Volume 1: Stranger in a Strange Land Chapter 25 The Web Weaver and the Chess Game
The Moon Realm of the Whispering Queen is called the "Silk Nest". Legend has it that the conspiracy of every mortal in the world will be transformed into silk threads there, and eventually converge into a spider web so vast that there is no end in sight.
The Whispering Queen is entrenched in the center of this spider web, with all the threads gathered in her hands. She feels the tremors of all the conspiracies in this world, and then orders her clan weavers to continue weaving this web of conspiracy according to her will, so that all conspiracies will change according to her will.
In the game, the Whisper Queen and her family always leave riddles everywhere with an unfathomable look, as if everything is under their control. And when they act, they like to keep turning around, and all kinds of ingenious plans are linked together, as complicated and sophisticated as a Rube Goldberg machine, and redundant and useless.
However, one thing that the Whispering Queen is even more famous for is that her seemingly perfect plans often fall apart at the last step because of a fatal detail.
Therefore, many players in the game forums say that the Whisper Queen is an example of "the plan goes through from beginning to end, but is thwarted at the last step."
Of course, according to the Whispering Queen herself, she only cares about the intricate process of weaving the conspiracy, and she doesn't care much about whether the conspiracy can be completed.
It is also an example of focusing on hard work rather than the harvest.
However, William felt that He said this purely to save face for Himself, otherwise it would be impossible to explain why every time a plan was disrupted, He would become so angry that He would directly send more of His followers to fight, and sometimes even personally take action.
At that moment, the web weaver in front of William no longer had the strange sense of pleasure that the riddler usually had when telling riddles, although there was still a polite smile on his face. But judging from the fact that it was willing to stand up and confront him in its true form, he estimated that its mentality had almost collapsed.
After all, his appearance was definitely unexpected to the other party.
"Members of the Judgment Thirteen?"
After hearing William's words, the Weaver's expression became a little more serious.
It is not uncommon for people to claim to be members of the End Watch. After all, their deeds have long since become legends. Many organizations on the continent, including some official organizations in the empire, claim to be descendants of the End Watch.
But being able to mention the name of the Thirteenth Judgement Seat, which has long disappeared in the long river of history, has a completely different meaning.
That was an existence that the thirteen Void Kings of the Moon Realm had worked together to wipe out in the human world. Even this time when it was incarnated in the human world, its most important mission was to...
Thinking of this, it immediately asked.
"Where did you hear that name?"
"Didn't I tell you? I am a member of the Judgment Thirteen."
lie……
As the weaver who weaves conspiracy webs for the Whispering Queen day and night, it has long known the final outcome of the thirteen rebellious men. Neither they themselves nor their surviving heirs would be able to come to this remote Thorn City now.
"Don't you believe it?"
"I believe it."
The Web Weaver smiled as he finished speaking, and the next second he rushed towards the other party without any warning.
It was as fast as a shadow. When it was less than three meters away from the opponent, it suddenly jumped high and stabbed his head with a gun from above.
"clang!"
William waved "Judgment II" to block the shot, and at the same time, the [Flame Spear Technique] that had been prepared on the spell medium was released.
The web weaver leaping in the air had no leverage and could not possibly dodge the fire spear. However, under the reflection of the fire spear, its charming face showed an expression of "you've been fooled".
Its slender and powerful spider legs stepped lightly, and the spider silk interwoven in the air reflected a faint light in the firelight. The web weaver stepped on the spider web that had been woven at some unknown time in mid-air, dodged William's [Flame Spear Technique], and then turned around to a blind spot in William's sight.
There was no time for the Web Weaver to turn around, and the miasma condensed into a pitch-black dagger in its other hand. It held it with its backhand and stabbed backwards. Although it could not be confirmed with the eyes, the dagger still accurately stabbed William's neck.
A sensation of piercing flesh came from its hand, but before it could savor it, an intense pain came from its back.
"ah!"
The web weaver screamed and turned around, then his eyes widened.
