stonecrandall Chapter 148 : Chapter 148
Chapter 148 : Chapter 148
Chapter 148. Walled City (1)
At that time.
Outside Kowloon Walled City, the investigation team camp.
SLITHER.......
One giant grey snake crawled into the middle of the camp.
However, there were few who were surprised by the sight of the snake.
Because they knew it was a summoned beast controlled by Cheonjan.
Sure enough, Cheonjan was standing with his back straight on top of the grey snake's head.
THUD.
When Cheonjan came down from the snake's head, the wizards of the camp bowed their heads in unison.
And at the very front stood Yenzen.
"You have arrived, President."
"Mm."
Cheonjan looked around.
It was a mess.
There were scorched marks and broken things everywhere, and puppet parts were rolling around.
'To think they established this level of melee with this number of personnel even after fighting me.'
Thinking so, Cheonjan asked Yenzen.
"So, what happened to Leman White?"
"We eliminated him."
"I see."
Cheonjan nodded and asked.
"Then where is the bastard's corpse?"
"Didn't I tell you? We eliminated him. Not even a corpse remains."
"Hmm...?"
Cheonjan's face suddenly stiffened.
"Eliminated him, how?"
"I blew him away into the extinction zone!"
Just then, a young wizard who had been listening to the conversation a step behind stepped forward.
He was that very puppeteer who struck Riman with his puppet and blew him into the Walled City.
Cheonjan slowly turned his gaze to that young wizard.
"...What did you say?"
"I hit Leman White and blew him into the extinction zone of Kowloon Walled City. He's practically as good as dead."
"Did you confirm his death before blowing him away?"
"Pardon? No, just hit him and......."
"You put the bastard inside the Walled City alive, is that what you're saying?"
"Pardon? Ah, yes. That is......."
The young wizard couldn't continue his words there.
WHIP!
Because a snake that suddenly climbed up his nape wrapped around his neck.
"Gag...!"
The grey snake began to strangle the young wizard's neck tightly.
He tried to pull the snake off with both hands, but it was not enough.
Because that snake was one summoned by Cheonjan.
Breath was getting blocked more and more, and this young man's face began to turn pale.
"Kughhhh...!"
"You bastard... do you realize what you have done right now...!"
Cheonjan's face, which had been maintaining composure until now, was distorted viciously.
And killing intent dwelt in his eyes.
A gaze that said he would really kill the opponent.
Seeing that, Yenzen shouted.
"What are you doing right now?!"
"Be quiet, Yenzen. This bastard......."
"Stop immediately!"
"You dare give me an order?"
"You are daring to kill a disciple right in front of his master right now!"
Yenzen did not back down an inch.
It felt like his whole body was being crushed by the sharp mana emanating from Cheonjan, but Yenzen endured it.
Because the wizard dying right now was his disciple.
As Yenzen did not back down even a little, Cheonjan's heated head also began to cool down little by little.
Only then did Cheonjan realize.
That there was no benefit to killing this young wizard in front of him right now.
SLACK-
The grey snake strangling the wizard's neck loosened and came down.
The wizard fainted just like that, and his colleagues who rushed over supported him out.
And heavy silence settled on the scene.
Just then, when no one could open their mouth rashly.
The one who opened his mouth first was Yenzen.
"...Please convince me."
Yenzen continued speaking while looking straight at Cheonjan.
"We attacked the one holding the key to solving the secret of Kowloon Walled City with our own hands. Only because of your order."
"......."
"Furthermore, you even tried to kill my disciple just now. So President, we......."
"Have the right to hear an explanation."
"...That is correct."
"Let's talk inside. Only you come in."
Cheonjan went inside the tent.
Yenzen followed him inside alone.
Now only the two of them were inside the tent.
The two sat facing each other with a makeshift table in between.
Cheonjan opened his mouth first.
"What are you most curious about?"
"Why did you issue the order to kill Leman White? He was someone who could have perhaps resolved the disaster of this Walled City and uncovered the secret of the extinction zone......."
"Because of that very reason."
"Pardon?"
"The secret of Kowloon Walled City and the extinction zone must not be uncovered."
Yenzen's face went blank.
His eyes began to tremble violently.
"Wh-Wh-What do you mean by that right now?"
"Literally. The secret of Kowloon Walled City being uncovered is of absolutely no benefit to our Sanhae."
Yenzen absolutely could not understand.
"What kind of... 60,000 people have disappeared! This is a disaster that must be resolved!"
"It is merely 60,000."
"Pardon?!"
"If we can reach a great secret with 60,000 lives, wouldn't it be worth trying sufficiently?"
"......."
Cold-bloodedness that calmly puts 60,000 lives on the scale.
Yenzen felt like he was suffocating.
"...Just what on earth is happening inside there?"
"We are tearing down the boundaries of the world."
"Please explain so I can understand something."
"You would know the difference between summoning (Sohwan) and super-summoning (Chohwan), wouldn't you?"
"I do know, but."
Summoning is manifesting a copy of an otherworldly existence in this world.
Super-summoning is calling the original itself of an otherworldly existence to this side.
"Then you would also know that an existence called forth by super-summoning is vastly stronger than an existence manifested by summoning."
"Yes. Because a copy cannot surpass the original."
"Therefore, the completion of super-summoning magic is the ultimate dream of all summoners. If only one can succeed in super-summoning, one would be able to leap at once to a distant realm one dare not even dream of."
"......."
"Yenzen, do you perhaps also know the base formula of super-summoning?"
"It's not my major, but I do know it."
