The black sun hangs high

Chapter 232 Big Crack

While intense discussions raged throughout Vaan surrounding the Torchbearer, the city of Seren, and the Kingdom of Saint Steel, everything within Seren proceeded smoothly.

Unbeknownst to many, Hugh Ernst had already quietly established himself as the ruler of this city of death.

In fact, this was a development direction that Hugh had never considered before.

Without joking, in his past understanding, "managing" and "directing" others was something he was very resistant to doing.

However, now, with his overwhelming strength that surpasses everyone else in Seren, Hugh has successfully established his position in this closed city. Subsequently, with the advice of many "professional advisors" in his spiritual world, as well as the specific memories and knowledge from different groups of people, he has forcibly united the various forces in Seren into one place.

Under these circumstances, even General Boots, who clearly harbored many other ideas, had no choice but to keep Iris Street operating in accordance with the direction Hugh had planned.

However, although the situation in the city seemed to be "all the better" at the moment, Hugh was beginning to feel anxious.

The source of anxiety is not within the city; it comes from the world outside Seren.

Through exchanges with the Dharma Committee monk Valery every five days, Hugh finally succeeded in obtaining the "Torchbearer's Report" that had already caused a great uproar among Vain.

The sword-wielding hermit Genet, who was traveling with Hugh, was greatly encouraged by Valery's account and the words in the newspaper. They finally realized that Hugh had not deceived them. Various forces had now begun to formally discuss the issue of Seren City, and the temporary cessation of artillery fire in the surrounding area was the best proof of this trend.

However, Hugh himself began to worry about the people hiding behind this newspaper.

Valery had relatively limited access to information and was unaware of Frey Meyer's current activities. However, through his connections within the Highland Mage Council, he obtained a piece of news that greatly troubled Shug: within days of the widespread dissemination of the "Torchbearer's Gazette," a magic scholar had already been investigated by the Highland Mage Council. Rumor had it that the scholar under investigation was a young scholar of the Lake level.

Valery was also unaware of further details.

But in Hugh's ears, this news already had a very clear meaning.

He knew very well that there was probably only one person who could be involved in this matter and fit the description in it.

In Hugh's perception, Verain Ernst was actually a person who seemed somewhat complicated, but was in reality very simple, even naive.

She has always had her own set of views and opinions on the development of things, the surrounding environment, and certain principles and bottom lines.

All of Weilin's actions and behaviors are often based on these principles of her own.

Seemingly rational, yet extremely emotional... but because she is not good at expressing herself in these aspects, she also appears somewhat stiff and rigid.

This is a common problem among many scholars who are devoted to academic pursuits.

Hugh could fully imagine the reaction his teacher might have made upon hearing Meyer's request. She might have questioned Meyer's words, inquired about her student's current whereabouts, or expressed concern about the consequences of such a decision...

But she will eventually make a choice.

Just like her previous insistence on sending a silver warning signal to the outside world.

In some ways, she had a lot in common with the mages who persisted in their struggle within the city of Seren and ultimately died on the road.

Hugh could even imagine that when the council's mages found Vilin, she might have already packed her bags and prepared to conduct her academic research while being imprisoned and investigated.

"Hopefully, the council will consider the Ernst family's interests and not do anything excessive..."

However, as someone still trapped within the city of Seren, Hugh could only pray silently in his heart.

Ironically, after searching his mind, Hugh couldn't find anyone who would accept his prayers.

Compared to the imprisonment and investigation of Verine and the disappearance of Mayer, there is an even more serious matter facing Hugh.

It was a monitoring log brought by the monk Valery, about the large crack at the junction of the rugged hills and the plain.

Over the past ten days, some extremely disturbing new findings have been made at the Legislative Affairs Commission’s outpost monitoring stations.

The first volunteer team consisted of mages and soldiers from the Legal Committee, as well as a sword-wielding hermit. Five days ago, they entered the massive surface fissure. According to the plan, they would advance at a steady pace into the unknown darkness underground, protected by traction ropes made with special techniques and materials, as well as various spells and rituals. Every time they descended a certain depth, someone would stop and set up temporary rest and ritual stations on the rock walls to facilitate subsequent exploration.

"Hmm... This is a very standard operating procedure, I'm very familiar with it."

At the Legal Committee's headquarters, the hermit Genet read the log that the monk Valery had reconstructed from his memory, saying, "Under normal circumstances, we contact the monitoring station every fifteen minutes to confirm the status before continuing... If there are any abnormal situations such as casualties, the contact frequency must be increased to once every five to ten minutes..."

Based on his experience, the Hermit Genet supplemented the details omitted in the log, but as he read on, his brows gradually furrowed.

He looked up at Hugh, who was sitting opposite him: "If this log is correct, then this crack must be very abnormal... it's too deep."

Genet raised a finger and quickly scanned the log report. Hugh stepped forward and saw that where Genet's finger had been, there was a long list of "contact records" and the corresponding timestamps.

Gent was right. These volunteers who entered the Great Crack did indeed follow the rules, communicating and reporting to the monitoring station personnel above every fifteen minutes. It was very regular, and the content of their reports and communications was very brief. In general, they described their surroundings and told the station personnel which members of the team were left behind to establish new rest points, which members were injured and needed to return, and so on.

however……

Hugh's gaze slid rapidly down the logbook, finally landing on a line of text that Valery had marked in red.

