Chapter 108
Chapter 108
Mad Black Mage's Tower Strategy
Chapter 108
Seo-jin's declared that he would lift Atlantis's isolation decree.
Nam-gung Rin opened her eyes wide and asked.
"Isolation decree? Do you know what caused it and how it can be resolved, Supernova-nim?"
"No, I'll have to find that out gradually. But I have some guesses."
Seo-jin rested his chin in his hand and traced through his memories from before his regression.
At that time, Seo-jin was on the lower floors, so he wasn't directly affected by the 20th floor's isolation decree.
However, he remembered what happened to the underwater city after the isolation decree.
'The power structure of Atlantis's ruling class was greatly reorganized.'
There had been a civil war between the priests and royal forces who maintained Atlantis's barrier, and the nouveau riche forces who had colluded with outsiders.
The direct cause of the civil war was the theft of the "Tears of the Sea God," an item that was key to protecting the city.
The isolation decree was issued under the pretext of tracking down the culprit, and after that, outsiders' access was greatly restricted.
The point was that it could be resolved by either retrieving those "Tears of the Sea God" or providing something that could substitute for them.
When Seo-jin shared his guesses, the Nam-gung siblings' eyes widened as they listened.
"How do you know that?"
"Are you a corporate spy?"
"If I were a spy, I wouldn't have gone through all this trouble to infiltrate."
There would have been no need to secretly board a submarine for illegal entry, or to threaten Hanseong employees who were better left alone.
"Setting that aside."
Seo-jin changed the subject.
"Anyway, it seems we'll need to gather more information."
What exactly the Tears of the Sea God were, through what route they were stolen.
And what situation Atlantis was currently in needed to be confirmed in detail.
What Seo-jin knew was only fragmentary information and results he had heard before his regression.
"I'm counting on you for information gathering."
When Seo-jin patted Nam-gung Cheon's shoulder, he pointed to himself and tilted his head.
"Me?"
"Well? If not you, then who?"
When it came to information gathering, there was no one more suitable than Nam-gung Cheon of the Shadowless Flying Hero.
He was born with the qualities of a gentleman thief, skilled at running across rooftops and hiding his body.
If that talent were used for bad purposes, he'd be a thief, but when used for good purposes like now, it was a talent that greatly benefited the world.
Whether he wandered the streets picking up rumors, hid and eavesdropped, or even infiltrated key facilities.
He would obtain information somehow.
"Then what are you going to do?"
At his question, Seo-jin readily answered.
"Of course I need to gather information too. I'm planning to visit the temple."
Since Nam-gung Cheon specialized in the shadows - infiltrating back alleys, streets, and key facilities to extract information - Seo-jin planned to collect information in the open.
At this, Nam-gung Cheon tilted his head.
"Can you even enter the temple? If what you say is true, wouldn't it be the most heavily guarded place?"
As Nam-gung Cheon said, the temple was currently probably one of the most heavily guarded places in Atlantis.
The core that maintained Atlantis's barrier using the Tears of the Sea God as power was precisely that temple.
Due to its importance, outsiders' access would have been difficult even before the theft, but now that the Tears of the Sea God had been stolen, even approaching it would be difficult.
But Seo-jin had a way to enter the temple.
"You can't go, but I can."
"What kind of confidence is that, you bastard?"
"Never mind that, then what will you do?"
Seo-jin asked, looking at Nam-gung Rin.
She could follow her brother or come with him.
Or she could act alone, which wouldn't matter.
Setting safety aside, it would actually be more efficient to split up and search.
After thinking for a moment, she decided to follow Seo-jin.
"I'll move together with Supernova-nim."
***
The next day.
"Absolutely! You must not leave the vicinity of the loading dock. Got it?"
Seo-jin and the Nam-gung siblings received several pieces of information from Alex along with earnest entreaties.
Despite the previous entreaty, Seo-jin blatantly asked Alex.
"What happens if we do leave?"
He said that logistics managers could move around areas outside the loading dock depending on their assigned duties.
But going outside required a clear purpose, and they had to be ready for random inspections at any time.
"You'll be inspected the moment you meet security guards. But they won't let it slide nicely like the gatekeeper yesterday. Plus, since it's a fake identity, you might end up in prison if you're not careful."
"Prison."
Seo-jin stroked his chin and pondered.
Getting caught and going to prison on purpose might not be bad either.
It would be like infiltrating a major facility in Atlantis where information was easily accessible without any effort.
"If you get caught moving around recklessly, I'm dead too! So please!"
Alex pleaded with his hands clasped together, but unfortunately, Seo-jin wasn't the type to be swayed by such appeals.
Seo-jin, who let Alex's plea go in one ear and out the other, asked Nam-gung Cheon.
"Prison, want to try going in once?"
"I need to infiltrate other places. Rin-ah, how about you try going?"
At her brother's suggestion, Nam-gung Rin frowned.
"Brother, do you want to send your sister to prison?"
"...Well, it wouldn't be bad to experience it once."
Nam-gung Cheon had also been imprisoned after being caught by Nam-gung Rin. It was a matter of putting himself in others' shoes.
