Endless Debt Chapter 996 - 81: Good Morning

It’s unclear whether the information obtained from his first exploration of the Ethereal Realm was too overwhelming for him, or if the negotiations with the King’s Secret Sword caused the long relaxed Order Bureau to become tense again, but Bologue found that the Sublimation Furnace Core is now much busier than before.

Researchers wearing heavy protective clothing walk back and forth, cargoes on the rails follow one after another, while various broadcast sounds fill the air, intermittently inserting an emergency update, including an explosion warning.

"Expected impact in three, two, one."

Alongside the end of the countdown, a rumbling sound erupted from the end of the Sublimation Furnace Core, followed by intense tremors. An invisible wave swept over, bringing busy crowds to a brief halt. Seconds later, the researchers resumed their movements, none pausing for even a moment, as if they were accustomed to such impacts.

Bologue stood among the crowd, incongruously, looking up, he saw blinding sparks spewing forth as a heavy cable sprayed a path of fiery stars, crashing down forcefully like a giant iron whip.

He took a deep breath, the hot air mingled with the scent of motor oil, seeping into Bologue’s throat and flooding his lungs.

A researcher noticed Bologue, likely mistaking him for a new employee at the Sublimation Furnace Core... Each new employee that arrives at the Sublimation Furnace Core will have a shocked expression like Bologue’s, as if this place is not a department but a peculiar amusement park.

Specifically, every department and every region in the Order Bureau has a certain sightseeing nature; when you go to the Field Operations Department, you can see how the oppressive violence agency operates efficiently; go to the Observation Tower and from the top of the Cultivation Room, you can overlook the entire Oath City, Oubos...

Bologue likes the Observation Tower, where the view is unseen by ordinary people and only at the height of the Observation Tower does Bologue feel as if he’s in control of the entire city.

The researcher who noticed Bologue navigated through the moving crowd, heading toward him, just as Bologue was preparing to decline the researcher’s kindness, informing him that he isn’t here for the first time, a familiar voice echoed from beneath the heavy protective clothing.

"Bologue? Are you here looking for Aimou?"

Upon hearing this voice, Bologue paused for a moment, recalling and then seeing a familiar name on the nametag on the opposite’s chest.

"Balder?"

Balder, Teda’s apprentice, Belli’s assistant... Although Belli is currently the head of the Sublimation Furnace Core, strictly speaking, Belli is just responsible for research, with major administrative management and other functions being undertaken by Balder.

Balder is actually the true head of the Sublimation Furnace Core.

Due to the invasion of Overlord Xilin during the secret war period, Balder seems to have suffered injuries hard to cure, thus he always wears heavy protective clothing. If not for identifying by nametag, it would be difficult for Bologue to distinguish him from the crowd.

Bologue sighed, "It’s been a while since we last met, Balder."

Because of Belli’s dereliction of duty, most of the work pressure has been loaded onto Balder, who barely leaves the Sublimation Furnace Core, working nonstop.

"How can that be? We met during your Negative Power User promotion ceremony," Balder said, "I was just too busy to greet you."

"Huh?"

Bologue faced disbelief, trying to remember.

He couldn’t recall.

At the promotion ceremony, too many people were wearing protective clothing, with Balder mixed among them. Thinking this way, perhaps every time he came to the Sublimation Furnace Core, Balder was nearby, even seeing him, just too busy with work to greet him.

Bologue thought he hadn’t met Balder for a long time, but in Balder’s eyes, he encountered Bologue every once in a while. Each time Bologue came here with a clear purpose, only to find Aimou, gradually making Balder wisely choose not to disturb Bologue, until now.

"This feeling is really odd..." Bologue didn’t know how to express his emotions.

Balder said, "I heard you’ve become a team leader, although it’s just a temporary action group."

The establishment of the temporary action group wasn’t directly publicized, many were unaware of it, but it couldn’t escape Balder’s notice, who dealt with endless supply application reports each day, making the details about the temporary action group come into his view long ago.

"Yeah."

Talking about the temporary action group, Bologue’s gaze turned dim.

This mission did reveal what the King’s Shield Guard intended to plot, yet they also fell into the Devil’s trap, even causing Church to get injured and comatose.

From the result, the mission was a success, but Bologue felt it was very much a failure; to him, anything short of perfect success seemed like a failure.

"Seems the operation didn’t go smoothly," Balder could read such information from Bologue’s eyes, "Come on, she’s probably resting now, everyone’s very busy lately."

Bologue shifted the topic, temporarily avoiding dwelling on those matters, "Is the research progressing well?"

"It’s going moderately well, the time is too short, we need more time to see substantive results."

Balder led the way ahead, "Yet what’s certain is that we’re making progress, heading toward a greater future."

This moment reflected the scholars’ fervor in Balder’s heart, "It’s truly exciting, maybe we’re on the path King Solomon once walked, seeking the truth."

As for Balder’s enthusiastic remarks, Bologue remained unperturbed inside, only feeling the craziness and eeriness of the Ethereal Realm.

"On the surface, everything appears normal at the Sublimation Furnace Core, but actually, the Scholars’ Hall has taken over here, the researchers related to the project are deep within the Sublimation Furnace Core, subjected to layered supervision... You should understand why."

Balder stopped, signaling Bologue to wait in place.

Bologue nodded, the matters of the Ethereal Realm were too significant. Once the mysterious dimension is clarified, perhaps humanity can unveil the true nature of the Secret Source and even Devils.

The Gate of Origin.

This term previously spoken by the Devil popped into Bologue’s mind, somewhere within this world, there exists a zone where the Ethereal Realm overlaps with the Material Realm. That "door" ceaselessly throws a vast amount of Ether at the Material Realm, altering the entire world with Extraordinary Power.

Amid Bologue and Balder’s conversation, the global Ether concentration continued to rise.

"She’s coming," Balder proceeded to say, "Research on the project is tense, her resting time is limited."

Bologue looked forward, a familiar figure gradually manifested, maintaining a Steel Body, under such mechanical embodiment, Aimou forfeits physical fatigue, allowing her to focus on her work.

While physical frailty can be compensated, mental pressure remains hard to ease; after intense periods of work, it’s Aimou’s turn to rest now, desiring nothing more than to return to her room for a proper sleep.

The Cultivation Room is an entirely enclosed space, just like the Sublimation Furnace Core. With lengthy work sessions here, people often forget the passage of time, making fatigue seem eternal.

Midsummer Aimou switched back to flesh and blood, overwhelmed instantly by intense fatigue almost causing her to collapse.

Flesh and blood possess numerous limitations, also being extremely fragile, yet Aimou prefers maintaining this state; unlike the Steel Body, having flesh and blood allows her to indulge in various novel experiences, despite the exhaustion, the soft and comfy bed feels unforgettable.

To Aimou, resting as flesh and blood is immensely enjoyable. Thinking this, she noticed a familiar presence blocking the pathway ahead.

Aimou was stunned for a moment, in this endless work, meeting Bologue again, Aimou felt an unexplainable sense of reunion, even her weary mind became slightly clearer.

She recalled something about the temporary action group, as Belli mentioned during work, to lighten the pressure, even elites like them would engage in casual conversation to pass time.

Aimou stepped forward, jokingly stated, "Bologue, Team Leader?"

Hearing such an address, Bologue’s expression seemed slightly disconcerted, then he helplessly smiled.

"What should I say?"

Bologue pondered, "Good morning?"

Discerning such a strange reply, Aimou laughed aloud.

Bologue didn’t consider himself adept at humor, but it seemed anything he said would inevitably amuse Aimou.