I Became the Progenitor Vampire-Chapter 347 - 349 Lides Journey to the Underground City
Chapter 347: Chapter 349: Lide’s Journey to the Underground City (10,000-Word Mega Chapter)
Chapter 347: Chapter 349: Lide’s Journey to the Underground City (10,000-Word Mega Chapter)
“Lord Kachar, once we cross that hill ahead, we will see Black Iron Castle.”
“Barney, are there only 50,000 Half-Elves in Black Iron Castle?”
“Yes, Lord Kachar.”
“Dylan, is the valley where Corsa and the others are hiding alright?”
“Lord, 300 One-eyed Giants and 700 Double-headed Ogres have completely occupied that valley. As long as we don’t encounter a Transcendent, even the strongest enemies can be crushed by them.
But why not keep the other One-eyed Giants and Double-headed Ogres, Lord?”
“1,000 giants are more than enough for us. Too many would put a significant strain on our logistical supplies.
These big guys don’t eat just a little.
Moreover, the construction of the Magic Crystal Vein also needs these giants’ help. Sending a batch back would be just right.
With their involvement, our construction progress will see a tremendous improvement.
Development and exploration, both accomplished without mistake.”
“Lord, I understand.”
“Asreaga, enter the Dimension Plane and hide your form. Your aura is too conspicuous. We are not here to wage war this time. Come out only when I call for you.”
“Yes, Father God…”
“Castro, reduce your size, we don’t need you for now.
Barney Grey Claw, you six Half-Elves must not reveal any information about our presence in the Swamp under any circumstances.
Asreaga will be watching you from the Dimension Plane, and if you reveal even a single word, no one can preserve your lives.”
“Lord Kachar, we… we won’t speak of it…”
“Dylan, prepare to enter the Underground City, everyone be on your guard.”
“Yes, Lord…”
After giving these instructions, Lide’s gaze returned to the front, a slightly bulging little hill a hundred blade-lengths away obstructing their view.
Leather boots tramped on the dry, hard ground, with a faint glow, grotesquely twisted plants being trampled underfoot.
Crunch~
Crunch~
As the team of 20 Bloodline members and 6 Half-Elves progressed, the sound of dry grass being crushed resounded continuously.
The sky of the Underworld was always dim, the entire world as if shrouded by a thin veil, with very low visibility.
After conquering two tribes, Lide led everyone away from the Swamp.
Castro, who went back to report, brought over two thousand Magic Language Bats and a large amount of supplies from Grey Stone Castle.
After making slight arrangements, half of the giants were left by him, while the remaining and their young were all taken back to the Magic Crystal Vein by the Magic Language Bats.
The Magic Crystal Vein currently under massive construction required these humanoid excavators.
The remaining 1,000 giants were kept by him, moving towards the Underground City where the Half-Elves lived.
This small Underground City, hundreds of kilometers from the swamp, is Black Iron Castle, governed entirely by Half-Elves where several unique races of the Underworld live.
It also contains rich wealth and resources.
However, Lide did not come to wage war this time, so when they were 20 kilometers away from the Underground City, he had the giants hide in a valley.
He then proceeded alone with the Half-Elves and 20 Bloodlines toward Black Iron Castle, the legendary Underground City.
Exploring the Underground City, just hearing this name made Lide feel an urge to quicken his pace.
In the world above, an Underground City is often synonymous with countless Gold Pucks and gemstones.
Gold Puck piled up like mountains, gems clogging the moat—such was the Underworld described by wandering bards.
Thus, scores of adventurers delved into underground cities, dreaming of becoming winners in life, but alas, most were buried beneath the earth.
Influenced by various legends, even Lide couldn’t help but feel expectant, pondering how he’d use three or five Divine Artifacts if he found them inside. After all, he only had two hands, which was indeed a dilemma.
After leaving the Swamp of Sludge, the surrounding environment visibly changed; the soft ground became hard earth that wouldn’t suddenly collapse, and the endless plains were replaced by small hills and towering trees.
Interestingly, everything in the Underworld differed from the surface world, including the roadside woods, where the trees weren’t the lush green vegetation of the surface.
Their bark was dry, as if they hadn’t drawn water in hundreds of years, their branches splayed like human fingers, twisted and withered. The leaves, mostly needles, were sharp like stacked steel pins, pervading an unsettling oddity.
