"The power of thunder constantly flows within the Lightning Rod Tower. If you wander around without a guide, you will absolutely be electrocuted."
...Thank goodness. I was originally planning to sneak in alone, look around, and scavenge anything I could find. I almost died a lonely death by electrocution where no one could see me.
As I breathed a sigh of relief, Lei Huizhu looked at her watch and nodded.
"If it's just for a moment, I have the time. I will guide you personally."
"What? Lord Lei Huizhu, personally? There's no need for that."
Lei Huizhu didn't even bother to reply and strode ahead. Unquestioningly believing that I would follow.
Tch. If Lei Huizhu is watching me personally, I can't swipe anything. I really have to just look around purely as a tourist. What a failure.
Soothing my bitter heart, I followed behind Lei Huizhu.
"This place is the Lightning Rod Tower. It diverts the lightning cascading down from the Cloud Falls, and simultaneously, it is Claudia's unique structure that harnesses that power."
Operating the elevator herself, Lei Huizhu began an unprompted explanation.
"In the early days, Claudia carved out the mountains to create farmland. The power of thunder comes from the heavens. The land that received that grace was fertile, so anything grown there thrived. However... as the city gradually grew, a problem arose. To expand the farmland, they had to go deeper into the mountains, but as you know, tigers dwell in the mountains."
Ugh. Of all things, that beast had to be mentioned. My body shrank back involuntarily.
It's this Claudia, where clouds and lightning cascade down year-round, that is the anomaly; humans originally cannot survive in the mountains. With tigers glaring with cold, piercing eyes, what creature could possibly live there in peace? Unless one has lived alongside nature for a long time and forged a bond, the moment they try to fell trees and till the fields, they become prey. Tigers don't eat grain, after all.
"So instead of expanding the fields outward, they built upward."
Lei Huizhu stopped the elevator and flung the doors open. At that, the interior of the Lightning Rod Tower was revealed at a glance.
Inside the Lightning Rod Tower, neither walls nor pillars were visible. What met the eye was soil spread wide and thick. On top of it, crops were growing so densely there was no room to set foot.
Water condensed from the Cloud Falls flows along irrigation channels, dampening the soil. Treading upon the moist earth, the grace of the earth rears its head. Grass and trees are the fruits born of the union between the Heavenly God and the Earth Mother Goddess. Humans who partake of this grace must always give thanks for their daily bread... or so the Bible says.
But truly, can this also be called the grace of the Heavenly God and the Earth Mother Goddess?
They hauled soil here and filled it just deep enough to submerge the roots. A single layer of the Earth Mother Goddess's skin was peeled away and spread across every floor of the towering Lightning Rod Tower.
The sky is hidden by the ceiling, invisible. However, in this Claudia, where clouds and thunder descend directly to the earth, they have even captured the sky within glass spheres and suspended them from the ceiling. They extracted only the light of the lightning, imprisoning it inside the glass spheres to illuminate the crops in place of the sun.
Stripping away both sky and earth, they stacked artificial farmlands layer by layer. If the author of the Bible were to witness this sight, would they gasp in horror, or beam with pride?
"This is the reason Claudia prospered."
Lei Huizhu said without hiding her pride.
Farmlands built by tearing away pieces of the sky and earth, stacking them layer by layer within a building. They don't exude an overwhelming majesty or an unfathomable mystique. The concept of bringing farmland indoors is merely novel; the soil and the light are both real.
However, that concept reeks of a sheer, toxic obsession. The human will to analyze and dismantle the world for purely practical purposes, and to harness it for humanity's sake. That will was infused into the artificial farmland within the Lightning Rod Tower. This likely isn't the only instance. As important as this artificial farmland is, they must have extended their reach to other facilities as well. In this Claudia.
But something is off. I can't quite put my finger on it, but a vague sense of incongruity is nagging at me.
"Did you make all of this, Lord Lei Huizhu?"
"Of course, I didn't make it all alone. No matter how outstanding I am, I only have two hands."
That's true. No matter how great a person is, they can't do everything alone. Based on what I read of Lei Huizhu's thoughts, her words are entirely true.
However, from what I read of Lei Huizhu's mind, she is a consumer of lightning. She wasn't the one who first conceived the idea of utilizing it. There must have been someone who first came up with that concept. So why are there no clues about them? Does even Lei Huizhu not know?
I can only read thoughts; I don't know everything about a person. My knowledge is strictly limited to the information the other party knows. Considering that Lei Huizhu was raised by the previous Lei Huizhu, she might not know everything either. Hmm. Should I dig a little deeper?
