Beginning with the Ubume Bird-Chapter 507 - 3: The Great Railway
The cross’s jagged, sharp break plunged half a meter deep into the giant eye, spattering black blood high into the air.
The self-proclaimed "Great Yog," that giant eye, let out a heart-rending roar. The ground cracked, and countless solitary eyes opened up from the floor, followed by the ceiling, the walls, the chandeliers, the sculptures—everything in the church morphed into the eyes of Great Yog, filled with cruelty and slyness in their bloodshot gaze.
"Great Yog is watching you!"
He bellowed.
Li Yan felt a sharp pain in his temple. Such a psychic attack would have been enough to make an ordinary person bleed from all orifices and die.
But Li Yan had the "Resistance Vanguard" within him and quickly regained his senses. Without hesitation, he leapt high into the air. Behind him, a water sphere a meter and a half in diameter emerged, exuding a frigid aura. Clenching his fist, the sphere spun violently, launching large chunks of sharp ice spears in all directions like a ferocious storm.
The red-robed Fairy Maidens screamed and scrambled to dodge, but not a single one of Great Yog’s eyes was spared; they were all hit squarely by the ice spears, bursting like punctured water balloons, making a putrid sound.
A giant eye suddenly appeared on the back of a red-robed Fairy Maiden, before being pierced through by one of the ice spears, killing her instantly.
Zhen, who had tricked Li Yan into coming here, was shivering under a chair, muttering a curse in a language that was neither foreign nor local. Suddenly, a red-robed Fairy Maiden in front of her groaned in agony as a terrifying eye sprouted on her cheek, followed by a second and a third. The ice spears followed suit, stabbing directly into the Fairy Maiden’s head.
Zhen witnessed everything, her eyes rolling back in her head, the hem of her red robe soaked by water stains.
Li Yan furrowed his brow, wishing to spare some lives for interrogation, but this continued assault on the mortals meant no tongues would be left to question. Distracted by this thought, he suddenly felt a piercing pain on the back of his hand. Glancing at it, he inhaled sharply—a dreadful solitary eye had formed there.
"Great Yog is..."
Blood Dip!
Dragon Mist!
Great Yog let out a long, agonizing howl as its eye, under the ferocious onslaught of Dragon Mist, vanished from Li Yan’s hand, leaving only a jujube pit-shaped scar.
All of the eyeballs were shattered by Li Yan, and the church suddenly fell silent. The dozen-odd strange fish that had been tangled on the cross were now gone without a trace.
Li Yan fashioned a water vapor into an Ice Knife, glared, and flashed to the side of the fireplace, where a few swift chops cut a fleeing strange fish into pieces.
The hissing started again, as those hidden fish tried to escape in every direction, but before they could get far, they were enveloped by a cloud of Dragon Mist, struggling vainly to break free.
Li Yan twisted his neck as the Dragon Mist twisted violently, tearing apart the bodies of those serpentine creatures under the onslaught of the eerie white mist.
As they neared their end, these eye-covered strange fish let out a prolonged hiss: "Outer God! Do you think you will succeed? This world is already in the palm of the black-robed emperor, who uses steel and machinery to erode hearts. Both the old gods and rulers have fallen under his gaze, and you, too, shall be utterly defeated!"
Soon, under the corrosion of Dragon Mist, these serpentine beings turned entirely into dry mush, leaving them unable to speak again.
Li Yan vaguely felt that the being that claimed to be "Great Yog" wasn’t completely killed by him, or perhaps, its true form had never descended upon this world; he had only extinguished a fraction of its residual life force in this world.
Li Yan stepped over the flesh and filth, approaching Zhen, curled up into a ball, and the multitude of red-robed Fairy Maidens.
Zhen’s eyes were tightly closed, her hands clasped over her chest, muttering under her breath.
