Lin Gui found the middle-aged woman in charge.
She stood before the smithy, looking down to inspect the edge of a short sword.
She had short hair, a square face, and a tough jawline.
The greatsword on her back was nearly as tall as she was; the hemp rope wrapped around its hilt was polished smooth from use.
Hearing his footsteps, she looked up, her gaze scanning over Lin Gui.
"And you are?"
"Lin Gui," he said, getting straight to the point. "I'd like to commission you to take someone to the City of a Thousand Towers."
The middle-aged woman sheathed the short sword at her waist and stood up straight.
"No."
Her refusal was crisp and final.
"We returned this time specifically to pick up the families of our members."
"Each of us has two or three relatives to bring along."
She paused, glancing toward the city gates.
"When all is said and done, the number of people we're escorting is more than all those other parties combined."
Lin Gui said nothing.
Watching the gates, the middle-aged woman spoke in a calm voice.
"The risk is already significant. Every additional person is a burden."
"Even if they are a High-tier High Rank knight."
She shot a glance at Elvia.
"If it were a mage, especially one proficient in concealment magic, I might consider it."
"A knight?"
"The one thing our adventure group isn't short on is warriors."
Among all the classes, the number of people in the physical class far exceeded that of mages.
This was especially true in the adventurer trade.
After all, the cost of training was vastly different.
With ten million gold coins, you could produce ten Transcendent warriors, but you weren't guaranteed to even produce one Transcendent mage.
And when it came to crossing the wilderness, the status of a mage was far higher than that of a warrior.
She shook her head and stopped speaking.
Lin Gui had long expected this. He pulled a bag from his chest and held it out.
It was small, about the length of a palm, made of gray cloth, and tied shut with a thin hemp string.
The middle-aged woman frowned and didn't take it.
"Regardless of how much money you offer, I won't..."
Lin Gui pushed the bag forward again.
She hesitated for a moment before reaching out to take it.
As her fingers touched the bag, she froze.
It was too light.
It didn't feel like it was filled with coins.
She loosened the string and peeked inside.
Her pupils shrank instantly.
She gripped the bag tightly, her knuckles turning white.
She looked up at Lin Gui with a complex expression.
Silence reigned for a few seconds.
"Fine."
She tucked the bag into her chest, her voice returning to its usual calm.
"But she has to follow our arrangements."
Elvia leaned into Lin Gui's ear and whispered, "What did you give her?"
Lin Gui replied simply, "Cultivation resources."
Elvia frowned.
"How does a mage like you have something like that?"
Lin Gui said, "I picked them up on the way back to the Carter Royal Capital."
Elvia understood instantly.
They must have been left behind by Duke Lister and the nobles when they fled the capital.
Who knew how much this guy had scavenged?
Her eyes brightened, and she whispered, "So you're saying you're filthy rich right now?"
"Share the wealth, won't you? Give me some too."
She was just teasing him.
To her surprise, Lin Gui actually pulled out another bag and handed it to her.
It was very light.
Elvia opened it to find a handful of Stellar Coins, along with a few scattered gold and silver coins.
She was stunned.
Lin Gui didn't look at her; he simply stared toward the city gates as he continued his instructions.
"Follow the leader's orders on the road. Don't act on your own."
Elvia opened her mouth but found no words.
"Don't wander off in the wilderness; don't leave the party without permission. If you need to answer the call of nature, make sure to tell the leader and have the team wait for you. Don't wander off alone."
"Don't speak loudly in the wilderness; sound travels for miles out there. Those demons have sharper ears than you think."
"When you're on watch at night, don't sleep too deeply. Open your eyes at the slightest sound."
"Don't touch things in the wilderness at random—stones, withered wood, bones—don't touch any of it. You don't know what might be lingering on them."
"When you reach a city-state to rest, cover your face. Don't show it. That face of yours is bound to cause trouble, especially since your strength is mediocre."
"Don't spend money recklessly, don't waste it, and don't indulge in luxuries. Be careful not to get kidnapped."
"Once you reach the City of a Thousand Towers, find a safe place to stay first."
"Don't be in a hurry to find people, and don't trust those who approach you on their own initiative."
"If you run into danger, don't try to be a hero. Just run."
"If you can't run, hand over the money. Your life is more important than gold."
"Don't mention the Carter Royal Capital to anyone. Don't mention your identity."
"If someone asks where you're from, say..."
He paused to think.
"Say you're from Dragonbone City."
Elvia's scalp felt numb listening to him, and she finally couldn't help but call a halt.
"Enough!"
