My sister is Luna

Haidu, a renowned city on the western coast of the mainland, is the most prosperous harbor city in the entire Sunset Sea.

Sunset Sea is the most technologically advanced city in the region, the economic center of the land of warriors, a famous port city, an important gateway for East-West exchange, and a place that merchants yearn for.

Eleven Arcana families built it together a thousand years ago and have been its de facto rulers ever since.

The people here are ambitious, with a strong interest in discovering wealth and exploring knowledge. They are also very skilled in metallurgy and navigation. Commerce, adventure, and manufacturing are thriving and are the core of their industries, which is why they have armed a powerful navy for protection.

This city has a strict class division, surrounded by three districts. The outer district is home to a large number of low-income workers, fishermen, and farmers, resulting in a mixed and diverse population, reflecting both optimism and pessimism.

The central district is the most bustling part of Haidu, where various associations gather, and a large number of wealthy merchants, adventurers and inventors are present. The commercial atmosphere is extremely strong. Here, there is never a shortage of well-dressed social elites who chat and laugh, looking for the next big business.

The inner city is the center of power, elegant and the true seat of the superstructure. The Arcana family resides here, and all government decrees originate from here.

Today, one of the key figures in power in Haidu is Milady, the "City Builder"—the governor of the Tower family who laid the foundation for the city. A renowned master of mechanical arts, Milady wields powerful fragments of miracles and combines them with the secret technology of Akemia to make the city increasingly prosperous.

However, the pollution problem caused by the leak of the Star Source is becoming more and more serious. The city is now in a delicate balance. The development of Haidu is inseparable from the energy Star Source and miracles. However, the Star Source has become polluted and mutated, and the fragments of miracles obtained through betrayal have been left in the bodies of every Arcana family with a curse, which is a nightmare that haunts them day and night.

The search for the source of knowledge and the elimination of the curse are what all the governors of the sea city of Arcana desperately desire.

The tower gleamed in the daylight, and the elegant blonde noblewoman sat on her throne like a queen. Wearing an eyepatch, she exuded an air of aggression, like a pirate. She surveyed the city she ruled, her voice hoarse: "Finch is still guarding the secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Those who went east have not yet returned. The damned curse still lurks in our blood. The pollution from the Star Source cannot be effectively suppressed. None of these problems will hinder my progress. The age of gods is long gone. Humanity rules the continent of kings. I will lead the sea city of Arcana to its peak, stronger than any other place, any other city."

The mechanical servants creaked and groaned as they bowed in worship to the great "Queen".

.........

After a month and a half of wandering, Cain, who was on the run, finally arrived in Haidu.

His first impression of the place was novelty, as if he were in the mechanical industrial age of the 18th or 19th century, but the environment was fresher. He had been staying in the village for many years, and only the clan chief would come out at any time. He finally felt that he had left the ancient times a little.

Here you'll find rich people dressed in finery, as well as poor people begging in tattered clothes, but the most eye-catching sights are the fleets of ships anchored along the harbor and a towering tower.

Bukhin wore a black hood, the brim of which was turned down to cover his face, making him look mysterious and attractive.

Milady, one of the current governors, is very famous. Cain asked around and learned that she lived in that towering tower.

Cain strolled quickly through the outer and middle districts, constantly using the merchandise on display to conceal himself and avoid being seen.

Upon entering the inner city and arriving at the highest building of this supreme power, Cain couldn't help but marvel at the power of mechanical engineering.

The gate was wide open and unguarded, which meant there was no need for guards. Who would be so reckless as to act so brazenly at the gates of the ruling party?

With that thought in mind, Cain walked in openly. He was there to talk to Milady, so there was nothing wrong with that. But as soon as he stepped inside, the door made a jarring noise:

"Alarm, alarm, unidentified intruders have broken in. Forcefully remove them! Forcefully remove them!"

"What's going on?" Cain was puzzled. He hadn't done anything and had only just taken a step, so how could he have been forcibly driven away?

"Beep, beep, beep, beep." A row of short, block-like mechanical servants jumped over, their eyes flashing red, and began to push towards Cain, trying to drive him out of Milady's mansion.

They are not very lethal; their rapid flapping of short wings only causes considerable pain and serves to deter intruders.

Of course, Cain wouldn't let them have their way. He dodged them, stepped on the head of one of the mechanical servants, and jumped over them. The mechanical servants weren't pushovers either; they activated their jet propulsion mode and jumped up, clinging to Cain's legs.

"Beep, beep beep beep beep." The mechanical servant on Cain's leg made a series of urgent sounds.

Wait! Could it be...?

