Chapter 1149: 357. Death Steel Intervention_2

“Clank clank clank…”

The metallic joints of the Death Steel Soldiers emitted a strange noise.

They rose from the ground like they were performing a mechanical dance, jerky in their movements.

“Clank clank clank…”

With the Death Steel Soldiers’ contortions, the noise grew more intense, and their movements became smoother.

The Death Steel Soldier Commander was the last to stand.

...

Its pitch-black eye sockets showed not even a flicker of emotion.

After glancing around, a metal antenna extended from its crown towards the heavens, invisible ripples fired from the antenna, swiftly scanning the entire area.

All the Death Steel Soldiers turned uniformly and marched in neat steps, assembling before the Death Steel Soldier Commander.

“Beep bop bop beep boop…”

Peculiar electronic sounds—this was the language of the Ghost City of the Dead World, commands being issued by the Death Steel Soldier Commander.

Several Stitched Doctors next to them watched every move of the Death Steel Soldiers with wide eyes.

One of the Stitched Doctors was the first to react, clanging hastily into the tunnel behind the High Tower, apparently to pass on the news.

As the Death Steel Soldiers began to open their chest cavities to perform self-checks, the “Veil of Different Worlds” spread over, enveloping the entire area.

Every object atop the High Platform, dead or alive, entered a translucent phantom state, frozen in place like sculptures.

Noland Lee swooshed silently, landing on the High Platform as a dark shadow.

He pressed his hand on the crown of the Death Steel Soldier Commander, and following the guidance of the Assassin Angel, he methodically unlocked and lifted the crown.

Beneath the crown was hollow, without tissue or flesh; instead, there was a latticed Metal Magic Cube strung up by steel.

Noland grasped the Metal Magic Cube with his right hand.

The thing felt very strange, metallic in appearance but slippery and soft to the touch.

Upon closer inspection, this was not made of metal at all!

It was actually a cluster of “gray insect eggs,” pressed tightly together, overwhelmingly numerous and chilling to behold.

Noland suppressed his revulsion and, while scrutinizing the curious object, cast a Deconstruction.

Once he clearly saw the Deconstruction Results, Noland realized he had been mistaken.

This thing was indeed crafted from metal. noveldrama

The so-called “insect eggs” were just the exposed metal coils.

Because they were so densely packed and made from a very flexible metal material, the object’s texture felt so bizarre.

Noland expended approximately 5 million Points of Energy to perform a Harmless Deconstruction on the item, capturing its schematic and the information of the “Death Agreement” it contained.

Before he could examine it closely, the “Veil of Different Worlds” followed his palm and reached the Metal Magic Cube.

At the same time, the Assassin Angel spoke,

“Alright, leave this place now. I know what to do.”

Noland closed the Deconstruction Results in his mind for the time being.

He released his right hand, replaced the Metal Magic Cube, sealed the crown back as it was, and then used “Death Flight” to leave the High Platform and sneak back into the Pipe Network.

People and objects on the High Platform emerged from their translucent state and continued their tasks.

The Assassin Angel said,

“This group of Death Steel Soldiers poses no threat. Just as I suspected, they are here only to assist the Undead Cult in activating the Pollution Zone. Killing them would only alert the Undead Cult and the Ghost City of the Dead World. It’s better to stick to the original plan and sabotage the Soul Energy reserves in the Soul Factory.”

Noland looked at a Magic Instrument on the High Platform.

It was a monitoring device for the Energy Center of the Pipe Network, similar in appearance to the devices seen before; the main part held a Black Heart in a Bone Hand.

Nolin could handle the tampering of the other nodes.

Only the monitoring device at the energy nexus required Noland’s personal intervention.

The Assassin Angel, following his gaze, said,

“When I used the ‘Veil of Different Worlds’ to control those Undead Spirits and Death Steel Soldiers just now, I also tampered with the monitoring device at the nexus.”

“Good,” Noland nodded, saving himself another trip.

He pondered briefly before asking,

“I feel that merely altering the data on the monitoring device might have limited effects. If the monitored data do not match the actual energy flow speed in the pipeline, the Undead Cult will send people to fix the pipeline and replace the monitoring device. In that case, our efforts would be in vain. Perhaps, we should find the Undead responsible for the Soul Factory and disrupt its thinking to delay time as much as possible.”

