Fantasy Game: Infinite City

Chapter 629 Returning to the Old Place (5)

"Maybe we shouldn't dwell on that guy's matter anymore."

Having searched in vain, Han Zu stopped dwelling on the vanished figure. Since the other party's ability to conceal their tracks far exceeded expectations, blindly pursuing them would only lead to a passive situation. Standing in the courtyard of this Gothic building, the damaged stone statue actually helped him clarify his thoughts—instead of searching for elusive traces, it would be better to thoroughly understand the layout and structure of this city. Since everything here exuded eeriness, perhaps deciphering its abandoned secrets from a macro perspective could provide a new direction for tracking down the figure.

Han Zu returned to the courtyard entrance, chose a relatively high spot on the broken wall, leaped up, and landed steadily atop it. From this angle, he could clearly see the natural drop between the highlands in the northeast of the city and the port in the southwest. He closed his eyes, sketching a rough map of his exploration route over the past two hours in his mind. The streets, squares, shops, and residences he had passed gradually settled in his consciousness, forming clear nodes. When he opened his eyes again, his gaze held a newfound vigilance, now tinged with scrutiny and analysis. His previously scattered observations began to connect into a complete logical chain.

This mostly abandoned city exhibits typical characteristics of a medieval seaside settlement—radiating outwards from its port. The dock where he landed was located in the southwest corner of the city, its sloping wooden planks extending to the water's edge. Scattered decaying wooden crates and cargo ship wrecks testified that it had once been a hub for loading and unloading goods. The first street extending north from the dock was the commercial street he initially explored. About four meters wide, it was neatly paved with bluestone slabs, clearly designed to facilitate the passage of carriages and the gathering and dispersal of pedestrians. This "port-commercial street" layout was extremely common in medieval seaside cities; after merchant ships docked, goods could be transported directly to various parts of the city via this street, minimizing transportation costs.

To confirm his memory was accurate, Han Zu temporarily left the building behind him and followed the route he remembered towards the commercial street. The fog still shrouded the area, but his attention had shifted from searching for figures to examining the architectural details. The shops on both sides of the commercial street were all of the "front shop, back residence" type, with the ground floor for business and the upper floors for living. This design was common in medieval cities, saving land and allowing shopkeepers to manage both business and life. Although most of the wooden doors on the ground floor were decayed, the remaining hinges and frame structures revealed that these doors were originally roller shutters that could be rolled up during the day to display goods and lowered at night for security. The upper-floor balconies had thick iron railings spaced about fifteen centimeters apart, preventing children from falling and also serving as a defensive structure for throwing objects outwards when necessary—this reflects the widespread defensive awareness in medieval cities; even the residences on the commercial street incorporated basic security features.

Reaching the intersection of the commercial street and the main street, Han Zu stopped. The main street, about six meters wide, was the widest street he had found so far. The wear and tear on its bluestone slabs was more severe than on the commercial street, especially in the center, where two parallel shallow grooves ran the length of the street—the very same ruts he had noticed earlier. These ruts, about eighty centimeters wide, matched the wheelbase of a typical medieval freight wagon, indicating that the main street was the city's main thoroughfare, playing a crucial role in connecting various functional areas. The shops on both sides of the main street were of a larger scale than those on the commercial street. Some shops still had stone door piers with simple, faded carvings, but it was clear that the builders had put more thought into them. The cloth shop he had entered earlier was located on the east side of the main street. Judging from the remaining shelves, its operating area was more than twice that of an ordinary shop on the commercial street, suggesting it was a sizable business in the city at the time.

Extending northwards about 300 meters from the main street, you arrive at the previously discovered small square. The square covers approximately 200 square meters, with the old well in the center being the focal point of the entire area. In medieval cities, squares were often the center of social interaction, trade, and public activities, while wells were the core facility sustaining the lives of the residents surrounding the square. The well's stone railings are worn smooth, indicating long-term use, and the decayed ropes suggest its last use likely coincided with the city's abandonment. The residential buildings surrounding the square are of significantly higher quality than the shops on the commercial street, with walls constructed of more regular stone blocks, more remaining roof tiles, and remnants of stone flowerpots on some windowsills. Clearly, this area was inhabited by a wealthier class than the shop owners, perhaps artisans or small merchants from the city.

Turning east from the square into the alley, you'll find the market area you explored earlier. Located in the southeast of the city, the market covers approximately 500 square meters. While the flagstones are rough, the layout is orderly, and the central iron flagpole is its iconic feature. In the Middle Ages, markets were typically regular trading venues, complementing the year-round commercial streets. The simple sheds surrounding the market, constructed with branches and thatch, suggest they were primarily used for temporary storage and stalls, rather than long-term operations. The ceramic stalls and woven baskets he found further confirm that this area was once a hub for large-scale trade in agricultural products, handicrafts, and other commodities. The blacksmith shop on the north side of the market is a typical workshop, its proximity to the market facilitating direct sales of its products. This "market in front, workshop in back" layout was common in medieval cities, improving transaction efficiency and reducing transportation costs. The remaining anvil, furnace, and bellows structure in the blacksmith shop are consistent with the configuration standards of a small blacksmith shop at that time. The size of the furnace indicates that it mainly made farm tools, kitchen utensils, and simple ironware, rather than weapons or large machinery.