The twisted trees stood in the shadowy light on either side of the sparse grass, resembling demons hiding in shadows, ready to jump out and devour.
But the only good news was that, though the surroundings remained harsh, at least the repulsive smell of rot from the swamp had disappeared.
The air, while not fresh, was no longer foul and stinky.
Crack~
Crack~
The squadron advanced in silence, the sound of dry foliage accompanying their trek.
Lide’s expression showed little fluctuation; the dangers and horrors he had seen in the Underworld over the past days made the eerie environment seem unremarkable.
Stepping up the hill under the terrifying tree shadows, upon reaching its summit, the vista suddenly opened up.
Below the hill lay a vast clearing, no trees to obstruct the view.
Looking far ahead, about a thousand blades away, a colossal city unfolded before Lide’s eyes.
That city, sprawling like a titanic beast across the plains, could truly be described as majestic, its towering walls built of unknown black stones, standing like mountains.
On distinctively contoured ramparts, catapults aimed below the walls, their sharp arrows flickering with a cold glint, ready to strike any invading enemy.
Fifty blade-high walls were constructed every fifty blades with enormous stone towers, solid enough to withstand a catapult’s bombardment.
Half-Elves in black armor, their keen gazes patrolling the surroundings, massive longbows on their backs radiating a chilling intent, stood guard rigorously.
Chirp~
Just then, a piercing cry of eagles resounded through the sky, and suddenly, hundreds of gray giants eagles burst forth from the heart of the immense city.
Their beaks, like curved scythes, could penetrate even a warrior’s armor, their sharp claws gleaming with frost, capable of leaving profound marks even on solid walls.
These Half-Elves, natural archers, rode atop the eight-blade wingspan eagles, their eyes sharper than ever, ready to release their lethal arrows.
Hundreds of giant eagles swirling in the sky added an ancient air to the massive and towering city below.
Even from a thousand blades away, Lide could feel an epic shockwave hitting him.
This city, handed down from ancient times, was imbued with a unique charm washed by the ages.
Is this the Underground City?
Seeing the magnificent city, a glint of surprise flickered in his eyes.
“I didn’t expect this Underground City to be so grand; does that mean the treasures inside are even more tempting?”
Lide stroked his chin.
“Barney, are you sure there are only 50,000 Half-Elves in this city?”
He turned his head, looking at the Half-Elf beside him, standing about 1.7 blades tall with extremely strong arms, his expression subtle.
This underground city was too extravagant; even the walls of Dawn City weren’t so sturdy and towering. Such a city could easily accommodate three to five hundred thousand people without any strain.
Only fifty thousand seemed far too few.
Level 10 Half-Elf Barney nodded, his gaze complex as he looked at the far-off city that sprawled like a beast upon the ground.
“Your Highness, Black Iron Castle once was the main city of the Half-Elves, home to over 500,000 of our race.
The reason for the small population now is that a millennium ago, the Swamp of Sludge witnessed an unprecedented turmoil, with countless Dark Creatures and Demon Beasts swarming—
Even though our ancestors fought desperately, the main city fell due to the overwhelming numbers.
Later, to avoid the disaster, our ancestors established the new city a thousand five hundred kilometers away from the mud swamp.
But after all, this city belonged to the Half-Elves. After the great turmoil, a small part of our race returned, and after a thousand years of repair, the city finally regained its former glory.
Regrettably, the Half-Elves had grown accustomed to living in the city of Liusi in the central region and never returned.”
Barney was evidently very knowledgeable about the legends of the Half-Elves, his voice filled with sighs and emotion by the end.
The fall of such a grand city is an eternal sorrow for the Half-Elves.
Hearing this, Lide was speechless.
The underworld is indeed fraught with danger. Despite having such strong, towering walls and being the main city of the Half-Elves, it is unimaginable that it could be captured by monsters and Demon Beasts.
In the human world, such a thing could only happen during an Abyss invasion or an Undead disaster. Even the most powerful beasts and monsters couldn’t capture a human main city.
“Let’s go, let me witness the former splendor of this Half-Elf main city.”
After giving Barney a deep look, Lide took the lead and began walking down the slope, stepping directly on the withered grass.
Seeing this, the Bloodline immediately followed, leaving only a few Half-Elves looking at each other in confusion.
“Captain Barney, are we doing the right thing?”
