The temptation of a demi-artifact was, after all, very real.
Balin readily agreed to Lin Gui's request.
He did not even pay attention to Grom, who was making faces and hinting from the side.
He nodded solemnly, his tone decisive.
“I will finish it as quickly as possible.”
“But I need your full cooperation throughout the process.”
“Your requirements are very specific.”
“It is not just a vehicle; it is more like an apparatus that extends your abilities.”
“To perfectly adapt to your Levitation spell and speed requirements—”
“you must personally participate in the tuning.”
Seeing that Lin Gui was still hesitating, Balin immediately added:
“One week! I guarantee it will be finished within a week.”
“You surely do not want something you traded a demi-artifact for to be unusable, do you?”
This reason indeed swayed Lin Gui.
But the time limit of the system commissions, and the Alliance's impending purge of the half-demons...
...all whipped behind him like invisible lashes.
The vehicle could be made when he returned.
Theia stood to the side, her lips parting slightly.
She wanted to say something, but in the end, she made no sound.
She only stared longingly at Lin Gui with her emerald eyes.
Eve approached at the right moment, her voice soft:
“Just stay for one more week.”
“Theia and I also want to take a closer look at this city in the heart of the mountain.”
Theia immediately nodded vigorously.
“Yeah! If we just leave like this...”
“we might never have the chance to come back in the future.”
What she did not say was—
no matter how grand the city-state was, it could not compare to spending more time with him.
The journey was nearing its end, and their parting was already in sight.
She would, just like Elvia, have to leave him.
This melancholy was clearly written all over her face.
Eve glanced at her, then turned to Lin Gui and said gently:
“At least make some more memories.”
“Memories of this city, and memories of... us.”
Lin Gui looked at Theia and sighed softly.
Then, a faint smile played at the corners of his mouth.
“Actually...”
He turned to look out the door at the wondrous sight of lights layered upon lights, carved directly into the mountain.
“I really want to explore this place properly too.”
Theia's eyes lit up instantly, and her lips curled upward.
Eve also smiled, warmth spreading in her eyes.
Seeing this, Grom burst into laughter and slapped his chest hard.
“Great! I promise you all a fantastic time this week!”
Just then, Balin frowned and asked in a deep voice:
“Kid, do you absolutely have to go to the Wall of Sighs?”
“Are you just like those reckless daredevils who value money over their lives?”
“Are you doing it for the bounty offered by our dwarven king?”
Lin Gui shook his head and said frankly:
“To escort my companion to Avalon.”
“To that city of freedom where she can live freely without having to hide her identity.”
After speaking, he looked at Balin with a hint of expectation in his eyes.
Did this powerful Fortress Lord know anything?
But Balin's response made his heart sink.
“Avalon?”
Balin furrowed his brow, trying hard to recall.
“Beyond the Wall of Sighs... other than swallowed ruins...”
“how could there be any living city-states left?”
He stared at Lin Gui, his gaze sharp.
“Human kid, are you sure that place actually exists?”
“You haven't been tricked, have you?”
“That godforsaken place has nothing but evil spirits and demons.”
These words were like cold water, leaving Theia stunned in place.
In truth, she had always harbored a doubt in her heart.
Why was Lin Gui so certain that Avalon existed?
She herself had only heard of the name from vague nursery rhymes.
Could nursery rhymes... really be taken seriously?
Theia shuffled closer to Lin Gui, her voice very soft:
“Lin Gui, does Avalon... really exist?”
“I remember back then, you seemed to just hear me mention the rumor and...”
She suddenly recalled the scene of their first meeting.
She had only mentioned it in passing, yet he had taken it to heart.
Then he had taken her across rifts and through deep seas.
Traveling all the way to the northernmost border of this continent.
She hadn't thought deeply about it before, but looking back now...
this decision indeed seemed a bit reckless.
Lin Gui merely smiled, his expression calm.
“Whether it exists or not, we will know very soon.”
He turned his gaze to Eve.
Eve returned a faint smile.
Then, she raised her eyes and looked into the distance.
Those mysterious eyes seemed capable of piercing through stone walls and darkness.
Gazing straight into the depths of the Wall of Sighs, toward that legendary land.
The next few days flew by.
During the day, Lin Gui followed Balin in the forging workshop to tune the vehicle.
In the evening, he would be excitedly dragged away by Theia to stroll around Shield City.
This mountain-enclosed city was far larger than it appeared.
Passageways wound like mazes, and layered caverns hid taverns, workshops, and markets.
Theia was curious about everything, her silver hair swaying in the firelight.
Once, sea demons attacked the city walls again.
With Grom's special permission, Lin Gui ascended the defense platform.
He took control of the heavy magic crystal cannons.
Beyond the muzzles, a dense mass of demons swarmed like ants.
Ugly limbs tangled together, and their roars blended into a single wave of sound.
Lin Gui steadily pulled the trigger.
“Boom—!!!”
A deafening explosion tore through the air.
Flames instantly engulfed a patch of hideous figures.
Theia stood on the adjacent cannon platform.
The blast's shockwave whipped her silver-white hair.
Instead of hiding, she burst into loud laughter.
Her laughter was clear, cheerful, and completely unrestrained.
The surrounding dwarven warriors could not help but look askance.
The dwarven territory was not far from the Elven Forest.
They had seen all kinds of elves.
Arrogant High Elves, cold Night Elves, and gentle Forest Elves.
Every single one of them was elegant and aloof.
But the silver-haired elf before them was completely different.
She was like a white horse that had broken free of its reins.
Carefree, lively, and wearing her emotions on her sleeve.
Such a frank personality actually resonated exceptionally well with the temperament of the dwarves.
During these past few days, the post office was also officially completed.
In fact, it had already been completed on the day Lin Gui left.
But the lead dwarven foreman felt guilty.
He felt that trading a few pieces of fresh meat for such a simple construction was an absolute steal.
So he took his brothers and worked hard to expand it further.
By the time the sign for the “7-Copper Post Office” was hung over the lintel,
the originally agreed-upon two-story wooden building
had turned into a spacious and sturdy four-story stone building.
The news of the post office's opening, along with the letters of the Stoneheart Clan and Lin Gui's stories, quickly spread.
It soon caused a sensation throughout Shield City.
The entrance of the post office was packed with dwarves from morning till night.
They stared up at the massive route map on the wall.
Looking at the names of distant city-states marked with colorful pushpins,
each and every one of them widened their eyes in wonder.
What they found even more unbelievable was the near-giveaway price.
Eve volunteered to act as the post office's administrator during this time.
She sat quietly behind the thick wooden counter, registering, receiving, and sorting mail.
Her movements were gentle yet efficient, a faint smile always playing on her lips.
Under her gentle urging,
Lin Gui and Theia managed to have a rare few days of time alone together.
They walked through the cavern alleys, tasting the signature dwarven roasted mushrooms and ale.
Occasionally, they sat side-by-side on the high observation deck, watching the forge fires flicker below.
The days passed one by one.
In the blink of an eye, inside Balin's steaming forge workshop,
Lin Gui's vehicle entered its final assembly stage.
Rate on N.U.
