Women only affect my ability to spread the fire

Could it be that the guy who is secretly watching is not in the same group as the guy who is commanding these mechanical puppets?

Russell frowned in thought.

This means that in addition to the three of them, there are at least two other parties with different positions on the island.

So, which side does Brochard belong to?

Brochard showed up last night after the snooping had stopped, and his appearance triggered a new round of snooping...

At this moment, Russell's thoughts were interrupted by the scene before him. Because they finally passed through the rain forest, the scenery before them suddenly opened up.

Russell never thought he would see such a "town".

Because the residents of this town are not humans at all, but metal puppets.

The houses with metal exteriors have a rusty metallic luster under the blue sky.

Humanoid metal puppets stood in an orderly manner on both sides of the street. Some had their chests open to reveal complex gears and mechanical structures, while others had their mechanical arms drooping limply.

These metal puppets stood there motionless, indifferently being knocked, parts replaced, and oiled by the moving metal puppets. They seemed to be undergoing repair or maintenance.

In addition to the metal puppets that are being maintained or undergoing maintenance, there are also some metal puppets that act like soldiers.

Their hands are not tools like wrenches or pliers, but knives or electromagnets like the ones Russell killed that day.

These military metal puppets have expressionless faces, and under the sunlight, their bodies shine with a bronze-like luster.

They walked slowly on the street, making heavy footsteps, and as their bodies vibrated, their joints and mechanical bones also made creaking sounds.

The sounds of machines running are intertwined, accompanied by smoke and a strong smell of engine oil, forming the background sound of this metal city.

This is a town belonging to mechanical puppets, it looks lonely and cold.

Russell and his three companions who had just emerged from the jungle attracted the attention of many mechanical puppets. Those metal heads turned around and stared at them with emotionless eyes.

This made Russell gasp.

Similarly, the uncanny valley effect caused by this small town made Rosaline hide behind Russell in fear. She subconsciously grabbed Russell's sleeve, and then desperately learned Margaret's spell and recited it in a series.

As the spell ended, there was a series of clicking sounds, and the mechanical puppets turned their heads back, as if they were resuming their previous work.

"What do you think, is this spell some kind of magic? Or is it some way of giving commands to these mechanical puppets?" Russell asked with a frown.

"I don't know. What I am sure of is that I must recite the incantation in conjunction with the divine fire you bestowed upon me, and only then will the 'spell' take effect."

Rosalyn, still trembling slightly, explained in a low voice.

Margaret also nodded, confirming Rosalyn's statement.

Margaret then said thoughtfully, "Even after being discovered by the mechanical puppet, reciting this 'spell' still works. I think this is, as the Lord said, a command to the mechanical puppet."

Combining the previous information, Russell divided those who were secretly watching him and those who commanded the metal puppets into two different camps.

Russell believed that the one who commanded these metal puppets must be a demon, because these "metals" were actually magic steel.

Previously, Russell thought that Mr. Brochard was probably secretly spying on his side.

Now, as he determined that this so-called spell was more likely an instruction to command these metal puppets, Russell began to feel that Mr. Brochard was most likely on the side of the devil.

It was difficult to distinguish friend from foe at the moment, and Russell's brows were furrowed the whole time.

Finally, Russell decided to take the risk and go to Mr. Brochard's so-called "safe house". He asked Margaret and Rosalyn to prepare for battle and be prepared to break the trap physically.

As for the so-called "recognizable" safe house, Russell really didn't see it, so the three of them carefully began to explore this mechanical town.

Fortunately, the command to control the metal puppet was quite effective. The three people were completely ignored by the metal puppet, and they were able to tour the town easily.

To Russell's surprise, he could even see two large metal puppets leading a small metal puppet wandering around the streets, looking like they were simulating a family.

In particular, there are quite a few such combinations.

This should have been a heartwarming scene, but the emotionless, inorganic eyes of those metal puppets always made Russell feel uncomfortable.

These eyes, modeled after living creatures, were devoid of any spirit and strangely dull. If they had a gaze, it would be cold and icy.

Not only that, the clock-like, symmetrical pace of these "walking" metal puppets also made Russell feel uncomfortable.

With a click, all the metal puppets on the scene landed on their left feet at the same time. With a click, all the metal puppets on the scene landed on their right feet at the same time. With a click, all the metal puppets on the scene landed on their left feet at the same time...

Listening to the coordinated "click, click, click" sounds of footsteps, this was not at all a casual walk by many families with their children, but more like a march at a military parade.

