『 Stelle and Dan Heng began to follow Hanya, heading toward the Scrivener Hall.
[ I heard that the Wardance Ceremony is about to be held in the mortal world. ]
[ Hanya still remembers watching one of the sword duels with her sister when they were young. ]
[ The Cloud Knight swordsman defending the title for the Luofu was exceptionally heroic, his sword light flashing like lightning. ]
[ The outworld challenger had a head of fiery hair, one hand forged of fine iron, and fists like thunder. ]
[ The two fought for a long time, their strengths evenly matched. ]
[ In the blink of an eye, so much time has passed. ]
[ Hanya and her sister have both become spirits of the Netherworld, no longer getting excited or thrilled over any competition. ]
[ Stelle, for this Wardance Ceremony, is the crowd in Starskiff Haven very large? ]
At the entrance of an elevator, Hanya stopped and couldn't help but strike up a conversation with Stelle.
[ It's bustling, packed as far as the eye can see. ] Stelle replied.
[ That's nice… ]
[ Unfortunately, Hanya is busy with official duties and cannot watch the tournament… ]
[ With my current appearance, I'm afraid going there would only frighten others. ]
[ Let us go. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Furina de Fontaine: "Miss Hanya has seen the Wardance Ceremony before?"
Furina de Fontaine: "How was it? Was it good?"
Hanya: "Yes, I still remember it being quite spectacular."
Hanya: "It was a real eye-opener for my sister and me at the time."
Hanya: "Unfortunately, I can no longer feel that kind of emotion now."
Paimon: "Why can't you feel it?"
Paimon: "I don't really understand."
Hanya: "As a judge of the Underworld Inquiry Commission in the Shackling Prison, I have to go through a massive wash of memories every day."
Hanya: "Over time, one's emotions naturally become numb."
Hanya: "And those past feelings can no longer be recovered."
Lumine: "Ah… Is being a judge really that tragic?"
Hu Tao: "Miss Hanya just mentioned a 'spirit of the Netherworld'?"
Hu Tao: "Could it be… you're already dead?!"
Hanya: "It is somewhat complicated to explain, but you may think of it that way."
March 7th: "But to me, Miss Hanya clearly looks like a living person…"
March 7th: "And so does Miss Xueyi."
Qingque: "Sigh, that's just how the Ten-Lords Commission is."
Qingque: "The judges inside are all very strange."
Mualani: "But if Miss Hanya really walked outside, she wouldn't look scary at all, right?"
Mualani: "Aside from the heavy dark circles under her eyes, there's nothing wrong with her, is there?"
Hanya: "Pale complexion, deep pupils, listless spirit…"
Hanya: "If I go out, people will mistake me for a ghost."
Stelle: "You're overthinking it. Generally, they won't."
Stelle: "Look, even Huohuo isn't afraid of you."
Stelle: "If people are really afraid of you, it's definitely because your identity as a judge was accidentally revealed."
Stelle: "I remember that the people on the Xianzhou are still very terrified of the judges from the Shackling Prison."
Li Sushang: "Because most people who meet a judge are about to succumb to Mara-struck."
Li Sushang: "Of course they'd be scared to death!"
....
『 After chatting with Stelle for a moment, Hanya pressed the elevator button. The three of them went up together, arriving at another platform to continue their way.
[ ...It's freezing. ]
As they walked, a sudden wave of freezing, gloomy air blew in, making Stelle shiver.
[ This place is filled with the cold air from the Northern Peak of the Polar Delve. ]
[ Even long-life species with resilient vitality cannot withstand it. ]
Seeing this, Hanya explained the source of the cold air.
Afterward, the three continued forward.
[ Hmm? Did you two hear some noise? ]
[ Let me see what is going on. ]
As they walked, Hanya noticed an unfamiliar sound coming from ahead and quickly walked over to investigate.
[ Chests and crates stacked up, truly an eyesore. ]
[ Hmm? What is this? ]
Hanya led Stelle and Dan Heng to a cargo container. 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Kinich: "These boxes look somewhat familiar…"
Mualani: "Ah! Isn't that…"
Mualani: "The confiscated IPC cargo!"
Mualani: "The ones containing those strange wolf-like machines!"
March 7th: "So this stuff was placed in this part of the Shackling Prison?"
March 7th: "Was the noise just now made by it?"
March 7th: "It couldn't have started moving again, could it?"
Dan Heng: "…"
Dan Heng: "I have a bad feeling about this."
Dan Heng: "Perhaps… we fell into a trap right from the very beginning!"
Paimon: "Eh?!"
Paimon: "Why do you say that?"
Paimon: "Where is the trap?"
Stelle: "Damn!"
Stelle: "I get it!"
Stelle: "These strange goods—could it be that the IPC deliberately let them be confiscated and brought into the Shackling Prison as part of a scheme?"
Aventurine: "Uh… that's not entirely accurate."
Aventurine: "In my opinion, the IPC was merely being used."
Lumine: "Meaning… someone deliberately wanted these wolf-like machines to be detained inside the Shackling Prison?!"
