Just break... break a few legs?

"Name?"

"Vivian."

"Age?"

"114 years old."

At the city gate checkpoint, the young girl sat somewhat nervously on a wooden chair. Opposite her were several fully armed city guards.

The chief inspector, responsible for entry, was performing routine registration on the girl.

After asking the first two questions, he moved on to the third, "Gender." The inspector first looked up at the scrawny little girl, then seemed a bit unsure.

After scrutinizing her a few more times, he finally hesitated before writing down "Female."

"Wait, you… you don't have to come out. Maybe he, maybe he just doesn't know how to write very well?"

Vivian quickly lowered her head, softly placating the other her in her mental space, who was currently cursing the inspector.

"What? Were you talking to me just now?" the inspector asked, confused.

He saw the girl opposite him muttering something, and at the same time, he adjusted his collar. For some reason, a chill suddenly ran down his spine.

"Ah, no… nothing," Vivian gave a slightly guilty, dry chuckle.

The registration continued.

"Where are you from?"

"Nuoqi Village."

The inspector paused again.

"Do you have an entry permit?"

"No."

"If you don't, please turn back. Huodian City is under strict martial law during this period. All entrants must apply to the Knight's Order office a week in advance and obtain an entry permit before being allowed into the city." The inspector read from a standardized document, closed the registration book, and waved Vivian away, indicating she could leave.

It was clear this process had been performed many times and he was very practiced.

"Please wait, sir! Although I don't have a permit, I have this."

Because she had been "kindly" educated by a passerby earlier, Vivian wasn't too flustered. She handed the Fire God Token she had prepared to the inspector.

"What is this?" The inspector looked at the wooden token the young girl handed him and asked the same question as the ruffian youth earlier.

"The Fire God Token, sir."

"I, I really have something very important to do in the city," Vivian explained pleadingly.

Then, as expected.

Not only the inspector opposite her but all the city guards at the gate looked at the young girl as if she were an idiot.

However, just as the city guards were about to drive her away, Vivian fortunately had another plan.

"I can prove it to you, sir!"

As she spoke, Vivian took the Fire God Token back from his hand. Immediately, the young girl circulated her magic, channeling it into the small wooden token in her palm.

Hum!

As the girl's magic flowed in, the wooden token, which had seemed ordinary, at most a piece of wood with exquisite patterns, suddenly emitted a dazzling crimson light.

It was as if flames were burning on the wooden token, and the emblems carved on it seemed to come alive at that moment. Finally, like a jigsaw puzzle, a character for "Fire" materialized above the token.

Even the girl holding the token, bathed in the fiery red light, no longer appeared like a poor, rustic country bumpkin. She seemed to have become mysterious and noble.

The entire process lasted for a good four or five seconds, ensuring all the city guards could see clearly. Only then did Vivian withdraw her magic from the token.

As the magic input stopped, the fiery red light dissipated, and the token returned to its inconspicuous appearance from the beginning.

Everything happened quickly and ended just as fast.

The only difference from before was that the inspector opposite Vivian was stunned.

He dazedly rubbed his eyes, then slapped his face hard, confirming that everything that had just happened was not an illusion.

"You, you wait here, don't go. Wait for me for a moment!" The inspector hurriedly told Vivian to stay put and then ran quickly towards the city.

He didn't know if it was truly the Fire God Token.

But what the inspector did know was that an ordinary wooden token would absolutely not glow like that.

It was clear that this matter had exceeded his authority and required reporting to a superior for a professional opinion.

Perhaps also startled, Vivian didn't wait long. Before long, hurried footsteps could be heard.

The previously seen inspector returned, accompanied by another young apprentice mage wearing the robes of the Fire God Cult.

"Yasen, quickly take a look at this. Is this something from your Fire God Cult!"

The prosecutor took the wooden token from Vivian's hand and passed it to the youth beside him.

At this moment, looking at the small wooden token in his hand, the novice mage of the Fire God Cult named "Yasen" was also confused. He had been pulled over by the prosecutor in a hurry and still didn't quite understand what was going on.

"You're saying this is... our Bishop's Fire God Token?"

"Yes, quickly take a look, is it real or fake?" The prosecutor was very anxious. He suddenly felt that the Fire God Cult member he had pulled over seemed not very bright.

How could you not tell at a glance such an important item of your Fire God Cult?

"This..."

To be honest, he was actually wronging others. Yasen had never seen the Fire God Token before. No, let alone Yasen, perhaps not many people in the entire Fire God Cult had ever seen the real thing.

However, out of a spirit of trying, Yasen injected his magic into the wooden token with a mixture of belief and doubt.

Then...

One second passed, two seconds passed...

The atmosphere became awkward for a moment.

Because Yasen was there, his face was red, and he was using all his might to inject magic into the wooden token, but the token in his hand showed no change, as if all his magic had gone into the sea.

What's going on?

The prosecutor and city guards, who were scratching their heads and waiting anxiously, all had expressions that seemed to say, "What are you doing?"

The young girl just now made it light up with a "snap," very quickly, perhaps in less than half a second.

But why has the token shown no reaction after all this time?

"Cough, cough, cough, that... please wait a moment, I... I'll go get someone!" Yasen couldn't explain whether his magic was too poor or if this was truly just an ordinary wooden token.

Thus, the prosecutor and city guards were left to stare blankly at Vivian again.

Quite some time passed this time.

Just as the young girl was getting a bit impatient, footsteps finally echoed again.

The person who arrived this time, although also wearing the robes of the Fire God Cult, had patterns and styles that were clearly much more advanced than Yasen, who followed behind him.

Yoseph, a second-tier professional, an elemental mage, and an deacon of the Fire God Cult.

"Hand it over." With a different status came a different attitude.

Moreover, it was towards a country bumpkin from a village.

