Castle of Black Iron

The famous Dragon Cave of Jinyun Country was at the center of Hidden Dragon Island. If one looked down from an airship, one would see the entrance of Dragon Cave was an underground cave that had an area of over 10 sq km.

Although there were already various pieces of evidence that there was nothing beyond the stars before the Catastrophe, humans during that age were basically under the rule of demons who masqueraded as humans. In order to better manage the people, the ruling demons influenced them to focus on mutual destruction. Therefore, people were forbidden to be too curious and explore this world. The ruling demons fabricated various lies about the world to firmly constrain people’s thoughts and free will. Each person who entered school would be constantly brainwashed by all kinds of lies fabricated by the demons since they accepted education.

Among the lies that were beneficial for demon’s rule, the most fundamental one was to answer a question that everybody was born with——Where are we? How’s the world that we’re in?

For the galaxy and the world that humans were living in, the ruling demons wanted to describe it as an isolated island in the universe and a cage on the ground. It was a wasteland among the beautiful and vast stars where no other sentient beings existed except for humans.

During the last several hundred years, this talk fabricated by demons firmly restrained people’s thoughts. During the same period, mutual killing amongst humans escalated. In this lie, every resource in this world was scarce. In order to strive for these scarce and limited resources, in order to survive, humans constrained to the world started killing each other.

Among those lies was the basic composition of this world. The planet humans lived on was described as a large onion with a solid core and layers around it. Those layers were the crust and mantle with earth’s core inside. Deep underground was magma that prevented all life from existing.

When the demons created these lies, they also started to use the huge resources that they controlled to stop those who didn’t believe this theory from exploring the depths of their world. They blocked all facts and truths that could reveal their lies.

Based on the knowledge that Zhang Tie had learned at school, before the Catastrophe, many people had already realized the lies that demons fabricated about this world. Many people had already known that this world was actually not a large layered onion. Actually, the inside of this world was hollow. There were many independent and interconnected spaces inside this world. Even above the ground, there were many natural entrances that could lead to other worlds in their galaxy.

These natural entrances spread across the world. But the largest entrances were near the north and south poles. Almost 100 years before the catastrophe, because of advancements in science and technology, many people had expensive private airborne means of travel——planes. By plane, some brave private explorers investigated the north and south poles of this world. They had already discovered the huge entrances to the underground world near the north and south poles. Looking down at them from the sky, they were so huge that they could not be covered at all.

Not only these explorers, actually most of the countries that could launch artificial satellites during that age had already discovered this secret as they could easily capture images of these underground entrances when the satellites flew across the south and north polar points. However, because of various reasons, people who had discovered them kept it a secret.

Not until the Catastrophe arrived, with the reversal of the magnetic poles of this world and its intense geological movements, many monsters and magical beasts poured out of the underground entrances did people know that there were many secrets hidden in their world.

Since the first holy war between humans and demons, people started putting more effort into exploring the mysteries hidden beneath the world’s surface and the entrances leading to other worlds. Many more entrances then started to be discovered across the world From then on, the vast underground world started to gradually reveal its secrets to humans.

The Dragon Cave on Hidden Dragon Island was also discovered as one of the entrances that led to the underground world after the first holy war. This entrance was actually a stream converging into the ocean. Although the entrance of the stream was here, nobody knew where it led to.

During the several hundred years since the Dragon Cave was discovered, each day, many people were ventured in. Among them, most were warriors who were here to form battle qi while others were adventurers who were here to look for opportunities, historical relics, and treasures in the underground worlds.

There were totally over 300,000 people in the 5 towns of Hidden Dragon Island, over 60% of them belonged to the above two kinds of people. They were all conceited and arrogant. Some had real strength, some had ambitions, and others had both. They came from all the human countries. Most of them were very experienced. Before they came to Hidden Dragon Island, they were not common figures. The lowest level among them would be like Zhang Tie who had just been promoted to level 6 and were preparing to form battle qi.

There were all sorts of powerful and talented people on Hidden Dragon Island.

With the exception of White Dragon Town which was close to the only wharf of the island, all the other 4 towns were located around Dragon Cave. Therefore, anyone willing to enter the Dragon Cave has to have permission from at least one of the four towns.

Early the next morning, Zhang Tie’s cousin had brought Zhang Tie to Black Dragon Town.

After being on the island for almost three months, this was Zhang Tie’s first time entering a town on the island. Previously, when he bought and set free fish every day, although he would pass by the mountainous path next to the White Dragon Town, Zhang Tie hadn’t ventured into White Dragon Town even once.

