Walker Of The Worlds

2796  Ticking Clock

Another week went by as the planʼs progression rapidly advanced.

Lin Mu and his new allies had been working tirelessly, having now produced millions of explosive talismans. Even Meng Bai, who previously had little experience with talismans, was now fully immersed in the task. While he couldnʼt create the complex arrays, he could still craft the basic talismans—components that Lin Mu and Daoist Chu would later refine and assemble into devastating demolition tools.

Lin Mu took it upon himself to make daily rounds, collecting the completed talismans and assembling them into arrays with precision and care.

Each demolition array required at least a thousand explosive talismans. To construct a single large-scale demolition array, ten of these smaller arrays were needed—totaling ten thousand talismans per array.

With that in mind, Lin Mu was determined to produce and deploy as many of the large-scale demolition arrays as possible. He needed as many distractions as he could muster, knowing that several buildings would require extra force due to their enhanced durability and reinforced construction.

It was always better to have more on hand than fall short when it mattered most.

However, time was running short. Ashyʼs reports painted a grim picture.

The disappearance of an Inquisitor and several clergy members had sent a wave of terror through the city. No longer was it just the common folk who were on edge—even the higher-ups within the Order were desperate for answers.

The pressure on the internal investigators was mounting, and even the common citizens were finding it hard to remain calm. Strict discipline may have been bearable during times of peace, but that same discipline became suffocating in times of fear and uncertainty.

The higher-ups understood this too well. They could feel their grip slipping.

To make matters worse, certain rumors had begun to circulate among the people.

These rumors spoke of corruption among the clergy, abuses of power by the inquisitors, and sinister secrets long buried now brought into the light. What made matters worse was that these rumors came with proof—documents, records, and testimonies that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

Naturally, the clergy denied the allegations. But when even a bishop and a few of their own clergy confirmed the claims, the damage was already done.

This, of course, was Lin Muʼs doing.

He had confronted them personally, showing them a glimpse of what true fear looked like. A quiet visit, a subtle but chilling ”request”—that was all it took to bring them into compliance.

It did not bode well for those who cooperated with him, though. They were swiftly arrested by the Order. Lin Mu could have left things there, but instead, he used the opportunity to deepen the chaos.

With help from Little Shrubby, those arrested individuals mysteriously escaped. They were knocked unconscious and later awoke thousands of kilometers away, with only a sealed letter in hand explaining their role in what came next.

The myth of the ”Ghost” spread like wildfire.

That was all anyone could call him. He was a phantom—appearing out of walls, the ground, or even thin air. No one had seen his face. No one knew what he looked like.

Those who had heard his voice remembered only the cold finality it carried—a tone like the blade of an executioner.

Once it became known that the initial whistleblowers had escaped safely, others among the clergy began to comply more willingly. Exile, they decided, was preferable to death.

This defied the wishes of the Order, of course. They tried everything they could to stifle the defection, to plug the leaks—but it was too late.

Now they needed a scapegoat.

Someone to blame for the unrest. Someone to present as the cause of it all so that they could force the people back into submission.

In truth, they had no clear culprit. But, like many regimes before them, they chose the easiest target.

The heretics.

It was a classic move.

And so, they turned their attention to the travelers staying at the lodge. A large public event was being prepared—one that would turn the travelers into a spectacle, an example of what happened to those who defied the Order.

Thanks to Ashyʼs infiltration, Lin Mu learned of the plan early. But there was no way to stop it outright. The orders came from the top, and killing a single messenger wouldnʼt change the tide now.

All he could do was accelerate the plan—and strike first.

The clock was ticking.

HUUU.

Lin Mu exhaled slowly, setting down the brush in his hand.

”Tired?” Daoist Chu asked without looking up.

”Canʼt afford to be tired now,” Lin Mu replied, voice steady.

”Hmm. True,” Daoist Chu agreed. ”We fought for months on end in the Bridge Plane with barely any rest. Compared to that, this is just... paperwork.” He chuckled dryly.

”True,” Lin Mu said again, though his face remained serious. ”But the real test is just ahead.”

”When should we begin?” Daoist Chu asked, his tone growing solemn.

”We already have enough arrays to proceed, but Iʼd prefer to have more,” Lin Mu replied.

”We should have at least seventy more ready by tomorrow,” Daoist Chu estimated.

”Hmm... that might be enough,” Lin Mu said thoughtfully. ”But to be safe, Iʼll start planting them now. If the Order moves early, we canʼt afford to be caught off guard.”

”I agree. Best not to delay,” Daoist Chu said.

”Alright then. Iʼll go handle that,” Lin Mu said, rising to his feet.

”Iʼll continue overseeing the array work here,” Daoist Chu replied. ”The others are ready to fight at a momentʼs notice. Iʼve told them to remain at peak condition.”

”Perfect,” Lin Mu said before disappearing into the floor, phasing through the earth like a phantom.

He emerged beneath the nearest church, deep under the foundation where the defensive arrays wouldnʼt reach.

Working silently, he placed the components—ten discs, each a meter wide and covered in a thousand talismans. He arranged them in a precise circular pattern.

With practiced grace, he connected them using his Rune Shaping Brush, weaving the power lines into place.

Another large-scale demolition array was complete.

Rewrote it. Lol tried the previous style just to see how it would feel.

Grand_Void_Daoist