Chapter 443: Chapter 443: Underground Treasury
Duke and Vivian were patrolling the streets while moving towards the northern part of Ash City.
They appeared to be diligently carrying out their tasks, but in reality, they were speeding up to get there.
"We’ve been specifically assigned to patrol these areas from above to prevent us from competing for the spoils of war. We shouldn’t be foolishly patrolling here," Vivian said.
As the first big city on the edge of Sobbing Blood Plain, Ash City naturally holds many treasures.
Although they withdrew in advance and took many things, there are still many items that can’t be removed quickly.
For example, the underground vault in the northern part of Ash City, where generations of rulers have stored most of their wealth and precious materials in an extrely fortified underground vault.
It is said that this vault was built at the city’s inception with the aid of several powerful Awakened individuals, costing a fortune to construct, and it’s considered nearly indestructible.
Moreover, over the years, the defense system of the vault has been continuously reinforced, making it an imperable underground fortress.
This vault is enormous and can’t be emptied in a short ti; those people simply don’t have enough ti to move all its contents.
More importantly, it’s rumored that each level of this vault requires a key, and even the current City Lord of Ash City may not have the authority to open every level.
Thus, there’s likely still much of value inside the vault, becoming a pri target for the United Legion.
Where there are benefits, there are naturally intrigues. The United Legion can be united on the battlefield, but in tis like these, everyone has their own thoughts.
Since the main force here belongs to the Thorn Holy Tower, outsiders like Duke are naturally assigned to patrol the outskirts.
The rule in plane warfare is that all spoils belong to the Wizards themselves, a rule none can break.
Thus, the United Legion can’t outright forbid Duke from searching for spoils, only assign them to peripheral areas through tasks.
Especially for the Seventh Squad, many in Catherine’s squad are here as gold-plated connections.
It’s fine for them to muddle around usually, but when it cos to significant interest relations, these connections can only stand aside.
If their parents were here, they might get a larger share, but for these young ones, they have no say.
Even Vivian was assigned to patrol, whereas if Grace were here, the situation would certainly be different.
Yet, they’re not foolish enough to truly patrol honestly; after all, their task range is not fixed.
"Patrolling to the city north is quite reasonable," Duke mused.
He and Vivian, together with a team of slave creatures, gradually arrived at Ash City’s northern section.
The closer they got to the northern area, the more different the street scenes appeared.
The chaos and decay of previous areas gradually diminished, replaced by a sense of military-controlled order that had been powerfully sanitized.
The patrol on the streets was no longer just ordinary slave creatures but transford into more ard, sharp-eyed Knights and official Wizard teams from the Thorn Holy Tower.
They scrutinized everyone approaching the area, an invisible tension and exclusion pervading the air.
This seed to be the core plaza of Ash City North District, which might have once been a bustling market or gathering place, but now completely occupied by the United Legion’s power.
In the plaza’s center stood a strikingly sturdy, seemingly earth-united giant square building.
Composed entirely of deep gray, tal-glossed massive stones, it had almost no windows, only narrow openings.
The building’s style was rugged and functional, resembling more the entrance to a fortress than a structure.
And clearly, this was the surface entrance hub to the underground vault.
At this mont, nurous individuals had already gathered before the fortress entrance, their atmosphere delicate and tense.
The core area was, of course, firmly controlled by the Thorn Holy Tower’s people.
Around ten Wizards dressed in robes adorned with thorn symbols were surrounding the heavy tal gate, engraved with complex defensive runes.
So were holding various strange detection devices, scanning the gate and surrounding walls, lights flashing unpredictably.
Others were gathered, whispering, before them hovered complex structural diagrams made of energy, evidently analyzing the gate’s structure and decryption thods.
Their expressions were focused, exuding a determined confidence, while small squads of elite Wizards served as guards, maintaining a distance from unrelated personnel.
A bit further out were other Wizard Organization mbers, like the few Wizards from Silver Hand, their expressions seed unfavorable, clearly disadvantaged in the power struggle.
Reluctant to be entirely excluded, they could only linger nearby, seeking opportunities or at least hoping for a share.
Occasional snippets of their unsatisfactory exchanges with the Thorn Holy Tower mbers could be heard.
"Hey, I say, what’s the progress on cracking this? Can’t let you Thorn Holy Tower folk occupy it forever, right? According to warti regulations, the discoverer of spoils has priority, but we also have rights to participate in distribution!" A Wizard from Silver Hand raised his voice.
A leading Wizard from Thorn Holy Tower, without lifting his head, coldly replied: "Wait until we open this turtle shell. Got the ability, crack it yourself? Or find another entrance? Can’t find it, then quietly wait, don’t interrupt our work."
Further back were so Wizards like Duke and Vivian, observing the scene.
In groups of three or five, they whispered among themselves, eyes drifting between the Thorn Holy Tower mbers and the gate, their gaze a mix of envy, jealousy, and a hint of helplessness.
They knew well that the largest cake wouldn’t be for them - they can only hope when Thorn Holy Tower eats, they could get so leftover broth or check for other scraps.
The Thorn Holy Tower’s people arrived at the underground vault first, thus holding the priority to decrypt the vault, and when entering the pile, they have the priority for distribution rights.
But if they can’t break the gate’s seal, then once others break through, the priority shifts.
This is why Silver Hand’s Wizards keep clamoring, aiming to pressure Thorn Holy Tower’s folks.
Yet truly letting them try, they’d have no clues any ti soon.
It’s rely an opportunity to gather intelligence, preparing for subsequent decryption efforts.
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