chsdbacks Chapter 538 The Choice on the Other Side
Chapter 538 The Choice on the Other Side
The Tower of Annihilation, the third tower plane cluster.
Chaos reigned here.
Everywhere were busy wizards, gathering arrays in operation, and supplies and personnel being forcibly packed up and taken away. The Magic Network AI, Felix, had given them a year, which seemed generous, but for the overall relocation of a large wizarding force, it was simply hell mode.
One year is only enough time for them to pack up and take away the most core planes, the best population, and the most valuable assets.
As for those peripheral planes, surrounding populations, and resources that have not yet been fully exploited, they can only be abandoned.
Of course, the Tower of Annihilation will not surrender so easily.
Every minute, countless dimensions are being frantically mined.
Those data collection arrays that should have been operated with precision were all now set to maximum power.
Even if it leads to a waste of resources, as long as we can take away an extra ton of ore before the deadline, it's a victory.
Amidst the chaos, one figure was so busy that he barely touched the ground.
He is an illusion.
As a level six wizard who has mastered the laws of [fiction], his abilities are perfectly suited to this large-scale migration.
Skip the tedious mining process and directly "define" the result of the resources being collected; omit the complicated transportation process and directly "present" the state of the materials arriving at their destination.
He alone is as efficient as tens of thousands of ordinary wizards.
But the cost is also enormous.
When Dark Raven found him, he could hardly believe his eyes.
The once elegant and composed figure on the battlefield now appeared noticeably thinner.
It wasn't a description, it was literally that he had lost weight: his cheeks were sunken, his eye sockets were deep, and the wizard's robe that used to fit him looked rather loose on his body.
For a level six wizard who has absolute control over his body, this state is almost equivalent to the weakness of a mortal after "major bleeding".
"What are you doing...?" Dark Raven didn't know what to say for a moment.
The illusion raised its head and glanced at him, its dark red eyes filled with exhaustion.
But he didn't say anything, he just took a deep breath...
In the next instant, he was as if he had been "refreshed".
His sunken cheeks regained their fullness, his deep-set eyes returned to normal, and his muscular muscles once again filled out his empty wizard robes.
[Fictional] Skip the recovery process and directly present a healthy state.
In just a few seconds, he reverted to that elegant, ethereal figure from the virtual world.
"What is it?" he asked, his voice steady, as if his previous weak appearance was just an illusion.
Dark Raven looked at him and sighed inwardly.
He knew very well that this "skipping recovery" was just a facade; although the body had recovered, the mental fatigue had not been healed. But since the other party didn't want to talk about it, he didn't point it out.
"Lord Silent Annihilation has given the order," Dark Raven said. "You are no longer needed to participate in the subsequent resource gathering."
The illusion was taken aback: "You don't need me?"
He subconsciously looked around.
This plane is a small plane that the Third Tower plane cluster recently conquered, and its resources have not yet been mined.
At this moment, wizards are busy everywhere on the land, activating various gathering arrays and seizing every bit of resources against the clock. And this is not just happening in this plane.
Of the thousands of planes held by the Tower of Annihilation, all except for the core few that were confirmed to be moved together are now experiencing the same scene.
"Without my assistance," the illusory figure frowned, "can we still mine all the resources in all planes before the deadline?"
"We can't collect it all." Dark Raven's answer was crisp and decisive. "So what Lord Silent Extinction means is that if it's a resource or something, we should just give up on it." Illusory's pupils contracted slightly.
He discerned another layer of meaning in Dark Raven's words:
"Lord of Nirvana... has he already made the decision to relocate?"
Dark Raven nodded.
Relocation means leaving the area where one has been operating for many years.
The Star Ring Federation could not possibly let the two wizarding factions go unchecked, especially since this was a critical time for the entire civilization to need manpower.
Therefore, the Star Ring Federation offered two options:
One option is to travel to the more inland regions of the wizarding civilization.
It's safer there, but the endless chaotic void there has been swept away countless times by those who came before.
Dimensional resources are extremely scarce, making it difficult to support the development of a large power.