Noland Lee raised his hand and pointed to the Stitched Doctor on the High Platform,

“Those Undead are probably just here to recharge the Death Steel Soldiers; they aren’t the ones in charge of monitoring the Energy Pipeline Network. The Undead we are looking for is someone else.”

The Assassin Angel said,

“Hmm, your suggestion makes sense. Let’s wait here for now. The person in charge of such a vast Soul Pipeline Network should patrol regularly. The Energy Center is either the starting point of their patrol or the key location.”

Noland Lee and the Assassin Angel acknowledged each other’s words.

Noland stood still in the darkness, waiting quietly.

After the Death Steel Soldier Commander sent out a series of unintelligible beeping codes, the Death Steel Soldiers entered a dazed and dumb state, silently standing in place.

The Death Steel Soldier Commander twisted its neck made of steel cables and glared at the Stitched Doctor with two black eyes.

“I want… to see… your… host… no, your manager.”

The Death Steel Soldier Commander said in a halting Undead language.

The few Stitched Doctors on scene raised their hands and responded with nonsensical gestures, clearly mute and unable to speak.

The situation became somewhat awkward, but, fortunately, a series of rapid flight whooshing sounds arrived just in time to save the day.

Two shadowy figures flew out from the Underground Tunnel behind the High Tower and landed in front of the Death Steel Soldier Commander.

One was a luxuriously dressed Frost Skeleton, emitting white coldness, donning a shining blue magic robe, which made it a comparatively eye-catching existence among the bunch of ugly Undead.

The other wore metal battle armor, a War Spirit with gems embedded in its skull face and a gemmed satin ribbon around its forehead.

Judging by their energy fluctuations, their strength was greater than that of Eighth Ring Combat Wizards but slightly less than Nine Rings; they were likely assistant priests of the Frost Demon Bone and War Spirits factions, equivalent to the Deputy Dean of the Deep Sea Branch.

Noland’s deductions were soon confirmed.

“I am Archelon – Demon Bone, the manager of the Soul Factory, and the assistant priest of Lord Demon Bone,” the Frost Skeleton spoke as it exhaled cold air.

The War Spirit beside it seemed even less inclined to speak and only nodded slightly at the Death Steel Soldier Commander, stated its name, and then fell silent.

The self-proclaimed Archelon – Demon Bone, the Frost Skeleton, reached out a hand towards the tunnel behind him, making an inviting gesture:

“Follow me, the War High Priest is waiting for you and your soldiers. I’ll take you there with magic.”

After Archelon finished speaking, he pointed a frost-covered finger bone at the Death Steel Soldier formation, sending a rolling white fog.

The white fog spread under the feet of the Death Steel Soldiers like a white magic carpet.

It appeared that Archelon intended to use the magic carpet as a vehicle to quickly transport his guests to the War High Priest.

However, the Death Steel Soldier Commander was not grateful.

It stopped Archelon’s action with its unskilled Undead language:

“Stop! We, will walk ourselves! Death Steel only trusts itself!”

The Death Steel Soldier Commander stomped its foot forcefully, clanging onto the ground and creating a crater, the broken stones flying; the white magic carpet was trampled with a gaping hole.

Archelon snorted coldly, retracted its finger bone, and flew into the tunnel with the War Spirit beside him without looking back.

“Beep boop bop beep…”

The Death Steel Soldier Commander gave an electronic order.

A group of Death Steel Soldiers marched in sync and ran into the tunnel.

Their silhouettes were soon devoured by the darkness inside.

After the Stitched Doctors cleaned up the scene, they took the Magic Chain and their surgical toolbox and also vanished into the tunnel.

Noland thought to himself:

“That Archelon is our target. He just said he was the manager of the Soul Factory.”

The Assassin Angel said,

“Think of a way to lure it here.”

Noland pondered before asking,

“And then? My Mental Magic can’t disturb its judgment for long. When the spell wears off, it will still be able to detect that the monitoring data does not match the pipeline flow.”

“No, a missing Soul Factory manager is more advantageous for us,” the Assassin Angel said.

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