13: Nuclear radiation of radiation engineers

The night was as dark as ink. On the bluestone path in the back courtyard of the Generals Mansion, the evening breeze carried the fragrance of grass and trees, yet it could not disperse the underlying tension in the air.

Spy Linlin and the White-Robed Man moved one after the other, their footsteps as light as two falling withered leaves, sneaking toward the dungeon where "Aaron" was imprisoned.

Wei He's voice rang in their ears through the red alert system, carrying a hint of imperceptible urgency: "Remember, be quick. Charlie's perception far exceeds that of an ordinary person; don't leave any flaws for me."

The White-Robed Man nodded slightly. Beneath his wide robe sleeves, his fingers had quietly gathered a faint cyan glimmer of magic power.

He was the sharpest dark blade in Wei He's hand—an apprentice magician. Although he had not reached a high-level standard, he possessed astonishing talent in assassination and concealment techniques.

The two guards at the dungeon entrance were chatting with their backs to the moonlight, the longswords at their waists gleaming coldly under the torchlight, completely unaware that death was following them like a shadow.

"Snap." Two nearly overlapping sounds of bone fractures were swallowed by the evening breeze; the sensation of magic power sweeping across throats still lingered on the White-Robed Man's fingertips.

He didn't even give the guards a chance to let out a muffled groan before he had cleanly and efficiently resolved the trouble.

Linlin immediately stepped forward and, together with another Spy who had quietly walked out of the dungeon—the very "Aaron" who had been captured not long ago—quickly stripped the guards of their uniforms.

The rough linen military uniforms were pulled onto their bodies, the copper buttons at the collars digging painfully into their skin, yet their eyes gleamed with excitement. Under Wei He's command, Spy Linlin and Spy Aaron disguised themselves as the two guards.

"Chrono Legionnaires ready." When Wei He's voice sounded again, two distorted space ripples appeared in the corner of the dungeon.

The Chrono Legionnaires, wearing silver-gray power armor, appeared out of thin air, their metal boots stepping on the stone slabs without a sound.

They directly used their silver-white erasing guns to attack the two still-warm corpses. The energy patterns on the surface of the guns suddenly lit up, emitting a white light that connected to the corpses. The next second, the corpses vanished from the spot, leaving behind only fleeting space ripples in the air.

"It's a pity the cooldown time is too long," Wei He said, staring at the screen in the base, his fingertips tapping gently on the console. "Otherwise, I could have them teleport directly behind Charlie and solve the problem in one go."

On the screen, the Chrono Legionnaires had teleported back to the base, while the White-Robed Man, like a bat merging into the shadows, quietly hid in the bushes beside the dungeon.

Meanwhile, in the hall of the Generals Mansion, the crystal chandelier was emitting a soft glow. Charlie sat upright on a tiger-skin chair, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the magic medal at his waist.

Suddenly, his pupils constricted, and he slammed his hand on the table and stood up: "Space Magic fluctuation!"

That fluctuation was weak yet exceptionally clear, like a pebble thrown into still water, sending ripples spreading through his perception.

"It's the direction of the dungeon!" Charlie grabbed his cloak, his figure rushing out of the hall like an arrow released from a bow. The guards behind him hadn't even reacted before they only saw the General's back disappear at the end of the corridor.

At the dungeon entrance, "guard" Linlin and "guard" Aaron were standing straight, the halo of the torchlight casting flickering shadows on their faces.

Seeing Charlie approaching rapidly with guards, the two exchanged a concealed glance and both lowered their heads, assuming a respectful posture.

"What happened?" Charlie's gaze swept over the two like a hawk and then landed on the tightly closed dungeon door; that Space Magic fluctuation had originated from here.

"Reporting to the General, everything is normal." "Aaron" deliberately lowered his voice, which carried just the right amount of awe.

Charlie could never have imagined that this submissive guard before him was the leader of the rebel army he had identified—the "trash" he thought was firmly locked in the dungeon.

"Open the door." Charlie's tone was unquestionable. He reached out and pressed his hand on the cold iron door ring; his fingertips could even feel the subtle vibrations conducted by the metal.

When the heavy iron door was slowly pulled open by the "guard" and the torchlight instantly flooded into the empty dungeon, Charlie's face suddenly turned ashen.

"Where is he?!" The roar exploded in the dungeon, the echo hitting the stone walls and shaking sparks from the torches.

The iron chains were still swaying in the corner, and a few pieces of dry bread crumbs were scattered on the ground, but "Aaron," who should have been locked to the stone pillar, had vanished into thin air, as if he had never existed.

