Chapter 2690 Stick Figure <TOC> Chapter 2692 Fury From Embarrassment
Translator: SumTLMan
Angel mulled over things for a while, as though arranging his thoughts. It took some effort, but when Angel finally raised his head again, just when the Sovereign of Wisdom expected him to offer an explanation, Angel said: “Oh, that… why don’t we talk about it once we get out? The most important matter at hand, isn’t it to find the Wood Spirit first?”
The Sovereign of Wisdom: “…”
Previously, Angel had told the Sovereign of Wisdom things like “how can I trade with you,” but the truth was that he never truly intended any exchange of conditions. He was simply using that as a pretext to give a hint to the Black Count.
Since the Black Count did not respond again, it meant he had already caught Angel’s drift.
Therefore, Angel no longer needed to continue that topic.
There was another key reason: when the Sovereign of Wisdom questioned him, Angel found the logic structure rather strange. At first, the Sovereign of Wisdom asked how Angel discovered this place, and only later did he ask how Angel discovered the Wood Spirit.
It seemed as though, in the Sovereign of Wisdom’s mind, the crossroads was hidden by some secret.
But Angel was completely clueless about what that secret could be.
Nonetheless, the Sovereign of Wisdom appeared to believe Angel had stumbled on that hidden secret first, leading him to discover the Wood Spirit.
Even though Angel could clear up that misunderstanding immediately, he thought it through and decided that letting the Sovereign of Wisdom hold this mistaken impression might actually work in his favor.
Sometimes, correcting the other person’s mistake too quickly merely lets them set up more assumptions, so that if they seek clarification, they have a safety net to fall back on. In other words, once they believe they have the facts, they will avoid disclosing them outright in conversation, and instead circle around the matter until they have tested things enough, still reserving that “fact” as their baseline.
By contrast, if the other party is working off a misconception, then even if they do have some “fact” in mind, that “fact” is flawed. The information they let slip out could far exceed what they would have shared if their misunderstanding had been promptly corrected.
Just as earlier, the Sovereign of Wisdom and the Black Count both misjudged how much Angel desired to visit the remnant space.
That misjudgment led the Sovereign of Wisdom to reveal something unexpected: only a descendant of Noah could truly benefit from the remnant space.
And because the Sovereign of Wisdom provided that bit of information, it prodded the Black Count, fearing Angel might simply wash his hands of this, into hastily hinting at potential rewards.
All of this came about precisely because they read the situation wrong, and Angel ended up with some extra benefits.
If, right from the start, Angel had openly stated that he absolutely intended to go to the remnant space, going no matter what, even without any reward, would he still have gained advantages from both sides like this?
Obviously not.
So purely for that reason, Angel wasn’t about to lay all his cards on the table now. That would only lower the other side’s expectations and make further intelligence-gathering that much harder.
The Sovereign of Wisdom, for his part, did not know what Angel was really thinking. He simply assumed Angel was putting on airs. After all, the facts were right in front of them: Angel had indeed located the crossroads and indeed brought out the Wood Spirit. So, from the Sovereign of Wisdom’s perspective, Angel was likely aiming to secure more favorable gains, and thus holding back on revealing the truth.
If Angel really could disclose “the secret behind that hidden path,” then the Sovereign of Wisdom wouldn’t mind rewarding him handsomely. Whether it was treasure or knowledge, he would grant Angel whatever he wished, for the crossroads’ hidden mystery was the handiwork of that Goddess. Even letting Angel and his companions go to the remnant space was part of his intention to find out more about her.
…
Angel was being sincere, however, about finding the Wood Spirit first.
He walked over to where it had disappeared, studied the area intently, then murmured under his breath: “Hidden again?”
At that moment, Kael approached as well and asked cautiously: “My lord, will the Wood Spirit come out again?”
Angel spread his hands helplessly: “You ask me, and I have no one to ask.”
“It won’t come out,” the Sovereign of Wisdom said from the side: “Given its nature, once frightened, it’ll leave here immediately. It will not return.”
“I see.” Angel contemplated for a moment and showed a hint of disappointment.
After a sigh, he said: “Since even the Sovereign of Wisdom says it won’t come back, then it likely won’t. Let’s head out.”
Hearing this, Kael felt a pang of regret. They had been so close to success.
“My lord, are we really going to give up?”
Angel replied: “Of course. I already said I would respect its choice. Whatever it decides, that is its freedom.”
