Chapter 227: 111. Cutting-edge Era
Translator: 549690339
“Now, let’s start forming groups.”
In the Iron Thorn Shield Security Firm’s grand hall.
Kent stands in front of a group of security team members, holding a list.
Starting today, the security teams are to inspect the surface and underground areas of Sector 7.
Their task is to ensure that all alchemy devices used for collecting universal metal dust are functioning properly.
Kent is now dividing his subordinates into teams.
He called out dozens of names, then looked at the deputy captain and said:
“Mark, you’ll lead the team I just called to inspect the surface area. You’ll decide on the specific division of labor. Make sure to be thorough. Check whether the alchemical array of the powder collector devices is intact and if they need any maintenance. If they do, note it down and report it to the company. Understand?”
“Yes, Chief.”
Kent called out a few more names:
“The names that I just read are to accompany me to the underground area. Ray Lee, you’ll come with me. Fars Scott, you too, we’ll inspect the alchemy devices underground together.”
“Yes, Chief.”
Noland Lee responds with a glance at Fars beside him, who is full of worry, as if their laboratory had been bombed.
Kent claps and announces the end of the meeting:
“Now everybody get moving.”
He comes to Fars, pats him heavily on the shoulder, and says:
“Cheer up, Fars. We still need you to help adjust the alchemical array on-site. It’s just that the deadline for the Alchemy Academy’s research task is approaching, what’s there to be so worked up about?”
“You don’t understand. Kent. You don’t understand.” Fars looks very bitter:
“There are still many tasks in my research project that remain incomplete. If it weren’t for the fact that I could do some research during this trip underground, I wouldn’t even have had time for it.”
Kent shakes his head and says:
“It’s your own fault. The Alchemy Academy offers so many research tasks, but others only choose ones they can complete well. You, on the other hand, just choose the ones that interest you without considering the cost or difficulty of the research. So you end up taking on the development task for alchemical constructs.
“My advice is to take advantage of Spray Powder Day this time and put on a good performance. Kill more trouble-making aberrations, and you might just earn enough to cover the lab rent for the next half year. Isn’t that right?”
“Alright, you’re right. I should start taking aberrations seriously.” Fars sighs quietly, touching the alchemy stone hidden under his clothes:
“I’ve brought an alchemical construct with me this time, which should help kill quite a few aberrations. When the time comes, you better keep a clear count of my kills, Kent, not missing even a single one.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got it in mind.”
Kent beckons, leading the team out, while introducing Noland Lee, who is participating in the mission for the first time:
“There are more aberrations in the underground area, Ray Lee. The Golden
Commerce Guild has set a price: kill one small aberration and get rewarded 100 Union Coins. Kill one standard-size one, get rewarded for 200 coins. If you can kill a powerful aberration like a Seeder, the reward will be at least 2,000 coins. This money will be divided amongst us. Conserve your extraordinary abilities, don’t waste them on ordinary aberrations, and save them for fighting the
Seeder. ”
“Alright, Chief, I’ve got it.” Noland Lee grips the strap of his backpack, hoisting it up and tightening it.
With the goal of earning Union Coins and collecting soul fragments, he withdrew several firearms and a large amount of ammunition from the Iron Thorn Shield Gun Vault.
The other security personnel who had signed up for the underground patrol team were dressed similarly, their eyes shining with the excitement of hitting a big jackpot.
Theoretically, there are numerous pipeline entrances connecting the underground area.
Manholes on the ground, stormwater pipe exits, wastewater pipe exits inside buildings, and so on, are all connected to the city’s underground area.
However, in each city sector, there’s only one pipeline entrance that allows human access, usually located in the private backyard of the security forces.
In Sector 7, for example.
There’s a large underground tunnel entry, covering over one hundred square meters, located behind the Iron Thorn Shield Security Company building.
A spacious warehouse covers the underground entrance, shielding it from outside view.
Security personnel guard the area inside and outside the warehouse all year round, only allowing Iron Thorn Shield security personnel to enter and exit.
First-order alchemists like Kent are only allowed to lead the team on the first till the third underground levels, within the underground waterway area of the city.
Starting from the fourth underground level, the “Fissure Corridor” area begins.
Only second-order alchemists, like the company directors of the Iron Thorn Shield, are capable of venturing into the Fissure Corridor.
Members of large alchemist factions, such as the Golden Merchant’s Swords, can also step into the Fissure Corridor.
Their private channels go from the Upper City Area directly to the Fissure Corridor.
Security firms like Iron Thorn Shield head to the underground area to maintain the facilities in the Lower Town.
For specialized fighters in the Upper City Area, their approach is different.
Their focus is on containing aberrant expansion, repairing powder collection devices, and recovering alchemy suits buried deep in the Fissure Corridor.
It is said that about 30 years ago, the Alchemy Sanctuary gathered a large number of alchemists to dig the Fissure Corridor, a passage that leads directly from the surface to the aberration nest.
Their goal was to build the city’s underground wall, as well as to install alchemy devices to extract universal metal dust from aberration feces..