Crossing the Great Plains

The Crimson City-State is situated in the south-central region of the Leon Continent, right at the core of the human kingdom’s east-west axis. Resources from almost every city-state pass through it.

Its superior geographical location and favorable climate make it exceptionally prosperous, like a brilliant pearl set within the vast Great Plains.

The four members of Starry Moon Shadow set off from the southwest corner of the continent. Their journey required them to traverse the southern region of the Violet City-State and head southeast, a long trek of over a thousand kilometers to reach their destination.

For most ordinary people, such a journey might not happen once in a lifetime, but for these adventurers, this distance was merely the beginning.

Pushing themselves, the four spent only two days crossing the forest and stepping onto the boundless Great Plains south of the Violet City-State.

To speed up their travel, they did not enter the Violet City-State for supplies this time, choosing instead to cross the massive plain directly.

Thanks to Starlight’s staggeringly large storage space, Xia Duo had purchased enough food of all kinds from the elven settlement to last the four of them for several months. This ensured their meals along the way were quite excellent.

Furthermore, Starlight had learned several ways to manipulate the earth element, so they no longer needed to camp out every night. Instead, he would use the earth element to construct a small stone hut for them to stay in.

While the design and comfort were far inferior to houses in a city, it was practically paradise for adventurers accustomed to sleeping in the wind and dew.

Starlight was feeling quite good about himself on this journey. Over the past few days, the natural energy Angela had infused into him before their departure had finally repaired most of the internal injuries caused by his overuse of the Power of Destruction.

Based on their current pace, he was confident he would return to his peak state before reaching the Crimson City-State, which undoubtedly boosted his confidence.

Po Kong, on the other hand, hadn't been in high spirits since hearing they were heading to the Crimson City-State. Moreover, the journey had been incredibly smooth, without a single danger encountered in this No Man’s Land. This left him, who was already itching to test his new weapon, feeling rather depressed.

“Ugh! This is so boring! Isn’t there anything interesting on this road?”

Walking at the front of the group to clear the way, Po Kong let out another complaint—a scene that had become all too common.

Hearing this, a smile tugged at the corner of Starlight’s mouth as he teased, “How many times does this make today? I don’t remember you being this restless in the past.”

Xia Duo, appearing somewhat impatient, waved her hand to interrupt the two men. “If I remember correctly, this is your fifth complaint today, and since we set out, you’ve grumbled a total of twenty-seven times,” she said with a hint of reproach. “Isn’t a peaceful journey something to be grateful for? Do you really find it interesting only when we’re in trouble?”

Po Kong turned to look at Xia Duo, his eyes gleaming. “Listen, Little Shadow, don’t you think that while this trip is comfortable, it’s missing something? Passion! Yes, passion! Shouldn’t young men and women like us, full of dreams and in the prime of our youth, be brimming with passion and charging forward?!”

“Oh? Is that so? Since you’re itching for a challenge, let’s start with the basics,” Xia Duo replied, not buying his complaints at all. Instead, she made a playful suggestion. “For instance... how about Starlight doesn’t prepare dinner for you tonight, and you figure out how to feed yourself?”

Seeing Starlight actually nod solemnly, Po Kong quickly shouted, “Wait! How is not letting me eat a challenge?! And Little Star, whose side are you on anyway?!”

“Whose side? I haven’t really thought about it. If I had to pick one... I suppose I’m on Moen’s side? As for whether you get to eat tonight, that’ll have to be Moen’s decision,” Starlight laughed, pointing to Moen beside him.

Moen was currently fully focused on studying the map in her hands, planning the best route for the next leg of their journey. Hearing Starlight’s words, she looked up, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she gave Po Kong a playful look.

“Little Crescent, you wouldn’t have the heart to let your brother-in-law go hungry, would you? I—” Before Po Kong could finish, Xia Duo slapped a hand over his mouth.

“You idiot! What are you blathering about?! What brother-in-law? Did I ever agree to anything?!” Xia Duo’s cheeks flushed a deep crimson as she shouted in annoyance.

“But didn't we that day... Mmmph, mmmph!” Po Kong finally managed to pull Xia Duo’s hand away, only to have his mouth covered again by her small, resentful hand.

“If you keep talking like that, I’m going to ignore you!”

Watching the two of them bicker, Starlight was already used to it. He turned and walked over to Moen, joining her in studying the map.

In truth, the tranquility of the past few days was no accident; it was the result of the two sisters’ careful planning. With her exceptional perception, Xia Duo could spot potential threats on this vast plain even from several kilometers away, allowing them to skillfully avoid unnecessary conflicts.

Moen, meanwhile, meticulously analyzed the surrounding terrain, identifying potential locations for beast dens or areas where monsters might spawn. She had already taken these factors into account, organizing their route with great precision.

“I remember Po Kong telling me before how great it would be to have a teammate with strong perception. Now it seems you two are almost too strong,” Starlight said with a smile, his tone full of admiration. “I’d bet it’s not even this peaceful inside a city!”

“Hehe, I wouldn't go that far. After all, our primary goal is to travel as quickly as possible, right? Look, we’ve already passed this marker. If all goes well, we should reach our destination within a week,” Moen responded with a smile, marking the map lightly with a pencil.

“True. It’s just a shame the carriage Ivan lent us couldn't wait at the border for long, otherwise we wouldn't have had to risk crossing this No Man’s Land. But then again, this experience is quite interesting,” Starlight sighed softly. “No Man’s... Land? Come to think of it, we really haven't seen another human for a while.”

“There’s no helping it. In a godforsaken place like this, it’s only normal that no sane person would ever come here! If I’d known... Little Shadow, let go of—” Po Kong, currently caught in a headlock by Xia Duo from behind, gasped out.

But before he could finish, Xia Duo suddenly let go. She stood tall, her expression turning grave as she looked toward the distant horizon.

“Something is coming... This scent... it’s humans. There are eleven... no, twelve of them,” Xia Duo’s voice was low and calm as she quickly shared the information she had sensed.

“Cough... Humans? There are actually other people in a place like this?” Po Kong cleared his throat and rubbed his sore neck, looking utterly bewildered.

“Yes, and it looks like they’ve discovered us as well. Everyone, stay sharp.” As she spoke, Xia Duo nimbly unslung her longbow, instantly shifting into a combat stance.

Hearing this, the other three didn't dare to be careless. They all turned toward the direction Xia Duo was pointing, standing ready for whatever was coming.

Starlight and Po Kong exchanged a quick glance. With perfect tacit understanding, Starlight retrieved Sacred Wood Phantom from his space and handed it over.