I Am a Rune Engraver, Carrying a Knife Makes Perfect Sense-Chapter 50 - The Capital is Full of Tunnels

—

The car sped along the road, with Xu Shen and Xu Guang each gazing out their respective windows, taking in the scenery. Dong Tianming was behind the wheel.

After a while, Xu Guang suddenly sighed dramatically, blurting out, “Ah, the wind whispers as the river flows, a hero departs on his journey…”

SMACK!

Xu Guang’s bald head received a solid slap.

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Xu Shen said with a dark expression. “You can’t even read properly, and now you’re pretending to be poetic?”

“Once we’re in the capital, you’re reading with me,” he added sternly.

The group was en route to the airport outside Yuan City.

—

Modern airplanes were no longer the old-fashioned machines described in textbooks. Instead, they were armored planes made with spirit stones and reinforced materials. These planes were incredibly fast and could crash through most flying ghouls below the third tier without issue. Only fourth-tier ghouls posed a threat to them.

Even in the rare event of a fourth-tier ghoul appearing, Tongyou Realm experts would intervene to ensure safety.

Overall, air travel was considered very secure.

Since the tectonic shifts of Earth’s surface plates, Xia Nation’s territory had expanded significantly. What used to be a two-hour flight from Yuan City to the capital still took two hours today, but the actual distance had increased tenfold.

And that was considered relatively close.

Xu Shen recalled Yan Gui mentioning Southern Ridge City once. Even by plane, it took ten hours to get there! He had been dumbfounded at the time.

Having never left the northeastern region before, this trip to the capital would be his first real journey. Xu Guang was in the same boat. Both of them felt like country bumpkins heading to the big city, their hearts secretly filled with anticipation.

—

“Brother Dong, are there really a lot of tunnels in the capital?” Xu Shen asked curiously.

“Tunnels? What tunnels?” Dong Tianming looked confused.

“You know, like in the old capital. I read online that you can’t win a tunnel war against people from the capital,” Xu Shen said seriously.

Dong Tianming’s grip on the steering wheel tightened as he sighed. “Stop reading nonsense online. What era do you think this is? Tunnel wars? Really?”

“I could say you spend your winters licking icicles,” he added sarcastically.

To his surprise, Xu Guang gasped in shock. “Brother Dong, how did you know?!”

Xu Shen and Dong Tianming: …

—

Dong Tianming drove quickly and skillfully, his movements smooth and confident. However, since the car didn’t have license plates, they were stopped by a Xinhuo Guard checkpoint along the way.

After about half an hour, they finally arrived at the airport.

The three of them stepped out of the car, each carrying a small backpack.

“You’re just leaving the car here?” Xu Shen asked, glancing at the vehicle with its keys still inside.

“It’s Wu Yun’s car. Not mine,” Dong Tianming replied nonchalantly.

—

As they entered the airport, they noticed it was bustling with activity. Many Xinhuo Guards and other hurried travelers moved about.

“Xinhuo Guards being reassigned or sent on missions often travel by plane,” Dong Tianming explained when he saw Xu Shen and Xu Guang’s curious expressions. “There are also businesspeople flying around for work. Most of them are fairly strong, so planes are generally safe.”

“What if someone blows up a plane from the inside?” Xu Shen asked suddenly.

The moment he said it, several unfriendly gazes locked onto him. It was as if everyone around him was ready to tackle him if he so much as reached for his backpack.

“Stop saying stupid things! Do you think the scanners are just for show?” Dong Tianming growled, dragging Xu Shen and Xu Guang away before they caused more trouble.

—

The three of them headed to a secluded corner where a female Xinhuo Guard stood next to a machine resembling a giant eyeball.

“Good day, sir,” she greeted Dong Tianming with a salute.

“Is the plane ready?” Dong Tianming asked calmly.

“Yes, sir. After scanning, you may board,” she replied crisply.

Without hesitation, Dong Tianming stepped in front of the machine. A blue light enveloped him for three seconds before fading away.

Xu Shen stepped forward next, eyeing the machine curiously. As soon as he was scanned, a mechanical voice announced:

“Unidentified object detected.”

The blue light shifted and morphed into the shape of Xu Shen’s black blade at his waist.

“What is this blade for?” the female guard asked seriously as she stepped forward. Even though these three had been pre-approved by higher-ups, protocol still required her to ask.

Xu Shen pulled out his black blade and replied casually, “I’m a rune engraver. Carrying my tools is perfectly reasonable, isn’t it?”

The female guard glanced at the rusty-looking blade in his hand and twitched slightly. That thing didn’t look like it could engrave runes—it was more likely to give someone tetanus…

Still, Xu Shen passed without issue. Xu Guang followed suit and cleared his scan easily as well.

—

The female guard led them to a small aircraft waiting nearby.

“We’re not flying with others?” Xu Shen asked suspiciously.

“Even though I’m temporarily suspended, I still have some authority,” Dong Tianming replied smugly. “I can requisition an emergency-use plane.”

Without further explanation, he boarded confidently. Xu Shen and Xu Guang quickly followed.

—

The interior of the plane resembled a small lounge more than anything else—it was essentially a private jet. It was surprisingly luxurious.

