Chapter 111: The Thunder God's Hammer

Hearing Zuo Ertan's words, Lei En exclaimed in surprise, "You know this teleportation array?"

"Of course." Zuo Ertan crouched down, swept away a swath of dust to reveal more rune sigils, and in a low voice explained, "I bought this inn a few years ago specifically for it; I deliberately covered it with dust, never expecting you to notice."

Lei En chuckled; in fact, he had discovered it the first time he entered the secret chamber.

He was curious, "Where does the teleportation array lead?"

Zuo Ertan hesitated for a few seconds, seeming to weigh whether to tell Lei En. After a glance at Lei En, he finally said, "This is the teleportation array to the underground stronghold of Huo Shijintake. You're a Wizard and have studied many runes, so you should be able to tell that these runes are of dwarf origin."

"Underground stronghold!"

Lei En was taken aback, "The rumors are true?"

Everyone living in Longshande had heard the story of the underground stronghold to some extent.

Longshande is one of the Empire's oldest cities; it is said that before Longshande was founded, the area was a great wasteland. As early as the previous era, thousands of years ago, when dwarves ruled the eastern continent of Yao Lei Se, they built a massive city on this land called Huo Shijintake, sometimes also known as Iron Beard City.

Huo Shijintake is divided into an above‑ground part and an underground part.

The surface portion is called the Iron Beard Fortress, while the subterranean portion is the Iron Beard Stronghold.

Dwarves prefer to live underground, so the underground stronghold is far larger than the surface fortress, and it is rumored that countless treasures are buried within.

But no one has ever entered the stronghold, nor unearthed any treasure.

The dwarves' traces have long been buried in the river of time.

As ages passed, the stories of the dwarf stronghold gradually became distant legends, and few take them seriously.

Lei En had lived in Longshande for several years, so he had heard the rumors, and was surprised to find they were true.

"That's certainly true."

Zuo Ertan's expression grew solemn as he slowly said, "Huo Shijintake was founded by the Iron Beard Clan. In the previous era, during its two‑thousand‑plus‑year peak, more than six hundred thousand dwarves lived in the stronghold. It was the largest dwarf city outside the Shi Jie Shan Mai, and the first stronghold built on a plain rather than beneath a mountain range."

Lei En felt something stir; he recognized the Iron Beard Clan.

He immediately searched for Iron Beard Clan in his phone's personal library, and dozens of results popped up, all book data about that dwarf clan.

"Is that the Iron Beard Clan that produced three Dwarf Supreme Kings?" Lei En asked.

"Exactly."

Zuo Ertan was very surprised; he hadn't expected Lei En to have heard of the Iron Beard Clan and to understand the dwarf Supreme Kings.

Nowadays dwarves no longer have Supreme Kings; there are only a few Dwarf Kings.

He continued, "At the end of the previous era, Abyss demons destroyed most of Ai Lun E Si's cities. Because Huo Shijintake lay on a plain with no natural defenses, the Iron Beard Clan could only painfully abandon it, retreating to the Shi Jie Shan Mai before the demon siege."

"Before the Iron Beard Clan withdrew, to preserve the underground stronghold they blew up all the gates and entrances leading down, leaving only five teleportation arrays on the surface, hidden in different locations."

Lei En instantly understood; this teleportation array was one of them.

When he first entered the secret chamber, he found it odd: the mechanical workshop outside bore no resemblance to a basement, being wide and spacious, and the chamber itself was hidden behind a magical gate, as if carved from a massive stone—hard for ordinary people to spot.

He observed the rune array on the ground, feeling a bit doubtful.

From the dwarves' withdrawal at the end of the previous era, through the Dark Millennium, and up to humanity's new era, now at Era 2528—over three thousand seven hundred years—can this teleportation array still function?

Lei En's magical knowledge was still rather shallow, but he also knew that an unmanned rune array can operate for only a few years at most.

Three thousand seven hundred plus years sounds dreadfully long; even a precise rune array, let alone stone, would likely have weathered away.

That it can still emit a pulse from the rune array now is nothing short of a miracle!

Zuo Ertan guessed Lei En's thought and sighed, "When the Iron Beard Clan withdrew, they prepared for centuries without a chance to return."

