Chapter 1421 – The Walls are Closing In

Despite all the work the Colony has put in, there are still several sections of our territory that have been cut off. I go and inspect a few of the vents myself, and the pipes are doing a good job syphoning the energy away and feeding it to the wuffers.

The problem is, if the wuffers are happily munching away on the toxic energy from the vents, then they aren’t eating it from outside the safe-zone and expanding our turf. Naturally, this means our controlled area is starting to shrink.

To make matters worse, the vents outside of our turf are thickening up the mana all around us, which is creating even more pressure on the wuffers and shrinking our controlled area even further. The Colony is scrambling to hold the line, but that line is constantly getting pushed in.

[Tiny, Invidia, how have you two been doing? You’ve behaved yourself, Tiny?]

[We havessss been doing wellsssss. My brother hassss been very safesssss.]

Well, Invidia says so, but it isn’t like I miss the subtle thumbs up they give each other when they think I can’t see. I should probably clarify. Invidia gives a subtle thumbs up. Tiny gives a massive, broad grin as he clumsily tries to shield his hand with his body and waggles his brows.

It’s clear that they aren’t being completely honest with me, but I can’t bring myself to criticise them after such a wholesome display.

[How about you, Crinis? Everything been alright?]

[Yes, Master! I’ve been provided enough Biomass to regenerate my Darkness Flesh, so I’m in top condition.]

Well, that’s positive. It’s good to know that the three of them have been able to do their job and have been getting taken care of by the Colony. The real question we face is, what are we supposed to do now? We don’t have any direct orders for this situation, despite all the contingencies that Solant has built into our instructions.

It’s frustrating, but there isn’t much we can do to help the safe-zone situation. The mages and carvers are doing all they can to work on and maintain the pipe-network, the wuffers are munching away on toxic mana as fast as they can, and we can’t influence the vents in any way.

I’m not used to feeling this helpless to influence the fate of the Colony. It’s incredibly frustrating!

[What’s bothering you, Master?] Crinis asks.

[Huh? Is something showing on my face?]

That can’t be right, I don’t really have a face!

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[You just seem a little… dispirited.]

Well, that’s completely true. I am.

[I’m just not sure what I can do to be useful right now. These stupid vents have put the Colony in a holding pattern, and I’m under doctor’s orders to stay in the safe-zone. There doesn’t seem to be anything positive I can do.]

[If you can defend the tunnels, that will take pressure off the rest of your family and help them focus on their tasks. That’s helpful.]

[Yeah,] I sigh. [That’s true, but it doesn’t improve our situation. Feels more like treading water.]