Chapter 17: The Gap
The council meeting had not yet ended when Su Xiao had already walked out of the council hall. Frost Snake Councilor and Rose Councilor were more adept at handling the situation in Angor City, so during the council session, Su Xiao and King Lehman had barely spoken.
Not being skilled was fine, but if someone was unskilled yet still insisted on meddling, that would be detestable.
The fourth ring of Su Xiao's mission was to ensure that Angor City was not destroyed within ten natural days. Gelu leading the withered monsters to attack was only a matter of time, and when that happened, it would be Su Xiao's domain.
With the situation having developed to this point, capturing the leader to defeat the rest was no longer possible. Gelu was not the type of villainous boss who liked to show off; he had remained hidden in the shadows from beginning to end.
When his plan was interrupted, Gelu did not fly into a rage. Instead, he silenced all his pawns, immediately left Angor City, and traveled a thousand miles to the Eastern Swamp Kingdom, where he initiated the "Kingdom Annihilation Plan."
Gelu firmly believed in one thing: since Su Xiao had the ability to see through his plan, he also had the ability to kill him. A frail alchemy master wouldn't be this difficult to deal with.
Faced with such a patient old schemer, Su Xiao had no good solution for now. Gelu's plan was already underway. To drag him out, he would need to figure out how the other party had annihilated the four kingdoms and what his reliance was.
Under the night sky, Angor City finally quieted down. The people from the council hall had begun preparing to open the entrance to the underground city. When that happened, all civilians would evacuate to the underground city, while the soldiers would remain in Angor City. Using this city as a stronghold, they would clear the surrounding area. The first step was to set up numerous watchtowers. Once monsters attacked, the soldiers would be assembled immediately to form a defensive line.
Angor City was not suitable for a prolonged defense. The underground city below was the true fortress, easy to defend and hard to attack. But retreating entirely into the underground city meant abandoning the surface resources.
Once the three entrances to the underground city were sealed, it would become a small world—an incredibly chaotic small world. The civilian population would then decrease until resource supply was established within the underground city. Only after the population was reduced to a certain level could things barely stabilize.
This was a contingency plan that would only be activated as a last resort, at least not until over 80% of the soldiers had died.
Frost Snake Councilor and Rose Councilor had already drafted this plan. After a total collapse, this plan would be enacted. This was the way those in power thought: let the people see the best future, while secretly preparing the coldest, most reasonable contingency plan. As long as not everyone died, there would always be hope.
Su Xiao had little interest in the underground city or the collapse contingency plan. He was only responsible for two things: killing when the withered monsters reached the vicinity of Angor City, and searching for clues about a certain "hidden place."
Su Xiao did not have the mindset of saving the world. He wasn't that noble. In fact, the fact that he hadn't accelerated the destruction of this world was already quite surprising.
Su Xiao's goal was simple: kill Gelu. As for everything else, it wasn't his concern.
"Why does Angor City feel a bit different? So lifeless."
Puri, walking behind Su Xiao, muttered. Hearing this, Su Xiao stopped.
"Different how?"
"Huh?"
Puri looked at Su Xiao with confusion, rubbed the short stubble on his chin, and shook his head.
"Can't really explain it. It just feels different, like... this city is about to die."
"..."
Su Xiao narrowed his eyes, reached out and grabbed the wall beside him. With a crack, he pried off a piece of the wall. Applying force with his hand, he crushed the stone into fine powder, which slipped through his fingers.
"Bubu."
"Woof!"
Bubu Wang immediately blended into the environment. A few seconds later, he disengaged, having found nothing unusual.
Su Xiao was certain that Angor City was undergoing changes. Neither he nor Bubu Wang had noticed this, nor had the very powerful Azaz.
But Puri, who was only slightly stronger than an ordinary person, sensed something was wrong. This indicated that the changes in Angor City were very subtle and hidden, not affecting Su Xiao or Bubu Wang, but affecting Puri.
"It's freezing. It's already spring, but it's still this cold. Damn weather."
Puri tightened his collar, sniffled, and quickly walked toward his home.
Even at night, the early spring weather shouldn't be this cold. This temperature change had started just a few seconds ago.
