novelraw Chapter 259: The City
Chapter 259: The City
Lu Li tucked the envelope safely inside his coat.
Now, having read about the Abyss in three separate issues of the paper, he finally had the complete picture.
Knowing Agent Nightingale's ultimate fate, Lu Li’s gaze lingered heavily on the word "deceased" printed in parentheses beside her name. He now understood how a routine incident had spiraled first into a complex event, and then into a full-blown nightmare.
The Abyss incident was a stark reminder that even investigators, when confronting the world’s anomalies, were walking on thin ice. No amount of caution or determination could change the fact that they were still vulnerable.
After finishing the remaining papers, Lu Li returned to his original purpose. He compared the number of incidents reported over the past four months—the frequency of anomalous events was undeniably, and noticeably, on the rise.
Villages far from the major cities were vanishing, swallowed up so completely it was as if they had never existed at all.
The wilderness was growing increasingly hostile to human life.
Lu Li also took note of the Investigator Weekly’s layout. The paper was typically divided into three sections: general news, recent incidents, and anomalous events. The forecast section was too small to be considered a category of its own.
If he wanted to find work, these were the three sections he needed to focus on.
Tucking the papers away, Lu Li glanced out the window. Half an hour on the road had brought them to the base of the mountain. A line of wagons crept along slowly several dozen meters ahead of them.As the most prosperous and renowned trading port on the Allen Peninsula, Belfast and its immediate surroundings were relatively safe.
This was the bare minimum Lu Li required of any place he stayed.
Should Belfast ever suffer a mass incident or an anomaly outbreak, he would have to relocate to somewhere safer.
Lu Li extinguished the lamp, plunging the carriage into twilight. Noticing the shift in light, Anna turned to him. "All done reading?"
"Yes."
Lu Li moved toward the front of the carriage to take the reins.
"I can do it. No one will notice in this rain," Anna replied, reluctant to give up her temporary post as driver. She wanted to do something for Lu Li, no matter how small.
"Alright."
Never one to argue, Lu Li simply nodded and returned to his seat.
The wagon rocked gently. Lu Li settled back onto the blanket-covered seat and closed his eyes, hoping to get some rest.
The journey was exhausting. All Lu Li could do was drift in and out of sleep in the rocking carriage, waiting for the hours to pass.
He stirred from a light doze at one point, realizing the carriage was no longer jolting and the sound of the wheels had ceased.
The abrupt stillness prompted Lu Li to open his eyes. He looked toward the front of the wagon.
Anna was peeking from behind the curtain, only half of her face visible. Gazing through her translucent form, Lu Li could see the line of wagons that had blocked their path. In the distance, the silhouettes of buildings pierced the gloom.
"Have we arrived?"
"Yes," Anna's voice was laced with a touch of melancholy and nostalgia. "Himmfast... the city where I grew up."
Lu Li drew the curtain aside, and daylight flooded the carriage, scattering the shadows. Before him, a city sprawled across the plain.
Like Belfast, Himmfast had no city walls; in fact, no city on the Allen Peninsula did. This wasn't merely due to the immense time, effort, and expense required for such construction. By the time the Allen Peninsula was colonized, the political situation on the main continent had stabilized, and the rising tide of anomalous phenomena had compelled humanity to band together. Though disagreements and conflicts still simmered, they were minor in the grand scheme of things.
"Do you still remember the way?"
"Of course... My mother and I walked every street in this city. I still remember them all... assuming they haven't changed."
Anna hadn't been away from Himmfast for long, so her sadness was tinged more with nostalgia than true loss.
"I'll take it from here. You can give me directions," Lu Li said, his dispassionate voice cutting through the sentimental mood.
Lu Li's voice was devoid of warmth or cheer. It occurred to Anna that if the iron machines born of science and industry could one day speak, they would sound just like him.
And yet, to Anna, that very voice was as soothing as a mother's lullaby at twilight.
"Alright."
Anna agreed readily. She set down the reins and drifted back inside the carriage.
Lu Li stepped out and took the reins. He hardly had to do anything; the old horse knew to simply follow the line of wagons ahead.
A few minutes later, they passed into the city proper. In contrast to Belfast's practical architecture, the buildings here were far more elegant. Soaring gothic spires seemed to pierce the low-hanging clouds, and exquisite stone sculptures adorned every intersection.
Himmfast's most famous landmark, a thirty-four-meter clock tower, began to chime. The long, resonant peal echoed through the streets, carrying across the entire city. It was four o'clock, as Anna pointed out to Lu Li.
That left them two hours until sunset—more than enough time to find what they were looking for.
Following Anna's directions, Lu Li guided the wagon through the city, his eyes scanning the shops lining the wide avenues. There were more art galleries and sculpture studios than he'd anticipated; nearly every street had at least one or two. Their windows displayed a diverse array of paintings and sculptures, each in a different style.
It seemed Benjamin, the man who'd taken over Madam Anlei's gallery, had made a wise decision to leave Himmfast.
"This city isn't as prosperous as it once was. The anomalies and disasters have drawn people's attention away from true art," Anna whispered. The words sounded unlike her.
Before Lu Li could turn, she continued, "Forgeries are put on display to great acclaim, while genuine masterpieces gather dust in obscurity. These paintings, which I once cherished so much, I will no longer keep. Each painting is sold for only fifty shillings..."
Anna was looking at a street vendor's sign. A sullen-looking old man sat beside a pile of canvases.
"Are those real paintings?"
"No, it's a special kind of Himmfast scam, meant for first-time visitors."
Anna smiled.
"But the paintings are real enough. There’s a gallery on Art Street where students sell their work for six shillings—or four, if you know them."
It was like the colorful seashells in Belfast. Tourists always loved them and thought a shilling for one was a bargain. But you could fill a whole basket with them after an hour on the beach.
"I would have thought everyone in a city of arts would know a thing or two about art."
"Hardly," Anna laughed, playfully prodding Lu Li in the back. "Himmfast has its share of thieves and ruffians, same as anywhere. There are just more artists here, the way Belfast has more fishermen."