Chapter 2441: Chapter 2442: The Drawn Closer Clock

Silently accompanying the flight for dozens of miles, Sanders did not speak.

Seeing that the distance from the Ghost Shipyard Island was already quite far, Angel pondered and took the initiative to speak: "Mentor, is there something you want to ask me?"

Sanders glanced at Angel with an indifferent look: "The reason you went back wasn’t specifically to see the birth of chaos, was it?"

"As expected, mentor understands me best."

Angel’s answer already proved Sanders’ speculation right.

Sanders stopped, hovering in mid-air: "I believe you must have a compelling reason to decide to return. However, I still hope you understand one thing."

"What is it?" Angel also stopped and looked back.

"Everything in the world, including the things you think are important, is not as precious as life itself," Sanders paused, "Only when you are alive do you have everything. If you die, all is for naught."

Angel understood the meaning behind Sanders’ words.

From start to finish, Sanders did not stop him, which perhaps reflects his value orientation in handling relationships, but it doesn’t mean Sanders truly supports all of Angel’s choices.

He merely respects Angel’s opinion and doesn’t want to interfere with others’ choices.

But his true thoughts may be similar to Nis and others; he doesn’t really wish for Angel to get involved in the matters at the center of the Mist Belt.

The matters there are not only beyond the limits of the Southern Domain but also surpass energy level limitations.

Even if Lord Reine were to go, there’s a risk of falling if not careful, let alone Angel.

Therefore, even though Sanders previously supported Angel’s decision, he still didn’t want to watch Angel walk into danger with open eyes. Thus, he chose to accompany Angel in flight and used cautionary words to dissuade him.

"Do you want to see your brother grieving for you from thousands of miles away? Your enlightening mentor turning to bones alone in the Ice Coffin? And those you care about, and those who care about you... saddened?"

Angel pondered for a moment, then silently said, "I don’t want to."

"Is this your inner thought?"

"Yes."

Sanders looked at Angel, still standing there, and softly said: "You’re still planning to return to the center of the Mist Belt, even though you don’t want those you cherish to be sad?"

Angel hesitated for a moment but still nodded.

Sanders was silent for a long time; it took nearly half a minute before he spoke again: "Do you...do you think you can survive?"

Sanders still didn’t ask about Angel’s purpose but inquired about an answerless, more idealistic outcome.

"I can." Angel replied with certainty.

Sanders squinted his eyes slightly: "You really believe someone can save you?"

Angel: "..."

"Do you want to ask me why I’m sure someone will save you?"

Angel chuckled, neither affirming nor denying.

"You dared to say ’can’ with such certainty, which must mean you have confidence. I don’t know where that confidence comes from, but it’s undoubtedly one of a few possibilities."

"The Observer, the beings of the Nightmare Realm...and the Void," Sanders almost definitively said.

The reason for this speculation is actually quite simple. To gain fortune at the center of the Mist Belt, in Sanders’ view, requires at least special abilities or Legend-level strength as a base.

And such beings related to Angel, the first to come to mind would naturally be the Observer.

The attitude of the Observer towards Angel before was obviously different from that towards others. So, the Observer is possible. However, since the Observer let Angel go previously and now calls him back, it seems repetitive, leading Sanders to think the Observer’s likelihood might be lower.

Apart from the Observer, there are the beings of the Nightmare Realm that could assist Angel.

The beings of the Nightmare Realm are even more mysterious and more powerful. Angel’s status in the Nightmare Realm might allow some creatures there to help him, becoming his confidence in returning to the Mist Belt center this time. However, Sanders thinks the possibility of Nightmare beings is still very low because there has been no involvement of Nightmare beings from start to finish. As a pioneer of the Art of Nightmare Illusion, he hasn’t felt any presence of the Nightmare Realm at the center of the Mist Belt.

