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Chapter 233 Márquez
Click.

The phone hangs up.

Wang Xi hung the receiver back on the telephone, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Join Blue Butterfly?

Sorry, I have absolutely no interest.

The rebels were clearly at a disadvantage in the kingdom's struggle, like rats hiding in the dark, scouting for traitors and desperately seeking talent. They even seemed to mistake his magic for some kind of "supernatural power" awakened by the Cold Element.

Wang Xi shook his head.

His purpose in coming to the Clockwork Kingdom of the Eastern Continent was solely to find a solution to the corruption. The struggle between the kingdom and the rebels was entirely irrelevant to him.

I'm very busy, okay?

I don't have time to play house.

Wang Xi pushed open the creaking glass door of the telephone booth, putting Lan Die's offer out of his mind.

The cool air, carrying fine mineral dust, rushed towards him. He squinted, his vision stretching to the edge of the mountain that had been greedily gnawed at—the black crystal mining area.

He stopped and strode forward.

As they went deeper, the acrid smell of burnt metal and an indescribable chill in the air grew stronger.

The mountain wind howled, and the muffled sounds of machinery could be faintly heard. After rounding a slope piled with abandoned ore, the view suddenly opened up before us.

A huge crater, as if torn open by the claws of a giant beast, extends deep into the mountainside. Inside the crater, dozens of differently shaped robotic machines are bustling about like worker ants, wielding shovels or drills to peel black crystal ore, which shimmers with an eerie light, from the rock walls and then transport it onto mine carts.

The entire mine pit resembled a giant mechanical anthill, with a colossal machine at the very center of the pit's bottom—

It resembles a steel behemoth forcibly assembled from countless rusty gears and thick hydraulic pipes, with its long legs, tens of meters high, firmly driven into the ground, supporting a giant pile hammer that is constantly raised and then slammed down with immense force.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Each hammer blow caused the ground to tremble violently, the rocks to crack, and black crystals of all sizes and sharp edges to scatter in all directions, refracting an ominous hue in the dim light.

Wang Xi turned his gaze in that direction.

Chaos's investigation instantly locked onto the entry for this giant mecha—

"β Functional Doll - Mining King (Darkened/Nemesis/Superior Four-Star)"

The blackened white board is a four-star character.

Almost at the same moment Wang Xi threw out the probe, the automatons in the mine, which had been engrossed in mining, seemed to receive some kind of signal, and their red eyes all turned towards this "uninvited guest".

The mining rig king reacted the most violently.

squeak-

Its massive body emitted a sickening metallic creak as the giant pile driver at the top slowly ceased its work. A supporting leg beneath it suddenly rose, and the hydraulic strut roared and screech, carrying dirt and gravel as it slammed down towards Wang Xi's location.

Boom! !

The earth groaned, the shockwave whipped up clouds of dust, and a deep crater instantly exploded where Wang Xi had just stood.

The pebbles whistled and shot out like bullets.

Before the dust had settled, Wang Xi's figure appeared dozens of meters away, with a few traces of ink remaining.

His eyes were calm as he chanted a mantra.

He brought his right index and middle fingers together and swept them forward. The next moment, a deep red streak of light shot out.

call out--

The blood-ink flying sword followed a tricky trajectory, its speed exceeding the sound barrier, tearing through the air with a shrill whistle.

Accompanied by a clang.

A flash of red light passed by.

The giant leg of the mining rig was neatly severed near the main body. The cross-section was glowing red-hot, and a large amount of oil mixed with a black, blood-like liquid gushed out.

The broken giant leg crashed down with its momentum, like a toppling steel tower, crushing several blackened mechs that couldn't dodge in time.

Twisted parts flew everywhere, accompanied by electrical sparks.

The mining machine king, having lost its support, suddenly tilted, barely managing to maintain its position with the remaining few giant legs, but it also appeared to be on the verge of collapse.

Wang Xi then spread his five fingers and made a loose fist.

Blood and ink surged around him, then coalesced into a deep red staff, which he grabbed. Countless shadows seemed to writhe and groan silently on the staff's surface, emanating a ferocious aura like a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

He stepped forward, his figure as elusive as a ghost, and approached the unbalanced mining machine king. After twirling his staff, he slammed it down on the control core of the giant machine.

The stick fell as if the sky were collapsing.

