Vivian the Ordinary

I wonder if Andy will be okay, leaving things to Little Black.

Vivian was filled with worry on the way to Huodian City.

However, the benefit of awakening her second personality was that the young girl could chat anytime, anywhere – yes, with herself.

"I think that guy is quite reliable," the second personality in her mental space said, seemingly for the first time in a while, speaking well of Liao Zixuan.

Before Vivian could respond, the second personality's next sentence followed immediately.

"He probably won't torment Andy to death, after all, he's your brother. But those villagers and outsiders are another story, hahaha."

"Reliable."

It was better when the second personality didn't speak. The more she talked, the more worried Vivian became.

Soon, however, the young girl no longer had the mind to worry about others, as a tall and magnificent city appeared before her eyes.

Huodian City. They had arrived.

This was actually Vivian's first time in Huodian City.

When she was little, her mother often told her stories about Huodian City and the Fire God. After her mother passed away, the impression of Huodian City gradually faded. Only once a year, when the gentlemen from the city came down to the countryside to buy servants, did Vivian associate Huodian City with the sight of those luxurious and opulent carriages.

And now, standing at the foot of this city, looking at the majestic and towering city walls, the vast expanse that seemed to have no end, and most striking of all, a giant statue of the Fire God located in the very center of the city.

The Fire God Alice, one of the Nine Gods, held the Flaming Scepter and governed fire among the nine great elements, symbolizing prosperity and rebirth.

The goddess statue, soaring into the clouds, seemed to be looking down upon the entire city, leaving no room for evil or heresy to hide.

It was precisely under the protection of the Fire God that this largest city in the Flame Domain had stood for hundreds of years, witnessing the changes of one era after another.

"Hey, hey! Stop standing there like an idiot, you look like a bumpkin from the countryside!"

The second personality in her mental space voiced her dissatisfaction at Vivian, who was still blankly staring up at Huodian City, frozen in place.

That…

Actually, I, no, we, are indeed bumpkins from the countryside…

The young girl muttered softly in her heart.

Before the second personality could start her usual lecture of disappointment and exasperation, Vivian quickly trotted towards the entrance of the city gate.

Actually, Vivian had always had a question since the beginning.

Huodian City was indeed vast and awe-inspiring, but why couldn't she see many pedestrians or travelers coming and going, entering and exiting the city gate?

This was completely different from Vivian's imagination of long queues to enter the city, crowds of people, and countless carriages and trucks.

Patting her cheeks, she decided not to think about it for now.

She needed to enter the city quickly, use the Fire God Token, find an important figure within the city, report the intelligence about the abnormality deep in Claw Forest, and request support from the Knights' Order – that was the priority!

With this thought, Vivian quickened her pace, her right hand tightly gripping the token Bella had thrown to her.

However, after only a few steps, someone suddenly called out to her from behind.

"Hey, little girl, are you going into the city?" A shifty-eyed young man, dressed like a vagrant, chased after her, panting.

"Y-yes," Vivian nodded, her expression a mix of confusion and slight wariness.

"Oh dear, you've really come at the worst time. Getting into Huodian City is quite difficult now! Without an entry permit, the city guards won't let you pass!"

The young man, who looked like a hooligan, sighed and shook his head as he spoke.

Then, he sized up Vivian's appearance.

Her clothes were few and far between, her whole body ragged, as if she had just returned from the wilderness. As for any accessories, there wasn't a single one!

In fact, her scrawny little frame made him not even bother trying to trick her into anything sexual.

Chris, who had seen it all, shook his head inwardly at Vivian.

No need to guess.

A country bumpkin wanting to enter the city, and not even a very resourceful one!

But pity or not, business was business.

So…

"So, little girl, do you have an entry permit? Like this one I'm holding." Chris, following his usual routine, deliberately dangled his forged permit in front of Vivian.

"N-no," Vivian honestly shook her head.

"Is that so? Ah, forget it, forget it. I see you're in a hurry, how about I sell you mine..."

Chris put on an act of being unable to bear it and suffering a great loss. This trick never failed him, especially with these country girls who, to put it nicely, were naive, and to put it bluntly, were foolish.

However, before he could finish speaking, the young girl opposite him interrupted him.

"However, while I don't have an entry permit, I think I should be able to get in with this." Vivian said, taking out the token she had been clutching in her hand to show the young man.