This change made Su Xiao think that the Ancient God had begun to "suck" on this world. No, "sucking" wouldn't cause such rapid destruction. This was assimilation. Angor City was gradually being assimilated. The environment here had already become mixed with the Ancient God's energy.
Having confirmed this, Su Xiao quickened his pace. If this continued, there would be no need for the withered monsters to attack. Angor City would become a dead city within a few days. He needed to burn the Soul Ash tonight, open the gap, and see what lay beyond.
Walking quickly, Su Xiao returned to the two-story building. Azaz's old friend had never shown up, and it was unclear how they were protecting the Holy Realm Councilor.
In the second-floor bedroom, all the furniture had been moved out, replaced by many alchemical instruments. Su Xiao had transformed this place into an alchemy laboratory. Due to insufficient funds, some instruments had yet to be acquired.
Even with the situation at this point, the council hall was still stabilizing the purchasing power of the gold pound. A collapse of the currency system would be a devastating blow to Angor City.
As the son of a councilor, Puri was naturally very wealthy. Su Xiao and Puri were collaborators; Puri was not a subordinate. Naturally, he wouldn't hand over his assets. The councilor position was only temporarily shared. Su Xiao, Puri, and Azaz could all be acting councilors.
Sitting at the workbench, Su Xiao pulled the [Soul Lock Lamp] from his waist. Inside this thumb-sized ornament, transparent crystal fragments drifted.
Su Xiao released five Soul Crystal Fragments from the [Soul Lock Lamp], tossed them into his mouth, and chewed slowly. The texture was crisp.
Every time he entered a new world, Su Xiao would consume a certain amount of Soul Crystal Fragments, using the Soul Devourer talent to permanently increase his Soul Strength.
Picking up a small glass vial on the workbench, he poured the Soul Ash inside into a round metal tray. Taking out a special match, he struck it and tossed it into the metal tray.
With a whoosh, the Soul Ash ignited, but the next moment, the orange-red flame went out.
Su Xiao looked puzzled. He had just ignited the Soul Ash, but it went out instantly, failing to cause a "collision" between light and dark to open the gap.
If igniting the Soul Ash was like opening a "door," then there had to be a "door" in the first place. Otherwise, even with the strength to push it open, it would be futile.
"A door."
Su Xiao pondered, considering everything related to Soul Ash. Soon, a flash of inspiration struck him.
The Soul Ash appeared because Iron Tooth Muro and the female contractor died from "Energy Decay." Now, there was another person who was also decaying but hadn't died yet. Could this person be used as a coordinate? Using their hair, blood, or other mediums to ignite the Soul Ash.
This was Su Xiao's hypothesis. He wasn't sure if it would work, but it was worth a try.
Picking up a few strands of white hair on the workbench, Su Xiao placed them on the Soul Ash. This was the old councilor's hair.
Igniting the Soul Ash again, with a whoosh, a smokeless orange-red flame rose. In an instant, the room became gray and decayed. Chaotic whispers sounded in Su Xiao's ears, and his eyes lost focus.
'Suo suo ge le...'
'Misfortune, ashes, everything turns to ashes.'
'Don't wake it up. It weeps, it resents. It died before it was born...'
Among the whispers, some were angry, some were wailing, and some were hysterical.
With a bang, blood energy surged around Su Xiao, and the surroundings fell silent. Faced with these mysterious and eerie sounds, being more ferocious than them was enough. There was no need to fear. The more fear in one's heart, the more rampant they would become.
Su Xiao's eyes regained their focus. A faint musty smell drifted into his nostrils. He looked around. The room he was in was dilapidated, as if no one had lived there for a hundred years. Cobwebs had formed in the corners.
A knock came to his ears. Su Xiao's hand rested on his sword hilt.
"Bai Ye, what's going on in your room? What are you doing? This is too much."
Outside the door was Azaz, ready to break in at any moment.
Su Xiao looked at a crack in the wall. The crack was about half a meter wide, pitch black inside. This wasn't just darkness; it was slowly surging.
Stepping up to the crack, Su Xiao tossed a test tube into it. The test tube was swallowed by the surging darkness, showing no signs of corrosion.
Su Xiao prepared to go in and take a look. This was the "gap" mentioned in the mission prompt. The ultimate goal of the fourth ring of the main mission was to open the "gap," which indicated that it wasn't a place of certain death.