Sights in the City

Early the next morning, Navin Bessarius once again set out on the long journey to visit the Cinder Empire. With the escalation of the war, fighting flared across the length of the border between the Kingdom of Cassander and the Kingdom of Thrace, making this mission particularly arduous. As for why he did not use teleportation? Through their repeated attempts, the space within the Cinder Empire's heartland seemed bound by an invisible barrier, extraordinarily difficult to breach. Furthermore, due to the war, Thrace's territory was riddled with interference spells; there had even been multiple cases of wizards attempting teleportation only to be torn to shreds by spatial rifts. And given King Otis's pride, Navin could not travel with the pomp and grand diplomatic entourage of his last visit. He had to undertake this mission in secret, accompanied by only two personal guards. Inside the carriage, Navin felt deeply uneasy. *I hope this mission succeeds.* *If we can secure aid from the Cinder Empire, perhaps... His Majesty King Otis truly can unify Fadlan and restore the empire's former glory.* Turning to look back at the Holy City receding into the distance, he gazed up at the towering Tower of the Eternal Sun God, these thoughts echoing in his mind. The carriage sped along the road. After passing a post station, he traded the carriage for a mule of exceptional stamina. He clad himself in nondescript cloth garments, disguising himself as an ordinary traveling merchant. Over the next month and more, Navin would detour through the dwarven kingdoms to the northeast, navigate the lengthy Mir Valley, and first arrive at the Katepa Hills, now under the Cinder Empire's jurisdiction. From there, he would head north through the Anzeta Corridor to reach the remote and barren Great Anzetta Waste—the heartland of the Kingdom of Cinders. ... A month later. Central Great Anzetta Waste, outskirts of Isdalia. Leading his mule, Navin slowly lowered his hood. "This..." "How is this possible?" Gazing at the spectacular cluster of buildings in the distance, staring at the thick, towering smokestacks and watching plume after plume of dense smoke rising from the city, he could not help rubbing his eyes. Was he dreaming? Navin's disbelief was not merely due to the city's scale. In terms of size alone, he was confident that no city could rival "Sunburst City" Teotihuacan. What staggered him was the sheer speed of the empire's construction. Only a few months had passed since his previous visit, and back then, Isdalia was barely the embryonic outline of a city. Yet now, it was more magnificent than many centuries-old cities in Cassander, and would not pale even by the standards of Holy Fadlan in its prime. He rubbed his eyes again. Only when he spotted pedestrians walking toward him in the distance did he confirm that this newly built metropolis was no illusion, but a solid, tangible reality. "Amaunator above..." "This young, alien empire is far more terrifying than I imagined." Navin could not help uttering a silent prayer, a shiver of trepidation running through him at the sight. He had no idea how the Cinder Empire had achieved this, nor how it possessed such horrifying capabilities for mobilization and construction, but of one thing he was certain—the Kingdom of Cassander had to take them seriously. Of course, Navin did not know that the Cinder Empire now possessed nearly two hundred thousand top-tier laborers who never tired and feared no death. Though these fellows caused plenty of chaos, they had undeniably spurred a qualitative leap in the empire's productivity. By now, hauling concrete and building houses had become the standard rite of passage for beginners joining the game to earn gold coins and Faction Contribution. It was practically the Cinder Empire's signature "novice tutorial quest," and the newcomers had even earned themselves an affectionate moniker—beasts of burden. Landmarks of distinctive style such as the Imperial Parliament Hall, the Cinder Armory, the Isdalia Grand Colosseum, and the Imperial Bank building had all been erected through the combined efforts of the players and the imperial construction corps. In the distance, tiefling guards marched forward in neat formations, newly issued bayonet rifles held in their hands. *As expected, it really is that weapon.* *Those standardized short staves look just like the ones carried by Thrace's army.* Navin thought to himself as he observed the firearms in the tieflings' hands. Yet as the tiefling guards drew closer and closer to him, his thoughts shifted. *I should observe conditions within the city first before carrying out His Majesty's mission.* *If they truly have allied with Thrace...* Navin pulled his hood back up, lowered his head, and quietly walked forward, leading his mule. Anxious, he prayed that the tieflings had not noticed anything amiss about him. "Halt," the tiefling captain called out. Navin hastily tightened his hood, acting as though nothing were wrong as he attempted to brush past. The tiefling guards crossed their gleaming bayonets, blocking his path. "My lords, I am merely a passing merchant. If you..." Navin reached toward his pouch, intending to bribe them. Instead, the tiefling captain drew out a sheet of parchment inscribed with gilded lettering. "You are Lord Navin Bessarius, correct?" "Please accompany me. The great Cinder Emperor foresaw the arrival of Cassander's envoy long ago. His Majesty has been expecting you for quite some time." "What?" Shock struck Navin's heart. This diplomatic journey had been kept strictly secret, undisclosed to any outsider, yet this emperor had known all along. Could the rumors circulating within the Cinder Empire truly be real—that he possessed omniscient might capable of divining the future? "Please follow me," the tiefling urged again. With an intensely anxious heart, Navin led his mule into the city under the escort of the tiefling patrol. Inside the city, pedestrians bustled to and fro with hurried steps, and no small number of oddly dressed players could be seen everywhere. A troop of fully armed soldiers. A mule. An unassuming merchant. It was an undeniably strange combination. Navin walked on, taking in the wildly eclectic architecture lining both sides of the street. Seeing the Imperial Guard on official duty, most passersby merely spared them a few extra glances before returning to their business; obstructing official business, after all, was a severe crime. "What's that NPC's deal?" "Dunno. If the Imperial Guard is hauling him in, he's probably a big shot." "Think he's a southern spy?" "Didn't they nab a Northlands remnant last time? Heard the guy died not long after getting tossed in." "Could there be a hidden quest?" "Leave it. None of our business. In the time it takes to gawk, you could haul a few more bricks. Gold isn't easy to earn these days, and skeleton labor seems to have taken over the mining quests." The players chattered casually without daring to approach, though their bizarre remarks left Navin sweating with confusion and embarrassment. Suddenly, the blare of a steam whistle sounded, catching his attention. *Hooo—hooo—!* "Arriving at Northwind Keep Road Station. Next stop—Imperial Seventh Munitions Factory." "Passengers, please let passengers alight before boarding. Do not push; form a line." Under Navin's astonished gaze, a "monster" forged of steel rolled down the tracks, spewing puffs of greyish-white smoke from pipes atop its frame. Yet the people waiting alongside the rails were thoroughly accustomed to it. Yawning, they waited for the passengers aboard to disembark, then queued up to board amid the conductor's calls. "Citizens! Mind your manners and maintain order!" Peace officers mounted on wyverns swept overhead from time to time, but the citizens paid them little mind, merely whispering among themselves. A few players were even grousing about things like, "That bastard fined me fifty copper coins last time," and "That son of a bitch again." Further down the street, several ogres clad in oversized tailcoats strode toward them, their bulging potbellies straining their inner shirts so tightly the buttons threatened to pop off. The leader even held a gentleman's cane and wore silver-rimmed spectacles, cutting quite the "aristocratic" figure. "Why, isn't that Lord Datou?" "Good day, Viscount Datou." "Hope you have a splendid appetite today!" The townsfolk showed no fear whatsoever, greeting him with deferential respect. Some even fawned over him with flattering remarks, to which the ogre nodded in polite acknowledgement. Similar spectacles abounded throughout the streets. *This city...* *It is truly too bizarre. It is unlike any place I have ever set foot in before.* Taking in the utterly bizarre and surreal sights around him, Navin Bessarius could not help musing in wonder.