The industrial facilities in the Mechanical Institute are working tirelessly. Looking up, you can see molten iron pouring down like a waterfall. It is burned red, like the molten sun, poured into the molds below, and flows through the black land along the channels like a river.
The heat wave was so strong that Shrike handed Lorenzo a respirator. It was necessary to equip himself with such equipment when operating under such conditions. Otherwise, once the high-temperature air was inhaled, the fragile human respiratory tract would be burned in an instant.
"Come with me."
Shrike's voice seemed a little vague. He waved at Lorenzo, and countless sparks floated in the air.
In this huge building, the sound of heavy hammers continued. It was so loud, as if a giant was swinging a hammer and forging a weapon to kill gods.
Lorenzo didn't come here very often, let alone witness this machine in full operation. He could see many staff members moving around. They were like a team of arsonists, wearing heavy asbestos suits, their eyes hidden under thick lenses, struggling to control this huge machine.
"Phew, this place is like a lava hell."
Entering the elevator, Shrike pulled off his respirator, which was making him feel suffocated.
"This is industry... The cavalry and chivalry of the old times are no match for it."
Lorenzo ignored the Shrike. He leaned against the edge of the elevator and looked at the structure outside through the hollow gap.
Just as people in Old Dunling often mentioned, the Mechanical Institute hollowed out the ground, and the elevator fell into the endless abyss. Flowing flames could be seen in the darkness. Those were molten iron that seeped into the ground along the channels. They were poured into different equipment to forge steel weapons.
The sound of rushing water came from the end of the darkness. Lorenzo knew very well what it was. In order to cool down such an industrial system, the Mechanical Institute diverted water from the Thames. The whistling sound of steam was heard, and the hot gas quickly passed over the periphery of the elevator, leaving only a layer of cold condensation on the surface of the steel.
"Every time I see this, I realize with a start that this is the real old Dunling... or 'Dunling.'"
Lorenzo said slowly that these countless complex systems constructed the entire Old Dunling. They controlled the city and achieved feats that were almost divine with human power.
"Yes, most people don't believe in the nonsense of digging underground, but it is true. This is a war factory, and we have many such factories."
The Shrike also came closer, and the friction sound of the slide rail was heard. Several black skeletons were hoisted up, passing in front of the two people and rising upwards.
The elevator stopped at the bottom of the abyss. In Lorenzo's memory, they had just been descending along the main road of the Furnace Pillar. Now they were at the root of the Iron Tree, the Perpetual Pump.
The iron gate opened, and after the smoke and dust cleared, Merlin had been waiting for a long time.
"Long time no see, Mr. Holmes."
Merlin tried his best to put a smile on his dead face, and without further ado, he made way and motioned Lorenzo to follow.