Chapter 187: Great Chaos
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 187: Great Chaos
Will the cataclysmic eruption of the Labyrinth happen?
Of course, it will.
Because Dalstream died digging into it, and before he died, he gave a whole speech for my benefit, and that speech…
‘Was confirmed by the Dagger Raptor.’
Sure, my dear Birdbrain is a far cry from a monster like the White Lion.
But he gave me a generous parting gift.
Back then, in the annex of the Public Security Headquarters, the Dagger Raptor had confirmed all of Dalstream’s theories, saying things like, “Brilliant. Your wisdom has reached the Abyss.”
What does this mean?
‘The Inter-floor Lords know.’
They know that the Labyrinth will soon erupt and devour the surface, or something to that effect.
If I’m lucky, they might even know the exact date.
So, what if I brought the Spider Doctor to the assembly?
“Even if Bisan came, he might not be able to prove the great Labyrinth eruption,” I had told the Consul before convening the assembly.
The lords and kings affiliated with the Labyrinth Union would be vehemently against closing the Labyrinth, and Bisan wouldn't have persuasive enough data to overturn their opposition.
“If he could have, he would have done it long ago.”
Perhaps Bisan himself wasn't certain.
Or perhaps Bisan himself was a subordinate of the Labyrinth Master.
Either way, Bisan wouldn't be able to convince everyone at this assembly.
That’s why I would enter the Labyrinth and bring back the Spider Doctor.
An Inter-floor Lord could appear in person, testify about his own experiences from the era of the Nine Ancient Kings, and expose the Labyrinth Master’s plans from the inside.
At that point, wouldn't even the most defensive and conservative lords have no choice but to give it serious thought?
“Wh-what is this!”
“Where did this thing come from?!”
“Consul! What is the meaning of this?!”
“Did you set a trap for us?!”
No matter how much the lords despised one another, when faced with a Labyrinth monster, they had no choice but to rely on each other.
Even the Lizard Lord and the Orc Great King, who had been growling at each other as if ready to kill, fell into formation together.
The Frost Queen of the North and the Fairy Matriarch covered each other as they repositioned. The Dwarf Governor and the Barbarian chieftain, who had occupied the inner part of the conference hall, stepped forward with their axes raised.
“Everyone, please calm down.”
The Spider Doctor took a coin from his pocket and placed it on the table with a soft clink.
“This should serve as proof of my identity.”
It was a commemorative coin from the 3.5th floor, the kind found in treasure chests on the 3rd floor.
The Spider Doctor’s face was embossed on it.
“I trust you won’t feign ignorance of who I am.”
“…An Inter-floor Lord.”
So they all knew about the Inter-floor Lords.
It made sense. To them, the Labyrinth was their most precious source of wealth and power.
Just as stockbrokers hang on every word about the US central bank’s interest rate changes, these rulers must have been meticulously observing and analyzing Sohen’s Labyrinth eruptions.
They might have even known about the proposal to close the Labyrinth before the Consul had sent out the letters.
That must be why they gathered so eagerly for this assembly.
Cunning bastards.
“I wish for a peaceful dialogue. I was told you all have many questions about the Labyrinth?”
In any case, bringing the Spider Doctor was a drastic measure, but it was undeniably effective.
“I have come here to face you, at great personal risk, under the Consul’s promise of safe passage. I ask that you, as civilized and intelligent beings, engage in this conversation with the same courtesy.”
The Spider Doctor explained politely, and silence fell over the hall.
Except for the Barbarian chieftain.
“Is the great Labyrinth eruption really going to happen?!”
“It is.”
“So it is!”
The chieftain stood up abruptly, as if annoyed.
“Then we’re done here, right? He said it’s happening!”
“Are you kidding me? I can’t accept this!” the Halfling prime minister shouted.
“What more do you require?”
“A-Anything. How the eruption starts, what the reason is.”
“Did you not already know? The Labyrinth Master intends to reach the Ethereal Galaxy and devour all the remaining gods. To do so, he will stack everything in the Labyrinth’s depths upon the surface in the form of a tower. In that process, he will be just one step short of reaching the Ethereal Galaxy. He needs to create a 10.5th floor, and he will use all of you as the sacrifice.”
“…”
“And the date of that eruption is approximately two months from now. Before the new year dawns, on the very last day of this year.”
The Spider Doctor even nailed down the date.
“Every living being on the surface will be devoured by the Labyrinth.”
It was like this.
Imagine a country had a monstrous oil field that never ran dry, gushing an endless supply of oil.
The oil from that field could not only cover all the nation’s energy needs but could also be sold to neighboring countries.
Thanks to this, let’s say the government became so wealthy it could afford Lamborghinis for its police cars.
Then one morning, terrible news arrives.
‘The oil field is going to explode soon and wipe the entire country off the map. Everything will be a sea of flames, and everyone will die. We have to permanently shut down and seal the oil field right now.’
And who was it that spouted this nonsense? A wet-behind-the-ears university undergraduate.
Hahaha! Don’t be ridiculous, kid! …You’d want to laugh it off, but smoke keeps puffing up from the oil field, and sparks are flying.
