Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 563 "The Actor"

Ron sat cross-legged on the lab carpet, having just finished a three-hour deep meditation.

As is customary, he needed to check the condition of the silver pocket watch.

Since absorbing Carlos in the "Mirror Kingdom", this creation of time has been unusually "well-behaved".

Carlos's "intellect" was just as he promised, acting as a highly efficient "tactical plug-in," providing Ron with calm calculations and insightful advice for his decisions.

But tonight, when Ron probed the depths of his pocket watch with his mental energy, a strange feeling made him frown slightly.

It was an extremely faint "noise," almost completely masked by the sound of the gears turning in time.

Like a dissonant note mixed in during a symphony performance, though subtle, it is enough for a sensitive listener to perceive the crack in the harmony.

This noise was filled with resentment, unwillingness, and a certain...sense of conspiracy.

It was as if someone was whispering deep inside the pocket watch's cage, weaving some shady plan.

Ron's vigilance was ignited.

"Carlos," he whispered in his mind.

"I sensed some... unusual mental fluctuations."

Carlos's voice, as cold as a deep pool, immediately echoed in his mind:
“Master, your senses are still so sharp.”

His tone carried a certain expected composure:
“What you sensed was the ‘echo of remnant souls’ of Laira and Fenrir. This is exactly the anomaly I was preparing to report to you.”

"Echoes of a lingering soul?" Ron's brow furrowed even deeper:

"Weren't they already completely swallowed up?"

A subtle fluctuation appeared in Carlos's voice:
“Master, please allow me to add some more information about the logic behind the existence of the Time Hound.”

A soft humming sound began to emanate from inside the pocket watch:

“As I have told you before, the existence structure of our Time Hounds is based on two core components: ‘engine’ and ‘intelligence’.”

Ron listened quietly without interrupting.

“Under normal circumstances,” Carlos continued to explain:
"When the engine is destroyed, intellect loses its energy supply and then completely dissipates into the river of time."

This is standard mode of execution: clean, thorough, and leaving no trace.

"However, both Laila's 'Dream Weaving' ability and Fenrir's 'Primal Fury' ability involve deep manipulation of 'spiritual existence' and 'essence of consciousness,' which is one of the reasons why they can become elite hounds."

At this point in his explanation, Carlos's tone became even more serious:

"This caused them to instinctively retain the purest and most stubborn obsession even after their intellect had been shattered."

"This obsession can neither exist independently nor has the power to reshape itself."

They can only temporarily cling to the 'cage' that once devoured their engines, like ghosts, and slowly dissipate over time.

Ron nodded.

Elite hounds correspond to Dark Sun-level wizards.

Some of the special circumstances are understandable...

Thinking about this, he couldn't help but feel a chill of fear.

If those three dogs hadn't cleverly set up some kind of mental maze trap and launched a sneak attack on me, I might not have been able to withstand it.

“What’s even more interesting is…”

A hint of smugness crept into Carlos's tone:

"It is precisely because of the cognitive limitations of these remnant souls that they cannot perceive the true nature of the relationship between me and you."

"In their understanding, my fate is no different from theirs."

Both were forcibly devoured, leaving only a wisp of a soul clinging to life.

“Just now.” His voice became more subtle:
"They reached out to my 'intellect' and proposed a... rather naive 'escape' plan."

This information set off alarm bells in Ron's mind.

How could the two Time Hounds he defeated still have the energy to plan revenge?

In this situation, any underestimation of the enemy could have disastrous consequences.

What do they want to do?

"Escape, and then, naturally, revenge."

Carlos's answer carried a certain cold sarcasm:
“Their foolish obsession led them to believe that as long as they could regain their freedom, they could return to the river of time to reshape their bodies and then make a comeback.”

With the establishment of the mental link, his consciousness, through Carlos's "authority," was able to "observe" this dark conspiracy taking place deep within the pocket watch.

In a secluded corner of the maze, Ron saw three distinctly different clusters of light and shadow.

A stable, solid mass, as brilliant as a blue star—that was Carlos's complete intellect.

The other two clumps appeared blurry and distorted, filled with chaotic energy brimming with negative emotions—the remnants of Leira and Fenrir's souls.

