Oasis

On the desolate wasteland, various massive boulders of different sizes formed the main scenery of this plain. Suddenly, from beneath a rock that was noticeably more towering than the surrounding giant stones, like a small hill, came a sound of shifting.

Then, a sneaky figure pushed aside a rock used to block a cave entrance, quickly tossed it to the side, and pretended nothing had happened.

Watching a tumbleweed roll past carried by the breeze, Xuan Ye surveyed the surrounding Gobi rock landscape, oriented himself according to the map, and then set off in that direction.

Perhaps because he was already getting close to Stanrosai City, the already infrequent appearance of Magic Beasts had noticeably decreased in the vicinity. Along the way, he occasionally spotted other human figures. Apart from Xuan Ye, most seemed to appear in groups.

Some were small groups of two or three, while others were large caravans of over a hundred people with their escorts. Xuan Ye merely glanced at them from a distance before turning away, perhaps influenced by the deaths of Luo Luoji and the others.

Being alone in the wilderness could itself make one an attractive target. In the wild, where no laws bound anyone, humans were often more dangerous than Magic Beasts. However, with only a broken bow, a short sword at his waist, and a tattered little bundle, he dissuaded many ill intentions.

What? Could he have a Spatial Bag? Hah, that joke wasn't funny at all. And even if, by some stretch, he did possess Spatial Equipment, that would make him an even worse target.

Mercenaries and Scavengers who spent years in the wild naturally knew how to choose.

Thus, Xuan Ye's day-and-night journey remained relatively peaceful. Gradually, traces of a road appeared before him. Though still a sandy, gravelly path, it was clearly man-made.

As he passed a small natural checkpoint formed by two giant boulders, he saw densely packed parchments plastered on the stone.

'Recently, a pack of Hyena Wolves (15-25) has been roaming near the trade route. Clean the route and cut off their ears. Each ear can be exchanged for an extra fifty copper coins at the Mercenary Hall.'

'A small Gnoll tribe has migrated into the Ring City Oasis. Drive them away or kill them before they cause more damage. Each pair of Gnoll claws can be exchanged for an extra eighty copper coins.'

'Road maintenance: report to the repair crew. As long as you have strength, you can earn corresponding wages.'

'Millet and wheat merchants welcome to trade in Stanrosai. Food trade tax-free this season.'

'...'

Though there were no guards nearby, this small checkpoint was covered with various notices and posted tasks.

Judging by the freshness of the parchments, these were all recent tasks. Beneath many of them were traces of older postings. It was quite thoughtful, saving the trouble of returning to the city to accept tasks—just complete them and bring proof back.

As for whether someone might fraudulently use prey from elsewhere to claim rewards, they likely had unique methods passed down through the ages to verify. At the very least, the freshness of ears and claws could tell whether they came from nearby or far away.

Judging by the difficulty of these tasks, they seemed suited for lower-level mercenaries or even commoners.

Turning past the corner of the small checkpoint and looking down the slope, a refreshing patch of green came into view.

After growing accustomed to the dead silence of the desert and the barrenness of the Gobi, the sudden appearance of this vast oasis was truly soothing.

It almost felt as if the air had instantly become fresher!

Gazing toward the center of the oasis, a magnificent rock city came into sight. The entire city was built atop a gray-white stone mountain, its steep terrain and towering walls seemingly capable of repelling any attack.

A wide road extended from the city gate, winding down the mountain, with countless people, like ants, bustling back and forth.

Stanrosai City!

To the west lay the Desert of the Dead, to the north the Riftwind Plains. It was the only large human settlement in the vicinity.

"Well, I'll be damned. A marvel of craftsmanship."

Though vague images existed in his memories, compared to experiencing it firsthand, Xuan Ye still felt the greatness of human effort.

Stanrosai City was built atop a mine, and from this foundation the city rose. Even the vast oasis beside it had been artificially cultivated and expanded over the years since the city's founding!

It was the lifeblood of all Stanrosai.

Teams of Camel Beasts lay resting and feeding at the edge of the oasis. Laughter and chatter drifted from tents, as people celebrated having finally crossed the desert or plains to reach this oasis.

They were likely merchants and Scavenger Squads preparing to rest and then enter the city.

Watching the harmonious scene before him, Xuan Ye felt a moment of distraction. If he hadn't followed those accursed pests midway and turned back, perhaps he and Uncle and the others would be celebrating here too.

Shaking his head to cast aside the stray thoughts, Xuan Ye continued forward.

Judging by the cheerful singing and dancing, it seemed the follow-up actions of the cult Ye Man belonged to hadn't affected this place. What was the point of fighting tooth and nail back then? Two months had passed, and nothing had happened.

Gradually approaching the camp, listening to the exotic music and watching the fiery dancers, Xuan Ye's mood improved slightly. He shifted from his detached observer mindset back into the flow of life.

Accepting a cup of wine handed to him by a dancer, he thanked her and found an empty spot to sit down.

This seemed to be a small celebration spontaneously organized by several nearby caravans before entering the city. Mingling with them wasn't a bad idea, and he could also pick up the latest news.

But clearly, these merchants who had just arrived from outside had limited knowledge of Stanrosai's recent situation.

Two of the caravans had come based on past experience, selling grain this season. In the two months of the rainy season, grain prices plummeted elsewhere after the harvest, but in Stanrosai City, it happened to be the lean period between harvests.

After all, relying on the oasis outside to feed everyone was no small pressure.

So even with his Perception Inner Mansion granting him far superior senses to ordinary people, he gleaned no useful information from the nearby conversations.

Just as he was about to give up and meditate through the night before entering the city the next day, the conversation of two drunkards caught his attention.

"...Hey, when passing through Danmu Town, I heard that another Professional Rank big shot died in the Stanrosai City Lord's Mansion. When do you think their internal conflicts will end? Will it affect our business?"

"Pfft, do you think you're smarter than the boss? He must be confident to come make a profit. No matter who ends up in charge of Stanrosai, they'll still need grain. So they'll have to treat us politely..."

"..."

Hearing about a dead Professional Rank, Xuan Ye instinctively thought of Uncle Luo Luoji. But realizing it was from the City Lord's Mansion, it seemed unrelated. Besides, it had been over two months since that encounter—it shouldn't count as recent.

From their words, it seemed there was some internal struggle happening in Stanrosai. The City Lord's Mansion had even lost a Professional Rank Expert. That was no small matter. From their tone, it might even decide who ultimately held power in Stanrosai.

Even these merchants knew about it, which meant the incident had started long ago. Unfortunately, the original owner of this body had only ever focused on training and pleasing that Potion Bitch, with a low status and rank. Otherwise, he might have caught wind of it back then.

But clearly, this was good for him. At the very least, with internal power struggles, the chances of being discovered were reduced. Since the stakes were so high, the Kend Family, as the third-largest faction, couldn't possibly stay out of it.

They might even be a main player...

Thanks to Rongguang Xinghuo, Fengfengfeng 111, and other book friends for their tips~

There will be more later today.