Chapter 374 - 374 Two hundred thirty-one

Words : 1337 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

374: Two hundred thirty-one. Fermentation 374: Two hundred thirty-one. Fermentation At four in the afternoon, the Jones Brothers walked out of the cave. Stone and soil were piled up outside the cave, and Lu Li put these items to other uses. Since they had to continue excavations tomorrow, they left behind tools such as iron picks and baskets, made hand towels from torn old clothes, dampened them, wiped off the sweat odor, and returned to the carriage. The excavation was progressing smoothly, the cave had been mostly carved out, and the cellar, which due to temporary constraints could be dug by only one person at a time, was less than one meter deep, still short of the desired depth of one meter. However, as the vertical shaft was completed and they began to expand the cellar space, the pace would accelerate considerably. They still had the whole day tomorrow, so there was plenty of time. Once seated back in the carriage heading towards Belfast, Jones, the eldest of the Jones Brothers, sensed something unusual. That unusual feeling did not arise from the desperate mood of the surrounding forest, but from Lu Li who was holding the reins in front. In a short interaction, even the eldest could perceive it, and Anna naturally felt it much more clearly. Having spent over a month together, she sensed subtle changes in Lu Li’s temperament over time, such as him beginning to act like an ordinary person. Although still sparing in expression and calm, he was no longer instinctively alienating those around him or viewing everything with suspicion. It was as if he was not of this world. But now, that indifferent vigilance towards everything reappeared in him. “What happened...?” Anna felt somewhat fearful, and asked quietly with concern. Lu Li did not speak, but his fingers tapped on the newspaper beside him. Anna’s gaze followed to Lu Li’s side; as the carriage swayed and the oil lamp flickered, she saw the clear headline on the newspaper. “They actually...” Relying on Lu Li, Anna wasn’t fond of thinking, but that did not mean she was incapable of it, especially through the subtle influence between her and Lu Li, she had acquired some of Lu Li’s logical thinking. She knew very well what it meant for this kind of news to appear in the newspaper. “How could they dare...?” A faint whisper floated in the void from Anna. In the cart of the carriage, the Jones Brothers leaned back in the far end, succumbing to drowsiness after a day’s hard work. “Perhaps something troublesome that we are unaware of has happened,” Lu Li said, looking at the rugged, muddy mountain road ahead, his tone calm. “This forces them to reveal a portion of the truth.” Only a small part of an iceberg is visible above the sea surface. The bad part of this issue was not just the fermentation of the news itself; the real trouble was the purpose behind such actions—Elders’ Council would not allow the newspapers to publish news that would stir unrest. More troubling might be something the Terrifying Faceless Giant of Zenst had done, or something else, like the real details behind the loss of contact with Tillage Garden. “Our speed has already been very fast...” Anna said softly. Lu Li and his group had indeed been fast, accomplishing all this in less than two months since their arrival. This hurry made him appear like a sufferer of persecution paranoia, but facts are always more abrupt than plans. Fortunately, though they were not fully prepared with all countermeasures, they had completed a significant part of what was needed. ... Around five in the afternoon, the carriage drove out of the melancholy-ridden Elm Forest and returned to Elm Street. The infected houses had been completely demolished, leaving ruins that were being carted away. Some residents gathered around, watching the Alliance Personnel handle the debris. They huddled together whispering something, their expressions somewhat strange. This scene intensified as the carriage moved deeper into Belfast, with people on the streets whispering to each other, their faces marked with unease and fear, as waves of clamor spread. Unlike the loss of contact with Tillage Garden, in most people’s minds it was a Barbaric Land, lacking civilization and cities. Moreover, Tillage Garden was too far from them, so far that almost no one here could possibly travel there. This time, however, Zainster Port was on the Ailen Peninsula, about three hundred miles northwest of here, and it had been confirmed: the entire city had been attacked by creatures, with very few survivors. “That’s a port city with a population of over one hundred thousand!” Cries of anguish occasionally erupted from street corners, their loved ones were in Zenst. Lu Li knew this was just the prelude. For humans, for the strange. As time passed, the strange would appear more frequently, attacking human settlements. Amid people’s fear and anxiety, the order that had been maintained would inevitably be shattered. It was foreseeable that the city would fall into disorder for a long time to come. Prices would soar, and the breakdown of public order was just the beginning. Now, they could only hope that the Elders’ Council had enough control over the city. The Jones Brothers gradually woke up, and the noisy wailing outside the carriage made them somewhat uneasy. “What happened in the city?” the eldest still spoke first. “The newspaper will tell you the answer,” Lu Li didn’t give a direct answer. Explaining would be cumbersome, and his response would certainly lead to many questions. The eldest restrained his curiosity, didn’t ask further, and just observed the streets with his brothers. After a while, the carriage arrived at their residence, the Jones Brothers got off, and the eldest stopped in front of the carriage and said, “I’ll go call the people you need.” He hadn’t forgotten Lu Li’s quest for a craftsman. “I’ll go,” Lu Li said, descending from the carriage with his umbrella. “Oh,” the eldest replied, leading Lu Li to a dilapidated wooden hut nearby. The hut, flanked by buildings on both sides, appeared quite small, especially when the eldest led him inside to a space crowded with parts, tools, and assorted junk. Only the bed and the pathway to the door were free of clutter. The old man the eldest introduced was squatting amid the debris, holding a clock, rummaging through the garbage “clattering”, looking for parts to replace. The eldest first introduced Lu Li to the old man, then told Lu Li, “He can make anything you describe.” Lu Li neither agreed nor disagreed, and remained silent. After the introductions, the eldest conscientiously left the hut, leaving Lu Li and the old man alone. The old man, not finding the parts, temporarily put the clock on a desk also piled with junk, and asked Lu Li what he wanted to say. Lu Li explained his idea about the seawater distillation device. “Boiling seawater?” Distillation technology certainly existed in this world, typically used by a group of self-confident nobles for drinking. Though it was odd, the old man still responded, “Of course it’s possible. What kind of design do you want?” “To be used with a fireplace, sturdy and durable.” The old man pondered for a moment, then nodded and told Lu Li, “Come back in three days to pick it up, since big Jones recommended you, I won’t take a deposit.” “But it’s urgent.” “When do you need it?” “No later than tomorrow.” The old man frowned, about to say something, when Lu Li added, “Double the usual fee.” “You will see the finished product when you come tomorrow morning.” Lu Li nodded and left the hut. Having resolved the water issue, Lu Li returned the carriage to the stable and went back to the Detective Agency. An unexpected guest was waiting for him there.

Chapter 374 - 374 Two hundred thirty-one

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