A Half-Elf looked at Barney with a blank expression, clearly doubtful about bringing this group of extremely powerful beings back to Black Iron City.
The power they held could easily obliterate Black Iron City.
Barney took a deep breath and started following the Bloodline.
“We no longer have a choice. Black Iron Castle isn’t hard to find, and with the One-eyed Giants knowing about this place, it doesn’t make much difference whether we show the way or not. They would have found us eventually.
But if we are the ones leading them, it’s different. We can mediate certain things at least. If we can prevent conflict with Black Iron Castle, then everything we do is right.”
The Half-Elf fell silent for a moment, then hesitantly said, “I wonder what will happen to the others taken back to their main camp by the Vampires… if they are really just learning our methods of making arrows.”
“No need to think too much. After all, the art of making bows and arrows by Half-Elves is top-notch.
Lord Kachar has no need to deceive us. Our lives are already in his hands.”
After walking down the slope, they entered a broad-leafed grassland.
Unfortunately, this is the underworld, so there will be no spectacular seas of blooming flowers.
Not far away was a road leading directly to the city gate. At this time, the road was sparsely populated, with only a few Half-Elves in transit.
As they approached the major road, and when stepping onto the Black Stone roadway, Lide caught a glimpse of a rather peculiar group in the corner of his eye.
Behind them was a group of short-statured Dwarfs traveling on small horses, and several wagons trailing behind carried goods wrapped in beast skins, slowly heading to Black Iron City.
It was obvious they were here to trade goods.
“Lord Kachar, Black Iron City is a completely neutral city; it often hosts trading from other races.
Besides Dwarfs, there are Gray Dwarfs, Half-Beasts, Dark Elves—as they are called on the surface, Dark Night Elves, Cave Dwellers, and even hawk-bodied individuals…
Half-Elves do not discriminate against these intelligent races.”
Lide was left speechless upon hearing this.
He hadn’t expected the Half-Elves to be so smart, turning their city into a trading hub for various races.
Much like Dawn City’s strategy, only trade could bring substantial revenue; relying solely on other aspects wouldn’t allow for rapid development.
Under the dim light, the group of Dwarves with more than thirty small horses was very cautious. Seeing Lide and others enter the roadway, they immediately stopped, carefully staying on guard.
The Dwarves, no taller than 1.3 blades each, even took out Magic Crossbow Arrows from their bosoms.
As Lide walked over the black stone-paved ground, he gave the Dwarves a meaningful look.
Dwarves are standard Underground Race beings with a strong innate affinity for magic, born with a high degree of Magic Talent, similar to Bloodline, being natural Spellcasters.
However, what Dwarves are most famous for is not their magic, but their skill in Enchantment.
Especially the enchanted bows and various pieces of equipment, the bows enchanted by the dwarves are comparable to the goblin’s alchemy bombs.
The enchanted arrows of the dwarves are also extremely precious treasures in the mouths of humans who came for adventure in the Underworld, worth no less than an equal weight of Gold Puck.
However, at this time Lide had no time to pay attention to these dwarves, as his gaze was focused entirely on this city.
The closer he got to Black Iron City, the more Lide could feel the grandeur and magnificence of the city.
The black city walls were full of special patterns, like the colorful metal patterns formed when a red-hot iron pot is suddenly doused with water, resembling—iron ore.
“Is this city built out of iron ore?”
Lide looked at Barney with a somewhat surprised expression, such an abundance of iron ore indicated a massive vein.
“Yes, Lord Kachar, this city is built with underground black iron stone!”
Barney’s tone was somewhat proud, “Underground black iron stone can withstand the breath of a fire-breathing giant dragon; ordinary siege engines can’t damage it.
It also possesses significant magic resistance, even Four Circle Magic can’t break the walls; it’s the best and most precious construction material in the Underworld.”
Lide nodded slightly after hearing this, not saying much, his steps subconsciously quickened.
He was indeed quite eager to see what the interior of this underground city looked like.
Whether it was as opulent and magnificent as the legends described.
A few minutes later, Lide and his team arrived under the city walls, briefly tilting his head upward to look up, the grandiose, mountain-like wall displayed itself before him in a more direct manner.
Standing under such a city wall, anyone would feel insignificant.
“My Lord, this way to the main gate.”
Following Barney’s indication, Lide’s gaze shifted, and the massive city gate with ferocious spikes underneath the city wall was wide open.
