Chapter 62

With the sunset as the backdrop, Ilana's figure appeared even more graceful and charming, as if she were beckoning Jiang Junming from a distance. Jiang Junming looked around uncomfortably, trying to distract himself.

The grand temples around them rose and fell, solemn and sacred. After walking for a while, the style of the surrounding buildings changed. The bustling streets were lined with shops, and the huge signs flickered with various colors. Jiang Junming had never seen such a prosperous scene in this world before, and he stared with wide eyes. No wonder Linke said that the streets he had seen in Dusk City were just on the outskirts and not considered prosperous. Seeing this, Jiang Junming knew Linke was right.

The aroma from the restaurants spread everywhere, making people's mouths water. The alchemy shops were filled with various potions, neatly categorized and dazzling. In the weapon shops, weapons made of different materials hung on the racks, clinking together. The armor shops had both leather and plate armor, and the armor sold in the shops was more intricate than the armor worn by the squire knights he had seen at the Church Academy. There were also magnificent jewelry shops, where the misty light from the magical lamps enveloped the various jewels, making them look high-end and grand.

It's really beautiful, Jiang Junming's attention was completely drawn to the bustling street scene around him. As he looked around, he sighed in his heart. Moonlight City really couldn't compare to Dusk City. The prosperity of the streets here was more than twice that of Moonlight City.

The clothes worn by the people on the street were clearly more expensive and luxurious than what Jiang Junming had seen before. He could even see knights in plate armor and priests from various churches in their official attire walking through the streets, shopping for things they liked.

Ilana's attitude towards Jiang Junming was very cold. She didn't say a word the whole way, and even when Jiang Junming tried to start a conversation, she ignored him, making him feel a bit awkward.

There were a few shops with dark, closed doors, as if they were not in business, but there were still many people coming and going. Jiang Junming found this a bit strange and wanted to ask about it, but he thought she wouldn't answer him, so he decided not to ask.

After passing through the bustling streets, the surroundings gradually became desolate. After a few turns, the prosperity faded, and the smooth ground became uneven. The ditches by the roadside were filled with black, dirty water, floating with rotten vegetable leaves, various garbage, and even dead rats. More rats ran along the ditches, looking for food, completely unafraid of the people around.

This place was different from the bustling streets they had just walked through. The air was filled with a pungent smell, as if everything around was decaying. Seeing the occasional shadow of people who looked like zombies, Jiang Junming sighed in his heart. This must be where the poor people in Dusk City live.

The Temple of Care would not be in a prosperous area, even in Dusk City, it could only find a place in the slums.

As they walked further, the buildings around them became more dilapidated. After passing through a desolate open space, they came to the entrance of several alleys. This seemed to be the most prosperous part of the slums. Even though it was dark, there were still some women and children on the ground, carrying baskets, searching for not too rotten, edible vegetable leaves in the stinky garbage piles. The children shouted and sometimes fought over the "garbage" that vendors didn't want to sell.

Jiang Junming felt a bit heartbroken as he watched. The prosperity of Dusk City was something Moonlight City couldn't match. But the poor people here seemed to be even poorer than in Moonlight City. At least Jiang Junming had never experienced picking rotten vegetable leaves from garbage piles, even when he was in the orphanage.

Ilana was completely indifferent to everything happening around her, walking through the dirty and messy open space, heading straight for one of the alleys.

As they delved deeper into the slums, the night grew darker, and the shadows of people became hazy. Occasionally, a few men with lecherous looks stood by the roadside, sizing up the passersby with ill intentions.

Not far away, a woman in her twenties seemed to be heading home, carrying the vegetable leaves she had just picked. As she passed by a few ruffians, a whistling sound echoed through the stinky alley.

The woman moved to the other side, almost pressing herself against the wall, carefully passing by the ruffians. She held the vegetable leaves in her arms as if they were precious treasures. The ruffians teased the woman, and seeing her show disgust and fear, they became even more aggressive, as if they weren't satisfied yet. One of the ruffians leered and chased after her. Before he could catch up to her, he was pulled back by his companions, who looked at Jiang Junming from a distance, seemingly discussing something.

Jiang Junming, though not surprised by the scene in the slums, couldn't ignore it. Ilana, however, remained silent, as if she hadn't seen the ruffians, and walked straight past them.

Seeing Ilana in her black robe walking into the darkness, the ruffians, who had been whispering, quickly realized who she was. In an instant, they pressed themselves against the alley walls, looking at Ilana with fear. They didn't dare to touch her, and they couldn't even face her. Had they suffered at Ilana's hands before? Jiang Junming thought. It was possible. With Ilana's figure, she would be like a delicious cake to these ruffians, and they wouldn't miss the chance.

As for what would happen if they dared to touch Ilana, it was easy to guess.

These people encountering Ilana were a bit pitiful. Jiang Junming smiled and followed Ilana past the ruffians.

The moonlight shone on the slums, casting a desolate scene. The once solid walls, worn by time, were now broken. In the moonlight, one could faintly see the former prosperity and bustle. But the current desolation, in contrast to the past prosperity, made the harshness of life and the insignificance of the people living here even more evident.

After turning a few alleys, a dilapidated temple appeared. It was larger and better than the Temple of Care in Moonlight City, built entirely of stone blocks with some carvings. But even the temple, with its solid blue stones, bore the marks of time. Moss covered the higher parts, and vigorous weeds grew at the edges of the blue stones, swaying gently in the moonlight, adding a touch of coldness.

However, Jiang Junming noticed that on the stone wall above the temple, the carved pattern of holy light, though covered by moss and weeds, faintly revealed the shadow of the scales on the emblem of the Church of Justice. Could this place have originally been the abandoned temple of the God of Justice?

Ilana seemed to know Jiang Junming's confusion. She walked ahead without turning back and said casually, "This was originally the temple of the Church of Justice."

******

Hehe, Xiao Long's application for the Three Rivers was rejected again. Life must go on, please give me your support! Thank you to "Zhan Zhi Yun" and "Jonesw" for your generous donations. Thank you all.

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