Black Dragon Town was 10 times more prosperous than that in Zhang Tie had imagined. In the early morning, there were already so many people on the streets. On both sides of the street, there were all sorts of hotels, restaurants, and stores. It was so boisterous that Zhang Tie even doubted he was still in a town on the island.

However, compared to cities, most people accessing the streets here were carrying weapons like sabers and swords. Most of their weapons were so weird that Zhang Tie hadn’t even seen them before. Besides people, there were no vehicles or any carriages on the streets.

Most of them were Chinese with black hair and eyes, except for a few blond white men and black men. They were all going about their own business and felt nothing strange about the scene.

On the Waii Sub-continent, Chinese and white people shared the human corridor. They established their own countries. Among those countries, white people who spoke Hebrew were mainly in the west and the north of human corridor while Chinese countries were mainly in the east and the south of the human corridor. After the first holy war, although there were still some wars and conflicts between countries and regions, as a whole, there was no animosity and opposition between human races. Besides, large-scale wars between allied nations had been forbidden.

Being threatened by demons, human beings realized their first era spanning peace in history, which was definitely a large step forward.

Watching some black tough men who were carrying terrifying zigzag sabers bargaining with the shop owners in fluent Chinese, Zhang Tie was really shocked as he ha never witnessed such a scene Blackhot City.

...

”Bang...” With a loud sound, the glass window on the second floor of a hotel more than 10 m ahead of them was broken when Zhang Tie and Zhang Su were walking on a street of Black Dragon Street. At the same time, a person flew out of the window with a miserable cry and heavily fell onto the street. Seeing this, all the passers-by kept away from him.

Less than 5 seconds after that person fell onto the ground, another person flew out of the same window with his butt coming out first and heavily fell on the ground.

When the first person flew out of the glass window, Zhang Tie had already stopped. When the second person flew out, Zhang Tie saw that the latter one was kicked out of the window.

Before the two people picked themselves up, a young man in the uniform of Hidden Dragon Palace had already walked out of the gate on the first floor while patting off dirt from his hands. He then came in front of the two people lying on the ground and lifted them up by seizing their necks like lifting two chickens.

”You are only level 7 fighters, how dare you dine and dash on Hidden Dragon Island...” The youth sneered as he turned back to ask, ”Lad, how much should they pay?”

A 20-over agile lad had already run out of the gate of the hotel, ”They consumed 2 gold coins and 36 silver coins worth of food. The expense of the broken windows, desks, and tables is 5 gold coins. They should pay 7 gold coins and 36 silver coins to the Treasure Gathering Building!”

”Do you have the money?” The young man asked the two tough men who had been beaten fiercely and been lifted in his hands.

”Yes, yes, we have...” A tough man pulled out of his money bag while gritting his mouth. Without even counting, he hurriedly threw the money bag to the lad. Taking the money bag, the lad counted 7 gold coins and 36 silver coins from it in the public before throwing it back.

”Can...can we leave now?” The other tough man who had recovered a bit lowered his voice.

”As you two dared to stir up trouble here on Hidden Dragon Island, although you’ve paid for your damages, you should still follow me...”

”To...to where?” The tough man’s heart quivered as he asked.

”According to the regulations of Huaiyuan Prefecture, besides compensating for their damages, all the trouble-makers here should perform hard labor for two weeks. Follow me, after doing hard labor in the quarry for two weeks, you will be free.”

”Ha, these two idiots really thought they could do whatever they want on Hidden Dragon Island...” A spectator on the roadside shook his head.

”These douchebags are definitely country bumpkins who have stayed in small places for too long. As only level 7 fighters, they dared be that presumptuous? Damn, if they dare to stir up trouble in my place, this father will definitely pinch their eggs into pieces and spread some salt on it before letting them swallow it. F*ck, this daddy is a level 8 fighter, yet I still dared not be rampant when I came to Hidden Dragon Island a half year ago...” A grim tough man who was hefting a big saber cast a contemptuous glance at the two guys and fiercely spat a mouth of saliva onto the ground before walked away. Judging from his look, he must be a robber or a hero who occupied a mountain to be a king in the past.

Seeing that the episode was over, the onlookers all left. They seemed to be used to such things.

After hearing the onlookers’ discussions, the two people looked more depressed as they lowered their heads and were escorted away by the young man.

...

