Arrival at Bronze City

The three-day trip was uneventful.

The caravan traveled eastward along the ancient trade route, traveling by day and camping at night.

Lu Yuan spent most of his time sitting in the carriage, holding the Sandworm Bone Flute in his hand, practicing intermittently.

Breath control, fingering switching, and melody transitions.

Every detail needs to be carefully considered until it becomes muscle memory.

Herman would occasionally glance back at him, but he said nothing.

At the edge of my field of vision, grayish-white text flickers intermittently:

[Ancient Music Theory: +0.1...1.3/10]

[Ancient Music Theory: +0.1...1.4/10]

Progress is slow, but it's better than nothing.

On the morning of the third day, the caravan entered a strange Stone Forest.

The Stone Forest appears much larger than it does from a distance.

Huge rock pillars rise from the ground, some tens of meters high, others seven or eight meters high.

They come in various shapes; some resemble fingers, while others look like some kind of twisted creature.

The wind howled through the rock pillars, as if something was crying.

The caravan traveled through the Stone Forest at a much faster pace than yesterday.

No one spoke; the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.

Lu Yuan noticed that even in broad daylight, something could be faintly wriggling in the shadows of those rock pillars.

At the edge of my field of vision, gray and white text flickers:

[Environmental Perception: A weak Source of Pollution has been detected. Do not look directly at it.]

Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze and looked at the road ahead.

Some things are better left unseen.

"Don't look around," Herman whispered. "Keep your eyes on the front, don't stop, just go straight through."

Lu Yuan nodded.

The carriage swayed and lurched forward, its wheels crunching over the gravel.

About two hours later, the caravan finally emerged from the Stone Forest.

The scenery before my eyes has changed.

It's neither a desert nor the Gobi.

It is a forest.

The trees were tall and dense, their branches and leaves blocking out the sun and casting dappled shadows on the ground.

The air became humid, carrying the scent of earth and decaying leaves.

This is a completely different world from the desert.

"Beyond the Stone Forest lies the oasis," Herman explained. "This area is close to Bronze City, with abundant groundwater, which is why such a large forest can grow here."

He pointed ahead.

"By passing through this forest, we'll reach Bronze City."

The caravan entered the forest.

There was a wide dirt road in the woods, clearly worn out by years of walking. Some of the trees on both sides of the road had been cut down to let the sunlight in.

Even so, Lu Yuan could still sense that something was watching them from those dark corners.

At the edge of my field of vision, grayish-white text flickers intermittently:

[Environmental Perception: Source of Pollution detected]

[Environmental Perception: Signs of abnormal biological activity detected]

[Environmental Perception:...]

The notifications were frequent, but Lu Yuan didn't check them.

He simply stared ahead, remaining silent like everyone else.

The caravan quickened its pace.

The carriage bumped along the dirt road through the woods, its wheels rustling over fallen leaves.

After walking for about three more hours, the light ahead suddenly brightened.

The woods have ended.

The caravan emerged from the forest, revealing a wide-open plain.

At the edge of the plain stood a massive city.

Lu Yuan sat up straight.

Bronze City.

He finally saw it.

It was a massive city entirely cast from metal.

The city wall is extremely high and thick, gleaming with a dark metallic luster under the sunlight. The wall is covered with large patches of mottled green rust, exuding an ancient and majestic aura.

As the carriage drew closer, the details on the city wall gradually became clearer.

Lu Yuan saw that the surface of the city wall was covered with dense runes and patterns.

The runes were arranged in an extremely orderly fashion, stretching from the bottom to the top of the city wall, like some kind of huge Formation.

At the edge of vision, grayish-white text appeared:

[Target for detection: Bronze City (ancient ruins)]

[Forged from a mixture of bronze, Holy Silver, and various unknown metals, and inscribed with Formation, it possesses the effect of repelling/isolating abnormal entities.]

"Bronze City," Herman's voice came, tinged with a touch of melancholy, "One of the largest cities in the western part of the entire empire, and also one of the safest."

He paused, then added:

"Of course, it's also the most dangerous."

How so?

"The walls can keep out the strange, but they can't keep out people's hearts." Herman exhaled a puff of smoke. "This place gathers the most wealth, the greatest power, and the most complex forces in the entire West. The Church, the Night Watcher, the nobles, the Merchants' Guild... each with their own agenda."

He glanced at Lu Yuan.

"At least with bizarre murders, you can see it. But with human murders, you don't even know how you died."

Lu Yuan did not respond.

How was this city built?

"A masterpiece created with the combined efforts of the entire nation in ancient times"

"Herman said, "It is said that it took tens of thousands of craftsmen and thirty years to build."

He pointed to the city wall.

"The material is bronze, along with some other metals, mixed together according to a special formula. The formula has long been lost, and no one can replicate it now."

"How many materials must this have consumed?" Lu Yuan looked at the city before him and couldn't help but sigh.

"Who knows?" Herman nodded. "And the runes on the city walls are also crucial. It's said that they were carved by the empire's top engravers over ten years, and every stroke and line is carefully considered."

