Meanwhile, a little earlier...
"How should I address you, Your Excellency?"
"Lin Chuan."
Nim's expression shifted slightly. He lowered his head and studied the mysterious young man who had emerged from the darkness.
The young man wore a white robe and quietly held a transparent lantern of unusual design. His gaze was gentle as he patiently waited for the Moon City exploration team's response.
His clothing closely resembled a type of attire recorded in ancient texts, while the light from the lantern in his hand was brighter than all the hunting team's flames combined.
Lin Chuan...
Nim silently considered what the name might mean, comparing it with the many words recorded in ancient texts, but ultimately came up with nothing.
But that was not important. What mattered was that this stranger was no monster. He was lucid, willing to communicate, and had not attacked them.
This was an opportunity, though it might also be a hidden danger, just like that encounter forty-two years ago.
Remaining calm, Nim looked at Lin Chuan with gray-white eyes the same color as his long hair and asked:
"Your Excellency Lin Chuan, where... do you come from?"
Many guesses had already surfaced in his mind: the City of Silver? The Golden Country? The ancient city of Nois? Or one of the great city-states near the Giant King's Court?
Those city-states stood at the far end of this land, distant from Moon City. With more powerful individuals and Beyonder Items at their disposal, they were the most likely to have survived the Great Cataclysm.
Or perhaps...
Nim knew very well that other continents existed beyond this cursed land. Perhaps the young man before him had crossed the oceans to get here.
Yet the answer he received was entirely unexpected.
The corners of Lin Chuan's mouth