After ascending a long series of steps and passing spiraling pillars, the group arrived before the gate leading to the tower settlement. The gate was immense and incredibly thick; one could only imagine the immense labor it must have taken to construct. Standing beneath it and looking up, Bai Shi had the illusion that the doors reached the very heavens. Societies driven by faith often shared this architectural trait, erecting magnificent structures to please their gods or display their own devout belief. Row upon row of figures were carved into the surface of the massive doors. The figures in these reliefs were all depicted in different poses, each one conveying a sense of虔诚, thick with religious meaning. Unfortunately, judging by the fate of their people, faith had not been enough to save the Hornsent. The heavy doors were already open, cracked just enough for a person to pass through. Leda was the first to step through the gate to the tower settlement, with Freya following close behind. With Melina not by his side, Bai Shi felt somewhat distracted. The affairs of the Hornsent had nothing to do with him, but Melina was, after all, Marika’s daughter. An act like a massacre was an absolute anathema in the Lands Between, something that even a figure like Queen Marika had to seal away within the Land of Shadow. The sudden knowledge that her mother had done such a thing was undoubtedly a great shock to Melina. For a moment, Bai Shi couldn't think of a good way to comfort her, so all he could do was try to uncover the truth. Perhaps Leda and Ansbach could help him; they both seemed to have some interest in the Hornsent. Well, hopefully, I can find some decent spoils in the tower settlement. That might lift my spirits. Upon entering the gate, they were greeted by another long, ascending staircase. The cold stone walls on either side, coupled with the dim light, created a very oppressive atmosphere. This was clearly not the interior of the tower settlement. According to the map Ansbach had provided, they needed to pass through this transitional structure to reach the settlement itself. Bai Shi and the others ascended the stairs and stood on the platform at the top. Several giant scorpions were currently sprawled at the end of the stairs, gathered together on the platform, gnawing on the somewhat decomposed corpses of their kin. These scorpions were enormous, roughly the size of Prawn Bro, though they didn’t look very meaty. Bai Shi wondered how they would taste. Seeing the intruders, the scorpions turned their heads, raised their stingers high, and met the group with open pincers. Without needing Bai Shi to act, Leda and Freya had already drawn their weapons and moved forward to battle the giant scorpions. Although they were suppressed by the Land of Shadow and their strength had diminished considerably, dealing with a few beasts was still no problem. After a brief battle, all the giant scorpions were dispatched, clearing the path ahead. Bai Shi walked over to the two scorpion corpses that had been surrounded and gnawed upon, observing the marks on them. These two corpses had likely been left by Ansbach during his earlier exploration. Their bodies bore wounds from some kind of weapon, but due to decomposition and the chewing of their companions, it was now impossible to tell what kind of weapon Ansbach had used. Based on the position of the wounds, Bai Shi could only guess it might have been a scythe. Looking at the staircase, Bai Shi believed that this structure outside the tower settlement served a similar purpose to Stormveil's outer fortress. It was a place to station forces and obstruct enemies. The scorpions they had just faced were the guards posted here. Soon, however, Bai Shi overturned this idea. They walked through a small door ahead and entered a spacious hall. In the center of this hall lay the corpse of a Hornsent ancestor, flanked by two staircases, one on the left and one on the right, each extending a level upward. The hall was supported by spiraling pillars, and both sides of the staircases were lined with statues carved in the likeness of monks, kneeling with their heads bowed, holding candles. The still-burning candlelight cast a glow that was insufficient to illuminate the space, its dimness instead lending the entire hall an air of immense solemnity and dignity. This was clearly another site of special religious significance for the Hornsent. Perhaps placing this structure at the very entrance to the tower settlement was not just to impede enemies, but to ensure that all who entered would feel the presence of 'faith'. But now, the scorpions skittering freely about had completely ruined the atmosphere. Right before the altar of the Hornsent ancestor, the corpse of a massive scorpion was beginning to give off a foul stench as it slowly rotted. A dense swarm of smaller scorpions gathered around it, tearing at the flesh on the corpse with their mouthparts. Bai Shi gave them a casual glance, not paying the small scorpions any mind, and focused his attention on the large dead one. This large scorpion’s corpse was relatively intact, and he could clearly see several arrows embedded deep within its body. Judging by their force, it was obvious that the old soldier wasn't as unskilled in combat as he claimed to be due to his age. Bai Shi wouldn't have been surprised if he had declared, “Though I am old, my arrows are still sharp.” A bow, and some sort of sharp weapon suspected to be a scythe, were likely the arms Ansbach used. Besides the scorpions on the ground, many more clung to the walls of the hall, ready to ambush them. Seeing the considerable number of scorpions, Bai Shi summoned a storm, sweeping them all away in an instant. After clearing out the scorpions, Bai Shi walked to the center of the hall, to the spot where the great Hornsent ancestor’s remains lay. Leda and Freya