There are no fancy techniques involved; it's pure, unadulterated domination.

It has a certain numerical beauty.

Boom! ! !

The moment the crimson staff slammed down, it was like a high-yield explosive detonation, producing a deafening roar.

The mining machine king's sturdy alloy armor plate was as fragile as paper, causing the underlying mechanical structure to dent and crack, black smoke billowing and electric arcs flying.

Its massive, mountain-like body collapsed with a crash and ceased to move.

"The target has been killed!"

"Can we capture the capabilities of the 'Mining King'?"

'Yes. '

Wang Xi gave an affirmative reply.

hum-

A fist-sized ball of energy, shimmering with blue light, floated out from the steel ruins and entered Wang Xi's brow.

The remaining scattered automatons showed no fear and continued to charge forward, brandishing shovels, picks, and drills.

With a wave of his hand, Wang Xi sent the dozen or so blood-red flying swords that had gathered above his head back into streaks of light, darting through the mine at high speed. Wherever they passed, the corrupted mechs fell and disintegrated.

Not long after.

The mine fell completely silent, leaving only scattered steel wreckage and flickering sparks.

Wang Xi stood upright as he walked down into the mine pit.

His gaze swept over the several mining carts parked on the tracks, which were filled with unrefined black crystal ore.

Wang Xi walked over and placed his hand directly on a large piece of raw ore.

'Caus, extract the energy.'

The black crystal vanished instantly.

And the information stream popped up in my mind:

"Gained 1000 energy points (28230 remaining)"

"The gear brand has been corrupted!"

Current corruption progress: 30/700

Wang Xi nodded, continuing to reach out and touch the remaining raw ore in the mine cart.

"Gained 800 energy points"

"Gained 600 energy points"

"Gained 1100 energy points"

"..."

After a while.

Wang Xi suddenly felt a little dizzy, and a barely perceptible crimson glint flashed in his eyes. A lingering, chilling aura even remained within him.

He knew it was time to stop.

Re-examine your mind—

Energy: 58230

Experience: 9060

"Gear Brand Blackening Progress: 630/700"

'We're almost at the limit of "Pinocchio Heart," so let's leave it at that for now.'

Wang Xi looked at the empty mine cart in front of him, withdrew his hand, and took a deep breath.

Although there are still several fully loaded mining trucks here, if they continue to absorb the ore, they may become blackened and polluted.

Wang Xi took one last look at the devastated mine, then turned and left without a second thought.

...

...

Instead of returning immediately to the town center of Macaulay, he first went to the abandoned machinery recycling plant in the southwest of the town.

According to information provided by the rebel leader "Blue Butterfly" over the phone, he found a secret door leading to the second basement level deep inside the rusty and cobweb-covered factory.

After entering the password, the gears turned, and the heavy door slid open silently—just as the other party had said, inside was a safe house, filled with various canned goods and sealed buckets, enough to keep dozens of people occupied for half a year.

Wang Xi explored the secret room.

In the corner of the desk drawer, there was a small metal box. When opened, it was filled with shiny, gear-shaped gold coins and banknotes printed with clockwork designs.

A rough estimate puts it at several hundred gold coins.

Wang Xi casually stuffed the valuables into his pocket, then his gaze fell on the filing cabinet next to him.

After searching for a while, he found a tattered document page, which seemed to have been left behind by the rebels when they left.

The title of this tattered document is: "Preliminary Observation Report on the Phenomenon of 'Cold Element Awakening'"

He examined it carefully.

"...Therefore, we can preliminarily conclude that when the cold element machine extracts black energy from black crystals, it will generate a special energy that we tentatively name 'cold element radiation'...It has been confirmed that organic life forms (not limited to humans) that are exposed to this radiation for a long time or at high intensity may experience physical and mental mutations."

"The direction of mutation is highly random and unpredictable, mainly showing three tendencies: corruption (accounting for about 73.7%): manifested as physical mutation, loss of mental control, increased aggression, and a tendency towards pollution characteristics; instant death (accounting for 17.4%); awakening (accounting for about 8.9%): manifested as gaining supernatural abilities (superpowers) that are beyond common sense."

"The types of superpowers include energy control, physical enhancement, and mental perception... It is questionable whether awakened individuals can maintain their rationality completely, and some individuals still experience mild pollution symptoms."

