Chapter 44: The Lower City, Ember Stronghold!

Ember Bastion, East District, Burning City.

Yu Le, who had lived in the East District before, was familiar with the name of Ember Bastion. In fact, he had carried Feng Jiujiao on his back when he fled the place years ago.

Like the Burning City itself, three years ago, Ember Bastion was not known by that name; it was called Xingshui Town. It was renamed after the great fire that consumed the Burning City originated there. The blaze reduced the original town to ashes, claiming the lives of tens of thousands and drying up the very river that once circled the town.

What was once a water-rich township became a treacherous zone plagued by sporadic geothermal fires. After several failed reconstruction attempts, the city’s administrators abandoned the area entirely. The name was changed to "Ember Bastion," signifying that only embers remained.

Even those who had escaped the fire three years ago refused to return. The abandoned, unfinished buildings left behind by the failed reconstruction efforts eventually turned the district into a gathering place for all sorts of outcasts: fugitives, thieves, criminal syndicates, and runaways. It was even rumored that members of the Ten Thousand Beast Cult frequently appeared there to recruit new followers. The place was a chaotic melting pot of unsavory characters.

Aside from that one time he fled with Feng Jiujiao, Yu Le had never returned. As the reputation of Ember Bastion grew, the rumors alone made him steer clear of this lawless zone, which sat less than five kilometers from his home. If one were to describe it, it was much like the Kowloon Walled City of his past life or Gotham City from DC Comics.

The entire Burning City was divided into two major urban areas: East and West. Due to the topography—higher in the west and lower in the east—and the flow of its inhabitants, the locals colloquially referred to them as the Upper City and the Lower City.

The lower-lying East District, known as the Lower City, was home to the impoverished and common residents. Naturally, it was a breeding ground for criminals and a hunting ground for magical beasts; the crime rate was staggering, and law and order were nonexistent. Ember Bastion, located at the furthest edge of the Lower City, only exacerbated these issues.

The West District, where the prominent families and the city’s elite resided, was known as the Upper City. Yu Le had never been there, but based on the descriptions from fellow anglers, it sounded like heaven on earth. Whether or not that was true remained a mystery, but one thing was certain: despite both being parts of the same city, the Upper and Lower districts felt like two different worlds. One was a utopia; the other, a land of chaos.

Among his teammates, those with families—excluding the elite Han Yuesu and Su Rui—had relatives living in the Upper City. However, even then, they resided only in the outskirts and could never truly enter high society. The further west one lived, the higher their status; it was not a place for commoners. Since Yu An’an had entered his life, Yu Le had dreamed of one day taking his wife and child to live in the Upper City. But with his abilities at the time, it was nothing more than a fantasy. Most people could struggle for a lifetime and never cross the threshold of the Upper City.

***

The Black Hawk supercar came to a halt outside Ember Bastion. The arrival of the three immediately drew a barrage of sinister gazes. A person with weaker nerves might have felt as though ants were crawling all over them, but the moment Geng Xiao and Han Yuesu pinned their Demon Hunter badges to their chests, those prying eyes retreated.

While the primary duty of a Demon Hunter was to kill magical beasts, they held a status granted by the Demon Hunter Association. Even without considering the Profound-grade badges they wore, most of the desperate souls struggling for survival in Ember Bastion would not dare to provoke even a common Yellow-grade hunter.

Yu Le scanned the bastion, which he hadn't visited in three years. Beyond the forest of unfinished buildings, traces of the great fire still seemed to linger in certain spots. Just standing on the perimeter, the entire place gave off an eerie, chilling vibe.

Geng Xiao checked his tactical watch and shook his head. "Three years ago, Xingshui Town had a permanent population of just over eighteen thousand. Now that it’s a derelict bastion, it’s gathered at least fifty thousand people. The terrain here is complex; finding someone without the right connections is nearly impossible."

