Pawn Crossing the River

This tunnel, which was originally used for smuggling, has multiple branches and multiple entrances and exits. It is said to be a tunnel, but it is actually similar to an underground maze. It is impossible for the city council to blow up all the tunnels, which will cause large-scale structural collapse. They just After the explosion collapsed several key nodes and blocked the road, it became possible to dig it out again.

However, there are still some places that have completely collapsed. The so-called re-excavation can only barely allow one person to pass through. It is impossible to lay tracks and naturally cannot transport goods on a large scale.

So smuggling became smuggling.

There is an entrance to the tunnel in the wine cellar of this tavern.

As for why Qi Xuansu knew it, it was not because Qi Xuansu scanned the place with his spiritual thoughts, but because of the experience of the Jianghu people.

There is a saying in the Jianghu of the Central Plains, it is called: Cars, boats, shops, legs and teeth, even those who are not guilty deserve to be killed. This may not be completely correct, but it makes sense. Human nature is all the same. Places like pubs and inns will naturally gather people from all walks of life, and most of them will have some gray paths.

This tavern doesn't have it, Qi Xuansu can just find another one, there will always be one.

Now it seems that he was quite lucky, and he hit the target at the first place he randomly found.

Because the tavern owner was too fat, he did not lead Qi Xuansu himself, but called a thin waiter to lead the way - let's call him this, it is more in line with the habits of Eastern people.

The man removed a heavy wine barrel rack to reveal a boxy tunnel entrance.

The two of them walked into it one after the other.

The tunnel goes all the way down, leading to the underground city in the lower city.

The beginning part is relatively intact, with obvious traces of artificial trimming, but the further down you go, the rougher it becomes. As the tavern owner said, this place was once bombed, and the re-excavated part is really barely there in the literal sense. The uneven ground, various intertwined rocks, and even broken steel bars originally used to support the tunnel were like sharp spears blocking the road. If it is accidentally punctured, it will inevitably cause heavy bleeding.

In this kind of environment, let alone transporting goods, you have to be careful even when walking.

Because it was not vertically up and down through the hanging box, but downward at an angle, the tunnel was very long and had many forks. It took three hours of walking before Qi Xuansu reached the end of the tunnel.

When the guy pushed open the shield hiding the exit, a faint light came in from outside.

The dungeon has finally arrived.

The guy didn't mean to leave the tunnel, but made a "please" gesture.

Qi Xuansu bent down, walked out of the narrow tunnel exit, and saw the scene outside clearly.

This is a dark alley, even narrower than the alleys in the above world, because you can still see a narrow sliver of sky above your head from the above alley, but this is an underground city, and there is a dark dome above your head, although the dome is smaller than the house. A bit higher, but still quite limited.

The dome here does not look like a naturally formed cave, but has been artificially reinforced twice. You can see traces of the steel beams, which are densely covered like spider webs and extend all around. You can see the end at a glance. There are many hangings below the steel frame. A source of light sustained through arcane magic.

The dangers of arcane magic are preached on the ground, but there is no psychological barrier to using them underground.

Qi Xuansu walked out of the alley, and a huge noise rushed towards Qi Xuansu like splashing water.

It was actually a busy city.

There are all kinds of vendors, all kinds of people coming and going, and there are many places like hotels, taverns, brothels, casinos and other places.

Qi Xuansu just looked at it briefly and roughly understood.

If the underground city is compared to Yujing, then this is Taiqing City. Yujing is not noisy. Many squares are eerily quiet, such as Taishangfang. There are not many people visible in broad daylight, but Taiqing City is an exception. .

This underground city is by no means prosperous. It is essentially a huge workshop, but there are always one or two places that look like that.

This saves trouble.

Qi Xuansu left the alley and blended into the crowd.

The underground city has an advantage. If it is not managed, it will be lawless. Many shady businesses and businesses that are detrimental to moral dignity will be carried out here. Therefore, there are many desperadoes here, and Qi Xuansu's appearance will not attract anyone's attention.

Wu Niang appeared next to Qi Xuansu again and looked around: "This is the so-called underground city. It looks like a large underground cave."

Qi Xuansu said nothing and walked aimlessly.

The main purpose of his coming here is to walk around and learn about some situations, rather than to pry for any confidential information.

The next day, Qi Xuansu was multitasking, playing the role of decent gentleman Dutch van der Linde. He went to St. Paul's Cathedral with city council member Josiah Strawney to listen to Archbishop Orville Swanson's private sermon. . On the other side, playing the adventurer and outlaw Hosea Matthews, he explored the dungeons of the Lower City and saw underground factories filled with poisonous gas and wastewater, as well as workers and slaves who were seriously ill and dying soon.

There is a slight difference between workers and slaves. Slaves are mostly engaged in unskilled heavy manual labor without any protective measures, while workers are responsible for some technical tasks and have some simple protective measures, such as purification masks that are better than nothing. Trading places such as markets are supported by workers, because workers have wages and a certain degree of freedom, and can even be allowed to leave the lower city, while slaves have nothing.