"The emperor dressed in a black robe approaches with ease, with lightning in one hand and metal in the other. He will overturn all indescribable deities from ancient times and re-decide the menu of all things. Ancient gods and tyrants will perish one after another. Sorcerers from the five continents will have no future. When black smoke shrouds everything, the world will become the emperor’s feast. Only the followers of Great Yog will be spared from the agony of death, holding red lanterns in their hands..."
An Ice Knife, radiating cold, pinned into the wood near Zhen’s ear.
"Your Yog has abandoned you, now only you can save yourself. Come on, use your brain and give me a reason not to kill you all."
Zhen opened her eyes and dropped to her knees with a splash, spreading her palms open. Her voice trembling, she said, "I’m willing to exhaust my life and loyalty to serve you, my lord."
"..."
The other red-robed Fairy Maidens followed suit and knelt down around Li Yan’s feet.
Li Yan shook his head, "That sort of talk doesn’t work on me, and I don’t need witches to deceive the living into becoming sacrifices for me. Do you have anything else to say?"
Zhen’s body was still shaking slightly, and the scent of death rendered her almost paralyzed, but at this critical juncture, she exhibited remarkable resilience.
"Your church is filled with believers, among them fierce gang leaders, brothel and opium den owners, smugglers, and even district police chiefs. They’re all eagerly awaiting your salvation. I, your devoted follower Zhen Lian, require your salvation as well."
Li Yan couldn’t help but laugh, "You’re a very smart woman. You don’t need anyone to save you."
Li Yan walked over to a bench on the side and sat down, surveying the flesh and bones, mummified bodies, and the shattered crucifixes all around.
"Tell me about this city, San Francisco."
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"We must issue a stern warning to the railroad companies, warning those shameless merchants. They must dismiss all Chinese workers within three months! Otherwise, our bullets will replace votes! Make the right choice for San Francisco!"
On a brightly decorated stage, a middle-aged man with flaxen hair and freckles, speaking with a distinct Irish accent, gave an impassioned speech as a throng of people gathered beneath the banners.
"Chinese, go back home!"
The man cried out with his arms raised.
Roars and cheers encircled him like a tidal wave.
Not far away, Li Yan, wrapped in a thick cloak, watched with a cold eye, arms folded.
"He is a representative of the Workers’ Party, named Corny. He is a rising political star in San Francisco. As for his views, you’ve heard them," said Zhen Lian, also cloaked, offering a hot cup of cocoa to Li Yan.
Li Yan didn’t take it, merely replying with a smile, "Survival is always difficult. Let’s get to the point."
"Of course, my lord," Zhen Lian softly spoke, pointing to the grand railroad that ran through the entire harbor. "Since the design of the Ocean Train first appeared at the World Expo in 1865, sixteen years have passed. The world’s top cities have constructed vast networks of train tracks, and San Francisco’s ocean railway has been in operation for five years."
"The trains on this railroad can set off from San Francisco, travel via Manila, carrying spices, gold, silk, coal, and iron ore to Lisbon in Europe or Nagasaki, Japan. It can also continuously supply San Francisco with opium, cotton fabrics, medicines, and various mechanical parts from all over the world. Undoubtedly, this rail line is a major artery connecting San Francisco to the entire world."
"However, the maintenance and construction of this railroad are almost entirely, over 80%, completed by Chinese. Due to their low wages and submissive nature, railroad companies prefer to hire Chinese, and for some extremely dangerous jobs, it is hard to find willing participants other than the Chinese."
Zhen Lian spread her fingers, "My father died in the construction of this railroad."
Li Yan glanced at her without a word.
"Ironically, the majority of Chinese are not allowed to enter San Francisco; they can only stay at the piers and docks. On cold nights, they blankly stare at the majestic railroad."
Zhen Lian turned towards Li Yan, speaking respectfully, "The stock exchange you’re looking for requires you to follow the railroad tracks uphill into San Francisco. ’Giant Lake’ is the Thursday performance at the Black Rose Opera House, which is the hottest opera house in San Francisco. As for the news of the Terrifying Mermaid, I am still inquiring."
