Chapter 519: Section 306: Cracking the Array
The patrol team’s footsteps gradually faded away until they had completely left the cabin.
The mysterious figure, with a calm face, quietly put away the dagger.
He silently exhaled a turbid breath, and couldn’t help but reflect on the strict discipline of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.
Generally speaking, patrolling was a dull affair. The patrol members usually chatted a bit while patrolling to counter the boredom and pass the time.
When the mysterious person investigated many barracks, it was very common for patrol members to converse with each other.
But upon arriving on the ship of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, he encountered several patrol teams and never saw any of the patrol members chatting with each other. Each team focused their attention on their work.
Because once they started talking to each other, it would distract their attention from their surroundings. Sometimes even a slight unusual noise made by an intruder could be overshadowed by their conversations.
“Such discipline is rarely seen in mercenary groups, and even military camps might not reach this level.”
The mysterious person couldn’t help but think about the other identity of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps—arms smugglers, and he instantly understood.
Smuggling arms was definitely an illegal activity that could cost one’s head.
It was far riskier than the normal duties of a mercenary.
Such discipline was cultivated to ensure absolute obedience and to keep their own secrets. This made the transportation of arms more successful.
“If we talk about arms smuggling, this group is undoubtedly very professional.”
The mysterious person’s attention returned to the immediate surroundings.
The cabin was empty, but he knew not to trust only what his eyes could see.
Just now, outside the door, when he used his combat skills to inspect, he discovered that Golden Equipment and various alchemy materials were stored in this cabin. However, they had been concealed by a Magic Array, hiding all traces and suppressing any emanations.
So much so that even if an outsider were standing right in front of this treasure, they wouldn’t be able to detect it with the naked eye.
The mysterious person approached the Array, and once again used his Fighting Energy, creating ripples of Golden Fighting Spirit.
The ripples spread rapidly, covering the entire invisible Magic Array, yet triggering no alarms.
After investigating, he quickly confirmed that the primary purpose of this Magic Array was to disguise and suppress emanations.
Its grade was not high.
“The mages of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps are Old Zhong and Red Vine. These two are at the Black Iron Level and Bronze Level respectively.”
“This Black Iron Level Array shows clear signs of recent construction. I wonder which one of them built it?”
Although the mysterious person had easily seen through the Array, he could not immediately begin to dismantle it.
Besides this main Array, four smaller Arrays had been set up in hidden corners of the cabin.
These four small Arrays were subtly connected to the main Array.
If the main Array were breached, or if any of these four Arrays were damaged, it would trigger an alarm.
The mysterious person’s Holy Artifact, Golden Finger, could decipher this setup.
But he did not want to use it.
Because it would be too wasteful.
The Holy Artifact, Golden Finger, was indeed reusable, but each use consumed the Divine Power stored within it.
And acquiring Divine Power was very difficult.
For the mysterious person, who was not a devoted believer, accumulating enough Divine Power for one use through prayer would take many instances.
This time, the mysterious person decided to do it himself.
He took out a set of tools.
It was a small leather case.
He untied the cords that bound the small leather case, completely unfolded the long, strip-shaped cowhide case, and floated it in front of him.
The leather case had many clasps, each securing a variety of delicate tools.
Without exception, these tools were all of Golden Level, and their auras faintly echoed each other.
Even the leather case itself was of the same quality.
This was a rather rare set of Golden Level equipment, also the primary tool used by the mysterious figure.
First, the mysterious figure used a Combat Skill, causing his eyes to flicker with a golden sheen.
After using the Combat Skill, an indistinct image of an Array appeared in his field of vision.
This primary Array was three-dimensional, nearly cubic in shape, and almost filled the entire cabin.
The mysterious figure took in all the details of the Array and the fluctuations caused by the transfer of Mana, remembering every part.
After observing for a short while, he then took out a few long needles.
Under the infusion of his Fighting Energy, these slender needles quickly stretched out, becoming longer.
From the length of only an index finger, they turned into the length of an adult’s forearm.
With great care, the mysterious figure swiftly inserted these needles into the three-dimensional Array.
The Array continued to operate as usual, seemingly unaffected by the needles.
Next, the mysterious figure took out a magic ink pen.
Using this pen, he first traced out new alchemical pathways in the vacant spaces of the Array.
This step was not easy to accomplish.
Clearly, the mysterious figure was a fighter who also possessed considerable alchemy skill.
After sketching out at least six alchemical pathways, the mysterious figure returned the magic ink pen to its original place in the leather case and then took out an engraving knife.
He hovered the engraving knife over the areas he wanted to alter.
After taking a deep breath, he decisively made his cuts.
His movements were swift, cutting more than a dozen times within a second, each incision precise and exactly where he wanted.
The Array suffered damage, and its stable operating condition immediately showed signs of collapse.
But in the next moment, the needles he had inserted activated together, radiating lights of various colors.
The needles temporarily stabilized the Array, barely maintaining it.
Then, the flow of Mana in the Array was deliberately redirected by the mysterious figure. The Mana entered the alchemical pathways he had drawn earlier.
Soon, these pathways were filled with Mana.
After flowing through these pathways, the Mana quickly returned to parts of the original Alchemy Array.
The parts that the mysterious figure had severed were thus abandoned.
Silently, the Alchemy Array underwent a transformation.
After discarding the original parts and integrating the new sections intentionally drawn by the mysterious figure, a new Array was formed.
This new Array retained the original functions of storing materials and concealing auras, but the top authority had now fallen into the hands of the mysterious figure.
Critically, throughout these changes, the Array was continuously operational, without triggering any alarms from the four smaller Arrays.
The mysterious figure snapped his fingers lightly, and the Array responded to his commands.
Suddenly, his surroundings transformed.
A large amount of Alchemy Materials were neatly arranged.
Three pieces of Golden Level equipment also came into the view of the mysterious figure.
However, the mysterious figure slightly raised his eyebrows, revealing a hint of surprise.