Chapter 4

The Qiankou Dragon passed away peacefully.

The signal flare Aolang fired was not the red one signaling emergency, but the yellow one marking location.

Therefore, the ones who came were not random hunters active nearby.

But a Five-Star Dual Blade User and a Six-Star Great Sword User, who had been lying in wait at another camp several kilometers away, awaiting word.

With their strength, even if the camp entrance had been guarded by a Qiankou Dragon, let alone a Thunder Dragon, it would not have been a problem.

"This child has caused you trouble," said the female Dual Blade User in Swift Dragon armor, pressing Aolang's neck as she bowed to Karim.

"No no no no no..." Karim waved his hands vigorously, "You've done me a huge favor—if not for you, I'd be stranded on this rock beach with no idea what to do."

"Hey! Huali! Aren't you going to harvest some materials from this Qiankou Dragon? They're pretty valuable!" shouted the tall female Great Sword User in Thunder Dragon armor from afar.

The Dual Blade User named Huali gave Karim an apologetic look, quickened her pace, and walked toward the Qiankou Dragon's corpse.

"Both of them are so strong! They killed that Monster in just a few swings. By the way, is the black-haired one your mom? So young!" Karim was astonished.

Aolang's face remained expressionless. "She's my teacher. The other is her partner; she taught me how to use the Great Sword—she's also a teacher."

"What do you mean 'also a teacher'? You sound so reluctant?" The Great Sword User, taller than most adult men, walked over and punched Aolang on the head.

"Kid, we took care of your unexpected surprise, the Qiankou Dragon. How's your evaluation mission going?"

"Don't tell me you haven't even defeated five Yellow Velocidromes yet—you sent a distress signal. If you haven't finished, it's a failure."

Aolang suppressed the urge to rub his head, pulled out several Yellow Velocidrome Crowns caked with dried blood from his pack, and said, "I completed it, Teacher Haifa."

"That's more like it!" The female Great Sword User named Haifa gripped Aolang's head and rubbed it hard. "You've officially become a One-Star Hunter. We'll throw you a victory banquet when we get back!"

But Aolang showed none of the joy expected at such a moment. He fixed his gaze on Haifa's eyes and said seriously, "Teacher Haifa, I am already a true Hunter. I can stand on my own. I can support myself."

"Please take Teacher away. She has stayed in this city too long already."

"Ah, this..." Haifa scratched her head. "I can't decide this. Let's go back first. You and Huali should talk."

The group boarded a Sand Ship and returned to Dondorma, the largest city in the Great Desert—Luokelake.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere among the three, Karim immediately took his leave as soon as they returned to the city.

Before leaving, he pulled Aolang aside and whispered, "I don't know what happened between you, but I can tell they both care for you. Don't be so stubborn."

With that, he slapped Aolang's back hard, slung his enormous backpack over his shoulders, and strode off.

"Tch." Aolang turned his head away irritably.

He knew Karim was right—but that was exactly why he felt irritated.

"Let's go," Huali said softly as she came to his side. "First, settle your mission at the Gathering Hall. That's the most important thing."

Aolang nodded silently and followed behind her.

Watching the two, whose personalities seemed carved from the same mold, Haifa shrugged and followed after them.

The three walked together to the Assembly Hall Tavern.

It was both the place where the Guild posted missions and connected with Hunters, and where Hunters gathered to drink.

Unlike other Assembly Hall Taverns, Luokelake never rained, so the entire building was semi-open—eating and drinking might mean swallowing a mouthful of sand.

Outsiders usually struggled to adapt, but locals called it a feature.

If you've come to the Dust City, how can you not eat a bit of sand?

Seeing the three enter, the Hunters inside greeted them warmly.

"Ahlun's Little Brother, did you succeed?"

"Hah! Do you even need to ask? Of course he did!"

"Come on! A toast!"

"Enough, enough, don't block the path—get out of the way, all of you!" Haifa, tall and sturdy, pushed aside the laughing Hunters who crowded around, "escorting" Aolang to the mission counter.

