Chapter 848 - 848 848 The Cave Under the Lake

Chapter 848: Chapter 848: The Cave Under the Lake Chapter 848: Chapter 848: The Cave Under the Lake The era is changing.

The “Fate Space” is indeed the only pillar on which humanity relies for survival and even direct confrontation with the demons under such apocalyptic conditions.

But we must not place all our trust in fate.

Every resource that can be used against the demons, even the deformed living creatures and chaotic materials outside the city, can be utilized by humanity.

At the same time, using fate as a platform to promote technological development to the greatest extent.

Though the different entropy values in various worlds of fate lead to different technological trees and inherent ‘technological isolation.’

Knights can use points to obtain a large number of scientific research materials and the blueprints of technologies from advanced scientific eras. Based on Steam City’s own steam technology and incorporating advanced technologies from the world of fate, they create a unique technological tree belonging to the humans of Holy City.

Developing military weapons that can threaten the demons.

The “Power Armor” prepared by Steam City for the members of the Full Expedition Army is a joint crystallization of human intelligence and the fate platform.

Likewise,

Over two hundred years of dissection, analysis, and research on demon bodies.

Apart from a strong repulsion to ‘copper,’ demon cells also show repulsion, limitations, suppression of regeneration, and even cellular annihilation to holy light, mithril, and patterns recorded on ancient stone slabs.

Twenty years ago,

The vice-captain of the Steam Knights—Kongriff Newton—submitted a military research project to the council under the name of the Mechanical God Sect, attempting to integrate everything that could restrain demons into metal machinery.

Years passed.

A batch of ‘copper bullets’ imprinted with the church’s seal on the shell surface was distributed for free to knights who would use firearms.

They quickly received excellent feedback.

The bullets showed great lethality against demons at the level of ‘mature bodies’ and below.

The successful hits can effectively inhibit regeneration and cause damage at the cellular level.

Especially in group combat, this combat method saves physical strength, and mere firing can kill a large number of low-rank evils and suppress lower-level demons.

The “WindRider Knights” have even established a secret connection with Mr. Newton.

They are willing to pay a high cost, even providing some knights skilled in shooting, to rush to Steam City for real combat drills… attempting to order a large quantity of ammunition.

If possible, they also hoped that the Mechanical God Sect could produce even more efficient and powerful bullets for use against high-level demons in special circumstances.

And so,

‘God Sect Copper Bullets’ began to be mass-produced, with additional military workshops set up in Steam City.

These bullets were slowly introduced into various investigative missions, as well as small-scale expedition activities.

To cater to the coming of the Big Expedition.

Kongriff Newton proactively applied for a batch of funding from the Gold Master to produce a large number of copper bullets, to be provided to the Expeditionary Army at no cost.

Many knights who benefited from this held a special respect for Mr. Newton.

…

The Lake War has come to an end.

Relying on the “Shadow Assassins” to launch a surprise attack, they attracted the enemy forces’ attention to the greatest extent.

Then, through the “Assassin’s Heart,” they found the weakness of these disguised toads and transmitted it back to the knights at the lakeside.

Using the dust raised by explosions as cover, knights proficient in firearms locked all toads’ weak points through precision aiming devices.

Flames burst forth.

Within ten seconds, all the strange toads in the lake were shot dead.

“This bullet… is it a product of the Mechanical God Sect?

Copper skin, secret text engraving, and highly concentrated holy water at the core of the bullet, Mr. Newton really put in the effort.

Such things could probably take out a low-rank evil or wild beast with one shot; even a newborn demon would be wounded.

But… this lake is probably just a testing method for the toads.

Through a few hundred creatures that don’t even count as demons, using the lake as cover, to test the strength of the knights.”

“Next, the real thing should come out.”

Just as Han Dong thought.

With hundreds of toads slaughtered,

a vortex slowly appeared in the center of the lake, the water continually flowing into its depths.

As the lake receded, the entire body of water morphed into a spiral staircase extending deep into the ruins… It seemed to be the [Toad]’s lair.

Since it was the Knight Regiment’s mission to achieve victory in battle, there was no reason to retreat.

Under the singing and playing of the bard Meridis, and in coordination with the victory at the lake battle, all members maintained a high spirit as they proceeded down the spiral staircase to delve even deeper.

The deeper they went, the stronger the reactions in their bodies became.

Aside from the growth of some blisters on the knights’ skins, some developed toad skin textures, and even a few grew tufts of black hair amid their skin…

Han Dong also kept the [Demon Eye] closed throughout the journey, secretly calculating his plan.

A hidden paradise

The staircase at the lake’s bottom led the knight squadron to an expansive, dark, and damp cavern underground.

Torches simply could not be lit here; they were drenched as soon as they were brought out.

Fortunately, all the power armors were equipped with lighting devices, and some knights proficient in Holy Light or fire lit themselves up to illuminate the cavern floor to the greatest extent.

It was like a natural cavern, but with many circular protrusions in the rock layers, similar to toad skin.

“What is… this architecture?”

A strange and massive stone structure stood about a hundred meters in front of the Knight Regiment.

From their current point of view, they could only see the entrance of the building… the doorway alone was tens of meters high, and the entire structure melded seamlessly with the cavern.

On both sides of the door stood a “stone toad”.

“Toad… Palace?”

Han Dong deciphered the high-level text branded at the base of the stone toads.

“We seem to be in the front yard of the Toad Palace.

The cavern is essentially the Toad Palace, that is, the territory mapped to the ‘Medium Land Deed’… The palace interior must be frighteningly large, and the battle might diverge from the expected large-scale warfare, evolving into multiple small-scale conflicts inside the palace.

It’s anyone’s guess how many toads are hiding in there.”

With that thought,

Death Black Sand slowly began to spill from Han Dong’s left palm, enveloping the ‘Movable Deed – Scarlet Manor’.

According to the method described by the Scarlet Count, he verified if the deeds could indeed devour each other.

Hmm… a slight tremble resonated from the deed.

“Hmm? Count, didn’t you say that only deeds of the same kind can devour each other?

This toad’s medium-sized land deed, established in an underwater cave with extreme humidity and in the form of a palace, is nothing like the Scarlet Manor.

Why is there still a resonance?”

The Count within him was also confused.

“Strange… It shouldn’t be? How could my manor resonate with this damp, dirty, artless, and aesthetically void toad territory?

Could it be that the interior of the palace is different?”

“Let’s not talk about that for now. I’m just asking if you can devour it or not?”

“Such a resonant feeling indicates there is a commonality between the deeds… It’s definitely possible to devour. It’s just that…”

“Then there’s no problem.”

“Hey! Don’t act recklessly, kid. Haven’t you seen that the Toad Ancestor is observing all this in secret? It’s one thing for the rats of Perugia City to be captured by you guys and have their weakness exposed, winning by chance.

But the Toad Ancestor is not just any Ancestor Return, and even less something a Mythic Body could scoff at.

I don’t want to become a breeding ground for its larvae.”

“I’m scared too… Don’t worry, I wouldn’t start a war if I weren’t absolutely certain.”

“Even if you are certain, it’s still a no! I absolutely refuse to get involved.”