Chapter 700: The War-Torn World
Chapter 700: The War-Torn World
Merely observing from a distance wouldn't yield any additional information.
Lindsey and Alice quickly set off, descending the mountain and infiltrating the city center.
Their Terror Game skills proved highly effective.
Like two ghosts, Lindsey and Alice moved through the iron-clad atmosphere of the Sky Island city.
The veil of the Dust Path World was lifting before them.
It wasn't just the guards on the city walls; even the residents living within the city had somber expressions, rarely showing any signs of happiness or joy.
Moreover, on the streets and among the houses, they occasionally witnessed people being taken away by recruiters.
Strangely, these drafted residents didn't display sadness or anger at their fate.
They seemed to accept the situation with an unusual degree of tolerance.
Unwilling to fight but not resisting either.
Based on Lindsey's knowledge and analysis, this culture didn't seem to stem from military rewards or forced conscription.
Lindsey: [Alice, what do you make of this?]
Alice: [Their numbness to war... it's very tricky.]
Lindsey and Alice discussed the situation within the game interface but reached no immediate conclusions.
They continued walking through the city, covering two kilometers, until they reached a wooden house where they overheard several disabled men conversing:
"The weather is neither too cold nor too hot, neither too wet nor too dry. It's not terrible, but there's nothing enjoyable about it either. Ah, this is life on the border of the world."
"Try to look on the bright side; at least we have a stable life here."
"Stable? How did I lose my legs then? They were just taken away two months ago!"
"Alright, at least we're not in the central or core areas. If we were in the heart of the city, forget about islands with resources like ours! Even on a useless wasteland, people would fight for survival after ten or fifteen days!"
The men's conversation remained centered on the war.
Their attitude, like what Lindsey and Alice observed, was filled with a sense of numbness towards the conflict.
Not just the entire world, but even this city itself.
The residents here seemed to have accepted war as a part of their daily lives.
It was as if they had come to terms with it, just like eating, sleeping, or celebrating festivals, without any longing for peace as 'normal.'
Lindsey and Alice's brows furrowed deeper as they continued walking towards the city center, intending to inspect the water source and confirm the resource production of the Sky Island.
Even if their goal was merely to pass through this world, gathering more detailed intelligence was always the right choice.
Soon, they arrived at the fountain.
Lindsey glanced at Alice, whose gray eyes had dimmed slightly.
The Mooncry Mountain Range and the Dust Path World had become what they were today due to the turmoil in the City of Law.
As a Righteous One and a participant in the Sword Seizing Battle, Alice had experienced the failure to establish centralized rule, and self-blame was inevitable.
Lindsey tried to comfort her companion:
[At least it's better than the Wasteland; civilization hasn't collapsed here.]
Alice didn't want to interrupt with a sigh, but she shook her head slightly:
[But they've become accustomed to war.]
[Although everything that happened in the City of Law was for the sake of order, these costs are too heavy for ordinary people to bear, and it's not their burden to carry.]
Alice understood the situation all too well.
To comfort her, Lindsey changed his approach, analyzing the situation purely from a theoretical perspective:
[But this was unavoidable.
In a world under centralized rule, the decision for a new ruler was delayed, leading to a power struggle among Overmen, each fighting for dominance. This outcome was inevitable under such circumstances.
Alice was indeed intrigued by Lindsay's choice of words:
"Centralized rule? Overmen? Did you borrow these terms from your previous world?"
Having learned about 'Science' as a tool, Alice became curious about Lindsay's past world and the knowledge it held.
Lindsay proceeded to explain:
"Centralization is simple; it's like an organizer, concentrating power and having the ultimate decision-making authority over all matters. As for Overmen, you can think of them as Awakened individuals possessing abilities that surpass those of others..."
Lindsay and Alice continued their journey towards the city center. Along the way, they encountered families with missing members, orphaned children wandering the streets with no one to rely on.
These people, once chosen by recruiters, wore rare smiles on their faces, a sight seldom seen within the city.
For those who preferred peace, this scene evoked a mix of emotions, leaving them at a loss for words to describe their feelings.
Thus, Lindsay and Alice arrived at the city's central fountain square, which was significantly larger than it had appeared from the mountaintop, resembling a small lake.
As they maintained their stealth, Lindsay initiated a Puzzle Game module.
The Righteous Lioness paused at the pool's edge, her keen perception immediately providing her with relevant information.
Alice confirmed, "There is indeed a guiding force of world rules here."
Lindsay used his Puzzle Game skill to investigate further and shared his findings in the friend channel:
"The floating island's pool—the moisture in the air, guided by the rules, gathers in this pond, serving as the city's water supply."
After inspecting the pool, Lindsay and Alice circled the city a few more times. Seeing no other information to gather, they decided to leave the city and continue their journey across the floating islands.
They would conduct similar explorations in any other cities they encountered, as accumulating intelligence was always beneficial.
As they headed out of the city, they communicated in the friend channel.
Alice: "Lindsay, where did the Deviators go? I thought they had destroyed the paths between the floating islands."
Lindsay: "They must have been here since they destroyed the paths. Why would they ignore these living people?"
Alice: "That's another mystery I can't figure out."
Lindsay: "This city has many long-term residents, some of whom settled here shortly after the City of Law's turmoil. It's unlikely that Deviators would have slaughtered everyone and then relocated newcomers."
Their confusion remained unresolved.
However, as they were halfway out of the city, stealthily sneaking under the eaves to avoid patrolling guards, Lindsay's task bar suddenly displayed a new quest:
"Sky Island Battle"
"The ancient world is engulfed in war!
Conquest and subjugation, plunder and resistance—this is the main theme of this world!
As passing adventurers, help this city defend against external invaders!"
"Quest Reward: Living Wing Parachute, Attribute/Skill Experience."
Lindsay checked his attribute panel, but before he could share this news with Alice...
Woooo—
A loud horn sounded from the city walls, followed by a voice shouting, "Attack! Prepare for battle!"
(End of Chapter)
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