The goblin ruins' warehouse had been converted by Niv into a sealed workshop, specifically for constructing the mechanical puppet.
In recent days, Hel's distractions had slowed the mech's progress considerably. Large amounts of parts were carelessly scattered around, waiting for Hel to come replace them.
Niv's work was limited to preliminary processing of parts and preparing replacement materials — the most labor-intensive portion of the job.
After a long absence, Hel finally returned.
"Hello, Niv."
Hel hugged Niv's smooth, pale thigh, rubbing her small face against it.
"My soul network has been completely wiped out. Do you have any ideas to help me reconstruct it?"
"Master, didn't you already plan to embed relay stations underground for the soul network?"
Niv petted Hel's hair affectionately, a little confused about why Hel had come to her.
"The previous alchemical equipment was ultimately untested. My plan was to place a relay station every hundred li, which would easily construct the network. But once the relays are underground, the soil interferes with signal transmission.
"The batch we gave Witt worked best when buried three meters deep. But if I want to build a soul network discreetly — so no one notices even if strong battles destroy the surface — the relays must be buried at least a hundred meters deep.
"The deeper they go, the more the earth's ley energy affects them. At a hundred meters, signal interference is severe; a signal that normally transmits a hundred li can only reach forty li."
"So what exactly is troubling you, Master?"
Niv tilted her head. She still didn't understand what Hel was worried about. Materials weren't a problem — there was no shortage of either souls or magical metals.
"Is it about distributing the relays?"
"That's right. Covering all of the Mandrake Principality originally required only four relays. Now it has increased to twenty-five. Covering the entire continent would exponentially increase the manpower and resources needed.
"Many areas aren't accessible to ordinary people. So I'm thinking of a way to deploy the relays from the sky."
"From the sky?"
Niv looked at Hel strangely. She didn't understand such an outrageous idea but felt compelled to warn her.
"Master, the sky isn't safe. Flying beasts, the Elemental Sea, and above that — the domain of angels. They won't allow mortals to trespass."
"Elemental Sea and angels?"
Hel raised her eyebrows. Angels? She thought they had long vanished. In this world, they were nearly mythical; even her library and Witt's records had no mention. Witt had said scholars were already doubting angels' existence.
"The Elemental Sea exists a hundred kilometers above the ground. All the continent's elemental energy gathers there, then flows back down. Even goblins only reached it using puppets.
"If someone survives the turbulent elements, they encounter a world barrier. Beyond that lies the legendary Heaven, the angels' habitat. Even goblins haven't fully explored it."
"Alright then."
Hel shrugged. This world was thoroughly magical — beyond the atmosphere wasn't space but the Elemental Sea. Whether the world was a sphere was now uncertain.
"This is just an idea. If it doesn't work, we'll stick to the old method. But then there's still the problem of placing the relays and gathering materials."
"Have you considered digging tunnels underground to deploy the relays?"
Niv waved, and several mechanical spiders crawled over.
Hel understood her idea. But even with mechanical spiders, building a continent-spanning soul network would be extremely difficult. Unless they had stronger, faster machines.
"You mean you have a better puppet in mind?"
"Yes, Master. When goblins built dungeons, they used puppets called Underground Worms. Hollow bodies with sharp teeth. They drill tunnels underground by rotating their heads.
"Their abdomens usually carry storage runes to collect excavated soil. You could store the relays inside. That way, the tunnels are built and the network deployed simultaneously."
"That's a good idea."
Hel nodded in agreement. Over the next few days, they completely halted the mech project and focused on developing the underground worms.
The final product was small, worm-sized machines. Constructed entirely from mithril, with drill tips reinforced with gleaming gold. They could pierce virtually any rock except special minerals.
After making about a hundred worms, Hel frowned briefly, then relaxed. She disassembled one, adjusted the runes inside, and with rising black smoke, her eyes gleamed.
"Perhaps we can abandon the relays altogether. With these underground worms, why would we need them?"