Kain was right. The mechanical servant on his leg exploded with a loud bang, and a violent shockwave shot through the air. Kain rolled away to avoid it, but only his trouser leg was torn apart. The force of the explosion was enough to kill an ordinary person half to death, showing how ruthless its master was.

Cain was a little annoyed. This was the only piece of clothing he owned. He was being chased every day and constantly circling around those mercenary groups. This was the only thing that kept him from living like a savage.

The other mechanical minions also emitted a series of urgent beeps. If Cain dared to take another step forward, they would all explode. Although he could dodge one at a time, he really couldn't withstand being blown up together.

Cain was caught in a dilemma, standing there somewhat at a loss.

“Hey, Milady, is this how you treat your guests?” Cain shouted at the tower. He knew Milady could hear him and was even watching his predicament. The infamous reputation of the “murderous demon” had spread throughout the Land of Warriors, and she definitely recognized him.

"..." However, nothing happened, and the mechanical minions began to surge towards Cain.

"Imprisonment of Master Finch, Dead Sea Scrolls, Crystallization Curse!" In desperation, Cain shouted out some key words.

The mechanical servants stopped abruptly, and a large megaphone emerged from the tower's spire, emanating Milady's hoarse voice: "Come in, sinner of the moon."

Cain breathed a sigh of relief and went inside, entering a mechanical device similar to an elevator. The elevator slowly rose, and Cain saw people and machinery working inside the high-rise building.

Kain looked with curiosity at this technology that was both familiar and unfamiliar to modern science and technology—mechanical arts.

Upon reaching the top floor, the elevator stopped. Stepping out, Cain saw a mature and beautiful blonde woman sitting on the "throne" at the very top, leaning on a cane, staring at him expressionlessly. An invisible aura of oppression emanated from her.

“Sinner of the moon, speak what you know,” Milady said coldly, looking down at Cain.

"This is a deal. What do you have that can be exchanged for my intelligence?" Cain also became serious, speaking expressionlessly. It was as if Milady was the one asking for something, not him.

The negotiation and game began the moment he stepped in!

"You're nothing but a sinner. You've only heard some rumors and betrayed your family to know some inside information, yet you still dare to try to make a deal with me. I'm already being very lenient by not catching you on the spot and handing you over to the Moon Family."

Every word Milady uttered carried an undeniable sense of oppression, like a towering tower pressing down on one, making it hard to breathe. It also conveyed a message to Cain: the Arcana family was not as united as he had imagined.

Cain ignored this, deliberately finding an empty seat to sit in, subtly observing Milady's mechanical laboratory:

"How far has your finger crystallized? You sent so many people to the East just because of that rumor, why don't you believe I have the power to help you?"

The specific manifestations of the curses of each family are secrets that every Arcana family guards closely, like the untouchable scales of a dragon. Yet Cain casually revealed the specific curses of the Tower family.

Upon hearing this, Milady's pupils constricted sharply, as if a vital point had been struck, but she quickly concealed her inner turmoil and regained her composure. She responded in her hoarse, low voice:

"Why should I trust you?"

These brief words revealed a hint of wariness and distrust.

But the other person's words struck a nerve. She was in the prime of her life with lofty ideals. If her entrepreneurial venture collapsed halfway through, she would die with regrets!

"The decision is yours."

Cain, standing to the side, appeared quite casual. He nonchalantly fiddled with the exquisite mechanical object on the table in front of him, a slight smile playing on his lips, as if he had anticipated the situation.

A brief silence fell over the room. Milady stared quietly at Cain, pondering his intentions.

If the curse is broken, she is certain that the Tower family will become even more prosperous and might even become the sole ruler of the Sea City!

Then her beautiful blue eyes darted around with her burning thoughts, trying to catch a glimpse of useful information from Cain's expression and movements.

However, Cain maintained his composure and calmness, making Milady elusive.

Finally, Milady broke the silence and asked, "So what do you want in exchange?"

The moment those words left her lips, her previously powerful aura noticeably weakened. Clearly, in this seemingly calm but actually turbulent negotiation, she had realized that she was at a disadvantage and had to make certain concessions.

"Well, I'd like to confirm first, do you have a device that can detect and separate energy?" Kain was pleased with the success of the plan and smiled slightly.

“Of course! This place gathers all the essence of Sunset Sea’s current mechanical technology.” Milady said proudly, yet somewhat surprised: “You only want this?”

“Of course I know that, but I hope the mechanism you provided will be useful,” Cain nodded, a hint of delight in his heart.

Milady raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. She got up and led Cain to another mechanical laboratory.

……