Chapter 172
Laurent, who had escaped from the Elves of the Defense Force, hid in the basement of Island 43. Since the Elves’ pursuit was not as intense as Laurent expected, it was not difficult for him to escape from them. Besides Laurent, Vian Stiger was also in the basement of Island 43. He had decided to come join Lee Shin at his proposal.
"Bring me the equipment," Vian Stiger said to Laurent.
As soon as Laurent returned from the ambush, Vian Stiger received the equipment and checked for any malfunctions or damage.
"How was it?" Vian asked.
"It was just as I expected," Laurent replied.
Vian nodded.
"You made sure to check the range of motion, the duration of mana suppression, and the time it took to activate the pulse for the Byen-Mana Pulse cannon, right?" Vian asked.
"Yes, I did," Laurent replied.
"Hey, shouldn’t you be checking if someone is feeling alright if he’d just returned from attacking the Defense Force?” Sevrino spoke up, seeing Vian only focused on checking the equipment.
"Who cares. It’s not even that big of a mission,” Vian grumbled.
When Sevrino heard this response, it made him smile because although Vian phrased it that way, Vian stayed up all night fixing Laurent’s equipment before it was deployed in the operation.
Besides, even after Laurent left to attack the Defense Force, Sevrino could tell that Vian was worried about the malfunctions that might arise. Although it had only been a few days since they had met, Sevrino quickly understood his personality.
"Thanks to you, I’m able to return safely," Laurent thanked Sevrino, as he returned the protective barrier that Sevrino had given him.
When Vian had supported Laurent with offensive equipment for the attack on the Defense Force, Sevrino had provided him with defensive equipment to ensure his easy escape.
"Well, I don’t think you even needed to use this…” Sevrino muttered.
"Still, there is a clear difference between having it and not having it,” Laurent replied.
"You can keep it, because I don't need it anyway," said Sevrino, giving it back to Laurent.
"But..." Laurent hesitated to receive it from him.
"It's fine. Who will be able to attack me here?" Sevrino said, trying to make Laurent feel better.
When Sevrino said that, Laurent looked up and around his surroundings.
On one side, a Goblin and a Skeleton Mage were conducting research.
"Hey, look over here. T-this is something that d-draws in energy from different d-dimensions…” said the assistant, who was a Goblin.
"If we don’t make the magic engraving precisely, it will cause a problem…” replied the Skeleton Mage.
"Yes, you're right!" replied the Goblin assistant.
"Hey you Skeleton, what difference does it make if you train a hundred times a day?" the clone of the leader of the Platinum Group mocked Warrie.
"Man… you really know nothing about chivalry. Don’t try to mess with me here. You’re just a clone,” Warrie replied.
"Ha, do you think you can defeat a clone though?" the leader of the Platinum Group laughed at Warrie.
“We never know! We’ll have to fight to see. I won’t let my master down,” Warrie glared at the leader.
The leader of the Platinum Group and the Skeleton Warrior, who was summoned by Lee Shin, guarded the place while exchanging sword strikes.
'Were they called May and Warrie?'
They both did not seem like ordinary Skeletons, since they emitted an unusual aura that made them seem more powerful. However, among Lee Shin’s subordinates, the most impressive one was definitely the Vampire.
"Step aside, you imbeciles," Lilian said with a cold voice.
Lilian had violet hair and her bright red eyes were shining like gems. Besides, her fair skin and captivating voice enchanted men.
"Y-yeah, of course. I'll step aside," the leader of the Platinum Group stuttered and stepped back at Lilian's words.
"You're such a loser in front of women. Well, it can’t be helped if you are just like your original,” Warrie mocked the leader with a smirk.
"Shut up!" The leader shouted at Warrie.
The next moment, Lilian approached Laurent.
"Hey, you," said Lilian.
Laurent tensed up as he looked at Lilian, who was standing in front of him. He could not even understand why he was getting nervous.
"If my Master got hurt, I’ll make you pay the price, you understand?” Lilian threatened Laurent.
"Don't worry. Your Master is perfectly fine," Laurent replied.
"Hmph, I know that it's very unlikely that you alone can cause my Master any harm, but I said it just in case," said Lilian in a cold voice.
"Okay," Laurent replied.
Lilian walked past him and went outside and Laurent gulped.
"We will first need to properly establish the defense system here. Shit! Have you been staying here just relying on this kind of defense mechanism?" Vian shouted.
"Well, this level of defense system should be enough," Sevrino replied.
"Darn it, if that guy decides to attack, we're all dead!" Vian shouted.
"Then he will also die," Sevrino replied.
"...You should have made it so that it’s impossible for anyone to even think of intruding in the first place!" Vian shouted at Sevrino.
"So, did you, Mr. Vian, fail because you were caught by Lee Shin as well?” Sevrino asked Vian.
“Hey! T-that guy is an exception!" Vian was stunned by Sevrino’s words, and his face turned pale instantly.
Seeing that, Laurent shook his head and headed upstairs.
"Oh, is that you Mr. Laurent? You’re Mr. Laurent, right?” Dr. Song recognized Laurent.