Yoseph's voice was cold and aloof as he commanded the young girl sitting on the wooden chair.

Vivian could tell that the other person was also a big shot. The young girl honestly handed over the wooden token.

Yoseph first examined the wooden token carefully, and then, like Yasen, began to inject magic into it.

Then...

The air seemed to freeze again.

The proud deacon of the Fire God Cult, who initially had his head held high, frowned after several seconds of looking at the unmoving token that completely ignored him.

"Are you sure this token lit up just now?" The Fire God Cult deacon was now very suspicious that these people were colluding to play a trick on him.

"Absolutely certain!"

Yasen didn't respond, but the prosecutor immediately spoke up. He had seen it with his own eyes.

"You, make it light up again." Yoseph still didn't believe it, so he threw the token back to Vivian.

"Oh, okay..."

Actually, the young girl was also puzzled now. Why couldn't these people activate the token? She herself only needed to input a tiny bit of magic for it to react!

Vivian followed suit and repeated the initial steps. Effortlessly, almost in the blink of an eye, a dazzling fiery light flashed before everyone's eyes.

What the...?

Now the pressure was on Yoseph, the deacon of the Fire God Cult.

Feeling the embarrassed gaze of his disciple Yasen and the suspicious eyes of the city guards, Yoseph suddenly felt unable to save face.

He pretended to cough and, without asking any further questions, directly reached out and snatched the token from Vivian's palm.

This time, the deacon of the Fire God Cult truly exerted all his might.

Yoseph's face turned red as he pushed all his magic to its limit, even causing his body to tremble and making it difficult for him to stand.

Finally!

Yoseph's efforts paid off!

A faint red glow, like a small flame, slowly emerged from the wooden token. But unlike the dazzling light Vivian had produced, the one in the deacon of the Fire God Cult's hand was like a dying candle, as if it would be extinguished by a gust of wind.

"Hoo, hoo, hoo..."

Even so, Yoseph could only hold on for two or three seconds before he deflated as if all his strength had been drained, nearly falling over. It was Yasen, with his sharp eyes, who quickly supported him.

"Deacon, are you... alright?" Yasen asked his mentor with genuine concern.

However, these words tasted a bit off to Yoseph.

As a distinguished, legitimate deacon of the Fire God Cult, he commanded the respect of countless nobles within Huodian City. He should have been the most favored by the Fire God. How could someone like him be inferior to a mere village girl from the countryside?

"Mr. Yoseph, about this token, is it really..."

The prosecutor's question was cut off by Yoseph before he could finish.

Yoseph could now confirm that this token was indeed the legendary Fire God Token.

However.

"Ahem, I'm not feeling well today. I need to take this token back to our Fire God Cult for authentication," the Fire God Cult deacon said, his face not betraying a hint of guilt.

Yoseph certainly couldn't admit it was the Fire God Token on the spot. Otherwise, how could he possibly maintain his reputation in the future?

"As for her..." Yoseph glanced at Vivian, whose clothes were simple and who was somewhat dirty from rushing on her journey.

Honestly, he couldn't fathom how someone like her could be connected to the Fire God Token.

But no matter what...

Regardless of her identity, she had come with the Fire God Token, so he had to take her seriously.

Thus...

"Have her wait here for now."

"Mm."

"And pour her a cup of water."

This was the deacon's understanding of "taking someone seriously."

Yoseph genuinely felt that, given his status, speaking to this village girl who had appeared out of nowhere was already showing her great respect.

After giving his instructions, Yoseph turned to leave with the token, not looking back.

But to his surprise, the young girl from the countryside called out to him.

"Please wait!"

"You can go, but... please give me back the token." Vivian's tone was very serious. For the first time, she stood up from her chair on her own initiative.

The beast tide in Claw Forest, the strange black hand in the deep forest's nest...

Even though Vivian had never seen much of the world, she knew these were critical matters. Many villages near the forest could be in grave danger, and she needed to bring help back from Huodian City.

She, a penniless and humble villager, had only this Fire God Token as proof of her words, the only thing that could make people believe her.

Therefore, seeing Yoseph about to take it away, Vivian, who had always been gentle and weak, became incredibly firm at this moment.

The Fire God Cult deacon stopped.

He turned his head, his face filled with disbelief, even more exaggerated than when he had first seen the actual Fire God Token.

Yoseph couldn't understand.

Why would she dare to speak to him like that?

However, the expected barrage of sarcastic remarks didn't materialize because the deacon couldn't even be bothered to respond. He felt that wasting words with a villager was beneath him.

As for the prosecutor and the city guards beside him, they also looked at the young girl from the countryside, who perhaps wasn't all there mentally, with strange expressions.

It was obvious that if they let her wait here instead of kicking her out, it was just a way to save face, and they would let her into the city later. Why would she cause trouble now?

He was a deacon, a prominent figure in the Fire God Cult. If his official rank were to be calculated, it would be much higher than that of a prosecutor. How could she, a powerless villager, possibly afford to offend him?

Just as the prosecutor was about to signal Vivian to shut up and say less...

He noticed that after failing to stop the girl from speaking, she made a gesture of lowering her head, similar to when her gender was being registered earlier.

This time, the prosecutor finally heard what the girl was muttering under her breath.

"Um, they aren't really bad people. Could you... go easy on them later, okay?"

[Yes, yes, yes.]

"Also, you have to promise me that no one will die!"

[Yes, yes, yes!]

"Um..."

[Hey! Are you done yet?!]

"No, I mean, I thought about it again. I think the others really don't seem like bad guys, but that leading Fire God Cult deacon... he seems like a bad person!"

"Just teach him a little lesson later, okay? Of course, don't be too harsh, maybe just break a few legs?"

[...]

"My other self, I'm counting on you!"