No matter how powerful the Nightmare beings are, or how they are Angel’s confidence, it’s unlikely they would let Angel return to the Mist Belt center for no reason. Besides, do the beings of the Nightmare Realm really know what’s in the center of the Mist Belt?

As for the last possibility: the Void.

Sanders hadn’t thought of it before, but he noticed a detail around Angel.

Upon leaving the Mist Belt, Angel was surrounded by nothing other than Dangross; there were no other creatures around.

However, when leaving the Ghost Shipyard Island, a new creature appeared by Angel’s side.

This was a creature undetectable to the naked eye, existing only in the energy world, with a presence almost undetectably low—a Void Traveler.

The sudden appearance of this void creature beside Angel naturally sparked an idea in Sanders.

Especially when Sanders mentioned the three possibilities, Angel subconsciously glanced at the Void Traveler, further confirming Sanders’ suspicion that Angel’s confidence in returning to the Mist Belt center might be rooted in the Void.

However, does Angel know any void creatures? Sanders hadn’t heard, after all, everyone has their own fates, and he couldn’t possibly know everything about Angel.

"Seems I guessed right," Sanders said: "Even if you believe a powerful being will help you, do you really think you can rest easy?"

"Placing the power to survive in the hands of others is not the first choice of an independent wizard."

"Moreover, are you truly sure that the being helping you is completely sincere? Regardless of who it is, they undoubtedly have selfish desires. When their desires and ambitions swell beyond control, any promises are just empty words."

"Even I might not fully commit to helping you."

Angel: "I understand."

You understand, but you still don’t listen. Sanders silently added Angel’s inner thoughts, knowing him well as his mentor. Angel understands the reasoning, but the decisions he has made are difficult to change.

Angel: "I’m not returning this time to get involved in central affairs. I’m just doing a positioning task."

"Positioning? So that a certain presence can know the coordinates and then descend?" Sanders pointed at the Void Traveler beside him: "Then why not send it over there?"

Angel shook his head: "Heideland can’t do it, only I can locate it."

After pausing, Angel continued: "Moreover, what I said before about watching the process of the disorderly object’s promotion was just a reason made up on the spot, but the moment I said it, I had a premonition that my choice to return was not wrong."

"In fact, this premonition is so strong... it’s as if I’m making a choice that could change the course of my life."

"Perhaps it’s just my illusion, but at that moment, that’s how I truly felt. So, I became more determined to come."

When Angel said this, Sanders suddenly fell silent.

Angel’s words were vague, somewhat cryptic and confused, but Sanders understood clearly what Angel was trying to express.

Because he had faced similar choices. When confronted with decisions that could significantly impact one’s life, he too had the same feeling.

This isn’t some empty promise, nor a fanciful thought; it’s the real... fate is elusive, but there are always those who pursue miracles and can manipulate fate.

For example, the Thief of Time.

Sanders was marked by the Thief of Time, so when he’s making a choice of significant impact, he’ll feel something similar.

In fact, the Thief of Time might even personally visit to steal the choices Sanders abandons.

This feeling is real, so Angel’s strong premonition might also be true. This is an exclusive hint for those marked by the Thief of Time.

However, this time the Thief of Time seemingly didn’t come, nor did he steal Angel’s choice; perhaps he felt that stealing it this time was meaningless?

Having come this far, Sanders naturally couldn’t stop it any longer.

Having been marked by the Thief of Time and gone through numerous difficult choices, he had developed a tendency not to interfere with others’ decisions. Unless Angel was truly important to him, Sanders wouldn’t have interfered.

But now, Angel told him that his choice might concern the future flow of fate.

Sanders didn’t dare to stop him.

Staying or going used to be an insignificant choice. But now, it has turned into a major decision that might even catch the attention of the Thief of Time.

Interfering with Angel’s choice at this point could very well alter his fate too.

Sanders was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "Since you feel this choice is important, then eliminate any possible interference and follow what you truly desire."

Angel nodded solemnly in agreement.