"You're Dr. Song, right?" Laurent also recognized Dr. Song.
"Yes, that’s me. I heard the rumors that you destroyed the headquarters of the Defense Force recently. Hahaha! I never thought there would be such a heroic person like you!” Dr. Song praised Laurent.
"Well, yeah, thanks. I’ll get going,” Laurent said.
"Okay! See you next time," Dr. Song replied.
Laurent, who had a hard time dealing with Song Sotar’s outgoing personality, quietly left the scene, trying not to attract attention from anyone else.
As he stepped outside, he could see many humans bustling about. There were Zetains, Germeians, Yellow Crescentians, and more. They seemed ordinary at first glance, but they were all talented people. Occasionally, Laurent spotted individuals who seemed to be low-rankers. That was possible because they had seized the entire organization on Island 43.
"How impressive…” Laurent muttered.
Then, he took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth.
Pizz—
As he lit the cigarette, the smoke dispersed into the air, revealing the image of Lee Shin behind it.
***
Since Lee Shin had arrived on the 50th floor, the community had never been quiet for a day. There was always a new post, and comments flooded in like crazy.
* Breaking News! The truth behind the attack on the headquarters of the Defense Force. Who was the madman behind this act?
└ Don’t make it sound like the entire headquarters was blown up!
└ Who cares whether the whole building exploded or just one side of it exploded? The important thing here is that someone attacked the headquarters of the Defense Force.
└ That guy should be dead by now, right? I bet Versia would not have stayed silent about this.
└ But why did that happen to the headquarters all of a sudden? It was fine even when it was hit by cannons. So how did it suddenly end up like that?
└ Maybe it was done by a top-ranker!
└ Could be, who knows?
└ I feel like an official announcement will be posted soon.
* I witnessed it myself! There was a confrontation between Versia and Genia inside.
└ There we go again! Why are there so many idiots trying to take advantage of such a situation?
└ LOL that’s so true.
└ Hey, I'm the author of the post. I promise you. Well, I couldn’t see it clearly because I was standing far away, but I’m telling the truth!
└ Excuse me, but could you not talk so recklessly just because you're anonymous? Remember that you’re still in a Tower, alright?
└ Versia and Genia were originally at odds, didn’t you guys know that?
└ Oh, for real? They were at each other’s throat?
└ Why do we have so many clueless people here? Didn’t you guys know that?
└ I saw the confrontation too! They were fighting each other.
└ Same! I saw it too. I saw Versia’s arm getting chopped off. LOL.
└ Ugh, this place is full of fabrications and provocations.
└ Ah, damn it! I should have recorded the scene! Someone please upload it here!
Amidst the blazing discussions in the community, one post popped up.
* Breaking News! The truth behind the attack on the headquarters of the Defense Force (Video)
In that post, there was a video of Versia inviting Lee Shin into the officers' conference room.
- Well, is this a ceremony of some kind?
It was clear to anyone watching that Versia and other officers were pressuring Lee Shin in the video.
- Hahaha.?What do you mean? What nonsense! We would never do that to you…
- I heard Genia's proposal…
Afterward, Genia approached Lee Shin as the representative of the Defense Force to make a proposal and Lee Shin accepted it.
- Well, there’s nothing more I want to say. It’s exactly as I said before. I like Genia and that is why I accepted her proposal.
In this video, Lee Shin was uttering words that were shocking to people. The video also included shots of Genia blushing and being unable to lift up her head. They clearly appeared to have feelings for each other. At that moment, an Officer Elf began to refute Lee Shin’s words angrily.
- Are you insulting my love?
Lee Shin expressed his anger toward him. People who watched the video started hurling insults at Versia's faction.
* It was already shocking enough that Lee Shin likes Genia, but the response of those bastards is even more shocking. Those damn idiots!
└ I know right? Who do they think they are?
└ It seems the problem is that Lee Shin accepted the proposal. That’s why they are getting mad at him, pretending not to believe it and saying all sorts of random things.
└ What the hell? They made the proposal first, so why are they acting like this all of a sudden?
└ But what's going on really? Why are they behaving like that again?
In the video, an officer in Versia's faction attacked Lee Shin without warning, and Lee Shin collapsed because of that. When Lee Shin began to cough up blood, Genia rushed to support him and confronted Versia with anger. It was unmistakably a scene of lovers.
- I never knew that the Defense Force was an organization that intimidates challengers with violence.
Lee Shin’s words made them panic even more, because the reputation of the Defense Force had been completely ruined.
* So the Defense Force turned out to be a den of scums?
└ From today on, I won't listen to the Defense Force anymore.
└ Same here. How dare those scums try to impose discipline when they are acting that way?
└ Were they always doing these kinds of things behind our backs all this time?
The public sentiment toward the Defense Force plummeted rapidly.
- Grab Lee Shin, everyone!
Versia’s words added fuel to the fire, fortifying the sentiment.
- Mr. Versia!
- Be quiet, Genia! If you try to help Lee Shin here, you will become a traitor to the Defense Force from this moment…
- What are you talking about! What crime did Lee Shin even do...!
- Don't forget that your followers are in my hands.
