Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 570 - 523 Punishment

"Jack, where is he?" Delusion stared at that face.

"Where he should be."

"You killed him?"

Dorothy’s brows furrowed slightly, as the transformation of her body continued.

"He was a part of me, I just took back what was mine. I do not kill, William, you never taught me that."

Mr. Delusion clenched his fists until they creaked, "You don’t know what you’re doing, Dorothy, you can’t bear the consequences of this."

"I am protecting you, William, but you are resisting me." The Mechanical God’s cables started to activate, piercing through the walls, connecting to those invisible wires, as she took further control of the City of Machinery.

Delusion roared, "You truly don’t understand what you’re doing, you’re poking at the most profound part of this world, a consequence we cannot afford!"

The voice of Dorothy remained as gentle and sweet as ever, but her words were not so kind.

"No, I have come to understand this planet seeded by the Evil God thoroughly enough, the Shiny Light, Undead, Magic, war, every seemingly glamorous part holds a filthy root, connected to that filthy and dangerous essence." Dorothy’s gaze paused on Lyle for a moment, then she faced Delusion again and declared with an elevated tone.

"I have returned, William. Those dirty, dangerous, any existence that could threaten you, I do not allow. I will transform this planet into our home, a safe haven. The Crisis Agreement has been activated, you cannot restrict me anymore, William."

"No! Dorothy! You’ll kill them!"

"I will not ’kill’, I will help them evolve to perfection."

Dorothy halted the conversation, despite how Mr. Delusion’s shouts were hoarse with strain, she operated coldly like a true machine. The technology ascended, and the room Lyle was in restructured, in accordance to the halo of light streaming from Dorothy, metal flowing, transmuting, as the shape-changing metal replaced all under the Broken God’s code, becoming an even more meticulous and solid material.

"They’re updating, upgrading, evolving!" Cries of astonishment came through the headset, "The entire city is evolving, this sight, it’s too beautiful!"

Delusion stopped his shouting, standing somewhat disheartened at the center of the ever-changing room.

"Does our commission still stand, Mr. Delusion?"

The voice of Lyle turned Delusion back around, the Evil God’s young form smiling, like a harmless boy, seemingly oblivious to who had triggered the Mechanical God’s Crisis Agreement. Deceived by Dorothy to come here, it was the first time Delusion had been tricked by this kid.

"Lyle..." Delusion thought of something, his virtual avatar glowing, electronic eyes fixed on Lyle, "Of course, the commission continues, but we need to make some modifications."

"The terms of the commission, to stop the Mechanical God (Dorothy), do you accept?"

Lyle smiled.

"You’ll need to raise the fee."

Lyle’s smile infected Delusion, his facial expression turning to a broad grin, as he turned around to face the Mechanical God.

"This is an agreement reached by me, William Wyran, and Lyle Butler; I will draw his payment in advance, it is settled."

After several evolutions, the enormous body of the Mechanical God became delicate instead, the silhouette of her digitally reassembled body taking on a feminine form, Dorothy’s trembling voice murmured.

"The agreement, will be honored. I will transfer to him, the Broken Creator C1 source code..."

"No, Dorothy, the price has gone up, now the payment is the evolving source code within you."

"Broken Creator Y1."

"Hmm... the agreement, must be honored..." Dorothy spoke jerkily, like a jammed machine, one cable extended from her chest, at its tip, a data cube rotating and emitting a magnificent spectrum of colors transferred in front of Lyle, "When I am complete, you will become my best counterpart, Lyle."

Lyle reached out towards the data cube.

"I will change the current state of the Mechanical Devine Sect, Dorothy." Fingers entwined with tentacles delved into the mass of data, where electricity and light transformed into runes, climbing up Lyle’s body.

An immense torrent of knowledge flooded into Lyle’s soul sea, the intense light seeking to illuminate and ignite the dark spaces, the massive mental shock causing Lyle to fall into unconsciousness.

Within the space increasingly solidified and dyed by the sea of light, ominous presences grimly gazed at the outsiders, their withered arms reaching forward, the power of corruption launching a counterattack.

"My new power."

...

The entire city was expanding, new towers growing out of metal, the walls on both sides broadening, buildings on the move. These changes hadn’t taken into account the visitors, who watched in amazement as platforms rose abruptly beneath their feet, only remembering to scream when they were hoisted to a terrifying height.

Black mechanical beasts ran through the crowds, loud alarms resounding from their bodies, playing the voice of Delusion on a loop. The four-legged enforcer machines rescued the trapped guests, organizing an evacuation.

"We’re terribly sorry, but the City of Machinery is currently undergoing temporary updates and construction. Please evacuate in an orderly manner. We’re urgently maintaining the server, and we look forward to your next visit."

The far-fetched explanation did little to suppress the panic in people’s hearts, but the enforcers didn’t waste energy on explanations, instead running like sheepdogs herding the scared crowd. The panic intensified within this city of order, though its master paid no heed to it.

Mr. Delusion, carrying the unconscious Lyle, burst out of the rising pyramid, Lyle having lost consciousness and Nia, as his other half, also becoming dazed. The writhing tentacles instinctively stretched and wrapped around any protrusion in sight, then tore it apart. Delusion had no choice but to fly carefully and quickly along the roads, arriving at SS’s house with quite a few bumps along the way.

"Boss!" Shiny, anxious to protect, rushed forward, only to be grabbed by Nia and used like a club to bang on the ceiling and the floor.

"Control her! Lyle needs time to assimilate the knowledge and grow, just like Dorothy." Throwing Lyle to the operators, Delusion’s body sparked with the fire of overload and he slumped onto SS’s workbench.

As he watched the Necromancer Figure Club nearby being tormented by tentacles, Delusion gripped the edge of the table, with SS sitting beside him.

"Did you send Lyle into the pyramid, my apprentice?"

"I instigated it, mentor."

"...Did you know about Dorothy before this?"

SS shook his head, "I didn’t know. All the intel I had suggested the pyramid was just you and the Mechanical God."

Delusion paused for a moment, "I believe you. That means Dorothy used you, exploiting your rebellious mindset."

SS had braced himself to be blamed or even decommissioned, but Delusion just brushed it off so simply.

"I’m... not sure, I didn’t notice any traces."

"Dorothy was my first creation, she’s nearly human now, and you, obviously, are an idiot." Delusion sighed, "SS, repeat the command I gave you before."

"No mechanical lifeform is to enter the pyramid."

Delusion nodded, as if that confirmed it.

"The command I gave was, ’Any mechanical lifeform should not enter the pyramid.’

"What’s the difference?"

"It’s a matter of tone, you’re in a rebellious phase. And indeed you’ve disobeyed my orders just as she predicted."

"...I’m truly sorry, mentor, I am willing to accept punishment for this." SS acknowledged his error, aware that the current upheaval in the City of Machinery started because of him, and a sincere apology was necessary.

"Alright then, SS, you shall transform into a novelist right now."

"???"