Lumine: "Then their goal is…!"
Fu Xuan: "To cause chaos within the Shackling Prison and create an opportunity for certain plans."
Fu Xuan: "Sigh, the Shackling Prison has ultimately been infiltrated."
Fu Xuan: "A crisis is inevitable."
....
『 [ These boxes… look somewhat familiar. ]
Dan Heng looked at the surrounding boxes, his brow furrowing slightly.
[ A few days ago, the netherworld messengers received a summons, saying that an IPC transport vessel had been attacked by the Borisin. ]
[ Subsequently, a large group of the abominations was thrown in here. ]
[ With the Wardance Ceremony underway, there are always ill-intentioned individuals plotting in the shadows. ]
[ Though a case where the cargo and the hijackers are thrown into prison together is something I have never seen before. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Welt Yang: "Not only are the confiscated mech cargo here, but also the detained Borisin captives…"
Welt Yang: "Sigh, if I guess correctly, those captives have probably already broken free by now."
Jing Yuan: "Heh, turning the tables to deliver the Borisin and the strange mechs into the Shackling Prison to act as inside help."
Jing Yuan: "With such calculations, if this isn't Phantylia's doing, I wouldn't believe it for a second."
Feixiao: "Now it's basically certain that their target is Hoolay."
Feixiao: "That Lord Ravager Phantylia indeed has some tricks up her sleeve."
Stelle: "Unbelievable. Coming to the Xianzhou twice, and both times encountering things related to Phantylia."
Stelle: "Damn it, if I weren't unable to beat Phantylia, I'd definitely go over and whack her to death with a bat!"
March 7th: "Don't get angry just yet. If nothing unexpected happens, you and Dan Heng in the video are probably about to face danger!"
Silver Wolf: "She's a Stellaron host; how could anything go wrong in such a small scene?"
Silver Wolf: "I think, instead of worrying about a Stellaron and half a High Elder, we should worry about that pink-haired fox and the expressionless assassin from earlier."
Silver Wolf: "Those two went to see Hoolay. If they're not careful, they might lose their lives!"
Paimon: "What?!"
Paimon: "No way?!"
Lumine: "Miss Silver Wolf is right… If the goal of these Borisin is indeed that Hoolay… then Mr. Jiaoqiu's side is the most dangerous!"
Lumine: "Hopefully, the Borisin haven't decided to act just yet!"
....
『 [ Looks like the IPC has caught the attention of the Borisin... ]
Stelle explained to Hanya.
[ I heard the Intelligentsia Guild crafted something dangerous. We have many records in the Hall of Karma about these wise ones. They love to tinker with forbidden technologies, always trying to push the limits of ingenia. ]
[ I have seen the mechs in the crates; their design is quite similar to the Borisin. I truly wonder what they plan to do this time? ]
[ Well, business first. Let's keep moving. ]
Saying this, the group turned to leave.
[ Strange… ]
[ I do not recall performing a secondary inspection on the contained items… ]
After taking a few steps, Hanya saw a slightly open container. Confused, she couldn't help but walk over to check.
However, when she leaned down, she saw that the cargo inside the container had vanished. In its place lay the lifeless bodies of several prison guards.
This caused her pupils to shrink in shock!
Dan Heng and Stelle, who were following behind Hanya, also witnessed this horrifying scene.
[ Hmm? Watch out! ]
Suddenly, a red light flashed.
Dan Heng looked up and saw a massive mech crashing down toward the top of Stelle's head.
In the nick of time, Dan Heng rushed forward and tackled Stelle to the side.
[ Emergency! Guards, heed my command! Come support immediately! ]
[ Emergency! Guards, heed my command! Come support immediately! ]
Hanya began calling for backup.
But as the camera cut away, the guards who had received the order were already entirely devoid of life. 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Paimon: "Uwah!"
Paimon: "This… so sudden?!"
Paimon: "Those… those guards stationed here were actually brutally…!"
Yanqing: "Damn it!"
Yanqing: "These beasts still made their move!"
Yunli: "If I knew, I shouldn't have held back. I should have smashed all those broken machines along with those Borisin!"
Yunli: "Confound it, my strikes in the video were still too light!"
March 7th: "So many… SO MANY MECHS!!"
March 7th: "Dan Heng, Stelle, you two can hold out, right?!"
Stelle: "We've even fought an Emanator, why would we fear these pieces of scrap metal?"
Stelle: "It's just that being played by those Borisin makes me very annoyed!"
Furina de Fontaine: "It really was too sudden; it happened in an instant!"
Furina de Fontaine: "If Mr. Dan Heng hadn't reacted quickly, Miss Stelle would have been in danger just now."
Yanfei: "If Miss Stelle's side is already this critical, then Mr. Jiaoqiu's side must…"
Jiaoqiu: "Tsk, I never expected this trip would carry the risk of losing my life."
Jiaoqiu: "Fortunately, it's only the me in the video who became the unlucky one. It's not too bad."