also came forward to carefully examine the Hornsent’s body. This was the first time they had encountered the remains of an ancestor revered by the Hornsent. “It seems this is what Sir Ansbach spoke of, the great Hornsent ancestors.” Unlike the headless corpse Bai Shi had seen before, this Hornsent ancestor had its head intact. The head was covered in Omen horns, but otherwise, there was little difference; even its posture was more or less the same as the previous one. The spirit ash before the body had already been taken, but a few scattered motes of dust remained. Bai Shi had no interest in collecting the tiny amount of spirit ash left. Leda, however, took out a container and collected a small sample. Freya walked a circle around the corpse, tapping the hard remains, which were no different from stone. “The Hornsent found that, uh, Divine Essence from the shadows of things ?” “As incredible as it sounds, Sir Ansbach has clearly found evidence to support it.” Bai Shi had already wandered off to the side and started collecting the spoils of the area. Soon, he made a find on a corpse. On that corpse, he found a Land of Shadow Rune [1]. Just as Bai Shi was about to leave, he suddenly saw that the corpse was clutching something tightly in its hand. Bai Shi pried open its fingers, wanting to see what precious treasure would make someone guard it so fiercely even after death. After prying them open, Bai Shi discovered it was just a Somber Smithing Stone [1]. Picking up the Somber Smithing Stone [1] from the corpse, Bai Shi was a little speechless. Wasn’t... this a bit humorous? Although it was just something from the corpse of a Hornsent, a single Somber Smithing Stone [1] felt a little cheap, didn’t it? After exploring the lowest level, Bai Shi and the others headed up the staircases on either side. Passing through another narrow door, they found themselves before yet another stone staircase that spiraled endlessly upward. A faint light shone from the top of the stairs, which was presumably the exit. Leda took the lead, and the group drew closer to the light-filled exit. Just as she was about to reach the next platform, Bai Shi suddenly grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. The next moment, a giant pincer shot out violently from around the corner. Once Leda regained her footing, she looked at the pincer that had ambushed her in great surprise. The staircase spiraled upward at an angle, severely limiting visibility at the corners, making it very difficult to spot these silent, terrifying giant scorpions in advance. “I was careless. Thank you.” Bai Shi looked at the giant scorpion that had rushed out and smiled, his mood inexplicably improving. Places , right when you’re about to finish exploring and enter the next area, are where people let their guard down the most. As he expected, there was definitely going to be a monster waiting for a sneak attack around the corner. After all, this was the world of old Hidetaka Miyazaki. Bai Shi had seen right through Hidetaka Miyazaki. Freya rushed forward, bringing her weapon down in a jumping slash that shattered one of the scorpion's massive pincers. Dodging the stinger, she pressed her advantage and dispatched it with ease. After this small interlude, the group encountered no further surprises and proceeded outside smoothly. Seeing the light of day again, the path ahead instantly brightened. Various forges and carved lion statues appeared on both sides of the road, and further on stood another heavy city gate. The area was severely damaged, with broken bricks and stones scattered about. Much of it had been destroyed when Messmer's army ravaged the place. Here, they had finally, truly entered the confines of Belurat, Tower Settlement. Walking up to the giant gate, Bai Shi and the others lit the nearby Site of Grace. This gate was much smaller than the previous, colossal one, and its material and carvings were completely different. Unfortunately, Bai Shi still couldn't understand what the figures carved on it were doing. Leda stepped forward and tried to push the gate, but the heavy door wouldn't budge an inch. Seeing this, Freya came over to help her try. But it seemed the problem wasn't a lack of strength. Leda took two steps back, looked up at the massive gate, and said: “It seems to be locked by a mechanism.” The classic: This door cannot be opened from this side. After some thought, Bai Shi decided against kicking the door down as he usually did. He had done that in tombs before to skip tedious puzzles and get straight to the boss room. Now, he had no particular reason to open this door, so there was no need to waste his energy here. Besides, he had to pretend to be weakened by the Land of Shadow’s suppression. This was a good chance to experience the interior of the tower settlement through the normal route. It would be a shame if he missed some precious item on the way by sequence-breaking. Just then, from an alley to the right of the gate, a shadow Hornsent suddenly looked their way. Seeing Leda, who clearly possessed the power of the Erdtree, he picked a rock from a basket on his back and hurled it with all his might. His aim was a bit off, however. The rock missed its target and flew through the air toward Bai Shi. Bai Shi watched the rock hurtling toward him, raised his hand, and gently flicked a finger forward. A fierce wind howled. The rock was stopped in mid-air, and then, with even greater speed, it flew back along its original path toward the Hornsent. With a wet "splat," the Hornsent’s head exploded, and its body fell stiffly to the ground. After dealing with the Hornsent, Bai Shi saw there was a path and headed in that direction. Leda and Freya bypassed the Hornsent’s corpse and followed him. After a short walk between the buildings, a wide, circular plaza opened up before Bai Shi, with a strangely shaped, multi-tiered