Clad in full armor, holding longswords and longbows, the Half-Elf soldiers were strictly guarding and inspecting the pedestrians passing through.
Under the city wall was a muddy moat about ten blades deep and twenty blades wide. They needed to cross a stone bridge, twenty blades wide and fifty blades long, to enter the city.
Neat footsteps arose on the black stone ground, and on both sides of the stone bridge at the city gate were tall stone fences, on each pillar of which were vividly carved the heroic patterns of Half-Elves.
The area was filled with exotic allure.
Tap, tap—tap, tap—
As Lide approached the guard soldiers, the dwarves riding ponies also entered the bridge behind him; the sound of their hooves traveled far in the open surroundings, drawing several glances from the soldiers on the walls at the dwarves clad in gray-white hemp clothes.
Soon, after a few Half-Elves were inspected, it was Lide’s turn.
“Wait, what are you doing?”
Lide’s handsome stature and distinguished aura made the guard officer wary, especially with the clearly sinister air of 20 Bloodline members behind him, which intensified his unease.
At that moment, Half-Elf Barney quickly stepped forward, “Captain Maduo, this is my friend. He is here to conduct merchandise trade…”
The Half-Elf guard officer, just a bit taller than the mud, simmered but no taller than 1.75 blades, frowned slightly, “Barney, weren’t you supposed to be in the Swamp Black Sheep in the Mud Marshes?
Why are you suddenly here?”
And with a cold glance at Lide, he added,
“Moreover, bringing back these damned vampires.”
Though Lide had not revealed his bat wings, his sharp fangs were visible and enough to identify his race.
In the Underworld, a vampire’s status was much better than that of humans.
At least vampires were part of the Dark Camp and had no intent of leading an army to seize the underground city. Humans, being the greediest of surface dwellers, often represented war and slaughter when appearing in the underground city.
Indeed, adventurers who faced many difficulties to reach the Underworld didn’t come just for tourism; plundering wealth was their main goal.
So, encountering humans in the Underworld, even neutral Half-Elves wouldn’t hesitate to kill them mercilessly.
No one wanted to face that unknown risk; too many legends had warned them humans were untrustworthy.
Lide’s eyes narrowed slightly, it had been a long time since anyone had dared to speak to him so brazenly.
His aura surged all at once, like an ancient giant dragon opening its eyes to coldly watch this guard officer.
Although Lide did not utter a single word, the Half-Elf felt as if a giant dragon had opened its enormous maw to devour him, with each hair on his back standing on end.
His body trembled uncontrollably, his legs shook vigorously, nearly collapsing to the ground.
His soul was devoured by the Vampire.
Great terror descended.
“I… I…”
The throat of the Half-Elf Guard Officer felt as though it was being tightly clenched by a powerful arm, leaving him unable to utter another word.
Lide glanced at him and, ignoring the surrounding Half-Elf soldiers who had fallen into a state of infinite panic, he strode into the city.
The Bloodline immediately followed him. Barney, seeing this scene, looked pained but did not dare to speak.
He gave the guard officer a complex look, who appeared feeble and pale, as if he had been through a severe illness.
Turning around, he followed Lide with a few Half-Elves.
At this moment, Barney did not criticize Lide’s actions, but instead felt fortunate that the guard officer had survived, as this individual must surely have been favored by the Goddess of Luck.
The person he had just offended was a formidable being who had conquered the One-eyed Giant Tribe and the Double-headed Ogre Tribe. How could a mere guard officer withstand him?
Moreover, outside the city, thousands of giants were ready to follow his orders at any moment. This lord held the power to easily destroy Black Iron Castle.
If he were to truly anger the other party, no one in the city would survive.
The dwarves behind Lide were utterly shocked by this scene, almost scared enough to wet themselves. The remaining ponies trembled uncontrollably, unable to move until long after Lide had left.
The dwarves exchanged glances, their expressions becoming quite peculiar and also somewhat scared, thankful that they had not offended this powerful and mysterious Vampire on the road.
After catching up, Barney approached Lide’s side but, thinking of the terrifying power of this great being, his face immediately tensed with nervousness.
“Lord Kachar, I apologize, it was just a misunderstanding, you—”
Lide waved his hand, “It doesn’t matter.”
He did not take the incident to heart.
A small Half-Elf was not enough to anger him. What could even all the Half-Elves of the entire city do?
