Sand Kingdom, Tolia City.
A thin, dark-skinned boy of fourteen or fifteen was energetically peddling his wares to an out-of-town traveler. "Honored sir, this is the Sand Kingdom's most famous handicraft, a Bright Sand Mirror—the finest gift for the ladies. Mine came straight from Fine Goods Pavilion, and I'm only charging the cost price: four Purple Crystal Coins each. Buy three and you get a discount, only ten Purple Crystal Coins. You won't find this price in any shop in the city."
The traveler was none other than Chen Rui, who had hurried here all the way. The Black Prison Desert lay in the southwestern reaches of the human world's map and was immensely vast. Yet because of its remote location and harsh environment, only two impoverished little nations lay near its outskirts, one of them being the Sand Kingdom.
Tolia City was the largest city in the kingdom aside from the capital. It covered little ground and had a modest population; in Chen Rui's eyes, this so-called second-largest city was at most comparable to a small town in Darkmoon Territory.
Seeing Chen Rui's lukewarm interest, the boy's eyes darted as he tucked the mirror back into the small bag in his hand. "Sir, this must be your first time in Tolia City, right? The girls here may not compare to those in the big cities, but they have a charm all their own. Want me to take you somewhere nice? The girls there are the cleanest and hottest in town—guaranteed to satisfy you! Sir only needs to give me a little something for my trouble."
Watching the boy spare no effort in pimping, Chen Rui secretly shook his head and asked instead, "I have no interest in souvenirs or women. Are you familiar with the desert region?"
"In answer