Having ridden all day, the sky was already darkening, so I decided to find a good place to rest. Though I myself wasn't particularly tired, the warhorse beneath me was slick with sweat. I found a lush spot by a watering hole and temporarily became a groom. Leading the steed over, I let it gorge itself on grass to its heart's content, while I picked a few nearby fruits to nibble on. Man and horse were finally fed.

As usual, I set the Magic Clock for four hours later. I tethered the warhorse in a relatively concealed patch of woods, then climbed a nearby, tall tree. However, I chose a spot from which I could keep the horse in sight with a mere glance. I drifted off into a deep sleep.

Four hours later, the Magic Clock roused me. I quickly jumped down from the tree, untied the warhorse, and resumed our hurried journey.

And so, I rode that warhorse across the open clearings within the Woma Forest for a full week, taking those four hours of rest each day. Seven days later, a dense thicket of trees blocked my path. It was strikingly similar to the edge forests I had encountered before! Thistles, brambles, and thick bushes everywhere. It seemed I had reached the border of the Woma Forest at last! I analyzed silently; the rest of the way, I would have to rely on myself! I glanced back at the fiery red warhorse with a touch of reluctance! Honestly, if I could have, I would have brought it along. But this dense forest ahead was no place for such a large creature to navigate. With no other choice, I unfastened the saddle and the reins.

"There! You are free now!" I slapped the warhorse's back.

Hee! The warhorse cried out in pain, bolted, and ran off!

"Damn, so ungrateful!" I watched the horse, which was already long gone, with a self-mocking grin.

My Zhan Ma Dao was gone now, but I had already devised an excellent method for traversing the thorny thicket! My luck was actually quite good. On the back of that warhorse I had seized, there was a set of rawhide armor and a shield, plus a massive axe. But the axe was simply too large; I couldn't use it at all, and it was terribly heavy, so I had tossed it aside long ago. The remaining rawhide armor, though ill-fitting and reeking of an unpleasant, strange odor, I forced myself to put on. Then, hoisting the great shield, I pushed my way into the dense undergrowth. I had no intention of hacking a path with a blade. Back then, we traveled in a group; it was hard for several people to push through, and we had to look after two delicate young nobles, so that laborious method was necessary. Now, I was alone, and I certainly wasn't going to engage in such thankless work. Besides, I now had a great shield and a suit of armor—two excellent tools for smashing through mountains and forests!

Compared to hacking through path by path, my current method was significantly easier. Under my steady pressure, the large shield pushed aside the dense weeds and bushes, clearing a narrow path just wide enough for me to pass. The armor blocked most of the thorns and snags that would have otherwise torn at me. It was truly convenient; my speed now was more than triple what it had been crossing the edge thickets of the Woma Forest.

And so, shielded and armored, I surged forward in a straight line toward my objective, moving like a great wild boar. Deep within this thicket, sunlight barely penetrated, so I could only gauge the passage of time by the shifting intensity of the light. Of course, I had the Magic Clock in my satchel, but I couldn't be bothered to take it out. Rest when tired, continue when rested, until I could no longer see the path ahead, then I’d find the tallest tree nearby to spend the night. I didn't know how much time passed. Although my Magic Clock could record dates, I couldn't even be bothered to open the satchel. Thus, I rested when weary and slept when it was dark. If hunger struck, I picked some fruit. This period of what I called "Wild Boar Foraging" only ended when the bushes before me finally vanished.

Ahead of me was still a forest so dense the trees blotted out the sky. But the clearings between the trees were free of those annoying thorns and bushes.

I must have finally cleared the Woma Forest boundaries, I calculated inwardly. Looking down, the once black face of my shield was polished until it shone brilliantly, and if I looked closely, I could make out patterns of varying depths. The armor on my body was on the verge of disintegrating, held together only by a few ropes as thick as ox tendons. Moreover, my hair had long since matted into solid clumps. Though I lacked a mirror, I was certain that in this state, if I encountered anyone, I would instantly be mistaken for an Orc and killed.

