Chapter 2662: Chapter 2663: You Nu
A corner of the Underground Labyrinth.
Deep in the dim and profound tunnels, a series of sputtering noises roared and echoed, accompanied by a dark gust blowing from the depths of the tunnel, resembling some giant beast roaring in anger while exhaling long breaths.
The roaring sound wasnât too terrifying, but this long "breath"... carried an exceptionally foul odor.
Moreover, it spread over a great distance, even reaching outside from the depths of the tunnel.
Any living being that could smell the foul gust would never choose to enter, as this stench defied biological comprehensionâeven creatures accustomed to living in the stench of sewers would avoid it.
However, in the face of the foul gust, a shadow swiftly skimmed over the wall and dashed into the tunnel.
It passed over the wall, not the ground, because this shadow was integrated into the wall, appearing as a flat square shadow but actually being a hole on the wall.
This "hole," however, could move freely on the wall and even adjust its depth to avoid the Magical Energy Array within the wall.
If Angel and the others were present, they would likely recognize this hole immediately; it was the same "doghole" in the wall they had encountered several times beforeâresponsible for swallowing the Black Merchant, leaving him half-dead in its mysterious presence.
The doghole flew swiftly across the wall, soon reaching the depths of the tunnel.
The scene deep within the tunnel unfolded.
A "cliff."
Below the cliff lay an Earth Cavern. Vast yet enclosed, the only visible entry was the tunnel atop the cliff.
If you stood on the "cliff" and gazed over, youâd see the Earth Cavern resembling an inverted bowlârounded dome above with a pockmarked ground below.
The ground was pockmarked due to the green corrosive liquid prevalent everywhere. Though its acidity wasnât strong, years of accumulation had corroded most of the ground.
All around the Earth Cavern, white bones were haphazardly piled. Various kinds of bones lay there, but the majority belonged to Magical Creatures.
In the center of the Earth Cavern was a high pile of mud.
More accurately, it was a massive, ten meters tall monster entirely made of mud.
This Mud Monster continuously emitted mucus from its topâmost of the mucus kept the creature wet, but some turned into a black gust, blowing in all directions.
This black gust was the foul wind that filled the entire tunnel.
The previous sputtering sound was made as the mucus spewed out, rolling down the body.
The "doghole" did not enter the Earth Cavern but stopped at the tunnelâs end. Meanwhile, a thin voice emerged from the doghole: "Sovereign Lord, are you there? Are you there? Are you there?"
"Sovereign Lord! Sovereign Lord!"
Though small, the voice repeated insistently, seeming resolute not to stop until the so-called "Sovereign Lord" was summoned.
After countless calls, a response echoed from the Earth Cavern.
"Enough." It was a tender voice, akin to a teenager in transition, indistinguishable by gender. The voice wasnât loud or imposing, yet upon hearing it, the "doghole" obediently fell silent.
Notably, this voice came from within the Mud Monsterâs belly.
The silence lasted about two minutes, then suddenly, an oval light shield floated out from the Mud Monsterâs mouth, continuously spewing foul gusts.
The light shield was thick, with a faint shadow visible inside, though specific details were obscured.
"You Nu, get rid of it. Its secretion glands are thoroughly extracted and hold no further use." The tender voice came from within the light shield.
Upon the wordsâ conclusion, a soft-toned voice immediately chimed: "The Sovereignâs will is the Goddessâs will; I obey the Sovereignâs command."
The voice sourced out of thin air, clear yet not resonant, as if emanating from every corner of the Earth Cavern or perhaps from outside the tunnel.
"However, Sovereign, I may not digest this foul Mud Monster. May I banish it to a deeper aqueduct?"
"Do as you see fit," the immature voice inside the light shield replied to You Nu, slowly flying out of the Earth Cavern to stand beside the "doghole."
Yet, the "Sovereign" within the light shield did not pay attention to the doghole, instead observing the happenings below in the Earth Cavern.
