After days of traversing the void, the unchanging starscape finally altered, with a distant land vaguely appearing on the horizon. In this unprecedented long journey, Qian Ye truly understood the terror of the void. The seemingly empty space was fraught with primal force storms that appeared without warning. If a skyship, not specially reinforced, were to be drawn into the storm’s heart, it could be torn to shreds.
Additionally, there were tiny meteorites drifting in the void, some traveling at speeds comparable to cannonballs, leaving a deep dent in armor plating upon impact. The greatest threat in the void, however, was not pirates but the void beasts. An accidental encounter might be manageable, but venturing into their lairs was a perilous endeavor. Nevertheless, Red Pipe indeed possessed genuine skills, choosing a winding route that avoided any encounters with void beasts, ensuring a safe arrival at the Neutral Grounds.
The Neutral Grounds sounded like a single continent, but in reality, it comprised thousands of large and small landmasses, the largest of which were similar in size to the floating lands where Qian Ye had once fought. These landmasses were far removed from other continents, as if they were abandoned corners of the world. They moved in complex trajectories, orbiting around the sun. Some speculated that the Neutral Grounds were not naturally formed, but rather the result of an earlier planet or continental fragmentation before the fall of the Void Valley Star. However, this speculation remained unproven.
Due to its great distance from the central layers of the continents, the climate here was harsh, with extreme temperature fluctuations and frequent calamitous storms. Many landmasses were barren, unsuitable for human habitation, even the most adaptable spider demons could not survive. Because of its remoteness and inhospitability, both the Empire and the Evernight had shown no interest in this place over the centuries. Yet, for those unable to find a place in either faction, this was the only haven. Initially, only the strongest and often the cruelest people could reach this place. Over time, it became a melting pot where all sought to survive by any means necessary.
Navigating between the landmasses was perilous due to the rampant storms and complex trajectories. Only seasoned captains, relying on years of experience, could navigate through them. Red Pipe was one such captain. He chose a medium-sized landmass, home to one of the largest ports in the Neutral Grounds and a preferred transit point for newcomers, particularly for humans.
The old skyship slowly docked at the pier, and a group of robust, raggedly dressed individuals rushed forward, surrounding the ship’s hatch.
Red Pipe appeared at the hatch, waved, and roared, “Get lost! There’s nothing much here, only a few hands needed.”
At his words, the crowd scattered, and the more timid individuals, mostly elderly and children, along with a few emaciated and diseased-looking middle-aged folks, stepped forward.
Qian Ye and Nighteye had little luggage, their only box filled with frozen beast meat. The old man, “Master,” carried five heavy trunks. Qian Ye tied three together and carried them, while the rest were hauled by four or five others.
After passing through the long pier, Red Pipe led Qian Ye into a three-story brick building, the most imposing structure on the pier. The hall, originally spacious, was now packed with people, the cacophony and pungent mix of sweat and body odor making Qian Ye frown. Nighteye, foresightedly, had already sealed off her senses.
The bearded captain led the way to the counter at the end of the hall. Anyone blocking his path was met with a whip or a kick. Most recognized the deep red pipe in his mouth and obediently moved aside, saying nothing. Only a scarred, vicious-looking man glared back at the captain.
Red Pipe sneered, pointed at the scarred man, and made a throat-slitting gesture. The crowd cheered, but the scarred man’s face darkened.
“What does that mean?” Qian Ye asked a bystander.
The man gave Qian Ye a disdainful look. “Newbie, eh? You’ll learn. It’s a challenge. Fight or leave. Don’t talk too much if you’re scared.”
Qian Ye realized that the Neutral Grounds operated under a naked rule of might, without any pretense.
The scarred man, unwilling to fight Red Pipe, turned and left, eliciting a collective sigh of disappointment from the crowd.
Once the scarred man was gone, the people in the hall automatically parted, though many eyes, full of ill intent, remained on Qian Ye and his companions.
At the counter, Red Pipe tossed a gold coin onto the table, saying, “Register these friends.”
Behind the counter, a young man with a refined face quickly pocketed the coin, took up pen and paper, and asked for Qian Ye, Nighteye, and the old man’s names. Qian Ye and Nighteye gave false names, while the old man said Cui Yuanhai. Qian Ye was surprised; he hadn’t expected the old man to use his real name.
