The Divine Armor of the Old Century（Book 1）

Chapter 138

The faint light of dawn had just settled, with the roiling steam frozen by the chill, clinging to the buildings on the street, everything touched by frost and swallowed by the cold wind.

A pitch-black carriage halted before 121A Cork Street. Joey and Red Hawk sat inside, waiting for Lloyd. Merlin's efficiency was commendable; Lloyd had just agreed yesterday, and today, Merlin had already sent someone to fetch him. Lloyd swiftly donned his clothes, strapping on his sword and gun.

"No need to be so on guard," Red Hawk remarked, eyeing Lloyd's conspicuous Winchester rifle. Anyone unaware might think Lloyd was off to commit murder.

"It's just for a bit of security," Lloyd replied, settling in beside them.

The black carriage slowly gained speed, and soon the horses were exhaling plumes of white breath as they galloped through the streets of Old Dunling. Looking out the window, Lloyd noticed an unusual number of patrolling officers, all heavily armed, with the occasional sound of iron whistles passing messages.

Though unspoken, many felt the shift in Old Dunling's atmosphere—a sense of imminent conflict hung in the cold wind, laden with the scent of gunpowder.

"Is it this serious already? Patrols are everywhere," Lloyd mused, drawing his gaze back inside. He had assumed only the inner city would see heightened security, but the outer districts were also heavily patrolled.

"After all, the Feast of Divinity is approaching. Delegations from various nations will attend the celebrations. If demons were to appear then...the consequences would be unimaginable," Joey responded gravely.

The Feast of Divinity, a grand annual festival, had evolved over the years to embody many meanings. Old Dunling would host celebrations, with massive airships casting petals and lanterns from the sky. People thronged the streets, exchanging blessings and joy. It was a display of national power and a shopping festival for foreign delegations. On the day of the festival, according to what Lloyd knew, the true celebration for these delegations happened deep into the night with the trade of new steam engines—this was the festival's main event.

"That makes sense," Lloyd replied softly. Englevig had replaced the Holy Papal State as the new superpower, and every year countless flags entered the Platinum Palace.

"To ensure order, the shrike has already planned a covert purge in the lower city. Those with ill intentions will be eliminated one by one to prevent any incidents during the celebrations," Joey continued.

Lloyd nodded. Such times indeed called for serious measures.

"Where are we headed?" Lloyd asked, realizing the scenery outside had grown unfamiliar.

The carriage was heading to an unknown destination. The sky remained overcast, with dense black smoke pillars standing tall like columns supporting the heavens and earth, one after another appearing in the distance.

Under these pillars lay the gray silhouettes of colossal steel giants, moving slowly. Each turn of theirs brought a great noise, until one of these giants was overtaken by the carriage, allowing Lloyd to see it clearly.

It was an abandoned giant crane, lying in the rubble and mine shafts like the remains of a dead giant. The once-shiny metal was now rusted, and workers upon it were as small as ants, dismantling the dead machine, resembling carrion birds feasting.

"Welcome to the Victoria Industrial District," Joey began. "It was the first industrial district ordered by Queen Victoria during the Glorious War, and the Institute of Mechanics is established here. All these minerals and metals serve it. The first steam engine in history was birthed here."