Wizard: I Can Refine Everything

Chapter 148: Chapter 48: Emergency Signs

“Emergency summon…”

Richard listened to the message coming from the crystal ball, frowning deeply in concentration.

An emergency summon was not a power just anyone could wield.

Among the Black Wizards infiltrating the insect nest, only a handful of Three Rings Wizards had the qualifications to issue an emergency summon. Those with the authority could recruit all the One Ring and Second Ring Black Wizards in their region, effectively holding the command center’s power.

Of course, such great power wouldn’t be permitted to be misused by the command center. After using an emergency summon, the Three Rings Wizard must submit a report to the command center detailing the reasons and motives.

If the reasons and motives were deemed unqualified by the command center, the Three Rings Wizard would face punishment, which had no upper limit and could range from fines to execution.

Therefore, under normal circumstances, very few Three Rings Wizards would use this power; its use indicated that the wizard considered the matter extremely important, or the situation had escalated beyond control and required cooperation from multiple Black Wizards to resolve.

However, whatever the reason, emergency summon was not a good omen.

After issuing the emergency summon, the communication crystal ball displayed something resembling an arrow.

This arrow would continuously point towards the location of the communication crystal ball that issued the emergency summon.

Richard took the imaging crystal ball from his magic pocket and displayed the map he and Ulysses had already scouted.

Following the direction of the arrow, Richard’s finger slid down the map until it stopped at a small settlement.

This small settlement connected several tunnels and was essentially a minor transportation hub. If wizards were to gather, this place indicated by the arrow was obviously the most suitable.

“Ulysses, how are your injuries?” Richard asked, turning around.

“Caw, I’m already a second-level creature, but this body is somewhat mismatched. I’ll need to switch it once we get out.”

Saying this, Ulysses erupted with a surge of energy fluctuations, causing Richard’s face to blanch instantly.

“Stop, are you an idiot? We’re inside the insect nest!”

Ulysses contained the energy fluctuations and laughed heartily, “Caw caw caw, don’t be nervous, it was just a little joke.”

For Richard, Ulysses being a constant second-level creature was undoubtedly a huge help; it prevented Richard from having to choose flight when facing second-level insects.

Moreover, following the emergency summon, a fierce battle was surely imminent, and a stronger Ulysses would help lead them both out of danger.

…

Following the map, Richard and Ulysses proceeded in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Along the way, Richard could distinctly feel the dense number of insects.

Numerous Warrior Worms and Priest Worms patrolled the tunnels, a level of security that far exceeded any settlement Richard had encountered in the past years.

It seemed as though something significant was unfolding in the unexplored areas Richard hadn’t yet scouted.

After three days of traveling, Richard arrived at the location he had identified on the map.

Within the tunnels, Richard silently observed the entire settlement.

This small settlement looked the same as any typical Black Crystal Worm settlement, with planting worms busily moving among the fungi, and Warrior Worms and Spider Knights either patrolling or resting, appearing utterly natural.

However, to Richard, who was very familiar with insects, everything about this settlement was incredibly unnatural.

Richard activated his energy vision, and within his energy vision, the entire settlement transformed in appearance.

Every busy patrolling insect carried varying numbers of energy tethers, resembling marionettes, which was utterly eerie.

These tethers extended into the air and eventually converged into one tether, connecting to a fungus in the very center of the settlement.

If all went as expected, that fungus was where the Three Rings Wizard who issued the emergency summon was located.

“To be able to turn the entire settlement into puppets, and to disguise it so vividly… This Master is no simple character.”

Beside Richard, Ulysses spoke dismissively:

“It’s just controlling a few hundred insects. We have a Black Spider that can control millions at a time, coordinating the insects so well that it shattered the Divine Form of a God renowned as a War God. That’s truly powerful.”

Richard glanced at Ulysses, “Comparing a Demigod to Divine beings, you do have a way with comparisons.”

Emerging from the tunnels, Richard walked nonchalantly towards the central fungus room of the settlement. On the way, all insects ignored him as if he were not a wizard but a mere ordinary insect.

Upon reaching the fungus room, Richard respectfully knocked on the door.

Thud, thud, thud.

The door opened, and a Black Wizard in a robe sat at the very center of the room. The Black Wizard looked like a puppet, with eight spider-like limbs behind him. Upon opening the door, the Black Wizard’s head mechanically turned towards Richard, his voice mechanical as he spoke:

“Interesting, a One Ring Wizard was able to see through my Puppet Witchcraft. Have my skills deteriorated?”

Richard bowed slightly, “Master, I received the Emergency Summon Order and have come to report.”

Thud, thud, thud…

Suddenly, the Black Wizard’s spider legs sprang to life, instantly closing the distance to Richard. Then, the legs bent slightly as the Black Wizard’s body dropped down, his face directly in front of Richard’s.

“How did you see through my witchcraft?”

