Chapter 653 : The Untouchables

What ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Xiao Bu held in her arms was a pile of metal parts.

There ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was a gear missing several teeth, a rusted rule-bar, a few bent connecting rods, and some pieces that looked to be in better condition yet whose purpose could not be discerned. No matter how one looked at them, they seemed unusable.

Yet ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Xiao Bu cradled them carefully, her eyes full of affection.

It ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was one of her little hobbies. Once, when she had secretly peered out from the entrance leading from the bottom layer toward the lower district, she happened to see a mechanical doll.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍doll was already tattered and worn, but it could still barely move. It clapped its hands while hobbling forward on a single remaining leg.

Perhaps ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍on impulse, Xiao Bu had rushed out of the cave opening, leaving the bottom layer to retrieve that doll.

The Untouchables were not permitted to leave the bottom layer. She had been besieged by the residents of the lower district.

Freyr’s gaze fell upon Xiao Bu’s right arm, which had been pieced together from scrap steel. It lingered there for a moment before shifting away.

“Lord Freyr, may I ask how things are outside now?”

“Harmony and prosperity, people living and working in peace, everything serene.” Freyr let out a cold laugh and stepped forward. “We’ll talk as we walk.”

The Untouchables followed him as they moved ahead.

Freyr navigated through the underground passages with familiarity.

Coincidentally, when he had first arrived in Rhine City, he had merely intended to assess the situation and see whether he could assist the envoy delegation from Castel.

But after only slight contact, he had noticed abnormalities in the lower district. By a twist of fate, he had encountered these subterranean dwellers.

Though the underground was dim, there were occasional sources of light hanging from the cave walls, so it was not impossible to see. Freyr cast a casual glance at the walls—there were luminous fungi, lit candles, and lanterns missing half their casings.

Not a single one was the same as another.

The Untouchables crowded around Freyr and brought him to what they called a settlement.

Calling it a settlement was generous; it looked more like a garbage heap. All sorts of foul-smelling refuse were piled together, and nauseating green sewage seeped across the ground.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over him. Freyr looked up.

Above him stood a towering machine—assembled from discarded steel, even bits of wood, any material that could barely be put to use, all stitched together into a massive body.

At its center was a huge incinerator. Its crooked arms not only supported its frame but also grabbed nearby trash and fed it into the furnace.

Before Freyr could speak, the Untouchables beside him began shouting.

“Move the big one away! Keep it farther from Lord Freyr!”

“Yes, don’t let it bring a curse!”

Several responding sounds came from the machine. Soon it dragged its heavy steps away.

“Sigh, those technical lads just love tinkering with such things. It didn’t frighten you, did it, Lord Freyr?” someone nearby said ingratiatingly, shrinking back slightly.

Freyr drew a deep breath and slowly shook his head.

To be honest, the first time he had seen that massive thing, he had indeed been startled. White Stone Fortress had nothing like this. Even Castel’s steam locomotives seemed rather small before this “big one.”

But—

Looking at the enormous machine before him, Freyr frowned and asked, “Since you already possess such powerful machinery, why do you still live underground?”

The Untouchables beside him were startled. “If we don’t live underground, where else could we live?”

“On the surface, of course. Go to Rhine, to that so-called City of Miracles!”

The surroundings fell instantly silent. After a while, Xiao Bu spoke in a trembling voice, “We… we go to the surface?”

Her words were like boiling water splashed into hot oil. The underground immediately erupted into chaos:

“How could we go to the surface?”

“That’s where the great figures reside!”

“Yes, we can’t even become believers of the Church. We are cursed!”

“It’s already good enough for us underground. The people above even allow us to build ventilation shafts—we’re satisfied!”

Freyr looked at the clamoring crowd. In the past, he would have simply nodded quietly and refrained from comment. After all, he was only here to gather information and attempt to blend in.

But this time, for reasons he himself did not know, an inexplicable anger surged within him, impossible to suppress.

“A curse? Everyone, can you tell me exactly what this curse is?” he raised his voice.

The crowd fell silent at once. Sensing the anger in his tone, the Untouchables hesitated, not daring to speak.

In the end, it was Xiao Bu who stammered, “Brother Freyr, we are Untouchables. If people get too close to us, they will be infected with the curse, be rejected by the Candlelight, and never be able to become believers of the Church again.”

“Then why must you become believers of the Church?”

Xiao Bu froze, unable to answer.

Freyr shook his head. Looking at the people around him who wished to speak yet held back, he raised his voice again:

“Of course I know what you’re thinking—if you become believers of the Candlelight Society, you can step into Rhine, receive the Church’s relief rations, and no longer go hungry. You think that is the best of everything, don’t you?”

The Untouchables said nothing. They looked at Freyr with fear, afraid of provoking his anger.

But Freyr knew that this was indeed what they believed.

They had never left this underground world. The entirety of what they could see, aside from these caverns, was Rhine.

Their most beautiful fantasy was merely to become residents of Rhine—Lower Rhine.

They did not even know that Upper Rhine existed.

As for the Empire, the Empress, the Mechanic Sanctum, the Duchy of Tis, Castel—these were even more illusory concepts to them.

Freyr’s gaze dimmed slightly, tinged with weariness. “In that case, let me tell you about the surface. Let you know what the ground you yearn for is truly like.”

“Rhine…”

His thoughts gradually drifted back to the day he had first entered the city.

After revealing his identity to a priest of the Candlelight Society, he had quickly been allowed inside.

As he passed through the city gate, he turned his head for one last look. The machine that continuously rotated and lashed at the believers was still at work. The priest seemed to sense something amiss and forced a stiff smile, shifting slightly to block his view.

But though the priest blocked the machine, he could not block the believers’ eyes.

They knelt upon the ground—some covered in wounds, others still lining up to chant prayers. Their heads were lowered, yet their eyes lifted to look at Freyr.

Within those gazes there was contempt, disgust, numbness—but no envy.

As though being whipped were a glory worthy of pride.

The city gate closed behind him, shutting out the sound of whips cutting through the air and striking flesh.

Freyr tightened his filthy robe around himself and turned, stepping into Rhine.