I'm really not a Sanctuary Warlock.

Light novels are very complicated, extremely complicated. With over a hundred similar titles available at the same time, I didn't even get a single round of recommendations.

There's really nothing worth mentioning.

To be honest, I sometimes feel lost and disappointed. Looking at the dismal readership data, I can't help but wonder if my story is not good enough or engaging enough.

The online novel industry is brutal, and traffic never favors newcomers like me who lack talent. I've always known that.

As you can see, the initial plot development of this book was purely suggestive, because that's my area of ​​expertise. But as I wrote, I got the idea that I also wanted to write a serious story. (The story will still involve suggestive romances and seduction of various female leads; forgetting my roots is not an option.)

To attain enlightenment and become a god... what an unattainable goal.

My motto for encouraging myself is simple: if you want to touch the stars, you must first stand firmly on the ground.

I will not stop updating.

I will no longer create new accounts or start new books to gamble on Qidian's promotion. I am already very satisfied with what I have now.

I will continue updating until the story is complete, and strive to write the sequel, aiming for 8000-12000 words per day.

Of course, I personally prefer to keep 3 words in reserve, but I can also update more frequently if I get generous donations. (Dreaming)

I strive to have a clear conscience.

The road ahead is long, but I will continue to write.

Let's continue with the main text.

Main text

Chapter 124 Light in the Darkness

When Lynn returned to the stone room where he was temporarily staying, Anna was standing by the simple wooden table, examining the map of Holy Song City that Nora had provided.

She wasn't wearing her signature saintly robes, but only a plain white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, revealing her fair and slender forearms.

"Finished reading?" Lynn walked in and closed the stone door behind him.

“The layout of the altar is very ancient.” Anna pointed to the cluster of buildings in the center of the map with her fingertip. “It’s not a summoning circle originally created by the Abyss Order…”

"Can it be cracked?"

“It takes time to study it, and we also need to see it for ourselves.” Anna rolled up the map. “When do you plan to go scout ahead?”

"It's nighttime now." Lynn sat down on the edge of the bed. "Nora said that some sections of the sewers have been taken over by monsters. I'll go clear them out first and find out a few of the main passages."

Anna remained silent for a few seconds.

“Lisa and I will go with you.”

“No need.” Lynn shook his head. “The sewers are too dark, making it inconvenient for you to move around. Besides, the situation in the city is unknown. If I get trapped, you can stay outside and provide backup.”

Anna didn't insist. She walked over and sat down in the chair opposite Lynn.

What do you think of Nora?

Lynn thought for a moment: "Smart, pragmatic, and... in a hurry."

"urgent?"

“Her people are trapped underground, and she desperately needs external help to break the deadlock.” Lynn paused. “So she revealed all the information without holding anything back.”

Anna suddenly smiled, and the frost in her eyes melted a little.

"You've matured a lot since we first met."

“Back then, I was struggling to even afford a loaf of bread,” Lynn laughed. “I couldn’t think about anything else.”

After he finished speaking, the stone chamber fell silent for a while.

Be careful when you're out at night.

"Ah."

“If you encounter members of the cult…” Anna paused, “don’t be reckless.”

Lynn watched her back; the fabric of her shirt was somewhat thin, and the outline of her shoulder blades was faintly visible in the light.

"You too, don't be stubborn."

After saying that, Lynn left the room.

I pushed open the door and went out; the corridor was empty.

Only at the far corner, where Sain was leaning against the wall, was he waiting.

“Nora asked me to take you there.” Sain stood up. “She prepared a map and some… equipment.”

"equipment?"

“Some sections of the sewers are flooded with deep, corrosive water.”

“There are also some poorly ventilated places where it’s easy to suffocate.” Sain pulled out a palm-sized metal plate from his pocket, its surface covered with densely packed runes. “It’s an emergency oxygen rune that can last for half an hour.”

"Nora dug these few pieces out of the ruins."

Thanks.

"I should thank you. The monsters you cleared out yesterday saved us a lot of trouble, and several scouts no longer had to risk their lives to explore."

The two walked through several narrow passages to Nora's room.

The door was open, and two oil lamps were lit inside, providing a brighter light than the night before.

Nora was standing in front of the map, holding a charcoal pencil in her hand.

“Here it is.” She pointed to the things on the table. “The route map is here. It has three backup routes, and each one is marked with danger zones and exit locations.”

Lynn went closer to take a look.

It was a hand-drawn map, with hasty strokes but dense information. The diameter of the pipes, the depth of the water, the direction of the branches, and even the types of monsters that might be encountered at certain nodes were all marked with different colored ink.

"Are you very familiar with the sewers?" he asked.

“I grew up in Holy Song City.” Nora’s voice was calm. “When I was little, my father took me through it once. Back then, the sewers were clean, and kids would play hide-and-seek in them.”

