The seventh layer of the City of Machinery had always been the most mysterious and significant area in this city, reserved for the upper echelon of society.
Even during peacetime, entering this place required strict authorization.
Now, in a time of martial law due to the war, gaining access to the seventh layer had become even more difficult.
Following Vidar's instructions, Lynn arrived at an unassuming little café located on the sixth layer.
The café was tucked into a street corner, surrounded by a peaceful atmosphere that seemed detached from the bustling outside world.
Sitting at the bar, Lynn gently swirled the black coffee in his cup. The dark liquid rippled slightly with each delicate movement.
He lowered his head slightly and took a small sip. A strong coffee aroma filled his mouth, carrying a hint of bitterness that slowly mellowed into a lingering aftertaste.
The café's decor was simple yet refined. Wooden tables and chairs, coupled with soft lighting, gave the place a warm and tranquil ambiance.
Most of the customers here were people passing through in a hurry, with very few lingering for long.
Lynn sat quietly, waiting for the escort that Vidar had arranged for him.
As he gazed at the black coffee in his cup, his deep eyes reflected his thoughts on this latest research paper.
Why had Vidar, as the head of their project team, assigned him the position of first author? And why had he specifically arranged for Lynn to report in person on the seventh layer?
Did Vidar value him that much?
As a capable subordinate, Lynn had indeed received Vidar's praise and smiles on many occasions.
But that should be the extent of it.
After all, they were neither relatives nor particularly close. Yet the first-author position on a project paper was a significant reward.
Considering the City of Machinery was in a state of war, any successful battlefield-related innovation would undoubtedly be heavily incentivized to encourage other research teams.
The prestige alone was a huge gain.
And Vidar had simply handed this opportunity over to Lynn?
This series of events left Lynn puzzled.
Just as he was lost in thought, a crisp and gentle voice rang in his ears.
"Hello, you must be Lynn? Nice to meet you. I'm Lori, and I'll be accompanying you to the seventh layer today."
Lynn's train of thought was abruptly pulled back. He turned to look at the woman who had addressed him.
"So, this is the escort Vidar arranged for me?"
His heart gave a slight jolt as he subconsciously examined her, his brow furrowing slightly.
The woman before him was a First-Level Wizard, yet she wasn't dressed in a Wizard's robe. Instead, she looked as if she were out for a casual stroll.
She wore a simple yet elegant white floral dress. A pale yellow sash cinched at her waist, accentuating her delicate figure.
The hem of her dress swayed lightly in the breeze, revealing slender, fair legs.
Her features were delicate, with bright eyes and thin lips that naturally curved into a gentle smile, exuding warmth and approachability.
Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders as she tilted her head slightly, speaking softly to Lynn.
For a brief moment, Lynn was stunned, his gaze lingering on her.
It wasn't her beauty that caught him off guard it was the strange sense of familiarity in her features.
He had seen eyes like hers before.
That clarity, that bright and penetrating gaze it was just like Vidar's.
Vidar's eyes often held a deep intelligence and calmness, whereas Lori's eyes were softer but carried an undeniable resemblance.
A thought rose unbidden in Lynn's mind.
Was there a connection between this woman and Vidar? Her eyes were far too similar to his.
His thoughts churned as he hesitantly asked, "Excuse me for being forward, but Miss Lori, may I ask what your relationship with Wizard Vidar is?"
Lori's expression didn't change in the slightest. She continued smiling gently, her demeanor calm and composed.
"He's my father," she replied softly.
Lynn's heart clenched slightly, his gaze narrowing.
Father? So Vidar had sent his daughter as his escort?
Without revealing his thoughts, Lynn stood up, straightened his attire, and walked out of the café alongside Lori.
Despite the many questions swirling in his mind, he maintained a neutral expression.
Vidar had white hair and a beard. In the mortal world, a man of his appearance would be old enough to be Lori's grandfather.
But in the world of Wizards, age was an ambiguous concept. Long lifespans often meant witnessing multiple generations of descendants.
Lynn pondered for a moment.
Raising a Wizard in a family wasn't simple. A Wizard who wished to pass on their magical lineage not only needed to produce offspring but also had to endure countless failures and strokes of luck before finally producing a child with sorcerous potential.
Lori was one of the lucky ones, having sufficient talent to become an official Wizard.
With Lori's token in hand, the two of them successfully entered the seventh layer of the City of Machinery.
Lynn raised his head, unable to hide his astonishment.
The layout of this place stood in stark contrast to the bustling and dazzling spectacle of the lower layers.
Unlike the towering mechanical islands and the vibrant, floating structures below, the seventh layer was simple and archaic, as if returning to nature and forsaking modern design entirely.
Vast open grounds stretched ahead, dotted with ancient, unadorned buildings. These structures exuded a solemn and tranquil aura.
Unlike the soaring skyscrapers of the lower layers, these buildings were subdued, bearing marks of age and history.
Lynn's gaze swept across the solemn surroundings.
Even though he and Lori possessed the necessary token, a towering, silver mechanical golem trailed them closely. Its metallic exterior gleamed faintly in the sunlight as it moved with steady, deliberate steps.
Its presence ensured that the two of them could only proceed to their designated destination nowhere else.
Clearly, as the highest layer of the City of Machinery, the seventh layer was under the strictest security.
Even though they had access, their movements were still heavily restricted without proper authorization.
Walking along the spacious road, they saw no other people. The only signs of life were the mechanical golems patrolling in silence.
It was eerily quiet, carrying a sense of solemnity.
As they continued forward, Lynn occasionally glanced at the surrounding buildings, but his mind remained clouded with doubt.
He had no intention of initiating a conversation with Lori, but the young woman didn't seem inclined to remain silent.
