Endless Debt Chapter 691 - 197: Breakthrough

The torrential rain poured down on the Paradise, yet it couldn’t extinguish the blazing fire burning on it. Everywhere Bologue looked was filled with ruins and corpses, as if the Demons hidden within Free Port had agreed to emerge in full force today, dancing in a frenzy.

Amidst the storm, sporadic gunfire could be heard, as the remaining guards rallied their forces for a counterattack. In the tide of people, Condensers were still a minority; more relied on modern firearms and tactical maneuvers.

The guards had already established a line of defense on the burning docks, resisting the subsequent Demon attacks, but it was all in vain. The main force of the enemy had already breached the Paradise and was advancing deeper inside.

Bologue’s mind was filled with noise, with Yuriel constantly reporting the latest battle situations and coordinating each team member. This role, which had been inconspicuous in the Special Operations Group, now shone with its own brilliance.

Palmer and his group had already ventured deep into the Paradise, advancing towards the core area. Meanwhile, Bologue was still wandering on the outskirts.

The green flames gradually permeated the steel structures, easily tearing open the heavy watertight doors, defenses that even the giant cannons couldn’t breach, crumbled before Bologue.

Logically, Bologue’s progress should have been smooth, but as he delved deeper, a layer of hard, impenetrable steel barred his path.

The metal was filled with another force of Ether, covering the Paradise with a Void Realm, a powerful Etheric mutual exclusion effect that rendered Bologue’s Secret Energy ineffective. Bologue had to keep changing directions, searching with Aimou for a weak point in the Void Realm to break through.

"I wonder how Palmer got in."

Bologue pressed his left hand against the metal wall, and the silver Knight’s Hand Armor covered his left hand, with intricate patterns emerging on its silver-white surface.

With the help of the Touch of Erosion, Bologue’s Ether became more aggressive, gradually dismantling the previously unshakable Etheric exclusion.

Bologue’s Ether grew like roots in solid soil, prying open the heavy boulders bit by bit, seeking a path towards the sun.

"Maybe just luck... I wonder how they’re doing now."

Aimou’s voice echoed in Bologue’s mind, and Bologue nodded in agreement.

As Palmer ventured deeper into the Void Realm, the strong Ether concealed the connection between Palmer and Yuriel, making it difficult for Bologue to hear Palmer’s voice.

Of course, this isolation wasn’t absolute; it was more like the signal had become a bit weak, and Palmer’s voice was indistinct and intermittent.

"It’s just..."

While attempting to break through the Void Realm, Bologue recalled the important information in his mind.

As Yuriel connected several people together, Bologue began exchanging crucial information with Palmer, finally leveling the information gap between them, but then a new problem arose.

First, there was the missing Geoffrey. According to Palmer, when the battle started, Geoffrey sensed the presence of a hostile Negative Power User and chose to confront them. Yet, when Yuriel constructed the Heart Core Net, no one could hear Geoffrey’s response.

Logically, Geoffrey should have been within the coverage of the Heart Core Net; he couldn’t have not responded, unless Geoffrey was already dead.

This thought flashed through Bologue’s mind; he believed Geoffrey wouldn’t fall so easily, and then came another piece of information.

Unfettered Poetry Society, Canary.

From Palmer’s judgment, this suddenly appearing Canary suspectedly was a Negative Power User, and she knew the information about the Special Operations Group and the tide people.

"Everything happening to the Paradise now seems very much like a conspiracy, and Canary is undoubtedly one of the few who knows the full story."

That was how Palmer evaluated the situation. For various reasons, he chose to temporarily team up with Canary.

The Special Operations Group needed Gold and the primordial artifact in his possession, while Canary’s target for revenge had nothing to do with the Special Operations Group.

A conspiracy.

Palmer vaguely perceived it, while Bologue truly felt it.

Bologue understood why Canary was so knowledgeable about the Special Operations Group because Belphegor, that insidious Devil hidden in the depths of the Order Bureau, had, to some extent, access to the Bureau’s intelligence.

Bologue didn’t like it, yet he felt a peculiar sense of reassurance; Bologue could already guess what Belphegor’s purpose was.

The Joyous Desire Witch had corrupted the Unfettered Poetry Society, and Belphegor wouldn’t easily swallow such indignation. A direct confrontation with the Zongge Orchestra was only a matter of time, but currently, Belphegor didn’t have enough power in the mortal realm to contend with the Joyous Desire Witch, which is why the Order Bureau had also joined in.

Since the Zongge Orchestra was so unwilling to let the Order Bureau obtain the primordial artifact, how could Belphegor miss such an opportunity? To hinder the Joyous Desire Witch, he even mobilized the only Poets within the Unfettered Poetry Society under his command.

"Something seems off."

Aimou’s warning voice echoed in his mind, as Bologue asked alertly, "What’s wrong?"

"The Void Realm of Paradise is being usurped, it’s transforming into another kind of Void Realm."