"I'm a little confused about something. You said the first Lei Huizhu returned the lightning that the Lightning Thief stole back to the sky, correct?"
"Yes."
"Then who built this Lightning Rod Tower? The Lightning Thief, or the first Lei Huizhu?"
"The first Lei Huizhu."
Lei Huizhu answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. So much so that I felt embarrassed for even asking.
Right. The Lightning Rod Tower is a structure, no matter how you look at it. A thief couldn't have built this. Someone obviously constructed it. But looking strictly at its functional aspect... isn't the Lightning Rod Tower a tool for stealing lightning, no matter how you look at it? Are you saying the lightning being used to cultivate the fields now wasn't stolen? Then does that mean they are generating lightning?
"The first Lei Huizhu must have been a truly remarkable person. To utilize the lightning stolen by the thief so masterfully."
"She was indeed a remarkable person. As much as myself. But what is your intention in asking?"
Did I pry too much? She is slightly on guard. It's only natural to be suspicious when a stranger from another country suddenly starts asking about the Lightning Thief and the first Lei Huizhu. Protesting your innocence when suspected is the mark of an amateur. As an outsider, I am bound to look suspicious. In times like this, it's better to subtly reveal a bit of your true intentions.
"Haha, it's just pure curiosity. A technology like this is a blessing bestowed upon the human race, wouldn't you agree? Given my profession, discovering a new frontier like this naturally sparks my curiosity."
Fortunately, Lei Huizhu smiled as if she had seen right through me.
'You said you came from the Military Nation. As expected, you're trying to unearth something. I brought you here anticipating as much, of course.'
"It's useless even if you find out. It's a miracle only possible in Claudia, where clouds and lightning cascade down. If it were possible on just any land, Maximilien, who fled to the Military Nation, would have accomplished it long ago."
"Ah. Mr. Maximilien."
No need to mention that I half-killed and drove that guy out.
What should I do.
There are two ways to use mind-reading. Either read the opponent's thoughts and act accordingly, or probe their blind spots entirely. The former embeds you into the background of their perception, making them overlook you; the latter constantly draws their attention, seizing their focus.
It depends on the situation, but dealing with the arrogant Lei Huizhu, the attitude I should take is... perhaps a slightly clinging one.
"Lord Lei Huizhu. If Shei kills the Thunder God, Claudia will become incredibly peaceful, right? The aggressive lightning won't lash out either, making other work much easier. The city will overcome its dangers and prosper even more. So..."
"And you want Claudia's wisdom in return?"
Lei Huizhu answered as if it were obvious. I smiled awkwardly and scratched my head.
"Urgh, to put it less politically, basically. Since we're in a mutually beneficial relationship now, it'd be nice if you could just show me a little bit of the first Lei Huizhu's legacy, or something."
"No problem."
"Really?"
"I do not go back on my word. If you truly kill the Thunder God... if you ensure the Thunder God's apostles can never set foot in Claudia again, I am willing to compensate you with all my heart and soul."
Don't say things that could be misunderstood. Even if you mean it.
Still, thanks to that, I understood why the Returnee liked Lei Huizhu. If the quest to eliminate the Thunder God is cleared, I can gain her absolute trust from here on out. It's a straightforwardness the Returnee would love.
"However, that is a reward solely for the one who kills the Thunder God. There is no reason to give it to you."
"Shei is our comrade, you know."
"If so, hear it from his own mouth later. That is, if he actually kills the Thunder God, wants the reward, and decides to share it with you all."
In short, there's no way she'll give anything directly to me. I clicked my tongue, feigning disappointment, and replied.
"I understand your intention, Lord Lei Huizhu. I will ask you once again later."
"It's a relief you've come to understand now, at least. I lack the patience to explain it a second time."
"Tch."
When I showed a hint of bruised pride, Lei Huizhu actually felt relieved.
'The first Lei Huizhu's legacy... Your intentions are so blatant it's actually reassuring. Though it's something I will never reveal.'
I was relieved too. She ignored me, just as I'd hoped.
Thanks to that, I also found out where it is.
The legacy left by the first Lei Huizhu is buried beneath this Lightning Rod Tower. A legacy that even the current Lei Huizhu doesn't fully comprehend.
The Thunder God had retreated after an incomplete combustion, yet the people of Claudia remained entirely unfazed. This is the City of Clouds ruled by Lei Huizhu. Secret measures for dealing with lightning are prepared in double and triple layers. A little trouble is easily managed. Furthermore, living beings are designed not to fear what they frequently see and experience. Familiarity proves harmlessness. If something were truly dangerous, one would die before ever getting accustomed to it.
