049. Along the Road

As they exited the South city gate, Adam often looked out the window of the carriage. Adam could still find buildings that were made with bricks like hotels, shops, and ordinary houses, although the road was no longer paved, it was still decent.

When Adam passed the industrial complex, he was surprised to find that almost no smoke was produced from the factories. Adam then realized that most of the factories used mana stones as an energy source. Some factories used charcoal and firewood but not much. Maybe they used them to do burning or boiling processes.

But after they went past the industrial complex, the scenery became worse but fascinating. Dense settlements that consisted of small houses, no, houses were an understatement. He would call them hives. As he looked at small hills that were similar to the Inca pyramid. Each hill was only three floors high. But it was built on a pretty large area of land. It had many doors, windows, and corridors on each of their floor, they reminded him of beehives. Adam estimated that dozens of people lived there.

What made Adam frowned was that the hygiene aspect of the settlements was not kept well. Many rubbish could be found and bad smells could be smelled by the people in the carriage. Adam could tolerate it, but the girls couldn't. They covered their noses without complaining. As if they knew it would happen.

This area was known as a slum, one of the slums around Silverpool City. Adam felt fortunate had listened to Traze. If not, he would be welcomed by the bad smells every time he came out. He hoped the area that he had bought was better.

But it couldn't reduce his curiosity about the building. He saw many people who most of them women, elders, and children did their activities like talking to each other and playing were done in front of their rooms and corridors. He assumed that the majority of men were working in the factories or some jobs around that place.

After satisfied looked at the scenery, Adam leaned his back to his seat. It could be said the first time Adam rode a horse carriage. Not as he thought, a horse carriage in this world was more comfortable than his own car on Earth. He felt little vibration that was caused by the uneven road. He imagined there were suspension systems were installed underneath the seats of the carriage.

He always looked down on the technology of this world. As a former modern man, he always felt that this world's technology was just equivalent to Earth's middle ages.

But after few days lived in this world. He had to acknowledge that he was wrong. The two worlds moved on different paths from the beginning. The Earth that didn't have something like mana, emphasized its technology on mechanical and electronic development that were powered by fossil oil and electricity. As for this world, even if there were found mechanical and electronic traces in this world, they were utilized consistently on its world's unique energy source which was mana.

The mana in this world was very abundant, even in every air that organism breathed with, there was mana inside it. After studied about mana from former Adam's memory, Adam concluded that mana wasn't like fossil oil on earth as it was renewable energy. They were constantly produced by the plane.

For some reason, people in this world had never learned the shape of this world. Their knowledge was limited to the Salama continent and Crabsean Archipelago. Adam thought it was impossible that the higher-ups in this Continent didn't know about the other lands.

His ancestor Droon Raubtier claimed that he was from outside of the Continent. Barbarian called themselves Salamar which meant the people of Salama also strengthened his suspicion that most people in the north were immigrants. They came from some places outside the Salama Continent because of some reasons. Maybe like his ancestor's reason, they were forced to leave their home because of disaster or enemy invasion.

Adam woke up from his contemplation, as he saw a row of some earthen houses after passing a not pretty large wheat field. Not like the hives that although were pretty interesting but dirty. The earth houses were arranged with some gaps. All houses had a small garden that was planted with some flowers or vegetables. Some of them had not very high wooden fences encircled their land, but mostly not. They just placed a row of bushes to be the borders.

"Is it the place Eve?" Adam asked.

"No, we need to go farther. Remember, the lands were mostly on the north bank of the Andes river. When we arrived, you will be surprised. It had pretty decent scenery," Eve said proudly.

"I know that place, it was a really good spot. There was a ferry dock West of it, that was the main access to the Southern region without following the Andes river, and there was a road following the river, that can lead you to the alternative road to the South or you can go to the main road to Greylion City. " Alba said.

Adam nodded. Actually, he didn't know the place, as when he came to Silverpool City, he came with merchant's caravans from Greylion City for a week journey. Actually, he could also ride a horse himself, it would come earlier, about four days of journey from Greylion City. But after the escalation of robbery cases, he didn't want to take the risk. With hundreds of people he traveled with, there were no robbers dared to appear.

"Adam, although I just know you for a few days, I'm pretty sure the person who chose the place was not you. Tell us, who is he?" Alba inquired.

"Hahaha...," Eve who sat on Adam's shoulder couldn't help to laugh.

Everyone's attention focused on her, Adam could only sigh helplessly, he then smiled mysteriously. He said, "You will meet him soon, he was pretty famous, you know."

"Was? Not is?" Alba asked, Ruby also looked at Adam as if wanted an answer.

Couldn't stand Ruby's stare anymore, Adam looked outside of the window. He really wanted to surprise them. He was curious about their reactions when they looked at Traze. He chuckled as he avoided their stares.

After a few seconds, he couldn't feel the girls' stares anymore. But he found something interesting.

As their carriage was passing a fully loaded wagon that was pulled by two cows, he saw a boy who sat behind the wagon was leaning to the cargo with closed eyes.

Adam knew the boy, he was the boy who said rudely, even after was helped in front of Spear Arena last Wednesday. Adam remembered him because it was the first time someone talked rudely to him after crossed over.

'Is he the rude kid a few days ago?' Adam asked Eve.

'Hohoho... You are pretty observant. Yes, he is," Eve said.

'If this is a movie, we will find that our destination was the same, and the cliche happened. Hahaha...,' Adam laughed.

'Yeah, that will be funny,' Eve said with a slight smile.

***

Meanwhile, in the Simons office. Simons appeared had already calmed himself. While looking outside the window, he asked, "So, do you have any idea Drake, how to secure the slum? Although we can't get the one near the riverbank because of the princess's friend. If we can get the slum. It will be better."

Drake sighed. In his opinion, Simons was a fool. As many of his decision were based on his moot. But this idiot also had the capability. He was ready to listen to his trusted subordinate. Of course, the trust that he gave should be responded to the best as the subordinate could do. Because once he was disappointed in someone, he would never give any chance again to him.

"In my opinion, we could only wait leader. When everything was settled, we will move. We have many informants there. I will check them daily. Please don't worry," Drake said.

Simons nodded, "then I will trust it to you."

"Yes," Drake said.

"Brother, what should we do to the Windart team? We have to do something, so no one will dare to betray us again," Donald said.

Listening to his brother's words, Simons's face began to redden, "Your big mouth that started it. Do you want to destroy our foundation? If you are not my brother, I have already thrown you to the sea. Don't make trouble," Simons said solemnly.

"Ugh, okay. I won't do anything to him." Donald promised with a defeated expression.

As Simons looked at his brother, his heart softened, he was actually also annoyed by Hector's rude behavior, "Ok, but don't do too far. If you killed someone, we will be in trouble."

After listening to his brother's permission, he couldn't hide his smile, "Don't worry, I will do it moderately."

Still sitting on the couch, Drake frowned, but he chose to be silent, 'Don't blame me, my friend, it was you who provoked them. Sorry.'

***