Wizard, I Have Another World – Chapter 78

Chapter 78: City Gate

Textile Factory.

Even though it was already evening, the place was still bustling with activity.

Uniformed police officers shuttled through the factory, inspecting every corner, leaving no stone unturned.

The female workers were gathered and settled, and the giant machines that had been operating day and night had ceased their roar.

“Chief!”

In front of an oversized fan, a police officer shouted:

“There’s something wrong here!”

Theoretically, the textile factory wouldn’t need such a large fan, and there were traces of what appeared to be blood on the blades.

In the eyes of a professional police officer, it was highly suspicious.

Hearing the commotion, the investigation team rushed over, their gazes following the traces on the ground towards the back of the propeller.

“Let’s go!” The leader waved his hand:

“Tear it down!”

“Yes, sir!”

The subordinates responded.

No matter what the problem was here, as long as they removed the cover, it would be exposed.

“Crack!”

“Bang!”

With a loud crash, the giant propeller fell to the ground, revealing a hidden passage behind it.

The passage was pitch black, leading straight down into the ground, like the gaping maw of a monstrous beast, exuding an eerie and terrifying aura.

“Strike!”

A police officer lit a torch and, holding it high, stepped into the passage.

After walking for tens of meters, reaching an unknown depth below the ground, the dark and narrow passage suddenly became spacious.

Their vision abruptly widened.

“This…”

The police officer stopped in their tracks, frozen in place:

“What is this?”

What came into view was a massive square, with countless cocoons hanging from the ceiling.

The outer layer of each cocoon was covered in a viscous liquid, which occasionally dripped down onto the ground.

The ground was covered in slime, like a transparent layer of water.

Countless pipes connected hundreds of cocoons, forming a gigantic pattern.

It looked like…

An upside-down altar!

In the center of the altar stood a giant stone statue.

The torchlight was dim, making it difficult to discern the statue’s exact shape, but they could vaguely make out the form of a spider.

A half-human, half-spider being!

The police officer’s voice echoed through the chamber, lingering for a long time.

More and more police officers poured into the chamber, only to stop in their tracks as a chilling sensation spread through the air.

“It’s so cold!”

“What are they doing here?”

“…”

The officers whispered among themselves, one of them, emboldened, approached a cocoon with their torch.

A shadow shifted within the cocoon, as if something were hidden inside.

The next moment.

“Whoosh!”

A dark figure tore through the cocoon, piercing the police officer’s throat, spraying blood into the air.

As if on cue, the numerous hanging cocoons began to shake violently, and dark figures emerged from within.

“Squeak…”

“Hiss…”

Screams merged into a wave of sound.

Countless grotesque figures leaped down from above, pouncing upon the crowd, and screams erupted instantly.

“It’s the Spider Women!”

“Run!”

This was clearly a breeding ground for Spider Women, and there were countless of them, having just broken free from their cocoons, lying in ambush.

They were at least ten times larger than the one Karl had encountered before.

“Whoosh!”

“Thud!”

A dense swarm of Spider Women instantly engulfed the crowd.

These ‘creatures’ feasted on flesh and blood, tearing open the officers’ chests and abdomens, crouching down to gnaw on the still-beating internal organs.

They seemed to have been starved for a long time, their bestial eyes gleaming, frantically fighting over the flesh and blood on the ground.

In the blink of an eye,

only tattered clothing remained in the chamber.

“Whoosh!”

“Whoosh, whoosh!”

Having dealt with the officers below, the Spider Women rushed up the passage, quickly reaching the surface.

“Spider Women!”

“Be careful!”

The police officers searching the textile factory shouted in alarm upon seeing the swarm of Spider Women emerge, and the female workers screamed in terror, plunging the vast factory into chaos.

Most of the officers were ordinary people, and even the Knight Squires who had cultivated breathing techniques were no match for so many Spider Women.

One after another, Spider Women leaped out of the passage, their bloodlust driving them to pounce on every moving being in the factory.

Some of them charged towards the North City Gate.

Open the city gate!

Welcome the Mother Goddess!

***

Instinct, deeply rooted in their bloodline, compelled them to charge towards the city guards, forming a torrent in the darkness.

“Boom!”

North City Gate.

