IMC Chapter 102

As everyone listened to the high priests recount the base’s development, the defense battle outside had begun. Shu Bao turned to look toward the entrance, feeling that the commotion outside seemed unusually intense.

Noticing Shu Bao’s concern, one of the high priests explained, “Since you left, the world at night has grown increasingly dangerous. More and more terrifying creatures have appeared. It’s unclear whether this is because there are more monsters born in the Chaotic World, or if the Chaotic World itself has expanded.”

Shu Bao considered it and felt both were likely true. The expansion of the Chaotic World meant more people could perceive it, and this growing awareness likely accelerated its expansion. At the same time, more creatures entering the Chaotic World brought with them their thoughts and fears, which likely birthed new monsters.

“But please rest assured. Our city is not lacking in warriors. The subsidiary cities are also well-staffed with mages and knights. There’s no significant danger.” As the central hub, Xia Wang City’s defenses were naturally robust.

Understanding the inevitability of the Chaotic World’s growth, Shu Bao’s curiosity was piqued. The group decided to step out of the mission hall.

The night in Xia Wang City was far from dark. Thanks to the Tesla electric tower and various magical lighting tools, the city was brightly lit, with few areas left in shadow.

Sitting on Fu Qing’s shoulder, Shu Bao wore a little hat on his head. Whenever someone passed by, the mouse would duck into the hat, using it as a makeshift hiding spot. This less-than-effective attempt at concealment still drew people’s attention. Many instinctively came closer, puzzled by the sight of two high priests conversing with a hat.

Fortunately, the people of Xia Wang were understanding. Realizing that the deity didn’t enjoy being stared at, they quickly and tactfully moved away.

The high priests, understanding Shu Bao’s feelings, led him to a quieter part of the city. This section of the wall bordered a cliff, where the sheer drop served as a natural barrier. Few monsters ever attempted to invade this area, so the defense force here was minimal.

Once on the wall, Shu Bao lifted the hat and hopped down from Fu Qing’s shoulder onto the sturdy stone bricks. The evening breeze ruffled the mouse’s fur, pushing it to one side.

Looking down, the scene revealed a deep abyss of darkness dotted with glowing plants. Glancing upward, there was a starless night sky.

Standing on the solid, heavy stones, even at this height, Shu Bao felt secure. Gazing out at the dark expanse of the Chaotic World, the mouse belatedly asked, “Where are Feng Shou, that white cat, and rain girl?”

“Oh, they’ve all gone to guard the subsidiary cities. Tomorrow’s the monster tide and some of the smaller cities might struggle to hold out,” the high priest answered, adding, “Apart from increasingly ferocious monsters, the Chaotic World’s creatures have started forming regular tides. Every so often, a wave of monsters will attack human settlements.”

In the thirty years since Shu Bao had left, no matter how hidden Xia Wang City had been, it was no longer a secret within the Chaotic World. In addition to hordes of monsters, many people from the Chaotic World sought to breach the city’s defenses to return to the real world through Xia Wang.

Some approached peacefully, hoping to negotiate their way into Xia Wang. Others resorted to violence or employed underhanded tactics, like Duan Zhuo, who had previously attempted to sneak into the city under the guise of chaos.

Xia Wang City’s protective barrier was incredibly robust, rejecting any attempts by non-residents to enter. As a result, every night, the residents of Xia Wang not only had to defend against powerful monsters but also fend off the advances of Chaotic World inhabitants.

Of course, Xia Wang City had also absorbed some talented individuals from the Chaotic World. However, the numbers were few. For one, the chaotic nature of Chaotic World factions and the mixed quality of its people made talent selection particularly cautious. Secondly, Lan Qing’s mines and taverns had a greater demand for manpower, so most talents were recommended to Lan Qing.

Looking out from the city walls, with the aid of city lights and the occasional flashes from magical explosions, Shu Bao spotted many creatures he had never seen before. Some monsters were so small their outlines were barely discernible, while others were as tall as the city walls themselves. Strange creatures filled the skies, with the most numerous being massive bats, each taller than a human.

