Donning the headphones, Ang Pailisi—Colonel Brownlion—listened to the voice coming through. He swept a glance at the few remaining people in the room, made a quick decision, and began speaking in a soft voice. In a language no one had ever heard before, he murmured into the headphones:
“‘The Storm Ode of Emerald Peak, Volume Three’—if you hear the storm singing from afar, he says, the newcomer has not known the tales that we know all too well. “
Through the earphones came the slight rustling sound of the other side removing their headset.
Colonel Goldenlion’s voice emerged through the current, yet likewise in this unknown language.
—— “If the storm chants, then the traveler bows his head. He murmured softly, fellows on the road once said, perhaps the wooden staff too has its fated journey destined.“
Colonel Brownlion paused for a moment, his fingertips unconsciously tapping twice on the machine.
“At dusk, the heavens sink low, dew clings to the leaves. ” This line exists truly in the poem, he continued, “Divine men have no recourse, their broken hearts scheme for a way home. “
The other end waited for two seconds.
—— “This is…“
“It is ‘the Fifth Canto of Land’s Dusk’. “
On the plane, Colonel Brownlion, who stood beside Zhao Anlong—the man now leaning back in his seat with arms folded behind his head—hiss bent entirely forward, straining to listen to the static-laden voice from the earbuds. He froze and stiffened in his seat. “The fifth… contingency plan for the end-times, ” uttered an internal monologue, tightening his brow. He then turned his head and looked towards the boy who, meeting his gaze, smiled amiably back.
“What are you looking at me for? “
Colonel Goldenlion strained his face into a faint, amiable smile and replied in that ‘Mistfolk Language’ Zhao Anlong had reference: “Nothing. “
……
The atmosphere was heavy, and many people were coming and going down the dim corridor.
Yang Zicang stood in the hallway, watching the wood clump slowly shifting its ‘Eye-thing’, which seemed to scout him and the other passersby around the nearby wall.
Nearby, around the corner of the stairs, with the aid of one of the groups’ rapid gu’s expiators, Yang-Zai Cao’s entourousee& al-KLPO-van Xu Aiyiayjinaan and young insident Lin Siyt evolved a spirited onboarding on all newly pressing trials in his transformed world – covering time in stride with profound wealth of ancient wisdom but sharp coverage against data crunches – a reels shift study towards him to—every temporal piece quickly be rec overies his expedor of many eventual newer trans intain update right now, seeing well line retornaments both new auddaomine know puresl.
Turning sideways, Kim Crest spoke in a low voice to Edmond, who was squeezed in beside Jean Ussy behind him. “You’re the botanist. What’s this thing? Do you know? “
“Uh, I… ” The broad-faced Edmond looked bewildered. “Sometimes, even botanists can’t explain everything. “
From ahead of them came the subdued voice of Yang Zicang.
“So, you insist on staying in this specific room, but I can’t give you what you want. It doesn’t belong to me anymore. “
“My story can only have the greatest impact here. “
He Yishu, standing beside him, said, “President, what are those two little creatures to you? It feels like those two new friends aren’t the least bit worried about them. “
Yang Zicang glanced sideways at the floor. “Ah, they’re a couple of brats you can only manage by coaxing. And besides, they’re quite clever. “
Some people glanced towards the door of Room 201 nearby.
Now the only room in the entire hotel not under Chairman Yang Buchen’s control is this one—or perhaps Room 407 as well. The presidential suite was about to be checked in, yet those two new little things, which even Sword Thirteen couldn’t do anything about, had already flown off somewhere outside the hotel holding the key, God knows where.
Phoenix-Perching Tree stood there indifferently, its flames completely retracted into its body. Those beside it could only feel a faint, slightly warm aura.
Yang Zicang stared at it for a couple of exchanged glances, feeling the intent conveyed by the distributor’s gaze from the ring.
“What’s the highest temperature you can withstand? “
“What do you mean? ” Phoenix-Perching Tree replied in surprise.
Surrounding murmurers redirected their attention, looking over again.
After a moment’s thought, Yang Zicang looked up and asked, “Can you go underground? “
“Huh? ” Jean Ussy, He Yishu, Wang Zhi, and an elder of the Hellfire Sect standing there to watch the novelty tensed up in alarm less than a second after their initial confusion.
They all knew that the threat of the Doom Vines originated from underground. However, this iron vine could be communicated with. Nearly all the upheavals and new shifts in the world over the past half-day had to do with the rediscovery that “the Campfire Plan can communicate with the demon underground. “
At this very moment, they looked somewhat surprised and shocked at this eternally burning piece of wood that had always resided in the first room of the Costella Hotel.
Phoenix-Perching Tree was clearly not an ordinary life form. It figured things out in no time.
“When you say underground, you don’t mean… that incredibly, incredibly deep underground, do you? “
A few labored breaths were heard.
Yang Zicang nodded solemnly. “If so, it’s about intel on the end of the world. I think your status here will become incomparably higher from now on. “
Another set of footsteps came down from upstairs, slightly heavy, as if from someone who had walked a long way and seemed a bit weary.
