Spring, year 10003 of the Yulan Calendar.
On a winding road that stretched beyond sight, a caravan of several hundred people moved at a fairly slow pace. The wagons creaked, their wheels rolling over gravel and kicking up dust. The caravan's mercenary guards cautiously glanced toward the Magical Beast Mountain Range from time to time.
There were two major dangers along this road. The first was the magical beasts of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, which might burst out of the woods at any moment; the second was bandits. Out in the wilderness, no one stopped them from killing people and stealing their goods.
This stretch of road, several hundred li long, fell under neither the Holy Union's jurisdiction nor the O'Brien Empire's control, so naturally, there were plenty of bandits.
On a flatbed wagon, Linley contentedly drank some coarse liquor. He had bought it in the last town, packed in a clay jar sealed with mud. Its flavor was nothing special, but after three years of drinking spring water in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, this coarse liquor tasted better than anything else.
Creak, creak- The flatbed wagon made a rhythmic sound.
Three years without a drink. Linley smiled inwardly. This coarse liquor tastes even better than the fine wines at Bishui Paradise.
Sitting beside him, Bebe was relishing his roast meat, holding a skewer in his paw, grease all around his mouth and his tail swishing behind him. He took a bite of meat, glanced at the scenery outside, and narrowed his eyes to slits, looking thoroughly pleased.
Several other people sat in the wagon, merchants from the caravan heading west to do business. Among them was a child of seven or eight who kept staring at Bebe. After watching him for a long time, the child finally