It wasn't until Annan and Ingrid reached the innermost part of the alley that they finally found a quiet place.

He smiled and beckoned to Justus at the barbecue shop across the street, signaling that they could see him. Then the voice sent by Professor Gray was released.

That's a big part of the instructions:

"Come back as soon as you can, don't delay too long, and stay safe.

"I just received news that the Lady of the Storm of the previous generation of the Duchy of Winter has completed her self-sacrifice today, but the next Daughter of the Storm will be the aunt of Grand Duke Ivan. She is no longer young, and will need to use rituals and potions for a period of adjustment before she can succeed her. The specific time of the ceremony, the Duchy of Winter decided to arrange it in twelve days.

"Without the suppression of the Storm Tower in these two weeks, there is a possibility that various forms of celestial disorder could occur all over the world. …… For example, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes, and so on. Undersea tunnels in the deep layers may collapse, and earthquakes may occur in the metropolitan area, causing the bottom layer to collapse or crack, or the sky dome and subway lanes to collapse.

"—You'd better get back quickly, or something bad might happen, like a sky dome or a lane collapsing. Back in the Ash Tower, it'll be safer. ”

…… I see.

Annan was stunned.

It turned out to be here-

He already understood.

At the beginning, Annan did not think about earthquakes. Because even if there is, most of them will be intercepted by the underground city...... Therefore, it is normal that there are no records of earthquakes in the earthly world.

It's not that earthquakes don't happen underground.

Or rather, because the depth of the underground city is not too deep...... Even shallow earthquakes can occur below them.

The smooth establishment of the underground city is probably premised on the existence of the Storm Tower.

If the earthquake cannot be completely suppressed, it will be impossible to build cities and tunnels underground.

I'm afraid that if I build a little section, it will collapse directly in the event of a small earthquake - not to mention the brittle undersea tunnel.

It turns out that they have acquiesced, and there will be no earthquakes in the underworld......

For the first time, Annan was so clearly aware of the necessity of the existence of the Wizard Tower.

Other wizard towers, the mission Annan is responsible for can't be seen for the time being......

However, the Tower of Storms can directly suppress the Scourge. This is of great significance to all five major powers.

I'm afraid that in the next 12 days, other countries will already start organizing evacuations.

Annan glanced at Ingrid.

…… In that case, are you dying now?

Of course, Annan was too embarrassed to say this.

At first, Annan thought that Ingrid had died from the lava influx in the "Black Gold Fields". That's why "Professor Wolf" will take revenge on the Duchy of Winter...... But when "Frederick" said that he didn't know the cause of the formation of the barren coal, Justes was not surprised and would explain it to him kindly.

If Ingrid had really died in the Black Fields and "Frederick" had forgotten about it - Justes would have beaten him up instead of explaining it at all.

At the same time, Justes can think of Ingrid's death from the "black gold field" to the "barren coal field......

This suggests that Ingrid should not have died in the lava pouring incident.

It's normal to think about it now, Ingrid is a girl, and there is no reason to run to the gold fields of the exploration layer to hang out.

Rationally speaking, in order to avoid casualties caused by the earthquake, the wise men should choose to close all the cities and gather all of them to the evacuation points, or simply call on the inhabitants to leave the underground world and wait on the surface for twelve days.

But they didn't.

Because after all, there are only twelve days...... In a short period of 12 days, there will not necessarily be any natural disasters. For example, a tsunami, a volcanic eruption, or an earthquake – if they evacuate for 12 days and then move back in, the cost in between is too high.

Leave aside the cost of food and lodging, as well as lost work and property loss during the chaotic evacuation. And all of them gathered together, and the underground city, which was seriously lacking in legal control power, was even more difficult to manage.

Each city has different laws, and people naturally have different habits. Normally, it's fine, but if you evacuate in a centralized manner, there will inevitably be contradictions and conflicts.

So in the end, not only did the wise men not give the evacuation order.

Instead, the information is completely concealed.

Judging from the fact that Annan did not know about this, the final loss may indeed be small.

It should have been the only "Spotted Bone Forest" that had become a "Bone Eater Forest", and there should have been only one earthquake in the past twelve days.

— the earthquake that killed Ingrid.

That is, here, now, now.

Case......

So Professor Gray's true identity is probably -

Annan and Ingrid looked at each other.

Not waiting for Annan to say anything.

Suddenly, he felt a violent shaking sensation under his feet.

His pupils tightened instantly.

Under Annan's gaze.

The "Spotted Bone Forest" in the distance suddenly began to disintegrate from top to bottom.

It's like countless tall columns piled up with Coke cans, which suddenly collapse one by one; It's like a super-massive domino.

Like black-and-yellow mountains and seas frozen in the void, they let out a landslide and tsunami-like roar, and then collapsed with a bang.

- It was a spectacular scene.

Ingrid looked a little distracted.

And Annan turned around.

Just as she coincidentally, the building beside her suddenly shook and fell towards her.

That moment...... The world in front of Annan's eyes suddenly became dim and slow.

Justers, looking across the street from a barbecue shop, had a look of horror in his eyes.

He held out his hand to the two of them—

"Be careful!"

Annan shouted loudly and hugged Ingrid.

He took her with him, running through the very narrow alleys. Both had their skin bruised by the stone wall...... But even then, they only ran from the innermost to the position close to the exit.

Watch as the slow, yellowish world becomes more and more abstract, like an oil painting.

Annan felt his spine burn to the point of almost heat.

His strong instincts told him that danger was imminent.

So—

Without thinking, he pushed Ingrid down under him.

And Annan himself stretched out his arms, one left and one right, propped up on the walls on both sides, like a solid umbrella.

Under Justes' horrified gaze, Frederick's figure was overwhelmed by the tilting, slowly falling tall building.

It is different from "historically".

Ingrid, who was supposed to be buried at the end of the alley, survived under the dome propped up by Frederick.

Like all the inhabitants of the underground city......

On the verge of death, Annan did not lose this memory and wake up from the nightmare.

The world before him was dim and dry.

and gradually become dim.

The whole world stands still.

Only Annan's mind is running fast-

At the same time, he felt the rust smell of blood spilling from his throat as he was hit by a boulder on his back...... and the smell of the "dragon sleep mixture" that blows in the wind and comes to your face.

Yes.

Annan reacted.

- It was a choice.

Is it to hold on to it...... Resist this mortal fate for Ingrid?

Or do you want to avoid it to the side...... Dodge the throwing axe thrown by Justus?

Is the original "future" Frederick's prophetic dream?

Or is it the "past" of his childhood, the attachment of his childhood that Frederick recalls before he dies?

"It's a dream...... Or did you wake up from a dream? ”

Professor Gray's voice sounded extremely clearly in Annan's ears.

INTERVIEWER Which side is reality?

Which is the dream?