Full health is the kill threshold, no matter if you're a god or a demon!

Led by Jinli's enthusiasm, the three followed the dwarf group to a rock wall in the valley covered with rusted metal plates and abandoned gears.

This place looks like a huge garbage dump, with no sign of an entrance.

Instead of touching any of the rocks that seemed to be contraptions, Jinli turned to an old-fashioned difference engine model that was half-buried in the ground and covered in rust.

He took out the multi-function wrench he carried with him and skillfully tightened a few inconspicuous screws on the side of the differential engine.

The turning of the screws didn't seem to be for securing them, but rather conveyed some kind of code—first two turns clockwise, then three and a half turns counterclockwise, then one turn clockwise again…

With his precise operation, a ticking sound, like a clock being wound, came from inside the old difference engine.

Immediately afterwards, an inconspicuous rock on the cliff face sank in, and then a sphere made of intricate gears emerged.

"Hey, this year's monthly code is 'Rotating Bokenbaum Sequence'," Ginly muttered to his apprentice without turning his head, then pulled his hand out of his thick gloves and carefully began to fiddle with the gears.

As he pressed the final button, the gear made a crisp "click" sound and quickly retracted into the rock wall.

At the same time, a low tremor came from beneath everyone's feet.

The seemingly solid ground in front of us had silently sunk about two meters down, revealing a brightly lit, downward-sloping metal ramp decorated with copper pipes and gear reliefs!

On the inside of the ramp, rows of spring-driven robotic arms hold glowing mineral lamps, lighting them up one by one like a ceremonial guard, illuminating the way ahead.

"Welcome," Gimli turned around, proudly pushed up his goggles, and gestured for the three somewhat stunned human guests to enter. "We've arrived at Toothpick City—the fortress of wisdom in Gnomeregan! Watch your step, it's been oiled and a bit slippery."

This scene made Liu Nian sigh inwardly.

The way this entrance is opened is really not simple.

A glint of light flashed in Wu Zhan's eyes.

Don't let their low rank fool you; these little dwarves are actually quite skilled.

The three followed Jinli and stepped into this passageway filled with industrial aesthetics.

Upon entering the passage, Liu Nian immediately sensed a distinct "size difference".

The tunnel was only about two meters high and wide enough for three or four people to walk side by side. It was spacious enough for humans of average build like Wu Zhan and Liu Nian, but taller races would probably have to bend over to walk through it.

The walls are inlaid with glass tubes that emit a steady white light, the floor is a flat metal floor, and the hissing sound of steam flowing in the pipes can be heard on both sides.

As they ventured deeper, an amazing underground world gradually unfolded before their eyes.

The city of tooth-shaped nails truly lives up to its name.

This place is like a huge workshop that has been hollowed out of the entire mountain and filled with brass, gears, steam pipes and spring-loaded devices.

The city's structure is intricate and layered, with countless platforms, bridges, and spiral staircases connected by piston-driven elevators and creaking gear conveyors.

However, everything is "smaller".

The porch of the house was only about 1.6 meters high, and the three of them had to stoop slightly to pass through; the width of the street was a wide avenue for dwarfs, but it seemed a bit cramped for humans; the size of the benches, workbenches, and even the street stalls that were everywhere gave Liu Nian the illusion that he had stumbled into a "Lilliputian kingdom".

The air was filled with a mixture of smells: engine oil, hot metal, ale, and something resembling fried food.

The dwarf citizens showed great curiosity and a little nervousness at the arrival of the three "giants." They poked their heads out of the low windows and whispered and pointed at each other in the street.

But when they saw that the leader was Chief Engineer Jinli, and that Jinli was chatting happily with Wuzhan, curiosity gradually overcame their tension. Some of the bolder little dwarfs even followed behind them, chattering amongst themselves.

Along the way, Liu Nian saw the ubiquitous giant gears slowly turning on vertical axes, providing unknown power to the entire city.

Dwarf craftsmen in overalls hammered metal parts amidst sparks.

Some oddly shaped mechanical chocobos clattered past carrying cargo.

Loud noises and the rich aroma of malt emanated from a pub with a sign that read "Gears & Ale".

All of this is imbued with the unique industrial charm of dwarfs.

Finally, they arrived at a relatively "grand" building in the city center—a multi-story structure built on a huge gear assembly, with two guards standing at the entrance, wearing riveted leather armor and holding complex dwarf combat rifles.

[Toothed City Guard LV.20 (Elite)]

Jinli exchanged a few words with the guards, who curiously sized up the three of them before respectfully making way.

Upon entering the building, you arrive at a prototype hall filled with various instrument panels, design drawings, and semi-finished machinery.

At the far end of the hall, a dwarf sits on a "throne" made up of various tools and parts.

Unlike ordinary dwarfs, his beard was thicker and intricately braided into a complex plait, even adorned with several small gears and wrench-shaped gold ornaments.

He wore a pair of multi-functional engineering goggles pushed up to his forehead, his eyes sharp, and he wore an engineer's robe stained with oil but made of fine materials.

He was fiddling with an extremely intricate clockwork mechanism in his hands, his fingers moving with dazzling dexterity.

High Artisan Mekkatorque LV.25 (Leader)

"Master Craftsman!" Jin Li stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and then excitedly recounted what had happened in the mine and the help of Wu Zhan and the other two, embellishing the story with special emphasis on Liu Nian's heroic act of killing the ratman overseer and turning the tide.

Mekkatorque put down the device in his hand, raised his head, and his gaze swept over Wu Zhan and Sun Yao before finally settling on Liu Nian, as if he were assessing an extremely sophisticated instrument.

"Humans from the small town of Azure... your actions demonstrate courage and goodwill." Mekkatorque's voice wasn't as sharp as Gimli's; instead, it carried a calm and metallic quality. "Gimli is my student, and I naturally trust the news and assessments he brings. The exiles of Gnomeregan will remember this kindness."

Wu Zhan glanced at Liu Nian, who then stepped forward and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Respected Master Craftsman Mekkatorque, helping friends is only right. We are newcomers and hope to establish a lasting friendship with Toothpick City to jointly deal with the threat of the Ratmen."

Mekkatorque nodded slightly: "A common enemy is the best catalyst for friendship. Since you are interested, there is indeed a troublesome matter at the moment, and perhaps you can help."