Chapter 434 - 432: Strategy
Hilia suspected that Melina might be possessed by Blake.
Why is she acting like a know-it-all just like Blake?
The young girl couldn’t help but glance at Rose in her mind and silently wondered.
Could it be that they are aware of Lord Rose’s existence, seemingly speaking to me, but actually requesting Lord Rose?
Rose sensed her thoughts and smiled, "They are Tier Six Mages, perhaps they suspect something, but unless I want them to know about my existence, they can’t."
Ethel didn’t discover him at the time, let alone Tier Six Mages who haven’t surpassed human limits.
Hilia nodded quietly. Faced with Melina’s expectations, she didn’t dare to boast. After some thought, she shook her head and said, "My knowledge of arrays isn’t yet at the level where I can easily comprehend arrays set by gods. I can try, but I can’t guarantee success."
Melina sighed in relief and smiled, "It’s okay, just give it a try. It’s fine to just take a look, no problem if it doesn’t work."
Hilia just said it casually, without really intending to study it.
The array in the Golden Apple Stone Forest is much larger than the array in Letes City.
Even if she wanted to understand it, the Mage’s Hand wouldn’t be able to fully grasp it.
Besides, she felt that this type of divine array could certainly not be easily invaded like a normal array.
To make changes, there was only one possibility—
Rose had to intervene.
Melina waved her hand in farewell, "Then I won’t disturb you from enjoying the scenery, Hilia."
"Goodbye."
Hilia waved her hand, watching Melina leave.
Then, she turned back to look at the Golden Apple Stone Forest and complained, "Lord Rose, what are they thinking, treating me like a god?"
Rose chuckled softly, "I control you, doesn’t that make me a god?"
Hilia pouted, "That’s you, not me... Lord Rose, can the pollution situation in the Golden Apple Stone Forest be resolved?"
"Whether it can be resolved depends on finding the pollution source, or rather, the core of the array. You would know by gaining operational permissions and examining the ’log files’ of the array."
Hilia responded, "You want me to infiltrate the array in the Golden Apple Stone Forest? I can’t do that, right?"
Rose nodded, "Infiltrating is, of course, impossible. You would get lost in the array, but if you gain permissions, you can read the traces of the array without getting lost."
The array’s transformation and operation will leave traces, and large arrays collect these traces, roughly equivalent to a computer’s log files. With permissions, you can obtain these traces and understand the array’s operations.
"Gaining permissions requires infiltrating though." Hilia tapped her head.
Gaining permissions requires infiltration, infiltration leads to getting lost, gaining permissions doesn’t result in getting lost, but gaining permissions requires infiltration...
Rose chuckled softly, "Who says permissions must be obtained through infiltration? Did the heretics of the Deep Sea Mutual Aid Association obtain operational permissions by infiltrating the array?"
Hilia: "... Does Lord Rose want me to sneak into the Deep Sea Fortress and steal the array keys?"
Rose nodded with a smile, "I think it’s doable."
Hilia shook her head like a rattle drum, "No, no, no, absolutely not, it would be a death sentence! Even with Lord Rose... it would be a death sentence!"
Deep Sea Fortress has Tier Six Mages.
The gap between Tier Three and Tier Four is already huge. Under a Tier Four, Hilia is confident she can escape, Tier Five... Rose could probably handle it on her behalf.
But Tier Six...
It’s better to forget it and sleep.
In the eyes of a Tier Six, Tier Three is no different than an ant, not just in strength, but also in speed.
No matter how fast an ant runs, can it be faster than a human?
Rose said, "If not infiltration, there are two other ways to solve the array problem."
"What ways?" Hilia asked eagerly.
"First, blitzkrieg the fortress, resolve it in the shortest time, find the array permissions, and shut down the pollution leaks. This method could lead to some pollution leaking out, but a small amount wouldn’t have a significant impact."
"That... seems doable, but if the Deep Sea Mutual Aid Association destroys the permissions before dying..."
"Then there’s the second method," Rose said calmly, "Let the main force feign an attack, send a small elite squad or an experienced mage to infiltrate the fortress and find the key to the permissions."
"This seems feasible, I’ll go back and discuss it with Ms Melina."
Hilia immediately set off back to the camp and located Melina in the Law Enforcement Knight Order’s encampment to relay Rose’s plan.
"The Deep Sea Mutual Aid Association must have obtained the key to control the array, that’s how they’re able to control it. Stealing their keys could remove future worries."
Hilia said.
Melina pondered for a moment and thought Hilia’s method was feasible.
She said, "I’ll gather the team leaders for a meeting tomorrow morning. By the way, be sure to attend."
Hilia waved her hand, "No need, I’m just offering a suggestion. The specifics of implementation are for the big shots to handle. I’m not qualified for such meetings."
Meetings are so boring, I don’t want to attend.
Melina said, "The scrolls you made were a great help to us. How could you not be qualified? In this operation, you’re the most qualified. Without you, none of us would dare sit."
"..." Hilia looked at Melina silently.
She wanted to tell Melina to see a Priest.
"Too bad Phil isn’t here."
Hilia sighed quietly, leaving slowly.
Melina, not understanding why, called out as Hilia left, "By the way, Hilia, we will continue to rely on you to create scrolls. The Curse Masters you requested have arrived; they’ll start tomorrow."
Hilia turned her walk into a run, making a swift exit.
...
The next morning.
Hilia still attended.
Sitting quietly at the end, listening to the intense tactical discussion of many Tier Four, Five, and Six big shots.
Though said listening, she was actually meditating silently.
One can meditate with open eyes; it’s just less efficient than with closed eyes.
The discussion lasted about two hours, and plans seemed to be finalized.
Hilia listened to Melina’s conclusion and found that aside from tactical deployment, the strategy wasn’t much different from what Rose proposed.
So what exactly did they discuss for two hours?
The young girl complained silently in her heart.
After the tactical arrangements, Melina looked at Hilia.
"Hilia, we’ve decided to act in two weeks. During this time, we’ll first clear all the outer strongholds, and after that, we’ll need your help to create Domain Scrolls with the Curse Masters."
Hilia nodded readily, "Alright, alright."
With help, she could completely streamline production, taking on the final crucial part herself.
The success rate would drop significantly, but efficiency and quantity would increase.
Hilia got up intending to leave, but Melina added, "After discussion, we feel that infiltration is best suited for you."
A question mark slowly appeared above Hilia’s head.
"?"
If you want me dead, just say so. No need to beat around the bush, thank you.