be able to find unusual energy fluctuations. Blade Mountain Range again Noland Lee couldnt help but sigh in his heart. Once they cross that mountain range, it will be the Suffering Borderland. I wonder what its like to drive a magic car in the sky over the Suffering Borderland I estimate we would be treated as enemies by the Imperial Army and subjected to bombardment. The two of them cooperated, one driving and the other searching the ground, spending a whole day in search work. The search for abnormal energy fluctuations was not going well. As the setting sun sank below the ground, taking with it the last light in the sky, Philia had to admit that the difficulty of the task was a bit beyond her expectation. She rubbed her sore eyes, leaned back in her chair for a moments rest, puffed up her cheeks and breathed out wearily: Huu- It seems that we are going to stay up all night, Ray. All I see here are sand and wind. The earths elemental energy I see is drifting with the winds elemental energy, I havent seen any void areas where they repel elemental energy. Noland Lee gripped the steering wheel, deep in thought. He had a rough idea about why they were getting nothing. The last time he saw the Bone-mending Wand was at the outlet on the east side of the Blade Mountain Range. If he connected that outlet with the southwest corner of the Savage Stone Wasteland in a straight line, he would get the route that the Bone-Mending Wand took directly to the Savage Stone Wasteland. Only by following this route were they likely to discover the abnormal energy fluctuations left by the Bone-mending Wand. Where they were now, there was still a considerable distance from this route, so it was naturally unlikely to detect any unusual energy fluctuations. Should he give Philia some hints? Noland Lee pondered for a moment, then asked Philia for the map of the Savage Stone Wasteland. He gestured at the map, had an idea in his mind and asked: Philia, do you know where that abandoned building with Aberrations is? Philia leaned towards Noland Lee, squeezed in next to the map, thought for two seconds, pointed at the map and said: I remember that abandoned building is a ruin from the Golden Dynasty, right? It should be here. Noland Lee glanced at the location she pointed out on the map, his brow furrowed slightly. The place where that abandoned building was located was right on the straight line from the Blade Mountain Range to the southwest corner of the Savage Stone Wasteland. Was this a coincidence? Should we go there first? Noland Lee asked. Philia pondered a moment: Hmm, lets go there first. Maybe we will find something unexpectedly She furrowed her brows, lost in thought, and said: Ray, do you think that Death Notice Guild wizard named Greenshaw got lost in the Fission Wilderness and accidentally entered the Savage Stone Wasteland, just happened to encounter an abberation, and therefore lost his life and the Bone-mending Wand? Noland Lee turned the steering wheel, driving the magic car towards the abandoned building, and asked at the same time: How did the aberration prevent people from the Death Herald Guild from sensing the Bone-mending Wand? Could there be a wizard among the aberrations? Philia furrowed her brows, looking out at the Sand Sea ahead, she muttered: Eh, I dont know An hour later. The magic car stopped above the abandoned building. Under Philias guidance, Noland Lee controlled the magic car to slowly descend and park on the rooftop of the abandoned building. The magic car entered the invisible parked state. Noland Lee and Philia got out of the car, bathed in moonlight, they came to the edge of the rooftop and looked down at the abandoned building below, where no one could be seen. If it werent for the bullet marks, dirty signs, and blood stains on the ground, this place wouldnt look like the scene of an aberration attack at all. There are unusual energy fluctuations here. Philias eyes glowed with the light of the four elements as she gazed towards the distant horizon. She raised her arm, drawing a straight line between the horizon and the abandoned building below with her fingertip, and said at the same time: The magical vision of Elemental Vision tells me that something moved from the direction of Blade Mountain Range, pushing away all the elemental energy along the route, leaving a path of elemental energy vacuum from far to near. This is definitely a trace left by the Bone-mending Wand, I am sure. Only such traces of energy anomalies caused by high-grade magical items can be preserved in the natural environment for several days or even longer. Philia looked puzzled, peering down at the building below. She looked through the floors to peer into the hole in the lobby of the building on the first floor: This situation is a bit strange, Ray. Logically, there should be aberrations patrolling around the den of aberration.. But why cant we see any aberrations in the underground space? Chapter 312 - Chapter 312: 124. Sightseeing tourism? _4 Chapter 312: 124. Sightseeing tourism? _4 Translator: 549690339 Ill go down and take a look, Philia. Noland Lee said while discussing: I can turn into a skeleton to avoid the detection of the aberrations. Dont worry about me. Alright, be careful, Ray Lee. Ill look around for other clues. Noland Lee did not use the Bone Spirit Flight Technique to go to the ground level. He always remembered his own identity of a Matryoshka figure: A wandering wizard, the Sleeping Monument Master, who prefers using soul energy and physical power. In order to fit his Matryoshka identity, Noland Lee climbed over the rooftop railing and jumped across the balconies on each floor. With his sturdy physique and tough constitution, he easily reached the exterior of the first floor of the building. Waving to Philia above, Noland Lee stepped into the pitch -black Grand Hall on the first floor. He activated Breath of the Dead to enter a skeleton form and started Life and Death Tracking, seeing through the ground beneath his feet. There were no living creatures, lost souls, or corpses in the underground space. Without any fear, Noland Lee stepped into the underground space covered in dried mucus. Interesting. Noland Lee crouched down, pulled out a dagger, and lifted a piece of dried mucus from the ground. Inside this underground space, the body fluids secreted by the aberrations had completely dried up in the dry air on the sandy ground, losing all their moisture. A light sweep and poke with the dagger could easily turn the mucus into powder. What does this mean It meant that once the smooth skin lost its moisture nourishment, it would quickly crack and age. And the aberrations themselves were the water source that nourished the mucus. It was clear that some time had passed since the last time an aberration had appeared here. Noland Lee secretly pondered: I have a feeling that once the aberrations got their hands on the Bone-mending Wand, they moved their entire nest. Could these aberrations in the abandoned building have come here specifically to receive the Bone-mending Wand? This is ridiculous. Many question marks popped up in Noland Lees mind. He kept his cool, moving forward, stepping on the cracked, dry mucus carpet and entered the pitch-black tunnel. At the same time, on the rooftop of the abandoned building. Philia cast a flight spell, flew off the rooftop with the support of the night wind, and landed on the ground outside the wall of the abandoned building. She cast a wind-type magic on herself to increase her running speed, and with the wind elemental energy swirling around her, she ran into the distance. Her figure soon disappeared on the gentle slope near the abandoned building. About 10 minutes later, she returned to the abandoned building along the same route ana reacnea tne roortop tnrougn tne rngnt spell. Noland Lee waited for her by the magic car and asked as soon as she saw her return: Hows the situation, Philia? Did you find any clues? Yes, I found out that the Bone-mending Wand indeed came from the Blade Mountain Range in a straight line. The person carrying it had a very clear goal, which is this abandoned building. Its as if the person carrying the Bone-mending Wand had an appointment with the aberrations here. Philia asked: What about you? Whats the situation underground? Where are the aberrations? Lee Noland shook his head, gesturing and said: The path down there was blocked. I walked about 20-30 meters along the underground corridor and reached the end, which was a wall made of stone, sand, and mud. Why dont we drive the magic car and follow the trail left by the Bone-mending Wand towards the Blade Mountain Range to explore? We have no choice then. Philia unlocked the magic car, opened the door, and sat in the drivers seat. Noland Lee sat in the passenger seat. The car door closed, and the magic car entered invisibility mode. The extremely faint call came out from inside the car and was torn apart by the evening wind on the sandy ground before it could drift a few meters away. The magic car shook a few times, soon becoming calm and flying towards the heavens with a slight distortion of light and shadow. After the magic car left, an invisible object came to the rooftop and silently waited for the next guest. Obviously, the Lee Noland who had just spoken to Philia wasnt the real Noland Lee. So, where was the real Noland Lee? Inside the underground space, Noland Lee couldnt help but complain: What a convoluted path! Ive turned dozens of corners, passed through no less than ten forks in the road, and still haven t reached the end of the tunnel. Besides, where have the aberrations gone? Theres nothing but dried mucus carpets all over the ground. Never mind, Ill go back and rendezvous with Philia first to see if she has any new discoveries. We can make preparations, and then Ill go further underground with her. Noland Lee activated the Mind Beacon and sensed his iron cigarette cases left behind. These iron cigarette cases were originally used as CCTV cameras, but now they have become Noland Lees props for marking his path. After activating the Mind Beacon, he could clearly sense the iron cigarette cases in the tunnel. As for those three iron cigarette cases in Union City, Noland Lee couldnt sense them. He tested this on his way to the Savage Stone Wasteland. When the distance between him and the iron cigarette case was about 10 kilometers, he could no longer sense it. 10 kilometers was the maximum sensing distance between the Mind Beacon and him. The Mind Beacon was Level 1 now. Upgrading it should increase the maximum sensing distance. As Noland Lee walked towards the ground, he retrieved his iron cigarette cases. Three minutes later, Noland Lee, who had been jogging, returned to the ground and saw Philia waiting on the rooftop.. Chapter 313 - Chapter 313: 124. Sightseeing tourism? _5 Chapter 313: 124. Sightseeing tourism? _5 Translator: 549690339 As soon as he saw Philia, a system message popped up in his mind! [Warning!] [Based on your knowledge of mental magic, the system detects that you are experiencing Mental Illusion interference!] Mental Illusion? Oh! I remember now! This mental magic was mentioned in River of Mind: Volume 1. The book only briefly introduces this magic spell without providing a spell blueprint. Noland Lee doesnt know how to use it, but he is familiar with its effects. The effect of Mental Illusion is: Transforming its owner into someone another person wants to see. Illusion magic deceives others by changing ones appearance. But Mental Illusion makes others see what they want to see in a person or object. Noland Lee arrived on the rooftop, subconsciously thinking he would see Philia. The object with the Mental Illusion effect would then transform into Philia in his eyes. So, this woman who looks like Philia is actually an object with the effect of Mental Illusion? Noland Lees body imperceptibly paused, maintaining a normal expression while talking to the other party as if he hadnt noticed anything unusual. Use Deconstruction Technique, Noland muttered in his mind. [System Message: ] [You are about to use Deconstruction Technique on a magical creation with a mental illusion effect. ] [Based on your knowledge of mental magic and related skills, the energy points required for a complete deconstruction have been reduced to 100.] [Do you confirm the deconstruction?] Confirm. Noland gave the order without hesitation. He has plenty of energy points and needs information to verify Philias whereabouts. [Deconstruction success!] [The degree of deconstruction of Samuelsons Illusion Servant (Level 15) has increased from 0% to 100%.] [You have obtained the Panel Information of the target:] [Name] Samuelsons Illusion Servant [Type] Mental Magic Servant [Level] Level 15 [Features] Constant Levitation, Absolute Loyalty, Ethereal Being, Equipped with Mental Illusion skill [Skills] Mental Illusion, Level 15, activated. You will see the human female figure you want to see on this mental servant, and you can communicate with her. Mental Pierce, Level 7, charging. Charge for 1 second, then launch a mental level attack on the target. Soul Link, advanced level, activated. An unknown soul is controlling this servant personally. [Masters Order] Bring me that first rank wizard named Ray Lee. Noland quickly scanned the deconstruction results. His thoughts lingered on the words Mental Pierce, charging for a fraction of a second. Mental Pierce is also a mental magic skill. It can cause targets to experience pain at the mental level. In minor cases, it can cause them to fall to the ground convulsing, clutching their heads and screaming in pain; in severe cases, they can pass out on the spot. In extreme cases, they can even bleed from their orifices and die on the spot. Similar to the light and shadow effects when casting elemental magic, mental magic also has external manifestations when casting. However, the casting signs of mental magic mainly manifest at the mental level. For example, feelings of tension, danger, and panic at the mental level. When the illusion servant is charging, Noland feels a sudden, inexplicable tightness in his chest and a thumping in his heart, as if an invisible dagger is being held against his throat. This is the mental response when targeted by Mental Pierce. If Noland is fully alert and strengthens his mental defenses at this time, there is a high probability that he can withstand the upcoming Mental Pierce. But he doesnt plan to do so. Because in this short I-second period, he has already confirmed Philia and the magic cars disappearance using the Deconstruction Technique. This means that even if he resists Mental Pierce and defeats the illusion servant in front of him, theres still a high chance he wont find Philia and the magic car. Given that, he might as well go along with the plan. Noland maintains a relaxed posture, slightly lowering his mental guard, pretending not to know that the magic servant before him is charging a spell. After a second, a sharp pain pierces his head, as if a saw is cutting through his brain. Noland clutches his head, screaming in pain, his eyes tightly shut, and his body trembling. He then passes out wheezing, slumping onto the ground like a pile of mud. With his eyes closed, he feels himself being lifted and flown into the sky. About ten seconds later, the sound of the car door opening reaches his ears. He feels himself being placed in the back seat of a magic car. Noland takes a shallow breath. He smells Philias scent. Mental Illusion cant fake a scent, which is one of the drawbacks of this magic. Noland opens his eyes a crack, quickly scanning the scene in front of him. Thats right. Hes now sitting in the back seat, right behind the passenger seat. Philia is in the passenger seat. The illusion servant is driving the magic car. Another illusion servant is sitting on the left seat in the back row, close to him. There are a total of two enemies in this car. Noland quickly grasps the situation on the scene. After some contemplation, he decides to act immediately! Noland suddenly opens his eyes, casting Magic Shield and Mental Shield on himself. The former protects him from physical injuries, while the latter focuses on defending against mental magic. Before the illusion servants can react, he pulls his magic wand from the Blood Haven and harnesses the Death Energy stored in his magic robe.. Chapter 314 - Chapter 314: 124. Sightseeing tourism? _6 Chapter 314: 124. Sightseeing tourism? _6 Translator: 549690339 The cold Death Energy flowed from the magic robe into Noland Lees arm, traveling along his arm into the level 10 Death Threaded Wand, transforming into two Death Fingers shooting out from the wands tip. Crackle! Crackle! Two Black Lightning bolts almost at the same time fell upon the two Illusion Servants. Puff, puff. The two Illusion Servants were unable to resist the Spell Lightning filled with Death Energy, exploding on the spot like inflating balloons. [System Message: ] [You have successfully killed Samuelsons Illusion Servants x2.] [Based on your Vitality and Tenacity attributes, the Death Energy you channeled while casting did not cause any negative effects on you.] The magic cars steering wheel and lift control lever were affected by the explosions shockwave. The car nose turned downward, heading towards the ground. Noland Lee didnt have the time to check the system message. He lunged towards the drivers seat, his left hand gripping the steering wheel to adjust the cars direction, while his right hand forcefully pulled the lever to adjust the flight posture. Finally, the magic car entered a state of horizontal flight. Whew, that was intense! We almost crashed. Noland Lee moved from the back seat to the drivers seat. He parked the car back on the rooftop of the abandoned building, then shook the unconscious Philia awake. Ah, Philia opened her eyes in terror, her face pale, her pupils quivering. As soon as she regained consciousness, she immediately summoned her Alchemy Weaponry to transform into a Meow Meow Person, and at the same time pulled out her magic wand to point at Noland Lee. It seemed that she regarded the real Noland Lee as the enemy who had attacked her. Stop! Philia, its me! It was the Illusion Servants that made you faint! Stop! Noland Lee shouted, raising both hands. IllusionServants Philias body trembled for a moment, and she hurriedly stopped the Frost Magic that was about to be launched from the tip of her wand. Yes, it was the Illusion Servants doing. Look at the drivers seat and the back Ince T Servants. Philias body stiffened, and she slowly relaxed. She covered her chest, gasping for a few breaths, and her gaze swept across the inside of the car as the full moon undulated. Her face became a little more flushed and no longer as panicked as before. Philia frowned and carefully observed Noland Lee in front of her, as though she still couldnt determine if he was the real Noland Lee. Noland Lee decided to cast Breath of the Dead to turn himself into a skeleton, allowing her to touch his bony palm. Mental Illusions couldnt change the feel of objects themselves, let alone imitate the effects of Death-type magic. Thus, the Noland Lee in front of her was the real Noland Lee. Philia was reassured, put away her magic wand, and deactivated her Alchemy Weaponry. She rubbed her stiff face and said apologetically: Im sorry, Ray Lee, I almost took you for an enemy. Its okay, I dont blame you; its normal. If you have to blame someone, blame the wizard who controls these Illusion Servants. Noland Lee saw that Philia had no more hostility and secretly sighed with relief. Mental Magic is treacherous and changeable, most likely to leave people with post-traumatic stress disorder. Fortunately, Philia regained her rational thinking in time. Philia took out a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the beads of sweat on her cheeks and hair, saying: That was close. Its a good thing you took care of those two Illusion Servants, otherwise wed be in trouble. Noland Lee deactivated Breath of the Dead and turned back into a human form: To be honest, I didnt expect to encounter Illusion Servants here either. Samuelson must be behind this. There cant be another wizard criminal skilled in Mental Magic here in the Fission Wilderness. Yes, youre right. It must be Samuelsons doing. Philia snorted indignantly, then asked with a puzzled expression: Did Samuelson take the Bone-mending Wand? Otherwise, why would he send Illusion Servants to guard this place? Noland Lee shook his head slightly: Im not sure about the specifics. Theres a huge underground cavern beneath this abandoned building. The tunnels are complex and diverse, with many forks and sharp turns, and the ground is covered in dried Mucus Carpet. I went back and forth underground and never saw any trace of the Aberrations. Noland Lee paused before asking: What do you think we should do now? Explore the underground together? Or go back and report to your mentor? Let me think Philia fell into deep thought, her expression distressed, as she twirled her hair around her fingertips. First, lets move the car to another location. This abandoned building is not safe. Maybe new magic servants will appear soon. Noland Lee started the magic car and drove away from the abandoned building. The magic car stopped securely under a heavily wind-eroded boulder. Noland Lee cleaned up the sparkling powder left by the Illusion Servants explosion inside the car, while Philia, with a worried frown, hugged her arms and pondered. Philia still couldnt reach a conclusion even when Noland Lee finished cleaning the powder from the car. Noland Lee wasnt in a hurry either. It was better to think carefully before acting than to act blindly. He leaned back in the drivers seat, his gaze piercing through the front windshield to the moon in the sky. That circle of silver belt-like halo was so eye-catching. Noland Lee would often stare at the shattered moon and the halo made up of countless dust and debris in the late nights. Now was no exception. There was an even clearer view of the starry sky in the unlit wilderness, and Noland Lee couldnt help but be fascinated. Two grayish -black shadows swept across the skys edge, seemingly night-flying birds.. Chapter 315 - Chapter 315: 124. Sightseeing tourism? Chapter 315: 124. Sightseeing tourism? Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee blinked, not paying attention to them. However, those two gray-black shadows in Nolands view grew larger, as if they were flying towards them. Huh? Philia. Noland sat up straight, gently tapped Philias arm, waking her from her thoughts. Whats going on? Philia raised her head. Look there. Northeast direction, towards Union City, arent there two black shadows flying? Noland raised his arm, pointing to the skys edge, while using the Deconstruction technique. [System Message: ] [You are about to use Deconstruction on Death Notice Guild Wizard Parker.] [You are about to use Deconstruction on Death Notice Guild Wizard Swat.] Indeed, two people were flying towards them! They were the Death Herald Guilds observers placed in Union City. Last night, before the discussion began, Noland saw them coming down from the steam locomotive and enter the Cat Society Manors castle. At that time, Noland had already spent 200 Energy Points deconstructing the two of them, so the information fed back by the Deconstruction technique directly marked their names and origins. Philia took out an Alchemy-made telescope from her pocket and observed the two black shadows with a telescopic magnification of up to 50 times. Her tone became somewhat solemn: I see them. They should be two Death Clan Wizards using Death Flight to travel. Judging from their flying speed, they dont seem like three-circled Death Wizards, but only two-Ring Strength Could it be those two Death Herald Guild observers? Philia put down the telescope and slowly nodded: Heres the plan, Ray. Well stay put and hide here. Well see what the two flying wizards are up to. If something seems off, well take off in the magic car. Alright. The car went silent. Both of them stared wide-eyed at the figures in the sky. Theyre coming over Despite the excellent sound insulation of the magic car, Philia lowered her voice. The figures circled in the air as if looking for something, then flew straight toward a certain location. Noland and Philia twisted in their seats inside the car, following the movement of the passing shadows with their eyes, looking towards the rear glass window together. In the moonlight, the two dark shadows landed on the rooftop of an abandoned building, revealing Parker and Swat. Its indeed the Death Herald Guild observers. Philia blinked, her eyes filled with confusion: What are they doing here? It cant be for sightseeing, can it? Noland was contemplating whether or not to deconstruct the opponents memories when he noticed a group of shadows flying over from the edge of the sky. Noland hesitated slightly, tapped Philia, and gestured for her to check. Philia picked up the telescope and took a look, then hurriedly said: Ray, thats Fugidia from the Night Spirit Cult, I saw her Bat Wing Spell! She turns into a group of small bats when she flies. Lets quickly leave this place and go somewhere elseFugidia has the strength to detect this car. The magic car moved away from its hiding spot behind the boulder and sped towards the further sand dunes before Fugidia could get any closer. Their luck was not bad as they spotted Fugidias traces in time and stayed far away from the range of her energy fluctuations. Fugidias transformed bat swarm never looked at them. What is Fugidia doing here? Philia and Noland looked at each other, becoming even more puzzled. Is she also here for sightseeing? Things wont be that coincidental, Noland said calmly, nodding his head. Lets see what the situation is first.. Chapter 316 - Chapter 316: 125. Stars? No, door! Chapter 316: 125. Stars? No, door! Translator: 549690339 The arrival of Fugidia not only startled Noland Lee and Philia. The two Death Notice Guild Wizards stationed on the rooftop of the abandoned building also detected Fugidias presence. But before they could perform Death Flight to escape, two streaks of Black Lightning shot out from the swarm of bats that Fugidia had transformed into. The Black Lightning spanned almost a thousand kilometers in an instant, landing next to the Death Notice Guild Wizards. The strength of the Third-Ring Wizards was really not to be underestimated, such extensive casting range, such precision in spell control. The two streaks of Black Lightning exploded right next to the feet of the Death Notice Guild Wizards, kicking up two patches of stone chips. The threat in the lightning was obvious, but neither hurt the Death Notice Guild Wizards in the slightest. The two Death Notice Guild Wizards stiffened, only feeling that within the quickly approaching swarm of bats, a pair of icy eyes were fiercely watching them. They knew that there was no chance of them escaping, so all they could do was to grit their teeth, stand in place, and wait for the other party to arrive. Ray Lee, do you think Fugidia is chasing after us or following the Observers of the Death Notice Guild? The magic car was hidden on the sand dunes 10 kilometers away from the abandoned building, its body concealed behind a boulder. Only the front drivers seat and front hood were exposed. Philia, holding a telescope, looked far in the direction of the abandoned building. She saw the embarrassing state of the Death Notice Guild Wizards almost being struck by the black lightning. Fugidia should be following the Observers of the Death Notice Guild. Noland Lee responded. Philia adjusted the focus of her telescope, observing every move of the Death Notice Guild Wizards and Fugidia. She said helplessly: Its a pity that I havent mastered the Eavesdropping Art, otherwise I would have been able to know what they are saying. I have a solution, Philia. Noland Lee reached into his backpack. From the Folding Space attached to his backpack, he pulled out a palm-sized Mechanical Spider. Is thisan Alchemical Construct? Philia blinked at the petite Mechanical Spider, asking: Did you make this yourself? Yes, indeed. I received some advanced alchemy knowledge from Fars Scott. I referred to the alchemical blueprints in the books, and after much effort, I managed to make this little thing. As Noland was speaking, he was pouring Soul Energy into the energy storage device inside the Mechanical Spider. Are you planning to use it to eavesdrop on their conversation? Philia tilted her head, puzzled: But we are at least 10 kilometers away from the abandoned building, wont your Perceptual Link with the Alchemical Construct be cut off? And where are the gloves you use to control the Alchemical Construct? Facing a barrage of questions from Philia, Noland calmly smiled: Can you keep a secret for me? This is related to my Experience Task. The Professor sent me to Union City not just to see if theres a way to bypass the Death Notice Guild and study the Undead Cult, but also to test a new and novel magic the Professor invented. Oh, I see. Philia obediently closed her mouth, no longer probing into the matter. Instead, she watched Nolands operations with curious eyes. Seeing that the title Sleeping Monument Master kept Philia quiet, Noland felt relieved. Hehe. It seemed for wizards who respect the Ulnas Ring Law, just mentioning the name of the Professor was enough to explain many things. The Mechanical Spider in Nolands hand was only the size of a palm, mini and petite, much smaller than the Mechanical Spiders produced by the Alchemy Academy. But dont underestimate this little thing, it combines all of Nolands research progress from the past half a month. Noland named it the Heart Control Spider. Mind Beacon + Mind Control, these two spells formed the control system of the Heart Control Spider. Mind Beacon made the Heart Control Spider, which lacks a mind, the target of Mental Magic. Mind Control allows Noland to directly control the Heart Control Spider, and thus issue commands to the transmission device, energy device, auxiliary system, and firepower system inside the Heart Control Spider. The design inspiration for the mechanical structure of the transmission device came from Fars Scotts Mechanical Spider. Noland had to spend a few thousand Energy Points to get the blueprint of the alchemical parts inside that Mechanical Spider. The energy device used an alchemy array that converted Soul Energy into elemental energy, and a built-in energy storage device that could store up to 10 points of Soul Energy. The auxiliary system included Swift Runes to speed up the Heart Control Spiders movement, Distant Vision Runes to magnify distant images, Eavesdropping Runes for directional collection of sound information, etc. The firepower system was much simpler. In fact, he didnt expect the Heart Control Spider, just half the size of a palm, to provide much firepower. Noland only installed an Acid Burst Rune in this small thing and didnt install any other alchemical runes. As soon as Noland issues the self-destruct command, the Heart Control Spider will explode in a splatter of acid, destroying all things inside itself while attacking the enemy. Above, is the crystallization of Nolands wisdom in recent times. For such an alchemical construct that is controlled by mental magic, Noland gave it a very nice name: Mechanos. The implication was a mechanical creature created with Mental Magic as the control system, Soul Energy as the basic source of power, alchemical parts to build the transmission structure, and alchemical arrays to realize basic functions. Look, this is the wonderful result of different extraordinary fields blending together.. Chapter 317 - Chapter 317: 125. Stars? No, door! _2 Chapter 317: 125. Stars? No, door! _2 Translator: 549690339 The tiny heart-control spider involved mental magic, soul energy, and alchemy. In the future, Noland Lee would incorporate more magic branches, giving birth to a variety of Mechanos. Just thinking about it filled his heart with excitement. However, it was time for serious business. Noland focused his mind, filling the energy storage device of the heart-control spider with soul energy. He then slightly opened the car door and placed the little thing on the sandy ground outside. Im going to start controlling it now, Philia, stay quiet. In case of an operational error, it could be discovered by Fugidia. Noland cautioned. Mhmm ! Philia closed her lips tightly, widened her eyes, and watched the tiny spider head towards the abandoned building 10 kilometers away. Noland activated the Breath of the Dead , turned into a skeleton, and disguised himself as if using death magic to control the little spider. This way, he could conceal the fact that he was using mental magic to control the spider. He closed his eyes and wholeheartedly threw himself into the task of controlling the tiny spider. The maximum sensing distance between him and the Mind Beacon was 10 kilometers. To avoid losing contact with the heart-control spider near the abandoned building, Noland decided to upgrade the Mind Beacon. System, use 450 Points of Energy and directly upgrade the Mind Beacon to Level 10. [System Message: ] [Level of Mind Beacon +9, raised to Level 10.] [Range of Mind Beacon increased by 90%, now 19 kilometers.] [Level of Mind Beacon has broken through to Level 10, and you have triggered an upgrade reward.] [Please choose one of the following three options:] [Option One:] [Range of Mind Beacon increased by 50%, raised to 24 kilometers.] [Option Two:] [New feature United Action added to Mind Beacon.] [Currently, you can only control one object with Mind Beacon at a time.] [After selecting this option, the number of objects you can control simultaneously +1.] [After this, when upgrading Mind Beacon, you can choose between increasing the range by 10% or increasing the control quantity by 1.] [Option Three:] [Mind Beacon (Level 10) is transformed into Mind Tracking (Level 10). ] [Mind Tracking has an unlimited sensing range and an unlimited duration.] [However, you can only cast Mind Tracking on one target. Also, you need to consume 1 point of energy per hour to maintain the existence of this spell.] Noland envisioned a future Dath where he controlled a grouD of Mechanos to gang up on enemies. Without hesitation, he chose Option Two directly, adding the United Action feature to the Mind Beacon. [System Message: ] [The number of Mechanos you can control simultaneously +1.] Since Noland had named his alchemical construct Mechanos, the system had displayed Type: Mechanos in the panel information of the heart-control spider. This not only meant that the system had recognized the existence of Mechanos, but also that Noland, as the host, had the right to define objective things. Therefore, Noland was not surprised to see the word Mechanos appear in the system message. He focused on controlling the heart-control spider with highly concentrated attention. The little spider, braving the howling wind on the sandy ground at night, quickly moved towards the abandoned building. The bat swarm arrived above the abandoned building, circled and landed on the rooftop, turning into Fugidia who was wearing a windbreaker and a tight leather skirt. Her delicate skin reflected the cold light in the moonlight, with bright red lips and blood-red pupils. Her windbreaker was black on the outside and bright red on the inside. The stiff high collar, like bat wings, covered her fair neck. Underneath the windbreaker was a jacket that couldnt be buttoned up because one part was too large. The deep cleft in the middle of the jacket was both extremely tempting and a deadly trap that could cause an enemy to lose focus in battle. Lets see, whos the one loitering around the wild outskirts at night instead of staying at home? Fugidias voice was enchantingly seductive, like a slippery snake lingering around your ears. Two observers from the Death Herald Guild were named Parker and Sawyer. Parker was smarter, but now faced with Fugidias seemingly magical voice and attractive appearance, he seemed to have lost his soul, his eyes lost focus and his gaze was hazy. Sawyer wasnt as smart, but he maintained a sober state, watching the bewitching Fugidia in front of him with alert eyes. He didnt forget to raise his arm, slapped Parkers head with a palm, and woke his companion out of his trance. Slap. Wake up, Parker. Hiss Parker felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. Still gasping, he came back to his senses, covered the back of his head, and looked at the only woman present with a serious expression: Damn, I almost fell for your trick Fugidia, why are you following us? Heh- Fugidia hugged her arms, carrying her heavy burden, as the red corners of her mouth raised a curve: I should be the one asking you that, idiots. Recognize the gap between you and me. Just obediently tell me your plans, or be prepared to feed the bats. A dark shadow appeared on Fugidias shoulder. It was a black bat half a person tall. The wing claws on both wings were curved like crescent moons, reflecting a cold light. Parker swallowed hard, glanced at his companion Sawyer, and then his eyes flickered, starting to think about their strategy.. Chapter 318 - Chapter 318: 125. Stars? No, door! —3 Chapter 318: 125. Stars? No, door! 3 Translator: 549690339 Fugidia clearly didnt want to waste time. She pointed at the two of them. The black bat on her shoulder spread its wings, revealing an inverted triangle-shaped head and cold, glowing black eyes. The black bat opened its fang-filled mouth, hissing at Parker and Sawyer. Squeak! The bats screech quickly escalated in pitch, changing from a sharp sound to an ultrasonic wave beyond human hearing. Parker and Sawyer turned pale, falling back with blood spraying from their nostrils. As they fell to the ground, the black bat burst with a bang, turning into a swarm of bats that pounced, seemingly intent on tearing the two to shreds and draining their blood. Parker quickly raised his arm, shouting: Wait! Ill talk! The swarm of bats hovered overhead, looking like a dark cloud above the two men. We-wewe came here to find the Bone-mending Wand. Parker waved his arm, trying to drive the bats away from his head. Yes, yes, thats right, we came here to find the Bone-mending Wand, Sawyer echoed. Fugidia idly toyed with a small bat on her finger while saying casually: Keep talking; dont wait for me to ask. I only give you one minute. Parker struggled to sit up halfway, propping his upper body with his arm: We suspect that the disappearance of the Bone-mending Wand has nothing to do with Elemental Judgment, so we thought wed come and investigate the last place it was sensed. Hmm, Fugidia hummed noncommittally, is that all? I told you Im not patient, so dont wait for me to ask. The swarm of bats descended rapidly, engulfing Parker and Sawyer. Aah! Screams of pain emanated from the pair within the circle of bats. No, no! Ill talk, Ill talk, stop! Well talk! Well talk! Parker and Sawyer now understood that Fugidia didnt care about their lives at all, not in the slightest. Even as they screamed themselves hoarse, cast Magic Shield, and drew their wands to fight back, the swarm of bats showed no signs of retreating. Their shields crumbled like paper under the bats sharp fangs. The Death Rays that shot from their wands proved to be even more useless, causing no disturbance whatsoever. We came to kidnap Philia! We came to kidnap Philia! Parker screamed. Yes, we came to kidnap Philia! Sawyer echoed. The swarm of bats not only didnt stop but intensified, tearing large chunks of flesh from both men. Fugidia chuckled lightly: Oh, so you intend to target a First Level Magic Research Institutes wizard student. Then I can kill both of you without any issues. And I can even collect a reward from Elemental Judgment. Hehe, such a good fortune. Hiss-hiss- The sound of tearing and blood droplets emerged from the swarm of bats, accompanied by cries of torment. Parker screamed in terror: Stop! Stop! Ill create a magic scroll to sense the Bone-mending Wand and give it to you! Yes, yes! Well create a magic scroll to sense the Bone-mending Wand and give it to you! Sawyer repeated. The swarm of bats dispersed, leaving the two battered men alone and hovering overhead. You only have half a minute to create the scroll. I guess making a small sensing-type magic shouldnt be that difficult. Fugidia began to count down: 30, 29, 28 Trembling, Parker fumbled in his pocket, eventually pulling out a blank piece of sheepskin parchment to draw a magic scroll. Just before the countdown hit zero, he threw the parchment and yelled: This Death Magic scroll requires Professor Dekarts Authorization. Only the magic scrolls we make can bypass this step! You wont be able to get the scroll if you kill us! Yeah, you need to work with us Sawyer repeated. Shut up, Sawyer, Parker snapped, his temper frayed by Fugidias torment. Sawyer closed his mouth and fell silent. This is the only way you two will survive, idiots, Fugidia sneered and waved her right hand, recalling the swarm of bats, which turned into black smoke and disappeared into her collar. I only want the core of the Bone-mending Wand. You can take the rest. Any objections? No, none. Parker shook his head dejectedly. Sawyer kept his mouth shut and shook his head as well. Alright then. You two continue creating magic scrolls to sense the Bone-mending Wand. Dont try to slack off or resist. My pets will be watching. Fugidia summoned two black bats to monitor every move the two men made. She first checked if the magic scroll was usable and then infused it with Death Energy. This disposable sensing-type magic scroll was activated. It transformed into dark spell light within one-tenth of a second, flowing into Fugidias forehead. Huh? Fugidia furrowed her brow, her hair stirring without wind. A faint, pulsing magical aura emitted from her body. Did you sense the location of the Bone-mending Wand? Parker asked while drawing the magic scroll. Fugidia was a Third-Ring Wizard, her power a level higher than both Parker and Sawyer. While sensing the Bone-mending Wand, Fugidias sensitivity to it would far surpass the pairs. Maybe they both could use her power to find the Bone-mending Wand.. Although they would lose the wands core, that was still better than not finding a trace of the wand at all, right? Chapter 319 - Chapter 319: 125. Stars? No, door! Chapter 319: 125. Stars? No, door! Translator: 549690339 That is the reason Parker finally made up his mind, handed over the magic scroll, and intended to cooperate with the other party. As for whether Fugidia would harbor murderous intent towards them after finding the Bone-mending Wand and swallow the wand alone, Parker wasnt too worried. Because with the Bone-mending Wand in hand, the two Death Notice Guild Wizards, himself and Sawyer, would be as strong as sweeping all the enemies below the intermediate wizards. Greenshaw, a Second Ring Wizard, was able to forcibly use the Bone-mending Wand to kill so many Imperial Fist. The two of them could definitely kill a Third-Ring Wizard with the help of the Bone-mending Wand with ease. After reaching an initial understanding of cooperation with Fugidia, Parker already considered himself on equal footing with her. But Fugidia obviously didnt think so, she still looked at the two as toolmen. I can vaguely sense the Bone-mending Wand, but I cant accurately determine its specific location Fugidias words made Parkers faces show joy, but their smiles quickly faded. Only because Fugidia, with her scarlet eyes, said while looking at them: To further determine the location of the Bone-mending Wand, I need to obtain more Blood Magic Power Fugidias tongue slid over her red lips. Parker shivered, What are you going to do I warn you, if we die, you wont get the magic scroll that can sense the Bone-mending Wand! Fugidia lifted her chin, stretched her pale neck, squinted her eyes, and slowly raised her hands. As she moved, countless blood beads flew out of Parkers wounds, condensed into a stream of blood, and flowed into Fugidias lips. Ah.. ah.. Parker trembled, unable to move his body, and could only watch with his eyes wide open as his own blood flew towards the woman in front of him. Fugidias lips became even more attractive. *splutter*. She suddenly spat a mouthful of bloody foam on the ground, looked at the two with disgust, and wiped the blood beads from the corner of her mouth: Disgusting Death Notice Guilds blood Though rich in the nourishment of death, it smells unbearably fishy, making me feel as nauseous as biting into a rotting corpse. When can your scum make your blood taste better? Fugidia stopped extracting blood. The blood that flowed out of their bodies fell to the ground and did not return to the bodies of Parker and Savvyer. The two of them were as limp as if their essences had been drained, their breathing was weak, and their cheeks were sunken. Their skin-covered bones looked even thinner, as if they could die at any moment due to overindulgence. Fugidia commanded the little bats to take the finished magic scroll from Parkers hands, and then sensed the location of the Bone-mending Wand again. Her long hair spread out like a squids tentacles and floated behind her head. Her head slowly moved, and the scarlet light in her eyes was even more intense than before. She looked down at her feet. Oh- I sensed it- Its far, far below our feet. There is a magic barrier preventing me from sensing it. Fugidia ended the casting, her long hair fell behind her back, and the blood light in her eyes dissipated. She glanced at Parker and Sawyer with disdain as if looking at garbage and controlled the two little bats to crawl into their mouths. Parker and Sawyers bodies convulsed violently, their ears lengthened and sharpened, two fangs appeared in their mouths, and their nails grew rapidly. Considering you still have to make scrolls for me, I will spare your lives for now. Now go explore underground for me. Parker and Sawyers eyes were filled with fear. Their bodies moved involuntarily, and they cast Flight Spells with Fugidia, flying into the cave beneath the abandoned building. Philia saw all of this through the telescope. Noland, on the other hand, had listened to the conversation between the two through the Heart Control Spider at close range. He opened his eyes in the magic car and told Philia the conversation on the rooftop. Philias expression gradually turned serious: So the Bone-mending Wand is underground, huh? Fugidia used blood magic to turn Parker and Sawyer into her controlled blood servants. With the magic scrolls provided by Parker, Fugidia should be able to find the Bone-mending Wand very soon Noland shook his head slightly and said: Things shouldnt be that simple, Philia. Dont forget, we also encountered Samuelsons illusionary servant here. Mental magic is tricky and changeable. With Samuelsons strength, he should be able to interfere with Fugidias sensing results of the Bone-mending Wand. Noland actually had a lot of things he didnt say. Just now, he had used the Heart Control Spiders perspective to throw a Deconstruction Technique on the magic scroll Parker had made. After consuming some Energy Points, he obtained the Panel Information of the magic scroll. This was a Scroll of Detection Spells, and the name of the detection spell was Sense Bone-mending Wand. For detection spells like this, Mental Wizards have many ways to distort the detection results. If Noland had the corresponding Psychic Spells on hand, then as long as he was willing to consume Energy Points to quickly level up his spells, he would be able to stop Fugidia from sensing the Bone-mending Wand. If an imposter Mental Wizard like him could do it, Samuelson certainly could too. If Noland were to tell Fugidia that Samuelsons illusionary servant had appeared here, then chances are that the seductive witch would never go underground to look for the Bone-mending Wand. Because its very likely a deadly trap set by Samuelson! But, no one had ever told her.. Chapter 320 - Chapter 320: 125. Stars? No, door!_5 Chapter 320: 125. Stars? No, door!_5 Translator: 549690339 So, Noland Lee and the other could only watch her go underground. Philia, can this magic car withstand the attack of a Seventh-Ring Wizard? Both mental and physical levels? Noland Lee asked ponderingly. Yes, it can. Philia nodded: This car is produced by the Ulnas Circle. It can hold up to a quarter of an hour in the hands of a non-combat Seventh-Ring Wizard. At any rate, only a Threeor Four-circled combat wizard would have the ability to break through its defenses. Although Samuelson possesses the strength of the Seventh Ring, psvchic wizards like them can never be combat wizards. So, it doesnt matter if there is one Samuelson or even ten more like him, they wouldnt be able to break through the magic car from the outside. (Note O) Oh so the defensive performance of this car is so strong No wonder Samuelson had to use an illusory servant to deceive you into opening the car door Noland Lee clenched his fist and gently tapped his palm, saying: Since this car can protect us, lets wait on the ground. If Fugidia and the others dont come back from underground, then it means this is far beyond what we can handle. Going straight back and reporting to your mentor would be what we should do. Yes! Youre right. The two discussed it. Noland Lee kept watch, and Philia rested. Later in the night, they switched roles, Noland Lee retrieved the heart control spider and started to rest, while Philia took over surveillance of the abandoned building with a telescope. The car quieted down. Philia moved to the back seat, and with a blushing cheek, she took out a curtain and hung it in the middle of the car, separating the front and rear spaces. Noland Lee pretended not to see her actions. Even if he wanted to, he couldnt see anything anyways. That piece of curtain was magic, not only blocking vision but also blocking detection spells After thinking about it, he didnt secretly send the heart control spider underground to avoid alarming any creatures and causing a counter effect. Feeling bored, Noland Lee simply started reading the books from his mind while also using a portion of his attention to control the heart control spider and keep an eye on the movements at the abandoned building. As starlight shifted and time went by, midnight soon arrived. Noland Lee rubbed his eyes, feeling slightly tired. Just as he was about to wake up Philia to take over, he suddenly saw Fugidias figure through the perspective of the heart control spider. Philia, wake up. Huh? Philia murmured and then yawned as she pulled the curtain. Her face was covered with messy hair and sleepiness. Whats going on, Ray Lee? Fugidia has come out. Noland Lee closed his eyes, manipulating the heart control spider and staring at the ruins building. Philia instantly became alert, shaking off her drowsiness, and started observing that area with her telescope. She saw Fugidia, with half of her body soaked in blood, running out of the first floor of the abandoned building. She looked wretched and weak, leaving large droplets of blood as she moved, completely unlike her previous proud and confident appearance. Hahaha! I made it back to the ground! Fugidia screamed with joy, as if she just narrowly escaped death. With an extremely excited expression, she looked up at the stars in the night sky. She locked her gaze onto the slightly reddish star and spat out a mouthful of blood that shimmered with a bright red light. The blood hovered in the air, corresponding to the reddish star from a distance. The blood moon of the tranquil midnight! The nurturing mother goddess of the Night Spirits! You are the essence of the night moon, the home of the Night Spirits, the incarnation of blood and death! I call upon your power and implore you to bestow upon me the mighty power of the blood moon! The blood flew into the heavens, staining the reddish star in the sky like red paint splashed onto a wall. This star, which originally emitted just a faint red light, suddenly became brilliantly red. It rapidly expanded, hanging in the night sky like a crimson huge disk, becoming a true blood moon. Two dark red blood droplets fell from the blood moon, quickly descending towards Fugidias side. At this very moment, the haloed moon in the sky erupted with a silvery-gray light. This powerful light illuminated the entire night sky, suppressing the blood moon with a large amount of light, and forced it back to its original state. The blood moon, like a mischievous ghost caught red-handed, dejectedly shrank back and returned to its previous faint red star form. The moon withdrew its silvery-gray light, and there was no more disturbance in the starry sky. All of this happened within a few short seconds. By the time Noland Lee looked back down from the anomaly in the sky, the two dark red blood droplets that had fallen from the blood moon had already touched the ground. They landed on either side of Fugidia, and with a bang, exploded into a blood mist that filled the air. The blood mist shrank inward, condensing into the figures of two female wizards. Oh my God! Philia exclaimed in surprise, her voice filled with shock: The Night Spirit Cult actually violated the rules by opening the teleportation gate, using Fugidia as a teleportation anchor point, and forcibly teleported two Night Spirit Magicians here! Fugidia has gone mad! She will be punished by the Wizard Enforcement Department! Teleportation?! Was that scene with the blood moon dropping blood droplets just now teleportation?! Is the blood moon the teleportation gate of the Night Spirit cult?! Noland Lee looked confused. Wasnt the so-called opening of a teleportation gate supposed to be opening a door like magical object, then stepping through it and instantly traversing thousands of mountains and rivers to reach the destination? Why are the teleportation gates in this world stars in the sky? Noland Lee looked up at the stars in the night sky, unable to stop complaining in his heart.. Chapter 321 - Chapter 321: 125. Stars? No, door! 6 Chapter 321: 125. Stars? No, door! 6 Translator: 549690339 Damn So thats why you guys need so many Energy Points to be deconstructed! Turns out you arent just ordinary stars! Which sane wizard would hang a Teleportation Gate in the sky? This is just too ridiculous Despite his astonishment, Noland Lee maintained his rational thinking and calm demeanor. He cast Deconstruction Technique towards the female wizard who appeared next to Fugidia, viewed through the eyes of the Heart Control Spider. [System Message: You will soon use Deconstruction on Unknown Wizard. ] [Estimated consumption: 160,000 Energy Points, can achieve 100% degree of deconstruction.] [System Message: You will soon use Deconstruction on Unknown Wizard. ] [Estimated consumption: 40,000 Energy Points, can achieve 100% degree of deconstruction.] Two new wizards, one 160,000 and one 40,000. Complete deconstruction of Fugidia requires consuming 40,000 Energy Points. Comparing the two, one of the new witches has strength comparable to Fugidia, while the other is far stronger. Nolands face changes as he quickly controls the Heart Control Spider to burrow into the sand, covering the spider with sand and cutting off the mental connection to it. Noland said calmly: Philia, drive the magical car at the slowest speed and get away from Fugidia and the others. Among the two witches who just teleported here, one has exceptional strength, far beyond three-circled. Mm-hmm. Philia nodded, activating the magical car and slowly retreating towards the distance. She muttered: Things have gotten complicated. The Night Spirit Cult broke the rules and teleported two witches here. Only those close to the teleportation destination saw the scene in the sky just now. But besides us, the Magic Transmission Department responsible for managing the Teleportation Gates will also notice abnormalities. Maybe by now, theyve already found out who broke the rules and opened the Teleportation Gate. Noland asked calmly: In this situation, what would the Elemental Judgement as a First Level Magic Research Institute do? Nolands calm affected Philia. She calmed herself down, took a deep breath and said: My mentor is far from the teleportation destination and wont see the abnormality in the sky. But after the Magic Transmission Department investigates the destination, they will give her the exact coordinates. She should be able to guess it has something to do with us. Noland pondered and asked: Besides us and the people from the Magic Transmission Department, can anyone else detect the opening of a Teleportation Gate? Can the Great Sage of the Alchemy Cathedral do it? They should be able to sense a bit of movement, but cant be sure what caused it. Philia added a sentence: Teleportation Gate is one of the highest-ranked magic in the Ulnas Circle, known for its concealment, timeliness, and confidentiality. Anyvvay, I havent heard of anyone who can sense the opening of a Teleportation Gate from a distance. Noland glanced at the stars in the sky and felt Philia was right. Otherwise, a group of Teleportation Gates with a stars appearance wouldnt require trillions of Energy Points for complete deconstruction. Philia focused on driving. The two quickly left the abandoned building behind. As they were about to lose sight of the building, Philia stopped the car and found a place to hide it. The two observed the situation at the abandoned building from a distance. Philia raised a telescope. Noland tried to sense his Heart Control Spider and then breathed a slight sigh of relief. Fortunately, fortunately, the spider was still burrowed in the sand and he co still feel the Mind Beacon on it. Noland controlled the little spider to drill out from the sand, revealing half of its head and stealthily peeking at the abandoned building. Countless aberrations surged out of the abandoned building, attempting to prevent Fugidia and her two companions from entering. Fugidia was being supported by a young witch who was drawing bright red blood magic power from her. With the blood magic power supplied by her companion, Fugidias wounds healed at a visible rate. Her face remained excited, full of joy in her eyes, and she shouted to the third Night Spirit wizard on the scene: Sir! Ive locked onto the precise location of the Bone-mending Wand! Its right beneath our feet, right in the center of this aberration den! The third witch, who had come to support Fugidia, looked somewhat older, much older than Fugidia, slightly stooped, and had somewhat loose skin. Upon hearing Fugidias words, she gave an imperceptible nod and moved to stand in front of the two of them. Her right hand was holding a two-handed magic wand with a bat wooden sculpture. A blood-red light shot out from the eyes of the bat wooden sculpture, sweeping from left to right over the aberrations that were about to surround the three of them. Any aberration that was swept by this blood-red light exploded like an inflated balloon, splattering chunks of flesh and grey filthy blood. However, the debris did not fall to the ground but eerily floated in midair. These grey limb fragments turned into glistening red blood beads, densely packed, like countless blood-red eyes. Lets go, Fugidia, you lead the way. The elderly witch held her left hand behind her back and walked leisurely forward, supporting herself with the two-handed magic wand acting as a cane. As soon as they stepped into the underground cave in the abandoned building, the floating red blood beads extended several blood-colored threads. The blood beads used the threads to connect with the other blood beads nearby, together they formed a large blood-colored web blocking the entrance to the cave. That powerful Night Spirit witch just sealed off the entrance to the aberration den with blood magic. Philia said, while holding a telescope: What are they trying to do? Is there really a Bone-mending Wand down there? Do they want to keep it for themselves? Philia put down the telescope and pondered: It seems quite likely That Bone-mending Wand contains the crystallization of all the knowledge accumulated by the Death Herald Guild over the years. Any wizard force that obtains the Bone-mending Wand is essentially gaining the research results of the Undead Cult for 10 years. Good thing our Elemental Judgment never researches wands, which can easily be lost Noland Lee shook his head and sighed with a hint of sarcasm: Thats why Professor Dekart, behind the Death Herald Guild, is suffering the consequences of his youth, Philia. If it had been an older Death Clan Wizard force and an older Lecturer Professor, this situation of research results being stolen would not have happened Exactly, exactly. Philia nodded repeatedly. Noland Lee was merely elaborating on Philias thoughts, but that didnt prevent him from chatting with her. Philias body swayed slightly, her eyes went from clear to hazy. This state only lasted for about five seconds, and Noland Lee, who had been observing the abandoned building, keenly noticed it. Whats wrong, Philia? Philia came to her senses, rubbed her temples, and said: My Lecturer Professor just pulled me into a dream. My mentor asked the professor to pass on a message, to let us stay where we are and not to move. We should hide in the magic car and not go near that abandoned building. The Wandering Wizards from all over the city are rushing here. They all got the news from their Lecturer Professors that the Night Spirit Cult had illegally opened a teleportation gate. This is going to be quite lively now. Noland Lees eyes shimmered, pondering. What did Philia just say? The Lecturer Professor pulled her into a dream? It seems the Ulnas Circles online teaching is related to the Dreamscape. However, that wasnt Noland Lees main concern. The main point was, before long, the abandoned building would be filled with Wandering Wizards. He and Philia were hiding in the shadows, out of the line of sight of the Wandering Wizards. How could they take advantage of this situation and make a fortune in the midst of this bustling chaos With the System at hand, Noland felt like hed be missing out if he didnt make the most of the opportunity.. Chapter 322 - Chapter 322:126. Earth I s Crustal Change Chapter 322:126. Earth I s Crustal Change Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee sat silently in the passenger seat, quietly pondering a plan to maximize the gains from this situation. He was in the Breath of the Dead state, taking the form of a skeleton. With no flesh or skin on his face, others couldnt see his expression change. However, Philia could still detect his contemplative state. She rolled her eyes and remarked: You must be plotting how to control me and seize control of the magic car, right? Noland Lee was startled, canceling the Breath of the Dead state, transforming back into human form, and looking confusedly at the displeased Philia: Huh? What? What are you talking about? Seize the control of the magic car? No, not at all. Hmph. My mentor said that you wandering wizards are especially good at exploiting loopholes and taking risks. He told me to be careful and never let the magic car fall into your hands. You wandering wizards always have hidden motives, who knows what youll do with the magic car Noland Lee hesitated: No, no, I was just thinking about something else I think youre a good person, not as terrible as my mentor thinks. Thats why I said this to you. Yeah, I know, I understand. Noland Lee nodded and spoke before Philia had a chance to say anything: Philia, look, up until now, my Lecturer Professor hasnt dragged me into the Dreamscape. What does that imply? It means he knows Im weak and not qualified to intervene in the upcoming events. I do have self-awareness, and Im proactive in avoiding trouble. I wont make decisions without the Lecturer Professors orders. Even if he really wants me to seize control of the magic car to do something, Ill consider our friendship, right? Philia blushed and awkwardly replied: Youre right Im sorry; I got the wrong idea about you. Its fine, its fine, misunderstandings happen; clearing them up is what matters. Noland Lee waved his hand, then suddenly paused: Hiss But, Philia, I have a few questions for you. What? Philia touched her flushed face and looked at him with confusion. Are there any attack-type magical devices on this magic car? He asked. No. Philia shook her head. Noland Lee asked again: So, if this magic car can withstand attacks from a Seventh Ring Wizard, when its moving at full speed, wouldnt it act like an indestructible hammer, crushing enemies to bits? Noland Lee firmly believed in the principle of action and reaction. When an object has strong enough defensive capabilities, it can become more than just a vehicle! The magic car could become a mud truck! After hearing Noland Lees words, Philia was taken aback: Huh? Using a magic car to ram a wizard? Yeah, dont you think thats the only way us two weak wizards can deal with the roaming wizards? Noland Lee said: Think about it, if the Bone-mending Wand falls into the hands of the Night Spirit Cults wizard, and your mentor doesnt send anyone to support you, what will you do? How can you stop the Night Spirit Magician with the Bone-mending Wand from escaping? If you miss the chance to obtain the Bone-mending Wand, how will your mentor pay the reward for capturing Samuelson? Yeah Philia muttered. Noland Lee gently coaxed her: We must make thorough preparations to prevent the roaming wizards from taking the Bone-mending Wand. This is crucial evidence of the Death Herald Guild breaking the rules and entering the Fission Wilderness. It must end up in the hands of the Elemental Judgement. Yes, yes, youre right. Philia nodded vigorously, So, what should we do? First, we wait on the ground. Once we detect who has the Bone-mending Wand, well drive the magic car to follow and ram the enemy from behind. I suggest that I drive, while you snatch the Bone-mending Wand. As soon as the Bone-mending Wand is in our hands, well immediately return to Union City Philia greatly agreed with Noland Lees proposal, continuously nodding her small head like a pecking bird. Yes, yes, yes, it is decided.. But Philias eyes became more clear and alert as she looked at Noland Lee with caution: In the end, arent you trying to wrest control of the magic car from me? Um. Noland Lee was momentarily at a loss for words, It seems that way. Philia looked him up and down and sighed softly: Fine, Ill trust you this time. After all, you helped me kill the Young Raven and obtained Samuels mask, which makes you far more reliable than the other wandering wizards. Yeah, thats right- Seeing Philia accept his proposal, Noland Lee secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced at the scene around the abandoned building and pointed towards the sky: Someone is coming. Philia picked up her telescope and checked: Yes, three people in total. Theyve used precious Magic Broom Summoning Scrolls. They must have received definite information from the Lecturer Professor to come here as quickly as possible. Let me take a closer look; lets see who these three are After observing for a few seconds, Philia identified the three people. The Death Series can be broken down into multiple branches, some of which are more common. The Night Spirit Cult belongs to the Night Spirit Branch, in which there is only one wizard force, the Night Spirit Cult. The members of this force call themselves Night Spirits and are adept in blood magic and death magic, similar to vampires. The White Bone Branch focuses on bone magic and death magic and can be further divided into multiple sub-forces that specialize in bone magic.. Chapter 323 - Chapter 323: 126. Earth’s Crust Change_2 Chapter 323: 126. Earths Crust Change_2 Translator: 549690339 The White Bone Branch held the largest influence, the oldest history, and the most numerous wizards among the Death Clan Wizards. Tomb King is not only the name of the wizard force but also the nickname of the Head of this wizard force. Based on bones, the Tomb King had developed numerous Bone Magic techniques. Well-known techniques such as Bone Reaper, White Bone Shield, and Bone Storm all originated from the Tomb King within the Death Clan Wizard Faction. The third mainstream branch of the Death Series was the Hotams Magic Academy C Death Wizard Branch. Hotams Magic Academy was the oldest and most orthodox wizard force among all wizard factions and forces, also known as the Academy Faction. Hotams had multiple branches according to the different fields of magic. The Death Wizard Branch was a part of Hotams Magic Academy and focused specifically on researching Death Magic. Unlike the research on white bones by the Tomb King and Blood Magic Power by the Night Spirit Cult, the Death Wizard Academy specialized in researching Death Energy itself. Techniques like Death Pulse, Death Flight, and Death Shield solely relied on Death Energy and did not utilize any other casting materials. All of these magic spells originated from Hotams Death Department. The Tomb King, Night Spirit Cult, and Hotams Death Branch were the mainstream forces among the Death Clan Wizard Group. Other branches of the Death Series, such as the Revivalists Cult, were just small factions with very limited scales. Among the three Wandering Wizards rushing towards the Abandoned Building: The skeleton wearing a black robe and having a sturdy bone structure came from the Tomb King, had a Three Circle Strength and was proficient in Bone Magic and Death Magic. His name was Nikcat. The middle-aged man with a pointy wizard hat, a black cloak bearing the Hotams emblem, and glasses in his nose bridge was from the Hotams Magic Academy C Death Wizard Branch. He had an air of intellect, but he was definitely not to be underestimated as combat courses were essential in any magic academy. All wizards who graduated from Hotams Magic Academy were Combat Wizards, which was different from the majority of wizards from the Tomb King or the Night Spirit Cult, who did not specialize in combat. Besides, the wizards of the Academy Faction were especially proficient in casting spells at a much faster pace than most non-academy wizards. If one was not careful against these swiftly casting wizards, they could be hit by several spells at once. The third Wandering Wizard was a woman with a dramatically curvy figure, wearing a black veil covering her stunning face. Her name was Denise Green, a Third-Ring Wizard from the Revivalists Cult. A skeleton, a male wizard wearing a pointy academy hat, and a voluptuous small faction witch. These three had spent a fortune to use the expensive Magic Broom Summoning Scroll to travel from Union City to the Abandoned Building at speeds exceeding 300 kilometers per hour. They hurried all the way but were stopped by the Blood Magic Seal in front of the Abandoned Building Nikcat from the Tomb King had no time to argue. He disassembled his skeleton into hundreds of bone fragments. His body turned into fragments, drilling into the dense Blood Magic seal, attempting to pass through the gaps between the Blood Magic threads. However, before he could dive deep into the Blood Magic Seal, the suspended blood beads simultaneously emitted a red light, bursting out a large amount of blood fog. Nikcat quickly retreated, with various bone fragments escaping in panic. He retreated in a timely manner, but there was too much blood fog in the Blood Magic Seal. Several bone fragments were unable to escape the Blood Magic Seal and melted rapidly in the blood fog like burning candles, turning into white mud. The escaped bone fragments gathered together, and amidst the crisp collision sounds, Nikcat in a black robe reassembled. He was missing several pieces of bone on the left side of his face, which was the injury left by the blood fog in the Blood Magic Seal. Nikcat coldly chuckled using his leaking, hoarse voice: Hehehe Among the wizards teleported by the Night Spirit Cult, there is at least one Five Rings Strength Night Spirit Magician. She isnt a combat wizard from the Night Spirit Cult, or else the Blood Magic Seal wouldnt have only this level of offensive power. Nikcats facial bones wriggled, healing his facial injuries. He looked to the other two Wandering Wizards and stared at them with the empty sockets of his skull, darkly saying: You two, if you dont show some skills, dont expect to break the Night Spirit Magicians Blood Magic Seal. Or are you planning to wait here and let the Night Spirit Wizard deliver the Bone -mending Wand right to your doorstep? The middle-aged Academy Faction male wizard pushed the glasses on his nose bridge and glanced at Nikcat indifferently. He raised his hand and pressed the pointy wizard hat on his head, and within a whisk, he drew out his magic wand from his waist and flicked his wrist, casting a black ray forward. Death Claiming Curse! Psssh! The black ray filled with death breath was as thick as a thigh. It stabbed into the Blood Magic Seal, bursting into a wave of black storm that crushed a bunch of blood beads and threads. However, when the black storm dissipated, the crushed blood pillars and threads returned to their original state, as if they were never damaged at all. The eyes of the male Academy wizard narrowed behind his lens, and there was a hint of tension on his face: Chapter 324 - Chapter 324: 126.Earth Fissure_3 Chapter 324: 126.Earth Fissure_3 Translator: 549690339 At least its a Blood Magic Seal laid down by a Sixth Ring Night Spirit Wizard. This just exceeds the limit of what I can handle. It seems Fugidia has figured out my combat capability. Nikcat and the Academy Male Wizard turned to the only female witch on the spot. However, Denise Green did not test the seal as they expected but retreated a step, sat on her magic broom. She glanced at a corner of the sky without revealing anything, then left a sentence with her gentle voice. Riding her magic broom, she rose into the air, flying towards Union City: This is tricky, so Ill stay out of it. I wish both of you success. The scene of Denise chickening out and leaving unexpectedly caused Nikcat and the Academy Male Wizard to gasp. Apparently, they did not expect her to beat a hasty retreat. The Resurrection Witch is really as timid as the rumors say Nikcat sneered with disdain, evident on his skeleton face. She has no Contractors protection. Her decision is smart, the Academy Male Wizard casually commented with an indifferent tone. Contractor? Nikcat asked, puzzled. Obviously, the Academy Male Wizard knew more about the Resurrection Witch than Nikcat, but he wasnt willing to elaborate. Thus, he just shook his head slightly, not answering Nikcats question. After the silence for a moment, they exchanged glances, offering a brief, tacit nodding of their heads. Nikcat bent slightly, stretched out his arm and spoke: The Hotams family is prominent, the Magic Transmission Department wouldnt dare offend you you may begin, Academy Battle Wizard Sharp. The Academy Male Wizard named Sharp raised his arm, pointed his magic wand towards the heavens, and said: I hear the Tomb Kings Tomb needs fresh bone material, dont disappoint the Tomb King, Nikcat. Of course, Sharp. Nikcat took his left index finger off, pinched the bone and pointed it towards the heavens. The two of them began to chant spells subsequently. Hotams, Tams, Braladang! Sharp recounted the spell that called for support in the form of a curse, a very short spell casting. His magic wand shot out invisible vibrations pointing towards the bright star wrapped around a seven-color storm in the sky. Black light descended from the star. As it approached ground level, it split in two, turning into two Academy wizards who stood beside Sharp. Before the moon could cast its silvery light to prevent the teleportation gate from opening, Nikcat began to chant: Standing on the Pinnacle of Bones, mastering the Essence of Death! Venturing into the Silent Black Valley, witnessing the Primordial Extinction! You are the Lord of Bones, the pioneer of the Skeleton Voyage! You are the Supreme Ossuary, the master of the Skeleton Throne! I summon you, my king, I have found fresh bone material for you! I need your assistance! Nikcats voice seemed like a gloomy wind in a tranquil valley, drifting into the starry sky, leading to the response of a pale white star. A slide of bones fell from the heavens, clattered down onto the open ground beside Nikcat, then turned into two robust skeletons amidst the sounds of the colliding bones. Only at this moment, the moon in the sky scattered silvery light, pushing back the star surrounded by the storm and the pale white star to their original state. By the time the anomalies in the starry sky subsided, there were two more groups of figures near the abandoned building. Two Academy wizards were teleported from Hotams Magic Academy. They were much younger than Sharp, both were males. However, they were not Three-Ring Battle Wizards, but merely two-ring mid-school level Combat Wizard Students. The two Tomb Wizards who Nikcat had summoned were huskier than himself. Their eye sockets were pitch black, revealing no emotional changes. Upon their meeting, there were no formalities. They immediately cast their own magic, launching a fierce attack on the Blood Magic Seal. The Academy wizards swept the left side of the Blood Magic Seal, while the wizards of the Tomb King swept the right side. Neither party interfered with the other. Death Storm and Skeleton Storm, one on the left and one on the right, rush into the Blood Magic Seal, destroying large amounts of blood beads and blood threads in their rampage. The gap between a Combat Wizard and a non-combat wizard was strikingly evident at this moment. The Death Storm released by Sharp and the other three combat wizards pushed the Skeleton Storm into the corner, occupying more than eighty percent of the Blood Magic Seal. On the other hand, the performance of the Skeleton Storm was disappointing. Not only did it occupy a small area of the Blood Magic Seal, but it was also affected by the power of the Death Storm, which shattered many bones. Nevertheless, after the sweeping magic assault, the destroyed blood beads and threads fail to recover. The Blood Magic Seal was broken completely by their combined efforts. Nikcat, who was dozens of meters away, spoke to Sharp: The combat strength of the Hotams magic is as renowned as expected, we extend our respect to the mighty. The Tomb King only needs the bone material from the Bone-mending Wand, not the knowledge. Sharp nodded slightly, speaking in an unquestionable tone: We only need the knowledge in the Bone-mending Wand, not the bone material. We get the knowledge, you get the bone material, and the core of the wand goes to the Elemental Judgement. Nikcat bent slightly, extended his hand, inviting Sharp and his group to move first: We completely agree with your proposal. After you, Combat Wizards. Sharp didnt decline. He and the Academy wizards nodded, turning into black bands, and whooshed into the abandoned building.. Chapter 325 - Chapter 325: 126. Earth’s Crustal Change_4 Chapter 325: 126. Earths Crustal Change_4 Translator: 549690339 The Tomb Kings party, Nikcat and his companions, scattered in place, transforming into a pile of white bones. The bone piles floated into the air, forming a bone storm around the central axis. Bones connected head -to-tail, converging on a central spine within the storm. In less than 30 seconds, the original three skeletons transformed into a small, plump skeleton adept at maneuvering through the tunnels. Finally, the Savage Stone Wasteland bid farewell to the clamor and welcomed tranquility. Inside the magical car. Noland Lee was recalling Denise Greens glance at the magic car. Somehow, the witch had detected its presence, but for some unknown reason, she didnt say much about it. Philia was holding a telescope, examining the abandoned building. Suddenly, half-asleep and half-awake, she received instructions from the Lecturer Professor in a trance of two seconds. The Lecturer Professor says that our Chief Sorcerer of Elemental Judgement has already been in contact with the Tomb King, Night Spirit Cult, and Hotams. The Tomb King can take away two-thirds of the bone material on the Bone-mending Wand, the Night Spirit Cult can take away one-third of the wand core and one-third of the bone material, while Hotams will pay remuneration for the knowledge of the undead spirits they will gain, she reported. Philia relayed the professors words to Noland Lee: The professor asked me to wait here. If everything goes well, we can take two-thirds of the wand core and a magical contract book with us. As long as we get these things, Elemental Judgement will not pursue the Tomb King and the other parties for their rule-breaking teleportation It seems that it has nothing to do with us, Ray. We can just wait here. It was so harmonious Noland Lee admitted that he hadnt anticipated that things would develop this way. However, thinking about it, it made sense. Both the Tomb King and the Night Spirit Cult, as well as Hotams branch of Death Wizards, were all well-established and legitimate wizard forces within the Ulnas Circle. Each party had cooperated multiple times, forming a tacit understanding long ago. For example, between Academy Wizard Sharp and Ancient Tomb Wizard Nikcat. The two spoke fewer than ten sentences from beginning to end, yet they avoided conflicts and misunderstandings. They set aside their differences within the Death Series to jointly plan for the Bone-mending Wand. This shows that there are hidden, unwritten rules formed between the old forces within the Ulnas Circle. In the end, only the Death Herald Guild suffered heavy losses in this event of plundering the Bone-mending Wand. Other forces didnt make a huge fortune, but at least they ended up with safezone. The Death Herald Guild had only themselves to blame. They were the ones who first broke the rules by entering the Fission Wilderness, providing a legal pretext for other wandering wizards to intervene in the case. Focusing on who played the biggest role in this incident, Noland Lee thought it was himself If he hadnt encountered Greenshaw at the Narrow Pass of the Empire, there wouldnt have been any conflict between them. For Death Herald Guild, infiltrating the defense of the Empires army would presumably be easy for Greenshaw. If the Death Herald Guild really wanted to hold someone accountable, they should blame Greenshaw. If he hadnt meddled with Nolands disguise, everything would have been fine. Noland and he would have gone their separate ways, not bothering each other, and none of this whole succession of events about competing for the Bone-mending Wand would have happened. However, there was one thing that Noland couldnt figure out: Who brought the Bone-mending Wand to Savage Stone Wasteland? The Aberration? Samuelson? Or some other hidden person or thing? Noland didnt know if he was overthinking the matter, but he felt that the events of everyone competing for the Bone-mending Wand that night were not that simple. At least, hed stay vigilant until he figured out who brought the Wand to the Savage Stone Wasteland. Boom! About 20 minutes after Sheldon Archer and the others went underground, the ground began to tremble inexplicably, with sand on the surface of the dunes sliding down. The left front wheel of the magic car sank into the sand pit, causing the car to tilt. Philia quickly put down the telescope, started the magic car, and hovered it a few meters above the ground. Boomboomboom Earthquake roars came from the underground. Noland Lee and Philia clung to the car window, heart pounding. They observed the sand sea below, rolling like drumskin, with sand and stone flying. Huge rocks jumped up to several meters high and then fell heavily, creating holes and splashing sand everywhere. Philia, fly a bit higher. The earthquake in the Savage Stone Wasteland is strong! Noland said calmly. Yes! Philia pulled the lever, controlling the magic car to soar into the sky. The magic car could not only withstand external attacks, wind during flight, but also explosions, booms, and shock waves caused by collisions and sound waves. The earthquake that set off the violent movements of the sand sea appeared torrential and unstoppable, creating a majestic scene of raging sand and swirling dust in the night sky. Luckily, Noland had promptly asked Philia to rise into the air, and thankfully, the magic cars defensive performance was excellent. Otherwise, the situation they faced wouldnt have been as simple as the slight trembling of the car body. Philia, lets leave the Savage Stone Wasteland quickly. This earthquake doesnt seem to be going to stop easily. Amid the humming noise in the car, Noland shouted at Philia. Alright! We will come back after the earthquake is over! Philia turned the steering wheel, stepped on the accelerator, driving towards the horizon while puzzledly saying: Chapter 326 - Chapter 326: 126.Earth Fissure_5 Chapter 326: 126.Earth Fissure_5 Translator: 549690339 Just for a Bone-Mending Wand, it shouldnt have caused such a ruckus underground, right? Noland Lee tapped the rattling car door, his face serious and his brows furrowed. Philia, Ive said it before, Samuelson is not a combat wizard, his ability to fight head-on is not strong. But when it comes to deceit, he has enough means to make Sheldon Archer and others run circles. Even if he puts the Bone-Mending Wand in front of me and tucks it in my pocket, I would still doubt whether the wand I get is real or not. Noland Lee paused, then asked: Did you tell the professor or mentor about Samuelson appearing here? No Philia tightened her grip on the steering wheel. In the Dreamscape, I can only passively receive information from the professor, I cant speak at all. I havent been able to tell the professor and mentor about the appearance of Samuelsons illusion servant. Noland Lee gestured with his hands and said: Look, weve found the problem now. Other than us two, no one knows that Samuelsons illusion servant has appeared here. They all think that their enemy is only the Aberration. A bit agitated, Philias breath became unstable: If only I had advanced to the third circle when I was cleaning up the Demon Rat Nest This way, I could deliver the news and this situation wouldnt have happened I I didnt cause this, did I Hearing Philia mentioning the matter of cleaning up the Demon Rat Nest, Noland Lee guiltily shrunk his neck. Dont panic, Philia. Isnt there a method for immediate long-distance communication between you and your mentor? Strangely enough, Noland Lee kept realizing that all of these wizards he met didnt seem to have a means of long-distance communication. Other than face-to-face encounters, they relied on entering the Dreamscape and establishing mental contact with the professor with the help of the professors power. Not having efficient remote communication seems to be a characteristic of this world. Its understandable that the Tatis Empire, with its low industrial level, only has letters for long-distance communication. Then look at the Golden Federation here. Alchemy is so advanced, alchemists are everywhere, yet there has not been an invention such as an alchemical telephone. Not just them, even wizards, who control magic, havent developed a spell for immediate long-distance communication. Its as if a Two-Dimensional Foil is blocking everyone from lighting up the Immediate Long-Distance Communication technology point. Wait Noland Lee suddenly realized that he was off the mark. There is actually a means of immediate long-distance communication in this world. The Mind Beacon, a type of mental magic, can achieve this effect. But why hasnt the act of using mental magic for immediate long-distance communication become common? Is it really because of the Two-Dimensional Foils interference? Or is it perhaps due to some profound extraordinary power? Noland Lee couldnt help but ponder. Upon hearing his question, Philia shook her head and said: For now, I dont have a method to communicate immediately over long distances with my mentor, Ray Lee. Only after becoming a third circle wizard will I be allowed to speak in the professors Dreamscape and have a chance to possess my own Magic Messenger. By that time, I can then use the professors power, or use the Magic Messenger to contact my mentor Do you Death Clan wizards have any good methods? No, there isnt. Our situation is the same as you Elemental Judgement wizards, we also rely on the Dreamscape and Magic Messenger. Noland Lee responded with an honest face. I was just curious whether you Elemental Judgement wizards have developed any elemental magic that allows immediate long-distance communication, so I asked casually. I see. Philia did not mind, she shook her head again and said: We havent developed that kind of magic. I heard from my teacher that many wizard forces in the Ulnas Circle are racking their brains researching magic, hoping to develop a spell that can achieve immediate long-distance communication. But all of them ended up failing, and they suffered heavy casualties, one by one they were killed by the noise coming from the starry sky I should warn you, you must not think about developing such a spell, its too dangerous. Got it, I understand. I still have that much common sense. Noland Lee squinted at the starry sky, his eyes exuding a thoughtful gleam. Firstly, there are celestial bodies that seem to be stars, but are actually teleportation gates. Then theres the noise from the starry sky hindering wizards from researching the magic of immediate long-distance communication. This starry sky, these stars, theyre truly strange. Noland Lee was doubtful if the starry sky and stars he sees are natural cosmic backgrounds and celestial bodies. Furthermore, considering the body of the Dusk Giant that fell from the sky and landed on Tatis Empires land, Noland Lee was even more skeptical of the starry sky above him. On the verge of asking Philia about the common knowledge of the starry sky, he dismissed the idea thinking that its probably common knowledge every wizard knows. Approximately half an hour after the magic car flew out of the Savage Stone Wasteland, The Sand Sea gradually calmed down, no longer violently shaking as before. When the Sand Sea completely fell silent, the magic car battled against the slowly sinking sand and headed towards the abandoned building again. A fissure with a width of over 500 meters and at least 3 kilometers in length abruptly appeared on the sand sea below. Chapter 327 - Chapter 327: 126. Earth Fissure_6 Chapter 327: 126. Earth Fissure_6 Translator: 549690339 A circle of yellow sand cascaded down the dark edge of the rift, forming a sand waterfall. The distinct odor of Aberrations seeped out from the seemingly bottomless rift, spreading to the surrounding areas of Savage Stone Wasteland along the night breeze. Philia stared at the fissure in an incredulous daze, her facial expression frozen in shock. Confronted with the pitch-black rift, Noland Lee was able to maintain his composure, albeit with difficulty. The length of the fissure that appeared in Sand Sea was only about one-tenth that of the large rift in the Union City. A difference in a ratio of 10:1 indicated that there potentially were only 10% of Aberrations beneath the Sand Sea compared to that of Union Citys large rift. Though the percentage seemed small, it was quite an alarming number. That was because the expansion rate of the Aberrations was incredibly fast. Without any constraint, the fissure on the Sand Sea would soon expand into an extensive rift that stretched for dozens of kilometers. But a question arose. The alchemy textbook, A Brief History of Alchemy in the Golden Federation, clearly mentioned: There were nine large rifts caused by the Aberrations within the whole Federation, and their quantity was fixed. Among the nine, eight were in a closed state. Only in Union City was there an active large rift. Over the past decades, the Alchemy Cathedral had repeatedly confirmed that at least one active large rift would exist within the Federation. Only by closing the large rift in Union City could they randomly activate another large rift in another location. However, given that the large rift in Union City was not closed, why had a new large rift appeared in the Savage Stone Wasteland? There was no large rift in a closed state in the Savage Stone Wasteland. The eight large rifts closed by the Alchemy Cathedral were all in the cities north of Union City, and they had nothing to do with the Savage Stone Wasteland. Noland Lees pupils slightly dilated. After ruling out all the wrong answers, there was only one truth left. The large rift in the Savage Stone Wasteland was not caused by the closure of other large rifts. It was an entirely new rift! The Golden Federation was witnessing the arrival of the tenth large rift in the entire Federation territory on this night! Moreover, it was an active rift! Philia took a deep breath, puffed up her cheeks like a full moon, then snapped out of her daze: The Aberration nest beneath the Savage Stone Wasteland has given birth to a Nest Core! The earthquake just now was caused by the Nest Core opening the large rift! A Nest Core? Noland Lee asked: What is that? Why is there no mention of it in the books? Yes, the books available for purchase wont mention this. Philia pressed her throbbing cheeks before saying: Aberrations are very strange creatures. Our Elemental Judgement has studied them for many years but only came up with some vague conclusions. They can silently grow from the depths of caves that we overlook, like fungi. At the beginning, there are only a few weak Aberrations in the group. After about half a year, their group gradually grows, and more powerful Aberrations like Seeders and Devourers are born. The appearance of Seeders signifies that the Aberration nest has somewhat taken shape. If not restrained, the Nest Core will emerge in the nest in as short as a year or as long as three years. After the Nest Core accumulates enough power, it will trigger an earthquake, creating a rift on the ground connecting the outside world. Philia scratched her head, looking puzzled: But why did the Nest Core form so quickly here? Its only been half a month since you and Kent discovered the Aberration nest. Noland Lee replied: Maybe the Aberration nest here has been around for almost a year before we discovered it. We might have just stumbled upon it when it birthed the Nest Core. No, thats impossible, Philia shook her head decisively: Nests that have been around for a year must have more than just Seeders. After alerting the nest, you and Kent must have encountered double-winged Aberrations; finding only traces of Seeders is highly unlikely. The double-wingedmutants Noland pointed outside the window: You mean the ones with wings out there? Philia rushed to the window and looked down: Yes, yes, yes, the ones with two sets of wings that fly around in the sky. They are double-winged mutants. Even more advanced Aberrations would have three wings, four wings, or up to a dozen wings. We evaluate the development of Aberration nests based on the number of wings on their flying mutants. Philia picked up the telescope with a change in her tone: Strange, why do these double-winged mutants look all skin and bones, like malnourished premature babies? Noland Lee locked his gaze on the double-winged Aberrations flying out of the rift and cast Deconstruction from a distance. [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction on Birthed Double Winged Mutant.] [It is estimated to consume 10,000 Energy Points, allowing a deconstruction completion rate of 100%.] Birthed? Noland raised an eyebrow, seemingly detecting an important clue. On closer inspection, there was a mutant holding a magic wand at the center of the flock of double-winged mutants. The magic wand was broken into two pieces with cracks covering the surface of the bones. Though battered and broken, Noland instantly recognized its origin! A Bone-mending Wand! This wand, crafted by the Death Herald Guild, was actually in the hands of an aberration! Philia, let me drive, Noland Lee turned and said: I found the Bone-mending Wand. Its in the hand of the aberration in the center of that group of double-winged aberrations. Ill drive and scatter those double-winged aberrations; you seize the chance to snatch the wand. Philia shifted the telescope and looked at the double-winged aberrations flying south: Yes, I see it Come, you drive, and Ill cast spells. The two exchanged seats. Noland Lee sat in the drivers seat but didnt immediately step on the accelerator. With the invisibility of the magic car, he followed the strangely behaving double-winged aberrations from a distance. Philia summoned her alchemy weaponry, transformed into a white-furred Meow Meow person, drew her wand, and was always ready for battle. But facing the double-winged aberration team, she couldnt help but ask: Where are they going? Why are they constantly flying south? Are they heading to the Blade Mountain Range? Noland Lee pursed his lips tightly, shaking his head silently, a complex look with a hint of enlightenment flashing in his eyes. He actually knew the answer, but he couldnt tell Philia. Because the answer was obtained through Deconstruction. [System Message:] [You consumed 100 Energy Points to launch Deconstruction on the Birthed Double-winged Aberration.] [You have obtained part of the targets panel information:] [Name] Birthed Double-winged Aberration [Level] 15 (20) (The level in brackets is for normal double-winged aberrations) [Type] Living Alchemy Product, Cursed One, Tatis Empire Biochemical Mutation [Tier] Middle-tier Aberration Elite [Identity 1] Flying Guard of Aberration Den [Identity 2] Tatis Empire Military Intelligence Sergeant [Soul Strength] 7.5 points [Attributes] (Values in brackets are for normal double-winged aberrations) Power: 5 (9) Toughness: 17 (35) Vitality: 15 (5) Agility: 16 (30) Spirit: 12 (3) Charm: -12 (-6) [Features] 1. Inhuman mind: Aberrations are sentient human-like creatures. Due to significant differences in habits, body structure, and thought processes from human beings, the system does not recommend using Deconstruction or Mental Magic to obtain their memories and knowledge. If you forcibly deconstruct their memories, you will gain memory fragments full of smells and sounds but no pictures. This kind of memory fragment is identified by the system as having mental pollution and will be forcibly stripped of the polluted content. 2. Winged creature: Has the ability to fly, requires gas as a medium to exercise flying ability. 3. Metal Purification: Aberrations unique digestive system turns them into unique all-purpose metal powder extractors. Is this a gift? Or a curse? 4. Birthed Product This creature is birthed due to external stimuli and has only half the combat power of normal. (Due to the degree of deconstruction, you could not obtain more deconstruction results.) Intelligence Department 5. Noland Lee sighed softly, finally completing the functions of the Empires intelligence departments. Intelligence Department 1, related to the Emperor and his children, commonly known as the Imperial Guard. Intelligence Department 2, fighting against the Ulnas Circles First Level Magic Research Institute. Intelligence Department 3, researching the Twilight Dream, developing the Imperial Fist and biochemical soldiers. Intelligence Department 4, exploring physical ways to combat the Undead Cult. Intelligence Department 5, studying aberrations. Intelligence Department 6, infiltrating the Golden Federation. Noland Lee sensed the ambition of the Tatis Emperor. Given time, with the success of Intelligence Departments 5 and 6, the Fission Wilderness would be transformed. The group of double-winged aberrations bearing the identity of sergeants from the Tatis Empire Intelligence Department 5 in front of him was the most vivid example. Chapter 328 - Chapter 328: 127. Accompanying Witch Chapter 328: 127. Accompanying Witch Translator: 549690339 The group of double-winged mutants is about to fly out of the range of Savage Stone Wasteland. At this distance, if we attack them, it shouldnt quickly attract reinforcements from the aberrations within the Fissure Noland Lee gripped the steering wheel and spoke in a grave tone: Philia, get ready. In a moment, Ill drive directly towards the double-winged mutant with the Bone-mending Wand, and well snatch it at the fastest speed possible. If we dont succeed in one try, well do it again. Mm-hmm! Philia held her magic wand in one hand and grabbed the door handle with the other, Im ready! Go ahead, Ray Lee! Noland turned the steering wheel, stepped on the accelerator, and maneuvered the magic car to trace a semicircular arc. Without making a sound, the magic car sneaked to the left side of the double-winged aberrations. Noland floored the accelerator and rushed towards the enemy in a straight line at top speed. The outstanding performance of the magic car was fully demonstrated at this moment! It took only about two seconds to accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour, with a top speed of 410 kilometers per hour! The speed indicator on the dashboard went straight to the max! Transformed into a meteor soaring through the sky, the magic car plunged directly at the double-winged mutant carrying the Bone-mending Wand. While speeding up, the car remained in invisibility status, making it difficult for the enemies to guard against. Boom!!! An earth-shattering noise. The double-winged aberration hit by the magic car didnt even have a chance to scream before it burst into a cloud of blood and flesh in mid-air. The group of more than thirty double-winged aberrations was horizontally pierced by the magic car. In that instant, the magic car crushed nearly ten double-winged mutants. Those double-winged mutants that lucked out and avoided the collision were blown away by the airstream and sound wave created by the magic car. The clustered double-winged mutants were scattered and tossed in all directions by the violent wind. The magic car had smashed the double-winged mutant carrying the Bone-mending Wand to pieces, but it had also broken free from invisibility status. Noland controlled the magic car to turn around while pressing the magical rune that activated invisibility status. After pressing it several times, the magic car failed to cover itself with transparent veils, only causing the cars surface to flicker for a moment. It seemed that the violent impact didnt damage the car body, but it temporarily disabled the invisibility function. Noland could only give up his plan to make the magic car invisible. The magic car flipped in mid-air, tumbling along its horizontal axis to complete the turn while upside down. This maneuvering left Philia dazzled and disoriented. Her mouth agape, she wore a look of amazement: Wow you can handle the magic car like this! So much better than me! Noland chuckled: No big deal, Philia. We charged too fast just now and couldnt stop in time, so we accidentally missed the Bone-mending Wand find its location quickly, and Ill initiate the second charge. Mm-hmm! Philia picked up the telescope, took a look at the aberrations flapping their wings, and pointed to a corner in the sky: The Bone-mending Wand is there! Those two double-winged mutants picked up the broken wand, and each of them is holding one half. Watch out, Ray Lee! Those double-winged mutants you shattered a moment ago are coming back to life! Noland narrowed his eyes. He first looked at the two double-winged mutants holding broken pieces of the Bone-mending Wand, and then focused on the wriggling flesh and filthy blood suspended in the air. That flesh and filthy blood were produced after the magic car crushed the double-winged mutants. Instead of falling to the ground under gravity, they remained suspended in the air, gathering to form several large floating balls of wriggling flesh. Noland realized that this group of double-winged mutants wasnt as simple as they seemed, and they were much more challenging to deal with than the mutants that couldnt fly. When Noland had just crashed into the double-winged mutants with the magic car, a system message had arrived. Noland quickly scanned the system panel in the fastest possible time. [System Message:] [You have inflicted repressive action-level weak point damage to the Double-Winged Mutant!] [Passive Deconstruction Activated!] [The degree of deconstruction for Double-Winged Mutant increases from 1% to 10%] [You have gained the following Deconstruction results:] [The panel information for the Double-Winged Mutant has been updated, with an added introduction for the Flesh Splitting skill.] [Flesh Splitting, Level 3.] [This is a Thanatophobic passive skill that is only effective against kinetic damage.] [When faced with lethal kinetic damage, a double-winged mutant can evade death by actively splitting itself into tens of thousands of limb fragments, effectively unloading lethal kinetic damage. This passive skill can be triggered up to 3 times within 24 hours.] Noland became slightly heavy-hearted. It turned out that crushing the double-winged mutants just now didnt instantly kill them but just triggered their protective passive to unload the kinetic damage. No wonder the flesh and filthy blood of those crushed double-winged mutants lingered suspended in mid-air, eventually forming balls of wriggling flesh. Noland looked at the fleshy balls that were transforming back into winged humanoid creatures, his eyebrows tightly knitted. The Flesh Splitting passive skill can be effective 3 times within 24 hours. Theoretically, crashing into the group of double-winged mutants 3 times would be enough to kill them completely. However, this plan is challenging to execute, as the field situation doesnt allow Noland to keep colliding with the enemies. While the magic car had turned around, the double-winged mutants that hadnt been hit by the car had already taken on attacking postures. Their fleshy wings on their backs, originally similar to plucked chicken wings, now appeared meaty and lacked any real offensive capabilities. Chapter 329 - Chapter 329: 127. Accompanying Witch_2 Chapter 329: 127. Accompanying Witch_2 Translator: 549690339 Now, the flesh wings had entered a rapid growth state, extending from over two meters in length to more than five meters, with numerous bone spurs emerging on their surface. Upon seeing the magic car forced to reveal itself from its invisible state, the double-winged aberrations screeched and flew towards it. As they flew, they spun in mid-air like a spinning top, then suddenly spread their wings, flinging the bone spurs on their wings towards the magic car. Just as Noland Lee stepped on the accelerator, numerous bone spurs, like short daggers, hurled towards him, clattering on the magic car. The exterior of the magic car and the front windshield managed to block these bone spurs, but they could not avoid the dents, scratches, and cobweb-like cracks on the glass made by the assailant. This fierce barrage terrified the two people in the car, fearing that the bone spurs would penetrate the magic cars protective shield and enter the vehicle. Fortunately, the magic cars defense capabilities were up to the task. As Noland Lee drove into the crowd of enemies amidst the bone spur storm, not a single spur penetrated the vehicle. Thud! Thud! The magic car smashed through several double-winged aberrations, spraying blood mist. The sound of this impact was nowhere near as crisp as before. The force of the impact was also not as strong as before. This was partly due to the disruptive effect of the bone spur attack on the magic cars flight and Noland Lees deliberate deceleration. After crushing the two double-winged mutants wielding the Bone-mending Wands, Noland Lee immediately hit the brakes, swung the steering wheel, and performed a mid-air drift. He parked the magic car between the double-winged aberrations and the Bone-mending Wands, using the cars body to create cover for Philia. Philia, quickly open the door and grab the Bone-mending Wands! Philia pushed open the passenger door, reached out her magic wand, casting several wind belts towards the falling two halves of the Bone-mending Wands and their cores. Crash! Bone spurs attacked again, covering the vehicles body in dents with magic metal chips flying everywhere. The drivers seat glass was suddenly covered in hundreds of cobweb-like cracks. Noland Lees forehead twitched, and he quickly cast Magic Shield to protect himself. Bang! The car door closed, and Philia excitedly yelled: Lets go, Ray Lee! We got the Bone-mending Wands! As Noland Lee turned the steering wheel and stepped on the accelerator, he heard Philia moan in pain. Ah Ah I feel so terrible Noland Lee glanced at Philia beside him, and his scalp tingled. He saw a white finger bone like a wriggling maggot within the broken Bone-mending Wand, aggressively burrowing back and forth into Philias tender hand, as if trying to dig into her palm. This white finger bone was the wand core of the Bone-mending Wand! The most sinister part of the whole wand was this core! On just one glance at the core, Noland Lee felt as if he was surrounded by mountains of corpses and seas of blood, with countless tragic screams and wails echoing in his ears. He barely controlled the image of the sea of blood in his mind and focused all his attention on reading the user manual of the Bone-mending Wand. Let me see if theres a temporary way to seal the wand Oh! Found it! Noland Lee pulled out his own magic wand, aimed it at the wriggling wand core, and sketched two Undead Runes using Death Energy. The Undead Runes turned into black light, striking the core that was about to burrow into Philias palm. The core shuddered, stiffening like it had been struck by lightning and slipped off. Noland Lee didnt have time to check Philias condition, so he just scooped up the wand core and stuffed it into a prepared metal box. He then sketched a few more Undead Runes and fired two streaks of black light at the broken Bone-mending Wand. Under the effect of the black light, the filthy Bone-mending Wand became tame and restrained, no longer recklessly casting nightmarish images of the sea of blood and corpses. The oppressive atmosphere in the magic car lightened considerably. Noland Lee took the two broken pieces of the Bone-mending Wand from Philia and stuffed them both into the metal box. High-grade magic tools like the Bone-mending Wand could no longer be contained in ordinary Folding Space, and even the Blood Haven space on Noland Lees person was unable to store it. Using an ordinary metal box as a storage container for the Bone-mending Wand at this time was something Noland Lee had to resort to. Looking at Philias condition, she had already fallen into a deep coma. Her Alchemy Weaponry had passively deactivated, changing her back from a white Meow Meow Person to her original girl form. Her face was pale, her eyes tightly closed, her face contorted in pain. Strings of sweat hung on her cheeks, dampening her hair. Upon closer inspection, her closed eyelids would occasionally release some black fumes, appearing very eerie. Noland Lee cast Deconstruction, consuming some energy points to examine Philias condition. [Negative effect:] [Mental Trauma:] [Currently at Level 1, increasing by 1 level every 30 minutes. Duration: up to 24 hours.] [The core of the Bone-mending Wand has caused serious negative effects on Philias brain. She needs effective treatment as soon as possible.] [For every level increase in Mental Trauma, Philia will receive a new negative effect.] [System prediction: the imminent negative effect is Severe Memory Loss.] Severe Memory Loss? Thats troublesome Noland Lee glanced at the rearview mirror. After the magic car accelerated at full speed, he left the double-winged mutants far behind. With the enemies no longer interfering, the most important task now was to treat Philia. Noland Lee checked his Personal Panel, inspecting his Spell List. Regrettably, Although he was proficient in death-type magic and had some knowledge of mental magic, he had no idea how to treat Philia. Chapter 330 - Chapter 330: 127. Accompanying Witch_3 Chapter 330: 127. Accompanying Witch_3 Translator: 549690339 At this point, the only way to go was to speed up and quickly reach Union City. Thinking about the level of Mental Trauma increasing every 30 minutes, Noland Lee felt anxious and wished he could add a rocket booster to the magic car. The magic car accelerated continuously, heading straight for Union City and leaving the double-winged mutants far behind. Noland Lee looked away from the rearview mirror, pursed his lips, and focused on driving the magic car through the sky. From time to time, painful groans were heard from Philia inside the car. After considering for a moment, Noland gritted his teeth and fetched a Life Elixir from the Blood Haven for Philia. The Life Elixir was of no effect. It was specifically designed for physical injuries, which had no impact on mental trauma. Noland sighed in his heart. Now he could only step on the gas and hurry back to Union City. Time slowly passed, and the magic car raced through the sky. Philias body convulsed in her seat, uttering frightened cries in her coma, as if she were fighting demons in her dreams. Noland glanced at her panel; the Psychic Trauma would level up in three minutes, but they were still at least 40 minutes away from Union City. As he felt anxious, a strange figure appeared in the distant grassland. It was a woman. She wore a black cloak with a black veil covering her face, holding a dimly lit torch in her left hand. She was Denise Green, the Three-circled Wizard from the Revivalists Cult! Noland immediately recognized her identity. Denise waved her pale arm at the magic car as if trying to hitchhike. She held the torch in her left hand and pointed at Philia in the passenger seat, then at herself with her right hand. She nodded slightly at Noland as if to tell him she knew how to heal Philia. Noland was puzzled about his encounter with Denise and wondered whether it was a coincidence or if she was waiting for him on purpose. After giving it some thought, he slowed down a little and cast Deconstruction towards Denise. He consumed some Energy Points to make sure she was indeed Denise Green herself, rather than a mental magic creation by Samuelson, then stopped the magic car in front of her. The car door opened and closed; Denise sat down on the back seat, and the torch in her left hand disappeared. She lifted the veil from her face, revealing a sharp chin and delicate face. Looking at Noland through the rearview mirror, her pale golden eyes seem to sparkle. Hello, stranger wizard. I am Denise Green. I can heal Philias injuries. After that, I would like to have a private conversation with you. Is that okay? As Denise spoke, Noland felt wrapped in a subtle warmth, as if he was not in the car but by a cozy bonfire. Noland nodded at Denise through the rearview mirror: Yes, Denise. As long as you heal Philia, I will have a private conversation with you. Denise nodded slightly. Hm. She raised her arms, reaching out both hands towards Philia, who was sitting in the front passenger seat. Her fingers were flawless and crystal clear, with a delicate pink hue like that of a newborn child. Her ten fingers gently pressed on Philias head. Accompanied by a womans whispered chant, Denises fingertips emitted a faint yellow light like that of a firefly. At the beginning of life, the threads of fate are set. Threads that should break but do not, nourish the lamp of rebirth. The light from her fingertips disappeared into Philias skull, and the pain on her face vanished. Her pale cheeks regained their rosy hue, and her breath became steady and calm. Noland cast Deconstruction, refreshed Philias Personal Panel, and glanced at her status bar. The negative effect Psychic Trauma disappeared, replaced by a neutral Heavy Sleep state caused by energy overdraft. Thank you, Denise. What do you want to talk to me about? Noland exhaled with relief, and looked at the beautiful witch in the back seat with confusion in his eyes. Now is not the time. When you are alone, just turn off other light sources and call my name in the dark. I will be there in time. Denise shook her head slightly and lowered the veil over her face again. She silently opened the car door, raised her left hand, and summoned the torch. With a quick flash of the torchlight, Denise and the torch both disappeared. Her risky move of getting out of the moving car left Noland dumbfounded. At the beginning of life, the threads of fate are set. Threads that should break but do not, nourish the lamp of rebirth. Noland repeated the incantation Denise used during the spell, pondering its meaning. The meaning of these two sentences was clear. At the moment a life was born, its fate was basically determined. Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and a rats child can dig holes. In a strict hierarchical social system, a persons life trajectory is decided as soon as they are born. Without any accidents, they have no chance of breaking that predetermined limit. However, should an accident occur, such as the person not dying as expected, their lifes trajectory would change dramatically and tend to break away from the predetermined fate. This type of phenomenon, in which a person doesnt die when they should, is defined as a rebirth by the Revivalists Cult. Chapter 331 - Chapter 331: 127. Accompanying Witch_4 Chapter 331: 127. Accompanying Witch_4 Translator: 549690339 Becoming alive once again after death is Revival. That should have been dead but did not die is also a kind of Revival. As long as it is related to Death but does not ultimately become part of Death, it is Revival. The extraordinary energy of this world is born from natural phenomena. The phenomenon of Death contains Death Energy. Bones contain the Bone Magic Power needed for Bone Magic. Blood contains the Blood Magic Power needed for Blood Magic. Natural phenomena like flames, breeze, and others also contain corresponding extraordinary energies. In the eyes of wizards who value elemental studies like Elemental Judgement, flames are caused by Fire Elemental Energy and breeze is caused by Wind Elemental Energy. But in the eyes of pure Fire wizards and Wind wizards, the flame contains Fire Magic Power, and the breeze contains Wind Magic Power. Each wizard identifies and uses the extraordinary energy in natural phenomena according to the truth they recognize. According to this basic common sense, the phenomenon of Revival symbolizing survival from catastrophe, escaping from the jaws of death, and returning from the dead should contain Revival Energy. This is a kind of energy generated after escaping from the situation of death. Noland Lee nodded slowly in contemplation, roughly understanding the meaning of Revival. At the same time, he had some guesses about why Denise Green wanted to talk to him alone. As someone who has just escaped from the Suffering Borderland not long ago, I must have a strong Revival Energy reaction on my body. It is estimated that it is because of this that Denise Green is attracted to me But what does this have to do with destiny? Why did Denise Green mention destiny when chanting? Could it be that this Revivalists Cult is plotting to control the power of destiny? Also, how did I meet Denise Green in such a large grassland?> Noland Lee looked at the grassland in front of him, blinked his eyes, and realized that the Revivalists Cult was not simple. The invisibility function of the magic car was restored to normal when it was halfway there. Noland Lee activated the invisibility function, driving the completely transparent magic car all the way catching up. Finally, he entered Union City during the darkness before dawn. The magic car went straight into the Cat Society Manor in Sector 8 and landed on the Circular Square in front of the Manor castle. Noland Lee took out an unused metal box, sealed the Bone-mending Wand and wand core in the box, and then picked up Philia and got off the magic car. As soon as the Magic Servant guarding the door saw the two figures, it made an alarm sound like a birds call and opened the Castle Halls Great Gate. Tweet Tweet Tweet The alarm sound of the Magic Servant echoed in the spacious Castle Hall. Clank, clank, clank A pair of creatures wearing full-body metal armor ran out of the walls suddenly appeared gate. Leave it to me, Ray Lee. I am Philias mentor. The voice of a noblewoman came from the leading metal armor, calm and concerned. Noland Lee cast Deconstruction at the group of metal armor. System Feedback Message showed that this was a group of magical creations called Activated Armor. From the content of the female voice just now, it should be Philias mentor controlling this group of Activated Armor. Noland Lee handed over the unconscious Philia, gave it to the hands of the Activated Armor, waved the metal box in his hand, and bowed and said: I salute you. Inside is the broken Bone-mending Wand and the intact wand core. I asked the Lecturer Professor for help, and I temporarily sealed the wand core by his method. Please be sure to seal the Bone-mending Wand as soon as possible. Philia received some mental shock during the capture of the magic wand. Fortunately, she received assistance from Miss Denise Green, which allowed her to escape the crisis. Please treat her as soon as possible. Moreover, a new Aberration Fissure has appeared in the Savage Stone Wasteland. We took the broken Bone-mending Wand and wand core from a group of underdeveloped double-winged mutants. We suspect that the sudden appearance of the Aberration Fissure in the Savage Stone Wasteland is related to the Bone-mending Wand and Samuelson. We had encountered a Magic Servant capable of casting Mental Illusion before finding the traces of the Wandering Wizards. We havent seen Fugidia and other Wandering Wizards since the appearance of the Aberration Fissure. They might have been killed. The leading Activated Armor listened to Noland Lees brief account while briefly examining Philias condition and confirming that she had only fainted. When hearing about Denise Greens help, that Activated Armor was visibly startled. Noland Lee then felt a scrutinizing gaze coming from inside the helmet of the armor. Not letting him feel the meaning of the gaze carefully, Philias mentor moved her line of sight and looked at the metal box in Nolands hand. The Activated Armor took the metal box, opened it, glanced at it briefly, and then closed it. Alright, Ray Lee, I know the situation. You did a great job. I will pay the remuneration as promised. In a few days, after I have taken care of the matters tonight, I will have Philia invite you to the manor to discuss the specific task rewards. I look forward to your arrival. Now, if youll excuse me. Noland Lee bowed again, showing full respect for the First Level Magic Research Institute. He left the Cat Society Manor, activated the Swift Runes on his clothes, and ran towards the single cottage in Sector 8. Chapter 332 - Chapter 332: 127. Companion Witches_5 Chapter 332: 127. Companion Witches_5 Translator: 549690339 Noland first used the surveillance camera on the roof of the Single Cottage to confirm the surrounding situation. Once he ensured that no one was prying into his dwelling, he took out the key and opened the door. Whos there? A sleepy female voice echoed from inside the house. The lady housekeeper lit the Alchemy lamp of the living room while holding onto a broom for self-defense in one hand, and rubbing her eyes with the other as she walked out from the bedroom. Its me. You can continue to rest. After daybreak, help me deliver this letter to Cindy or Kent. Noland took out a letter from his pocket and stuffed it into the lady housekeepers hand, then climbed the stairs and entered his bedroom. Oh, okay, sir, I thought it was an intruder. I am so sorry. The housekeeper took the letter, yawned, put the broom away, and fell back into a deep slumber. Noland cleaned himself in the washing room and then checked downstairs using Life and Death Tracking. Seeing that the housekeeper had fallen asleep, he switched off all the lamps in his bedroom, and in the darkness, he mumbled: Denise Green? A faint glow appeared on the bare ground of the bedroom. The glow quickly illuminated Denise standing while holding a torch. Noland took a slight breath, feeling somewhat moved. He didnt sense any energy fluctuations. Yes, no energy fluctuations. Even the torch held by Denise that was burning with flames didnt emit any heat or warmth until the moment Denises figure solidified from an illusion under the torchlight. Only then did Noland felt the warm glow of the flames on his body and detected faint energy fluctuations. What a miraculous teleportation spell. Or rather, did Denise appear here through some kind of illusion magic? Im here. The voice of Denise was gentle and calm. She lifted her veil, and the bedroom glowed even brighter. With her pale golden eyes, she stared at Noland, the light of her torch reflected in her gaze. Please have a seat, Denise Green. I will introduce myself first, Im Ray Lee, a Wandering Wizard and a student of the Sleeping Monument Master. If you had noticed an empty chair at the council, yes, it was meant for me. Due to some reasons, I didnt attend the council So, what would you like to discuss with me? Noland walked over and sat behind the bedrooms desk, gesturing the invitation for Denise to sit on the chair opposite him. Denise loosened her left hand, letting the torch disappear then got up and walked towards the desk. She smoothed out the ripple of her dress and sat down on the chair. Hello, Ray Lee, this is our second meeting. I want to talk to you about my origins, my identity, and the purpose of my visit. Denise sat down, placed her hands on her lap, and straightforwardly said: Im Denise. A witch from the Revivalists Cult. We are also known as Companion Witches. The meditation method I practice requires gathering magic power from the rebirth phenomenon Noland had already foreseen the matters mentioned by Denise. He was listening attentively at that moment, silent and didnt interrupt her discourse. The Revivalists Cult is a loose and brutal wizard organization. The Companion Witches are antagonists of each other. We vie for people who can continually produce Rebirth Magic Power. Denise paused, and anticipation surfaced in her eyes. Your Rebirth Magic Power is very abundant, and there is no sign of it weakening. I want to form a soul contract with you. In the contract, you are my exclusive source of Rebirth Magic Power. Until the contract ends, I can only have one source of Rebirth Magic Power, which will be you. As a reward for you providing me with Rebirth Magic Power, when you call for me, I will provide medical aid for you. Heal injuries, save lives, stabilize on-the-brink mentality, etc. You dont need to provide any remuneration for my medical services because the magic power I use to conduct the medical magic comes from you. After Denise finished speaking, she gazed at Noland with her sparkling eyes, the anticipation in them growing stronger. She lifted her left hand and conjured a torch, projecting a beam of light onto the tabletop. A contract appeared on the tabletop. Please read the contract. I did not set up any traps on it. I promise. Because lying to the source of Rebirth Magic makes a Companion Witchs magic power weaken. Im no exception. Nolands gaze shifted from Denise towards the contract in front of him. He used Deconstruction, consuming five thousand Points of Energy and deconstructed both Denise and the contract. The deconstruction result showed that all the words Denise said were the truth. On her panel information, there was an Active Skill named Rebirth Meditation. After this skill is activated, she could draw Rebirth Magic Power from the rebirth phenomena. The Skill Panel detailed the uniqueness of Rebirth Magic Power. A witch with that kind of magic power couldnt directly control other magic energy, like the Four Elements, Death Energy, etc. Rebirth Magic Power also couldnt be used to cast any other type of magic except the rebirth type. However, Denise could indirectly use other types of magic recorded in the magic wand or with the help of Magic Scrolls. Based on the characteristic of Rebirth Magic Power extremely repelling other magic power, in the spell list that Denise mastered, it was entirely filled with rebirth spells, without any trace of other types of magic whatsoever. From treating bleeding, fractures, colds, to regrowing limbs, extending lives after decapitation, healing mental collapse, to resurrection, emergency evacuation, and so forth. There was an array of various functional rebirth spells. Chapter 333 - Chapter 333: 127. Accompanying Witch_6 Chapter 333: 127. Accompanying Witch_6 Translator: 549690339 Previously, Noland Lee had imagined a Resurrection Magic, which was also on Denise Greens spell list, called Resurrection. This high-level rebirth magic can restore the physical body of a Lost Soul or someone who only has their soul left, returning them from death to life, making them alive once again. Its worth noting that the rebirth magic requires a lot of Rebirth Magic Power. It takes anywhere from a dozen points to several hundred or even thousands of points. In the Rebirth Magic Power column on Denise Greens panel, there are just over 200 units in stock. If the Rebirth Meditation is not activated to absorb Rebirth Magic Power, the stock of Rebirth Magic Power will decrease with the passage of time, reducing by 1 point every day. Rebirth Magic Power is Denise Greens lifespan, which is the second effect of Rebirth Meditation. As long as she still has Rebirth Magic Power, she can always remain youthful. Thus, for a companion witch like her, finding someone who can provide a large amount of Rebirth Magic Power is not only equivalent to advancing her strength but also extending her life. Many people can produce Rebirth Magic Power, from ordinary people who avoid falling objects from high altitudes to wizards who escape from powerful monsters. They all generate Rebirth Magic Power in the midst of danger. However, only those who can continually face danger and always come out unscathed can be called a Rebirth Magic Source. On the surface, Noland Lee looks like a small wizard with a bit of skill, but he is actually a hanger-on. The Deconstruction Core System is clearly an existence that will never be known to others. When all enemies gauge Noland Lees strength, they will only regard him simply as a small wizard. As a result, a series of counter-attack incidents pretending to be weak will occur. Noland Lee is well aware that it is because he has the system that he can successfully counter-attack. But others dont know. Fate doesnt know either. Therefore, all kinds of weak-to-strong events that have already occurred, are happening, and will happen on him are all typical rebirth phenomena. From this, a continuous stream of Rebirth Magic Power can be generated. With just this hanging-on point, Noland Lee is definitely the number one producer of Rebirth Magic Power in this world. Persistent, large quantities, fierce. This is the primary reason why Noland Lee would be targeted by Denise Green and receive a contract with a very generous offer. Additionally, the magic transmitted to him by Denise Green is a unique short-distance teleportation magic exclusive to companion witches, and each activation requires at least 1 point of Rebirth Magic Power. The farther apart he and Denise Green are, the more Mana the teleportation magic requires. For every 1 kilometer that the straight-line distance increases, the Mana consumption increases by 1 point. When the straight-line distance between the two exceeds 100 kilometers, the magic becomes invalid. Once he signs this soul contract, Noland Lee will have the ability to summon Denise Green for help, as if he has gained an on-call nanny with a full supply of milk. So, should he sign this soul contract? Noland Lee quickly glanced at the deconstruction results of Denise Green. From the recent memories obtained through deconstruction, Denise Greens life has been very leisurely and simple. Apart from normally attending online classes, she spends most of her time at home memorizing Magic books, practicing the lute, and painting. Shes quiet and doesnt have any bad habits. Since her residence is close to the hospital in Sector 8, as long as she occasionally goes out, she can collect Rebirth Magic Power from survivors who escaped death. Her Lecturer Professor has only assigned her a simple task, which is to squat somewhere and scout out a suitable Rebirth Magic Source. In addition, the Lecturer Professor has only one rigid requirement for her, which is to hand in a certain amount of Rebirth Magic Power each month. The more Rebirth Magic Power she hands in, the more magic knowledge she can acquire. Only after contracting their own Rebirth Magic Source can companion witches fight by killing their own kind who have also contracted Rebirth Magic Sources to plunder Rebirth Magic Power. Since companion witches can only use non-aggressive Rebirth Magic Power, they usually use magical items or rely on the power of their Contractors to fight. Based on this, the peaceful and gentle Denise Green, who dislikes competing with others for Rebirth Magic Sources, moved from the bustling center of the world, the Ulnas Circle, directly to the most remote corner of the world, Alchemist Island, and has lived there for three years. Waiting for a full three years, she welcomed an irresistible surprise: Noland Lee sitting in front of her. From her series of initiatives to visit and reveal her heart, its not difficult to see how excited she is at this moment as an introverted and shy person. Denise, I have a few questions to ask you, said Noland. Yes, go ahead. Noland Lee looked up at Denise Green and asked: First question, why did you appear on the road as Philia and I were returning to Union City? It was the meditation method I practiced that warned me. When there is a Rebirth Magic Source within a 100-kilometer radius of me that needs urgent help, I can vaguely sense your position, so I stopped on your path. Denise Green further explained: After you sign the contract with me, I can only sense your condition and cannot sense the condition of other Rebirth Magic Sources. And I can only save others with your permission, because after the contract, my Rebirth Magic Power comes from you. Chapter 334 - Chapter 334: 127. Companion Witches_7 Chapter 334: 127. Companion Witches_7 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee slowly nodded, then narrowed his eyes slightly and asked: Have you sensed the condition of Fugidia, Sheldon Archer, and Nikcat? Denise Green shook her head, her long hair brushing across her shoulders: No. Noland Lee checked the memory fragment he had deconstructed. Denise was telling the truth. From when she left the abandoned building until she appeared in front of the magic car, she had indeed only stopped once to look back. It was after this look back that she changed direction, headed for the magic cars path, and waited for its arrival. Denise didnt sense the condition of Fugidia and the others who had entered the underground. So there are only two explanations: One: Fugidia and the others do not meet the requirements of the Resurrection Magic Source. Two: Fugidia and the others are not injured. Considering that Denise did not form a contract with Fugidia and the others, the second explanation is more likely. Noland Lee couldnt think deeply for the moment. He pondered for a moment, then asked: Denise, you said in the contract that as your contractor, I have two obligations: to provide you with Rebirth Magic Power and to help you block other Companion Witches. So, where is the closest Companion Witch? If we form a soul contract, will that attract their hostility? Companion Witches without a Contracted Rebirth Magical Source cannot be targeted by other Companion Witches. For Companion Witches with Contracted Rebirth Magical Sources, only those on the same strength level can plunder each others Rebirth Magic Power. No cross-level challenges or bullying of the weak are allowed. These are the rules set by the Lecturer Professor of the Lantern of the Reborn and are explicitly mentioned in the contract. Violators will have all their Rebirth Magic Power taken away by the Lecturer Professor, and their souls will be wiped out. The Lecturer Professor himself will not participate in any competition among Companion Witches. Once Noland Lee signs a contract with Denise, it means that the PVP protection is lifted and enters a state where he can be forced by other contracted Companion Witches. Considering his current strength is not enough to sweep Alchemist Island, Noland Lee must be cautious. Denise thought for a moment after hearing Noland Lees question, and then gently answered: There are two Companion Witches closest to us. One is at the end of the sea area in the Eastern Region of the Gold Island on the Kashel Continent, and the other is in the Empires Capital of Tatis. They both have their own Resurrection Magic Source contracts. Among them, the Companion Witch in the Tatis Empires Capital is the closest to us, but she is a Four-ring Wizard, one level higher than me. According to the rules set by the professor, we cannot plunder each others Rebirth Magic Sources. Denise continued: Every six months, the professor takes a census of the contracted Resurrection Magic Source Companion Witches and announces the names of the contracted Resurrection Magic Source Companion Witches in the Dreamscape. The last census was seven days ago. If we sign the contract now, other Companion Witches wont know that I have a contracted subject until the next census in half a year. Noland Lee listened to Denises words, carefully considered the pros and cons. Can you remove your face towel and sunglasses? I want to see your face. Denise mustered the courage to ask. Noland Lee thought for a moment, nodded, and removed his disguise from his face. Denises face turned red, and her eyes shifted from anticipation to admiration: I..I saw After you removed the disguise, your Rebirth Magical Source expanded several times You have the largest scale, highest potential, and best mana quality of all the Rebirth Magical Sources I know. My Rebirth Magical Source expanded several times? Noland Lee rubbed his chin, mumbling to himself: It seems that my real appearance is quite hateful. If a group of people discovered my whereabouts, they would want me dead. Did I offend them? Noland Lee wrapped his face with a face towel and put on sunglasses to cover up his ice-blue eyes. He asked: Denise, tell me about the Companion Witch in the capital of the Tatis Empire. Mm. Denise nodded, her full moon swaying, and she began to speak: That Companion Witch signed a contract with the Tatis Emperor Noland Lee was slightly stunned: Shes the Companion Witch by the side of the Tatis Emperor? Yes. Not only is she a Companion Witch, but she is also the Tatis Emperors favorite concubine. Since they formed their contract, they have given birth to no less than 30 children. Most of them are female, and there are fewer males. Denise noticed the slight change in Noland Lees expression, and asked softly: Whats wrong? Did you already have a conflict with her? Noland Lee shook his head slightly: Im not sure. Do you know her name? Her name is Adelaide Carter, which is both her first and last name. Thats also the name she uses in Tatis. Noland Lee secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Mother If that Companion Witchs name was Kasha, that would be interesting No problem, Denise. I havent offended her. Thats good. Denise patted her full moon curve. After confirming that there were no loopholes or traps in the soul contract, Noland Lee picked up the pen and wrote his name. He handed the signed contract and pen over. Denise took the pen and wrote her name next to Noland Lees signature. The Magic Contract Book flickered with white light, splitting in two and shooting into the minds of Noland Lee and Denise. [System Message:] Chapter 335 - Chapter 335: 127. Companion Witches_8 Chapter 335: 127. Companion Witches_8 Translator: 549690339 [You have signed an everlasting soul contract with Companion Witch Denise.] [Your Personal Panel has been updated, specific details are as follows: ] [1. Added a new Identity:] [The Sole Eternal Contractor of Companion Witch Denise] [Your soul contract with Denise will last forever, with no way to terminate it voluntarily unless one of you dies. During the contracts active period, you will gain three skills related to Rebirth and develop soul perception with Denise.] [2. Added 4 new skills:] [Skill One:] [Resurrection Magic Source] [Highest Rank, passive skill, rebirth magic effect] [When you increase your Soul Strength, youll gain an equal amount of Rebirth Magic Power.] [You have currently increased your Soul Strength by approximately 800 points.] [You have currently accumulated about 800 points of Rebirth Magic Power.] [Denise can use Rebirth Meditation to draw Rebirth Magic Power from you.] [Skill Two:] [Rebirth Magic Potential] [Highest Rank, passive skill, rebirth magic effect] [You currently possess about 7,000 points of Rebirth Magic Potential.] [This value is equal to the total Soul Strength of all Extraordinary individuals who have hostile intentions towards you.] [This value can be considered the sum of their hatred values towards you.] [Those who develop a killing intent towards you after learning about your true identity are considered as having hostile intentions. They may not currently know who you are, where you are, or what your strength is, and they may be unable to recognize your identity due to your disguise, but that doesnt prevent them from harboring hatred values for you.] [Skill Three:] [Call Companion Witch] [Highest Rank, Active Skill, Rebirth Magic, from the Soul Contract, no consumption] [In a dark environment, call Denises name, and you will receive her help. This skill cannot be used when the distance between both of you exceeds 100 kilometers. Denise will not need to consume her Rebirth Magic Power upon returning to her original location.] [Skill Four:] [Soul Perception: Denise] [Highest Rank, Active skill, Soul Magic, from the Soul Contract, no consumption] [Concentrate and silently chant her name, and the two of you will be able to engage in a simple soul communication. This skill doesnt work when the distance between you and Denise exceeds 100 kilometers. The range of Soul Perception will increase as Denises Rebirth Meditation improves.] May I touch your hand? Denise asked, with a flushed face. Noland Lee snapped back to reality, looked at her shadow, and stretched out his hand generously: Oh, sure, go ahead. Denise bowed her head, extended her right arm, and lightly grasped Nolands right hand. As Noland felt the warmth and softness, the System sent another message. [Companion Witch Denise has activated Rebirth Meditation.] [Your remaining Rebirth Magic Power has dropped from 800 points to 0 points.] [Denise has gained about 800 points of Rebirth Magic Power.] I will go and practice the Rebirth Meditation now. Call me anytime you need me. Denise said her goodbyes softly. She stood up, took half a step back, raised her arm to summon a torch, and with her blushing cheeks flickering in the firelight, she teleported back to her room. Noland looked at his hand stained with fragrant sweat, pulled out the panel information of Rebirth Magic Potential, and began to ponder it while sitting on the chair. 7,000 points of Rebirth Magic Potential This means that the total Soul Strength of all the Extraordinary individuals who have hatred for me has reached 7,000 points! I actually offended that many people? So many people have hatred values for me?! Noland shook his head and sighed: This Rebirth Magic Potential is quite useful as it allows me to constantly observe how much hatred Ive accumulated. Its a pity Im not a Tank. What a great hatred monitoring plugin~ After glancing at the Rebirth Magic Potential panel information again, Noland rubbed his eyes and stared in disbelief! Thats because his Rebirth Magic Potential points had suddenly jumped from 7,000 to 12,000! Hiss Whats going on? Why did my hatred points suddenly increase by 5,000 points?! I didnt do anything, right?! Is there no justice in this world? Chapter 336 - Chapter 336: 128. Win-win solution Chapter 336: 128. Win-win solution Translator: 549690339 On the northern side of the Blade Mountain Range, near the water outlet of an underground grave vault. It was the dark time before dawn. The mountain wind howled, piercing like a knife. A man with his face covered by a black hood stood at the edge of a clifftop several kilometers high. He wore a silver mask to conceal his face, gazing at the Fission Wilderness on the northern side of the mountain range. A group of bizarre creatures, like flying birds, flew from the wilderness, flapping their featherless wings, flying in the dark sky before dawn. Swish~swish~ The sound of wings flapping grew closer. The appearance of the flying birds became clearer in the night curtain. They were a group of emaciated double-winged aberrations. Morster, wearing a silver mask, glanced at the empty-handed double-winged aberrations and sighed lightly: Ah A bunch of guys who cause more problems than they solve, actually lost the Bone-mending Wand. Morster beckoned to the tunnel lit by a coal lamp behind him: Cavado, check the recording device. Record everything Military Intelligence Department Five said and report it to the Emperor verbatim. I dont want to be blamed for their mistakes. Yes, Chief Officer. Cavado survived against Death Notice Guild Wizard Greenshaw. Although he failed to stop the enemy, he managed to save his own life in return. After more than half a month of recuperation, his injuries had basically healed. At this moment, he ordered his soldiers to check the recording equipment with a powerful voice. The Empires military recording equipment was a large iron device that took up over ten square meters of space. It had several large cylinders driven by belts and gears, a hand-operated crank, a smooth and soft diaphragm, and a few very precious slender metal needles. At least ten rigorously trained soldiers were needed to drive this machine without error, so as to record the sound collected by the loudspeakers. Cavado put his hands on his waist and shouted loudly: Everyone, be on your guard! Dont make any mistakes! We must record everything Military Intelligence Department Five says, word by word! And you guys, I gave you guns just to make a show, not to deal with enemies! I emphasize again! The officers from Military Intelligence Department Five are neither human nor monsters! They are warriors who sacrifice themselves for the Empire! Although they have lost their human appearance, their loyalty still belongs to the Emperor! Cavados voice unconsciously lowered as the double-winged aberrations approached. The soldiers saw the group of strange creatures with wings growing on their backs. Slippery gray skin, a body trunk and limbs like humans, and a face without any features. These scenes were reflected in the soldiers eyes, triggering a series of exclamations mixed with a trace of fear. Quiet! Quiet! Cavado roared a few times, controlling the buzzing soldiers. The soldiers swallowed their saliva, closed their mouths, and clenched their firearms in their hands. Cavado looked at the flying humanoid monsters, took a heavy breath, and muttered, Damn it, theyre even weirder than those undead Ahem. Morster gave a light cough, raising his hand to halt the commotion from behind, and said to the members of Military Intelligence Department Five who flew towards him: Where is the Bone-mending Wand? From the team of double-winged aberrations, a slightly stronger figure emerged. It hovered two meters in front of Morster, stretching out its head. The top of its head split open like a blooming flower, revealing a gray, long tongue with a human mouth at the tip. This eerie scene caused unrest within the Intelligence Officer 2s team. Cavado snorted heavily, only then suppressing the noise on the scene. The human mouth at the end of the gray tongue spoke: We encountered attackers It was an invisible flying vehicle It took away the wand It seemed like there was a wizard who could use wind magic on the car He took the wand and the wand core away with magic. Morsters body stiffened, cursing under his breath: Damn! You encountered the Elemental Judgements magic car! The Bone-mending Wand and the wand core must have fallen into the hands of the Elemental Judgement! The human mouth on the gray tongue continued: The Artificial Nest Core on the Savage Stone Wasteland has been activated. In at most three days Alchemists from Union City will come to investigate the nest. In at most ten days they will attack the nest. We need more Life Elixirs. Despite his dissatisfaction with Military Intelligence Department Five losing the Bone-mending Wand, Morster still had to do what needed to be done. He beckoned back. Cavado led a group of soldiers carrying several metal boxes to the entrance of the cave. Morsters right hand swept over the metal boxes, and the lids opened one by one, revealing the neatly arranged tiny glass tubes inside. Each tiny glass tube the size of a little finger corresponded to a Life Elixir. The elixirs were protected by soft leather and container filler. All in all, there were at least ten thousand Life Elixirs in a metal box of about 0.5 cubic meters. The double-winged aberrations landed in pairs at the entrance of the cave, frightening away nearby soldiers. They struggled to lift the metal boxes under the soldiers gaze and swayed as they flew out of the cave. Morster watched the double-winged aberrations struggle to move the metal boxes, shaking his head slightly as if somewhat helpless. He took out a magic scroll and activated the spell within it. Chapter 337 - Chapter 337: 128. Win-Win Solution_2 Chapter 337: 128. Win-Win Solution_2 Translator: 549690339 A cyan spell light floated out and fell onto the metal box. A series of rising currents appeared from nowhere, lifting the heavy box. This lightened the workload for the double-winged aberrations. Originally, the soldiers who were watching the aberrations were immediately attracted by the chief officers motion and the shiny magical runes, their eyes filled with surprise and admiration. No more trouble on the way back, Morster said indifferently: The next batch of Life Elixirs will be sent in a few days. I will send someone to deliver the message to you. With a twist, the human mouth on the gray tongue glanced at the magical runes on the box and said: Magic is amazing We will have it soon. Morster stared at the human mouth on the gray tongue through the mask: I shouldnt be asking this, but I still want to know. Which wizard from the Black City did your Division Intelligence Unit Five finally cooperate with? At least a main lecturing professor-level wizard must have the ability to teach you how to use Magic Power, right? After a few seconds of thinking, the mouth on the tongue replied: A Wizard Criminal a powerful Wizard. He calls himself Samuelson. Morster was obviously taken aback, speaking in a low tone: Are you crazy? Collaborating with a Mental Wizard Criminal? The mouth on the tongue responded: We must do this Only a Mental Wizard Can control the Nest Core to destroy Union City. After finishing the statement, the gray tongue receded into the head of the double-winged aberration. These flying aberrations, while the night sky had not yet been pierced by the dawn, flew towards the Savage Stone Wasteland. Morster took a deep breath and grumbled: Another bunch of idiots completely ignorant of the terror of wizards He turned around and gestured for the troops to gather. After that, he left the tunnel on foot, leaving Cavado, who was carrying the recording equipment, and the soldiers behind. As soon as the chief officer left, the soldiers began discussing what they had just seen and heard. Although Cavado did not join the discussion, he stared blankly at the departing figure of the double-winged aberrations, looking thoughtful. Union City, Lower Town, Single Cottage in Sector 7. It was noon now. Noland Lee woke up from his sleep, saying goodbye to the fatigue of yesterdays day and night. The lady housekeeper wasnt home, probably delivering a letter to Kent and not yet back. Noland Lee made himself lunch. After eating and drinking, he took a cup of black tea and sat in his study room. He called up his Personal Panel and saw that the Hatred Value in the Resurrection Magic Potential column had risen a bit. Today at dawn, when Noland Lee went to bed, the Hatred Value of Resurrection Magic Potential was 12,000 points. Now, that number has risen to 16,000 points. It indicated that in some corner of this world, there were more people who had been hurt by Noland Lee and developed hatred for him. How did I offend these people who I havent even met? Noland Lee pondered in his study room. He recalled his actions from the past half month. Before Spray Powder Day, he had just joined Kents team, encountering armed members of the Ferocious Hound Gang and aberrations hiding in abandoned buildings while in the wilderness. On Spray Powder Day, he was hired by Iron Thorn Shield, defending on the Third Underground Level against gang sect members, and helped Philia kill Young Raven, a member of the Blackbone Secret Society. After Spray Powder Day, he was hired by Elemental Judgement and snatched the Bone-mending Wand from the hands of the double-winged aberrations. During this time, he also killed Samuelsons illusory servant. From a comprehensive view of these incidents, those he might have recently offended include: At least a Seven-ring Strength Mental Wizard Criminal Samson; The Blackbone Secret Society hidden in Black City; The newly born Heart of the Aberration Nest and the aberrations in the Savage Stone Wasteland; The Death Herald Guild, who made the Bone-mending Wand; And, the double-winged aberrations intending to transport the Bone-mending Wand to the south. These aberrations have the status of military sergeants of Division Intelligence Unit Five and can be regarded as members of the Empires Military Intelligence Section 5. Noland Lee cracked a smile, awkwardly chuckling. Now that he thought about it, he had indeed offended quite a few people. He had basically antagonized all kinds of negative forces underground, on the surface, from within or outside of the Federation. Is this the price of being a good person? Although he didnt consider himself a 100% good person, offending so many evil forces at once seemed too exaggerated. That Bone-mending Wand is a hot potato that simultaneously involves Samuelson, the Heart of the Aberration Nest, and Division Intelligence Unit Five. By taking it, Im bound to provoke the hostility of all parties No wonder my Hatred Value is off the charts. Noland Lee finally understood. He took a sip of black tea, nodded slowly, and a new plan formed in his mind. I must lie low. Ive been too active lately, and it is bound to arouse hatred. The rising Hatred Value on the Resurrection Magic Potential is the most intuitive manifestation. I should lay low for a while, accumulate resources, and wait until this storm passes before I venture out again. Ding dong The sound of the doorbell came from downstairs. Noland Lee called up the CCTV Camera and looked at the scene in front of the main entrance of the house. Kent, accompanied by Mark, stood at the door. The former reached for the doorbell, while the latter looked around the garden. Noland Lee went downstairs, opened the door, and invited the two in. Kent changed his shoes steadily and entered the living room. Mark, on the other hand, acted like a young boy, rubbing his hands together, looking around at the furniture in the house with novelty. Chapter 338 - Chapter 338: 128. Win-Win Solution_3 Chapter 338: 128. Win-Win Solution_3 Translator: 549690339 Be careful, Mark. Kent reminded in a low voice. Oh, yes, boss. Mark shrank his neck and smiled awkwardly at Noland Lee, scratching his head and said: I didnt expect you to be a real wizard. Now when I think about how I was showing off my alchemy knowledge in front of you, I feel like ants are crawling all over my body. Its so embarrassing. Noland Lee had a good impression of the straightforward and approachable Mark, so he smiled and invited the two of them to sit down. Did you receive the letter I asked someone to give you, Kent? Noland Lee brought up some hot tea and asked. Yes. Actually, before I received your letter, the president of the Cat Society had already informed me. They sent an urgent notice that a strange aberration den had appeared in the Savage Stone Wasteland, and it had even spawned a Nest Core. Kent rubbed his beard-stubbled chin and said: To be honest, if the information wasnt sent to me in official documents by the Cat Society, I would have a hard time believing that beneath the abandoned building on the edge of the Savage Stone Wasteland, there was an aberration den far beyond our imagination By the way, Ray Lee, do you have any tasks from other factions on your agenda now? No, Ive finished everything I had on hand. Noland Lee knew that Kent must have something to ask for, so he added: I dont plan to leave Lower Town anytime soon. What did you come here for? Thats perfect. Kent clapped his hands and nudged Mark next to him with his elbow: The security team of Iron Thorn Shield has basically been taken away by the Golden Commerce Guild, leaving only Mark with a security team in town. If possible, I would like you to take care of Mark during my absence. Sure, no problem. Noland Lee nodded and asked: May I ask one more question, Kent? Why not ask the Golden Merchants Sword for help with Iron Thorn Shields daily security work? Arent they working for the Golden Commerce Guild like you? Thats something you dont know. Kent paused and said: Professional fighters like the Golden Merchants Sword, each of them is a Third Order Alchemist or above. According to the rules set by the Alchemy Cathedral, they can only stay in the Upper City Area and the Fissure Corridor. They are not allowed to interfere with the security matters of Lower Town. Such restrictions are meant to prevent daily conflicts in the various sectors of Lower Town from escalating from small fights between security companies and gang members to intense clashes between professional fighters from different alchemist factions. If that were to happen, ordinary people in Lower Town would definitely be affected by the fighting. Therefore, Mark cannot ask the Golden Merchants Sword for help in daily affairs unless his trouble comes from the Fissure Corridor. I understand. As the three of them chatted, the lady housekeeper returned with a large pile of food ingredients. Upon learning that Noland Lee had already had lunch, the lady housekeeper rushed to prepare some tea snacks for the guests. About half an hour later, Kent left the small cottage with an excited Mark. As soon as Mark stepped out of the door, he asked Kent about the possibility of him becoming a wizard, which prompted a tease from Kent. As the single cottage quieted down, Noland Lee began to practice the Soul Casting Technique in the bedroom on the second floor. For the next few days, Ill focus on alchemy experiments and training myself, and I wont let anyone push me into trouble I wonder if the hatred value on Resurrection Magic Potential will decrease now that Im keeping a low profile Cat Society Manor, Mentors study. The noblewoman sat in the chair behind the desk, eyes closed, with her eyelids trembling slightly as if she were traveling through a dreamscape. Ah With a soft sigh, the noblewoman woke from her dream with a troubled look on her face. Philia happened to enter the room and saw the mentors expression. Teacher, what is the response from the Night Spirit Cult, Tomb King, and Hotams Magic Academy? Philia spoke weakly, as if she had just recovered from a severe illness. As a capable assistant to her mentor, she couldnt help but get involved in the work as soon as she woke from her coma. This was not something her mentor demanded, but the situation was urgent. The Night Spirit Cults wandering wizard, Fugidia, and the two Night Spirit wizards who were teleported here, along with Tomb Kings three representatives, Nikcat, and three people from Hotams, Sheldon Archer. These nine wizards had completely lost contact with their respective main professors, and their fate was unknown. As a participant in the incident and a witness to the whole process, as well as a member of the Elemental Judgement, Philia had to provide intelligence support when her mentor faced inquiries from various parties. And thats why she dragged her weak body to the study. Philia, sit down quickly. You still need to rest for a while to fully recover. The mentor summoned a wind belt and helped Philia into a seat: The three sides of the Night Spirit Cult asked me to personally check the situation at the Nest Core or use magic puppets. This is impossible, Philia. It would violate our agreement with the Alchemy Cathedral. But there are alternatives. I will talk with the Golden Commerce Guild and ask their Golden Merchants Sword to search for the nine wizards while cleaning the nest. Do I need to cooperate with the Golden Merchants Sword? Philia asked. No, Philia, dont go anywhere, just recover in the manor. The noblewoman shook her head decisively and refused Philias suggestion: If the Nest Core that appeared in the Savage Stone Wasteland is only related to the Bone-mending Wand, then I would allow you to search for the missing wizards. But there are also traces of Samuelson there, so I will never send my wizard students to participate in the search. Chapter 339 - Chapter 339: 128. Win-Win Solution_4 Chapter 339: 128. Win-Win Solution_4 Translator: 549690339 Why is that, Teacher? Philia weakly coughed a few times, bowed her head, and said guiltily: If only I had the strength of the Three-circled I could have informed the professor about Samuelsons whereabouts in the Dreamscape Theres no need to blame yourself, Philia. The situation is far from being solved by simply reporting Samuelsons whereabouts promptly. The Nest Core that appeared in the Savage Stone Wasteland also involves Magic Enlightenment. The noblewomans words made Philia visibly puzzled. Magic Enlightenment? Philia blinked and asked: Are you referring to the Magic Enlightenment mentioned in the first lesson of every Wizard Student? How can a Nest Core of an Aberration be involved with Magic Enlightenment? Yes, Philia, you heard correctly; this whole incident is related to Magic Enlightenment. To understand this, you first need to clarify a few questions. The noblewoman asked: Do you still remember how Samuelson embarked on the path of a wizard? A Magic Beast Lord of the Twilight Raven. Philia answered. In that case, Samuelson is not a human, is he? The noblewoman asked again. Yes, Teacher. So do you think Aberrations can master the power of magic and become wizards? Philia was startled, How is that possible, they cant even Philia suddenly paused and frowned: No, no, Im wrong If non-human creatures like Magic Beast Lords can become wizards, then, theoretically, Aberrations, which are also non-human entities, can become wizards too. Hmm, thats right. You see, youve caught the crux of the problem. The Tomb King became the leading figure of the Bone Magic Realm as a skeleton, and the Mother Night of the Night Spirit Cult was originally a demonized vampire bat. And not to mention the numerous other wizard forces. The noblewoman said: I dont know if youve noticed one thing. In the whole Realm of Wizards, although we human wizards hold an absolute numerical and strength advantage, if we only calculate the proportion of human wizards within the wizard forces, only 10% of the wizard forces are composed entirely of human wizards. The rest of the wizard forces contain non-human wizards to varying degrees. The noblewoman said solemnly: This is the result of the long-term development of the wizard world, Philia. Humans were the first race to set foot on the path of wizards. Throughout the long history, human wizards helped other races complete their Magic Enlightenment, thus giving birth to the colorful World of Wizards. Now, as we speak, the Nest Core that has appeared in the Savage Stone Wasteland is undergoing Magic Enlightenment with Samuelsons help. This news comes from Fugidia and the others professor. It was the last piece of information that Fugidia and the rest had sent to the professor before they lost contact. I am puzzled if an apparently mindless Nest Core could successfully complete Magic Enlightenment. I feel that there might be something we dont know about this. However, all we can do now is wait. But, Teacher, Samuelson is a Wizard Criminal. If he succeeds, it will certainly cause an unbelievable disaster. The enemies we will be facing will no longer be the clumsy Aberrations but a group of Aberration wizards! Philia, growing excited, coughed lightly a few times: cough, cough Are we really going to let Samuelson assist the Nest Core in Magic Enlightenment? The noblewoman slowly nodded: Yes, Philia, we are observers, recorders. Do you still remember the research goal set by the Wizard Advancement Association for us? Philia froze for two seconds and then nodded slowly, saying: I remember. The Wizard Advancement Association asked us to develop Aberration Magic so, you mean The noblewoman stared at Philia: Just as youre thinking right now. Researching Aberration Magic requires the use of Aberrations. However, for a long time, we have been restrained by the Alchemy Cathedral and could not carry out magic experiments involving humanoid creatures. Therefore, we have been making slow progress in researching Aberration Magic. Now, Samuelson is conducting the Magic Experiment that weve always wanted to do. If he succeeds, then according to the rules set by the Wizard Advancement Association, his experimental results will belong to the only one First Level Magic Research Institute in the territory of the entire Golden Federation, which is us. If he fails, we will not have to bear any responsibility. As a Wizard Criminal, Samuelson will bear all the consequences. The mentors words left Philia speechless. Philia bowed her head in thought, and it was not until half a minute later that she asked: Teacher, if this Magic Experiment causes a severe disaster, will we just stand by and watch? By disaster, do you mean the loss of personnel? The noblewoman asked. Yes, Teacher. Dont worry about that. The Alchemy Cathedral will handle it. Before Philia could ask again, the noblewoman said: Are you thinking that our attitude towards the disaster is too indifferent? Do you think we should do something to reduce casualties? Philia nodded silently. Then the noblewoman said gently: Philia, you are a kind-hearted child. If a person does good deeds with the starting point of doing good and follows the correct way of doing good, it is possible for him to be seen as a kind person by others. But you must know that evil people will use the guise of goodness to do evil. Chapter 340 - Chapter 340: 128. Win-Win Solution_5 Chapter 340: 128. Win-Win Solution_5 Translator: 549690339 People cannot see all the things a person has done. Our perception of someone is fragmented, as we can only see what theyve done at certain stages. With such fragmented information, no one can confirm whether someone who has helped them is a kind-hearted person like you, or a wolf in sheeps clothing. Most conflicts in the world are born because we cannot perceive the full picture of people and events. Yes, Teacher The noblewoman said: So when it comes to important matters, we should not base our thinking on simple concepts like good and evil, which have no absolute standards of measurement, but rather on rules. As a First Level Magic Research Institute, we have no contractual obligation with the Alchemy Cathedral to deal with the Nest Core. In fact, they have always forbidden us to intervene in matters related to the closure of Aberration Fissures. Thats why we can only stand by and watch. If what we had established here was not a research institution but a judicial one, I assure you, I would have called for the help of Combat Wizards to cleanse the Nest Core and Samuelson. Teacher, I understand I oversimplified things Philia said apologetically. Go and rest for now, Philia. After you are well-rested tomorrow or the day after, invite Ray Lee to discuss the remuneration. Alright, Teacher. Ill go now. After Philia left, the study room fell quiet. The noblewoman leaned back in her chair and entered her Dreamscape. Can I talk to you now? Noland Lee was practicing the movements from Soul Casting Technique in his bedroom when he suddenly heard Denise Greens voice in his heart. It took him half a second to realize he wasnt hallucinating. He and Denise had developed a weak soul perception after signing the soul contract. As a result, he acquired the skill Soul Perception: Denise. Noland pulled up the skill list, selected this skill, and activated it: Alright, Denise. Give me a little while. Mm. Noland went to the washing room to clean himself, and then, with the curtains drawn in the dark bedroom, he summoned Denise. Denise, both tumultuous and refined, immediately asked as soon as she appeared in the room: You should know by now that Samuelson is conducting Magic Enlightenment on the Nest Core, right? My professor just told me about it. Sit down and talk, Denise. Noland and Denise sat face-to-face with a desk between them. He was silent for a few seconds before saying: Considering that we will be together for a long time, I think there is something necessary for me to explain to you. Since they had already signed an everlasting soul contract, Noland wasnt worried about his new nanny jumping ship. So, he decided to be honest about some things to give her a heads-up. What is it? Denise asked, tilting her head a little, her eyes gazing at the unusually deep Noland. I am not the Sleeping Monument Masters student. I am a Wild Wizard. Denises breath caught, her curvy form maintained a full state. Her eyes showed a dazed look, which after two seconds turned to apprehension mingled with thought: You mean youve been using the name of the Sleeping Monument Master? Who else knows about this? We might still have a chance to remedy this. Denises eyes were glistening with unshed tears as she looked eagerly at Noland, as if she were about to cry. Noland watched her expression change. Her initial reaction didnt show any anger born from being deceived, nor did it give rise to resentment. There was not much blame in her words, but more of a desire to discuss a solution together. Noland now had a clear understanding of Denises character. Virtuous, tolerant, yielding, innocent, enduring, and easily bullied. Once such a woman commits to someone, she will genuinely consider things from their perspective. But dont take advantage of her forgiveness and do too many things to hurt her. Because when such a woman gets her heart completely broken, not even ten bulls can pull her back. Even if she has to respond to the summons due to the soul contract, a heartbroken her would still act as if she were a passerby. Noland pondered for a moment and said: No one but you knows that Ive impersonated the Sleeping Monument Masters student. Everyone who knows me, including the local Elemental Judgement member, and you two minutes ago, is completely convinced of my identity. Thats good Denise sighed in relief, blinking back her tears: Why didnt you tell me earlier Because only after signing the soul contract, can we have preliminary trust between us. Noland shrugged and said: Ive always believed that the best way to protect oneself is not by making oneself impervious and omnipotent but by becoming someone who can withdraw from trouble at any time. Joining a wizard force means facing opposing wizard forces. Joining an extraordinary organization means being prepared to face a hostile organization. I dont like that kind of life. I desire more choices, not being forced to choose between one of two or one of three options. Thats why I disguised myself as a student of a Lecturer Professor instead of joining any faction of wizard forces. But after signing the soul contract with me, youll have to face the challenges of other Resurrection Witches. Dont you regret it? Denise asked. Chapter 341 - Chapter 341: 128. Win-Win Solution_6 Chapter 341: 128. Win-Win Solution_6 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee spoke earnestly: I dont regret it. Your abilities are worth taking on these responsibilities for. Denise Greens eyes flickered, and the grievances in them dissipated, replaced by joy upon being recognized. Youre very mysterious Well, if I wasnt mysterious, I wouldnt have so much resurrection magic potential, Noland Lee said with a self-deprecating smile. Denise Greens face clouded with worry: What if youre a Wild Wizard? What about the meditation method? My Rebirth Meditation is only suitable for witches. How about I make a trip to the Ulnas Circle for you, to buy a meditation method that is circulated in the academy? I still have some savings, should be enough to buy one or, should we leave here and find another wizard force for you, so you can become a student under a certain professor? Noland Lee said sincerely: Thank you, Denise. Since I traveled to Alchemist Island, you are one of the few people who have considered things for me I want to ask, with you around, do I still need to disguise myself as a student under a certain professor when we enter other regions? Can I obtain a legal identity through you? Yes, you can. Denise Green nodded lightly, her beautiful face filled with seriousness: The struggle between Resurrection Witches is well known to the upper echelons of the magic institutions in all regions. Protecting the Contractors of Resurrection Witches is of paramount importance in the struggle for resurrection magic. Some Resurrection Witches will have their Contractors join under a powerful Lecturer Professor to seek protection. Other Contractors will deliberately hide their true identity, not revealing who their main professor is to anyone. In this case, other Resurrection Witches cannot be sure whether or not a powerful Lecturer Professor is involved behind this Contractor, and thus would not dare to act against him easily. As long as Im here, you dont have to reveal your true identity but Denise Greens voice became softer: However, I still suggest you find a Lecturer Professor. The magic knowledge that I possess alone is not enough to help you avoid all the pitfalls Of course, I know that I shouldnt interfere with your decision, so Ill leave the final decision to you. I promise, Denise. If one day I feel overwhelmed, I will take the initiative to become a student under a certain Lecturer Professors wing, and discuss it with you beforehand. Until then, I will be extra cautious in exploring magic and not make you worry. Trust me, okay? Mmm, yes. Denise Green blushed slightly and nodded her head down. All right, lets end this topic here. Tell me about Samuelson? What does it mean for him to give Aberrations magic enlightenment? Noland Lee asked. Denise Green rubbed her slightly hot cheeks. After sorting out the information in her mind, she began to recount the professors words. Magic Enlightenment is about helping ordinary creatures step onto the path of becoming a wizard, usually including self-awareness, opening up a spiritual ocean and so on. Opening a spiritual ocean is the most difficult step. Only with the presence of a spiritual ocean can creatures possess the ability to cast magic Noland Lee listened intently to her words. 10 minutes later, Noland Lee slowly nodded and said: To sum it up: Elemental Judgement is conducting a research task to develop Aberration Magic here. However, because the Alchemy Cathedral does not allow magic experiments involving humanoid creatures, the progress of research on Aberration Magic is quite slow. No matter why Samuelson started to help Aberrations in magic enlightenment, it can promote the research on Aberration Magic. Based on this, the Wizard Advancement Association, Wizard Enforcers, and the Wizard Council do not intend to arrest Samuelson immediately until the research on Aberration Magic is truly completed. Is that the point? Yes, thats right, Noland um, what should I call you? Ray Lee is probably not your real name, right? You can call me Lee. Mmm, yes, Lee, you summed it up correctly. My Lecturer Professor said that Samuelson must have received guidance from an expert in order to find a perfect balance between various forces and thus gain precious time. Noland Lee pondered with a frown: Guidance from an expert Could it be that the Emperor of Tatis is advising Samuelson? That guy loves to play spy games in his palace What? Denise Green blinked her eyes in confusion, not quite understanding what Noland Lee was saying. Noland Lee leaned his arms on the tabletop and interlaced his hands under his chin. He stared at Denise Green, lost in thought. Denise Green looked back at him, puzzled. Noland Lee was thinking about something. There was a crucial clause in yesterdays soul contract. It was related to confidentiality. Put simply: From the moment the contract was established, Noland Lee and Denise Green could not speak of any secrets related to each other without the others permission. For example, if Noland Lee were to shout out right now, Denise Green is my Companion Witch, he would not be able to make any sound or utter half a sentence without Denise Greens consent. Similarly, without Noland Lees consent, Denise Green could not reveal any secrets about Noland Lee. Even in her Lecturer Professors online class, Denise Green could not leak any information. To a large extent, Denise Green could be an excellent candidate for jointly conspiring on a matter. Chapter 342 - Chapter 342: 128. Win-Win Solution_7 Chapter 342: 128. Win-Win Solution_7 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee said slowly: The matter Im going to discuss with you next, you must not mention to a third person. I urgently need to discuss this with someone right now, and you are my only choice. Yes! I swear. Denise Green nodded vigorously. Noland Lee said: I have to tell you, before I arrived in Union City, I lived in the Tatis Empire for a while and basically figured out the local military intelligence structure. There is an organization called Military Intelligence Department Five, which is responsible for studying Aberrations. One day ago, I saw traces of Military Intelligence Department Five near the Aberration Fissure in the Savage Stone Wasteland. Noland Lee paused, and then revealed words that made Denise Green shudder: Those double-winged mutants who were transporting the Bone-mending Wands to the Blade Mountain Range were transformed by the officers of Military Intelligence Department Five. Im sure of it. !! Denise Green widened her eyes, took a deep breath, raised her shoulders, and floated the full moon: You mean, Tatis Empires Military Intelligence Department Five is collaborating with Samuelson? Its very likely. Noland Lee spread his hands and said: Tatis Empires biochemical mutation technology is excellent, and it doesnt have to be subject to the constraints of Alchemy Cathedral. Their achievements in researching Aberrations must be greater than the restrained Elemental Judgement. Samuelson is a Mental Wizard with Seven-ring Strength. As long as he finds a way to resist the backlash of mental magic and control the Nest Core, he can control the entire Aberration army. Tatis Empire provides biochemical mutation technology, and Samuelson provides the mental magic to control Aberrations. Tatis Empire gains the Mutant Army, while Samuelson evades the pursuit of Wizard Enforcers. Both sides get what they need, achieving a win-win situation. This is the basis of their cooperation. Looking into Denise Greens eyes, Noland Lee said: In the foreseeable future, the Fission Wilderness will inevitably be in turmoil. Great turmoil, great opportunities. I want to accumulate a lot of wealth and Soul Fragments in this turmoil. When the time is right, I will take you away immediately, leave this game in a timely manner, and retain the spoils. According to the unwritten rules, lets tentatively distribute the Spoils of War by 50-50 split, what do you think? Noland Lee had a vague feeling. This turmoil, triggered by the Tatis Empire and Samuelson, will last for a long time. However, during this time, the window period for him to quickly and safely seize wealth and Soul Fragments may be extremely short, perhaps only a week or two at most. Missing this opportunity, there is no telling how long it will be before he can wait for the same opportunity again. Struggling due to a lack of knowledge about the Realm of Wizards and information about the Heart of the Aberration Nest, Noland Lee had been unable to develop an efficient and feasible plan. Now, he could only obtain the knowledge and information he urgently needed through Denise Green. This was the reason he had invited her to join. Would the 50-50 split of the Spoils of War be enough to satisfy Denise Green? If not, they could negotiate further. The focus of Noland Lees negotiation with her was on the distribution of the Spoils of War, but Denise Greens focus obviously wasnt there You just said that you will take me with you, right? Where are we going? Denise Green squinted her eyes slightly, her facial lines softened, and she seemed to be daydreaming about the next stop in her life. Noland Lee thought and said: We will go wherever there are fewer Resurrection Witches. On top of that, the more economically developed, the better, so that the wealth we earn in Union City can be more easily converted into currency. Besides these conditions, it is best to have a stable and peaceful social environment, suitable for long-term residence. Oh, and not excluding Wizards, this point is very important. The Golden Federations tolerance for Wizards is already good, but I want better, so we dont have to forge an identity on the surface. Denise Green, twirling her chin, was searching seriously in her mind for her knowledge about different parts of the world. She snapped her fingers and said with a smile: Got it~ Lets go to the Suman Archipelago. If we have enough money, we can directly buy an island. Buy an island? Noland Lee became interested. Before crossing over, he once imagined buying an island and living a life of isolation from the world C with internet, electricity, and computers. At the time, due to the meager salary, this dream had never had the chance to be realized. Now upon hearing that they could buy an island, he suddenly felt motivated. Seeing Noland Lees eyes shining, Denise Green introduced with a smile: The Suman Archipelago is located in the deep sea area southeast of the Kashel Continent, on the ocean between the Kashel Continent and the Spinning Continent. It is a Wizard Base monitoring the Spinning Continent and a very important long-distance trade transit station, with an extremely low-tax offshore Magic Items Exchange. This meets your economic requirements. The local security is directly managed by the Deep-sea Wizard Branch of the Hotams. The social security of the inner circle of the archipelago is relatively stable, and Wizards come and go freely. Most importantly, within the scope of the inner circle of the archipelago, all acts of violence are strictly prohibited. There are no Resurrection Witches there, at least not for now. Hmm~ Not bad, lets go there. Noland Lee nodded in satisfaction. He cleared his throat, composed his expression, and said: Alright, Denise Green. Lets first discuss the plan to make money during the great turmoil. You tell me all the information you know, starting with the Flywing Mutants. Okay Conversations echoed inside the house. Chapter 343 - Chapter 343: 129. Cutting off life Chapter 343: 129. Cutting off life Translator: 549690339 After a long conversation, Noland Lee had obtained plenty of useful information from Denise Green and promptly corrected his misconceptions. It can be said that without the information provided by Denise Green, Lee would make many detours. For instance, the Alchemy Stone and Alchemy Armor. Lee originally planned to create an Alchemy Stone for himself and then craft an Alchemy Suit. This idea was wrong. Wizards dont need an Alchemy Stone. Alchemy Stones occupy a part of the wizards soul and spiritual world, hindering the learning of high-difficulty magical techniques. Moreover, the Alchemy Stone is a fatal flaw for a wizard. If an enemy wants to deal with a wizard without an Alchemy Stone, they can only target the wizard himself. With an Alchemy Stone, it undoubtedly provides the enemy with a second location to target. A wizard without an Alchemy Stone only needs to protect himself. However, if a wizard has an Alchemy Stone, they need to allocate part of their attention to protect it, making the stone a burden to the wizard. Next, the Alchemy Suit is also useless for wizards. Wearing an Alchemy Suit will display the wearers extraordinary abilities directly on the suit, making it easy for enemies to read. Moreover, the alchemy array on the Alchemy Suit will affect the wizards ability to cast spells. If extra protective magical armor is necessary, Denise Green suggested that Lee could try to obtain a Magic Armor. Magic Armor is a type of magical armor that can be stored in the soul and is far more convenient to carry and wear than an Alchemy Suit. Its designers are the senior alchemists who left the Alchemy Cathedral and joined the Ulnas Circle. It can be considered this way: Alchemy Armor is just a low version of Magic Armor. What Alchemy Armor has, Magic Armor generally has too, and performs even better. Currently, only the Alchemy Cathedrals latest creation, Supreme Computing Power, is worth looking at. The Wizard Advancement Association did not assign a task to research the Supreme Computing Power, and the Ulnas Circle has not collected specific data on this Alchemy Suit. This resulted in the Supreme Computing Power not being transformed into Magic Armor. The Alchemical Constructs related to this Alchemy Suit have not yet attracted the attention of the Wizard Advancement Association. In the eyes of the Wizard Advancement Association, the so-called Alchemical Constructs are similar to Magic Servants, with no significant research value. Now that he thinks about it, Lees idea of ??making an Alchemy Stone and Alchemy Suit only appeared after seeing Philia and others of the Elemental Judgement wearing the Meow Meow Alchemy Suit. Philia and the others wearing the Meow Meow Alchemy Suit is a forced move. This is a requirement of the Alchemy Cathedral for the local First Level Magic Research Institute. After leaving the Golden Federation, they will immediately abandon the Alchemy Suit and Alchemy Stone. Lee previously thought that Elemental Judgement originally required wearing the Meow Meow Alchemy Suit. After hearing Denise Greens account of the actual situation, he realized how far off he was. There are many common misconceptions like this. Anyway, after a conversation with Denise, Noland Lee only had one feeling: Vastly shocked! Things he thought were advanced were actually very backward in the Ulnas Circle! Replacing Alchemy Suits with Magic Armor is the most typical example. Over 100 years ago, the Ulnas Circle unraveled the mysteries of Alchemy Suits through research institutes in the Golden Dynasty. At that time, neither the Golden Federation nor the Aberrations had appeared yet. It was only after hearing this part of history that Lee knew why Elemental Judgements mission in this area was to develop Aberration Magic rather than researching Alchemy Suits. The study Alchemy Suit research mission was already completed over a hundred years ago The Ulnas Circle, amazing and worthy of being the magical kingdom driven by wizard forces, has truly astonishing research and production capabilities. There are even more surprises Denise Green has brought. For instance, she provided valuable advice on how to snatch wealth and Soul Fragments in the midst of great chaos. Medical supplies are the most important thing in the whole incident. As a witch specializing in supporting and nanny roles, Denise has an absolute say in the medical field. Denise discovered in the past three years: The medical services in the Golden Federation are very dependent on Alchemy. The essence of Alchemy is to perform equivalent exchanges according to established Alchemy Formulas. In terms of healing injuries, Alchemys equivalent exchange is a cruel act, which requires sacrificing the life of a healthy creature in order to heal a dying injured person. In the Golden Dynasty period, they used Living Alchemy to exchange one persons life for anothers. After the fall of the Golden Dynasty, the use of Living Alchemy was restricted. Nowadays, the healing potions produced locally in the Golden Federation are only allowed to use small, lively animals as Alchemy Materials. If emergency conditions occur, the shortage of healing potions is almost a certainty. At that time, as alternatives to healing potions, all kinds of medicine would definitely become priceless. Where are the various medicines that have the advantages of being mass-produced, fast-acting, and having minimal side effects produced? Thats right, the Tatis Empire. To be more precise, it should be the Life Elixir used by Division Intelligence Unit Three of the Tatis Empire. Even more precisely, its derived from the dilution of the Extraordinary Trait: Vitality Surge. Chapter 344 - Chapter 344: 129. Cutting off life_2 Chapter 344: 129. Cutting off life_2 Translator: 549690339 For this life-saving elixir from Tatis Empire, the Alchemy Cathedral and its many affiliated alchemist factions have always adhered to the attitude of accepting as much as they get. Each life elixir that enters Union City through the grey channel can sell for 5,000 to 10,000 union coins. Furthermore, the more they sell, the higher the unit price becomes. If Noland Lee had a way to deal with the supply source while guaranteeing his own safety Heh heh heh He could definitely make a fortune in this major turmoil while saving many lives. So the question is, where to get a large amount of life elixir? The answer might be hidden in the deconstruction results of the birthed double-winged aberrations. [Attributes] (Values in brackets are for normal double-winged aberrations) (Values outside brackets are for birthed double-winged aberrations) Power: 5 (9) Toughness: 17 (35) Vitality: 15 (5) Agility: 16 (30) Spirit: 12 (3) Charm: -12 (-6) [Features] Birthed Creature: These emaciated double-winged aberrations, stimulated and born from the outside world, have only half the actual combat strength of their normal counterparts. The vitality attribute value of the birthed double-winged aberrations is much higher than that of normal double-winged aberrations. Noland Lee seriously suspects that the materials Samuelson and Military Intelligence Department Five use to create the double-winged aberrations may be the life elixir. From his experience in the Suffering Borderland, only the life elixir associated with the Vitality Surge could give these birthed double-winged aberrations a vitality attribute higher than their normal counterparts. So, in summary: A large amount of life elixir must exist near the Nest Core in the Savage Stone Wasteland. Going one step further: There must be a supply route for transporting the life elixir between the Savage Stone Wasteland and the Blade Mountain Range. Noland Lee found a map of the Savage Stone Wasteland. Referring to the memory of following Military Intelligence Department Five in his mind, he drew a path along their direction of travel. The northern node of this path connects with the newly formed aberration fissure. And the southern node is connected to the water outlet of Bunker No.16 inside the Blade Mountain Range. If Noland Lees speculation is correct, the path he drew is the supply route used by Military Intelligence Department Five to transport the life elixir. To draw this line, one must have the layout map of the bunkers and tunnels built by the imperial army inside the Blade Mountain Range. Noland Lee got this top-secret information while escaping from the Suffering Borderland. Once the speculation about the supply route is confirmed, Noland Lee can start preparing for the subsequent plans. The Military Intelligence Department Five team transporting the life elixir may contain the Imperial Fist and may also have double-winged aberrations flying along. Can Noland Lee, along with a nanny, snatch the life elixir from the hands of the double-winged aberrations and the Imperial Fist? Its difficult, risky but barely possible. To ensure the success of the plan, Noland Lee needs help, and it must be absolutely trustworthy help. On the third day of returning to Union City, Philia paid a visit and invited Noland Lee to the manor to discuss the rewards. At the suggestion of Denise Green, Noland Lee prepared a list of rewards. He followed the lists order and picked a magic robe, three sets of magic materials, two summoning magic broom scrolls, and a 300,000 union coin card from Cat Society Manor. Before leaving, Noland Lee asked Philia about her recent plans. After learning that Philia and the Wizard Students of Elemental Judgment were not planning to leave Union City, Noland Lee left the manor without mentioning anything related to acquiring the life elixir. Noland Lee was not surprised by Meow Judgments operation this time. Denise Green told him that the First Level Magic Research Institute established by Elemental Judgment locally cannot participate in anything related to closing the aberration fissure. This was explicitly mentioned in the contract signed between Elemental Judgment and the Alchemy Cathedral. Since Elemental Judgment cannot be a cooperating party, Noland Lee has only one choice left: The Golden Commerce Guild. Noland Lee, draped in the sunset glow, strolled down the bustling streets, stopping in front of Money and Good Dreams. He pushed the door open and saw the enchanting woman waiting in the grand hall. How rare. Cindy hugged her arms and laughed: When you entrusted someone to bring me a message, I thought I had misheard. I really didnt expect that you, who is busy all day, would come to my place for a stroll Follow me, lets talk in the office. Has Kent sent back any news from the Savage Stone Wasteland? Noland Lee asked as he followed her. Not for now. But thats a good thing. Generally speaking, if news comes back, its usually bad news. Cindy led Noland Lee into her office, brought him a cup of hot tea, and sat down across from him. Her dress with a slit accentuated her figure nicely. The curves of her crossed legs while sitting were enough to feast the eyes of anyone sitting opposite. Noland Lee calmly picked up the tea cup: I came here to cooperate with you this time. Cindy lit a cigarette with practiced ease and said: Hmm, I know. Im well aware that you didnt come here to pursue a momentary pleasure. Once you show up, there must be a serious matter. So just go ahead and talk. Noland Lee threw a bombshell directly: I received a message. The aberration fissure that appeared in the Savage Stone Wasteland was artificially created by Tatis Military Intelligence Department Five and a wizard criminal. Yes, you heard me right. Its an artificially created aberration fissure. Chapter 345 - Chapter 345: 129. Cutting off life_3 Chapter 345: 129. Cutting off life_3 Translator:549690339 Cindy was taken aback, even forgetting to smoke the thin cigarette between her fingers. She opened her mouth slightly, drew in a soft breath, and asked in a heavy voice: Are you sure? Where did you get this information? Is it reliable? Very reliable. I cannot reveal the source of the information. Noland Lee said confidently: The Tatis Empire has used Life Elixir and controllable mutation techniques to shorten the formation time of the Nest Core and give birth to a large number of double winged mutants. This is the main reason why the Aberration Den in the Savage Stone Wasteland has developed so rapidly. Just as Cindy was about to ask something, Noland Lee shook his head and spoke first: Cindy, I cannot disclose the specific source of the intelligence. Noland Lee reached into his inner pocket and took out the prepared envelope, handing it to Cindy: Take a look. Cindy put down the thin cigarette in her hand and took the envelope. She glanced at the simple map and the annotations on it: Is this a route map of the Empires delivery of Life Elixir to the Savage Stone Wasteland? Yes. Noland nodded and said: My request is simple. They want Union City to send a team to intercept this batch of Life Elixir. This route map is my show of sincerity. As for the intercepted Life Elixir, I suggest a 30/70 split. Your Golden Commerce Guild takes 70%. I take the remaining 30% and pass it on to the informant. In addition, I would like some monetary reward. The specific amount will be discussed after we have the Life Elixirs. Cindy, looking at the route map in her hand, breathed a long sigh and laughed: Next time you provide such heavy news, please let me be mentally prepared My heart almost jumped out of my chest Noland Lee picked up his teacup, leisurely took a sip, and gave Cindy a faint smile. How important was this information? It wouldnt be too much to say it could change the entire battlefield. Noland Lee put down his teacup and said: Cindy, the accuracy of this route map still needs to be confirmed. However, the other information I have disclosed is absolutely true. The enemies we are dealing with in this operation may be the Imperial Fist and double-winged mutants. So, if you dont mind, Id like to join the Life Elixir interception operation personally. No problem, you should. Just wait a moment, and Ill have the Golden Merchants Sword brought here. Cindy opened the door of the office and asked one of her subordinates to help bring the message. About 10 minutes later, a burly man entered the office. The man was nearly two meters tall, his body as wide as a door, with a thickness of at least 30 centimeters from chest to back. A black leather cloak with gold edges covered most of his body, behind which was a double-handed heavy sword over a meter long and a delicate Alchemy Firearm. When he shook hands with Noland, he wore gloves made of metal and soft leather. Underneath the lifted cloak was a full set of dark brown leather armor inlaid with metal plates. My name is Derek Davis, fifth-order Alchemist, the Golden Merchants Sword of the Golden Commerce Guild. Derek shook Nolands hand with force, swaying it up and down. He spoke with a deep bear-like voice: Noland, I heard of you from Cindy and Kent long ago. Now I finally meet you personally. Noland slightly tilted his head and looked up at the taller Derek: Nice to meet you. Cindy handed Derek the envelope and verbally relayed the information passed on by Noland. Derek put the envelope under his armor, grabbing his brown beard and said: As for the intelligence you have relayed, I fully believe in its authenticity. I dont say this just because of intuition or something like that. Before I came, I received a message. The alchemists who arrived at the edge of the Fissure have concluded through experiments on site that the thin double-winged mutants have much higher physical activity than regular mutants. This is consistent with the Military Intelligence Department Fives use of Life Elixir to accelerate the birth of double-winged mutants. Derek looked at Noland: The army of alchemists summoned by the Alchemy Cathedral will leave the day after tomorrow morning. But I think the interception of the Life Elixir probably cant wait that long. I plan to set off immediately to intercept the Life Elixir. How do you feel about that, Noland? Thats what I thought too. Well then, see you in the backyard of the Iron Thorn Shield in an hour. I will be there with my team members Cindy, prepare 15 motorcycles with full fuel. I have some Alchemy Traps and an Alchemy Cannon Tower. Give them to Mark. Derek looked rough, but was actually meticulous. He quickly arranged everything in a few sentences, even taking on the Alchemy Traps and Alchemy Cannon Tower that Kent had entrusted Noland to take care of for Mark. Everyone began to take action. Cindy went to the Iron Thorn Shield to arrange the transportation, Derek gathered his team, and Noland went to pack his things. Speaking of packing, it was actually saying goodbye to Denise Green. The two agreed that Denise would leave the city after Noland got out, and she would respond to his call within a range of 103 kilometers around Noland. The maximum response distance was originally 100 kilometers, but now its 103 kilometers. This was the result of Denises accelerated practice of the Rebirth Meditation Method these two days. The panel data showed that her Rebirth Meditation had increased from Level 30 to Level 31. Correspondingly, the amount of Rebirth Magic Power she had stored dropped from over 1,000 points to around 600. Chapter 346 - Chapter 346: 129. Cutting off Life_4 Chapter 346: 129. Cutting off Life_4 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee discussed with her, ensuring that they have at least 500 Rebirth Magic Points on hand. Any Rebirth Magic beyond this number could be used to cultivate the Meditation Method. Using Points as a unit of measure for energy didnt bother Denise Green. Because in the Realm of Wizards, energy is measured in points. As long as a wizard enters a meditative state, they can see how much energy they have in their Spiritual Ocean in the form of dots. They can calculate their energy points in an instant. This was common knowledge that Denise shared with Noland Lee. The Meditation Method Noland Lee learned was incomplete. Not to mention dots of energy floating in the Spiritual Ocean, he hadnt even seen the Spiritual Ocean itself, and it was the first time he had heard of its existence. 1 hour later, Noland Lee met up with Derek Davis and others in the backyard of Iron Thorn Shield. Dereks team has a total of 12 members. He himself is the team captain, a fifth-order Alchemist. The vice captain is a woman named Angela Anderson, a fourth-rank Alchemist, with two lever-action shotguns hanging on her back. Angela is probably in her 30s, with freckles on her face, rough skin, and a sturdy body, resembling a muscular strong woman. The remaining 10 team members are a mix of men and women, all third-order Alchemists, mainly using firearms as their weapons. According to Dereks introduction, these Golden Merchants Swords are all top-notch graduates from Alchemy Academy. In terms of their roles, the full-time combat members of the Golden Merchants Swords are essentially the professional soldiers of the Golden Federation. Once the team was prepared, they set out immediately. Derek and Noland Lee each drove a motorcycle, leading the team. The convoy did not leave through the City Gate of Sector 7 but took a secret passage beneath the Iron Thorn Shield Security Corporation Building. This way, they could avoid the crowds on the ground level and go directly to the wilderness outside Union City. This approach was to hide their movements, avoid potential prying eyes, and ensure the entire interception operation remained covert. Noland, I heard that some wizards are trapped in the fissures in the Savage Stone Wasteland? Derek asked as he drove alongside Noland. The motorcycles sped forward, and the approaching evening wind blew. Noland nodded in the wind, saying: Thats right, Derek. Are you interested in joining me on this mission, Noland? Derek grinned, saying: Elemental Judgement sent out a reward order to all Alchemist factions through Cat Society. As long as the trapped wizards are rescued, a large reward of Union Coins will be given. For each rescued skeleton, the reward is 800,000 Union Coins. For a male wizard wearing glasses, 1.5 million. For a fanged witch, 1 million to 3 million. How about it? After hijacking the Life Elixir, lets go for a spin in the fissures. With your skills, we can lock onto the wizards faster than any other team. Nolands face looked odd: Skeleton? A fanged witch? Is that what the reward order says? Haha, yes, thats what it says. Maybe theyre worried that we Alchemists wont be able to tell who is who, so Elemental Judgement directly described the wizards appearances and even provided portraits. Derek fished out a stack of papers from his leather armor: Here, this is the reward order. Noland took a look at the portraits on the paper. No kidding, they were pretty accurate drawings. Especially the three Ancient Tomb Wizards with a skeleton look under the Tomb King, even the number of bones on their body was marked. No, thanks, Derek. I wont be involved in the wizard rescue. Noland shook his head, refusing the others request: After I get the Life Elixir, I need to send it to the intelligence personnel as soon as possible, which will take some time. Oh, alright Derek couldnt help but feel disappointed. Theres a place you guys should be careful about. Noland paused and said: Inside that nest, there might be a Mental Wizard, who manipulates peoples emotions and perceptions. His direct combat ability isnt strong, but when it comes to tricks and tactics, hes definitely good at it. Dereks face grew serious: Thank you for the reminder, Noland. Is it because of this wizard that you and Elemental Judgement are unwilling to enter the nest? Noland nodded in response, Yes. Dereks expression became even more solemn, furrowing his brows in thought. Noland looked at the grassland ahead, laughing self-deprecatingly in his heart A few days ago, he had planned to lie low Well. Now he has to sabotage the Tatis Empires plans again. He was worried that one day, the Hatred Value on the Rebirth Magic Potential would max out. Speaking of Hatred Value, Noland felt a bit helpless. He thought that after staying low-key for a few days, his Hatred Value would decrease. However, the reality was that his Hatred Value remained unchanged. Apparently, reducing hate is not achievable in just a day or two. It may take one or two months, even one or two years, to lower Hatred Value. For this reason, Noland completely abandoned the idea of lying low. Since the Tatis Empires hatred towards him wouldnt decrease, why bother! After offending the Empire and Emperor, Noland didnt plan to stay on Alchemist Island for long. Just take advantage of the Tatis Empires wool and move on! Chapter 347 - Chapter 347: 129. Cutting off Life_5 Chapter 347: 129. Cutting off Life_5 Translator: 549690339 Screw the hates and grudges. Worst comes to worst, Ill activate the escape plan and bolt. The motorbike flies on, the sun and moon alternate, and the starry night arrives. After midnight, the convoy sped on, finally reaching the outskirts of the Savage Stone Wasteland. They turned off all the lights and approached the route through which the Tatis Empire transports the Life Elixir in the dark. A line marked on the map was, in reality in the Savage Stone Wasteland, an endless sea of sand. With sand and dust lingering in the dry air, and a faint smell of the Aberrations mixed in. Nothing but sand dunes. Searching for the team of Military Intelligence Department Five transporting the Life Elixir in this environment was akin to finding a needle in a haystack. If the Military Intelligence Department Five deployed special vehicles adapted for the sand sea, the difficulty in intercepting the Life Elixir would be even greater. Thankfully, Derek Davis and his team had made preparations beforehand. Within their Alchemy Stones, each of them stored four to five Bell Beetles. Usually, the Golden Merchants Sword would carry out tasks in the areas below layer 20 in the Fissure Corridor, needing the Bell Beetles to maintain vigilance. Using these bugs as tools to search for the Military Intelligence Department Five was also a fine idea. At Dereks command, the team members dispersed. Each was responsible for monitoring a section of the sand sea about ten kilometers wide and jointly set up a west-to-east alert area. They activated the Alchemy Runes on their Alchemy Cloaks, disguising themselves as rocks on the sand dunes or simply lying on the sand, blending in. Time passed in the tedious vigilance. The sand sea was vast, the air was dry, and the surroundings were quiet. On the second day of their stakeout, after dark, a flutter from the sky broke the peace of the sand sea. A flock of double-winged mutants flapped their wings and flew over the heads of Derek and his team. They were in a hurry, with no intention of lingering, flying straight towards the dark silhouette of the mountain range far to the south. Our target has appeared. Derek crouched on the ground, watching every movement of the double-winged mutants through a telescope. He crushed the mother bug in his hand and called his comrades to gather. In a short while, the team members, using Alchemy Cushion Shoes, moved quickly across the sand sea and gathered around Derek. Derek glanced at his team members and asked, Those of you close to me, you saw the double-winged mutants flying towards the south, right? Yes, boss. Angela Anderson, looking eager to give it a go, clenched her fists and hovered one over the other in front of her. She spoke in a husky female voice, Those weird-acting double-winged mutants are definitely heading for the Blade Mountain Range to take over the Life Elixir. Only flyers like them can traverse the sand sea I would never have thought that these mutants could be people from the Military Intelligence Department Five. The teammates at the side looked surprised and amazed. Before the watch began, Noland had explained to them about these artificially induced double-winged mutants. They found it incredible at the time. It was only now that they fully agreed with the intelligence Noland provided. I suspect that the Imperial Fist wont be in the team escorting the elixir to the Fissure. Because that would slow down the double-winged mutants. Derek asked, What do you think, Ray Lee? Noland pondered for a moment before replying, Heres the thing, Derek. Ill follow them and check the situation. As soon as I have an understanding of the teams status, Ill come back immediately to relay the information. Derek stroked his beard, Can you make sure you wont be spotted? If you alarm them, all our previous efforts will be wasted. Rest assured, I wont be caught. Noland replied with confidence. Very well, off you go. Noland nodded to his temporary teammates. Under their astonished gaze, he transformed into a floating white skull. He flew south close to the ground, leaving behind hushed exclamations from his team. Magic sure is amazing Ray Lee turned into a skull This is way more convenient than our Alchemy Flying Wings The wizard is indeed skilled Derek put his palm down, stopping the chatter, and ordered, Hush now, guys, enough chit-chat. Start checking your alchemy equipment and ammunition. If its just the double-winged mutants in that team, well use alchemy cannonballs against them Noland glanced back at his teammates pulling the cannon barrels out from their Alchemy Stones, then turned back around and focused on tracking the double-winged mutants. He pulled out the Mind Beacon in his mind and leveled it up from 10 to 20 at once. [System Message:] [You have consumed 1450 Energy Points.] [Mind Beacon leveled up by +10, now at Level 20.] [Mind Beacons perception range +100%, now at 29 kilometers.] [Mind Beacon level has broken through to Level 20, triggering a level-up reward.] [Choose one from the following three options:] Option one: [Mind Beacons perception range +50%, upgraded to 34 kilometers.] Option two: [Further enhance United Action Feature. The number of Mechanos that can be controlled at the same time +10, upgraded from 0/2 to 0/12.] Option three: [Turn Mind Beacon (Level 20) to Mental Tracking (Level 20)]. [You can simultaneously track the minds of 10 targets, with unlimited tracking range and duration. You need to continue consuming Energy Points to maintain this spell. The number of Energy Points consumed per hour = 1 point * number of tracked targets.] Chapter 348 - Chapter 348: 129. Cutting off Life_6 Chapter 348: 129. Cutting off Life_6 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee directly chose Option Two to increase the control limit of the Mechanos up to 12. After placing the Mental Beacon, Noland could use Mental Vision on the beacon to view the situation from afar. Looking south from Nolands current position, the Blade Mountain Range was revealed as a narrow black edge on the southern horizon C this was the ridge of the mountains. By rough estimation, Noland was at least 30 kilometers away from the cliffside of the northern part of the mountain range. A level 20 Mind Beacon could be placed at any point within 29 kilometers of oneself, as long as Noland could see the location. Noland could only see the top of the Blade Mountain Range now, but the double-winged mutants obviously wouldnt go to the windy summit to meet with the Imperial Army. What he really wanted to focus on was the water outlet of Bunker No.16, which was located halfway up the mountain. He couldnt see the waist of Blade Mountain Range right now, so what could he do? This was where the Mental Vision with the Vision Leap feature came in handy. Noland landed on a sand dune and hid his figure behind some rocks. He squinted at another dune far to the south and muttered, Place the Mental Beacon. [System Message:] [You have consumed 1 point of energy and 0.1 points of soul energy to successfully place a Mental Beacon.] An illusory white dot, visible only to Noland, appeared in his sight. Noland stared intently at the dot and drew the casting blueprint of Mental Vision. The scene in front of his eyes changed, and the camera perspective had shifted to the Mental Beacon. Noland adjusted the camera direction, looking further south, placed a second Mental Beacon, and cast the new Mental Vision on it. After repeating this process three times, Noland, who was more than 30 kilometers north of the Blade Mountain Range, moved his vision to a location 1 kilometer away from the mountain cliffs. The moment he completed the vision leap, the group of double-winged mutants had only just flown half the distance. This Mental Beacon is truly a marvelous high-level mental magic Just with the ability to expand the range of Mental Vision, it can be considered a divine scouting skill. Noland exclaimed in admiration. He focused his attention to observe the situation on the clifftop. A group of Empire People waiting at the water outlet caught his attention, especially the burly Warrant Officer, whom Noland immediately recognized. Isnt that Cavado? Heh, this guy actually wasnt killed by Greenshaw. Hes so lucky. Noland chuckled and then shook his head slightly, focusing on the observation of the masked man in the magic vision: Eh? Who is this guy? Why isnt he wearing an Imperial uniform? Silver mask, black cloak. Hes completely concealed himself. Could he be someone important? Through the magic vision, Noland threw Deconstruction Technique at the mysterious man wearing a silver mask. [System Message:] [You are about to use the Deconstruction Technique on the Unknown Wizard.] [It is estimated to consume 40,000 energy points and achieve 100% degree of deconstruction.] 40,000 energy points? A Three-circled Wizard? Why would he appear among the Imperial Soldiers? And from his position with Cavado, it seems he is Cavados superior officer. Noland had an idea, consumed 100 points of energy and launched a Deconstruction Technique on the man. The moment he received the deconstruction results, he unhesitatingly terminated his psychic sense, erasing all the Mental Beacons he had just placed. A Three-circled Wizard who needed 40,000 energy points to be deconstructed was worth him being cautious. Noland had inquired about the common knowledge of mental magic from Denise Green, a Three-Ring Wizard. Denise said that a wizards perception of energy fluctuation depends on the Spiritual Ocean. The larger the Spiritual Ocean, the stronger the ability to perceive energy fluctuation, the stronger the ability to control ones magic, and the stronger the power of magic. Noland understood the Spiritual Ocean as the Spirit attribute. After learning the common knowledge about the Spiritual Ocean from Denise, the Deconstruction Core System prompted that the Spirit entry was updated. [Spirit]22 This attribute is related to casting effects. For every 1 point increase in Spirit, the magic power increases from 1 to 10 points, the maximum range of the spell increases by 10 meters, and the perception of spell fluctuations increases from 1 to 10 points. The specific data of the magic power increase and the increase in perception ability depend on the spells you cast and the spells cast on you. You need to acquire more information or perform extraordinary transformations on yourself to digitalize the spell effects. The panel information from deconstruction showed that Denise Greens Spirit attribute was 93 points. She said she could sense someone spying on her with magic, provided the spying lasted for more than 10 seconds. In correspondence, the Masked Man, who had the strength of a Three-Circled Wizard, should need 10 seconds to detect the mental magic spying on him. From the moment Noland discovered him to when Noland stopped using Mental Vision, only five or six seconds had elapsed. Based on this assumption, Noland believed that he should not have been detected by the other party. Noland faced the silhouette of the mountain range to the south, vigilantly watched it, and called up the acquired deconstruction results. [System Message:] [Your deconstruction completion degree for Third-Ring Battle WizardMuste has increased from 0% to 0.25%] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [A small part of the panel information of Third-Ring Battle WizardMuste:] Chapter 349 - Chapter 349: 129. Cutting off Life_7 Chapter 349: 129. Cutting off Life_7 Translator: 549690339 [Name] Morster [Identity 1] Acting Commander of the Tatis Empire Division Intelligence Unit Two [Identity 2] Formal member of the Metal Branch, Hotams Magic Academy [Strength] Third Ring Metal Battle Wizard [Feature] Sister Complex, ??? [Skills] -Passive Skills Magic Metal Body, Level 30. Magical Bullet Shooting Mastery, Level 30. Magical Metal Mastery, Level 30. (Due to the low degree of deconstruction, you are unable to obtain more deconstruction results) A formal member of the Metal BranchMorster This is a battle wizard from the academy. Is there a secret collaboration between Hotams Magic Academy and the Tatis Empire that people dont know about? Noland Lee squints his eyes slightly, realizing that things are not simple. Regarding the Sister Complex mentioned in the panel information obtained from the deconstruction Honestly, Noland doesnt care. It doesnt matter who hes in love with. Noland is too lazy to consume a large amount of energy points to deconstruct him in order to find out who his sister is. Speaking of which, Wizard Morster, are you not afraid of orthopedics? Hmm, hmm, hmm? Noland shrugs his shoulders slightly, casting the deconstruction results in his mind aside. He calls in his heart. Denise? Im here. The gentle female voice immediately responds. Do you know about the Metal Branch of the Hotams Magic Academy? Yes, I do. Shall I tell you about it now? No, lets talk about it when we get back. Noland smiles, gradually getting used to having a nanny hidden behind him in these days. From the recent interactions, he is very satisfied with Denise Green. Not only is she good-looking and eye-catching with her figure, she also answers questions readily and has a gentle temper. Its hard not to love such a companion witch It seems that the lecturer professor called Lantern of the Reborn is quite smart. They know how to approach extraordinary men with women. They also know how to select the most suitable girls from the thousands of women who adhere to their own ideals and develop them into their own companion witches. According to Denise, she was only an ordinary descendant of textile workers before she was taken as a wizard apprentice by the main lecturer after encountering the Magic Torch. In this way, the role of companion witch is quite similar to the court female magician in Wizard. Both of them can be appointed and trusted. While Noland has a fondness for Denise, he is also on guard against the Lantern of the Reborn. If the Lantern of the Reborn does have ulterior motives, Noland doesnt mind starting with them as the first lecturer professor to be cut down. Noland comes back to his senses, takes out the telescope, and looks at the black spot wriggling in the southern sky. A deconstruction technique is thrown out through the lens. [System Message:] [You are about to launch deconstruction technique on Sturdy Metal Box.] [Estimated consumption of 3 Energy Points, deconstruction completion can reach 100%.] [Do you confirm to proceed with the deconstruction?] Confirm. [Deconstruction Success!] [You have obtained the personalized panel information of the Sturdy Metal Box:] [Name] Sturdy Metal Box [Volume] 0.5 cubic meters [Contents] 50,000 Life Elixirs and a certain amount of filler to prevent the elixir from breaking Noland moves the lens slightly, scans the double-winged mutants in the sky, and throws out a series of deconstruction techniques. Very well, there are 35 double-winged mutants in total, all of which are inferior quality products. There are no extraordinary individuals among them. It seems that there is indeed no Imperial Fist mixed in. Noland puts away the telescope, turns it into a skull, flies along the ground, and returns the same way he came. In that case, Ill take this batch of goods. Chapter 350 - Chapter 350: 130. Accurate prediction Chapter 350: 130. Accurate prediction Translator: 549690339 Whirr Whirr 35 double-winged mutants are flying about twenty to thirty meters above ground level. They fly in pairs, carrying 17 sturdy metal boxes over the Sand Sea. The leader of the double-winged mutants flies at the forefront of the formation, rotating its head as it scans its surroundings. As a mutant devoid of facial features, it collects olfactory and audio information through the tiny pores scattered over its skin. In corridors, tunnels, caves, and other underground spaces, the mutants are extraordinarily good at distinguishing friend from foe. Even for humans hiding hundreds of meters away and behind several right angle turns, they still can identify them. However, in the notorious Savage Stone Wasteland characterized by dry air and porous sand, the sounds dont carry far before being thoroughly absorbed by the sand. Consequently, the mutants sensory abilities that rely on sounds and smells are significantly impaired. A sudden catastrophe is looming. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Consecutive explosions let loose over the Sand Sea. More than a dozen pitch-black alchemy cannon barrels emerge from the sand to launch cannonballs at the double-winged mutants in the sky. These 70-millimeter alchemy cannon barrels, at a rate of three shots per second, launch over fifty alchemy cannonballs towards the double-winged mutants in a mere second. The alchemy cannonballs explode mid-air, giving out no bright flames or intense heat like a regular explosion. They spread loads of a powdery white substance into the air instead. All the double-winged mutants are enveloped by the large mushroom cloud with over a hundred meters in diameter. Not giving the double-winged mutants any chance to react, a silhouette emerged from the Alchemy Cloak disguised as sand dunes and fired a shot into the white smoke. The alchemical bullet wrapped in electrical sparks penetrated the white smoke with a whoosh, igniting an overbearing electrical storm! Zap! Zap! Zap! The white smoke collectively explodes, electricity snakes everywhere, and thunder roars. The inky sky is lit up brightly by the concentrated lightning. The shattered metal boxes explode with a boom, turning into scorched metal debris. The Life Elixirs within the boxes are swept by the lightning, causing one glass tube after another to explode, turning into tiny Glass Slag scattering over the Sand Sea. The double-winged mutants keep shrieking as they are scorched into black remnants within a couple of seconds, falling towards the ground, emanating a burnt smell. The electrical storm in the sky lasts for about five seconds. The moment the electric light vanishes, numerous black remnants, along with ample metal debris and glass slag, have accumulated on the sand below. A handful of metal boxes surprisingly survived the onslaught, barely keeping their corpses intact amidst the electrical strikes. A few of the double-winged mutants that managed to stay alive are lying on the ground in agony, crying out in utter misery. A Grey Behemoth emerges from underneath the sand. It equips a set of metal splint armor, including a helmet, chest armor, shoulder armor, arm guards, and leg guards. Its back is equipped with an Alchemy Cannon Tower secured by shoulder straps and buckles. The Alchemy Cannon Tower comprises a square metal base and a gun mount connected to the base. The mount is capable of revolving 360 degrees and fitted with an alchemy cannon barrel. In step with the Grey Behemoths actions, more than a dozen slightly smaller grey bears emerge from the sand. The Grey Behemoth shakes off loads of sand from its body, speaks in human language, directing the other grey bears: Angela Anderson, take some men and gather the Life Elixirs. Everyone else, use plasma bullets to finish off those mutants that are still alive! This Grey Behemoth is none other than Derek Daviss transformation. Compared to lower-level alchemists, his bear-type Alchemy Weaponry grants him an even bigger size. The team members using the same kind of Alchemy Weaponry are only two-thirds his height and can barely carry the Alchemy Cannon Tower on their backs. Upon Derek Daviss command, the grey bears equipped with metal and leather armor spring into action. They pull back the Alchemy Cannon Towers on their backs into their Alchemy Stones. A portion of them rush towards the metal boxes. The others retrieve firearms from their Alchemy Stones, aiming at the moaning double-winged mutants and pulling the trigger. They fire electrifying bullets into them. Even the mutants that have been burnt into a charcoal state cant escape the plasma bullets. They all get shot by these members of the Golden Merchants Sword. Noland Lee watches as the two teams of men methodically clean up the scene, silently retracting the magic wand in his hand. Embarrassingly enough, he has been nothing but an idle spectator from start to finish, losing the chance to fight. Noland Lee shrugs slightly, thinking that this is not so bad after all. There are soul fragments on the debris of the double-winged mutants at the scene. Alchemists are aware of the existence of soul fragments, and the Golden Merchants Sword is no exception. Noland Lee and Derek Davis agreed that the soul fragments at the scene would be collected by the Golden Merchants Sword. Derek Davis uses the Soul-absorbing Crystal to collect the soul fragments, the same thing Noland Lee once saw in Betty Daviss hand. Three minutes later, Derek Davis and the team finish cleaning up the battlefield. They drag motorcycles out from underneath the sand, and, together with Noland Lee, they ride off, leaving behind the sand field ravaged by lightning. From the time the double-winged mutants approached the pre-set ambush spot to the final departure, the entire stealth attack operation by the Golden Merchants Sword was wrapped up in less than 5 minutes. All 35 double-winged mutants were annihilated. They couldnt even gather a proper counter-attack before they were turned into charcoal and laid to rest in this land. Such efficient combat perfectly demonstrates the alchemists understanding of battle. For them, efficiency always comes first. Chapter 351 - Chapter 351: 130. Accurate Prediction_2 Chapter 351: 130. Accurate Prediction_2 Translator: 549690339 Lightning has a lethal effect on double-winged mutants, so using it to ambush enemies without worrying about damaging the Life Elixir would be best. Should a more gentle approach be taken to steal the Life Elixir from enemies? No, no, no! Efficiency always comes first. As for how many Life Elixirs can be obtained after the battle, it all depends on luck. One box would be a break-even, two boxes would be a small profit, and three boxes would be a substantial gain. Thats why they had just witnessed that electrifying scene. The large white powder shells are called Thunderstorm Powder Shells, a type of alchemy cannonball. They have no inherent lethality, only forming a thunderstorm dust cloud that hovers in the air for about 10 seconds. Only after being ignited by plasma bullets would the thunderstorm dust cloud unleash its true power. The Golden Merchants Swords have many more powerful alchemical weapons with such a wide range of effects. Noland Lee was fortunate to see the inventory of the Golden Merchants Swords during the battle preparation stage. The Gravitational Bomb gathers all movable targets within a small area; The Flame Carpet Bomb ignites a small area to burn continuously for half an hour; The Cold Air Bomb seals off a small area with a -50-degree cold air stream; The Gas-blocking Bomb prevents the appearance of flames in a large area and prevents all living beings from breathing in that area; Various alchemy devices can create poisonous fog, strong acid, and mud. Not to mention alchemy items like high-explosive landmines and fixed flame spray devices. According to Derek, during the Golden Dynasty period, specialist combat alchemists would rely on alchemy weaponry to confront enemies face-to-face. Times have changed. Close combat is now a last resort. In most cases, combat alchemists use alchemy cannon towers, alchemy bombs, alchemy traps, and various other means to attack enemies from a safe distance. With the help of Alchemy Stones, each Golden Merchants Sword is a mobile alchemy arsenal and can also turn into an armored bear for close combat with enemies. No matter what kind of enemy they face, they can pull out alchemical weapons tailored to that specific enemy from their Alchemy Stones. With a wide variety of weapons, comprehensive damage types, convenient ammunition storage, and strong adaptability in combat, these are the advantages of alchemists. However, correspondingly, the shortcomings of alchemists are also quite obvious. Each alchemical weapon corresponds to one or several operation manuals, making the learning cost relatively high. Secondly, each alchemical weapon and alchemical ammunition corresponds to an alchemy production line. For every Golden Merchants Sword participating in battle, there are several other alchemists engaged in production work. When Noland Lee arrived at the temporary camp in the Savage Stone Wasteland following Derek and his comrades, he saw a large swath of tents set up for alchemy workshops there. Countless alchemy materials were brought here by First and Second Order alchemists with their Alchemy Stones and made into alchemical items for the Golden Merchants Swords in the workshop tents. The whole makeshift camp was bustling, with only a fifth of the people being combat-specialist Golden Merchants Swords, and the rest being non-combat alchemists serving in logistics and support roles. Comparing this scene with the scenario of a wizard casually casting spells with a wave of a hand shows the advantage of wizards: Wizards, lone warriors, one person meditating, and the whole family casting. Alchemists, a team effort, one person shooting, and the whole team busy working. No wonder Denises expression implied dont be fooled when she heard Noland Lee was planning to study alchemy in depth. Alchemy isnt as convenient as magic. While marveling at the convenience of magic, Noland Lee followed Derek into the tent. As agreed before the battle, he would take 30% of the Life Elixirs and be rewarded with a sum of money. In the spacious conference tent, Angela instructed her teammates to pile all the spoils of war obtained from cleaning the battlefield onto the conference table. In front of Noland Lee, the Golden Merchants Swords took an inventory of the spoils. Six metal boxes that survived the lightning storm, in which the vast majority of Life Elixirs were undamaged, contained a total of 300,000 usable Life Elixirs. Life Elixirs scattered on the sand were severely damaged, and after careful inspection, fewer than 10,000 were usable. These approximately 310,000 Life Elixirs were all that were gained from ambushing the double-winged mutants this time. Centreing a lockable]. Chapter 352 - Chapter 352: 130. Accurate Forecasting_3 Chapter 352: 130. Accurate Forecasting_3 Translator: 549690339 Alright, you can count on us. Well keep our mouths shut. Noland Lee lifted the door curtain and left, walking out of the campsite alone. Before entering the campsite, he had covered himself with a cloak and hood to avoid bumping into Kent and the others. After leaving the campsite, he circled around two gentle slopes. In a secluded area where no one could detect him, he transformed into a skull and flew towards the skys edge. The Sword of Gold Traders Temporary Camp was situated to the east of the fissure, on top of a barren desert, about 10 kilometers away from the fissure. For uninformed alchemists, this 10-kilometer distance might seem safe, enough to avoid the aberrations wandering around the fissure. However, Noland was well aware that as a Seventh Ring Mental Wizard, Samuelson only needed to use the Mind Beacon to cast Mind View and could see the entire campsite at a glance. According to the normal sequence of events: As soon as the double-winged mutant tasked with transporting the Life Elixir failed to return to the fissure on time, Samuelson would employ mental magic and magic servants to actively search for the missing double-winged mutant. Following the established transport route, he would find the battle site, then trace the battle marks and tracks on the Sand Sea to the temporary camp and finally locate the attackers of the transportation team through meticulous screening. Even Noland, a second-rate Mental Wizard, could think of these tactics, let alone Seventh Ring Mental Wizard Samuelson. If this situation did occur, then all those involved in this incident would be discerned by Samuelsons Mind View. But what if this situation didnt occur? For instance, Samuelson didnt use mental magic to search for the lost Life Elixir, nor did he spy on the alchemists camp with his mental powers or attempt to attack the camp to reclaim the Life Elixir. If these things didnt happen, what would it imply? Thats right, it would mean Samuelson couldnt make the time or effort to focus on the events taking place above ground. After losing the Life Elixir that spawned the aberrations, he could only silently bear the loss, unable to respond to the incident. Because if he diverted his attention to plan the recapture of the Life Elixir, another more critical matter might suffer severe consequences, ultimately rendering his efforts futile. This crucial matter that prevented Samuelson from diverting his attention was helping the aberrations complete their Magic Enlightenment. During the process of aiding the aberrations with their Magic Enlightenment, Samuelson would be in a state where he couldnt retaliate or retort. In the entire Aberration Den, only the aberrations not participating in the Magic Enlightenment and the potentially existing Blackbone Hermit and Sergeant of Military Intelligence Department Five could respond to unwelcome intruders. If Noland truly wanted to seize a large number of soul fragments, he couldnt miss this opportunity. His hypothesis was based on evidence. In fact, before robbing the Life Elixir with Derek and the others, Noland had used the information provided by Denise Green to formulate a complete action plan. It was well thought out, corroborated, and targeted the enemys vital points. This plan covered predictions, interpretations, and countermeasures for all events within the next three months, comprehensive, and meticulous in its detail. When Noland and Denise discussed this plan, her eyes sparkled with admiration. In the plan, Noland mentioned a viewpoint: Whether or not Samuelsons mental magic appeared around the temporary camp within one to three hours of the Life Elixir arriving would be the decisive factor in verifying whether Samuelson was conducting Magic Enlightenment. This would directly determine if Noland should raid the underground nest. If the evidence showed that Samuelson indeed couldnt afford to be distracted at the critical stage, then he shouldnt blame Noland for taking advantage of the situation~ That ability to predict the course of events was something Noland possessed. Chapter 353 - Chapter 353: 131. Counterfeit Genius Chapter 353: 131. Counterfeit Genius Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee followed the guidance of Soul Perception and found Denise Green in the wilderness. This hardworking witch, who accompanied Noland Lee, possessed three magic rings. She had exchanged these rings for Rebirth Magic Power from the professor. One of these rings was a magic ring entwined in dark pink threads. It recorded three Illusion Magic spells: Illusionary Body Technique, Illusionary Shadow Technique, and Tree Shadow Lost Trace. Illusionary Body Technique allowed Denise Greens shadow to blend into her surroundings, entering a stealth mode suitable for use while moving. Illusionary Shadow Technique] could summon illusions resembling Denise Greens appearance to help her divert the enemys attention. Tree Shadow Lost Trace was an Illusion Magic spell that could be maintained for an extended time in a stationary state. It would create a small Illusion Forest around Denise Green, concealing her shadow. From the outside, onlookers would have their line of sight blocked by the illusionary trunks and branches. If they entered rashly, they could lose their way in the Illusion Forest. Noland Lee didnt need to worry about that. He flew directly into the Illusion Forest and found Denise Green sitting in a chair at its deepest point. This lady had a magic pouch full of peculiar things. These included two wooden chairs with backrests, a round wooden table, a magic kettle that automatically heated water, and a simple bookcase for holding magic books. Now, Denise Green had taken these things out and placed them on an open space in the Illusion Forest. She lazily leaned back in the chair, flipping through a book with an invisible [Mages Hand]. It must be said, she really knew how to enjoy herself. Noland Lee turned back to human form and chuckled: It seems that having you accompany me hasnt tired you out. Thats great. Denise Green raised the corner of her mouth playfully, and motioned for the [Mages Hand] to pass Noland Lee a teacup: Sit down and rest, youve been busy for almost a day and a night. Noland Lee didnt stand on ceremony, drinking the tea in one gulp and sitting down heavily. He leaned against the soft chair back and sighed comfortably: Ive got the Life Elixir, a total of 100,000 vials. Theyre all in your possession now. Noland Lee placed the briefcase on the round table. Denise Green took out her magic pouch and moved all the glass vials from the briefcase into the pouch, muttering: The Life Elixirs Extraordinary Traits have been removed, retaining only the most basic effects of the medicine. On this level, its healing effect is equivalent to that of the small healing mushrooms from the Kashel Continent. The unit price of small healing mushrooms has been stable at 10 Ulnas silver coins. 