"Materials and runes are both indispensable."

Lu Yuan remained silent for a moment.

"So this city can keep out the supernatural?"

"It's not just isolation," Herman said. "Even the eerie don't dare approach. Have you noticed that once we came out of the forest, that feeling of being watched disappeared?"

Lu Yuan thought about it and agreed.

From the moment we left the forest, the gray text on the edge of our vision fell silent.

There was no Source of Pollution, no unusual organisms, nothing at all.

"The closer you get to Bronze City, the safer it is," Herman said. "That's why it became the largest trading hub in the entire West."

The caravan continued on its way.

The outline of the Bronze City became clearer and larger.

Lu Yuan then realized that the city was much larger than he had imagined.

The city wall appears to be at least thirty meters high, and its thickness is comparable.

The city gates were two enormous metal gates, also covered with runes, which required a huge mechanical winch to open.

Outside the city walls, there is a dense cluster of buildings.

Wooden and stone structures, arranged at varying heights and in close proximity.

Shops, residences, inns, taverns—all sorts of signs swayed in the wind.

The streets were bustling with people.

"This is the Outer City," Herman explained. "The inner city is inside the city walls. The Outer City is inhabited by ordinary residents and visiting merchants, while the inner city is the territory of nobles, officials, and the church."

What's required to enter the inner city?

"A pass, or a guarantor with proper identification," Herman said. "If you have the Night Watcher badge, it should be fine."

Lu Yuan nodded.

The caravan entered the Outer City and stopped on a wide street.

"We've arrived." Herman jumped off the carriage and stretched. "Next, I have to deliver goods and handle some business matters. What about you?"

"Go to the Night Watcher outhouse."

"The Night Watcher?" Herman glanced at him, then nodded. "Indeed, after being missing for so long, he should report for duty."

He pointed in the east direction.

"The Night Watcher outhouse is in the east, and the Merchants' Guild I'm going to is in the west. Let's part ways here."

Herman paused.

"The payment I promised you before was supposed to be sent to the Night Watcher, but it's too late this time."

"No rush."

Lu Yuan slung his bag over his shoulder and prepared to leave.

"Etc."

Herman called out to him.

"The caravan will stay in the Outer City for a few days." He pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to me. "You can come find me if you need anything. Camel Tavern, third floor."

Lu Yuan took it and put it in his pocket.

"Yes, if needed."

Herman nodded, waved, and drove the carriage westward.

Lu Yuan turned around and walked eastward.

The streets Outer City were bustling.

There are various shops on both sides.

Vendors hawk their wares on the street, displaying various vegetables or fresh milk.

The rickshaws were lined up neatly, waiting for their employers.

Carriages and pedestrians were crammed together, creating a noisy and chaotic scene.

Lu Yuan walked through the crowd.

But he noticed that something was off about the atmosphere.

There were more Night Watcher on the street than expected, in groups of three or five, their expressions serious, as if they were looking for someone.

Passersby also gathered in twos and threes, talking in hushed tones.

Lu Yuan didn't stop walking, but his ears perked up.

As he passed a tea stall, he overheard several people chatting.

"... Have you heard? Something happened again at the Tower of Erudition."

"What's up?"

"Missing. This is the third one this month."

"The Night Watcher doesn't care?"

"Why bother? Haven't you seen all those patrols on the streets? But what's the use? People still disappear."

"I heard that all the missing people are from the Alchemy Department..."

"Shh! Keep your voice down!"

Lu Yuan paused slightly.

Tower of Erudition.

Missing.

Alchemy Department.

The place he needed to deliver the letter was the Tower of Erudition.

The recipient Laurina, is also in the Tower of Erudition, Alchemy Department.

The timing is too coincidental.

Lu Yuan didn't stop and continued walking forward, but he had already started making plans in his mind.

Is he or she related to the disappearance?

Most likely not.

But what if something happens to Laurina too?

It's hard to say.

What should we do with this letter if she also disappears?

... Let's go to the Night Watcher first.

Before long, he saw his destination.

A three-story stone building with gray-white paint on the exterior walls and a silver badge hanging at the entrance.

The symbol of the Night Watcher.

Lu Yuan pushed open the door and went inside.

Inside was a spacious hall.

Several tables were set up in the corner, some people were engrossed in writing, and others were talking in hushed tones. On the wall hung several wanted posters and notices, as well as a map of Bronze City.

The atmosphere was somewhat tense.

Lu Yuan walked towards the innermost counter.

A middle-aged man, dressed in Night Watcher's uniform, sat behind the counter, flipping through a stack of documents.

His hair was gray, and he had several scars on his face, making him look like a veteran.

He looked up when he heard footsteps.

"What's up?"

Lu Yuan took off the badge from his chest and placed it on the counter.

"Check in."

The middle-aged man glanced at him, then looked at the badge.

"From outside?"

"Um."

The middle-aged man picked up the badge, turned it over, and looked at 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, turned, and walked through a small door behind the counter.

Lu Yuan stood still, without moving.

The other people in the hall occasionally cast glances at him, but quickly looked away.

Everyone is busy.