Asura in Arknights

Li Ang had intended to use this question to strike up a casual conversation before saying goodbye to Jonah, but to his surprise, Jonah displayed a very complicated expression after hearing the question.

"...No, this is an old problem of mine, you don't need to worry about it."

It seemed that Jonah was not willing to talk about this topic any further. He changed the subject and said, "I have a class to attend now, so I'll have to take my leave. If you three don't mind, you can stay here a little longer. Feel free to use anything in the office."

-------------------------------------

Jonah left to go to class; staying in the office was just a waste of time for them.

As soon as they stepped outside, Adele said anxiously, "Leon, where are those Yan people? Let's hurry!"

She was afraid that if she arrived too late, something might happen to the documents left behind by her parents.

“Yeah, yeah, who knows what they did with the data,” Magellan chimed in. “But I don’t speak Yan language, so don’t expect me to translate.”

She had previously planned to explore Yan Kingdom, which was perhaps the most mysterious country in the world. However, the Yan language was simply too difficult. Magellan had mastered several languages, but he couldn't understand the grammar and logic of the Yan language at all. In the end, he had no choice but to give up the idea.

"Shhh."

Li Ang interrupted the boisterous Magellan, lowering his voice to say, "I understand Yan Guoyu, that's not a problem. What we need to be careful about now is... someone is already watching us."

Adele and Magellan both felt a chill run down their spines and instinctively wanted to look around for the possible watcher hiding in the shadows, but Leon slapped them back down with his hands, one on each side.

They had only been in Hammerford for a short time and hadn't done anything out of line, yet someone had already set their sights on them... Was it the same force that had plotted to kill Dr. Nauman?

After weighing the pros and cons in his mind, Li Ang felt that he couldn't pretend that he hadn't discovered anything. With such a little tail watching them, it wouldn't be convenient for them to do anything in the future.

"Don't speak loudly, and don't make any unnecessary movements. Just do as I say."

Adele and Magellan nodded almost imperceptibly.

……

Li Ang and the other two stood there for less than two minutes, seemingly exchanging the same topics they had discussed in the office. After a few words, they walked out of the school without any apparent abnormality.

The two watchers hiding in the shadows thought the same thing.

But when the three of them entered a small alley, the situation changed.

The alley was empty; there was no trace of the three of them.

"Damn it...did they find out?"

A moment later, two men wearing long robes and straw hats appeared in the alley.

In that brief moment, they didn't know what happened, but the Originium Arts they used for tracking suddenly stopped working. After they returned to normal, they had already lost track of their target.

Even in the place where the target last disappeared, they found no useful clues.

"Split up and search! We can't let them get away!"

The two quickly made a decision, knowing that this was a task personally assigned by the Court of Justice, and they could not afford the consequences of failure.

They split up and ran in opposite directions down the alley. Just as they were about to exit the alley, they both stopped at the same time.

A buzzing drone blocked the alley's exit, spraying a plume of icy smoke downwards; a direct collision with it would obviously have dire consequences.

At the other end of the alley, a man in armor completely blocked their way.

That was one of the targets they had just been monitoring.

Their reaction was swift and decisive; they had no intention of communicating with Li Ang. Instead, the other man made a sword-finger gesture with his right hand, holding a thin object between his index and middle fingers, pointing at Li Ang and muttering incantations.

"Heaven and Earth..."

The man only had time to utter two words before a metal-clad scabbard slammed heavily into his abdomen.

Chapter Fifty-Three: The Righteous Law of White Thunder

The moment the two men in black spoke, Li Ang already knew their identities—they were from Yan Country.

To Li Ang's relief, although the two men spoke with a strong regional accent, it was still clear that they were speaking Mandarin.

According to the information Li Ang had previously investigated, the situation of the Great Yan Dynasty was very similar to that of the Tang Dynasty on Earth, with almost no difference in their written language, which Li Ang also recognized.

The only thing that left him somewhat uncertain was what language the people of Yan actually spoke.

Li Ang had heard that the language spoken in ancient times was completely different from that spoken now, and fortunately, such an embarrassing situation did not occur.

