Wizard, I Have Another World – Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Transmigration Again

It was a small, confined bedroom, with sturdy doors on both sides secured by iron bars.

The cobwebs in the corners, the dust on the floor, the abandoned kerosene lamp, all indicated that no one had lived here for a long time.

At a certain moment…

Ripples appeared in the void in the middle of the room, like ripples on the surface of water, and a figure stepped across the ripples, appearing silently.

It was Karl!

Karl, holding a broadsword, carefully looked around before slowly walking to the door and lifting the iron bar.

“Creak…”

The rusty iron door scraped against the floor, making a slight sound, which made him pause.

*I really don’t want to come here!*

Walking out of the room, he looked up at the sky, and Karl, who had lost his absolute rationality, felt his mood sink unconsciously.

The gray fog obscured the sun, making it impossible to tell whether it was day or night.

Only a shattered crimson star could be vaguely seen hanging in the sky, unchanged from beginning to end.

It was the same every time he came.

The ‘moon’ in this world did not move with the passage of time, and it even usurped the authority that belonged to the scorching sun.

The shattered crimson moon and the unchanging starry sky all indicated that he was no longer in his original world.

It was not only the sky that was cold and gloomy, but also the aura that was constantly seeping into his body.

This was Black City.

A place rich in blackstone.

Judging from the ubiquitous pointed towers, stone buildings, and intricate carvings, Black City must have been prosperous.

And the standard of living for ordinary people was even higher than in Signo City.

However, as people discovered the blackstone veins underground, it gradually became a mining city.

The wealthy had fled long ago.

Those who remained became miners, not only having to work hard but also enduring the invasion of Yin Energy from the ground, living a precarious life.

Tightening his grip on the things on his body, Karl, broadsword in hand, stepped forward. After taking just two steps, his eyes narrowed.

The carcass of an animal, whether a wolf or a dog, lay in the middle of the road, with a few carrion flies buzzing around it.

Although it was just a carcass, he was very vigilant, making a wide detour to avoid it before continuing on his way.

From time to time, he could see hideous cracks of varying sizes on the road, like scars on the earth.

It was said that the terrain had changed due to excessive mining, making the originally flat ground rugged and uneven.

Smoke spewed from the cracks, sometimes scorching hot, sometimes icy cold. Ordinary people would fall seriously ill if they came into contact with it, so they could only avoid it as much as possible.

There were even abandoned pits, pitch black and leading straight to the ground.

The deserted alleys and desolate houses seemed to be hiding many strange creatures, spying on the living outside.

Karl tensed up, moving quickly and silently forward. After passing through two blocks, he could see his destination in the distance.

“Phew…”

Heaving a sigh of relief, he sheathed his broadsword at the signal of two men in black and stepped onto a bustling street crowded with people.

Laca Market.

A market in the aboveground area of Black City.

“Rat meat, fresh, not rotten rat meat, half a blackstone for a portion!”

“Fine Kalia longsword, sharp, lightweight, the best choice for killing those half-dead creatures…”

“Clean water! Filtered clean water, without any impurities, only one blackstone for ten liters…”

The vendors’ hawking voices were incessant, their enthusiasm tinged with helplessness.

The living conditions of the residents of Black City were extremely harsh. Mining had caused serious pollution of the underground water veins, and food was also severely short. Except for the higher-ranking mine supervisors, very few people could eat fresh food.

Even rotten meat could be put on the table.

“Colon!”

Karl walked familiarly to a stall, squatted down, and asked, “You said last time that you had a way to get a breathing technique?”

Although they were two different worlds, there were many similarities, such as language and breathing techniques, and even the written language had some commonalities.

Perhaps…

The two worlds had been in contact a long time ago?

“It’s you.” Colon was thin, with one eye pecked out by a crow, and he wore an eye patch all day long.

Recognizing the visitor, he grinned, revealing a mouthful of rotten teeth. His disgusting breath made Karl subconsciously lean back.

“Breathing techniques are the key for ordinary people to become knights. Any family with a legacy wouldn’t sell them casually, would they?”

“Yes.”

Karl’s expression remained unchanged as he placed the milk bucket on the ground:

“Fresh milk!”

✿✿✿

“Glug…” Colon swallowed, subconsciously licking his lips, and smiled at him with narrowed eyes:

“My friend, you always manage to get good things. I can’t even remember the last time I had fresh milk.”

“However…”

He shook his head and sighed:

“The person with the breathing technique isn’t looking for this kind of thing.”

“Oh!”

Karl frowned:

“What does he want?”

“Shh…” Colon leaned forward and whispered:

“A way out of Black City.”

“Karl, you can get fresh milk. You must not be an ordinary person. Can you help someone leave Black City?”

“Huh…” Karl rolled his eyes:

“What do you think?”

“There’s another reason I can get food. If I were truly someone of high status, would I come to you for a breathing technique?”

Colon fell silent.

Indeed!

True high-ranking individuals would never lack a breathing technique.

After a pause, he continued:

“Madam Butterfly’s caravan is leaving in half a month. Joining her caravan requires two thousand blackstones.”

“That’s the only way out of Black City that I know of right now.”

“Two thousand blackstones?” Karl’s face darkened. He didn’t have any blackstones. He shook his head frankly:

“I can’t afford that.”

“Then there’s no way.” Colon spread his hands:

“I also want to make this deal, but that person only wants to leave Black City and is not interested in food. There’s really nothing I can do.”

“Hmph!”

Karl grunted and picked up the milk pail, about to leave.

“Wait!”

Colon reached out and grabbed him, whispering:

“I’ll show you something good.”

He furtively pulled out a metal sleeve from behind his back, fiddled with it for a moment, and it clicked open with a crack.

“Recognize this?”

“A hidden arrow?”

Karl asked uncertainly.

“Yes!”

Colon nodded vigorously:

“As expected, my friend, you are no ordinary person. Only certain nobles recognize this thing. I managed to get my hands on it with great difficulty.”

“This hidden arrow is made by a master craftsman. It can be adjusted to fit the arm. It holds three arrows. Within seven steps, even a knight squire would have difficulty dodging it. If poisoned, it could even kill a knight.”

“In addition to the three arrows that come with the hidden arrow, I’ll also give you six extra ones to replace them when they’re used up.”

Karl’s eyes lit up.

He didn’t dare to think about killing a knight, but being able to deal with a knight squire was enough for him.

“Of course.”

Colon grinned:

“A pail of milk isn’t enough for this.”

Without further ado, Karl took five pounds of cured meat from his person and pointed to a clock on the stall.

“Give me this.”

“No problem.”

Seeing the deal was done, Colon’s face was full of excitement:

“Good eye, my friend. I got this clock from a noble’s manor. It’s plated with gold on the outside.”

“It’s a pity!”

He sighed:

“A few decades ago, this kind of thing would have been worth a lot of money. Now it’s not even as valuable as clean water.”

Karl smiled.

He had his eye on the gold plating of the clock. Even without the gold, it could be considered a work of art.

The clock’s intricate craftsmanship, gears, and engravings had a unique aesthetic appeal. It should fetch a good price in another world.