Inside the grand halls of his Chamber, Fang Hau strolled, his gaze constantly drifting from one edge to another as if searching for something.
On his way, he muttered his thoughts out loud, "At this rate, the plan may take place a day or a week from now. A pity that only forty percent of my set-ups may come in handy. I've already expected this when deciding to walk on this path, but it seems even my greatest preparation would fail against the endless possibilities that this world has to offer."
He sighed, lifting his gaze to The Knowledge Observatory's rusty gate. With his lips curving upwards, his feet dissipated, enabling him to float.
Swoosh!
The air resisted him as his momentum rose by the second, reaching the gate before a single thought could be born anew.
Halting in his tracks, he reshaped his body, his feet returning. After pushing the gate open, he stepped into the Observatory's domain.
Bookshelves stood across him, right at the center, forming a triangular shape. Books sat on them, but although it had been nearly eight hundred years since they had been opened, dust was nowhere to be found. The floors were clean as a newly forged blade, while the shelves were sturdy as ever, untouched by time's erosion.
But while he observed his surroundings, he noticed a figure–a humanoid shadow upfront. With the dim lighting of the corner, Fang Hau failed to decipher whether he was imagining it or not. After shaking his head and staring back, the shadow vanished, causing him to mutter, "Strange, perhaps I have grown senile."
And with a steadfast gaze, he walked towards the bookshelves. He let his gaze wander in search of a specific book, and after several minutes had passed, he found it. The book's cover was made of dark leather, a material that can naturally be found on the Eastern Continent, where half of the Land's livestock comes from.
He reached forward, feeling the cover's soft, wood-like surface on his palm. Upon closing his hand, he tightened his grip, pulling it back, but instead of lifting it, a sudden resistance came from it. The book was stuck in place, and the sounds of stones rubbing against one another broke through the silent hall.
With an indifferent gaze, he shot his side a look, the sight of a hidden staircase revealing itself and causing him. The grin. Without a second thought, he floated downwards, following the dimly lit staircase.
Although there were no lamps in sight, a faint blue glow emanated from the walls, illuminating the otherwise dark stairs. A few minutes later, he arrived at the end, the sight of the humble room catching his interest.
The walls, ceiling, and floor were dyed grey, somehow causing the room to be suppressive, and with each step taken, Fang Hau felt his weightless existence gaining mass. Dozens, if not hundreds,s of wooden crates were scattered across at random, some were neat and clean while others were incredibly rusty. At the edges were large silver lamps, illuminating the area.
"Hmm… although time has been significantly slower here, it still seems like a few marks have been made." Fang Hau commented, walking the rest of the way.
His gaze wandered, in search of–something. Fortunately, it didn't take long before he found an object of interest–a silver-tinted book.
Reaching out, he grabbed the book, slipping into his memories upon noticing its author's name.
Feiran of Essence… my closest friend and my research partner. Thinking back, she never held me back on my ambitions, always there to help out. She even orchestrated a good portion of the plans. With a heavy sigh, he lifted his gaze, staring at the empty ceiling, his thoughts racing further: I wonder what she did after my death; she must have never been married. A pity, she was the most sought-after gem of our time, yet she chose to dedicate herself to uncovering the secrets behind the Land's Core, the "Energy Circulator" as she called it.
Fang Hau shook his head, recalling his task at hand. He returned the book, taking one last glance, before continuing his search.
A minute later, another object caught his interest–a silver ring.
This is… my Mother's final gift. I… placed it here, it seems. Strange, I thought that I had sold off all my jewelry before my niece slew me. Sigh, there would have been no reason for me to sell it all if not for my lack of funds, but alas, the gifts earned during my birth ceremonies have now circulated across the market. I suppose I held my Mother closer to my heart than I would have hoped. Fang Hau's gaze dilated, only returning to normal once he snapped back from his memories.
After returning the ring, he searched only to find himself reminiscing at the sight of a photo, with a young lady with long white hair, dressed in a silk gown, wearing a warm expression.
