Chapter 419: The Name of Despair
After paying one silver coin as the city entrance tax, Katie finally entered Mithril City and arrived at the Lower District.
The first thing Katie saw upon entering was the slums, a common sight in the Lower District, but even more concentrated near the city walls, forming a continuous stretch.
This was because the water flow became increasingly polluted the further out it went, and the dense population of the Lower District exacerbated this situation. Therefore, anyone with even a little ability would desperately try to get closer to the Mid-District wall. The water that had just been discharged there, if filtered through layers, was barely drinkable. Of course, various after-effects and diseases were unavoidable, but occasionally valuables could be salvaged from the sewage, making it even more desirable.
Those without the means could only live further and further away, and the further away they were, the poorer they became. For example, the outermost areas near the base of the city wall were almost entirely slums, inhabited by those who were penniless and could only rely on scavenging garbage to survive.
These areas, composed of haphazardly built shacks of various sizes, were like psoriasis growing on the city, concealing countless sins and malice. They were not as simple as they seemed.
It couldn’t be helped. A large number of the lowest-level residents lived here. Some were escaped slaves, some were criminals, and most were the incompetent who lacked the ability to earn money, the skills to kill, or the value to be killed. What else could they eat if not garbage?
The vast majority of residents here were so poor that all they had left was a worthless life. Therefore, they either had to live in pain or choose to risk their lives. Over time, poverty and death became the only things left here.
As soon as Katie entered, countless malicious gazes fixed upon her. Many of them didn’t understand what a witch represented, and of course, they didn’t care. Even if they knew that a witch’s curse couldn’t even be exempted by the soul, it wouldn’t matter, because they were already living in hell. How could it be worse than this?
As long as they succeeded once, the money from selling such high-quality goods would be enough for them to move out of this desperate place called the Lower District. Even if they were exploited and bullied in the Mid-District, it would be better than rotting away day by day here.
Fortunately, Katie was accompanied by the Minotaur. Just from its appearance, this monster could be seen as not to be trifled with. With a glare from its blood-red bull eyes, even experienced adventurers would tremble, let alone these impoverished people with severely depleted energy. Therefore, even those who were not afraid of death were unwilling to act rashly because they couldn’t see any chance of success. It was better to choose a target with a higher chance of success.
As Katie felt countless malicious gazes, the merchant group that entered the city with her had already swiftly killed seven or eight petty thieves from the Lower District. Amidst constant shouts, they even hung the severed heads on both sides of the carriages to deter those who came after.
But it was useless. The impoverished people of the Lower District didn’t care about death. As long as there was a sliver of opportunity, they were willing to risk their lives. There was no shortage of people willing to sell their lives for a piece of bread or a bowl of water. This forced the merchant group to be even more vigilant than they were outside the city. They had to temporarily hire a local gang to escort them to the Mid-District.
These local gangs, dressed in tattered cloth and carrying all sorts of tetanus-inducing weapons, were quite reputable. Once they received half the payment, they formed a circle, and anyone who dared to approach was beaten to death without a word.
As for resistance? Haha, they were the local snakes, each one of them having fought their way up. Those who were stronger than them either joined them or became their peers. To ensure the survival of their profession, they rarely broke the rules and fought amongst themselves. Therefore, under their protection, the merchant group smoothly entered the Mid-District, which was guarded by the City Defense Force. They also successfully obtained a sum of money that would allow them to survive. As for those starving impoverished people in the Lower District, who cared?
Katie considered herself to have seen many terrible places, but this was the first time she had seen a place this bad. As she went deeper, the darker side of the slums continued to unfold, making her realize that the harsh environment was just the most insignificant aspect. Despair was the theme here.
There was no land to cultivate, no jobs to work, and no hope of advancement or survival. This place was filled with despair everywhere. Emaciated impoverished people were either stealing and robbing or waiting for death to come.
Even more terrifying, there were three established trades here: slaves, death, and souls.
Selling themselves as slaves to the Mid-District had become almost the only chance for the Lower District’s impoverished people to escape their fate. Although they might become targets for killing and amusement, live bait for feeding pets, laborers worked to death, or experimental materials for some magic practitioners, as long as they could leave the Lower District, there were plenty of people willing to sell themselves. Therefore, the Lower District had the largest slave trade market in Mithril City, even attracting many slave traders from the surrounding areas who specialized in this business, working together to make the market bigger and stronger.
Katie had expected this, but seeing necromancers openly selecting bones and living people here still broadened her horizons.
The corpses that flowed down from the Upper District and Mid-District through the sewage would be salvaged by the impoverished people here. The severely decomposed ones were stripped of their flesh and piled up as bones, while the fresher ones were treated with preservatives and wrapped in cloth strips to prevent insects and rats from gnawing on them.
These were laid out one by one, allowing the necromancer masters from the Mid-District to choose.
Occasionally, a living person would be favored by a necromancer master. As long as a meager sum of money was offered, they could be taken away. It was estimated that it wouldn’t be long before they turned into a mindless skeleton soldier. If they were lucky, they might become a decent-looking zombie, at least retaining some semblance of their former appearance.
There were also some cultists who would brazenly purchase a bunch of living sacrifices and conduct blood sacrifices in any open space, filling the surroundings with a foul stench. But as long as they paid, none of this was a problem. No one cared whether their souls would fall into the hands of demons or evil gods. The local gangs would even prepare the sacrifices in advance according to their requirements, including the post-ritual cleanup work.
This place wasn’t hell, but it was more like hell than hell itself.
As a sensitive witch, witnessing all of this undoubtedly had a huge impact on Katie’s mind. It was as if she had fallen into a swamp called despair, constantly being infiltrated by it.
Fortunately, the emblem of Death and Shadow emitted a shadow at this time, enveloping Katie within, allowing her to find temporary peace in the tranquil shadow.
“Now I understand why my mother’s prophecy led me here.” Katie, the Witch of Despair, said with a wry smile.
Fortunately, Death and Shadow embraced both death and darkness, preventing Katie’s mind from becoming distorted by sensing too much despair. Instead, she found a new path.