She spoke softly, her voice gentle and naturally warm:
"This city has a different style on each level. This must be your first time visiting the seventh level, right?"
Lynn nodded slightly, responding politely, "Yes, it's much quieter here than I expected."
Lori didn't seem the least bit awkward. Instead, she smiled gracefully and continued,
"I haven't been here many times either, but this place is completely different from the other levels…"
Lynn nodded in acknowledgment, but a question surfaced in his mind.
Why did Vidar send Lori to accompany him?
A self-indulgent thought crossed Lynn's mind.
Could it be that Vidar was trying to introduce his daughter to him?
It wasn't an unreasonable guess. After all, Lynn didn't need Lori to accompany him on this trip. If Vidar had simply given him the access token, he could have entered on his own.
Once inside, a mechanical puppet would have led him to the designated location anyway.
But now, Miss Lori had arrived dressed in a simple yet elegant white dress, clearly making an effort with her appearance, and was personally accompanying him.
Not only that but along the way, she actively sought common ground for conversation and engaged him in dialogue.
"Could it be that my reputation as a bookworm has spread? Did Vidar deliberately have his daughter dress like this for me?"
As they strolled down the broad roads of the seventh level, exchanging occasional words, Lynn cast a sidelong glance at the woman in white beside him.
For a bookworm like him, this kind of attire was indeed quite effective.
If Vidar was truly trying to introduce Lori to him, then his decision to make Lynn the first author of their research paper suddenly made sense.
After all, if Lynn were to become his son-in-law, then no matter what happened, the benefits would remain within the family.
However, this hypothesis also raised another question.
If Lori was intentionally getting close to him, why did Vidar hold him in such high regard?
Was it solely because of his performance in the project team? Even Lynn himself found that hard to believe.
As they continued walking, Lynn pondered these questions, but without more information, he couldn't come to any conclusions.
Due to the restrictions of the seventh level, they had to proceed on foot, accompanied by the mechanical puppet. Flying was not permitted, which delayed their journey.
During this time, Lynn and Lori engaged in quite a bit of conversation.
Of course, Lori was the one asking questions, while Lynn merely answered out of politeness.
If she hadn't spoken, Lynn wouldn't have started a conversation on his own. Instead, he would have simply observed his surroundings, taking in the scenery.
Finally, they arrived in front of a massive building their destination.
A formal Wizard was already waiting for Lynn at the entrance.
Lori stopped, her gaze still gentle. Despite being somewhat ignored along the way, she maintained her faint smile.
"I'll wait for you here."
Lynn nodded and turned his attention to the towering structure before him.
Unlike the other buildings on the seventh level, this one stood out it was purely mechanical, rather than the classical architecture found elsewhere.
The high rise was hundreds of meters tall, resembling a massive metallic cube.
"Please come with me, Wizard Lynn."
The formal Wizard wore a long robe and cast a brief, puzzled glance at Lori, clearly finding her attire somewhat inappropriate for the setting.
After all, the seventh level was the most authoritative part of the Mechanical City, and Lori's casual dress seemed rather out of place.
But that was none of his concern. Without further comment, he led Lynn into the building.
The interior layout closely resembled the research institute on the sixth level, giving Lynn a sense of familiarity.
It made sense this was the governing body above the sixth-level research institute, so a similar design was expected.
What puzzled Lynn, however, was that instead of stopping at a lower floor, they continued heading toward the very top of the building.
While their research team had made some progress, their achievements hardly seemed significant enough to warrant being summoned to this level.
Yet, the Wizard guiding him said nothing, behaving almost like an automaton as he led Lynn to an area near the top.
The elevator doors slowly opened, and Lynn stepped inside. The Wizard, however, immediately left, descending in the elevator.
This space was remarkably unique and the entire floor of the building was completely dedicated to it.
In the heart of the seventh level of the Mechanical City, within an official building handling the city's most critical affairs, having an entire floor to oneself signified an extraordinary level of authority.
Lynn had a hunch someone influential had arranged this meeting.
Still, since he was already here, he might as well take in his surroundings.
Every inch of the walls and floors gleamed with a cold, black metallic sheen as if the entire space was enveloped in an unknown force.
The floor was jet-black, the design filled with futuristic mechanical aesthetics. Various research equipment and unfinished mechanical constructs were scattered around.
Lynn's heart stirred this place felt more like a private laboratory than an official office.
Components and tools were meticulously organized, and the walls were lined with intricate control panels.
Dim electronic devices emitted faint glows, making the whole space feel like it was silently operating.
"Which high-ranking figure in the Mechanical City is looking for me?"
Lynn pondered this question.
Just as he was deep in thought, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the silent chamber.
Instinctively, Lynn turned toward the source of the sound, his gaze locking onto the figure approaching from the distance.
It was a woman.
She wore a sleek, form-fitting bodysuit that accentuated her curvaceous figure. Over it, she wore a simple mechanical armor, giving her an unconventional yet striking beauty.
Her stride was elegant, and her long, wine-red hair cascaded over her shoulders, swaying gently like flickering flames.
Her features were stunning, her eyes brimming with a unique allure intensely captivating, capable of ensnaring anyone's gaze.
And yet, despite her breathtaking appearance, Lynn felt no sense of temptation.
Because this woman radiated an overwhelming presence.
Three powerful energy fluctuations surrounded her, acting as protective barriers.
This was without a doubt a third-level Grand Wizard!
So, she was the one who had summoned him?
Lynn's mind raced with questions, but he maintained his composure, bowing slightly in greeting.
Why had this third-level Grand Wizard taken an interest in him?
The woman's lips curled into a smile, her mesmerizing eyes locking onto Lynn.
Then, she spoke a single sentence that sent a chill down his spine.
"The people from the Furnace Stone are they looking for you?"
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