Seconds later, a chasm appeared in the Earth Cavernâs center, into which the Mud Monster fell directly.
With the Mud Monster gone, a torrent of Wind Dragon erupted from the chasm, whisking away and consuming the remaining black gust in the Earth Cavern.
Once the air was void of black gust, You Nuâs voice emanated from the chasm again.
"Sovereign, the current process can only mitigate pollution to the Second Level. Further treatment requires you to leave my body."
"Even at the Second Level, the odor is intriguing after being diluted by this foul mud." The voice inside the light shield murmured to itself.
Then, layer by layer, the thick light shield began to peel away until only two layers remained before stopping.
Second Level pollution meant the stench was still unpleasant, necessitating two layers of light shield.
The higher the pollution level, the more potent the odor.
Outside, most areas of the stench in the sewers are at Level 1, indicating how unbearably pungent it remains here.
Initially, pollution here was at Level 5, as referenced by the number of light shield layers on the "Sovereign"âone layer didnât equate to one level; exceeding a Second Level, shield layers increase exponentially.
Even the Second Level surpassed most of the stench outside; imagine the dreadfulness of Level 5 pollution. Had the Black Earlâs nose been here, heâd probably have fainted instantly.
With only two layers of light shield remaining, the appearance of the inner "Sovereign" finally became visible.
A fitting look for the voice, a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy wearing gold-framed glasses and clad in a black robe, subtly scholarly at first glance. Yet, he differed greatly from humans: his skin was blueish-green, and an additional eye adorned his forehead, requiring a triangular, three-framed mirror, rendering his appearance bizarre.
"Continue handling it; Iâm leaving," the boy, who seemed a bit weary, yawned, all three eyes drooping slightly as he headed out of the tunnel.
Before he got far, a soft voice emerged from the "doghole": "Sovereign Lord, you forgot me!"
The tri-eyed boy halted, glancing at the doghole on the wall: "You came to slack off and see your mother, right? Your excuses are always irrelevant; save time by skipping them."
"This time, itâs genuine! Outsiders have somehow breached the Prison Front Path!"
Unbothered, the boy still inquired: "A Merchant Organization?"
"Yes. The Black, White, and Gray Merchants all emerged, but now the Black and White Merchants have retreated, leaving only the Gray Merchant."
"Donât worry about them. Theyâre clearing the magical creatures from the sewers, preventing them from invading the mortals, which is beneficial to us." His words suggest he has no ill intentions toward the Merchant Organization.
Too many magical creatures have bred in the sewers, and it indeed requires special personnel to handle them; firstly, to avoid disturbing the outside world, and secondly, the energy from the deceased creatures can be absorbed by the Magical Energy Array, aiding its perpetual operation.
So, although he hasnât officially interacted with the Merchant Organization, he often discreetly arranges for their convenience in the underground aqueduct.
After all, theyâre doing free labor.
"But itâs not just the Merchant Organization; several outsiders have also intruded. The people from the Merchant Organization seem to be chasing these outsiders."
"Outsiders? What kind of people?"
A tiny voice described for a long time with not much information, only that the number of people was quite large and... always shrouded in an illusion.
"A moving illusion? Interesting." The young manâs words said this, but his expression remained indifferent: "Anything else?"
"No." The small voice whispered.
"Alright, I admit you have a reason to report this time, but thereâs still no value of attention." The young man waved his hand: "However, I agree you can stay here. You and your mother can clean up the pollution here. I donât want to smell anything strange next time I return."
A subtle voice came from the doghole: "Clearly, the master said it was interesting..."
"I said it was interesting, but it doesnât mean it requires attention. This place has become ruins; thereâs nothing to explore. No matter who, theyâll leave eventually... or stay forever, no need to care." The young manâs voice grew fainter, indicating he was getting farther from the Earth Cavern.
Once the young manâs figure disappeared, You Nu spoke gently: "You should learn more from your brother and donât always run to me."
Despite her words, You Nu created an abyssal hole, surrounding the tiny entrance within it.
