Night Journey

Chapter 46 Work and Life
Cillian changed into the City Guard's gray uniform, with a shield pinned to his chest depicting three converging rivers. This was the City Guard's emblem.

The city guard provides basic standard weapons, but the staff come from different backgrounds and have very different combat habits, so they are more accustomed to using the weapons they carry themselves.

Cillian was no exception.

Boiling Sword remained at Ciri's waist as always. To avoid revealing the emblem of the Sunflower Clan, before leaving White Cliff Town, Ciri learned from Nunn and wrapped bandages around the hilt of the sword.

In the holster on the other side was a standard-issue pistol provided by the city garrison, with its ammunition pouch filled with brassy bullets.

"Today is your first day at work. I'll show you around the general process."

Dailin patiently explained, "The main job of the City Guard Bureau is to deal with various malign supernatural events, such as investigating Chaos believers lurking in the city, dealing with Chaos invasions from the outside world, and even clearing out the demon tides that gather in the wilderness."

"But we don't have this kind of life-threatening work every day. Usually, all we need to do is patrol the night."

Dalin took Cirien onto the City Guard's dedicated light rail line, which went directly to the high walls surrounding Hel City.

“Different groups are responsible for different districts, and we take turns patrolling the high walls,” Dai Lin said helplessly. “Unfortunately, it’s our group’s turn recently.”

After passing through the guards' checkpoint, the two took the elevator and arrived at the towering wall.

"Don't be too nervous. Most of the time, night patrols are safe and even quite pleasant. You just wander around under the cover of night until dawn."

Cillian countered curiously, "What if something happens?"

"Well... that's probably going to be a real problem, the kind that could even lead to someone dying."

Dai Lin laughed heartily, appearing relaxed.

The space on the high wall was extremely spacious, and there was even a track to facilitate the rapid movement of the night patrol personnel.

Numerous defensive structures were built on the outside of the high walls, with heavy cannons pointing one by one towards the desolate wilderness beyond the vast darkness. These were automated weapons created by the Wanji Tonglu Institute, capable of launching attacks on their own even without human control.

Cillian followed behind Dalin. Along the way, besides the two of them, Cillian also saw other City Guard employees in gray uniforms.

“Night patrols don’t just end with walking around once; we also need to check the burning of the soul essence.”

At regular intervals along the high wall, there is a torch. The intensity of the gray zone in the narrow passage can be judged by the burning and consumption of the soul essence inside.

"who are they?"

Cillian noticed that, in addition to the city guards, several unfamiliar figures had appeared on the high wall, their black robes embroidered with interlocking circular chains.

“They are the spiritual craftsmen of the House of All Machines,” Dalin explained, “responsible for the maintenance of the high walls, and they will come down to inspect them from time to time.”

The Wanji Tonglu Academy is divided into five casting courtyards, and the circular chain symbol corresponds to the Wanmai·Jiexi Casting Court.

"Their origins are quite interesting too."

Dalin recounted the past of Hel City: "Decades ago, there were hardly any spirit craftsmen in Hel City. Then one day, a huge mobile fortress floated up from the spirit world."

"what?"

Cillian was shocked.

“The base of each Foundry is a mobile fortress, a marvel of creation from the Heavenly Iron Father, the Universal Furnace.”

The vast majority of the Forging Court's mobile fortresses remain in one place for many years.

But the Knotted Casting Court was an anomaly; as early as the Renaissance, they drove the Knotted Flail to travel the civilized world, providing technical support to various countries and cities.

The year of rebellion broke out, the territory of the civilized world shrank dramatically, nations and city-states split apart, and the routes that once allowed them to roam were replaced by the gray areas and ruins. Coupled with their own supply problems, the whereabouts of the Chained Flails became elusive, and no one had seen them for many years.

Dailin continued his story.

"Decades ago, the mobile fortress that suddenly rose up next to Hel City was the Chained Flail. They did not explain where it had been traveling during the many years it had been missing. After a large-scale resupply in Hel City, it sank into the spirit world again and disappeared without a trace."

"Fortunately, when the Chained Flail left, many spirit craftsmen chose to stay in Hel City. They established a branch of the Chained Forging Court here, trained students, and rebuilt the city."

Dailin stomped his foot hard and looked again at the magnificent beacon in the city.

