Heading to the Lower City

Sampo's sudden move, throwing a lot of smoke bombs with hypnotic properties, really caught everyone off guard, except for Theresa and Dan Heng.

After all, Dan Heng had sensed something was off about Sampo from the beginning, and with Theresa, an Envoy of Joy, present, Sampo's distinctive, fun-loving demeanor naturally made him pay extra attention.

At this moment, Bronya and Gepard were struggling against the heavy sleepiness, glaring at Sampo, while all the other Iron Cavalry had collapsed on the ground, fast asleep. March 7th and Stelle had also fallen asleep, leaving only Sampo, Theresa, and Dan Heng unaffected.

"To be clear, Sampo did this on his own; we had no idea."

Theresa explained to a drowsy Bronya and Dan Heng, who nodded warily at Sampo.

"Oh dear, that truly chills my heart to hear! It was so hard for me to escape. By the time I prepared some self-defense gadgets, I saw you all surrounded by the Iron Cavalry. And how could Sampo, a friend worried about his friends in trouble, just stand by?"

"So, poof, very quickly! I pulled out smoke bombs and took down the Iron Cavalry. I never expected my Sampo to be disliked by his friends~"

Sampo cried out with a deliberately mournful face.

"I can't believe you escaped even after that, you..."

Gepard glared at Sampo, but before he could finish speaking, he couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed into sleep. Bronya, wanting to say something more, also succumbed to the overwhelming drowsiness and fell asleep.

"Alright, no need to be wary of me anymore. I am Sampo from the Lower City. In a way, I'm a merchant."

Sampo explained cheerfully to Theresa and Dan Heng.

"A merchant? You call this being a merchant?"

Dan Heng pointed at the large group of sleeping Iron Cavalry on the ground and retorted.

"After all, the phonetic translation of 'merchant' is 'harming people,' right?"

Theresa also smiled and stepped forward, facing Sampo with a grin.

"Hehehe, what a cold joke."

"Never mind that. You understand the situation now, right? You're currently wanted by the Supreme Guardian, that woman Cocolia. If you continue to stay in the Upper City, you'll face an endless stream of Iron Cavalry coming to arrest you. And I can see you can't bring yourself to kill the Iron Cavalry, as the biggest source of the problem is that woman Cocolia."

"So your only remaining option is to come with me to the Lower City and meet the leader of the Underworld Fire. Because in the Lower City, the Underworld Fire fights against the Iron Cavalry and those Abyss Monsters."

"Ever since that Supreme Guardian took office, things were actually quite good at first. But later, she changed. She issued a new decree, withdrawing all Iron Cavalry stationed in the Lower City to the Upper City."

"This decision dealt a huge blow to the citizens of the Lower City. Without the Iron Cavalry to protect them, how would they deal with the Abyss Monsters roaming the Lower City?"

"So, everyone united and decided to fight the Abyss Monsters themselves, and that's how the Underworld Fire was formed."

"Never mind, all this talk is useless. The leader of the Underworld Fire, Oleg, will explain it to you. For now, our only enemy is one: that Supreme Guardian."

Sampo explained, looking at the pensive Theresa and Dan Heng.

"Do you think words mixed with truth and lies can move us?"

"Remember in the snowfield before, you tried to sell us out and escape alone? If not for that, I wouldn't have had to bind you with Judah's chains."

Theresa said, looking at Sampo, who was smiling awkwardly.

"But you handed me over to the Iron Cavalry to be dealt with and locked me up. I guess that evens things out, right?"

Sampo said with a bitter smile, looking at Theresa and Dan Heng. This was the first time he had messed up in front of Theresa, and the first time he had been caught by the Iron Cavalry. If Gepard hadn't ordered him to be guarded, he feared he would have been severely punished by the Iron Cavalry.

"It seems we don't have any other options now. This is the only path laid out before us: heading to the Lower City."

Dan Heng also thought about it. In the end, he felt this was indeed the most hassle-free option.

"Mhm, but who can drive? And isn't the road leading to the Lower City sealed off?"

Theresa asked Sampo, putting away Judah.

"I'll do it! I can drive. This train is powered by Geodough. I recently got some Geodough and added it to the fuel chamber. It should be able to make the trip down. As for those chains, Theresa, my dear, your weapon seems quite capable. You try?"

"I'll drive, and you break the sealing chains?"

Sampo rubbed his hands together like a fly, grinning fawningly at Theresa.

"Mhm, I guess that works. I plan to stand on top of the train. With my petite figure, I shouldn't hit my head."

Theresa said helplessly. After all, she was indeed short. Her current height was the same as Theresa's, 1.45 meters, a legally loli.

"Then it's decided. Brother Dan Heng, shall we get on the train first?"

Sampo smiled and asked Dan Heng, who was still warily watching him. Dan Heng nodded and walked into the train first. Sampo didn't immediately get into the train to drive, but to Theresa and Dan Heng's astonished gazes, he actually collected all the Iron Cavalry's weapons and put them into the train.

"Hehe, since we're here anyway. And we're enemies with the Iron Cavalry now, is this too much? Besides, I haven't stripped their uniforms yet, to prevent them from freezing."

Sampo chuckled happily. Dan Heng and Theresa looked at him helplessly as he stripped the Iron Cavalry of their weapons, not even sparing Bronya's gun, and happily hugged them to his chest, placing them on the train floor.

"Mhm, Sampo's right. Since we're here anyway, but how about taking a hostage to make Cocolia hesitate?"

Theresa said with a wise smile. Then, to Sampo and Dan Heng's astonished gazes, she picked up the sleeping Bronya and placed her on a train seat, even thoughtfully buying a thin blanket from the Herta Store to cover her, preventing the girl from catching a chill.

"You're something else, Theresa. I thought you wouldn't do anything reckless. I was overthinking it."

Dan Heng complained helplessly, sitting not far from Bronya. He was responsible for watching the sleeping Bronya, lest she suddenly wake up and cause trouble.

"Mhm, then I'll leave her in your care, Dan Heng. Now, Teruriri, prepare for launch!"

Theresa jumped forcefully, and to Sampo's surprise, leaped onto the train, taking out Judah and setting it up beside her.

"Those sealing chains are up to you, my dear. Lower City train, engage~"

Sampo excitedly drove the long-stalled train, which started moving again. The train roared to life. Sampo ran to the engine room, sweating profusely as he shoveled Geodough into the glowing hot furnace. This rudimentary technology provided power to the train, and the various facilities inside began to operate.

"Rumble rumble."

The train began to move. The chains blocking the way ahead snapped with a single flick of Judah's Oath Soulsteel spear, posing no threat at all.

Daily teaser image. In the night♂️~