Chapter 74

When she blurted out her innermost thoughts, she almost thought she wouldn't see the sun rise tomorrow...

"We seem to be almost there."

However, Laurentina certainly didn't care about the ulterior motives lurking around the Doctor.

After a few days of testing her, she had figured it out.

My initial judgment was somewhat wrong, although the Doctor demonstrated a terrifyingly high level of skill in some on-the-spot handling and tactical planning.

However, when it comes to how to get along with Zuo Jian, she's a complete novice.

[Laurentina, you've been driving for a long time, why don't you take a break?]

Zuo Jian turned his Zuo Jian and looked at his host with some concern.

"No... it's alright. The sooner we arrive in Victoria, the sooner the Doctor can relax."

Relax a bit, okay? I just didn't sleep all night, don't treat me like a child!

She pretended to be a little annoyed, then couldn't help but yawn sleepily.

The dissatisfaction was fake, but the yawning and drowsiness were real.

Moreover, the motivation behind this starting point can be explained, strictly speaking.

Oh.

[... Laurentina, that's enough, I think you need a rest.]

"No..."

[Alright, stop pushing yourself. You've been going to bed on time these past few days, and forcing yourself to change your sleep schedule will make you feel really uncomfortable.]

Zuo Jian, unusually forceful, suppressed Laurentina, though to a degree that the latter could easily resist. However, reaching this point...

"But I can still continue..."

[Rest assured, Laurentina. The Doctor can drive the rest of the way himself.]

[Obedient.]

"Oh..."

Oh.

Before letting Zuo Jian, she even gave the Doctor a mocking smile.

Ha, easy peasy.

How long have she been with Zuo Jian? How could that woman who claims to be Doctor possibly steal Zuo Jian?

That possibility is completely nonexistent.

Laurentina is the most...

A slight drowsiness washed over her, drawing her consciousness into sleep.

"Sigh, see? That's exactly the kind of person Laurentina is. Sometimes her words can be harsh, but she always expresses her thoughts through her actions."

Zuo Jian turned his Zuo Jian, his face once again showing a hint of doting and relief.

The opponent's combination of attacks completely stunned the Doctor.

Damn it.

What's wrong with that woman?!

Is it really necessary to be so dramatic?!

She was already planning to go back to her solitary life of wandering, and that guy still dared to provoke her, trying to show off his victorious attitude?

How infuriating! Are you some kind of child vying for power and favor with others?! This kind of... this kind of... childish behavior, yes, aren't you ashamed of it?!

Calm down, calm down.

Don't argue with her.

I'm a mature adult.

It's just!! Someone keeps you company along the way, chatting with you, comforting you when you're sad, encouraging you when you're happy, cooking for you when you're hungry, keeping you warm when you're cold, and even protecting you while you sleep!!! That's all!!

I am not envious at all!

To live on with all one's might—that's a beautiful thing that only adults can truly appreciate... beautiful... sob... a beautiful experience... sob.

"Doctor, what's wrong? You don't look too good."

Seeing the Doctor's gritted teeth and the slight tears welling up in his eyes, Zuo Jian asked with some concern.

"N-nothing... I'm just... so touched... so touched... Laurentina stayed up all night for me, I feel a little... ashamed!!!"

It's okay, calm down.

This is just an isolated case, isn't it?

This world is fundamentally cruel.

Judging from my experience of encountering almost no kind people along the way and being constantly plagued by bad luck.

This is the norm on this land!

They are only a tiny minority!

Most of the other guys who know absolutely nothing about this land probably live even worse lives than I do!

I'm already pretty good!

Uh-huh.

The Doctor repeatedly reassured himself that this was the time to use his "victory-winning strategy."

Unless, of course, some idiot can have a string of good luck all the way through life?

That's impossible! Everyone's fighting tooth and nail to survive!

After repeatedly reassuring himself, the Doctor finally managed to ease his distress a little.

On the desolate plains, Skadi carried two longswords on her back, along with various large and small bags at her waist, walking through the yellow sand.

Just then, the roar of Originium engine came from behind her. She turned around and saw a cargo vehicle driving towards her, kicking up clouds of yellow dust.

The other vehicle then slowed down until it came to a complete stop.

Skadi watched warily as the cockpit window slowly rolled down.

