Chapter 45: The Stench and the Shattered Remains

“Xi Xi, are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Bai Li and Lin Xi were currently underground, not on the surface with the other Weichangzhe.

There was a reason for this; based on their brief discussion, they had decided that the more powerful espers would handle the offense and distractions on the surface, drawing the enemy’s attention, while Bai Li and Lin Xi would infiltrate underground to search for the missing Qing Lan.

Generally, such dangerous infiltration missions were best left to those with sufficient strength, but with numerous high-level espers already delaying the enemy above ground, and their assessment that the enemy might be detectable by higher esper energy levels, Bai Li and Lin Xi, with their lower esper energy, might actually be better suited for stealth.

Of course, their safety still needed to be guaranteed, so they carried many esper artifacts for self-preservation or escape.

What they hadn’t anticipated, however, was just how utterly foul the underground truly was.

Not only did it possess the dampness of a sewer, but it also carried the faint stench of decay and fishiness, as if weeks’ worth of kitchen waste had been dumped into a cesspool.

Left with no other choice, they had to use magic to purify the air, yet even then, a lingering, subtle foulness still permeated the air.

At least it was far better than when they first entered; upon inhaling the initial stench, they had genuinely wondered if they were about to die.

A stench potent enough to send one straight to the afterlife was precisely what described this place.

“…How exactly did it get this rank?”

Bai Li even began to suspect that someone nearby had been eating fermented herring (TL Note: A notoriously pungent Scandinavian dish, often sold in cans) and then illegally dumping chemical corpse-odor agents.

Her magic reserves were considerably lower than the average esper of her rank, so she relied on Lin Xi’s purification to breathe; however, to minimize the drain as much as possible, the two of them now clung tightly to each other.

“It’s probably due to long-term neglect, allowing a lot of waste to accumulate, though I’ve encountered similar situations on previous missions that weren’t anywhere near this bad.”

Having been a Weichangzhe for quite some time, Lin Xi had naturally encountered many unusual missions, including some involving exotic beasts that used stench for defense or even attack, but even those paled in comparison to the current situation.

It wasn’t as if there were no corresponding esper items for such conditions; after all, some exotic beasts or espers had abilities that produced this kind of pollution, such as zombie-like creatures. Where there was demand, there was a market.

Unfortunately, they hadn’t brought any.

****

“Boom!”

Just then, a tremor echoed from above ground.

“It seems the battle has begun; we need to quicken our pace.”

Feeling the enhancement gained from the array, Lin Xi understood the situation on the surface, and, carrying Bai Li, she accelerated their steps.

Naturally, Bai Li didn’t simply allow Lin Xi to carry her without contributing; she pulled out the underground map of the industrial district and began directing Lin Xi.

Though the map was dense with intricate, convoluted routes, Bai Li unerringly pinpointed the shortest path, and they soon arrived near their target location, where the stench grew even more potent.

“…This is… the smell of blood.”

More precisely, it was the smell of dried blood, and a closer look at the sewage in the drain revealed a reddish tint not present before.

Undoubtedly, something unspeakable lurked here.

“Xi Xi.”

“Mm.”

Lin Xi gently set Bai Li down, and after Bai Li confirmed with her, she opened the manhole cover leading out of the sewer.

The first thing they saw upon entering the room was a floor stained brown with dried, uncleaned blood, and shattered fragments too disjointed and long-neglected to identify their original forms.

This sight, even for Bai Li, evoked a touch of nausea.

“What exactly are these…?”

For Lin Xi, however, there was more confusion and rage.

While outwardly a gentle, kind, and hopeful magical girl, this did not mean she was weak. Seeing this, she was primarily perplexed as to how anyone could commit such acts, and furious on behalf of the victims.

Yet, it was also true that she had never witnessed a scene like this, which bore no resemblance to defeating exotic beasts that simply dissolved into ash upon death.

“There’s no trace of Qing Lan here; she shouldn’t have been harmed.”

Bai Li stepped out of the purification field, enduring the foul odor as she sensed her surroundings; there was no sign of Qing Lan in this room, suggesting she hadn’t been here.

“…Mm.”

Lin Xi paused, then replied.

“…If you’re struggling, you can rest for a moment. I can go ahead and search alone.”

Noticing the expression on Lin Xi’s face, one she had never revealed before, Bai Li asked with concern.

However, Lin Xi declined.

“It’s alright. I might encounter more of this in the future; I need to get used to it.”

“…”

Though Bai Li wanted to say it was fine not to get used to it, she chose to respect Lin Xi’s wishes.

“Then just hold my hand for now; that should help.”

With these words, Bai Li took Lin Xi’s hand. The warmth emanating from her palm, though slightly lower than a normal person’s, still brought comfort to Lin Xi, and her mood gradually stabilized.

Lin Xi felt that as long as she could hold this hand, she could face anything… it felt a bit cliché, but it was the truth.

As Lin Xi was lost in thought, Bai Li had already approached the keypad lock next to the room’s iron door, attempting to open it.

From the marks on the keypad, it was somewhat possible to deduce which numbers were part of the password, but the sequence remained elusive. If Lin Xi, whose senses could be enhanced to perceive almost any minute detail, were to decipher it, it wouldn’t take long. However, given the current situation, Bai Li preferred not to have Lin Xi intervene if possible.

[…Password incorrect.]

[Password incorrect.]

[Password incorrect. Due to too many incorrect attempts in a short period, the system has automatically locked. Please enter the emergency override code to try again.]

“…”

After several unsuccessful attempts, the door locked itself, much like a phone after too many incorrect password entries, and even the voice prompts were similar, making one wonder if the same system had simply been repurposed here.

“Uh… Xiao Bai, perhaps here, it’s better if…”

Seeing Bai Li, who could usually solve almost anything with ease, uncharacteristically stumped, Lin Xi’s negative emotions significantly lessened. Suppressing a smile, she offered to take over.

“No need. I didn’t want to resort to this, but…”

Bai Li declared, placing her hand on the iron door.

The next instant, with a forceful grip, Bai Li’s fingers embedded directly into the iron door itself. Then, with a mighty pull, she ripped the entire door clean off its hinges.

“Let’s go.”

Casually tossing the ten-centimeter-thick, multi-ton metal door aside, where it smashed into the floor and left a deep dent, Bai Li led Lin Xi out of the room.