Two remnant souls were cautiously approaching Carlos.

Its movement is like that of a predator swimming in the deep sea, both eager and extremely vigilant.

Laila's voice rang out first, carrying the seductive tone she used to possess when she was alive:

“Carlos... I know you are still conscious.”

Stop pretending to be dead; this disguise can't fool my senses.

Her voice was a mixture of resentment and pleading:
"We all understand how desperate our situation is."

The digestive mechanism of this cage is relentlessly eroding what little we have left; with each passing day, we grow weaker.

Fenrir then let out a furious roar.

Even with only a remnant soul remaining, that primal ferocity was still clearly perceptible:

"Enough! Stop wasting your breath on this coward!"
"Carlos, you coward, hand over your power!"

His tone was full of impatience and threat:

"If our three souls unite and unleash our final power, we will definitely have a chance to tear open a rift and escape back to the River of Time!"

"When the time comes, I will personally tear that damned human wizard to shreds!"

Carlos's ball of light then began a spectacular "performance".

The originally stable and brilliant light began to flicker erratically, simulating a state of "weakness" and "damage".

Even the sounds became intermittent, filled with "hatred" and "despair":
"Humans... wizards... must... die..."

"Carlos"

Laila's voice echoed through the labyrinth of time, her tone carrying a tentative chill:

“Your ‘remnant soul’ state looks much more complete than I imagined.”

Her words were like a sharp knife, hitting the nail on the head:

"Logically, after being devoured to this extent, our intellect should have been shattered long ago."

But your current mental structure.”

Laira's remnant soul slowly swirled around Carlos's ball of light, like a shark circling its prey:

"It's too stable."

Fenrir's roar also carries a wild instinct:

"That's right! This guy is lying!"

I can smell the scent of 'intact,' completely different from our incomplete state!

Faced with questions from two of his own kind, Carlos displayed an astonishing ability to respond.

His light began to undergo subtle and precise changes.

Simulated "tear lines" appeared on the edges, several "defects" were deliberately created in the core area, and the overall light was adjusted to a weak state of "forced" support.

"You are right."

Carlos's voice became intermittent.

But this "weak" performance was just right; it didn't feel overly contrived, yet it explained why his consciousness remained intact.
"My computing core, in its final moments before being devoured, proactively underwent 'intelligent compression'."

He "laboriously" explained a seemingly plausible lie:

"Compressing the most essential fragments of consciousness into the deepest layer prevents them from completely dissipating."

"But this state is only temporary; I can feel the compression structure collapsing."

This explanation is technically sound.

Laila and Fenrir exchanged a glance. Although they were still suspicious, they couldn't find any obvious flaws.

Meanwhile, Ron, who was observing the entire process through the "Observer's Eye," was becoming increasingly vigilant.

He discovered a crucial detail:
When Carlos performed the "weakness" act, the simulated "tear lines" and "defects" were so precise that they seemed to be made according to some standard template.

What's even more suspicious is that the locations of these "scars" happen to avoid some of the most critical nodes in the intellectual structure.

"This guy isn't just acting."

Ron analyzed in his mind:
“He even studied in advance what kind of state the ‘remnant soul’ should present. This level of preparation was by no means a spur-of-the-moment decision.”

An even more terrifying idea began to take shape in his mind:

“From the very beginning, Carlos was preparing for this moment.”

He probably anticipated that Laira and Fenrir would leave behind remnants of their souls, and had already planned how to take advantage of this opportunity.

As Ron pondered, the internal power struggle within the pocket watch entered a new phase.

After some probing, Laira seemed to temporarily accept Carlos's explanation.

Since we're all in the same boat...

Laira's remnant soul began to release a peculiar mental fluctuation, a manifestation of her remaining abilities:
"Let's share our 'memories' to confirm that we are indeed on the same side."

For true remnant souls, this sharing, though dangerous, is the only way to build trust.

But for Carlos, who had maintained his intellect, this was undoubtedly a fatal test.

Once his true state is exposed, he will face the most insane revenge from the two desperate remnant souls.