”Brother Zhang...” When the young man was escorting the two tough men passed by Zhang Tie and Zhang Su, he caught sight of Zhang Su. Therefore, that young man hurriedly greeted Zhang Su with one clenched fist in another hand.

”Liu Xu? Are you here on duty in Black Dragon Town today?”Zhang Tie’s cousin didn’t even glance over the two bad-luck guys being escorted; he only slightly nodded towards the young man.

”Heh heh, I’ve got few family donation points left, so I come out to do some tasks...” The young man then moved his eyes onto Zhang Tie, ”This must be your cousin?”

”Yes, this is Zhang Tie, my cousin. I’m going to take him to form battle qi!”

”Come on, junior brother, I’ve put 30 gold coins on you a couple of days ago. Hope you form Iron-Blood Battle Qi in 2 years...” That person then revealed a smile towards Zhang Tie to encourage him.

”Thanks, senior brother, if you lose the bet, I will invite you to drink alcohol!” Zhang Tie also smiled as he said, ”If you win, how about inviting me to drink alcohol?”

”Hahahaha...” Liu Xi burst out laughing loudly. He felt that this junior brother was very interesting, ”It’s a deal!”

...

After departing from Liu Xi, Zhang Su kept talking about the warnings in Dragon Cave as he took Zhang Tie into a special medicament store in Black Dragon Town and bought 4 small vials of medicament for Zhang Tie at the cost of 4 gold coins.

”What’s this, cousin?” Zhang Tie asked.

”This is night viewing medicament. After arriving at Dragon Cave, you can drip this medicament into your eyes. It could grant you with night vision and help you move underground.” Saying this, Zhang Su looked a bit bashful, ”I should have sent you more, but my money has been borrowed by a friend to invest in a processing workshop in Green Dragon Town, so...”

”So if we can’t make 2 gold coins in the underground world, we will suffer a loss...” Zhang Tie smiled as he continued his cousin’s words to make Zhang Su not that shameful. Whereas, with Zhang Su’s words, Zhang Tie understood more about the rules in Hidden Dragon Palace, ”Cousin, do many cousins in the Breaking Heaven Department make money this way on the Island?”

”Yes, when you enter the Breaking Heaven Department, you will know that it’s not that easy to live for free in the Palace!” Zhang Tie signed, ”In order to make money, those in the Breaking Heaven Department will have to exert their own talents. Besides some tasks through which they could gain payment, some able men even invest in industries in the towns of Hidden Dragon Island. Look at the hotels and shops in Black Dragon Town, 80% of them were invested in by the forefathers who had practiced on Hidden Dragon Island before. After they left the Hidden Dragon Island, their invested industries could be taken over by their family members. Hidden Dragon Palace was not a Shangri-La where you could practice fighting skills while ignoring everything else. If one wants to mature, one has to learn to make money. This is a very important lesson for people the Breaking Heaven Department! Previously, when I was at home, I didn’t know how to make money at all. I only felt that I had lots of it. However, since I came here, I found out how hard it was for the forefathers to make money. It was really hard for our grandpas to develop such a great business...”

Zhang Tie nodded as he had a deep empathy for it. Previously when his mom sold rice brew, the price of each bowl of rice brew was only several copper coins. His family members even felt it pitiful to eat it themselves. It was really hard to live if one didn’t know how to make money.

After leaving Black Dragon Town, it only took them several minutes to reach Dragon Cave.

Dragon Cave was in the cove of some mountains. When he stood on the hillside of Dragon Cave and looked at this huge underground abyss, the area of which was even more than that of a town, Zhang Tie was slightly shocked.

A small amount of sunlight was cast into such the huge cave, enabling the entrance of the cave to be slightly visible. However, even during the day, the inside of the cave was a place where light couldn’t reach.

Many people’s furious growls and some animals’ jarring cries seemed to drift from deep inside of the cave, making this huge pitch-black cave more terrifying.

Zhang Su then brought out the night-viewing medicament and dripped a bit into his eyes. Zhang Tie then imitated from him. The moment the medicament entered his eyes, Zhang Tie had already felt an icy sense that was very comfortable. After squinting his eyes for a short amount of time, Zhang Tie opened his eyes and felt that whole world had changed. His vision of the surrounding scenes like looking through a layer of a yellow-green glass.

”Don’t be surprised about it. That’s the effect of the night vision medicament. Let’s go inside. Those mutated huge black spiders are in the first layer of caves, which is over 1.5 km away from the entrance...”

　　...