Chapter 113: “Looking for a Fire”
This Translation is hosted on bcatranslation.com
Shirley strolled down the road, a cloud of resentment hanging over her. “Why wouldn’t that elderly man respond to me? I tried talking to him, but he just ignored me. Is being shorter really that much of a disadvantage here?”
Duncan turned slightly to look at her. “I don’t think your height is the issue. The real problem is your relentless pursuit of information about the factory from unwilling locals. Why waste your energy on someone who clearly doesn’t want to talk when you could just see the factory for yourself?”
Shirley pressed her lips together, choosing not to respond as they reached the long-abandoned factory, vacant for eleven years, now in view at the end of the street.
In this part of the city, factories were often situated near residential areas, separated only by a mere wall. Due to limited land and the expansive, all-encompassing sea nearby, the city’s planners could not allocate separate areas solely for industrial purposes. Traditional concepts like “industrial relocation” or “suburban resettlement” were not feasible here.
Moreover, people weren’t overly concerned about the health risks associated with industrial pollution. For the average citizen, the advancements in modern technology that increased the safety and security of the city-state far outweighed any dangers posed by factories. Innovations like gas lamps, advanced artillery, intricate steam networks, medicinal potions, and mechanically powered ships had led to a population boom, nearly tripling the numbers from a bygone era. To anyone familiar with the workings of this modern world, factories were the lifeblood and cornerstone of contemporary civilization; they were inseparable from the urban fabric.
As Duncan recalled from Nina’s engineering and mechanical textbooks, these industrial plants were not solely relegated to the outskirts or less desirable parts of the city. City planners did their best to relocate the most hazardous facilities to the periphery, but certain essential structures still needed to be at the core of the city-state. For instance, the bell tower and the central steam core were colossal machines laden with immense energy and potential risk, but they were strategically placed near the main cathedral.
Nina’s textbooks emphasized a special point about this arrangement: people in this world believed in “imbuing the sacred steam with sanctity” and “relying on the divine power of the cathedral to regulate the timing of the clock tower.” These machines were more than just utilitarian constructs; they were considered the sacred and pure heart that upheld modern civilization. To protect these vital mechanisms from the corrupting influences of otherworldly forces, they were positioned where they were under the vigilant watch of the gods, safeguarding their oil and bolts from any form of corruption.
Lost in these thoughts, Duncan sighed inwardly. “This world is so bewildering and outrageous; it never ceases to upend everything I thought I understood,” he mused.
Finally, Duncan and Shirley stood before the dilapidated perimeter of the long-abandoned factory. The crumbled wall barely separated the industrial zone from the residential houses. The lifeless wasteland surrounding the factory grounds was striking; no grass, no shrubs, not a single insect in the soil.
In a place where every square inch of land was prized, the barren state of this plot was perplexing. An eleven-year-old catastrophe should have been remediated by now; it was uncanny to see it remain untouched and desolate.
“Given how valuable land is in this city-state, it’s utterly illogical for this area to be left in such a state,” Duncan commented, staring pensively at the barren land before them.
“Didn’t that old man mention that the pollution hasn’t been cleared yet?” Shirley responded, seemingly unfazed by the strangeness. “Certain types of pollution require time and patience to heal.”
“Perhaps,” Duncan shook his head skeptically. His eyes scanned the rusting pipes and deteriorating tanks at the edge of the factory as he tried to piece together what might have happened here all those years ago.
He observed ruptured pipes and a collapsed tank base, painting a graphic tableau, almost as if a monstrous creature had demolished the structures. From these visual cues, a leak seemed the likely culprit.
But Duncan’s brows furrowed. The elderly man had mentioned that lingering pollution had contaminated the nearby sixth block, resulting in no births for the past eleven years. Yet, alarmingly, there were no warning signs, barriers, or patrols safeguarding this hazardous area. It was inconsistent—if the pollution was so dangerous, why weren’t there more precautions? Though minor, these discrepancies gnawed at him.
