Exploring Technology in a Wizard World
Chapter 332 - Chapter 332 Chapter 331 Suladi Adod and Petra

Chapter 332: Chapter 331 Suladi, Adod, and Petra Chapter 332: Chapter 331 Suladi, Adod, and Petra Underground secret chamber.

Long candles burned atop the long table, flickering in the dim light.

Suladi sat at one end of the table, with Black Robed Men standing deeply bowed on either side.

One of the Black Robed Men, filled with shame, spoke to Suladi, “Mas… Master, I’m… I’m sorry, we have failed. The squad led by Luo’er, although they found the enemy… they all died. We sent more men, but we’ve lost track of the enemy.”

“It’s… it’s not your fault.” Suladi lifted his head to look at the Black Robed Man who had spoken, his voice so hoarse it startled everyone present. As they looked at Suladi, they realized that, unbeknownst to them, he had aged a lot, his face etched with exhaustion.

“Master, you…” the speaking Black Robed Man showed concern.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me,” Suladi waved his hand, “I was the one who made a mistake, I underestimated our enemies. It appears the enemy is really extraordinary and not so easily dealt with. Your caution was right, and I bear a great responsibility for the deaths of the seven, including Luo’er.”

“Master, you can’t possibly…”

With a “whoosh,” everyone kneeled down, frightened that Suladi might take the blame and retire, which would mean the Council would exist in name only.

Suladi looked at the people kneeling unanimously before him and couldn’t help but laugh, though the laughter was strained, “Ha, do you really think I’m preparing to leave the Council? No, don’t worry. I’m not someone who shirks responsibility, especially at a time like this.

I don’t care who killed Luo’er or what organization stands behind our enemies in the Council, I will get to the bottom of it, and let them understand their folly. Of course, for the time being, our strength might be somewhat insufficient, we need more power.”

“More power?” The people kneeling on the ground looked up, first with confusion and then realization dawned on them, their eyes widening in shock, “Master, are you referring to…”

“Yes.” Suladi nodded, “Exactly what you’re thinking.”

“Alright, don’t just sit there, come with me.” Suladi said as he stepped out of the secret chamber.

The people still kneeling looked at each other, then quickly got up and followed, their faces a mix of excitement and… fear.

…

White Stone City, a hidden underground space.

Suladi, accompanied by members of the Council, descended the downward steps and stopped in front of a sturdy iron door.

“Bang bang bang!” Suladi knocked on the door forcefully.

Silence reigned within.

“Bang bang bang!” Suladi continued to knock.

Still, silence reigned within.

“Bang bang bang!” Suladi kept knocking and called out, “Adod, come out! I know you’re in there!”

Finally, steps approached the iron door from the inside, but instead of opening it, a hoarse voice asked from behind the door, “Who… who is it?”

“It’s me, Suladi, and people from the Council,” Suladi spoke with a grave voice.

“Is that so…” The voice inside weakened, and finally, with a “creak” the heavy iron door opened, revealing an exceedingly aged old man.

The man had sparse hair and a hunched body, his skin pale from lack of sunlight. Deep-set eyes housed cloudy orbs, and he looked to be well over a hundred, the very same Adod who had once written to Suladi, proposing the Thief’s Secret Room challenge.

Seeing Adod, those who had come with Suladi called out in unison, “Greetings, Master Adod!”

Upon hearing their salutations, Adod showed a cautious expression, his murky eyes spinning in their sockets as he addressed Suladi, “You bring people from the Council to my doorstep, what for? I’ve already retired; you shouldn’t call me Master anymore. Unless, you’re planning to drag me back. But that… would be too much, wouldn’t it? I served the Council for eighty years, a full eighty years! What now, you plan to wring more out of me? I tell you… it’s impossible…”

“Enough!” Suladi cut Adod off, “Adod, the Council is in grave danger, you must come back.”

“Hmph, no time,” Adod grunted rudely, “I have a lot of things to be busy with.” After speaking, he raised his hand to close the door.

Suladi held out his hand to block it, squinted his eyes at Adod and asked, “What are you busy with? It can’t be that question I had ‘Ken’ bring to you a long time ago–you haven’t solved it yet?”

“Nonsense, such a simple question, how could I not solve it?”

“Then tell me, what is the smallest Lickerel Number?”

“It’s…” Adod’s eyes widened, then he stopped speaking.

Suladi spoke out, “196.”

“…” Adod fell silent and after staring at Suladi for a long while, he waved his hand and said, “Come in.”

Suladi walked inside.

“You didn’t come here just to drag me back, did you?” Adod spoke out somberly.

“Right,” Suladi’s eyes revealed a rare sharpness as he spoke decisively, “Besides bringing you back, I also plan to awaken Petra.”

“I guessed as much,” Adod wasn’t very surprised and continued, “It seems the situation the Council has encountered this time is really not simple, driving you to the point of preparing to gather our old trio. However… have you brought the fresh blood for awakening Petra?”

“Isn’t that person standing outside the door?”

“Tsk, acceptable,” Adod expressed his admiration, walked to the back of the room, and turned a corroded candlestick with his hand.

“Click, click, click!”

A bookshelf in the room split in the middle, revealing a descending passage.

“Let’s go,” Adod said and took the lead in walking down.

“Okay.” Suladi nodded, followed Adod, and casually gestured to the people outside the door to come in.

…

“Tap, tap, tap…”

The group walked down the passage and appeared in a huge underground hall.

A large number of torches were wiped onto the four walls of the hall. As the people walked down, the torches were simultaneously lit, brightening the hall with light. In the bright light, the hall’s floor, made of special stone material, had many complex lines carved into it. The center part was recessed, housing a metallic coffin.

Adod’s eyes were downcast as he glanced at the coffin and then waved his hand.

With a “whoosh,” the coffin lid slid open. Those present couldn’t help but hold their breaths as they looked at the coffin, which contained a person who appeared even older than Adod, terribly old.

Rather than a living person, it’s more apt to say a corpse. The skin of the person in the coffin clung tightly to the bones, his hair long since fallen out, his head skeletal and lifeless.

“Petra…” Suladi glanced at him and slowly spoke out, but without much sentimentality, he turned his head to the Council members who had followed down and said, “Begin, everyone.”

“Yes,” the Black Robed Man nodded obediently, extending his arm and revealing his wrist.

“For the Council, for the Black Spirit,” the Black Robed Man said with a slight fervor.

“For the Council, for the Black Spirit…” Adod said, displaying a reminiscent look.

“For the Council, for the Black Spirit!” Suladi said, his expression solemn. With a flick of his hand, a Wind Blade sprung forth, quickly sweeping across the exposed wrists of all the Black Robed Men.

“Puff, puff, puff!”

Along with a series of muffled groans, crimson blood seeped out and dripped onto the floor. It flowed along the complex lines and slowly towards the coffin at the center…