Secondly, they went to areas closer to the front lines.
The area is relatively rich in resources, but the danger is also multiplied, as it could be attacked by a high-intensity civilization at any time, or drawn into a war of even greater intensity.
Neither of these two options is a good thing for any established power.
The area they are in now is the best balance point found after countless trials and adjustments, balancing security and resources, and is most suitable for the long-term development of their faction.
Making a hasty change, regardless of which side you choose, carries enormous risks.
From Dark Raven's words, Illusion understood: Annihilation had chosen the front lines.
"That's right." Dark Raven confirmed his guess. "So you'll be very important when we get to the new area."
He looked at the illusion, his gaze earnest:
"Lord Silent Annihilation believes your current strength is still too low and wants to see if he can raise you to level seven. A private laboratory has already been built for you at the First Tower, where many level seven wizards, and even Lord Silent Annihilation himself, can be at your command to assist your research."
He paused, then asked a crucial question:
Are you confident in yourself?
The illusion fell silent.
He lowered his head and looked at his hands.
After a long silence, he finally spoke slowly:
"To be honest... I'm not sure either."
His voice was soft, with a rare hint of bewilderment.
"After advancing to level six, I can continue my research, that's true. But I feel..." He paused, as if searching for the right words, "...I'm nearing my limit."
"To expand and deepen the laws and advance to level seven..." He shook his head, "It's almost impossible."
The raven remained silent, saying nothing.
The illusion raised its head, looking at the busy wizards in the distance, its gaze complex:
"But whether it works or not, we should still give it a try."
He took a deep breath, and his aura became firm again:
"I'm going to the First Tower."
Raven nodded and patted him on the shoulder:
"Just do your best. Even if you can't advance to level seven, you should still go as far as possible within level six. When you arrive in the new area, try to expand the area you're responsible for collecting resources from the enemy civilization. If all else fails, Lord Annihilation can provide you with specially made resources and equipment to temporarily boost your combat power." Illusion nodded slightly and said nothing more.
His figure flashed and disappeared from the spot.
Dark Raven stood still, looking in the direction where the illusion had disappeared, and sighed softly.
Then, he turned around and stepped onto the teleportation array he had come from.
...He also has a lot of things to do.
The Chaos Cult, the First Facet.
The scene here was just as chaotic as it had been.
Countless teleportation arrays operated simultaneously, continuously transporting people, resources, and materials from various planes.
Ordinary people who had just been forcibly removed from their hometowns and relocated here stood blankly in the square, at a loss.
High in the sky, the cult leader's face was so gloomy it was almost as if water could drip from it.
He hovered at the highest point of the first plane, looking down at the bustling scene below, coldly issuing commands:
"Based on their level of cultural literacy, relocate the population from other planes to the core plane, prioritizing those with higher levels of cultural literacy. Leave the illiterate and the natives who haven't yet transformed into wizarding humans to the Norn Workshop's headaches!"
"Destructively mine all non-core planes! At all costs, regardless of the consequences, extract as much as you can!"
"Not a single resource should be left for the Norren Workshop!"
"Once we migrate to the heart of civilization, resources will be extremely scarce, and these resources are our hope for a resurgence!"
Every order was accompanied by a surge of busy people.
The wizards whose names were called silently accepted the order and left.
No one dared to say a word at that moment.
The cult leader's mood at this moment can be seen from his almost tangible low pressure; whoever runs into him is doomed.
The teleportation array on the first plane kept flashing, sending batches of people and resources from space to space to the ever-expanding storage area.
Meanwhile, those non-core planes that were destined to be lost are being frantically exploited by countless wizards.
For some smaller planes, they can even be shattered directly using super-large magic arrays, and then the necessary substances and plane origins can be extracted from the debris.
Such an extreme collection process will leave Norren Workshop with nothing but desolate, abandoned planes in the future.
This is the Chaos Cult's "retribution".
Although they lost the war and were forced to relocate, at least before they left, they wanted to ensure that the victors got nothing.
The cult leader stood on high, coldly observing everything.