Lin Gui stopped and looked at her.
Elvia took a deep breath.
"Look, I know you mean well."
"But..."
"I did spend some time with the rebels, after all. I'm not some pampered princess anymore. I was the Lioness, okay?"
Lin Gui glanced at Elvia, then nodded in agreement.
"True."
"Given how much you fear death, you're flexible enough to kneel without hesitation if needed."
"I suppose I really was overthinking things."
Elvia stared at Lin Gui, speechless.
Why did that feel like an insult?
"You..."
The middle-aged woman had been listening the whole time. At this point, she gave Lin Gui an unexpected look.
She turned to Monica and said, "You should listen too. This little mage has plenty of experience."
Monica nodded earnestly, taking Lin Gui's words to heart.
The middle-aged woman looked back at Lin Gui, her lips twitching slightly into a faint smirk.
"Why don't you come along?"
The invitation wasn't without reason.
Just moments ago, she had heard from Monica that this person had entered Dragonbone City during the Dark Tide.
In other words, this little mage was capable of crossing the wilderness.
Though the minimum standard for crossing the wilderness was the Transcendent Rank...
She had seen people before who maxed out their concealment abilities and crossed the wilderness even at the High Rank.
She suspected this little mage was exactly that kind of person.
And his display of field experience just now only proved it further.
Lin Gui shook his head and refused.
"I have other things to attend to."
The middle-aged woman didn't push further.
"Fair enough. Go to the guild to get the seal, then."
The Adventurer's Guild was efficient.
The commission form was submitted, stamped, and signed in triplicate.
One copy for the adventure group, one for the guild's archives, and one for the client.
Lin Gui tucked his copy into his robes and patted it.
With this, the adventure group couldn't just abandon her at will.
Nor would the guild sit idly by if they did.
That was the rule.
At the city gates.
The fourteen members of the Red Iron adventure group were ready to depart.
Each of them carried a heavy pack filled with the supplies needed to traverse the wilderness.
Elvia stood before Lin Gui, fully equipped.
Her crudely made leather armor was tightened, her short sword hung at her waist, and she had swapped her boots for a sturdier pair.
She looked at Lin Gui and remained silent for a while.
"Thank you."
Her voice was very soft.
"You saved me, and you've helped me so much."
"But I'm choosing to distance myself from you because of your ideals."
"Instead of staying behind to help you."
She lowered her head.
"I feel very guilty."
Lin Gui looked at her, exasperated.
"What help could you possibly give me?"
"Warm my bed?"
Elvia looked up, dissatisfied.
"At the very least, I could protect you while you rest."
"Just like when we crossed the Withered Rift."
Lin Gui smiled and raised his hand to cast a spell.
Mana ripples spread out from him.
It was the power of the High-tier High Rank.
Lin Gui said, "At this point, I'm not sure who'd be protecting whom."
Elvia's mouth twitched.
She marveled inwardly—was this guy's strength growing too fast?
It had taken her over two years to go from Low-tier High Rank to High-tier High Rank.
Yet this guy had done it in just over six months.
Helplessly, Elvia realized she was being overly sentimental.
She looked at Lin Gui, her lips moving silently.
Then she stepped forward, opened her arms, and hugged him.
The gesture was light, and she pulled away quickly.
She whispered, "Thank you, I'll remember you," into Lin Gui's ear before turning toward the city gates, never looking back.
Lin Gui stood where he was, watching her retreating figure.
She walked over to the Red Iron adventure group and spoke a few words to the leader.
The leader pointed to a pack that was even larger than Elvia herself and said something.
Elvia's expression froze.
She stared blankly at the pack, then back at the leader.
The leader nodded.
Gritting her teeth, Elvia heaved the massive pack onto her back.
Her shoulders buckled under the weight, and she stumbled forward, barely catching herself before she could fall over.
A young man nearby laughed.
"Every member has to carry their weight, and that includes family."
"You're strong; you get to carry more."
Elvia bit her lip and said nothing, tightening her straps once more.
Standing by the post office door, Lin Gui couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
It seemed Elvia was in for a lot of hardship on the road ahead.
Lin Gui smiled and returned to the post office.
He had thought it might be years before he saw the golden-haired princess again.
Although his own route would pass through the Magic City...
Given his speed, he expected to have already left the place by the time Elvia and the others were only halfway there.
And once they missed that single point where their paths might cross...
Seeing her again would be almost impossible.
Lin Gui had prepared himself for a final farewell with Elvia.
But what he didn't expect...
Was that the story of him and Elvia had only just begun.
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