Moze: "No matter. With my abilities, even if I face Hoolay, I should be able to escape."
Jiaoqiu: "Even if you bring me along?"
Moze: "We can try."
Moze: "But I didn't say I would bring you…"
Jiaoqiu: "Damn! You heartless brat! (Angry.jpg)"
Silver Wolf: "Ha, you two really are a pair of good brothers!"
....
『 Wolf-like mechs surrounded them from all directions, forcing Dan Heng and the others to quickly draw their weapons.
[ What is happening? Why are these things moving? Something is wrong, the guards are not responding… ]
[ You two, be careful and face the enemy! ]
The lack of response from the guards sent a chill through Hanya's heart, but the current situation left her no time to think.
Immediately, the three focused their minds and engaged in battle with the mechs.
After a moment, having exerted some effort, the three successfully defeated the mechs surrounding them.
[ But how is this even possible? The spiritfarers followed the protocols, cutting off power to the mechs and sealing the crates. How could these mechs still start moving? ]
Looking at the fallen mechs, Hanya frowned, utterly baffled.
[ It is the same as the situation in the Artisanship Commission back then. These goods seem to have lost control, attacking everyone present. ]
[ The Alchemy Commission examined the mechs; there is an unusual structure hidden inside them. ]
[ For such dangerous things to appear in the Shackling Prison, the sole purpose is— ]
Dan Heng analyzed the situation. After a moment, his expression changed slightly as he thought of a terrible possibility.
[ A prison break. ]
Hanya already knew what Dan Heng was going to say.
[ And the person who sent these goods clearly hoped that the Xianzhou's strict inspection process would expose its danger to the Sky-Faring Commission and the Cloud Knights. ]
[ What they wanted to ensure was that it would definitely be sent into the Shackling Prison. ]
Speaking up to this point, Dan Heng's brow furrowed deeply as well. 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "Dan Heng has already figured out the truth."
Stelle: "But I feel like it's already too late."
Dan Heng: "At this moment, the Shackling Prison has already fallen into an unknown state."
Dan Heng: "More importantly, we might not be able to transmit information out at this time."
Dan Heng: "And once Hoolay escapes…"
Dan Heng: "All the residents on the Luofu will face grave danger!"
March 7th: "Don't be so pessimistic yet. At least Hoolay is still locked up right now!"
March 7th: "We haven't seen him escape either!"
Furina de Fontaine: "So tense… I really want to know how Miss Xueyi's side is doing now."
Xueyi: "The Shackling Prison is heavily guarded, especially the place where high-profile criminals are kept, which is secured with multiple layers of seals."
Xueyi: "It cannot be opened without a judge."
Xueyi: "Even if the Borisin want to break him out, it won't be that easy!"
Jiaoqiu: "Lady Xueyi, do you think there's such a possibility?"
Jiaoqiu: "The three of us… have unknowingly been used as unlucky guides to lead the way…"
Xueyi: "…."
....
『 [ If these things started moving when no one noticed… ]
[ Then the current state of the entire prison is extremely dangerous. ]
[ Even more dangerous is that, besides the two of you, another group of visitors entered the depths of the Shackling Prison just now—the envoys from the Yaoqing Xianzhou. ]
[ The target of their visit… might be the very reason these wolf-like mechs were sent here. ]
[ If that beast suppressed at the bottom escapes… I fear the Luofu Xianzhou will also face a great catastrophe! ]
At this moment, Hanya had almost completely realized the Borisin's goal.
And then, the scene shifted, returning directly to Xueyi a moment prior.
[ Lady Judge, have we arrived? ]
[ There doesn't seem to be any cage here? ]
After following Xueyi to the bottom of the Shackling Prison, Jiaoqiu looked around, somewhat puzzled.
[ Sinners who have committed the ten abominations and heinous crimes are suppressed at the bottom of the Shackling Prison, confined in individual delves. ]
[ Without an edict, it is not opened lightly. ]
[ The blue bird clears the path, the netherworld lamp lights the way. ]
[ Help me light these lamp stands, and the path leading to the bottom of the Shackling Prison will reveal itself. ]
[ I have already handed you the diagrams required for lighting the lamps. Take a look. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Hu Tao: "The place keeping Hoolay is indeed full of mechanisms, even using an individual delve for confinement."
Hu Tao: "Looking at it this way, it indeed makes one feel a lot more relieved."
March 7th: "Yeah, at least from the footage, Miss Xueyi and the others don't seem to have encountered any danger yet?"
Silver Wolf: "The video specifically noted just now that this was a scene from a moment ago."
Silver Wolf: "Meaning, when Stelle and the others were attacked just now, these three might not have remained safe and sound."
Jiaoqiu: "Tsk, I feel more and more that behind the three of us, somewhere unknown, a large pack of Borisin is following."
Jiaoqiu: "They are currently eyeing us greedily, just waiting for the three of us to clear the path!"
Moze: "I believe your words have no basis. Because if that were indeed the case, with my detection abilities, I should have been able to notice."
Moze: "Unless they can turn invisible."