- Are you using that as a threat? Are you saying that you're going to take fellow White Elves hostage?
Just like that, Versia blatantly revealed his wickedness in front of everyone. He had tried to kill Lee Shin, resorting even to taking the fellow White Elves, who were part of the same Defense Force, hostage. Unable to do anything else, Genia reluctantly put down her sword, and Lee Shin comforted her.
- I am sorry...
Seeing Genia apologize to Lee Shin, several viewers sobbed. It was heartbreaking to see Genia forced to abandon her lover, and the kindness of Lee Shin to be understanding toward her decision. In the video, the obvious villain was Versia. The next moment, Versia lifted up his sword.
- It was the start of your downfall from the moment you entered this place, Lee Shin.
At this point, people began to root for Lee Shin to overcome this situation and escape from Versia. They did not know the details, but what was absolute law and justice in Lardel Archipelago had turned into evil and hostility in an instant.
The next moment, the mana-suppressing device was activated, and Versia unleashed a sword aura toward Lee Shin. However, just before the attack landed on Lee Shin, the video ended.
* What the hell! What's coming up next? Why did the video end so abruptly?
└ What the hell? Are they cutting it here?
└ Oh my god! Are they kidding me right now?
└ Not even K-dramas would end an episode like this!
└ Release the next video right now!
└ Ugh! You annoying ones! I won't be able to sleep tonight like this!
└ Don't try to mess with me like that! I'm going to head to the headquarters of the Defense Force right now!
* If Mr. Lee Shin died like this, I will start a coup d'état. I’m recruiting members to start a coup d'état together. Who’s down?
└ Me.
└ I'll kill that bastard, Versia.
└ How are you going to kill him?
└ I'll kill him no matter what.
└ I don’t think you’ll even be able to go near Versia. You’ll probably be beaten up by the White Elf officers and get chased away.
└ But is it true that Lee Shin died like this?
└ No way. He’s Lee Shin!
└ Well, how is he supposed to survive in that situation?
└ True that. Didn't you guys see that ruthless sword aura? It reached right in front of Lee Shin.
└ I know! Besides, how can Lee Shin block it if he can’t even use his mana?
└ I feel like Lee Shin would be at least brain-dead.
└ If he’s alive, I'll give away all my points. That’s how certain I am about his death.
└ No! Please, be alive!
└ You have points to waste? Then just give them to me!
After the incident, the collapsed walls of the headquarters of the Defense Force were covered with temporary barriers, hiding the inside from view. Since the members of the Defense Force were thoroughly blocking the entrance, no one could enter.
"Reveal the internal situation of the Defense Force!"
"What happened to Lee Shin! Tell us quickly!"
"Come out, Versia! Give back Lee Shin and Genia!"
After the video was released, hundreds of challengers gathered in front of the headquarters of the Defense Force. Although not all of them were supporters of Lee Shin and Genia, there were quite a few who wanted to free them. The video had such an impact on them that even those who did not like Lee Shin or Genia much had a change of heart.
"The reputation of the Defense Force has hit rock bottom," Genia spoke in a melancholic voice, looking outside from within the headquarters.
"A fallen reputation can be restored," Lee Shin, who was sitting in a chair and reviewing documents, replied.
"...But are you really okay?" Genia asked Lee Shin with a worried voice.
"What do you mean?" Lee Shin asked back.
"Well… you know… You know what I mean..." Genia blushed.
Genia seemed embarrassed.
"You said that… you like me…” Genia added on in a quiet, shy voice.
"Oh that… Yeah, you don't have to worry about that," Lee Shin replied nonchalantly.
"Huh? Sorry?" Genia seemed disappointed at Lee Shin’s response.
"We were just pretending it anyway, right? So don’t think about that anymore,” Lee Shin replied with a cold voice.
Annoyed by his indifferent response, Genia turned toward the door to leave.
"But Ms. Genia," Lee Shin called out.
Lee Shin’s sudden call made Genia pause.
"Yes?" Genia replied.
"It seems like the case of using the Seed of Ardelgia is missing from these documents..." Lee Shin said.
"...Oh, I see. I'll make sure to bring that up. That’s all you want to say, right?” Genia asked once again.
"Yes." Perplexed by her cold tone, Lee Shin replied with his head tilted to one side in curiosity.
"Okay then. I'll see you when the work is done," Genia replied.
Her tone of voice had become very professional in an instant. Lee Shin’s confusion ended there as well.
He carefully read through the information about the Seed of Ardelgia, not missing a single detail.
"Indeed... This is definitely related to dimensional energy," Lee Shin muttered.
When Sayr connected the dimension in the past, he probably did not use the Seed of Ardelgia. He must have found something similar, but Lee Shin had obtained the Seed of Ardelgia.
"Well, I believe all that's left is to cross over to Earth now,” Lee Shin muttered.
Lee Shin thought that the connection of the Dimension Gate would not take long, because he had already finished making sufficient preparations in advance.
‘As soon as the connection is established, I'll return to my homeland, Earth.’
Lee Shin felt his heart pounding at the thought of finally being able to return to his homeland after a long time.
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