Versatile Mage

 Mo Fan and Zhang Xiaohou finally found the entrance to the underground bunker. They knocked on the entrance.

 Zhang Xiaohou was a soldier. He only needed to use the secret knocking pattern of the army to notify the people inside that help had arrived.

 The thick stone door was the last line of defense for the people inside the bunker. Their hearts were filled with hope when they heard something different from the endless buzzing of the Sandstorm Demon Locusts!

 “They are here, help has arrived!” the soldiers guarding the entrance yelled out in excitement.

 “But there are still so many Sandstorm Demon Locusts out there, my Summoned Beast just went out to investigate…”

 “It’s the right password, open the door now!”

 The people were relieved when they heard that help had arrived.

 However, they only saw two young Mages standing outside the door. There was no army, no food and water, and no medicine. Their joy instantly dissipated like a puff of smoke.

 “Just the two of you? Did they really give up on us?” the soldier that was depressed right from the start blurted out.

 “A company of soldiers already died. Us two are the only people that can pass through the Sandstorm Demon Locusts,” Zhang Xiaohou answered.

 Mo Fan opened the storage of his Space Element and distributed the supplies. They were not much, but they were still a glimpse of hope for the starving people.

 “We’ll make a few more trips. Please wait patiently until we find a way to drive the Sandstorm Demon Locusts away,” Zhang Xiaohou said.

 “It has been so long. Hasn’t the army come up with any plan, or have they decided to abandon us? Did they send you two here just to deliver us our last meal!?” the soldier snapped furiously.

 “Chen Yi, can you please calm down! The Sandstorm Demon Locusts are everywhere outside! Even the whole army won’t be able to kill them all. The army is obviously trying to come up with a plan to save us. They have risked their lives to transport food and medicine to us. How can you blame them instead!?” Captain Liu Zhuo exclaimed.

 Chen Yi harrumphed coldly. He turned around and sat in the corner with a strong grudge.

 “Keep the situation under control, make sure the people aren’t panicking,” Zhang Xiaohou said.

 Mo Fan pulled Zhang Xiaohou to the side and whispered, “By the time we come back with more supplies, the Sandstorm Demon Locusts would most likely finish eating the layer of dirt above the bunker.”

 “What should we do then?” Zhang Xiaohou was uneasy. He glanced at the people in the bunker and saw them sitting closely together helplessly. He did not feel great.

 “Not everyone here is trustworthy. It’s better not to tell them about the Sandstorm Demon Locusts eating the dirt. Call Captain Liu Zhuo over, let’s listen to what he has to say,” Mo Fan said.

 Zhang Xiaohou called Liu Zhuo over and told him about the Sandstorm Demon Locusts that was eating the earth above them.

 Liu Zhuo was startled. His eyes were filled with despair.

 “We are only telling you because we are afraid people like Chen Yi would cause more panic among the people,” Mo Fan said.

 ” I understand. Forget it, just go. If you can come in here, you should be able to get out too. There’s no need for you to die with us. Either way, we are grateful for your help,” Liu Zhuo said.

 “We aren’t leaving you all here. We want to hear your advice, maybe you have some idea how we can save these people. Time is running ou!” Zhang Xiaohou said seriously.

 “The barrier is the only protection the town has. We don’t stand a chance without it,” Liu Zhuo said.

 “Can we reactivate the barrier?” Zhang Xiaohou asked.

 Liu Zhuo shook his head, “It won’t make any difference. These Sandstorm Demon Locusts are no longer afraid of the fire of the barrier.”

 “What fire does the barrier have? Can we use a different fire?” Mo Fan asked.

 “I’m not sure what it is exactly, but I believe you can change the fire. You just need to insert another flame into the Barrier Core. I saw the mayor doing it before,” Liu Zhuo said.

 “Great, my fire is effective against the Sandstorm Demon Locusts. If we can reactivate the barrier with the fire of my Ardent Sunset, we might be able to get rid of the Sandstorm Demon Locusts,” Mo Fan said.

 “Is your fire really that powerful?” Liu Zhuo was a little disbelieving.

 “How do you think we managed to come here? Captain, we shouldn’t waste any more time. Even if the chance is slim, anything is better than waiting to die here!” Mo Fan said.

 Liu Zhuo nodded in agreement.

 The man was right, he could not afford to just wait here. Doing something that had the slightest chance of working was better than doing nothing.

 “Alright, I’ll bring you to the Barrier Core!” Liu Zhong said.

 —

 They did not bring anyone else. It was only Zhang Xiaohou, Liu Zhuo, and Mo Fan. The three left the underground bunker.

