Dox’s approach might effectively prevent pursuers, but given they are unafraid, there’s no need for such premature violent tactics, which would instead seem lacking in confidence.
Of course, the above is the Black Earl’s preconceived notion.
Does Angel really think like that? Actually...quite similar.
However, the reason Angel doesn’t use lethal traps is not because "it would undermine his confidence," but rather because the actions of the Merchant Organization have not actually crossed Angel’s bottom line before this.
Moreover, from the mouths of Merchants and Magic Craftsmen, Angel does not feel that the Merchant Organization is overly domineering.
Although they acquire transcendent items from adventure groups, earning huge profits, they don’t forcefully obtain them, but rather achieve their goals through transactions. Otherwise, the weapon made from rare human-faced eagle Demon Bloodstone in Crow’s hand would not be preserved.
In Angel’s view, the Merchant Organization has merits.
They may regard adventure groups as tools, but the adventure groups, due to their affiliation with the Merchant Organization, have gained considerable rewards. Many people in the Hero Squad have earned enough gold coins to last a lifetime in a short period and left here to return to a prosperous, ordinary life.
On this level, Angel does not dislike the Merchant Organization.
Without obvious aversion, he did not use lethal traps but rather guided them, which was both misleading and a statement of self-attitude.
...
"What should we do next?" Vay looked at his friend Dox.
"Even your master thinks this is good enough, what else can be done? No more traps, just leave it like that." Dox seemed helpless, but his eyes were slightly excited.
If the Merchant Organization really catches up, he will have a reason to take action.
Before this, he was acting like a useless person, led entirely by Angel and the Black Earl. But if the Merchant Organization catches up, he, the strongest of the same-rank Bloodline Wizard, will have a chance to use his skills. Then, stopping the tracker would be his responsibility, and he wouldn’t have come here in vain.
This is Dox’s true thought, but if Angel and the Black Earl could hear it, they would probably sigh deeply.
Dox did not come as a useless person. His spiritual perception is like a lighthouse in the mist, guiding their way forward.
In other words, Dox’s importance is no less than theirs, only he himself hasn’t realized it yet.
"Let me activate it. If there’s an accident with the Magical Energy Array, the master should protect Vay and Kaier." Angel walked up to the desk and said to the Black Earl.
The Black Earl had no objections and moved to the side. While Vay looked at Angel with even more admiration, thinking he considers his safety even in times like this, this is truly a great wizard.
After Angel steadied himself, he took a deep breath and placed his hand on the main magic pattern.
Previously, the Black Earl only activated the manifestation of the Magical Energy Array, but this time, it’s a complete activation of the array.
As magic power poured into the main magic pattern, before long, a beam of light shot towards the top of the Magical Energy Array. This time, instead of slowly revealing the patterns, it directly lit up all the magic patterns.
The entire Magical Energy Array emitted dazzling light in mid-air.
Whether the Magical Energy Array is effective depends on this moment.
The light was incredibly bright, with the pervasive energy causing force field fluctuations in the entire underground church. Walls peeling, dust swirling, pots and pans clattering... all these were caused by energy fluctuations.
When the energy dissipated to the extreme, a faint black hole appeared at the lower-left corner of the Magical Energy Array.
"Is this a failure?" Vay asked somewhat puzzled.
"It’s not a failure, that’s... a passage." Dox looked at that black hole, speaking softly.
"Go in, there’s no space fluctuation, it won’t cause any major problems." The Black Earl said.
Everyone nodded, accompanied by the Wind’s Force given by Speedy, they flew up into the sky.
When they were below, they saw the black hole appear at the lower-left corner of the Magical Energy Array, but when they truly reached the sky, they discovered that the black hole wasn’t appearing in the Magical Energy Array, but at the spire behind the array.
Three spires, one large and two small. The large spire is the main trunk of the Magical Energy Array; the small spire on the right is where the inscription card "Purification of the Goddess" is placed; and the left spire, which is where the black hole is located, is the real passage into the Underground Maze!
Without hesitation, they flew directly into the black hole.
...
Meanwhile, in a certain metal structure outside the Garden Labyrinth, a group of people wearing uniforms with "Merchant" written on them ran towards the energy response area.
The energy response area is a giant sand table.
The sand table simulates the entire Garden Labyrinth.
At this moment, in a corner of the sand table, a faint light is emitted. And this place is precisely where the underground church is located.
"There’s an energy response!"
"This energy response isn’t big, but it’s strange. It’s not something caused by a magical creature emerging from the underground."
"Does anyone know which adventure group is nearby?" The speaker wore a white mask with a strange "Merchant" character written on it. From the attire and aura, it’s clear it’s the leader of this group of merchants.
"I know, that’s where the Hero Squad’s supply depot is located. I went there once before; it’s an underground structure."
"Is the energy response directly appearing in the underground structure?" The white mask pondered for a moment: "That’s interesting."
"We inspected that underground structure before and found nothing."
After hearing that, the white mask said indifferently: "Remember my advice, don’t hold absolute confidence in your judgment. Truth will never be where you can see it."
Whether the white mask’s words are correct, let’s set that aside. But it reveals the faction he stands for in pursuing "truth" - the Idealist faction. It believes truth is a concept of the mind, not a tangible object. Pursuing truth is actually seeking oneself, exploring the limits of one’s knowledge.
This type of truth enlightenment is the most typical academy faction thinking.
"I was too narrow-minded." One of the merchants placed his hand over his chest and half-knelt to show gratitude to the white mask.
The white mask glanced at him, knowing he was still inwardly unconvinced. He said lightly: "Come on, it’s you. Come with me and see if your judgment is correct."
"This energy fluctuation probably doesn’t need the master to come forth. Just send two squads over....."
"No matter, I have a premonition that something interesting will happen there."