"But itâs so boring over at brotherâs place; itâs more comfortable here with mother..."
Though the scene seemed odd, the mother-child, or rather mother-daughter bond was genuine.
After embracing for a while, You Nu softly said: "I can feel it: the Dominator has left my body. Letâs begin; letâs clean up the filth here on behalf of the Dominator and the Goddess."
...
Elsewhere, the young man emerged from the passageway, and it slowly closed behind him. This signified that You Nu had begun the Second Level pollution cleanup.
"Just a half month inside that Mud Monster, and Iâm already so exhausted. The human form truly is frail."
"A moving illusion... Itâs rare for the underground aqueduct to be lively, but I need to sleep, sigh..."
Stretching lazily, the young man headed in another direction.
Not long after, he saw a magnificent hall.
Through the hallâs portal, a vast domed chamber was revealed.
The chamber was quite simple in decor, with circular walls lined with rows of books, resembling a library.
The young man casually picked a thick book and, dragging his weary body, passed through a small path beside the hall, entering a room slightly smaller than the outer library.
Eyeing the thick white carpet on the distant floor, the young man yawned: "Finally, I can rest. The matter of making scents for that one... Iâll deal with it after I wake up."
Murmuring, the youthâs form began to expand, soon morphing from a small human boy into a gigantic four-meter-tall Magic Monster.
ââTriclops Blue Demon.
Yes, this young man is one of the several Dominators of the underground aqueduct, the very Wise Sovereign that Angel is destined to encounter.
Triclops Blue Demon stepped to a warm fireplace, the carpetâs texture providing comfort.
It slowly lay down, curling up, with its eyes gradually closing.
Yet, amid the onset of sleep, the three-framed glasses placed beside it suddenly flashed.
"Triclops." A gentle female voice entered the Wise Sovereignâs ears.
Originally having closed all three eyes, the Sage immediately opened them, sitting upright from the carpet.
Sweeping its gaze around, it finally fixed on a round table with glasses.
On the glass lenses, a faint female silhouette appeared, but the glassâs transparency and reflection made it hard to discern distinct features.
The Wise Sovereign rose, transforming back to the form of a human boy, and slightly bowed toward the glasses: "Oh, itâs the Goddess, greetings."
"I know exactly whatâs in your mind; thereâs no need to feign respect."
The Sage Sovereign spoke lightly: "Respect is my duty before the Goddess, considering we have a contract."
The feminine figure on the lens scoffed coldly: "You know what the contract entails, so spare me the formalities. Our relationship is merely mutually beneficial."
The Wise Sovereign chuckled, choosing not to pursue this thread but shifted the topic: "Did you come here for the new batch of scents? If so, you might be disappointed as Iâm currently searching for the main ingredients. Thereâs a lead, and I might start blending soon. Success isnât guaranteed, and even if the blend goes smoothly, testing is necessary before offering it to Her Highness."
"My purpose here isnât related to scents."
Wise Sovereign: "Then are you asking me to convey a message to You Nu?"
"No." The female voice paused: "I felt descendants of Noah approaching nearby, drawing closer to where I am."
"I need you to confirm this descendantâs purpose. If itâs unrelated to me, drive them out. But if they insist on seeking me, then... dash their hopes."
Upon hearing this, the Wise Sovereign immediately recalled the intruders mentioned by the doghole earlier. If nothing unexpected, among these intruders should be Noahâs descendants.
Noahâs descendants, didnât expect them to come again... they really are persistent.
Sage: "I understand, Iâll investigate. But, does Her Highness intend to shatter his hopes or âhisâ hopes?"
Though the Sage used the same âhisâ, it was clear the intended target was different.
"Itâs best not to pry into matters unrelated to you... Also, do not forget our contract."
After the words fell, the image on the glasses slowly dissipated, leaving no further sound.
The Sage squinted and stood in place, falling into contemplation.
After a moment, the Sage stretched lazily: "Seems I have to delay my sleep. What a tough life..."
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