"So that's how it is. I understand." The other man nodded and patiently continued asking, "Then where are you headed?"
"We're going to... Shalin, sir." Philip hesitated before answering honestly. He had a feeling that it would be best not to lie to the man before him, or there would be no good outcome.
Upon hearing his destination, the other man showed obvious surprise. He scrutinized him for a few moments, then smiled. "Are you serious? Do you know that walking from here to Shalin would probably take several months? You'd likely starve to death before even making it halfway. And that's not even counting other accidents, like getting lost in the mountains or encountering dangerous creatures."
"This..." Philip's expression changed.
Then the other man asked, "By the way, why are you going to Shalin instead of staying in Bright Light Town?"
The muscles in Philip's face twitched a few times. He sighed and said, "Bright Light Town is no place to stay, sir. We've changed town mayors three times in a month, and none of them ended well. There isn't enough food. We can't even eat our fill, and they still levy taxes. There's simply no way to survive. I heard from a peddler selling dried earthworms and dried mushrooms that Shalin isn't like Bright Light Town, so I wanted to take a look. But I didn't expect it to be this far away."
As Philip spoke, he heard the other man mutter under his breath, "Another one who was guided... Looks like the Guidance Team has stretched its hands far indeed... They've even reached unknown little towns... Though they're not very adaptable..."
After muttering, the other man looked up at him and earnestly advised, "I suggest you don't go to Shalin. It's too far, and you're even heading