Damn it, I was truly a wreck! Yet, the relief of finally escaping the great forest brought me immense gratitude. After giving myself a few reasons to cheer up, I set off again, pressing northward toward true North.

The Woma Forest—I thought I would never forget that damned place. But there was also a sense of regret. In the Legend of my past life, the Woma Forest held not only the mysterious Woma Temple but also the Fallen Graveyard and the Abyss of Demonic Might, home to the Dark Twin Headed Golom and the Dark Twin Headed Blood Fiend, as well as the magical Seaside Cabin. I fled in disgrace without ever witnessing whether these things were real. In my view, this trip to Woma was a complete failure, and if I had a choice, I would never step foot in that place again. After all, curiosity can kill a cat, and I had no desire to be that cat.

It was just unfortunate that I didn't know this was impossible. For a long time afterward, the enormous trouble caused by my near-perfect lie would force me to enter and exit that terrifying thicket several times. But that is a story for later.

Continuing due North, my speed naturally reached its limit without those irritating bushes and thorns impeding me. I spread my form and fled with all my might. Finally, three days later, I saw the long-lost main road for the first time. To avoid being mistaken for an Orc or something similar, I consciously tidied up my appearance. I discarded the nearly ruined Orc armor and reverted to my original Ranger attire: a suit of blue leather armor. I also found a small river and thoroughly washed my hair. In this world, the same beliefs as ancient China were prevalent: the body, hair, and skin are gifts from one's parents and should not be wantonly damaged. Thus, I had to endure the urge to cut my hair short with the Zhan Ma Dao. I couldn't bear the thought of seeing my mother’s sad expression. With no other option, I spent a whole morning washing it again and again, then tied it back with a strip of cloth. Looking at my reflection in the river, there were still a few tufts sticking out stubbornly—it was a sight of absolute ugliness!

But I had to make do! After tidying up, I was confident that my appearance wouldn't scare anyone away! Only then did I walk calmly along the main road at a steady pace. I was sure there would be travelers here; just find someone and ask a few questions, and I'd know where I was!

Clip-clop, clip-clop!

The sound of horses' hooves, steady and unhurried, came from behind me! I turned around and saw a horse-drawn cart carrying hay. The driver was a young man, leaning casually against the shaft, his eyes half-closed, seemingly dozing off. His right hand held the horsewhip, occasionally striking the draft horse in front with a languid, rhythmic snap.

I quickly stepped into the middle of the road.

"Young man! Stop!" I held up both hands, and the old horse pulling the cart obediently halted, turning its head slightly as if waiting for its master’s command.

Ah! The old horse’s sudden stop caused the young driver to lean forward with the momentum, nearly tumbling off the cart.

"Ah! What's going on!" The young man quickly steadied himself against the shaft, drawing a Banyue sword, and his eyes fell upon me standing in the middle of the road!

"What do you want!" The young man held the blade defensively across his chest, looking tense. "This is just a cart of hay; there's nothing valuable here!"

Pfft! I couldn't help but laugh inwardly. So the kid thought I was a robber.

"Uh!" I tried to make my expression as natural as possible, adopting the look of an innocuous traveler. "Look, I'm just a passerby, and a lost one at that! So, would you mind giving me a ride!"

"Phew!" The young man instinctively patted his chest. "I thought you were a bandit!" The young man then scrutinized me from head to toe, nodded slightly as if confirming I wasn't a bad sort, and then agreed, "Get on!"

"Thank you very much!" I quickly climbed onto his cart, sitting beside him. "This road leads to Fandi. Where are you headed?" the young man asked.

"Well, I wanted to know how far it is from Fandi to Mengzhong Capital City!"

"There's an outpost to the Capital in Fandi! But it's a five-day journey."

"Then Fandi will do!"

"Giddy up!" The young man lightly snapped the whip, driving the cart while repeatedly examining me. His gaze finally settled on the two swords sheathed on my shoulders. "Are you a Ranger?"

"Barely," I added sheepishly. "I just earned my Novice Ranger certification!"

"Oh, really! Me too!" he exclaimed happily. "My current task is delivering this hay cart to Fandi, and then I plan to head to Mengzhong Capital City!"