Chris looked at it, then looked again.

He thought that besides the intricate and beautiful patterns carved on it, this token seemed to be just a piece of broken wood?

"What is this?"

"The Fire God Token," Vivian answered honestly again.

Chris, who had been half-doubting and truly expecting the young girl to produce something incredible, almost burst out laughing.

Good heavens!

The Fire God Token!?

You really have the nerve to say that!

Chris's first thought was that Vivian must have encountered a fellow con artist before him, one who was even better at lying and bragging than he was.

So, out of curiosity, the young man asked again:

"Who gave that to you?"

"I think it was a Bishop from the Fire God Cult," Vivian replied honestly once more.

"..."

Chris was speechless for a moment.

As he looked at the young girl opposite him, who seemed to genuinely believe it, even clutching the piece of wood he saw as worthless like a treasure, Chris inexplicably felt a deep sense of sadness.

How foolish must someone be to believe such nonsense!

"Well, thank you for telling me this. But if there's nothing else, then... then I'll be going now. I have very important business to attend to in the city!"

The anxiety on Vivian's face wasn't faked; the young girl was genuinely in a hurry.

After speaking, she turned and continued running towards the city gate. But after only a few steps, the young man's voice called out from behind her again.

"W-wait a moment!"

"What is it? Is there something else?" Vivian sighed inwardly, marveling at how hospitable everyone in Huodian City was.

"No, I just wanted to ask, if you can't get into the city, how will you get back?" Chris assumed Vivian would inevitably be blocked at the gate.

The young girl hesitated.

She originally wanted to retort, but ultimately answered:

"I'll just run back. And, you know, don't underestimate me, I'm quite fast at running."

As if to prove her point, Vivian quickly added:

"I ran all the way from the Claw Forest to Huodian City!"

Beast! Scoundrel! He swindled the poor girl out of her travel expenses! Now she has to walk all the way home! No wonder she's in such a state!

Those detestable swindlers!

At that moment, Chris seemed to forget that he was one of them.

He had indeed cheated many people, but it was always for small amounts of money. In his own words, he was helping those entering Huodian City for the first time to pay for a lesson in advance, as the people in the city were far worse than him.

However, even Chris had never encountered anyone as foolish, as ridiculously foolish, as this young girl, who could believe such nonsense as a Fire God Token given by a Fire God Cult Bishop!

"Here!" Chris gritted his teeth, his heart bleeding, as he fumbled inside his clothes and pulled out a dry little money pouch.

"Hire a carriage when you go back."

"No—"

Vivian was about to say something when Chris waved his hand潇洒ly and then abruptly turned around, afraid that if he stayed any longer, he might be tempted to take the money back.

As expected, people in big cities are so kind!

Clutching the money pouch, the young girl, pressed for time, didn't say much more. She simply memorized the young man's retreating figure, deciding to repay him if she ever had the chance.

And so, Vivian finally managed to pass through the inspection point at the gates of Huodian City.

Chris, who had pretended to leave, couldn't help but watch the young girl from afar, planning to feel relieved only after seeing her being driven out and getting into a carriage.

But who would have thought...

One minute, two minutes, five minutes passed.

He still hadn't seen the foolish girl being chased out by the city guards from the inspection point!

This...

Oh no!

Could it be that I've been tricked?

Is this some new type of scam, specifically designed to fool people by pretending to be pitiful and extorting money through sympathy!!?

Just as Chris's thoughts grew increasingly uneasy and he felt more and more like he'd been scammed, finally, a commotion arose from the city gate inspection point.

Here it comes! Here it comes!

I knew it! It's always Chris tricking others; how could anyone trick him?

Then...

A figure was sent flying out of the inspection point.

What!

These city guards are going too far! I mean, forging a Fire God Token and impersonating a Fire God Cult Bishop, is that really worth beating a frail young girl until she flew away?!

Uh, thinking about it now, it is actually pretty serious!

Hiss, no, no, no, saving her is the priority!

Chris hurried towards the figure that had been sent flying out from the city gate checkpoint, but he was only halfway there when

Swish swish swish!

More and more figures were flying through the air in parabolic arcs, screaming as they were sent hurtling backward.

And as Chris got closer, he was shocked to discover that these figures being sent flying backward were actually...

The city guards!?