The way stations in this world were quite similar to modern bus terminals, operating with scheduled departures and routes. Aside from the fact that people traveled by horse-drawn carriage, the operational procedures were almost identical to modern vehicle dispatching. This gave me a moment of reflection. At the counter for claiming carriage passes at the station, we paid ten gold coins and received two passes. I was now penniless, but Jin Hong covered the cost for me; ten gold coins were hardly a concern for a Ranger. We then squeezed onto a large carriage—truly massive—resembling a modern coach with windows and four long rows of seats arranged longitudinally, capable of holding roughly twenty people. Jin Hong and I found our designated spots along the left side of the carriage, on the long bench seats. It was September, and the weather was rather stifling, so the windows were all open. Through them, I could see the team pulling the carriage: four magnificent Black Dragon Steeds arranged in a single line. The driver expertly attached the traces to the carriage rings, confirmed the connection was secure, and then climbed onto his seat, closing his eyes slightly to rest. He seemed to be waiting for the departure time—it reminded me of coupling a modern locomotive to its passenger cars! The idea that they could switch horses or even carriages was certainly convenient and swift.

I noticed that most others in the carriage were commoners clad in simple cloth. Besides Jin Hong and myself, there were three middle-aged individuals dressed like Rangers. Judging by their gear, they were at least High-Level Rangers. At the very least, I knew the tall, bearded man must be formidable to wear the Armor of the War God and wield the Hellfire Battle Axe. The other two were women: one, appearing about thirty, was dressed as a Mage, with blonde hair and golden eyes that gave her a delicate allure, carrying a Demon’s Grasp in her hand. The other, older, perhaps fifty, was dressed as a Taoist Priest; she appeared to be the highest ranked of the three, as her long sword bore the Dragon Mark—a quality, the Red Moon level, a significant step above High-Level Profession gear. If I had to compare her power level, it would be similar to the Beastman Commander I had encountered, though I suspected the Commander would still prove far stronger in actual combat. A classic combination: Taoist, Warrior, Mage, I analyzed internally. Their guild insignia showed only five horizontal bars, suggesting they were only level five.

Naturally, as I was assessing the three Rangers, they were assessing me too. After all, apart from Jin Hong and myself, we were the only two in the vehicle wearing Ranger attire. It was hard not to notice us!

I offered a slight smile as a greeting; we were, after all, peers in this profession. They returned a slight bow and smile before each closing their eyes to rest. To them, Jin Hong and I probably looked like nothing more than two novice Rangers just starting out, not worth much attention. I could also tell they were seasoned travelers, understanding the value of resting whenever possible; yet, even so, their hands remained no more than four inches from their weapons. The bearded warrior, even with his eyes shut, kept one hand resting on the hilt of his Inferno weapon. I wasn't naive enough to believe they were truly asleep; I was certain that if the slightest abnormality occurred, his Hellfire Battle Axe would be raised in an instant.

Thump-thump! "The carriage bound for Mengzhong is now departing! We wish everyone a smooth journey!"

The station administrator tapped on our carriage door, offered a sweet smile, and then guided the carriage to slowly pull away from the station grounds.

Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop!

The carriage quickly left the city gates and began to accelerate. The speed was nearly comparable to a modern city bus—fast and surprisingly smooth. The passengers inside settled back into their seats, swaying and dozing off. It seemed these folks were also familiar with long journeys.

The road from Fandi to Tucheng was mostly wilderness and grassland. Along the way, there were small inns set up for travelers to rest and dine. The carriage would typically travel for about eight hours before stopping briefly to rest and then continuing. Along the route, we frequently saw people on swift horses overtake us, disappearing into the swirling dust. In this world, average incomes were not high; aside from skilled Rangers, most people struggled to make ends meet, and few could afford a horse. Consequently, those who owned horses here were akin to those who owned cars in the modern era—significantly wealthier than the average commoner. Ordinary citizens, even if they owned a horse, often couldn't bear the expense of upkeep, as one horse consumed feed equivalent to six adult human rations per day! Unless one had a specific need, no one willingly kept a horse.

But these hardships seemed distant to me. Only after leaving the Ye family estate did I realize how much the estate truly resembled a paradise hidden from the world. At least there, everyone in our village lived comfortably, with spare money in every household, and no fear of bandit raids. It was vastly superior to the outside world. Thinking of this, my mother inevitably crossed my mind! I wondered how she was doing now; I must write her a letter once I was settled in Mengzhong.

