Chapter 532: Forgot to Ask

Chapter 532: Forgot to Ask

Zheng Yichen stared blankly at the prepared remarks Dan Marina had ready for him. So, with something like this already prepared, it meant he had been… tricked again, right?

Uh, or maybe everything had been within her calculations all along.

“I want to back out,” Zheng Yichen said, handing the prepared remarks back to Dan Marina. They were perfect, mimicking his personality to the greatest extent while ensuring he wouldn’t accidentally reveal anything extra when asking questions.

“Then there’s nothing I can do,” Dan Marina shrugged. If Zheng Yichen was dead set on not asking, she really had no way around it. This matter could only be handled by Zheng Yichen himself. If she went to ask instead… she really didn’t want her Avatar to be torn apart by Loris.

Without overthinking it, it was clear that Ti Xiya was tied to some parts of Loris’s past that she didn’t want to talk about. For Dan Marina to pry? Who knew how badly she’d get beaten up.

“I don’t need your prepared remarks. I’ll go ask myself… after the matter with the Derivative Witches is resolved,” Zheng Yichen said. Even if he found Loris to ask about this now, it wasn’t the best timing. After all, Loris was still dealing with the remaining Derivative Witches. He couldn’t let this affect her focus.

“You still don’t understand enough about the power of Witches…”

Zheng Yichen curled his lip, flipped through his Magical Grimoire, and found an Illusion Magic spell. He cast it on Dan Marina. It wasn’t something to affect her mind, but to let her see images Zheng Yichen wanted her to see—a Nuclear Bomb…

“Can a Witch do this?”

“This? Irene can,” Dan Marina blinked, looking puzzled at Zheng Yichen. “In terms of large-scale destructive power, Irene can manage something like this quite easily. Loris can’t produce that kind of direct destructive force—it’s just that her abilities aren’t suited for that type of display, not that she’s weak.”

“So, what you showed me, while impressive, is just like that.”

“Darn, you make it sound so simple. Then what’s the point of me researching this thing… ahem.” Zheng Yichen coughed lightly, holding back the rest of his words. Dan Marina looked at him strangely.

“So you’ve been secretly researching such dangerous weapons? What for?”

“Nothing much, just self-defense. There’s no harm in having more weapons. Besides, it’s a tradition of my country, no problem,” Zheng Yichen said. In his high-level Armory, he had stored quite a few powerful bombs… of various types.

“What Irene can do is based on Magic. The weapon you showed me is more like an Alchemical Product—they’re different in nature.” With Magic, Irene reaching that level was her own skill. But once an Alchemical Product was made, anyone could use it as long as they knew how.

“Anyway, that’s that. I’ll ask after the Derivative Witch incident is over.”

“Alright, alright, fine then. Don’t forget, this matter is really important. It concerns some things she might encounter later.”

“You all say you’re so powerful, what could possibly happen? Are you trying to scare me again?”

“Am I that kind of person? Witches are powerful, but that doesn’t mean they have no weaknesses. The Undying Witch was troublesome, wasn’t she? Yet she was dealt with before she could even exert much of her power. Being strong isn’t absolute,” Dan Marina shook her head. “So you should still pay more attention to this.”

Zheng Yichen nodded seriously, indicating he’d keep it in mind.

Leaving the room, Zheng Yichen left the Campsite for the first time in a while. Today, he planned to visit the Stone Forest. At the Quarantine Camp now, Zheng Yichen could see many advanced devices placed around… all brought by him. Fully automated injection machines—after these appeared, many people had given negative feedback…

Although convenience and efficiency improved, the absence of those pretty Church sisters, replaced by cold machines, created a sense of disappointment that naturally made them resent the person who came up with these things. However, knowing who was behind it, they didn’t dare spread any bad rumors openly or otherwise.

After all, Zheng Yichen’s devices genuinely improved convenience. And, if they said something and That Dragon heard about it, getting on his bad side… well, life wouldn’t be easy afterward.

Besides, this dragon really brought too many conveniences here. Those light bulbs were one example—they provided much clearer light than torches… Magical lighting? The camp wouldn’t waste resources like that. These lights greatly reduced the chances of night attacks by Human Forms. Not to mention, after those machines were installed, searchlights were added to the edges of the campsite.

They periodically scanned the surroundings, coordinating with other campsites, basically preventing night attacks by Human Forms. Additionally, the Church had revealed related information: the Filtration Net was going to be installed within the next couple of days. Precautions had already been announced, telling people in the major campsites to prepare in advance to avoid being affected by the Filtration Net.

Overall, this series of things the Church set up greatly increased the sense of security for those trapped in the Containment Zone… Since the Church was putting in so much effort to address their concerns, even though sacrifices still happened—that was inevitable—with so many new devices being added, people felt more motivated to work.

In fact, because of the Church’s preparations, non-Church members in the Containment Zone even showed signs of recovery!

That’s right, some Adventurers and Mercenaries from outside the Containment Zone joined the Church’s support teams and came here with them. Whether for fame, profit, or other reasons, knowing the characteristics of the Containment Zone and still coming here took courage.

This place was like going abroad: once you entered, you couldn’t leave until the time was up, and there was no guarantee for the future… What if things went cold here? Everyone inside might become sacrifices.

“Hmm, can’t think of anything new,” Zheng Yichen thought as he walked out of the campsite. For things applicable here, he had basically thought of everything he could: the Filtration Net, searchlights, automatic injection machines, unmanned exploration machines, etc. Even though they were Magical Modification versions, using them in the Containment Zone definitely prevented a lot of losses…

These losses were human lives.

At an observation point at the entrance to the Stone Forest, Zheng Yichen arrived but didn’t go in. Instead, he bought a map at this observation point. Although there were still many blank areas on the map, the outer parts had been meticulously recorded. By gradually filling it in, they could eventually reach the center of the Stone Forest…

“Ouch!” Under the puzzled gaze of a Church member, Zheng Yichen knocked on his own head. He had been so focused on Loris’s matter that he forgot the important business here. He didn’t ask about Dan Marina taking his Compass, and he didn’t ask about the details of the Stone Forest either…!