Han Yuesu’s eyes darkened. "That is the result of the negligence of those in power. While they indulge in wine and luxury in the Upper City, they couldn't care less about the lives of the people in the Lower City. The existence of Ember Bastion is a disgrace to the authorities. They think that by driving these people here, they can maintain a facade of peace, never realizing that they are simply manufacturing evil."

Walking behind them, Yu Le glanced at Han Yuesu’s back. Although they had only known each other for a day, her actions and words made it clear she held deep resentment toward the ruling class of the Burning City. Considering she came from the Han family yet chose to join a demon-hunting team to face life-threatening missions instead of enjoying the privileges of the Upper City, it wasn't hard to imagine she had seen enough corruption to refuse to associate with those so-called elite figures.

*A disgruntled idealist,* Yu Le thought with a silent sigh. He didn't have much of a savior complex. If he could, he would just want a warm home with his wife and child, and perhaps go fishing when he had nothing to do. There was too much injustice in the world for one person to handle. Yet, as the saying went, the tree desired stillness, but the wind would not cease. Sometimes, the world simply wouldn't let you live a peaceful life.

*Now that I’ve joined the demon-hunting team and have a group of trusted friends, if I can just find An’an, I’ll work hard to earn money and buy her a house in the Upper City. Then, between missions and fishing, life would truly be perfect.*

As Yu Le envisioned his future, he accidentally bumped into Han Yuesu, who had stopped abruptly in front of him.

"What is it?"

Before they could answer, Yu Le saw a group of men gathered ahead. Their demeanor was clearly hostile.

"Two honorable Demon Hunters, what brings you to our Ember Bastion?" The man addressed only two of them, likely because Yu Le had yet to apply for his badge.

"Yeah, don't tell us you're here to hunt beasts? Sorry to disappoint, but we have everything in Ember Bastion except for magical beasts."

"Wow, that chick is really something. If only I could get my hands on her..."

Whistles and lewd remarks echoed from all sides. The group blocking their path might not have been cultivators, but their gathering here clearly signaled they did not welcome outsiders.

Han Yuesu remained cold and silent. Geng Xiao didn't put on airs; he simply pulled out a stack of money and flicked it. "We aren't here for anything else, just looking for someone. I hope you can make things convenient for us."

He politely placed the money on the ground. Someone quickly stepped forward to snatch it up and handed it to the leader.

The leader counted the cash. "You know the rules. Who is it that you're looking for? Maybe we can help."

"No need, we'll find them ourselves. We won't trouble you any further."

"Don't be like that. Noble hunters coming to our Ember Bastion to find someone—they must be very important. We in Ember Bastion love making friends. Surely you wouldn't want to refuse our friendship?"

Geng Xiao’s brow furrowed. Information about the "Living Pearl" was confidential; if not for the prior cooperation with the Leichi team, he wouldn't even have had a lead. If he exposed their target in public, the person would surely flee. People like the Living Pearl, who lived in the gray zones, relied on mystery for survival.

Just as Geng Xiao prepared to offer more money to clear the path, a commotion erupted behind them.

"Ah! My hand!"

All eyes shifted to the back, where Yu Le had caught the hand of a scrawny man.

"Let go of me! Do you know who I am? I'll kill you!"

Yu Le was so annoyed he laughed. "You steal from me and you're the one throwing a tantrum?" He kicked the man away.

That was the spark that ignited the powder keg.

"Where did this brat come from? Daring to cause trouble in Ember Bastion! Brothers, get your weapons and take him down!"

*Are you crazy?*

Yu Le, who had been fighting off herds of Bristle-Maned Rats all morning, was in no mood for their nonsense. He immediately summoned his "Dragon-Subduing Rod," prepared to teach these ignorant fools a lesson. But before he could act, Han Yuesu grabbed his arm.

"Don't waste time here. Let's go!"

"Burning Fist: Fireworks!" Geng Xiao unleashed a punch, sparks scattering in all directions. By the time the dust settled, the three of them had vanished.

"Damn it! Where did those outsiders come from? Coming to my Ember Bastion to stir up trouble—find them!" the leader roared in fury.