Chapter 22 - Under Military Grounds

When Miyuki asked this question Nie Li was completely shocked. He hadn't thought of this before. It was because Alchemists were becoming less and less rare.

Miyuki smiled when she saw their expression "Alchemists are becoming more and more. Let alone alchemist those who have a relationship with the Association are also becoming more and more. There is an alchemy shop in every district. Some people collect rare herbs for the association. Some live in slums and don't have enough money to buy the pills. People who have been treated unfairly or suppressed by aristocratic families. Those who have ambition. People like them are our eyes. Information about this department is only available to a few people like City Lord, Director, and Lord Ye Mo who knows about this group."

Ye Ziyun was amazed, even she didn't know there was such a thing.

On the other hand, Nie Li's attention was on something else "how do you know about that? are you one of them?"

Miyuki smiled sweetly while tucking her hairs at the back of her ears. She looked like a soft harmless girl to Nie Li and Ziyun "Of course because I build that department from the ground up."

Nie Li and Ziyun could feel their hair stand up at the back of their neck. To build such a big department would take years of work. If Miyuki truly constructed the department then she would be 8 or 9 when she started.

Miyuki looked as if she didn't notice their scare and continued "I know members of Dark Guild hide between citizens and buy few things from Glory City. There are even a few suspicious pill transactions but I can be sure Dark Guild doesn't get many resources from Glory City. The resources they take aren't enough to sustain a large organization."

Nie Li looked at Miyuki 'No wonder in my previous life she was able to track Dark Guild Headquarters that even Ye Mo wasn't able to track in past 200 years so soon.

Then he sneaked a glance at Ziyun who was also amazed by Miyuki's declaration. He couldn't help but feel that Ziyun was too innocent and naive when compared to other people he met from City Lord Mansion. It's not like he liked Ziyun any less just the opposite he loved Innocent Ziyun even more.

"Now can you tell me Mr. Nie Li about the rank above Legend?" Miyuki wanted to get as much information about the people above Legend.

"Before that can you tell why did you construct such a big department? Do you want to become the next City Lord?"

Miyuki didn't mind answering this question since she could tell he was worried about Ziyun "Glory City cannot progress openly till Dark Guild exist. We need to know about them. Where they are hiding. Who are the ones supporting them from the shadows. This department was constructed to do that. To wipe out the dark guild from glory city and control the damage that will be caused by chaos when Glory City progresses."

Nie Li understood what they were trying to do. He started telling Miyuki about the rank above legend about demigods and spiritual gods. He didn't say anything about other ranks. Although he trusted Miyuki and Tatsuya they were becoming more and more mysterious. He wanted to maintain some vigilance towards them. Miyuki was also a bit surprised after hearing the information but she wasn't shocked or stunned like Ziyun.

After they came to this world they had expected that even something like Gods might appear.

Ziyun was more curious about how Nie Li knew all that "How do you know all this?"

Nie Li's eyes alternated between Ziyun and Miyuki. He could see Ziyun was curious but Miyuki was just smiling as if she knew something. When he was about to say something Miyuki patted Ziyun's head "Well, an Old man came to Glory City. He thought Nie Li was a talent so he took him under his tutelage. Nie Li must have heard everything from him."

Ziyun was dumbstruck but soon pouted and looked away "Fine!!" She knew Miyuki meant that she shouldn't ask about it.

Nie Li looked at Miyuki and mouthed, 'Thank You.'

Miyuki just nodded, "We should start moving."

"This should be a maze. Therefore, there should be pitfall related traps. We must be careful. Please only step on the place that I've previously stepped!" Nie Li looked towards Ye Ziyun, Miyuki, and said.

Miyuki looked at her surroundings, "Do you have more clothes or blankets?"

Ziyun took out a few blankets from her ring, "Yes! I have some."

Miyuki nodded, "Then both of you step back."

Nie Li and Ziyun stepped back.

'Niflheim' with her sound, thin layer of ice started to appear on the walls even where they couldn't see. The gears and traps inside them started to freeze. Before long, as far as they could spot, they only saw thin ice.

Nie Li was amazed he understood why she asked about blankets. He put one on. But, soon frowned, "That ice won't be able to stop the traps from activating."

