The journey of three days was uneventful.
The caravan traveled east along the ancient trade route, moving by day and camping by night.
Lu Yuan spent most of his time sitting on the carriage, practicing intermittently with the Sandworm Bone Flute in his hand.
Breath control, fingering transitions, melody flow.
He had to ponder every detail repeatedly until muscle memory formed.
Herman would occasionally look back at him, but he said nothing.
At the edge of his vision, greyish-white text skipped from time to time:
【Ancient Music Theory: +0.1...1.3/10】
【Ancient Music Theory: +0.1...1.4/10】
The progress was slow, but it was better than nothing.
On the morning of the third day, the caravan entered an eerie Stone Forest.
The Stone Forest was much larger than it appeared from a distance.
Massive rock pillars rose from the ground; the tall ones were dozens of meters high, while the short ones were seven or eight meters.
They were of various shapes—some looked like fingers, while others resembled some kind of twisted creature.
The wind traveled between the stone pillars, making a wailing sound like something was crying.
The caravan moved through the Stone Forest, its speed much faster than the day before.
No one spoke, and the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.
Lu Yuan noticed that even in broad daylight, something seemed to be faintly writhing in the shadows of those rock pillars.
At the edge of his vision, greyish-white text skipped:
【Environmental Perception: Weak source of pollution detected; do not look directly.】
Lu Yuan retracted his gaze and looked at the road ahead.
Some things were better left unseen.
"Don't look around," Herman said in a low voice. "Keep your eyes forward, don't stop, and pass through in one go."
Lu Yuan nodded.
The carriage wobbled forward, the wheels crunching over the gravel with a clattering sound.
About four hours later, the caravan finally emerged from the Stone Forest.
The scenery before them changed.
It was not a desert, nor was it a stony wasteland.
It was a forest.
The trees were tall and dense, their branches and leaves blotting out the sun, casting mottled shadows on the ground.
The air became humid, carrying the scent of soil and decaying leaves.
This was a completely different world from the desert.
"Beyond the Stone Forest is the oasis belt," Herman explained. "This area is close to Bronze City and has plenty of groundwater, so a large forest can grow here."
He pointed forward.
"Cross this forest, and we'll be at Bronze City."
The caravan drove into the forest.
There was a wide dirt road between the trees, clearly formed by years of travel; the trees on both sides of the road had been cleared slightly to let sunlight in.
Even so, Lu Yuan could still feel something watching them from the dark corners.
At the edge of his vision, greyish-white text skipped from time to time:
【Environmental Perception: Pollution source detected】
【Environmental Perception: Signs of anomalous creature activity detected】
【Environmental Perception: ...】
The prompts were frequent, but Lu Yuan did not look at them.
He simply stared ahead, remaining silent like everyone else.
The caravan quickened its pace.
The carriage bumped along the dirt road in the forest, the wheels rustling over fallen leaves.
After traveling for another six hours or so, the light ahead suddenly brightened.
The forest had come to an end.
The caravan drove out of the forest, and before them was an open plain.
And at the end of the plain stood a massive city.
Lu Yuan sat up straight.
Bronze City.
He finally saw it.
It was a massive city cast entirely from metal.
The city walls were extremely high and thick, shimmering with a dull metallic luster under the sun. The walls were covered in large patches of mottled green rust, exuding an air of ancient majesty.
As the carriage drew closer, the details on the city walls gradually became clear.
Lu Yuan saw that the surface of the city walls was covered with dense runes and patterns.
Those runes were arranged extremely neatly, extending from the bottom of the wall to the very top, looking like some massive array.
At the edge of his vision, greyish-white text emerged:
【Target Detected: Bronze City (Ancient Ruins)】
【Cast from bronze, sacred silver, and various unknown metals, and inscribed with arrays; it has the effect of repelling/isolating eerie existences.】
"Bronze City." Herman's voice came, tinged with a bit of emotion. "One of the largest cities in the entire western part of the Empire, and also the safest."
He paused and added:
"Of course, it's also the most dangerous."
"How so?"
"The walls can stop the eerie, but they can't stop the human heart." Herman exhaled a puff of smoke. "This place gathers the most wealth, the greatest power, and the most complex factions in the entire west. The church, the Nightwatchers, nobles, merchant chambers... everyone has their own schemes."
He glanced at Lu Yuan.
"When an eerie kills, at least you can see it. When a human kills, you don't even know how you died."
Lu Yuan did not respond.
"How was this city built?"
"A masterpiece of national effort in ancient times," Herman said. "It's said that ten thousand craftsmen were employed back then, and it took thirty years to complete."
He pointed to the city walls.
"The material is bronze, mixed with other metals according to a special formula. The formula has long been lost; no one can replicate it now."
"How much material must this have consumed?" Lu Yuan looked at the city before him, unable to help but marvel.
"Heaven knows." Herman nodded. "And the runes on the walls are also key. It's said that the top inscriptionists of the Empire spent ten years carving them; every stroke and every line is deliberate."
"Materials and runes—neither can be lacking."
Lu Yuan was silent for a moment.
"So this city can isolate the eerie?"