As the monsters grew stronger, so did the city’s defenses. The original protective barrier had expanded alongside the base, now enveloping the vast expanse of Xia Wang City in a colossal shield.

On the city walls, in addition to mages, knights, and archers specializing in single-target attacks, there were many new weapons. Among them were purely technological devices like high-voltage charge towers powered by electricity. Once charged, these towers could wipe out all monsters within dozens of meters in a single strike.

In addition to technological weapons, there were also magical ones. The Gale Tower, powered by energy stones, unleashed massive wind blades capable of easily severing the legs of a spider monster tens of meters tall.

Short-range and long-range weapons worked in harmony. Powerful single-target weapons focused on elites and leaders, while large-scale attacks like Falling Flame Rain easily cleared smaller monsters from the battlefield.

Everything proceeded in an orderly and unhurried fashion. The strength of the Chaotic World had not overwhelmed Xia Wang City; instead, it had forged the city into an unbreakable fortress.

Meanwhile, the young dragon, cooped up for months, had finally let loose. Its massive figure soared through the night, its fiery breath occasionally illuminating the sky. With every burst of dragon breath, cheers erupted from the walls, a testament to the residents’ love for the dragon.

“I’ll accept the Mouse Deity just for this dragon!”

“This is amazing! That Flame-Winged Lizard is nothing compared to the dragon!”

Even from a distance, Shu Bao could faintly hear the excited shouts of the people. It was only then that the mouse realized not everyone placed their trust in him. The high priest explained the concept of freedom of belief, which Shu Bao wholeheartedly agreed with. Faith existed to make people’s lives better, and now, they were already living well.

After observing the battle for a while and confirming that Xia Wang City was more than capable of handling the siege, Shu Bao decided to leave the wall. Before returning to the mission hall to rest, he handed a few sets of leather skirts to the high priest.

“Even though it seems like you don’t need these anymore, I’ll leave them with you as a keepsake.”

Taking the thick leather skirts, the high priest was deeply moved. He hadn’t expected that after all these years, the deity still remembered to make skirts for him. Yet, as the deity had mentioned, the city’s textile workshops had advanced greatly. Now, it was rare to see anyone running around in animal hides.

The high priest carefully stored the skirts, planning to try each one on later, determined not to let the deity’s gesture go to waste.

After delivering the skirts, Fu Qing also took the initiative to bid farewell. He didn’t believe his unruly residents could develop a base as prosperous as Shu Bao’s. He was eager to return to his base, not out of homesickness but because of a deep sense of unease.

After the Chaotic World descended, Fu Qing decided to venture into it, intending to return to his base through the Chaotic World since his base in the real world was far from Shu Bao’s.

Naturally, Shu Bao didn’t stop his beautiful teammate. To Shu Bao’s surprise, when he was seeing Fu Qing off, two half-mechanoids stepped forward, declaring they would join Fu Qing on his journey. Clearly, during a time Shu Bao was unaware of, Fu Qing had successfully convinced the half-mechanoids to join him, effectively “abducting” them. After all, their recent expedition into the Mechanoids’ ruins had unlocked a wealth of new technology and resources, but they still lacked skilled personnel to operate and build with them.

Shu Bao discreetly gave Fu Qing a thumbs-up, acknowledging his talent for persuasion. Fu Qing grinned, brushing it off as a minor achievement.

And so, Shu Bao watched as his glamorous teammate departed Xia Wang City, taking the two half-mechanical beings with him. On the chaotic battlefield outside, Fu Qing’s departure caused little commotion.

The half-mechanoids following Fu Qing would maintain contact with Xia Wang City’s counterparts, which meant Shu Bao and Fu Qing would soon be able to use their communication network to determine their respective locations in the real world.

After seeing Fu Qing off, Shu Bao also planned to visit the Chaotic World in the coming days to catch up with his snake teammate and learn about the changes in the thirty years that had passed.