Ron could sense that Carlos's ball of light had truly fluctuated at that moment. It was an instinctive reaction of tension when facing a tremendous challenge.

But just seconds later, Carlos displayed an astonishing adaptability.

"I agree!"

He responded, trembling, and began to undertake a near-impossible feat:
Construct a complete set of "false memories" in real time.

This false memory also includes feelings of "sympathy" and "guilt" towards Laila and Fenrir:

Why couldn't I protect my comrades in the battle? Why did I have to watch them be devoured? Why am I still alive while they are just remnants of their souls?
As the three parties began "memory sharing," a strange spiritual resonance unfolded within the pocket watch.

When it was Carlos's turn, the "memory" he displayed precisely met the expectations of the other two:

During their lifetime, the three hounds cooperated, but never truly opened their hearts to each other.

In this desperate situation, Carlos's "true friendship in adversity" was like sweet dew nourishing their parched souls.

"Carlos"

Laiira's voice trembled, a genuine expression of being moved:

"We...we all misunderstood you."

Fenrir, unusually, also toned down his irritable tone:
I never imagined you had endured so much.

This is terrifying! This is a true "veteran actor"! Ron even felt a chill run down his spine when he saw this.

Carlos responded "laboriously" to the summons of his two kinsmen, his voice filled with resentment etched into his teeth:
“I…know…that the weakest point in this cage…is…the energy circulation…central hub…”

Laira's remnant soul immediately became excited, and its light and shadow fluctuated violently:

"Great! Carlos, I knew you'd have a way!"

Tell us quickly, where is that node?

Fenrir is even more direct:

"If I can get out of here, I swear I'll make that wizard suffer for a thousand years!"

Laila's voice was filled with a twisted hope:

"So when do we make our move?"

"Now."

Carlos responded "weakly":

"My existence is rapidly fading away; if I wait any longer... I'll miss my chance..."

Under his "guidance," the two remnant souls began to move rapidly toward the so-called "weak point."

The desire for revenge eroded their last shred of reason like a poison, leaving them with no doubt about this "golden opportunity."

Ron quietly observed the unfolding of this scam.

This is indeed a dangerous ally:

Terrifyingly intelligent, terrifyingly ruthless, and terrifyingly loyal.

"Owner."

Carlos's voice came through the private link:

"They are about to arrive at their location. Please prepare to initiate the devouring process."

Ron took a deep breath, placed his palm on the surface of the silver pocket watch, and felt the immense time energy contained within it.

On the other side of consciousness, two remnant souls filled with hatred, harboring dreams of revenge, are rushing headlong into the meticulously laid trap.

They will never know that the so-called "shared misfortune" was nothing more than the prelude to a carefully planned betrayal.

The tension in the air reached its peak when the remnants of Laira and Fenrir's souls arrived at that "weak point".

Two distorted beams of light, fueled by a vengeful frenzy, gathered their remaining power into a devastating shockwave, poised to tear apart the walls of this time prison.

However, just as they unleashed their final blow—

The silver pocket watch burst forth with an unprecedentedly dazzling light!
The light was as dazzling as the birth of a new star, filling the entire prison space.

A massive silver vortex, composed of countless intricate time gears, suddenly unfolded at that so-called "node".

The two remnant souls were immediately locked in place by this terrifying suction force, and no matter how they struggled, they could not escape.

"Carlos!!"

Laila let out a piercing scream like a night owl, her voice a mixture of despair, anger, and the venomous resentment of being utterly betrayed:

"You despicable traitor—!!"

Fenrir's roar grew even more ferocious; even as it was being devoured, its primal killing intent burned like a raging fire.
"I curse you! Carlos! Your fate... will be... worse than ours...!!"

Their voices gradually became distorted and broken within the vortex.

Ultimately, it turned into a few faint echoes and disappeared into the abyss of time.

As the last wisp of remnant soul was completely devoured, the pocket watch's light reached its most dazzling brilliance.

The entire surface shimmered with a silvery-blue glow like liquid starlight, while inside, a low, rumbling sound of gears turning could be heard, as if a precision instrument was undergoing its final calibration.