"So they specifically commissioned the clan's most enlightened Rune Lord to modify the arrays, giving them only one‑way teleportation. The arrays draw power from the Mola Ding Temple in the underground stronghold; to conserve energy they activate once every sixty years for half a year, keeping the arrays functional as long as possible until the dwarves return."

"Of the five arrays they left, I've only found two; another is completely ruined. This one is relatively well‑preserved—I've inspected it, and it can still be used."

Zuo Ertan stopped there, crouching on the ground to examine the array, his face showing some doubt.

He scratched his scalp, puzzled, "By my calendar, the rune array shouldn't be usable for another six years. How was it activated early? Did I miscalculate?"

Lei En caught the implication and asked, "Zuo Ertan, do you want to enter the underground stronghold?"

"Obvious!"

Zuo Ertan stood up and shouted, "I trekked all the way from the Shi Jie Shan Mai to the Empire, lived in Longshande for years, just to get into Huo Shijintake's underground stronghold."

"What's in the stronghold that made you plan this for so long?" Lei En said, clearly interested.

Zuo Ertan rubbed his beard excitedly, "Of course it's treasure!"

"Huo Shijintake was once one of the richest dwarf cities. When the Iron Beard Clan fled in haste, they couldn't take all the treasure; most remained in the underground stronghold. Perhaps in some secret chamber lies a mountain of gold and gems."

Lei En was unconvinced, "Thousands of years have passed; such a massive underground stronghold may already have been raided and stripped of its treasure."

Zuo Ertan's expression froze; he too worried about that and held little hope.

He sighed, "The treasure is secondary; I enter the underground stronghold mainly to seek the ancestors' rune techniques."

"Since our dwarven god of forging and craftsmanship, Mola Ding, fell in the previous era, many rune techniques and knowledge were lost. Perhaps the Iron Beard underground stronghold still preserves them; I want to try my luck."

Zuo Ertan fell silent after speaking.

Lei En nodded, indicating he understood his reasoning.

He was aware of the dwarves' current plight; as one of Ai Lun E Si's two dominant powers, they were heavily battered by the Abyss, several deities fell, population plummeted, and their sphere shrank by over ninety percent. Now they can only retreat into the Shi Jie Shan Mai, maintaining the remaining five mountain strongholds.

In this era, humans are the protagonists, while dwarves continue to decline.

Lei En did not think that Zuo Ertan's recovery of rune techniques would help the dwarves much.

The dwarves' decline stems from many factors—population, technology, culture, trade, the strong, deities—and from any angle, they cannot regain their former glory.

Rune knowledge from millennia ago might be somewhat useful, but it's more likely already obsolete.

Magical civilization also values progress; older things aren't necessarily stronger. Overall, like any civilization, it follows a spiral upward.

Zuo Ertan laid out his years‑long plan without concealment, clearly hoping to bring Lei En along into the underground stronghold.

Lei En hesitated for a moment.

"Does Master Luo Jie know about this teleportation array?"

Zuo Ertan replied, "He certainly does. Luo Jie owes me a favor; I arranged it with him long ago to act together." He shrugged, saying frankly, "Lei En, you're powerful; I hope you'll join, but I won't force you."

After all, you're still young and have a long life ahead to enjoy; not wanting to take risks is the right choice.

In the original plan, it was just me and Luo Jue.

Think it over carefully and tell me your answer tonight.

Zuo Ertan spoke while getting to work in the secret room, moving the shelf that stored alchemical materials out and cleaning the dust from the floor.

Lei En said nothing, but helped him with the work.

The two quickly cleaned the secret room; the circular rune array covered most of the floor, and under the gaslamp's light the incisions reflected a faint glow.

The entire rune array didn't look complicated; its true subtlety lay in those few runes.

Rune knowledge originates from the Element within the soul.

Each Element has a unique symbol—some resemble shapes, others are characters; they are naturally formed symbols that contain abundant rune knowledge.

By dissecting the Element's shapes, studying them deeply, and deriving corresponding simplified symbols, recombining them yields a set of rune knowledge.

All forms of energy application—spellcasting, enchantment, alchemy, arrays, curses, magical potions, scrolls—are more or less inseparable from rune influence.

Mastering rune knowledge means mastering the world.

