Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 314 - 26: The World in the Dark Alley_1

Chapter 314: Chapter 26: The World in the Dark Alley_1

The City of Innocence at late night was alive with a grand carnival. High-energy crystal lamps were lit up as if money was no object, illuminating half of the night sky. In the city’s southern half, areas like the men’s quarters, the Hotel District, the gambling district, competition zone, Food and Beverage District, were so lit up that it was hard to tell day from night. Loads of people, some hidden within cloaks, others in fancy clothes, traveled in carriages, staying in different street blocks. Masses of gold coins and Mithril Coins changed hands, while food and drinks disappeared into people’s mouths. The winter’s cold wind couldn’t dissipate the fragrance of perfume in the air nor could it quell the flaming passion within people. This place was hell, yet also heaven.

Compared to the southern blocks, the northern part seemed dark and dull. The commercial zones here were high-end and wouldn’t draw crowds like the southern blocks at any time. However, albeit lesser footfall, every deal made here generated income and profits several times than those of the southern blocks.

In a corner of the northern zone, a nearly abandoned area lay hidden. Known as the First District, it signified the past history of the City of Innocity, the city’s dark present and hid numerous secrets. This was because it was the single district when the City of Innocence was established hundreds of years ago, and thus, is the city’s oldest predecessor.

Four people, all dressed in black cloaks, silently entered the dark alley under the cover of the night. As they entered, it felt as if they had entered another world.

This seemed like a world that had already died. First-time visitors to this dark alley would have this thought. All the light and noise seemed to be isolated outside the alley. What remained was ruin and decay. Looking around, there were only low-rise houses. The closer one got to the edge of the district, the shabbier and messier the houses became. The edge even had substandard shanties piled up with dry straw and dirty cotton. As they moved away from the shanties, the houses were more complete and people could be seen. Some people roamed the streets seemingly aimlessly. Others crouched in the shadows, their eyes fixated on the four who moved forward.

"This area was the initial extent of the City of Innocence. The center was the earlier headquarters of the Shadow Hand. When Shadow Hand moved here to establish the city, criminals from all over the world fled here. They weren’t Guild members and couldn’t be admitted by the Guild. However, they couldn’t leave either, as death awaits them outside. Thus, they built themselves homes on the periphery of the headquarters. Many criminals died in mutual plundering and killing, but the alive ones proliferated. In the end, it became the dark alley you see now," Indulgence, in a low voice, explained to the two girls in the adventure team, "All these are the lowliest people in the city. They have nothing, not even courage or ability. Hence, they can only fight to survive. Yet, they are the cruellest people in the City of Innocence compared to their criminal counterparts outside. They seem desolate now. But, show any signs of weakness or relax your guard, they will swarm to you like hungry mosquitoes, not leaving until they have sucked you dry. The residents here retained their ways from the earliest days of the City of Innocence, a time jokingly referred to as the ’Dark Age’. To them, stealing, murder, robbery, or even cannibalism are necessary parts of life, just as eating and sleeping are to us."

"Where do these people come from?" Catherine asked in a hushed voice. "Were they born this way?"

"Most were born here. Just as residents of the City of Innocence find it hard to live in other cities, alley dwellers find it hard to survive in other blocks." Indulgence winked at Catherine, "Your two maids are exceptional and extremely lucky. Though there are over eight thousand people in the dark alley, it’s rare for even one man to leave in a year."

"Seeing these people barely able to walk due to hunger, it’s hard to imagine they’re as evil as you portrayed." Catherine sighed deeply.

"That’s just their disguise," Indulgence pointed in a direction, "Do you see the kid surrounded by ten-odd people in the middle? Sixteen years old, only just of age, he is already the leader of a mid-sized organization in the dark alley. Know his battle record? At least sixty-seven people lost their lives to him. When they’re hungry, they have eaten at least forty people alive."

"They’re clever," Passion remarked coldly, "Hence, they have survived."

"Yes, they’re very clever. They never incur trouble," Indulgence nodded, "Therefore, they’re living pretty well here."