100,000 vials of Life Elixir would correspond to 1 million Ulnas silver coinsHmmlet me see, converted to Ulnas Circular Gold Coins, that would be 1,000 gold coins. Denise Green put away the Life Elixir, took out a small notebook for keeping accounts, and wrote a few strokes: Mages merchant ships between Alchemist Island and Kashel Continent sail every two months. The next arrival at the Golden Federation will be in three weeks. By then, there will definitely be a wizard caravan passing through Union City. We can sell the Life Elixir to them in exchange for Ulnas gold coins. The wizard caravans must have large-denomination gold coins. We will receive one large-denomination gold coin with a face value of 1,000, so we dont have to carry thousands of gold coins. Alright, lets do it your way. Noland Lee nodded. Why not exchange Life Elixir for Union Coins used locally in Union City? Its easy to understand. There were once many small and large kingdoms on Alchemist Island. Today, there are only two kingdoms left on the island. One is the Golden Federation where Noland Lee was currently located, and the other was the Tatis Empire, where he had once been. Whether it was the Golden Federation or the Tatis Empire, both countries were minor on a global scalethe Golden Federation was slightly better off. Due to its extreme isolation, the Tatis Empires New Solon Currency wasnt recognized by any other country. The mainstream currency of the Golden League was Gold Coin, not Union Coin. Due to the unique environment of Union City, only Union Coins could be used here, and they couldnt be exchanged for Gold Coin. This was a decisive measure taken by the Alchemy Cathedral to avoid various troubles. New Solon Currency couldnt circulate, and Union Coins had no value outside Union City. In view of this situation, to ensure that the coins they had retained their purchasing power after leaving Alchemist Island by boat, Noland Lee and Denise Green decided to stockpile Ulnas gold coins. As for matters related to managing their finances and spoils of war, they would leave them to Denise Green. Noland Lee just needed to focus on fighting. He might have to venture into the Fissure soon, so it was time to start preparing. Are you sure you dont want me to go with you, Noland? Denise Green blinked, watching Noland Lee get his backpack ready. Noland Lee shook his head and said: No need, Denise Green. You can just wait for me here. Check your Rebirth Magic Power again. Alright. Denise Green obediently closed her eyes, activated her Meditation Method, and sank into her own Spiritual Ocean. Two seconds later, she opened her eyes and said: Ive checked, I still have 612 points of Rebirth Magic Power left. Before receiving your message, I wont use any Rebirth Magic Power. Ill save it for an emergency evacuation from the nest with you. Its my first time teleporting someone with me, I dont know if itll be successful Chapter 354 - Chapter 354: 131. Fake Genius_2 Chapter 354: 131. Fake Genius_2 Translator: 549690339 No problem, Denise. Just operate as you normally would during teleportation. Believe in yourself, you can absolutely do it. Okay! Denise Greens emergency evacuation is related to the Rebirth Magic Teleportation Spell she mastered. This is also why Noland Lee dares to venture into the nest alone. This teleportation spell is called Rebirth Teleportation Spell, and when casting, Denise Green needs to hold a magic torch. This magic torch can be fully deconstructed with only 3000 energy points, and doesnt require Noland Lee to deconstruct it using the Harmless Deconstruction technique. Noland Lee consumed some energy points and got part of the panel information of the magic torch. From the deconstruction results, the magic torch is actually a witchs exclusive wand, nothing special. According to Denise Green, when holding the torch, she can see Noland Lee through the magic vision provided by the torch. After outlining the blueprint of the teleportation spell with her mind, she can teleport to Noland Lees side as she steps forward. This teleportation spell is a round trip teleportation technique. The first time the teleportation spell is activated, Denise Green will teleport to Noland Lees side. This teleportation requires rebirth magic power. The mana consumption increases by 1 point for every additional kilometer of teleportation distance. The second time the teleportation spell is activated, Denise Green will return to the original location of the teleportation spell. This teleportation does not consume rebirth magic power. When returning to the original position, Denise Green can teleport someone. The cost is this teleportation will consume the normal rebirth magic power. Denise Green had never tried to teleport someone before because she had never contracted with the Resurrection Magic Source. It would indeed put a lot of pressure on her to teleport both herself and Noland Lee away during a crisis. But Noland Lee is certain that Denise Green can absolutely manage to teleport both of them. Because her panel information clearly states that there are only two requirements for teleporting someone else. One is that Denise Green and Noland Lee must have physical contact. The second is the need to prepare enough magic power. As long as these two conditions are met, there is no chance of the teleportation spell failing. This is why Noland Lee is full of confidence. Huh? Noland Lee suddenly paused. Does his absolute belief that the teleportation spell will not go wrong seem like a bad omen? Why does it feel strange Noland Lee paused in his action of packing his backpack, knitted his eyebrows, and carefully thought about all possible situations. Whats the matter, Noland? Denise Green asked softly. While pondering, Noland Lee asked: Denise, is there any way to interrupt the teleportation spell? There are a lot of ways. Denise Green said, counting her fingers: Anything that can interrupt the casting of a spell can interrupt the teleportation spell. For example, an attack that penetrates the magic shield, unexpected sharp noises, or magic that can disrupt the casters balance. I have a magic ring specifically for protecting myself. It can help me block most of the factors that interfere with spell casting. Its only drawback is that it cant deal with mental magic or magic aimed at the soul. Denise Green voiced her worries: What Im most worried about now is that we could encounter Samuelson just as were about to teleport away. As long as he casts a mental magic like Perception Interference or Perception Distortion, it could be enough to interrupt my teleport spell. After all, I first need to see the destination in the magic vision before I can teleport there. If my perception is interfered with or distorted, I might not be able to activate the magic vision brought by the torch, let alone the teleport spell. Noland Lee rubbed his chin, thought for a while, and brought up his Personal Panel. Denise Green could not guard against mental magic. Noland Lee happens to have a spell that can guard against mental magic. That is the Mental Shield. This magic spell was harmlessly deconstructed from the River of Mind: Volume 1. Noland Lee got the casting blueprint of it, which is only 20% complete. Due to the power of Rebirth, Denise Green cannot use soul energy or other energies to cast spells. However, it doesnt prevent her from using magic scrolls. Noland Lee could completely make a few Mental Shield magic scrolls on the spot for Denise Green to use just in case. Not only that, spells like Soul Shield that can defend against soul-level damage, and Life and Death Tracking which can be used to detect living people, lost souls and corpses can also be given to Denise Green for use through magic scrolls. As for outsiders discovering anomalies in Noland Lees casting blueprint from the magic scrolls he made. Thats not a problem. Because the principle of magic scrolls is not to draw a casting blueprint on the scrolls, but to seal the spell that has already been cast into the scrolls. For example. Fireball Scroll. The fireball itself is sealed in the scroll, not the casting blueprint of the fireball spell. The magical runes presented on a magic scroll are the fireball existing as a flat graphic. If anyone could deduce casting blueprints from the fireball, then they would be more powerful than the Deconstruction Core System. Such a person or item is impossible to exist, otherwise there would not be so many knowledge barriers in this world. After a glance at the Magic Scroll Making in his scholarly skills tab, Noland Lee made a decision. Denise, do you have tools for creating magic scrolls in your magic pouch? Noland Lee asked. Let me check.. Denise Green opened a blue magic pouch with white lace edges, lowered her head, and searched inside with her right hand. Chapter 355 - Chapter 355: 131. Counterfeit Genius_3 Chapter 355: 131. Counterfeit Genius_3 Translator: 549690339 About half a minute passed, and she laughed, saying: I have it! A magic toolbox wrapped in dark brown Pig Cook was dragged out of her Magic Pouch by Denise Green, making a thud as it landed on the round table. The top of the magic toolbox was half opened, revealing a complete set of nearly new magic scroll drawing tools and dozens of unused blank magic scrolls. Denise Green scratched her head in embarrassment: Hehe This toolbox was something I bought before I left Ulnas Circle. I originally wanted to use it to make resurrection type magic scrolls. But then, I found I didnt have any talent for drawing magic scrolls, so this toolbox has always been in my Magic Pouch, hardly ever used. Will you be drawing magic scrolls now? Yes, Denise Green. This toolbox is timely. Noland Lee curiously glanced at Denise Greens Magic Pouch: Just how much stuff can it fit? Denise Green opened the Magic Pouch and showed Noland Lee its contents. Looking into the Magic Pouch with a white lace border and handbag-like appearance, Noland Lee saw three small mountains stacked on a white cloud Just by estimating, the space inside the Magic Pouch seemed to be about 50 cubic meters No wonder Denise Green, like Doraemon, could pull anything out of her bag. In comparison, the folding space in Noland Lees backpack and the Blood Haven on his left hand only had a volume of just over one cubic meter. It felt pitifully small. This was the difference between a wizard who had been to Ulnas Circle and one who has not In the wizard caravan arriving in three weeks, there should be Magic Pouches for sale. Prices will likely be two or three times higher than in Ulnas Circle. At that time, Ill help you choose one. Hmm, okay. Noland Lee nodded, and proceeded to use the magic toolbox. He did not choose to avoid Denise Green. Through these days of interaction, Noland Lee had learned about her personality. Unless Noland Lee explained the situation himself, Denise Green wouldnt meddle. Just like now, Denise Green blinked her eyes, watching Noland Lees actions, and found the mastery of using the magic toolbox amazing. She knew that as a Wild Wizard, Noland Lee couldnt possibly possess the skill of crafting magic scrolls, but she didnt ask any further. Noland Lee didnt feel like explaining anything to her and swiftly created six magic scrolls, earning some experience in Scholarly Skills. Three of these scrolls were Level 5 Mental Shield Scrolls. The remaining three were Level 5 Soul Shield Scrolls. Constrained by the fact that his Magic Scroll Making skill was only at Level 5, Level 5 was the highest level of magic scrolls that Noland Lee could craft. Noland Lee handed these six magic scrolls to Denise Green, urging her: Use both types of scrolls before teleporting here. You will know the magic effect once you use them. Denise Green glanced at the unfamiliar magic runes on the scrolls, then rolled them up and placed them into her Magic Pouch: I got it. Ill use the magic scrolls first, then teleport. Noland Lee pondered for a second, feeling much more settled. The feeling of having too many balls in the air dissipated significantly. He estimated the time. If the double winged Aberration Team was not robbed, they should have reached the Fissure around this time. Noland Lee squinted his eyes looking out towards the Illusion Forest. He placed the first Mental Beacon on a sand dune a few kilometers away. Denise Green followed Noland Lees gaze. She looked at the sand dune for a few seconds, but saw nothing, asking: Are there enemies appearing? No, there arent. Noland Lee shook his head slightly and motioned for her to be quiet: I know some Mental Magic, for instance, Mind View. Denise Greens mouth opened in surprise, disbelief in her eyes. First was the skill of drawing magic scrolls, then proficiency in mental magic, then also showing Death Magic during the Elemental Judgement. Noland Lee had already shown three different types of magic abilities consecutively. Is this really a Wild Wizard?! Noland Lee, looking at the stunned Denise Green, smiled mysteriously and says: Dont be surprised, Denise Green. Magic isnt as difficult as you imagine. In my eyes, its as simple as eating and drinking. Denise Green closed her mouth and gazed at Noland Lee, swallowing: So, the Extraordinary Traits you gained from Stargazing was an extraordinary talent for self-learning magic? That seems to be the case. It allows me to easily master almost all forms of magic. Noland Lee calmly replied. These words were deliberate. Exposing a small amount of his real strength in front of Denise Green would not cause him any trouble. On the third night of meeting Denise Green, she revealed some secrets to Noland Lee. These secrets were about the truth of this world, knowledge only those who have been to Ulnas Circle would have. One of them was: The stars hanging in the night sky were not just Teleportation Gates for wizard forces. They also formed a protective net shielding the entire world from the harm of Star Pollutants. This protective net was called the Star Filtering Net. It would keep all harmful, non-beneficial Star Pollutants outside the world. At the same time, the Star Filtering Net would allow Star Pollutants, whose benefits to the world outweigh the harm, to cross the protective net and fall to the Ground Level or into the Ocean. Chapter 356 - Chapter 356: 131. Counterfeit Genius_4 Chapter 356: 131. Counterfeit Genius_4 Translator: 549690339 The Dusk Giant that fell from the sky and landed on the ground of the Tatis Ancient Dynasty came about in this way. The Dusk Giant is essentially a form of star pollution. The Star Filtering Net could only filter out star pollutants but couldnt interfere with where they landed. Considering the ratio of land to ocean in this world, 80% of the star pollutants that passed through the Star Filtering Net would likely end up in the ocean, while only 20% would land on the ground. If a star pollutant was small enough to be held by a human, it could potentially be absorbed by someone like Noland Lee. After a painless or painful absorption process, the star pollutant would eventually be transformed into an extraordinary trait that would accompany that person for the rest of their life. No one else would notice this process, and those chosen by the star pollutant would only experience common physiological symptoms, such as fever, stomachache, and palpitations, which are not likely to raise concerns. Only when they suddenly discovered that they possessed some extraordinary abilities would they realize that they were different from others. These people often encounter magical items that had fallen from the Ulnas Circle due to their outstanding abilities compared to their peers. As long as they made slight use of their extraordinary traits, they could easily establish mental contact with the main lecturers within the Ulnas Circle. By the time Noland was demonstrating his magical talent, he had already thought of excuses for all his anomalies. He was a magic genius. A magic genius created by star pollution. As for attracting unnecessary attention because of his excessive genius, Noland admitted that he did indeed feel somewhat apprehensive before learning about star pollutants and protective nets. But after carefully listening to Denise Greens explanations of secrets and the exploits of many famous people, he was sure that there was no need for him to shy away anymore. Because there were simply too many geniuses created by star pollutants. Not to mention easily mastering multiple magical skills, there were even plenty of people who became Seventh Ring Wizards in an instant. Compared to these people who achieved great success overnight and directly transformed from ordinary people into main lecturers, Noland felt that his extraordinary abilities were still not impressive enough. With such impressive precedents, Noland decided to take advantage of Samuelsons inability to resist and go all out. Thus, the scene of him using mental magic calmly unfolded. What do you think this extraordinary trait of mine is called, Denise? Noland asked while monitoring the temporary camp. Hmm Denise Green lightly pinched her chin and contemplated: Stardust Level Exceptional Memory; Star Stone Level Magic Multi-tasker; Star Land Level Magic Proficient and Innate Wizard; You might possess one of these four extraordinary traits. Star Sphere Level and Star System Level extraordinary traits are not something one person can possess. To determine which extraordinary trait you possess, youll have to go to the Ulnas Circle and take a trait test. As Denises words fell, the system sent a message. You have gained knowledge about Extraordinary Traits. All your panel information has been updated simultaneously, adding an Extraordinary Traits column and corresponding classification method. Noland glanced at the information in his mind and found it unremarkable. All the panel information he had acquired would update automatically as his knowledge base increased. After cramming basic knowledge about the realm of wizards, he received no fewer than a hundred system messages, all related to updating panel information. Among them were the seven-level classification methods of Stardust Level, Star Stone Level, Star Land Level, Star Sphere Level, Star System Level, Constellation Level, and Star Domain Level. This was the classification method used in the Ulnas Circle to divide extraordinary traits and star pollution. When it comes to categorizing the quality of magical items, they generally use four broad levels: Common, High Order, Holy Objects, and Star. Two other sets of classification methods were also used within the Golden Federation and Tatis Empire. These classification methods were all presented on the panel information, causing the sections related to levels, tiers, and classifications to be cluttered. Noland simply collapsed the smaller classification methods and unified them using the Ulnas Circles classification method. Given time, when he reaches the top of the world, he plans to remodel this hard-to-remember classification method and categorize them uniformly using colors and designations. Gray inferior, white ordinary, green excellent, blue fine, purple epic, orange legendary, and colorful eternal. This is so much easier to remember. Whats the point of names like Stardust and Star Stone? Its too confusing. The color grading method used in games is far simpler and more straightforward. Of course, there are still tens or hundreds of thousands of points of Soul Strength needed to achieve this great goal, comparable to unifying text and track. For now, Nolands focus was still on sweeping the Aberration Den. Time was spent observing the campsite. A full three hours passed, and no Aberrations appeared near the temporary camp to reclaim the Life Elixir. This coincided with the speculation that Samuelson cant get away. Noland terminated Mind View and took out a Battle Potion produced by the Golden Federation and drank it. A surging and powerful force emerged from the depths of his body, spreading to his limbs, and all fatigue was swept away. Denise, Im leaving, Noland stood up and warned the quiet lady who was watching him: After Im gone, dont just focus on reading, pay attention to your surroundings. If you encounter any trouble on the ground, I wont be able to appear in front of you immediately. Yes! Denise nodded seriously, put away the book in front of her, and held the magic wand made from unicorn hair and purple wooden garment in her hand: Dont worry, I wont be distracted. As soon as an enemy appears, Ill immediately move to another place and wait for you. Noland felt a little worried about her, rummaged in his pocket, took out two heart-control spiders and handed them over, then swiftly flew away with a parting word. Keep them safe, Denise. These little things Ive made can help you deal with enemies in a pinch. Denise carefully observed the heart-control spiders while holding them. Hearing Noland say that he made them himself, Denise looked up in surprise but only saw his departing figure. Return safely, Noland. Ill protect you. Denise spoke through Soul Perception, her tone both determined and tender. Noland knew it was because of his unique abilities on display. Protection is mutual, Denise. Ill help you fend off the other companion witches. Tonight is very important to me, so stay sharp. Yes! Chapter 357 - Chapter 357: 132. Strange Crevice Chapter 357: 132. Strange Crevice Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee circled about five kilometers to the south, avoiding the temporary camp of the Golden Merchants Sword from afar, and approached the fissure from the south side. Standing on the edge of the cliff overlooking the Aberration Fissure, one would see a vertically extending precipice and darkness that the moonlight cannot illuminate. This steep terrain is not suitable for human activities. Alchemists from Union City would use scaffolds, suspended ladders, telescopic tracks, and simple mechanical platforms to build temporary passages to the bottom of the cliff. For Aberrations, moving on this terrain would be much more convenient. Level 1 and Level 2 Aberrations, also known as small and standard form Aberrations, are newly hatched from Aberration eggs. These two levels of Aberrations have not yet grown suction cups on their feet, so they cannot move vertically on smooth cliffs. Starting from Level 3 Aberrations, as the level increases, the functional organs and external tissues of the Aberrations become more and more numerous. Functions such as suction cups that can adhere to smooth surfaces, external hard pieces protecting joints and vital parts, sharp fangs to enhance biting and killing force, bone claws that can be collected at the wrist, and acid-spitting gills are all present in higher level aberrations. It can be said that for a single class of Aberrations, the higher the level, the more parts on the Aberration, and the stronger the comprehensive strength. In addition to the level factor affecting the combat power of Aberrations, the type of Aberrations also has an impact. Aberrations that cannot fly are defined by the Alchemy Cathedral as Walking Foot Class. Within this category, four-legged Aberrations are the most common. Examples include the two-legged Devourer, the six-legged Seeder, and the legless Piercer, which is like a snake. These are among the elite of the Walking Foot Class Aberrations. Aberrations that can fly are defined by the Alchemy Cathedral as Flying Wing Class. The more wings, the more powerful. Those with one wing are called Monowing, two wings are called Doublewing, three wings are called Triplewing, and so on. These flying Aberrations are the backbone of patrolling the Aberration Fissure. Noland Lee leaped off the edge of the cliff and used the Bone Spirit Flight Technique to fly to the bottom of the cliff in the form of a skull. At the moment when the surrounding environment became dim and lightless, the sound of flapping wings, splashing and flapping, echoed through the air. In the darkness where moonlight could not reach, several Flywing Mutants noticed a visitor who was not on the invitation list. They flapped their wings and flew out of the cave entrance on the cliff, circling around the uninvited white skull. Noland Lee had preemptively drunk some high-quality Night Vision Potion he bought from Meow Judgment. His vision range in a lightless environment was about 300 meters. As soon as this group of Flywing Mutants flew out of the cave entrance, they were locked onto by Noland Lees gaze. Noland Lee threw Deconstruction at them, consuming a few Energy Points, and obtained a small amount of personalized panel information. Identity] Flying Guards of the Aberration Den The panel information showed that this group of Flywing Mutants only had the identity of Flying Guard and did not possess the identity of Tatis Empire Military Intelligence NCO. From this, it can be seen that not all Aberrations in this nest were transformed from Military Intelligence Department Five personnel. Having made a judgment on the situation, Noland Lee carried out his pre-planned actions. While canceling the Bone Spirit Flight Technique, he activated Breath of the Dead, turning himself into a ghastly white skeleton. He allowed his body to fall obediently under the pull of gravity. The Flywing Mutants circling around him seemed not to understand why the visitor had changed from a skull to a skeleton. They flapped their wings and hovered in the air, watching the skeleton fall to the bottom of the cliff. Seeing this scene, Noland Lee knew that his operation tonight had a high chance of being successful. The Flywing Mutants transformed from the staff of Military Intelligence Department Five must master the following two skills during the transportation of Life Elixir: First, they need to understand how to identify directions, navigate through the vast Sand Sea without getting lost, and accurately locate the cave entrance on the cliffs of Blade Mountain Range where they rendezvous with the Imperial Army. Second, they need to understand how to communicate with the Imperial Army, know how to distinguish friends from foes, and then have a peaceful exchange of the Life Elixir with the Imperial Army. These two skills are built on a level of intelligence that is almost human. Noland Lee thought that this level of intelligence was something that every double-winged mutant possessed. Now, by observing the performance of the Flying Guards, Noland Lee realized: Only the Flywing Mutants transformed from the staff of Military Intelligence Department Five possess intelligence comparable to humans. All other Flywing Mutants, as well as Walking Foot Class Mutants, have low intelligence and flawed logic in their actions. They cannot distinguish between bones and Skeleton Undead, and they cannot understand magic that turns living humans into skeletons. In their eyes, humanoid creatures existing in the form of skeletons are not enemies. Only lively and jumping humans with breathing and heartbeats are their enemies. As long as you cleverly use this point, sweeping this nest is not a difficult task. After confirming that the group of Flywing Mutants did not follow him, Noland Lee activated the Bone Spirit Flight Technique in the air about twenty to thirty meters below them. He turned back into a flying skull. Seeing this scene, the group of flight guards no longer reacted. Chapter 358 - Chapter 358: 132. Strange Crevice_2 Chapter 358: 132. Strange Crevice_2 Translator: 549690339 After chattering a few times, they seemed to lose interest in the ever-changing bones. They flapped their wings with a whoosh and flew back to the cave entrance on the cliff, disappearing into the darkness. Noland Lee continued to fly down, encountering several groups of Flywing Mutants lurking in the caves. Using the Breath of the Dead to transform into a skeleton, he evaded their pursuit and passed through several lines of defense unhindered. After a minute-long flight, Noland finally landed successfully at the pitch-dark base of the cliff. He activated the Breath of the Dead, took on the skeleton form, and looked up at the heavens. The starry night sky shrunk to the size of a bowl, surrounded by dense darkness. With a level gaze, Noland scanned his surroundings and saw not the anticipated mucus carpet covering the ground, but square holes that were artificially excavated. He raised his non-existent eyebrows, and felt a bit astonished. In his plan, the base of the cliffs with the Aberration Fissures should be covered in mucus. On the half-meter-thick layer of mucus, numerous Aberration eggs would be laid. Nearby the densely-packed eggs, various types of Aberrations would patrol back and forth, taking care of the eggs, bringing them nutrient solution, and transporting nutrients. But strangely, why couldnt he see any mucus or eggs at the base of this cliff? Nolands original plan was to quietly eliminate a group of Aberrations, turn them into his Lost Souls, then control them to reach designated points to ignite them with the Evil Blast technique, harvesting one batch of soul fragments after another. Now, this plan had to be suspended due to the strange conditions at the cliffs base. Noland calmed his mind and didnt panic at all. He approached a square hole with evident signs of artificial excavation, threw out a heart control spider, and operated the little creature to explore the cave. These caves at the base of the cliff should be filled with mucus carpets and Aberrations as well. But now, there was nothing here, the ground was smooth and flat, and there was no trace of sticky mucus. Its so strange Noland muttered to himself. The heart control spider traveled through the narrow tunnel. After about three minutes, a faint light scattered from the end of the tunnel. Noland, who was controlling the heart control spider, captured that light. He suppressed the doubts in his mind and slowed the spiders pace, reducing the noise produced by the mechanical spider legs rubbing against the ground. As he approached the light, faint mechanical sounds entered the sound collection array of the heart control spider and were heard by Noland. Kree, kree, kree This was the sound of metal pistons moving back and forth. Psh hiss , psh hiss This was the sound of regulated exhaust from the air valves. The mechanical sluice gate half-closed was in front of the heart control spider. The light poured through the cracks in the door and shone on the smooth wall. The rhythmic mechanical movement also came from behind the door. Heart control spiders leaned against the door cracks to take a look inside. Noland gasped slightly. The bottom of this Aberration Fissure was not an Aberration Den! He saw a massive underground space with numerous glass cultivation tanks standing on the floor. The mechanical sounds he had heard came from the ceiling above. It was the cultivation tank transportation system composed of dozens of Mechanical Arms, steam pipelines, and metal rails. The pshhiss exhaust sound was the noise produced when steam pipelines drove Mechanical Arms. The air valves on the pipeline dynamically adjusted the steam pressure inside to match the arms transporting actions. The kree kree piston sound was produced by the suspension device of the steam-driven Mechanical Arms when they quickly moved and suddenly stopped on metal rails. Dozens of Mechanical Arms busied themselves among a vast array of cultivation tanks. On the left wall of the underground space was a row of mechanical conveyor belts. Empty cultivation tanks were brought here by the conveyor belts. Mechanical Arms grabbed them and moved them to the ground, placing them on the vacant cultivation tank bases. The Cultivation Tank Base would inject a light green liquid into the tanks. On the right wall of the underground space, there was also a row of mechanical conveyor belts. When the cultivation tanks were filled with liquid, the Mechanical Arms would pick them up from the floor and place them on the mechanical conveyor belts on the right wall. Having played many base construction games before crossing over, Noland immediately understood the meaning of the scene: This was an automatic machinery workshop for filling cultivation tanks. Steam was used as the power source, and facilities such as Mechanical Arms and rails were used to perform the filling operations. Considering the number of mechanical conveyor belts on the walls, the other workshops connected to this one might be of the same scale. So the Aberration den Im now in has been artificially transformed into a huge machinery factory? Noland raised his hand to touch the top of his head, feeling delighted about the scene he saw. He was somewhat obsessive about base building, preferring to arrange buildings and facilities in an orderly grid. Especially those facilities with regular contours and conveyor belts. If they werent arranged neatly, Noland always felt ants crawling on his body, making him uncomfortable. Look at these smooth rails and Mechanical Arms on the ceiling, and the orderly arrangement of steam pipes, conveyor belts, and cultivation tanks. The person who designed and built this machinery workshop must be obsessive too. Chapter 359 - Chapter 359: 132. Weird Crack_3 Chapter 359: 132. Weird Crack_3 Translator: 549690339 Just a simple glance at the layout of the machinery workshop made Noland Lee feel at home. Taptap, taptap Footsteps suddenly echoed in the workshop. Noland Lee quickly hid the mind control spider. Using the magic vision provided by the mind control spider, he cast a mental beacon towards the door gap, and switched his perspective using the Mind View. After maneuvering, from the bottom of the Fissure cliff, he could see the whole picture of the workshop and successfully locked onto the walking figures inside. Seems like three Blackbone Hermits along with a few alchemy minions are inspecting the base of the cultivation tanks. Noland Lee closed his eyes, focusing his full attention on observing the machinery workshop, staring at the figures in the black robes. With a string of deconstruction thrown, Noland Lee confirmed the identity of this group from the system feedback message. They were indeed the Blackbone Hermits, the illegal alchemists of Black City. Among the three Blackbone Hermits, one was of the second order, the other two were of the first order. They divided their tasks, each carrying two alchemy minions, checking the bases of the cultivation tanks in the machinery workshop. Some wielded wrenches to tighten the screws on the base, some used brushes to clean the liquid excreting ports on the base, while others wiped the accumulated water on the ground with cloths. They were completely engrossed in their work, pay no attention to the fact that someone was observing them with mental magic. Just as Noland Lee was contemplating whether to eliminate these people, hurried footsteps came from the corner of the workshop. Damn! Couldnt retrieve the life elixir! Those Imperial Soldiers are useless! They can even be caught by the Golden Merchants Sword while flying in the air! The incoming persons footsteps were rushed, and their voice was loud enough to overshadow the mechanical noise in the workshop. A Blackbone Hermit, who was turning the valve of the liquid pipeline, walked up to the loudmouthed person and asked: Whats the situation? Sir Talbot? The Blackbone Hermit named Talbot just stepped into the workshop and complained loudly: What else could it be?! Damn Golden Merchants Sword, they robbed our Life Elixir! Ive seen it with Sir Samuelsons Mind View Orb. Those Golden Merchants Sword created a thunderstorm cloud and bombed the Military Intelligence Department Five to ashes! They took the intact life elixir and left us with a ground full of glass slag and black coal! The Blackbone Hermits and Alchemy Slaves in the workshop gathered around after hearing the loud-voiced Talbot. Big voiced Talbot became more excited as he continued: Damn! Im so pissed off! How did the damn Golden Merchants Sword know about our transportation route! Those fools at Military Intelligence Department Five! Couldnt they fly any higher?! One of the Blackbone Hermits couldnt stand the chattering of the other and interrupted: Sir Talbot! Did you find where the life elixir is? It should be inside the temporary camp of the Golden Merchants Sword! Talbot yelled: I used the Mind View Orb to track the wheel marks at the scene. The night wind blew sand over the wheel marks, but I can confirm that the wheel marks extend to the Golden Merchants Swords temporary camp! Our Life Elixir must have been hidden in the camp by those sons of bitches Golden Merchants Swords! What should we do? The Blackbone Hermits looked at each other, someone asked: Have you asked Sir Samuelson? Should we mobilize a team of Aberration to retrieve the life elixir? Talbot swung his arm and said: No! No! When I went to find Sir Samuelson, he was still locked in the Central Chamber! He didnt even open the door! Without his help, how could we possibly mobilize the Aberration?! The best we can do is use his generosity with the Mind View Orb to watch the outside situation. Oh, thats a problem Yeah, without the life elixir, the aberrations we breed will significantly decrease The Blackbone Hermits were in a flurry of discussions, the atmosphere was gloomy. Talbot swung his arm and ordered: Dont just stand there! Lower the operation efficiency of the workshop to 30%! Move! We only have half a life elixir left in the nutrition repository! We must not exceed 30% operation efficiency before the new life elixir arrives! Did you hear me? Do you want to see the pipelines here exploding?! While talking, Talbot reached out to the metal valve on the base of the cultivation tank, manually reducing the liquid flow speed in the pipeline to 30% of its original speed. When he passed by the steam pipeline valve on the wall, he twisted the turntable, reducing the amount of steam in the pipeline. The Blackbone Hermits and Alchemy Slaves in the workshop scattered, adjusting the liquid pipeline valves on the base of each cultivation tank, and didnt forgot about the steam valves on the wall. Their operation drastically decreased the operation efficiency of the entire workshop. The cultivation tanks, which were originally filled in just 10 minutes, took at least 30 minutes now. The mechanical arms and tracks on the ceiling also slowed down, no longer bustling like before. Watching their figures, Noland Lee was deep in thought, with his thoughts spinning rapidly. The development of the situation was almost as he expected. Samuelson was in the Central Chamber, which was near the Nest Core. He was busy there, having no time to bother about things other than magic enlightenment. His subordinates, the Blackbone Hermits, could only use mental magic tools to observe the surface, and were even incapable of organizing aberration teams. Chapter 360 - Chapter 360: 132. Strange Crevice_4 Chapter 360: 132. Strange Crevice_4 Translator: 549690339 This was the golden window period for Noland Lee to cause havoc, and he had to seize it firmly. From the conversation of Talbot and others, it seemed that the current workshop was related to the Nutrition Repository. The so-called nutrient solution was the light green liquid filled in the culture tanks. The main ingredient was the Life Elixir. Noland took out pen and paper from his Blood Haven and quickly sketched a layout of the machinery workshop in the dark. On this layout, he didnt simply draw the positions of facilities like the culture tanks. He also marked the flow direction, flow speed, and temperature of the steam in the pipelines with numbers and arrows. Similarly, parameters such as the liquid flow speed in the pipes connected to the base of the culture tanks, the transport speed of the mechanical conveyor belt on the wall, etc., had all been marked by him. This wasnt done out of interest. As an experienced base construction player, Noland knew what was most fatal to a machinery workshop. The first thing was production materials that shouldnt appear in conveyor belts and pipelines. The other was the abnormal operation parameters in the machinery workshop. The negative effects caused by these two things could be either large or small. On the smaller side, if clean water is mixed into the liquid pipeline thats supposed to transport nutrient solution, the cultivation effect of the culture tanks would be greatly reduced. On the larger side, if the liquid pipeline transports alcohol or strong acid instead of the nutrient solution, the contents of the culture tanks could likely be killed on the spot. Similarly, if theres an abnormality in the liquid and steam flow speed within the machinery workshop, it could result in liquid spills and steam sprays at the lightest, or an explosion that would destroy most of the machinery workshop at worst. At this moment, Noland suddenly realized that he might not need to confront the enemy head-on if he wanted to sweep the workshop that had been artificially transformed into a machinery factory. All he had to do was to understand the layout and operation parameters of the machinery factory and focus on attacking a few key points, to paralyze the entire machinery factory. If the strategy was implemented properly, he may be able to take out swathes of enemies at once, leaving with full Energy Points and soul fragments. This was all based on one prerequisite: He had to thoroughly understand every detail of the machinery factory. Noland switched the Magic Vision of Mind View to the walkway entrance in the corner of the machinery workshop wall. He cast a new Mental Beacon and used it as the casting target, casting a new Mind View to achieve vision leap. He could currently only perform three vision leaps, which were extremely limited and not conducive to scouting the vast machinery factory. Noland decisively brought out the Mind View Spell List and invested 1,450 Energy Points. System Message: You consumed 1450 Energy Points. The level of Mind View has increased by 10 levels and is now Level 20. The number of view jumps for Mind View has increased by 10, now totaling 13 times. Upon reaching Level 20, Mind View triggers an upgrade reward. Please choose one of the following three options: Option One: The field of view of Mind View increases by 100%, raising it to 72.5% of the casters true field of view. Option Two: The View Jump feature is enhanced, with the number of jumps increased by 10, going from 13 to 23 times. Option Three: Add a Fuel-efficient Casting feature to Mind View, reducing casting consumption by 50%. I choose Option Two, Noland murmured. The Magic Panel of Mind View was refreshed, with the number of view jumps rising to 23 times. Unless the entire machinery factory was as complex as a maze, Noland was confident that with 23 jumps, he would be able to fully understand the factorys layout. He only had to be careful about avoiding Samuelson and the Central Chamber where he was located. As a Mental Wizard, that guy might have some means to counteract Mind View. Noland looked around and his eyes swept across the walls at the base of the cliff. There were a total of six artificially excavated caves, and he had only explored one of them so far. Noland took out another 11 Heart Control Spiders and had them enter the remaining five caves. Thanks to the United Action feature of Mind Beacon, he did not encounter a hectic situation when controlling multiple Heart Control Spiders. These Heart Control Spiders moved like Nolands fingers, flexible, fast, and completely silent. He had tried this in the Alchemy Room. As long as the number of Heart Control Spiders he controlled at the same time did not exceed the 12 set by the United Action, there would be no operational errors. While Samuelson was preoccupied, the entire Aberration Den undoubtedly entered a state without a monitoring system. As long as Noland was careful enough, with the 12 Heart Control Spiders and the 23 jumps of Mind View, they would definitely be able to explore the entire nest. Mind View was responsible for scouting, and the Heart Control Spiders performed simple operations, such as turning valves and opening sluice gates, in preparation for Nolands subsequent infiltration. Chapter 361 - Chapter 361: 133. Demolition Genius Chapter 361: 133. Demolition Genius Translator: 549690339 Inside the nutrient liquid mechanical workshop. Talbot appeared gaunt and dark-skinned, like a walking wizened corpse. Dont be fooled by his skin-and-bone appearance, he handled the steam valve with unmistakable precision. Damn the Golden Merchants Sword, damn, damn, really damn Talbot cursed while manipulating the valve, each turn accompanied by a curse, as if he was boosting his spirit. He glanced at the gauges mounted on the wall. After triple-checking that all gauge needles were below the 30% mark, Talbot let out a sigh of relief. He waved at his companions and hollered a few sentences: Everyone put your work on pause. Forget about clearing the filling room, follow me to the incubation room. Quick! Keep up! We need to adjust the steam valve there ASAP! Talbot gathered his companions and, together with three Blackbone Hermits and six Alchemy Slaves, headed towards the walkway corner. As they passed the metal gate leading to the cliff base, Talbot casually pulled the half-open gate shut, grumbling: How many times have I told you? When going to other workshops, use the interior underground tunnel, dont take a shortcut across the open area at the base of the cliff. Youve forgotten to close the metal gate so many times, are you waiting for double-winged mutants to fly in before you correct this?! Yes, yes, yes, Sir Talbot, youre right. We wont take shortcuts next time. One of the Blackbone Hermits by Talbots side flattered. Good to know. In response to his subordinates flattery, Talbot generously waved his hands, leaving the issue behind. He led the group into the corridor, threading through the path illuminated by the coal lamp. Thick and thin metal pipes covered the walls on both sides. Every so often, there was a gauge to monitor the gas and liquid conditions inside the pipelines. Talbot kept walking and pausing, checking each gauge on his way. Ten minutes later, they stepped into another machinery workshop full of culture tanks. The floor of this workshop was hexagonal, bordered by six walls, and its area far exceeded that of the filling room. A seemingly endless array of culture tanks, neatly lined up on the floor. Every culture tank was connected to a soft tube for liquid delivery. The other end of the tube connected to a diversion container on the ceiling, which was connected to a large liquid pipeline protruding from the wall. Countless soft tubes cascading from the ceiling, among them, several mechanical arms moved along slides and suspension devices attached to the ceiling. The vast workshop was packed with various forms of apparatus but still demonstrated an orderly setup where none of these facilities interfered with each other. Every time a culture tank filled with nutrient liquid was brought over, a soft tube would deposit an ostrich egg-like aberration egg into the tank. Once the alchemy array on the tanks pedestal was activated, the ostrich egg would squirm violently, visibly growing at a rapid pace from a white oval object into an aberration showing initial signs of development. In about ten minutes, fully formed aberrations would appear in each culture tank. After the aberrations finished their growth process, they werent moved by the mechanical arms but were kept in this workshop for further incubation. More nutrient liquid was injected into the culture tanks from the tubes, supplying nutrition to the aberrations inside. Throughout the process, these aberrations, submerged in liquid, stayed in a dormant state. A rough estimate revealed that there were more than two thousand sleeping legged and winged aberrations in the expansive workshop. Only when the nutrient liquid in the culture tanks was completely absorbed, would the mechanical arms pick up the culture tank and place it onto a mechanical conveyor belt leading upstairs. Without a doubt, this was an artificial breeding room for mass incubation of aberrations. The area above this artificial breeding room was a primitive cave created by the Blackbone Hermits for various aberrations. The double-winged mutants Noland Lee observed from the edge of the cliff probably originated here. With an insufficient supply of nutrient liquid for the culture tanks, the Blackbone Hermits had no choice but to decrease the operating efficiency of the incubation room; otherwise, the not so smart mechanical devices would definitely err seriously. Talbot was busy turning valves in the incubation room with the others, and their hands were unhesitating and swift. As the sound of steam spurting echoed forth, the needles on the gauges dropped again and again, finally falling below 30%. After finishing the work here, Talbot urged his subordinates to speed up and follow him to another machinery workshop to adjust valves. No sooner had they left the incubation room, than several palm-sized mechanical spiders descended from the ceiling. They used the suction cups on their mechanical spider legs to adhere to the surface of the metal pipe, taking light steps towards the valves. The mechanical spiders cooperated with each other and struggled to turn the valve several times. Creak, creak The sound of the valve rubbing was drowned out by the noises in the incubation room, unnoticed by anyone. Once the mechanical spiders confirmed their little bodies could turn the valve, they returned the valve to its original position and left the incubation room, following the silhouette of Talbot and his team. You three, go to the wizard detention area to check. Talbot stopped at a fork in the corridor, designated a Blackbone Hermit and two Alchemy Slaves, pointing down the walkway on the right and saying: Do a thorough check on their magical shackles, understand? Absolutely, cannot be careless. They have the strengths of the third, fourth, and sixth rings. If any one of them escapes, it could lead to major trouble. I do not wish to hear about wizards escaping before Sir Samuelson leaves the Central Chamber! Go now! Chapter 362 - Chapter 362: 133. Demolition Genius_2 Chapter 362: 133. Demolition Genius_2 Translator: 549690339 Yes, sir, dont worry, there are more than ten mates watching them, these wizards wont get away. The Blackbone Hermit, who received the order, took two alchemy slaves with him and turned into the passage on the right. The rest of you follow me. Talbot walked into the other passage. This group of Blackbone Hermits split up and entered the two corridors separately. After they left, several mechanical spiders appeared at the fork in the road. Two of the spiders followed the Blackbone Hermits, while the remaining mechanical spiders entered other nearby corridors at the forks in the road. At the open ground at the base of the cliff. Noland Lee, in his skeleton form, curled up and hid in a pile of rocks scattered on the ground. He held a notebook in his left hand and a pen in his right, jotting down the scenes he saw through Mind View and the Heart control spiders. The layout of the machinery factory in the notebook was quickly perfected, even the prison cells where the wizards were held had been marked by him. Noland Lee had no plans to rescue the nine wizards. The Heart control spider he controlled only glanced at the four Blackbone Hermits guarding the prison cell door before turning around to observe the machinery workshop. I know how to destroy this artificially accelerated aberration factory. The best way is to modify the steam in the steam pipeline. Because only the steam pipeline connects all the machinery workshops, and it does not extend to the prison cell where the wizards are held. If I can find a way to ignite the steam pipeline, I can destroy the entire machinery factory in one fell swoop, and dont have to worry about accidentally harming the wizards. Noland Lee stared at the machinery factory layout he had drawn himself and fell into deep thought: But how can I ignite the steam pipeline all at once? Noland Lee thought hard, but couldnt come up with a good solution. He called up his Personal Panel in his mind, clicked on the Knowledge column, and reviewed all the knowledge he currently possessed. Put the Heart control spider in the steam pipeline, and then engrave an alchemy array inside the pipeline to trigger an explosion? That wont work, as the Heart control spider may not be able to withstand the temperature and pressure in the pipeline. Inject explosive gas into the steam pipeline? That doesnt seem to work either. I cant find an explosive gas that wont explode in high temperatures for the time being While browsing knowledge and thinking, Noland Lee suddenly noticed a book that had long been stored in his mind. Two Construction Methods of Undead Soldier Factory: Bus Type and Soul Axis Type. Book completeness 100%. The author is Lecturer Professor Decart from the Death Herald Guilds behind-the-scenes. This book is one of the few magic books on construction that Noland Lee possesses. Other similar ones include: Design of Life-Protecting Box for Undead Outpost Commander Basic Knowledge of Necromantic Domain Construction The design of the Phylactery was obtained when Noland Lee and Lieutenant Slyke Thompson destroyed the Necromancers Outpost together. Basic Knowledge of Necromantic Domain Construction was harmlessly deconstructed from Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary, and its author was also Professor Dekart. Noland Lee took out these three books on magic construction and had a look, and suddenly a light flashed through his mind! Especially the contents related to the Undead Arms Factory, which made Noland Lee feel a sudden enlightenment. The Bus type of Undead Arms Factory would put all the required summoning materials on a single transport line, such as an underground river carrying floating debris. During the manufacture of the undead, an Undead Arms Factory can find any material it needs on the transport line. This transportation line carrying all the summoning materials is called the bus. The corresponding Undead Arms Factory construction method is the Spirit Pivot Type. Put summoning materials in a sufficiently large space, such as inside a tomb. Then, place the Spirit Pivot that can summon undead creatures in this space, and you can set up a Spirit Pivot type of Undead Arms Factory. These two types of Undead Arms Factories have their own advantages. For now, Noland Lee had no mind to compare their pros and cons. After reading all the contents in the books, a wonderful inspiration bloomed in Noland Lees mind, which made him shiver with excitement. I know it! I know how to destroy the entire Machinery Factory in one go! This idea is brilliant! Noland Lee stood up from his hiding spot in the rubble. He rubbed his hands together, took a deep breath as a skeleton body, and suppressed the agitation in his heart. He glanced at the cave entrance on the wall, identified the entrance to the steam boiler room, and walked towards it. He tiptoed all the way to the metal gate at the end of the cave, and had the Heart control spider inside the gate open the sluice gate for him. During his exploration of the machinery factory, he had carefully checked and was 100% certain that there were no magic servants of Samuelson here. As long as he avoided the patrolling Blackbone Hermits and alchemy slaves, he would not be discovered. Noland Lee entered the metal gate and, according to the factory map he had drawn, found the locked steam boiler room. The boiler room was guarded by a heavy metal gate, with a mechanical lock on it, a chain tied around the door handle, and an alchemy array left by the Blackbone Hermits. Noland knew the mechanical locks password. He spied on the Blackbone Hermit entering the password through Mind View. The chain tied to the door handle could be removed by hand. The only thing that would stop outsiders from entering was the alchemy array left by the Blackbone Hermits. This alchemy array had an alarm function. If you dont use the correct alchemy mark to temporarily disable the Array/Formation, the alchemy array will sound a loud alarm if the door is forcibly opened. Chapter 363 - Chapter 363: 133. Demolition Genius_3 Chapter 363: 133. Demolition Genius_3 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee cast the Deconstruction Technique on the alchemy array on the door, and then he nodded satisfactorily. It was easy for him to crack the alchemy array set up by Blackbone Hermit as he had started studying Alchemy right after arriving in Union City. [System Message:] [You are about to apply Deconstruction Technique to Blackbone Hermits Alchemy Mark.] [Based on your knowledge reserves and related scholarly skill level, the energy points needed for this deconstruction are reduced to 320 points.] [Do you confirm the deconstruction?] Confirm. Noland Lee was momentarily dazed before receiving another system message. He glanced at the deconstruction results, drew out the Rune Staff, and connected its tip to the door, connecting it to the alchemy array on the door. After carving five alchemy marks in one breath, the alchemy array emitted a weak white light, then dimmed down and entered the state of alarm function being lifted. Upon entering the Steam Boiler Room, Noland Lee closed the door immediately. He quickly scanned the empty room and brought up the patrol route map of Blackbone Hermit in his mind. He had placed heart control spiders as surveillance cameras in various corridors and passageways throughout the Machinery Factory. Comparing the surveillance footage and the patrol route map, it would be ten minutes before the next Blackbone Hermit patrol passed by the boiler rooms entrance, consisting of a small patrol team composed of two Blackbone Hermits and six alchemy slaves. Before they arrived, Noland Lee had ample time to document the layout of the Boiler Room. Fifteen horizontal steam boilers were lined up on the solid rock floor, making gurgling noises. Next to the steam boilers were the water storage tank for preheating, the water pump for liquid delivery, the water inlet pipe, and the gas pipeline for steam output. Noland Lees gaze followed the steam pipeline and moved to the two silver metal devices deep in the steam boiler room. As he cast Deconstruction Technique, Noland Lee stared at these two unique metal devices with a gleam of surprise in his eyes! They were high-pressure steam sterilization devices! The deconstruction result showed that they were used for sterilizing nutrient solutions! Awesome! Awesome! Noland Lee cheered in his mind: The nutrient solution flows through those two high-pressure steam sterilization devices. This steam boiler room is not only connected to the steam pipeline but also to the liquid transport pipeline of the nutrient solution. I can affect both pipelines at the same time! Noland Lee suppressed the excitement in his heart and brought up the Construction Method of the Undead Soldier Factory in his mind, aiming the Deconstruction Technique at this magic book. [System Message:] [Because you used Harmless Deconstruction to obtain this book from Martyrs Ten Commandments C Summary, all harmful factors have been stripped from the book. You will not be negatively affected by deconstructing this book.] [Do you want to spend 3000 energy points to completely deconstruct this book?] Confirm! Noland Lee muttered. After a brief daze, many texts and information appeared in his mind, all containing the essential knowledge from this book. [Deconstruction Success!] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [1. Bus-style Undead Arms Factory Construction Blueprint] [2. Spirit Pivot-style Undead Arms Factory Construction Blueprint] [3. Energy Center and Energy Pipeline Construction Blueprint] [4. Spell Blueprint: Creating Death Energy Water] [The above construction blueprints contain all the production methods and spell blueprints for all magical facilities.] A simple few lines of system messages contained nearly 100 construction blueprints and spell blueprints! Just for summoning facilities like the Stitching Table and Bone Burying Ground using death magic, there were no fewer than 10 spell blueprints! The Stitching Table was a facility for mass-producing stitched undead creatures. The Bone Burying Ground was a facility for accumulating and improving bone materials. Similar to these were: The Bone Summoning Altar for transforming ordinary skeleton warriors into Skeleton Archers, Big Skeletons, Metal Skeletons, and Self-Destructing Skeletons. The Expert Stitching Table for evolving walking dead into tomb skeleton soldiers. The Sorrowful Soul Burial Ground for manufacturing apathetic lost souls using soul energy and transforming them into ghost warriors. Only then did Noland Lee realize that his mind actually contained a complete set of blueprints for creating an undead army! My godhow many treasures are hidden in my mind that I dont even know aboutI must find an opportunity to deconstruct all the magic books obtained from the Martyrs Ten Commandments to know what I have. Noland Lee pushed aside the construction blueprints and spell blueprints in his mind, leaving only one thing: Spell Blueprint: Creating Death Energy Water with 100% completion. Noland Lee spent 1 point of energy to learn this spell blueprint. He visualized the spell blueprint in his mind and condensed a floating mass of black energy liquid in the center of his upward-facing palm. The black energy liquid shimmered with dark green light, reminding Noland Lee of the dark green underground river that the Undead Cult used as their canal. Although this energy liquid was named water, it did not actually exist in the natural world as water. It was a cluster of death energy existing in liquid form. The destructive power of death energy itself was extremely strong. After transforming it into liquid with magic, its destructiveness decreased somewhat, reducing to about 80% of its original power. Although the power of the liquid death energy was weakened, it could still kill any living being that came into contact with it, and it could be transported through liquid pipelines before the death energy destroyed them. Dont forget, the pipelines for transporting liquid were all over Machinery Factory! Looking at this magic liquid containing death energy, and then at the steam boiler beside him, a scene appeared in Noland Lees mind. It was more than two thousand Aberrations sleeping soundly in their culture tanks. A sinister smile appeared on the corner of Noland Lees mouth. Let me use Death Energy Water and Evil Blast to blow the place sky-high! I am the undisputed demolition genius! Hehehehe! Chapter 364 - Chapter 364: 134. Bombing the Nest Chapter 364: 134. Bombing the Nest Translator: 549690339 The Blackbone Hermits patrol team is about to approach the Steam Boiler Room. Noland Lee retreated from the Boiler Room one minute ahead, restoring the alchemy array, mechanical lock, and chains on the Metal Gate. He hid in the cave leading to the bottom of the cliff before the patrol team arrived. In the dim tunnel, Noland Lee used the heart-controlled spider to monitor the Machinery Factory whilst working on upgrading his skill levels. He had to prepare for the upcoming battle. The first step was to check his Soul Strength and Energy Points. [Soul Strength] 510 points [Energy Points] 28812/22 points The resource reserves are sufficient. Its time to upgrade my skills in bulk. Noland Lee previously believed that the Deconstruction Core System is not suitable for combat. After talking to Denise Green about Wizard levels and Magical Power, he suddenly realized his mistake. The Deconstruction Core System is suitable for combat, but its power is not so obvious. According to Denise Green, a Wizards level determines what power level of spells can be cast. The level determines the upper limit of a Wizards magical power. A First-Rank Wizard cannot cast Second Ring or Three-circled spells. But this common sense in the Realm of Wizards was broken by Noland Lee! He can upgrade the spell levels by consuming energy points and completely ignore the restrictions of the Wizards levels on spells. The main attribute of Wizards is Spirit. Wizards can only permanently increase their Mental Attribute Value through Meditation. The Mental Attribute Value determines the level of a Wizard. The Mental Attribute Value corresponds to the Wizards level. 15 points of spirit are the threshold for becoming a Wizard Apprentice. Divide the Mental Attribute Value by 3 and round down to get the Wizards Level 15 to 29 points of spirit are Wizard Apprentices, corresponding to Level 5 to Level 9 Wizards. 30 to 59 points of spirit are First-Rank Wizards, corresponding to Level 10 to Level 19 Wizards. 60 to 89 points of spirit are Two-Ring Wizards, corresponding to Level 20 to Level 29 Wizards. And so on. For ordinary wizards, Mental Attribute Value corresponds to the size of the Spiritual Ocean. 1 point of spirit is equivalent to 1 meter in width in the Spiritual Ocean. The more points of spirit, the wider the Spiritual Ocean. Noland Lees Meditation Method is incomplete, so he has never seen the Spiritual Ocean and can only determine his level with Panel Information. His current Mental Attribute Value is 20 points, making him a standard Wizard Apprentice. Denise Greens Mental Attribute Value is 91 points, corresponding to a 91-meter wide Spiritual Ocean. Her Wizard Level is 30, which means she has just stepped into the Three-circled Wizard stage. According to the grading method of the Ulnas Circle, without using any Magical Items or Elixirs, her magical power level would not exceed the Mental Attribute Value divided by 3 and rounded down, which is 30 levels. After repeated confirmations by Noland Lee, the Magical Power Level mentioned in the grading method of the Ulnas Circle is the Spell Level in the Panel Data. It is not difficult to draw the conclusion: If Noland Lee were a proper Wizard, his Spell Level would not exceed the 6th level. But this is not the case. He can upgrade his Spell Levels by consuming Energy Points, easily raising them to Level 10 or even Level 20. This is the greatest help that the Deconstruction Core System provides in combat! Ignoring the restrictions of Wizard levels, he can upgrade Spell Levels at will. Noland Lee thus has the confidence to challenge High-Level Wizards as a Wizard Apprentice. System, consume 1690 Energy Points and upgrade Magic Shield from Level 7 to Level 20! Noland Lee silently recited. [System Message:] [The level of Magic Shield has increased by 13 levels, and is now at level 20.] [The shield strength of Magic Shield has increased by 13 points, and is now 30 points.] [You triggered the additional rewards for breaking through to level 10 and 20 in skill level. The two additional rewards are combined and granted.] [Please choose two of the following three options:] [Option One:] [Increase the shield strength of Magic Shield by 20 points, up to 50 points.] [Option Two:] [Add the Cycle Casting feature to Magic Shield. After the current shield is shattered, a new shield will automatically be cast until your energy and energy points are insufficient.] [Option Three:] [Add the Energy Saving Casting feature to Magic Shield. The casting consumption is reduced by 50%.] Noland Lee thought for two seconds and chose options one and two. After repeatedly breaking through skill levels to the whole ten levels, he summed up the pattern. The options that appeared in the previous additional rewards will also appear in the next additional rewards. So there is no need to regret missing some magic features in the past; there will be plenty of opportunities to choose them later. He currently has enough resources and should focus on shield thickness and self-protection for now. Option Three, which provided Energy Saving Casting, would be considered later. Noland Lee estimated his energy consumption and then silently recited: System, upgrade Fear Charm, Cripple Technique, Enslavement of Deceased, Death Finger, Soul Shield, Mental Shield, Bone Spirit Flight Technique, and Life and Death Tracking to Level 20. [System Message:] [You consumed 14000 energy points and upgraded 8 skills to Level 20.] [Please choose additional rewards for these skills in turn:] A large number of system messages appeared in Noland Lees mind. Noland Lee calmed down and carefully selected the additional rewards. After a series of operations, the Panel Information for these eight skills changed dramatically. The number of Fear Charm targets increased to 10, and the duration increased to 30 seconds. The Double Casting feature was added. Each time a Fear Charm is cast, two Spell Lightnings will be sent out, effectively launching two Fear Charms at once. Unless both Spell Lightnings are blocked at the same time, the target will be hit by the Fear Charm. Chapter 365 - Chapter 365: 134. Bombing the Nest_2 Chapter 365: 134. Bombing the Nest_2 Translator: 549690339 Cripple Spell has transformed into Group Cripple Spell, effective against 20 targets simultaneously and lasting up to 30 seconds. The new feature Double Casting is added, whose effect is the same as the Fear Spells Double Casting. When Cripple Spell is cast once, it unleashes two spell lightnings. The number of lost souls that Enslavement of Deceased can control has greatly increased to 60. The consumption of Death Finger has significantly dropped. Now it has decreased to be 5 points energy and five points energy points. In the Caster Form: Death Incarnation, the consumption of Death Finger will be further reduced to 2.5 points of death energy and 2.5 energy points, causing a bombing scene in the battle. Soul Shield can now resist 20 soul level attacks within 1 minute, and it has added a Cyclic Casting feature. The shield strength of the Mental Shield has been raised to 50 points and a Cyclic Casting feature has been added. Bone Spirit Flight Technique has been improved such that it can reach a maximum flying speed of 30 meters per second, which corresponds to a maximum speed of 108 kilometers per hour. The use of one point of energy per kilometer does not change and remains the same as 0.1 energy points/km. How fast one can fly depends on the flying conditions. Only in an open area could Noland fly continuously at a speed of 108 km/h. The Magic Vision of Life and Death Tracking has been greatly expanded. The horizontal view was increased to 320 meters, and the vertical view to 160 meters. With that, Nolands skill upgrade operation was completed. The remaining 13122 energy points on the panel are what Noland deliberately saved for casting spells or upgrading skills in the field. Production of death energy water, a newly obtained spell cant be upgraded. Noland can convert energy to liquid death energy at a 1:1 ratio. If soul energy is used, the process also follows a 1:1 conversion ratio, which is truly a loss. Therefore, it is best to first convert soul energy to death energy with Death Energy Storage Array on magic wands, magic robes, and other magical items, and then produce death energy water. Alternatively, Noland could also use Death Incarnation to obtain a large amount of death energy. As a matter of fact, this is one of the key steps to his plan for destroying the machinery factory. The 13,000-plus energy points remaining on the panel should be enough to handle all emergencies. The next step is to prepare to detonate the entire machinery factory in one go. Noland settled his mind, closed his eyes, and sensed his heart control spiders in his mind. There are 12 spiders, divided into four teams, with three in each. Group 1 goes to the nutrition repository and opens the intake and outtake valve to the maximum. Group 2 and Group 3 go to the artificial Incubation room, and open the valve of the nutrient solution diverter tank to the maximum. Group 4 goes to the filling room and closes the total injection valve, so all the regulated Death Energy Water nutrient solution will flow to the Incubation room That playing base building games before crossing wasnt meaningless~ Noland chuckled secretly, pulled the metal gate open, and stepped back into the corridor. The patrol team that had passed the steam boiler room had gone far, and it was the perfect time for Noland to mix death energy water into the steam and nutrient solution pipelines. In the corridor with patrol teams coming and going, Talbot led his subordinates to the Filling Room. Thats it, the operating speed of all workshops has been reduced. You guys go finish your unfinished work, mop up the water stains that should be wiped, dont forget to dredge the blocked nutrient solution outflow. Dont be sloppy, hear me? Sir Samuelson will be coming out of the central chamber to rest in less than half an hour at the most. Whether he has helped the Nest Core complete the magic enlightenment this time or not, we have to continue with our work Talbot talked as he walked, and the Blackbone Hermits on both sides nodded like chickens pecking rice. The group passed by the artificial breeding room and glanced around quickly without spotting any abnormalities. They continued on, turned a few corners, entered the filling room, and started to wipe the ground and dredge the pipeline. Beep C beep - The piercing alarm from the corridor resounded throughout the filling room. All the Blackbone Hermits shivered, looking into the corridor. Damn it! Which fluid pipeline has burst again! Didnt I ask you guys to check the valves carefully! Upon hearing the alarm, Talbot began to curse like a madman: Everyone, come with me! Were going to the accident site together! Im going to see who the bastard is that was responsible for this valve malfunction! Ill make sure he pays for this! The Blackbone Hermits shivered, fear dredging their faces. They glanced at each other a few times, and, albeit unwillingly, followed Talbot into the corridor after his repeated urging. Beep C beep - The deafening alarm echoed in the corridor, coming from different directions. Obviously, more than one alarm formation had been activated at the same time. Standing in the corridor, Talbot glanced both ways, listened for a moment, and suddenly realized something was terribly wrong. A few alarm formations could be attributed to operator errors. If dozens of alarm formations were triggered at the same time, like now, that definitely indicated a problem with some pipeline hubs. Just as Talbot was instructing his men to check the pipeline hubs, a series of alarms rang out again, drowning out his voice Beep C beep - Sir Talbot! What were you saying? We cant hear clearly! The Blackbone Hermits yelled into his ear. Chapter 366 - Chapter 366: 134. Bombing the Nest_3 Chapter 366: 134. Bombing the Nest_3 Translator: 549690339 Talbot also leaned into the mans ear and screamed hoarsely: I said! You guys! Check the pipeline junctions quickly! Start from the Steam Boiler Room! Hurry up!!! The Blackbone Hermits finally distinguished their superiors voice from the noisy alarms. But before they could move, an explosion roared from the artificial incubation room. Boom! BeepBeep The alarm weakened a bit. The explosion just now destroyed many alarm formations. Talbot jumped anxiously in place and pulled the Blackbone Hermit beside him towards the artificial incubation room: Hurry up! Hurry up! Follow me!! Damn it!! I can tell! Its the nutrient solution diversion container in the artificial incubation room thats having a problem!! A group of Blackbone Hermits rushed towards the artificial incubation room in a headlong sprint, encountering several patrol teams rushing to the artificial incubation room along the way. Murky liquid mixed with grey limb fragments flowed out from the doorway of the artificial incubation room, forming a sticky mucus carpet on the corridor floor. Whether it was the Blackbone Hermits on duty patrol or those specifically responsible for operating the machinery factory, they all felt a chill rushing towards their heads! They didnt wait for Talbots orders and rushed towards the door of the artificial incubation room. Damn it! The liquid separator exploded! Its over, its over! The diversion container fell from the ceiling, definitely smashing a lot of culture tanks on the ground! My God! I see limb fragments of aberrations! Just how many culture tanks were shattered in that blast!? The Blackbone Hermits arrived at the door, striking the door heavily. But the sluice gate of the artificial incubation room wouldnt budge, as if it were rusted shut. Looking through the door gap, the Blackbone Hermits stared in horror at a chaotic scene: The culture tanks were collectively shattered, with glass slag and murky liquid flowing all over the floor. All of you get out of the way! A bunch of useless trash! Talbot saw that his subordinates couldnt even open the door, and he was furious. He pushed the Blackbone Hermits blocking the door out of the way, transformed from human form to black bone piece form, and 30 dark bone fragments floated in the air. These 30 black bone pieces did not strike the door, but instead drilled through the door gap. Only then did the Blackbone Hermits who had previously struck the door realize how stupid they were. They eagerly activated their black bone piece form and slipped into the door gap with their bone bodies. As soon as they entered the messy artificial incubation room, everyones eyes were drawn to a black liquid with a dark green glow. What is this stuff? Talbot undid his bone piece form, standing on the filthy floor in his emaciated human shape. He looked at the strange liquid on the ceiling, with a puzzled look in his eyes, momentarily forgetting to check the alarm formation. The other Blackbone Hermits also turned back into human form, staring blankly at the black liquid together with Talbot. This liquid flowed from several large outlets, forming black water pillars between the ceiling and the floor. The outlets were the liquid pipeline exits connected to the liquid diversion container. Under normal circumstances, the liquid separator would be suspended from the ceiling, using gravity to divert liquid into various soft tubes. But at this moment, the metal-made liquid separator was shattered by the explosion, splashing large pieces of black liquid everywhere. The explosions impact destroyed more than half of the culture tanks. The aberrations that fell out of the culture tanks were stained by the black liquid, emitting sizzling smoke. The aberrations closed their eyes tightly, convulsing violently in their sleep for a dozen seconds before dying. It was during this brief moment of the Blackbone Hermits stunned reactions that at least two or three hundred aberrations in the artificial incubation room were killed by the black liquid. Where did this black liquid come from? How could it appear in the nutrient solution pipeline? Talbot bent down, stretched out a black finger, and dipped some black liquid on his hand. Thanks to the advantage that the Blackbone Body did not have life traits, his lethal operation did not cause any harm. But similarly, he couldnt see anything from the black liquid, only feeling that the dark green glow in the liquid was quite eerie. SirSir, look over there. One Blackbone Hermit stuttered, raising his hand to point at the dead aberrations, staring at the creepy scene. Talbot followed the others gaze, and his body immediately stiffened. He saw dozens of dead aberrations shakily standing up and stumbling towards them. SirThese aberrations seem to have mutated Bullshit! Talbot glared, cursing: This is fucking Death Magic!! You idiots!! Weve been invaded by Death Wizards!! Why havent you gone to the nutrition repository and shut the valve of the liquid pipeline yet!! After this reminder from Talbot, the Blackbone Hermits finally realized what was going on. Death Magic? What kind of Death Magic can control corpses?! Whos invading us? Talbot scolded his dumbfounded subordinates: Who else could it be?! In the entire Death Clan, only the Undead Branch studies how to control corpses! Weve been fucking invaded by the Death Herald Guild! All of you go shut the valve! Go, go Before Talbot could finish speaking, dozens of aberration undead surrounded them. Talbot thought that this group of undead controlled by the wizards was there to hold him and the others back. Chapter 367 - Chapter 367: 134. Bombing the Nest_4 Chapter 367: 134. Bombing the Nest_4 Translator: 549690339 However, upon seeing the black flames erupting from the corpses, he realized he was greatly mistaken. Boom The violent explosion erupted from the corpses, setting off a ferocious wave of death. The black flames, capable of destroying the Blackbone Hermit, engulfed all humans present, as well as the nearby culture tanks. Talbot, at least, was a small-time leader with more combat experience, as evidenced by his ability to recognize the origins of the intruders. Upon seeing the black flames, he activated his bone piece form while roaring. He transformed into 30 scattered black bone pieces, fleeing from the explosions epicenter. His reaction was quick and his actions were swift, but the explosion was even faster. Of the 30 black bone pieces, at least 20 pieces were affected by the explosion, losing contact with him. As if a human had their limbs cut off, the intense pain stabbed into Talbots heart, allowing the long-lost pain to return to this Blackbone Hermit. I recognize it now! This is Evil Blast! Its the senior members of the Death Herald Guild attacking us! Talbot turned back into human form, falling to the ground, crying out in panic. More than half of his body was missing. Only his left arm, torso, and skull remained. He roared on the floor, cursing his enemy, reaching for the blood absorbing space pattern on his chest, and took out a semi-transparent frosted glass sphere from it. Sir Samuelson, save me Talbot shivered as he caressed the glass sphere with his only remaining left hand, hoping to call the Mental Wizard who was busy in the central chamber. But another explosion silenced him completely. Boom Splash~ Glass shards, slime, shattered metal pipes, and black bone pieces flew all over the place. The glass sphere held by Talbot, however, survived. It fell into the corner of the artificial breeding room, showing extraordinary defensive power. All the Blackbone Hermits at the scene died. The mechanical spiders behind the metal gate, working together, removed the heavy objects blocking the door, and opened the entrance to the artificial breeding room. Noland Lee, wearing the Death Herald Guilds magic robe and hood, entered in a skeleton form. In the corridor behind him, the Blackbone Hermits who had rushed from various parts of the machinery factory had been reduced to waste by his Death Finger and turned into charred wreckage scattered on the floor. Noland Lee spread his arms and chuckled lightly. Rise, my undead! Let me, on behalf of the Death Herald Guild, destroy this machinery factory~ Hehehe~ The black liquid flowing down from the ceiling was his masterpiece. About three minutes ago, he activated Death Incarnate in the steam boiler room. Each second, 1% of his remaining soul strength would be converted into 10 times the amount of death energy with the help of Death Incarnate. If he couldnt release the death energy in time, the entire steam boiler room would be destroyed by the Death Storm. After learning Production of Death Energy Water, Noland Lees control over death energy improved even further. He converted all the death energy that couldnt be consumed in time into death energy water and pumped it into the water storage tank. With the help of the water pump, the death energy water entered the steam boiler. Death energy water could only be used by Death Magic. The high pressure and high temperature in the steam boiler had no effect on it. Noland Lee controlled the death energy water, drilled into the steam outlet pipe of the steam boiler, and split it into two at the steam hub. Half of the death energy water entered the high-pressure steam sterilization device and traveled along the liquid pipeline of nutrient solution to the artificial breeding room. The other half of the death energy water continued to advance along the steam pipeline, aiming to destroy other facilities in the machinery factory. As Noland Lee cleared the battlefield in the artificial breeding room, places such as the nutrition repository, the filling room, the machinery transportation hub, the material warehouse, etc., had already been heavily damaged by the death energy water. Numerous system messages, gushed like a waterfall inside Noland Lees mind. [System Message:] [You used death energy water to destroy 112 types of alchemy mechanical equipment, such as large liquid diversion containers, horizontal steam boilers, steam pipeline hubs, high-pressure steam sterilization devices, standard living alchemy cultivation tanks, variable speed and energy adaptability alchemy rolling bearings, steam-driven mechanical arms, etc.] [You used Evil Blast and Death Energy Water to eliminate 2176 targets, including the induced Aberrations, Third Order Black Bone Hermit Talbot, Second Order Black Bone Hermits, and Armed Alchemical Servants.] [Activate Passive Deconstruction!] [Your degree of deconstruction of the above alchemy mechanical equipment and targets reached 100%.] [You have obtained their standardized panel information.] [You have obtained the alchemy blueprints for alchemy mechanical equipment, totaling 35 prints.] [You have received a reward of 45,000 Energy Points.] Awesome~ All the Energy Points used to upgrade my skills are back~ Noland Lee commanded the Aberration Undead to clear the battlefield, disposing of the Aberrations that were still sound asleep in their culture tanks. He also didnt forget to allocate some undead to intercept the Blackbone Hermits who were delivering their death in the corridor. The Evil Blasts black sparks bloomed one after another, mercilessly devouring the raging Blackbone Hermits. Noland Lee cast the Bone Spirit Flight Technique to fly around the artificial breeding room at the fastest speed and collect all the soul fragments. [System Message:] [Soul Strength +1232 points] [Current Soul Strength storage is 1246 points.] Chapter 368 - Chapter 368: 134. Bombing the Nest_5 Chapter 368: 134. Bombing the Nest_5 Translator: 549690339 [Activate Resurrection Magic Source!] [Youve gained 1232 points of Resurrection Magic, which can be absorbed by Denise Green.] In order to maximize the use of Death Energy Water and the pipeline system, Noland Lee maintained his Death Incarnate for a full 80 seconds in the boiler room! He stopped only when the boiler was about to explode, and his soul energy was on the verge of dissipating. When he entered the artificial breeding room, he looked arrogant, but in reality, he only had a dozen or so points of Soul Strength in hand. If Talbot had any life-saving tricks up his sleeve, the situation on the scene would have been unpredictable. Now, his lost Soul Strength had returned, and his inventory had broken through to an unprecedented 1,200-plus points! Noland Lee felt secretly delighted but remained cautious. He controlled the Heart-control spiders from various locations to come and gather, and collected them into his Blood Haven. His gaze swept across the chaotic scene in the Artificial Breeding Room, and Noland Lees attention was drawn to a frosted glass sphere in the corner. Through the Heart-control spiders, he had seen this glass sphere before. It was a Mind Magic Bead that Samuelson had given to Talbot to use. Just now when he killed Talbot with Evil Blast, the explosion affected the Magic Orb. This triggered Noland Lees Passive Deconstruction, and he obtained some harmless deconstruction results. Deconstruction results showed that inside this unusually hard Magic Orb, there was magical knowledge that Noland Lee had always dreamt of! Time was limited and Noland Lee didnt have the time to slowly obtain the deconstruction results through Passive Deconstruction. This was when the advantage of actively performing Harmless Deconstruction came into play. [System Message:] [It is estimated to consume about 20,000 Energy Points, which can make the completion rate of Harmless Deconstruction reach 100%.] [Do you confirm the deconstruction?] Noland Lee checked his remaining Energy Points. The inventory of 58,000 points did not make him feel the burden of Harmless Deconstruction at all. Confirm Harmless Deconstruction. Noland Lee whispered. After a brief moment of disorientation, the System sent him the deconstruction results, but he did not check them on the spot. Time was pressing, and he had to withdraw as soon as possible. Now was not the right time to carefully check the deconstruction results. Noland Lee simply glanced at his kill list and the System information that prompted him to have dealt damage to certain targets. He didnt see any mention of him dealing damage to Samuelson and the Nest Core. This meant that the disaster that took place in the Machinery Factory did not affect the Central Chamber and the Aberration Cave above the factory. Noland Lee waved his arm and lifted the control of the Enslavement of Deceased technique on the Aberration Undead. There should be many treasures in this Machinery Factory. I can risk being discovered to collect them, but I am not like that. I am a safe hanger and not a greedy gambler. So Ill just leave now. Noland Lee checked the Spoils of War in his Blood Haven. In just a little while, he had collected no less than a hundred Black Bone Pieces and 30,000 Life Elixirs placed in metal boxes. If he stayed a little longer, he would have collected even more Spoils of War. Noland Lee resisted the temptation to loot and decisively muttered in his heart: Denise. Im here! Is it time to take you away? Yes, teleport over. Remember to use the scroll I gave you first. Alright! Im coming right away! Noland Lee felt a gaze piercing through the spatial barrier and landing on him. This was a sign that Denise was initiating a teleportation spell with him as the anchor. Once he followed Denise out of here, everything tonight would come to an end. Noland Lees heartbeat involuntarily quickened, worried that something unexpected would happen in this final moment. A weak flame lit up beside him. In the light, Denises plump and tall figure quickly took shape. She reached out and grabbed Noland Lees wrist, taking a brief look at the messy corridor before activating the return teleportation spell. Darkness, boundless and edgeless, surged from all directions, encircling Noland Lee and Denise. Noland Lee saw no light at all before him, as if he were in a completely empty and dark void. After this terrible situation lasted for about half a second, the torch in Denises hand burst into blinding bright light, sweeping away the surrounding darkness. Noland Lee adjusted to the changing light and looked around. The two of them were already in the Illusion Forest. Phew~ Denise pressed her full moon-like chest and sighed with relief, her mouth outlined with a broad smile: Thank goodness~ Ive brought you out~ She turned her head and looked at Noland Lee beside her, her eyes full of anticipation: Can I absorb the Resurrection Magic from you? Its so much, so concentrated! Ive never seen so much Resurrection Magic. Alright, Denise. Noland Lee nodded. Denise reached out and held Noland Lees right hand, conveying a soft, warm touch. [System Message:] [Companion Witch Denise has activated the Rebirth Meditation Method.] [Your remaining Resurrection Magic points have decreased from 1232 to 0.] [Denise has gained 1232 Resurrection Magic points.] Hehe~ Denise stomped in excitement on the spot twice: Lets hurry back to Union City! Noland Lee glanced at the Resurrection Magic Potential panel data. His Hatred Value was still at 16,000 points, without a single change. This meant that the news of the Machinery Factorys destruction had not yet reached Samuelsons ears. This whole operation of taking advantage of Samuelson being too busy to take action and looting Energy Points and Soul Fragments on a large scale was a great success! Chapter 369 - Chapter 369: 134. Bombing the Nest_6 Chapter 369: 134. Bombing the Nest_6 Translator: 549690339 Denise, we move in accordance with the original plan. Noland Lee reached out and stabbed Denise Greens shoulder, helping her gather herself from the excitement. He spoke calmly: Our contractual relationship is our best kept secret; it must not be revealed. So, you should use Illusion Body Technique and Magic Broom to fly back to Union City soon. I will cross the towns border at a different time from you. Dont worry about me, I will always stay within a 103-kilometer radius of you. Denise Greens eyes shimmered, looking at Noland Lee with admiration. Only she knew how tight the time without Rebirth Magic Power had been. She also understood that it was an awe-inspiring thing for Noland Lee to gain so much Rebirth Magic Power alone. She took a deep breath, calmed her surging heart, and obediently nodded her head: Alright, I will set off now. She collected the things in the Illusion Forest, undoing the illusion that maintained its existence. The second magic ring on her finger contained the Summon Magic Broom spell, which is now usable twice a day. After she summoned the broom, she activated the Illusion Ring, casting Illusionary Body Technique on herself. As a result, both she and the Magic Broom beneath her slipped into an invisible state. Ill go first, Noland. Call me whenever you need help. Denise Green bid a soft farewell, driving the Magic Broom into the sky, the faint light it cast wrinkling against the horizon towards Union City. After she was far enough away, Noland Lee used a Magic Scroll to summon his Magic Broom. After a few attempts, he easily sat atop the long-desired Magic Vehicle. Clinging to the Magic Brooms wooden handle with his thighs and turning the handle with his hand, Noland Lee soon learned how to drive this swift magic vehicle. He sensed the position of Denise Green and slowed his flight speed to follow her. Only when we reach Union City will tonights operation be considered entirely successful. I just wonder when Samuelson will notice what has happened in the Machinery Factory. While managing the flight of the Magic Broom, Noland Lee observed the Hatred Value in Resurrection Magic Potential. After about 50 minutes of flying, the Hatred Value suddenly jumped to 30,000 points! Samuelson discovered the traces of the battle in the Machinery Factory! Noland looked at the brightening sky. It was probably around 6 am now. Denise Green had entered Union City 10 minutes ago. At this moment, he was less than 30 kilometers from Union City and over two hundred kilometers from the Savage Stone Wasteland. Unless Samuelson had the ability to scout within a radius of more than two hundred kilometers in a short time, there was no way he could find the culprit who was far away. Noland continued to control the Magic Brooms flight, heading non-stop to Union City. Another 5 minutes passed. The moment he saw the city wall of Union City, Denise Greens voice sounded in Noland Lees heart: Noland, I just got a message from the professor. About 20 minutes after we teleported away from underground, the nine wizards trapped by Samuelson all escaped. Among them, the six wizards who illegally opened the teleportation gate to the Savage Stone Wasteland, again illegally activated the teleportation gate and left. Only the original three wandering wizards stayed. The heavens phenomenon of the six wizards opening the teleportation gate was seen by the nearby Golden Merchants Swords. The Golden Merchants Swords shouldnt know that was the scene of wizards opening the teleportation gate, right? Noland asked telepathically. Thats right. This happened half an hour ago. By now, the Golden Merchants Swords should be closely observing the situation in the fissure. They might mistake the heavens phenomenon as being caused by the aberration in the fissure, Denise replied. Noland Lee nodded slightly: Lets just leave it to the Golden Merchants Swords to clean up the Machinery Factory in the fissure. Machinery Factory? Denise mumbled. Yes, Denise. That place is a machinery factory built in cooperation with the Blackbone Secret Society and Samuelson, meant for the creation of aberrations. After explaining, Noland Lee asked: Did your professor ask you anything? For example, where were you when the wizards escaped the Aberration Den? She did, Denise replied. I responded with the words you prepared for me in advance. I told her, I politely declined the invitation from the local forces and did not partake in the clearance of the fissure. I also stayed in Union City all the time and never left. Thats very good, Denise. Now is not a good time for us to confess to her. You should maintain the status of paying 50 points of Rebirth Magic Power per month, dont pay more to avoid causing her to question whether youve contracted the Rebirth Magic Source. Lets stall for half a year, when she compiles the list half a year later, you can tell her that you have a contractor, Noland Lee said. Yes, Im listening, Denise paused a moment, then gently asked, Should we leave Alchemist Island as soon as possible? Im worried that after you sabotaged Samuelsons plan, you might unleash his anger. I believe you will handle the scene perfectly and will not leave any clues. But, just in case Samuelson has some hidden means Your concern is reasonable, Denise. Even the most perfect plan is susceptible to accidents. Noland Lee responded thoughtfully: Heres what well do. Well advance our emergency evacuation plan, and start the preparations tomorrow. You should follow the steps in the plan, and get in touch with the merchant team for ocean voyages. If something goes wrong, well leave this place of contention. When exactly we will leave, Ill give you notice. Chapter 370 - Chapter 370: 134. Bombing the Nest_7 Chapter 370: 134. Bombing the Nest_7 Translator: 549690339 Hmm-hmm! Ill listen to you. At the moment when Noland Lee was about to arrive at Union City, about 300 kilometers away in the Savage Stone Wasteland, the Golden Merchants Swords were busy cleaning up the battlefield. The sewage here was everywhere, covered with glass slag, bloody water, and limb fragments. The walls of the corridors and workshops were full of cracks and smudges formed by explosions, and thousands of aberration corpses piled up several low hills. The air was extremely polluted. Ordinary people found it difficult to breathe and had to wear breathing masks. It was probably only the beings like aberrations, Blackbone Hermits, and skeletons that could move freely in such a terrible environment. The vice-captain under Derek Davis, Angela Anderson, walked towards the captain who was standing in front of a metal gate: Captain, the people who checked the aberration cave said that all the Flywing Mutants there have died, and not a single one survived. Derek, wearing a breathing mask, nodded heavily: Its inevitable, Angela. After the Nest Core leaves, all the aberrations inside the nest will inevitably die. The Nest Core has left? Isnt it supposed to be fixed in the central chamber? Can it even walk? Under the breathing mask, a puzzled expression arose on Angelas freckled face. She followed Dereks gaze towards the central chamber. It was a strange room made of rocks and twisted blood vessels. Grey stone walls were occupied by grey blood vessels, similar to a fungus mat. These grey blood vessels had a radial pattern, originating from the center of the room and spreading outwards. In the center of the room, there was a high platform with an alchemy array sketched on it. Although there should have been something on the platform, it was nowhere to be found. It only left a prominent dent on the mucus mat it was once placed. Near the platform, grey blood vessels hang down. Judging from the irregular tear marks on the blood vessel openings, someone forcibly tore these blood vessels apart and took the thing on the platform away. The Nest Core is gone, Angela. Derek stepped into the central chamber, went up the steps onto the high platform, and walked around the alchemy array on the ground: Those Blackbone Hermits set up an alchemy array to summon the Nest Core here, which is what we see now. Normally, the Nest Core should be hanging on the alchemy array. But its gone now. Two rows of delicate footprints appeared on the mucus around the high platform, stretching from the alchemy array to the corner of the central chamber, and connected to a hole on the wall. Something carried the Nest Core into the tunnel. With a frown, Derek squatted and carefully examined the footprints: These are the traces of webbed feet. Was it a duck that took the Nest Core away? Captain! A team member ran in, holding a letter in his hand: Theres an urgent letter from the Chamber of Commerce, you should take a look. Derek opened the envelope, read it once, then waved his hand and said: Quick, follow me, catch the wizard who took away the Nest Core. As expected, there is a wizard criminal here. The Blackbone Secret Society must have been instructed by him to build this artificial nest. Derek led the team into the tunnel. After a short while, they returned disappointed to the central chamber. Derek waved his arm angrily: Damn, the tunnel is blocked by heavy soil and rocks. If we had come a little earlier, we would have definitely caught that weak wizard criminal. And maybe even got a reward from Elemental Judgement. In a single cottage in Sector 7. Noland Lee was taking a bath in the washing room while reviewing the deconstruction results. When he saw a particular system message, he exclaimed: Damn I missed out big time Noland pounded his chest in pain, splashing water everywhere, his face filled with regret for missing out on a huge amount of money. Playing it safe indeed made it less likely to make mistakes, but it also meant missing out on potential huge profits. It was all because the system message read: [ Passive Deconstruction Activated! ] [ Your deconstruction completion rate for Samuelsons Magic Orb has reached 100% ] [ You have obtained the following deconstruction results: ] [ 1. The Third Shore of the River of Mind C Middle Volume, 20% completeness ] [ 2. Usage Instructions and Crafting Methods for the Mind Magic Bead, 30% completeness ] [ 3. Samuelsons message to Talbot when he gave him the Magic Bead, 100% completeness ] In the Message, there was a passage that read: Talbot, Im giving you this Mind Magic Bead to use. Dont expect me to provide any help during your Magic Enlightenment. Its impossible! It will be the same after the Enlightenment is over! At that time, I will be extremely weak, with at most only 10% of my strength. If anything unexpected happens, I can only move the Nest Core back to Black City. You all can fend for yourselves! It was this passage that made Noland stomp his feet and pound his chest. I missed out on a weak Samuelson. If I could have gone to the Central Chamber, I might have captured him on the spot. Of course, I could also have run into those nine wizards head-on and exposed my identity. So, going after a weak Samuelson would undoubtedly be a risky move that involved exposing myself to danger. Noland took a deep breath, quickly calming down: Forget it, forget it, its too late to think about it now. Im a person who seeks progress by playing it safe, no need to envy others who take risks for huge profits. Those who like taking risks will eventually lose everything one day. Only someone like me, carefully planning and strictly following my plans like a steady man, can consistently win. Noland raised his head, using warm water to rinse his face, his thoughts churning in his mind. Samuelson should have successfully escaped back to Black City. I estimated that Elemental Judgement wont allow Samuelson to perform Magic Enlightenment on the Nest Core over and over again. Furthermore, if he completes the Magic Enlightenment in Black City, the Alchemy Cathedral will be furious. I estimate it wont take long before the pressured Elemental Judgement will take the initiative to organize manpower to hunt down Samuelson in Black City. Missing Samuelsons weak period, it will be difficult to capture him again. Noland shut off the faucet, staring at the water droplets sliding down the wall, lost in thought: Samuelson must continue to spawn aberrations to have enough power to resist the joint encirclement of alchemists and wizards. This requires more Life Elixir. With Life Elixir already being robbed once from Intelligence Department 5, Samuelson and the Tatis Empire will definitely change their transportation plan. If I can figure out the details of this plan, cant I rob another batch of Life Elixir? Noland raised his head, staring at the tiled wall in a daze, a flash of insight: Intelligence Department 6, this is Tatis Empires secret agency that infiltrates the legal forces in Union City. If Tatis Empire plays it safe, they would use the legal channels established by Intelligence Department 6 in the city to help Samuelson transport the Life Elixir. Noland dried himself off, put on loose, clean clothes, and sat thinking by the desk in his bedroom. Looking back now, the success of this attack on the machinery factory was largely due to the inaction of the Elemental Judgement and other wizard forces. Elemental Judgement was well aware that the Samuelson performing Magic Enlightenment on the Nest Core would be in a vulnerable state for a long time. If they had shared this information with the Golden Merchants Swords, it would probably not be Nolands turn to sneak in. The informed Golden Merchants Swords would have directly stormed the base of the cliff and swept through it with lightning speed. So, Noland still had to thank the Meow Judgment for creating the information discrepancy for him. The information discrepancy was the key to the entire incident. Noland had emphasized to himself the importance of the information discrepancy more than once. But where can I find traces of Intelligence Department 6? Noland reviewed the Empires intelligence he had in his mind, carefully examining each piece. Chapter 371 - Chapter 371: 135. Cross-industry cooperation Chapter 371: 135. Cross-industry cooperation Translator: 549690339 Time passed as Noland Lee searched for the whereabouts of Intelligence Department 6. In the blink of an eye, three days went by. Noland carefully examined all the deconstruction results related to the Empire, picking out dozens of pieces of information that might involve Intelligence Department 6. At this moment, he was in the study of his single cottage organizing these intelligence reports. The atmosphere in the study was quiet and comfortable, while outside in other parts of Union City, the situation was changing rapidly and unpredictably. The Savage Stone Wastelands Aberration Fissure hurriedly entered the sights of various factions in Union City and left just as quickly. Upon their return from investigating the Aberration Fissure, the Golden Merchants Swords immediately reported their findings to the Golden Commerce Guild, who then relayed the information to the Alchemy Cathedral. As expected, the investigation results of the Golden Merchants Swords shocked the Alchemist Factions in Union City. The illegal alchemist faction, Blackbone Secret Society in Black City, had joined forces with a mental wizard criminal to create a machinery factory for artificially breeding aberrations! The information was of great value and extremely complex, involving various factions. The forces implicated in the scandal included: Elemental Judgement, the Death Herald Guild, Tatis Empire Military Intelligence Agency 3 and 5, and the Blackbone Secret Society. Elemental Judgement and the Death Herald Guild were Ulnas Circles wizard forces. They became involved in the matter because of the Wizard Criminal and Bone-mending Wand. The Death Herald Guild was far away in the Tatis Empire, and the local forces in Union City couldnt control it, so all the pressure fell on Elemental Judgement. The Golden Merchants Swords found some precious documents in the machinery factory. One of the documents was worth noting: it was a transcript of the Blackbone Hermit interrogating nine wizards. Nine wizards were trapped in the nest, which was well-known to the major alchemy factions in Union City. One of them was of sixth ring strength, coming from the Night Spirit Cult. The other eight were of three- and four-circled strength, hailing from the Night Spirit Cult, Tomb King, and Hotams Magic Academy. These nine were subjected to mental magic by Samuelson, making them answer any questions asked. Samuelson, who was very concerned about his own wanted status, had the Blackbone Hermit focus on gathering intelligence on this matter. For this reason, the transcript contained a lot of basic information about Samuelson. From this record, the alchemist factions of the Golden Merchants Swords learned about Samuelsons name, background, strength, criminal record, and the recent manhunt issued by the Wizard Enforcement Department. Upon learning of the presence of the Wizard Criminal in the Fission Wilderness, the first reaction of the alchemist faction was to urge the sole wizard force of this place, Elemental Judgement, to capture the criminal. The Alchemy Cathedral also intervened, issuing an announcement requiring the Elemental Judgement to capture the Wizard Criminal within a specified time, which was one month. In the announcement, they said: If they could catch Samuelson, Elemental Judgement could continue to stay in Union City; if not, they would have to leave and make way for another wizard force to come in. The original wording probably wasnt as blunt as this, but the meaning was more or less the same. As a result, Elemental Judgement had to actively hunt down Samuelson, whether they wanted to exploit his knowledge of aberration magic or not. Noland learned about this announcement through the Golden Commerce Guild. Since the announcement, Philia from Elemental Judgement had sought him out once, asking if he wanted to participate in the operation to hunt down Samuelson in Black City. Noland decisively declined. He used his carefully prepared excuse to tactfully reject Philias invitation. Please, Samuelson was currently hiding in Black City, thousands of meters underground, in the high-risk area below the 80th floor of the Fissure Corridor. As a wizard with, at most, first level skill openly, how could he possibly go to such a place? Philia wasnt surprised by his refusal. Not only did he decline the invitation, but other wandering wizards did so as well. Denise Green rejected on Nolands advice. Fugidia, Sheldon Archer, and Nikcat C these three refused the invitation because they became fearful after witnessing Samuelsons Mental Magic. Elemental Judgement wasnt angered by the wandering wizards refusal to accept the invitation. In fact, inviting wandering wizards to participate in the operation was a matter of courtesy. The real people responsible for hunting down Samuelson were not wizard students like Philia and Betty Davis, but the combat wizards sent from Elemental Judgements headquarters. Philia said that due to the Alchemy Cathedrals tough stance and the urgent nature of the situation, the supporting combat wizards would use legal means to open a teleportation gate and directly transport to the Cat Society Manor. They were expected to arrive in a week and would capture Samuelson as quickly as possible. They would imprison Samuelson in a local magic dungeon and hand him over to the wizard enforcer who would arrive in a month. Philia didnt explicitly mention the strength of the combat wizards, but they were likely powerful enough to crush Samuelson. If Noland wanted to seize another batch of Life Elixir, he would have to hurry. If Samuelson were captured, his cooperation with the Tatis Empire would be forcibly terminated, and the related Life Elixirs would no longer be sent to Union City. Noland would miss the opportunity to snatch them. After the machinery factory was destroyed, Elemental Judgements plan to allow Samuelson to conduct a magic enlightenment was interrupted. This triggered a series of events, including Samuelson hiding in Black City and Elemental Judgement being forced to hunt him down due to pressure from the Alchemy Cathedral, among others. Chapter 372 - Chapter 372: 135. Cross-boundary cooperation_2 Chapter 372: 135. Cross-boundary cooperation_2 Translator: 549690339 It can be said that if the Machinery Factory had not been destroyed, everything would have been fine. Samuelson could stay underground, helping the Nest Core with Magic Enlightenment. Elemental Judgement could stay in Union City, leisurely waiting for Samuelsons research results. From beginning to end, only those nine wizards who illegally opened the Teleportation Gates would be harmed. They brought this upon themselves for opening the gates illegally. However, rest assured. These nine wizards would only be imprisoned by Samuelson, not killed by him. This has to do with the ranking of wizard criminals in the Ulnas Circle. Everyone knows that it was Samuelson who imprisoned the nine wizards. If these wizards were to die, the person who would take the blame would be Samuelson. Carrying the responsibility of nine wizard deaths at once would elevate Samuelson from an Inferior Mage Level criminal to a Sin Wizard Level criminal. In chasing and capturing Sin Wizard Level criminals, the Wizard Enforcement Department is allowed to use Teleportation Gates. This means that the Wizard Enforcers, who would originally need more than a month to reach Union City, would appear near Samuelson with a whoosh. Once it is confirmed that a wizard criminal is carrying a large number of murders, deserving of death, and unable to pay the fine for redeeming their lives, the Wizard Enforcers would impose punishment on them. Within the Interior of Ulnas Circle, wizard criminals are divided into five levels. The first level is Impure Wizard. This refers to wizards who have committed minor offenses, far from being considered criminals. They only need to pay a fine, accept punishment, and then they can cleanse themselves of impurity and become legal wizards again. The second level is Inferior Mage Level. Crimes like illegally possessing other wizards legal assets, illegally determining other wizards knowledge and secrets, plagiarizing legal wizards original magic, or murdering legal wizards will result in a pursuit by the Wizard Enforcement Department. As there is a pursuit, theres a bounty. Wizards whose rights are infringed upon, victimized wizard families, the Wizard Enforcement Department, and other individuals or magical institutions, will set up bounties. The bounty for Inferior Wizard Criminals will not exceed 1 million Ulnas Gold Coins. Samuelson is Inferior Wizard Criminal number 106, and the total bounty on his head is 890,000 Ulnas Gold Coins. Killing nine wizards at once would cause his bounty to skyrocket by hundreds of thousands of Ulnas Gold Coins, immediately turning him into a higher-level criminal. As long as he is not stupid, Samuelson would definitely not do it. The third level is Sin Wizard Level. The total bounty ranges from more than 1 million Ulnas Gold Coins to less than 30 million Ulnas Gold Coins. Wizards at this level of criminality are treated as high-priority targets for assassination. Wizard Enforcers will teleport to them and claim their lives. The fourth level is Disaster Wizard Level. The total bounty ranges from 30 million to 100 million Ulnas Gold Coins. Wizards at this level of criminality can essentially act with impunity, as the Wizard Enforcement Department doesnt have the ability to catch them. Most of the time, their bounties serve only to measure their fame and strength. According to Denise Green, even if these criminal wizards enter the Ulnas Circle, the Wizard Enforcement Department would not dare to take action. Because if they drive them too hard, the negative impact caused would far outweigh their bounties. The fifth level is Annihilating Wizard Level. The total bounty is more than 100 million Ulnas Gold Coins. Wizards at this level of criminality, if they appear within the Ulnas Circle, can enjoy a ceremonious reception with many wizards, both male and female, in attendance. Of course, this is sarcasm. The so-called ceremonious reception and accompaniment entail close round-the-clock surveillance. Annihilating Wizard Level criminals usually have their own territories, which might be magical islands floating in the air or enclosed magical kingdoms. In any case, at this level of criminality, wizard criminals dont need to pay much attention to the Ulnas Circles mood anymore. Noland Lee estimated his own ranking according to this system. If the incidents of killing Hickman Arlington and Greenshaw were exposed, he would instantly become an Inferior Wizard Criminal. Only by paying at least 20,000 Ulnas Gold Coins and spending a year in Wizards Prison would he be able to rid himself of this Inferior Wizard status. Scared? Not a bit. Having the System to become powerful and still afraid, Noland might as well go back to the Suffering Borderland and dig up some bones. Noland never thought about living under someone elses roof in the Ulnas Circle. Never. His experiences in the Suffering Borderland had made him realize one thing: He, Noland Lee, was not here to adapt to this world, but to make the world adapt to him. With the System in place but still feeling uneasy, whats the use of having the System? From the moment Noland began planning to become a knowledge broker, he knew he would end up on the opposite side of the Ulnas Circle. Thats because the Ulnas Circle advocates for knowledge blockade within. The Ulnas Circle does not allow magical knowledge from various fields to circulate, artificially creating a high wall restricting knowledge circulation, only retaining a few legal knowledge circulation channels. Regardless of the reasons for doing so, Noland had found a business opportunity in this aspect. He could use the information gap to make money on cross-domain knowledge circulation. Noland was clear that if he continued down the planned path, not only would he become an Inferior Wizard Criminal in the future, but he might also become an Annihilating Wizard Level criminal. Theres a saying: When I was weak, people told me to focus on the big picture. When I became strong, I told them that I am the big picture. Noland believed that there would come a day when even the Ulnas Circle could not shake him. Chapter 373 - Chapter 373: 135. Cross-boundary cooperation_3 Chapter 373: 135. Cross-boundary cooperation_3 Translator: 549690339 As a transmigrator, one should have some ambition. Finding the whereabouts of Intelligence Department 6 is the key issue at the moment. After several days of examining the deconstruction results in his mind, observing the gathering of Empire People in Union City, and investigating some industries related to the Tatis Empire, Noland Lee had some clues. This was related to a document named The Liquor Quotation from Dark Water Liquor Company. After crossing over, Noland Lee consumed Energy Points and used Deconstruction on Lieutenant Grett. The Liquor Quotation was one of the deconstruction results at that time. From his previous experiences with deconstruction, the memories obtained by the technique were the most vivid memories of the target within the last month. Why would a Lieutenant of the Imperial Army and an Imperial soldier who graduated from the elite fighters class remember something like The Liquor Quotation? Using the Dark Water Liquor Company as a lead, Noland Lee delved into the investigation and discovered something unusual. Blackwater Winery is famous for its liquors black appearance, dense bubbles, and delicate taste. It was not only popular within the Tatis Empire but also exported to the Golden Federation. It was one of the few products within the Tatis Empire that would go abroad. In Union City, Blackwater Winery not only set up a base, built a brewery, but also opened a specialized liquor import trade company to import brewing raw materials from the Tatis Empire. Noland Lee found it hard to believe this was a coincidence. He utilized his connections, asking Cindy to collect information about Blackwater Winery. For example, the companys partners in Union City, the local staff of Blackwater Winery, important buyers of the liquor, shipping companies for the raw materials transport, etc. At the same time, he used the heart control spider and the iron cigarette case to monitor Blackwater Winerys office location in Lower Town comprehensively. He also used Mind View and Mind Beacon to track the Blackwater Winerys vehicles out of the city and found their brewery, water collection site, wine cellar, and material warehouse in the wilderness. When he had gathered the intelligence he had collected, Cindy came knocking at the door with a file bag. Cindy was guided by the lady housekeeper to the study room on the second floor and saw Noland Lee busying himself with a pile of documents. Sit anywhere you like, Cindy. Noland Lee glanced at the file bag in her hand and pointed to the chair across the table. I brought all the information you need. Everything the Golden Commerce Guild could find is here. Cindy handed over the file bag and sat down on the chair. She looked at Noland Lee, who was opening the file bag, and asked: Why did you suddenly want to investigate this company? To be honest, I only discovered how unusual it is when I was helping you gather the information. Oh? How is it unusual? Noland Lee opened the file bag, shook out the documents inside, and all the papers added up to be five centimeters thick. It felt heavy in his hand. So much information? Noland Lee weighed the documents in his hand. Yes, unexpectedly. A small winery company has so much hidden under the surface. I came here specifically to tell you this. Cindy took out a Thin Smoke, asking: Mind if I have one? I always feel a lack of energy when discussing serious matters without a smoke. Please, feel free. Noland Lee took an ashtray from the drawer and placed it in front of her. Cindy lit a Thin Smoke, took a puff, tapped the ashes, and said: Blackwater Winery has established three local companies. The first company is responsible for import and export trades between the Tatis mother company.- employed by the company. All the local employees have complicated backgrounds. After tapping some ash, Cindy smiled mysteriously and said: You might not know this, but the local Blackwater Winery is not only selling liquor locally, but they also export Union City-produced liquor to the Tatis Empire. This is a separate liquor series, under the name of Union Citys specialties. The profit of this special export liquor to the Tatis Empire is the main business of the local sales company, accounting for more than 90%. Guess how much liquor the Tatis Empire, which produces Blackwater Companys liquor itself, purchases from the local Blackwater Winery here in Union City? While perusing the documents, Noland asked: One billion? Two billion? No, 3 billion. !! Noland raised his head, dumbfounded: That much? Yes, I didnt expect it to be that much either. Cindy laughed, seemingly very satisfied with Nolands astonished tone: Chapter 374 - Chapter 374: 135. Cross-Boundary Cooperation_4 Chapter 374: 135. Cross-Boundary Cooperation_4 Translator: 549690339 After deducting the production and trading costs, the remaining profit out of the 3 billion is 2.5 billion. Out of the 2.5 billion net profit, more than 2 billion ends up in the pockets of the local sales companys staff, or more precisely, into the pockets of the Alchemist Faction behind these staff members. I have outlined the factions benefitting from this activity in the document. You can look them up in the index, she explained. Noland Lee had a quick look at the document, extracting a bunch of papers bound together with a stapler. He glanced over the list of factions and raised an eyebrow, noticing something potentially coincidental. A few days ago, during spray powder day, Fars Scott had used an Alchemical Mechanical Spider to penetrate through to the third underground level, intending to test its combat capabilities. The spider was ambushed and dismantled into mechanical parts, with the vital Alchemical Cube being taken away by the attacker. Fars had suspected that a competitor who had got the same research task had secretly planned this attack to eliminate him from the competition. Lee followed Farss clues and conducted an investigation into the competitors who had taken the same research task as him. At first, Lee selected eight suspects. After extensive discussion with Betty Davis, the list of suspects was narrowed down to five. All five individuals were backed by the same faction, the Razor Gang. The Razor Gang had control of No.11, making them the best mid-level Alchemist Faction in their locality and backed by the Life Essence Societys Stone Mining Society. The faction had one Fifth-order Alchemist, four Fourth-rank Alchemists, and not less than thirty Alchemists ranging from the first to third order. As a gang that thrived on thrill and bloodshed, the Razor Gang had a notorious reputation. Due to their fearless and combative nature, they stood out amongst all the small factions. However, they had offended numerous individuals and factions in the process and remained stuck at the mid-level alchemist hierarchy. Now, this mid-level faction known as the Razor Gang had appeared on the list provided by Cindy. They topped the list, taking away 50% of the net profit of the Blackwater Winery Sales Company for the year. Lee thought about the operations of the Blackwater Winery Company, exporting local wine to Tatis in large quantities, and smelled the faint scent of conspiracy. There are no long-distance instant communication means in this world. In Noland Lees world before crossing, to transfer funds on a large scale through international trade, one cannot do without fictitious trade scenarios, false trade goods, legal trade backgrounds, and the most crucial thingthe means of payment. With developed communication and rapid currency circulation in the world before crossing, fund payment can be completed using telegraphic transfer. However, in this world, an export company must first get the money paid by the trade object, bring it to the local area and exchange it to local currency to account for it. Meaning, the local Blackwater Winery Sales Company would have to accomplish the following steps: Sail to the empire, sell their wine, exchange it for New Solon Currency, take them back to Union City, convert them to Union Coin and distribute it to the company staff. But here comes the problem. It is known that the Tatis Empire is extremely closed, and its New Solon Currency doesnt meet the requirements for international circulation. The local Alchemist Factions in Union City do not recognise the New Solon Currency. In this situation, how is the Blackwater Winery Sales Company supposed to exchange the New Solon Coins they have earned for Union Coins? Isnt this like exchanging solid gold and silver for waste paper? The net profit of 2.5 billion mentioned by Cindy is calculated in Union Coins. The salaries that are paid out are also in Union Coins, not in New Solon Coins. Anyone who helps the Blackwater Winery Sales Company exchange New Solon Coins for Union Coins would have to pay out a real 2.5 billion Union Coins. Who has such financial strength? Lee slightly inhaled and looked at the glamorous lady opposite to him, asking: Tell me honestly, Cindy. Who helped the Blackwater Winery Sales Company exchange the coins? Could it be your Golden Commerce Guild? Cindy, holding her thin smoke, waved her hand, and said: No, Ray Lee, our Golden Commerce Guild would not make such a loss-making deal. It was the doing of the Re-forged Alchemist Association. The Re-forged Alchemist Association Lee was silent for two seconds and then laughed lightly: This adds up now What? What adds up? Cindy blinked her eyes curiously, looking at the man across from her hiding his face behind a face towel and sunglasses. Lee shook his head, not answering her question. He leaned back on his chair and pulled up the Third-order Blackbone Warlock Taludo panel information in his mind. [Identity 1] Supervisor of the Blackbone Secret Societys Machinery Factory [Identity 2] Expert at the Re-forged Alchemist Associations Alchemy Workshop When Lee had first seen the delicate layout of the mechanical factory, he began to wonder: Who had designed the blueprint of the mechanical factory? Who had supervised the construction of the factory? Who was operating it? It could not have been Samuelson. Just because he was skilled in mental magic doesnt mean he was talented in construction. It also could not have been the Blackbone hermit of the Blackbone Secret Society. Just looking at the Alchemy slaves they had created, one could see that they were dirty and messy, filled with a patchy atmosphere, and they could not possibly be the designer of the mechanical factory. When reviewing the results of the deconstruction process, Lee came across Taludos identity information and immediately figured that he was the one who had helped the Blackbone Secret Society design the mechanical factory. Taludo surely had the ability to design, construct, and operate a mechanical factory; otherwise, his identity as an Alchemy Workshop specialist would be compromised. Chapter 375 - Chapter 375: 135. Cross-boundary cooperation_5 Chapter 375: 135. Cross-boundary cooperation_5 Translator: 549690339 Talbot joined the Blackbone Secret Society as a member of the Re-forged Alchemist Association, which must have been arranged by the Re-forged Association. Noland Lees judgment is based on evidence. Take himself, for example. After successfully escaping the Suffering Borderland, his [identity] column changed: [Identity 1] Debtor (expired) [Identity 2] Sin Soldier (expired) As you can see, when someone truly leaves a certain power, the expired wording will appear in their [identity] column. Talbots Re-forged Association membership does not have this term, so he has not left the Re-forged Association. From this, it can be concluded that the Re-forged Association secretly helped the Blackbone Secret Society build a machinery factory under the Savage Stone Wasteland. Assuming that Blackwater Winery is a cover set up by Intelligence Department 6 and the Razor Gang is a local alchemy faction funded by Intelligence Department 6. Then the Re-forged Associations exchange of huge Union Coins for Blackwater Winery is a collaboration with Intelligence Department 6. The Re-forged Association is working both ways, helping Blackbone Secret Society from within and Tatis Empires Intelligence Department 6 from the outside, contributing a great deal of power to the unstable situation in Union City. Whats their purpose for doing this? Noland Lee pondered for a moment, taking a deep breath and saying: Alchemical Constructs. I get it; all this is for Alchemical Constructs. Noland Lee looked up and asked the puzzled lady: Cindy, I have a question. Who is the main creator of Alchemical Constructs? Is the alchemist named Torrence Manx a member of the Re-forged Alchemist Association? Cindy shrugged, spread her hands, and showed a do I need to ask? look: Yes. Torrence Manx is the chief alchemist of the Re-forged Alchemist Association, an eighth-order alchemist, a Great Alchemist. As for the creators of Alchemical Constructs, well I dont know much about that. Fars told me that most of the mechanical parts can be made according to the alchemy blueprint. However, for core components like Alchemical Cubes, only the Re-forged Association can make them. They have the alchemy blueprint and irreplaceable alchemic materials, and they can only activate the re-forging Array/Formation for making Alchemical Constructs. Irreplaceable alchemy materials? Noland Lee asked. Cindy nodded: Yeah, irreplaceable. I dont know what it is, do you want me to find out? But dont get your hopes up too high. These alchemy materials must be top-secret to the Re-forged Association. Its unlikely I can get any useful information. Noland Lee frowned, his thoughts racing. He had a feeling. If he could figure out what the irreplaceable alchemy material was, all the clues would come together. He would find the answer to his puzzling question. Why would the Re-forged Association willingly pay billions of Union Coins to the Blackwater Winery Sales Company for salaries? Just to spread money? Or to pay for the purchase of irreplaceable alchemy materials? An idea flashed through the depths of Noland Lees heart! He remembered Fars condition when the Perceptual Link was severed. Bleeding from the nostrils, bloodshot eyes, splitting headache. This is the adverse reaction after using the Pure Bone Card to establish a Soul Link and then forcibly severing the Soul Link! Noland Lee thought at the time that the so-called Perceptual Link was just similar to the Soul Link and not the same thing. But now, looking at the connection between the two clues: Re-forged Association holding irreplaceable alchemy materials and Re-forged Association paying huge Union Coins to Intelligence Department 6s winery company. Noland Lee grasped the key to the whole incident. If he didnt guess wrong, the so-called irreplaceable alchemy material is the Pure Bone Fragments or something similar. The Blackwater Winery Sales Company, in the Tatis Empire, was not selling wine for worthless New Solon Currency, but for irreplaceable alchemy materials. Thats why the Re-forged Association willingly paid a huge amount of Union Coins. With this, all the clues are strung together. As Noland Lee came to his senses, he flipped through the documents brought by Cindy and asked: When was the last time the Blackwater Winery Sales Companys ships returned from the Tatis Empire? Is it written in these documents? Yes.. let me think.. Cindy stubbed out her cigarette and pondered: Two weeks ago, before the last Spray Powder Day. Are you going to investigate the local Blackwater Winerys sales in the Tatis Empire? This could be quite difficult. Because it involves the Tatis Empire, that place is too closed. When is the next time a ship comes back? Noland Lee turned to the page with the shipping companys cargo shipping information and answered his own question: Oh, I found it. Every half a month, a cargo ship docks and brings back the money collected from the Tatis Empire. So the next time a ship docks is in the next few days, either today or tomorrow. Noland Lee put down the documents, having a clear plan in mind. Thank you, Cindy. The information you brought is very useful. Cindy flipped her hair and said: Is it okay to tell me what you want to do? Noland. Dont get me wrong. Im not trying to pry. I just want to say that if you need help, our Golden Commerce Guild is willing to lend a hand. Business is always more lively with more people involved. So if theres anything you need, just let me know. Chapter 376 - Chapter 376: 135. Cross-boundary cooperation_6 Chapter 376: 135. Cross-boundary cooperation_6 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee tapped his fingertips on the desk as he pondered. The study was quiet. Heres a piece of news, Cindy. Considering our successful cooperation before, Im willing to share this news with you. Its my honor. I will keep it a secret. Cindy sat up straight, let go of her crossed leg, and placed both legs neatly under the desk. Noland Lee placed his ten crossed fingers on the table and said: Do you know about Intelligence Department 6? Wait a minute. Cindy raised her left hand and pressed her right hand to her chest: Let me interrupt for a moment. The news youre about to tell me, isnt it something that will make my heart race again? Yes, Cindy. And its even more explosive than last time. Then let me prepare myself Cindy took a few breaths, with her chest heaving, Alright, go on. I dont know about Intelligence Department 6. Is it special? Noland Lee said: Intelligence Department 6 is an intelligence organization within the Tatis Empire that is responsible for infiltrating the legal alchemy factions in the Golden Federation. I have received reliable news that a batch of Life Elixir is about to enter Union City. Cindys expression was astonished, and her gaze was somewhat blank. She glanced at the serious Noland Lee and then at the documents about Blackwater Winery on the table, opened her mouth, and said: You mean Blackwater Winery I just suspect it for now, Cindy. Noland Lee spread his hands: The information I received is limited. Since Intelligence Department 6 never operates within the Tatis Empire, in the intelligence I gathered, Blackwater Winery has the most significant connection to them. No wonder you want me to inquire about Blackwater Winery Cindy held a cigarette between her fingers: Do you need me to dig further into Blackwater Winery and the Razor Gang? No. Noland Lee shook his head: You just wait for my news. Once I confirm something, Ill ask Derek for help. Cindy said: Sure, no problem. Ill let Derek know not to lead his team to the underground depths lately. Hes overjoyed with the huge rewards he received from the Merchant Supervisor and even wants to meet with you to express his gratitude in person. Do you want me to arrange that for both of you? No need, I dont like gatherings. Yeah, I can see that. Cindy looked unsurprised. Lets end our talk here. Ill see you out. Noland Lee stood up, walked out of the study with Cindy, and asked as they walked: Do you guys at the Golden Commerce Guild have a ship leaving Alchemist Island? Yes. You tell me when you plan to leave, and Ill arrange it. The Chamber of Commerce Supervisor is very satisfied with the over 200,000 Life Elixirs. I can arrange the best cabin for you, no problem. Cindy walked beside Noland Lee and said: Youre not the first wizard to ask me this question. Before you, wizards from other sectors also asked. It seems that everyone is planning to leave here in the near future. You all asked the right person because only the Golden Commerce Guild in the entire Golden Federation has established fixed ocean routes. Starting from Alchemist Island, heading east to Reefstone City in Kashel Continent, thats the first stop of the journey. Then, it will continue to follow the west coast of the Kashel Continent southward, passing through the coastal cities along the way, and finally taking the deep-sea current from the southwest corner of the Kashel Continent directly back to Alchemist Island. Noland Lee sent Cindy to the door and shook hands with her: Wait for my news, Cindy. I hope that after I leave, the friendship between me and the Golden Commerce Guild will not end. I feel the same way, Ray Lee. Cindy said with a smile: Having a wizard friend outside is a wonderful thing for the Chamber of Commerce. Besides, you are much easier to communicate with than the wizards in the wizard caravans, and you are more mysterious and modest. Cindy paused for half a second, her face turned serious, and she said sincerely: Thank you, Ray Lee. If there is turbulence in the future, the more than 200,000 Life Elixirs you obtained for us will save many people. You are indispensable and irreplaceable. Goodbye, and wait for your news. The door opened and closed, and Cindy left with her perfume scent. After instructing the lady housekeeper to prepare lunch for himself, Noland Lee returned to the study on the second floor. Cindy said that some Wandering Wizards had visited her recently to inquire about the shipping schedule. Noland Lee knew about this. He had seen Denise Green and other wizards enter Money and Good Dreams through the surveillance camera he had placed in Sector 7. Denise Green went to inquire about the shipping schedule with Noland Lees guidance, while the other Wandering Wizards were requested by Elemental Judgement. Fugidia, Sheldon Archer, and Nikcat, these three Wandering Wizards, must leave the Golden Federation within a month. This was an eviction order from the local First Level Magic Research Institute. Considering they had indirectly helped Elemental Judgement get the Bone-mending Wand, Elemental Judgement gave them the maximum time limit. One month was enough for them to leave comfortably. When Noland Lee had learned this situation from Denise Green, he asked a question: Why didnt their companions, who had reopened the Teleportation Gate and left the Bottom of the Fissure, take the three of them with them? In response to this question, Denise Green took a few minutes to explain the Ulnas Ring Law clearly: If these three Wandering Wizards were to leave through the Teleportation Gate, their mistakes would not only be helping to open the Teleportation Gate, but also adding an illegal departure from the training area through the Teleportation Gate. To avoid deepening the guilt on their own shoulders, they should leave the Golden Federation by conventional means. Noland Lee then raised a new question: Didnt the six wizards who left through the Teleportation Gate commit another mistake by opening the Teleportation Gate again? Why didnt they use conventional means to leave the Golden Federation? Denise Greens tone was close to helpless, not because Noland Lee kept asking questions, but because the Ulnas Circle law was too harsh. Here is the situation, Noland. The penalty for wizards who illegally open the Teleportation Gate and illegally access the area where the First Level Magic Research Institute is located is measured by the duration of stay. The longer they stay, the more severe the penalty. The penalty for the fifth day of stay is five times the penalty for the first day. Fines accumulate daily. If the stay is less than one day, it is counted as one day. If those six wizards dont leave through the door soon, they will be judged as staying illegally for five days. The total fine for each person will reach a staggering 75,000 Ulnas gold coins. However, opening the Teleport Gate illegally only fines 10,000 Ulnas gold coins. So, you know, choosing the lesser of two evils, its better to leave directly through the door. Noland Lee shook his head in response to this explanation. The strict, complex, and meticulous Ulnas Ring law was not suitable for a man like him who comes and goes like the wind. So, joining the Ulnas Ring, forget about it. Noland Lee sat down in the study, using Deconstruction Technique to store the documents brought by Cindy in his mind, and read them carefully. About 10 minutes later, the lady housekeeper brought lunch. After Noland Lee had eaten and drunk, he locked the door, calmed his mind, and controlled the Heart Control Spiders he had placed in various parts of the city. If the Irreplaceable Alchemy Materials are really Pure Bone Cards or something similar Then including the Life Elixirs, his action this time might make a bloody profit twice. Uh. The hatred value he gains would also be doubled. Chapter 377 - Chapter 377: 136. Human-shaped machine” Chapter 377: 136. Human-shaped machine Translator: 549690339 Northeast of Union City, more than thirty kilometers away, there is a river that flows towards the eastern part of Alchemist Island. The water current is swift, with numerous tributaries. Along the river, there are many Alchemy Farms that produce grains, fruits, tea leaves, and vegetables. At the estuary where the river meets the eastern ocean, the riverbed extends in a trumpet-like shape to the sea surface, forming a typical coastal plain, which is known as Delta Plains. The terrain is flat, with an appropriate slope, and stable geology, providing an excellent anchorage space. Moreover, as the mouth of the river is wide and deep without ice, and it is backed by Union City, the area has been developed into the largest port in Fission Wilderness. This port connects with coastal cities like Reefstone City, Seashell City, Baldurs Gate, and Dagger Beach along the west coast of the Kashel Continent and other important cities within the Golden Federation. Who is the big boss behind this port? The answer is the Golden Commerce Guild. Union City is divided into 20 sectors. Sectors 1 to 6 are controlled by the Re-forged Association. Sectors 8 to 11 are managed by the subsidiaries of the Life Essence Society. Sectors 12 to 17 are governed by one or two medium-sized factions. Sectors 18 to 20 are mixed. The Golden Commerce Guild occupies Sector 7, sandwiched between the Re-forged Association and the Life Essence Society. The number of sectors controlled by the Golden Commerce Guild is small, but it does not mean they are weak. The port at the northeastern entrance of Union City is called Union Port and is completely controlled by the Golden Commerce Guild. This is just one of the ports controlled by the Golden Commerce Guild. It is through these ports, as well as their armed alchemy ships on the sea, that the Golden Commerce Guild can stand on equal ground with large alchemist factions such as the Re-forged Association and the Life Essence Society. It is precisely because the Golden Commerce Guild fully controls the ports that the shipping information of the Blackwater Winery Sales Company, including the cargo ships number, schedule, shipowner, and employer identity, can appear on the intelligence brought by Cindy to Noland Lee. Noland, relying on this detailed intelligence, accurately figured out the shipping situation of the Sales Company. The next cargo ship returning from the Tatis Empire will arrive in 5 days. This date is a full 4 days later than the time indicated on the schedule. There are no big storms on the nearshore route from the Tatis Empire to Union Port. The reason for the delayed arrival of the cargo ship cannot be due to weather or ocean currents. It must have something to do with the departure time of the cargo ship. A delay of 4 days means the cargo ship stayed in the Tatis Empire for an extra 4 days. This phenomenon of late arrival doubled Nolands attention to this cargo ship. Noland calculated with the sea chart received from Cindy. At this moment, the cargo ship should be in the sea area about 500 kilometers southeast of Union City. That is the so-called Public Sea Area, which means a public area not belonging to any country. The cargo ship is powered by sails and coal-fired steam engines. Wind power is the primary force, and the propulsion provided by the coal-fired steam engine is auxiliary. This design choice is related to the weight of the coal itself. It was a matter for the Re-forged Alchemist who built this cargo ship, which Noland did not care about. Nolands focus was on the cargo ships speed. If this ship were in Nolands original world, it could travel at approximately 15 kilometers per hour in nearshore waters. Note But in this world, speeding on the sea surface away from land is a dangerous thing. Thats because the star pollutants that fall into the sea are far greater than those that fall on land. At some point, a peculiar feature called Lost Sea Fog appeared on the ocean. After entering a certain sea area, if the sailing speed exceeds a threshold, the regions Lost Sea Fog will be triggered. The boundless dense gray fog suddenly surrounds ships, trapping them in place. Even if the ships power output is at its maximum, it is useless. This mysterious, grey Lost Sea Fog carries enigmatic mana, forcibly reducing the speed of the ship to zero and holding it stationary at sea for at least 1 hour. If a small boat is launched to try to break through the fog forcefully, it will be lost forever. People on the small boat will never return after entering the fog. This bizarre sea fog greatly suppresses the speed of population movement throughout the world. Lost Sea Fog exists in every sea area. Each sea areas fog has different triggering conditions. The speed parameters in the triggering conditions change every ten days or half a month. In the same sea area, the maximum speed that triggers the fog on the previous day is 30 kilometers/hour. Once this speed is exceeded, the fog appears immediately. But on the next day, the trigger condition may increase to 50 kilometers/hour. Ships with maximum speeds below this speed can sail smoothly. Alternatively, the trigger condition may drop to 5 kilometers/hour, trapping most ships at sea. This unpredictable marine feature has a long history, and its exact origin is unknown. It has given birth to a unique profession: Navigator. This profession is responsible for monitoring sea area speed limits and guiding ships safely through various sea areas to reach their destinations. All cargo ships of the Golden Federation have Navigators, who are Alchemists. The cargo ship returning from the Tatis Empire to Union Port is no exception. Its Navigator is dispatched by the Re-forged Association. Noland plans to use the Lost Sea Fog and secretly destroy the Blackwater Winery Sales Companys cargo ship. Chapter 378 - Chapter 378: 136. Human-shaped machine” _2 Chapter 378: 136. Human-shaped machine _2 Translator: 549690339 Of course, the precondition is that the cargo ship is indeed related to the Blackbone Hermit, Aberrations, and other unstable factors. If the crew on board are honest and the goods are genuine and legal, Noland Lee would not target them. In order to further determine the situation on the ship, he has to go out to sea. After discussing the details of the maritime operation with Denise Green, Noland Lee adopted her suggestion. He decided to invite the Golden Merchants Sword to join this operation. And the one cooperating with him was Derek Davis, with whom he had cooperated once before. This man who could transform into a Grey Behemoth asked gravely as soon as he heard that Noland Lee was going to investigate the cargo ship at sea: Are you sure? Ray Lee. You performed excellently in the last Life Elixir theft operation, contributed greatly, and are irreplaceable. However, the situation at sea is much more complicated than the Sand Sea in the Savage Stone Wasteland. You want to approach the cargo ship secretly, which means that we cannot go to sea in large ships, but can only sail on an Alchemy Skiff or a yacht. Waves higher than five meters, surging underwater undercurrents, and strange sea fogs, any of these things would be too much for us. After saying that, Derek added: Im not questioning your decision. I just want to make sure you know all the potential dangers. Yes, Derek, Im well aware of the risks you mentioned, Noland said in his study room, the two of them sitting face-to-face on either side of the desk. Noland continued: Not only am I aware of the risks of maritime operations but I also weigh the pros and cons of operations at sea and on land. At first, I considered investigating the cargo ship with the help of the Golden Commerce Guild after it arrived at port. But the problem is that it would involve too many people and things. For example, the supervisor responsible for shipping and ports within the Chamber of Commerce, the Re-forged Association, who would learn about the investigation, etc. Instead of getting involved with unrelated people on land, we should be more cautious and resolve disputes secretly at sea. At the end of the day, between entangled human affairs and the cold indifference of the ocean, I ultimately chose the latter. Noland spread his hands: Thats my thinking, Derek. Whether you join in or not is up to you. To be honest, Im only 80% sure that there is a Life Elixir on that ship and direct evidence that the Re-forged Association is involved with Division Intelligence Unit Three, Five, Six, and the Blackbone Secret Society. If we are unlucky and encounter that 20% probability, then our trip would be in vain. You need to be prepared for that. Upon hearing this, Derek leaned against the chair back, frowning and sinking into deep thought. His shoulders and upper body were so strong and muscular that the bench beneath him seemed as small as a childs play-chair. Ill lead the team, but we need more than just ourselves, Derek said, raising his head. You can find trustworthy members of the Golden Merchants Sword to help, as I trust your judgment, Noland said calmly, looking the man in the eye. In reality, he determines whether a person is trustworthy through Deconstruction. When it comes to identifying friends and foes, Deconstruction is second to none. By consuming a hundred or two Energy Points, Noland can obtain a persons identity information and some of their recent memories. From this, he can determine their loyalty. This is far more efficient and reliable than any truth serum or Soul Interrogation Potion. As for phrases like I trust your judgment in selecting people, these are actually just social pleasantries. One cant say things like If something goes wrong, youll be held responsible for the people you choose. Its clear that Derek knows the reinforcements he brings are crucial, and theres no room for carelessness. After pondering for nearly half a minute, Derek nodded slowly and said: I have thought of a suitable candidate, Ray Lee. This person will definitely not betray or sell us out. However, whether or not she will help isnt up to me. I have to go back and discuss it with the supervisor. Noland said: Based on my estimates, our enemies may include not only third or fourth-rank alchemists but also Fifth-order Alchemists and the Imperial Fist. I have witnessed the power of Biochemical Giants. Frankly, when it comes to combat capabilities, these extraordinary creations of biochemical mutations are no less formidable than ordinary wizards and alchemists. So, would you mind revealing our helpers strength? Derek touched his beard and introduced: Shes a Sixth-rank Alchemist named Esme Smith. Shes the Chief Alchemist of the Golden Chambers Maritime Fog Expedition. Although shes not a Combat Alchemist, her maritime knowledge can help us avoid many unnecessary battles. If you plan to use the sea fog to trap that cargo ship, her abilities are precisely what you need. Excellent. Lets go with her. Noland tapped the tabletop with his fingertip: Ill trouble you to go and talk to her. Derek stood up, threw down a sentence, and left the study: Dont go far, Ill be back soon. The supervisor should be free at this time. After Derek left, Noland sat quietly in his chair with his fingers forming a triangle, awaiting news. He said he was only 80% sure that there was a Life Elixir on the ship, but in reality, he was 100% sure. The so-called The Liquor Quotation from Dark Water Liquor Company was actually the Cipher Mother Text. Noland didnt know why Grett had the Cipher Mother Text used by Intelligence Department 6 stored in his head. Chapter 379 - Chapter 379: 136. Human-shaped machine” _3 Chapter 379: 136. Human-shaped machine _3 Translator: 549690339 Anyway, he used this document to decode the secret message from the Intelligence Department 6 on the export contract of the Blackwater Winery Sales Company. The export contract saw by Noland Lee using Mind View and the heart control spider. The secret code deciphered with the Liquor Quotation List is an urgent secret message issued by the local Blackwater Winery Company in Union City, which requires the Tatis Empires Military Intelligence Department 6 to deal with it urgently. In this urgent secret message, the local Intelligence Department 6 members explicitly mentioned requesting the transportation of a large number of life elixirs and alchemy materials. The reason is that the Aberration Den in the Savage Stone Wasteland has been destroyed. This urgent secret message was sent to the Tatis Empire through the emergency channel controlled by Intelligence Department 6, covering the first export contract that arrived with the cargo ship in the Empire. This first export contract is also a secret message. It was precisely because the urgent secret message covered the information on the original secret message that the Intelligence Department 6 made adjustments to the cargo on the cargo ship, causing the ship to stay in the Tatis Empire for four days. Noland Lee knew these contents clearly, but it was difficult to explain to Derek Davis. He simply kept his mouth shut and only mentioned the term 80% certainty to attract Derek Davis and the Chamber of Commerce Supervisor to join. A full ship of Life Elixirs should be enough to get the Golden Commerce Guild to take action. Noland Lee patiently waited, thinking through every detail of the plan. While investigating the Blackwater Winery, he also checked the situation of the Razor Gang. After resolving the matter at sea, he would help Fars Scott retrieve the Alchemical Cube. Half an hour later, Derek asked Cindy to convey a message, scheduling for Noland Lee to set out in two hours. The meeting point was still the backyard garden of the Iron Thorn Shield. Derek particularly reminded Noland that he didnt need to prepare clothes and diving equipment for the actions at sea as he would handle everything. Noland Lee was happy to travel light and arrived at the Iron Thorn Shields backyard garden on time. It was 8 PM after nightfall, and the streets were dim and sparsely populated. After Noland Lee arrived, Derek waved and drove four-wheeled motorcycles into the underground tunnel, bypassing the city walls underground, and arrived on the grassland outside Union City. The group traveled overnight, chasing the stars and the moon. As Derek drove, he said, Miss Esme Smith has agreed to help, Ray Lee. She has brought over an exploration ship to help, which explores the fog threshold in the nearshore area. This type of ship will wander in the nearshore area, testing the sailing speed of every sea area that emits fog, and reporting to the port and shipping companies. Miss Esme Smith made an agreement with me that she would take the ship to the cave on the east side and wait for us there. It seems that you have arranged everything well, Noland Lee responded. Derek nodded and said, Thats right. To avoid information leaks, weve made foolproof preparations. Miss Esme Smith has a few teams of Alchemists that carry out sea exploration missions all year round. They face not only bad weather and strange fog at sea but also sea beasts, corrupted sea people, and so on. There is one such team on the exploration ship awaiting us. Unless there is some extraordinary figure on the cargo ship, we should be able to handle it. Noland Lees mouth twitched slightly as he felt a flag had been added to himself and the others. However, Derek was right. If there were Third or Fourth Rank Imperial Fist on the ship, the situation would be tricky. At that time, Noland Lee might have to rely on Denise Greens power to quickly land and leave the scene. Before embarking, Noland Lee and Denise Green agreed. She would use the Illusionary Body Technique and the magic broom to secretly enter the territory of the Empire across the border line from the sea that can see the land. The cargo ship would maintain a distance of about 70 kilometers from the land according to the route. This is within Denise Greens teleportation range, and Noland Lee can calmly leave the scene. As for the cargo ship deviating from its route and leaving the nearshore area, entering the open sea, or even the deep sea, there is no need to worry. That situation wont happen. The ships structure does not support it entering such dangerous areas. The nautical chart on the ship also does not support deviation from the route. Due to the lack of long-distance real-time communication means, the Golden Commerce Guild uses nautical charts to restrict each ships sailing route. Where the ship will depart and where it will go are all written in black and white in the application report for sailing. Using this application report, the shipowner received the nautical chart from the Golden Commerce Guild. The nautical chart in the shipowners hand only records the specific situation of one to three routes. Leaving the guidance of the nautical chart and rashly entering other routes will trigger sea fog with a high probability, which is tantamount to courting death. The Golden Commerce Guild may not have high-tech similar to the ship positioning system, but it can still use the routes and the ship schedules to deduce the approximate position of the cargo ship. The action of the exploration ship that sails into the nearshore area to search for the cargo ship is not equivalent to groping in the dark but more like an easy task like cat catching a mouse. Chapter 380 - Chapter 380: 136. Human-shaped machine” _4 Chapter 380: 136. Human-shaped machine _4 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee drove the car while sensing Denise Greens position, emphasizing that she must be careful to protect herself and not be discovered by Tatis people. This was the second time Denise Green had accompanied Noland Lee on a long journey, and it was at night again. She didnt complain about anything, always responding to Noland Lee with a brainless support and encouragement attitude. In her words, because of the dependence on the contractor to obtain Rebirth Magic Power, the contractors generally treated the Companion Witches as tools. Tools for teleportation and healing. This was caused by the fact that Companion Witches had almost no means of fighting, researching, or sneaking other than teleportation and healing. Companion Witches need the Rebirth Magic Power from the contractor, and the contractor can find other wizards to cooperate and replace the teleportation and healing functions of the Companion Witches. Given this, the contractor is actually dominant in this contract relationship established by magic. When one party depends on the other for survival, the exploitation of the weaker party arises. According to what Denise Green knew: In the week after the contract, 70% of Companion Witches felt the potential malice of the contractor and received instructions with a seductive and coercive nature. More than 50% of Companion Witches had disagreements with their contractors, and they would actively stay away from their contractors during non-task periods. Even more extreme cases would completely avoid the contractor, keeping a range of thousands of kilometers from them, ensuring that they cannot communicate and sense each other, in order to avoid being controlled by the other party. There were relatively few contractors like Noland Lee who treated their Companion Witches on an equal footing. What is even more valuable is that Noland Lee has never made any unreasonable requests. Unreasonable requests When Noland Lee heard this, he thought he had crossed into the world of erotic fiction Factually speaking, he is a man with normal physiological characteristics. The reason why he could control his brain and lower body was because of the lessons he learned before crossing. He had experience in this area. In summary, it was nothing more than eight words: Women admire strength, human hearts change easily. Before he was invincible, no woman could break his Ice Heart Technique. This was Noland Lees idea, bearing his will and ambition. On the road, there was no conversation, and everyone focused on traveling. In a naturally formed seaside cave chamber, Noland Lee saw the exploration ship and its crew. The exploration ship was modified from a large twin-hull alchemy yacht, more than 50 meters in length, with a top speed of 40 kilometers per hour. The spacious interior space was enough to place alchemy equipment. Its power was provided by the alchemy array. The alchemy array at the rear of the hull would jet a water stream to propel the ship forward. On both sides of the hull, there were several smaller alchemy arrays that sprayed torrents of water at extremely fast flow rates to help the ship quickly turn. After Noland Lee boarded the ship, he met the rumored Miss Esme Smith. She was a female Alchemist about 40 years old, not very attractive, and due to her long time at sea, her skin was very rough. After a brief introduction with Esme Smith, Noland Lee entered the resting room, sat on the sofa, stared at the sea waves outside, and waited quietly for the exploration ship to approach the cargo ship. The ship he was on had a large volume and was white at first glance, making it conspicuous at sea. But in fact, this was not the case. The outer metal plates of the ship were processed with alchemy, and the alchemy array inside had a camouflage effect, making it optically concealed. As soon as the button in the control room was pressed, the ship would enter a disguised state, and the exterior color would become close to the sea surface. Unless it was a very professional detection device or extraordinary power, it would be difficult to discover the ship on the vast sea surface. In this almost transparent state, everyone traveled for about two days. On an open sea area 76 kilometers away from the land, they found the cargo ship of Blackwater Winery. It was a night on the sea with a light rain, and lightning and thunder crossed the sky from time to time. The rain was getting heavier, and the waves were getting higher under the sea breeze. Amidst the swaying hull, Noland Lee bent his legs and tightened his abdomen to maintain balance. On the pitch-black sea, he saw the cargo ship three kilometers away. A mental beacon was placed by him on the sea surface near the cargo ship, followed by a Mind View. Noland Lee took advantage of the convenience of vision leap, and saw the full view of the cargo ship. Just as he thought, the Blackwater Winery Companys logo was on the ships hull. There was no one on the exterior deck, but occasionally the crew walked through the brightly lit cabin. The crew members did not casually pass by the walkways and windows; their movements were very regular, as if they were strictly executing a plan. Were the crew members routinely inspecting the cabin? The exploration team members aboard the exploration ship observed the scene on the cargo ship through telescopes and came to a unanimous conclusion: The crew on the cargo ship was not inspecting the cabin; their frequency of walking back and forth was too high, more like they were performing a guard task. Noland Lee heard the conversation of the exploration team members. He squinted his eyes and looked at the magic vision provided by Mind View, seized the opportunity, and locked in on a patrol team that hurriedly passed by the window. The patrol team was composed of five crew members. Noland Lee threw a Deconstruction Technique at the leading member. [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction Technique on Unknown Imperial Ensign.] [It is expected to consume 1000 energy points and can achieve a 100% degree of deconstruction.] Chapter 381 - Chapter 381: 136. Human-shaped machine” _5 Chapter 381: 136. Human-shaped machine _5 Translator: 549690339 The squad leader of the patrol team is an Imperial Lieutenant! If squad leaders are of the rank of Lieutenant, how many Lieutenants could there be on the entire ship? Noland Lees eyebrows twitched, and a sense of astonishment suddenly rose in his heart. Could it just be a coincidence? Maybe the Lieutenant he saw just now was in charge of the patrol work, which was why he had the strength of a Lieutenant. Noland Lee patiently waited for five minutes and saw the second patrol team pass by the window. This was another patrol team, completely different from the previous one in terms of their appearance. Noland Lee threw a Deconstruction Technique at the squad leader of this patrol team. [System Message:] [You are about to use the Deconstruction Technique on Unknown Imperial Ensign.] Another Lieutenant Noland Lees heart sank a little. The defensive strength of this ship might be beyond imagination. In the urgent secret letter, the Military Intelligence Section 6 of Union City wrote a line: Please urgently transport six shipping units of Life Elixir. As for what six shipping units represents in terms of the number of Life Elixirs, Noland Lee was not clear. The secret codes he found did not specify. What exactly the Empires Military Intelligence Section 6 shipped, Noland Lee and Union Citys Section 6 could only find out once they boarded the ship. Or should I try to deconstruct the entire cargo ship? Noland Lee raised his eyebrows, adjusted his Magic Vision to face the cargo ship, and cast the Deconstruction Technique at the ships hull. [System Message:] [You are about to use the Deconstruction Technique on the Modified Federation Cargo Ship.] [Estimated to consume 60,000 Energy Points, which can make the degree of deconstruction reach 100%] [Warning!] [After a system check, deconstructing this vehicle will have a negative impact on you!] [The system suggests using Harmless Deconstruction to deconstruct this vehicle.] Are you serious? System? Noland Lee looked at the cargo ship and was a little stunned, slightly dumbfounded. Using the conventional method to deconstruct a cargo ship would actually have a negative impact on him?! Could it be that the ship is carrying something like Cthulhu? Noland Lee stared at the third patrol squad. He cast the Deconstruction Technique at the squad leader and without hesitation consumed 1,000 energy points to deconstruct the other party. Without waiting for him to carefully examine the results of the deconstruction, Dereks voice interrupted his thoughts. How is the observation going? In the captains quarters with the lights turned off, the exploration team members were observing the cargo ship with telescopes. Miss Esme Smith was holding seawater in her hand and was communicating with a palm-sized fish. The most relaxed people on the scene were Noland Lee, Derek, and the members of Dereks Golden Merchants Sword. Derek saw the solemn expressions on the faces of the exploration team members and realized that something was wrong, so he couldnt help but ask. Noland Lee came back to his senses after hearing Dereks voice and looked at the frowning investigation team members. The leader of the exploration team was called Hudson. He was a tall, dark, and thin man with a face full of traces from the wind and the sun. As Hudson contemplated under the inquiries of Noland Lee and Derek, he answered: Oh, the situation? The situation is not good, mate. The observation target you found for us is very unusual, more cunning than well-trained and bloodthirsty fallen sea people. The last time I encountered such a cunning opponent at sea was Ahem, Hudson, dont go off-topic. Derek coughed a few times to remind. Right, right, the main business matters. Hudson held up the telescope with his left hand and pointed to the cargo ships outer metal plate with his right hand: Look there, mates, look at the waterline of this ship. The seawater is almost covering the metal plate painted with dark red paint. This shows that the goods on this ship are very, very heavy. The cargo capacity of this ship is 20,000 tons. If they removed some equipment from the ship, the cargo capacity could be increased further. In fact, they did remove some things, which is why the waterline is so deep. Hudson gestured in the air and pointed at several places: Take a closer look at the open-air toilet, the pipes that discharge coal slag, and the chimney that emits coal gas. Did you find anything unusual? Hudson gestured with his hands, performing several actions for operating ship equipment in succession: The area near the open-air toilet is filled with sails and ropes for securing the sails. These two things should be placed in the sail room on the middle deck. Their appearance near the open-air toilet might be because the sail room is occupied. Look at the pipes for discharging furnace slag and the smoking chimneys; both have been closed. The ship is not burning coal, which also means losing an important source of heat. This is on the cold and wet sea. If I were a crew member on that ship, I would be annoyed by the captains stinginess with coal. Hudson slapped his palm: The strangest part is coming, mates. Where is the power of this ship coming from when the sail is not raised and the coal is not burnt? Its still moving forward! I heard that Tatis has come up with some sort of fuel. It is lighter than coal and hardly produces any smoke or solid waste when burned. But I forgot what it was called. Biofuel? Noland Lee interjected. Hudson waved his arm and laughed enthusiastically: Ah yes! Thats what its called~ Mate, I knew you were extraordinary the moment you boarded the ship. The fuel I was talking about was biofuel. The coal storage, burning chamber, and sail room on that cargo ship must have been modified. The entire middle and lower decks have been cleared for the biofuel-powered device and more cargo. Thats why it can sail continuously without raising sails or burning coal while carrying such a heavy load. Thats how it is. Chapter 382 - Chapter 382: 136. Human-shaped machine” _6 Chapter 382: 136. Human-shaped machine _6 Translator: 549690339 Derek Davis raised a smile: It seems weve found our target. This cargo ship is hiding many treasures. Or possibly even more enemies. Miss Esme Smith, who had been silent for a long time, joined the conversation. Everyone turned their gaze towards her and nodded in acknowledgment. Esme held seawater with both hands, in which there was a lively sea fish. This sea fish was an alchemical creation, its appearance hardly different from ordinary sea bass. The fish would swim through the sea and bring massive intelligence back to Esme. Its reconnaissance efficiency far surpassed that of others present, only Noland Lees Mind View could compete with it. Esme put the seawater and alchemical sea fish into an alchemical stone, crossed her hands in front of her, and calmly stated: I agree with Hudsons viewpoint, let me now add some details. My sea fish tells me that this ship is drawing clean sea water, while discharging severely polluted warm sea water. The pollutants include liquid contaminants and toxic gases produced from burning biofuels. Furthermore, it is intertwined with a large amount of human urine and sweat, many containing unidentified drugs. What do you think? There are so many people sweating and going to the toilet on this ship? Derek Davis rubbed his head, looking at Noland Lee. The others also turned their gaze to Noland Lee. Their reaction was normal, considering Noland Lees role as a wizard with extensive knowledge about the Tatis Empire. Noland reviewed the deconstruction results from the previous patrol squad leader as quickly as possible. The panel information and memory fragments from the deconstruction result made Nolands heart tremble, but he managed to maintain his usual calm demeanor. I once heard a rumor. I think that the abnormal situation on this cargo ship is related to this rumor. Have you ever heard of biochemical soldiers? In response to Nolands question, the exploration team members looked confused. On the other hand, Derek Davis, among the Golden Merchants Sword, and Miss Esme Smith revealed contemplative expressions. Are they similar to alchemy slaves? Derek Davis asked. Well, yes, they are, but not exactly. Noland asked Hudson for a notebook and pen. He quickly sketched out an image of a biochemical soldier hed seen before. He set up the notebook and showed it to everyone: Here, this is what a biochemical soldier looks like. Alchemy slaves have alchemical tools installed in their bodies. In contrast, biochemical soldiers are created through the use of directed mutation technology. They prompt the body parts of ordinary soldiers to mutate, thus forming various kinds of biochemical weapons and protective equipment. Alchemy slaves possess their own thoughts and emotions, but they must endure the pain of being transformed. Biochemical soldiers do not have thoughts or feelings and do not have to endure the pain brought on by biochemical mutation. Which type of soldiers are more humane is a difficult question to answer. However, that doesnt prevent them from delivering a physiological aversion to normal people. Everyone nodded their head in agreement. Inside the body of a biochemical soldier, there is a built-in biochemical reactor that burns biofuel. Noland made a circle on the notebook, marking the chest position of the sketched biochemical soldier: Theoretically speaking, if several hundred biochemical soldiers activate their internal biochemical reactors collectively, they should be able to drive a small cargo ship. This level of metabolic scale will produce many human metabolic byproducts, such as sweat, urine, and will also consume many biochemical potions to maintain the operation of the reactor. No further explanation is needed, you understand. This is the reason for the ship discharging so many human metabolic products and liquid pollutants. Hiss As Noland spoke, a collective gasp was heard. Being natives of the modern Golden Federation, they subconsciously view this method of transforming people into machines as a serious criminal act. It was the inevitable result of the Alchemy Cathedrals long-standing ban on using living alchemy to illegally modify living people. But within the Tatis Empire, this practice is, if not right, at least a trend. Its hard to imagine two nations, separated by a mountain range, having such different attitudes towards this issue. Perhaps it will take a catastrophe akin to the Aberrations for the Tatis Empire to realize that excessive modification of the human body can have serious consequences. As for what the cargo on this ship is, Noland already had a clear understanding. Further than that, he had found the ships mission from the memory of an Imperial Major. In simple terms: After the Tatis Empire found that the efficiency of the Military Officer from the Military Intelligence Department Five was low, they sent a whole biochemical army over and had them transformed by Samuelson into flywing mutants. What the final product was and how the transformation process went, the Tatis Empire didnt know. They only wanted results. A group of mutants capable of flying, absolutely loyal, capable of deploying biochemical weapons, and mastering Aberration Magic, were regarded as the most perfect products in the eyes of the Tatis Empire. They hoped to solve the soldier shortage issue using the breeding abilities of the Aberration. Moreover, by adding Biotechnological Mutation technology, they planned to create highly explosive biochemical mutant soldiers. Whether Tatis Empires requirements for Samuelson were high is not the current point, but there is no doubt about their financial strength. On that cargo ship, there were a total of 2000 biochemical soldiers, 12 graduates from elite combatant class as Imperial lieutenants, one Imperial major who served as the commander of the entire ship, and several Imperial soldiers acting as crew members. The 2000 biochemical soldiers were the test subjects the Tatis Empire gave to Samuelson it was not an exaggeration to describe this action as cruel and bloody. In addition, there were 12 million Life Elixirs for the birth of mutants and half a ton of alchemical materials. The Life Elixirs were for Samuelson. The alchemical materials were meant for the Re-forged Association. What specifically the alchemical materials were, the lieutenants didnt know. Only the commander of the entire ship knew. When Noland Lee saw these deconstruction results, he felt it was absurd. Really, absurd. He couldnt figure out what the Emperor of Tatis wanted to do for a moment. Defeat the Undead Cult? According to the rules of the Wizard Advancement Association, any country can appoint a specific wizard force to operate its first-level Magic Research Institute within its territory. If Tatis didnt like the Death Herald Guild, he could propose that other wizard forces come to help research the Undead Cult. If they simply wanted to exterminate the Undead Cult, then they could let the forces of the Glory System wizards do it. God knows how anxious those Glory System wizards, who are eager to wipe out the Undead Cult, have become. Moreover, the wizards of the Glory System are famously disciplined. If you let them stay in the Suffering Borderland, they would absolutely not set foot half a step inside the Empires territory. With such an ideal partnership here, why wouldnt Tatis cooperate with them really? He couldnt figure it out. Noland Lee shook his head secretly. He vaguely felt that there was something extremely strange about this, and it was contrary to common sense, but he always felt like he was scratching the surface, unable to figure out the key to the problem. There are certainly ways though. Noland Lee looked at the cargo ship. There was an Imperial major on board. From the intelligence gained from deconstructing the lieutenant, that major will stay in the Black City for a long time, overseeing Samuelsons work. He carries the Emperors mission. Find him, throw out the Deconstruction technique, deconstruct completely, and perhaps part of the answer could be found. Note 1: The distance at sea should be calculated in nautical miles. For the convenience of everyones reading and the authors writing, the author will uniformly calculate it as kilometers. Chapter 383 - Chapter 383: 137. Boarding and Reconnaissance Chapter 383: 137. Boarding and Reconnaissance Translator: 549690339 After hearing that bio-soldiers were used as power sources for the ship, Derek looked around and asked: Does anyone know how much thrust is needed to drive that cargo ship? How many bio-soldiers are needed to produce that thrust? There cant be hundreds or thousands of bio-soldiers on that ship, can there? How is this different from declaring war on the Alchemy Cathedral? Let me calculate it, let me calculate Hudsons arms waved in the air like octopus tentacles. He pictured the layout of the cargo ship in his mind while mumbling: Sail room, coal storage, burning chamber, these places are all occupied, so we have to subtract the weight of coal from the overall weight of the ship. Assuming the ship is fully loaded, it would need at least 1,000 horsepower of continuous thrust to sail at sea. Does anyone know how much thrust a bio-soldier can provide? Everyone turned to look at Noland Lee again. Noland spread his hands: Sorry, folks. The information I received doesnt have detailed data on bio-soldiers. This is Tatis Empires Division Intelligence Unit Threes top secret. I only saw images of bio-soldiers, this is the first time I see the real thing. Lets assume the worst case scenario. For example, the ship is filled with bio-soldiers, stacking together like bricks, at least a thousand or two. The scene was silent for a few seconds. Derek clapped his hands: Noland is right, we have to be prepared for the worst. First, we use diving equipment to secretly board the ship and determine the number of goods and bio-soldiers on board. If the reconnaissance results are astonishing, then we will trigger a fog in this sea area and trap the ship at sea. Also, report to the Alchemy Cathedral, and let the sanctuary alchemist handle this cargo ship. As Derek issued instructions, the cabin became busy. Miss Esme Smith used alchemical sea fish to monitor the cargo ship. Hudson and other exploration team members cooperated to divide their work. Some people operated the ship to approach the cargo ship invisibly, while others prepared diving equipment. Boarding reconnaissance is a very dangerous task, and any carelessness can expose traces. Theoretically speaking, using Noland Lees mental magic for reconnaissance is the safest and most reliable way. But Noland didnt want to expose his trump card. He decided to personally board the ship to inspect the situation. In just a short time, Noland had walked around the cargo ship using Vision Leap. He couldnt find the Imperial Majors whereabouts. The guy locked himself in the completely enclosed captains quarters and didnt come out. At the same time, only one magic vision could be effective. When Noland activated the Mind View, he couldnt activate the Life and Death Tracking. So if the target is hiding in a closed space that is not connected to the outside world and has no transparent windows, Noland cant see them with Mind View. This was the case with the Imperial Major. To deconstruct him, Noland had to board the ship. Activate Life and Death Tracking at close range, look through the captains quarters, and then deconstruct the target. Another reason forcing Noland to board was to protect Derek and the others. Noland didnt want to see unnecessary casualties due to an infiltration operation. Whether its a failed operation or a casualty, its not the result Noland wants to see. He found Derek and discussed with him before proposing to participate in the infiltration operation personally. Derek wanted to refuse it at first. But he quickly changed his mind because of Nolands actions. Noland put an iron ring on his finger and activated the magic on the ring, showing off the Sense Tampering to Derek. After getting the The River of MindMiddle Volume, Noland learned a few new mental magic techniques. Sense Tampering was one of them. This mental magic had big value. Perception Obstruction is just simply reducing the perception range. Sense Tampering is tampering with the targets perception result. It can make a person mistake an apple for a pear, and a plunger for a soup spoon. And it can also make a living person become air in the eyes of the target. After applying Sense Tampering to Derek, Nolands presence in Dereks eyes became zero, just like air. While demonstrating this magic, Noland was standing right in front of Derek, five meters away from him. Derek should still be able to see him as long as he isnt blind. In reality, Derek couldnt notice Nolands existence even when staring directly at Nolands direction, as if Noland wasnt standing there at all. Thats the power of Sense Tampering. Of course, since the level of this spell differs too much from Dereks level, the spell only lasted for about 1 second before losing effect. Derek rubbed his eyes, focused his attention, and looked intently. He immediately noticed Noland standing in front of him. Even Derek, a fifth-order alchemist, would be affected by Sense Tampering, let alone the people of the Empire on that cargo ship. As for why he doesnt pretend to use the magic ring to cast Mind Beacon and Mind View for reconnaissance. Noland carefully considered this issue. The main reason is that Mind Beacon is a high-level mental magic, very rare, and can only be cast with the authorization of a lecturer professor. For him, a Death Clan Wizard, having a magic ring engraved with ordinary mental magic is barely acceptable. Chapter 384 - Chapter 384: 137. Boarding and Reconnaissance_2 Chapter 384: 137. Boarding and Reconnaissance_2 Translator: 549690339 However, if he pulled out a magic ring engraved with high-level mental magic, no matter the explanation, it would still raise suspicion. Secondly, without the help of Mind Beacon, Noland Lee would have to cast Mind View towards the Imperial Soldier, which might trigger their mental alertness and alert the enemy. In order to avoid these troublesome issues, Noland Lee simply hid the Mind Beacon and Mind View, and instead exhibited Sense Tampering under the guise of a magic ring. Noland Lee told Derek Davis that his magic ring, engraved with Sense Tampering, could cast Sense Tampering seven times a day. These seven Sense Tampering casts served as seven safety measures to avoid alerting the cargo ship. Besides that, he also had a magic spell to track the living, allowing him to keep an eye on the movements of people on the ship. With this, Derek agreed to Noland Lees request to join the mission. The two settled on an infiltration plan to be executed by just the two of them. The rest of the team would remain obediently on the boat. With Dereks credibility, none of his team members objected. Neither the exploration team members nor Miss Esme Smith had any objections. After some preparation, Noland Lee, dressed in an alchemy diving suit, jumped into the pitch-black seawater with Derek. On the sea surface, raindrops fell from the sky, splashing black water droplets. Under the sea, the alchemy array on the back of the alchemy diving suit propelled Noland Lee and Derek quickly towards the cargo ship with water jets. The appearance of this diving suit was similar to a frogmans outfit, with multiple practical alchemy arrays arranged on it. When moving quickly underwater, no bubbles would flow out from the mask and there would be no noise. Bubbles and noise, the two things that might reveal their whereabouts, were all dealt with by the alchemy arrays on the suit. Once they left the water surface, the alchemy array absorbed seawater from the alchemy diving suit, cleaning the water stains all over the body in an extremely short amount of time, eliminating the possibility of water footprints exposing their tracks. Apart from that, the suit was bulletproof, fireproof, shock-resistant, acid-resistant, and poisonous gas-resistant, providing comprehensive protection. Noland Lee initially thought that this kind of alchemy diving suit was a regulated item, but after learning more, he found out that it was just standard equipment for an exploration team and not considered a regulated item. The situation at sea is much more complicated than on a cargo ship, so of course, we have to protect ourselves properly, Hudson told Noland Lee while helping him put on the diving suit. From this, one could easily infer how dangerous the ocean was for mankind. Noland Lee silently prayed he and Derek would not encounter any sea monsters when approaching the cargo ship. He closely followed behind Derek, allowing the alchemical propulsion system on his back to propel him forward. Their luck was good, and they did not encounter any fish or monsters all the way until they touched the external metal plates of the ship. Derek took out two pairs of suction cup devices from the alchemy stone and handed one to Noland Lee to use. He took the lead, using the suction cup devices to climb up towards the deck step by step, moving across the smooth exterior metal plates like a black gecko. Noland Lee followed behind, and after getting used to the suction cup devices, he climbed upward with style. The two chose to board the ship at an open-air toilet. This open-air toilet was located on the upper deck, near the stern. Generally, only the crew working on the outdoor platform of the upper deck would use it. At night, especially in rainy weather, no one would be foolish enough to use the open-air toilet while being soaked in the rain. When the two arrived, it was empty. The entire open-air toilet was filled up with ships ropes, leaving no space to stand. It seemed that this toilet had been completely abandoned, becoming a place to store ropes. Noland Lee and Derek did not proceed rashly. They hid in the shadows of the open-air toilet, avoiding the searchlights that swept overhead. Noland Lee closely watched the patrolling team on the corridor above, casting Sense Tampering to make their figures invisible to the patrollers. Each patrol had an interval of about 5 minutes. Noland Lee still had five Sense Tampering available for public use. Theoretically, the two of them had about 30 minutes to investigate the ship. Derek reached into the alchemy stone and pulled out a round metal sphere. The overall appearance of this metal sphere was dim grey, making it very inconspicuous in the dark environment. Derek placed the sphere on the ground, put on the alchemy gloves, and made several gestures. Following the gestures, the metal sphere split open, extending four mechanical legs and a pair of mechanical eyes with stalks from the top, while mechanical pincers emerged from both sides of the sphere. This is my alchemical construct, an alchemy mechanical crab. To scout the way in the depths of Fissure Corridor, where its full of aberrations, we have to rely on such small and flexible contraptions as this one. Derek briefly introduced the alchemical construct, which was shaped like a crab. He gestured a series of commands to control the mechanical crab as it explored the surroundings. The mechanical crab crawled along the walls to reach the ceiling, avoiding the brightly lit areas, and silently moved through the windy and rainy exterior corridor. Seeing Dereks proficient movements, it was clear he had been using alchemical constructs for some time. Seeing this, Noland Lees worry lessened. After all, as a member of the Golden Merchants Sword that roamed the depths of the Fissure Corridor, Derek was quite skilled and should not easily be discovered by the patrolling team on the ship. Chapter 385 - Chapter 385: 137. Boarding and Reconnaissance_3 Chapter 385: 137. Boarding and Reconnaissance_3 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee slightly lowered his head, looking through the floor beneath him towards the middle deck. Activating Life and Death Tracking, his eyes turned pitch-black, allowing Lee to see the neatly arranged Biochemical Soldiers stationed in the middle deck. All facilities on the middle deck had been removed, artificially transformed into a four-level open dormitory. The open dormitory stretched from the bow of the middle deck all the way to the ships stern, each level filled with sleeping biochemical soldiers. These soldiers, altered from normal people, lay shoulder to shoulder on the open dormitory, their eyes closed and their breathing steady. Their brains, covered by glass covers, pulsed at an extremely slow frequency. The soft tubes connected to their heads steadily transmitted fluid. Each biochemical soldier had a pipe connected to their chest. White steam flowed from within the soldiers into the pipe, travelled along the pipeline into the power room on the lower deck, pushing the fan blades, providing power to the entire ship. Obviously, this was a cargo ship powered by sleeping Biochemical soldiers. Noland Lee patted Derek Daviss shoulder and said softly, Magic Vision tells me there are many, many people in the middle deck. You go and see whats happening. Derek turned his head, saw Lees jet-black eyes, assumed it was an external manifestation of magic, and was not surprised. He nodded, made a gesture, and directed the mechanical crab into the staircase leading to the middle deck. After skillfully avoiding several patrol teams, the mechanical crab successfully infiltrated the middle deck. Hiss So these are the Biochemical soldiers? The sketch you drew is quite accurate. Their brains are exposed as if split bare. Derek Davis took a deep breath, his eyes full of shock. He furrowed his brow, relying on the crabs vision brought by Perceptual Link, quickly counting the number of biochemical soldiers. Four floors of open dormitory, twenty rows on each floor There are about two thousand biochemical soldiers here?! Derek Davis lowered his voice, full of astonishment. He thought for half a second and said, Its a tricky situation, Noland. This many biochemical soldiers is far more than what we can handle. Ill go check out the lower deck first, once we ascertain the quantity of goods in the hold, we should retreat immediately. Just as Derek was about to control the mechanical crab, he was interrupted by Noland Lee. Noland raised his hand and placed it on his shoulder, raising a finger, pointing upwards, Be careful, Derek. Those patrolling sailors have gathered, theyre heading towards the middle deck. Hurry and hide your alchemical construct. Derek nodded slightly, the gloved right hand changing gestures continuously: Let me see where I can hide it In this middle deck, apart from the bed boards, its only the Biochemical soldiers. If those Empire people come to the middle deck to inspect the Biochemical soldiers, there really arent many places for my mechanical crab to hide. Thump, thump, thump The sound of boots stepping in the corridor issued from the corridor above Noland Lee and Derek Davis. All patrol teams left the cabin, moving along the outer corridor towards the staircase leading to the middle deck. Dereks right hand sped up its gesture changes, seemingly pressed for time in finding a place for the mechanical crab to hide. About 10 seconds later, the movements of his right hand halted. Derek breathed a sigh of relief and said, My alchemical construct is hidden. Where are those Empire people? Nolands gaze, passing through the wall, followed the moving patrol team: They just walked to the corner of the staircase. After observing for a moment, Noland said, The patrol team didnt go to the middle deck, Derek. It was a false alarm. Theyre heading to the lower deck. Do you want your mechanical crab to follow? The cargo hold on the lower deck should be locked. If you follow now, the patrol team could conveniently open the door for you, but theres a risk of being discovered. Ill give it a try. Lets see if theres a chance to slip in. Dereks right hand began making gestures: If there really isnt an opportunity to inspect the cargo hold, well return to the exploration ship. Noland thought for a moment and said, I need to tell you something, Derek. Using Magic Vision, I observed the captains quarters. Theres a very tall human inside. Judging from the profile of his body, he is not the captain of this ship. Im sure of it. The documents that Cindy found for me included the height and weight of the captain. The real captain is supposed to be medium-built, thin, not a brawny, tall individual. Just looking at this persons figure, hes more robust than the sailors going back and forth on patrol. This gives me a bad feeling Noland paused and then said, The crew and the captain on this ship probably arent the original lot, Derek. They are likely Imperial soldiers. Derek slowly nodded: There is indeed such a possibility, no, it should be said that the real situation is like this. Ordinary crew members and captains dont have the ability to deal with biochemical soldiers. I also found that the crew is extremely vigilant, having clearly undergone military training. Especially the squad leader of the patrol team. Their senses are very sharp. If not for the camouflage runes on my alchemical constructs, they would have discovered us long ago. What do you estimate their strengths to be? The squad leader is at least a lieutenant. I saw a black ink spray on the back of their heads. Its the mark of elite fighters. We are dealing with a real group of empires elite. Noland Lee said. Derek Davis paused for two seconds: True elites. This is much more difficult than I initially thought. Lets do this. Ill only attempt to infiltrate the lower deck once. If its not successful, well leave immediately. Both men fell silent. Derek Davis focused on controlling the mechanical crab. Noland, on the other hand, stared at the captains quarters, his eyebrows furrowed. After activating Life and Death Tracking, the first two things he did were to observe the biochemical soldiers and deconstruct the captain. That captain was the only Imperial Major on the cargo ship. After Noland sent out a deconstruction toward him, he received unexpected feedback. [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction on Unnamed Extraordinary One.] [Estimated consumption of 4000 energy Points, Deconstruction can reach 100% completion.] [Attention!] [The system detects that deconstructing this character will have negative effects on you.] [It is recommended to use harmless deconstruction to deconstruct this character.] There were three unusual things about this system message. The first unusual place was the easiest to identify, which was that the deconstruction could bring harm. The second unusual thing was: The system used Extraordinary One instead of Imperial Major to refer to that person. According to Nolands experience: When Noland knows that a person is a wizard or a Biochemical Giant, the deconstruction he sends out will give back clear information. The system will determine this person as an Unnamed Wizard or Unnamed Imperial Warrant Officer. If this persons extraordinary identity is different from what Noland envisioned, and Noland has not encountered this type of extraordinary person before, then the system will name him using the title of Extraordinary One. If Nolands guess is correct, the Imperial Major in the captains room is not the Imperial Fist, and the other partys extraordinary path is unknown. The third unusual place was the energy Points needed to deconstruct this Imperial Major. The night Noland met Betty, he found that the energy Points required to deconstruct her was higher than that of a typical first rank wizard. He found out the reason later; it was because Betty was also working as an alchemist. Every additional extraordinary identity of the deconstruction target will double the required energy Points for deconstruction. A normal Imperial Major could be deconstructed with just 2000 energy Points. The one before him needed 4000; twice as much. This indicated that he also had an extra job and juggled an extraordinary profession unknown to Noland. And it was this extraordinary profession that could cause negative effects on Noland. Noland pulled up his personal panel to have a look. [Energy] 58133/22 [Soul Strength] 1313 points Not to mention 4000 energy Points, even 40,000 Points, Noland could afford with gritted teeth. He calculated the reserve of energy Points he set aside. Considering that he had several skills to upgrade, he planned to keep more energy Points on hand. Noland muttered to himself: System, consume 4000 energy Points, harmlessly deconstruct that Imperial Major. A moment of vagueness passed through his mind, and large chunks of system messages refreshed. Chapter 386 - Chapter 386: 138. Cosmic noise Chapter 386: 138. Cosmic noise Translator: 549690339 [Deconstruction Success!] [Your harmless deconstruction completion level for Corrupted Lieutenant Yasde has risen from 0% to 10%] [The system has removed all deconstruction results that could bring negative effects.] [Based on your extraordinary knowledge,] [The harmless deconstruction results are as follows:] [1. Some recent memory fragments of the target.] [2. Panel information of Corrupted Lieutenant Yasde] [Name] Yasde [Race] Unknown [Identity 1] Tatis Empire Lieutenant [Identity 2] Corrupted Fist of the Empire [Strength] Second Order Empires Fist, and Second Order Corrupted Fist [Features] Corrupted Soul A familiar corruptive energy has twisted the soul of this imperial lieutenant. It is not difficult to trace this corruptive power back to the black tentacles of the Twilight Dream as long as you carefully discern it. One body, two sides The outer shell of the corrupted soul is a legitimate imperial lieutenant. No one can detect his madness, distortion, and evil unless he actively shows his corrupted side. (Limited deconstruction completion, unable to obtain more features) [Skills] -Active Skills: Transformation: Empires Fist Level 20, extraordinary ability of mutation type Usable twice every 24 hours, lasts for 1 hour each time. Upon activating this skill, the Biochemical Giant form, equipped with biochemical cannon and biochemical flamethrower, will be entered. Evil Domination Level 20, corruptive extraordinary ability. Usable once every seven days, lasts for half an hour each time. Once this skill is activated, you can use the evil will of the corrupted soul to forcefully dominate 200 targets. This skill only works on targets with a lower Spirit attribute value than you. (Other deconstruction content omitted) Upon seeing the word Corrupted Soul on the panel, Noland checked the memory fragments of the imperial lieutenant. Perhaps because the system had removed deconstruction results that could bring negative effects, there was nothing unusual in the recent memories of this lieutenant named Yasde; he was just like a normal imperial lieutenant, inspecting cargo ships, checking biochemical soldiers, and directing imperial soldiers. The overall harvest of the 4000 points of energy spent was somewhat limited, knowing only the existence of Corrupted Fist, Corrupted Soul, and Evil Domination. As for losses it actually wasnt that bad. Years ago, the Star Filtering Net in the sky allowed the Dusk Giants to pass through it, drop through the filtering net, and fall onto Tatis land. This time, the deconstruction results proved that the black tentacle had fallen with the Dusk Giants. Noland checked the deconstruction results related to the Undead Cult and quickly read through them. In these deconstruction results obtained from the Undead Cults undead troops, magic protective cover, and death magic devices, the word corrupted did not appear. Instead, it appeared on an imperial lieutenant. Noland had a speculation in his mind. After the black tentacle fell to the ground, it was picked up by Tatiss emperor. There was also another possibility: When Tatiss emperor took away the dreamscape of the Dusk Giants, he didnt know about the existence of the black tentacles. After all, it was the mysterious object that could suspend a Dusk Titan in midair, so it was normal for the black tentacles to hide from the emperors sight. If following this logic to speculate then Would the emperor be contaminated by the black tentacles? Noland blinked his eyes, the more he thought about it, the more possible it seemed. But as for whether the emperor was actually contaminated, that was unclear, not unless he met the emperor and cast deconstruction right in front of him. As Noland was thinking about the black tentacle matter, he suddenly noticed that Yasde had left the captains quarters. The man moved leisurely through the corridor and staircase, heading towards the lower deck. Noland immediately informed Derek about the situation. Derek was fully focused on controlling the mechanical crab to avoid the imperial soldiers on the lower deck. Upon hearing that the captain was coming, he quickly controlled the mechanical crab to hide in a metal trash can on the lower deck. Derek wiped the sweat off his forehead and rested for two seconds: Phew~ Checking this ghost place is more tiring than exploring the Fissure Corridor. Ray, lets prepare to go back. Those imperial soldiers who went to the lower deck dont seem to be heading to check the cargo hold. Theyre standing in the corridor, and I have no idea what theyre up to? Nolands gaze followed Yasde as he watched him enter the lower deck and stand before a group of imperial soldiers. According to Yasdes mouth outline, he seemed to be talking. Derek also noticed the situation on the lower deck: Huh? Wait a minute. Whats that lieutenant talking about with the soldiers? Let me listen. Derek made a few hand gestures with his right hand and muttered: Hmm, I see. This guy is wearing the clothes of an imperial lieutenant, and his status is not ordinary This is a bit troublesome, theyre speaking Tatis language, I cant understand it. But judging from the actions of the soldiers, it looks like theyre going to check the innermost cargo hold. Let me go and see. Be careful, Derek. Noland gave a reminder. Dont worry. There is more clutter on the lower deck than on the middle deck, so avoiding their line of sight should be no problem. Ive heard that imperial lieutenants have great hearing, so lets wait for them to move away before I do anything. Derek kept his right hand in a stationary position for nearly a minute before starting to manipulate the mechanical crab with hand gestures. He described the scene to Noland: The soldiers have gone inside the cargo hold. Luckily they didnt close the door, or I would have been locked out again By the way, Ray, can you check if there is anyone left on the middle and upper decks? Chapter 387 - Chapter 387: 138. Universe Noise_2 Chapter 387: 138. Universe Noise_2 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee scanned the area and shook his head: No one. Derek Davis said: Those soldiers went into the cargo hold, and the lieutenant is commanding them to clean up the clutter in there. It doesnt seem like theyll return to the upper deck anytime soon. Why dont you head to the captains quarters and look for any important documents? If things go south, you can jump ship and circle around to meet up with me from the stern. Thats precisely what I plan to do. Noland nodded. Derek took out a multifunctional mechanical lock opening tool from the Alchemy Stone and put it in Nolands hand: Here, we call this the Octopus Centipede. Just fiddle with it a bit, and youll know how to use it. Noland used Deconstruction on the centipede-shaped metal tool in his hand and learned how to use it. Im off, Derek. Be careful. Noland walked slowly, planning to leave. Before he took three steps, Derek muttered in confusion behind him: What the hell are these guys doing? Self-harm? Its just cleaning the cargo hold; theres no need to stab themselves with daggers, right? Noland stopped, looked back at the puzzled Derek, and then looked down at the lower deck. Through his Magic Vision, he could see that the group of Imperial Soldiers seemed to be smearing something on the ground. Noland used Deconstruction to consume some Energy Points and obtain the information about the soldiers status bars. The target is currently being affected by Yasdes Evil Domination. This sentence appeared in Nolands mind. Connecting this information with the self-harm behavior Derek mentioned, Nolands pupils shrank as he realized what the group of soldiers was doing. Derek, get your Mechanical Crab out of here now. Noland came up to him and spoke in a serious tone: Hurry, hurry. Without questioning Noland, Derek flicked his right hand, tracing an arc in the air to control the Mechanical Crab to make a 180-degree turn. He continuously gestured with his right hand, asking at the same time: Whats wrong, Ray Lee? Do you know what those soldiers are doing? I have some guesses, but Im not sure. Judging from their actions, they seem to be creating a certain kind of ritual array. Noland stared at the lower deck as he spoke. Derek was stunned: A ritual array? Arent they Imperial Soldiers? How come they know this stuff? Is it the Death Herald Guilds magic ritual? No, its not. Noland denied decisively. Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, pitter-patter Light and rapid footsteps came from around the corner of the corridor. The Mechanical Crab sped along the wall and quickly landed on its masters palm. Noland handed the alchemy lock-opening tool back to Derek and waved: Lets go. We shouldnt stay here any longer. I have a bad feeling As Nolands voice trailed off, a peculiar noise sounded in his ear. Shush, zzz, shush It sounded somewhat like old television sets producing static noise. Before crossing worlds, Noland had heard that this noise was actually cosmic background radiation, transformed by old television sets. In this world, the noise had another meaning. Dereks face changed, as he also heard the noise. His reaction was stronger than Nolands. He seized Nolands arm and jumped down without hesitation, cursing: Damn, these bastards are trying to communicate with the filth in Alien Descent!. Noland leaped with him, and just before they jumped into the waters, he asked: You know about this sound too? Of course, how could that be fake? Im an Alchemist, but I also know some secrets about you wizards. If it werent for the wizard-made stars forming a Star Filtering Net to block out the Alien Descent, our world would have been screwed long ago. Jump! These motherf**kers are insane! Derek cursed and jumped down. Noland followed suit, plunging into the freezing sea water with a splash. The alchemy array on his Alchemy Diving Suit activated, providing warmth to his body while propelling him towards the exploration ship with water currents. Noland was aware of the Alien Descent that Derek mentioned; it was part of the basic wizard knowledge that Denise Green had told him. It was said that the wizard forces created the Star Filtering Net, dividing the starry sky overhead into two sections. The part within the Star Filtering Net could be seen by looking up at the sky from the ground, known as the Inner Cosmos. The Inner Cosmos could be considered man-made. People would see celestial bodies on the inside of the Star Filtering Net. As for the Alien Descent, it was the part of the starry sky outside of the Star Filtering Net. That part of the sky was blocked by man-made celestial bodies like the Twin Suns, the haloed Moon, and various other stars and could not be seen by people. When could people see the Alien Descent? There were two cases: First, if someone personally crossed the Star Filtering Net and reached the Alien Descent, they could naturally see it. The other situation was when people on the ground conducted rituals to call upon the Alien Descent to descend on a specific area. The group of Imperial Soldiers on the cargo ship was currently engaged in that activity. The shush, zzz, shush sound resembling an old TV static was a sign that someone was trying to communicate with the Alien Descent. Anyone who could hear the noise was within the range of the rituals influence. Once the ritual was successful, those within its range would be able to see the Alien Descent just by looking up. It was also this noise that symbolized the imminent arrival of the Alien Descent, preventing the development of long-distance instant communication methods in this world. All the wizards, alchemists, and other Extraordinary beings who died of exploding skulls while researching long-distance instant communication methods were killed by the Sonic Sorcerer. Chapter 388 - Chapter 388: 138. Cosmic Noise_3 Chapter 388: 138. Cosmic Noise_3 Translator: 549690339 Just hearing the sound was enough for one to enjoy the pleasure of a bursting head, not to mention what would happen if they actually saw outer space. They would undoubtedly go mad with joy. Thats why Derek made a quick escape. After swimming underwater for about 3 minutes, the shushing sound in their ears was gone. Another 3 minutes passed, and the two successfully landed ashore and boarded the exploration ship. Upon boarding, Derek spoke with an unquestionable tone: Mate, lets go! Theyre crazy people communicating with outer space! Hurry up! A few people looked confused, not understanding what Derek was saying. These were the alchemists with only third or fourth rank strength. A small number of people shuddered, fear flashing in their eyes. Among them were Hudson, who had the strength of the fifth order, and Miss Esme Smith, who had the strength of the sixth order. Although Hudson liked to chat, he was decisive when it mattered. He pushed away the dumbfounded crew, walked to the control panel, began to steer the ship away, and didnt forget to explain the situation to the crew for good measure. Miss Esme Smith grabbed a handful of light balls from the Alchemy Stone. The light balls condensed, and in her hands, they transformed into an alchemical bird. The alchemical bird was similar to a sparrow but five times larger, about the size of an adults head. Miss Esme Smith had a few words with the alchemical bird, then threw it out of the window. The alchemical bird flapped its wings swoosh swoosh, a white airflow erupted from its tail, and it shot off like a meteor towards the northwest. The alchemical bird was fast. It was also subjected to the Lost Sea Fog but Miss Esme Smith didnt have to worry about it. They had been using alchemical birds like this to relay urgent messages for many years. Ive sent an urgent letter to the Alchemy Cathedral in Union City. The alchemical bird will take the shortest route to shore before flying quickly to Union City. In at most two hours, the Golden Commerce Guild will receive the message. Miss Esme Smith asked Derek, Should we trap that ship in the Lost Sea Fog? When we reach the edge of this sea area, using a little trick will trigger the Lost Sea Fog here. Will it affect our own ship? Derek asked. No, it wont. This is our standard method of shaking off enemies at sea, and its never failed us before, said Esme. Alright, Ill leave it to you, maam, Derek nodded. Miss Esme Smith took an alchemical toy ship, more than a meter long, from her Alchemy Stone. She placed the alchemical toy ship on an empty table and began adjusting the parameters. The rest of the crew were leaning against the rear glass, gazing into the distance at the cargo ship behind them. Derek went over, pulled down the sunshade and waved the crowd away, Dont be curious, you hear me? Mind your own eyes, one more glance and itll explode. Alien pollution is no joke. Under Dereks repeated warnings, the crew, though somewhat curious, obediently took their seats. Noland leaned against the wall, silently chanting in his heart, Denise. Mmm, Im here. Ive found a sea lighthouse. Its abandoned, so there shouldnt be anyone coming here, Denise sounded excited, as if she had been waiting for Nolands call for a long time, Hows your situation? Do you need my help? Ive preserved 1000 points of Rebirth Magic Power, just as you said, and I havent used it recklessly. Noland briefly explained the situation to her. When hearing about the imperial soldiers on the cargo ship preparing for the ritual to communicate with outer space, Denises voice clearly became more nervous. Noland, I have a suggestion. Make some Mental Shield and Soul Shield magic scrolls and give them to the members of Golden Merchants Sword and the exploration team. The Golden Federations Alchemy Weaponry is based on elemental energy and is weak against mental attacks. Just think, even you were able to control Derek for a second with the Sense Tampering, wouldnt outer space pollution be able to do the same? That makes sense, and your suggestion is timely, Denise, Hee~ Denise giggled lightly. Being able to help Noland delighted her. Noland greeted Derek and went into the resting room. He took out his magic toolbox and started urgently drawing magic scrolls. He could make a magic scroll out of any spell he had mastered. Considering the magic scrolls couldnt be cracked or traced, Noland thought they would become his best-selling products in the future. So, he practiced this magical art over the past few days. His Magic Scroll Making skill had reached Level 7, and he was now able to make Level 7 magic scrolls. A Level 7 magic scroll could release Level 7 magical power, equivalent to a First Rank Wizards casting, which Noland jokingly called perfect mid-stage. Of course, the term perfect mid-stage was just Nolands taunting, not a conventional setting in the Ulnas Circle. After creating six magic scrolls in one go, Noland set down his magic pen. With all the stock he had saved from practicing magic scroll production, he now had a total of 54 Soul Shield and Mental Shield magic scrolls, enough for everyone on the ship. Noland packed up his magic toolbox, picked up a large pile of magic scrolls, and headed to the pilots cabin. Shush, shush, shush The sound of television snowflake flurries faintly echoed in his ears. Noland frowned, looked back, and the noise in his ears suddenly intensified. He turned his head again, looking forward, not towards the direction of the cargo ship, and the noise in his ears immediately subsided. Huh? When facing the cargo ship, the noise is louder, but when with my back to it, the noise is smaller. Why is this? Noland hesitated for a moment, not quite understanding the reason. He quickened his pace to the pilots cabin to distribute the magic scrolls. Chapter 389 - Chapter 389: 139. Lighting up the thatched toilet Chapter 389: 139. Lighting up the thatched toilet Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee handed out the magic scrolls, two per person, one for Mental Shield and one for Soul Shield. Seeing this, Derek Davis patted his chest and promised that he would include the cost of the magic scrolls when distributing the spoils of war. With the magic scrolls that could protect their minds and souls, the pressure in everyones hearts eased slightly. However, as the shasha noise in their ears worsened, a sense of oppression gathered in the cabin. How long until were out of this sea area? Derek asked Hudson who was steering the ship. About 20 minutes. Hudson complained: Damn it, is the range of that communication ritual with outer space so big? Were at least 10 kilometers away from the cargo ship now, but we can still hear this damned alien space noise. The other team members also started to complain. Some tried covering their ears with their hands, but it was useless. That shasha noise didnt seem to be transmitted through air vibrations. Blocking ones ears, or encasing oneself in a fully sealed, soundproof cabin, still allowed them to hear the noise from outer space. This eerie phenomenon frightened the alchemists who had heard the alien space noise for the first time. Fortunately, the magic scrolls Noland Lee gave them were useful. A few of the younger Golden Merchants Swords, driven by curiosity, used the recently acquired magic scrolls, immediately banishing the alien space noise from their minds. However, the duration of the shield was very limited. During the shields duration, they experienced a long-missed sense of peace and tranquility. A minute later, when the shields duration expired, the quiet minds were suddenly assaulted by the alien space noise. The stark contrast from before made the Golden Merchants Swords scalp tingle and their eyebrows twitch, making them feel even more disgusted with the incessant alien space noise. They had to pay the price for their curious actions, reaching into their own pockets to buy a few more scrolls from Noland Lee as backups. Noland Lee returned to the resting room and prepared several magic scrolls for the Golden Merchants Swords. Just as he pocketed their Union Coins, the shasha sound in his ears fluctuated like waves on the sea. The noise became high and low, near and far, as if someone was swinging a sound system near his ears. Its so annoying I feel like vomitingmy head is so dizzy My stomach is crampingit feels like a worm is going to crawl out I feel like there are little bugs crawling in my head yue The fluctuating alien space noise combined with the swaying of the ship, caused the sea-experienced investigation team members to feel seasick. The Golden Merchants Swords were even worse off. The cabin was a mess. Some people held onto their chairs, trying to keep calm, some vomited out the window, and others fell to the ground, rolling back and forth like wooden barrels. Derek encouraged them to activate their alchemy weaponry. A dozen of alchemy-shaped weapons appeared in the cabin. The Golden Merchants Swords transformed into armored bears, and the exploration team members wore sleek, dark blue underwater armor. With the help of the alchemy weapons, everyone felt better, but they were still affected by the alien space noise. They sat in their chairs, gripping the armrests tightly like people suffering from diarrhea who were desperately holding it in, not making a sound. Some of them used the magic scrolls in a hurry, looking better for a moment before their faces turned pale again. Derek, Hudson, Miss Esme Smith, and Noland Lee were the only ones able to remain standing on the scene. The first three relied on their own strength to resist the noise pollution, while Noland relied on the power of magic. Noland conducted a test. He cast Mental Shield and Soul Shield on himself in turn, comparing the effects of the two. The effect of Mental Shield was quite limited, reducing the noise level by about 50%. Soul Shield was extremely effective against the alien space noise and could completely block the noise out. Noland applied the Soul Shield, and his mind immediately calmed down. Looking at the messages sent by the System, the so-called alien space noise did indeed affect the mind and soul. As for why the effect of Soul Shield was so much stronger than Mental Shield, Noland couldnt figure it out. After confirming the excellent effect of Soul Shield, Noland tried to remove the shield, allowing himself to experience the power of alien space noise firsthand, to see if it could trigger Passive Deconstruction. Shasha, shasha, Beep, ba-bump, beep, ba-bump, Zzz-zzz-zzz, Shasha, shasha. Noland struggled to suppress the urge to vomit, feeling a tremor in his heart. Amid the noise, he recognized a very familiar sound. Beep, ba-bump, beep, ba-bump, Zzz-zzz-zzz. Wasnt that the sound of a modem connecting during dialing?! Why would this be in the alien space noise? Noland didnt understand the situation for a moment. In fact, just after distinguishing the modem sound, more types of noise poured into his mind. Beep ba-beep ba, Kaka, kaka, Beep-beep, Zzz-dongdong, zzz-dongdong Some of these sounds were familiar to Noland, but he couldnt remember where he had heard them before; some were very strange and he couldnt recall ever hearing them. All sorts of sounds were running wild in his mind, making him feel dizzy, and seeing halos echo continuously in front of his eyes. Before the stomach cramps reached their peak, Noland cast Soul Shield to shut out the alien space noise. Chapter 390 - Chapter 390: 139. Thatched Toilet with Lamp_2 Chapter 390: 139. Thatched Toilet with Lamp_2 Translator: 549690339 The tranquility returned to Noland Lees mind, he exhaled slowly and started to check the system messages. His unbearable discomfort and relentless resistance to the alien space noise wasnt in vainthe passive deconstruction was successfully triggered! [System Message:] [You suffered a spiritual attack from Alien Space Noise!] [Since the spiritual attack did not cause substantial negative effects on you, passive deconstruction was triggered as usual.] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [1. Text information from spiritual attack: aGVsbG8gd29ybGQ] [2. You learned one characteristic of Alien Space Noise:] [Signal Resonance] [Individuals who hear the alien space noise will become secondary signal sources connected in parallel with the noise signal source. The interference between secondary sources can lead to signal coupling, a phenomenon of synchronous resonance that continuously enhances the signal strength of secondary sources. Partitioning secondary signal sources can prevent the phenomenon of signal resonance and effectively reduce the signal strength of secondary sources.] Noland Lee glanced at the deconstruction results in his mind, contemplated carefully, and formulated a countermeasure. He went up to each team member and manually changed their facial orientation and seating arrangement, ensuring that nobody else was in their field of vision. After he finished, something wonderful happened. The team members who had previously been experiencing aching heads were suddenly relaxed. The dizziness in their minds and their discomfort had reduced to about one-fifth of their initial state. Everyone felt surprised as the situation improved and started to turn their heads to exchange glances. As they did so, their symptoms returned with a vengeance. Dont move! Noland Lee warned loudly: Maintain the position and direction I gave you! Dont move around! As long as there are no other people in your field of vision, the alien space noise in your mind will not be so intense. Everyone do as Noland Lee said! Derek Davis roared, nodding at Noland Lee with a confirming expression in his eyes. The cabin fell silent, with only the sound of sea breeze, night rain, and waves echoing. After about 3 minutes, the burden on everyone disappeared all at once, as if they had all been freed from invisible shackles. Weve left that sea area, Hudson announced, wiping the sweat from his brow as he stood in front of the operation console, It seems that the ritual on the cargo ship can only affect the sea area its located in. Miss Esme Smith, please release the alchemical toy ship. We need to seal off that area as soon as possible. Itll be ready soon, give me a half a minute. Miss Esme Smith fiddled with the alchemical toy ship with a multi-function mechanical wrench, picked it up, walked outside the cabin, and tossed it onto the sea surface. The alchemical array inside the toy ship was activated, and two jets of water spouted from the rear of the ship. The entire ship accelerated to a speed of 50 kilometers per hour in an instant, shooting into the sea area where the cargo ship resided like a sharp arrow skimming the sea surface. The sight in front of them was awe-inspiring. A wall of grey mist rose from the black surface of the sea to reach the sky ten thousand meters high. Looking back toward the sea area where the cargo ship was located, nothing but a dense grey mist was visible, no signs of sea water, night sky, night rain, or ships. In this world, the boundary of the sea area is not determined by water depth, sea bottom trend, or ocean currents, but by the Lost Sea Fog. The edge of the Lost Sea Fog marks the boundary of a sea area. How did Hudson know that the exploration ship left the previous sea area? That was the work of the Alchemy Nautical Instrument. This essential alchemy item installed on the control console has a visualization interface covered in grid lines. The trajectory of the ship will be recorded by the Alchemy Nautical Instrument and presented on the visualization interface that was created with alchemy at a reduced ratio of 10,000:1. The interface presents a clear picture of the vessels position, helping the helmsman determine the specific location of the ship. On the visualization interface, as the ships marker crosses the thick line denoting the sea area boundary, it signifies that the ship has left the previous sea area and entered a new one. Now, the area marked as Eastern Offshore Zone 117 on the visualization interface was entirely covered by the Lost Sea Fog. Ships outside the Lost Sea Fog can drive into the fog and forcibly enter that sea area, but they will soon reduce their speed due to the influence of the sea fog until they come to a complete halt. The Investigation Team Members have encountered the Lost Sea Fog several times at sea and arent surprised by it anymore. The Golden Merchants Swords found it curious, they couldnt help but watch the swirling grey sea fog in fascination. After getting Miss Esme Smiths approval, Hudson sailed the ship to the edge of the fog and stopped. Everyone took off their Alchemy Weaponry in this place, saving their valuable transformation duration for potential battles that could happen later. Looking at the grey mist less than half a meter away from the external metal plates, Hudson made a bold move. He grabbed the railing, leaned out of the ship, and stuck his head into the grey mist. Most of his body was still on the ship, but his head was immersed in the Lost Sea Fog. After maintaining this position for about a minute, Hudson pulled his head out of the mist, his face was pale but he had a big smile on his face. In excitement, he exclaimed: Major discovery, mates! We have to write a new investigation report! After I put my head into the fog, I heard the noise from outer space. But once I took it out, the noise was gone! Do you know what this means, mates! It means that the Lost Sea Fog can block the noise from outer space, its not just a simple barrier stopping the ships from advancing! Chapter 391 - Chapter 391: 139. Thatched Toilet with Lamp_3 Chapter 391: 139. Thatched Toilet with Lamp_3 Translator: 549690339 Hudsons excitement successfully stirred up the emotions of the exploration team members. They clamored to experience the huge difference brought by the barrier between them and the noise, one wall apart. The novel experience of hearing the noise just by sticking their heads out, and getting rid of the noise just by retracting their heads, was incredibly thrilling, as if they were repeatedly probing the edge of death It could be described as playing with fire in a powder keg, to describe their adventurous behavior. Miss Esme Smith did not stop the actions of the team members. She took out her notebook and began to seriously record the experimental data, directing the exploration team members to carry out the experiments. When it came to experimentation at sea, she was as passionate as her team of explorers. Derek Davis coughed lightly, interrupting Miss Esme Smiths operation, asking if they should move the ship away from the Eastern Region No.117, where the cargo ship was. After thinking for a few seconds, Esme Smith gave a negative response. Theres no need to worry about the Imperial soldiers aboard the cargo ship catching up, Derek. Those who forcibly move in the Lost Sea Fog, whether people or ships, will be permanently lost and never be able to leave the fog. Besides, we have to wait here for the assistance sent by the Alchemy Cathedral. Derek thought about it and simply had his team members help the research team with their experiments at sea. Noland Lee, avoiding the lively outer corridor, came to the quieter corridor near the stern of the ship. He squinted at the grey mist in front of him, carefully observing every detail of the fog. Ripples, fragmentation, floating The strange fog constantly changed its posture in the air but never drifted in the direction of the exploration ship. An invisible force bound the fog in Eastern Region No.117, but Noland Lee never felt any energy fluctuation. What kind of extraordinary feature created this fog? Noland Lee murmured to himself, and threw the deconstruction technique at the fog. [System Message:] [You are about to use the deconstruction technique on Lost Sea Fog.] [Estimated consumption: 10 billion energy points, allowing the degree of deconstruction to reach 100%] 10 billion Noland Lees mouth twitched, dispelling the idea of deconstructing the fog. Fortunately, deconstructing the lost sea fog would not cause any negative effects, or else he would have to spend 100 billion for harmless deconstruction of it. Noland Lee rubbed his chin, pondering for a moment. He cast the Soul Shield on himself, imitating the movements of the investigation team members, sticking his head into the fog. As his face touched the grey fog, he felt a refreshingly chilly sensation, like fine rain splashing on his face. Noland Lee took a deep breath, feeling no difficulty in breathing; there was air in the mist. He listened closely again, and even though his vision was blocked, and he couldnt see peoples shadows, he could hear the voices of the exploration team members nearby. It seemed that sound could also propagate in the fog without the sound source being displaced. Noland Lee reached out his right arm into the fog and threw a heavy punch. As the punch moved, the fog surged violently, but Noland Lees mind did not receive the effect of triggering passive deconstruction. The punch missed. Noland Lee took a lighter out of his backpack, and clicked it on in the fog. Noland Lee stared wide-eyed, hoping to see the flames melting the fog. But he was destined to be disappointed. Several strands of gray mist passed through the flames unharmed. Obviously, the flame from the lighter only consumed the air in the fog, without harming the gray mist at all. Noland Lee shielded the alien space noise with his Soul Shield while trying to use various ways to passively deconstruct the fog. As for passively deconstructing the noise of outer space, Noland Lee dismissed the idea after considering it briefly. The reason: It was just too unpleasant to the ears. He was curious about why a dial-up modem sound would appear in the noise of outer space. But he wouldnt risk being harmed by the noise just out of curiosity. If there was really no way to passively deconstruct the fog, it wasnt too late to risk passively deconstructing the noise of outer space. Noland Lee tried several methods in succession, but none could harm the fog. Just as he was about to go and ask Miss Esme for advice, a crisp crack sounded in his ears. It was the sound of the Soul Shield being shattered. Noland Lee was all too familiar with it. The Soul Shield was now at level 20 and could withstand 20 soul-level attacks within one minute, also having the Automatic Cycling feature. Shield magic automatically cycled had a maximum number of times per second. Noland Lees Spirit was 22 points, so the shield magic could be automatically cycled 22 times in one second. Simply put, only when receiving 441 soul-level attacks within 1 second would his Soul Shield be penetrated, and his soul injured. Now, the starry sky noise he was enduring was clearly not reaching 441 soul attacks per second. At the same time as the shield was shattered, a new shield was automatically cast, protecting Noland Lees soul. Crack. The new shield shattered as well, lasting less than two seconds. This meant that, in just two seconds, Noland Lees soul had been attacked 20 times. Noland Lees face changed slightly, and he pulled his head back from the fog. Since the shield blocked the noise of outer space, he didnt know how intense the noise had been just now. Noland Lee turned his head to look at the bow, focusing on the crew members of the exploration team sticking their heads into the fog. Those people maintained a forward-leaning posture, without any signs of convulsions or shaking, as if they hadnt encountered any soul-level attacks. Suddenly, Noland Lee felt that something was wrong. He had relied on the Soul Shield to block the noise of outer space; how did the other crew members manage to do the same? Werent they tormented by the noise earlier? Why did they seem fine now? Could it be that the attack he had just suffered was only directed at him? Chapter 392 - Chapter 392: 140. Chicken Theft Plan Chapter 392: 140. Chicken Theft Plan Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee checked the system message and dismissed his own conjecture. The system message clearly stated that he had been attacked by alien space noise, not an enemy character or something else. Alien space noise wouldnt spare exploration team members. But why didnt these people react? Noland Lee became cautious and swept his gaze across the deck, heading towards Derek Daviss position. Halfway there, the exploration team members who had stuck their heads into the grey mist took their heads out and chatted with the people around them, sharing their experiences. Noland Lee targeted one of them and cast Deconstruction, his heart sinking slightly. The energy consumption for deconstructing that team member had changed. It had increased from the original 20,000 points to 40,000 points. At the same time, the system advised Noland Lee to use Harmless Deconstruction, or else he would suffer negative effects. Had the souls of the exploration team members become corrupted? Noland Lee pondered inwardly while maintaining a calm and composed demeanor. At this moment, Derek Davis was sitting in the cabin with a roll of cigarettes in his mouth, a notebook and pen in his hand, and was writing down action records. Seeing Noland Lee coming towards him, he took out a cigarette and threw it over. Just as Derek was about to greet Noland Lee to sit down, he noticed Noland Lee making a caution gesture under cover of his body. Derek Davis was stunned for 0.1seconds, then resumed his lazy demeanor and leaned back in his chair. He slapped his head, feigned remembering something, put away his notebook and pen, stood up and said, Ah, right. Lets discuss the distribution of our spoils. Derek Davis entered the corridor and went into the resting room. Before Noland Lee followed him into the room, he glanced around, released Deconstruction to cover everyone on the ship, and then closed the door behind him. The two men held a spoken conversation while exchanging written messages in the notebook. Noland Lee revealed the possibility that the exploration team members had been polluted by the alien space noise, justifying that he had observed their vital signs with Magic Vision, which were clearly different from before. Of course, the actual situation was that he had used Deconstruction to identify the polluted crew members, not magic, but he still needed a plausible pretext. Noland Lee wrote down a list of names in the notebook, recording all the polluted personnel. Fortunately, none of the Golden Merchants Swords stuck their heads into the mist. They had not been contaminated by the noise. Noland Lee confirmed this repeatedly. Derek Davis pondered the list, went out of the room, and gathered his team under the pretext of discussing the action plan after the arrival of their help. Miss Esme Smith was also invited. She handed her work to Hudson, and followed Derek Davis into the resting room. Noland Lee sat in the resting room, activated Life and Death Tracking, and viewed the corridor through the wall. He used Deconstruction on the exploration team members who had observed the mist, secretly sighing to himself. In just a little while, the entire exploration team, except for Miss Esme Smith, had been annihilated. Yes, annihilated. Captain Hudson of the exploration team and his team members all exhibited doubled deconstruction consumption without exception. They were recording experimental data while laughing, their smiles genuine and full of goodwill, with no trace of contamination. Noland Lee knew that this was the effect of the One body, two sides feature. No one could detect the madness, distortion, and evil in the hearts of those with corrupted souls before they actively revealed their corrupted side. What a bizarre and unpredictable corrupting ability, could this be the mental pollution of the Indescribable Entity Noland Lee thought to himself. Derek Davis wrote a few lines in the notebook and passed the information on to Miss Esme Smith. Upon learning that her entire exploration team had been polluted by the alien space noise, Miss Esme Smiths expression changed rapidly. First disbelief and doubt, followed by frowning and contemplation, then a half-believing-half-doubting expression, with worry and regret concentrated between her brows. The discussion in the resting room paused briefly, then resumed as normal. Derek Davis used the sound of the discussion to give orders to each person with his notebook. After making a few preparations, the Golden Merchants Swords and Miss Esme Smith in the resting room composed themselves, steadied their minds, and walked out of the resting room with their usual expressions. The Golden Merchants Swords spread out, seemingly standing casually in the corridor and cabin, but in reality, they had formed an encirclement around the exploration team members. Miss Esme Smith went alone to the deck, took the notebook from Hudson, and said calmly, Hudson, activate your Alchemy Weaponry and test whether the performance of the Alchemy Weaponry would be affected at the edge of the fog. Err, Miss, havent we tested that near other Lost Sea Fogs before? Hudson found a perfectly normal reason to reject Miss Esme Smiths suggestion. This is a routine test item, Hudson. In addition to testing Alchemy Weaponry, we also have some Alchemy Arrays to test Miss Esme Smith conversed with Hudson unhurriedly. Hudsons dark face wore a stiff smile, and his eyes were full of thoughtful light. Noland Lee, in the cabin, saw this through the porthole. He pondered to himself, Derek was right. Activating Alchemy Stones and Alchemy Weaponry would expose the polluted people. This should be thanks to the Alchemy Stones. The main material for Alchemy Stones is the spirit and soul of Alchemists. To see if the soul is corrupted, all you have to do is take a look at the Alchemy Stone. Seeing Hudsons reaction, his corrupted side knew that he couldnt take out his Alchemy Stone since it would directly expose the fact that he was corrupted. Thats why he keeps rebutting Miss Esme Smiths suggestion to test the Alchemy Weaponry. Chapter 393 - Chapter 393: 140. Chicken Theft Plan_2 Chapter 393: 140. Chicken Theft Plan_2 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee watched the bickering Esme Smith and Hudson, calling out to Denise Green in his mind. Unexpectedly, Denise didnt respond. Noland checked his Personal Panel and the Magic Contract column. The Companion Witches contract was still active. Denise hadnt perished. Denise? Noland called out again. After waiting several seconds, Denises slightly panicked voice sounded in Nolands mind. Noland! The sea area near Gold Island has been invaded by alien space! Did something happen on your end? Noland raised an eyebrow and asked: Were you just talking to your Lecturer Professor? Yes, did you call for me? I couldnt hear you in the Dreamscape. Im sorry, Denise responded apologetically. Noland said: Its fine. I was about to tell you about the alien space situation. The exploration ship is currently docked in Eastern Region No.116, next to the Lost Sea Fog in Region No.117. The team members might be contaminated by extraterrestrial space pollution. Miss Esme Smith is probing them to verify the situation. Youre not affected, right? Noland. Of course not. Our soul contract hasnt been terminated, which means I havent been polluted. Dont worry, Im doing well, Noland said with a nod. Oh, right. Since the soul contract is intact, your soul hasnt been corrupted. Denise sighed with relief, her mind slightly more at ease: As long as youre fine, take care of yourself. My lecturer professor just dragged me into the Dreamscape, and she told me that the Mass Wizard Tombs Ulnas Circle has detected a 30-kilometer wide Outer Space Gap above Alchemist Island. The Mass Wizard Tombs have issued commands to the Death Herald Guild and Elemental Judgement in Union City to investigate the cause of the Outer Space Gap as soon as possible. Should I tell my professor about the cargo ship? Noland thought for a moment and said: Tell her, Denise. Matters have degrees of urgency. Perhaps what were doing tonight must be kept secret, but if theres a major incident like alien space invasions, the truth must be told. Otherwise, if we dont talk about it now and someone finds out that we were near the Outer Space Gap, we wont have any explanations. Dont you agree? Mm, youre right, Denise quickly agreed. When you tell your professor, just talk about the cargo ship situation and dont mention anything else. The more you say, the more mistakes you might make. Understand? Mm, mm, mm! In that case, Ill tell my professor. Go ahead. Noland disconnected the Soul Perception with Denise and squinted at the increasingly agitated Hudson. Miss Esme Smith! Ive said it many times before, weve already tested alchemy weaponry in the Lost Sea Fog last time. I dont see the need to test again! Hudsons dark face was flushed with a strange red hue. He appeared quite irritated with Esme, who was obsessing over testing alchemy weaponry, and seemed to be losing his temper. Enough! Miss! Hudson raised both arms, shaking his palms in front of him: Can we leave the testing of alchemy weaponry aside for now, please! Lets monitor the alien space noise in the fog first! You really should listen carefully and feel the difference between the inside and outside of the fog Esme Smith exchanged glances with Derek Davis, her face flickering with a hint of sadness. She had confirmed Hudson was contaminated. Derek reached for the longsword behind him, casting a prepare to move glance at the other team members. Hudson and the other contaminated exploration team members detected a strangeness in the air, instantly realizing that their corrupt truth had been discovered by Esme Smith and the Golden Merchants Sword. Their complexions turned gloomy, black smoke swirling in the depths of their eyes as they stared at the only wizard present. Without needing to ask or think, it was the wizard who had discerned the corruption of their souls. Eight exploration team members, both men and women, varied in stature and appearance, but now all wore cold expressions, speaking in the same tone and rhythm: Damn you, wizard. Youve ruined my plans. The overlapping voices of the eight people were both hoarse and dark. There was a person hiding behind the scenes, controlling these eight exploration team members. Facing the threat of the hidden figure, Noland gestured a middle finger at the eight corrupted team members. The Golden Merchants Sword and Esme Smith summoned their alchemy weaponry, surrounding the corrupt team members in the outer corridor. The corrupted team members eyes were filled with black smoke, thin wisps of smoke seeping from their eye sockets, drifting upwards. Without waiting for the Golden Merchants Sword and Esme Smith to make a move, the heads of the corrupt team members swelled up, their skin stretched to near transparency, the network of blood vessels clearly visible with large clouds of black smoke violently swirling inside. Theyre going to explode! Derek yelled. Everyone activated the defensive Array/Formation on their alchemy weaponry, conjuring shields or barriers of elemental energy to protect themselves. 