24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 132

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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24-Hour Friendly Market Specializing in Dimensional Items Episode 132

 

Episode 132. Gearsgard (3)

 

I left the underground with a warm send-off telling me to hurry up and get lost since I had to meet the delivery deadline.

 

In the meantime, it had become pitch dark outside.

 

But unlike before, street lamps were now standing openly and shining their light.

 

‘That’s better.’

 

I let out a satisfied chuckle and started walking in the same direction I had come from.

 

The alley that I could barely see when following Brozen to the workshop was now bright with streetlight.

 

It was even noisy, unlike before.

 

It wasn’t the sound of people talking, but machine sounds coming from the workshops that filled this alley.

 

I was walking leisurely, taking my time, when suddenly a loud roar that made my eardrums sting began echoing through the alley.

 

“Damn, don’t they know about noise pollution here?”

 

I grumbled and quickened my pace.

 

After walking a short distance, the plaza appeared.

 

The plaza, now that curfew was over, had once again become a lively place where dwarves and humans came and went.

 

Though it felt somehow a little different from before.

 

It was the exact same scenery as what I had seen before the curfew, nothing different at all.

 

Maybe it was because I had heard about the war.

 

‘I think I can somehow feel some tension.’

 

I slowly crossed the plaza.

 

Looking closely, it was a bit much to call it just a peaceful otherworldly version of the Han River, as there were several parts that showed signs of being at war.

 

Like the shadows cast around the eyes of someone reading a book with a nonchalant expression.

 

Or the tension rising between two people who had their heads together over spread blueprints.

 

And most of all, groups of soldiers in crisp navy blue military uniforms coming and going throughout the plaza.

 

I had thought they might be hiding somewhere and keeping watch since they were said to arrest people, but it seemed they were just stationed in the plaza.

 

Earlier, since it was right before curfew, they probably would have been inside some headquarters rather than the plaza.

 

The expressions of the soldiers controlling the pedestrians were rigidly hardened.

 

I casually strolled nearby and observed the soldiers.

 

Whatever ending the scenario demanded, there would be parts that needed coordination with the soldiers maintaining order in Gearsgard, so it was better to see as much as I could in advance.

 

Most of the soldiers were human, but there were also a few dwarves mixed in.

 

Their refined dress uniforms, incomparably more sophisticated than Alessandro’s armor, bore Gearsgard’s emblem of combined bolts and nuts.

 

In addition to that, there was one more peculiar thing – the strange-looking weapons they were carrying.

 

‘Are those guns?’

 

They looked like shotguns with short barrels, but with parts stuck all over them, they had a very messy appearance.

 

They felt more like prototypes than finished products.

 

No, if they presented those as prototypes, people would ask if they were joking.

 

They looked more like toys.

 

‘Can they even attack with something like that?’

 

It looks like it would crumble apart after one shot and couldn’t even be reassembled.

 

For a steampunk world that I had expected to be of the machines, by the machines, for the machines, this is a disappointing weapon.

 

“Tsk.”

 

I scratched my chin and looked up at the sky.

 

A massive object was passing overhead in the darkened sky.

 

The airship that I had thought was just part of a tourist attraction floating in the sky was probably continuously flying for reconnaissance purposes.

 

This wasn’t a city driven by passion for machinery, but a city hardened stiff with tension over war.

 

‘I need to learn more about Gearsgard in detail.’

 

Having made my decision, I headed toward a streetlamp far from the soldiers.

 

I carefully checked that there were no passersby around under the streetlamp’s light before opening my inventory.

 

What I took out was the map of Aetheria.

 

First, I needed to find out how high up this city was floating.

 

* * *

 

Well, honestly, the fact that it’s a floating city is amazing, but that aside.

 

‘Just how high up are they floating that they can’t even think of going down?’

 

If it were just a floating island, they’d have to live as it is, but all four cities of Aetheria are maintained using engines.

 

Then wouldn’t manipulating the engines to slowly land be one option?

 

What’s the reason for going to war just to live in the sky where it’s hard to breathe?

 

Maybe everything below is ocean, or it’s crawling with monsters so they can’t even attempt to go down.

 

There had to be a convincing reason for me to understand these floating city diehards.

 

I followed the map, crossed the road, and headed west.

 

It was toward the port where airships landed.

 

Looking at the map, Gearsgard wasn’t a small city, so I was fortunate that the port was nearby.

 

If I had dropped right into the center of Gearsgard, the only way to reach the port would have been the Nokga Stream.

 

An auto-driving bicycle in a steampunk city – just imagining it was romantic.

 

‘But then I’d get caught immediately for being suspicious.’

 

I shook my head while adjusting my collar.

 

After being imprisoned in Casabl, I had resolved never to do anything that would get me thrown in jail under any circumstances.

 

Anyway, my reason for going to the port was simple.

 

I wanted to see just how high up this damn city was floating!

 

As I got closer to the port, fierce winds struck my cheeks painfully.

 

I hurriedly walked while clutching my hood.

 

‘I’ll freeze to death if I look at the height twice.’

 

Meanwhile, grumbling inwardly was a bonus.

 

Soon, a landscape where only the dark night sky was visible instead of buildings came into view.

 

Since it’s cold, I should check quickly and leave.

 

At the port entrance, there were indeed signs of people as expected.

 

Whether they were taking turns standing guard, the soldiers were yawning repeatedly and chatting as if tired.

 

Just as I was about to naturally head in that direction.

 

I stopped in my tracks and hurriedly hid in the shadows of a nearby building.

 

…Wouldn’t a person coming to look around the harbor in the middle of the night be a bit suspicious?

 

Especially during wartime?

 

‘This would totally land me in prison.’

 

Brozen had already given me warm advice not to act too much like an outsider, and I didn’t want to personally step forward and act suspiciously.