Sanders looked ahead at the endless black sea: "My illusion technique avatar has reached its limit, so we’ll part here. Just like I said on the island, I hope to see you come back alive."

After he finished speaking, Sanders gently patted Angel on the shoulder and then turned into foam, disappearing without a trace.

...

After Sanders left, Angel hovered in place, pondering for a moment.

"Eliminate any possible interference and follow what you truly desire." This was what Sanders said earlier, and Angel was contemplating this now.

If this choice is truly that important, could he be influenced by some external factors? Is his choice really the right one?

Angel was also reflecting, re-evaluating whether his decision was hasty.

...

Meanwhile, in some dimension that cannot be spied upon.

It was densely filled with a multitude of clocks, round ones, square ones, long ones, flat ones, and even some half-embedded in the void. At a glance, one couldn’t discern their number.

Among all the clocks, there was one in the exact center, the largest and most conspicuous.

Because, atop this clock, sat a tall black shadow.

The black shadow appeared leisurely, half-listening to the surrounding ticking of the clock hands, while humming an unknown tune through his nose.

Suddenly, amidst the many clocks, the hour hand and minute hand of a round clock began to stir.

When both hands pointed to 0, a clear, resounding chime surrounded this endless space filled with countless time wheels.

The black shadow then lifted his head, looking towards the chime resonating through time and space.

"A mark has triggered a choice," the shadow muttered. "Let me take a look."

The round clock was pulled in front of him as if by magic.

At this moment, golden light was streaming out from the clock.

"Tsk tsk, the overflowing honey of time, truly sweet to the extreme... It seems necessary to take a look."

The shadow lightly leaped down from the top of the clock.

At the same time, at the center of the giant clock, where the axle should be, a round metal door appeared. The shadow approached the metal door, ready to push it open, to step into the marked region.

However, just as his hand touched the round metal door, there was a sudden prick on his fingertip.

He retracted his hand.

A drop of light golden blood slowly oozed from his fingertip, swirling for a while before disappearing into the void.

The shadow paused for a moment, but in the end, he didn’t step through the metal door; instead, he returned to the top of the clock.

"Going there brings a bad premonition."

But where does this bad premonition come from?

The marked person? It doesn’t seem so.

"Could it be, if I go, I’ll meet an old acquaintance?" The shadow pondered for a moment but found no answer in the time wheel.

"Forget it, I won’t go after all."

He thought about it, then focused again on the round clock still streaming golden light.

"Seems like a person with a deep influence... Hmm, let’s add a note."

Once the words fell, the originally gloomy outer shell of the round clock began to glow with a nourishing luster.

Simultaneously, a faint human shadow emerged at the clock’s center.

If Angel were here, he would recognize that this shadow resembled his appearance from many years ago when he refined the Blood Night Shelter.

The black shadow quietly watched Angel’s illusion, his lips lightly curling up.

"Oh, it’s you, young man."

The shadow’s voice carried a hint of interest, as if discovering an amusing toy. He still didn’t move towards the metallic door to the marked place, but meticulously observed Angel’s illusion.

As if imprinting Angel’s figure into his eyes.

After quite some time, the shadow chuckled softly, erases the illusion with good humor, and then pushed the round clock aside.

This time, the round clock did not return to the distant pile of clocks to take its place.

Instead, it hovered near the giant clock.

The clocks here were very few, only around a thousand. These clocks, in various forms, each shone with an impressively dazzling brilliance; their sizes were also massive, some even approaching the magnitude of the huge time wheel where the shadow stood.

In this forest of colossal clocks, the clock representing Angel appeared very small and dim, even somewhat out of place, extremely awkward.

If someone with OCD saw this scene, they might get so irritated that they could dig through the Earth’s Heart with their toenails.

But the black shadow evidently had no OCD, or rather, his OCD wasn’t about appearances. Not only did he feel no displeasure, but he even happily whistled a tune.

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