Luo Chuan and Yao Ziyan continued wandering through the city the dwarves called Steel City. Nothing like "the protagonist discovering a new dungeon and inevitably getting dragged into trouble" happened. Yao Ziyan even pulled Luo Chuan into a random tavern for a look, but the moment they entered, the two hurried back out as though fleeing for their lives.
"This is way too noisy."
Yao Ziyan looked back at the tavern doors with lingering fear. The instant they had entered, waves of sound almost solid enough to take shape had crashed head-on into them, comparable even to a magical Mental Impact. The tavern actually had soundproofing Magic Formations installed, while the air was thick with such an intense smell of alcohol that one could not help wondering whether tons of liquor had been splashed across the floor.
"Little girl, this isn't a place for you."
A rough voice suddenly sounded behind them. Luo Chuan and Yao Ziyan turned around—naturally, they saw nothing. Only when they looked down did they find the owner of the voice: a powerfully built dwarf, his muscles bulging in blocky masses as though they might burst through his skin.
His beard and hair were streaked with white, indicating that he was quite old. The two had finally found a way to judge a dwarf's age: by the color of their hair and beard. The whiter they were, the older the dwarf.
He carried a giant axe on his back, broad enough to serve as a door panel. Countless complex patterns were carved across its surface, likely Magic Inscriptions of some sort, capable of channeling magic or serving some other purpose. There were many master smiths among the dwarves.
Luo Chuan and Yao Ziyan studied this elder-like dwarf. The energy within him was extraordinarily powerful; by Kolo