Chapter 62: Land of Chaos, Abyssal Outpost

Darkness dominated this chaotic and intricate underground city. Light was limited to the dimly glowing, broken-down magic crystal lamps lining the cluttered streets and alleys.

Who would bother spending money to recharge these old devices? Perhaps only when they completely stopped working would someone reluctantly pay for their repair.

Amidst the disorderly crowd, a pair of nervous and cunning eyes had locked onto a new face wandering through Black Street No. 3.

𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Even though this newcomer had masked his face, his demeanor and style of walking was completely at odds with that of the underground city. Casual, leisurely, unhurried—clearly, he was either a new resident or some curious noble from the surface. Either way, he was easy prey, not to be missed.

No trace of magical energy, barely any fighting spirit—what gave this fool the courage to come here? If York didn’t profit from this opportunity, someone else surely would.

The small-statured figure licked his lips and revealed a twisted smile. Yorick was certain that this was his lucky day to have stumbled upon an easy mark in a place as chaotic as this.

There was no need to take the man's life. In this place, lives weren’t worth much. He wasn't some beautiful woman whom the street bosses might value. This weak and clueless man wouldn't have survived long here anyway.

Exhaling softly, York controlled his breathing. Fighting spirit infused his steps, subtly enhancing his movements and suppressing any sound.

His small frame and agile body wove expertly through the crowd. Ignoring the hostile glances from similarly masked figures, York quickly closed in on his prey.

A thin blade slid out from Yorick's fingers. His gaze fixed on the man’s waist pouch, which radiated a magical energy York recognized—a mana crystal card.

That was what he wanted. As for the man himself, York expected he would probably end up dead on the streets one of these days.

York sped up and slipped between a group of people. His soundless footsteps rapidly closed the distance to the calm and unwary figure.

His blade flashed and sliced at the pouch. In York's mind, the pouch would split open the very next moment, and the mana crystal card would end up in his hand.

A gloved hand shot backward, gripping York's arm with startling strength. His blade halted in mid-air, inches from the pouch, frozen in place.

York's pupils widened. The man hadn't even turned around, but had nevertheless caught York's arm mid-swing as if he had eyes on his back.

And the strength, damn it! Wasn't this guy supposed to be weaker than a beginner knight-in-training?

Wang Yu turned to find himself facing a gray-haired boy, small and scrawny, with fighting spirit barely at the level of a beginner knight-in-training.

The boy's eyes widened in fear, reflecting his inner turmoil. Would he fight, or would he flee?

In the end, York's eyes flashed. The fear in his eyes gave way to the ruthlessness of the underground.

He flicked his wrist, launching his blade at Wang Yu's eyes with fearsome speed.

Simultaneously, he dislocated his arm to free it from Wang Yu's grip as he twisted his body into a spinning kick aimed at Wang Yu's neck. A concealed blade popped out of his thick-soled shoe—this would be an equally fatal strike.

"Ding! Boom! Crack!" The sound of metal clashing echoed near-simultaneously. An invisible barrier easily stopped the blade flying toward Wang Yu's face. There was no damage whatsoever.

Wang Yu's retaliatory punch had been even faster than York's kick. He struck York's chest with devastating force.

Bones shattered instantly as the boy's chest collapsed from the blow. He slammed into the wall at the edge of the street, his fate uncertain.

"What a wild place... but the boost to wizardry around here really is significant. My barrier's a lot stronger and faster to manifest." He glanced briefly at York's limp form. People continued bustling about the street, indifferent to what had just happened.

The underground's unique property—void energy mingling with the physical realm—had made wizardry noticeably easier and faster for Wang Yu. His barrier's strength had increased by at least 50%.

He walked over to York, not sparing a thought for the would-be thief's life. After all, York had tried to rob and kill him.

Given the gruesome cavity in his chest, it was unlikely he would survive. His internal organs were likely a mess by now.

"Oh? Quite wealthy, aren't you?" Wang Yu rifled through York's belongings and uncovered several small coin pouches. The boy had cleverly hidden them all around his body, using clothes and his slender frame for concealment. However, none of it escaped Wang Yu's ripples.

