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Chapter 228 - 228: 111. Cutting-edge Era_2

Although they eventually succeeded in sealing the expansion of the Den with walls and installed alchemy devices to collect the dust, the alchemists also suffered heavy losses under the onslaught of the aberrations.

Many Third Order alchemists and above were killed deep in the Corridor, and countless lesser-ranked alchemists shared the same fate.

Only a small portion of their relics were brought back to the ground level, the vast majority forever buried in the underground regions below the 80th layer of the “Fissure Corridor”.

The Alchemy Cathedral announced that anyone could own the alchemy materials, manuscripts, Sage Particles, and other rare items abandoned in the areas below the 80th layer underground if they managed to retrieve them.

Upon hearing this news, all factions rushed to recruit alchemists, plunging into the “Fissure Corridor.”

The career progression from the Iron Thorn Shield to the Golden Commerce Guild is evident.

First-order alchemists held the position of Captain in the security team, gaining experience from layers 1 to 3 underground.

Second -order alchemists held the position of Company Director in the security company, gaining experience in the Corridor area between layers 4 to 20 underground.

Third-order alchemists were absorbed by the Golden Commerce Guild to become the Golden Merchant’s Swords, gaining experience in the Corridor area from layer 21 underground or in the Iron Thorn Shield as a vice-president or president.

The higher your capability, the higher your position, and the deeper the layers of the Underground Area you could access.

These were the common knowledge that Kent explained to Noland Lee during the preparation stage before entering the Underground.

Only then did Noland Lee realize that if he wanted to spend a prolonged time hunting monsters underground, there were only two routes.

The first route was legal.

The path was to gain rank within the Iron Thorn Shield ascents into the Golden Commercial Guild, becoming a Golden Merchant’s Sword controlling greater autonomy and personal time.

The Golden Merchant’s Sword is a combatant of mercenary nature.

The Golden Commerce Guild barely binds them and granted them a vast space for autonomy.

Correspondingly, Golden Merchant’s Swords could not learn the inner secrets of the Golden Commercial Guild.

If Noland became a Golden Merchant’s Sword, he could stay underground continuously for ten days or half a month without issue. No one would control what he did.

The second route was illegal.

That was to ally oneself with the illegal forces lurking within the “Fissure Corridor”.

While inspecting supplies, Kent chatted about the old days:

“The Alchemy Cathedral rallied at least 300,000 alchemists to construct the underground walls of Union City back then. What concept is this? When a group of people this big stands together, they’re as tall as a building that’s several stories high. There were all sorts of people among them. Ancient families that descended from the Golden Dynasty, noble families of the Federation with perennial territories, and various kinds of alchemist groups and alchemy powers.

“The Fissure Corridor is far more than a simple corridor; it is actually a massive underground structure of unprecedented scale. There are not only conventional passageways like rapid descent channels and spiral stairs but also entertainment sites, underground campsites, underground alchemy workshops, and other areas established to seal off the Aberration Nest.

“Even after so many years have passed, the underground facilities are not abandoned, and countless ‘rats’ occupy it. If you encounter any illegal alchemists from the underground, I want you to keep as much distance from them as possible. Don’t listen to how nice they seem or let them trick you, or else you’ll be captured and taken to the ‘Black City’ hidden deep underground! That place used to be the main base for resisting the aberrations, and it is located a thousand meters beneath the earth’s surface. If you’re caught there, don’t even think about returning to the surface! The illegal alchemists in the Black City will refine you into products of Living Alchemy, like alchemy slaves.

“Got that?”

“Yes, Captain!”

Noland and the others responded in unison.

A young-looking team member asked quizzically:

“Captain, I have a question. Why don’t we destroy the Black City? Wouldn’t it be better to clear it out and place our own people from various alchemical factions there?”

Kent snorted and laughed:

“Ha, if only it were that simple. Guess how the illegal alchemists in the Black City got there. Weren’t they the alchemists who were sent underground by the alchemist factions and the Alchemy Cathedral? They control the underground alchemy devices that collect the metallic dust, using them as bargaining chips in negotiations with the Alchemy Cathedral and major alchemy powers, which is why they’ve managed to survive to this day.”

After inspecting everyone’s supplies and equipment, Kent stood in front of the team with his hands on his hips and continued:

“Our Golden Commercial Guild, which is behind our Iron Thorn Shield, is just focused on doing business and doesn’t have any ulterior motives. It can be said that among all the alchemy powers in the Federation, there are none that cherish peace more than the Golden Commercial Guild.

“But other alchemy powers are different.

“Take the Sectors 1 to 6 next to us, for example. They are controlled by the ‘Re-forged Alchemist Association’. From the name alone, it’s clear that the Re-forged Association has a huge demand for Universal Metal Dust.

“In the Black City, a group of illegal alchemists fled from the Re-forged

Association. But if you think these alchemists are traitors to the Re-forged Association, you’re being too naive. There are rumors that this is a show staged by the Re-forged Association itself, aiming to justify sending a group of people to the Black City to control the alchemy device that gathers the dust, so they can secure more say for the Re-forged Association on the surface.” Kent shrugs slightly:

“I don’t know if these rumors are true or not… In any case, you guys have to remember this. If you encounter an alchemist of unknown identity underground, you must keep your distance and avoid talking with them..”