Chaos!

…………

“It has begun.”

Caesar Foster, the head of the Foster family, stood on a high building, gazing into the distance with a finely crafted cane in his hand.

From his vantage point, the chaos at the North City Gate was vaguely visible.

“Get your people moving, try to hold back the reinforcements within the city, buy them some time.”

“Yes, sir.”

Behind him, a shadowy figure bowed in response, slowly retreating.

“Caesar, my friend.”

A burly man clad in armor stood beside him, speaking in a muffled voice:

“Are you sure you can open the city gate?”

“A respected scholar once said that there is no absolute certainty in this world; anyone who claims otherwise is a liar.” Caesar shook his head:

“Robert’s death is a great loss for us, and the chances of success may be less than half.”

“Less than half?” The burly man’s eyes narrowed:

“If the city gate cannot be opened, the General will never let you off the hook, and I don’t want to see my friend’s head rolling on the ground.”

“I’ve done my best.” Caesar smiled wryly:

“If this fails, the Foster family will be plunged into the abyss. Do you think I don’t want to succeed?”

“Don’t worry…”

He muttered:

“The Purity Potion requires virgins to be refined, and the members of the Noble Council, even knowing this, still keep demanding it.”

“Many of them even send their own maids in exchange for the potion. If this is exposed, they won’t be able to escape the kingdom’s laws either. I’ve agreed with them that they won’t interfere with this operation, or else I’ll hand over the evidence in my possession, and then no one will be able to escape.”

“We have our people in the City Guard, the Patrol Headquarters, and the police force. There’s a chance… there’s a chance.”

“Heh…” The burly man sneered:

“Nobles?”

“What will happen to them when the city falls?”

“They’re not afraid of the city falling.” Caesar said:

“According to the treaty signed by the kingdoms, even if a noble is captured on the battlefield, they can be ransomed for their freedom.”

“Furthermore, after the city falls, they can still leave. This is not the front line after all, and there won’t be many Colon soldiers entering the city. Every noble family has their own guards, and the General probably won’t want to pick a fight with these tough nuts.”

The burly man was speechless.

The nobles of today had long since fallen; they didn’t care who won or lost the war between the two kingdoms, they only cared about themselves.

As long as there was enough profit, they wouldn’t hesitate to betray their country, even sell their souls and their faith.

“Gando, the former Sun Kingdom, the eldest son of the Empire, has it become so corrupt?”

The burly man narrowed his eyes:

“Colon will be victorious!”

“Boom!”

A loud explosion came from within the city.

Looking towards the sound, they saw a house engulfed in flames under the night sky, the raging fire soaring into the clouds.

The Fire Thieves!

The Fire Thieves hidden within the city had begun their attack, setting fires and burning houses everywhere.

For a time, the entire City of Signo seemed to be surrounded by flames.

Chaos.

It masked the carnage at the North City Gate and forced the reinforcements from various locations to slow their pace.

…………

Frank, the leader of the Noble Council, dressed in a white robe, walked barefoot on the cold stone slabs.

He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing into the distance, his eyes flickering from time to time.

“The Church has dispatched the Night Watchmen and the Guardian Knights, and a Grand Knight from the City Guard is also on their way to the North City.”

“Count Barrow has even ascended the city walls to personally take control of the situation.”

A figure spoke in a low voice from the darkness:

“Robert is dead, and the Divine Messenger hasn’t made a move yet. Those Spider Women alone can’t open the city gate.”

“Indeed.” Frank nodded:

“Where’s Caesar?”

“He’s just a merchant. Although he has leverage over many nobles, it may not be useful.” The figure said:

“The one guarding the South City Gate may not obey either, and the Fire Thieves in the city can’t cause too much trouble.”

“Sir!”

“What are you going to do?”

“Me?” Frank looked up at the bright moon in the sky, half of its face obscured by dark clouds:

“The authority of the gods has been dispersed for too long, it should be unified!”

The figure looked up, confusion filling their eyes. What did the war between the two kingdoms have to do with the gods?

*

*

*

Inside the carriage.

Lady Anne, her clothes half-undressed, nestled beside Karl, revealing her delicate and alluring skin.

However, perhaps due to being confined in the secret chamber and subjected to various forms of abuse, her skin bore numerous red marks.

