Underground City

Times changed, and people changed with them!

The biography of Flameburner Norman Martin had long since lost even half a cent's connection to the present Flame-Burners Association.

The Flameburners of today had transformed from a great local organization that rose up to resist foreign invaders into a tiny border faction serving Wizards and Warlocks.

"Oh, right! Eno! The organization's main divisions are Scholars, Explorers, and Flameburners. Which division are you planning to join?" After finishing the history lesson, Johnny Green sighed with emotion for a moment, then abruptly changed the subject and asked Yin Ming.

"You tell me first—which division are you in? That way, I can eliminate it first," Yin Ming said after a pause.

"Explorers! We're the advance scouts. Whenever an abnormal situation is detected, we're the ones who go ahead first to investigate and gather intelligence." Johnny Green had grown used to Yin Ming's way of speaking. After a brief pause, he continued explaining.

"Scholars are responsible for appraisal and decipherment. You must master at least three languages. Besides Wizard Script and demonic language, you must also be proficient in the language of one lost civilization."

"Flameburners have to pass a combat assessment. At minimum, they need the strength of an intermediate Wizard Apprentice, a constitution surpassing that of a Grand Knight, and proficiency with all kinds of weapons. It is the organization's core combat division."

Yin Ming: "..."

Explorers—the scouts of the supernatural world.

Exploring the unknown and the mysterious was their proper duty.

Forget a One-Ring Abyssal Quasit. With bad luck, they might even run into a seven-ring evil god.

More dangerous than danger itself was uncertainty. I'll eliminate the Explorers first. Clever as I am.

The Flameburners' requirements were a little easier to meet. If he stretched, he could probably reach them. But as a combat division, their casualty rate definitely would not be low.

Scholars were undoubtedly the best choice: low risk, plus free access to knowledge of ruins. But he was still short one lost civilization's language.

"Excuse me... are there any divisions with secondary duties?" A thought suddenly struck Yin Ming, and he asked.

"Yes! The Logistics Department. As long as you're a Potionmaster or an Alchemist, you qualify. But you won't receive merit points every month, and you won't enjoy the internal benefits of the Flame-Burners Association," Johnny Green said.

Yin Ming: "..."

Wasn't this just a temporary outside hire with no salary and no insurance?

Besides, if he could not enjoy the Flame-Burners Association's benefits, and could only exchange for relic products after breaking through to become a One-Ring Wizard, then what the hell was the point of joining?

"..."

"Gentlemen! Landon Royal City is just ahead!" The coachman flicked his whip and called out a reminder.

The carriage rested overnight at a relay station. Around noon the next day, it sped through sparse woods, and the view abruptly opened up before a magnificent giant city appeared ahead.

A white-stone clock tower rose a hundred feet high, carved with intricate patterns. Its bells gave off a deep, rumbling roar. Buildings stood jagged as dog teeth, gray cobblestones paved the roads in orderly rows, and steam cars crossed paths with horse-drawn carriages.

"Eno, I've never seen anything this..."

Yin Ming took one look and withdrew his gaze, not particularly astonished.

The mortal technology of this world was not low. Building a city like this was no surprise; it had merely stagnated for several centuries, with all knowledge being wealth left behind by those who came before.

"Coachman, stop here. We're not entering the royal city."

Johnny Green found this terribly dull. He led Yin Ming to a somber ancient castle, surrounded by an eerie mist. Those with mental power too weak could not discover the castle beneath the mist; they could neither walk in nor walk out.

They kept descending stone steps, yet the light grew stranger and brighter.

Until, several hundred meters underground, a miniature town appeared before them.

The houses stood in neat rows. Apart from the low residential homes, distinctive stone structures rose at its core.

"Eno! Welcome to the Flame-Burners Association's underground city!!"

At last, Johnny Green saw a flicker of surprise on Yin Ming's face.

However, Yin Ming was not surprised by the underground city itself. Supernaturals were supposed to be capable of things mortals could not do. Carving out an underground city was hardly some grand feat.

The underground space was roughly three hundred meters high. It was not a fragment world, a minor plane, or a mustard-seed space.

The ceiling resembled the stalactites of a karst cave, yet no artificial sun hung above. Where did this bizarre light come from? It was as though it had emerged from the void itself.

"That black building belongs to the Explorers. That barrel-shaped building belongs to the Scholars. That sword-shaped building, the tallest one, belongs to the Flameburners..."

"That building with the statue belongs to the Logistics Department. It is also the merit exchange point, as well as the place where the organization trades with outside Wizards."

Johnny Green began introducing the more important places in the underground city to Yin Ming.

He guessed that Yin Ming would most likely choose the Logistics Department. Sharp-minded people generally did not like taking risks.

That was only human nature. After all, Yin Ming was a Wizard Apprentice. There was no point envying him.

As long as Wizard Apprentices possessed a complete inheritance, they all had a chance of becoming One-Ring Wizards.

Unlike bloodline Warlocks like him, who needed to accumulate enough merit points and exchange them for Bloodline Potions to develop the power of their bloodline if they wanted to break through to One-Ring.

"If you join the Explorers, I can make the decision for you right now. For the other divisions, you'll have to rely on your own strength."

"As for joining... the Logistics Department, you'll need Anthony's certification."

"You'll have to prove that you're a Potionmaster or an Alchemist. If you fail, he'll recommend that you become an apprentice. Don't pay him—he'll pocket at least half the price difference."

With that, Johnny Green tossed Yin Ming an identification plate. After a pause, he continued, "I have to return to the camp and report the mission now. When I have time, I'll buy you a drink."

"See you around!"

"..."

Johnny Green left quickly. Yin Ming walked to the center of the underground city, where the four buildings stood before him.

Yin Ming did not head toward the luxurious palace. Instead, he walked toward the cylindrical Scholars' building.

Inside, it was cold and deserted. The bookshelves were packed with books—thousands, even tens of thousands of times more than the Adams Lineage's study.

Yin Ming casually pulled out a black-covered book and opened it. It turned out to be a novel about a knight rescuing a princess.

He opened another one. It was some insipid illustrated tale of secret court affairs.

Then he opened another. It was another...

"Stop flipping through them! Knowledge is more valuable than gold. Do you think you can turn over gold in the desert?"

At a desk by the window, an elderly man with white hair and beard, sporting a large beard, pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses as he examined a stone tablet inscribed with markings.

He took a sip of black tea and asked without looking up, "Appraising an antique: thirty Element Crystals per item. Translating ancient text: one Element Crystal per character. If you want to study under a master, turn left and walk thirty steps."

Having walked all the way here, Yin Ming naturally knew that thirty steps to the left was an inn. Was this old man telling him to keep dreaming?

He returned the illustrated book to the shelf exactly as it had been, then shook his head. "No appraisal, no translation, no apprenticeship. I'm here to be certified as a Scholar."