Chapter 118 The Riddler (Part Fourteen)

"How was that?" White said, clapping his hands together as he spoke, making a sound.

Billy couldn't help but laugh, because the sound reminded him of the clattering of a majestic cow, and besides, what White was going to show them wasn't much of a show.

This is a mirror, the kind you can see in any hallway. The only strange thing about it is that it's a funhouse mirror.

There are three little fairies in the mirror, their eyes sparkling with the flirtatious gaze of maids.

The other two men had pale, expressionless faces.

However, a minute later, the images were switched.

Billis perked up immediately, having never seen himself look so handsome.

"Hi, I like this funhouse mirror."

As soon as she finished speaking, the person in the mirror took off her shoes and socks and began to sob, crying from one side to the other. A chair was blocking the way, and the person in the mirror suddenly kicked it aside.

Some things are clear now; the mirror White described was indeed magical, and also quite depressing.

The things in the mirror were initially funny and lively, but later they completely broke down, as if to warn the person in front of the mirror that this was a mirror that should never be touched.

It can also be interpreted as bringing bad luck if you touch it.

Billis bumped into him on the spot.

Before they could even sort out their thoughts, a wall collapsed, and several people were tightly wrapped in a dense net. Before they knew it, they realized they had passed through a mirror and arrived on the other side.

"Can you please stop acting like an idiot?"

Lisa’s voice was loud and clear, so loud that Billis was too scared to utter a sound.

There was no wind in the air, it was very cold, but there was a faint smell of burning. The painting was trembling, and the monsters from the ground were stirring. They whispered to the stranger through the icy air.

The large amount of light pouring into the passageway indicates that there is an exit not far away.

However, something blocked the passageway's throat. The thing was unresponsive to its surroundings. It might not be speaking, or it might be seeing things wrong. Its arms tightened around its body, and it stood motionless, an iron-armed man.

Suddenly, a swarm of slick, shiny bats burst through the 'Iron Arm Man's' belly and flew in. Lisa used her hands to hold fire and chased the bats away. Several of them couldn't escape in time and fell to the ground, rolling several times before becoming still.

The bat has a peculiar appearance; its throat is black, and terrifying red, swollen marks extend all the way to its chest. Its right wing has been scorched through by hellfire.

If you look closely, this passageway is very similar to the one we just came in through; it can be considered a complete part of it.

White did not disappoint the agents, but where was he?

"Never mind him, let's go out and take a look." Lisa led everyone towards the cave entrance.

The truth of the barrier was immediately revealed: pale blue houses lined up in a row, steam rising from between the eaves, amethyst-tinged rocks and dreamlike floating islands connected together, and four obelisks of different heights in full view.

The sea of ​​clouds swelled lazily, unwilling to shatter into bubbles, while the crimson crystals, dull and colorless, hung on the top of the tower like a dejected performance poster.

All around were cliffs, and below the cliffs, there was not a cloud in the sky.

A veritable city in the sky.

Several objects were floating in the air; if you didn't look closely, you might mistake them for orange peels.

“Incredible! We’ve found the missing part of Hyperion!” Billis said.

Based on preliminary assessments, the city's size and geological features are similar to those of the barrier, making them a perfect match, like twins.

Could this be a mirror image?

Of course not.

This city in the sky is suspended higher than the walls, with a wider area of ​​permafrost, numerous trees, primitive streets, and sparse houses.

It is also a deserted city.

It was as if a rich melody of a piano was echoing in the air, making the listener drowsy. Looking down the slope along the drainage ditch in the passageway, one could see a handsome man sitting cross-legged on the mountain, without a hat, looking like a waiter.

Hearing that someone was coming, he sang loudly: "Is the air I'm breathing now damp or warm rain? I don't know myself. What I can cherish right now is meeting you all on such a gloomy day."

"Irenshere!"

When Irencel heard someone call his name, he put down his exquisite violin, his face glowing with a moonlit light.