Like scars!

The presence of these red marks didn’t detract from her charm, but rather added a unique allure.

It evoked a subconscious desire to protect her, yet also a sense of wildness, a desire to ravage her with abandon.

Even Dana, as a woman, had to admit that Lady Anne was incredibly seductive at this moment.

It even stirred something within her.

However…

How long had it been?

These two people, who had never met before, were already clinging to each other. It seemed that the rumors about Lady Anne were indeed true.

Karl…

Dana glanced at Karl, her eyes cold.

She had developed a favorable impression of Karl not long ago because he wasn’t so casual about relationships between men and women. She hadn’t expected that, in such a short time, he would be holding a charming woman in his arms.

It made the favorable impression she had developed vanish into thin air.

“Chief.”

Looking at Dana, Karl spoke slowly:

“Lady Anne is not feeling well right now, could you ask your questions at another time?”

“Not feeling well?” Dana snorted:

“I think it’s you who’s not feeling well, you’re annoyed that I’m interrupting your good time? The lady herself hasn’t said anything.”

“…” Karl shook his head.

He was trying to be kind, but the other party didn’t appreciate it.

“If you’re unhappy, you can get out of the carriage yourself.” Dana continued:

“I’ll escort the lady back.”

“Oh!” Karl raised an eyebrow, a smile appearing on his face:

“Alright!”

He made a gesture as if to get up.

“Alright what?” Lady Anne’s expression turned cold, she reached out and pressed down on Karl’s arm, shaking her head:

“You can’t go.”

“Miss Dana, if you don’t mind it being too late, you can ask anything you want right here.”

Hmm?

Their attitudes made Dana suspicious.

From the looks of it, it wasn’t Karl who was infatuated, but rather Lady Anne who was actively pursuing him.

And he couldn’t even refuse!

“Alright then.”

Putting aside her wandering thoughts, Dana’s expression turned serious, and she said:

“Just now, we found an account book in the manor, which recorded Robert’s income and expenses over the years.”

“Is that so?” Lady Anne blinked:

“That’s not surprising.”

“Don’t judge Robert by his looks, he was a very studious person, and he had a habit of keeping records.”

***

“The key isn’t this.” Dana shook her head, saying:

“According to the records in the account book, there’s a person who has been providing Robert with funds and assistance.”

“Robert just arrived in Signo City a few years ago. Even if he had some property, it wouldn’t have been much, but his current wealth is almost that of the richest person in the city. The reason for this is inseparable from the person who provided him with the funds.”

“Lady Anne!”

Her voice turned serious:

“Don’t you have anything to say?”

“Does Miss Dana mean that I gave Robert money?” Lady Anne blinked her eyes and shrugged, saying:

“Alright!”

“There really is such a thing. I’m a woman, not good at managing finances. Isn’t it normal to hand over the money to someone trustworthy to manage?”

“A woman needs to find a man to rely on; otherwise, your things will be coveted by others.”

Saying so, she leaned towards Karl.

“Rely on?”

Dana narrowed her eyes:

“But judging from the profit distribution recorded in the account book, the two of you are more like business partners, or even…”

“Your share is even more!”

“What use is so much money to a woman like me?” Lady Anne shook her head:

“Although it’s said that my share is high, in the end, it was all spent by him. I don’t know how he spent it. This kind of thing is very troublesome.”

“Is that so?” Dana shook her head:

“Madam, your father was a wealthy merchant, and your husband was a nobleman with a lot of property.”

“After they died, they left all their money to you…”

“Thinking about it now, it doesn’t seem quite reasonable?”

Lady Anne’s mother was just a prostitute. The mother and daughter were not well-regarded at home. The wealthy merchant had sons and daughters; Lady Anne was just one of them. Why did she end up inheriting all the property?

Also, that Earl, although he had no immediate family, he had relatives. It doesn’t make sense to leave the inheritance to a widow.

“This was found in the manor.”

Dana took out a palm-sized statue and placed it in front of the two:

“The Spider Goddess Elise seems to have never had male believers, and the owner of the manor is either Robert or you, Madam. How do you explain this?”

The statue had a human head and a spider body, with long black hair scattered around, looking vivid and eerie.

