Chapter 1050: 0647 Chaos and Calamity

Night, the capital, the canal

"Click."

Accompanied by the crisp sound of the mechanism locking into place, the young man dozing on the bench outside the inland canal dock opened his eyes and gazed intently at the massive compass cradled in his arms.

Unlike other compasses used for orientation, this strange cobalt-blue compass had six movable rings, and counting the magnetic needle suspended by a single thread beneath the central glass cover, it was divided into seven layers from inside to outside.

With the just-heard click of the mechanism locking, all rings on the cobalt-blue compass had now locked rigidly; the magnetic needle, once utterly motionless, began to shift as the outer six rings sealed, finally pointing steadily toward the royal palace.

All six "elements" have been fulfilled…

After observing the condition of the cobalt-blue compass and squinting across the night toward the royal palace in the direction of the magnetic needle, the young man in his azure robe could not help but smile in satisfaction.

Timing, conditions, person;

Target, ability, myself.

To push the central needle of the 【Wish Wheel】 toward its target requires locking six rings: three inner and three outer.

I have labored nearly a century for this—finally securing the opportunity of the Clearance Bureau's emptiness, fulfilling the necessary conditions to achieve my goal, and arranging the unavoidable "Key Mr."—thus locking the three "external causes" of the 【Wish Wheel】.

As for the remaining three "internal causes"—whether the target worthy of sacrificing everything, the ability required to accomplish it, or my own will to burn all to reach the end—I have never lacked any of them.

Thus, all six elements needed to activate the 【Wish Wheel】 have now converged; this means the thing I wish to do will inevitably succeed, and no one will be able to stop me!

"Splash!"

As if responding to his turbulent emotions, a sudden surge of violent waves erupted in the canal before the young man; though no wind stirred, the boats on the water rocked violently.

Since the inland canal of the capital had always been calm, with almost no waves ever occurring, and since it was now nighttime when sailors' vigilance was low, the violent rocking of numerous boats immediately triggered cries of alarm.

Amid these cries, a tangle of strange, chaotic energies—appearing as if from nowhere—quietly gathered, finally coalescing into one point beneath the night sky and settling silently upon the bench beside the Water Bottle Director.

"Indeed, this world is the best!"

Gazing at the sailors desperately stabilizing their boats on the canal, the black-robed man wearing a thrush-raven mask closed his eyes in rapture, inhaling deeply the chaotic, fiery energy, then turned to thank the Water Bottle Director:

"I truly owe you a great debt. Without your skill, I wouldn't have known how much longer I'd have to wait before manifesting my physical form in this world again."

"Think nothing of it."

After glancing at the now-lit 【Condition】 ring on the wheel, the Water Bottle Director smiled gently and replied:

"I've studied the Watch Iron Wang Gong for decades. Though I've never managed to ascend and observe it up close, I've gathered some insights—tearing open a few small gaps isn't difficult."

"Ah~ You're being modest again, aren't you?"

Though the thrush-raven-masked man radiated deadly intent, he was unexpectedly a "natural charmer"; hearing the Water Bottle Director's humility, he clapped his hands and laughed heartily:

"You've studied the Watch Iron Wang Gong for only decades—I've been kept outside it for over a thousand years. In all those millennia, not even a crack, let alone a gap, has opened for me. Every time I try to enter, I lose a layer of skin. We're nowhere near your level!"

"You flatter me. I've merely benefited from my position—access to internal Clearance Bureau records, plus mastery of the Creation Secret Art used to forge the Watch Iron Wang Gong. Otherwise, I'd be just as helpless before it."

After exchanging a hollow round of mutual flattery with the thrush-raven-masked man, the Water Bottle Director released his grip on the 【Wish Wheel】 and returned the strange device to the void, then called out:

"Then, as agreed, proceed with your part now."

"Easy!"

The thrush-raven-masked man answered without hesitation, rose, and walked toward the palace—but halfway there, he seemed to remember something, turned back with a chuckle, and raised his hand to lightly lift the chaotic dock.

"Squeak—Crack—"

At the thrush-raven-masked man's motion, a harsh, grating sound of metal snapping erupted from the dock's structure.

For no apparent reason, the once-sturdy shipping dock suddenly appeared as if aged decades by wind and rain, crumbling beyond recognition; its buildings twisted and slanted, on the verge of collapsing outright.

Directly beneath the impending collapse, a group of sailors frantically turning winches widened their eyes in terror, staring helplessly at the massive shadow about to crush them…

"Maybe don't do that?"

Along with a gentle warning, a slender golden knife slipped through the air—the thrush-raven-masked man's right hand, radiating strange black energy, suddenly "retracted" backward, returning to its original position before he had raised it.

Simultaneously, the trembling steel framework on the dock, though severed halfway through its guard rails by its own weight, halted just before total collapse—never actually falling.

"Water Bottle?"

Seeing the rotating clock-face etchings on his slashed hand, the thrush-raven-masked man's cheerful expression faded slightly; his gaze darkened as he demanded:

"What do you mean by this?"

"Nothing. I simply don't want unnecessary complications."

As if entirely oblivious to the thrush-raven-masked man's hostility, the Water Bottle Director replied calmly:

"This is still the Virgin Division's jurisdiction. Such a sudden commotion might draw… "

"What are you afraid of?"

The thrush-raven-masked man spat in annoyance, tilting his head slightly:

"My 【Calamity】 power leaves no trace. Even if Clearance Bureau agents investigate later, they'll only conclude this was a disaster caused by the dock's age and decay."

Besides, Blood-Haired Woman is gone; the remaining personnel of the Virgin Division haven't crossed the human-god divide—they're nothing. Had the timing not been off, I could wipe them all out myself."

"Mm-hmm."

Nodding, the Water Bottle Director smiled:

"I don't deny that. You, wielding both 【Chaos】 and 【Calamity】 powers, are formidable even among true gods—you could indeed slaughter the Virgin Division. But have you forgotten one person?"