The following day, 9:00 AM.
At a desolate, uninhabited spot outside Lobo City.
The engine of a small transport aircraft emitted a low hum as the fuselage slowly descended onto an open space strewn with gravel. Moments later, the hatch opened, and Marco and Byrne stepped out, each pushing a hovering cargo crate.
Marco scanned the surroundings and remarked with a sigh, "Ten years ago, this was a relatively prosperous village. But after that calamity, it was completely abandoned."
Byrne followed his gaze. All he saw were broken walls and ruined foundations. The cracked ground was covered in a thin layer of black dust, where even drought-resistant sea buckthorns struggled to take root. Only a few withered, blackened tree trunks remained, slanted among the ruins with twisted branches like ghost claws, whistling in the breeze.
The air was permeated with residual Chaos aura. Though not intense, it was enough to cause discomfort to anyone sensitive to psychic energy.
Byrne retracted his gaze and said doubtfully, "A typical Warp incursion usually dissipates completely within three years. The fact that residues are still here after ten years is quite abnormal."
Marco knelt down and ran his fingertips across the black dust. A faint golden psychic energy surged from his palm, enveloping a speck of the dust. The black dust struggled violently within the energy for ten seconds before finally breaking down and vanishing.
Marco clapped his hands and stood up. "The Dark-corrosion disease that broke out ten years ago came fast and hard. The current Governor—who was the City Lord back then—was so eager to quell the disaster that it wasn't purified thoroughly. Although the authorities sent several purification teams over the past decade, the problem was too deep-seated. Now, it's up to the Bureau to clean up the mess."
After saying this, Marco turned back and gave a takeoff signal to the transport aircraft.
While Marco's back was turned, Byrne rolled his eyes. Heh, if I hadn't heard Keith's version, I might have actually believed that.
Receiving Marco's signal, the transport aircraft closed its hatch. The engine roared again as it slowly ascended, eventually becoming a small dot in the sky before disappearing into the clouds.
Once the aircraft was gone, Marco pulled a yellow handle on his hovering crate. With a click, the crate settled on the ground and opened, revealing its contents.
For this trip to Lobo City, the two were disguised as Imperial Mineral Inspectors. Lobo City had risen to become one of the top ten cities of Koror over the past century by relying on the surrounding mineral veins. The identity of an inspector allowed them to enter various parts of the city—including abandoned mines and the ruins of the old City Lord's manor—without facing excessive questioning from local security forces.
Each of their crates contained a set of uniforms and identification documents required for the disguise, as well as a portable single-person hover-bike.
"Put on the uniforms. We need to enter the city as soon as possible. Lobo City's security force reports directly to the City Lord. Although our identities are forged, we should avoid entanglements with them to prevent exposing any flaws."
Byrne nodded, quickly changed into the uniform, and concealed the "Black Fire" in a holster inside his jacket.
After changing, Marco pulled out a metal case. Upon pressing the start button, the case rapidly unfolded, transforming into a hover-bike within seconds. It was compact, roughly the size of a mountain bike, with a silver-grey body and embedded anti-gravity devices that emitted only a faint sound when activated.
Once the hover-bikes were ready, Marco took a cell-phone-sized device from the storage compartment. Its front featured a holographic display, and a small probe needle extended from the top.
"This detector can scan for corruption residues within a one-kilometer radius. Let's check these ruins first to see if there are any high-concentration residues."
Marco pressed a button on the side. The screen instantly lit up with a blue glow, and the probe needle vibrated slightly, beginning to rotate slowly. A few minutes later, Marco returned to his original spot.
"Mostly weak corruption reactions. No major issues. Let's go, we're heading into the city."
The two mounted their hover-bikes and sped toward Lobo City.
Fifteen minutes later, the silhouette of Lobo City's walls became clear. Unlike the heavy and stern walls of Black Rock City, Lobo's walls were covered in the marks of time and calamity. The brick surfaces were mottled and blackened, with cracks in many places. Even after repairs, those uneven fissures remained clearly visible like unhealable scars.
The guards at the city gate were not particularly strict. Only four security officers in grey uniforms checked the identification of those entering with a lazy demeanor. Their eyes were vacant, showing no enthusiasm for the job. The inspection was a mere formality; they mostly glanced at IDs before waving people through.
After entering, they slowed their hover-bikes and carefully observed the interior of the city. The streets were narrow and crowded, and most of the surrounding buildings were low, dilapidated, and covered in graffiti. There weren't many pedestrians, and most were workers in rags. They looked haggard and numb, hurrying toward the mines with their bodies and even their hair stained black by mineral dust.
"Captain, where to first?" Byrne asked.
Marco thought for a moment and replied, "To the ruins of the City Lord's manor in the Old District. That was the source of the Dark-corrosion outbreak ten years ago, and it's one of the places where Lacy Valen might be hiding. If we can't find him there, we'll regroup with the other tactical teams."
Byrne nodded, his eyes secretly scanning both sides of the street. In those low buildings, alert eyes occasionally peered through broken windows. Seeing the inspector uniforms, those eyes would quickly retract.
As they proceeded along the main street of the Old District, the scenery became increasingly ruinous. Many roofs had collapsed, leaving broken beams exposed. Corners were piled with discarded pickaxes, torn transport bags, and unidentifiable black wreckage. The few pedestrians who stopped to watch them were emaciated, their eyes filled with numbness and fear, as if they had long since lost hope in everything around them.
Looking at the streetscape, Marco lamented, "The Dark-corrosion ten years ago didn't just corrode this land; it corroded people's hearts. The Governor sacrificed many civilians to quickly suppress the disaster back then. Over time, the survivors became like this."
While talking, they reached a crossroads. In the center stood a ruined statue that was likely once a symbol of the Empire. Now, it was covered in black dust, its head broken off and arms missing, leaving only half a torso standing lonely on the pedestal. The inscription on the base was worn and blurred, with only a few fragmented characters visible.
Just then, the detector in Marco's pocket suddenly emitted an alarm.
Marco pulled out the device and looked down. The indicator light on the display had turned a bright orange-red, and the probe needle at the top was pointing straight to the west.