Miyuki shook her head "Niflheim doesn't just freeze the surface it freezes everything to the core. But, we should be still careful after all this is the tomb of Emperor Kong Ming. I just did that to make sure if something goes wrong. It can at least delay activation of traps."

"There are five-six passages here, which one should we take?" Ye Ziyun asked, looking at the surrounding deep passages.

"That's simple, we should be moving towards the north. Because of Emperor Kong Ming's fate, his tomb was built facing the south."

"Why?" Ye Ziyun asked, puzzled, "Why must Emperor Kong Ming's tomb be built facing the south?"

"Because that is written within the Sacred Empire's Book of Numerology. Every fate has something that will benefit and harm them. This includes the location of tombs and so on! People from the Sacred Empire believed in this stuff!" Nie Li said, lightly smiling.

'The Sacred Empire's Book of Numerology,' Ye Ziyun couldn't help muttering this phrase, 'Just how many books has Nie Li exactly read?'

"Then, which is the north? We are currently underground. How are we supposed to tell the directions?" Ye Ziyun asked.

Nie Li lightly smiled and said, "This is very easy to distinguish. St.

Ancestral Mountains are towards the north-south direction. By looking at the vein lines in the rocks, we'll be able to tell the direction. Over here!" Nie Li strolled towards one of the passages.

Miyuki chuckled, she could feel Ziyun's frustration. After all, Ziyun grew up like a princess. She had read books that weren't even released to other Aristocratic families. But, all that was no use in front of someone like Nie Li.

They walked shortly when Nie Li stopped Through the cracks on the stone walls and the layout of the floor tiles, ice made them even easier to spot. Nie Li easily distinguished where the traps were.

"If you don't mind I want to test the traps!" Nie Li spoke.

Miyuki just acknowledged politely. Anyone in Nie Li's place would do that.

Nie picked up a rock and threw it out five-six meters and *pa* it smashed onto a cyan brick.

*Silence*

They waited despite that nothing happened.

They moved forward for roughly five-six hours until they could see a magnificent hall a distance away.

"So the Ancient Orchid City was built on top of this underground palace. Those upper levels of the Ancient Orchid City know of this palace. Therefore, they may keep all their valuables here!" Nie Li said. Judging from their current location, they should be at the bottom of the military ground.

Miyuki stared at the ceiling "This should be below Military Grounds. We can escape from here when everyone tries to dig a way to the treasure." Soon, her attention turned towards what was inside the hall.

She looked at Ziyun and sighed 'She will have to see things like these sooner or later.'

Walking into the hall, the scene before them caused both of them to feel deeply shocked. Bones were everywhere around this hall. There were bones of adults as well as bones of children. They were densely stacked together. It seemed like they had a painful struggle before they died.

A pained expression appeared on Miyuki's face but she hid it.

"What happened, how could this be?" Ye Ziyun questioned as her eyes began to redden and tears began to fall from her cheeks. She saw a lot of children huddling in a corner. The children that should be very lovable when they were alive, were all dead.

Nie Li sighed and said, "This should be the temporary refuge of the Ancient Orchid City. They moved the elderly, women, and children here. They were, probably, going to get them out after the war. However, Ancient Orchid City was destroyed, therefore, these people could only be trapped here, and starved to death."

Ye Ziyun opened her mouth, revealing a painful expression.

"I think, we should go," Ye Ziyun said, she couldn't bear to stay here any longer.

"No, we can't go. We need to take all of the treasure here!" Nie Li firmly said. "The treasures here can enhance our strength. Once our strength is enhanced, only then can we guard Glory City. Otherwise, Glory City will become the second Ancient Orchid City!"

Hearing Nie Li's words, Ye Ziyun was stunned. A thought flashed across her mind, 'Glory City will become the second Ancient Orchid City? Although Glory City is still rather safe, there are still demon beasts that often lurk around and even break the walls sometimes.' Ye Ziyun's expression wavered. They have to enhance their strength at all costs.

Then can they protect Glory City? She still didn't know if that was the right thing to do.

She looked towards Miyuki who was quiet the whole time "Miyuki-Jiemie?"

Miyuki gently held Ziyun's palm "Let's take the treasure, but also collect their bodies. We will cremate them once we leave this place."