Chapter 541: The Hourglass Scepter
Chapter 541: The Hourglass Scepter
"..."
In Artifex 00's calculations, Prince Andre still had a 70% chance of victory.
After glancing at Artifex 00, who was speaking through a Cleaner's head, Lyon slightly furrowed his brows and narrowed his eyes, "Let's assume everything you said is true. Since you and Prince Andre aren't on the same side and you don't want him to win, how do you plan to help us? Are you going to turn against him after I charge into Zone 1 Research District?"
"That's not possible~"
The sixth Cleaner shook their head, "During the Soul Encoding Experiment, to gain King Fain's support, I had to add a highest priority command to the bottom layer of all Artifex' soul encodings, requiring all recipients of soul encodings to obey the commands of the Hourglass Scepter holder."
"The Hourglass Scepter?"
"The Hourglass Scepter is a pair of aberrations passed down in our Corock Kingdom with the unique ability to distort one's perception of time."
Artifex 00 explained, "The person chosen by the Hour Rod will experience an hour as if it were a minute, while the person chosen by the Minute Rod will feel a minute as if it were an hour."
"A time-related aberration?!"
"Not exactly. For example, the Hour Rod held by each generation of kings can only make an hour 'seem' like a minute, not actually manipulate time.
In simple terms, the Hourglass Scepter confuses one's perception of time, increasing their reaction speed by sixty times, and then by locking onto their opponent with this enhanced reaction, it reduces the opponent's reaction speed to one-sixtieth of its original speed. It doesn't truly control time."
Even if it wasn't a time-related aberration, it was still incredibly powerful.
Lyon and the three second-class Cleaners were startled, imagining the consequences of their reaction speed slowing down sixty times while their opponent's speed increased sixtyfold. Even Lyon couldn't help but gasp in shock.
Sixty times sixty was a whopping three thousand six hundred times the reaction speed difference. If speed could keep up with the reaction, it would be enough for an ordinary ant to catch up to a high-speed train.
No wonder Artifex 00 said Prince Andre still had a 70% chance of winning. With such a powerful aberration, it was already a miracle that their side had a 30% chance.
"Don't worry, the Hourglass Scepter isn't that powerful."
Seeing Lyon's silence, the seventh Cleaner's head quickly reassured him, "These two scepters can only be used by members of the Corock Royal Family, and they consume a lot of Leon Value. Roughly, every 1 point of Leon Value can only sustain the effect for 1 minute.
If a person with 1 point of Leon Value uses it, they can only reduce someone else's 1 minute to 59 seconds, with an amplification effect of only one-sixtieth. Even a person with 10 points of Leon Value can only increase their reaction speed by ten percent."
After listening to Artifex 00's explanation, Lyon furrowed his brows slightly, then narrowed his eyes.
Although what they said was true, if this item fell into the hands of someone with 30 points of Imbue Value, it could create a four-fold reaction speed difference between allies and enemies. And if it were in the hands of a Cleaner with sixty points of Imbue Value, crossing the boundary between mortals and gods, it would still create a three thousand six hundred times reaction speed difference.
Regardless, this was an incredibly terrifying "late-game divine item"!
After recording the intelligence about the Hourglass Scepter, Lyon knitted his brows and said, "Such important intelligence, why are you telling us? Aren't you afraid of being shut down for betraying Prince Andre?"
"It's fine, this intelligence isn't important~"
Artifex 00 smiled and said, "Prince Andre isn't a Cleaner, he doesn't have the unique Leon Value that Cleaners possess, so the Hourglass Scepter has no effect on him. It's just a pair of tokens used to control me."
After all, these two scepters have the highest authority over all 'Artifex' units, so it's impossible for him to hand them over to others. Moreover, only recognized members of the royal family can use them, and he's already killed off the entire royal family. Even if he wanted to give them away, he couldn't."
Now it makes sense.
After a slight nod, Lyon continued with his question:
"So, back to the previous question, how exactly do you plan to help us deal with Prince Andre?"
"I've already answered this question. I won't be helping you against Prince Andre."
Artifex 00 blinked and said, "For now, his chances of winning are still higher. I'm just hedging my bets and giving you a little something, just in case~"
You're such a fence-sitter. Well, at least you're being straightforward.
Lyon tilted his head and asked, "So? What exactly are you offering me?"
"The whereabouts of your captured comrades. Is that enough?"
The eighth cleaner raised his head and smiled, saying:
"That cleaner named Nicole from the original Gemini Bureau didn't die in the previous ambush. Instead, Prince Andre locked her up underground in the Third Military Industry Zone."
"Oh."
Lyon nodded in response.
"I understand. Is there anything else?"
"Isn't this enough?"
Artifex 00 paused slightly, looking puzzled, and asked,
"Aren't you her companion? Don't you plan to rescue her immediately?"
"Why should I rescue her?"
Lyon, who was already somewhat sober, shook his head and asked,
"Would you kill her?"
"Er... no..."
"So, are you torturing her? Interrogating her?"
"Well... not exactly..."
"Then why should I hurry? Let her stay with you!"
After glancing at Artifex 00, Lyon calmly said,
"Since you can't betray Prince Andre, not only can you not help us, but you also can't reveal his secrets. Naturally, you wouldn't be able to intentionally increase our strength at this critical moment.
So, if I'm not mistaken, Nicole is probably under control or her aberration has been sealed. Even if we rescue her, she won't be of much help, right?"
"..."
"Seems like you're right."
Amid Artifex 00's silent agreement, Lyon concluded,
"If I don't rescue Nicole, not only will we be safe, but you'll also have to provide her with good food and drink, assign people to watch over her, and she won't suffer except for the lack of freedom and the terrible food. If I go to rescue her, not only will we be in danger, but she won't be able to help and will have to accompany us with her aberration sealed, causing us trouble and hindering our progress. It's better to let her stay locked up."
"..."
Indeed... that seems to be the case...
"So, if you want to cooperate with us and avoid being targeted by us after we defeat Prince Andre, you'll need to offer something more practical. I'm tying up these cleaners with fishing line, but since you can communicate with them, I won't knock them out. If you want something from us, it's best to think about what you can offer us... I'm leaving now. I'll wait for your good news."
"..."
Amid Artifex 00's silent contemplation, Lyon turned and entered the Corlock Palace, where the door had been blown open. He then spoke with a stern expression,
"Seniors, we should prepare to face Director Edward."
(End of Chapter)
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