Chapter 459
"Hey, where did Doctor Zhongli go?"
Upon hearing this, Texas immediately looked around. Not seeing Shi Lei, she replied:
"I don't know, maybe they went to track down the person who set up the Magic Array. Wait a minute, I'll ask."
Having said that, she took out the writing tablet of the Rock Constructs hand, asked where the other party was, and then waited for the pattern to change.
In the past, responses were almost instantaneous, with a delay of only a few seconds at most. But this time, Texas waited for two or three minutes without any change to the Writing Tablet.
"Huh?"
Mudrock leaned closer to examine it, and seeing that the text on the Writing Tablet remained unchanged, he tried to add something:
"Perhaps he's chasing Sarkaz and doesn't have time to reply. Maybe we should wait a bit longer?"
"Well, it seems that's the only way. Shall we continue waiting here, or go to the Shard Building first?"
"Of course we'll wait. Shard Building is the Sarkaz's stronghold; we'll feel safer with him there."
Throughout their conversation, none of them considered whether Shi Lei's disappearance meant he was in danger.
Looking across this land, no one except the Sui Beast could force him to reveal his true dragon form.
Logos, who had been examining the remaining runes on the ground, stood up with a grave expression:
"Gentlemen, the situation is not very optimistic."
Once everyone's attention was focused on him, he pointed to the runes on the ground and explained:
"The liches, who had previously maintained a neutral stance, may have already joined the fight to help Theresis. They are skilled in various spells and ancient magic, including a Teleportation Array that can transport targets over long distances."
Amiya has something to say about the Teleportation Array:
"I know that. When the airship exploded, Ascalon and I saw Magic Array looked very similar to this on the rooftop of the Sunset Hotel."
"That's it. Doctor Zhongli may not have encountered any danger; he was simply teleported to a distant place."
Texas examined the runes, trying to memorize the pattern.
Over the years, the two have encountered countless dangerous situations, but each time they have managed to turn misfortune into good fortune and safety.
She didn't trust her Sixth Sense, but rather her man. Shi Lei was the epitome of security and reliability; nothing could faze him.
"Don't rush, it hasn't been that long. Let's rest here for ten minutes and see if he's back. If not, then we'll consider our next move."
"Okay, let's rest for a bit. I just came out of that realistic illusion, I need to catch my breath."
"Me too, I feel a kind of indescribable sadness, I need to adjust my state of mind first."
Texas, displaying the demeanor of Matriarch, proactively finalized the plan and unified everyone's opinions.
The group walked along the street for about thirty meters, broke the glass, and entered an empty coffee shop to rest.
Since the Sarkaz moved into the Central City District, many shops have closed down. Most of the shops that could afford to move away did not stay and relocated to other cities.
Seeing Logos go out to explore the surroundings, Ines, feeling restless, followed him out to inspect the area.
Heredrey is being looked after by W; if she discovers any danger, she will return immediately to warn everyone.
Even without the City Lord, the team still has top-tier powerhouses like Broca and Mudrock.
As long as the Sarkaz forces don't launch a full-scale attack, they can ensure their safe evacuation.
The streets here are in a state of disrepair.
Most of the nobles who surrendered to the Sarkaz lived in the Trenfield District. The residents of the Oktriug District were reduced by more than half for various reasons.
Ines discovered a structure resembling an altar near ruins. A crystal emitting a bewitching red light was embedded in the central Dragon Skeleton. Several masked blood descendants stood guard around it.
What's this?
Logos quietly landed beside him, glanced at the altar on the ruins, and explained to Ines in a low voice:
"This should be a product of the Sarkaz Military Committee, tinkering with in the Victoria Laboratory. Its specific purpose is unknown, but it doesn't seem like anything good."
"Yes, I had that feeling too. The altar isn't very big, and there might be others nearby. Let's find out the situation in the surrounding area first, and then go back and discuss it with everyone."
Okay, see you later.
The two divided up their assigned areas and disappeared into the ruins, one on the left and one on the right. They returned to the coffee shop after a long time and told everyone about the altar.
At this point, more than ten minutes had passed. Perhaps, as logos had said, Shi Lei had been forcibly teleported to a distant place by the Magic Array.
Amiya and the Doctor may not have experienced it, but Texas, Mudrock, and Yuu have all sat in the Rock House.
At Shi Lei's flying speed, it would take about ten hours to travel a thousand kilometers. Even for two or three thousand kilometers, it would only take a little over a day.
Unless the teleportation point is not on this land, we only need to wait for him to return and take charge.
But the problem of the Blood Altar must be addressed now. According to Logos and Ines, there are 17 of them in their neighborhood alone.
Although the purpose of the altar is unknown, leaving it unattended could lead to disaster.
The group went to the nearest altar to investigate, and the eerie feeling made them take it even more seriously.
After observation, the Doctor concluded that the Blood Crystal were not Originium crystal, and that there was something very wrong with what was inside them.
After discussion, the group decided to split up and destroy the unsettling Blood Altar.
As for how to allocate resources, Texas, who knows the true strength of most people, is the most qualified to speak on this matter.
Mudrock and Broca a class of their own and are capable of shouldering the responsibility of captain. However, their movement speed is relatively slow, so they need to be paired with agile teammates.
Xi's strength should be greater than Logos', and even greater than Texas's, who possesses the Vision.
Next, we have the Ines Trio; the Doctor and Amiya can be considered ordinary people.
This way, Texas, Mudrock, Yu, the Doctor, and Amiya form a group of five. Although they brought two ordinary people with them, their overall strength is greater.
Broca is the Qianyan Army Commander, so it's perfect for him to bring Ines and W along, plus a Logos.
No one disagreed with this.
After agreeing on the altars they would be responsible for and the meeting point, the two teams set off separately.