He alone was enough to suppress the city.
Not to mention the thousands of giants outside the city and the 19th-level Divine Monster, Asreaga, hidden in the Dimension Space.
The comparison of force between the two sides was not on the same level.
However, he was not here to conquer this city, so he was too lazy to bother much with such a trivial person.
Seeing that Lide’s expression did not fluctuate much, Barney finally breathed a sigh of relief, having feared that Lide in a burst of anger might order the destruction of the city.
He did not believe that the current strength of Black Iron Castle could stop this imposing being, who was too powerful.
Lide’s mind was not disturbed by the recent scene as he was still keen to explore the city.
Tap tap~
The sound of his boots echoed as he stepped across the ground, and as he walked out of the city gate, the landscape of Black Iron Castle instantly unfolded before him.
Before him lay all black stone buildings, each adorned with unique patterns of Black Iron Stone.
The streets were also paved with blocks of Black Iron Stone, smooth and broad, with the main street being wide enough to accommodate ten carriages racing side by side.
Unlike the towering buildings of Green City, most of the structures here were one or two stories tall, low houses with pointed roofs made of Black Iron Stone, rugged yet somewhat cute.
Round chimneys jutting out from the roofs emitted thin white smoke, filling the underground world with a unique charm.
The streets were not very crowded, and most of the pedestrians were Half-Elfs wearing clothes sewn from hemp or animal skins, with most people carrying long crossbows.
Amidst the passersby, a vigilance filled their faces, as if danger might appear at any time within the city, a stark contrast to the quiet and peaceful atmosphere of Dawn City.
After a few curious glances, Lide’s gaze slightly lifted as he gazed into the distance, his attention drawn by a towering stone tower in the city center that seemed to connect heaven and earth.
That soaring tower, taller than the 50-blade-high city walls, was undoubtedly the tallest structure in Black Iron City.
The outer walls were engraved with ancient inscriptions, and a thick magic fluctuation permeated from within.
Lide’s eyes brightened when he saw the stone tower, “What place is that high tower?”
Hearing Lide’s query, Barney hurriedly responded.
“Your Highness, that is the Black Iron Mage Tower, the residence of the Great Mage Mahari…”
Great Mage Mahari?
Lide pondered thoughtfully.
In Black Iron Castle, there were two most powerful beings; one was the Half-Elf Archer Lord of Black Iron Castle, Collins Grey Claw, level 18,
and the other was also level 18, Great Mage Mahari Grey Claw, a rare spellcaster among the Half-Elves and a cornerstone of Black Iron Castle, incredibly strong.
The rest, about 10 others at level 15, were somewhat scattered and couldn’t compare in strength with the two at level 18.
This was the information Lide had received from Barney.
After looking intently at the Mage Tower, he grew intrigued.
He wondered how a Mage Tower in the Underworld differed from those on the surface.
There might be an opportunity to visit it.
After briefly experiencing the charm of the Underground City, Lide paused briefly and then continued to look at Barney.
“Does this city have an inn?”
“Yes, Archduke Kachar, right in the middle of First Avenue, very close to the Black Iron Mage Tower.”
“Alright, let’s go there then. I think, soon, your Lord should invite us.”
Lide smiled faintly and walked away from the city gate area.
Hearing this abrupt statement, Barney was briefly stunned, then glanced behind at the city gate, realizing that Archduke Kachar wasn’t just intimidating the guard officer.
A rarely seen vampire suddenly appearing in the city was unusual, coupled with his distinguished power meant much more.
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Being the host of Black Iron Castle, the presence of such a threatening character inside his home meant he probably wouldn’t sleep well without figuring him out.
Thus, Lide had just shown his aura to encourage the city’s lord to seek him out on his own; his mentality wasn’t stirred by a minor guard officer.
Moreover, his actions were quite reasonable, not too hostile, all within control.
Barney and a few Half-Elves respectfully led the way, even after returning to Black Iron City, no one dared to say they had escaped or were saved—it was purely suicidal behavior, and nobody was that foolish.
Lide and his party’s unique appearance attracted many curious looks, passing Half-Elves and shopkeepers were sizing them up with strange gazes.
After all, vampires were a rarity in the Underground City, and although various legends mentioned vampires, they had seldom seen one, so seeing one alive was quite exciting.
Lide, with a calm expression, and the Half-Elves gauged each other; the Half-Elves were curious about him, and he was just as curious about the Underground City.
