Gamers Are Fierce

Chapter 361 Pollution


While Carpenter Hoenburg conversed with Li Ang, Bob had already returned with a carriage. A few players, along with the search and rescue team, arrived at Antimony Town. Introduced by Carpenter, they met the mayor and expressed their desire to look around the church.

With the credit for capturing the Child of the Forest and the assurance from Carpenter Hoenburg, a local magnate, the mayor naturally agreed to this request.

Li Ang had Bob and Frederick coordinate with the Antimony Town militia to send the Child of the Forest to prison and left Smoker to watch over the Forest Witch. He, along with Julia and John, went to the church and replaced the Magic Mirror with an ordinary mirror fragment.

After obtaining the second Mirror Fragment, the item gained a new ability:

[Special Effect: Magic Detection. Consumes Spirit Power Value to scout Spiritual Energy fluctuations within a conical area ahead, marking them directly in the line of sight. The cone's angle and distance depend on the Spirit Power Value consumed.]

The new Special Effect was quite impressive. After some testing, the players discovered that the Magic Mirror Fragment could now detect exceedingly faint Spiritual Energy fluctuations up to two kilometers away and mark their source directly within their line of sight for up to ten minutes. It was equivalent to having detection, scanning, and targeted tracking, making it very effective for both pursuit and escape.

Li Ang held the second Magic Mirror Fragment. The group stayed in Antimony Town for one night. After interrogating the Forest Witch, they obtained quite a bit of information. Unfortunately, the witch's account was as peculiar as the players had speculated: the Spellcasters of this world relied solely on innate ability, similar to unique powers, that was unique to individuals and could not be learned or propagated. Practically, their training was about learning to control this energy.

Nevertheless, the Forest Witch's Magic Potion knowledge was genuine. These Magic Potions weren't like those in fairy tales that could make someone grow larger, smaller, or turn into a rabbit; they were more "realistic," offering effects such as relieving fatigue, speeding up wound healing, boosting stamina, strengthening the body, and dissolving willpower to make a person speak the truth in a semi-conscious state.

The old woman had many medicinal herbs, plant seeds, and alchemical tools hidden on her person. Li Ang had her concoct a large supply of Magic Potions capable of nullifying a Spellcaster's abilities—enough for Hans and Gretel's long-term use. He then made her write down all her knowledge and confiscated all her items, even snatching away her dirty coat.

Fortunately, Li Ang still retained some integrity. After his teammates desperately advised him against it, he did not make old Dorothy wear a maid outfit but instead had her wear a common linen cloak.

The next morning, Li Ang went to Carpenter Hoenburg's residence, handed over the Magic Potions, and explained his plan to go to Mori City in the central part of the Rune Kingdom—where the next Mirror Fragment was located.

Carpenter Hoenburg expressed his desire to join the players on their journey and was willing to cover all expenses along the way.

He had already planned to go to a large city to seek help from dignitaries he knew, consulting them on how to deal with his children having become Spellcasters. All Spellcasters had to be registered with official departments; those not on record would be pursued by the authorities.

Carpenter Hoenburg didn't plan on registering them. Instead, he wanted his children to take the Magic Potions long-term until they lost their talents. Furthermore, many lumberjacks and Children of the Forest had witnessed Hans and Gretel using their abilities, and these Children of the Forest would eventually be handed over to official departments for interrogation. Concerned about this information leaking, Carpenter Hoenburg decided to go to the big city in advance to find influential officials. He hoped to explain the situation and have them help suppress any potential leaks without going through formal registration.

Thus, the wealthy Carpenter Hoenburg produced two of the latest model steam locomotives he had just purchased that year (unique to the Rune Kingdom, with a very steampunk design and slightly faster than horse-drawn carriages), loading up Li Ang and the others to head towards Mori City in the central part of the Rune Kingdom.

「Mori City.」

Mori City gave Li Ang and the others a completely different impression than Hamelin Town and Antimony Town. If the smaller towns seemed stuck in a more primitive, idyllic medieval period, Mori City already possessed the rudiments of a modern urban center.

The roads were paved with cut stone tiles, electric street lamps stood on the sidewalks, and carriages and convertible steam-powered vehicles ran on the streets. Gentlemen and ladies donned Victorian Era apparel, and most people carried umbrellas when they went out. The city's sky was always overcast, and rain showers frequently struck, the water even causing a burning sensation on the skin.

This was probably because a large number of modern factories were situated west of the city.

Due to several major kingdoms developing an awareness of environmental protection and energy-saving emission reductions earlier than in the real world, the Pollution emissions from these modern factories weren't as exaggerated. But the billowing black smoke from the chimneys still darkened the skies. A faintly choking odor pervaded the air, and the city's waterways and rivers presented a faint, sickly green hue, largely devoid of living fish.

The players felt a strange sense of nostalgia seeing such familiar Pollution in a world otherwise so keen on being politically correct. Carpenter Hoenburg, however, was not surprised. The Queen's environmental slogans were, after all, just slogans. Ordinary people simply couldn't resist the conveniences of matches, laundry soap, glass, and cement produced by modern factories.

Irresistible!

Without a doubt, this large modern city possessed stronger defenses than either Hamelin Town or Antimony Town, evident by its towering city walls and the brawny soldiers stationed on them.

Outside the city, Li Ang and the others used the Magic Mirror's Magic Detection Special Effect and discovered more than one source of Spiritual Energy fluctuations within the city. The Spiritual Energy fluctuations around the city hall were the densest, originating from multiple distinct points.

According to the map, that place should be the Rune Kingdom's official Magic Department, right next to the church.

In such an environment, sneaking into the church to steal the Mirror Fragment seemed quite challenging, as the slightest misstep could alert the Spellcasters. Even with their numerous means and tricks, the players couldn't guarantee a safe escape from a tight encirclement—what if these Spellcasters had reinforcements?

Therefore, after some discussion, the players decided to stay at an inn near Mori City's grand cathedral that evening. They planned to continue interrogating the Forest Witch, Dorothy, and tasked Carpenter Hoenburg with using his connections to find influential figures who could arrange a private opportunity for them to enter the church.

If Carpenter Hoenburg failed, then Li Ang and the others would have to devise another plan.

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