0.3 seconds after Dereks words, Boom, boom, boom, boom, eight consecutive explosions rang out in the outer corridor. The fierce black airwaves instantly shredded the cabins walls and floor, rushing into the cabins interior. Noland instantly cast a Magic Shield on himself, then felt the endless black smoke attack from all directions, his body lifted by the explosive shockwave, flying towards the porthole on the other side. Crack! The porthole shattered, and Noland was thrown out of the exploration ship by the shockwave, tracing an arc in the sky and falling towards the sea surface more than ten meters away. Chapter 394 - Chapter 394: 140. Chicken Theft Plan_3 Chapter 394: 140. Chicken Theft Plan_3 Translator: 549690339 He executed the Bone Spirit Flight Technique in mid-air, transforming into a white skull. After a single turn, the shockwave from the explosion was offset. Upon looking at the exploration ship, it was a scene of total wreckage. The ship hull was broken, the deck smashed. A thick black smoke billowed from the broken part of the ship towards the dark night sky. Sea water churned into the wrecked cabins, and the sea surface nearby was full of metal debris. Noland Lee quickly scanned around and saw Derek Davis and others who had been blown away by the shockwave. Armor-clad like gray bears, these transformed Golden Merchants Sword wielders had grown alchemy flying wings that emitted jets of air. After being thrown into the seawater by the shockwave, they swiftly used the alchemy flying wings to leave the sea surface, suspending in mid-air at a height of ten or so meters. Miss Esme Smith was much more composed. Her alchemy weaponry was a streamlined underwater armor in dark blue. Right when the explosion occurred, a thick water membrane appeared on her armor, blocking all the shockwaves. She adjusted her stance in mid-air, with two streams of water jetting out under her feet, stopping the falling body. She stood on the sea surface helped by the water pillars. Noland Lee cast a deconstruction spell, took a look at the system message, and got peace of mind. The explosion just now did not pollute anyone. Gather around me, ladies and gentlemen. I have a spare lifeboat here. Miss Esme Smith grabbed a large handful of orbs from the alchemy stone and tossed them toward the sea below. Be careful, Madam! The alien space pollution hasnt left yet! Derek Davis raised the multi-barreled alchemy machine gun and shot a dense array of energy bullets toward the shadow quickly swimming under the water. The other Golden Merchants Swords also noticed the shadow under the water. Despite the black seawater concealing the black appearance of the opponent, just by looking at it, they could feel its filthy aura, and wouldnt mistake the target. Bang, bang, bang, bang With the barrage of gunfire following the submerged shadow, it moved towards the lifeboat that Miss Esme Smith had let out. The effect of the energy bullets was minimal and did not hinder the submerged shadows attack. It shot out of the water with a swish, revealing its thin, bubbly body in the air. This was something that Noland Lee was all too familiar with: the black tentacles that hooked onto the Dusk Giants skull in the Twilight Dream. But the black tentacle in front of him was far from being as large as that in the Twilight Dream. The length of the tentacle sticking out of water was about 20 meters, thinner at the top and thicker at bottom, with the widest part being about a meter wide. The blisters on the surface of the tentacle were constantly wriggling, like octopus suckers, and like tightly closed eyes. They were densely distributed on the black tentacle, and large amounts of black contaminated water were squirting from the gaps in the blisters. Miss Esme Smith, after all, was not an alchemist focused on combat. Facing the incoming black contaminated water, she could only activate the alchemy array on her alchemy armor and summon a wall-like water curtain to stop the attack, unable to respond with a counter attack. As the water curtain contacted the contaminated water, it was like water droplets falling onto a hot iron plate, spurting out black steam. Seeing the water curtain decrease rapidly, Miss Esme Smiths face went white, a far cry from the calm composure of the Golden Merchants Swords. Fly away quick, Madam! Dont force yourself! Witnessing Miss Esme Smith frozen in place, Derek Davis quickly warned. The rest of the Golden Merchants Swords started firing. Fierce energy bullets burst into sparks and electric light on the black tentacle. The black tentacle, although not showing visible injury, writhed as if in pain, and its squirting of the black contaminated water was forcibly interrupted. Move, Madam! Derek Davis urged again. Miss Esme Smith snapped out of it, bit her lips, leaned her body backward, and the water pillars under her feet abruptly became several times thicker. She was carried away from her position by the pushing water stream, narrowly escaping the spray range of the black contaminated water. As soon as she withdrew, the lifeboat on the sea surface lost its shield. Large amounts of black contaminated water fell on it and the lifeboat was quickly corroded as it steamed and sizzled. Soon, it sank into the sea with its damaged hull. The black tentacle twisted for a moment, stopped squirting black contaminated water and withdrew to the sea below, transforming into a venomous serpent lurking in the water. Derek Davis shot out energy bullets, suppressing the shadow under the water, and shouted at the same time: Ascend! Retreat in the direction away from the fog! This thing cant be away from the ritual scope for too long! Upon hearing this, everyone flew toward the north. The length of the tentacle was likely limited and couldnt reach the humans who had ascended to heights of more than fifty meters. Seeing that it could not prevent the humans from leaving, it withdrew to the water below the fog, becoming a lurking poison snake in the water. With the departure of the black tentacle, the dirty feeling that had been lingering in their minds dissipated. After flying north for about three kilometers, they finally landed on the second lifeboat that Miss Esme Smith had released. Noland Lee squinted up into the sky, conducting soul perception with Denise Green, while looking at the sea fog that covered the sky and obscured the heavens. The height of the Lost Sea Fog couldnt be estimated. It blocked the night sky of the Region No.117. The appearance of this sea fog was indeed timely. It contained the gap in alien space which should have been spread out, limiting it to the sky above Region No.117. According to Denise Green, during this brief period of time, the wizards on the Star Filtering Net were already working to close the gap in alien space. Noland Lee did not know the specifics surrounding the closing process, but from Denise Greens relaxed tone, it sounded like a rather straightforward task. By the time the fleet from Alchemy Cathedral meets you, the gap in alien space would have been closed, Denise Green elaborated. Chapter 395 - Chapter 395: 140. Chicken Theft Plan_4 Chapter 395: 140. Chicken Theft Plan_4 Translator: 549690339 However, theres a more troublesome matter. The extraterrestrial space pollution that has already appeared in the ocean will not disappear with the closure of the outer space gap. The armed alchemy ships of the Golden Commerce Guild will have to deal with it. Originally, wizards would be teleported to help as well. However, due to the negative impact of previous unauthorized teleportations to the Fission Wilderness, the Alchemy Cathedral rejected the Ulnas Circle Courts proposal to send more wizards here. By the time it was almost daybreak, only armed alchemy ships of the Golden Commerce Guild appeared on the sea surface. As for the fleet of the Tatis Empire and the Death Herald Guild, they couldnt be relied upon. Tatis didnt have a decent naval force. To put it bluntly, it didnt actually have any naval force at all, with all its forces being concentrated in the Suffering Borderland. Meanwhile, the Death Herald Guild, being anxious about Bone-mending Wand and Machinery Factory matters, directly refused the order from the Mass Wizard Tombs. Without the participation of Elemental Judgement and Death Herald Guild wizards, and without Tatis causing trouble, Noland Lee can follow the armed alchemy ships of the Golden Commerce Guild with peace of mind and eliminate the extraterrestrial space pollution at sea. Besides these contents, Noland Lee also had a set of deconstruction results waiting to be checked. When the black tentacles entangled with Esme Smith, Noland thought it would be a big battle, so he decisively consumed 10,000 Energy Points and launched Harmless Deconstruction against the black tentacles. Seeing the black tentacles retreat, Noland secretly cursed, thinking he had wasted his energy points. Now that he discovered an opportunity to enter Attack #117 against the black tentacles, Noland cleared his gloom, instead feeling that he had spent his energy points well and accurately. [Harmless Deconstruction Success!] [Your harmless deconstruction completion degree for Shubicks Incomplete Tentacle has increased from 0% to 1%.] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [A small portion of the Panel Information for Shubicks Incomplete Tentacle] [Name]Shubicks Incomplete Tentacle [Type]Extraterrestrial Space Pollution Product [Combat Level]predicted to be level 38 This data is a prediction based on your existing knowledge. When you attack the target or are attacked by it, the System will collect battle data in real-time and update the targets combat level accordingly. [Growth Progress]7% [Soul Strength]413 points [Feature] Starry Skin Texture: Every time this target takes damage but does not die, its resistance to that damage will permanently increase. (Deconstruction completion degree insufficient, unable to obtain more features) [Weakness] One-hit-kill Weakness: Deconstruction completion degree insufficient, unable to obtain related information. Fatal Damage Weakness: Deconstruction completion degree insufficient, unable to obtain related information. Obstruction of Action Weakness: Shubicks Incomplete Tentacle inherited all resistances from its main body. This tentacle has a 99% resistance to elemental energy, a 0% resistance to mental damage, and a 6% resistance to death energy. You can inflict effective damage on it using Mental Magic and Death Magic. When Noland saw this panel, a huge question mark formed in his mind. The resistance of the Incomplete Tentacle was inherited from the main body. Since the tentacles mental damage resistance is 0%, doesnt it imply that Shubicks mental damage resistance is also 0%? Has nobody ever used offensive mental magic against it? Hiss Theres a good chance its like that! Normal mental magic would cause severe backlash effects on the caster during the casting process. When the spell is interrupted or resisted, the backlash effect intensifies. Mental Wizards are well aware of this. The backlash effects of ordinary magic are nothing more than getting burned by fireballs or having thunder and lightning explode around you. Only in the case of mental magic backlash, it involves casting mental magic of the same power onto the Mental Wizard. In this situation, Mental Wizards would not be foolish enough to use mental magic to attack an extraterrestrial space pollution entity filled with mad and evil willpower. These creatures are already insane, so why would they fear others stirring them up with mental magic? Using mental magic on such a monster would definitely result in backlash. Since no one used mental magic against Shubick, its only natural that its mental resistance is a big duck egg. How coincidental. While Noland harmlessly deconstructed the River of MindMiddle Volume, he acquired suitable offensive mental magic. Moreover, due to harmless deconstruction, his mental magic, although not of high completeness, didnt have any backlash effects, making it perfect for dealing with Shubick. Hehe~ Chapter 396 - Chapter 396: 141. Noland, hit me~ Chapter 396: 141. Noland, hit me~ Translator: 549690339 Tatis Empire, Suffering Borderland, a secret outpost of Division Intelligence Unit Two. Approaching dawn, the sky was just turning bright, a perfect time for sleep, yet inside the secret outpost, it was bustling with activity. Footsteps hurried and chaotic, typewriters clattering. Smoke from cigarettes lingered in the air, swirling under the glow of coal lamps. In the spacious office room, several rows of desks were filled with documents, with people coming and going in the aisles. Just on the other side of the wall, in the Acting Commanders office, Lieutenant Cavado was reporting to his superior. Chief Officer, our intelligence personnel embedded within the Death Herald Guild have sent a secret letter. Theres been a fierce debate within the Guild Not allowing Cavado to finish speaking, the Morster with his silvery metallic face shield lifted a metal palm, signaling the other to stop. Cavado closed his mouth, stood up straight, and waited patiently in place. Morster wore a silver-white metal face shield and slightly lowered his head, seemingly dozing off in the chair. Curiosity flashed in Cavados eyes. This was not the first time he had seen such a scene tonight. Throughout the past half-hour, he had hardly been able to speak before being interrupted by his superior. The Chief Officer himself seemed to be asleep, maintaining a bowed posture for about two to three minutes before straightening up and recovering. Cavado didnt know what this phenomenon signified, but he felt that tonights Chief Officer was strange. Upon careful thought, including this instance, the Chief Officer had interrupted reporting six times tonight. Cavado glanced at the wall clock and as the second hand passed 12 for the fifth time, there was still no sign of the Chief Officer waking up across the table. Five minutes passed, and seeing no movement from the Chief Officer, Cavado began to contemplate whether or not to wake him up. At that moment, Morster suddenly raised his head, and small metal spikes flashed across his exposed metal surface like waves. A chill emanated from Morsters body, permeating the office space, causing Cavado to involuntarily shiver. Chief Officer? Cavado asked confusedly. Cavado, listen up. The small metal spikes vanished from the metal surface, and Morsters voice became cold and deep. Yes, Chief Officer. Cavado stood up straight. Morster said: Theres a lieutenant in Intelligence Department 6 named Yasde, who has an elite team under his command dedicated to special missions. I want you to go to the personnel archive and collect all the records on Yasde and his subordinates and bring them to me. Note, I want the original files. Yes, Chief Officer. Im leaving for a while now, and I wont be back until tomorrow morning at the earliest. Before I return, you must watch over the files and not let anyone touch them or enter my office. Morster emphasized: Most importantly, dont let anyone know that Ive left temporarily. This is essential. I will come and go quietly, and only you will know that I ever left. If the news leaks, Ill have you to answer for it, understand? Yes, Chief Officer. Cavados expression was serious. Go find the files. Morster waved his hand, dismissing his subordinate. Cavado saluted and turned to leave the Chief Officers office. Morsters body rapidly melted into a puddle of silver-white metal liquid, flowing out of the office through the ventilation duct. The metal liquid flowed along the ventilation duct of the outpost, quickly reaching the exterior. It hovered in the air, changing its appearance, transforming from a soft liquid into a sharp metal spike. The metal spike changed direction, aiming towards the northeastern sky. The metal spike accelerated, speeding through the night, swiftly flying towards the nearshore waters where extraterrestrial space pollution had appeared. Nearshore waters, somewhere. The continuous night of drizzle was coming to an end, and weak morning light appeared in the sky. An alchemy ship over 100 meters long arrived in these waters and met with Noland Lee and the others who were waiting. This was the closest alchemy ship to these waters. It came here as soon as it received the news, and more alchemy ships would arrive afterward. The appearance of the alchemy ship was unique, a standard tetrahedron, almost like a pyramid. It was entirely iron-grey, with no gaps on the exterior. When sailing, it hovered one or two meters above the sea surface, cushioned by an alchemy array at the bottom, without directly touching the water. This alchemy vessel, resembling a metal pyramid, was a ship of the Golden Commerce Guild. On each ship, an Alchemy Sage served as the commander, accompanied by around a hundred combat alchemists as crew. These alchemists were different from Esme Smith; they were primarily combat alchemists with extensive experience in sea warfare, usually hunting powerful sea beasts in deep-sea areas. The sea vessels of the Golden Commerce Guild were more than just ships. They were actually the Sage Space of the ships commander, expanded from Sage Particles. When not on a mission, each alchemy ship would be retracted into Sage Particles and carried by the alchemy sage. Only when there were combat missions would the alchemy sage place the Sage Particles on the sea surface and use an alchemy array to expand them, forming the Sage Space to act as an alchemy ship. This alchemy vessel, which was called a ship but was actually a Sage Space, had something in common with modern warships on the technological side. Chapter 397 - Chapter 397: 141. Noland, hit me~_2 Chapter 397: 141. Noland, hit me~_2 Translator: 549690339 Modern warships of the technology side rely on a combat command automatic control system to manage the ships commands, communications, navigation, target identification, and weapon launches. Placing this sort of system on an alchemy ship would correspond to the Alchemy Sage who controls the Sage Space. The Alchemy Sage has control over every detail of the Sage Space. He can observe everything around him through the alchemy array on the outer edge of the Sage Space, completing navigation and target identification tasks. With just a thought, he can adjust the mechanical devices of the Sage Space to give orders to crew members located throughout the ship, which in turn, guide the crew to operate the alchemy cannons and launch attacks on targets. It can be said that when alchemical constructs become advanced enough to replace crew members, these alchemy ships, transformed from the Sage Space, will usher in an era of Alchemy Sages fighting solo on the sea. Upon boarding the ship, Noland was immediately captivated by the intricate array patterns within. All walls, floors and ceilings were covered with transparent glass. Beneath the glass, walls were filled with alchemy array patterns consisting of straight and curved lines. Elemental energy glows, representing the operating arrays, flashed rapidly along the patterns. The entire ship was supported by these large, complex, and highly precise alchemy arrays. As for why the alchemy ship was designed in a tetrahedral shape, Noland thought it was because triangles are the most stable. The presence of alchemy arrays allows alchemy ships to minimize the resistance from water and air. They can navigate the seas with much less power output than technologically-based ships. With the difficulty of navigation reduced, alchemy ships no longer need to have a streamlined design. Designers would focus on maximizing the ships defensive capabilities, leading to tetrahedral ships with triangular faces on all sides. After entering the alchemy ship, Noland glanced around and released his Deconstruction technique. He walked and observed until he finally stopped in the ships visitors lounge. The commander of the ship, who is also the Alchemy Sage, had to stay in the central control room to control his Sage Space, and had no time to meet with Esme and the others. A sixth-rank Alchemist was sent to welcome Esme and her party. The two sides exchanged information during their brief conversation, and within half an hour, they devised a plan of action. The Lost Sea Fog that had enveloped the Region No.117 nearshore waters had been there for four hours. Based on previous observations, the fog would dissipate within an hour at most. The gap in the extraterrestrial space above Region No.117 nearshore waters was closed by the wizards of the Star Filtering Net. As soon as the Lost Sea Fog dissipated, the alchemy ship could take action. This plan was unanimously agreed upon by the Golden Merchants Sword, Esme, and the ships commander. There was one area that needed extra caution. The ceremony to communicate with the extraterrestrial space pollution took place in the lower deck cargo hold of the cargo ship. Above the ceremony, within the space, there were 2,000 Biochemical Soldiers. The life level of Biochemical Soldiers is far beyond ordinary people, similar to an Imperial Lieutenant, making them very appetizing sacrifices for extraterrestrial space pollution. If all two thousand Biochemical Soldiers were used as sacrifices for the extraterrestrial space pollution, the pollution level in Region No.117 nearshore area could be astonishing, even beyond imagination. The exact situation would be known to everyone after waiting for an hour. The moment the fog in Region No.117 dissipated, a sinister black space appeared before everyones eyes. From a distance of more than ten kilometers, the black space seemed to cover half the sky like a black curtain. With the boundary between Regions No.117 and No.118 as the dividing line, the two adjacent sea areas displayed completely different scenes. In Region No.118, the seawater flowed as usual, with the morning light shining on the sea, glittering in the sunlight. However, in Region No.177, there was no sky, no light, and no seawater. The place where the natural landscape should have appeared was replaced by a dim and lightless black space. The eyes could not penetrate the black space nor could sunlight illuminate it. A hairs breadth apart, the two distinct scenes of the fog-shrouded Region No.117 and the morning-lit Region No.118 became two separate worlds. This was just one of the strange phenomena. Another anomaly was: Without the constraint of the Lost Sea Fog, the black space no longer stayed obediently within Region No.117. It was slowly accelerating and expanding in all directions. This bizarre spectacle surprised everyone on the ship, but it did not cause panic. Noland had already shared relevant information, and everyone was prepared. However, he did not disclose the name Sisibirk to anyone. Even Denise Green only knew the appearance and color of the tentacles. According to Denise, extraterrestrial space pollutants with tentacle-like appearances were common, but their abilities varied greatly. She needed more information from Noland to confirm the origin of the tentacles to the professor. The incomplete tentacle that appeared last night was privately referred to by Noland as an offspring of Shubick. Offspring of XXX is the formal name for extraterrestrial space pollutants within the Ulnas Circle. Region No.117 was transformed into a Pollution Zone by Shubicks offspring, imitating the extraterrestrial space where its main body resides. Chapter 398 - Chapter 398: 141. Noland, hit me~_3 Chapter 398: 141. Noland, hit me~_3 Translator: 549690339 Transforming the natural environment into a pollution zone is the first step for extraterrestrial space pollution to enter this world. Only then can the main body of alien space pollution, its offspring, and contaminant byproducts fully exert their strength in this world. The outer space gap through which Shubick entered this world has been closed by the wizards in the Ulnas Circle. However, the pollution zone and its offspring left in the ocean have not dissipated with the closure of the outer space gap. It is necessary to destroy the ritual arrays in the pollution zone and eliminate the offspring in order to completely close this area. Last night, the Lost Sea Fog trapped the pollution zone in place. Now, the Lost Sea Fog is gone. Naturally, the pollution zone will enter the process of expansion. How far this pollution zone will expand depends entirely on whether the ritual array can be destroyed and the offspring eliminated in time. With each passing second, the pollution zone will expand further. Just within this short period after the fog disappeared, the expansion speed of the pollution zone increased dramatically. It expanded over ten kilometers in an instant like lightning, directly enveloping the neighboring alchemy ship. The boundless darkness ignored the walls obstruction and surrounded every person on the ship. Asphyxiation, weightlessness, silence, and dimness followed. Everyone was enveloped in darkness, unable to sense even a glimmer of light or sound, as if they were in the legendary outer space. [System Message:] [You have entered the pollution zone constructed by Shubicks Offspring.] [Gravity parameters are polluted, and the influence of planetary gravity on you has become 0, you are now in a weightless state.] [Atmosphere parameters are polluted, oxygen concentration drops to 0, you enter the asphyxia state.] [Lighting parameters are polluted, and external light cannot enter the pollution zone.] As soon as Noland Lee was engulfed by darkness, he activated the Breath of the Dead and turned into a skeleton form that didnt need to breathe. The asphyxia state on his status bar disappeared as a result. He examined the surrounding environment. The pollution zone was modeled after alien space, but the modifications were extremely limited. Although it caused asphyxia and weightlessness, it was far from the true alien space environment. Denise Green and Noland Lee had described the real alien space environment. It was an extremely cold, madness-inducing dark vacuum environment with countless bizarre alien space pollutions lurking within. Those who enter alien space constantly endure massive alien space noise. Once their spirits lapse for a moment, they explode with a bang and become part of the alien space. Now look at the pollution zone they are in. The noise in this pollution zone can be easily shielded by Noland Lees Soul Shield. Although it can cause asphyxiation, its not a vacuum. The inability to breathe is solely due to the oxygen concentration in the air dropping to 0. There are still plenty of gases around Noland Lee. Since it is not a vacuum, there is no huge difference in pressure either. Ordinary people here wont die from ruptured blood vessels, they just cant breathe. As for the cold Noland Lee didnt feel any temperature change. It remained the same as before. In summary, the so-called pollution zone might sound terrifying, but it is actually an oxygen-deprived, dark space with no natural light and extreme silence. Noland Lee can stay in this space for a long time, and so can the alchemists. Derek Davis and the others received the help of the alchemy ship, which had prepared alchemical mixtures to resist alien space noise in advance. After drinking this mixture, the noise can be suppressed within the tolerance limit for a long time. Asphyxiation, weightlessness, and obstructed vision can also be resolved by their corresponding alchemical mixtures. With such arrangements, everyone wont be passively beaten in the pollution zone. If there is one thing worth noting, its spatial transfer. Just a second before Noland Lee was dragged into the pollution zone, he was standing in the resting room of the alchemy ship. The alchemy array patterns beneath the glass floor were beside him, the walls were adorned with paintings, and there were alchemical drinking water machines and metal trash cans in the corners. At this moment, the glass floor under his feet is gone, Derek Davis, who was sitting next to him, has disappeared without a trace, and the furniture and other facilities in the resting room have vanished. Noland Lee has completely left the resting room he was in before. Wizards of the Ulnas Circle call this phenomenon spatial transfer C when entering the pollution zone, people will be separated from their original natural environment and randomly appear in the pollution zone. Noland Lee thinks this is similar to instance spaces in large-scale multiplayer online games. The pollution zone is an independent instance space. He is now in the instance space. The location of the spawning point is random. With this in mind, his last bit of fear disappeared. Noland Lee steadied his mind and called out in his heart: Denise Green. Mhm! Im here. Denise Green responded to the call in time, without any delay or noise. Noland Lee secretly nodded. It seems that the soul contract remains unaffected by the pollution zone, and the information from the Ulnas Circle is accurate. It was only after confirming that he could summon Denise Green to take him away from the pollution zone that he decided to step into this place. Ive entered the pollution zone. You dont need to come; I can handle it on my own. When I need help, Ill call you. Chapter 399 - Chapter 399: 141. Noland hit me~_4 Chapter 399: 141. Noland hit me~_4 Translator: 549690339 Alright, be careful. Denise immediately continued: Theres something you should know. I just received a message that besides you, there will be another wizard appearing in the polluted area. Oh? Who? Noland Lee asked while activating Life and Death Tracking and Bone Spirit Flight Technique, turning into a white skull and slowly flying in the darkness. He is a metal series wizard from Hotams. Noland Lee frowned slightly, thinking of the Acting Division Intelligence Unit Two Commander named Morster. Alright, Denise, Ill be extra careful. Denise gently reminded: The professor told me that this person started acting after reporting to his professor. His exploration in the polluted area is therefore legitimate. I didnt tell the professor that I would explore the polluted area, nor did I mention you. Since there is no lecturer professor behind you, nobody can authorize you. Your actions are not sanctioned by the Ulnas Circle. So, its better to avoid that wizard. If he bothers you, just tell me, and Ill come to explain the situation. Alright, Ill remember that. Noland Lee looked ahead. In the magic vision provided by Life and Death Tracking, a strangely shaped creature appeared about 30 meters away. Noland Lee threw a deconstruction spell at this creature. [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction on a Deeply Corrupted Biochemical Soldier.] [It is estimated to consume 5200 energy points and can achieve a 100% degree of deconstruction] [Warning!] [Deconstructing this target will cause negative effects on you.] [The system recommends using Harmless Deconstruction on it.] Noland Lee narrowed his eyes slightly, staring intently at the enemy, and said in his mind: Ive encountered an enemy, Denise. Wait for my message, and dont worry about me. Alright~ The two disconnected their soul-level connection. Noland Lee canceled the flight status and reverted to a skeleton form. The magic fluctuation of canceling the flight status spread in the darkness, startling the deeply corrupted biochemical soldier. This guy suddenly turned around, his body quickly wriggling and swelling into a huge, bloated flesh sphere, with numerous sharp bone spines growing all over it. Hiss A distinct jet sound came from the soldiers feet. Two streams of air gushed out of the rocket boots, propelling the biochemical soldier towards Noland Lee. Bang bang bang bang.. Whoosh~~ Biochemical firearms mutated from arms fired bullets, and the blazing spores extending from the ears sprayed out a pillar of fire toward Noland Lee. The biochemical soldier stored oxidants in its body, so both the rocket boots and the blazing spores functioned normally and did not strike. The light from the fire pillar illuminated the nearby area, and Noland Lee saw the enemys appearance. It indeed was a biochemical soldier in combat mode, with fine black hairs growing all over its body. Upon closer inspection, those black hairs were actually miniaturized black tentacles. Dirty, dark breaths drifted from the black hairs, making the surrounding pollution area even more filthy. Confronted with the enemys onslaught, Noland Lee remained calm. He had a Magic Shield covering his body, so he didnt have to worry about getting hurt. Now the shield strength was as high as 50 points, enough to block machine gun bullets and flamethrower fire columns. By calculating the decrease rate of shield strength, Noland Lee came up with a vague data: The bullets fired by the enemy and the fire pillar sprayed would cause more than 20 points of shield damage per second. This was far from reaching Noland Lees defensive limit. Since thats the case, then lets try out the newly acquired offensive means. Noland Lee quickly sketched a spell blueprint in his mind and pointed at the biochemical soldier. Without any sign of casting or transparent magic lightning, the biochemical soldier suddenly froze in place, entering a daze state. Half a second later. Boom~ The biochemical soldier exploded from the inside out, with countless limb fragments shooting in all directions in a weightless environment. Noland Lee shivered, his eyes filled with astonishment, and his heart was elated. Damn, this level 40 Psychic Bombardment is too awesome, it directly killed the biochemical soldier in one shot! Noland Lee called up the magic panel and gazed at it, his heart trembling. [Name] Psychic Bombardment [Type] Advanced Mental Magic [Level] 40, can be upgraded to 100 [Completion] 25% [Feature] Instant casting, highest level This spell is an upper-level spell of Mental Pierce and comes with an instant casting feature. Mind Infusion, Level 3 Casting consumption increased to 10 times, casting effect increased by 300%. This feature is a skill upgrade reward. [Effect] Consume 0.1 point of Soul Strength and 1 point of energy, and instantly cast this spell. When your Spirit attribute value is less than 4 times that of the target, this spell is determined to fail, with a casting effect of 10%. When your Spirit attribute value is at least 4 times that of the target, this spell is determined to succeed, bombard the targets mind, with a casting effect of 100%. When your Spirit attribute value is at least 8 times that of the target, this spell is determined to be a great success, with a casting effect increased by 100%. [Defect] The spell success and great success judgment requirements are increased by 4 times the original. For a 100% complete Psychic Bombardment, the spell success and great success judgment requirements are at least 1 and 2 times the users spirit attribute value, respectively. Noland Lees Psychic Bombardment completion was only 25%, so the spell judgment requirements increased to 4 times. Chapter 400 - Chapter 400: 141.Noland hit me~_5 Chapter 400: 141.Noland hit me~_5 Translator: 549690339 When he had just deconstructed this spell from The River of MindMiddle Volume, Noland Lee thought it was garbage As an irregular wizard, his Mental Attribute Value was only 22 points. He had to target enemies with a Spiritual Attribute Value no higher than 5 points in order for Psychic Bombardment to be effective. Where could he find such massive resentment? But he had no choice. After all, Noland Lee only had this one offensive Mental Magic. In preparation for todays leveling, Noland Lee had raised it to level 40 in advance. Just now, when facing the biochemical soldiers, Noland Lee increased the casting consumption tenfold and cast Psychic Bombardment using a full 1 point of Soul Strength and 10 points of Energy Value. The effect was astounding, far beyond Noland Lees expectations. The biochemical soldier was killed instantly! Hiss unbelievable, could it be because the biochemical soldiers Spirit is very low? Noland Lee thought and pulled out the deconstruction results and system messages, finding the answer. [You have cast Psychic Bombardment (Level 40).] [Your Mental Attribute Value is 11 times that of the opponent.] [Spell determination is a great success!] [Casting effect is increased by 100%!] [You have activated the Mind Infusion feature.] [The casting effect is increased by 300% again!] [The actual magic effect of Psychic Bombardment (Level 40) is 500%!] [You have eliminated the Deeply Corrupted Biochemical Soldier.] [Passive deconstruction activated!] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [1. 5200 points of Energy Value.] [2. Panel Information excluding all negative effects.] [Name] Deeply Corrupted Biochemical Soldier [Type] Extraterrestrial Space Pollution Product, Tatis Empire Mutation Technology Product [Combat Level] Provisionally set at Level 15 [Features] Corrupted Soul: Omitted One body, two sides: Omitted Mutant Combat: Can switch between non-combat and combat forms. Deep Corruption: When this target dies, it will produce an offspring of Shubick approximately Level 5. [Attributes] Spirit: 2 points (Other panel information is omitted) Hmm, indeed its because the Biochemical Soldiers spirit is too low. With only 2 points of Spirit, its no wonder I was able to kill it instantly. Noland Lee noticed the words Generate Shubick tentacles after death on the panel. He realized that the battle was not over yet. The biochemical soldier who was capable of firing flames was killed by him. Without the flames, the scene plunged back into darkness. Noland Lee looked around cautiously. He saw no living things or Lost Souls, only many debris from the explosion of the biochemical soldiers corpse. Noland Lee threw a Soul Collection towards the debris. [System Message:] [This collection failed.] [The soul fragments on the target have transferred to Shubicks offspring.] It seems that for the same biochemical soldier, I have to fight twice to get the soul fragments. So where is the Shubick tentacle that was created after the biochemical soldier died? Noland Lee felt a headache coming on. He noticed last night that this offspring of Shubick was neither living nor dead and could not be detected by Life and Death Tracking. Only by creating a light source could he find the trace of the tentacle in the dark. Noland Lee took out an alchemy lamp from the Blood Haven, lit the lamp, and saw black fuzz floating not far in front. These hair-like tiny tentacles flew out from the debris scattered everywhere and gathered together, condensing into a larger tentacle. Noland Lee nodded thoughtfully: It seems that the creation of the tentacle is not completed instantly. It will only happen once the tiny tentacles have gathered. Noland Lee was eager to test how strong a Level 5 tentacle was, so he did not interrupt the process of creating the tentacle. After patiently waiting for about half a minute, a black tentacle about 5 meters long appeared before his eyes. Small closed bumps were distributed sporadically on the tentacle. All in all, it was far less terrifying than the tentacle he had seen last night. In retrospect, the tentacle he saw last night must have been a leader-level existence among all the tentacles. Noland Lee pointed with his finger and cast Psychic Bombardment. [System Message:] [Your Mental Attribute Value is less than 4 times that of the target.] [Spell determination failed.] [Spell effect reduced to 10%] Noland Lee furrowed his brows and then relaxed. Right, as pollutants from outer space, they wouldnt drive people mad if their Spirit wasnt high enough. Noland Lee thought that a spell effect of 10% wouldnt have much effect, but he was surprised to see the tentacle convulse violently, and dozens of bumps exploded with black juice at the same time. Huh? Is the effect so obvious? Noland Lee muttered to himself while his hands kept moving. He pointed his fingers three times in succession, releasing three tenfold consumption Psychic Bombardments. The black tentacle twitched wildly like a willow branch being pulled by a strong wind, and the tumors on its body exploded with juice with a crackling sound. Noland Lees fingertips moved quickly, casting a full ten Psychic Bombardments. Pop pop pop pop A series of explosions sounded and countless black juices splashed out. The black tentacle stiffened all over, shriveled up like it had been squeezed dry, and shattered into black powder with a bang, merging into the darkness. [System Message:] [You have cast Psychic Bombardment (Level 40)x13, total consumption of 13 points of Soul Strength and 130 points of Energy Value.] [You have killed Shubicks Offspring (Level 5).] [Passive deconstruction activated!] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [1. 99,000 points of Energy Value.] [2. Standardized panel information of Shubicks Incomplete Tentacle. All factors that cause negative effects have been excluded.] Chapter 401 - Chapter 401: 141. Noland hit me~_6 Chapter 401: 141. Noland hit me~_6 Translator: 549690339 I just got almost 100,000 energy points all at once?! Am I seeing this correctly? Noland Lee rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasnt mistaken. He stared at his fingertips in disbelief. Why was it so easy? Why didnt that tentacle resist even a little, at least give me a few slaps or spray a few streams of black water? It felt like it had completely given up resisting Noland looked at the place where the tentacle had disappeared and muttered the words, collect soul fragments. [Soul Strength +36 points.] This is odd, the abundance of the spoils of the war doesnt match the difficulty of the battle. There must be something off. The way the tentacle gave up resisting feels very strange. Let me think this over Noland didnt let the sudden windfall of energy points get to his head. He calmed himself down and started analyzing the series of events. First, the standard deconstruction of Shubicks Incomplete Tentacle requires 100,000 energy points. The harmless deconstruction improves this tenfold, reaching 1 million energy points. Previously, Noland had spent 10,000 energy points, raising the progress of deconstruction to 1%. Now, he had destroyed a Shubicks Incomplete Tentacle. When the system rewards energy points, it always calculates them based on the energy needed for regular deconstruction. 99% of 100,000 are 99,000 energy points. Theres no problem with the system rewarding 99,000 energy points. Noland took these energy points with a clear conscience. The 36 points of soul strength he received also made sense. This is exactly 20% of the targets soul strength, which matches the 20% completeness of Soul Collection. Therefore, the system wasnt mistaken about the rewards, Noland really did receive 99,000 energy points and 36 points of soul strength. But was the battle process too easy? Noland always felt uneasy; he had an illusion that his efforts werent proportionate to his rewards. He pulled up the information he had deconstructed and looked it over seriously as an uneasy feeling settled into his heart. He was starting to understand what was going on. There was a feature on the panel called Damage Transfer. [Damage Transfer] The offspring of the space pollution are both independent entities and a part of the main body of the space pollution. After the descendant dies, the damage you inflict on it will be transferred to the Shubick descendant tribal leader that resides within the pollution zone. After the death of the Shubick descendant tribal leader, all damage it has taken will be transferred to Shubicks main body that is deep within outer space. The damage transferred by Damage Transfer can trigger Starry Skin Texture, permanently increasing the resistance of damaged but not killed Shubick descendants and their main body against this type of damage. It was the Damage Transfer and Starry Skin Texture features that were causing trouble. Incomplete tentacles are not truly independent. They are actually extensions of Shubicks main body. After Noland received a small part of the panel information, he thought that by using mental magic to destroy a tentacle, it would only kill that one target and not affect Shubicks main body. At that time, he was excited about being able to outsmart Shubick. Now, it seems that extraterrestrial space pollution is much more sinister than he thought, hiding effects of feature combinations like Damage Transfer and Starry Skin Texture. Noland was sure that the tentacle he had just killed didnt retaliate before being killed; it was very content as it was bombarded with mental magic. Rather than considering this behavior masochistic, its better to say that it completely gave up resistance, helping the Shubick descendant tribal leader evolve and further aiding Shubicks main body to increase its resistance. Noland took a deep breath and slowly said, What a bizarre way to evolve. To boost the resistance of the main body by sacrificing its extensions. Is this an ability that all space pollutants possess, or is it Shubicks unique skill? Noland shook his head slightly, clearing his mind of these thoughts: But it doesnt matter for now. The fact that killing the tentacles with mental magic will help Shubick improve its resistance is inevitable. I cant pass on this opportunity to farm just because of this side effect. Looking at it from another perspective, it seems like a fair trade. I got the soul strength I urgently needed, and Shubick improved its resistance. Each got something they needed. Although Nolands panel showed more than 1400 points of soul strength, it was not very useful. There were still 35 memory fragments he could use for meditation. Once he completed meditating on these 35 memory fragments from Noland Lee Jarvis, Noland could gain 35 points of mental attribute value. The meditation difficulty of these 35 memory fragments wasnt at level 1 anymore; they ranged from level 2 to level 5, and the corresponding soul strength consumption is 2 to 5 times that of level 1. Noland had done some calculations. If he wanted to obtain all 35 points of the mental attribute, he would need to consume a total of 3000 points of soul strength, which would take approximately 300 hours. Faced with such a large expenditure, Noland decided to put it aside for now. Before laying waste to the Biochemical Soldiers with Psychic Bombardment, he didnt think Spirit had much to offer. It merely allowed him to comprehend more books, cast spells at a farther distance, and improved his energy limit slightly. But after annihilating the Biochemical Soldiers in the blink of an eye, Noland Lee suddenly felt motivated to boost his Spirit attribute. If everything went smoothly, a trip through the pollution zone would raise his Soul Strength to 3000 points. Let the monster farming begin. Noland took a glance around while deep in thought. No new enemies appeared in his magical vision. He randomly picked a direction and accelerated into flight, transforming into a white skull. Suddenly, he felt the sensation of being watched. Noland Lee stopped flying, reverted to his skeleton form, and became extremely cautious, as if facing a formidable enemy. He could sense a gaze piercing through the darkness. Something was examining him, observing him, contemplating questions about him. [A will from outer space is watching you.] Oh, no. Im being watched. Noland suddenly understood what was happening. It had to be the Damage Transfer feature causing this. After the Level 5 tentacle was killed, the damage caused by mental magic was transferred to the Tribal Leader of the Shubick Descendants, arousing its alertness. As the ruler of the pollution zone, locating the source of the damage would be a piece of cake for the Tribal Leader of the Shubick Descendants. No, I must flee. This time I failed to detect the Damage Transfer in advance, I must admit my defeat. Just as Noland Lee was about to summon Denise to whisk him away, a faintly glowing green tentacle flew towards him. Noland Lees alarm bells rang loud and clear. He instinctively dove sideways in an attempt to avoid the surprise attack. But the glowing green tentacle halted in mid-air almost a meter away from him. Noland Lee was baffled for a moment. Whats more critical was that he realized the faintly glowing green tentacle seemed to mean him no harm. The tentacle curled back like a human forefinger beckoning him. Noland Lee was somewhat taken aback. Seeing his hesitation, the tentacle beckoned at him once again. Noland Lee swallowed hard and asked, Do you wish for me to attack you? As if understanding him, the tentacle beckoned him several times. At the same time, four more glowing tentacles floated over and mimicked the beckoning gesture in front of him. Whats Whats this? Did this boss realize I could help it become stronger and is now throwing itself in my way to take a beating? Noland Lee considered himself an experienced gamer, but this was the first time he had encountered a boss like this. Fine. Fine. If it wants a fight, so be it. Noland Lee took a light breath, chose a target, and cast Psychic Bombardment. [System Message:] [You have inflicted moderate damage on the Mutated Tentacle.] [Passive Deconstruction Activated!] [You have gained a small part of the targets panel information.] Mutated tentacle? Well This does look quite mutated. Previous tentacles were all black, but this gowning tentacle had tiny green spots on it, which should be the typical sign of mutation. Noland Lee didnt care much, kept casting his spell while casually checking the Mutated Tentacle panel. As he checked the information, Noland was taken aback to the point that his spell casting motion almost froze! The being controlling the mutated tentacle was not the Tribal Leader of the Shubick Descendants, but the Dusk Giant, Osmisgard! Chapter 402 - Chapter 402: 142. Noland the Great Swindler Chapter 402: 142. Noland the Great Swindler Translator: 549690339 [Name] Mutated Tentacle [Type] Mutated Extraterrestrial Space Pollution Product [Combat Level] Unknown [Features] Corrupted Soul, Invalidated. One Body, Two Sides, Invalidated. Damage Transfer, Active. Starry Skin Texture, Active. Dusk Will (Very Small Part): The owner of this tentacle is not Shubick, but Osmisgard Duskgiant. The Dusk Giant has not truly died; it lives in another form. This tentacle is the proof. It is being controlled by the will of the Dusk Giant. Dusk Essence (Very Small Part): Before dusk is daytime, after dusk is night. Daytime represents the growth and revival of life, while night represents the decline and end of life. Located between day and night, the dusk is both the endpoint for lifes growth and the starting point for its decline. The power of the Dusk Giant lies in the robustness of life and the onset of death. (Other panel information omitted) Noland Lees spellcasting motion faltered slightly, then quickly returned to normal. With his hands maintaining the casting posture of Psychic Bombardment, his mind focused on the constantly refreshing panel information. As the number of Psychic Bombardment castings increased, more detailed panel content emerged in his mind. Following the features Dusk Will and Dusk Essence, a third crucial feature appeared. This feature was called Dusk Domination. The features panel stated that mutated tentacles appearing before Noland Lee had split off from the Tentacle Overlord. After Noland Lee killed the mutated tentacles in front of him with Psychic Bombardment, the damage would be transferred to the Tentacle Overlord, helping it increase its psychic attack resistance. Thinking back to the earlier black tentacles, Noland Lee immediately understood what was going on. The Dusk Giant controlling the mutated tentacles must be fighting against the Shubick Tribal Leader who controlled the black tentacles. From the information Noland Lee had gathered, the descendants of Shubick, being extraterrestrial space pollutants, had three main modes of attack: First, use the tentacles as a whip, creating kinetic energy damage. Second, spray contaminated water from the swollen cells, corrupting people and objects, with unknown damage types. Third, emit alien space noise similar to the Whispers of the Old Gods, inflicting damage on the mind and soul. With their appearance, material, and structure, the Dusk Giants mutated tentacles were vastly different from the Shubick descendants and could resist their first two attacks. Among Shubicks offsprings three methods of attack, only the third C emitting Alien Space Noise C could effectively kill mutated tentacles. Because this attack penetrated the mutated tentacles outer shell and directly assailed the Dusk Giants mind and soul. So, in summary: The Dusk Giant brought mutated tentacles to Noland Lee to help stack the mental attack resistance of the Tentacle Overlord to withstand Shubicks Alien Space Noise. Noland Lee paused, a bolt of lightning flashing through his mind. If this was truly the case, wouldnt it be better to help the Dusk Giant stack soul attack resistance? Soul Shield could block 100% of Alien Space Noise, while Mental Shield could only block 50%. By the same logic, the resistance to soul attacks would certainly be stronger than that of mental attacks. Did he have any spells targeting the soul? Noland Lee pondered secretly and glanced at his spell list. As it turned out, He indeed had a spell targeting the soul, and it was the only one. That was Soul Freeze. This magic spell came from the Soul Contract signed after Noland Lee Jarvis made a vengeance contract with his Original Master. Since the spells casting range was extremely limited and required Noland Lee to be in close contact with the enemy, he had not used it much. Up to now, besides this magic spell, only Soul Bribery, Limb Attachment Technique, and other unpopular spells remained at Level 1. Noland Lee pondered and invested 450 Points of Energy into Soul Freeze, raising it to Level 10. First, lets see the additional rewards for leveling up to 10 before deciding whether to invest energy points or not. [System Message:] [Soul Freeze level increased by 9, now Level 10.] [Soul Freeze usage times +9, now 10 times every 24 hours.] [Soul Freeze level breakthrough reached at Level 10, you have triggered the breakthrough reward.] [Please choose one from the following three options:] [Option One:] [Soul Freeze usage times +5, increasing to 15 times every 24 hours.] [Option Two:] [Soul Freeze control time +1 second, increasing to 2 seconds.] [Option Three:] [Soul Freeze changes to Conventional Spells, removing daily usage restrictions, canceling any free casting benefits. Now, you need to consume 0.1 points of Soul Strength and 1 point of energy to cast this magic spell. Previously, the daily usage count was transferred to increase control duration. After choosing this option, the usage times increase to unlimited, and the control duration increases to 2 seconds.] Oh! Great! Option Three can remove the usage restrictions! Noland Lee clicked on Option Three, and his hand movement changed from pointing forward with his fingers to reaching out to grab the mutated tentacle. There happened to be a mutated tentacle in front of him that had been softened by Psychic Bombardment. Noland Lee easily grabbed it. Soul Freeze activated! The cold reaching straight to the soul surged into the mutated tentacle. Chapter 403 - Chapter 403: 142. Noland the Great Trickster_2 Chapter 403: 142. Noland the Great Trickster_2 Translator: 549690339 The mutated tentacles instantly straightened as if electrocuted, shivering from the soul-deep cold. [System Message:] [You have successfully cast Soul Freeze on Mutated Tentacle.] [The target has entered a Soul Freeze state lasting for 2 seconds.] Noland Lees sudden casting of a different spell left the mutated tentacles dumbfounded for half a second. Immediately after that, those mutated tentacles guarding Noland in anticipation of the Psychic Bombardment baptism started jumping excitedly, rushing to get closer to Nolands hand! Oh, wow. It seemed Soul Freeze was indeed more useful than Psychic Bombardment. But Noland hesitated for a moment. However, Soul Freeze had no damage, regardless of how much he froze the soul, it would be incapable of killing the mutated tentacles. How could he recover the Soul Strength while also utilizing the Energy Points hed spent? Noland fell deep in thought. His sudden change to Soul Freeze had already revealed some information. If the other party calmed down and thought about it carefully, they would undoubtedly uncover the deeper meaning behind the change in spells. Taking this factor into account, Noland decided to go straight to the point: Ive studied the deeper meaning behind the Twilight Dream and Dusk Giants, as well as the Undead Cult and todays Tatis Empire. I know what kind of existence Shubick is. Your attitude towards me and the dark green light dots on these tentacles all prove that you are not Shubick. I have some guesses about your identity. Upon hearing Noland Lees words, the dark green tentacles trembled, appearing to be in an emotionally charged state. They combined together, forming individual Undead Runes. Noland briefly identified the meaning of these Undead Runes. You appeared in my dream I remember your soul Pure perfect We cooperate You cast spells I teach you Dusk Soul-casting Technique a portion. Noland raised his eyebrows: Alright, deal. How come you know the Undead Runes? Whats your relationship with the Undead Cult? The mutated tentacles quickly formed characters: This matter complicated Time is urgent As soon as these words were spoken, without waiting for Noland to say anything, the mutated tentacles made another move. One of them exploded with a loud bang. Countless tiny debris particles scattered, while a grain-sized luminous object remained in place, emitting a twilight glow. The grain-sized light flew in front of Noland and stopped, the other mutated tentacles forming Undead Runes indicating please accept. Noland understood the other partys intention; they were afraid that he might change his mind, so they decided to pay the reward in advance. Noland cast Deconstruction to examine the light. After making sure it wouldnt cause any negative effects, Noland grabbed it. Warmth spread through his palm, gradually seeping inwards. The luminous object, glowing with the light of dusk, vanished within Nolands hand. A vast scene appeared before Nolands eyes. At dusk, the crimson setting sun hung low in the sky, suspended above the mountain peaks. Dusk Giants were seated amidst the towering mountains, facing the setting sun, inhaling deeply. Their chests expanded, and their nostrils flared fiercely. A flaming river flowed from the setting sun into the Dusk Giants nostril. [System Message:] [You sense the aura of Dusk Essence.] [The completeness of Dusk Giant Soul-casting Technique Basic Edition has risen from 12.5% to 30%.] [New content related to Dusk Breathing Technique has been added, which can be learned quickly through Deconstruction.] Noland scanned the text in his mind, not in a hurry to check the newly gained Dusk Breathing Technique. He steadied his mind, reached out to grab a mutated tentacle, and cast Soul Freeze vigorously. Compared to working before crossing with the promise of a later paycheck, unnecessary bonus deductions, and unpaid overtime, the Dusk Giants behavior of pre-paying a deposit was just too sincere. Noland had to properly freeze their souls. After casting dozens of Soul Freeze spells in one go, a mutated tentacle self-destructed. Inside this tentacle was also a grain-sized luminous object. After the explosion, the debris of the tentacles corpse didnt scatter all around. Instead, they hovered and circled the light, forming a new mutated tentacle within ten seconds. Noland cast Deconstruction on the newly arrived mutated tentacle, refreshing its panel information. With a simple glance at the Soul Attack Resistance on the panel, Noland knew what had just happened. That tentacle, by means of voluntary self-destruction, had transferred the soul attack it had suffered to the mutated tentacle overlord. In this way, the mutated tentacle overlords soul attack resistance would increase. The newly summoned tentacle from the mutated tentacle overlord would inherit its resistance. That was the reason why the new tentacles Soul Attack Resistance rose from 0.00053% to 0.000563%. Noland read another meaning from this action. The mutated tentacle overlord controlled by the Dusk Giant seemed to be facing the noise attacks of the Tribal Leader of Shubick Descendants, otherwise, it wouldnt be so eager to increase its soul attack resistance. However, this 3 millionths of a percent increase in soul attack resistance seemed too small and insignificant. Could the Dusk Giants mutated tentacle overlord handle the Tribal Leader of Shubick Descendants? While casting Soul Freeze, Noland asked: Are you fighting the Tribal Leader of Shubick Descendants? Is the battlefield at the ceremony site? How are the battle conditions? Chapter 404 - Chapter 404: 142. Noland the Great Trickster_3 Chapter 404: 142. Noland the Great Trickster_3 Translator: 549690339 A few mutated tentacles enjoying Soul Freeze branched out and formed Undead Runes in the air. Indeed the battles in a deadlock Im surrounded by a large amount of corrupt byproducts. Noland Lee nodded, realizing why he had been lingering for so long without encountering any corrupted soldiers coming to die. It turned out that the Dusk Giants had attracted the enemys attention, dragging them near the ritual. Time passed as Soul Freeze was cast continuously. One mutated tentacle after another exploded and was reborn on the ground, helping the Tentacle Overlord increase its soul attack resistance. Just when Noland Lee thought this state would continue, a change occurred. One of the mutated tentacles did not regenerate after self-detonating. The glow exposed in the process faded away, blending into the darkness. Nolands heart sank, and he asked, Are you not going to make it? The mutated tentacle formed Undead Runes: IndeedMy will to stay hereis weak Unable to defeat Shubicks contaminant byproduct StopWizard Let ustalk The mutated tentacle voluntarily left Nolands palm and sped up the formation of Undead Runes in front of him, making the text flow smoother: My original world was destroyed. I dont know who is responsible. I wandered the starry sky, looking for a new world. Having lost the setting sun and the earth, I became weak and was ambushed by Shubick. I drifted into your world through the starry sky. I apologize for bringing pollution from space. I need to discuss cooperation with the leaders of your world to help me revive. I will share with you the Soul-casting Technique of the Dusk Giants. Nolands mind raced, processing the information: In your world, are there only Dusk Giants, and are all of you living in harmony without disputes? Yes. The world is a homestead, and we are all family, without quarrels. No wonder Noland nodded slowly, saying: Our world is different from yours. There are numerous non-ordinary forces here. Just in our group of wizards alone, there are no less than a hundred wizard forces. Struggles are the norm, peace is only temporary. You say you can share Soul-casting Technique. Thats a big issue. People in our world are greedy. Everyone wants all the advantages for themselves and wont share with others. Im no exception. A flash of understanding shone in Nolands eyes: Oh, I see. Did you have the same conversation with the wizards from the Death Herald Guild and the Emperor of the Tatis Empire? Did they tell you that only they can help you revive and that no one else can? Since Noland began analyzing, the mutated tentacles had been stunned. Noland finally understood how innocent the Dusk Giants mentality was. This group of towering giants who used to live on another planet was not only tough but also powerful. However, they had no internal conflicts, and everyone lived in harmony. When they entered the New World, they made the mistake of assuming that the new world would be as harmonious as their original world. They naively thought that everyone in this world would treat each other with sincerity and respect. In reality, that wasnt the case at all. Compared to the native inhabitants of this world, the Dusk Giants were just simpletons. Bang~ Another mutated tentacle exploded and did not regenerate. The Dusk Giant controlling the mutated tentacles regained its senses and formed Undead Runes from them, saying: Yes. I have contacted the Death Herald Guild, the Tatis Empires Emperor, and the Ancient Dynastys Emperor. They all told me that only they can help me regenerate. Thank you for telling me about the chaos in this world. What should I do Noland pondered for two seconds, then snapped his fingers and asked: The will you have staying in this pollution zone should only be a small part of your overall will, right? Where is the rest of your will? I have divided my will into a thousand parts. There is only one-thousandth here. The rest is in the Tatis Empires palace, in the Emperors hands. Noland asked further: So what exactly are your extraordinary abilities? A strong life? Anything else? I need to understand your situation first. When I open my eyes, my physical strength is formidable. When I close them, I can control death. The Death Herald Guild said that when I close my eyes, I possess Death Series magic abilities. The Tatis Ancient Dynasty used me with my eyes closed to create the Undead Cult. They learned the Undead Runes I wrote. Noland suddenly understood the truth and thought to himself, So thats how it is. When he saw the panel information of Dusk Essence, he had guessed the relationship between the Dusk Giants and the Undead Cult. The panel information mentioned that the beginning of death is one of the Dusk Giants strengths, which implied they had the ability to control death. Bang, bang, bang. Three mutated tentacles self-detonated and did not regenerate. The situation in the battle between the Dusk Giants and Shubicks offspring was becoming more critical. Noland gently tapped his palm, saying: Alright, I know your situation. In our world, the strong must possess exceptional intelligence and profound cunning. You possess great and alluring power, but you are very susceptible to deception. This disparity is enough to drive any extraordinary individual into a frenzy, eager to deceive and plunder you. You were lucky today to meet a wizard like me who has a strong sense of right and wrong. I can help you. Chapter 405 - Chapter 405: 142.Noland the Big Bluff_4 Chapter 405: 142.Noland the Big Bluff_4 Translator: 549690339 Thank you. I believe in you. Your soul is pure, perfect, better than others. Noland Lee waved his hand, dispersing the colourful gas of the Dusk Giant: I have two suggestions for you. First, reduce your assistance to the Tatis Emperor. He is using your power to fulfill his own desires while ruining his own kingdom. The biochemical soldiers you saw at the ceremony site were created using your power. Before they became biochemical soldiers, they were ordinary people, innocent. Second, you need to think carefully about which wizard forces you want to join. The Death Herald Guild is a group of Death Clan wizards who are interested in the life essence in you hence they approached you. While the Tatis Emperor holds great power locally, hes insignificant on a global scale. The Golden Federation bordering the Tatis Empire is under the jurisdiction of the Alchemy Cathedral. Your appearance may trigger a new wave of living alchemy, resulting in many casualties. Other wizard forces have their unique desires, stands, but also their own enemies. Noland Lee held up a finger: My advice to you is not to rush to join a faction. Wait, observe and consider. Youll get the chance to encounter other wizard forces soon. Because, the Death Herald Guild in the Tatis Empire is about to pack up, a new wizard force will move into Tatis. Once you reduce your aid to the Emperor, he will have to rely on the power of wizards to resist the Undead Cult. He must choose one amidst many wizard forces. By then, you might see a list of all legitimate wizard forces. The list will record the names, purposes, character, scale, and stand of the wizard forces. Choose the wizard force you like and use your power as a bargaining chip in negotiating with the Emperor, then you can contact your preferred wizard force. Bang bang bang Several mutated tentacles exploded, implying that the will of the Dusk Giant remaining here was rapidly declining. Thank you, solid advice, Ill remember it. Before the last two of the mutated tentacles exploded, Noland Lee spoke swiftly: But one thing you should note. From what I know of the Tatis Emperor, he is an individual with a citys depth of thoughts. Seeing you actively request a particular wizard force to settle in, he would suspect that you want to use this opportunity to liberate yourself from his control. He would deliberately prevent that wizard force from coming. At that time, you should use the innocence you demonstrated before. Just express extreme dislike for a certain force, completely rejecting them from entering Tatis, and the Emperor will feel assured to let it in due to its lack of attraction to you. Did you get that? Its okay if you didnt. Just remember what I told you! The more you fancy a certain wizard force, the more you have to express your disgust for it in front of the Emperor of Tatis! Bang! Only the last mutated tentacle remained. This tentacle trembled violently, managing to draw a few Undead runes: I will remember Thank you I dont quite understand but it feels powerful Which wizard force are you a member of. Noland Lee shook his head slightly: I am a free wizard, I have no affiliation. If we have the chance to meet in the future, let our conversation today serve as my proven identity. Alright Goodbye Grateful again Youre a good person Bang Noland Lee received a card of kindness from the Dusk Giant before his departure. Noland Lees mouth twitched. Glancing over the fragments of tentacles around him, Noland Lee grinned a cheeky smile, waved his hand in front of him and cast Soul Absorption. [Soul Strength +35 points] [Soul Strength +38 points] [Soul Strength +33 points] Its back, its all back. Subtracting the cost of casting Psychic Bombardment and Soul Freeze, I made at least 600 points of Soul Strength. I also gained some serious goodwill from the Dusk Giant. It feels great~ Noland Lee rejoiced in his heart and threw a deconstruction spell at the Dusk Giant Soul-casting Technique in his mind. Expending 100 energy points to engrave the newly added Twilight Breathing Technique into his mind made his smile even wider. [Name]Twilight Breathing Technique [Type]Extraordinary legacy of the Dusk Giant [Completeness]100% [Grade]A Starland-level Breathing Method [Cultivation Progress] Level 0 0/1000 Upon filling the cultivation progress bar, attribute value rewards will be given. [Effect] Every day at dusk, sit facing the setting sun and breathe according to a specific breathing pattern to cultivate this method. You will introduce sunset energy into your body, tempering your fasciae, muscles, bones, organs, and soul. The higher the level of cultivation, the more parts you can temper and the better the effect of the cultivation. During the application of this breathing method, it will continuously consume Soul Strength and Energy Points, and has the potential to damage your body. Noland Lee chuckled: Time to cultivate immortality, I am really going to cultivate immortality now. This so-called breathing method is quite similar to the cultivation techniques in Immortal Xianxia novels that gather the energy of heaven and earth. Noland Lee happily accepted this breathing method. In a world filled with magic, mastering such a breathing method akin to cultivating techniques did not make Noland Lee feel out of place. Terms like Magic, Xian Method, Yao Method, and other terms are only different in how they are addressed. Going deeper into its connotation, cultivation methods such as Techniques, Magic and Skills only aim to enhance the basic attributes on ones personal panel. Chapter 406 - Chapter 406: 142.Noland the Big Bluff_5 Chapter 406: 142.Noland the Big Bluff_5 Translator: 549690339 From the perspective of enhancing basic attributes, magic and cultivation are treated the same, with only the names and functional descriptions being different. So theres nothing incompatible about it. Noland Lee calmed his mind and temporarily put aside the newly acquired Breathing Method. He looked around, vaguely sensing that the evil and filthy aura had become a bit stronger, and immediately assumed a stance to face the enemy. After the will of the Dusk Giants left the Pollution Zone, the Mutated Tentacles controlled by him would be killed by Shubicks offspring. Without the obstruction of the Dusk Giants, Shubicks offspring and the corrupted soldiers would be able to clear the intruders in the domain. At this moment, when the enemy had yet to appear, the power of Alien Space Noise had exponentially increased. The 20-level Soul Shield could originally withstand about half a minute. Now it only lasted 10 seconds before it shattered with a crack. Thanks to the Automatic Casting feature, the Soul Shield would automatically cast a new shield when it broke. The number of times the shield was automatically cast per second was equal to Noland Lees current mental attribute value, which was 22 times per second. Noland Lee didnt have to worry about hearing Shubicks RAP, but in order to save his Soul Strength, he decided to upgrade the Soul Shield. After killing Shubicks Incomplete Tentacle, the System rewarded 99,000 energy points. When Noland Lee used the Psychic Bombardment technique against the mutated tentacle earlier, he killed one and received a reward of 50,000 energy points from the System. The 170,000 energy points currently available were more than enough for Noland Lee to relax. He operated in his mind, upgrading the Soul Shield, Mental Shield, and Magic Shield to level 40. The shield strength of the Mental Shield and Magic Shield has been increased to 90 points. The Soul Shield can withstand 60 soul-level attacks within one minute. In this way, the duration of the Soul Shield in the Alien Space Noise was extended to 30 seconds, greatly reducing the consumption of Soul Strength. Noland Lee felt much safer. He closed the System interface and squinted down. Four flickering points of firelight appeared in the far distance. Noland Lee used Deconstruction Technique and found these were four rapidly flying corrupted soldiers. Perhaps due to the help of Shubicks corrupting power, the flight speed of these four corrupted soldiers was extremely fast. It only took about five minutes for Noland Lee to observe their figures clearly. Judging from their outlines, these four had already entered a fighting state. Noland Lee was too lazy to fight them back and forth. After some thought, he pulled out his Death Wand, pointed it at the incoming corrupted soldiers and poked it four times; he awarded one Death Finger to each of them. Boom, boom, boom, boom~~ The four corrupted soldiers exploded in mid-air, creating ferocious shockwaves. Noland Lee took out his Alchemy lamp and illuminated the area where the corrupted soldiers had died. Four black tentacles that were about to condense appeared there. Without saying a word, Noland Lee launched four more Death Fingers, sending the four tentacles on their way. The incomplete black tentacles were directly blown up by the Death Lightning, exploding into black particles with a puff and melting into the darkness of the Pollution Zone. Noland Lee took away the soul fragments and checked the combat information. Those four black tentacles he just killed had extremely weak mental attack resistance. As expected, when I used the Psychic Bombardment to kill the first corrupted soldier and tentacle, I helped the Tentacle Overlord in this area gain a little bit of mental attack resistance. This wont work. The Dusk Giant has been so gentle and friendly when it wanted to increase its resistance. But when you Shubick want to increase your resistance, you send a few corrupted soldiers in combat state to pick a fight. Out of respect for the Dusk Giant, I will definitely not help you increase your mental attack resistance. Noland Lee muttered in his heart, with a clear plan: He would only use Death Magic to fight against the enemy in this Pollution Zone. Once he left this place, he would increase his mental attribute value madly. When he could pierce Shubick with one finger, he would go to Outer Space and defeat it instantly, without giving it a chance to increase its mental attack resistance. It should be noted that in the whole world, only Noland Lee could be immune to the backlash effect of mental magic. Helping the extraterrestrial creatures increase their mental attack resistance has become a completely monopolized business for him. Little evil Shubick, trying to take advantage of corrupted soldiers and tentacles for free? No way. Noland Lee put away the Death Wand and flew towards the direction the corrupted soldiers were coming from. These foolish corrupted soldiers would not use tactics such as flanking. They must have come straight from the Ceremony Site. By flying in the opposite direction of their flight trajectory, he should be able to sneak into the Ceremony Site smoothly. Immediately as he flew for a short while, Noland Lee changed into the White Skull form, accelerating continuously, and turned into a Meteor without light in the dark environment. As he had just started flying, three black tentacles emerged from somewhere and crossed his flight path, forming a net. If not for Noland Lees good habit of flying while casting Deconstruction Techniques, he would have crashed headlong into the net. He took a sharp turn, tracing an arc, switched back to Skeleton Form, casting a series of Death Lightnings with the archaic wand. Snap, snap, snap! The Death Lightning landed on the black tentacles but didnt cause an explosion. Noland Lee looked at the combat information and nodded secretly. Chapter 407 - Chapter 407: 142. Noland the Big Bluff_6 Chapter 407: 142. Noland the Big Bluff_6 Translator: 549690339 These three black tentacles were level 15, 10 levels higher than the previous ones. If one Death Lightning couldnt kill them, hed just use a few more. Noland Lee dodged the tentacle aimed at his face and twisted his body, avoiding the black contaminated water sprayed from the swollen blisters. He purposely let a small portion of the black contaminated water touch his body, using the Magic Shield to test the damage from the water. [System Message:] [You have been attacked by Jet Corrosive Fluid.] [This attack is corrosive damage.] [The resistance of Magic Shield to this type of damage is 0%] [The shield strength of Magic Shield is -45, with 12 points remaining.] A small pool of contaminated water had deducted 45 points of shield strength. These black tentacles still had some skills. Noland Lee became increasingly cautious in his heart. Just as he decided to forcefully get rid of these three tentacles, four swaths of flame emerged from the darkness around him, and four Corrupted Soldiers surrounded him. Before Noland Lee could react, the alien space noise suddenly intensified, and more than a dozen black tentacles appeared out of nowhere, stretching their claws towards him. Noland Lee was instantly surrounded by the black tentacles and Corrupted Soldiers, trapped in danger. The level of the black tentacles on the scene ranged from the lowest at level 10 to the highest breaking through to level 20. It was obvious that the Tribal Leader of Shubick Descendants decided to crush this insignificant ant in his eyes, and the attack was a deadly hunt without reservation. The Corrupted Soldiers fired bullets and Flame Pillars towards Noland Lees face, while the black tentacles twisted and splattered large swathes of corrosive water to block Nolands retreat. Then, they simultaneously bent and gathered strength to whip Noland fiercely. While struggling to dodge the attacks amidst the siege, Nolands movements appeared slightly awkward, but he was not hurt at all. The cyclically cast Magic Shield blocked all the damage for him. However, the cost was the visible decrease in his Soul Strength on the panel. In just a short time, he automatically cast nearly two hundred shields, and his Soul Strength dropped by more than 20 points. Facing this situation, Noland Lee smiled calmly in his heart. Mage System, upgrade my Death Finger to level 100. I want to kill all these damn tentacle monsters! In the normal Wizard Group, only Tenth-Ring Wizards can master level 100 spells. My Spirit attribute is not as high as a Tenth-Ring Wizard, but no matter how weak it is, I should be able to kill these tentacle monsters with level 100 spells. [System Message:] [You have consumed 47600 points of energy.] [Death Fingers level +80, now level 100] [Death Finger consumption reduced to 0.1 point and 1 point of energy when upgraded from level 20 to level 50.] [Death Finger has an additional final damage of +50 points from level 50 to level 100.] [Death Finger level breakthrough to level 100, you triggered an upgrade reward.] [Please select any eight of the following three options, you can choose the same option repeatedly:] [Option One:] [Death Fingers final damage value +10 points. This option will change to the corresponding spells final damage value +10 points after selecting Option Two. This option will be invalid after selecting Option Three.] [Option Two:] [Death Finger transforms into Death Fist. Consume 10 points of Soul Strength and 10 points of energy to envelop your right fist with Death Energy. After accumulating ten punches or lasting one minute, this spell ends. Each punch can cause a wide range of splash damage. Upgrading and repeatedly selecting this option will increase the splash range of this spell by 1%.] [Option Three:] [Death Finger transforms into Death Two Finger. Each time this spell is cast, it will shoot two Death Rays at the same enemy or two different enemies. Upgrading and repeatedly selecting this option will increase the final damage of both rays by +2 points each.] Death Fist dealt area damage and was suitable for dealing with a large number of enemies. But there were two very awkward issues. It was a melee magic, and the casting range was limited by the casters arm span. Secondly, it was limited to the casters fists as the casting medium. When Noland Lee upgraded Death Finger to level 20 before, he had asked Denise Green. For these spells that attached magical energy to the fist, only magic gloves could be used to enhance them. The magic wand was not useful for them. Noland Lee didnt have magic gloves on him right now, so Option Two had to be ruled out. Looking at the surrounding tentacles and Corrupted Soldiers baring their fangs and claws, Noland Lee instantly chose Option Three eight times. Death Finger transformed into Death Two Finger. Noland Lee flicked his wrist, waved his magic wand, and shot death lightning at the two closest tentacles. Crack! Crack! What the.. Noland Lee was startled. It was because his spell lightning had transformed from the original thin water pipe to half a meter thick black lightning. These two lightning bolts tore apart the black tentacles shells like a whirlwind, causing a massive explosion inside them. The high-level 20 black tentacles briefly resisted for half a second, then they exploded into a sky full of black fragments amidst the bursting blisters. Not to mention being startled by Noland Lees intensified power, all the surrounding tentacles and Corrupted Soldiers were also stunned simultaneously, entering a state of mental trance. The Tribal Leader of Shubick Descendants manipulating the tentacles and soldiers behind the scenes was obviously surprised by the sudden increase in magical power. Not giving the enemy any chance to adjust their thoughts, Noland Lee spun his arm in a circle, scattering large swathes of Death Lightning like splashing water. Chapter 408 - Chapter 408: 142.Noland the Big Bluff_7 Chapter 408: 142.Noland the Big Bluff_7 Translator: 549690339 Pitter-patter pitter-patter pitter-patter Bang bang bang bang bang bang Lightning interweaved, explosions echoed together, and countless fragments flew like celestial maidens scattering flowers in all directions. A vast yet crowded area suddenly formed around Noland Lee. The enemies surrounding him were now swept away. Dense tentacle fragments and several thick clusters of death energy encircled Noland Lee. Noland glanced at the dissipating death energy clusters and exclaimed in his heart: A 100-level Death Two Finger is truly awesome! So much death energy has been wasted. How much damage did my previous output actually spill over? Noland waved his arm and collected all the soul fragments. Thanks to the soul fragments sent by my old mate Shubick! Hahaha! Nearly a thousand points of soul strength have been added to my account~ Noland sorted out the spoils of war, brought up the spell interface, and raised the Bone Spirit Flight Technique to level 40. He turned into a white skull, hissing through the air as he charged toward the ceremony site. Several more tentacles appeared out of thin air on the road. Noland transformed back into his skeleton form, threw out a death lightning, and cast Soul Absorption. [Soul Strength+0.2] [Soul Strength+0.2] [Soul Strength+0.2] Noland glanced at the system message, confirming that he hadnt misread it. The Tribal Leader of Shubick Descendants had made some adjustments to his tentacles, lowering their soul strength to one point. Hey, what a sinister and cunning alien. Realizing that he couldnt kill me, he sent guys with barely any soul strength to die and grind resistance. Noland sneered dismissively. He turned into a white skull and continued flying. In a certain part of the Pollution Zone where Noland upgraded his Death Finger, Just as Noland left, several black tentacles appeared out of thin air. They swam through the quickly dissipating death energy clusters like ribbonfish swimming in water. They savored the sensation of death energy corroding their outer shells, their outer membranes opening and closing like mouths, absorbing the death energy. The death energy clusters, which could have lasted for three minutes, were eaten by the black tentacles in half a minute. The tentacles that finished their share first left and turned into shadows that quickly darted through the Pollution Zone. One tentacle after another ate its fill and left, leaving only one tentacle swallowing the last bit of death energy. A flash of metallic cold light shot through and pierced the black tentacle. The source of the cold light was a metal ball the size of a marble. After it entered the black tentacles body, its volume rapidly expanded, turning into a spiked metal ball in half a second. As the metal spikes pierced through the tentacles outer shell, the ball expanded the tentacle into a round shape. Originally slender in appearance, the black tentacle now became a thin layer of skin wrapped around the spiked metal ball. Under these circumstances, the black tentacle was severely injured, but not dead. And if it wasnt dead, it couldnt transmit the damage it had taken to the Tentacle Overlord in this space. A metal palm waved through the air, summoning the metal ball to its side. Wearing a silver-white mask, Morster scanned his surroundings gravely and muttered to himself: There are traces of residual death energy Who used death magic here? Hiss Thats not right. The Professor didnt tell me there would be a Death Wizard here. Could it be that an unruly wandering wizard entered the Pollution Zone? Or did someone from the Death Herald Guild sneak in? Morster raised his left hand, and a metal compass materialized on the back of his hand. No good, I need to chase after them and see. If this Death Wizard is here to cause trouble, then closing the Pollution Zone will definitely be hindered. Morster spun the compasss revolver with his fingertip, adjusting it to track death energy mode. The compass clicked several times as it spun. A metal needle rose from the dial, bent itself, and pointed downward at an angle. Morsters body quickly shrank, turning into a slender metal spike. With the tentacle sealed in the metal ball behind him, he flew swiftly downward. Chapter 409 - Chapter 409: 143. Life and Death Duel Chapter 409: 143. Life and Death Duel Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee flew forward a short distance, and no tentacles or corrupted soldiers caused trouble for him anymore. He initially thought it was because Shubick found it unprofitable to fight him, but later discovered it was because the Alchemy Sage in the alchemy ship had clashed with the Tribal Leader of Shubick Descendants. In the far distance, an alchemy ship, the Tribal Leader of Shubick Descendants, and a throng of busy black tentacles amidst a vast array of broken black shards appeared. The alchemy ship appeared intact inside the Pollution Zone. As its controller, the Alchemy Sage never left the ships control room. When entering the Pollution Zone, the Spatial Transfer failed to separate the Alchemy Sage and his ship. As an alchemy creation designed specifically for war, it moved with unparalleled speed, reaching the Ceremony Site far faster than Noland Lee. The Ceremony Site was the second thing he saw in the distance. At first, the Ceremony Site consisted of flat patterns formed by Imperial Soldier blood on the ground. Now, it had turned into a floating three-dimensional figure with a fragmented appearance similar to a broken porcelain plate. The structure was pitch-black and broken into hundreds of shards. The ritual connecting Outer Space had created a gap in the Star Filtering Net, serving as a Teleportation Gate to the Outer Space for Shubick. The Ceremony Site in the Pollution Zone acted as an anchor point for the Teleportation Gate, providing navigational guidance for Shubick. The Outer Space gap had been closed, and the teleportation anchor point of the ritual lay in ruins. For Shubicks descendants in the Pollution Zone, repairing the teleportation anchor point and reopening the Outer Space gap was of utmost importance. This led to a bustling scene of battle: The Tribal Leader of Shubick Descendants was using its body, which was over a kilometer long, to tightly entangle the alchemy ship. It secreted a vast amount of corrosive black water from swollen bubbles to suppress the alchemy cannons on the ship, preventing it from shooting at the already shattered teleportation anchor point. Combat Alchemists who were teleported into various parts of the Pollution Zone by the Spatial Transfer were now converging from all directions. They either tried to board the ship to help the Alchemy Sage fire energy beams or lingered outside the ship, using their alchemy firearms to attack the Tentacle Overlord. While the Tentacle Overlord clashed with the alchemy ship, the other tentacles scrambled to repair the ritual array. They wrapped up the Array shards, piecing them together with sticky secretion from swollen bubbles. A large bunch of black tentacles of roughly between Level 5 and Level 20 were completely absorbed in the task of repairing the teleportation anchor point. The newly arrived Combat Alchemists had received orders from the Alchemy Sage to abandon the entangled Alchemy Ship, focusing their attacks on the Tentacles repairing the anchor point. Two focal points of battle unfolded on the same battlefield: The Tentacle Overlord fought the alchemy ship, while the Combat Alchemists battled the tentacle underlings. Energy bullets and beams of elemental energy flew through the dark Pollution Zone, illuminating a wide swath of the area. As Noland Lee arrived, the fierceness of the battle was clearly approaching its peak. He cast Soul Absorption toward the wreckage of the fallen tentacles. [System Message:] [Failed to collect this time.] [No soul fragments exist on the target wreckage.] What an embarrassment. All of these soul fragments from the tentacle remains were already absorbed by the Combat Alchemists. These professional Alchemists, dressed in lightweight alchemy armor made of high-performance alchemical alloys and wielding powerful alchemy hand cannons, had mechanical arms mounted on their backs that carried alchemy energy shields and axes. Crystals embedded in their palms absorbed any soul fragments, which in turn released soul energy under the influence of the alchemy arrays, turning these fragments into the elemental energy needed for their alchemy weapons. In Noland Lees eyes, soul fragments were casting materials. For the Combat Alchemists, they were energy supply lines on the battlefield. Both sides needed the soul fragments. After some thought, Noland Lee decided not to compete for the soul fragments with the Combat Alchemists to avoid any unnecessary trouble. He trusted the reputation of the Golden Commerce Guild, believing that they would fairly distribute the soul fragments in the soul-absorbing crystal after the battle. After all, these soul fragments were also part of the Spoils of War. If I hadnt encountered the mutated tentacle, I wouldnt have wasted time helping it build resistance. I would have been one of the first to arrive here, with a high chance of killing many tentacles. There are gains and losses. Missing out on scavenging for soul fragments has been compensated with the Twilight Breathing Technique. This trade is still more than profitable. Noland Lee comforted himself in his mind. He glanced at the scene where alchemists and tentacles were engaged in fierce combat and saw Derek Davis, who was hollering as he fired energy bullets. Noland Lee went up to greet him, then wisely left the battlefield. It wasnt out of cowardice, but rather because stray bullets could catch him amidst all the alchemy magical energy bullets and beam waves being fired around. Just moments ago, when he cast Soul Absorption, he got ever so slightly closer to the center of the battlefield. In the short time he spent near the center, he was hit by dozens of bullets, resulting in his shields strength rapidly dropping. Chapter 410 - Chapter 410: 143. Life and Death Duel_2 Chapter 410: 143. Life and Death Duel_2 Translator: 549690339 Due to the high elemental energy resistance of the tentacles, a massive amount of elemental energy is needed to damage them. All alchemists, including Derek Davis of the Golden Merchants Sword, have turned up the output power of their alchemy firearms to the maximum. From this, one can imagine how dense the gunfire at the scene is, and how brutal the energy bullets and beams shot along the gun lines are. Noland Lee flew about 3 kilometers away in one breath, avoiding the misfired energy bullets from a distance and patiently waiting for the battle between the two sides to end. Considering that the soul fragments would be snatched away by alchemists, he decided not to take action anymore to avoid getting into a thankless situation. Moreover, most alchemists did not know the details of the death wizards. They would subconsciously regard the only skeleton at the scene as their enemy. Noland Lee was inadvertently injured by elemental energy just now, and there was a slight meaning of friendly fire besides the blindness of the guns. Noland Lee didnt argue with the alchemists about this. He stood quietly on the outskirts of the battlefield, entering a bystander state. At this moment, a thin metal spike flew from a distance, aiming directly at Noland Lees location. Behind the metal spike, several black tentacles were stretched into a spherical shape by a metal sphere, tightly following the flying metal spike. Noland Lee maintained his Life and Death Tracking magic vision at all times. He detected the metal spike with life signs in the first place. After throwing out several Deconstruction techniques, Noland Lee nodded secretly, knowing that he had been targeted by Morster, the acting commander of Division Intelligence Unit Two. After learning from Denise Green that Morster would be coming to the Pollution Zone, Noland Lee had thought of several ways to deal with it. He remained unmoved at this moment, standing in place, waiting for the other party to come to him. Morster came to Noland Lee and transformed from a metal spike into a human figure wearing a cloak, with a silver-white metal layer covering his exposed skin. As soon as he stopped, he asked: Which lecturing professors wizard are you? Noland Lee glanced at the other party, shooting indifferent eyes from his hollow eye sockets: Shouldnt you introduce yourself before asking someones background? I am Morster, from Hotams Magic Academy, a metal battle mage. Morsters tone was stiff, deliberately emphasizing the word combat: Your voiceit feels familiar to me. Have we met before? The Disguise Magic that can change voices is Disguise as a Living Corpse. Breath of the Dead cannot change the tone. At the same time, Noland Lee could only maintain one form of disguise magic. Hearing that the other party felt that his voice was familiar, Noland Lee had doubts. He was 100% sure that he had never met Morster before, so why would the other party have an impression of his voice? Noland Lee slightly turned his skull to look at Morster. On Morsters metal mask, waves of metal ripples appeared, as if quickly thinking. Two seconds later, Morsters tone became somber: I know who you are now, Noland Lee Jarvis. Noland Lee turned around and stood facing Morster: Is it a bit hasty to judge someones identity just by the sound of their voice? Morster slowly shook his head: No, I wont mistake it. The Metal Memory Device in my brain never confuses your sound waves with others. My Identifying Metal Pupils tell me that the spell you are now casting is Breath of the Dead, and this spell conflicts with the voice-modifying spell. Your voice now is your real voice. You are Noland Lee Jarvis. I never thought that I would come here and find such a harvest. Morster took a step back with his left foot and stood sideways facing Noland Lee. He raised his metal right hand, gripping the metal magic wand extending from the palm of his hand, and said in a tone that left no room for doubt: Come with me, Noland Lee Jarvis. I will take you back to Tatis Empire for questioning. You are suspected of killing a descendant of the Emperor, her name is Kasha, you should know who I am talking about. Also, I suspect the legitimacy of your wizard identity. Any Ulnas Ring wizard entering the Pollution Zone must report to the Lecturer Professor and be listed in the Mass Wizard Tombs Pollution Zone explorer list. My professor never told me that another Ulnas Ring wizard would enter here. So, you are not an Ulnas Ring wizard. You may be a Wild Wizard, Grey Wizard, or even a Wizard Criminal. Regardless of your specific identity, I advise you to give up resistance and dont force me to use violence. Noland Lee said indifferently: Interesting statement. If I really am the person you claim, how do you plan to deal with me? Holding the metal magic wand, Morster replied: If you are a legal wizard, your rights are protected by Ulnas Circle Law. Your act of harming Kasha is enough to make you an Impure Wizard. I will escort you to the Wizard Enforcement Department to surrender. As long as you accept the punishment, then as Kashas brother, but also a member of Hotams, I cannot retaliate against you according to Ulnas Circle Law. However, the Intelligence Department 1 of Tatis Empire may not necessarily do so. Even if you accept the punishment from the Wizard Enforcement Department, Intelligence Department 1 will not let you go. If you are not a legal wizard, your rights are not protected by the Ulnas Circle, then as a direct descendant of the Emperor and the acting commander of Division Intelligence Unit Two of Tatis Empire, I have the right to impose the death penalty on the murderer of accomplice. Chapter 411 - Chapter 411: 143. Duel of Life_3 Chapter 411: 143. Duel of Life_3 Translator: 549690339 Morster paused: Surrender now. Your death magic might be powerful, but if you have a slight understanding, you would know that the Metal Series Wizards of Hotams are amongst the mightiest wizard forces. Unless you are a professor level wizard from the Death Series, dont bother thinking you can escape from me. I have heard of the renown of that you Metal Wizards possess, Noland Lee had already learned about the strength of the Metal Wizards from Denise Green in advance. The wizards of this faction would arm themselves with various types of magic metal. The Metal Memory Device and Identify Metal Pupils that Morster mentioned, as well as the metal shell on his skin, the Metal Magic Wand in his hand, and so on, are all products of Metal Magic. This is a wizard faction that highly integrates magic metal with a wizards thinking. Their offensive techniques are not as simple as launching a few metal spikes. Hotams Metal System Wizards are synonymous with combat wizards. Each of them is a professional combatant capable of challenging ranks one to three levels higher. Though Esme Smith possesses a strength of sixth rank, she specializes in scientific research at sea. As a Three-circled Metal Wizard, Morster only needs half a minute to kill Esme Smith. Thats correct, for a Three-circled Metal Wizard to challenge and kill a sixth-rank scientific research-oriented Alchemist, it only requires half a minute. The combat alchemists on the alchemy ship, like the Fifth-Order Golden Merchant, Derek Davis, could compete with Morster by relying on their sturdy Alchemy Weaponry. The power to challenge a fifth-order combat alchemist with the strength of Three Circles; this is the terror of wizard forces that live for combat. The Tomb King, Night Spirit Cult, and Revivalists Cult Noland Lee encountered before are not combat-oriented; they each have their own areas of expertise. Elemental Judgement, bearing the title of Judgement, is a wizard force involved in combat. However, its fighting ability is far lesser than that of the Metal Branch of Hotams. If one were to rank based only on combat strength, Hotams Metal Branch would be in the top ten, while Elemental Judgement would be around rank thirty. After Noland Lee learned about the Metal Branch in detail from Denise Green, he drew a conclusion: This is not a world where combat power is classified by the extraordinary level. The so-called combat field is only one of the areas of expertise that the Extraordinary can choose. A sixth-rank extraordinary may not necessarily be stronger than a third-rank. It really depends on the areas of expertise of both parties. Only when it comes to Extraordinaries within the same field can one use the levels to measure their strengths within that realm. A Three-circled Metal Wizard is stronger than a sixth-rank non-combat field Alchemist; this is the truth in this world. When Noland Lee was recognized by Morster due to his tone of voice, he knew he had to switch to his backup plan. Giving consideration to the fact that Morster had the backing of Hotams, the oldest wizard force, killing him is not the preferred choice, as it would cause endless troubles. In contrast, it might be better to defeat him in a duel and conquer both his body and heart. Noland Lee lifted his right hand, palm curving upwards, and made the universally provoking gesture: Give it all, Morster. Prove your strength. Defeat me first, and then bluster before me. Many metal spikes appeared on Morsters metal skin, he gritted his teeth and said: Are you sure you want to make enemies with the Hotams Academy and Tatis? Im giving you one more chance. Noland Lee waved his hand nonchalantly in reply: Dont misunderstand. Im not against you, your backing wizard forces, or Tatis. I am only attempting to reshape the entire world in accordance with my ideas. These werent Nolands words. After deconstructing Morster and obtaining his important memory fragments, Noland Lee had found these words in a memory fragment named Fathers Declaration. He invoked these words to coincide with the image he was about to build in Morsters heart. These words indeed struck Morster as shocking once Noland uttered them. Reshape the world Morster was stunned, unable to distinguish whether the person before him was boasting or truly possessed such ambitions and confidence. How preposterous. You dare to utter words like reshaping the world. In my eyes, only my father has the right to claim he will reshape the world. He has made such a promise to me Do you, a criminal illegal wizard, think youre worthy to say such words? Emotions ran high in Morsters voice. Apparently, Noland Lee speaking the same words as the Emperor had greatly annoyed him: Enough! I dont want to hear your explanations anymore. If you have no intention to surrender, the Ulnas Circle duel rules will enfource a life and death duel. Noland Lee nodded slightly, drawing his magic wand: Come on, give it your all, Morster. I had heard how terrifying your Metal Wizards Bullet Magic is, allow me to get a glimpse of this magic. This is what you asked for Morster revealed his body, completely covered in silver metal, from under his cloak. A ripple quickly appeared on the silver metal, densely packed together. In less than about five seconds, regular stripes appeared on his smooth and wrinkle-free metal skin. Impressive Active Magical Metal Armor. Youve adjusted the armor parameters to reflect 90% of death energy, right? Noland Lee admired Morsters combat stance and responded slowly. Chapter 412 - Chapter 412: 143. Life and Death Duel_4 Chapter 412: 143. Life and Death Duel_4 Translator: 549690339 Youll know when you try. Morsters voice turned into a dry, metallic collision sound. Noland Lee flicked his wrist, casting two black lightning bolts half a meter thick. Crackle, crackle! piu~piu~ The black lightning that could easily shatter level 20 tentacles, struck Morsters body without causing any explosion. In the two bouncing sounds, they were deflected by the magic metal armor and disappeared into the dim surroundings shortly after. As for the metallic skin where the black lightning hit, two black scorch marks appeared. The magical runes on the surface of the metallic skin wriggled a few times, and the black scorch marks were absorbed by the metallic skin until they were completely clean. The silvery-white metallic skin shone like new once again. Impressive, the reputation of the Magic Metal Armor and Metal Mind Meditation is well-deserved. No wonder metal wizards always disdain the magic spell Magic Shield. With such a powerful defense from the Magic Metal Armor, you can indeed leave Magic Shield behind. Noland Lee sincerely praised. The metal wizards of Hotams connect their thoughts to the magic metal on their bodies through a meditation method called Metal Mind. With just a thought, they can change the microscopic structure of the magic metal surface within a few seconds, allowing them to reflect certain energy rays. The principle is similar to how a smooth mirror can reflect light. As a three-circled metal wizard, Morsters active magical metal armor can reflect about 90% of death energy. The two black scorch marks that appeared on the surface of the metallic skin were the 10% of death energy that was not reflected. They were absorbed by the metal partition in the magic metal armor. Morster used some method to store them as reserve energy. The higher the circle level, the more types of energy rays metal wizards can reflect. At the same time, Morster had the strength of three circles, and he could only reflect three types of energy rays, with a reflection rate of around 90%. When he reached four circles, the reflection quantity would increase by 1, but the reflection rate would remain the same. Only after becoming a Seven-Ring metal wizard, the reflection rate would increase, and before that, it would only increase the reflection quantity. Noland Lee didnt know how the metal wizards meditation and magic metal operated specifically, as it was the mystery of Hotams metal wizards. But that didnt prevent him from affirming the combat power of Hotams metal wizards. With just the defensive means that could reflect 90% of the energy rays, Morster, as a three-circled metal wizard, had enough confidence to challenge higher levels. After Morster deflected Noland Lees Death Lightning, he tilted his head slightly and said: The force feedback from Sense Metal Skeleton shows that your two Death Lightning bolts just now had a total magical power of 1340 points, comparable to an ordinary Sixth ring Death Clan Wizard. If I were an ordinary Third-Ring wizard, even if I cast Magic Shield in advance, I would still be instantly killed by you. Your mastery of magic is indeed high, but you are not a Sixth ring Death Clan Wizard. The analysis results of Identify Metal Pupils show that your strength is between the first and third rings. Your strength is so low, but why can you cast such high-powered death magic? Its suspicious. Morster held his wand, but instead of attacking immediately, he asked: You just used Death Two Finger, right? A high-level Death Magic that was modified from Death Finger. High-level Death Magic can only be casually cast by a main lecturing professor-level wizard. Although your magical power is high, you are still not at the level of a lecturer professor. So, did you use the spell recorded on the wand to cast the Death Two Finger spell? Strange, strange, very strange. The wand that records the Death Two Finger spell should be a luxurious and exquisite high-level magic wand, right? But the wand in your hand is just an ordinary hand-threaded magic wand, and its impossible to carry high-level magic. Morsters forehead split open with a vertical metal slit for his eye, his metal pupil looking left and right at Noland Lee. This was the Identify Metal Pupil, an essential internal metal magic creation for metal wizards. Opening a metal eye slit on the forehead is the external manifestation of a metal wizard fully activating the Identify Metal Pupil to observe the target. It seemed that the many abnormalities appearing on Noland Lee had aroused Morsters strong attention. Noland Lee looked at the mumbling Morster with a hint of envy in his heart. These lines were written on his personal panel: [Blood Volume] Cannot measure You are a pure organic body. Your blood volume cannot be displayed as data. In contrast, Noland Lee had just shot the Death Two Finger spell when he received this passive deconstruction message from the system: [Deconstruction Success!] [Your WizardMorster deconstruction completion degree has increased by 3.5%] [You have gained the following deconstruction results:] [The panel information of WizardMorster has been updated, adding content related to Magic Metal Armor and Magic Metal Partition.] [Specifics are as follows:] [1. Magic Metal Armor] [Type] Metal Magic Creation [Style] Active, Morster can actively adjust the energy reflection rate of the armor. [Item Level] Level 30 [Armor Value] 900/900 [Built-in Resistance] Kinetic Resistance 50% This resistance is provided by the physical structure of the magic metal itself. When the reflective coating is enabled, Morster can increase the kinetic resistance up to 70% instead of 90%. [Reflective Coating Status] Chapter 413 - Chapter 413: 143. Life and Death Duel_5 Chapter 413: 143. Life and Death Duel_5 Translator: 549690339 No.1 Reflective Coating: Reflecting Death Energy, reflection rate of 90% No.2 Reflective Coating: Not enabled No.3 Reflective Coating: Not enabled Adjusting the reflection type, reflection rate, or enabling/disabling the reflective coating requires 5 seconds of operation time. (Insufficient degree of deconstruction, unable to obtain more information) [2. Magic Metal Partition] [Type]Metal Magic Creation [Style]Passive, passively absorbs energy not reflected by reflective coatings. [Item Level]30 [Armor Value]89/90, recovering automatically, expected to be fully restored in 10 seconds. [Energy-absorbing Barrier Status] No.1 Energy-absorbing Barrier: Absorbing Death Energy, absorption rate 99%. Death Energy not absorbed will damage the armor value. No.2 Energy-absorbing Barrier: Not enabled No.3 Energy-absorbing Barrier: Not enabled (Insufficient degree of deconstruction, unable to obtain more information) Clearly, since magic metal is easier to monitor damage than the flesh, the system directly labels the Armor Value column in the deconstruction results. This is equivalent to digitizing metal magic products, making it easier to monitor the extent of damage. For metal magic creations like Identify Metal Pupils and Sense Metal Skeleton, their panel information can also be digitized, clearly marking the Armor Value. Armor Value corresponds to the Health of the flesh. If one day, Noland Lee transformed himself into a magic metal man, his Health would be replaced by Armor Value. With that, he could monitor battle data at all times. Visualized body data is undoubtedly crucial for wizards specializing in combat. Noland Lee thinks so, and so do the combat wizards of this world. In fact, within the Ulnas Circle, none of the top 10 combat wizard forces fight with purely flesh bodies. They all have modified their bodies, using meditation methods to connect to the magic components on their bodies, and thus obtain visualized body data. Noland Lee closed his minds deconstruction results and said to the dumbfounded Morster: You should be glad I didnt want to kill you. Otherwise, the time you were distracted was enough for me to finish you off. Morster shuddered, came to his senses, and clenched the magic wand in his hand: I understand now. I see why you are so weird from head to toe. Did you get any extraordinary traits from the star pollutant? Its this extraordinary trait that allows you to cast high-level magic, isnt it? Youre lucky, Noland Lee Jarvis. This should be the top-notch extraordinary trait High Magic Low Achieve in the Star Stone Level, or the Magic Proficient, Innate Wizard in the Star Land Level. Whichever extraordinary trait it is, you used it in the wrong place. You shouldnt have used it against me and the dead Kasha. Noland Lee didnt bother to argue with him; he had other important things to do. His gaze locked on the metal magic wand in Morsters hand, which was a hollow tube, similar to a rifle barrel. After inquiring about the information of the Hotams Metal Department, Noland Lee always wanted to deconstruct something from the metal wizards body. That was the exclusive metal magic wand for metal wizards. This was the thinnest part of Morsters magic metal armor. Destroy the wand, and Morster would be like a toothless tiger, while Noland Lee could also gain knowledge related to the metal magic wand. The metal magic wand was very powerful and could be considered a handheld railgun on the magic side. As long as the production blueprint did not require the creator to master the Metal Mind Meditation, Noland Lee was confident in replicating it. Noland Lee held his breath and concentrated, his wrist shaking continuously for more than a dozen times, shooting out dense layers of electric light. Deadly lightning bolts like black pythons shot straight at the magic wand in Morsters hand. The speed of the Death Lightning was extremely fast, far beyond the reaction ability of a three-circled wizard. Morster thought these lightning bolts were aimed at his body and subconsciously wanted to block with his body, but suddenly realized that the wand in his hand was the target. By the time he reacted, it was too late. A total of 30 Death Lightning bolts almost simultaneously fell on the same point. The magic metal armor played its role, deflecting most of the Death Energy, but the tip of the wand still inevitably burst into black sparks. Crackle crackle crackle piu~piu~piu~ Boom! The Death Energy that couldnt be deflected exploded on the wand. Morsters wrist was pushed by the explosion, violently swinging backwards, and his body shook. If it werent for the wand connected to the base of his palm, the explosion would have blown it away. Noland Lee glanced at the battle information in his mind before Morster adjusted his body posture. Passive deconstruction activation occurred, and he obtained part of the panel information of the metal magic wand. This wand was called Metal Projectile Magic Wand, with an item level of 30. It can use magic energy to charge magic metal bullets and then launch them. Death Two Finger can only cause Death Energy damage, having a single type of damage and being easily countered. Magical metal bullets are different. Their penetration power is excellent. Moreover, in addition to the kinetic energy damage inherent in the bullet head, it can also add other types of damage to the bullet head based on the type of magic energy used for charging. Chapter 414 - Chapter 414: 143. Life and Death Duel_6 Chapter 414: 143. Life and Death Duel_6 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee quickly scanned the deconstruction results and sighed helplessly in his heart. The Metal Projectile Magic Wand requires the Metal Mind Meditation Method. Only by mastering this meditation method can one inscribe miniature metal magical runes inside the wand. It seemed that Morsters metal magic creations all required the Metal Mind Meditation Method. Noland Lee couldnt help feeling regretful. He had discovered during his previous kills of Hickman Arlington and Greenshaw that Passive Deconstruction was unable to obtain any magic books related to meditation methods. Without the support of meditation methods, he wouldnt be able to create or use metal magic creations. Lee discarded the idea of ??deconstructing metal magic creations and, shaking his wrist continuously, used deadly lightning to suppress his opponent: Hey, Morster, can you still store energy in your magic wand? Your previous arrogant attitude seemed as if you had already beaten me. Has your confidence never wavered since you became a Metal Wizard and never tasted defeat? Facing Noland Lees mockery, Morster remained silent. He resisted the death lightning falling on his body and magic wand, forcibly transforming into metal spikes, entering flight status, and heading away from Noland Lee. Death Lightning does not have a tracking function and can only hit where it is aimed, depending on how accurate Noland Lees aim is. After Morster began to fly, his moving speed suddenly accelerated. He constantly changed his flight posture and direction in mid-air, flying at an irregular zigzag path at high speed. The distance between the two parties was suddenly widened, and the black lightning fired by Noland Lee gradually lost its accuracy. At this time, the shortcoming of the Spirit attribute was revealed. Noland Lees Spirit Attribute Value was only 22 points, and his spell control was limited, with a maximum effective range of 10 times the attribute value, which was 220 meters. Once beyond this distance, accuracy drops sharply. On the other hand, Morster. As a standard Three-Ring Wizard, his Spirit Attribute Value reached as high as 95 points. His spell effective range was four times that of Noland Lee, reaching 950 meters. As long as he keeps distance and maintains it, the longer the effective range of a spell, the greater the chance of winning. Every Combat Wizard knew this. After flying more than 200 meters in one breath, Morster found that Noland Lees spell hit rate dropped significantly. He resumed his human form, and looked at Noland Lee from a distance. A Death Lightning struck, passing only one meter away from him. At this moment, Morster was in a static state, but Noland Lee still failed to hit him. Now Morster understood that Noland Lees powerful magical power was not due to the vast Spiritual Ocean, but the Extraordinary Traits. Looking at the effective range of spells, Noland Lees Spiritual Ocean might only be at the level of a First-Ring Wizard. Your Extraordinary Traits are truly peculiar, allowing you, a First-ring Wizard, to control the power of death comparable to a Sixth-Ring Non-Combat Wizard. Fortunately, your Spiritual Ocean is not big enough, so your control over spells is extremely limited. Otherwise, I might not be able to defeat you. Morster noticed that the strength of Noland Lees Magic Shield was equivalent to a Four-ring Wizard. With the conventional Magic Bullet shot from the Metal Magic Wand, it was impossible to achieve a fatal effect in one blow. Therefore, Morster had to ask the professor for permission to use higher-level projectile magic. Morster called out to his Lecturer Professor in his heart, praying for his help. He raised the Metal Magic Wand in his hand and waited for the professors authorization. A strange feeling arose in his heart. Why didnt Noland Lee Jarvis come up quickly to catch up? Without closing the distance, how could Death Magic accurately hit the enemy? Morster was puzzled, but he didnt take any further action. If the opponent didnt move, neither would he. The top priority was to quickly contact the professor and pray for the authority to use high-level Projectile Magic. A peculiar scene emerged on the battlefield. Morster held up his magic wand, aimed at Noland Lee, and stood still, anxiously waiting for the professors authorization. And Noland Lee, on the other hand, put away his Death Wand, took out an Alchemy Rifle, and showed no intention of catching up with the target. The Alchemy Rifle in his hand could be loaded with Ice Bullets and Flame Bullets, which he created while practicing Alchemy. Noland Lee aimed his rifle at Morster more than 200 meters away, put the sights reticle on the opponents head, and pulled the trigger. Bang! A large amount of Wind Elemental Energy was output from the alchemy array in the guns chamber, creating a high-pressure air current, pushing the Ice Bullet out of the barrel. Oxygen was not required for the whole process, so Alchemy Firearms could be used as usual in this environment. The Ice Bullet, traveling at a speed of 300 meters per second, crossed the empty space between the two and hit Morsters metal body with a ding, exploding into a bunch of cold ice shards. Morster scanned the ice debris with Identify Metal Pupils and analyzed the main composition of the bullet to be the Ice Elemental energy. He activated his Metal Mind Meditation, communicated with his Magic Metal Armor, and enabled the No. 2 Reflective Coating, raising the reflection rate of the Ice Elemental energy to 90%. In this way, he no longer needed to worry about the damage caused by the Ice Bullet. Bang! Another gunshot, and the Alchemy Bullet pushed by the high-pressure gas array came. This time, it was not an Ice Bullet, but a Flame Bullet that produced intense flames upon impact. As an Alchemical Product, the Flame Bullets kinetic damage was negligible; the main damage came from the flame damage caused by the Fire Elemental energy. Chapter 415 - Chapter 415: 143. Life and Death Duel_7 Chapter 415: 143. Life and Death Duel_7 Translator: 549690339 Morster activated the No. 3 Reflective Coating, raising the fire elemental energy reflection rate to 90%. You want to use different types of damage to interfere with me? Useless! Noland Lee Jarvis! Morster shouted: I have calculated the distance of your casting, at most 220 meters! Besides alchemical weapons, what other means could touch me? Just bring it on! I will take it with my magic metal armor! Noland Lee faced Morsters yelling and laughed indifferently: Are you contacting your professor to authorize you to use advanced projectile magic, Morster? You want to put me in a desperate situation? Since you know what I am doing, why dont you come and stop me? As for whether to kill you, I still say, go back to Tatis with me to stand trial, or accept the punishment from the Wizard Enforcement Department, then I will spare you. Morster shouted. His doubts grew stronger and stronger. Why hasnt the other party caught up yet? I have to tell you something, Morster. Noland Lee calmly said: I dont kill you because of your sister Marsha Murphys sake. What?! How would you know the relationship between Marsha and me? How could it be possibleMorster obviously froze. Of course I know who you are, and I also know that you have a good relationship with Murphy. Considering that my impression of Murphy is not bad, I have not killed you all the time. Noland Lee said. Why did you kill Kasha then?! Morster yelled. Noland Lee said: Leaving aside the fact that Kasha is your half-sister, do you think she, who kills innocent people to take credit, distorts the facts, and frames many people, should die? As the acting commander of Division Intelligence Unit Two, you should be very clear about the heinous acts the Intelligence Unit has committed in recent years, dont you? Its not your turn to judge! Morster roared: Who do you think you are? What qualification do you have to determine someones guilt? What qualifications do you have to use private punishment? So, Morster, Noland Lee faced the angry opponent and calmly said: Who can judge people like Kasha? Of course, its the court! Has the court judged her? Has it judged people like her? After you became the acting commander, did you hand over these people who had committed crimes to the court? Noland Lee asked: Tell me, Morster, how many of the Intelligence Unit Two members who have actually committed crimes have received the punishment they deserve? I Morster hesitated, When the time is ripe, I will send them to prison! I have been reforming Division Intelligence Unit Two! The first thing I did after taking office as the acting commander was to stop my subordinates from killing innocents and taking credit! You are not qualified to meddle in these matters! No, I am qualified. Noland Lee smiled and said: I admit, its a bit difficult to kill you, but your life is still in my hands. I wont kill you because of Murphys sake. Of course, there are also your own reasons. I know you very well, Morster. I know what kind of person you are. Your mother, Adelaide Carter, was a wizard from the Revivalists Cult, a Four-circled power. When you were young, she discovered that you had magical talent. With the help of her wizard status, she sent you to Hotams Magic Academy in the Ulnas Circle, claiming that you went to the Alchemy Academy in the Golden Federation. You had been living in the Ulnas Circle until recently when you were called back to the country by a secret letter from your mother. You performed outstandingly in the Hotams Magic Academy, having excellent academic achievements, and won many quarter-final positions in the Academy competittions. You were well-behaved, honest, diligent in learning, without any bad habits, devoted to studying magic, and learning the advanced laws of the Ulnas Circle. You planned to return to the empire after helping your mother reform her own country. In my eyes, you are a person of both good character and good academic performance, with great strength and diligence. There is no guilt on you. I wont kill someone like you. Because my principle is to let good people have a good end, and evil people must be punished. You are not on my kill list. Since Noland Lee mentioned Adelaide, Morster was in a daze and said intermittently: Youyouhow would you know about my mothers businesshow could it be possiblehow could you know so much about me Noland Lee put away the alchemy firearm in his hand and opened his arms to Morster: I admit that I was a bit impulsive when I killed Kasha. At that time, I had just recovered from anger and sanity, so it was inevitable to act recklessly. You are right, I dont have the qualifications to judge anyone, nor do I have the qualifications to use corporal punishment. Now that I think about it, it seems that I have caused a lot of trouble unknowingly because of the use of private punishment. I have learned from your suggestions. In the future, I will hand over those who deserve to die to the forces that can judge them, so as not to kill one, and another comes, and whats more, it is an innocent person like you. Noland Lee maintained his arms outstretched and continued: Come on, Morster. Shoot at me and use all your strength to infuse your anger and hatred for me into the magic metal bullet. If it shows that you cant stop me even with a borrowed professors advanced magic, lets cancel our grudges, okay? I dont want to see a person walking on the right path being blinded by revenge and going astray. Chapter 416 - Chapter 416: 143. Life and Death Duel_8 Chapter 416: 143. Life and Death Duel_8 Translator: 549690339 Morster remained silent for half a second, and the space around him began to fluctuate. A lava ocean appeared on his back out of nowhere, the fire-red glow illuminating a large area, and the searing waves swept in, raising the surrounding temperature by several degrees. A giant iron hammer wrapped in flames swirled out of the lava ocean, striking a clang on Morsters back. Morsters silver metal body instantaneously heated up during this resounding hit, turning into a glowing red-hot branding iron. Morster gripped his metal magic wand with both hands, aiming the gun-like tip at Noland Lee. The heat from his body flowed into the magic wand, and the blazing red fire, like a stream, poured into the empty body of the wand. A bright, blinding flame gushed out of the tip. The silver-white wand turned to a red-hot, then an even hotter golden-white color. Morster roared: Fine, its settled! If I cant kill you with this attack, our grudge ends here! But you will die! You will definitely die!!! Bang!!! The tiny magic bullet, dragging a three-meter diameter massive tail flame, rushed towards Noland Lee. In less than one-tenth of a second, this magic bullet, filled with anger and magical power, arrived at Noland Lees body. Morster widened his eyes. Under his gaze, the grand magic projectile passed through Noland Lees body and landed on the remote teleportation portal anchor fragment, creating a huge explosion that engulfed half of the ceremony site. As they looked at Noland Lee, who had been pierced by the magic projectile, he still stood unharmed in the same spot. In his skeleton form, not a single bone was injured. No its impossible how could this happen Morster shook his head in disbelief. His metal wand softened from the high temperature and retracted into the palm of his hand. His entire silver-white metal shell aged at the same time, covered in dents and cracks, dull and without shine. This was the price of forcibly using high-level magic. A normal three-circled wizard must endure weakness, strength decay, and mental listlessness before using high-level magic authorized by a professor. I told you, you cant kill me. Noland Lee somehow appeared beside Morster: Can we talk now? I have a job for you. Morster was frightened and his body trembled violently. He looked incredulously at Noland Lee, who had suddenly appeared beside him: You you why nothing happened to you how did you appear here Noland Lee quietly looked at him. Morster recoiled, forcing his neck to turn and say: Fine, Ill let go of our grudge. But our duel hasnt ended. My magic metal armor still works; you cant defeat me. If you want me to help you, you have to prove that you can defeat me first. Noland Lee shook his head slightly: Eh, stubborn. Just as Morster was about to say something, he saw the skeleton in front of him expand rapidly, turning into a skeleton giant over seven meters tall in half a second. Morster opened his mouth in shock, showing a noticeable dent in his mask. A large hand stretched towards him, pinching his arm and giving a slight twist. Kaka The magic metal body that showed no fear against death lightning and alchemy bullets was effortlessly bent by the skeleton hand. Now, if Noland Lee exerted a little more force, Morsters metal arm would be completely destroyed. You lost, Morster. Noland Lee looked down at his opponent in the form of the giant skeleton. He released the metal arm, looking at the stunned Morster, looking up at himself and said: I have at least three ways to kill you instantly. I was not joking with you. For the sake of your character and Adelaide, and Murphy, I will not kill you. Have you calmed down now? Morster swallowed, looking at his own arm. He hadnt figured out the situation just now, and didnt have time to adjust the reflective coating on his magic metal armor. If the other party wanted to kill him, all they had to do was wrap his head with the bony hand and crush it with force. Everything he had accumulated in the past would vanish in an instant. The brute strength within the other party was incredibly powerful, enough to shatter his magic metal body with 50% kinetic resistance with a single punch. Morster straightened his twisted arm. The metal body made him feel no pain, and adjusting his limbs by himself would not cause any discomfort. Morster took a deep breath and said in a low voice: You win. Our grievances are written off, but I cant guarantee that Intelligence Department 1 will let you go. According to Ulnas Circles Life and Death Duel Regulations, the victor can dispose of the loser as they wish. Since you dont want to kill me, I must do something for you in return for your mercy. Tell me, what do you want me to do? Thats more like it. Noland Lee reverted to his normal-sized skeleton form. He glanced at the stock of Energy Points in his mind, feeling the pain of their depletion. He had learned about the relationship between Adelaide Carter and Morster through Denise Green just now. Strictly speaking, Morster wasnt a bad person. He was indeed the Acting Commander of Division Intelligence Unit Two, which was true. However, the crimes committed by that division in the past had nothing to do with him but the previous commander. After Morster took office, he had indeed improved the division as he had said and prevented further disasters from happening. Considering both Morsters background at the Academy and his actions, Noland Lee had no reason to kill him. The soul communication with Denise Green did not consume Noland Lees Energy Points. What consumed Energy Points were the two spells that turned the tide of the battle. The first spell was sense tampering that helped him dodge the high-level magic projectile. Noland Lee upgraded it to level 40 on the spot. A Level 40 sense tampering corresponded to the magical power of a four-circled Mental Wizard, and only Wizards of the Fourth Circle and above could resist it. Wizards below the fourth circle wouldnt even realize their senses were being tampered with. With a 20% degree effectiveness, sense tampering could affect them for up to 4 seconds. That was enough for Noland Lee to approach Morster. The Noland Lee who was penetrated by the magic projectile was just a perceptual illusion left in Morsters field of vision after Noland Lee had tampered with his senses. As for the skill that turned him into a giant skeleton to bend the metal arm, it was actually Power Burst. Noland Lee upgraded it to Level 50 in one breath. With the upgrade effect and additional rewards, after activating this skill, his Strength attribute reached as high as 72 points! His Tenacity attribute temporarily rose to half of his Strength attribute, reaching 36 points. This was the effect of the additional rewards. Noland Lee didnt know how much destructive power this level of Strength attribute could bring. But from the feeling of bending the metal arm just now, Noland Lee thought he could easily tear the opponent apart. One could say that crushing Morsters head with 72 points of Strength would be as simple as snapping a wooden toothpick with only two points of Strength. The terror of Muscle Tyrant Martial Arts was as such. [System Message:] [You have defeated Third Ring Metal Battle Wizard Morster in a Life and Death Duel.] [Activate Passive Deconstruction!] [Your degree of deconstruction of the target has increased to 25%.] [You have obtained the following Deconstruction Results:] [1. The targets Combat Level has been updated, and the system predicts it to be Level 35.] [2. The targets personalized panel has been updated, with new entries related to Magic Metal Armor and magic projectile skills.] (To avoid filling the word count with repetitions, the deconstruction results here are temporarily omitted and will be presented later in the plot.) Chapter 417 - Chapter 417: 144. Putting on a show whenever there’s a crowd Chapter 417: 144. Putting on a show whenever theres a crowd Translator: 549690339 Since you returned from Ulnas Circle, you havent seen your father, have you? Noland Lee gazed at the far-off battleground of the ceremony and asked Morster by his side. The results of his deconstruction of Morster whirled through Noland Lees mind. Simultaneously, Noland Lee was organizing his own words based on these results. Morster silently nodded: Yes. I received a secret letter from my mother. She said my father needed my help and asked me to return to the Empire as soon as possible. After I arrived at the Empire, my mother brought me the appointment order of the acting commander of Division Intelligence Unit Two, but until now, I have not seen my father. Usually, when I report work, I give the written materials to my fathers personal guards, which is Intelligence Department 1. They help pass my report to my father. Noland Lee raised his hand, pointing to the Tentacle Overlord of Shubick, who was entangled with the alchemy ship: Are you aware of the relationship between this extraterrestrial space pollution product and the Empire? Of course, Im here because of it. Morster said: This extraterrestrial space pollution product, was summoned by Empire traitors led by Yasde. They set up a ritual at sea during a secret mission, opening the Outer Space Gap for Shubick. Before I came here, I already asked my subordinates to bring over the original files of Yasde and others. Once I return to the Empire, I will start investigating the people and things related to Yasde, to root out the lurking extraterrestrial space pollution in the Empire. So then you are aware that Military Intelligence Department Six is planning to transport a batch of Life Elixir to Union City? Do you know how much damage this action will cause to Union City? Noland Lee turned his head, looking sharply at Morster: On the cargo ship Yasde controls, theres not only Life Elixir. It also carries 2000 Biochemical Soldiers. After the Life Elixir and Biochemical Soldiers arrive in Union City, they will enter the Black City on the 100th Underground Level of Fissure Corridor through a secret route set up by the Wizard Criminal Samuelson. There, they will be transformed into artificially induced aberrations, used to guard the ceremony site where Samuelson is performing magic enlightenment on the Nest Core. Just these artificially induced aberrations are enough to destabilize the Fissure Corridor. After awakening its magic ability, the power of the Nest Core is even fearsome, potentially leading to a disaster that destroys the Undercity of Union City. Do you know about this, Morster? Morster inhaled slightly, speaking gravely: So you want me to prevent the Empire from damaging Union City? Thats the responsibility of my fathers other sons. As the acting commander of Division Intelligence Unit Two, I have no authority to intervene in the work of Intelligence Department Five and Six I will try, but I cant guarantee the results. Noland Lee shook his head: No, thats not what I want you to do. I dont want to interfere with conflicts between nations, nor do I intend to intervene in any nations decisions. I know what Tatis intends, which is nothing more than using the space of Fission Wilderness to gain time to defeat the Undead Cult. My ambition is not in nations, but in pursuing personal ultimate power, breaking free from the shackles of gravity, and exploring the stars. Morster paused for a split second: You aspire to become a Star Witch? To surpass Tenth-Ring wizard? Yes, Morster. The rise and fall of the world, the disputes of nations, the entanglement of love and hate, they are like fleeting clouds to me. One day, when I stand at the pinnacle of the starry sky, the end of the river of time, and look down upon all living beings with an invincible posture, what Ill see is the colorful scroll of the universe. I wont have much attachment to this painting. I would continue to explore the world beyond the universe, seek the source of life, the cause of strife, the origins of civilization, and the true essence of the rise and fall of all things in the world. Noland Lee spread his hands, continuing: My aspirations are very lofty, in contrast to my current personal strength which is very small. On my journey to the top of the world, I may encounter heart-wrenching tears, breathtaking affections, deeply engraved pain, and chest-beating regrets. Though I do not wish to focus on these complicated and transient interpersonal relationships, when events, people, and objects involve my humanity, Id still inevitably yearn to do something to make myself feel better. Noland Lees dark eyes stared at Morster, speaking slowly: I will stand at the pinnacle of this world, Morster. I know what kind of damage a cold and merciless supreme being can inflict on the worldits a world where humanity is extinct. I also know what a person like this would do upon suddenly realizing theyve lost their original heartthey would choose to end themselves. To avoid succumbing to such an end, I hope that when I reach the peak of the world, I will retain a warm heart, and not become hard-hearted. When I stand at the pinnacle of the world and others ask me, In order to gain power, do you feel guilty about everything youve done? I can confidently respond, I have no guilt. Afterwards, with the blessings of my friends and loved ones, I will embark on a journey to discover the truth of the universe. The scene fell quiet for a moment and the distant echo of gunfire made the silence more pronounced. After a while, Morster spoke: Its hard to imagine a history teaching assistant, after obtaining powerful extraordinary traits, would have such lofty and magnificent aspirations. I understand what youre saying now. Youre planning to give yourself a good reputation free from any negative comments before entering the Mass Wizard Tombs, arent you? Chapter 418 - Chapter 418: 144. Putting on a show whenever there’s a crowd_2 Chapter 418: 144. Putting on a show whenever theres a crowd_2 Translator: 549690339 Thats right. Noland Lee nodded and waved his hand, saying: Alright, lets get back to the point. You want to find the hidden extraterrestrial space pollution within the Empire, right? I have a clue. Okay, tell me. I have seen the Dusk Giants twice. You have seen the Dusk Giants twice? Morster thoughtfully said: Since you successfully became a wizard through self-study of Undead Runes, your spiritual ocean must be more advanced than that of ordinary Empire people. Therefore, the first time you saw the Dusk Giants should be in the dream brought by the first injection of the Strengthening Potion, right? Did you see a Dusk Giants sitting on a mountain in the dreamscape? Dusk Giants sitting on a mountain? Noland Lee looked at Morster confusedly: You mean, under normal circumstances, the Dusk Giants that appear in the dreamscape are sitting on a mountain? Yes, what else? Morster was somewhat puzzled. Enlightenment appeared in Noland Lees mind. He shook his head and said: Never mind. Lets continue with the main topic. Noland Lee pointed at his feet: I saw the Dusk Giants for the second time here, within this pollution field. But what I saw was not its main body or dreamscape. Before I arrived at the ceremony site to communicate with outer space, I encountered some mutated tentacles. They were black tentacles with dark green light spots and would not actively attack humans. They sought my help, asking me to use death magic to enhance the magic resistance of their mutated tentacle overlord. That mutated tentacle overlord had been fighting with the tribal leader of Shubick descendants. It wasnt until the alchemy ship arrived at the ceremony site that the mutated tentacle overlord and its subordinate mutated tentacles were all wiped out by the Shubick descendants. Noland Lee looked at Morster, who was lost in thought, and said: The mutated tentacles showed me the wills light spots within them, and I sensed the essence of the Dusk Giants from it. Those mutated tentacles indeed carried the will of the Dusk Giants. The Dusk Giants communicated with me by assembling the mutated tentacles into Undead Runes. Are you sure the wills light spots you saw were the Dusk Giants? Morster asked. Yes. I am one hundred percent sure of this. I cant go into the specific reasons. You will know soon that what I am saying is true. I have two things to tell you about the result of my communication with the Dusk Giants. Noland Lee held up two fingers and said: First, the Dusk Giants are a simple-minded but powerful extraordinary race. I just helped them fight against Shubicks tentacles for a short while, and they gave me the cultivation method of their race. As you can imagine, any extraordinary beings with enough ambition would want to possess them. Your father is no exception. He prevented the Wizard Advancement Association from establishing a First Level Magic Research Institute because he wanted to monopolize all the treasures of the Dusk Giants. Dont be angry with me for saying this, but it is the truth. Morster calmly nodded and said: Yes, I know about this matter. My father always wanted to establish a country without wizards. He wanted to use his own theories to prove that people could resist the pollution of outer space without the help of wizards. I understand his desire to monopolize the Dusk Giants. I wont oppose him, nor will I fight against the Ulnas Circle for his sake. I will just do my duty as a junior. Your duty will be hindered, Morster. Because the second thing I discussed with the Dusk Giants is related to this. Noland Lee paused for a moment and said solemnly: Forces wanting to dominate the Dusk Giants include not only your father but also the Death Herald Guild and the Ancient Tatis Dynasty. The Undead Cult you see now is from the Ancient Tatis Dynasty, created after learning the death magic from the Dusk Giants. Do you know that? Morster was stunned for two seconds and then shook his head stiffly: No I didnt know My father never told me. No wonder destroying historical relics from the ancient dynasties has always been an important mission for Division Intelligence Unit Two Okay, it seems you dont know much more than I do. Noland Lee shook his finger and said: The people of the ancient dynasty, the people of the Death Herald Guild, and your father have all deceived the Dusk Giants, saying that only they can help the Dusk Giants resurrect. Yes, you heard right, Dusk Giants are already dead in the material world. They were killed by Shubick before crossing the Star Filtering Net. They now rely on their own essence to live in the dreamscape. Neither the Death Herald Guild nor your father, or even the Undead Cult, actually have the ability to help the Dusk Giants resurrect. They deceived the Dusk Giants. The Dusk Giants, after my reminder, realized they had been deceived. Noland Lee paused for a moment and solemnly said to Morster: The Dusk Giants have decided to stop providing funding to your father. The biochemical mutation elixirs used to strengthen military officers and the mutant materials needed to create biochemical soldiers will soon be in short supply. Be prepared, Morster, the Tatis Empire will face turmoil. Stop funding As the Acting Commander, Morster knew exactly how the biochemical mutation elixirs in the Empire came to be, and the Dusk Giants help was indispensable in this. At this point, upon hearing Noland Lees words, large metallic spikes emerged on Morsters metallic skin, and his emotions surged immediately: My father brings out the extraordinary traits needed to make biochemical mutation elixirs from the dreamscape every day. If the Dusk Giants stop funding, doesnt that mean my father wont be able to bring out those extraordinary traits from the dreamscape?! Then how can we make biochemical mutation elixirs to strengthen our Imperial soldiers and fight against the Undead Cult?! Chapter 419 - Chapter 419: 144. Putting on a show whenever there’s a crowd_3 Chapter 419: 144. Putting on a show whenever theres a crowd_3 Translator: 549690339 Calm down, Morster. Noland Lee pressed his palm down and asked calmly: What was the Dusk Giant doing in the dreamscape your father saw? Morster took a few deep breaths and forced himself to calm down: In the dreamscape, the Dusk Giant was sitting on the mountain, facing the setting sun with his eyes closed, as if he were sleeping. Youve seen this scene too. Isnt this the scene you would see after injecting the Strengthening Potion? Noland Lee shook his head: No, thats the problem. I saw another dreamscape. Morsters eyes widened in shock, and two parallel indentations appeared on his Silver White Mask: What another dreamscape? Yes. In the dreamscape I saw, the Dusk Giants head was hooked by a tentacle stretching from the sky, hanging in the bloody red dusk sky. Noland Lee raised his hand and pointed to the giant tentacles fighting the alchemy ship in the distance: Look, the tentacles I saw in the dreamscape are Shubicks tentacles, but they are much thicker and larger than the tentacles we see now. I think what I saw is the real Twilight Dream. The dreamscapes seen by your father and the many Imperial soldiers who injected the Strengthening Potion, are all fake. Those fake dreamscapes were created by Shubick to hide the real dreamscape. In the real dreamscape, Shubick looted the Extraordinary Traits from the Dusk Giant and then handed them over to your father in the fake dreamscape. Your father always thought he was communicating with the Dusk Giant, but in fact, it was Shubick, who created the false dreamscapes. In fact, when Noland Lee reached this point, he remembered something that he hadnt thought was unusual before, but now seemed very strange. After waking up from the dreamscape of the Strengthening Potion, Sully asked him if he had seen the scene of the setting sun. Sullys tone at the time was calm, as if the sunset scene was beautiful. If Sully knew that the Dusk Giant in the sunset dreamscape had been hanged in the air, would she still be so calm? Clearly not. Only the scene of the Dusk Giant sitting at the top of the mountain in the sunset would make Sully feel peaceful. If Noland Lee had thought deeper then, he may have realized that the dreamscape he saw and the dreamscapes recorded by Division Intelligence Unit Three were completely different. Fortunately, realizing this point now was not too late. How could this happen Were we deceived by Shubick all along Morster was completely dumbfounded, unable to determine if Noland Lees speculation was correct. Noland Lee lifted his hands and drew a circle in front of him: Your father has always brought Extraordinary Traits from the fake dreamscapes. Most of the traits, used to make Biochemical Elixirs, are not problematic and do not have Shubicks mental pollution. Only a few will cause corruption of the soul. The Imperial Major who controlled the cargo ship became Shubicks pawn due to contact with the corrupting ingredients in the potions. By retrieving records and investigating Yasdes connections, you search for the whereabouts of the extraterrestrial space pollution. This is not a problem. But after the Dusk Giant stops supplying materials, you will find a more efficient method. Morster caught up with Noland Lees thinking and quickly understood. He exclaimed with sudden realization: Oh! I understand. When the Dusk Giant stops supplying Extraordinary Traits, Shubick can no longer plunder them from the real dreamscape. Then all the Extraordinary Traits that appear in the fake dreamscapes are created by Shubick and carry his mental pollution. They cant be used to make Biochemical Mutation Elixirs, but they can make those corrupted by Shubick stronger. If I withhold this problematic batch of Extraordinary Traits, whoever is most anxious and most eager to get them is Shubicks pawn within the Empire. Noland Lee gave a thumbs up: Yes, thats what I mean. But thats still not what I want you to do. With a mix of excitement, Morster rubbed his Silver White palms together: Tell me, Jarvis, what do you want me to do? I cant wait to get back to the Empire and find out who has been corrupted by Shubick. Noland Lee continued: The Death Herald Guild is about to leave, Morster, you should know this. If the Empire still has a sufficient stockpile of arms after their departure, your father will continue to prevent the wizard forces from entering. But now that the Dusk Giant has stopped supplying Extraordinary Traits, the Empires military power will inevitably weaken. In addition, since Union City has not fallen into chaos, the Empire cannot expand its borders to the north, leaving you without more land and population to counter the pressure from the Undead Cult. Your father will have no choice but to allow the wizard forces to enter. The Dusk Giant can take this opportunity to choose the wizard forces he likes and leave the Tatis Empire with their help. Morster spoke with a complex tone: This is your strategy for the Dusk Giant, isnt it? As you said, the Dusk Giant is simple-minded and would never think of these things. Only you can help him make this decision. Yes, its me. Noland Lee admitted frankly: Someone has to push from behind the scenes to give the Tatis Empire, which is entering a deadlock, a chance to turn things around. Now you also know that Shubick has been tricking your father with a false dreamscape. Can you be one hundred percent sure that the promise your father made in front of you was his true inner thoughts, instead of lies spoken under Shubicks manipulation? Chapter 420 - Chapter 420: 144. Putting on a show whenever there’s a crowd_4 Chapter 420: 144. Putting on a show whenever theres a crowd_4 Translator: 549690339 You know in your heart that Shubicks pollution is wandering within the Empire, and the first one affected must be your father. Its just that youve been unwilling to face this fact. Take a closer look at Tatis now. Division Intelligence Unit Two can take command of Division Intelligence Unit Fours troops on the battlefield. Military Intelligence Departments Five and Six are secretly plotting to throw the Fission Wilderness into turmoil. The Undead Cult, which can be easily eradicated with the help of wizards, has never been dealt with. Such chaos is commonplace in Tatis. How long do you think Tatis can hold on traveling in this bumpy carriage? Noland Lee looked at Morster, who fell silent again, and asked: As I said before, Morster, I have no intention of getting involved in the specific affairs of a country. My parents, brother, and sister have died because of some peoples greed. That doesnt mean I have no concerns in Tatis. What I want you to do is related to a female nurse from Division Intelligence Unit Three, named Sully. I hope that after the new wizard forces enter Tatis, you can introduce her to them, help her become a wizard, and give her a chance to see the starry sky in this world rather than spend her whole life in the gloomy, oppressive Tatis. Morster hesitated for a while and opened his mouth: In the end its for a woman? Shouldnt you ask me to help you erase the evidence of killing Kasha? Arent you worried about being targeted by Intelligence Department 1? Noland Lee confidently smiled: I can defeat you, so I can also defeat them. Noland Lee said: As for helping Sully, I ask you to do this because of my own psychological needs. Remember my principle? To let good people have a good end. I cant help every good person right now, but I still want to try to help Sully. In my eyes, she is one of the few people with good intentions. Morster coughed lightly, his voice somewhat embarrassed: Ahem, well, actually, she was arranged by me, and I asked her to get in touch with you. So, if you think she has a crush on you, its actually because of the task requirements you know what I mean, right? Noland Lee shrugged slightly: It doesnt matter, Morster. Only she knows whether shes genuinely fallen in love or not. I wont deny the warmth she brought me during my suffering just because she pretended to care about me. Okay Ill do as you say. When the new wizard forces arrive, Ill guide her to become a wizard. On second thought, Morsters tone becomes strange: To help you with this, doesnt it mean I have to make sure the new wizard forces settle in smoothly first? That means Ive helped you with two things in one go. If we count the Dusk Giants escaping the Empire with the help of new wizard forces, then Ive helped you with three things. Your calculations are quite loud. Noland Lee didnt feel embarrassed that Morster saw his true intentions. Yes, he indeed used the name Sully to have Morster help him with three things at once. He can confidently say that this is his wisdom. Noland Lee responded to Morster nonchalantly: Helping the new wizard forces settle in is for you and your Empire, not for me. Im living a good life outside now and dont care about Tatis. Morster didnt dwell on this issue and instead asked: Why are you here then? Noland Lee Jarvis? Do you still go by that name? Have you joined the Alchemists? No wonder youre against the actions of Military Intelligence Departments Five and Six. Hey! Wait a minute! Morster suddenly shouted: Was it you who snatched the Bone-mending Wand from Military Intelligence Department Fives hands?! Now its Noland Lees turn to be embarrassed: Ahem, well, this its a normal business transaction. Besides, the Bone-mending Wand shouldnt have appeared in Fission Wilderness. That place is under the research area of Elemental Judgement. It couldnt be more normal for Elemental Judgement to hire me to bring the Bone-Mending Wand back. Hey, you really are sigh Dont you know that Military Intelligence Department One is almost going crazy! Morster almost jumped. Noland Lee glanced at him and asked: I was wondering about the Bone-mending Wand. How did it end up in the Artificial Den of the Savage Stone Wasteland? Who brought it there? It couldnt have been another prank by Intelligence Department Five and Six, right? Morster said: It was done by people from Intelligence Department Five. In the original plan, we would have intentionally let Greenshaw take the Bone-mending Wand into the Fission Wilderness. The Intelligence Department Five personnel ambushed in the Savage Stone Wasteland would work together with the Blackbone Hermit to kill Greenshaw and snatch the Bone-mending Wand to give to Samuelson for use. As for why the Bone-mending Wand is to be given to Samuelson to take away, that is another matter, which you somewhat know about. Morsters words acquired some strangeness: However, due to someone in the Narrow Pass Fortress reporting Greenshaws whereabouts to Cavado, the Empire lost several Imperial Fists and Greenshaw exploded and died on the cliff because he could not handle the mana of the Bone-mending Wand. As a result, the Bone-mending Wand did not successfully enter the Fission Wilderness. After I detected this incident, I urgently contacted Intelligence Department Five and asked them to pick up the magic wand Did you know that the wand core of that magic wand was made from the finger bone of one of my own brothers, Jarvis? That mans name is Merton, my fathers third son. Ah? I didnt know the origin of the wand core. Noland Lee shook his head: All I knew was that the wand core was very strange, and it was full of extreme evil thoughts. Morsters voice became low: The Death Herald Guild cruelly killed Merton, Jarvis. If you have ever learned about the methods of making a Death Threaded Wand, you would have understood that. The more negative emotions there are on a wand, the greater the power the wand possesses. In order to create the Bone-mending Wand, a high-level wand with the potential to become a Holy Object, the Death Herald Guild brutally killed many Empire soldiers including Merton. Intelligence Department 1 has been trying to find the wand and see if there is any chance for the souls on it to be laid to rest, or to resurrect them with the help of my mothers power. The Death Herald Guild is really brutal Noland Lee asked, What about the Wizard Advancement Association and the Wizard Enforcement Department? Morster said sadly: The relationship between Tatis and the Ulnas Circle is tense. When I was studying in Hotams, I discussed this issue with professors and mentors. After helping me investigate the situation, they told me that the Wizard Enforcement Department and the Wizard Advancement Association sent numerous application letters to my father, hoping to enter Tatis and collect evidence of the Death Herald Guild violating Ulnas Circle Law. All these application letters were rejected by my father. Then theres nothing that can be done Noland Lee sighed helplessly. Morster suddenly asked: How is your relationship with Elemental Judgement? Its alright. Morster asked again: Can you help me pass a message? I would like to meet with someone from Elemental Judgement to discuss the matter of the Bone-mending Wand. I have made requests to meet with Elemental Judgement through my professor, but I was rejected. Noland Lee thought for a moment and said: If you can promise me that you wont use the Bone-mending Wand to create conflicts and disputes and that you wont let it fall into the hands of the Death Herald Guild, Ill try to help you. Alright, I promise. Morster glanced at the alchemy ship and Shubicks tentacles, clenched his fist and said: In this way, I have no proof of my words, which is not enough to make you trust me. In order to show my sincerity to you and Elemental Judgement, I can tell you some things about Samuelson. Elemental Judgement must be busy trying to capture Samuelson, right? The information I provide can play a crucial role. Lets hear it. Noland Lee blinked and curiously looked at the Empires double-agent in front of him. His own Charm was really strong; fight a battle, then use the Deconstruction-obtained panel information and memory fragments for a mouth-firing technique and subdue the acting commander of Division Intelligence Unit Two Charm-mouthed Technique, thats amazing. High Charm combined with Deconstruction Technique was even more amazing. Note: The protagonist can read memories. In order to maintain the continuity of the article and avoid padding word count, I have omitted the deconstruction process. The protagonist is now acting on the spot. Chapter 421 - Chapter 421: 145. Rational Revenge Chapter 421: 145. Rational Revenge Translator: 549690339 Samuelson must have taken refuge in Black City by now, right? Do you really think hes the only wizard criminal hiding there? Morster asked. What do you mean? Noland Lee sensed something unexpected. As he pondered, Morster spoke: Im not clear on all the details, but from what I know, there are plenty of potential partners for Military Intelligence Department Five within Black City. Some are illegal alchemists who have been residing there for a long time. Others are wizard criminals studying aberrations. And then there are the nominally missing wandering wizards. Nominally missing wandering wizards? Curiously, Noland Lee thought of Hickman Arlington. Yes, nominally missing, Morster explained: You see, Jarvis, under normal circumstances, wandering wizards, unless granted permission by Elemental Judgment, are not allowed to privately investigate the secrets of aberrations or study aberration magic. To bypass the restrictions set by Elemental Judgement, they might fake their disappearance and fall off Elemental Judgements radar. For example, a wandering wizard is besieged by a Black City Alchemist and taken prisoner into Black City. The prisoner is forced to wear an Imprisonment Collar to sever ties with the main lecturer. After this operation, the wandering wizard is, in name, missing and can freely do as they please within Black City. These intentionally missing wandering wizards often carry secret missions from their main lecturers, the kind of missions which would be problematic if discovered by the First-Level Magic Research Institute. So? Noland Lee asked: Are you suggesting there are many such wandering wizards in Black City? Its not as simple as that. Morster shook his head: Have you ever wondered how such wandering wizards could coexist peacefully with the wizard criminals? The reason is simple. There is a powerful illegal force that has involved itself in Black Citys affairs and has set stringent rules. I dont know much about this Illegal force, but I am sure this force and the main lecturers behind these wandering wizards have reached a secret agreement, one not disclosed to the public. The illegal force allows nominally missing wandering wizards to operate within Black City while their supporting lecturers help cover their tracks. Samuelson is just one member of this underground wizard group, and he is not the leader. Noland Lee pondered before asking: Can this information be trusted? Did you discuss it with your main lecturer? The degree of reliability is above 80%. I am 100% sure that there is more than one wizard criminal in Black City, Morster stated: But I havent discussed this matter with the main lecturer. Because Ulnas Circle laws stipulate that solid evidence has to be shown first before questioning. I only learned about the situation in Black City from some slight rumours among the personnel of Military Intelligence Department Five in the course of my intelligence work. This hardly qualifies as solid evidence. Hmm Noland Lee was lost in thought: Alright, Morster. I will help you relay your message to Elemental Judgement. If they agree to meet with you, your lecturer will let you know. Thank you, Jarvis. I will collect detailed intelligence related to Black City as soon as possible to use as bargaining chips during negotiations with Elemental Judgement. After a pause, Morster added, Im really sorry for the harm the empire has caused you. I Noland Lee dismissed him with a wave of his hand before Morster could finish his sentence: Lets not talk about it. Hatred and revenge are the worst forms of internal consumption. My escape from my miserable past represents a severance from it. I may plan a trip to Tatis in the future, but not to retaliate against the nation, just to settle some personal scores. The suspicious accident that put me into debt was the work of the Death Herald Guild. After ruffling through his brain for a moment, Morster nodded and said: Yes, your investigation is accurate. I have a record of that incident in my metal memory device. Oh? Do you know who did it? It was probably done by a woman named Kassandra, your fathers former boss. An intelligence agent from Division Intelligence Unit Two, installed in the Death Herald Guild, spotted her name on the list of new wizard students in the guild. Joining the Death Herald Guild as a wizard student requires a significant amount of money. Division Intelligence Unit Two looked into her funding source and found that the tuition payment she made matched the amount of a compensation payout. That compensation payment came from selling off your fathers assets. It was a payment necessary under a dealership agreement for damaged goods. Noland Lee took a deep breath: So, this woman named Kassandra, used the dealership agreement and the accident to kill my loved ones, and then took the money to join the Death Herald Guild? Well, that makes things much easier. Even if she cant become a wizard, she will have to leave Tatis as per the Ulnas Circles laws. I dont have to step foot in the nation that brings me terrible memories all for the sake of revenge. If you want revenge, I can help. Morster said: Since I took over Division Intelligence Unit Two, things have been steadily improving. Were targeting actual members of the Death Herald Guild, not randomly picking out ordinary people to pin crimes on as we did in the past. Noland Lee contemplated for a moment before responding: Alright, lets have you carry out my revenge. In return, Ill pass along your message to Elemental Judgement. Chapter 422 - Chapter 422: 145. Rational Revenge_2 Chapter 422: 145. Rational Revenge_2 Translator: 549690339 Morster extended his right hand and said: Lets agree on this. Whether the Elemental Judgement is willing to talk to me face to face or not, I will help you get Kassandra into the Tribunal. Noland Lee shook hands with him: A deal is a deal Life is ridiculous, I, a Sin Soldier, am actually shaking hands with the Chief Officer of Division Intelligence Unit Two. I find it perfectly normal, Morster laughed: The Extraordinary Traits brought by the Star Pollutants are destined for moments like this. Its the opportunity brought about by the change in strength. Youre not the only one to have this feeling. During my studies in Hotams, Ive seen at least 20 people who have become high-ranking members overnight due to Star Pollutants. They also took a long time to adapt and realize that they truly had the right to be on par with the previously unattainable people. The World of Wizards is a world of the strong, Jarvis. I admire your strength. Noland Lee hummed casually and accepted the praise. The two looked at the distant battlefield. Gunfire roared, and energy beams flew chaotically. The Shubick Tentacles died and were reborn, reborn and died again. Combat Alchemists retreated as soon as they were injured, hiding outside the battlefield and healing themselves with Alchemy potions. Both sides seemed to be at a stalemate, but the final victory would definitely belong to the Alchemy Cathedrals army. The reason is simple: with the extraterrestrial space portal unable to be opened, only the Alchemy Cathedral side can have reinforcements. At the moment when Noland Lee and Morster finished their conversation, three Alchemy ships flew over from a greater distance and joined the intense battle. These were reinforcements mobilized by the Golden Commerce Guild from other sea areas. Four alchemy ships, plus at least 400 fifth-order and sixth-rank Combat Alchemists. If they still couldnt defeat the little avatar of Shubick left in this world, then the Combat Alchemists were really eating for nothing. Seeing the number of tentacles decreasing under the heavy bombardment, Morster asked: Jarvis, you havent told me, whats your relationship with these Alchemists? Can you talk to them? The Alchemists you see are all from the Golden Commerce Guild, which is the largest commercial Alchemist Faction in the Golden Federation. Why? The head of Division Intelligence Unit Two wants to infiltrate the Golden Commerce Guild? Noland Lee said. Morster quickly denied: No, no, dont misunderstand. Due to the Alchemy Cathedrals full responsibility for removing extraterrestrial space pollution, Ulnas Circle couldnt get samples of the pollutants. My professor asked me to collect some pollution samples and use my mothers Magic Messenger to send them to Ulnas Circle. These pollution samples will be used to figure out the true origin of these black tentacles. Oh, I see, then follow me, Ill find someone to explain the situation to you. Noland Lee led Morster to fly towards the battlefield. He found Derek and the Golden Merchants Swords resting at the edge of the battlefield. Noland Lee introduced Morster to Derek as a fellow wizard, without mentioning Morsters identity in Tatis. Looking at the friendly interaction between Derek and Morster, Noland Lee laughed inwardly, feeling a wicked pleasure. Hehe. If Morster knew that the last batch of Life Elixir was taken away by Derek, the atmosphere between the two would be awkward, enough to make people break their toes. In other words, If Derek knew that the Metal Wizard in front of him was involved in creating the Flywing Mutants, the two sides would immediately start fighting. Noland Lee, as the only insider on the scene, held back his laughter, feeling the sour pleasure of manipulating everything behind the scenes. Alright! Strange Wizard! Your offer is good, leave it to me. I will bring you the tentacles. Derek patted his chest and took the gold bars Morster handed over. Morster laughed happily and thanked him. Noland Lee suppressed the urge to burst out laughing, turned around, and looked at the battlefield. As the three alchemy ships arrived, they helped the first alchemy ship break free from the bondage of the Tribal Leader of Shubick Descendants. Now, they were bombarding the tentacles and the remains of the teleportation anchor points with dense energy artillery. It was estimated that in another half an hour or so, this pollution zone would disappear due to the destruction of the tentacles and teleportation anchor points. Most of Noland Lees previous conversation with Morster was based on the deconstruction results, with improvised wording intended to take Morster down. A small part of this conversation, however, was from his heart. This part was related to revenge. Noland Lee considered himself a man who followed the principle of a debt has a debtor; a grudge, a protagonist. The incident that occurred with him and the original Noland Lee Jarvis was ultimately caused by the nefarious Death Herald Guild. To seek retribution, Noland Lee would start with the Death Herald Guild. As for the experiences during his time as a Sin Soldier in the Suffering Borderland Noland Lee thought that, in many cases, military orders were like mountains, and the duty of warrant officers, military officers, and soldiers was to stick to those orders. Apart from the subjectively evil Military Intelligence Section Two investigators, Noland Lee felt that there was no need for the military officers or soldiers he encountered in the Suffering Borderland to become targets of his revenge. Moreover, from a more rational perspective, if he wanted to seize something from the Tatis Empire in the future, he could use the guise of revenge to threaten them and achieve his goals. But if he were to create killings based solely on revenge, in the end, except for venting emotions, there would be no substantial gains. Revenge can be used as a banner of justice, which is the mature approach. Revenge is a means or tool to achieve some goals, not a life goal. Otherwise, it would cause significant mental exhaustion and push oneself towards extremism. This was Noland Lees view on revenge. Noland Lee steadied his mind and softly called in his heart: Denise. Im here! How are you doing? You didnt have a conflict with that metal series wizard, did you? Why did you suddenly ask me to find out about Adelaide? Could it be that the metal series wizard is Adelaides son, Morster? Oh my god~ You just ran into him like that! Denise asked a series of questions. Noland Lee had previously mentioned being entangled with a metal series wizard to her, then inexplicably inquired about Adelaide. Now, hearing Denises anxious tone, Noland Lee knew that he had worried her. Its alright, Denise. I didnt have a conflict with Morster. I asked about Adelaide to confirm Morster and Adelaides relationship to avoid causing greater misunderstandings. In a while, I will return to Union City with the alchemy ships. Dont worry, we didnt have a conflict. Phew~ Thats good. You scared me, Noland. If you hadnt repeatedly stressed that I could only teleport when I received your instructions, I would have already teleported you away. Noland Lee said gently: Im sorry, Denise, for making you worry. The incident happened suddenly, and I didnt have time to explain. Thank you for trusting me and not teleporting over rashly. You did well. Alright, I accept your apology. Denise giggled and asked expectantly: So how many Rebirth Magic Powers did you get this time? Noland Lee glanced at the information on the panel about his Soul Strength inventory: I encountered many things after entering the pollution zone, which delayed my work in collecting Rebirth Magic Powers. So, the harvest this time is not as much as I had expected. Its okay, Noland. Im already satisfied that you can return safely. Denises tone was gentle, without disappointment. Seeing that everything in the pollution zone had been dealt with and having nothing to do himself, Noland Lee started chatting with Denise. Listening to the gentle whispers in his ear, he gradually felt that the darkness and oppression within the pollution zone were not as suffocating as before. Chapter 423 - Chapter 423: 146. Strong-willed as one wishes Chapter 423: 146. Strong-willed as one wishes Translator: 549690339 Three days later in Union City. Inside a single cottage in Sector 7. At 2 PM in the afternoon, Noland Lee entered the study on the second floor, locked the door, and pulled the curtains shut. He called for Denise Green in his heart while placing a heavy cloth bag on the desk. Im here~ Denise Green appeared in the flickering light of the torch. Please have a seat, Denise Green. The Golden Commerce Guild has been busy for two days, and they finally sorted out the spoils. I took a trip to Cindys and brought back all my share of the spoils. Lets check the accounts. Noland poured two cups of hot tea onto the table and then pushed the jingling money bags in front of Denise Green. Denise Green picked up the cloth bag, opened the folding space inside, and glanced at the spoils within. After that, she held a notebook in her left hand and an ink pen in her right hand, carefully reading through the characters on the notebook to prevent errors: After closing the pollution zone, the eastern Area 117 nearshore has returned to normal. The combat alchemists of the Golden Commerce Guild cleaned up the battlefield. They found 160 undamaged boxes of Life Elixir, 72 boxes of Mutant Potions for maintaining biochemical soldiers, and 54 boxes of artificial bone cards from the wreckage of cargo ships floating on the sea. In addition, there were thousands of soul-absorbing crystals filled with soul fragments. Denise Green looked up and asked: Noland, are the Golden Commerce Guild sure that artificial bone cards are the mysterious material for making the Alchemical Cube? Noland nodded: Yes, thats right. Cindy told me before I brought the spoils back. The Re-forged Associations monopoly on the secrets of alchemical constructs lies in the artificial bone cards produced by Tatis. Since this thing involves the secrets of the Alchemy Cathedral, no artificial bone cards were included in the spoils allocated to me by the Golden Commerce Guild. They used Life Elixir to replace the artificial bone cards as part of my spoils. I simply asked them to replace the Mutant Potions they originally planned to give me with Life Elixir as well. Now, I only have a few artificial bone cards that I picked up from the sea. As Noland spoke, he took out a crystal clear and flawless transparent bone card from the drawer. Upon closer inspection, it is possible to see that the interior of this artificial bone card, which looks like transparent mahjong tiles, contains hair-thin rune patterns. It comes with the feature Soul Link but is not used to control the undead. It cannot be used as a casting material for summoning undead spirits. Its sole purpose is to help the user control lifeless metal creations with a Soul Link. The core component of alchemical constructs, the Alchemical Cube, has always been tightly controlled by the Re-forged Association. The artificial bone cards produced by Tatis are the key. With it, the alchemical construct controller can use the Soul Link to control alchemical constructs without learning Death-type magic. The rune patterns inside these artificial bone cards are written in Undead Runes. It is these runes that give the artificial bone cards the feature of Soul Link. The Tatis Empire strongly opposes research into Undead Runes, but in fact, Intelligence Officer 2 and Officer 3, who are in charge of researching biochemical soldiers, have secretly researched it all the time. This artificial bone card is evidence.Y0u can read sh0rt, t0uching, and r0mantic st0ries ab0ut c0uples, as well as childrens st0ries f0r free 0n sitest0rys . c0m Noland had gotten lazy about dealing with the almost schizophrenic Tatis Empire. As an empire, Tatis would be greatly influenced by its emperor. It is inevitable that the empire would become chaotic when the emperor himself could be heavily contaminated by extraterrestrial space pollution. Noland placed the artificial bone card on the desk and nodded at the gentle beauty across the table: Please continue, Denise Green. Yes. Ill start counting the spoils in the folding space then. Denise Green picked up the bag, took out the metal boxes inside, and examined them one by one on the floor of the study: A total of 15 boxes of spoils, all Life Elixirs produced by Tatis. 750,000 pieces of Life Elixir in total. Converted into Ulnas gold coins, its 7,500. This is only part of the total reward. Besides the Life Elixir that serves as spoils, we will have two more installments of rewards in the future. The first is the bounty for helping the Golden Commerce Guild repel Tatis invaders and extraterrestrial space pollution products. This part of the reward will be paid in Union Coins. The Golden Commerce Guild has to consult with the Alchemy Cathedral to determine the exact amount of the reward. The second reward is the payment for providing information to the Golden Commerce Guild. This part of the reward has been received, a total of 3 million Union Coins. Did I miss anything? Noland thought for a moment: No omissions. Oh, right, Ill keep the soul-absorbing crystals that Cindy gave me. Good~ I have no objection. I mainly use recovery magic power, so I generally dont need soul energy. In the future, if you get any more soul-absorbing crystals, you can keep them. Denise Green rapidly wrote, and finally put down the ink bottle in her hand and passed the notebook to Noland: Okay, Ive calculated everything. Take a look. We now have Life Elixirs worth 8,500 gold coins and 514,000 Union Coins in total. Ive also recorded various miscellaneous items. Noland took the notebook, read through it, and praised with satisfaction: Very good, Denise Green. You keep the accounts very clear. With your help, I dont have to worry about these numbers. Denise Green smiled, her lips curving up: This is what I should do, Noland. You work so hard to collect recovery magic power, I should do something for you. By the way, what are your plans for the future? Chapter 424 - Chapter 424: 146. Strong-willed as desired_2 Chapter 424: 146. Strong-willed as desired_2 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee flipped through the notebook. A hand-drawn table caught his eye, filled with project names, character annotations, and the amount of gold coins needed to complete each project. To buy a small island in the central sea hub of the Suman Archipelago, at least 100,000 Ulnas gold coins need to be prepared. This expenditure is huge, but we can gain an island completely under our control. Everything on the island, as well as the sea area within 3 kilometers around the island, will be our territory. As Noland Lee read the table information, he said: Having an island is not enough; we also need to prepare our own ships. If we only operate within the scope of the archipelago, the small magic boats produced by the Hotams Deep Sea Department are enough, which would cost about 6,000 to 10,000 gold coins. But if you want to go out to sea for fun, medium-sized magic boats are needed, and you also need to purchase a monthly subscription for the Lost Sea Fog Investigation Report. A one-time payment of at least 30,000 gold coins can buy a medium-sized magic boat. Pay 500 gold coins per month to get a weekly update on the Lost Sea Fog Investigation Report. In addition to these, building materials for island construction, magical items to protect the island from invasions by sea people and sea beasts, etc., will require Ulnas gold coins. Noland Lee turned another page. After looking at the text and data on it, he raised his head to praise the other party: Oh! Youve already calculated the total budget and divided it into four levels of island living standards: basic, satisfactory, happy, and perfect. According to the lowest standards for building the island, we can achieve a basic level of living quality, which requires us to prepare 150,000 Ulnas gold coins. On this basis, every additional 20,000 to 50,000 Ulnas gold coins we prepare will raise the quality of our island living by one level. To live the perfect island life, we must prepare 260,000 Ulnas gold coins. Very good, Denise, youve really thought this through. Seeing that Noland Lee noticed her detailed arrangements and seemed very satisfied, Denise smiled, her cheeks slightly red: Do you think there is anything that needs improvement? Noland thought for a moment and said: Lets go with the levels youve divided. Well set the first goal to collect 150,000 Ulnas gold coins. Okay~ Denise happily clenched her fists and held them in front of her. Noland Lee slightly admired her beauty for half a second, then asked pensively: Denise, do you think its easier to make money on Alchemist Island or on Kashel Continent? Denise gently rubbed her excited and slightly hot cheeks, pondered for two seconds, and said: Well Although there are many magic relics, dungeons, and sub-dimensional plane entrances to explore on Kashel Continent, I think its easier to make money on Alchemist Island. Why? Is it because there are fewer wizards here? Noland asked. Yes, Denise nodded lightly: There are so many wizards on Kashel Continent. And those who dare to walk in the wild and explore various extraordinary areas are basically combat wizards. It would be very competitive to make money there. Of course, the rewards would be very generous, which is why it attracts so many combat wizards to roam the Kashel Continent. Noland asked again: But on Alchemist Island, we cant rely solely on working for the Golden Commerce Guild. The speed of making money is really too slow. How do you think we can save up 150,000 gold coins on Alchemist Island? I hope to achieve this goal in a short period. The most efficient method is to recover alchemy weaponry from the Fissure Corridor. Denise stretched out her left hand and used her right hand to bend her fingers, saying: The Alchemy Cathedral and various alchemist factions have clear prices. Recovering third-order alchemy weaponry and submitting it, depending on the type and damage degree of the alchemy weaponry, rewards 1 million to 3 million Union coins, which is equivalent to 10 to 30 Ulnas gold coins. When redeeming fourth-tier alchemy weaponry, the lower limit of the Union Coin reward remains unchanged at 1 million, and the upper limit is increased to 4 million. It is equivalent to 10 to 40 Ulnas gold coins. Upon hearing Denises calculations, the purchasing power gap between Union Coin and Ulnas gold coins became apparent. 1 Ulnas gold coin = 1,000 Ulnas silver coins = 100,000 Union coins To buy an island in the Suman Archipelago, a maritime transportation hub, 100,000 Ulnas gold coins are needed, equivalent to 10 billion Union coins. Are Union coins cheap, or is the island too expensive? Both. Union coins are cheap because they can only circulate within Union City. Due to the limited circulation of Union coins and the few types of items available for purchase, these two factors overlap, making Union coins appear cheap. Ask yourself, which wizard would bring lots of gold coins, exchange them for Union coins here in Union City, and spend extravagantly? Probably none. The currency market demands supply-demand balance, too. Since the external demand for Union coins is not high, Union coins will naturally be less valuable. Secondly, buying an island in the Suman Archipelago involves more than just vacationing and maintaining good health. Buying an island is like buying land. Once you buy land, you can build warehouses, docks, and fishing grounds. So, the main population that buys islands in the Suman Archipelago are not wizards like Noland Lee and Denise who plan to live secluded lives, but businessmen who want to do business at sea and make a living from the ocean. In the case of being able to make money by buying a sea island, the price of the sea islands is naturally astonishingly high. In order to achieve this life goal, Noland estimated that he would have to bring back thousands of sets of alchemy weaponry from the Fissure Corridor. Chapter 425 - Chapter 425: 146. Strong-willed as desired_3 Chapter 425: 146. Strong-willed as desired_3 Translator: 549690339 Who would have thought, who would have thought, even in a parallel world, I cant escape the struggle for a house. As Noland Lee, who has lived two lives, he cant help but feel moved. But thinking about his current strength to speed run the Fissure Corridor, quickly accumulating wealth, the pressure of saving money to buy an island turned into high work enthusiasm. Starting today, Ill collect alchemy weaponry from the Fissure Corridor. As for how to turn a large number of alchemy weapons into cash without arousing suspicion, Ill deal with it later. Besides, before leaving Alchemist Island, I plan to search the Fissure Corridor to see if there are any chances to harvest some sage particles. If we live at sea, resource-type sage particles that produce pure freshwater can replace expensive magic water purification devices. Do you need me to accompany you in the Fissure Corridor? Denise Green blinked and muttered: You never let me participate in battles, and Ive always been unclear about your current strength. However, since you can escape unscathed from the pollution zone and defeat Morster in a duel, you must be very powerful. I know I shouldnt be nosy, but when you risk your life outside for me to bring back Rebirth Magic Power, and I can only watch and do nothing, I feel guilty Noland waved his hand: Dont overthink it, Denise. Noland coughed lightly and sat up straight, saying: Im a bit, um, how should I put it, both cunning and chauvinistic. I prefer the clichd task division that men fight outside while women stay at home. You indeed havent participated in battles, but you dont need to feel guilty. You support me behind the scenes, provide me with emergency escape means, or just encourage and affirm me. Its already helping me. If providing escape means is your strategic value, then the encouragement and affirmation from you provide emotional value. For someone like me, strategic value and emotional value are higher than the combat value you would have if you fight directly. So you dont need to feel guilty; your position in my heart is irreplaceable. I am willing to adventure for you, and I enjoy it. Thats good Denises cheeks turned red, I was just worried that I would become a vase in your eyes, so I said that Its okay, its okay. Can any vase help me escape? No, right? So youre not a vase. Noland laughed heartily and comforted her a few more times before clapping his hands and saying: Alright, Denise, you can go. Im going to make a trip to Cat Society Manor. Okay, then Ill go. Denise stood up, took Nolands spoils of war stored with her, and obediently teleported away with the torch. Great figure, excellent temperament, gentle and pleasant, considerate, and not clingy. If Denise were more extroverted and showed her face more, there would be a bunch of people fighting their way to become her contractor. Noland gave a wry smile, straightened his clothes, and left the study room. Before he returned with the spoils of war, he had discussed something with Cindy. This matter was related to Fars Scotts research task. By today, Nolands relationship with the Golden Commerce Guild was no longer one of passersby. Noland didnt need to use grey means to help Fars recover the alchemical cube. He told Cindy that he was willing to give up some spoils of war to help Fars get a new alchemical construct and restart the research task. Cindy assured him that it was a minor matter, and Noland didnt need to give up his spoils of war. Previously, the Golden Commerce Guild had little say in the Alchemy Academys research tasks due to their low status in the Alchemy Cathedral. Now things were different. Because of repelling the invaders and extraterrestrial space pollution, the Golden Commerce Guilds status in the Alchemy Cathedral had risen significantly. Cindy promised to explain the matter to the guilds supervisors. It wouldnt be long before Fars would receive a new alchemical construct. With Cindys word, Fars loss of the alchemical cube should be effectively resolved. Noland didnt need to investigate the Razor Gang further. In fact, as Noland and Cindy discussed the spoils of war, the Re-forged Association, Blackwater Winery, Razor Gang and other forces secretly colluding with Tatis were being investigated by the Alchemy Cathedral. If Noland went to the corresponding sector to check now, he would surely see the alchemy temple guards bearing golden alchemy firearms. All forces with ties to the Imperial Military Intelligence Sixth Division would receive a warm welcome from the Alchemy Cathedral. It wouldnt be long before the Intelligence Department 6 headquarters far away in Tatis was surprised to find that they had lost contact with their intelligence personnel in Union City. A series of reactions related to this would follow. For example, Samuelsons work in creating aberrations would be halted due to a lack of Life Elixir supplies. And for another example, the Re-forged Association would bear the name of traitors, willingly accept punishment, or even hand over the alchemical formula of the alchemical cube. Since the Golden Commerce Guild promised to keep Nolands secret, he didnt need to worry about being retaliated against by Tatis Military Intelligence Sixth Division, Black Citys illegal forces, or the Re-forged Association. For this reason, Noland had completely removed himself from the events and remained completely neutral. Moreover, he didnt want to get involved either. Now he only wanted to make money, buy a big house, and live a comfortable life with Denise on the sea. Of course, considering that the Golden Commerce Guild might still betray him, albeit a meager possibility, Noland already had emergency plans in place. Chapter 426 - Chapter 426: 146. Strong-willed as desired_4 Chapter 426: 146. Strong-willed as desired_4 Translator: 549690339 Cat Society Manor. In a small guest room. The afternoon sunlight was warm and bright, becoming even softer after passing through silk curtains. Noland Lee sat on a soft one-seater sofa, staring blankly at the floating dust in the light column for a while before Philia arrived. As soon as Noland Lee saw her, he used Deconstruction. He spent a thousand energy points and obtained Philias important memories from the last two days. From the obtained memory fragments, Philia and her mentor were curious about the Alchemy Cathedrals investigation of the Re-forged Association and other forces actions. They knew about the pollution zone on the sea surface and that it was caused by a cargo ship from the Tatis Empire. However, they were not sure what was in the ship wreckage, nor did they know why the Alchemy Cathedral pointed the finger at the Re-forged Association. This confirmed that the Golden Commerce Guild had indeed kept Noland Lees secret and never told Elemental Judgement about his involvement in the operation, where he played a significant role. Noland Lee was pleased with the Golden Commerce Guilds secrecy. His status in the eyes of Elemental Judgement remained unchanged, still a reliable and somewhat skilled wandering wizard. Ray Lee, youve arrived. Philia closed the door with a smile. Smoothing the folds of her dress behind her, she sat on a one-seater sofa opposite Noland Lee and asked: Are you here to rent the magic laboratory or buy magic materials? Noland Lee shook his head slightly: No, Philia. Im here for something else. Someone asked me to discuss something with you. Oh? Really? Philia sat up straight, ready to listen carefully while her dress tightened around her. Heres the thing. I have a friend in the Tatis Empire whose identity is somewhat special. Noland Lee spread his hands and said: He is the descendant of the Tatis Emperor and the only legal wizard in the empire. I think you should know his name. His name is Morster, right? Hotamss metal wizard. A contemplative light appeared in Philias eyes: I think I know what he wants you to do. He wants to use you to buy a Bone-mending Wand from us, right? Philias expression became somewhat distressed, and the smile at the corner of her mouth turned bitter: Im sorry, Ray Lee. I cant help you with this. My mentor has already sealed the wand and will hand it over to the Elemental Judgement Combat Wizard arriving here tomorrow. There should still be room for negotiation, Philia. You might as well listen to the bargaining chips Morster offers. Hmm Okay, go ahead. Noland Lee sorted out the information in his mind and began to convey the intelligence Morster had provided. His starting point was not about how many wandering wizards were missing in name only in Black City, or the potential wizard criminals there. He focused on Hickman Arlington. Noland Lee knew about Hickman Arlingtons betrayal of the Elemental Judgement from Philia herself. Using that as a starting point, Noland Lee aimed to spark Philias curiosity by asking Why did Hickman Arlington join Black City? He then raised the question of how many wandering wizards had been attacked and disappeared in the Fissure Corridor over the past few years to further stimulate her thoughts. After following this train of thought, Philia fell into contemplation. Now that you mention it, it does seem a bit strange. Philia frowned in thought: Since I became a wizard student, probably eight wandering wizards have been attacked in the Fissure Corridor in the last five years. They were all taken by Black Citys alchemists to the deepest part of the Fissure Corridor. As soon as we discovered these incidents, we informed the respective mentor professors of the wandering wizards. The professors had different reactions. Some were very angry and emotional, while others were cold and indifferent as if they didnt care whether their students were dead or alive. However, no matter what their attitude, these events eventually ended without consequences. Most professors used the excuse of a long journey to lament that they could not send new wandering wizards to rescue their fallen students. Philia helplessly shrugged and sighed lightly: We are just a magic research institute here, not a magic judging organization. Without the request of the mentor professors, we cannot send people to Black City. This would violate the contract signed with the Alchemy Cathedral. As a result, those missing wandering wizards have never reappeared in our sight. Noland Lee struck while the iron was hot and said: Morster should have prepared the information by now, Philia. You can communicate with the mentor professors. In fact, the young Morster had become quite impatient. After returning to the Tatis Empire, he went to see his mother, Adelaide Carter. Morster learned from his mothers mouth that during his heated battle with Noland Lee, a companion witch named Denise Green had contacted his mother through a professor to inquire about him. With a quick thought, Morster immediately realized that Denises relationship with Noland Lee was special, and they must be in a companion witch and contractor relationship. Thinking that his parents were also in a contractual relationship, with his father being a ruler of a country, Morster immediately realized how terrifying Noland Lees potential was. Morster knew very well where the rebirth magic power came from. He deeply knew that only those who could provide a stable and plentiful supply of rebirth magic power would be favored by companion witches. Only God knows how many students in Hotams long to become the contractors of companion witches. Chapter 427 - Chapter 427: 146. Strong-willed as desired_5 Chapter 427: 146. Strong-willed as desired_5 Translator: 549690339 After realizing Noland Lees extraordinary potential, Morster did three things in three days. First, he collected the information on wizard criminals in Black City. He had already prepared the materials. Second, he reopened the investigation into the case of Noland Lee Jarvis and his family, with the involvement of the Death Herald Guild as the reason. The charges against Noland Lee Jarvis were erased, and his familys debts disappeared. Nolands panel changed the status of Identity 1: Sin Soldier and Identity 2: Debtor from invalid to terminated. The third thing Morster did was to arrest and bring Kassandra to justice. Just before noon the day before Noland and Philias conversation, Kassandra, the culprit who framed Noland Lee Jarvis and his family, had been executed. Noland learned the news through the changes on his panel information. At the moment of Kassandras death, the Remark column in Soul Freeze stated: All hatred has vanished with that gunshot. You have fulfilled your vow to the Original Master. The soul contract between you and the Original Master has been completed. Soul Freeze will now be a spell completely under your control. Noland thought the matter of revenge might go awry, but everything turned out simpler than he expected. As his identity, status, and strength increased, he gradually became accustomed to solving difficult problems easily. Looking back at his experiences in Suffering Borderland, Noland had no negative emotions. He knew that if he went to the Suffering Borderland now, Morster would treat him as an honored guest rather than a criminal. Even Cavado, who was questioned for Incasas death, would have to salute Noland and shout Welcome! when they met. Life is full of wonders. Strength is key. Only with strength comes respect. Noland, I think youre right. We do need to learn more about Black City before we send battle mages after Samuelson, Faced with Nolands proposal, after half a minutes consideration, Philia decided to accept it: Ill discuss it with my teacher. Wait for me. Noland watched Philia leave the guest room. He leaned back in his chair, gazing at the blooming flowers in the garden outside the window, and silently said: Denise, please pass this message for me. Elemental Judgement may seek Morsters advice. Tell Morster to be prepared. Alright. Denise responded gently. After two minutes, she spoke again: Its done. I passed the message to Adelaide. Shed like me to convey her thanks. Alright, I understand. Thats all the help I can provide, Noland picked up the tea cup, took a sip, and eased his mind. Lee, arent you going to retrieve alchemy weapons from the Fissure Corridor? I have a major news update, Denise said excitedly. Noland could almost see her smiling face. Denise took a deep breath and continued: Im at the Lower Town branch of the Alchemy Cathedral right now. Just 10 minutes ago, the Alchemy Cathedral issued an announcement. After three days of continuous investigation, the Cathedral determined that two of the six local Re-forged Association elders, betraying the Sanctuary, and some Razor Gang members also committed similar crimes. The ground sectors and underground passages managed by these two Re-forged Association elders will be reclaimed by the Sanctuary from the day of the announcement. A month later, the Alchemy Cathedral will hold an auction and the ownership of Sector 5 and 6 will be decided through bidding. In the month before the auction, the sectors will be taken over by the Alchemy Cathedral, and the Fissure Corridor below the sectors will become ownerless. Ownerless? Noland paused: What does that mean? Anyone can go? Its more than just anyone can go, Denise giggled: In an ownerless Fissure Corridor, you can search for alchemy materials in resourceful Sage Spaces. Everything you find in the ownerless corridor is yours, with no interference from any alchemist factions. Besides, battles in the ownerless corridor will not be supervised by the Alchemy Cathedral or alchemist forces. No one has the right to blame you for your actions. I know you will not attack security company personnel, but that doesnt stop you from targeting random gang members. Noland raised an eyebrow. Isnt this the Alchemy Cathedrals opening of an unrestricted red zone? Free PK in the zone without penalty, equipment freely dropped, bought, and sold without restrictions. Hiss. Its like a server-wide event. This piqued Nolands interest. Denise, can I also take the Sage particles from the ownerless corridor? Yes, its fine. Ownerless means no one governs it. You can even set up roadblocks in a layer of the corridor and charge a toll for passing through it. Denise paused before adding: However, be careful about one thing. There used to be an unwritten rule in the Fissure Corridor that alchemists of the sixth rank and above couldnt appear within the 20th underground layer. Because if conflict breaks out among these high ranks within the 20th underground layer, it might affect civilians on the ground level. Now, this unwritten rule is broken. You may encounter sixth rank and above alchemists within the 20th underground layers of Sector 5 and 6. Be careful. Many high-ranking alchemists specialized in combat will gather within the 20th underground layers to stake a claim for their faction. Chapter 428 - Chapter 428: 146. Strong-willed as desired_6 Chapter 428: 146. Strong-willed as desired_6 Translator: 549690339 Taking over you even know this term. It seems youve gathered quite a bit of information within the Alchemy Cathedral subdivision. Thank you for your hard work, Denise. Noland Lee laughed. Its what I should be doing, dont keep saying thank you. Denise snorted. Noland chuckled and soon noticed the door handle of the guest room turning. Alright, Denise, Im busy now. Mm, Im going home now. There are too many people in the Alchemy Cathedrals subdivision Denises voice disappeared in his mind. Noland looked at the slowly opening door and saw not Philia, but the peeking Betty. Whats wrong, Betty? What are you sneaking around for? Noland laughed at her secretive appearance. My brother just came to the Kitty Shop to look for me. He said his Alchemical Cube was found by the Golden Commerce Guild. It was the Razor Gang who hired the Illegal Alchemists of Black City to attack his Mechanical Spider Betty stood outside the door, sticking her head into the room, staring at Noland with a serious expression on her small face, as if trying to see something from his face. Noland was surprised for half a second after hearing the news, as if he had just learned about it himself. He clapped his hands and laughed: Thats great news, Betty. We only investigated that the Razor Gang was involved in this, but we didnt expect the Golden Commerce Guild to solve the problem for us first. Betty blinked her bright eyes, looking suspiciously at Noland. Her thin eyebrows knitted together beneath the orange bangs: Huh? You didnt know about this Noland was bewildered and Yes, I didnt know about it until you told me. If I had known earlier, I would have definitely told you. Whats the matter? Its nothing, nothing Betty muttered and closed the door: I thought you were the one who gave the clue to the Golden Commerce Guild. Hmph, it made me angry. I wanted to give the Razor Gang a good beating Click. The door closed. Noland awkwardly touched his nose. This silly girl, Betty, is really impulsive, actually thinking about getting into trouble with the Razor Gang by herself. Just as Noland was about to show an amused expression, he saw the door being quietly opened again. Noland quickly hid his smile, picked up the tea cup instead. With a puzzled look on his face, as if he had been interrupted while drinking water, he looked at the little head sticking out from behind the door: Whats wrong, Betty? Youre acting strange today. Its nothing, nothing I just wanted to look at you You look handsome in that outfit, and its very easy on the eyes. Bettys head was squeezed in the crack, only showing her forehead and eyes to Noland. She took another look at the confused Noland and then closed the door again. Noland activated Life and Death Tracking, watching Betty leave the corridor, he felt a sigh of emotion. What a quirky girl with so many tricks up her sleeve, even knowing how to make a comeback. In my two lifetimes, I have had a lot of experience and quick reactions. I cant fool you, a little girl? Hehe! Nolands lips showed a smile as an old ginger, enjoying the leisurely tea, the scenery, and patiently waiting for Philias reply. He never considered taking credit for himself in front of Fars and Betty. Thats because the process of recounting the events would inevitably involve sensitive content. Fars was fine, he was a straight man who focused on alchemy experiments. He was simple-minded. For someone he trusted, he would believe whatever they said. Noland could easily dismiss Fars desire to get to the bottom of things with just a few words. But Betty was different. She was clever and cunning, with many thoughts in her head. On one hand, she maintained a cute and innocent image of a good sister in front of her brother, on the other, she quietly stirred up trouble. If Noland talked too much with her, it would inevitably arouse suspicion. Therefore, Noland decided not to tell the two about what he had done behind the scenes. At least not now. When this memory fades away in a year or two, becoming Fars boasting capital and Bettys lingering question, Noland would consider telling them the truth. Why do it like this? Its simple. Noland Lee will leave Alchemist Island and wont return for a short time. After he leaves, the relationships between people will fade. If he wants to ask Fars Scott for a favor, he needs a topic to narrow the distance. In that case, a true story hidden from history will undoubtedly win Fars Scotts sincere gratitude. After that, asking Fars Scott for help will be a natural step. If Fars Scott does not become a high-grade alchemist at that time, Betty Davis, as his sister, will also agree to help due to her relationship with Noland. Noland spends his time browsing through the books in his mind. Philia has not returned yet. This is a good thing. It means that the meeting between Elemental Judgement and Morster is underway. About half an hour later, Philia entered the room with seriousness. Thank you for conveying the message, Ray Lee. Philia forced a smile, took out a coin card, and handed it over: Please accept this. Its a token of gratitude from Elemental Judgement. Noland took the coin card and glanced at it. The large amount of 100,000 coins sparked his imagination. Philia, isnt this a bit too much? I only relayed a message, and Morster already gave me a reward. Noland asked while holding the coin card. Philia pushed the coin card back: Not at all, not at all. Its quite appropriate. If you hadnt helped Morster convey the message and provided us with information, Elemental Judgement would have suffered heavy losses in the Black City. Compared to that, 100,000 coins are nothing. This is my teachers intention; please just accept it. Alright then, Ill accept it. Noland pocketed the coin card before asking: Is the situation very serious? Yes, its very serious. According to the detailed information Morster provided, there is a trace of the Soul-stealing Overlord in Black City. Noland gasped slightly: The Soul-stealing Overlord? The rumored dead Annihilating Wizard Level criminal? Didnt the Wizard Enforcement Department say that the Soul-stealing Overlord and his magic plane were annihilated by extraterrestrial space pollution? Philia shook her head and said: I dont know the specifics. We will only know once the Wizard Enforcers arrive to investigate. We only know that Morsters intelligence shows that there is a Soul-stealing Wizard in Black City with an unclear origin and unknown strength. The Wizard Enforcers, who were originally scheduled to arrive at Alchemist Island in a month and a half, will hurry up. As for whether the Law Enforcement Department will send more enforcement wizards, I dont know. They have always been secretive about the situation of the enforcement wizards, and this time is no exception. Noland waved his hand: I hope everything goes smoothly. Ill leave now, Philia. Ill walk you to the door. As the two talked about the situation in Black City, they walked toward the manor gate. Noland said goodbye to Philia. On his way back, he told Denise Green about the situation. Denise was shocked and speechless when she heard that there was a Soul-stealing Overlords wizard in Black City. Its not her fault. It is rumored that more than ten years ago, the Soul-stealing Overlord angered the Wizard Enforcement Department and was hunted down. The two sides had a fierce battle outside the Star Filtering Net. The Soul-stealing Overlord was seriously injured and escaped, accidentally coming into conflict with an extraterrestrial space pollutant. The Soul-stealing Overlord lost his head to this extraterrestrial space pollutant, and the Wizard Enforcement Department announced that he had been killed in action. The terrifying thing about the Soul-stealing Overlord was his Soul-stealing technique. Noland had collected so many soul fragments and could be considered an expert in obtaining Soul Strength. But the Soul Strength he had gathered was all absorbed from corpses and dead bodies. The Soul-stealing Overlord was powerful. Before becoming an Annihilating Wizard Level criminal, he was a professor experienced in the branch of soul-stealing with the(evil)magical skill of forcibly extracting souls. Now, this branch no longer exists. The effect of Soul-stealing Magic on plundering Soul Strength is far more powerful than Soul Absorption. Simply grabbing a living creature allows it to steal the soul from the target. The stronger the Soul-stealing Wizard, the more souls they can forcibly take away. The Soul-stealing Overlord was at the top of the Soul-stealing Wizards and once committed the heinous crime of sucking a million souls at once. This evil deed angered the Wizard Enforcement Department, leading to a series of subsequent battles and unexpected events. Chapter 429 - Chapter 429: 147. Nesting Dolls Together Chapter 429: 147. Nesting Dolls Together Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee coveted the all-powerful effects of Soul-stealing Magic, where it indiscriminately plundered Soul Strength. However, this did not mean that he intended to stir up trouble in Black City. Firstly, he did not know much about Soul-stealing Wizards. Secondly, his Deconstruction skill couldnt obtain Active or Passive Skills; at most, he could acquire Scholarly Skills. If he took down a Soul-stealing Wizard inside Black City or if he was beaten half to death by them, all he would achieve was obtaining encyclopedic Scholarly Skills like Soul-stealing Magic Studies. If he truly wished to obtain Soul-stealing Magic, the objects he needed to deconstruct were the magic book or Magical Items containing the spells. This includes things like the bone-mending wand which contains the Martyrs Ten Commandments and the Crow Spirit Mask with the Mind Magic Bead that contain the River of Mind and the like. Noland Lee planned it this way: He would let the Combat Wizards of Elemental Judgement and the Wizard Enforcers tangle with the Soul-stealing Wizards. Meanwhile, his role was to cheer from the sidelines. Once the forces of justice obtained the spoils of war, he would take the opportunity to sneak a peek, find the items containing the magic spell, and deconstruct them with his Energy Points prepared in advance. In this way, Noland Lee would avoid facing an enemy of unknown strength while easily acquiring the Soul-stealing Magic. It was the perfect plan. Noland Lee thought about the details of the plan while he left Union City. On the day he returned to Union City, he practiced the Dusk Breathing Technique in the afternoon. Originally, he thought about practicing within the city, but he found that the high walls of the Lower Town blocked the view of the setting sun. In order not to delay his cultivation, Noland left the city that very day and found a deserted hill in the woods west of Union City. All he had to do was sit on the hilltop, and he could see the forest at the bottom of the mountain bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, and the two sunsets hanging in the heavens. The two suns in this world were man-made. They were an important part of the Star Filtering Net, constructing the inner cosmos with other man-made celestial bodies. Essentially, celestial bodies acting as Teleportation Gates were the entrances to the Magic Planes of corresponding wizard forces. We define teleportation as a wizard traveling from one corner of this world using the Magic Plane of their wizard force as a transit point towards another corner of this world. Using the Magic Plane as a transit point is similar to a spaceship utilizing wormholes for jumping. Both methods circumvent a large distance by taking shortcuts. But would it be possible to cultivate the Dusk Breathing Method with artificial suns in the sky? Surprisingly, one can. The artificial sun, roughly the size of a wash basin, was the entrance to the Magic Plane of the Light Wizard force of the Pure Light Court. Just hearing the name, with its wordings of Pure, Light, and Court, makes it evident that this wizard force named Pure Light Court is a firm believer of extreme order. According to Denise Green, the Pure Light Court required high-ranking wizard students, that is, Three Rings of Pure Light Wizards, to work for at least three years in the Wizard Enforcement Department before they could graduate. At least half of the wizards recruited by the Law Enforcement Department annually to become Enforcers came from the Pure Light Court. From this ratio, it can be estimated that the wizards who came to Union City to enforce laws were likely to be Light Wizards. As for the slightly larger and light blue artificial sun in the sky, Denise Green was unaware of its origin. Not only did she not know, but neither did the main lecturer behind her, the Lantern of the Reborn, nor the Wizard Enforcement Department or wizard forces like Elemental Judgement. Having artificial celestial bodies of unknown origin hanging in the sky is a common occurrence in this world. Ordinary people simply treated them as additional stars, while wizards, although curious, didnt probe deeper about them. Anyone who has ascended from being a Tenth-Ring Wizard to a Star Witch is able to open up their own Magic Plane. Ascension to Star Witch is not a privilege exclusive to the Ulnas Circle. The requirement for a Tenth-Ring wizard is to expand their Spiritual Ocean to 300 meters, or reach a Spirit attribute value of 300 points. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Chapter 430 - Chapter 430: 147. Nesting Dolls Together_2 Chapter 430: 147. Nesting Dolls Together_2 Translator: 549690339 It did not interfere with the Pure Light Courts plane entry but coexisted harmoniously with them. The wizards of Ulnas Circle tacitly accepted its existence. There were rumors that the pale blue sun had been created by the Pure Light Court. The Pure Light Court never refuted this rumor and thus tacitly accepted. Noland Lee was not concerned with the origin of the pale blue sun; he only knew that it was excellent for practicing the Dusk Breathing Technique. The artificial sun of the Pure Light Court was quite similar to an ordinary sun. Lee chose it as his practice target when he first tried the Breathing Method. However, its temperature was so high and the light too dazzling that Lee could only extract a trace of its dusk essence before feeling an overwhelming heat. Inhaling this level of dusk essence would undoubtedly set oneself on fire. After much deliberation, Noland Lee cautiously gave up on choosing the artificial sun of the Pure Light Court as his practice target. He changed his goal and practiced with the pale blue sun instead. This was much better. The pale blue sun was gentle and did not harm Noland Lees body. One day at dusk, Noland Lee sat down in his usual spot. He faced the setting sun, gazing at the pale blue sun. Adjusting his breathing rhythm, and visualizing the starry pattern recorded in the Breathing Method, Noland Lee entered the practice state. A very faint pale blue light thread appeared before him. With the movement of his breath, the pale blue thread entered his nose and went down his trachea into his lungs. His chest felt a warmth. Noland Lee could clearly feel a thin warmth thread wandering throughout his chest. Following the guidance of the Breathing Method, he used his willpower to lead the thread to his bones, muscles, and skin. When the thread has visited every part of his body, Noland Lee took a deep breath and guided the thread to his head with his willpower. The warmth of the thread penetrated his will and soul, making Lee comfortably exhale the air in his chest. In the lingering exhalation, the last ray of the setting sun disappeared completely. With this, todays Breathing Technique exercise was completed. Noland Lee opened his eyes, moved his body, and checked the system message in his mind. [You have successfully practiced the Dusk Breathing Technique of Soul Casting Technique!] [Action completion 94%.] [Based on this completion, you have received the following rewards:] [Dusk Breathing Technique practice experience +94 points] [Current practice progress: Level 0 282/1000] [When the practice level increases, you will receive upgrade rewards! Keep up the hard work!] Dusk Breathing Technique and the Forging Body Movement of Dusk Soul-casting Technique were two different training methods. After practicing the Breathing Technique, he could still continue to practice the Forging Body Movement. Noland Lee had already formed a habit of this practice. He would practice the Breathing Technique at dusk, rest for half an hour after dinner at night, and then practice the body movement. The training process recorded in Soul Casting Technique was to practice the body movement before sunset, practice the Breathing Technique at dusk, and sleep soundly after the sun went down. Noland Lees training process didnt match the content of the book, causing the training effect to be discounted. He couldnt help it; who made him so busy during the day? He had to keep working until dusk before he had free time. Noland Lee used the Bone Spirit Flight Technique to fly to Union City. Looking up at the starry sky, there was longing in his eyes. For at least a month in the future, he would probably not be able to see dusk since he would be immersed in the Fissure Corridor. Naturally, his progress in practicing the Soul Casting Technique would be interrupted. In order to save money to buy an island and achieve his life goal, Noland Lee had to do this. He had already come up with a specific action plan. Among the items listed by Denise Green, other than the islands and the magic boats that were irreplaceable, most of the items could be replaced with alternatives found in Union City. The Suman Archipelago is located in the deep sea area. The surrounding seawater is not the only unique characteristic. It also contains extraordinary substances that are difficult to remove. Nearshore, open sea, deep sea, the concentration of extraordinary substances contained in these three areas gradually increases. Nearshore waters dont have extraordinary substances and are indistinguishable from the seawater in Noland Lees previous world. Open sea water contains low concentrations of extraordinary substances. Boiling it and collecting distilled water cannot remove the extraordinary substances. Long-term consumption can lead to uncontrollable extraordinary events. From fingers becoming soft, growing hair, deformities, to brains oozing pus and sudden death, everything is possible. Deep sea water has a higher concentration of extraordinary substances. It must be purified by magic or Alchemy to reach drinkable standards. The magic purification device sold by the Hotams Deep Sea Department is specifically for purifying deep-sea water. This device, called Magical Water Purification Tank, comes in small, medium, large, and extra-large sizes. Not only is it expensive, but it also requires regular maintenance by deep-sea wizards. Noland Lee thought about it and decided to get a resource-type Sage Particle that produces freshwater for himself and Denise Green. There were quite a few of these Sage Particles in the Fissure Corridor. After all, the 300,000 alchemists living underground back then needed a sufficient supply of freshwater. If you count the freshwater consumption of underground alchemy workshops, the demand for freshwater is even greater. Based on Noland Lees information about the underground corridor resources, just below the next door Sector 6, there are 3 to 6 Sage Particles producing freshwater. Chapter 431 - Chapter 431: 147. Nesting Dolls Together_3 Chapter 431: 147. Nesting Dolls Together_3 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee decided to play it big. Only children make choices. He wanted all of these Sage Particles that produce freshwater. At the very least, he wanted to get his hands on two of them. One for regular use, and one as a backup. There were two things Noland Lee needed to pay attention to. First, the Sage Particles that produced freshwater were still in an open state. They existed in the Fissure Corridor as Resourceful Sage Spaces. To obtain them, Noland Lee had to unlock the Sages Lock, then break the seal left by the previous Alchemy Sage before he could gather the Sage Space and take away the Sage Particles. The second thing to be aware of was to avoid being discovered by the Alchemists. It was crucial not to let any major Alchemy Powers, even the Golden Commerce Guild, learn about it. If they knew that a Wizard like him broke the Sages Lock and Alchemy Mark, it would inevitably lead to endless trouble. It might not sound pleasant, but Noland Lees act of plundering Sage Particles was similar to digging up an Alchemist Factions corner, which would arouse a lot of hatred. He had to make a fortune quietly, without anyone knowing. Considering this, Noland Lee didnt even inquire about the corridor map from the 21st to the 100th underground layers from the Golden Commerce Guild. If his luck was bad and he was still discovered, then his Mental Magic and his many backup disguises would come in handy. After returning to Union City, he enjoyed a big meal and began preparing his luggage for the Fissure Corridor trip. A Masking Robe, a Death Spike Wand, and a Soul Shaping Tattoo C these three things were the symbols of Hickman Arlington. The Masking Robe of Hickman Arlington had the pattern of Soul Shaper Gilbert Winchester. Noland Lee found this content in the Deconstruction results. After creating his own Masking Robe, Noland Lee left a pattern of Soul Shapers in the same position and in the same way as the embroidery. The Death Spike Wand of Hickman Arlington had a magic lock that required pressing the correct spikes to unlock. Noland Lee also found this content in the results of the Deconstruction. After creating his own Death Spike Wand, he set the password of the Magic Lock to that of Hickman Arlington. By wearing the Masking Robe and holding the Spiked Wand, and then applying the same Soul Shaping Tattoo sticker to his Skeleton form, Noland Lee transformed from a student of the Sleeping Monument Master to a person of the Soul Shaper. Unless it was a Wizard who was very familiar with Hickman Arlington, no one could distinguish the reality of Noland Lees disguise. Noland Lee scrutinized his disguise in a floor mirror. He was mostly satisfied, giving it 80 points. Deductions were made for a lack of light globules inside the skull and the tattoo sticker being just for show. However, this was enough to deal with Alchemists who were not familiar with the Soul Shaping branch. He had several other sets of disguise costumes like this, each corresponding to a disguised identity. Since he was going to plunder resources without leaving a trace, he might as well become a disguised person. Noland Lee removed his disguise, practiced the movements of the Soul Casting Technique, and went to bed according to the normal schedule. Before dawn, when the sky was still dark, Noland Lee woke up early and called Denise Green, who was also up early. As planned, he would go to the Unclaimed Corridor to plunder resources today. Noland Lee handed her a bag of prepared Magic Scrolls. Im going to the Fissure Corridor, Denise. You keep these Mind Illusion Magic Scrolls safe. While Im away, youll have to deal with the Lady Housekeeper and guests. Denise Green took the pouch and pulled out a scroll to examine, saying: Youre really versatile, Noland. You can even use this Mental Illusion Magic Spell. Try it out first, Noland Lee smiled. Alright~ Denise Green tore open the scroll. A pale pink spell light scattered from the scroll and fell on Denise Green. As the light dissipated, Denise Green lifted her skirt, bowed her head, and turned around to look at herself. As the target of the spell, she could resist Mental Illusion and saw her true appearance. But in Noland Lees eyes, Denise Green took on his own appearance. This was the effect of the Mental Illusion Mind Magic Spell. This Magic Spell allowed the appearance of one person to be seen as another persons desired image. Noland Lee changed his mind and silently thought about wanting to see Denise Green. The figure in front of him immediately changed, transforming into Denise Greens appearance in the hazy light and shadow. Now, both he and Denise Green had become disguised individuals Noland Lee nodded with a smile, saying: Very good, the effect is satisfactory, enough to fool the Lady Housekeeper and general visitors. You can stay here for now. Did you bring your change of clothes and daily necessities? Mm-hmm, I brought them. Denise Green shook her Magic Pouch and then handed over the Illusion Ring: Here, this is what you wanted. Noland Lee took the Illusion Ring, put it on himself, and said: Then, Ill be going, Denise. Tomorrow morning, you tell the Lady Housekeeper that you want to take time to study the meditation method and wont leave your bedroom for more than a month. Have her leave your meals in the corridor. That way, you can avoid a lot of prying. Alright, Ill be careful and wont slow you down, Denise Green said seriously. She watched Noland Lee walk towards the window and advised softly: Be careful, Noland. Ill be waiting for you here. Dont worry. If I encounter difficulties, Ill know when to back off. With Denise Greens gaze, Noland Lee activated the Illusionary Body Technique on the Illusion Ring and was in stealth mode. He climbed over the window, jumped down, landed steadily on the grass outside the house, and made no sound whatsoever. Noland Lee looked up and waved to Denise Green at the second-floor window. He then set off on his journey to infiltrate Sector 6 Fissure Corridor. Quickly close the window, Denise. At this time, I should be in bed meditating or sleeping until seven in the morning. Alright~ Denise obediently closed the window, drew the curtains, and extinguished the lights inside the room. Chapter 432 - Chapter 432: 148. Big-eyed cute baby” Chapter 432: 148. Big-eyed cute baby Translator: 549690339 Ownerless Rift Corridor, no rules for fighting, no moral or legal constraints, and unrestricted killing. Alchemy Cathedral cleared out the Re-forged Association branch in Sector 6, opening up the underground entrance for the Rift Corridor to the public. As an alchemist association primarily focused on alchemy manufacturing, the Re-forged Association has a vast alchemy factory area. Accordingly, within Sector 6, there are several underground entrances leading to the Rift Corridor from the ground level. Every underground entrance is wide open. The empty area near the entrance is packed with temporary campsites of various alchemy factions. Large and small tents and metal fences block the underground entrance, making it impassable. If it werent for the temple guards maintaining order on the scene, the swarming alchemy forces would love to directly seal the underground entrance with an alchemy formation, claim it for themselves, and profit by charging entrance fees. Alchemy forces that arrive at the underground entrance first can occupy favorable terrain one step ahead. Sector 7 of the Golden Commerce Guild is right next door. So, for Kent and other security team members, and Derek and the other Golden Merchants Sword members, they have already forcefully surrounded the underground entrance closest to Sector 7. Noland Lees adventure this time is all about secrecy. He didnt go to the Golden Commerce Guild and instead entered the bustling Rift Corridor through an underground entrance controlled by several medium and small factions working together. The moment his Illusionary Body Technique effect ended, Noland Lee had already arrived at the corridor area below the southwest direction of Sector 6. Located on the fourth underground level, he looked around and saw the corridor that had been plowed over by guns and bombs. Explosion marks emanating burnt smells were everywhere, and the ground was covered with messy footprints. The alchemy platforms and various mechanical devices left behind by the Re-forged Association were all overturned violently and forcibly dismantled to acquire the highest valued alchemy parts. One could imagine that before Noland Lee arrived at this place, several groups had clashed here. They desperately robbed and smashed the abandoned assets of the Re-forged Association, impatiently entering lower floors to search for spoils of war. Noland Lee looked at the number of footprints on the ground, then activated his Life and Death Tracking to check the floors below. He nodded calmly, the corners of his mouth raised in a cold smile. Very good. The gunmen who appeared here were all members of the gangs. Among them was a familiar face, the Wolfpack Guard who had tried to take Fars Scott away in the water supply teams night raid. This person was the Ferocious Hound Alchemist. In addition to the Ferocious Hound Gang, the lower floors also had gunmen and alchemists from Blood Fox Gang, Bald Eagle Gang, and Steam Armored Gang. A total of four gang factions gathered here. They fought a battle on the fourth underground level, and after realizing that no one could overcome the others, they agreed to each be responsible for a corridor area. Thus, a situation emerged where four gangs each occupied a corner of the underground floor, mutually suspicious and unimpeded. Thanks to Alchemy Cathedral maintaining the gray violence organization of gangs and distinguishing it from the peaceful and friendly security companies. Under such arrangements, gang forces would automatically gather together, and no virtuous people would mix into their ranks. If Noland Lee was forced to conflict with the gang members, he could fight back with peace of mind, not worried about harming innocent people. Not bad, not bad, let the plundering begin then. Noland Lee took out his masking robe to put on, then draped an alchemy cloak over it to deceive vision. He activated the Breath of the Dead, entered the skeleton form, and headed to the lower floors. The 18th underground level of Sector 6 is a large flat area with a corridor height of over 20 meters. Thirty years ago, it was one of the outpost floors. It originally had constructed facilities like shower rooms, resting rooms, dining halls, and entertainment venues, as well as pipelines for clean water and hot water. Nowadays, all the living facilities have been abandoned and were transformed into an underground workshop by the Re-forged Association. In the center of this floor, there is a water well that is three meters deep and two meters wide. This well is a tiny Resourceful Sage Space, also known as the Alchemy Water Well. Its previous owner died more than 30 years ago, and now it is a standard ownerless item. Noland Lee used sense tampering to avoid gang members and silently arrived at the 18th underground level, where he saw the well. Noland Lee drank a Night Vision Potion in advance, but to see the transparent liquid of the well water clearly, he still needed a light source. He picked up an alchemy lamp and shone it into the center of the well, seeing the wet wall reflecting light and the stereoscopic formation lines floating in the air. His gaze moved downward, passing through the wells water to the bottom, where Noland Lee discovered a ball of yarn with four-element glow. The original owner of the Alchemy Water Well might have been a yarn ball enthusiast. He designed his Sages Lock as a tangled ball of energy yarn. Each yarn strand on the Sages Lock was made of elemental energy. Unraveling this unique yarn ball would mean unlocking the Sages Lock, after which the Sage Space core array wrapped in the yarn ball would be revealed. The next step was to use the alchemy mark of the previous owner to gain control of the core array. After gaining control, the previous owners alchemy mark could be erased, and this Sage Space could be completely transformed into an ownerless object that anyone could control. Chapter 433 - Chapter 433: 148. Big-eyed cute baby”_2 Chapter 433: 148. Big-eyed cute baby_2 Translator: 549690339 The core idea of the whole operation process is similar to unlocking a smartphone and removing the screen lock password. Noland Lee threw the Deconstruction Technique at the yarn ball-like Sages Lock. [System Message:] [You are about to use the Deconstruction Technique on the Alchemy Water Well.] [Based on your Alchemy knowledge skill, the Energy Points required for this deconstruction will be reduced to 22,000 points.] [Do you confirm to perform deconstruction?] Huh? Cant deconstruct just the Sages Lock? Noland Lee blinked his eyes, changing the angle to aim the Deconstruction Technique at the Sages Lock below. Just like deconstructing a Warlocks Alchemy Stone without deconstructing the Warlock himself, Noland Lee cannot deconstruct just the Sages Lock. So, there was no other way that he had to deconstruct the entire Alchemy Water Well. Noland Lee looked at his remaining Energy Points stock. In the Pollution Zone, more Energy Points were gained, but the consumption was also high. At the moment, he still had 51,147 Energy Points on hand. Just unlocking the Sages Lock would consume 22,000 Energy Points, so how much more would be needed to break the Alchemy Mark left by the previous Sage? Noland Lee sighed silently. After all, an Alchemy Sage is an Alchemy Sage. Just one Alchemy Water Well would cost him a lot. Although he felt heartache for his Energy Points, Noland Lee still silently confirmed the deconstruction. He would find an opportunity to replenish his Energy Points later. [System Message:] [Deconstruction Success!] [You have obtained the target panel information:] [Name] Alchemy Water Well [Type] Micro Resource-type Sage Particles [Status] Expanded into Sage Space [Item Level] 45th level (70th level) The level inside the brackets is the level at its peak, while the level outside the brackets is the level after lack of maintenance [Construct Value] 4542/7000 [Spatial Effect] When the Construct Value is full, the water output in 24 Hours is about 15 tons. Due to the decrease in Construct Value, the water output is reduced to about 10 tons in 24 Hours. [Sages Lock] The unlocking method is as follows: (omitted) [Alchemy Mark] The mark style is as follows: (omitted) [Maintenance Method] By using the correct Alchemy Material and Array/Formation, it is possible to increase the Construct Value of this item and achieve the purpose of maintenance. The required Alchemy Material and Array/Formation are as follows: (omitted) [Binding Conditions] Your Spirit must be higher than 20 points. After binding this item to your soul, you will gain a negative effect Spirit Burden (Level 7). This effect lasts until you unbind from this item and causes your Spirit to temporarily decrease by 7 points. [Description] Just carrying this item without binding it will not give you the negative effect Spirit Burden (Level 7). You must bind it before you can expand it into a Sage Space. The deconstructed panel information is consistent with the knowledge from the Alchemy books I have. My previous speculation was correct; binding Sage Particles does temporarily deduct Spirit Attribute Values. Noland Lee climbed over the well railing, entered the wellhead, and fell towards the water below. With a splash, he sank into the water and towards the bottom. Being in his Skeleton Form, Noland Lee did not need to worry about not being able to breathe underwater since he didnt need to breathe in the first place. After reaching the yarn ball at the bottom with his hand, Noland Lee used his flexible skeletal fingers to pinch the energy strands extending from the yarn ball. Following the unlocking method of the Sages Lock on the panel information, Noland Lee quickly detangled the messy yarn ball by pulling out the energy strands step by step. A metal piece engraved with complex Array/Formation patterns appeared in front of him, which was the core Array/Formation of the Sage Space. Although the metal piece was only palm-sized and extremely thin, under the enhancement of spatial rules, it was the hardest thing in the well and firmly fixed at the bottom. Noland Lee took out the Rune Staff, calmed his mind, and remembered the Alchemy Mark of the previous Sage firmly in his mind. After ensuring that his memory did not deviate in the slightest, he began to modify the Array/Formation patterns on the metal piece. Rumble A muffled explosion echoed from the Corridor Area above. The four Gang Sects were striving to clear the Aberrations in the corridor. Their target was also this Alchemy Water Well. However, dont misunderstand. They didnt have the ability to crack the Sages Lock and Alchemy Mark. When Noland Lee passed by the Gang Sect team, he heard their conversation. The guys intended to set up Alchemical traps, or even Trap-type Sage space, around the Alchemy Water Well first. Since they couldnt own the Alchemy Water Well, no one else should be able to use it either. That was the idea of the Gang Sect team. That explosion just now sounded relatively close, and it was estimated that the first Gang Sect team to reach this place would appear shortly. Noland Lee didnt let the muffled explosion distract him and always maintained a calm and composed state. After completing the final stroke on the metal piece, his Soul Energy flowed into the Array/Formation patterns. The dim light of the Four Elements bloomed in the dark underwater. About 10 seconds later, the light quickly converged on the metal piece. Noland Lee put away his Rune Staff, reached out to grab the glowing metal piece, and gently lifted it from the bottom. Just as the metal piece left the bottom, the well water and the wall were absorbed into the metal piece like a canvas. In less than two seconds, the surrounding scenery changed drastically, and Noland Lee found himself in a crater without any well water. This crater was initially excavated to place the Alchemy Water Well. Chapter 434 - Chapter 434: 148. Big-eyed cute baby”_3 Chapter 434: 148. Big-eyed cute baby_3 Translator: 549690339 Now, the alchemy water well that had accompanied it for more than 30 years had disappeared, and it naturally emerged. Noland Lee tucked the glowing metal piece into his blood haven and turned directly into a white skull, flying into the corridor without lingering. Several aberrations wandering near the crater noticed the sudden appearance of the pit in the ground. They gathered around, staring blankly at the pit. With their limited brains, they probably couldnt figure out where the original water well had gone. Noland Lee didnt bother with the aberrations, whether he was coming here or leaving. But there were exceptions. Like right now. Before opening the metal gate leading to the underground 19th floor, Noland Lee stealthily killed an aberration and turned it into his undead. The metal gate was covered with a sticky substance which would fall off when the gate was opened. He had to restore it after entering or it would alert others. This was where the aberration undead came into play. Noland stepped into the stairwell and closed the gate. The aberration undead picked up the fallen sticky substance and reattached it to the door, restoring everything to its original state. After completing this step, it proudly stepped into the vertical shaft entrance and was destroyed during free fall. Noland followed the same procedure on every floor. Thus, the group of gang members who were only focused on shooting and grabbing spoils of war never discovered the unwelcome guest in the Fissure Corridor. There were some other resourceful sage spaces on the underground 18th floor featuring minerals, green plants, and natural rubber. With limited time and energy points, Noland temporarily ignored the unplanned resourceful sage spaces. Once his current plan was complete, it wouldnt be too late to consider plundering other sage spaces. Next, Im heading to the underground 28th floor, which is also an abandoned outpost. The underground map I got from the alchemy access instrument only includes floors 20 and above. I need to find my way down there myself. Noland, lost in thought, stepped into the underground 21st floor. A fierce cold wind blew, bringing an even stronger smell of aberrations than upstairs. Seeing the scene on the underground 21st floor, Noland couldnt help but be stunned. This This place is actually like this. All the previous corridors he had traversed were fully enclosed, with hard walls on all sides. But here, the corridor was semi-open. On one side of the metal gate in the stairwell was an airtight wall, while the other side was composed of a metal fence. Outside the metal fence was a bottomless, pitch-black clifftop, cold and oppressive. The howling cold wind, carrying the stench of aberrations, blew up from the top of the cliff, pouring into the semi-open corridor. Noland came to the edge of the metal fence, looking out into the abyss from the railing. Layer after layer of semi-open corridors spiraled downward like the patterns on a snails shell. The corridors were between 10 and 20 meters high, more than 5 meters wide, and were exceptionally spacious. Noland noticed that different colored floor tiles were used in each floors corridor to indicate their respective functions. Red tiles had fixed brackets for the base of alchemy cannon towers. These were areas where alchemy cannons had been placed 30 years ago. Blue tiles were attached to the stone brick walls, with mechanical tracks that had been left unrepaired for years, broken gears, and dried oil stains. These were the fast transport tracks for ammunition and other supplies 30 years ago. As for the other colors, such as green, purple, and black, Noland was unclear about their purpose since there was nothing on these tiles. Looking at the vast corridors that extended far below, Noland couldnt help but marvel at this grand alchemy engineering feat. Alright, I cant delay any longer. Im not here for sightseeing. Noland regained his senses and began looking for the way to the next level. He pulled out his dagger and tried to cut the metal fence. The metal bars within the fence were evenly distributed with only a gap no more than 6 centimeters between them. When using the Bone Spirit Flight Technique, his appearance was a white skull approximately 20 centimeters wide. If he could cut the metal fence and fly out, going down from outside the fence would undoubtedly be the most efficient and convenient solution. No good, this metal fence is made of extraordinary alchemy material. My level 12 alchemy dagger cant leave a scratch on its surface. Noland released a Deconstruction spell to have a look. Good grief, the item level of the metal fences had reached 35, no wonder his little dagger couldnt even leave a scratch. Noland carefully examined the metal fence, finding no mechanical switches or alchemy arrays that could open it. Then there was no choice but to go through the stairwell honestly. Noland shook his head slightly, putting away his dagger. His gaze shifted from the metal fence to the corridor, as he followed the movement of his head. A ghostly pale, big-eyed child suddenly entered his field of vision. Damn it Noland was startled, and his skeletal body quivered for a moment. If it werent for his Breath of the Dead state, keeping his emotional fluctuations to a minimum, he would have been unable to resist yelling in surprise. Upon closer inspection, this was not a human child, but a bizarre aberration. Its appearance and facial contours resembled that of an 8-year-old human child, standing just over one meter tall with a thin frame, appearing malnourished for a long period. Its eyes were large and filled with darkness. Chapter 435 - Chapter 435: 148. Big-eyed Cute Baby”_4 Chapter 435: 148. Big-eyed Cute Baby_4 Translator: 549690339 This Aberration was peculiar. It came to Noland Lee silently and paused to take a closer look at him, as if it could discern that the skeleton in front of it was not a corpse, but an Extraordinary One, a Wizard or, in other words, a living being. Noland Lee and the creature continued to stare at each other. If the creature didnt move, Noland would stay still too. As Noland Lee launched a Deconstruction technique towards this Aberration, he consumed a cold breath deep down. [System Message:] [You are about to launch the Deconstruction Technique on Unnamed Extraordinary One.] [Estimated Consumption: 100,000 Energy Points, which can achieve a 100% degree of deconstruction.] [Warning!] [The system detects that deconstructing this target will cause you serious Negative effects!] [The System recommends using Harmless Deconstruction Technique against it.] Damn it takes a 100,000 energy points for a complete deconstruction! And it would be best to use Harmless Deconstruction! Is this Aberration some giant? Wait, why did the System assign it the name Unnamed Extraordinary One? Shouldnt it be XXXX Aberration? Noland Lee suddenly realized that something was off. He slowly shifted his gaze and scrutinized this Aberration several times. Its skin was also gray, but whiter than other aberrations. The skin surface was free from wrinkles and indents, but rather smooth with the aberrations mucus glistening like sweat on its body. Other than a pair of watery black eyes, the short and small aberration looked just like a severely underdeveloped aberration of bipedal type. But how could it be labeled as an Extraordinary One by the System Noland Lee thought for a while, but did not pull out his magic wand or Alchemy Firearms. He raised his hand and waved to it, greeting it. The small aberration trembled like it was scared, subconsciously protecting its head with both of its hands. It glanced at Noland Lee through the gap between its slender arms, and upon seeing his lack of aggressive intent, it opened its eyes wide in surprise and opened its mouth. Amazingly, Noland Lee saw a surprised expression on the face of an Aberration! This little creatures eyes were filled with a complex look. More so, the mouth it opened was not petal-shaped, but like that of a human with upper and lower rows of teeth and a deep red tongue. I get it! This could be A spark flashed through Noland Lees mind! He quickly pulled out the Panel showing the information of the Aberration he had deconstructed, focusing his attention on the type tab. [Type] Living Alchemy Product, Cursed One A living Alchemy product. If its a living Alchemy, it must involve living creatures. Noland Lee felt a sinking feeling in his heart, and a bad guess arose in his mind. Just as he was planning to find a way to interact with the short Aberration standing in front of him, he felt a slight tremor coming from the floor above. Boom A muffled rumble caused a minor tremor, causing the dust on the ceiling to fall. Noland Lee looked up at the ceiling. At the limit of his Magic Vision, he saw figures engaged in combat. The Gang Members had discovered the Crater; this led to a suspicion among them and consequently, fighting. I hope these guys all die in the melee. That way I can comfortably loot the other Sage Spaces when I return. Noland Lee looked down at the ground level and then looked around questioningly. Wait, where is that quirky Aberration? It was still here just now, how did it disappear all of a sudden? Noland Lee examined his own Panel Information. There were no Negative effects that could distort perception on his status bar. He hadnt received any similar System Messages either. After another look at the Mucus Carpet without any footprints, Noland Lee got it. He had encountered an aberration giant that arrived without casting a shadow and left without leaving a trace. The real deal. And, it didnt harbor any obvious hostility towards him. Since there was no hostility, he should meet it next time. Then he would consider Harmless Deconstruction, or communicate with it. Noland Lee shook his head, getting rid of his random thoughts, and seized the time to find a way downward. Chapter 436 - Chapter 436: 149. Is this an angel?! Chapter 436: 149. Is this an angel?! Translator: 549690339 An hour had passed since Noland Lee began exploring the 21st underground layer. In a corner of the 21st underground layer of Sector 6. Noland crouched in a cluttered room filled with broken crates, the floor covered in broken wooden boards, wood shavings, and bent nails. This was an abandoned underground warehouse, occupying an area of about 300 square meters. There were hundreds of warehouses like this one in the 20th underground layer. Along with similar workshops, steam boiler rooms, and liquid cooling rooms occupying 300 or even 500 square meters, there were at least two hundred of them in the 20th underground layer. He found this out after finding a map. The map, left on a mucus-covered carpet, was about 4 cm thick when folded palm-sized. When it was spread out on the floor, the densely packed corridors and room layouts appeared before him. There were also numerous hand-written numbers and notes beside the layouts. According to the information on the map, its original master was an alchemist from the Re-forged Association. Whether the alchemist was dead or alive, Noland didnt want to investigate. He only knew one thing: This 21st underground layer was too big. Simply too big. The total area occupied was at least five times that of the 20th underground layer. Even by merely looking at the map, one could feel the complexity of the labyrinthine structure. And this was just the 21st underground layer of Sector 6. The adjacent Sectors 5 and 7 also had 21st underground layers of the same scale. It was unimaginable how vast the entire Union Citys 21st underground layer was. Thinking about it now, the surface area of the underground layers 20 and above only occupied about a fifth of each sectors surface area. Starting from this 21st underground layer, each underground passage made full use of the area in each sector. After using the Deconstruction technique to store the map in his mind, Noland didnt hurry off. Because he had discovered traces of combat alchemists and wizards. Five Re-forged alchemists of the third to fifth orders, six canine society alchemists of the same strength levels, three Razor Gang combat alchemists, and a Night Spirit wizard C Fugidia. These individuals had come from neighboring sectors, forcibly blew up the inter-sector passage gates, and entered the 21st underground layer of Sector 6 from Sector 5 next door. The sudden gathering of extraordinary individuals from four different factions made the vast layer feel crowded. The five Re-forged alchemists had ten alchemical constructs and were equipped with alchemy goggles for perceiving life signs and seeing through walls. Their detection range was extremely wide and their firepower fierce, employing alchemy bullets capable of creating vacuum cavities to clean up the aberrations in the layer. All six canine society alchemists were magic beast hunters. Each of them had two alchemical attack dogs, armed to the teeth and half a person tall. The canine societys magic beast hunters could also transform into Wolfpack Guards, summoning a large number of cannon fodder dogs using alchemical fur. Their killing power was comparable to that of the Re-forged alchemists, as they used the self-explosions of cannon fodder dogs to clear aberrations over a wide area. Three combat alchemists from the Razor Gang were fortunate enough to avoid being locked up in the Alchemy Cathedrals prison cells. Upon arriving, they summoned streamlined metal armor and used the mantis blades on their arms to reap the lives of the aberrations. Firing a sharp blade from their elbow joints in between swings, they precisely blew up the heads of distant aberrations. Fugidia of the Night Spirit Cult was more low-key. Arriving later than the others, she noticed the movements in the corridor as soon as she stepped into the 21st underground layer of Sector 6. At this moment, this Night Spirit magician, capable of transforming into a swarm of bats, took advantage of the bats ability to disperse into individual units and passed through the metal fence on the edge of the cliff. She entered the vertical downward cliff passage, flying straight down towards the deeper layers below. When Noland noticed Fugidias flight, he couldnt help but feel envious. Bat Wing Spell and Death Flight could pass through metal fences, but his learned Flight Spell, Bone Spirit Flight Technique, couldnt. How regrettable. The commotion of Fugidia passing through the metal fence alarmed the alchemists in the 21st underground layer. Three groups of alchemists from different factions performed the same operation in unison. They maintained a tacit distance from each other and used their alchemical cutting tools on the metal fence. Amidst a grating noise, the sturdy metal bars were forcibly sawed off. The metal fence now had three gaps large enough for a person to pass through. Without saying a word, the three groups of alchemists jumped out, spread their alchemy flying wings in mid-air, and flew towards the lower layers. When their figures disappeared from the 21st underground layer, the sound of cutting metal bars echoed again from the layers below. They were forcibly entering another layer. What was attracting these three groups of alchemists and one Night Spirit magician? Noland crouched in the abandoned warehouse on the 21st underground layer, using Life and Death Tracking to observe the situation below through his magic vision. At the vertical limit of his vision, the 26th underground layer, the alchemists and Night Spirit wizard were engaged in a fierce battle. The four factions were fighting fiercely, with constant gunfire. Every now and then, alchemical bombs, energy rays, or blood magic light sources would erupt against the cliffside, sending echoes throughout the different layers. Seeing that their target was not the alchemy water well on the 28th underground layer, Noland let them be. After their fight was over, it wouldnt be too late for him to enter the 26th underground layer through the gap in the metal fence. Chapter 437 - Chapter 437: 149. Is this an angel?! _2 Chapter 437: 149. Is this an angel?! _2 Translator: 549690339 In order to prevent being discovered by the enemy party, Noland Lee took out the long-cherished Black Bone Piece. The Black Bone Piece originated from the Blackbone Hermit. It had bulletproof and element-resistant properties as well as excellent anti-detection capabilities. Noland had killed almost 30 Blackbone Hermits and stored about 300 Black Bone Pieces in his Folding Space. He had previously experimented at the Alchemy Club by attaching the Black Bone Pieces to his body, which could effectively block the detection spells and tools targeted at both the living and the dead. After realizing the superb anti-detection features of the Black Bone Piece, Noland had spent some time weaving them into a wearable armor. Now, this hand-designed, handmade armor of his came in handy. Noland wore the armor, covering all the bones of his skeletal body. In this way, when he uses the Life and Death Tracking technique on himself, he no longer sees the yellow outline that symbolizes the Lost Souls but the black color of a non-living entity. That wasnt all. Noland also took out a Blackbone Hermits Alchemy Cloak to put on. This was the spoils of war he had acquired from the Machinery Factory where mutants were created. With this change, he transformed into a slightly bloated Blackbone Hermit. As long as he didnt speak and expose his voice, an ordinary person might not be able to see through his disguise. Alright, the disguise is done. All I have to do now is wait for the battle on the 26th underground layer to end. What are these guys after, that they have to fight so desperately Noland glanced at the floors below and was taken aback. He saw a large group of Flywing Mutants flying up from the cliff below and rushing into the 26th underground layer. These mutants were probably alarmed by the noise of the cutting fence and gunshots. As soon as they entered the 26th underground layer, the sounds of gunfire and dog-like howls became even more intense. The Night Spirit Magician named Fugidia was directly squeezed out of the corridor by the fierce gunfire and the swarming Flywing Mutants. She was forced to transform into a group of bats, avoiding the oncoming Flywing Mutants and flying perilously upward between the cliff faces, quickly returning to the 21st underground layer. Faint screams and curses came from Fugidias direction. Damn foolish Alchemists have attracted the mutants from their nests Lets see how you take the Ancient Sages Alchemy Manuscripts away now! Oh, it turns out they were after the Ancient Alchemy Manuscripts, no wonder they were fighting so hard. Noland nodded slowly, not desiring the so-called Ancient Alchemy Manuscripts. Ancient Alchemy Manuscripts referred to alchemy blueprints penned by the original author. These were very attractive to alchemists, but for wizards, they could only be considered as nice collections or ancient relics that could be exchanged for money. As for why Fugidia wanted to intervene, Noland reckoned that she was trying to make a final profit before leaving. Carefully calculating the time, there were only two weeks left for Fugidia, Sheldon Archer, and Nikcat to be forcibly expelled from Union City. It would be regrettable not to take advantage of the Unclaimed Corridor to make a fortune. As Noland thought, he saw Fugidia transform into a group of bats again. This time, she didnt fly down to the 26th underground layer, but flew towards the metal gate leading to Sector 5 next door. Noland watched the fiery-tempered and curvy figure of the Witch leave without any intention of striking up a conversation or deconstructing her. As soon as Fugidia left, two more groups of alchemists entered the 21st underground layer. They came down from upstairs, belonging to the Blood Fox Gang and Steam Armored Gang. Noland looked up at the upstairs. The Ferocious Hound Gang and Vulture Gangs teams had been wiped out and were jointly strangled by the Blood Fox Gang and Steam Armored Gang. Up in the magic vision, many limb fragments could be seen. Tsk, the Unclaimed Corridor is turning into a meat grinder now Noland sighed inwardly as he watched the Blood Fox Gang and Steam Armored Gang fly down to the 26th underground layer. When will it be over? Am I going to wait here for an hour or two? Noland frowned, with the floor map appearing in his mind. He pondered for a moment, clenched his fist and tapped it lightly on his palm: I can only take the vertical shaft of the 21st underground layer. That is a quick passage that goes straight to the depths of the underground. I can also reach the depths and then explore layer by layer upward. Noland set off for the marked entrance of the vertical shaft, hoping not to encounter illegal alchemists just coming up from the shaft Sometimes, things just happen to be that unlucky. Just as Noland approached the vertical shaft, the traction device of the lifting platform was turning. The sound of rusty gears turning, covering a distance of hundreds of meters, pierced into Nolands ears. Using his magic vision to look at the situation inside the vertical shaft, Noland saw the outline of the Alchemy Slaves bodies. There were six Alchemy Slaves, three on each side, standing on both sides of the lifting platform. Judging from their positions, two Blackbone Hermits should be standing between the two groups of Alchemy Slaves. Since the Blackbone Hermits were immune to detection spells, Noland couldnt see them through the layers of walls. But that didnt stop him from targeting those people. In Nolands eyes, the Blackbone Hermits were not good people, and there was no psychological burden in killing them. Noland quickly arrived at the entrance of the vertical shaft, squeezed past the wandering mutants, and before the lifting platform could stabilize, he drew out his magic wand. Chapter 438 - Chapter 438: 149. Is this an angel?! _3 Chapter 438: 149. Is this an angel?! _3 Translator: 549690339 Death Two Finger x10! Dense black lightning bursts open like thunder in front of the enemy. Bang bang bang A series of explosions come from the lifting platform, causing echoes in the large warehouse where the vertical shaft is located. Limb fragments and black bone pieces splatter all around. After about half a minute, the noise in the vertical shaft subsides, leaving only the howling and shrieking of the aberrations startled by the explosions. Noland Lee uses his magic wand to point at two Alchemy slaves with half of their bodies missing, turning them into his Lost Souls to clean up the battlefield for him. The two Blackbone Hermits he just killed had First and Second Order Strength, respectively. Noland Lee has already unlocked their standardized panel, so besides gaining over a hundred points in Soul Strength, there were no other data gains. Noland Lee examines the recent memory fragments of the slain targets. When the Lost Souls hand over the collected black bone pieces, Noland Lee learns the purpose of this group of visitors from the Black City. These guys were here to investigate the situation. They were alarmed by the fighting on Underground Layers 21 and 26, and had come from Underground Layer 60 to investigate. After carefully checking, Noland Lee learned that the other party had not returned to the Black City recently, and there were no images directly related to the Black City in the memory fragments. But! Noland Lee has an unexpected find! He found a map of Underground Layers 60 to 100, as well as a lot of information related to these floors. Besides these, a single Alchemy card appearing in the memory fragments deeply affected Noland Lee. He grabs the collected black bone pieces from the Lost Souls and stuffs them into his Blood Haven before searching the fleshy remnants with his own hands. After about two minutes, Noland Lee stands up with a blood-stained Alchemy card in hand, taking a deep breath: Damn, that was close. Im glad this Alchemy card wasnt destroyed by Death Lightning, or I would have missed out on a huge pile of Alchemy Weaponry. Noland Lee cleans the blood off his hands and the Alchemy card and solemnly puts the precious item into his Blood Haven. He reviews the acquired memory fragments again while letting the Lost Souls clean up the battlefield for him. After confirming the information in the memory fragments again, Nolands eyes gleam with excitement for the prospects ahead. Fortune is waiting for him. As the Alchemist factions above ground work hard to recover Alchemy Weaponry, the illegal forces of the Black City are not idle either. The two Blackbone Hermits that Noland Lee just killed, besides patrolling Underground Layer 60, were also responsible for recovering Alchemy Weaponry. Since they are not attacked by aberrations, their efficiency in collecting Alchemy Weaponry far exceeds that of the Alchemists on the ground level. They hoard the collected Alchemy Weaponry in a large warehouse. The Alchemy card that Noland Lee treasures deeply serves as the key card to open this warehouse. If Noland were to go there now, unlock the warehouse, he would see mountains of Alchemy Weaponry. The only trouble is that he will have to go on a killing spree. Thats because the warehouse storing the hoarded Alchemy Weaponry is located in the deepest part of Underground Layer 60, the Machinery Factory that spawns aberrations. Since the destruction of the Artificial Nest in the Savage Stone Wasteland, the Machinery Factory in the Fissure Corridor has been on high alert. Now, guarding the Machinery Factory in Underground Layer 60 are not just Blackbone Hermits and Alchemy Slaves, but also a few other illegal forces from the Black City. Noland Lee has already figured out the specific situations of these illegal forces in the memory fragments. Split Demon Society, specializing in Living Alchemy, is one of the Black Citys illegal forces controlling the Split Demon Alchemy Weaponry. Once the Alchemy Weaponry is activated, the Split Demon Alchemists can divide their bodies into several parts, each part becoming a separate clone. These clones can cooperate or act independently. As long as they dont all die, the Split Demon will not die completely. Steam Supremacy Society, specializing in Living Alchemy and Steam Alchemy, controls the Anthropomorphic Steam Alchemy Weaponry. Upon activating the Alchemy Weaponry, they can turn themselves into high-temperature steam people. Their bodies are entirely composed of light water droplets, making them virtually immune to kinetic damage, and they can quickly recover from physical injuries by absorbing water and steam. Alloy Skeleton Society, specializing in Living Alchemy and Metal Alchemy, controls the Alchemy Weaponry of the same name. The Gold Bone Alchemists of this illegal force are very extreme; they have completely abandoned their flesh and blood, and even put all their souls into Alchemy Stones. The Alchemy Stone has become their brain and their body has been replaced by an alloy skeleton. Compared to Metal Series Wizards, the advantage of Gold Bone Alchemists is that they can freely replace their alloy bodies. If one set of alloy skeletons breaks, its not a problem. With just a thought, they can take out another set from the Alchemy Stone to replace the damaged alloy body. The key is that these madmen have installed an Automatic Repair of Alloy Body Alchemical Array inside the Alchemy Stones. As long as the alloy materials in the Alchemy Stones are not consumed, they will never run out of bodies to use. More importantly, each Gold Bone Alchemist has Sage Particles in a loop to continuously produce alloy materials, making their logistics and supply abilities astonishing. The above three illegal forces from the Black City are the main personnel guarding the Machinery Factory. Blackbone Hermits are mostly responsible for operating the Machinery Factory and maintaining the mechanical devices inside. Chapter 439 - Chapter 439: 149. Is this an angel?_4 Chapter 439: 149. Is this an angel?_4 Translator: 549690339 These three illegal forces all rely on living alchemy. They are extremely harsh on themselves, undergoing a near-death transformation through a formation to become a member of the faction. As a result, these three forces have few members, but each one is an elite. Now, what Noland Lee has to face is not the sloppy Blackbone Hermit, but brutal, ruthless, utterly inhumane and diverse illegal alchemists. Scared? Scared my ass With the Death Two Finger in his possession, hell slaughter as many as come his way. These illegal alchemists extraordinary abilities sound difficult to deal with, but not a single one of them can escape a fate of a sudden death after experiencing violent damage. Noland Lees real challenge isnt to instantly kill his opponents, but how to prevent his enemies from escaping. The machinery factory that appeared on Sublevel 60 of Sector 6 is much larger than the one in the Savage Stone Wasteland. From Sublevel 60 to Sublevel 80 of Sector 6, all of it is the factory area of the machinery factory, which occupies the southeastern region of the Fissure Corridor. For such a huge machinery factory area, did the Re-forged Association on the surface not notice? Hey, who said this machinery factory area is an illegal facility? Although it has been occupied by the alchemist faction of Black City, it is not an illegal facility. The so-called Aberration-breeding machinery factory area is different from the machinery factory that appeared in the Savage Stone Wasteland. The machinery factory in the Savage Stone Wasteland was purely constructed by the Blackbone Hermit, a genuinely illegal facility. But in this Fissure Corridor, the Aberration-breeding machinery factory area is actually just a component part of the Universal Metal Powder Collection Device. It wasnt constructed by the illegal forces in Black City. Its true builders were the group of alchemists who built the wall around the Aberration Den underground 30 years ago. In addition to building the wall, they transformed the underground layers from 60 to 100 in the Fissure Corridor into an enormous machinery factory cluster for Aberration-breedingCaccelerating the production of Universal Metal PowderCand for collecting and storing Metallic Dust. From Layer 60 to Layer 80 underground, its responsible for breeding Aberrations and accelerating the production of Universal Metal Powder. This area is known as the machinery factory area. From Layer 81 to Layer 90 underground, its the energy supply area that provides energy and power support for the machinery factory area. From Layer 90 to Layer 100 underground, the colloquial term here is Black City. Its little-known official name is the Universal Metal Powder Storage Area, with dual functions of storing powder and spraying the powder to the ground level. Before Noland Lees first descent underground, Kent repeatedly warned him not to get in touch with the alchemists in Black City. Kent mentioned some rumors at the time. He said: The illegal alchemist factions in Black City are likely planted there by the aboveground alchemist factions on purpose. Controlling the underground metal dust collection device equates to providing more leverage for the alchemist factions on the surface. Kent also said: Many of the illegal alchemist factions in Black City were participants of the wall-building exercise 30 years ago. After the wall building concluded, they accepted the appointment order from the Alchemy Cathedral and were stationed underground long-term to maintain the collection devices. These people later rebelled and confronted the Alchemy Cathedral, relying on the collection equipment they controlled. Now, combined with the memory fragment at hand, Noland Lee is sure that the rumors Kent mentioned are not without basis. Because the Split Demon Society, Steam Supremacy Society, and Alloy Skeleton Society, these three alchemy societies, have indeed participated in the wall-building mission. The two Blackbone Hermits that were instantly killed by Noland Lee, had heard the Gold Bone Alchemist brag about the events of that year more than once, narrating with vivid detail. It should be known that after the Gold Bone Alchemist liberated from the shackles of the flesh, their lifespan is extremely long. Living for 30 years is a breeze for them. Therefore, the Gold Bone Alchemists who chatted and boasted with the Blackbone Hermits should indeed have participated in the wall-building mission. According to them, they agreed to maintain the underground powder collection device for the Alchemy Cathedral because the latter promised to deliver sufficient living alchemy materials every year. But who knew, the Alchemy Cathedral began to shirk their responsibility from the first year and never sent any living alchemy materials. Over time, the conflict intensified, and the people like the Gold Bone Alchemist who were overseeing the underground alchemy device broke with the Alchemy Cathedral. They seized full control of the powder collection device and threatened to destroy all devices, forcing the Alchemy Cathedral not to dare to send people down to clear out Black City. After reading these memory fragments, Noland Lee generally understood what the Alchemy Cathedral was up to. Just like dividing forces into Gang Sects and Companies, the Alchemy Cathedral divided the alchemists involved in living alchemy into two, separating them into the Life Essence Society on the surface, and the Black City Alchemists underground. The Life Essence Society started with living alchemy. To this day, theyre completely done with using living humans as alchemy materials and have shifted their focus to studying Magic Beasts. But look at the alchemists in Black City, each one of them involves living alchemy, and each one of them is obsessed with living alchemy involving human bodies. The Living Alchemy Materials they mentioned, without giving much thought, Noland Lee knew that it certainly meant living humans. The Alchemy Cathedral was established at the end of the Golden Dynasty, witnessing the process of the dynastys downfall and the rise of the Aberrations. At that time, in order to deal with the ten Aberration fissures all over the country, the Alchemy Cathedral had to unite all the forces they could unite, tacitly allowing the existence of Alchemists performing living alchemy involving humans. Once the wall of Union City was completed, the work of getting rid of the donkey once all the grinding is done began. Chapter 440 - Chapter 440: 149. Is this an angel?! _5 Chapter 440: 149. Is this an angel?! _5 Translator: 549690339 The Alchemy Cathedral lured all living alchemists involved with human subjects underground under the pretext of agreeing to transport living materials, separating them from living alchemist factions like the Life Essence Society that do not involve humans. Then, with a single stroke, they cut off food, water, and supplies. The Alchemy Cathedral planned to completely trap and starve the evil living alchemists to death underground. As for why they chose to trap the evil living alchemists deep in the Fissure Corridor rather than anywhere else, Noland Lee thought it was a matter of the size of the bait. If the bait wasnt big enough, the evil living alchemists wouldnt naturally take the bait. Only bait on the scale of the Universal Metal Powder Collection Device would make the living alchemists knowingly walk into a possible trap. To this day, the underground living alchemists have displayed an astonishing vitality, or perhaps have received secret support from certain powers. In any case, they not only survived but also used the powder collection device as a bargaining chip in their confrontation with the Alchemy Cathedral. Without external interference, the delicate balance between the two parties would continue indefinitely. The above is Noland Lees analysis of the current situation. Now he has only one idea in his mind. And that is to kill all of the illegal alchemists in Black City. These guys have killed countless ordinary people in cruel ways just to study living alchemy. Eliminating these guys, Noland Lee had no psychological burden in his heart. Because they were already declared as wanted criminals by the Alchemy Cathedral, and each of them had a bounty on their heads. Like the guy who bragged about his experiences with the Blackbone Hermit, Noland found his information in the materials he had at hand. This was an evil alchemist who had killed at least 300 humans, with a bounty of 5 million Union Coins issued by the Alchemy Cathedral. Not only him but also all the Black City alchemists who appeared in Blackbone Hermits recent memory, Noland also found their reward orders in the data. Cleaning up the battlefield where he instantly killed Blackbone Hermit, wiping away all traces of spells, Noland transformed into a white skull and flew into the vertical shaft. The deeper he went, the murkier the air became. There was a faint light shining in from the exit of the vertical shaft, not dazzling, very dim, and unable to illuminate the shaft. After Noland flew a certain distance, a familiar mechanical noise came from the exit of the vertical shaft. Pssh~ Pssh~ The steam pipeline was spurting. Kerr-cherr-kerr-cherr-kerr-cherr The metal slide rods were making reciprocating motions. The mechanical noise was very faint, as if coming from a faraway place. As he approached the exit of the vertical shaft, the mechanical noise became clearer. Noland barely discerned the direction of the noise, which was exactly the location of the machinery factory area in Blackbone Hermits memory fragments. His current location at the exit of the vertical shaft is on the ceiling of the 60th floor underground. Right below the exit on the floor is a metal flat and railing, which is the docking station for the lifting platform, and next to it is the mechanical lever for controlling the lifting platform. Noland hovered above the vertical shaft exit, hiding in the pitch-black well. He cast a Mind Beacon towards the ground below. Through several vision leaps, Noland saw the situation in the machinery factory area with Mind View. In the memory of the Blackbone Hermit, the entire machinery factory area is divided into upper, middle, and lower sections. The upper zone is from the 60th to the 65th floor underground. This area is mainly responsible for processing liquid materials. It is further subdivided into a culture fluid manufacturing factory, culture fluid diversion pipeline hub, sewerage purification factory, pure water storage area, etc. After processing the liquid materials in the upper section, they can be transported to the middle section using gravity and liquid pipelines. The middle section occupies the southeast part of Sector 6 from the 66th to the 70th floor underground. In the middle section, the two major types of liquid materials, culture fluid and pure water, will be filled into their corresponding containers. Culture fluid corresponds to the culture tank, and pure water corresponds to the water storage tank. The liquid filled containers will be moved, with the help of the lifting conveyor belt, to the lower section. The entire lower section is used for cultivating aberrations. The aberration eggs are placed in the culture tank and, once they mature, washed with pure water from the water storage tank. They are then moved to the constant-temperature hibernation chamber. The aberrations will be injected with living alchemy-crafted alchemy potions and will constantly excrete during sleep. Their excrement will be transported by conveyor belts to other areas of the lower section in turn, going through the washing room, sediment chamber, drying room, and powder separation room. In the end, the filth in the excrement will be cleaned, leaving only the universal metal powder separated from it. The sewage will be transported back to the upper section for purification. The universal metal powder produced in the lower section is stored in Black City and sprayed to the ground on Spray Powder Day. Based on the available information, the difficulty of raiding the machinery factory area this time is at least 10 times higher than the last time. With numerous facilities, complicated corridors, tight pipelines, strong and numerous guards, and many rapid descent channels for them to quickly escape to Black City, it is difficult to imagine how much steam flow there must be inside the main steam pipelines To completely eliminate them all at once without letting a single person escape, Noland Lee needs to plan carefully. Ten main steam transport pipelines, each connected to ten steam boiler rooms. Just the drain valve in the steam main pipeline has a diameter of nearly one meter; its hard to imagine how much steam flow there must be inside the main pipeline Noland hovered in the vertical shaft, carefully observing the pipeline facilities inside the machinery factory area: Chapter 441 - Chapter 441: 149. Is this an angel?! _6 Chapter 441: 149. Is this an angel?! _6 Translator: 549690339 Hmm? I suddenly thought of a problem. Noland Lee opened his eyes, confusion showing in their depths: If this machinery factory requires so much steam in order to breed the aberrations, where does the fuel for the steam boiler room come from? Noland Lee closed his eyes once more. Through the combination of Mind View and Mind Beacon, he achieved a vision leap. Following the main steam pipeline all the way down to the steam boiler room on the 81st underground layer, Noland Lee found the conveyor belt carrying the fuel, amidst the hum of the running boilers. Black fuel, seems like common coal, but why does it shine as if theres a layer of water on it? Noland muttered to himself, continuing to perform vision leaps. One after another, mind beacons were deployed along the conveyor belt. Noland performed a total of 22 vision leaps and his magical vision reached the 90th underground layer. 22 vision leaps in a row. That was his current limit. If he couldnt see where the conveyor belt carrying fuel started, Noland would have to level up his Mind View. Luckily, he discovered the origin of the fuel on time. Well~ not bad. I can save the energy points for upgrading Mind View. These fuels are indeed not ordinary coal. They are transformed by living alchemists using the bodies of dead aberrations and coal. What a bizarre alchemy array to transform corpses and coal into high heat-value fuel. I have no idea who managed to fathom the alchemy formula for this array. In Nolands magical vision, a stereo array resembling a large blender appeared. Aberrations who had become bone-thin due to excessive excretions during hibernation were brought to the blender above by the conveyor belt in their sleep and thrown into the blender filled with coal. With an indescribable array transformation process, the alchemical coal was blended and poured onto the conveyor belt, heading to the steam boiler room. The living alchemist was not wasteful at all. First, they squeezed out the aberrations excrement and then sent them into the array for transformation into fuel. Noland felt these operations were familiar Upon careful recollection, the operation method of the meat processing factory seemed quite similar to this machinery factory. It was said that animals like chickens, ducks, and geese in meat processing factories could be slaughtered only a few months after their birth. Many animals had never seen the sky before they met their end. Among them, mass production of foie gras was particularly cruel. Thinking about these, Noland suddenly understood why there were animal protection organizations in his world before crossing Noland halted his Mind View, and no longer looked at the messy production scene of alchemical fuel. Let me think The expanse of this machinery factory is indeed large, but the speed of aberrations genesis is not fast. The culture fluid used here doesnt contain Tatis-produced Life Elixir. The cultivation speed of the aberrations in the culture tanks is extremely slow. Based on my estimation, it takes at least half a month to grow an aberration egg into a standard level-2 aberration. This indeed troubled Noland. A slow cultivation speed means that the production and transportation speed of the culture fluid is extremely low. His idea of rapidly destroying the whole machinery factory with water charged with Death Energy definitely wouldnt work. Because once the liquid flow speed decreased, the Death Energy water wouldnt be able to flow through the entire machinery factory in a short period of time. As for injecting the Death Energy water into the steam pipeline and using steam to transport it to all corners That would be deadly. Last time, Noland consumed about 500 points of Soul Strength just to barely destroy two-thirds of a machinery factory. But now, this machinery factory area was at least 10 times larger than that machinery factory, if not more. It would take at least 5000 points of Soul Strength to destroy two-thirds of it. Is it worth spending 5000 points of Soul Strength for such an achievement? Its not worth it. Moreover, Noland didnt have that much Soul Strength When he returned to Union City after dealing with the pollution at sea, he had 3177 points of Soul Strength left, just over 3000. In the past three days, by meditating instead of sleeping, he consumed 242 points of Soul Strength, increasing his Spirit by 3 points. Currently, his Spirit was at 23 points, but his Soul Strength had fallen below 3000, down to just over 2900. How could he possibly destroy the entire machinery factory area with that Ugh My head hurts This huge piece of meat is right in front of me, but I cant take it all, its really killing me. As he pondered, Noland decided to go back the way he came, planning to return to the underground layer 21 through the vertical shaft to make a long-term plan. Lets do it the old way. Ill focus on destroying the key pipeline facilities, attracting the enemys attention. Ill hold my ground and kill as many enemies as come. When Ive killed enough, Ill go to the warehouse and summon Denise Green to take me and my alchemical weaponry. Noland exited the vertical shaft, stopping at the 21st underground layer. He had made a decision: I have to keep a level head. I should see this opportunity to plunder the mechanics factory as unexpected luck and not hold myself to too high a standard. If the enemy really manages to escape back to Black City to report, I can simply avoid the machinery factory area. After all, the Sage Space within the 30th underground layer is already enough work for me. Noland Lees mentality became balanced, and the pressure on him was greatly reduced. He flew back to the warehouse filled with crate boxes, found a comfortable spot, and sat down. He surveyed the surroundings with the magical eye of Life and Death Tracking, and Noland nodded with satisfaction. Good, those alchemists had finished fighting each other. In total, almost 20 alchemists fought, and in the end, only 6 survived. These 6 victors are now resting in Underground Layer 26. Apart from them, theres no one else within the range of Nolands magical vision. Noland didnt have the time nor the will to pay attention to the alchemists who had just fought. His mind was fully focused on looting the alchemy weaponry. Pulling out his pen and paper and referencing his memory, Noland began to sketch a map by hand. While he was sketching, a bald head stretched out from the front, came to Noland, and looked at the homemade map in his hands. Noland was startled by the sudden appearance. After discerning the individuals appearance, Nolands lips twitched slightly. It was the aberration that appeared out of the blue and disappeared without a trace. This was the second time it had shown up so unexpectedly. When Nolands body shuddered, it seemed to have startled this peculiar aberration. The creature abruptly retreated, using its two arms to protect its head as it watched Noland with fear. Seeing that Noland had no intention of attacking, it slowly lowered its arms and stared back at Noland with its big, black eyes. Noland didnt care about greetings or anything similar. He quickly cast the Deconstruction technique. Last time, the creature left in a hurry and Noland couldnt deconstruct it with the technique. This time, he absolutely wouldnt miss the chance to deconstruct. System, consume 1000 energy points and apply a Harmless Deconstruction on this strange aberration. With Nolands silent invocation, a pathetic line of deconstruction results appeared in his mind. [System Message:] [Deconstruction Success!] [Your Degree of Deconstruction of Unknown Name Extraterrestrial Space Pollution Product has risen to 0.1%] [You have obtained a very small amount of panel information from the target:] [Name] Unknown [Type] Extraterrestrial Space Pollution Product [Tier] Unknown [Combat Level] Unknown [Identity] Young Cursed Angel (provisional naming) (Due to the insufficient degree of deconstruction, the precise details are inaccurate and there is no more information available) What the hell, the system says this is an angel?! Nolands heart trembled. He tried hard to restrain his churning emotions. After reading through the deconstruction results again, his attention was deeply attracted by the word angel. In this world, there is no such concept as angels. Those winged humanoid creatures that could fly were generally referred to as winged men, winged monsters, or flappers. The image of the flywing mutants emerged in Nolands mind. Sure enough, these gray-skinned flying creatures did look slightly similar to the legendary angels. But how is this related to the extraterrestrial space pollution product in front of him? Noland pondered for a moment and nodded to himself. The system determined that the creature in front of him was a Cursed Angel. Does that mean the curse on the mutants originates from it? Or is it a product of some sort of curse itself? How is this curse triggered? Noland pulled up his panel information for a glimpse and didnt see any mention of being cursed. It was a relief for Noland. If some strange curse turned him into an aberration, the joke would be on him. It would surely terrify Denise Chapter 442 - Chapter 442: 150. Cursed Angel Chapter 442: 150. Cursed Angel Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee calmly faced the Cursed Angel in front of him, and at the same time, called out in his heart: Denise. Here, Im reading a book in your study room. Whats up? Noland Lee said in his heart: Do you know the origin of the Aberrations? Is there any exact statement in the Ulnas Circle? No. The Alchemy Cathedral has always forbidden the Elemental Judgement from researching Aberrations, so the Ulnas Circle has no clue about the origin of Aberrations. However, there are several speculations, but I think you must have heard of them. They are either the curse on the Alchemists who abused the victims of the Golden Dynasty, or the rumor that Aberrations originally slept underground and were disturbed by the Golden Dynasty. Why do you suddenly ask about this? Noland Lee thought for a moment and asked: So, does the Ulnas Circle not think that Aberrations are from extraterrestrial space pollution? Its hard to say whether its extraterrestrial space pollution or not. Denise thought for a moment and said: Only when the Magic Research Institute established by the Wizard Advancement Association has thoroughly researched the origin of Aberrations, the truth will be revealed. But as you know, the Elemental Judgement has been restrained by the Alchemy Cathedral for so many years, and has never been able to officially start the traceability work on Aberrations. Noland Lee nodded secretly: Well, I get it. Its nothing, Denise, I just found some materials underground and Im sorting out the clues. You go on reading. Ill call you when I need help. By the way, did anyone come looking for me today? Yes. There was a woman named Cindy who came to visit you. She came to invite you and the Golden Merchants Sword to explore the Unclaimed Corridor together. I had your housekeeper politely refuse her. Alright, I got it. Be careful, Ill be waiting for you to come back. Noland Lee cut off the soul-level induction. He pondered for a few seconds, then picked up the pen and wrote a few lines on the blank paper. The meaning of these lines was the same, all saying hello. However, Noland Lee used different languages. From top to bottom, the languages used in these characters were: modern Tatis language, ancient Tatis language, the language of the Golden Federation, the language of the Golden Dynasty, and Undead Runes. Noland Lee stood the notebook up, showing the hello written in different languages. The Cursed Angel in front of him seemed to be extremely timid, making a hiding action at the slightest movement. Noland Lee held the notebook, waiting for nearly five seconds before the other party put down their arm, looking timidly at the characters on the notebook. The Cursed Angels big eyes widened, dark and glossy, as if trying hard to understand the meaning of the characters. Noland Lee thought the other party was illiterate, but suddenly found that the pen in his hand had slipped from his right hands control. Noland Lee raised his eyebrows, knowing that it was the Cursed Angel in front of him who was manipulating his pen. As if held by an invisible hand, the pen flew to the front of the notebook and wrote a line of crooked characters: You..hello.. Noland Lee glanced at it, and the line was written in the language of the Golden Dynasty. This could be a problem. Noland Lee could only write this language but not read it, so communicating with it might be a bit troublesome. Noland Lee reached out to hold the pen in the air, causing the Cursed Angel to hug its head again. But this time, the Cursed Angel quickly lowered its arms, and the fearful expression in its eyes was not as strong as before. Noland Lee wrote a few more lines on the notebook and showed them to the other party: I wont hurt you. Do you need help? The pen in his hand slipped out of control again and wrote in the notebook: I dont know I dont know?Noland Lee felt a bit confused. What does I dont know mean? Dont know what? Dont know if they need help or not? For a moment, Noland Lee didnt quite understand what the Cursed Angel was trying to express. He thought for a moment, recalling the image of the other party hugging its head at the slightest provocation. Noland Lee took the pen and wrote another line: Are you being bullied? This time, the Cursed Angel did not manipulate the pen to write. It moved its head up and down towards Noland Lee, and two lines of crystal-clear tears flowed from its two big black eyes. A sob full of grievances echoed in the abandoned warehouse. The Cursed Angel covered its face with its palm and cried in front of Noland Lee. Uuuu Noland Lee was surprised. This was the first time he had seen such a vulnerable extraterrestrial space pollution product. How was this Cursed Angel different from the corrupt soldiers and black tentacles he had seen before Noland Lee clenched the pen and wrote a line on the notebook again, then showed it to the other party: Who is bullying you? The Cursed Angel barely stopped crying, gasping for air with a sniffle. It glanced at the characters on the notebook, then manipulated Noland Lees pen to write: There are many bad guys bullying me. A bad crow, a scythe-headed bad guy, a large group of strange humans. Bad crowscythehead Could this bad crow be Samuelson? Noland Lee was slightly startled. Then who was the scythehead? Hiss Could it be the Soul-stealing Wizard? Noland Lee felt that he had grasped some important clues, and called out to the Companion Witch in his heart again: Denise. Here, whats up? Do you know any distinguishing features of the Soul-stealing Wizard? Noland asked. Let me think I think Ive read a book in the Academy before, which introduced the origin of Annihilating Wizard Level Sorcerer Criminals Denise recalled as she said: I remember there was an illustration of the Soul-stealing Overlord in the book, with blue-ish skin, a semi-transparent body, wearing a large cloak, and a curved scythe-shaped head. The book says that all wizards who follow the Soul-stealing Overlord will be granted extraordinary bodies that match the Soul-stealing Magic. So I think the Soul-stealing Wizard should look similar to the Soul-stealing Overlord. Chapter 443 - Chapter 443: 150. Cursed Angel_2 Chapter 443: 150. Cursed Angel_2 Translator: 549690339 Alright, I understand. You can continue reading. Mhmm~ Noland Lee and Denise Green ended their conversation. It seems that Scythehead refers to the Soul-stealing Wizard Noland looked at the daydreaming Cursed Angel before him, and countless questions and doubts arose in his mind. In order not to make the other party feel uneasy with his constant questioning, Noland decided to gently guide the conversation and gradually figure out the situation. He picked up the floating pen and wrote on the notebook: Aside from me and those who bullied you, who else has seen you? Many people have seen me. Some are alchemists, some are wizards like you. The Contaminant Byproduct wrote. So many people have seen it? How come there isnt any news about it spreading Nolands eyebrows furrowed slightly, and then his eyes flashed with a bit of conjecture. He continued to write: Did those people who saw you bully you afterwards? The Cursed Angel responded via text: Yes. They bullied me. I turned them into monsters. Noland nodded slowly and wrote again: Are the monsters youre referring to the Aberrations? The ones that roam the corridors. Yes Noland silently sighed in relief. As expected, it was like this. Whoever mistreated the Cursed Angel before them would be cursed by it, subsequently turning into an Aberration. As for why Samuelson and the Soul-stealing Wizard didnt get cursed, Noland had some speculations in his mind. Noland held the pen and wrote: Why dont you leave the underground? I cannot leave this place. The Cursed Angels two black eyes filled with tears, and it cried with a grievance: I was sealed by an alchemy array. Can you help me? Noland inquired through text: Where is the alchemy array that sealed you? The Cursed Angel stretched out its arm and pointed downward: Right there, far, far away. You call that place the Black City. Noland thought for a moment: Are you the Nest Core of the Aberrations? After finishing this line, Noland couldnt help but hold his breath. He was worried that this line would irritate the other party. The Cursed Angel shook its head, denying this idea: I am not the Nest Core of the Aberrations. The Nest Core also bullied me and was turned into a monster by me. Noland quietly breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that the other party wasnt the Nest Core. If a Nest Core could move outside the nest like this, it would be terrifying. Noland wrote down a few lines: Can you tell me about the process of turning the Nest Core into a monster? Start from the first time you turned the Nest Core into a monster. The Cursed Angel nodded and continuously wrote many characters from the Golden Dynasty. As Noland read the events presented on the notebook, his heart grew heavier and heavier. He knew what was going on now. Although the situation seemed complicated, as long as the meanings of Living Alchemy Product and Cursed Ones on the Aberrations panel information were clarified, everything could be connected. The Golden Dynasty thrived on alchemy. At that time, no matter which alchemist faction, they all had the same goal, and that was immortality. Surrounding this goal, almost all alchemist factions went to extremes, conducting cruel living alchemy experiments. In the end, immortality was indeed achieved, but not completely. The alchemist factions at the time discovered that the main obstacle to human immortality was the fragile physical body, not the soul. Only by completely abandoning the physical body and using alchemy bodies such as alloy skeletons, anthropomorphic steam, and split magic-transformed human bodies can the alchemists achieve immortality by relying on alchemy stones and alchemy bodies. So during the heyday of the Golden Dynasty, more than 80% of the alchemist factions had completely abandoned their physical bodies. Of the remaining 20%, half of the factions had no strong desire for immortality. They believed that the normal state of life was birth, aging, sickness, and death, and they shouldnt break the normal cycle of life. The other half of the factions were obsessed with fleshly immortality, that is, achieving immortality through the physical body. These ancient alchemists, who were intent on achieving fleshly immortality, created an alchemy device called a flesh cultivation device. They put their souls into alchemy stones and used the flesh cultivation device to produce the bodies they desired. As long as the alchemy stone carrying the soul was taken out of the original body and placed in the artificially created new body, the body could be easily replaced. In this way, changing the body became as easy as changing clothes. As long as they continued to produce young and healthy bodies and changed them regularly, the souls of the alchemists residing in the alchemy stones could enjoy the vitality brought by their young bodies forever. However, they didnt stop there. Artificially created bodies, with a high cost and frequent replacement, were far from as durable as the alchemy bodies made of alloy skeletons.% Alchemy practitioners pursuing fleshly immortality began to create undying, eternally youthful fleshly bodies. The principle of alchemy is equivalent exchange. If one wants to obtain an undying, fleshly body, they must exchange something of equal value. Only then can the = sign in the alchemy formula be established. What is equivalent to undying? Magic beasts? Wizards? Star witches? Or other extraordinary beings? No, none of these are suitable. No truly immortal beings have ever appeared throughout the history of this world. Ancient alchemists discovered through meticulous research that the only thing that could be linked to undying was extraterrestrial space pollution. Chapter 444 - Chapter 444: 150. Cursed Angel_3 Chapter 444: 150. Cursed Angel_3 Translator: 549690339 A secret ritual for communicating with extraterrestrial space pollution was born. And the ultimate product of this ceremony was the creature with big black eyes in front of Noland Lee. After the ancient alchemists obtained this creature from the ritual, they wished to combine it with a flesh cultivation device using an alchemy array but were met with resistance from the creature. The flesh cultivation device then turned into the current Heart of the Aberration Nest, and the original physical body cultivated by this device morphed into the present-day aberrations. Denise Noland Lee called out to his companion witch for the third time in his mind. Here, Denises voice was still gentle, showing no signs of impatience. Can you help me check if there were any invasions of extraterrestrial space pollution in the history of the Golden Dynasty? Sure. Ill ask the Professor. Noland Lee received an answer after waiting for three minutes. There was one event of extraterrestrial space pollution invasion in the history of the Golden Dynasty. That event took place 90 years ago, coinciding with the decline of the Golden Dynasty. The royal family of the Golden Dynasty rejected the intervention request of the Ulnas Circle. After Ulnas Circle closed the extraterrestrial space channels on the Star Filtering Net, they left the Golden Dynasty to handle the remaining ground-level pollution themselves. Denise asked with confusion: Do you think this extraterrestrial space pollution event caused the subsequent aberration catastrophe? Noland Lee responded: Hmm I do have such a guess. When this pollution event happened, was there a magic research institute set up by the Ulnas Circle in the Golden Dynasty? No. Approximately 210 years ago, the Golden Dynasty expelled the magic research institute that was studying alchemy weaponry. Since then, there have been no legal wizards in the Golden Dynasty. It wasnt until 10 years ago that Elemental Judgement moved into Union City and established the second magic research institute here. Noland Lee asked: Does Ulnas Circle know what the contaminant byproduct of the pollution event was? Im not sure. The Star Filtering Net can only observe the extraterrestrial space from the outside and cannot see whats happening on the ground. The Golden Dynasty did not provide details to Ulnas Circle, only mentioning that the extraterrestrial space pollution had been cleared. Alright, I understand now. You go back to your reading. Ive figured out whats going on. Without asking any further, Denise cut off the connection of her soul after repeatedly reminding Noland Lee to be careful. Noland Lee took a slow breath, facing the Cursed Angel in front of him. The other party was still writing down their encounters and conflicts with the Nest Core. Noland Lee used Deconstruction to record the content in his mind, memorizing it all in half a second. Countless hidden historical truths of the Alchemy Cathedral resurfaced. Simply put, the Golden Dynasty did not know what they could gain from the ritual for communicating with extraterrestrial space. For this, they prepared many containers to receive extraterrestrial space pollutants. These containers included alchemy arrays, alchemy devices, alchemists wearing alchemy weaponry, and even virgin boys and girls, strong men, chicken eggs, duck eggs, cats, and dogs. After the ritual successfully took effect, the indescribable extraterrestrial space pollution chose a little girl as the vessel for its will. This girl was the predecessor of the contaminant byproduct in front of Noland Lee. The Golden Dynasty immediately sealed her in a sealing space constructed by an alchemy array. This sealing space was codenamed Eternal and corresponded to the alchemy symbol ??????. From then on, as long as one added the alchemy symbol ?????? to the alchemy array used to refine the Eternal body, one could communicate with the extraterrestrial space pollution sealed in the space, extract its power, and incorporate it into the alchemy array. In the girls eyes, this process of extracting energy was perceived as someone bullying her. In her words: The sealing space that held her was a vast white void about 10 cubic meters in size. Whenever the lights in the sealing space alternated, she could feel a force tearing at her, and the scene of refining the Eternal body would appear before her eyes. She hated this feeling and resisted it. Her resistance set off the extraordinary ability bestowed upon her by extraterrestrial space pollution C the curse. The power of the curse flowed through the array and entered the living materials, which then transformed into aberrations. The alchemists controlling the alchemy array did not know why. The girl also did not understand the extraordinary power she possessed. No one knew the origin of the extraterrestrial space creature that initially responded to the summoning ritual of the Golden Dynasty. It was also completely unclear whether this extraterrestrial space creature was an individual entity or comprised a collective of extraterrestrial void forces. In the absence of any knowledge of the truth, one failed alchemy experiment after another took place. Batch after batch of aberrations appeared in the Golden Dynastys land due to the alchemists greed and blindness, ultimately resulting in the catastrophe of aberrations that brought down the entire dynasty. Today, under the operation of the Alchemy Cathedral, the contaminated girl, the cursed Heart of the Aberration Nest, and the alchemist faction with huge demand for all-purpose metal powder have formed a stable equilibrium. This equilibrium is bound to break someday. And that day will arrive soon. The appearance of the contaminated girl in front of Noland Lee serves as a prime example. Chapter 445 - Chapter 445: 150. Cursed Angel_4 Chapter 445: 150. Cursed Angel_4 Translator: 549690339 She was supposed to be strictly sealed, but she now was sneakily slipping out of the sealed space, wandering in the underground passageways. Her area of activity was approximately one to two thousand meters around the alchemy array that sealed her, which is exactly the range of the Fissure Corridor. Although she couldnt leave the underground, this was enough to prove that the space sealing her had a significant loophole. And this loophole was created by Samuelson, the Soul-stealing Wizard, and a group of Black City Alchemists. According to the little girl, she could not transform Samuelson and the others into aberrations. Samuelson gave her an elusive feeling, as if the crow was standing in front of her, and yet not really there. This should be the effect of sense tampering. Samuelson was tampering with her senses so that her curse could not accurately target him. The Soul-stealing Wizard could completely resist the girls attack. Even when she gritted her teeth and martialled all her strength to use her ability, she could not turn him into a monster. As for the alchemists of the Black City, the girl was completely helpless against them because they did not possess flesh and blood. Since there was no flesh and blood, the curse ability that could turn people into aberrations could not take effect. Based on the sequence of events described by the little girl, Noland Lee came to a conclusion: First, although the girl was a cursed angel, she had not lost her mind and her spirit had not been warped by extraterrestrial space pollution. She retained her intelligence, and her level of innocence was similar to that of an ordinary ten-year-old girl. Second, the girls curse ability only works on flesh and blood creatures. Those with the Bloodless Constitution trait were immune to her curse. Third, the loophole in the sealed space was deliberately created by Samuelson and others. They planned to completely release the little girl from the sealed space and then bring her elsewhere. The so-called assistance in the magical enlightenment of the Nest Core was actually Samuelson and the others attempting to use the Nest Core as a medium, teaching the girl magical knowledge, twisting her values and making her an extraordinary being under their control. In this process, the bone-mending wand was an important tool used by Samuelson to twist the girls mind. Fortunately, the extraordinary power within the girl was stronger than the bone-mending wand. The wand shattered under the girls resistance, but she was unharmed. As for why closing the Great Rift in Union City inevitably lead to the revival of a Great Rift elsewhere, Noland Lee also knew the answer. This was caused by the alchemy array sealing the girl. The nationwide Great Rifts corresponded to the ten alchemy arrays sealing the girl. Closing the Great Rift was the equivalent of closing the array. If all ten arrays were closed, the sealed space would be completely detached from the natural world. In this situation, the alchemy symbol ?????? would no longer be able to communicate with the sealed space and draw power from the girl. To ensure that the alchemy symbol ?????? was always active, the Golden Dynasty had specially set up the sealing array to a state where at least one must be open when they were constructed. The Alchemy Cathedral should have known about this. However, the colossal value of the all-purpose metal powder prompted the Alchemy Cathedral to tacitly allow the existence of aberrations, thereby dissuading themselves from altering the parameters of the sealing array. Noland Lees standpoint was independent, undirected by various forces like the Alchemy Cathedral and the Soul-stealing Wizard. He had the Deconstruction Core System in hand, capable of piercing through the fog that shrouds things and understanding their essence. Noland Lee was the only one in this world who knew the girls true identity. She was not some wicked cursed angel who turns flesh and blood creatures into aberrations at the slightest provocation. She was a young cursed angel. Her appearance was different from the angels that Noland remembered. This was likely due to the extraordinary traits and residual pollutants in her body not having been effectively controlled and guided. This extraordinary principle was similar to the situation in the world of The Wizard, where female sorceresses could not effectively control their own magic at the beginning of their awakening, leading to physical deformities. Given time, if the girl could expel the residual pollutants from her body and control her internal extraordinary traits, she would naturally undergo a metamorphosis. Of course, whether her image then would match Nolands impression of an angel was something he was not entirely sure about. Faced with a little girl who has a powerful curse and who is involved in historical events from the ancient to the modern, Noland Lee found himself asking a question: What was he supposed to do now? Should he use words to bewitch the girl, controlling her thoughts and actions? Or should he help her escape from the sealed space, gain her trust, and treat her as a companion as he secretly takes her overseas? Or perhaps, should he rescue her, take a reward, and then cut himself off from the subsequent trouble? Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh The pen controlled by the girl wrote the last line on the notebook: Can you help me Noland Lee took a deep breath and wrote back: I am willing to help you, but the trouble only begins once you regain your freedom. The extraordinary strength you control is frightening, and your mysterious origin is unknown. Despite your naivety, it is difficult for others to understand and accept you. They will fear your extraordinary powers, be afraid of your appearance, and consider you a monster that can turn people into aberrations. The ancient alchemists who could prove your previous identity as an ordinary girl are likely extinct along with the Golden Dynasty. The Alchemy Cathedral probably knows of your existence and your origin. But considering the situation here in Union City, the Alchemy Cathedral may not want you to regain your freedom. I regret your ordeal. Give me some time to think. Chapter 446 - Chapter 446: 150. Cursed Angel_5 Chapter 446: 150. Cursed Angel_5 Translator: 549690339 Choo-lee, choo-lee The little girl sobbed, tears streaming down her face, chokingly she said: I hate my parents They offered me to the Dynasty Royal Family They enjoy wealth and status themselves They dont care about me at all I hate them Wuu Wuu Wuu I dont want to live anymore I dont want to keep living like this Noland Lee reached into his backpacks folding space and took out bottles and cans, writing: Dont cry, Ive got some good food and drinks here. Help yourself. I need to think for a while. The little girl stared at the canned food and drinks on the ground with her watery black eyes. Her body was still trembling with emotion, but she was better than before. She glanced at the canned food on the ground and timidly looked at Noland Lee, as if afraid that this was a trap baited with food and drink. Noland Lee observed her expression and actions, knowing that it was caused by Samuelson and the others deceiving her repeatedly. Those bastards had repeatedly deceived her, leaving her with no small psychological trauma. Dont worry, I wont hurt you. Noland Lee wrote another line and scooted his backside back a little, making more room for the girl to eat the cans. He leaned against the wall and fell into contemplation. Alchemy canned food levitated into the air. The girl fumbled for a moment, then used her intention to pull the ring and opened the can. Fruit pudding soaked in syrup flew out and fell into the girls mouth. Choo-lee, choo-lee The girl cried inexplicably, swallowing the tears mixed with sweet syrup and pudding, diluting the unknown pain in her heart. Gradually, she stopped crying and began to savor each alchemy canned food carefully. As she chewed the food, she covered her mouth, fearing that she would disturb Noland Lee, who was in deep thought. About half an hour later, the alchemy canned food on the ground was swept clean by her, and Noland Lee found a relatively feasible solution to the problem in his contemplation. However, Noland Lee had something to do before implementing this plan. He moved his buttocks, picked up the Notebook and pen, wrote a few lines, and showed them to the girl who was no longer timid: When you turn bad people into aberrations, can you lower the power of your Extraordinary Abilities? The girl blinked and manipulated the pen to write: You mean, lower the magical power? Oh? You know the term magical power? Noland Lee slapped his head, realizing that Samuelsons attempt at Magic Enlightenment was somewhat useful. It saved him from having to explain to the girl what magical power was. Yes, thats what I mean. Can you lower the power of your Extraordinary Abilities to a minimum? Noland Lee wrote. The girl nodded and replied in writing: When I cast my abilities on rats before, they would explode. Now I can barely control my abilities, the rats wont explode, theyll turn into Aberrations, very small Aberrations. Noland Lee lightly pounded his palm with a clenched fist, excited that his bold experiment might be possible. He lifted the Breath of the Dead and turned back into a human body of flesh and blood. He put on a breathing mask with a filter cartridge, picked up a pen and paper, and wrote: You cast your lowest powered Extraordinary Ability on me. Ah The girl gasped in surprise, shaking her head like a rattle drum: Dont do it. Youre not a bad person. Its okay, trust me. I wont take chances on myself. I want to experiment with something and then work out a good plan to help you.{{n}} Noland Lee finished writing, showed it to the girl, with a calm demeanor and confidence. The girl hesitated and twisted her hands nervously in front of her body. Although she now looked like an ET, Noland Lee could still feel the shyness a 10-year-old girl should have Okay Ill try The girl finished writing and glared at Noland Lee. There was no indication of casting and no energy fluctuations. But Noland Lee received a system message. He glanced at the text in his mind and hesitated for a moment. [System Message:] [Youve been attacked by an unknown curse.] [This attack works on the mental level.] [As judged by the unknown curse, you are a good person in the attackers eyes, so this attack is ineffective.] [You havent suffered any damage.] How can there be a curse that judges effectiveness based on whether a person is good or bad? Noland Lee was a bit confused. He quickly recovered and clicked on unknown curse in his mind to launch a new deconstruction technique. [Caution!] [The system detects that deconstructing this target will have adverse effects on you.] [The System recommends using Harmless Deconstruction to deconstruct this target.] [It is estimated that it will consume 500,000 Energy Points and achieve a 100% degree of Harmless Deconstruction.] [Do you confirm the deconstruction?] [System reminder: Harmless Deconstruction of this target will also increase your degree of deconstruction for the Young Cursed Angel.] Noland Lee didnt rush to confirm the deconstruction. He checked the system message from when he tried to deconstruct the girl before. Regular deconstruction of the girl required 100,000 Energy Points. Harmless deconstruction required 1 million Energy Points. Harmless Deconstruction of the unknown curse required 500,000 Energy Points, which was exactly half of the energy needed for Harmless Deconstruction of the girl. That indicated that the unknown curse was the key to the girls situation. Noland Lee silently launched the Harmless Deconstruction. [You consumed 5,000 Energy Points to launch Harmless Deconstruction on the unknown curse.] Chapter 447 - Chapter 447: 150. Cursed Angel_6 Chapter 447: 150. Cursed Angel_6 Translator: 549690339 [Your degree of deconstruction for unknown curse has reached 1%] [You have obtained a small part of the panel information:] [Name]Aberration Curse [Type]Curse-based Psychic Abilities, Contaminant Byproduct of Outer Space This psychic ability initially did not have a curse effect. After being severely polluted by an extraterrestrial organism, it was twisted into the current Aberration Curse. [Skill Level]Unknown [Effects] According to the ability users concepts of good and evil, a judgement is made on the target. If the target is perceived as a good person by the ability user, the psychic ability judgement fails, and it will not take effect. If the target is perceived as a bad person by the ability user, the psychic ability judgement succeeds, and the curse effect takes place. The targets mind, soul and body will be forcibly twisted, completely transforming them into an Aberration. [Instructions] This psychic ability can only be cast on living beings with a soul and mind, and a body made of flesh and blood. The good and evil judgement standard of this psychic ability is based on the subjective intention of the user. When the users standard of good and evil changes, the judgement standard of this psychic ability will also change accordingly. This psychic ability has been deeply polluted by an extraterrestrial organism, causing its effects to be severely twisted and deformed, turning it into the current Aberration Curse! This is a psychic ability that has been severely twisted by an extraterrestrial organism! Its original ability effect was not to turn people into aberrations! A glint flashed in Noland Lees eyes! He felt a sense of dj vu. Upon careful thought, he had seen the phenomenon of a curse-like angel woven between good and evil on the Dusk Giants and Shubick before. So The little girl in front of him is actually a composite entity. There are two extraordinary powers from outer space within her. One of them, the evil power from outer space, twisted the effect of another outer space extraordinary power, resulting in the current Aberration Curse. It seems that I need to delve deeper into this twisted psychic ability. If I understand it, I should be able to solve the mystery of the little girl. Noland Lee nodded secretly, steadying his mind, and wrote with pen and paper: The last attempt was not successful. You try again, treating me as a bad person. The little girl hesitated for a moment, nodded her head, and glared at Noland Lee again. Noland Lees body remained unchanged, and he did not turn into an aberration. Looking at the message from the System again, Noland Lee sighed silently. The Aberration Curse failed again for the same reason as before. Although the little girl pretended to treat him as a bad person, her heart still maintained the judgement of the other side is a good person. Before the little girl completely changes her evaluation of him, Noland Lee will never see the scene of the Aberration Curse taking effect on him. This means that Noland Lee cannot use the Aberration Curse for passive deconstruction on her. But that doesnt mean Noland Lee is out of options. He took a small paper cutter out of his backpack, held it up to comfort the little girl with one hand, and slowly placed the paper cutter in front of her with the other. Noland Lee wrote again: Pick up this paper cutter and cut the back of my hand. Noland Lee took off his left glove and put his slightly pale hand in front of her. No, no, no. The little girl shook her head repeatedly, and wrote several Nos on the notebook with the pen. Its fine. Im not that easy to hurt. If I feel the pain, Ill ask you to stop. Noland Lee wrote to comfort her. The little girl bit her lower lip, reluctantly using her mind to control the paper cutter to float up and make a small cut on Noland Lees hand. Noland Lee looked at the white scratch on the back of his hand and couldnt help but curl his mouth in embarrassment. Of course, it was embarrassing After the upgrade of his Tenacity, a light stroke with the blade on the back of his hand was no longer enough to draw blood. Try again, and use a little more force. Noland Lee wrote. The little girl kept shaking her head, refusing to take action. Noland Lee thought for a moment and wrote in the notebook: Ill tell you a secret. Like you, I have also gained extraordinary abilities from star pollutants. I cant describe the specific effects of this extraordinary ability in words. But trust me, you creating a bloodstain on the back of my hand will help me better conceive a plan to help you break free. You help me keep this secret, and Ill help you break free from the seal, alright? Noland Lee did not explicitly introduce his extraordinary abilities in text. But after seeing that Noland Lee had been exposed to star pollutants too, the little girl looked up in surprise, blinked at him, and wrote with the pen: Were you also contaminated during the ceremony? Noland Lee shook his head, using pen and paper to explain to her the common knowledge of the Star Filtering Net. The knowledge he had obtained from Denise Green was now passed on to the little girl. The little girl learned that the stars, sun, and moon she had seen before being sealed were actually artificially created by wizards. She fell into a stupor for several seconds. Having grown up in the ancient Golden Dynasty, during an era without any magic research institutes, there was no way for her to know these things from the closed Dynasty Royal Family. After waiting for the little girl to snap out of it, Noland Lee once again asked her to cut the back of his hand with pen and paper. Although she hesitated this time, the little girl finally used her mind to lift the paper cutter again under Noland Lees calm composure. Swish The paper cutter made a small scratch. With a slight pain, a thin bloodstain appeared on the back of Noland Lees hand. Chapter 448 - Chapter 448: 150. Cursed Angel_7 Chapter 448: 150. Cursed Angel_7 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lees wish was granted as he received the system message. [You have taken minor damage.] [System automatically switches you to Harmless Deconstruct Mode.] [Passive Harmless Deconstruct activated!] [Your degree of deconstruction for Young Cursed Angel has increased to 0.25%] [Targets Panel Information updated, adding a new skill information.] [Skill Name] Psychokinesis [Type] Psychic Spells, Active Skills [Skill Level] Level 1 [Effect] Grasp an item with your mind. The weight of the item cannot exceed 1 kilogram. During the duration of this spell, the caster will feel the weight of the grasped item on a mental level. If the spell lasts for too long or the grasped item is too heavy, the caster will feel exhausted. [Explanation] When acquiring this spell through Harmless Deconstruct, the spells completeness will be reduced, and the effect of the items weight on the mental level will be eliminated. Noland Lee had seen the introduction of Psychokinesis in River of Mind, but he had not obtained the spell blueprint. He only had the upper and middle volumes of River of Mind, but not the lower volume. The blueprint of Psychokinesis should be in the lower volume. Noland Lee thought about it and wrote: Are the spells you used to control the paper cutter and pen your original abilities? The little girl shook her head: No. The Bad Raven taught me. Just as he expected Noland Lee nodded. He used Life and Death Tracking to observe the upper and lower floors. Many alchemists appeared on the upper floor. Judging from their actions, these people were moving the Alchemy Facilities left behind underground by the Re-forged Association. Other alchemists appeared in the Underground Layer 21 and the lower floor where Noland Lee was located. What the other party was doing was also looting the facilities in the corridors of the association. In a short time, this abandoned warehouse filled with crates would be searched by alchemists. Noland Lee wrote: Do Crow and Scythehead know that you slipped out of the sealed space? The girl shook her head and wrote: They dont know. They are improving the Nest Core, preparing for the next Magic Enlightenment. I hate them. How long until you estimate the next Magic Enlightenment will take? Can you calculate that? Noland asked. Ill go check. After writing this line, a milky-white light flashed in the girls eyes, and her figure disappeared. Noland was clearly stunned. He recognized what kind of spell the girl had just cast! It was Mental Teleport! It is Saint Tier Magic, one level higher than Advanced Magic. Only mental wizards of the Eighth Ring and above could learn it. The girl could still cast such an amazing spell As Noland was surprised, he saw the girl reappear with a flicker in his vision. The milky-white light in her eyes disappeared quickly, leaving her eyes pitch black again. She swayed like a drunkard and barely stabilized herself using the crate as support. She used her thoughts to control the pen and write: The Bad Raven and the others bought something from someone, but it was destroyed on the way to them. They still have to prepare for a long time before they can perform the next Magic Enlightenment. It seems that Samuelson and the others wont be able to start their next Magic Enlightenment before the Combat Wizards of Elemental Judgement arrive in Union City Noland picked up the pen and wrote: Where did you learn the spell you just cast? The girl covered her chest and endured the discomfort from the short-range teleport. She controlled the pen to write: A long time ago, Bad Crow taught me. But isnt Bad Crow only a Seven-Ring? How did he know this magic? Noland Lee wrote to ask. The little girl blinked, showing a somewhat puzzled expression: I dont understand what you mean by Seven-Ring. Bad Crow stuffed a page of the book into my sealed space and told me to pick it up and see if I could understand it. After I held the page, I learned. A book page Which book page? Noland Lee wrote to ask: Do you still have that page in your possession? The little girl shook her head and wrote: Its gone. After I learned the magic, the page disappeared. Because of the disappearance of the page, Bad Crow was furious and demanded to know why it disappeared. I didnt know why the page disappeared. Bad Crow was very angry, but I just ignored him. Noland Lee felt slightly disappointed, as he wouldnt be able to deconstruct the book page anymore. He looked at the alchemist searching for resources on the same level and then wrote: I need to use you to learn about the situation in Black City. This way, I can help you better. I hope you can try to answer more questions for me. Yes, yes, yes! The little girl raised her lips and nodded. She didnt write this time, but her smile and expression perfectly communicated her intentions. How did you find me before? Noland Lee asked in writing. I used Mind View and Mind Coordinates to find you. The little girl wrote. Noland Lee scanned the line of text and scratched his head, trying to recall. He had not felt being peeped at all along. It seemed that his Spirit attribute level was not enough to detect the girls peeping. Thinking about this made Noland Lee uneasy. It was not because the girl was spying on him, but he was concerned that Samuelson was doing the same thing. Noland Lee wrote to ask: Has that Bad Crow used mental magic to spy on me? The little girl thought for a while and wrote: No. Bad Crow is too busy to spy on you and others. Noland Lee asked again: Has he used mental servants to monitor the corridor, or given the mental magic orbs to others for use? No. Bad Crow is completely broke and doesnt even have clothes. His mental servants and orbs seem to have been destroyed by others, and he doesnt have time to make new ones. Noland Lee raised his eyebrows, not expecting Samuelson to have fallen to such a state. He asked in writing: Then, in this underground area, besides you, who else can use mental magic? No one. The little girls answer was very straightforward. Noland Lee raised his eyebrows again and asked: Did you see me hovering in the vertical shaft before? The little girl nodded. Noland Lee asked again: What do you think I was doing? The little girl tilted her head slightly and wrote a line: I dont know; you seem to be daydreaming. Noland Lee wasnt surprised by this answer. According to River of Mind: Under normal circumstances, when a mental wizard casts Mind View, their eyes emit a faint milky white light The Mind View Noland Lee had acquired was significantly reduced by the system, and there was no external manifestation during casting. This was similar to Soul Absorption having no casting animation. If the girl had noticed that he was using Mind View, that would have been strange. Lets go; well find an empty place to continue talking. Later, I will need you to use the paper cutter to scratch the back of my hand again. Dont worry about hurting me. Yes, yes! Noland Lee packed up his pen and paper, carefully erasing any traces left by their stay in the area. If there was enough time, Noland Lee was confident that he could use passive deconstruction to accumulate a degree of deconstruction of 100%. Hehe. Stealing energy points seemed thrilling just by thinking about it. Chapter 449 - Chapter 449: 151. Angel Enterprise Chapter 449: 151. Angel Enterprise Translator: 549690339 In the Fissure Corridor, it was dark day and night, and on the ground above, the day and night cycled in Union City, greeting a new day. At noon, the pure and flawless azure sky revealed a huge spiral whirlpool as the sun shone down on the Lower Town. Four color bands of airflow converged and circled around the central white point. This atmospheric spectacle, situated directly above Union City, took up about a third of the sky, making it hard for Union Citys residents not to notice. Pedestrians stopped and looked up, while the windows of the buildings were filled with Alchemy Company workers. Motorcycles stopped, and the drivers looked up at the sky. Security guards clutching Firearms for gang sects and companies stood in a daze, staring at the four-colored vortex. Under the gazes of countless Lower Town residents, two meteors with long, trailing tails fell from the sky and landed at the Manor of the Cat Society in Sector 8. There was no earth-shattering explosion, and no rumbling of earthquakes. The two meteors landed gently on the castle rooftop of the Manor, kicking up nothing more than a gust of wind that rustled the corners of clothes. The skys spectacle dissipated, leaving the azure sky free without the four-colored vortex. There was a lot of discussion in the Lower Town. Many people boldly ran to the Manor of the Cat Society, standing outside the fence, looking at the scene inside. The Manor guards shouted loudly and waved their arms to disperse the curious crowd. The noisy sounds traveled to the castle rooftop, becoming faint and fragmented. Ah~ Is this the most remote place in the whole world~ A newcomer Elemental Judgement Combat Wizard, facing the gates of the Manor, exclaimed with his hands on his hips: Its really a unique city style. They actually built the city like a garbage can. This combat wizard looked relatively young, no older than 25. His appearance was ordinary, without anything special, but his luxurious clothes made his temperament extraordinary. He wore a deep blue magic cloak, embroidered with mysterious light golden magical runes. He had silver shoulder armor on his shoulders. A fiery ball of flames and a frosty ice ball hovered on his left and right shoulder armor, respectively. Another similarly dressed battle wizard came to the edge of the rooftop, looking at the crowd outside the Cat Society Manor. His shoulders were encircled with a lightning sphere filled with electric snakes and a crystal clear water sphere. He shook his head slightly and said to his companion who had just expressed his feelings: Gardner, although I also think this city is like a garbage can, we need to respect their customs and culture. Some things should be kept in mind, so as not to let people feel that we discriminate against their people and city. Gardner shrugged his shoulders, the fireball and ice ball on his shoulders bobbing up and down: All right. Youre right, Kevin, we need to take care of their self-esteem. Gardner turned his head and saw the two local witch girls standing in the middle of the rooftop. The expressions of the two were different. The tall witch barely maintained an awkward but polite smile. The short but cute-looking witch was rolling her eyes, openly showing her disgust and resentment. I am Mion Philia, a middle school wizard student of the local Elemental Judgement Magic Academy. This is Sandra Betty. Our teacher asked me to receive the two of you. Philia greeted the two battle wizards with a polite smile. Standing beside her, Betty reluctantly nodded as a greeting to the two. The look on her face showed that she hadnt yet realized the gap between her and the combat wizards. Compared to Bettys ignorance, Philia felt a little uneasy at the moment Before, she learned from her teacher that the combat wizards who were chasing Samuelson would have the strength of five rings. Her teacher didnt elaborate on the difference between combat wizards and non-combat wizards, only telling Philia and the other students to realize the difference on their own. Philia felt it now. The elemental spheres on the shoulders of the two of them were symbols of strength. Only by completing the Elemental Realm trial task could they be recognized by the Elemental Realm and control their own elemental spheres. The combat wizard named Gardner had a fire elemental sphere and an ice elemental sphere. He only needed to infuse 1 point of soul energy into the fire elemental sphere, and the sphere could convert it into a full 800 points of fire elemental energy. It should be noted that, as a standout among local Elemental Judgment Wizard students, Philias maximum conversion rate of soul energy to elemental energy was only 1:110. This relied on the Elemental Magic Wand given to her by her teacher. Without this wand, she could only use her magic robe to convert elemental energy, and the conversion rate would drop to a mediocre 1:50. But the magic effect of the elemental spheres was not limited to this. In addition to converting and storing elemental energy, they also had passive powers such as recovery of elemental energy, faster spellcasting, stabilized spellcasting, automatic casting of elemental spells, and enhanced spell effects. Whats more, each of the two combat wizards had two such elemental spheres. Philia Betty A Second Ring Wizard and a First-Ring Wizard. Is the Elemental Judgment Academy here so down and out that it cant even muster a Third Ring Wizard? Gardner glared at Betty, who was rolling her eyes at him: You should learn to respect the strong, short witch. Im your senior, your predecessor. Dont let me see that expression again, or Ill teach you the proper etiquette on behalf of your teacher. Chapter 450 - Chapter 450: 151. Angel Enterprise_2 Chapter 450: 151. Angel Enterprise_2 Translator: 549690339 Betty Davis lowered her head, hiding her face under the brim of her witchs hat. Both her hands were clasping the hem of her robe, her small fists clenched tight. Philia tried to break the tension: Lets first go to the guest room. Ill explain the situation to you. Gardner waved his hand in dismissal: No need for that. I dont want to waste time on pleasantries. Each second we linger here subtracts from our training time in the Elemental Realm. The longer we dilly-dally, the more we lose. You get what I mean? Well, probably not, considering you only have two rings Kevin elbowed his companion to cut him off and courteously interrupted: Dont mind his ramblings, Philia. We were reassigned here on short notice and had to interrupt our training in the Elemental Realm. So Gardner is understandably disgruntled. Just give us the task orders youve prepared. We need to get back soon. Philia fumbled around in her magic pouch for a moment and pulled out a scroll made from magic parchment. With a snap of his fingers, Gardner extended a thin ribbon of fire from the Elemental Fire Sphere on his left shoulder and wrapped the rolled parchment with it. He unrolled it in front of himself and Kevin. Gardner and Kevin read through the order book on the parchment, discussing quietly. Kevin murmured: A Soul-stealing Wizard and a Mental Wizard. The strength of the Soul-stealing Wizard is undetermined, but it shouldnt be too strong, likely below three-ringed. The Mental Wizard is a Wizard Criminal named Samuelson, possessing a non-combat strength of seven rings. Gardner let out a dismissive scoff: A seventh-ring Mental Wizard. Sounds intimidating, but in reality, Mental Wizards are generally useless in battle. The mutually destructive battle methods of the Mental Wizards, ensuring they could never become fight specialists. I estimated that this so-called Samuelson, the seventh-ring Mental Wizard, at most, probably only has the combat strength of three rings. No wonder the academy dispatched us two, each merely five-ringed Combat Wizards to assist. Gardner and Kevin exchanged a look, slowly nodding in agreement about the enemies probable strength level. Gardner stashed the order book into his magic pouch, tilting his chin towards Philia: Take us to the entrance of the underground passage now. Well head to Black City immediately. Dont you need some preparation? There might be other Wandering Wizards in Black City Philia asked, leading the way. Gardner replied offhandedly: No preparation is needed. We will just eliminate all illegal individuals in the Black City. Philia was taken aback by his casualness. She opened her mouth, hesitated, and then asked: Are you that confident in your abilities? Gardner and Kevin chuckled as if theyd just heard something funny. Gardner responded with laughter: Philia on the edge of the world, when you step out of this backwater and enter the Ulnas Circle, you will understand. The powerful beings you see here are merely foot soldiers in the outside worlds beyond the Gold Island. A bit miffed, Philia then asked: The Black Bones of the Blackbone Hermit have high elemental resistance, and other Illegal Alchemists in the Black City are much the same. How are you planning to deal with these enemies with high elemental resistance? Gardner waved his hand dismissively: Your understanding of Elements is too superficial, Philia. But of course, I understand why. You havent risen to the third ring, naturally you cant comprehend the essence of Elements. Surely, you dont think that elements are merely for casting Elemental Energy Beams, or for wielding the wind, water, or fire, do you? Then what else can it do Philia muttered. Gardner and Kevin showed no intention of indulging her with an answer. Kevin merely smiled in mockery. Youll find out once you rise to the third ring. High elemental resistance of the enemy does not mean we lack methods to fight them. Surely, Union Citys Alchemists arent stuck merely casting Elemental Energy Beams, right? That would explain a lot. Its indeed difficult under such circumstances to produce three-ringed Elemental Wizards, Gardner shrugged. The group fell silent. They swiftly made their way from the rooftop to the third underground level of the castle. There, they found a vertical passage that led to the tenth underground layer of Sector 8. Philia would usually take this route when she needed to quickly check on the status of the magic mouse nests. Gardner and Kevin turned themselves into a floating fireball and a transparent water sphere, respectively, and flew into the vertical passage. Looking at the rapidly retreating fireball and water sphere, Philia sighed: SighIm really unlucky. I havent found a way to use the crystal key that my teacher gave me. Without the crystal key, I cant rise to the third ring Watching the fireball and water sphere disappear into the shaft, Betty Davis sneered: Hmph Whats there to be so arrogant about Isnt it just because they happened to be born in the Ulnas Circle Philia gently stroked Betty Davis hair: Alright, Sandra, dont be angry. What they said is true, the Gold Island is indeed too remote. Come on, lets go back to class. The two left the underground and headed to the classrooms on the castles second floor, putting the two Combat Wizards in the corridor far from their minds. So, the Combat Wizards of Elemental Judgment have arrivedThats rather timely. At the 59th underground layer of Sector 6, inside a dark, cluttered warehouse, Noland Lee thought about the arrival of the Combat Wizards after Denise Green told him about the opening of the teleportation gate. He then cut off his soul perception with Denise and retraced his thoughts about the Combat Wizards. Chapter 451 - Chapter 451: 151. Angel Enterprise_3 Chapter 451: 151. Angel Enterprise_3 Translator: 549690339 Denise said that Elemental Judgment had sent two Combat Wizards this time. Their names, gender, and strength were unknown. Denises intelligence was very limited. But one thing didnt need to be investigated: These two Combat Wizards working style must be very decisive and straightforward, without delay. Its a common problem of Combat Wizards. They have always been guided by efficiency. Just look at Morster. When he heard about the nearshore waters pollution zone and its connection with extraterrestrial space pollution in the Empire, he immediately flew hundreds of kilometers overnight, arrived above the nearshore waters, and plunged into the pollution zone without hesitation.. This was a classic example of the high efficiency of Combat Wizards. Noland Lee thought that when he crossed over, if he had landed directly in the Ulnas Circle, hed also be considered a Combat Wizard. His working style and the convenience provided by the System were highly compatible with Combat Wizards. Switching positions to think about it, if he was a Combat Wizard pursuing Wizard criminals, what would he do? Noland Lee pondered for a few seconds, nodding to himself. As long as he was sure that the enemys strength was within his range, he would not hesitate to attack the enemys base and capture the group in one swoop. It was estimated that in about an hour, the silhouette of the Combat Wizard would appear in Black City. Noland Lees original plan was to leave the underground with all the spoils he could take before the arrival of the Combat Wizard, so as not to get involved in the troubles in Black City. This plan had been put on hold due to the appearance of the little girl. Noland Lee couldnt harvest as many Alchemy Water Wells as planned. But he could still make a fortune. He took out a Life Elixir and took it for himself. The dozens of wounds on his left hand back healed rapidly. He stretched out his healed right hand in front of the little girl, nodded to her, and gestured for her to continue cutting his hand. During the past hour or so, the little girl had created many wounds on Noland Lee with a paper cutter. It was a process somewhat similar to sadism and masochism. The little girl felt uncomfortable. She didnt want to hurt Noland Lee, and several times, she threw the paper cutter far away, shaking her head and refusing Noland Lees proposal. Each time, Noland Lee would pick up the paper cutter, sit down cross-legged in front of her, and patiently comfort her through writing. Dont feel like youre hurting me. Look, my injuries heal quickly, and theres no harm done. Besides, I drank an Alchemy Potion for pain relief, so I wont feel any pain from these cuts. This is something we have to go through. Only then can I help you break the prison of the seal binding you. Comforted by Noland Lee, the little girl used Mind Capture to pick up the paper cutter again. She struggled to suppress her complicated emotions, but couldnt hold back her tears. While sobbing, she wielded the paper cutter to leave the scars, which was what she had been doing for the past hour. Noland Lee was helpless. There were only two ways to trigger Passive Deconstruction, either by him causing harm or by him being harmed. If he didnt let the little girl hurt him, should he hurt the little girl instead? That would truly be worse than a beast. Noland Lee glanced at the progress of Harmless Deconstruction in his mind. The past hour had only increased the Deconstruction progress to 12%, a long way from 100% completion. Noland Lee decided to speed up. He grabbed the paper cutter in the air, put it back in his pocket, and took out a sharp dagger instead. The dagger spun around in Noland Lees hand. The handle was pointed at the little girl, and the tip was pointed at Noland Lee. As the little girl watched in horror, Noland Lee calmly wrote on the notebook: We dont have much time. Now, use this dagger to stab my thigh. No, no The little girl shook her head, tears welled up in her eyes, and she refused to lift the dagger. Release the resentment in your heart. Imagine me as someone who bullied you in the past, or your parents who sacrificed you to the Golden Dynasty. Noland Lee put the writing in front of the little girl, but she covered her face and eyes, lowered her head, and refused to look at the notebook. Noland Lee scratched his head, increasingly at a loss. He just wanted to use Passive Harmless Deconstruction to gain Deconstruction Results and Energy Points. As for getting hurt, he wasnt too worried about it. On the one hand, he lost most of his pain sensation after taking the pain-relieving Alchemy Potion. On the other hand, if his injuries were minor, they could be stabilized with Life Elixir. If they were severe, hed call Denise Green for help. Before Noland Lee let the little girl hurt him, he had already thought of various countermeasures. But the little girl didnt care about that. She only knew that she had repeatedly created new wounds on Noland Lee, and this made her kind and fragile heart suffer. Think about it, if Noland Lee was forced to hurt a good person, he would also feel as bad as eating shit So what should he do now? Noland Lee pondered for two seconds, deciding to change his approach. He wrote a new line on the notebook: This time, you dont have to control the weapon yourself. You just have to hold it, relax your arm, and let me control your arm and dagger. If you cooperate with me, I promise this will be the last time you hurt me. Noland Lee placed the notebook in front of the little girl. The little girl peeked through her fingers and glanced at the characters on the notebook. Chapter 452 - Chapter 452: 151. Angel Enterprise_4 Chapter 452: 151. Angel Enterprise_4 Translator: 549690339 She hesitated, slowly placing her hands down and hung her head for nearly two minutes before giving a barely noticeable nod, agreeing to Noland Lees request. Noland Lee silently breathed a sigh of relief and pushed the dagger forward. The little girl gripped the dagger with both hands and held it in front of her. Noland reached out, taking hold of her wrists. Before he could control the dagger to stab himself, a bewildering system message appeared in his mind. After scanning the message, Noland nearly jumped off the ground. [System Message:] [You have been attacked by Severely Poisonous Skin.] [This attack has inflicted poison damage.] [Your Tenacity stat is 16 points, immunizing you from the poisoning effect this time.] [Since you did not take damage, you did not trigger Passive Deconstruction.] Noland stared at the gray slime on his fingers, feeling the tingling sensation on his fingertips, and was dumbfounded. He had always treated the contaminant byproduct before him as a little girl, keeping a safe distance and never making physical contact. This was his first time touching her skin, discovering the existence of Severely Poisonous Skin. Previously, the deconstruction results he obtained from Passive Harmless Deconstruct had never mentioned Severely Poisonous Skin. Otherwise, Noland wouldnt have been stupid enough to let her cut him with a knife In the dark, Noland felt the systems wicked sense of humor, and he himself had become a fool who adhered to the principle of keeping hands off Noland took a deep breath and silently said to himself: Dont get angry, dont get angry. Not deconstructing Severely Poisonous Skin is my problem, not the systems fault. Ive done it now The girl, watching the stupefied Noland, blinked her eyes and wrote on the pen and paper: Whats wrong? Noland waved at her and took the dagger from her hand, placing it in his pocket. Noland rummaged through his pocket and took out two Alchemy Potions. The first potion was called Swift Swallow Potion, which temporarily reduced Tenacity to increase Agility. The second was the expensive Strong Antidote Potion. These two potions had come from Denise Green and were requested by Noland as backups, and now it was their turn to step up. Noland poured the Swift Swallow Potion into his mouth. The effects of the potion were quick-acting, making his body lighter. Tenacity was temporarily reduced by 3, while Agility temporarily increased by 3. Noland reached out again, grabbing the girls wrist. This time, the poisoning effect of Severely Poisonous Skin successfully activated, and Nolands 13-point Tenacity was not enough to immunize him from the effect. His fingertips instantly turned gray, and a thick layer of gray slime spread from his fingertips to the palms and backs of his hands. In just ten seconds, the slime crossed his wrist and began to extend to his entire arm. Noland raised his other hand, shaking it at the panicked girl, and wrote on the notebook: Dont worry. Ill be fine. The girl blinked and stared anxiously at the gray slime spreading on Nolands body. Noland maintained his grip on the girls wrist, allowing the gray slime to ravage his body. About half a minute later, half of Nolands body was covered in gray slime. In this urgent situation, his face, half of its normal color and half covered in gray slime, revealed a smile. Noland released the girls wrist and grabbed the Strong Antidote Potion, pouring it into his mouth. The gray slime paused but still expanded slowly. Without hesitation, Noland took out another bottle. After pouring five bottles worth two Ulnas gold coins each, the gray slime visibly faded and thinned before finally vanishing into a puff of gray smoke. The poisoning effect of Severely Poisonous Skin was relieved, but the physical trauma and burden caused by the poisoning would not disappear immediately. Noland took a Life Elixir and drank it before using pen and paper to tell the girl to stay quiet. Leaning against the wall, he pretended to rest while quickly browsing the system message. [You have been attacked by Severely Poisonous Skin.] [Your Tenacity is too low to immunize you from the poisoning effect.] [You have gained the negative effect Aberration Conversion Toxin. Poisoning rate is 1% every 3 seconds.] [In an estimated 300 seconds, the poisoning progress will reach 100%.] [When the poisoning progress bar is full, the toxin will explode. It is estimated that in 1800 seconds, you will be forcibly transformed into a standard Aberration.] [Current poisoning rate is 50%.] [You have taken moderate toxin damage due to poisoning, triggering Passive Deconstruction.] [You have taken Strong Antidote Potion x5.] [The Aberration Conversion Toxin has been removed.] [Because you triggered Passive Deconstruction, your degree of deconstruction for Severely Poisonous Skin and Extraterrestrial Space Pollution Product C Nicolette has reached 100%] [You have obtained the following Deconstruction Results:] [1. 95,000 Energy Points reward.] [2. Complete Panel Information of Extraterrestrial Space Pollution Product C Nicolette and recent memory fragments.] [Name] Nicolette [Type] Extraterrestrial Space Pollution Product [Rank] Star Land Level [Combat Level] Unknown [Identity 1] An ancient inheritor of the Golden Dynasty (Active) [Identity 2] Cursed Apostle of Blood Sun Seal (In progress) Nicolettes progress towards this identity is 94% Blood Sun Seal is a Star System Level Extraterrestrial Space Pollutant [Identity 3] Artificial Angel of the Angel Enterprises Alliance (Discarded) Angel Enterprises Alliance is a Star System Level Extraterrestrial Void Force [Identity 4] Twisted Artificial Angel of Blood Sun Seal (About to become invalid) This identity will become invalid once Nicolette completes her transformation into a cursed apostle. Chapter 453 - Chapter 453: 151. Angel Enterprise_5 Chapter 453: 151. Angel Enterprise_5 Translator: 549690339 [Feature] Angel Seed (Seriously Damaged, 6% Integrity): Years ago, the ceremony to communicate with extraterrestrial space was, in a sense, successful. The people at the ceremony site did not know that they had made contact with an extraterrestrial void force known for creating immortal bodies. The Angel Enterprises Alliance responded to the unfamiliar cosmic signal. Using telepathic transmission, they sent an Angel Seed to the only qualified angelic vessel at the ceremony site: Nicolette. Under normal circumstances, the Angel Seed within Nicolettes soul would take root and sprout, eventually transforming her into an artificial angel produced by the Angel Enterprise. Artificial angels possess formidable physical bodies and outstanding mind power. Once they become capable of traveling through the universe, they would be summoned by the Angel Enterprises Alliance. Eventually, under the influence of a strong mental force, they would return to the Angel Enterprise that had launched the Angel Seed. In this way, the Angel Enterprise would obtain the growth data of that artificial angel. As for what would happen to artificial angels after returning to the Angel Enterprise, no one knows. Feature 2. Severe Distortion: During the process of launching the Angel Seed toward the ceremony site, an extraterrestrial space pollutant called the Blood Sun Seal took notice of the situation in this corner of the universe. It employed its power of corruption to distort the extraordinary trait of the Angel Seed. The goal of the Blood Sun Seal is to transform the Angel Seed into an agent of corruption that can spread the Blood Sun Curse. However, due to the lack of time, the transformation by the Blood Sun Seal was incomplete. The Angel Seed changed into a cursed seed. It retained only a small portion of its mental potential and is temporarily unable to spread the Blood Sun Curse. Feature 3. Aberration: After being distorted by the Blood Sun Seal, the Angel Seed gained the ability to spread the Aberration Curse. The Aberration Curse is an inferior extraordinary ability of the Blood Sun Curse. After Nicolette becomes a cursed apostle of the Blood Sun Seal, the Aberration Curse will be promoted to the Blood Sun Curse. Feature 4. Soul Purity: The moment Nicolettes body was invaded and corrupted, her soul and physical body were separated with the help of the Angel Seed. Over the years, under the protection of the Angel Seed, Nicolettes soul has remained in a pure state, unaffected by the Blood Sun Seed. The moment Nicolettes soul is polluted by the Blood Sun Seal, she will be completely transformed into a cursed apostle of the Blood Sun Seal and spread the Blood Sun Curse on a large scale. Feature 5. Suppressing Corruption: The space sealing Nicolette is both her cage and her safety lock. Over the years, the sealed space has been helping her suppress the pollution within her body. The moment she leaves the sealed space, her soul will be completely corrupted by the will of the Blood Sun Seal. (Other panel information omitted) Noland Lee opened his eyes, staring blankly. Was he surprised by suddenly learning about the hidden extraterrestrial void forces and pollution? No. Noland Lee was neither surprised nor excited. He only felt sorrow. Humans always believe they have grasped the truth, not realizing that the truth they know is always a fleeting phenomenon in the universe at a certain moment. The Alchemy Cathedral, as well as other alchemist factions, are no exception. They all believe they can control the disaster of the aberration that produces the all-purpose metal powder. They are oblivious to the tremendous crisis lurking behind it. They dont know about the Angel Enterprises Alliance. They dont know about the Blood Sun Seal, which will bring the Blood Sun Curse. They only care about their own interests. They only believe in their own experimental results and are only willing to accept theories, hypotheses, guesses, and inferences that align with their benefits. They will always, always only be able to see a certain aspect of the vast universe at a certain moment. They are also only willing to see this fleeting aspect. So, do the wizards know about the Angel Enterprises Alliance and the Blood Sun Seal? Noland Lee calmly searched through the extraterrestrial space knowledge shared by Denise Green. Unfortunately. Perhaps because Denise was not authorized to know, or perhaps the wizards had not yet discovered the existence of the Angel Enterprises Alliance and the Blood Sun Seal. In any case, there is no information about them in the extraterrestrial space knowledge Denise gave to Noland Lee. It seems that although the wizards in this world have the ability to ascend, their exploration of extraterrestrial space is extremely limited. Before crossing, Noland would occasionally watch science videos about the vast universe after work. The immensity of the universe contrasted with the insignificance of oneself would make him feel indifferent to daily trivia. But life had to go on. After watching a science video about the universe, he still had to go to work and support his family before the crossing. After crossing, the sudden revelation of the existence of extraterrestrial void forces did shock him, but he did not linger in this emotion for too long. Only one question occupied his mind. Should he get involved in this muddy water? With 95,000 energy points already in hand, it could bring him 3-4 resourceful Sage Spaces. If he were to be more utilitarian, the energy points Noland gained passively through deconstructing Nicolette could be seen as an unexpected harvest from this adventurous journey. Noland could find an excuse to distract Nicolette and then leave with this unexpected harvest, thereby securing it completely. The only price is carrying guilt in his heart. He would betray Nicolettes trust, fail to save her, and not even attempt to do so. Noland didnt think he could be so heartless. But if he intends to help Nicolette escape, what should he do? Chapter 454 - Chapter 454: 151. Angel Enterprise_6 Chapter 454: 151. Angel Enterprise_6 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee furrowed his eyebrows, carefully reading Nicolettes panel information and recent memory fragments. Boom, boom Very faint vibrations came from far underground, accompanied by slight floor tremors. Noland Lee temporarily detached from reviewing the deconstruction results, turning to look at the somewhat uneasy little girl. The little girl wrote with a pen and paper: There seems to be something wrong inside Black City. There are very strong energy fluctuations there. Noland Lee wrote in the notebook: You go back first, and Ill go to Black City to find you when Im ready. Mmhm. The girl stood up, ready to leave. Noland Lee continued writing: Can you recall your name? Noland Lee had asked the girl her name before. The girl replied that she couldnt remember. Now that he asked again, her answer remained the same, still unable to remember her name. Noland Lee called up the panel information from the deconstruction and glanced at the status bar. A negative status called Severe Memory Loss caught Noland Lees attention. It should be this negative status that caused the girl to lose a small part of her memory, including her own name. Noland Lee watched Nicolette leave. He sat cross-legged on the ground, continuing to study the deconstruction results. He has to read the deconstruction results as soon as possible. Noland Lee worried that the two Combat Wizards from Elemental Judgement would not hesitate to destroy the sealed space, which could cause Nicolettes soul to be polluted by the Blood Sun Seal. As he quickly progressed through the readings, several lines of system text appeared before Noland Lees eyes. Noland Lees pupils slightly dilated, and his breathing involuntarily stopped. [Extraterrestrial Space Pollution Product Nicolettes Weakness] One-hit-kill Weakness: When your Spirit attribute value is at least 2040, you can instantly kill Nicolette with Psychic Bombardment. Detonating 8000 level 1 corpses at once can instantly kill Nicolette. System reminder: Please do not use soul-targeting spells to attack Nicolette. If her soul is damaged, Nicolette will be polluted by the will of the Blood Sun Seal and accelerate the transformation into a cursed apostle of the Blood Sun Seal. After the transformation is complete, the combat power of Cursed Apostle Nicolette will be significantly increased. Fatal Damage Level Weakness: Nicolettes spell resistance is very low, ranging from 0% to 35%. Using any attack method other than soul-level, launching a concentrated attack on Nicolette can inflict fatal damage. Impeding Action Level Weakness: Nicolettes mastery of mental magic comes from the Angel Seed rooted in her soul. The Aberration Curse Nicolette possesses comes from the Blood Sun Seals pollution attached to the Angel Seed. Using methods targeting the Angel Seed and the Blood Sun Seal can effectively suppress Nicolettes strength. If Nicolettes soul is extracted from the contaminated body or her soul alone is killed, the will of the Blood Sun Seal can completely occupy Nicolettes body, forcibly transforming it into a relatively weak cursed apostle. This kind of apostle, because it did not consume Nicolettes soul and the Angel Seed in her soul, has only a third of its normal strength. Noland Lee had no intention of killing Nicolette. But it didnt prevent him from seeing something from the Weakness column. In the Impeding Action Level Weakness column, the system mentioned that by extracting Nicolettes soul, her body could be forcibly transformed into a relatively weaker cursed apostle This reminded Noland Lee of someone. The Soul-stealing Wizard in Black City. Isnt magic that takes a persons soul from their body the soul-stealing magic? A Soul-stealing Wizard just happened to appear in Black City and had the ability to extract Nicolettes soul. Isnt this too much of a coincidence? Noland Lee hesitated for a moment and suddenly realized that something was very wrong! That Soul-stealing Wizard was definitely not just happening to appear in Black City! He felt more like a safety net to Noland Lee. If the Elemental Judgement Combat Wizards pushed the people of Black City too far and were forced to abandon everything there and flee, Noland Lee had reason to believe that the people of Black City would be driven to desperation. The Soul-stealing Wizard was likely meant to carry out this desperate move. After extracting Nicolettes soul, her body would be forcibly transformed into a cursed apostle. The so-called Blood Sun Curse would then spread throughout the Fissure Corridor. This chaos would be enough to restrain the Elemental Judgement Combat Wizards. No, I need to make various preparations. In the worst-case scenario, Union City is destroyed by the Blood Sun Curse, and Denise Green and I must transfer to another place beforehand. In the second worst-case scenario, Nicolettes soul is taken away on the spot by the Soul-stealing Wizard and converted into Soul Energy, and I need to find a way to interrupt the casting. The better scenario is that the Soul-stealing Wizard gets killed by the Combat Wizard of Elemental Judgement in a second and doesnt create any turbulence Noland Lees thoughts were racing like lightning, his mind turbulent. As he pondered, several muffled explosions came from the depths of the corridor below. The trembling of the floor and walls became more and more pronounced. Noland Lee steadied his mind and took a deep breath. At this point, there was one method with the highest success rate. Noland Lee took out a crystal-clear transparent crystal from his Blood Haven, and his eyes became deep. Denise Green. Im here. Get ready. In the next few hours, you need to be prepared to support me at any time. Hmm! I will definitely not be distracted! Check your Rebirth Magic Power. Okay, let me see. After a few seconds, Denise Green said: I still have 2,600 points of Rebirth Magic Power. With a deep voice, Noland Lee said: Good, maintain this figure. I may need you to consume a thousand points of Rebirth Magic Power later. Denise Green gasped: A thousand points? Do you want me to cast Soul Healing? Yes. Denise Greens voice became tense: What are you going to do? Why is it so dangerous? Did the Intelligence Department 1 of Tatis come to trouble you? No, it has nothing to do with the Intelligence Department 1, Noland Lee said. After Morster and his mother Adelaide Carter learned about Noland Lees situation, they didnt explicitly say anything, but secretly erased the files of the conflict between Noland Lee and Kasha. Noland Lee guessed this from the change in the Hatred Value on Resurrection Magic Potential. After he defeated Morster, the Hatred Value decreased by about 2,000 points. When Morster returned to the Empire, the figure changed again, greatly decreasing by more than 10,000 points. Except for the evidence of him killing Kasha being erased, Noland Lee couldnt think of any other way to reduce the Hatred Value from Tatis. Facing the anxious Denise Green, Noland Lee calmly said: Dont worry about me, Denise Green. I need you to heal someone else. The specifics are complicated. Ill explain it to you later after Ive dealt with the underground situation. Denise Green pondered for a moment, calmed her emotions, and said softly: Okay, Ill wait for your news. The two disconnected their Soul Perception. Noland Lee cleaned up the traces of his and Nicolettes stay in the area. He transformed into a White Skull and flew towards Black City, hidden in the deepest part of the underground. There was a vertical shaft on the 80th underground floor that led directly to Black City, and the map of that floor was already in Noland Lees mind. As for the layout of Black City, Noland Lee found the answer in Nicolettes memory. He followed the maps guidance to the vertical shaft while calling up his spell list in his mind. Let me think The attack methods of the Illegal Alchemist of Black City are related to heat, kinetic energy, venom, energy rays, explosions, and so on. If I were to be focused on, the consumption of shield strength would be enormous. So, I have to raise the level of Magic Shield. Also, Im not sure about the principles and power of the Soul-stealing Wizards soul-stealing spells. To guard against his sneak attack, I need to activate the Soul Shield. Similarly, Mental Shield is also a priority to upgrade. Noland Lee calculated the upgrade consumption and the energy points reserved for emergencies. He made some adjustments in his mind, leveling all three shield spells to Level 70. All the extra upgrade rewards were chosen as Option One: Increase Shield Strength. After such adjustments, the Panel Information changed significantly. [Energy Points] 70097/25 (23+2) 23 points of Energy points limit comes from 23 points of Spirit. 2 points of Energy points limit comes from the attribute value upgrade rewards after practicing Body Forging. Since both Strength and Tenacity increased by 1 point, the Energy points limit increased by 2. [Soul Strength] 2940 [Skills] Soul Shield, 70th Level, withstands 120 soul-level attacks within 1 minute Mental Shield, 70th Level, shield strength 150 points Magic Shield, 70th Level, shield strength 150 points Chapter 455 - Chapter 455: 152. Soul Stealer · Li Chapter 455: 152. Soul Stealer Li Translator: 549690339 The 90th to 100th floors of the Fissure Corridor were not standard floors. The alchemists who were once responsible for constructing this place hollowed out these ten floors, creating an underground city over a hundred meters tall. The citys area was about one-third the size of Union Citys Undercity. At the very center of the city stood a tall, black spire. It was the core alchemical device used to spray the universal metal powder onto the ground level. On Spray Powder Day, the spire would open like petals, revealing the ultra-high-pressure airstream alchemy array within. For the residents of Black City, the spire was more than just an alchemy device. The ground surrounding it was filled with alchemy pipelines transporting universal metal powder, energy pipelines delivering energy to the ultra-high-pressure airstream alchemy array, and a large warehouse storing the universal metal powder. The spire and all the alchemy facilities around it were essential to the people of the Black Citys survival. As long as these things continued to function normally, Black City would have the confidence to challenge the Alchemy Cathedral. With the tower standing, the people stand too; when the tower falls, the people fall as well. The illegal extraordinaries of Black City vowed to defend the spire to their deaths. They envisioned themselves facing the army of the Alchemy Cathedral and struggling to survive under their opponents onslaught. Yet, they never imagined that their opponents would consist of just two people. One person had a fireball and an ice ball floating above their left and right palms, respectively. The other had an electric ball and a water ball floating above each hand. The ice ball scattered frost and cold air towards the people of Black City. Swiftly spreading like a cold tide, it enveloped half of the city in under half a minute. Despite being surrounded by the two combat wizards, the people of Black City werent afraid of such coldness. The bone-chilling coldness made their bodies shiver, but it didnt cause any apparent damage. Assuming that was their opponents full extent, the residents of Black City laughed heartily, mocking their frost magic as comical as stage decorations. However, their laughter soon ceased. A flame column several tens of meters long shot out from the fireball, its target not the laughing Black City residents, but the frost particles floating above their heads. The elemental reaction of ice followed by fire created an Explosive Melting. All the suspended frost particles exploded simultaneously, releasing ferocious impacts as if ignited by the flame column. The tremendous difference between ice and fire descended upon all Black City residents instantaneously. The explosive airflow and thunderous roar were heart-shaking. The fierce wind carried water droplets formed by the melting of frost particles, violently striking the people of Black City. Illegal alchemists of Black City had activated their alchemy weaponry in advance, quickly stabilizing their footing amidst the explosive blast. The illegal wandering wizards mixed among them also shielded themselves with Magic Shield in time. Before these barriers could counterattack, the combat wizards second onslaught began. The combat wizard holding the water sphere and thunderball tossed the water sphere into the air, casting a downpour of dense rain. Amid the heavy rain, countless flashes of lightning were shot out from the electric ball. The elemental reaction of water followed by electricity created an Electrosensitivity. All enemies struck by lightning after being soaked would release lightning towards nearby enemies in a continuous cycle. The electric snakes kept moving between enemies, weaving together an electric net that flashed with light. The combat wizards attacks didnt end there. Just as the electric snakes were moving around, the combat wizard who controlled the fire and ice balls struck again. He retracted the fireball, holding the ice ball with both hands, and fully stimulated the ice elemental energy within the ice elemental sphere. Raising the ice ball above his head, he made it spin rapidly between his palms, using centrifugal force to spray a sky-covering barrage of frost spikes. The ice stings flew towards the electric net, smashing into the Black City residents who had been struck by lightning and triggering explosions of ice fragments and electric sparks. Water, ice, and lightning elemental energy appeared on the bodies of Black City residents simultaneously. The elemental reaction of ice and lightning was Frangible, which reduced elemental and kinetic resistance. The elemental reaction of ice and water was Deep Freeze, forcing the target to be frozen. Black City residents became ice sculptures that emitted lightning towards their comrades. The ice ball flew back to the combat wizards shoulder, its brightness dimming considerably, having consumed a significant amount of its frost energy. Now, the combat wizard held the fireball with both hands, pushing it forward to release a new scorching flame column. The flame column swept from left to right across the ice sculptures that were once Black City residents. The Explosive Melting reaction of ice and fire struck once more. All the ice sculptures touched by the flame column exploded, sending ice shards, bloody water, and limb fragments flying into the air. Boom, boom, boom A series of continuous explosions sounded like tightly packed firecrackers. In just two or three minutes, more than two-thirds of the illegal residents of Black City had been slaughtered by the elemental power of ice, fire, water, and lightning. Such a bunch of miscellaneous soldiers not even on par with elemental demons. I really dont know whats the point of the Academy temporarily transferring us over to deal with these guys, Gardner scoffed and shook his head in lament. He said to Kevin beside him: Ill clean up here; you go check the situation in that spire. Once Ive finished off these guys, Ill come find you. The water and electricity-wielding Kevin nodded: Ill go ahead. Chapter 456 - Chapter 456: 152. Soul Stealer·Noland_2 Chapter 456: 152. Soul StealerNoland_2 Translator: 549690339 Kevin transforms into a flying water sphere, heading towards the black spire. With his left hand, Gardner drags his fire elemental sphere, and with his right, he grabs some lava and throws it onto the ground. The moment the lava hits the ground, it explodes into sparks and magma, morphing into three flame serpents with three heads each. Kill them, orders Gardner. Upon receiving their masters command, the three flame serpents seamlessly slide into the ground, moving underground towards their enemies. They then spring up from beside them, exhaling scorching flames and magma. Meanwhile, Gardner himself hurls fireballs and fire rays from his fire elemental sphere, thwarting any enemies attempting to escape. This forces them to stay put, awaiting their doom from the flame serpents. The alchemists and wandering wizards of the Black City do consider retaliating. In fact, once Gardner was left alone on the scene, the folks of Black City immediately counterattacked with alchemical firearms or magic wands. However, all attacks targeting Gardner sink like stones into the sea. The fireball in Gardners hand unfolds into a fiery whirlpool shield around him. All alchemical bullets or magic lightning that fall into the shield are swallowed, following the fire whirlpool in the shield to somewhere else. This is too easy, way too easy. You all cant even penetrate my Fire Elemental Plane Shift Shield. Interacting with you is a complete waste of my time. With a look of impatience on his face, Gardners attacks become even more fierce. He hovers in the air, raining down fire spells on his enemies below without any reservations. The outlaws of the Black City start to die or escape, quickly dwindling in numbers. Gardner glances at the chaotic ground beneath him, drops a statement, and flies towards the spire. These guys barely have any soul fragments on them. Not even enough to clean my teeth with. Ill collect the soul fragments later. The events within the Black City are observed by the White Skull hiding at the entrance of the vertical shaft. The combat wizards of Elemental Judgement are indeed skilled. They have grasped the essence of elemental reactions, knowing how to utilize them to kill enemies with high elemental resistance. In comparison, the Alchemy Cathedral, which can only fire energy rays, falls short. Noland Lee quickly analyzes the fight. It is not surprising that the two combat wizards have wiped out the majority of the Black City outlaws. Any combat wizard should be capable of this, otherwise, they wouldnt be called combat wizards. When used properly, elemental reactions could indeed produce effects greater than the sum of its parts, even more than three times. There is even a scientific explanation for this sort of magical phenomenon. For instance, Electrosensitivity. Everyone knows that impure fluids can conduct electricity. And then theres Explosive Melting. Before crossing over, Lee had read an explanation for this magical phenomenon. The Explosive Melting phenomenon caused by the reaction between ice and fire elements is similar to the cavitation phenomenon in science. When ice is heated, a portion of it vaporizes into steam, while another portion melts into water. This creates a low-pressure area around the burning fire. The low pressure causes the liquid to evaporate and form bubbles, and any residual gas within the liquid also forms bubbles. When the pressure normalizes, the bubbles burst and disappear, causing a high-temperature, high-velocity impact in an extremely short period of time. Noland Lee isnt sure if this is the true nature of Explosive Melting, but it seems plausible since the explanation is longer and it sounds more impressive. If Noland Lee did not intend to act secretly, he would also employ such thunderous tactics to clear out the Black Citys outlaws. His Death Two Finger can easily take down Shubicks tentacles, let alone the outlaws of Black City. The real challenge is not in killing the enemy, but in preventing any one of them from escaping. Just look at Gardner and Kevin, as mighty as they are in face-to-face confrontations, they have no answer for the enemies who are determined to escape. The Split Demons simply split into five entities, each running off in a different direction, effortlessly leaving the flames snakes and fireballs behind. The Anthropomorphic Steam directly enters the pipe exit, leaving the Black City through the pipeline within the wall structure. The Blackbone Hermits do the same. They break their bodies down, enter the bone chip form, and leave through the narrow pipelines within the walls. Gold Bone Alchemists are slightly more problematic, but their escape speed is still commendable. They scoop out the alchemy stone from their foreheads, throw it up into the air, pull out an alchemical bird from the floating stone to use as a ride, and swiftly fly into the vertical shaft entrance on the ceiling. The illegal wandering wizards on the scene dont even need mentioning. After casting Death Flight, they simply plunge into the pipeline. Gardner is helpless against them. Rough estimate, at least 30 enemies manage to escape from Gardner and Kevin. Nolands gaze shifts from the corpses on the ground to the direction of the black spire. He tosses out a Mind Beacon and casts Mind View, viewing the scenes inside the spire from a considerable distance away. The bottommost floor of the spire is a hall exceeding 20 meters in height. The hall is made of black stones, giving it an overall dark, repressive atmosphere. The alchemy lamps barely illuminate the hall. A flesh sphere over five meters high stands in the center of the hall, with elaborate alchemical array patterns spread across the surrounding floor. This is the Heart of the Aberration Nest within the Great Rift. It secures itself to the center of the floor using flesh strips and blood vessels connected all around the hall. Just a simple glimpse through Mind View is enough for Lee to sense its eeriness. I recall in games and films like Contempt and Aberrant which involve flesh mutation, they often feature these grotesque flesh creations. But it seems like those depictions were rather tame, compared to the Heart of the Nest Im looking at now Chapter 457 - Chapter 457: 152. Soul Stealer · Noland_3 Chapter 457: 152. Soul Stealer Noland_3 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee briefly assessed the appearance of the Nest Core and then shifted his attention to the figures in the Grand Hall. He saw the two Combat Wizards from the Elemental Judgement, who were having a verbal battle with the others in the Grand Hall. Samuelson, the infamous Black Crow Lord, appeared in Noland Lees sight. He was no taller than five feet. He had a black bird beak, black feathers, and brownish feet. He looked miserable and haggard, drenched from head to toe as if just dragged out of the water. Upon closer inspection, Noland Lee noticed that the watery luster on the man was actually the reflection of the light by Aberrations sticky secretion. Noland Lee cast a Deconstruction on the man. [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction Technique on Seventh Ring Mind Wizard Samuelson.] [Based on your knowledge of psychic spells and the level of related Skills, the consumption of this Deconstruction is reduced from 220,000 to 80,000 points.] [Warning! Deconstructing this target will cause negative effects on you.] [The System recommends using Harmless Deconstruction to deconstruct him.] Noland Lee had deconstructed so many wizards that he had already discovered the relationship between the level of wizards and the consumption of Energy Points. First Rank Wizard, 10,000 points. Second Ring Wizard, 20,000 points. 2=1+1. Third-Ring Wizards, 40,000 points. 4=1+1+2. Four-ring Wizard, 70,000 points. 7=1+1+2+3. It was not hard to figure out the pattern: To Deconstruct an X-Ring Wizard, Energy Points required = 1+(X-1)X/2. The correctness of this formula was soon verified by Noland Lee. He shifted his gaze to Scythehead Green, who was standing next to Samuelson, and cast a Deconstruction Technique. [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction Technique on the Soul-stealing Wizard.] [It is expected to consume 70,000 points of Energy, but the degree of deconstruction can reach 100%] [Warning! Deconstructing this target will cause negative effects on you. Please use Harmless Deconstruction to attack its structure.] 70,000 energy points, according to the formula, would be a Four-ring Wizard. Noland Lee muttered a command, consuming 1000 energy points to launch a Harmless Deconstruction. The content of the System Feedback confirmed Noland Lees speculation. [Harmless Deconstruction success!] [You have obtained a small part of the panel information for Four-Ring Soul-Stealing Death Wizard Ibovik:] [Name] Ibovik [Combat Level] 11 [Identity 1] Follower of the Soul Dominator (Expired) [Identity 2] Extraterrestrial Space Pollution Product (In effect) [Identity 3] Four-Ring Soul-Stealing Death Wizard (In effect) [Feature] Corrupted Soul, others unknown (Incomplete deconstruction, you couldnt get more information) Corrupted Soul The situation I was worried about still occurred. Noland Lees heart sank slightly. There was indeed a trace of extraterrestrial space pollution behind this incident. If Noland Lees speculation was correct, the polluted Soul-stealing Wizard Ibovik was here to manually trigger the Blood Sun Curse. And his method of triggering the Blood Sun Curse was none other than to extract Nicolettes soul and let the Blood Sun Seal completely corrupt the Angel Seed. Let me see if there are any Magical Items on Ibovik that could be deconstructed to reveal the soul-stealing spell Noland Lee temporarily put aside the idea of searching for the River of Mind: The Lower Scroll and focused on Ibovik, whose head was a metal scythe. The mans body was covered by a loose black robe. His exposed skin was not the light blue color described by Denise Green, nor was it translucent. An indistinct black aura flowed on the surface of his skin, as if he was emitting black smoke. Noland Lee checked the mans black robe using Deconstruction. It was an ordinary Death-type magic robe. If there was nothing special about the robe, then where was the Magical Item that could record the soul-taking spell Noland Lee squinted at Iboviks Scythehead, focusing on the cracked and dented blade. Ibovik had no facial features. His neck and head were a hooked scythe extending from inside his body. This was the most extraordinary part of him. Can I deconstruct the scythe separately? Noland Lee muttered to himself and then cast a Deconstruction Technique. The System Feedback Message left Noland Lee dumbfounded for half a second, filling his heart with excitement. [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction on the Polluted Scythe of Soul-taking (46 Level).] [The deconstruction result of this item will cause a negative effect on you.] [It is expected that every 460 energy points consumed can increase the completion rate of harmless deconstruction by 1%] [Do you want to proceed with harmless deconstruction?] Noland Lee did the math. Consuming 46,000 energy points would result in a 100% harmless deconstruction of the Polluted Soul-taking Scythe. Could he, Noland Lee, afford this expense? Noland Lee clenched his teeth and muttered: Whether its for the soul-stealing spell or to figure out the enemys methods to eventually save Nicolettes soul, its worth going all in. System, 100% harmless deconstruction of the Polluted Scythe of Soul-taking! A wave of dizziness swept through Noland Lees mind, and the System sent him loads of deconstruction results. [Harmless Deconstruction success!] [Your Harmless Deconstruction of the Polluted Scythe of Soul-taking (46 Level) has reached 100%] [You have obtained the following Harmless Deconstruction Results:] [1. Target panel information] [2. Incomplete Manufacturing Blueprint of the Soulstealing Scythe, 31% completeness] [3. Incomplete magic book The Body Destined to Decay, 12% completeness] Noland Lee brushed aside the first two deconstruction results and immediately called up the third deconstruction result. Chapter 458 - Chapter 458: 152. Soul Stealer · Noland_4 Chapter 458: 152. Soul Stealer Noland_4 Translator: 549690339 He aimed the deconstruction technique at the incomplete magic book and obtained the panel information of the item. [Name] The body destined to decay [Type] Death-class Soul-stealing Magic textbook [Author] Soul-stealing Overlord Ebolio [Completion] 12% Due to the harmless deconstruction, a large amount of teaching content is missing, and most of the spell blueprints have been erased. [Summary of the whole book] The body will eventually decay, only the soul is immortal. [Reading Requirements] None You have obtained this book using harmless deconstruction, and the system has stripped all reading requirements. [Knowledge in the Book] Common knowledge of soul-stealing magic, including an introduction to common soul-stealing magic. Two incomplete spell blueprints: Soul Extraction Technique, Soul Shaping Technique. Soul Extraction Technique and Soul Shaping Technique? I think Ive seen these two spells somewhere before. Noland Lee searched his mind and found the panel information about the Soul Shaping Wizard, Hickman Arlington. In the Skills column, the words Soul Extraction Technique (Level 4) and Soul Shaping Technique (Level 3) were clearly written. It seems that the Lecturer Professor known as Soul Shaper must have obtained some inheritance related to the Soul-stealing Overlord. Noland Lee pondered while opening the two spell blueprints. He consumed a dozen or so Energy Points to learn these two spells. Glancing at the words on the magic panel, Noland Lee felt somewhat helpless. Harmless Deconstruction can remove many casting restrictions, which is a good thing. But the completion of these two spell blueprints is too low The completion of Soul Extraction Technique is 10%. The casting effect is similar to what is recorded on Hickman Arlingtons panel information, and the difference mainly lies in the casting time. Soul Extraction Technique is a continuous spell that requires maintaining the casting action for a long time. When the duration of the spell reaches a certain level, the soul can be extracted from the target. Hickman Arlington can maintain the casting for about 30 minutes and completely extract the enemys soul. For the Soul Extraction Technique that Noland got, it takes up to 30 hours. Yes, 30 hours. The stronger the binding force of the soul in the targets body, the longer the casting time takes. Compared to the 100% complete Soul Extraction Technique, Noland Lees Soul Extraction Technique has a much longer casting time. But the good news is that the casting effect has not been discounted. When the casting time reaches 30 hours, he will definitely be able to extract the others soul from their body. This is better than the Mental Magic obtained by Harmless Deconstruction. Lets take a look at the newly acquired Soul Shaping Technique. Hickman Arlingtons Soul Shaping Technique can change the targets soul into an ethereal being. Noland Lees Soul Shaping Technique can also do that, but it will reduce the level of the finished product by at least 90%. For example, a Level 100 Wizards soul, after being turned into an ethereal being by Noland Lee, would have its level decreased by at least 90 levels. Nolands level just has the drawback of reducing the targets level, and it has the same casting duration as Hickman Arlingtons Soul Shaping Technique. Both of them can completely transform the targets soul into an ethereal being after maintaining for 30 minutes. I really didnt expect to get these two spells from the Soul-stealing Scythe But thinking about it, if you want to seize the soul, you must have soul extraction. And what is the spell for extracting the soul if not the Soul Extraction Technique Noland Lee shook his head and sighed. He brought up the Scholarly Skill Soul Sculpting Magic, and took a look at the Soul Shaping Tattoo recorded in it. The Soul Shaping Technique for transforming the soul into an ethereal being requires the use of a Soul Shaping Tattoo. Soul Shaping Tattoos are like casting molds, and the soul is like molten metal. Putting the soul into a Soul Shaping Tattoo to transform it into an ethereal being is akin to pouring liquid metal into a mold to cool and set. Although the name tattoo is attached to the Soul Shaping Tattoo, it does not necessarily have to be tattooed on the body to work. It is essentially a magic rune for holding ethereal beings. Conventional magic runes cannot be engraved on the body. Only tattoo-type magic runes have the skin-friendly feature. Noland Lee can carve the Soul Shaping Tattoo on wood, stone seats, wellheads, and other places, and it can still transform souls and seal ethereal beings. Noland Lee landed on the ground in Black City. After mulling it over, he removed all the soul fragments at the scene. Theres no need to worry about arousing the suspicion of the two combat wizards. With so many Black City outlaws escaping, its normal for them to come back and snatch away the soul fragments. After Noland Lee collected all the soul fragments, the Soul Strength on the panel increased to 5989 points. The unexpected windfall of more than two thousand soul strength points left Noland Lee a little bit shocked. He suppressed the joy in his heart and hid in a warehouse filled with piles of universal metal powder. He took out an almost transparent crystal and looked at it in his palm. Your luck is still good, Nicolette. Ever since I arrived here, Ive developed a good habit of deconstructing everything I see. Now I can provide a one-stop magic service to turn you into an ethereal being. The crystal in Noland Lees hand is the Soul Retreat Crystal. The blueprint for making this item was obtained when Noland Lee had the Cavern Stalkers destroy Pims crystal. Noland had found time to make this item in the Magic Laboratory of Elemental Judgement. He originally thought it would become his own lifesaver, but he never expected Nicolette to be the first to enjoy it. Now he only needs to take out the rune staff, carve the Soul Shaping Tattoo on the crystal, and the whole job will be basically done. Chapter 459 - Chapter 459: 152. Soul Stealer · Noland_5 Chapter 459: 152. Soul Stealer Noland_5 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee only needed to find the right opportunity to draw Nicolettes soul into the crystal, and then use the Soul Shaping Tattoo on the crystal to turn her into an ethereal being. As for what kind of ethereal being to turn Nicolette into, Noland Lee had already thought it through How about turning her into a Spectral Ghost? It was the most common type of ethereal being. Ghosts not only possessed the two features of Immune Kinetic Damage and Constant Levitation, but they could also retain Nicolettes appearance, size, and mind. If Noland Lee was less considerate, he could have turned Nicolette into a Vengeful Spirit or an Evil Spirit, since he had acquired the corresponding Soul Shaping Tattoo from the knowledge of Soul Sculpting Magic that he had obtained. But just because he could do it, it didnt mean that Noland Lee would. He spent some time carving the Ghost Transformation Tattoo onto the crystal. After confirming with Deconstruction that the crystal and Soul Shaping Tattoo could both work properly, Noland Lee ventured toward the Spire. The Combat Wizards in the Spire Hall were still busy bickering. It wasnt that the Combat Wizards had suddenly become talkative, but rather it was their Professor who had given them the Task of finding out more about the Soul-stealing Wizard. At the moment, the two Combat Wizards were trying various means, with threats and inducements to make Samuelson and the Soul-stealing wizard confess the truth. Samuelson, as the Black Raven Lord, had a voice that was as harsh and raucous as the cawing of an ordinary raven. It was incredibly unpleasant to hear. The Soul-stealing Wizard beside him seemed much more silent and sinister. When he spoke, his voice sounded like an ethereal echo drifting through a valley. Gardner, one of the Combat Wizards, had just finished fighting and was bloodied, fierce, and impatient. He held a Fire Elemental Sphere in his right hand and urged them to speak: Ill give you one last chance. Tell us who your master is, honestly. Whoever speaks first will live; we will take you to the Elemental Judgment Dungeon and hand you over to the Wizard Enforcers for processing. Whoever speaks last will be crushed to death by us on the spot. After Gardner spoke, he clapped his hands on the Fire Elemental Sphere, releasing a ring of flames. The fire ring, centered on him, swept in all directions, creating an expanding burst of flames. Within two seconds, the flames filled the entire grand hall. The Nest Core, previously standing on the left side of Samuelson, vanished and reappeared on the right side of the Nest Core. Gardner sneered with disdain: Stupid Mental Wizard. Even if youre a Seventh Ring Wizard, you cant deceive me. I just need a Flame Burst to break through your Sense Tampering and Mental Illusion, and accurately locate you. Gardner raised his hand and taunted: Come on, Samuelson. Since youre a Seventh Ring Wizard, Ill let you make the first move. Cast Mental Spikes and Psychic Bombardment on me quickly, and dont say I didnt give you a chance. If you have the ability to control me with Mind Control, then youll prove youve got some skills, and itll be worth my using full force. After Gardner spoke, a milky white magical light radiated from Samuelsons eyes. At the same time, a bright light burst from the Magic Pendant hidden beneath Gardners robes. With a flash of light, Gardner remained unharmed, while Samuelson, the Mental Wizard, suddenly coughed up blood. Samuelsons body swayed a few times, covering his mouth with his wings, but he couldnt stop the blood streaming from his mouth. With a thud, Samuelson fell weakly to the floor, and his fresh, foul-smelling blood flowed onto the floor. Ha ha~ Gardner laughed: Mental Wizards are the disgrace of the realm of wizards. You must not have realized that I was wearing a Mental Protection Pendant. With this, Kevin and I dont even need to take action personally. Just the rebound effect of your mental magic against us will leave you half-dead. Gardner and Kevin exchanged glances, confident smiles on their faces. Kevin laughed: Dont waste our time interrogating them anymore. Kill them all. Quickly gather the Universal Metal Powder and Soul Fragments in Black City, and then teleport back to continue the Elemental Realm Trial. You make a good point. Gardner nodded with a smile: I heard theres a Resurrection Witch in Union City who hasnt contracted with a Resurrection Magic Source yet. After we deal with the underground situation, lets pay her a visit together. If were lucky, we might even have the opportunity to become her Contractor. Oh, theres actually a Resurrection Witch here, and she doesnt have a contractor yet. Kevins eyes flickered, obviously quite moved: Resurrection Witches are already rare, and most of the Resurrection Witches in the Ulnas Circle already have contractors. Its unusual to find a Resurrection Witch without a contractor in such a remote area; we shouldnt waste any more time underground! Both men nodded in agreement, focusing all their energy on channeling their Elemental Spheres. Thunder roared, the hall was flooded with water, and electric snakes rampaged. There was nowhere left to stand in the entire hall. As the electric snakes surrounded the Nest Core, the Nest Cores skin split open, Filthy Blood gushed out, and the grey flesh turned black. All of the flesh strips and blood vessels were covered in shining electric snake shells at the same time. Samuelson and the Soul-stealing Messenger became the primary targets. Two Water Tornadoes, over three meters high, were released from the Water Elemental Sphere, engulfing both Samuelson and the other. Lightning struck the water tornadoes, and the combination of the two formed a raging Lightning Tornado. Chapter 460 - Chapter 460: 152. Soul Stealer·Li_6 Chapter 460: 152. Soul StealerLi_6 Translator: 549690339 Gardner gathered his strength, extracting what little ice energy remained from the Ice Elemental Sphere. He summoned two huge icicles in front of him and launched them at the two lightning tornadoes in the area. Then, two flaming columns shot out from the Fire Elemental Sphere. Its glow suddenly dimmed as nearly all of its energy was shared with the columns of flames. Boom~~~ Roaring and explosions erupted throughout the Grand Hall. Lightning and ices Frangible, lightning and fires Overload, ice and fires Explosive Melting, water and fires Evaporation, lightning and waters Electrosensitivity, and water and ices Freezing. Four types of elemental energies formed six elemental reactions, including effects that reduced an enemys resistance, controlled enemies, enhanced explosive damage, triggered secondary explosions, strengthened group damage, and aided combustion with high-temperature steam to further reinforce flame damage. The combat wizards of the Elemental Faction conquered their enemies through the violent reactions between elements. The spire shook, the Grand Hall trembled. Samuelson and the Soul-stealing Wizard seemed to give up resistance, enduring the onslaught of elemental energy and the high-energy reaction. Kevin sensed something was amiss. He asked uncertainly: Are those two dead? This seems a bit too easy, doesnt it? We have mental protection pendants in hand, so Samuelson cant resist us, but he should have thought about escaping, right? Why didnt he fly out of the storm? And that Soul-stealing Wizard. I heard that such wizards can forcibly extract souls. I wanted to see what hes capable of, but why is he just standing there like a wooden doll? Gardner listened to his companions words, shook his head slightly, and his eyes filled with caution. His disdain for the enemy was built on confidence and strength. He mocked the enemy, but when it came to action, he struck with full force. He urged the energy within the elemental spheres with all his might to utterly annihilate the enemy. The elemental reaction Evaporation between water and fire created large amounts of combustion-supporting high-temperature gas. As elemental energy weakened, the colorless gas became thinner, and the lightning and flames inevitably weakened. Their vision gradually cleared up. Gardner and Kevin stared wide-eyed at the location of Samuelson and the Soul-stealing Wizard. Two relieved sighs rang out in the hall. Phew~ Those two are dead. Gardner summoned a long strip of fire from the Fire Elemental Sphere and, at a distance of several dozen meters, turned over the charred remains left by the Soul-stealing Wizard. A deformed metal scythe was caught by the fire strip and landed in Gardners hand. Kevin summoned a water belt, rummaged through Samuelsons remains, and found some unburnt feathers. Kevin looked closely at the feathers brought by the water belt and slowly nodded his head, saying: They should both be dead. Lets take their evidence back to report. The two of them searched through the wreckage heap with their respective energy belts and took out items that represented the identities of Samuelson and the Soul-stealing Wizard. After inspecting these items, they placed them in the magic pouch for sealing the evidence. As the energy belts swept the remains on the ground, a large area of black luminous patterns appeared on the floor. What are these patterns? Gardner stared at the patterns, pondering, and asked: Do you recognize their meaning? Kevin shook his head: No, I dont. It should be the array pattern of the spire, right? Its said that this spire is an ultra-large ultra-high pressure airstream alchemy array. Its specifically used to blow powder to the surface. So these patterns here should be just a part of the ultra-high pressure airstream array. After Kevin finished speaking, he stared at the black light emanating from the array, and his tone became puzzled: But Ive heard that alchemy here is not based on elemental energy, so its array should have the colors of the elements, right? Why is it black? What energy has the color black? Gardner and Kevins bodies shuddered, and they exclaimed in unison: Damn it! Its Death Energy! The two of them suddenly realized that something was terribly wrong. But before they could transform into fireballs and water spheres to fly out of the Grand Hall, the burnt Nest Core exploded. Bang!!!!! The Nest Core exploded and disintegrated, with countless charred chunks of flesh and Filthy Blood splattering everywhere. A pitch-black fissure appeared where the Nest Core once stood. Endless black smoke spewed from the fissure, pouring into the Grand Hall like a torrential river. A semi-transparent human shadow drifted out of the fissure. This shadow floated in the air like a ghost, its head resembling a phantom-like metal scythe. Gardner and Kevin rose to the sky, avoiding the black smoke flowing on the ground. They stared solemnly at the semi-transparent figure nearby. They were all too familiar with the scythe-like appearance of the figures head. Soul-stealing Wizard! Gardner cursed through gritted teeth: Damn it! What did you do! What is this black smoke? And what is that fissure?! Kevin held on to his elemental sphere, gathering elemental energy to prepare for casting. The Soul-stealing Wizard ignored the two of them. He raised his arms, bringing the two souls in his left and right hands in front of him. He held Samuelsons soul in his left hand, which was a semi-transparent black crow with its neck being grasped. Chapter 461 - Chapter 461: 152. Soul Stealer·Li_7 Chapter 461: 152. Soul StealerLi_7 Translator: 549690339 His right hand was holding a human soul, that of a little girl in a broken-flower dress, with no shoes or socks on. The Soul-stealing Wizard flicked his head. A metal scythe was connected to his spine, he flung it out, transforming in mid-air into a chain-scythe connected to his spine and body. His spine manipulated the scythe into a whirling motion in the air, drawing a series of arcs. A flash of the blade, and Samuelsons soul was slashed by the scythe, drawn into the sharp blade. A burst of black light erupted from the Soul-stealing Wizard, his body scintillating clearly from being semi-transparent. Apparently, absorbing Samuelsons soul made the Soul-stealing Wizards soul much stronger. The scythe continued to whir under the pull of the spine, and after drawing three arcs, it pounced on the soul of the little girl in the wizards right hand. Just then! Bang! a gunshot echoed from the ceiling of the grand hall. A sharp bullet head descended from the sky, hit the scythe squarely, and sparked a large fiery burst. The scythe and the spine to which it was connected jerked sharply, stopping its movement towards the girls soul. Who?! Gardner and Kevin asked in unison, looking in the direction of the bullet, but seeing no one. Upon looking at the Soul-stealing Wizard again, Gardner and Kevins eyes widened in shock. A masked giant in a military uniform appeared out of thin air in front of the Soul-stealing Wizard, taking away the soul of the girl in his right hand with a crystal. After that, the figure of the Military Uniform Giant flickered and vanished into thin air. In the grand hall filled with black smoke, the three wizards looked at each other. Gardner and Kevin were completely clueless about the origins of the Military Uniform Giant. The scythehead of the Soul-stealing Wizard hung blankly in the air, looking dumbly down at his empty right hand. Gardner cried out in confusion: What is going on? Who was that giant in the military uniform just now? Was it the Biochemical Giant of the Tatis Empire? Kevin shook his head bewilderedly: I dont know, I dont know. I have never heard of the Imperial Fist having the ability to become invisible. But he just vanished into thin air right in front of ushard to believe, its inconceivable what the hell just happened The Soul-stealing Wizard recovered faster than both Gardner and Kevin. He spread his arms, swung his spine, and aimed the scythe at himself. The blade flashed again, and the curved scythe split the soul of the Soul-stealing Wizard in two, drawing it into the blade. As Gardner and Kevin watched in surprise, the scythe, which had absorbed the souls of Samuelson and the Soul-stealing Wizard, pulled the spine and flew towards the smoke-belching fissure. No matter what it wants to do, we have to stop it! Gardner squeezed the energy from the Elemental Sphere, launching a Flame Pillar and Ice Arrow at the flying scythe. Kevin followed suit and flung a long, slim Lightning Whip and raging Water Stream at the scythe. Still, their reactions were a little too late. Before the Elemental Spells could hit, the scythe dove into the black-smoke-filled fissure, along with its trailing spine. Lets go! We have to go! Gardner and Kevin turned around to flee in unison. Just as they turned their backs to the fissure and entered flight status, an eyeball filled with wriggling lumps and shoots opened within the fissure. A hair-raising sensation instantly assaulted the duo. They transformed into Fireball and Watersphere, but exploded with a bang and were forced out of flight status. They slowly turned their heads, looking at the writhing eyeball filled with flesh in the fissure. Whawhat is this thing Gardners head twisted as though being kneaded by invisible palms. Kevin spat out a mouthful of blood, looking shocked and terrified, unable to speak at all. Bang! Bang! The two men exploded into blood and bone fragments. The surrounding black smoke swarmed over like a piranha smelling the scent of blood. Ah~~~~ The souls wailing echoed through the vacant grand hall. Crunch crunch Something in the black smoke was chewing on chunks of meat. When the wailing of the soul dissipated, the eyeball in the fissure turned a glowing red, the smoke turned from black to red, and the rate of smoke emission suddenly increased. Noland! Theres a lot of trouble here at Union City! Theres a pollution field! The voice of Denise Green resonated deep within Noland Lees heart: My Professor and I have been told that Mass Star Tombs has detected a gap in Outer Space above the Star Filtering Net of Union City! This gap is being closed by the Star Filtering Net! But the pollution field in Union City has already formed and is spreading rapidly! Are you okay, Noland? Noland Lee, dressed in a black robe, stood on the roof of a warehouse within Black City, gazing upon a spire from which red smoke was billowing. In his hand, he held a Soul Retreat Crystal that contained Nicolettes soul. His soul power flowed like a little stream into the crystal, providing a continuous supply of energy to the soul of Nicolette as it took shape. Im fine, Denise. Teleport over to bring me away. Yes, yes! Im arriving soon! Right away! Noland Lees gaze lingered on the red smoke flowing from the Spire Hall. No Elemental Judgement Battlemage had emerged from there yet. It looks like those two guys ran into trouble Noland Lee scratched his head: So, did I waste my time disguising myself as the Biochemical Giant of the Tatis Empire with a military uniform and Power Burst? About half a minute ago, he activated Power Burst, put on a military uniform consistent with the image of the Imperial Fist in advance, and deliberately appeared in front of the three opponents, all to shift the focus towards Tatis. Whether the three of them believed it or not, it was Nolands own business whether he did it or not. Noland didnt seek to throw all the blame on Tatis, as long as his disguise could serve to confuse the situation, it would have done its job. Now, when he looked in the direction of the spire, he saw no figure of a Battlemage flying out, Noland knew that he had wasted his efforts on the disguise Hmm, not completely wasted, I suppose. That Soul-stealing Wizard should still be alive. At least, my grand performance had some audience. Noland Lee shrugged slightly, clearing the distractions in his mind. The light from Denises torch rapidly took shape. In a corner of Black City, after a moment of bright light from the Rebirth Teleportation Spell, there was no longer a trace of anyone there. Chapter 462 - Chapter 462: 153. Soul Matrix Chapter 462: 153. Soul Matrix Translator: 549690339 Inside the single cottage in Sector 7. Noland Lee and Denise Greens figures emerged amidst the flickering light of the fire. Denise looked at the crystal in Nolands hand with a curious expression. Noland opened his palm and displayed the crystal: You saw the red smoke flowing out of the Black City Spire as well. The red smoke is the pollution zone spreading underground. The pollution zone appearing in the Black City is related to the soul in the crystal. But this soul isnt the culprit causing the pollution zone. On the contrary, her presence delayed the extraterrestrial space pollution invasion, which was supposed to happen in the Golden Dynasty, until today. I see Denises gaze flickered a few times, staring at the broken flower dress girls soul inside the crystal and asked: This soul has her eyes closed, as if shes in slumber. And shes wearing clothes, not naked. It seems Ive seen this unique soul phenomenon in a book before. Noland was slightly stunned: What do you mean? Isnt it normal for human souls to wear clothes and sleep? Denise nodded her head: Yes! This phenomenon is very unique. Normally, regardless of the reason for becoming a soul, human soul appearances should be naked. Because clothing is an external thing, it cannot be transformed into a soul form along with the human soul. It seems so Noland looked at the sleeping soul inside the crystal and said: Do you remember any other specific unique features? Her current state is indeed quite weird. Im using Soul Shaping and Soul Shaping Tattoo to transform her into a Spectral Ghost. But whats strange is that the soul energy she has absorbed is almost beyond the maximum energy limit needed for Soul Shaping, yet there is still no sign of the absorption slowing down. Denise blinked her eyes, looking at Noland with a slightly shocked and admiring gaze: You can also master branches of Soul Shaping Magic, thats amazing Denise had seen many different types and branches of magic on Noland before. Hearing that he had also mastered Soul Shaping magic, she was still surprised but not as shocked as before. Noland didnt say it explicitly, and Denise wouldnt ask further, considering the extraordinary aspects of his body to be the result of his Extraordinary Traits. As for what extraordinary traits Noland had, Denise didnt want to know. Even if such extraordinary traits were so peculiar that they had never appeared in any literature describing Extraordinary Traits, Denise did not intend to delve into it. She thought for a moment and said: Well The book I read was called the Manual of Soul Care, the author is unknown, and it can only be borrowed from Hotams library. This book states that if a soul wears clothes, it means her soul has been transformed by some kind of ritual. During this ritual, her soul was fixed in its soul form, which is why she wears clothes in her soul form. Denise lowered her head, her gaze falling on the girls soul in the broken flower dress and without shoes and socks: This soul is the kind of situation I just described. I dont know what kind of ritual she was involved in. In any case, her soul has been transformed by the ritual. Soul, mind, and body are a trinity. If any one of them is fixed, it will cause the other two to stagnate. Her soul will always maintain the appearance of a girl in a broken flower dress, so her body and mind will stay at the girl stage. Noland shook his head slightly, sighing: No wonder she hasnt changed her mental level or psychological age after all these years, it turns out thats the reason. Noland threw Deconstruction magic at the sleeping soul, consuming some Energy Points and obtaining the Deconstruction Results. Noland glanced at the Characters in his mind, a System message, and nodded as if hed realized something. He now knew why the girl had absorbed so much soul energy. [System Message:] [Deconstruction success!] [Your degree of deconstruction on the Transforming Angel Soul has been increased to 30%] [You obtain partial panel information of the target:] [Name] Nicolette [Type] Disembodied Soul, Artificial Angel [Identity 1] Ancient Inheritor of the Golden Dynasty [Identity 2] Cursed Apostle of the Blood Sun Seal (Terminated) [Identity 3] Artificial Angel of the Angel Enterprises Alliance (In Effect) [Identity 4] Twisted Artificial Angel of the Blood Sun Seal (Terminated) [Feature] Angel Sculpting Soul: Nicolettes soul has escaped the polluted body contaminated by the Blood Sun Seal. The part of the Angel Seed corrupted by the Blood Sun Seal remains in the polluted body. The uncorrupted small part of the Angel Seed has left the body along with Nicolettes soul. The Angel Seeds soul shaping effect is stronger than the Soul Shaping Tattoo you applied to the Soul Retreat Crystal. Your Soul Shaping Tattoo did not take effect. Now, aided by the remaining Angel Seed, Nicolette is undergoing a transformation towards an Angel Soul. (The degree of deconstruction is insufficient, and you cannot obtain more information.) Noland carefully read the message sent by the system, and there was no trace of Upon detection, deconstructing this object will cause negative effects on you. The system never reminded Noland to use Harmless Deconstruction on Nicolettes soul either. This indicated that Nicolettes soul itself, as well as the small part of the Angel Seed remaining in her soul, did not carry any pollutants and could be trusted and accepted as an existence. Chapter 463 - Chapter 463: 153. Soul Matrix_2 Chapter 463: 153. Soul Matrix_2 Translator: 549690339 Since the System considered Nicolettes soul and Angel Seed to be innocent, Noland Lee naturally trusted the Systems judgment. System, deconstruct Nicolettes soul completely. I need to know how much Soul Energy she needs to absorb from me. If my stock is not enough, I have to find a way to get more soul fragments as soon as possible. Noland Lee murmured in his heart. After a brief moment of haziness, the complete panel information appeared in his mind. The Feature and Skills columns were empty, with only Angel Sculpting Soul present. What Noland Lee paid extra attention to was the status bar, in which there was only one active status. [Name] Soul Weaving: Artificial Angel Y-II-02 Model [Type] The Soul Weaving Matrix of the Angel Enterprises Alliance [Effect] Y meaning: Exploration type for extraterrestrial systems II meaning: Second generation 02 meaning: Second model The full name of this soul weaving matrix is: Angel Enterprises Alliance, Exploration of Extraterrestrial Systems Second Generation Second Model Artificial Angel Soul Weaving Matrix. Time remaining for soul weaving: Approximately 90 days 13 hours. Materials required for soul weaving: 3177 points of Soul Strength. Final product of soul weaving: 72% probability of Juvenile Sagittarius Heavy Cannon Angel. 20% probability of Juvenile Scorpio Assassin Angel. 7% probability of Juvenile Gemini Twin Angel. 1% probability of soul weaving failure, soul, and materials scrapped. Damn more than three thousand points of Soul Strength. Noland Lees mouth twitched. Forget it, just finish helping others. At worst, Ill have the juvenile angel work as child labor and earn more than three thousand Soul Strength for myself. Coming back to his senses, Noland Lee explained the origin of this soul to Denise Green. In about three minutes, Noland Lee simply recounted the causes and consequences. He did not mention the Angel Enterprises Alliance and Blood Sun Seal. Because for these two extraterrestrial void forces, it would take some time to explain clearly. As Noland Lee concealed part of the information, Denise Green was somewhat confused but still managed to understand the origin of the girls soul. Noland Lee thought for a moment and asked: Denise, do you have anything that can preserve this soul for a long time? I have a feeling that shell be in slumber for a long time before waking up. I do, let me find it. Denise Green fumbled in her Magic Pouch and took out a metal magic box with silver patterns on it. After opening the box lid, a smooth white stone appeared on the dark red cushion. This is the essential tool for casting high-level resurrection magic Back from the Dead, called the Soul Stone. The soul can be stored in it for one year. After one year, the resurrection magic power in the Soul Stone will be exhausted, and we need to replace it with another Soul Stone for this little girl. One year well, she wont be in slumber for so long. This Soul Stone is enough. Noland Lee handed out the Soul Retreat Crystal: Here you go, Denise, you transfer her into the Soul Stone. Alright. Denise Green took the crystal and guided the soul into the Soul Stone with Rebirth Magic Power. As Noland Lee watched Denise Greens movements, noisy sounds came from the outside streets. Noland Lee walked to the window, opened a small gap in the curtains, and looked outside. Several teams of Alchemy Cathedral guards were driving their vehicles through the streets, loudly shouting through the mega alchemy horn: City-wide evacuation! City-wide evacuation! Everyone must leave the Lower Town immediately! Everyone must leave the Lower Town immediately! Noland Lee activated the Mind Beacon and checked the iron cigarette cases placed throughout the Lower Town. With the vision leap feature of Mind View, he saw the situation in the entire Lower Town. The situation in various streets was similar, the Temple Guard and Alchemist Faction were urging civilians to leave the Lower Town. It seemed that the Pollution Zone unfolding at the deepest part of the Fissure Corridor had been detected by the Alchemy Cathedral. It was probably informed by the Elemental Judgement. Noland Lee changed the direction of Mind View and glanced at the Cat Society Manor. On the open ground inside and outside the Manor, many activated armors and magic servants appeared. Betty Davis and other Wizard students with only first-level strength were escorted by Philia into the magic car. They drove out of the manor under the protection of activated armor and magic servants, flying towards the City Gate. Philia didnt get into the car. Was she going to stay here and face the Pollution Zone directly? Noland Lee was a little worried but soon breathed a sigh of relief. Philia didnt stay in the Manor for long. After directing the magic servants to carry a large amount of luggage onto the magic car, she drove the fully packed magic car into the sky. Several magic servants changed directions in the air, left the range of the magic car, and flew to various parts of the Lower Town. One of the magic servants was flying towards Noland Lees place. Under Noland Lees gaze, it rang the doorbell and stuffed an envelope through the gap under the door, then turned and flew away to join the magic car. When the female housekeeper opened the door, she saw nothing but the envelope on the ground. Dong dong dong. The bedroom door was knocked on by the female housekeeper. Sir, the Cat Society has sent an urgent letter. Noland Lee activated Life and Death Tracking and looked through the door. Through the Sense Tampering over the door, he erased Denise Greens figure from the vision of the female housekeeper. Its best not to disturb Denise Green who is transferring the soul. Chapter 464 - Chapter 464: 153. Soul Matrix_3 Chapter 464: 153. Soul Matrix_3 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee cast Deconstruction, and after confirming that being tampered with perception appeared on the lady housekeepers status bar, he opened the bedroom door. He took the letter from her hand and said solemnly: You must have heard the shouting in the street. Go meet up with the people from Iron Thorn Shield and leave the city as soon as possible. The shouts for evacuation made the lady housekeeper anxious, but she didnt dare disturb the secluded Noland Lee because she valued her hard-earned job. It wasnt until she received the urgent letter from the Cat Society that she came to knock on his door. After getting Noland Lees approval, she asked anxiously: Sir, arent you leaving? Do you need me to prepare a vehicle? Noland Lee shook his head slightly and responded calmly: No need, you go first. Be quick. Alright, sir. Ill pack up right away. The lady housekeeper hurriedly turned to leave, but Noland Lee stopped her. Wait, packing will take too long. Just take my backpack and give it to Kent, Derek, or Cindy. Noland Lee handed the backpack with the folding space to the lady housekeeper, urging the confused woman to go: Go on. Inside there are clothes, food, medicine, and Union Coins. Your two children and your husband are already in the car, dont worry about them. Thank you, sir. How do you know Noland Lee knew what she wanted to ask, but now wasnt the time to explain. Noland Lee waved his hand and, without further ado, pushed the lady housekeeper toward the staircase: Go. Well talk about it later. Hurry up. Yes, sir. Thank you. Bless you. The lady housekeeper hurriedly walked down the stairs, ran towards the door, and left the small cottage with the closing of the door. Noland Lee watched the approaching Iron Thorn Shield motorcycles on the CCTV Camera. The lady housekeeper met the Iron Thorn Shield members face to face and boarded Marks motorcycle. Instead of heading towards the cottage, the teams turned around and drove to the city gate based on the housekeepers words. Mark and other Security Team Members showed solemn expressions while people on the streets were in a hurry. Some even tripped and fell, almost getting stepped upon by others behind them. This disaster, which started from the deepest part of the Fissure Corridor, had not yet spread to the ground level, but it had already caused waves throughout the city. Noland Lee interrupted Mind View and looked back just as Denise Green took a deep breath, completing the transfer of her soul. Noland Lee went up to her and placed his hand on the Soul Stone containing the soul of Nicolette, transferring a large amount of Soul Strength into it. The invisible energy waves emanated from his hand, intense enough for Denise Green to detect their presence. What are you doing? Denise Green whispered. Im providing sustenance for this little one. Noland Lee withdrew his hand. The sudden loss of over a thousand Soul Strengths made him feel a strange emptiness at the soul level, as if there was something substantial to his hunger. When he absorbed over two thousand Soul Strengths in one breath, he didnt feel full or enriched. However, when he released more than a thousand Soul Strengths, he felt hungry It was really odd. Noland Lee shook his head, driving away the emptiness of the soul from his mind. He pressed his left hand on the blood-colored array and checked the things in the Blood Haven, while saying: Denise, take the Soul Stone and leave the city. Wait for me outside. After Denise Green put the Soul Stone in her Magic Pouch, she asked: What about you? I have to go underground. Ill see if the Combat Alchemists need any help. Noland Lee smiled at the worried Denise Green: Dont worry about me. Just wait for me outside the city with peace of mind. If something goes wrong, Ill let you come get me right away. Noland Lees tone was calm and soothing. Denise Greens worries were put to rest, and she gently replied: Alright, Ill wait for you outside. If you need my help, just tell me. Ill be there for you anytime. Okay, go ahead. Ill check the magical items before heading underground. Noland Lee took off the ring on his finger: Oh, and heres this. You should wear this Illusion Ring. Stay as far away from the crowd as possible. Okay, Ill go now. Denise Green took the ring and put it on herself. After packing her personal belongings in the house, she activated Death Flight on her magic robe and cast Illusionary Body Technique from the Illusion Ring and flew out of the small cottage in an invisible state. Looking at Denise Greens actions, Noland Lee nodded with satisfaction. Instead of flying out in the open, Denise Green chose to cover herself with Illusionary Body Technique without being reminded. This was enough to show that she was not a useless vase. She clearly remembered Noland Lees previous reminder C try not to let others know about their contract relationship. She also proved with her actions that she had remembered that deeply. Facing such a companion who wouldnt hold him back, Noland Lee couldnt help but feel satisfied. Alright, lets take another trip underground. Now that there arent many people there, take whatever we can. Noland Lee counted on his fingers and found that he was waiting for quite a few items to be recovered. River of Mind: The Lower Scroll, Resourceful Sage Space, and a warehouse full of alchemy weaponry were three possible items that had to be taken. As for the rest, it would all depend on the situation. Take it if you can, and never mind if you cant. Now, besides Combat Alchemists in the underground passage, there should be one more person there. That would be Philias mentor. Noland Lee observed the Cat Society Manor and confirmed that this well-dressed and elegant Wizard mentor did not appear in the teams. So, theres only one answer. She also went underground and did so after receiving the order. Noland Lee had always been curious about her strength level, and now it was a good time to see for himself. Chapter 465 - Chapter 465: 154. Angels cheering Chapter 465: 154. Angels cheering Translator: 549690339 Pushing open the window and transforming into a white skull, Noland Lee arrived at Sector 6 next door and dived into the entrance of the underground tunnel. Several alchemists who had just escaped from underground caught a glimpse of the eerie white skull. Before they could regain their composure, Noland Lee had disappeared into the dim tunnel. What the hell was that just now? Seems like a skull? Lets get out of here! Dont linger, do you want to be dragged away by the sticky red slime? The alchemists hurried away. Noland Lee heard their conversation. He was particularly interested in the term red slime. It seems that in just a short while, the pollution domain had changed again, from red smoke to red slime. A thought crossed Noland Lees mind as he recalled the common knowledge about pollution domains. A pollution domain is a transformed version of the extraterrestrial space pollutions own cosmic environment. Depending on the cosmic environment where the extraterrestrial space pollution exists, it will transform the invaded areas environment accordingly. This is the only way for it to exert its strength in the invaded area. The closer the pollution domain is to the cosmic environment of the extraterrestrial space pollution, the greater the strength the extraterrestrial space pollution can exert. As the living conditions of extraterrestrial space pollutions vary, the pollution domains they create are also different. The pollution domain created by Shubick is like a weightless area in outer space. So, what kind of cosmic environment does the Blood Sun Seal exist in? After delving into the 50th underground layer, Noland Lee encountered the red slime dreaded by the alchemists. Looking at the bubbling substance like boiling water, a thought crossed Noland Lees mind. Could it be that the extraterrestrial space pollutant called Blood Sun Seal lives in a universe filled with red liquid? What a strange phenomenon. How could there be so much liquid in the universe Noland Lee pondered for a moment, then threw a deconstruction technique at the wriggling red slime. [System Message:] [You are about to use deconstruction technique on the Blood Sun Contaminated Area.] [Every 400,000 energy points consumed will increase the degree of deconstruction by 1%.] [Warning!] [The system recommends using the Harmless Deconstruction method.] Having acquired the Deconstruction Core System for so many days, Noland Lee had come to a conclusion: Dont worry too much about the long string of zeros in the deconstruction consumption amount, nor try to use a huge amount of energy points to deconstruct something that requires astronomical numbers. Doing so doesnt have much meaning in the end. Most of the time, the reason why something requires a lot of energy points to be deconstructed is simple: Its too big. The larger the volume, the higher the deconstruction consumption. So, its best to dissect it manually into smaller pieces first and then deconstruct it. Such as right now. Noland Lee took out his dagger and drew it across the writhing red slime, lifting a chunk of red mucus stained with blood strands. After casting singular deconstruction techniques on it, he received an acceptable feedback message. [You are about to use deconstruction technique on a small part of the contaminated area.] [It is estimated that 4000 energy points will be consumed, and the degree of Harmless Deconstruction will reach 100%.] [Do you confirm the deconstruction?] Look at this discount, its more exciting than a supermarkets zero-cost purchase. Noland Lee muttered, Confirm Harmless Deconstruction. The moment of dizziness in his mind passed, and a large number of system messages refreshed. Noland Lee carefully checked them one by one, nodded, and without hesitation, dived into the slowly rising red slime in the staircase. This pollution domain is quite unique. It has air and gravity in most places. Its much better than Shubicks pollution domain. A gigantic red tumor emerged from the slime, enveloping Noland Lees body. Countless strips of flesh wrapped around his limbs, dragging him into the sticky, damp red slime. Noland Lee transformed into a skeleton form and plunged himself into the slime. The moment he was completely enveloped by the slime, a dazzling red light burst before his eyes. The light came quickly and vanished even faster, disappearing without a trace. The spatial transfer feature of the pollution domain was activated. Amidst the dazzling red light, Noland Lee was transported to a breathtaking place. This was an enormous glass dome greenhouse. Noland Lee stood on the pristine white stone brick floor, with the glass dome about 300 meters above his head. Outside the dome was not the sun-kissed sky, but a strange space enveloped in red smoke. The brightness within the greenhouse came from strip lighting fixtures attached to the dome. Between the floor and the dome stood several large cultivation tanks, as tall as ancient trees. Each cultivation tank was filled with different colored culture fluids C light blue, light pink, light green, dark blue, and so on. Soaked in each tank was a humanoid being over 100 meters tall. These humanoid beings were slim, well-proportioned, with white and youthful skin. They had facial features and body proportions similar to humans, but they also had a pair of white wings on their backs. Artificial Angels?! Noland Lee exclaimed silently, his eyes gazing up at the incredibly tall cultivation tanks. His eyes moved along the arc-shaped cultivation tank glass cover, focusing on a male humanoid. Deconstruction techniques followed his gaze, sweeping over the winged, hundred-meter-tall being. Chapter 466 - Chapter 466: 154. Angels cheering_2 Chapter 466: 154. Angels cheering_2 Translator: 549690339 [System Information:] [You are about to use the Deconstruction Technique on the Contaminated Artificial Angels.] [The System recommends Harmless Deconstruction.] [Approximately every 12,000 Energy Points consumed can increase the completeness of Harmless Deconstruction by 1%] They really are Artificial Angels Noland Lee strolls among the culture tanks, looking around at the Artificial Angels suspended in the Culture Fluid. A series of Deconstruction Techniques thrown at the differently-shaped Artificial Angels yielded the same answer for Noland: All of these Artificial Angels immersed in Culture Fluid have been contaminated. But from the front, these Artificial Angels do not seem to be polluted at all. Noland moves around to the back of the culture tank, looking at the back of the Artificial Angel. His pupils contract slightly. A metal Soft Tube is attached to the spine of the Artificial Angel. At the interface where the soft metal tube connects to the spine, blood-red patterns spread out like a cobweb, extending to the entire back and limbs. This bizarre blood-red pattern, like bulging blood vessels on the skin or some disgusting red lichen, is obviously not good. Noland focuses, his gaze locked on the blood-red pattern, and uses the Deconstruction Technique. The System Feedback Message made Noland wary. The blood-red pattern is indeed the Contaminant Byproduct of the Blood Sun Seal. There are probably more than 50 Artificial Angels here. Theyve all been contaminated by the Blood Sun Seal. I need to be extra careful Noland calms his mind and looks far towards the end of the greenhouse. This giant greenhouse with its cultivation tanks is vast, and the wall of the greenhouse in the far distance is as small as an ant. Noland squints his eyes, throws out a Mind Beacon, and quickly explores the way with Mind View. A Wall Structure that is different from the architectural style of the greenhouse appears in his Magic Vision. Noland assumed the wall of the greenhouse would be made of flawless white stone bricks or be a glass wall. But in reality, its a filthy wall covered in dents and Aberration slime. The architectural style inside the greenhouse is clean and neat, but this wall is covered in stains. The two are as if they have been forcefully welded together, closely adjoined. Noland instantly recognizes the origin of this wall. It looks like the wall of the Fissure Corridor. It seems that after the Pollution Zone expanded, both living beings and the wall structures and Alchemy Devices in the Fissure Corridor enjoyed the Spatial Transfer. I just dont know which layer of the Fissure Corridor this wall came from Noland searches in his Magic Vision and finds several doorways on the wall of the corridor. He uses Vision Leap to enter a doorway and takes a stroll in the pitch-black Corridor. Five minutes later, Noland takes out his notebook for scribbling and starts drawing a map. Interesting. If the Fissure Corridor is seen as a metal bucket, then the greenhouse Im in right now is a cuboid welded to the outer wall of the bucket. Judging from the layout inside the Corridor, this greenhouse with astonishing height and area is hanging on the outer wall of the 55th Underground level of Sector 6. Noland aims a Deconstruction Technique directly at the hand-drawn map, storing it in his mind. He was about to continue exploring with Mind View, but he saw two familiar figures burst into his Magic Vision. Eh? How did these two end up together? Noland raises an eyebrow, cancels Mind View and Mind Beacon. He takes out the Black Bone Piece Cloak that can shield detection, puts it on himself, and hides in the gap under the base of the culture tank. At the moment when he hides in the shadows, joyous screams come from the doorway on the wall of the corridor. Ahahahaha~~~ Fugidia was overjoyed, her voice shrill and loud. I knew this Pollution Zone was not ordinary!! There must be treasures hidden inside!! Look at what I found!! A completely new species neither heard of nor seen before!! Such a formidable body, such abundant Blood Magic Power! This place is simply a treasure trove for the Night Spirit Cult to harvest Blood Magic Power! God knows what Fugidia saw, her voice trembles from being overly excited. Oh my! This is amazing Nolands mouth twitches, almost blurting out damn, and more or less knows what the other party is exclaiming about. The person next to Fugidia is Nikcat, an Ancient Tomb Wizard from the wizard forces Tomb King. He is a genuine Skeleton Undead, specializing in Bone Magic. He is not interested in lots of Blood Magic Power or anything like that. He is only particularly interested in the skeleton of the giant figure. What a spectacle of a bone creation. These feathered-wing Humans must weigh at least a few tons. What kind of bone material can support their weight? Nikcat cries out enthusiastically. Ahh~ I need to contact my king as soon as possible. The bone material here will definitely please him. After a strange chattering, the two agree not to disturb each other and each starts looking for methods to open the culture tanks. Clang clang clang clang Someone is using a hard object to strike the culture tanks. Squeak squeak squeak squeak A group of bats emit harsh shrieks, using sound waves to attack the culture tanks. Noland tilts his head to look, his gaze passing through the base of each culture tank and landing on the two figures in the distance. Clever fellows. Neither of them has the idea to check the operation panel of the culture tank. They directly target the glass of the culture tank that looks like it would shatter with a strike. Theyre really in quite the hurry. Are bone material and Blood Magic Power that attractive to them? Chapter 467 - Chapter 467: 154. Angels cheering_3 Chapter 467: 154. Angels cheering_3 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee cast Deconstruction on nearby culture tanks, observing the deconstruction consumption of items such as the base, control panel, glass barrel, and culture fluid. Besides the polluted Artificial Angels, culture fluid, and the metal soft tubes connected to their spines, which must be deconstructed using Harmless Deconstruction, everything else would not have a negative impact on Noland. Items that could be deconstructed by conventional means required energy points varying from 10,000 to 50,000 points. Noland roughly estimated that he could obtain around 80,000 energy value rewards by using Passive Deconstruction here. With this in mind, Noland was tempted to smash the culture tanks Oh, how great it would be if those two hadnt come. Without them, I could have worked freely As Noland thought this, he suddenly heard a trembling, electric shock-like scream. Ahh~~ Fugidia, not knowing what she saw, suddenly retreated while screaming, only stopping when she hit the wall. Plop plop plop plop A series of fleshy explosions came from Fugidias direction, making Noland frown and take a closer look. The bat swarm, which had been previously grinning maliciously at the culture tanks, suddenly exploded and turned into mud and blood splattering on the ground. But that was not the end of it. The ground shards of flesh and blood began squirming and convulsing as if they came to life. Countless thin flesh strips stretched upward from the ground, swaying gently in the air like seaweed in the sea water. Noland cast Deconstruction on the eerie blood and flesh substance. He consumed 1,000 energy points and obtained the results of Harmless Deconstruction. The system message made him suck in a breath of cold air. [Deconstruction Success!] [You have obtained a small portion of the panel information on the Blood Sun Seals Intermediate Converter.] [Details are as follows:] [Name] Intermediate Blood Sun Converter [Type] Extraterrestrial Space Pollution Product of Blood Sun Seal [Combat Level] Estimated at 6th level [Characteristic] Blood Sun Pollution: All living beings, undead, and corpses with flesh and blood would be considered as targets for pollution by this substance. After contact with this substance, the targets would forcibly enter the conversion process. Only by amputating the polluted limbs before the pollution spreads throughout the body can one suppress the conversion process. (Degree of deconstruction is insufficient, unable to obtain more information) Nolands heart sank slightly. The bats had died and turned into Blood Sun Converters. But how did the bats die? As Noland became puzzled, the lights in the greenhouse flickered like a horror movie. Zzzz crackle The light from the lamps flickered and occasionally spat out golden sparks. Gurgle, gurgle Bubble noises came from all the culture tanks. The Artificial Angels suspended in the culture fluid opened their eyes, which were covered in lumps and buds. They waved their arms inside the tanks, hitting the glass walls. Alien Space Noise attacked, piercing into the minds like countless needles. Beepbuzzzzzzzzz Beep beep ba-bu ba-bee ba-boom, zzzzz, beep beep This noise was fierce and violent, as if four or five tweeters were placed beside Nolands ears. Noland immediately deployed a Soul Shield to block out the Alien Space Noise. The noise by his ears was gone, but the sound of the Artificial Angels hitting the tanks remained. The Blood Sun Converters that had transformed from the dead bats madly writhed their flesh strips. Even Noland, who had seen countless scenes, felt his sanity drop at this moment. Fugidia and Nikcat were even worse off. Nikcat was better off to some extent. He had no flesh on his body. Before things got out of control, he turned into a bone spear and jumped into the dim corridor walkway. Now things were worse for Fugidia. This alluring Night Spirit Witch had been in a trance since the bat explosion, and upon hearing the Alien Space Noise, her mind didnt react in time, and she exploded and died with a bang. The Blood Sun Converter madly tore Fugidias corpse with its flesh strips, melting her remains into its mud-like body. In less than half a minute, the Blood Sun Converter finished consuming its meal. It squirmed, trembled, expanded, and pulsated, transforming into another Fugidia under Nolands watch. Noland raised an eyebrow, staying calm. He cast Deconstruction on the newly appeared Fugidia and roughly understood what had just happened. [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction on the False Fugidia.] Noland consumed 1,000 energy points and initiated Harmless Deconstruction. As expected, the False Fugidia was only a facade. In reality, it was an Intermediate Blood Sun Converter, one level higher than the mud-like substance earlier. In its Characteristic column, it had the characteristics of Blood Sun Pollution and Flesh Mimic. The False Fugidia couldnt use Blood Magic or Death Magic. It only looked exactly like the real Fugidia. This was the effect of its Flesh Mimic characteristic. As long as it didnt expose itself, ordinary alchemists would have difficulty discovering that it was a product of Blood Sun Pollution. At the same time, all living beings, undead, and corpses with flesh and blood would become its targets for pollution. An evil laugh echoed through the greenhouse. False Fugidia exuded numerous flesh strips from her body. These flesh strips, like centipede legs, carried her, stepping on a dense rhythm as they chased after Nikcat. Now, only Noland and the group of Polluted Angels hitting the culture tanks remained in the greenhouse. Noland pondered for a moment, realizing the difference between Star Sphere Level extraterrestrial space pollution and Star System Level extraterrestrial space pollution. Shubick was just Star Sphere Level extraterrestrial space pollution, one level lower than the Star System Level pollution of Blood Sun Seal. This one level difference created a huge gap between the two pollution zones. Shubicks pollution zone was pitch black and, other than aberrant tentacles, completely bare. But look at this place: an extravagant and clean greenhouse, the Polluted Angels that liked to call for attention, and the Blood Sun Converters that could take a human form. Everything here was much more high-end compared to Shubicks pollution zone. Chapter 468 - Chapter 468: 155. True · Never-ending Blooms Chapter 468: 155. True Never-ending Blooms Translator: 549690339 Dong, dong, dong The Polluted Angel fervently smacked the culture tank. After approximately two minutes, the glass cover of the culture tank finally could not bear the burden, cracking and shattering with a cracking sound akin to the snapping of a bamboo pole. Culture fluid mixed with glass shards splashed all over the ground. A bare foot stepped on the ground, splashing water up to two meters high. There were a total of 51 culture tanks in the greenhouse, corresponding to 51 Polluted Angels. The Polluted Angels almost simultaneously broke free from the constraints of the culture tanks, arriving on the liquid-covered floor. Noland Lee was hiding beneath the base of the culture tank. He looked at the feet splashing in the water, holding his breath, feeling somewhat anxious. He had not yet deconstructed these Polluted Angels, but he reckoned that such tall beings, comparable to small hills, possessed extraordinary perceptual abilities. He was not confident whether the skeleton he had transformed into, and the Black Bone Robe draped over his body, could help him completely evade the detection of the Polluted Angels. Noland Lees luck was good. The Polluted Angels walked barefooted, not lingering around the base where Noland Lee was hiding. They headed towards the wall of the Fissure Corridor. Dong, dong, dong, dong The first Polluted Angel to reach the wall clenched its fists and struck the wall made of stone bricks. The Polluted Angels simply swung their clenched fists, and clear fist prints appeared on the wall. Dong, dong, dong, dong More and more Polluted Angels gathered by the wall of the Fissure Corridor. They swung their arms and hammered their strong, pendulum-like fists forward. The stone bricks shattered, and the wall collapsed. Pitch-black corridors appeared on the wall. For an ordinary human being like Noland Lee who was less than two meters tall, the corridors of the Fissure Corridor were quite spacious, enough to drive a vehicle inside. Nevertheless, for the Polluted Angels standing more than a hundred meters tall, these corridors merely resembled mouse holes, barely big enough to fit a fist. These Polluted Angels seemed to have received an unspoken summons. Aiming at the beehive coal-like wall, they relentlessly swung their fists, forcibly creating a tunnel over a hundred meters high and at least ten meters wide. Walking and smashing as they went. Their fists collided with the stone bricks, generating booming sounds, and the shattered stone bricks rolled onto the ground. The harsh noise gradually subsided as the Polluted Angels moved further away, restoring tranquillity within the greenhouse. Most of the Polluted Angels had already left the greenhouse. They left through a huge hole in front of the corridor, disappearing into the pitch-black corridor. Only a few Polluted Angels sluggishly destroying the culture tanks were left behind, and they had just barely managed to shatter the glass cover. Stepping on the glass shards in the water on the floor, they moved towards the hole on the wall one step at a time. Noland Lee observed this group of straggling Polluted Angels, his eyes flashing with an idea. Assuming the hardness of the glass covers of the culture tanks is roughly the same, then the Polluted Angels that managed to shatter the glass covers first evidently possess stronger physical bodies. As for these Angels who took more time to shatter the glass covers, could their physical strength be somewhat weaker? Noland Lee thought for a moment, scanned the area, and locked his gaze on the Polluted Angel whose movements were the slowest. He planned to find a solitary Polluted Angel and test its strength. In such matters, its best to pick on the weak. This Polluted Angel trailing behind the group, whose steps seemed somewhat uncertain, was undoubtedly the best test subject. When all the other Polluted Angels entered the cave, leaving only that Angel lingering in the greenhouse, Noland Lee seized the opportunity and cast the Cripple Spell and Fear Spell. Transparent Magic Lock Chains, as expected, appeared on the twin feet of the Polluted Angel, but the chains quickly disintegrated under the wide and thick soles, lasting less than a second. Seeing this, Noland Lee was not surprised. After all, the Polluted Angels are giant creatures over a hundred meters tall. If they could be so easily incapacitated by the Cripple Spell, what would be the point of growing so big? The effect of the Fear Spell, however, somewhat surprised Noland Lee. [System Message:] [Due to suppression by life level and body size, the duration of the Cripple Spell has been reduced to 0.6 second.] [As the target does not have a sense of fear, the fear effect of the Fear Spell did not take effect normally.] [The actual effect of the Fear Spell has been converted to Intimidation, lasting around 2 seconds.] Intimidation Noland Lee recalled. When he used the Fear Spell on the Aberrations, the fear effect was also transformed into an intimidation effect. It appears that creatures with a Carnal Body polluted by the Blood Sun Seal would all be intimidated by the Fear Spell and forced to stand still. Noland Lee seized the opportunity, transforming into a white skull and flying out from beneath the base of the culture tank. He quickly scanned the greenhouse. There was indeed only one Polluted Angel here, and there were no other Angels present. In that case, lets test out the power of magic. Noland Lee pulled out his magic wand and pointed it at the Polluted Angel standing still. He went all out from start. Swinging the wand continuously, dozens of black lightning bolts about half a meter wide shot out, landing squarely on the Polluted Angels body. Boom, boom, boom, boom Lightning exploded, thunderous sounds filled the air, black light shone brightly, and rotten meat splattered everywhere. The Polluted Angels body shook violently from the impact. Turning its back towards Noland Lee, it stumbled a few steps forward before crashing onto the floor, splashing a sheet of culture fluid. A charred wound several inches deep appeared on the back of the Polluted Angel. This could not be better described than by skin torn and flesh ripped apart. However, what was peculiar was that not a drop of fresh blood splattered out. Chapter 469 - Chapter 469: 155. True · Never-ending Blooms_2 Chapter 469: 155. True Never-ending Blooms_2 Translator: 549690339 Not only that, under Nolands watch, a large patch of flesh strips emerged from the edges of the Polluted Angels wounds. These strips of flesh interlocked with one another like threads on a sweater, sealing the wound and forming a fresh patch of skin in less than five seconds. Nolands brows furrowed slightly. The Polluted Angels self-healing ability was much stronger than he had imagined. The system message in his mind reminded him that he had successfully activated the Passive Deconstruction, but the improvement in the Degree of Deconstruction was extremely limited. This meant that the bombardment just now seemed to be enormous, but it did not cause much substantial damage to the Polluted Angel. [System Message:] [Passive Deconstruction Activated!] [Your Degree of Deconstruction for the Polluted Artificial Angel has increased to 0.2%] [You have obtained a small part of panel information:] [Name] Polluted Artificial Angel [Type] Blood Sun Seal Contaminant Byproduct, Angel Enterprises Alliances Artificial Angel [Combat Level] Predicted to be 42 [Feature] Super Regeneration: The Artificial Angel possesses an extraordinarily strong self-healing ability. Any attack that cannot pierce the Artificial Angel will not cause any effective damage. (Degree of Deconstruction is insufficient, no more deconstruction results were obtained.) Hiss To deal effective damage, I need to pierce the Artificial Angels body?! Noland was slightly shocked in his heart as he stared at the Polluted Angel standing up from the ground. The Polluted Angel straightened its body, slowly turned around, and countless water droplets dripped from its body. It looked into Nolands eyes, revealing lumps of flesh full of chunks and strips, replacing the glass ball-like pupils. At the moment Noland was stared at by the Polluted Angel, his Soul Shield instantly felt pressure. A vast surge of alien space noise rushed in, compressing the effective time of the shield from the previous 40 seconds to now 20 seconds. This indicated that the alien space noise was doubled on Nolands body, and the source of this noise was the Polluted Angel with mutated eyes. Noland steadied his heart, and his wrist trembled continuously, blasting the enemy with damage. Crackle! Crackle! Crackle! Crackle! Crackle! Black Lightning connected end to end, accurately hitting the chest of the Polluted Angel. The Polluted Angels body swayed, and it retreated several steps in succession, splattering a large splash of water. It looked like he was going to be knocked down again. But! A sudden change occurred! The Polluted Angel suddenly contracted its waist and abdomen, forcibly bracing itself against the Black Lightning and steadying its posture. Its left foot was forward, and its right foot was behind, forming a lunge pose. Both slender arms swung in an arc from the sides of its body, intersecting in front of it and striking together with a clang. The moment the arms collided, the Polluted Angels arm swelled up with a bang, transforming into an umbrella-shaped shield. The surface of the shield was immaculate and smooth as a mirror. Nolands Black Lightning collided with the shields smooth surface, then was immediately deflected, whizzing around and shattering the base of several cultivation tanks. As for the center of the shields surface, a hollow tube emerged, aiming at Nolands skull. This seemed like the barrel of a gun! An alarm went off in Nolands mind. He forcibly twisted his body and turned his head, just barely avoiding the guns line of fire from the hollow barrel. At that moment, a milky-white beam shot out from the hollow barrel, brushing past Nolands ear and making his scalp tingle and his hair stand on end. The milky-white beam missed its target, and the light dispersed into thin, milky-white threads in the air. However, the attacks from the Polluted Angel did not stop. Noland transformed into a White Skull and accelerated his flight, hiding behind the cultivation tank. One after another, beams chased after his shadow, piercing the metal of the tanks and leaving smooth holes. Utilizing the cover of the tanks, Noland kept changing his position. The Polluted Angel that fired the beams seemed to be able to see through the metal cover and always aimed its attacks in his direction. Noland raised an eyebrow, feeling the difficulty of the Polluted Angel. After checking the Deconstruction Results, Noland knew the reason. The Polluted Angel possessed both super-strong self-healing ability and formidable psychic mastery! [Feature] Psychic Infusion: Angel Enterprises Alliance created Artificial Angels specialized in using psychic power based on mind power. All finalized Artificial Angels, regardless of the model, must possess two Active Skills: Detect Soul and Psychic Beam. [Skills] Detect Soul: 70-level, Mind Power Ability Continuously locate targets with a mind within a 700-meter range. Psychic Beam: 40-level, Mind Power Ability After charging for 0.1 seconds, shoot a Psychic Beam that destroys the target. Psychic Beam deals both mental damage and kinetic damage. Mental damage only affects targets with a mind. Nolands thoughts raced like lightning, and he came up with a countermeasure. Avoiding the Psychic Beam aimed at him, he seized the moment when the enemy was charging their shot and hurled a Heart Control Spider onto the ground, followed by immediately turning back into a White Skull and continuing to fly. The Heart Control Spiders spread their spider legs as they landed, moving forward gracefully on water. Under Nolands control, they split into different routes and surrounded the Polluted Angel from various directions. As Noland expected, the Mental Beacon on the Heart Control Spiders drew the attention of the Polluted Angel. The Psychic Beam that had been aimed at Noland suddenly disappeared, completely focusing on the approaching Heart Control Spiders. Chapter 470 - Chapter 470: 155. True · Never-ending Blooms_3 Chapter 470: 155. True Never-ending Blooms_3 Translator: 549690339 Bang. A heart control spider leaped up, flying through the air to pounce. It had barely traced half an arc before it was blasted by a psychic beam. Bang, bang, bang Several more heart control spiders took the fire away from Noland Lee. Noland Lee took this opportunity to quickly approach the Polluted Angel, moving to its side. He transformed into a skeleton form and shot Death Two Finger continuously from the magic wand in his hand. Half of the black lightning aimed at the Polluted Angels waist, striking the unprotected flesh there. The other half of the black lightning landed on the barrel of the shields gun, surely bending the annoying hollow pipe. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom A series of explosions roared, and black sparks bloomed on the body of the Polluted Angel. The Polluted Angels body suddenly swayed, losing its balance, and fell to its side. The psychic beams attack was interrupted, and the umbrella-shaped shield returned to the shape of an arm. There was no longer anything on the Polluted Angels body that could deflect the Death Lightning. Noland Lees magic wand slightly changed direction, aiming at the Polluted Angels feet. Piercing through the soles of the feet was just as effective as dealing fatal damage. Nearly a hundred black lightning bolts slammed mercilessly into the soles of the Polluted Angels feet, carving a charred hole in its nearly three-meter-wide foot. [Passive Deconstruction Success!] [Youve dealt movement-hindering level weakness damage to the Polluted Artificial Angel!] [The targets degree of deconstruction has been increased to 6.8%!] [Youve gained more panel information: ] At this moment, Noland Lee had no time to check the text content in his mind. His attention was all on the other large foot of the Polluted Angel. Another hundred black lightning bolts were shot, and Noland Lee successfully used the foot-chiseling method to create two large holes in the Polluted Angels soles. The Polluted Angel opened its mouth, trying to scream in pain but failed to make any sound. Instead, countless flesh strips crawled out from its mouth, writhing and twisting wildly in the air. Noland Lee squinted at the flesh strips in the Polluted Angels mouth and glanced at its pair of wriggling, meaty eyes. Could this be the weakness of the Polluted Angel? With a thought in Noland Lees mind, his wrist flicked, and the black lightning changed direction again. Crackle! Crackle! Two lightning bolts accurately landed in the Polluted Angels mouth, bursting with a puff of foul-smelling crimson blood. Noland Lee raised his eyebrows. This was the first time since the battle began that he had seen blood splatter. His wrist continued to shake, emitting a large amount of black electric light, all of which bombarded the Polluted Angels face. Puff, puff, puff, puff Flesh flew, and blood mist spread. The ground was stained red with filthy blood. The system message in his mind made Noland Lee feel exhilarated. I dealt a fatal strike level weakness damage! I increased the degree of deconstruction by 20%! The mouth and eyes of the Polluted Angel are indeed its weaknesses! Nolands left hand reached into his pocket and pulled out another Death Wand. Using both hands, a left and right attack, double the curses, double the black lightning. This was a casting method that Noland had explored on his own when he was testing the power of his homemade wand. Black lights filled the greenhouse corner, constantly shaking, with deafening thunderous explosions. Finally, with a crisp sound like a watermelon being smashed, the Polluted Angel met the end of its life. Plop! Just as the Polluted Angel sat up halfway, its head burst, its body twitched, and it stiffened and fell to the ground. The Polluted Angel should be dead. Noland Lee took a few deep breaths to calm the upheaval in his heart. But before he had a chance to check his gains, the corpse of the Polluted Angel twitched. Upon closer inspection, it wasnt the headless corpse of the Polluted Angel that moved; it was the blood and shattered flesh beneath it that had mutated. An elementary Blood Sun Converter crawled out from under the Polluted Angel. It stayed on the sewage covered ground, stretching its flesh strips towards the Polluted Angels corpse, trying to engulf it. Without hesitation, Noland Lee shook both hands a few times, projecting black lightning. Black sparks burst open, and the eerie elementary Blood Sun Converter was annihilated on the spot. However, it still didnt die. Under Noland Lees watchful gaze, the shattered elementary Blood Sun Converter split into five, transforming into five smaller Blood Sun Converters. Noland Lee continued to use black lightning to attack them. After three rounds of lightning, the Blood Sun Converters finally turned into charred mud and lay motionless in the puddle. Whew~ Noland Lee sighed under his breath, staying alert as he checked the deconstruction results in his mind. Upon scanning the systems text, Noland Lee nodded in understanding. So thats how it is When an elementary Blood Sun Converter dies, its corpse will become five secondary Blood Sun Converters. When five secondary Blood Sun Converters die, they will become 25 weak Blood Sun Converters. Once the weak Blood Sun Converters die, they will be truly dead, and no new Blood Sun Converters will appear. So for an elementary Blood Sun Converter, I have to attack it three times to kill it. What a tenacious life force Noland Lee felt slightly impressed. He looked around at the mess but was thankful that no new enemies or wizards or alchemists appeared. Truth be told, Noland Lee was very doubtful that low-level Combat Alchemists could defeat the Polluted Angel with their strength alone. Combat Alchemists defeated Shubicks tentacles by relying on several alchemy ships help. Without strategic alchemy weapons to assist them, most Combat Alchemists probably couldnt even pierce through the Polluted Angels body. Chapter 471 - Chapter 471: 155. True · Never-ending Blooms 4 Chapter 471: 155. True Never-ending Blooms 4 Translator: 549690339 Upon careful consideration, it should at least take a Combat Wizard with strength equivalent to the fourth or fifth circle to kill Polluted Angels with spells like Noland Lee does. Noland composed himself. He glanced at the huge hole in the wall but didnt fly in. There was still much to explore within this greenhouse. After collecting the soul fragments scattered around, Noland transformed into a white skull and flew into the base of a culture tank, patiently reviewing the previous system messages. [You have killed the Polluted Titan Shield Giant, primary, secondary and weak levels of Blood Sun Converters.] [Passive Deconstruction Successful!] [You have gained the following Deconstruction Results!] [1. Total Energy Point Reward: 138,600 points.] [Unlocking the standardized panel of the Titan Shield Giant awards 120,000 Energy Points. Unlocking the standardized panels of the primary, secondary, and weak Blood Sun Converters awards 15,000, 3,000, and 600 Energy Points, respectively.] Nice~ Noland grinned. Although passive deconstruction of the primary Blood Sun Converters only awarded 15,000 points, seemingly an insignificant amount of Energy Points, it was a byproduct of the Blood Sun Seals pollution. Noland needed to use Harmless Deconstruction on it, which would have cost 150,000 Energy Points. Now, the expense of Harmless Deconstruction is exempted. Noland saved 150,000 Energy Points and also earned an extra 15,000. This, plus the cost savings and gains from passively deconstructing the Titan Shield Giant, made him come out well ahead from this battle. Checking his Personal Panel and looking at the data, Noland was overjoyed: [Soul Strength]: 5,245 points. [Energy Points]: 162,697/25 (23+2) points. The Titan Shield Giant contributed 260 points of soul strength, while the Blood Sun Converters contributed a total of 35 points. During the battle, Noland used about 50 points of soul strength. With the give-and-take, there was a significant increase in his reserve of soul strength, reaching over 5,200 points. If he killed some more Polluted Angels, he would have earned enough soul strength for Nicolette. Looking at his skyrocketing Energy Points, Noland muttered, I cant spend them all, not in my entire life. He sighed. Its quite the predicament, having a surplus of Energy Points. Hee hee~ Noland chuckled inwardly, then quickly suppressed his laughter and continued examining the Deconstruction Results. [2. You have gained the standardized panel information of the Titan Shield Giant and primary, secondary, and weak Blood Sun Converters.] [3. You have gained the personalized panel information of the Polluted Titan Shield Giant.] The three levels of Blood Sun Converters had minor differences. All of them possessed an attribute called Blood Sun Construct Value, which was similar to Health. The primary level had 5,000 points, the secondary 1,000, and the weak 200. The higher the value, the higher the level and the larger the size. The Blood Sun Pollution feature was common to all three. It drove the Blood Sun Converters to constantly devour flesh and blood, incorporating corpses, the living, and flesh-bearing Lost Souls into their bodies to strengthen their Blood Sun Construct Values. It seems that the so-called Blood Sun Converters are things that can increase their level by devouring blood and flesh. Noland recalled the scene when he encountered the Blood Sun Converters. They had no interest in his bony form. Of course, this could be due to the effect of the Black Bone Robe he was wearing. Regardless, Noland decided not to assume human form in this Pollution Zone. He would maintain his Skeleton Form. Noland compared the information of the Polluted Titan Shield Giant and the non-polluted one, looking for differences between them. An epiphany emerged in his mind. He suddenly realized that the Blood Sun Seal pollution of the Artificial Angels might not be all bad Because an unpolluted Titan Shield Giant is extremely formidable. The differences in their panel attributes reveal the disparity. (Values in brackets are for the polluted ones, while values outside brackets are for the unpolluted ones.) Toughness: 360 (110) Vitality: 480 (240) Strength: 260 (76) Agility: 80 (56) Spirit: 100 (46) Charm: 19 (5) Polluted Artificial Angels have significantly reduced panel attribute values due to the influence of the Blood Sun Pollution feature. Most significant are the Toughness, Vitality, and Strength attributes, which have dropped by 30% to 50%, losing at least 184 points. Its hard to imagine how many times Noland would have to cast Death Two Finger to break the defense of an unpolluted angel with a Toughness of 360. It was the pollution caused by the Blood Sun Seal that weakened the defensive power of Titan Shield Giant Angels, giving Noland the opportunity to strike. I wonder if Nicolette will grow up like that Noland mumbled. He looked at the panel information of the Titan Shield Giants, shook his head slightly, and said: She probably wont. Titan Shield Giants have an exclusive Titan Constellation Original Replica feature that gives them a body up to a hundred meters tall. Nicolette will either be part of the Sagittarius Constellation, or Scorpio and Gemini constellations. She wont have the Titan Constellation Original Replica feature, so she wont be as exaggerated in size as the Titan Shield Artificial Angel. Furthermore, the polluted Titan Shield Brigade Ive encountered are fully-grown Complete Form Artificial Angels, equivalent to ordinary people in their prime. Younger Titan Brigade Artificial Angels should be much smaller, around twenty or thirty meters, although I cant be sure. Chapter 472 - Chapter 472: 155. True · Never-ending Blooms_5 Chapter 472: 155. True Never-ending Blooms_5 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee briefly read the success of the deconstruction and closed it. Now is not a good time for in-depth research, there is still a lot of work waiting for him to do. Noland Lee flew out of his hiding place. He directed several heart control spiders on the scene to hide, each monitoring a small area, to guard against people coming from the Fissure Corridor while he was scavenging. Noland Lee stopped in front of the control console of the cultivation tank. The control desk was about five meters wide, and its height was just at Nolands chest. If members of the Angel Enterprises Alliance, like Noland, were humanoid creatures, their height should be much taller than Noland. Because for something like a control console, only if its height is just at the level of the waist can it be easier for humanoid life forms to operate with both hands. Of course, if the proportions of the members of the Angel Enterprises Alliance are different from Nolands, this assumption does not stand. In this greenhouse, there are no traces of the Angel Enterprises Alliance members, nor would Noland be able to learn the truth about the situation. He looked at the characters on the control panel. Very unfamiliar character shapes. They are not pictographs. The lines of the text are mainly short broken lines, short straight lines, and diagonal lines, with almost no curves. Seeing that nobody was around, Noland Lee took out his magic wand and shot black lightning at the characters on the panel. After a cracking explosion, passive deconstruction was activated. Not only the information of the control panel, but also the information of the characters on the control panel came into the deconstruction results by the system. He gained a new scholarly skill C Angelic Corporate Union Universal Language. Noland Lee nodded with satisfaction, feeling no surprise. Destroying the control panel and getting information about the characters seems bizarre, but its normal. If Noland destroys a book, he can naturally passively reconstruct the content of the book, which naturally includes the characters. Similarly, if you count the control panel as a book, Noland would be able to obtain the text content of the book when he destroys it. Noland Lee continued to output black lightning to the control panel, making the metal control desk pitted. Noland caught a glimpse of the degree of deconstruction in his mind and felt a little unsatisfied. He took out a crowbar from the Blood Haven, stuck it into the edge of the control desk, and forcefully tore open a crack. Noland aimed the magic wand at the exposed unknown device and shot hundreds of black lightning bolts. The control console couldnt endure the humiliation and exploded with a bang, scattering the internal parts and fragments of the metal shell. Looking at the messy scene, Noland received the system message of obtaining energy value rewards in his mind. Ignoring the system message, he made the best use of time and continued to deconstruct other things by means of passive deconstruction. Base of the cultivation tank, metal pipes connected to the base, glass cover of the cultivation tank, metal top cover, metal hull, mechanical buckles, metal soft tubes, and so on. Everything that appears in this greenhouse is deconstructed by Noland Lee from the inside out. He didnt even let go of the white ground tiles, the glass dome of the greenhouse, and the strip-shaped lamps on the dome. After a full ten minutes, the black shimmering greenhouse quieted down. Noland took a long sigh, leaning against the cultivation tank with a smile. I made a fortune. I consumed only over 30 points of soul strength and got a reward of 90,000 energy points and many blueprints for Artificial Angels Cultivation Devices of the Angel Enterprises Alliance. Noland laughed happily and scanned the deconstruction results in his mind. The blueprints of the cultivation devices and others require special minerals from the Angel Enterprises Alliance. The culture fluid is the same. The Deconstruction Core System only provides material lists for the blueprint, but it cant automatically replace the raw materials with those available on Alchemist Island. Wanting to create the cultivation devices and culture fluid for artificial angels, Noland would have to study the issue of material substitution himself. Device blueprints and culture fluid formulas are just one of the gains; what Noland is most satisfied with is the Angelic Corporate Union Universal Language. Noland understands this language not very much, but it is already possible to see many ways. From the language knowledge and cultivation device operation knowledge he has mastered: In order to prevent artificially manufactured angels from rebelling, the Angel Enterprises Alliance binds them with a Mental Binding Command. Each artificial angel has a Mind Shackle built by a Mind Weaver before being placed in a culture tank. This shackle hides deep within the soul of the artificial angel and can be activated with just one command. Once the shackle is activated, the artificial angel temporarily loses its mind power and enters a mindless state. In this state, whatever the command holder says, the artificial angel will do. In this way, members of the Angel Enterprises Alliance can send the out-of-control artificial angel back to the culture tank. Each artificial angel has a different mental binding command. These are recorded on the operation desk of the culture tank and are displayed in embossed metal text in the center of the operation panel. While Noland was destroying the console, he unknowingly recorded the mental binding commands of some artificial angel. As long as he uses the newly acquired Angelic Corporate Union Universal Language to recite this mental binding command, he will be able to gain control of the artificial angel. Would the contaminated artificial angel be obedient? Chapter 473 - Chapter 473: 155. True · Never-ending Blooms_6 Chapter 473: 155. True Never-ending Blooms_6 Translator: 549690339 Noland Lee shook his head slightly, not knowing the answer. There was another problem. As for the Universal Language that he had just acquired, Noland could only read and write, but he couldnt pronounce it. If he could only control the artificial angels by reciting the command, then the mental binding command was still quite useless to Noland because he didnt know how to pronounce it. Anyway, this didnt stop him from recording all the mental binding commands on the scene for future use. After recording the commands, Noland stood next to the headless corpse of the artificial angel. The information about the materials needed to create this thing, the soul-weaving matrix, and the mind weaver, etc., were already in Nolands mind. Once he found the specific instructions and objects for the soul-weaving matrix and mind weaver, the panel that reads This panel will be updated as you master more related knowledge would display the specific content. It was the same when Noland taught himself alchemy. On the Alchemy Beetles panel, there were many columns waiting for updates. After learning the basic alchemy books, these columns were automatically updated, showing the previously unknown alchemy symbols, formulas, and materials. The same was true for the artificial angels panel information. Noland pondered for a moment and then gave up on cutting the artificial angels corpse to get its extraordinary organs. The reason was simple. Noland used Deconstruction to check, and there was still residual contamination from the Blood Sun Seal inside the corpse. If he accidentally got contaminated, it would not be worth it. Noland called back the heart control spider that was keeping watch and put it in the Blood Haven. The hand-carved corridor of the artificial angel was right in front; Noland threw out the mental beacon and Mind View towards the pitch-black entrance. After more than 20 consecutive vision leaps, human and artificial angel figures finally appeared in the magic vision. It was a scene of an incredibly fierce battle. The Fissure Corridor scene Noland had seen before was relatively intact, with the wall structure and floor connected. But now, the entire Fissure Corridor from the 70th to 100th underground layers was shattered, with countless broken walls and ruins floating in the red background of the Pollution Zone. The artificial angels who were excavating the corridor had encountered the Combat Alchemists who had entered the Pollution Zone. The battle between the two sides directly shattered the Fissure Corridor. Space rules were also shattered. When the Fissure Corridor was intact, the space inside the corridor had its gravity. Now, the corridor debris was floating in the air, entering a state of weightlessness. This caused the scene Noland was now seeing. Among the wall debris of the Fissure Corridor, there were many battered human corpses. At least more than 200 Combat Alchemists had died in the battle. Did 50 artificial angels have such power? Yes. The artificial angel that Noland had killed had not been so deeply polluted. But the 50 artificial angels on the battlefield had already entered a deeply polluted state. Their white wings were covered with bloody water, and worm-like flesh strips crawled out from the surface of their skin and the gaps between wing feathers. All the deeply polluted artificial angels had become furry, looking extremely horrifying. Even if they were cut in half or decapitated, they would not stop moving. Even if one side of their body was blown up by an energy ray, they could still spray Filthy Blood, roar at the sky, and shoot out long tendrils to wrap around the corpses and swallow them. Alien Space Noise was high and frantic, invading everyone amidst the Polluted Angels frenetic attacks. The Combat Alchemists had taken soul-protecting potions. The effect of these potions was already obviously unable to resist Alien Space Noise. Several Combat Alchemists exploded and died, becoming food for the Polluted Angels. The battlefield was three-dimensional, with thousands of meters of vertical drop from top to bottom. The Polluted Angels occupied the center of the battlefield, their towering bodies extremely oppressive. The Combat Alchemists surrounding them looked as tiny as mice. Looking downward, Noland saw the Black City and the spires within it at the bottom of the battlefield. Using the last vision leap, he closed the distance with the Black City, and Philias mentor appeared in his magic vision. She was fighting alongside a group of Combat Alchemists against a massive number of enemies. A vast ocean of Blood Sun Converters surrounded Philias mentor and others. Philias mentor was encircled in the center of the flesh sphere, barely breaking through the enemys encirclement with elemental spells. But as soon as the Combat Alchemists around her tried to break through, the opening in the encirclement was filled by new Blood Sun Converters. What was even more troublesome was that there were a large number of contaminated Illegal Alchemists, Illegal Wandering Magicians, and Fugidia, Gardner, Kevin, and Sheldonwho had been transformed into contaminant byproducts by the Blood Sun Sealinside the encirclement, as well as five deeply polluted artificial angels. Noland took a careful look, and the College Death Mage named Sheldon indeed had been killed and turned into a contaminant by the Blood Sun Seal. As for that Ancient Tomb Wizard named Nikcat, he had escaped and did not appear on the battlefield. It was estimated that he was hiding in some corner. For a non-combat wizard like him with only Three Circle Strength, relying on his Skeleton Body to survive until the Pollution Zone closed was the wisest choice. After observing for a while, Noland gradually realized that there was no hope for Philias mentor and the Alchemists to break through. The group of contaminant byproducts around them was more troublesome than the simple Blood Sun Converters. Chapter 474 - Chapter 474: 155. True · Never-ending Blooms_7 Chapter 474: 155. True Never-ending Blooms_7 Translator: 549690339 Especially those five deeply polluted artificial angels. These cunning fellows hid among the numerous Blood Sun Converters, creating extraterrestrial noise without any scruples. Whenever these contaminant byproducts roared together, Philias mentors casting movements would be interrupted. If it werent for the combat alchemists dense gunfire, casting remedial spells before the enemy arrived, they would have been devoured by the contaminant byproducts and Blood Sun Converters long ago. Noland Lee threw out a Deconstruction Technique to take a look. Philias mentor required 160,000 energy points for deconstruction, likely a Six-Ring Witch. She had only one Elemental Sphere, clearly not a battle wizard. One Elemental Sphere means that only one type of elemental magic can be substantially strengthened, while the other elemental magic will not be strengthened. The elemental reactions triggered by a single Elemental Sphere are far less than those of an Elemental Judgement Battlemage with two Elemental Spheres. This phenomenon was quite strange. A Five-Ring Battle Wizard had two Elemental Spheres, while a Six-Ring non-battle wizard only had one. The Spirit of a Five-Ring Battle Wizard could be up to 149 points. The Spirit of a Six-Ring non-battle wizard might be as high as 179 points. But why could a non-battle wizard with higher Spirit only have one Elemental Sphere? Noland Lee always felt an indescribable strangeness, very inconsistent with the game settings he had known before crossing over. But It made sense. This world, after all, is not a game world and is not designed by people with logical rules in mind. All people and things develop freely within given objective factors. What they ultimately become depends not only on their own choices and will but also on the influence of objective factors. Philias mentor didnt want to have a second Elemental Sphere. Perhaps objective factors limited her from doing so. What were the objective factors that limited her? Noland Lee didnt know. This was a hidden secret within the Elemental Judgement. Denise Green had no way of understanding it either. Wellits not entirely clueless. Noland Lee remembered something. According to Denise, the Hotams Magic Academy recruited from all wizards, but only those who passed a screening process could enroll. In the screening ceremony, Hotams would use something called a Branch Crystal to determine whether the prospective student was eligible for admission. Those who were admitted ultimately became battle wizards. Those who were not admitted essentially could only become non-battle wizards. This shows that whether one can become a battle wizard is based on a set of systematic rules. If Noland Lee had the chance to deconstruct the Branch Crystal in the future, he might be able to understand the secrets contained within. Through Magic Vision, Noland Lee observed the battlefield and weighed the pros and cons of intervening and helping in his thoughts. He now had more than 250,000 energy points, enough to deal with various situations. What does it mean to have 250,000 energy points? It takes 49,500 energy points to level up a skill from Level 1 to Level 100. Moreover, what does it mean to have over 5,200 points of Soul Strength on the panel? With Death Incarnate activated, he would generate 520 points of death energy per second, equivalent to about 260 Death Two Finger shots per second. Any contaminated artificial angel that came would be instantly killed. Noland Lee even suspected that he had the ability to gather all the monsters in the field and annihilate them. The surge in Soul Strength and Energy Points gave Noland Lee the confidence to intervene. Having the confidence to intervene doesnt mean he should. It was a matter of weighing gains and losses. After helping Philias mentor, Noland Lee would reveal some extraordinary aspects. He had already prepared explanations for these so-called extraordinary aspects. Moreover, considering the arrangements for leaving Alchemist Island in the future, Noland Lee saw no great need to continue to keep a low profile. In a word: Noland Lee had already arranged everything that would happen after the exposure of some extraordinary features. It wouldnt be a problem for him to make a high-profile move. So, what would a high-profile move do for him? Noland Lee scanned the enemy in his Magic Vision and came to a conclusion. According to the universally accepted rules of distributing spoils of war, whoever kills the enemy has the priority right to allocate the spoils. The enemies surrounding Philias mentor totaled at least several hundred. Noland Lee saw no need to miss out on so many soul fragments. Since everything was ready, it was time to get to work. After grasping the situation on the battlefield, Noland Lee interrupted his Mind View and flew rapidly as a white skull. Swiftly flying through the air and nearing the Black City, Noland Lees figure was caught by Philias mentor. Helpless, the white skull flying at high speed in the air was quite eye-catching. Moreover, he was using the Undead Branchs Bone Spirit Flight Technique, which was an incredibly rare flight spell. Philias mentor instantly recognized the origin of this flight spell, revealing confusion on her face. She seemed to regard Noland Lee as a member of the Death Herald Guild, and wondered when a high-level Death Herald member who had mastered the Bone Spirit Flight Technique had entered the city. Noland Lee did not bother explaining anything to Philias mentor. He had a complete plan in his heart to explain everything that would happen in the future. Noland Lee descended from the sky, stopping about 20 meters away from the battlefield below. He drew his magic wand and swung it below, unleashing a swath of half-meter-thick black lightning at the enemies below. Boom boom boom boom boom boom After a round of bombings, the enemies surrounding Philias mentor and the others were instantly cleared away in a small area. Death Two Finger? A high-ranking Death Series combat wizard?! Philias mentor exclaimed in shock: I am Mabel, a mentor at the local First Level Magic Research Institute. Who are you, stranger wizard? I am Ray Lee, maam. You should know who I am. Noland Lee calmly responded: Now is not the time to discuss this. Let me clear out the enemies here first. Chapter 475 - Chapter 475: 156. Win people’s hearts Chapter 475: 156. Win peoples hearts Translator: 549690339 You all do your best to protect yourselves, leave all the enemies to me. Before Noland Lee went all out, he gave a warning to Mabel and the others. Surrounded by a large amount of contaminant byproducts, Mabel and the Alchemists chose to follow Nolands instructions. They withdrew their weapons aimed at the enemy, interrupted their attack movements, and switched to using a Spell barrier and Alchemical shield enhanced for damage absorption to protect themselves. The Elemental Sphere that Mabel controlled was a Water Sphere. She held the Water Sphere above her head with both hands, sprinkling an umbrella-shaped water curtain from the Sphere like a fountain, covering herself and the Alchemists around her. The Alchemist guarding by Mabels side was a Magic Beast Hunter from the Cat Society. Their signature Alchemical weapon was Alchemy gloves, which could take on many forms. It changed from Firearms with thick barrels and sharp hooks, into sturdy black Alchemical shields, forming a shield barrier that covered everyone. With double-layer protection, Noland was assured and didnt need to worry about accidentally hurting his allies. Noland held a magic wand in each hand, took a deep breath, and without any hesitation, activated Death Incarnate. His body was pitch black, his eyes were cold, and his arms shook as if they had motors installed. Black Lightning, dense as a thunderstorm, fell from the sky onto the enemies surrounding Mabel and the others, exploding into a shower of black sparks. Crackle and sparkle. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. The thunder of Lightning and the sound of explosions were endless, as if Noland had an endless source of casting resources. The enemies surrounding Mabel and the others visibly decreased in number, and the fierce onslaught of Magic Lightning showed no signs of stopping. Every time Mabel and the others thought that Noland was going to stop for a break, they were shocked to find that he had no intention of stopping at all. Infinite, boundless, and ocean-like Black Lightning filled the sky and ground, causing Mabel and others, protected by the shield barrier, to suffer earaches from the explosions. Under the constant thunder and explosions of Lightning, the noise of Alien Space became faint. The oppression, heaviness, and burden brought by the Pollution Zone and Extraterrestrial Space Pollution Product all disappeared with the surging allied firepower. At this moment, Noland perfectly explained what is called firepower cover, and what is called pouring damage. At a place about a kilometer above Noland, the Combat Alchemists fighting the Polluted Angels noticed the commotion caused by Noland. It seemed that the Polluted Angels were under some kind of invisible control. They roared and flapped their wings vigorously, trying to break away from the encirclement of the Combat Alchemists and surround Noland. The Commander among the Combat Alchemists quickly detected the intentions of the Polluted Angels. He shouted out loud for his teammates to do their best to keep the Polluted Angels in place. Thus, the enemies who were being unilaterally crushed by Noland received no aid. About 20 seconds later, the smoke dissipated, and everything was calm. Within the space around Noland, there were only countless pieces of corpses floating, and no trace of any Blood Sun contaminant byproducts. [System Message:] [Youve eliminated the fake Fugidia, Gardner, Kevin, Sheldon Archer, five Polluted Artificial Angels, and numerous Blood Sun Converters.] [Passive Deconstruction Activation!] [Youve obtained the following Deconstruction Results:] [1. Approximately 80,000 points of energy rewards.] [2. Youve unlocked the standardized panel of the Elemental Judgment Five-Ring Battle Wizard, Night Spirit Cult three-ring Witch, Hotams Death Branch Three-Ring Battle Wizard.] [3. Youve obtained all the personalized panel information, and recent harmless memory fragments of all the targets youve killed.] [4. As a result of destroying magical items, the experience of your Magic Tailoring, Wand Making Science, Magic Scroll Making skills has slightly increased.] [5. Due to the corruption of the target you killed, you have not obtained new Knowledge Skills.] Noland disconnected the Death Incarnate, glanced at the System message in his mind, heaved a long sigh, and the corner of his mouth raised a slight curve. The others at the scene werent as calm as Noland. The shield barrier was lifted, Mabel looked around, her pupils trembling, her shoulders twitching, her mouth opening and closing, but she never managed to speak a complete sentence. The Magic Beast Hunters were both cheering and exclaiming, all thanking Noland. Naturally, as a wizard, Mabel was much clearer than the Magic Beast Hunters about how shocking the Spell bombardment just now was, and how terrifying the Death-Type Magic proficiency behind it was. Noland simply responded to the gratitude of the Magic Beast Hunters, without explaining more to Mabel. Because theres no need to, Mabel would naturally imagine it all herself. Noland took out a new type of Mechanos from the Blood Haven Space and threw it into the air. The Mechanos, shaped like dragonflies, flapped their wings and flew among the scattered pieces of corpses. At the end of their tail was a crystal used for collecting fragments of the soul, the Soul-absorbing crystal. This group of Mechanos capable of free movement in the air was called the Salvage-specific Mechanos, codenamed Experiment-I Type. They had no frontal combat ability and could only be used to clean up battlefields, pick up spoils of war, and recycle soul fragments. Apart from the Soul-absorbing Crystal embedded in the tail, they can also pick up spoils of war not exceeding 10 cubic centimeters in volume and 0.5 kilograms in weight through their feet. Currently, this Experiment-I Type Salvage-specific Mechanos has a very small carrying capacity. This is mainly due to the limitations of their movement method and the strength of the Alchemical materials. Chapter 476 - Chapter 476: 156. Win people’s hearts_2 Chapter 476: 156. Win peoples hearts_2 Translator: 549690339 Flying Salvage Special Machine Spirits were certainly more flexible than those that could only run on the ground, but inevitably, their carrying capacity would be reduced. Additionally, their material requirements became higher. The Salvage-specific Mechanism Spirits that appeared on the battlefield were the result of Noland Lees multiple trials and tests. They had the best integrated performance and the widest adaptability, and they could complete the task in various complex terrains. Noland Lee released the 12 Salvage-specific Mechanism Spirits, and he could stand aside and control them with Mind Control to collect the Spoils of War. Deliberately showcasing his Alchemy achievements in front of Mabel was part of the plan, and Noland was not worried about causing any negative consequences. He had many ways to deal with it. Noland looked overhead. The group of Combat Alchemists had held back the Polluted Angel for him, and his actions to crush a large group of Contaminant Byproducts had ignited the fighting passion of the Combat Alchemists. The situation on the battlefield was turning in favor of the Alchemy Cathedral, and Noland didnt need to go support them. Taking advantage of the cleanup time, Noland asked Mabel, who was gradually recovering: Maam, has the Mass Wizard Tombs proposed to the Alchemy Cathedral to send wizards here for assistance? Mabel took a slight breath and said: Yes, Ray Lee. But the proposal was rejected by the Alchemy Cathedral. So the wizards gathered by the Mass Wizard Tombs couldnt reach here through the Teleportation Gate. Noland nodded slowly: It seems that we can only rely on local Combat Alchemists and ourselves to deal with the Pollution Zone. Fortunately, the Star Filtering Net reacted in time and closed the gap in the sky as quickly as possible. Mabel talked to the Demon hunter next to her for a few words to send him and others away and go support the Alchemists above. After the Demon hunter left, Mabel pondered for a moment and said: Ray Lee, the identity you introduced earlier doesnt match the strength youre showing now. I think I know whats going on, and it should have something to do with Denise Green, right? You didnt guess wrong, maam. Noland took the conversation and replied calmly: Denise and I have a deep relationship, and you should know what that means. So most of the time, I will hide my true strength. Unless its absolutely necessary, I wont reveal my relationship with Denise. Mabel showed an as I expected expression and sighed lightly: No wonder Denise helped Philia when she was suffering from Mental Trauma. I was thinking at that time if it was because of you. Noland spread his hands and said: Please forgive me for hiding my strength and my relationship with Denise. We have to do this. Exposing the relationship would often provoke a lot of potential hostility. From the fact that both of us moved to such a remote place as Union City, you should know that we dont like living on tenterhooks. In view of the fact that I helped you get out of the siege, I hope you can keep it a secret for me. Can you? No problem. This is what I should do. Mabel nodded in response. Thank you. Noland called two dragonfly Machine Spirits, took off the Soul-absorbing crystals on their tails, and handed them over: Please accept this. They are the Spoils of War you and those Demon hunters deserve, and you can also treat them as my hush money. The Soul-absorbing crystals Noland shared with Mabel were not small crystals with a capacity of only 100 points of Soul Energy. After he got a Large Absorbing Spirit Crystal from Denise, he used violence to destroy the crystal, successfully triggering Passive Deconstruction. Therefore, each of the Soul-absorbing crystals on the tails of the Dragonfly Mechanos had a maximum capacity of 1000 points of Soul Energy. Noland could forcibly take all the soul fragments for himself. But well, not all interactions between wizards were about fighting and abusing power. There were also worldly concerns like accepting someones favors and relying on their help. If someone dares to spread the word after taking Noland Lees shared soul fragments, theyd better not blame him for being ruthless. Mabel naturally understood Nolands intention. She willingly accepted his shared Soul-absorbing crystals and repeatedly assured that she and the Demon hunters would not reveal their secrets. Noland thanked Mabel for her cooperation with a smile and asked why she had brought the Demon hunters here and gotten trapped by the enemy. The answer Mabel gave was within Nolands expectations. This local Magic Institution mentor had first learned of Gardner and Kevins deaths from her professor and then that the Pollution Zone had appeared in the depths of the Fissure Corridor from the Mass Star Tombs. Under the combined influence of the two incidents, Mabel decided to lead the Demon hunters deep into the Black City to find the truth about the deaths of the two and the Pollution Zone. On the way, Mabel came across Sheldon Archer and invited him to join the team. Unfortunately, as a three-circled Death Series Combat Wizard, Sheldon had outstanding lethality among the entire team. As a result, he was targeted for ambush and focus attacks by the enemy. Two minutes before Noland found Mabel, Sheldon unluckily died and became one of the Blood Sun Converters. As Noland listened to Mabel recount the story, he operated the Dragonfly Mechanos to tidy up the battlefield. When the Dragonfly Mechanos handed Fugidias relics to Noland, Mabel said: Ray Lee, I need to collect the relics of Fugidia, Gardner, Kevin, and Sheldon. I will send them back to the Ulnas Circle with the Magic Messenger and give them to their families. Noland handed the relics in his hand to Mabel. Chapter 477 - Chapter 477: 156. Winning hearts_3 Chapter 477: 156. Winning hearts_3 Translator: 549690339 Looking at the beautiful lady with a slight frown on her face, Noland Lee consoled her: Condolences, madam, life is always unpredictable. However, how did extraterrestrial space pollution appear here? Noland Lee was playing dumb with this question; his goal was to remove himself from this incident of the outbreak of extraterrestrial space pollution, and at the same time, guide Mabel to deal with the pollution zone at hand. I suspect it is related to the invasion of extraterrestrial space pollution that happened during the later period in the Golden Dynasty. This is the last recorded incident of an extraterrestrial space pollution invasion into the Golden Federation, recorded in the Star Filtering Net. When this pollution incident occurred, there were no magic institutions with an Ulnas circle inside the Golden Dynasty, so we couldnt know the cause and result of the incident. What I said is not baseless conjecture. I have a certain basis of speculation. Mabel looked down at the Black City Spire, her eyes resting on the red smoke erupting from the spire. She pointed in that direction: Look, the core location in the pollution zone is right there, in the hall of the spire. That place has sealed the Nest Core of the Great Rift. This means there is some connection between the appearance of the pollution zone and the Nest Core of the Great Rift. The Nest Core is something that first appeared in the history of the Golden Dynasty within 20 years after the incident of the extraterrestrial space pollution invasion. I didnt associate the extraterrestrial space pollution invasion incident happening late in the Golden Dynasty with the Aberration. But now that it has been disclosed that the core location of the pollution zone is where the Nest Core is, I find it hard to stick to my original judgment. Mabel stressed her point: The Nest Core has a strong correlation with the pollution zone. I am 80% sure about this. What exactly is the relationship between the two? We need to go to the hall to find out. Mabel seemed somewhat excited for no reason: For a long time, the Alchemy Sanctuary has forbidden the Elemental Judgement from studying Aberrations. The tasks given to us by the Wizard Advancement Association have been delayed, showing no significant progress. I suspect that understanding the causes and effects between the Nest Core and the pollution zone will lead to breakthrough progress in the study of Aberrations. I must go to the hall to check it out. In that case, madam, I suggest you change to a form that allows you to cast spells before you go, Noland Lee said after some consideration: I found that the contaminants here desire flesh and blood to an extreme extent. If you can act in a magic form that doesnt include flesh and blood like me, you will attract much less hostility. Mabel shook her head: Elemental spells that can turn the body into an element are high-level spells, and their durations are short. Before you came to help, I had already used it once. Thats the only time I can use it today. I see Noland Lee knew that he had missed the chance to see the high-level elemental spells. Judging from Mabels description, that spell might be similar to Death Incarnate. At the scene, drawing the Breath of the Dead on the magic scroll and then giving it to the others to use is a feasible method. But considering there are still enemies downstairs and drawing a magic scroll is not to be taken lightly, Noland Lee momentarily put the idea of drawing a scroll on the spot out of his mind. As for letting Mabel enter the flight status of a water sphere appearance and then go to inspect the Spire Hall, this doesnt seem realistic. Because the water sphere is a special effect of the flight spell, Mabel can only cast a spell after she has left the flight status. As soon as she is attacked, she will be forced to revert to her original form. So, using a flight spell to inspect the hall is a last resort. Lets wait and see how the situation turns out, then decide whether or not to draw a magic scroll. Clapping his hands together, Noland Lee said: Ill go scout out the area first. Once I have confirmed the situation inside, I will come back and consult with you. Mabel acknowledged with a nod. The cleaning-up of the spoils of war at the scene was half done. Pointing at the remains of the Blood Sun Converters left behind, Noland Lee asked knowingly: Whats your take on these bizarre flesh constructs? Mabel gave her judgment: I havent studied about the making of flesh constructs, so Im afraid I cannot provide a valuable opinion. What I do know is that these flesh constructs were transformed from Aberrations. I saw with my own eyes how the Aberrations lingering in the corridor suddenly exploded and morphed into monsters. This is probably a type of pollution product caused by extraterrestrial space pollution that weve yet to discover. This type of extraterrestrial space pollution has the ability to transform flesh and blood into minions. Its minions can evolve through devouring large amounts of flesh and blood, and they can also burrow into things made of flesh and blood, controlling enemies. Those humanoid species, the size of a small mountain, were controlled by the pollutant, which is why they attacked us. Mabel paused, looking confusedly at the polluted giant above: But its strange, these giants with feathered wings, they dont seem to have ever appeared in our vision, right? Could they also be a product of extraterrestrial space pollution? Picking up from where she left off, Noland Lee added, Is it possible that they are remnants from the ancient epoch? The two of them began discussing. Noland Lee did not directly mention the origin of the angels. He believes that given the curiosity of the wizards, understanding the origins of the Artificial Angels and the Blood Sun Converters is just a matter of time. Noland Lee just wants to play the role of a corrector, keeping the wizards from deviating from the right path and leading to new disasters. Chapter 478 - Chapter 478: 156. Winning hearts_4 Chapter 478: 156. Winning hearts_4 Translator: 549690339 Right now, this pollution event had brought Noland Lee considerable wealth. If there were a few more of these, it would undoubtedly be like manna from heaven. But it should be noted that pollution events can be deadly, and often the people who die are the brave and fearless ones, committed to guarding peace. If Noland were to deliberately create extraterrestrial space pollution events, causing the deaths of these righteous people, he wouldnt be himself anymore, as it would go against his principles. After considering and weighing his options, quietly taking on the role of rectifier and adjuster was the best choice for him. The dragonfly machine soul brings one soul-absorbing crystal after another to Noland. He grabs the crystal, puts it in the Blood Haven, and activates Soul Absorption. The large absorbing spirit crystal has a capacity of 1,000 Soul Strength. Noland can collect 20% of it, which is 200 points. The remaining 800 points would be wasted during the absorption process. C When using the soul-absorbing crystal as an energy source for magical devices, 95% of the soul energy escapes, making it not as good as absorbing the soul energy from the soul-absorbing crystal with Soul Absorption. After collecting all the soul fragments and recyclable magical items on the battlefield, the Soul Strength inventory on Nolands panel has reached 7,056 points, just breaking the 7,000 points milestone. And thats only one part of the harvest. Killing the fake Fugidia, Gardner, Kevin, and Sheldon Archer, he unlocked the panels for Night Spirit Cult Three-Ring Wizard, Elemental Judgment Five-Ring Battle Wizard, and others, for a total reward of about 80,000 points of Energy. As a result, the data on Nolands panel became staggering. [Soul Strength]7056 [Energy Points]332600/2523+2 This sudden wealth boosted Nolands confidence even further. Ill go to the Spire Hall now to check the situation. Maam, wait for my news. Noland bid farewell to Mabel and flew down on his magic broom. The red smoke billowing from the Spire Hall flowed like river water throughout the city, flooding the citys warehouses and pipelines. When the red smoke reached the edge of the city, it would spread horizontally and merge with the red slime that surrounded the entire pollution zone. It was evident that the red slime acting as the outer shell of the pollution zone could expand continuously only with the support of the red smoke. Cutting off this red smoke would halt the pollution zones expansion. But cutting off this red smoke was too difficult. Noland didnt feel anything while flying high in the sky, but when he got close to the Spire Hall, he realized how insignificant he was. The red smoke billowing out of the hall formed a smoke waterfall over a hundred meters high and fifty meters wide. The speed of the smoke was incredibly fast, and the thrust was fierce. Flying into the hall against such a torrent of smoke was far from easy. Noland steadied himself, thought things over, and decided to upgrade the three shields to make himself completely at ease. He pulled up his panel, poured in a huge amount of money totaling 25,350 points, and raised all three shield skills to the 100-level. Thrilling! Noland looked at the 200 points of shield strength on his panel, feeling a full sense of security. He closed the spell list and looked at the entrance of the Grand Hall. A meaty eye with flesh strips for eyelashes appeared in the gap where the red smoke had split, staring straight at him. Chapter 479 - Chapter 479: 157. Secret Negotiation Chapter 479: 157. Secret Negotiation Translator: 549690339 Hmm? What is this thing? Noland Lee looked at the meaty eye staring at him and thought to himself: Could it be the leader of this pollution zone? Noland Lee checked his Personal Panel. None of the shield strengths for the three shield magic were abnormal. The unchanged strength of the Magic Shield indicated that he had not been attacked on a physical level. The unchanged strength of the Mental Shield showed that the alien space noise was completely blocked by the soul shield, and no mental level attack targeted him. The resistance count of the Soul Shield steadily decreased. The System predicted that casting a Soul Shield could help him resist extraterrestrial space noise for about 55 seconds. This is the effect of the 100-level Soul Shield. The original 70-level shield could only resist 20 to 40 seconds. All three shield magics worked normally, and their durations had not shortened. This meant that the meaty eye was merely staring at Noland Lee without attacking. So what did it want to do? After a brief hesitation, Noland Lee entered a state of high alert, recalling something Denise Green had mentioned. Most of the extraterrestrial space pollution encountered by the Star Witches was filled with madness and destruction. A very small portion of extraterrestrial space pollution was rational. Of course, being rational does not mean they are on the side of justice. If the mad extraterrestrial space pollution belonged to the Chaos Evil Faction, then the rational extraterrestrial space pollution belonged to the Orderly Evil Faction. Chaotic Evil pollution would release its malice recklessly, destroying everything it encountered at any cost. Infighting among them also occurred from time to time. Orderly Evil pollution was quite different. They would calculate their input and output like shrewd businessmen, ensuring that each act of evil made a profit. Such extraterrestrial space pollution was far more terrifying than Chaotic Evil pollution. It would use beautiful illusions and lies of kindness to deceive the enemy, then seize the opportunity to strangle them with minimal cost. This Star Cluster-level extraterrestrial space pollution, known as the Blood Sun Seal, was likely from the Orderly Evil Faction. The fact that the three magic shields were not attacked was just one reason for Noland Lees judgment. Another reason was the Hatred Value on the Resurrection Magic Potential. Noland Lee keenly noticed that when he had helped Mabel and others before, the Hatred Value had risen significantly, reaching more than 25,000 points. But when he had exterminated all the monsters surrounding Mabel and the others, the Hatred Value unexpectedly decreased by more than 3,000 points, making it an exact 22,000. How could this be explained? Considering the meaty eye that didnt show any intention of attack, Noland Lee came to a bizarre conclusion. This space pollution known as Blood Sun Seal had a unique personality and ideas. To put it nicely, it was trying to weigh the situation. To put it bluntly, it was acting tough towards the weak and soft towards the strong. After the Outer Space Gap on the Star Filtering Net was closed, the extraterrestrial space pollution products trapped on Ground Level became isolated and helpless. As the leader of these pollution products, the meaty eye had quickly and decisively acknowledged its weakness upon realizing that its subordinates could not defeat Noland Lee. It did not show any intention to attack and even took the initiative to reduce its hostility towards Noland Lee, indicating that it had other plans. Noland Lee narrowed his eyes, knowing what the meaty eye wanted to do. Most likely, after assessing the pros and cons, it felt that fighting against Noland Lee was a losing battle, so it wanted to negotiate with him and see if there were other options. It was the same as raising a white flag and surrendering. They say that surrendering is half the battle lost. This unwritten rule applied between wizards and rational extraterrestrial space pollution as well. Moreover, such cases had happened more than once in the history of contact between wizards and this type of pollution. When Noland Lee had heard Denise Green tell these stories, he felt surprised and remembered them very clearly. Who would have thought that such an event would happen to him After pondering for a bit, Noland Lee did not take the initiative to contact the meaty eye. After giving it an indifferent glance, he turned his head and flew overhead to find Mabel, who was sorting through the belongings of the fallen wizards. Noland Lee got straight to the point: Madam, please come with me. It seems that the leader of this pollution zone is a rational extraterrestrial space pollution. Oh? Really? Mabel looked very complicated, surprised and vigilant with a touch of joy: This is an unexpected gain. Much of the extraterrestrial space knowledge recorded in the Mass Wizard Tombs was obtained from rational extraterrestrial space pollution. But we shouldnt let our guard down. Many incidents of extraterrestrial space pollution reneging on deals during negotiations have occurred before. We still need to further confirm the intentions of this extraterrestrial space pollution. Mabel looked up at the battlefield above: Look, the fighting above has stopped. The winged Titans who were fighting the Combat Alchemists are all motionless. Noland Lee looked up. Indeed. The Polluted Angels stood foolishly in place, no longer attacking, as if they were obedient elementary students waiting for punishment. All the Combat Alchemists on the scene sensed something was wrong. Under the commanders orders, everyone held their positions and maintained the encirclement without any relaxation. Chapter 480 - Chapter 480: 157. Secret Negotiations_2 Chapter 480: 157. Secret Negotiations_2 Translator: 549690339 The battle between the Alchemist and the Polluted Angel had entered a bizarre stalemate. After pondering for a moment, Mabel said: About 11 years ago, I was on a research task in the Emerald Forest when I communicated with an extraterrestrial space pollutant that spread the emerald plague. I have quite a bit of experience in this area. If you dont mind, Id like to take over the job of communicating with the extraterrestrial space pollution. Noland Lee nodded: No problem, maam. Is there anything I can do for you? I need you to protect me. Please come with me to the Spire Hall, Mabel said. Sure, leave it to me. But please give me some time, maam. I want to draw a magic scroll for you. Under Mabels watchful gaze, Noland took out the magic toolbox given to him by Denise Green. With the lowering of his Hatred Value and no further increase in it, it was unlikely that drawing a magic scroll on the scene would be interrupted by enemies. Noland grasped the magic pen and created a Level 10 Breath of the Dead on the blank scroll, which was the highest level scroll he could make after raising his Magic Scroll Making to Level 10. Mabel accepted Nolands kindness without hesitation. She whispered her thanks and activated the scroll she took. A Level 10 Breath of the Dead could turn a person into a skeleton. With a wave of light and shadow, Philias elegant and honorable teacher was transformed into a white skeleton wearing a magic robe, with black sockets for eyes. Fortunately, Philia and Betty Davis were not present, or Mabels image as a mentor would have been destroyed Mabels focus was on communicating with extraterrestrial space pollution, and she didnt pay much attention to her appearance. She sincerely praised Nolands generosity and magical prowess, intending to offer a matching remuneration. However, Noland shook his head and declined the Union Coins Mabel offered: No need, maam. If you really want to thank me, please keep my secret from Philia and Betty. I am actually a wild wizard who has benefited from the stars. To conform with my previous disguise, Ive done some things with them that arent in line with my true strength. If they suddenly learn of my identity, I am afraid that this valuable relationship may be damaged. Nolands words were sincere. Mabel sensed his goodwill. The woman spoke in an approving tone: Im glad for Philia and Betty that they have unknowingly formed a connection with such a powerful wizard like you. Hiss, wait a second Mabel changed the subject, took a step back, and examined Nolands attire: A Death Herald Guilds magic robe, impressive mastery of death magic, Bone Spirit Flight Technique Could it be you who eliminated the machinery factory in the Savage Stone Wasteland?! Mabels eyes were replaced by empty sockets, making it impossible to discern her expression. Still, Noland could feel the turmoil and astonishment in her heart. Noland nodded calmly: If the machinery factory you mentioned is the place that spawned the aberrations, then you guessed right, that person is indeed me. Mabel uttered a cry of surprise, trying her best to restrain herself: You Are you a Senior Member of the Death Herald Guild How could this be I cant remember that there was such a person in the guild Noland had anticipated Mabels reaction and prepared a strategy in advance. He lowered his voice and said: Please keep my secret, maam. This is my extraordinary ability. Also, I am looking for collaborators, and you might be the right candidate. Collaborator? Mabel calmed down. Noland whispered: Yes, we may have the opportunity to collaborate deeply on knowledge exchange. I see the potential for you to be a great partner. Well discuss this further after dealing with the pollution zone here. Ive previously brought you the Bone-mending Wand, taken good care of Philia for you, and now Ive revealed some of my secrets to you as a token of my sincerity. Maam, I believe that you can appreciate my sincerity. As for my background, please dont worry, I am not a wizard criminal. Denise can vouch for me. I am here to seek cooperation with good intentions. Cooperation on knowledge exchange Mabel pondered for a few seconds, then slowly nodded: Alright, Ill consider it. When things here are over, well discuss it in detail in the manor. Everything was going according to the plan. Noland smiled and extended his arm forward. Im glad weve reached a preliminary agreement on cooperation, maam. Please, I will protect you. Thank you, Ray Lee. Mabel rubbed her ring and summoned a magic broom. She sat on the broom and flew to the Grand Hall below. Noland followed her, half a step behind. A stream of laughter flowed in Nolands heart as he took his first step towards becoming a knowledge broker. Why was Noland so sure that Mabel wouldnt refuse the collaboration? Thats a long story involving the Wizard Advancement Associations research tasks and the promotion of a Six-Ring Witch to a Seventh Ring Wizard. It was precisely these key points that Noland targeted Mabel as his first potential client. Mabels reaction confirmed that Nolands guess was right. Next, it would depend on subsequent negotiations. The two stopped by the Spire Hall, with a waterfall-like red smoke below and the entrance of the smoke-spewing hall in front. Chapter 481 - Chapter 481: 157. Secret Negotiations_3 Chapter 481: 157. Secret Negotiations_3 The meaty eye was located below the upper side of the door frame at the entrance of the Grand Hall. Upon seeing Noland Lee and his companion, it quickly extended a long, thin strip of flesh in the air, transforming it into characters. The flesh strip changed into several different languages one after another. When it transformed into the eighth character, Mabel and Noland Lee recognized the meaning of the character. It was the word one in the ancient language of the Golden Dynasty. Mabel had had experience communicating with extraterrestrial space pollution before, so she knew this was the other party trying to find a language to communicate with humans. When the flesh strip changed into the character one, Mabel raised her right hand, summoning a water belt from the water sphere and likewise transforming it into the one of the Golden Dynasty language. Both sides completed their language match and entered the communication stage. The meaty eyes eyelashes grew longer. It extended more flesh strips, quickly weaving characters in the air: I am the offspring of the Blood Sun Seal, descended upon this land in the 366th year of the Golden Dynasty The meaty eye narrated its origin through characters. Noland Lee compared it to the results of the deconstruction he had acquired earlier. The other partys words were true and contained no lies for the time being. Noland Lee was well aware that 90% truth, 10% lies were the most convincing and dangerous. At this moment, facing the honest and forthcoming meaty eye, Noland Lee was full of caution in his heart, and he did not trust the other party with his few words. Noland Lee subtly stole a glance at Mabel beside him. This lady held her hands crossed over her abdomen, standing rock-solid, and she clearly didnt believe the words of the meaty eye either. She manipulated her water belt with her thoughts, occasionally interrupting the meaty eyes weaving of characters, asking about details. The questions she asked often verified previous answers, enough to identify possible traps in the characters. Seeing her so cautious, Noland Lee secretly nodded in approval and felt more at ease. Noland Lee focused on the characters woven by the meaty eye. A line of characters woven by several flesh strips made Noland Lee sneer in his heart. That meaty eye began to play tricks. It had been speaking honestly and without problems. But when Mabel inquired about the origin of the Winged Giant, the meaty eye began to run away with the story. In the eyes of Mabel and the others, the Winged Giant was clearly an Artificial Angel created by the Angel Enterprises Alliance. However, to the meaty eye, the Winged Giant had become a pet it had researched on its own. These willful pets, due to losing control, had descended onto this worlds land without authorization. This led to the current extraterrestrial space pollution invasion. Of course, extraterrestrial space pollution invasion was Mabels sides description. In the mouth of the meaty eye, this was just a normal incident where the Blood Sun Seal had come to retrieve its lost control pets. The conflict it had with this world was all a misunderstanding. In order to resolve the conflict between both sides, the meaty eye was willing to pay some price in exchange for the opportunity to return to outer space and merge with the Blood Sun Seals main body. As for what the price was, considering its inevitable defeat, the meaty eye was willing to let Mabel set the terms. Its only request was to bring the out-of-control pets back to the Blood Sun Seals main body. These were the meaty eyes demands. Should they accept its request? Noland Lee personally did not intend to accept. By directly killing the opponent, he could still use passive deconstruction to figure everything out. In the last encounter with Shubicks pollution zone, the Golden Commerce Guilds armed alchemy ships had overwhelmingly taken the majority of the battles, and Noland Lee had no chance to snatch the final blow on the Tentacle Overlord. Noland Lee was not willing to give up the opportunity to passively deconstruct the meaty eye. But it was obvious that Mabel was a little swayed. Not only her, but even the Combat Alchemist Commander who had flown in from the battle above was somewhat moved. The guy, uninvited, landed near Mabel and Noland Lee after discovering the enemys intention to surrender. He saw the characters that the meaty eye had woven with its flesh strips and was also somewhat moved. Noland Lee sighed quietly, knowing that there was no helping it. Not everyone was like him, who could gain knowledge by beating an enemy or being beaten by one. Besides, what the Combat Alchemist Commander wanted was probably more than just knowledge of outer space. Chapter 482 - Chapter 482: 158. The ignorant are greedy. Chapter 482: 158. The ignorant are greedy. I am Madimanson, the commander of the Combat Alchemists. I was originally a member of the Re-forged Alchemist Association. Now, I work for the Alchemy Cathedral, serving as the Elder of the Lower Town Alchemy Branch. The speaker was a man wearing the standard Alchemy Weaponry of the Temple Guard. His Alchemy Weaponry was a beautifully engraved silver armor. The metal pauldrons on his shoulders extended outwards like wings. A white cape with golden borders fluttered behind him, giving him a formidable and majestic presence. This Commander named Madimanson had eagerly approached upon noticing Mabel conversing with the Meaty Eye. Noland Lee quickly drew up a Breath of the Dead magic scroll on the spot and handed it to Madimanson for use. Madimanson confidently declined Noland Lees kind offer. He glanced at Noland Lee a few times, his gaze lingering briefly on the Death Herald Guilds magic robe. It was clear that he was quite concerned about Noland Lee, the powerful wizard. Mabel briefly introduced Noland Lee to Madimanson, mentioning that he had just used the Professors advanced magic to cleanly sweep away the enemies. Madimanson greeted Noland Lee simply, accepting this explanation. Noland Lee threw out a Deconstruction Technique to take a look. The complete deconstruction of Madimanson required a high energy value of 220,000 points. This indicated that he was a Tier 7 Alchemist, and one who also specialized in the field of combat. Noland Lee recalled that he had not seen the Great Alchemist take action himself. However, judging by the confident demeanor of the other party, it appeared that their strength must not be weak. Noland Lee put away the extra magic scroll, quietly standing aside to observe Madimanson and Mabels conversation with the Meaty Eye. What Mabel wanted to obtain from the Meaty Eye were extraordinary pieces of knowledge related to aberrations. Questions such as how aberrations came to be, whether they were possibly artificially created, and whether they could be transformed into aberrations through the power of magic were all things Mabel desperately wanted answers for. The answer provided by the Meaty Eye was vague and tantalizing. It said that aberrations were actually severely out-of-control pets. Under normal circumstances, aberrations should have grown into Winged Giants. It was uncertain whether the power of magic could produce Winged Giants, but in the past several decades, it had seen many alchemists create aberrations using array formations. This simple statement touched upon Winged Giants, aberrations, alchemy, and magic, precisely capturing the psychology of Mabel and Madimanson, and even subtly hinting that magic might not be able to create Winged Giants, but alchemy might be able to. This kind of ambiguity, filled with the word possible, was like fluffy foxtail grass brushing across the listeners heart, making it itch with curiosity. At first glance, it seemed that the Meaty Eye had answered Mabels questions directly. But upon further thought, it actually hadnt said anything concrete; it had merely repeated the questions in a different manner. Facing this kind of roundabout speech, wizards and alchemists displayed significant differences in attitude. As a bystander, Noland Lee could see the situation clearly and felt that the Meaty Eyes words were nonsense, full of bewitching undertones. As a conversationalist, Mabel harbored an inner thirst for knowledge. Her reaction was a few seconds slower than Noland Lees, but she quickly regained her composure and was not led by the nose by the Meaty Eye. Madimanson, on the other hand, obviously believed the Meaty Eyes lies. Before Mabel could question the Meaty Eye further, he interjected. This commander from the Alchemy Cathedral Subdivision summoned two mechanical hands from his Alchemy Weaponry. The left mechanical hand held a large writing pad, while the right hand held a pen. The two mechanical hands swiftly wrote several lines on the writing pad and then held up the pad for the Meaty Eye to see: We in the Golden Federation require an all-purpose metal powder. If you can provide us with a stable supply of this metallic dust, you can temporarily stay underground. We will seal you within an array space. As long as you obey our arrangements, we will return the two Winged Giants to you. Have you gone mad, Madimanson? Mabel looked incredulously at the tall and imposing Alchemist Commander: Can you actually tolerate having a descendant of extraterrestrial space pollution on your land?! Arent you afraid it will contaminate everything here?! Do you realize how dangerous this is? Extraterrestrial space pollutants indeed possess knowledge and extraordinary abilities that we need, but they are not pets! They are not our neighbors! Facing Mabels questioning, Madimanson remained indifferent. He stood with his hands on his hips, hovering in the air with the jet stream emitted by his alchemy cape, his body upright and exuding an unyielding aura. With a wave of his hand, he interrupted Mabels words: Enough, lady. I must remind you that this is the territory of the Alchemy Cathedral. We have our own judgment and principles in dealing with extraterrestrial space pollution. Mind your words. Your presence in this pollution zone is solely because of the contract signed between us. If you continue to interfere in our communication with this Meaty Eye creature, I may have to take some measures to eliminate the noise in the area. Chapter 483 - Chapter 483: 158. The ignorant are greedy_2 Chapter 483: 158. The ignorant are greedy_2 Mabel froze momentarily, then began to tremble slightly, apparently enraged. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm. Reflecting on the words spoken by the Meaty Eye and Madimanson, an absurd suspicion crossed her mind. I know.. Mabels voice began to tremble: You..you you Alchemy Cathedral already knew that there was a descendant of extraterrestrial pollution in the Black City, right? You have been using the power of this descendant, producing aberrations and multi-purpose metal powder in large quantities. You have even collaborated with the extraterrestrial pollution for so long, no wonder you have always stopped us from investigating aberrations with magic experiments Its not too late for you to know now. Madimanson replied casually: Did you think that our aberrations producing multi-purpose metal powder were just created out of thin air? We could only accomplish this feat by harnessing the power of extraterrestrial pollution. From your wizards perspective, the pollution zone is an infiltration event caused by extraterrestrial pollution. But in our view, it is just a malfunction of an alchemy device that produces multi-purpose metal powder. That Meaty Eye, rather than being a piece of extraterrestrial pollution, is a core alchemy component that is running abnormally. Once we adjust its operating parameters, the alchemy device that produces multi-purpose metal powder will naturally return to normal. In conflicts of ideology, both sides often mutter to themselves, thinking the other is an idiot. Madimanson and Mabel were likely in this state. After hearing Madimansons theory, Mabel trembled, opened her mouth but could not find words. She didnt know where to start to refute him. From her perspective, all of Madimansons ideas were wrong, especially his starting point. The Meaty Eye has the ability to produce aberrations, and the aberrations can produce multi-purpose metal powder. As for the wizards on the matter, the approach is to study the extraordinary capabilities of the Meaty Eye, excavate the principles and truths behind it, and then use magic to replicate its capabilities and make it an extraordinary power controlled by a wizard. However, in the eyes of alchemists led by Madimanson, they view extraterrestrial pollution as a tool. As long as they set the operating parameters of the alchemy device and maintain it regularly, they can use extraterrestrial pollution to produce anything they want. From Noland Lees perspective as an observer, both approaches to dealing with extraterrestrial pollution are viable. The wizards approach requires a significant amount of time and effort, as well as numerous dangerous magic experiments. The cost of research is high, and it may not yield satisfactory results. The approach of the alchemists is efficient, straightforward, low-cost, and rapid, but it is dangerous. Once the extraterrestrial pollutions get out of control, an infiltration event can occur. Noland Lee reckoned that the alchemists approach would be appropriate if efficiency and quick outcomes were sought for in the short term. However, the wizards approach would be right in the long run. Mabel, faced with her disagreement with the alchemists, was stunned for a full five seconds before she sighed: Sigh Look around, Madimanson. The extraterrestrial pollution invasion that took place here destroyed most of the Fissure Corridor and many alchemists lost their lives. Even so, do you believe that it is worth keeping the extraterrestrial pollution in Union City? Failure is the mother of success, setback is the inspiration for progress, Madimanson responded dismissively: What happened here only proves that there were flaws in the alchemy devices we designed in the past, it doesnt deny our alchemy principles of utility. Once we improve the alchemy device for producing the multi-purpose alchemy dust, this child of extraterrestrial pollution will have no chance to make trouble. Mabel asked: Is this your view or the Alchemy Cathedrals view? Madimanson replied: This is the consensus of the Great Sages of the Alchemy Cathedral, with no objections, and Im a steadfast supporter of this approach. Mabel fell silent. She moved aside on her magic broom, joining Noland Lee and becoming an observer. Mabel did not voice her thoughts, but her stance was clear. She had given up on the idea of trying to reason with Madimanson and no longer wished to discuss matters with the Meaty Eye as a negotiator. Noland Lee shook his head silently in his heart. How did the saying go? True despair is not loud quarreling. Mabels state of mind at the moment surely aligns with this saying. Without her interference, the conversation between Madimanson and the Meaty Eye went more smoothly. They began to negotiate about the production of multi-purpose metal powder. Madimanson hoped everything would return to the past, by going back to the old trajectory. Madimanson wanted Meaty Eye to obediently return to the Sealed Space where it had been sealed after the pollution zone was removed. With The Alchemy Cathedral developing a more efficient and safer alchemy array, the Meaty Eye would continue to supply extraordinary energy to the existing array within the Sealed Space. Once the new alchemy array was developed, the Meaty Eye would have to cooperate with the work of the Alchemy Cathedral. If the Meaty Eye managed to escape the Sealed Space during this period, the Alchemy Cathedral would unite with the wizards to punish it. Wait, what? Union with the wizards to punish? Mabel immediately voiced her objections. Chapter 484 - Chapter 484: 158. The ignorant are greedy_3 Chapter 484: 158. The ignorant are greedy_3 She said coldly: Thank you for your kindness, Madimanson. I inform you in advance that after the pollution zone here is lifted, the Elemental Judgement will leave the Golden Federation within a month. From now on, you will not receive any magic assistance from the Elemental Judgement. Mabels words were unexpected for Madimanson. After a moment of surprise, the Alchemist Commander asked: Dont you want to study Aberration Magic anymore? Isnt this the knowledge youve always desired? Mabels tone remained steady: We are wizards, not fools, nor idiots who can be manipulated at will. We respect the choice of every nation. Since your Alchemy Cathedral insists on cooperating with the extraterrestrial space pollution, we can only wish you good luck. There are so many extraordinary phenomena in the world that need research, and the aberration disaster here in the Golden Federation is just one of them. You are not our only choice. Now it was Madimansons turn to fall silent. He and his Alchemy Cathedral probably thought they could use the research task of the Wizard Advancement Association to intimidate and force the Elemental Judgement to cooperate with their work. It seemed that the actual situation was different from what the Alchemy Cathedral had envisioned. Madimanson pondered for a few seconds, softened his tone, and tried to negotiate: Madam, is Elemental Judgement interested in participating in the sealing of the polluted descendants? We can share with you some of the alchemy equipment for the production of all-purpose metal powder. This equipment includes alchemy facilities for mass production of aberrations. You can use this equipment to research Aberration Magic. Noland Lee discreetly glanced at Mabels expression, wanting to see her reaction. This was important. Because he would be discussing cooperation with her later. If Mabel showed hesitation and indecision in the face of Madimansons goodwill, then she would not be qualified to be a partner for Noland Lee. Fortunately, Mabels performance was satisfactory. She firmly shook her head and said: Again, I am grateful for the kindness of the Alchemy Cathedral. But my decision will not change. After saying this, Mabel closed her mouth and said no more. Noland Lee silently gave Mabel a thumbs up in his heart, praising her. She had shown the appropriate determination and decisiveness in dealing with matters of principle, and Noland Lee admired her for it. Cooperating with a person like her usually had a low chance of betrayal. Being met with Mabels reaction, Madimanson was somewhat annoyed. However, he did not show it, maintaining the demeanor of a commander: Oh, well. Our Alchemy Cathedral respects the decision of the Elemental Judgement. As a matter of courtesy, Madimanson brushed off Mabel and turned to negotiate with the Meaty Eye. After about half an hour, the two sides drafted a preliminary agreement. The descendants of the Blood Sun Divine Seal, the Meaty Eye, would, according to the agreement, lift the pollution zone and return to the sealed space. After that, it would serve the Alchemy Cathedral for 50 years, undertaking the task of mass production of aberrations and all-purpose metal powder. As for the Alchemy Cathedral, they would hand over two Winged Giants to the descendants of the Blood Sun Divine Seal. After 50 years, under the supervision of the Alchemy Cathedral, the Meaty Eye would open the Outer Space Gap and return to its origin with the Winged Giants. The Alchemy Cathedral would take care of the Winged Giants during those 50 years. Was it a good deal to exchange two Winged Giants for 50 years worth of all-purpose metal powder production? Madimanson obviously thought it was a good deal. Ever since the agreement was drafted, he had been radiating a triumphant aura. Not only did the Alchemy Cathedral gain 50 years of all-purpose metal powder production, but they also had 50 years to study the Winged Giants. This deal was a real moneymaker for them. He, Madimanson, was undoubtedly a great hero. Similarly, the Meaty Eye had also achieved its goal and could return to its original form with its uncontrollable pet in 50 years. To both parties, this draft was a win-win deal. Mabel did not express any opinions about the draft but simply witnessed its birth. As for Noland Lee He didnt think the Alchemy Cathedral had made a profit from the deal He only felt that Madimanson and the Alchemy Cathedral had been blinded by ignorance and greed Noland Lee had a feeling that the Alchemy Cathedral would be badly cheated by the Meaty Eye. This was one of Noland Lees views. Second, Noland Lee noticed something strange: The Alchemy Cathedral seemed to be unaware of Nicolettes existence. It wasnt hard to see from Madimansons words that he believed the Meaty Eye was locked directly in the sealed space. However, in reality, as the contaminant of Blood Sun Seal, the Meaty Eye was attached to the Angel Seed and entered the sealed space along with Nicolette, who contained the Angel Seed. Without Nicolettes pure soul and the Angel Seeds suppression of the Blood Sun Seals contamination, the Meaty Eye could open a new Outer Space Gap once it gained enough power. With the cunning level of the Meaty Eye, it would not be difficult to swindle the two Winged Giants from the Alchemy Cathedral into their hands before opening a new Outer Space Gap. It can be said that the seemingly win-win draft was actually evidence of the Alchemy Cathedral being deceived. Noland Lee thought about it, and there was only one reason for the perfection of this scam: That was that among the humans present, only he knew the existence of the Angel Enterprises Alliance. The Meaty Eye also knew the Angel Enterprises Alliance, but it had never mentioned it to people. Noland Lee looked up at the distant battlefield above him. During the negotiation of the draft, more Combat Alchemists entered the pollution zone, and the battlefield had gathered more than ten thousand fighters. The Polluted Angels were controlled by the Meaty Eye and entered a state of being unable to retaliate. The Combat Alchemists easily defeated more than forty of them. Under Madimansons guidance, only four Polluted Angels survived, two of which were for the Meaty Eye, while the other two would be gracefully accepted by the Alchemy Cathedral. The Alchemy Cathedral is even more greedy than I thought, Noland Lee muttered to himself. Noland Lee threw Deconstruction Technique at the four surviving Polluted Angels, consuming some Energy Points and obtaining a small portion of their personalized panel information. All of the panel information of these four Polluted Angels listed the Mental Binding Command that controlled them. Noland Lee knew that after leaving Alchemist Island, the greed and ignorance of the Alchemy Cathedral would inevitably plunge Union City into turmoil once again. But by that time, he would no longer be on Alchemist Island, and the four Mental Binding Commands would have no use. Moreover, Noland Lee only knew the commands but was not clear about their pronunciation. Even if he were there, he couldnt pronounce the command correctly and control the Polluted Angels. In the future turmoil, the external forces that the Alchemy Cathedral can rely on, are estimated to be only the next First-Level Magic Research Institute. Chapter 485 - Chapter 485: 159. Wholesale Purchase Chapter 485: 159. Wholesale Purchase After Madimanson and the Meaty Eye drafted their agreement, the battle inside the Pollution Zone and the alien space noise came to an end. Madimanson returned to the battlefield, directing his Combat Alchemists to clean up the scene. He ordered them to create a large alchemy array that could store living things. Tens of thousands of Combat Alchemists started working on drawing the array patterns. They surrounded the four Polluted Angels and used the materials in the Alchemy Stones and Rune Staffs to create a Stereo Array. It was estimated that in about an hour or two, the alchemy space would be completed. Mabel and Noland Lee had no interest in talking to Madimanson or Meaty Eye. They landed in the shattered walkway of the Fissure Corridor. Mabel took out her scrolls and magic pen, recording what she saw and heard, as well as collecting samples of Contaminant Byproducts. As the head of the local Magic Institution, she had many reports to write. Noland Lee was probably the most idle person in the Pollution Zone. After greeting Mabel, he began searching for Spoils of War. First were the warehouses that stored a large number of Alchemy Weapons. Within five minutes, Noland found one of these warehouses in the broken Fissure Corridor. It was crookedly suspended in mid-air, like a container falling into the sea. Were it not for its remote location, it would have been affected by the previous battle. Noland took out the Alchemy Card he acquired from the Blackbone Hermit. He attached the card to the Warehouse Gate, disabling the alchemy array that locked it. As the inner workings of the mechanical lock clicked, the Great Gates lock cylinder was unlocked. Noland entered, closing the warehouse doors behind him. He glanced around the interior and hesitated almost imperceptibly. Werent there supposed to be mountains of Alchemy Weapons here? Why were there only a few briefcases? Noland narrowed his eyes at the scattered briefcases on the ground, throwing several Deconstruction Techniques in succession. After seeing the Deconstruction Results in his mind, Noland chuckled: Hehe, my timing is just perfect. The Alchemy Weapons have all been stored in briefcases with Folding Space by the Blackbone Hermit. Once Noland confirmed there were no traps inside, he walked over to the briefcases. The few briefcases looked no different from ordinary black leather ones, but the clasps were glowing with elemental light. Complicated alchemy arrays and mechanical locks formed the Alchemy Locks, firmly sealing the cases. Noland threw Deconstruction, cracked the alchemy array, and obtained the Alchemy Mark to unlock the array. He took out the Rune Staff, scribbled a few strokes on the briefcase, and drew the Alchemy Mark. With a click, the Alchemy Locks tightly locking the briefcases were released. Noland opened the briefcase, glanced inside, and spotted a crowded Folding Space. About 150 damaged Alchemy Weapons were reduced to the size of tofu cubes by the Folding Space and piled up inside. Noland check the other briefcases one by one, and his laughter grew. All eight briefcases were filled with Alchemy Weapons! More than 1200 in total! Noland steadied his emotions and restrained his laughter. He called out in his heart: Denise Green. Yes! How is it going over there? Denise Green responded immediately. The situation is very good. Noland said with a smile: Are you alone? Are there any other people around? I am currently on the hill where you practiced the Breathing Method. No one is around. Great~ Noland said: Then you can teleport over now. I have eight Alchemy Briefcases that need to be taken. Okay~ Im coming right away. Are you coming with me? Denise Green asked. Hmm let me think about it. Noland pondered. The moment the Pollution Zone was lifted, Noland would be teleported back to where he entered it. Wherever he entered from, thats where he would exit. For example, when Noland entered the Pollution Zone of Shubick, he was on the surface of Nearshore Region No.116. After leaving the Pollution Zone, he would appear on that sea surface. This time, when he entered the Blood Sun Seals Pollution Zone, Noland was at the Underground Layer 30 of Sector 6. So when he leaves the Pollution Zone, he would return to Underground Layer 30. The Fissure Corridor inside the Pollution Zone and other objects would follow the same rule. The Fissure Corridor within the Pollution Zone had already been severely damaged. This damaged section of the Corridor would suffer serious collapses once the Pollution Zone was lifted. Conservatively speaking, from Underground Layer 60 all the way to Black City, various levels of collapses would occur. It would be very difficult for Noland to go to the Black City after returning to the natural world, search for Samuelsons relics, and obtain the River of Mind C lower volume. Searching within the Pollution Zone would be easier. Noland slowly nodded, saying in his heart: Denise Green, I wont leave just yet. I might have to stay in the Pollution Zone for a while. You can just come and take the Alchemy Briefcases. Okay~ Im coming. A spark of fire appeared near Noland. Denise Green materialized amid the flickering firelight. She looked around curiously, smiled at Noland, and then began to work hard. The fire sparkled. Denise Greens palms were small. Each time she teleported back and forth, she could only hold two briefcases with one hand at most. After four round trips, there was no more firelight in the warehouse. Chapter 486 - Chapter 486: 159. Wholesale purchase_2 Chapter 486: 159. Wholesale purchase_2 Noland Lee did not rush to leave the warehouse, he suddenly thought of something How did the greenhouse attached to the Fissure Corridor occur? Why is it present within the Pollution Zone? Noland Lee was certain that before the Pollution Zone appeared, there was no greenhouse for cultivating Artificial Angels in the Fissure Corridor. Because the place where the greenhouse was located corresponds to layers 30 to 60 of Sector 6 underground. Noland Lee had previously explored this area, and there was no greenhouse. So, there is only one answer The Pollution Zone is extraterrestrial space pollution that has been remodeled to imitate the universe he resides in. After The Blood Sun Divine Seal Descendants opened the gap to outer space, they utilized the power of their progenitors, and within the Fissure Corridor, created the Pollution Zone. The object being imitated by this zone is the universe where the Blood Sun Divine Seal itself is situated. The greenhouse creating the Artificial Angels, then, is a structure near the Blood Sun Divine Seal itself. In the process of creating the Pollution Zone, the main body of the Blood Sun Divine Seal moved this greenhouse into the midst of the Pollution Zone. This is the only reasonable explanation that Noland Lee could think of. If this interpretation holds, doesnt it imply that Angel Enterprises Alliance is under attack from the Blood Sun Divine Seal? Noland Lee took a very slight breath, exhaling slowly. This isnt something I can get involved in. I dont even know where the Angel Enterprises Alliance is located, let alone whats happening there. Let it be. Noland Lee shook his head, sweeping away the random thoughts in his mind. He erased his traces, pushed open the Warehouse Gate, and left quietly. Before leaving, he even remembered to activate the alchemy array on the door, locking the warehouse up again. Due to the secluded location of this warehouse, throughout operating, no one detected Noland Lees actions. Noland Lee took the form of the White Skull, navigating through the Pollution Zone filled with large pieces of rubble from collapsed walls. He made a big loop, finally arriving near the Spire of the Black City. Red Smoke was no longer pouring out of the Spire Hall, thus the expansion of the Pollution Zone had ceased. Quite a few alchemists had gathered inside the hall. Madimanson was also present. He ordered his assistant to supervise the sealing of the Winged Giant, while he himself inspected the alchemy array sealing the meaty eye inside the Spire Hall. In the center of the hall was a high platform covered in array symbols. Above the high platform was the Nest Core. The Nest Core looked like a chicken egg covered with red flesh, reaching a height of four meters and the diameter at its widest over two meters. A vertical fissure appeared on the Nest Core. Looking through the crack into it, one could see an alchemical space full of Red Smoke, inside which was a Meaty Eye with closed eyelids. There was a circle of eyelashes made of flesh strips around the eye. These were slowly wriggling, much like ribbonfish swimming in water. Noland Lee took a glance at the Meaty Eye and stifled a laugh. His extraterrestrial creation was quite cunning. Till it had the ability to open a new outer space, it would remain appearing dormant. Noland Lee stood at the entrance of the hall, swept a glance around the hall, his gaze meeting that of Madimanson who was watching him. They both nodded at one another, neither one interrupting the other. He just came to have a quick look at the situation and didnt even enter the hall, so of course Madimanson wouldnt prevent him. He knew no one was paying attention to him at the site, hence he stayed calm, using Deconstruction to remotely inspect every item inside the hall. Samuelsons last appearance was here. He must have carried important Magical Items with him. Therefore, there must be Mental Magic items in this hall. With this judgment, Noland Lee focused his gaze on Samuelsons remnants. It was a pile of pitch-black charred material, the result of elemental magic ravaging it. Burnt to ashes feathers, charred black meat chunks emitting a burnt smell, the shattered beak After taking a round check using deconstruction technique, Noland completely missed any traces of Mental Magic items. Were they taken away as Spoils of War by Madimansons alchemists? Noland was puzzled. He pondered for a while and suddenly a thought struck his mind, and he flew towards Mabel. He remembered something! Those two Combat Wizards named Gardner and Kevin, they certainly had to take souvenirs back for accountability. And the memorabilia that could provide evidence of Samuelson getting suppressed by a Soul-stealing Wizard would definitely be Magical Items directly related to Mental Magic and Soul-stealing Magic. If Noland Lees judgment was correct, these souvenirs certainly would be amongst Gardner and Kevins belongings. More precisely, they are inside their Magic Pouches. Noland Lees flying paused for a moment, slowing down slightly. Gardner and Kevins Magic Pouches were in Mabels possession. He just needed to take a quick glance into the pouch and with a deconstruction spell casting on it would be enough to complete the deconstruction work. What excuses could he use to check the Magic Pouch? Noland dropped onto the corridor where Mabel was located while deep in thought. As it so happened, Mabel was inventorying the belongings of the deceased wizards. She had set up a simple table in the corridor, taking out the belongings and putting them on the table to record the conditions of the items with scrolls and a Magic Pen. To prevent arguments over things lost after returning the belongings, the step of inventorying the items was indispensable. Noland got excited at this sight. He stood next to Mabel quietly watching. It appeared as if he was just observing the inventorying of the belongings, but his attention was entirely focused on deconstructing those belongings. Chapter 487 - Chapter 487: 159. Wholesale purchase_3 Chapter 487: 159. Wholesale purchase_3 Fugidias makeup bag, magic toolbox, Night Spirit Witch clothes, and a locked book with Night Spirit magic knowledge, among others, were all laid out neatly on a simple wooden table. The locked magic book was about ten centimeters thick, bound in dark red hardcover, with lifelike bat carvings. The lock that trapped this magic book was a magic lock. It was a unique kind of lock that bound the whole book with a blood-red magic lock chain. Noland Lee cast the Deconstruction spell on the magic book with the magic lock. [System Message:] [You are about to cast the Deconstruction spell on the locked magic book.] [Based on your magic knowledge skills and knowledge reserve, you need to consume 9760 points of energy first, to unlock the magic book, then it will cost 20000 energy points to safely deconstruct the magic book.] [Do you confirm the deconstruction?] Noland Lee read the system message and felt a little surprised. What does consume 9760 energy points to crack the magic lock mean? Noland Lee was a bit baffled. Wasnt he supposed to use the Rune Staff to crack the magic lock as guided by the Deconstruction Results? But as per the system message, he just needed to use the Deconstruction spell and he would break the magic lock. There was no need for hands-on operation. This was indeed a little unexpected. Also, would there be a spell animation for cracking the magic lock? It would be quite embarrassing if he unlocked the magic lock and made the blood-red spell chain, which wrapped Night Mothers Apples, disappear in front of Mable. Noland Lee, curious and expectant, recited confirm deconstruction silently. A sense of obscurity swept through his mind, and a long system message appeared before his eyes. Noland Lee looked at the system text briefly, then looked at the unchanged spells lock chain, his heart missing a beat. It really worked! He only needed to deconstruct the magic lock on the book with the Deconstruction spell, and he could peek into the contents of the book! This was completely different from manually removing an alchemy array seal! How could this be Noland sighed continuously in his heart, maintaining a composed pose on his face. At the moment his thoughts were crashing into each other, Fugidias personal items were completely sorted. Mabel picked up the items on the table and put them into Fugidias magic pouch, then she took out Gardners personal items and placed them on the table. Noland temporarily suppressed his thoughts, watching Mabels actions. Mabel opened Gardners magic pouch and poured the contents onto the table. Among various items, there was a dull stone pendant. The stone pendant had a lot of complicated and dense magical runes. In the middle, there was a stone pattern of a wing-opened Samuelson. Noland cast the Deconstruction spell, and then he let out a sigh of relief. He had found it. This was the mind-based magic tool that recorded River of Mind C lower volume. The system reminded it would take 30,000 points of energy to do a harmless deconstruction. Without any hesitation, Noland directly recited, Confirm Deconstruction. The River of Mind C lower volume came to belong to Noland. Similar to the first two volumes, this volumes integrity was very low, only at 10%. With a total consumption of nearly 100,000 energy points, Noland successfully stored the knowledge of Night Spirits Death-type magic and the River of Mind C lower volume in his mind. Noland glanced at the Deconstruction Results. The magic book of the Night Spirit Branch was called Night Mothers Apples. After Noland deconstructed the magic lock of this book, he got two Knowledge Skills. One was the Magic Lock Studies, now at Level 3. The other was Flesh Construction Learning, now at Level 1. This is a must-learn scholarly skill to control Blood Magic Power. It recorded the physiological construction map of common living creatures. The system reminded him that if used with a variant of Tracking the Living, namely, Peering at the Living, the effects would be marvelous. In the book Night Mothers Apples, in addition to the general knowledge content on Blood Magic and Death Magic, nine most commonly used spells by the Night Spirit Witches were recorded. The integrity of these nine spells was only around 15%, reducing their power significantly, and they could only be used by a witch or a blood servant. If Noland wanted to forcefully use the Night Spirit Spells, he would have to first turn himself into a witch or a blood servant. To turn himself into a witch would mean to become a follower of a Night Spirit Witch, which was impractical. Denise Green would surely be the first to oppose this. Noland quietly decided that in the future he must sell these nine spells at a good price to compensate for his invested energy points. Mabel was checking Gardners items. She pointed at the stone pendant on the table and asked: Why is there a Samuelson amulet in Gardners magic pouch? Did they defeat Samuelson before they died in battle with Kevin? Mabel reached into Kevins magic pouch. She rummaged inside before taking out a worn-out magic robe. The magic robe had the pattern of a Scythehead on it, which was the one the Soul-stealing Wizard wore when he was alive. This is the property of the Soul-stealing Wizard. After looking at the robe in her hands, Mabel sighed lightly and said: Ah. It appears that the real situation was different from what I previously thought. Gardner and Kevin must have killed Samuelson and the Soul-stealing Wizard before they were turned into Contaminant Byproducts by the descendants of the Blood Sun Seal The damn descendants, they must have ambushed Gardner and his people. Noland blinked his eyes and followed Mabels thought process, figuring out her meaning. After Mabel entered the Pollution Zone, she only saw the contaminated Gardner and Kevin, but did not find any trace of Samuelson and the Soul-stealing Wizard. Chapter 488 - Chapter 488: 159. Wholesale purchase_4 Chapter 488: 159. Wholesale purchase_4 She probably thought that Samuelson and the Soul-stealing Wizard had escaped or were hiding somewhere. However, the items Noland took out of the Magic Pouch refuted Mabels guess, which led to the current situation. Noland timely interjected: Mabel, I saw two charred piles of ash in the Grand Hall of the Spire. Those should be the remains of Samuelson and the Soul-stealing Messenger. Would you like to go and see? Mabel immediately stated that she wanted to verify the situation. She flew away on her magic broom, leaving Noland to guard the relics in the corridor. Seizing the opportunity, Noland cast Deconstruction at the magic books Gardner was carrying. Just like when deconstructing Night Mothers Apples, he first consumed about 10,000 energy points to deconstruct the magic lock, after which he consumed another 30,000 energy points to harmlessly deconstruct the books content. After this operation, Noland successfully added 20% complete Elemental History to his collection. Magic Lock Studies skill level increased by +1. A new knowledge skill called Four Elements Study has been added, currently at level 5. Four Elements Study introduces the four elemental sub-dimensional planes of this world and the simple elemental reactions. Noland puts these contents aside for now as he doesnt need them at the moment. Other than Four Elements Study, Noland also gained four spell blueprints, all of which were 20% complete. These four spell blueprints corresponded to the summoning methods for the elemental energies of water, wind, earth, and fire. Elemental History recorded more than just these four spells. But Noland only obtained these four. This indicated that the other spells all had mental pollution and were directly deleted by the system during the harmless deconstruction process. Elemental energy and elemental reactions are profound knowledge, and Noland plans to study them further later on. For now, he puts them aside. Ten minutes later, Mabel returned. She had confirmed that Gardner and Kevin killed Samuelson and the Soul-stealing Wizard before their own deaths. Clarifying this part of the truth didnt make her happy, but rather added to her confusion. Why couldnt Gardner and Kevin prevent the appearance of the Pollution Zone even after Samuelson and the Soul-stealing Wizard had died? After hearing her doubts, Noland shook his head secretly, choosing not to speak. Noland knew the answer, but sadly, he couldnt say it. This history would be buried, and only he and the Blood Sun Seal would know it. After taking Nicolettes soul from the Soul-stealing Wizards soul, Noland saw the wizards soul fly into the crack of the Nest Core. After that, the red smoke spewed out of the crack, forming the Pollution Zone. Noland saw the actions of the Soul-stealing Wizard as a kind of sacrifice. The wizard sacrificed his own soul to help the descendants of the Blood Sun Divine Seal start the Pollution Zone. Noland also knew why the Soul-stealing Wizard would willingly sacrifice himself. Corrupted by the Blood Sun Seal was explicitly written on the Soul-stealing Wizards panel informationHe sacrificed himself because the Blood Sun Seal forced him to do so. However, these things couldnt be explained. Noland obtained them all using Deconstruction. Oh well, sometimes knowing too much feels heavy; thats how he felt now. Noland sighed secretly. Thankfully, he had Denise Green to confide in, so he wouldnt be suffocated by secrets. After Mabel counted Gardner and Kevins belongings, she took out Sheldon Archers belongings. Sheldon Archer carried a magic book called Death Wizard Diary. This magic book is what Sheldon used to review spell blueprints. Noland, as usual, cast Deconstruction on the book, spending tens of thousands of energy points to obtain its contents. New scholarly skill Death Magic Study added, currently at level 10. It records the panel information of all common death magic creations. Noland can enjoy an energy point discount when deconstructing such items in the future. New spell blueprint Death Flight added. Noland had been coveting this flight spell for a long time and directly consumed 1 point of energy to learn it. Noland checked his gains. All the spoils of war he had planned to collect were now in his possession. There was nothing else worth staying for in this Pollution Zone. The harvest this time was beyond imagination. Energy points and Soul Strength skyrocketed, and before leaving, he obtained the contents of the magic books Night Mothers Apples, Elemental History, and Death Wizard Diary through wholesale-like deconstruction. It wouldnt be an exaggeration to describe the harvest as plentiful. Now, it was time to strengthen his persona in front of Mabel. Mabel, Ill go ahead. Noland said to Mabel, who was looking at him: Well meet in Union City. Please keep my identity and my relationship with Denise a secret for now. Thank you again. As he spoke, a torch-like light appeared beside Noland. Denise Green appeared beside Noland, skillfully holding his arm. Her witchs robe shone in the firelight, casting a curvy silhouette on the wall. After nodding to Mabel, the torch in Denises hand emitted a strong light. When the light faded, Noland was no longer in the corridor. Mabel stared at the spot where Noland disappeared in a trance. Undoubtedly, Denises appearance confirmed that what Noland had said was truehe was indeed a powerful, mysterious, and low-key male wizard. Thinking of how this male wizard intended to collaborate with her in the field of magic knowledge, anticipation appeared in Mabels eyes. Meanwhile, on a low mountain tens of kilometers away from Union City. Two figures appeared in the flickering firelight. It was noon now. Under the scorching sun, the spotted forest was eerily silent. Denise extinguished the torch in her hand, released Nolands arm, and said with a flushed face: Oh mywhy did you have me hold your arm in front of others, then take you away Noland changed back to human form, touched his nose bridge, and scanned the neatly arranged alchemy briefcases on the ground. He laughed softly, saying: Dont overthink it, Denise. I arranged it this way to make Mabel truly believe in my identity. This will help us sell these more than 1,200 alchemy armaments. Oh Chapter 489 - Chapter 489: 160. Preliminary transaction Chapter 489: 160. Preliminary transaction The extraterrestrial space pollution invasion triggered by the Blood Sun Seal was terminated within 12 hours. However, the turmoil and aftermath caused by this event lasted for several days. As Noland Lee predicted, the Fissure Corridor experienced severe collapse. From the 30th underground layer to the layer where the Black City was located, all showed signs of broken wall bricks and collapsing corridors. Fortunately, when the Alchemy Cathedral built the Fissure Corridor, they took into account this extreme situation. They used hard alchemy rock layers to separate the Lower Towns foundation from the Fissure Corridor. The entire foundation of the Lower Town was built on this alchemy rock layer, without directly connecting to the Fissure Corridor. Because of this, the buildings in the Lower Town were spared from disaster. The Pollution Zone was closed, and the Combat Alchemists moved the alchemy container sealing the Winged Giant to the Lower Town branch of the Alchemy Cathedral. Residents of each sector returned to their homes in the city. The various Alchemist Factions took on the task of repairing the corridor. All post-war restoration work proceeded orderly and without incident. Although the Alchemy Cathedral had differences with Elemental Judgment, Elemental Judgment did contribute its power to close the Pollution Zone. In the spirit of the Alchemy Cathedral, a considerable reward was sent to Elemental Judgments manor. Elemental Judgment was responsible for distributing these rewards to the Wandering Wizards who assisted the Alchemy Cathedral in closing the Pollution Zone. Three days had passed since the Pollution Zone closed. On the morning of Day Four, Noland Lee was invited to Cat Society Manor. Philia received him. This Two-Ring Witch, who had never entered the Pollution Zone, had not heard Noland Lees specifics from her mentor. When she received Noland Lee, she still maintained her usual friendly attitude. However, there was a trace of worry between her eyebrows, and she no longer looked as lively as before. Ah, Ray Lee. Were moving away from Union City. In the sun-filled manor corridor, Philia walked slowly and spoke softly: My teacher said that she had an irreconcilable conflict with the Alchemy Cathedral in the Pollution Zone. The First Level Magic Research Institute set up by Elemental Judgment here will be withdrawn within a month. All of us will follow the teacher and leave for the Ulnas Circle. Noland Lee walked and asked: I remember that there are quite a few Wizard Students here, right? And they should all be local to Union City. Are you willing to leave here and go to the Ulnas Circle? Philia shrugged her shoulders and sighed lightly: There is no choice. Even if we cannot let go of our family and friends here, we must leave Union City. According to the contract signed by Elemental Judgment and the Alchemy Cathedral, once a local person becomes a Wizard Student of Elemental Judgment, they are automatically regarded as leaving the Golden Federation. Unless we voluntarily give up our Wizard identities and join the Alchemist Faction, we cannot stay here in Union City. Philia stopped by the brightly painted window, looking at the colorful patterns on the glass and said: I asked my teacher. After leaving Union City, we must be promoted to Third-Ring Wizards in the Ulnas Circle before we can leave. So, this departure, for a wizard student like me who is not very talented, it might be several years before I can see my parents again. Noland Lee was silent, nodded, and did not say much. Regarding the matter of the Wizard Students like Philia and Betty Davis who were soon to be separated from their loved ones for a long time, Noland Lee really couldnt find any good method to comfort them. Just let Philia and Betty adjust by themselves. Lets not talk about this. Philia came back to her senses and squeezed out a smile at Noland Lee: Follow me, were going to my teachers study. She will give you the reward, and we will discuss some matters in the meantime. Philia led the way in front, and Noland Lee followed half a step behind her. The two followed the spiral staircase to the second floor of the castle and entered a spacious and comfortable study room. After bringing Noland Lee into the room, Philia left by herself. In the study, Noland Lee sat down at Mabels invitation. Many documents were piled up on Mabels desk. It seemed that she was busy preparing for the relocation. During the conversation with Noland Lee, Mabels magic pens maintained their working status, constantly writing documents, correcting reports, or writing letters. When the Alchemy Cathedral discussed the reward with me, I asked them to exchange Union Coins for gold. Gold is one of the raw materials for making Ulnas Gold Coins. Although it is not as valuable as Ulnas Gold Coins, it is better than Union Coins. I hope you dont mind that I took the liberty to exchange the rewards into gold. Mabel snapped her fingers, letting the magic servants in the room bring a metal box and place it in front of Noland Lee. The lid of the box was opened, and five finger-sized gold bars appeared before Noland Lees eyes. Noland Lee used Deconstruction to check. The total weight of the five gold bars was precisely 1000 grams. Not more or less, each was exactly 200 grams. The quality of the gold bars was excellent, 99.999% pure. Ulnas Gold Coins are magical creations, with gold as the main material, and secret-level magic materials added. The exchange rate of gold to Ulnas Gold Coins is basically fixed. Every 100 grams of gold can be exchanged for 50 gold coins. The exchange ratio varies slightly depending on the quality and quantity of gold bars. The 1000 grams of gold bars in front of him were worth 500 Ulnas Gold Coins. Compared to the 150,000 gold coins needed for the Island project, these 500 gold coins were insignificant, but when exchanged into Union Coins in Union City, their value would be astronomical. Noland Lee closed the metal box, put it in his pocket, and nodded with a smile, saying: Chapter 490 - Chapter 490: 160. Preliminary transaction_2 Chapter 490: 160. Preliminary transaction_2 Thank you, Mabel. Gold bars are indeed much more convenient for me than Union Coins. Mabel responded with a smile. She temporarily interrupted the work of the magic pen, letting the busy little things fly back to the pen holder. The sound of writing in the study room stopped. Mabel looked out the window. The sunlight outside the house sprinkled golden light on her cheeks, and her earrings and pendant glittered in the sunlight. The smile on her lips gradually vanished, and her expression looked somewhat melancholic, like a beautiful yet sad sculpture. Mabel looked at Noland Lee and said with a bitter smile: Ive been living here for ten years. When I came, I was full of confidence and determined to return with abundant research results. Now, I am almost empty-handed. This Gold Island is really evil. First, the Death Herald Guilds ten years of research results were destroyed, and then we Elemental Judgement were forced to stop our research. I dont know if the next magic research institution in the Tatis Empire and the Golden Federation will also be as rough as us. The forced termination of Elemental Judgements research is not your fault, Mabel, Noland Lee said: The Alchemy Cathedral collaborated with extraterrestrial space pollution beforehand. You discovered the collusion between the two parties in time. You applied to the Wizard Advancement Association to terminate the research, not for your own reasons, but to draw a line between Elemental Judgement and the Alchemy Cathedral that was contaminated with extraterrestrial space pollution. I think this approach is fine. Mabels bitter smile on her face became even more intense: I know, Ray Lee, the mistake is not mine. If I had known about the secret cooperation between the Alchemy Cathedral and extraterrestrial space pollution earlier, I wouldnt have wasted ten years of time here. When I think about it, I feel regretful. Mabel leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and gently pressed her eye sockets with her fingers: I am a person who strictly abides by contracts. What is written in my contract with the Alchemy Cathedral, I will do it one hundred percent. They do not allow me to explore the depths of the Fissure Corridor, cant check the situation in Black City, and cant leave the Manor and Sector 8 without permission. I did all these things. I longed to gain the trust of the Alchemy Cathedral with my own compliance. As it turned out, this was wishful thinking on my part. If I had arranged a secret agent to enter Black City earlier to investigate the situation there and find the traces of extraterrestrial space pollution, I might not have spent ten years here. Noland Lee maintained a calm expression on his face, but shook his head secretly in his heart. Arranging intelligence personnel to investigate Black City and the Spire is useless. Because the pollution of the Blood Sun Seal is concentrated on the Angel Seed, the Angel Seed is in Nicolette, and Nicolettes appearance is just a malnourished Aberration. Secret agents would not only be unable to find the specific whereabouts of extraterrestrial space pollution but also risk being cursed by Nicolette and become an Aberration. In short, under the strict defense and careful planning of the Alchemy Cathedral, only those who master the Deconstruction Core System have the chance to glimpse the truth of the matter. Its the same for Mabel, as well as for Battle Wizard Gardner and Kevin, who can ultimately only see one side of the matter. As Noland Lee faced the beautiful lady who was pouring out her hearts journey to him, he chose to divert the topic from her failed experience. As the saying goes, its better to blame others than blame yourself. Noland Lee felt that this was suitable for consoling her. Mabel, since the Alchemy Cathedral chose to collude with extraterrestrial space pollution, will there be any new First Level Magic Research Institute appearing? I doubt that after other wizard forces hear this news, they would still be willing to station in Union City. Ive thought about this question. Mabel opened her eyes, pondering thoughtfully as she said: The old wizard forces will definitely keep their distance from the Alchemy Cathedral and will not be willing to establish a Magic Research Institute here. But emerging wizard forces are not necessarily the same. In fact, after I told the Professor about the situation here, many emerging wizard forces have come to inquire about the details of Union City. These forces should all be interested in establishing a Magic Research Institute here. For example Noland Lee continued to guide the topic. After thinking about it, Mabel didnt hide anything from Noland Lee: For example, Soul Shaper Gilbert. This Lecturer Professor is the most enthusiastic about it. He asked me many questions. It can be seen that he is very eager to send wizards into Union City and establish the next Magic Research Institute. Noland Lee had a slight fluctuation in his heart. Before, he judged that Soul Shaper Gilbert might have obtained part of the Soul-stealing Overlords inheritance. Both of them mastered the two techniques, Soul Extraction, and Soul Shaping, which was the most compelling evidence. Was Gilbert so interested in Union City just for the research of the souls of Aberrations? Could he possibly have secretly cooperated with the Blood Sun Divine Seal Descendants, helping them to open up the Pollution Zone again? Noland Lee smelled a trace of conspiracy. However, that has nothing to do with him. He and Denise Green had already decided that when Elemental Judgement left, the two of them would leave as well. The First Level Magic Research Institute established by Elemental Judgement in this place was equivalent to the stay of the Wandering Wizards. When the sky collapses, the Research Institute of Elemental Judgement would be the first to take the blow. After Elemental Judgement leaves, the next Magic Research Institute will take at least half a year to be officially established. During the six-month-long gap, Union City will not have a Magic Institution. Local wandering wizards have no backing. If something really happened, the Alchemy Cathedral would be the first to crack down on the wandering wizards Chapter 491 - Chapter 491: 160. Preliminary transaction_3 Chapter 491: 160. Preliminary transaction_3 Based on these considerations, Noland Lee decided to leave Alchemist Island with Denise Green. Mabel, I have over 1,200 pieces of alchemy armament that I need to part with. Are you interested in checking their quality? Noland picked up the briefcase at his feet and placed it in front of Mabel. Mabel was slightly startled and then asked: How many alchemy armaments did you just say? Over 1,200 pieces. Noland repeated. That.. thats so many. Mabel was slightly taken aback. Upon opening the briefcase Noland handed her, Mabel was left dumbfounded. What lay before her eyes were alchemy armaments compressed into the size of tofu blocks by folding space within the briefcase. Upon brief inspection, the vast majority of these alchemy armaments were old in appearance, with most ranging from First Order to Third Order. The quality of the more than 1,200 alchemical armaments here is about the same as what you see now. Noland reached into his upper pocket, taking out a scroll written by Denise Green, and placed it on the table: Take a look, this has the numbers for each tier of the alchemy armaments. There are a total of 1,227 pieces. I originally planned to sell these alchemy armaments to the Golden Commerce Guild. But since we already have established some initial trust between us, and we are both wizards, I have decided to give priority to doing this deal with you. It is my honor, Ray Lee. Not to hide from you, but Elemental Judgment has a great demand for alchemy armaments. In the past, most of the alchemy armaments collected by the Cat Society were bought by me. This sudden deal seemed to excite Mabel. A smile appeared on her face as she carefully read through the scroll. Putting down the scroll, she reached into the briefcase and took out a quickly enlarging tofu block. Within about three seconds, the alchemy armament, freed from the folds of space, had changed from a tofu block size back to its original size. It was a Seventh Order alchemy armament. Heavily damaged, its original appearance could hardly be discerned. The feedback from Deconstruction showed it was an alchemy armament called Volcanic Stone Turtle. As its name suggested, the wearer of this alchemy armament would normally need to move on all fours in order to function properly. Overall, it looked like a stone turtle bearing a heavy shell on its back. When intact, a tiny volcano, about five meters high and over two meters wide, would be present on the back of the Volcanic Stone Turtle. With just a thought, the wearer could control the volcano on their back to spew forth a magma column several meters high. This was one of the effects of this alchemy armament. Upon activating its transformation effect, the Volcanic Stone Turtle would assume a human form, and its wearer would become a humanoid creature covered in searing magma. The magma, with a temperature of up to 1200 degrees Celsius, would tightly envelop the wearer while melting everything around them that could be melted. More alchemical effects of the Volcanic Stone Turtle needed the cooperation of the wearers alchemy stone to activate. For example, creating a magma zone that could last for half an hour, creating a miniature volcano that spews magma, and spewing black smoke from the volcanos vent to block the view, and so on. The heavily damaged Volcanic Stone Turtle that Noland had brought for trading had only 32% left on the Integrity column in its panel. But this would not hinder the deal. Battles destroy the fragile parts of the alchemy armament. It is the hardest, most valuable part that would not be easily destroyed during a battle. The remaining alchemy materials of the Volcanic Stone Turtle were the essence of the entire alchemy armament. Extracting these alchemy materials using magic or alchemy techniques, they could be reused to make new alchemy armaments or Magic Armor. For Elemental Judgment, alchemy armaments had another purpose. Mabel returned the Volcanic Stone Turtle to the briefcase and said with a beaming smile: Ill take all of your 1,200 alchemy armaments, Ray Lee. To maintain the Great Forge of the Fire Elemental Realm, we, the Elemental Judgment, need to provide an endless supply of extraordinary items to serve as fuel. If you have any other extraordinary items waiting to be sold, please sell them to me. Ill take as many as you have. Of course, they must be made of metal or stone material. Noland knew about the existence of the Great Forge. He had learned about it from Denise Green. This object was the core of the Fire Elemental Realm. By burning metal and stone extraordinary items, it released a surge of fire elemental energy. In doing so, wizards who mastered fire elemental spells could draw fire elemental energy from the Fire Elemental Realm. Once the Great Forge was extinguished, all wizards who relied on the Fire Elemental Realm for casting spells would suffer. For this type of wizards, continuously providing fuel for the Great Forge was an innate mission. To encourage wizards to actively provide fuel, Elemental Judgment established a reward system with generous benefits. The specific details of this reward system were unknown to non-Elemental Judgment members, so Noland also had no way of knowing. But seeing Mabels smiling face, the rewards for handing in fuel must have been quite tempting to her. For the next month, I will be going back and forth in the Fissure Corridor, collecting more alchemy armaments. I will bring them to you then, Noland paused and continued, Now, lets discuss the price, Mabel. I will be leaving Union City with you. Union Coins are of no use to me. It would be best if you could buy alchemy armaments with gold or Ulnas gold coins. Mabel nodded slowly: Gold or Ulnas gold coins, no problem, I can meet your requirements. Please give me some time to calculate the exact amount. Alright, maam. Ill have Denise bring the alchemy armaments first. Shell teleport here and put down the briefcases. I hope you dont mind her using teleportation here, Noland said. Please do, I wont mind. Flames flickered inside the study. Denise Green was summoned and placed another seven briefcases on Mabels desk. She exchanged brief greetings with Mabel and then left without lingering through teleportation. Noland praised Denise through Soul Perception for her swift and efficient action, making her giggle in response. Noland treated Denise as an intimate companion and would never be stingy with his praise. Whenever he had a chance, he would take the opportunity to compliment her generously. Chapter 492 - Chapter 492: 161. Sacred Position Achievement” Chapter 492: 161. Sacred Position Achievement Knock knock knock Mabel was checking the suitcases one by one when someone knocked on the door to her study. She glanced at the direction of the door, thought for half a second, and waved her arm. The suitcases and the alchemy weaponry list on the table flew into the hidden chamber connected to the study. Noland Lee nodded secretly, feeling that Mabels thoughts were meticulous. If the people outside were to see so many suitcases on the table, it would undoubtedly attract curious inquiries. Mabel put the suitcases and the list into the hidden chamber to eliminate any disturbances to her and Noland Lees deal. Come in, Betty Davis. Mabel spoke towards the door. Curly orange-haired Betty Davis pushed the door open. Her little face was as clever and playful as ever. As soon as she entered the room, she looked in amazement at Noland Lee, who was sitting opposite her teacher. Her eyes blinked a few times, seeming to ask Noland Lee why he was there. Whats the matter, Betty? Is there something you need? Mabel asked. Ah, yes, I have something to ask you. Bettys brow furrowed as she looked at Mabel behind the desk and said: You asked me to deliver a reward to Nikcat, right? I went, but I didnt see him. I asked his housekeeper, and he went into the Fissure Corridor from the moment the Pollution Zone appeared. But strangely, he didnt come back after the Pollution Zone was closed. I also went to inquire with the Bionic Skeleton Association that Nikcat was collaborating with, and they didnt see him either. Betty scratched her head: Teacher, do you think Nikcat might have met with some trouble in the Pollution Zone too? In troubleNoland Lees thoughts flickered. He suddenly remembered something. The last time he saw Nikcat, the man was being chased by the fake Fugidia. After that, he never saw Nikcats figure again. Noland Lee pulled up the memory fragments obtained through Passive Deconstruction to take a look. Since the System had rendered the memory fragments of the Fake Fugidia harmless, Noland Lee could only see disjointed scenes of the chase. From these memories alone, it seemed that the fake Fugidia eventually lost track of Nikcat. It then turned, under the command of the Blood Sun Seal Descendants, to intercept Mabel near the Black City. Thats strange. If Nikcat didnt die at the hands of the fake Fugidia, where did he go? Not only Noland Lee didnt know the answer, but the other two in the study also didnt know. After considering it, Mabel shook her head and said: Nikcat should be fine. Otherwise, the Tomb King would have come looking for him by now. Forget it, let him be. Give me the reward, and hell come to claim it himself. Alright, Teacher. Betty took out a metal box and put it on the table, then glanced curiously at Noland Lee before leaving. Noland Lee maintained a faint smile throughout, and Betty naturally couldnt tell anything from his appearance. Once Betty left the study, the room quieted down. Ray Lee, come with me to the hidden chamber. Its not very convenient to talk here. Mabel stood up and led Noland Lee into the hidden chamber. In the study, a magic servant held a sign and stood in the center of the room. The sign faced the study door and read, I am conducting a magic experiment. If you have something to say, please wait until later. Thus, any wizard students who came to visit would be turned away. The hidden chamber connected to the study had no windows. Several magic lamps emitting soft light were on the walls of the room. In the less than 30-square-meter room, a layer of extremely soft dark red carpet covered the floor. Besides comfortable chairs and a reception table, there wasnt any more furniture. Mabel spent about half an hour checking all the alchemy weapons in the eight suitcases. During the inspection, a magic pen beside her recorded the damage level and value of each alchemy weapon. Finally, a detailed price list was handed to Noland Lee. A total of 1,227 broken alchemy weapons were eventually sold for about 25,000 gold coins. 25,000! About one-sixth of the budget for the island project has been earned in one go! When Noland Lee informed Denise Green of this news using Soul Perception, her excitement almost resulted in him blowing his cover in front of Mabel. Fortunately, Noland Lee had always had a strong psychological quality. He maintained the mysterious and inscrutable image of a male wizard in front of Mabel. In the transaction, one side gave the money while the other side gave the goods. Mabel temporarily left the hidden chamber to get large Ulnas Gold Coins from the underground treasure vault. Two Ulnas Gold Coins with a denomination of 10,000 and five Ulnas Gold Coins with a denomination of 1,000, along with some change in denominations of 100, 10, and 1 gold coins, made up the payment for Noland Lees sales of alchemy weapons. After repeatedly urging Denise not to show her laughter on her face, Noland Lee finally allowed her to teleport and take away the gold coins Mabel had given. Noland Lee was confident with the money in Denises hands. Feeling Noland Lees trust in her, Denise excitedly promised in Soul Perception that she would definitely keep the gold coins safe. Alright, Denise, I need to discuss other matters with Mabel. Noland Lee said in his heart. Mmm! Denise obediently and proactively severed Soul Perception. Noland Lee looked at Mabel, who was staring at him, adjusted his sitting position, and said: Madame, lets get to the point. As I mentioned earlier, I would like to cooperate with you in the Realm of Knowledge. You contribute gold coins, and I contribute knowledge. Transactions are done on the spot, with no credit or regrets allowed. Before formally starting this transaction, we must first sign a soul contract. Chapter 493 - Chapter 493: 161. Sacred Position Achievement”_2 Chapter 493: 161. Sacred Position Achievement_2 Noland Lee rummaged around in the Blood Haven, taking out a barrel-shaped sheepskin parchment. Soul contracts are widespread in the Realm of Wizards. As long as during the drafting of the contract, the words soul contract are written in the title, the contract will automatically become a soul contract. Why is it that simply writing soul contract in the title can turn a contract into a soul contract? This is a very mysterious extraordinary phenomenon. Its history can be traced back to ancient times, several eras before the present-day wizard kingdom of Ulnas Circle. All wizards researching this extraordinary phenomenon eventually gave up because nothing could be learned. This extraordinary phenomenon has thoroughly merged with the natural world, becoming an indivisible part of it. Over time, soul contracts became one of the natural phenomena. The soul contract that Noland Lee is holding now was written by himself. He is the client, and Mabel is Party B. The client sells knowledge, Party B pays gold coins. Both parties keep this transaction confidential. Whistleblowers will be punished, including but not limited to amnesia, degradation of sensory abilities, forced magic knowledge erasing, spiritual ocean decline, and so on. In the contract, Noland Lee emphasized one point: he only wants gold coins and nothing else. Even if extremely valuable magical items were in front of him, he would firmly refuse. The reason is simple: Things other than gold coins are too easy to be traced, and they are also difficult to liquidate. Moreover, sometimes expensive magical items have unclear origins, easily attracting the attention of Wizard Enforcers. Noland Lee doesnt want to become a channel for others to dispose of stolen goods. So, what kind of knowledge can Noland Lee sell? Death-related spells? Psychic spells? Or spells from the Night Spirit Branch? None of them. Directly selling spell blueprints is akin to courting death. Imagine if a buyer knew that Noland Lee could sell spell blueprints, what would she think? She would definitely worry if her own wizard forces spells would appear on Noland Lees product list, which would hinder the transaction and create a rift between her and Noland Lee. In an extreme case, the buyer may pretend to trade but secretly collect evidence of Nolands crimes to report to the Wizard Enforcement Department. Such action would amount to betraying Noland Lee and be punished by the soul contract. However, as long as the rewards given by the Wizard Enforcement Department and their own wizard forces can compensate for the punishment of the soul contract, some people will certainly do it. In order to minimize the possibility of betrayal by the buyer and indirectly increase the cost of intentionally violating the soul contract, Noland Lee decides: Currently, only knowledge skills will be sold. Once the buyer reaches a certain level of spending with him, Noland Lee will sell magic array blueprints to the buyer. For this purpose, Noland Lee has designed a membership system. This membership system will gradually improve with the expansion of the number of buyers. Now, there is no need for Noland Lee to include the membership system in the contract since he currently only has Mabel as a customer. Mabel, in the soul contract, I only mentioned that I can sell magical knowledge not involving magic array blueprints, but I didnt elaborate on what those knowledge items are. Noland Lee said calmly: After you sign this contract, I will show you the selectable knowledge. If youre unsatisfied with the knowledge I provide, our transaction will be terminated. According to Article 3 of the contract, if the parties do not reach a transaction, the buyer does not need to pay any fees but must keep the sellers provided knowledge list confidential. Otherwise, the buyer shall be punished according to the terms of Article 4. The knowledge list itself is also protected by the soul contract. I hope you understand this, maam. Mabel stared at the contract and nodded thoughtfully: Alright, Ray Lee. I see that clause. In addition to that clause, I also noticed a particular contract term. Mabel held the soul contract and read it word by word: The parties cannot use this soul contract as a threat to force the other party or someone closely related to the other party to work for them. Mabel put down the soul contract: Its clear that youve thought things through, considering all sorts of obscure situations. Im willing to sign this soul contract. Im glad you can accept it. Noland Lee raised his hand, pointed at a clause in the contract, and said: But I have to remind you, did you notice Article 1, section 3? This article is about the transaction process. The way I provide you knowledge will also be protected by the contract. If you accidentally reveal the way I provide knowledge, you will also be punished by the contract. Mabel glanced at the contract: Yes, I noticed. Im curious about how special your way of providing knowledge is. You cant really transfer knowledge like a professor, can you? Noland Lee smiled mysteriously and said nothing. Without saying anything else, Mabel grabbed the magic pen and wrote her name on the contract. The contract turned into a white light, split into two, and shot into their heads. Accompanied by a message from the system, the transaction contract between Noland Lee and Mabel officially took effect. Chapter 494 - Chapter 494: 161. Sacred Position Achievement”_3 Chapter 494: 161. Sacred Position Achievement_3 This contract is eternal. It will persist indefinitely. The contract will become invalid only when one party is deceased, or both parties agree to terminate the contract. Once the contract becomes invalid, all the knowledge Noland Lee had shared with Mabel would be erased by the contract. To some extent, this prevents instances where the buyer pays first and kills the seller afterward to regain their assets. Mabel sat on the sofa and took a deep breath: Alright, Ray Lee. The contract has been established. There are some gold coins left in the manors treasure vault. If your knowledge satisfies me, I will fulfill your request. Soul contracts also come in various ranks. The contract signed by Noland Lee and Mabel is the lowest-ranked one, without the Soul Perception effect. The rank of the contract has no impact on the penalties and efficiency of the contract, only affecting the additional effects brought by the contract. Soul Perception is one of those additional effects. Other than that, there are the soul positioning which continually locates both parties of the contract; the soul attribution where, after the death of one party, their soul becomes the property of the other party; the soul division, where any soul fragments obtained by either party must be shared with the other party, and so on. To create a soul contract with the Soul Perception effect, Noland Lee needs to infuse a full thousand points of Soul Strength into the contract. Before obtaining the River of Mind: The Lower Scroll, Noland Lee had indeed intended to do so. But at this point today, Noland Lee has found a mental magic substitute for Soul Perception from the River of Mind: The Lower Scroll. This magic spell is the famous Mind Induction, which allows Noland Lee to transmit mental information to the target of the spell. Mabel. Noland Lees voice resonated in the depths of Mabels mind, ethereal and illusory, like a distant call carried by the mountain wind. Mabel shuddered slightly and stared wide-eyed at Noland Lee, her mouth involuntarily opening a crack. Youyouve actually mastered this magic spell Mabels eyes seemed somewhat dazed. She recognized what this magic spell was. The sudden display of Noland Lees mental magic prowess left her stunned. Raising his index finger to his lips and keeping his mouth closed, Noland Lee spoke through Mind Induction alone: Empty your mind and do not be wary of me. As my customer, your body, mind, and soul are protected by the soul contract, and I shall not carry out any action detrimental to you. From now on, we shall communicate using our minds alone, which can prevent leaving any trace of our transaction in the material world. Messia raised her hand and pressed it against her chest, covered by her silky coat. After striving to calm her inner turmoil, she said in her heart: Im wearing a magic pendant that resists mental magic. Logically, this pendant should react to your Mind Induction, so why is there no response? Without needing Noland Lees answer, Messia came up with one herself: I understand now! Your mental magic prowess is truly astonishing! Although my pendant is a high-grade magic tool, your mental magic prowess is even higher, possibly even at the Saint-level. Thats why you can bypass the protection of the pendant and cast Mind Induction on me! Noland Lee listened with a stunned expression. Messia has a high-grade magic pendant protecting her mental magic on her body?! Oh dear. How would he know this Where was this pendant hidden? Noland Lee scanned the bulging full moons and the fair neck of the woman, and faintly saw a silver necklace under the collar of her clothing. Targeting the short section of the necklace inside the collar and casting Deconstruction, the corners of Noland Lees mouth twitched imperceptibly. It was indeed a high-grade magic pendant. Not only could it resist mental magic, but it could also protect Messias soul. It was probably due to the existence of this necklace that Messia was immune to the alien space noise while inside the pollution zone. Now this was awkward. Respecting the principle of not looking where it was inappropriate, Noland Lee never paid close attention to the specific details of women and failed to notice the existence of the magic pendant in a timely manner. If he had known earlier that Messia was wearing such a magical item, he would have asked her to remove the pendant first before casting Mind Induction. But the question was, why didnt that pendant respond to his Mind Induction? Noland Lee checked his own spell list. His Mind Induction had just been obtained not long ago, with a 10% completeness level and a Level 1 rating. A Level 1 Mind Induction is only effective for targets within three meters of him. When leveling up, one can choose between strengthening the sensing range or increasing the number of targets sensed. Most importantly, written clearly on the panel of Mind Induction, this is just a high-rank mental magic spell, not a Saint-level spell. In theory, it should not be able to bypass the high-rank magic pendant Could it be because my mental magic is immune to the backlash of magic?! Noland Lees heart skipped a beat. He consumed some Energy Points to deconstruct Messias magic pendant. A magic effect appeared in the Deconstruction Results. [Magic Effect] [Name] Reflect Mental Magic [Level] 70 [Type] Passive Skills [Charge Count] 70/70 [Effect] When the wearer of the magic pendant is affected by any mental magic, the pendant will automatically reflect the mental magic, causing mental magic backlash to the caster. So thats how it is Noland Lee secretly nodded, understanding the reason now. Normally, when a Mental Wizard casts mental magic, they will also be affected by it. This is the magic backlash that every Mental Wizard cannot bypass. During the Harmless Deconstruction of the Spell Blueprints, the Deconstruction Technique removed the backlash effect of the mental magic. Noland Lee originally thought that the backlash effect removed by the Deconstruction Technique only referred to the magic backlash he would suffer when casting mental magic. Now it seems that the removed backlash effect also includes the backlash effect formed when mental magic is reflected. Awesome, System. Turns out that when I cast mental magic, I wont even be afraid of magic reflection. Youre really something, System. Noland Lee gave a thumbs up in his heart. He steadied his mind, and with a calm and composed demeanor, he displayed a profound and unpredictable image in front of Mabel. Noland Lee nodded slightly and spoke through his mind: Yes, maam. I do have some accomplishments in mental magic. Now lets get to the point. Mabel stared at Noland Lee, her eyes sparkling, and involuntarily brought a trace of awe into her gaze. A male wizard with saint-level mental magic accomplishments was sitting right in front of her, and was even willing to lower his posture for equal communication and paid knowledge sharing. Just this honor alone was enough to make Mabels heart throb incessantly. Why was she being valued so much by the other party? Was it because of her wealth? Definitely not! It must be her unintentional expression of thirst for knowledge that caught the other partys attention! When she thought about the terrifying aspect of Saint-level mental magic, Mabels awe in her heart increased: No wonder he was chosen by Denise Green to become her Contractor. Even I am a little tempted Ahem, maam, our Mind Induction has not been interrupted yet. Noland Lee awkwardly touched his nose. Mabel was first taken aback, then her cheeks rose with redness that spread to the roots of her ears As an elegant woman like a young married woman, her blushing face had its unique charm. Mind Induction has this disadvantage. Because the constant chatter in peoples minds is considered mental activity, both parties can clearly sense each others mental activities during Mind Induction. However, there is an exception. Noland Lees mental activity of thinking about the backlash effect does not transfer to Mabel. Noland is protected by the System, and none of his internal thoughts will be transmitted. Not only that, but any information related to the System will also be blocked by it and will absolutely not be leaked in any way or through any channel. Noland Lee cant even write down the words Deconstruction Core System with pen and paper, let alone reveal the existence of the System via Soul Perception and psychic sense. It was the conclusion he reached after getting the Mind Induction spell and repeated experiments with Denise Green. Chapter 495 - Chapter 495: 162. Instilling knowledge Chapter 495: 162. Instilling knowledge Mabel Just as Noland Lee was about to speak using Mind Induction, Mabel interrupted him. Please give me some time. I need to get used to speaking with my mind. Mabel rubbed her blushing cheeks a few times and reluctantly adapted to this spell that directly reached the mind. Alright, Mabel. Noland responded with his usual expression. About ten seconds later, the blush on Mabels face faded, and she controlled the fluctuations at the mental level, signaling Noland that he could begin. Noland nodded slowly and started the conversation: Over a month ago, the Blackbone Hermit occupied the Demon Rat Nest. At that time, Philia was struggling with how to deal with the Blackbone Hermit, who had high elemental resistance. I had planned on improving the Death Threaded Wand and discussing with you whether I could share death-type magic knowledge with you for a price. However, that plan was interrupted by some conflicts. Fortunately, those conflicts were resolved timely, and no irreparable rift had occurred between us. Mabel showed an apologetic expression and slightly bowed, speaking with her mind: Yes, I remember this matter. As Philias mentor, I should have given her more guidance on how to deal with Hickman Arlington. Because of my negligence, you and Hickman Arlington had a conflict. I apologize for that. Noland returned a gentle smile: Its not your fault, Mabel. I wouldnt hold a grudge over such a small matter. My question is, do you still need death-type magic knowledge? I can provide handmade death-type magic wands, magic robes, magic organs, or encyclopedic knowledge of death-type magical items. Mabel placed her folded right arm on the sofa armrest, supporting her chin with the back of her right hand, lost in thought. Noland didnt reveal all the knowledge he had mastered in one go. It was a cautious approach. On the one hand, he could keep his trump cards to himself, so they wouldnt be seen all at once by the trading partner, which would allow him more pricing power and make him more mysterious. On the other hand, Noland was well aware that the amount of knowledge he possessed now was insufficient to completely convince a sixth-ring elemental wizard. Directly presenting the list of his accumulated knowledge might backfire. Once he accumulates magic knowledge in more than a dozen different fields in the future, he might be able to slap the knowledge list on the trading table. But for now, using a chat approach similar to Assisting in Delivery Technique to precisely address the clients needs was more effective. Mabel spoke while deep in thought: After I shared the collaboration between Alchemy Cathedral and extraterrestrial space pollution with the Wizard Advancement Association, they relieved me of the responsibility of being forced to terminate my research on Aberration Magic. They will assign me a new research task within half a year. Philia and the others will stay at the Elemental Judgement Headquarters, continuing to learn elemental magic. As for me I will go somewhere else to carry out a new research task. Mabel searched her magic pouch and pulled out a notebook, opening it before handing it to Noland. The page of the notebook recorded several places where research tasks were available. Please take a look, Ray Lee. These are the research tasks provided by the Wizard Advancement Association for me to choose from. What do you think, in terms of the knowledge you have, would be the better choice for me? Noland took the notebook from her. His gaze rested on the open page, but the Deconstruction Technique helped him obtain all the contents of the notebook. From the Deconstruction results, the notebook was Mabels work diary, recording her daily work summaries. Since the Alchemy Cathedral did not allow her to research Aberrations, Mabel focused her daily work on researching Alchemy Cats and training wizard students. These two research projects, which were also established by the Wizard Advancement Association, had a lower importance than researching Aberrations but could still receive a considerable score. Through the achievements in research and training wizard students, Mabels research tasks received a total score of 61, which reached the passing line set by the Wizard Advancement Association. As a result, after being forced to terminate her research task on Aberrations, she was not punished by the Wizard Advancement Association. These contents were all recorded on the other pages of the notebook. With the help of the Deconstruction Technique, Noland acquired all of them. Apart from these, the notebook also recorded a matter that Mabel did not mention. This matter related to Mabels promotion to a Seventh Ring Wizard and her transition from a mentor to a Lecturer Professor. Within Ulnas Circle, most of the time, the promotion to the Seventh Ring and the promotion to the position of Lecturer Professor occurred simultaneously and could be considered one event. The promotion requirements were simple: Obtain a score of 95 or higher in any of the research tasks issued by the Wizard Advancement Association. Once this requirement is met, Mabel would receive massive training resources and be able to become a Seventh Ring Wizard and a Lecturer Professor. Since Mabel was asking Noland for his thoughts, if Nolands answer only stayed at the superficial level of which task is better, it would somewhat contradict his image. His response had to come from the angle of which research task has a better chance of obtaining a score of 95, to directly target Mabels genuine needs. Only then would Mabel be willing to spend her money willingly. This was not difficult for Noland. Chapter 496 - Chapter 496: 162. Instilling Knowledge_2 Chapter 496: 162. Instilling Knowledge_2 The opened page of the diary listed three geographical locations and three main research tasks. Location 1: Kashel Continent C Lament Mountains C Firefall Castle Main Research Task: Firefall Castle is inhabited by hundreds of thousands of frenzied Ash Spirits. Find a way to communicate with Ash Spirits normally, and reach a friendly magic research contract with them. Only by helping at least one Ash Spirit join the Ulnas Circle can you receive an evaluation of 95 points. Location 2: Kashel Continent C Howling Cloud Summit C Eternal Lightning Ravine Main Research Task: For a long time, the Eternal Lightning Ravine has been occupied by millions of Lightning Phantoms. Countless predecessors have proven that Lightning Phantoms cannot communicate and cannot complete magic enlightenment. Find a way to domesticate Lightning Phantoms as magic partners or transform them into magic puppets. Fulfill any requirement to receive an evaluation of 95 points. Location 3: Ancient Lomis Continent C Outermost C Land of Wicked Desolation Main Research Task: Ancient Lomis Continent is a synonym for the dark continent. The outermost place is called the Land of Wicked Desolation. There are tens of millions of Dread Demons wandering there. Dread Demons cannot communicate, cannot be enlightened by magic, cannot be domesticated as magic partners, and cannot be transformed into magic puppets. Your task there is to find a way to confront the Dread Demons or find a way to eradicate them forever. Find a way to confront the Dread Demons to receive an evaluation of 95 points. If you can find a way to permanently eradicate them, you will receive a full score of 100 points. Three task locations, three research tasks, and increasing difficulty for each task. With Denise Greens help, Noland Lee was not completely in the dark when he saw the names of Firefall Castle, Eternal Lightning Ravine, and Land of Wicked Desolation. He knew these three places, and knew what extraordinary creatures existed there, as well as their temperaments. The Ash Spirits of Firefall Castle were also known as Flame Frenzied Spirits in the Realm of Wizards. These were a group of insane fire creatures trying to burn everything with flames. There were many useful magic materials on the bodies of Ash Spirits, which were greatly beneficial to Flame Wizards and Fire Elemental Wizards. Wizard forces stationed around Firefall Castle regularly cleaned up Ash Spirits on the outskirts, harvesting one batch after another of magic materials. Due to this, the Ash Spirits that kept emerging from Firefall Castle did not plague the Lament Mountains. The Lightning Phantoms of Eternal Lightning Ravine, true to their name, were ethereal beings that hold the power of thunder and lightning. Their situation was similar to the Ash Spirits, as they were regularly harvested for their inherent magical value. Both were extraordinary beings that could be controlled and restricted by wizards. Dread Demons of the Land of Wicked Desolation were different. Ulnas Circle conducted extensive research on them, and eventually drew some basic conclusions: Dread Demons appeared as a mass of black fog. They were not ethereal beings, nor did they possess any physical form. They were energy beings composed of a part of shadow energy and a part of mental energy. This unique bodily structure determined that Dread Demons were naturally gifted with superior shadow and mental extraordinary abilities and could be reborn from the shadow area of the Land of Wicked Desolation after death. From beginning to end, the two extraordinary creatures, Lightning Phantom and Dread Demon, were somewhat related to the magic knowledge Noland possessed. Since Lightning Phantoms were ethereal beings, magic knowledge related to soul and ethereal modification in Soul Sculpting Magic would definitely come in handy. Similarly, the knowledge of death-type magic obtained from Martyrs Ten Commandments could also help Mabel. Magic knowledge of the mind obtained from the River of Mind volumes one, two, and three would definitely be useful against Dread Demons extraordinary abilities involving Shadows Faction and mental power. As for which research task to specifically recommend Mabel Noland considered briefly and weighed the pros and cons before having a clear answer: I suggest you choose the second research task, Mabel. I happen to have some death-type magic things related to ethereal beings here, and they should be able to help you. If you can find a way to avoid the lightning attacks of the Lightning Phantoms, the death-type magical items I give you would be enough to help you transform them into magic puppets. Mabels eyes brightened, and her mouth curved into a smile. Seeing Mabel suddenly full of enthusiasm, Noland shook his hand to remind her: Dont get too excited. The magical things I provide to you do not include blueprint, only a death-type magical devices user manual and the magical device itself. I will help you make the required death-type magical devices for the task, and after that, you need to operate them on your own based on the knowledge I impart to you, and then complete the research task. Also, when you write your research report, be sure to label the death-type magic devices and knowledge you used as personal spoils of war from exploring magic relics and lost sub-dimensional planes. This requirement is mentioned in the second clause of the soul contract, so please pay attention. To go along with your exploration activities mentioned in the report, you need to plan to disappear from everyones sight for a period. Yes, Ray Lee. I will be careful and absolutely not reveal any secrets. Mabel nodded solemnly and said with a smile. Exploring magical relics and searching for lost sub-dimensional planes were the adventurous processes that could harvest non-native wizard forces magical knowledge. This was one of the few legal ways to master cross-disciplinary magical knowledge within the interior of Ulnas Circle. Chapter 497 - Chapter 497: 162. Instilling knowledge_3 Chapter 497: 162. Instilling knowledge_3 Magic relics are fraught with dangerous magic traps, and guarded by deadly extraordinary creatures. Not to mention lost sub-dimensional planes, the randomness of opening and closing their entrances alone is enough to deter most wizards. No one knows whether the entrance to the sub-dimensional plane will close immediately after they enter, and it may not open again for decades or even centuries. The act of Noland Lees knowledge trade, to a large extent, is similar to directly placing the treasures of magic relics and sub-dimensional planes in front of Mabel. Using magic relics and sub-dimensional planes as the sources of unknown knowledge is enough to launder these pieces of knowledge. This is the common knowledge in the Realm of Wizards that Noland Lee learned from Denise Green. Denise herself never did this, but during her stay in the Ulnas Circle, she had heard about many such deeds. Most magic relics and sub-dimensional spaces, whose specific positions and opening times cannot be observed, are hard to be traced by the Wizard Enforcers when used for laundering knowledge. Therefore, the Wizard Enforcement Department of the Ulnas Circle turns a blind eye to it, pretending not to know about it. When Noland Lee learned about these practices, he asked Denise a question: If exploring magic relics and sub-dimensional planes could yield knowledge of other fields, why do the knowledge barriers still exist among different fields? The answer is straightforward. Magic relics are relics because they are destroyed. Either destroyed by hostile wizard forces or by extraterrestrial space pollution. No matter what external force destroyed the predecessor of the magic relic, it means that the magic treasure inside the relic is ragged and may even be contaminated with ineradicable extraterrestrial space pollution. The situation in the lost sub-dimensional planes is similar. Initially, Noland Lee thought that the magic treasure brought out from the magic relics would be an old but complete magic book. In fact, it would be a few dirty papers barely surviving from attacks such as electric shocks, fires, water immersion, acid erosion, etc. It is challenging to garner a systematic magic knowledge based merely on these waste papers. It is this point that slows down the speed of knowledge flow across fields. Of course, under extremely lucky circumstances, it is still possible to bring out relatively complete magic devices and knowledge from magic relics and sub-dimensional planes. Mabel can use her luck as an excuse to launder the knowledge and equipment she bought from Noland Lee. CIt is probably because many people have done so, hence the rumors in the Realm of Wizards about a large number of people reaping full profits from magic relics. Regardless of the truth, nothing can hinder the completion of this transaction. Noland Lee reviews the knowledge in his mind and finds some content that meets Mabels needs. He picks the most fitting one and describes it to Mabel: Its like this, Mabel. The magic device Im about to sell you can transform mindless wraith spirits into spectral ghosts with action logic, so you can turn them into magic puppets through spirit branding. I will now teach you the knowledge required to manipulate this magic device. As for the magic device, I will contact you after you reach the task location, and we will discuss how to build this set of devices and how to make it appear in front of the wizard students. Do you think my arrangement is acceptable? Acceptable! I am very satisfied, Mabel whispered joyfully in a low voice. She folded her hands in front of her and a smile spread across her face: Lets do as you say. How much gold do you think I should pay? Well Noland Lee pondered: The magic device I am about to sell you is very valuable as it includes a complete death class array. If you are willing to research, you can infer other related arrays from this. The process of developing these derivative arrays is also a process of self-studying death-type magic knowledge. You will gain a lot of additional knowledge from this magic device. Do you think Im right? Yes, I agree with your view. Mabel nodded repeatedly. As a witch having been in the profession for many years, her strength, reaching up to the sixth ring, is the best proof of her vast magic experience. She is very clear about how important the device Noland Lee is selling is. The finished magic device is not just a simple device, but rather, it is more like a magic device template that can be copied exactly. Within its given framework, adjusting parameters inside the device, and placing the right magic materials, can develop new uses of the device. This research process cannot be separated from Mabels own investment and efforts, but the key still lies in the magic device offered by Noland Lee. Lets do this, Mabel. Lets settle the payment in three stages. First, you pay a down payment of 50,000 gold coins, which is the average price for buying a high-level magic ring in the Ulnas Circle. I will now teach you the instruction manual for the death-type magic device. Second, when you reach your next research task location, I will come to you and build this magic device for you. You will bear the cost of the materials for the magic device, besides, you also need to pay me 100,000 gold coins as my labor fee. Lastly, when the magic device is working correctly, you need to pay 350,000 gold coins on the spot as final payment. Altogether, you need to pay 500,000 gold coins for the magic device and knowledge. Do you think this arrangement is acceptable? Chapter 498 - Chapter 498: 162. Instill Knowledge_4 Chapter 498: 162. Instill Knowledge_4 No problem~ Mabel clapped her hands and smiled joyfully. Noland Lee was delighted to see that Mabel seemed wealthier than he had imagined. Give me some time to organize the knowledge, and then Ill pass it on to you. Alright, Ray Lee. Mabel nodded, her eyes filled with anticipation. Noland sat on the sofa and deactivated Mind Induction. He closed his eyes, pulled up his Personal Panel in the darkness, and carefully selected the knowledge he had mastered. After stripping away its Extraordinary Abilities to control lightning, the Lightning Phantom was simply a Wraith Spirit. Mabel could complete the step of stripping away the lightning abilities on her own. So, the key was how to transform the Wraith Spirit into a Magic Puppet. Spectral Ghosts and Wraith Spirits, these two Ethereal Beings, might sound similar, but they were worlds apart. Spectral Ghosts had minds, could think, and had their own set of action logic. Wraith Spirits, on the other hand, didnt have minds or consciousness and would only act according to their crazed instincts. To transform a Wraith Spirit into a Magic Puppet that a magic user could control, a Death-type Array that would grant action logic was indispensable. Noland knew such an Array. In the Construction Blueprint of the Undead Soldier Factory, there was a Death-type Magical Facility called Sorrowful Soul Burial Ground, which could grant action logic to Ethereal Beings. He opened the construction blueprint for the Sorrowful Soul Burial Ground, cast Deconstruction, and consumed Energy Points to learn it. Noland easily imprinted this blueprint in his mind. He read through it carefully, nodding to himself, his mind having a good grasp of the direction to take. The Sorrowful Soul Burial Ground was composed of three parts: the Soul-Settling Stele, the Soul Conversion Pool, and the Sorrowful Inscriptions. The Soul-Settling Stele was responsible for storing souls and ethereal beings, the Soul Conversion Pool would transform ethereal beings, and the Sorrowful Inscriptions recorded the conversion rules of the pool. He broke down and simplified these three components, made adjustments, extracted the parts needed by Mabel, then packaged and integrated them into a completely different Death-type Magic Device. Thus, a new magic device blueprint was created based on the Sorrowful Soul Burial Ground, designed and drawn by Noland himself. Noland named this blueprint Death Device for Converting Lightning Ghosts into Magic Puppets, or simply Death Device. In the future, with this blueprint and the necessary materials, the corresponding magic device could be constructed. The designer of the Sorrowful Soul Burial Ground was Professor Dekart, the mastermind behind the Death Herald Guild. Noland could guarantee that even if Professor Dekart got hold of the Death Device blueprint, he would never recognize its origin, let alone infer the relationship between the blueprint and the Sorrowful Soul Burial Ground. If even the original author couldnt recognize the modified blueprint, wouldnt this Death Device be Nolands original creation? To say he plagiarized or imitated would be utterly baseless slander. Noland cast Deconstruction on the Death Device. The deconstruction result showed that this blueprint was indeed feasible and contained no flaws. Nolands mind was set at ease. As for where the instruction manual for the magic device came from, that was even simpler. He just needed to copy the Effects and Instructions from the Panel Information obtained through deconstruction, add the usage instructions for the Sorrowful Soul Burial Ground, and then delete and reduce as necessary to create the correct instruction manual. Noland took some time to complete these tasks. He opened his eyes, nodded to Mabel, who was watching him, and activated the Mind Induction connection with her once more. Empty your mind, Mabel. I will use Mental Magic to infuse the instruction manual for the magic device into your mind. Hearing this, Mabel shivered, her face filling with even more awe and visible tension. Relax, Mabel, relax. Dont tense up your facial muscles. Noland spoke gently: You can close your eyes and lean back on the cushion. That might help you relax a bit more. Okay. Mabel adjusted her sitting position, propped her head up with her arm, and relaxed on the sofa. When her breathing became steady, Noland activated another Mental Magic spell he had just acquired and set it in motion. The spell was called Mind Infusion, with a completeness of 20%, the highest level, which could not be upgraded. With it, Noland could infuse knowledge into the target of Mind Induction. The types of knowledge included text information, static and dynamic images, memory fragments, sounds, and scents. The flaw of this spell was that the infusion took a long time. Normally, a Mind Infusion for transmitting the usage instructions of the Death Device would only take about 10 minutes. But in Nolands hands, the infusion time was extended to 50 minutes. Noland performed a series of operations in his mind, and the Mind Infusion officially began. Mabel suddenly sensed strange patterns and characters appearing before her eyes. She was momentarily taken aback but quickly forced herself to calm down. The Mind Infusion proceeded without interruption, unaffected by Mabels slip. Seeing that Mabel didnt panic and make a mistake, Noland secretly praised her while maintaining the casting state of Mind Infusion. The hidden chamber was silent, with only the faint sound of breathing rising and falling. Chapter 499 - Chapter 499: 163. Underground Adventure” Chapter 499: 163. Underground Adventure Over an hour later, inside the single cottage in Sector 7. Noland Lee had finished imparting knowledge to Mabel. He entered his study room and summoned Denise Green. Under her gaze, Noland took out ten gold bars and a few gold coins and placed them on the table. Denise, put away these coins and gold bars. Lets briefly go over our accounts. Noland took a seat beside the desk. Denise smoothed her skirt and sat down opposite Noland. She took out the notebook she usually used for accounting, and spoke as she wrote: The reward from the Alchemy Cathedral is worth 500 gold coins. The payment from the sale of alchemy weaponry is 25,000 gold coins. Mabel has paid a deposit of exactly 50,000 gold coins for the purchase of knowledge. Hmm~ including the previous sales of Life Elixir, we now have a total of about 83,000 gold coins. According to the minimum standard, the funds needed for the island project are 150,000 gold coins, we have already achieved half of it~ Noland nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly remembered something. Oh, right, its more than half. I also have an Alchemy Water Well here. Noland rummaged in the Blood Haven and found the Sage Particles in the corner, placing them on the tabletop. Denise looked at the white beads on the table, blinked, and asked: Is this what you found in the Fissure Corridor? Yes. The Pollution Zone appeared too suddenly, so for now, Ive only found one Alchemy Water Well. Noland pushed the white-glowing bead in front of Denise: Here, keep it safe. Once weve bought the island, well use it as a Magic Water Purifier. Okay~ Denise rummaged in her magic pouch, took out a separate metal box, and enclosed the Sage Particles. She picked up the pen, wrote a few lines in the account book, and asked simultaneously: How much freshwater does this Alchemy Water Well produce? Referring to the deconstruction results in his mind, Noland said: Its badly damaged now, with a water output of about 10 tons every 24 hours. If its repaired, the output will increase to 15 tons. 15 tons~ Denise wrote as she spoke with a smile: A small Magic Water Purifier has a daily output of only 15 tons. We can save the money wed spend on buying a small Magic Water Purifier. Thats about 7,000 gold coins. Noland pondered: Hmm using the Alchemy Water Well to obtain freshwater has a drawback. We need to use an Alchemy Stone to activate it and expand it into Sage Space. Doing so will also narrow our Spiritual Ocean. So using the Alchemy Water Well to replace the Magic Water Purifier is only an option when funds are tight. In the future, once we have sufficient funds, well still need to buy a Magic Water Purifier. Denise propped her chin on the pen barrel, considering the matter. She slowly nodded, seemingly having made up her mind, and smiled warmly: Youre usually busy outside. Letting you bear the mental burden of the Alchemy Water Well will somewhat negatively impact your strength. Let me take on the mental burden of the Alchemy Water Well. Ive already completed the alchemy knowledge of the Alchemy Cathedral over the years. As long as I review it a bit, I can pass the Independent Alchemist Exam and get my own Alchemy Stone. Facing Denises kindness, Noland didnt refuse. No problem, Denise. Ill leave this to you. However, Ive been thinking. We wont obtain the Alchemy Stone through the Alchemy Cathedral. What? Confusion flickered in Denises eyes, and she didnt understand Nolands meaning for a moment. I dont know how to explain it to you for now. Noland waved his index finger: Just remember one thing. The Alchemy Stone and Sage Particles will be in your control. But your Alchemy Stone will be created by the Spirit Soul Transposition Ceremony I prepare. We wont use the Alchemy Cathedrals or any other forces. Denise was stunned, looking a bit dazed: Your prepared Spirit Soul Transposition Ceremony Yes, the one I prepare. This matter isnt urgent, lets discuss it when we get to the Suman Archipelago. Noland waved his hand, moving on from the topic: Help me see if there are any other magical devices that can be replaced with Sage Particles? Oh, well alright. Denise came back from her daze, lowered her eyes to the account book: Food prices on the Suman Archipelago are expensive. Even seafood needs to be processed by a Magic Purifier before consumption. In order to eat normally, we need to buy food ingredients produced by Magic Farmland and fruit from Magical Orchards and a Magic Cooking Machine. The Magic Cooking Machine can be saved, and we can cook by ourselves or have Magic Servants do it. The crops and fruits produced by Magic Farmland and Orchards can be replaced by Sage Space that produces food ingredients. Denise paused, continuing: Also, we need to purchase construction materials to renovate the island. If we can find a Sage Space that produces construction materials, we can save about 30,000 gold coins in construction costs. Alright, Denise. I got it. Sage Spaces that produce food ingredients and construction materials. Noland clapped his hands and stood up from the chair: Ill make a trip to the Fissure Corridor now. For the next few days, Ill be staying underground a lot. Just wait for me in the house. Okay~ Denise put the account book, gold bars, and gold coins into her pocket and summoned a torch. Well, Im off. Denise waved and teleported away amid the flickering firelight. After checking the tools he carried with him, Noland rubbed the Illusion Ring on his finger, cast the Illusionary Body Technique, and entered the invisibility status. Chapter 500 - Chapter 500: 163.Underground Adventure”_2 Chapter 500: 163.Underground Adventure_2 He transformed into a white skull, flew out of the small cottage, and headed towards Sector 6 next door. In order to get a clear understanding of the conditions inside the Fissure Corridor, Noland Lee had been frequently exploring the underground in the past few days. For this purpose, he borrowed an Illusion Ring from Denise Green. The underground status of Sector 6 was quite bad. Starting from Underground Layer 15 all the way down to Layer 90, all the floors had collapsed. Large amounts of rubble and earth were piled up in the deformed walkways, blocking the way. Even the cylindrical vertical cliff extending downward had broken into several segments. The Alchemy Cathedral organization had people investigating the specifics of the underground collapse. From their plan to repair the corridor to its actual completion, it was estimated to take about a year. During this year, people on the surface who wanted to reach Black City could only take a few of the remaining well-preserved vertical shafts. Apart from these usable shafts, all other places had been marked with Collapses ahead, road impassable signs. This was what Derek Davis of the Golden Merchants Sword and Noland Lee had discussed. Derek, who had worked with Noland twice, would spend a whole year underground. The security members of the Iron Thorn Shield, such as Kent, Mark, and Fars Scott, were doing the same. Repairing the Fissure Corridor required a massive investment of resources, which inevitably spurred the alchemy workshops on the surface to operate at full capacity. Subsequent consequences included a surge in the price of building materials, an increase in labor wages, and bustling activity in the Lower Town Alchemy Workshops. In the past few days, Noland Lee had seen many alchemists carrying building materials into the underground with Alchemy Stones. Sector 6 was currently ownerless, and no one had come to repair the corridor for now. Furthermore, due to the severity of the corridor collapse, there were hardly any people in Sector 6. Noland, in the form of an invisible skull, flew into the underground tunnel of Sector 6 and continued down to Layer 15. The space available for human activity here was extremely limited. As soon as Noland Lee passed through the sluice gate of the staircase, he was stopped by a heap of rubble blocking the walkway. With the aid of Life and Death Tracking and Deconstruction magic, Noland examined the narrow and crowded walkway in its entirety. After confirming that there was no prying gaze here, he took out a homemade alchemy tool from the folding space of his backpack. This alchemy tool had a barrel-shaped appearance, with a built-in spiral metal drill bit. Noland named it Tubular Excavation Device. By placing one end against the rubble pile, the internal drill bit would dig into it. As the drill bit moved forward every few centimeters, the metal casing outside the bit would follow, supporting the circular tunnel created by the drilling. At the moment when the drill bit made a hole through the pile of rubble, a metal tunnel with a diameter of about 15 centimeters would be formed on the rubble. But how could Noland get in through such a small metal tunnel? There were two solutions: one was to use the recently acquired Death Flight, and the other was to utilize the features of Breath of the Dead. When Noland activated Breath of the Dead, he would enter his Skeleton Form. In this state, he could divide himself into six segments: skull, torso, legs, and arms. Each segment had its own magic vision C the skull could see its surroundings clearly, while the torso, legs, and arms had a magic vision of 30 degrees straight ahead. All Noland had to do was put his arms in the metal tube, and the rest of the operation could be completed. As for the skull, torso, and legs, he just needed to hide them somewhere safe. He had tried this set of actions many times, and no accidents had ever happened. As for why he didnt use Death Flight to get into the metal tube it had to do with a terrible past experience. At first, Noland indeed used Death Flight in conjunction with the Tubular Excavation Device. However, due to the extremely narrow space behind the obstacle, he simply couldnt control the excavation device when transformed back into a human form. In contrast, the smaller space occupied by his bone arms allowed for easy control of the excavation device. So, after several attempts, Noland decided to use Breath of the Dead with the excavation device. This time was no exception. His bone arms entered the metal tube and arrived at the back of the rubble pile. The space behind the rubble was a very crowded corridor void. It was pitch black without a shred of light. Moreover, due to the rubble blocking the path, the air there could hardly circulate with the outside, creating a particularly oppressive atmosphere. Nolands arms pulled out the drill bit and metal casing from the rubble and continued to drill through another pile of rubble, entering another walkway sealed by debris. Repeating the same process more than ten times, Nolands arms finally reached their destination. It was the southeast corner of Underground Layer 15, a place used for cooking and lighting fires 30 years ago. The Sages Space, which produced carrots, tomatoes, flour, and salt, was arranged in the form of an alchemical ingredient cabinet in the corner. Now, this Sages Space was buried under rubble. Noland would have to spend some effort using his arms and the Tubular Excavation Device to dig out a tunnel leading to the alchemical ingredient cabinet. This job required patience and time, without being interrupted. Noland used his bone legs to hold his skull and bone torso, hopping around on the ground to find a safe place to hide them. His bone arms, on the other hand, were working hard thousands of meters away from the skull. Digging out a tunnel using the Tubular Excavation Device allowed his bone arms to enter the alchemical ingredient cabinet. Noland then cast down Deconstruction magic in the magic vision of his bone arms to obtain the methods to crack the Sages Lock and the Sages Space Core Array. Chapter 501 - Chapter 501: 163. Underground Adventure”_3 Chapter 501: 163. Underground Adventure_3 The Rune Array on the left palm is connected to the left forearm. By placing the right forearm on the back of the left hand, the Rune Staff can be taken out of the Blood Haven, thus cracking the Sages Lock. Noland Lee was completely immersed in his work, as time quickly passed. Three hours later, the setting sun sank into the ground, Nightfall arrived, and Noland Lee finally obtained the Sage Particles that produce food ingredients using his bone double arms. It took three hours to get just one Sage Particle, such a slow progress was inevitable. The field of view of the Magic Vision on the bone double arms was very limited, only able to see things within a 30-degree angle in front. Noland Lee became disoriented several times due to the narrow vision. Alright, the most difficult step has been completed. With the rubble heap blocking the walkway, I wont have to worry about encountering others in the collapsing corridor, but going back and forth through the rubble heap is too time-consuming, Noland Lee controlled his bone double arms to dig a channel for the return trip. Noland Lee had tested before that, when his body was divided into six segments, Denise Green could not pinpoint his location. He must piece his body back together before summoning Denise Green to take him away. When Noland Lees arms broke through one pile of rubble after another using the excavation device, an unexpected voice sounded near his arms. Look what I found! A pair of bone arms that can move on their own. Is this a wonderfully created oddity or some kind of spell? Noland Lees heart sank as he felt his arms being abruptly seized and picked up from the ground by someone. The Channel-style excavation device they were holding dropped to the floor. A familiar figure appeared in the Magic Vision of his bone double arms. Nikcat. After the Pollution Zone was closed, this Ancient Tomb Wizard, who did not return to the Ground Level, had gone to the same place as Noland Lee. As a Skeleton Undead, he relied on not having to eat, excrete, or breathe to stay underground for an extended period. His Magic Pouch was wide open, continuously releasing all sorts of bone materials that transformed into Skeleton Warriors around him. These Skeleton Warriors held cross picks and chipped away at the rubble heap, clearing a path for their master. Nikcat himself, leisurely waiting for his Skeleton underlings to clear the way. Noland Lee activated Life and Death Tracking while divided into six segments. Only the Magic Vision of the skull is replaced by the Magic Vision of Life and Death Tracking. The body, legs, and arms vision will temporarily be lost, plunging into darkness. Because of this, his bone double arms could not use Life and Death Tracking to detect their surroundings while working remotely. It wasnt until Nikcat touched his bone double arms that he discovered the others presence. Nikcat repeatedly examined the newly obtained bone double arms and marvelled: How interesting. These arms are made of human bones and emit a faint magical wave. Whose limbs are you? Where is your main body? I noticed a pattern of an Array Space on the back of your left hand. There should be quite a few treasures hidden inside, right? If youre willing to hand over the treasures in the Array Space, Ill let your bone double arms go. How about it? This deal shouldnt be a loss for you. Whether you want your own arms or the treasures in the Array Space, its up to you to decide. A cunning smile appeared on Nikcats face. While he was reveling in the advantage he gained by capturing an unknown existence, he was horrified to see several half-meter-thick Black Lightning bolts shooting out of the bone right arm in his hand. Crackle! Crackle! Crackle! Boom! Boom! Boom A series of flashing lightning explosions shook the narrow, closed space. Tens of Black Lightning bolts swept through every corner of the space like a dog licking its paws. Nikcats skeleton warrior was instantly blasted into bone fragments. The bone fragments were then ground into powder by continuous black lightning. Nikcats magic robe automatically activated the Death Shield. A layer of black light shield intercepted the lightnings attack before it could hit him. The black lightning rushed against the black light shield like torrential river water, causing the magic shield to shake violently and threaten to shatter at any moment. Nikcat, terrified, hastily let go of Noland Lees bone double arms. Before he could launch a decent counterattack, the right bone arm fired a new black lightning, directly striking his face. At the same time, black lightning also shot from the fingertips of the left bone arm. Double black lightning, double fierce attack, Nikcat had no choice but to take the beating in the wild tide caused by the black lightning. Ah! Nikcat screamed, and the magic shield on his body shattered. Boom! Nikcat was struck by black lightning and instantly torn to pieces. Each of his bone fragments was swept by black lightning, turning into a handful of bone dust and scattering around. The black lightning relentlessly trampled on the remains of Nikcat and the skeleton warrior. Only when Noland Lee received the kill notification did the bone double arms stop firing black lightning. The air in the narrow space returned to stability, as dust and bone dust slowly settled. Heh, Nikcat just came to send himself to death. Instead of learning something good, he chose to learn extortion from others. Now see what happened. He not only failed to gain anything, but also lost his life. Noland Lee grinned, but soon got serious again. He steadied his mind and began to control the bone double arms to collect the spoils of war. When he used the bone arms to fire black lightning, he deliberately avoided damaging the channel-style excavation device and Nikcats magic pouch. Both items survived the battle, now laying quietly on the floor. Seeing the excavation device and magic pouch unscathed, Noland Lee secretly sighed in relief. His two bone arms swept over Nikcats remains and activated Soul Absorption. The system feedback message made Noland Lee pause. [Soul Absorption Failed!] [No soul fragments found on target!] Noland Lee turned the magic vision of his bone arms and carefully examined the surroundings. There could be many reasons for the absence of soul fragments on the remains, one of which was that someone or something else had collected them first. Could it be that something or someone was hiding in this narrow space besides his bone arms? Noland Lee took a closer look and immediately raised his eyebrows. Several blood-red flesh strips crawled out of Nikcats bones and flirted with Noland Lees bone double arms. Isnt this the weak Blood Sun Converter of the Blood Sun Seal?! Noland Lee instantly realized the seriousness of the situation. Chapter 502 - Chapter 502: 164. Silent Visitor Chapter 502: 164. Silent Visitor Upon seeing the weak Blood Sun Converter, Noland Lees first reaction was that Nikcat had been tainted by the Blood Sun Divine Seal. However, after looking at the results of Passive Deconstruction, Noland negated this speculation. The title System assigned to Nikcat did not have the words Contaminated XXXX in it. Nikcats personalized panel information obtained from deconstruction also did not possess features like Corrupted Soul or One body, two sides relating to Contaminated. So where did the weak Blood Sun Converter that emerged from Nikcats corpse come from? Noland knew something was odd and could not allow his arms to continue being separated from his body. Without any hesitation, he activated Death Two Finger and instantly killed the weak Blood Sun Converter with black lightning. After such a sharp operation, he cast Soul Absorption once more. Noland successfully obtained Nikcats soul fragments. [Soul Strength +11 points] [Soul Strength inventory is 6042 points] Nikcats soul fragments are too few, arent they? Noland manipulated his arms to clean up the battlefield while observing Nikcats panel information and recent memory fragments. A few lines of characters on the panel information and a few sinister memory fragments aroused Nolands alertness. [Soul Contract: Blood Sun Divine Seal Descendants (Invalid)] Nikcat secretly signed a soul contract with the descendants of the Blood Sun Divine Seal. You must launch the Deconstruction Technique on this soul contract from his panel when Nikcat is alive to obtain detailed information about this contract. Now, since Nikcat has died, this soul contract has become invalid, and you can no longer obtain the specific content of the contract through Deconstruction Technique. The Soul Contract entry is a subentry of Soul Strength. After Noland, Denise Green, and Mabel signed the soul contract with the original master Noland Lee Jarvis, they also unlocked the corresponding subentry. The fact that Nikcat signed a soul contract with the Blood Sun Seal Descendants puzzled Noland. Since Nikcat is already dead, Noland cannot use the Deconstruction Technique to learn the specific content of the soul contract. Fortunately, he found some clues in Nikcats recent memory fragments. So, it turns out The fake Fugidia pursued Nikcat because the Blood Sun Divine Seal Descendant had helped Nikcat. The Blood Sun Descendant drove away the fake Fugidia before she could catch up with Nikcat. After this, the Blood Sun Descendants, through the Blood Sun Converters, had a chat with Nikcat What exactly was the content of that conversation Noland carefully flipped through the memory fragments. Unfortunately, the process of the conversation between Nikcat and the Blood Sun Descendant did not appear in the memory fragments. In the memory fragments that Noland obtained, one second Nikcat saw the Blood Sun Converter, and the next second, the Blood Sun Converter in front of him had left. A long section of content in the middle was obviously artificially erased. Assuming that the erased memory content is related to the soul contract and based on the already invalid soul contract, theres no doubt that Nikcat was colluding with the Blood Sun Descendant. However, whether or not this matter involved the Lecturer Professor behind Nikcat remains unknown. The Lecturer Professor is not a babysitter, nor a monitor or guardian, so he wouldnt meddle in such matters. Assuming that Nikcat personally signed a soul contract with the Blood Sun Descendant, what did he have that the Blood Sun Descendant found valuable? Noland was somewhat puzzled and couldnt figure it out. Nikcats panel information showed that he was a pure bone frame, possessing a large amount of bone magic knowledge and some death magic. After Noland killed him, he gained some magical knowledge, several incomplete spell blueprints, and a scholarly skill. Bone Dictionary, corresponding to Bone Identification. This is a scholarly skill specifically used to test the quality and functions of bones. In addition, Wand Making Science and Magic Tailoring also increased. However, this was due to Noland breaking Nikcats Phalanx Magic Wand and Magic Robe forcibly. Nikcat himself didnt create magic wands or robes. Noland didnt gain knowledge related to these two subjects after passively deconstructing him. So, what was the Blood Sun Descendants purpose in cooperating with a wizard like Nikcat who only had expertise in bone magic knowledge? Are they after his bones? Noland chuckled in his heart. Since he couldnt figure it out, he decided to temporarily stop thinking about it. Noland manipulated his arms to collect all the corpse fragments on the scene into the Blood Haven, completely wiping out any traces of the battle. Since the weak Blood Sun Converter had just come out of Nikcats corpse, Noland decided to study Nikcats corpse thoroughly when he returned to see if there was anything special about it. Chapter 503 - Chapter 503: 164. Silent Visitor_2 Chapter 503: 164. Silent Visitor_2 After ensuring that he left no clues behind, Noland Lee began to control his arms to drill through the rubble heap, heading to reunite with his body. As for the act of killing Nikcat, would it put a bounty on his head? Theres no need to worry about that. The battlefield was located in the underground area of Sector 6. This place is officially designated by the Alchemy Cathedral as the Red-Name Area, where life and death duels can be conducted without restrictions. Noland Lee killing Nikcat here would not violate the laws of the Golden Federation or the Ulnas Circle. Half an hour later. Noland Lee picked up the bone arm on the ground and attached it to his shoulder. With two crisp clacks, the bone arm, which had been long separated from the body, returned to its place. Noland Lee stowed away the Tubular Excavation Device into the Blood Haven, and picked up Nikcats magic pouch for a closer look. The original owner had left a magic lock on this item. As Nikcat died, the magic lock dissipated along with him. However, there was no guarantee that the magic pouch didnt have any magic traps or magic mechanisms inside. Magic locks are usually linked to the Wizards Spiritual Ocean. When the Wizard dies, the magic locks naturally lift. The magic locks on the magic books carried by Fugidia, Gardner, Kevin, and Sheldon Archer were evidently from their professors, so thats why they remained after their deaths. When Noland Ly analyzed and unlocked the magic lock, he was not detected by their professors, thanks to the Systems help. Magic traps and magic mechanisms, on the other hand, are driven by independent Magic Circles. The life and death of the Wizard wouldnt influence the functioning of the magic traps and magic mechanisms. Noland Lee checked the memory fragments of Nikcat and saw that he had stored a large amount of bone material in the magic pouch, and recently acquired a Sage Particle that had just entered an ownerless state. A magic trap that could be triggered by an incorrect gesture was hidden among the mountain of bone material. This magic trap should be the only trick left in the magic pouch. Noland Lee sent a Deconstruction Technique toward the magic pouch. He needed 3000 energy points to deconstruct this magic pouch. In order to ensure that the process of opening the magic pouch goes flawlessly, and also to keep this magic pouch that had a capacity of up to 50 cubic meters, Noland Lee decided to spend the huge sum of 3000 points to analyze it and get the correct handle gesture. After a faint sense of loss, Noland Lee learned the correct way to use this magic pouch. He lifted his right bone hand, bent his middle and ring fingers, and brought the tips of these two fingers to meet the tip of his thumb. Only by sticking his hand in the magic pouch with this gesture, could he ensure that he would not trigger the magic trap. Noland Lee had to be very careful. Because the magic trap in the magic pouch was not used to attack thieves, but to destroy the contents and the magic pouch itself. The smallest error could result in the destruction of this magic pouch, which was valued at over 300 gold coins. For Noland Lee now, 300 gold coins were just a drop in the bucket, but it was a waste if he could save it. Noland Lee maintained the gesture on his hand, rummaged through the pile of bone material in the magic pouch, and found the hidden magic trap. This was a magic bone wand inscribed with a level 60 High-Explosion Magic Array, its power was enough to tear the magic pouch apart from the inside out. Noland Lee took it out of the pocket, and made a few modifications to the Magic Array pattern on it using the Rune Staff. Only after the Magic Array, which was flashing with flames on the magic bone wand, has dimmed, did Noland Lee breathe a sigh of relief. Excellent~ Noland Lee weighed the magic pouch in his hand, changing the gesture as he reached in, taking out items at will. From now on, this thing belonged to him, Noland Lee. Thanks to Brother Nikcat for this magic pouch~ Such a generous man~ Noland Lee flashed a smile, took a look at the items in the pouch, a faint disappointment flashed in his eyes. Eh, theres nothing related to the soul contract, just bone material, and more bone material, not even a backup magic wand or magic robe. Noland Lee transferred the fragments of corpses in the Blood Haven to the magic pouch. He hid the magic pouch inside his magic robe, planning to take some time to go to the Cat Society Manor and remodel the magic pouch once he returned to the surface. Just need to change the patterns and wording on the pouchs surface, and destroy the bone material inside, then it would truly belong to him, Noland Lee. Stabilizing his mind, brushed off the distractions from his heart, Noland Lee stepped into the staircase leading to the next level. The Sage Particle I got from Nikcats magic pouch produces stone bricks. As long as its regularly supplied with any type of soil, it can produce 3000 ordinary clay bricks per day. If the Construct Value of the Sage Particle is improved, the output can be raised to 5000. But uh are clay bricks suitable for building houses on islands? Noland Lee pondered in silence. He wasnt a Civil Engineering genius in his previous life and knew absolutely nothing about the construction industry. He was clueless about what kind of soil to use, how to build a foundation, let alone building a small cottage on an island. Well, I guess I should focus on collecting Sage Spaces that produce food ingredients. Building a small cottage on the island, Ill leave that to the professionals on Suman Archipelago. Noland Lee nodded, calmed down, and began to carefully search for other Sage Spaces. Half a month passed in day-to-day busyness. The turmoil caused by the Pollution Zone gradually subsided, and the Union City Undercity was completely restored to peace. The production enthusiasm triggered by the Reconstruction Corridor drove every alchemy workshop to run at full speed, producing building materials day and night. Chapter 504 - Chapter 504: 164. Silent Visitor_3 Chapter 504: 164. Silent Visitor_3 Noland Lee persists in his rigorous regimen of practicing breathing techniques, body-forging movements, and meditation methods as he continues his travels to gather resources for the Sage Space. Denise Green was no idle bystander. She immersed herself in Alchemy, laying a solid foundation for the future maintenance of the Sage Space. Noland got some books about the Suman Archipelago and deep-sea travel from Mabel, which he committed to mind before passing them on to Denise. Under Nolands arrangement, Denise devoted herself to familiarizing herself with the island life. She set aside her personal preconceptions about island life and started to construct a more detailed and realistic plan based on the factual knowledge recorded in the books. It was only then that Denise realized how rudimentary her initial plan had been. However, it was not too late; there was still time to rectify everything. As Noland and Denise were busy laying out their island life, the Elemental Judgment was steadily carrying out the aftermath of leaving Union City. Moving houses for the wizards was far more convenient than ordinary people. They only needed to neatly arrange their items and place them into the magical suitcase dedicated for long travels. When Mabel first arrived in Union City, she brought along more than twenty magic suitcases, each with a volume exceeding 500 cubic units. This was enough to pack most of their things and take them away. For living creatures such as magic cats, alchemy cats, alchemy plants, and other things that could not be put into the storage space, Mabel left them with the local Cat Society. For her, moving house was a minor issue. What was truly troublesome was the task of clarifying certain responsibilities and disentangling herself from them. The first thing was to sever her relationship with the Cat Society. She had initially invested in the Cat Society under the guise of a traveling merchant, and now she wanted to withdraw her funds. Together with the alchemical animals she left with the Cat Society, she was able to reclaim a total of more than 300 million Union Coins. As everybody knows, Union Coins are worthless outside Union City. In order to protect her wealth from shrinking away, Mabel had to exchange them into alchemy weapons and alchemy materials before leaving Union City. Noland intervened to connect Mabel to Derek Davis and Cindy, thereby introducing her to the administrator of the Golden Commerce Guild. The Golden Commerce Guild held many Life Elixirs, totaling over six million. Besides, there were numerous broken alchemy weapons recycled from the Fissure Corridor. After several rounds of negotiation with the Golden Commerce Guild, Mabel succeeded in purchasing two million life potions and hundreds of sets of alchemy weapons with the massive sum of 300 million Union Coins. Upon hearing this news, Noland could only shake his head and exclaim that Mabel was truly a rich spinster. She had once casually revealed that she came from a prominent background, backed by an ancient wizard family. It seems that Mabel was not lying. She truly had unusual financial resources. Nolands collaboration with such a witch was not for her casual wealth but for the opportunity to fill her thirst for knowledge. After solving the issue of severing relationships with the Cat Society and averting a loss of wealth, Mabel began to worry about the second issue. During her tenure as the local magic institution mentor, the number of Wandering Wizards in Union City visibly reduced. The two observers from the Death Herald Guild were dead. They were killed by the Flywing Mutants in the artificial Nest, a detail confirmed by the captured Blackbone Hermit. Fugidia from the Night Spirit Cult and Sheldon Archer from the Hotams Death Department were dead. They died within the contamination zone of the Blood Sun Seal. Nikcat under the Tomb King was dead. His death came unexpectedly, without any prior indication. For a moment, Mabel was stunned upon hearing this news from her mentor. According to Nikcats mentor, the last time Nikcat made contact was just after the contamination zone had been closed down. At that time, Nikcat claimed to be lingering in the underground passage of sector 6. So the place where Nikcat suddenly died must also be underground in sector 6. That place was designated as a no-mans land by the Alchemy Sanctuary where anyone could initiate a duel to the death without bearing any responsibility. The one who killed Nikcat bore no guilt. Upon hearing the situation, Professor Nikcat sighed without asking any further questions. The news of the wandering wizards demise didnt end there. One evening, Gilbert Winchester, the Soul Shaper, sent a message. Through Meifules professor, he informed Meifule of the death of Hickman Arlington. Winchester discovered Hickmans life and death after the pollution area was closed. Whether there was a connection between the two was unknown. Meifule has no clue. Because in her memory, Hickman Arlington, the gloomy soul shaping wizard, had left Union City long ago, hadnt he? Faced with this question, Gilbert Winchester fell into a strange silence. Meifule keenly sensed something wrong, the other partys silence transmitted subtle information. Faced with Meifules questioning, Gilbert chose to evade, revealing no further information. Meifule read into this unusual meaning. Since she had no clues at hand and was about to leave Union City, she did not investigate further. Meifule thought it was over, but it was not. Behind her back, Gilbert reported Hickmans matter to the Wizard Law Enforcement Department, asking the Wizard Enforcers to investigate on his behalf. The implication was clear. Winchester didnt trust a single word Meifule said, so he took this almost face-tearing approach to investigate the cause of Hickmans death. If he had any trust left for Meifule, he should have initiated a discussion with her about entrusting the Wizard Enforcers with the investigation. But he didnt. He bypassed Meifule directly and applied for intervention of Wizard Enforcers. This angered Meifule. She had no choice but to accept the interrogation of Wizard Enforcers. I have no concealments at all in this matter. Inside the study of Cat Society Manor. Sunlight poured through the window, casting a bright column of light inside. The atmosphere, which should have been peaceful, fell into a deathly silence due to the arrival of a unique woman. Mabel had her hands on the table; gray glowing magic chains were wrapped around her body. She, expressionless, stared at the woman sitting across the table. Mabel repeated what she had said earlier in a deep voice: No matter how many times you interrogate me with the Sword of Silence, its no use, maam. I know nothing about the cause of Hickmans death. Neither I nor my wizard students have ever taken any violent measures against him. The object referred to as the Sword of Silence, lay horizontally on the desk in front of Meifule. Its tip emanated a gray beam of light that was the source of the gray chains on Meifule. Fine beads of sweat popped up on Mabels forehead as she clearly withstood immense pressure. The Sword of Silence retracted the magic chains around Mabel soundlessly and flew over to the lady across the table. As if an agile fish, it hovered around this unique woman. Mabel breathed a sigh of relief, her body went limp and she slumped back into her chair. The owner of the Sword of Silence, uttered in an unwavering voice: Youve passed the test of the Sword of Silence, but my mission isnt over. I need your cooperation. Start by handing over all the information about the wandering wizards. Before I find the murderer, you cannot disclose my existence to anyone. Otherwise, according to the 2nd Wizard Law of Ulnas Circle, I, as a wizard enforcer, will punish you. Chapter 505 - Chapter 505: 165. Urgent Question Chapter 505: 165. Urgent Question According to your latest island plan, how much more funding do we need? Noland Lee sat in the study room of the single cottage and lazily stretched. Denise Green held her account book and pen, writing a few lines on the notebook: The lowest construction standard for the new island plan requires a total of 200,000 gold coins. We are now just 10,000 cash short of accumulating the full amount. Noland Lee smiled and said: Unknowingly, were only 10,000 short No big deal. Let me go underground a few more times and bring back some alchemy weaponry. Then, well be able to earn this 10,000 gold coins. For the past half month, Noland Lee was constantly on the move like a spinning top. By day, he would venture underground for sage particles and alchemy facilities. At night, he would practice breathing methods, forging body movements, and meditation, without wasting any time. The rewards of these busy days were evident. [Attributes] Toughness: 19. The progress bar of Forging Body Movement filled up three times, adding a total of +3 to Toughness Attribute Value. Vitality: 10. Breathing Methods cultivation progress reached Level 1 with 882/1000, adding +1 to Vitality Attribute Value. Power: 5. The progress bar of Forging Body Movement filled up three times, adding a total of +3 to Power Attribute Value. Agility: 13. No change. Spirit: 40. Successfully practiced Martyrdom Meditation Method 17 times, adding +17 to Mental Attribute Value. Charm: 23. Due to a change in body type, Charm Attribute Value +2. [Soul Strength] 4518 [Energy Points] 37812/53 (40+13) Energy Points greatly diminished while Soul Strengths storage also saw a decline. Nevertheless, the price paid for the increase in panel attributes was absolutely worth it. Moreover, Noland Lees gains were not only limited to panel data changes. He had collected a total of eight Sage Spaces from the Fissure Corridor. Among them, three were alchemy water wells, all with roughly equal output, equal to small magic water purifiers. The more freshwater available in the deep sea, the better. These three alchemy water wells could be sold at the Oceanic Magic Exchange in Suman Archipelago for a good price, even if they were no longer needed in the future. Among the other five Sage Spaces, two produced building materials, while three produced fruits, vegetables, and wheat. The production of building materials in the Sage Space was relatively small and may not have much use on the Suman Archipelago. However, those three Sage Spaces producing food ingredients and grains were valuable treasures in the deep sea. Watering fruit orchards and farmland required freshwater, which was scarce on the Suman Archipelago. This resulted in the high price of food ingredients on the islands. One could say that if Noland Lee could bring ten food-producing Sage Particles to the Suman Archipelago at once, he would be able to enter the ranks of wealthy merchants in the Realm of Wizards by simply relying on selling food ingredients every day, in the foreseeable future. Of course, it would be a modest fortune, incomparable to the extravagance of Mabel. Noland Lee wanted to collect more food-producing Sage Particles, but things didnt go as planned. There were no more similar Sage Particles in Sector 6s Fissure Corridor. As for going to Sector 5 to search for Sage Particles, Noland Lee had no such plan. Thats because 30 years ago, it was where leather and wood processing took place. There were no large underground entertainment venues or underground dining halls there. Compared to Sector 6, the Sage Particles in Sector 5 were more inclined to produce alchemy leather and alchemy wood, which Noland Lee had no use for. There might be many more food-producing Sage Particles in the underground passages of other sectors. However, considering that these sectors were owned territories, Noland Lee did not loot them. Thus, the looting of Sage Particles came to an end. Noland Lee just needed to go to the Fissure Corridor again and bring back some alchemy weaponry to raise the minimum funds needed for the island purchase plan. Where could he find alchemy weaponry worth 10,000 gold coins? Hehe. Noland Lee chuckled secretly. He had an idea. Three days ago, he used the Illusionary Body Technique on the illusion ring to infiltrate the vertical shaft leading to Black City. The alchemists of the Alchemy Cathedral were modifying the alchemy array in the spire. They wanted to use a more robust array space to seal the Blood Sun Divine Seal Descendants. Only when this step is completed can the alchemists restart the machinery factory area producing universal metal powder. Noland Lee took advantage of the absence of legal alchemists in the machinery factory area to go in and take a tour. He killed many illegal alchemists and obtained a warehouse entry card for alchemy weaponry. By searching the warehouse, he should be able to earn the 10,000 gold coins needed. In addition to the alchemy card that opened the warehouse, Noland Lee also found the Blackbone Secret Societys hideout. These people, who used Black Bone Piece as their alchemy stone, placed their hideout in a corner of Black City. Noland Lee avoided the legal alchemists wandering around Black City and entered the Blackbone Secret Societys hideout, a pitch-black cave. Using Sense Tampering to avoid the Blackbone Hermit hidden in the cave, and combining it with Psychic Bombardment for silent assassination, Noland Lee successfully infiltrated the hideout. In the deepest part of the cave, he found something he had been longing for: The Soul Transposition Array of the Blackbone Secret Society. This was a stereo array occupying over 30 square meters, resembling a hollow pyramid in appearance. The user of the array stands in the center, placing specific alchemy materials around themselves, and then infuses soul energy to activate the array. Noland Lee destroyed the stereo array in a rough and straightforward manner, obtaining its full set of alchemy blueprints. Chapter 506 - Chapter 506: 165. Urgent Question_2 Chapter 506: 165. Urgent Question_2 Along with that, there were 30,000 energy points credited to his account. Without the 30,000 energy points reward, the energy points that Noland Lee had in his panel would be in the four digits only. Denise, Im going to take a trip into the Fissure Corridor now. In a while, I may need you to teleport me out. Noland Lee sat down by the desk, starting to organize the things inside his Blood Haven and Magic Pouch, preparing for his journey into the corridor. Okay, Ill leave first then. Ill always be waiting for your message. Denise summoned a torch and waved to Noland Lee, swiftly teleporting back to her house without any hesitation. Alright, all the Alchemy Items I need are in my Magic Pouch. Now its time to make one last trip to the corridor. If the locals knew I took so many Sage Particles and Alchemy Weaponry from ownerless corridors, theyd probably want to kill me Hehe, good thing Im always low-key. Noland Lee stood up, his finger touching the Illusion Ring, about to cast the Illusionary Body Technique. Before officially entering the invisibility status, he habitually brought out the surveillance camera from his Magic Vision, checking the situation around the house. A steam locomotive from the Cat Society Manor caught his attention. Under Noland Lees surveillance, the steam locomotive drove straight toward the standalone cottage where he was currently located. Oh? Is Elemental Judgement coming for me? Noland Lee let his hands down and stopped rubbing the ring. He thought about it and couldnt recall agreeing to meet with anyone from Elemental Judgement recently. Noland Lee shrugged slightly, not pondering too deeply. The Alchemy Weaponry in the warehouse is there and wont run away. Id better find out what Elemental Judgement wants with me first. Noland Lee changed into his formal attire, stepping into the living room on the first floor after the front door was knocked. The person who had come to pick him up to go to the manor was Philia. After adjusting for a while, she became somewhat more accepting of the separation situation. When she occasionally remembered that she would not be able to see her parents in a short time, she would seem slightly moody in conversations but quickly recovered. Noland Lee exchanged brief greetings with her and followed her onto the car, heading to the Cat Society Manor. Whats the matter this time, Philia? Noland Lee asked the beautiful witch sitting in the drivers seat. Im not sure either. My teacher asked me to find you. Philia shook her head slightly. Oh, I see Noland Lees instinct told him that something was a bit off. If he thought about it carefully, every time Elemental Judgement visited him since their first contact, they always had a clear purpose C except for the time when Betty Davis, the wild Female Meow Race, started the fight immediately after arriving. Even when Mabel wanted Noland Lee to answer some questions arising from her studies, she would use an appropriate excuse to have Philia or Betty bring Noland Lee to the manor. But now, Philia didnt even know why she had to take Noland Lee to the manor. Noland Lee firmly believed in the saying unusual occurrences mean there is a hidden agenda. From his experience living two lives, this saying has never failed him. It is obvious that the reason Elemental Judgement called him this time could not be openly told to him, the guest. As a result, Philia could only rigidly execute the order without revealing any hidden information. Maintaining the proper calm and composure on the surface, Noland Lee pondered deeply in his mind. Pieces of information and images flowed out of his memory, weaving into a long river formed by clues and traces in front of him. Hmm~ Interesting. The Wizard Enforcers should be here, right? Counting the days, the Enforcers should be arriving in Union City around this time. Noland Lee narrowed his eyes slightly. The Wizard Enforcers have the highest level of action authority. They can enter any place using any means without notifying anyone or any non-ordinary forces. In addition, the Wizard Enforcers are not just about having high-level authority and powerful strength. Every one of them possesses the technique of Breaking Law. The so-called Breaking Law technique refers to the extraordinary means that make it impossible for wizards to cast spells or use magical items. Only when they master this ability can they be called Enforcers. Otherwise, they are just clowns showing off their strength and background. Take the Pure Light Court, for example. This most powerful wizard branch of the Light Wizard faction has all three-circled and above Combat Wizards possessing the Breaking Law kind of spell C Sunlight Technique C which makes the target unable to cast spells. A beam of sunlight descends from the artificial sun, enveloping the enemy. The immense and pure Light energy wraps around the enemy, isolating them from all other energy sources while preventing any non-Light energy from appearing outside of a Wizards Spiritual Ocean. In this way, the enemy can no longer cast spells in the Sunlight Technique. Based on the number of Wizard Enforcers, Noland Lee has a one-third chance of encountering a Pure Light Court Enforcer and a two-thirds chance of encountering Enforcers from other Wizard factions. Then, which type of Wizard Enforcer is waiting for him in the Cat Society Manor? Noland Lee pondered in secret, not flustered in the slightest. He casually chatted with Philia as the steam locomotive entered the Manor Gate. They went up to the castles second floor and entered Mabels study room. As soon as Noland Lee entered the room, he cast Deconstruction towards Mabel, whose smile seemed a bit distorted. Chapter 507 - Chapter 507: 165. Urgent Question_3 Chapter 507: 165. Urgent Question_3 With 3000 points of energy consumed at once, Noland Lee extracted recent memory fragments from the other person. Noland Lee casually sat and conversed, dividing a part of his attention to view these memory fragments. A woman, one who makes Mabel somewhat uncomfortable, appears in a portion of the memories. This woman is clad in metal armor, just like an iron bucket. She is wearing a metal face shield that covers the lower half of her face. The upper half, not hidden by the metal, is lined with hard edges, scars from wind exposure, and remnants of injuries never healed over. Her eyes are of a deep red color, extremely indifferent, sharp, and focused, as if nothing could divert her attention from hunting down wizard criminals. She is bald C a rare sight among the witches C and this gives her the decisiveness and determination of a man. There are no designs or inscriptions that signify status on her metal armor. Only the magical treasure sword fluttering by her side reveals her identity. Noland Lee immediately recognizes the origin of the sword. The Sword of Silence. A magical treasure sword imbued with the power of silent death. This is a witch enforcer from the Silent Maiden. This branch of necromancy extracts silent power from the sight of death after silence. The exact principle of this magic power is known to none but its practitioners, but one thing is certain C the silent power inherently breaks laws, making it far more effective than the Sunlight Technique of the Pure Light Court. The Silent Maiden recruits only witches, with not a single male member among them. Honestly, Noland would rather face the wizard enforcers of the Pure Light Court. Because those of the Pure Light Court are fond of due process. They follow the lawful procedures meticulously, commencing the judgement proceedings from credible evidence collection. This unavoidably slows down the enforcers from the Pure Light Court. Noland has plenty of time to navigate their investigation. But the Silent Witches from the Silent Maiden are different. Efficiency is of utmost importance to these witches. As soon as they determine a persons guilt, they immediate execute punishment without going through formal proceedings. Take Samuelson, the Mental Wizard Criminal, for example. If he were to fall into the hands of the Pure Light Court, he would be able to live for at least half a year. In this half year, as long as he can gather the money for the fine, he can regain his freedom. But in the hands of the Silent Witch, Samuelson would only have three seconds. In the first second, the Silent Witch asks him using magical subtitles, Do you have money to pay fines? In the second second, Samuelson remains silent due to his empty pockets. In the third second, powerful magic bursts forth, Samuelson falls on the spot and the Silent Witch takes his body back to settle the case. Yes, theyre just that decisive, and just that simple. As he delved deeper into Mabels memories, Noland gradually grasped what he was about to face. Under pressure, Mabel had given information about the Wandering Wizards to the Silent Witch. That happened two days ago. In these two days, the Silent Witch had gone through all the intelligence in the hidden chamber of the Manor and deemed Noland as a suspect. Noland could comprehend why they did that. He used to lack strength and experience, which inevitably left some shortcomings. It was normal that the Silent Witches had caught onto these clues. Noland was confident that he could clear his name with his words and the materials he had prepared in advance. But the real question was, why would the Silent Witch suddenly look into the cause of Hickman Arlingtons death? Shouldnt she be returning with the tokens of Samuelson and the soul-stealing wizard? Noland Lee was reading the memories of Mable backwards. When he flipped to the memory fragment from four days ago, the truth became crystal clear. Four days ago, after Mable ended her online conversation with the professor, this typically elegant witch couldnt help but complain to Philia in the study. Gilbert Winchester actually thinks that we killed Hickman Arlington. Hmph, I havent even settled the score with him for his student trying to gang up with the Blackbone Hermit against us. Gilbert Winchester had already discovered Hickman Arlingtons death Noland Lee nodded to himself in understanding. So it seemed like in all likelihood, it was Gilbert Winchester who requested those Wizard Enforcers to investigate the cause of Hickman Arlingtons death. Outside of this professor, who else would be so concerned about Hickman Arlington? Ray Lee, thank you for helping me answer my questions about Death Magic. Mable squeezed out a bit of a smile and said: If you dont mind, Id like to invite you to the Magic Practice Room in the castle to help me adjust the Death Wand. Alright, I have some time to spare. Noland Lee faintly smiled before standing up and leaving the study with her. The Magic Practice Room is a place specifically used for practicing spells. To prevent spells from affecting other rooms, a thick Magic Stone Wall of three meters is specially installed there. Moving against me in such a place, the Silent Witch would be able to minimize the collateral damage from the fight. Using Mable as a reason to lure me into the Magic Practice Room seems like a near perfect excuse. Seems like the Silent Witch is aware of my strength from Mable. Even though she doesnt have concrete evidence to prove that I was the one who took out Hickman Arlington, she has already prepared herself for the worst-case scenario of a violent retaliation from me. Noland Lee felt a sense of calmness wash over him. He doesnt blame Mable for divulging his situation to the Silent Witch because he anticipated beforehand the situation where Mable would be interrogated by Wizard Enforcers. In the soul contract that he signed with Mable, Noland Lee had explicitly written: Party B (Mable) must discern the reason for an inquiry when questioned by Wizard Enforcers. If the questioning is because Party B has bought knowledge from Party A (Noland Lee), Party B should explain the knowledge as the legal gains from exploring magic relics and the lost sub-dimensions. If the questioning is not because Party B has bought knowledge from Party A, Party B can honestly tell Wizard Enforcers about Party As real situation when asked about him, except for matters related to Mental Magic. Why did Noland Lee design this clause? Because he understood Mables character very well. Though she was a witch with a thirst for knowledge, she was also a mature witch who had maneuvered within the world of wizards for many years. If she was only being questioned by the enforcers for buying illegal knowledge, she could handle it smoothly. But if she wasnt being asked due to purchasing illegal knowledge, For example, the current situation where she was questioned on suspicion of killing Hickman Arlington, she would likely cooperate with the work of the enforcers, in order to clear her own suspicions, rather than playing scapegoat for others. Noland Lee did not plan to forcibly make her cover for him, which would offend a costumer, so he clearly listed this clause in the soul contract. This was one of the rare situations Mable mentioned. If Noland Lee didnt design the soul contract so meticulously, Mable wouldnt have signed it. After all, this was a contract that would bind her for a lifetime; she couldnt be careless. In summary: Noland Lee highly appreciates Mables cooperation with the enforcers investigation because she had fulfilled her obligations according to the contract book. For such a witch who strictly followed the soul contract, Noland Lee bore no thoughts of disgust or aversion. As for the inquiries and pressures from the Silent Witch, honestly, Noland Lee wasnt too worried. He, Noland Lee, never did anything he didnt have full confidence in. Chapter 508 - Chapter 508: 166. Actively challenge Chapter 508: 166. Actively challenge Were here, Ray Lee. This is the Magic Practice Room in the castle. Mabel stopped at the entrance of a room with double doors, her facial features slightly tense as if feeling uneasy. The silver doors in front of them were made of heavy magic metal, with element light flowing through the exquisite magical runes. Mabel stood in front of the door, paused slightly, took a deep breath, and placed her hand on the door panel. She used her own mana to guide the elemental energy in the magic runes, unlocking the magic lock on the door and the mechanical lock inside. Just as she was about to grab the door handle with both hands and push the two door panels open, Noland Lees voice rang in her ears. Mabel, you can leave it here. I can go in by myself. Nolands words made Mabel slightly dazed. Her figure trembled slightly, and she forced a smile while speaking stiffly: What? Noland nodded at her and replied calmly: I know there are people waiting for me inside. I can go in by myself. That person is a Wizard Enforcer, right? Only a Wizard Enforcer would make you, a mentor in the magic institution, take it so seriously. Could you tell me why I have to face a Wizard Enforcer? Mabels smile turned into a bitter one, paired with embarrassment: When did you notice Im sorry, I cant resist facing a Wizard Enforcers interrogation. This matter involves the accidental death of a legal wizard, Hickman Arlington. According to the 2nd Wizard Law, the Wizard Enforcer used the Sword of Silence to interrogate me. She sealed my casting ability. If I lie or refuse to cooperate in this matter, I will be punished by the Sword of Silence Wearing a contemplative expression, Noland secretly activated Mind Induction and spoke through the Voice of the Mind: Dont worry, Mabel. Since I separately listed things about the Wizard Enforcers in the soul contract, I naturally wont blame you for honoring the contract. After conveying the message through the Voice of the Mind, Noland then spoke out loud: Hickman Arlington oh, I remember him, and we have had a conflict. So, it seems that I might indeed be related to his accidental death. Mabel, cooperating with the Wizard Enforcers investigation is the responsibility of every legal wizard. I wont have any complaints about you because of it. Now, let me go and face the Wizard Enforcers interrogation. After finishing speaking, Noland raised his arm, pushed open the large door of the Magic Practice Room, and stepped inside. As the door opened and closed, only Mabel was left in the corridor. She stood still, dazed for a moment, before shrugging her shoulders and sighing gently under the full moon. She pondered for a moment and decided not to go far, summoning a magic chair in a nearby aisle and sitting down. She placed her hands on her thighs, fingers intertwined, and her gaze occasionally turned to the door of the Magic Practice Room. Ray should be fine For a mysterious and powerful wizard like him, there is no benefit in murdering a First Rank Wizard, and it would only bring charges. He must not be the one who killed Hickman Arlington The Silent Enforcer choosing the Magic Practice Room as the meeting place should only be to guard against the most extreme situation, nothing more, and not because Ray is really guilty Mabel comforted herself silently in her heart and patiently awaited the outcome of the interrogation in the Magic Practice Room. Meanwhile, After Noland entered the spacious, bright, and empty practice room, he encountered the Silent Witch whom he had seen in his memory fragments. This Magic Practice Room covered more than 500 square meters, with magical stone walls more than 10 meters high on all four sides, and a transparent clear glass ceiling. The lighting conditions in the room were excellent, and the magic runes on the walls could be used to change the intensity of lighting in the Magic Practice Room or create magical puppets using illusion devices. Overall, this place was not only a good place for wizard students to practice spells but also the best choice for high-intensity battles. In the center of the entire training ground, the Silent Witch clad in magic metal heavy armor stood on the dark brown magic floor like a vertical metal barrel. UpInside],[System Message:] [Estimated to consume 220,000 energy points, deconstruction completion can reach 100%] [You consumed 2200 energy points and launched the Deconstruction Technique on Seventh Ring Combat Witch Comini.] [You obtained a small part of the targets panel information:] [Name]Comini [Combat Level]Level 79 [Identity 1]Seven Circle Silent Battle Mage [Identity 2]Ulnas Ring Wizard Enforcer [Skills] Silent Prayer, highest level, passive skill of Death Silent Branch The Silent Witch uses silent power to fight. Targets hit by silent power will receive 1 stack of Silent Elegy. After being hit by the Sword of Silence, targets with at least 1 layer of Silent Elegy effect will undergo a spell judgment. If the spell judgment passes, the target enters the Prohibition of casting status. This negative state cannot be immunized, resisted, reflected, or deflected by any means. The more layers of Silent Elegy the target has, the longer the Prohibition of casting status lasts. Due to the insufficient degree of deconstruction, the specific conditions of spell judgment are unknown, and you could not obtain more information about this skill. Chapter 509 - Chapter 509: 166. Take the initiative to challenge_2 Chapter 509: 166. Take the initiative to challenge_2 (After the degree of deconstruction increases, this panel will be updated accordingly.) A Level 79 Combat Wizard. Awesome, awesome. Noland Lee secretly clicked his tongue. This Battle Witch named Comini should be the highest combat power he has encountered so far. Not only is her combat level extremely high, she also possesses silent power and the Sword of Silence that make it impossible for people to cast spells. Such a Battle Witch is definitely a Wizard Killer. Noland Lee steadied his mind and stood in front of her. I am Wizard Enforcer Comini. In my capacity as a Wizard Enforcer, I ask you to remove all disguises and reveal your true appearance, the cold Enforcer said. Noland Lee snapped his fingers, and the disguise spell on him was lifted. Facing the handsome Noland Lee with ice blue pupils, there was no change in Cominis expression and eyes, remaining cold and sharp as ever. Cominis dark red pupils contracted slightly, casting an invisible unknown spell from her eyes. As the spell wave swept over Noland Lee from head to toe, Comini gave an almost imperceptible nod: Thank you for cooperating with the Wizard Enforcers work. Now, I will interrogate you Noland Lee raised his hand, interrupting her speech. Honorable Enforcer. Noland Lee spoke calmly: I challenge you. According to Law No. 1 of the Ulnas Circle, every wizard has the right to challenge a stronger opponent. The loser must unconditionally obey the winners command and complete a task set by the winner. Your combat strength far surpasses mine, so my challenge to you complies with the rules established by Law No. 1. After you defeat me, I will cooperate with your investigation. Caught off guard by Noland Lees interruption, Comini drew a slightly impatient breath. Her breath was deep and heavy, like a bear on the verge of rage. Once Noland Lee had finished speaking, the Sword of Silence flew out of Cominis waist with a whoosh, swelling five meters in length and one meter in width mid-air. The magic metal armor on Cominis body emitted a deep rumble as if the engine of an internal combustion engine was starting up. Accompanied by the clang of metal collisions, the magic metal armor rapidly deformed. In less than two seconds, a magic metal titan over five meters tall appeared before Noland Lee, its wrist thicker than Nolands head. Wizard Enforcer Comini answered Noland Lees challenge with her actions. She entered a combat state in an extremely short time, encasing herself in heavy magic metal. Even her gleaming bald head was completely covered by a plain metal helmet. A skull relief face was displayed on the metal helmet. From a distance of ten meters, the black eye sockets of the skull relief stared at Noland Lee. A huge and oppressive aura surrounded Noland Lee, giving him the illusion of being caught amidst raging waves. Is this the aura of a Level 79 Combat Wizard Noland Lee carefully sensed the opponents aura and seemed to experience the legendary feeling of being locked by the energy. He had a premonition that as soon as he prepared for battle and fired the first Death Two Finger, the opponents counterattack would arrive on his head within 0.1 second. And this was the effect Noland Lee wanted! Come on! Battle Witch! Come on! Wizard Enforcer! Beat me hard! Hit me hard! Passive Deconstruction will reward my courage, and you will contribute another batch of Energy Points to me! Noland Lee was not worried about the opponent accidentally killing him. Firstly, as a Seventh Ring Combat Wizard, Comini has amazing control over her spells and can tell when to stop. Secondly, Wizard Enforcers are the epitome of absolute order and would never use lethal force in a non-life-and-death duel. Thirdly, the Hatred Value on the Resurrection Magic Potential has not changed, indicating that she has no intention to kill. Of course, Noland Lee is not the kind of person who entrusts his life to the opponents care. He has a way to revive at the edge of death and resurrect after death. Noland Lee activated Breath of the Dead, transforming into a Skeleton Form with almost no pain and negative emotions. He calmly and fearlessly cast off all the pressure the opponent put on him. Two Death Spiral Wands appeared in Noland Lees hands, the wand tips swaying toward Comini, who held the Magic Greatsword. Without hesitation, Noland Lee directly activated Death Incarnate! Crackle! Dozens of black lightning bolts shot out from his body, spreading out in all directions, and struck the Magic Stone Wall, splattering large clusters of black sparks. Noland Lee instantly turned pitch black, and a torrent of Death Energy erupted, transforming into hundreds of black lightning bolts and attacking his opponent. When Noland Lee cast Death Incarnate, Comini was very obviously stunned for a moment, but quickly recovered. She placed the door-like Magic Greatsword in front of her, pouring a large amount of mana into the blade. A gray, unremarkable Magic Barrier appeared out of thin air, blocking the hundreds of black lightning bolts. Comini was unharmed, but the Magic Floor suffered. Although the Magic Floor had enhanced energy absorption capabilities, Noland Lees black lightning was too dense and fierce. The Magic Floor could only withstand it for less than two seconds before it exploded like an ordinary wooden floor, turning into countless shards of wood flying in all directions. Cominis invisible counterattack descended. Chapter 510 - Chapter 510: 166. Actively challenge_3 Chapter 510: 166. Actively challenge_3 A gray greatsword, condensed from the gray magic fog, unknowingly appeared above Noland Lees head. In just a split second, the gray greatsword swung down like an executioners heavy axe. With a loud crash, the greatsword smashed the magic floor, leaving a gully half a meter deep. However, such a ferocious magic strike went awry. Noland Lee became an illusory bubble shadow, disappearing under Comis watchful gaze. Comi suddenly realized that she had unknowingly been affected by some sort of illusion magic or mental magic. She swept her magic greatsword, releasing a circle of gray light waves. These waves expanded like the shockwaves caused by explosive, instantly sweeping across the entire magic training room, and causing a thunderous explosion. Boom! The gray light waves hit the wall, causing the whole magic training room to shake violently. Noland Lee, unable to avoid the light waves, swayed and fell backward, eventually appearing more than ten meters away from Comi. Noland Lees eyes flickered as he faced the raging light waves. The light waves could actually penetrate his Death Shield, directly impacting his body! Noland Lee immediately activated Power Burst, using his sturdy body to endure the impact, forcibly stabilizing his figure. The tremors caused by the gray light waves did not subside immediately, but instead, echoes and vibrations continuously attacked Noland Lee as if he were in a rolling washing machine. A Level 79 Battle Witch is truly formidable. That gray light wave just now was clearly a large, continuous range spell. Comi managed to cast it with just a swing of her sword. Since Comi did not hold any murderous intent, such a powerful range spell only broke Noland Lees invisibility state without causing any substantial harm. Relying on the immortality effect of the Death Incarnate, Noland Lee wouldnt die in battle. However, if the opponent held back in every aspect, then he would not be able to extract the information he wanted through passive deconstruction and earn energy points before his soul strength reached rock bottom. So, Noland Lee decided to push further. Lady Comi, please do not hold back. I want to see the power of the rumored Silent Witch. Noland Lee yelled loudly, his hands moving continuously, launching Death Two Finger at his opponent. Like an endless stream of black lightning, it washed over Comis gray barrier like a raging river. The gray barrier trembled violently, as if it could collapse at any moment. The spell defense of a high-level combat wizard is not to be underestimated Noland Lee couldnt help but sigh. After all, he was currently shooting Death Lightning at his opponent with a rate of more than 500 shots per second. Even the Blood Sun Divine Seal Descendants would receive instant death from this. But such a spell offensive only made the gray barrier shudder violently. While Noland Lee was filled with wonder, he suddenly felt panicked for no reason. Before he could figure out the situation, a huge force came from his waist, sending his body flying like a cannonball towards the wall. Boom! A loud noise echoed across the magic training room once again. Noland Lees body slammed into the magic stone wall, causing an avalanche of stone dust and creating a barely recognizable human-shaped dent. What just happened? Noland Lee felt a stabbing pain spreading throughout his body, completely unaware of what had just happened. It seemed like a gray greatsword had struck his Death Shield with its back, sending him and the shield flying. The gray greatsword moved too fast, so fast that Noland Lee didnt even have a chance to react. The Death Shield on Noland Lees body took most of the damage from this blow, with a small portion of the damage still reaching him. This made him feel pain all over his body, as if it was falling apart. Fortunately, the immortality effect of Death Incarnate was not triggered. Noland Lee struggled on the wall and crawled out of the dent. Scanning the magic practice room, Noland Lee didnt see Comi, but was met with a large swath of gray sword light shooting towards him. The gray greatsword flying in the air swung like lightning more than ten times in half a second. Each swing produced a gray sword light that shot out and aimed at Noland Lee. Each sword light was more than five meters long and more than one meter wide, attacking different corners around Noland Lee and firmly sealing off all his escape routes. Alarm bells rang in Noland Lees mind, but he suddenly decided to give up resistance and let the sharp sword light strike him. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom A series of explosions erupted as sword light and the wall collided, sending clouds of dust and smoke everywhere. Intense waves of pain surged through Noland Lees body. With a crisp sound of a shield breaking, the sword light pierced through the Death Shield and entered Noland Lees body. The characteristic loop casting of the shield spell triggers an equal number of times to Noland Lees Spirit Attribute Value within 1 second. Within the second that the sword light approached, Noland Lees Death Shield looped casting dozens of times, but still failed to block the sword light. By reverse-calculating Cominis damage per second based on the shields strength, a shocking number can be obtained: In the Death Incarnate state, Noland Lees Spirit temporarily increases by 20, reaching 60 points, which means that the shield loops 60 times within 1 second. The strength of the Death Shield is affected by Death Incarnate, temporarily increasing its strength by 100%, raising it to 400 points. Therefore, within 1 second, Noland Lees total shield capacity = 60 * 400 = 24000 points Using the shield strength as an estimate, Cominis damage per second peak value exceeded a horrifyingly 24000 points per second! Each point of shield strength can withstand 2000 joules of energy damage. Then, 24,000 points of shield strength per second correspond to an astonishing 48 million joules of damage each second! This is still just the damage data when Comini deliberately held back; it is difficult to imagine the extent of damage when the Seven-Ring Battle Witch unleashes her full firepower. At the very moment of the collapse of Noland Lees shield defense system, a surge of Death Energy exploded from his body, forcing the surrounding gray sword light back. Noland, on the brink of death, triggered the death-immunity effect of Death Incarnate. The black light dissipated from his body, and in the pale skeleton form, he fell to the ground. At the same time, the gray sword light all disappeared. Cominis fierce attacks stopped here. Comini stopped at the very moment Nolands life was about to be taken away. I admire your exquisite spell control, Noland Lee coughed lightly and struggled to stand up from the ground. His white bones were covered with cracks, with bone dust and fragments falling off constantly, showing severe injuries. Shattered white bones were entwined with dozens of gray ribbons. These gray ribbons were the appearance of the Silent Elegy spell. In the brief exchange just now, Noland had been hit by dozens of sword lights, struck by the silent power dozens of times. On his status bar, the Silent Elegy had stacked up to 57 layers. But I havent failed yet, My Lord. With your Sword of Silence, make me submit wholeheartedly. Noland glanced at the deconstruction progress. Due to Cominis precise control of damage, he still lacked 0.94% of deconstruction progress to complete passive deconstruction on his opponent. As for the specific deconstruction result, Noland Lee had no time to check it at the moment. His entire mind was focused on making up for this last remaining progress. Noland Lee had experimented before. When the deconstruction progress had only a tiny bit left to reach 100%, using active deconstruction to make up for the remaining progress would not trigger the passive deconstruction reward. He must either attack or be attacked to reach 100% deconstruction progress, so he can normally trigger passive deconstruction and receive the reward. As for attacking the opponent to increase the deconstruction progress, Noland Lee couldnt help but give a bitter smile; he couldnt do it. In fact, all the black lightning he had launched just now hadnt triggered passive deconstruction since they were all blocked by the gray barrier and didnt cause substantial damage. So, anyhow, he has to let the opponent hit him one more time to complete passive deconstruction. Noland Lee transformed back to human form, leaning against the wall and stabilizing his trembling body. He poured a Life Elixir into his mouth to recover his injuries quickly. After the internal intense pain had subsided a little, he reached out his right hand to the Comini who appeared in the center of the arena and said in a hoarse voice: Come on, My Lord, come on. Swipe the Sword of Silence across my palm and let me appreciate what it feels like to be blocked by a spell. Just a light swipe like this, and the deconstruction progress will be full. Please satisfy my request, Comini. Chapter 511 - Chapter 511: 167. Quiet Little Noland? Chapter 511: 167. Quiet Little Noland? Comini, faced with the unwilling-to-lose Noland Lee, raised his hand, turning the magic greatsword in his hand into a short sword and threw it out. The short sword drew a flat arc in mid-air, accurately falling into Noland Lees palm. A bloodstain appeared in Noland Lees hand. Noland Lee got his passive deconstruction reward as he wished. Without waiting for him to chuckle, dozens of gray light bands on his body were stimulated by the Sword of Silence, bursting out a hazy gray light and then disappearing without a trace. Had the gray light bands disappeared? Was this the breaking law effect of the silent power and Silent Sword? Noland Lee blinked and looked at the panel information. Oddly, the status bar didnt show the words prohibition of casting. Noland Lee pinched his fingers and manually cast a Magic Shield, with the casting process being just as smooth as before. Wasnt it said that after accumulating 10 layers of Silent Elegy, touching the Sword of Silence would block casting abilities? How come this was different from the panel description? Noland Lee looked at Comini in confusion, only to see him recall his Sword of Silence, turning back into a bald witch figure, looking at himself with extremely complicated eyes. A system message appeared in Noland Lees mind, making him feel astonished. [System Message:] [You have been attacked by Silent Sword (Level 79).] [Silent Sword (Level 79) caused you minor damage.] [Silent Sword (Level 79) resonated with the Silent Elegy (57 layers) on you.] [Initiating spell judgement] [Judgement successful!]> [Warning!] [Since you dont have a Spiritual Ocean, the prohibition of casting effect has not worked correctly!] [The resonance effect between Silent Sword and Silent Elegy has not caused you any impact.] Wtf! So, because I dont have a Spiritual Ocean, Im not banned from casting?! It works like this?! Waves surged in Noland Lees mind. Moved, he quickly checked the panel information on the Silent Prayer. The panel information he had previously obtained about Silent Prayer was incomplete, and the specific conditions for spell determination were not listed. Now, these determination conditions appeared in Noland Lees mind. Whats more, under the determination conditions listed by the system, there was a special system reminder. [If all three of the following conditions are met, the judgement will be successful:] [Determination Condition One: The target must have at least 1 layer of Silent Elegy effect.] [Determination Condition Two: The target must be in direct contact with the Sword of Silence.] [Determination Condition Three: The targets Spirit attribute value must be lower than that of the caster Comini.] [Prohibition of casting status will take effect immediately after meeting the above conditions.] [Warning!] [Prohibition of casting only targets the Spiritual Ocean!] [Since you dont have a Spiritual Ocean, you can be immune to any extraordinary effects targeting Spiritual Ocean!] [The prohibition of casting effect imposed on you by the Silent Witch is ineffective on you!] Noland Lee gasped slightly. He didnt feel joy but realized that something was wrong. Having a Spiritual Ocean, as a male witch in the eyes of others, was the most normal thing. Every wizard must have a Spiritual Ocean, which is like the ultimate reality in this world. But now, being someone with a Spiritual Ocean, he had accidentally caused the breaking law effect of Silent Magic to fail because he didnt have a Spiritual Ocean. What does this mean This means that the fact that he doesnt have a Spiritual Ocean may be exposed Feeling emotional turbulence inside, Noland Lee couldnt help coughing a few times. He took out a Life Elixir, poured it into his mouth to stabilize his injury, and quickly pondered a strategy. Mom If he had known, he wouldnt have asked Comini to use the Sword of Silence to cut his palm. God knew that Noland Lee just wanted to experience the actual effect of prohibition of casting at that time, sum up his experience, and be ready for further research into the breaking law principle and find a solution. Now that he doesnt have a Spiritual Ocean, hes directly immune to the prohibition of casting. How can he explain this to Comini Noland Lee looked up at the dazed Silent Witch. Since the gray light bands on his body mysteriously disappeared, the Silent Witch had returned to her normal size and entered a contemplative state. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and her forehead seemed to have wrinkled salted egg. Currently, the witch closed her eyes as if she was engaging in online communication with the professor. As Noland Lee pondered his strategy, he saw Comini suddenly open his eyes, clasp his right hand in the air, and summon a gray dagger which was thrown at him. Noland Lee raised his hand subconsciously, catching the gray dagger. Two pieces of conscious information appeared before him at the same time. One was from the gray dagger, weaving a hazy gray mist of characters in front of him. The text was an introduction to the Silent Maiden and an invitation for Noland Lee to join the Silent Maiden. The other paragraph was sent by the system, printed directly into Noland Lees mind. [System Message:] [Youve touched the Silent Sword (Level 0).] [You are undergoing the Joining the Silent Maiden determination.] [Determination Condition One(invalid): You must be a female.] [You are not female, and the determination has not passed.] [The lecturer professor of Silent Maiden intervened and modified this determination condition. The determination condition is invalid, and the judgment is unconditionally passed.] Chapter 512 - Chapter 512: 167. Quiet Little Noland?_2 Chapter 512: 167. Quiet Little Noland?_2 [Judgment Condition 2: You do not possess a Spiritual Ocean.] [You do not possess a Spiritual Ocean; judgment passed.] [You have passed the above two judgment conditions.] [You have been approved by the Silent Sword.] [After accepting the Silent Oath, you will become a member of the Silent Maiden.] [The specific content of the Silent Oath is as follows:] [Oath 1 (Invalid): Maintain female physiological characteristics and psychological cognition.] [Oath 2 (Effective): Never reveal the secret of not having a Spiritual Ocean to anyone for the rest of your life.] [Due to the modification of the oath content by the Lecturer Professor of the Silent Maiden, you only need to adhere to Oath 2.] [Due to the modification of the entry conditions by the Lecturer Professor, you will not be negatively affected by joining the Silent Maiden. [Do you want to accept the Silent Oath and become a member of the Silent Maiden?] [You will automatically acquire the status of a Wizard Enforcer after becoming a member of the Silent Maiden.] Noland Lee held the dagger with a surging mind. System messages in his mind and the magical characters in front of him confirmed the accuracy of the Silent Oath. The Lecturer Professor of the Silent Maiden significantly modified the judgment conditions for joining their forces and the content of the Silent Oath to make an exception for him to join their forces. It is apparent that compared to the female aspect, the lacking a Spiritual Ocean aspect has received more attention from the Silent Maiden. As long as Noland Lee meets the condition of lacking a Spiritual Ocean and ensures that he does not expose this secret, he can join a wizard force consisting solely of witches as a male wizard. So it stands to reason that none of the Silent Maiden members have a Spiritual Ocean, right? Noland Lee quickly looked at the panel information from the deconstructed Comini, nodded secretly, and thought to himself, I knew it. His previous battle rhythm was too fast; he hadnt had the chance to check the results of the deconstruction. Now as he looks, Cominis panel information is quite unusual, particularly an extraordinary trait related to the spirit. [Trait Name] Magic Power Container [Level] Level 79 [Tier] Star Stone Level Extraordinary Feature [Effect] This extraordinary trait will replace the Spiritual Ocean to store mana for the owner of the trait. When the trait owner practices the Meditation Method, this extraordinary traits level will increase along with the Spirit attribute value. The Magic Power Container can effectively suppress aging. An object named the Magic Power Container is responsible for holding mana. Because of this object, Comini can freely use mana to cast spells even without a Spiritual Ocean. At present, Noland Lee has only seen Comini as a Silent Witch, so he is unsure whether only she uses the Magic Power Container extraordinary trait or all Silent Witches do. For now, he assumes that all Silent Witches have a Magic Power Container. That raises the question: On the panel of the Magic Power Container extraordinary trait, it does not state that only females can obtain it. Why are all members of the Silent Maiden women? Hiss Noland Lee quietly took a breath, considering a rather strange answer. Could the process of accommodating the Magic Power Container turn a person into a woman? Apart from this, Noland Lee could not think of any other answers Clang, clang The sound of metal colliding with the floor brought Noland Lee back to reality. Comini walked up to Noland Lee with a regular step, saying: Join us, master the silent power, and become a Silent Enforcer. Noland Lee did not respond immediately. He carefully observed Cominis expression and movements, detecting no threatening intentions. Not only that, Comini also tried to relax the lines on her face, clearly not wanting to be enemies with Noland, the male wizard approved by the Silent Maiden. The unchanged Hatred Value in the Resurrection Magic Potential also confirmed Noland Lees observations. I need to think about it, Noland Lee said. Comini nodded her head, standing still like a wooden stake, staring blankly at the other party. Noland Lee looked down at the Silent Sword in his hand. His sword is only Level 0, narrow and slender like a short stinger made of rough stone. Its appearance is extremely plain, and when held in his hand, he could clearly feel the rough stone texture on the surface. Noland Lee launched a Deconstruction technique at the short stinger. [System Message:] [You are about to cast Deconstruction on the Silent Sword (Level 0).] [It is estimated that the consumption of 1000 energy points will reach a 100% degree of deconstruction.] [Due to the modification of additional conditions by the Lecturer Professor, this deconstruction will not have a negative impact on you, and you do not need to perform harmless deconstruction.] Noland Lee mentally confirmed the deconstruction. [Deconstruction Success!] [The deconstruction completion degree of Silent Sword (Level 0) has reached 100%] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [1. Silent Maidens Meditation Method: Voice of Silence, completeness 100%] [2. Instructions for using the Silent Sword, completeness 100%] [3. Panel information for the Silent Sword (Level 0):] [Name] Silent Sword [Type] High-Grade Magical Items [Item Level] Level 0 [Usage] Token The person holding this sword will be regarded as a wizard enforcer from the Silent Maiden. You must strictly follow the requirements of the Ulnas Circle Rule No. 2 and properly exercise your enforcement rights. Chapter 513 - Chapter 513: 167. Quiet Little Noland?_3 Chapter 513: 167. Quiet Little Noland?_3 Key This sword is the key to enter the Court of Silence. Carrying it, you can have a spiritual connection with Lecturer Professor Claudia Erika, who is far away in the Ulnas Circle. Because of the existence of this key, you dont need to reach the third level to enter the Court of Silence on your own initiative. Casting Medium You can only cast spells from the Death Silent Branch through this sword. When practicing the Voice of Silence meditation method, you must hold this sword. [Description] You have not yet taken the modified vow of silence. You cannot use the meditation method deconstructed from this sword. Noland Lee clicked on the Voice of Silence meditation method, looked at its content and effects, and was very satisfied with the bright light in his eyes. However is it really okay to join a wizard force named Silent Maiden as a male? Noland Lee imagined introducing himself to others in the future. Good day, ladies and gentlemen. I am XX, although I am a man, I am actually a formal member of the Silent Maiden. Ah, this this is too horrifying. Noland Lee pondered and decided to be more cautious. Because joining a wizard force is like being an apprentice, it is definitely a major event in ones life. Ordinary people have no choice but to join when facing the invitation of wizard forces. However, Noland Lee is not an ordinary person. He and Comini have a large gap in strength, and if the other party is strong, he probably only has the option of joining the Silent Maiden. However, he has only shown one-third of his strength so far. He has hardly used any mental magic, not to mention Denise Greens resurrection magic, as she has not even appeared. And skills like Evil Blast, Fear Charm, and so on, he didnt use either. With these hidden cards, Noland Lee is confident that he can forcibly leave and reject the invitation of the Silent Maiden by taking actual action. Based on the confidence given by the hidden cards, Noland Lee decides to slow down and talk about it later. Why would you accept a male wizard like me to join the Silent Maiden? Would this have any negative impact on the Silent Maiden? Comini replied casually: You dont have a spiritual ocean, then what do you rely on to accommodate mana? Noland Lee responded: A special container exists in my mind. I got it from the star pollutant, its an extraordinary trait. But I dont know what its called. Comini nodded slightly and said: Its called Mana Container, a Star Stone Level extraordinary trait. Other than the spiritual ocean, only this extraordinary trait can help us accommodate mana. Like the spiritual ocean, this trait cannot be detected by magical devices, and it has excellent concealment. People who have it are generally not discovered by others. There are quite a few extraordinary traits with such strong concealment. Noland Lee suddenly realized: Mana Container oh, thats what its called well, its very appropriate. Comini further explained: When undergoing the transformation due to star pollutant, the Mana Container would trigger physiological changes. All those who obtain this extraordinary trait would change into females. Since the discovery of this trait, there have been no exceptions until your appearance. Extraordinary traits come from star pollutants, and star pollutants themselves are growing celestial beings. Their pollution intensity changes as they grow. The physiological changes induced by absorbing star pollutants will also change due to different pollution intensities. We suspect that the star pollutant that gives humans the Mana Container comes from an alien celestial being in the process of growth. When this alien celestial being undergoes an abnormal change, the star pollutant it spreads will also change. You are the signal for the start of this change process. It is very likely that from now on, those who obtain the Mana Container will not necessarily be forced to become females anymore. Comini paused and continued: If in the future, a large number of male wizards with Mana Containers continue to appear one after another, we will recruit them all. At that time, the name Silent Maiden will change. Noland Lee smiled slightly: Then I can rest assured. Rest assured my ass I dont even rely on the Mana Container to store mana I am not the signal for the change of the alien celestial being at all Ah, I cant explain it clearly. Well, let it be Noland Lee thought for a moment and couldnt help but ask: So, how many people in the Silent Maiden were originally male? Cominis expression visibly dimmed for half a second. In that instant, her change of expression was accurately captured by Noland Lee. The answer is obvious Basically, 80% of the members were formerly male. I am one of them. So many years have passed, I have almost forgotten this past. Comini restored the melancholy on her face and said: Speaking of which, let me introduce the situation of the Silent Maiden to you. We currently have a total of 96 members. Among them, there are 72 wizard students from the first to the third level. Eighty percent of them were originally male, and the rest were born female. Wizard students who were originally male can ask the professor for help in modifying their psychological perception, barely changing from a male to a female mentality. You might wonder why not turn back into a male through magic after having the Mana Container. Weve tried before, and the result was terrible. Magic that changes gender destroys the Mana Container, causing us to experience a serious decline in mana. Chapter 514 - Chapter 514: 167. Quiet Little Noland?_4 Chapter 514: 167. Quiet Little Noland?