Chapter 73: Breaking the Ga
一 minute ago, Imperial Bridge Control Room.
“Are you sure this thing won’t suddenly co crashing down?”
Standing at the window, looking at the bridge deck lifting upward, Anthony spoke with a trace of a playful, mocking smile.
“I really can’t imagine what kind of power could possibly pull up such a heavy fellow……… This bridge deck isn’t made of wood, right?”
“Of course not.”Breaking the Deadlock (It’s now on the shelves, asking for monthly tickets at the start of the month)
One minute earlier, inside the Imperial Bridge control room.
“Are you sure this thing won’t suddenly crash down?”
Standing by the window, looking at the bridge deck rising upwards, Anthony spoke with a mocking smile.
“I really can’t imagine what kind of power it takes to pull such a heavy thing up……… This bridge deck isn’t made of wood, right?”
“Of course not.”
The burly engineer staring at the control console was clearly very displeased with Anthony, but still suppressed his temper and answered.
After all, the man was here to investigate, and he could not refuse to cooperate.
“Can you explain?”
“We use a hydraulic system. High-pressure water is produced by a reservoir, and the steam engine pumps the water from the reservoir into the hydraulic device, thereby lifting the bridge deck upright.”
“And if this lifting device fails, then what?”
“We designed a backup ergency system. If the pressure is lost, the bridge deck will automatically lock at its current position, and after we repair it, we can continue further……………”
“Bzzzz—————!”
However, before the engineer could finish speaking, a sharp, ear-piercing alarm blared out along with flashing red lights, instantly making the atmosphere in the control room tense.
“What happened? What’s going on!”
“The bridge is automatically releasing pressure—fast!”
The staff mber in front of the console widened his eyes in shock, staring at the controls and shouting loudly.
“How is that possible? Did the hydraulic device malfunction?”
“I—I don’t know………”
“Shut it down! Lock it………”
The engineer hurried to give orders, but at this mont Anthony couldn’t be bothered with such things.
He directly grabbed the intercom and shouted loudly:
“Boss, run———!”
“Boom!”
But before Anthony’s words fell, two bridge sections weighing thousands of tons ca crashing down, slamming into the river with a thunderous roar.
Water exploded into the air like a fountain, shooting so high it splashed directly against the control room windows, soaking Anthony to the bone before he could dodge.
But right now, he had no ti to care.
He bolted out of the control room, intercom in hand.
“Big guy! Watch the surroundings! Find the Boss and the Young Lady!”
Monts later, the bridge deck rose again, closing back up.
The control room had already descended into chaos—it was obvious that even they had not expected the Imperial Bridge to actually malfunction.
But Anthony had no interest in their panic.
He knew news of this would quickly spread upwards, and what happened afterward… was none of his business.
Henry’s steamship was further away from Levi and the others, so it wasn’t directly affected.
But even so, the waves caused when the bridge panels crashed down nearly flipped his small steamship over completely.
Henry, however, had no ti to worry about that.
Wiping the water from his face, he pushed the engine to speed, steering beneath the bridge.
After all, anyone who could swim knew—being struck like that in the water, even if one didn’t die, one would likely black out.
And if one fainted, drowning was almost certain.
Right now, Henry only hoped he could quickly find Levi and Katie, and get them out alive.
But the river at night was terribly dark.
There were no searchlights around, and Henry could only rely on the small lamp aboard the steamship, searching across the river surface while calling out loudly.
Yet it was useless.
Levi and Katie seed to have vanished into thin air, with no trace at all.
Where had they gone?
If Levi knew what the others were thinking at this mont, he would have answered in one sentence—They were on the bridge!
Yes, on the Imperial Bridge!
When the two plunged into the river, the imnse impact struck them imdiately.
But that was not the end.
Right after, they felt a powerful suction from below, dragging them deeper into the river’s depths.
And then—sothing bizarre happened.
The sinking pair were suddenly flung out of the water, landing heavily on solid ground.
When they opened their eyes, what appeared before them was the towering spire of the Imperial Bridge.
“Uh……… What’s going on?”
Katie stared in confusion at the Imperial Bridge before her.
“Didn’t we just sink into the water? How are we back on the bridge?”
“Maybe because this Imperial Bridge… isn’t the sa Imperial Bridge as before.”
Levi spoke as he swiftly scanned the surroundings.
He clearly rembered that earlier, the riverbanks were lit brightly, and the buildings of Mist City could be seen clearly.
But now, from the bridge, everything was shrouded in thick fog—as if the entire world held nothing but the bridge and the mist.
At the sa ti………
“Imperial Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, Imperial Bridge is falling down, my fair lady……….”