A space gate flashing with lightning appeared in front of the man's neck. His dagger did not pierce his neck, but pierced into the space gate.
The Weaver looked at the place where the pain came from on his back. The man's spell medium was also pointing there. Another space door opened there, and the knife he had stabbed out before pierced his body through the space door.
Before he could get angry, fire flashed on the magic medium in the man's hand again, and another [Flame Spear Technique] was ready to be launched.
The Weaver immediately distanced himself before the spell was completed.
Before it could run a few meters, the fire spear whistled towards its back. It stepped on the silk thread, pulling a large net in front of the fire spear. Although the silk thread only blocked the fire for less than 0.1 seconds before being burned to ashes, it also gave it some reaction time to dodge the attack.
William looked at the opponent's back as he fled in a panic. He did not rush to cast any more spells, but instead recalled the speed and strength of the opponent's previous attack.
The Web Weaver is an assassin-type elite monster in the game that excels in speed and attack power. In terms of speed and attack power alone, it is much faster than the Shambler encountered before. Even if he wants to keep up with the opponent's attack speed, he needs to be 70% focused.
So he secretly cast several defensive spells on himself from the beginning, including [Folding Mirror], [White Frost], [Dragon Skin], [Black Iron Body], etc.
It’s a pity that I don’t have time to buy myself a set of equipment with high defense.
"At least finish what you're saying before you start fighting. You'll be considered rude if you do this, you know?"
After seeing that the Web Weaver had created a sufficient distance between them, he spoke, his tone so relaxed as if the other party had not suddenly attacked him just now.
“You…”
The wound on the Weaver's back was healing slowly, but the Soul-Erosion Curse carried by the dagger also had an effect on itself. A pain as if being bitten by many spiders continued to spread from the wound, causing it to clench its teeth.
"I'll give you a chance. If you are willing to tell me the purpose of your coming to Thorn City and explain clearly what great cause the three Void Kings are busy with, I will just banish you back to the Moon Realm."
William said this, pointing the Judgment Two in his hand at the ground beside him.
"If you don't want to say it, then say goodbye to your eternal life."
The Web Weaver then noticed the ordinary-looking straight sword in his hand, and then looked in the direction of the sword towards the corpses of the two Soul-Eating Spider Demons.
That's right, a corpse.
All Moon Realm monsters should turn into black salt crystals and dissipate after their death in the mortal world. How could they leave behind corpses?
unless……
Armed trial?
Are you kidding?
How could it be such a coincidence that two Judgment weapons appeared in a small Thorn City?
Could this person really be a member of the Judgment Thirteen?
But which Tribunal is he the heir to? Or is he a Tribunal himself?
Could it be that he also came to Thorn City for another weapon of judgment?
But the Whispering Queen has spent a great deal of energy in adjusting and weaving the entire web of conspiracy, ensuring that there will be no variables in this city.
Looking at the sword in the opponent's hand that could truly kill him, the Weaver gritted his teeth and made a decision.
First, use half-truths to calm the other party, and then take the opportunity to find an opportunity to escape, even if it means committing suicide. You must return to the Moon Realm to tell Her Majesty the Queen about the emergence of new Judgment Arms.
As long as she tells him this information, the Whispering Queen will forgive her even if she has violated her oath of secrecy.
Having made up his mind, the Web Weaver spoke.
"I'm waiting because..."
Unfortunately, before it could finish a complete sentence, a bright silver magic circle appeared under its feet, and a strong whirlwind appeared out of nowhere and blew it into the air.
At the same time, four glacial spikes pierced out from the front, back, left and right directions, nailing it firmly in mid-air and making it unable to move.
"you……"
It looked at William in panic, and at this moment seven or eight magic circles of different colors appeared around him.
“Wait… wait a minute!”
Wind blades, thunderstorms, flames, ice spikes...
Seven or eight spells of different attributes hit the Weaver head-on, blowing it to pieces.
"W-why?"