 

I cleverly changed direction.

 

Not to the harbor entrance that the soldiers were openly guarding, but to a nearby building.

 

Since this was the edge of the island anyway, I just needed to get a rough look.

 

As I expected, the black night sky was visible at the end of the narrow alley.

 

There was a railing installed as if to say don’t cross over, but that was something I could be careful about.

 

I casually placed my hand on the railing.

 

And the moment I looked down below.

 

“…Huh?”

 

I couldn’t react at all and just blinked my eyes.

 

I couldn’t see anything.

 

No clouds, no fog, no ground below.

 

Just an endless darkness spread out.

 

‘Is it because it’s night?’

 

No, even so, could it be possible to see absolutely nothing like this?

 

With a troubled heart, I quietly gazed down at the darkness and opened my inventory again.

 

What I took out was a light I had used once before and stored away.

 

[Luminous Light (D)

 

A lantern that emits bright light visible up to 3km away.

 

Duration is approximately 5 minutes.]

 

This was the very light I had purchased in Laoko to imitate a squid fishing boat.

 

Five minutes would be enough to see, and at three kilometers away, it would probably fall before then.

 

It was like throwing 70,000 won into thin air.

 

Not a metaphor, but literally.

 

I took a deep breath and threw the light over the railing with all my strength.

 

The light flew in a parabolic arc, then soon began falling downward at high speed under the force of gravity.

 

The light became a yellow dot and continued falling.

 

I waited for quite a while.

 

By now it should have hit the ground.

 

Even as I continued observing with that thought, the light just kept falling downward.

 

The light that was gradually getting farther away became as small as a whitish speck before soon disappearing without a trace.

 

“…What?”

 

I muttered in a bewildered tone.

 

Not even 5 minutes had passed and I couldn’t see any lights, which meant this place was more than 3 kilometers away from the surface.

 

Probably 3 kilometers would be laughably small – it could be dozens of kilometers or more.

 

‘Can living beings even survive at that height in the first place?’

 

This wasn’t even a dimension that directly contradicted science.

 

Did the citizens living in this city never even think about going down to the surface?

 

Questions kept growing, one after another.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

“Hey there, who are you?”

 

I was startled and turned my head.

 

A soldier holding an old-fashioned lantern, apparently on patrol, was approaching me from the end of the alley.

 

I hastily stepped back from the railing and racked my brain.

 

How should I act to not look like an outsider?

 

In this serious place during wartime, the black flame dragon concept like Palm Repo’s ring wouldn’t work.

 

Even as my mind was spinning complexly, the soldier was steadily approaching me.

 

Unable to think of a proper solution, I even considered using Kienem’s watch to escape if necessary.

 

But fortunately.

 

“It’s late at night, so please go inside quickly. Where is your home?”

 

The soldier asked in a forceful but kind tone.

 

Since I looked ordinary without carrying any weapons, he seemed to have judged that I wasn’t a threat.

 

I swallowed a sigh of relief and answered calmly.

 

“It’s nearby. I just came out for a moment to get some fresh air.”

 

“I’ll escort you there.”

 

…Why is he being so kind?

 

I’m weak against such gentle people.

 

If this were South Korea, I would have had nothing to worry about and would have gratefully accepted the escort.

 

“I can go by myself. I can’t give more work to someone who’s working hard to protect the city.”

 

I frantically waved my hands and showed an embarrassed smile.

 

Just as the soldier was about to open his mouth to say something more.

 

“Victor!”

 

Someone’s shout came from the other direction.

 

The soldier named Victor showed me a firm smile.

 

“Please go inside quickly. The situation has been unusual lately, so it’s better to avoid wandering around late at night.”

 

I barely held back my desire to ask what exactly that situation was, and smiled slightly as if grateful.

 

The soldier soon left the alley without suspicion.

 

“Coming.”

 

“Where were you? The higher-ups are so sensitive these days.”

 

“What’s going on?”

 

That’s right, what is going on?

 

I silently and carefully followed in the direction the soldier had gone.

 

“Tsk, it looks like Floraban and Glimmerstona have formed a temporary alliance. This morning we confirmed that a diplomat from Floraban entered Glimmerstona.”

 

“Isn’t this a big problem?”

 

“That’s about right. At this rate, we might fall behind in military strength.”

 

I wanted to hear more, but the two soldiers quickly moved away toward the harbor.

 

I couldn’t contain my disappointment and grumbled.

What’s with those long strides that leave an eavesdropper hanging like that.

 

Anyway, that’s one more thing to add to the report.

‘…So, what else should I investigate now?’

 

I should actually explore more of Gearsgard’s scenery, but it was too late at night for that.

 

I should really explore more of Gearsgard’s scenery, but it’s too late at night for that.

Unless I kidnapped a soldier and threatened them to confess everything.

 

Unless I kidnap a soldier and threaten him to confess everything.

‘I guess it would be better to do that after I’ve seen all of Gearsgard first, right?’

 

Summarizing what I’ve figured out so far, Aeteria is a dimension with four cities.

 

‘Well, it’d be better to do that after finishing Gears Guard first, right?’

For Babel, controlling the magic stone production of this dimension would be a piece of cake.

 

Four cities are at war to claim Vernium, the last magic stone mine, and this dimension has probably been destroyed because of this war.

“…Wait a minute, then.”

 

Something suddenly occurred to me.

 

Just as he was organizing his hypothesis, adding various speculations along the way.

The harbinger of misfortune.

 

Something suddenly came to mind.

It was the location of the Tower of Babel.

 

That which must inevitably occur when Babel destroys the dimension.

An omen of misfortune.

“Where is the Tower of Babel in this dimension?”

It was the location of the Tower of Babel.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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