“Eek———?”
Hearing the singing, Katie shuddered.
“W-Who’s singing?”
“Just look up.”
Though Levi was also terrified, he still forced himself to keep calm and answered flatly.
Hearing this, Katie instinctively raised her head toward the tower above.
And then—she froze.
The two colossal towers that rose from the river had co alive!
Yes, alive!
Like so object-personification from a cartoon, the searchlights on the towers had beco eyes, the bridge arches mouths, opening and closing while chanting the childish singsong voice.
“Th-This… what is this!?”
Katie could accept monsters, even ugly ones.
Ghosts, though frightening, were at least familiar from childhood stories.
But towers coming alive, turning human-like—this she could not comprehend! After all, this was an age without cartoons.
How could she even imagine such a thing?
Or rather……… what exactly were these things!?
But Katie soon had no ti to ponder.
Because right then, the bridge beneath their feet trembled once more, and the side bridges of the towers rose like giant arms.
And their target was all too obvious!
“Katie, give the model!”
At Levi’s command, Katie hurriedly handed him the model case she had been clutching tightly in her arms.
Levi snapped it open, sweeping his hands over it.
anwhile, the towers’ “arms” had already risen high, and with the final line of “my fair lady,” they ca smashing down at Levi and Katie!
There was no escape from such a strike.
Yet—sothing unexpected happened.
As the towers’ arms crashed down, Levi suddenly opened his right hand and flung it aside.
Following his motion, the towers’ arms veered away, smashing instead into each other!
“Waaah…! What are you doing!”
“I didn’t an to!”
The two towers wailed at once, quarreling like children.
Then their eyes turned toward Levi.
“It’s him! It’s him! The bad guy!”
“He doesn’t want to play fair!”
“Whew……………”
Levi secretly exhaled in relief, staring at the towers.
He was very glad he had the foresight to make Katie bring the model.
Through 【Soul Sight】, he had already seen it—the red glow of the model and the Imperial Bridge here were fully rged.
aning, the model and the bridge influenced each other!
And fortunately, as a 【Puppeteer】, he could manipulate small constructs!
He couldn’t control the entire massive bridge—but through the model, he could affect its movents!
As for destroying the model……… Levi had tried.
But though it looked delicate, fragile enough to shatter at a touch, it was abnormally sturdy.
Even bullets could not leave the slightest mark.
“Bad guy, get out!”
The towers shouted again.
“This ga doesn’t allow cheating bad guys! We won’t play with you!”
Raising their arms again, they prepared to smash Levi out of the “ga.” But alas, Levi was no child.
What they said, he would not obey.
Naughty children needed discipline—a good beating!
Fixing his gaze on the towers’ raised arms, Levi’s eyes flashed coldly.
He thrust out his right hand.
At his motion, the towers’ arms jerked forward, as if pulled by an invisible force.
Then they twisted like noodles, tangling tightly together!
“Eh? Eh? Why can’t I move?”
“Ouch! Let go!”
“You let go first!”
Levi ignored their quarrel.
He quickly stood and barked:
“Let’s go!”
“Eh? Where?”
“To kill these two towers.”
Saying so, Levi raised his head, staring at the towers bickering like children.
And within their bodies glimred two pulsing red lights, like hearts.
That was their target!
“Move!”
“Ah—Y-Yes………”
The towers were too busy squabbling to notice them.
It was the best chance.
Levi dashed toward the bridge arch, Katie hurrying behind.
They passed over the trembling “tongue-like” bridge deck, and ca to the gaping arch that opened and closed like a mouth.
What should have been solid steel now felt soft and pliant like flesh, opening and shutting with shrill wails and complaints.
In an animation, it might have been cute.
But Levi had no mood to admire—it was terrifying.
He quickened his pace, dragging Katie straight inside.
“This way!”
Luckily, Levi had once scouted the Imperial Bridge thoroughly with his puppets.
He knew the tower’s internal structure well.
So after entering the arch, he imdiately led Katie toward the ergency stairway—there was an elevator, but given how alive the structure was now, taking it would be suicide.
And indeed, danger ca quickly.
“Hey, be gentle!”
“Ow, ow, ow!”
As they dashed up the steps, the steel staircase beneath their feet groaned in complaint.
But Levi and Katie did not apologize, because……………
“Invaders—get out!”
A massive gear suddenly burst from the wall, slamming down toward Levi.
Katie leapt forward, clenching her fist and striking hard, smashing the giant gear aside in one blow!
“Leave it to , Detective!”
For the two of them, there was clearly only one way to escape this strange predicant.The burly worker who was staring intently at the control console—
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