Chapter 334 Cultural Marvel
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/Stop.../
/Clack.../
The car stopped and its doors opened, allowing Dale and Mei to leave.
"This is it for me, there's not much an hologram can do." Roger said as he crossed his arms
"We'll be seeing each other soon, so focus on your task."
"Remember to keep your eyes open, albeit this is a neutral zone, there may be people willing to break and bend the rules a little if it means getting their point across."
"Some with enough power to disregard them to a certain extent, just like me."
"And on that subject, I implore you to exert caution, do not let into your emotions as you did at the airport... Let the law of this place do its job." He said as he pointed at Dale
"It would be very troublesome if a situation like the previous one were to occur here of all place... At least consider my words if something does come."
'I hope it doesn't though.'
"I will, I'm not too keen on losing my time in meaningless disputes either."
"I know... And that's what worries me..."
'That'll you see dealing with your fist as faster with your words...'
"Mei will guide you throughout the remainder of your journey, and if all goes well, you'll be returning to the Aiport within a few hours tops, just as we discussed." Roger said as the doors of the car slowly closed
"Time's up, you're on your own from here on out... And remember! Violence as a last resource for self def..."
/Clack/
The car doors closed, muting Roger's words completely before he could finish.
/Fuom.../
/Shua.../
'With that, the car took off, flying to the side as it entered a strange dark structure, likely a floating car parking slot for later retrieval.'
"Mr Houston, if you will." Mei said as she called him
"... I'm going." Dale replied as he took a look around
There wasn't much around them as they were deep in the forest.
Tall trees surrounded them, blocking the sun and the sky above, although if they weren't there, it would be hard to say if those were real or not.
To his left, there was a large rectangular building shaped like the walls of a beehive, full of individual cells where dozens of cars could be seen parked, waiting for their turn to be called.
Underneath him, there was a large metallic landing zone, and if he tapped his foot on the platform, he could feel that the vibrations echo into the forest behind him.
Roger then pointed at the side.
"If you look over there, you'll see an Aztec sacrificial Altar and if you look over there you'll see an Inca town."
"And those are but a few of the many strange architectural designs of this place, they span all of the Americas across thousands of years..."
"Some of these are so grand they are unique, not seen anywhere else except here, like this temple over here."
"I see, but... Why are there so many distinctive cultures here?"
"Hard to say, but to a certain degree, it is believed they were manifested directly from the Crucible, likely because their respective civilizations made their imprints on time and left their legacies across the generations..."
"One of the theories suggests the Crucibles have existed long before our estimations and that they slowly absorbed aspects of world culture for their formation, eventually manifesting once the time was right."
"Others say it's due to the people that crossed these lands over the centuries, that each of them left their own mark here... A testimony to their existence."
"In a sense they wouldn't be wrong, the Crucibles can 'compel' people to... 'Work'..."
"Regardless, they pose little purpose apart from being landmarks, and now, establishments for the travelers who make their way here."
"We'll have all the time in the world to check them out if you wish later, until then, our destination lies elsewhere, follow me." Roger said as he began walking
"Alright, let's... Wait, what about Mei?" Dale asked as he saw Mei stop on the side
"Oh? She'll wait for us here, not everyone can be granted access to the Crucible at any given moment, and even if she wanted to she wouldn't be able to follow us as she had already been there recently."
"..."
'She doesn't look surprise... It's as I expected.'
'As if a highly praised Assistent of Roger would be normal, I felt Mana flowing within her, but it wasn't substantial enough for me to claim anything.'
Dale had a thought, from the moment he first saw her.
He had always felt she was somewhat unordinary, he had felt her 'aura' when they first met.
And the fact she was allowed to come this far proved it, albeit it made him upset as to how she hadn't made it clear when they met with that nuisance at the airport.
"Don't worry for me Mr Houston, the customer service here is top-notch and all of our expenses are already accounted for, it's something akin to a paid holiday." She said with a chuckle as she looked at him
"Hahaha..."
'Can you say that in front of your Boss?'
"She's right, I envy her even, they have quite a few delicacies here..." Roger said with a scoff as he exhaled loudly
"Alas, we have a schedule and people don't like when you're out of it here, so let's move on before one of them complains."
"... Right."
'Roger led Dale to the center Temple of this strange city, and as expected, it was heavily fortified with a small crowd surrounding it.'
'It was time to see this 'Crucible' for himself.'
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Notes