Chapter 1280: Optical Eclipse
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
No one knew what happened in Sanctum. For the earthly kingdoms, only the things they could see and touched deserved their attention. The tide of Chaos still showed no signs of decline, but the situation was no longer as critical as it was during the past few days. The darkness had yet to recede, but the Sunscorch Tower of each kingdom lit up, and the biggest crisis seemed to be over.
The light that flashed across the sky had become a hot topic in every Royal Court of every kingdom. Scholars and arcanists were arguing over the possible reasons for this phenomenon. The kings were more concerned about the power of the light and how long it would last. The beam of light dissipated after ten minutes, but the mysterious energy it brought had reactivated every Sunscorch Tower in a way that no one could understand. Scholars could not explain the recharging of the towers, and could only generalize it as a divine power resonance. But no one knew how long this energy would last.
The Sunscorch Towers were behaving strangely after the burst of the light. The light had fried energy monitoring systems of the towers, which were running in a way that defied common sense. Those tower maintenance personnel, once arrogant, could only stare at the out-of-service control magic circle in amazement.
When the entire secular world was busy discussing the source of the light, the source location of the light had fallen into another confusion.
A third of White City needed to relocate. A full assessment was undergoing to evaluate the various consequences caused by the light eclipse phenomenon. The energy burst had damaged an uncountable number of magic items, and magic-powered equipment. The good news was that there were no casualties, and the bad news was that the incident had led to a city-wide head-scratching. Even the king and his officials were all bemused. No one knew how to explain it.
Hao Ren, the king’s family, and Scholar Alfred were standing on the platform on top the Palace of the Golden Roses. They were overlooking the high ground on the north of the city where the Sunscorch Tower had seemed to be no more there. But the tower was not gone; it still stood there.
The same strange phenomenon happened around the tower. The affected area was as large as a few kilometers in radius.
Some part of the tower and the land around it seemed to have gone; it was invisible. The transparent areas were random in shape and location. Some as small as the palm of a hand, some were as large as a house. These invisible segments move around as if they were alive.
Besides that, a faint white light was shrouding the Sunscorch Tower and its surrounding areas. This light was much brighter than the shimmering light the tower previously gave out. But no one seemed to care anymore.
Hao Ren remembered what had happened before. Earlier, when he poured the excessive amount of pure lifeblood into the energy pool of the Sunscorch Tower, it released the power of the lifeblood in an instant. The burst of energy changed the rules of the area permanently. When the white light disappeared, there were no casualties, only many incredible phenomena.
What everyone saw now was one of the phenomena. Scholars named this phenomenon Optical Eclipse.
“The arcanists think that Optical Eclipse phenomenon is a kind of phase deflection,” Ania said softly. “This area was experiencing a phase change under the influence of divine power, resulting in the entire region continuously switching into different phases. The transparent surfaces did not go away. We couldn’t see but can touch them.”
“It’s all nonsense,” Rudolph III said, knocking in the air in front of him and there were knock sounds. It was the railing on the terrace, but it was invisible. “I can see the phenomenon myself.”
While saying, the transparent segments on the Palace of the Golden Roses were also shifting. The outline of the iron railing appeared from left to right before the king’s eyes. Veronica immediately gripped the railing and then exhaled.
Hao Ren felt embarrassed and he smiled. He was entirely responsible for causing this situation after all.
Ania shook her head and continued. “The energy shock has damaged many magic installations in the city. The arcanists are working overtime to repair them. More residents are leaving the city north because the Optical Eclipse has seriously affected their daily lives. His Honorable Welsh has been so snowed under that it is not his time complaining to me and Uncle Loen.”
The king nodded and turned to look at the scholar, Alfred. “Have you found any other hazards of the Optical Eclipse?”
The scholar shook his head, but he knew what the king was concerned about. “There has not been any real damage, Your Majesty. We only know that it has caused changes in metals and rocks, making them transparent, but not affected biological beings and objects. It seems to be only an unexplainable optical phenomenon.”
Hao Ren hemmed. “I am sorry that I have brought such great trouble to you all.”
Rudolph III waved his hand and looked at Hao Ren sincerely. “Nah, compared to the benefit it has brought, this little inconvenience is nothing. At least you have guaranteed the survival of our kingdom. The Sunscorch Tower has indeed lit up though it looks a little odd.”
The Sunscorch Tower has lit up again, which was why Hao Ren was still allowed to stand here despite he had caused an explosion. Hao Ren had not determined the cause of the side effect of Optical Eclipse, but he was right concerning the power of the lifeblood. The energy in the lifeblood had indeed activated the tower again—not just enabled but also greatly enhanced.
Reports from the surrounding areas of White City were on the desk of Rudolph III. The reports mentioned that the power of the towers and furnace installations in various places had increased since the bust of light that night. Now, these installations were running at an unprecedented level of efficiency, which meant the strength of the shield of Order of the Kingdom of Taros had increased two-fold as well.
With such good news, naturally, Rudolph III would not mind the little optical phenomenon.
“Let the scholars study it. I should concentrate on the governance of the kingdom.” Rudolph III finally sighed and turned away from the terrace, while others followed him.
When they came to the steps of the terrace, the transparent areas of the palace shifted again. This time it was the stairs that had become invisible.
Everyone looked at each other. At last, Alfred went to the front, while others followed and groped for the wall to come down slowly from the stairs. As she walked, Veronica mumbled, “This place is inhabitable, father. When are we moving?”
“Don’t be silly. How can the Taros Royal Family run away from such a little problem?”
“But father, you have hit the wall three times in the morning.”
Rudolph III was dumbstruck.
“You even hit and broke a door.”
Rudolph III was again dumbstruck.
Hao Ren could not care less about when the Royal Family would move. He was trying to figure out in his mind the reason for this phenomenon. There was a logic in everything, and the supernatural thing like the lifeblood was no exception. It was precisely this phenomenon the lifeblood caused that was in line with the cosmic law of the Plane of Dreams—because a true god represented the law of the universe.
While Hao Ren was in deep thought, he saw in his peripheral vision a strange sight.
He quickly looked up. A silver-white metal surface was floating in the air next to him. The metal surface looked familiar as if it was the corner of the table onboard the Petrachelys, his spacecraft. He saw Rollie was on the metal surface staring at him.
The cat maiden was holding a canned fish, half open, in her hands. Judging from her sneaky gesture and her reaction, Rollie must be stealing food.
“Rollie?” Surprised, Hao Ren called out instinctively.
The dumb cat almost jumped out of her skin. She held on tightly to the canned fish and meowed.
Veronica, who was walking in front, had heard Hao Ren was talking to himself. The princess curiously turned her head around. “Your Venerable Guardian, who are you talking to?”
Rollie and the small table suddenly disappeared when Veronica interrupted.
Hao Ren blinked and froze. Noticing the stares of everyone around, Hao Ren shook his head. “Ahh, nothing. It might be an illusion. This place is bizarre.”