"Do demons also have a sense of family?" Russell asked Margaret in order to divert his discomfort.

"I don't know, my lord. I know very little about demons." Margaret shook her head.

Although the weather here was hot and the metal houses and mechanical puppets reflected the dazzling sunlight, Margaret subconsciously felt cold and she couldn't help but hug her shoulders.

Rosalyn was even more unbearable and began to shiver.

The three of them simply fled in panic and escaped from this "residential area" in a very miserable state.

After escaping through the residential area, the three arrived at the center of the town.

In the center of the town, there is a vast castle that looks quite magnificent. It is obvious that this is where the town’s leading figures live.

To be precise, this is a castle made of machines.

The entire castle is made of brass-like metal plates, exuding a cold and heavy atmosphere.

The tall main gate is made up of densely packed hinges and gears, making a dull roar as it twists slowly.

There are some worn and deformed pipes around the wall, and hot air will burst out from the pipes from time to time.

The machinery in the water tower continued to run, with the roar of the engine and the sound of gears colliding one after another.

A huge drive gear hovers on the central tower, emitting a constant, slow, frictional sound.

The rotation of the gears drives the crystal on the top of the tower, emitting dazzling beams of light, as if the eyes of the castle are watching the surroundings.

Numerous military mechanical puppets patrolled around the castle, over and over again, meticulously.

"Do you think this is the safe house that Mr. Brochard mentioned?" Russell said half-jokingly to ease the depressing atmosphere.

"Ah, what a pity, it's not." Monsieur Brochard suddenly appeared, hiding behind a pillar in the shadow of the sun.

He poked out his face from behind the goat-head mask, smiled, and said to Russell, "I didn't expect you to come here directly. Well, this saves us a lot of trouble. Come, please follow me."

Russell shook his head. "Wait a moment, Mr. Brochard. We don't trust you completely yet. Don't you think you need to explain the current situation?"

Russell's hand was already on the sword.

078 Clues to the Cornflower

"Don't be nervous, don't be nervous," Mr. Brochard said repeatedly. "I sincerely want to cooperate with you to break the curse and leave here. Come, please follow me, and let me explain the situation slowly."

Having said this, Mr. Brochard displayed his extraordinary agility.

He quickly hid from the shadow of one metal pillar to the shadow of another, passing by like a gust of black wind.

If it were just an ordinary person, they would probably only feel a slight darkness in front of their eyes and would not notice someone flying past them at all.

Even Russell would not have been able to capture Mr. Brochard's movements if his dynamic vision had not improved significantly with the upgrade of the flame.

But now, Russell could see clearly what Mr. Brochard did.

"Please follow me, three of you," Mr. Brochard said softly again.

To Russell, Mr. Brochard's agility was not as good as that of those cunning demon centurions.

Although Russell is not naive enough to think that this is all Mr. Brochard's strength, he still believes that he has the capital to overturn the table.

So Russell exchanged a glance with the two ladies, and they cautiously followed.

After following Mr. Brochard in a big circle in the shadows and crossing three intersections, they arrived at Mr. Brochard's safe house on another edge of the town that Russell and his three companions had never been to before.

Looking at this safe house, Russell finally understood why Brochard said that this safe house could be recognized at a glance.

Because it is the only wooden building in this cold town that is almost entirely made of metal.

The wooden walls have turned a warm brown after being exposed to wind and sun, and many vines are climbing on the walls.

The thick main vine branches out from each node, wrapping around the window frames and reaching the roof. These winding vines decorate the brown wooden wall with vitality.

In the forest made of cold metal, these soft plants made Russell and his three companions feel involuntarily better.

As he approached the safe house, Russell was surprised to find that the feeling of being secretly watched suddenly disappeared, as if the pair of dark eyes were covered.

This wooden house is not as simple as it looks...

Russell remained calm on the surface, just casually looking at the wooden house whose style was completely different from that of the mechanical town.

At this time, Mr. Brochard had taken off his sheep-head mask and pushed open the door.

"Welcome, all three of you. Please come in," Mr. Brochard said politely, like an old gentleman. "This is my home—a place where I've lived and worked for who knows how long. It really deserves to be called home."

The furniture in the room was very simple and clean. Russell walked in first, followed by Margaret and Rosaline.

Russell didn't notice any mechanism until the wooden door closed again. "You said you've lived here for who knows how long?"