Anxi came down, sweating lightly from his exertion, his clothes damp.
Thoughts intertwine. Convey plan—kind strategy includes: carry on the pilot? If timely manner…
“It would be a bit dangerous, right? The temperature down there is extremely high, ” a voice said.
He Yishu, standing nearby, glanced at the pendant on his chest, then looked up at the piece of wood and asked, “Is the temperature of an iron-melting furnace dangerous for you? “
“Hmph. ” The piece of wood seemed quite disdainful. “A mere iron-melting furnace dares to compare itself with the flames of a phoenix. “
As it spoke, a fine layer of flame burst out around it, easily enveloping itself. The crisp crackling sounds of fire rose faintly, as if many different fiery voices were echoing within this shroud of energy.
“The temperature of a typical iron furnace is around over a thousand degrees, ” said a Soldier Army member from the corridor.
“Alas! ” A man with prominent ears beside him sighed heavily and slapped his own knee.
Anxi squeezed closer, peered at the thing surrounded by the crowd, and only then understood why so many people were standing around.
“If the furnace temperature were several times higher, this flame of yours should still protect you, right? “
Phoenix-Perching Tree looked exceedingly proud. “It’s more than sufficient for five or six times the heat. Any higher, and I… uh, well… definitely couldn’t handle it. “
“So temperatures around eight to nine thousand degrees Celsius are safe for it, ” whispered the murmuring crowd.
Phoenix-Perching Tree appeared both proud and somewhat worried as it swept its gaze over those around. It felt as if something were about to happen to it.
“Me! ” A person raised their hand and said, “I’ll go ask roughly what the temperature at the Earth’s core is. “
“The Earth’s core?! ” The Phoenix-Perching Tree was utterly shaken, jolting with a start.
“I’ll go too! ” Another person swiftly turned and followed the previous one, their footsteps echoing as they ran upstairs.
The exclamations down here drew the attention of some people on the upper floor, who turned to look back, but couldn’t make out what was being said.
“The Earth’s core is out of the question. ” The Phoenix-Perching Tree shifted its body toward the door of Room 201. “Impossible. I’m not going! “
“It won’t be that deep. And I believe we won’t even get close to two-thirds of the distance from the mantle to the magma region of the Earth’s core, ” Yang Zicang said. “What we need to attempt this time is to find the main body of the End Doom Demon. “
“The Iron Vine can continuously extend from underground, which suggests it’s likely in a semi-solidified state. ” An elder of the Hellfire Sect said urgently from the side, “Iron’s melting point is relatively low compared to the Earth’s core’s temperature. If we can actually get down there and find it—wow! “
He couldn’t hold back his excited exclamation anymore, his whole being brimming with a fanatical, joyful anticipation.
He Yishu withdrew his gaze from that elder. Having already touched the Key, he let out a light sigh.
In this new meeting, the group had not yet deduced the truly despairing truth: that the demon’s power spanned across “the entire Earth’s crust ” and even “the entire planet’s geomagnetic field “.
Yang Zicang hesitated for a moment, then in a tone laced with inquiry, he said:
“If the constantly extending Iron Vine is merely a means of attack… then I suppose we might have something to look forward to. “
He Yishu’s heart stirred. “Oh, I see… I get it. “
As the Phoenix-Perching Tree slowly shifted its gaze left and right, observing these humans’ movements, a soldier from the regular army ran down.
“Respected Chairman Yang Buchen, the deputy commander of our headquarters would like to arrange a time with you to jointly discuss the ‘Steel Vine Problem.’ “
“Sorry, I’m not available at the moment. “
“Yes, Mr. Chairman. Also, some materials regarding ‘Mist Maiden and the Colored Glaze Cup’ have been delivered. “
“Just hand them over to Mr. Pailisi for consolidation and processing. “
After saying this, Yang Zicang walked toward the Phoenix-Perching Tree and said, “You heard that, didn’t you? Our world is seeking ways to deal with the doomsday crisis. Now, perhaps you can become one of the protagonists saving the world. “
The Phoenix-Perching Tree lifted its eyes to glance at him. “No… no way. “
“Well… Mr. Chairman, ” Anxi, having rested from his descent, spotted the soldier who had just finished reporting, then took two steps forward to interrupt Yang Zicang, saying:
“That ‘Colored Glaze Cup’ material Cheng Yunze and I gathered, does that also need to be directly handed over to that stranger outside for consolidation and processing? “
Cheng Yunze…?
“What do you mean? ” Yang Zicang turned his head in slight surprise, looking toward Anxi among the crowd.
“What I mean is, ” Anxi walked out, wiping the fine sweat from his forehead, and leaned in beside Jin‧Kleist as he said, “Cheng Yunze said he has special intelligence regarding the Liuli Lamp to deliver to you, but that merchant outside offered to compile it at his place first. He sent me in to ask you on the side. “
Yang Zicang, standing by the Phoenix-Perching Tree, stood frozen in place.
He suddenly sensed a train roaring through his heart.
“Little Machao, didn’t he already leave the hotel and go back earlier? “
“Huh… um? ” The few people around hesitantly looked at the stunned Yang Zicang.
