Chapter 26: Beyond the Sunlight

Sunlight City is the largest city within a hundred-li radius of the Black Forest Territory.

Every day, countless merchants come here for wealth, and countless adventurers leave the city for wealth.

Located in a chaotic region, the city's walls are naturally built to be extremely tall and sturdy, with an additional layer of hard white iron poured over the thick stone bricks.

If sunlight could shine upon it, it would surely gleam like a silver-forged bracelet, as if a holy knight riding a pegasus might glide by at any moment.

But this place is the perpetually sunless Black Forest Territory, so the pallid walls look like a mountain of corpses piled from countless giant beasts' bones, appearing cold and grim.

After a pleasant night's rest, early the next morning, the clinic's door was knocked on by Sitong.

"Are you ready, Doctor? We should set off."

With all their gear neatly donned, Ji Ming, now in a clean white robe, followed the Iron Chain Squad toward the city gate.

"Is your leg okay?"

Watching Bei Li chatting and laughing with Charlie, Ji Ming asked in a low voice.

Bei Li gave a hehe laugh and rolled up his pant leg.

"Thanks to you, Doctor, I'm fine now!"

It's just that young people's bodies are strong; he had already fully recovered, even the IV lines were removed.

"That's good."

Ji Ming then found AdaiEr.

"Follow-up: Have you recently felt any inexplicable mood swings or physical discomfort?"

Compared to Bei Li, AdaiEr's condition is much worse.

Although her complexion has improved greatly, the mental weakness inflicted by the curse over two full days, etched deep into her bones, is hard to make up for.

Still, she nodded and forced a smile.

"Although I still feel a bit uncomfortable, I'm gradually recovering, thank you, Doctor."

"Make sure to rest promptly, and tell me if anything feels uncomfortable."

After giving that reminder, Ji Ming walked toward the sole stranger in the adventuring party.

"Hello, are you Hunter Boer?"

The white-haired old man stopped chewing his apple with a crunching sound, then extended his clean hand.

"Yes, I think you're Doctor Ji Ming."

They shook hands symbolically; though the old hunter was as slender as Ji Ming, his palm, with distinct tendons and bones, was strong and powerful.

Feeling the thick old calluses on his palm, Ji Ming couldn't help but raise his estimation of him a notch.

To have a spot in the six‑person Iron Chain Squad means he will undoubtedly be a very reliable hunter.

And a reliable hunter often means possessing a living map and survival experience.

He therefore voluntarily promised.

"Sir, if you get injured, come find me right away—that's my duty as a healer."

"Haha, no problem!"

Watching Ji Ming bustling about asking after everyone's well‑being, Sitong quietly withdrew his gaze.

"Anna, I think getting on good terms with Doctor Ji is the best thing we've done."

Anna also looked convinced.

"Yeah."

Led by a trainee professional, the gate guards gave them no trouble at all.

After paying a dozen or so copper coins as entry tax, the group passed through the tall gate of Sunlight City and officially entered the outskirts.

Ji Ming lifted his head to gaze at the sky.

Inside the narrow, cramped city he hadn't felt it, but now in the open expanse he sensed how close the cloud‑filled sky was, as if it might collapse at any moment.

"It still feels kind of eerie."

He discarded those unrealistic fantasies and continued following the party farther out.

As they walked, Sitong came up beside him.

"Are you still holding up physically, Doctor? Do you need a break?"

Ji Ming always sensed that Sitong had something behind his words, so he struck up a conversation without showing it.

"Oh, that's good—you're a key member of our expedition, the most important one!"

And under Sitong's enthusiasm, the topic gradually shifted to the other squad members.

"Hahaha, by the way, Doctor, has Charlie told you about his story?"

As the squad leader, Sitong naturally knows many details about the team members.

For example, Charlie—his deceased father was actually close friends with Blacksmith Modun, both comrades from the same regiment in the Hui Guang Kingdom.

But after enduring a plot and a defeat, the two were forced to become deserters and settled in this lawless Black Forest Territory.

Another example is Old Boer, who once lived in a mountain village outside the city and was a well‑known handsome young man from the surrounding area.

But after a sudden beast tide, he lost everything—including his wife and daughter—and became an adventurer who specializes in hunting magical beasts.

And AdaiEr, though she doesn't like to talk about it, is likely a noble lady who fled the Shen Lin Wang Guo.

Anna met her in the hall of the Adventurers' Guild, where she had just used magic to thrash several troublemakers.

As for Sitong and Anna.

He doesn't need to beat around the bush; anyone with sense can see their rapport and relationship.

Especially after saying they've known each other since childhood—such nonsense needs no further comment.

So……

"A 'grandfather,' a pair of 'parents,' an 'uncle,' three 'children'……"

No wonder the relationship within the Iron Chain Squad is so good; this is clearly a structure similar to a family.

And in casual chat, Ji Ming quickly discovered that behind the everyday chatter lay each squad member's background and details.

This was Sitong opening up to him, after all, a team whose members know nothing about each other lacks cohesion and trust.

Seeing that he was already hesitant, trying to steer the conversation toward himself.

"Ah, in this world, who hasn't suffered?"

Ji Ming pondered his words a bit, also putting on a look of shattered defenses.

"To be frank with you, I was once a pharmacist with limitless prospects..."

Compared to Sitong, Ji Ming, having endured the modern society's information bombardment, is truly a master storyteller.

In the new version's backstory, he portrayed himself as a good doctor who would risk everything to save others.

Thus, having lost everything—feeling lost, disheartened, disappointed—he joined a caravan from the borderlands and came to the distant West.

"How can there be such bastards in this world!"

In Sitong's reactions, swinging between delight, anger, and astonishment, he wholly believed it.

Ji Ming couldn't help but chuckle inwardly, feeling like he was the kind of hero NPC in Mount & Blade who waits in taverns to recruit players.

"Hey sir, want to hear my story..."

"Good, give me 600 denars to settle the tab, and I'll join your party."

By the time the tale ended, Sitong was filled with emotion.

"Turns out doctors are also people with stories."

"If we had a bard adapt it, we'd probably leave behind another legend."

Ji Ming lowered his eyes, still preparing to lay on another wave of tragic backstory, but he saw Bo'er, who had gone out to scout, rush back quickly.

The old hunter kept waving his arms, as if trying to send some specific signal.