After leaving the market, Han Zu walked along the alley towards the northeastern highlands. As the terrain gradually rose, the density of surrounding buildings decreased, and the layout of houses became more dispersed. Most of the houses here were detached two-story stone houses, with storage rooms on the ground floor. The doors of the storage rooms were made of heavy wooden panels, fitted with iron bolts, clearly for storing valuables such as grain. Some houses still had traces of vegetable gardens in their backyards, with neat field ridges visible on the ground, and the decaying remains of farm tools scattered beside them, such as hoes and plowshares with broken handles. From these traces, it can be inferred that the northeastern highlands were the city's agricultural area, where residents mainly made a living by farming and raising livestock, providing food and meat for the rest of the city. The high ground provided good visibility of the surrounding environment and also protected against flooding from the sea. This layout of placing the agricultural area on high ground reflects the builders' profound understanding of the natural environment.

Walking west from the high ground, one enters the working-class district in the northwest of the city. This area has the highest building density, with houses arranged neatly in a regular, checkerboard pattern. The houses in the working-class district are all standardized two-story stone houses, with a floor area of ​​about fifty square meters. The ground floor contains the living room and kitchen, while the upper floor is the bedroom. This uniform architectural style indicates that this is a residential area planned and built by the city administrators, primarily for ordinary craftsmen, laborers, and the lower classes. The streets in the working-class district are about three meters wide, paved with gravel rather than bluestone slabs, and the surface is uneven, clearly indicating that its construction standards are lower than the main streets and commercial streets. Every fifty meters along both sides of the streets is a public well. Although most are dry, the structure of the well platform is consistent with the old well in the center of the square, indicating that the city's planning considered the water needs of the working-class district. The pharmacy he had previously discovered was located in the center of the working-class district. The double caduceus emblem at the entrance of the pharmacy is a symbol of medieval medicine. Its location in the center of the working-class district facilitated the provision of medical services to the surrounding residents. This layout concept of placing public service facilities in densely populated areas reflects the rationality of urban planning at that time.

On the edge of the civilian district, Han Zu discovered a remnant wall. Constructed of a mixture of rammed earth and stone, the wall was approximately three meters high and eighty centimeters thick. Square watchtowers stood at the corners, though most had collapsed. However, their remaining structure indicated that the wall was part of the city's outer defense system. The wall extended east and west, connecting to the harbor's breakwater and the northeastern highlands, forming a complete defensive perimeter. In the Middle Ages, coastal cities were frequently attacked by pirates and foreign enemies, making defensive systems a crucial component of urban planning. The wall's construction was rather crude, with little mortar between the stones, suggesting it primarily served as a warning and initial defense rather than a formidable military fortress. This also reflects the city's relatively small size and limited military strength.

Han Zu walked west along the wall and soon returned to the Gothic building he had discovered earlier. Located in the northwest of the city, adjacent to the wall, this building was the tallest and most exquisite in the entire city. Judging from its location and scale, it was likely a central public building, possibly a town hall, council chamber, or religious site. Although the facade lacked religious symbols such as crosses, the pointed arches, spires, and carvings still exhibited distinct medieval Gothic style. The walls were constructed of massive bluish-gray stone blocks, the mortar between them fully filled, and the surfaces finely polished—a construction technique far exceeding that of other buildings in the city, indicating a significant investment of manpower and resources in its builders. The iron gate on the facade was carved with a coiled serpent pattern; in the Middle Ages, snakes symbolized wisdom and protection, further supporting the speculation that the building was a public council chamber.

He walked around the building again, this time focusing on its structural details. The pointed arch windows were about three meters high and one and a half meters wide, with frames carved from single blocks of stone. Although the glass was completely shattered, the grooves in the frames revealed that stained glass had originally been installed—a relatively expensive decoration in the Middle Ages, used only in important public buildings. While half of the roof had collapsed, the remaining wooden beams, about fifty centimeters in diameter, were all made from single oak logs and connected by mortise and tenon joints without a single nail. This construction technique, both sturdy and durable, demonstrated the advanced carpentry skills of the time. The courtyard behind the building was about one hundred square meters, with a circular fountain in the center. The fountain's stone base was still intact, carved with marine life motifs, echoing the port city's character. Niches lined the walls on either side of the courtyard, where statues should have been placed; now only empty recesses remained, the remains of the statues scattered among the weeds, most broken and incomplete.

