Chapter 142: Light and Rain

The attic window closed once more, yet occasional wails and roars could still be heard from across the way.

The woman named Irene didn't seem to like drinking; after taking it she set the Sour Mushroom Wine aside, then produced a Purification Potion, gathered up her long hair, and poured it over her own head, then shuddered pleasurably, shoulders trembling.

"Remember, here, no matter what you do, don't get caught in the rain." She said with a smile.

She hadn't actually been rained on, only brushed by a little at the eaves and roof ridge while moving about.

"Thanks for the reminder." Luge said.

"Don't be so stiff, little puppy," the woman wore a tranquil smile but spoke with unrestrained provocation, "How about this! To thank you, you may ask me three questions. You just arrived, so you must have many curiosities. Of course, if you have the nerve to offend me, you can also ask bolder questions."

The woman, who looked like a young girl and was named Irene, finished and let out a heh-heh laugh.

"Of course, I'm just a Wizard Apprentice, so don't ask things beyond my knowledge; that would also count as a wasted opportunity..." Irene added with a smile.

Rather than answering questions, she seemed more like she was teasing this new neighbor before dawn to relieve boredom.

Luge nodded, paid no mind to her teasing, and fell into serious thought.

First came the day's biggest doubt.

"What is that Blood Rain? Is it very dangerous if it gets on you?" he said.

"Cunning brat, this counts as one question, because I don't know what the Blood Rain is either," she laughed, "But best not to get contaminated, especially when your condition isn't good. Of course, there are also those with worse luck, like that guy Nuwengduo — his condition looked fine recently, but just a bit more rain made him go abnormal. So during the rainy season, people try not to go out, especially not to leave the city and tread those Wastelands."

She opened the Sour Mushroom Wine beside her and continued: "After rain in the city, that damp air also requires attention. For the first few days each time, Purification Potions sell very well. Nuwengduo will probably ache with regret and go crazy again once he wakes up; he smashed quite a few things in the shop, and might even miss this chance to make money."

Luge recalled Old Lun Se's hand-rubbing appearance and nodded in understanding.

"Oh, I almost forgot — you know how it is, once you've passed that ignorant stage, you subconsciously think newcomers should know too," Irene said, "I left out the most basic point about Blood Rain: it mainly affects people like you. Normal Wizards and Extraordinaries don't suffer severe consequences; a little Purification Potion is enough. Of course, normal Wizards are the minority here."

Luge followed her gaze to look at himself, then realized in an instant.

"Bloodline Wizard, Bloodline Modifier?" he said.

Irene smiled and nodded, brought the Sour Mushroom Wine bottle under her nose to sniff, then couldn't help but frown — the sourness seemed to make her shoulders tremble again.

Luge recalled the far-above-normal proportion of Bloodline Modifiers he'd seen on the street, and that was only those with outwardly visible Bloodline features recognizable at a glance.

"In Miss Irene's heart, what kind of place is Burning Blood City?" Luge thought a moment and said.

"Truly a cunning guy, asking me such a vague question again."

She finished speaking with a laugh, mustered courage, and drank a large mouthful of Sour Mushroom Wine, the sourness forcing her eyes tightly shut.

Luge waited speechlessly beside her; a good while passed before she recovered.

She took another small sip, then spoke: "The Shengdi of Bloodline Modifiers, and also their graveyard. The Blood Sun's light can stabilize their Bloodlines, which causes those on the verge of Bloodline collapse to gather here seeking a chance at survival. Those who can't find a solution dare not leave. Some Bloodline Wizards without abnormalities also come here trying to salvage their own failing experiments. It's said that ball of Blood Light has some effect even on Adults of Official Wizard rank and above, so there are also some powerful Wizards in the city."

"A Shengdi only because it's important. Most gathered here are merely clinging to a dying breath. This land brings no hope — it's a gathering place for failures," Irene said, eyes slyly watching him, "Hope that didn't scare you, little puppy."

Luge smiled — it truly hadn't scared him, and couldn't possibly scare him.

Those Wizards who madly modify themselves — he knew of them, not just from hearsay but glimpsed in fragments within a Wizard Apprentice's memory. Rejection from modification, Bloodline conflict, and the like are all problems that can kill them.

So this place called Burning Blood City really does count as a Shengdi.

Luge glanced from time to time at her red eyes; since just now, whenever those modification experiments were mentioned, he thought of her pair of special eyes.

"Little puppy, my eyes aren't modified, you know." She drank another mouthful of wine, sourness wrinkling her brow.

"Then what about you, Miss Irene? Last question — what did you come here for?" Luge thought a moment and said.

How much this question would yield depended entirely on the other party's mood; it could be expanded into a long account or brushed off with a casual sentence.

Irene's face darkened instantly, yet the corners of her mouth kept smiling.

"You really are offensive!" she laughed, "Of course I can tell you. Mr. Lun Se knows my situation too. I'm different from you lot — I have no life-threatening problem. I came here to excise the Bloodline from my body. And I'm not a Bloodline Wizard; I wasn't modified by anyone else. These are inherited from ancestors — including these eyes and these pointed teeth."

"Of course, there are some other abilities as well..."

As she spoke she waved a hand; Luge only felt blood surge to the top of his head, a moment of dizziness.

Irene lowered her hand and giggled.

By the time Luge fell asleep it was already very late; they only chatted a short while, and the sky had gradually brightened.

Dawn meant the Dome's light sphere grew stronger; people in poor condition like Old Lun Se could move about freely again.

That really is a sad thing, Luge thought.

This is practically finding a cage for oneself, voluntarily crawling inside. Of course, once moved in, as long as they pay a bit more attention and keep some rules, it preserves their lives — a cage one can freely enter and exit, yet no one dares walk out of.

He also understood the question Old Lun Se had asked the past few days — whether he was a Leaver. Such a title exists because some Modifiers on the brink of collapse no longer dare leave the city. From that angle, Old Lun Se's condition is fairly good — at least he claims he can leave the city to deliver goods.

But one interesting point: the Blood Light is beneficial, yet Blood Rain is harmful.

Irene rose, stoppered the wine bottle, and stowed it in her Storage Pouch.

"Just hope Mr. Lun Se won't demand too many Magic Stones, or Nuwengduo will definitely complain." She said, walking toward the attic door.

"I'm called Luge." He said.

"Alright, I remember, presumptuous guy. Hope you don't die too soon, and also bless you to never go abnormal like them — that feeling of losing reason and losing self must be awful."

Irene spoke, opened the door, and walked out.

(Chapter End)