[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-notes-on-kraft-anomalous-studies":3,"chapter-notes-on-kraft-anomalous-studies-notes-on-kraft-anomalous-studies-chapter-43":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Notes on Kraft Anomalous Studies",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2283521,4467,"Chapter 43","notes-on-kraft-anomalous-studies-chapter-43",43,"\u003Cp>“Did you know? They say there are underground gangs in here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve heard that too—I’ve even heard tales of drowned ghosts escaping from underwater prisons, and sea monsters that crawl out of the ocean at night to eat people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not far from Elm Street, they soon stood before a cluster of buildings that were anything but pleasant—just seeing them from afar made one associate them with decay and rot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These dimly colored structures were mostly made of planks, sprouting from damp depressions like fungal colonies, densely spreading out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than man-made objects, they seemed like some kind of chaotic, alien organism—constantly absorbing smaller units, forcing them to bring more materials, accepting everything without question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From misshapen reef fragments to irregular, unidentifiable timber, every leftover, discarded material from the city converged here, haphazardly stacked and patched together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their sole purpose was to form barely habitable spaces; no energy remained for any other thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over months or years, the already poor-quality wooden structures slowly, steadily changed under humid air, bending and snapping along irrational stress lines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Homeowners had to find new materials and repeatedly repair the damage—planks covered holes, supports added to leaning walls, neighbors often built their houses close together, linking them with short beams to lean on each other, forming a more stable whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because sufficiently thick, long timbers were rare, houses had to be squeezed to widths narrower than an adult’s shoulders, connected by dense, disproportionate external supports resembling centipede legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, on soil softened by seawater and lacking stable foundations, all efforts were doomed to futility over time—buildings inevitably tilted under their own weight and collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Usable remnants were reused, sprouting new short-lived structures atop the ruins, repeating the same fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under such logic, don’t expect any proper roads—entrants had to navigate narrow, filthy gaps between houses, squeezing sideways to avoid brushing against the sticky wooden walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xiusi ducked under a slanted plank still clinging to its bark. Kraft stopped at a fork ahead and turned to check if he was following.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How are we getting back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just after entering the Salt Tides District, after turning a few corners, Lu Xiusi quickly lost his sense of direction. They had already hit several dead ends and changed course repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they’d come here with Li Siton, they’d have been terrified by now, wisely turned back, and avoided sinking deeper into this maze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I remember the way.” Kraft tapped his head—his memory clearly imprinted the path; he mentally traced their route, forming a map. “We’re close enough. Let’s ask someone first, then go further in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around a pile of chaotic debris, they found the front door of the building and knocked on the damp wooden panel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door opened to reveal a gaunt man with a sour expression. Seeing their strange attire, he rubbed his eyes, suspecting a hallucination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello, we’re doctors. Have you or your family recently experienced longer sleep durations or difficulty waking up?” Kraft asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gaunt man stared at this bird-headed man claiming to be a doctor, confused why he’d ask such a question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hoping to get rid of them quickly, he replied, “No, I live alone here, and nothing like that’s ever happened. If you’re selling some kind of powder, you’ve come to the wrong place—nobody buys it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have you heard of anyone else nearby sleeping longer and longer?” Kraft mentally crossed off that point and pressed for other clues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gaunt man grew impatient with the aimless chatter and spat out a dry “Don’t know,” hoping these strangers would leave and stop bothering him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kraft sensed his irritation, reached into his money pouch, and pulled out two copper coins, spreading them in his palm. “I don’t ask for favors without payment. Think harder.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man reached for the coins, but his gloved hand swiftly flipped, clenching them into a fist, making them vanish from view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please think carefully—any tidbit, even a small connection.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could feel the eyes behind the red glass watching him—no money would be given until he had an answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His blackened, elongated fingernails scratched his face. The gaunt man scoured his memory, desperate to dredge up any rumor to trade for the reward—he had no reason to let two copper coins slip away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, this behavior reminded him of the wealthy eccentrics he’d heard of—people who paid money for things normal folks deemed useless. Maybe he could squeeze more from that heavy-looking money pouch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think I did hear something a few days ago—someone near Red Algae Well overslept and lost a job. Does that count?” He licked his dry lips, eyes fixed on the clenched fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you. That’s useful.” Kraft opened his palm, letting the gaunt man take the two copper coins, which he stuffed into a strange part of his clothing. “Interested in earning a few more? I need someone to guide me there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I’ve got work today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earning a little extra was one thing; abandoning a job that could last four days was another. Even without math, he knew which weighed more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if I offer a black silver coin?