Five days later, we finally entered the territory of Mengzhong Earth City! Gazing at the long stretch of ochre wall rising high above the horizon ahead, an inexpressible, strange excitement surged through me!

Mengzhong Earth City—I had finally arrived!

Honestly, in the time I'd been in this world, I’d desperately wanted to see what Mengzhong Earth City, larger than Qizhong City, and the Daybreak Gate looked like, and whether they matched the settings in Legend. Unfortunately, I’d never had the chance until now. Finally seeing what Mengzhong Earth City was like filled my chest to bursting, my eyes fixed tightly on the approaching wall. As we drew nearer, I noticed another, smaller complex enclosed by its own walls outside the main perimeter. If my guess was right, that must be the Mengzhong Bookstore! At least in my memory, the only structure outside Mengzhong Earth City was that bookstore. But what would the reality look like?

At this moment, all I could see in the vast yellow sands was a long stretch of wall, and behind it, a slightly elevated structure resembling a spire. In the boundless wilderness, this single view felt desolate and bleak, like some newly unearthed ruin, carrying an ancient, profound weight that I couldn't quite articulate.

Finally, as the carriage drew even closer, I saw the towering wooden gate set before the wall. The plaque above bore only two characters: "Earth City" (). The calligraphy was powerful and magnificent. Though not Chinese characters, they conveyed a unique textual vitality I associated with traditional calligraphy, like a seasoned elder silently watching over the empty, barren desert. The writing was somewhat blurred, perhaps from years of wind and sand erosion, which had chipped away a hand-sized piece from the upper left corner of the plaque. The plaque hung at a slight slant, yet it stubbornly remained suspended. Below the plaque stood four guards clad in armor, wielding broadswords. The carriage drove straight through the city gates, but the moment we entered, I felt slightly disoriented.

Completely unlike the exterior view, the interior was a dense crush of people and countless neatly arranged shops. There seemed to be no street stalls; all merchants had displayed their wares inside their establishments. Once inside the gate, the carriage veered right and trotted along for a short distance before stopping.

"Welcome to Mengzhong Earth City!"

"Does the young hero require lodging?"

"Our inn boasts full amenities, attentive service, and delicious cuisine; we guarantee you'll feel right at home!"

.............................................

Before we even dismounted, the area outside was swarmed by scores of eager inn touts. I couldn't help but feel taken aback. Heavens, the lackeys in the Fama world were clever enough to wait at the station to solicit business!

The moment Jin Hong and I stepped off, we were immediately encircled by half a dozen eager runners!

"Young hero needs a room? Yunlai Inn, only fifty silver coins a night, quiet environment, and convenient location!"

"Our Immortal Traveler Inn is only forty silver coins, and breakfast is free!"

"We..."

Competition was clearly everywhere! Merchants in this world were sharp indeed!

But with so many inns, how would I find Long Xin and the others? I remembered telling them to wait for me at an inn in Mengzhong Earth City! Now, just stepping off the carriage, I was besieged by innkeepers, yet none claimed to represent the Earth City Inn! Or perhaps, did the Earth City Inn even exist in this world??

Anxiety began to build within me. Jin Hong, noticing my expression, quickly asked, "What's wrong? Is something the matter?"

"Uh!" I braced myself. "Are you familiar with this Earth City?"

"Fairly well," Jin Hong replied. "I've visited a few times before."

"Then do you know if there's a place here called the Earth City Inn!" I asked hesitantly.

"Oh, you mean the Earth City Inn!" Jin Hong said. "Of course I know it. It's the oldest inn in Earth City, and it specializes in hosting Rangers!"

"Really!" I felt a rush of joy and grabbed Jin Hong's arm, urging him, "Then hurry and take me to the Earth City Inn!"

"That hurts!" Jin Hong pulled his arm away, rubbing the spot where I’d gripped him red, his teeth gritted. "Honestly, it’s just an inn! Look how agitated you are!"

"Enough complaining, just lead the way to the Earth City Inn!"