Bologue’s expression turned serious, as he understood this situation; the Void Realm is the fortress of the Condenser, and every attack on an area covered by a Void Realm is a harsh siege battle.

To quickly overcome the obstacles of the Void Realm, Condensers gradually developed a set of assault strategies targeting the Void Realm. For instance, Condensers from the Origin School can immerse parts of the area in Ethereal Silence and Ethereal Prohibition, forcibly disrupting the flow of Ether, rendering the operation of the Void Realm chaotic and destructive.

There are other methods too, such as Alchemists analyzing and breaking down the Void Realm to seize control over it, converting the fortress that shelters the enemy into a prison that locks them in.

What Paradise is encountering now is somewhat the latter. Somewhere unseen by Bologue, an Alchemist is twisting the Void Realm, transforming it into their domain.

This reminded Bologue of the Eternal Rotting Land of the Crimson Corruption Sect. According to the records of the Order Bureau, the Crimson Corruption Sect often commits such cruel acts.

They would trap the enemy, and then gradually invade and usurp the Void Realm. The people hiding within the Void Realm would find that the Void Realm they control is slowly becoming unmanageable, with Ether feeding the flesh, growing out of thin air, and devouring everyone’s life.

Relying on the power of the Devil, these lunatics always turn the Void Realm into earthly Hell. Based on the Joyous Desire Witch’s Protection·Chaotic Joy, Bologue could roughly judge what form the Void Realm would take once it fell into the hands of the Zongge Orchestra.

"We must end all this quickly."

Bologue increased his Ether output, even if it doubled his consumption. Under the Touch of Erosion’s effect, the fingertips that contacted the iron wall glowed brilliantly, like a welding machine.

Intense trails of light spread from Bologue’s fingertips in all directions, rippling outward like waves crashing against the shore.

Aimou focused her mind, assisting Bologue. If Duwa was here, breaching the Void Realm would be considerably easier, as his eerie pupils could see through most Void Realms.

The iron wall in front of him was gradually collapsing. Bologue had pierced through the outermost defenses of the Void Realm. He did not know how many layers of defense awaited him, but this was undoubtedly good news.

Bologue stepped forward, but his foot hung in the air, unable to land.

His burning eyes glared into the darkness ahead. From that unknown abyss, Bologue sensed waves of threat surging like a tide, stabbing his nerves repeatedly like iron needles.

Bloodthirsty eyes opened from the darkness, and the moment they met his gaze, illusions rushed in — madness or joy, beauty or terror.

In an instant, Bologue seemed to have lived through a thousand dreams, experienced countless epochs.

His gaze turned dazed and perplexed, yet in the next second, he easily broke free from the illusion, swinging the fiercely burning Fire Sword toward the darkness.

After successive battles and the intelligence from Palmer, Bologue had realized the respective inclinations of different Demons’ followers in their Secret Power Factions.

The Crimson Corruption Sect favored the Ascending Flesh School, while the Zongge Orchestra leaned towards the Void Spirit School, delivering the most lethal torment to their foes through consciousness and perception.

Bologue had long prepared for psychic shocks, especially given the long years spent in the Black Prison, which had tempered his will to be as tough as steel.

The opponent did not expect Bologue to break free from the illusion so swiftly. Following this, the Fire Sword pierced the enemy’s chest, and Red Mercury exploded, instantly consuming him into a charred shell.

The roaring heat waves surged through the corridors like a tide, knocking down the Demons that surrounded him.

In the rising smoke, Bologue appeared like a ghostly warrior, with layers of Iron Armor covering him repeatedly.

Bologue was unsure what kind of enemies he would face next, but with the protection of Iron Armor, he would have enough time to react when attacked.

Aimou maintained full alertness, expanding her Ethereal Perception like a radar to detect potential enemies for Bologue.

Her voice resonated in Bologue’s ears, and he dashed forward like an arrow, relying on Aimou’s guidance. He always managed to decapitate the enemy just before they detected him.

Paradise was immensely vast, like a three-dimensional labyrinth. Fortunately, Bologue was never one to play by the rules.

The burning elevator shaft was just ahead, a Round Shield was forged in hand. Bologue wasn’t sure how many layers of Void Domain Protection still existed, but this death pit didn’t seem to hinder his progress.

Bologue leaped into the fiery sea, plummeting straight to the bottom of the elevator shaft. Yuriel’s voice gradually faded; Bologue knew he was delving deeper into Paradise, and the interference from the Void Realm disrupted the communication with the Heart Core Net.

The layers of fire reflected in his eyes, with the intense madness seeming to be approaching, as if a Devil were about to descend here personally.

Bologue frowned tightly, crashing into the deepest part of the elevator shaft, the impact causing stacked iron debris and corpses to scatter.

Bai Ou halted his steps, curiously gazing at the end of the corridor. Behind layers of watertight doors, he caught the scent of his kind.