Beyond the Apocalypse-Chapter 598: Mayor Mansion

Agamenon, Zalasar, Hadriana, and the twins—Titus and Crixus—advanced alongside the Sky Seed Depravitas, their eyes keen and their postures alert as they arrived at a massive plaza. Surrounded by wide, empty streets, this plaza served as a central junction from which numerous roads branched off into various quarters.

Yet, as they scanned the area, small frowns appeared on their faces. They spotted a plethora of large, imposing buildings. Any of these structures could be warehouses where valuable treasures were once stored—or they could be nothing but lavish private residences. While it was true that the homes of high-ranking officials or powerful masters might yield wealth, such riches would pale in comparison to what might be found in an armory or other official strongholds.

To complicate matters, no one could be certain which buildings were worth investigating. Neither Agamenon nor his companions could read the ancient inscriptions etched onto the stone walls, so the signs around them meant little.

"Let’s split up around this area and check these buildings one by one," Agamenon declared decisively, refusing to allow indecision to linger. "Zalasar will come with me. The rest of you can organize yourselves however you prefer. We’ll meet back here in one hour, then move on as a group."

It was a straightforward plan. Since they did not intend to leave the plaza’s general vicinity, there seemed minimal risk in dividing their forces for a short time. If anyone encountered a real threat, a quick signal would bring help. As for any treasure recovered, it was tacitly understood that whoever found it kept it—no one was willing to share something they got without help.

A shared gleam of determination lit the eyes of the group. They all nodded in agreement and immediately dispersed. Agamenon headed off with Zalasar, while Hadriana and the twins stuck together, presumably to combine their skills.

Meanwhile, Vlad, Jormungandr, Ouroboros, and Fafnir remained a tight-knit unit. They began moving toward the southern side of the plaza. Ordinarily, more individuals meant having to split the spoils among more people, so a large group was not wise. However, no one questioned the Depravitas’ choice to stay together. It was neither Agamenon’s place nor anyone else’s to dictate how another group should conduct itself.

Once they were out of sight of the others, broad smiles spread across the faces of the Sky Seed Depravitas. Agamenon’s decision to explore different targets suited them perfectly because—unlike Agamenon and the others—the Depravitas could read the local signs and inscriptions. Their A.I. Chips had already deciphered the Dino People’s language and imprinted it in their minds.

After about five minutes, they arrived at a major crossroads. The team halted briefly, exchanging glances and silent nods as they decided how to divide their efforts for maximum gain. Vlad and Jormungandr headed left, following signs that indicated a "Mayoral Mansion," while Fafnir and Ouroboros followed the markers to what was labeled the "City Hall."

The Depravitas reasoned that government buildings—such as a mayoral residence or an official administrative hall—might not contain quite the same store of armaments as a full-fledged armory. However, they were still likely to house valuable artifacts. Often, civilizations paraded their power and influence through displays of wealth. It was a calculated gamble that made more sense than wandering blindly through unknown structures.

Vlad and Jormungandr proceeded with haste, covering ground in about fifteen minutes until they reached a massive edifice, nearly fifteen meters tall and stretching for about five hundred meters in width. This colossal structure exuded an air of opulence and authority, its ornate facade accentuated by two golden statues standing guard at the entrance.

The young man and the small yellow cat paused, eyes narrowing as they examined the statues. Vlad immediately sent a silent command to his A.I. Chip to analyze the material.

[Beep! Scanning material...

...

Sage Tier Metal detected.]

Upon receiving that confirmation, both Vlad and Jormungandr grinned in disbelief. These statues were made of an incredibly rare and durable metal, and each figure weighed hundreds of tons. In the hands of a talented smith or artificer, that much Sage Tier metal could be transformed into dozens of formidable weapons or sets of armor—items certain to fetch astronomical prices in any market.

Jormungandr looked around warily. "Are you sure it’s safe?" he asked, his catlike ears twitching as he scanned for any sign of hidden runic formations. While their A.I. Chips detected nothing, one could never be too sure.

Vlad took another few seconds to examine the immediate area, extending a portion of his Depravita Aura to sense for latent runic traps. Finding none, he finally nodded. "Seems like there’s nothing here. I suppose nobody in their right mind would try stealing the statues right outside the mayor’s residence."

With a light chuckle, he approached the nearest statue, letting his strength surge as he lifted it off its base. The massive metal figure felt astonishingly heavy, but Vlad maintained perfect control. In another moment, he slid it into his space ring, then did the same for the second statue.

"Hahaha!" Jormungandr exclaimed, his golden eyes sparkling. "Just these two statues alone would have made this entire expedition worthwhile."

Vlad could not disagree. "Absolutely. If you can reforge them, we’ll rake in a fortune."

Buoyed by this auspicious find, the duo strode inside, stepping into a grand reception area supported by towering pillars. Each stone column was carved with intricate reliefs depicting the rise and achievements of the dinosaur people—scenes that illustrated everything from their early struggles to the pinnacle of their civilization.

Though Vlad and Jormungandr had come primarily in search of wealth, they found themselves briefly entranced by the elaborate carvings. There was something oddly familiar in these creatures’ evolution, reminding Vlad of ancient tales from his First Past Life, in which dinosaurs once roamed Earth until a catastrophic meteor struck.

According to these pictorial engravings, the same kind of meteoric impact occurred here. But unlike the dinosaurs from Vlad’s Earth, these dinosaur people survived, apparently benefiting from the radiation or energy the meteor introduced into their environment. Over time, they adopted humanoid forms and rose to build a flourishing civilization before ascending to the higher dimension.

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