When they entered the Central City District a few days ago, they didn't see even a single Blood Altar.
But now they're almost everywhere, indicating these altars were built in just one or two days. This terrifying efficiency makes one even more skeptical of their potential impact.
Clearing out the Oktriug District alone isn't enough; there are other Central City District as well. It feels like even if they destroyed them all, they couldn't keep up with the Sarkaz's construction speed. They need to confirm the true purpose of the Blood Altar as soon as possible.
If it's some kind of explosive bomb, why not use it directly on the battlefield?
For example, send Sarkaz troops to the vicinity of the various Duke's Defense Zone and launch powerful explosive attacks using various methods such as hurling or catapults.
The only explanation is that this altar has some kind of limitation. Perhaps the Blood Crystal are too fragile, or perhaps they need enough time to charge.
As evening fell, the group gathered at the Cumberland Manor.
The place has been reduced to ruins by fire, with only remnants of high-grade wood hinting at its former grandeur.
The Blood Altar in the Oktriug District had been completely cleared. As they prepared to move on to other areas, they discovered a large number of the Sarkaz City Defense Army stationed there.
Considering that night was approaching, the group had no choice but to postpone their plans and wait until dawn the next day to carry them out.
Logos borrowed Amiya's phone, which contained photos of Magic Array. One of the patterns was of a ship sailing, with overlapping ripples.
Heredrey, who had been largely unnoticed, glanced at the phone screen from a tilted angle and suddenly spoke:
"This rune means 'drifting'."
"Rafting? You can understand this?"
"I once heard an old, frail Flame Demon Old Man mention this pattern in a story."
W, who was in charge of guarding him, took the initiative to speak:
"What's the story? Tell me about it?"
"It's all ancient history, not worth mentioning."
Everyone is now certain that Shi Lei, who had been missing for six hours, was teleported away by Magic Array drawn by the lich.
As for where they will be teleported to, only the lich who set up the Magic Array would likely know.
"If Lord Zhongli hasn't returned by dawn, we may have to continue advancing."
Seeing that Heredrey was unwilling to reveal anything, W didn't press the matter. She turned her head to look at Amiya and casually asked:
"So, what exactly were you doing going through all that trouble to go to the Shard Building?"
Amiya had glossed over the fact that the Self-Rescue Army was present before. Now that everyone is on their side, they'll know it 'Shard Building even if she doesn't say it.
"Actually, I sensed Theresia's presence at the Sunset Hotel in the Norbert District..."
"What?!"
Before Amiya could finish speaking, W, who had been leaning back leisurely, immediately sat up straight.
The person she admired most used to be Theresia. Unfortunately, she was assassinated by an assassin sent by the Regent a few years ago, and W hated Theresis to the core because of this.
Hearing Amiya say she sensed Theresia's presence now, W found it unbelievable:
Did you see her with your own eyes?
"I'm sorry, I didn't see her in person. But you should know that the Demon King Power within me originates from Theresia. Back at the Sunset Hotel, I felt that the Demon King Power within me wanted to return. By the time I reached the rooftop to confirm, that feeling had disappeared."
The main purpose of this trip to the Shard Building is to confirm whether Theresia is still alive. If her death was faked or fabricated, I have a lot to say to her.
Upon learning that the Empress he once admired most might still be alive, W stood up, dusted himself off, and tried to get more details from Amiya:
"Are you sure it's Her Highness the Empress? Besides you, Theresis is also Demon King in the city. Could it be that your body is reacting because of him?"
Amiya had no answer, and shook her head with a wry smile:
"Sorry, I don't know about that. Everything will be clear when we get to the Shard Building tomorrow."
"Why wait until tomorrow? Let's go tonight!"
Seeing W's anxious and flustered appearance, Ines extinguished her agitation with a single sentence:
"Visibility is low at night, it's too dangerous. If you really want to go, you should get some sleep. Also, don't even think about sneaking off at night. Your job now is to keep an eye on Heredrey, nothing else is your responsibility."
"Okay... I'm going to sleep now!"
Upon learning that Theresia might be alive, W was overjoyed. In that chaotic era of the Sarkaz civil war, only the Empress brought her hope.
Seeing that W had gone to sleep first, Heredrey grinned:
"So you care about her this much?"
Ines would never admit it, and vehemently denied it:
"No, I'm just worried about myself. I don't want her recklessness to cause us trouble."
After speaking, she glanced in W's direction. Her shifty eyes suggested she didn't believe the other party would obediently comply.
June 26, 5:50 am
As dawn broke, the two Sarkaz laborers began their work. One of them pounded his back with his fist and sighed wearily.
"It's so oppressive here. I should have asked Ursula for permission to guard the outpost outside."
"But you haven't even had a physical exam..."
"I know, but can you please not bring up such unlucky things? I see hallucinations here every day and have to deal with all sorts of alien debris. It's driving me crazy!"
"She's alright. The officer is a good person. She's usually calm and doesn't cause trouble for no reason. I heard she's the youngest major, and she has a bright future ahead of her."
"You're overthinking it. The commander isn't from any of the Ten Royal Courts' races, and his future is uncertain."
"Speaking of the royal courts, I get angry. Some of the leaders of the Ten Royal Courts are more afraid of death than those Victoria Duke outside. I really don't know what they're doing in Londinium, are they just here to reap the benefits?"
Hearing his colleagues complaining about the Ten Royal Courts, the Sarkaz laborer quickly reminded them:
"Hey, hey, hey, you can't say that! If someone hears you, you'll lose your head!"
"Okay, okay, I understand."
While the two Sarkaz were chatting, W, who had deserted the group, was lurking not far away.
I overheard Ursula's name just now, and it seems to be someone she used to know.