MTLNOVEL CHAPTER 196
Chapter 196: Sanctuary in the City of Flame
Lu Ming left the tunnel intact, a hidden lifeline for future use. He took only a month's worth of supplies for himself, a mere fraction of the warehouse's vast stores. It was unlikely anyone would notice the missing items.
A month from now, this tunnel would prove invaluable.
However, Lu Ming couldn't remain here for the time being. He needed to be cautious, lest someone discover the tunnel and trace it back to him. He couldn't afford to become a sitting duck.
Leaving the supplies temporarily hidden, Lu Ming ventured out, seeking a new sanctuary within the sprawling city.
"I need a place that doesn't attract attention," he mused, "somewhere devoid of obvious opportunities."
"Ideally, a place that's already been thoroughly plundered."
Such places were abundant in Flame City. The countless skyscrapers had maximized the use of space, and this area had once been the city's slums.
Opportunities were scarce in the slums.
Lu Ming selected a tall building near the city gate, choosing two rooms on the 232nd floor. He merged them, creating a space large enough for his Body Forging Technique practice.
"This should suffice," he thought, satisfied with his new hideout.
After transferring his supplies, morning had arrived.
He ate a quick breakfast and took a short nap. When he awoke, it was already the afternoon of the 188th day of the Black Mist Calendar.
While continuing his Body Forging Technique cultivation, Lu Ming adjusted his training plan.
"With Chengcheng and Wei Lan gone, daily cultivation is on hold."
"However, the Body Forging Technique can continue."
This meant his attribute gains would be slightly slower, but not significantly.
Compared to the potential upgrade of the Void Domain and the system's mysterious changes, Lu Ming considered this an acceptable trade-off.
"I can only hope for stability and peace from now on," he sighed, knowing that such a wish was unlikely to be fulfilled in the chaotic ruins.
Flame City was far from stable or peaceful. Battles raged, and lives were lost daily.
But Lu Ming had gleaned a strategy for finding tranquility amidst the chaos.
It could be summed up in six words.
Accumulate more supplies, don't look around.
This was Lu Ming's new mantra. Accumulating supplies meant fewer trips outside, perhaps even none at all. Not looking around meant avoiding unnecessary curiosity. No matter the chaos or the crowds passing by, as long as they didn't cross his mental alert line, Lu Ming remained indifferent.
Why are they fighting? What does the outcome matter?
These weren't questions for someone seeking tranquility.
For ten days, Lu Ming enjoyed a semblance of peace by adhering to this philosophy.
However, on the 198th day of the Black Mist Calendar, trouble came knocking.
A tremendous explosion rocked the city, jolting Lu Ming from his Body Forging Technique practice.
Another fight had broken out, and judging by the intensity of the sound, it was a major one, likely involving Spirit Realm experts.
Staying true to his mantra, Lu Ming ceased his training, suppressed his aura, and waited for the chaos to subside.
But the sounds of battle only grew closer.
Soon, the entire building shook violently. The roars of combat reverberated through the structure, sending dust raining down on Lu Ming's head.
Before he could recover from the tremors, he heard voices outside his window.
"Apelo, you dare steal from our Divine Dao Alliance! You're a dead man!"
"The rest of you, search the building! The other Black Feather Tribe members are hiding in the nearby buildings!"
"Capture them all! Kill them all! Today, I, Li De, will send your Black Feather Tribe to its final resting place!"
Apelo remained silent, retreating while fighting fiercely.
He and Li De quickly distanced themselves, but the sound of footsteps echoed from downstairs.
Lu Ming sighed deeply.
"Troublesome."
This was a classic case of being caught in the crossfire.
Lu Ming wanted nothing to do with their conflict, but many villains didn't understand his desire for peace.
Now, members of the Divine Dao Alliance were searching the building.
While Lu Ming wasn't their target, if they discovered him, they would likely attack without hesitation.
These people were ruthless, and reasoning with them seemed futile.
Lu Ming had no desire to engage in unnecessary conflict.
He checked his supplies – still more than half remaining. After grabbing some high-energy food, he quietly slipped out, planning to evade the search party and return later when things had calmed down.
Lu Ming was confident in his ability to remain undetected. Though his level was low, the Self-Limitation state's inherent aura concealment made him as inconspicuous as a pebble on the street.
However, he had either underestimated the diversity of abilities in the Black Mist Zone or simply encountered a stroke of bad luck.
Countless superhumans existed within the zone, each with their own unique powers. Some races even possessed innate abilities.
Lu Ming might be inconspicuous, but he wasn't invisible. If someone was truly determined to find him, there were ways.
As he was leaving the building, a group of Divine Dao Alliance members burst in downstairs.
Among them was a peculiar creature with a tall, slender body and three eyes. Despite its relatively weak strength, it belonged to a unique race—the Three-Eyed Tribe. Their third eye granted them special abilities like "super vision," "heat vision," and "penetrating vision."
The creature's third eye twitched, scanning the building's interior.
"He's here!" it exclaimed. "Besides the three Black Feather Tribe members, there's another person!"
The leader of the group, a Physique Realm expert, roared, "Kill them all!"
They had no intention of verifying Lu Ming's identity or intentions.
With their numerical and strength advantage, the Divine Dao Alliance members in Flame City had grown arrogant, often resorting to violence without hesitation when encountering outsiders.
More than ten Physique Realm experts surged through the building, each targeting a specific individual. On average, four experts were assigned to each target.
And there would be reinforcements on the way.
This was clearly a well-planned operation.
The speed of Physique Realm experts was astonishing.
Lu Ming had barely taken a hundred steps outside when the floor beneath him erupted with a thunderous crash.
He turned to see the concrete shattering, and a humanoid mantis creature, green and triangular-headed, emerged from the debris.
Lu Ming's brow furrowed. "Wait a minute, friend," he tried to reason. "Don't attack yet. Let's talk!"
The mantis creature brandished its twin blades, roaring, "Die!"
Then, it added in a guttural language, "And I can't understand a word you're saying!"
Lu Ming had been diligently learning the common tongue, but his progress was slow. In the heat of the moment, he had reverted to Chinese, which the mantis creature naturally couldn't comprehend.
As the blades slashed towards him, their sharp qi prickling his skin, Lu Ming's eyes darkened.
"You bunch of idiots," he growled, "why do you always have to push me?!"
End of Chapter 196