Just as you’re about to consider it seriously, one of the world’s top scientists, someone who has personally gone deep into the oil field to conduct research, comes forward to testify.
‘The oil field is going to blow in two months!’
The leaders in the conference hall, their minds completely shattered, could only resort to denial in the face of a truth they desperately didn't want to believe.
“A-Are you certain?” the Frost Queen asked.
“Is there any possibility you might be mistaken?” the Eastern Emperor asked.
“Haven’t you been bought by Sohen as well?” the Orc Great King asked.
Though they were phrased as questions, they were no different from begging. Please, tell us it’s not true!
“Why would I have any reason to be bought by Sohen? Ladies and gentlemen, if you cannot even believe my words, then there is no hope for the surface,” the Spider Doctor said politely.
“The Labyrinth Master himself is not going to come and confess to you, after all.”
“Allow me to ask one thing, Spider Doctor.”
The Consul, who had been observing the situation in silence, finally raised his head.
“Why are you telling us this? Are you not a subordinate of the Labyrinth Master?”
“I am on no one’s side at present.”
The Spider Doctor had already parted ways with the Labyrinth Master.
But he wasn't about to challenge the Labyrinth Master just to protect the mortals of the surface.
“I simply wish to reclaim my body.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I was one of the Nine Ancient Kings. My original body lies dormant deep within the Labyrinth. It is difficult to retrieve it alone, so I have decided to borrow this wizard’s power.”
The Spider Doctor gestured toward me with his chin.
“I am only here because he requested my testimony regarding the great eruption in exchange.”
“Very well.”
The Consul squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them.
“That is sufficient grounds for me. The assembly will continue for the next few days. Anyone with objections may speak to me. As for myself…”
He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.
“I will begin organizing an expedition to the Abyss, starting today.”
“This way! This way!”
The assembly was over for the day, but for me, things were just getting started.
“Follow me.”
I led the Spider Doctor, Bisan, and Mugol to an interrogation room the Consul had arranged for me beforehand.
Click.
The moment I closed the door behind us, Bisan jumped.
“Caleb! What in the world… is this situation? Why on earth did you call us here?”
He wore a look of utter confusion.
“If an Inter-floor Lord was going to testify, there was no reason to summon us, was there?”
“Oh, there was a reason. I just didn't have a good pretext, but the Consul gave me one.”
“What…?”
“What reason are you talking about?”
Mugol looked thoroughly displeased, as if he’d been sucker-punched.
“The Possessor village.”
I had needed to know about this for a long time, but now, with the great eruption just two months away, there was no more time for cautious maneuvering.
“Why did you create it?”
Bisan glanced back.
The steel door was shut tight.
Constables were likely stationed right outside.
“I see.”
The Deep Layer Taoist finally understood the situation.
“You were never interested in persuading the other lords from the start.”
“…”
“Your target was us.”
But there was probably something he still couldn't understand.
“Why do it like this?” Bisan asked.
This part might make your head spin, but let’s think it through.
The last time I visited the Possessor village, they couldn't have found out I was a Possessor.
Why?
Because if they had, Bisan or Mugol would have tried to kill me, even if it meant fighting the Spider Doctor.
“You’re not a Possessor.”
Exactly.
So from Bisan’s perspective, it made no sense for me to orchestrate things this way.
“If you wanted to know about the Possessor village, you could have just asked us. No?”
“I am a Possessor.”
The two of them looked as if they’d just been smashed in the back of the head with a hammer.
“That’s why I can’t remember how we defeated the Labyrinth Master when I was in Hyedam’s party. What happened back then?”
I needed to confirm this too.
“Spider Doctor.”
And this guy, too.
“You know, don’t you? When you proposed a deal for me to help you reclaim your body, I was just a 3rd-floor adventurer.”
“That’s right.”
“There are plenty of Deep Layer adventurers, so there must have been a reason you specifically chose me. You know that I’ve defeated the Labyrinth Master before, don’t you?”
“Wait a minute!”
Mugol, thrown into utter chaos, shouted.
“What the fuck is this bullshit? How could you have defeated the Labyrinth Master?”
“That’s what the Labyrinth Master said.”
“What are you talking about?! As far as I know, we got our asses kicked one-sidedly and barely managed to escape with our lives.”
What the fuck.
Something had felt off. Back then, I was a broke-ass porter with nothing to my name. Hyedam, Bisan, and Mugol were strong, but not strong enough for the three of them to beat the Labyrinth Master.
What in the world happened back then…?
“Wait.”
Bisan’s face went deathly pale.
“You… you, then you really don’t remember what happened?”
“No. Because I’m a Possessor.”
“No!” Bisan shouted.
“…Excuse me?”
“I said no! The last time we met in the Inter-floor Lord’s village, Hyedam examined you with Soul Trace.”
Huh?
“You are not a Possessor.”
Wait, what is he talking about now?
“You are the same Caleb we’ve always known!”
This is making my head spin for real.
“Bisan’s right, Caleb. If you were a Possessor, do you think I would have let you go back then? I was ready to slice up this spider bastard along with you.”
Did I say this part might make your head spin, but we should think it through?
My head just exploded.
Hyedam checked my soul, and it’s the same before and after my possession?
“Do you truly remember nothing at all?”