Chapter 170: Did I Provoke You?
Orin Vale floated in mid-air, activating his Hyperspace Bracelet. A transparent beam of light slowly swept across the scene before him.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Diana looked around, seeming to find it a bit strange.
A massive mountain peak floated against a backdrop of the void, like a slumbering giant beast. The contours of the rock were steep and warped, as if twisted by some mysterious energy. The mountain peak was covered with sharp stones and jarring cliff faces that jutted out like spikes.
A bone-chilling aura. There was no wind, yet a cold that seeped into one's very marrow emanated in waves. A low groan seemed to echo through the space, as if formless, tormented souls were struggling in endless suffering.
"Probably," Orin Vale said. "The time-space energy shows that the phase fluctuation here is different from elsewhere. Also, the energy spectrum scan I designed for specific magical characteristics..."
He trailed off and didn't continue.
He could practically see a series of question marks on Wonder Woman's beautiful face. It was clear there was no point in explaining further; Wonder Woman wouldn't understand it anyway.
"Science?" Diana asked.
"Yes, science," Orin Vale nodded.
It seemed Wonder Woman's intuition was quite sharp; her summary was spot-on.
"Anyway, it's probably here, and there's likely something fishy about the space in this area. The Eye of Argo is most likely hidden somewhere here in some invisible way. The readings aren't strong, but my bracelet can detect some anomalies, and I'm trying to establish a link..."
Just as he said that, the bracelet suddenly flashed. A notification popped up on his battlesuit's internal display: "Link Established."
Caught completely off guard, a vortex opened in the previously empty space. The Hyperspace Bracelet emitted a faint white light, and gravity, like an invisible hand, suddenly yanked him into the vortex, causing him to vanish into thin air.
Diana was startled. "Mr. Orin?"
***
"No need to be hasty," the witch Circe said with a smile. "I've already sent informants out in all directions across the Fallen Realm. It won't be long before the perpetrator is exposed to us."
The eldest Gorgon, Stheno, snorted heavily. "To lay a hand on our sister is tantamount to infuriating the three of us. The Gorgon Sisters will not let this rest."
"Exactly, exactly! He'll get a taste of his own blood!" Euryale chimed in, but then immediately added, "But, big sis, I just remembered there were a few sacrifices I forgot to collect before I left today. They won't be fresh by the time I get back. Why don't you all continue, and I'll head back first..."
Stheno stared at her, her expression blank.
Euryale shrank back. "Just a suggestion..."
"That guy you mentioned, the opponent who's like the sun," Stheno frowned. "Is he really that powerful? To scare you like this?"
Euryale said helplessly, "Big sis, you didn't see it. It's not a matter of whether he's strong or not..."
"Ahem, allow me to interrupt." A man's voice sounded. Encased entirely in a green metal shell, Lex Luthor descended on a pillar of flame, landing beside Circe.
"While I sympathize with your companion's plight, you haven't forgotten our primary objective, have you?" Luthor said. "If someone else gets there first..."
"Are you saying revenge is unimportant?" Stheno said coldly. "Watch your place, Mortal. You are in no position to tell us what to do."
Luthor narrowed his eyes, but before he could speak, Circe cut in. "But he has a point. Avenging our sister is important, and it's also a chance to eliminate a dangerous competitor. But at the same time, the Eye of Argo is the ultimate target of this trip. So perhaps we can split into two groups. One group will continue to search for the Eye of Argo, while the other will follow the Apostles I've summoned to find that enemy."
"An excellent idea!" Euryale nodded repeatedly, then quickly raised her hand. "I choose the group looking for the Eye of Argo."
Then she met Stheno's icy gaze and couldn't help but shrink back again.
"Older sister, I think we should prioritize the bigger picture. Medusa would understand..."
Her voice grew quieter and quieter, until she could barely hear herself.
The look Stheno gave her grew increasingly contemptuous.
Meanwhile, Circe formed a hand seal, and with a flourish of her arms, a pitch-black magic circle bloomed upon the ground. A moment later, demonic creatures burst forth from the underground one after another. There was a Deer-Tiger Beast with a tiger's pelt and a deer's long horns, a Tree Lizard Lion covered in scales with the head of a lion, and a giant creature resembling a walking carnivorous plant, topped with a green, umbrella-like cap...
"These little darlings are my carefully collected enforcers, each one perfectly trained," Circe said. "They will go with you to hunt that Creature of Light. The rest of us will continue searching for the Eye of Argo. Is that acceptable?"
"I don't need the help of such things."
Stheno grumbled but raised no further objections, accepting the arrangement.
And so, the group split into two. Luthor and Circe's side went on to search for the artifact, while Stheno, guided by her Apostles, followed Circe's underlings to find the enemy and avenge Medusa.
These so-called Apostles were actually a flock of flying birds summoned by Circe. Each one had been enchanted with a sense enhancement spell, scattering to explore in all directions across the Fallen Realm.
In no time at all, one of the flying birds returned with intelligence.
The bird flew in mid-air, locking onto the trajectory of a flame in the distant void. It was a purplish-black humanoid form, wreathed in blazing flame, flying forward.
Like a moving pocket sun... a perfect match.
There's no mistake, that's him!
***
After parting ways with Superman, Apollo, his face dark, continued his solo treasure-hunting journey.
He could even feel a dull ache in his knee, a wound from his own arrow...
The more he thought about it, the more detestable that red-caped fellow seemed. His heaven-defying power was one thing, and his attributes perfectly countering him was another, but the key thing was that the guy had thick eyebrows and big eyes, looking like a total pushover.
He'd been completely deceived.
Thinking back, if it weren't for that simple, honest, and deceptive appearance that made him lower his guard, Apollo felt he wouldn't have been screwed over so badly.
The more he thought, the angrier he became.
But his instinct told him it wasn't wise to seek revenge now. The priority was to secure the Eye of Argo and obtain the divine power of Zeus. By then, he would have ascended to the peak of Olympus and become the King of the Gods. Wouldn't he be able to do whatever he pleased?
Diana's strange friends, that red and silver giant, and now this red-caped怪胎—every single one of them treated him, the magnificent Sun God, like a power bank!
When the time comes, he'd make them all pay him back double!
Jie jie jie...
BOOM!
Just as he was thinking smugly, Apollo was suddenly struck by something unknown. A tremendous force sent him spinning backward, crashing through countless obstacles before he staggered to his feet, covered in dust and grime.
"Who!?" he roared in fury. "Who dares to ambush me?"
Before he could even look around, a sharp pain shot through his ankle. Crying out, Apollo hastily and fearfully ascended into the air. He saw that a small snake had emerged from the underground and bitten his ankle, leaving a pair of conspicuous holes from which venom was oozing.
Then the ground cracked open, and countless demonic creatures burst from the soil, swarming to surround him.
The leading Gorgon's eyes were practically splitting with rage, the poisonous snakes on her head writhing as she roared, "Pay for my sister's life, you scoundrel of Olympus!"
As Apollo dodged pathetically, he cursed up a storm in his mind.
Did I fucking provoke you?
(end of chapter)