However, what disappointed him was that the fabled splendor hadn’t appeared, nor any trace of his Divine Artifact.
Tsk, what a poor Underground City, can’t even find a Divine Artifact, and yet dares to call itself an Underground City? There’s no trust between people anymore, very disappointing.
After strolling half a street, Lide didn’t discover anything special; for now, this Half-Elf ruled city seemed normal, with no revolting scenes of trading human flesh.
Most items sold on the streets were food, mainly unknown wild fruits and some Demon Beast meat, but only a few could afford it.
Leather armor shops and longbow shops were more prevalent, often visited by Half-Elves for purchases.
As he moved closer to the center of the city, the surroundings became more bustling, and he started to encounter other races besides Half-Elves.
For example, Half-Beasts, a race that had half Beastman bloodline but mutated to become separate from the Beastmen, are the most common life in the Underworld.
Unlike the impoverished wasteland Beastmen, which had Lion-men and Werewolf distinctions, Half-Beasts were a single race.
These Half-Beasts, though muscular, had extraordinarily ugly features, resembling the Orcs from Earth’s movies like Lord of the Rings.
However, these ugly-looking beings were rather popular in the city because they often carried ample fur, which was all prime material for making leather wallets.
Who wouldn’t love a cash cow?
Watching a Half-Elf exchange a longbow for all the fur of five Half-Beasts, Lide had a rather peculiar expression on his face. Were these Half-Elves not doing what he had done to the Centaurs of the Dwarf Hills?
Exchanging expensive weapons for cheap raw materials, then using those cheap materials to produce expensive weapons, and selling them back to the other party—this cycle would soon drain the other party dry.
Of course, the grand city was not only inhabited by Half-Beasts, but also by Cave Dwellers who almost used all four limbs to move, bending their bodies and with exceptionally strong forelimbs,
Snake Race individuals with human torsos and snake lower bodies,
harpy-like beings with a pair of eagle wings,
small Dwarves, strong Gray Dwarves, Giant Ears, Lizardmen… and so on.
Lide could not even name many of the races, but they all shared one thing in common: they looked very peculiar.
This gave Lide a direct impression of the composition of life in the Underworld.
This was a world of biodiversity that completely did not belong to the surface.
Most of these Underground Races came to Half-Elf City to exchange goods. Cave Dwellers traded ores, the Snake Race traded magic fruits and their venom, and the harpy-like creatures sold Demon Beast fur…
Each race had its unique traits.
Lide found everything on this street tremendously intriguing.
On the surface, aside from Dawn City, he had never seen such a sinister congregation of races coming together for such activities.
It seemed that the Underworld was more inclusive than the surface world, after all. Being all from the Evil Camp, no one could point fingers at another.
There were those who wanted to swindle others, and they were quite numerous, but Half-Elf City had a powerful Mage Tower that could monitor the entire city. Unless one could defeat the Great Mage inside, they had to strictly follow the rules of Black Iron City.
Those who broke the rules were mostly thrown into the sewers or the moats.
Lide and his group attracted much attention as they walked, considering how rare Vampires truly were.
The instincts of many races were very sharp, with a remarkable ability to perceive danger. These races would retreat or even curl up and play dead upon seeing Lide, as if fearing he might kill them on a whim.
Lide was quite astounded by this scene, clicking his tongue at the extraordinary diversity of the world.
“Your Highness, this is the only inn in Black Iron City.”
After traversing an entire street, their brief tour came to an end.
Barney led the group to a three-story building and softly explained.
“Most outsiders choose to rest in this inn, as the risks are too great to stay outdoors overnight.”
Hearing this, Lide looked up slightly. The words “Black Iron Inn” were engraved on a sign made of Red Maple Wood in the common language of the four continents, and the text was even solidified with “Three Circle Magic” for universal understanding. Anyone looking at this sign could comprehend its meaning.
The inn’s black doors were still wide open; Barney immediately respectfully led Lide inside.
Taking no offense, Lide strode ahead. Interestingly, the inside of the building became brighter as he entered.
Warm yellow magic lamps hung from the black walls around, casting a familiar glow that Lide found oddly comforting.
Seven or eight stone tables were scattered throughout the room, with people already enjoying food at two of them.
With a glance, Lide noticed they were Cave Dwellers, using all four limbs to move around.
