Chapter 449: Slight Hindrance
At Varuga, the situation remained tense after Aldrian’s threat. Many influential figures in the city had already arrived to see the hundreds of people Aldrian had rescued from the underground facility. They began assisting them, attending to their needs in order to fulfill Aldrian’s command.
For some of the city’s powerful individuals, helping these hundreds of people was not difficult—as long as they had the will to do so. And Aldrian had already instilled that will in them.
While the city still simmered with tension and its people rushed to carry out the task Aldrian had given them, the man himself was already standing in front of the teleportation station operator. The operator trembled in fear, and although Aldrian looked at him with a calm gaze, it only made the man more terrified.
The people nearby had already distanced themselves, too afraid to come close to Aldrian. After vanishing following his order and threat, he suddenly reappeared at the teleportation station, clearly intending to move on to his next destination.
Karl was still in Aldrian’s grasp, though he looked close to death. Unconscious, his breathing was shallow, and his body was covered in blood and wounds. His limbs were bent at unnatural angles, causing many onlookers to flinch at the sight.
From their expressions, it was clear they believed Aldrian was keeping Karl barely alive—suspended between life and death—just to prolong his suffering.
"So, you can’t connect the teleportation portal to the capital?" Aldrian asked calmly, his gaze fixed on the trembling station operator.
"Y-Yes... but please, believe me, Your Excellency," the operator stammered, his voice shaking with fear. "I didn’t lie to you. I suddenly can’t establish a connection to the capital city, Losaris. From what I can tell, the teleportation station there seems to have shut down its operations. Losaris is basically isolated now."
Aldrian could tell the operator wasn’t lying. He already had a good idea why Prince Wilmar had decided to isolate the capital. After such a grand announcement and threat, it would be impossible for word not to reach the prince. Aldrian figured Wilmar had already heard of his arrival in Varuga and had begun preparing countermeasures—shutting down the teleportation station was likely the first of them.
Although it wouldn’t completely stop him from reaching the capital, it would buy Prince Wilmar some time to come up with a solution, something Aldrian found amusing. He was curious to see what the prince or anyone in his faction had prepared for his arrival once he knocked on their door.
"Where is the closest location to Losaris that can still be connected from here?" Aldrian asked.