?288 Chapter 288 – The Red Mist
"Maybe there was a level two Extractor that managed to survive until now," the governor said.
"Could be," Ghosty said.
A minute of silence passed before another guard told the governor that everyone was ready.
Additionally, a second guard told the governor that the other side had not encountered any Specters yet.
"That means the Crimson Sea probably hasn't eaten through the Containment Units yet," the governor said before turning to his guards.
"Start!"
Nine guards were standing very close together at the entrance of the building.
One of them was holding a smaller version of the big machine creating the barrier.
Four others were holding small plates connected to the machine.
The remaining four pushed the contraptions that released the blue lightning through the barrier.
BOOOOM!
The blue lightning exploded, clearing several meters of water.
Simultaneously, the other five people jumped forward.
The barrier morphed and changed shape.
It adhered to the walls on the inside of the building before expanding again.
The guards had created a bubble inside the building that was about two meters in diameter.
BOOM!
More blue lightning and the bubble expanded to the side.
The protocol was to cover the walls of the building in the barrier first before pushing into the middle of the rooms.
A couple minutes later, the entire inside of the building's entrance was free of water and covered by a thin film of the barrier.
Occasionally, the guards looked at the bright red "wall" in front of them.
It was like half of the big hallway was clean and bright while the other half had been devoured by a domain of red.
Sadly, the guards didn't have the time to admire the endless red in front of them.
The governor looked at the entrance.
Things were under control.
"Sir," an Expert said as he arrived beside the governor. "The other side reports an increase of Zephyx expenditure that seems unanticipated."
The governor furrowed his brows.
"Not only their side," Ghosty said before the governor could say anything.
The governor looked at Ghosty. "Ours as well?"
Ghosty nodded as he fidgeted with a couple of devices.
"Earlier, the Zephyx expenditure was twice as high as expected. Now, it's almost three times as high," Ghosty said.
"Either something is malfunctioning, more Specters are attacking the barrier, or the Crimson Sea advanced to become a Mid Adult," Ghosty explained.
The governor became a bit worried. "I presume we can still deal with the expenditure?"
"Absolutely," Ghosty said before the relevant guard could report. "It needs to be about ten times higher to become an issue."
The governor nodded. "Then, things are still under control. The Crimson Sea should become weaker the more we advance."
By now, the guards had cleared the entire entrance, and they were reaching the first hallways already.
The same was true for the other side as well.
"It increased again!" Ghosty suddenly said, his voice no longer as calm.
"Again?" the governor asked with worry.
Ghosty nodded. "It's now nearly four times as high as expected. You should call more-"
The governor looked at Ghosty, who just raised his eyebrows in shock.
"It increased again!" Ghosty said.
Now, there was definite worry in his voice.
The governor turned to his personal guards. "Emergency alert! Gather all available Experts! Get Aria here!" he shouted.
"It increased again!" Ghosty shouted.
Then, he charged to the entrance and grabbed the big contraption.
With a powerful Specialist controlling the contraption now, the resistance of the barrier increased tremendously.
"Theresa or Stark have to support the barrier on their side!" the governor shouted.
Several guards immediately ran towards the Outer City to inform them.
The next moment, the governor looked at the building with narrowed eyes.
SHING!
Suddenly, the governor vanished.
BANG!
A huge amount of red water was vaporized as an intense explosion of fire appeared inside the building.
Ghosty, who was carrying the contraption, immediately ran into the building, the barrier adapting to his movements and stretching further in.
They had to get rid of the Crimson Sea!
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Silence.
Ghosty, the governor, the guards, and the onlookers watched in stunned silence.
It changed!
Suddenly, the red wall was no longer just red!
Now, there were hundreds of laughing faces in it!
The faces moved across the red domain, laughing the entire time.
The next moment, everyone could see bloody hands forming in the red domain, which were clawing at the barrier.
"It became an Elder!" Ghosty shouted in shock.
"Impossible!" Kallum shouted from behind him. "There are no more people in there! The only things in there are our Specters!"
At that moment, Ghosty's eyes widened in realization.
"Specters? Specters!" he shouted.
Then, he turned to Kallum. "Have you ever tried feeding a Specter to it?"
Kallum blinked in shock. "No, of course not!"
Many things were going through Ghosty's mind.
He had a hypothesis that all ways in which Specters could gain power were intrinsically related to human suffering.
In his hypothesis, Specters were the manifestation of human suffering.
Yet, they also represented prosperity since Manufacturers could suppress them and become more powerful thanks to them.
'So, isn't it possible that killing Specters can also be considered causing suffering to humanity?' Ghosty thought.
The Crimson Sea's advance in power.
The fact that only Specters were left in the building.
The fact that no Specter had tried to escape through the entrances.
"It can gain power by consuming Specters!" Ghosty shouted at the governor.
"It consumed all the Specters in the building, which is how it became so powerful!"
The governor narrowed his eyes.
At least, that meant that the Crimson Sea was done growing for now.
The governor continued suppressing the Crimson Sea, but then, something shocking happened.
The Crimson Sea was vanishing!
The ceiling of the hallways was revealed as the water level lowered!
During this entire time, the faces just kept laughing.
When the governor saw that, he felt like his heart had stopped.
No!
The water level quickly sunk to the bottom, and the water receded further into the building.
The governor rapidly ran after the water and followed it.
And when he entered a room on the lowest part of the building, he saw something terrifying.
A hole!
A huge hole!
The Crimson Sea had entered the sewers!
Meanwhile, on the border between the Outer City and the Dregs, someone clothed in a Zephyx Extractor uniform was looking with shock at the Dregs.
It was Nick, who had already changed his appearance.
'What is that?' Nick thought.
Right now, Nick watched in shock as red mist started to come out of the rusty grates on the floor.
All the people in the Dregs looked with concern and worry as their surroundings were covered in red mist.
From a high building, Nick was watching…
As the Dregs turned into a sea of red mist.