Chapter 26 Part3 (1/2)
<chapter 26.=”” new=”” element=”” -=”” 3=””>
A dark secret and a buried testing facility. Within that facility was another hidden area. It was an area that could only be opened with the Steelworker seal, not the general administrator seal. ...Wait a sec, Steelworker?
”Ha.”
The Steelworker seal was revealed, and while he was studying the lock, he discovered some information; Lee s.h.i.+n Woo grinned because he didn't think his hypothesis would be confirmed immediately.
”Only a Steelworker can enter.”
”The Emperor can't go in?”
”Yep. It's not just Arema Steelworker who can access it; Guillotine Steelworker and the other level 7 golems can get inside as well. Aside from them, there's no one who has permission to enter. Which means that the Emperor can't go in.”
”How did you figure that out by just looking at it... Nope, never mind. Don't look at me like that.”
Jin looked quizzical and was about to ask further, but thought better of it. He kicked Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's eye sockets with his forelegs, as Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had turned around to look at him. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo hastily evaded his kick and continued with his explanation.
”If I hadn't heard what the Chi Pauls had said before, I might've just thought that this place was for 'staff only'. But after hearing what they had to say, and seeing another hidden installation...”
[Are you saying that Arema Steelworker, as well as those who hold the Steelworker name had a different secret plan? So... a plan that he started not out of loyalty for the Emperor?]
”Mm, it probably wasn't a pure motive.”
[How can that be...?]
Once they heard Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's conclusion, the Chi Pauls were infuriated. Of course, they didn't have even a shred of loyalty towards the Emperor anymore. However, when they thought about the fact their pure feelings had been used, they felt an unrestrained rage!
However, these infuriated Chi Pauls focused on Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's calm voice.
”Calm down. You can't do anything with just anger.”
[However...!]
”Arema Steelworker is a powerful level 8. He has a few level 7 elite subordinates around him, and he has several level 6 golems under his command. I'm saying that he's not an opponent you can overcome with just your powerful emotions.”
His rational and cool-headed statement caused the Chi Pauls to be silent. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo placed a hand on one of the Chi Pauls and softly laughed. He didn't speak to just one Chi Paul, but spoke loud enough so that all the others could hear him.
”Don't let your emotions just burn; use them as fuel and temper them. There are countless ways for you to get stronger in this world, and if you work at it, it's not impossible for you to surpa.s.s Arema Steelworker. Do you want to be controlled by your emotions and be a tiger moth, or do you want to take control over your emotions and become a phoenix? That's up to you.”
[...]
The Chi Paul, no all the Chi Pauls must've felt something from Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's speech, as they nodded their heads in silence. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo smiled faintly, and Jin hit his back.
's.h.i.+n Woo, you're so sickening that I feel like I'm going to throw up.'
'Speaking earnestly works on these types of guys. Look, their eyes are sparkling.'
'You're really scary...'
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, who had silenced Jin with a short reply, confirmed that the Chi Pauls had calmed down, and returned to the main topic.
”The existence of a secret facility that only a Steelworker can access, and the Emperor who ordered the undead to watch this entire area... This has made it clear. The Emperor knew that something was hidden here. And he must've known that this was what Steelworker was aiming for.”
”And Arema Steelworker is...”
”He knows what the Emperor is doing. That's why he wanted us to attack from the front. After I had diverted the Emperor's attention and had taken care of the vestiges of the testing facility... he must've been planning on coming here quietly later.”
[Either side is... ridiculous...!]
The Chi Paul was right. You could only look down on people so much. Of course, it was a relief that Lee s.h.i.+n Woo wasn't someone who took things lying down, but... Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's expression was actually relaxed. There was no shaking in his goblin fire.
”If I completely clear this place and return unscathed, then they won't be able to look down on me anymore. That's when it'll start in earnest. Will they perceive me as a threat and try to take me out, or... will they try to use me?”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo thought it would be the latter. Like they had said, their enemies were the same; that's the only thing he was sure about. And to be honest, that wasn't really a bad thing for Lee s.h.i.+n Woo. Why...?
”If I know what they're thinking to a degree, then it shouldn't be difficult to get them onto my stage.”
He finished speaking and simultaneously, the Steelworker mark above his hand radiated light. It looked a bit different from when he had first used it, but he had been continuously studying the mark. This was the result of his improvements and calculations.
It possessed some additional function as well, but... the most prioritized additional function was 'secrecy'. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was concerned that the information would get back to Arema Steelworker, so he had added this function in; it was an additional function he had created so that wherever he was, or whatever he was doing wouldn't be reported. It was a fundamentally high level and shocking security feature.
[Opening the facility. Welcome, Steelworker.]
They wouldn't know right away that Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had even entered the facility. Of course, even if they came to find him themselves, they would have no way of knowing that Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had entered the facility!
”Uwah.”
”Waaaaah.”
Jin and Kratia simultaneously exclaimed. It was only natural as the lock was released, revealing a secret pa.s.sageway.
Contrary to the outside, where the pa.s.sage of time was readily apparent, as it was corroded everywhere and had acc.u.mulated dust, the pa.s.sageway was ridiculously clean and refined.
There was no rust anywhere. Rocks which radiated light by themselves were embedded everywhere and illuminated the pa.s.sageway. There was no way of knowing how they had made such a thing.
”For now, let's take these with us since they seem expensive.”
”You're terrible!”
There wasn't a use for them really, but they looked expensive, so he decided to extract them. He'd benefited off of collecting all of the wine from the winery before, so Lee s.h.i.+n Woo thought he might be able to profit again.
”Why don't you take some too?”
”It seems like it'd be useful for when I want to read a book in the dark, so I'll just take one.”
”That'll make your eyes go bad, so don't do it too much.”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo ordered the Chi Pauls to collect all the rocks. He told them to bring one over to him, and when he looked it over, he found that it was made of sunlight stone. It possessed the energy of the sun, and would emit a light equivalent to the rays of the sun; it was an incredibly rare ore.
He checked the information and thought that perhaps the light that s.h.i.+ned on the Empire came from here. No, when he thought about it, the magical device set up in the vineyard the Dryads were staying at was seemingly made of the same ore.
”But there was only one of them there, so what were these golems indulging...”
”As I thought, they seem like a separate group.”