Chapter 32: You don't need me to touch this thing?
A firm knock echoed through the air. Bai Yi remained silent, his focus unbroken.
**Boom!**
With a resounding crash, Mossen was hurled into the underground city. The shockwave of his arrival shook the surroundings, its energy rippling through the air. The impact was so intense that it felt as though it was only 30 meters away from Bai Yi.
**Boom!**
Another blast rocked the city as Mossen, filled with an indomitable fighting spirit, charged into the underground. Despite his evident disadvantage, he continued his assault on a much stronger opponent.
Barrett's familiar voice pierced through the chaos. A volley of fire erupted—when the weak battle the strong, only external forces or teamwork can tip the scales.
The chanting of the Mage Corps and the muttering of the Blood Mage Corps echoed throughout the passages, signaling that the situation above had reached a temporary standstill.
Sabo's voice, faint as a whisper, responded with understanding: "I get it, my friend. Your secret will be blessed, but this is all I can do for you."
Bai Yi gently tapped the earphone, cutting off the communication. A lingering, unpleasant wave pulsed through his senses, leaving him unsettled. But amidst the discomfort, he noticed that his aura—once faded—had subtly shifted. It seemed to blend with the surrounding scarlet energy.
Surprise flickered in his eyes, but he quickened his pace, making his way eastward.
**Bang!**
A distant rumble echoed from above, the sounds of battle escalating further. Bai Yi's head jerked up as a worker bee flew back toward him, dragging another broken worker bee behind it. The latter was pulsing with scarlet energy.
Bai Yi's eyes gleamed with recognition. He glanced in the direction the sword energy had come from before turning toward a nearby passage.
**Boom!**
The battle above intensified, the thunderous sounds of gunfire accompanying the clash. Mossen's aura weakened, yet his fighting spirit burned brighter than ever. The overwhelming difference in power was undeniable, but the fire in his heart refused to die.
Bai Yi paid no mind to the chaos. He carefully stowed the damaged worker bee in his equipment, while the remaining twenty-six worker bees flew back swiftly. He recognized the energy from the broken bee—it was a barrier, a potent one, likely created by the Golden Wizard himself.
Stepping forward, Bai Yi approached a passage that felt different from the others. The vibrations were stronger, the destruction more focused. There was little debris on the ground here, suggesting that the structure was far sturdier than the rest.
He crouched down and inspected the area closely. Traces of alchemy were scattered about, though the craftsmanship seemed amateurish. The alchemist behind it wasn't very advanced.
In the Dawn Federation, the most powerful figures were typically Sword Masters and Berserkers. The majority of extraordinary individuals leaned toward martial prowess, with assassins and mages coming next in line. Alchemists were rare, mostly because their craft was too costly and their combat abilities limited in the early stages. Hence, most alchemists who ventured outside were far from powerful, and those in the Scarlet Sect were no different.
Rising, Bai Yi extended his mental powers. The alchemical arrays became clear to him as he stepped forward, arriving at a massive steel door at the end of the passage.
From a spiritual perspective, the door was brimming with alchemical formations and spell inscriptions. Its defense was formidable—almost impenetrable. It was clear that some sort of identity verification was required before entry.
Bai Yi pondered for a moment before tapping his headset, speaking in a low voice: "There's a blood magic barrier here. Do you have a solution?"
Sabo's voice crackled with a note of helplessness: "My friend, as I mentioned, I can assist you only to a certain extent. If I could do everything for you, there would be no need to spend 300,000 gold coins hiring you."
Bai Yi furrowed his brows in thought before asking: "If there are treasures in there, how long will it take you to complete the transmission? The treasure room appears to cover at least 1,000 square meters."
Sabo's tone changed to one of surprise: "Really? In that case, my friend, turn on the camera and let me take a look. I might be able to find a solution."
Bai Yi raised an eyebrow but complied, removing the headset and activating the camera mode on his sunglasses. He then synchronized the feed with Sabo's terminal.
After a tense pause, Sabo spoke again, his voice tinged with excitement: "Ah, I see. Your technology is remarkable. Let me analyze it further."
Bai Yi rolled his eyes. *So, you didn't notice anything before, huh?*
He continued to focus on the task at hand as Sabo analyzed the steel door. After a tense silence, Sabo's voice returned, now serious: "I'm afraid this door was constructed by the Scarlet Cult themselves."
Bai Yi could hear the hesitation in Sabo's tone. "But precisely because of that, the technology involved is almost nonexistent. It seems entirely reliant on the protection of a blood mage. And the blood mage..."
"My friend, I'll send something over in a moment. Don't panic. These are all normal items."
Bai Yi's impatience grew. "Just hurry up. The situation above doesn't seem to be in our favor."
"Patience, my friend," Sabo replied, though there was a note of caution in his voice. "But I must advise you to take protective measures. That's my recommendation."
Bai Yi didn't hesitate long. He reached into his bag, retrieving a silver-level protection scroll. Despite his [Mental Defense] abilities, he was no stranger to taking advice.
As the special wave radiated from the headset, ripples appeared in the air, followed by the sudden spread of a vile green smoke. A deep, unsettling sense of dread filled the air.
Startled, Bai Yi swiftly unfurled the scroll, and a shimmering protective shield enveloped him. Almost immediately, something dark and writhing latched onto the door of the treasure vault.
To Bai Yi's shock, the spell array on the door began to falter, its energy dissipating. The blood magic was being corrupted, the scarlet energy no longer pure.
Even the scarlet miasma surrounding the passage seemed to retreat as the dark substance spread.
Bai Yi took several steps back, eyeing the scene with alarm. "What is this?"
Sabo's voice came through, slightly embarrassed: "It's a fragment of an evil god's intestine."
Bai Yi was speechless. *A piece of an evil god?* He'd heard of dwarves using all sorts of strange objects, but this was on another level entirely.
Suddenly, everything clicked into place. Bai Yi remembered the dwarf's oddities—contracts that folded, items bypassing the abyss, and space manipulation despite lacking strength. Now it all made sense.
Sabo seemed to realize he'd said too much, hastily adding, "My friend, the door is open now. Please come closer. I need to retrieve this thing before it contaminates the materials inside."
Bai Yi hesitated. "You don't need me to touch it?"
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