"Ah, what a coincidence!" I said, somewhat disbelievingly.

"Indeed!" The young man grinned, revealing his clean white teeth! This gave me a chance to properly study his features. How to describe it—he looked quite ordinary, yet possessed a gentle, approachable warmth. In short, he was the type of person who made you feel comfortable just by looking at him, especially when he smiled. The corners of his mouth and eyes curved slightly upward when he smiled; it was an infectious grin that seemed to lift my own spirits without me realizing it.

"Heh heh! Do you know how far the Southern Ridge is from here?" I asked the question that was most important to me.

"There are no direct carriages to the Southern Ridge from here! But you can take a cart to Fengdi, and then transfer to a carriage going to the Southern Ridge! It's also about a five-day journey," the young man said, then looked at me curiously. "Weren't you going to the Capital?"

"Heh, it’s nothing, just asking casually. I have friends living in the Southern Ridge," I improvised. "And how far is the Southern Ridge from Mengzhong?"

"You're not from Mengzhong?" The young man looked at me with certainty.

"Actually, I'm from Biqi, and this is my first time traveling so far!" I explained. "You know, as a Ranger, there's no real progress if you stay stuck in your hometown!"

"Heh, I agree with that!" The young man showed those clean white teeth again. "So you ran away from home, and ended up losing yourself!"

"Well, how should I put it!" I scratched my scalp, feeling a bit awkward.

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore," the young man continued. "The Southern Ridge to the Capital isn't far—only a two-day ride!"

"Phew! That's good!" I instinctively patted my chest lightly.

"It seems that friend is very important to you!" the young man said while driving the cart. "Is it a man, or a woman?"

"Uh! There are men and there are women!" I explained.

"..." The young man rolled his eyes at me, clearly annoyed. "Sly one!"

"Ah, I didn't!"

"Never mind whether they are men or women; it’s none of my business!" The young man looked at me seriously. "My name is Jin Hong! I'm a Taoist, and a Novice Ranger!"

"Ah, my name is Xing Chen, my class is Warrior, and I’m also a Novice Ranger!" I ended by instinctively bowing and adding, "Please take care of me!"

Pfft! The young man covered his mouth, chuckling. "You are quite amusing!"

"Ah!" I only then remembered that bowing wasn't a common practice in this world. I must have watched too many Japanese cartoons.

"Don't worry, I'll look out for you!" The young man said proudly, raising his Banyue. Though I only had a Novice Ranger certificate, my true strength was more than that.

"Oh!" I asked curiously, "How strong are you?"

"I don't know," the young man replied with a look of absolute certainty. "But, very strong, very, very strong!"

"You don't know, but you're very strong, very strong!" I was slightly stunned; what a strange fellow.

"Alright, that's Fandi up ahead!"

Following the young man's gaze, I saw a city wall towering above the horizon. They were laid out in a perfectly straight line, rectangular, with four walls and four gates, just like the towns I remembered from Legend. Each gate was guarded by four sentinels wielding great swords! I truly wondered if the Great Sword Guards in this world were absolutely invincible and formidable like those in Legend, but I hadn't tested that theory yet. Better safe than sorry; if they were truly invincible masters who could instantly kill me, I wouldn't even have a chance to cry—after all, this wasn't a game where you could just log out and restart after dying!

I stared at the Great Sword Guards at the entrance with a grim, probing expression, calculating when I might find a chance to test their mettle.

"Xing Chen!" I felt a tug on my tunic and turned back, startled.

"Are you feuding with those guys?" Jin Hong asked cautiously.

"No."

"Then why were you staring at them like that just now?" Jin Hong continued. "It looked like you wanted to eat them alive!"

"Ah!" I was slightly surprised. "Was it that exaggerated?"

"It was!" Jin Hong said with lingering fear. "Your expression was terrifying just now!"

"Ah, hehe," I laughed dryly by way of explanation. "I just remembered some very upsetting things!"

"Oh," Jin Hong said with an understanding look. "But don't make that frightening face unless you have to. It’ll cause trouble if the Great Sword Guards see it."

