Chapter 179: Reckoning
Chapter 179: Reckoning
The Free City?
Gao Jing felt it was more like the City of Chaos.
Compared to the Qinghe City above, the buildings and streets here were messy and chaotic.
Discarded garbage was scattered everywhere on the ground. Pedestrians hurried past, kicking up dust into the air, filling it with an unpleasant smell.
Beggars and vagrants in tattered clothes lay scattered along the roadside. A few bare-bottomed children laughed and ran past. Two burly men were brawling at a street corner, drawing a crowd of onlookers.
Colorful swear words filled the air liked endless stream.
The only real advantage of this underground city was probably its pleasant temperature.
Up on the surface, it was freezing cold, but down here, it was warm as spring, so thick fur coats weren’t needed.
“This is the Lower District.”
Ling Ling explained. “The Middle District and Upper District are much cleaner.”
Blackwater City was built just over fifty years ago, a very young underground city by comparison.
Though all who lived in Blackwater City were Abyss Dwellers, it wasn’t an Abyss City.
Because the city’s legal ruler was actually Qing Kui, the Qinghe City Lord!
Without this pretext, Blackwater City simply couldn’t have been established.
But Qing Kui didn’t manage Blackwater City directly, delegating all power to seven Abyss Dweller Stewards.
These seven Stewards formed the Steward’s Council, the true rulers of Blackwater City.
The Seven Stewards were chosen through a process called “Leaf Voting” by the city’s residents, with a new “Steward Vote” held every five years.
To gain everyone’s acceptance?
Required high prestige and reputation!
“There are many beggars in the Lower District,”
Ling Ling said. “But even if no one gives them alms, they won’t starve.”
This city’s food mainly came from Qinghe City.
A single ordinary meal of a Great Wilderness Giant could easily feed a thousand Abyss Dwellers.
And what Blackwater City offered in exchange for Qinghe City’s supplies and protection was the Blackiron mined from the depths.
In Blackwater City, if you wanted a good life, you went mining. The money earned could secure a life in the Middle District.
Those who didn’t want to work so hard could get by just fine in the Lower District.
At least they wouldn’t starve.
Gao Jing couldn’t help but ask, “Then how did Zhiqi become a Steward?”
He’d just heard the girl complaining that everyone thought that guy’s heart was pitch black.
“He’s incredibly wealthy.”
Ling Ling’s expression was strangely complicated. “Come Steward Vote time, many in the Lower District vote for him.”
Gao Jing was speechless.
Coming from Shan Yue Village to Qinghe City had felt like stepping from a primitive society into a feudal one.
And now being here, it felt more like stepping into a capitalist society!
A real eye-opener.
Just then, a scrawny youngster, thin as a monkey, passed by the two of them.
Suddenly, his foot slipped, and he crashed straight into Gao Jing!
“Aah!”
But before he even hit Gao Jing, his mouth flew open with a sharp cry of pain.
Gao Jing’s grip was clamped like iron on the bony wrist of the monkey-like youth.
“Kid, you ever heard a saying?”
Gao Jing asked with a smile. “Goes something like ‘Don’t let your hand wander lest it gets caught’?”
This punk had been trying to snatch his backpack, after all.
Utterly brazen.
“Nope!”
The youth’s eyes streamed with tears, his wrist feeling near pulverized.
But he still spat defiance: “Ya can’t frame me for nothin’, aahh!”
Ling Ling tugged on Gao Jing’s arm. “Just let it be. Let him go.”
Gao Jing nodded and released his grip.
But Gao Jing had a feeling this wasn’t over.
Freed, the monkey-kid scrambled back, putting distance between them.
Deeming himself safe, he massaged his swollen wrist, spat angrily on the ground, and jabbed a finger at Gao Jing. “Damn ya! Just wait! I’ll be back!”
With that, he darted down a nearby alley and vanished.
Gao Jing chuckled softly. “Well, well. Freedom.”
Steal at will, snatch at will, curse at will, run at will – all without consequence.
So free!
“Me too,” Ling Ling said weakly. “First time I’ve met someone like that.”
Gao Jing shot her a sideways grin. “Reckon you’re new to Blackwater City too, aren’t ya?”
Ling Ling gasped. “How did you know?”
Your naivete gives it away!
If Gao Jing had meant her harm back then, she’d have been swallowed whole, hide and bone!
“Just guessed.”
Gao Jing said. “Let’s go.”
“This way!”
They hadn’t gone far before a band of a dozen or so Abyss Dwellers came charging up behind them, looking murderous.
The monkey-youth was among them.
“That’s them!”
Following the youth’s pointing finger, the armed Abyss Dwellers swiftly surrounded Gao Jing and Ling Ling.
Onlookers nearby scattered, ducking behind cover or watching from a distance, whispering and pointing.
Ling Ling raised her voice sharply. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“What’re we doin’?”
A burly man, clearly their leader, snarled menacingly. “Your sugar-pie hurt one o’ my boys and thinks he can just walk away without paying? Where’s my dignity in that?”
“Gao Jing isn’t my ‘sugar-pie’!”
Ling Ling retorted, cheeks flushing red. “Your man tried to steal! We let him go!”
“Little lady.”
The big man leered at Ling Ling with a dark chuckle. “Think that league badge makes ya untouchable? Not leavin’ this street ‘less ya give us satisfaction!”
A flicker of lust sharpened his gaze.
Girls as pretty as Ling Ling were rare birds in Blackwater City. That badge pinned near her chest was the only thin thread of restraint stopping him from grabbing her then and there!
But restraint or not…
With raw numbers on his side…
If Ling Ling and this outsider guy didn’t cough up something worthwhile, he sure wasn’t backing down.
“Satisfaction?”
Suddenly, Gao Jing’s voice cut into the thug’s ear: “Fine. Satisfaction coming right up.”
Gao Jing took a sudden, lunging step forward. His right forearm ignited, blazing with intense heat.
Materializing a Flaming Longblade!
The big man’s eyes snapped towards him just in time to see the Flame Blade solidify.
Advanced-rank Totem Warrior!
His pupils shrank to pinpricks, sheer terror flooding his features. “Mis… mistake! ‘sall a big mistake…”
A high-rank warrior capable of wielding Totem Combat Arts? Way outta his league.
Regret slammed into the big man like a hammer blow. Stupid. So stupid.
“Offend your betters, pay the price!”
Gao Jing ignored the plea. His sword arm snapped down! A single slash: Great Cleaving Blade!
The big man had some fight in him.
But against a Flame Blade slicing through the air? Zero chance.
The blade cleaved through meat and bone, splitting him clean in two.
Stone dead!
Silence crushed the street.
Around them, stunned disbelief.
After dispatching the leader, Gao Jing spun, blade flaring. A brutal backswing.
Flame surged.
The monkey-kid’s head tumbled from its shoulders.
The others snapped out of their shock. Shrieks of terror erupted. Scrambling feet. Praying for extra legs!
Done.
Gao Jing saw no point chasing dungeon scum. He let the Flame Blade dissipate. Turned to Ling Ling, frozen like a statue beside him.
“Satisfaction delivered,” Gao Jing said. “Now, we go.”
He took her arm. Headed forward.
The street ahead? Cleared fast, emptied out.