Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage Chapter 655: Theolonium

Alex’s arms swiftly encircled her waist. Before Udara could even comprehend what was happening, he planted a swift kiss on her lips, catching her quite off guard and eliciting a faint blush across her cheeks.

Then, before she could fully recover, he delivered a sharp smack to her backside, causing Udara to jump back in surprise.

"What was that for, Master?" Udara inquired, holding her rear with a pout.

"Stop attempting that succubus charade with me out here," Alex retorted. "If you genuinely possess such confidence, try it somewhere more secluded and observe if I don't consume you entirely."

The warning in his voice carried a playful undertone, yet it wasn't entirely devoid of sincerity.

Before Udara could offer a reply, Alex redirected his focus and reached out to the others via the communication channel.

"SitRep."

"The base has been secured. All enemy combatants have been neutralized," Kavakan reported.

"We’ve seized all storage facilities and cargo," Silver added. "There is something you must witness, Leader."

"Is that so? Very well, I am en route," Alex responded.

Alex and Udara made their way back to the Lost Heathens’ base settlement.

The Fury soldiers were in the process of tidying up the aftermath, but the sheer magnitude of the destruction was far too great for their limited numbers to manage swiftly. Their primary focus was instead on retrieving their expended crossbow bolts.

The production of these bolts imposed a significant financial burden, making the salvage of every usable piece, wherever feasible, an absolute necessity.

Upon their arrival at the warehouse, Alex and Udara discovered Eleanore and the scouting team already engaged in taking an inventory of the stored goods.

"These appear to be quite valuable," Udara commented, surveying the surroundings.

Alex offered a slight nod.

'Fortunate that I refrained from employing Special Warfare spells. They likely would have obliterated half the valuables here,' he mused internally.

Eleanore and Kron Belloc were standing together nearby, scrutinizing something with intense concentration.

"I was informed you discovered something I needed to see," Alex stated as he approached them.

Without uttering a word, Eleanore presented him with a chunk of ore.

Alex turned it over in his hand.

"What is this?" he inquired.

"Theolonium," Kron Belloc revealed. "It is among the finest metals for containing and channeling divine energy. It is in exceedingly high demand by the Temples—for forging weaponry and equipment for their high-ranking clergy, and most crucially, for crafting divine effigies for their most significant sanctuaries."

"Is it rare or valuable?" Alex asked.

"Extremely rare—and exceptionally valuable," Kron replied. "To the appropriate Temple, at the opportune moment, what you hold could readily be worth a high-grade berserk stone."

Alex emitted a low whistle.

"That’s not too shabby."

"Leader, they possess numerous large caches brimming with this material," Kron continued. "If Brock Peyton has been engaged in trading this for an extended period, then his resources—and the forces under his command—might be considerably more substantial than we initially estimated."

"I do not believe so," Sugud interjected from the far end of the hall.

He walked over and elaborated, "These ores constitute merely a minor fraction of the merchandise stored here. The aroma of the Theolonium ore is subtle compared to the other ore types we have unearthed. Therefore, unless they maintain another storage location elsewhere, they have only commenced mining this recently."

'The ore possesses a scent?'

Eleanore and Kron exchanged glances filled with bewilderment.

Kron even lifted the ore and attempted to smell it himself, yet he detected nothing out of the ordinary. All that reached his senses was the odor of earth... or rather, the raw scent of the soil.

Sugud took the ore from Alex and gave it a brief inspection before continuing his explanation.

"If one observes closely, it becomes apparent that these are all freshly extracted ores. Furthermore, judging by the damage to the ore's mineral veins visible along its form, I would venture to guess that they were strip-mined."

He passed the ore back to Alex.

"If this is indeed their primary storage site, then when combined with what the ore indicates, I would surmise they have only recently discovered this deposit—and they are extracting it as rapidly as possible because they likely fear they will not have the luxury of mining it peacefully for long."

"You deduced all of that from a single piece of ore?" Kron inquired, his voice laced with disbelief.

Sugud offered a slight shrug.

"Metals form the bedrock of my life's work. If I am incapable of accomplishing at least this much, then I could hardly claim to be a proficient metalworker."

Kron could only respond with a shrug of his own.

Alex offered no verbal comment, but the fleeting glance he shared with Eleanore made it evident that he regarded the dwarf-elf hybrid's assessment with utmost seriousness.

"They discovered something else over there. That is the true reason Silver contacted you," Eleanore revealed.

Alex nodded.

Absentmindedly twirling the piece of Theolonium in his grasp, he made his way toward a different segment of the warehouse, his mind partially engrossed with the potential impact of this ore discovery on his overarching ambitions.

Upon his arrival, one of the crossbowmen stepped forward, guiding him down a confined staircase that descended into what appeared to be a hidden dungeon prison beneath the warehouse.

The prison cells situated below were crammed with captives, numbering in the dozens.

‘It’s fortunate that I held back. Had I unleashed my full power earlier, every single one of these individuals would have perished along with the remainder of the base,’ Alex mused, quietly exhaling a breath of relief.

As anticipated, the majority of the incarcerated were indigenous barbarians hailing from the Wildlands.

Most of these barbarians possessed a low cultivation rank. However, their men were endowed with potent innate physical strength, while their women often presented appearances and features highly coveted by many—especially with even a minor degree of refinement and adornment.

Regrettably, these qualities rendered them prime candidates for enslavement.

The men were typically bartered for labor or utilized as disposable combatants, whereas the women were frequently compelled into prostitution or relegated to the roles of servant maids for the affluent and influential.

Alex paid no heed to the pleas for assistance echoing through the cells. His face devoid of expression, he proceeded toward Silver.

He observed her conversing with a barbarian woman.

"Leader," Silver acknowledged him immediately upon his appearance.

Alex offered a slight nod.

"What is the reason for my presence? I had already stipulated that all recovered slaves and captives were to be transferred to the jurisdiction of the Black Scars."

The barbarian woman promptly prostrated herself in a kowtow.

"You are adversaries to the individuals who apprehended us, are you not? Pray tell… aid us in reclaiming our village."

Alex folded his arms, peering down at her.

"What reason do I have to assist you in such a venture?" he inquired directly.

The woman's body quivered, yet she maintained her kneeling position, her forehead nearing the floor.

Alex’s gaze remained icily impassive.

"I believe you are mistaken, woman. We are not emissaries of justice here to liberate you from your captivity. We are merely another self-serving faction pursuing our own vested interests.

"Indeed, if circumstances aligned with our benefit, we would be no different from those who captured you—we could just as readily consign you to servitude ourselves."

***