On the great road, two horses raced one after another.
Xiao Jie had to slow down from time to time to wait for I Want to Be Immortal to catch up. The game’s map was surprisingly large; the two had been running for more than half an hour but still hadn’t left the boundaries of Sunset Plain.
"You know, if you get some money later, you should buy a warhorse too. This thing can save your life at a critical moment," Xiao Jie suggested to I Want to Be Immortal after pausing once more.
Ordinary monsters can be thrown off with a travel horse, but if you encounter enemies with four legs just as fast, there could still be some danger. In comparison, a warhorse is much safer, able to outrun just about any monster at full speed, and as long as you don’t leave the main road, you’re pretty safe.
I Want to Be Immortal replied helplessly, "I’d like to, but I don’t have the money. After all, it costs one million, and the little money I had has already been spent on in-game purchases. By the way, Feng, I’ve learned mining and herb gathering, so maybe I can try making some extra money later on."
"Hmm, that’s not a bad choice. Manufacturing is too competitive, and newcomers find it hard to break through. But gathering professions, at least they are essentially cost-free business, you should be able to make some money later on," Feng agreed.
While they were conversing, a caravan came into view far down the road ahead.
The two hurriedly slowed down and observed carefully from a distance.
Fortunately, it wasn’t a monster nest; it looked more like a trade caravan, with several wagons loaded with goods, and besides the coachmen, there were about a dozen Level 16 caravan guards, all green-named NPCs.
This must be the trade caravan that Wang Kai had mentioned before, rumored to engage in trade at various Newbie Villages every month.
The two rode up closer. Seeing them approach, the leader of the caravan immediately came forward with two guards.
Qian Gaoyi (Caravan Leader): "Where are you two returnees headed?"
"We’re heading for Xiaofeng City."
"Ah, what a coincidence, we’re also going to Xiaofeng City. How about we travel together? There are many wild beasts and bandits along the way, and there are rumors of Wolf Demons causing trouble. It’s safer to travel in a group."
But Xiao Jie responded, "No need, we have urgent matters and must hurry. We cannot afford any delays."
Xiao Jie thought to himself that with horses, there was no need to dawdle with them. It was completely unnecessary.
The caravan leader expressed his regret and had the men clear a path.
The two passed the caravan and continued their fast ride along the main road.
This encounter was just a minor incident, and they didn’t take it too seriously.
After a few more minutes of running, a village appeared within their line of sight.
The village was built along both sides of the road, with its main street being part of the thoroughfare.
Like most villages in this world, the village before their eyes was completely abandoned, with only some dilapidated houses near the crossroads, the main road running east to west, and a small path leading to the forest in the south.
The two stopped at the entrance to the village; having had the experience with Sick Village before, Xiao Jie was somewhat wary of such abandoned villages and wanted to make sure to scout ahead before entering.
Luckily, the village was small enough to see everything at a glance, and there were no signs of monsters within sight.
"Let’s go, there should be no monsters. Let’s dash through without stopping—giddy up!"
Both horses sprinted away. As they reached the crossroads, Xiao Jie’s peripheral vision suddenly caught something.
"Hold on, there’s someone!" He abruptly pulled the reins of his warhorse. Standing in front of a worn-out signpost at the crossroads was a Taoist in ragged robes, muttering to himself with a troubled expression.
He looked at the name.
Foolish Taoist: Level 1 civilian, Life Value 50.
"Eh, a Taoist! That’s a bit strange," I Want to Be Immortal said in surprise.
It was indeed peculiar. Unlike other games, in this one, monsters didn’t just attack players; they also attacked NPCs. If NPCs in the wild encountered monsters, they too would be killed.
So the sudden appearance of a Level 1 NPC in this wilderness was quite odd.
A Level 1 civilian with only 50 health probably couldn’t even beat a wild dog. To have survived this long, could he possess some special ability?
Moreover, the fact that this person was a Taoist inevitably sparked curiosity.
Maybe there was a chance to trigger some adventure?
But then again, it seemed a bit unrealistic. Since this NPC was just standing by the road, passing players would have encountered him— if there was any adventure, it’s likely someone else would have triggered it by now.
Still, there was no harm in trying.
"Come on, let’s go ask him."
The two dismounted and approached the Foolish Taoist.
Xiao Jie respectfully said, "Greetings to the respected Taoist. I am Hidden Moon Following Wind, a returning villager. I happen to encounter you here and have some questions I’d love to discuss, if you don’t mind?"
However, the Foolish Taoist just grinned foolishly, as if he couldn’t understand a word that Xiao Jie was saying.
Xiao Jie was a bit frustrated. He had taken quite a while to come up with that formal address, and it didn’t seem to have any effect.
I Want to Be Immortal got straight to the point, "Hello, Taoist, can I ask you about something?"
The Foolish Taoist replied with a silly smile, "Hello, Taoist? What’s good? I’m starving, belly rumbling with hunger, can’t stand not having food."
Hmm? He’s asking for food. Well, any reaction is a good sign.
Xiao Jie right-clicked and Find your next favorite novel on NovelHub today!
The Foolish Taoist took the steamed bun and ate it in two bites, but then he sighed.
"Steamed buns don’t fill the stomach, two more would be just right."