Chapter 423: Experiences in the City
At dawn the next day, Navin Besalius once again set out on his long journey to the Ember Empire.
Due to the intensifying war, the long border between the Kassande Kingdom and the Thrace Kingdom was ablaze with conflict, making this mission especially challenging.
Why not use teleportation magic?
After multiple attempts, they discovered that the space within the Ember Empire's territory seemed to be locked by a restrictive barrier, making it difficult to break through.
Additionally, the Thrace Kingdom's territory was full of interference spells due to the war, and there had been cases where mages were torn to pieces by spatial rifts during teleportation attempts.
Due to Otis's pride, Navin could not travel openly with a diplomatic entourage like last time; instead, he had to travel in secret, accompanied only by two personal guards.
Inside the carriage, Navin felt uneasy.
"I hope this mission succeeds."
"If we can secure aid from the Ember Empire, perhaps King Otis truly can reunify Fadlan and restore the empire's former glory."
He turned to look at the distant Holy City behind him, raising his eyes to gaze at the towering Eternal Sun God Tower, and pondered these thoughts.
The carriage sped along the road.
After passing a waystation, they switched to a mule known for its endurance.
Navin changed into plain clothes to disguise himself as an ordinary merchant.
Over the next month, Navin would travel through the northeastern Dwarven Kingdom, pass through the long Myr Valley, and head toward the Kassande-controlled hills near Kartpa.
From there, he would head north into the Anzeta Corridor and finally reach the remote and desolate Anzeta Wasteland, the homeland of the Ember Kingdom.
One month later, in the central Anzeta Wasteland, on the outskirts of Isthalia City:
Navin pulled the mule along and slowly removed his hood.
"This…"
"How is this possible?"
He looked at the grand cluster of buildings in the distance, gazing at the towering chimneys and the smoke rising from the city. He rubbed his eyes, unable to believe what he saw.
Was he dreaming?
Navin wasn't merely shocked by the city's size—after all, in terms of scale, he believed no city could compare to the Sunlit City of Teotihuacan.
What left him astonished was the speed of the empire's development.
Only a few months had passed since his last visit, and at that time, Isthalia was merely a city in its infancy.
Now, it was more magnificent than many of Kassande's cities that had stood for centuries, and even when compared to the grandeur of the former Fadlan, it would not pale in comparison.
He rubbed his eyes again.
It wasn't until he saw pedestrians walking through the streets that he confirmed the city was not an illusion but a real, thriving place.
"Ammanata above…"
"This young and unfamiliar empire is far more terrifying than I had imagined."
Navin silently prayed, feeling uneasy about everything he saw.
He didn't know how the Ember Empire had accomplished this or how they possessed such terrifying mobilization and construction capabilities. But he did know one thing—Kassande had to take them seriously.
Of course, Navin didn't know that the Ember Empire currently had nearly 200,000 tireless, death-defying high-quality laborers.
Although these beings caused their fair share of chaos, they had undeniably propelled the empire's productivity to unprecedented levels.
Today, "hauling ash and building houses" had become the go-to activity for newcomers earning gold and faction contributions—essentially a signature Ember Empire "beginner's quest". Newbies had even been given a nickname—Oxen and Horses.
Iconic buildings such as the Imperial Council Hall, the Ember Armory, the Isthalia Grand Arena, and the Imperial Bank were all constructed through the combined efforts of players and the empire's construction teams.
In the distance, a neat column of Tiefling guards marched forward, armed with new bayonet rifles.
"So, it's that kind of weapon."
"A standardized firearm, similar to what the Thrace army uses."
Navin eyed the firearms carried by the Tieflings and thought to himself.
But as the Tiefling guards drew closer to him—
"I should first observe the situation inside the city before fulfilling the task assigned by His Majesty."
"If they really have allied with Thrace…"
Navin put his hood back on, lowered his head, and quietly led the mule along, feeling slightly nervous and praying the Tieflings wouldn't notice anything unusual about him.
"Halt."
The Tiefling guard captain ordered.
Navin quickly tightened his hood, pretending to pass by nonchalantly.
But the Tiefling guards crossed their bayonets, blocking his way.
"Sir, I'm just a passing merchant. If you—"
Navin reached for his money, intending to bribe them.
But the Tiefling captain pulled out a parchment with gilded writing.
"You are Lord Navin Besalius, correct?"
"Please follow me. The great Ember Emperor foresaw the arrival of the Kassande envoy. His Majesty has been expecting you."
"What?"
Navin was stunned.
This mission was meant to be a secret. No outsider was supposed to know. But this emperor had known all along?
Could the rumors within the Ember Empire be true? Did he possess omniscience and the power to foresee the future?
"Please follow me," the Tiefling urged again.
Feeling incredibly uneasy, Navin led his mule into the city under the escort of the Tiefling patrol.
The streets were bustling with people, and many passersby wore strange outfits. Players were everywhere.
A heavily armed squad of soldiers.
A mule.
A nondescript merchant.
It was indeed an odd combination.
As Navin walked, he observed the uniquely styled buildings along the street.
But since the imperial guards were performing official duties, most pedestrians only glanced at them briefly before going about their business—after all, interfering with official matters was a serious crime.
"What's that NPC doing?"
"No idea. If the imperial guards are involved, he must be important."
"Could he be a southern spy?"
"Didn't they catch a northern remnant last time? I heard he died shortly after being taken in."
"Maybe there's a hidden quest?"
"Forget it. Not our problem. We'd be better off hauling bricks. Gold coins are hard to earn, and mining tasks have been taken over by skeletons."
Players chatted casually but kept their distance. Their remarks, however, left Navin somewhat embarrassed.
Suddenly, the sound of a train whistle caught his attention.
"Woo—woo—"
"Next stop, Northwind Fortress Route Station—next station: Imperial Seventh Arsenal."
"Passengers, please disembark before boarding. Do not crowd. Line up in an orderly manner."
Under Navin's astonished gaze, a steel "beast" rolled along the tracks, spewing gray-white smoke from its chimney.
Those waiting nearby were unfazed, yawning as they waited for passengers to disembark before boarding in an orderly line under the conductor's guidance.
"Citizens! Maintain order!"
In the sky, patrolling officers riding wyverns occasionally flew by, but the citizens were unperturbed, only whispering amongst themselves.
Some players grumbled about fines: "That jerk fined me fifty copper coins last time." "Yeah, it's him again, that bastard."
Navin even saw several ogres in oversized tailcoats walking down the street. Their bulging bellies strained their shirts, and their buttons seemed ready to burst.
The leading ogre carried a gentleman's cane and wore silver-rimmed glasses, exuding a "noble" demeanor.
"Isn't that Lord Bighead?"
"Good day, Lord Bighead."
"Wishing you a hearty meal today, Lord Viscount."
The townspeople showed no fear, offering polite greetings, with some even trying to curry favor. The ogre nodded politely in response.
Similar scenes were everywhere.
"This city…"
"It's too strange. It's unlike anywhere I've ever been before."
Navin Besalius surveyed the bizarre scenes around him and couldn't help but think this.