"Then you must naturally know the biggest problem inherent in that formula as well."
"...Yes."
In fact, the formula for super-summoning magic itself had been completed a very long time ago.
However, there were virtually no summoners who touched that formula.
The reason was due to excessive instability.
The success rate of the super-summoning formula is less than 0.01 percent.
However, the moment it fails, a massive explosion causing instant death occurs.
Furthermore, even if it succeeds, sometimes a similar level of explosion occurs.
It was normal for a summoner in their right mind not to attempt it.
Naturally, Cheonjan hadn't even attempted it either.
However.......
"I have found a way to eliminate that instability."
"......!"
Yenzen's eyes trembled minutely.
A way to eliminate the problem of the super-summoning formula.
If it were anyone else, he would have just passed it off thinking they were a fraud.
But the man in front of him was Cheonjan.
China's strongest summoner.
The weight of words spoken by such a person was never light.
"...How?"
"Didn't I already tell you the answer?"
"Pardon...?"
"Just tear down the boundaries of the world."
Yenzen's trembling pupils stopped.
"...What did you say?"
"The barrier between this world and the otherworld is thick. Therefore, while it is possible to pull information of otherworldly existences to this side and manifest them, super-summoning which brings the otherworldly existence itself was almost close to impossible. But you see. What if we tear down that barrier, the boundary of the world?"
"......!"
"The biggest barrier blocking super-summoning disappears. The biggest dream of summoners comes true."
"That's absurd...!"
"Making absurd things possible has been called magic since ancient times. And preparations are already finished."
"Preparations? Don't tell me, the Walled City...!"
"Yes. Utilizing the brains of the humans in the Walled City as computing devices to operate the magic, I will tear down the barrier of the world."
"...Ha."
"I made the Walled City like that."
Yenzen was dumbfounded.
Because it was such nonsense.
But the problem was that it seemed Cheonjan was really realizing this nonsense.
Actually, seeing how Kowloon Walled City was completely segmented and isolated spatially too.
"...It is impossible. If you calculate, there is no way to satisfy the energy amount......."
"But I succeeded. I satisfied the necessary energy amount."
"How...?!"
"Yukra (Six Silks). The six worst evil spirits. I found a cursed object where five of those six were sealed not long ago. And using the power of the evil spirits contained in that cursed object, I made Kowloon Walled City like that. Creating spatial flux to isolate it from the outside, and imprisoning people inside......."
"Good heavens...! Don't you know what kind of bastards the Yukra are?!"
"Because I know, this kind of utilization is possible."
"......!"
"But even so, the energy was a little insufficient. More sacrifices were needed."
"Wait, don't tell me then the Sword Saint too...!"
"Yes. I requested the dispatch of the Sword Saint to the World Federation Government. And now he has become a magnificent battery for the Walled City."
"Oh my...!"
"But think about it, Yenzen. If there is a guy trying to ruin a business I put so much effort into, wouldn't I have no choice but to eliminate him?"
"...So that's why you tried to kill Leman."
"Yes. Actually, he's a regrettable friend. If he was just a little more stupid, he would have been a magnificent sacrifice."
This was also the reason why he tested using the clay doll when Riman visited Sanhae.
To test if he was usable as a sacrifice for the Walled City, as a battery.
"Then why did you leave us alone?"
"Hmm?"
"Why did you just let our investigation team investigate?"
"You were a smokescreen. Since such a disaster occurred, Sanhae doing nothing doesn't look very good externally either. In short, image management."
"Ha......."
Yenzen let out a deep sigh almost close to a groan.
Then he uttered a one-line evaluation of Cheonjan out of his mouth.
"...You are crazy."
"Isn't it an era hard to live in unless you are crazy?"
"Isn't Kowloon Walled City your hometown? How can you consume your hometown, the people of your hometown like that?!"
"Anyway, they are lives useless even if they are alive. They should be grateful to me if they gained utility even in this way."
"Useless people, you say? Were you not also a person of Kowloon Walled City?!"
"Yes. By producing me, that Walled City has done its job. Originally, the clam that produced the pearl is bound to be discarded."
"You...!"
"So let's end the conversation here."
"......!"
THUD!
Yenzen collapsed on the floor just like that.
Before he knew it, his ankles, both arms, and upper body were bound by snakes.
Furthermore, deep fatigue began to seep up from inside his body slowly.
Snake venom had been injected before he realized.
"Kughhhhh...!"
"Don't suffer too much. It's not a killing poison. Just that you will be asleep for quite a long time."
"Why... on earth...!"
"Did you think I would just let you go after hearing my plan in such detail?"
"......."
"Sleep soundly. And when you are reborn, I hope you work for Sanhae."
Cheonjan came out of the tent.
The situation outside the tent was similar.
Because all wizards belonging to the investigation team under Yenzen were paralyzed by snake venom and bound by snakes.
Looking at the bound and sprawled wizards, Cheonjan spoke.
"As of today, the investigation of Kowloon Walled City is suspended. All investigation team members are to withdraw."
After saying that, Cheonjan turned his head and looked at the Walled City.
That place where Riman had entered.
'...Leman White, the possibility of that guy coming out alive from there is virtually nonexistent.'
No, rather, the probability of him being trapped inside and becoming a battery alive was the greatest.
However.......
'In the one in ten thousand chance that he comes out alive.......'
Then, I will kill him even if I have to risk my life.
Thinking so, Cheonjan turned his steps.
And at that time, inside the extinction zone of Kowloon Walled City.
"Phew......."
Riman raised his body.