Maybe you should go to the underwater city to have a look.

Qi Xuansu thought so and still wandered around the underground city the next day.

At this moment, the sound of bells broke the silence, the shaking lights tore apart the darkness, and a gorgeous carriage with kerosene lamps and bells came quickly. Unlike on the ground, carriages are very rare in underground cities. Those who can use carriages usually mean their status and status. ..

"I'm looking for you." Wu Niang appeared next to Qi Xuansu, holding her hands behind her head, and her wide sleeves fell down, revealing her two forearms.

Qi Xuansu said: "I didn't do anything, and now I'm being targeted?"

Fake immortals will be targeted. They may seem unreasonable, but they are actually quite reasonable. Qi Xuansu did not become invisible or move around. Just like ordinary people walking on the street, ordinary people in the underground city could see Qi Xuansu. Those who were interested could naturally grasp Qi Xuansu's whereabouts and report it to some local snakes.

This is of course Qi Xuansu's intention. As I said before, he is not a high-level person who comes to spy on information. Only by being down-to-earth can he understand some more real situations. This is one of the reasons why big shots prefer private interviews in private.

Qi Xuansu stood there and waited.

Sure enough, the carriage stopped beside Qi Xuansu.

The car door opened, and a gentleman stepped out of the carriage. He was wearing a snow-white shirt, a black tuxedo, an exquisite bow tie, leather shoes that could make the figure shine through, spotless white gloves, gold-rimmed glasses, meticulous white hair, and deep nasolabial folds. He has a graceful demeanor and is incompatible with the entire dungeon.

Such people should appear in midtown, not downtown.

Qi Xuansu pretended to hold the handle of the gun at his waist and assumed a vigilant posture: "Who are you?"

Wu Niang crossed her arms and clicked her tongue: "It's quite pretending."

Unless this old gentleman is the Patriarch of Steam Gospel, Qi Xuansu is confident of fighting. If the Patriarch comes in person, there is no need for a Patriarch, but a Cardinal, and a small fire gun will have no effect.

However, Qi Xuansu still played his role very well, that of an adventurer and outlaw.

"I am a butler." The old gentleman simply introduced himself, "I am here to invite you to his mansion on the order of my master."

Qi Xuansu asked: "Do I know your master?"

Wu Niang said: "You still need to ask? He must be one of the four gang leaders. Who else can use this kind of carriage and housekeeper besides them? Among these four gang leaders, the Beggar King can be excluded. Beggars and this kind of gangsters The butler is completely out of place, and the beggar king is supposed to be more down-to-earth and win people over. The butcher and the hound are not compatible either. These two are supposed to be vicious and murderous types, but the baron is also a gang leader. It’s a noble title, it’s arty, it seems more appropriate.”

Of course Qi Xuansu understood this truth, but he just wanted to pretend: "Is your master one of the four 'respected' gentlemen?"

"Yes." The old butler stopped pretending, "My master is the Baron, one of the four gentlemen who rule the lower city. Are you willing to accept my master's invitation?"

Qi Xuansu showed hesitation and hesitation, as if he was torn in his heart. He wanted to refuse, but he was also afraid of the reputation of the baron. In the end, he had to bow his head under the eaves: "It's an honor."

The old housekeeper made a "please" gesture.

Qi Xuansu got into the carriage, with the door closed and the curtains hanging low. He was immediately cut off from the outside world and could not see where he was going.

Wu Niang appeared opposite Qi Xuansu and put her hands on the table between the two of them: "Let's operate on this Baron first and burn him to ashes, and then burn the other three, leaving no one alive."

Qi Xuansu said: "You are a bit too extreme."

Wu Niang said in surprise: "Is it extreme? I learned from them."

Qi Xuansu stopped talking to Wuniang.

He discovered that there were many strange women in the Taoist sect, including Qiniang, Xiaoyin, and Wuniang, each with their own characteristics: greedy for money, stingy, playful, gluttonous, and fond of being burned to ashes.

The carriage drove for more than an hour and passed through countless streets before finally stopping.

There is only a typical aristocratic residence here with a courtyard and the main body is a two-story spire building. It’s just that the underground world is not suitable for green grass to grow. Black night dew grass is planted in the courtyard. Coupled with the surrounding darkness, it can only be illuminated by lights. It is very eerie, like a vampire mansion in a storybook.

Qi Xuansu got off the carriage and followed the housekeeper into the courtyard.

There are many gang members who are obviously not good people here, but they are very afraid of this housekeeper and do nothing to stop him.

The two came to the lobby of the second-story building. When they looked up, they could see a graceful old man with white hair standing on the second floor, leaning on the railing, overlooking the lobby. Compared with the old housekeeper, the old man was much more casual and less meticulous.

Qi Xuansu couldn't help but be startled when he saw the old man's face.

How can they be so similar?

Of course not with Qi Xuansu, but with Hosea Matthews.

The old man introduced himself: "Welcome to my mansion, I am the Baron, you can also call me Ramon."