Seo-jin shook his head.
"Let's pass on prison for now."
While Seo-jin and Nam-gung Cheon might be able to escape without any effort, if she went to prison alone, variables might arise.
"Right. She might end up in a rough situation unnecessarily. Let's move as planned."
Alex, who heard that conversation, cried out as if in despair.
"Are you people even listening to me!?"
"We did listen."
The problem was they had no intention of complying.
Seo-jin asked the despairing Alex.
"When did you say the submarine departs?"
Seemingly having given up on everything, Alex answered with a sigh.
"...In three days."
"Good, then sleep until then."
POOF-.
Nam-gung Cheon put Alex to sleep again with a sleep needle.
They exchanged glances with each other and began moving according to their earlier plan.
***
Atlantis's sky was quite dark even in broad daylight.
This was because they were in the deep ocean, so outside sunlight couldn't reach the city.
But it had a different charm from the surface above - the lights from various marine creatures beyond the barrier illuminated the city like the Milky Way.
Under that light, buildings with colors just like those of Santorini Island were connected.
The light of the Milky Way rippling like moonlight on water over blue roofs and white walls created a dreamlike atmosphere different from the surface.
"It's beautiful..."
Nam-gung Rin muttered blankly while following behind Seo-jin.
Even from Seo-jin's perspective, it was a beautiful scene worthy of admiration.
The two, who were admiring the cityscape and climbing toward the ridge where the temple was located, soon encountered a Sea Folk security guard patrolling nearby.
The security guard looked over their attire and immediately demanded identification.
"Why have outsiders come this far? State your identity and purpose."
By principle, he would have attacked immediately, but since both people were dressed in Hanseong suits, he engaged in conversation first.
Just as Seo-jin was about to say something, Nam-gung Rin stepped forward as if to say leave it to her.
Then she brought her face close to the Sea Folk security guard.
"Now, look into my eyes."
"What?"
The pupils of the security guard, who was about to yell at Nam-gung Rin, became hazy.
A strange heat rising in Nam-gung Rin's eyes.
This was a type of Taoist art called Dream Eye Technique.
It could bewitch targets to hypnotize them, make them feel favorable, or temporarily rob them of consciousness like now.
Nam-gung Rin spoke in a whisper.
"Now, you're patrolling as scheduled, and you haven't discovered anyone here."
The Sea Folk security guard nodded blankly at Nam-gung Rin's words.
"Now, go forward. You'll wake up in 20 seconds."
With a blank face, he walked forward according to Nam-gung Rin's words.
Nam-gung Rin gave Seo-jin a look, and the two quickly moved out of the security guard's sight.
"Quite a useful ability."
Black magic had similar techniques, but they had severe side effects not only on the target but also on the caster, making them difficult to use.
"Well, this much is a piece of cake."
Even after encountering security guards several more times, they were able to reach their destination without difficulty thanks to her ability.
One of Atlantis's seven hills.
The two arrived near the Sea God's temple located on the ridge.
The majesty of the temple viewed from below was truly overwhelming.
It appeared several times larger than the Pantheon.
However, the one problem was that, as expected, the Temple Knights had surrounded it from all sides without a gap.
Nam-gung Rin stuck close to the wall and looked at the temple entrance.
"We've come this far, but what will you do now?"
No matter how excellent her Taoist arts were, it would be impossible to bewitch all those knights.
Moreover, the Temple Knights, unlike ordinary security guards, had high resistance to such charm techniques, making it even more difficult.
Seo-jin spoke.
"There's no need to hide like that. From now on, let's go boldly."
Seo-jin grabbed Nam-gung Rin's wrist and pulled her along as he boldly moved forward.
"Eh?"
Nam-gung Rin, dragged out unexpectedly, followed him toward the temple entrance.
The Temple Knights standing guard over the hundreds of steps leading to the temple.
The knights raised their guard considerably at the appearance of the two uninvited guests.
"Stop!"
The Temple Knight at the front stopped Seo-jin and Nam-gung Rin.
The Sea Folk knight's eyes glowed brightly from behind blue helmets shaped like various marine creatures.
"Foreigners cannot approach any further."
Even foreign corporate collaborators guaranteed activity during the isolation couldn't approach the temple.
Moreover, since the theft of the Tears of the Sea God, vigilance against foreigners was extremely high.
Unless it was a special case, immediate execution upon approach was possible.
Furthermore.
'Those corporate bastards, who knows what they'll do mingling with the lower classes again.'
The temple, which handled rituals and national defense, was the most conservative group within Atlantis.
They were extremely hostile toward foreign corporations, which symbolized Atlantis's opening.
They believed all this trouble originated from the appearance of foreigners.
At the murderous aura emanating from the knights, Nam-gung Rin tensed slightly and hid behind Seo-jin.
But Seo-jin spoke without tension.
"Tell your priest. A friend of Valerius has come."
At Seo-jin's question, the knights tilted their heads.
"Valerius?"
"Who is that?"
The knights looked at each other as if they didn't understand.
But the knight who appeared to be their captain seemed to notice something and asked Seo-jin.
"Are you perhaps someone related to Pantheon?"