"It can be said that everything in Hel City today was built by the spirit craftsmen who stayed behind. As a result, they occupy several seats in the city council and are very prestigious in Hel City."

"Is that so?"

Cillian watched the group of figures gradually disappear into the darkness, and couldn't help but recall the night Bruce arrived.

That rough, rusty red color and the sound of hammers... perhaps it was a mobile fortress attempting to rise into reality.

As Cillian seemed to be deep in thought, Daelin also quietly began to observe him.

A few days ago, Anya was certain that Cirion was not an enemy, and that as the Torchbearer, Cirion possessed an incomparably noble and powerful bloodline.

Dalin couldn't help but guess that Ciri must come from a powerful clan. What was his purpose in coming to Hel City? But if Ciri's identity was really so lofty, he should have a basic understanding of this world. However, he had never seen the Soul Essence Potion and was not even clear about the divisions of the Myriad Laws Academy.

As the two chatted, they checked the burning status of the soul essence. From time to time, heavy cannon fire could be heard. It was the automatic turrets that had detected the approaching horde of demons and launched a counterattack.

Similar situations often occurred at night. Dalin told Cillian not to worry, as they had set up several buffer zones outside the towering walls. They would only need to intervene when the demon horde crossed the buffer zones.

Dai Lin probed, "You're much more professional than I expected. Have you done similar work before?"

"That's it."

Cillian spoke casually, still refusing to reveal anything about the past.

Dai Lin didn't insist.

As dawn broke, the two took the elevator away from the high walls. Dalin invited Cillian to have a drink as a pleasant way to end a day's work, and Cillian did not refuse.

New cities, new lifestyles, naturally require new social interactions.

Cillian doesn't shy away from making new friends, not to mention that these new friends might be able to help him in his upcoming revenge mission.

"Hel City is located on the outer frontier, but because it is adjacent to the Dawn Corridor, it is quite developed and safe. It will not disappear suddenly one night like the city-state reported in the newspaper."

Dai Lin sighed, "It seems pretty good to settle down here until I die."

"Aren't you a local from Hull City?"

“No,” Dalin shook his head. “When I came to Hull City, I was about the same age as you.”

Cillian asked curiously, "Where is your hometown?"

"A place that was once insignificant, but it was once glorious. However, several chaotic invasions occurred there, and most of the city was reduced to ruins. Nobody wanted to stay, and everyone was scrambling to escape."

Dai Lin spoke candidly, “I went back there a few years ago. The place hadn’t fallen, but it was still in a dilapidated state. I don’t know how long it can hold out.”

Like Cillian, Daelin also concealed some aspects of her past.

"That's all for today."

Dai Lin was the first to say goodbye, saying, "I have an appointment this afternoon, so I need to go back and catch up on some sleep."

Cillian joked, "With that Anya?"

"of course."

When Anya was mentioned, Dailin's face lit up with a smile. He waved and turned to leave.

……

Cillian's work and life began. Every night he simply patrolled the high walls. There were no swords, no fighting, and the tranquility made Cillian feel uneasy.

Dalyn often told Cillian strange jokes and asked him to have a drink at different bars after get off work.

Led by Dalin, Cillian visited almost every bar in the area.

Sometimes Anya and Cillian would patrol the night.

Anya might have a problem with herself; she rarely makes eye contact with herself. She is generous and poised when facing others, but she is somewhat reserved when she is around herself.

Their night patrols were the most tedious and boring. Anya rarely spoke, and Cillian was too embarrassed to speak, but he would occasionally receive snacks made by Anya herself, which left Cillian confused.

Of all his colleagues, Cillian got along best with Elton.

Dalyn said that Elton was not good at socializing, but when it came to Yanxun technology, which he was interested in, Elton always had a lot to say.

Driven by his interest in Yanxun technology, Cillian quickly became acquainted with Elton.

Mefuni was also very friendly to Cillian, without any airs of a rich girl. She often invited Cillian and other colleagues to various parties and activities under the pretext of improving their meals.

A month passed quickly, and on another day off, Cillian stood in front of the bustling street, searching around.

According to the address given by Maefuni, the party was supposed to be in the vicinity, but Cillian walked around several times and still couldn't find the exact location.

"Hello, are you Cillian?"

Suddenly, a strange woman stepped out from the crowd and extended her hand to Cillian with a smile.

“I’m Valerie, Mafone’s friend. You must be lost.”

(End of this chapter)