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Two. My job still has four days left.” His firm demand confirmed Kraft was indeed a “peculiar wealthy man” who could be milked for more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he didn’t know if the price was fair, instinct told Kraft he might be being taken for a fool. But since he now had the location, he didn’t mind shopping around for a better guide fee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright then. Someone else can earn this one.” He turned to leave, pulling Lu Xiusi by the suitcase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d barely taken a few steps when the man called after them. “Fine, one black silver coin. You’re stingy—I’m giving up four full days of work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This local guide led the two through crooked alleys, deeper into the Salt Tides District.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they advanced, the tangled alleys grew even more chaotic and narrower, the haphazard supports jutting from shacks becoming more complex and burdensome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deeper they went, the longer the structures had existed—like scar tissue, wrapping and connecting, each regeneration always larger than the original to approach prior strength, repeated trauma breeding more overgrowth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kraft felt as if he were walking through capillaries into the heart of a tumor. Outside, it still looked passable; inside, lack of nourishment had caused necrosis—discarded waste and garbage were its pus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They accumulated here, dumped randomly wherever space existed, choking narrow paths further, worsening the decay in a vicious cycle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun rose higher, its warming rays squeezing through the labyrinthine structures. Moisture evaporated from the ground and garbage, carrying the stench of salt, rot, and excrement. The hot wind carried it into human nostrils.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with his bird-beak mask stuffed with layers of spices, Kraft still smelled it—especially intense and penetrating when passing piles of trash, making him consider turning back several times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet their guide seemed unaffected, breathing the air directly—either long accustomed to it, or with his sense of smell utterly destroyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The short distance on the map was negated here; subjective time stretched infinitely. After endless torment, the path suddenly opened before them—they stopped on a small clearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re sure this is Red Algae Well?” Kraft stared at the pile of rubble before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this rare open space, a chaotic heap of stones sat in the center—there was no way this resembled a well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It used to be a well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Used to be?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Like its name says—the water was as bitter and salty as seawater, full of red algae.” The gaunt man kicked a stone on the ground. “Once dug up, it was useless. Someone fell in at night, and they sealed it off?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The explanation made sense—low-lying and near the sea, with constant seawater flooding, it was strange if the Salt Tides District had any normal wells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So can I have the money now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kraft pulled out a black silver coin and handed it to him, ending the brief employment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he had to search this unknown area for suspected cases. Decaying, moldy buildings surrounded them—he didn’t know where to begin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He steadied Lu Xiusi, hearing his heavy breathing even through the thick mask. “I’d say this is the worst place I’ve ever known.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who says otherwise? Want to find a spot to rest before continuing?” Kraft took the suitcase from him, patted his back to help him catch his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Salt Tides District was terrible, but this place felt worse—an odd unease had surfaced at some point, yet he couldn’t pinpoint why.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, he thought it was sensory overload from the deteriorating environment, but even after adapting, the unease lingered. Stopping didn’t ease it—it intensified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How much longer do you think we’ll need to find anything?” Lu Xiusi bent over, hands on his knees, his beak nearly touching his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He received no reply from Kraft.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kraft fell silent for over a minute—he realized where the unease came from. Not sensory overload, but the absence of something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun now rose well above the rooftops; no need for the bell tower to tell them it was already eight or nine in the morning. Yet they stood in unnatural silence—not even the faintest clatter or murmur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【I work on the docks. I go every day to find work—I usually wake up very early…】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not early at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1551,"2026-06-20T02:15:55.761Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d3b1d818fbee2a90228dd257d1f12e8061fc9a923e4f27739faa9ba91b017446","notes-on-kraft-anomalous-studies-chapter-44","notes-on-kraft-anomalous-studies-chapter-42",406,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fnotes-on-kraft-anomalous-studies-cover.jpg"]