These Underground beings had hairless heads and bodies clad in animal skin clothes, appearing rather small as they sat on stools, their arms even thicker than their thighs.
A very peculiar humanoid life form.
Upon being scrutinized by Lide and his group, the Cave Dwellers, who had been conversing in whispers, immediately fell silent and looked at them warily.
After sweeping them with a glance and not paying much heed, Lide waited for Barney to finish arranging everything.
He naturally did not need to run errands himself; if he had to do such minor things, he might as well dispense with his subordinates.
Shortly after, Barney had the innkeeper prepare the rooms and then led them up to the third floor.
Having Dylan assign the rooms, Lide entered his own.
He looked around and couldn’t help shaking his head.
The inn was very rudimentary, not to mention comparing it to his luxurious manor, even the rooms provided to refugees in Dawn City were better. There were no amenities, let alone something as miraculous as running water.
After spending some time outside, Lide truly realized how exceptional his Dawn City was.
But he didn’t dwell on it too much, and directly lay down on the dry, hard bed.
He closed his eyes and began to rest.
Since entering the Underworld, his nerves had been tightly wound, never fully relaxing.
Now, in a relatively safe environment, he finally allowed himself to relax.
With Asreaga covertly guarding in the Dimension Plane, Lide soon fell into a deep sleep, feeling content.
Although Vampires only needed two to three Sunshine Hours a day to satisfy their physical needs, this time Lide slept for six Sunshine Hours before being awakened by the knocking on his door.
“Lord Kachar, Lord of Collins invites you to a dinner at the City Lord’s mansion…”
Upon hearing the shouts outside, Lide promptly woke up, instinctively turning his head to look out the window, but it was still gloomy.
He stood up, straightened his clothes for a moment, and then stepped out of the door.
By this time, Barney and the other Half-Elves had gathered, and the Bloodline was waiting for him in the corridor under Dylan’s lead.
Aside from these people, two soldiers in black armor were also quite conspicuous.
Upon seeing Lide come out, Barney quickly approached.
“Lord Kachar, this is a Guard Officer of Lord Collins. He has come to invite you to a dinner specifically prepared for you by the City Lord.”
And the one behind him, Collins, hurriedly continued,
“Respected sir of the Bloodline, Lord Collins has always held a high regard for the newcomers to Black Iron Castle, so I am specially dispatched to invite you to the banquet. We hope to have the honor of your attendance.”
The words were polite and bore no arrogance.
Lide smiled. If he had come to pick a fight, he should now be yelling that the City Lord is nothing, demanding him to come to see me.
But he had no interest in such juvenile provocation.
Adults spoke of interests; everything else was indeed inconsequential.
“Let’s go. Let’s meet the master of this city and hope he doesn’t disappoint me.”
Saying this, he walked forward, and the Half-Elf guard immediately became his follower.
Everyone behind him promptly stood up and followed him to the City Lord’s mansion.
Upon exiting the inn, five pristine white horses were pulling an open-top carriage, even more luxurious than those used by human nobles, waiting there.
The Guard Officer saw Lide pause and immediately helped him into the carriage, clearly giving him full honors.
The pedestrians around looked on with peculiar expressions.
“Isn’t that the City Lord’s personal carriage? Who is that guy? Why does he get such treatment?”
“A Vampire? I’ve never seen such beings in Black Iron City; he’s quite handsome though, just wondering how tasty his flesh might be…”
“My hair is standing on end… That Vampire is so powerful, there is not a hint of aura, yet it feels like there’s a fully drawn longbow aimed at my head, and I could die at any moment…”
“Stay away from that Vampire, he’s too terrifying; my intuition tells me he’s even stronger than the Lord of Collins…”
“Really? Let’s get out of here quickly…”
As soon as Lide appeared, the surrounding underground races scattered like they had seen a giant dragon.
Especially the Snake Race, with their keen sense of danger, stayed as far away as possible, sensing that there was a slumbering giant dragon in Lide; once awakened, it would cause an earth-shattering event.
Seeing this, Lide’s eyes slightly narrowed, appreciating the intelligence of these underground races.
But he didn’t care; he got into the carriage, and his gaze casually turned to the side.
“Asreaga, go check if there’s any danger inside the City Lord’s mansion.”
“Yes, Father deity…”
A chilling voice filled the empty carriage, followed by the fleeting essence that then disappeared.