_4 A deep sigh came from beneath Cominis mask: Back to the point. Eleven Four-ring wizards. Five Five-ring wizards. Four Six-ring wizards. Two Seven-ring wizards, and I am one of them. Noland Lee raised his hand and said: I apologize.. Comini, I have a question. Why is there such a big gap between the number of wizard students and four-ring wizards? Cominis answer was simple and straightforward, hitting the nail on the head: Because most people cannot accept the fact that they have become women, they asked the professor to use magic to turn them back into men. Without exception, they all lost their Magic Power Container after turning back into men. Noland Lee seemed to have an understanding as he nodded: So, on the path of the Silent Branch, gender cognition is the most difficult hurdle Comini nodded, pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said: No, practicing The Voice of Silence is as difficult as gender cognition. Back to the earlier topic. One Eight-ring, she is the Tombkeeper of the Mass Wizard Tombs. One Nine-ring, she is our wizard leader, and also a professor. Her name is Claudia Erika, the first Silent Witch in wizard history. She is lucky, as she possessed a Magic Power Container in her female identity. Comini waved his hand and said: Ill introduce to you up to here. Youre quite lucky too, making me even a little envious. I hope those who later possess a Magic Power Container do not need to endure the pain of modifying their gender cognition. Noland Lee slowly nodded and said: Can you give me a few days to consider it carefully? I need to discuss it with my companion witches. Noland Lee held the stone dagger, looking at Comini watching him. As expected, Comini did not refuse. Yes. Noland Lee narrowed his eyes and asked: What would happen if I reveal your secret of not having a spiritual ocean? Comini said: According to Ulnas Rings Second Law Order, leaking the core secrets of legal wizard forces is punishable by death, implemented immediately. An illegal knower of the secret will have their memory erased. Noland Lee pondered for a moment and pulled up the Second Law he had obtained by deconstructing it from Denise Green for a look. Indeed, the contents mentioned by Comini were written in this order. He estimated that if he leaked the core secret of the Silent Maiden, he would enjoy the treatment of an enforcer teleporting over, hacking him to a pulp, and then scattering his ashes. By that time, calling Denise Green for help would only harm this pure and gentle witch. Seeing Noland Lee seemed to be swayed, Comini said: Just infuse soul energy into this short sword, and youll receive the meditation method of the Silent Maiden, and can establish contact with Professor Erika. Properly carry out the duties of an enforcer, reward good and punish evil, and you will receive rewards from the Wizard Enforcement Department after criminals are executed. Rewards include bounty and credit points. If criminals are killed in a correct and legal manner by you, you can extract silent power from the body. Of course, the premise is that you have trained the meditation method to Level 90. Only at this level can you extract silent power. What you need to pay special attention to is, according to the agreement between the Silent Maiden and the Ulnas Ring Law Enforcement Department, you can only extract silent power from the bodies of criminals, and it is not possible to extract this power from any other bodies. If so, it will be regarded as a major criminal act, you will be dismissed, and be banished by the Silent Maiden. Catch criminals, receive rewards from the Wizard Enforcement Department Noland Lee muttered a phrase, and chuckled inwardly. How embarrassing, he, he, a person who sneakily sells knowledge, could actually receive rewards from the Wizard Enforcement Department. Uh. Thats not right. Not sneakily selling knowledge. He is legally using the Ulnas Rings authorized knowledge circulation channel to sell his original magical knowledge to specific parties. On second thought, Noland Lee suddenly realized that accepting the modified version of the Silent Oath and becoming a Silent Enforcer might not be bad. What does he aim for in selling knowledge? The aim is money. Isnt arresting criminals and collecting bounties from the Wizard Law Enforcement Department the same? If theres a straight and open road to walk on, why take the trembling narrow plank? Ill consider it seriously. Noland Lee put the stone dagger in his pocket and asked Comini: How do you consider my battle strength to compare to that of a Battle Wizard at what stage? Comini contemplated a little: After activating Death Incarnate, your combat strength is almost on par with a Six-ring Battle Wizard. When Death Incarnate is not activated, you are stronger than an average Five-ring Battle Wizard, about roughly equivalent to two Five-ring Battle Wizards working together, but you definitely cant reach the level of a Six-ring Battle Wizard. If you improve your control over magical energy a little, then your combat strength will be higher. Um, my conjectures arent far off. When Noland Lee was previously observing Gardner and Kevin clearing out illegal personnel in Black City, he compared their combat power with his, and it indeed matched what Comini had said. Looking at it this way, the Deconstruction Core System is quite suitable for combat. Just the fact that he can use energy points to train skills to Level 100 allows Noland Lee to rise above average Five-ring Battle Wizards. Noland Lee came back to his senses, nodded, and said: Regarding the earlier duel, you won. According to the rules, you can force me to join you. But I think, perhaps you dont wish to do so. Therefore, regarding the unexpected death of Hickman Arlington, ask whatever you want to ask. Ill tell you the answer. Chapter 515 - Chapter 515: 168. Evidence of Innocence Chapter 515: 168. Evidence of Innocence The Cat Societys Alchemy Guard revealed that the last time they saw Hickman Arlington, he had entered the underground Layer 5 of Sector 7. This incident happened on the last Spray Powder Day. At the same time, you were employed by the Iron Thorn Shield and guarding the underground Layer 3 of Sector 7. Comini asked: Did you find Hickman Arlington, who had passed through the underground Layer 5? When facing the interrogation from the Enforcer, Noland Lee calmly took out an Alchemy Cleanser from his Blood Haven and removed the filth from his face. He also activated the Cleaning Array attached to his magic robe, removing the blood and stains from his body. After taking care of himself, Noland Lee said calmly: I killed Hickman Arlington. Cominis gaze turned sharp, and her eyes became intense: Why did you do that? Noland Lee handed over an Alchemy Contract Book from his Blood Haven and said: I was hired by the Iron Thorn Shield to guard the underground area of Sector 7 on their behalf. During the execution of the task, I have the right to kill any unauthorized personnel illegally entering the underground area of Sector 7. This contract is endorsed by the Golden Commerce Guild and complies with local law enforcement regulations in Union City. You must have only asked the Elemental Judgement and Cat Society people, right? You didnt ask the Golden Commerce Guild or the Iron Thorn Shield about this. You can take this contract book to the Iron Thorn Shield or the Golden Commerce Guild for verification, and they will prove that every word I said is true and credible. First, Comini cast an invisible detection spell on the contract book before opening it with the [Mages Hand]. This checking procedure was indispensable, even for Noland Lee, who might join the Silent Maiden in the future. After seeing the Alchemy Mark and the content of the contract clearly, Comini raised her right hand, clenched her fist, and knocked on her chest with a standard Enforcer salute gesture: Thank you for your cooperation, I will verify it with the Golden Commerce Guild and Iron Thorn Shield. If your killing is legal, the case of Hickman Arlingtons accidental death will be closed. The trial was resolved due to the exculpatory evidence provided by Noland Lee. About one and a half months ago, Noland Lee had prepared this contract book. With his relationship with the Golden Commerce Guild and the Iron Thorn Shield, it was extremely easy to obtain a contract like this. So, from beginning to end, he never took Hickman Arlingtons death seriously. Comini put the contract book in a separate metal box and put it into her specialized magic pouch for evidence. She asked again: Why didnt you tell Mabel the truth about you legally killing Hickman Arlington? As a mentor of the local First Level Magic Research Institute, she has the right to know everything. Cominis expression relaxed a lot when she asked, no longer looking as tense as when she first heard about Noland Lees killing of Hickman Arlington. At the same time, her eyes showed obvious curiosity. Clearly, Noland Lees irrational behavior caught her attention. Its a long story, Comini. It involves various factors and factions. Noland Lee took out the Life Elixir and poured it into his mouth, replenishing the potions effect for rapid healing of his injuries. After taking a few breaths and regaining some strength, he said in a deep voice: I suspect that some Lecturer Professors are secretly colluding with extraterrestrial space pollution that has appeared here in Union City. Cominis magic metal armor trembled slightly: Are you suspecting the Lecturer Professor behind Mabel? What is your evidence? What does this have to do with Hickman Arlingtons death? Noland Lee waved his hand: Its hard for me to explain the specific reasons, Comini. Most of it is my speculation and intuition. I can only say that before, I thought Elemental Judgement was involved with extraterrestrial space pollution, and because of that, I didnt tell Mabel about my killing of Hickman Arlington. But now, I can be sure that Elemental Judgement is not among the wizard forces colluding with extraterrestrial space pollution. Noland Lee took out a bag of bone fragments from his Blood Haven. He flicked his wrist, and the bone shards in the bag made a crisp sound. Let me start with the bones of Nikcat, and tell you the whole story. About half a month ago, I encountered Nikcat in the underground area of Sector 6 Noland Lee began with discovering the low-level Converter in Nikcats bones, and told the story backward, involving matters related to the Pollution Zone, Blood Sun Seal descendants, Soul-stealing wizards, Samuelson, and others. The overall timeline of the incident was quite long, spanning about two months; the characters and forces involved were also very diverse, such as Hickman Arlington under the Soul Shaper, the Soul-stealing wizard of the dead Soul-stealing Overlord, the extraterrestrial space pollution Blood Sun Seal, the Golden Dynasty, and so on; the clues intertwined and spread out in a net-like pattern. Without the help of Deconstruction to acquire vital information, Noland Lee would not have been able to understand the truth of the matter so deeply. The first key point was the bones of Nikcat. Noland Lee examined and deconstructed the bones several times, both inside and out, ensuring that the weak-level Blood Sun Converter had emerged from one of Nikcats rib bones. Using the knowledge of bones recorded in Bone Identification, Noland Lee identified the age, quality, and symbolic significance of this rib bone within the Tomb King wizard force. The rib bone was old and worn. In the Tomb King, older bones were more valuable. Typically, Nikcat would only use ancient bones to decorate his skeletal body when dealing with matters involving higher-ups. Chapter 516 - Chapter 516: 168. Evidence of Innocence_2 Chapter 516: 168. Evidence of Innocence_2 For example, when meeting the Tomb King, Nikcat would show respect by replacing most of his own bones with ancient bones. It was such a symbolically significant bone that Nikcat used it as a vessel for the power of contamination from the Blood Sun Seal. Nikcat wouldnt be so foolish as to use the ancient bones to desecrate the Tomb King. Theres only one answer then. Nikcats cooperation with the Blood Sun Seal was inspired by the Tomb King, so he used the ancient bones to witness this cooperation and to contain the power of contamination. However, the awkward thing is When Noland Lee got rid of Nikcat, he used too much force, giving him a lightning bath and turning him into ashes in one go. The ancient bone that could prove the secret collusion between the Tomb King and the Blood Sun Seal has been reduced to fragments and powder, making it difficult to serve as strong evidence. Comini took the remaining remnants of the ancient bone from Noland Lee. One of her tasks in coming here was to find out the depth of the cooperation between the Alchemy Cathedral and the Blood Sun Seal. If the relationship between the two is close, the Alchemy Cathedral is likely to be infiltrated by the Blood Sun Seal, making Union City an unsuitable place for the emergence of new magic research institutions. Before driving away or eliminating the Blood Sun Seals descendants, the Wizard Advancement Association will not send new wizard forces to reside here. According to the No.2 and No.6 Decrees of Ulnas Circle, Comini, after acquiring solid evidence of the Alchemy Cathedral being widely infiltrated by extraterrestrial space pollution, can forcefully remove the Blood Sun Seals descendants without informing the Alchemy Cathedral. For this matter, Comini may have to hide her identity and live in Union City for a long time, closely monitoring the underground movements. The Tomb King is one of the lecturers who secretly collude with the extraterrestrial space pollution, and another one might be Soul Shaper Gilbert Winchester. But its just a possibility, Noland Lee has no direct evidence, and he came to this guess based on intuition. To verify this conjecture, Noland Lee thought of a method: Comini, please report the whole story of my lawful killing of Hickman Arlington to the Wizard Enforcement Department truthfully. Please tell Gilbert Winchester that my killing Hickman Arlington is in compliance with the local laws of Union City, and make it clear to him that I will stay in Union City for a long time, I will not leave, and I will frequent the Fissure Corridor. After that, we just need to be patient and wait. The subsequent events will prove that what I said is true. Noland Lee continued to speak while looking at Comini, deep in thought: Gilbert Winchester is striving for the opportunity to establish a magic research institute here in Union City. I bet that the Alchemy Cathedral will take the initiative to suggest to the Wizard Advancement Association that Gilbert Winchester should take over the local magic research tasks. This is a suggestion from the Blood Sun Seal descendants. At the same time, the Blood Sun Seal descendants will keep a low profile until Gilbert Winchesters wizards arrive. Even in the face of your undercover investigation, the Blood Sun Seal descendants will not reveal any flaws. Theyll act like a turtle, keeping a low profile and staying put in their sealed space until the conditions are right for Gilbert Winchester and the Blood Sun Seal descendants to launch their plan. Before that, theyll find a suitable reason to have the Alchemy Cathedral draw you away from Union City. Noland Lee, facing an extremely inquisitive Comini, shook his hands and said: Please dont ask me what my basis is for saying this. Im just making a prediction and assumption about the future. If what happens in the future confirms what Im saying now, then its not too late for you to contact me through the lecturer professor at that time. Sometimes knowing too much isnt a good thing. Noland Lee now has a sense of helplessness as he possesses the truth but cant directly speak it. The suspicions, doubts, and speculations from others, the scrutiny, consideration, and observation, as well as the tracking, attention, and inquiry from other forces these people, these forces, will all harbor hostility towards Noland Lee because he inexplicably uncovered their true intentions. Just like Soul Shaper Gilbert Winchester. If that lecturer professor knew that Noland Lee safely survived the Enforcement Wizards investigation, he would undoubtedly harbor even greater hostility. His hostility would be directly reflected in the Hatred Value of the Resurrection Magic Potential. Once the Hatred Value increases, sinister schemes and sneak attacks would arrive as expected. If Noland Lee lets out that he will frequently travel back and forth in the Fissure Corridor and deliberately expose his whereabouts, hell definitely attract assassination attempts. The true mastermind behind those assassination attempts will undoubtedly be Gilbert Winchester, although the actual execution of the attacks will be carried out by unrelated people. But how could Noland Lee explain the basis of this speculation to others? Can he directly say he knows the outcome based on the changes in the Hatred Value? No. He cant say it. He couldnt do it. This feeling of knowing the truth but having no way to say it was beyond unbearable. Noland Lee simply chose to act like a charlatan, sharing only his speculations and prophecies, without trying to explain the reasons. Believe it or not, time would prove his every word. Comi stared at Noland Lees words with narrowed brows, looking at him as if he had delusions of persecution. Noland Lee ignored her gaze and clapped his hands together, saying: I just happen to be going to the depths of Fissure Corridor. If you have time, after spreading the news of my legal killing of Hickman Arlington, you might want to stay with me in Fissure Corridor for a while. If someone tries to assassinate me, I hope you can help me catch the assassin and interrogate them. Comi nodded slightly. She took out a magic scroll from her magic pouch, tore it open, and shot a dazzling white light at the magic training room. The Advanced Repair Spell, capable of mending buildings and magical facilities, erupted from the scroll. Everything touched by the light, whether magical or not, was restored to its original state in an extremely short time. Shattered stones flew back to the wall, charred wood fragments were as good as new, filling the gaps in the floor. There was no trace left of any battle in the magic training room. Comi closed her eyes and entered the Court of Silence, getting in touch with the Lecturer Professor Erica. After passing the message along, she nodded to Noland Lee and said: Lets go. Ill follow you using the Advanced Illusion Body Spell from the Distortion Magic Boots. Comi stomped her right heel on the floor, and a pink spell light wrapped her from bottom to top. As the spell light dissipated, Comi vanished into thin air, not even leaving a ripple of light and shadow in the air. NOLAND Lee threw a Deconstruction spell in her direction and nodded secretly. Comi had entered invisibility status. Deconstruction could still recognize her. Because the invisibility effect of this Advanced Illusion Body Spell was too good, he C a half-baked wizard with only 40 points of Spirit C couldnt detect any spell fluctuations. Noland Lee poured the Life Elixir into his mouth and cast a Disguise spell on himself, transforming back into the dapper local appearance. He opened the door of the magic practice room, stepped into the corridor, and met Mabels questioning gaze head-on. Everything is settled, Mabel. Dont worry about me. Noland Lee smiled at her: Ill go ahead. The Enforcement Wizard said she has some things to do, and shell come to you after shes done. Mabel stood up, dispelled the magic chair beneath her, and looked at the restored magic practice room. She had sensed the power fluctuations and the wall vibrations from the previous battle. There must have been an intense battle between Noland Lee and Comi. No matter the outcome of the battle, or the reason behind their conflict, Noland Lees safe departure from the magic practice room signified the end of the matter. Looking at Noland Lee, there were no magic lock chains or magic shackles on him. This meant that he had not been treated as a criminal by Comi. Mabel breathed a sigh of relief, patting the full moon and smiling: As long as youre okay. I knew you definitely had nothing to do with Hickman Arlingtons death. Ill take you to the Great Gate. Noland Lee smiled mysteriously, knowing that she had misunderstood, but not explaining further. Its better to let Comi tell her the answer. Chapter 517 - Chapter 517: 169. Huh?! Player?! Chapter 517: 169. Huh?! Player?! Noland Lee, accompanied by Mabel, arrived at the Manor Gate. After declining the offer for a ride back, Noland set off on the road to Sector 6. Nolands next actions can be described as smooth and unhindered. Ignoring Comini who was following him, he activated the Illusionary Body Technique, transforming into a white skull. In an invisible flight posture, he flew into the underground passage of Sector 6. From the vertical shaft to the vicinity of the Black City, Noland summoned Denise Green upon entering the warehouse storing Alchemy Weaponry. He had her pack the weaponry and take them all away. Throughout the process, Noland did not conceal his actions due to Cominis presence. He openly used the Bone Spirit Flight Technique, summoned Denise Green, and used the Death Two Finger and Death Incarnate in battle in front of Comini. These extraordinary things may seem astonishing to ordinary wizards, but to Comini, a Seventh-Ring combat wizard, they were only slightly surprising at most. The Celestial Extraordinary Attribute Magic Proficient allows one to see the principle of a magic spell at a glance and learn the spell on the spot. Even if its a high-level spell, it can be learned without error. With one sentence C Ive mastered Magic Proficient C Noland could explain why he could learn various death spells. Comini may have learned this from Mabel. She found the answer without Nolands explanation. Thus, Comini remained silent, watching as Denise Green left with the Alchemy briefcase filled with Alchemy Weaponry. With Comini being quiet and acting aloof, Noland did not see the need to initiate conversation. He brazenly entered the machinery factory area on underground layers 60 to 80 and blatantly attacked the illegal alchemists and wizards entrenched there. Demonic Alchemist? A Death Lightning strike broke him into five parts, followed by five more Death Lightning strikes to shatter the divided body, sending him on his way. Steam Alchemist? Able to escape through pipes? Absorb steam for injury recovery? Noland bombarded him with Death Lightning, destroying the surrounding pipeline facilities, causing widespread AoE damage and cutting off all his escape routes, killing him on the spot. Gold Bone Alchemist? With multiple sets of backup alloy skeletons? Noland targeted their Alchemy Stones, focusing firepower and applying hundreds of black lightning strikes on a single point, forcibly shattering their Alchemy Stones. The Gold Bone Alchemists Alchemy Stone shattered on the spot, and Noland gained quite a bit of knowledge concerning alloy skeletons, which could be used on Mechanos. Illegal wizards from the Ancient Tomb branch, executed. These Ancient Tomb wizards escaped the sight of Elemental Judgement through feigned death and had appeared in Nikcats memory. Noland executed them without hesitation. Illegal wizards from the Undead branch, executed. These wizards from the Death Herald Guild had researched numerous spells for enslaving aberration corpses in the Black City, an act done behind Elemental Judgements back, and they were situated in the unclaimed corridor area of Sector 6. Even with the organizations base in the southern Tatis Empire, Noland executed them without hesitation. After three days of intense hunting, Noland cleared all illegal personnel from the machinery factory area of Sector 6. The Energy Value Reward was deposited instantly. Soul fragments were collected with the Large Absorbing Spirit Crystal and placed in the Blood Haven to be absorbed into his body. [Soul Strength] 5117 [Energy Points] 272111/53 (40+13) The Soul Strength consumed by using Death Incarnate had been restored, and the Energy Points remained high at 272,000. Feeling invigorated, Noland sighed contentedly. He displayed exhaustion and vulnerability on the surface after the high-intensity continuous battle and took a rest in an empty warehouse in the factory area. After setting up Alchemy Traps for enemy prevention, Noland leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, and entered a resting state. On the surface, there seemed to be only Noland here, and he appropriately showed his exhaustion and lethargy. If someone wanted to plot against him, now would be the best time to strike. Very faint air fluctuations came from the darkness, as if something was brewing an attack, ready to launch. The next second, the air fluctuations stopped abruptly. A magic treasure sword pierced through the sneaky figure in the dark. Grey magic fog appeared around the figure, forming a magic cage. A smile appeared at the corner of Nolands mouth. He opened his eyes and looked at Comini, who had revealed her form, and laughed: See, I told you someone would try to harm me. And the assassin coming to kill me would definitely not be openly connected to Gilbert Winchester. Lets see what came to assassinate me /// Noland squinted his eyes as he gazed at the caged object, and let out a puzzled sigh: Huh? What is this? Semi-transparentblackconstantly changing like a gas, with no solid form, no flesh, and not a spirit entity. It looks like its body is made purely of energy /// Noland stood up and went to the side of the magic cage for a closer look. He felt a terrifying dark aura and a very familiar soul energy fluctuation. Noland raised an eyebrow, and without the help of Deconstruction, he was able to discern the assassins internal energy composition: A portion of shadow energy and a portion of soul energy. This thing is made up of these two energies. Do you know what it is, Comini? Chapter 518 - Chapter 518: 169. Huh?! Player?! _2 Chapter 518: 169. Huh?! Player?! _2 After grabbing this thing, Comini used an invisible detection spell to scan the surrounding space on a large scale. After confirming that there were no more anomalies, she fell into silence and contemplation. In response to Noland Lees query, she snapped back to reality and said: Deep within the Ancient Lomis Continent, there is a place called Soul Abyss. Its shrouded in endless darkness, lurking with treacherous energy enemies. They are known as Shadow Creatures, or Shadow Demons. What youre looking at is a Shadow Demon, an ideal tool for assassination. It usually strikes victims fatally while they are meditating, leaving no trace, making it seem as if they died by self-combustion as a result of a failed meditation technique. Youre right, this thing has nothing to do with Gilbert Winchester. His records do not involve Soul Abyss in any way, and he himself has never been to the Ancient Lomis Continent. Noland Lee shrugged slightly: Ah, it seems I was right then. But, this doesnt help. The so-called shadow demon cannot link Gilbert Winchester to our assassination attempt. It is clear, Comini, in the issue of outer space pollution colluding secretly with the lecturer professor, even the Wizard Enforcers can only be reactive. Unless the crime is clear and the evidence is sufficient, the Wizard Enforcement Department will issue an arrest warrant, then you can start pursuing wizard criminals. Are you disappointed with the law enforcement practices of the Ulnas Circle? Comini asked, her eyes deep and tranquil, devoid of any emotional fluctuation. Noland Lee thought for a moment and said: Disappointment is not the right word, but I do think that in combating extraterrestrial space pollution, pursuing process legitimacy and maintaining lawfulness during law enforcement isnt really necessary. Since weve decided that such pollution harbors ill will, we should exterminate it first and then we can poke around its corpses. I see no need for communication or exchange. Noland Lee paused: Do I sound too aggressive saying this? Should I be more rational, impartial, and objective, rather than so extreme? If thats what you think, then I can only say Im sorry. I have nothing to discuss with extraterrestrial space pollution. Killing them is my only choice. Noland Lee is steadfast in his attitude on this matter. He has the Deconstruction Core System at his disposal, so removing the descendants of outer space pollution will simply grant him the intelligence he desires. Why should he pander to outer space pollution? No need at all. Others dont have this privilege. Theyre forced to bend their own wills and reach limited cooperation with outer space pollution, all to satisfy their thirst for knowledge. In some ways, it is truly sad that Wizard Enforcers are only authorized by the Wizard Enforcement Department to exterminate outer space pollutants that have reached agreements with legal forces. Comini is a classic example. She must always reside in Union City, closely monitoring the movements of Black City, only allowed to take action when a major disturbance occurs. From Noland Lees perspective, it was quite a grievous sight. Facing a determined Noland Lee, Comini shook her head slightly and said: Innocent people are often fearless due to their ignorance. You possess powerful extraordinary traits, more than one. Its inevitable that you will become a Star Witch in the future. In our world, given enough time, you could become the most powerful being. Extraordinary traits give you the power to purify the offspring of outer space pollution. However, once you step into the starry sky, you will discover that enemies are everywhere. All the extraterrestrial void forces once purified by you will immediately set their sights on you as you step into the starry sky. Do you have any method to defeat them? By then you will understand that your stubborn attitude towards purifying these outer space pollutants will only make you enemies. Eventually, you wont be able to leave our world and venture into the vast cosmos. So, remember. The laws established by Ulnas Circle are not only restrictions on Enforcers and Legal Wizards, but also a form of protection. It prevents any wizard that may become a Star Witch from being excessively revenge seeking in their early years and dying when they step into the starry sky. Dying as soon as you step into the starry sky Noland Lee pondered and asked: Are Star Witches normally this vulnerable when they first enter the starry sky? Comini responded: Yes, any newly ascended Star Witch would at most have the fighting power at a Starstone level. Among the known extraterrestrial creatures, the weakest start from the Star Land Level. Seeing Noland Lee deep in thought, Comini simply took the opportunity to elaborate a little more, to help him understand the scope of their reality: Ulnas Circle categorizes extraterrestrial void forces into Star Land Level, Star Sphere Level, Star System Level, Constellation Level, and Star Domain Level, based on the range of their influential radiation. Among all known void forces, there is a powerful group known as the Undying Alliance. It is a star system level force. Note that when I say star system level, I do not mean that their number can fill an entire star system C but rather their major actions can influence every planet within a star system. In fact, the Undying Alliance is not large in number, with an estimated population of only one or two million. Organisms forming this alliance can continuously reincarnate and possess a remarkably vibrant energy. Their ability to learn, produce, and organize are exceptional, and nearly all types of extraordinary abilities can be learned. Such terrifying aptitude for learning, combined with their ability to resurrect repeatedly after death, makes this extraterrestrial force known as the Undying Alliance a well-known presence within the void Chapter 519 - Chapter 519: 169. Huh?! Player?! _3 Chapter 519: 169. Huh?! Player?! _3 Noland Lees face changed slightly Holy shit?! The Undying?! Individuals who keep resurrecting? Comini thought Noland Lee was in awe of the Undyings uniqueness, and continued: The Undying are incredibly curious and have a keen interest in everything in the starry sky; they even pilot small spacecraft to explore the stars alone. Although no one in the Ulnas Circle has really seen the Undying, every extraterrestrial being who has communicated with the Ulnas Circle has expressed their astonishment at them. They are a group of extraordinary beings willing to do anything for any other extraterrestrial lifeforms as long as they are rewarded. They seem to have an unknown means of communication and often gather at specific locations without warning. The consequences of offending the Undying are dire. They are a group of vengeful extraordinary individuals who will take advantage of their ability to continuously revive and use any means to retaliate against their enemies. Comini emphasized: If you offend such an extraterrestrial creature, you will truly never be able to step out of our world in this lifetime. As soon as an Undying finds your traces, other Undying who hold grudges against you will quickly get the news. Now you know, right? Leaving a way out for the invaders of the extraterrestrial space pollution is not inefficiency or cowardice, but leaving a way out for ourselves. Comini sighed softly under her mask and said earnestly: In the journey through the stars, strength is second only to connections. This is a lesson countless predecessors of the star witches have learned through blood and life. Cough, cough Noland Lee coughed and asked: Yes, Lady Comini, I will remember your words. I have indeed become somewhat arrogant due to the expansion of my strength. I will learn my lesson Speaking of which, what other features do the Undying have? The first part of that sentence was Noland Lee putting on an act, but that last question was his real focus. He desperately needs more information now to determine the relationship between the Undying and the Players. They have versatile thinking, peculiar behavior, and speak an abstruse language. They can also measure their strength and physical fitness using data. Comini shrugged and continued: Of course, the most significant feature is their ability to keep resurrecting. A playful extraterrestrial lifeform once conducted an experiment where it killed an Undying more than 300 times. The Undying still managed to resurrect and had not lost their memory. Because of this experiment, the extraterrestrial was hunted by the Undying for a long time and eventually settled the matter by compensating with a large amount of star minerals. This rumor has spread along with the Undyings reputation, even reaching the star witches of our world. You can imagine how powerful the extraordinary trait of reviving after death is. Whether the Undying are strong or not, I dont know, but arent they Players? Whats going on here?! Noland Lees heart surged, and he opened his mouth but didnt know what to say But honestly, if the Players C the fourth catastrophe C were integrated into the extraterrestrial lifeform system, their extraordinary trait of continuous reincarnation could be explained without any disharmony or contradiction. So, are these so-called Undying actually Players? Is the abstruse language they use the same one Noland Lee knows? Noland Lee took a deep breath and tried to calm his pounding heart. If you want to know about the extraterrestrial space, you can purchase information from Professor Erica. The currency for transactions can be Ulnas Gold Coins or Silent Mana. Comini said: Im going to the Cat Society Manor to interrogate the Shadow Demon. Thank you for cooperating with my investigation. I look forward to hearing the good news of you joining us. With a tap of Cominis left foot, she turned into white smoke with a poof and disappeared in front of Noland Lee. Noland Lee looked around, retracted the Alchemy Traps he had set up as a precaution, and summoned Denise Green to take him away. The single cottage in Sector 7. Inside the study room on the second floor. Noland Lee sat by the desk, pinching his brow with his fingertips. The palm-sized Sword of Silence lay on the tabletop. The light in the room reflected off the gray, uneven surface of the stone dagger. Denise Green rested her chin on her hands, propped up on her elbows on the desk, and said gently to Noland Lee: I think it would be great for you to join the Silent Maiden. Professor Ericas willingness to change the entrance conditions and pledges for you is a sign of how much she values you. Think about it, with the identity of a member of the Silent Maiden, you can live openly on the island. Although all the members of the Silent Maiden are female and your presence would attract extra attention, it would still be better than constantly disguising yourself with a fake identity. However, I wont force you to join the Silent Maiden. Once we arrive at the Suman Archipelago, you can try the Deep Sea Academy and maybe join the Hotams. If you dont want to join any wizard forces, thats fine too. Ill cover for you~ Noland Lee listened to Denise Greens playful tone, opened his eyes, let go of his pinched brow, and smiled at her. He is not struggling about joining the Silent Maiden anymore. He is worried about the Players who are suspected to be Undying. On his Panel Information, there was no extraordinary trait to revive after death, nor was there the label Identity: Player or Identity: Undying. He was without a doubt a Traveler who had crossed over into the body of Noland Lee Jarvis and not an Undying. Chapter 520 - Chapter 520: 169. Huh?! Player?! _4 Chapter 520: 169. Huh?! Player?! _4 Suddenly learning that the vast universe has the existence of undying beings, it would be a lie to say theres no pressure. It was only at this moment that Noland Lee truly understood the weight of the saying, Theres always someone better out there. Denise I will join the Silent Maiden. Noland picked up the stone dagger on the table and waved it: Ill contact Professor Erica right now. Help me out by going to the Cat Society Manor and selling the Alchemy Weaponry to Mabel. Once I finish talking to Professor Erica, Ill come find you. Alright~ When Denise heard that Noland was planning to join the Silent Maiden, her face showed a relieved and cheerful smile. Even if a wild wizard is extremely talented and has strong extraordinary traits, theyre destined to face setbacks. Denises biggest concern was that Noland would be too stubborn and unwilling to put down his pride from his rapid increase in strength to learn magic knowledge earnestly. Now, that worry has been resolved. Denise happily stood up, waved to Noland, and teleported away. Im leaving~ Dont be nervous when you meet the professor for the first time. Nervous Nolands mouth twitched slightly and he laughed, feeling like he was being treated like a child. He looked at the curtain in the study room and used the Mind Capture he learned from the River of Mind: The Lower Scroll to pull the curtain up. He then infused a bit of soul energy into the stone dagger. The process of entering the online classroom for the first time was quite similar. Basically, all wizard students would enter the dream world when they got sleepy and arrive at the various professors online classrooms in their dreams. Normally, just following the guidance of drowsiness and falling asleep would complete this step. However, for Noland, there was an extra step due to a system message reminder. [System Message:] [Your consciousness is about to enter the Silent Yard.] [The Silent Yard synchronizes with the time flow of the natural world.] [For every hour you stay in the Silent Yard, your energy points will decrease by 1.] [Due to having the Sword of Silence, you will not be obstructed from entering the Silent Yard this time.] [Do you confirm your entry?] Drowsiness surged in Nolands mind. His eyelids were weakly resting on each other, but he never fell asleep as if there was a rope tied to him preventing him from sinking into the dreamscape. The reason for this was the system message asking him, Do you confirm your entry? As long as Noland didnt nod, the system would prevent him from entering the dreamscape and the Silent Yard. After confirming that the system was more powerful than the professors dreamscape, Noland felt much more at ease and silently recited, Confirm entry. Noland maintained the posture of keeping his eyes closed. He felt his consciousness leaving his body and flew straight upward. A bright star shone in the darkness above his head. It resembled a watery blueberry, emitting a soft and tranquil indigo light. An invisible force came from the star, guiding Noland to fly towards it. The star rapidly grew larger in Nolands eyes, its surface covered in indigo mist like a sea of clouds. Noland dived headfirst into the indigo mist. Just as he wondered how long it would take to reach the bottom of the mist, it suddenly dispersed, and a bright, open-air swimming pool filled with silvery laughter appeared before him. The pools area was massive, equivalent to an ordinary water park, surrounded by densely packed trees that emitted indigo light. All the figures in the pool were concentrated at the edge. They were using magic to manipulate the water to turn it into various pet appearances. Hehehe~ Look at the dog I created, isnt it cute~ Look at mine, look at mine~ I made a little kitten~ Such a cute little kitten~ It seems youve gotten bigger here again Eh! Dont poke so annoying Ah! Why is there a man there?! Huh? Huh? Ah! Splish-splash Water splashed as many people paddled frantically, trying to reach the poolside as quickly as possible. Noland looked at the group of girls in swimsuits playing in the water and moved his gaze away from their fair and smooth skin. Embarrassed Why are there so many girls in swimsuits playing in the water here? Could they be newly enrolled Wizard Students who just became witches?! Noland recalled the erotic scene of girls playing in the water and thought of the phrase 80% of members were originally male, getting a chill for no reason. This Silent Yard is not silent at all. Noland looked down at himself and quietly exhaled. After his consciousness entered this place, he was wearing the formal attire he wore in the natural world, and his whole body appeared translucent. Noland cast Deconstruction and refreshed his panel information. There was an additional effect of Illusion Avatar on the status bar, which meant that his consciousness had entered an avatar created by illusion magic, allowing him to move normally in the Silent Yard. Who are you! A girl in a large white bath towel shouted at Noland. How did you get in! Another girl wrapped herself in a large white bath towel, her water-drenched neck glistening as she asked. Professor, Professor, theres a stranger coming in! A girl looked across the pool and called out to the tall woman who had just appeared. Hes our new member. The calm female voice eased the alarmed girls. Pr-prof-professor but hes a man Why do we have male members Thats right, arent we supposed to turn female after obtaining the Magic Power Container I will explain the situation to you in class later. In the future, I will give him a separate area for entering and leaving the dreamscape. You will hardly meet him. This time is an exception. You may continue playing. The female professors voice turned towards Noland: Lets go somewhere else to talk. After a crisp snap of her fingers, the scene before Nolands eyes blurred for half a second and then returned to clarity. At a glance, he had arrived in a study room overlooking the indigo forest. The swimming pool from before was deep within the indigo forest, far away from the current building. Chapter 521 - Chapter 521: 170. Silence, young Noland! Chapter 521: 170. Silence, young Noland! Claudia Erika, the wizard leader of the Silent Maiden, Lecturer Professor, a Battle Witch with Nine-Circles strength. Upon seeing her for the first time, Noland Lee thought: Youthful mature beauty. This was a tall woman over 1.8 meters in height but possessed a lovely face with both childishness and cuteness. Bangs framed her face, and she had long black hair adorned with a silver headdress decorated with indigo jewels. Her body was draped in a silver velvet robe as pure as moonlight. Silent Maiden had been established for about three or four decades now. Which meant that this ageless youthful-looking witch, to Noland Lee, was at least a figure of his mothers generation. Yet, there was no trace of times passage on her body. Especially her delicate white skin, which shimmered like snowflakes under the unique deep-blue light of the Silent Yard. Now thinking about it, the sentence Magic Power Containers will suppress aging on the Magic Power Container panel wasnt just bluster. In a way, Magic Power Containers could be considered a tool for longevity. This beautiful, youthful, and mature woman, Claudia Erika, was the best example. Regrettably, the price of accommodating a Magic Power Container was truly unbearable. Good day, maam, Noland Lee showed the respect he ought to before a Nine-Circles Battle Witch. He gave a slight bow, greeted the other party with a universally recognized gesture, and had a calm demeanor without servility or arrogance. After casting a Deconstruction Technique, Noland Lee, as expected, saw the words Requires 370,000 Energy Points for a 100% Deconstruction on the feedback information. Noland Lee straightened up, casting Deconstruction Techniques on the other items in the study when his gaze swept over them unintentionally. Astrolabe with four metal rings, Deconstruction Consumption is 30,000 Energy Points. Automatic Homework Correction Magic Pen, Deconstruction Consumption is 3,200 Energy Points. Slow-growing half-meter sapling in glass cover, Deconstruction Consumption is 500,000 Energy Points. Parrot Magic Messenger perched upon a stand, staring at him, tilting its head, Deconstruction Consumption is 40,000 Energy Points. With the magic books Noland Lee had seen, he could barely recognize the items in the study room. During this process, Erika silently watched him, her delicate eyebrows twitching slightly. Erika was observing the first male wizard with a Magic Power Container in history. From Comis report, this male wizard not only had a Magic Power Container but might also possess an Extraordinary Trait, such as Magic Proficiency or a combination of similar extraordinary traits. A truly lucky young man to the point of envy. Erika thought that as a woman, possessing a Magic Power Container was already fortunate enough. But compared to this untutored, wild wizard, her luck was not worth mentioning. Whats your name? Erikas voice sounded pleasant, like a clear stream splashing against the surface of a stone: Ray Lee shouldnt be your real name, right? Could you tell me your name? And while youre at it, introduce yourself? Yes, maam, it is my honor, Noland Lee said: I am Noland Lee Jarvis, formerly a Teaching Assistant for history in Birchwood City of the Tatis Empire. Noland Lee removed the magical disguise from his body, revealing his true appearance. He recounted his past experiences and, in a brief manner, described the process of suddenly possessing extraordinary traits. From the description given by Comi, Erika roughly guessed that Noland Lee, who had ice-blue pupils and slightly pale skin, came from the Tatis Empire. But when he recounted his twisted experiences, she couldnt help but think of the word legendary in her heart, as she reviewed Noland Lees process of escaping from the Suffering Borderland. At this moment, she felt that recruiting Noland Lee was definitely the right decision. He was a firm, calm, rational young man with a clear concept of good and evil and extremely self-disciplined. The excellent character he displayed was worthy of comparison to a middle-aged man with worldly experience. The process of studying history had made him restrained and low-key, and the sudden acquisition of extraordinary traits had not turned him into an evil person who committed all sorts of crimes. It should be noted that without strong moral constraints, anyone who achieves success like him would inevitably take a wrong path under the influence of desire. Having served as a Wizard Enforcer for many years, Erika had seen too many talented and arrogant young people with extraordinary gifts. Most of them had become the targets of Wizard Enforcers because their abilities did not match their education. What was even more commendable was that Noland Lee had already acquired a Companion Witch. The Lantern of the Reborn taking advantage of the connection between a Companion Witch and a powerful wizard was not something Erika judged. However, the witch selected by the Lantern was indeed a symbol of kindness and gentleness. With Companion Witch Denises endorsement, Noland Lees character and nature rose to another level, earning him a higher evaluation in Erikas heart. After Noland Lee finished recounting his experiences, Erika joked with a smile: Usually, new members who have just joined us will undergo some psychological adjustment to adapt better to their roles as females. But I think you dont need it. Lets skip the psychological adjustment process. Noland Lee smiled and nodded. Judging from her relaxed words, this woman, over fifty years old, seemed to have a good impression of him. Chapter 522 - Chapter 522: 170. Quiet Noland! _2 Chapter 522: 170. Quiet Noland! _2 Ericas arm brushed across the smooth wooden desktop, scattering a gray magical fog. The fog condensed on the tabletop into a soul contract book. Erica took a magic pen and an eraser tool and, on the spot, modified some of the contracts terms before handing it to Noland Lee. The soul contract book was quite large. It had two scroll tubes, each with a diameter of about 10 centimeters. The sheepskin scroll wrapped around the tubes was at least three meters long. You can read the contract here. Make sure you read it carefully. It will take quite some time. Ill go teach the wizard students you saw earlier. In about an hour, the class will end, and Ill come back to find you. Ericas style was decisive and efficient. After arranging a table and chair for Noland Lee in the study, she left the study room, shrouded in a gray haze. Noland Lee looked left and right. He was the only living thing left in the study. Well, not quite. There was also the parrot messenger cocking its head at him and the young tree standing in the corner in the culture tank. Noland Lee sat down by the desk, opened the contract, and began reading it carefully. Of course, the first step was to cast Deconstruction. It took a whopping 6,000 energy points for him to absorb the more than 60,000-word contract into his knowledge reserve. Noland Lee went over the contract in his mind and roughly understood why there were so many words. This was not just a contract full of terms; it also served as an introductory guide. In the latter half of the contract, Erica devoted a significant portion of text to the history of the Silent Maiden, the pros and cons of The Voice of Silence meditation method, and the strengths, weaknesses, and usage limitations of silent death spells. The development of the Silent Maiden could be described as a rocky road. According to statistics, to date, a total of 994 witches have joined the Silent Maiden. 80% were originally male, with about 800 people. Only 10% of them were willing to stay. The rest destroyed their Magic Power Containers and turned back into males. Without the Magic Power Container, everything had to start from scratch. Fortunately, their previous meditation and spell casting experience remained, so they quickly became wizards again, with their own spiritual ocean. 20% of the members were originally female. Due to their inherently delicate nature, many of them died or were injured during law enforcement, with less than 10% surviving to this day. So why do silent witches have to become Wizard Enforcers? This is related to The Voice of Silence meditation method. Professor Erica said in the contract that she was originally a princess of a certain kingdom. After the kingdom was destroyed by powerful magical beasts, she contemplated the lifeless landscape and had an epiphany: The Voice of Silence meditation method. She didnt mention the specific history of the kingdom in the contract, only saying that it followed the Way of the Knight and wielded a Knightly martial art called White Spirit Swordsmanship. Today, this White Spirit Swordsmanship has been transformed by her into the Silent Maidens magic sword technique, the one Comini used against Noland Lee. The Voice of Silence meditation method has also become the exclusive possession of every silent witch. The Voice of Silence meditation method can guide wizards to extract silent power from the scenes of silence after death. Any scene of silence after death can serve as a source of magic power. Slaughter, plunder, execution, murder, etc. No matter how the death occurs, as long as its a post-death scene, it can provide silent power. If left unchecked, the silent power, with its law-breaking effect, would lead silent witches on a path of indiscriminate killing. After realizing the fatal temptation of silent power, Claudia Erica immediately and decisively reached an eternal self-restraint contract with the Ulnas Circle Law Enforcement Department. From this contract on, all silent witches must become Wizard Enforcers and can only draw silent power from the corpses of criminals, non-human magical creatures, monsters, and other hostile beings. Only in this way can the indiscriminate killing of innocents by silent witches be prevented. When Noland Lee came across this part, he almost applauded, cheering for this pioneer of silent witches who shared his ideals. Both believed that great power must be used to maintain order and justice and should not become a tool of violence. There was much more to the content Erica wrote about in the contract, including aspects related to daily practice. This part of the content perfectly filled in Noland Lees knowledge gap in daily practice. After reading it carefully, Noland Lee summarized many aspects relevant to himself. Among the more critical content was the silent power needed for the meditation method he would practice in the future. In the stages of the wizard apprentice, first ring wizard, and second ring wizard, Noland Lee would temporarily be unable to use the Voice of Silence meditation method he was about to start practicing to extract silent magic power from the natural world. In these three stages, he would either use his own collected soul energy to practice The Voice of Silence or complete the classroom assignments given by the professor in exchange for the silent power he needed for practice. The better he completed the classroom assignments and the higher his quiz scores, the more silent power he would gain in his daily learning process. Chapter 523 - Chapter 523: 170. Silence, young Noland! _3 Chapter 523: 170. Silence, young Noland! _3 These silent powers would be stored by Erica in the Silent Magic Stone and handed over to him for use. If Nolands Soul Strength is abundant, he could temporarily store his rewards of silent power with Erica, and activate them whenever needed in the future. Other Silent Witch students are treated the same way. Acquiring silent power through the course is quite limited. To cultivate Meditation more quickly, one has to invest in Soul Strength. Noland estimated that when he practices Meditation in the future, he would primarily consume his Soul Strength, complemented by the silent power. As Noland was concentrating on reading the Contract, a flapping sound suddenly came from the window. He raised his head and saw the parrot messenger perched on the stand, flapping its wings twice, adjusting its stance, and maintaining a crooked expression while staring at Noland. The parrot was quite large, about 30 centimeters tall, with colorful feathers all over its body, and its head adorned with blue curved crown feathers pointing towards the sky. Because Noland glanced at it, this lively little guy swung his head twice, adorably and mischievously called out: Yo-ho~ What a cute parrot~ Nolands mouth twitched. Parrots love to mimic human speech. The words that this guy was muttering now were probably from the wizard students who had come to the study to find the professor. Noland ignored it and buried his head in the Contract again. Seeing that Noland wasnt paying attention to it, the parrot became excited. It flapped its wings and flew to Nolands desk, tilting its head, leaning forward, stretching its head out in front of Noland, blocking the Contract. Little cutie, little cutie, look at me, look at me. Yoo-hoo~ Cute parrot~ Noland sat up straight, looking helplessly at the other party: Hey, I need to read the Contract, dont mess around. I dont want to read, I dont want to recite, magic knowledge is too boring. The parrot, imitating a wizard students words, hopped and chattered on the tabletop: Reading, boring! Play with me, little parrot! I have something good to eat! Noland was stunned. The Deconstruction Consumption of this parrot was quite high, reaching 40,000 points. Its intelligence level was definitely not ordinary. From its performance, this fellow could understand human speech, and even communicate with people using the words it had learned. It was now using the words it had learned to express its own thoughts, trying to get Noland to play with it. Noland blinked and thought of the something good to eat mentioned by the parrot. He subconsciously touched the back of his left hand, intending to find some canned food or something from the Blood Haven to satisfy the parrots cravings. But there was nothing there, no Array/Formation on the back of his left hand. Only then did Noland remember that he had entered the Court of Silence in the form of consciousness. This illusory body created by the Illusion Magic didnt have anything on it other than covering clothes. The Blood Haven did not come with him here either. It was said in the Contract that the Court of Silence is a sub-dimensional plane that Erica had bought from Hotams using the legacy of the kingdom. She had researched and transformed this plane, carefully weaving a set of rules for the plane, allowing authorized people to enter it with their consciousness. In the Court of Silence, only she, the plane master, could freely use magic, while all other people could only use specific spells. Noland had not yet learned to create little snacks with spells. The gluttonous parrot in front of him was bound to be disappointed. I didnt bring any food, little guy. Noland shook his hand and said: Why dont you wait for a while? Wizard students will come to play with you after class. Then you can ask them for something to eat. The parrot shook its body, seemingly dissatisfied. Its beady black eyes stared at Noland, and it chattered: Ill perform a trick for you~ Little parrot~ Noland slapped his forehead: Alright, Ill do one for you. After that, fly back to the perch because I need to read the Contract. Noland called up the spell list in his mind. Most of the spells were marked as temporarily unavailable, with only Breath of the Dead, Soul Shield, and Mental Shield being usable. Noland Lee sketched a spell blueprint and turned himself into a skeleton. The parrot flapped its wings in delight, giggling like a duck: Wow~~~ Isnt this trick quite fantastic, little parrot~ I learned it right away~ Noland Lee returned to human form, shielding the contract so the others wings wouldnt blow it onto the desk: Alright, little thing, Im going to read the contract now, keep quiet. The parrot retracted its neck sneakily, hugged its wings against its body, and whispered: Shh shh shh Dont make any noise, be good. I need to go Dont let Erica find out Ive been here Noland Lee sighed, wondering which mischievous Wizard Student had been secretly playing with the parrot. The parrot stared at Noland Lee for a while, then flew onto a perch and gazed at the only human in the room without blinking. About an hour later, a puff of gray fumes appeared in the study suddenly. When the fumes dissipated, Erica arrived. Noland Lee had just finished reading the contract three times and signed his name on it. Professor, I would like to join you. Noland Lee handed the signed contract to Erica. Erica conjured a magic pen and wrote down her own name. The contract was split in two, with each half entering the minds of the two people. The parrot on the perch flapped its wings twice, and squawked a congratulation: Look, look, I got a perfect score! Perform a backflip for me, little parrot, we agreed~ Erica was stunned for half a second, then stiffly turned her neck to look at the excited parrot: Pudding, where did you learn this line? Noland Lee pursed his lips to hold back his laughter. The parrot seemed to realize it had let something slip. It shrank its neck and moved its feet nervously: Oh, shes back so soon I gotta go, see you next time for some playtime Having said that, the parrot lifted its wings, buried its head in its feathers, and wouldnt even look at Erica. Ericas full moon-like eyes flitted, and she awkwardly smiled at Noland Lee: It seems that a student sneaked in to play with it while I was away. Unbelievable. Pudding actually helped the student hide it from me. You go back to studying The Voice of Silence for now. Ill call you in for a class once Ive arranged your schedule. Make sure to study the laws of the Ulnas Circle. You are a Wizard Enforcer now. If an enforcer breaks the law, the punishment will be even more severe. So be extra vigilant. Alright, Professor. Ill be leaving now. Noland Lee nodded calmly. Following the instructions recorded in the contract, he silently muttered Leave the Court of Silence. An indigo mist quickly appeared in front of him. Before the mist enveloped his entire body, he saw the following scene: Erica crossed her arms and walked over to the parrot, dragging out her words coldly: Its really strange, dont you usually dislike meddling with the wizard students~~ Erica made her voice intentionally cold: I asked you to watch my study, and instead, you let a student in and kept it from me. Tell me, which student was secretly playing with you? The parrots head was buried under its wings, and it muttered stuffily: Im not Luna, remember, little parrot. Im not Luna. Im Gina Smith. Dont let it slip. What a clever puzzle within a puzzle, this female student who plays with the parrot is quite a clever one Noland Lee shook his head, chuckling silently, and allowed the mist to envelop his consciousness. His consciousness began to sink like freefall, plummeting down, far below his body. Chapter 524 - Chapter 524: 171. Leaving the table Chapter 524: 171. Leaving the table Sector 7, in the study room of a single cottage. Noland Lee opened his eyes, ending his first meeting with the professor. [System Message:] [You stayed in the Silent Yard for 65 minutes, consuming about 1 point of energy.] Noland glanced at the clock on the table, precisely 65 minutes had passed in the natural world. He estimated that Denise Green was working with Mabel to check the alchemy weaponry. Noland used the Soul Perception to check on Denises situation, then read The Voice of Silence in the study room, waiting for her return. [You consume 3000 energy points to deconstruct The Voice of Silence.] [You have obtained a new meditation method C Silent Voice.] [The specific panel information of the meditation method is as follows:] [Name] Silent Voice [Type] Meditation Method [Completion] 100% [Grade] Three-circled You can practice this meditation method to Level 90. After passing the Wizard Level Test, you can obtain higher-grade content from the Lecturer Professor, and then unlock the highest level of the meditation method. [Related Attributes] Spirit, Willpower [Meditation Progress] Level 0, 0/1000 [Description] Activate this meditation method in an absolutely quiet environment to enter a meditative state. You will feel a deathly silent touch to your soul, which is a state of broken hope and desperate helplessness. The longer you stay in meditation, the better the effect. But! Please note! In the meditative state, you will lose all perception of the outside world and the concept of time. If you meditate for too long, you may die from soul death. [Effect] After entering the meditative state, every 1 hour deducts 1 point of energy and 10 soul strength, and temporarily reduces 1 point of the Spirit attribute value. If you end meditation with Spirit 0, you will die. If you end meditation with Spirit0, you will gain meditation experience. When the experience bar is full, the meditation level will increase, the meditation difficulty will be raised simultaneously, and the upgrade reward will be obtained. The upgrade rewards are related to Spirit, Willpower, and soul strength. To ordinary people, the meditation method, which requires extensive practice and preparation, becomes as easy as flicking a light switch in Nolands hands. Noland thought for a moment, adjusted his posture, and began his first meditation. After activating the Silent Voice meditation method, Noland suddenly found himself in pure darkness. Without light and sound, it felt like being in a lonely vacuum environment. Noland was no stranger to this feeling. Every time Denise teleported him, he would be surrounded by darkness during the process. But this time, it was a little different. There was no gentle and lovely Denise by his side, nor was there the light emitted from the torch in her hand. He was alone in the darkness, and the only companion was System? Noland muttered. The familiar system interface lit up in front of him, and Noland exhaled a sigh of relief. As expected, even in the Silent Voice meditation state, he could still use the system unhindered. Noland brought up his Personal Panel, intently staring at the status bar and Spirit columns. When the Spirit temporarily dropped by 1 point, he used his mind to select Meditation Method: Silent Voice in the Skills Tab and closed it with a snap. Light and sound waves came from all directions, flooding into Nolands eyes and ears in an instant. The world of the living is indeed noisy~ Noland shook his head and exclaimed, rubbing his head that was affected by the noise outside. The sound insulation effect of his room was excellent. The noise from outside was very weak. Usually, he didnt notice the noise. But after leaving the absolute silence of the meditative state, the noisy voices, the friction of braking tires, and the waves of car horns sounded like needles piercing his head. It took a full 5 seconds for Noland to readapt to the noise in the room. He checked the system message, his eyebrows raised, and a flash of joy crossed his eyes. [You have completed your first meditation.] [You stayed in the Silent Voice state for 1 hour.] [Silent Voice Meditation Experience +1000 points, level up! Now at Level 1 0/2000.] [You have received the meditation upgrade reward!] [Due to your Spirit attribute value being significantly higher than the level of this meditation method, some rewards have been reduced.] [Spirit +0 points. When the level of the Silent Voice meditation method is equal to your Spirit, you can receive the Spirit attribute value reward normally.] [Willpower +1 point. The Willpower attribute value is related to the toughness of your mind and soul. With every 1 point increase of Willpower, your mental magic and soul magic power +1 point, and your Soul Strength recovery rate +0.1 point/24hours.] [The Soul Strength column has changed, and a new Soul Revival entry has been added, as follows:] [Soul Revival: 0.1 point/24 hours, i.e., 0.1 points of Soul Strength recovered every 24 hours. The value of Soul Strength automatic recovery equals your Willpower attribute value/10.] [Due to your 1 point increase in Willpower, your Energy Points Limit +1, specific details are as follows:] [Energy Points: 252812/54 (40+14)] [Your Sword of Silence level +1, now at Level 1.] The stone dagger in Nolands hand underwent a slight change. Chapter 525 - Chapter 525: 171. Leaving the table_2 Chapter 525: 171. Leaving the table_2 The texture on its surface became clearer, no longer as rough as before. At the same time, its contours became more symmetrical, and overall it looked more and more like an axisymmetric stone dagger. Noland Lee smiled with satisfaction. Not bad~ The effects of practicing the meditation technique are immediate. Soul strength can recover automatically now. Although the automatic recovery rate is extremely slow, only 0.1 points per 24 hours, it is enough to make Noland Lee quite happy. When Noland Lee raises his Willpower to 90 points, he will be able to freeload 9 points of soul strength every day! This is a tangible benefit of meditation techniques, enough to cast many spells. Glancing at the system description of the Willpower attribute, Noland Lee cant help but shake his head and sigh: Another new basic attribute. After Vitality and Strength, this is the third new attribute. Oh my, my panel information is becoming more and more like a character panel in a game. If there were some additional attributes like critical hit rate, critical damage, and evasion rate, geez, that would be almost like a player. Thinking about the Undying, who are similar to players, Noland Lees heart sinks slightly. These extraterrestrial beings put some pressure on him as a busybody. According to Comini, the wizards of this world have not really seen the Undying, but have only heard rumors about them so far. Once the Undying find out that there is a wizard profession that can be employed here, it is hard to imagine how much change Noland Lees environment will undergo. HmmDenise and I cant automatically respawn after death. In order to avoid being killed by players, I need to prepare for the worst. I have to work hard to practice Breathing and Meditation Methods, and become the top powerhouse in the world as soon as possible. Only then can I possibly compete with the Undying and preserve everything I have now. Noland Lee steadies his mind and decides to continue practicing the Voice of Silence Meditation Method. He senses Denises position, sees that she is still staying in the Cat Society Manor, and then begins his second meditation. But the second meditation is different from the first. The hourly energy point consumption has increased to 2 points, and the soul strength consumption has increased to 11 points. At the same time, the temporary drop in Spirit increases to 1.1 points per hour. One hour later, Noland Lee opens his eyes. The system informs him that he also gained 1000 practice experience points from practicing meditation this time. However, since 2000 experience points are required to upgrade from level 1 to level 2, he needs to practice for 2 hours in order to level up. When he reaches the next level, the time for upgrading the meditation practice should increase further. Nolan Lee is not surprised by this phenomenon. Before this, he practiced the Martyrdom Meditation Method, which took 3 to 15 hours to level up and gain 1 point of Spirit. The practice reward for the Voice of Silence Meditation Method is more than that of the Martyrdom Meditation Method. Therefore, it is reasonable that the future difficulty of meditation will be higher than the latter. Noland Lee stands up and moves his body joints, then calls Denise over. In the flickering firelight, Denise appears with a happy smile on her face. Hehe~ How was it? How was your chat with the professor? Have you joined the Silent Maiden? Denise Green asked eagerly. Mm-hmm. I signed a soul contract with Professor Erica, and now Im officially a member. Noland Lee smiled and looked at the overjoyed Denise, asking, Are the alchemy weapons sold out yet? Mm-hmm! Denise sat down on a chair, holding her cheek and giggling, There are more alchemy weapons in this batch than before, and they sold for 34,000 Ulnas gold coins in total. After I received the payment, I have already done the accounting. We have 214,500 gold coins in hand now. Among these, 106,000 gold coins in cash, several boxes of Life Elixir worth 8500 gold coins, and eight Sage Particles worth 100,000 gold coins. We have enough funds for our island-buying plan now~ Mm, not bad. Noland Lee gave Denise a thumbs up and asked again, What about the ship tickets? Yes, yes! Its done. Denise took out two metal magic ship tickets: Mabel helped us book two tickets on the magic ship passing through the Suman Archipelago in the name of Elemental Judgement. We can just follow them on board when the time comes. The day after tomorrow, in the morning, the magic ship will arrive, and it will leave Alchemist Island in the evening. These two tickets are from the captain of the magic ship, sent by a magic messenger. Theyre still warm. Shall I keep them for now? Just keep them at your place. Noland Lee rummaged through the drawer, took out two paper ship tickets, and handed them over: Keep these two Chamber of Commerce ship tickets with you, too. I have already arranged everything. On the surface, we leave Alchemist Island through the Golden Commerce Guilds ocean-going merchant ship. But in fact, we leave with the Elemental Judgement. This should be enough to avoid any eyes spying on us. Ive already informed Derek, and he will lead the team to act as our guards for the voyage, escorting us to Baldurs Gate on the Kashel Continent via the Golden Commerce Guilds ship. The real us will go with Mabel and the others to the Suman Archipelago. When we get there, they will continue on to Ulnas, and we will bid them farewell and settle down in the Suman Archipelago. Okay~ Ill follow your arrangement~ Denise Green put away all four ship tickets. Let me think, theres something else we havent done. In the two days before we leave Alchemist Island, I need to clean up all the loose ends. Chapter 526 - Chapter 526: 171. Leaving the table_3 Chapter 526: 171. Leaving the table_3 Noland Lee leaned back in his chair and fell into deep thought. Not long after arriving in Union City, he was about to leave. If this were happening to someone else, it would inevitably be seen as hasty. After all, many things were still unresolved, such as whether the Blood Sun Seal Descendants would be cleared by Comini, and whether other Sage Particles in the Unclaimed Corridor could be plundered, and so on. But Noland felt that leaving Union City now was just right. He never considered Union City a long-term residence. Especially after knowing that it was far away from the mainland and was a real grain of dust, he became more determined to leave Union City. His Deconstruction technique could only maximize its value in a prosperous environment. In Union City, he dealt more with Alchemy than Magic. This situation was hard to change even with the help of a Professor because knowledge was costly. After thinking about it, Noland believed that at this point in time, it was the wisest decision to disengage from the troubles of Alchemist Island, without waiting for everything to settle. It was like playing poker at a Texas Holdem table. His goal was not to keep winning and defeating everyone, but to not be greedy when making money, and leave the table in time. Preserving the harvest was the most crucial thing. Denise, has Mabel talked to you about the next Magic Research Institute? Noland asked, regaining his senses. Denise touched her chin, thinking and said: Hmm She did mention it. There are quite a few wizard forces competing for the next institutes authority. Among them, the Death Branch of Hotams and the Soul Shaping Society of Soul Shaper Gilbert Winchester have a better chance. The Wizard Advancement Association is currently evaluating. What about the next Magic Research Institute in Tatis? Are there any rumors? Previously, Elemental Judgement had cooperated with Morster. Elemental Judgement handed over the Wand core containing the Princes soul, and Morster provided information about Black City and a large amount of Extraordinary Trait: Vitality Surge to offset the difference. At this time, Morster and his mother Adelaide were busy preparing for the resurrection ceremony of the distressed Prince Merton. Simultaneously, it was the selection of the next Magic Research Institute by the Dusk Giants and the Emperor. The Death Herald Guild had to leave without the Bone-mending Wand. This was partly the price they had to pay for their years of abuse on the Empires civilians. The competition for the next Institutes candidate was extremely fierce. This was due to the scale and system of the Undead Cult. Among the existing records of extraordinary phenomena, the Undead Cult was definitely the largest and most complete in its system. Even if it was in the most remote corner of the world, it couldnt stop the enthusiasm of wizard forces to research it. Denise sat on the chair and connected with the Professor, and then she began talking with Adelaide. After a brief exchange, Denise brought the latest news. Adelaide says that the Dusk Giants have specifically said they dont want to see the Pillar of Ley Lines wizards on the Empires land. The Dusk Giants particularly despise the Pillar of Ley Lines, saying that those who combine souls with earth insult the sanctity and purity of the earth. However, the Emperor loves the Pillar of Ley Lines. His reason is that the Earth Rock Magic of the Pillar of Ley Lines not only helps to destroy the Grave Vaults but also helps to rebuild the Suffering Borderland. Denise shrugged slightly: So, in the end, the Pillar of Ley Lines should be the next Magic Research Institute in Tatis. With a smile, Noland nodded slowly: Nice, nice, all within my control. Denise blinked, Within your control? She suddenly realized: Oh~ I remember now. You told me about this. The more the Dusk Giants like a wizard force, the more they must show their dislike for that force in front of the Emperor. This was your advice to the Dusk Giants. Yes, thats correct. Noland nodded calmly and stood up, clapping his hands: Alright, Denise. Go back and pack up your belongings. Tonight, under the cover of darkness, lets stay at the Cat Society Manor for now. Well board the ship with them the day after tomorrow. Dont leave anything behind, since we might never return to Union City once we leave. Okay~ Denise stood up but didnt hurry away: Ill help you pack. Ive already packed mine beforehand. Noland thought for a moment and didnt refuse: Leave it to you. Ill go and confirm the itinerary with Cindy again to avoid any mistakes in the rush. Mmm, go ahead. Denise took out a hairband, tied her hair up, and coiled it behind her head, putting on an air that she was ready for some serious work. Seeing her full of energy, Noland smiled lightly and left the study room. Chapter 527 - Chapter 527: 172. Shipboard Town (2 in 1) Chapter 527: 172. Shipboard Town (2 in 1) The arrival of the magic ship hardly stirred any waves in Union City. The magic ship docked at the Golden Commerce Guilds harbor. The Alchemist faction, intending to trade with the merchant teams on board, sent a team to the harbor a day in advance. From the start to the end of the trade, the wizard caravan would not leave the harbor area. On the same day, another dock in the harbor was ready for the Golden Commerce Guilds ocean-going ship. Amid the sound of steam whistles, it pushed away the waves and sailed into the vast ocean in a slow, heavy manner. After the ocean-going ship had left, at dusk, the magic ship that passed through the Suman Archipelago set sail. This ship seemed different from the rest. It was a huge hemisphere, much like a bowl floating on the sea surface. Its outermost ship armor was made of one piece of magic metal, airtight, and entirely silver. Standing by the ship, looking up at this semicircular magic ship over 50 meters tall, anyones gaze would be attracted to the matte texture of the ship armors surface. At first glance, the matte texture gave the ship a muted characteristic. The setting sun slanted down, glittering on the sea surface, but the ship didnt reflect any light. This made the ship seem incredibly steady and understated. Upon closer inspection, the matte texture wasnt as simple as an ordinary grainy feel. Its matte texture came from countless fine yet indestructible magic patterns. The spherical hull of the entire ship was made of magic metal with an automatic repair feature. Once activated, the magic patterns on the hulls surface would change rapidly, altering the energy reflection rate on the magic metal surface. In just a moment, this magic ship, which initially looked like a bowl, would possess an astonishing energy resistance. This ship was divided into two areas. It was split along the cross-section of the hemisphere. Below the cross-section and inside the hemisphere was the ships magical engine, magic cargo hold, magic servants assembly hut, the ships shock-absorbing buffer layer, as well as the magic ships energy hub and pipeline system. Above the cross-section, it was a shipboard town. he buildings in this small town were made of magic metal that could change shapes according to the shipowners will. The shipowner was a metal combat wizard named Captain Berkeley, with a strength reaching Nine Rings. This ship was his metal magic creation, and it could be considered his external magic metal armor. He was both the shipowner and the captain and navigator. He controlled the entire ships energy system, navigation system, command system, and logistics system. In the technological ship system, he simultaneously held the positions of the captain, first mate, second mate, and the group leader for the engine and administrative groups. The difference between magic and technology was brilliantly demonstrated in this captain. The technological sides organization division of labor emphasizes putting people to their best use and justly distributes everyones position and responsibility. It was different on the magic side. Anything that could be done by the wizard himself and his magic servants would not be delegated to others. For a technological captain, the ship was just a vehicle, and the crew was the manpower maintaining the normal operation of the vehicle. For a magical captain, the ship was the magical crystallization of his meditation method, spiritual ocean, and metal magic. The presence of unnecessary crews in his magic crystallization would make him feel like he had mice infesting him at home. Therefore, after Noland and Denise Green secretly boarded the ship with the Elemental Judgments team, most of the servants they saw in the shipboard town were played by Captain Berkeleys magic servants. These lightweight energy beings fixed themselves into human forms, dressed neatly in work uniforms, supporting a face without facial features made of white energy. They served the customers in an elegant manner. They were very silent. Berkeley didnt give them vocal magic arrays. The pen and paper in their work uniforms became the medium for these magic crew members to communicate with the customers. Stepping into the shipboard town and seeing the immaculate streets, the spotless metal houses, and then looking at the ribbons and welcome banners hanging in the air of the street, all of these were arranged by the magic servants. At the entrance of the town, a magic banner displaying dynamic characters read: We sincerely welcome the wizards of Elemental Judgment to my magic ship. Our ship is sailing above the nearshore waters east of Alchemist Island at a speed of 26 kilometers per hour. We anticipate entering the open sea in 3 hours. About 5 hours after that, we will enter the deep sea zone. The ships navigation and services on board will be provided by me and my magic servants. You can enjoy services just like those in a land town in the shipboard town. It is worth mentioning that you are very lucky. The shipboard town will soon change the style of the city. What you will see later is a shipboard town that I restructured in imitation of the style of Ulnas City. I hope this helps the wizard students of Elemental Judgment adapt to life in Ulnas City in advance. Thank you for boarding. I am your faithful and reliable Captain Berkeley. The dynamic text announcement on the magic banner was finished. Those complex magic patterns on the magic metal building surfaces of the shipboard town changed rapidly. What was originally gray metal buildings had turned into buildings with stone houses, arch-door windows, pointed roof tops, and thick walls with stained glass in just a few minutes. Noland stared in awe at the pointed ends and red tiles that appeared before his eyes, feeling as if he had traveled to the world of Harry Potter. Chapter 528 - Chapter 528: 172. Shipboard Town (2 in 1)_2 Chapter 528: 172. Shipboard Town (2 in 1)_2 The miraculous transformation of the building excited Philia, Betty, and the other wizard students. Even the other customers already living in the shipboard town couldnt help but praise Captain Berkeleys expertise in metal magic. Berkeley had such exquisite control of magic metal, and he was a Nine Circles Battle Mage. Wasnt it a bit wasteful for such a powerful male witch like him to personally serve as the captain of an ocean-going magic ship? No, no, no. Berkeley was preparing to ascend to the stars as a Star Witch. Controlling the magic ship and maintaining it was a process of honing his own spirit and magic control, and also cultivating the Metal Mind Meditation Method. His magic ship would expand with the progress of his strength, and stop only when he became a Tenth-Ring Wizard. Once he met the conditions for ascension to the starry sky, he would fly his magic ship, which he had been closely cooperating with for decades, to the Star Filtering Net, enter the starry sky, and become a genuine Star Witch, complete with his own magic spaceship. This complete ascension process for metal wizards had been essentially finalized under the continuous improvement of Hotams Metal Institute. Since the first metal wizard who drove the magic ship to the sky and became a Star Witch, hundreds of metal wizards had entered the starry sky using the same method. This was a highly successful ascension method, exclusively for metal wizards. It was safe, reliable, replicable, with a successful track record. But The cost was too high. Just the expense of purchasing magic metal was enough to burden Captain Berkeley with enormous debt. This was also the reason why he, a Nine Circles Battle Mage, was willing to take passengers aboard. After all, tickets were one of his significant sources of income. The magic ship sailed at a constant speed, automatically adjusting its speed according to the mist threshold on the sea chart. The hull was stable and level, and the customers in the shipboard town felt like they were on solid ground. The salty sea breeze was filtered by the magical dome that enveloped the town, removing the thirst-inducing sea stench and moist sensation, replaced by natural fresh air. If one ignored the vast blue sea visible in the distance, everything here was exactly like life in a landlocked town. The power of magic is truly mysterious Noland Lee stood at the entrance of a restaurant run by magic servants and touched the doorframe. An incredibly realistic wood texture came from the palm of his hand. The surface of the doorframe was smooth, as if it had been coated with a wax to prevent the wood from rotting, and there was a faint wood grain texture. Had he not witnessed the process of magic metal turning into a wooden doorframe, Lee would have had trouble connecting the wood and metal before his eyes. How do metal wizards change the texture of magic metal? Noland Lee was a bit curious and tried to unleash a Deconstruction technique. [System Message:] [You are about to use the Deconstruction Technique on the Magic Metal Component.] [Magic lock detected on target.] [You need to consume 20,000 Energy Points to break the magic lock first, then consume 13,000 Energy Points to deconstruct the target.] Noland raised his eyebrows and abandoned his deconstruction plan. His stored Energy Points were better used on magic books related to metal system meditation methods. Turning his head to look at Denise Green, who was holding his arm, Noland smiled and asked: Do you think this place is similar to the Ulnas Circle Town? Yes, yes! Denise nodded: Very similar, especially the dark wooden walls, the light-colored marble, and the arched ceiling. Its exactly like Ulnas Circle. Denise wore a black witchs hat, with a lace veil falling from the brim to cover the upper half of her face, her two eyes blinking animatedly, filled with memories and anticipation. It seems you had a great time in Ulnas Circle. Noland smiled. Yes, every day I was busy with classes, and when I closed my eyes, magic images and texts mingled with sleepiness filled my mind. Although my schedule was packed with studies, I didnt have to worry about living expenses and mana, as the Resurrection Cults Academy took care of that, so I felt quite relaxed. Denise clung to Nolands arm, her cheeks blushing slightly, somewhat embarrassed: I dont have to worry about living expenses and mana now either. Thank you, Noland. Its what I should do. Noland raised his hand and patted Denises hand: Lets go to the hotel. My class time is approaching. Alright~ The two strolled along the magic-filled street towards the white archway and stone pillar building at the end of the road. The ship ticket did not include the cost of accommodation, dining, and entertainment, these services were charged separately. The ticket only allowed boarding and provided safety services by the captain. Once aboard, you could take out your ticket, pay a deposit to the magic servant sent by Berkeley for checking tickets, and then make purchases on the ship by keeping an account. When it was time to leave the ship, you could just pay the bill and leave. Denises island plan included all the sailing expenses from Alchemist Island to Suman Archipelago. That was also the reason why the funding requirements for the entire plan increased from 150,000 to 200,000 gold coins. Of course, the extra 50,000 gold coins were not all for sailing. Chapter 529 - Chapter 529: 172. Shipboard Town (2 in 1)_3 Chapter 529: 172. Shipboard Town (2 in 1)_3 On the issue of renting the hotel room, Noland Lee did not hesitate much. A hotel suite with two bedrooms and a living room is enough to solve the problem. After all, when they purchase an island in the future, they wont be building two separate houses on it. Furthermore, their relationship is not that stiff and distant, so some things still need to be faced. Its not too late to adapt starting from now. Noland Lee brought Denise Green into the hotel suite on the fifth floor. After he entrusted her with arranging the room, he entered his bedroom. Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, his eyes wandered through the pale green barrier of the magical dome and gazed at the magnificent sea where the sky meets the ocean. The magic ship was caressed by the sea breeze and the waves rolled. The air on the magic ship was fresh, with no sense of the waves on the sea surface. Has mankind conquered the ocean with the power of magic? No, they havent. On this planet, only 20% is land, and the rest is the ocean. Just considering the ratio of sea to land, marine life and sea people are the main constituents of this planet, and terrestrial life is just a minority. Imagine this. Human ships sailing on the sea surface are like unidentified flying objects appearing in the sky of seafaring life. For humans, when an unidentified flying object appears in the sky, they will definitely try every means to bring it down and investigate. The sea people think the same way. As extraordinary species living at the bottom of the sea, the complex biological group of sea people, composed of fish people, sea monsters, sea giants, merfolk, have always been curious about the unknown objects flying over their heads. Many sea species even harbor desires to destroy these unidentified flying objects. It may seem calm in the nearshore waters, but once you enter the open sea and deep sea, the Lost Sea Fog becomes an excellent tool for sea people to hunt ships. If the Lost Sea Fog did not exist, ships could just sail at full speed through the dangerous sea area occupied by the sea people. But now, a little carelessness can trigger the Lost Sea Fog. With just a little trick from the sea people, the fog can trap the ship in place. It is because of the existence of the Lost Sea Fog that the oceans of this world, especially the deep sea far away from the mainland, become forbidden zones for most land creatures. However, Noland does not need to worry about safety. The Nine Circles Metal Battle Mage and the captain will handle everything. His high-profile change in the architectural style of the shipboard town is to show off his strength and reassure passengers completely. Only then will the passengers on the ship be willing to spend money and have fun without worry. Noland, facing the sea, pulled up a chair, plopped down, and entered the Court of Silence. Professor Erica has arranged his class schedule well. Noland has 2 to 8 class periods each day, each class period lasting 40 minutes. In teaching, Erica adopted the general education plan of the Ulnas Circle. Wizard apprentices, first-level wizards, and second-ring wizards study magic generalist courses that do not involve complicated magic experiments. The magic generalist courses include the History of the Ulnas Ring, the Path of the Wizard, which introduces all known wizard factions and branches, the Fundamentals of Magic, which elaborates on magic principles and various extraordinary traits, and the Extensive Catalog of Magic Patterns and Magic Materials (all five volumes) C this set of books is ten centimeters thick, enough to make each wizard student recite it back and forth. Noland has previously shown his talent for self-learning magic. With this psychological foundation, he unabashedly displayed his amazing memory in front of Erica. After only six class periods, he had memorized all apprentice-level textbooks and even passed the standardized wizard level test, becoming a first-level wizard. While marvelling at his accomplishment, Erica realized that she needed to change her teaching approach. Letting Noland take classes with ordinary wizard students would only delay his learning process. Erica simply set aside a small classroom with books for Noland to use at the first-level wizard level. When Noland entered the Court of Silence, he appeared directly in this small classroom. Dark wood showcased elegant textures, a large wooden desk, a bookshelf filled with locked magic books, magical chalk writing todays self-study courses and daily quizzes on the blackboard, while the tranquil indigo forest filled the view outside the window. Noland sat down next to the desk and fetched a book from the shelf using the [Mages Hand] spell learned a few days ago. Let me see, what are todays self-study courses Noland squinted at the blackboard, his eyes falling on the words written by the magical chalk. Magic Control and Energy Perception, page 233 to the last page, and all quizzes must be completed. Noland nodded slowly. With the Deconstruction technique, Noland easily memorized the knowledge in the book of Magic Control and Energy Perception, but he is still a long way from mastering it. Just as remembering the Forging Body Movement doesnt mean one can practice it successfully all at once, Nolands magic manipulation ability and energy perception ability can be described as crude. His magical power is indeed great, but that is based on the premise of an abnormally high skill level. When he cast Death Two Finger, it seemed fierce, and the violent black lightning slithered like a giant python. But in reality If a wizard skilled in magic manipulation were to cast Death Two Finger, it would produce two straight black lasers. Chapter 530 - Chapter 530: 172. Shipboard Town (2 in 1)_4 Chapter 530: 172. Shipboard Town (2 in 1)_4 That distorted black lightning was a direct manifestation of insufficient magic manipulation ability, unable to fully restrain the death energy through spiritual power. Noland Lee had to carefully study the fluctuation patterns and laws of each type of energy and understand the influence of different energy transmission mediums on energy to improve his magic manipulation. For example. Ordinary sea water without extraordinary traits has a density about 800 times that of air. Most magic that can function normally in the air would fail immediately in the sea water. Projectile spells in the Metal System, elemental spells and elemental reactions in the Elemental Faction, and all energy beams in the Death Series. How to cast spells when the medium parameters change drastically is a basic skill that every wizard must master. As a combat wizard, one must learn to adapt to different energy transmission mediums, or risk losing their life. Suman Archipelago is said to be a maritime trade hub built by mankind at sea, but I think its more like a stake driven by land creatures into the territory of the Sea People. Without this stake, mankind will be helpless in the deep sea. With this stake, mankind can travel back and forth between Kashel Continent and Spinning Continent. No wonder Hotams would place the headquarters of the Deep Sea Academy on the Suman Archipelago. If it werent for the deep-sea combat wizards who are adept at fighting in the deep sea, the sparks of civilization spread by mankind on the Suman Archipelago would have been uprooted by the violent sea people long ago In his spare time during his self-study, Noland Lee thought about settling on the Suman Archipelago. He learned the knowledge in the books at the fastest speed, and then spent some time writing down the daily tests in the exercise book. It took him less than half an hour to finish what ordinary wizards would take one or two class hours to complete. Just as he picked up the exercise book and walked out of the small classroom, intending to hand it over to the professor, a sneaky figure appeared in the corridor. Looking at the persons cautious movements and direction, it was headed straight for Professor Ericas study room. Seeing the sneaky figure tiptoeing, Noland Lees mouth twitched slightly, and he deliberately closed the door of the small classroom with some force. Click. The sound of the door closing made the sneaky figure shiver. The girl slowly and awkwardly turned her head towards Noland Lee, revealing a pretty face. Hehe A flattering chuckle emerged on her face as she raised her finger and whispered to Noland Lee: Hush, hush Noland Lee looked at the girls rare light purple hair and then at her face, which somewhat resembled Ericas, nodded slightly, and headed straight for the professors study room. Are you going to the professors place? The girl lowered her voice, asking Noland Lee, who was approaching her. Yes, thats right. Noland Lee stopped in front of the girl, taking a brief glance at her. This girl was about 1.6 meters tall and reached Noland Lees chest. Her light purple hair was shiny and beautiful, adorned with a white butterfly hairpin. Her skin was smooth and translucent, her facial lines soft, and her eyes watery. For a moment, Noland Lee could not tell whether she was originally a male or not and was even more puzzled as to why she resembled Erica As he observed the girl, she was also observing him. Are you Noland Lee Jarvis, the only silent male witch here? The girl confidently extended her right hand: Hello, hello, Ive been wanting to meet you for a long time. Youre pretty handsome. My name is Gina Smith, and from now on, well be seniors and juniors to each other. Gina Smith Gina what Smith You are clearly Ericas sister Jenny When Noland Lee saw that she looked like Erica, he couldnt help but use Deconstruction to obtain a small part of her panel information. Seeing the words Ericas Sister in the Identity column on the panel, Noland Lee finally knew why she looked like Erica and could freely enter the Court of Silence. In the Court of Silence, aside from Noland Lee himself, who entered this place as a consciousness body, all other students and Ericas sister before him entered with their physical bodies. They lived in the Silent Maidens Academy and could enter the Court of Silence through the teleportation gate within the Academy. Therefore, after using Deconstruction, the deconstructed object Noland Lee obtained directly pointed to the girls physical body in front of him, not a magically conjured magic body created by Illusion Magic. The panel information of this girl clearly read Ericas Sister Jenny. The two names she reported to the parrot C Gina and Luna C were obviously those of wizard students. Noland Lee didnt expose her little secret. With a polite smile, he gently shook her hand: Excuse me, I need to hand in my homework to the professor. Alright. You can go first. Jenny stepped aside and opened the way, her eyes wide as she stared at Noland Lees back and asked: After turning in your homework, will you directly end the Dreamscape in the professors study room and leave here? Thats right. Noland Lee smiled at her and walked towards the professors study room. At this point in time, the professor should be teaching a First Rank Wizard class. However, when Noland Lee pushed open the door to the study room, he saw Erica and the parrot staring at each other with arms folded. Both human and bird, with big eyes staring at small eyes, maintained an unmoving posture. If you dare to make a sound and report to Jenny, you wont be eating tonight. Erica said coldly to the parrot. Chapter 531 - Chapter 531: 172. Shipboard Town (2 in 1)_5 Chapter 531: 172. Shipboard Town (2 in 1)_5 The parrot shrunk its neck and buried its head in its wings. Erica turned her head to look at Noland Lee, who was closing the door, a smile bloomed on her face, and she gestured for him to keep quiet. Noland Lee knew that Erica wanted to catch Jenny red-handed. He wisely chose to remain silent. He put down the exercise book, bowed and silently recited Leave the Court of Silence. His movements were smooth and seamless, without making a sound. Just as the blue mist was about to return his consciousness to his body, Noland Lee saw Jenny carefully pushing the door open, followed by a scream and a cold snort from Professor Erica. Squeak Ah! Sister, why are you here? Arent you in class? Hmph, Jenny, come here. Ive been waiting for you. In the hotel suite on the magic ship. Noland Lee opened his eyes facing the sea, a smile full of schadenfreude on his lips. He pulled open the bedroom door and said to Denise Green, who was resting in the living room reading a book: Ive finished class. Lets go to the shipboard towns market. Great~ Denise Green collected her books, bounced up from the sofa, expertly hooked Noland Lees arm: I want to go to the tailors shop. Lets buy some heat-resistant and temperature-controlled magic fabric and make some clothes for our stay in the Suman Archipelago. Sure. Oh, right, we also have to sell the Life Elixir. Noland Lee took Denise Green out with him. The two left the hotel and arrived at the bustling market area. There were many passengers on this magic ship, estimated to be around two thousand people. A small portion were ordinary people protected by armed guards, while the majority were Extraordinaries or wizards with special abilities. These people were eager to travel the world or conduct trans-regional business. They boarded the magic ship that could sail through various sea areas and would return to where they came from after circling the world. A small number of these people were not passengers but shopkeepers in the marketplace, backed by powerful and well-funded Extraordinary Forces (or Non-ordinary Forces). Selling a large number of Life Elixirs to these shops could result in acquiring cash on the spot. Noland Lee and Denise Green went around the market area, choosing a suitable buyer, and finally settled on a magic potion shop called Green Herb Ointment. As Noland Lee opened the front door of the shop, he saw the narrow space filled with bottles and jars. Facing the back of the shop filled with glass bottles and placed on long tables and storage shelves, they saw the lady boss at the back reading a book. She was a white-haired witch who seemed to be a bit old, but her facial skin was well maintained. There were hardly any visible fine lines on her forehead, and she had the unique charm of a mature woman. She pushed up her glasses, adorned with green leaves on the bridge of her nose, looked up, revealed her delicate but slightly aged face, and spoke in the magnetic voice unique to middle-aged witches: Oh, welcome. What do you need? The labels on the glass bottles state the effects and prices of their contents. After you take the glass bottles, just put the gold coins on the table by the door, and my magic servant will give you your change. Noland Lee stretched out his hand towards Denise Green, who quickly understood and handed him a briefcase. Noland Lee placed the briefcase on the counter and smiled gently: My lady, excuse me. We need to find the right buyer for 85,000 Life Elixirs produced by Tatis. Each Life Elixir is of standard size and has a healing effect comparable to that of a small healing mushroom. The lady boss was stunned and asked: 85,000 Life Elixirs? Yes, 85,000. After receiving confirmation from Noland Lee, the lady boss suddenly showed more enthusiasm than expected: Warm welcome, welcome, please have a seat. She stood up excitedly with slightly trembling fingers, opened the barrier of the counter, and invited Noland Lee and his companion to sit at the square table behind her. Facing her enthusiasm, Noland Lee and Denise Green looked at each other and thought it was a bit strange. 85,000 Life Elixirs might sound like a lot, but their total value was only 8,500 gold coins. This amount might be significant to ordinary wizards, but for a shopkeeper, it shouldnt be that important right? The lady boss saw the confusion on their faces. She snapped her fingers, controlling the magic tea set to bring hot tea to the table, then rubbed her hands together and explained: You probably dont know yet. The production of healing mushrooms has encountered some problems. The underground fungi people, who are responsible for producing and selling these mushrooms, have been attacked by the Greyrock Dwarves and underground demons. The war between the two sides has been ongoing since last month and shows no sign of stopping. Healing mushrooms have a large production volume and are easy to cultivate, but they can only be produced in the fungi peoples cavern. The lady boss spread her hands and smiled helplessly: So, healing mushrooms are on the verge of being sold out. Extraordinaries on land either have to spend a lot of money on expensive Life Elixirs for quick injury recovery, or they have to use hundred-fold diluted Pure Light Holy Water as battle healing potions. The lady boss raised one finger: In the past, Life Elixirs could only be sold at this price. She extended two more fingers: Now, their price has doubled, three times as much as before. Wow Denise Green happily hugged Noland Lees arm, gently twisting her body. Noland Lee raised his hand and placed it on her back to calm her, then looked at the lady boss and asked: Chapter 532 - Chapter 532: 172. Shipboard Town (2 in 1)_6 Chapter 532: 172. Shipboard Town (2 in 1)_6 Have you discussed with the Tatis Empire about purchasing batches of the Life Elixir? The Lady Boss rolled her eyes at the ceiling and commented, Oh, my dear guest, of course weve made contact with Tatis, but we havent been able to reach any deal. The people of Tatis Empire are all single-minded and they completely ignore us, always going on about things such as we despise magic and wizards are disgusting. I have no idea what theyre going on about. We took bags full of gold to them and all we got were contemptuous looks and ridicule. Have a seat, both of you. Youve brought your Life Elixirs, yes? I have plenty of cash here. Noland Lee and Denise Green took their seats. Denise naturally took out a suitcase and placed it on the table. Noland then started a conversation with the lady boss: I heard that the Tatis Empire has accepted the proposal of the Wizard Advancement Association and is selecting the next Magic Research Institute. After the Death Herald Guilds departure, the Pillar of Ley Lines might take over the Undead Cults research task. A subtle glint passed through the lady bosss eyes, demonstrating her understanding of the deeper meaning in Nolands remarks: It seems like youre quite knowledgeable about the affairs of Tatis? Ah your eyes are ice blue, clear and luminous like a crystalline blue diamond. Ive seen such eye colours in the negotiation team sent by Tatis. Noland nodded slightly: Yes, madam, I am from Tatis and I have some friends there. Let me guess, the Empire People who came to negotiate with you were probably a team composed of military officers from Division Intelligence Unit Two, Three, Four, and some representatives of the Empires enterprises. Without your introduction, I know already that those who say Wizards are trouble are from Division Intelligence Unit Two. Division Three has a neutral stance on the sale of Life Elixirs. Division Four really wanted to strike this deal, but they were overshadowed by Division Two. As for the Empires representatives, honestly, they do not produce Life Elixirs; they are just responsible for dealing with the transportation of the potions. Yes, thats right The Lady Boss nodded repeatedly. The real situation was almost the same as what Noland described. Tatis is an isolated place, and the Death Herald Guild has never allowed wandering wizards to reside there. This has resulted in all the wizard forces, including this lady boss, having limited knowledge of Tatis. It can be said that the vast majority of wizards, including this lady boss, cannot differentiate between the functions of Division Intelligence Unit Two, Three, Four due to insufficient information. Now that Noland labelled the Division Intelligence personnel, the lady boss was quickly able to match the labels Noland gave with the actual people. Ive thought about it carefully, and the situation at the site was exactly as you described. After pondering for a few seconds, the lady boss clapped her hands softly, lowered her voice, and said, Can you help me get more Life Elixirs? Price is certainly negotiable. If possible, I want to buy out your supply channel for Life Elixirs. I can make decisions regarding this matter. Ill have to discuss this with my friends from the Empire first. As you understand, those stubborn heads need me to drill a hole in their foreheads before I can pour what I want to say into their minds. Noland patted the suitcase on the table: Lets handle these Life Elixirs first. Ill give you a response within three days, madam. No problem. the lady boss said while laughing heartily. She took out her branch wand and drew a few circles in the air. The circles transformed into a column of light that suspended the suitcases, and they opened in half. These suitcases were alchemical products with folded space, where the Life Elixirs inside were compressed to the size of a grain of rice. The column of light released by the lady bosss wand scanned over the contents of each suitcase, quickly completing the identification and tallying process. She happily took out 26,000 gold coins and handed them to Noland. Of these, 25,500 gold coins were the payment for the goods, and the extra 500 gold coins were for Nolands expenses in contacting his Empire friends. Noland gratefully accepted the gold coins and handed them to Denise Green for safekeeping. By the way, weve been so busy doing business that we havent formally introduced ourselves, the lady boss said as she reached out her hand to shake with Noland: I am Kalandi, a seventh-ring nature witch from Hotams Nature Institute. I like to research magic potions. If you need magic elixirs or magical herbs, Im the one to look for. I am Jarvis, madam, I am honored to meet you. Noland Lee pointed to the witch beside him: This is Denise Green, my companion witch. Therefore, I dont need to introduce my wizard forces. You should understand what I mean. Kalandi had a gracious smile and waved her hand: No problem, I dont mind. As a contractor, if your secrets are found, its easy to be targeted for your companion witch. I understand. I have to remind you of something, dont blame me for being nosy Kalandi paused and said: Among the passengers on this ship, there are many grey wizards who have not joined the Ulnas Circle, and there is even an arena run by grey wizards. According to Law No. 1 of the Ulnas Circle, you can refuse to challenge a Ulnas Circle wizard when your strength is weaker than theirs. However, those grey wizards are not members of the Ulnas Circle; they are not bound by Law No. 1. They may find ways to provoke you, ask you to go to the arena to fight, and there will be betting odds. Be careful, dont fall for their tricks. If things get tricky, be sure to ask for help from the Captains magical servant. Theres no shame in that. Thanks to Kalandis reminder, Noland Lee remembered this. There are many people in this world who cant stand others being better than them. For these kind of people, defeating him, Noland Lee, and then humiliating him severely may not led Denise Green to leave him in despair, but it would definitely vent their resentment of the resurrection witch being occupied by someone who is inferior to them. If there are many grey wizards on this ship who have nothing better to do, then he would be busy dealing with challenges Noland Lee frowned slightly, but the next second, a peculiar look emerged in his eyes. Thank you, madam. Thank you for your reminder. Noland Lee said goodbye to Kalandi, and took Denise Green out of the shop. Standing in the street, looking at the bustling crowd, Noland Lee had a brilliant idea. Denise Green, lets go around to the tailors and then find a crowded place to rest. While you rest, contact Adelaide Carter and Morster and ask them if they are willing to provide Life Elixir. Alright. Denise Green nodded obediently, then tilted her head slightly and asked doubtfully: Why choose a crowded place? Didnt Miss Kalandi just mention that if people realise we are in a companion contract relationship, we may encounter trouble Dont worry. Noland Lee gently brushed the back of her hand, smiling assuredly: Just stay comfortably by my side. If someone challenges, I will handle it. Denise Green didnt really understand but she did not ask any other questions. She reached out to hold Noland Lees hands, and reminded him softly: Then you should be careful. Whether you win or lose the duel, it will not affect our contract. Yes, I know. Noland Lee noticed the stray glances coming from the corner of the street. It didnt take long for a grey wizard to take notice. A beautiful companion witch is indeed a hot cake Come on, grey wizards. The more you come, the more energy points I can earn. I can try applying the knowledge I learned about magical control in the last few days. Hehehe~ Chapter 533 - Chapter 533: 173. The Way to Make Money (2 in 1) Chapter 533: 173. The Way to Make Money (2 in 1) After sunset, the sea was like ink, bathed in the silver radiance of the moon enveloped in a halo. Whenever the magic ship arrived at a place, Captain Berkeley would purchase local delicacies and specialties for the passengers on board. Be it Tatis Empire or the Golden Federation, local delicacies and specialties were not particularly remarkable. Sausages, beef rolls and black beer were made with simple and crude ingredients, with a mediocre taste. Knowing that passengers would be disappointed, Captain Berkeley had magic servants arrange two magic dramas as performances. The magic dramas were performed in the open-air square at the town center, free for all passengers to watch. The first drama was about alchemists exploring the Fissure Corridor and suddenly being attacked by aberrations. The second drama depicted the battle between an ordinary army and the Undead Cult in a Grave Vault. Both magic dramas managed to somewhat reproduce a realistic representation of Union City and Suffering Borderland, with regards to the clothing, stage appearance, and sense of time. The first drama was more accurate in its reproduction, thanks to the help of Elemental Judgement. Shortly after Mabel brought wizard students on board, she quickly received an invitation from Captain Berkeley. The captain paid a reward for Mabel and the wizard students to adjust the stage layout, plot content, lines and actor appearances of the dramas. This approach was effective, as they managed to recreate the darkness, oppression and slipperiness of the Fissure Corridor. Betty Davis, Philia and other wizard students even acted in the drama themselves, performing scenes where they used elemental spells to fight against demonized rats, aberrations, and illegal alchemists. As one of the parties involved, Noland thought Philia and the others performed well, but he himself was almost embarrassingly engaged in the performance. By comparison, the second magic drama was somewhat disappointing. Noland shook his head as he watched from the second floor of the dining hall near the open-air square. Since he did not reveal his identity as an Empire person and there were no Death Herald Guild wizards on the ship, Captain Berkeley had nowhere else to draw inspiration. He could only simulate the battle scene between the army and the Undead Cult based on hearsay and imagination. Fighting against undead spirits capable of resurrection with mortal bodies and firearms would undoubtedly be a tragic scene. After the second drama ended, most conversations on the scene revolved around, Has the Tatis Emperor lost his mind? When rumors about Tatis Empire developing biochemical soldiers began to spread, the Tatis Emperors image was labeled as defiling life. Some viewers even declared with confidence that the Tatis Empire would become another country destroyed by extraordinary phenomena, just like the Ancient Kingdom of Durham that vanished in the Lament Mountains. Noland was unsure if this prophecy would come true. But he was confident that a disaster would strike Tatiss land earlier than the Undead Cults attack on the Tatis Empire. This disaster was related to the division within the royal family and the Emperors children fighting against each other. At the moment when the Tatis Emperor decided to accept the Wizard Advancement Associations proposal and allow the Pillar of Ley Lines to enter the Empire, the Emperors years of sown cause erupted. About 5,800 of his children vehemently opposed his decision to approve the establishment of a Magic Research Institute. Over the years, the Emperor had sent most of his children into the pillars of the Empire, such as military, administration, law, and commerce. With blood ties as the bond, he built a modern empire firmly under his control. But this was just superficial stability. When the vast empire system openly opposed his voice, the oppressive atmosphere before a storm would sweep the entire country in an extremely short time. Every legal office, every floor of the administrative complex, and every army were questioning, Why has the Emperor revolted? The moment Noland connected with Morster through Denise Green and Adelaide Carter, signs of division began to appear within the Empire. As for why the Emperors children went against their own father, well, thats easy to understand. The best time for humans to undergo magical enlightenment is between the age of 12 and 18, with 16 being the best. After this age, the success rate of opening up the Spiritual Ocean declines sharply. When a person reaches 20 years of age, there is almost no chance of opening up the Spiritual Ocean. In the small classroom of the Silent Yard, After watching the magic dramas, Noland sought permission from Professor Erica and met Morster in this small classroom for self-taught magic courses. Morster temporarily obtained permission from Professor Erica to enter the Silent Yard using his consciousness and communicate with Noland face to face via Ericas Illusion Body. They sat on two wooden chairs, with a simple tea table between them. Morster spread his hands and continued the previous topic: All my brothers and sisters are over 20 years old. Their chances of becoming wizards are slim to none. When the Pillar of Ley Lines enters the Empire, many young Earth Vein Wizard students will emerge. They will enter key departments of the Empire, relying on the wizard forces behind them to compete with the Emperors children. The competition will be fierce, but the outcome is clear. Wizards strength and foundation are enough to crush the Emperors children. I estimate that internal conflicts within the Empire will erupt as soon as the crisis of the Undead Cult is resolved by the Earth Vein Wizards. Chapter 534 - Chapter 534: 173. The Way to Make Money (2 in 1)_2 Chapter 534: 173. The Way to Make Money (2 in 1)_2 Morster breathed a sigh of relief: I am now extremely grateful that my mother sent me to Hotams. It has given me the strength to protect my own legitimate position within the Empire. When will the Earth Vein Wizard arrive at Tatis? Noland Lee asked. About half a year from now, Morster replied. Noland Lee lightly Hmm : It seems that the Undead Cult will continue to exist for a long time before all parties are fully prepared. Yes, thats what I think too, Morster shrugged slightly: But I dont intend to spend my time and spirit on the affairs of the Empire. I have discussed it with my mother, and when the Earth Vein Wizard arrives in Tatis, I will resign as the Acting Commander and return to the Ulnas Circle to continue studying magic. Morster rubbed his metal-covered chin: As for the sale of Life Elixirs to Green Herb Ointment The Empire personnel who previously dealt with the wizard caravan were not arranged by me. This is the responsibility of other imperial children. If I were to act as a go-between, Ill tell you directly, it would be difficult, and not just a little bit. After Division Intelligence Unit Three harvested Vitality Surge from the battlefield, they processed it into Life Elixirs. At least four-fifths of the potion production is used for research on Biochemical Mutation and Aberrations. Of the remaining one-fifth, less than ten percent is surplus, but it has already been divided among my brothers and sisters. Noland Lee was not surprised by this answer. Those imperial children were not fools, and if they did not take advantage of any gains, they would be very much like idiots. However, Noland Lee was not discouraged. He snapped his fingers and said: Morster, how have Captain Murphy, Corporal Mars, and Sergeant Major Alvin Stafford been doing lately? Morster glanced at Noland Lee suspiciously: Fighting as normal, resting as normal. Mars is now a sergeant. Alvin injected himself with a mutagenic agent, successfully survived the onset of the drug, and is now a lieutenant, which is quite rare for an old man like him. Murphy is serving as a Special Commissioner in the Suffering Borderland, saving the day everywhere. Why are you suddenly asking about them? Is the modification of Undead Runes and cracking of the Magic Protective Cover still ongoing? Noland Lee asked. No, its not. After you left, Mars tried to modify the Undead Runes twice. The first time was successful. The second time, an accident occurred, and his left arm was torn apart by the Death Storm. If he hadnt injected himself with a transformation potion beforehand and modified the Undead Runes in the form of a Biochemical Giant, he would most likely have died in that accident. Morster shook his head helplessly: Since then, Mars has refused to modify Undead Runes no matter what. Indeed, this kind of work is too difficult for an ordinary person. Even the Three-circled Wizards of the Death Herald Guild cannot guarantee a 100% success rate. You are an exception, being able to modify so many Undead Runes without making any mistakes. After finishing his speech, Morster looked around and glanced at the indigo-lit forest outside the window: Your peculiarity goes beyond that, Jarvis. Its hard to imagine that you, a male wizard, actually joined the Silent Maiden. Noland Lee waved his hand, returning to the main topic, and said solemnly: If, Morster, I mean if. If I can find a way to make others decrypt Undead Runes like me, with a 100% success rate and fully remove the Magic Protective Cover. Could you help me gather an army, obtain Vitality Surge, and hand it over to Division Intelligence Unit Three to process into Life Elixirs? Morster pondered for a moment, and nodded: Yes, I can. The premise is that your method of removing the Magic Protective Cover is safe and feasible, and that you completely remove the entire cover. I am confident in doing so. Noland Lee got up, went to the desk, and picked up a magic book that every First Rank Wizard must study. The book is called Magic Shield Efficiency Theory. The so-called shield efficiency is the amount of damage that can be withstood per unit of shield strength without changing the shield strength. Magic Shield only upgrades the total shield strength when leveling up. Each point of shield strength can resist 2000 joules of damage, and this will not change with skill level ups. Even the additional rewards for breaking through the whole level of skill level cannot improve shield strength efficiency. This is because the damage that each point of shield strength can resist is related to a variety of factors. These factors include the type of damage, the medium of damage conduction, the mode of damage effectiveness, indirect effects of direct damage, and so on. Only by targeting specific damage and adjusting the energy structure of the shield with mental power can that type of damage be more effectively resisted. For example, using a Magic Shield to counter flames. Flames have an inherent high-temperature feature and can ignite flammable materials and be fueled by combustion aids. Therefore, a magic wind shield, which is an energy shield formed by wind-type magic, is not suitable for combating flames. Because there are combustion aids, oxygen, inherent in the magic wind shield, which will to some extent fuel the flames. For this reason, the flame resistance of the magic wind shield is very low, no more than 10%. Wizards who have studied magic wind shield in depth can use magic to generate flame-retardant gases, form their own magic wind shield, and greatly increase the flame resistance of the wind shield. Adjusting the proportion of energy gasses in the wind shield, and thus increasing flame resistance, is one of the feasible ways to improve shield efficiency. Chapter 535 - Chapter 535: 173. The Way to Make Money (2 in 1)_3 Chapter 535: 173. The Way to Make Money (2 in 1)_3 The magic protective cover of the Undead Cult looks very similar to the Death Shield. However, it is a magical product formed after the Undead Cult strengthens the Death Shield using the Undead Runes. Noland Lee referred to this magic protective cover as the Undead Shield. It is because of the existence of the Undead Runes that the Undead Shield of the Undead Cult possesses exceptional resistance to kinetic, thermal, and electromagnetic damage. The process of decrypting the Undead Runes lies in weakening the resistance of the magic protective shield. Whenever the shields kinetic resistance has been weakened to a maximum extent, a light touch with a Rune Staff or a Bullet will cause the Magic Shield to shatter. So what is the principle behind the reinforcement of the Magic Shield by Undead Runes? The Death Herald Guild has been researching this question for nearly a decade, and has not yet reached a definitive conclusion. However, they have extensive research regarding the use of Undead Runes. Their protection of the Bone-mending Wand using the Undead Shield is quite revealing. In a sense, the Death Herald Guild deliberately refrains from researching how to break the Undead Shield. Magic Shield Efficiency is not only a book for combat wizards to improve shield efficiency on the spot, but also a guide for combat wizards to accurately crack enemy shields. By leveraging the knowledge in this book, Noland Lee has found a method to break down the Undead Shield. It involves emitting a magic ray that precisely alters the Undead Runes, continuously and en masse, to modify the Undead Runes, thereby reducing the resistance of the Undead Shield. When a Magic Shield is enhanced by Magic Runes, the spell named Shield Dissolution Ray can be used to reduce its resistance. Shield Dissolution Ray is a universal offensive spell indispensable for advanced combat wizards. Every combat wizard can learn it, provided they can comprehend it. This spell is also included in Magic Shield Efficiency, and Noland Lee has already mastered it using Deconstruction. Shield Dissolution Ray allows the caster to define their own dissolution plan, and emit different Shield Dissolution Rays according to different Magic Runes. Once Noland Lee finished the deconstruction of the Martyrs Ten Commandments, his Undead Rune Studies reached the maximum level of 20. In total, over twenty thousand Undead Runes have been inscribed into his mind. These twenty thousand Undead Runes have been compiled by Noland Lee into an energy document of fifty thousand words using Death Energy. Ordinary Wizards need to weave this energy document into a Shield Dissolution Ray within their Spiritual Ocean, which would consume a lot of time, energy, and Mana. But Noland Lee had it much easier. He pulls up the skill panel for the Shield Dissolution Ray, creates a new Dissolution Plan in the Custom Dissolution Plan, and drags the energy document in. The system then automatically generates a Plan to Break Down the Undead Shield. After that, by selecting this scheme and confirming the spell casting, Noland Lee could emit an energy ray that broke down the Undead Shield from his fingertips or magic wand. After this ray is emitted, the energy characters recorded in the energy document within the ray would automatically counteract the Undead Runes on the Undead Shield, achieving the purpose of breaking down the Undead Shield. Keep emitting the Shield Dissolution Ray until the Undead Shield shatters easily with a poke. Noland Lee, using the Magic Crafting Tools in the small classroom, drew up 10 Shield Dissolution Ray magic scrolls in one sitting. The item level of these 10 magic scrolls is Level 15, which should be enough to break down the magical protective cover of a small Spirit Pivot. Morsters mother, Adelaide Carter, has a Magic Messenger. Noland Lee entrusted Professor Erica with sending these 10 magic scrolls to Adelaide Carter. As such, once Morster leaves the Silent Courtyard, he can get these 10 magic scrolls from Adelaide Carter. The problem of breaking down the Magic Protective Cover of the Undead Cult is thereby solved. Next, it will depend on Morster. After witnessing the process of Noland Lee making magic scrolls, this guy was thoroughly convinced. Although he still doesnt know the exact effects of the magic scrolls, Noland Lees theory of Shield Efficiency for cracking the Undead Shield is already enough to make Morster, the metal battle mage, admire him greatly. Im glad I use Magic Metal Armor instead of a Magic Shield to protect myself. If I were a combat wizard who only uses Magic Shields, Id probably have my Magic Shield cracked as soon as I met an enemy like you. Morster exclaimed, shaking his head. Noland Lee just smiled indifferently without responding. Regarding what kind of defense system a wizard should adopt to protect themselves, the Wizarding world is divided into two schools. One is the Magic Metal Armor School, advocating to arm themselves using self-repairing Magic Metal. Morster belongs to this school. The other is the Magic Shield School, advocating protecting oneself with a switchable Magic Shield. Wizards in this school can switch their Magic Shields according to the needs of the battle, allowing them to deal with different enemies. Logically, the existence of Shield Dissolution Ray should render many Magic Shields defenseless. But why are there still so many wizards relying on Magic Shields? That would be a long story. Having a Magic Shield is not as simple as just covering yourself with energy. As Noland Lee continues to study the Magic Shield School defensive system, he will also encounter Magical knowledge, such as Shield Diffusion, Shield Resistance Phase, Shield Compensation, Shield Tactical Camouflage, Shield Modular Management, Planar Shield, and so on. Chapter 536 - Chapter 536: 173. The Way to Make Wealth” (2 in 1) _4 Chapter 536: 173. The Way to Make Wealth (2 in 1) _4 In summary, after the Magic Metal Armor School and the Magic Shield School have clashed for thousands of years, both schools have formed complete systems of magical knowledge. Ordinary wizards have limited energy and lifespan, and they can only learn the magic knowledge of one defense school in their lifetime. However, Noland Lee can be eclectic, using the Deconstruction to fully learn these two schools of defense. The Silent Maiden follows the Magic Shield School. Cominis magic metal heavy armor is self-purchased, and she mostly uses the gray mist shield composed of silent magic to resist attack. When Noland Lee followed Professor Erica to the book repository for teaching materials, he saw many textbooks of the Magic Shield School. Out of greed for this magical knowledge, Noland Lee consumed a large amount of Energy Points, and thoroughly deconstructed Professor Ericas collection. As a result, his Energy Points dramatically shrank to 52,000 points, urgently need Noland Lee to replenish. Alright, Morster. Youd better use the magic scroll yourself to break the magic protective cover of the Undead Cult. Otherwise, soldiers who have never been in touch with magic might waste the magic scroll. Noland Lee said goodbye to Morster in the small classroom: After acquiring Vitality Surge, I dont think I need to remind you how to handle the Life Elixir. The Life Elixir that needs to be used to lubricate relationships should not be stingy. Our goal is to take advantage of the shortage of Healing Mushroom production and reach a stable partnership with the Green Herb Ointment. This cake is huge, and the two of us definitely cant eat it alone. You know what I mean. Leave it to me, Jarvis. Morster said: Im preparing to let Murphy and Alvin Stafford lead the team to raid a small Grave Vault. Once theyve cleared the undead in the basement of the vault, Ill use the magic scroll to break the protective cover. A small Grave Vault could provide at least 30,000 Life Elixir. I promise that at least half of the potions will be under my control. Alright, its up to you. With the relationship of Denise Green and Adelaide Carter, we will temporarily not sign a soul contract, and I believe you will not betray me. After the magic scroll is proven to be effective, we will discuss the details of the soul contract again. As Noland Lee spoke, he reached out his right hand. Morster reached out and shook his hand: In the name of Hotams and Adelaide, I will fulfill my promise. Jarvis, wait for my news. The two men shook hands and said together: Looking forward to pleasant cooperation. After that, Morster took a step forward and disappeared in the spinning indigo magic fog. Noland Lee was not in a hurry to leave. He utilized Professor Ericas treasure to negotiate with people and would certainly leverage her name in the future to reach a trade agreement with Green Herb Ointment. Some things related to human socializing need him to prepare in advance. As a man who has lived for two lives, Noland Lee knew this very well. The second floor of the restaurant near the open-air square in the town on the magic ship. Noland Lee opened his eyes by the dining table near the window and smiled at Denise Green, who was looking at him: The professor and Tatis have been dealt with. Next, we just need to patiently wait for Morsters battle report. Hmm hmm~ Denise Green, with the spoonful of whipped cream pudding in her mouth, squinted her eyes with delight. If a long-term cooperation agreement can be reached with the Green Herb Ointment, it means a steady cash income, which is of great benefit to the plan of building the island. Noland Lee looked at Denise Greens delightful appearance, raised his cup, leisurely took a sip, and said: If no one comes to challenge me later, lets go to the Magic Messenger House. If we can contract a suitable magic messenger that would be great. So that I dont have to keep using the professors. Okay~ Denise Green licked the white cream on the spoon. Noland Lee looked out the window. The magic drama on the open square had ended, and the magic servants were dismantling the stage and tidying up the scene. Philia and others had disappeared. They were likely to find a place for a meal after the drama performance. The dining place chosen by Noland Lee not only allows him to enjoy the open-air square but also sees most shops on the market street. Now coincides with the daily dinner time. Passengers who do not plan to dine in the hotel room will go to the street to find a restaurant for a meal. If you want to distinguish the background and identity of passengers, now is the best opportunity. Wizards are the most recognizable Extraordinary. A hooded magic robe resembling a cloak is its symbol. Most wizards of the Ulnas Circle will openly label their emblem on their magic robes. A witch like Denise Green, who looks glamorous, clean and tidy, cultured but has not shown an emblem on her magic robe, easily makes observers associate with several wizard forces that are inconvenient to reveal their identity. Following this clue, observe the relationship between Noland Lee and Denise Green, or listen to their conversation, or use some things to test their response, then it is not difficult to distinguish the true identity of Denise Green. So, will they confuse the wizard like Denise Green who has not shown an emblem with the non-Ulnas Circle Grey Wizard? No. Grey wizards outside of the Ulnas Circle are easy to recognize. Due to regional and environmental differences, there is a world of difference between the temperament of the Ulnas Circles wizards and Grey wizards. The most obvious differences focus on skin color, eye color, hair color, and accent. If someone at first glance does not conform to the mainstream aesthetics of the Ulnas Circle, he is basically a Grey wizard. Chapter 537 - Chapter 537: 173. The Way to Make Money (2 in 1)_6 Chapter 537: 173. The Way to Make Money (2 in 1)_6 Denise Green gently nodded her chin: Hmm This competition organization called Barron seems to be quite capable. Frozen Magic Stones are specialties of Frozen Island, and the locals there are quite exclusive, not willing to sell their magic stones to outsiders easily. They must collect a lot of entry fees. Noland Lee flipped to the next page of the invitation, and the Entry Fee column came into view, with the words Each participant needs to pay 500 gold coins boldly written. The audiences competitive viewing ticket bundle costs 10 gold coins each. With this ticket bundle, the audience can freely watch every match of the competition. The competition organizers make money by attracting popularity and collecting competition fees and ticket fees. In many cases, the rewards worth tens of thousands of gold coins are just gimmicks. The competition organizers might secretly arrange for their own trainee contestants to participate and take away the prizes for 1st to 3rd place. With such operations, the competition organizers can not only earn entry fees and ticket fees, but also save on the cost of issuing bonuses. This kind of thing is very common in the Ulnas Circle, almost every competition organizing with fixed venues has a close relationship with several specific wizard forces. Both parties share the income, share the costs, and have formed a clear industry chain. But! This competition routine, which is almost like an unwritten rule, cannot guarantee that the competition organizers will always make a profit. It is often the case that during a few seemingly surefire matches, the participant from their side is unexpectedly eliminated, causing the competition organizers to lose the bonus. This is usually when a rival sends someone to challenge, or a pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger contestant emerges in the participants. Noland Lee thought for a moment, put away the invitation: Im going to participate, Denise. That Grey Wizard from the Barron Championship is rightif I have a companion witch by my side, I absolutely cant miss such an event. Other contestants might be affected in the next match due to injuries from the previous one, but I dont have that worry. With you around, I believe it would be difficult for me to be severely injured. Denise gently twisted Nolands arm: Eh, dont talk about serious injuries, it will bring bad luck. I was just making an analogy Even an analogy is not allowed. Noland took a small breath, Alright. I wont say it then. He raised his hand and patted Denises hand on his arm: Lets go, back to the hotel. Maybe when we wake up, there will be news from Morster. The two paid the bill, left and went through the streets lit by the magic lamps, and entered the hotel they were staying at. Since it was unlikely to gain a large amount of soul strength in a short time, Noland restrained the impulse to use all of his soul strengths to practice the Voice of Silence meditation method. Once he had his own magic messenger, he would be able to obtain Silent Magic Stones from Erica to replace the soul strength for practicing meditation. At the same time, as the magic ship was leaving Alchemist Island. In the remote tomb numbered 1214 in the Suffering Borderland. Morster promised Noland that the plan would be foolproof. After his arrangements, the Alvin Army, affiliated with the Korabo Army, entered Tomb No.1214. The army worked overnight and fought hard. Lieutenant Alvin and Captain Murphy took the lead and overturned all the Undead Armies from Tomb Level One to Level Three. Lieutenant Alvin sent the imperial soldiers to rest on Tomb Level Two, and then Morster took the ten scrolls to Tomb Level Three. Noland Lees acquaintances surrounded the Spirit Pivot, serving as the audience. Lieutenant Alvin, Sergeant Mars, Sergeant Mike, and Captain Murphy. These four did not know that the magic scrolls in Morsters hand were written by Noland Lee. In front of them, Morster tore the wax seal on the scroll and released the magic energy contained within. A black ray filled with Undead Runes fell on the Magic Protective Cover protecting the Spirit Pivot. Instead of disappearing immediately after hitting its target, the ray clung to the Magic Protective Cover, moving like a dark eel, sparks of black electricity crackling as it went. Countless tiny cracks appeared in the places where the black rays had traveled over. Death Energy within the Magic Protective Cover began to uncontrollably flow out through these cracks, dissipating into the air as black smoke. This sight was nothing extraordinary to Morster, but it amazed Alvin, Murphy, and the others. Their eyes were wide, mouths unconsciously opened, disbelief evident in their expressions. They held their breath, as they couldnt push out the words they wanted to say. One magic scroll wasnt enough; Morster tore open another one. In just 5 minutes, 10 magic scrolls were consumed. The Magic Protective Cover around the Spirit Pivot was nearly transparent. It was estimated that if it was hit again with some fire or gunshots, the protective cover would disappear. Morster stood beneath the Spirit Pivot, his face lost in thought. He was wearing a metal mask, so no one could see his expression. Is this the power of magic? Captain Murphy asked the question that lingered on all the military officers and warrant officers minds: If the power of magic can easily break the Undead Cults protective cover, what have we been holding onto all these years? Scenes of battles flashed through Murphys mind, bringing up countless tragic memories. Murphys eyes reddened as her voice grew sharp: We have sacrificed so many soldiers lives, spent so much money on fuel, and the effects are far worse than a few pieces of parchment you brought?! What were our past efforts and sacrifices for?! It wasnt just Murphy who was on the verge of breaking down. Mars and Mike, two military officers who had clawed their way up from the bottom, clenched their fists tightly, their hands turning pale from the excessive force. Their bodies shook, their muscles tensed, and their expressions were a mix of complicated emotions, mostly anger. Alvins figure was hunched as if he had lost any will to continue fighting. Old tears were streaming down his face, choking on his words without being able to speak. Morster slowly turned around, took a deep breath, and said solemnly: The scene you just witnessed will be repeated in the future. The suffering of the Boundary Land will have an end one day. Morster spoke subtly. He did not analyze the Empires situation for the four people present as he had done with Noland Lee. Thats because the situation was very unclear and turbulent. The Undead Cult might last longer than expected due to becoming a pawn in various power struggles. But Morster did not lie. Indeed, the suffering of the Boundary Land would eventually come to an end; its just a matter of time. Looking at the sobbing Murphy and Alvin, and the outraged Mars and Mike, Morster sighed quietly in his heart. Ah, he had fallen into Jarviss trap again, doing many things for him all at once. Chapter 538 - Chapter 538: 174. Imprisonment of the Dragon Chapter 538: 174. Imprisonment of the Dragon After a night of sailing, the magic ship entered the deep sea zone. The seawater turned into a thick black color, dull and lusterless even under the sunlight. The boundary between the sea and the sky at the horizon was distinct. The sky remained cloudless and deep blue, while the sea looked like a stagnant pool of water, filled with an eerie silence that frightened people. The deep sea water in this world not only has an extremely high degree of salinity, but also has complex and extraordinary traits, particularly an astonishing corrosiveness. Just imagine, 80% of the star pollutants that fall from the Star Filtering Net end up in the ocean. These star pollutants slowly release their pollution and extraordinary traits like medicinal herbs soaked in a jar, and as long as time is long enough, the star pollutants will eventually dissolve in the seawater, becoming one with the vast ocean. With only a casual scoop of deep-sea water, several kinds of toxins, uncontrollable mutation factors, and peculiar magic effects can be detected. This proves how formidable the strength and survivability of the sea people living at the bottom of the sea are. Thankfully, theres Captain Berkeley, a Nine Circles Metal Battle Mage, and his magic ship, keeping discomfort from the deep sea at bay. Passengers are able to enjoy a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere during their deep-sea journey. Dear passengers, we are currently in the deep-sea area 315 kilometers east of Alchemist Island. This deep-sea area is known as the Blackfold Sea and is divided into 80 subsea regions. Each subsea region has its own Mist Threshold. The magic ship is currently traveling at 14 kilometers per hour. In the next 21 days, we will cross the Blackfold Sea and enter the Sword Treasure Sea located in the outer sea region west of Baldurs Gate. If the weather is clear and the visibility is excellent, passengers will be able to see Baldurs Gate rising from the eastern sea on the noon of the 21st day. It is a civilization monument left over from the last era, resembling a magnificent sword the earth. Wishing you all a pleasant journey. Captain Berkeleys words were being played on a loop through the magic strip above the shipboard towns streets. Noland Lee glanced up at the dynamic characters on the strip, then walked into the arena with Denise, pulled open by the magic servant. The arena was located on the southwest side of the shipboard town, near the stern of the ship. It looked like a short, fat cylinder from the outside, with just over twenty meters in width and over thirty meters in height. Upon entering, one would discover that there was more to it. A magical space covering more than a thousand square meters was fixed on the magic ship, becoming the venue for the Barron Championship matches. A circle of spectator stands surrounded the central octagon cage. The chairs in the audience seats were plain and simple, just single wooden chairs that were comfortable to sit on. The octagon cage, however, was quite interesting. It was a magical creation, made of strong magic metal that formed the base and fence, and was equipped with an enchanted fence net capable of absorbing magic energy. With the protection of the enchanted fence net, audiences could safely watch the dazzling competitions. Noland Lee and Denise sat down in the competitors exclusive audience seats. His eyes focused on the enchanted fence net, and he cast Deconstruction on it. [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction on the Enchanted Fence Net (Level 60).] [It is estimated that it will consume 60,000 points of energy and reach a 100% degree of deconstruction] Noland Lee nodded in agreement. He should be able to get the reward for these 60,000 points of energy. As a competitor, it was reasonable for him to hit the enchanted fence net with his spells when his opponent dodged his attack. His gaze shifted to the competitors who were gradually taking their seats in the stands. The Barron Championship only allowed Extraordinary beings of fifth order and below to participate. The matches and opponents of competitors, like Noland Lee, who only appeared to have a single circled strength as a wizard, were completely determined by the competition system. Its very likely that they would meet two-ring, three-ring, or even five-ring wizards who came to join in the fun. Wouldnt the five-ring wizards be able to sweep all the rewards by participating? No, that wouldnt happen. Before entering the Magic Octagon Cage, the competitors will wear an Imprisonment Collar on their wrists, which can suppress their strength to the first level. - Right, it is worn on the wrist, not around the neck. Wearing this punitive device, which has a buckle and magic gem, around the neck of a competitor is somewhat insulting. So, competitors usually wear it on their wrists like a watch, except for those with special preferences. According to The History of the Ulnas Ring, the Imprisonment Collar was a magical product of the last era. At that time, most human wizards were slaves of the Dragon Clan. Up to this day, the Dragon Clan has almost disappeared, only occasionally appearing in the Spinning Continent. Human wizards have flourished and spread the seeds of civilization across the world, and turned the shackles imposed upon their ancestors into magical items for competitions. Anyone who knows the origin of the Imprisonment Collar would marvel at the rise and power of human wizard civilization and the vicissitudes of the world. Noland Lee was no exception. But his attention was focused on the Imprisonment Collar itself, rather than its historical connotations. He had heard about this item before and was finally seeing it in person now. The staff of the Barron Arena, who maintained order on the scene, distributed the Imprisonment Collars to the hands of each competitor. The collar had a number on it and was attached to the belt in the form of a label sticker. Chapter 539 - Chapter 539: 174. Imprisonment of the Dragon_2 Chapter 539: 174. Imprisonment of the Dragon_2 Noland Lees contestant number was 116. He held onto the collar, rubbing his finger on the magic gemstone on the belt, a sensation like an electric shock spread from his fingertip. Rows of system characters quickly emerged in Noland Lees mind. [System Message:] [You have made contact with the Miniature Soul Stasis Gemstone.] [Carrying this gemstone on your person, and with skin contact, you will gain the following effects:] [1. Consciousness Blockade, your consciousness will no longer be able to leave your body to enter any magic space, such as the Silent Yard.] [2. Psychic Suppression, the ancient Dragon Clan collectively referred to magic and all extraordinary abilities as Psychic. They discovered that the soul is the key to activating extraordinary abilities. The Psychic Suppression effect of this gemstone, will effectively suppress soul-level turbulence, thereby reducing the extraordinary power of the wearer.] [Note:] [Psychic Suppression only targets extraordinary abilities driven by the soul. As the second of the three primal forces, Life Force and Physical Strength will not be affected by Psychic Suppression.] [Any spell or skill that can be cast with Soul Strength is driven by the soul.] [Please check the skill list of the host and wear this gemstone carefully.] Noland Lee noticed the last line of the system text. He pulled up his skill list and carefully checked it through. Death-related spells, 18, all can be cast with Soul Strength. Psychic Spells, 12, all can be cast with Soul Strength. Generic Spells, Magic Shield, can be cast with Soul Strength. Looking at the overall situation, only the Dusk Breathing Method and Power Burst obtained from The Soul Casting Technique do not need to consume Soul Strength. These two skills only use Energy Points. This should be the difference between Soul Driven and Physical Strength Driven. Skills driven by the soul cannot do without soul energy and can also be replaced with other energy. Skills driven by physical strength, do not need soul energy at all. As for skills driven by life force Noland Lee flipped through his knowledge reserves and found the Night Spirit Spell deconstructed from Fugidias relic. This branch of spellcasting involves life force. But unfortunately, all Night Spirit Spells require Soul Energy, or Blood Magic Power as a substitute for Soul Energy. They still fall under the category of skills driven by the soul. So, up until now, Noland Lee has not obtained any skills purely driven by life force. After wearing the Imprisonment Collar, Power Burst will become his trump card. So, can I use Power Burst to cheat? Noland Lee blinked his eyes at the collar in his hand. He looked around at the contestants. They were primarily wizards and a few strong men wearing armor. Those armored strong men, after putting on the collar, gritted their teeth and broke into laughter, clearly finding that the infamous Imprisonment Collar had no effect on their muscles. The look in their eyes when they looked at the wizards carried a teasing flavor, as if looking at a group of lambs ready for slaughter. When the wizard contestants put on the collar, their faces showed discomfort, but they basically remained calm and collected, showing no signs of panic. This means that even if the wizards have been suppressed a part of their strength, they still have enough confidence to confront the armored strong men with brute force. By combining the magic knowledge he has learned recently, Noland Lee saw some tricks. The mainstream power system in this world is the wizard. Even a First Rank Combat Wizard can fight back and forth with a third, fourth, or even fifth order brute force extraordinary. This is a consensus-like existence. Such an unbalanced system of extraordinary is entirely caused by the overly powerful magic of the wizards. But it makes sense. This world is not made by any game company, and there is no need to pursue balance among professions. The strength of the wizards is the result of natural development. Noland Lee wore the collar calmly, with the gemstone placed closely against his left wrist. The system sent a reminder, all of his spell skills were forcibly reduced to the Level 10 equivalent. While the power of spells has decreased, the rewards for upgrading every ten levels did not change. The Death Two Finger is still The Death Two Finger, not devolved to The Death Finger. Besides that, his Spirit attribute value temporarily dropped to 30 points, which is the level of a First Rank Wizard. Noland Lee threw out the Deconstruction and took a look. The Soul Stasis Gemstone on his wrist is Level 50, produced by the Wizard Enforcement Department in the Ulnas circle, originally a criminal restraint tool, but somehow it was caught by the Barons Championship. The Level 50 Soul Stasis Gemstone can suppress the strength of an extraordinary that is not higher than Level 50. Noland Lee needs to consume 15,000 points of energy to untether it. Noland Lee was considering the possibility of breaking the gemstone in a fight, and did not rush to dissolve the gemstone. As he pondered in silence, Denise Green tugged at his sleeve and whispered: Look, I noticed that there are quite a few grey wizards participating in the competition. Be careful. Many grey wizards do not take the usual route and may master weird spells. Okay, dont worry, Denise. Noland Lee came to his senses, held her hand, and gently rubbed it to comfort her. After a short while, all the contestants had arrived, and the spectator stands were full. Chapter 540 - Chapter 540: 174. Imprisonment of the Dragon_3 Chapter 540: 174. Imprisonment of the Dragon_3 The staff member in the gray robe began drawing lots. The method of drawing lots in the magic world was not complicated. The staff member carried a metal box containing the number plates and walked in front of the participants. Since the participants numbers were not made public, the metal box was airtight and able to shield detection spells. All participants blindly selected their opponents without knowing the numbers of the other participants. After the draw, dynamic magic words were refreshed on the Magic Bulletin Board to show the rounds of the participating players. The competition rules were simple and adopted the classic round-robin system. Both sides entered the Octagon Cage, and the winner was decided within 30 minutes, with either side surrendering. The winner would gain points, and the loser would lose points. The top 16 players ranked by points after all participants had faced each other would advance. At sea, wide across the deep sea, having a match to watch was a good way to pass the time, so the passengers had no complaints about the time-consuming round-robin format. The participants felt the same way. For Noland Lee, the ranking in the competition was secondary, and obtaining Energy Points through Passive Deconstruction was the primary goal. The round-robin system catered to his needs. The competition began. The first match was a duel between two wizards, one proficient in lightning magic and the other in earth rock magic. The Thunder Wizard unleashed a large number of Lightning Spheres in the Octagon Cage, while the Earth Rock Wizard used Earthen Armor to protect himself and retaliated with Earth Spikes. Electric flashes flickered, the earth churned, and the Earth Spikes continuously pierced the Thunder Wizards footsteps. This scene excited the ordinary passengers in the spectator stands, and the shouts of many children from families on vacation were heard. Wizards watching the match discussed the fighting scene in the Octagon Cage, while non-wizard participants looked serious. First-level thunder and earth spells still put considerable pressure on them. Noland Lee didnt care about the course of the battle. He took out the magic books he hadnt finished reading and used reading to pass the time. Denise Green was much more focused than Noland. She took out a small notebook and diligently recorded the strengths and advantages of each participant for Noland. About two hours later, Noland was awakened from his reading by Denise. Its your turn, Noland. Oh, alright. Noland smiled at Denise, who looked concerned, and cast Death Flight to fly into the Octagon Cage. Nolands opponent was a witch in a light blue magic robe. Her name, height, origin, and specifics of her three dimensions were unknown. Noland only cared about how many Energy Points she could bring him. He casually threw out a Deconstruction spell. [System Message:] [Using Deconstruction on Unnamed Quadrant Battle Wizard.] [Estimated to consume 70,000 Energy Points, can achieve 100% degree of deconstruction] Well, not bad, 70,000 Energy Points. He didnt expect to encounter such a big fish right off the bat. Noland landed on the battlefield, turned back into human form, activated Breath of the Dead, and entered Skeleton Form. A skeletal figure appeared on the battlefield, inevitably causing a commotion in the spectator stands. Those without magic could not understand why a handsome man could turn into a skeleton. Wizards who possessed magic accurately recorded Nolands casting habits, spells, and energy characteristics. The witch in front of Noland seemed to have some disgust for Death Wizards. As Noland demonstrated his death spell, she frowned and raised her chin slightly to ask: Are you from the Death Herald Guild? This witchs magic robe bore the emblem of Hotams Deep Sea Academy, which was an arm emerging from the wavy water surface, palm facing up, holding a pearl. As an academy-affiliated witch, she had wider knowledge than ordinary wizards and easily recognized Nolands identity from the basic style of his death spell robe. Noland knew that his clothes, modified from the Death Herald Guild robe, could not avoid knowledgeable wizards, so he didnt mind. He didnt respond, just kept staring at her with his hollow eye sockets. Trading trash talk before the match was not a necessary part of the competition. Seeing that Noland had no intention of engaging with his opponent, the gray-robed staff on the sideline closed the Octagon Cage and announced the start of the match. The Witch took out her coral-made magic wand and sprayed a White Mist from the tip of the wand, covering her half of the field with fog. Noland quietly activated Life and Death Tracking and accurately discerned the witchs position in the mist. Noland deliberately practiced Magic Control Mastery. He held the Death Threaded Wand in his hand, carefully guiding the Death Energy through his body and into the wand. Black rays shot out from the wands tip, falling into the white mist. Buzz. The sound of the rays was very faint, like electrolysis. The appearance of the rays was no longer the ferocious Black Lightning, but as thin as black hair strands. With a magnifying glass, one would notice that this energy ray, as thin as a hair, was actually made up of two even thinner rays entwined together. Under Nolands meticulous control, Death Two Finger appeared on the battlefield in the form of Death One Finger. [Skill experience of Magic Control Mastery +2 points, now 132/1000] The system updated the skill data simultaneously. As expected, using Death Two Finger to train passive skills was much better than using Magic Shield to train. Chapter 541 - Chapter 541: 174. Imprisonment of the Dragon_4 Chapter 541: 174. Imprisonment of the Dragon_4 Noland Lees wrist flicked repeatedly, shooting out dozens of black rays in a row. A bizarre scene occurred in the spectator stands. Ordinary people, who had no idea what was going on, were getting restless and whispering to each other. They didnt know what Noland Lee was doing. The magic of the skeleton wizard was too simple and far less exciting than the previous games that were filled with magical light. The wizards, on the other hand, were overwhelmed by what they were witnessing. Death Finger, a high-level spell, is well-known to every wizard. The instant death ray emitted without chanting is the most obvious feature of this magic spell. All the Extraordinary people recognized that Noland Lee is now casting the Death Finger spell, which requires Professor Authorization for use. His current Death Finger is weak, probably only Level 1, but anyone with a keen eye knows that hes trying to make his opponents back off. How can there be a competition if someone dressed in a First Rank Wizard robe casually shoots out Level 10 Death Finger spells? Hey! Referee! Whats going on! Is this guy really a First Rank Wizard? How can he use the Death Finger without restrictions?! Participants in the spectator stand shouted loudly, questioning the organizers of the Barron Championship. Yeah! Are you letting a Six-Ring Wizard who can freely cast high-level spells in here?! Youre not playing fair to pocket the bonus, manipulating things behind the scenes! Do you think were blind, not able to see that this is a Death Finger spell? The staff of the Barron Championship looked at each other and then together stared at the judges seat. There were six people on the judges seat. Mabel, who was invited by the organizer to serve as a referee, sat in the far-left position of the judges seat. Of the other five people, four of them, like Mabel, were Ulnas Rings Level 6 Wizards with prominent identities and past experiences. Six ring witches were given greater autonomy when it came to using high-level spells; they could use them a limited number of times per day. Faced with Noland Lee firing Death Finger spells like a water gun, the five Six-Ring Wizards on the referee seat turned their attention to the Chief of the Barron Games sitting in the center. The supervisor was slightly overweight, looking like a bloated stone pier when he sat in his chair. His magic robe was tight due to the excess flesh underneath his clothes. His eye sockets were deep-set, and his mung bean-like eyes were embedded in the sockets. His dark green hair was held in place with hair gel, styled in a greasy pompadour. This Number 116 participant, who is casting the Death Finger, boarded the ship with Miss Mabel, said the competition manager, with a calm expression and no hint of emotional fluctuations. He looked towards the referee table edge, turning the topic to Mabel: The strength level of participant number 116 registered on his ticket is a First Rank Combat Wizard. As for why he can so easily cast the Death Finger spell, I think Miss Mabel can give us a reasonable explanation. Yes, I know why. It has to do with his Extraordinary Traits Mabel glanced at Philia and Betty Davis sitting nearby in the spectator stand, who were watching her with curious eyes. Mabel explained the reasons behind Nolands skill with a courteous smile, to both Philia and the referees. The soul contract she signed with Noland mentioned only protecting Nolands secret before leaving Alchemist Island, not that she had to keep the secret after leaving the island. So, Mabel used Nolands extraordinary traits as an explanation for his unrestricted Death Finger spellcasting, without violating their soul contract. After listening to Mabels explanation, the competition supervisor pondered for a few seconds. There was no discernible change in his facial expression, as if it were water hidden at the bottom of a well. There is no issue with this participant. He can continue to compete. The competition supervisor waved, summoning the staff in a gray robe, and told them: After this game is over, announce that Participant Number 116 has the Extraordinary Trait of Magic Proficient, and emphasize that he has companion witches. Anyone who defeats him will receive an additional reward of 2000 gold coins. If Participant Number 116 wins a top ten result, the competition reward will be given to the 11th place. The 11th place reward will be the same as the 10th place. Also, have someone pass a message to Participant Number 116 during the break; I want to see him. Yes, sir. The Gray Robe Staff ran off. The competition supervisor, being experienced in organizing events, quickly seized the opportunity to stir up the atmosphere of the competition by devising a reward plan. There were no objections from the referees seated at the judges seat. The referee seat quieted down. The competition supervisor, casting discreet glances towards the corner of the arena, subtly nodded. Everyones attention was focused on the octagonal cage, so nobody noticed the supervisors movements. Chapter 542 - Chapter 542: 175. Group ridicule Chapter 542: 175. Group ridicule Inside the Magic Octagon Cage. Noland Lee casts his spell ray into the dense white mist. He deliberately controls the power of the ray, using the least amount of energy consumption to gain skill experience. The fine rays have not caused any damage to the witch hidden in the mist. Once the energy leaves his body, Noland can sense energy changes through his Spirit. He clearly detects that after the Death Ray penetrates the mist, it advances about ten centimeters before disappearing. System feedback battle record shows that Death Two Finger was blocked by a water spell barrier called Resist Fog. Without specifically deconstructing Resist Fog, Noland suddenly recalls the knowledge he read in Shield Tactical Camouflage. The four-ring combat witch in front of him is quite skilled in the Magic Shield School. Resist Fog is a kind of spell mist that can resist energy damage and prevent enemies from entering. It can be regarded as a magic shield with a mist appearance. Its lower-level spell is Mist Shield C a shield spell that automatically emits fog to confuse the enemys vision when attacked. Noland maintains his casting gesture, continuously shooting Death Rays, quietly waiting for the opponents counterattack. A witch with the strength of four-rings must have experienced many battles. Even if she recognizes the Death Finger, she will not give up the chance of winning. Noland is well aware of this. Hiss hiss hiss More than a dozen white mist columns emerge from the fog to splash in all directions. Many tiny, transparent water droplets appear in the air. They hang still, densely surrounding Noland in three layers. Noland raises his free left hand, making a pushing gesture outward. Accompanying his movement, a transparent shield expands outward, stretching from a shield film closely attached to his skin to an oval shield shell. This shield shell encases Nolands body, pushing the surrounding floating water droplets away to create an open space of more than one meter in diameter beside him. This magic control technique of transforming the shield from a film attached to the skin to a duck egg-like shape is also a skill that Noland learned from Magic Control and Energy Perception. If he wants, he can also concentrate the shield to protect specific parts of his body. At the moment Noland pushes away the water droplets around him, the temperature inside the octagon cage plummets. Rolling cold air erupts from the fog covering the witch. In just a few seconds, the tiny water droplets in the air turn into glittering ice crystals. Noland squints his eyes, with a myriad of knowledge related to water and ice appearing in his mind, secretly speculating on what kind of spells the opponent would use and how he should respond. Crack, crack, crack Slight and dense cracking sounds come from within the ice crystals. Tiny cracks spread on the ice; the crystals shake violently, as if a force inside them is about to burst out. Oh, I understand now, its Ice Crystal Explosion, an ice-style range spell that ignites ice crystals from the inside, creating a plethora of ice stings dealing both physical and frost damage. Noland instantly identifies the spell that the opponent is about to cast. He has an idea and sketches a different shield spell blueprint in his mind. The originally transparent magic shield turns dark in 0.1 seconds. Dense Undead Runes float on the surface of the shield like tadpoles. This is the Undead Shield! Noland combines the Undead Runes with the Magic Shield, creating a shield spell based on the principles of Shield Efficiency Theory. Well, its not entirely original. He borrowed some ideas from the Undead Cults Magic Protective Cover. In any case, with the blessing of the Undead Runes, the kinetic damage resistance of the Undead Shield is 99%, while the thermal, electromagnetic, and frost damage resistance is 95%. This is enough to handle the upcoming Ice Crystal Explosion. At the same time as the shield switch is completed, a large number of ice crystals in the air explode like firecrackers! Crackle! Swoosh swoosh swoosh~ Countless sharp ice stings shuttle through the high-pressure airflow formed by the explosion, chaotically flying around in the narrow octagon cage. The Enchanted Fence Net protecting the spectator stand makes a clanging noise, suddenly growing many small ice stings embedded into the metal net. Even separated by the Enchanted Fence Net, the audience still has the illusion of being in a rain of bullets. Noland maintains his composure in the midst of the explosion and ice stings attack. The icy, extremely lethal ice stings are all blocked by the thick Undead Shield. Even the ice shards shattered by the ice stings hitting the shield do not touch Nolands body. This isnt going to work. If the ice stings cannot pierce the shield, Noland will not be injured, and the Passive Deconstruction wont be triggered. Men should be proactive. Noland directly extends his left hand out of the shield shell, letting the razor-sharp ice stings brush past his palm. Like piranhas smelling blood, the ice stings pounce on Nolands palm. His palm is riddled with holes, splashing bone dust. A large piece of his fingers is noticeably missing, and the palm has some holes. The dense icy-blue frost energy quickly spreads over his left hand, and a hard ice shell appears wherever it passes. Noland withdraws his left hand and wipes off the frost energy on his fingers with the shield shell. The ice shell freezing his palm is soon rubbed away under the friction of the shield shell. He takes a quick glance at the battle record. Good. The few hits on his left hand just now have increased the degree of deconstruction by 5.3%. Chapter 543 - Chapter 543: 175. Group ridicule_2 Chapter 543: 175. Group ridicule_2 Next, all he had to do was use active deconstruction and fierce attacks to raise the degree of deconstruction to 100%. Noland Lee glanced at the ice crystals constantly forming and bursting around him, deciding to end the battle quickly without wasting any more time. He took another magic wand from his magic pouch and held it in his left hand. Shaking both hands, more than a dozen black rays connected one after another, furiously tearing apart the encirclement of ice crystals and ice stings, and fiercely stabbing into his opponents fog. The black rays at this moment were not as fragile as before. They were as thick as fists, like black snakes shooting out. Buzzzzzz A series of horrifying electro-optic sounds emerged, the black rays connected in a continuous flow, penetrating the fog and hitting the witch directly in the fog. A unified gasp sounded from the spectator stands. The witch on stage let out a muffled groan under the bombardment of the rays. Though caught off guard, she quickly reacted. She gathered all the ice crystals in front of her, converged the fog that enveloped her, and condensed a frost shield that clung to her body. The surface of the shield was as smooth and bright as a mirror. The black Death Rays fell on the shield and reflected off, deviating to the enchanted fence net beside her. The more rays Noland fired, the more deflected rays there were, and the whole octagon cage suddenly turned into a chaotic scene with black snakes running around. Noland secretly gave his opponent credit for her on-the-spot adaptability. A four-ring combat witch is simply extraordinary. Although her strength was compressed to a first-level standard by the Imprisonment Collar, her battle experience was still there. This Frost Shield, capable of reflecting energy rays, was the prime evidence. Noland withdrew his right-hand wand, touched the back of his left hand, and took out a metal sphere, smashing it on the ground level. The sphere collided with the sturdy magic metal floor and exploded with a bang, releasing a sharp noise that made people grimace. This noise seemed to carry an irresistible magic power. It penetrated the battle witchs frost shield, invaded her mind, and caused her a sharp needle-like pain. In fact, the noise was just a disguise. It was used by Noland to cover up Mind Control. As long as everyones focus was on the noise, no one could think that Noland would interrupt his opponents casting with mental magic. The completeness of Mind Control was only 10%, and Noland could not use it to control others minds. At most, it could cause a momentary mental pain and make the other party feel distracted. This would be enough to interrupt the casting. Ah The witch let out a painful moan. The Frost Shield in front of her uncontrollably and quickly disintegrated. Just as she embraced her head with both hands, the black rays concentrated and pierced her skins shield film, exploding black sparks on her fair skin. The witch was blown away by the explosion and crashed into the enchanted fence net behind her. Before her embarrassed body could fall from the metal net, another dozen black rays hit her body. These black rays tore apart the magic robe and drilled through the protective lining underneath, brutally tearing at the surface of the lining. In less than three seconds, the black, snake-like rays left large patches of black burn marks on the witchs body. Hiss Facing Nolands one-sided crushing of the witch, the audience took a deep breath. Even the referees on the judges seat held their breath. Only Mabel, who already knew Nolands depth, could remain calm. It couldnt be helped; unrestricted casting of high-level spells was simply too oppressive. As long as youre slightly careless, youll be beaten by Noland like a drowning dog. The witch in the octagon cage was only lost in a daze for a moment because of the noise, and her situation ended up so terrible. It was hard to imagine how long this witch could hold on under Noland without the Imprisonment Collar. Noland stopped when he was ahead. The 70,000 points of energy from the Passive Deconstruction Reward were credited, mixed with some deconstruction results related to the Enchanted Fence Net and Imprisonment Collar. Noland decisively stopped casting and withdrew both wands from his hands. Youve lost. Noland looked at the witch, who had collapsed on the edge of the field, and said indifferently. He deliberately controlled the landing points of the black rays, concentrating the attack on the opponents arms and avoiding critical body parts and areas prone to exposure. As a result, although the witchs magic robe had been torn and tattered, only her charred skin was exposed on both arms, with other parts still covered by the protective lining. However, the witch, who had been beaten by Noland, obviously couldnt recognize Nolands kindness. After she shakily stood up from the ground, she silently walked towards the iron gate of the octagon cage and threw a resentful glance at Noland. After the referee announced that the winner was Participant Number 116, the witch left the octagon cage with a lot of resentment and went to join her companions in the spectator stand. Noland glanced at the direction of the witch and felt a few gazes filled with faint hostility. Five or six wizards gathered around the witch, comforting her and occasionally glaring at Noland. The Hatred Value on the Resurrection Magic Potential obviously rose a bit. Tsk, tsk, tsk, it seemed that he had inadvertently offended a small group Noland turned into the White Skull and flew back to Denises side. After turning back into a human, his left hand, which had been ravaged by the ice stings, was dripping with fresh blood. Denise hurriedly cast Lesser Reverse Death to heal Nolands injuries. Chapter 544 - Chapter 544: 175. Group ridicule_3 Chapter 544: 175. Group ridicule_3 The healing effects of the Resurrection Spell were astonishingly amazing. Bright flames shot out from Denise Greens torch and swept over Noland Lees left hand. The wounds that were illuminated instantly stopped bleeding. Accompanied by a tingling sensation, the wounds visibly began to heal, regenerating fresh flesh and skin. While enduring the strangeness of his left hand and checking the results of the deconstruction, Noland unexpectedly discovered that the Hatred Value on the Resurrection Magic Potential had dropped again. He was slightly stunned, pretended to look around the competition venue, and let his gaze sweep over the spectator stands where the witch had been before. Those wizards surrounding the witch, sneaking glances at Nolands bloodstained hand, whispered and the hostility in their eyes obviously dissipated a lot. It seemed that his deliberate portrayal of misery had allowed the other party and their peers to find a psychological balance, so the Hatred Value would decrease. Nolands heart was filled with slight joy. Sometimes, making himself look miserable on purpose wasnt a bad idea. About 3 minutes after the tingling sensation in his left hand, Nolands injury healed completely, leaving no trace of the horrible wounds caused by the ice stings, not even scars. Upon observing his intact left hand, Noland raised his eyebrows. This was his first time enjoying Denise Greens healing spells. It was much faster than his consumption of Life Elixirs and waiting for the effects slowly. Looking at Denise Green wiping the bloodstains and dirt from his left hand, Noland completely realized how abundant her healing resources were. No wonder Resurrection Witches were so sought-after. How did you get so injured Denise Green used a cotton ball dipped in water to wipe away a blood trail, murmuring with a complaint. There will always be moments of carelessness. Noland Lee smiled gently. On the other side, in the spectator stands where the Elemental Judgement Wizard Students were seated. Watching Denise Greens tender care of Noland Lees wounds stunned Philia. Betty Davis beside her had a shell-shocked expression, eyes wide open with disbelief. Since boarding the ship, they had been wandering about the shipboard town non-stop. It wasnt until this moment that they sat in the packed spectator stands and spotted Noland Lee and Denise Green. It wasnt until this moment that they detected the unusual relationship between the two. Noland Lee and Denise Green had boarded the ship with Elemental Judgement, which was correct. But before boarding, they cloaked themselves in black robes and black hoods, hiding in separate magic cars, never showing any special relationship with each other. However, once on the ship, they seemed as familiar and intimate as if they had known each other for a long time Philia and Betty Davis posed the question to their mentor sitting next to them in the judges seat. Mabel touched her forehead with a somewhat helpless smile and said: Ray Lee is Denises Contractor. Howhow did I not know this Philia looked slightly dazed. Betty Davis curled her lip, seemingly discontent, I knew there was something wrong with Ray Lee. Philia asked: Teacher, when did you find out about Ray Lee and Denises contractor relationship? Mabel pondered for a moment before responding: Hmm When you were previously impacted by the wand core of the Bone-mending Wand in your spiritual ocean, and it was Denise who healed your psychic trauma. Do you remember this incident? I suspected their unusual relationship when I heard about this incident. Philia slowly nodded: Yes, I remember So, Denises appearance on the magic cars return trip wasnt a coincidence Yes, Philia. Mabel noticed the faint melancholy on Philias face. She reached out and touched Philias shoulder, comforting her students with body language, and continued: But I learned about their exact relationship from Ray Lee himself when dealing with the contaminated area of the Blood Sun Seal. Blood Sun Seals Contaminated Area? Philia blinked, looking at her mentor. Upon hearing Mabel mentioned something related to the extraterrestrial space, the referees on the judges seat cast their attentive gazes. Even the Competition Manager showed some interest. He turned his short, thick neck, slightly tilted his body, and continued the conversation: Maam, do you mean Participant Number 116 had dealt with an extraterrestrial space pollution incident with you? Yes. Mabel nodded: I cant disclose the specific details of the incident as it involves the secrets of the Golden Federation. All I can say is that when I was surrounded by enemies, he saved us. The referees eyes flickered, with various thoughts running through their minds. The Competition Manager looked at the corner of the arena, imperceptibly shook his head, and his lips trembled, as if conveying a message. Philia and Betty Davis showed completely different reactions when they suddenly learned of Noland Lees real strength. Philia was so disheartened that she couldnt speak, only drawing support from the hand her mentor had placed on her shoulder. Betty, on the other hand, rolled her eyes at Noland in the spectator stands, as if he owed her a fortune. Noland noticed the commotion among the Elemental Judgment Wizard Students and saw Mabel on the judges seat. From Philias reaction and Bettys eye-rolling, Noland could roughly guess what the others were discussing. Upon closer inspection of the Hatred Value on Resurrection Magic Potential, the numbers remained unchanged. Noland couldnt help but heave a sigh of relief. Although he had hidden some information from Philia and Betty, which may make them unhappy, as long as it didnt create a rift and hatred, it was an acceptable outcome for Noland. Ladies and gentlemen, and all participants! The grey-robed Balin staff walked onto the stage and loudly recounted the Competition Managers explanation of Nolands strength, then announced the additional reward scheme. The Balin staff member emphasized that the witch by Nolands side was the rumored Companion Witch who could teleport her contractor away from danger at any time and provide personal healing services. When the participants heard this, Nolands Hatred Value on the panel suddenly jumped by ten thousand points Noland had the illusion that he had activated a Group Taunt. He suddenly felt over a dozen burning gazes on him and Denise Green. Some people didnt even bother to hide their greed towards the Companion Witch. Noland frowned slightly at the actions of the organizers. He knew this should be the Competition Managers arrangement to increase the popularity of the matches. His gaze swept across the referees seat, landing on the fat-faced Competition Manager, and Noland cast a Deconstruction Technique. [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction Technique on Abnormal Competition Director.] [It is estimated to consume 290,000 energy points and increase the degree of deconstruction to 100%] [Warning!] [The system has detected that deconstructing this target will have a negative impact on you!] [It is recommended to use Harmless Deconstruction on the target!] A consumption of 290,000 energy points And Harmless Deconstruction is needed Nolands heart felt slightly heavy, while outwardly maintaining his composure and calmness. He even nodded at the Competition Manager from afar. Chapter 545 - Chapter 545: 176.DSMI Chapter 545: 176.DSMI System, consume 29,000 Energy Points and initiate Harmless Deconstruction on that Competition Manager. Noland Lee silently commanded in his mind. These 29,000 Energy Points accounted for about 40% of the 70,000 Energy Points he had just acquired. Was it a waste to use such a large amount of Energy Points to deconstruct an anomalously existing Competition Manager? Not a waste, really not a waste. Intelligence was of the utmost importance, especially since the system had determined there was something abnormal about the opponent. With 29,000 Energy Points, he could just increase the degree of deconstruction by 1%. Noland had previously discovered that for any target, once he reached 1% of deconstruction, he could obtain some crucial information. Using 29,000 Energy Points to probe the true identity of the Competition Manager and buy peace of mind, Noland felt it was an excellent deal. [System Message:] [You have reached 1% of Deconstruction on the Synthetic Human Dsmi-32 Species] [Youve received a small part of the targets Panel Information:] [Real Name] Synthetic Human Dsmi-32 Species [Disguise Name] Sybindes [Combat Level] Unknown [Identity 1] Deep Space United Mining C Drilling Type Synthetic Human Deep Space United Mining is a star system level extraterrestrial faction that provides drilling, excavation, smelting, and manufacturing services. [Identity 2] Barron Arena Manager The identity of the Sybindes Arena Manager has been stolen by the Synthetic Human Dsmi-32 Species. The whereabouts of the original Barron Arena Manager remain unknown. [Feature] 1.Pioneering Synthetic Human Technology: The Dsmi series of synthetic humans was created by the Constellation Level extraterrestrial faction Metal Creation Group. This series of synthetic humans is usually used for deep space operations, such as infiltrating the World of Wizards protected by native non-ordinary forces. They possess top-level intelligence, near-human emotional processing modules, human-like expression abilities that abide by human logic and emotions, and hidden deadly combat modules within their bodies. 2.Zero-to-Whole: Mature synthetic humans must not only learn to fight solo but also master the art of combined combat. When any Dsmi series synthetic human is shattered, they are absorbed by other synthetic humans of the same series and help them become more powerful. 3.Modular Body Structure Synthetic humans rely on integrated modules implanted in their bodies to obtain Basic Attributes and various Skills. Synthetic humans and integrated modules are two separate entities that can be combined and separated. Therefore, when you deconstruct a synthetic human, you can only obtain the panel information of the synthetic human and not the panel information of the integrated modules within their bodies. For example, if you want to obtain a memory fragment of a synthetic human. You must deconstruct their audio-visual data storage module to achieve this. (Degree of deconstruction is insufficient; you have not obtained more feature intelligence.) [Skills] -Active Skills: [Name] Synthetic Human Ultra-Short-Range Communication [Type] Technological ultra-short-range communication technology [Description] This skill is achieved through the communication module built into a synthetic human. The communication technology used is Ultrasonic Data Communication. Its signal conditioning system consists of pre-amplification, band-pass filtering, main amplification, and comparison shaping. The DSMITC12CCATE-MINI Microcontroller is selected as the master control chip for the ultrasonic signal generation. [Effect] The optimal communication distance is 50 meters. Beyond 50 meters, the ultrasonic intensity severely decays, and the ultrasonic signal becomes heavily distorted. (Degree of deconstruction is insufficient; you have not obtained more information.) Wtf?! Synthetic Human?! Noland Lee was somewhat dumbfounded. He had imagined many scenarios, such as the Competition Manager being a corrupted wizard or the offspring of some extraterrestrial space pollutant, but he never thought the other party would be a synthetic human! Denise Green, who was closest to Noland and most familiar with him, detected Nolands stupor. Whats wrong, Noland? Are you not feeling well? Denise asked with concern. Noland steadied his mind, shook his head slightly, and smiled at her: Its nothing, nothing. I just thought of something. Mm, okay~ If youre not feeling well, let me know. As Denise spoke, she wiped the last smear of blood off Nolands left hand. Noland retrieved the deconstruction result from before and carefully read it over. Those skills called Synthetic Human Ultra-Short-Range Communication and the feature called Zero-to-Whole caught his extra attention. Both of these skills indicated that the Synthetic Human Dsmi-32 Species, or the fake Competition Manager, had other accomplices nearby. Under ideal conditions, the Synthetic Human Ultra-Short-Range Communication could have the best communication distance of up to 50 meters. So, within a spherical area of 50 meters radius centered on the counterfeit Competition Manager, there was a high possibility of the existence of the synthetic human accomplices. As Noland Lee watched the duel in the Octagon Cage and glanced around the arena, he conjured a birds-eye view of the arena in his mind. On this birds-eye view, he marked the location of the counterfeit Competition Manager and then circled the circular area centered on him. By throwing Deconstruction techniques at every person in the circular area, Noland received a lot of feedback marked as abnormal by the system. [You are about to use Deconstruction on the abnormal unknown audience] [You are about to use Deconstruction on the abnormal unknown cleaning staff] [You are about to use Deconstruction on the abnormally unknown Barron Championship staff] Eight consecutive abnormal messages appeared, indicating Noland had discovered eight suspected synthetic human targets. Each of these eight targets was subjected to 100 points of harmless deconstruction by Noland Lee. Chapter 546 - Chapter 546: 176.DSMI_2 Chapter 546: 176.DSMI_2 The deconstruction result Noland Lee got was very simple. However, all eight of the target panels displayed the characters Synthetic Human Dsmi-XX. Why would a group of synthetic humans responsible for drilling, mining, smelting, and manufacturing services appear on a magic ship? What is their purpose? How did they enter this world? Facing the information about synthetic humans, Noland was filled with questions. What he found hardest to understand was, did this group of synthetic humans come together just to organize a lively competition? As Noland Lee was calculating how many Energy Points he needed to consume to further harmless deconstruct the impostor supervisor, a gray-robed staff member from the Barron Championship approached. The man handed Noland Lee a note and then turned to leave. He was actually a synthetic human disguised as a staff member. Noland unfolded the note and glanced at the characters along with Denise Green. The impostor competition manager wanted to meet with him in the directors office of the Barron Championship Field at 11:40, right after the last morning match. Denise Green tilted her head slightly and pondered before saying: The competition manager probably wants to discuss the division of profits with you. He used your name to attract popularity, indirectly increasing the water flow and commission of the gambling pool. It would be somewhat unreasonable not to discuss the division with you. Noland nodded slowly, finding it reasonable. At present, Noland knew the true colors of the impostor competition manager, but the other party did not know that he was a fake, only thinking that he was a male wizard with a Magic Proficient ability and a Companion Witch. So the impostor competition manager had invited him over not to pick a fight, but to discuss cooperation and division of profits. Noland put away the note, nodded at the impostor supervisor across the room, and accepted his invitation. He temporarily suppressed the idea of further harmless deconstructing the other party, patiently waiting for the noon meeting. His Charm attribute was relatively high. People who were hostile or friendly to him would clearly reveal their inner thoughts through their facial expressions. Those Dsmi Series Synthetic Humans had emotional modules comparable to real humans, which meant they might not be able to resist Nolands Charm, thus revealing their true ideas. In conversations, Noland only needed to use some tricks to extract some information, without spending nearly six digits of Energy Points to further deconstruct the other party. After thinking about it, Noland discovered a loophole in the Charm attribute value. If his conversation partner was an emotionless, soulless creation, such as a synthetic human without an emotional module, the social effect of Charm might not necessarily work as expected. Around 11:40 that day. Denise Green waited for Noland Lee in the spectator stand of the competition field, while Noland was guided by the staff backstage to meet with the impostor supervisor. In the office of the competition manager, Noland and the impostor supervisor sat across a large metal desk. The room had no windows, the walls were smooth and flat, and the only light source was a magic desk lamp on the office desk. Such a simple layout made the room seem more like an interrogation room than an office. Noland sat in the chair with his usual expression. He crossed his legs and folded his hands in front of him in a triangle shape, his face indifferent as he read the name on the other partys badge: Director Sybindes, you have used the names of me and my Companion Witch without my permission to attract attention to your competition. Isnt that a bit excessive? Hehehe The competition manager apologized with a smile. He took an exquisite pocket from the drawer and placed it on the table. The pocket collided with the metal tabletop, making a crisp sound of gold coins. To show my apology, sir. Please accept this gift. The impostor supervisor pushed the pocket to Noland. Using Wizards Hand, Noland picked up the pocket and placed it in front of him, glancing at its contents. It was a small stack of neatly arranged gold coins, worth about 3000 gold coins in total. As Deconstruction swept across the pocket and coins, Noland felt a slight abnormality in his heart but didnt show it. He used the Wizards Hand to put the pocket back in its original position, his facial lines softened a bit, and said in a rigid tone: I will accept your kindness after we sign a legal cooperation contract. Otherwise, this bag of gold may become my handle. I am a law-abiding and reputation-conscious wizard. The impostor supervisor laughed happily, showing no sign of anger: Its my oversight, sir. He bent down and took a sheepskin-scroll-written magic contract book from the drawer. After unfolding and placing the magic contract book on the table, the impostor supervisor leaned forward and introduced the content of the cooperation on the contract book to Noland with a smile. In short, the impostor supervisor wanted Noland to throw some games in the upcoming matches, to cooperate with him in manipulating the gambling pool, and thus maximize the commission of the gambling pool. Noland had always kept his distance from gambling. Denise Green also had no interest in it. So, since the moment they entered the competition venue, neither of them had paid much attention to the magic betting rat< Chapter 547 - Chapter 547: 176.DSMI_3 Chapter 547: 176.DSMI_3 An undiscovered dark horse in the race would undoubtedly be the best candidate for assisting the organizers in their manipulation. In theory, if Noland Lee had no moral bottom line, he could completely cooperate with the Impostor Supervisor and drain the gold coins from the spectators pockets. But he is not like that. When he heard that the other party planned to have him play in a fake race, Noland Lee had already had the idea of refusal in his heart. He started organizing words in his mind when a system message emerged without any warning. [Warning!] [Synthetic Human Dsmi-32 Species is performing an Ultrasonic Examination on you.] [System prediction: after the Ultrasonic Examination is over, some of your basic attribute values will be mastered by the Synthetic Human Dsmi-32 Species.] Noland Lee remained calm like an undisturbed lake, even though his heart was filled with thunderous emotions. He slightly lowered his head, staring at the contract terms on the sheepskin scroll, looking like he was just intently listening to the explanation by the Impostor Supervisor. The system message in his mind didnt end. [Ultrasonic Examination progress 1%2%3%] Noland Lee was familiar with the so-called ultrasonic examination, which was used to inspect internal organs, blood vessels, heart, muscles, and bones. Before crossing into this world, Noland Lee used to have a medical exam every year, so he was quite familiar with the ultrasonic examination. In theory, ultrasonic examinations could only obtain basic attribute values related to physical fitness such as Tenacity, Strength, Agility, and vitality. For mental-level basic attributes like Spirit and willpower, ultrasonic examinations should be unable to obtain attribute values. It didnt seem necessary to take any action to hide physical fitness data Noland Lee pondered for half a second and decided not to resist. As time went on, the progress of the Ultrasonic Examination reached 100%. The system issued a prompt, informing Noland that his basic attribute data related to physical fitness had been acquired by the Impostor Supervisor. After another half minute, the Impostor Supervisor finished introducing the contents of the contract and waited for Nolands response with a seemingly friendly smile. So, Sir, are you satisfied with such a magic contract? I guarantee that after fulfilling the obligations on the contract, you will receive at least 20,000 gold coins as your remuneration. I swear by the name of the Barron Championship that everything will be kept secret for you, and I will never mention the contract to anyone. Your reputation as an impostor supervisor means nothing Noland Lee shook his head slightly and said: No, Director Sybindes The Hatred Value began to rise, with an increase of about 1000 points. As I mentioned before, I am a law-abiding and scrupulous wizard who values ??my reputation. Dont get me wrong, this is not an excuse for me to ask for more rewards, I am just stating the facts The Hatred Value continued to rise, soaring by 3000 points in an instant. Noland remained unfazed, and calmly said: I refuse your proposal, Director Sybindes. Furthermore, I will report your actions to Captain Berkeley. The Hatred Value surged by 8000 points. This was even more significant and higher than the previous increase from the contestants learning about Denise Greens identity. Noland faintly saw the bulging blue veins on the Impostor Supervisors forehead. The Impostor Supervisor took a tissue from his pocket, wiped his forehead, and said with a forced smile: I understand your actions, Sir. Um lets do this. Well sign another contract. The Impostor Supervisor took back the contract on the table and replaced it with a shorter one in front of Noland. This is a magic contract involving confidentiality agreements. After signing it, you need to keep the confidentiality of our conversations and not mention them to anyone. The contract will last until you and your Companion Witches disembark. You will receive 3000 gold coins as a reward for keeping our secrets. Noland glanced at the not-so-excessive contract and a faint smile appeared on his lips: Your contract doesnt specify the details of how to determine the source of leaked information. If you release the news yourself and then blame it on me, according to the contract, I have to pay you a fine of 30,000 gold coins. Director Sybindes, do you take me for a fool who just embarked on the journey? The Hatred Value rose again, gaining an additional 2000 points. Noland couldnt help but sigh secretly that if the stocks he bought before crossing had this kind of growth, he would have been living in a mansion by now. Without waiting for the Impostor Supervisor to speak, Noland raised his right hand, stopping the other partys words, and spoke first: Lets do this, Director Sybindes: Lets drop this matter here and now. We each take a step back. I will withdraw from the competition, and you will refund my entry fee. We will not interfere with each other. As long as you dont resort to dirty tricks against me and my Companion Witch, no one will know about the dark side of the Barron Championship until we disembark. After finishing his words, Noland reached into the pocket that the Impostor Supervisor had brought out and took out several gold coins with his fingers. The total value of these gold coins was just equal to the entry fee, including the one with some unusual deconstruction feedback. This was intentional by Noland. The Impostor Supervisor glanced at the gold coins held by Nolands fingertips without a trace, squeezed a smile on his chubby face, and said with a bitter smile: Alright, Sir. Lets put an end to this matter. I see no reason to refuse your proposal. The Impostor Supervisor stood up, opened the door, and gestured for Noland to leave with his arm. Without any further communication, Noland left the office. The Hatred Value remained unchanged, staying at a high level of 34,000 points. It is estimated that when the Barron Championship announces Nolands withdrawal from the competition, the Hatred Value from the participants will decrease. Noland found Denise Green waiting for him in the spectator stand and left the Barron Championship Field with her. The Impostor Supervisor watched Noland and Denise walk away, and his smile quickly faded. He gestured to a few figures lingering in the competition field and went into the Directors Office with them. What they didnt know was that the magic of magic lay in its diversity and excellent adaptability to the environment. A 100-level Mind Beacon was silently watching their every move in a corner of the Supervisors Office. Perhaps high-level wizards can detect this beacon. The Impostor Supervisor and the other Synthetic Humans were obviously not among those who could discover this Mind Beacon. As long as Noland doesnt rashly use Mind View to observe them, this beacon will be difficult for anyone to find. Chapter 548 - Chapter 548: 177. Level ? native Chapter 548: 177. Level ? native I think its right for you to withdraw from the competition and get your entry fee back, Noland. I support your decision! In the hotel suite, Denise Green clenched her left hand into a fist in front of her body, gesturing a resolute sign. In front of her was a dedicated dining table in the suite, with dishes such as tomato beef soup, corn salad, bread slices with spread, thinly sliced ham, and blocks of cheese to grab and go. After Noland brought her back to the suite, they dined together while he narrated the events through Soul Perception. Upon learning that the Competition Manager had tried to lure Noland with two magic contracts in succession, Denise felt angry and indignant, deeply affected by the managers despicable actions. Fortunately, Noland didnt collude with the Competition Manager for the sake of a few tens of thousands of gold coins. Otherwise, the pure and lovely Denise, even if compelled to support Nolands actions due to their contract, would have developed a rift with him. Now, looking at Noland across the dining table, Denises eyes were filled with admiration and appreciation. Chewing on tenderly cooked beef, Noland smiled at her and conveyed through Soul Perception: Eat up, Denise. Im going to use Mental Magic to see how that Competition Manager will deal with us. As long as I control the duration of my Mind View, they shouldnt be able to detect any peeping. Alright, Denise picked up a few slices of ham with her fork, placed them on Nolands plate, and smiled, narrowing her eyes: Here, this is your reward. Haha, thank you so much. Noland laughed, picking up the ham with bread, and bringing it to his mouth. He activated the Mind Beacon in his mind and targeted the beacon he had placed within the Impostor Supervisors office. Launching Mind View remotely at the beacon, Noland successfully opened the Magic Vision of the office. Oh, its quite lively Noland found the office filled with people. The fake employees he had previously identified as synthetic humans were all gathered in the Managers office. In addition, there were a few other synthetic humans that Noland had not discovered before. After a careful count and inspection using Deconstruction, Noland grasped the situation of the synthetic humans. There were a total of fifteen synthetic humans on the scene. It was possible that all the synthetic humans aboard the ship were gathered there or that some were still mingling among the passengers. The Impostor Supervisor, Synthetic Human Dsmi-32 Species, consumed 290,000 points for Deconstruction. Four others, similar to him, required 290,000 Energy Points each. The remaining ten synthetic humans had deconstruction consumption ranging from 200,000 to 250,000 points. Noland compared this with the previous Deconstruction results of the Wizards. 290,000 points equaled to an Eighth Circle Wizard. 200,000 to 250,000 roughly corresponded to a Seven-Ring Wizard. Considering the appearance of the phrase Fatal Combat Module on the Deconstruction panel of the Synthetic Humans, the combat power of these Dsmi series members might be similar to the Seventh and Eighth Circle Combat Wizards. Hiss, thats impressive. Noland was slightly startled by his speculations. Seventh Ring Combat Wizard Comini could suppress him, and the fifteen synthetic humans with Seventh and Eighth Ring combat power could be even more formidable Or was there no correlation between the Deconstruction Consumption of Synthetic Humans and Wizards? Well These Synthetic Humans should just have high deconstruction consumption but not necessarily have combat power comparable to Seventh and Eighth Circle Combat Wizards Noland was unsure for the moment. He confirmed that synthetic humans on the scene could not detect his Mind View and focused on eating while monitoring the Directors Office. The fifteen Synthetic Humans stood face to face in a circle, with rigid postures and dull eyes. Their lips vibrated slightly and rapidly. They were using the Synthetic Human Ultra-Short-Range Communication skill to communicate. Noland had no knowledge of Ultrasonic Data Communication technology nor the ability to read ultrasonic signals. Also, due to the Modular Body Structure, he could not obtain memory fragments of Synthetic Humans through Deconstruction. Now, he could only stare blankly at the Synthetic Humans who were vibrating their lips as if electrified. Oh, wait, there was still a way. Noland rummaged through his pocket and took out the anomalous coin. This small metal object looked like an ordinary gold coin, with a shiny golden shell, but it was, in fact, fake. Any denomination of Ulnas Gold Coins had a Deconstruction Consumption of 100,000 points at minimum. Noland had thought about forcibly destroying Ulnas Gold Coins to earn a huge Energy Value Reward before. That was not the focus. The key was that the anomalous coin only needed 10,000 points of Energy to be Deconstructed. Noland quickly identified it among a stack of gold coins in his pocket. Since the System didnt prompt Harmless Deconstruction, Noland thought for a moment and decided not to use force to trigger Passive Deconstruction and obtain the results from the abnormal coin. He was worried that some technology-triggered mechanism might be hidden within the coin. It would be better to deconstruct the coin in the usual way. With 10,000 Energy Points invested into the coin, Noland obtained Deconstruction Results after a brief moment of absence. [Name] Tracker Disguised as a Ulnas Gold Coin [Type] Technology-Side Synthetic Human Dedicated Tracker [Item Level] Level 10 Chapter 549 - Chapter 549: 177. Level ? Natives_2 Chapter 549: 177. Level ? Natives_2 [Status] Enabled. The trackers location will be transmitted in real-time to the synthetic human. [Technical and materials] Omit. [Instructions] This is an ultrasonic tracker for sending simple text messages. It continuously sends a set of text data in the form of ultrasonic signals. [Effect] The tracker is sending the text data 116-C-Level Native-Waiting for Capture to every corner within a three-kilometer radius of the tracker. ??? C-Level Native? Waiting for Capture? Noland Lees mouth slightly open, the words Oh my god almost sprayed out in front of Denise Green. The characters on the system interface are all written in Chinese, which Noland Lee is familiar with, occasionally using English characters. This is the systems built-in translation effect. Books like Dusk Giant Soul-casting Technique and Martyrs Ten Commandments in this world will automatically change into a line of Chinese and a line of the original text when Noland Lee reads them. The 116-C-level native-waiting for capture on the deconstruction results at the moment is no exception. The first line is the Chinese translation by the system, and the second line is the unique language used by synthetic humans, which appears as a series of unknown numbers and symbols. Noland Lees focus is on the two sets of words C-level Native and Waiting for Capture. They give him the illusion of becoming a slave Are these synthetic humans here to kidnap the wizards on the magic ship? Arent they afraid that Ill accidentally spend the tracker as a gold coin? Noland Lee hesitated for a moment and then shook his head slightly. No, no, no. Consumption on the ship is on a postpaid basis. As long as the bill is settled before leaving the ship, its fine. On the way to the Suman Archipelago, he and Denise Green didnt have a chance to spend gold coins. This tracker will follow him until the synthetic humans find a chance to capture him. Considering that he might accidentally spend the tracker as a gold coin when paying the bill, the synthetic humans must make a move while hes still on the ship! Noland Lee made a guess in his mind, a glint flashed in his eyes, and his face became a bit more serious. Denise Green bites the spoon she used to eat the pudding and asks: Whats wrong? Is that competition manager planning to do something to us? Hmph, I knew he was not trustworthy. Noland Lee nodded and said solemnly: That guy does have sinister intentions, and his methods are quite vicious. Luckily, I kept a trick up my sleeve and detected his conspiracy early. But theres something I cant figure out Hmm? What cant you figure out? Denise Green scooped a spoonful of pudding into her mouth. Noland Lee pondered for a moment, deciding to divulge everything to the other party and discuss countermeasures together. He put the gold coin disguised as a tracker on the dining table and used Soul Perception to recount his discovery. For words like synthetic human and ultrasonic data communication, Noland Lee simply glossed them over and changed them to peculiar extraordinary ability involving sound waves and peculiar physiological structure similar to biochemical soldiers to describe the characteristics of ultrasonic and synthetic humans. Noland Lees description was somewhat vague, but Denise Green understood. Wizards have researched sound waves. Many wizards have developed spells involving sound waves. Unfortunately, there is no wizard force related to sound waves yet. As for the peculiar physiological structure similar to biochemical soldiers, Denise Green got it right away. She took the impostor supervisor as a grotesque creature composed of flesh, machinery, and wires C the Ulnas Circle does have wires and cables, but due to the convenience of magic, electrical equipment has very few applications. After a series of explanations, there was only one small point that Noland Lee could not clarify, which was uploading consciousness. Synthetic humans can convert their consciousness into digital codes, upload them to a terminal, and then download them to another synthetic human body, thus indirectly achieving immortality and resurrection. This is a feature of synthetic humans that Noland Lee discovered before crossing when playing games and watching movies. He is not sure if Dsmi series synthetic humans can also upload consciousness. Wizards generally believe that the mind, soul, and body are an inseparable Trinity relationship. Explaining the uploading of consciousness to Denise Green is a bit too cumbersome, so Noland Lee simply did not mention it. Thats the situation, Denise Green. Glug, glug. Noland Lee picked up the water glass and drank a few sips before continuing: Ill go find Mabel this afternoon and borrow her magic messenger. Ill send this fake gold coin to my Professor Erica and ask her to help me identify it. If we can get an arrest warrant for the competition manager, that would be even better. As for whether the impostor supervisor will find out that the gold coins signal has disappeared, dont worry. Ill handle that. Okay, Ill listen to you. Denise Green nodded like a pecking chicken. We dont need too much pressure. Noland Lee spread his hands and said: The gold coins we have are enough to pay the fine for breaking the rules and opening the teleportation gate to leave the magic ship. If something tricky happens, well just leave. Right! Denise Green nodded heavily. Lets continue eating. Noland Lee took his share of pudding and placed it in front of Denise Green: Here, look at how much trust you have in me. I have to give you some reward, dont I? Just eat it; my share is yours now. Chapter 550 - Chapter 550: 177. Level Natives_3 Chapter 550: 177. Level Natives_3 Hee~ Denise has a soft spot for sweets and started eating without any hesitation. By the way, Denise. Has Adelaide replied yet? Noland Lee asked. Not yet. She said it would take at most two days to prepare the Life Elixir. Considering the time, Adelaide should send a message for Morster around tomorrow evening. Denise spoke with syrup on her lips. Mm-hmm, Noland Lee said: We indeed need to prepare a Magic Messenger ourselves. Weve been using the Professors messenger quite a lot, which is a bit inappropriate. Have you ever been to the Magic Messenger House opened by the Magic News Department? Denise stuck out her little tongue and said: Ive visited it before. I spent 100 gold coins trying the Array to contract a Magic Messenger, but I couldnt succeed. Those 100 gold coins made my heart ache for a long time Then I should find an opportunity to let you try the Array a few more times to make up for your regret. Noland Lee joked. Magic Messenger House is a shop selling Magic Messengers, directly operated by the Magic News Department. There are also Magic Messengers raised by the Wizard Families in Ulnas Circle, and they too, have set up their Magic Messenger Shops. Considering that using Magic Messengers for communication is private, most people would choose to buy Magic Messengers from the Magic Messenger House. After paying 100 gold coins to the Magic Messenger House, a Wizard can communicate with a Magic Messenger in the Messenger Plane once inside the Array. Wizards can specify a particular Magic Messenger to communicate with, or they can take their chances and communicate with a random one. Noland Lee thought that buying a Magic Messenger was similar to card drawing Youre either extremely lucky, hitting it off with the Magic Messenger right away, entering the hall of master and servant. Or you rely on spending gold coins, going all out with dozens or even hundreds of draws. According to the data collated by the Magic News Department themselves, on average, you can contract a Magic Messenger after 313 communications with the Messenger Plane, which corresponds to a hefty 31,300 gold coins investment. Considering that Ericas parrot seems to like him too, Noland Lee plans to try specifying communication with parrot-like Magic Messengers, and maybe it will work directly. Of course, as promised, Noland Lee would help Denise fulfill her dream. Its just a matter of spending one or two thousand gold coins and getting Denise to draw ten attempts or so, no big deal. Later that afternoon, after the end of the afternoons competition, Noland Lee contacted Mabel using Mind Induction, and they agreed to meet in her hotel suite. Mabel, as the mentor of Elemental Judgement, couldnt avoid socializing with others. She booked a duplex suite for herself. The living and resting areas were on the second floor, while meeting guests was on the first floor. After using Deconstruction to check Mabel and her suite for safety, Noland Lee told her everything he had discovered with Mind Induction. When she heard that one of the gold coins the Competition Manager gave to Noland Lee was suspicious, Mabels face changed noticeably. She took out her Magic Pouch and placed the gold coins she got from the Competition Manager on the table, examining them one by one. Noland Lee only mentioned that the gold coin was counterfeit and didnt explicitly say anything about the gold coin being a tracker. But just the fact that it was a counterfeit gold coin was enough to catch Mabels attention. Anyone who counterfeits Ulnas gold coins would be listed as Sin Wizard Level criminals and enjoy the treatment of being transported by Wizard Enforcers through a Teleportation Gate. Noland Lee scanned the gold coins on the table, casting a series of Deconstruction techniques and then focusing his eyes. Among the gold coins Mabel got from the impostor Supervisor, there was also a tracker disguised as a gold coin! [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction on the Tracker Disguised as a Ulnas Gold Coin.] [You have already mastered the standardized panel of this item.] [You only need to consume 1000 energy points to obtain personalized panel information for this item.] Confirm Deconstruction. Noland Lee murmured in his heart. The deconstruction result refreshed in his mind. The difference between the standardized panel and the personalized panel mainly lies in the values of Item Level, Basic Attributes, and Skill Level. For the tracker, its personalized difference content will also be reflected in the ultrasonic data it transmits. The data transmitted by Noland Lees tracker is Number 116-C-level native-waiting for capture. However, the data transmitted by Mabels tracker is: Number 003-A-level native full force capture. Noland Lee extended his right hand and tapped the fake gold coin with his fingertip. Mabel understood and took out her magic wand, casting the Appraisal Technique. A colorful light shot out from the tip of the wand, throwing a beam of light at the gold coin. The gold coin showed no reaction. But this was the most obvious reaction. Because a normal Ulnas gold coin would emit an eye-catching golden color under the Appraisal Techniques magical light. Only things that cannot be identified by magic will have no reaction towards Appraisal Technique. This includes counterfeit gold coins. A normal Wizard wouldnt have the habit of casually examining the authenticity of gold coins. They would just check their gold coin stack periodically for any fakes mixed in. Facing this counterfeit coin, Mabel snorted coldly in her heart, muttering things like I should report this to Captain Berkeley. Noland Lee raised his hand, interrupting her muttering. Mabel, do you trust me? Of course. Then let me ask you a question. Noland Lee said in his heart: Did Philia and Betty Davis get the gold coins given by the Barron Arena? Yes. Mabel recalled: The competition manager commissioned Philia and her teammates to perform Elemental Spells on stage after the round-robin matches ended. Many Wizards received similar invitations. The competition manager pre-paid a deposit for each person, which he personally delivered to the Wizards. After mulling it over, Noland Lee said: Do me a favor, Mabel, and bring the gold coins the competition manager gave to Philia and Betty Davis. Well identify them together. Mabels eyes widened, and a conjecture emerged in her mind: Do you suspect that everyone who received gold coins from the competition manager got a fake coin? Yes. The specific situation still needs to be confirmed after identification. Noland Lee nodded in response. Mabel hesitated no more. She stood up, left her suite, and found Philia and Betty Davis who were staying next door. After a little while, Mabel returned and placed two stacks of gold coins in front of Noland Lee. Noland Lee used Deconstruction Technique to scan them. As expected, both Philia and Betty Davis each had a tracker. Two Deconstruction Techniques were cast, and Noland Lee obtained the panel information of these two trackers at the cost of 2000 energy points. The data of Philias tracker is: Number 033-F-level native- No value target, exterminate on site. The data of Betty Daviss tracker is: Number 034-F-level native- No value target, exterminate on site. Chapter 551 - Chapter 551: 178. Emergency Plan Chapter 551: 178. Emergency Plan After Mabel discovered Philia and Betty Davis each had a counterfeit coin, she realized something was off. She left her suite and went to find the other wizard students to examine their gold coins. Noland Lee stayed in Mabels study and entered a meditative state. From the ultrasonic data, it was not difficult to see that the Dsmi series of synthetic humans had prepared a plan to eliminate and plunder the natives on the magic ship. But there was one thing that Noland couldnt quite figure out. According to the impostor supervisors panel information, he, coded as Dsmi-32 Species, was a synthetic human designed for deep-space mining. Instead of searching for mineral treasures in the world of wizards, he was plotting to plunder natives on a magic ship, which seemed somewhat unprofessional Noland didnt dwell on this issue for too long. He decisively grabbed the Sword of Silence, channeled his soul energy into it, and entered the Court of Silence. His consciousness flew upwards as a swirl of indigo-colored fumes approached. In the blink of an eye, he arrived at the small classroom. He pushed open the door of the classroom, stood in front of the professors study door, and knocked on the door panel. This was not class time, so Erica would be writing magic books in her study or doing experiments in the Magic Laboratory. Noland was in luck, as Erica didnt go far. She quickly opened the door with the Mages Hand and let him in. What is it, Jarvis? Did you encounter a problem in your self-study? Erica pushed her glasses up on her nose, and her beautiful eyes carried a hint of a smile as if she was saying: So you also get stumped by knowledge. No, Professor, I came to you for a different matter. On the magic ship to the Suman Archipelago, I discovered a group of people with suspicious activities Noland recounted the details and used the same wording as when he explained the matter to Denise Green. Ericas smile turned serious, and her fair face gradually became solemn. As she listened, she controlled the magic servant to search for the filing cabinet in her study. A stack of magic documents in metal boxes was brought to her desk by the magic servant. Your description reminds me of something, Jarvis. About 15 years ago, a magical ship was attacked in another deep-sea area. At the time, the captain of the magic ship sent a warning to the Wizard Enforcement Department and requested support. Erica took the magic documents out of the metal box, spread them out on the desk, and continued: The Wizard Enforcement Department immediately assembled a team of 10 combat wizards upon receiving the alarm. Just when the team was about to use the Teleportation Gate to go to the magic ship, the ships teleportation anchor point suddenly malfunctioned, and the gate failed to open normally. You see here Erica pointed at a magic dynamic image with her fingertip. In the image, the sea surface was full of floating wreckage. By the time the fleet closest to the magic ship rushed in to provide support, the attacked ship had been shattered, with most of it gone and presumably sunk to the seabed. All crew members, passengers, and shopkeepers on the ship, including the captain, were killed. Erica picked up a magic document with several portraits() and sighed softly: There were eight wizards at the sixth ring and above on that ship at that time. One of them was the nine-circles strength captain, and the other seven were magic institution mentors and merchant team supervisors whose abilities ranged from six-ring to seventh-ring. All eight of these wizards were teleportation anchor points. Their disappearance and the anchor points disappearance coincided at the same time. Since there were no survivors or witnesses from that disaster, we still havent found out the truth. I have a feeling that the suspicious people you encountered on the magic ship may be related to the disaster 15 years ago. Because at the time, there was a small competition organization that traveled around on the magic ship. And before the incident, a Four-ring wizard mentioned to his mentor that the competition organization invited many wizards to perform magic on stage and pre-paid a sum of cash for each accepted wizard. Erica put down the magic document and raised her hand to gently touch her chin: There are few small competition organizations that would invite a large number of wizards to perform on stage all at once. Repetitive content is one reason. Another is that the pre-paid rewards are not a small amount, which would put financial pressure on small competition organizations. The fact that the same small competition organizations held events on magic ships and pre-payed cash for wizards to perform suggests that the situation on your magic ship, mirroring the events of 15 years ago, is no accident. Noland leaned over the desk and glanced at the magic documents on the desktop. He sent out Deconstruction Techniques following his gaze and collected information from the magic documents. Comparing the information gathered from the documents with that he had gathered from his observations of the impostor supervisor, Noland discovered many unusual details. He made a table in his mind to compare the parameters of the two magical ships. Several approximate data values appeared on the table. For example, the specifications of the magical ship from 15 years ago were almost exactly the same as the one Noland was currently on. Another example is that the number and composition of passengers on the magical ship from 15 years ago were remarkably similar to those on the one Noland was currently on. Chapter 552 - Chapter 552: 178. Emergency Plan_2 Chapter 552: 178. Emergency Plan_2 Moreover, the geographical position of the two magical ships was quite suspicious. The magic ship that met with the accident 15 years ago was located in the deep-sea area more than two thousand kilometers southwest of the Kashel Continent. There was no village in sight, nor any supplies, and the nearest human settlement was thousands of kilometers away. The magic ship that Noland Lee was on was sailing on the Blackfold Sea, equally desolate and uninhabited. This kind of location seemed tailor-made for murder and robbery. When recalling that the tracking data of Philia and Betty Davis clearly marked worthless target, kill on the spot, Nolands sense of crisis intensified. Professor, what do you think I should do now? Noland asked. Erica pondered and responded: The top priority is to dispatch a law enforcement team of Wizard Enforcers to board the magic ship and control all the personnel of the Barron Championship. The mere charge of forging Ulnas gold coins is enough for the Wizard Enforcement Department to do so. This approach has a problem. The act of opening a teleportation gate would arouse the suspicion of those involved and may lead to disaster ahead of time. We need to contact Captain Berkeley and have him cooperate when the Wizard Enforcers teleport over, using magic metal to separate the suspicious personnel from the legitimate passengers. However Erica paused, folded her arms, embraced the full moon, and transformed into a statue with a furrowed brow. After much consideration, she voiced her deep concerns: But I suspect that Captain Berkeley is an accomplice of those suspicious parties. Noland was slightly startled, thought carefully, and nodded: It is indeed possible As the captain, he would have had strict scrutiny of every boarding passenger. It is unlikely that the suspicious persons with obviously different physiological structures could evade Berkeleys detection spell. The only explanation is that Berkeley colluded with the suspicious persons. Noland touched his forehead. If that really was the case, then the situation on the magic ship was more complicated than imagined. Well, Jarvis, I have an idea. Erica regained her composure and said: The Wizard Enforcement Department has an emergency plan for dealing with major disasters about to happen. I will quickly compile the clues you discovered into a report and submit it to the Wizard Enforcement Department. In about an hour, the Enforcers will board the ship. This approach may harm the innocent by alerting the suspects, but there is no other way. We must be prepared for the worst. If Captain Berkeley is colluding with the suspicious persons, the disaster he causes will not be as simple as just harming the legal passengers. As Erica spoke, the magic pen on the pen holder flew up and began writing the document swiftly. Using [Mages Hand], she took a book from the bookshelf and handed it to Noland: I will use a magic messenger to explain the situation to the Wizard Enforcement Department and Mabel of Elemental Judgement. At that time, you should cooperate with Mabel to open the Elemental Judgement teleportation gate, and the Enforcement Wizards will board the ship through the Elemental Judgement teleportation gate. Also, in case Mabel fails to open the teleportation gate, you should forcibly open our own teleportation gate. This book I am giving you records the spell and casting conditions for opening the Court of Silence teleportation gate. I think it should be easy for you to learn it with your intelligence. The more troublesome part is that your spirit may not meet the requirements for opening the teleportation gate. But fortunately, you have companion witches. Denise can help you with that. The specific operation methods are documented in this book. You can take a look and find out. Noland took the magic book and glanced at the table of contents. There wasnt much content in the book, and he could learn it by spending at most half an hour in the Silent Yard. Of course, this half an hour was just for show. With his Deconstruction Technique, he could master the knowledge in a second. Alright, Professor. Noland nodded. Before you study this magic book on your own, let me introduce the emergency plan in detail. Erica summoned tables and chairs and began teaching Noland about the essential details of the law enforcement plan like a class lesson. In short, to deal with this kind of emergency event where the enemys strength and means were unknown and could cause significant disaster, the Wizard Enforcement Department had formulated an emergency plan called Solidifying Disaster. The Wizard Enforcement Department would dispatch at least thirty Enforcement Wizards to the scene of the incident. Among this law enforcement team, there would be an incredibly powerful combat wizard, usually a Tenth-Ring Wizard only one step away from becoming a Star Witch. This combat wizard would use magic with law-breaking and binding effects to forcibly control the suspicious personnel on the scene. Before this, to avoid injuring innocents, other members of the law enforcement team would evacuate the onlookers in advance and separately control the suspect personnel who may be involved in the case. In addition to these details, there were many other matters in the plan. As the two conversed, Ericas magic pen continued to work. About half an hour later, their conversation ended, and the magic pen had written two documents. Erica checked them, walked to the parrot, and handed them over: Pudding, help me send two letters. Send the one with the red satin ribbon to the Wizard Enforcement Department. Send the one with the blue satin ribbon to Mabel of Elemental Judgement. Dont mix them up. Do you want a lollipop~ the parrot mimicked Jennys tone. Ericas body shivered slightly, and she sighed helplessly. Chapter 553 - Chapter 553: 178. Emergency Plan_3 Chapter 553: 178. Emergency Plan_3 She took out a rainbow lollipop wrapped in transparent paper from her magic pouch, shook it in her hand, and spoke like she was coaxing a child: First go and deliver the letter, then come back to eat the candy. Pudding is the best~ The parrot praised itself with Jennys words. It used its beak to pick up the envelope from Ericas hand and tucked it under its wings into the leather case. After flapping its wings twice, the parrot circled around the study room and disappeared into a transparent phantom within two to three seconds. The plane traversal ability owned by magic messengers is simple and low-key, without any special magical effects. Noland Lee raised his head slightly, secretly looking at Erica. She was clearly distressed because of her rebellious magic messenger Thinking about it, it made sense. If Noland found out that his magic messenger was playing with someone else behind his back and helping them hide the truth, he would definitely feel somewhat irritated. This kind of thing is not the same as having a third party in a romantic relationship. If a romantic relationship falls apart, it can simply end. But magic messengers are just too hard to come by. If Erica does not want to spend time and money to contract a new magic messenger, she will have to put up with the parrots rebellion. Magic messengers are difficult to serve! Noland sighed in his heart. Erica slumped into her chair, lost in thought Half an hour later, after finishing reading the books, Noland used a Deconstruction technique to absorb the books content. [System Message:] [You have gained a new active skill Open Teleportation Gate: Silent Yard.] [Your Spirit level is 40, below the required 90 for this skill.] [Due to the Soul Contract: Dinas relationship, you can perform joint casting with Dinas to activate this skill.] Noland glanced at the system message in his mind, got up, and prepared to say goodbye to Erica. At the same time, the magic messenger returned. The parrot fluttered its wings, transformed from a transparent phantom into a solid form, circled around the room, and landed on its perch. It took out two reply letters from the leather case under its wings and squawked at Erica: Do you want to eat lollipop, do you want to eat lollipop. Ericas mouth twitched noticeably. She smiled awkwardly at Noland, took the reply letters from the parrots beak, and shoved the unwrapped lollipop into the parrots claw. Unfolding the reply letter, Erica resumed her calm ladylike demeanor: Jarvis, the Wizard Enforcement Department has agreed to send a law enforcement team to board the ship. And Mabel has agreed to help open the teleportation gate. Go back now and cooperate with Mabel. Alright, Professor, Ill go first. Noland glanced at the parrot sucking on the lollipop on the perch, muttered Leave the Silent Yard. Indigo mist rushed in, his consciousness descended rapidly, and returned to his body. Upon opening his eyes, Noland saw Mabels complicated expression and Ericas letter in her hand. Noland blinked half a second in Mabels scrutinizing gaze, and then realized why the wealthy witch had this expression. Noland rubbed the silent sword with the appearance of a stone dagger in his hand and forced a smile: Hey I didnt expect myself to join the Silent Maiden, Mabel. Please keep our secret, okay? This secret cannot be made public for now. Mabel looked at Noland Lee with curious and investigative eyes, scanning his body surface up and down, but soon realized that it was extremely inappropriate for her to do so. Her cheeks flushed red, and she lowered her head in slight embarrassment, saying: I apologize, I apologize, its just that the news of you becoming a member of the Silent Maiden is too astonishing Alright, I mean, I will keep this a secret, as requested by your lecturer professor. Mabel gathered herself, stood up with a hint of blush still on her cheeks. She took out her branch wand and walked towards the balcony of the suite. Im going to open the teleportation gate. Noland Lee followed her into the spacious open-air balcony, and at the same time used Soul Perception to explain the situation to Denise. Considering the extreme situation where the captain had joined the enemy, Noland Lee, after obtaining Mabels consent, summoned Denise to stand by his side. Under the watchful eyes of Noland Lee and Denise, Mabel pointed her branch wand at the four-color star in the night sky. Wizards below the sixth ring need to use spell chanting to enhance their perception of man-made stars. To Noland Lee, this appeared to be some sort of incantation and spell phrases. Mabel didnt need to do that. She pointed her branch wand at the sky and shot out the element light of fire, earth, air, and water. These four finger-thick light columns twisted into a single four-color spiral light column, piercing the sky at lightning speed. Just then, the wooden wall of the balcony flickered with iron-gray magic light. The wooden wall, which had been transformed from magic metal, turned back into a dull metal wall. Countless metal spikes stretched out from the metal wall. They intertwined like slender tentacles, collectively weaving a magic metal human figure with human-like facial features. Miss Mabel, what are you doing? The magic metal persons mouth moved, revealing a metallic luster inside. The hoarse and dry voice it emitted was like the noise made by striking an iron plate. This was obviously the magic metal avatar summoned by Captain Berkeley on the balcony. The four-color light column in the sky plunged into the four-color star, causing the four-color star to rotate and expand, forming a huge spiral vortex. A dozen or so tiny figures flew out of the spiral vortex and fell straight towards the balcony directly below. Mabel lowered her raised right arm holding the magic wand, smiled at Captain Berkeley in a ceremonial manner, and kept a close eye on his every move: I am doing what I am supposed to do, Captain Berkeley. This is the request from the Wizard Enforcement Department. Surely you are not unaware of the counterfeit money and suspicious characters on the ship? Mabel did not push it too far and maintained a good relationship with Berkeley. As a witch with many years of experience, she knew that a captain of a magic ship had an incredible sense of control and insight into the ship. So, even without solid evidence, she firmly believed that Berkeley was colluding with the suspicious characters in secret. Noland Lee raised his hand and cast an Undead Shield, covering both him and Denise, and protected her behind him. Denise held Noland Lees left hand, gripping her torch, and her teleportation spell was ready to go. If Berkeley showed any unusual behavior, she would teleport away with Noland Lee under his protection. The two worked seamlessly together, remaining vigilant at all times. Mabel also summoned her Elemental Shield to guard against Berkeleys magic metal avatar. As one of the parties involved in this incident, Captain Berkeleys reaction was within the expectations of Noland Lee and the others. He appeared dazed like a man whose plot was exposed and then quickly fell into deep thought. As his thoughts churned, numerous metal spikes appeared on the magic metal connected with his mind. Seeing Berkeleys reaction, Mabel, Noland Lee, and Denise immediately understood the situation. There was indeed a big problem with Berkeley. However, they couldnt help but feel bitter at the thought of what would happen next If a nine-circle metal battle mage chose to resist violently, the disaster scene that would ensue could only be described as hellish. Whats more, they were in the deep sea. Not to mention that there were so many passengers on the boat with lower levels of strength. Chapter 554 - Chapter 554: 179. The captain betrayed the enemy. Chapter 554: 179. The captain betrayed the enemy. Berkeley, dont act rashly. Mabel watched the magic metal avatar in front of her constantly sprouting spikes and said gently: As a Nine Circles Metal Battle Mage, youre wealthy and have a bright future. Youre one of the top figures in this world. If youre collaborating with that suspicious group, you are most likely falling into their trap. They might have something on you. Dont worry, Berkeley. Cooperate with the Wizard Enforcers and capture those suspicious people. Your suffering will soon end. There were far fewer metal spikes on the magic metal avatar, and its fluctuations began to stabilize. It seemed Mabel hit the nail on the head. It was precisely because Berkeley was manipulated by the suspicious people that he allowed them onto the ship under duress. Just as Mabel was about to seize the opportunity to say something, a shrill noise came from all directions. Beep- Noland Lees brow furrowed. Was this noise from outer space?! His heart skipped a beat, then he realized he was mistaken. He and Denise Green have been maintaining the Soul Shield on their bodies. Denises Soul Shield was not obtained from a magic scroll. After resolving the Blood Sun Seals contaminated area last time, Noland cautiously decided to pass the spell blueprint of Soul Shield to Denise. As a result, Denise mastered the Soul Shield spell. The spell blueprint for the Soul Shield is complete, without any flaws. Noland completed this blueprint in numerous dismantling processes of the Undead Cults magic protective cover. Noland only has the complete blueprints for two spells, Soul Shield and Soul Freeze. Due to the completeness of the spell blueprint, he dared to pass the Soul Shield to Denise. For other spells, like Mind View, which is only 10% complete, Noland wouldnt dare to teach to anyone. Because if the spell blueprint is incomplete, the spell cannot be cast. This is a consensus in the wizarding world. Noland is the only one who has broken this consensus. Others, including Denise, should be unable to cast spells using incomplete spell blueprints. With the protection of the Soul Shield, Noland and Denise didnt need to worry excessively about being attacked by the noise from outer space. At this moment, both of them heard the shrill noise, but the Soul Shield didnt respond. This annoying beep-like noise wasnt intercepted by the Soul Shield. Its not an attack on the soul, mind, or body. Apart from causing eardrum swelling, this noise doesnt have many more negative effects. Noland and his companions maintained their composure amid the noise. However, on Berkeleys magic metal avatar, terrifying several meters long spikes suddenly appeared. This avatar turned into or rather resembled a metal porcupine! Noland knew the situation had changed. He looked up at the sky, gazing at the Wizard Enforcers flying over in their magic ship. Denise also looked at the sky. Their gaze froze in an instant. The originally green magic barrier used to filter moisture and the smell of the sea was quickly turning into a full metal dome. From the highest point of the magic barrier, the greyish magic metal was spreading in all directions of the dome, giving one the feeling as if the entire sky was going to be obscured by the metal dome. The enforcers who came to enforce the law had already flown to the magic ship. Their arrival accelerated the expansion of the metal dome. With a clang sound, the bottom of the metal dome collided with the metal deck of the magic ship. The whole magic ship was covered by the metal dome. What was initially a bowl-shaped hemisphere shaped magic ship had now turned into an airtight metal sphere. Luckily, the Wizard Enforcers were swift enough. They rushed in just before the metal dome closed, successfully joining up with Mabel. There were about fifty of these Wizard Enforcers. They had different garments, but they all wore masks that covered most of their faces, making it impossible to see their true features clearly. From their clothing style and the patterns woven into their magic robes: Hotams Magic Academy sent the most people, led by a female Nine Circles Wizard from the Deep Sea. This Nine Circles Wizard was female, with hair like flowing water. The magic robes she wore also seemed to be made of dark blue seawater, constantly causing ripples and small waves as she moved. Other than this Deep-sea Witch, there was also an Eighth Circle Metal Combat Wizard from the Metal Branch. This Metal Combat Wizard was here to persuade Berkeley to surrender. After all, Berkeley was a famous, old Combat Wizard. If they could persuade him to surrender, it would be the best outcome. Moreover, persuasion is part of the emergency plan. The Light Wizards, sent by the Pure Light Court, were slightly fewer in number than those from Hotams, led by a Ten Rings Light Wizard. All of them wore pure white magic masks and magic cloaks that scattered the light of dawn. Apart from the leader, all Light Wizards had strength from the Fourth Ring to the Seventh Ring. Finally, among the enforcement team was a familiar face, the Seventh Ring Silent Witch Jasmine Morgan, whom Noland met under less-than-friendly circumstances. This Seventh Ring Silent Witch was supposed to be in Union City, but was sent onto the magic ship by Professor Erica. When Jasmine Morgan saw Noland sweep his gaze over her, she nodded, took out a magic pouch and threw it over. After Noland caught the magic pouch, Jasmine Morgan gestured at him with hand signals meaning Leave this place and proceed according to the plan. Chapter 555 - Chapter 555: 179. The captain betrays the enemy_2 Chapter 555: 179. The captain betrays the enemy_2 Noland Lee understood. He fastened the magic pouch to his waist, greeted Denise Green with Soul Perception. Upon receiving Nolands command, Denise activated the return teleportation spell, taking them both back to their suite. What should we do next, Noland? Denise asked uneasily, gripping Nolands wrist tightly. First, lets find a way to leave this magic ship. Dont worry, Im here. Noland patted her hand to comfort her. Mmhm Denise pressed her lips together and stood close to Noland. As a companion witch with practically no means of attack, she could only rely on her contractor now. Noland looked around the suite but saw nothing to pack. As wizards, he and Denise kept their clothes and daily necessities in the magic pouch. They took out items as they needed them and put them back when they were done. Without the need to pack, Noland and Denise left the suite directly. Noland cast Death Flight and flew out of the room from the balcony, heading towards the edge of Shipboard Town. Denise used the companion witchs flight spell, transforming herself into a torch with a tail of flames, following Noland closely. As soon as the two of them reached Street Alley, they saw a chaotic scene. A large number of passengers gathered on the street, pointing and shouting at the metal dome that blocked the sky, discussing why the dome had covered the entire Shipboard Town. Even the piercing noise echoing in the enclosed magic ship couldnt damper the onlookers enthusiasm. Some people noticed the teleportation gate that had appeared in the sky, as well as the wizard enforcers descending from above. These people quickly recognized the Light Wizards robes and clothing, instantly associating the descending silhouettes with the wizard enforcers. There was no way around it, the Pure Light Court was simply too famous in law enforcement circles. Many times, Light Wizards were synonymous with wizard enforcers. I bet theres a powerful wizard criminal on our ship! The Wizard Enforcement Department wouldnt have sent so many enforcers otherwise! Thats right! Captain Berkeley must have used the metal dome to seal off the magic ship to cooperate with the enforcers, preventing the wizard criminal from escaping! Did you notice where the wizard enforcers landed after they came through the teleportation gate? I think it was at the hotel! Oh my god! Look! Look! What is Captain Berkeleys magical servant doing?! A scream came from the bustling crowd. Everyones gaze followed the scream. Noland glanced back and immediately sped up his flight, taking Denise with him. On the magic ship, Captain Berkeleys magical servants numbered at least three thousand. They were magical vortices bound by metal rings. Like bracelets, anklets, and collars, the metal rings wrapped around the bodies of the magical vortices, binding them into humanoid shapes. Now, all the magical servants behaved as if they had gone mad, rushing towards the hotel where the wizard enforcers were. They surrounded the hotel in layers, forming a gigantic figure comprised of densely packed metal collars and magical vortices. That wasnt the end. In the midst of the increasingly loud noise, the frenzied magical servants plunged into madness. They exploded one after another in violent convulsions, scattering broken metal rings and magical air whirls all around. Before the metal ring fragments could hit the ground, invisible magical forces gathered them up, converging them towards a particular balcony of the hotel. The continuous explosions of the magical servants were as dazzling as a fireworks display. Unaware of the situation, passengers stood still and watched, with the reflections of colorful sparks flickering in their eyes. Noland stopped on the rooftop of a house and spotted Miss Kalandi, with whom he intended to cooperate, in the crowd below. The owner of the Green Herb Ointment branch store stretched her neck like a goose awaiting slaughter, looking towards the hotel. Her face showed alertness, and a green shield wrapped around her body. However, it was obvious that the herd mentality forced her to stay onlookers, becoming one of the rubberneckers. Noland jumped down, returned to human form, approached Kalandis ear, and shouted over the noise of exploding magical servants and the piercing cacophony: Miss! Come with me quickly! What? Kalandi turned her head in confusion, poking her magic glasses and looking puzzled at Noland. I said! Come with me quickly! Its dangerous here! Noland shouted, making a follow me gesture as he spoke. Kalandi reluctantly discerned Nolands voice amidst the unending noise. She glanced at the fireworks near the hotel, then at the passengers who were loudly discussing things with their ears covered, finally, she subconsciously chose to follow Noland. Alright! Where do you want me to go with you! Kalandi suddenly turned into a half-meter long green leaf amidst a puff of white magical fog. Noland waved to her, follow me! Noland glanced at the other passengers standing and watching. None of them intended to inform others of the alarm, as there would be other enforcement wizards responsible for that job. Noland led Kalandi up to the sky, rendezvoused with Denise, and together, they flew towards the edge of the magic ship. As Noland and the others hurried, some onlookers suddenly became dazed. These individuals snapped out of it in a few seconds, letting out terrified screams as they flew away from the scene. Their clothing bore the Ulnas Circle without exception. Their scattered escape was undoubtedly prompted by the Lecturer Professors warning. Chapter 556 - Chapter 556: 179. The captain betrayed the enemy_3 Chapter 556: 179. The captain betrayed the enemy_3 Some of the more astute passengers noticed the flurry of wizards and, feeling uneasy, joined the escape. Herd mentality once again took effect. Originally standing like a flock of stunned geese, it took only two or three minutes for the crowd, under the leadership of several individuals, to scatter and run for their lives. At the same time, Noland Lee and his two companions reached the edge of the magic ship. The noise here was much quieter and they could now converse normally. The problem was, the metal dome was tightly integrated with the deck of the magic ship, leaving no gaps. Like a wall blocking their path, there was no way past the dome. In order to reach the sea surface outside the ship, Noland Lee and his companions had to break through the seal of the dome. Are you trying to take me off the magic ship? Kalandi, who had been following Noland Lee, understood his intention. She stubbornly said: Thats unacceptable. Theres a wizard criminal on board. As a collaborator of Captain Berkeley, I have to help him and the wizard enforcers deal with the criminal. Also, my stuff is all left in the shop, I cant just abandon it. Kalandi made a move to fly back, but Denise Green promptly stopped her. Noland Lee explained on the side: Madam, dont you find it strange that since theres a wizard criminal on board, the professor who provides you with intelligence has not contacted you? Now that you mention it, it does seem strange. Kalandi stopped in her tracks, confusion crossing her face. She squinted slightly, trying to contact her professor. Two seconds later, her confusion and unease deepened she had actually been refused by her own professor! Come with me, Madam. Noland Lee took out a Magic Stone enveloped in grey mist from the Magic Pouch that Comini had given him. This was a Silent Magic Stone with 10 points of silent power given to Noland Lee via Comini from Professor Erica. Noland Lee was infusing his Sword of Silence with the magic power from the Silent Magic Stone. He said to Kalandi, who was running her fingers through her long grey hair with a restless expression: The Wizard Criminals the Enforcers have come to arrest include Captain Berkeley What no, Kalandi gasped, mouth agape in disbelief, Thats impossible That white-haired, mature, and aged witch stood dumbstruck as if she had been struck by lightning. What Im saying is the truth, Kalandi. This is why you were not informed to leave the ship. Noland Lee said patiently: You and other shop operators who often reside on the magic ship were determined by the Wizards Law Enforcement Department to have a collaborative relationship with Berkeley. While Berkeley has committed a crime, you will also be listed on the suspect list. Your professor has been instructed by the wizard enforcers. She wont have any contact with you until everything is cleared up. Managing to stifle the shock in her heart within a few seconds, Kalandi, who had been through many years, raised her right hand to her chest, trying to calm her pounding heart: Then why would you want to take me off the magic ship? Arent you afraid of the Wizards Law Enforcement Department holding you responsible? Noland Lee smiled at her, weighing the magic stone and the Sword of Silence in his hand: Im eligible to take you off. You should recognize what Im holding. This isthe Sword of Silence Only now Kalandi noticed the grey stone dagger, her voice trembled in disbelief, YouHowHow is it possibleYou are a member of the Silent Maiden Her gaze unconsciously swept over Nolands throat, chest, and some unmentionable places. Denise Green stepped forward, blocking Noland: Well, Madam, I can vouch that Noland is indeed a member of the Silent Maiden and he is a male witch. You dont have to doubt his words. Once the timing is right, the Silent Maiden will naturally announce that they have recruited a male witch. I Okay I understand The longer you live, the harder it is to believe when deep-rooted common understanding drastically changes. Kalandi was currently 72 years old. From the moment she stepped into the wizard profession, Silent Maiden had always been a witch-only wizard force. Knowing suddenly that the Silent Maiden had recruited a male wizard, had as much shock to her as Noland hearing Emei sect is recruiting male disciples The only way Noland could know about Kalandis age was, of course, through deconstruction. The meeting with Kalandi on the street was not accidental. He purposely passed by her shop in order to take her away. Upon seeing Kalandi standing still, he spent 20,000 energy points to deconstruct her properly. After confirming that Kalandi shows no abnormalities and has never conspired with synthetic humans, Noland then took this collaborator along. Madam, you should have heard about the Wizards Law Enforcement Departments emergency plan when dealing with sudden disasters. Now you are on the suspect Wizard list. Law Enforcement will hold suspects under separate control. The task of surveillance on you will be carried out by me. Now, please follow me, lets leave here, Noland said, stabbing the Silent Sword filled with silent power into the metal dome in front of him. The seemingly indestructible metal dome was cut open by the Sword of Silence like a block of tofu. As the sword moved, a round metal plate about a meter in diameter fell from the metal dome and thudded on the floor near the three of them. The salty, damp sea breeze filled the ship. The pitch-black seawater and the star-studded night sky appeared in the round gap in the dome. The cut-off edge of the circular gap was squirming, and the magic metal visibly spread towards the center of the gap. Move quickly, the auto-repair feature of the magic metal is acting, said Noland Lee, putting away the Silent Sword that was depleted of magic power, and flew out of the opening first, followed by the ever loyal Denise, and then Kalandi, who was concerned about her shop. Within the three seconds it took for the three of them to leave, the gap in the dome was completely repaired with a swishing sound. Chapter 557 - Chapter 557: 180. Spirit” 0 points Chapter 557: 180. Spirit 0 points There were a total of eight suspects involved in this sudden disaster. Captain Berkeley of the magic ship, the owner of the Green Grass Ointment branch, Miss Kalandi, and the heads of six other magic shops. These eight people would be separated and guarded. Captain Berkeley, a ten-ring Pure Light Wizard, was in charge of supervising him, while the eight-ring Metal Wizard, a fellow member of the Metal Branch encouraged Captain Berkeley to surrender. The remaining seven suspect wizards were supervised individually by one or two law enforcement wizards. Originally, Noland Lee was not responsible for guarding the suspect wizards. However, after learning the details of this contingency plan from Professor Erica, he volunteered to guard Miss Kalandi himself. The reason was simple: he had had contact with Miss Kalandi and understood her character and strength. As an aged witch, Kalandi was a seven-ring Nature Wizard, but her combat strength was only comparable to that of a three-ring Battle Wizard at most. One reason for this was due to her age, and the other was the nature of natural magic, which leaned towards support, healing, and magical experiments. Seeing that her student was willing to take on an enforcement task, Professor Erica gladly agreed to the request. Erica had previously learned of Nolands abilities from Comini. Due to his Magic Proficiency, Noland had mastered high-level spells, and his combat power was enough to crush Kalandi. There was basically no risk with Noland guarding Kalandi. So, Erica included in the letter to the Wizard Enforcement Department that Noland would take care of Miss Kalandi. The Wizard Enforcement Department agreed to the request in their reply. As a result, Noland could now openly take Kalandi off the magic ship. Noland led the flight while explaining the whole story to Kalandi. It wasnt until they flew thirty kilometers away from the magic ship that Kalandi finally understood the severity of the criminal event she was involved in. Unbelievable! Extremely unbelievable! As a nine-ring Metal Wizard, Berkeley had money and resources, but he surprisingly colluded with a group of unidentified people to target the passengers on the ship. What was his purpose? Not even the Wizard Enforcement Department could answer this question. Noland hovered in the air with Denise Green, both looking at the spherical magic ship in the distance. During their flight, they paid special attention to the Mist Threshold. The Mist Threshold of this deep-sea subzone was 95 kilometers per hour. If they werent careful, they could trigger the Lost Sea Fog while flying with the Flight Spell. As the only sailing ship in this small sea area became a battlefield, triggering the Lost Sea Fog that covered the entire sea area was undoubtedly a dangerous move. Considering this, the enforcement wizards organized the evacuation of the passengers by concentrating them on another ship. The nine-ring, deep-sea witch from the Deep Sea Branch arrived to help evacuate the passengers. She summoned a large number of magical servants that looked like water whirlwinds. These magical servants wrapped up the passengers who had suffered from the noise torture and forcefully took them to the edge of the magic ship. The nine-ring deep-sea witch used her powerful High Pressure Water Knife technique to cut through the metal dome blocking their way, creating an arch-shaped passage for the magical servants to go in and out. The transparent water magic power enveloped the arch-shaped passage, forming a transparent water membrane to prevent the magical metal from automatically repairing itself. After the magical servants took the passengers out of the magic ship, the nine-ring deep-sea witch raised her arms and summoned a large amount of clean, translucent seawater from the black sea surface. The transparent seawater gathered together and quickly wove into a magic water ship made of harmless seawater. Such a huge casting scene left the passengers stunned. But the nine-ring deep-sea witchs casting actions did not end there. Her magic pouch floated in mid-air, and a series of ship materials shot out from it, merging into the magic water ship. The keel of the ship, the cabin floor, the sail masts and ropes, the magical lamps for lighting, the magic engine that served as the primary power source for the ship, and so ona complete emergency sailing ship created by magical power appeared before everyones eyes. This was the strategic Deep Sea Spell Magic Shipbuilding Technique of the Hotams Deep Sea Branch, a Saint Tier technique. There was a brief introduction to it in the Fundamentals of Magic. The nine-ring deep-sea witch waved her arm and let the magical servants place the passengers on the deck of the emergency sailing ship. One of her deep-sea wizard subordinates became the captain of the emergency sailing ship. The emergency sailing ship moved away from the noisy magic ship at a speed of over twenty kilometers per hour under the magic engines drive. Not everyone boarded the emergency sailing ship. The seven shopkeepers on the suspect wizards list did not board the ship. Just like Kalandi being guarded by Noland, the other six shopkeepers were also guarded by enforcement wizards. They hovered over the nearby sea surface, maintaining a distance of five to ten kilometers from each other. Were there any synthetic humans mixed in with the emergency sailing ship? Nolands heart stirred slightly as he cast a Mind Beacon toward the silhouette of the emergency sailing ship. Using the Mind Views vision leap feature, he could see the whole ship and find the passengers cabin. Philia, Betty Davis, and a group of Wizard Students of Elemental Judgement were safely on board, with no one left behind. Mabel was not on the ship, presumably helping at the scene of the captures. Chapter 558 - Chapter 558: 180. Spirit” 0 points_2 Chapter 558: 180. Spirit 0 points_2 After casting a series of Deconstruction spells in a row, Noland Lee locked onto the figure of a male passenger in the middle decks Grand Hall. This persons deconstruction consumption was 30,000 Energy Points, and the system identified him as an unknown numbered Dsmi Series Synthetic Human. He was wearing an ordinary robe, with a magic backpack full of herbs and glass bottles on his back. The disguise of a traveling herbalist was quite deceptive. Noland Lees focus had been on the staff of the Barron Championship before this moment when he finally noticed the presence of this synthetic human. Noland Lee quickly calculated and cast a Mind Beacon towards this person. Synthetic humans have no spirits; their logic and emotional expressions are operated entirely by chips and related modules. After the Mind Beacon was applied to the synthetic human, Noland Lees mental magic became effective on him. At the moment Noland Lees Mind Beacon hit the synthetic human, a strange scene occurred. The facial features of the synthetic human suddenly became animated, as if being given new life. His eyes flickered, curiously looking around, touching the wooden chairs in the hall, lifting his feet to step on the floor, as if discovering the wonders of this world for the first time. [System Message:] [You used a Mind Beacon on Dsmi-46 Synthetic Human.] [The target has gained a Temporary Personality independent of the synthetic humans main control chip.] [The Temporary Personality is considered a logic calculation anomaly by the synthetic human main control chip.] [The synthetic human main control chip is clearing the synthetic humans Temporary Personality.] [It is estimated that in 15 seconds, the synthetic humans Temporary Personality will be cleared and the Mind Beacon you placed on the target will become invalid.] In his Magic Vision, the synthetic human hugged his head in pain, squatted down, fell to the ground, and convulsed violently, as if suffering a severe headache. Noland Lee glanced at the system message in his mind, nodded secretly, knowing that this was the synthetic humans main control chip clearing the Temporary Personality created by the Mind Beacon. The process was extremely painful for the synthetic human, resulting in the scene of him rolling on the ground. Noland Lee didnt quite understand the principle of magic by which the Mind Beacon granted the synthetic human a Temporary Personality, but that didnt prevent him from performing the next step. He sketched the Spell Blueprint and, just before the Temporary Personality was erased by the synthetic human main control chip, unleashed a full-powered Psychic Bombardment. In the Magic Vision, the convulsing synthetic humans head burst with a bang, scattering flesh mixed with electronic parts and chip debris in all directions. This sudden explosion caused the passengers in the cabin to scream. For a moment, nobody noticed the electronic parts and chip debris hidden amongst the bloody remains. How come I managed to take care of this synthetic human with just one Psychic Bombardment?! Noland Lee was somewhat baffled. He was prepared to throw several more Mind Beacons and Psychic Bombardments, and even prepared to upgrade Psychic Bombardment on the spot. The scene of instantly killing the synthetic human truly caught Noland Lee off-guard. Watching the panicked passengers in his Magic Vision, Noland Lee opened the system message and carefully checked the results of the passive deconstruction. [You cast Psychic Bombardment (40-level)]. [Your Mental Attribute Value is infinitely higher than your opponents.] Holy shit, infinitely higher?! Noland Lee triple-checked that he hadnt misread! The synthetic humans Spirit attribute value was actually a big fat zero! A strong, burning passion erupted suddenly in Noland Lees heart! He forcibly suppressed the agitation in his heart and continued to check the deconstruction results. [This casting is judged to be a great success!] [The casting effect of Psychic Bombardment is increased by 100%!] [You have activated the Mind Infusion feature.] [The casting effect is increased by an additional 300%!] [The actual magic effect of Psychic Bombardment (40-level) is 500%!] [You triggered the self-destruction program of the synthetic human main control chip!] [Your mental energy dealt a one-hit kill-level fatal damage to the target.] [You eliminated Dsmi-46 Synthetic Human.] [Passive Deconstruction Activated!] [The deconstruction results you obtained are as follows:] [1. An Energy Value Reward of approximately 30,000 points.] [2. Due to the main control chip activating the self-destruction program, the degree of your deconstruction of the Dsmi Series Synthetic Human Main Control Chip is limited, only increasing to 30%. You obtained partial panel information as follows:] [omitted] (Not the focus of this chapter, omitted to prevent watering down the word count.) [3. You obtained the personalized panel information of the Dsmi-46 Synthetic Human. Specifics are as follows:] [omitted] (Reason for omission is the same as above.) [4. You obtained the standardized panel information of the Dsmi Series Synthetic Human. Specifics are as follows:] [Name] Dsmi Series Synthetic Human [Type] Metal Creation Group Synthetic Human Technology Product Metal Creation Group is a Constellation Level Extraterrestrial Void Force [Features] 1. Cutting-edge Synthetic Human Technology: omitted 2. Zero-to-Whole: omitted 3. Modular Body Structure: omitted 4. Mindless Entity: Synthetic humans have no spirit, and thus, no intelligence. Your Mind Beacon will temporarily grant the synthetic human a Temporary Personality. This Temporary Personality will be judged as a logic calculation error by the main control chip, and forcibly corrected. 