These two guys were really ruthless. After being discovered, they immediately tried to kill each other to silence the witnesses, but unfortunately, they were not strong enough to carry out such a bold act.

What era are we living in? Do you still need to chant incantations to cast spells? If you had the time to say those few words, you would have been beaten up long ago... But speaking of which, do you need to chant incantations to use Originium Arts?

The 'paper' held between the man's fingers is a very special item, somewhat like a pre-arranged 'spell unit'. Once activated, it can release the spell it contains.

The city defense cannon 'Phonetic Machine' of Letania was built based on this principle. Unexpectedly, Yan Kingdom's technology in this area is even more amazing. They have actually been able to miniaturize it and put it on a thin piece of paper.

If miniaturization has already been achieved, is it still a problem to apply this technology to large-scale devices?

When that Yan man took out the talisman—let's call it a talisman for now—Li Ang noticed it immediately, giving him no time to activate it.

With a single blow from his sword sheath, Li Ang knocked the man to the ground and roughly snatched the talisman from his hand.

This was the first time Li Ang had ever seen such a novel thing. He injected some Originium Energy into it, trying to activate the talisman, but the talisman did not react at all.

Even if someone else snatches it, can't you use it directly? Li Ang nodded thoughtfully. It seems that the incantation the other party just recited might not have been useless after all.

After retching a few times while kneeling on the ground, Yan Guoren, whose progress had been abruptly interrupted, finally came to his senses. Enduring the sharp pain in his abdomen, he shouted loudly in Yan Guoren, "Retreat! You're no match for this guy! Tell the Minister of Justice this information!"

"But you..."

"Don't worry about me, let's go!"

This scene of deep camaraderie was indeed touching, but Li Ang had no intention of letting them go.

Li Ang wanted to ask why the Yan people were targeting them. Was it because of the Dark Mountains?

However, judging from the timeline, the Yan people had already been watching them before they even approached Jonah.

So Li Ang said in fluent Yan dialect, "Don't even think about it, none of you can escape."

Upon hearing Li Ang suddenly speak in Yan language, the two men moved simultaneously.

Li Ang could clearly sense the shock they felt, which quickly transformed into a burning, bone-deep hatred.

"traitor!!"

The Yan man who had been hit by Li Ang earlier suddenly roared and pounced on Li Ang, startling him.

Hatred blazed in the other man's eyes, and an abnormal Originium aura emanated from his body. He grabbed Li Ang's waist tightly from behind, and Li Ang could even hear the cracking sound of bones due to the excessive force.

"The Court of Justice will avenge me!"

Wait, wait, wait... no way...

Hearing the shout from behind, Li Ang couldn't help but twitch his lips.

That's a classic line before he self-destructs...

Didn't Li Ang just say something in Yan language? And he only said he wouldn't let them leave, he didn't say he would kill them. What exactly touched a nerve with them?

However, it's a bit too naive to think that you can kill Li Ang in this way.

Li Ang patted the man's shoulder slowly and calmly, and said only one word.

"stop."

The Originium energy surging around that person subsided instantly.

At this distance, it would be incredibly easy for Li Ang to interrupt the execution of Originium Arts. He could even interfere with the Originium energy controlled by others without making physical contact.

This is the unique power that Li Ang possesses as the agent of the Originium Will.

Seeing that even risking their lives, their companion couldn't stop Li Ang for even a second longer, and that even their suicide spell was stopped by Li Ang in some unknown way, the other Yan countryman was so terrified that he dared not linger there any longer.

Ahead lay a deadly icy inferno, and behind him stood a terrifying presence he could not contend with. His only escape route was... directly above him.

"Swift as a Hundred Transformations, Speed!"

He took out a talisman and, without anyone stopping him, finally finished reciting the incantation.

After sticking the talisman on his body, his speed increased dramatically. Just by listening to the incantation he had just recited, Li Ang could roughly guess the effect of the talisman.

The man tapped his feet several times in mid-air, and without any leverage, he soared into the air, heading straight upwards into the alley.

Li Ang didn't seem to have any intention of stopping the other party. He simply gave the person holding him a chop to the neck, knocking him unconscious.

