CH375 - CH376

CH375

The giant worm gazed at Helag, not attacking, familiar with his scent after so long.

Helag waved it off, signaling it to leave.

He didn’t want the worm to take him to the wall, as it would draw too much attention.

If the worm emerged near the wall, it would alert the city’s defenders.

After waving, Helag cautiously approached the wall, staying alert.

The worm watched Helag disappear, then burrowed underground.

Hearing the noise, Helag knew the worm had left.

He felt grateful; without the worm, returning might have been impossible.

Navigating dangerous areas alone was unlikely to succeed.

Anything that frightened the worm was beyond Helag’s current capabilities.

Traveling underground at high speed, Helag avoided many potential dangers.

The visible threats were only part of the peril; above ground lay countless others like the Great Demon or treacherous plants.

Any one of them could have ended him; returning alone was daunting.

A first-level liquefied wizard was too weak for the polluted zone.

Helag took a deep breath, focusing on the present.

He didn’t know the city’s name or if it belonged to the Eye of the Storm.

The wall was much taller and thicker than Silvermoon City’s, marked with various scars.

Some marks resembled claw scratches, indicating the size of the creature that made them.

Other areas bore large craters, as if bombarded by spells.

These signs suggested frequent monster attacks, explaining the wall’s size.

Silvermoon City, in the southern Land of Dawn, faced few monsters.

Its walls showed little damage, with rare attacks.

Here, attacks were common.

Using Deep Blue, Helag scanned the area, finding no people.

After the spider attack, Helag was cautious, knowing invisibility didn’t guarantee safety.

He approached the wall, estimating its height at 700-800 meters, and paused.

Silvermoon City’s walls had protective arrays; physical walls alone couldn’t stop monsters.

Helag studied the wall, discovering a massive array within.

He realized climbing would trigger alarms, alerting defenders.

The array had defensive and anti-climbing features; climbing would result in a fall.

Flying over was impossible; the city was shielded against flying monsters.

The sky seemed clear but was protected by a wizard tower network, impenetrable by normal means.

Helag faced the challenge of entering the city.

Studying the array, he found it composed of node arrays, likely beyond third-level.

Fully breaking the array was nearly impossible; even Deep Blue would take ages.

Helag couldn’t linger forever.

He devised a plan.

Complete deactivation was unnecessary; he only needed to disable a node briefly.

“Deep Blue, analyze the array’s structure and find a way to disable a node temporarily.”

[Task logged.

Estimated time: four hours and fifty minutes,] Deep Blue replied.

The array’s complexity required extensive analysis.

Deep Blue needed an overview before devising a solution.

Helag observed the wall; each node covered about 500 meters.

The area was quiet, with thick fog—a good sign for Helag.

The fog obscured others’ vision but not his.

Four hours felt long.

Helag stayed alert, monitoring his surroundings.

Occasional wind noises prompted careful checks.

***

[Task complete. Here’s how to disable the node temporarily.]

After a long wait, Deep Blue provided the solution.

Helag reviewed it, understanding the method.

The array’s nodes communicated continuously, signaling normal operation.

Each node sent and received signals, confirming functionality.

Deep Blue’s method involved controlling the node’s communication, signaling normalcy to adjacent nodes.

Then, temporarily halting the node’s operation.

Normally, if a node stopped, others would detect the issue, as their signals went unanswered.


CH376


If a node malfunctioned, it would trigger an alert, notifying the city’s defense personnel.

An alert at the wall was a major issue; every city in the Land of Dawn prioritised safety.

Within seconds of an alert, someone would arrive on the scene.

Helag wouldn’t stand a chance of escaping; he’d be caught.

He rehearsed the entire plan mentally, knowing it required precision.

While climbing, Helag had to multitask.

He needed to monitor signals from adjacent nodes and continuously send simulated signals.

One mistake, and he’d have to jump down and flee.

After rehearsing multiple times, Helag memorized each step.

But he didn’t rush; he carefully examined the wall’s surface.

He noted every bump and crevice, essential details for a swift climb.

Understanding these details allowed him to climb quickly, wasting no time.

With the route planned, Helag knew where to step and grip.

Standing at the wall’s base, Helag took a deep breath, ready to act.

He conjured runes with magic, embedding them at signal points on the wall, initiating his plan.

Runes inserted at the node’s core halted its operation.

These positions, calculated by Deep Blue, were undetectable to the untrained eye.

Even Deep Blue required extensive time, indicating the complexity.

With the node inactive, Helag simulated its signals to adjacent nodes.

Simultaneously, he began climbing.

Helag scaled the wall rapidly, like a gecko.

Remarkably, he maintained signal transmission during the climb.

In under a minute, Helag reached the top.

Before him lay open ground; the wall was 500-600 meters thick, its construction a mystery.

Helag sprinted forward, calmly maintaining the node’s operation with runes.

Seconds later, he slid down the wall, landing on the ground.

Upon landing, Helag removed the runes, restoring the node’s function and signal.

Everything returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.

Seeing the array function unhindered, Helag relaxed.

But he knew this was just the beginning.

Turning, Helag was surprised by the view.

He was in the countryside.

The countryside meant forests, meadows, and streams.

For a moment, Helag thought he’d returned to the Barren Lands, having not seen such nature in ages.

Silvermoon City was urbanized, lacking such scenery.

The soil beneath him was yellow, untainted by pollution.

The wall not only blocked monsters but also halted pollution, preserving the landscape.

Cautiously, Helag explored ahead, finding a pristine forest with a healthy ecosystem.

The forest floor showed no signs of human activity.

Such vast forests were protected areas in the Land of Dawn, off-limits to the public.

The trees were tall and ancient.

Helag knew much of the Land of Dawn’s timber came from the Barren Lands.

While the Land of Dawn had forests and grasslands, they were rarely exploited.

Most people never experienced such forests.

Helag recalled Amisha’s longing for the sea and forests.

Seeing the forest, Helag felt a thrill, understanding Amisha’s feelings.

Walking through the forest, Helag reached its edge by midday.

There, he grew cautious, as the edge meant more people.

Helag hid, observing from the shadows.

On a distant hill stood a cabin with two people, likely forest rangers.

Noticing them, Helag detoured to another side.

He remained hidden, waiting for nightfall.

Under the cover of darkness, Helag emerged.

“Shadow Corner.”

To avoid detection, Helag used Shadow Corner, moving silently as a shadow.

He advanced, scanning the area with environmental detection, finding no one else.

Leaving the forest, Helag entered a mountainous region.

After crossing several peaks, he found a farm below, growing various crops.

Produce was expensive in the Land of Dawn, likely reserved for the elite.

Nearby cabins housed sleeping occupants.

Helag left quietly, undisturbed.

Beyond the mountains lay plains, with a city visible in the distance.

Crossing the plains, Helag noted extensive agriculture.

The land was fully utilized, planted with crops.

“What city is this, with so much land?”

Helag admired the vast fields.

Compared to here, Silvermoon City was barren, lacking arable land and mountains, dominated by urban sprawl.