Crossing Over Again

Crossing Over Again

It was a small, isolated bedroom, with sturdy doors on both sides secured by iron bars.

The cobwebs in the corners, dust on the floor, abandoned kerosene lamp, and everything else showed that no one had lived here for a long time.

At a certain moment.

The empty space in the middle of the room rippled like water, and a figure stepped through the ripples and silently appeared.

It was Karl!

Holding a broadsword, Karl cautiously surveyed his surroundings before slowly approaching the door and lifting the iron bar.

"Creak..."

The rusty iron door scraped against the floor with a faint sound, causing him to pause.

"I really don't want to come here!"

After leaving the room and looking up at the sky, Karl's mood sank despite his lack of absolute sanity.

Gray fog blotted out the sky, making it impossible to tell whether it was day or night.

All he could vaguely make out was a shattered crimson star hanging in the sky, unchanged from beginning to end.

It was like this every time he came.

The "moon" of this world did not move with the passage of time. It had even usurped the authority of the blazing sun.

The Shattered Crimson Moon and the unchanging starry sky both proved that he was no longer in his original world.

It was not only the sky that was cold and gloomy, but also the aura constantly seeping into his body.

This was Black City.

A place rich in Black Stone.

Judging from the pointed towers, stone buildings, and elaborate carvings everywhere, Black City had once been prosperous.

The standard of living for ordinary people had even surpassed that of Signo City.

However, after someone discovered the Black Stone Vein underground, the place gradually became a mining city.

The wealthy had fled long ago.

Those who remained became miners. Not only did they have to work, they also had to endure the invasion of the underground yin energy, living from one day to the next.

Karl tightened his belongings and strode forward with his broadsword. After only two steps, his eyes narrowed.

The corpse of some animal, whether wolf or dog, lay in the middle of the road, with several carrion flies buzzing around it.

Though it was merely a corpse, he remained extremely wary. He took a wide detour around it before continuing onward.

From time to time, hideous cracks of varying sizes could be seen in the road, like scars upon the earth.

They were said to have been caused by terrain changes from excessive mining, turning what had once been level ground into rugged, uneven land.

Smoke spewed from the cracks, sometimes scorching hot and sometimes bone-chillingly cold. Even a little contact would leave an ordinary person seriously ill, so they could only avoid them as much as possible.

There were also abandoned pits, pitch-black and leading straight underground.

The deserted alleys and barren houses seemed to conceal countless strange creatures watching the living outside.

Karl tensed up and moved swiftly yet silently. After passing through two blocks, he could finally see his destination in the distance.

"Phew..."

Letting out a breath, he sheathed his broadsword at the gesture of two men in black and stepped into a bustling, prosperous street packed with people.

Laka Market.

A market in Black City's upper district.

"Rat meat! Fresh rat meat that hasn't rotted! Half a Black Stone per portion!"

"Fine Calia Longswords! Sharp, lightweight, the best choice for killing those Undead Creatures..."

"Water! Filtered water, free of impurities! One Black Stone for ten liters..."

The vendors' cries rang out continuously, their enthusiasm tinged with helplessness.

Black City's residents lived in extremely harsh conditions. Mining had severely contaminated the underground water sources, and food was also in desperately short supply. Other than high-ranking mining supervisors, few people could eat fresh food.

Even rotten meat could end up on the dinner table.

"Kolon!"

Karl made his way to a stall with practiced ease, crouched down, and asked:

"You said last time that you had a way to get a Breathing Technique?"

Though they were two different worlds, they had many things in common, such as language, Breathing Techniques, and even similarities in their writing.

Perhaps.

These two worlds had come into contact long ago?

"It's you." Kolon was thin and gaunt. One of his eyes had been pecked out by a Nether Raven, so he wore an eyepatch all day.

Recognizing Karl, he grinned, exposing a mouthful of rotten teeth. His nauseating breath made Karl instinctively lean back.

"A Breathing Technique is the key for an ordinary person to become a knight. No family with a heritage would sell one casually."

"Yes."

Karl's expression did not change as he set the milk pail on the ground.

"Fresh milk!"

"Gulp..." Kolon swallowed and instinctively licked his lips, narrowing his eyes at Karl with a smile.

"My friend, you always manage to get good things. I can't even remember the last time I drank fresh milk."

"But..."

He shook his head and sighed.

"The person with the Breathing Technique doesn't want these things."

"Oh?"

Karl frowned.

"What does he want?"

"Shh..." Kolon leaned forward and lowered his voice.

"A way out of Black City."

"Karl, you can get fresh milk, so you can't be an ordinary person. Can you help someone leave Black City?"

"Heh..." Karl rolled his eyes.

"What do you think?"

"I can get food for other reasons. If I were truly important, would I come here looking for a Breathing Technique?"

Kolon fell silent.

That was true!

A real noble would never lack a Breathing Technique.

After a pause, he said:

"Madam Butterfly's caravan will depart in half a month. Joining her caravan costs two thousand Black Stones."

"That's the only way I know to leave Black City."

"Two thousand Black Stones?" Karl's expression darkened. Where could he get that many Black Stones? He shook his head bluntly.

"I can't afford it."

"Then there's nothing to be done." Kolon spread his hands.

"I want to make this deal too, but that person only wants to leave Black City. He isn't interested in food, so there's really no way around it."

"Hmph!"

Karl snorted and picked up the milk pail, preparing to leave.

"Wait!"

Kolon reached out and grabbed him, lowering his voice.

"Let me show you something good."

As he spoke, he furtively pulled a metal sleeve from behind him. After fiddling with it a little, it clicked sharply.

"Recognize it?"

"A Wrist Dart?"

Karl spoke uncertainly.

"That's right!"

Kolon nodded heavily.

"My friend, you really aren't ordinary. Only certain nobles recognize this thing. I had a hard time getting my hands on it myself."

"This Wrist Dart was made by a master craftsman. Its size can be adjusted to fit the arm, and it conceals three darts. Within seven steps, even a Knight Squire would find it difficult to dodge. If the darts are poisoned, it might even kill a knight."

"Besides the three darts included with the Wrist Dart, I'll give you another six for replacements after you use them."

Karl's eyes lit up.

He did not dare dream of killing a knight, but being able to deal with a Knight Squire was already enough for him.

"Of course." Kolon grinned.

"One pail of milk won't be enough if you want it."

Karl did not waste words. He took five pounds of cured meat from his person, then pointed at a mantel clock on the stall.

"I want that too."

"No problem."

Seeing that the deal had been made, Kolon looked delighted.

"My friend, you have a good eye. I got this mantel clock from a noble estate. Its outer layer is plated with gold."

"What a pity!" He sighed.

"A few decades ago, something like this would have been worth quite a bit. Now, it's not as practical as clean water."

Karl smiled.

He had his eye on the gold plating on the mantel clock. Even without the gold, it could still be sold as an artwork.

The mantel clock's intricate craftsmanship, gears, and engraved patterns possessed a unique beauty. It should fetch a good price in the other world.

(End of Chapter)