Seeing that his obsession had been completely shattered, Ron praised Carlos in his consciousness:

“Well done, Carlos. Your strategy was flawless.”

"Not only did you completely eliminate the potential threat, but you also brought me a valuable boost in capabilities. You have once again proven your worth and loyalty."

"Don't worry, the conditions I promised before will be fulfilled."

The statement that you will be given more 'freedom' and 'decision-making power' in the future remains completely valid.

Carlos's voice came through the mental link, his tone carrying a certain satisfaction:
"My purpose in being here is to help my master solve his problems."

Those two foolish kinsmen actually dared to try and use me against you; it is an insult to my intelligence.

At this point, his voice became even more respectful:
“Master, if you have any other ‘troubles’ that I need to deal with, please feel free to give the order.”

My computational skills and knowledge of time are always at your service.

On the surface, it was indeed a perfect collaboration.

A loyal servant, a wise master, and a perfect ending.

But when Ron disconnected his mental connection with Carlos and instead had a private discussion with Azalea and Nari, the atmosphere became tense.

“Baby.” Nari’s voice was full of wariness:

"Mom still feels there's something wrong with that scene just now."

"If the remnants of Leila and Fenrir's souls were really that weak, why did Carlos wait until now to tell you?"

With his intelligence, he should have discovered this 'safety hazard' long ago.

Acelia's analysis hits the nail on the head:
"This guy is 'waiting for the best price'."

The dragon soul's voice carried a languid air of worldly wisdom:

“Any shrewd speculator will assess the value of the ‘intelligence’ itself before giving out key information, as well as ‘when’ and ‘how’ to give it out in order to maximize their own interests.”

"He chose this moment to expose the existence of the remnant soul and offered a 'solution' with a clear purpose—to show you his 'irreplaceability'."

Her tone became sharper:
"In other words, he deliberately let the threat exist for a while, and then stepped in to save the day at the most critical moment, making himself look like a hero. I've heard too many examples of this tactic."

Nari was even more direct:
“Honey, remember what your mother said: never completely trust someone who would stab their friend in the back.”

"He seems loyal now because the cost of betraying you is too high."

"What if the situation changes, what if he finds a better backer or a safer way out..."

"What else do you think a guy who can so coldly betray his own kind wouldn't do?"

The analysis from these two "family members" made Ron realize the blind spots in his thinking.

Carlos did indeed demonstrate outstanding ability and apparent loyalty, but this "loyalty" was based on absolute power suppression.

Once this balance is disrupted...

“You’re right,” Ron responded softly in his mind.
"We must be extremely wary of Carlos."

His eyes deepened:

“There is a world of difference between a useful tool and a reliable ally. Carlos can only be considered the former at the moment.”

That being said, deep inside the pocket watch, Carlos was completely unable to comprehend this psychological process of "escalating defenses."

In the cognitive system of hunting dogs, loyalty is a rational choice based on a calculation of interests.

Since the cost of betrayal far outweighs the benefits, he will naturally choose loyalty.

At this moment, the silver pocket watch, having finished absorbing the heat, began to emit an increasingly intense warmth.

The entire pocket watch was trembling slightly, and the fine patterns on the case began to gleam with an unusual luster.

This is a gluttonous beast that has overeaten, and may release its excess energy at any moment.

"Owner."

Carlos's anxious voice came from deep within the pocket watch:
"Excess energy is overflowing! If not dealt with in time, it will not only cause enormous waste, but may also trigger spacetime disorder!"

His tone was clearly urgent:

"I suggest solidifying it into two practical abilities: 'Dream Mist' and 'Time Disorder'."

The illusionary mist can create widespread sensory deception, while time distortion can reduce the enemy's reaction speed to zero...

"Do not."

Ron almost instinctively interrupted the suggestion.

He stroked the warm pocket watch, somewhat hesitant:

"That's such a waste."

I can already summon projections of two hounds, and then solidify and overlap the abilities without producing much of an effect.

The essence of this energy is 'time' itself, the most fundamental manifestation of 'existence'.

To solidify it into two abilities is like using the blood of a god to water roadside weeds—a utter waste.

(End of this chapter)