Chapter 1723 - A Glimpse of Gorgon’s Abyss (1/2)
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Hao Ren noticed that there seemed to be something wrong with the negotiation between Graeme and the soldiers guarding the city. The Knight of the Broken Blade returned with a slight blow. “What’s wrong?” asked Hao Ren.
“Something unexpected,” Graeme said, shaking his head. “…It is different from what I knew when I set out. Princess Constance and the Grand Duke of the North have advanced their plans, more than a little. The Knights of the Broken Blade from other parts of the empire and insurgents who responded to the call likely lost touch with the front line.”
Graeme looked puzzled. Apparently he did not know why Princess Constance had launched the attack in a hurry.
“The situation does not appear to be very optimistic,” said Vivian. “To launch an attack in advance without adequate preparation is a big no-no. There is only one possibility for her to do so—she was forced by current circumstances…”
“Shall we enter the city?” asked Lily. “Or just turn around and go after the princess?”
“We’re going to spend the night in the city,” Hao Ren said. The had been feeling exhausted the whole way.
Hao Ren also planned to rest in the city. Not only was he a little tired from the journey, but more importantly, a lot of the intelligence he had just gathered needed to be sorted out. And he wondered if any clues would be found in Snowfrost City, the closest place to Gorgon’s Abyss.
Graeme nodded back. “Right. I hear there’s a snowstorm tonight. While our wagons are protected, there may be some bogeymen out there in the snowstorm, so it is not a good idea to keep going.”
“Do we have lodging in the city?” Vivian asked curiously.
“The Knights of the Broken Blade have a garrison in Snowfrost City. But if Your Highness Charlemagne and Awenna do not mind, I can arrange for you to go to the post house, which is reserved for important diplomatic envoys. It will be more comfortable there,” Graeme said chivalrously.
“Thank you. We have come to the land of Princess Constance, and I trust that my sister and I are safe here,” Charlemagne nodded and said.
So, guided by Graeme, they finally entered the largest fortress in the north, Snowfrost City.
After they passed through the massive entrance of the fortress, which consisted of a large number of enchanted stones and defensive machinery, the true face of Snowfrost City was revealed to them. The thick layers of walls covered the “mountain city” like a protective shell, but it was not dark inside. On the walls, clusters of crystals were arranged in elaborate arrays, channeling sunlight from the outside into the first layer of the city, and on the first layer, more clusters of crystals grew along the buildings. Those clusters extended all the way to the hollowed-out mountain, bringing in light…
The entirety of Snowfrost City shone with the light outlined by the ice crystals.
Due to its special structure, the city was arranged in three dimensions. The post houses for important envoys were located near the grand duke’s castle. It was near the top of the mountain, but visitors did not have to climb painfully up the winding stone stairs between the buildings. As many as 122 lifts operated around the clock like the public transportation system, providing convenience for the people who lived in the city.
They crossed the traffic area at the bottom of the city and entered a lift that circulated along a sloping ramp, hidden in the mountains. With a soft whir of mechanical friction, the large lift began to accelerate smoothly toward the peak.
“This platform is designed for guests who need to visit the peak. It does not stop on the way, and it is twice as fast as the other platforms,” explained a northern soldier who was leading the way, proudly introducing the city. “You can see a transparent passage in the middle. It is made of ice with a permafrost effect. You do not have to worry about falling, and you can see the inner area of the city inside the mountain.”
The platform ran briskly in the inclined elevator passage, and every once in a while, some kind of light would sweep across the surrounding area. It was the buried crystal clusters in the mountain, through which the outside sunlight was sent to the inner area of the city just like a natural fluorescent tube. And soon, Hao Ren saw that transparent passage.
It looked like a glass tube for tourists, allowing Hao Ren to see the inner city through the crystal-clear ice wall. He saw a large number of buildings arranged in an orderly manner within the mountain, including factories and other facilities. But probably because the army had set out, the city was not as busy as expected. After all, every city in the north was first and foremost a military fortress. The removal of large numbers of soldiers naturally slowed down its operation.
Suddenly, Hao Ren’s attention was drawn to a striking building in the city. It was a large building in the heart of the mountain cavity, built of black stone. It had towers arranged neatly like spears, and the main part of it was a three-story palace.