Chapter 468: Can a Warlock

Not only did he swat away the bottle, but Ang also unleashed a wave of black holy flames, slapping them onto the pure water. A consciousness that had just projected over let out a shrill, miserable scream: "Ah! What is this? So black, so dirty! Ah! I'm no longer pure—"

The screaming faded into the distance.

Negris was stunned: "Shammara's Corruption Force? You contaminated it? What is that thing?"

Anthony was also stunned: "My lord, did I bring that back? What is it?"

Ang nodded: "Tom."

"Water God Tom? Uh, you mean a pure water spirit similar to Tom, right?" Negris asked.

Ang nodded.

Anthony immediately understood what had happened and said angrily: "They plotted against me? They have a pure water spirit just like Water God Tom, and they used the opportunity of me carrying pure water to project over and pinpoint our location? Our location has been exposed?"

Ang shook his head.

It wasn't exposed. Ang's perception was too keen; the moment the opponent projected over, they were slapped silly and didn't even have time to see where they were.

"Not exposed? That's a relief." Despite saying this, Anthony's anger did not subside. He analyzed calmly: "It seems I still misjudged them. Based on my contact with Cabrera, he didn't seem like someone preparing to turn against us. He shouldn't have used such methods to probe our location."

"They probably only wanted holy water at first, but when I brought out the samples, they were quickly attracted by the pure water. Is this pure water that important to them? Important enough to risk falling out with us just to find our location?"

Speaking of this, Anthony muttered to himself: "How should I retaliate? I can't let them offend us without paying any price, but some of my arrangements aren't ready to take effect yet. How should I retaliate?"

Hearing Anthony's muttering made Negris's scalp tingle. It knew this black-bellied Pope too well; once targeted by him, the Warlock Alliance would definitely pay a heavy price.

However, before Anthony could decide on a retaliation, a message came from Cabrera:

"A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding, Lord Anthony. It really is a misunderstanding. I didn't expect such a thing to happen. Lord Loloka isn't very familiar with the etiquette of our interactions; it wasn't trying to probe your location. After all, Lord Loloka is not human."

"Not human" wasn't an insult, because it truly was "not human." It was one of the twelve seats of the Warlock Alliance, the Pure Water Loloka, a pure water spirit.

"We purchased holy water this time for Lord Loloka. With the decomposition, shifting, and pollution of elements, the place where Lord Loloka resides has become increasingly murky. It desperately needs fresh, clean water. Originally, the Holy Light Church's holy water was pure enough; a few impurities could be filtered out. I just didn't expect you to bring another kind of water."

"Lord Loloka was very interested in this pure water, but it doesn't understand our etiquette, so it rashly projected into the sample you brought, causing a misunderstanding. It really wasn't intentional," Cabrera explained sincerely.

"Heh." Anthony didn't speak, only let out a few laughs.

Cabrera hurriedly said: "I know you won't believe me so easily. Compensation—to express our apologies, can we offer compensation?"

Anthony chuckled: "Offending us and thinking you can dismiss it with compensation... What? Compensate us with a Warlock's Ladder?"

Anthony subconsciously looked at Ang and Negris. Negris's eyes went wide. A Warlock's Ladder? Cabrera actually wanted to compensate them with a Warlock's Ladder? Are you kidding me?

Negris, having no integrity, nodded hurriedly. What's an offense? What's the fear of an exposed location? At worst, we can just run! If they really compensate with a Warlock's Ladder, all of this is forgivable.

After hearing the details described by Cabrera, Anthony cleared his throat a few times and said slowly: "We accept your apology."

Hanging up the communication, Anthony let out a breath and looked at Ang in shock, saying: "Cabrera suffered a huge loss and hopes we will be lenient. They are willing to compensate us with a small Warlock's Ladder."

Ang tilted his head. Negris asked: "What do you mean? Suffered a huge loss? What kind of loss is worth a Warlock's Ladder? The kind that can ascend to the height of the Starburst Array, right?"