"Oh, it's you? You've finally arrived?"

This once-annoying fellow couldn't have been more of a showman. He dressed like an ancient bard in a beautiful long dress and stockings, and like a traveling entertainer with a blue vase beside him, with heavy beads hanging from his dark neck.

He wasn't surprised to see four agents.

"I know you have a lot of questions to ask, but that's okay, we'll take it one at a time."

"I thought you were hiding somewhere within the walls! I never imagined you were hiding here. No wonder no one could find you."

"Oh, I'm tired of the fighting and killing. Having artistic taste is a great pastime, but for some people, art and work should be separated. Some people like to use music as a tool to control people's thoughts. Such songs cannot be sung well."

"As expected of a chameleon agent, he can do anything, from art to the Age of Exploration."

"Oh, I can't remember. Give me some time. I need to think carefully about what I've done before."

"Let me help you remember. You've played the captain, the thief, and even the murderer. Not long ago, everyone was looking for you. You wrote to us, saying you wanted to cooperate to find the mastermind. But you've been having a great time here, dumping a bunch of dirty and tiring work on us."

Irenshere plucked a string and played a low note: "Don't be angry, don't be angry, I'll tell you the whole story of the plan."

"I'm listening."

Irenshere plucked another string and played a middle-range note: "There were three missing documents. This is the cause of the incident. Ryan stole the first one, and I stole the second and third ones. As planned, he framed me for the whole theft. Only through death could Ryan lower his guard and expose his true colors. So I teamed up with Richie to put on a show and make the mistake work."

"Wait a minute, you're saying Renn stole a copy too?"

Irenshere plucked the strings again, this time in a high note: "I won't go into the two documents I stole. The document that Renne stole was the original report on the Wall, which stated that the Wall was part of the Sky City, and as you can see, the place you are in now is another part."

"What significance did that report hold for him?"

"It's meaningless."

"Then why steal it?"

Irenshere plucked a row of strings with his fingertips: "This is the crux of the matter. Mr. Richie should have told you that two years ago, two high-ranking seats died mysteriously. He participated in the investigation and concluded that someone was controlling the high-ranking seats."

"Is this the person behind it all who wanted to steal the report?"

“That’s right, and the purpose is obvious. He doesn’t want people to know that the barrier is part of Sky City. If they find out, his identity might be exposed.”

"The person behind this has always lived here!"

“He was much older than us. You could say he was the true master of Sky City, and we reincarnated beings were just occupying his territory.”

"Did he also send people to stop the satellite launch?"

“That’s right, because the satellites will also locate the city in the sky. Our invisible enemy seems to be very introverted and unwilling to interact with reincarnated people.”

Who do you think it could be?

"I think it is, the Demon Pillar."

"..."

"Leviathan's awakening implies that the other magic pillars have also awakened. The magic pillars living in Sky City do not want people to know that Leviathan has awakened, so they control Rein to cancel the action order."

Where is your evidence?

“Look around, these houses, these streets, and those floating in the air, uh, I call them mummies.”

"It's a wizard!"

"Oh right, I almost forgot this name, Wizard. Sky City is the Wizard's new home."

"It's a miracle that you dared to play the piano right under the wizard's nose."

“That’s not surprising. Mr. Richie believes that wizards are creatures without sensory functions. Through several days of observation, I have also reached the same conclusion. Without the command of the magic pillar, they are just mummies.”

Where did Mr. Richie go?

"He probably won't show up until the Demon Pillar is found."

What should we do next?

"I think you've already hidden one of the secret documents, right? We can't let him find the lost one, otherwise it would be the same as solving the case, and you would lose your usefulness. Secondly, continue to gain Rein's trust and get him to grant you access to the Rebilio Obelisk, because Richie and I both believe that the magic pillar is hidden in the obelisk."

"Judging from your expression, you must have a plan to let us into the obelisk."

"Oh, that's right! I do have a brilliant plan."