After resolving the issue with their eyes, Lan Qingyou and the other set off.
With nothing to do while sitting on the Magic Broom, Lan Qingyou finally had a free hand to greet the people waiting in the group chat.
In fact, while Lan Qingyou was busy earlier, the group had already exploded with activity.
The topic, of course, was still the teleportation circles.
Even though not everyone in the group had a stake in it, a significant portion of the members had been present at the time.
With such an incident occurring, it was impossible for the group to stay quiet.
Righteousness: “They've been gone for a while, haven't they?”
Hierophant: “Not too long.”
Magician: “I wonder how things are going on The Tower's end.”
High Priestess: “She should still be handling it.”
The Sun: “Just wait a bit longer. Given The Tower's abilities, it's unlikely she'd be outplayed.”
The Star: “I actually really want to see how the ever-resourceful The Tower would get outplayed.”
The Tower: “It's already over. And no, I didn't get outplayed.”
Just as everyone was discussing her absence, Lan Qingyou appeared, instantly diffusing the anxious atmosphere in the chat.
Righteousness: “She's here!”
The Moon: “How did it go?”
Justice: “Is everything settled?”
The Tower: “Mostly. I can confirm our previous suspicion: the teleportation circle technology has likely leaked out.”
Justice: “What's the specific situation?”
The Tower: “Nothing much. While I was in the Golden Plains to settle a score, I happened to run into my enemy meeting with a group of suspicious people. The local Adventurers' Guild branch president confirmed they didn't come through the guild's teleportation circle.”
Magician: “An Adventurers' Guild branch president?”
The Tower: “Yes, a witch from the Golden Plains. She's with me right now heading to the teleportation circle's hiding spot. Once we find it, I can check the rune arrangement to see if it's from the batch you produced.”
After all, everyone had their own habits when drawing.
This wasn't limited to magic circles.
Circuits, patterns, instructions, symbols, and enchanting all followed this rule.
For example, Magician's drawings were meticulous and orderly, The Star's were more freehand and expressive, while Lan Qingyou herself liked to add a small hook to the final stroke.
Justice: “Then I'll leave it to you.”
The Tower: “No trouble at all. We've arrived. Wait a moment.”
With that, Lan Qingyou left the chat, leaving the others—who were full of questions—staring at each other in silence.
...
“Are we going to smash it with a rock like before?”
Susie asked Lan Qingyou as they arrived above the hidden shelter.
After all, the teleportation circle below was needed as evidence; a direct hit might destroy it on the spot.
However, Lan Qingyou, who knew exactly what the teleportation circle was made of, didn't mind at all.
She nodded silently and dropped a six-ton rock. Having learned from the last time, she flew away immediately after the drop, leaving the dust behind.
Boom!
As the sound of the impact echoed, everything returned to silence.
“Oh, something seems a bit off down there,” Lan Qingyou muttered as she watched unusual substances drift out from the dust while hovering in the air.
“What's wrong?”
“There's toxic gas—a type that causes immediate decay. It's likely a disposal method triggered if the place was compromised.”
“Oh, just toxic gas? I thought it was something serious.”
Susie raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by Lan Qingyou's warning.
“I take it you have a solution then?”
Susie's relaxed response made Lan Qingyou realize the other girl had a trick up her sleeve.
“Haha, lower the altitude and just watch.”
With that, Susie activated her Magic Eye.
Lan Qingyou watched as the toxic gas mixed in the dust gradually diminished and finally vanished completely.
The entire process lasted less than a minute.
“You don't seem very curious, Clan Leader.”
After clearing the gas below, Susie looked at the indifferent Lan Qingyou and asked curiously.
“There's no need to be. As the Clan Leader of the Witch race, no one knows better than I do that the Magic Eye is a witch's greatest trump card.”
Lan Qingyou spoke calmly.
For a witch, the Magic Eye was indeed her ultimate secret. Therefore, even as the Clan Leader, Lan Qingyou wouldn't easily pry into another's specific abilities.
Though, based on that display and the appearance of her eye, she already knew what Susie's Magic Eye was.
Furthermore, as stated before, witches under her lineage could not harm her.
So even if Susie's Magic Eye was some incredible attack-type ability, she wouldn't be worried.
“Fair enough. Actually, this support-type Magic Eye that can purify toxins isn't anything special.”
Susie's tone carried a hint of regret.
However, Lan Qingyou, possessing the Analytic Magic Eye, didn't see it that way.
“Your Magic Eye is more powerful than you think.”
“Hmm?”
Susie looked up at Lan Qingyou in surprise.
“The Purifying Magic Eye does have purification as its core ability, that much is true. But besides toxins, it can also purify madness, evil energy, and the like. If anything, it's rare for someone who researches poisons like you to awaken a Magic Eye with such opposing attributes.”
“So you can see my attributes.”
Susie suddenly understood how Lan Qingyou had read her so thoroughly.
Lan Qingyou didn't hide it.
“Yes, it's a Magic Eye similar to identification.”
Lan Qingyou nodded, giving a vague description of her own ability. Before Susie could respond, she flew down to begin searching for the teleportation circle.
“Everything is smashed to bits. I'm afraid the teleportation circle is scrapped.”
Realizing Lan Qingyou was being evasive, Susie didn't press the topic of Magic Eyes. Instead, she tactfully began commenting on the massive crater they had created.
In her view, nothing could have survived such an intense impact.
Lan Qingyou remained silent, focused solely on her search.
About two minutes later, Susie saw Lan Qingyou pull a steel plate about two meters square from the ruins.
On that steel plate was the familiar teleportation circle.
“Hmm. It looks like a teleportation circle, but it's slightly different from the ones Magician draws.”
With a few glances at the magic circle on the steel plate, Lan Qingyou could tell it wasn't Magician's work.
“Magician?”
“The head of your Adventurers' Guild.”
“Oh, that's the title used in the Tarot Villa, right?”
“Correct.”
Replying, Lan Qingyou took out her card. Susie looked over and noticed that compared to their mass-produced cards, the one in Lan Qingyou's hand was far more exquisite in craftsmanship.
But then she remembered that the other girl was a core member of the Tarot Villa and a beta user of the cards, so it made sense.
After all, she had heard that the current identification cards were derived from the 'Tarot' style cards described in Lan Qingyou's books.
Rate on N.U.