"About twenty gold coins. Not bad," Wang Yu muttered, placing the pouches in his own bag.

Satisfied, he turned away from the slowly dying York and resumed his path through the narrow streets of Black Street No. 3 toward his destination.

"You killed him like that?" came Sieg's voice beside him.

"What else was I supposed to do?" Wang Yu replied with his ripples. Mindful of Sieg's invisibility spell, he didn't speak aloud.

"He's actually rather pitiful, you know. See that black snake tattoo on his arm? That's the mark of this street's boss. These street bosses tend to kidnap kids, subject them to brutal training, and turn them into enforcers. They have quotas every month. Miss it once, and you lose a hand. Miss it twice, and you're dead. He might have been stealing just to survive."

"And what does that have to do with me?" Wang Yu shrugged. "If all he did was try to steal from me, I might've let him go after a beating. But he went for a kill. At that point, it's his life or mine, and I'm not going to hesitate. I'm not some kind of saint who can understand or forgive everyone's hardships. Don't mess with me, and I won't mess with you. But if you try to take my life, I won't give you a chance."

Wang Yu was a little confused by Sieg's question. He was certain the Nightblades knew how the underworld operated, considering they even had an outpost down here. Why would Sieg be bothered by what he had done?

Sieg fell silent for a moment, seemingly weighing Wang Yu’s words. "Fair enough. I just wanted to see your reaction. Edward and Charles might struggle with this sort of situation. They're not as decisive. Not that they're unfit for this work—they just lean a little too much toward kindness."

"Kindness has its place, but not in this line of work," Wang Yu agreed. He could tell Sieg was gauging his mindset.

Charles and Edward were different from him, after all. One was shaped by his life experiences, and the other by his personality. The Professor had likely been conducting a routine test of his behavior in such situations.

"You really are well-suited for this line of work. Also, your physical strength seems to surpass your actual rank as a knight."

"I've always been dedicated to physical training. In fact, I might prioritize my physical body over fighting spirit."

"You remind me of an old friend's granddaughter, Wendy. Her physical strength also far exceeds her fighting spirit—in a manner perhaps even more exaggerated than yours. You two might have a lot to talk about."

"Wendy Lanchester?"

"That's right. Do you know her?"

"I do, actually. Avia is studying under her grandfather, Weber Lanchester."

"Old Weber? What a coincidence! I might as well look after Avia a bit more. After all, I am an honorary professor." Sieg's tone carried a hint of amusement. He seemed surprised that Avia happened to be a student of his old friend.

"Given how strict Old Weber is, Avia must be immensely talented. Back at the academy, I was too preoccupied with handling nobles and the void to pay particular attention to the girl. Moving forward, considering her talent and potential—or just to help a friend—I'll keep an eye on her," Sieg murmured to himself, then continued to navigate the streets with Wang Yu.

The narrow, winding alleys were interspersed with a dense network of metal pipes. Within these pipes, all kinds of materials flowed, evidence of the unique development of alchemy in this region The fusion of the void with reality had introduced surprising randomness to alchemy and enhanced the likelihood of emergence of exceptionally powerful alchemical creations. One of the largest industries in the capital's shadow was alchemy.

The low barrier to entry for alchemy and the increased chance of powerful creations created a unique ecosystem.

Through special channels controlled in secret by the nobles or royal family, many alchemical products were transported from the capital's shadow to the surface, past layers of taxes and arbitrary confiscations, in exchange for gold that funneled back to the underground city.

On the surface, the two realms appeared disconnected, and ordinary citizens were unaware of the vast underground network beneath the capital. Yet, the exchange of goods and mutual dependence never ceased. Profit and demand bound the capital and its inverse inseparably.

The unique ecosystem of the capital's shadow even gave rise to standardized alchemical workshops. Unlike traditional artisans' studios on the surface, which relied on precision, craftsmanship, and tradition, the alchemical industry in the capital's shadow was far more unrestrained.

Raw materials flowed through the sprawling pipe network of this underground city to their destinations. Steam gushed intermittently from wall vents. Smelting furnaces simultaneously melted minerals and refined fused materials.