“Are we really going inside?” Shirley’s voice broke his chain of thought, her face betraying a tinge of apprehension. “There could be genuine pollution here, you know.”
“Can’t ‘Dog’ offer some guidance?” Duncan glanced at Shirley. “The area is deserted. You could let your dark hound out for some air. Somehow, I don’t buy that you’re genuinely fearful of the ‘pollution’ here. Your eyes are giving away a very different story.”
Avoiding Duncan’s perceptive gaze, Shirley lifted her hand in concession. “Fine, fine… The primary reason is that Dog isn’t feeling well lately.”
As she finished her sentence, the sound of crackling flames filled the air. Dark flames crawled up her arms, spreading across half her body. These flames solidified into chain-like forms, and at the end of these fiery chains emerged a hound, materializing from the blend of smoke and flames.
It was an awe-inspiring yet unsettling sight, raising even more questions in a world that already defied easy explanations.
Observing the manifestation of the dark hound with keen interest, Duncan greeted the creature with a smile and a nod. “It’s been a while, Dog. You made quite a swift exit the last time we met.”
“No hard feelings, no hard feelings. We were in a bit of a hurry,” Dog replied, its tail tucked between its legs as it materialized. As Duncan’s voice reached its ears, the hound seemed to shrink slightly, pulling its limbs closer to its body in a submissive posture. “Do you have any specific tasks for me? I have a variety of skills, you know. I can fetch plates, sweep floors, or even soothe a crying child. I’m quite versatile.”
Before Dog could finish its eager sales pitch, Shirley had already half-covered her face with her hand as if embarrassed to find a creature even more timid than herself in their presence. Duncan, on the other hand, found the whole spectacle quite amusing. He chuckled and then raised his hand, pointing toward the factory building. “I don’t have any specific tasks for you. I just want to borrow your unique sight for a moment. You can perceive things that are normally invisible to humans, can’t you? Take a look at that factory and tell me if something seems off about it.”
“My vision is good enough to earn your interest? Heh, flattery will get you everywhere,” Dog quipped, but then turned serious as it began to share its observations. “I’ve been scrutinizing the factory since we arrived, and it looks just like any other derelict building. Abandoned and—”
Dog’s voice cut off suddenly, its body snapping into a defensive posture as it emitted a low growl. But just as quickly as the growl began, it subsided, leaving the creature visibly confused. “Um, huh?”
Concerned by this sudden shift, Shirley’s eyes widened. “Dog, what did you see?”
“I’m not entirely sure,” Dog hesitated, its voice tinged with uncertainty. “For a brief moment, I thought I saw a massive fire—like an enormous wave bursting forth from the factory. But then it vanished, almost as if it was never there…”
Shirley’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Are you certain you saw this fire? A massive fire?”
Shaking its skeletal head, Dog seemed unsure. “It was a very fleeting vision. It might have been a figment of my imagination. I am a shadow demon, after all; a little hallucination or erratic behavior is par for the course.”
“No, the fire is different!” Shirley interjected urgently. “We’ve been searching for so long for a clue about that ‘great fire.’ This has to be it, Dog. It has to be here.”
Amid her enthusiasm, Shirley felt a heavy hand settle onto her shoulder, causing her to tense up. She slowly turned her head to find Duncan, who was silently observing her.
“Why did you react so strongly to the mention of the fire?” Duncan’s eyes bore into hers as he posed the question.
“I…” Shirley hesitated, searching for words. “It’s nothing…”
“You’re also searching for a fire that occurred eleven years ago, aren’t you?” Duncan wasn’t willing to let her divert the conversation. He’d pieced together something from her unusually animated response. “A fire that’s missing from official records but one that you’ve personally witnessed, correct?”
A chill ran down Shirley’s spine as she felt herself go tense. She swallowed hard. “How did you…?”
“I’m searching for it too,” Duncan revealed with a warm smile. “It appears I’ve come to the right place after all.”
thank u for the chapter