Chapter 518: Border Nirvana Water City
January 10, 1591, Terra Calendar.
07:00 AM.
Borderland, Ground Plate (Repeat Continent).
Nirvana Water City.
Buzz—
The tremors of crossing the Planar Gate gradually subsided, and Special Agent Mole of the Administration steadied his footing. His gaze passed through the slowly fading blue light, and for the first time, he caught a glimpse of the magnificent sight of Nirvana Water City.
"This is Repeat Continent..." Mole took a deep breath and strolled into the bustling crowd.
The Borderland, situated at the delicate balance between the real world and the countless planes, is also one of the darkest areas of the triangular trade.
Merchants from all realms bring cheap industrial goods to the Junction in exchange for financial slaves (beastmasters and other non-human races). These slaves are then transported to the New World City (the Edici Federation) for sale. Raw materials are then purchased from the New World, manufactured into goods, and shipped back to the Junction in exchange for financial slaves, completing the trade cycle.
As the central trading hub between the realms and the New World, the Junction consists of two main regions: aboveground and belowground.
Each region possesses unique characteristics and inhabitants, forming a diverse and complex ecosystem.
The aboveground region is a vibrant world, home to lush forests, vast plains, towering mountains, and winding rivers.
The sky here is perpetually shrouded in a mysterious glow, and the cycle of day and night and seasons is distinct from that of the real world. The inhabitants of the aboveground region hail from various planes, including humans, elves, dwarves, and many other fantastical races.
They have established various forms of social organization here, ranging from simple tribes to complex kingdoms and republics, each culture bearing the unique imprint of its original plane. The surface plate is also known as the Ensemble Continent.
The reason for this is, of course, that the formation of the Junction is inextricably linked to the six Ensemble performances of the Scarlet King. Ever since the Scarlet King launched these performances, Terra's landscape has inevitably spiraled in unpredictable directions.
In addition to the Ensemble Continent, the Junction also contains an underground plate known as the "Beyond."
Unlike the bustling surface, the underground is a realm teeming with unknowns and dangers.
A vast network of caves, labyrinths, and underground cities hides ancient secrets and powerful magic.
The underground environment is incredibly diverse, ranging from scorching lava lakes to icy underground rivers. The creatures that inhabit it are equally diverse, including deep gnomes, ghosts, evil spirits, and even more mysterious beings.
These creatures are often hostile to outsiders, but some seek allies.
The Beyond was originally intended to be called the "Abyss," but the various realms seem to have a tacit agreement not to give this name to the underground sector.
Because the term "Abyss" has become a default symbol for all races.
Though they don't call themselves the Abyss, their actions are indistinguishable from those of the Abyssal Demons.
Whenever those lunatics who uphold human supremacy "go wild" against the myriad races and gods and demons of the heavens, scholars across the various realms refer to this behavior as an Abyssal Eruption.
According to the analysis of historians across the various realms, a new Abyssal Eruption cycle is imminent, and this new Abyssal Eruption is bound to sweep across the various realms. The Abyss will surely regard all living beings within their sight as their enemies and annihilate them.
They will even... no, they will inevitably attack their "fellow races" within Terra.
Regardless, all realms are ready to resist the Abyss, fighting to the death against those crazed demons who call themselves "angels."
The Administration is seen as a force of vicious dogs, formed by the spread of Abyssal pollution. Mole, a special operator affiliated with the vicious dogs, quickly scanned Nirvana Water City, a place he had just visited. This mysterious city-state, nestled at the border, stood out with its unique aquatic structures and turquoise glow.
Mole took a deep breath and blended into the bustling northern adventurer zone. The air was filled with a damp aroma and the fragrance of various planes.
Five days ago, the Director's assignment pierced his daily life like a beam of light. Under the guidance of the Director and the Lineage Think Tank [Adam], he busied himself with fixing vulnerabilities in his [module] while also selecting task forces willing to join him in this dangerous situation.
He had a brief run-in with Special Operator Moon Rabbit.
He gained a preliminary understanding of the upcoming scientific research mission and the newly assigned equipment.
Time seemed to unravel in these preparations, every minute and every second pressing and precious.
The Director's expectations weighed heavily on Mole. According to the details revealed by the Director, the Administration would begin the cleansing of Hell's Kitchen around the time of Midwinter.