Meanwhile, the group quickly went through several dilapidated huts, oblivious to the miserable conditions around them. Suddenly, the group stopped without any sign. In the pitch-dark night, a silver flash shot past. The silver flash instantly turned into a blood-red flicker. After a mild sound, a severed hand fell onto the ground. In the night’s faint moonlight, a boy under ten shrank back, leaning against the wall and picked up a thick rope at random to bind his severed hand, barely stopping the blood squirting out.

It was the first time for Catherine to see Passion’s weapon, a thin rapier, thinner than an average one, looking as slim and fragile as paper, yet packed with destructive power. The silvery rapier flashed and disappeared. Passion didn’t spare a glance at the boy with a severed hand, and without pause, went on. Catherine and Vivian hesitated for a moment and then followed.

"I thought you wanted to say something more important." Carrying on in silence for a while, Indulgence broke the quiet abruptly, "I figured given your knighthood, you wouldn’t stand for this kind of thing."

"I suppose you could say you’re actually saving him." Catherine remained silent for a moment before mumbling, "Based on your descriptions, even in the dark alleyways, the foremost rule of your city must be adhered to: crime cannot be discovered. The child tried to steal my money and I caught him. My first instinct was to stop him. But I forgot we were in the City of Innocence. I forgot there were many people lurking in the dark watching us; by stopping him, it means I discovered him. Even if you don’t punish him, it would provide an excuse for the other residents to attack him. And I understand now, if I had stopped him, he would have attacked me to protect himself, at which point he’d risk losing not just his hand, but his life. By chopping off his hand first, you prevented the others from finding an excuse to openly kill him, perhaps giving him a chance to live, right?"

"It was merely an execution." Passion stated flatly, with no intend to do a favor.

Behind Passion, Indulgence stuck out his tongue at the young girl from the adventure team, chuckled and pointed at Passion’s retreating figure. Catherine couldn’t bring herself to smile. She believed she wouldn’t forget the child’s contorted face in pain and the odd look in his eyes. His eyes held no pain, no hatred, only numbed despair. Such look brought a deep sigh from Catherine. "And that’s why... I dislike this city more and more."

"Whether you like it or not, the city serves its purpose." Indulgence shrugged, "We need to quicken our pace now, to evade the everpresent gazes."

Catherine cradled Vivian in her arms as she disappeared with Passion and Indulgence into the shadowy streets.

The Thieves’ Guild, the Shadow Hand’s headquarters was in the heart of the dark alleys, the best-preserved area. However, it was far from populated. Not because the residual might of Shadow Hand induced fear, but because as a gathering place for thieves and assassins, countless traps had been laid over the centuries. Anyone who wished to venture into this area would do so at the risk of their lives. No one was willing to surrender their life meaninglessly, not even the apathetic, lifeless folks of the dark alleys. As such, they instinctively steered clear of the area, a behavior that has persisted for two hundred years.

"Some of the traps in here have been damaged." As they made their foray into the area, Passion and Indulgence slowed down their pace. They began to scout for traps instead of walking hand in hand. "Even after two hundred years, most of the traps would still be operational. People from two hundred years ago were interesting. They would keep setting traps for themselves, layering trap upon trap, forcing them to tread with extreme caution lest they fall into their own traps unknowingly modified by other thieves. It was not uncommon for a fool to die from his own traps. Such stories have been told within the guild for hundreds of years."

"Vivian, do you remember what you said in the research lab in Crying Cave?" Catherine cautiously treaded behind Indulgence, not daring to stray a single step. She teased Vivian though, "You explicitly said that no sane person would set a multitude of dangerous traps in their own home unless they had a death wish."

"I was wrong." Vivian sighed, massaging her forehead, "I was young then, unaware of how vast the world is and the sorts of extraordinary people it holds."

"Be careful. We need to jump across here." Indulgence stopped by a door, pointed and said, "See that house on the opposite side? We just need to jump across. The first body is inside, precisely where the incident took place."

Looking at the nearly three meter distance, Catherine asked with a grimace, "Did they have to jump in and out when they came here two hundred years ago?"

"Who knows?" Indulgence shrugged irresponsibly, "For all we know, a group of rabbits could have lived here back then."(To be continued. If you like this story, I welcome you to recommend and subscribe on qidian.com. Your support is my biggest motivation. For mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)