Such talk of respecting choice and freedom meant Angel had seamlessly returned to his earlier role. He would not keep searching for the Wood Spirit, particularly since the Sovereign of Wisdom now believed Angel possessed in-depth knowledge of this area. If Angel started scouring for clues, it would only expose the fact he was totally in the dark.
Moreover, Angel truly did not know where to begin. He still couldn’t fathom how the Wood Spirit had followed them in the first place, and how it had managed to vanish so abruptly right before his eyes.
Bear in mind, Angel had been maintaining his Nightmare Illusion for a while now, partly for the live broadcast, and partly to catch any anomaly the moment it occurred. Even so, the Wood Spirit managed to trail them a fair distance without Angel noticing anything, revealing how phenomenal its stealth abilities really were.
With such remarkable powers of concealment, Angel doubted he could locate it even if he tried.
Nevertheless, just because Angel wouldn’t actively seek it out, it didn’t mean he had given up hope.
Since the Wood Spirit had shown itself once, that indicated some underlying interest. Perhaps it really wanted to leave this place.
Often, if someone hesitates at the final moment due to a personality quirk, it doesn’t mean they don’t want a change; rather, they might be waiting for a catalyst, like a gentle push.
Since the Wood Spirit had revealed a spark of curiosity, it might already have contemplated changing, or even leaving. Angel was certainly willing to be that gentle push.
Though the Sovereign of Wisdom said it had fled, Angel felt sure the Wood Spirit had some way of watching from the shadows.
As long as the Wood Spirit was secretly observing him, Angel could try to lure it a bit more, employing the same tactic as before: feign disinterest to entice.
He had already proven that this method was effective on the Wood Spirit. Why not try it again? Besides, he had no better plan.
Grand, heartfelt words or imploring speeches, bearing his soul to gain trust, were out of the question. For one, the Wood Spirit was the Sovereign of Wisdom’s disciple, and the Sovereign of Wisdom was monitoring Angel through the magic formation, so any attempt at such emotional persuasion could be thwarted if the Sovereign of Wisdom decided to intervene. Moreover, Angel wasn’t convinced the Wood Spirit understood empathy in that sense.
Therefore, it would be best to keep up the same gambit: “If you want it, come get it. If not, I’ll go.”
If it really refused to come out again, Angel would just accept that.
With these thoughts in mind, Angel resumed his performance. While voicing his belief in respecting the Wood Spirit’s freedom, he signaled Kael that they were leaving.
Kael understood Angel’s decision could not be swayed, so he had no choice but to go along. He failed to notice how Angel, though turning to leave, walked much more slowly than before. Each step was deliberate and weighted, appearing unwavering rather than hesitant, yet in truth, he took extreme care with every footfall. Outwardly, it lent a solemn, resolute air, while at the same time, each step’s measured rhythm against his staff’s tapping set off gentle ripples in the emotional undercurrents of the surroundings.
It looked as if Angel was doing nothing, yet through his Nightmare Illusion, he was constantly broadcasting waves of feeling: resignation, disappointment, resolve, and a faint hope.
Not even the Sovereign of Wisdom, watching through the magic formation, could perceive that intangible emotional tide, such intangible forces remain entirely subjective. Moreover, thanks to the illusion cast over the live broadcast, the Sovereign of Wisdom’s view was fully screened from Angel’s subtle manipulations.
The only one who might be influenced was the Wood Spirit lurking in secret.
Angel had done all he could. Whether the Wood Spirit was willing to venture forth remained to be seen.
Even though he deliberately slowed his steps, the second level wasn’t very large; Angel soon reached the end of the void path, where one could spot the shattered hanging steps in the distance.
Angel set foot on the platform with the broken staircase, but the Wood Spirit still did not appear.
By now, everyone was convinced that the Sovereign of Wisdom was likely correct: the Wood Spirit had been spooked and would not show itself again.
Angel felt some regret, but not much surprise. It was always a toss-up whether or not he could coax it out again. If it wouldn’t leave, so be it. At least this time, it had emerged for a brief moment, proving that Angel wasn’t lying.
“My lord, should we check the third level?” Kael finally couldn’t resist asking when they reached the steps.
“You think the Wood Spirit might have gone there?” Angel asked.
Kael nodded. Since it had heard them talking, it would have known Angel said he wouldn’t explore the third level; if it truly wished to hide, that might be the best place.
“But even if it’s there, then what?” Angel asked with a faint smile: “Coerce it? Drag it out by force?”
He was deliberately spinning a tale now: “Tracking it down would be simple, but persuading it to come with us would be difficult.”