Wang Xi closed the document, understanding dawning on his mind.

It turns out that the so-called "cold element" is a mysterious radiation that was born along with blackening pollution.

No wonder "Blue Butterfly" mentioned on the phone that the Cold Essence doesn't only exist in the Eastern Continent, but all over the world.

The Clockwork Kingdom's official pursuit is the pinnacle of mechanical technology, while the "Blue Butterfly" goes against this trend, using supernatural powers derived from physical mutation as weapons.

Wang Xi said secretly.

Before leaving, he glanced at the warehouse one last time.

In the old wardrobe in the corner, there were a few clothes that looked fairly clean. Wang Xi picked and chose, taking three sets of them.

Two dark gray workwear-style men's jackets, and a women's long dress in a relatively bright color and with a more refined style.

He, Godard, and Pinocchio should also change their outfits to avoid looking out of place and attracting attention.

With money and clothes in hand, Wang Xi quietly left the secret base and returned to the municipal center.

As soon as I entered the hall.

"Sir Gay!" Sheriff Jefferson was the first to spot him, rushing forward eagerly and expectantly: "Has anything been discovered at the mines...?"

"All the operating machines, including the mining machines, went out of control, and no living people were found."

Wang Xi shook his head.

"Although I have destroyed all those out-of-control machines, the danger will not be over as long as the source of the dark energy remains."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked disappointed.

Mayor Kelton thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth and made a request: "Mr. Kai, communications are down here, and we can't get to the train station... You and your companions are very capable, could you help us go out and seek help?"

"There are over a hundred survivors here, but we probably won't last much longer."

Wang Xi didn't refuse, since he would leave Macaulay Town sooner or later anyway: "I'll go to Marquez and inform the officials there about your situation."

"Thank you." Kelton finally saw a glimmer of hope and his expression brightened. "Thank you so much for your help."

"Oh, right," Wang Xi added, remembering something, "before we leave, there's some information that should be helpful to you..."

He told Kelton and Jefferson the exact location and password of the second basement level of the abandoned machinery recycling plant, indicating that it contained a considerable amount of food and water. "Rebel hidden supplies?!"

The two were taken aback at first, then their faces lit up with surprise.

"This is wonderful! I don't know how to thank you enough, Your Excellency Kai." Kelton's voice trembled with excitement. "You are our benefactor!"

At this moment, Raymond and his wife, who had been hiding in the corner, also squeezed in.

The woman, her face still streaked with tears, placed a wallet and a necklace, still warm from her body, into Wang Xi's hands: "Mr. Jia, thank you for saving my life earlier. This is a small token of our gratitude."

"Also, if you happen to pass by the University of Marquez, please be sure to visit our daughters Alice and Dorothy... Please tell them that we are all well and will be home soon... and tell them not to worry."

As she spoke, Karen trembled as she opened the oval pendant, inside which was a slightly faded family photo, with two smiling girls nestled beside Raymond and his wife.

Wang Xi looked at the two girls in the photo and nodded: "Don't worry, I'll pass on the message."

The Raymonds were immediately very grateful.

Little did they know, they had been corrupted and tainted, and it seemed unlikely they would ever be able to return home...

But Wang Xi did not say it directly.

The truth was too cruel; all he could do was pass on a message along the way.

Without lingering any longer, Wang Xi left the city center with Godard and Pinocchio amidst the hopeful and grateful gazes of the crowd.

Not long after they left.

Inside the city hall, whispers gradually rose.

The man who had previously questioned Wang Xi approached Kelton and Jefferson, and hesitated before saying:
"My lords, don't you find it strange? How could that Kai Farrell know the location and password of the rebels' safe house?"

The man looked around.

"Furthermore, he is also an 'Awakener' with superpowers... I suspect that he is actually a member of the Blue Butterfly organization, and the whole 'traveler from the Western Continent' thing is just a deceptive facade."

"This guy infiltrated our area and went to the mining area to steal intelligence. Now he's escaped with his men, but he knows our hiding place..."

Panic began to spread, and suspicion, like vines, began to entwine the hearts of many.

Everyone turned to look at the town mayor and the sheriff.

