Exploring Technology in a Wizard World
Chapter 316 - Chapter 316 Chapter 315 Flooding in the Dark Night The Great

Chapter 316: Chapter 315: Flooding in the Dark Night, The Great Battle Approaches Chapter 316: Chapter 315: Flooding in the Dark Night, The Great Battle Approaches “Targeted?” Upon hearing Mu Konni’s words, Suo Men’s eyes narrowed, showing little apprehension, “I’m doing things that are meaningful to the organization, what reason does he have to target me? Is it just to maintain his so-called authority?

Hmph, we all work under the same framework, with different responsibilities. He wears the Silver Ring, and I wear the Iron Ring; does that really mean his status is much higher than mine? Hmph, they are all bestowed by those above us!

After this matter is concluded, I will have a clear talk with him. If he understands, all will be well. If he doesn’t listen and insists on targeting me, it doesn’t matter. The East Coast isn’t a place he can cover with one hand just because he has a Silver Ring. This time, for the big plan, we mobilized so many people and resources; even the ones with Golden Rings and Colorful Rings are watching over. When it’s pushed up the chain, we’ll see who suffers.”

“Uh…” Mu Konni looked at Suo Men and found herself at a loss for words for a moment, before finally saying, “Okay… okay…”

“Alright, this matter is settled,” Suo Men stood up and turned to Mu Konni to ask, “When the books arrive, I’ll take action personally. Do you want to participate then?”

“This…” Mu Konni hesitated, “If I participate, I might really be targeted by the Silver Ring, and I don’t have your courage. After all, you are the Dragon Slayer Suo Men. But then again… this might actually be fun, so… alright, count me in.”

“That’s good,” Suo Men said. “Now, let’s prepare to complete the remaining minor tasks and eliminate each target–free up time to facilitate action when the time comes.”

“Uh, okay…”

“Let’s go, start with target number eight.” Suo Men declared, walking out, with Mu Konni quickly following.

Outside, the sky had already darkened.

…

The night.

The familiar night, the familiar secret chamber, the familiar long table, and the equally familiar high-backed leather chairs around the long table.

Nothing had changed. The Great Scholar Socrates was still sitting at one end of the table, his student Ken standing by his side, while the rest were seated in the high-backed chairs on both sides, daring not to breathe too loudly.

“Knock, knock, knock!” The Great Scholar Socrates tapped the table and asked aloud, “Can anyone tell me the current situation?”

“…”

Silence, a long silence.

After a while, a middle-aged man mustered the courage to stand and speak, “Replying… replying to the Master, regarding the investigation, we’ve almost concluded it. You said before that the person who killed Vick and the one using our Council’s insignia to try to expose the Council were the same group; we’ve confirmed this.”

“Um… is that all?”

“Uh, that’s all…”

“Nothing else?”

“Nothing else…” The middle-aged man looked at the Great Scholar Socrates and, feeling unsettled by Socrates staring straight at him, said, “Master, I…”

Socrates didn’t speak, but waved his hand, signaling the middle-aged man to sit down.

With a sense of relief, the man was about to sit down when Socrates slammed his palm on the table, bellowing, “Stand up for me!”

“Swish!”

The man who was about to sit down sprang up as if the chair had sprouted spikes.

Socrates lost his temper and shouted, “Do you still have the face to sit?”

“I…”

“Do any of you have the face to be seated?” Socrates swept his gaze across all those seated.

With a “rustle,” everyone immediately stood up, their heads hanging as if they were severed.

Socrates then slowly stood up and looked at everyone, his voice grave, “Regarding the investigation, the speculation was proposed by me a month ago. You all, having spent a month, have merely confirmed my speculation? If that’s the case, what’s the use of you?!

You are a group of wizards, a group far more powerful than the average person! Yet, it took you a month to bring me such a laughable result? I think you’re not even as good as an ordinary person, not as good as a lad I once encountered!

At least that lad knew what palindromes are, knew how to verify the Lickerel Number, and even helped me solve the conundrum presented by Adod, all in mere minutes. Can you do that? Can you?!”

Sigh–, to be honest, you’ve disappointed me greatly, and I doubt your efficiency. I know I’ve aged, grown too old to handle matters myself, and can only grumble here. If you’re being lazy behind my back, there’s truly nothing I can do.

Regarding this, I desperately want to know, can the glory of our organization ever be restored? And do you actually still hold this cause in your hearts? Perhaps, the Council should simply be disbanded–it would be better for everyone!”

Great Scholar Socrates spoke very seriously; it didn’t seem like he was joking at all.

Everyone who heard this was greatly shocked and knelt down on the ground.

“Gr…Great Master, we wouldn’t dare to continue, please… please don’t be agitated.”

“Gr…Great Master, we were wrong, please reconsider.”

“Gr…Great Master, we truly want to restore the glory, it’s just that this matter…”

With a raise of his hand, Great Scholar Socrates silenced everyone and with a light cough said, “I don’t want to say much more. If you truly carry the Council in your hearts and wish to see its glory restored, then prove it with your actions.”

“Three days!” Great Scholar Socrates held up three fingers. “Three days, that’s the time I’m giving you! Within three days, find me the person who killed Vick and the others–I don’t ask for you to kill the culprit, but at the very least find out who it is, understand their identity. If you can’t even do this… well, do as you please. I’m old, too old, and it’s time for me to consider retirement.”

After speaking, Great Scholar Socrates didn’t allow anyone a chance to respond and walked out.

It took quite a while for the people in the secret chamber to lift their heads; they looked at each other, none speaking, the atmosphere overwhelmingly oppressive.

…

Late at night.

In White Stone City.

A courtyard was engulfed in flames rising tens of meters high.

“Whoosh!”

A figure dropped from the sky.

“Zoom!”

An ice bomb the size of a fist was hurled into the flames, exploding upon impact, releasing a burst of cold air that drastically dropped the temperature, quickly extinguishing the fire.

“Tap tap tap…”

Macbeth, clad in white, stepped on the icy ground into the half-ruined courtyard, frowning deeply as he looked around. After a full circle, confirming that no one was alive, he walked out.

A short wizard was waiting for him outside the courtyard–Armstrong.

“Same as before?” Armstrong asked, looking at Macbeth.

Macbeth nodded his head.

“Sigh.” Armstrong exhaled deeply, his expression grave.

Macbeth, watching the space before him, spoke slowly, “This month, incidents like this haven’t only happened once or twice, not even three or four times, but a full dozen times.

I’ve reported it to the higher-ups several times, but they keep brushing me off. It’s clear they believe the most important task currently is to ensure the success of the East Coast Joint Exchange Conference. So, as long as these accidents don’t affect the conference, they can be deferred.

I… don’t exactly think they’re wrong in doing so. But what I’ve always worried about is that the truth behind these incidents isn’t as simple as it seems, the previous plague being a warning. And since there has been one outbreak, why couldn’t there be a second? Now we’re just blindly on the defensive, constantly on alert, but when the time comes, we might suffer a great loss.”

Armstrong nodded in agreement, sighing and said, “But even so, we can’t do anything about it. After all, we must obey orders. If the higher-ups do not make a request, we can’t act on our initiative. At most, the next time something happens, we’ll be more vigilant and act faster, hoping to arrive before it ends and find out who’s really behind it.”

“Fair enough,” Macbeth nodded, then looked into the distance, where the thick darkness loomed like a flood breaching the dams, rushing wave after wave.

The night deepened, and in its profound darkness, it seemed as if some monster had been unleashed, its creepy skittering sounds sending shivers down the spine.

Macbeth frowned, but did nothing further, and left the place along with Armstrong.

…