Chapter 146: The Emperor Doesn't Do Overtime

Celeste’s words, “Rex Lapis doesn’t like working overtime,” landed like an icy decree, instantly dousing the blazing fervor in the souls of every elf present.

The God… wanted to clock out on time?

This “safe house” sustained by divine power was a limited-time service?

Five minutes?!

After a brief, deathly silence, a primal, overwhelming desire for survival—far more potent than anything they felt when facing the demons—erupted through the ranks.

“All units, hear my command! Maintain formation and evacuate in an orderly fashion!”

Paladin Baroque was the first to shatter the lingering trance of divine awe, his roar slicing through the burgeoning chaos before it could fester.

“Mage Corps! Construct mass teleportation gates immediately! Move!”

The way he looked at Celeste had undergone a fundamental transformation. He was no longer looking at a powerful ally. He was gazing up at a deity walking the earth, a living incarnation of divine will.

The word of a god was absolute; if He said five minutes, it was five minutes! A mortal could not, and dared not, delay His clock-out time by even a single second.

“By your command, Lord Baroque!”

The elves of the Royal Mage Corps snapped out of their daze. Though their faces were pale, their movements were disciplined and practiced as they began chanting in unison.

Was this a joke? When that meteor had smashed down earlier, they’d felt their very souls being ground into dust. Now that this divine being was graciously holding up the sky for them, it was already a blessing beyond measure. Who in their right mind would dare expect a god to work overtime for mere mortals?

Hum— Hum—

Several glowing blue portals, radiating potent spatial fluctuations, rapidly expanded at the rear of the formation.

However, the leading Archmage’s expression twisted in alarm. “Not good! The spatial stability here is insufficient! Even with that Lord’s reinforcement, the teleportation gates can only handle three hundred people at most before collapsing!”

“Wounded and logistics personnel, evacuate first!”

“Silent Watch Knights! Ranger units! Follow me on foot! We will cover the rear and escort the Divine Envoy!” Eldara’s cold, steady voice rang across the cavern. Her soldiers didn’t hesitate for a second, immediately forming a shield wall of solid steel to protect Celeste and her companions in the center.

Then, she strode over to Elaniel, whose legs were still trembling slightly, and spoke with an unyielding tone. “Your Majesty, you go first!”

“No, I…”

“Your Majesty! Your safety is paramount!” Eldara’s crimson eyes bored into the Queen’s. “Please evacuate immediately!”

Elaniel stared at her usually deferential Knight Commander. The ironclad determination on Eldara’s face made her realize that any refusal would be utterly futile.

She took one last, deep look at the figure who stood with her arms crossed in a posture of unruffled calm, then gave a solemn nod. Under Eldara’s personal escort, the Queen was the first to step through the shimmering blue portal.

Meanwhile, Selene, Su Wan, and Xia Lian had already rushed to Celeste’s side, instinctively forming a watertight protective formation around her.

Celeste glanced at them, noting their grim expressions as if they were about to face down a final boss, and rolled her eyes.

“What’s with all the drama? It’s not like this is our final goodbye.”

“If you don’t leave now, are you planning to stay behind and get a face full of dirt with me?”

“I can’t use the teleportation gate, but you guys can!” she explained, a hint of irritation in her voice.

“I’m currently the ‘Contractual Load-Bearing Wall’ for this whole crumbling mountain, holding its entire structure together.”

“Teleportation is basically a spatial jump. If I go in, it’s like yanking out the main support beam, shoving it into a cosmic washing machine for a spin cycle, and then spitting it out somewhere else. What do you think happens to the house?”

Without waiting for an answer, Celeste turned and strode toward the cave entrance.

“If you’re not leaving, I am!”

‘Ugh, with those expressions, you’re making me look like some tragic hero sacrificing herself for the greater good. It’s so cringe,’she complained internally.’I just think being buried alive is an ugly way for allies to die; it doesn’t fit my aesthetic as an Elation-seeker. Besides, the Queen is waiting for me outside. How could I possibly let anything happen to myself before I get my reward?’

Only then did it click for Selene and the others.

Oh, right. Her sister was just a temporary load-bearing wall, not an immovable statue!