"Thump!" Linlin and "Aaron" knelt on the ground simultaneously, their shoulders trembling violently, their voices filled with panic: "General, spare us! We really have been guarding here the whole time, not even daring to blink! How, how could he be gone..."

Charlie stared fixedly at the two, his knuckles turning white. He had clearly sensed the Space Magic fluctuation, yet there were no signs of a struggle at the scene; this was too bizarre.

"Why aren't you looking for him yet!" He kicked the stone pillar beside him, stone dust falling down, "Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, find him for me!"

As the guards scattered, Charlie still stood in the empty dungeon, his brows furrowed into a knot.

That power of space... could it really be related to "Aaron"? But hadn't Space Magic been lost hundreds of years ago along with the collapse of the ancient Magic Empire?

At this moment, in the hall of the Generals Mansion, the White-Robed Man was pretending to have just returned from patrolling outside, the hem of his robe still stained with a few blades of grass.

He hurried to the three great magicians, slightly out of breath, and said: "Reporting to you, my lords, both inside and outside the mansion have been searched, and even the guards at the city gate have been asked; no one has seen a shadow of Aaron."

George twisted his graying beard and pondered: "The Generals Mansion has patrols inside, and the perimeter has three layers of sentries; it is airtight. He is either still hiding in the mansion, or..." He paused, a flash of confusion in his eyes, "or he really did vanish into thin air."

"Vanish? Actually, he has become one of the people in the mansion." Wei He picked up his coffee in the base, watching the serious expressions of the people on the screen, a smug smile curling on the corner of his mouth.

On the screen, Grant was tapping the table with a look of disdain: "Who cares where he is hiding! While the rebel army is leaderless, just attack the Harsh Forest directly! A piece of trash who isn't even as good as a magic apprentice, could he really turn the world upside down?"

"But that Space Magic fluctuation..." Charlie's voice carried unconcealable worry, "I am certain that shortly after I sensed the fluctuation, Aaron disappeared. This is definitely not a coincidence."

"General Charlie is overthinking it." Grant sneered, "Space Magic has been lost for hundreds of years. Even if he really could use it, could he possibly be a match for His Majesty the King and the two Grand Dukes? They are existences at the Saint Archmage level; they could crush the so-called power of space with a flick of their fingers."

The discussion in the hall continued, and no one noticed that the White-Robed Man had quietly retreated to the corner, his fingertips tracing a secret gesture inside his sleeve.

Just after the midnight bell, he appeared outside George's door and gently knocked on the door panel.

"Who is it?" George's voice carried the displeasure of being disturbed.

"It is me, Magister." The White-Robed Man's voice was very low, "The General has an urgent matter to discuss with you; he says he has discovered Aaron's tracks."

The door opened with a creak, and George walked out wearing a bathrobe, his brows tightly locked: "Wasn't everything discussed during the day? What mess has happened again?"

"It seems his army has been discovered outside the city." The White-Robed Man wore a fawning smile on his face and gestured with his chin toward the mansion gate, "The General is already waiting at the gate."

Using the same excuse, Grant and dozens of other magicians in the mansion were quickly summoned to the mansion gate.

These people were the backbone of the magic circle in Riquan City. Although most were only Beginner Magicians, gathered together, they could be considered a not-insignificant fighting force.

Under the moonlight, the tips of their magic staffs faintly flickered with various halos of light, like a group of dormant fireflies.

"Scouts report that there is a suspicious army appearing outside the city; it is likely Aaron's men." When the Spy disguised as Charlie spoke, his voice carried an unquestionable majesty.

He was wearing Charlie's general armor, and his figure and mannerisms were imitated vividly, "There is no time to lose; follow me to take a look."

Although George and Grant were somewhat puzzled—why bring only magicians and not soldiers?—but looking at "Charlie's" firm gaze, they ultimately mounted their horses.

In their view, with so many magicians accompanying them, even if they encountered the main force of the rebel army, they could easily crush them.

Just as this legion of magicians galloped out of the mansion, another Spy disguised as Charlie had already walked into the military camp with the military tally.

He stood on the command platform, his voice spreading throughout the entire camp: "The entire army is to set off immediately; the target is the Harsh Forest!"

The camp immediately resounded with earth-shaking horn blasts, the sound of armor rubbing and horse hooves intertwining, merging into a torrent, setting off in the opposite direction to the legion of magicians.

