The Eastern Wasteland

"A pure white utopia, the City of Chalk - Camelot!"

Li Ye's confident words echoed in Sanzang and the Magus's ears.

This caused both of them to show expressions of confusion.

"?"

Seeing their faces full of bewilderment, Li Ye couldn't help but feel confused himself.

It was one thing for Sanzang not to know Camelot, but why would this Crusader Magus not know it either?

"You don't know Camelot?"

The still-confused Magus shook his head, "I'm not sure. The template's knowledge base doesn't contain relevant information—"

Hearing the Magus's reply, Li Ye's eyebrows immediately shot up.

'All knowledge is granted by the template, he hasn't received any external knowledge?'

Sticking to the principle of 'since I've already said it', Li Ye still explained to Sanzang and the Magus what the City of Chalk - Camelot was.

'?'

"By the way, what's your name?"

Li Ye hesitated for a moment. It was only now that he realized he didn't know the Magus's name.

Could it be the same name as Aleka?

"Aleka Imwe, Aleka of Martial Prowess."

The Magus, who called himself Aleka, said so.

Li Ye pinched his chin, sizing up this second Aleka. "It seems that even if you are the same model or batch, your respective focuses are different. The prefix is probably the direction you each specialize in?"

In Aleka's multiple introductions, similar descriptions appeared repeatedly.

Aleka nodded, "We didn't perfectly inherit the template, but diverged. The final result is the appearance of various Alekas."

Li Ye pondered as he looked at Aleka. It was hard to imagine what kind of template could differentiate into so many different specialized offspring.

Without dwelling on Aleka's question, Li Ye immediately looked at Sanzang and said apologetically, "I'm very sorry, Master Sanzang. This alms-seeking for food and water might take a while longer. We probably won't be able to find food and water until we leave the desert."

Sanzang's eyes twinkled with a smile, and she gently shook her head, "No problem. It used to take Goku a long time to collect alms, and besides, isn't it more meaningful for us to look for it together from now on!"

Aleka, caught between the two, glanced left and right, instinctively hugging her tattered black robe.

After successfully resolving the battle with Vlad, capturing Aleka, and obtaining a large amount of intelligence, Li Ye chatted with Sanzang for a bit before leaving the desert with Sanzang and Aleka.

Several hours later, Li Ye, Sanzang, and Aleka finally left the desert.

As they crossed the sand dunes, what appeared before them was a scorched land.

Unlike the desolation of the desert, it was like the embers left after everything was destroyed by high temperatures.

The earth was cracked, and all conditions for life were absent from this land.

"..."

When Sanzang saw this scene, she showed a look of compassion that Li Ye found familiar.

Aleka, however, showed no change; such a sight was quite normal for her.

"Did the Crusaders do this too?" Sanzang asked, shocked, after regaining her senses.

"Mm... roughly, it was the Crusaders who did it."

Sanzang's question also reminded Li Ye of what he had seen and heard when he first arrived a few days ago.

It had been a huge shock to Li Ye.

As Li Ye, Sanzang, and Aleka continued to venture deeper into the wilderness, Sanzang witnessed the extent of the devastation this land had endured.

It was as if the vitality of the land had been completely severed!

About forty minutes later.

"Whoa! It's water!"

Seeing the water source, Sanzang jumped up excitedly and rushed to the water's edge, crouching down and scooping up a pool of clear water.

"Eek!"

After drinking the water, Sanzang shivered all over, showing a look of contentment.

"Master Sanzang, aren't you going to drink more?"

Li Ye, who arrived a little later, saw that Sanzang had only taken a few sips and asked casually while observing their surroundings.

"Three Thousand Weak Waters, take only one ladleful. In this desolate land, who knows how many lives need water? How can I monopolize the source?"

Sanzang said with a smile.

"Truly worthy of Master Sanzang—"

Li Ye chuckled as he squatted by the water source, then reached out and scooped up some clear water into his mouth.

"Oh, someone's coming."

With a premonition, Li Ye and Aleka simultaneously turned their heads to look into the distance.

Figures were approaching silently, their eager eyes fixed on Li Ye and the others.

When Sanzang also turned her gaze towards the approaching figures, she was taken aback.

Dozens of ragged refugees, their faces sallow and their bodies emaciated from hardship, were like skeletons.

But their eyes were filled with desire.

The desire for food.

"They're refugees. People who lived on this land, had their homes destroyed by the Crusaders, and have nowhere to go," Li Ye said expressionlessly, watching the approaching figures.

First, their homes were destroyed by the Crusaders. After that, they would be destroyed by the Round Table.

"Huh?"

Sanzang looked down at the water source. With her wisdom, she immediately understood the critical point and quickly shouted, "Wait, everyone! We don't intend to fight you for the water!"

At this moment, Sanzang displayed unprecedented wisdom.

Before Li Ye could speak, she engaged with the approaching refugees, attempting to stabilize their increasingly fervent desires.

"Food! Fresh food and water!"

Excessive desire led to taking by any means necessary.

Li Ye stood quietly in place, watching as Sanzang subdued the refugees one by one, their pained groans filling the air.

Only then did he choose to speak, "Master Sanzang, leave the rest to me."

Sanzang, who was contemplating how to help the refugees,' eyes suddenly lit up. "Then I'll leave it to you!"

"Damn it, why are you—"

The apparent leader of the refugees weakly pounded the ground, struggling to lift his head and stare at Li Ye.

Facing the refugees' questions, Li Ye slowly walked forward.

Dragon's Might surged.

"I am Li Ye, the Stranger Knight at the end of the Round Table under the Lion King. I will now conduct the Holy Selection upon you—"

Before he finished speaking, Li Ye raised his hand.

As magic power surged, Li Ye's eyes, which had long since completely transformed into vertical pupils, glowed with a faint light.

Unseen by Li Ye, he now resembled the Lion King.

"By the name of the Lord of the End, I declare, you shall display your radiance—"

The magic power emitted from his palm rippled like a stone dropped into a lake.

In an instant.

A beam of light rose.

Li Ye followed the light and saw a young girl, as youthful as Serenity Hassan.

"What is he doing?" Sanzang asked from his side, her face full of curiosity.

Even Aleka was no exception, constantly observing Li Ye. The knowledge she possessed couldn't explain Li Ye's actions.

"Selection. The chosen will be brought to Camelot. Others will have their own destinations."

Even Li Ye was gazing at his own palm.

This was the first time he had used magic, or rather, the ability bestowed by the Lion King.

To select those with pure souls, to choose those whose souls would never be defiled, to choose those whose souls would never be swayed by evil—in essence, humanity that was eternally untainted.

Why am I included?