Gun of Ashes

The armed train entered Old Dunling, moving along the tracks deep into the industrial district. There lay the vast Mechanical Institute, the large elevator leading to the Perpetual Motion Pump, and more secret passages extending along the depths of the underground network, like tree roots rooted in darkness, vertically encircling the Furnace Pillar, and continuously spreading until covering the entire Old Dunling.

The lead gray clouds began to loosen, and the cold drizzle fell soon after, as though welcoming the arriving winter, adding to the coldness of Old Dunling.

Pedestrians on the streets were already accustomed to the erratic weather of Old Dunling. Beneath their unnoticed gloom, the armed train shattered the rain curtain and stopped in the darkness, with some parts entering the Mechanical Institute while others diverged en route, heading to unknown places.

Amidst the rising steam, guests from the Far East disembarked the train.

Someone was already waiting for them here. The person walked briskly over, opened an umbrella for Shao Liangxi, who was getting off the train, and handed another one to Shao Liangye but, judging from his stance, he had no intention of attending to Shao Liangye; he had to hold the umbrella himself.

The indifferent Shao Liangye was already accustomed to this guy’s different treatment, holding up the umbrella, he stepped into the depths of steel.

Rod followed at the end, his chest heaving constantly, filled with excitement.

He did not know what cargo was being transported in the carriage, but Rod knew very well who the two guys in front of him were - these were Jiuxia people, mysterious Jiuxia people, people you couldn’t find in the Western world even if you paid heavily.

One could say, if human rights were disregarded, these two were the most treasured creatures of the Western world, precious treasures, and now they stood right before him.

Just to clarify, Rod wasn’t coveting them, he desired the knowledge they possessed, that mysterious Jiuxia.

He’s learned for so long, all for this mysterious country, and now they’ve finally sent emissaries... and they seem quite amiable.

Coming to his senses, Rod was nearly moved to tears; the feeling of a lifelong effort finally coming to fruition was quite wonderful.

Thinking of these random things, a cold breeze came face to face, and suddenly a towering figure blocked him, full of pressure, as if obstructed by some unknown beast. A sense of instinctive crisis immediately made Rod sober up.

The man was dressed in simple black attire, holding an umbrella for Shao Liangxi. He reached out and handed another umbrella to Rod.

Rod looked at this stranger, gazing along the sturdy physique to a pair of pitch-dark pupils.

Another Jiuxia person.

Rod swallowed, the feeling this guy brought was completely different from Shao Liangye, the pressure was heavy and suffocating.

With a trembling arm, he took the umbrella from the man’s hand, opened it, and at that moment, the firm face melted, revealing a smile Rod dared not even imagine.

He nodded friendly at Rod.

"Oh, let me introduce you, this is..."

Shao Liangxi noticed these things, she tried to introduce Rod, but glanced at the man, and for a moment it was as if she couldn’t remember his name.

However, she quickly ignored these; as Anonymous, such memory disorder was quite common, she said to Rod.

"This is Mr. Cai... Just call him Mr. Cai!"

Shao Liangxi didn’t know this man’s name, only remembered this meaningless title.

Rod hurriedly nodded, continuously saying.

"Hello Mr. Cai, hello Mr. Cai."

Mr. Cai said nothing, like someone unaccustomed to speaking, only smiling at Rod, eyes squinting together, like a sly fox.

The train resumed movement, after leaving behind these few passengers, it proceeded to another stop where there were a series of giant cranes, lifting these heavy carriages, dragging them into the depths of the rain curtain until no one could see them clearly.

Rod watched the direction in which the carriages disappeared, thinking no more.

The minerals in the industrial district had long been exhausted due to the vigorous extraction by the Mechanical Institute. Now it seemed more like a secret area disguised as an industrial district, where the Purification Mechanism operated in those unknown gray areas.

Old Dunling harbors many secrets, like a pitch-black deep sea, when looking into the sea, all you find is silent darkness.

Rod hadn’t worked long within the Purification Mechanism, coupled with functional issues, he hadn’t encountered deeper matters, but he had heard other colleagues speak of some urban legends about Old Dunling.

For example, the Red River murderer, Shrike in the Lower City District, the forgotten hospital, the tower hidden in the clouds...

Rod was familiar with the regulations of the Purification Mechanism, so he tried hard to suppress his curiosity, avoid thinking too much, perhaps a strange urban legend might be related to the Purification Mechanism, related to the Demon.

No matter how hard he restrained himself, something continued to tempt Rod.

With that thought in mind, he looked at the soil beneath his feet.

Before being assigned to action, Rod never knew the specific configuration of the Purification Mechanism; after all, it was not within the scope of what one should know, but now he understood more secret things.

For instance, deep down below lies the Perpetual Motion Pump, deeper still is the massive Furnace Pillar System, so underneath the Furnace Pillar, could there be something else?

He recalled hearing an urban legend once, and couldn’t help but feel curious.

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