Chapter 407: Inverse Tree

A majestic building stood tall on a high platform in the center of Norzin's Central District.

Besides this high platform, there were also various small buildings scattered around the high platform like orbiting satellites. These buildings were all important places—the Supreme Court, the Supreme Tax Department, the Supreme Police Bureau, parliament…

Norzin was, after all, a large and complex machine. Without its many components and screws, it was basically impossible for the city to operate.

If Boss Lin were here, he might have sighed in amazement. Though small, Norzin's 'internal organs' were all intact.

However, whether these places that began with the so-called 'Supreme' would allow ordinary people to enter or not was another issue.

Built on the high platform in the center of the Central District where every inch of land was expensive was a dense, green, and beautiful man-made forest that citizens of the Upper District would likely never see throughout their lifetime, as well as a massive building hundreds of stories tall.

The forest was used to regulate the air, so people called it 'Norzin's lungs.'

Norzin's lungs? It was merely a bonsai belonging to the Central District.

Even the right to breathe was not something that the poor could easily enjoy. Only the people who lived in the Central District could truly enjoy the so-called refreshing air created by this forest. Others only breathed the residue of industry.

If one were lucky enough to climb up the high platform and look into the forest, they would be able to see from the front of the central forest the building that seemed to tower into the clouds.

Within it was where the true power of the nobles resided, as well as the adjudication bureau led by the 'twelve nobles.'

However, this was merely the tip of the iceberg, a drop in the ocean. No one knew that beneath this huge building, thousands of meters deep underground, after passing through countless layers of hard ground and rock... was a massive space.

This place seemed like a dream realm without an end. There was no blue sky, nor sun or moon, only a pitch-black cavern and an inverted tree so huge it couldn't be described.

This tree was simply too large that it was impossible to imagine its complete appearance. However, the elders gathered under those countless branches knew.

This inverted tree ran through the whole city of steel.

A group of elders in white robes were beneath the tree, so wasted with age that their skin were layers upon layers of wrinkles, making it impossible to glean their appearance, gender, or identity. Hence, they could only be called 'elders.'

They were the true masters of the adjudication bureau.

One bearded old man, whose big nose looked like a thick, wrinkled worm hanging off his face, probably because of age, stroked his beard and said, "Humphrey, whom we sent to the auction, is dead. Looks like we've underestimated the bookstore owner."

The droopy eyelids of the others' immediately snapped open, their turbid yellow eyes seemed to have a layer of dust on them, which made for an extremely unsettling sight.

"Mm, besides Inspector Captain Humphrey, the others got infected by the seeds of the evil god," the big-nosed elder continued.

"Barr, was it that bookstore owner who killed Humphrey?" Another old man with a walking cane asked, his face so droopy as if held down by weights.

The big-nosed Barr continued solemnly, "No. It was done by people from the Lower District."

"What?!" The few of them acted as if they had received some shocking news; some even stood up. They were even more surprised than when they found out the disposable personnel sent to the auction had died.

The few of them knew how powerful the bookstore owner was, but the deaths of Humphrey and the other spies sent by the central administration just once again refreshed their understanding of Boss Lin's strength.

But more importantly, the people from the Lower District... had actually come up!

"How did he do it?!" One of the old ladies was so worked up her entire body trembled, and she was even a little afraid. "How did those livestock from the lower city come up?"

Barr glanced at her and said soothingly, "Calm down, Asmodeus. Don't be surprised."

When the old lady called Asmodeus heard Barr's comforting words, she took a deep breath and calmed down. However, she heard Barr go on, "After all, what you hear next will shock you even more."

Asmodeus: "..."

Barr carried on unhurriedly, "Because I suspect that, no, I'm certain that the people of the Lower District... have been guided by this Boss Lin."

Everyone fell silent when they heard Barr say this.

In order to break the silence, Barr continued, as if he was revealing something, "I'm not sure how that person from the Lower District arrived in the Upper District, but he did seem to have received some form of mysterious guidance, to kill Humphrey and obtain that masterpiece said to have been written by Boss Lin.

"This series of events is full of coincidences. The books at the auction will choose their own owners for one. Given that it's that bookstore onwer's work, it represents his feelings the most. Thus, how is it possible that the useless Humphrey was chosen?

"I'm afraid that…" Barr closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. "This is all part of the bookstore owner's scheme."

"Looks like a big fight with him is inevitable. Since he dares touch the Lower District, he's messing with the foundations of the whole of Norzin," the youngest amongst this aged group spoke up firmly all of a sudden.

"Agathare, you're still as combative as ever," said Barr with a frown and a slight hint of sarcasm. "But you might as well use your brain before a battle. Do you think that we can beat the bookstore owner as of now?"

Agathare was stunned. He hadn't expected Barr to admit he couldn't defeat the bookstore owner so quickly. This fellow had no dignity.

"Hmph, timid like a mouse!" Agathare tilted his head to the side sullenly.

"He's someone who could force the Path of the Flaming Sword to band together, as well as the one who destroyed the Church of the Dome. He also casually instigated two Supreme-rank transcendents to turn Norzin upside down. Have you all forgotten that? And the reversal of time... Had it not been for that existence, we definitely would have been none the wiser."

The shortest amongst the group spoke up, "I think it's false that he arranged for the two Supreme-rank transcendents to fight. His true aim was to let us see his might."

Having said that, he paused momentarily before continuing, "That aside, he's able to predict everything so precisely and no development seems to be beyond his expectations. He must be familiar with the past and the future. Perhaps…"

He hesitated for a bit before finishing his sentence, "What if He can see what we are plotting here?"

"Nonsense! This is just alarmist talk! You're really something, Amon," Agarthare rebutted angrily. Then he pointed at the massive inverted tree and cussed loudly, "You are helping him inflate his notoriety and destroying your own dignity. Also, can I take your words as disrespect to the witch of the tree?!"

Amon just shrugged and sneered, about to retort when Barr interrupted him.

"Enough arguing. Are you two trying to affect the mother of Norzin, who fights the Wall of Fog alone, and the great witch of the tree who protects all of Norzin—Fraxinus, who is sleeping?"

Barr's words shut the quibbling two up, and they fell into a sullen silence.

Barr sighed and walked toward the fruit that was hanging from the tree, and everyone followed him respectfully.

"No matter what, engaging in war with him now is impossible. The gray fog has already started to spread when the Path of the Flaming Sword pried open the dream fissure, and even Norzin is in danger. We wait for the time being. When the Path of Flaming Sword makes a move, we sit back and reap the benefits.

"Just that, at that time, we'll have no choice but to disturb the long slumber of the witch Fraxinus." Barr walked over to the man-sized fruit. Toward the top of the fruit was a transparent window, and he looked in from the outside—

A girl with turquoise hair and a gorgeous face like an angel was lying naked in the center. Her skin was fair and fragile, but there were some turquoise branches growing on her, making her even more beautiful.

From a certain point of view, the witch of the Fraxinus tree was the source of power for all of Norzin's constructs and shelter. Norzin was like a fetus in her stomach, constantly absorbing her nutrients.

Her long green eyelashes fluttered slightly, as if she was having a long dream. There was a slight curve at the corners of her beautiful face, making it seem as if she was a young girl.