The Departing Fleet

"Um?"

Standing on the boat, Linsey suddenly turned her head and looked behind her.

He was currently mingling in the group heading towards the forest when he suddenly turned his head to look behind him. There, the river stretched into the distance, in the direction from which they had left Nine Bends City.

It was as if something was happening there.

"Mr. Drake, what's wrong?"

Linsey suddenly changed her movements.

A young man on the same boat saw this and, out of curiosity, called out to Linsey by her pseudonym.

Linsey shook her head and sat back down on the boat.

"It's nothing, I just got a little tired of sitting, so I moved around a bit."

Linsey's gaze was low, and her expression was somewhat doubtful.

I don't know if it's just my imagination.

Although it has been three days since I left Nine Bends City.

But just now, he sensed that something big had happened in that direction, as if a force had suddenly increased and broken through some kind of boundary.

"It must be my imagination..."

"What could possibly have happened in Nine Bends City? Surely nothing bad could have happened to the escort team?"

Linsey shook her head slightly.

He zoomed out the map to its maximum extent on the Attribute Panel, but still couldn't find any clues.

No matter what happens behind us.

Linsey herself is at least safe now.

He disguised himself and blended into the crowd for three whole days, and even his close friend Ailini couldn't find him in the crowd.

The riverbanks are shaded by lush greenery.

The quiet forest moved slowly and rhythmically with the boat, like a scroll being unfurled by hand.

The organizers still exert considerable influence over urban residents.

In the past few days, people have been setting off from the city to explore the outside world.

If Linsey jumps off this fleet.

If you wait on the bank for no more than an hour, you will see the next group in the river.

The river they are currently in is the Echo Ancient River.

It gets its name from the huge Echo Canyon it flows through, which is also the main river channel deep into the forest.

Awakened individuals seeking opportunities, bold ordinary people, and those with nowhere else to turn.

They all joined this grand adventure.

Take Linsey's ship as an example.

The person who had just spoken to him was a wanderer, a resident of Nine Bends City. Unable to find an opportunity to rise in society, he had joined a group leaving the city, hoping to change his fate through this adventure.

After all, there were awakened individuals leading the way in the group.

Taking a risk now is much safer than venturing into the forest alone.

"Insect repellent herbs! Anyone want some? Insect repellent herbs—"

Just then, a shout rang out from the side.

Linsey turned his head and saw that it was indeed a merchant sitting in a small boat, shouting to the surroundings. Behind him, there were servants or similar people paddling frantically, so that the boat was much faster than the fleet.

Does anyone need insect repellent herbs?

"There are plenty of troubles in the forest, so it's best to prepare well before you set off."

"I've also prepared all sorts of things I need for wilderness survival."

"Brand new flints, fishing nets, and tarpaulins are all available for sale with sincere intent!"

"..."

Linsey left the city on the first day after the rain.

The other members of the team were the same; they were the pioneers who seized the opportunity after the rain stopped.

In such circumstances, it's inevitable that some people will be rushed into preparations.

They even lacked essential supplies and could only trade with merchants in small boats.

Linsey listened intently from inside the boat.

The merchants selling the goods didn't do anything shady or use their Source Material Skill to commit any evil deeds; they just charged significantly more for their products than those in the city.

"These businessmen really don't miss any opportunity."

Linsey muttered something to herself, then shifted her gaze to the trees on both sides of the river and the water below.

He had a slight urge to go fishing, but he had to suppress it for the moment.

The Game Player's skill in throwing a wooden box out of the water is hard to hide.

Staying at home or traveling with friends is fine.

He didn't want to expose this kind of thing to random outsiders.

Even if he changes his appearance, assuming no one can recognize his identity.

"Hello!"

"This thing is way too expensive!"

Suddenly, a burst of discontented complaints came from the front of the fleet.

The merchant's explanation followed immediately:

"Sir, if you want to buy something cheaper, you can go to the city! I risked transporting the goods here, so there must be a cost involved."

The voice of the person on the boat sounded somewhat annoyed, "Of course we can raise the price."

"You can't just sell me a bunch of rotten leaves for a single gold coin!"

The merchant, with a polite, fake smile on his face, said, "Look at what you're saying. I'm buying a boat and hiring people, so the expenses must be considerable. If I were to lower the price even a little, I'd be losing money."

"If you really can't afford it, then let's call it quits."

The people on the ship were indeed enraged. "Who do you think you are! Let me tell you, I have plenty of money..."

Bang! Just then, the burly man rowing behind the merchant leaped up.

He grabbed the adventurer, who was about to unleash a torrent of curses, from the boat and slammed him into the river.

thump--

Water splashes.

The man who had fallen into the river flailed his arms in a disheveled manner, trying to struggle back to the boat.

But the merchant moved his small boat closer, stepped on the man's face, and shoved him into the water, making him bob up and down and choke on water.

"My esteemed guest."

"In places like this, people need to learn to respect one another, and I hope you can learn that too."

"Of course, I won't charge you for this lesson."

"..."

Linsey frowned when she saw this, but didn't pay any more attention to it.

Once outside the city, some of the city's rules automatically disappear.

Not to mention the burly bodyguard behind the businessman, even the businessman himself, as an awakened being, is not someone an ordinary person could handle.

It's more accurate to describe it as a business that's conducted in a very honest and orderly manner.

That's actually surprising.

"..."

"The skills of a merchant... trading... is it perhaps thanks to this professional characteristic that one benefits from them?"

No one else noticed Linsey's reaction.

But the young man who had just come over to talk to him noticed it.

The young man, named Weikena, wasn't an Awakened himself, but he couldn't help but ask Linsey, "Mr. Drake, you seem to know a lot about Awakened people?"

Linsey nodded slightly:

"I've dealt with quite a few awakened individuals in the city, so I have some understanding of them."

Weikena looked a little embarrassed.

But after hesitating for a few seconds, he finally spoke haltingly:

"Sir, no one has ever told me about these Awakened Ones, I..."

The young man's condition in front of me.

It reminded Linsey of her own past experiences.

These things weren't exactly secrets, and feeling a surge of emotion, he began to explain the rules for Awakened Ones to the other person:

"You should know about Harvest Day. The Source Material Tide, which occurs every 10 years, will make some people awaken."

"For awakened individuals to become stronger, the key lies in cultivating their own skills."

"Just like this businessman."

"His ability stems from trading with people, so what you see here isn't some thief or robber, but a merchant who makes more profit for himself by offering higher prices..."