Chapter 29: Steam and Machinery, Magic and Mystery

[You have experienced a painless Transmigration.]

[As you open your eyes, you find yourself in a world of steam and magic, and your body has transformed into that of a 15-year-old, frail and ordinary.]

[You have no identification, no money, and you don't even have a bowl to start with.]

[As a transmigrator, you are not overly panicked; you unhurriedly investigate your surroundings, preparing to start from scratch in this world.]

[Although the 15-year-old body has not fully developed, it is already capable of self-reliance. This is your greatest asset and source of confidence. You cheer yourself on in your heart and struggle to crawl out of the sewage.]

Roaring steam.

Interlocking gears.

Efficient magic.

At night, steel and steam, magic and mystery, together construct the central hub of a massive city.

What awakens Xu Xi is an incomparably sharp, long-drawn-out steam whistle.

"Toot—!!!"

Opening his eyes.

The left and right sides are blocked by towering red walls, leaving only the space in the middle, revealing the dim sky and the faint, yellowish light of street lamps.

Suddenly, scorching white steam erupts from an unknown location.

It strikes high into the sky.

Colliding and reacting with the cold night wind.

Forming dense, drifting water droplets that fill your field of vision, then dissipating back into fog, slowly and evenly surging into every corner of the city.

This mist severely obscures vision, and from time to time, curses can be heard from all over the city.

Consequently.

Xu Xi sees it.

Figures wearing mage robes and holding wands float in the air, waving them casually, causing massive firestorms to appear in the sky, swallowing up the mist.

The city returns to quiet once again.

"Praise the omnipotent magic and the noble Fire God."

People pray like this.

This era is truly magical; the faith of the gods spreads across the land, upholding the great power of magic while also possessing the convenience of steam. Yet, in the corners of this greatness, there are also some neglected, dark places.

"How should I put this? When simulating a Transmigration, couldn't you give me a better start?"

Xu Xi struggles.

He laboriously crawls up from the alley.

This alley is filled with black, filthy sewage; it is foul-smelling and has an inexplicable corrosiveness. Compared to the famine-stricken start of the last simulation, the level of misery is about the same.

Xu Xi highly suspects that this simulator is deliberately messing with him.

"In any case, first find a way to solve the most basic needs of clothing, food, housing, and transportation, and then consider delving into magic."

After standing up.

Xu Xi stumbles out of the alley.

In this brand-new simulation world, he does not have a shred of extraordinary power, nor does he have the eternal teardrop with him, so he cannot rely on his younger sister for support.

Fortunately, with three talent traits, self-reliance is not a problem.

[You take the difficult first step.]

[By asking around, you learn that your current location is Alenson City, situated in the northern part of the world. This is a large city equipped with efficiently operating steam machinery, primarily worshipping the Fire God, the God of Smiths, and the Goddess of Harvest.]

[Being a newcomer, you choose to earn your first pot of gold through manual labor.]

[You succeed. Although you are exhausted to the point of near-death, you have earned your first meal with your own sweat, as well as your first insignificant sum of money: a full three copper coins.]

[You counted them for ten minutes.]

[You are incomparably gratified; everything is developing according to your plan.]

[You choose to temporarily take root in the slums. The food here is good and cheap, and you don't need to rent a house; two or three pieces of scrap metal on a patch of muddy ground become your new residence.]

…

[A year passes. In this year, you have successfully mastered the basic intelligence of the world and know what to do next.]

[This is an era ruled by gods.]

[Countless people rely on worshipping gods to obtain the ability to manipulate magic. The deeper the faith, the stronger the magic level. Some are even chosen as representatives of the gods, known as demigods.]

[Mages who do not rely on worshipping gods but choose to Cultivate on their own also exist, known to the world as Elemental Mages.]

[By perceiving all things and establishing a connection with the elements, they release magic.]

[This is an extremely difficult path. As long as one is pious enough in worshipping gods and gives up the belonging of their soul, they can become strong in a short time. However, Elemental Mages can only trudge forward step by step, and few people choose this path.]

[You smile; you happen to possess the highly excellent Elemental Perception talent.]

[At the same time, you have absolutely no interest in worshipping gods.]

[You spend all the savings you painstakingly accumulated over a year, heading to a shop in the city center to purchase a bottle of the lowest-grade Slime mucus. This is known to be the most inferior extraordinary magic Materials, and it is the only item you can afford.]

One year later.

The slums.

Ignoring the stench permeating the surroundings, Xu Xi sits in his 'home' with an expressionless face.

If that assembled toy sitting on the muddy road, pieced together from a few iron plates, can be considered a home.

"A year, huh… Tsk."

"Although in the simulation world, the senses are not as sharp as in the real world, I have truly had enough of this year of slum life."

Xu Xi sighs with emotion, shaking the transparent, colorless Slime mucus in his hand.

These mucus are contained in a transparent bottle with good sealing. Following Xu Xi's shaking motion, they slowly tumble back and forth.

Using Slime mucus to Cultivate.

This is an impossible thing.

But Xu Xi is different.

Long ago, when Xu Xi chose the magic side as the new simulation world, he had prepared for it for a long time, having already prepared meditation methods for Cultivating magic, as well as reading various matters concerning Cultivation.

Furthermore, in this simulation, he possesses the special talent trait of Elemental Perception.

Therefore.

A miracle that should have been impossible is thus born in the slums.

…

[You become a Magic Apprentice.]

[Through the meditation method, you successfully perceive the life elements within the Slime mucus, and your brain is surprisingly calm, reaching the upper limit that a Mortal can possess, engraving this elemental fluctuation into your spiritual Sea of Consciousness.]

[You therefore learn the 0-level magic: Life Mucus Generation.]

[You leave the slums and head to the Mages Association in the center of Alenson City, registering as a Magic Apprentice, which comes with a benefit of 10 silver coins per month.]

[Your life has improved, and it truly begins to get better.]

[You cross class boundaries, going from a slum dweller to a noble Magic Apprentice. Everyone is shocked by you and believes you are a pious believer of the Goddess of Life.]

[Because in this world, the existence of Elemental Mages is extremely rare; even if someone wants to learn, it is difficult to perceive the elements, and they are regarded as existences that only appear in stories.]

[You smile, neither admitting nor denying it.]

[In an era where everyone worships gods, atheists are regarded as heretics. The misunderstanding others have about you is just enough to allow you to live more safely.]