That true projection had been created using his 'Reality' Origin Element, allowing him to manipulate reality more easily by forcing it to accept a copy of himself as real and project it anywhere on Earth. As a result, the projection's power matched that of his true body, with the added advantage of being shielded from real harm. However, its destruction after his defeat by Albert had significantly weakened his strength.
The clone he now used was a form of regular projection magic. While more advanced than the typical projections employed by average mages, his version of projection appears indistinguishable from his true body to anyone observing. It lacked the magical potency ro cast the spell compared to the 'True Projection' he had used before.
Golden Scale looked at his gloved hand and slowly removed the glove, revealing a hand covered in surgical scars. The skin appeared to have been forcibly sewn with another type of skin, seemingly non-human in nature as the texture of the skin clearly different with its fiery red color, yet it held his hand in place as it shifted between reality, existing on the boundary of existence and non-existence.
He grunted and clenched his fist, using his magic to stabilize his form before putting the glove back on. Once he had finished, the engravings on the back of the glove began to glow, quickly stabilizing his hand. Only then did Golden Scale allow himself to heave a sigh of relief.
"It's getting worse. I need to secure the Blood of Merlin soon, or I may not be able to endure it much longer," Golden Scale muttered as he walked toward the old file on his desk. The file, which he had obtained from Hightower's intelligence network and analysis services, indicated that the most likely candidate with the Blood of Merlin in this era was Daniel Emberweave.
— Qing Empire —
At the strategist's residence, Zhuge Liang sat listlessly on the couch. Scattered around him were crumpled papers, discarded drafts of new plans that proved unusable. Files piled high on his desk, some containing information about Daniel Emberweave and his family. Zhuge Liang had compiled a significant amount of intelligence on Daniel's weaknesses, sourced from various reliable contacts.
For the first time, Zhuge Liang felt truly stumped—more pressure weighed on him now than when he faced Sima Yi. Exploiting Sima Yi's weaknesses had been simpler; his psychological traits, mindset, and thought patterns could be manipulated.
But with Daniel? All Zhuge knew for sure was that Daniel was highly paranoid, going to extreme lengths to quell his paranoia. Unlike Cao Cao, whose paranoia stemmed from a deep distrust of people, Daniel trusted his people completely. His paranoia was born from always anticipating the worst-case scenario.
For example, Daniel had devised extensive measures to protect his daughter from potential threats, such as powerful individuals or mages attempting to abduct her. He arranged for a group of bodyguards to protect her around the clock, from the moment she stepped out of the house. Additionally, thousands of troops were stationed in nearby buildings along her route to school, ready to don power armor in case of any emergency.
In plain sight, there were also two powerful men guarding his daughter: one was Heracles, the legendary figure from Greek mythology, and the other was suspected to be a nearly indestructible robot, driven by unstoppable determination once locked onto a mission.
The news provided Zhuge Liang with a piece of information he might be able to use: New Atlantis had intervened, cooperating with the Sultanate of Aqaba to contain and eliminate the outbreak, preventing it from spreading worldwide.
While some praised New Atlantis for their actions, others denounced them, claiming they were responsible for the outbreak in the first place. There were also critics who opposed New Atlantis' involvement in helping the royal family end the decades-long civil war in the Sultanate of Aqaba, viewing it as foreign intervention—a stance frowned upon by those in the UN.
But Zhuge Liang knew the real reason behind these criticisms. The parties affected by New Atlantis' actions were primarily those who had lost access to cheap oil sources when the civil war ended.
Then, an idea came to Zhuge Liang's mind. If he couldn't infiltrate New Atlantis or operate within its borders, luring Daniel out would be an effective approach. He just needed to refine the plan to make it actionable. This strategy would be known only to his trusted confidants and some top rank allies, and no one else.
— New Atlantis —
On the busy streets of New Atlantis, people moved back and forth, attending to their daily affairs. Among the towering structures stood a newly constructed building, erected shortly after New Atlantis declared its independence. With its sleek, white exterior and futuristic yet elegant design, the building resembled something out of a fantasy novel that has a race of space elves-like.
Luxury and sports cars frequently utilized the building's state-of-the-art underground parking system. Owners would park their vehicles in designated slots, receive a token from the dispenser, and the system would automatically store the cars in a vast, secure underground facility. This ensured both safety and peace of mind, eliminating any worries about theft.
These car owners were then escorted into the building by attendants. Officially, the structure was designated as the residence and governmental hub for handling supernatural and extraordinary individuals and events.
Despite its significance, the building bore a somewhat bland and unimaginative name—the "Emberweave Building," named after the founder of New Atlantis. However, many locals and visitors had come to call it "The Ivory Tower."
Inside the Ivory Tower, officials had been receiving numerous leaders of mage families, all eager to join the Order of Ember. Some even sought to arrange marriages, hoping to betroth their daughters to Daniel, knowing that he still did not have a legal wife.
This sentiment was widely shared among mage families in the Curtained World, as they saw the Order of Ember as the path to the future.
The Ivory Tower is the headquarters of the Order of Ember, the future of the Curtained World.