Tangled cables carried not electricity but magic and other esoteric forms of energy. The congested, chaotic environment was packed with a diversity of things unlike anything on the surface, creating a world unique to the underground city.

"Steampunk aesthetics..." Wang Yu muttered, marveling at the underground city’s design. "I didn't expect to find such a familiar style in a fantasy world."

"Fascinating, isn't it?" Sieg said with a chuckle, noticing Wang Yu’s observations. "This place holds significant value for scholars like us. It looks chaotic, but in reality, the alchemical and research efficiency here tend to surpass those of long-established workshops at the surface."

"Technology is the ultimate productive force, after all," Wang Yu replied. "I'm especially shocked to see ordinary people working on alchemy. On the surface, even masters of alchemy would struggle to accomplish what they're doing without knight-level reflexes or magician-level mental strength."

"Technology is the ultimate productive force? Hmm. Your homeland sure has many unique proverbs. Ordinary people participating... Indeed, that is a groundbreaking advancement," Sieg replied, nodding, though his tone seemed to carry some subtle implication Wang Yu didn't quite understand.

"Anyway, we're here. This is the place you’ll be staying from now on." Sieg stopped in front of a building and beckoned Wang Yu forward.

As they walked, they reached the edge of the city.

The outskirts of this unique city ended in a massive cliff. The edge of the city was enclosed by a simple fence made of iron and wood, barely a meter tall—more symbolic than functional.

Standing at the edge and peering down revealed only an endless abyss of pitch-black chaos. There was no light, no sound, no substance—just the void. It was truly an abyss.

"This underground space is known as the capital's shadow, and the city itself is named the Abyssal Outpost. The space below this cliff is what this outpost guards."

Sieg led Wang Yu to the lone structure at the cliff’s edge—a towering lighthouse.

The lighthouse loomed over the cliff, its height imposing. The faint light at its top barely illuminated the abyss below, shrouding its purpose in mystery.

The metallic tower glimmered dully under the faint light, giving it a mystic and unique beauty.

Sieg unlocked the heavy iron doors with a token, revealing a narrow elevator within.

Stepping inside, Wang Yu and Sieg began their ascent. The mechanical roar of the elevator's structure filled the air, yet the ride was surprisingly smooth and fast due to its intricate design.

"Did gnome technology build this? It doesn't seem to have any traces of magic or wizardry..."

Wang Yu's ripples swept through the tower, revealing that it was purely a mechanical construction, without the use of runes or magic arrays.

Most large structures in this world relied on a combination of magical arrays and wizardry. Purely mechanical designs like this were unique to gnome craftsmanship.

At the top, Wang Yu and Sieg stepped into a cramped chamber. At its center was a recessed slot, its shape matching the base of the lantern Wang Yu carried.

"Wang Yu, do you have confidence in your mental resistance? I'd like to test your mental strength. If you're unsure, you can opt out."

Sieg’s voice turned solemn as Wang Yu inspected the upper extremities of the lighthouse.

Wang Yu nodded without hesitation. If there was one thing he had absolute confidence in, it was his mental resilience.

"Don’t worry. If anything goes wrong, I'll pull you out immediately. Now, I need you to look into the depths of this abyss."

"No matter what you see, remember—they're all illusions. These are projections from the chaotic and disordered thoughts within this sea of mental energy. They'll try to capture and devour your mind."

"Understood."

Wang Yu cast his gaze into the abyss.

Darkness, pure darkness. Even with the vision of a knight-in-training, he could not see anything beneath the endless expanse of a black sea.

There were no illusions, no sounds, and no strange phenomena either. Wang Yu saw nothing but darkness. It was utterly empty.

"Professor, I don't see anything. But... I'd like to try probing it with my mental energy. Is that okay?"

"Nothing at all? Are you certain."

"I'm positive."

"Your abilities truly exceed my expectations. Observation and mental probing are essentially the same. If you want to try, go ahead. I'd also like to see where your limits lie."

"Got it."

With Sieg's approval, Wang Yu began. If he was going to work here for some time, how could he not take the opportunity to understand this chaotic neighbor of his?

He channeled his mental energy into the abyss through his ripples. Wang Yu stared into the abyss.