"Oh my, my benefactor, it's you!?"

"At first I wasn't sure, but your hair color isn't something you see everywhere, so I came closer to take a look."

Then, a hairy Ursus man poked his round face out.

"Who are you..."

Skadi looked at the other person's face with some confusion, but it seemed somewhat familiar.

"It's me, my benefactor! The merchant you rescued in the wilderness a while ago! Oh, thanks to your help, I was practically the only merchant who managed to bring my goods back intact."

"So, after making a small profit, they rushed off to the Flame Kingdom to buy more goods, planning to take them to Victoria and sell them for a better price."

The businessman said with some delight, especially when talking about making a small profit; his eyes almost narrowed into slits.

"Ah, I remember now, the merchants of that time?"

Skadi finally remembered that there seemed to be such an incident when she passed through Ursus before.

Her Road

After defeating the robbers, he also rescued a merchant.

"Oh, my benefactor, are you going to get Victoria?"

"Yes." Skadi nodded.

"That's great! We happen to be going the same way. Let me give you a ride. But even if it weren't Victoria, I would still give you a short distance."

Looking at the somewhat tall transport vehicle, she was suddenly reminded of some unpleasant memories.

"No... I'll just walk by myself..."

"Oh, no, my benefactor, although I've been dealing in goods for so many years and have long since lost any semblance of being a good person, a businessman still needs to have basic integrity and conscience."

"You saved me last time and didn't ask for anything, so this time I absolutely have to see you off."

The businessman got out of the car and shoved Skadi into the back seat.

"And also, you should take this money too."

"I don't need the money..."

"Oh, I know, I know. This isn't the payment from last time. Didn't you say you were a bounty hunter? Consider this payment for hiring you to protect me from bandits along the way."

The merchant laughed heartily and handed Skadi a money bag.

"Bounty hunter..."

Skadi was taken aback.

That seems to be correct.

That's true. Since that's the case, I have to find a way to integrate into this identity.

She nodded, and then spoke.

"Okay, I'll accept this commission."

(Ugh, double updates! Double updates are so hard!)

Chapter Thirty-Four, Arrival in Victoria! It's so beautiful, family, Victoria!

Hello.

My name is Aiden Wilson, and I am 25 years old.

Unmarried, residing in a remote area of the coastal Mobile City of Victoria.

I work at Uncle Wilson's seed station. I often work until 8 pm before I can go home. I don't smoke, and I only drink a little alcohol. I go to bed at 11 pm and make sure I get a full 8 hours of sleep every night. Before bed, I always drink a glass of warm milk, then do 20 minutes of stretching exercises, and then fall asleep immediately. I sleep soundly until dawn, and wake up feeling like a baby, without any fatigue or stress to greet the next day. The doctors all say I'm perfectly normal.

If I had to point out a difference, it would be that my requirements for a partner might be slightly different.

Although I am Victoria and of Feline ethnicity, if I could, I sincerely hope to marry a wife who is an expert in the Flame Kingdom cuisine.

Ever since graduating from university and leaving Shangshu, my stomach has been constantly yearning for a woman with her superb culinary skills to rescue me from the Victoria cuisine surrounded by fish and chips.

It's embarrassing to admit.

After I first stepped out of the university gates that year, I didn't return to school all night.

He even squandered all the money in his wallet in one night.

All of this was merely to satisfy my physical desires.

Why are there such long lines of food stalls outside the gates of Great Yan University?!

* Victoria's swear words*, I'll never forget that night, the colorful lights completely illuminating the streets, the grease and smoke hitting my body like a whirlwind.

Yes, I committed the egregious act of staying out all night on my very first day of school.

But it was all clearly worth it.

That was the first time in his life that he realized that the different branches of a country's cuisine could be explained in detail in several books.

There's even a small booklet specifically used as a table of contents.

In short, if I could, I really wish I could go back to the vicinity of my alma mater again and spend a whole night partying on that food street.

Ah, we've gone off on a tangent.

Ahem, let me get back to myself.

My dad, Wilson, suggested a while ago that we find a temporary worker to help out with various things at the seed site, so I went to Londinium and posted a notice.

I initially thought that job postings in such remote locations with demanding jobs and low wages would be hard to find applicants.