"Xuancheng!!"

A sorrowful shout came from above. Li Ang's actions had been seen by the other party, but due to the angle, he might have misunderstood something.

But since that person couldn't escape anyway, Li Ang didn't bother to explain anything.

Just as he was about to rush to the roof in his grief, a small head popped out from the roof next to him. It was Adele, who had been missing for some time. She had been arranged by Li Ang to block the way he was going to escape.

“Um… please go back. I can’t let you leave here,” Adele said weakly, unsure if the other person could understand Victorian.

However, judging from his reaction, he clearly understood what Adele meant.

A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and several talismans slid out from deep within his sleeve. Just as he pointed his hand in Adele's direction, Adele immediately pulled her head back, replaced by a flame that was expanding rapidly in his field of vision.

"boom--"

With a loud crash, he stumbled back into the alley, his trench coat covered in burn marks. He and his companion, two unfortunate souls, lay on the ground, unable to resist.

“I’ve already said it, none of you can escape,” Li Ang shook his head helplessly, “Besides, I didn’t intend to do anything to you, so why bother?”

"Alright, now that you've all quieted down, let's talk about the question I just asked."

Li Ang bent down, intending to lift the two people off the ground. Before his hand even touched their bodies, Li Ang's expression under his helmet suddenly changed, and his body vanished from the spot, creating a gust of wind.

At the same time, a flash of lightning streaked across the distance, leaving a scorch mark where Li Ang had just stood. Even the two Yan people lying on the ground were affected, their bodies twitching slightly.

At that moment, a soft chuckle reached Li Ang's ears.

"Go through the White Thunder Orthodox Dharma!"

Chapter Fifty-Four: The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review

Li Ang pushed his speed to its limit to narrowly dodge the thunderous attack.

This doesn't mean that Li Ang is faster than lightning, but rather that he anticipated the opponent's next move before the opponent launched an attack.

"Thunder Magic..."

Li Ang's expression turned serious.

There's no mistake. This isn't one of those counterfeit electrical Originium arts; it's the real spell that controls and triggers lightning. Li Ang has never given up on finding this spell. The travelogue he brought from Letania is still on his desk. How could he possibly be wrong?

However, seeing Lei Fa under these circumstances only meant immense trouble for Li Ang.

He had not forgotten that in the Yan Kingdom, the status of thunder magic was very special, and only people of high status were qualified to learn it.

Just as Jonah said, a very important person has indeed come from Yan Kingdom this time...

With a series of clattering footsteps, a daughter appeared at the other end of the alley.

Magellan's freezing traps set by drones had been melted by the electric arcs surging from the opponent's body, and could not even delay the opponent's progress slightly.

The difference in strength between the two sides was too great. Magellan's skills all relied on external forces, and she herself was not even as good as some of the more powerful lower-ranking knights. On the other hand, the woman who suddenly came to interfere was very strong.

Even if her raw strength might not be comparable to a knight of Byron's caliber, her mastery of lightning magic significantly increased her level of danger.

I ask you, how many people in the world can escape the attack of lightning?

"You were the one spying just now, weren't you?"

The woman slowly walked into the alley, seemingly without any suspicion. Her gaze swept over the three people in the alley, finally landing on Li Ang. "You're quite good. If the barrier hadn't shown any unusual activity, I would have thought it was just my imagination."

When the woman appeared, Adele and Magellan secretly slipped down from the roof and circled around to Leon's side.

peep?

Could it be that when Jonah told them the location of the Yan people, Li Ang habitually looked in that direction and was discovered?

The woman's strength was clearly less impressive than her ability to perceive Li Ang's senses.

"...Who are you?" Li Ang asked in return, though he already had a vague guess in his mind.

"Your Excellency the Court of Justice!!"

The two Yan people who had been knocked down earlier answered Li Ang's question.

Upon seeing the woman, they were so excited that they disregarded their injuries and tried to get up from the ground.

"Behave yourselves. You are still my prisoners. Don't do anything unnecessary."

Li Ang grabbed his sword sheath, stepped forward, and struck each of the two men on the head, knocking them back to their original positions.