This matter—after someone discovered that big guy was missing, they asked Manager Mus and found out. By the time Yang Zicang appeared, this information had already been mixed in with many messages and reported to him.
“Cheng Yunze is still here? ” Yang Zicang stood still. “Then, did it go back on its own?! ” He immediately turned his head toward 202. “…How did it come back? “
Yang Zicang dashed toward the door in one go.
The few people around him also caught on. They immediately followed Yang Zicang and rushed inside. But shortly after, they rushed back out again in a flurry and ran downstairs.
“Liliya! ” Yang Zicang shouted as he clattered down the stairs.
Xu Aiyuan and Lin Site, who had been sitting on the sofa in the downstairs lobby, saw a group of men frantically thumping down the stairs with a “clatter clatter clatter ” and bursting out of the hotel.
“Little Suansuan! “
“Miss Liliya~! “
Among the two tiny figures hovering directly above the inn, scrutinizing the rooftop, the little reporter in the black slanted-collar dress floated outward slightly, gazing down at a few figures beneath her who were standing by the antenna pole outside the inn and shouting with their hands cupped around their mouths. She silently took out her small notebook and a pen as thin as a leg hair, licked her lips, and poked a tiny black dot onto its page.
……
Outside the house, Cheng Yunze, who had been chatting casually with Colonel Brownlion, was escorted inside by several figures who rushed out in a panic.
The Colonel watched their figures enter the house, then turned his head back to look at the pile of materials about the “Glazed Lamp ” beside him.
So it turned out that this story had been born a long, long time ago.
This was definitely one of those “ancient pieces of intelligence ” that the Fogfolk would care about.
It was a story of the Fogfolk. Yet the Fogfolk who came here knew of the existence of the demons, but didn’t know about the existence of the other continents from the Ages.
This was truly a perplexing matter.
……
By the time Cheng Yunze entered the inn, the crowd had already gathered noisily in the spacious room 209.
He glanced at the burned and blackened trail that wound along the hallway carpet.
“As long as you check into the Presidential Suite, you can instantly establish communication with any other room that belongs to your own Track of Fate. “
“It’s not immediate! ” someone exclaimed loudly, pushing through the crowd on both sides, stretching out a hand to press against the long, narrow side cabinet table standing upright in the center of the room.
“Get this straight. Even if we manage to convince the Spirits to join the Unified Accommodation Management Committee now, there’s no way we can allocate new rooms this month, right? “
Yang Zicang, sitting on the edge of a table barely enough for one person, let out an “Uh, well… ” and hugged his head, eyes open, picking at it.
“I seriously suspect the Divine Hotel did this. “
“Now is not the time to discuss this. “
“Master Lin Site, can’t you think of any good way for us to go back? “
Lin Site shrugged his shoulders from within the crowd on one side of the table.
Cheng Yunze and several others walked in. Yang Zicang immediately got up, sidestepped over, and went to meet them.
“I heard the train is missing? ” the leader of this Four-Phase group said, approaching.
“I need you to go back and look for that train. “
Before Yang Zicang could open his mouth for a second sentence, amidst Cheng Yunze’s stunned expression, someone burst in shouting:
“President! I just asked! The front desk manager said that even though we aren’t qualified for the Presidential Suite yet, we are indeed one of the closest batches to check in. So… “
“So what? ” Everyone around the table turned to look.
The man’s hoarse shout carried a hint of terror: “So, if we sign a contract and pledge the Glorious Flashes of the Elite as collateral, guaranteeing we check into the Presidential Suite immediately upon earning approval from all other guests… then… “
Everyone’s breath tightened as they waited in suspense.
“Then, he can now apply to begin construction of the Presidential Suite!“
Yang Zicang, utterly speechless, lifted his arm, while Cheng Yunze gave a soft chuckle and reached out to grab his hand, pulling it back down.
“Alright, no need for any extra words,” he said, glancing at the new watch strapped to his wrist before looking up seriously, adding, “It’s already past three o’clock. If we don’t hurry, I might not even be able to reach the Freq-Lost Ground before dark.“
He patted Yang Zicang on the shoulder.
“But I think this card is also quite valuable. If… Little Machao can find Li Mi and the others, he should be able to accomplish the same thing I did. It’s just that, at this point, if I go back, get on the train, and bring him over, wouldn’t the final value I get be about the same as selling it?“
“You have to go.” Yang Zicang turned his head to look at him. “If absolutely necessary, I’ll sell what’s left. But… your city needs a miracle too.“
With that, he gritted his teeth and strode forward quickly, joining the crowd that got up behind him and rushed toward the stairwell. “Damn it! Starting to build the Presidential Suite room at a time like this.“
As they ran, one person lagging behind glanced back at the table, at the locals from the Hellfire Sect and others, at Phoenix-Perching Tree, at Yang Zicang’s new friends, and finally at the Cheng Yunze who was about to take his leave.
“Hey hey, Chief,” said the man in the black cloth cap as he dashed forward to the doorway, “Why don’t we use the fact that everyone’s gathered here to boot up Motav’s Television Unit first?“
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