"I’d better go with you, let Dox stay here and take care of the two apprentices," the Black Earl said flatly.
Dox was somewhat dissatisfied: "Why, I want to go too."
Dox hadn’t wanted to go before, but seeing the infant spirits did not dare attack the mist serpent, he had ulterior thoughts. That flower on the infant spirits should be a Maneater Flower, which looked pretty good...If he could get it, he would profit greatly.
Black Earl: "The reason is very simple. If you go with Angel, and there’s a real problem, you might die, and Angel might also die. But if I go with Angel, regardless of whether my avatar dies, Angel will definitely live."
The truth of the situation remained unclear.
Though the mist serpent hadn’t been attacked, this did not guarantee that they wouldn’t be attacked by the infant spirits if they went forward.
The mist serpent wasn’t a living entity, the infant spirits had no reason to attack it specifically. But if they went, there was a high possibility of provoking a reaction from the infant spirits.
Infant Spirits and flowers, regardless of who is the main body, are definitely powerful. Dox can go forward as a meat shield, but he can’t guarantee that they’ll all survive.
As for the Black Earl, although he would feel distressed over this avatar, he would unhesitatingly use it in exchange for Angel’s survival.
Not to mention the relationship with Rhein and Sanders, Angel himself has the weight and value that merits such a decision.
The Black Earl’s words were simple and straightforward, and indeed struck a chord with Dox.
If he goes with Angel, they might both die, or both survive. But if the Black Earl goes with Angel, they will definitely survive... even if the Black Earl’s avatar encounters mishaps, it won’t affect the main body.
Thinking so, Dox felt that going with Angel really was fifty-fifty. Although his inspiration did not warn of danger, he couldn’t fully trust it. After a moment of serious consideration, Dox recognized the Black Earl’s view.
Dox decided to stay behind to protect the two apprentices.
Only then did the Black Earl turn to Angel: "Let’s go, I’ll accompany you."
Although Angel had decided to check it out, it didn’t mean he intended to go immediately. He still needed to transfer the illusion nodes on Earl Mi to the external array disk.
Thus, transforming the Moving Mirage into a fixed Illusionary Realm located here.
By doing so, Earl Mi could accompany them.
Even though the Black Earl explicitly stated he could assure Angel’s survival, Angel still wanted to keep a cautious eye.
Upon securing the Illusionary Realm, Angel exchanged a glance with the Black Earl, nodded, and slowly walked out of the Illusionary Realm.
In the moment of stepping out.
The Black Earl suddenly paused, his nostrils clearly flaring, as if savoring the external scent.
Angel, seeing the Black Earl’s demeanor, knew that the Earl might grow more suspicious next...
Sure enough, seconds later, the Black Earl turned to Angel and, with a meaningful tone, said: "I’ve sensed a familiar aroma in the air."
Previously, enveloped within Angel’s Moving Mirage, the Purifying Field had masked external scents. But now, stepping outside, that aroma quickly invaded his senses.
Though referred to as an aroma, it wasn’t a true scent, but more of a feeling—an awareness beyond the five senses.
This awareness was eerily similar to when Angel used his illusion technique.
Thus, causing the Black Earl’s perplexity.
Angel calmly replied, "I too noticed the familiar aroma."
Black Earl: "Then it seems we’re perceiving the same aroma."
Angel smiled and remained silent, choosing instead to lead the way forward.
Angel’s intentions were clear; he had no plans to explain further. Though curious, the Black Earl soon dismissed such thoughts as they entered the red wax region.
They naturally couldn’t directly touch the red wax but flew in mid-air.
Yet even from mid-air, the Black Earl sensed the impact of the red wax.
Earlier, Dox mentioned the red wax region seemed to harbor a unique field, affecting the mind somewhat, which led to fluctuating control over the sandworm.
Initially, they didn’t pay much heed, as the minute anomalies observed in the red wax area primarily stemmed from the Weaving Net.
But now, upon reaching the red wax region, the Black Earl comprehended the terrifying influence of the red wax.
Or rather, instead of terrifying, it should be termed... horrifying.
The Black Earl was pondering that familiar feeling until entering the red wax region plunged his thoughts into utter chaos.
One moment pondering normal matters, the next transported to grotesque visions of unsettling clowns. Expelling them from his mind, as soon as he resumed his thinking, bizarre pig factories appeared, along with the ringing of agonizing pig slaughter.
In such a state, the Black Earl experienced unusual mental chaos; one moment considering realistic matters, the next his thoughts unraveled into strange fragments.
Though fragmented, he could reluctantly process thoughts, yet bizarre mental images kept flooding in, one after another with grotesque clowns, slaughtered pigs, putrid decay, fading colors, mutations, decapitations... bizarre scenes layering endlessly.
On occasion, the Black Earl felt as though he had lived those scenes, then rethinking, seemingly unrelated. The next moment he believed he had indeed faced such experiences, albeit now presented using "metaphor" and "hyperbole."
Seemingly unrelated threads intertwined subtly.
Such eerie sensations instilled a frightening horror within the Black Earl—the fear that his memories were being supplanted, that those manic recollections defined true thoughts, where formerly perceived normal pondering was... naive delusion.
Though not unused to mental influences, he had never faced anything so bizarre and elusive.
The Black Earl deeply questioned if staying even a minute might alter him into another "self."
That "self" might then claim to be the true self, viewing past "self" as mere imaginative shadow.
This terrifying cognizance led the Black Earl to feel fear for the first time.
He couldn’t help but glance back at Angel, his fragmented thoughts pondering whether to leave the region with Angel.
Angel, likewise, was affected.
However, the images unfurling in Angel’s mind differed from the Black Earl’s; unchanged images surfaced each time—an endless sea of flowers.
Among the sea, each vibrant bloom bore a wide mouth, incessantly muttering.
Incessantly and overlapping, Angel struggled to comprehend.
After several similar images, Angel focused closely on deciphering, discerning at last the flowers praised insistently: "Praise the moonlight! Praise the Queen! Praise Shava!"
Beyond these familiar praises, they celebrated another entity Angel hadn’t heard of: "Praise Shaya!"
Angel recalled hearing praises for beings within the Nightmare Realm in four categories: moonlight, the Queen, Shava, along with various ministers.
Was Shaya a new object of praise?
Who was Shaya?
Angel did not know; Gru Town held no one named Shaya. Perhaps, Shaya was another powerful figure within the Nightmare Realm?
Regardless of Shaya’s identity, Angel felt some irritation at the constant emergence of these praising images.
Though the praised included "Angel," and he felt no mental discomfort, the cacophony was simply unwelcome.
How could he block them?