The Dawn of the New World Chapter 1463

The heat and daylight began bearing down on them the moment they stepped out.

Hao Xuan had to close his eyes for a minute to adjust to the blinding difference.

"Over here," Luz ushered into a small back alley.

It wasn't even a proper alley but the empty patch of space between houses that was used as a buffer during sandstorms and earthquakes when there was too much movement.

Hao Xuan had to walk sideways and even then he was barely able to make it through.

"Are you sure this is safe?"

"Mhm! Very safe, if the city don't move or stop."

*creak*

The walls around them began to moan and screech for a few seconds before calming down.

'Huh, death by getting squished between two structures wasn't even on my radar...'

Luz wanted to show him around every important neighborhood and he managed to do so in record time thanks to his shortcuts. After every 3-4 minutes of VERY risky traversal, they would come out to a brand new area.

From the shopping and trade districts where anything and everything could be found, all the way to the hidden dilapidated streets where a scant few hooded figures could be seen walking about, nothing was left out.

He even took them to the control hub from which everything related to the city was regulated. Luz truly showed it all to Hao Xuan. There were some points during the tour where even he faltered.

But finally, after nearly six hours, they came out to a small street where loud noises could be heard coming from either end.

Hao Xuan brushed off his clothes, "Argh, my back. Is this the last stop? Where are we now?"

Luz cracked his back and started to stretch while gesturing towards the left side.

"That is war district! Whenever something happens all soldiers come here for getting ready. You can get many things fast and then go down fastlier!"

Hao Xuan looked to the right side which didn't have the hustle and bustle of the crowded streets but the howling of the billowing wind instead.

"And there? What's up there?"

"Nothing anymore," Luz shook his head disapprovingly, "There was the beast market there but after the beast tamers left all is gone."

Hao Xuan walked a little closer to feel the temperature rising by several degrees and the wind getting stronger with every other step.

"So it's all abandoned?" he questioned.

If there was an area within the city that was out of the way then he could use it as a training ground.

"Not all. Some slaves still live there to feed beasts of the patrons that are too dangerous. It is more clean but too much hot and windy! Main deck is right after so many winds come down here."

As Hao Xuan got closer the sand began to pile up on the sides. The wind was blowing past with so much force that it looked like a moving wall.

"Friend Jin, that is not good idea! It is very much hot now!" Luz shouted from the back anxiously, afraid of getting too close.

He wanted to go with but his little body was being easily pushed back by the pressure. But for Hao Xuan, it was an entirely different story.

The temperature rose exponentially and then began to plateau after a certain point. It stung at first but when he took in a few deep breaths all the heat was pulled into his lungs. And when he breathed out it was cold, icy cold.

He couldn't help but close his eyes and savor the feeling. It was a little fulfilling but the moment he stopped an emptiness was left in its place that was screaming to be filled.

"FRIEND JIN!" Luz shook him awake.

"What?! What's wrong?" he looked over his shoulder at his trembling figure taking cover behind him.

"YOUR HANDS!"

Hao Xuan looked down only to see a light sheen of golden dust covering his skin just after the iron cuffs. When he rubbed his fingers over it the dust fell away but it melted the top layer of his skin before doing so.

"What the hell?!" he jumped back several meters, far away from the sand and the wind.

There were three vertical bloody marks on the back of his arm as if something had dug into his skin. But the strangest part was that it didn't even hurt that much even though there were pieces of skin and flesh missing.

"What is this? Is this supposed to happen? Did the wind cut me?" he looked over at Luz for answers but the other party wouldn't even look him in the eye.

"This was bad idea, you should not have gone there! The curse is...its the curse!" he was mumbling to himself in a trance.

"Hey, get a hold of yourself!" Hao Xuan shook him like a rag doll, "I'm the one who got hurt, why are you losing your shit?!"

"I'm not- You don't understand," Luz looked like he was on the verge of tears, "That place is no good! It is part of city but not at the same time."