pool at its center. Ahead were more shadow Hornsent, kneeling around the pool in worship. Bai Shi walked forward, stood beside them, and glanced at the pool in the center. The design of the pool wasn't bad, somewhat reminiscent of the small fountains in the parks of his previous life. As for the water inside the pool, well... Looking at the dark green, foul-smelling water with unidentifiable plants floating in it, Bai Shi frowned. Seriously, guys? You're still kneeling here and praying to this water? The kneeling Hornsent around him stared for a moment as Bai Shi casually stood among them, observing the pool. Only then did they remember to drive off the intruder. An enormous shadow Hornsent stood up, holding a phantom-like cleaver that was as black as its body. Bai Shi took a step forward, and instantly, countless rock spikes erupted from the ground. Sharp spikes pierced the Hornsent's body from every direction, hoisting its mangled form high into the air. The other Hornsent had just gotten to their feet when the scene triggered their terrible memories of the past. Having become shadows and endured the long passage of time, their minds had all but vanished. But the agony of that massacre had long been seared into their very beings. Even if their memories were gone, their bodies would remember for them. The surrounding Hornsent were overcome with instinctive fear and scrambled to escape. Bai Shi paid no mind to the fleeing Hornsent, instead observing the tall one before him. This Hornsent stood about two and a half meters tall, quite a bit larger than its kin, but still not reaching the stature of the ancestral corpses. Furthermore, this one had even more Omen horns on its body. Unfortunately, Bai Shi knew nothing of anatomy; he only had a slight grasp of classical mechanics. So even if he wanted to dissect this Hornsent and study its physical structure, he wouldn't be able to. If Bai Shi were to do it himself, he would probably just turn the place into a slaughterhouse and make a complete mess. Bai Shi suddenly found himself missing Hilbert, who was far away in Redmane Castle. If she were here, she could have served as the lead surgeon to study the Hornsent. Speaking of which, if he were to use the perfumer's art, could he create a potent poison that only targets a specific species...? No, that idea seems a bit dangerous. Better not. Besides, compared to chemistry, classical mechanics is definitely a faster way to solve problems. Seeing Bai Shi staring blankly at the Hornsent corpse, Leda and Freya did not disturb him, each going off to explore on their own. Freya went up the steps, exploring deeper into the settlement. Leda, meanwhile, walked over to the pool on the left. Within this tower settlement, there was a 'waterfall'. It was a brown 'waterfall.' What could possibly be in it? So hard to guess... This 'waterfall' discharged the untreated sewage from the upper town, letting it flow freely downward and collect in a foul-smelling basin below. Who knew what kind of drainage system lay beneath the basin, allowing the sewage to remain just full enough to fill the pool without overflowing onto the bank. Leda stood beside the sewage pool and glanced back at the one in front of Bai Shi. Though they looked similar, it seemed the water in them was indeed different. In any case, it didn't seem like the Hornsent paid much attention to hygiene. Leda looked into the sewage pool. There, a withered corpse lay on its back, dead. It caught her interest. Most of the corpse was submerged in the sewage, but one hand was clutching something, reaching for the sky. There seemed to be something in its hand, and judging by the posture, it must have been very important to him. Could it be some important item? However, Leda was not particularly willing to venture into the sewage to find out. As a Needle Knight who wielded the power of the Unalloyed Gold Needle, she also required her body to remain pure. In other words, Leda was something of a neat freak. One could tell from the perpetually snow-white cloak she wore. Even if she had no time to spare during a battle, she would immediately repair and clean it afterward. Leda gave up on the corpse and turned to leave. Just then, a splash of foul-smelling water suddenly splattered onto her cape. Leda turned to look. A tall Hornsent holding a cleaver had just burst out from the brown, fetid waterfall. The splash that hit her cloak was the water carried out when the Hornsent emerged from behind the sewage. Leda watched the patch of sewage bleed across her snow-white cloak, staining it a filthy color. The sharp, nauseating stench assaulted her senses. Finally, as she saw the Hornsent, dripping with unknown fluids, charge toward her, something in Leda's mind snapped. Before the Hornsent could react, several piercing needles shot through its joints, completely locking down its movements. Leda swung her sword in a wide arc. A slash of golden light flashed, and the Hornsent's head flew high into the air before landing in the stinking pool. Leda stood before the sewage pool, her thoughts unreadable. Bai Shi had heard the commotion and witnessed the entire process. Looking at her from behind, Leda’s usually ramrod-straight posture seemed to waver slightly. Looking at the waterfall of sewage, Bai Shi also shook his head. He was a historian, and this was history. To be fair, he wouldn't want to get any of that stuff on him either. Thankfully, he had his storm barrier and didn't really have to worry. But... it seemed he had still underestimated old Miyazaki. Fresh chapters posted on 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭·𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢·𝗇𝗲𝘵 He never thought someone would actually be hiding inside a place like a cesspool. Do you like my Arteria Leaf? Do you like my Somber Smithing Stone [1]? Do you like my String? Hehe XD