On the mountain road outside the city, the legion of magicians was galloping toward the "direction of the enemy army" that the White-Robed Man had mentioned.

The moonlight shone through the treetops onto the road, reflecting mottled light and shadows. Grant rode his horse at the very front, his magic staff slung diagonally behind his back, still muttering: "I want to see what kind of tricks Aaron can come up with."

Half an hour later, a desolate temple appeared in the mountain col. The vermilion gate of the temple was already mottled, the stone lion in front of the gate was missing an ear, and the weeds in the courtyard grew taller than a person.

"Is this the place?" George reined in his horse, looking around suspiciously, "Where is there any army?"

"Charlie" dismounted, his tone carrying a trace of disdain: "I'm afraid they heard the news and ran away long ago. It's good to go in and take a look; maybe we can find some clues."

The magicians looked at each other, but ultimately followed into the temple.

The courtyard was covered with fallen leaves, which made a "rustling" sound when stepped on, startling a few night birds into flying up with a flutter.

The door of the temple's main hall was ajar, and when it was pushed open, a musty smell of dust rushed to their faces.

In the center of the main hall was enshrined a peculiar statue: horse head, deer antlers, human body, cow tail, the right hand holding an ancient book, the muscle lines on the chest and abdomen carved lifelike, but it was covered in thick dust due to the passage of time.

"What kind of god is this?" a young magician couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

"Who cares what god it is," "Charlie's" voice echoed in the empty hall, "You wait here; I'll go to the back to take a look." Having said that, he turned and left with the White-Robed Man, quickly disappearing behind the side door.

The magicians looked at each other, gradually becoming somewhat uneasy. Grant irritably kicked the stone at his feet: "I think we've been tricked! Where is there any army in this ghost place?"

George stared at the statue, his brows furrowing tighter and tighter: "Something is wrong; General Charlie's tone... seems a bit different from usual."

Just at this moment, heavy footsteps came from the back of the hall.

Three figures wearing heavy green armor slowly walked out, the visors of their helmets reflecting a ghostly cold light, the cannon barrels carried on their shoulders as thick as barrels, and the pipes wrapped around the barrel walls flowing with green liquid, glowing with an eerie luster under the torchlight.

"Who are you?" George suddenly raised his magic staff, the top of the staff instantly lighting up with a dazzling red glow, "Are you sent by Aaron?"

The answer to him was the order issued by Wei He through the communicator: "Deploy."

Those three figures simultaneously knelt on one knee, aiming the cannon muzzles at the ground. "Hum—" amidst the low humming sound, the device at the bottom of the cannon barrel suddenly unfolded, and green energy poured into the ground like a tide.

With them as the center, circles of green ripples spread rapidly; wherever they passed, the stone floor was instantly eroded into a honeycomb shape, and a pungent, fishy sweetness filled the air.

"Not good, it's corrosive magic!" George exclaimed, wanting to raise a shield, but it was all too late.

The green radiation layer spread like a living thing, covering the entire hall in the blink of an eye, and even surged into the courtyard along the door cracks.

Screams rose one after another. Those magicians who didn't have time to activate their shields began to dissolve the moment their skin touched the radiation layer; clothes, flesh, and bones rapidly disintegrated in the green energy, finally turning into pools of bubbling green blood.

George and Grant tried their best to support their magic barriers, red and blue light weaving into a net in front of them, but the radiation layer was like a maggot on a bone, constantly seeping through the gaps in the barriers.

"This, what kind of magic is this..." Grant's voice carried despair; he could feel his magic power draining away rapidly, and the light on the barrier dimming at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Cold sweat seeped from George's forehead; he could clearly feel his life force being drawn away bit by bit by that eerie green energy: "Never seen it before... this is not any kind of magic on the continent..."

A few minutes later, the last magic barrier shattered with a bang. The green radiation layer, like a greedy beast, instantly swallowed the remaining lives.

The statue in the hall still stood silently, only pools of green blood had accumulated under the pedestal, and the fishy sweetness in the air became increasingly thick.

Wei He in the base watched the scene on the screen return to calm and sighed softly: "So what if they are Intermediate Magicians? In front of Radiation Engineers, without a shield, they are just living targets."

He paused and switched to another surveillance screen. On the screen, the Spy disguised as Charlie was leading the army of Riquan City at full speed toward the Harsh Forest, while the real Charlie was still in the Generals Mansion, distraught over the missing "Aaron."

"The good show has only just begun." Wei He picked up his coffee, watching the sky outside the window start to turn pale, his eyes flashing with a look of certainty.