Sheriff Jefferson looked grim, while Mayor Kelton frowned and scanned the crowd before finally fixing his gaze on the man before him:

"What Mr. Gay's identity is is not important at all... What is important is that he saved Mr. and Mrs. Raymond and Miss Claire, killed the mad wolf guards, and provided important information about supplies."

"Everything he did was a blessing to the town and to everyone present."

He stared at the man: "Even if he really is a member of the Blue Butterfly, that only proves that there are good people in the rebels."

The Raymonds and Miss Claire nodded in agreement with the mayor's point of view. The man gave an awkward smile and said nothing more, and the surrounding chatter gradually subsided.

Kelton led the sheriff away, and whispered to the crowd, "If Wells tries to demoralize the troops again, we'll find an opportunity to kill him... We can't afford any more trouble. If we want to survive, we must stick together."

Jefferson was stunned when he heard this.

He took one last deep look at the bald, fat man and whispered, "I understand."

...

...

Wang Xi, with Godard and Pinocchio, walked through the quiet town, along the railway tracks.

The town of Macquarie was indeed in a remote location; it took them several days to find another industrial city called "Fanchborg".

And in Van Chipburg, he boarded a train bound for Márquez.

Fortunately, the security check here was not strict, and the three of them changed their clothes halfway through the journey, with Pinocchio even wearing a hat, so they were not recognized.

And so I spent a few more days on the train.

They finally arrived at the capital of the Clockwork Kingdom, Marquez.

woo-

Accompanied by a long whistle and the sound of gears meshing, a steam train slowly pulled into the station, spewing steam.

Wang Xi, Goddariel, and Pinocchio prepared to get off the bus with the flow of people. Cinderella seemed a little listless after days of travel, but her curiosity about the new environment outweighed her fatigue, and she looked around curiously.

However, as you pass through one of the carriages, a strong, suffocating stench of sweaty feet hits you.

The source is just ahead.

An elderly blonde woman wearing an old-fashioned cloth jacket took off her shoes and casually lifted her feet, placing them on the headrest of the seat in front of her.

In the seats in front of them sat two young girls dressed as students. They were covering their noses, leaning heavily against the window, their faces flushed.

Most of the surrounding passengers frowned and glanced sideways, but due to their status and unwillingness to cause trouble, they did not meddle and quickened their pace to leave the "toxic gas" area.

"It stinks!" Pinocchio pinched his nose and grumbled, "Who pooped on themselves? Didn't Mom teach you that you can't poop on yourself?"

Godaril covered her face with a handkerchief and said, "Perhaps that person doesn't have a mother."

The onlookers burst into laughter.

The old woman heard the discussion and laughter, turned her head and glared at Godard and Pinocchio.

As the crowd continued to move forward, Wang Xi kicked the old woman's shoe under her seat as he passed her.

The shoe was kicked into the air, spinning as it landed a few steps ahead in the middle of the passageway.

Hey! You rude kid! What are you doing?!

The old woman sat up straight, looked at Wang Xi with shock and anger, and began to curse.

Wang Xi acted as if nothing had happened, walking forward nonchalantly, and then kicked the shoe even further away like a soccer ball.

The three of them walked straight to the exit of the carriage without stopping.

Just as he stepped off the train, Wang Xi caught a glimpse of the gravel ground below the platform connecting to the railway tracks. Without hesitation, he delivered another precise stomp.

call--

The leather shoe, emanating deadly poison gas, traced a short arc, flew over the stone steps at the edge of the platform, and landed in the pile of rubble and sleepers below.

"My...my shoes!" The old woman's pig-like scream finally rang out from the carriage behind. "High-quality leather shoes worth two taels of silver!"

The entire process of getting off the train and kicking off the shoe was swift and decisive, taking only two or three seconds. By the time the old woman, barefoot and furious, chased after them, Wang Xi and his two companions had already disappeared into the crowd on the platform.

The surrounding passengers were stunned, many with their mouths agape, unable to react for a moment.

"That gentleman... is so handsome!"

The two female students who had been suffocated by the fumes finally breathed a sigh of relief. One of the short-haired girls, her face still slightly flushed, looked in the direction where Wang Xi had disappeared and whispered in admiration, "That's a real gentleman, hehe."

Another long-haired girl nodded in agreement, her eyes sparkling.

But before they could finish speaking...

drop!drop!drop!
A piercing alarm suddenly blared throughout the platform, while several red scanning beams swept across the area.