In this bold city where you could drink sand with every breath, the barmaids were bolder than the dainty girls in other cities.

The barmaid, with dark brown skin and vibrant red hair, smiled warmly and extended her hand as if to say, "Hand it over!"

Aolang, who had been staring down, feeling gloomy, finally perked up under the warm attention of the crowd.

He pulled the Yellow Velocidrome Crowns—proof of his kills—from his pack and handed them over.

The barmaid carefully checked the freshness of the Crowns, confirmed they were freshly harvested, then took a deep breath and shouted loudly: "Harvest confirmed! Mission successful!

Congratulations, Ahlun's Little Brother! At under seventeen, a One-Star Hunter—even now, after the Guild lowered its entry threshold, there are still very few of you!"

A short, comical-looking Dragon Race elder with a mustache like a pair of sideways brushstrokes leapt onto the counter. "Kid, bring out your Hunter's Notes! I, the Guild Master Little Beard, will personally stamp your first star!"

Under everyone's gaze, Aolang shyly retrieved his Hunter's Notes.

Immediately, a staff member brought the Guild Master Little Beard a heated branding iron, which he pressed onto the fresh leather cover of the Notes, leaving a star-shaped mark.

Amidst the crowd's cheers, the boy officially completed his promotion.

The Guild Master Little Beard casually tossed the symbolic branding iron aside, placed his hands on his hips, and laughed heartily. "That old man from Dondorma came to brag to me before, saying they had a genius who rose at sixteen. Well, look—we've got one in Luokelake too!"

"Ahahaha! Tonight, I'm paying out of my own pocket! Everything here is half-price!"

"The old man's being generous for once? Then I won't be outdone! Everyone, drink up! My treat!" Haifa roared with laughter.

"Ooooh!" Amidst the enthusiastic cheers, the celebration began.

The victory banquet lasted until late into the night.

As the guest of honor, Aolang naturally received many toasts—but Huali blocked every drink, saying, "He's still a child, he can't drink. If you want to drink, find Haifa."

The result was that Haifa, who had a decent alcohol tolerance, got drunk and lay on the floor, still yelling, "Mom, stop hitting me!"

By the end, the only ones still standing in the Assembly Hall were Aolang, who wasn't allowed to drink, and Huali, who had remained perfectly restrained.

The teacher and student stepped over a sea of drunkards, as if treading across a field of corpses, and walked out the door.

The cold desert night wind blew, and Huali, slightly tipsy, snapped back to clarity. She turned her head and met Aolang's unwavering gaze.

"Teacher, I can stand on my own now. I don't need you tied to this place anymore."

"Again with this?" Huali rubbed her forehead.

At his teacher's helpless tone, as if coaxing a willful child, Aolang's emotions began to surge, and words he had never dared speak before poured out all at once.

"Ten years ago, when you were in your twenties, you were already a Five-Star Hunter! Everyone said you could push all the way up and catch the very top few!

But you wasted ten years—the most critical ten years—taking care of me in Luokelake! Even Haifa, who was never your equal, advanced to Upper Rank two years ago, yet you remain stuck at Five-Star! Don't you feel..."

"Enough." Hualin interrupted him in a flat tone. "I told you long ago that I never felt bound by anyone; this is the life I chose myself.

Besides, I don't think you are fully ready yet. Didn't you send a distress signal just last night?"

Those words seemed to strike the youth's sore spot. He, who rarely showed intense emotions, was instantly ignited as if he had swallowed an explosive.

"I don't want your interference!" he roared, leaving that single sentence behind, and vanished in the blink of an eye.

Hualin was left alone, standing there in a daze.

"What kind of stupid mother did you get?" a grumbling voice came from behind. "But honestly, I also think you should let go of his hand and let him walk on his own."

"Guild Master, Mr.?" Hualin turned around in shock.

"You yourself should try to set out on your own journey again. I've blocked the Upper Rank assessment for you for far too long; it's time to take the next step."

Winking at her, the old Dragon Man rode his beloved Mushroom Boar and ambled away.