Explorer

Before the conflict arises.

No one could have imagined that the final decision on the Exploration Team's direction would be made by ordinary people within the team.

With the crowd's support, Reze quickly determined the next course of action.

Some of the awakened individuals who initially held conservative views have changed their minds.

After a final rest in the morning, the fleet was ready to set sail again.

However, there were still a few awakened individuals in the team who were unwilling to take the risk.

They wanted to hold onto this empty land.

"Friends, I have a lot of experience in this area."

"Staying here alone in this situation is definitely not a good choice."

The team prepared supplies and returned to the ship.

Just as they were setting sail, Reze remained on the ground to persuade the few Awakened who intended to stay behind.

After he stated the facts.

He didn't use a threatening tone to tell the people in front of him that staying here would most likely mean death.

Instead, he extended the invitation in a warm tone. "And the fleet needs your strength too!"

"At this time, the only way to protect ourselves is to unite!"

The leader extended the invitation in this humble manner.

Even though the events that happened before made these awakened individuals lose face, they still managed to win the approval of many people.

Once the boats set sail, they continued their exploration into the forest along the Echo Valley River.

In the end, only two people remained where they were.

"..."

"An experienced explorer like Reze is a good example."

Linsey stood at the bow of the boat, looking ahead.

His previous demonstrated abilities made him undoubtedly Reconnaissance Personnel.

The raging forest still rustled along the shore, but a gentle breeze blowing from afar invigorated the spirit.

Linsey turned her head and looked behind her.

Once he was sure no one was paying attention to him, he casually pulled a chair out of his bag and put it under his bottom.

His main Scouting Skill lies in the [Map] skill.

With this thing running, a quick glance at it is enough to guarantee its effectiveness. Compared to the other busy crew members, Linsey is now quite relaxed.

The fleet sailed downstream.

The afternoon passed by quietly.

"The markings on the map... are perfectly fine."

Linsey sat alone at the bow of the ship, pulling up the map. Almost no enemies had appeared all afternoon.

in this case.

He couldn't help but start thinking about whether he should take out his Fishing Rod.

Just killing some time.

"I'm all alone here. Even if I fish up a wooden box, I won't be noticed if I'm quick enough..."

Linsey had just opened her bag when she heard footsteps behind her.

"Mr. Drake, I really appreciate your reminder this morning."

Linsey turned her head and saw that it was indeed Reze.

Linsey's role in the Exploration Team's eventful journey is undeniable, and Reze naturally values him highly.

There are few things to do at the moment.

These explorers also wanted to talk to Linsey.

"I was just saying, offering some basic advice," Linsey nodded in response, then asked, "How are the others in the team doing? They should all be alright, right?"

Linsey refers to the Awakened One who was persuaded by Reze to board the ship.

Upon hearing this, the explorer didn't mince words with Linsey, but simply shook his head with a wry smile and said, "Human hearts are like clothes."

"Once a crack appears, even if you sew it up, it will crack again very quickly."

Linsey could tell that Reze was trying to relax a bit in her presence.

So I made a joke:

"This kind of reaction is not what a team leader should show."

"Ha—" Reze laughed as expected.

He stepped forward and jumped onto the railing of the ship, letting the wind blowing from the forest in front of him lash against his back, and his gaze drifted into the distance.

"What leader... I'm just an ordinary person."

"I remember eight years ago, I had just left my hometown for Fortnix. At that time, I heard that someone had discovered a lost ancient city in a desert world, and that it had claimed the lives of many explorers. As a result, I was young and impulsive, and rushed in without any knowledge of what was going on."

Linsey asked curiously:

"And then what?"

Reze pulled a pendant from his chest and tossed it to Linsey:

"Then I got this."

When Linsey took it in her hand, she saw that the pendant's chain was made of silver, and the core was just an irregularly shaped pebble.

The moment they made contact, the pendant gave Linsey a vague instruction—go down.

[Accessory/Material: Stone of Yearning]

[It can guide the wearer to the nearest water source; it can also be used as a material to make other items.]

A pendant with special properties, at a moderate price.

"Isn't the Echo Valley River just down there?"

The composite material was directly approved by the Workbench, and the effect was quite good.

Linsey was somewhat tempted, but he couldn't possibly take Reze's treasure by force, so he politely returned it after looking at it.

Reze took the pendant.

He stroked the Stone of Yearning with nostalgia and continued his story, "I almost died of thirst in the desert like my predecessors. But I was lucky enough to find it in the desert and thus obtained water. In the end, I successfully reached the city and entered the Fifth Stage, becoming one of the Ascender."

At this point, Linsey also became a little curious.

He learned about the explorers' knowledge while living in Hidden Borderlands, but many of their records were contradictory and inconsistent.

Right now, there is a living example right in front of us.

He then asked, "Reze, actually I don't know much about the explorers' abilities."

Reze generously explained:

"It's very simple, start by taking notes."

" In the First Stage, explorers only need to make their own notes and accumulate knowledge in this area; however, in the Second Stage, they need to go out and travel. This stage is usually called travel."

As he spoke, Reze took out a brown leather notebook and tied it securely with a rope.

Reze untied the rope in front of Linsey.

He opened his notebook, pointed to a passage, and said, "Experience enough adventures on your journey to be worthy of being called adventures, and record them in your notebook, and your skills will improve, then you will reach the Third Stage, the realm of the true explorer; when your stories begin to be sung by others, you will reach the Fourth Stage; as for the Fifth Stage..."

Reze snapped his notebook shut.

He tossed the Stone of Yearning in his hand, his brown eyes reflecting a complex mix of emotions.

It contains both longing and nostalgia. "The lost ancient world, relics vanished in history, and the kingdom's treasures whose whereabouts are unknown. Find them, complete this level of achievement, and you will naturally be promoted."

"This is also why most people outside the field don't understand the abilities of explorers."

"Different personalities and exploration experiences among explorers often cultivate vastly different skills. It's like craftsmanship; some are good at making tools, while others are good at building houses. It's difficult to give a general and accurate answer."

"And what happens next?" Linsey couldn't help but ask. "The Fifth Stage requires finding such rare items, so how do we advance further?"

Reze first gave an example:

"Drake, do you know Space Sorcerer is?"

"Their ability comes from imitating the spatial phenomena of the world itself, which sometimes cause people to be thrown from one world to another."

Linsey immediately realized:

"Is this related to your subsequent advancement?"

Reze nodded:

"We explorers travel all over the world in order to find such anomalies."

"If you can successfully discover a new world, record it, and inform the entire universe, then the door to Sixth Stage will open for you. Subsequent skill advancements are also a continuation of this."

From keeping notes to exploring entirely new worlds, the explorer's profession lives up to its name.

Linsey remarked sincerely, "Your abilities are truly remarkable."

Linsey couldn't help but think of the statues of great explorers erected on the Hidden Borderlands.

After reaching the Fifth Stage, explorers need to seek out unfamiliar worlds to complete their advancement.

The purpose of the Great Expedition was precisely to explore the boundaries of the known world.

For explorers

This is indeed a very tempting thing.

The two chatted for a few more minutes.

At that moment, Reze heard a heated discussion coming from the ship behind him.

He nodded goodbye to Linsey, jumped off the railing, and headed straight for the cabin. "Mr. Drake, it was a pleasure talking to you."

"I'll arrange for someone to switch shifts with you tonight. Taking a break is an essential part of any adventure."

Linsey then pulled out her Fishing Rod, responding to the other person's reminder with her actions:

"No problem, I'll start relaxing right now!"