As they settled into their seats, the cockpit door opened, and a burly man stepped out.

“Good day, sir. I’m Bazuo, your pilot for this trip. I hope you have a pleasant journey,” he said before returning to the cockpit.

Xu Shen stared after him with wide eyes. “His name… Bazuo? That’s… unsettling.”

“What are you afraid of?” Dong Tianming and Xu Guang both looked at him curiously.

“Nothing…” Xu Shen chuckled nervously before searching for parachutes in case of emergency. Once he found them, he finally relaxed under their puzzled gazes.

—

“So what’s your plan once we reach the capital?” Dong Tianming asked as he pulled out a bottle of liquor and three glasses from who-knows-where.

“Xinhuo Guard is arranging my living quarters and shop location, right?” Xu Shen confirmed as he accepted a glass.

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Dong Tianming nodded as he poured drinks for everyone. “You’ll have a five-story standalone building near Capital University. It’s perfect for both living and running your shop.”

“That must’ve cost a fortune,” Xu Guang remarked in awe. “I heard housing prices in the capital are insane.”

“The city center is expensive,” Dong Tianming explained after taking a sip of his drink. “But Capital University relocated to a quieter area near the outskirts.”

“The surrounding area has fewer people, making it convenient for students heading out on missions.”

“While property there isn’t cheap, it’s not outrageously expensive either.”

—

“How much did it cost?” Xu Shen asked curiously.

“Nothing—it was gifted by Xinhuo Guard,” Dong Tianming replied casually.

“…”

Xu Shen raised his glass silently in acknowledgment before taking a sip—and immediately regretted it. The liquor burned like fire; he much preferred beer.

—

“I’ll need to buy some household essentials when we arrive,” Xu Shen said thoughtfully. “And I’ll have to commission a sign for the shop.”

“But how will I attract customers? What if someone with bad intentions shows up? I might not even notice,” he added worriedly.

Dong Tianming chuckled. “Don’t worry—you’re officially listed as a Xinhuo Guard rune engraver. Once word gets out, plenty of Xinhuo Guards will come to you.”

“They’ll spread the word for you. As long as your skills are solid, you’ll gain popularity quickly.”

“And as for troublemakers… no one near Capital University would dare try anything stupid.”

Reassured by this explanation, Xu Shen relaxed slightly—until he noticed Xu Guang fiddling with something that looked like a face mask.

—

“What’s that?” Xu Shen asked curiously.

“A replica Mask of Shadows,” Dong Tianming explained before Xu Guang could answer. “It only conceals one’s aura and can’t be removed by others.”

“It doesn’t change appearance like yours does.”

“The real deal is one-of-a-kind—yours.”

“I got replicas for myself and Xu Guang since no one cares about two shop assistants,” Dong Tianming added with a grin as he held up his own transparent mask resembling ice. Xu Guang’s mask was deep red.

—

“We’re playing dress-up now? Everyone masked up?” Xu Shen joked with a laugh.

“It’s about maintaining an air of mystery,” Dong Tianming said meaningfully. “And you should act more arrogant—keep people guessing about your background.”

“Arrogant? That’s my specialty!” Xu Shen declared confidently while thumping his chest.

“But shouldn’t we keep a low profile?” Xu Guang asked hesitantly while scratching his bald head. “We’re new to the capital—shouldn’t we lay low?”

—

“Rune engravers are inherently proud—especially skilled ones,” Dong Tianming explained patiently. “Most engravers have extensive connections and are courted by powerful factions.”

“The more arrogant you are, the more people will believe you’re capable.”

“If you’re too humble, they’ll doubt your abilities instead.”

“This is a privilege unique to rune engravers—no one else can fake it.”

—

“Of course,” Dong Tianming added after finishing his drink, “don’t overdo it by accepting every client.”

“I remember years ago there was an engraver who bragged too much and botched an intermediate rune for a prominent family’s heir.”

“They crippled his hands—he still hasn’t recovered.”

Dong Tianming’s warning made Xu Shen nod seriously. He had already decided not to accept clients above Flame Mastery level initially—he’d focus on Awakening and Core Solidification clients instead.

—

“What about your own runes and techniques? What level are they?” Xu Guang asked curiously.

“Both are at Silent Realm (Ji Jing) lower-tier—family techniques,” Dong Tianming replied casually.

Xu Guang fell silent—his own techniques were basic Soul Realm (Hun Jing) ones even at their highest tier. The comparison was disheartening.

—

“Don’t worry—I’ll upgrade yours eventually,” Xu Shen reassured him after noticing his downcast expression.

Runes could evolve depending on their engraver’s skill and materials used during enhancement—and with access to system resources and materials from Xinhuo Guard’s shop system, Xu Shen was confident he could help Xu Guang improve significantly.

Hearing this lifted Xu Guang’s spirits instantly—he silently cursed himself for doubting things earlier. Following Brother Shen would lead to endless opportunities!

—

As they chatted over drinks during their flight, time passed quickly. When the plane began its descent with a slight tremor, Xu Shen peered out the window eagerly.

Below him stretched an enormous city—far larger than Yuan City—that grew closer with every second.

The capital… we’ve arrived!