"Attention all units! Attention all units!"

The cold, electronic sound reverberated throughout the entire station hall through the loudspeakers.

"Pinocchio, a Class A wanted criminal, has been spotted! Arrest him immediately!"

The passengers looked surprised and puzzled, wondering what had happened.

Soon, a flurry of footsteps came from all directions, and uniformed guards armed with stun batons and rifles blocked off the train station.

There were even quite a few combat personnel wearing wolf-head mechs who surrounded and blocked the exit.

"Gai, I think I've been found out."

In the crowd, Pinocchio, pressing down on his hat, whispered to Wang Xidao.

“Marquez’s surveillance technology is more advanced, so a hat doesn’t seem to be very effective.”

"It's alright," Wang Xi calmly reassured him. "With me here, they won't be able to catch you."

Amid the terrified screams and chaotic footsteps of the surrounding passengers, Wang Xi simultaneously made a gesture with both hands.

The incantation was activated, and the space rippled with ink-like color.

—"The Dance of Fish and Dragons in the Sleeves"

Goddariel and Pinocchio instantly felt a gentle yet irresistible force enveloping them.

Suddenly, their bodies felt light, and the two of them vanished from the spot without a sound.

Wang Xi pointed his right index finger into the air, and a pair of yin-yang fish flew out. His figure also blurred, like ink spreading in water, and disappeared in an instant.

It took less than a second from start to finish.

Not long after.

The three of them appeared as if by teleportation in a narrow back alley outside the train station.

"I almost got caught."

Godaril steadied herself, still somewhat dazed. She let out a long sigh and patted her chest.

"Kai, what kind of magic is this?"

“Spatial magic,” Wang Xi explained casually, glancing back at the train station entrance.

The area was already packed with guards and police cars, completely blocking the train station as if facing a major threat.

Wang Xi seemed to be thinking about something.

Compared to Van Chimburg, Marquez, as the capital, certainly has stronger technology and security, making it difficult for Pinocchio to hide.

“Hmm, we’ve been discovered…” Wang Xi stroked his chin and looked at the puppet boy beside him: “Looks like we need to change our outfits, especially you, Pinocchio.”

...

...

After a while.

The most bustling commercial district in the center of Marquez.

A lavishly decorated clothing store called "Mrs. Catherine" with exquisite gowns and high-end suits displayed in its windows.

The brass-carved glass door was pushed open from the inside.

A tall, handsome young man in an expensive black trench coat strode out; it was Wang Xi.

Beside him were two beautiful "women," one tall and one short.

On the left, Godarial is tall and slender, with her long hair pulled back, revealing her smooth forehead and long neck. She wears an exquisitely tailored silver-gray silk dress, adorned with a number of pieces of jewelry.

Cinderella tugged at her skirt a little awkwardly.

The "girl" on the right appears exceptionally petite and adorable, like a delicate porcelain doll. She wears a light pink tutu adorned with lace trim, delicate white stockings encasing her slender calves, and a pair of small, exquisite black leather shoes.

To match the tutu, she wore a small hat on her head and even applied light makeup, with just the right amount of blush and lip gloss.

This is Pinocchio, the "Little Princess".

If one were not in the know, it would be impossible to connect him with the wanted puppet boy.

Pinocchio is currently trying to play his new role—Nora, the sister of Mr. Kai, a "fallen nobleman".

Fortunately, as a smart puppet created by Master Gipeter, he had an extremely strong learning ability. He even imitated Godariel, extending his small hand, which was covered by a white lace glove, and took Wang Xi's arm.

Then, deliberately lowering her voice and imitating the tone of the noble lady she had seen in Daphne, she asked in a clear and sweet girlish voice:

"Brother Kai, is it pretty?"

"..."

Wang Xi's lips twitched; he hadn't expected Pinocchio to be imitated so perfectly.

"Hmm, it's alright." He said calmly. "But be careful not to talk too much, or you'll give yourself away."

"Hehe." Pinocchio flashed a charming smile. "Understood, brother."

He then looked at Godariel: "Your sister is beautiful too."

“Thank you.” Godaril said with a strange expression.

The three of them walked down the street, attracting the attention of many passersby.

It is not suspicious.

Rather, it's the handsome men and beautiful women who are truly pleasing to the eye.

(End of this chapter)