The text indicates that thirty-two hours after the first volunteer team entered the underground fissure, a day and a half after they entered, the previously functioning communication suddenly ceased. The warriors who had ventured deep underground vanished without a trace within a mere fifteen minutes. The monitoring station immediately issued a warning to all personnel still remaining at the temporary rest stations within the fissure and subsequently began steadily pulling back the magical ropes that had been dangling into the dark abyss.

Ultimately, the mages at the monitoring station received a result that terrified them.

Apart from the fifteen sorcerers responsible for setting up temporary ritual sites on the treacherous cliffs, all the other volunteers, whether sorcerers, soldiers, or sword-wielding hermits, at some unknown time, voluntarily untied the ropes protecting them and removed all the protective rituals imposed upon them.

They all disappeared into the depths of the crevice.

……

Around 1 p.m.

The Legislative Affairs Commission's monitoring station, located on the edge of the "Great Crack," is operating busily.

However, contrary to what most people imagine, those active here are not only Dharma Committee monks dressed in Merlinle and uniforms, but also council members wearing the emblem of the Highland Dharma Master.

Moreover, the newly arrived steam-powered vehicles all bear the emblem of the magical giant eagle of the Kingdom of Wotel.

This is the change that came about after the secret meeting between the Highland Mage Council and the high-ranking members of Merlinle.

Regarding this alarming fissure, nestled close to the rugged hills and posing a significant threat to the kingdoms of the plateau, the two sides finally reached a secret cooperation agreement. In the agreement, the Legal Committee would cooperate with the Plateau Mage Council and share research and exploration findings about the fissure. In return, the Council would coordinate with the military of the Kingdom of Votel to expand the scale of this important monitoring station, provide more manpower, and assist them in the transportation of vital supplies.

Now, the latest magical occult equipment that was transported over has finally arrived. This new type of occult equipment was modified by Merlinle and his scholars based on the Eye of Mel. It can connect magically with the pre-established occult nodes in a timely manner. Thanks to the occult stations set up in the rift by the first batch of volunteers, the mages of the Law Committee have finally achieved a predetermined goal.

Their secret instruments are now able to monitor the source of that "magical tremor" much closer.

Of course, they must now share these gains with the soldiers of Wotel and the mages of the plateau.

"Damn it, I hate these guys."

A young mage from the Legal Committee looked at the Ymir Legion soldiers, dressed in black uniforms and carrying new weapons, standing like silent statues, and curled his lip in dissatisfaction: "I don't want to work under these guys' watchful eyes; I'll have nightmares tonight!"

"enough!"

The young man's teacher gave him a disapproving look: "Think of those of us who disappeared into the rifts, they should be the source of your nightmares... I wish there were more soldiers, then we would be safer!"

As they were talking, a Voltel vehicle bearing the logo of a giant magical eagle stopped not far away, and then a tall, thin figure stepped out.

This is a mountain spirit, and his coat bears three different emblems.

They respectively symbolize the Augustinian royal family of Water, the alliance of the highland kingdoms, and the council of highland mages.

Upon seeing this person, the valley-level mage, who had been reprimanding his student, immediately abandoned his student and went to greet the mountain elf, extending his hand: "Mr. Finn, we have been waiting for you for a long time."

Finn, the royal magic advisor and butler, politely extended his hand to shake hands with the other party: "Princess Sophia considers this cooperation very important, so she specifically asked me to come and check on the situation."

As he spoke, he glanced at the busy crowd around him and said, "It doesn't look too good here?"

The monk from the Legal Committee sighed, "The first team sent forty people, but only fifteen came back. We even lost a scholar of the Lake-level and a hermit with a sword. Everyone's morale is a bit low."

"Understandable."

Finn nodded: "We will do our best to help you fill the gaps in manpower and resources, but before that, we need to know what new discoveries you have made."

The two talked as they moved forward, and soon they arrived near the huge crack.

The moment he saw the enormous crack, Butler Finn couldn't help but narrow his eyes. As a spellcaster whose magical level was already close to that of the Deep Sea level, his sensitivity to magic had reached an outrageous level. And now, he clearly sensed something unusual.

Even though he was still some distance from the dangerous cliff, Finn felt as if he were already standing on the edge of some terrifying abyss, which made his heart beat faster.

"Is the magic trembling?"

"Yes, sir. Our people have calculated based on the latest feedback from the cryptex... Compared to before, the frequency of magical vibrations here has increased by at least 30%, and the intensity is also greater than before. However, we still need to conduct precise comparisons and calculations to determine the exact extent of the increase."

Upon hearing this, Finn frowned slightly: "Won't the rituals and magic be affected during the magical tremor?"

“Not at this time.”

The Valley-level mage of the Legal Committee shook his head: "We have tested it many times. Probably because the intensity of the tremor is relatively weak, so far any of our spellcasting around the rift has not been disturbed, the ritual is working normally, and even the occult stations set up by the first team deep in the rift are now functioning correctly."

Upon hearing this, Butler Finn's eyebrows twitched slightly: "You set up a station deep within the rift?"

Yes, there are five stations in total.

The Valley-level mage nodded in reply: "This is a plan proposed by Merlinle and his senior scholars. By setting up temporary occult stations, the detection range and accuracy of the 'Eye of Mel' can be extended, just like the outposts we set up during the war, which can significantly extend the transmission of messages and intelligence."

As he spoke, he pointed to the huge magical arsenal base standing in the distance and added, "The installation of the arsenal was completed at noon the day before. In another two hours, it will have been in operation for a full day. At that time, we should be able to obtain a more complete magical feedback report."

(End of this chapter)