"Yes, that kind of ladder. They probably thought we wouldn't be able to detect Loloka, and coupled with the fact that the lord's pure water really did interest them, they tried to detect our location. They didn't expect to be slapped silly by the lord the moment they projected over."

"Now they can't find our location, and the pure water spirit has been contaminated by the lord's Corruption Force. They can't remove it and have to come beg for mercy, willing to compensate with a Warlock's Ladder in hopes that the lord will remove the Corruption Force. My lord, what should we do?" Anthony couldn't help but feel conflicted.

Ang tilted his head: "Warlock's Ladder, can it be used for farming?"

"Farm your head! Always thinking about farming." Negris pushed him aside and continued to discuss with Anthony.

Ang didn't mind. He didn't have any opinions, and Negris's reaction already told him that the Warlock's Ladder couldn't be used for farming, so it was useless.

"They can't remove the Corruption Force? But that still doesn't warrant compensating us with a Warlock's Ladder. This thing can ascend directly to the Starburst Array. Aren't they afraid we'll use this opportunity to launch a surprise attack on the Starburst Array?" Negris said.

"It's not that simple." Anthony shook his head: "First, they don't believe we can operate a Warlock's Ladder. This thing is a very complex warlock creation. Once in our hands, whether we can even turn it on is a question."

"Heh, Du Luo Ken! Du Luo Ken!" Negris gave a disdainful laugh and called for Du Luo Ken.

The Warlock Alliance probably didn't know they had an Alchemy King here.

Du Luo Ken rushed over with his hair in a mess, his face covered in black and gray smudges—clearly traces of a failed alchemy experiment. "What is it? What do you need me for? I'm busy."

Negris told him about the Warlock's Ladder. Du Luo Ken scoffed: "I won't be able to turn it on? No way, this concerns my reputation. You must get it back. Let me try. If I can't turn it on, I'll twist my own head off."

Negris scoffed: "You don't have confidence either, right? Otherwise, why twist your head off? You won't die if you twist your head off. If you have the guts, twist your Soul Casket."

Du Luo Ken nodded: "Fine, I'll twist the Soul Casket. A battle of dignity, bring it on!"

Negris felt a bit embarrassed. It was just teasing; no need to be so serious. What if the Soul Casket gets twisted and breaks? Will he die?

"No, if it breaks, I'll just refine another one. No matter what, you must get it back for me. Watch me turn it on," Du Luo Ken said with certainty.

Fine, for someone who can refine their own Soul Casket, isn't it normal to just refine another if it breaks?

Anthony smiled helplessly and continued: "Second, after we get the Warlock's Ladder, it will be even harder to hide. They probably think we won't even be able to discover the tracking markers hidden inside the ladder."

Du Luo Ken said dismissively: "That's easy. I'll just trace the energy circuits and clear them. It'll just take a little time."

Anthony nodded: "Third, after we get the Warlock's Ladder, what will we use it for?"

Negris and Du Luo Ken looked at each other. This was indeed a problem. As soon as they heard "Warlock's Ladder," everyone couldn't hold back. This was a super flying vehicle capable of ascending to the Starburst Array; its value was immeasurable.

But now that they had calmed down, what was the use of getting the Warlock's Ladder? Drive it up to the Starburst Array?

Don't dream. The Warlock Alliance wouldn't let that happen. The sky is open and exposed, and the Warlock's Ladder was manufactured by them; it's definitely not top-tier stock. Wouldn't flying up there be equivalent to sending ourselves to death?

Ang was the one who saw it clearly. If it can't be used for farming, what's the point? Is this skeleton really stupid or just pretending?

"Then what should we do? Don't take it? It's a Warlock's Ladder!" Negris said, conflicted.

Just as Anthony said, it's useless to have, and it actually increases the risk of exposure. If they didn't have Du Luo Ken, they wouldn't even be able to drive the Warlock's Ladder.

And one has to wonder, is the opponent compensating with such a thing to drag them down? Because maintaining a Warlock's Ladder definitely requires massive resources and energy; a little money won't cut it.