The old man, seeming to read Qian Ye’s thoughts, smiled. “I’m old and can’t run anymore. Once I’m here, I don’t want to go anywhere else.”
The young man produced three steel plates, inscribed their names, and handed them to Qian Ye. “These are your identity tags and your pass to the Neutral Grounds. Of course, they’re not very useful for anything else. If you don’t want to reveal your identity, you can always take some, and no one will care. Here, if it’s in your hand, it’s yours.”
He then pulled out a copper plate and placed it on the counter. “To survive here, you have to earn or seize. This is a ticket to the Eastern Waste. You’ll get a cabin on the ship, barely enough to fit you and your belongings. For better, pay more. The Eastern Waste is short on manpower and offers good terms. You’ll get land if you go. If you want more, it might be risky.”
Knowing nothing about the Neutral Grounds, Qian Ye felt indifferent to their destination. He reached for the copper plate, but the young man, with a sly smile, kept it under his palm.
Qian Ye thought for a moment and asked, “How much?”
The young man grinned. “Smart! I like talking to smart people. Fifty gold coins, and the ticket is yours.”
In the Neutral Grounds, various currencies circulated: Imperial gold and silver, black crystals, Evernight gold and silver, blood crystals, and magic cubes. Qian Ye pulled out a purse, weighed it, and handed it over. “Forty-seven, that’s all I have.”
The young man snatched the purse and shoved the copper plate into Qian Ye’s hand, grinning. “That’s enough, more than enough!”
Qian Ye knew he had overpaid, but as a newcomer, a bit of a loss was inevitable, so he didn’t mind. After learning where the skyship was docked, Qian Ye and the others headed towards the pier. Red Pipe leaned against the counter, his part of the deal done.
Once Qian Ye left the hall, the young man’s smile vanished. A middle-aged man approached, looking in the direction Qian Ye had gone. “An eighth-rank guy, is it worth sending him there?”
The young man looked at Red Pipe. “You said he was hiding his strength. How much?”
Red Pipe, without answering, took a deep draw from his pipe and said, “It doesn’t matter. If he’s hiding enough, it’ll cause trouble for them, won’t it? The Wolf King isn’t easy to deal with.”
The young man, with a depth belying his age, said, “You’re still so cunning. Maybe I should reconsider our partnership next time.”
Red Pipe pointed at the purse. “You made quite a profit, didn’t you?”
The young man weighed the purse, saying slowly, “But now, I feel like the money is burning my hands.”
At the other end of the pier, Qian Ye found his ship, an even older skyship with exposed steam pipes and massive chimneys belching thick smoke. The giant steam engine barely fit inside, leaving little room for passengers.
Even in the Evernight, one rarely saw such ancient skyships.
Qian Ye presented the copper plate and was allowed to board. The cabin, unsurprisingly, was cramped. After placing the boxes, they could only stand. Little Zhu Ji, who could sleep in any position, even upside down, jumped to the ceiling and fell asleep. The old man leaned against the boxes, while Qian Ye and Nighteye went to the deck, preparing to spend the journey there.
Soon, the skyship roared, laboriously leaving the pier and heading towards the horizon.
Even the journey between landmasses took two days. Their destination was a particularly large landmass, on the fringes of the Neutral Grounds. From the void, Qian Ye estimated it to be roughly the size of the floating lands, if not larger.
During the journey, Qian Ye tried to inquire about the Eastern Waste, but neither the captain nor the crew would say a word, even when offered gold coins.
Qian Ye managed to glean some basic information: most of the Eastern Waste was a vast lake, covering three-quarters of the land, with the rest being water. The lake, stretching thousands of kilometers, was often called the Eastern Sea.
As the old skyship approached the landmass, Qian Ye and Nighteye stood at the bow, gazing at the mysterious and perilous land. Suddenly, Nighteye exhaled softly, leaning on Qian Ye’s shoulder.
“What is it?”
Nighteye, looking at the approaching land and the grand sea, said, “I suddenly feel that our home should be here.”
Qian Ye held her tightly. “Alright, then this will be our home!”
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