While Chen Xu was still looking up, observing the auras of corruption in the sky, a familiar voice drifted over from the distance.
“It’s been a while, Student Chen. I didn’t expect you to move so fast. I just received the message from Commander Xia, and you’re already here.”
Hearing this, Chen Xu lowered his head and looked at Liu Yisi.
“Brother Liu, it has been a while. I didn’t think you’d still be the one in charge here after all these years.”
Chen Xu was indeed a bit surprised to hear Liu Yisi’s voice.
After all, when he had first changed classes years ago, Liu Yisi was already the person in charge of Daxia’s operations in the Akhan world.
Now that so many years had passed, he was still the head of the Akhan operations.
While job-holders lived much longer than ordinary people, a position like this required a great deal of time and effort. Holding it for the long term would surely be detrimental to one’s professional growth.
“Heh, I’m a Magic Warrior—a rare class that practices both magic and martial arts.
Akhan suits me quite well. Besides, I get specialized dungeon leave every year to join the official clearing force and farm some experience.”
Liu Yisi didn’t mind Chen Xu’s teasing; in fact, he seemed a bit regretful.
“Sigh, it’s a pity. I doubt I’ll have such leisurely days anymore.”
As the person in charge of Daxia’s interests in the Akhan world, Liu Yisi’s intellect was naturally top-tier.
Based solely on Xia Qiming’s message and the fact that Chen Xu was the one taking over, he could deduce that something massive was likely about to happen in Akhan.
As for what that massive event was, Liu Yisi wasn't curious.
In the transcendent world, knowledge and information could sometimes be a curse. The more one knew, the easier it was to become troubled, which was bad for one’s physical and mental health.
To not seek additional knowledge unless necessary—this was the way of life for a slick veteran of the workplace.
Chen Xu didn't answer Liu Yisi’s conjecture directly, merely offering a faint smile as a silent confirmation.
Suddenly, Chen Xu remembered that he might be able to learn something about Zhang Jingping’s movements from Liu Yisi.
“Brother Liu, how much do you know about Teacher Zhang Jingping?”
“Old Zhang? We’re old acquaintances. You could say we’re brothers from another mother.
Whatever you want to know about him, just ask.”
Liu Yisi patted his chest, looking full of confidence.
“Do you have the records of Teacher Zhang entering and leaving the Akhan world?”
“Uh, well... strictly speaking, every Daxia citizen entering or leaving the Akhan world needs to make an appointment and register in advance.
And those records are, in theory, kept with me. But...”
Liu Yisi’s eyes flickered, and his voice grew quieter and quieter.
“But what?”
“But those rules and regulations are for ordinary people. For pillars of the nation like Zhang Jingping and yourself, they practically don’t exist.”
Liu Yisi threw his hands up in a gesture of helplessness.
He was just a minor official in charge of a dungeon world. Expecting him to monitor every move of Daxia’s high-level figures? Don’t make him laugh.
Regarding high-level personnel who had entered Daxia’s decision-making circle—like Chen Xu, Zhang Jingping, and Xia Qiming—Liu Yisi had always followed international protocol.
Don't take initiative, and don't take the blame.
If a high-ranking official took the initiative to report to him, he would record it. If they didn’t, he would just make a private note of it.
“But Brother Liu, you’ve been guarding the dungeon entrance for years; you must have noticed something. I just need a rough frequency—for instance, has Teacher Zhang been traveling back and forth to Akhan frequently of late?”
“Frequency? Let me think.”
Liu Yisi began counting on his fingers.
“Now that you mention it, it does seem that way. About five or six months ago, Old Zhang’s frequency of travel started to pick up.
Just in the times I was out slacking—ahem, I mean, out inspecting work—I ran into him five times.”
“Five or six months ago?”
Chen Xu locked onto this specific point in time.
“Brother Liu, are you sure?”
“Of course. I’m very sensitive to time. Why? Did something big happen back then?”
Chen Xu nodded slightly but didn’t give a detailed answer.
Five or six months ago on Blue Star was exactly when Chen Xu had gone to slay the Calamity Dragon.
It was also the starting point when the Calamity Dragon began weaving the web of calamity.
Don’t tell me this demonic disaster in Akhan is related to me too?
Chen Xu felt a bit speechless. It couldn't be that his status as a protagonist was finally kicking in, could it?
However, the development of events gave Chen Xu no time to think.
A powerful and magnificent wave of spellcasting erupted in the distance. Chen Xu and Liu Yisi turned their heads simultaneously.
“What terrifying magical energy. Even my mana core is trembling.”
Under this horrific fluctuation, the hairs on Liu Yisi’s body stood on end.
“Brother Liu, tell your people to evacuate quickly.”
Chen Xu gave the order and opened a spatial gate beside him, from which a large number of ghosts flew out.
Seeing this, Liu Yisi realized the severity of the situation. He turned and left to direct the evacuation of personnel.
High in the distant sky, massive ritual tracks resembling globes emerged.
Chen Xu recognized them; they were the same ritual tracks the Akhan royalty had used to pull the world fragments.
But didn’t the books in the Balance School say that this set of ritual tracks had been shattered during the Hell Archduke’s counterattack?
Who had repaired them? That highly suspicious Professor Aaron?
The ritual tracks turned slowly, constantly radiating terrifying fluctuations.
The people of Akhan, not understanding what was happening, emerged from their homes and mage towers. They walked into the streets, looking up at the sky.
The eyes of the entire world were focused on the ritual tracks.
“Aaron! What exactly are you trying to do?!”
An old but heavy voice resounded throughout Akhan.
Dozens of towering arms shaped from earth magic erupted from the ground, soaring into the clouds.
The giant stone hands tightly gripped the ritual tracks in the sky, attempting to halt their rotation.
“Harry, I am pursuing the truth, of course. I have already seen the veil of truth. Now, I only need a tiny bit more power to lift that veil and behold the face of truth.”
Aaron floated above the ritual tracks, his words calm and devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
But the madness in his eyes betrayed the current state of mind of this Archmage.
“Hmph, pursuing the truth? This behavior of yours, conducted without the council's approval, makes you an enemy of every Archmage!”
Harry tapped his staff on the ground, and a mountain that pierced the clouds rose beneath him, lifting him to the same level as Aaron.
“Heh, the council? Just a group of pedantic fools. Your souls have been shackled by a single failure.
The council is nothing more than an eggshell you’ve constructed.
The council members, heh... in my eyes, they are just a bunch of little hatchlings terrified by the reality of the outside world, thinking they can find security by hiding inside a shell.”
As Aaron disparaged the council, he continued to manipulate the ritual tracks.
In the sky, those special auras of corruption that only Chen Xu could perceive were being drawn in by Aaron and injected into the ritual tracks.
As the corruption entered, the ritual tracks erupted with unprecedented energy.
Crack! Crack!
The giant stone arms began to crumble, and the ritual tracks resumed their rotation.
Seeing this, Harry quickly raised his staff, attempting to reinforce the stone arms.
But just as the magical formula was constructed and before the mana could be injected, a figure appeared behind Harry.
A solid gold cane pierced through Harry’s chest. The mana-sealing array on the cane took effect, interrupting Harry’s spellcasting.
Enduring the intense pain, Harry managed to voice a question.
“Boris, why? Does the royalty intend to repeat the mistakes of the past?!”
“Why? Heh... perhaps because I am also called Aaron, little hatchling.”
‘Boris’ replied calmly, the same madness as Aaron’s reflected in his eyes.
Rate on N.U.
