Vol 2 Chapter 8: A Factory with an Unknown Purpose
Abyss and Flora exchanged surprised glances. What had Leona discovered? They rushed to her side, eager to know.
“Hmph, see? I told you I’m amazing!” Leona said, standing proudly before the hole she had punched in the altar’s wall, pointing inside. “Look, what’s inside this altar?”
Abyss and Flora peered inside, their eyes widening in surprise. It wasn’t a sacred temple or a grand palace, but a factory?
Although Abyss didn’t recognize the machinery or its purpose, he could tell it was a production facility. He saw pipes, valves, gears, even conveyor belts—a novelty in Hai-Teweru, found only in large, well-equipped factories in Lavoisier City. After all, most factories didn’t have the production volume to justify such advanced equipment.
“This is a factory?” Abyss said, leaning forward, intrigued.
“Step aside, puny human! Let me take the lead. What if there’s something dangerous inside?” Leona said, grabbing Abyss’s dress and pulling him back. His current attire, adorned with delicate lace, provided a more satisfying grip than his previous cloak.
With Leona leading the way, they entered the altar. As they walked, Leona explained her discovery.
“I didn’t expect to find a factory inside this altar. But when I circled around the back, I heard faint sounds, like running water and a low hum. The altar’s walls are soundproof. I couldn’t hear anything from outside. If I were an ordinary person, I probably wouldn’t have noticed anything. But I’m a super genius! My hearing is far superior to ordinary humans. That’s how I discovered it.”
“You mentioned that you haven’t found any signs of life in this world. So any sounds must be natural, like wind or water. But these sounds were coming from inside the altar, not from nature. That’s what made me suspicious.”
“And you remembered the images that flashed through your mind when you activated the portal. One of them was a girl lying in water, with sunlight reflecting off the surface…”
Abyss nodded. “Yes, you’re right. I initially assumed the sunlight meant she was outdoors, but it could have been sunlight shining through a window!”
“Hehe, see? I’m quite perceptive!”
“As expected of Leona!” Flora said, her voice filled with admiration.
“Ah, my dear Leona, you’re truly reliable, as sensitive as a wood elf’s eardrums!” Abyss said, giving her a thumbs-up, his praise unique as always.
Leona glared at him, then continued walking.
The factory had no entrance. Abyss wondered how the workers entered and exited this place, likely through windows. But the interior was well-equipped. At the end of the floor, they found a staircase leading upward. This massive structure, dozens of meters tall, not only had stairs but also a vertical lift, its power source unknown, resembling the platforms used by workers in high-rise buildings.
The lift had no roof, offering a clear view of the tracks leading upward. Abyss, not wanting to waste time climbing stairs, levitated himself and the girls using wind magic, ascending towards the next level.
“I hear water too!” Flora exclaimed.
Abyss nodded. He also heard the sound of running water, a gentle flow. The low hum Leona had mentioned was also audible, like a heat-powered machine operating at low capacity.
With sounds to guide them, finding the source was easier. Abyss stopped their ascent at the middle level, exiting the lift shaft through what was likely intended as a passenger exit, stepping onto solid ground.
The sight before them made them gasp in unison.
It wasn’t another factory floor, but a vast pool filled with a clear liquid. The pool spanned the entire width and length of the altar, dwarfing even the largest public bathhouses in the Eastern Empire. The sounds of running water and machinery originated from a device within the pool, drawing liquid from one side and releasing it on the other, a gentle current preventing stagnation.
And as Leona had predicted, a window at the far end provided the only source of light in this otherwise dark space. The liquid near the window shimmered, reflecting the bright light.
The liquid clearly wasn’t water. Abyss, wearing his gas mask, couldn’t smell it properly, but Leona and Flora instantly noticed something unusual.
It had a faint medicinal scent, mixed with a pleasant floral aroma. But they knew nothing about potions or the ingredients used.
“Abyss, this isn’t water,” Flora said, tugging at his sleeve.
Abyss casually removed his gas mask. It was clear that it couldn’t effectively filter out the toxins in the air. He had been battling suicidal thoughts ever since arriving in this world. He might as well take it off and utilize his sense of smell. He had to act quickly, before the toxins fully impaired his judgment. Otherwise, he would waste precious time on detoxification.
“Hmm… I’ve never smelled this potion before. But this floral scent… It’s from a flower found in Hai-Teweru, used in perfumes,” Abyss said, walking towards the pool. “We can’t see clearly from here. Let’s go in!”
Without hesitation, they stepped into the pool.
The liquid possessed unusual properties. It didn’t feel wet, more like stepping on air, a faint magical energy flowing through it.
As they approached the window, the scene before them became clearer.
A pair of pale, delicate feet, submerged in the liquid, caught their attention.
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