If the Holy Light Church's finances collapse due to maintaining the Warlock's Ladder, that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

But give it up? It's a Warlock's Ladder! It's equivalent to giving a super-large three-hundred-meter-long sea ship with three catapult racks and over a thousand flying wings to the Black Night Crow when she was poor and destitute.

She would definitely pounce over, hug your thighs, and beg you to insult her—any position would do.

Anthony smiled bitterly: "If we don't take it, there will be several problems. First, we reject the Warlock Alliance's apology, leading to a complete break, and we must prepare for an all-out war with them. Second, we reject the Warlock's Ladder but exchange it for other compensation, remove the Corruption Force from Loloka, and our relationship returns to normal."

"But in that case, the Warlock Alliance will definitely be wary of us. Because we could even reject a Warlock's Ladder, we either have a grand scheme or we look down on it. If they think we look down on it and have other ways to get to the Starburst Array, they will definitely be wary of us."

"Third..."

Negris couldn't take it anymore and interrupted: "No more third. Can't we just not take it? Then what? Get it back and smash it?"

Du Luo Ken scoffed: "We can sell it to Guster. You guys discuss it, I'll go..."

Before he could finish, Anthony slapped his thigh: "Good idea! Sell it to Guster. Genius, Lord Du Luo Ken, your idea is brilliant."

"Uh, is it brilliant? A flash of inspiration, a flash of inspiration. I just thought of it by chance. What's brilliant about it?" Du Luo Ken asked modestly.

"The brilliance lies in the fact that we have more room to maneuver. What price would Guster be willing to pay for a Warlock's Ladder that can fly to the Starburst Array to rescue the Emperor? What price would the Warlock Alliance be willing to pay to prevent this ladder from falling into Guster's hands? These are all things we can manipulate," Anthony said.

Negris and Du Luo Ken looked at each other, unable to help but mourn for those being plotted against by Anthony.

"Selling it to Guster is quite good. If we can borrow their hands to rescue the Emperor, that's also a good thing," Negris said.

Anthony, however, seemed to have found a new train of thought and pondered: "Do you remember that Warlock's Ladder that was raided and fell to the Undead Council? Only one main pillar remains. If Lord Du Luo Ken gets a good Warlock's Ladder, can he use it as a reference to repair the one with only one pillar left?"

Du Luo Ken scoffed: "Why are you like this little golden dragon? Are you questioning my strength as the Alchemy King? Don't say I have a reference; even without one, as long as I have enough materials, I can refine something that can fly—fly to the Starburst Array! I, Du Luo Ken, am the Alchemy King!"

Negris scoffed: "Yes, yes, yes, the Alchemy King who was slapped to death by spatial turbulence."

"Lord Negris, you won't have friends if you act like this," Du Luo Ken said angrily.

"Alright, alright, I know. I'll sweet-talk Guster later and have him hand over the main pillar of the Warlock's Ladder to me. Lord Du Luo Ken, you repair it, how about that?" Anthony hurriedly mediated to prevent the meeting from veering off into who knows where.

Actually, isn't mutual roasting the reason they are getting more and more familiar? It's precisely because they are familiar that they can joke and expose each other's shortcomings without restraint.

If it were the Negris and Du Luo Ken from back in the Palace of Rest, how could they possibly get along like this? Du Luo Ken would have turned anyone who roasted him into a rabbit or a bald man long ago—like that certain bald brewer.

"Don't worry, no problem, leave it to me." Du Luo Ken, in order not to tarnish his reputation as the Alchemy King, hurriedly patted his chest to guarantee it.

He stopped his experiments and went straight to find Laite, telling him to find all the members of the Dulaite family and prepare to train them.

The training materials would be the airships and flying cars they had snatched earlier. By dissecting the Warlock Alliance's technical lineage from these construct creations, in case the Warlock's Ladder is exchanged back, he alone wouldn't be able to quickly control everything on the ladder; he must have enough manpower to cooperate.

Of course, this is a small matter. When building the World Transit Station, Du Luo Ken managed a construction team of tens of thousands, so he had enough project experience. His "King" title as the Alchemy King doesn't just refer to the King of Technology.

