NOVEL WEB Chapter 16
Three days have passed. No attacks.
The fortress construction progressed sequentially.
When it came to laying out this maze, the priorities were ensuring that lower-level monsters couldn’t easily pass through while securing enough lethality to keep taking them out. As I explained to Hongryeong, this was the best defensive strategy for someone like me, who lacked magical offensive capabilities.
First, I carefully examined the terrain. Mountains inherently kind of form a maze. The stronger the magical energy, the more it resembled one. This mountain was a prime example of a natural maze.
The ridges that followed the slope of the mountain seemed to form the foundations of the maze.
Using these ridges as a base, I set the main pathways of the maze. Then I created multiple intersections connecting them. Within this network of intersections, the monsters would get lost and naturally lead themselves into traps. And thus, the rough groundwork of the maze was laid.
It took some time to design, but afterward, the maze construction progressed rapidly. All I needed to do was sprinkle a bunch of dolls around. The dolls moved like my hands and feet, digging and stacking stones.
The essential elements of the maze were traps that could instantly deal with unsuspecting monsters. I set various traps within the maze. And the most crucial trap had to withstand any amount thrown at it.
I had just the solution for that massive problem: the turtle. I steadily repaired the turtle over the three days. Inside, I modified it to fit the traps. Sharp spikes and shiny blades were all over its shell. Just by crushing them with its hefty body, any low-tier monster would be toast.
The most vital area was the intersections. This was designed as the gathering place for the monsters. I structured it so that the turtle, the giant trap, would be central to the crossroads.
The monsters would wander, getting lost and stacking up at the intersections, ultimately heading towards the turtle. It’d be mighty hard to reverse that flow. So many intersections would act like a sieve, controlling how many monsters reached the turtle.
And the most crucial thing was ensuring the maze maintained itself. The biggest threat to that was strong monsters capable of smashing through it. I needed a way to filter them out naturally. So, I created a separate path for them. Those monsters that were strong enough wouldn’t need to participate in the maze flow, instead, they could just naturally rise above without confronting the turtle.
By doing this, low-tier monsters would get trapped at the intersections, while powerful ones could flit freely across regions, easily escaping. Those would rise above and be handed over to Hongryeong.
I hadn’t built the maze strong enough to last two weeks. I didn’t have the resources, time, or strength for that. I had no idea how many creatures would come or what kinds they would be. So what I prioritized was how easily the maze could be maintained.
The maze would adapt instantly to whatever situation arose and even if it broke, it would continually be patched up. To facilitate that, I fashioned the maze itself as a giant doll. What I’d built now was merely the most basic structure. I’d need to keep up maintenance over the next two weeks.
I also adequately prepared for any creatures trying to approach from below. The intersections connected deep underground along the threads of magical energy would pull them up from the earth. They would be slaughtered in the traps.
I had no worries about flying monsters. Those airborne beasts wouldn’t dare challenge the mountain’s magical pressure. Plus, Hongryeong had erected a barrier of wind as well. How could they overcome that?
And so, it took a full three days to complete the maze. Today was the fourth day. Now, I had no need to stay here and do anything more. The dolls would handle it all. I headed towards the mountain’s peak, recalling what Hongryeong had called a joint defense zone.
At the summit, there was an hourglass. The sand was roughly halfway down. I thought to myself, what a generous task this was. To give me this much time to construct the fortress.
Unlike before, the hourglass was covered by a robust barrier of wind. It was clearly Hongryeong’s handiwork. A powerful magic that I couldn’t break through. Surrounding it was a pit made of blood. This was Aili’s magic. The defensive structure created by both their magics radiated a danger that made it hard to approach.
With such security, I felt I didn’t have to do anything. I couldn’t help but smile wryly.
So, in order to leave a trace that I had come, I stationed a few dolls as guards. I then simply tidied up the area. I brought over some large rocks to make a table and chairs, magically refining them. I even chopped down a few trees to create a simple gazebo.
Once I placed the table and chairs in the gazebo, a decent spot was made. This should serve as a sign that I’d visited. I looked around. Siggeo and the Shaking Rope hadn’t arrived yet.
Should I take a peek at what they were up to? With that thought, I directed my attention to the dolls I had scattered in different areas. I had placed a few dolls around the mountains and similarly outside as well.
The mountain existed in the midst of an endlessly stretching forest. The forest spread all the way to the horizon.
In the eastern region, Siggeo utilized the rocky terrain to build tall walls. Those walls were layered to prevent any monsters from casually climbing them. The inner walls only got thicker and taller as you went in. On top of the walls, there were plenty of intercepting spells set up for flying monsters.
And in the midst of it all, there was a space carved out. Siggeo stood there. The walls blocked off all paths, creating a setup that funneled the monsters toward this area. The crucial thing here was the military strength to crush them. Siggeo stood right in the center. Quite the confidence, I’d say.
Whether that was a sound strategy, I guess only the end of the two weeks would tell.
I shifted my focus to another doll. It was in the vicinity of a violet forest. This was the western region managed by the Shaking Rope. No one could just waltz into that place. It was a cursed forest, riddled with poison and curses, where even dolls would melt away.