A few quick-witted individuals subtly spread the word.
"Did you hear? Rumor among the Guardians is that Lord Lei Huizhu is planning a subjugation operation against the Thunder God."
"Didn't Lord Lei Huizhu personally sortie not too long ago? Saying something had invaded."
"I'm not sure of the details, but it must have been related to the Thunder God subjugation. They say if it succeeds, the Thunder God will be annihilated."
"Is that so? It's a good thing, but it's a bit of a shame. I'd grown quite attached to it."
"You fool! What attachment?! How many people have died from the Thunder God's lightning strikes!"
"They died because they were loitering outside the Lightning Rod Tower."
"Tsk. Such reckless talk."
"Well, Lord Lei Huizhu will handle it well! Surely nothing major will happen!"
No one leaked it outright. Fearing the citizens would panic, they informed the cultivators to subtly leak the rumor. Knowing in advance lessens the psychological blow.
Their faith in Lei Huizhu was so absolute that it wasn't particularly effective, but Lei Huizhu's method of managing the city was quite systematic. It's something to be proud of.
Passing by the casually chatting people, I returned to the lodging.
The Returnee and Aji were waiting in the lodging. The Returnee was swinging the cloud-soaked, whitened Cheon-aeng around, and every time he did, small sparks of lightning flashed from the Jizan laid on the floor. Aji's fur stood on end from time to time.
"Oh, you're back? Welcome."
The Returnee is greeting me? He must have plenty of time on his hands. I asked the subtly excited Returnee.
"Mr. Shei. You look like you're in a good mood?"
"Well, sort of?"
He didn't even give a prickly response to my question. He must really be in a good mood.
"The Golden Realm has disappeared, and I've met Lei Huizhu. Once this is all over, the war will stop too. Everything is working out. It's all entirely new, but miraculously, I haven't strayed down weird paths or suffered any unexpected accidents."
'Normally, when you deviate from the route around this point, things go wrong at least once!'
My efforts go completely unappreciated. Things are only going well because I've been secretly patching up all the minor details you missed. Well, I've also benefited from the Returnee, so I can't complain.
"Once we defeat the Thunder God, the problems on this side are practically solved! With Tirkanka handling the Principality, the Military Nation will quiet down too! There won't be any more problems!"
Why do I suddenly feel a sense of dread seeing him so happy? Dismissing my concerns entirely, the Returnee smiled like a child. Does he really have so much breathing room that he can smile like that?
"Hehe. A clean slate. I can see hope!"
"Mr. Shei, don't celebrate too early. I've realized from wandering through countless gambling dens that the moment you feel the most confident and think everything will go your way is exactly when you lose the most."
"And you still gamble knowing that?"
"Because I was the one filling the marks with confidence. I'd pump them full of hot air, and when they wagered their entire fortune—boom, I'd make them lose it all. In common parlance, a shill."
"...You sure say you ran a gambling scam pretty proudly."
"I'm telling you it wasn't a scam? The gambling itself was perfectly fair, without any trickery."
I only used mind-reading, perfectly fairly. It's a far cry from your ordinary gambling scam.
"More importantly, when are you going to kill the Thunder God?"
"The sea breeze blows during the day. The clouds of the Cloud Falls are the same. When the sea breeze blows tomorrow afternoon, the Thunder God, which had temporarily retreated, will return. Lei Huizhu will likely inform us of the exact time."
"It's a massive event with the Thunder God disappearing, so Claudia will probably get a bit rowdy, right?"
"It will. To prevent any potential accidents, a state of emergency will be declared across all of Claudia tomorrow. Lei Huizhu will gather her subordinates and the cultivators to deal with the Thunder God's remnants."
"You know quite a bit."
"I heard it from Lei Huizhu."
You idiot. She didn't tell you that in this timeline. You just blurt out whatever comes to mind.
Anyway. That's not what's important right now. I brought up the real reason I was asking.
"I don't really need to come and watch, do I?"
"Huh? Watch?"
"Yes. As you know, I'm terrified of lightning. Even if you handle it flawlessly, Shei, I'd rather not risk the danger."
"It'll be over in a flash. It won't pose much of a threat."
When I said I wouldn't watch, he seemed subtly disappointed. Does he really want to show off his fighting that much?
"It's not like my watching will be of any help, right?"