His heart tightened, his lips parting momentarily only to speak in silence. Laughing dryly, he recalled the moment.
…
Inside a vast garden where orchids and lotus bloomed, a simple fountain stood at the center. The purest of water splashed, reflecting the sun's warmth but also the gloomy aura of Fang Ha,u who wore a white linen shirt, a black suit, pants, and a pair of shoes, while his sister, Yong Lian, chuckled with delight.
"Dearest brother, we will take a family photo, a remembrance of this special day." She paused, continuing with a compliment, "And in my honest opinion, you appear better with a smile. What was the saying again… oh right: 'A face with a smile with fortune's grace'. I still can't quite wrap my head around it, but it sounds nice, don't you think so too?"
Fang Hau glanced at her, replying half-heartedly, "Whatever you say."
With one last laugh, Yong Lian dragged him, taking him to his seat and preparing for the picture.
…
"If only things were different, then perhaps she wouldn't have died. But as the saying goes: 'A face with regret is a face without virtue'. Sigh, forget it. I have to find the–gourd." Shaking his head, Fang Hau floated and floated, but the thoughts he had suppressed had now begun to grow.
Suddenly, he heard a creaking noise, alerting him. His body dissipated, moving like a gust of air.
His thoughts ran wild: What could have possibly made that sound? Could it be a monster? No, the Restrictions placed on this Chamber have made it impossible. Hmm? Is it…
He shifted his gaze, locking it on a black cat. The cat purred before it–pop.
Pop!
Like a balloon coming in contact with a needle, the cat exploded, but no blood nor flesh was scattered; it just disappeared like nothing ever happened.
Without hesitation, Fang Hau's body reformed, the purple smoke condensing and giving him form.
Laughing bitterly, he grabbed forward, and a light brown gourd was caught in his grasp.
"How absurd, from an insect-level intelligence to now that of a human. This life essence-consuming artifact has indeed evolved throughout the years." With one last glance, Fang Hau floated back to the staircase, but a strange book flew over, knocking his head.
With an unreadable expression, he looked back but found nothing. He scanned his surroundings, eventually moving his gaze below, and noticed a wide-open book.
He muttered, reading the words on it, "Time may erode, turning the world back into dust, but it shall fail to erode the will of those who sought salvation."
"Did this gourd just pull a prank on me? But why choose my last words specifically? Perhaps it had developed a strange sense of humor." He paused, muttering, "And perhaps this marks the last time that I will step into this–Memento."
Upon leaving, he pushed the dark leather-covered book back to its spot, sealing the staircase for who knows how long.
And once he had left the Knowledge Observatory, he thought to himself: How should I use this opportunity? A Wolf Lord had just been encountered by Zixin and Hope. It would be a waste if I let it slide so easily. There must be something…
He scrambled through his memories, searched for an answer, and found one: Oh? Due to its nature, the Wolf Lord needs its pack to retain its strength; it would lose it, becoming nothing more than an ordinary wolf, but at worst, perish immediately. It would be most vulnerable during the mating season; however, none of us can wait that long.
Is Zixin a viable option? He could be used to gain its trust, eventually luring it into a trap, but there's one major issue–Zicin himself. Unlike Hope, he hasn't fully developed, and thus, this option would only work under extremely improbable circumstances. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the thought.
"Who could I use? There must be someone… no–it's not someone but them. The Hunters!" With a newfound inspiration, his thoughts raced, clashing like storm clouds.
In this case, the Hunters would become the meatshields who would endure the Wolf Lord's wrath and possibly annihilate it with the help of that one Holder with them. But in the worst-case scenario, I could send Zixin if they fail to finish the job. Fang Hau's lips curled up, a devious grin forming between his eyes.
As he thought about this, he floated into the throne room, taking his seat as he muttered, "I am indeed fortunate to be able to believe that my objective is achievable."
Suddenly, he realized, replying to himself with a deadpan tone, "Aren't I retarded?"