The low, shabby shacks resemble the slums, but lack the congestion and filth typical of such areas.
Everywhere are wandering Earth Dweller miners, followed by humans drawn by the tournant, and a few odd creatures resting here.
"Whatever he said, you shouldn’t trust him..."
On the way back, Ida didn’t hide her wariness of the cultist.
"But we are indeed stranded here." Lu Li’s gaze fell on the migrating group looking over here.
This is a problem they have to face eventually. Unless the exit is in the mining area, or the Giant Tree Academy or Knights Order takes over here.
Lu Li handed the Midnight City Main Station tickets and Midnight City tickets he purchased to the migrating group, even including Shillings, enough for them to enter the outer city and settle until starting a new life.
"Please tell us your na..."
The grateful migrating group pleaded with Lu Li.
"You will know it."
The cultist then whispered slowly: "Rember this mont, for it will be the only real mory of your dwindling remaining days..."
"What are you talking about?"
The survivors were stunned, Ida’s forelegs bowed, showing clear intent to attack.
"It’s a fact..." the shadow under the cultist’s cloak sighed: "Even in Midnight City, citizens rarely live past forty. These people are already deeply polluted..."
"We will leave Midnight City by then."
The man whispered.
Though the atmosphere shifted from joy to sorrow, the man finally bid farewell to Lu Li and Ida, leading the migrating group into the spiral pit.
"I suddenly understand your actions, this joy after redemption..." Ida said, watching their disappearing backs.
Fortunately, the cultist didn’t say anything unpleasant further.
Withdrawing his gaze, Lu Li and Ida followed the cultist to their hideout, the second floor of a grocery store they rented.
One of the perks of Earth Dwellers: you can trade anything with them for money. Usually, they won’t betray you before a greater benefit lures them.
The chaotic footsteps ascending the stairs made the cultist encounter three tense silhouettes upon arrival.
"You brought others? Didn’t we agree—"
The young noble with dark golden perd hair wearing a gray suit vest stood up indignantly.
Lu Li, who followed Nunes, especially Ida, made him uneasy. Alien contestants usually stick to the old sewer lines or the Giant Tree Academy downtown. The forr wouldn’t be brought by Nunes, while the latter would further empower the already allied Knights Order and Giant Tree Academy—
"This is the person who can lead us to escape." The cultist mysteriously chuckled, tilting his head to ask Lu Li: "Can you?"
Lu Li nodded slightly, lowering his hood to reveal black hair and a pair of black eyes.
In the midst of astonished stares, the cultist’s voice continued: "No one opposes the alliance and is pessimistic about the outco, right?"
"Let formally introduce you." Facing Lu Li, the cultist removed his hood to reveal a pale, ordinary face, introducing the loose alliance mbers: "I’m Nunes, the Spirit Town Union; Pasha Rivas, the Five Great Knight Orders; Tovani, from the sa place as you."
Tovani was a freckled youth, one of many faces Lu Li observed before entering the fog.
Upholding knightly spirit, Pasha Rivas stood upright, head bowed.
"Heinz Ellis of the Noble Council sends his regards."
The young noble with dark golden perd hair rejected Nunes’ introduction, proactively placing his hand on his chest in the noble manner.
"Lu Li, Ida, from the Giant Tree Academy, they’ll join the Breakout Alliance." Nunes introduced to excited allies.
Lu Li’s arrival made the alliance exceptionally unified—even Heinz Ellis discarded all doubts.
Though rumors claid a tense relationship between exorcists and nobles, no one believed any exorcist would target Heinz Ellis over it.
"His Excellency Lulian."
Nunes gestured to Lu Li, leading him temporarily out of the room.
"I don’t hold the Swamp Cursed Title clues... Rather, it originally wasn’t mine."
Descending the stairs back to the first floor, Nunes slowly shared his encounter.
"It was a piece of parchnt. I wasn’t sure whether to call it a pollutant or Homogeneous Item or neither... Initially, I assud it was a pollutant or Homogeneous Item but soon realized the issue: the parchnt bore no pollution aura, felt like nothing, as if it were just ordinary parchnt."
Clearly, lacking problems is itself a problem.
Pausing near the grocery store counter as an Earth Dweller passed by, Nunes temporarily halted, resuming on the street: "I found it in a worn-out backpack by the marsh that appeared. Ti and environnt corrode everything, yet the parchnt remained intact. It introduced itself as Will Ken, a Legendary Exorcist."
"Will Ken..." Lu Li seed thoughtful upon hearing the na.
Due to certain concerns, Nunes hid the parchnt in a deserted hut. Equally worried, the parchnt offered information about the cursed title to avoid destruction.
Slipping into a deserted dark alley, Nunes pushed a low wooden door suitable for Earth Dwellers, entering a forsaken shack.
The low, cramped house felt like a prison, requiring stooping not to let hair brush against the ceiling. The shack, layered in thick dust, had one spot untouched: the parchnt placed on a wooden box.
"You kept your promise, Nunes... Who is that person?"
A hoarse, aged whisper echoed in the shack.
Just as Nunes described, Lu Li sensed no pollution or malice.
"Soone genuinely interested in the cursed title." Nunes scrutinized it: "And an exorcist."
What better to ascertain its words than a genuine exorcist?
"Not everyone is nad an exorcist, child. It’s an inheritance, a faith, a power we cannot see or touch yet truly exists."
The aged, nostalgic whisper manifested a force nad honor.
"He’s indeed an exorcist, an exorcist from the Old Era until now." Nunes turned to gaze at Lu Li.
Lu Li retrieved an eyeball box, summoning rchant Anthony.
"The rchant’s recognition can prove my identity." Lu Li stared at the silent parchnt. "Now it’s your turn."
"Is it an exorcist?"
"Yes." rchant Anthony’s response was consistently indifferent, even if the parchnt might be the era’s only other exorcist.
"Was it once, or is it now?"
"Always has been."
Lu Li already had an answer, as Nunes completely let go of his caution toward the parchnt.
Will Ken, resembling an elderly figure, slowly narrated: "Thank you, young exorcist, after twenty years acknowledgnt still pleases ... And rchant, I’m happy to see you both continue walking the earth, partners of exorcists."
"My na is Will Ken, once an investigator. And you? Young exorcist."
"I’m Lu Li."
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