"I can't stand you," Jin Hong grumbled, walking briskly ahead while I followed close behind. We hurried through the streets and alleys. Although I was anxious to reach the Earth City Inn quickly, I had no mind to admire or observe the surroundings. However, one thing was certain: this place differed greatly from the Mengzhong Earth City depicted in Legend. But none of that mattered now, because I saw a large, distant signboard proudly displaying the single character "Inn" (). Almost instantly, I knew this must be the Earth City Inn I was looking for. Although most of the scenery around it was different from my expectations, that massive sign bearing the character "Inn" was exactly the same as the one for the Mengzhong Earth City Inn in Legend—eerily similar.

"That’s the Earth City Inn!"

"It really is here!" I exclaimed happily. "I finally found it!"

"Proprietor, I'd like to ask if my companions, Long Xin and the others, are staying here!" The woman at the door was dressed in green, about forty years old, with black hair and blue eyes, possessing the shrewd gaze common to shrewd business owners. Her appearance was indeed identical to the one in Legend!

"You are Xing Chen, correct?" The proprietress looked me up and down, murmuring, "Black hair, black eyes, looks about fourteen? That must be you!" As she spoke, the proprietress pointed toward the stairs. "They have been waiting for you for over half a month! Fourth room on the left upstairs!"

"Thank you!" I grabbed Jin Hong’s arm and dashed up the stairs!

Thump-thump-thump!

"Who is it?" Long Zhan opened the door, staring at me in utter astonishment. "Xing--Chen!"

"Roar! It’s Xing Chen!" Long Zhan was beside himself with joy. He swept me up and spun me around in a dizzying circle!

"Ah! That hurts! Let go!" Perhaps due to excessive excitement, Long Zhan’s hug nearly took me apart. I struggled, managing to get the words out.

"Ah! My apologies! I just missed you so much!" Long Zhan set me down, sheepishly scratching his head. "If you hadn't returned, the Boss and I would have been forced to storm the Woma Forest to look for you!"

Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop! A set of hurried footsteps sounded, and a dark shadow rushed out from inside the room. Before I could react, a wave of fragrance washed over me, and a soft body tightly enveloped me!

"You little brute! It really is you!" Long Xin was overwhelmed with emotion, holding me tightly in her arms. "We thought you’d never come back! Waaah! I’m sorry!" I felt my face being soaked by hot tears. My heart was filled with emotion; what feeling could surpass the profound sentiment of reuniting with companions after surviving disaster?

"Uh, Boss!" While the scene was genuinely moving, being held so tightly by a grown woman made me lose face. Moreover, her two plump globes were pressing against me so hard I could barely breathe. It didn't help that I was short and small, only reaching Long Xin's shoulder height. Now, being held by her—and she was actively pressing me into her embrace—my entire face was buried between those two mounds. While this 'tofu' was sudden, I certainly wasn't complaining, but Long Xin’s grip was too strong. If this continued, I risked suffocating to death! "Let go!" I flailed my arms uselessly, trying to break free from Boss Long Xin's embrace.

"Ah!" Long Xin finally realized how compromising the position was, especially with Long Qi and Long Zhan nearby practically drooling onto the floor!

"Naughty!" Long Xin blushed furiously and shoved me away.

"Heh! Heh! Heh!" I rubbed my head, forcing a weak laugh.

Just then, Long Qi rushed forward for an enthusiastic hug too. "Kid! If you couldn’t get out, the Boss and I would have been guilty for the rest of our lives!"

"Heh," I replied, touched. "So, to prevent your guilt, I had to fight for my life to get back!"

..............................................

After a long while, Long Xin and the others noticed a clear-faced youth standing by the doorway.

"Who is he?" Long Xin asked hesitantly.

"A friend I met on the road," I explained. "His name is Jin Hong. Thanks to him, I managed to find you! I wouldn't have even had the gold coins for the carriage ride otherwise!"

"Thank you, Young Hero Jin Hong!" Long Xin expressed her gratitude.

"You're welcome," Jin Hong replied with a sigh. "You all have such strong bonds! It’s truly enviable."

"Heh," Long Xin slapped my shoulder playfully. "This boy nearly lost his life for us!"

"If it's permissible," Jin Hong hesitated, "I would like to become one of you. Is that possible?"

"Ah! You mean, you want to join our Wandering Dragon Guild?" Long Xin’s voice involuntarily rose in pitch as she looked at Jin Hong, surprised.

"Ah," Jin Hong murmured softly, almost inaudibly. "If it’s inconvenient, then forget it."

"Convenient! Heh," Long Xin laughed oddly. "Heh, of course it’s convenient! The Wandering Dragon Guild finally has a new member!"

