Chapter 479 - 451: The Weaver’s Heart

Chapter 479: Chapter 451: The Weaver’s Heart

The inscription didn’t end there. It continued on a new line, its tone clearly smug and provocative.

"To the loyal hounds of the ’Eye of Order’—you must have turned the whole Empire upside down hunting for us, right? I bet you never expected us to be hiding in your precious granary. Quite the surprise, isn’t it?"

The next line seemed to carry a silent mockery.

"What a pity, what a pity. You’re still one step too late."

"That ’certain something’ you’ve been so desperate to find, digging three feet deep for... well, hehe, it’s right here somewhere in Sui Cang Hall. But as for where exactly?"

The last line of text was deliberately drawn out, filled with the glee of a successful prank.

"Hahahaha... So please, by all means, take your time... take your sweet, sweet time searching for it! Good luck!"

"Holland?"

Gazing at the mocking inscription on the wall, Roland furrowed his brow.

The name felt vaguely familiar, like a faint glimmer of light shining through the dust of his memory.

"Holland... Holland..."

He repeated in a low voice, trying to grasp the fleeting spark of insight.

Suddenly, his eyes focused. He remembered.

’Wait! That incredibly powerful, yet sentient, peculiar living corpse I encountered back in the Land of Mist... didn’t he call himself... Holland?’

With a thought, Roland reached back and unslung a Silver Shield.

The Shield had an ancient design, with several noticeable chips and scratches along its edge. It was the very spoil of war he had obtained after defeating that powerful living corpse.

Because its material was unusually sturdy, far surpassing ordinary metal, Roland had kept it with him for emergencies.

However, in subsequent battles, there were few moments that required its full defensive power, so it was often overlooked.

Now, as his fingers traced the cool surface of the Shield, the slightly hazy memory of his battle with the powerful living corpse in the mist suddenly became as clear as a reef revealed by the receding tide.

After being lost in thought for a moment, Roland chuckled and shook his head.

’It couldn’t... be that much of a coincidence, could it?’

He turned his gaze back to the writing on the wall.

’The "Eye of Order"... According to the fragmented records I saw back at the Imperial Academy, it seems to be a mysterious organization directly under the Dawn Wind Empire’s Royal Family. It’s responsible for monitoring disturbances and hunting down major criminals, wielding immense power and known for its ruthless and efficient methods.’

He hefted the Shield in his hand, feeling its heavy weight and the restrained fluctuations of Energy within.

’Judging solely from the residual aura of that living corpse, his strength in life must have been immense. It’s not impossible that the "Eye of Order" would be hunting him with all their might, but... the place he was in was on another continent, an entire ocean away from Aiselon...’

His train of thought came to a screeching halt.

Roland suddenly recalled that the Minstrel, Galvis, had mentioned the intricate relationship between Silver Radiance City and the Demon City Giles.

’Forget it...’

Shaking his head again, Roland forcibly suppressed the unverifiable speculations churning in his mind and securely fastened the Silver Shield to his back once more.

The most important and urgent matter at hand was to acquire enough supplies, then get to that nexus of Magic Power as quickly as possible and find a way to leave this continent fraught with peril.

As for the other tangled mysteries, they would have to be set aside for now, to be explored later when he had enough time and clues.

Composing himself, Roland lingered no longer. He strode out of the riddle-filled room with determined steps.

After returning to where the Shell Ship was docked, he briefly and concisely informed his companions about the situation inside Sui Cang Hall.

"You found another ancient relic?"

Bronson’s eyes lit up at once, shining with the unique excitement of a scholar.

"Wait for me, Roland! I’ll go with you!"

With that, the scholar sprang into action.

From the bottom of a box filled with various miscellaneous tools and parts, he dug out several fist-sized metal spheres with dull surfaces, inscribed with simple Runes.

"Let’s go, we have to try this out!"

Bronson seemed impatient, as if he were about to open a long-sealed treasure chest.

The group entered Sui Cang Hall once more, passing through the empty main hall and the storage area piled with Rock Core Blocks, until they reached the high-tech inner chamber.

Two strangely shaped machines stood in Silence under the dim light, like slumbering beasts.

Bronson, holding a core, cautiously approached the machine capable of collecting and purifying water. He crouched down and carefully inspected the circular socket at the back of the machine.

After comparing the size and shape of the core, a satisfied look appeared on the scholar’s face.

"The interface standard is a perfect match! It seems this Energy standard was indeed widespread in that era."

As he spoke, he used a tool to gently brush the accumulated dust from the socket. Then, cupping the somewhat dim Energy Core in both hands, he carefully fitted it into the socket.

CLICK.

A soft, crisp sound was heard as the core fit snugly into place.

In that instant, a change occurred.

The moment it was inserted into the machine, the Runes on the surface of the once-dull, seemingly lifeless core lit up one by one from within, as if injected with life, and began to flow with a soft blue halo.

A faint HUM came from inside the machine.

It was low at first, but quickly became steady and powerful.

The crystal panels and indicator lights on the side of the machine lit up in sequence, projecting pale blue beams of light that intertwined in the air to form complex, ever-changing operational diagrams and data streams.