In reality… tracking it down would be anything but simple, bordering on impossible. Yet no one here had reason to doubt Angel’s claim, so he put on an act nobody could debunk.
“Clearly, the Wood Spirit has its reasons for wanting to remain. I won’t force it to depart,” Angel continued: “And this patch of void is a prison. In time, it’ll eventually leave anyway. I just wonder how the outside world will look by then.”
Angel gave a sardonic chuckle: “I’m worrying about it for no real purpose, it is a spirit, not a human.”
“For us, a century is enough to turn our hair white, but to a spirit, even ten thousand years might pass in a fleeting instant. Instead of fussing over its future, I should probably worry more about my own. Who knows if I’ll still be alive by then?”
He gave a rueful sigh, shook his head, and continued down the stairs.
Kael paused for a moment, then followed him.
Angel did not linger on the first level this time. He proceeded straight from the second level all the way down to the zeroth level. Perhaps due to the sentiments he had just expressed, Kael stayed silent as they descended.
Only when they were back in the cramped chamber of the zeroth level did Kael softly say: “My lord, you’re going to be fine.”
Angel replied: “No one knows when death may come. Who’s to say I’ll even make it out of these underground sewers alive? Perhaps the moment I step out, I’ll be hunted down by a Wizard Eyed Ghost, eventually dying at its hands.”
Kael was momentarily taken aback. A Wizard Eyed Ghost? What in the world?
If a Wizard Eyed Ghost actually killed the Super Dimensional Wizard, that would definitely be front-page news.
Angel blinked: “Just a random example. I can’t exactly claim that the Sovereign of Wisdom will be the one to strike me down, can I?”
He paused for a beat and then patted Kael on the shoulder: “Come on, let’s go.”
Kael nodded and stepped out first, heading for the exit.
Once Kael had left the Hanging Prison Stairs, Angel lingered a moment longer. This was, after all, his first attempt at a full-scale live broadcast, and as the “broadcaster,” he ought to see it through to the end, at least with some form of finale: a Curtain Call of sorts.
Though there was hardly any actual “curtain” to speak of, Angel nonetheless gave a deep bow with due ceremony.
It appeared he was bowing at empty air, but in truth, it was directed toward the Sovereign of Wisdom and the others.
Those still in the illusory broadcast stared quizzically at Angel, not sure what he was doing.
Daus said: “What are you doing?”
“Ending the broadcast,” Angel answered through the mental connection.
“Is that really necessary?” Daus looked puzzled.
After straightening from his bow, Angel calmly explained: “Absolutely necessary. The principle of broadcasting states that everything a broadcaster does during the stream is for the sake of creating a good show. If there were viewers who offered support, you could say I was pleasing the audience.”
“Which means, while hosting the broadcast, not everything I did necessarily came from my true self.”
“Like a stage actor who needs to take a bow at the end of the performance to leave that world of drama behind, so too does a broadcaster require a final gesture, a ritual of closure, to part ways with the persona of the broadcast.”
Angel had said so much mainly to set up what came next: “Hence, anything I did or said while broadcasting has nothing to do with my real self. Any so-called coincidences or conversations during the broadcast might simply have been part of the show; no need to read into them too deeply. And if you wish to question or challenge any of it, direct those questions to my ‘broadcaster’ persona, not to the actual me.”
He was being polite but made his intentions clear enough. Everyone got the point, for none of them were fools.
Essentially, Angel was saying he bore no personal responsibility for the content of that performance.
“This sure is quite an… unexpected curtain call,” Daus remarked, mouth twitching. He had just seen Angel’s capacity for disclaimers rise to new levels of audacity.
That sentiment was shared by most present, except for Vai, a starry-eyed fan who reflexively saw Angel’s every move in the most flattering light.
Angel added: “All right, the curtain call is over. See you on the outside.”
With that, Angel snapped his fingers, and the illusory broadcast vanished at once, everyone returning to themselves.
Angel stretched lazily, muttering: “That went fairly well. But these live streams really eat up my computational power, maybe I should improve things… or create an item for it?”
“What am I thinking? This broadcast was a fluke; I’m not planning on repeating it,” Angel said, shaking his head to rid himself of those extraneous ideas.
Once the curtain call was complete, matters at the Hanging Prison Stairs were effectively finished.
Angel turned around, intending to leave.
But just as he was about to step over the threshold, his staff paused in midair.
Chapter 2690 Stick Figure <TOC> Chapter 2692 Fury From Embarrassment