On his deathbed, the Web Weaver looked at the magic caster who walked in front of him and asked with a look of confusion and reluctance.
"Didn't you say that as long as I tell you..."
"Do you think I'm really that stupid to believe that a Moon Realm monster that symbolizes conspiracy and betrayal would tell me the truth?"
After saying this, William stabbed the dying web weaver to death with a sword.
"Can't I just ask your contractor about your purpose ?"
The glacial spikes turned into magic and dissipated, and the body of the Web Weaver fell down.
William turned around and looked at Sigmunds and Colt who were completely stunned.
"I want to hire you and the miners to help me dig a fortress. If the reward is sufficient, are you willing?"
…………
Rose Palace, reception room.
Duke Simon was playing a game of King-Kou chess with a middle-aged man. He was playing the King side, while the other played the Kou side.
"Are you going to give up the castle just like that?"
The man removed the guard pieces from the castle and replaced them with traitors.
"But your refugees were cut off by my knights."
Duke Simon calmly pushed the knight's chess piece forward two steps, blocking the position of the opponent's refugees.
"This way, even if your traitors occupy the castle, it will only be an isolated city. My Royal Guards will be able to take it back in the next round."
The middle-aged man shook his head when he saw this.
"A risky move."
“Sometimes you have to take that risk.”
Duke Simon replied.
"Like now?"
Upon hearing this, Duke Simon put down the chess piece he was hitting and looked at the man and asked.
"Do you know why every time I play King-King chess, I always choose the side with the King?"
The middle-aged man replied.
"Because you are in the position of king?"
"Because in this world there are always winners and losers, I would rather accept the challenges from others from the perspective of a winner and a king."
The Duke replied.
"You are already the king, the king of Blackwater Province."
The middle-aged man reminded.
"A collared king?"
Duke Simon shook his head and continued.
"I will not stop until I regain the authority of the former Blackwater Kingdom."
The middle-aged man sighed and stopped discussing this with him.
He looked at the situation on the chessboard and thought for a while, and finally shook his head helplessly.
"I'm afraid I've already lost this game, Your Majesty, please allow me to leave first."
"Wait a minute, Vincent, you didn't come here today just to lose a game of chess to me, did you?"
Vincent von Bergmann, a master magic chanter with the constellation of Sage, is the chief court wizard of the Rose Palace Wizard Hall. He has been assisting Duke Simon before he came to power and is his most trusted advisor.
"Your Majesty, I understand what I want to ask you, and I also understand your answer through the game of chess just now."
Vincent said, looking down.
"Still worried about the Holy Tomb?"
"You and I have been to the depths of the Holy Tomb together, and we have also seen the warnings above. You should know that it is not a power we can use."
"But that is our only chance. Vincent, when did the warrior who once dared to duel with the members of the Imperial Platinum Circle become so... cautious?"
"Reclaiming the Source Silver Industry and utilizing the Holy Tomb's legacy are two completely different things."
Vincent took a deep breath.
"You should remember that in order to prevent that existence from waking up, the bodies of two judges were buried there."
"Then you should also remember that it is clearly written on the Holy Tomb that the remaining will of that person is almost wiped out. Why waited twenty years to start implementing this plan?"
"Your Majesty, I will take my leave first."
Having said this, Vincent said no more, but said goodbye and left.
When he was halfway there, the Duke suddenly asked.
"Is your daughter okay? I heard that she almost lost her life during this archaeological expedition."
Vincent paused slightly.
"She has finished her confinement and returned to Offa University. My Master Tolain transferred her from the Archaeology Department. She will never be able to touch ancient tombs and ruins again in her life."
"Has the wizard who saved her been found?"
asked the Duke.
"No, she has always been reluctant to say who he is, but that child has always been soft-hearted. I suspect that man is a heretic wizard."
Vincent's usually serious voice became less tense when he talked about his daughter.
The Duke nodded and then sighed slowly.
"Oh, Vincent, so all this is because of your daughter?"
Vincent said nothing more and left the Rose Palace without looking back.