She paused, then put the charcoal pencil back on the table.

“After the religious order took over, this place became a garbage dump. They threw disobedient people and those infected with the plague down through the ventilation shafts to fend for themselves.”

Lynn didn't say anything. He carefully looked at the map twice and noted down the locations of the key nodes.

Where is the main ventilation shaft?

“Here.” Nora pointed to the center-east of the map. “It’s three meters in diameter and goes straight to the ground. The cult has sealed it off with an iron fence, but the rivets are loose. It can be removed by force, but it’s very close to the square, and there are patrols during the day.”

What about at night?

“It’s uncertain. Our people dare not approach that area.” Nora raised her head and looked directly at Lynn. “The mental pollution from the obelisk will weaken at night, but it will not disappear. Ordinary people within two hundred meters will still be affected.”

Lynn nodded, rolled up the map, and stuffed it into his pocket.

"That's all the equipment?"

"You think that's not enough?"

"Do you have enough oxygen runes? There are spares."

Nora opened the cabinet and took out a cloth bag, inside which were neatly arranged more than a dozen identical oxygen rune shards, several rolls of dusty bandages, and two bottles of liquid.

"There are still seventeen runes left, enough for you to make three round trips."

"Bandages are for stopping bleeding. Although they are not as effective as Holy Light, they can be used in emergencies."

"Those two bottles contain an antidote, effective against corrosive liquids."

Lynn nodded. Although he had Xiyue's blessing, having something was better than not having it.

He tucked the dagger into his waistband and then cut off half of the rune fragment, placing it close to his body.

"I've noted down the route. Enter from the west entrance number three, first clear the water accumulation area in section C of the pipe, then go to the vicinity of the main ventilation shaft to scout. If the situation allows, I will go up and feel the layout of the ground."

Nora looked at him with a complicated expression.

"Be careful," she finally said, only two words.

Lynn turned and walked towards the door. As he passed by Sain, Sain suddenly spoke:

"Behind the No. 3 entrance on the west side, there is a section of landslide area where the water can reach chest height at its deepest point."

"If the water level rises, take the alternative route, which is marked on the map."

Lynn turned and glanced at him.

Thanks.

Sain didn't say anything more, but simply raised his hand to his chest and whispered, "May the light guide your path."

Lynn left the room and walked along the dimly lit passage toward the western entrance.

Behind them, the shadows of Thane and Nora were elongated by the glow of the oil lamp, cast onto the damp wall. The shadows flickered with the flame, like two silent watchmen.

......

The third entrance to the western sewer was hidden behind a false wall. Pushing open the iron gate, a smell mixed with mold and some kind of decaying substance hit you.

Lynn held her breath and squeezed in sideways.

Inside the door were stone steps that led downwards, the edges of which were covered with slippery moss.

He took out an oxygen rune tablet from his pocket and held it in his palm.

The metal surface was slightly warm, the runes glowed with a dim blue light, and a transparent barrier isolated some of the polluted air.

He started to go downstairs.

The stone steps were long, and with each step you could hear the echo of water droplets falling from the cracks in the rocks above.

When he reached the deepest point, he stepped into the water.

The water slowly seeped over my ankles, icy cold, with tiny debris floating on the surface.

Lynn stopped in her tracks.

About twenty meters ahead, the pipe made a 90-degree turn, and there were fine ripples on the water surface at the bend.

Lynn felt a chill run down her spine.

He raised his hand, and water magic gathered, condensing into a fist-sized water ball in his palm.

Lynn gently pushed the water balloon forward.

The water balloon quickly skimmed across the water's surface and reached the bend.

The next second, a sharp scream erupted from around the corner.

The mirror-like surface of the water sphere shook violently, and Lynn saw seven or eight lizard-like creatures swarming towards the water sphere from the pipe wall.

The water sphere was torn apart; the monsters had discovered the intruders.

As the roar drew closer, a series of splashes erupted from the water around the corner, and seven or eight dark figures burst forth from the water, shooting towards Lynn like arrows released from a bow.

Without hesitation, Lynn used the "Song of Ten Thousand Seas" technique.

The battle is over.

Lynn looked down at the corpses of the monsters.

Their bodies are slowly dissolving, the flesh beneath their skin turning into pools of murky liquid that merges with the stagnant water.

“Corrosive creatures,” he said softly. “No wonder Nora said she wanted to wear platform boots.”

He didn't linger there, but continued forward into the deeper part of the pipes.

Over the next two hours, he cleared three monster gathering points and unblocked two obstructed passages.

Wherever he went, he quickly ended the battle and then continued on his way.

He had just climbed out of a landslide area when the main ventilation shaft came into view.

The water had soaked through his lower body, and his boots were full of water.

The ventilation shaft resembles a giant chimney, extending vertically upwards and topped with a dense iron grille.

The moonlight shattered into countless silver particles on the surface of the water.