Chapter 332 - Chapter 332 Chapter 331 Suladi Adod and Petra
Chapter 332 of "Exploring Technology in a Wizard World" introduces new challenges: Long candles burned atop the long table, flickering in the dim light.Suladi sat at one... Keep following!
Long candles burned atop the long table, flickering in the dim light.Suladi sat at one end of the table, with Black Robed Men standing deeply bowed on either side.
One of the Black Robed Men, filled with shame, spoke to Suladi, âMas⊠Master, Iâm⊠Iâm sorry, we have failed. The squad led by Luoâer, although they found the enemy⊠they all died. We sent more men, but weâve lost track of the enemy.â
âItâs⊠itâs not your fault.â Suladi lifted his head to look at the Black Robed Man who had spoken, his voice so hoarse it startled everyone present. As they looked at Suladi, they realized that, unbeknownst to them, he had aged a lot, his face etched with exhaustion.
âMaster, youâŠâ the speaking Black Robed Man showed concern.
âIâm fine, donât worry about me,â Suladi waved his hand, âI was the one who made a mistake, I underestimated our enemies. It appears the enemy is really extraordinary and not so easily dealt with. Your caution was right, and I bear a great responsibility for the deaths of the seven, including Luoâer.â
âMaster, you canât possiblyâŠâ
With a âwhoosh,â everyone kneeled down, frightened that Suladi might take the blame and retire, which would mean the Council would exist in name only.
Suladi looked at the people kneeling unanimously before him and couldnât help but laugh, though the laughter was strained, âHa, do you really think Iâm preparing to leave the Council? No, donât worry. Iâm not someone who shirks responsibility, especially at a time like this.
I donât care who killed Luoâer or what organization stands behind our enemies in the Council, I will get to the bottom of it, and let them understand their folly. Of course, for the time being, our strength might be somewhat insufficient, we need more power.â
âMore power?â The people kneeling on the ground looked up, first with confusion and then realization dawned on them, their eyes widening in shock, âMaster, are you referring toâŠâ
âYes.â Suladi nodded, âExactly what youâre thinking.â
âAlright, donât just sit there, come with me.â Suladi said as he stepped out of the secret chamber.
The people still kneeling looked at each other, then quickly got up and followed, their faces a mix of excitement and⊠fear.
White Stone City, a hidden underground space.
Suladi, accompanied by members of the Council, descended the downward steps and stopped in front of a sturdy iron door.
âBang bang bang!â Suladi knocked on the door forcefully.
Silence reigned within.
âBang bang bang!â Suladi continued to knock.
Still, silence reigned within.
âBang bang bang!â Suladi kept knocking and called out, âAdod, come out! I know youâre in there!â
Finally, steps approached the iron door from the inside, but instead of opening it, a hoarse voice asked from behind the door, âWho⊠who is it?â
âItâs me, Suladi, and people from the Council,â Suladi spoke with a grave voice.
âIs that soâŠâ The voice inside weakened, and finally, with a âcreakâ the heavy iron door opened, revealing an exceedingly aged old man.
The man had sparse hair and a hunched body, his skin pale from lack of sunlight. Deep-set eyes housed cloudy orbs, and he looked to be well over a hundred, the very same Adod who had once written to Suladi, proposing the Thiefâs Secret Room challenge.
Seeing Adod, those who had come with Suladi called out in unison, âGreetings, Master Adod!â
Upon hearing their salutations, Adod showed a cautious expression, his murky eyes spinning in their sockets as he addressed Suladi, âYou bring people from the Council to my doorstep, what for? Iâve already retired; you shouldnât call me Master anymore. Unless, youâre planning to drag me back. But that⊠would be too much, wouldnât it? I served the Council for eighty years, a full eighty years! What now, you plan to wring more out of me? I tell you⊠itâs impossibleâŠâ
âEnough!â Suladi cut Adod off, âAdod, the Council is in grave danger, you must come back.â
âHmph, no time,â Adod grunted rudely, âI have a lot of things to be busy with.â After speaking, he raised his hand to close the door.
Suladi held out his hand to block it, squinted his eyes at Adod and asked, âWhat are you busy with? It canât be that question I had âKenâ bring to you a long time agoâyou havenât solved it yet?â
âNonsense, such a simple question, how could I not solve it?â
âThen tell me, what is the smallest Lickerel Number?â
âItâsâŠâ Adodâs eyes widened, then he stopped speaking.
Suladi spoke out, â196.â
ââŠâ Adod fell silent and after staring at Suladi for a long while, he waved his hand and said, âCome in.â
Suladi walked inside.
âYou didnât come here just to drag me back, did you?â Adod spoke out somberly.
âRight,â Suladiâs eyes revealed a rare sharpness as he spoke decisively, âBesides bringing you back, I also plan to awaken Petra.â
âI guessed as much,â Adod wasnât very surprised and continued, âIt seems the situation the Council has encountered this time is really not simple, driving you to the point of preparing to gather our old trio. However⊠have you brought the fresh blood for awakening Petra?â
âIsnât that person standing outside the door?â
âTsk, acceptable,â Adod expressed his admiration, walked to the back of the room, and turned a corroded candlestick with his hand.
âClick, click, click!â
A bookshelf in the room split in the middle, revealing a descending passage.
âLetâs go,â Adod said and took the lead in walking down.
âOkay.â Suladi nodded, followed Adod, and casually gestured to the people outside the door to come in.
âTap, tap, tapâŠâ
The group walked down the passage and appeared in a huge underground hall.
A large number of torches were wiped onto the four walls of the hall. As the people walked down, the torches were simultaneously lit, brightening the hall with light. In the bright light, the hallâs floor, made of special stone material, had many complex lines carved into it. The center part was recessed, housing a metallic coffin.
Adodâs eyes were downcast as he glanced at the coffin and then waved his hand.
With a âwhoosh,â the coffin lid slid open. Those present couldnât help but hold their breaths as they looked at the coffin, which contained a person who appeared even older than Adod, terribly old.
Rather than a living person, itâs more apt to say a corpse. The skin of the person in the coffin clung tightly to the bones, his hair long since fallen out, his head skeletal and lifeless.
âPetraâŠâ Suladi glanced at him and slowly spoke out, but without much sentimentality, he turned his head to the Council members who had followed down and said, âBegin, everyone.â
âYes,â the Black Robed Man nodded obediently, extending his arm and revealing his wrist.
âFor the Council, for the Black Spirit,â the Black Robed Man said with a slight fervor.
âFor the Council, for the Black SpiritâŠâ Adod said, displaying a reminiscent look.
âFor the Council, for the Black Spirit!â Suladi said, his expression solemn. With a flick of his hand, a Wind Blade sprung forth, quickly sweeping across the exposed wrists of all the Black Robed Men.
âPuff, puff, puff!â
Along with a series of muffled groans, crimson blood seeped out and dripped onto the floor. It flowed along the complex lines and slowly towards the coffin at the centerâŠ