Chapter 418 - Chapter 415 – Diversion Explosion

The next day, the city of Eldridge awoke under the gentle rays of sunlight filtering through the thin, damp morning mist. The air was still bone-chillingly cold, mingling with the fragrant aroma of freshly baked bread from the merchants' ovens, the smoky scent of wood from household stoves, and the metallic tang of heated iron from the blacksmith workshops that had been operating since dawn. The stone-paved streets grew lively with the hurried footsteps of rushing merchants, dust-covered miners carrying shovels and baskets, and farmers pulling carts laden with fresh vegetables. The faint ringing of iron hammers echoed in the distance, while the shouts of bread and smoked meat vendors filled the air. City guards patrolled with heavy steps along the walls, their armor glinting faintly under the red glow of the early morning light.