The next day, a deliveryman from the Heavenly Crafts Academy logistics center arrived at the base entrance driving ten large trucks.
He opened the doors and pressed a button, causing the rear plates to lower to the ground so the containers could slide down.
"Mr. Chen, you can open the containers to take a look. If there are no issues, please sign the manifest."
The deliveryman pulled out a manifest and handed it to Chen Xu.
Chen Xu reached out, took the manifest and pen, and signed his name directly.
He doubted anyone would try to cheat him, as delivering the wrong goods would be an insult to the Dragon Seed, and insulting the Dragon Seed was the same as insulting Daxia.
After handing the manifest back to the deliveryman, Chen Xu raised his hand and stored the ten containers into the Undead Kingdom.
"Uh, Mr. Chen, these containers..." The deliveryman saw Chen Xu take the containers as well and was about to remind him, but a message from his superior came through his headset.
"The containers? Oh, you need to take them back, right?" Chen Xu realized.
"No, no, I remembered incorrectly. Please, go ahead, Mr. Chen."
After the deliveryman left, Chen Xu boarded a fighter jet and flew to the entrance of the City of Miracles within Daxia's borders.
Stepping off the jet, he waved to the pilot.
That jet was quite a thrill; he would have to find time to learn how to fly one and do it himself next time.
Mental strength cultivation, piloting, and even mining techniques—there were far too many things waiting for him to learn.
'Wait, it seems Xuan Chu and the others can also command. Why not have them learn and then lead the skeleton soldiers to mine?' Chen Xu thought, finding the idea very feasible.
He sent a message to Xuan Chu, instructing him to take 《The Daxia Encyclopedia of Basic Labor Instruction》 from the bookshelf in the lord's room of the Overlord's Castle to study it, and then command the skeleton soldiers to mine.
After making the arrangements, Chen Xu arrived at the entrance. He saw that the entrance to the City of Miracles was actually divided into two lanes: one for first-timers and one for veterans.
There was a clerk nearby, so Chen Xu walked up. "Hello, may I ask why there are two dungeon entrances? Is there some reason for this?"
The clerk looked up at Chen Xu and saw a new face. "The City of Miracles uses an overlapping entrance. Once you go in, remember not to linger at the door. Move forward to the open street to avoid causing a blockage."
"An overlapping entrance?"
"It means multiple worlds connect to the City of Miracles through the same point. You can think of it like a bus stop. It is not just Daxia's bus coming through. If you do not leave quickly after getting off, you will block the platform and affect passengers from other buses."
"I see."
"You must remember this. The regulations in the City of Miracles are very strict regarding blockages. Even a minor violation will bring the enforcement squads. If you do not have the money to pay the fine, you will be taken away for labor reform."
The clerk's words surprised Chen Xu. "The laws in the City of Miracles are that strict?"
After all, in Chen Xu's mind, a city with such a diverse population should have a facade of order while chaos was the true mainstream.
"Heh, on the surface it is the law, but in reality, it is just to squeeze out some profit." The clerk smiled disdainfully. "If you know some big merchant—actually, they do not even have to be big. Any merchant who can open a company there can bail you out and skip the fine."
"Does our Daxia have a company there? I heard that the Heavenly Crafts Academy often takes orders from that side." Chen Xu leaned in and whispered.
The clerk shook his head. "I have not heard of one. Operating a company there is not easy. Daxia's current focus probably is not on this place."
"Since we share the same entrance, how do we get back?"
"The teleportation point over there will record your soul fluctuations and link them to the Blue Star entrance. You do not need to worry about returning; the process is no different from any other dungeon.
The technology in the City of Miracles is far superior to Daxia's. If you see anything that looks backward, you better be careful—it is definitely a trap to steal your money!"
Seeing the clerk's face turning slightly red, Chen Xu did not feel like chatting further, fearing he might be triggering bad memories. He thanked the man and walked toward the entrance.
"Oh, right! Teleportation spells are forbidden there. You either walk or take one of their taxis. Remember not to use them recklessly!!!"
Chen Xu was already halfway into the dungeon entrance when the clerk's final warning reached him from behind.
The familiar sensation of a spatial jump washed over him. In the next instant, Chen Xu appeared on a street.
The road here was very dilapidated, with many missing bricks. Green, swaying tentacle-like creatures grew in the gaps, looking quite unsettling.