"It's more than just isolation," Herman said. "The eerie don't even dare to approach. Have you noticed? Since we came out of the forest, that feeling of being watched has vanished."
Lu Yuan thought about it; it was indeed true.
Since driving out of the forest, the grey text at the edge of his vision had been quiet.
No pollution sources, no anomalous creatures, nothing.
"The closer you get to Bronze City, the safer it becomes," Herman said. "That's why this place can become the largest trading hub in the entire west."
The caravan continued forward.
The silhouette of Bronze City grew clearer and larger.
Only then did Lu Yuan realize that this city was even more massive than he had imagined.
The height of the city walls was at least thirty meters by visual estimation, and the thickness was no less impressive.
The city gates were two massive metal portcullises, similarly covered in runes, requiring huge mechanical winches to open.
Outside the city walls, there was also a dense ring of buildings.
Wooden, stone, high and low, rows upon rows.
Shops, residences, inns, and taverns, with various signs swaying in the wind.
People were coming and going on the streets, making it very lively.
"This is the outer city," Herman explained. "Inside the walls is the inner city. The outer city is where ordinary residents and visiting merchants live; the inner city is the territory of nobles, officials, and the church."
"What is needed to enter the inner city?"
"A pass, or a guarantee from someone of status," Herman said. "If you have a Nightwatchers badge, it should be no problem."
Lu Yuan nodded.
The caravan drove into the outer city and stopped on a wide street.
"We're here." Herman jumped off the carriage and stretched. "Next, I have to deliver the goods and handle business matters. What about you?"
"To the Nightwatchers base."
"Nightwatchers?" Herman glanced at him, then nodded. "Makes sense. Having been missing for so long, you should go report in."
He pointed toward the east.
"The Nightwatchers base is to the east, and the merchant chamber I'm going to is to the west, so we'll part ways here."
Herman paused.
"The reward I promised you before will be sent to the Nightwatchers later; there's no time for it now."
"No rush."
Lu Yuan shouldered his bag, preparing to leave.
"Wait."
Herman called out to him.
"The caravan will stay in the outer city for a few days." He fished a slip of paper from his robe and handed it over. "If anything comes up, you can find me at the Camel Tavern, third floor."
Lu Yuan took it and tucked it into his robe.
"I will if I need to."
Herman nodded, waved his hand, and drove the carriage toward the west.
Lu Yuan turned and walked toward the east.
The streets of the outer city were very lively.
There were various shops on both sides.
Vendors hawked on the streets, displaying various vegetables or fresh milk.
Rickshaws were lined up neatly, waiting for customers.
Carriages and pedestrians crowded together, noisy and chaotic.
Lu Yuan navigated through the crowd.
But he noticed that the atmosphere was a bit off.
There were more Nightwatchers on the streets than expected, in groups of three or five, with serious expressions, as if they were looking for someone.
Passersby were also gathered in small groups, talking in low voices.
Lu Yuan did not stop his pace, but his ears perked up.
As he passed a tea stall, he heard several people chatting.
"...Did you hear? Something happened at the Polymath Tower again."
"What happened?"
"Disappearances. The third one this month."
"The Nightwatchers aren't doing anything?"
"They are. Haven't you seen all the patrols on the streets? But what's the use? People still keep disappearing."
"I heard the ones missing are all from the Alchemy Department..."
"Shh! Lower your voice!"
Lu Yuan's footsteps paused slightly.
Polymath Tower.
Disappearances.
Alchemy Department.
The place he had to deliver the letter was precisely the Polymath Tower.
The recipient, Laurina, was also at the Polymath Tower, in the Alchemy Department.
This timing was a bit too coincidental.
Lu Yuan did not stop and continued forward, but his mind had already begun to calculate.
Did the disappearance cases have anything to do with him?
Probably not.
But could something have happened to Laurina as well?
It was hard to say.
If she had also disappeared, how should he handle this letter?
...He would go to the Nightwatchers first and see.
Before long, he saw his destination.
A three-story stone building, its outer walls painted greyish-white, with a silver badge hanging over the door.
The symbol of the Nightwatchers.
Lu Yuan pushed the door and walked in.
Inside was a spacious hall.
A few tables were set in the corners; some people were buried in paperwork, while others were talking in low voices. Several wanted posters and notices hung on the walls, along with a map of Bronze City.
The atmosphere was somewhat tense.
Lu Yuan walked toward the counter at the very back.
Behind the counter sat a middle-aged man in a Nightwatchers uniform, flipping through a stack of documents.
His hair was greying, and there were several scars on his face; he looked like a veteran.
Hearing footsteps, he looked up.
"What is it?"
Lu Yuan took off the badge from his chest and placed it on the counter.
"Reporting in."
The middle-aged man glanced at him, then at the badge.
"From out of town?"
"Yes."
The middle-aged man picked up the badge and turned it over to check the number on the back.
"West-02137..."
He frowned, seemingly unfamiliar with the number.
"Wait here for a moment. I'll go to the back to verify."
He took the badge and turned into a small door behind the counter.
Lu Yuan stood in place, motionless.
The other people in the hall occasionally cast a few glances at him, but quickly looked away.
Everyone was busy.
Rate on N.U.