"Yes, ever since I stumbled upon this cursed island and was trapped, I've been thinking about leaving all the time, desperately fighting those mechanical puppets every day. Unfortunately, I've lost track of time; it's almost always the same scorching summer here. I can't even tell how many years I've been trapped on this island."

said Mr. Brochard, shaking his head.

After sighing, he looked at Russell and his three companions who were still standing there and slapped his forehead.

"Ah! How rude! Please forgive me, being so far away from civilized society has made me almost forget the art of hospitality! Please take a seat while I get some herbal tea!"

"No, there's no need to rush, Mr. Brochard. I think we have more important things to talk about than drinking herbal tea." Russell quickly interrupted Mr. Brochard. Russell didn't want to be diverted again.

Therefore, Russell did not wait for Mr. Brochard to continue speaking and asked directly: "You said that you want to break the curse of the storm. What exactly do we need to do?"

"Okay, okay." Brochard nodded with a graceful smile. "I think you also saw that magnificent metal castle just now."

"Yes, I hope you wouldn't say that the mechanism to break the curse is in that castle." Russell said stiffly.

"I'm sorry, that's exactly what happened." Mr. Brochard continued to smile. "No, don't worry, Mr. Russell. Do you remember what I said about me not being in the safe house for about two hours before and after noon?"

Russell deadpanned, "Are you saying that the curse can only be lifted for a few hours each day?"

Mr. Brochard nodded. "That's right! After my attempt today failed again, I quietly left the castle and happened to meet you, Mr. Russell."

Russell had no way of telling whether Brochard was telling the truth, but he chose to patiently continue listening to Brochard.

"To be precise, the curse is locked by a mechanism. Only by breaking through the numerous mechanisms and reaching the core area of ​​the castle can we face the curse directly. As long as the curse is lifted, we will be free! Free!"

When it comes to dispelling the storm, Brochard, who has always maintained his composure, also has a fanatical glint in his eyes.

"Wait, you mean, there are only mechanisms and curses? The devil who set the curse is not here?" Russell was not attracted by the picture described by Brochard, but asked calmly.

"No, quite the opposite, Mr. Russell. This curse is the embodiment of the reclusive demon. After disarming all the traps, we must defeat the demon head-on to dispel the relentless storm surrounding this island! Only then can we be free! We will be free!"

Mr. Brochard was standing there elegantly, dressed in a well-tailored gentleman's suit, his gray hair neatly combed.

But when he talked about dispelling the storm and regaining freedom, his gentle exterior instantly broke apart and his tone became fanatical.

"Do you know why I came to you, Mr. Russell? Because I'm impressed by your combat capabilities. I noticed a gap in the patrol routes of these mechanical puppets that hasn't been seen in many years! I finally confirmed that it was you who eliminated a group of mechanical puppets!"

Mr. Brochard's eyes became bright as he looked at Russell.

Considering that Russell's scabbard, Margaret's sword, and Rosaline's staff were all made of the magic steel from the mechanical puppets, denying this obvious fact would only be an insult to each other's intelligence. Russell simply nodded and admitted it.

Russell asked, "Is this why you came to us?"

"Yes, of course! I wasn't sure I could face the devil head-on, but with you guys here, things are different! I'm very optimistic now!"

Brochard waved his hands vigorously and paced back and forth at a rapid pace. His deep voice echoed in the small wooden house, and every word was full of passion.

"My dear friends! Our destiny is in our own hands!" He raised his hands high, as if to embrace the whole world. "Let us abandon cowardice, lift the curse, defeat the devil, and embrace freedom!"

While passionately inciting, Brochard's eyes were shining, and his thin body seemed to have endless energy overflowing, without any signs of old age.

Unfortunately, Russell was completely unable to empathize with Brochard.

Perhaps Mr. Brochard has been trapped on this island for too long and his desire for freedom has become a little crazy.

Russell thought so.

"Also! When I first came to this island, my boat mysteriously disappeared while I was exploring! But after all these years of exploration, I recently found some mechanisms in the castle that lead to the sea. I think we can explore through those mechanisms and maybe find our boat back."

Mr. Brochard added.

Rosalyn has been hiding behind Russell and keeping silent since she entered the house. She doesn't seem to like socializing with outsiders.

It was the same now. Rosalyn just gently pulled Russell's sleeve to express her concern, and her expression involuntarily showed some expectation.

Hearing that there was hope of recovering the Cornflower, although Margaret was not as innocent as Rosaline, her eyes became more serious involuntarily.