Ai Lun E Si's rune system is vast; almost every intelligent race has developed its own rune knowledge, and the most famous and powerful are the dwarf runes, surpassing the elf runes.

In the previous era, dwarves became one of the two great hegemonies largely thanks to their rune technology.

Dwarves' magical talent is far inferior to elves', but they rely on rune technology to forge powerful weapons, armor, and various war chariots and cannons to contend with elves; dwarves who master these techniques are called Rune Blacksmiths, the most respected profession among dwarf clans.

Above the Rune Blacksmith are Rune Masters, and the even more revered Rune Lords.

Any Rune Lord's status among dwarves is comparable to a king's; currently dwarves have fewer than ten Rune Lords.

And Zuo Ertan is a Rune Master.

Humans now have their own rune system, but compared with dwarf runes the gap remains sizable; however humans also possess mechanical technology and alchemy, the three complement each other, giving humans a comprehensive strength far surpassing dwarves.

Lei En's phone contains a complete set of 'Rune Knowledge'; its contents are vast and profound, like an ocean. Having just begun studying, he is still far from mastery.

When he was learning to craft a soul gun, Zuo Ertan was not stingy and imparted some dwarf rune knowledge.

These two different rune systems have benefited Lei En immensely.

Since the transmigration, Zuo Ertan has been very kind to him; on the first day in the inn, he provided a mechanical workshop and alchemical materials. Though they were paid for, the amount was trivial—still not even enough for a Gold Shield.

After a few months of contact, the two can be considered good friends.

Moreover, the underground fortress is a huge secret; Zuo Ertan didn't hide it from him and spoke without hesitation, showing his trust.

Lei En leans toward entering the underground fortress with Zuo Ertan, but knows too little about it and lacks confidence.

It's a one-way teleportation array; once inside, one might not get out, literally trapped to death.

Not to mention, other dangers exist within the underground fortress.

Zuo Ertan saw Lei En's doubtful expression, chuckled, and said, "Lei En, I can assure you the underground fortress has an exit; you needn't worry about that."

"Why?" Lei En asked.

Zuo Ertan suddenly changed the subject and asked, "Do you know Ai Erfa the Great Emperor?"

Lei En nodded.

In the Oriense Empire, every child grows up hearing the legends of Ai Erfa the Great Emperor, who founded the empire and is hailed as the greatest human hero in history, perhaps without equal.

Songs praising the emperor's great deeds and legendary life spread throughout Ai Lun E Si, enduring over time.

Almost everyone—human, elf, or dwarf—can recount one or two stories about Ai Erfa the Great Emperor; some are true, some are fabrications, but regardless, the emperor forever remains the heroic protagonist in poems, novels, and music.

Zuo Ertan continued, "Ai Erfa the Great Emperor was born in a human settlement south of Longshande. He was the chief's son, spent many years in Longshande during his youth, and grew up there, so Longshande is essentially the emperor's hometown."

That's common knowledge; why bring it up?

Lei En didn't understand Zuo Ertan's intention.

"Ai Erfa the Great Emperor shares a common point with you; I wonder if you've considered it," Zuo Ertan said, his gaze scanning Lei En, eyes rather odd.

"My common point with the emperor?"

Lei En felt puzzled, then a flash of insight made him exclaim, "War hammer?"

He couldn't help feeling embarrassed, for Ai Erfa the Great Emperor's weapon is extremely famous—a Legend Grade war hammer with a long name, "Thunder God's Fury, the Skullcrusher's Cursed Hammer," commonly shortened in poems and stories to "Thunder God's Hammer"!

That war hammer accompanied Ai Erfa the Great Emperor throughout his life, virtually becoming the legend's emblem.

Legend says Thunder God's Hammer is the most powerful weapon beneath the divine artifacts, ranking first among all Legend Grade weapons; with the hammer in hand, Ai Erfa the Great Emperor was invincible, and countless enemies had their skulls smashed by it.

After Ai Erfa the Great Emperor's death, Thunder God's Hammer vanished without a trace.

Over a thousand years ago, the hammer briefly resurfaced for a few years, causing great upheaval in the Empire, becoming entangled in a series of events, and then disappeared again.

Lei En looked at Zuo Ertan, his eyes full of anticipation.

(End of Chapter)