A Divine Statue!

A Divine Statue of the Spider Goddess!

This charming Lady Anne in front of them, who could make even women’s hearts flutter, is a believer of Elise.

It’s even possible that the deaths of her father and husband were related to her.

“Chief.”

Karl was somewhat speechless:

“Since you discovered she had a problem, why didn’t you bring more people? Or notify the Church?”

“Why bring people?” Dana shook her head:

“Even if she’s a follower of an Evil God, so what? Isn’t she still tied up by Robert and locked in a secret room?”

“I’m a knight, why should I be afraid?”

As she spoke, she thought of Lady Anne’s bound appearance, and her cheeks couldn’t help but flush, her body feeling hot.

“Hee hee…”

Hearing this, Lady Anne giggled, her laughter shaking her body:

“Miss Dana, could it be that you’ve never been with a man? That would be such a pity!”

“Bound…”

“It’s not necessarily being imprisoned; it could also be playing some special games not suitable for children.”

“It’s also possible…”

“It’s to please the Mother Goddess!”

Mother Goddess?

She really is a believer of the Spider Goddess Elise!

Dana’s face darkened. Looking at Lady Anne, who was laughing continuously, her right hand suddenly reached for the hilt of her sword.

“Puff!”

A shadow flashed by.

“Ugh!”

Dana groaned, her legs giving way as she knelt in the middle of the carriage, blood flowing from her shoulder.

What was that?

What happened?

Her eyes were blank; she only knew that in that instant, something had pierced through her shoulder.

By the time she came to her senses, her arm had already lost feeling.

“Such a pretty young lady, and the key is, she’s untouched.” Lady Anne bent down and reached out to lift Dana’s face:

“It would be such a pity if she died just like this, wouldn’t it?”

“Karl?”

Dana’s face was pale, her body trembling slightly. The person in front of her was clearly a breathtakingly beautiful and delicate woman.

But in her perception, it was as if a terrifying beast, a bloodthirsty monster, was sitting cross-legged in front of her. That invisible pressure that penetrated deep into her bones even made her blood stagnate, her heart daring not to beat.

Terrifying!

Dangerous!

It felt as if with a slight movement, the other party could crush everything, and it was also like countless steel needles pressed against her skin, ready to pierce her into a thousand holes at any moment.

“Madam.”

Karl sat upright, also not moving. His powerful perception made him very aware of the terrifying woman beside him.

Grand Knight?

Even if not, she’s probably not far off.

“I’m leaving Signo City soon. What you want to do has nothing to do with me. Can you let me get off?”

“Leave?” Madam Anne curled her lip:

“Go where? Black Swamp?”

“You know about it?” Karl’s face showed surprise.

She even knew this kind of secret among wizards. But thinking that she knew Robert, it was also normal.

“Of course.”

Madam Anne chuckled:

“It’s said that Grey-Robed Wizard Addison successfully advanced to the Second Circle and is recruiting many people to explore Black Swamp.”

“But what of it?”

“The new King of Colon was born bathed in holy light. He has the God’s Blessing and is destined to revive the glory of the Fero Empire. Now, the knights, priests, and wizards of Colon all obey the new King’s command. Black Swamp will also be trampled by the iron hooves of the empire one day. Do you think you can escape disaster by going there?”

“Naive!”

Karl’s face darkened.

The other party’s news was far more well-informed than him. Grey-Robed Wizard Addison was already a Second-Circle Wizard. No wonder he was recruiting wizard apprentices to go to Black Swamp, planning to form a wizard organization.

However…

The new King of Colon could actually control the secular, divine, and mystical powers represented by knights, priests, and wizards. This was truly surprising.

Wanting to unify the countries and rebuild the empire?

“The Kingdom of Gando is just the beginning. Sark, Toxic, and other countries will also be incorporated into Colon’s territory.”

Madam Anne said:

“Join us now, and you will be an imperial noble in the future, and you will also be able to obtain the inheritance of a full-fledged wizard!”

“Where do you think Robert’s magic came from? It was all bestowed upon him by the Colon Wizard Association.”

“Hee hee…”

She giggled and leaned closer:

“I know you, like Robert, are a mystical wizard apprentice. But at such a close distance, even a senior wizard apprentice cannot escape my control.”