5. TAK-1 Miniature Cold Nuclear Fusion Reactor: This is one of the most representative technological creations of the Metal Creation Group. Chapter 559 - Chapter 559: 180. Spirit” 0 points_3 Chapter 559: 180. Spirit 0 points_3 This reactor has a low output power, but it can operate continuously for 30 years without the need for maintenance and repair, making it ideal for deep-space drilling synthetics. [Soul Strength] 0 points The actions and thoughts of synthetics are purely driven by circuits, motors, chips, and various integrated modules. Therefore, synthetics do not have soul strength. [Basic Attributes] Different numbered Dsmi series synthetics have different basic attributes. Their basic attribute values will not exceed the following ranges. [Toughness] 11~30 points, mainly determined by the strength and structure of the synthetics biomimetic skeleton and other technological materials. [Vitality] 0 points, synthetics biomimetic muscles, synthetic skin, and other artificially synthesized flesh do not have self-repair capabilities. [Strength] 15~40 points, mainly determined by the power system and transmission system inside the synthetic. The better the performance of the motor, joint actuator, and rigid body structure, the stronger the destructive power of the synthetics body. [Agility] 23~50 points, the determining factors are similar to the Strength attribute. [Spirit] 0 points, Dsmi series synthetics have not implanted any integrated modules involving spiritual power, therefore they do not have a Spirit attribute value. [Charm] 0 points~10 points, determined by the synthetics logic and emotion modules, biomimetic facial features and artificially crafted body curves. [Willpower] 0 points, synthetics purely rely on the master control chip to determine their behavior, there is no soul, so there is no willpower to speak of. [Skills] [ Several skills provided by integrated modules are omitted ] Oh, my God, Dsmi series synthetics really dont have the Spirit attribute value. Noland Lee regretted it greatly, almost slapping his own forehead in front of Denise Green and Kalandi. Due to the high energy consumption of harmless deconstruction, coupled with his current scarce energy point inventory, he wasnt able to obtain the panel information of synthetics with basic attributes through harmless deconstruction earlier. Usually, to get the intelligence of Basic Attributes, the degree of deconstruction has to reach around 50%. There are many examples of this, such as passively deconstructing double-wing mutants, passively deconstructing Blackbone Hermit, and so on. Without exception, all of them reached a completion level of over 50% before Noland Lee became aware of the specific values of the targets Basic Attributes. If he had known earlier that Dsmi series synthetics do not have Spirit, he would definitely have killed all of them without a word, before the Wizard Enforcement Department could even show up. Many eye-catching electronic components, chips, and integrated modules exist within these synthetics. After being killed by Noland Lee, just the electronic parts scattered from their bodies alone would be enough to divert all attention away from him. Noland doesnt have to worry about facing investigation at all. Fortunately, its not too late to find out that synthetics do not have a Spirit attribute now. Noland Lee calmed down and carefully examined the passengers on the emergency ship again. The previous synthetic whose head exploded and died attracted the passengers attention. A large group of people surrounded the scene of the incident, pointing at the beheaded corpse whose circuits were crackling. Anyone with clear eyes could see the peculiarity of this corpse. At its neck, there were several three-centimeter-wide cables that could discharge electricity. Looking at its spine, it was clearly a grey multi-segmented metal tube full of metallic color. Moreover, of the blood and fluid flowing out of it, only a small part is red like normal human blood, the rest was a foul-smelling blue liquid. This humanoid creature, which inexplicably died, exuded weirdness at every turn. The passengers asked each other but none could explain the origin of the humanoid creature. All they knew was that before it died, the humanoid creature clutched its head in pain, rolling on the ground, and then its head exploded. Just then, another passenger suddenly groaned and fell to the ground. Everyones eyes followed the persons figure and saw a man with a distorted face and closed eyes. Bang~ After a brief struggle, this man followed the same fate as the previous victim, becoming a headless corpse with an exploded skull. The passengers gasped in unison. This time, they were much calmer, far from the panic they had previously experienced. Not only that, they soon noticed something unusual about the second headless corpse. The same blue fluid, equally metallic spine, and electrical wires. The physiological structures of the two corpses exhibited abnormalities compared to a normal person. The Deep-sea Wizard responsible for protecting the passengers and controlling the emergency spaceship, pushed through the crowd to the centre of the scene. The Deep-sea Wizard listened to the passengers vividly describe what had happened, while examining the two headless corpses. At the same time, Noland Lee finished observing the magic vision of the emergency ship. There were only two synthetic humans on the ship, which had been eliminated by him using Psychic Bombardment. The first synthetic human contributed approximately 30,000 energy points, allowing Noland Lee to unlock the standardized panel of the Dsmi series synthetic human. Due to the earlier unlocking of the standardized panel, when Noland Lee killed the second synthetic human, he only received the reward of unlocking the personalized panel information of the second synthetic human. This reward of 1.3 thousand energy points was exactly the difference in energy requirements for actively deconstructing the first and the second synthetic human. With the addition of 43,000 energy points, Noland Lees energy store replenished, making him feel much relieved. Now, its time to deal with the synthetic humans inside the magic ship, especially that fat and big-eared impostor supervisor. This guy held a significant hatred value for Noland Lee, and so had long been on his hit list. Noland Lee glanced at the situation of the two people beside him. Denise Greens transformed torch was floating close to him. Kalandi maintained the appearance of his half-meter-long green leaf flight spell, slightly fluctuating in the air, obviously worried about his shop. Seeing that the two did not notice him using mental magic, Noland Lee settled his mind and looked in the direction of the magic ship. He did not release a new Mind Beacon towards the magic ship. The Nine-Circles Deep Sea Witch was guarding the archway, controlling her magic servant to bring the scattered passengers inside the magic ship out and to the emergency spaceship. If Noland Lee released a Mind Beacon next to her, she would definitely detect it immediately. Similarly, if he used Mind Beacon and Mind View to observe the other high-ranking wizards on the magic ship, Noland Lee would only get himself caught red-handed. The good news is that the mind beacon Noland Lee left in the office of the Barron Arena Manager was still intact. It was the only beacon that could help Noland Lee bypass the Nine-Circles Deep Sea Witch. Noland Lee pulled out the beacon list, selected this beacon, activated it, and cast Mind View across space. The magical vision unfolded before him, and Noland Lee saw the scenery in the supervisors office. Hiss Even if Noland Lee could keep his calm, he couldnt help but take a deep breath at this moment. The 15 synthetic humans in the Barron Arena could no longer be considered human. They pressed against the office wall, raising their arms, gripping each others hands tightly, standing in a circle. Their faces, chests, and front sides of their thighs were split open, revealing the crimson bionic muscles and blood vessels. Rather than saying they were humans, its more accurate to say they were pentagonal petals with chunks of meat. The electronic devices, integrated modules and electrified wires wrapped in bionic flesh were also exposed to the air. An environment circled by metallic devices, shimmering with a dim blue light, was in the center of each synthetic humans chest. The sharp, unbearable noise was coming from these round metallic devices. The blue light within the circular metallic devices sent chills down to everyones core. Chapter 560 - Chapter 560: 181. Peaceful Nuclear Explosion Chapter 560: 181. Peaceful Nuclear Explosion TAK-1 Miniature Cold Fusion Reactor. These glowing and sharply noisy ring-shaped metal devices are undoubtedly the TAK-1 Miniature Cold Fusion Reactors! Noland Lee could be sure of this without using Deconstruction Technique. That kind of futuristic ring-shaped metal device immediately made him think of the Ark Reactor. A Deconstruction Technique thrown out, and the System Feedback Message confirmed Noland Lees guess. [System Message:] [You are about to launch Deconstruction Technique on the TAK-1 Miniature Cold Fusion Reactor.] [Deconstructing this item alone will not have a negative impact on you.] [Consume 500,000 Energy Points to achieve a 100% degree of deconstruction.] [You currently have 88,922 Energy Points.] [Do you confirm the deconstruction?] 500,000 Energy Points Noland Lee sighed secretly. He had to admit that, as a Traveler who had heard about atomic energy before crossing, the fusion reactor is very attractive to Noland Lee. Moreover, the reactors in front of him were miniature cold fusion reactors. Reducing the size of the reactor is more difficult than enlarging it, let alone cold fusion at room temperature. The allure of this item is hundreds of orders of magnitude higher than that of a beautiful woman. Noland Lee immediately decided to get the Deconstruction Results of the reactor and build one for himself in the future. However, he is about 410,000 Energy Points away from 100% deconstructing the reactor. Where can he make up for this gap in a short period of time? Noland Lees gaze shifted and swept over the Synthetic Humans in the Directors Office, who were torn apart. The leader of this group, the Impostor Supervisor, still needs about 240,000 Energy Points for Noland to achieve a 100% deconstruction. Eliminating this guy would grant a reward of about 240,000 Energy Points. This amount of Energy Points is enough to deconstruct more than half of the reactor. If there is an opportunity to Passively Deconstruct some integrated modules of Synthetic Humans, then more energy point rewards can be obtained. Roughly estimated, Noland still has a chance to achieve 100% deconstruction of the reactor. However, Noland didnt rush to make a move. He changed the direction of his Magic Vision and took a glance at the overall scene of the office. Logically speaking, after knowing that something was wrong with the Supervisor of the Barron Championship, the Wizard Enforcement Department would definitely let the Enforcement Wizard come to the Directors Office as soon as possible. But now, there was no trace of the Enforcement Wizard in the office. The only door on the walls has disappeared. The place where the door was originally has turned into a wall. The only person who could change the door into a wall is Berkeley, the Magic ships owner. BammBamm Faint and dull impact sounds and explosive vibrations came from behind the office walls. Noland Lee listened carefully to the movement in the Magic Vision, where the sharp noise was mixed with the sounds of thunder and lightning and flames exploding. Every time an explosion occurred behind the walls, the metal walls in the office would tremble imperceptibly. It should be Berkeley who, using Metal Magic, is controlling the metal walls of the competition venue here to block the Enforcement Wizards. As a Nine Circles Metal Mage and having the advantage of fighting on his home ground, Berkeley could still protect the Synthetic Humans if he wanted to. For a short period of time, the only person who can observe the situation inside the Directors Office is Noland Lee himself. In that case Noland Lees mind spun rapidly, weighing the feasibility of using Psychic Bombardment to instantly kill the Synthetic Humans. He wasnt worried that he couldnt kill the Synthetic Humans in an instant. He was concerned about the reactor going out of control. If the explosions in the reactor happen after he kills the Impostor Supervisor, it might ignite the other 14 reactors next to it. Noland Lee didnt know how powerful the combined explosion of 15 reactors would be, but it should cause quite a bit of trouble. Dont forget, there is a Ten-Ring Pure Light Wizard squatting outside this office. Noland must be careful and then more careful. After weighing the pros and cons several times, Noland Lee decided to deconstruct the noisy reactor first. System, system, I dont need the scientific knowledge and construction blueprints contained in the reactor for the time being. I just want to know if the reactor will explode after I kill the Impostor Supervisor. Dont deconstruct it wrong. Noland Lee prayed in his heart, and then muttered: Consume 10,000 Energy Points and initiate Deconstruction Technique on the reactor. [Deconstruction Success!] [You have increased the degree of deconstruction of the TAK-1 Miniature Cold Nuclear Fusion Reactor to 2%.] [You have obtained the following Deconstruction Results:] [Name] TAK-1 Miniature Cold Fusion Reactor [Type] Metal Creation Group Atomic Energy Technological Products Metal Creation Group is a Constellation Level Extraterrestrial Void Forces [Fusion Fuel] TAK-1 Type Fusion Fuel This fuel does not produce radioactive pollution in fusion reactions. [Working Status] Overload Working Energy output rate: 150% Energy output type: Electric energy Energy output dynamic data: about 6 billion joules per second [Construct Value] 311/3000 Due to overloading, the reactors construct value is decreasing at a rate of 6 points per second. When the construct value reaches zero, the reactor will explode! System prediction: The explosion will generate approximately 40 billion joules of energy. [Energy Consumption Ratio] Synthetic Human ultrasonic short-range communication module, energy consumption ratio 0% Synthetic Human lethal combat module, energy consumption ratio 0% ..(Several modules omitted) Synthetic human interstellar communication module, energy consumption ratio 100% 311 divided by 6, which equals to more than 50 seconds. Chapter 561 - Chapter 561: 181. Peaceful Nuclear Explosion_2 Chapter 561: 181. Peaceful Nuclear Explosion_2 Within less than a minute, the reactors structure value will drop to zero. At that time, whether Noland kills the impostor supervisor or not, the reactor inside him will explode. This means that the explosion of the reactor will cover Nolands tracks for his next move. On the other hand, it also means that a massive explosion is inevitable. Nolands gaze sharpens, and he immediately speaks to Denise and Kalandi standing nearby: Its been so long since weve heard anything from the magic ship. I have a bad feeling about this. Lets fly a little further away. Well gather on the magic ship after my professor tells me the crisis has been resolved. Okay, Ill listen to you. Denise obediently agrees. Kalandi also echoes: I dont have a problem with that. Its best not to have a fight on the magic ship, or my shop will be in trouble Its a good thing I always carry potions and herbs with me. By the way, Noland, any news on the Life Elixir lately While flying and conversing with Kalandi about the Life Elixir, Noland keeps an eye on the movements within the supervisors office. According to the panel information he received from deconstructing the reactor, all the energy generated by the overloaded reactor is being supplied to the synthetic human interstellar communication module. What are these guys up to? Seeing that there is still some time before the reactor explodes, Noland searches for the whereabouts of the interstellar communication module within his magic vision. He glances over and finds a tiny, umbrella-shaped antenna in the impostor supervisors open mouth. He uses Deconstruction Technique to take a closer look, and Nolands target is spot onthis umbrella-shaped antenna is the synthetic human interstellar communication module. [System Message:] [You consume 5000 Points of Energy to deconstruct the synthetic human interstellar communication module.] [The degree of deconstruction completion for the target has increased to 2%] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [Name] ZWT-1 type micro-neutrino interstellar communicator [Type] Product of Metal Creation Groups interstellar communication technology [Description] Neutrinos travel at a speed no faster than the speed of light in a vacuum, but they dont react with other materials. Neutrinos can easily penetrate geological layers, oceans, and ionosphere layers, achieving communication without interference from these mediums. Neutrinos have excellent directionality and do not decay during transmission, enabling long-distance communication without the need for a relay. All these excellent features make neutrino interstellar communicators a primary means of communication for the constellation-level extraterrestrial void forces, Metal Creation Group. [Working Status] Full load Interstellar communication delay: About 5153 milliseconds Signal strength: 8%, extremely poor signal quality Message being sent: Warning! Wizard World-2 deep space drilling mission anomalous. Target #1 Nine Circles Metal Mage Berkeley captured. Target #2 Berkeleys Magic Metal Ship captured. Target #3 Eliminate indigenous people on Magic Metal Ship encountered an anomaly with the appearance of strong natives not on the elimination list. Requesting support from mining companys armed interstellar fleet. Repeat! Warning! Wizard World-2 deep space drilling mission anomalous, requesting support from mining companys armed interstellar fleet!! ??? Armed Interstellar Fleet! Noland looks up sharply toward the starry sky! The moonlight is serene, and everything is peaceful under the Star Filtering Net for now. The interstellar fleet summoned by the synthetic humans through the neutrino communicator has not yet arrived in their worlds airspace! Noland hesitates no more. He focuses on the impostor supervisor in his Magic Vision and casts two rounds of Mind Beacon and Psychic Bombardment within a second. The first round targets the impostor supervisor, intending to kill him. The second round targets the neutrino interstellar communicator, intending to destroy the interstellar communication module that is sending messages to outer space. Boom! Boom! The impostor supervisor and interstellar communicator are both defeated! The mind energy bombardment shatters the impostor supervisors open skull and the neutrino interstellar communicator as well! [System Message:] [You triggered the self-destruction program of the synthetic humans master control chip, and your degree of deconstruction completion for the master control chip has not increased.] [You killed Dsmi-32 Species Synthetic Human and destroyed ZWT-1 type micro-neutrino interstellar communicator.] [Passive Deconstruction Activation!] [You received the following rewards:] [1. 492,000 points of energy.] [2. You obtained the following panel information:] [] Noland has no time to carefully examine the deconstruction results. Fortunately, the impostor supervisors reactor does not explode upon his death. However, the reactor doesnt stop working either. As a modular structure that can be separated from synthetic humans, the life and death of synthetic humans do not affect the operation of the reactor. The principle is similar to a speeding car that suddenly loses its driverwithout a driver, no one can accelerate or brake the car, and the runaway bread van wont stop unless it falls off a cliff! Its the same for the reactor! Now that the impostor supervisor is dead, no one can issue instructions to adjust the reactors workload. Noland casts a series of Mind Coordinates and Psychic Bombardments in his Magic Vision. Inside the supervisors office, the heads of the remaining 14 living synthetic humans burst open one after another! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! After a series of explosions, Noland kills all 15 synthetic humans on-site and destroys their neutrino communicators. Chapter 562 - Chapter 562: 181. Peaceful Nuclear Explosion_3 Chapter 562: 181. Peaceful Nuclear Explosion_3 Having completed this step, Noland Lee turned his attention to the reactor, whose construct value would drop to zero in a matter of seconds. If the self-destruct process of the reactor couldnt be interrupted, then perhaps Noland wouldnt need to consume energy points to deconstruct them. After all, they would explode anyway, so Noland figure that having him ignite them would have the same outcome. Noland threw a Mental Beacon and a Psychic Bombardment at the impostor supervisors reactor. Crackle. A small spark sprouted from the reactor, but the expected explosion did not occur. Noland checked the combat information and chuckled helplessly in his mind. His Psychic Bombardment had met its match. Due to the reactors strong energy response, the mental energy burst caused by the Psychic Bombardment had little effect, only causing the reactors construct value to drop slightly more than it already would have. Noland wasnt certain of the principle, but thats what happened. With no other options, he decided to stick to using active deconstruction to deconstruct the reactor. Noland cast his deconstruction technique, silently chanting to ensure a 100% deconstruction of the reactor. His fresh 490,000 energy points were expended in the process. After a brief moment of disorientation, a large number of deconstruction results appeared in his mind. Noland closed the system interface and flew at a speed close to the mist threshold without stopping. Three seconds later, a frightening blue light lit up in the magic vision of the Competition Managers office. The 15 miniature cold nuclear fusion reactors exploded almost simultaneously! In just a split second, the Mental Beacon hiding in the corner of the office was crushed by the powerful energy storm. Denise Green and Kalandi, seemingly responding to an invisible summons, came to a halt in unison, looking back at the magic ship more than thirty kilometers away. Noland stopped flying as well. He expanded his Magic Shield to its maximum size, protecting both Denise and Kalandi. Could the Magic Shield withstand the energy shock from the explosion of a nuclear fusion reactor? Noland wasnt sure. But there was no better alternative right now. The Magic Shield was the only shield spell that he had, which offered resistance against all types of damage. Since Noland didnt know what type of damage the energy shock from the reactor explosion would cause, he chose to use the Magic Shield, which had the most comprehensive resistance. Do any of you feel that somethings wrong As Kalandi was the wizard on the scene with the highest Spirit attribute. Her spiritual ocean was 180 meters wide, enabling her to accurately sense energy fluctuations within a radius of 1.8 kilometers. Energy fluctuations at a distance greater than that could be perceived by her as long as they were strong enough. The energy wave of the nuclear fusion reactors explosion was clearly among these. I think I felt something. Denise Green pondered: Its very hot and fierce, much more intense than the heat wave filled with the scent of flames Is this the spell fluctuation of the Pure Light Wizards? Kalandi shook her head slightly: I dont think so. The spell fluctuations of the Pure Light Wizards are not so um crude. The energy fluctuations in the magic ship remind me of an untamed Fire Elemental Golem no, this fluctuation is even more violent than an enraged Fire Elemental Golem The reactor exploded near the center of the magic ship, and its force and impact would be absorbed and resisted by the magic ship. With magic metal shielding, the explosion process of the reactor would not be as immediate as that of Little Boy. However, it was only a matter of time before the explosive impact of the reactor spread to areas outside the magic ship. Just within the few seconds Noland and the others had stopped to watch, a bright strong light scattered from the arched passage, which the Nine-Circles Deep Sea Witch had cracked open. The metal casing of the entire magic ship was convulsing violently, as if being kneaded repeatedly by an invisible giant hand. An earth-shattering atomic explosion was about to happen! Noland Lee knew that they could not escape the impact of the explosion. He had to do everything in his power to prepare for it. Denise, Kalandi! You two, stay still and maintain your flying posture! Noland Lee roared, activating Power Burst and turning into a giant over seven meters tall. He stretched out his hands and held onto Denises torch and Kalandis leaves, relying on their flying abilities, to keep himself afloat, preventing himself from falling into the corrosive deep-sea water below. After that, he hugged the torch and the leaves to his chest, facing his back towards the magical ship. Theoretically, there should be better solutions. But the situation was too sudden, and Noland couldnt think of any perfect plans. He decided to rely on the 36 points of Tenacity brought by Power Burst and the Magic Shield to withstand the explosion. Huh~~~ A strong and unruly gust of wind came from behind, scraping across his back and shoulders, causing a burning pain. Boom boom The dull explosion roared more violently, like countless thunders bursting across the sea surface. Whats happening?! Kalandi screamed. She was shocked by Nolands sudden transformation into a giant. The roaring explosion and powerful winds that followed made her heart tremble with fear. Denise had been with Noland the longest and had developed a tacit understanding with him. In less than a third of a second, she understood what Nolands actions meant from the furious energy fluctuations. The energy fluctuations from the magic ship seemed to be capable of destroying the world, and Noland was using his giant body and magic shield to protect her and Kalandi! Denise said something with a sob in her voice, but Noland couldnt hear her clearly. The roaring wind drowned out her voice. Just as Noland felt his whole body enveloped by heat and his closed eyes filled with bright light, an extremely ethereal bell sound rang in his ears. Ding~~~~~~~ The heatwave disappeared, the wind stopped, and the strong light in front of him remained but had become incredibly gentle, like bathing in the dawns light. Noland opened his eyes and carefully looked around. Countless golden magic runes floated in the air, forming groups and dancing gracefully like cheerful notes leaping with the melody. What are these runes Noland muttered, slowly releasing his arms and letting go of Denise and Kalandi. Denise, in the form of a torch, clung to Nolands right hand and wept against his face. The torch appearance was just a special effect of the flight spell and didnt have the temperature of the flames. Kalandi, as a leaf in Nolands left hand, looked around in amazement and exclaimed: Its amazing; this must be the Ring of Tranquility of the Pure Light Court, a Saint Tier magic spell close to the Star Witch level. Only Light Wizards can cast it. What was that explosion just now? It was so intense and terrifying that it forced the Ten-Ring Pure Light Wizard to cast the Ring of Tranquility to suppress it. Noland looked back in the direction of the magic ship and took a deep breath. Daybreak had come. A bright Dawn Halo had appeared in the dark night, floating above the magic ship. Countless golden magic runes flew around the Dawn Halo. A column of light projected from the halo covered the magic ship, absorbing the massive energy generated by the explosion. The explosive shockwaves inside the magic ship were completely suppressed by the light column from the Dawn Halo. Now, they had stopped expanding and were shrinking rapidly at a visible speed. In just a short time while Denise was weeping against his face, the energy tide caused by the reactor explosion disappeared, and the Dawn Halo and golden runes summoned by the Light Wizard vanished without a trace. The dark night returned, a gentle sea breeze blew, and the wave sounds remained, as if nothing had happened at all. Chapter 563 - Chapter 563: 182. After-event Arrangement Chapter 563: 182. After-event Arrangement Ah, my poor shop! It must have been destroyed by that energy fluctuation just now. Just thinking about my alchemy instruments and magical devices being destroyed gives me a headache Kalandi lamented with a pained sigh. She looked up at Noland Lee, who was holding her: Thank you, Ray Lee. Thank you for protecting me when the energy fluctuation struck. Are you hurt? I have some special medicine for treating wounds here Ooh ooh ooh Denise Green, who had transformed into a torch, cried on Nolands shoulder. Noland gently patted the torch, comforting it and activating Death Flight, turning into a black ribbon floating in the air. Im fine, maam. The Ring of Tranquility came in time, and I wasnt hurt, Noland responded to Kalandi. Denises mood gradually stabilized, clinging to Nolands transformed black ribbon and sometimes making slurping noises. As a more emotional Companion Witch, her reaction was normal. Kalandis transformed leaves encircled Noland, and seeing no damage on his black satin ribbon, she relaxed: You seem to be in good shape and are not injured indeed. Once this is over, Ill give you a bottle of Magical Elixir as a token of my gratitude. Its rare for my old bones to receive someones protection. Kalandi expressed her sincere gratitude. As an experienced aged witch, she knew that a persons actions in times of crisis showed their true character. When the energy attacked, Noland protected her and Denise by holding them close to his chest, proving that he was a trustworthy and reliable person. Kalandi knew this clearly in her heart. Thank you, maam, Noland did not refuse Kalandis gratitude. Magical Elixir, which generally enhanced a wizards spellcasting ability, was always welcomed in greater quantities. Denise, dont cry anymore! Im fine and not injured, Noland softly consoled the sniffing Denise. Before he could finish speaking, the soul contract signed with the Silent Maiden relayed a soul-level vibration into his mind. Oh, wait, the Professor is looking for me. Noland, still in flight, entered the Court of Silence. Consciousness soaring, he plunged headlong into the indigo mist. Within moments, he came to the small classroom arranged for him by Erica. Erica stood right in front of him. As soon as she saw Noland, Erica began speaking: The disaster aboard the magic ship has been mostly resolved. You can take Kalandi back now. Comini will arrange the remaining work for you. Alright, Professor. Ill head back then. Noland nodded and silently chanted Leave the silent courtyard. As his consciousness descended, Noland once again saw the oppressive Blackfold Sea. Maam, Denise, follow me. Lets go back to the ship, Noland told Kalandi: Once were on board, please dont act on your own, maam. You still need to cooperate with the Enforcement Wizard for some inspections. Of course, no problem, Kalandi said while flying: I wasnt involved in Berkeleys scheme and didnt even know what happened on board. So, Im not worried about being falsely accused of anything. Thats great, Noland agreed. Denise had calmed down after a brief emotional breakdown and clung to Nolands transformed torch form as if afraid of losing him. Even when the three of them flew onto the magic ship, turned back into human form, and landed on the scarred and dented deck, Denise continued to cling closely to Noland, her arms tightly wound around his. Although she didnt say anything, her watery eyes and pursed lips expressed all the unease, fear, loss, and love she felt. Noland accurately read Denises emotions and needs. He lifted his arm, gently stroking her arm, and whispered: Let me take care of work first. Once this is over, Ill be with you. Mm-hmm, Denise wiped the tearstains from her face with the back of her hand. She adjusted her veil to cover her face, so no one could see her reddened eyes. She loosened her grip on Nolands arm, instead linking her arm with his. Kalandi observed Noland and Denises actions with the gaze of an experienced person, her mouth curved into a kind and polite smile. Noland smiled at the aged witch, looked around, and surveyed the destroyed shipboard town. That earth-shattering explosion had devastated the shipboard town as if a tornado had destroyed a parking lot. All the Magic metal buildings had been twisted by the violent force. The metal dome enclosing the shipboard town had become like a spider web, full of holes and not a single intact metal wall. Describing the scene aboard the ship as devastated was not an exaggeration. Most shocking for Noland and the others was the severe collapse of the shipboard town. A massive funnel-shaped hole appeared in the open-air square in the town center, pulling all surrounding Magic metal buildings into the depression. Normally, the shipboard town was located on the upper deck of the magic ship. Below the upper deck was the middle deck, where the captain placed various magical devices. Chapter 564 - Chapter 564: 182. After-event Arrangement_2 Chapter 564: 182. After-event Arrangement_2 Now, the middle deck was also severely damaged by the previous explosion, destroying a large number of magical devices that supplied energy and power to the magic ship. As a result, the magic ship lost its power source and could only float on the sea surface of the Blackfold Sea. Fortunately, the lower deck was mostly unharmed. Due to the corrosive nature of the deep sea water, the lower decks internal and external defenses were the highest of the entire ship. Thanks to this, the explosion caused by the reactor only slightly deformed the cabin and outer armor of the lower deck, without causing any breach for sea water to flood in. Helping the magic ship recover its power was put aside for now, and the top priority was to thoroughly investigate the source of the disaster and the criminal responsible. Noland Lee noticed that in the ruins of the shipboard town, a gray mist was flying towards the three of them. This gray mist was Silent Witch Comini. Noland Lee reached out his hand and pointed to the figure flying towards them, saying: Kalandi, this enforcement wizard is the Seventh Ring Silent Witch Comini. After Comini landed, Noland Lee introduced Kalandi to her, completing the introduction for both parties. Compared to Noland Lees standard wizard look with his magic robe, Cominis sturdy magic metal armor was undoubtedly more impactful. Coupled with her shiny bald head, her aura was extremely powerful. When Comini arrived, Kalandi inevitably became nervous, even if he was innocent and hadnt done anything wrong. Jarvis, Ill be in charge of questioning Kalandi, Comini approached, her magic metal armor plates clanging. Alright, Noland Lee nodded. Comini raised her hand, pointed in the direction of the towns ruins, and said to Noland Lee: Now go and cooperate with the other enforcement wizards to clean up the explosion site. Over there, in the direction of Barron Arena. The Light Wizards will tell you what to do; just follow their instructions. I have already informed them about your situation and Denises; they wont be too concerned about your identities. Yes, Ill go right away. Noland Lee took Denise and went into flight mode, flying towards the source of the explosion. Companion witches held a unique position among the wizard group. Due to the soul contract, amicable companion witches and contractors were often regarded as one entity. Denise wasnt an enforcement wizard, but she could still follow Noland Lee to the source of the explosion and clean up the scene. Of course, she could only watch from the side, unable to speak or touch anything at the scene. Barron Arena, as the source of the explosion, was the only smoothly intact existence among the entire town ruins. The immense energy released by the reactor explosion had carved out a flat, hemispherical crater on the ground here. The crater surface was compressed and solidified, forming a smooth, curved ground. Previously, the facilities inside the arena either melted due to high temperature and pressure or were compressed into the ground, becoming a paper-cut on the curved metal ground. When Noland Lee saw this scene, the corner of his mouth twitched. The reason was simple Everything he had seen earlier with Mind View the synthetic humans, neutrino communicator, miniature cold nuclear fusion reactor, and so on had all been ground to dust by the reactor explosion, leaving no intact parts behind. Even the ring casing of the reactor didnt escape this fate, let alone the chips, cables, metal joints, artificial flesh, and other elements inside the synthetic humanoid bodies. It was incredibly difficult to reconstruct the real explosion scene through the remaining broken parts. Noland Lee and Denise landed at the edge of the hemispherical crater. A Light Wizard wearing a pale gold mask greeted them. You must be the only male wizard in the Silent Maiden The mans gaze passed through the two gaps in his mask, briefly sizing up Noland Lee before reaching out to speak: I am a Three-Ring Luminescent Wizard, Bella Langton. Its an honor to meet you and your companion witch, Noland Lee Jarvis. You are truly enviable. If the Ulnas Enquirers reporters found out, it would definitely become headline news. Hello, Langton. Noland Lee shook hands with the man. The Three-Ring Luminescent Wizard shook his hand and said calmly: Oh, no, please call me Bella. Due to my familys reasons, I cannot communicate with others using my last name before I become a Sixth Ring Luminescent Wizard. So, please address me by my first name. Bella didnt dwell on the issue of addressing him and gestured with his arm around the hemispherical crater beside him: You see, the dangerous explosion earlier was absorbed by the Ring of Tranquility, but it still left an indelible scar on this ship. Our job here is simple: collect all things that do not belong to this ship. Bella took out a tiny crystal fragment from a magic pouch. This crystal shard was transparent, with fine, tiny white patterns inside. Noland Lee knew this came from some chip inside the synthetic humans body. While maintaining his outward persona, he pretended to be curious and observed: What is this Im not quite sure, perhaps its some sort of novel creation based on magical runes, said Bella. Bella handed over the magic pouch and the crystal shard at the same time: This magic pouch is specially designed for storing samples. You must put all suspicious items into the sample pocket. Do not use magic or magic servants to collect samples. The energy fluctuations of magic may damage the samples or cause unknown changes. Magic servants can also cause such reactions. Remember, the most reliable way to collect samples is with your hands, while wearing protective gloves. Your gloves are in the sample pouch. Chapter 565 - Chapter 565: 182. Post-event Management_3 Chapter 565: 182. Post-event Management_3 Thank you for the advice, Bella. Noland Lee took a glove from his pocket and put it on. The black Pig Cook fabric was soft and tough. It was obviously a carefully crafted handguard made by a magic artisan. Noland Lee cast a Deconstruction Technique to examine it. The glove had a remarkable deconstruction consumption of 50,000 points, proving its excellent protective performance. Were there any casualties in the previous explosion? Noland Lee asked, wearing the glove. Bella nodded: Several Enforcement Wizards with Three-circled to Sixth Ring strength were injured. If it hadnt been for my professors protection, I wouldve been affected by the explosion too. Captain Berkeley was also injured. He passed out and is currently being taken care of by my professor and a few other Enforcement Wizards. Bella clapped her hands: Alright, lets get to work. Well chat when the task is over. You start collecting samples from here, and Ill start from the opposite side. Some other wizards were supposed to help, but the Middle Deck is in awful condition, so they were sent for urgent power facility repairs. Its just the two of us here now. After speaking, Bella walked around a semicircle, reaching the opposite edge of the crater from Noland Lee and began collecting samples scattered on the ground one by one. Noland Lee brought Denise Green to the side, stuffed a cheese-flavored candy into her hand. When nobody was looking, Denise quickly put the candy in her mouth, beaming at Noland Lee, clearly in a much better mood. Noland Lee settled Denise and began to collect samples from the ground, following Bellas example. Most of the samples were embedded in the ground and had to be pried out with the tools in the Sample Pocket. Noland Lee picked up a fingernail-sized chip fragment from the ground and skillfully cast a Deconstruction Technique. The feedback message showed that this transparent chip was part of a Synthetic Humans balance module. Looking at the crystal-clear little object, Noland Lee thought of the communication content he obtained from the neutrino communicator earlier. Among the communication contents the 15 Synthetic Humans sent to the extraterrestrial void, there were several thought-provoking keywords. The first keyword: World of Wizards C Deep Space Drilling Mission 2. World of Wizards refers to the current world they were in, Noland Lee was sure of this. Furthermore, the appearance of No. 2 in World of Wizards C 2 suggested there was a No. 1 as well. Considering the similar disaster that happened 15 years ago, Noland Lee thought it might have been World of Wizards C Deep Space Drilling Mission 1. The Dsmi series of Synthetic Humans were specifically designed for deep space mining. Noland Lee had a previous misunderstanding. He thought that minerals must be underground deposits to be called minerals. Now, he realized his mistake. Magic ships, made of massive amounts of magic metal, are also considered minerals. Unlike naturally formed minerals in the Natural World, magic ships are products of Metal System magecraft of advanced level to World of Wizards. Taking a magic ship back to the extraterrestrial space equates to plundering valuable minerals from the World of Wizards. So, drilling for minerals is not equivalent to searching for veins. Finding a magic ship to plunder is also drilling for minerals. With this understanding, it completely makes sense that the Synthetic Humans, who were assigned to drill for minerals, plotted to plunder a magical ship and its captain. Noland Lees conjecture was reasonable and supported by the two mission targets mentioned in the communication content. The two mission targets were capturing Nine Circles Metal Mage, Berkeley and capturing Berkeleys Magic Metal Ship. The Star System Level extraterrestrial force called Deep Space United Mining clearly regarded the World of Wizards as a native world rich in magical metal. They were invading the World of Wizards and plundering the magic metal resources. If they succeeded, all the natives on the magic ship would be slaughtered. Noland Lee had killed the Synthetic Humans and destroyed the neutrino communicator, but he was still unsettled. Before he destroyed them, the communicator had sent out a message requesting support from an armed interstellar fleet. With the damaged power system, the magic ship could not leave the sea surface for the time being. If the Armed Interstellar Fleet received the message and followed the coordinates recorded in the message to locate the magic ship, there would be an inevitable conflict between them and the Wizard Enforcers. In a way, the Armed Interstellar Fleet that had breached the Star Filtering Net blockade was no different from the extraterrestrial space pollution that created the Outer Space Gap. The Armed Interstellar Fleet was equivalent to the Pollution Zone caused by extraterrestrial space pollution. How strong was their armed fleet? Noland pondered, and thought that it should be far more superior than the two Pollution Zones he had experienced previously. The reason was, neither Berkeley nor his magic ship was currently able to perform interstellar travel. If Deep Space United Mining wanted to take him and his ship to the extraterrestrial space, they would have to transport the extremely heavy ship from the Sea Surface to Outer Space in reality. The size of the magic ship was huge and its mass even more so. If Deep Space United Mining could transport this scale of mineral away, their armed fleets strength should not be underestimated. Huh? Wait a minute Noland Lee suddenly paused, his motion to pick up the sample on the ground halting. An unpleasant thought flashed through his mind, prompting him to review the investigation report of the disaster that occurred 15 years ago. Chapter 566 - Chapter 566: 183. Science” Conjecture Chapter 566: 183. Science Conjecture When Noland Lee and Professor Erica explained the situation on the magic ship, the other party found a stack of magic documents sealed in a metal box from the filing cabinet. These magic documents were the investigation reports of the same type of disaster event 15 years ago, detailing the clues and intelligence obtained by the Wizard Law Enforcement Department from various investigations before and after the disaster occurred. What made Noland Lee stunned was a dynamic image and corresponding text introduction on the investigation report. In this dynamic image, the magic ship that was destroyed 15 years ago was shattered, and countless fragments of ships floated on the sea surface, mixed with a large number of corpse debris that could not be identified. The Wizard Law Enforcement Departments investigation determined that this magic ship, which had been destroyed 15 years ago, was shattered by a huge force. Most of its hull may have sunk to the seabed. Maybe sunk to the seabed Noland Lee savored the word maybe in his mind over and over again. The wording of the Wizard Law Enforcement Department is relatively rigorous, and rarely uses vague words such as maybe and probably. Common sense suggests that when a ship is shattered, sinking to the seabed is its only destination. Based on this logic, the Wizard Law Enforcement Department does not need to use the word maybe in the investigation report. Instead, they should remove the word maybe and directly state most of the magic ships hull sank to the seabed. Now, the appearance of maybe in the investigation report indicates that the Wizard Law Enforcement Department is not sure whether the magic ship has sunk to the seabed. So if the magic ship doesnt sink to the seabed, where can it go? Noland Lees eyes focused, suddenly realizing that he had made a preconceived mistake. Taking the magic ships magic metal resources to outer space does not necessarily require taking the complete magic ship with it. Shattering the magic ship, taking the essence and removing the dross, and only taking the most critical parts, can still plunder the magic metal resources of the world of wizards. The advantages and disadvantages of doing so are obvious. The advantage is that the transportation burden is reduced. The disadvantage is that a large number of magic ship fragments are left behind, leaving obvious clues to the investigators in the world of wizards. Although the wizards of this world are called natives by the Deep Space United Mining, they are not fools. Fifteen years have passed, and some traces will eventually be found by the Wizard Law Enforcement Department. With the cooperation of the Star Witch, it is possible that the Wizard Law Enforcement Department has already figured out the general ins and outs of the whole incident at this moment. At this thought, Noland Lee had a sudden realization. He knew why the enforcement wizards did not kill Captain Berkeley, the traitor, right from the start. Law enforcers led by Hotams and the Pure Light Court must want to learn about the hidden situation behind the incident through Berkeley and dig out the basic information of the mastermind behind it. As long as the wizards on the grounds Law Enforcement Department cooperate with the Star Witches wandering in the starry sky, the wizards of this world can definitely block the conspiracy of the Deep Space United Mining. Noland Lee nodded slowly, recovering from his brief trance. Speculating about various actions does not have much use for him. It just gives him a general idea about what will happen in the future. At present, the most important thing is to profit from this event. Noland Lee calls up his personal panel and checks his inventory. [Soul Strength]4215 points [Energy Points]89122/54 points In order to balance the will and spirit, he must practice the Voice of Silence meditation method to level 40. This requires a lot of soul strength consumption, roughly around eight thousand to ten thousand points. Considering the cost of hatching Nicolettes soul, Noland Lees current soul strength gap reaches 12,000 points. Synthetic humans do not have soul strength. If there is a battle next, Noland Lee will not be able to absorb soul strength from synthetic humans. Comparatively, it would be better to specifically destroy the integrated modules on the synthetic humans and receive energy value rewards. If the armed interstellar fleet does not appear and there is no battle next, then deconstructing module fragments during the sample collection process should be a good choice. Noland Lee held a crystal fragment with his fingertips, observed it in front of his eyes, and then threw out a Deconstruction Technique. [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction Technique on the Reactor Ring Shell Fragment.] [You have completely deconstructed the TAK-1 Type Reactor. Therefore, this deconstruction does not need to consume energy points.] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [Name]Reactor Ring Shell Fragment [Type]Metal Creation Group C Cold Fusion Technology Product [Integrity]3% This item has extremely low integrity and has lost all its functions. [Description] Hot nuclear fusion requires ultra-high temperature and ultra-high pressure reaction conditions. Cold nuclear fusion has extremely low reaction conditions and can be carried out in an environment close to normal temperature and pressure. The Metal Creation Groups cold nuclear fusion technology relies on four key components to achieve this. The ring casing of the reactor is one of the four key components. Its first function is to fix the superconducting coil. Its second function is to act as the outer shell of the reaction chamber, protecting the environment required for cold nuclear fusion. Noland Lee stuffed the crystal shard into his sample pocket and bent down to pick another piece embedded in the ground using the tool in his hand. Another Deconstruction Technique was thrown out, and Noland Lee got something called Magnetic Confinement Fusion Device Remains of the Reactor. Continuously bending down, picking fragments, collecting samples, and throwing Deconstruction Techniques, Noland Lee obtained many broken components related to the reactor. Chapter 567 - Chapter 567: 183. Science” Conjecture_2 Chapter 567: 183. Science Conjecture_2 He found two of the four key components of the cold fusion reactor. Ring casing and magnetic confinement fusion device. The ring casing is responsible for fixing the superconductive coil, protecting the reaction environment. The magnetic confinement fusion device provides the reaction environment needed for cold fusion. Its complete appearance is a coil made of superconductive materials. The magnetic confinement fusion device used in thermonuclear fusion generates high temperatures after being powered on, providing a high-temperature environment for thermonuclear fusion. The magnetic confinement fusion device used in the Metal Creation Groups cold fusion technology is quite different. When this device is powered on, it can create a special magnetic field close to room temperature, guiding TAK-1 Type Fusion Fuel to react. The superconducting coil that makes up this device is the key to implementing cold fusion. Unfortunately, the superconducting coil is gone. What Noland Lee found on the magnetic confinement fusion device was only twisted and deformed metal debris, with no trace of the superconducting coil. This Its a little awkward now. Previously, Noland Lee impulsively spent 500,000 Energy Points to deconstruct the cold fusion reactor, just to uncover the secrets of cold fusion. Now, he has found the answer, which lies in the material of the superconducting coil. However, the Panel Information shows that the superconductive material is a metal specialty found on a certain planet by the Metal Creation Group. This material might not be available in the World of Wizards. For Noland Lee to realize the cold fusion technology of the Metal Creation Group in the World of Wizards, he first needs to find a substitute for this superconductive material. Where can it be found Whewmy poor 500,000 Energy Points, all in one go, without even a hair to show for it. Whats the use of just knowing the core of the Metal Creation Groups cold fusion technology Without the material in hand, I cant make a single key component Noland couldnt help but sigh in his heart. He controlled his facial expressions well and did not show his inner disappointment. But thinking about how those 500,000 Energy Points could have leveled up several skills to 100-level, the sense of loss was once again overwhelming. Noland could only comfort himself. Hisswait a second Nolands body shivered slightly! A wonderful idea blossomed in his mind! Just looking at the deconstruction results, his gains were not insignificant. At the very least, he had figured out the key principles, reaction conditions, and operation principles of the fusion reactor through the deconstruction process. The TAK-1 Type Reactor contains detailed records of the process, technology, and material requirements for making a ring-shaped cold fusion reactor. Lacking the superconductive materials needed for cold fusion, it doesnt matter; making a thermonuclear fusion reactor would be the same. Never mind whether this kind of I reckon thinking would work, Noland felt that he really needed to get his hands on the Metallic Thinking meditation method. Once he had this meditation method, he could create the magical metals he envisioned, and then explore the various metal materials needed for the reactor. Additionally, due to mismatched materials and differences in manufacturing processes between the magic and science sides, even if he eventually made a fusion reactor in the future, it would likely be a bulky and crude one that takes up more than a hundred square meters. In the world of technology, such a reactor would be cumbersome, difficult to move, and impossible to carry. But in the World of Wizards, why not just put it in a magic pouch? If the reactor could coexist perfectly with the magic pouch, the scene would be unthinkable Other wizards would reach into their magic pouches and pull out a magic wand. What he would pull out of his magic pouch would be an electric energy nozzle connected to the reactor or simply spray the heat generated by the reactor directly at people Noland imagined the scene and couldnt help but laugh secretly. He quickly calmed down. Regardless of whether he could achieve this scene in the future, or whether there was a need to use the reactor to enhance his strength, Noland still intended to get his hands on the Metallic Thinking meditation method. This meditation method is very convenient. With it, he would have an extra layer of protection, and he could also create a matching magic projectile wand, which meant having another means of dealing with enemies. The tricky part is that the Metallic Thinking meditation method is a signature meditation method of the Hotams Metal Department. If the Metal Department finds out that Noland can use this meditation method, not even ten Professor Ericas could help him avoid interrogation. It would be better for Noland to find another metal system meditation method, preferably a lost and forgotten one by the world. That way, Noland could attribute the origin of the meditation method to chance, and then he could use it openly and legitimately. But where can he find such a meditation method? As Noland picked up samples and thought about it, he soon finished his work on hand. He and Bella started collecting samples from both sides of the hemispherical crater and eventually met in the center of the crater bottom. Bella took Nolands sample pocket, glanced inside to count the samples, and then scanned the area Noland was responsible for. You did a good job, Jarvis, Bella hooked the two sample pockets to her belt: Follow me, lets give the samples to my professor. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. My professor is Grand Arbitrator Paredes, also known as the Ten-Ring Pure Light Wizard. When you meet him, theres no need to be nervous. He is very easygoing. After I introduce you to him, if he doesnt have any special instructions, you can move around freely near the interrogation site. The only thing to be aware of is not to interfere with the interrogation work. Chapter 568 - Chapter 568: 183. Science” Guess_3 Chapter 568: 183. Science Guess_3 Alright, Bella. Lead the way, please. Noland Lee gestured to Denise Green to follow him and Bella. The three of them cast Flight Spells and flew towards the hotel suite rented by Mabel. It was quite awkward. Due to the sudden incident and the urgency of the situation, the confrontation between the Enforcement Wizard and Captain Berkeley took place in the hotel suite where Mabel stayed. Mabel only had time to inform Philia and the other Wizard Students to leave, she had no time to pack her belongings. All her clothes, cosmetics, and daily necessities were destroyed during the confrontation. When Lee arrived at the scene, he recognized Mabel, who was standing next to the ruins, holding her head with her right hand in a daze, at first glance. When he greeted her, she muttered something about how the magic exercise books that the students had done all got burned before she had a chance to correct them. From what she said, it seemed that Philia and the others might have to rewrite their magic exercise books Noland Lee mourned half-seconds for Philia and Betty Davis and landed beside the ruins. Here appeared a 20-square-meter circular three-dimensional array. In the center of the array was Captain Berkeley suspended horizontally in the air. The captain was injured during violent resistance and is now in a coma. But this did not hinder the progress of the interrogation. The Ulnas Circle claims to be a civilized nation of wizards. Cruel and vile practices, such as reading memory, torturing souls, and erasing minds, would violate Ulnas law. Even Wizard Enforcers cannot do that. But well, wizards who know how to take advantage of situations will always figure out ways to bypass the law. The array called Beautiful Dream has become a powerful tool for the Pure Light Court to interrogate Wizard Criminals. Anyone who enters this array will fall into a slumber and experience an incredibly realistic and beautiful dream. Like Captain Berkeley, for example. In reality, his collaboration with the suspicious individuals was interrupted. In the beautiful dream, his collaboration with the suspicious individuals will continue as normal. He will rely on imagination and the information he knows to complete the follow-up of his collaboration in the dream. Scenes in the dream, except for a small part set by the array creator, all the remaining contents, such as scenes, characters, dialogues, and actions, are all woven from Berkeleys subconscious memory. This kind of array involving dreams will display the most beautiful wishes deep in a persons heart. For a Wizard Criminal like Berkeley, the most beautiful thing he longs for in his heart is bound to be a smooth collaboration with suspicious individuals. Everything he sees and hears in the dream will appear on a floor mirror through the main perspective of the magic screen. At the moment when Lee arrived at the scene, the law enforcement wizards, including Grand Arbitrator Paredes, were standing in a row focused on the dream scene on the mirror. After Nolands brief greetings to Paredes, he took Denise to stand obediently at the side, watching the content of the dream. In the dream scene, the dreamy Berkeley was cooperating with suspicious individuals to slaughter the passengers on the magic ship. They divided the passengers into two groups. One group was killed on the spot. This group mainly consisted of weak wizards and ordinary people. The other group was shackled by several Imprisonment Collars: one around the neck, one on each wrist, and one on each ankle. Under such heavy bondage, the instructors, including Mabel, were sealed from casting spells. The suspect injected them with a sedative and locked them up together in a separate cabin. By the time the dream had progressed this far, law enforcement wizards surrounded the magic screen with no leniency for Berkeley. He had gone against his promise to protect the crew, betrayed his oath as a member of Hotams, and desecrated his sacred duty as a captain. Based on his actions in the Beautiful Dream, it would be no problem to call him a butcher. Of course, what happened in the dream cannot be used as a basis for judging Berkeley in reality, it only affects the referees perception of him. But why did Berkeley give up his status and identity to cooperate with the suspicious individuals? What kind of remuneration did they promise him, making him willingly raise his butcher knife to the passengers? The answer may be revealed in the dream. After the passengers in the dream were either killed or imprisoned, Berkeley cooperated with the suspicious individuals in a bizarre operation. In the dream scene, the 17 suspicious individuals C the same 17 Synthetic Humans killed by Noland Lee C stood in the center of the open-air square of the magic ship, hand in hand, forming a circle. Their bodies split in half, becoming crimson humanoid petals, exposing their synthetic flesh and integrated modules. The reaction furnaces in their chests entered into overdrive, emitting sharp and piercing roars. The umbrella-shaped metal antennae in their mouths extended out, pointing to the center of the ships magical dome and aiming at the starry sky above. Berkeley cooperated with their work. He opened the magical dome of the ship and summoned a huge umbrella-shaped antenna floating vertically in the air. After a series of operations, with a muffled buzz, the invisible interstellar communication was officially opened. About three minutes later, the Star Filtering Net shining brightly directly above the magic ship was cut open by a dazzling light column, revealing an impeccably smooth Outer Space Gap. Outside this Outer Space Gap, a massive disc-shaped metal object that blotted out the sky and sun slowly approached the gap, trying to enter the Wizards World. As the circular object approached, a huge pattern of claw gripping planet gradually became clear on the external armor. As the plan unfolded, Berkeley suddenly convulsed violently in the magic circle, blood spurting from his mouth, and his head burst with a loud bang. The dream scene ended here. The Magic Vision on the floor mirror was emptied, and the spotless mirror surface reflected the solemn expressions of the onlookers. Chapter 569 - Chapter 569: 184. The ancestor of metal Chapter 569: 184. The ancestor of metal Captain Berkeley of the magic ship is dead. His death was sudden, occurring just as the dreamscape reached a crucial step, his head exploded and he died. Berkeley was a Wizard of the Nine Metallic Circles. His limbs, torso, and skull had all been replaced by magic metal, devoid of any blood or flesh, his bones were even composed of magical alloys. As he exploded, there was no scattering of red and white objects, but instead a large amount of metal shards were splashed. These shards were flying in all directions, and when they were about to approach the edge of the Dreamscape Magic Circle, they were controlled by an invisible magical power. The metal shards, as though a pause button had been hit, abruptly froze and they didnt move at all. A second later, the power that bound the metal shards disappeared. The metal shards lost their momentum to fly, falling to the ground with a clatter. The onlookers around the Dreamscape Magic Circle were not startled by the sudden metal shards, all their attention stayed on the floor mirror. Oh what we saw just now, that disc-shaped metal object, it should be some kind of extraterrestrial spaceship. The speaker was Grand Arbitrator Paredes. As a Wizard of the Tenth Ring, he had already half stepped into the level of a Star Witch. He was the person on the scene who understood the most about extraterrestrial void. He spoke with a gentle and calm tone. Influenced by his tone, instead of being surprised when hearing the term extraterrestrial spaceship, the onlookers all displayed a calm and composed manner, without any shocks. Previously, Bella, who was collecting samples with Noland Lee, asked aloud: Professor, what is an extraterrestrial spaceship? It is a kind of vehicle that can freely fly in extraterrestrial space. According to its use, force and pilots, it can be divided into many types. As Paredes was talking, he stretched out his right hand and touched the surface of the floor mirror with his fingertip. This magical floor mirror has a dreamscape picture playback function. With Paredess action, the dreamscape picture reappeared on the surface of the mirror, and the scenes in the dream were played back in reverse. The huge and oppressive aircraft appeared again in the dreamscape. Paredess finger touched the mirror again, and the dreamscape stopped playing, freezing at the moment the aircraft approached the extraterrestrial void gap. Do you see this claw grabbing the planet pattern? Among the crowd around Paredes, except for the wizards from the Deep Sea Branch, Noland Lee, Denise Green, Mabel, the rest were Light Wizards and also students of Paredes. As soon as he started to speak, the scene of interrogating the criminal immediately turned into a classroom. Look closely at the claw in the pattern. Who knows what animal or demons claw it is? Paredes looked at the students on both sides. Including Bella, the Light Wizards answered actively. It looks like the claw of some bird It could also be a terrestrial birds I think its the claw of a humanoid creature, like the bat-winged demon raised by the Night Spirit Cult After listening to the students statements, Paredes shook his hand, then drew out his golden magic wand and drew a magic pattern in the air: No. Due to the overly simplified design of the claw in the pattern, your estimates have been misdirected. Now, let me describe the three-dimensional model of this claw using magic. The tip of the golden magic wand slid in the air, leaving magical lines that glowed with golden and white light. The three-dimensional model of the claw became more complete, and various details were all presented under Paredess Pen. The moment the three-dimensional model of the claw was formed, everyone at the scene, whether they were Paredess students or not, clearly gasped, their hearts beating faster. This is a dragons claw! Why does the pattern of the dragons claw appear on the extraterrestrial spaceship? And its also holding a planet replete with volcanoes, land, and oceans. Do there exist beings like dragons in the extraterrestrial void? Otherwise, why would a dragon claw appear on the pattern of an extraterrestrial spaceship Noland Lee was standing in the crowd, directing Deconstruction at the three-dimensional model drawn by Paredes. The system feedback showed that what Paredes drew was called the Magic Model: Claw of a Certain Dragon Species. Again, throw a deconstruction at the claw pattern in the dreamscape picture, the name given by the system is Claw Pattern of a Certain Dragon Species. By comparing the names of these two patterns, its not hard to draw a conclusion that, at the first glance of this claw pattern, Paredes, the ancient magical professor identified its origin. He was very familiar with this pattern and claw, thats why he could restore its three-dimensional model. Noland Lee nodded thoughtfully to himself. Thus, it seems that the Wizards Enforcement Department was not completely ignorant of Berkeleys collaborators. They had already found some definite clues. Ladies and Gentlemen, let me reveal the answer. Paredes folded his hands in front of him and narrated with a steady voice: The extraterrestrial void spacecraft that appeared in the dreamscape picture comes from the Deep Space United Mining. This is a star system-level extraterrestrial void force. They see our world as a huge vein. Wizards of the Metal system and his metal magic creations are the most unique minerals in this vein. The disaster 15 years ago, and everything that is happening on this magic ship now, are all caused by the Deep Space United Mining looting metal magic creations. This is a crisis for Metal System wizards. Due to the brutal methods of the Deep Space United Mining, other people involved in the crisis will also face a threat to their lives. Chapter 570 - Chapter 570: 184. The Ancestor of Metal_2 Chapter 570: 184. The Ancestor of Metal_2 Paredes words and Noland Lees speculations matched perfectly, just as Noland had said. With this mental preparation, Noland felt relatively calm and composed. The other listeners around him, however, were not as composed. Including Denise Green and other wizards, they all showed surprise, anger, and a touch of fear. Especially the only living eight-circle metal wizard present. This wizard, like Berkeley, also came from the Hotams Metal Branch and was sent to persuade him. With Berkeleys death, his persuasion work failed, and now he was inevitably in a low mood. As soon as they heard Paredes words, everyone immediately turned their eyes to this metal wizard, while the metal wizard himself was startled, his thoughts churning and a large number of metal spikes emerging from his face mask. Professor Paredes, where did you hear this news? Theres no news about it in the Academy? The metal wizard asked. He had a relatively young voice, which trembled slightly. The fact that he might become a target for the extraterrestrial void forces had placed an extraordinary psychological burden on him. Paredes replied: This is top-secret information from the Wizard Enforcement Department, Colin. Before I left, I received a secret order from the Law Enforcement Department. The order said that after I confirm that Berkeley and his collaborators are indeed related to the Deep Space United Mining, I can tell you and the Metal Branch behind you about the news. Take a close look at this dragon claw model I drew. What does it remind you of? Colin, the metal wizard, stared at the dragon claw model as he pondered. The metal spikes on his face mask were rhythmically contracting and twitching. The room was completely silent, providing a quiet environment for Colins contemplation. After maintaining this atmosphere for about 10 seconds, Colin croaked: Yes, Professor Paredes, I have identified the owner of this dragon claw. Colins voice added some hesitation and fear: Its its unbelievable the dragons claw of the Metal Ancestor Dragon actually appeared on the emblem of an extraterrestrial force The Metal Ancestor Dragon the onlookers murmured. Unlike Colins fear, almost all the listeners showed confused expressions. They had no impression of the so-called Metal Ancestor Dragon and could only direct their questioning gazes at Paredes. Under everyones scrutiny, Paredes read the words from the textbook: History of the Ulnas Ring, at the beginning of the ancient civilization chapter, there are a few paragraphs: Before the era of the wizard, this land was ruled by dragons. Most extraordinaries, including wizards, were either slaves or servants of the dragons. The cataclysm that ended the Era of Dragons caused countless casualties among dragon-like creatures. Several of the most powerful ones amongst them, betrayed the oath of the dragons ring, abandoned this land, and became wanderers in the starry sky. Paredes paused: The History of the Ulnas Ring doesnt say which specific dragons abandoned this land. I can tell you part of the answer. One of them is the ancestor and leader of the metal dragons, the Metal Ancestor Dragon named Talsale. To this day, if he is still alive, he would be over 3,100 years old, truly an ancient metal dragon. The onlookers expressed shock at this secret history, and the topic Paredes brought up next was like a bombshell. The Metallic Thinking meditation method of the Hotams Metal Department is a dragon legacy derived from the Metal Ancestor Dragon. There is a very serious defect in this meditation method. I think Colin can tell us the answer. Paredes looked at the distressed metal wizard. Colin puffed out his chest, took a deep breath, and the voice under his mask became bitter: Yes. There is a defect in the Metallic Thinking meditation method, a fatal one. We need to integrate the mental metal left by the Metal Ancestor Dragon into our bodies to master the extraordinary ability to connect with metal by thinking. The mental metal carries a very thin bloodline of the Metal Ancestor Dragon. Although the power of this bloodline has become so thin that it is almost disappearing, it can still force us to succumb to the source of the bloodline, which is the Metal Ancestor Dragon Talsale. If Talsale and its offspring are all dead, there would be no dragons to manipulate the bloodline on the mental metal. But if any dragon among them is still alive, we metal wizards, who should be classified as half-dragon men according to the Law of Dragons, will not be able to escape the fate of being ruled. Berkeleys submission to the Deep Space United Mining and his death prove that Talsales bloodline is not extinct, and there is still a line of metal dragons alive in this world. This this is a tremendous blow to our Metal Branch. The audience was dumbfounded. So was Noland Lee. Huh? This Isnt the defect of the Metallic Thinking meditation method too serious? Just because the mental metal integrated into their bodies carries a trace of the Ancestor Dragons bloodline, they would be controlled by the Ancestor Dragon and its offspring. I this I better not cultivate the Metallic Thinking meditation method Huh? Wait, no, no Noland suddenly thought of Harmless Deconstruction! Obviously, the systems Harmless Deconstruction is aimed at this phenomenon of being controlled by others. By using Harmless Deconstruction to deconstruct the Metallic Thinking meditation, wouldnt it completely shield the influence of the Metal Ancestor Dragon on him? Chapter 571 - Chapter 571: 184. The Ancestor of Metal_3 Chapter 571: 184. The Ancestor of Metal_3 Thats right, I have the Deconstruction Core System at my disposal, so I dont have to worry about the flaws of the Metallic Thinking meditation method. Maybe with the help of Harmless Deconstruction, I wont even need the Mental Metal material, and I can cultivate a harmless Metallic Thinking meditation method! Noland Lees mind finally catches on. His attitude towards the Metallic Thinking meditation method takes a huge turn in an extremely short time. Just in that instant, Noland completely understands what harmful components have been removed from him by the Harmless Deconstruction. Just like the results of the first analysis when he harmlessly deconstructed the Martyrs Ten Commandments, the Harmless Deconstruction specifically targets the mental pollution left by the original author. Mental pollution is like a backdoor program in computer software. Whoever sets up this backdoor program can easily manipulate the computer software, steal sensitive user data from the software, and even invade the computer system through the software. The residue of the Metal Ancestor Dragons bloodline in Mental Metal is similar to the existence of a backdoor program. It is because of this that Metal Series Wizards are forced to submit to Metal Ancestor Dragons. No matter how you look at it, the hidden dangers of the Hotams Metal Department are not small Noland sighs inwardly, looking over at Denise Green. Denise is listening to the conversation between Colin and the other wizards. Feeling Nolands gaze, she turns her head, smiles and gently pinches his arms. Whats up? Why are you staring at me Denise blinks her eyes a few times. Err Noland whispers thoughtfully: I was just wondering if the meditation methods we practice have similar dangers. Denise tilts her head slightly, not quite sure: I dont think so, perhaps Im not sure either. Noland ponders for a moment, skipping over this topic and continuing to audit the conversation with Denise. Noland does not give a direct answer, but he has an answer in his heart. There is no mental pollution in Denises Rebirth Torch, nor in Nolands Sword of Silence. The System did not prompt him to deconstruct these two items using Harmless Deconstruction. Similarly, there is no mental pollution in Denises Rebirth Meditation or the Voice of Silence meditation method practiced by Noland. Following the previous logic deduction, mental pollution = backdoor program = hidden danger. No mental pollution = no backdoor program = no hidden danger. From this perspective, both the Rebirth Meditation method and the Voice of Silence meditation method are harmless and can be practiced with confidence. Nolands heart feels much more relaxed. The onlookers gazes towards Colin are filled with sympathy. Everybody would feel suffocated, frightened, and lost if they knew they had to submit to others or things because of the meditation method they rely on for survival. After getting Paredes permission, Colin enters the Dreamscape and tells his professor everything he knows. Paredes orders the students to clean up the scene, tidy up Berkeleys remains and Dreamscape Magic Circle. He then enters the Dreamscape to contact the Pure Light Court. Cominis interrogation is over. She has interrogated a total of seven suspect wizards, including Kalandi. As expected, the ships shop owners didnt know anything about Deep Space United Minings activities. According to Berkeleys Dreamscape process, if Deep Space United Minings plan proceeded as normal, these seven shop owners would also be imprisoned with their magical abilities sealed by the Imprisonment Collar and held captive. When the interrogation results and the Dreamscape images were put together, the suspicions of the seven shop owners were cleared. I sent Kalandi and the other six shop owners to the emergency spaceship. Comini, carrying two headless corpses on her shoulder, comes to the interrogation scene. She places the headless corpses on the ground, staring at Berkeleys corpse: What happened here? Why did Berkeleys head explode too? Enthusiastic and proactive Light Wizard Bella explains on one side: It happened suddenly, Comini maam. When the image of the Metal Ancestor Dragon appeared in the Dreamscape, Berkeleys head suddenly exploded. We had no time to save him. Comini touches her forehead, becoming more confused, and asks Noland: Berkeley dreamed of Metal Ancestor Dragons image, then his head exploded? What on earth is going on here Noland glances at the three headless corpses on the scene, a what a coincidence look in his eyes: Comini maam, let Bella explain it to you. I dont know much about Metal Ancestor Dragons. Noland hands the opportunity to speak over to Bella. Bella gladly accepts and describes the scene vividly. After a little while, Comini understands the situation, the corpses are cleaned up, and the Dreamscape Magic Circle is retrieved. During the interrogation of Berkeley, the enforcement wizards had carried out emergency repairs on the magic ships power system. Although they couldnt do anything about the middle decks magical engine, they could get the ship moving on its own. An array of magic circles that make up a ship propulsion array is set up on the external armor of the magical ship. By ejecting air and water streams through the array, the magic ship can barely move. Chapter 572 - Chapter 572: 184. Metal Ancestor_4 Chapter 572: 184. Metal Ancestor_4 Just when everyone thought that the events of the night had ended, Colin and Paredes woke up at the same time. Colin looked dejected, just standing there, grieving for the fate of the Metal Branch. Paredes, however, announced the news that staggered everyone on board. Everyone leaves this magic ship, hide in the nearby sea areas. A star fleet composed of fifty extraterrestrial spacecraft is approaching our world, and it is targeting this magic ship beneath our feet. This news is absolutely true; its from the Star Filtering Net. Fifty extraterrestrial spacecraft!? A star fleet?! The whole scene exploded into chaos. Paredes repeated himself in an incontrovertible voice: Dont panic, listen to the orders. Including myself, everyone leaves the magic ship now. Miss Selena Williams has prepared to receive us. Selena Williams is the Nine-Circles Deep Sea Witch who summoned the emergency spaceship. Noland Lee learned her name from Bella in casual conversation. Coincidentally, Selena is also the Deputy Dean of the Deep-sea Branch, which is located right in the middle of the Core Circle of the Suman Archipelago. In a sense, Noland Lee had bumped into his future fellow wizard neighbor in the Blackfold Sea, thousands of kilometers away from Suman Archipelago. Upon receiving Paredes instructions, the group didnt dare to delay, and they promptly entered flight status. On the way, Paredes revealed the following arrangements to everyone. The Ulnas Circle intended to make a daring move. A ruthless one indeed. The star fleet from Deep Space United Mining was asking for trouble in this world, werent they? Well, the Ulnas Circle was planning a seize and slaughter operation. Ulnas Circle decided to let the star fleet in the Inner Cosmos voluntarily. Once the fleet began to move the magic ship, they would immediately close the Outer Space Gap of Star Filtering Net, trapping the star fleet in the Inner Cosmos. No matter what, they were fighting on their home ground, there was no need for the wizards of this world to back down. In order to face the upcoming battle, Paredes needed to rally reinforcements. He landed on the emergency spaceship with the Enforcement Wizards. After this ship sailed into the sea area next to the magic ship, he lifted the Golden Magic Wand high into the air and opened a portal to the Pure Light Court. The transition from day to night in the sky momentarily presented a brief daytime scene. The golden-white sun hung high in the sky, sprinkling a large number of shiny golden points of light on the pitch-black sea surface. An astounding thousand points of light appeared on the surface of the Blackfold Sea! Each point of light represented a combat wizard that had come to lend their aid. Faced with this thrilling pre-war scene, Noland Lee didnt forget to release the Deconstruction Technique to examine the condition of these combat wizards. The majority of the combat wizards were from the Pure Light Court and Hotams, the rest were from various wizard forces. Notably, there would be no Metal Series Wizards in the imminent battle. The Eight-Circle Metal Wizard Colin, left directly through the portal after it was opened. Among the wizards who came to aid, none were from the Metal Series. The teleportation work ended quickly, and the daytime scene in the sky above the Blackfold Sea turned to dark night. After the combat wizards teleported to their destination, they cast invisibility spells of all kinds, merging indistinguishably with the surrounding dark environment. The emergency spaceship where Noland Lee is located was wrapped in pure magical water by Selena. After the water on the surface of the magical water shimmered a few times, it made the entire ship invisible. Thus, on the entire surface of the Blackfold Sea, only the magic ship was left drifting alone. The emergency spaceship sailed further away with all its passengers. There were a large amount of lower-level superhumans and ordinary people without superhuman abilities on the ship. The upcoming battle could potentially affect sea areas within a hundred kilometer radius. They needed to be at least thirty to forty kilometers away from the sea area where the magic ship was located, to ensure the passengers on the emergency spaceship would not be affected. Paredes and other wizard enforcers did not leave the ship. They became the guardians of the ship and were now discussing plans in the cockpit. Noland Lee and Bella, along with other wizards of third-ring strength, were assigned to maintain order throughout the cabins of the ship. Their job was to stay on duty in the cabins, ready to deal with any emergency at any time. Noland Lee was assigned to the stern of the middle deck. Chapter 573 - Chapter 573: 185. World = Black Hole? Chapter 573: 185. World = Black Hole? Denise, you rest first. Professor Erica is looking for me. Noland Lee entered the room, disregarding the only bed in the cabin, and sat down on the chair across from the bed with his usual composure. The emergency spaceship was for emergencies, so the cabin space was limited. The room only had a bed, a wooden chair, and a table, and even the washing room was shared. Denise glanced at the layout of the room and finally sat on the edge of the bed with a hint of nervousness, her body slightly stiff. Noland Lee grabbed a handful of candy from his magic pouch, and also took out several cans of food and a few easy-open canned drinks produced in Union City and placed them on the table. If youre hungry, have something to eat. Ill go to the Silent Yard to find the professor first. Shes been calling me over. Okay, Ill guard this place for you. Noland Lee closed his eyes, his consciousness rose, and under the escort of the indigo fumes, he entered the Silent Yard. Still the same small classroom, this time, Noland Lee saw Comi here. Comi was also summoned by Professor Erica and entered the Silent Yard in the form of consciousness. When Noland Lee came here, Comi and Erica had already waited for a while. Sorry, it took some time to settle Denise. Noland Lee apologized with a smile. Comi nodded faintly. Professor Erica waved her hand and said: Its okay, not too long. Now that both of you and Comi are here, Ill start talking about the serious stuff. Professor Erica took out two stacks of documents from her magic pouch, one for Noland Lee and one for Comi. The star fleet that you are about to face has been recorded by the Star Filtering Net. The documents have magic images sent by the Mass Wizard Tombs. Have a look first. Noland Lee opened the document, and a magic image that encompassed the entire star fleet appeared on the first page of the document. Fifty extraterrestrial spaceships, one large and forty-nine small. The largest one was the disc-shaped object that appeared in Berkeleys dream. This aircraft has been temporarily named the Saucer Interstellar Ship, or simply Disc-shaped Ship by the Mass Wizard Tombs. The text under the magic image shows that the diameter of the disc-shaped ship is close to 2000 meters, and the height of the cylindrical hull that protrudes upward in the center of the disc exceeds 800 meters, making it an undisputed behemoth. Its purpose and functionality are not yet clear. However, from its position in the team, some clues can still be seen. The disc-shaped ship was protected by forty-nine smaller interstellar ships in the center of the team. On the smaller interstellar ships, there were obvious weaponry devices. Undoubtedly, these forty-nine interstellar ships were offensive, and their main responsibility was to protect the disc-shaped ship. Considering that Deep Space United Mining targets magic ships for plunder, the function of the disc-shaped ship becomes apparent. It is a cargo ship designed to accommodate magic ships. With a large capacity, high load capacity, slow movement, and lacking self-protection capabilities, these are its distinctive features. The objective of Ulnas Circle is to capture at least 10 members of Deep Space United Mining alive and seize at least one interstellar ship. These people and things will be sent to Ulnas Circle after the battle, becoming the subjects for wizards of the native world to study Deep Space United Mining. Even if it attracts revenge from Deep Space United Mining, Ulnas Circle must do so. The defects of the Metallic Thinking meditation have already shown signs of undermining the foundation of Ulnas Circle. The number of wizards who have mastered this meditation is very high, and most of them are highly combative, with long lifespans and occupying important positions in Ulnas Circle. If the defect of the Metallic Thinking meditation is not eliminated, then metal wizards who studied and graduated from the Hotams Metal Department will not be able to enjoy peace. At such a critical juncture, Ulnas Circle is bound to capture this extraterrestrial space fleet invading the native world. The fighting will be done by other combat wizards. Professor Erica called Noland Lee and Comi for another matter: According to the experience of Star Witches, the star fleet usually has energy shield deployers. This ship equipment can launch energy shields to protect the ships. The effects of the ship shields are similar to the magic shields of our wizards. The Star Witches of the Pure Light Court have confirmed that their spells have a very weak effect on the ship shields and are far from reaching the breaking law effect. At present, only the Shield Dissolution Ray has a miraculous effect on ship shields. The Department of Magic gave me a secret order to test the breaking law effect of Silent power and see if it can work on the shields of the star fleet. Erica took out two magic scrolls and held them up: I temporarily made two high-lethality Silent Steel Crossbow summoning scrolls. The Silent Steel Crossbow stored in the scroll is already filled with Silent power, which can launch steel crossbow arrows carrying Silent power. The crossbow has a spell, and the bowstring is made of high-quality magical alloy. The matching enchanted crossbow arrows abandon armor-piercing effects and extremely enhance the flight distance. Therefore, the maximum range of the steel crossbow reaches 55 kilometers, and there will be no falling arrows in the maximum range. I have provided you with 15 arrows each. Each of you has 15 chances to send these enchanted crossbow arrows to the shields of the interstellar ships. After the arrowhead of the crossbow arrow hits the shield, if there is a strong and clear gray flame, it means that the breaking law effect is working normally, and any other colors of flame represent that the breaking law has failed. Chapter 574 - Chapter 574: 185. World = Black Hole? _2 Chapter 574: 185. World = Black Hole? _2 Erica said to Comini: Ill send you the scroll by messenger later, and you and Noland Lee can each take one. Alright, Professor, Comini replied. Ericas tone became serious: This is the first time wizards will be fighting against the extraterrestrial void forces star fleet within the inner cosmos. You must be very careful and protect yourselves. If you really cant find an opportunity to launch the steel crossbow, I wont blame you. After all, based on the results of Star Witches fighting against the interstellar fleet in outer space, the odds of the Star Witches winning are very low, only about 11%. That low? Comini frowned, looking troubled. Noland Lee was also somewhat taken aback by this number. A Ten-Ring Pure Light Wizard can suppress a nuclear explosion with the Ring of Tranquility. As an even higher level than a Ten-Ring Wizard, Star Witches should be even stronger. No matter how powerful the star fleet is, can they suppress a nuclear explosion? In Noland Lees impression, they couldnt. But why can Ten-Ring Wizards and Star Witches, who can suppress nuclear explosions, not defeat the Star Fleet who cant suppress nuclear explosions Professor, based on the magic images, these interstellar ships dont seem particularly powerful, do they? Noland Lee looked down at the document in his hand, then looked up and asked: Why is the Star Witchs win rate so poor against such enemies? Erica hesitated for half a second, then sighed lightly and said: Alright, Ill tell you both a secret. Dont tell anyone else, as this secret is being vigorously sealed by the Mass Wizard Tombs and numerous Star Witches. Seeing the seriousness in the professors expression, the lines on Cominis face tightened, and Noland Lee straightened up a little more. The Star Filtering Net is not only a barrier separating the inner cosmos and outer space, but it is also a watershed concerning magical power. Assume that our magical power as wizards is 100 points within the inner cosmos. After passing through the Star Filtering Net and entering outer space, our magical power will be reduced to a maximum of 20 points. Comini shuddered, her eyes widened, and her breathing became a bit hurried. Noland Lee, on the other hand, frowned slightly and pondered the cause. Erica said in a deep voice: If this secret were made public, it would completely extinguish the wizards enthusiasm for venturing into outer space. To continuously strengthen the power of Star Witches in outer space, the Mass Wizard Tombs and many Star Witches have no choice but to keep this secret. Erica weighed the magic scroll in her hand: Lets leave it at that for now. Just remember, dont let the secret I just shared with you leak out, otherwise, I wont be able to protect you. Comini recovered from her brief shock. She nodded slightly at Erica and left first. As Noland Lee was about to leave, Erica approached him and reminded him: Dont tell Denise Green, okay? Promise me. I trust that neither you nor she will betray the secret, but the fewer people know about this kind of secret, the better. Yes, Professor. Dont worry, Ill keep my mouth shut. Noland Lee nodded and disappeared in the indigo fog. With his consciousness quickly descending back into his body, Noland Lee opened his eyes and saw Denise Green, who was scooping fruit from a can. She was chewing and suddenly noticed that Noland Lee had opened his eyes. Her cheeks puffed up, hiding a large piece of fruit. Hehe Denise Green smiled sheepishly, licking her lips and mumbling with the scent of fruit: Im kind of hungry Noland Lee was amused by her appearance. He stood up and gently poked her puffed-up cheeks with his fingertips: Eat slowly. Theres more to eat when youre done. I brought enough cans for us to eat all the way to the Suman Archipelago. Mmm, are you going out? Denise Green asked. Yeah, Im going to find Comini. Professor Erica assigned us a task. Noland Lee said while moving towards the door: This task doesnt require us to participate in any battles, so you dont need to worry. Alright~ Noland Lee opened the door and walked out into the corridor, where he met Comini, who was walking towards him. Comini handed the magic scroll to Noland Lee, then gestured for him to follow: Come on, Jarvis. Lets go up to the upper deck, where theres a better view, making it more convenient for us to launch the Silent Crossbow Arrows. Noland Lee received the magic scroll and immediately cast the Deconstruction Technique. Wow, its awesome. Noland Lee praised in his heart. The Silent Steel Crossbow enclosed within the magic scroll was very powerful, reaching an item level of 86. No wonder it had such a long range. Unfortunately, the Silent Steel Crossbow is a consumable item. After firing 15 accompanying Silent Crossbow Arrows, it would shatter into metallic dust with a loud crack. Professor Erica had already informed the leading Enforcement Wizard, Paredes, about their plan. He cleared out space by the rear end of the upper deck and let Noland Lee and Comini use it. After Noland Lee and Comini arrived at the location, they tore open the magic scroll and released the mana on it. A stream of gray mist, like water, flowed from the scroll and condensed into a Silent Steel Crossbow in Noland Lees hands. This thing was quite heavy and a meter long with a width of over 80 centimeters. If it werent for the Lightweight Pickup enchantment effect on the steel crossbow, Noland Lee might have struggled to hold it for an extended period. As for the operation of pulling the bowstring, it was successfully completed with the help of another enchantment effect. Chapter 575 - Chapter 575: 185. World = Black Hole? _3 Chapter 575: 185. World = Black Hole? _3 Noland Lee picked up the crossbow and quickly adapted to its aiming technique. After some research, Noland Lee realized that there was a reason why Erica used an Enchanted Steel Crossbow to fire Silent power-infused ammunition instead of a magic wand or Enchanted Firearms. The aiming accuracy of a crossbow was better than a magic wand, it had fewer parts than firearms, and its overall structure was relatively simple. Processing a crossbow with Enchantment Learning was much more convenient than processing firearms. After a comprehensive consideration, the crossbow-shaped Enchanted Steel Crossbow became the best choice for firing magic ammunition. Noland held up the steel crossbow and aimed at the stars in the sky for a few minutes when a thunderous boom suddenly burst in the starry sky! Startled, Noland Lee instinctively shrank his neck. Following the source of the sound, the starry sky above the magic ship was violently unsteady, and the artificial stars there disappeared, leaving only a pitch-black night sky. The black night sky, like a curtain, was being violently rubbed and pulled by the hand from the Extraterrestrial Void. Accompanied by a series of thunderous roars, the Night Curtain above the magic ship was violently torn open. A strange starry sky emanating purple-black light appeared at the opening. It was Nolands first time seeing a scene from Outer Space. It was at that moment that he had the illusion of being in a sealed container. The Star Filtering Net that divided the Inner Cosmos and Outer Space was like a box lined with star points on the inside. He stood in that box. Someone from the outside cut a skylight with a paper cutter, and only then could he see the scene outside the box. The Outer Space exposed to Nolands eyes was a bit odd; its background was black, but from time to time, deep purple bands of light flashed through. Noland Lee seized the opportunity to observe Outer Space and threw a Deconstruction Technique at the small patch of strange starry sky. [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction Technique on an unnamed celestial body.] [It is estimated to consume 1120 trillion Energy Points, which can make the deconstruction value reach 100%] [Do you want to use the Deconstruction Technique?] How many trillions? A thousand, one hundred and twenty, million, million, billion? Noland Lee couldnt help but open his mouth, shocked by the long string of numbers Somehow, the Deconstruction Results related to the Neutrino Interstellar Communicator appeared in Noland Lees mind. The System introduction said that neutrinos hardly reacted with other materials, and neutrinos had excellent directivity. They did not decay in the propagation process and could achieve long-distance, relay-free communication. Based on these excellent characteristics, the Neutrino Interstellar Communicator became the main communication tool for Extraterrestrial Void Forces. However, such a high-quality communication tool only had a signal strength of 8% in the World of Wizards, and the signal quality was very poor. Undoubtedly, something was interfering with the neutrinos. So what was that thing? Nolands pupils gradually widened, his eyes filled with an expression that seemed to have seen a ghost. The incredibly dense neutron star. And the black hole, which was far denser than a neutron star. In Nolands understanding, only these two extremely dense celestial bodies could seriously affect neutrinos. Take a look at the celestial bodies that make up the Inner Cosmos Isnt it similar to a star pulled into a black hole? So, was the World of Wizards actually inside a black hole? Perhaps it was not their intention to continuously visit This World repeatedly. They might have been sucked in by the black hole Noland silently launched the Deconstruction Technique towards Outer Space, consuming some Energy Points to see if he could deconstruct anything. Unfortunately, due to the insignificant completeness of the deconstruction, he only received a string of seemingly meaningless characters: aGVsbG8gd29ybGQ Chapter 576 - Chapter 576: 186. Weak Chicken Fleet Chapter 576: 186. Weak Chicken Fleet This world is a black hole? This ridiculous yet somewhat reasonable thought lingered in Noland Lees mind for less than five seconds before being washed away by the shock brought by the Star Fleet. When the first interstellar ship passed through the gap of the Star Filtering Net, a system message refreshed in Noland Lees mind. [An unknown model of interstellar spacecraft detection equipment is detecting your whereabouts.] [Affected by unknown factors, the performance of all technology-side detection equipment is 1% of the normal situation.] [The opponent has not discovered your existence.] The performance of the detection equipment is only 1%! Is this the worlds law suppressing the technology-side detection equipment? Or is it caused by a particular celestial body? Noland Lee was dazed for a moment and threw the question behind his mind. The key is not the reason for the situation but that the technology-side detection devices have only 1% effectiveness. This directly turned the Star Fleet into the blind. As Noland Lee was thinking about this, he saw the fifty ships of the Star Fleet cautiously flying into this world. They descended evenly from the high sky, heading towards the lonely magic ship on the sea surface. There was no fluctuation in the sea around the magic ship, and no one could be seen. It is estimated that the crew on the ship are wondering why the shipborne detection equipment didnt find any enemies, or perhaps marveling that they have entered the World of Wizards. These fifty Star Fleet ships were much bigger than what was shown on the magic image. Especially the disc-shaped cargo vessel. From the distance where Noland Lee was located, this disc-shaped ship was at least three times the size of the magic ship. Eventually, the fleet stopped hovering at a location about ten kilometers above the magic ship. A spacious circular hatch opened at the bottom of the disc-shaped ship. A humming white light column shot out from the hatch, enveloping the entire magic ship. In the column of light, the magic ship slowly left the sea surface and flew towards the circular hatch at the bottom of the disc-shaped ship. The remaining forty-nine armed interstellar ships circled around the cargo vessel for protection, flying like agile fishes under the propulsion of blue tail flames. Fortunately, their speed was not fast, and they did not exceed the Mist Threshold. Otherwise, the sea area where the magic ship was located would be engulfed by the Lost Sea Fog. Noland Lee took out a telescope to watch the unwelcome guests in the sky. Fifty consecutive Deconstruction Techniques were thrown out by him. After consuming some Energy Points, Noland Lee got partial panel information of this Star Fleet. These interstellar ships were all built by the Metal Creation Group, and they can operate in both space and the ground environment. The disc-shaped cargo ship, officially named as the Grand Bustard-class Heavy Transport Ship. Its size is astonishing, reaching 690,000 cubic meters and weighing 40,000 tons. It has strengthened the capacity and load of the cargo hold, added extra external armor plating, and is equipped with an inertia inhibiting device to reduce the impact of inertia. In summary, this heavy transport ship was specifically designed to transport magical ships. Twenty interstellar ships, like bird claws, have a very small volume of only 16,500 cubic meters. They are the Warhawk-class Assault Frigate, designed for violently cutting into the battlefield, targeting small individual targets. Twenty bird-leg-shaped interstellar vessels are the Cold Raven-Class Tactical Destroyer with a volume of 48,000 cubic meters, about three times that of the escort vessels. They are responsible for detecting medium-sized targets on the battlefield while using shipborne radar. These four ships are the only ones equipped with shipborne radar. Under the jurisdiction of the worlds home field law, their radars have all disabled. Finally, those ten large volume ships that look like scorpions are the Blackbird-Class Tactical Cruiser with a volume of 96,000 cubic meters. These ships have both firepower and tactical interference and are equipped with ECM (Electronic Countermeasure) devices. Similarly, due to unknown factors, the effectiveness of the ECM device of this ship has been reduced to 1% of the normal situation. After looking at the Deconstruction results, Noland Lee had only one thought in his mind: The Star Fleet is so weak With the advantage of fighting in their home field, this Star Fleet from Deep Space United Mining will undoubtedly be crushed by the Ulnas Circles wizard army, and there is no suspense. The reason is very simple. The shipborne detection equipment and electronic countermeasure devices have only 1% performance in normal situations. This is just one reason. Secondly, comparing the defense attributes of each ship listed on the panel information deconstructed by Noland Lee with the magical power of the wizards, it can be concluded that the interstellar ships are very fragile in the World of Wizards. For example, the most powerful Cold Raven Class Tactical Cruiser in the Star Fleet. This kind of ship has three defense attributes: Shield Value, Armor Value, and Structure Value. Shield value comes from the shipborne shield generator; the current data is 300,000/300,000 points, with a 1% automatic recovery per second. The resistance of this shield is relatively balanced, with 50% to 75% resistance against various types of damage. Its kinetic resistance is the lowest, only 50%. Calculated based on the 50% resistance, each point of the ships shield value can resist two points of energy damage caused by magic. 300,000 shield points can offset 600,000 points of magic energy damage. What does this mean? According to Noland Lees previous fight with Comini: Chapter 577 - Chapter 577: 186. Weak Chicken Fleet_2 Chapter 577: 186. Weak Chicken Fleet_2 This Seventh Ring Silent Witch used only 20% of her strength to create 24,000 energy-intensity points of damage per second. After going all out, she can easily reach 100,000 energy-intensity points of damage per second. It would take her only about 6 seconds to penetrate the shield of a Cold Raven Class Tactical Cruiser. After that, piercing the ships armor and structure to reach zero for both Armor Value and Structure Value is a matter of course. Unknown factors suppressed the detection capabilities of the starships. At the same time, the native laws of the World of Wizards greatly enhanced the combat capabilities of wizards on their home turf. In the Inner Cosmos, the magical power of wizards is five times greater than in Outer Space. The suppression of the law and its additions intersect, resulting in a situation where Comini alone can defeat a Cold Raven Class Tactical Cruiser in a one-on-one duel. There are 1,000 such combat wizards hidden in this sea area. The upcoming battle is expected to be one-sided, a foregone conclusion, and an overkill. In general, only the Grand Bustard-class Heavy Transport Ship can hold out a little longer under the concentrated fire of the wizards magic. This is Noland Lees simple analysis of the situation. Noland lifted the crossbow and glanced at Comini, who was not far away. The lower half of the Silent Witchs face was covered by a metal mask, and her nose, eyes, and forehead were exposed. She had already recovered from the shock of seeing the star fleet with her own eyes, and now appeared calm, with no sign of tension. My lord, what do you think of the strength of this starship fleet? Noland asked. Not showing any mercy for the enemy, Comini bluntly replied: Very weak. They wont be able to stand more than three rounds against an onslaught of 1,000 combat wizards. I estimate that they will suffer heavy casualties after the first round of magic bombardment. Now Im worried that we might not have any prisoners left. Comini shook her head slightly and lamented: Recalling what Professor Erica said about the secret, I feel a little helpless. As wizards, our strength has regressed too much after leaving this world. In Outer Space, we were actually chased around by such star fleets Before she could say any more, the movements at the Outer Space Gap interrupted her words. Hush, silence, the battle is about to begin. The wizards of the Star Filtering Net are closing the Outer Space Gap. Once its closed, the star fleet will have nowhere to escape. Thin black lines like gauze appeared on the night curtain, which had been torn open by the star fleet. These black lines quickly wove into a net, sealing the rift in the night curtain. As the black lines grew in number, the gap in the rift rapidly shrank. In less than a minute, the Outer Space Gap created by the star fleet on the Star Filtering Net was closed. At the same time the Outer Space Gap was closed, dazzling magic light bloomed all around the star fleet, shining like sunlight! Boom, boom, boom~~~ Various magic light balls shot out, striking the shields of the interstellar ships, igniting a brilliant fireworks display in the night sky. Crackle! Crackle! Crackle! Furious thunder, lightning bolts, and numerous thunder wizards cast their spells together, tilting lightning towards the star fleet and letting meter-thick electric snakes rampage and collide among the ships. A total of eight towering black water tornadoes rose from the surface of Blackfold Sea, encircling the battlefield and causing high-speed swirling currents around the interstellar ships, blocking all escape routes for the enemy. The dazzling magic spectacular momentarily stunned everyone on the emergency spaceship. Comini was the first to recover from the daze, growled, and raised her crossbow to fire her arrows: Quick! Jarvis! Shoot the Silent Crossbow Arrow! This star fleet cant stand a chance! We must act fast! Noland promptly aimed at the Grand Bustard-class Heavy Transport Ship and shot a Silent Crossbow Arrow. The night sky near the battlefield was illuminated by magical light, and the flashes of lightning and the explosions of magical balls were endless. The Silent Crossbow Arrows shot by Noland and Comini seemed particularly insignificant in such a grand spectacle. Noland lost sight of the crossbow arrows after they had flown about a kilometer. Comini was slightly better, but she could sense the silent magic on the arrows only within a few thousand meters. Noland and Comini widened their eyes, staring intently at the Disc-shaped Ship, waiting for feedback. It would be about 20 seconds before the Silent Crossbow Arrows could travel, and they would know the answer by then. For the star fleet, these 20 seconds were pure torture and despair. In the overwhelming lightning and magic bombardment, the smallest and weakest assault escort ships were the first to be destroyed. These ships had the fastest speed and were most flexible. However, the wizards unleashed a saturated magic bombardment, leaving them nowhere to hide. After less than 3 seconds, they turned into fireballs that exploded in midair, falling toward the sea surface with black smoke and debris. Then, the tactical destroyers were completely wiped out, leaving behind even larger and brighter airborne flames than the assault escort ships. The tactical cruisers held out relatively longer in the magic blasts and even managed to use missiles and rapid-fire cannons to make a symbolic resistance. By the time the 20-second crossbow flight time was up, only the heavy transport ships were left in the sky. In order to ensure that they could capture a ship and leave some survivors, the combat wizards involved in the battle stopped casting spells in unison. Chapter 578 - Chapter 578: 186.Weak Chicken Fleet_3 Chapter 578: 186.Weak Chicken Fleet_3 Most of the magical glow in the night sky had dissipated, leaving only the eight black water tornadoes standing around the battlefield, still fulfilling their duty, completely blocking the path of the heavy transport ship. At this moment, a Silent Crossbow Arrow struck the shield of the heavy transport ship. On the transparent ship shield, two small but very clear and bright gray flames burst out. Success? Comini paused, Jarvis, that is a gray flame right? Am I correct? Yes. Noland Lee nodded, he then cast Deconstruction to check the result. After the gray flame burst out, the shield value of the disc-shaped ship suddenly decreased by more than 20,000 points! It is important to know, a single Silent Crossbow Arrow only has 1 point of Silent Mana! On average, 1 point of Silent Mana reduced more than 10,000 points of shield value, this law-breaking effect can only be described as incredible. Noland Lee asked: Should we still fire the crossbow arrows? No need. Comini shook his head, Im going to report the situation to the professor. You guard here for now. Having said that, Comini, holding his crossbow arrow, entered the Dreamscape. Noland Lee looked at the battlefield from a distance, feeling somewhat regretful in his heart. Due to the star fleets resistance to fighting and the tasks assigned by the professor, he didnt have the chance to snatch the final hit. This prevented him from collecting energy points in the short battle. At the moment when the wizards stopped, the light column of the traction magic ship disappeared. At this time, the magic ship was pulled to a height about a dozen meters above the sea surface. After the tractor beam disappeared, it brought a huge and heavy body down towards the sea, causing a surge of several tens of meters with its fierce impact. At the same time, more than a dozen wizards flew to the vicinity of the heavy transport ship, and seemed to trying to communicate with the crew inside the ship. These ten or more wizards circled around the heavy transport ship, and came to the circular hatch just below the ship. No one knew what they said or did inside, but after a few moments, the semi-transparent white shield outside the heavy transport ship flickered a few times and was then closed. Without the hindrance of the ships shield, the dozen-plus wizards entered the ship smoothly, officially meeting the crew inside. Noland Lee cast several deconstruction spells to check. Those wizards who entered the ship all had the strength of the Ninth or Tenth rings, but only a few of them were combat wizards. They must be the delegation sent by the Ulnas Circle. Noland Lee also wanted to go into the ship, to get a taste of the Metal Creation Groups technological feeling. But he understood that his current status was too low and that he would not have the opportunity to board the ship for a visit. As for using Mind Beacon and Mind View to sneak a peek at the scene on the ship Noland Lee once again pondered his decision and ultimately chose to give up. There was no choice. The thousands of combat wizards near the battlefield hadnt left yet, and those dozens of wizards who entered the ship all have high-tier spirits. Using mental magic in front of wizards of this scale and strength was no different from walking around naked on the street. Although Noland was curious about the scene inside the ship, he wasnt so adventurous that he would risk being discovered. It seems theres no chance to get on the ship~ Noland Lee sighed to himself. The next second, Comini opened his eyes and said: Lets go, we are going to the disc-shaped ship to meet with the wizard delegation. Excuse me, what? Noland Lee was regretful for not being able to board the ship, so he didnt quite react at once: Did I hear that correctly? Were going on the ship? Yes, you heard correctly. Comini then patted the Silent Steal Crossbow in his hand: Professor Erica said that the crew members of the Star Fleet have personal shield generators, which function on similar principles as the ships shield generator but only protect individuals. Despite the smaller protection area, the strength of the shield is not the slightest bit inferior. To prevent the crew members from challenging the wizard delegation using their personal shield generators, well go over there with the Silent Steel Crossbow to bolster the wizard delegation and intimidate the crew members, Noland Lee said. Comini reached into his magic pouch, searching for something as he spoke: Dont say or do anything rash on the ship, and follow the arrangements of the Department of Magic. If youre unsure of what to do, just follow my lead. A half metal mask was pulled out from the magic pouch by Comini and shoved into Nolands hands: Here, put on this Silent Enforcers Mask. Its a mask made by the School of Enchantment, and it can automatically adhere to the lower half of your face. Noland lifted the half mask to his face, and it floated out of his hand, affixing to the lower half of his face, covering his mouth and half of his nose. [System Message:] [You are now wearing the Silent Enforcers Mask (Level 10)] [You have gained the effects of Calm and Composed (Level 10) and Enforcers Style. The former reduces your emotional fluctuations by about 10%. The latter makes you look more like a genuine Silent Enforcer.] [These two effects will continue until you remove the mask.] Comini held the Silent Steel Crossbow in his hand, transforming it into a gray mist, and entering Flight Status. Alright, follow me. We need to move quickly so as not to keep the people in the Department of Magic waiting. Comini took the lead, with Noland following behind by applying Death Flight. Before leaving, Noland activated Soul Perception and gave Denise a brief rundown of the situation. Denise understood and expressed support, stating she would stay put on the ship. Seeing Denises obedience, Noland settled to catch up with Comini by accelerating his flight. During the journey to the disc-shaped ship, he truly experienced the sensation of being under the gaze of thousands. A full thousand combat wizards, all of whom had at least Sixth Ring Strength, watched him fly into the disc-shaped ship. He entered the ship through the entrance, which was a circular hatch appearing at the bottom of the ship. Through this door, a vast and empty cargo bay appeared before him. The walls were filled with grey metal pipelines and panels, an straightforward steel aura greeting him. Meaningless slogans were written on the walls of the cargo bay, and the codes on the metal pipelines were composed of unfamiliar characters. All of this suggested that the crew driving this ship came from another civilization. Noland squinted at the crew standing on the floor of the cargo bay, a faint curiosity gleaming in his eyes. The alleged aliens looked much like humans. They had four limbs and skulls, but their bodies were slender, their heads were wide, their foreheads were broad, and their hairlines were generally worrisome. The crew members were dressed in ship pilot uniforms with bulletproof transparent masks. On their left wrist, a wristwatch was flickering, their right hand was holding a technologically advanced firearm, and they also carried toolkits with multiple mechanical arms on their backs. There were over a hundred crew members, all of whom were of the Dsmi series Synthetic Humans. Their leader was a woman standing at the forefront of the team. The womans outfit was different from the rest of the crew members. She was dressed in a light gray windcoat that resembled a robe, with a hood and metal shoulder decorations. The fabric on her arms and chest was also adorned with patterns made up of unknown characters. By the time Noland and Comini arrived, the wizard delegation was already communicating with the crew members. Thanks to the aid of the Star Witch, the wizards had some understanding of the language used by Deep Space United Mining. To facilitate smooth communication with the others, the wizard delegation had prepared a magic fog that could automatically translate both languages in advance. During the communication, the magic fog would simultaneously morph into two languages, thereby accomplishing the translation. The wizards had quicker means of communication, such as using a universal spell called Language Proficiency. But this act required casting a spell, which had to be applied to the aliens. In the event that the aliens had some unknown extraordinary traits capable of reacting to the spell, it could inadvertently result in trouble and disputes. For safetys sake, using a non-contact magic fog as a medium of communication was deemed more prudent. Chapter 579 - Chapter 579: 187. Strong Metal Fusion Chapter 579: 187. Strong Metal Fusion Noland Lee and Comini landed on the gray metal floor and stood at the back of the Wizard Delegation. A big-bearded wizard with a black top-hat and monocle came to settle Noland and Comini. He was the Defense Director of the Wizard Delegation, from the Hotams Death Department. He was a Nine Circles strength Death Battle Mage. He quietly introduced himself and the situation, then placed Noland and Comini at the left rear of the delegation. He specifically instructed the two to take out the Silent Steel Crossbow, hold it in their hands, and let the enchanted silent crossbow arrows with silent power to exert pressure on the crew. According to him, the gray spark that burst out when the Silent Crossbow Arrow hit the ships shield looked small from a distance, but actually had a diameter of more than 300 meters. It was very eye-catching, far more shocking than the bombardment effect of fireballs and thunder and lightning. The crew on the ship would definitely see this scene. Just let the other party guess whether the gray spark was caused by the silent crossbow arrows that emitted gray light. Real and false, it is a common tactic in negotiations. As a result, the attention of the crew in Noland and Cominis hands drawn by the Silent Steel Crossbow. The crew noticed the gray glow on the arrowheads of the crossbow arrows, quickly associating them with the gray sparks that were very lethal to the shields. Their faces changed slightly, showing a bit more of the fear and unease that they were trying to suppress. Noland, wearing the Silent Enforcers Mask, maintained a calm demeanor. He listened to the conversation between the two sides, which was still in the stage of mutual probing and wrangling, and had not yet entered the matters related to the Metal Ancestor Dragon. Noland squinted his eyes slightly and looked around the metal walls with the smallest range of head movement. Through a series of Deconstruction Techniques, he discovered an interesting place. Before the deconstruction of synthetic humans, the system specifically mentioned that deconstructing synthetic humans does not represent the deconstruction of integrated modules inside their bodies. To deconstruct the module, you need to separately aim the deconstruction technique at the module. Now, the same situation has appeared on this spaceship. Noland used the Deconstruction Technique to obtain panel information of the spaceship, and it required 350,000 Energy Points to be consumed. Deconstructing various devices and metal pipes in the cargo hold requires energy points ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. His rough estimate of the energy points required to completely destroy the ship was around 8 million. 8 million His When Noland calculated that number, his mind was filled with the word rich, and he even involuntarily fantasized about what he would do with 8 million Energy Points His fantasy came to an abrupt end, not because his distraction was discovered by Comini beside him, but because an object with abnormal feedback information appeared in his field of vision. This object was a metal sign measuring more than one meter in length and width, with a shield-like appearance, hanging from the metal wall directly above the entrance of the main passage of the cargo hold. The metal sign had alien language characters and a Dragon Claw Grabs Planet pattern. The feedback information from the Deconstruction Technique showed that Noland had better use the Harmless Deconstruction method to deconstruct this metal sign, which corresponded to a cost of 80,000 Energy Points. The factor that made this metal sign so unique should be the Dragon Claw Grabs Planet pattern. On the surface, this pattern was the only thing that had anything to do with the Metal Ancestor Dragon. Those crew members holding firearms, wearing pilots clothing, and the female crew member who tried to maintain her composure during the negotiation, none of them had any traces related to the Metal Ancestor Dragon. When Noland tried to deconstruct these crew members, the system did not prompt for the use of Harmless Deconstruction. The same was true for the ships facilities within the field of view; deconstructing them would not cause any negative effects. Noland pondered for a moment, focused his attention on the metal sign, and initiated Harmless Deconstruction. [System Message:] [You consume 10,000 Energy Points to perform Harmless Deconstruction on the Abnormal Metal Sign.] [Deconstruction Success!] [The degree of deconstruction of the target has been increased to 12.5%] [Deconstruction Results are as follows:] [1. You have obtained part of the panel information of the target:] [Name] Metal sign with the will of the Metal Dragon [Type] Magical creation of the Metal Dragon, technological creation of the Metal Creation Group [Description] This is not an ordinary metal sign, it contains a part of the will of a Metal Dragon. During the negotiation between the Ulnas Circle Wizard Delegation and the crew, a certain Metal Dragon was hiding in the corner of outer space, secretly observing the scene of the negotiation through this metal sign. (Due to the insufficient degree of deconstruction, you have not obtained more panel information.) [2. You have obtained the Metal Fusion Meditation, with a completeness of 1%.] [Note! Since you used Harmless Deconstruction to obtain this meditation method, the content with negative effects on the method has been erased.] [The completeness of this meditation method can only be increased by continuing to deconstruct objects that record this meditation method. Any other means cannot increase the completeness of this meditation method.] Noland slightly lowered his head, hiding the fluctuations in his expression. He blinked at the gray metal floor beneath his feet, his heart racing with excitement. Unexpectedly, the meditation method related to metal magic was hidden on that metal sign! Noland didnt hesitate to consume 70,000 Energy Points and initiated Harmless Deconstruction again. Chapter 580 - Chapter 580: 187. Strong Metal Fusion_2 Chapter 580: 187. Strong Metal Fusion_2 The degree of deconstruction for the abnormal metal tag suddenly rose up to 100%! Nolands energy points storage also dropped to 8,122, finally welcoming the moment when it fell below the 10,000 mark. As for saving this expense through passive deconstructionhonestly, forget about it With so many people watching, he couldnt possibly trigger passive deconstruction by attacking the tag. Therefore, these 80,000 energy points absolutely cannot be saved. After a slight feeling of dizziness, the deconstruction results refreshed in Nolands mind. [The deconstruction results are as follows:] [1. Panel information of the target updated, the following content has been added:] [Description] The Dragons Will hidden in the metal tag comes from the Metal Ancestor Dragon, Talsale. This metal ancient dragon, who has fled to outer space for thousands of years, has not withered in the river of time. It is still alive. Not only that, it also merged a tiny part of its will and bloodline into this metal tag. The reason for doing so, may be related to the Metal Fusion meditation method hidden in this metal tag. [2. The integrity of the Metal Fusion Meditation Method has increased from 1% to 8%. The system has stripped off all content that could have negative effects. This meditation methods completeness cannot be improved by any means.] Noland glanced at the two groups of people on-site. Both the crew and wizards did not notice the abnormality of the metal tag. Well, thats not right. The crew members might know, with a small probability. Especially the leading lady sailor. As the commander of this ship, she has a high probability of knowing the special nature of the metal tag. But, if Metal Ancestor Dragon, Talsale never revealed its whereabouts or intentions, its quite possible that the entire crew of the ship wouldnt know its existence. Lets put the crew members aside for now and not discuss them, after all, they are tech-based humans and do not possess extraordinary abilities. But how have the Ninth and Tenth Circle Wizards present on the scene not detected the abnormality of the metal tag? Noland felt that things were a bit tricky, with a faint feeling that he and his companions have become prey. This feeling was even stronger when Noland thought about the embarrassing performance of the Star Fleet, as if the Metal Ancestor Dragon deliberately commanded the fleet to come to him. While thinking, Noland opened up the Metal Fusion Meditation Method. As usual, he threw out the deconstruction technique, consumed some energy points, and obtained the panel information of the meditation method. [Name] Metal Fusion Meditation Method [Type] Meditation Method [Completeness] 8% [Item Level] 6th ring You can train this meditation method up to level 180 (6*30). [Related Attributes] Willpower, Tenacity, Strength [Meditation Progress] 0 level, 0/1000 [Description] This is a meditation method that forcibly infuses Precious Metals into the body, greatly improving physical qualities. Depending on the mass and item level of the Precious Metal you fuse with, you will receive corresponding attribute rewards. When the completeness of this meditation method is at 100%: You can forcibly fuse all types of Metales, not limited to Precious Metals. You will obtain Metal Magic during the meditation process. You will receive some extraordinary traits based on the type of metal fused with. You will suffer severe negative effects due to the forced fusion of metals. For example, Intellect Decline, Human Apathy, Slow Thinking, Body Magnetization, and so on. You have acquired this meditation method through Harmless Deconstruction, all negative effects have been removed by the system. Due to the extremely low completeness of the meditation method, the energy expenditure for exercising this technique has increased to 12.5 times. And, you can only use metal materials marked with Precious Metals for practicing. Also, you cannot obtain extraordinary traits. The meditation material required for this meditation method is Precious Metals, not Soul Strength. Therefore, practicing this meditation method does not need to consume Soul Strength. [Effect] Take a piece of precious metal weighing X grams, with an item level of Y, and place it in your palm. Activate this meditation method, consume 125*X energy points to integrate it into your body, thereby getting 100*X*(Y/100) meditation training experience points. When the training level of your meditation method increases, you will receive attribute value rewards for Willpower, Tenacity, and Strength. Your current Willpower is 3, Tenacity is 19, and Strength is 5. You will not receive attribute rewards for Willpower, Tenacity, and Strength until this meditation method reaches level 4, level 20, and level 6 respectively. A Meditation Method that does not consume Soul Strength! Noland cheered in his heart. This is the only meditation method he has gotten so far that does not need to consume Soul Strength! Only needs to consume Precious Metals and energy points, and you can gain attributes improvement, practicing this wont be very convenient. The only downside is that the energy points consumption is too high. To forcibly fuse 1 gram of precious metal, 125 energy points are required. Noland has only just over 8,000 energy points in his storage, which is only enough to fuse 60-odd grams of precious metals. The energy points consumption is truly astonishing. However, thinking about it, this might not be a bad thing. Nolands energy points limit is too low. His energy points have always been over the limit, and he could not gain any from automatic recovery. But now with the Metal Fusion meditation method, the energy points overload issue can be solved. As long as he can control the stock of energy points precisely, he can have the energy points recovered automatically, and not have to worry about not having enough energy points at hand during emergencies. Chapter 581 - Chapter 581: 187. Strong Metal Fusion_3 Chapter 581: 187. Strong Metal Fusion_3 Once his Energy Points limit increased to 100, he would not have to be too meticulous, and it would be even more effortless. Noland Lee was very satisfied with the Strong Metal Fusion, giving it at least 88 points. He slightly tilted his body to touch his Magic Pouch and pinched an Ulnas Gold Coin. Through the metallic touch of his fingertips, the Deconstruction Technique was cast, and Noland Lee obtained the Panel Information about the Ulnas Gold Coin. [Name] 1 Ulnas Gold Coin [Type] Metal Magic Creation, Precious Metal [Item Level] Level 10 [Weight] 2 grams [Raw Materials] Gold, ???? [Formula & Craftsmanship] Unknown [Uses] 1. Currency You can use this gold coin as a 1-denomination gold coin. 2. Meditation When meditating with the Strong Metal Fusion Technique using this gold coin, you will obtain 20 Meditation Experience Points. Nolands left hand fumbled in the Magic Pouch, casting the Deconstruction Technique on coins of different denominations. 1 Gold Coin, Level 10, Weight 2 grams, providing 20 Meditation Experience Points. 5 Gold Coins, Level 15, Weight 5 grams, providing 75 Experience Points. 20 Gold Coins, Level 25, Weight 25 grams, providing 625 Experience Points. 50 Gold Coins, Level 30, Weight 30 grams, providing 900 Experience Points. (omitted) Noland made a mental table and came to the conclusion: If he wanted to conserve Energy Points, larger denominations of gold coins were better. 10000-denomination gold coins provide 2025 Experience Points, consuming 5625 Energy Points. Each Experience Point costs approximately 4.93 gold coins and 2.78 Energy Points. If he wanted to save gold coins, using 20-denomination gold coins was best. This denomination of gold coins provides 625 Experience Points, consuming 3125 Energy Points. Each Experience Point consumes 0.032 gold coins and 5 Energy Points. In summary: If Energy Points are tight and money is abundant, use larger denomination gold coins for meditation; If Energy Points are abundant and money is tight, use 20-denomination gold coins for meditation. Which gold coins to use for meditation depends on the situation of Energy Points and money. Noland couldnt help but marvel at the fact that, one way or another, he could not escape the fate of spending money to cultivate meditation methods. HeyJarvis, focus Comini nudged Noland with her elbow, pulling him back from the edge of his wandering thoughts. Noland adjusted his expression, took his left hand out of the Magic Pouch, and gripped the Silent Steel Crossbow. He nodded at Comini, then subtly pointed with his eyes at the metal sign with the Dragon Claw pattern. Following his gaze, Comini looked at the metal sign with a slightly solemn expression. She had been paying attention to the changes in the Magic Fogs Characters, only noticing the metal sign hanging above the entrance at this moment. A couple of frown lines emerged on Cominis stupid-looking forehead as she stared at the metal sign for a little while. Is this the pattern that appeared in Berkeleys Dream? Comini whispered in the slightest voice. Noland nodded silently. It doesnt seem to be anything special Comini mumbled, immediately shutting her mouth and not saying anything else. The wizards of the delegation at the scene were all focused on negotiating with the crew. Only a few wizards who were relatively close to Noland and Comini heard their conversation. These wizards pushed up their glasses, took a look at the metal sign, and didnt see anything extraordinary either. Noland saw this in his eyes, feeling increasingly uneasy. He could rely on the Deconstruction Technique to find anomalies in the metal sign. But the wizards present, whether from the Ninth Ring or the Ten Rings, showed no interest in the metal sign at all. He couldnt help but wonder how the Metal Ancestor Dragon named Tarsali did it, hiding its will and bloodline so well. After a little thought, Noland Lee decided it was better to avoid creating more trouble. If the sky fell, the Nine Rings and Ten Rings wizards would hold it up; he didnt have to worry about it. He shifted slightly so he could see the Characters formed by the Magic Fog more clearly. The negotiation had reached a critical stage. The crew was represented by the Leading Lady Sailor. This female sailor called herself Loymin, a name translated phonetically by the Magic Fog, which was a bit odd and awkward to read. By the World of Wizards aesthetic standards, a woman with a wide forehead, receding hairline, big nose, small eyes and blue hair like hers could not be considered beautiful. The other crew members also had similar facial features, which looked somewhat bizarre to the wizards. Loymin introduced herself and her team as a deep space drilling team under Deep Space United Mining. The team had a total of 112 crew members. The armed ship that the wizards had taken down earlier belonged to the companys armed forces and was only cooperating with her team at the level of teamwork. Although there were more than a hundred people under Loymin, each of them had a shield generator and Firearms in their hands, appearing to still have some spirit of resistance. But to be honest, they were merely putting up a facade. Even without resorting to force, the Wizard Delegation could outsmart them. Delegation sent two wizards, the Dean of the Hotams Academy, and the Head of the Ulnas Circle Department of Magic. Hotams Academy Dean named Braun Lewis was also an assistant to the Minister of Ulnas Circle Magic Department. He was an obvious bald, elderly man. Of course, in front of the aliens, he would cover his Mediterranean forehead with a black Wizards hat. Chapter 582 - Chapter 582: 187. Strong Metal Fusion_4 Chapter 582: 187. Strong Metal Fusion_4 Noland Lee had seen his image and introduction in textbooks, so he had some understanding. The Minister of the Department of Magic was named Bart, and Noland Lees knowledge of him was limited to knowing his name. The unified demand of these two wizards was that the crew of the disc-shaped ship must surrender control of the ship and unconditionally cooperate with the Ulnas Circle in studying the ship. Only after satisfying this demand could the crew save their lives; otherwise, they would be locked in prison cells, interrogated in the Dreamscape, and then burned to ashes by the Fireball technique. Based on this demand, the Minister of the Department of Magic required all crew members to sign a Magic Contract, to unconditionally serve the Ulnas Circle until their natural death. Meanwhile, the Dean of Hotams demanded that the crew hand over all information related to the Metal Ancestor Dragon. Interestingly, when they saw the words Metal Ancestor Dragon formed by the magic fog, all the crew members on Loymins side showed a confused expression. Their pupils slightly enlarged, revealing a confused look, apparently not knowing what the Metal Ancestor Dragon was. Thanks to at least 270 points of Spirit, all the wizards in the Wizard Delegation had an energy and spell perception range of up to 2,700 meters in radius. They could accurately capture the energy fluctuations of the entire disc-shaped ship in their minds. Subtle facial changes such as pupil dilation, unstable breathing frequency, and confused humming could not escape the eyes of the wizards present. Wizards would not easily believe the crews reaction. The fact that the other party didnt know what the Metal Ancestor Dragon was doesnt mean that the Metal Ancestor Dragon did not exist. This dragon and its offspring might have changed their shape and lived in the outer space. After all, for metal dragons that control metal, changing shapes is as simple as eating and drinking. Dean Braun did not want to waste too much time either. He raised his hand, pointed at the metal sign above the passage entrance with the cane in his right hand, and asked: If you dont know what the Metal Ancestor Dragon is, why dont you tell me what the Dragon Claw on that metal sign is all about? Loymin and her team members turned their heads and looked at the metal sign behind them. When Loymin turned back, her confusion was even more apparent. She spoke some alien language in a slightly hoarse voice. The magic fog translated the text: This emblem is the emblem of the Metal Creation Group. You are mistaken. The pattern on the emblem is not a Dragon Claw. It is a mechanical claw for holding goods and materials. Metal Creation Group The wizards discuss. Another new extraterrestrial void power The name of this extraterrestrial void power contains the words Metal Creation. It is likely to be related to the Metal Ancestor Dragon. Its just that these crew members, who know nothing about magic and dragons, dont know what the Metal Ancestor Dragon is. The wizards internal discussions will not be translated by the magic fog. And the wizards mocking the crew for not understanding magic and dragons would, of course, not be known to the crew members led by Loymin. After a brief commotion on the scene, the Minister of the Department of Magic made the final decision, formally requesting that the crew members lay down their weapons and surrender. Loymin herself agreed, but several dozen of her crew members opposed her decision and cursed her cowardice in the alien language. It seemed that the alien crew was not united. The conflicts and disputes that had been accumulating on a daily basis finally erupted when Loymin announced her surrender. Those emotional crew members shouted something in the alien language as they ran towards the passage entrance. They had forgotten about the existence of the magic fog. The magic fog accurately translated their words, suggesting to quickly activate the ships self-destruct program, threaten the wizards to leave the ships by self-destruct, and then take the opportunity to overload the ships engine, forcibly take off and break out of this world. The Wizard Delegation did not bother to argue with them. Mercy, tolerance, and civility were reserved for enemies who were willing to surrender. Since they were unwilling to surrender, there was no choice but to send them to their deaths. More than a dozen bright and deadly magical rays chased after their backs. Their personal shields were incredibly strong, but most still were pierced by the high-powered rays. A few people had extraordinary shield generators that managed to block the rays from the Nine Rings and Ten Rings wizards. But before they could feel proud or relieved, enchanted crossbow arrows suddenly pierced through their shields, stabbing into their throats. The cold steel and warm blood took their lives away. The Silent Enforcers Silent Crossbow Arrows brought a quiet end to this negotiation trip. Noland Lee didnt care much about the crew, as he had already obtained the Metal System Meditation Method that he wanted. The only thing that made him remain vigilant was the metal sign. When following the Wizard Delegation to escort the crew away, just before flying out of the cargo hold, Noland Lee threw a Deconstruction spell at the metal sign, refreshing its panel information for the last time. [System Message:] [You are about to cast Deconstruction on the Metal Sign, and it is estimated that consuming 15 energy points will make the degree of deconstruction reach 100%.] Only 15 points, huh Eh? Wait! Whats going on? Didnt the system determine that the metal sign was abnormal? Why are the words abnormal gone now, and the metal sign has become an ordinary metal creation!? Noland Lees heart suddenly jumped. He could be sure that the metal sign returning to normal had nothing to do with him obtaining the Meditation Method. Because after obtaining the Meditation Method, he looked at the sign several times with Deconstruction, and each time it showed that there was something abnormal about it. Did the will and bloodline inside the metal sign transfer to somewhere else? Noland Lee thought while following Comini out of the disc-shaped ship. He scattered Deconstruction everywhere, checking everything he saw. Finally, he found the trace of the Metal Ancestor Dragon, Tarsali. At some point, the Metal Ancestor Dragon had transferred its will and bloodline to the magic ship of Berkeley. Noland Lee had an eerie feeling. A considerable part of the reason passengers were willing to buy Berkeleys tickets was that they trusted the influence of Hotams Metal Department. It was because the Metal Department was reliable that the passengers entrusted their lives and fortunes to Berkeleys hands, following the magic ship on a long journey. With Berkeleys death and the magic ship stranded, Hotams had to find a way to accommodate the passengers. This was also the Department of Magics requirement for Hotams. Thus, without any accidents, Noland Lee and Denise Green would take a magic ship powered by Deep Sea spells to Baldurs Gate port and then board another magic ship arranged by Hotams to continue their journey to the Suman Archipelago. From the Blackfold Sea to Baldurs Gate, it would take at least 20 days. In these 20 days, Noland Lee and Denise Green would stay on the magic ship. Thinking about the Metal Ancestor Dragons will and bloodline being on the magic ship, Noland Lee felt a weight on his heart and found it difficult to handle. I might have to find a way to avoid this magic ship Noland Lee pondered in secret. Chapter 583 - Chapter 583: 188. Level-determining competition” Chapter 583: 188. Level-determining competition [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction Technique on the Abnormal Magic Ship.] [Based on your deconstruction result of the Abnormal Metal Sign, the energy points required for this deconstruction are reduced.] [An estimated 9,010,000 energy points will be consumed, which can increase the degree of deconstruction to 100%.] [Warning!] [Deconstructing this target will have negative effects on you; you must use the Harmless Deconstruction technique to deconstruct it.] Noland Lee threw several Deconstruction Techniques continuously at the magic ship right below him as he flew out of the disc-shaped ship. He and Cominis flight destination was an emergency spaceship. Within a minute after they left the disc-shaped ship, the energy points required to deconstruct the magic ship changed. It rose from 9,010,000 points to 9,020,000 points. One minute, an increase of 10,000 points. While flying, Lee silently calculated time and threw another Deconstruction Technique after a minute. The deconstruction consumption of the magic ship increased by 10,000 points again, reaching 9,030,000. This bizarre change in deconstruction consumption was definitely triggered by the Metal Ancestor Dragons will and bloodline. This hidden Metal Ancient Dragon, lurking behind the Metal Creation Group, was altering Berkeleys magic ship. The direction of the alteration was unknown, and its purpose was unclear. In any case, it was definitely not good news. Noland Lee didnt want to spend the next 20 days on a magic ship with the will of the Metal Ancestor Dragon. It was no different from being surrounded by more than 500 CCTV cameras at a hotel. He had to think of a way. Noland Lees thoughts moved quickly as he flew, speedily considering countermeasures. First, he needed to figure out what the Metal Ancestor Dragon was doing roughly. Noland called up his panel information and looked at his energy points inventory. [Energy Points] 9101/56 (40+16) Compared with the previously hundreds of thousands of energy points, the current inventory of less than 10,000 was indeed tight, but now was not the time to be overly frugal. Noland threw a deconstruction technique at the magic ship below, consuming 3,000 energy points, and activated Harmless Deconstruction. [Harmless Deconstruction Success!] [Your deconstruction completion of the Abnormal Magic Ship has slightly improved.] [You have obtained a very small part of the panel information:] [Name] Abnormal Magic Ship [Type] Metal Magical Creation [Item Level] Unknown [Description] You have discovered the will and bloodline power of the Metal Ancestor Dragon Talsale on this ship. As predicted by the system, Talsale is altering this magic ship to make it his body in this world. When the alteration is complete, the metal ancient dragons figure may reappear on the earth. Or, the magic ship will still maintain its appearance and continue to wander and carry passengers around the world. (You did not get more information due to insufficient deconstruction completion.) Wouldnt the Metal Ancestor Dragon transforming the magic ship into its body mean passengers are like food waiting to be digested in its stomach? If he knowingly boarded the abnormal magic ship with Denise Green, wouldnt that just send them to their deaths directly Lees eyes moved between the magic ship and the emergency spaceship. After a brief thought, he came up with an idea. There are many Deep-sea Wizards on the emergency spaceship, and the leader is Nine-Circles Deep Sea Witch Selina Watson. She is not a combat wizard; she is the Deputy Dean of the Deep Sea Branch, stationed in the Suman Archipelago. She and her Academy Wizards will surely use the teleportation gate to return. If he can find a suitable reason to follow them and teleport to the Suman Archipelago, it would undoubtedly be the best and most secure plan. It would avoid the dangerous magic ship and save time at sea. But how can they teleport to the Suman Archipelago with the Deep Sea Wizards? Noland Lee fell into a deep thought, eventually asking the flying Comini beside him for a solution. After hearing him, Comini provided a somewhat troublesome but feasible method: You can accept a bounty task from the Professor to track down a Sin Wizard Level Criminal. When chasing this level of wizard criminal, law enforcers can apply to use the teleportation gate twice. These two teleports are free. If you need more teleports, you have to apply to the Wizard Enforcement Department, each ranging from 10,000 to 100,000 gold coins, depending on where you want to go. If youre applying to use the Teleportation Gate for non-enforcement purposes, you can apply to the Department of Magic, each costing 100,000 gold coins per person, and you must get the consent of the magic institution at your destination. Noland Lee understood: So, by accepting a bounty task to track a Sin Wizard Level Criminal, I can use the teleportation gate twice for free, right? Whats the cost of the free teleports? The cost is that you have to catch the criminal within the specified time limit or cooperate with the magic institution to capture them. If you exceed the time limit and fail to catch the criminal, you will have to pay a large sum of money to the Wizard Enforcement Department. This large sum will be added to the criminals bounty as part of the reward. Comini paused: Many times, the bounty on a wizard criminal comes from this. The growth of the total bounty is not due to the criminal committing more crimes and being hunted for a bounty, but because the enforcer who accepted the tracking task failed to capture them and was forced to add money to the bounty. Seeing Noland in deep thought and silent, Comini advised: You have to think carefully, Jarvis. The total bounty for Sin Wizard Level Criminals usually exceeds 1 million gold coins. The tracking missions duration is one to three years. After the mission expires, you have to pay at least 100,000 gold coins. Moreover, due to the failure of the mission, you will be deducted 1,000 Enforcer Credit Points, which is equivalent to the rewards for capturing ten inferior wizards. Chapter 584 - Chapter 584: 188. Fixed-Level Competition”_2 Chapter 584: 188. Fixed-Level Competition_2 Also, dont forget this point. You can indeed be teleported to the Suman Archipelago through the Bounty Tasks tracking system. However, it might not be the same for Denise Green. If you cannot convince Selena to see you and Denise as a whole, she will not be able to teleport with you. The only way is for you to pay a sum of gold coins, buy a teleportation quota, and give that quota to Denise for her use. This expense should be around 100,000 gold coins. Teleportation to the Suman Archipelago has always been at this price. Noland Lee felt a little heavy and took a deep breath: Yes, Comi, you are right to remind me. After I take the Bounty Task, I can leave through the Teleportation Gate, but it is not certain for Denise. I cant leave her behind. The two had already flown halfway through their conversation. In about 10 minutes, they would arrive at the emergency airship. The magic ship, which was transforming into a gigantic dragon body, was already left behind on the dark sea surface. Nolan looked back at the scene behind him. The Combat Wizards who had teleported over were working around the Grand Bustard-class Heavy Transport Ship in the sky. They had received instructions from the Wizard Delegation and were building a solid Teleportation Gate floating in the air. The destination of this Teleportation Gate pointed to a particular storage sub-dimensional plane of the Department of Magic. The Grand Bustard-class Heavy Transport Ship would be teleported there and become an experimental subject for the Department of Magic to research alien technology. When this transport ship was teleported away, the Combat Wizards would teleport away too. By then, the passengers on the emergency airship would return to the magic ship and head for the port of Baldurs Gate. It was estimated that in about two hours, Noland would have to bring Denise back to the magic ship. If he wanted to avoid the Metal Ancestor Dragon on the magic ship, he had to settle the teleportation matter within these two hours. A Deconstruction Technique followed his gaze and landed on the magic ship. Noland glanced at the feedback information, feeling a little tense. The Deconstruction Consumption of the magic ship had unknowingly increased to 9.8 million points, much faster than before. Noland wasnt sure how many points were needed to consider the transformation complete. However, this did not prevent him from firmly believing in avoiding the magic ship. Ill go and discuss it with the Professor, Comi. In your experience, what should I be careful about after accepting a Bounty Task? Noland asked as he flew, talking to Comi while making the journey. Comi was quite friendly and approachable to Noland and shared everything she knew with him. Noland asked whatever he wanted, and she answered accordingly. She treated Noland in this way partly because of the affirmation of Nolands own strength, identity, and potential, and partly because Noland himself was not at all annoying. Noland was neither proud nor complacent due to his Extraordinary Traits nor did he make excessive demands because he was the only Silent Male Witch. Not to mention his intelligence, diligence, and easy-going nature. Helping such a wizard junior was something Comi had no resistance to and was more than happy to do. She talked about everything she knew and particularly emphasized a few easily overlooked pitfalls. At the end of the topic, she took out a Law Enforcement Notes she had written years ago from her Magic Pouch and handed it to Noland for reference. After Noland landed on the emergency airship, holding the Law Enforcement Notes given by Comi, he sincerely expressed his gratitude. This action made Comi more satisfied with him. The two said their temporary goodbyes on the Upper Deck; Comi went to the cockpit to report the situation to the Captain Paredes, while Noland returned to the Middle Decks Room to meet up with Denise Green. After briefly telling Denise his plan, Noland sat in a chair in the room and entered the Silent Yard. With his consciousness rising and entering the star enveloped in indigo fumes, Noland arrived at the Small Classroom. Entering the corridor, he knocked on the door of the Professors Study Room, and Noland entered, asking Professor Erica for permission to use the Teleportation Gate. When Noland made the request, he did not mention his Deconstruction Results on the magic ship. He only said that he had seen Selena, the Deputy Dean of the Deep Sea Branch in the Law Enforcement Team, and wanted to ask if he could go to the Suman Archipelago with her, which would save a lot of time. His reasoning was well-founded and consistent, and he spoke calmly with expectation without revealing his concerns about the Metal Ancestor Dragon. Professor Erica naturally did not detect any abnormalities. You heard from Comi that you can use the Teleportation Gate by accepting a Bounty Task, right? Jarvis? asked Erica. Yes, Professor. Noland calmly admitted: She also gave me a lot of advice and introduced me to matters related to Law Enforcer Credits and Bounty Tasks. Hmm In that case, I dont need to repeat it Erica thought for a moment and had the Magic Servant bring two baskets of scrolls. She used the [Mages Hand] to search through the scroll pile and took out more than a dozen scrolls to put on the table: These are the Sin Wizard Wanted Orders related to the Suman Archipelago. Let me choose a suitable one for you. Thank you, Professor. Noland smiled and thanked Professor Erica, then went into a silent state, not disturbing her while she was selecting the wanted orders. Erica used [Mages Hand] to unfold more than a dozen wanted orders in the air and carefully read the content on the wanted orders. Chapter 585 - Chapter 585: 188. Level Determining Competition”_3 Chapter 585: 188. Level Determining Competition_3 Noland Lee waited quietly on the side, recalling the common knowledge of an Enforcer he had acquired from Comini. Was it possible for him, who was on the surface merely a First-Level Silent Mage, to accept a Sin Wizard Wanted Order? The answer was yes. Not just the Sin Wizard level, even if it was a wanted order for Disaster and Annihilating Wizard levels, he could accept them as well. This was associated with the Enforcers credit system established by the Wizard Enforcement Department. Noland Lee had just become a Silent Enforcer not long ago, and his Enforcer credit was blank. This status was comparable to an LOL account that hadnt been ranked yet. Unlike playing ten rounds in the LOL ranking game, an Enforcers ranking game only allowed for one round. Accepting the Sin Wizard Wanted Order was equivalent to directly facing a gold-ranked opponent in his single ranking game. Should he win, everything would be wonderful. His Enforcer reputation would record a successful arrest of a Sin Wizard offender, and he would receive a reward of 1,000 credit points. From then on, Noland Lee could freely accept any level of wanted orders. If he lost this ranking game, he would be deducted 1,000 credit points and his credit point balance would be -1,000 points, limiting him to only accept Inferior Wizard Wanted Orders. He would need to complete 10 Inferior Wizard Wanted Orders, gaining 1,000 credit points, to bring his balance back up and then freely accept any level of wanted orders again. This was how the system worked in the Code of Enforcement Wizards. It prevented people from grabbing warrants indiscriminately, while allowing them to fulfill their potential as law enforcement wizards. After all, the power to confront criminals directly was only one of the influencing factors. More often, it relied on the enforcers own strategies, patience, planning, connections, and other soft powers. These soft powers could not be measured by the wizard levels of Techniques. Depending purely on the wizard class level of Techniques to determine the warrant levels that law enforcement wizards could accept would only limit their agility. This enforcers credit system had been around for hundreds of years, and its overwhelming support proved its effectiveness. About five minutes later, Erica picked out a warrant and placed it in front of Noland Lee, asking him to read the contents. Noland Lee quickly scanned the characters on the warrant and used Deconstruction to process the information in his mind. [Name]Wizard Criminal C Wanted Order for Moscat [Level]Sin Wizard Level [Total Bounty]2.6 Million Gold Coins This bounty amount is valid up to the date this Wanted Order is issued. To know the latest bounty amount, please contact the Wizard Enforcement Department. [Briefing on the Crime] Moscat is a wizard criminal who has mastered the deep-sea magic, a Seventh Ring Combat Wizard. He is serving in the pirate force, known as the Dread Sail Pirate Nation, and is one of the Dread Sail Wizards cultivated by that Pirate Nation. [Warrant Deadline]Two years from the date of acceptance [Warrant Instructions] The Enforcement Wizard who accepts this warrant must report progress routinely to the Hotams Deep Sea Department. The warrant deadline can be extended upon approval from the Deep Sea Department. Please pay special attention to the following: Capturing Moscat alive will garner the full bounty. Bringing Moscats soul will receive half of the bounty. Bringing only Moscats whole dead body will earn only one-tenth of the bounty. This is because Moscat has mastered resurrection spells similar to Soul Separation and Soul Revival. Killing his body does not mean his soul has been annihilated. The bounty will be fairly distributed by the Deep Sea Branch according to the contributions of the Enforcement Wizard. The Enforcement Wizard who accepts this warrant can inquire about Moscats detailed situation from the Deep Sea Branch. [Overdue Penalty]A fine of 260,000 gold coins, deduction of 1,000 law enforcement credit points. Noland Lee glanced at the other warrants on the table. Apart from Moscat, the Wizard Criminal who was a Seventh Ring Combat Wizard, all the other Sin Wizard Level criminals who appeared in the Suman Archipelago were at the Eighth Ring combat strength. Moscat was the weakest, and his total bounty was the lowest as well. However, considering the power behind him, pursuing him was like directly confronting the other Deep-sea Combat Wizards of the Dread Sail Pirate Nation. If Noland Lee does not become powerful enough to sweep the Dread Sail Pirate Nation within two years, then he should prepare to pay the fine in advance. In fact, Erica thought the same way. After a brief introduction about Moscat, she began to persuade Noland Lee to honestly follow the Magic Ship to Baldurs Gate instead. From her point of view, it would not be lucrative to take on a fine of 260,000 gold coins and a deduction of 1,000 law enforcement credit points just to save a few months. Noland Lee appreciated the Professors intentions. After carefully considering his situation, Noland Lee insisted on accepting this Wanted Order. He had his own reasons and confidence, but it was difficult to articulate these to Erica. Therefore, his persistence seemed like the stubbornness and blind self-confidence of a greenhorn from her perspective. Well, let this Wanted Order be a lesson to Noland Lee Erica thought to herself and gently sighed, saying, Alright, Jarvis. Ill help you write a letter to Selena arranging a meeting for you two. This Wanted Order will also be delivered to you by Selena. As for teleporting you and Denise to the Suman Archipelago, it depends on your abilities. If you can convince Selena to consider you and Denise as a whole, that would be great. Otherwise, you will have to pay 100,000 gold coins to purchase a teleportation quota for Denise. Facing the heartfelt pleas of the female professor, Noland Lee calmly smiled and said, Alright, Professor. Thank you very much. Ill be going now, wait for my good news. Erica wasnt sure if it was her imagination, but she sensed either great confidence or ignorance of the impending obstacles in Noland Lees smile. Considering Noland Lees age, experience, power, and wealth of experience, he shouldnt be this carefree. But in view of his habitually cautious and rational approach to things, his composure might have its inner reasons. Erica was a bit confused for a moment. Go then, Jarvis. Ill write the letter now, Erica was waving goodbye while controlling the Magic Pen to put words onto the paper. Noland Lee bowed slightly and disappeared under the blue fumes. Chapter 586 - Chapter 586: 189. Cheaters always win. Chapter 586: 189. Cheaters always win. Inside a room on the middle deck of the emergency spaceship. Nolands consciousness returned to his body, and he shared the details of his conversation with the professor to Denise. Thats how it is, Denise. Im going to meet with Miss Selena Williams later, and youll come with me. In the worst-case scenario, well just have to pay 100,000 gold coins to procure a teleportation quota for you. I wont leave you here. Said Noland. Denise slowly nodded, her mind filled with questions: HmmI trust you But why do I feel like youre a bit anxious is something wrong? Denise had spent the most time with Noland. Even though Noland remained seemingly calm, the anxiety simmering deep within him was noticeable through the finer details, and Denise had picked up on it. She couldnt pinpoint exactly how she could sense Nolands anxiety. Perhaps, this was the unique bond of being a Companion Witch. Noland pondered for a moment, activated Soul Perception and said in his mind: I have a bad feeling about this, Denise. That Star Fleet is too weak. If I were the Commander of Deep Space United Mining, I would have dispatched more interstellar ships to seize control of the magic ship. The Star Fleet we encountered doesnt have the strength to warrant the risk theyre taking. Its strange. I suspect their true intention isnt to take over the magic ship, although, I cant be sure of their actual motive. Oh Denise nodded, not fully understanding, shaking her head. She turned her back, searched through her clothing, and produced a magic pouch that was warm to the touch. This is where I keep our gold coins separately. Everything we have is in here. With a slight blush on her cheeks, Denise handed the warm and slightly scented magic pouch to Noland: Here, take this for now. It might be awkward trying to get it out later in front of others. Noland weighed the hefty magic pouch in his hand. Even though he had rightfully earned the majority of the gold coins in the pouch, Denises unconditional trust made him feel gratified. Noland tucked the magic pouch safely away, squeezed Denises hand gently, their understanding going unspoken. The blush on Denises cheeks deepened Knock, knock, knock. The door was rapped upon, a Deep-sea Wizard paid a visit. Noland got up, opened the door, exchanged a few words with the Deep-sea Wizard outside, and then left with Denise. The Deep-sea Wizard led the way, guiding Noland to the cabin where Selena resided. Halfway there, Noland watched the surfacing magic ship through the porthole and cast a Deconstruction spell. [System Message:] [Estimated to consume 18.34 million Energy Points, which could increase the degree of deconstruction to 100%] 18.34 million points? Damn, the Deconstruction consumption just rose by at least 5 million points after less than 10 minutes of conversation with Erica? What on earth is the Metallic Ancestor Dragon up to? Noland frowned slightly, consuming a significant amount of Energy to activate Harmless Deconstruction. System, system, I want to know to what extent the Metallic Ancestor Dragon has transformed the magic ship. Could you please add some type of Transformation Progress Bar? After a moment of slight disorientation, the ever-responsive Deconstruction Core System provided an update: [Successful Harmless Deconstruction!] [Targets panel information updated, added content related to Strong Metal Fusion:] [State Name] Forced Fusion [Type] Metal System Dragon Magic Effect [State Source] Metallic Ancestor Dragon Talsale [Forced Fusion Progress] 12% Talsales will and the power of his bloodline are expected to forcibly merge with the magic ship in 11 hours and 11 minutes. It would take more than 11 hours before Talsale could complete the fusion with the magic ship. By then, only the magic ship and its passengers would remain on the vast Blackfold Sea, no longer any Enforcement or Combat Witches. In such a situation, Noland, as a passenger, had a high chance of ending up at a disadvantage if he had a conflict with Talsale, and his only hope would be Mabel and Kalandi. Wait a minute. Noland paused imperceptibly. What would happen to Mabel and Kalandi after he and Denise left? Regardless of what Talsale intended to do after forcibly merging with the magic ship, members of the Elemental Judgement, such as Mabel, Philia, and Betty Davis, as well as the Green Herb Ointment Lady Boss Kalandi, would be in a precarious position. Noland had just established a good cooperative relationship with these witches and didnt want his efforts to go to waste. Especially Mabel. This wealthy witch had a soul contract with Noland. The Metallic Ancestor Dragon may possess extraordinary abilities in terms of soul contracts that are little known. If it realized something from the contract and became interested in Noland, a petty human being, that could mean trouble Noland decided to help out Mabel, Kalandi, and the others. If they refused to avoid the magic ship, Noland could only silently wish them safe travels. Along the way, he would terminate his soul contract with Mabel, to eliminate any future threats. Noland nodded subtly, deciding to discuss this with Mabel and the others once he and Denise had their teleportation sorted. We are here, The Deep-sea Wizard leading the way stopped and opened the door, inviting Noland and Denise into the room. Chapter 587 - Chapter 587: 189. Cheaters always win_2 Chapter 587: 189. Cheaters always win_2 After Noland Lee and Denise Green entered the room, the deep-sea wizard closed the door and stood guard outside. Selena, as the summoner of this emergency spaceship, had arranged a temporary study for herself on board to handle official business. When Noland Lee and Denise Green entered, Selena was just working on a report for tonights enforcement action. The appearance of this Nine-Circles Deep Sea Witch was quite unique. Her magic robe was made of water, wrapping her graceful figure like a water-blue silk gown. As she worked, ripples and wave-like patterns appeared on the surface of her robe. The Suman Archipelago was located near the equator of the planet below, where the weather was hot and the sunlight abundant. In such a strong light environment, there was no trace of it left on Selena. Her skin was as white as snow, smooth and delicate, matched with her water-blue liquid magic robe, adding to her elegance and nobility. Noland Lee Jarvis, Denise Green, Selena waved her hand, pausing her magic pen writing: Erica has introduced you to me. Ill be brief. I suggest you give up the pursuit of Moscats arrest warrant. Because the Dread Sail Pirate Nations stronghold is not an island; its not on the sea surface. To capture Moscat, you must first master deep-sea magic. Only in this way can you dive into the seabed, find the traces of the Dread Sail Pirate Nation in the lightless zone where the sunlight cant reach. Selena stared at Noland Lee with her pale blue eyes, speaking gently but undeniably: Dont waste your time, credit points, and gold coins on this arrest warrant. Giving it up is a wise choice. Of course, if you are determined to accept it, I will not stop you, but you need to purchase another teleportation quota. Youre lucky tonight; you can return to the Suman Archipelago with more than ten deep-sea wizards. This means that the cost of opening the Teleportation Gate will be shared. You only need to pay 80,000 gold coins to buy a teleportation quota. I have two here. For a fixed price of 160,000 gold coins, I will take you to the Suman Archipelago. Hmm Noland Lee thought for a moment. Selenas willingness to offer a discount on teleportation fees might not only be due to cost-sharing. Its probably because Erica mentioned it in the letter, which is why Selena offers the discount in the first place. Noland Lee doesnt think he has such an influence to make a Nine Circles Witch personally issue a coupon. As expected, Selenas next words confirmed Noland Lees guess. Seeing Noland Lees silence and contemplation, Selena thought he was still clinging to the arrest warrant and said: I have a good relationship with Erica, so I wanted to remind you. When the disc-shaped ship has been teleported away, I will send the passengers back to the magic ship and open the teleportation gate to leave with the deep-sea wizards. Take your time to consider it. Denise Green gently shook the arm she had wrapped around Noland Lee. She activated Soul Perception and tried to persuade Noland Lee to accept Selenas proposal. But if they accept the proposal, their plan to buy an island would have to be shelved. 160,000 gold coins would significantly reduce the funds to buy an island, making Noland Lee feel the pain. Fortunately, Noland Lee had a way to save the money and make Selena willingly waive Denise Greens ticket price. This had to do with something Noland Lee learned from the Fundamentals of Magic book. Noland Lee looked at Selena and said: Miss, I have the Omniscient extraordinary trait. Denise Green looked at Noland Lee skeptically, blinking her eyes. Selena was also visibly taken aback. She raised her eyebrows, expressing her surprise in the form of a question: Are you sure? Why didnt Erica tell me about this? Didnt she say your extraordinary trait is Magic Proficient? Noland Lee shrugged: After learning the Fundamentals of Magic on my own, I ran multiple private experiments based on the knowledge in the book and confirmed that I possess both Magic Proficient and Omniscient extraordinary traits. Magic Proficient meant being able to learn any magic book easily. Omniscient, on the other hand, was understanding the principles, structures, and workings of everything with ease. Both extraordinary traits belonged to Celestial Extraordinary Attributes. It was hard to compare the merits of the two because their uses were different. In game-like terms: Magic Proficient only worked on magic books, significantly lowering the learning requirements of all magic. Omniscient could obtain partial panel information of an item. Of course, the wizards of this world did not know about panel information. Those with Omniscient did not simply look at an item and instantly have panel information in their minds. They could only write down an unfamiliar items purpose, structure, principles, and other information by simply following their intuition. These pieces of information would not be as exaggerated as the results of Deconstruction. At least there was no way for someone with Omniscient to know something as exaggerated as the age or appearance of the writer of a piece of handwritten text; only Deconstruction could do that. In some ways, the Deconstruction Core System and Omniscient were very similar. The difference was that the Deconstruction Core System required Noland Lee to consume Energy Points, while Omniscient was an instinctive response with no additional costs. Chapter 588 - Chapter 588: 189. Cheaters always win_3 Chapter 588: 189. Cheaters always win_3 As long as Noland Lee always has sufficient Energy Points on hand, its as if he possesses Omniscient. As for what use Omniscient has. Heh heh, that usage is huge. Wizards have various magical means to detect crime scenes, which can easily find clues. But dont forget, wizard criminals, who are also wizards, will have anti-detection magic means, and even specifically target detection magic with sinister traps. At this time, the non-magical Omniscient comes into play. Since there is no energy fluctuation while launching and no casting features, Omniscient can find clues without anyone knowing or detecting it. This is far more convenient, safe, and reliable than using detection magic. According to statistics, in the Law Enforcement Wizard Credit Point Rankings, the top 10 enforcement wizards all have Omniscient. They are also members of the Scholars Association, a magic association that invented the well-known universal-class spell Appraisal Technique. It could be said that a wizard with Omniscient basically locks their place in the top 100 of the Law Enforcement Wizard Rankings. The premise is that he doesnt die suddenly. The leaderboard only allows living enforcement wizards to be listed. When Selena heard that Noland Lee claimed to have Omniscient, her first reaction was surprise, followed by scrutiny and caution. She wouldnt believe him if he only said it. She needs some proof. Selena reached into her liquid-formed magic pouch at her waist and took out a palm-sized metal box and placed it on the table. Open this box, tell me whats inside, and whats the use. Denise Green let go of Noland Lees arm. Noland Lee stepped forward to Selenas table and opened the metal box. A small black sea snail appeared in the box. Its surface is pitted with dark green stains and brown mud. The magic lamp in the room shone on the surface of the sea snail, reflecting a glimmer of water, as if it was just taken out of the water. With folded arms, Selena slowly said: Right now, on this ship, only I know the origin of this thing. Dont think about fooling me with fabricated content. Well, I think there is one more person who knows its origin now, and thats me. Noland Lee pointed to the black sea snail in the box, saying: This is the underwater communication conch from the Dread Sail Pirate Nation. Due to the high density of seawater, sound can travel hundreds of kilometers underwater. The Dread Sail Pirate Nation relies on it for long-distance communication. It has a fatal flaw; the sound it emits can be interfered with by other sounds in the sea. Even the slightest disturbance of water by fish can distort its sound. In response to this, Selena was unmoved and said lightly: Oh, anyone with a little understanding of deep-sea common sense can say something similar to you. If you want me to believe you have Omniscient, this information alone is not enough. May I borrow your pen and paper, maam? Noland eyed the ink pen on the pen holder. Hmm. Selena gave a soft grunt, agreeing to Noland Lees request. Noland Lee cast a Mages Hand to control the ink pen and quickly write characters on the blank paper, and also draw several simple sketches. The text content is about how to make the black sea snail emit sound. The user must blow air correctly and press the air holes on the surface of the sea snail according to specific fingerings. The simple sketches painted by Noland Lee were pictorial diagrams of how to blow the sea snail. Different scales and tones correspond to different fingerings and breath volumes. Noland Lee quickly wrote down the content on three pieces of paper, and at the same time, explained: This black sea snail can emit a total of 36 different sounds. I have listed the fingerings and breath volumes required to make these sounds, maam. I think this is enough to prove that I have Omniscient. Noland Lee put down the ink pen and gestured towards the documents on the table, inviting Selena to please check. Selena gazed at the documents on the table, lost in thought, and did not immediately respond. The method of testing extraordinary traits is like this. Various experiments must be carried out to determine which extraordinary trait someone has. This is an examination method based on phenomenon studies and experience. In this world, there is no method of putting a hand on the subject and having a colored light to prove the extraordinary traits. Otherwise, the Star Witches on the Star Filtering Net would have clarified the extraordinary traits of every fallen star pollutant. Selena picked up the black sea snail, summoned the magic servant in the room, and made it blow the sea snail. 36 sounds were perfectly presented. Though somewhat convinced, Selena still couldnt be entirely sure. Because there is an Extraordinary Trait called Omniscient in Music, allowing the possessor to immediately see how to use unfamiliar instruments. Perhaps Noland Lee just happened to have this Extraordinary Trait. To further test Nolands authenticity, Selena took out another metal box. There is something else in this box. It might be related to the secret hideout of the Dread Sail Pirate Nation. We have been trying to find the location of their secret hideout but have had no results. The thing in this box is the only clue. Selena opened the box. A strong smell of sea water wafted up and filled the study room. Inside the box was a greasy, pitch-black seaweed with earthworm-like ridges all over the surface. It looked rather disgusting. Can you tell me what this seaweed is and what its growth environment is like? Selena asked. Instead of answering hastily, Noland shook his head slightly and said: Lady, according to the pricing of the Scholars Association, asking them to appraise such a seaweed sample and gain intelligence on the secret hideout of the Dread Sail Pirate Nation would probably cost tens of thousands of gold coins. If I just tell you the answer, wouldnt that be a huge loss for me? Selena raised her eyebrow and put the arrest warrant on the table: I see what you mean. That was careless of me. Heres what I propose. Once you tell me the answer, I will immediately notify the Deep Sea Branch to have someone verify your answer. If your answer is wrong or made up, dont blame me for using the law and the lawful authority granted to me by the Academy. However, if your answer is correct, I will invite you to join the law enforcement operation against the entire Dread Sail Pirate Nation. Your companion witch can also be teleported to the Suman Archipelago for free. I will pay you an additional 30,000 gold coins as your action fund for investigating the whereabouts of the Dread Sail Pirate Nation. Moreover, I will issue you a Law Enforcement Wizard Co-defense Appointment Order for enforcement within the Suman Archipelago. Each month, you can use this appointment order to receive a 3,000 gold coin co-defense subsidy from the Deep Sea Branch. In the future, all you need to do is fulfill two tasks: periodically report your investigation progress and help the Deep Sea Branch appraise items related to the Dread Sail Pirate Nation, with appraisal fees calculated separately. You dont need to worry about me going back on my word. I will use a contract to clarify both our responsibilities and rights. As Selena was speaking, her Magic Pen wobbled at high speed and wrote a Magic Contract. Selena signed her name on the Magic Contract Book first. The contract flew in front of Noland. After inspecting it, he also wrote down his name. The contract split into two and turned into two white lights, entering Noland and Selenas bodies. Seeing Selena being so decisive, Noland skillfully controlled the ink pen and wrote down the origin and growth environment of the seaweed. This seaweed is called Drowning Grass. It grows in waters about 3,000 meters deep Comparing the Deconstruction Results in his mind, Noland wrote every detail he could on the paper. This information only included the name of the seaweed, its growth environment, and simple uses, without mentioning the fact that the seaweed only grows on an underwater island named Burdensome Isle. Noland pushed the written document in front of Selena. Selena summoned her Magic Messenger, a beautiful white sea shell. The sea shell took the document Noland had written and brought it to the Deep Sea Branch. Selena said: We will know the answer in at most 1 hour. Let us await the good news, madam. Noland replied with a calm, faint smile. With Deconstruction Technique in hand, Noland was almost certain of success and not at all worried about problems. Otherwise, he might as well write his name backward. Chapter 589 - Chapter 589: 190. Teleport anomaly Chapter 589: 190. Teleport anomaly After leaving Selenas study room, Noland Lee and Denise Green went back to their room. Denise had already become somewhat numb to Noland Lees sudden display of Omniscient ability. She couldnt remember how many times she had discovered extraordinary things about him. From the beginning of his Undead Magic, magic scroll crafting, handmade magic wand crafting, to psychic magic, soul-shaping magic, and so on, the series of changes since the two met had gradually made Denise get used to Noland Lees extraordinary abilities. Even if Noland Lee used Holy Rank Spells, Denise wouldnt feel it was too strange. Instead, she would feel a sense of relief as if he was expected to know that Magic Spell, just like a stone hanging in her heart has fallen. So when Denise returned to her room, she became calm and composed, putting away the money bag that Noland Lee handed over, and stayed in the room obediently and cleverly. Noland Lee went to look for Mabel and Kalandi after settling down the thoughtful companion witch on the middle deck of the other cabins. He thought they would both be stubborn and unwilling to leave through the Teleportation Gate in order to save gold coins. But the fact proved that Noland Lee had some misunderstandings. Without his persuasion, Mabel and Kalandi were already preparing to teleport away. When Noland Lee found Mabel, the wealthy lady was discussing with Paredes, the captain of the Enforcement Wizard team. The two sides quickly reached an agreement. Mabel paid 350,000 gold coins for seven teleportations to the Ulnas Circle. After opening the Teleportation Gate, Paredes took Mabel and her six students back to the Pure Light Court headquarters set up in the Capital Starlight City of Ulnas Circle. 350,000 gold coins! This number shocked Noland Lee, who was overwhelmed once again by Mabels extravagance. After they reached an agreement with Paredes, Noland Lee and Mabel had a brief chat, and only then did he learn why she decided to teleport away so decisively. My research task in Union City was rated at 60 points, right? But that score is only provisional at the moment. One of my research projects is to cultivate local people in Union City into wizards. I have to take Philia, Betty Davis, and the other four wizard students safely to Ulnas Circle to actually get a solid score of 60 points. Mabel touched her deflated money bag at her waist and sighed at Noland Lee with a slightly worried expression: Alas, I had to bleed a lot to keep this 60 points score. Fortunately, Hotams will give me some compensation money Compensation money? Noland Lee asked. Mabel showed the back of her ticket: Yeah, thats right. On the back of the two tickets I bought for you, there are a few small lines. It says, If an accident occurs, please negotiate compensation money with Hotams. You can use the tickets to ask Hotams for compensation money. The amount is uncertain, it depends on your eloquence. But at least the fare will be refunded. With Mabels reminder, Noland Lee remembered that matter. Seeing Hotams and the Metal Branchs reputation, the passengers were willing to pay for the tickets and enjoy the amenities on the magic ship. Now, after the magic ships accident, Hotams must appease the passengers and spend a lot of money to handle the situation properly. For those wizards who run shops on the magic ship for a long time, their compensation will be much higher than that of the passengers. Noland Lee found out this when he found Kalandi. Kalandi was also preparing to teleport away. Unlike Mabel, Kalandis teleportation fee is fully reimbursed by Hotams. Not only that, after she arrives at the Hotams headquarters in Starlight City, she will enjoy the treatment of being personally received by the Dean of the Nature Branch along with a long list of discussions related to compensation. The device I use to purify potions and concentrate liquids couldnt be taken off the magic ship. When the accident happened, that set of devices was working. In the same situation was the automatic dilution concentrated liquid device, the ecological cultivation tank for cultivating magic herbs on the ship, the magic freezer for sealing magic elixirs Kalandi had her reading glasses perched on her nose and held a notebook and pen in her hand. While complaining, she recounted her losses to Noland Lee, and took out the items she was carrying in her magic pouch to check them one by one, making sure nothing was left on the magic ship. The whole room was filled with various bottles and jars, leaving no room for her feet. She complained that she had lost at least 620,000 gold coins worth of magic potions, elixirs, equipment, and magic materials in the incident. Noland Lee stood at her door, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly, hearing another number in the hundreds of thousands of gold coins. Considering there were eight shops on the magic ship in total, the total compensation might exceed 5 million gold coins. Take this, Jarvis, as my gift to repay you for protecting me. Kalandi picked up a potion bottle from the table and stuffed it into Noland Lees hand. This potion bottle was made of special magic glass, which was both hard and flexible, providing excellent protection for the contents inside. When he examined it more closely, Noland Lee saw a small light green sphere moving slowly in the bottle behind the flawless glass. Like a guardian spirit protecting the little tree inside the bottle, the one-centimeter-diameter sphere fluttered and danced around it. Chapter 590 - Chapter 590: 190. Teleport anomaly_2 Chapter 590: 190. Teleport anomaly_2 Surprise and memory flashed in Noland Lees eyes. He suddenly thought of the half-meter-high small tree placed in Ericas office. The tree in his hand, the size of a little finger, could be said to be exactly the same as that one, with the former being an enlarged version of the latter. So, what are these two trees called? Kalandi gave the answer. This is a 1-year Longevity Elixir, Kalandi said. Longevity Elixir? Noland raised an eyebrow, So this is the Longevity Elixir~ Yes, thats right. Kalandi pushed up her glasses on the bridge of her nose: Take it directly, and you can extend your lifespan by one month. You can also save it for later use. How to deal with it is up to you. If you want to wait for its years to grow a little more before taking it, I happen to have some magic materials for cultivating Longevity Elixirs. The price of these magic materials is calculated based on the cultivation cycle. To cultivate a Longevity Elixir for one year, it costs 100,000 gold coins to purchase magic materials. Before I teleport away, you can come to me at any time to purchase magic materials, and Ill give you a small discount. 100,000 gold coins for one year of cultivation Noland quickly calculated. The conversion rate of the Longevity Elixirs year to potency is 12:1, meaning that for every increase of 1 year, the users lifespan can be extended by 1 month. It is equivalent to using 100,000 gold coins to purchase one month of lifespan. Transparent pricing, honest to all ages. No wonder the magic textbook says that many natural system wizard forces have made their fortunes from magical elixirs such as Longevity Elixirs. The other magical elixirs also have better effects as their years grow longer. For now, Noland doesnt need to worry about his own lifespan, as that is something for elderly wizards to consider. Ill just take this elixir directly, maam, Noland put the elixir into his bag. Kalandi was not surprised. She glanced at the room floor full of glass bottles, picked up a potion and handed it to Noland: This is for Denise Green, a potion that can moisturize dry skin, suitable for both oral and external use. Thank you. Noland smiled at her, chatting with her for a while about magical elixirs, before leaving with the gifts. Because of Rebirth Magic Power, Denise didnt have to worry about her lifespan. Naturally, Noland had control of the Longevity Elixir he had just received. According to Kalandi, the public sale price of a 1-year Longevity Elixir is 10,000 gold coins. However, the cost of cultivating a Longevity Elixir reaches 100,000 gold coins per year. Can there be a loophole in this? For instance, by repeatedly taking a 1-year Longevity Elixir, to continuously extend ones lifespan by one month. The answer is no. For the same type and same year of Magical Elixir, it only takes effect the first time it is taken. After taking a 1-year Longevity Elixir, one must take a Longevity Elixir longer than 1-year to extend their lifespan again. The extended lifespan will still be converted based on 1 year = 1 month. After returning to his room, Noland gave the skin-moisturizing potion to Denise, while he himself sat in a chair and took the Longevity Elixir. Peeling off the stopper, holding the bottle upright, and aiming the opening at his mouth. The green light ball and the small tree inside the bottle were inhaled into Nolands mouth like fumes. A cool and refreshing feeling spread from the esophagus throughout the whole body. When his mind became icy, Noland received a system message. [You have consumed Longevity Elixir (1 year)]. [Your lifespan has been extended by 1 month, now it is 21/83.08]. 1 divided by 12 is approximately 0.0833. This little bottle of elixir has visibly increased the upper limit of his lifespan by just a little bit. Noland chuckled, then suddenly discovered that the system message in his mind hadnt ended. [You have dealt fatal damage to the Longevity Elixir (1 year)]. [Passive Deconstruction Activated!] [You have obtained the targets Panel Information.] [You have obtained a reward of 10,000 Energy Points.] Noland was slightly taken aback but immediately understood after a pat on his head. Eating and drinking-related actions do indeed trigger Passive Deconstruction. Its just that the energy point reward from eating and drinking had always been too small for Noland to notice. Now, drinking a 1-year Longevity Elixir has given him a full 10,000 Energy Points. This just happens to supplement Nolands energy point reserve, which could be considered an unexpected joy. This event brought an inspiration to Noland. With the Strong Metal Fusion Meditation Method at his disposal, he can control his energy points below the upper limit. So how to deal with emergencies that require a large amount of energy? Of course, it is to store as many magic potions and elixirs as possible that can provide energy. Carrying some easily crushed or shattered magical items on his person could also have the same effect. When energy points are needed, take the potions or destroy the magical items on the spot, and large amounts of energy can be obtained through passive deconstruction. I really am a genius Noland shook his head with an empty glass bottle in his hand, sighing. Denise sat at the bedside, thinking Noland was reminiscing about the taste of the Longevity Elixir, and curiously asked, Does it taste good? What flavor is it? Noland came back to reality, chuckled, and said, It felt like drinking ice water, quite comfortable. But after drinking it, I dont feel any different, and Im not sure if my lifespan has been extended The two chatted in the room. One hour had just passed since Nolands meeting with Selena, and their door was knocked on. Chapter 591 - Chapter 591: 190. Teleport anomaly_3 Chapter 591: 190. Teleport anomaly_3 Noland Lee opened the door and saw the Deep-sea Wizard who had previously led him and Denise Green to find Selena, had come again. After talking to the visitor for a moment, Noland Lee followed him to Selenas study room. About 10 minutes later, Noland Lee returned to his room with a thick and sturdy metal box. There was no doubt about the investigation results of the Deep Sea Branch. Deep-sea Wizards discovered the traces of drowning grasses in the location Noland Lee described, confirming the truth of his words. He indeed possessed the extraordinary trait of Omniscient. In that case, Selena would fulfill her responsibility according to the agreement. One item in the box was an arrest warrant. Selena adjusted the term of the warrant, extending it from the original two years to the current five years. Three Ulnas gold coins, each worth 10,000, were the second item in the box. Noland Lee received them as an investigation subsidy, which he could use at his discretion. Of course, it was necessary to specify the sources and uses of the funds in the investigation report afterwards. The third item in the box was the Law Enforcement Wizard Co-defense Appointment Order. With Noland Lees signature, he had obtained the power to enforce the law freely within the scope of the Suman Archipelago. Without signing this appointment order, Enforcement Wizards would have to report to the Deep Sea Branch before executing the law. Noland Lee eliminated the reporting process. The fourth item in the box was two teleportation crystals. Once the teleportation gate was opened, anyone possessing a teleportation crystal would be sucked into the gate. The teleportation crystals were the necessary tickets for teleportation. Noland Lee threw out a Deconstruction Technique for a glance. Both teleportation crystals required 80,000 points of energy to deconstruct. The System classified them as Plane Magic creations. Both of their destinations pointed to the Deep Sea Branch of the Suman Archipelago. Alright, Denise, everything is sorted. Noland Lee sat in a chair, and let out a long sigh: Next, we just need to patiently wait. After the disc-shaped ship has been teleported, Selena will return to the magic ship on the emergency spaceship. Once she settles the passengers, we can follow her and teleport away. This journey has been exciting and without danger. The biggest gain is that we saved the teleportation fee, saved 160,000 gold coins, and got a subsidy of 30,000 gold coins Denise, holding an account book, happily transferred the 30,000 gold coins into the money bags, looking like a little miser. Buzz Noland Lee was about to meditate for a while, resting, when a clear rumbling sound came from outside the ship. Noland Lee thought it was the Metal Ancestor Dragons doing. He went to the corridor with Denise Green to take a look, and found that it was the teleportation array for sending the disc-shaped ship that was being set up. Denise Green, uninterested in the scene of teleportation, turned back into the room to try Kalandis elixirs. Noland Lee stood in the corridor, gazing at the distant scene. A circular array was suspended directly beneath the disc-shaped ship. Its diameter exceeded 2,000 meters, enough to encompass the entire disc-shaped ship. Below the circular teleportation array was the black sea surface and the magic ship. The teleportation array was made up of magic metal with excellent energy conduction efficiency. The Combat Wizards building it floated in the air, fixing the array with magic, keeping it stable. As the Minister of the Department of Magic in the Wizard Delegation gave an order, all the Combat Wizards began to pour mana into the teleportation array. Various colored magic light columns shot into the teleportation array. In the center of the circular array, white light emerged. When the light within the teleportation array reached its peak brightness, a vortex-shaped white teleportation gate would open in the center of the array. This was the knowledge Noland Lee obtained from the Fundamentals of Magic. Before the emergence of the white vortex, Combat Wizards must spare no effort to output mana, without the slightest slack. If the process of opening the teleportation gate is interrupted, the consequences would be unimaginable. Lightly, the teleportation gate would fail to open, and all the previously output mana would be wasted; severely, the teleportation array could explode, causing a wide range of magical backlash. Combat Wizards thought there were no enemies left on the scene, as did the Wizard Delegation. Only Noland Lee knew that right beneath the teleportation array hid the will of the Metal Ancestor Dragon. If the Metal Ancestor Dragon intended to do something, now would be the best time to do it. Noland Lee had considered reporting the abnormality of the magic ship to Selena. With Omniscient at his side, he could easily attribute his discovery of the abnormality to this extraordinary feature. But the troublesome part was verifying the abnormality of the magic ship itself. The tricky Metallic Ancestor Dragon might hide when wizards dig deeper into the investigation of the magic ship, entering a dormant state. No matter the result of the investigation, the Enforcement Wizards would become more vigilant; correspondingly, this action would alert the Metallic Ancestor Dragon and draw its attention to Noland Lee. From a stability point of view, Noland Lee decided to suppress the idea of reporting to Selena, even though doing so would bury a huge hidden danger in this world. He couldnt help it; at this time, Noland Lees strength was insufficient to withstand the consequences of being watched by the Metal Ancestor Dragon. The hustle and bustle began to rise on the deck of the emergency spaceship. Passengers noticed the white teleportation light in the sky, ran to the open deck, gazed in the direction of the teleportation array, and immersed themselves in the magnificent magic spectacle. Noland Lee leaned against the railing, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, using the Deconstruction Technique to monitor the magic ships movements at all times. Chapter 592 - Chapter 592: 190. Teleport anomaly_4 Chapter 592: 190. Teleport anomaly_4 [Estimated consumption of 28,330,000 energy points, making the degree of deconstruction reach 100%] [Estimated consumption of 28,350,000 points] [Estimated consumption of 28,450,000 points] [Estimated consumption of 28,550,000 points] This What is the Metal Ancestor Dragon doing? Why did the deconstruction consumption suddenly increase to 100,000 points per second? Noland Lees heart involuntarily accelerated. Time passed by seconds and minutes, and although there was a white light flickering in the teleportation array, the energy reaction intensity still had a long distance to go before the appearance of the white vortex teleportation gate. This is very abnormal. The teleportation array should quickly open the teleportation gate. Did the combat wizards in charge of opening the door slack off? No, it wasnt that. Noland Lee used the Deconstruction Technique to check, and several combat wizards who outputted mana had a negative effect called Insufficient Mana. At most, after another 3 minutes, there would be a wizard who has to stop outputting mana because of mana exhaustion. Clearly, there was a problem with the teleportation array. Passengers on the emergency spaceship began discussing. Most of them guessed that the Blackfold Sea was to blame. Who can guarantee that there isnt some bizarre and unique extraordinary trait hidden in this sea area? If the teleportation gate cannot be opened, will the teleportation array explode? I am most worried about the magic ship being affected. If the disc-shaped ship falls from the sky and smashes the magic ship, what will we do? I will never travel far in the future After I receive Hotams compensation, I will find a place to live peacefully Noland Lee listened to the passengers discussions and focused on the magic ship. After consuming some energy points to refresh the panel information of the magic ship, a few lines of system characters caught Noland Lees attention. [Status name] Forced Fusion [Forced Fusion progress] 90% It is estimated that in 72 minutes, Tarsalis will and bloodline power will forcibly fuse with the magic ship. Previously, the forced fusion process took more than 11 hours, but now it could be completed in just over an hour. All of this happened during the time the combat wizards outputted mana. The mana outputted by the combat wizards must have been absorbed by the Metal Ancestor Dragon. Noland Lee was very confused. How come absorbing so much mana from the Metal Ancestor Dragon did not arouse any suspicion from the combat wizards? What about that delegation of Nine Rings and Ten Rings wizards? Why did they have no reaction at all? Noland Lee couldnt figure it out. Buzzing A significantly louder vibration sound echoed in all directions. Just when the combat wizards were on the verge of mana exhaustion, a bright light shone in the teleportation array, and the teleportation gate was opened. Under the surveillance of the wizard delegation, the disc-shaped ship slowly descended and gradually entered the white vortex teleportation gate. When its silhouette disappeared into the teleportation gate, the combat wizards closed the gate and began dismantling the magic metal framework of the teleportation array. Noland Lees eyes narrowed. He seemed to know how the Metal Ancestor Dragon did all of this. The problem might be with the magic metal framework of the teleportation array; such metal creations were the exact type of objects the Metal Ancestor Dragon could freely control. Noland Lee took out his telescope and carefully observed the teleportation array. After dozens of deconstruction techniques were thrown out, Noland Lee discovered something unusual on a very thin, small magic metal bar. [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction Technique on Abnormal Magic Metal Bar.] [Estimated consumption of 6,000 energy points, making the degree of deconstruction reach 100%] [Warning!] [The system detects that deconstructing this target will cause negative effects on you.] [It is recommended to use Harmless Deconstruction to deconstruct this target.] A magic metal bar that needs harmless deconstruction Noland Lee squinted and searched in the telescopes view. Due to the long distance, and the various sizes of the magic metal framework parts, Noland Lee searched his best and only found more than thirty abnormal framework parts. These framework parts were all of the same type and size, all magic metal bars. The deconstruction consumption was completely consistent. If Noland Lee wanted to deconstruct them, he would have to hurry, as it wouldnt take long for the combat wizards to collect these magic metal bars into their magic pouches. Chapter 593 - Chapter 593: 191. Fortune and misfortune coexist Chapter 593: 191. Fortune and misfortune coexist [System Message:] [You have consumed 6,000 points of Energy and have initiated Harmless Deconstruction on the Abnormal Magic Metal Bar.] [Deconstruction Success!] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [Deconstruction Result 1: A small portion of the targets panel information:] [Name] No. 15 Lock-chain Transmission Array Frame Component [Type] Metal Magic Creation, Plane Transmission Artifact [Item Level] Unknown [Feature] Magic Theft: This Magic Metal Bar, made of Metal Magic, is a directional mana conduction chain link, and it is part of the entire mana conduction system. Inside it, there is something that should not exist: Magical Runes: Magic Theft. Through this magical rune, the Metal Ancestor Dragon Talsale stole the mana from the Teleportation Array. Because Talsales mastery of magic was too high, none of the people at the scene could detect any problems with the direction of mana conduction in the Array. [Deconstruction Result 2: Fragmentary Spell Blueprint: Magic Theft with 1% completeness. Continuing to deconstruct Abnormal Magic Metal Bars can improve the completeness of this blueprint.] Noland Lee read the deconstruction results, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes. The Metal Ancestor Dragon truly deserved to be an ancient giant dragon that had lived for more than 3,000 years; it had actually mastered the Magic Theft, a powerful spell that had long been lost. In both books, Fundamentals of Magic and Wizard Sage, there appeared a common wizard force: the notorious Magic Thief Society. Ordinary wizards obtain the mana they need through meditation. On the other hand, the people of the Magic Thief Society do not meditate themselves and specialize in stealing mana from others. Their signature skill is the Magic Theft spell. The fact that the Metal Ancestor Dragon used Magic Theft to aid its fusion with the Magic Ship is truly daring and unconventional thinking. The Magic Thief Society was hunted down and exterminated by wizards more than a thousand years ago. The Magic Theft spell they had mastered also vanished in the course of history. Now that the Magic Theft has reemerged, Noland Lee was fortunate enough to become the only witness on the scene. In any case, he did not want to miss out on Magic Theft. When he had the chance, Noland planned to actively search for historical materials on the Magic Thief Society to see how these pioneers of magic theft played with Magic Theft. Noland reached into his Magic Pouch and pinched a gold coin in his hand. If drinking the Longevity Elixir can trigger passive deconstruction, then fusing gold coins using the Strong Metal Fusion Meditation Method should also trigger passive deconstruction. Noland gripped the gold coin in his hand, called up the Meditation Method list in his mind, and activated the Strong Metal Fusion Meditation Method. [System Message:] [You are about to forcibly fuse a Coin with a denomination of 1 gold coin.] [The mass of this gold coin is 2 grams, its item level is 10, and the provided Meditation Method experience is 20 points.] [You need to consume 250 points of Energy to fuse it.] [Do you confirm the fusion?] Noland silently recited: Confirm. A faint warmth emerged in his palm, and the gold coin in his hand melted like snow. Noland felt a slight burning sensation in his palm, and then he received a system message. [Forced Fusion Success!] [Strong Metal Fusion Meditation Method Experience +20, now at Level 0, 20/1,000.] [You have inflicted fatal damage on the Coin with a denomination of 1.] [Passive Deconstruction Activated!] [You have obtained the following deconstruction results:] [1. Targets panel information.] [2. 100,000 points of Energy Value Reward.] Yes, it worked. It can indeed trigger passive deconstruction! Noland cheered inwardly. This was just the first piece of good news! Another piece of good news was that Noland could also passively deconstruct the seven types of gold coins with denominations of 2, 10, 20, 50, 100, 1,000, and 10,000 in the same way! This was equivalent to carrying nearly a million points of Energy with him! Noland suppressed his excitement. He couldnt wait any longer to check the formulas and production techniques of the gold coins and hurriedly launched the Deconstruction Technique at the Magic Metal Bar, about to be stored in the Magic Pouch. After expending 54,000 Energy Points in one breath, Noland finally got what he wanted. [You have obtained all the panel information of the Abnormal Magic Metal Bar.] [You have obtained the Fragmentary Spell Blueprint: Magic Theft with 10% completeness.] [You cannot improve the completeness of this rune in any way.] Noland threw the just-acquired blueprint into the Deconstruction and reviewed its panel information. Not bad, it was indeed a treasure for stealing mana, just as described in the books. The completeness of this blueprint was 10%. Noland checked where the defects were. The magic patterns he drew only had 20% of the effectiveness under normal circumstances. Whereas others could steal 100 points of mana, he could only steal 20 points. However! The System would never let him down. Although his stealing efficiency was indeed low, his traces would never be discovered. The System clearly marked this on the panel information: Since this magic was obtained through Harmless Deconstruction, the System has removed all negative factors such as the external appearance of the rune, the energy fluctuations of the rune, the animation effect of casting the rune, and the backlash effect of the mana stolen. Noland had not yet tested the effect of this magic pattern, but he was certain that the magic pattern he drew would be entirely transparent and would not have any magic light or energy fluctuations. Chapter 594 - Chapter 594: 191. Fortune and misfortune depend on each other _2 Chapter 594: 191. Fortune and misfortune depend on each other _2 Excellent concealment! Moreover, there is no need to worry about the backlash of magic from different masters! Noland Lee secretly rejoiced. The only thing to be aware of is that if the magic source is of a certain level, the magic pattern must be at that level. If Noland wanted to steal level 100 magic, he had to level up the Magic Theft to level 100. Upgrading can be solved with Energy Points, Noland was in no hurry. As for how to maximize the use of Magic Theft, Noland could not figure it out for a while. This thing is powerful and dangerous, and it has always been on the list of forbidden magic by the Wizard Enforcement Department. Nolands Magic patterns have good concealment, but that doesnt mean they wont be discovered. He needs to be careful. Jarvis. Comis voice came from the side. Noland looked sideways. This Silent Witch had just finished dealing with official business and came out of the cabin. Have you talked to Selena? Comini walked over and asked. I have. Noland took out the teleportation crystal and shook it: I took the arrest warrant. Selena gave me two teleportation crystals. In a while, Denise and I will teleport away with her. Comini glanced at the teleportation crystal in Nolands hand and slowly nodded: Not bad, it seems that things are going more smoothly than I imagined. You get ready, pack your luggage. In an hour or so, well be teleporting away. Im taking the Dread Demon who attacked you to Starlight City, just going to the headquarters of the Pure Light Court with the Light wizards. Noland cast Deconstruction and looked at the Magic Ship. About 63 minutes later, the magic ship will be fused by the Metal Ancestor Dragon. The difference of only 3 minutes made Noland Lee a little worried. By the way, Comini, can that magic ship still be operated? Did the power array get damaged when it fell from the sky? Noland asked. Dont worry about that. Comini shook her hand: Captain Paredes has already arranged it. He will stay behind with several Light Wizards to guard the magic ship. When daybreak comes, a fleet will come and tow the magic ship to Baldurs Gate. Comini faced the sea surface and sighed: Berkeleys magic ship will probably be disassembled into magic parts and sold to the Merchant Alliance of Baldurs Gate in exchange for gold coins to pay for Compensation. Its such a pity for this magic ship, a Metal Wizard wont be able to make such a behemoth without forty or fifty years of effort. The magic ship will be disassembled into parts Noland muttered, his expression somewhat strange If the Metal Ancestor Dragon that had fused with the magic ship knew that its newly acquired body would be disassembled into parts, it would probably have some thoughts Come to think of it, this situation seemed quite terrifying. Magic ships are made of magic metal. After magic metal is reforged, it can be used again to create new magic metal objects. This means that the body of the Metal Ancestor Dragon is broken down, suddenly having many avatars. These avatars can also fuse with other metal objects. In this way, the cycle continues More and more magic metal objects will be imbued with the will and bloodline of the Metal Ancestor Dragon. Metal Series Wizards cannot escape this fate either. Noland could not help but shrink his pupils and suddenly realized the cunning intentions of the Metal Ancestor Dragon. The Metal Ancestor Dragon spreads its bloodline like a virus. It will lie dormant until all the magic metal in the world is infected. At that moment, it will use the suppression of bloodline power to rule all metals in the wizarding world. Such a future is too pessimistic Nolands brows gradually tightened, squeezing out obvious wrinkles. Whats wrong? Are you worried about the arrest warrant youve taken? Comini glanced at Nolands body and asked. Ohoh, yes. Nolands eyes refocused, nodding in response. What is the background of the wizard criminals on the arrest warrant? Comini asked. Noland took out the arrest warrant and passed it to her, discussing the matter of Moscat with Comini. As the two spoke, the emergency spaceship started and quickly headed towards the magic ship. The combat wizards in the sky above the magic ship withdrew their teleportation array and teleported away with the wizard delegation. A distance away from the emergency spaceship, there were no traces of combat wizards in the sky above the magic ship. Only the tattered magic ship and the emergency spaceship were left floating on the nearby sea surface. Another half an hour passed, and the emergency spaceship successfully docked with the magic ship. Passengers were taken to the magic ship by Selenas magic servant. Noland and the Enforcement Wizards all left the emergency spaceship and flew to the upper deck of the magic ship. The moment they landed on the metal floor, Nolands heart was apprehensive. He was afraid that the floor under his feet would suddenly turn into the stomach of a giant dragon, swallowing everyone in one pot. Thankfully, he overthought it and the magic ship did not react. It was the howling sea breeze that was a bit eerie. The magic ship was full of holes, and when the sea breeze blew, it made a Woo Woo sound, long and desolate. I think this experience is unforgettable for me Me too We actually encountered aliens from outer space and their star fleet The alien star fleet really couldnt withstand a single blow Before leaving, the Enforcement Wizards gathered together and whispered in secret, waiting for the teleportation gate to open. Hey, look, there are many gold coins there. One Enforcement Wizard pointed to the ruins nearby. Chapter 595 - Chapter 595: 191. Blessings Depend on Misfortune_3 Chapter 595: 191. Blessings Depend on Misfortune_3 In the direction he pointed, many small golden dots were scattered among the ruins, which were various denominations of gold coins. The poor passenger who accidentally spilled gold coins there Never mind those coins. The passengers are settled in the Temporary Camp, and theyre naturally going to search the ruins. Just leave the coins to them. The enforcement wizards dismissed the idea of picking up the gold coins in a few words. A bold idea suddenly popped into Nolands mind. He had already discovered through Deconstruction that the will and bloodline of the Metal Ancestor Dragon were also present on the gold coins scattered among the ruins. So the question was, what would happen if he used the Strong Metal Fusion meditation technique to fuse these gold coins? Would he be contaminated by the will of the Metal Ancestor Dragon, or would other situations arise? The more this idea emerged in Nolands mind, the less restrainable it became. Indeed, taking risks seemed to be human nature. Of course, Noland was a man who preferred stability and would not rush to take risks blindly. He had a more rational and secure plan. System, consume 10,000 Energy Points to initiate Harmless Deconstruction, and refresh the panel information of the exceptional gold coin for me. Noland muttered to himself and then triggered Deconstruction. Having already obtained the standardized panel information of a 1 Gold Coin, he only needed to consume 10,000 Energy Points to get the personalized panel information of an exceptional 1 Gold Coin. As a fleeting feeling of disorientation passed, Noland got an answer that left him breathless: [System Message:] [The panel information of the target has been updated.] [The Use column has changed, as follows:] [Use] 1. Currency: Omitted. 