He had to bring Operator Green Ox safely back to the living world before Midwinter, and with only a week remaining to complete the integration of the three nascent task force branches.
According to Xia Xiu's plan, he would establish twelve Special Operators within the Administration, each leading a task force branch to carry out all the missions he assigned—the twelve Special Operators would answer only to him and be accountable to him alone.
At this stage, Xia Xiu planned to cultivate his task force through combat, honing it through battle. Therefore, he had first selected three exceptional operators to establish a solid foundation.
With this foundational team in place, subsequent development would be a matter of gradual, iterative progress.
Now, one of the two remaining members of the foundational team was missing, so the Mole needed to bring Evan Rowell back to the Administration within two days. He was the operator selected by the Director and possessed unique and irreplaceable qualities.
As an Operator familiar with the Director's "Family Plan," the Mole understood the importance of Green Ox's talents to the plan.
"Nirvana Water City, located in the southern region of the borderland, is a unique city-state built on a vast lake."
As the Mole wandered through Nirvana Water City, he recalled information about the water city.
"The Naga people rule Water City. The city-state's political system is built around the Naga's ancient traditions and worship of the element of water, forming a unique political structure that combines centralization with parliamentary rule. The Naga Queen is the supreme ruler of the city-state, serving as both political leader and high priestess."
Mole was standing before a statue of the Naga Queen, carved from rare deep-sea jade and embodying a soft blue-green hue.
The sculpture depicts the Queen, majestic and beautiful, with a human head and a serpent body, symbolizing the noble lineage of the Naga people.
Her face is delicately carved, gentle, revealing wisdom and compassion, yet her eyes hold an untouchable majesty. In her hands, she holds an orb symbolizing the water of life, as if silently guarding the peace of the city-state and its inhabitants.
In Water City, the Naga Queen is regarded as the mortal representative of the Naga gods, possessing the final say.
The Queen's duties include enacting laws, overseeing their implementation, leading religious ceremonies, and maintaining peace and order within and beyond the city-state.
Below the Queen sits the Water Council, comprised of Naga nobles, sages, and magicians. They assist the Queen, discuss and deliberate major policies, and manage the city-state's day-to-day affairs.
Members of the Water Council also oversee the operations of various administrative departments, ensuring the effective implementation of laws and orders.
The Mole's knowledge of Water City stems from a declaration they received five days ago.
A rejection of the Authority's statement on establishing diplomatic relations:
"After careful consideration and assessment of the current international situation and the fundamental positions of both sides, we regretfully discover that, at this stage, there are significant differences between the two sides on some fundamental principles. In particular, Nirvana Water City's fundamental position is incompatible with the human-first policy advocated by the Authority.
We firmly believe that true peace and prosperity are based on mutual respect and equality, not just for humans, but for all life forms inhabiting our vast universe.
Therefore, after careful consideration, we have decided to postpone the establishment of formal diplomatic relations at this time.
We also see great potential for cooperation with the Authority in many non-political areas, such as scientific and technological exchanges, thaumaturgic projects, and environmental protection efforts. We eagerly look forward to further discussions and collaboration with the Authority in these areas to jointly advance our shared home.
Here, Nirvana Water City reaffirms our commitment to peace, diversity, and inclusion, and hopes to find more avenues for fostering understanding and cooperation in the days ahead, building a better world for all of us.
Greetings,
Queen Nirvana Water City."
This was the content of the statement.
And it came shortly after the Authority announced the Director's appointment.
Mole still remembered the scene from five days ago.
He and the Director were meticulously adjusting the [Module] in a dimly lit room.
Suddenly, the door gently opened, and Chief of Intelligence Pansy Jane walked in with steady steps.
She clutched a document in her hand—a statement from Nirvana Water City.
When Pansy Jane handed the statement to Xia Xiu, he paused, took the document, and scanned it quickly.
Soon, a bright smile broke out on his face, a smile that was uniquely his, one that infected everyone around him.
He whispered, his voice filled with deep confusion and a hint of sarcasm:
"Do they actually think I'm asking them for a favor?"
The Mole froze in his tracks for a moment. Once he realized what was happening, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly at the foolishness of the Water City leaders.