Just getting close would spell doom for the monsters. The toxins from that forest had seeped into my maze, causing me some hassle in responding.
Next, I needed to check out the northern area. Instead of moving the dolls, I directly moved my body. I couldn’t help but smile wryly. There was no way to escape once I entered her territory; the dolls I planted there had gone silent.
It wasn’t until I arrived at the last one that the doll finally sent word, showing her smiling while holding the doll. She had told me not to spy, but to come directly. How could I run away after being told that?
Heading north, I saw a river dyed crimson. As I got closer, the stench of blood was overwhelming. The once flowing stream had succumbed to blood, engulfing the area.
Below that mountain, the river pooled into a massive lake. It exuded intense killing intent and magical energy. It sent shivers down my spine. If there was any single stronghold among what the crew had built, this lake was undoubtedly the strongest.
Aili bobbed gently atop the lake.
As I approached, the river quickly wrapped around my body. The sharp murderous energy caused cold sweat to break out. Before I knew it, I had been subdued. I raised my hands as a sign of surrender. Aili slowly moved in closer.
“Oh my, what’s going on?”
“You asked me to visit, so I came as my fortress was completed. This is a gift.”
One of the dolls following behind me stepped forward toward her. She scrutinized the doll using her magic, then smiled in satisfaction. As she reached out, blood surged from the lake, forming the shape of a table.
The doll moved toward the table and offered her an empty chair behind her. With a smile, she sat down. The doll immediately began preparing tea.
“Hmm, I was wanting to drink this.”
She savored the scent. However, it probably wouldn’t match her expectations. I had analyzed her palate thoroughly. Throughout my journey to the mountain, I had delivered slightly different flavors to her. Over the past three days, while constructing the fortress, I had pondered the flavors that would best suit her.
What she tasted was the culmination of all that effort. When she took a sip, a flower infused in the tea merged within. The moment the flower touched her tongue and melted, her eyes widened. It was a success. She continued sipping the tea, her expression one of satisfaction.
“Oh, the flavor has changed.”
“Yes, I tried to think of a flavor that would suit you, Aili.”
“Mmm, it’s delicious. It’s really good. You’re giving me this doll, right?”
Her eyes sparkled. I nodded vigorously. It was a doll I had prepared just for her. I filled it with functions she would likely prefer.
“Thank you, well then, I should repay you.”
After a moment’s contemplation, she continued.
“Should I write you down as my primary contributor?”
“No, it’s fine. I’m not looking to be recognized as a primary contributor.”
I waved my hands in shock. I’d already given away my share to someone else, why would I want to receive such a title? It held no meaning for me. Instead, the attention it would draw would surely be overwhelming.
“That seems about right. You’ve snugly attached yourself to that young lord.”
She seemed to know I had allied with Hongryeong. Of course, she would. Just as I observed others, they must have monitored the mountain through their own means. In the process, it was likely they pieced together I had formed an alliance with Hongryeong. I hadn’t attempted to hide it deliberately either.
“Yes. For cooperating with Hongryeong, I was planning to nominate you as my primary contributor.”
“Hehe, if I had known you’d come to me, I would’ve just helped you.”
She winked at me. A puzzling character, indeed. It was perhaps that very atmosphere that had led me to choose Hongryeong. Being near her felt somewhat uncomfortable.
“If I had claimed a region near Aili, I would have surely asked for help. But unfortunately, others chose that direction first, so I had no choice.”
“Huh, so it wasn’t intentional?”
She remarked playfully.
“Would I ever do something so devious?”
I swiftly shook my head. She likely recognized that I had chosen Hongryeong over her. So she was probably throwing those barbs on purpose. I had only brought the doll as an apology.
“Alright then, let’s leave it at that.”
She resumed sipping her tea. I sat down before her, scanning the surroundings.
Up close, the lake appeared quite deep. The blood-stained color was a concern, though. Beneath the crimson waters, a black shadow quivered. As it approached the surface, the creature finally revealed itself. A gigantic snake. Its grotesque form was riddled with veins.
“Isn’t it cute? This little guy used to live in the water, but I gave it a bit of a makeover.”
“Yes, quite cute. Hahaha.”
Cold sweat trickled down my back. That snake exuded tremendous magical energy. It was no ordinary creature. Yet, the previously fierce determination had vanished, replaced by torment and madness. I caught a glimpse of its eyes. Within them lay infinite despair.
Seeing it writhing in pain, neither dead nor alive, reassured me that my decision to choose Hongryeong had not been wrong.
“Oh right. I’ll let you in on a little secret.”
Aili said suddenly. She pointed towards the forest in the distance, moving her hand as if to gauge the distance.
“We’ve probably got about two hours left.”
“What do you mean?”
Aili chuckled.
“Time for the bloodstains to come rushing in.”
“Bloodstains? You mean monsters?”
“Yep. The smell of blood has been growing stronger since we arrived here. They’ll be arriving soon.”
I jumped up from my seat. If monsters had been gathering for three days, as she said, it was certain they would soon arrive.
“Thank you. I’ll hurry back and prepare!”
She waved her hand as if it were nothing, chuckling. I bowed my head in respect and swiftly made my way back to my area. I needed to hurry. As fast as I could.