Han Zu walked to the fountain in the courtyard and squatted down to carefully examine the carvings on the base. The carvings depicted waves, schools of fish, and sailboats, with vivid details. Although weathered and somewhat blurred, their original exquisite beauty was still evident. He ran his fingers along the carving lines, feeling the smoothness of the stone surface—a result of long-term erosion by seawater moisture. Judging from the overall style and details of the architecture, the city was likely built in the mid-Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century AD, a time when coastal trade in Europe began to flourish, and many similar small port cities emerged. The city's layout followed the principles of "clear functional zoning, a complete defensive system, and convenient transportation networks," fully reflecting the urban planning concepts and construction techniques of the time.

Next, Han Zu began to analyze the city's functional zoning. From an overall layout perspective, the city can be divided into five main functional zones: First, the port area in the southwest corner, centered around docks and cargo ship berths, responsible for cargo transportation and foreign trade; second, the central commercial area, including the main street and commercial streets, serving as the city's commercial and financial center; third, the market and handicraft area in the southeast, centered around markets and surrounded by blacksmith shops, textile workshops, and other handicraft workshops, responsible for agricultural product trading and handicraft production; fourth, the agricultural area in the northeast, centered around farmland and residences on higher ground, providing food and agricultural products to the city; and fifth, the residential and public building area in the northwest, centered around working-class areas and Gothic public buildings, responsible for residential living and public affairs. These five functional zones are interconnected and mutually supportive, forming a complete urban ecosystem.

In his analysis, he also noted several prominent features of the city's layout. First, the "mountain-and-sea" location fully utilized the natural terrain, facilitating both fishing and foreign trade, while also providing access to high ground for agriculture and defense. Second, the "axial symmetry" planning concept, with the main street extending from the port to the city center square, forming the city's central axis. Other streets and functional areas were symmetrically distributed around this axis, facilitating traffic flow and reflecting the medieval city's pursuit of order and discipline. Third, the "mixed-function" characteristic, with commercial and residential areas intertwined, handicraft workshops adjacent to markets, and agricultural areas maintaining a suitable distance from residential areas. This layout improved the convenience of life and production while avoiding interference between different functional areas. Finally, the principle of "defense first," with the city's outer walls, the protective facilities of residences, and the robust structures of public buildings all reflecting an emphasis on security—a necessary choice for urban planning in the turbulent environment of the Middle Ages.

Han Zu sat on the stone steps in front of the building, organizing his observations and analyses into a well-organized intelligence report. He first determined the city's basic characteristics: a small, mid-medieval coastal trading city, covering approximately two square kilometers, with an estimated population of between one thousand and five hundred, its main economic pillars being fishing, foreign trade, and handicrafts. Secondly, he clarified the city's layout: centered on the main street, it was divided into five functional areas: a port area, a commercial area, a market and handicrafts area, an agricultural area, and a residential area, surrounded by simple defensive walls, forming a complete spatial pattern. Then, he summarized the city's architectural features: primarily stone buildings supplemented by wooden structures; public buildings adopted a Gothic style, while residences and shops employed a pragmatic construction philosophy; the overall craftsmanship was moderate, reflecting the economic strength of a small city. Finally, the reasons for the city's abandonment were analyzed: Judging from the degree of decay of the buildings and the condition of the remaining items, the city must have been abandoned suddenly in a short period of time. No obvious traces of war, fire or plague were found. The residents may have evacuated collectively due to natural disasters or other unknown reasons, and did not take many items with them when they left, resulting in a large number of daily necessities and tools being left behind. After a long period of weathering and erosion, it has formed the current dilapidated scene.

He meticulously reviewed this intelligence in his mind, ensuring no crucial details were overlooked. From the cargo ship wrecks at the docks to the shop ruins in the commercial district, from market stalls to the residences in the commoners' quarters, from the field ridges in the agricultural area to the remnants of defensive walls, every trace corroborated his analysis. He also noticed a detail: all the metal objects in the city were severely corroded, especially the ironware; almost nothing was intact. This indicated that the city had a humid climate, and the saltiness of the seawater had caused severe corrosion to the metal objects, which was consistent with the geographical environment of a port city. Furthermore, most of the plants in the city were moisture- and salt-tolerant varieties, such as moss, ivy, and some herbaceous plants, further confirming the climatic characteristics of the region.

"So now we can confirm that this place... is the old town from the Middle Ages, or rather, this is its predecessor."

Based on all the information Han Zu had gathered, he could now finally confirm that this medieval city, or rather its remaining part, was the old city he had visited twice before. Based on his memory of the old city and the comparison of the buildings and road layout during his exploration, he could determine that Han Zu's current location should be in the western residential area of ​​the old city.

"The terrain here hasn't been artificially reinforced or raised, so those altars directly beneath the old city shouldn't have been built yet..."