 The Barrier Core was located at the town hall, even though all that was left of it was debris.

 The Barrier Core was underground, but it was not connected to the underground bunker. They had to walk quite a distance to the center of Anjiao Town.

 Liu Zhuo was still a little worried. He was not sure how capable the two young men were until he saw the Sandstorm Demon Locusts backing away as soon as Mo Fan unleashed the flames of his Ardent Sunset. His eyes glimmered!

 They had tried driving the Sandstorm Demon Locusts away with the Fire Element, but no matter how strong their spells were, the Sandstorm Demon Locusts were not afraid at all. They had no choice but to give up, but to Liu Zhuo’s surprise, the young Mage actually possessed a fire that was the Sandstorm Demon Locusts’s nemesis. If he could insert the flames into the Barrier Core, Anjiao Town would be saved!

 The noise kept buzzing in their ears and messing with their minds.

 Liu Zhuo was drenched with cold sweat, despite the heat from Mo Fan’s Fire Domain.

 “We’re close; the room is made of natural burning rocks. The Sandstorm Demon Locusts shouldn’t be able to enter it,” Liu Zhuo said.

 Liu Zhuo went to the underground and moved the thick layer of debris aside, revealing an entrance to the underground.

 The entrance was tightly sealed. It was protected by a magic aura, too. Liu Zhuo knew how to deactivate it. He crouched down and was about to get rid of the magic aura when he suddenly froze.

 “What is it?” asked Mo Fan with a confused look.

 “Someone deactivated the magic aura,” Liu Zhuo said. He grabbed the handle and pulled.

 The door rose with ease after the pull, revealing some stairs leading down to the underground.

 “Someone might be hiding down there because they weren’t able to make it to the emergency bunker in time,” Zhang Xiaohou said.

 “Mm, that’s what I’m guessing, too. Let’s head down. If we let the Sandstorm Demon Locusts in, they are going to absorb the energy of the Barrier Core,” Liu Zhuo said.

 The three immediately went down the stairs. The lights were still on, leading them toward the magic formation that was protecting the town.

 It was Mo Fan and Zhang Xiaohou’s first time seeing a magic formation protecting a town. The magic formation of the barrier protecting a city would normally be hidden in the most secretive place, protected by the government. Its location was highly confidential, since if a city lost its barrier, it would soon be overrun by demon creatures. The people would be killed quickly!

 The barrier of the town was not particularly huge. There was only a hall containing the magic formation in the underground.

 The hall was built with fire crystals that could conduct magic. When energy was flowing in the Orbits, Patterns, or Constellations along the fire crystals, it was the same as Casting a spell. The Barrier Core would provide the energy needed to keep the magic formation going.

 “The thing in the middle should be the Barrier Core. It’s the source of energy for the barrier. You just need to insert your fire into it, and the fire of the barrier should change too,” Liu Zhuo said.

 “Alright, I’ll try,” Mo Fan said.

 Mo Fan placed his hand on the Barrier Core and directed the fire of his Ardent Sunset into it. Mo Fan was soon surrounded by an ardent-red fire. The color of the fire of the Barrier Core gradually synchronized with Mo Fan’s fire.

 Liu Zhuo and Zhang Xiaohou stood on the side. They were feeling a little nervous. Whether it was going to work or not would decide the fate of the people in the town. They were overjoyed when they saw the color of the Barrier Core changing under Mo Fan’s influence.

 “I…I think it’s done,” Mo Fan opened his eyes and looked at the Core Barrier.

 “The Barrier Core has absorbed the aura of your flames. Hopefully, it is enough to drive the Sandstorm Demon Locusts away when we activate the barrier,” Liu Zhuo said.

 “So should we activate the barrier now?” Mo Fan asked.

 Liu Zhuo nodded. He went to every corner of the hall to light up the magic nodes.

 Every node was soon lighted up. Brilliant Star Orbits were gathering toward the Barrier Core from all directions. A brilliant, ardent-red flower was burning above the Barrier Core…

 The light of the fire was not strong. Zhang Xiaohou and Mo Fan thought it would be a lot brighter, but the hall soon dimmed; the fire did not last for more than ten seconds!

 “What’s going on? Did it not work?” Mo Fan asked quickly.

 Liu Zhuo was frozen in surprise. He shook his head and said after some time, “Your fire works, and I believe the barrier will have the effects of your Ardent Sunset when it’s activated… but the Barrier Core… it doesn’t have any energy!”

 “It’s empty?”

 “Someone stole the Barrier Core’s energy!” Liu Zhuo said in despair.