Confirming that Du Luo Ken had the ability to receive the Warlock's Ladder, Anthony immediately pretended to be unable to resist the temptation and contacted Cabrera, finalizing the handover method and date for the Warlock's Ladder.

The handover date arrived, and a smaller Warlock's Ladder landed at the location designated by Anthony. A normal Warlock's Ladder is over seven hundred meters long,

and this small one was only three hundred meters, but it still belonged to the category of a behemoth.

Sixty alchemists from the Dulaite family boarded the Warlock's Ladder and, according to the methods taught by Du Luo Ken, checked all positions of the ladder, ensuring there were no uncontrollable tracking, signaling, self-destruct, sealing, or automatic driving mechanisms...

In an airship hovering in the distance, the green-haired Cabrera watched the Dulaite family members moving in and out below and shook his head with a smile: "Anthony, you clearly saw my purpose, yet you chose to step into the abyss. Greed and wishful thinking in human nature often lead people into dangerous abysses."

The deputy behind Cabrera was somewhat puzzled: "My lord, such a large ladder, where will they hide it? If they can't hide it, doesn't that mean they are telling us where the Holy Light Church's headquarters is?"

Cabrera pointed to the sky: "Hide it in the void, and descend when needed. Usually, they will travel through teleportation arrays. They will definitely build teleportation arrays in the ladder. I've already left the locations for them."

The deputy was even more puzzled: "Then isn't it dangerous for them to get the ladder? They can attack the Starburst Array at any time."

"That won't happen. We aren't blind. Wouldn't we notice such a large ladder approaching?" Cabrera laughed.

"Then it's still not worth exchanging with a ladder," the deputy still didn't understand.

"Do you know how many people it takes to drive and maintain a ladder? How many materials are needed? How much money is needed? How many supporting facilities are needed for eating, drinking, and excreting? And there are some special materials and tools that only warlocks can refine. As long as they use these things, we can infer a lot of information about them through various channels."

"Before, they were hiding in the dark, and we couldn't catch a glimpse of them. The ladder is a bait, a bait to make them float to the surface," Cabrera said confidently.

The deputy still didn't understand: "What if they have a large-capacity storage bag that can hold many supplies, have their own channels to find materials, can refine them themselves, or don't need to eat, drink, or excrete?"

"You're doing this on purpose, right? If they had those, would the Holy Light Church still need to hide?" Cabrera scolded angrily.

The Warlock's Ladder, just as Cabrera expected, slowly ascended, all the way into the void, disappearing into the depths of that pitch-black void.

As long as there is enough distance and no tracking, it is impossible to find a Warlock's Ladder in the vast void.

Du Luo Ken assembled the teleportation array at the fastest speed, activated it, and Ang's group walked out of the teleportation array.

Opening the Divine Domain, all kinds of daily necessities were taken out at once, enough for everyone to use for a month or two.

"My lord, do you have refined gold?" Du Luo Ken asked.

Ang reached out and took out a refined gold ingot.

"My lord, bring me a World Tree branch."

"My lord, help me cut a groove here, but don't consume the air. We don't have much air; we can only rely on your Spot-Removal Technique."

"Uh, decomposing water into air and fuel? Isn't that too mana-consuming?"

"My lord, elf beans save too much space. One bag is enough for them to eat for months, and they don't even need to excrete."

"My lord..."

Negris and Anthony were there munching on nuts, laughing: "If Cabrera knew that our logistics could be handled by the lord himself, I wonder what kind of expression he would have?"

"Later, bring those night watchmen from Ramuo over. We don't even need living people to guard the ladder; it won't consume much," Negris also laughed.

After everything was handled, Ang teleported back himself and soon teleported back. This time, he used his Divine Domain to fill it with water.

Tom, who hadn't been seen for a long time, was taken out. It didn't even know what was happening when it saw Ang stuffing pure water into it.

PS: Two and a half chapters, please vote for monthly tickets. ===== CHAPTER 469 =====