Chapter 12: Dixiya's Great Renown

The distance between Kawanyi and A Ru Cun isn't very far.

Luo De and Dixiya set out in the early morning, and before noon they could already see the outer walls of Kawanyi.

The Blaze Light Beast Hunting's mission this time is simple: just a commission to help the Academy receive supplies, which can be completed without Dixiya needing to show up.

Luo De already knew about this.

So he asked Dixiya to bring him to Kawanyi to buy some Fertility Blessing.

This isn't just because he's unfamiliar with the place.

Besides, strictly speaking, he currently has no identification and is an unregistered resident.

With such unregistered status, it's impossible to buy the Fertility Blessing tightly controlled by the Academy in Xu Mi.

So he must find someone with proper identification to accompany him.

Luo De doesn't know many people in A Ru Cun.

He can only rely on Dixiya.

"By the way, you can't read, right?"

Sitting on the pack beast, Dixiya asked curiously.

This trip back to A Ru Cun isn't just for visiting Luo De.

She also happened to bring Luo De a copy of the Teyvat Literacy Compendium.

To be honest.

When Luo De earlier asked her to bring back a Teyvat Literacy Compendium, Dixiya was genuinely surprised for a while.

Back when she picked Luo De up in the desert.

Although at that time Luo De's clothes were ragged, looking like a beggar, he still had somewhat delicate skin and fine clothing material, clearly showing he came from a wealthy family.

Even if he isn't from the rainforest, his family situation should at least be decent.

Yet he ended up wanting a Teyvat Literacy Compendium, a book only needed by schoolchildren.

This doubt had lingered in Dixiya's mind for a long time.

Now that she finally had the chance, she hesitated a moment but couldn't help asking.

Regarding that.

Luo De's answer was: "I can recognize characters, but I can't write them."

"Ah?"

"You can recognize characters but can't write them?"

This situation is abnormal, and Dixiya was surprised again.

Under normal circumstances.

Someone who can't write characters shouldn't be able to recognize them, right?

Otherwise.

When learning characters, one must always practice with a brush.

How could someone only recognize characters but not be able to write them?

Luo De also didn't know how to explain this.

This matter has to start from when he asked Dixiya to bring him a Teyvat Literacy Compendium.

After all, Luo De descended onto the Teyvat Continent.

Now he wants to establish himself in the desert, so literacy is essential.

However, when Dixiya actually handed the Teyvat Literacy Compendium to Luo De.

Luo De was stunned.

He had only flipped a few pages when he suddenly noticed a serious problem.

These Teyvat characters, which looked like meaningless scribbles to him, he actually recognized all of them!

Moreover, not only could he recognize them, he could also pronounce them accurately.

It was as if it were an instinct.

It seemed as if he innately understood these characters.

This discovery left Luo De feeling confused.

Earlier in A Ru Cun, he had clearly seen Teyvat characters before.

His memory is excellent.

He clearly remembered that back then he was completely illiterate, not knowing a single character.

But why, when this Teyvat Literacy Compendium came into his hands, did he suddenly recognize characters?

He was looking at a paper book, not the Academy's canned knowledge.

And he didn't have any kind of all-knowing cheat system.

Logically, this shouldn't happen.

Luo De, who couldn't figure this out after thinking it over, also couldn't answer Dixiya's question.

He could only helplessly chuckle and brush it off casually.

Upon closer calculation.

The unusual things happening to Luo De aren't limited to just this.

His special elemental energy with healing ability, astonishing elemental control, and genius-level martial arts talent.

Now he also has the ability to understand Teyvat script without any instruction.

Even if just one of these things happened, it would be big news on the Teyvat Continent, enough to headline the Steam Bird Gazette.

Now all these things are gathered in Luo De.

Besides explaining it as a newcomer's grand gift for transmigrators, Luo De had no other way to explain the unusual things happening to him.

He arrived safely at Kawanyi.

Unlike A Ru Cun, which welcomed everyone.

Kawanyi's city gate has a checkpoint; whether coming or going, merchants, adventurers, or travelers must undergo inspection by the Thirty-Person Squad stationed there.

Travelers without luggage are fine.

Merchants carrying goods, besides undergoing inspection by the Thirty-Person Squad, must also register with the Academy Official to prevent contraband.

An Academy Official is easy to understand just from the name; they are an officer directly under the Academy.

As for that Thirty-Person Squad,

They are employed by the Academy, or rather, a pacified Gilded Travel Group.

These people are not like Mondstadt's West Wind Knight Order or Liyue's Thousand Rock Army, which belong to the regular army.

Strictly speaking.

This is a group of mercenaries who work for the Academy for money and power.

Loyalty, huh.

Rounded off, it's about zero.

They're quite capable of causing trouble.

Just like the one now standing in front of Luo De and Dixiya.

"The city toll is three hundred Mora per person, five hundred for each pack animal."

His lazy voice, combined with that punchable face, made people furious.

The city toll.

This is a fee set up specifically for desert dwellers in Kawanyi.

The intention is also obvious.

That is to limit the number of times desert dwellers can enter and leave the rainforest area.

The head tax is one hundred Mora, and the pack animal fee is three hundred Mora.

This is the normal fee schedule.

The Thirty-Person Squad mercenary with a face full of pimples was clearly trying to extort.

Passersby had always paid honestly.

It seems they had grown accustomed to lining their own pockets.

Luo De habitually reached into his pocket.

If he paid eight hundred Mora at once, he wouldn't need to buy Fertility Blessing for this trip; he could just return to A Ru Cun and drink the northwest wind.

At this moment, Dixiya stepped forward, blocking Luo De, and spoke to the mercenary in a stern tone Luo De had never heard before: "I am Dixiya, the Blaze Light Beast Hunter; according to the rules, I meet the tax-exempt standard."

"Blaze Light Beast Hunter?"

"Dixiya?"

"You're that lioness?"

The mercenary who had just looked down on Luo De and Dixiya immediately straightened his expression.

Chi Zong Zhi Shi

This is Dixiya's nickname in the desert.

Those who call her that are usually mercenary teams on good terms with the Blaze Light Beast Hunter, or people who are personally close to Dixiya.

The three words 'lioness'.

This is the name by which Dixiya is best known in the desert.

What is even more well-known is that

is that this desert lioness is very difficult to provoke.

"Since Miss Dixiya has arrived, please come in."

Upon realizing that the person before them was the renowned Dixiya, the gatekeeping mercenary naturally stopped giving them a hard time and even squeezed out a smile worse than a cry: "Welcome to Kawanyi."

(Previously, Blaze Light Beast Hunter and Blaze Mane Lion were always written incorrectly; they have been corrected now, ┮﹏┭.)

(End of chapter)