Looking at the puppet-like face before him, Richard remained very calm.

“Master’s craft is peerless, ordinary people simply can’t tell that those insects are puppets. But the Master ultimately missed one thing…”

“What did I miss?”

“When these insects move, their range of motion is nearly identical. It’s fine for First-level Creatures, but it’s suspicious that the ordinary planting insects also did the same.”

Upon hearing this, the Puppet Wizard paused for a moment, then nodded, “That’s indeed a negligence on my part.”

After speaking, a ripple of magic power emanated from the Puppet Wizard’s body, causing the outer insects to vary slightly in their movements.

“You are the first to arrive, find a room to settle into first.”

Richard found a reasonably decent fungal house in the Fungus Forest to enter and then took out an insect egg to study.

In such a crude place, Richard really didn’t trust studying Pioneer’s crystal fragments.

…

Time quickly passed, and a week later, Black Wizards from all over the Insect Nest had arrived at this small settlement. If the insects were to launch an attack now, the entire Insect Nest would no longer have to worry about the Black Wizards.

In the crowd, Richard found his two friends.

“Richard, it seems you’ve gained quite a bit in the Insect Nest.”

Lawrence greeted Richard with a smile, spotting Richard’s improvement in strength at first glance, as an experienced wizard should.

Richard’s physique and the magic fluctuations emitted casually differed greatly from before; if it weren’t for the same face and the crow on his shoulder, Lawrence would have thought he was mistaken.

“Some opportunities, but it also nearly cost me my life,” Richard laughed.

Lawrence, still the same as always, being a Once Ring Wizard near his limit, could only make minimal improvements unless he could obtain treasures like the Soul Essence, similar to Richard.

Compared to Lawrence and Richard, Ali was less fortunate.

She lacked Richard’s cheats and Lawrence’s strength and experience. In this Insect Nest, she survived only based on her experience gained from hunting insects in the Nest years ago.

When she arrived at the settlement, her Wizard Robe was tattered, and she was missing an arm.

“Hey, Richard!” Ali managed a forced smile.

This was the first time she had smiled since her arm was chopped off by a Warrior Worm.

Seeing her like this, Richard frowned and took out some active flesh from his pocket. Under his Flesh Control, this piece of active flesh instantly turned into a tentacle.

“Ali, come here.”

Ali walked over to Richard, curiously looking at the flesh tentacle.

Richard lifted Ali’s Wizard Robe and then took out a scalpel from his Magic Pocket.

“This is going to hurt a bit, I didn’t bring any anesthetic, just bear with it.”

After saying that, Richard made an incision at the broken end of Ali’s arm, and scalding blood immediately spurted out. Richard connected the flesh tentacle to it, and the active flesh instantly stopped the bleeding.

“Argh!” Ali gritted her teeth in pain.

“Control this tentacle with your magic. I don’t have enough materials on hand to make a bone; use the tentacle for now.”

Ali smiled at Richard, “It’s okay, I’m almost getting used to living with one arm.”

The muscle structure of this tentacle was replicated by Richard from the flesh tentacles, an excellent structure in terms of both explosive power and endurance, worthy of the Blood Flesh Law it once bore.

After getting accustomed, Ali skillfully used the tentacle to wrap around her magic wand, as if she had gotten a new toy.

“Richard, this tentacle is even better than a real hand!”

As more wizards arrived at the settlement, the summoned wizards finally assembled.

In the midst of the settlement, the Puppet Wizard walked out of his room and announced the purpose of this emergency summon to the crowded settlement.

“Ladies and gentlemen, during this period, due to the tactical change of the Black Crystal Insects, nearly five hundred of our brethren hiding in the Insect Nest were captured.

I’ve gathered intelligence that these people were not executed right away; instead, they were secretly taken deep inside the Insect Nest to the Mother Goddess Temple.

These insects are planning to hold a grand sacrificial ceremony to boost their morale, and our wizard brethren are those sacrifices.

Thus, I need you all to follow me to the Mother Goddess Temple to rescue those wizards.”

The Puppet Wizard’s speech was straightforward, and his reasons were justifiable.

Nearly a thousand Black Wizards, almost one-tenth of those infiltrating the Black Mushroom Worm Country, gathered there.

If this group could be rescued, it would undoubtedly be a tremendous gain for the wizards.

The number of wizards was far too limited compared to the insects; saving even one was a blessing.

However, after hearing the mission, Lawrence suddenly communicated telepathically to Richard:

“Richard, there’s something off about this mission.”

“Hmm?” Richard’s expression changed slightly, “What’s off about it?”

“I know this Puppet Wizard; his name is Declan, and he has some reputation among Free Wizards. This guy is notorious for not waking up early without benefits and always prefers using puppets rather than exposing himself, being highly afraid of death.

I somewhat doubt his willingness to use an Emergency Summon Order just to rescue people.”

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