Wizard apprentice?

Karl?

Dana struggled to raise her head, her eyes filled with surprise as she looked at Karl.

She had also experienced quite a few things and had personally witnessed Robert’s methods, so it was natural for her to inquire about related news.

Although wizards were rare, they were not non-existent. There were records of them in the inheritance of great nobles.

In the past, she had only treated them as legendary stories. Now, she knew that some people did possess special powers.

They were called wizards,

or wizard apprentices!

“Boom!”

Something suddenly exploded in the distance, followed by a blaze of fire and faint screams.

“It has begun.”

Madam Anne smiled:

“Signo City can’t stop Thunder Spear. If you follow me, you won’t be targeted by Colon soldiers, and you can dispose of my accumulated wealth as you please.”

“How about it?”

She reached out and lifted Karl’s chin, her voice soft and filled with charm.

Her childhood experiences had left her with a severe lack of security, so she always needed someone to ‘rely on’.

Her wealthy merchant father, her count husband, the alchemist Robert…

They were all her ‘reliance’, until she grew tired of them and drained them of everything, she would have to give them up.

Now,

she had set her sights on Karl.

“Boom!”

The roar sounded again, this time closer. The horses were startled and reared up, screaming.

The carriage shook accordingly.

Opportunity!

Dana’s eyes lit up, the wooden board under her feet shattered, and her whole body shot backwards like a cannonball.

“Bang!”

The carriage behind her instantly shattered.

“Hmm?”

Madam Anne turned her head, her beautiful eyes cold. Her body swayed slightly, and a phantom stabbed towards Dana’s heart.

At this moment.

Karl’s eyes contracted, and a ring on his hand suddenly shone brightly.

“Guna!”

“Buzz…”

As the light flashed, pieces of armor appeared out of thin air.

“Hmm?”

Madam Anne’s beautiful eyes flickered, her body abruptly twisted, and the finger pointing at Dana shifted towards Karl.

Her fingers were slender and rounded, her nails meticulously manicured, like a perfect piece of art.

But in Karl’s perception, the approaching finger was like a sharp sword, an invincible sword.

With extreme speed, it would definitely pierce through his body before the armor covered him completely.

“Screech!”

The sound of something breaking through the air came a moment later.

Fortunately, Karl was not Dana. The moment Madam Anne turned, it was enough time for him to grab the broadsword beside him.

“Clang!”

The broadsword was unsheathed.

Instinct honed through thousands of temperings allowed Karl to block the other party’s finger with his sword in the nick of time.

“Clink…”

The sound of collision rang out.

The slender finger collided with the hard blade, sparks actually flew, and a whistling force erupted.

Karl felt a sharp force coming through the sword, his body involuntarily leaning back.

Dana only paused for a moment before striking again.

Combat Technique ━ Gale Slash!

Karl’s arm trembled slightly, and sword shadows appeared out of thin air, like layers of sword curtains blocking in front of him.

“Clink!”

“Clink, clink… clang, clang…”

The sounds of impact were rapid and swift.

Madam Anne’s body lunged forward, Karl retreated, countless bursts of energy erupted from their collision.

The carriage was instantly torn to shreds, the horses and coachman screamed and fell to the ground, Dana was also swept away.

“Bang!”

The sound of impact abruptly stopped.

The tall and perfectly curved Madam Anne stood in the middle of the field.

But Dana’s eyes were fixed on Karl.

Or rather,

On the Black Armored Warrior!

Although Karl’s body size had not changed at this time, the armor on his body already revealed his identity.

The mysterious person who rescued them that night!

Karl?

It was actually him?

How was this possible?

For a moment, Dana felt like the Morning Sun was playing a huge joke on her, and it wasn’t funny at all. Instead, she felt a bit absurd.

“It’s you?”

Madam Anne’s voice was solemn:

“Did you kill Robert?”

“I didn’t expect that you are not only a wizard apprentice, but also a peak-level knight.”

“Bang!”

Her words did not receive a response. The ground under Karl’s feet trembled, and he lunged forward, using the force.

In mid-air, his body swelled up like a balloon being inflated.

Secret Technique!

Gigantism!

Please add to your collection!