The Administration had requested diplomatic relations with many of the intersecting planes, but most of those governments had been cowardly and indifferent.
The Administration knew its role, so it didn't take it personally. It was just a formality, a "polite" greeting.
This was the first time Xia Xiu had encountered such a pure breed as Water City.
Did they actually think the Authority was asking them for a favor?
What's behind the Authority?
Heaven!
When did Heaven need to seek the opinions of other races?
The members of the Dream God Clan wouldn't even dream of such a ridiculous dream.
That statement from Water City, though cloaked in politeness and diplomacy, was actually a challenge to the Authority's authority, a veiled expression of disdain.
Mole was absolutely certain that if the Director hadn't been entangled in the mess of Hell's Kitchen, someone as pure as Water City would have been immediately struck with the iron fist of punishment, a lesson learned from true power.
Just because they couldn't be struck now didn't mean they wouldn't have another chance later.
Because Water City's "purity" wasn't just one kind; it also contained many eye-poppingly outrageous actions.
After a brief glance at the statue of the Naga Queen, who diligently worked to govern the water city, the mole slowly made its way along the northern side of Nirvana Water City, eventually arriving at the sparsely populated slave farming area.
This area, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, seemed exceptionally lonely and gloomy.
Here, the vast expanse of water was divided into unique underwater farmlands, where a variety of exotic aquatic plants grew, emitting a faint glow or exuding an enchanting fragrance. This was a specially designed working environment for the beastmasters brought in from the deep sea slaves.
On the surface, supervisors and managers stood on floating platforms, their gazes cold and vigilant, their sharp glances scanning the surroundings from time to time.
Underwater, the water beastmasters toiled day after day.
These beasts took on a variety of forms, from fishtails to scaly creatures. They worked alone or in groups, but without exception, their expressions betrayed endless exhaustion and despair.
The beasts' bodies were bound by specially crafted tools and shackles, and they used their special abilities, such as manipulating water currents and altering the growth rate of aquatic plants, to complete the arduous work.
Though their movements appeared light and agile underwater, that was simply due to their forced adaptation to this life.
Whenever a beast slowed down due to exhaustion, it was immediately punished by the overseer, and even underwater, the sharp rebuke could be heard clearly from every corner.
The air in this area was filled with an oppressive and heavy atmosphere, and even the mole, far from the surface, could sense the sorrow and despair emanating from beneath the surface.
The Slave Agriculture Zone not only bears witness to Nirvana Water City's economic prosperity, but also directly reflects its dark side—here, Beastmasters are deprived of their freedom and forced to pay the price for the greed and extravagance of others.
This is another manifestation of the Water City's "purity"—the Slave Agriculture Zone is openly established and publicly accessible to visitors.
The Slave Agriculture Zone of Nirvana Water City is a controversial area located on the city's edge, away from the main commercial and residential areas.
This area is a direct product of the Black Triangle Trade, involving the trade and exploitation of deep-sea slave beasts.
These beasts are primarily aquatic creatures with unique abilities that enable them to grow and harvest crops underwater, which are then sold to participants in the Black Triangle Trade, such as the Golden Court.
The Slave Agriculture Zone is designed as a semi-underwater agricultural production base.
It includes habitats specifically designed for aquatic slave beasts, as well as underwater farmland suitable for growing aquatic plants and other specialized crops.
On the surface, there were living quarters for overseers and managers, as well as facilities for storing and transporting agricultural products.
The beastmasters forced to work here faced a difficult situation.
Although their underwater abilities were highly utilized, they were deprived of their freedom, living in austere conditions, with long working hours and little rest.
The beastmasters were assigned various agricultural production tasks, including underwater farming, plant cultivation, and harvesting.
The agricultural areas in the slave districts produced a wide variety of crops, including but not limited to specialized aquatic fruits and vegetables, medicinal herbs, and other rare plants, all of which were extremely valuable in the Black Triangle trade.
The agricultural products were first transported to the markets within Water City for initial trading, and then the majority were sent to areas like the Golden Palace, becoming luxury goods for nobles and wealthy merchants.
Such a complete slave chain was openly displayed to the outside world by Water City.
This left the mole at a loss for how to "praise" the wisdom of Water City's leadership.
For some things, there is a huge difference between doing them openly and doing them secretly.