The next morning, Shu Bao woke up Yu Lingqi early and informed him that the mouse would fulfill the promise made earlier. This instantly perked up Yu Lingqi, who had been somewhat disgruntled, as he looked at Shu Bao with eager anticipation. Could it be that he was finally getting a subordinate city to manage?

“Don’t rush. Come, I’ll show you,” Shu Bao said, calming the excited Yu Lingqi as he led the way.

Yu Lingqi, full of curiosity, followed Shu Bao on a long walk, eventually arriving at a bustling crossroads. At one corner stood an oddly styled building whose steel exterior clashed sharply with the surrounding stone and wooden architecture. On the steel building’s signboard were large words: Yu Lingqi Gourmet Restaurant.

Yu Lingqi: “???!!!”

“Surprised? Thrilled? This fully automated gourmet restaurant is all yours to manage. Work hard and do your best,” Shu Bao said. With this setup, not only would the bait no longer go hungry, but he could also help feed others in need—a win-win situation!

While explaining, Shu Bao led the stiffened Yu Lingqi inside the restaurant. “There are four robots here made with Yinzhu to assist you in managing the restaurant. All you need to do is clock in, eat well, avoid losing weight, and make sure you stick to daily exercise routines like running.”

After following Shu Bao around for a tour of the restaurant, Yu Lingqi finally stabilized his emotions. While managing a gourmet restaurant instead of a city wasn’t quite the same, at least it aligned somewhat with his expertise. Comforting himself, he promptly found a way to embrace his lazy lifestyle.

With Yu Lingqi settled, the team members seemed to be in a stable state. And what about Tesla and T33674? Those two workaholics immediately dove into their work upon returning, needing no intervention from Shu Bao.

As Shu Bao stepped out of the restaurant, basking in the warm sunlight, he bounced toward the breeding area, eager to check on the grasshoppers that had been growing for thirty years. He planned to pick out the fattest ones, tie them up, and bring them as a gift to his snake teammate.

However, at a crossroads, Shu Bao noticed a crowd of people all looking in the same direction. Turning to see what was going on, his gaze landed on the high priest, clad in a tight leather skirt. His robust figure cutting a striking silhouette against the crowd.

The moment the high priest spotted Shu Bao, his eyes lit up. He immediately broke into a quick shuffle, his steps small but rapid as he made his way toward Shu Bao. “Deity!” he called out joyfully.

The crowd’s gaze followed the high priest as he moved, their curiosity palpable. Then, with an audible rip, the tight leather skirt he wore tore at the seam, transforming into a high-slit tight leather skirt on the spot.

Shu Bao blinked in stunned silence, while the crowd erupted in surprised murmurs. The high priest, however, seemed unfazed. With a bright smile and a demeanor full of pride, he approached Shu Bao, as if nothing had happened.

“Look at how confident you are,” Shu Bao muttered under his breath, struggling to suppress a chuckle.

The high priest, oblivious to—or perhaps intentionally ignoring—the wardrobe malfunction, stood tall, completely unbothered, radiating an aura of unshakable faith. The crowd, sensing the awkward yet humorous moment, began dispersing quietly, some suppressing laughter while others offered knowing nods to the deity they so revered.

Shu Bao sighed internally. How do I always end up in these bizarre situations?

Everyone: !!!

Shu Bao instinctively shrank back in surprise, but fortunately, the quality of the leather skirt held up, preventing it from turning into a single piece of fabric. Wearing his now-slit skirt, the high priest rushed over to Shu Bao.

The mouse made a determined effort to keep its head down, ensuring it wouldn’t accidentally see something it wasn’t supposed to. Keeping his gaze firmly on the ground, Shu Bao greeted the high priest and then promptly scurried away, still keeping his head low.

As he left, he could hear the high priest muttering softly behind him, “Did the deity sleep wrong and get a stiff neck?”

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