Chapter 721
“The Weight of Knowledge”
Blackfort District, City of Knowledge, Leipzig.
Long, long ago, before Leipzig was even called the “City of Knowledge,” it was a naval stronghold of the Hrasal Empire. For the Hrasal Empire, there were no enemies to speak of in the south. On the contrary, to the north—whether Elf, Giant, or Dwarf—all were enemies worthy of vigilance.
Therefore, the style of its port was entirely different from that of Glass Island. There were no laborers and cranes coming and going to unload cargo, nor were there any low, dilapidated warehouses filled with the stench of fish, peeling paint, and rusty locks. Instead, there were pitch-black, ice-cold iron fortresses, as well as numerous watchtowers and sentry guns dotting the landscape—terrifying, heavy machine guns stood densely on the walls. One could also see a special type of grappling anchor cannon…
“What is that?” Alistair asked casually while standing on the deck.
Captain Erwan, who was beside her, immediately replied, “That is a device that was once used to capture and control dragons.”
“…Did the Star Antimony people fight dragons?”
“Perhaps they did, but that’s not important,” the half-lizardman captain, with his fierce appearance, replied with a smile. “The key is to make people believe they are protected—look, our majestic port is even prepared to fight dragons! How majestic, hahaha!”
Hearing the captain’s words, the other sailors all laughed.
According to the rules of the Church, the crew of a passenger ship traveling between the Church and Star Antimony could not be locals of Star Antimony. This was to prevent willful or passive smuggling… after all, if they simply took Church goods home, even a short rest could be considered a form of smuggling. Because of the confusion caused by such actions, investigating smuggling activities locally would encounter much confusion and resistance. The Church could also easily be blamed for all sorts of things, so they simply took a blanket approach.
Hearing such a Star Antimony joke, the sailors naturally had no feelings of resistance.
“The first time I sailed this route was about eighty or ninety years ago,” the second mate, an Elf, joked. “Those grappling hooks were already in place then. After all these years, I’ve never heard of a dragon attacking Leipzig… I suppose these grappling hooks have never been fired, and the machines inside must be rusted through.”
“Yes, after all, it’s by the sea!” someone laughed. This was followed by a burst of laughter.
Their dilapidated ship was docked at the entrance of the gate, and after a long wait, the gate finally slowly opened.
“…Huh?” Selene asked curiously. “Aren’t they going to question us? Then what are we waiting here for?”
“The review is already complete, Miss.” Captain Erwan clearly wasn’t answering this question for the first time. “When an incoming ship is about to sail into the port, it is observed by the Beholders within the port using their clairvoyant eyes. There are a total of two Beholders. When both Beholders confirm that there are no hidden ambushes on board, no bombs or dangerous ritual items planted, and that the captain and sailors are not controlled or threatened, and there is no residual extraordinary power on them—such as the alluring abilities of the Path of Love—they will notify their master to open the gate. Only after both gates are confirmed to be open will the gate be confirmed to lift; only when both gates are confirmed to be lowered will it be lowered…”
As Captain Erwan spoke, the heavy, massive black stone gate began to creak and slowly lift, and the accumulated ocean currents rushed out from within. A new and magnificent world gradually unfolded before their eyes like an unfurled painting.
“Sounds… quite troublesome,” she narrowed her eyes slightly, looking up at the heavy black stone gate. “Is the passenger traffic here not high?”
This thick obsidian gate, at least ten meters thick, was more like a massive inkstone standing on the water than a thin door. Opening it once would probably consume a considerable amount of energy and wear down the lifespan of the device itself.
“Only large ships come here, Miss Crowley.” The ugly and fierce Captain Erwan was now fawning over Alistair. As soon as Alistair casually brought up a topic, he eagerly seized it. “Those small boats use another smaller gate—but in essence, they are all the same, these solid, dark pillars.”
“A show of strength, right,” Alistair narrowed her eyes and said.
“Precisely, praise your wisdom,” Captain Erwan flattered. “Just one such display is enough to instill fear in people… and it can be considered a form of ‘pressure without confrontation.’ You can’t find fault with them. It’s not singling someone out or forcing them through annoying procedures; it’s just entering a gate. This gate is here, everyone passes through it, and there shouldn’t be any problems. But in reality, as long as the port sentries feel something is wrong, they can lower the gate at any time… In a sense, it’s like entrusting your life to others. Once you pass such a checkpoint, you can’t help but feel a sense of awe towards Leipzig.”
As Captain Erwan spoke, the dilapidated ship swayed as it passed through the fully raised gate. The gate hung high above, exuding a strong sense of dread—especially when an incoming ship sailed inward. Due to the improved soundproofing, the moment of suddenly sailing from the bright sea into a dark and silent domain was striking. Such a heavy, solid piece of obsidian, if it were to suddenly fall, would crush the ship below into scrap metal like a pestle in a mortar. The passengers inside would likely find themselves in a situation no healthier than a patty in a hamburger.
This silent oppression caused the passengers in the cabin to fall silent. Alistair clearly felt Selene suddenly grab her arm, her breathing becoming heavy. She glanced back and saw that Selene’s pupils had turned slit-like. As they were completely swallowed by darkness, Captain Erwan’s curved, grinning mouth looked even more terrifying.
“—This gate is called ‘the Weight of Knowledge’ by Count Leipzig.”
“It certainly sounds heavy enough to be unbearable for a lifetime,” Alistair’s voice echoed softly.
“Hahaha, you speak the truth!” The captain’s cheerful voice rang out. His pupils reflected a dark golden light in the pitch-black environment, while Alistair’s eyes also lit up with a faint red glow. “So it has another name… We usually call it the Guillotine of the Arrogant.”
After the ship had sailed into the darkness for a long time, the heavy stone gate suddenly roared as it descended, crashing heavily onto the riverbed and kicking up a splash of waves.
(End of Chapter)