A sudden spatial ripple came from behind, and Chen Xu quickly jogged forward. He had heard the clerk's final warning; otherwise, he might have instinctively cast Teleport and ended up paying an unknown amount in fines.
He walked to an open space ahead and looked back at where he had entered.
It was a small, green, rectangular room that could be described as either a telephone booth or a public restroom.
The door opened, and a humanoid creature teleported out.
Chen Xu confirmed it: this was indeed a teleportation point converted from a public restroom.
The humanoid creature stepped out and walked straight to the left. Chen Xu looked around and saw nothing but desolation, so he followed the creature.
Hearing Chen Xu's footsteps, the humanoid creature glanced back. The hair on its head, which had been drooping, suddenly stood on end.
Startled by the creature's hair standing up, Chen Xu froze in place.
"First time here?" Seeing Chen Xu's reaction, the humanoid sent a soul message.
"Yes."
"Fura Star, Rachel." Rachel extended a hand—or rather, a tentacle.
"Uh, Blue Star, Chen Xu." Chen Xu looked at the tentacle Rachel offered, unsure of how to respond.
Rachel retracted the tentacle and signaled for Chen Xu to follow. "On Fura Star, the greeting ritual is to extend both hands and touch them lightly."
"Newbie, your timing is unfortunate. A big shot in the city downgraded this entrance a few days ago. It was dumped here in this undeveloped wasteland." Rachel stopped suddenly and looked back at Chen Xu. "This wasteland is not under the jurisdiction of the City of Miracles enforcement squads. Therefore, what you were just doing was very dangerous."
Then he continued walking forward.
Soon, the two arrived before a door. A door appearing in this wasteland was quite abrupt.
"Did you bring the entry fee? Entering from the wasteland requires paying an entry fee once. Or, you can choose not to pay it now, but you must make a purchase in the city later. Otherwise, you will not be able to return to your original world."
"Huh? There is a rule like that?" Chen Xu was astonished; the clerk at the entrance had not mentioned this.
"If you had come a few days ago, of course not. But now that the entrance has been downgraded to the wasteland, you naturally have to pay. The City of Miracles... heh, it is better to call it the City of Merchants. Maintaining these entrances is a significant expense. Those big merchants have specialized teams that grade the worlds connected to each entrance.
When your world's consumption does not meet the standard within a cycle, it gets downgraded."
Even though the clerk's red face had given Chen Xu some mental preparation, what Rachel said still shocked him.
"Don't worry, the entry fee is only 5 Miracle coins. If you do not have them, I suggest you go back now. Being penniless in the City of Miracles might be more dangerous than exploring hell." Rachel looked at Chen Xu with a strange smile.
Then, Rachel pushed the door open with a tentacle and stepped inside.
Chen Xu followed closely. After all, he had come for the dungeon space fragments. Even if the City of Miracles was infested with crooked merchants, he had to grit his teeth and prepare to be fleeced for the sake of his advancement.
The scene inside the door was entirely different.
Skyscrapers towered here, and the sky was filled with various pipes connecting the buildings. The ground was packed with people, teeming with creatures Chen Xu did not recognize. There were also many taxis waiting for passengers by the roadside. Not far ahead was a luxuriously decorated teleportation point.
Those teleporting in from there were even guided by intelligent robots.
"Welcome to the City of Miracles! Today is another day full of hope. Dear guest, please pay the entry fee of 5 Miracle coins!"
Nearby, a robot consisting of only a head floated over.
Chen Xu pulled out five Miracle coins and tossed them into its mouth.
"Payment successful! We wish you a pleasant day." After collecting the fee, the robot flew back to a nearby trash can and entered sleep mode.
Since the entrance location had changed, the map and route Chen Xu held were now useless.
He had no choice but to walk up to a taxi and knock on the window. "How much to the Wanbao Pavilion?"
The window rolled down, revealing another robot inside. Its eyes flashed, and a number 2 appeared.
"Two Miracle coins? That is fair." Chen Xu opened the door and got in.
The robot signaled Chen Xu to fasten his seatbelt. It slammed on the gas, the engine roared, and the vehicle launched forward. Looking out the window, Chen Xu could see only a blur.
"These City of Miracles taxis really have some kick."
Rate on N.U.