2. Meditation (Changed) This gold coin carries the will and bloodline of the Metal Ancestor Dragon. Since your Strong Metal Fusion meditation method has had all of its effects removed by the system, you will not be subject to any negative influences when using this gold coin for practice. The will and bloodline of the Metal Ancestor Dragons will be wiped off the coin by the system during the practice of the meditation method. At the same time, the meditation experience you gain will be increased by an extra 100%. Worlds! The system can erase the will and bloodline of Metal Ancestor Dragon on the exceptional coin! Moreover, practicing the Strong Metal Fusion meditation technique with an exceptional coin can yield double the meditation experience! Wow ~ I really want to pick up all those gold coins It would be even better if they could spill my gold coins on the ground and let the Metal Ancestor Dragons contaminate them Nolands body slightly trembled, struggling to control his surging emotions. Whats wrong? Denise Green blinked in confusion, looking at Noland whose expression seemed a bit contorted Noland forced himself to calm down, took a deep breath, and forced a smile: Nothing Im just excited that well be reaching the Suman Archipelago so soon Is that so? Denise Green tilted her head slightly. As a Companion Witch, her intuition told her that it wasnt that simple. Noland avoided Denises gaze and looked at the gold coins in the ruins, filled with emotion. What a mixed blessing indeed. If he teleported off the magic ship, he could certainly avoid the Metal Ancestor Dragon but would miss out on the chance to double his meditation technique experience. As long as he could reasonably balance his energy points and gold coins, Noland was confident that he could raise the Strong Metal Fusion meditation method to level 30 or even level 50 on this ship. But he would have met the threats from the Metal Ancestor Dragons, and if unprepared, it could lead to conflicts that are difficult to handle. Now, to control the risk and avoid potential threats, Noland must miss the opportunity to fast-track the practice of the Strong Metal Fusion meditation method. Was it worth it? Noland thought about it. It was worth it. The system he was given wasnt designed to make him resurrect from the dead. Staying here would be a matter of life and death, and Denise Green could also be involved in danger. From a safety-first perspective, theres no problem with teleporting away from the magic ship. As for the double experience of the Strong Metal Fusion meditation method Noland believed that as long as the Metal Ancestor Dragon worked hard enough and distributed its offspring further away, he could still enjoy the double meditation experience take advantage on Suman Archipelago. So, there was nothing to regret. Noland lifted his arm, wrapped it around Denises waist, and smiled at his side: Get ready to go. Um This was the first time Denise Green was actively embraced by Noland. Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she was too shy to speak. After settling the passengers, Nine-Circles Sea Witch Selina Watson came to the front of the law enforcement wizard team, shot a water pillar into the skys light blue star, and opened a teleportation gate to the Deep Sea Branch. Paredes did the same, but he opened a teleportation gate to the Pure Light Court. Noland and Denise Green waved goodbye to Mabel, Philia, Betty Davis, Kalandi, and Comini behind Paredes. After this, their figures were wrapped in the bluish glow coming from the teleportation crystal, turned into the same color of magic fluid light, and flew into the sea vortex portal in the sky. Stream of light after stream of light entered the portal, bringing silence to the deck very soon. Except for Paredes and other Light Wizards who remained to guard the magic ship, all other law enforcement wizards left. After a while, passengers who had made camp started treasure hunting among the ruins. Everything they discovered would belong to them. Just as the passengers were making a noise about finding gold coins in the ruins, the magic ship mysteriously moved forward three meters. Its instantaneous speed exceeded the mist threshold of this sea area! Gurgle~ A large piece of seawater was pushed open by the magic ship, forming a huge wave. Almost at the same time as the magic ships abnormality, the lost sea fog of this sea area was triggered. The peculiar grey mist instantly enveloped the sea surface, swallowing the magic ship and everyone on it. Chapter 596 - Chapter 596: 192. New Chapter Chapter 596: 192. New Chapter After being enveloped by the teleportation light, Noland Lee saw an array of dazzling sights before him. He saw a starry sky made of water. The celestial bodies, which should have been suspended in a vacuum, were now immersed in a light blue liquid where every surface of the celestial bodies had fine bubbles and swirling whirlpools. The celestial bodies slowly undulated and swayed within the light blue liquid. Noland Lee, like a meteor, grazed past them and dove into the white opening not far ahead. The dazzling sights vanished, replaced by the archipelago and the sea surface. Noland Lee fell at great speed toward the island in the center of the archipelago, aiming to dive down toward the castle building on the island. The moment Noland Lee steps foot into the castle plaza, the teleportation ends and he regains control of his body. The entire teleportation process was done by the Teleportation Crystal, and it lasted for only about five seconds from Noland Lees subjective experience. As a consumable item, the Teleportation Crystal turned into transparent sand and gravel and disappeared with the wind after transporting the holder to the ground. Noland Lee felt the sensation of sand and gravel slipping through his fingers and then murmured as he looked up at the night sky: There is really no time difference Denise Green, who had just put down her veil that had been blown up by the evening breeze, asked with puzzlement: What? No, its nothing. Noland Lee shook his head slightly and retreated his gaze from the stars under the bright moonlight. He found it difficult to explain the concept of time zones and time differences to the locals of this world. Because, this world didnt have the concept of time zones. The starting point of Noland Lees teleportation journey was on the Blackfold Sea, between Alchemist Island and the Kashel Continent. His current position was in the Core Circle of the Suman Archipelago, approximately 9,000 kilometers east of the Blackfold Sea near the equator. Although there was such a long distance between the two locations, no time difference emerged. It was late at night on the Blackfold Sea, and it was the same here in the Suman Archipelago. Not only that, but there was no time difference phenomenon anywhere in the whole world. The time in all places was completely synchronized and would not change because of geographical relationshowever, magic or other extraordinary factors often affected the speed of time in certain places, thereby causing time differences. Therefore, in the eyes of all the people in this world, the concept of time zones didnt even exist. Denise Greens situation was the same. It was the same for Nine-Circles Deep Sea Witch Selina Watson. In the whole world, it was estimated that only a foreigner like Noland Lee might think of time zones. Oh, no, a few other creatures might also consider the issue of time zones. That would be creatures from outer space, indigenous Star Witches in the world, and wizards with the closest relationship to the Star Witches. These creatures that have come into contact with celestial bodies of outer space should have understood the concept of time difference. After all, not every celestial being in outer space has an Inner Cosmos like the world of wizards. In the final analysis, the absence of time differences across the entire world was caused by the Inner Cosmos. Whether it was day or night was determined by the Star Filtering Net that made up the Inner Cosmos. Noland Lee steadied his mind and scattered his stray thoughts. Looking around, he took in the magnificent castle that stood on the mountain range. His position was at the Fountain Square, just outside the main entrance of the main castle of the Hotams Deep Sea Department, located in the Depes Mountain Range on the main island of the Suman Archipelagos Core Circle. Since it was built on a mountain range, the main castle of the Deep Sea Department had a relatively high altitude, which Noland Lee estimated to be around 800 meters. Standing at his position and looking out in all directions, he could see many black silhouettes on the sea surface illuminated by the silver moonlight. Some silhouettes looked like burnt pancakes, while others looked like black chimneys rising up from the sea surface. Some silhouettes resembled travelers lying on their side, stretching their bodies on the soft water bed, leaving narrow, long shadows on the sea surface with undulating postures. These silhouettes with different shapes were islands of the Suman Archipelago. The island beneath him, with its mountain ranges, was not unique among the islands of the Suman Archipelago. The Suman Archipelago was located near the equator with hot and humid weather, high temperatures and abundant rain throughout the year, yet it had three equatorial snow mountains. This natural marvel made the Suman Archipelago famous throughout the world and became an existence recorded in magic textbooks. Jarvis, Denise, go to the Visitors Area inside the Academy to rest for now. Ill have someone take you there. Selena finished checking the number of people teleported to this location and, after confirming that no one was left behind, began to arrange for the follow-up affairs. She assigned a Deep-sea Wizard to guide Noland Lee and Denise Green and then led the rest of her team members toward the main castle. More than half of the 300 or so islands in the Core Circle of the Suman Archipelago were controlled by the Deep Sea Branch, with the rest being controlled by the other branches of Hotams. The Deep Sea Branch had set aside more than 20 islands controlled by them as Visitors Areas for temporary stay by visitors. After signing the Appointment Order, Noland Lee could stay regularly in the Visitors Area as long as he did not violate the regulations of the Deep Sea Branch and paid the rent periodically. Rent was paid annually, ranging from 100,000 to 500,000 gold coins per year. Temporary stays were free, but they could not exceed 15 days. Wouldnt it be a bit unseemly for the visitors to pay rent? Looking through the courtesy of the past, it indeed seemed a bit improper. However, people from outside the Core Circle of the Suman Archipelago would be more than willing to pay triple the rent to live there. Since it was the Core Circle, all its basic services were top-notch within the Suman Archipelago. Chapter 597 - Chapter 597: 192. New Chapter_2 Chapter 597: 192. New Chapter_2 Unlimited use of pure water, constantly maintained at a comfortable temperature for both indoors and outdoors, and a sea surface where you can swim without worrying about encountering sea monsters. The seawater here is pure, the food ingredients are abundant, and the living supplies are sufficient. Keep in mind that in the Suman Archipelago, all water, all food ingredients, and everything that comes into contact with the skin must be purified with a magic purification device to remove toxins and bizarre Extraordinary Traits. The magnificent view of the Equator Snow Mountain, the severe pollution of the deep-sea water, and the extremely high purification cost are the three most famous features of the Suman Archipelago. Even if the Deep Sea Branch has a lot of wealth, it has not yet reached the point where visitors can squander it recklessly. So, the idea of ??charging rent from visitors arose. The good news is that in the Suman Archipelago, you dont have to worry about the Lost Sea Fog. The Lost Sea Fog only appears on the sea surface far from the land. As long as you dont speed more than 30 kilometers away from the Suman Archipelago, you wont encounter the Lost Sea Fog. Noland Lee listened to the accompanying deep-sea wizards introduction while following him into the Core Circles public magic vehicle. In order to maintain the public order in the Core Circle, all wizards can only use public magic vehicles. This is a disc-shaped magic vehicle with a diameter of more than three meters. When a person steps on it, a hemispherical liquid protective cover is raised under the metal disc to prevent passengers from accidentally falling. The metal discs center is a cylindrical control console in appearance. Press the label button on the control console to go to the corresponding destination. After giving a brief demonstration on how to use it, the deep-sea wizard handed out several brand-new local laws of the Suman Archipelago to Noland and Denise. The time for the magic vehicle to reach its destination was spent while the deep-sea wizard explained local laws. The magic vehicle landed in a stone houses garden on an island, and the deep-sea wizard just finished explaining the main points of the local laws. He took the magic vehicle back the way he came, leaving the stone house and the rest of ??the time to Noland and Denise. At this point, the work of relocating to the Suman Archipelago was successfully completed with the key step of arriving at the Suman Archipelago. There was no conversation that night. The next morning. Due to the poor lighting environment late last night and the exhaustion from working all day and night, Noland and Denise had no interest in admiring the islands and seas beautiful scenery. After daybreak today, the sky is clear, the view is better, and the vast and pure sea surface can be seen in its entirety. Wrapped in the light green seawater, the feeling of ease and tranquility hits you in the face, making you want to pull up a chair, sit on the balcony, face the crystal-clear sea surface like broken glass, drink refreshing beverages and eat fruit, and quietly spend the whole day there. Under the Core Circle of the Deep Sea Branch, there is a magic water purifier that automatically cycles. Not a single trace of pollution can be seen in all the seawater of the entire core circle, and you can change into a swimsuit and swim in the water at any time. The stone house where Noland is located is built on a gentle slope, and there is a slide connecting the garden and the sea surface. Under the circumstances where flight spells are not allowed in the Core Circle, sliding down such a slide towards the sea surface can bring a lot of fun. The two spent most of the day laughing and splashing water, finally relaxing their minds. Noland felt a long-lost sense of contentment. About three months have passed since his travels began. From being a Sin-soldier with huge debt to becoming a silent male witch with more than 200,000 gold coins, he never had a moments rest, always working busy and dizzily. Arriving in the Suman Archipelago was like bidding farewell to the past and beginning a new chapter in life. As long as he continues to maintain a cautious and rational style of handling things, and collects more cards, Noland is confident that he can maintain this upward life trajectory. This requires him to maintain a sense of crisis and not be complacent. Just before the arrival of the setting sun, Noland called Denise who was floundering in the sea water. Denise climbed up the slope along the steps beside the slide, entering the garden of the stone house. She picked up a large bath towel, wiped the water droplets on her fair-skinned body, and sat down beside Noland, leaning lazily against him, asking: Im almost learning to swim. What did you call me for? Ask Adelaide about the life elixir situation. Noland picked up the towel beside him and helped Denise dry her wet hair. Oh, I almost forgot about that. Denise rested her head on Nolands shoulder, closed her eyes, and entered Dreamscape. About two minutes later, Denise opened her eyes, clapped her hands, and laughed: nAll set! Adelaide said that Morster is planning to talk to you in the small classroom of the Silent Yard.Noland nodded: Okay, Ill go and tell the professor. You continue to learn swimming. Denise leaned her body over Nolands half: No, Im a little tired. Let me lie down instead. Noland laughed, and the image of her floundering in the water came to his mind, which was indeed quite tiring. Noland closed his eyes, his consciousness rose, and entered the indigo foggy Planetosphere. In the small classroom of the Silent Yard. Noland and Morsters consciousness met here. Noland had already arranged the relationship with Erica. Erica was happy to cooperate with Noland and bring Morsters consciousness into the Silent Yard. Chapter 598 - Chapter 598: 192. New Chapter_3 Chapter 598: 192. New Chapter_3 Especially after learning from Selena that Noland Lee possessed the extraordinary trait Omniscient, Ericas regard for him was taken to a higher level. As a Ninth Circle Silent Witch, Erica was well aware of the power of Omniscient. As long as Noland Lee was given enough time to grow, he would surely become a famous Silent Enforcer in the realm of wizards. Bearing this in mind, as long as Noland Lees demands were not excessive, there was room for negotiation, and Erica wouldnt interfere too much with his decisions. Noland Lee was also happy with this. In fact, the current situation was the result of his careful management. If he hadnt pre-designed his own persona, accurately established it, and demonstrated the strength to support it, he would never have been able to enjoy success on both sides. Even Morster, the acting commander of Division Intelligence Unit Two, was all smiles when he met Noland Lee, which was a prime example of how charisma couldnt be replaced by hard power alone. The night before last, I used the scroll you gave me to break the magic protective cover of the small spirit pivot. We were lucky, as the Vitality Surge inside the small spirit pivot had hardly been consumed. Morster sat on a single sofa, gesturing a few numbers while saying: We got about 3.6 cubic [units] of Vitality Surge. I found a reliable Division Intelligence Unit Three member to make life elixirs. Theres a total production of 36,050. After deducting the basic costs, there are 22,000 life elixirs available for sale. The number of elixirs in this batch is not much. But as long as theres a sufficient supply of Shield Dissolution Ray scrolls, I can guarantee a monthly production of no less than 400,000 elixirs. As for supplying the magic scrolls, Ill handle it. Noland Lee pondered: Within a week, I will send a magic messenger with the magic scrolls needed for the next month to your mother. At the same time each month afterwards, I will deliver the magic scrolls needed for the upcoming month. As for the transportation of the life elixirs, discuss it with Kalandi. After I sign the soul contract with you, I will inform Kalandi and arrange for you to meet her as soon as possible. Morster thought for a moment and then nodded, saying: No problem, lets do it as you say. Noland Lee grabbed a pen and paper with the [Mages Hand] from the table and began writing the soul contract. Morster said on the side: The magic scroll you gave me caused quite a stir in the Intelligence Department 4. Oh? Is that so? Noland Lees tone was calm, as if he had anticipated this situation long ago. Morster detected cunning from Noland Lees expression. He opened his mouth but eventually chose to remain silent. However, Noland Lee continued writing the contract and asked: Has the plan for the Pillar of Ley Lines to enter Tatis changed? No. The Pillar of Ley Lines still plans to formally enter Tatis in six months. However, to urge the Death Herald Guild to leave Tatis, several wizards from the Pillar of Ley Lines will arrive in Tatis ahead of time. Morster said. Noland Lee asked again: If the Death Herald Guild leaves, is there still a need for Division Intelligence Unit Two? This involves internal Tatis affairs Morster hesitated for a moment and then spread his hands, saying: All I can say is, Division Intelligence Unit Two will still exist, and everything remains the same. But in six months, when the Pillar of Ley Lines takes over Tatiss research tasks, Ill have to return to the Ulnas Circle. By then, Division Intelligence Unit Two will be handed over to someone else. Half a year well, it doesnt matter. A lot can happen in half a year. Noland Lee marked the word Half a year on the contract as the expiration date. The long-term deal between him and the other party was based on an unstable factor: the war between the underground fungi people and the Greyrock dwarves. Noland Lee had inquired Erica about the situation of this war. As she had said, the underground fungi people and the Greyrock dwarves were a combination of old and new enemies. Both sides survival was based on the fertile subterranean soil, which was the root cause of their conflict. Secondly, after making their first pot of gold by selling healing mushrooms, the underground fungi people planned to increase the production of healing mushrooms. They purchased a large number of magic weapons for this purpose, and through a series of violent expansions, they drove the Greyrock Dwarves even further underground. The production of Healing Mushrooms indeed increased, bringing down the price of healing products on the entire ground level market, but the hatred between the Underground Fungi People and the Greyrock Dwarves deepened as a result. There were rumors that the desperate Greyrock Dwarves had turned to an ancient demon clan in the deep underground, gaining terrible Extraordinary Abilities. It was the power brought by this ancient demon clan that prompted the Greyrock Dwarves to launch a war to reclaim their territory and drive out the invaders. Theoretically, Noland Lee had two options if he wanted to make more money with Life Elixir. The first option was to increase the production of the Life Elixir, which required him to provide more Shield Dissolution Ray Magic Scrolls. The second option was to let the war between the Underground Fungi People and the Greyrock Dwarves continue. However, never be blinded by immediate benefits. Having lived two lives, Noland Lee was very clear about this. The market gap for low-cost healing medicine was obvious to all. Not only was Noland Lee eyeing the benefits in this market. Those ancient, wealthy, and strong wizard families and natural wizard forces were all watching the movement of the healing medicine market. The reason they hadnt taken any action was very simple. The profits were too little, and it wasnt worthwhile for them to enter the market now. To be more precise, what they were after was not the low-cost healing medicine priced at 0.3 gold coins, but the land where the Underground Fungi People produced Healing Mushrooms. That land was the real source of profits. In comparison with the stable production of Healing Mushroom from the underground rock and soil layers, what could the transaction Noland Lees bridged be considered? It was nothing more than misshapen melons and split dates, naturally not attracting the attention of any powerful wizard forces. Noland Lee spent some time drawing up a soul contract. After checking it several times and confirming it to be accurate, Morster signed his name. Noland Lee signed his name with a pen. The soul contract was officially established. Morster left the Silent Yard first. Noland Lee went to talk to Erica about the situation and asked her to send a letter to Kalandi. Having completed this step, Noland Lees work as a matchmaker was over. Next, he only needed to do two things. First, wait for Kalandis reply. Second, get a Magic Messenger for himself or Denise Green. In the foreseeable future, there would be many more transactions similar to the Life Elixir that were prompted by sudden events. The Suman Archipelago, which was known as the Deep Sea Trade Transit Station, was not without a reputation. In the Inner Circle of Islands on the outskirts of the Core Circle, there was a world-renowned trade city C the City of Suman. It had the Magic Items Exchange with extremely low fees, and a trade center with rapid information circulation. As long as one was willing to delve into the details, business opportunities could be found, and ultimately, without ever leaving home, wealth would pour in. Before obtaining the Strong Metal Fusion Meditation Method, gold coins were merely external things to Noland Lee. But now, gold coins were equal to Basic Attributes. Ah, of course, on the premise that there were enough Energy Points. Chapter 599 - Chapter 599: 193. Mysterious Exploration Chapter 599: 193. Mysterious Exploration Suman Archipelago, Inner Circle, City of Suman. This is a vast city built on six islands. The islands are connected by magical bridges constructed with Earth Rock magic. The entire city is divided into districts based on the islands. Six islands, corresponding to six districts. Four of the districts are mixed living areas with commercial and residential functions. The other two districts are the harbor district and the trade district. The harbor district is based on Suman Port, with numerous docks and warehouses of various sizes, connected to the core circle and inner and outer circles of the Suman Archipelago, and also connected to the southern coast of the Kashel Continent to the north and the northern coast of the Spinning Continent to the south. The trade district is the destination of Noland Lees trip. It is adjacent to the harbor district, separated from Suman Port by a sea surface with a width of more than 7,000 meters, with countless ships coming and going. In the City of Suman, wizards can only cast certain spells C anti-theft and anti-robbery shield spells and disguise spells, but still cannot use flight spells and offensive spells. However, once they leave the range of the City of Suman and enter other areas of the inner circle, wizards can use flight spells. The current time is the third day of arrival at the Suman Archipelago, early morning. Noland Lee and Denise Green took the flying disc from the core circle to the edge of the inner circle, landed on the special berth for public magic vehicles, and not far from there was a magic taxi waiting to provide travel services. Thanks to the rich magical atmosphere in the Suman Archipelago, all magic taxis have realized unmanned driving and automatic navigation. If you want to enjoy the service of a personal driver, you have to go to a magic car rental company for customization. Since there is no need to deal with the driver, why not? Noland Lee took Denise Green onto the magic taxi and called out the destination using the Ulnas Circle language. The magic taxi started smoothly, hovering half a meter above the ground, and traveled steadily along the designated driving lanes on the ground. The buildings in the inner circle of the Suman Archipelago inherit the style of the Ulnas Circle. Stone houses, pointed roofs, arched doors and windows, deep red wooden beams, and gray tiled stone walls. The magic taxi carried the two Noland Lee through the bustling streets and arrived at the trade center of the Suman Archipelago within twenty minutes after leaving. In the world before Noland Lee crossed, this place would be equivalent to the central business district of a provincial capital city. There are many tall buildings like high-rises, and the streets between the buildings are crowded with people. Most of the pedestrians on the street wear magic robes, but this does not mean that they are all wizards. Due to the constant temperature magic feature of the robes, ordinary people will also buy a set for themselves in the hot Suman Archipelago. Noland Lee took Denise Green to avoid the crowd, went up the stepstone, and entered the Island Exchange, which specializes in trading islands. The Suman Archipelago generally extends from east to west and consists of 12,000,000 isles with a total area of over 15,000,000 square kilometers, extending approximately 8,000 kilometers along the equator and a maximum width of more than 4,000 kilometers from north to south. The core circle of the Suman Archipelago is located at the westernmost part of the archipelago, occupying more than 300 isles in the westernmost part of the entire archipelago. The core circle is completely controlled by Hotams. None of the isles in the core circle are for sale. The inner circle of the Suman Archipelago is on the outskirts of the core circle, occupying about 1,000 isles to the east of the core circle. Further east of the inner circle is the boundless outer circle of the archipelago. A total of more than 11.8 million isles are all within the outer circle. The staggering number of outer circle isles does not mean they are unowned. The Ulnas Circle discovered the Suman Archipelago more than 500 years ago. To date, all isles have been claimed. The majority of them are held by wizard forces and ancient families who built the core circle and inner circle back then. These ancient forces have established magical eco-farms, magic workshops, academies, trade stations, ports, and other magical facilities in the inner and outer circles. Starting from the westernmost core circle of the entire Suman Archipelago, the population density decreases as one goes eastward. Noland Lee is buying an island, which means he is trading with these powerful forces with a long history. In the grand hall of the Island Exchange, the shiny and smooth marble floor reflects the skylight, and Noland Lee and Denise Green enter the guest room for the negotiation of island purchases under the guidance of the magic servant. After sitting for a while in the guest room with a soft carpet, the witch acting as a salesperson came in through the door. Sir, Madam, good day. The salesperson is a female witch, a four-circled deep-sea wizard, not a combat wizard. From her water-blue magic robes breastplate, her name is Nelly. After Nelly entered the room, she briefly introduced herself, and then summoned a liquid sandbox with deep-sea magic, simulating a distribution map of the outer circle isles of the Suman Archipelago. On this three-dimensional simulation distribution map, the isles that have been sold or cannot be sold are marked in light gray. Isles that are for sale are marked in green. The color difference makes Noland Lee and Denise Green directly feel how popular the Suman Archipelago is. The available islands for sale only account for one-twentieth of the total amount, and most islands have already stopped circulation. Nelly introduced that there are currently about 5,000 isles listed for trading. Isles for sale are mainly located in the easternmost part of the Suman Archipelago, which is the farthest place from the core circle. The east-west span of the Suman Archipelago reaches an astonishing 8,000 kilometers. Even if one tries hard to travel using a flight spell from the core circle to the easternmost part, it would take dozens of hours. Chapter 600 - Chapter 600: 193. Mysterious Exploration_2 Chapter 600: 193. Mysterious Exploration_2 If they didnt want to settle down in such a distant place, there was only one solution: finding an island near the western side of the archipelago and leasing it for a long period. Due to the longer lifespan of wizards, the island lease term in this world could be extended to 50 or even 100 years. If Noland Lee and Denise Green didnt plan on spending the rest of their lives here, then leasing an island would be the best choice. Saleswoman Nellie also gave a brief introduction to the leasing situation of the islands. Starting from the inner circle, the island lease starts at 300,000 gold coins per year. The further east you go, the cheaper the lease. Approximately 3000 kilometers east of the inner circle, the lease cost drops to 2000 gold coins per year. A quick calculation would show that the 150,000 gold coins Noland Lee and Denise Green planned to spend on purchasing an island could potentially lease a cheap one for 75 years. To buy or to rent? The key wasnt in the amount of expense. Money wasnt the issue. What Noland Lee was truly concerned about was the commute time. Opportunities were everywhere in the inner circle. In the present situation where gold coins equate basic attributes, Noland Lee might frequently have to commute between the inner circle and the island. The time he spent on the road could be reduced by using level 100 flight spells. However, no matter how much time he shaved off the commute, he would still need to spend at least 20 hours flying across the majority of the Suman Archipelago. Moreover, the energy consumed by flight spells is calculated by distance, with a fixed rate of 1 point of Death Energy + 1 point of Energy for every kilometer. More flights would quickly consume tens of thousands of Death Energy and Energy points. Considering this, perhaps leasing an island would be a better option. Nellie, is there a way to quickly reach the west side of the archipelago from the east? Noland Lee asked. Yes. Nellie reached across the model of the archipelago on the table, tracing a glowing circle around its outer edge. Many tributaries diverged from this glowing circle, extending deep into the archipelago, ultimately forming a network lurking under the waters of the archipelago. There was a tributary of the circle passing by every 20 or 30 islands. The Deep Sea Branch constructed a magic ocean current that connects the entire archipelago near the seabed of the Suman Archipelago. The glowing lines on the 3D model signify the locations of the magic ocean currents, Nellie explained. Nellie took two magical items, which resembled crystals, from her magic pouch, stuffing one each into Noland Lees and Denise Greens hands: Once you arrive over the sea surface above the magic ocean current, you just have to grip the Ocean Current Crystal and youll be able to ride the underwater current swiftly. If you travel this way, reaching the inner circle from the farthest east of the archipelago will only take three seconds. Three seconds? Noland Lee raised his eyebrows, Its that fast? Yes. The magic ocean current is actually a plane channel constructed by the Deep Sea Branch. Riding the magic ocean current is almost like teleporting through a sub-dimensional plane. However, its not free to ride the magic ocean current. Nellie explained: The Ocean Current Crystal costs 50 gold coins each. Each ride consumes 1 Ocean Current Crystal. Going back and forth between the east and west of the archipelago requires two crystals. If you buy more than 100 crystals at once, youll get a five percent discount. Noland Lee studied the crystal in his hand and asked: Does it consume one Ocean Current Crystal for riding the ocean current on any part of the magic ocean current? Yes. Its most cost-effective to ride from the farthest west and farthest east of the archipelago, Nellie answered. Noland Lee nodded: So, for those living on the east side of the archipelago, commuting isnt much of a problem. The most troublesome thing is still the natural environment of the east side of the archipelago. Nellie said: Yes, sir. When the Ulnas Circle first discovered the Suman Archipelago, they performed a detailed environmental assessment. The west side of the archipelago is calm, with mostly flat island terrain and less polluted sea waters. But on the east side, there are frequent occurrences of high winds and waves, and the majority of the islands have a very steep terrain. The three Equator Snow Mountains of the Suman Archipelago are all located on the farthest east side. The islands where these snow mountains are located are essentially cliffs, where the island is the snow mountain, and the snow mountain is the island. For this reason, its hard to sell these islands where the Equator Snow Mountains are located, and their prices are the cheapest. Hmm Noland Lee hummed thoughtfully, Nellie, how much are the Snowy Islands? Nellie gestured on the magic model, enlarging the three snow mountains that were being sold, and marked their basic information and selling price in magic characters. Noland Lee took a glance and was somewhat taken aback: The Snow Mountain Island 2 and 3 both are priced at 3.5 million gold coins, but Snow Mountain Island 1 only costs 130,000 gold coins, why is it so cheap? Denise was also taken aback by the price. Her investigation didnt mention such a low price tag. Nellie hurriedly explained: Sir, the island prices you heard may be outdated. The high-value mineral resources on Snow Mountain Island 1 have already been mined by the Pangula family. Other than the forests at the foot of the mountain, the island is just stone and snow left in the snow mountain. These islands are not naturally suitable for ports and the terrain is not suitable for magic agriculture and magic production industry, their actual economic value is extremely low. The three islands had been listed for sale for more than 50 years before the Pangula family mined Snow Mountain Island 1s mineral resources, and they remained unsold. The Pangula family likely started mining Snow Mountain Island 1s mineral resources in an attempt to recoup part of their previous investment. Chapter 601 - Chapter 601: 193. Mysterious Exploration_3 Chapter 601: 193. Mysterious Exploration_3 The mineral resources of Snow Mountain Island 1 have been completely mined; no wonder the price is so low Noland Lee now understood why the price was so cheap. There is a group of people in the Suman Archipelago who specialize in buying islands to gamble on mineral resources. This tactic was just like the famous bargain hunting before crossing, requiring precise vision and superb magic exploration skills. If there happened to be invaluable hidden mineral resources on the purchased island that the original island owner had not discovered, it would be a fortune-maker. Many stories of people gaining wealth were through this method. If youre considering purchasing Snow Mountain Island 1, please be cautious. After all, apart from rocks, ice, snow, and some forests at the foot of the mountain, there is nothing else there. Seeing Noland Lee silent, Nelly couldnt help but say. Denise Green blinked at Noland Lee. She had always followed Nolands lead, blindly supporting any of his decisions, and this time was no exception. Even if Noland had bought Snow Mountain Island 1 without a word, Denise would have gladly pulled out her money bags to pay for it. Noland Lee broke away from his thoughts and asked with a fist pump: Nelly, is it convenient for you to take us to the east side of the archipelago for an on-site inspection? In addition to these three Snow Mountain Islands, I have a few other islands to investigate. No problem. Nelly stood up. Please follow me. Noland Lee and Denise followed Nelly out of the guest room and boarded the magic car bound for the seaside under her guidance. At 9 a.m. on the same day. North Sea Area, east side of the Suman Archipelago. Three figures flew out from the surface, wrapped in blue light, and suspended in the air. These were Noland, Denise, and Nelly who had just arrived from the west side of the archipelago via the magic ocean current. With the protection of the Ocean Current Crystal, this quick and short underwater journey did not wet the clothes of Noland trio. Noland and Denise entered flight status in the air and followed Nelly to the three equatorial snow-capped mountains that pierced the sky. These three snow-capped islands were distributed over the east side of the sea, with several kilometers between them. Just as Nelly had shown on the magic model, the largest width of the Snow Mountain Islands was about 28 kilometers. On such a small area, there were snow-capped mountains rising over 5,000 meters high. The towering steep mountains stood like spikes on the sea surface. Only at the foot of the mountains were there scant plains and forests; all other places were bare, deep gray rocks. The islands owner, the Pangula Family, somehow magically and accurately located the mineral resources in the mountain. They excavated circular tunnels in various parts of the mountain to steal the mineral resources deep within, and did not seal the tunnels when they left. Upon arrival at Snow Mountain Island 1, Noland Lee immediately noticed the cave entrances on the mountain. Given the Pangula familys mining efficiency, the mineral resources on this snowy island had probably been completely depleted Hmm Could there be some secret resources the Pangula family failed to discover? With this thought in mind, Noland Lee targeted the island and used the Deconstruction Technique. [System Message:] [You are about to use the Deconstruction Technique on Snow Mountain Island 1.] [Estimated to consume 13.3 billion energy points, which can increase the degree of deconstruction to 100%] 13.3 billion It takes 13.3 billion to fully deconstruct an island with depleted resources Noland Lee shifted his gaze and looked at another island nearby. That island remained a pristine environment, with no trace of resource exploitation. Nelly followed Nolands gaze and volunteered: Sir, that is Island No. 113456. The Pangula family explored and discovered two underground mineral deposits on the island, with approximately 2,400 tons of Blue Steel Stone reserves. However, mining is difficult, and the ore grade is low. So, the price of the island is only 250,000 gold coins. The Pangula family promises to include their exploration report with the island. If you plan to mine the islands minerals, you might as well cooperate with the Pangula family. The family has roots in the Metal System and Rock and Soil Magic System, and is one of the most well-known families in the Ulnas Circle for metallurgy magic. Ive heard of the renowned Pangula Family. They are indeed among the best in exploration and mining. Noland Lee chatted briefly and threw the Deconstruction Technique at the island. [System Message:] [You are about to use the Deconstruction Technique on Island No. 113456.] [Estimated to consume 1.2 billion energy points, which can raise the degree of deconstruction to 100%] 1.2 billion? Noland Lee blinked his eyes. Why is it so low?? Could it be that the deconstruction consumption of an island is not highly related to the mineral resources on the island, but rather the above-water volume of the island has a greater impact? Noland silently nodded, thinking that must be the case. He opened his Personal Panel and saw that he had about 46,000 energy points in stock. Using the Deconstruction Technique to analyze the value of the islands is more convenient than the magic exploration of the Pangula family. However This was the first time Noland Lee deconstructed a massive object like an island, and he couldnt help but feel overwhelmed, like stirring a large vat with a toothpick Throwing down ten or twenty thousand deconstruction points might not even cause a splash Noland pondered for a moment and made a decision. Never mind that, lets try deconstructing first. Noland looked at Snow Mountain Island 1, consumed 10,000 energy points, and launched the Deconstruction Technique. [Deconstruction Success!] [Your deconstruction completion degree of Snow Mountain Island 1 has increased to 0.0075%.] [You have obtained a small portion of the Panel Information:] [Name] Snow Mountain Island 1 (tentatively named) [Feature] Outflow of the Dragon Tooth Reservoir: The snow mountain in your sight is actually one of the long-forgotten outflows of the Dragon Tooth Reservoir. Once specific conditions are met, the outflow will automatically open and release sea water to the entire world. The builders of the reservoir are dragons; whether the sea water output from the reservoir is the sea water recognized by mankind is a mystery. (Insufficient deconstruction degree, unable to obtain more information.) Noland Lee, faced with the deconstruction results in his mind, was stunned for a moment. Nelly and Denise thought he was considering the matter, so they chose to remain silent and did not disturb him. Only Noland himself knew that his mind was focused by the Dragon Tooth Reservoir Outflow mentioned in the deconstruction results. The Snow Mountain is the outflow of the reservoir? Then how large must the whole reservoir be Chapter 602 - Chapter 602: 194. A few genuine items Chapter 602: 194. A few genuine items Noland Lee and Denise Green followed Nelly, wandering around the archipelagos east side until noon. Nelly arranged lunch for Noland and Denise at the Exchange. After lunch, Noland and Nelly learned some things, ultimately leaving the Exchange under the pretext of needing to consider more. After looking around all morning, they found over 300 islands with prices below 100,000 gold coins. Besides Snow Mountain Island 1, which had been depleted of its mineral resources, the other islands were all small with a width of less than 10 kilometers. Developing and utilizing these small islands was difficult due to factors like their small size, remote location, and numerous underwater reefs. Large-scale projects such as Magic Eco-farms, Magic Water Purification Facilities, and ports could not be established on these small islands. The security in the east side of the archipelago is another important factor impacting island prices. The Deep Sea Branch is responsible for providing security services. There is a Magic Outpost every thirty kilometers, a drone-type facility floating on the sea surface and patrolling between the islands. Magic Servants work within the outposts. When a conflict arises, the Magic Outposts will rush to the scene and use brilliant fireworks to alert the Deep-sea Wizard bases set up between the islands by the Deep Sea Branch. Upon receiving the message, the Deep-sea Wizards at the base will immediately go to the scene to deal with the dispute. The closer the islands are to the patrol routes of the Magic Outpost and the Deep-sea Wizard Base, the higher the quality of security services, and the higher the island prices will be. After considering factors such as island location, security quality, terrain, the number and size of havens, and price, 15 islands met Noland and Denises requirements, including Snow Mountain Island 1. Snow Mountain Islands 1 through 3 are close to each other. Before being exploited, the resources on these three Snow Mountain Islands were extremely rich. To prevent theft, the Deep Sea Branch set up the Wizards Base and the Magic Outpost nearby the three Snow Mountain Islands. Once the Deep Sea Branchs Wizards Base and Magic Outposts were established, they would not be easily moved. Therefore, even if the mineral resources on Snow Mountain Island 1 were depleted, it would still be within the range of high-quality security services. After narrowing the list to the 15 suitable islands, Noland didnt rush to make a payment. As he told Nelly, he needed more time to consider. However, he wasnt contemplating picking one from those 15 islands. What he was really considering was cheating the system. He discovered an extremely important, but often overlooked, System Knowledge. As everyone knows, before deconstructing something, if one has already mastered the deconstruction results and scholarly skills related to it, the deconstruction consumption will be reduced. The System usually states this as: Since you have the Deconstruction Results for XXXX, the deconstruction consumption for this attempt is reduced. Or it might be like: Because you have mastered XXXX Study (XX Level), the deconstruction consumption for this attempt is reduced. These two types of system messages indicate that the item Noland is trying to deconstruct is related to the deconstruction results and Scholarly Skills he has already mastered. So the question is, can this commonly known System Knowledge be applied to the exploration of island resources? For example: Before mastering a Scholarly Skill like Mineral Exploration Study, Noland throws a Deconstruction Technique at Island A, receiving the unmitigated deconstruction consumption value A1. Later, after learning the Scholarly Skill through self-study, he throws the Deconstruction Technique at Island A again, receiving the reduced deconstruction consumption value A2. The difference between A1 and A2 is the deconstruction consumption reduction value due to mastering Mineral Exploration Study. Since the reduced value solely relies on Scholarly Skills, its easy to deduce that a larger reduction value means more resource-extraction potential on a given island. By comparing the reduced values for all the islands, one can deduce the amount of resources each one has! Further comparing the deconstruction consumption reduction values with the islands recorded resources reveals an approximation of undiscovered resources on each island. This often overlooked, yet crucial, System Knowledge is extremely useful when applied correctly. To think of this series of actions, Noland had to thank the mathematics he had learned in high school and college. Many ideas in these calculations relied on mathematical concepts like algebra, derivatives, and limits. After leaving the Island Exchange, Noland took Denise to the Freedom Marketplace in the Trade District. The Freedom Marketplace is a commercial plaza occupying more than 50,000 square meters. Its core building is the Magic Items Trading Center. Numerous shops are located around the white walls, cramming the commercial plaza. Once in the marketplace, Noland and Denise split up. Living on an island required purchasing many necessary daily items. Denise took on the miscellaneous tasks of buying everyday supplies and would wait at the department store in the Freedom Marketplace until Noland came to find her. Noland, on the other hand, shuttled alone through the crowded streets, searching for anything related to Scholarly Skills. His goal was very clear. Chapter 603 - Chapter 603: 194. A few genuine products_2 Chapter 603: 194. A few genuine products_2 First, he had to find knowledge-related books about natural resources. Whether it was exploration resources or excavation resources, Noland Lee accepted everything. As long as a book could unlock Knowledge Skills, it was a good book. Secondly, he had to find books related to Magic Thief Society and the ancient Dragon Clan. Collecting books on the Magic Thief Society was for finding inspiration in the flexible use of Magic theft. The Path of the Wizard and the Fundamentals of Magic only briefly mentioned the extraordinary aspects of the Magic Thief Society and did not detail their actions. Today, the Magic Thief Society has become history, dating back at least a thousand years. This wizard force is not as famous as the Dragon Clan, and its influence is not as great as that of the Dragon Clan, so finding historical materials about it should be a bit troublesome. In comparison, ancient relics related to the Dragon Clan are not uncommon in the Freedom Marketplace. As a race that exists in legends, people have a strong curiosity and exploration desire for dragons. As a result, many fake products are produced. Noland Lee saw no less than a hundred counterfeit items made with modern Magic Craft techniques when he walked through a street alley, and these counterfeit items were all related to the Dragon Clan. The number of counterfeits far exceeded the authentic ones, with real ones becoming rare in ten thousand cases. With so many races disappearing in the river of history, why do counterfeit makers focus on the Dragon Clan? The answer is related to the Spinning Continent, 1000 kilometers south of the Suman Archipelago. The Spinning Continent is the only place in this world where dragons are found. The Suman Archipelago is the only human territory adjacent to the Spinning Continent. More than half of the Extraordinary who came and went to the Suman Archipelago were attracted by the Spinning Continents strange features. The Spinning Continent, as the name suggests, is a continent that flies and rotates continuously in the sky. Under the influence of centrifugal force, it periodically throws Dragon Clan treasures out of the continent. These treasures are dragged with long tail flames and fall into the vast sea beyond the Spinning Continent. The vast majority of dragon clan treasures have sunk to the seabed, and only a small part can be captured by sailing ships waiting on the sea surface, and then traded in the Freedom Marketplace. The Magic Items Exchange in the center of the Freedom Marketplace was specifically set up for trading Dragon Clan treasures. Dragon treasures dont mean treasures produced by the Dragon Clan. As the overlord of the last era, the Dragon Clan plundered precious resources from other tribes and stuffed them into their treasure trove, becoming part of the Dragon clan collection. According to statistical data, less than one-tenth of the captured Dragon Clan treasures were self-made by the Dragon Clan, and the remaining ninety percent were spoils of war plundered from other tribes. What Noland Lee was looking for were research materials about the Dragon Clan, or the annals, geographical materials, local records, or member lists of the Dragon Clan that were written by the dragons themselves. Only these things could help him reduce the Energy Points cost for deconstructing islands. If he could find information directly related to the Dragon Tooth Reservoir, that would be even better. With such information, when Noland Lee tries to deconstruct an unfamiliar island related to the Dragon Tooth Reservoir, he would directly receive the news of reduced Deconstruction Consumption and determine that this island is closely related to the Dragon Tooth Reservoir. With a clear goal, a clear line of thought, and the extremely convenient Deconstruction technique, Noland Lee easily found what he wanted. It was a small shop tucked away in the most remote corner of the marketplace. The outside of the door had a flaking wooden sign with a row of crooked handwritten characters: Hadleys Shop My store only sells genuine items. It seemed that shop owner Hadley Grant had just returned from the sea. He carried a heavy Magic Canvas Bag on his back, his cloak soaked in water. As he walked, he left a chain of damp footprints. As Noland Lee arrived, Hadley was fumbling his key ring for the door lock, his back turned to Noland. Hadley was a big man, his back resembling a hunchbacked bear from behind. After failing to insert the key into the lock hole twice, Hadley let out a dull sigh, reached into his Magic Canvas Bag with his broad palm, and pulled out a pair of glasses with a strap tied to his face. It appeared that Hadley had a slight vision problem. After tying the glasses, he saw the lock holes direction clearly and successfully opened the shops front door. A musty smell of not being ventilated or lit for a long time wafted out from the room, Noland could smell it from a few meters away. Hadley bent down and squeezed inside the door. Just as he turned to close the door, he noticed Noland lingering not far from the door. As a result, Noland also saw the owners appearance. A furry big face, brown beard, and hair joined together, eyes covered by coin-sized lenses. The combination of a large face and tiny glasses made him look somewhat funny. Hadley faced Noland, scratched his beard, and said with a hint of alcohol: Are you here to buy something? *hiccup~ Yes, Im interested in the dragon teeth hanging on the outside of your backpack. Noland raised his hand, pointing to the backpack behind Hadley. Hadley reached his hand back. His backpacks exterior had many things hanging on it, and the dragon teeth were not very conspicuous among them. He distinguished by touch what Noland was pointing at and spoke with a breath of alcohol: Chapter 604 - Chapter 604: 194. A few genuine items_3 Chapter 604: 194. A few genuine items_3 Oh, youre talking about this? Its my lucky charm, and I wouldnt sell it for any price. But I do have some other things here that you might be interested in. However, I just got back from the sea and havent had time to organize this trips loot yet, so I wont be able to introduce you to the things in the store for now. Just come in and have a look for yourself. But remember, if youre not buying, dont touch. Hadley Grant waved to Noland Lee, inviting him into the shop before busying himself with organizing the contents of his backpack. The shop was small and about five meters tall from ground level to the ceiling. The surrounding walls were cluttered with disorderly shelves, and a dim chandelier hanging from the ceiling was the only source of light. Upon entering the shop and looking around, Noland knew he came to the right place. Just as Hadley had written on his sign, the goods in his shop were genuine, either genuinely collected by the Dragon Clan or actually from the Dragon Clan themselves. Most of the merchandise was small objects made of metal or stone material, with no clear use. A small portion was more exotic items like dragon teeth, dragon scales, and dragon dander. Noland used Deconstruction to verify the authenticity of these items, but their quality was frankly quite poor, all being rather shoddy. They were not only severely damaged but also had obvious signs of weathering and erosion from sea water, which greatly reduced their overall appearance. Noland noticed that items from the Dragon Clan themselves had a greater consumption of Deconstruction, regardless of their size. The most typical example was a dragon tooth the size of a thumb, which was yellow and covered in dents and notches, with the surface feeling like it had been coated with wax when the light shone on it. Noland found that a complete deconstruction of this small object required over 10,000 points of Energy. Noland leaned in for a closer look at the dragon tooth, but couldnt deduce anything from it. He looked back at Hadley, who was busying himself with the contents of his backpack, and asked with a tone of disbelief: Is that dragon tooth on the shelf really a dragon tooth? It looks just like a sharpened finger bone Hadleys reaction to Nolands question was intense. He slammed the miscellaneous items in his hand onto the table, straightened up, and glared at Noland: Of course, its real! Everything in my shop is genuine! Its all because of those damn counterfeit sellers! Every person who comes to my shop to buy something asks if its real! It seemed that Hadley was fed up with his counterfeit-selling peers. It made sense, though. Once the sale of counterfeits becomes a complete system with established standards, the public perception becomes distorted by the fakes. After all, not everyone has enough knowledge to tell the difference between genuine and counterfeit on their own. Most buyers are either looking for novelty or have a shallow understanding of the Dragon Clan. In such cases, counterfeit sellers can more easily convince customers that their fakes are the real deal using carefully crafted words and tricks. Over time, the true products get driven out by the counterfeits, creating a bad money drives out good phenomenon. Take the dragon tooth Noland mentioned as an example. Some counterfeit dragon teeth are made to look crystal clear and flawless. These kinds of fakes are sold to low-level buyers who know absolutely nothing about the Dragon Clan. If a buyer has some knowledge of the Dragon Clan but not much, deliberately aged counterfeit dragon teeth will be put out for sale. The fakes can now achieve a remarkably convincing appearance under the enhancement of magic, but the cost to produce counterfeit and genuine products is like night and day. Fakes can be manufactured in magic workshops at a low cost. Genuine items require shopkeepers to find real sources, or like Hadley, personally scour the seas for treasures flying out from the Spinning Continent, or dive deep into the seabed to find lost objects buried there. Noland understood Hadleys frustration and deliberately provoked him with his words. The reason was simple it was reminiscent of the old headphone buying trick. If you dont know which sub-$300 headphones are best, dont ask What are the best headphones under $300, but say There are no good headphones under $300. Although this kind of fishing method might be irritating, its simple, efficient, and most likely to provoke those with genuine knowledge and integrity to come forward and speak up. Thats the kind of person Hadley was. When facing Noland Lees doubts, he unceremoniously ridiculed the counterfeit and then removed his glasses to look at the dragon tooth Noland was pointing at from several meters away, saying impatiently: Thats a baby dragons tooth; thats why its so small. More precisely, its a tooth a juvenile dragon discarded during its first tooth replacement. This tooth is at least five thousand years old, so its normal for it to look ragged. The dragon teeth you see in other shops are mostly fake Hadley suddenly said, like a deflated balloon: Forget it, believe it or not All I can say is that everything here is real. I hate counterfeits more than you do Hadley put his glasses back on and continued to tidy up the clutter on the table. Noland Lee nodded slowly behind him, getting a better understanding of Hadleys personality, character, and traits. This was a relatively straightforward and blunt deep-sea wizard. While other shopkeepers relied on selling counterfeit goods to laze around in the marketplace, Hadley chose to personally capture dragon clan treasure from the sea surface and sell it in his own shop. Normally, such a hands-on shopkeeper would have many genuine items, and he should have had a better business, but why was he so down and out?. Noland had some ideas about this. One reason was that the counterfeits were too realistic. Secondly, with the dragon species almost extinct, modern magic craftsmen had discovered materials to replace dragon-related substances, making the demand for dragon-related materials in the magic industry almost zero. Thirdly, Noland felt it was related to the appraisal fees. Before finding Hadleys shop, Noland specifically visited appraisal shops in the marketplace. The Scholars Association-certified appraisers had a starting price of 100,000 gold coins per appraisal. Non-Scholars Association-certified appraisers charged a starting price of 10,000 gold coins per appraisal. No matter which kind of appraisal service, the cost was higher than most counterfeits. Coupled with counterfeiters selling counterfeit items with appraisal reports, naturally, few buyers would bother paying for someone else to appraise them. As a result of the various factors, everything Noland saw in Hadleys shop, whether new or old, complete or not, was all seen in other shops, as if shopkeepers in other places had specially copied from Hadleys things. In the face of such realistic counterfeits, genuine items from Hadleys would have no competitive advantage if they sold for more. How much is this dragon tooth? Noland asked. Hadley turned and looked at Noland: 330 gold coins, non-negotiable. You want it? If so, Ill wrap it for you. Well, its quite expensive. Ill think about it. When was the last time you sold something? Noland asked again. Hadley scratched his chin: Uh about a month ago, I think. It would be strange to sell genuine items at such high prices when the counterfeit could pass as genuine Noland glanced around with a thoughtful expression in his eyes. He seemed to have found a great way to both harvest Energy Points in large quantities and gain Knowledge Skills. As expected, once away from the Alchemist Island, magical things became more abundant around him, and the small objects available for Passive Deconstruction also grew richer. His decision to leave Alchemist Island was indeed the right one. The only downside was having to spend gold coins every step of the way. Chapter 605 - Chapter 605: 195. Hit the jackpot Chapter 605: 195. Hit the jackpot Noland Lee knew that his expenses might be quite high in the coming days, which could easily deplete his wallet. He had to think about how to make money in advance. While considering the best way to make money on the Suman Archipelago, he wandered around Hadleys shop. After about half an hour, Noland Lee had meticulously looked at all the goods, and Hadley had also sorted out the spoils from his sea expedition. Seeing that Noland Lee was very interested in the items in his store, Hadley grew more hopeful. After getting his things sorted out, he stood beside Noland Lee with his arms folded and introduced the items in the store following Noland Lees gaze. This dragon scale used to have mysterious energy fluctuations on it, but after being left for a long time, the energy dissipated completely This stone ball, as big as my head, is probably the Yarn Ball in the eyes of a baby dragon. It has many claw marks and bite marks on it. When I first got it, the marks on the ball were quite clear, much prettier than now. But I cant afford to buy a sealed display cabinet to preserve it so hehe, it has become like this now Hadley picked up a dirty, old silver candlestick from the storage shelf and said proudly: This is one of the few relatively intact items in my store. Its a collection of the Dragon Clan, probably from a few epochs ago, I estimated Before Hadley could finish his sentence, the silver candlestick with three branches underwent a change. Due to Hadleys excessive force, the candlesticks base on the far left was nudged by his robust fingers, cracked, slumped down weakly, and landed on the floor with a clang. The atmosphere of the scene was awkward and froze for a second. Hadley put the antique silver candlestick back on the shelf, laboriously bent over with his bucket-like waist, picked up the broken base from the floor, and gave Noland Lee a stiff smile: Well, if you buy this antique, I can give you a discount Noland Lees expression remained unchanged, pretending not to see Hadleys embarrassed appearance: Hadley, I have a question. If your items are genuine, why dont you sell them at the Magic Items Exchange? Hadley took out some glue and carefully glued the broken candle base back to the candlestick: You must have just arrived at the Suman Archipelago recently, havent you? Did you hear that the fees at the Magic Items Exchange here are very low? Hmph, dont be so na?ve. This is bait deliberately released by the Mantas Family. The Mantas Family? Noland Lee asked. Havent you heard of them? Well, I dont know much either. I only know that the Mantas Family is notoriously shrewd. They are the ones behind the Magic Items Exchange. Hadley successfully glued the candlestick back together. He blew on the glue and continued: To sell something at the Magic Items Exchange, you need to pay a deposit. The appraiser at the Exchange will give you an estimated price for the item you want to sell. The amount of the deposit you pay is about one-third of the estimated price. The deposit will be refunded within a month after the item is sold. Im just running a small business, and I dont have that much money to spare, so Id rather sell them slowly in my own store Isnt the Mantas Family holding a lot of cash in their own accounts by doing this? Noland Lee pondered: I heard that there are quite a few Magic Banks in the Ulnas Circle that provide deposit services. Just the interest income from the deposit balance at the Exchange would make the Mantas Family very wealthy. You seem to have some research on Magic Currency Studies? Hadley looked Noland Lee up and down, his face showing confusion: This is the first time Ive learned that a Death Wizard would be interested in Magic Currency Studies Noland Lee waved his hand, skipping over that topic: Lets get back to business, Hadley. I have my eyes on a few items in your store, so give me a price. The breath of Hadley grew slightly heavier, obviously surprised by the upcoming transaction, and he stammered when he spoke: What-what-what do you want?! The price is negotiable! Noland Lee raised his hand and pointed out the items he was interested in on the storage shelves all around. Hadley gave the prices one by one: The Baby Dragons tooth, 330 gold coins, Ill give you a discount, 300 gold coins. A small piece of dragon scale soaked in deep-sea water, well, this isnt worth much. There are many dragon scales at the bottom of the sea. Ill count it as 100 gold coins for you. The half stone tablet engraved with Dragon Language The things youre interested in are really strange. This half stone tablet has nothing special other than the incomprehensible Dragon Language on it. Well, since you want it, Ill sell it to you for 700 gold coins As Hadley reported prices for several items in a row, his tone changed when Noland Lee pointed to the last item: Guest, that book is not for sale. Although its an antique, I use it to write my sea diaries. The item Noland Lee pointed to was a 30-centimeter-thick book. The book had a thick brown leather cover, looking wet as if it had just been fished out of the water. Noland Lee was attracted to it, partly because of its ancient and textured appearance, and partly because both the book and the magic lock on it required a total of 303,000 energy points to deconstruct. The energy consumption required to crack the magic lock accounted for the vast majority, reaching as much as 300,000 points. Why would you use an antique to write a diary? Noland Lee asked perplexedly. Chapter 606 - Chapter 606: 195. Struck Big Luck_2 Chapter 606: 195. Struck Big Luck_2 Let me demonstrate so you can understand, said Hadley Grant. With a wave of his hand, he summoned his diary using his [Mages Hand]. Under the watchful eyes of Noland Lee, Hadley deftly deactivated the magic lock on the diary, summoned a sphere of water, put the diary inside it, and then took a pen inked with water and began writing on the soaked pages. As soon as Hadley deactivated the magic lock, Noland activated Deconstruction and deconstructed 100% of the content on the diary. Noland concealed his excitement at the message from the system, ensuring nothing showed on his face. Did you see? Hadley showed Noland the words he had written inside the water sphere. This book is peculiar because it records words underwater. I often need to stay in the sea when I sail. Therefore, a diary in which I can write under water is indispensable to me. After showing Noland the words he wrote inside the water sphere, Hadley placed the diary and pen back on the table, and dissipated the hovering water sphere in front of him. Do you need anything else, sir? Hadley asked. Thats it, Hadley. Please pack everything up for me. How much is the total? Noland reached into his magic pouch. Hadley quickly picked up the items from the storage shelf, muttering: The six items total 3020 gold coins. Ill round it down for you, so its only 3000 gold coins. Noland pulled out three 1000 gold coins from his magic pouch and placed them on the table. Hadley packed the items Noland had purchased inside a silver metal box secured by a magic lock and a mechanical lock. Noland inspected each item, confirmed there was no mistake, then put everything into his magic pouch. Before leaving, Noland asked: Hadley, if I want to learn more about the Dragon Clan, what should I do? Im interested in historical literature. Making a rare profit, Hadleys mood was jolly. Leaning against the cashier desk, the noise from the creaking desk filled the air as he pondered his response: The things youre asking about have basically all been snapped up by various forces. You hardly ever see them on the market. Even Nextdoors Magic Items Exchange rarely sell such literature. Snapped up? What do you mean? Noland hadnt seen any decent Era of Dragons literature while browsing the market so he had assumed they were just rare. It seemed there was more to it than that. I mean literally what I said. Hadley stroked his beard and asked: You know about the Dragon Clan treasures flung from the Spinning Continent, right? I do, Noland nodded. Hadley motioned with his hands and explained: The treasures that fly out from the Spinning Continent are followed by different coloured flames. Those with lots of text and patterns have brown trails and are generally referred to as Draconic Literature. The powerful wizard forces hover over the sea surface in their magic airships and grab all the Draconic Literature before it even falls to the sea. The items I recover here and from the seabed are the ones that the wizard forces dont want. Only on extremely lucky occasions will I come across Draconic Literature that has been overlooked by the wizards. Hadley pointed to the book he used as his diary: Look at this book. Its a piece of Draconic Literature that I found by sheer luck. Its my real treasure and I take it everywhere. The historical literature you mentioned is a type of Draconic Literature. Wizards obsessed with studying Dragon Magic and Giant Dragon Craftsmanship keep these, whether they are spell blueprints or craftsmanship blueprints, in their treasure vaults. The historical literature you mentioned is no exception. So thats how it is no wonder I havent seen anyone trying to sell literature from the last era Noland asked another question: Are there any modern books about Dragon Clan history on the market? Hadley thought about it: You mean history books of the Era of Dragons? These are part of the curriculum for members of the various Deep Sea Wizard Forces, and only members can study them. You can either join these forces or you have to buy it from illegal Knowledge Merchants. Hadley paused and looked at Noland: Dont look at me. Although I might look shabby, I would never sell knowledge privately. I have a soul contract with the Deep Sea Branch. Id be punished if I leaked any knowledge. Noland shook his head slightly: Thats a shame. Ill have to find another way. Hadley assumed Noland was considering dealing with illegal Knowledge Merchants and advised: Be careful, then. Dont be conned. Most of these illegal Knowledge Merchants have the backing of the Dread Sail Pirate Nation. If youre not careful, you and your money might both be kidnapped by them. Thank you for the warning. Noland pat his magic pouch, See you. Youre welcome anytime, sir. You certainly know quality when you see it. I appreciate customers like you. Im going out to sea in seven or eight days. Ill be gone for over ten days. Feel free to drop by then to see if theres anything you like. Hadley cheerfully saw Noland to the door. Noland walked out of the door and met up with Denise Green, who had also just finished her shopping. The two found the Messengers Homestead, run by the Magic News Department, and walked in. On Nolands encouragement, Denise consumed 3000 gold coins and purchased 30 uses of the Contract Magic Messenger. Chapter 607 - Chapter 607: 195. Hit the jackpot_3 Chapter 607: 195. Hit the jackpot_3 The process of attempting to contract a Magic Messenger was similar to drawing a card. In a spacious room, there was a magic circle in the center of the floor. After Denise Green stood in the center of the Magic Circle, the shop assistant activated it. With the mana in the array rapidly surging, a faint white light emerged on the Array. Meanwhile, spheres of light appeared around Denise, orbiting her. There were exactly 30 of these light spheres. Each sphere corresponded to a Magic Messenger observing her from the Messenger Plane. If a Messenger liked Denise, it would enter the natural world from the Messenger Plane and land beside her. Unfortunately, Denises beauty and figure might only be effective on humans. After observing her for a moment, the 30 Magic Messengers chose to stop observing one after another. In response, the light spheres orbiting Denise quickly decreased in number until they all disappeared. When Denise Green walked out of the Magic Circle, she was upset and a little sad: Wu wu I knew I couldnt contract a Messenger Ive wasted another 3000 gold coins Noland Lee patted her on the back, comforting her, then handed 1000 gold coins to the clerk. He wanted to try contracting with 10 Magic Messengers, including at least one parrot-like Magic Messenger. Noland Lee described the appearance of a parrot messenger he had seen with Professor Erica. The shop assistant brought out the Messengers Illustrated Handbook and found the information card for this type of parrot messenger. This Magic Messengers scientific name was the Five-colored Tiger-headed Parrot. It was lively, energetic, highly intelligent, and loved to imitate human speech. Not only could it deliver messages, but it could also chat with people and relieve boredom, making it quite popular in the Wizards Circle. After looking at the pictures and descriptions in the Illustrated Handbook, Noland Lee was sure that this was the parrot Magic Messenger that belonged to Professor Erica. Noland Lee stood on the Magic Circle, and the shop assistant activated it. Ten spheres of light, representing the Magic Messengers, appeared around Noland Lee. While the ten spheres of light were flying around him, Noland Lee threw his Deconstruction Technique at them. [System Message:] [You are about to use Deconstruction on the Five-Colored Tiger Headed Parrot Messenger.] [You are about to use Deconstruction on Some type of Crow-like Magic Messenger.] [You are about to use Deconstruction on Some type of Owl-like Magic Messenger.] [] Before Noland Lee could finish reading the system messages, nine of the ten spheres of light around him disappeared suddenly, leaving only one! Noland Lee thought that the remaining one was the Five-colored Tiger-headed Parrot Messenger, but after the sphere of light changed into a Magic Messenger, he was surprised to find that the situation was completely different from what he had expected. The remaining Magic Messenger was surprisingly a small four-legged creature with wings, which looked like a winged white cat. Denise Green covered her mouth and gasped quietly, excited for Noland Lee who was about to have a Magic Messenger. The shop assistant also applauded Noland Lees good fortune. Only Noland Lee himself was curious about the background of this Magic Messenger and asked the shop assistant a question. Excuse me, what is the origin of this Magic Messenger? Noland Lee scratched his head: I thought I was going to contract a Five-Colored Tiger Headed Parrot. Please wait a moment, sir. I will look through the guidebook. The shop assistant flips through the messenger guidebook, from front to back, but does not find the corresponding information card. She puts down the guidebook in her hand, takes out another one from the drawer and continues to search, but still cannot find the information card. Left with no choice, she takes out the third guidebook to browse through. It seems that the origin of this magic messenger in front of her might be a bit unusual Noland Lee squints slightly and looks at the magic messenger, unexpectedly seeing a scrutinizing and observant expression from its fluffy white face. Its as if even though it appeared in front of Noland Lee, it hasnt fully decided whether to sign the messenger contract with the wizard before it. Looking at its body and fur, there are no excess fats or protruding muscles, and it has elegant curves, a well-proportioned figure, and snow-white delicate fur that is smooth and shiny, like a meticulously cared-for pet. A thought pops into Noland Lees head: Does this winged white cat messenger have an owner? Uh-oh Did he unknowingly poach a wizards messenger?! Noland Lee cant help but be startled. The shop assistant pats the books cover and takes a deep breath: Sir, sorry for the wait. I finally found the information card for this magic messenger. It is a very rare and seldom-seen magic messenger. The Magic News Department has temporarily named it Snow-winged Cat. So far, the Magic News Department has only discovered one Snow-winged Cat in the Messenger Plane, which is the one you are seeing now. I must say, your luck is truly astounding. You should be the first and only wizard to own a Snow-winged Cat. Snow-winged Cat Noland mutters, only to see that the magic messenger in front of him seems to have made some kind of decision. The Snow-winged Cat loses its scrutiny and takes the initiative to approach Noland Lee. It rubs its cheek against his hand, displaying a human-like friendly scene. Noland feels the extremely delicate and smooth fur touch of the other party and is very satisfied with this magic messenger. The feedback from the Deconstruction Technique shows that the deconstruction consumption of this magic messenger is not huge, only 170,000 energy points. Noland plans to wait until he is rich enough in energy points, then see what is special about this messenger. The soul contract of the magic messenger is smoothly completed with the help of the shop assistant. The rest of the process is procedural. The shop assistant trains Noland on the common sense of taking care of magic messengers, listing the common food list and precautions for magic messengers, and repeatedly urges Noland to treat his messenger with patience and love. Things like what the Snow-winged Cat specifically likes to eat, its hobbies, dislikes, and living habits need to be carefully discovered by Noland in his future life. The only help the shop assistant can provide is the Messenger Whistle for sending the messenger to the Messenger Plane or summoning the messenger to his side. Noland holds the whistle and faces the Snow-winged Cat. Regardless of whether it understands his words, he asks: Would you prefer to stay in the Messenger Plane or follow me and my companion witches? The soul contract between Noland and the messenger grants both of them a slight soul perception. The Snow-winged Cat meows~ and stands up from the tabletop, rubbing its soft paw against Nolands hand holding the whistle. Well, it seems you prefer to stay in the Messenger Plane. Noland nods. Meow~ The Snow-winged Cat makes a low call, spreading its arms towards Noland as if asking for a hug. Noland raises an eyebrow and picks up the cat, stroking its back. I understand. You like staying in the Messenger Plane as well as staying by our side. Meow~ The Snow-winged Cat pushes off Nolands arms with its legs, flaps its wings and lands gracefully on Denise Greens shoulder, eliciting an admiring laughter from her. Noland, it seems to like me too. Denise laughs and embraces the Snow-winged Cat in her arms, gently stroking its fur. You can hold it then. When Im not at home, let the Snow-winged Cat keep you company. Noland smiles. Before leaving the shop, Noland spends nearly ten thousand gold coins to purchase a complete set of magic furniture needed to accommodate the messenger at home, as well as a bunch of food and toys that the Snow-winged Cat might like. With that, Noland has solved the messenger issue, no longer needing to rely on Professor Ericas messenger, and Denise has a companion at home. Chapter 608 - Chapter 608: 196. Magic of Mathematics Chapter 608: 196. Magic of Mathematics The sky darkens, approaching evening. Noland Lee and Denise Green return to their temporary residence in the Core Circles visitor stone house. The most important thing, of course, is to settle the snow-winged cat. Noland places the magic cat cage on the first floor, with a cat bowl for the snow-winged cat to eat and drink nearby, and a cat stand for it to climb and play at its leisure, as well as a cat scratching board for it to sharpen its claws. Magic messengers, creatures of magic, do not need to excrete waste. They only eat and drink, never producing waste. Noland naturally spares the trouble of buying and maintaining cat litter. Moreover, he doesnt have to worry about trivial things like illness, bathing, vaccination, and shedding, as the snow-winged cat, being a magical creature, has no such issues. Worth mentioning is that the magic cat cage Noland bought has a transfer beacon function. The snow-winged cat can reach the cage from anywhere in the world through the Messenger Plane as a transfer point. In this way, Noland can communicate with Denise at home at any time. The two no longer need to be troubled by exceeding the maximum range of soul perception. After settling in the snow-winged cat, Denise Green uses a magic cooking machine to prepare dinner in the house, while Noland begins his work of destruction. The moment Hadley Grant unlocked the magic lock on the diary, Noland consumed 3,000 energy points and gained the knowledge on the diary. This step unlocks Nautical Science (Level 10), Marine Meteorology (Level 8), Dragon Age Archaeology (Level 3), Marine Diving Science (Level 6)). Except for Dragon Age Archaeology, the other three knowledge skills are temporarily unusable. Noland puts the things he bought from Hadleys shop on the table. The first item is a fledgling dragons tooth, with a deconstruction consumption of 13,000 energy points. Noland takes out a hammer from his magic pouch, places the fledgling dragons tooth on the table, and bangs on the tooth, successfully destroying it. The reward of 13,000 energy points is credited, and todays energy point expenditure is basically back. At the same time, the Dragon Age Archaeology level +1. The second item is a mottled dragon scale, with a deconstruction consumption of 7,000 energy points. Following the same method, using the hammer to destroy the already fragile dragon scale, Noland successfully collects the energy point reward, and the Dragon Age Archaeology experience increases, but does not yet level up. The following four items give 11,000, 13,000, 16,000, and 40,000 energy points respectively. The stone tablet with the dragon language on it gives the most, a full 40,000 points. As a result, Noland unlocks Dragon Language Studies (Level 1), and Dragon Age Archaeology is upgraded to Level 6. The content of the text on the stone tablet is deciphered by Noland. The content is quite disappointing, roughly meaning some dragon accidentally spat out some excess food while belching today. Noland cleans up the debris in the study and checks his personal panel. [Soul Strength] 4185 [Energy Points] 124011/56 (40+16) 3,000 gold coins for 93,000 energy points! This is too profitable. Noland has a feeling that he will frequently patronize Hadleys shop in the future, using solid gold coins to encourage the good shopkeeper who insists on selling genuine goods. With an abundant energy point inventory and half of the knowledge skills in place, Noland can buy the island tomorrow after completing knowledge skills related to mineral resources. Noland goes to the first floor and asks Denise about the financial situation. Cash and cash equivalents total 236,500 gold coins. Among them: 136,500 gold coins in cash. Eight sage particles, a total of about 100,000 gold coins. There are three future cash inflows: The first is the compensation from Hotams Metal Department and the law enforcement reward from the Wizard Enforcement Department. Noland and Selena have discussed that the latter will help Noland claim compensation. Selena promises that Hotams will refund the full ticket price and pay an equal amount of compensation, totaling 4,000 gold coins. Also, assisting the Law Enforcement Department and the Department of Magic to deal with the enemy in Captain Berkeley, assisting the Wizard delegation protect the negotiation site, assisting the law enforcement team to protect the passengers on the emergency airship, etc., would also receive a reward. Selena will help Noland handle these matters, roughly around 2,000 gold coins. This compensation will be credited along with the penalty, so it is recorded as one item. The second income is the intermediary commission for the sale of life elixir and payment for magic scrolls. According to the soul contract between Noland and Morster, 10% of the transaction amount of the life elixir belongs to Noland. Roughly estimating, at least 12,000 gold coins will be credited each month, lasting for six months. If the life elixir price goes up, the amount will increase accordingly. The third transaction is related to the secret deal between Mabel and Noland, with a total amount of 450,000 gold coins. Overall, the current funds on the account are sufficient. However, after paying for the island, Noland and Denise will enter a state of deficit spending. The cost of building an island is quite astonishing. If adding the gold coins needed to practice the Strong Metal Fusion meditation method, the future expenses can be described as a bottomless pit. Noland must find a legal way to make money in advance. Late at night, Denise begins her daily meditation training, and the snow-winged cat curls up in the cat cage, falling asleep. Noland, for once, does not do his usual meditation routine. He sits in the study room, looking at the stardust and the bright moon, pondering ways to make a fortune. On the morning of the fourth day after arriving at the Suman Archipelago, Noland goes out alone. Denise stays in the Core Circles visitor area. Chapter 609 - Chapter 609: 196. Math Magic_2 Chapter 609: 196. Math Magic_2 She was starting her classes, preparing for the wizard level exam to advance from the third to the fourth ring. Thanks to Noland Lees help in the past two months, giving her a lot of Rebirth Magic Power, her meditation practice speed improved significantly. Just this morning, Denise Green excitedly told Noland Lee, who was lying next to her, that her Spiritual Ocean had expanded to 100 meters. This corresponded to a Spirit attribute value of 100 points. Currently, she still had about 2100 points of Rebirth Magic Power in her Spiritual Ocean. Excluding the 1000 points reserved for emergencies, the remaining 1100 points were enough to expand her Spiritual Ocean to around 105 meters. With another 6,000 to 8,000 points of Rebirth Magic Power, Denise could expand her Spiritual Ocean to 120 meters, meeting the minimum requirement for promoting to a Four-Ring Resurrection Witch. Before that, she needed to complete all the courses as an advanced wizard student in order to officially apply for the wizard level exam. For a witch like her who doesnt have the Deconstruction Technique, the exam was a hair-pulling affair. After a brief discussion, they decided that starting today, Denise would not leave the house and fully devote herself to preparing for the exam. Noland Lee willingly took on tasks like buying and building islands and making money. Denise gave him her tender body, so Noland Lee didnt have any complaints. (Note: High-risk content omitted.) As usual, Noland Lee took public transport in the Core Circle to reach the Trade District in the Inner Circle. Todays goal was to acquire knowledge skills related to island resources, expedite the inspection of the islands, and start making money after that. After contemplating at midnight, Noland Lee had a viable and safe way of making money quickly and legally in mind. Not only that, he vaguely discovered some opportunities that might allow him to get rich from his conversation with Hadley Grant yesterday. These opportunities would need a deep understanding of the world currency system to determine their feasibility. This matter would need more thought, and there was no hurry for now. Meow~ A snow-winged cats cry sounded in Noland Lees head as he hurried down the street. This was the effect of the Soul Contract: Magic Messenger. As long as someone sent him a letter, he would hear a gentle meow. Noland Lee reached into his magic pouch, took out the magic whistle, and blew it while holding his left arm horizontally as a perch. The snow-winged cat spread its wings, appeared in mid-air, transformed from a phantom to a solid, and landed on his left arm. Its white fur and feathers reflected the bright sunlight. Following the shop assistants guidance yesterday, Noland Lee stroked the cats little head and took out some tasty food from the pouch to feed it. The snow-winged cat squinted its eyes, happily burrowed in Noland Lees palm, and used its paw to undo the buckle on its leather bag. It took out the letter with its mouth and handed it to Noland Lee. Noland Lee grabbed the letter, stroked the cats head, fed it some small snacks, and praised it. Apparently thrilled, the snow-winged cat meowed a few times to say goodbye to Noland Lee. Its body turned from solid to phantom and disappeared as a bubble shadow in the air. This completed the standard process of receiving a letter from a Magic Messenger. Noland Lee tore open the letter and looked at the contents. This letter was from Kalandi, a witch with whom Noland Lee had established a cooperative relationship yesterday. The owner of the Green Herb Ointment branch store had now arrived at the Hotams headquarters. She had received the quotations and samples from Morster. In the letter, she promised to finalize a trade agreement with Morster today. Noland Lee was not surprised by this outcome. He put away the letter and calmly waited for the moment when the two parties contracts would be finalized. Looking up at the end of the street, Noland Lee saw his destination. It was a Magic Miner Association called Vein Elements. The entrance to the association was a large archway made of bronze, resembling the entrance to an underground mining path. The huge sign above the door showed a magical animation of a cross pick striking a rock, conveying a rough and metal-filled style. At the Suman Archipelago, countless people sought wealth through mining and mineral exploration. Because of the toxicity and extraordinary properties of sea water, the rocks, sand, and mud that had survived the corrosive effects of sea water all had something extraordinary about them. Their extraordinariness could be their incredible corrosion resistance, hardness, or toughness, or some extraordinary traits acquired under the influence of sea water. In short, while deep sea water was repulsive, it was a tool for creating minerals. The most typical mineral made from deep sea water was the Blue Steel Stone. Blue Steel Stone could be refined into Blue Steel Alloy. Because of its high hardness, moderate toughness, and strong corrosion resistance, Blue Steel Alloy was often used by Metal Series Wizards to forge external armor for magic ships. Everything that had been soaked in sea water for a long time would use Blue Steel Alloy for its outer shell. It is not hard to imagine how enormous the demand was for Blue Steel Stone, an ore found in deep-sea islands and the seabed. Extraordinary minerals like Blue Steel Stone made from deep sea water were not the only ones. They were collectively referred to as deep-sea ores and were one of the specialties of the Suman Archipelago. Deep-sea ores could be found in the seabed and on the islands of the Suman Archipelago. This was the reason Noland Lee paid special attention to the ore reserves of an island. Chapter 610 - Chapter 610: 196. Math Magic_3 Chapter 610: 196. Math Magic_3 In a sense, the price of an island is equal to 70% to 90% of the total value of the confirmed deep-sea minerals on the island. Taking into account the operation of the Deconstruction Core System to reduce the deconstruction consumption, and its relevance to his own scholarly skills, Noland Lee must delve deeply into books related to minerals. The Magic Miner Association at Mineral Elements has what Noland Lee wants. As soon as he entered Mineral Elements, his attention was drawn to the Magic Bulletin Board displaying prices information. The bulletin board listed the average transaction price and quantity of each ore in the past seven days, as well as half a year of statistical data. (Note: Price data is taken from a certain online game with complete industrial and market systems. Ore prices are only counted once, and subsequent releases will be based on plot needs.) Blue Steel Stone is the best-selling ore, with prices consistently ranging from 100 to 200 gold coins per ton. The higher the ore grade, the more Blue Steel Alloy to be extracted, and the higher the price per unit of Blue Steel Stone. The grade of ore is an important factor affecting the unit price, which leads to the difference between the lowest and highest unit prices of Blue Steel Stone being doubled. Other deep-sea ores also follow this pattern. For example, Dry Coke Stone is a deep-sea ore rich in Crystalloid Jelly Mine and Silver-Similar Metal. Crystalloid Jelly Mines have a soft texture and can be used as mana conduit pipelines. Silver-Similar Metal is very resilient and can be added to Blue Steel Alloy to produce extremely hard Refined Blue Steel Alloy. As a deep-sea ore, the unit price of Dry Coke Stone is between 150 and 250 gold coins per ton. Noland Lee used Deconstruction to throw 1,000 Energy Points at the Magic Bulletin Board, recording all the price data for the past half a year. After completing this step, he, like a Death Wizard eager to make a fortune by prospecting ore veins, ran to the counter, asking questions about magical methods for prospecting ore veins. Death Clan Wizards are in high demand in the prospecting industry, only second to Metal Series Wizards, Geo Wizards, and Elemental Wizards. Metal Series Wizards rely on their sensing ability for metal materials to locate underground ore veins. Geo Wizards and Elemental Wizards use their control of rock and soil energy to search for the location of underground ore veins. Death Clan Wizards are quite unique. They rely on their fearlessness of death to explore the depths of the sea and earth, examining the distribution of ore veins on-site. Imagine that when other wizards wear a full set of magical protective gear to dive into the seabed, Death Clan Wizards would simply turn into skeletons and sink to the seabed without worrying about the negative factors like lack of oxygen. The convenience between the two groups can be described as vastly different. Of course, this assumes that the Undead Creatures transformed by Death Clan Wizards can withstand the pressure and corrosion of seawater. Otherwise, before sinking to the seabed, their Skeleton Body would be crushed into waste by the seawater. Noland Lee is not interested in underwater mining for the time being. He came here just for knowledge related to minerals. The good news is that since the mining business is booming, Mineral Elements seized the market opportunity and transformed from a magic institution focused on exploration and mining of minerals to a service-based magic institution providing membership services. The Pangula Family is behind Mineral Elements. They used to make money by mining and selling minerals. This is a solid way to make money, but it is very laborious and often leads to trouble due to the backlog of minerals. Now, they have found a lightweight, high-turnover way to make money: renting exploration equipment and mineral mining licenses. Anyone who registers as a Basic Member will receive a Level 1 Mineral Mining License for the duration of their membership, allowing them to explore and mine on their own islands and nearby sea areas. The registration fee for a Basic Member is 10,000 gold coins per year, which is a relatively low threshold. However, the magic equipment for exploration and mining is charged separately and only rented, not sold. Rental fees are collected daily, starting at 1,000 gold coins a day. Above the basic membership level, there are three more levels: Intermediate, Advanced, and Special, corresponding to Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4 Mineral Mining Licenses. Noland Lee paid a membership fee of 10,000 gold coins and registered as a Basic Member. He received a full set of books related to minerals from the counter. There are six books in this set, and the cover reads The Call of Deep Sea Minerals C Exclusive Reading for Members of Mineral Elements. Using his plans to finish reading the books as an excuse, Noland Lee declined the counter staffs suggestion to rent exploration equipment. He did not immediately use Deconstruction to absorb the contents of these books into his mind, as this would be related to the Control Variable Method. Noland Lee took a car to the Island Exchange and found Saleswoman Nellie. They went to the east side of the archipelago together. Near Snow Mountain Island 1. Noland Lee and Nellie used Flight Spells to hover in the air, looking at the snow-covered mountain peak. Facing the numerous cave entrances on the Snow Mountain Island 1, Noland Lee felt a bit excited. Whether he could determine the presence of undiscovered ore reserves on an island through the reduction of Deconstruction Consumption would be revealed at this moment. If his previous speculation was proven true, a road to amass millions or even billions of gold coins would be waiting for him. System, launch Deconstruction on Snow Mountain Island 1, Noland Lee whispered in his heart. Chapter 611 - Chapter 611: 196. Math Magic_4 Chapter 611: 196. Math Magic_4 [System Message:] [You are about to unleash the Deconstruction on Snow Mountain Island 1.] [Based on Dragon Age Archaeology (6th level), the energy consumption for this deconstruction will be reduced by 2%.] Well, 2%, the 6th level Dragon Age Archaeology reduces the deconstruction consumption by 2%. Noland Lee notes down the figure of 2%, and looks over at Nelly who is flying along beside him. Lets circle around the same inspection route as last time. I want to observe the islands under 100,000 gold coins again. No problem, sir, please follow me. Nelly flies ahead and Noland trails half a step behind her. After going round the whole route, Noland uses deconstruction to record the deconstruction consumption of 600 islands. Three hundred of them are priced at less than 100,000 gold coins, while the other three hundred were deconstructed by Noland as he passed by. Among these 600 islands, only three of them have their deconstruction consumption reduced because of the existence of Dragon Age Archaeology. These three islands are Snow Mountain Islands numbered from 1 to 3. After the first circular tour, Noland reaches into his magic pouch and uses deconstruction to learn the vein element textbooks he has just obtained. [System Message:] [You have consumed 1500 points of energy to deconstruct the target, unlocking the following knowledge skills:] [1. Deep-sea Mineralogy, 5th level. This skill will help you identify deep-sea ores.] [2. Ore-exploration Science, 5th level. This skill guides you in using ore detector equipment.] [3. Ore-mining Science, 5th level. This skill guides you in using ore extraction equipment.] As the three Scholarly Skills are acquired, Noland and Nelly coincidentally return to the starting point of their journey, and once again hover near Snow Mountain Island 1. Noland tosses out Deconstruction towards this island. The system message this time exhilarates Noland! [System Message:] [You are about to unleash the Deconstruction on Snow Mountain Island 1.] [Based on Dragon Age Archaeology (6th level) and Deep-sea Mineralogy (5th level), the energy consumption for this deconstruction is reduced by 7%.] 6th level Dragon Age Archaeology reduces deconstruction consumption by 2%. 5th level Deep-sea Mineralogy reduces deconstruction consumption by 5%. Noland shifts his gaze towards Island 113456, which has nothing to do with the Dragon Clan. The price of this island is 250,000 gold coins, and it has a confirmed reserve of 2400 tons of Blue Steel Stone. The quality of the ore is not high, and the total estimated value of Blue Steel Stone is 710,000 gold coins. Noland previously needed 1.2 billion energy points to deconstruct this island. But now [System Message:] [You are about to deconstruct Island 113456.] [Based on Deep-Sea Mineralogy (5th level), the energy consumption of this deconstruction is reduced by 0.2%.] 2400 tons of low-grade blue steel stone. 5th level Deep-Sea Mineralogy. Deconstruction consumption reduction 0.2%. Noland nods to himself, noting down this string of data. He looks at another island and again unleashes deconstruction. [System Message:] [You are about to deconstruct Island 113457.] [Based on Deep-Sea Mineralogy (5th level), the energy consumption of this deconstruction is reduced by 0.4%.] Noland asks Nelly, What is the ore reserve of Island 113457? Nelly responds after a moment of thought, About 5000 tons of Blue Steel stone, sir. The ore quality of that island is quite similar to Island 113456. The whole island is priced at 500,000 gold coins. The Pangula family will provide an exploration report. 5000 tons of Blue Steel Stone. 5th level Deep-Sea Mineralogy. Deconstruction consumption reduction 0.4%. Assuming the ore reserves of the island have been fully explored, in the case where the skill levels remain the same, the only thing that could affect the reduction in deconstruction consumption would be the size of the ore reserves on the island. A preliminary conclusion is then easy to reach: Given that Deep-Sea Mineralogy is at the 5th level and the islands ore reserves have been explored, for every additional 2500 tons on the island, deconstruction consumption will be reduced by 0.2%. Whether this conclusion is accurate or not still needs to be tested with a large number of samples by Noland. Noland looks at the saleswoman next to him: I want to stay here and make a few more rounds, Nelly. This will take a lot of time, and I might not go back until late night. I wont mind if you want to leave. Its okay, sir, this is my job. Nelly responded calmly. Noland nods, Then please take me around again. Alright, please follow me. Demonstrating her professional demeanor, Nelly once again leads Noland on a tour around the eastern side of the archipelago. Time flies by as they unleash deconstruction and analyze system messages. After nightfall, around 8 PM. Noland and Nelly return to the inner circle. After scheduling to meet the following morning, Noland returns to the Stone House in the Core Circle. Denise Green has already prepared dinner. The snow-winged cat has already eaten. According to Denise, the kitten attacks the cat food like its starving once mealtime arrives After satisfying his hunger and thirst, petting the cat for a while, Noland shuts himself in the study and starts analyzing the data he collected today using mathematical methods. Thanks to the education he received in the information civilization before crossing over, Noland has some certain accomplishments in data analysis and application. He retrieves all the system messages from his brain and drawing tables on the paper in front of him, fills in the data, and creates mathematical models. In a sense, mastering the objective laws of things through mathematical analysis is as fascinating as magic. Noland is willing to call his mathematical knowledge mathematics series magic. Chapter 612 - Chapter 612: 196. Math Magic_5 Chapter 612: 196. Math Magic_5 Due to the relatively small number of variables, Noland Lee completed the calculation according to the process of hypothesis constitution solution analysis test and obtained a highly simple mathematical formula. In simple terms: For every 0.1% reduction in Deconstruction Consumption, there are 2000 tons of ore reserves on the island. By putting the consumption reduction of a particular island into the formula, he could calculate the Deconstruction Core Systems judgment on the ore reserves of that island. Comparing this numerical relationship to Nellys known ore reserves, they could determine how much ore reserves the Pangula Family had not discovered. Calculations for the 600 islands continued late into the night, and Noland Lee almost couldnt sleep from excitement. The exploration error of the Pangula family increased gradually with the expansion of the island area. The larger the island, the more ore reserves that were undiscovered by the Pangula family. This may be due to the deep burial of the ore veins. The deeper the location, the more difficult and costly it is to explore. As a mature Goldstone Family, the Pangula family has its own way to measure cost and return. For these deeply buried veins, giving up on exploration is the wisest choice. Otherwise, the exploration cost might be ridiculously high, even exceeding one-tenth of the ore reserves. In this case, exploring for ore veins would be a losing business. But! This is true for wizard forces like the Pangula family who are based on the Metal System and Geotechnical Magic. Although Noland Lee doesnt know the Metal and Geotechnical magics, he has Deconstruction at hand, so he doesnt have to spend a lot of time and money exploring deep veins like the Pangula family does. He just needs to consume Energy Points and roughly deconstruct the island to get the vague information about the distribution of ore veins. Far more accurate vein distribution information than the Pangula familys exploration report would undoubtedly increase the value of the island. Noland Lee calculated precisely: By buying low and selling high, he can make at least a 50% profit on the islands. That is to say, if it cost 100,000 gold coins to buy an island, after deducting the selling commission, he can get 150,000 gold coins. This is just for small islands. As the islands scale increases, the Pangula familys accuracy in exploration decreases, and there is more undiscovered ore reserves, leading to a larger appreciation space for the island. Noland Lee came to the conclusion: For small islands priced below 100,000 gold coins, the profit rate is 50%. For medium-sized islands priced between 100,000 and 1,000,000 gold coins, the profit rate is 70%. For large islands priced above 1,000,000 gold coins, the profit rate is conservatively estimated to start at 90%. As a result, it is evident that there is a severe deviation in the Pangula familys exploration results. Alternatively, one can say the Deconstruction technique has an extremely frightening accuracy in mining ore reserves. Of course, while this discovery was built on the help of Deconstruction, Noland Lees mathematical analysis also played a significant role in achieving it. The largest Magic Bank in the Ulnas Circle, the Witch Spirit Pavilion, has a branch in the Inner Circle Market Area of the Suman Archipelago. The Fixed Deposit Interest Rate it offers is 3%, far below the 50% profit rate of buying and selling small islands. From a conservative investment strategy standpoint, it would be better for Noland Lee to use his idle funds to buy islands than to deposit money in the Witch Spirit Pavilion. Therefore, Noland decided that after earning money in the future, he would save enough for his and Denise Greens expenses, and the rest would be used to purchase islands. Once the time is right, he can use the information from Deconstruction to sell his islands. As for whether the ore vein distribution information would be convincing and accepted by potential island buyers, or whether it would be slandered and despised by the Pangula family, thats another matter. This is a world with extraordinary powers. Many times, a persons authority and influence are related to their own strength. When ones ability is low, telling the truth might be an error, and selling genuine products might be considered counterfeit. But as long as ones ability is strong, even lies can be regarded as truth by others. Noland Lees advantage in the availability of information through Deconstruction once again demonstrated the charm of intelligence. Reselling islands could bring Noland Lee tens of millions of gold coins. This requires a strong personal strength as support. To ensure the smooth execution of his island reselling plan, Noland decided to start building up his resources. Starting tomorrow. Chapter 613 - Chapter 613: 197. Convicted at a glance Chapter 613: 197. Convicted at a glance Sir, I have brought the transaction contracts for the three islands. In the guest room of the Island Exchange, Nelly sat down with a smile and spread out the three contracts on the table. Her attentive service and company earned her the appropriate rewards. After circling the east side of the archipelago three times, Noland Lee finally settled on the islands he wished to purchase. The islands that caught his eye were Snow Mountain Island 1, No.112333 and No.112332 small islands. The total cost of these three islands was 112,000 gold coins. The islands owner, the Pangula Family, had entrusted the islands ownership certificate to the Exchange. Noland Lee first made a transaction contract with the Island Exchange, paying 112,000 gold coins. Then, according to their contract with the Pangula Family, the Exchange would retrieve the islands ownership certificate from the magic-guarded library and trade it with the ownership transfer contract that the Pangula Family was about to sign with Noland Lee. Once the transfer contract was signed, Noland Lee would officially own the three islands, becoming their owner. All three ownership certificates were recognized and protected by the Ulnas Circle. As long as Noland Lee didnt become an enemy of the Ulnas Circle, his ownership of the islands would not be revoked by the Department of Magic. After completing the transfer of ownership, the matter was not over. Noland Lee upgraded the security services of the islands at a cost of 100 gold coins per island per month. He paid 300 gold coins for it. For the next month, he no longer needed to personally guard his islands. The Deep Sea Branchs outposts and magic watchtowers set up near the islands would help him protect them. The magic watchtowers would patrol the islands every two hours, flying over them and using wide-range detection magic to ensure the natural resources on the islands were not damaged. With the upgraded security services, Noland Lee no longer needed to worry about his islands and could focus on more important matters. Under Nellys farewell, Noland Lee left the Island Exchange and arrived at the Island Affairs Department in the Trade District. This was the administrative agency of the Suman Archipelago under the Deep Sea Branch, with the wizards of the Deep Sea Branch responsible for all functions. Noland Lee signed the Law Enforcement Wizard Co-defense Appointment Order with Selena. Folding this appointment order would serve as a pass to enter and exit the Island Affairs Department. With this pass, Noland Lee had unhindered access to the Island Affairs Department guarded by combat wizards. He came here to undertake bounty tasks. Ordinary enforcement wizards would need to pay a security deposit to take on bounty tasks here, and the scope of the tasks they could undertake would be limited. Noland Lee did not have such restrictions. His appointment order symbolized Selenas trust and recognition in him. He didnt need to pay a security deposit to undertake tasks and could even get involved in tasks directly related to the Deep Sea Branch. When Selena granted him the appointment order, she had one request: to help the Deep Sea Branch identify items related to the Dread Sail Pirate Nation. After all, Selena was the Deputy Dean of the Deep Sea Branch, and Noland Lee couldnt possibly run to her repeatedly. So, she specifically arranged a liaison for him in the Island Affairs Department. If Noland Lee needed to undertake bounty tasks or fulfill their agreement to identify items, he could simply contact the liaison. The liaison was named Jenela, a Five-ring Deep Sea Witch, a non-combat wizard, whose position was Bounty Task Agent. She had her own office room within the Island Affairs Department and was specifically responsible for receiving law enforcement wizards with appointment orders. When Noland Lee entered Jenelas office, the mature witch in her thirties recognized him instantly with her sparkling eyes. You must be Noland Lee Jarvis, right? Miss Selena Williams mentioned you to me. Jenela had black long hair and wore a deep blue magic robe similar to a hooded cloak. Seeing that Noland Lee had arrived, she used the [Mages Hand] to bring a tea cup and invited him to sit down. Noland Lee didnt want to waste time on pleasantries, so he got straight to the point: Yes, thats me. I came here to find a simple bounty task to hone my skills. Jenela nodded and said: I figured as much. Please wait a moment, and Ill help you search. On Jenelas desk, there was a transparent glass pipeline that inclined upward from the table, about 20 centimeters in diameter. She raised her right hand and reached into the pipeline. Her right hand transformed from flesh and blood into a water stream that flowed down along the pipeline. Maintaining this position for about three minutes, more than a dozen bucket-shaped metal boxes appeared in the glass pipeline, brought up by the water stream. The metal boxes, wrapped in the water stream, left the pipeline and stood upright on the table. Jenelas right hand returned to normal. There was not a single drop of water left on the table, glass pipeline, or metal boxes. Noland Lee praised with admiration: Impressive Deep Sea Magic Control Power. Thank you. Jenela smiled and swept her arm across the table: Please take a look. These 14 bounty tasks are suitable for law enforcement wizards who are new to the Suman Archipelago. However, please do not touch the task order. The metal boxes containing the task orders have the names of the task initiators, bounties, task briefings, deadlines, and other information written on them. You can only open the metal boxes and read the detailed information in the task orders once you have decided to take on the task. We arrange it this way to prevent the personal information of the task initiators from being leaked, and we hope you can understand why we do that. Chapter 614 - Chapter 614: 197. Convicted at a glance_2 Chapter 614: 197. Convicted at a glance_2 Noland Lee nodded and pointed to one of the metal boxes: Lets take this task. Im sure. Jenela opened the metal box Noland Lee pointed to, took out the task order and read it aloud: This is a bounty task issued by the captain of the Conch Vessel. He suspects that there is a spy from other captains on the ship. He hopes to find the spy on board before the next sailing. There are two weeks left before his next departure. As long as you can find at least one spy or prove that all crew members have no issues, then your task will be completed. This can bring you a remuneration of 1,000 gold coins. After deducting the agency fee, you will receive 900 gold coins. Jenela briefly introduced the task and handed the task order to Noland Lee: There is plenty of time for this bounty task. You can slowly search for clues. But please note, do not resort to violence in the Inner Circle, and do not use spells in the Core Circle. Good luck, Jarvis. Noland Lee took the task order, stood up, weighed the scroll in his hand and said: Thank you, Jenela. Ill be right back. Jenela was a little surprised: What? Right back? Noland Lee headed towards the door, waving his hand behind him: No need to send me off, Im in a hurry. Before Jenela could stand up to see him out, Noland Lee opened the door and walked out, heading straight away from the Island Affairs Department. Jenela was somewhat confused, not understanding what Noland Lee meant by Ill be right back. What a strange wizard Jenela sent the metal box on the table into the glass pipeline, continuing to deal with her official business. Half an hour later. Knock knock knock. Someone knocked on Jenelas office door. The person who entered was Noland Lee. Jenela saw him, raised her eyebrows and couldnt help but ask: Jarvis, is the task too difficult? No, I have already found the spy. Noland Lee placed the task order book on the other partys tabletop and made a please read gesture: There are comments written by the Captain of the Conch Vessel in the evaluation column of the task order. My action report is also written on the task order. Take a look for yourself. You can also verify the authenticity of this order with the Captain of the Conch Vessel. But please, hurry, Im pressed for time. Jenela frowned, not immediately grasping Noland Lees train of thought. She picked up the order book, shaking it open to read through. The Captain of the Conch Vessel wrote this passage in the evaluation column: An astonishing investigative process, brilliant reasoning, and I was deeply impressed by Enforcement Wizard Jarviss detection methods! Jarvis has already helped me find the spy, so please pay the bounty to him, Island Affairs Department. He deserves it! The excessively positive praise and six exclamation marks made Jenela think that the evaluation in the order book was fake. Noland Lees action report written on the order was so simple that it raised Jenelas doubts: I bumped into the second mate of the Conch Vessel and a group of thugs on the way. I followed them and found out the second mate was colluding with the Seabird Vessel and caught the other party red-handed. Thats it. Jenela spaced out for a while, slightly dazed as she put down the order book and looked at Noland Lee across the table: You happened to encounter the second mate meeting with the Seabird Vessel, and you just found the spy like that?! Yes, Jenela. Noland Lee tapped his wrist watch with his fingertip: You can verify it with the Captain of the Conch Vessel right now, but again, dont waste time. Ive heard that your pay as a bounty agent is by the piece, right? The more bounty tasks you issue and get completed, the more commission you earn. Listen to me, Jenela, cherish the opportunity to work with me and cooperate with my work. Dont waste time. How much commission you can make from working with me depends on how many tasks you can give me in a day. Do you understand? Time is money, my friend. Jenela looked a little dazed. The endorsement from Selena made her believe that Noland Lee was indeed telling the truth. Still, no one had ever managed to find a spy among more than 200 crew members in such a short time! This feat seemed a little unreal to Jenela, too bizarre, like watching a staged play. Thump thump. Noland Lee reached out to knock on the edge of the table. Jenela came back to her senses: Oh, I I need to verify it. Wait a moment, Jarvis. I believe you really completed the task and didnt forge the order book. But I have to verify it. Sorry, I must do it. Please, do. Noland Lee crossed his legs and sat in the chair, with his hands clasped on his lap. Jenela left her office with the task order, walking hurriedly and quickly. About five minutes later, she came rushing back from the other end of the corridor, opening the office door with a face full of shock. I checked, Jarvis. Unbelievably, you found the spy in just half an hour. Jenela sat down, smoothing the hem of her robe below her hips. Noland Lee raised his hand to stop her from speaking: Cherish time, Jenela, cherish the opportunity to make money. Now, help me find the next bounty task that requires finding a spy. Alright, alright, Im on it. Jenelas eyes lit up, she seemed to understand Noland Lees intention and confidence! The Enforcement Wizard appointed by Deputy Principal Selena had some unknown abilities. She would definitely cherish the opportunity to work with him. Chapter 615 - Chapter 615: 197. Convicted at a Glance_3 Chapter 615: 197. Convicted at a Glance_3 Jenela reached into the glass pipeline with her liquid palm and brought out three metal boxes from somewhere. Ive found three bounty tasks of different difficulty levels, all requiring enforcement wizards to help them find spies. From left to right, the rewards for these tasks are 1,000 gold coins, 3,000 gold coins, and 7,000 gold coins. The 1,000 gold coin bounty task is similar to the one you just completed, helping the captains of merchant ships find spies. The 3,000 gold coin bounty task is related to magic workshops, magic eco-farms, and the like, involving more personnel, and the spies usually use magic items to obscure their tracks, making it more difficult to identify them. The 7,000 gold coin bounty task involves at least a thousand investigation targets, usually issued by oceanic fleets or wizard forces. These organizations have their own internal security guard teams, but in order to keep the investigation process secret, they usually arrange for guard teams on the surface, while enforcement wizards investigate in the dark. If you take on the 7,000 gold coin bounty task, you must cooperate with the task initiators work, and you cannot act without authorization, or you may have to sign a secrecy soul contract with the other party due to the discovery of hidden forces. After introducing the three types of bounty tasks in front of her, Jenela paused for half a second and asked: So, which one are you going to take? Noland Lee thought for three seconds, picked up the 7,000 gold coin bounty task, and left with a word: Ill be right back. Click. The door closed. Jenela took a deep breath, leaned against the chair back, and stared in the direction of the door. About two or three minutes later, she snapped out of her trance. She put the metal boxes on the table into the glass pipeline and immediately started searching inside the pipeline with her liquid right hand while muttering: Time is money Yes Time is money Im lucky to meet such a mysterious and powerful enforcement wizard. I must seize the opportunity. Let me see what bounty tasks are more suitable for Jarvis with more generous rewards Half an hour passed. Knock knock knock. The door was knocked. Jenela set down the last box on the tabletop piled high with metal boxes. She looked up, her gaze jumping over the towering pile of metal boxes towards the door. Noland Lee entered the room, and was startled by the mountain of metal boxes on the other partys table, then burst into a smile: Good, Jenela, it seems youre in working mode now. Thats right. Time is money, and we need to communicate efficiently and make all the money we can. Jenela was infected by Noland Lees smile. She raised the corners of her mouth, stood up, took the order book with comments and action reports from his hand, and handed over the one she had already picked out. Noland Lee glanced at the characters on the order book, nodded, and said as he left: The task you chose is suitable. Ill be right back. If youre willing, work a little extra tonight. Click. The door closed again. Noland Lee entered the corridor and vaguely heard a joyful cheer from behind the door. Noland Lee gave a wry smile, shook his head, and quickened his pace to leave the Island Affairs Department. The performance of the Deconstruction Core System in the investigation once again refreshed Noland Lees understanding of it. He used the Deconstruction Technique to scan all the persons under investigation, consuming a little energy points to get the identity column on the panel information, and he could identify the problematic guys. It can be said that with just a glance, a simple glance, he can determine whether a person is guilty, followed by a surge of bounty and praise from his employer. This Deconstruction Core System should be renamed the One-glance Conviction System! With such an efficient aid at hand, Noland Lee found it hard to resist the temptation to use bounty tasks to make money. This was his idea for making money. Like this way of making money, he thought of several others. In summary, there are still two ways players used to accumulate resources. In gaming terms: There are two strategies available for players to choose from in terms of accumulating resources. The first strategy is called the speedrun, quick pass, or mowing Farm strategy, also known as the money-making strategy. By aggressively and repeatedly speedrunning low-difficulty side missions or killing monsters, players can quickly gain profits until the marginal revenue growth rate decreases or reaches zero. The second strategy is the fortification strategy, which involves forcefully breaking through high-difficulty side missions and levels and defeating high-difficulty enemies to achieve breakthrough returns. Based on these two strategies, Noland Lee had several detailed plans. However, theres no need to try various ways of making money simultaneously. Take it slow. As long as there are no mistakes and acting according to the established safe plan, money is something that can never be earned enough. Chapter 616 - Chapter 616: 198. Strong Fusion Coins Chapter 616: 198. Strong Fusion Coins At the same time that Noland Lee was busy investigating the bounty task for spies, Nelly, the receptionist responsible for island sales, flew to an island within the Inner Circle of the Suman Archipelago. She landed on the outermost point of the island and handed the money and contract for selling three islands to the Magic Servant on the island before turning around and flying back to the Trade District in the City of Suman. The Magic Servant, clad in magic metal armor, carrying a magic pouch filled with coins and the contract, moved towards the slightly dilapidated ancient castle on the island. Clank, clank The Magic Servants steps were heavy, each one producing the collision sound of metal plates. It arrived at the entrance of the castle and pushed open the side door with a squeak, navigating through the candle-lit enclosed corridor. About two minutes later, light appeared at the end of the passage, and a magic training room that occasionally emitted sparks was waiting for it. Inside the magic training room, an old man was helping a young witch with her casting actions. Crack A faint spark sprouted in the direction pointed by the magic wand, leaving a barely noticeable scorch mark on the wall. Miss, when invoking the mana in the magic wand, you need to have the correct casting posture first. Your right arms movement was slightly distorted just now. Okay, Kaiden, Ill try again The rather youthful-looking miss was less than 1.5 meters tall and thin. Her light red magic robe was a bit too large, the hem almost dragging on the ground. She looked at the Magic Servant that was coming along the walkway. Her eyes fell on the magic pouch in its hand, and she blinked. She recognized the pattern on the magic pouch; it was the emblem of the Island Exchange. That earlier Flame Missile had lost its due accuracy as the footsteps in the hallway distracted the young spell-caster. The old butler waved his hand, directing the Magic Servant that had entered the magic training room to stand against the wall: Focus, Miss. I know a Magic Servant has arrived. Ill handle it. Now, lets get back to class. Well deal with other matters after weve completed todays magic wand training, alright? Oh, ok. Kaiden, its only the two of us here. Just call me Sienna. The young spell-caster gripped her magic wand, pointing towards the magic target. The old butler, Kaiden, had a full head of white hair. He looked to be over seventy but was very hardy with a straight back. He was much taller than the less than 1.5 meters tall miss. He smiled kindly and gently shook his head, saying: You are now 12 years old, Miss. After completing Magic Enlightenment, you formally possess the qualification to inherit the family head position. Although youre ranked after the twentieth in line to succeed, it doesnt prevent me from treating you as a qualified family successor. No matter whether outsiders are present or not, Ill always address you as Miss. Sienna pursed her lips and pouted a little, Okay. I understand. Please continue. Kaiden pointed towards the magic target on the wall. Sienna calmed herself, her cute nose illuminated by the fireball on the magic wand. When the heat of the fireball was slightly scorching, she extended her arm forward and released the long-accumulated Flame Missile. The fireball, about the size of an adults fist, razed a tail of flames, and with a bang, it hit the magic target, exploding into splendid sparks with a diameter of more than half a meter. The magic target shook from the impact of the flames, and the magic characters 67 points appeared in the center of the target. Please try again, Miss. This time let the Fireball stay at the tip of the magic wand for a longer time before firing it out. You need to get used to the heat brought by the Fireball so that you can become a qualified Fire Element Wizard. Kaiden patiently advised. The term Fire Element Wizard seemed to touch Siennas sore spot, her expression darkened, and her arms dropped weakly: Why do I have a talent for fire element magic, Kaiden? Was there something wrong with the crystal that detects magic aptitude? As a member of the Pangula Family, shouldnt I have talents in geotechnical and metal magic? Kaiden said gently: Dont be discouraged, Miss. Not having talents in metal and geotechnical magic indeed made you lose many rights to the islands during your 12th birthday ceremony. But only having talent in fire element magic isnt a bad thing. It can help you focus on the realm of fire and achieve success faster. Even if you cant secure a place in the Pangula Family in the future, you can still rise in Hotams or other wizard forces. Now, please continue with your training. We still have a lot of training tasks to complete today. Oh okay Sienna nodded, took control of her emotions, and raised her magic wand again. The magic training room was filled with flickering firelight, which didnt stop until it was time for lunch that day. Sienna wiped off the sweat beads on her cheek with a towel and let down her ponytail that was tied behind her head. Kaiden beckoned the Magic Servant standing at the corner of the wall to come over, opened the magic pouch in its hand, and took out the coins and contract from it. Good news, Miss. Before the family transferred the ownership of Snow Mountain Island 1 to you, your brother emptied out the resources on the island. We initially thought that Snow Mountain Island 1 would be hard to sell because of this. Now it seems, were in luck; a buyer has taken over this island thats devoid of resources. Kaiden curled up the corner of his mouth, passing the contract to Sienna: Chapter 617 - Chapter 617: 198. Strong Integration Gold Coins _2 Chapter 617: 198. Strong Integration Gold Coins _2 Additionally, the buyer also purchased the small islands with the numbers No.112333 and No.112332. The resources on these two islands have also been completely extracted by your brother. This generous buyer has helped us alleviate a part of our financial pressure. Then I really need to thank this buyer. He is a good man. Should we send him a letter of thanks? Sienna seemed to understand but was also confused. Facing Siennas question, Kaiden gave a wry smile: No, Miss. This is a normal island transaction. Willing buyer, willing seller. We dont need to send a letter of thanks to this buyer for the relief of our financial dilemma. Oh, alright. Please follow me, Miss. Its lunchtime now Kaiden accompanied Sienna to the ancient castles dining hall, and the magic training room fell silent. Noland Lee had no idea that a young lady from the Pangula Family wanted to write him a letter of thanks. Right now, he was focused solely on making money. On the same day, at 8 PM. Noland Lee returned to his core circle stone house, exhausted but filled with gains. After enjoying Denise Greens dinner, Noland Lee took out his heavy money bags and handed it to her: Keep them safe, Denise. These are todays earnings. Denise Green opened the money bags and was awestruck: So many gold coins. How did you do it, Noland? Hehe, its no big deal. The amount of gold coins I bring back tomorrow and the day after will be the same as today. Noland Lee laughed smugly and picked up the pupa of the snow-winged cat beside his foot and took a deep sniff. You must be really tired. Have a good rest tonight Denises voice was soft and she leaned in, draping her arms around Noland Lees shoulders, with the cat sandwiched between them. With one hand supporting the cat and the other patting Denises back, Noland Lee said: Im not as tired as you think, just keep going back and forth within the inner and outer circle There was no exaggeration in Noland Lees words. Investigating spies wasnt tiring, but constantly shuttling between the inner and outer circles at high speed wore him down. Just today, he must have flown at least four or five hundred kilometers. The fuel consumption of using the flight spell significantly reduced his soul strength reserves. This just goes to show how many bounty tasks related to investigating spies Noland Lee processed from dawn to dusk. Not many, just about 20 tasks. Among them, there were 11 tasks with a bounty of 1000 gold coins, 5 tasks with a bounty of 3000 gold coins, and 4 tasks with a bounty of 7000 gold coins. After subtracting Jenelas cut, Noland Lee collected a total of 48,600 gold coins. In just one day, he earned close to fifty thousand gold coins! This was an extraordinary daily income! On one hand, this was due to the convenience provided by the Deconstruction Core System; on the other hand, it was also related to Noland Lees diligence. Noland Lee is the kind of person who, once a plan is determined, will execute it with all his effort. Regardless of the storms, he will clear all high-value bounty tasks piled up on the archipelago within the three-day deadline that he set for himself. After he completed 20 bounty tasks related to investigating spies today, there are still about 60 similar bounty tasks left at Jenelas. A small part of them are related to investigating spies, about half are about finding lost items or finding the owners of these items, and the rest are mostly about investigating the causes of accidents. If he completed all these tasks, Noland Lee estimated that he will receive nearly 100,000 gold coins. After that, Noland Lee will need to switch to a different method to make quick money. Its not that Jenela is out of bounty tasks, but that high-value tasks such as investigating spies, investigating the causes of accidents, and finding lost items have been cleared by Noland Lee. They need a period of time to accumulate more such tasks. The basis for Noland Lee to differentiate between high and low value is simple. If the Deconstruction technique can be used to get the answer right away, that would be a high-value bounty task. These tasks are time-efficient, consume less energy points, and quickly resolve making them undeniably high-value. On the other hand, any task that required Noland Lee to sail out to sea or couldnt find the answer using Deconstruction technique at once, were classified by him as low-value bounty tasks. These are lower in priority to other money-making ways. Unless all quick money earning schemes failed, Noland Lee would not accept low-value bounty tasks. This was his strategy to earn money. Denise, I bought the island today. I want to discuss the island building plan with you. Noland Lee moved to the sofa and shared his plan: I think it would be better to postpone the construction of the island for a bit. There are three reasons. First, once the island is built, youll need to use the Spirit Soul Transposition Ceremony to produce Alchemy Stones, only then can we activate those ten sage particles. This will occupy a part of your spiritual ocean, which is not conducive for your wizard level exam. It would be better to activate the sage particles after you advance to a four-ring wizard. Uh huh, Ill listen to you. Denise leaned on Nolands shoulder. Noland scratched the belly of the Snow-winged Cat, saying, Secondly, Ive looked into island security services in detail. Although there are Deep Sea Branch positions and magic outposts near the island that I bought, security is still a significant issue. The main reason is that our strength level is too weak, we are not capable of holding our ground on the remote east side of the archipelago. Therefore, its better for us to live in the core circle or inner area for a while and go to the island when we are fully prepared. Denise pondered for a moment then replied: Chapter 618 - Chapter 618: 198. Strong Fusion Gold Coins_3 Chapter 618: 198. Strong Fusion Gold Coins_3 Hmm in that case, do you need me to go to the Inner Circle tomorrow to have a look at the houses? Are you thinking of a long-term lease or just buying one? Noland Lee said: It would be better to buy one. The coins I just gave you are for buying a house. Keep the remaining money for now, as I have other uses for it in a couple of days. Um, okay~ As Noland Lee spoke, he took out the map he had bought from Jenela today, unfolding it using Mages Hand and suspended it in front of them. There were several circles on the map marked with pencils. Noland Lee pointed to the circles on the map and said: These places have relatively good geographical locations, and the security is superb. Also, about our house in the Inner Circle, I have something to tell you in advance Noland Lee leaned into Denise Greens ear and whispered softly: So thats it, do you understand? I might suddenly ask you to sneak back to the Core Circle for a long stay and create the illusion that you have been living in the house in the Inner Circle for a long time. You need to be ready to give up the Inner Circle house at any time. Yes! I understand! I will definitely cooperate with you! Denise Green nodded repeatedly. Noland Lee smiled contentedly and then said: The third reason for delaying the construction of the island is that I plan to buy an island in the Inner Circle, which will cost at least a million gold coins. If everything goes smoothly in the next half year, not only can I raise enough money for buying the island, but I can also earn the money needed for constructing the island. Until I establish my strong and impenetrable island, our true base will be the Stone House in the Core Circle. Denise Green looked at Noland Lee with confusion: But you just bought three islands on the east side of the archipelago Why do you want to buy an island in the Inner Circle again? Noland Lee held her face and rubbed it with a smile: Its too complicated to explain, and it involves many things. You will know the reasons soon. Ang~ I wont ask anymore then. I believe whatever you say. With your words, I feel at ease. Go rest first, I will join you later. Noland Lee stood up, put the Snow-winged Cat into the cat cage, and sent Denise Green upstairs; he then entered the study room by himself. He sat down at the desk and took a 20-denomination gold coin from his magic pouch. Clenching the gold coin, he pulled up his personal panel in his mind, activated the Strong Metal Fusion meditation method, and began his journey of upgrading his meditation tonight. [System Message:] [You are about to fuse a 20-denomination gold coin.] [The item level of this gold coin is Level 25, weighing 25 grams, and it provides 625 points of meditation experience.] [You need to consume 3,125 energy points to fuse it.] [Your current Energy Value is 119,500/56 (40+16) points.] [Do you confirm the fusion?] When Noland Lee obtained the Strong Metal Fusion meditation method, he had calculated that: When his energy value was abundant, and gold coins were scarce, practicing the Strong Metal Fusion meditation method with a 20-denomination gold coin had the highest cost-performance ratio. Noland Lee silently confirmed the fusion in his mind. The gold coin melted in his palm, entering his skin with a weak heatwave and disappeared. [Forced Fusion Successful!] [Experience of Strong Metal Fusion meditation method +625, now Level 0, 645/1000.] [You dealt fatal damage to the 20-denomination gold coin.] [Deconstruction Activation!] [You have received the following deconstruction results:] [1. Targets Panel Information.] [2. Energy Value Reward of 150,000 points. Since you have already unlocked the standardized panel information of a 20-denomination gold coin, the value of this Energy Value Reward has been reduced, equal to the difference between the energy values you consumed when deconstructing a 20-denomination gold coin and a 1-denomination gold coin.] When deconstructing a 1-denomination gold coin, Noland Lee needed to consume 100,000 energy points. When deconstructing a 20-denomination gold coin, it requires 250,000 energy points. The difference between these two values is 150,000 energy points, which exactly matches the energy value reward this time. Noland Lee was not surprised by this deconstruction result. He took out another 20-denomination gold coin and activated the Strong Metal Fusion meditation method once again. [Forced Fusion Successful!] [Experience of the Strong Metal Fusion meditation method +625, now Level 1, 270/2000.] [Meditation level up reward obtained:] [1. Willpower +0. Your current Willpower is 3 points. You cannot obtain the Willpower attribute value reward before your meditation method reaches Level 4.] [2. Tenacity +0. Your current Tenacity is 19 points. You cannot obtain the Tenacity attribute value reward before your meditation method reaches Level 20.] [3. Strength +0. Your current Strength is 5 points. You cannot obtain the Strength attribute value reward before your meditation method reaches Level 6.] Cough, cough, cough Damn Noland Lee scanned the system message in his mind and almost choked. 6250 energy points and 40 gold coins in exchange for three +0s felt a bit discouraging, impacting Nolands enthusiasm for cultivation. However, Noland had anticipated this and had mentally prepared himself for it. He took out several more 20-denomination gold coins and continued to cultivate the Strong Metal Fusion meditation method. About five or six minutes later. [System Message:] [You have consumed 32 20-denomination gold coins and 100,000 energy points, gaining 20,000 meditation experience points.] [The Strong Metal Fusion meditation method level +5, now Level 6, 270/7000.] [You have received the following upgrade rewards:] [1. Willpower +3] [2. Tenacity +0] [3. Strength +1, now at 6 points.] [4. Due to Willpower +3 and Strength +1, your energy points limit has increased by 4] [Your current energy points value is 163375/60 (40+20)] Finally, two basic attributes have grown simultaneously. Noland leaned back in his chair and took a long breath. The thought of the Strong Metal Fusion meditation method allowing Willpower, Strength, and Tenacity to increase by 1 point each every level up from Level 20, while also increasing the energy points limit by 3 points, filled Noland with hope for the future. Cultivating the body forging movement of the Dusk Giants can improve Strength and Tenacity. Cultivating the breathing method of the Dusk Giants can improve Vitality. Thinking about it now, it is best to postpone cultivating the body forging movement and focus on cultivating the Strong Metal Fusion meditation method first. This way, the effects of cultivating the body forging movement and the Strong Metal Fusion meditation method wont conflict with each other, preventing the latter from becoming significantly less efficient. As for the Twilight Breathing Technique, Noland felt it was okay to cultivate normally. Because, at present, the Twilight Breathing Technique was the only thing in his hands that could stably increase his Vitality. Noland planned his future cultivation and opened his personal panel to take a look. [Soul Strength] 4122 [Soul Revival] 0.6 points every 24 hours [Energy Points] 129,000/60 (40+20) [Tenacity] 19 [Vitality] 10 [Strength] 6 [Agility] 13 [Spirit] 40 [Charm] 23 [Willpower] 6 Closing the panel information, Noland left the study room, went to the washing room to clean up, and then entered the bedroom. He wouldnt receive any Soul Strength for the next few days, so Noland temporarily set aside cultivating the Voice of Silence meditation method. In a couple of days, after Noland achieves his goal of earning money through bounty tasks, his next earning plan will naturally allow Soul Strength to start being received. By that time, as long as everything goes smoothly, Noland is confident in achieving simultaneous increases in gold coins, basic attributes, and meditation method levels. Chapter 619 - Chapter 619: 199. Light and darkness coexist Chapter 619: 199. Light and darkness coexist The next day, early in the morning, Noland Lee left the Core District to meet with Janelle Thompson from the Island Affairs Department. His highly efficient money-making operation yesterday allowed Janelle, the bounty agent, to experience the thrilling sensation of gold coins pouring in. 10% of the total bounty from bounty tasks would be taken by the Island Affairs Department. Half of this 10% belongs to the Island Affairs Department, while the other half is Janelles commission, which corresponds to 5% of the total bounty. Noland Lee received 48,600 bounties yesterday, and Janelle had an income of 2,700 gold coins. 2,700 gold coins were equivalent to her hard-earned income for half a month. Such generous remuneration was enough to make her admire Noland Lees talents and strength. As soon as Janelle saw Noland Lee entering the room, she handed over the task order book she had prepared with a beaming smile: Youre here, Jarvis. This is the task I picked out for you. Take a look. And the arrest warrants you asked me to search for also have some leads. Oh? So soon? Noland Lee took the order book, glanced at it, stuffed it into the Magic Pouch, and looked at Janelle, who had some dark circles under her eyes, and said: Thank you for your hard work, Janelle, staying up late to help me look up arrest warrants. Dont mention it. Its my job. Do you want to hear the results of my search now? Or do you want to wait until todays business is over to talk about this? Janelle asked with a smile. Lets talk about it now. Noland Lee pulled up a chair and sat down. Janelle took a seat opposite him, using her liquefied right hand to fetch several scrolls sealed in metal boxes from the glass pipeline. The metal boxes that stored the task order books were relatively thin, while the metal boxes storing arrest warrants were heavier, which clearly demonstrated the difference in weight between the task order books and arrest warrants. Task order books can be initiated by any legal entity, such as ship owners, workshop owners, ordinary residents, and so on. The rewards for tasks are solely gold coins or equivalents. Arrest warrants are different. The initiators are definitely the Wizard Enforcement Department, and the rewards consist of gold coins and law enforcement credit points. Upon receiving an arrest warrant, one can enjoy convenient services provided by the Wizard Enforcement Department. For example, after Noland Lee received Moscats arrest warrant, he was allowed two free teleports. In order to prevent enforcement wizards from taking advantage, the Wizard Enforcement Department stipulated: At the same time, an enforcement wizard can only receive one arrest warrant. After completing or canceling the current warrant, then they can receive a new one. However, just looking at the list of wanted criminals on other arrest warrants is not a problem. Noland Lee asked Janelle to look up arrest warrants because he wanted to confirm how many targets he could legally kill on the Suman Archipelago. By taking down these targets, he could receive the bounties on the arrest warrants but couldnt claim credit points nor enjoy free teleport services. Noland Lee didnt care about free teleportation or credit points C his only goal was the bounty. So before leaving yesterday, he asked Janelle to help him search the Wanted Records Archive and find all the wanted criminals who met his screening criteria. Noland Lee had only two screening criteria: Screening Condition 1: The wanted criminals fighting strength should not exceed four-circled, the crime level should preferably be Inferior Mage Level C that is, the second-tier criminals, and the total bounty should not exceed one million gold coins. Screening Condition 2: The wanted criminal prefers to work alone, or the number of people in the small group the criminal belongs to does not exceed 5. Targets that meet these two conditions have a very high kill-to-price ratio, and Noland Lee is confident in taking them down in an instant. The six metal boxes placed on the tabletop by Janelle corresponded to six wanted criminals who met Noland Lees screening criteria. Janelle opened the metal boxes one by one, allowing Noland Lee to view the arrest warrants inside while saying: These six wanted criminals have appeared near the Suman Archipelago within the last seven days. With your ability, it should be relatively easy to find their whereabouts. There are about 20 other wanted criminals who havent been seen on the Suman Islands for at least half a month. Once these criminals expose their whereabouts, I will notify you immediately. What do you think, is this arrangement suitable? Very good, no problems, Noland Lee picked up the six arrest warrants and checked the details. Since the wanted criminals are not legal wizards under Ulnas Circle protection, their personal information is not protected by the law. Noland Lee can freely view the contents of the arrest warrants without worrying about violating the privacy of the initiators of the task order books. Noland Lee memorized the information on the arrest warrants using Deconstruction Technique. Sea poachers Deep Sea raiders peripheral members of the Pirate State fraudsters the origins and compositions of these wanted criminals are indeed diverse. Noland Lee read the arrest warrants and said: Moreover, behind every wanted criminal, there is the shadow of the Pirate Nation. It seems that the Suman Archipelago is plagued by the Pirate Nation. What is the origin of this Pirate Nation? How can it withstand the Deep Sea Branch for so long? Actually Jarvis, the main members of the Pirate Nation are the native inhabitants of the Suman Archipelago, Janelle said. Noland Lee was slightly taken aback: Native inhabitants? You mean, after Hotams established the Deep Sea Branch here, he drove out the native inhabitants of the island? These native inhabitants then founded the present Pirate Nation? Yes, thats about it. However, the real situation is somewhat complicated. It involves ancient knowledge from the last era, which can only be obtained from the Deep Sea Branch, Janelle said. Chapter 620 - Chapter 620: 199. Light and darkness coexist_2 Chapter 620: 199. Light and darkness coexist_2 Oh, I see. I wont ask anymore then. Noland Lee wisely stopped asking. Jenela, however, smiled and said: No, you can know about this part, Jarvis. Miss Selena Williams mentioned in the letter to me that I should share some limited information about the Pirate Nation with you. It will help in capturing Moscat from the Dread Sail Pirate Nation. Noland Lee put the arrest warrant back into the metal box and straightened up: Please tell me, Jenela, Im all ears, and I have no reason to refuse this knowledge. Jenela carefully weighed her words and slowly revealed the hidden secrets of the Suman Archipelago. Noland Lee listened carefully and gradually understood the whole story. It is said that many years ago, when the fleet of the Ulnas Circle first discovered the Suman Archipelago, they encountered the native residents there. They were a group of sea monsters with human bodies and snake tails. In the Era of Dragons, according to the Law of the Giant Dragons, all creatures were divided into ten levels. The divisions were based on lifespan, power, size, and status. The highest level creatures were the Ancestral Dragons of each Giant Dragon Faction, which are level 9 creatures. Below the level 9 creatures are level 8 creatures, mainly composed of the core forces of each Giant Dragon Faction, which are the dragon leaders. Further down, from level 7 to level 0, are: Level 7 creatures, elite adult dragons. Level 6 creatures, ordinary adult dragons. Level 5 creatures, elite young dragons. Level 4 creatures, ordinary young dragons. Level 3 creatures, baby dragons. Level 2 creatures, Dragon Men. Level 1 creatures, Dragon Servants. Level 0 creatures, slaves, also calledDragon Slaves. The Dragon Man and the Dragon Servant only differ by one word, but their connotations are fundamentally different. Dragon Men are dragons of a similar size to humans that walk upright. Dragon Servants are humanoid creatures who help dragons rule over slaves. Dragon Men can become nannies and guards for baby dragons. Dragon Servants can only act as slave owners overseeing slaves. The native residents of the Suman Archipelago, those sea monsters, were originally the Dragon Servants of the Giant Dragons. These guys somehow survived the catastrophe at the end of the Dragon Era and still controlled a large number of human slaves. The Human Wizards on the Ulnas Ring Ships were regarded as rebellious slaves by the Dragon Servants. It is easy to imagine that the Ulnas Ring Ships, which had already established a Human Wizard civilization, engaged in an extremely fierce war with the sea monsters of the Suman Archipelago. This war lasted for a long time, approximately six years. Eventually, the Ulnas Circle drove all the sea monsters into the sea and rescued all the human slaves enslaved by the sea monsters. Then, the story of the Ulnas Circle decoding the legacy of the sea monsters and mastering deep sea magic emerged. By this point in the conversation, Noland Lee understood the situation. The deep-sea magic of the Deep Sea Branch comes from the native residents of the Suman Archipelago, the sea monsters who are also the main members of the Dread Sail Pirate Nation. These guys are all proficient in controlling seawater and have even higher attainments than the Deep Sea Branch, so its no wonder they have been able to compete with the Deep Sea Branch for such a long time. Its a true reflection of both sides when it comes to being unable to break each others tricks since they share the same origin. So, the question arises. Jenela, I often hear people mentioning the apocalyptic catastrophe at the end of the Dragon Era, but few can tell the specific details. Can you tell me the answer? Noland Lee said: If it involves secrets, then pretend I didnt ask and I was rude. Jenela shook her head slightly: Im sorry, Jarvis, I dont know the answer either. Not only me, but even Miss Selena Williams doesnt know. What do you mean? Noland Lee asked puzzledly. Jenela said: All information about the Dragon Era is very, very limited, as if it has been purposely cleaned up. Since the Ulnas Circle explored the Suman Archipelago and then discovered the existence of the Spinning Continent, more than 500 years have passed. We only know that an apocalyptic catastrophe ended the Dragon Era, and humans were able to escape their slave status. We know nothing else. Jenela paused: Well, no, maybe its not accurate to say that we know nothing. At least we know that a few giant dragons flew out of this planetosphere before the catastrophe arrived. I heard that one of them, named Tarsali, is still alive today and is also related to the Hotams Metal Department. You should know about this, right? Recently, wherever we go, wizards are talking about it. Yes, I know. Noland Lee slowly nodded and took a deep breath, saying: Lets end the conversation here, Jenela. Im going to go work on the bounty task. Time is money. Yeah! Time is money! Good luck, Jarvis. If you need any help, just let me know. Jenela encouraged him. Noland Lee stood up and quickly walked towards the door: Ill be right back and ready for the next bounty task. Okay! With the door opening and closing, Noland Lee moved through the corridor outside the room and entered his crazy money-making work mode. The wanted criminals on the six arrest warrants he saw before might still be in the Suman Archipelago or might have already left. Regardless, Noland Lee did not plan to be distracted. Once he has finished the high cost-effective bounty tasks, it will be the same when he later pursues the wanted criminals. As long as the Pirate Nation controlled by the sea monsters is not completely wiped out, Noland Lee doesnt need to worry about not having wanted criminals to catch. Noland Lee suddenly realized the meaning of the phrase light and darkness coexist. In a way He should be grateful for the existence of the Pirate Nation Noland Lee smiled at his absurd assumption and quickened his pace. Chapter 621 - Chapter 621: 199. Light and darkness coexist_3 Chapter 621: 199. Light and darkness coexist_3 Two days passed in a whirlwind of busyness. On the third afternoon of intensively handling bounty tasks, Noland Lee managed to complete the last high-value task. Over the past two days, Denise Green found a suitable house and bought it with the gold coins given by Noland Lee. It was a two-story stone house with a small garden, located on an inner-circle island fifty kilometers away from the Core Circle. Many houses were on this island, and the stone house bought by Denise was one of them. It took her most of the day to clean up the stone house and move in from her temporary residence in the Core Circle. Denise added some delicate decorations to the interior. After her adjustments, the house, which did not have an independent swimming pool and was not as large as the Core Circle Visitor Stone House, became even cozier. Noland Lee entrusted all the chores to Denise and focused on making money. By the time he completed the last high-value task, he had 130,100 gold coins in cash. It was time for a land hoarding operation. Noland Lee went home and was affectionate with Denise for a while, then took the 100,000 gold coins she had given him for the island purchase. He arrived at the Island Exchange with this sum and met up with Nelly. Nelly was a little surprised to see Noland Lee coming to buy islands again but warmly welcomed him as no one would turn down a potential client. Accompanied by Nelly, Noland Lee went on a trip to the east side of the archipelago. He first inspected the three islands he owned through Deconstruction Technique and confirmed their natural resources were intact. He then headed towards his examination target for this trip. The examination lasted about half an hour, and Noland Lee returned to the Island Exchange with Nelly. He wasted no time in buying the two small islands he had surveyed for a total transaction price of 101,000 gold coins. As usual, Noland Lee paid 200 gold coins for the Deep Sea Branch to strengthen the security of the two small islands. With that, the second island-buying operation was officially completed. Noland Lee stealthily signed the contracts, took the island ownership certificates, and the exploration report of the Pangula Family. Nelly was surprised by Noland Lees generosity but didnt forget her primary duty. She took the currency and trade agreements and flew to an Outer Ring island, handing them over to a magic servant guarding the edge of the island. The Magic Servant moved its legs with clattering footsteps, entering the only building on the island C the Decrepit Castle. The same combination of old and young were still guiding the practice of flame magic in the Magic Practice Room. This time, Siennas wand didnt falter due to the clattering footsteps of the magic servant. That was because the housekeeper Keda had laid soft carpets in the hallway to muffle the walking sound of the magic servant. Hoo~ The fireball flew out from the tip of the wand, smashing into the target with a bang and bursting into bright, hot sparks. 88 points appeared as the score on the target. Sienna giggled and turned around to find the magic servant in the corner: Keda, theres a letter from the Island Exchange again. Hurry up and open it, maybe its another deposit. Keda shook his head slightly: Please dont be overly optimistic, miss. I think its more likely that its a price negotiation request from the Exchange. After all, the islands you took over have had their resources taken away by your brothers. No one would be interested in them. Last time someone purchased three islands at once, maybe its the same person who bought again. Sienna laughed and said: Why dont we make a bet? If the Exchange sends a request for negotiation, Ill train for an extra hour today. But if they send cash, youll let me rest an hour early today. How does that sound, Kaiden? Our great family ancestor Pangula once said, Only the cross pick in hand and the ores underground can make one sleep peacefully. Miss, please dont risk your gains on probability and gambling. Kaiden grumbled, glanced at the score on the magic target: HoweverYour magic wand training performance today is quite good, its indeed worth rewarding. So lets do as you said. Lets see what the Exchange has sent. I hope you wont regret it. Come on~ Go check it out quickly, Kaiden! Sienna excitedly urged. Kaiden summoned the Magic Servant, reached into the Magic Pouch, hesitated for a moment, and then laughed: Congratulations, Miss. The touch at my fingertips tells me that there are gold coins and trade agreements in the bag. You can rest early today. Yay~~ Sienna jumped up happily. Kaiden took out the trade agreement and read it. Sienna leaned over and took a look, raising the corner of her mouth: Its really the buyer who bought the three islands last time. Jarvis. Hes such a good person. Hes bought five islands that were depleted of resources by those brothers. Compared to Siennas joy, housekeeper Kaiden was much more cautious. After thinking for a few seconds, Kaiden asked: Miss, could this buyer be an ally sent by your maternal grandmother? Hmm? Why do you say that? Sienna scratched her head, looking puzzled: Ive never met my maternal grandmother. Why would she help me? Besides, doesnt she really dislike my parentsshe didnt even send anyone to attend their funeral Siennas voice trailed off, clearly remembering the sad past. Your talent in fire magic comes from your mother, Miss, Kaiden said: By now, your grandmother should know that you have the talent for fire magic. You have her blood running through your veins. It would make sense for her to help you through the most difficult stages, both emotionally and reasonably. Sienna nodded slowly, her downcast expression filling with some reminiscing and gratitude. But soon, the reminiscing and gratitude for her grandmother dissipated as they had never met, turning into confusion: But I still dont understand why she would help meshe clearly dislikes our family so much This As an old housekeeper, Kaidens understanding of people and human nature far exceeded Siennas. If the buyer named Jarvis was indeed sent by Siennas grandmother, then there must be benefits driving the motive, not family affection. But how to tell Sienna, who just turned 12 it would be better to wait until Sienna grew up a bit more. Kaiden collected the gold coins and trade agreement, saying: Alright, Miss. Todays training ends one hour early, and you can play freely inside the castle, but please do not leave the castle premises. Ill go write a letter to your grandmother right away. If this helper was indeed arranged by her, we must invite this gentleman named Noland Lee Jarvis to visit, otherwise, it would be impolite. Alright. Sienna nodded her head, I want to meet this kind gentleman too. Hes not a kind gentleman Kaiden felt a headache coming on because of Siennas naivety and purity Kaiden took a slight breath: Alright, as you say, Miss. Ill go to the study to write the letter, and the Magic Servant will take care of you for the time being. Go on~ Go on~ Chapter 622 - Chapter 622: 200. Deconstructing Sea Water Chapter 622: 200. Deconstructing Sea Water Before officially beginning the pursuit of wanted criminals, Noland Lee still had some preparations to make. Considering that capturing criminals in the Suman Archipelago might involve dealing with highly corrosive sea water, Noland needed to make sure he had emergency measures to cope with it. In his opinion, his worst situation would be getting stranded on a desolate sea surface. Just imagine, surrounded by corrosive deep sea water, and Denise Green is hundreds of kilometers away. There are no ships to land on, it is not possible to contact Denise through Soul Perception, and even his Soul Strength and Energy Points have been depleted. Facing such an extreme situation, what should Noland do? Theres no doubt that, other than contacting Lecturer Professor Erica and asking her to send someone to rescue him, he had no other choice. Instead of entrusting his life to others, Noland felt it would be better to keep it in his own hands. He used the remaining gold coins from the island purchase to buy a magic pouch with a capacity of 300 cubic meters. The larger the capacity of a magic pouch, the more expensive it is, unlike with hard drives. A 300-cubic-meter magic pouch consumed nearly 3,000 gold coins of Nolands money. In addition to the large-capacity magic pouch, Noland also bought several other items. A Magic Inflatable Raft, which when folded up, is just 50 cubic meters. Taking it out and throwing it on the sea surface will automatically inflate it, turning it into a magic raft with a deck area of about 100 square meters within a minute. This is a consumable item and cannot be reused. Noland bought three spares, totaling 1,200 gold coins. A Nautical Locator and a Lost Sea Fog Report. These two items are essential for going out to sea. The former is a product of deep sea magic that provides real-time geographic information. The latter records the fog threshold of nearby sea areas. Together, they cost 1,500 gold coins in monthly rent, with the former being 1,000 gold coins and the latter 500 gold coins. Freshwater, food, medicine, and other supplies, totaling 300 gold coins. In total, Noland spent 5,700 gold coins just to cope with extreme situations. And its not over yet. Noland needed to confirm that he could withstand the corrosiveness of the sea water in case he accidentally fell into the deep sea and escape the churning water. To do so, he used the Ocean Current Crystal to ride the Circum-Island Current and arrived at the rarely visited East Side Islands, landing on Snow Mountain Island 1. He stood still at the foot of the snow mountain, facing the vast sea. Since there are no underwater magical facilities in the East Side Islands to purify the water, the sea water here retains its inherent corrosiveness and turbidity. It appears eerily dark green without any bad smell or odor, but when touching the water surface with your hand for a long time, you can vaguely feel an odd itchiness. If soaked long enough, not only will the skin surface whiten and wrinkle, but it is also very likely that strange red dots, green dots, black dots, and other spots will appear. If the soak time was even longer, the spotted stains would spread like ringworm, extending to the entire arm or even the whole body. The final outcome would be death or injury. If you dont want to die or amputate, you will have to spend gold coins looking for a natural system or deep-sea wizard to cure the disease. Noland wanted to test how long he could last in the deep sea water without protection. This way, he would not panic when he was in trouble. He rolled up his sleeves, exposing his right hand and forearm, and reached out to the dark green sea surface. As soon as his right hand was soaked in the sea water, a system message appeared in Nolands mind. [Notice!] [You have touched the Suman Archipelago East Side Sea Area 3 of sea water.] [It is estimated that in 35 minutes, you will undergo a Tenacity attribute-related judgment. If the judgment fails, you will receive several unknown negative effects.] After soaking for 35 minutes before the judgment starts Is this 35 minutes related to the Tenacity attribute? Noland pondered, taking out a bottle of Swift Swallow Potion and pouring it into his mouth. [You have taken the Swift Swallow Potion.] [Tenacity temporary -3, now 16 points.] [Agility temporary +3, now 16 points.] Noland took his right hand out of the sea water and put it back in. Another system message was received. [Notice!] [You have touched the Suman Archipelago East Side Sea Area 3 of sea water.] [It is estimated that in 35 minutes, you will perform a Tenacity attribute-related judgment] The triggering time for the judgment didnt change, and it was still 35 minutes. This indicates that the higher or lower Tenacity attribute doesnt affect the timing of the judgment. Presumably, the length of time before the judgment is triggered should only be related to the sea area. Different sea areas will have different judgment timing points. To verify his guess, Noland flew to the southeast of the East Side Islands according to the pre-existing map of the Suman Archipelago, landing on another small island. This small island is located in the Suman Archipelago East Side Sea Area 5. Noland put his hand in the sea water. This time, the system reminded him that he would undergo a Tenacity related judgment in 38 minutes. This proved that Nolands guess was correct, and the timing of the judgment was indeed related to the sea area where he was located. Noland changed sea areas several times and tested repeatedly, finally concluding with a clearer result: The closer the sea area is to land, the later the judgment triggering time. In other words, if you lose your way on the sea, and even your nautical instrument is broken, you can generally determine the direction of the nearest land by the triggering time of the judgment. Chapter 624 - Chapter 624: 200. Deconstruction of Sea Water_3 Chapter 624: 200. Deconstruction of Sea Water_3 If Rowling himself half-dead on the island fails to trigger his passive deconstruction of the island, then Noland Lee can only take the initiative to deconstruct the island actively. This requires him to prepare a large amount of energy points. The sea area around the island is a mine rich in energy points. Ill figure out how to proceed when the time comes. Right now, the most important thing for me to do is find a way to survive at sea. Noland Lee clears the distractions in his mind and turns his face to the sea again. In his mind, he summons past deconstruction results and finds the four elemental spell blueprints deconstructed from Elemental History. When he deconstructed Elemental History, he used Harmless Deconstruction. There are more than four spells recorded in Elemental History, but due to the removal of other spells by Harmless Deconstruction, Noland has only obtained four actual spell blueprints. These four spell blueprints are for summoning fire, wind, earth, and water elemental energies. Elemental magic and energy shaping magic can both control energy such as flames, airflow, rock, water, ice, and electricity. The difference between the two is: Shapeshifting wizards, such as Flame Wizards, Water Wizards, Thunder Wizards, and Earth Rock Wizards, gather corresponding mana from natural phenomena, contain it in their Spiritual Ocean, and then convert it into corresponding energy to be released through their spell blueprints. Spells such as Fireball and Flame Strike are based on this shapeshifting magic principle. The Elemental Wizards are different because their elemental energy is not sourced from natural phenomena or derived from the mana in their Spiritual Ocean. Their elemental energy comes from elemental creatures. Elemental creatures are outsiders. They were originally living organisms in outer space but were later transformed into native creatures by wizards when they entered the Inner Cosmos. It is said that about 900 years ago, shortly after the Ulnas Circle was established, four severely wounded Star Sphere level organisms from outer space passed through the Star Filtering Net and landed on the land of this world. These four creatures were the Fire Elemental Golem, Water Elemental Goliath, Earth Elemental Giant, and Wind Elemental Giants. Due to their severe injuries and weakened strength, combined with their high intelligence and friendliness towards human wizards, the Ulnas Circle and the elemental creatures reached an eternal friendly contract. The Ulnas Circle established four sub-dimensional planes for the four elemental creatures to live in. In return, the elemental creatures allowed Elemental Wizards to provide them with the necessary materials in exchange for using their elemental energy. In this way, elemental wizards can directly extract elemental energy from the elemental creatures without having to contain mana and then cast the corresponding elemental spells using their soul energy. The advantage of this is that it eliminates the need to extract mana from natural phenomena. So, at the moment when the contract between the elemental creatures and the Ulnas Circle was officially established, the original shapeshifting wizards underwent differentiation, and more than half of them were transformed into Elemental Wizards. These four elemental creatures have survived to this day, peacefully staying in the sub-dimensional planes named after themselves. They dont care who uses their elemental energy, as long as their counterpart pays the appropriate remuneration. All of the above events are recorded in Elemental History. The four elemental spell blueprints that Noland Lee obtained are, in essence, trading contract books with elemental creatures. For example, the Panel Information of the Water Elemental Energy Summoning is written as follows: [Name] Water Elemental Energy Summoning [Type] Elemental Spells [Completeness] 20% [Level] Unable to Upgrade [Tier] Common Spells [Effect] Pay 5 points of Soul Strength to the Water Elemental Goliath, Napjimis, in exchange for 10 points of Water Elemental Energy. For every 10 points of Water Elemental Energy summoned, you must consume 1 point of energy per minute to maintain its existence. [Explanation] Due to using the Harmless Deconstruction method to obtain this blueprint, the system has removed all negative effects, including casting animations, casting preparations, casting fluctuations, etc. Your extraction of elemental energy will not be detected by Water Elemental Goliath, Napjimis. The completeness of this Spell Blueprint is fixed at 20% and cannot be improved in any way. The casting material required is fixed as your Soul Strength and cannot be replaced with any other materials. The casting consumption is fixed at five times the normal rate and cannot be reduced in any way. However, you can use Elemental Magic Items to increase the conversion rate of soul energy to elemental energy, such as Elemental Magic Wand, Magic Robe, Elemental Sphere, etc. The Soul Strength consumption is outrageously high, and the elemental energy obtained in return is only 10 points, which cant even be replaced by other casting materials. The only good news is that Noland Lee doesnt have to worry about his extraction of water elemental energy being discovered by Water Elemental Goliath, Napjimis. But, the 5 points of Soul Strength =10 points of Elemental Energy conversion rate is really too high. Before Noland Lee gets his hands on an Elemental Magic Wand, Magic Robe, and Elemental Sphere, Elemental Energy Summoning Technique can only be used as an emergency measure. Noland Lee consumes 5 points of Soul Strength and activates the Water Elemental Energy Summoning Technique. A small water sphere appears in his palm, clear and transparent, without any impurities. The system sends a prompt that Noland Lees energy points will decrease by 1 point every minute to maintain the existence of the energy ball.

This was the Pangula Familys secret magic, Pangula Rune Rock Shield, an earth magic shield enhanced with the Pangula Familys secret rune. Its kinetic resistance had reached a terrifying 99%, and its resistances to all other energy damage were above 90%. The Death Energy resistance of this Magic Shield was 94%, and its Thunder and Lightning Energy resistance were 97%. Such formidable offensive and control abilities, such substantial shield protection abilities, coupled with emergency teleportation when in mortal danger, were enough to prove that the Seven-Ring Battle Wizard, Festa Turner, was the strongest enemy Noland Lee had ever encountered. Noland Lee, on the other hand, possessed a Level 20 Death Threaded Wand, a Level 20 Death Magic Robe, the title of a First Rank Wizard, a Sword of Silence that looked like a short stone dagger, and a pitiful Spirit Attribute Value of only 40 points Anyone with clear eyes could see that the gap between Noland Lee and Festa could be described as one being at the bottom of the abyss and the other standing at the summit of a mountain. There was no suspense in their battle, Noland Lee was undoubtedly going to lose. But this kind of combat comparison based solely on appearances is utterly superficial. Beneath the calm surface of the water, hidden are the Psychic Bombardment which steadily inflicts over 500 points of mental damage, Death Incarnate which exceeds its energy peak value over 100,000 points, dangerous thunderclouds lurking in the high altitude And also The unrivaled Information Gap! The information gap is the fastest blade in the world to kill the enemy. Those who hold this blade can always trample on the weak and force strong individuals down to their level, before crushing and instantly killing them. But, others cant understand Nolands advantage. Jarvis! Are you planning to ambush Festa!? Selenas voice arose in Nolands mind, full of urgency and concern. Yes, Selena. Noland calmly responded. No, Jarvis! Leave now! Get out of here quickly! Ill lure Festa away for you, you cannot be his match! He is a Seven-Ring Geomancer Battle Mage, his offensive power isnt as strong as the Metal System and Shaping Energy System, but his defensive power is comparable to a Saint Tier Wizard! As soon as he gets a chance to breathe he can summon a powerful Rock Giant to aid him. Please, Jarvis, leave, dont take the risk! Well find other means to deal with Fagen! Seeing Festa rapidly approaching, there was a heightened sense of urgency in Selenas voice. Noland took a deep breath, still composed: The mystery of magic lies not in its power, but in its variability. The moment I understand my enemy, Ive already won. Keep a close watch, Selena. This battle will end so quickly that you cant even imagine. Dont blink. After saying all that, Noland turned off his Soul Perception. He squinted at the oncoming figure. He knew that Festa had discovered him. Thanks to the activated Perception Enhancement, Nolands sensory abilities were greatly enhanced. The moment Festa locked onto him, who was in Invisibility Status, from a few kilometers away, Noland sensed his gaze. Chapter 702 - Chapter 702: 224.Finished quickly_2 Chapter 702: 224.Finished quickly_2 The earth under Nolands feet wriggled a few times, and a hard earth spike burst out of the ground, whooshing towards his groin. Noland couldnt avoid it, and was immediately pierced through by the spike from bottom to top. However, the scene of blood splattering didnt occur. The Noland Lee that was pierced by the earth spike gradually faded and became transparent, finally turning into a bubble shadow that disappeared from Festas sight. Mental Magic? Or some sort of Illusion Magic? Festa raised his hand, grasping his gray beard, a solemn look in his eyes. He touched the Mental Protection pendant under his robe; it was cold and showed no signs of being triggered. It seems to be some kind of Illusion Magic one that could catch me off guard. This could be troublesome. Festa muttered to himself, wrinkles forming on his forehead. According to Young Master Fagens action plan, he was to write and send a letter before approaching the assassination location to establish contact with the Demon Brain Parasite lurking around Noland Lee Jarvis, Plin, and another wizard servant. After exchanging intelligence with each other and understanding the latest situation, he could then return to Young Master Fagen with a report on the normal progress of the Task. However, today was strange; the letters sent to the Demon Brain Parasite and the other three sank to the bottom, never receiving a response, making Festa wary. The strangest part was the invisible human standing on Island 102353, as if waiting for him. Could that person be Noland Lee Jarvis? Festa felt increasingly uneasy, as he couldnt help but be puzzled: But isnt Noland Lee Jarvis a Death Clan Wizard? How could he have mastered Illusion Magic? Hm, it could be an Illusion Magic tool, or he could have enlisted the help of an Illusion Wizard lurking in the dark. This Illusion Magic must be high-level to trick me. I must be careful. An earth shield materialized around Festa. Dozens of huge rocks reduced to stone size by the power of magic surrounded him, spinning and flying, forming a continuously rotating shield shell. Among these stones, deep brown Pangula Secret Texts flashed from time to time. Like bonds, chains, and blood vessels, the Pangula Secret Texts firmly connected the stones, creating an unbreakable defense network. At this moment, Festa still couldnt determine who he was facing. Before he could establish contact with Plin and the others, it could only be surmised that things had gone wrong. Just look at the island in front of him. This was one of the most remote places in the entire Suman Archipelago; desolate, lifeless, and inhospitable. Young Master Fagen had chosen this location for the assassination because he planned to ambush Noland Lee Jarvis while pursuing the wanted criminals, silently destroying any evidence and framing others. When he appeared here, the wizard servant guarding the wizards base should have come to greet him. But now, not only were Puri and the Demon Brain Parasite missing, but the wizard servant had also vanished Festa thought carefully, believing that the assassination plan had taken an unexpected turn he hadnt yet detected. Just as he was about to turn and leave, flying towards the Magic Ocean Current, a white Light Column came from a sinister angle, landing on his Huge Rock Shield. This white Light Column seemed harmless. Upon touching the shield, it didnt emit dazzling sparks, but instead turned into a white python, tightly clinging to the shields outer shell, winding around it in circles like a courting animal. Festas heart trembled; he recognized the origin of this white Light Column! It was the Shield Dissolution Ray! A magic ray that could significantly weaken a magic shield! As long as one mastered the Rune of shield reinforcement, one could use the Rune and this Shield Dissolution Ray to break the Rune shield and reduce its resistance to an alarming level! Festa sensed his Huge Rock Shield, and his face changed dramatically. His shield was being weakened! Someone had mastered the secret Pangula Family texts and was using them against him through the Shield Dissolution Ray! Festa raised his right hand and waved it forward, infusing a surging earth mana into his Huge Rock Shield. The deep brown mana poured into the shield, causing it to expand several times like a violently inflated balloon. The white Light Column revolving around the shield burst with a bang, turning into tiny, crystalline white dots that dissipated into the air. Festa didnt linger, fully activating his Flight Spell and flying towards the Magic Ocean Current. Just then, dozens of sturdy Magic Lock Chains appeared out of thin air and wrapped around his Huge Rock Shields shell. These Magic Lock Chains seemed sturdy, but they were fragile against Festas Huge Rock Shield. With just a wave of his hand, Festa infused his shield with earth mana, bursting these Magic Lock Chains with the shields expansion. His flight didnt slow for a moment, and his target remained the Magic Ocean Current. One Magic Lock Chain after another appeared at his side, and one white Light Column after another chased behind him, aimed directly at his Huge Rock Shield. Festa sensed the energy fluctuations behind him, and in an instant, he locked onto the source of the Magic Lock Chains and white Light Columns. He clapped his hands in front of him. With a crisp clap, a large swath of rocks and soil appeared behind him in the air. In just two seconds, the rocks and soil sculpted by earth magic had evolved into a giant Rock Cage over 30 meters tall. Chapter 703 - Chapter 703: 224.Finished quickly_3 Chapter 703: 224.Finished quickly_3 Clangclangclang At the moment when the rock cage took shape, it collapsed inward at a rapid speed, shrinking. Grey boulders were squeezed by the great force of magic, and rocks fragments shot out from the cracked boulders, jetting toward the interior of the cage. A storm of debris, like a bullet flood, appeared inside the cage. Hehe, got you, damn assassin. Festa snorted coldly and turned his head to look at the figure enclosed in the rock cage. The cage collapsed inward, minimizing its volume, leaving the figure inside with no way to avoid the onslaught of flying debris. Just as Festa was about to question loudly, he saw the figure in the cage vanish with a pop, leaving only crude wreckage resembling metal fragments. Another illusion magic Festas eyebrows furrowed. Several white light columns attacked, aimed at his massive rock shield. Festa poured mana into the shield, breaking the Shield Dissolution Ray, and pulled out his magic wand from his magic pouch. He decided to take his opponent seriously. His wand was a silver-gray stone pillar, thick at the top and thin at the bottom, with a dark green gem the size of a fist embedded at the top. He raised the wand, which was over a meter long, above his head, stood it upright, and stabbed it into the stone tablet below his feet. Bang! When wand collided with the stone, it emitted a loud noise. A circular-shaped magic shock wave spread from the stone surface, reaching more than a hundred meters away in less than a second. Bang! Bang! Bang! As wand struck the stone again, more shock waves spread like waves. Several white light columns fired toward him, but they were shattered to nothingness by the shock waves before they even reached Festas shield. Now lets see where you run to, cowardly reptile With eyes burning like torches, Festa scanned the surroundings, locking onto an invisible figure exposed by the shock waves. He raised his wand, pointing at the figure. Several rock cages over thirty meters tall formed around the figure, blocking all escape routes. Haha! Got you! Festa laughed loudly as he looked at the figure sealed tightly in the rock cage: Let me see who you are! How dare you ambush me! Also, what did you do to Plin and the others! Crack the crisp sound of shattering came from beneath Festas robes, extinguishing his newfound elation. Damn it! The Mental Protection Pendant has been pierced! Dammit! Why didnt your mental magic make the pendant heat up!!! Festas face turned pale, filled with terror! He screamed repeatedly, hurriedly activating Emergency Teleportation on his magic boots just as the Mental Protection Pendant shattered! Bright white light burst from the boots, illuminating a large swath of the night sky. At the same time, a flash of white light appeared above Festas pitiful body over an archipelago. Festa swept a look around him and was instantly dumbfounded: I I was supposed to teleport toward the Magic Ocean Current how did I end up within the range of the archipelago He stiffly turned his head, looking at the collapsing rock cages not far away. Instead of appearing on the seas surface, those cages floated above another island. He had always thought he was flying in the direction of the Magic Ocean Current. Only now did he realize Hed never aimed at the right direction, and he was always flying towards the depths of the archipelago. Saint Tier Mental magic expertise Seeing and recognizing his opponent, Festa felt like he was plunging into an ice cave. Bang! The head exploded. A Seventh Ring Combat Wizard became a headless corpse. His soul and body separated, hiding in a crystal that flew toward the Magic Ocean Current. Crack. The crystal was crushed by an invisible mental force, and the soul dissipated in a wail, leaving crystal fragments drifting down to the ground with the wind. Hehehe, Seventh Ring Earth Magic Combat Wizard, nothing more than that. Footsteps drew nearer, stopped beside Festas headless corpse. Noland Lee, with hands behind his back, appeared calm and composed. He scanned the surroundings with Deconstruction, then waved his right hand, using the [Mages Hand] to collect the corpses into a body bag and the spoils of war into his magic pouch. The scene was cleared up with ease. Noland looked up at the night sky and sighed: Aye, my mental magic is too powerful. I didnt even use the Thundercloud Technique. Instead, I just killed a Seventh Ring Combat Wizard. I wonder what kind of enemy would be worthy of my artificial thunder tribulation Though he spoke with ease, only Noland Lee knew how dangerous the battle was just now. A single miscalculation, and he would have to call on Selena for help. The key points of the whole battle were twofold. First, he couldnt let Festa have a chance to use all his high-level Earth magic spells. He had to keep the foe over the sea at all times, thereby forcing him to give up the need for the ground as a support Rock Giant Summoning, Bottomless Stone Cave Summoning, and Mountain Fall. These three troublesome spells for Noland required the casting environment of the earth, which Festa could not use above the sea. This was a drawback common to Earth Combat Wizards who were not at the Saint Tier. Only when reaching the Saint Tier could earth-type combat mages temporarily create a territory of land on the seas surface. The second crucial point was to ensure Festa remained far from the Magic Ocean Current. Noland used Sense Tampering on him, making Festa think he was flying towards the Magic Ocean Current all along. Chapter 704 - Chapter 704: 224.Finished quickly_4 Chapter 704: 224.Finished quickly_4 But in reality, Festa had been flying deep into the archipelago the whole time, surrounded by usable earth resources that he was simply unaware of. It could be said that, in this battle, besides the Psychic Bombardment used as a distraction, the most significant contribution came from the 100-level Sense Tampering and Mental Illusion. Sense Tampering not only caused Festa to lose his flight accuracy but also made him believe he was above the sea surface, unable to cast spells like Rock Giant Summoning. Mental Illusion created an imaginary enemy in Festas field of vision. This illusionary adversary cried out things like caught you and summoned a rock cage to imprison several targets. Festa thought he had captured Noland, but in reality, he had only caught a few Mechanos near him. These Mechanos had been subjected to Mental Illusion by Noland, and naturally, they would appear as the person Festa wanted to see in his eyes. Tools like the Shield Dissolution Ray used to break up shields were only for drawing Festas attention away, and from the beginning, they werent Nolands real killing moves. Now it seems that the mental magic I deconstructed from the River of Mind was indeed of low integrity and relatively weak in power. However, just because it doesnt trigger any mental protection pendants and ignores the backlash of mental magic, its enough for me to single-handedly challenge many Seventh Ring Combat Wizards, Noland pondered. For me, the real unreachable wizards to kill, apart from Saint Wizards and Star Witches, are only those Mental Wizards who have mastered the Mental Shield spell. When the total strength of the Mental Shield per second is far greater than the mental damage I can deal from casting the Psychic Bombardment 15 times per second, I am left without any means against them. I can only find another way to deal with them. Luckily, the mental magic system in this world has serious drawbacks, and only I can use them almost without any cost. Suddenly, the nearby sea surface stirred with ripples. Wearing a water-blue liquid robe, Selena emerged from the water, dripping with droplets. Her delicate high-heeled feet stood on the waters surface as she gazed at the calm Noland, an extremely complex expression on her face. Festa is dead Selena said, somewhat bitter. Yes, hes dead, Noland replied as he turned around, his gaze passing through the trees and smiling at Selena: Dont be afraid, Im here. In the soul contract, I promised to help you clear out all criminals in the Suman Archipelago, consolidate your authority in the Deep Sea Branch, and take control of the islands. I keep my word, Selena. In the future, many more lawless wizard forces will fall. Be prepared for that. All criminals will be killed on the spot by me during the violent resistance against law enforcement. But Selena opened her mouth, not knowing where to start. Noland is right. All those who violently resist in law enforcement will be killed by the Enforcement Wizards, according to the No. 1 Wizard Law which grants such privileges. But somehow Selena felt something was odd. It was as if Nolands definition of law enforcement and the meaning of law enforcement mentioned in the Ulnas Ring Law were not the same. You remind me of those Pale Knights who, in the name of justice, spare no effort, Selena managed to find some words to express her thoughts. Hmm, I feel that way too. But Im more rational than them. I only attack the enemies within my capabilities, Noland clapped and said: Alright, lets end our conversation here, my lady. We need to clean up the scene as soon as possible and return to the Core Circle. At the latest by tomorrow morning, Young Master Fagen will notice that hes missing a leg. Selena pursed her lips and nodded slowly: Alright, I will erase the traces of the battle. She looked up at the sky and noticed a patch of dark clouds emerging from behind the thin clouds. Noland followed her gaze and smiled unconcernedly: Dont worry about it, my lady. I can handle it. Its just a little trick I researched during my free time. I originally wanted to test its power in the battle, but Festa didnt give me a chance You call this a little trick Selenas eyebrows twitched, and her eyes showed a hint of awe when she looked at Noland. Due to the distance between her and Noland before, Selena didnt see the process of Noland summoning the thunder and lightning energy. However, she only saw the rapidly growing dark cloud in the sky. She knew very well the power of thunder and lightning contained within that cloud. Selenas mind flashed back to the magic experiment accident a few days ago, which led to the charred magic laboratory. She took a slight breath and said shakily: That isnt the thunder and lightning magic you researched a few days ago, is it? Noland neither confirmed nor denied, shook his hand, concentrating on checking his Magic Pouch and tallying his gains. Seeing Noland unwilling to talk more about it, Selena steadied the turmoil within her and submerged into the sea to erase the traces of the previous battle. Chapter 705 - Chapter 705: 225. Solidify Happiness Chapter 705: 225. Solidify Happiness The past series of reconnaissance and combat work had lasted for about eight hours. There was some fatigue at the mental and physical levels, and a large amount of energy was consumed, but fortunately, various gains were quite good. When Noland Lee upgraded sense tampering and psychic bombardment from level 40 to level 100, he successively consumed two amounts of 41,700 energy points. When he upgraded perception enhancement from level 1 to level 100, he consumed another 49,500 energy points. Taking into account the consumption of targets like Pryne, the demon brain parasite, and the two retainer wizards, Noland Lee spent a total of 367,000 energy points today. A considerable part of the consumption was substituted by Nolands energy reserve, which squeezed every trinket in his magic pouch. The good news is that Noland successfully triggered passive deconstruction when he killed the enemy and absorbed the resurrection magic source. He recovered all the energy points he had consumed and did not fall into a situation where no energy could be used. [Soul Strength] 10,235 points [Energy Points] 710,000 / 70 (40 + 30) [Energy Reserve] 10,000 The explosive growth of energy points and soul strength satisfied Nolands heart. He was one step closer to his goal of killing a Tenth-Ring wizard in a second. Noland Lee reached into his magic pouch and quickly sorted out the spoils of war found from the four criminals. The Imperishable Metal meditation method and spell books of the wizard forces came from the metal mage Pryne, who abused his companion witches. Using the deconstruction technique, Noland cracked the magic lock on the books, obtained the harmlessly deconstructed Metal Longevity meditation method and the accompanying spell blueprint C Metal Activation. Metal Longevity meditation method can improve tenacity, willpower, and spirit. Its effect is to transform the flesh and blood into the cheap magic metal C Magic Iron. The acquired magic iron can be used to create metal magic creations like normal magic metal. The Metal Activation spell can also be used to give it vitality and be absorbed by the wizard who practices the Metal Longitude meditation method. The absorbed magic metal will form magic metal lumps in the designated parts of the wizards body. The more absorbed, the more lumps. In the long run, a good part of the body can be transformed into magic metal. The meditation method and metal activation spell that Noland got only had a completeness of 10%. The consumption of meditation and casting was high, 10 times the normal level, and the actual effect was significantly reduced. Noland thought about it and had no intention of practicing these two things. At least not for now. Let him consider the Metal Longitude meditation method and Metal Activation spell when he needs to face the situation that flesh and blood cant bear in the future. Continue to organize the spoils of war. There were no magic books on the Demon Brain Parasite, and there was nothing valuable. Fagens two retainer wizards were rich. Gold coins, jewelry, magic trinkets, letters, magic books, magical elixirs, and so on, Noland Lee was dazzled by the array. Sure enough, horses cant grow without night grass, and people cant be rich without ill-gotten wealth. After dealing with these two retainers, my wallet is bulging again~~ Noland happily swept the valuable items of the two retainers into his magic pouch. Together with their belongings, Noland received 350,000 gold coins from the four criminals today and various magic trinkets worth 500,000 gold coins. Leave the money-saving matter to Denise Green. Noland put the gold coins into a separate money bag. Among the various magic trinkets, those with higher value that could be exchanged for money were also thrown into the money bag by Noland. Those not valuable and hard-to-realize trinkets were put into the magic pouch by Noland and became part of the Energy Reserve. As a result, the Energy Reserve rose to 160,000. Noland put the bulging money bag aside and took out the magic books of the two retainers. The first retainer, whose memory was wiped out, was only Sixth Ring in strength. His magic books highly overlapped with those of the Seven-Ring Festa, and they were not as complete as the latters. Noland collected the retainers magic books and separately deconstructed the two books in Festas hands. [System Message:] [You consumed 150,000 energy points, cracked the magic lock of the two magic books, and launched a harmless deconstruction on the contents of the book.] [You obtained the following deconstruction results:] [1. Panel information of the two magic books.] [2. The Pangula Familys Earthshaking Meditation Method, with 15% completeness, covering all cultivation content from wizard apprentices to the seven-ring stage.] [3. Earth Magic Spell Blueprints of the Pangula Family, totaling six, ranging in completeness from 10% to 20%, they are:] [Spell Blueprint: Huge Rock Shield, completeness 20%] [Spell Blueprint: Advanced Rock Cage, completeness 10%] [Spell Blueprint: Stone Spirit Summoning Spell, completeness 20%] [Spell Blueprint: Mountain Fall, completeness 10%] [Spell Blueprint: Earthquake, completeness 10%] [Spell Blueprint: Detect Geomancy Energy, completeness 20%] Noland put the six spell blueprints he got into a spread in front of him and looked at them carefully. About 5 minutes later, he learned the six spell blueprints with a smile, filling his spell list with them. All six spells were earth series, and they were high-level spells. Due to the low completeness, the consumption of these spells was relatively large, the effect was discounted, and half of the spells required the help of the earth to achieve. Chapter 706 - Chapter 706: 225. Solidifying Happiness_2 Chapter 706: 225. Solidifying Happiness_2 Noland Lee currently did not plan to study them, he would wait until the future when he needed them. In addition to the magic books, Nolands biggest gain was the knowledge and memories obtained from Passive Deconstruction. After killing four criminals, the system sent many messages. Shaping Magic level +5, now 13. Other Knowledge Skills have been improved. New Knowledge Skill Earth Rock Magic, now level 7. In the future, when Noland deconstructs something related to Earth Rock Magic, he can enjoy a discount on Deconstruction Consumption. Demon Brain Tribe Linguistics, Level 2. This is the unique language and characters used by the Demon Brain Tribe, each character looks twisted like a slug. Metal Magic, now Level 3. This is the product of killing Plin. Pangula Family Rune Studies, level 15. Before the battle, Noland Lee learned Level 7 of this skill from Festa using Deconstruction Technique. After killing Festa, Passive Deconstruction helped Noland raise the skill to Level 15. Like Undead Runes which can strengthen the Death Shield, this Rune Studies can be used to fortify the Huge Rock Shield. At this point, the gold coins, magic books and Knowledge Skill inventory were completed. Noland summoned the memory fragments of the four criminals in his mind, reading the memories while waiting for Selena to clean the battlefield. The memory fragments of the Demon Brain Parasite, Metal Mage Pryne, and the Sixth-Ring Home Steward had already been reviewed by Noland. What he is focusing on now is Festas, who was a Seventh Circle Combat Wizard. As the personal housekeeper of Lord Fagen, Festa was familiar with Fagens daily habits and behavioral style. Indulging in extravagance, controlling behind the scenes, associating with criminals, Festa didnt directly participate in Fagens various tasks, but like a bystander observed everything and remembered it. Secret invitations from Fagen to famous women to visit his house, or Fagens choice of underwear color for the next day, all these details could be found in Festas memories. They also included Fagens schedule for the next dozen days, as well as the competitions and collaborations between Fagen and other heirs. When Noland read this part, he raised his eyebrows slightly, his eyes gleaming incessantly, benefiting greatly. He discovered quite a lot of useful information. The Pangula Family currently has 25 heirs, coming from five different family branches. The first to third ranked heirs are members of the Mut Faction. The fourth to twelfth ranked heirs come from the Fagen branch where Dickler Fagan belongs. Dickler Fagen is the fifth ranked heir, and the person ranked fourth before him is his father C Fagen Pangula. If Dickler Fegen died, the Patriarch would then choose one heir from other heirs of the Fagen branch, in order of inheritance within the branch, to come to the Suman Archipelago and take over Dickler Fegens role of principal. Only when Fagens father, the fourth-ranked heir, gave up the post of principal in the Suman Archipelago, would the sixth to twelfth heirs have a chance to take over. And when the sixth to twelfth ranked heirs had all given up, it would then turn to the thirteenth to twenty-fifth heirs. In other words, after Noland got rid of Dickler Fagen, there was a high probability that he would summon Dicklers father, Fagen Pangula. According to the content of Festas memory, Fagen Pangula had already reached the Saint Tier and became an Eighth-Ring Geo Wizard. Hes not a combat wizard, but he had at least four Eighth Circle Combat Wizards around him. If he took over from Dickler Fagen as the principal of the Suman Archipelago, Noland would be in trouble A Saint Tier wizard was much more difficult to deal with than a sixth or seventh ring wizard. For Noland to get rid of them, he would have to use his trump cards like the Thundercloud Technique and the Elemental Energy Reactor. Taking a longer view, Noland had to prepare in advance to deal with Fagen Pangula. To think that I defeated the lesser only for the elder one to arrive Noland sighed to himself silently. He he was not too worried about Fagen Pangula taking over from Dickler Fagen. Fagen Pangula was currently the principal of the Pangula family in the Scorched Rock Plateau, managing a vast expanse of open-pit Scorched Rock Veins that produced fire and earth magic. The Scorched Rock Plateau was a place full of open-pit high-grade veins, a genuine treasure trove. Unless Fagen Pangula lost his mind, he would never give up being the principal of the Scorched Rock Plateau to come to the Suman Archipelago to be a principal. In Nolands view, it should be Dickler Fagens younger brothers or sisters who would come to the Suman Archipelago to inherit his principal position. Is there a possibility that through my operations, Sienna becomes the only principal of the Pangula family on the Suman Archipelago. That would be the most beneficial for me. If successful, not only would I expand my influence within the Pangula family, but also share the pressure from the Fagen Faction with Sienna The more Noland thought, the more he felt this plan wasnt without merit. As a mature and steady traveller, he needed to make posthumous arrangements for his opponent, Young Mr. Fagen. These included mitigating the troubles caused by his death and how to deal with the vacant position left by him. Only by taking one step and looking three steps ahead could he control the direction of events. Chapter 707 - Chapter 707: 225. Solidifying Happiness_3 Chapter 707: 225. Solidifying Happiness_3 Splish~ A faint sound of water came from the nearby sea surface. Selena emerged from the nearby seawater: Jarvis, Ive finished cleaning up the traces of the battle. Noland Lee snapped back to reality, speaking to the other side: Thanks, Selena. Wait for me a moment. Theres something else I need to take with me. Noland Lee gestured for Selena to follow him, flying to the location of the grey metal box and digging it out of the soil. Whats this? Selena furrowed her eyebrows slightly. She sensed faint traces of life from the box, along with the subtle presence of Rebirth Magic Power and fluctuations of Metal Magic. Plins Companion Witch. Noland Lee took out a cloth wrap, put the box in it, and carried it with him: Lets go back. Well go directly to your study and discuss the follow-up matters. Also, lets go underwater. Okay, I have a way to enter my study directly from the Magic Ocean Current. Follow me. Selena withdrew her thoughtful gaze from the metal box, summoned a Water Curtain, and wrapped herself and Noland Lee inside. The Water Curtain dived into the seawater and swam rapidly underwater. At the east side of the Suman Archipelago, a remote and uninhabited corner finally welcomed its deserved silence. Inside Selenas study in the core of the Suman Archipelago. This study with a hemispherical dome occupied a vast area. A few meters above the floor, several spherical miniature oceans floated. Splish~ A lot of waves appeared on a miniature ocean near the desk. Amidst the churning water, a Water Curtain emerged from the miniature ocean and landed on the soft carpet. The Water Curtain retreated back to the miniature ocean, leaving no trace of water on the ground. Two figures appeared in the study, Noland Lee and Selena returning from the east side of the Suman Archipelago. Selena, give me a moment. Noland Lee patted the cloth bag containing the metal box: I want to settle this poor Resurrection Witch first. Do you mind if I summon Denise Green? While Selena controlled [Mages Hand] to prepare tea and desserts, she shook her head slightly and said: Do as you please, Jarvis. With Selenas permission, Noland Lee activated his Soul Perception with Denise Green in his heart. He first reassured the cute little witch, then recounted the fate of Plins Companion Witch to her. After hearing Nolands account, Denise Green was immediately teleported over amidst flickering flames. After briefly greeting Selena, Denise Green took the metal box from Nolands hands with trembling hands, her eyes filled with sorrow and tears: Its Latifa Its definitely Latifa That damned Plin turned her into a monster You know her? Noland Lee faced Denise Green with reddened eyes, feeling a hint of regret in his heart. Perhaps he shouldnt have told her about Plins actions Noland Lee embraced Denise Greens shoulders and comforted her with gentle words. Denise Green leaned against his shoulder like an injured kitten, wetting Nolands neck, and collar with her tears, sobbing incessantly. Selena stood by with a concerned expression. After several minutes of consolation, Denise Greens emotions stabilized and she recounted her acquaintance with Latifa, the Resurrection Witch. When Denise Green was brought into the Ulnas Circle by the Lantern of Reborn and became a Wizard Apprentice, her senior, Latifa, was already a First-Level Resurrection Witch. The number of Resurrection Witch students was relatively small, generally no more than 10. They addressed each other as sisters, living carefree lives under the protection of the Lantern. It was during that time that Denise Green formed deep friendships with other Wizard Students. After Latifa became a Three-circled Resurrection Witch, she began traveling the world to find her Contractor, as required by the Lantern. Denise Green often met with Latifa in the Sub-Dimensional Plane of the Lantern until the latter signed a contract with Plin. The last time Denise Green saw Latifa was on the day before Latifa signed a contract with Plin. Latifa said she had found a reliable Contractor who promised to show her the view of outer space after she slept for a short while. By then, Plin would have become a Star Witch. Denise Green sincerely wished her well. Since then, Latifa had disappeared without a trace. Denise Green inquired about Latifas whereabouts from the Lantern. The Lantern always replied with only four words: She is still alive. Now, Denise Green saw Latifa again, only to find her former senior had become a monster in a metal box. This immense psychological gap felt like a heavy blow to Denise Greens heart. However, crying wouldnt solve the problem. What they needed to consider now was how to settle Latifa inside the box. After Denise Green had barely composed herself, Noland Lee asked this question: Should they let Latifa go free with her mind sealed off, or use a Rebirth technique to revive her? Denise Green brought this question to her Professor. The Professor advised her to decide for herself. Faced with this reply, Denise Green found herself in a dilemma. Latifa, in a state of Mental Seal, had entered Slumber State, losing all ability to perceive the outside world or think. As Plin promised her, if all went well, she would have the chance to see outer space when she woke up. By then, Plin would be a Star Witch. But now, Plin was dead, and Latifa was still in Slumber State. Reviving Latifa, awakening her mind and telling her what had happened to her, might be a cruel thing to do. Chapter 708 - Chapter 708: 225. Solidifying Happiness_4 Chapter 708: 225. Solidifying Happiness_4 The reason why this might be a cruel act is that Noland Lee and Denise Green were unable to determine whether Latifa willingly allowed Plin to transform her into a monster. There was a very small probability that after Latifa woke up, she would not only be ungrateful to Noland Lee and Denise Green, but also hate them for killing her Contractor, interrupting her slumber, and preventing her from seeing outer space. This probability was not impossible. According to Denise Green, Latifa signed the contract with Plin while they were passionately in love. Being in the state of love, Latifa might have accepted Plins plan without much thought. After all, to her, not being able to perceive the outside world might not be a bad thing. As long as she believed that her Contractor could take good care of her, she could fall asleep peacefully. The moment her mind woke up, her feelings towards Plin would remain unchanged, still passionately in love. Under such a mental state, it would be challenging for her to accept reality. Noland Lee was powerless to determine whether Latifa had willingly transformed into a monster. It was an event that happened too long ago; it did not appear in the memory fragments, so he had no way of knowing the answer. To revive Latifa, or not? This is a difficult decision. Noland Lee said solemnly: If we want to avoid trouble, wed better let Latifa find peace. But I dont think you have the heart to do it. Right? Denise. Denise leaned on Noland Lees shoulder, wiped away her tears, and her face became more haggard. She nodded weakly in response to Noland Lee. Selena, as an observer, sat quietly on a sofa nearby, with a worried look between her eyebrows. It seemed as if she put herself in the shoes of the parties involved and thought about the problem. Noland Lee gently patted Denises back and said: Let me decide. Do you trust me? Yes, I always trust you. Denise replied softly. Noland Lee looked at Selena: Im sorry, but I need to spend more time. Please dont mind. Its okay, Jarvis. Selena brushed her long hair away from her forehead, bent her right arm, propped her chin with her palm, and asked curiously: What are you going to do? Noland Lee took out a Soul Retreat Crystal and said: Not everyone can become strong in adversity. Sometimes, passing away amidst happiness and sweetness might be a good ending. Denise understood Noland Lees meaning. She moved her head and buried it in Noland Lees back. Her warm tears quickly dampened the clothes on Noland Lees back. Noland Lee cast a Soul Extraction spell, targeting the metal box and the Soul Retreat Crystal. A light gray soul flowed out of the metal box and, under Noland Lees guidance, entered the crystal. Noland Lees Soul Extraction spell had a low completion level. When extracting a normal soul, he might need to maintain the casting for 30 hours to extract the soul completely. However, when extracting Latifas soul, this process lasted only about 3 minutes. This indicated that the container storing Latifas soul, the metal box, had an incredibly weak binding force on her soul. So much so, Noland Lee didnt spend much time finishing the extraction process. A female soul appeared in the Soul Retreat Crystal, wearing a gorgeous white wedding dress. Although her eyes were tightly closed, a beautiful smile spread across her lips. Look, Denise, Latifa is smiling. She was happy before her soul was sealed. Noland Lee said. Denise moved her head from Noland Lees back and glanced at the soul in the crystal, her tears flowing incessantly. Her memory was frozen at the happiest moment. Lets make this moment eternal. Noland Lee clenched his fist, shattering the crystal. The semi-transparent weak soul, along with the sleeping smile, vanished into thin air. Chapter 709 - Chapter 709: 226. Red Face, Black Face Chapter 709: 226. Red Face, Black Face Denise Green teleported back to the Stone House to rest. Inside Selenas study room, Noland Lee and Selena sat on the opposite sides of the desk, discussing matters. Im impressed with how you handled Latifas soul, Selena bent her arm on the tabletop, supporting her chin with the back of her hand, her beautiful eyes fixed on Noland Lee: I thought you would revive Latifa and tell her the truth, convincing her to accept the fact that her Contractor was a scum. I really didnt expect that you would choose to let Latifa leave at the best moment in her memory. Noland Lee took the teacup, blowing away the white steam on the water surface: Maybe its my determination and belief in challenging the Fagen family that made you think I am an idealist, paranoid, extreme, and as long as I think it is justice, I would execute it without hesitation, completely disregarding other peoples feelings. Actually, Im not the kind of person who would mess around for the so-called justice, Selena. Noland Lee took a small sip of hot tea to moisturize his body after a tiring day. The fragrance of the tea flowed in his mouth and washed away the fatigue, making him feel more invigorated. He put down the teacup and continued: My real thought is to make the evildoers pay and ensure that good people receive a good end. The first half of the sentence can be considered as restoring order to chaos, and the second half is my little selfishness. Because in many cases, what I consider a good end may not be what the good people want. But I think, just on the issue of Latifa, letting her leave in peace at her best moment is an approach that you, I, Denise Green, and Latifa herself would approve. What do you think? Selena pondered for a moment and said: I um, I agree with your approach. For Latifa, this should be the best ending. Although its not complete, its the happiest one. Lets put this matter behind us and not let it take up too much time. We still have important matters to deal with. Noland Lee sat up straight, propping his arms on the armrests: The fact that Dickler Fegan colluded with the Dread Sail Pirate Nation and Demon Brain Land is real. In the Ulnas Circle, knowing the fact is not enough; we must have concrete evidence to apply for a Special Investigation Order from the Wizard Enforcement Department. But as you know, the laws of the Ulnas Circle are full of loopholes, and the extraordinary power of individuals and the secret contracts between them can always surpass the laws. If we follow the normal process, there is no chance that we can send Dickler Fegan to the Enforcement Departments Prison Cell. Now I have a question, Selena. Are you asking me how I plan to deal with Dickler Fegan? Selena asked. No. Noland Lee shook his head slightly: Im asking if there have been any incidents of Wizard families colluding secretly with Ulnas Circles enemies in the Suman Archipelago before? If so, how did you handle it at the time? Selena sighed helplessly: Ah, Jarvis, this kind of situation happened countless times. You might think Im a weak Deputy Principal, but the fact is that I can only ask for help from the Department of Magic and Wizard Enforcement Department when a crisis breaks out. Before the crisis erupts, even if I have some clues, I cant start an investigation. Because these clues can be turned into unverifiable lies and deceptions under the influence of extraordinary power. So, youve always played the role of a post-event handler, right? Because of the many loopholes in Ulnas Circles laws and the great individual power, you cant intervene at the beginning and middle stages. Noland Lee said. Right. Its an unavoidable situation, Jarvis. Hotams and Pure Light Court, these two wizard forces that advocate order the most in the Ulnas Circle, once launched a motion on the Wizard Council to strengthen the authority of magic judicial organizations. If this motion gets passed, the special investigation power against Wizard families would be transferred from the Wizard Enforcement Department to the Deep Sea Branch, which combines research, learning, and judicial functions into one magic trial organization. Selena spread her hands and said: But in the end, the motion was rejected, with 70% of the voters voting against it. The mainstream opposing view is that a regional magic trial organization could misuse the special investigation power against wizard families to gain unjust benefits. This would significantly expand the influence of Hotams and the Pure Light Court and squeeze the living space of other wizard forces. With the already large influence of Hotams and Pure Light Court, such a motion has little chance of passing. Noland Lee expressed no opinion on matters involving the council and motions. He just needed to know that he had the power to overturn the table. I plan to make Dickler Fegan and his family secret guards disappear forever, Noland Lee said calmly. Selena shook her head slightly, trying to persuade him: Killing cannot solve the problem. I admit that your strength is enough for you to have such a plan. But if you eliminate Dickler Fegan and the family secret guard who killed the witness in front of us, it will only bring more powerful, more experienced, and more ferocious guys to come to the Suman Archipelago. We might as well keep Dickler Fegan, clip his wings, and limit his scope of activities. Only in this way can we control the conflict within our tolerance. Noland Lee looked at Selenas beautiful face and suddenly smiled: Chapter 710 - Chapter 710: 226. Redface Blackface_2 Chapter 710: 226. Redface Blackface_2 I found that the two of us make an ideal drama duo. I wield the big stick, threaten the enemy, and you play the mediator, making the enemy surrender. As long as we cooperate well, one plays the good cop, and the other plays the bad cop, basically all the malicious wizard families will be much more restrained. Good cop? Bad cop? Selena, faced with an unfamiliar phrase, thought for a moment, combined with the context, and understood the meaning: Ah, yes, I think so too. Your appearance has given me the confidence to deal with people like Dickler Fegan, and secured more bargaining power and negotiation chips. Take Festas death, for example. Its enough to sound an alarm bell for Dickler Fegan. If I were him and his familys secret guard, I would be more restrained for a while. Noland Lee raised his hand, gently rubbing his chin, and said with a smile: What if they dont restrain themselves, but intensify instead, Selena? If that happens, what will you do? Wont you have to let me eliminate them in the end? Selena cradled her arms, supporting the full moon: They will restrain themselves, Jarvis, trust me. These wizard families have existed for so many years, relying not only on the power of magic but also on their cunning and resourcefulness. When they find that the situation is beyond their expectation, they will not take more aggressive actions, but instead withdraw below the surface, examine their opponents, figure out the enemys details, and wait for the right opportunity to strike again. In the meantime, they will keep a low profile, wait for half a year or a year before stirring up new incidents. Selena said: I admit, when you eliminated Festa, I was extremely shocked, even somewhat disturbed. But now Ive calmed down, carefully considering the impact of this matter. I think that after I propose a negotiation, within seven days at most, Dickler Fegan will send me a letter admitting faults and voluntarily giving in, and make a donation to the Academy without compensation, in exchange for our forgiveness. Noland Lee asked: Oh? What if you dont receive the letter and donations in seven days? Selena shook her head: That shouldnt happen Noland Lee snapped his fingers: Ill rephrase the question, Selena. The letter and donations you receive only represent Dickler Fegans attitude towards you, not his attitude towards me. Havent you considered this? Dickler Fegan, due to the Deep Sea Branch and Hotams, dare not do anything to you, but he doesnt plan to let go of a First Rank Wizard like me. Havent you forgotten? Even knowing my close relationship with you and that I am a Cooperative Defense Enforcement Wizard appointed by you, he still meticulously planned an assassination attempt against me. You said it yourself that based on your understanding of Dickler Fegan, he wont easily give up. So why did you become optimistic about his future actions after returning to this Study Room? Weakness. Indecision. Blurred stance. Noland Lee saw these flaws in Selena. But it wasnt her fault. If someone else were in her position, they too would make decisions based on the greater good from an overall consideration. Noland Lees experiences, personal abilities, and demands were merely bargaining chips for Selena in negotiating with Dickler Fegan and not her greater good. Noland Lee immediately saw through the weaknesses in Selenas human nature and pointed out her problems. Facing Noland Lees questioning, Selena touched her forehead and sighed: Jarvis, I wont let the thing about the assassination happen again; please trust me. I will emphasize your identity as a Cooperative Defense Enforcement Wizard in my reply to Dickler Fegan. Noland Lee said: According to our soul contract, the first article, the fifth clause, as long as what I do is in line with the Ulnas Circles laws, you cannot interfere with my actions and must provide cover for my legal actions. Do you remember that? Yes, I remember. If you really intend to eliminate Dickler Fegan and his family secret guards, I can only assist you. Selena covered her forehead, quite distressed. How about this, Selena. Noland Lee thought for a moment and said: Considering that you bear the heavy responsibility of the Suman Archipelago wizard forces, and I dont want to act recklessly just because of the soul contract, Im willing to make some concessions. What? Selena looked towards Noland Lee, hope flashing in her eyes. If he agreed to make concessions and not eliminate Dickler Fegan and the family secret guards, that would be great. Noland Lee recalled Festas memories in his mind, selected a few important numbers, and said: Didnt you say that Dickler Fegan would donate a sum of gold coins to the Deep Sea Branch to obtain your forgiveness? So, as long as the amount of gold coins is no less than 7.9 million, I will let him go. 7.9 million!? Selena was stunned: Are you serious? What, you dont think Dickler Fegan and his family secret guards lives are worth 7.9 million? Noland Lee sneered and said: Heh, this is the money for buying their lives. If he cant come up with it, Ill just have to take their lives instead. If it werent for you, I wouldnt give him a chance to catch his breath. Selena took a slight breath, as the full moon visibly rose and fell: Alright alright Ill mention it in the letter to him. Chapter 711 - Chapter 711: 226. Redface Blackface_3 Chapter 711: 226. Redface Blackface_3 Leave this matter to you, then. Noland Lee said: I feel admiration for your magnanimity, Selena. Dickler Fagen is colluding with the Dread Sail Pirate Nation in secret and using the Dragon Clan Stele Script to force you to submit to him. For such a person, you would actually communicate with them through letters. Your mind is quite broad. Stop ridiculing me, Jarvis. Selenas face showed bitterness, and her voice had a somewhat pleading tone. Noland Lee ceased while he was ahead and grinned: Its just a joke, I wont say it again. I know your hardship, I just cant help but complain a few times. Lets end todays matter here. Ill hand over the corpses and important relics to you. I believe youll handle them well. Noland Lee reached for his waist, took out the Magic Pouch containing the four headless corpses and magic books, and placed them on the tabletop. Selena can use the headless corpses as a deterrent to force Dickler Fagen to submit. Returning the magic books with magic locks is the best way to deal with them. Anyone who touches the magic lock in the wrong way will alert the Professor who set up the lock. Returning intact magic books with magic locks can demonstrate their own demeanor and clear themselves of suspicion of breaking the magic lock and illegally obtaining magic knowledge without giving the other party a chance to exploit the law to question themselves. Seeing Noland Lee take out bodies and magic books on his own accord, Selena had a higher opinion of his worldly skills. If Noland Lee refuses to surrender the corpse and magic books, she would have to spend more time persuading the other party. Now, this troublesome matter is saved. She couldnt help but breathe a sigh of relief, showing a slight smile, and collected the Magic Pouch on the table. Im going back first, Selena. Ill be staying in the Core Circle and Inner Circle for the next few days, occasionally going to the Outer Ring to meet up with Siennas housekeeper. If theres news, you can contact me anytime using Soul Perception.'' Noland Lee stood up, preparing to summon Denise Green to take him away. Before leaving, he reminded Selena: Im giving Dickler Fagen a week. If the money isnt in place by then, Ill immediately eliminate him and his familys secret guard. By taking immediate action, youll be more confident in your negotiation, am I right? Yes. I understand. Youre right. Selena replied solemnly: If I havent received donations within a week, Ill cooperate with all your work. I always remember your help. If I were not a Nine Circles Wizard with the responsibility of managing the wizard forces, I would use a duel to wash away the humiliation Dickler Fagen inflicted on me. When mentioning that Dickler Fagen wanted to force her into marriage, Selena became somewhat indignant and resentful. It was evident from her often handling matters from a broader perspective that she harbored hatred for Dickler Fagen in her heart. This kind of behavior, which was different on the inside and outside, might be misunderstood as cowardly, but Noland Lee knew that this was essentially a manifestation of toughness. If Noland Lee were to eliminate Dickler Fagen, it would mean not only punishing the criminals who conspired to murder the Enforcement Wizard but also helping Selena get her revenge. Noland Lee waved goodbye to Selena. A flash of fire passed through the study room, and Denise Green took Noland Lee away. After Noland Lee left, Selena began to check the corpses and magic books in the Magic Pouch. Except for being headless, the four corpses had no additional injuries and showed no signs of their bodies being desecrated. This shows that Noland Lee can control his emotions and wouldnt vent his anger on the corpses. The six magic books are intact, and the magic locks and mechanical locks show no signs of being cracked. This shows that Noland Lee knows his limits and doesnt harbor inappropriate thoughts about knowledge he shouldnt possess. In addition, personal items like memos, magic albums, and commemorative trinkets were also left in the Magic Pouch without being taken. These personal items didnt become Noland Lees targets for looting, nor were they discarded. It can be said that apart from compensating for his own losses, he didnt touch any other items with personal taste and those protected by law. This kind of action might seem hypocritical to others. But Selena sees it as a noble character. Even with the power to eliminate Seven-Ring wizards, Noland Lee can still restrain his behavior and strictly abide by the law, only targeting criminals who violate himself and not using his powerful abilities to plunder innocent people. This is enough to show that Noland Lee has extraordinary self-discipline. Thinking of Noland Lees extraordinary insights into people and things and his penetrating judgments, Selenas approval of this Hermit Wizard grew stronger. I cant let Jarvis down Selena carefully prepared the letter that would make Dickler Fagen admit his mistake after sorting out the relics and corpses in the Magic Pouch. In the Stone House of the Core Circle. The seaside cottage is particularly quiet at late night. After following Denise Green back into the house, Noland was embraced by her soft arms. Denise Green had mostly recovered from Latifas tragic experience, with lingering melancholy and depression in her heart. Noland, if I, like Latifa, fell into a peaceful slumber when I was happy and content, and then became a monster in a mentally sealed state, would you awaken my soul and turn me from a monster back into a human? Denise Green leaned on Noland Lees chest and asked. Noland Lee gently patted her back: This question should be asked to yourself, Denise Green. Why Denise Green seemed to understand but not quite. Noland Lee said gently: If you have the courage and confidence to face the suffering in your life, then I will definitely wake up your soul and tell you the truth about the experience during your closed souls time. I will accompany you in overcoming it. After pondering for a long time, Denise Green hugged Noland Lee tightly and said: Then you must awaken my soul I will overcome the suffering, I definitely will. Alright, I promise you. Noland Lee replied. Pausing for two seconds, Noland Lee said: However, rest assured, I wont let any pessimistic situation happen. All you need to do is to stay at home with peace of mind, and Ill handle everything. Mmm Chapter 712 - Chapter 712: 227. Hunting Fagen Chapter 712: 227. Hunting Fagen The next morning. A team of Deep Sea Wizards with a special mission set out from the Academy and arrived at the territory of Dickler Fagen, using the Academys magic car. The team had no intention of meeting with Dickler Fagen. After handing over the magic pouch and letter to the new housekeeper in the visitors area, they left on the magic car. After the magic pouch and letter had been magically detected and confirmed to be free of any danger, they were brought by the new housekeeper of the visitors area to Dickler Fagens living area and finally ended up on the young master Fagens desk. Dickler Fagens complexion was grayish and twisted, his eyes brimming with murderous intent and resentment. He reached out with his right hand and gripped the magic pouch tightly. The soft fabric deformed in his hand. Through the fabric, he could vaguely feel the contents of the pouch C four metal boxes and a pile of miscellaneous items. Dead dead Festa dead Using the [Mages Hand], Dickler Fagen took out the contents of the magic pouch and spread them out on the floor beside the desk. Four metal coffins with transparent glass lids lay crookedly on the floor. Below the transparent lids of the metal coffins were four corpses all too familiar to Dickler Fagen. Dickler Fagens eyes became lifeless, and his body trembled violently like a sieve. A wall in the study room wriggled, and a figure emerged C the familys secret guard who had suggested the assassination plan to Young Master Fagen. After arriving in the study room, the man glanced at Young Master Fagens figure and then searched for something in the pile of metal boxes on the floor. A metal box with a magic lock holding magic books caught his attention. He walked over and looked down at the magic books inside the box. His gaze penetrated the transparent lid, scanning over the six magic books. Seeing that the magic locks were intact, a barely visible disappointment flashed in his eyes. It seems you underestimated your opponent, Dickler. You lost this round and lost it thoroughly. Not only did your opponent figure out your intentions, but they also made you suffer heavy losses., The familys secret guard used the [Mages Hand] to pick up the envelope on the table and handed it to the dazed Young Master Fagen: These things were sent by the Deep Sea Branch, and Selena must have been behind this incident. Open this letter from Selena herself. If shes willing to accept your surrender, its best to do as she says. Do I still have a chance? Uncle, Dickler Fagen was extremely upset, even feeling desperate. The family secret guard shook his head slightly: Dont raise the stakes when youre losing. Dickler Fagen looked at Festas metal coffin, stumbled over to it, and wailed: No~ Festa, no~ I should never have let you supervise them!! You were the one closest to me! The familys secret guard watched Dickler Fagens weeping figure, and a playful smile crept onto his face. He quickly removed this expression that should not have been shown. He put the envelope back on the table, found a chair leaning against the wall in the room, and sat down, waiting quietly for Dickler Fagen to calm down. About 10 minutes later, the wall clock announced the hour. Dickler Fagen recovered amidst the chiming of the clock, leaned against the wall, and sat down next to his desk. He wiped the tears from his face, used a knife to cut open the envelope, and took out the letter. The content written by Selena in the letter made his expression change unpredictably, showing his anger and unwillingness, his helplessness, and his fear of the conditions of surrender. 7.9 million gold coins!, Dickler Fagen crumpled the letter paper and threw it at the wall: That damn bitch! To actually demand 7.9 million gold coins from me! The familys secret guard used the [Mages Hand] to pick up the crumpled letter and unfolded it in mid-air. After reading the content of the letter carefully, the familys secret guards eyes flickered, and he murmured: 7.9 million gold coins this number is just right Selena is not ordinary she has calculated precisely where Dicklers weakness lies it saves me some trouble. Dickler Fagen was venting his anger and didnt hear the family secret guards muttering. He picked up the exquisite objects on the table and smashed them all around. The crisp sound of shattering echoed throughout the study, sharp ceramic fragments and glass shards flying in all directions. A vase flew towards the familys secret guard, who used the [Mages Hand] to stop it in midair.