"Mmm," I nodded.

As we walked through the city gate, the four Great Sword Guards didn't spare us a glance, standing like wooden statues. This was true not only for us but for everyone entering or leaving.

"Alright, we're in Fandi now!" Jin Hong said, turning to me. "Are you heading straight to the outpost, or should you wait for me to turn in my quest, and then we go together?"

"I’ll go with you to turn in the quest," I said. In fact, I planned to check the task board for the Dragon Slaying Gang’s progress.

"Oh," Jin Hong nodded slightly, then lightly snapped the whip, and the old horse pulling the cart continued on its way.

Fandi was a small city. Its street layout was no different from Maple Leaf Town, but the foot traffic was much heavier. Shops lined both sides of the streets, indicating a well-developed local economy. The flow of carts and people on the thoroughfare was crowded and lively. Most were commoners dressed in simple cloth, alongside many Rangers in light armor carrying weapons. Occasionally, I saw a few nobles dressed in colorful robes, moving through the throng with leisurely grace.

The cries of street vendors, the light laughter of young women, the giggles of children, and even the occasional woof of a dog drifted into my ears.

The whole small city gave off a feeling of ease, joy, and bustle.

"It’s a really nice place!" I exclaimed sincerely.

"Is that so!" Jin Hong looked at me in surprise. "How did you figure that out!"

"By looking at the people on the street!" I chuckled lightly. "And by listening to the sounds on the street!" I then added with feigned profundity, "And by feeling it carefully with your heart!"

"Looking at people!" Jin Hong’s eyes widened. He cocked his ear and scanned the surroundings. After a long while, he still looked puzzled. "I didn't notice anything special!"

"Heh heh!" I smiled lightly. "You'll feel it eventually!"

"What are you talking about!" Jin Hong said crossly. "You look so old and world-weary!"

"............" I was stunned; he had seen right through me.

The Ranger Announcement Board was just ahead!

Similar to Maple Leaf Town, this board was set up like a station; everyone entering and exiting was a Ranger wearing armor and armed with weapons.

Entering the main hall and turning right, Jin Hong found a counter for quest handover.

"Quest Number 365479," Jin Hong said, handing over a wooden token bearing the quest number to the administrator.

"Quest Number 365479: Escort one cart of hay from Linchuan to Fandi! Duration three days!" The administrator nodded slightly. "Arrived at destination within the time limit! Quest complete. Quest logged out."

"Good job!" The young administrator smiled lightly, flipping through a large ledger and making a few entries.

"Thank you," Jin Hong gave a slight bow and smiled.

"Um," I finally found an opening to speak up. "I wanted to know if the escort mission for the Dragon Slaying Gang has been completed!"

"Oh," the administrator paused slightly, looking at me. "Unless you are a member of this guild, you are not authorized to check quest progress!" The administrator spread his hands in an apologetic gesture.

"I am a member of the Dragon Slaying Gang," I said, pulling out my Ranger certification to explain. "It's just that I got separated from my partners during the mission, so please, could you tell me!"

"Mmm, Ranger Number 57342 Name: Xing Chen Class: Novice Warrior Affiliation: Dragon Slaying Gang Position: Vice Guild Master Guild Level: Level One!"

The administrator read it aloud, then looked up at me, surprised. "You are the Vice Guild Master of the Dragon Slaying Gang?"

"Yes," I nodded slightly.

The administrator then pulled out a thick ledger. "Mmm, found it! Last mission accepted by the Dragon Slaying Gang: Quest Number 0077452 Quest Type: Escort Quest Summary: Escort two employers through the Woma Forest, arriving safely at Nanying City in the Mengzhong Empire. Quest Duration: One month Quest Reward: 2000 Gold Coins Quest Deposit: None Guild Requirement: Novice Ranger Guild Quest Progress: Completed!"

"Quest progress: Completed!" I muttered to myself, then was overcome with joy, nearly shouting out loud: "Quest progress completed—that means they are all still alive!"

"That is correct," the administrator continued. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

I shook my head, then said gratefully, "Thank you!"