Chapter 54: Caravan

Evening.

The orange-red sunset like molten gold slowly sank into the horizon, and the leisurely drifting clouds were dyed with a twilight color, like an oil painting dotted on the sky.

The golden wheat fields swayed gently under the twilight, making a subtle and magnificent "shasha" sound in the sparkling waves like water.

The sturdy wooden wheels covered in dust rolled over with a "creak," splashing a few mud stars, leaving a deep rut on the soft meadow.

Xia Nan sat outside the carriage, leaning against the heavy cargo piled up behind him.

On both sides of the road, the pastoral scenery at sunset retreated rapidly in the jolting.

Feeling the soft breeze brushing his cheeks, he couldn't help but squint his eyes comfortably.

By now, it had been the second day since he left the tavern.

After confirming that the professional contacted by Haian would pass through Hegu Town in at least seventy days, and that the time left for him was very generous.

Also to verify certain guesses in his heart.

He accepted the commission from "Rock Hammer" shop owner Ba'en and joined the caravan from Hegu Town to Kalanfur as a guard.

To tell the truth, this four or five-day journey back and forth, although objectively speaking, was a job Xia Nan needed to complete with all his heart.

—In fact, he did prepare seriously and strictly abide by his duties.

But from another perspective, for him who had transmigrated to this day, and had entered the Mist Forest twice in a row for dozens of days.

These few days of staying away from monster gathering places could also be considered as taking a small vacation for himself.

Unlike the vast entertainment methods of modern society, Xia Nan stayed in Hegu Town, except for daily eating, sleeping, and training combat techniques, at most he drank a few small glasses of wine and chatted with adventurers in the inn.

A day or two was fine, but after a long time, it was inevitably a bit boring.

Now...

"Clatter."

The carriage wheels, which gradually slowed down, made a sluggish and harsh sound under the heavy cargo in the carriage.

Waking Xia Nan from his scattered thoughts back to reality.

The sentry post responsible for vigilance didn't make a sound, and there was no chaotic movement in the caravan.

It probably didn't have any problems.

But he still jumped off the carriage decisively, not caring about the damp mud spots on the surface of his leather boots.

Looking around on both sides.

A footstep sound came from the front of the caravan.

What appeared before his eyes was the honest man who had been seen twice in Hegu Town, the one who remained silent in the face of "Drunkard Bernie's" provocation.

He was also the captain of the caravan Xia Nan was in—

"Jeff."

From the fact that the other party's steps were steady and not hurried at all, it could be seen that the stopping of the caravan was not because of any accident.

And the facts were indeed so.

This middle-aged man dressed in simple attire, seeing Xia Nan had jumped off the carriage, scratched his head and said honestly:

"Mr. Xia Nan, we'll walk to here today."

"Dinner is already being prepared, it's... uh, it's stew made by Mr. Alton, if you don't mind, you can taste it later."

"Although we are close to Kalanfur, we still have to trouble a few people to keep watch at night."

"Rest assured, this is what we should do," Xia Nan nodded with a smile.

But his heart was a bit strange.

Alton? Stew?

Recalling the memories of these two days, his expression remained unchanged, but his brain was already considering whether to use the dry rations he brought with him to make do for a meal.

The number of people in the caravan was small, even adding Xia Nan and these temporary entrusted guards, there were only a dozen or so people in total.

And it was just like the two children and their mother he met on the way back when his first mission ended.

On this continent, there was an invisible barrier between ordinary civilians and adventurers.

During the two-day journey, the number of times the caravan people took the initiative to communicate with Xia Nan could be counted on one hand.

Even when resting and dining, they were often adventurers in one circle, and others sitting in another circle.

Only occasionally would caravan captain "Jeff" bring some small snacks over, and communicate about the itinerary arrangements afterward.

Tonight was the same.

Xia Nan and several fellow adventurers sat around the campfire.

Not far from his side, several carriages were deliberately parked crookedly on the side of the road.

This not only didn't hinder the vision of the adventurers on night watch, but also allowed them to use the sturdy carriage body as cover when encountering danger.

Naturally, some simple warning traps had been set up as soon as they confirmed to stop and rest.

The order of night watch had also been confirmed internally.

Xia Nan was responsible for the second half of the night, needing to rest early and keep enough physical strength.

At this moment, he was applying honey he had specially bought from the general store before leaving to the meat jerky that had been roasted warm.

Beside him, several adventurers were chatting one after another:

"Hey, have you heard? Some strange-looking buildings were recently discovered in the Mist Forest, could they be the remains of some ancient ruins?"

"That... hasn't the Association already sent high-level adventurers to look at it? Nothing was found."

"Ah? I thought there were secret realms, space layers, etc."

"Even if there were, would it be our turn?"

"Also..."

"By the way, do you know about Bernie?"

"Of course, I was at the scene at that time! That scene..."

On the other side,

Xia Nan didn't say a word, seemingly focused on dealing with the ingredients, but actually quietly pricked up his ears.

Through the "strange buildings with unique shapes" mentioned by the other party, he could roughly guess.

The dilapidated broken walls and ruins that extended from the depths of the Mist Forest to the outskirts could naturally not escape the eyes of adventurers who went in and out of various places in the forest all day long.

It was just...

"Nothing was found."

Come to think of it, Haian and Wood had also mentioned at the time that they had clearly arrived at the place where he disappeared, but were not teleported into the cave.

Now that even high-level professionals hadn't discovered the secrets within,

did that mean that he had some special characteristics that could establish some kind of connection with that suspected "secret realm" cave?

And if he had to say the biggest difference between him and the natives of this world, there was only one point, which was...

"Thud, thud."

Heavy and sluggish footsteps came from behind.

Xia Nan looked back subconsciously.

What came into view was a large iron pot that was shaking, with steaming hot soup splashing out from both sides from time to time.

Under the dim twilight, the large pot seemed to be under some kind of magic, floating in mid-air, shaking and moving toward them with difficulty.

But if you observe more carefully, you can see a pair of exquisite high-top leather boots embroidered with four-leaf clover patterns directly under the pot.

"Stew is here!"

"Help me quickly, I can't hold it anymore!"

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 55 =====

(End of Chapter)