"Ah! You agree?" Jin Hong was overjoyed.

"Certainly," Long Xin smiled. "From this moment on, you are the very first member of the Wandering Dragon Guild!" Long Xin was genuinely excited. "Whew! Finally, a guild member!"

"What do you mean, 'finally a guild member'?" Jin Hong looked at Long Xin with confusion, then glanced at Long Qi and Long Zhan, both of whom wore strange expressions. Instinctively, he looked at me.

"Uh-huh! Well!" I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Perhaps we should start with introductions! First, my name is Xing Chen, and I am the Vice Guild Master of the Wandering Dragon Guild!" I then looked toward Long Xin.

"This one," Long Xin stammered, "I am the Guild Master, Long Xin!"

"My name is Long Qi, Vice Guild Master of the Wandering Dragon Guild," Long Qi introduced himself with the standard formal courtesy of a Ranger.

"My name is Long Zhan, Vice Guild Master," Long Zhan bowed.

"Uh," Jin Hong looked around. "Are there any others?"

"Currently, just the four of us!" Long Xin adopted a serious expression.

"I meant," Jin Hong sputtered, "one Guild Master and three Vice Guild Masters—you must have many subordinates, right?"

"We didn't," Long Xin said seriously, looking at Jin Hong. "But now we do!"

"..." Jin Hong glanced around, realization dawning as he saw everyone looking at him with affirmation. "Could it be! Could it be—me!"

"Mmm," Long Qi and Long Zhan nodded simultaneously. "You are the first member the Wandering Dragon Guild has gained since its founding!"

Thud! With the sound of a heavy object hitting the ground, Jin Hong promptly collapsed.

"Hey!" Long Xin cried out in alarm. "Wake up!"

..............................................

After a long interval, everyone finally settled down.

"Xing Chen, tell us how you managed to escape," Long Qi finally voiced the question they were most eager to hear the answer to. "Don't tell us you actually managed to kill the Beastman Commander."

"Heh, how could I?" I chuckled wryly. "I'm not that strong yet."

"Hurry up and tell us," Long Xin urged impatiently.

"Alright." I knew if I kept holding out, Long Xin would surely beat me up. I proceeded to recount how I had tricked the Beastman Commander and subsequently managed my successful escape, taking up nearly an hour.

"Good heavens," Long Zhan exclaimed in disbelief. "You actually pulled that off!"

"By the gods," Long Qi murmured. "You are truly talented; you fabricated a story out of thin air, and the creature actually believed it."

"No, you must retell that story you invented," Long Xin was utterly fascinated by the narrative I had spun—the story that convinced the Beastman Commander enough for him to chase me for a whole day and night.

"Um," I sweated. "Perhaps we should skip that. Recounting it would take a good four hours."

"We want to hear it!" Long Zhan wasn't willing to give up; he was clearly just as intrigued by the story.

"But, you know, I'm exhausted. I've been traveling for five straight days!" Are these guys trying to kill me? Besides, I wasn't a storyteller; did they really expect me to recount a four-hour tale now?

"But we really want to hear it!" Long Xin showed no sign of backing down.

"I'll tell you later when we have more time," I said, annoyed. "At least let me rest today, and I still need to take a bath and fix my hair."

"..." Seeing my firm stance, the three of them finally gave up.

"Then you should tell us how you all escaped after we separated," I countered. I was equally keen to know how they managed to flee the Woma Forest.

"Heh," Long Xin smiled. "We had excellent luck."

Next, Long Xin recounted their experiences. After separating from me, they headed north, but fortunately encountered a Beastman cavalry squad. After killing them, they stole the horses and successfully made their escape.

The story held no particularly thrilling episodes, mostly because they hadn't encountered any true masters along the way. However, based on Long Qi’s analysis, we were still far from the Woma Temple, the heart of the Woma Forest. We had only run into their outlying tribes. After all, our objective was merely to traverse the Woma Forest, not to infiltrate the Woma Temple to seize treasures or anything of that sort. Naturally, this wasn't cause enough for the Orcs to dispatch hordes of their top fighters to pursue us. Having a single Orc Commander and two Orc Warriors show up was probably the height of their effort. Still, one thing was certain: the moment we tried to approach the Woma Temple, it would undoubtedly be a one-way road to death.

I wholeheartedly agreed with Long Qi’s assessment.