“Coming, coming! Let’s run together!” Selene immediately hoisted her shield and scrambled to catch up.

“Yes, running together is more exciting,” Su Wan stated succinctly, but a dangerous glint flickered in her eyes—the look of someone who thoroughly enjoyed watching the world burn.

Xia Lian said nothing, but her actions spoke volumes as she fell into step at Celeste’s flank, her bow held at the ready.

Celeste looked at her three chaotic companions and rubbed her forehead, a headache already forming.

“Fine, fine. It’s not like you guys would miss your own funerals if there was free food.”

“Just keep up. If you fall behind, no one’s coming back to fish you out!”

Behind them, the teleportation gates flickered relentlessly as groups of elves vanished into their depths. At the other end of the cavern, a desperate race against the Grim Reaper had officially begun.

Eldara rejoined the ranks the moment she saw the Queen safely through. Flanking Celeste’s group with Paladin Baroque, they led the remaining elite knights and rangers in a desperate sprint toward the distant light.

The shaking of the cavern grew more terrifying with every second.

Countless boulders, some the size of carriages, rained down from the ceiling. Yet, they were all deflected or bounced away in mid-air by an invisible, unyielding power—the Power of the Contract. Debris showered down around the runners like a torrential downpour, yet not a single piece could touch them.

Even so, every thunderous impact sent a fresh jolt of fear through the elves’ hearts.

As Celeste sprinted, she maintained the constant output of her power. Her breathing grew heavier, and fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead. Maintaining such a massive “Dilapidated House Reinforcement Contract” against the collapse of an entire mountain—even with only 1% of Rex Lapis’s true power—was consuming far more energy than she had anticipated.

Just then, a sharp-eyed ranger let out a strangled cry of alarm.

Everyone’s heads snapped in the direction he was pointing, and a collective chill ran down their spines.

On the rock walls of the escape tunnel, countless deep patterns of dark gold had appeared, glowing with an inner light. They pulsed like the very blood vessels of a deity, deeply rooted within the mountain’s stone, their rhythm a steady and powerful match for Celeste’s own heartbeat.

The golden lines spread from the deepest parts of the tunnel all the way to the entrance, effectively “welding” the entire disintegrating passage into a single, solid structure.

Eldara and Baroque stared, their minds reeling with shock.

They finally understood. What Celeste was doing wasn’t as simple as propping up the ceiling with a shield.

She was single-handedly injecting an indestructible “divine skeleton” into the entire collapsing mountain!

“My gods…” Baroque’s mouth hung open wide enough to fit a fist. “She… she’s reinforcing the whole mountain?!”

“Sis! You basically gave this whole mountain a rebar-enforced concrete frame!” Selene shrieked, her voice a mixture of pure adoration and sheer terror.

“Less talking, more running! The ‘rebar’ is about to give out!” Celeste barked back, her voice tight with a tension she hadn’t even realized was there. “If we don’t pick up the pace, we’re all going to get a firsthand experience with a Rex Lapis-brand luxury coffin!”

This was the first time since entering the Domain that she had felt such immense, crushing pressure.

Her words were like a lightning strike to the hearts of Eldara and Baroque. Not daring to be distracted for another second, they squeezed out every last ounce of strength and surged forward.

One hundred meters…

Eighty meters…

Fifty meters…

‘Hold on! Just ten more seconds! Ten seconds is all I need!’ Celeste chanted to herself, her lungs burning.

Finally, the sliver of freedom at the tunnel’s mouth, carrying the crisp scent of ice and snow, was within reach.

Selene was the first to burst out of the cave.

She was followed closely by Xia Lian, Su Wan, Baroque, and Eldara.

Celeste, bringing up the very rear, reached the threshold and suddenly spun around. She faced the tunnel behind her, a maw of darkness that was seconds away from being completely swallowed by the collapsing mountain.

Exerting the last of her strength, she violently thrust her hands forward, pressing the surging Power of the Contract that had been maintaining the mountain’s structure inward, compressing it upon itself.

It was as if she had slammed a termination button.

“Contract… expired!”

Having done this, she turned and launched herself into the wind and snow without a backward glance.

[Elysian’s Note:

Having a good time with the story?

Every single bit helps immensely:

Thanks a ton for making this journey possible!]