Otherworld Advance Team-Chapter 58 - 54 Holy Heart City
58: Chapter 54: Holy Heart City
58 -54: Holy Heart City
While searching the bodies, Hu Daoke found some gold coins and collected them all in a money bag. free𝑤ebnovel.com
The Otherworld was rich in gold mines, hence gold coins were the primary currency.
Although paper currency had recently been introduced with the help of Earth, it mostly circulated in the northern part of the continent.
In other areas, gold coins remained the primary currency.
Considering his carrying capacity, Luo’er took the Enfield Rifle, which was in fairly good condition, and gathered dozens of 7.7 rifle bullets.
He didn’t want to be in a combat situation without a weapon again.
Although cold weapons were still the mainstay in the Otherworld, the influx of firearms from Earth had indirectly changed the nature of warfare here.
After having Hu Daoke and Cheng Ziang dispose of the bodies, Luo’er started to examine their current situation.
Their wagon was practically ruined from the recent attack.
Even if it could be temporarily fixed, the horses designated for transport had already been shot to death.
Although Hu Daoke was strong and hardy, it was hardly fair to have him pull the cart.
Without the wagon, they could only carry fewer supplies.
Apart from essential food supplies, most items had to be abandoned there.
Although they didn’t pay for these items out of their pocket, Luo’er still felt some pain at the thought of leaving them behind.
After the recent battle, the coachman had lost his nerve and absolutely refused to take them to Holy Heart City anymore.
Seeing no other choice, Luo’er had to ask him for directions and give him some gold coins to send him on his way.
After dismissing the coachman, Luo’er had Tangmo send the first magical message to Headquarters.
The main content was about the attack they had experienced along with some intelligence they had gathered.
They soon received a reply from Headquarters, the general meaning was simple: Stay safe and keep moving forward.
Baiyue opened the map she was carrying.
They were now deep within Odelanqi, only a week’s journey from the capital, Holy Heart City.
If they were lucky enough to find a cart in the next village, they should be able to reach Holy Heart City within five days.
Knowing the road ahead was fraught with danger, this was their first mission and no one wanted to abandon it.
They were only thinking about reaching Holy Heart City, locating the Assassin’s Union, finding out who was trying to kill them and figuring out the connections between these things.
After the attack, they continued their journey and managed to get through the forest before sunset, setting up camp on the outskirts.
Luo’er prepared dinner as usual, but perhaps it was due to the gruesome sight of the bodies they’d witnessed that day, Tangmo barely had any appetite.
He ate a few mouthfuls and gave up, even retching a few times.
Luo’er understood his current state; after all, it was his first time killing a person.
Sure, they’d fought each other countless times on the Virtual Battlefield, but they’d instinctively treated it as simply part of a game.
Now they were in the Otherworld.
Everything they encountered here served as a reminder that this was a real, tangible world and dead people stayed dead, they couldn’t come back to life.
It wasn’t just Tangmo, everyone was not in a good state, so they all remained silent.
Only Cheng Ziang was as carefree as ever, seeming completely unbothered despite taking a life just a few hours ago, now gleefully partaking in some delicious canned luncheon meat.
“Why aren’t you guys eating?
Does it remind you of human flesh?” Cheng Ziang looked at everyone and suddenly spoke, causing everyone’s face to go pale.
Hu Daoke even vomited out the food he’d just swallowed, glaring at him fiercely.
“Stop adding fuel to the fire!” Luo’er couldn’t help but give him a white look, and then said to everyone, “if you can’t eat, I’ll find some wild fruits nearby.”
Cheng Ziang couldn’t help but shake his head at their reactions, a mocking expression on his face.
Having finished dinner and night having fallen, it was Tangmo’s turn on the night watch according to the roster.
She stood in front of Luo’er, timidly looking at him, her lips pressed together in silence.
Luo’er sighed, understanding what she wanted, thus he nodded and said, “All right, I’ll accompany you on your night watch.”
It was late at night, the vibrant moonlight spilled through the dense foliage, scattering mottled spots of light.
Luo’er and Tangmo snuggled against a tree trunk, draped in a waterproof and warm cloak.
Luo’er placed the rifle within reach, his left arm firmly held by Tangmo, unable to pull away no matter what.
“Luo’er, do you think they will come from over there?” Tangmo asked, trembling slightly as she pointed towards a dark bush.
“No, they are dead, lying in a pit now.” Luo’er reassured her.
“Will they come looking for revenge?” Tangmo asked helplessly, after scanning their surroundings.
“Moumou, dead people do not seek revenge, especially considering you were raised in an atheist society.” Luo’er consoled her helplessly.
