Chapter 212: Chapter 117: Gunfire Sounds, the Bell Tolls
Wei’en glanced around before following her into a nearby alley.
"Where are we going?"
"Just follow me," Clelia said with a playful pout. "If I wanted to hurt you, do you really think I would have waited until now?"
"...Fair enough."
Wei’en rubbed his nose. ’He really wasn’t used to a man making such a flirtatious expression...’
After walking for a few minutes, Clelia led him into a small house. "Come in."
Only after his Spirit Perception found nothing unusual did Wei’en pull Tina inside with him and ask impatiently, "What was all that about just now?"
Clelia reverted to her original appearance and figure. She was no longer wearing the short skirt and tight clothes from before, but a simple, long linen dress that made her look like the beautiful girl next door.
"And you have the nerve to ask? If I hadn’t shown up when I did, you would’ve walked right into a trap."
Wei’en looked at her, confused. "There’s a problem with that tavern?"
"It’s not just that one tavern. The entire Basil District is a problem now." Clelia gestured for them to sit down as she spoke.
"The whole district? No way."
Wei’en thought back. ’Neither my Spirit Perception nor my panel gave me any warning. Has something really terrible happened in the Basil District?’
"Someone has set up a Rune Array here," Clelia said casually.
"A-an Array?"
Wei’en’s mouth fell open. "Are you saying the lack of pedestrians on the street just now was because of the Array’s effect?"
"Not exactly. There really aren’t many people out, but that’s because most of them have been taken control of inside the buildings on either side."
Clelia shook her head. "The reason you didn’t notice anything is that every house is influenced by the Array, which only lets you perceive what they want you to ’see’."
’So that’s how it is!’
’No wonder I felt like I was being watched on the street earlier.’
’But the panel didn’t give me any warning. I guess the people watching me were just on routine patrol and didn’t bear me any ill will.’
"There are so many taverns here, and all those sailors and pirates from the sea. How could they all be controlled so suddenly?"
Wei’en was deeply confused. The Basil District had at least tens of thousands of people, not to mention the stationed City Guard.
’If there was a problem here, there’s no way the city-state’s leadership wouldn’t have noticed!’
"Of course, it’s because some more powerful people have arrived."
"Who?"
A grave expression appeared on Clelia’s face. "I only discovered this by chance when I came over here. If I’m not mistaken, they’re all from the Black Pearl."
"The Black Pearl... Don’t tell me that Sea Emperor has come to Caster?" Wei’en said in sudden realization. "I heard he rarely ever sets foot on land."
"How could it be him?" Clelia said irritably. "If he came in person, I would’ve been long gone."
’Run?’
Wei’en could tell from her expression that she wasn’t lying, but he had no concept of the Sea Emperor Isabella’s power.
’Forget Isabella; so far, I’ve only ever seen a few minister-level individuals in action.’
’And their strength... was so-so. They didn’t seem much stronger than me.’
"Is he really that terrifying?"
"Terrifying doesn’t even begin to cover it. That man has dominated the Cordo Sea for decades. How could he have done that without immense power? Do you remember that sea monster you saw a few days ago?"
"I remember." Wei’en had a vivid impression of the Deep Sea Giant Beast Rashim. It had nearly blinded him.
"That monster is Sea Emperor Isabella’s pet!"
"Huh??"
’Fuck, that terrifying Deep Sea Giant Beast is Isabella’s pet?’
Now Wei’en finally had a concept of the Emperor’s power. ’He’s definitely an Extraordinary of an inhuman level.’
’If his pet is a third-level calamity, just how strong is Isabella?’
’Is he comparable to Tina’s completely mutated, fourth-level calamity form?’
"It’s true. This is information I just received," Clelia said, her expression turning ugly. "And now, even if I wanted to leave, I’m afraid I can’t."
’Is the situation really that critical?’
Wei’en thought, a bit slow on the uptake: ’When I ran into Bolsen and the others this morning, they didn’t look like they were about to start a sacrificial ritual.’
’I thought things would get easier after we finished cleaning up the parasites.’
"So what exactly is the situation now? Does it have to do with the Abyssal Sect?"
"If it were just them, it would be easy to solve..." Clelia sighed. "Actually, I saw the Abyssal Sect’s Favored One last night, and I also found where those parasites were."
"You saw him, too?"
"Too?"
Wei’en said honestly, "I fought him today over in the Ruer District."
"Fought him? You?" Clelia looked at him, astonished. "And you’re not dead... That shouldn’t be possible."
"Under normal circumstances, he is indeed difficult to deal with."
Wei’en glanced at Tina beside him, then changed the subject. "Just tell me what the situation is now."
"Alright. As it happens, I have something I need your help with. Or rather, we can help each other..."
