Chapter Eight: Login

Finally, Xia Xiu successfully earned Mr. Stephen's favor with sixty thousand Yao Central currency. Mr. Stephen immediately wrote a letter of recommendation for Xia Xiu and handed it to him.

"This contains a special Mimu pheromone. The spirit tracker will naturally find you when the time comes. Just follow its instructions," he said.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Stephen. The money will be in your hands shortly," Xia Xiu replied.

Without delay, Xia Xiu left, while Stephen smiled and waved goodbye behind him. Hearing Stephen’s cheerful farewell, Xia Xiu smiled and shook his head before quickening his pace.

"Ah, sir! You’re out!" Lei Si, who had been pacing outside, saw Xia Xiu emerge safely and suddenly found his tongue tied, unsure of what to say.

"Come with me. We’ll go to my home to get something—it’s a gift for Mr. Stephen."

"Yes, it’s my honor," Lei Si said respectfully.

The two took the train to the Lambeth central district, where Xia Xiu instructed Lei Si to wait in front of a high-class inn called the "Three Sparrows Hostel."

After plundering all the valuables from the Kradashi mansion, Xia Xiu set the estate ablaze, then pretended to be a student from Orleans studying in the Mist City. Under this guise, he rented a room in a high-end location.

In such upscale places, as long as the money was right, no one asked questions, whether they should or shouldn’t. Besides, who would suspect a boy of around fifteen to be a ruthless villain?

Xia Xiu took out a suitcase filled with sixty thousand Yao Central currency, then went downstairs to hand it to Lei Si, instructing him to deliver the money to Stephen.

After sending Lei Si off, Xia Xiu returned to his rented luxury room. He pulled out Stephen’s letter of recommendation and examined it carefully before placing it on the table and rhythmically tapping his right index finger on it.

Now that he had the letter, all that remained was to await the arrival of the Three Portland.

———

Terra Calendar 1589, February 6.

The Three Portland landed in Mist City.

Currently, Three Portland is the largest exceptional enclave in Yao Central, with a permanent population of eighty thousand. Every day, a large number of transient people pass through the city; about two thousand hold full-time jobs in the city, commuting through secret paths. Most of the transient population inside Three Portland consists of occult scholars, anomalous artists, and special races.

It is said that refugees of the Xishen race, fleeing from Avalon, also reside there.

———

Outside Mist City, near a building resembling the Parliament Hall (Big Ben), Bathsmelo Phyllis, chief of the contemporary Clock Tower, stood on the observation deck with several colleagues, gazing at the massive object appearing in the sky.

"A super-large arcane recoil device, forty-five thousand Mimu hidden runes, a large-scale cloaking magical apparatus... this is Three Portland!" Bathsmelo exclaimed.

"Chief, should we respond as well?" one asked.

"Of course. After all, the Deer Institute is up there. No matter what, we're rivals," Bathsmelo replied with a light laugh.

With Bathsmelo's approval, the Clock Tower responded.

Surrounding the tower, crowd-dispersal barriers were deployed to the fullest extent, physical erasure-type barriers were set up along the national highway’s checkpoints and maps, and visual obstruction barriers—all normally limited to one or two—were fully activated today.

In addition, the districts around Mist City, including Sla and Roxlot, and eleven satellite cities restructured by various disciplines also activated their barriers.

The seventy classrooms belonging to each discipline, along with five large lecture halls jointly managed by all, unfurled their defenses without regard for cost. Though called classrooms, from the sorcerers’ perspective, it was more apt to call them seventy-five cities.

Beyond these, a great secret ritual beneath Mist City was also initiated.

The Spirit Tomb Albion.

Normally active EVE particles were suppressed to their lowest activity by the barriers, causing many sorcerers in Mist City to feel intense discomfort. Stephen, living in the Lambeth slums, directly leapt out from his portrait.

With EVE particles suppressed, the painting world was solidified. If he didn’t escape now, he would truly become a mere painting. Feeling the lethargic EVE particles, Stephen cursed the Clock Tower’s neurosis inwardly—why so many barriers just for a welcoming ceremony?

Three Portland stopped floating above the Clock Tower, quietly suspended in the air.

Before Bathsmelo, a hexagram made of multiple triangles appeared on the ground, emitting a gentle glow. Alongside it stood a middle-aged man in a dark robe.

"Hello, I am Albert Laungen from the Deer Institute," the man introduced himself.

"Greetings, I am Bathsmelo Phyllis, chief of the Clock Tower."

"Mr. Laungen, shall we go inside for our discussion? We have prepared some delicious pastries for you," Bathsmelo gestured politely.

"Thank you kindly," Laungen replied.

Bathsmelo led Laungen to the designated meeting place. Laungen glanced at a rotund penguin holding a camera, snapping pictures of them in the hall.

"The staff from the Wanders’ Press are truly dedicated," Laungen remarked, adjusting his glasses.

"They possess the finest spatial sorcery and word-spell techniques in all of Terra. While actively expanding their social network, they maintain absolute political neutrality. Their only desire is to satisfy their insatiable curiosity, so we have no reason to stop them," Bathsmelo explained.

Most factions in Terra maintain a friendly attitude toward the Wanders’ Press, and few object to their interviews.

"Shall we go inside and talk?"

"Yes."

Bathsmelo and Laungen sat down simultaneously. Servants brought exquisite pastries and coffee, which they sipped casually.

"Mr. Laungen, I’d like to ask: how long does Three Portland plan to stay in the Mist City area?"

"This time, Three Portland intends to stay for a month. You’ve probably heard—we plan to circumnavigate Yao Central and conduct a new round of recruitments during the journey."

"Just in Yao Central?" Bathsmelo said with a knowing tone.

"The northern Diwa and the Far Eastern Oleten are not on this voyage’s route."

"Then your ultimate destination is likely Edici."

"…You could say that."

"Edici, huh? I’ve heard the Holy See Church and Edici have long planned to assemble an oceanic fleet to cross the Chaos Sea in search of the Lost Land and the Promised Land. Three Portland has extensive experience navigating the Chaos Sea…" Bathsmelo hinted.

"Indeed, I’ve also heard some interesting rumors. It’s said that Yao Central and the Holy See Church plan to reestablish a crusade to head east," Laungen said, taking a sip of coffee and smiling gently.

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly grew heavy.