Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 696: Is it easier to get things done if you have connections?
"What did you say?" Ling Ge thought he had misheard at first and had to confirm it again.

"Haha." The old man didn't care. He smiled and repeated his previous answer: "I said, although this matter is a bit difficult, it is not completely impossible."

"What method?" Ling Ge asked hurriedly.

"It's actually very simple." The old man said as he pondered, and the movement of watering the flowers in his hands gradually slowed down. "You should know that there are many ancient and medieval architectural ruins left on the Kenkville Green. They are traces left by the ancestors of the Renwitin people when they still lived here. But not only on the ground, but also underground, there are many relics. In ancient times, the ancestors of Renwitin built a large-scale building complex under the city, including rivers, drainage canals, sewers, trenches, bunkers, etc., to resist the invasion of northern barbarians. These relics buried in the underground world have not been effectively developed to this day due to factors such as terrain, environment, funds and difficulty of excavation, and still maintain their original appearance. Some of the ancient passages even lead directly to the urban area of ​​Renwitin."

The old man stroked his beard and spoke as if he knew the history of this land by heart. "So when the Renwitin City Government initially decided to build the subway, they found that some of the planned routes had already been dug through and did not need a second operation. That was the legacy left for them by their ancestors in ancient times. Of course, some underground passages that were not on the planned routes were abandoned and filled in after being exposed due to accidents such as land subsidence, earthquakes, and building collapse. For the people of Renwitin, these are commonplace and not worth making a fuss about."

However, for outsiders who are visiting this city for the first time, this is extremely valuable information.

Lingge was thoughtful: "You mean to suggest that we secretly enter the city of Lunweiting through these underground passages? But we are outsiders after all, how do we know which one is the right one?"

As for the history of the ancestors of the Renwittin people living here in ancient and medieval times, due to the lack of classification and too much missing information, even a considerable part of the 13,000 ancient buildings left on the Kenkville Green have not been carefully studied, let alone these secret passages left underground? Without guidance, even the archaeologists who are most familiar with that period of history would not be able to find the correct path through these underground passages that have been abandoned for more than ten centuries.

"There is no need to worry about this matter."

Old man Pancras smiled and said, "There is an underground passage inside the Gospel Convent that leads directly to the Seven Stars Pan area on the outskirts of Lunwitin. It is safe and secret and will never be discovered by the eyes and ears of the combined church. If you need it, feel free to use it."

The Seven Stars? Isn't that the neighborhood where St. Annville Cross Church is located? In this case, this underground passage should have its origins in the Spiritual Prayer Society. However, after the latter's believers collectively evacuated the land of Runkwell and St. Annville Cross Church was closed and no longer received believers and tourists, this passage should have been abandoned. It was not until old man Pancras established the Gospel Convent in the Three Mountains that it was resumed.

As for what the aliens will use this passage for, it is probably to buy daily necessities or to inquire about the movements of the night watchmen. Although it is risky to do so, only by mastering the enemy's intelligence can this weak shelter survive in the place closest to the enemy, instead of ending up like the Void Root Swamp.

Lingge roughly figured out the cause and effect, but there was still one thing he couldn't figure out.

"Although it may seem a bit offensive to say this, I still want to ask you a question, Lord Pancras." Linger carefully considered his words and asked, "Why do you care so much about outsiders like us? In essence, this matter has nothing to do with you, and it may even bring danger to the Evangelical Convent. To be honest, your agreement to provide us with a temporary shelter is enough to make us grateful. As for deeper contact, it seems unnecessary from your point of view?"

It is normal to have doubts. Alice is probably the only person in the world who can accept help from a stranger she meets for the first time with peace of mind. But at least, Lingge is not that kind of person, so he wants to know the reason, and he knows that there must be a reason.

Was he feeling guilty about the fact that the Religious Decree implicated the innocent Holy Goddess Cult? Or was he, like Rochelle, placing some deep expectations on Lingge, a "true believer"?

But the young man didn't expect that the reason was simpler than he thought, and it actually had nothing to do with him. "Didn't Miss Shesta mention it to you?" Old Man Pancras stopped watering and looked back at Lingge in surprise. "If it weren't for her help, the Gospel Convent would probably not exist at all. It was she who provided a peaceful place for the aliens here to live. Therefore, it is only natural for me to help her friends. Please don't worry."

Ah, this.

Is there such a thing?
Ling Ge and Saint Xia Liya looked at each other in bewilderment. After a long while, the young man finally managed to squeeze out a sentence from his mouth: "Shesta... really didn't mention this to us. She just said that she had a relationship with everyone in the Evangelical Convent. What is going on? Can you explain it to us?"

"Haha, didn't she tell you? This is indeed like Miss Shesta's style, doing good deeds carefully, not taking credit for it, and not being arrogant. All the excellent qualities that a traveler fairy possesses are fully reflected in her." Pancras sighed, and heard Ling Ge and Saint Xia Liya looking at each other again, and did not speak for a long time.

Is the Miss Shesta he mentioned really the same person as the proprietress they know?
Why does it feel so different?
……

Later, with the explanation of old man Pancras, the two finally understood the truth of the matter.

In fact, it was very simple. It was nothing more than that when the "Religious Decree" was issued, the United Church and the Animists were communicating enthusiastically on this land. Pancras gathered thousands of aliens and led these innocent creatures who were persecuted and oppressed to find a new home where they could live in peace. However, this was not an easy task, because the sharp blades of the Night Watch and the Scales of Order were hanging over their heads and could fall at any time. The United Church was only busy dealing with the Animists and temporarily ignored this group of fleeing aliens. When they freed up their hands, a massacre might be inevitable.

At this time, Shesta, who happened to be traveling in Lunkwell, led them to a hidden valley in the Three Mountains, which is now the Gospel Convent, avoiding the combined search of the cults and gaining a little breathing space for the aliens. After that, she left for a short period of several months, and when she appeared again, she brought the three photon elves to Pancras.

Thus, the Ether Curtain was erected and the Gospel Convent was established. The former played a vital role in the survival of the latter. Without the disguise of the Ether Curtain, this alien shelter would be exposed to the united cults sooner or later. Therefore, on the one hand, the three photon elf sisters who were responsible for erecting the Ether Curtain became the biggest contributors, and on the other hand, Shesta, who persuaded and brought them to the Three Mountains, became another contributor.

By the way, the three photon elf sisters also regard Shesta as their benefactor, apparently because she used fairy magic to save them in times of crisis and also found a new home for them when they were homeless.

In this way, it is not difficult to understand why the three sisters (except Beimin) were so enthusiastic about these newly arrived humans and why Pancras was willing to give them key assistance.

There is a reason why traveling fairies, though not good at fighting, can travel all over the world on pilgrimage.

The longer a traveling fairy lives, the more extensive his network of contacts will be, and he can often play an unexpected role at critical moments.

　Give me some meow
　　
　
(End of this chapter)