“Look over there, did it move…?” Tangmo suddenly tugged tightly at him, calling out with a clear whimper.
“That was just the wind.” Luo’er comforted her gently.
“Luo’er, why aren’t you scared at all?” Tangmo asked snuggling against his shoulder.
“I suppose it comes down to the saying ‘a clear conscience sleeps in thunder.’,” Luo’er said.
“But today we clearly…”
“They brought it upon themselves,” Luo’er gently rubbed her small head and said earnestly, “Moumou, you have to understand, if people do not offend me, I will not offend them.
Since they chose to attack us, even if they come back as ghosts, I can kill them again.”
“I don’t understand,” Tangmo swayed her head, enjoying Luo’er’s touch, and said to him, “All I know is that I feel safest when I’m with you, as long as I am by your side, I feel very secure.”
Luo’er looked at her, opened his mouth a few times without knowing what to say.
After a brief silence, he finally spoke, “You should go to sleep earlier, I will keep watch for the rest of the night.”
“Aren’t you tired?” Tangmo asked, looking up.
“It’s fine, I can handle it,” Luo’er shook his head and said.
“Well, you can’t leave me behind when I fall asleep.”
“I won’t, I will stay by your side and won’t go anywhere,” Luo’er said earnestly.
Tangmo squinted her eyes at him, and in the end, unable to resist, she gently leaned against him and fell into a deep sleep.
Luo’er lowered his gaze to look at her, then turned his eyes to the row of shrubs that the wind had just blown through.
His heart was still, however.
He wasn’t an absolute atheist, but curiously, he did not fear ghosts or other supernatural phenomena.
He had always believed in the phrase ‘a clear conscience sleeps in thunder’.
Even though he had killed for the first time today, Luo’er didn’t feel any fear.
As he had said, those people had brought it upon themselves.
Even if they returned as ghosts to give him trouble, he could kill them again, and anyway, he didn’t believe that ghosts could cause much harm.
The next day, they continued to advance along the planned route.
After passing through the forest, they encountered vast, rolling farmlands that had been developed by people for growing crops.
Odelanqi was the main grain-producing area in the north of the continent.
With the support of Earth’s agricultural technology, grain production had quadrupled over a short period of thirty years.
The population had surged, reaching nearly a hundred million, making Odelanqi a populous powerhouse in the north.
They continued their journey along cobblestone roads.
In a village, they finally found a bullock cart willing to take them to Holy Heart City.
After agreeing on a fare, they could finally abandon the misery of travelling on foot and boarded the cart, featuring a straw bedding.
Less than three days journey from the village to Holy Heart City, after a long trek, they catch their first glimpse of the second city since they came to the Otherworld.
Situated at the confluence of the Delan and Aobeni rivers, Holy Heart City was built on a peninsula where the rivers meet, backed by mountains, and travel within the city is completely dependent on two ancient stone bridges.
As the capital of Odelanqi, it also houses a branch of the Church of Light in the Otherworld.
The Sacred Heart Magic Academy established by the Church is located at the foot of the mountains in the northern part of the peninsula.
With the population boom, an influx of newcomers forced the ancient city to expand.
On the basis of the original city, new towns were built across the rivers on the opposite banks, and walls were put up for protection.
The current Holy Heart City has expanded to twice its size thirty years ago.
The old peninsula area primarily houses nobles and the Church, separated by the rivers from the new city on the west and east banks, which serves as the new settlement for incoming migrants; these three areas form a “Y”-shaped confrontational triad.
Close to the city walls, Luo’er noticed that the walls of the new city incorporated concrete materials, and some road surfaces had been hardened.
Clearly, the influence of Earth had infiltrated the far-flung Holy Heart City.
Before entering the city, following instructions from headquarters, Luo’er and his companions had wrapped all their weapons and donned cloaks to cover their conspicuous equipment.
Once sure everyone had effectively concealed their distinctive features, he led them to the city gates.
The soldiers guarding the city gates interviewed everyone who entered and exited the city.
In principle, they did not prohibit adventurers from carrying weapons into the city, but they had to show their association emblem and keep their weapons wrapped, not to be unveiled within the city.
If any adventurer refused to comply, the guards would confiscate their weapons or equipment, or even imprison them directly.
Luo’er noticed that the guards at the city gates, though still clad in iron light armor, each had an old bolt-action rifle slung over their shoulders.
Based on the design, it was likely a Gew.98 rifle, the main weapon of the German soldiers during World War I.
These guards were tall and burly.
The long rifles slung over their shoulders didn’t seem out of place.
However, this combination of armor and a rifle oddly gave off a sense of déjà vu from a steampunk setting.
