Inside the small room behind the Information House.
The light was somewhat dim, with only the oil lamp on the table casting a glow.
Peter sat at the table, his fingertips brushing over the tracking records sent by his subordinates over the past two days, his gaze meticulously scanning every line.
From yesterday to today, the mysterious Healer's movements had remained steady, with not a single anomaly to be found.
He had gone to the Adventurer’s Guild to accept commissions, visited the abandoned church to complete tasks, and occasionally strolled down the streets, behaving perfectly throughout with no suspicious actions whatsoever.
Peter's once-anxious heart eased slightly.
Perhaps this person really had just been accidentally caught up in the previous incident, with no hidden faction behind him, nor was he deliberately targeting them.
Just then, the sudden sound of a door being pushed open broke the silence of the room and interrupted his thoughts.
A subordinate rushed in, his expression panicked and his brow filled with urgency, lowering his voice before he had even stood firm.
“Boss, that Healer,” he leaned in close to Peter, “just entered Silvermane Stable and hasn't come out yet.”
Peter immediately set down the records in his hand and slowly raised his head, a hint of vigilance entering his eyes. “The stables? What is he doing there?”
The subordinate quickly replied, “I saw him go in with my own eyes, no mistake. I quietly asked around, and he seems to want to rent a mount that can run long distances.”
Peter's brow furrowed instantly, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the edge of the table.
Suddenly wanting to leave at this time, and even renting a mount for long distances... Where was he planning to go?
He pondered for a moment and asked again, “What about that dwarf workshop belonging to Mora? Has he been to that street?”
The subordinate shook his head vigorously. “From yesterday until now, he hasn't gone near the dwarf workshop's street even once.”
“Our men have been keeping watch at the workshop entrance. Forget about him, even Mora herself hasn't shown her face.”
Peter was silent for a moment, his fingertips tapping lightly on the table twice as a judgment gradually formed in his mind.
He slowly leaned back in his chair and let out a sigh of relief. “It's fine if he leaves. It saves us from having to keep an eye on him constantly. No matter what is hidden behind him, as long as he leaves Blackcreek Town, it has nothing to do with us.”
Then, he looked up and instructed his subordinate, “Send someone to quietly follow him to the town gate. Just confirm he really leaves. There's no need to stop him, and don't alarm him, lest we cause unnecessary complications.”
The subordinate quickly nodded in agreement and was about to turn and leave when the door was pushed open from the outside once more.
A figure stood at the doorway, backlit by the light outside. The oil lamp in the room was too weak to illuminate his face at all, leaving only a silhouette.
...
On the other side, the Silvermane Stable employee jogged across the yard and hurriedly pushed open the backyard door.
But the moment he stepped over the threshold, he froze in place, as if he had seen something extraordinary.
For that usually untamed Chocobo was currently standing obediently beside Bai Xuan.
Its two long, slender legs stood straight, its neck slightly curved, and its head hung meekly.
Bai Xuan's hand rested gently on its head, his fingers softly smoothing its feathers.
The employee rubbed his eyes, somewhat unsure of what he was seeing.
He was all too familiar with this bird; it was lazy, exceptionally difficult to please, and possessed an incredibly fiery temper.
A few customers had tried to ride it before, but they were pecked so hard they cried out in pain before they could even get close, looking incredibly pathetic.
The worst time, a heavily built man insisted on riding it, only to be kicked flying. He lay on the ground for a long time before he could climb back up.
Yet now, this Chocobo, which usually couldn't even be touched, stood there obediently without moving.
Its expression was full of grievance, like a bullied child.
Looking closer, the employee noticed that its feathers were much brighter than before.
The condition of its entire body was also far more spirited than just moments ago, and even its posture was much more upright.
Just what was going on here?
Hearing the footsteps behind him, Bai Xuan slowly turned his head.
His gaze fell upon the employee, and he spoke calmly, “This is the one. I'll buy it. How much?”
Only then did the employee snap out of it. His face was filled with bewilderment as he stammered, “You... you mean you want to buy it? Not rent?”
Bai Xuan nodded slightly, his tone still flat. “Yes, buy it.”
The employee's expression became somewhat subtle. He scratched his head and couldn't help but remind him, “Customer, if you are only using it for a short trip, renting would be more cost-effective. If you buy this Chocobo, the price won't be cheap.”
Hearing this, Bai Xuan nodded slightly in understanding, then added, “It has already been tamed by me now, and I spent quite a bit of effort on it.”
“Besides, this bird of yours probably doesn't get rented out very often anyway. Keeping it here is just a waste of feed. It would be better to sell it to me, solving the problem once and for all. It's a win-win for both of us.”
The employee opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but thinking about it carefully, what Bai Xuan said was indeed correct. He couldn't find any words to refute him.
“Please wait a moment, I'll go ask the boss.” He quickly turned and ran toward the building.
Bai Xuan watched his hurrying back and slowly withdrew his gaze.
He looked down at the Chocobo by his feet, gently patted its head again, and a warm smile appeared on his face.
“Little Lu,” he said softly, “follow me from now on, and I promise you'll spread your wings and fly high. You won't have to stay cooped up in this tiny yard anymore.”
The Chocobo blinked its round eyes, a trace of reluctance flashing in its gaze, like a college student who didn't want to leave home to go to work.
Yet, it still gently rubbed its head against his palm, looking incredibly docile.
Bai Xuan smiled and patted its neck, whispering, “Good bird.”
Before long, footsteps echoed again. The employee walked back quickly, followed by a middle-aged man.
The man dressed much more elegantly than the employee, with a lean and sturdy build. One look at his eyes revealed he was no ordinary person; he must be the owner of Silvermane Stable.
Bai Xuan was slightly surprised. He had originally thought the employee was just passing a message, but he hadn't expected him to bring the boss over directly.
As soon as the boss approached, he immediately beamed with a warm smile and said enthusiastically, “Ah, this customer truly has excellent taste!”
“This Chocobo of ours is the treasure of our shop! A genuine long-legged breed, fast and with incredible endurance—a one-in-a-million mount!”
Bai Xuan did not take the bait and asked straight to the point, “How much?”
The boss rubbed his hands together, his smile becoming even more attentive. “Look, a good horse deserves a good saddle. A customer of your extraordinary temperament paired with such a majestic mount is truly a match made in heaven!”
“I'll give you a fair price—thirty gold coins!”
Bai Xuan froze for a second, then raised his hand. “Stop.”
The smile on the boss's face froze instantly, and a hint of panic appeared in his eyes.
“Thirty gold coins?” Bai Xuan looked at him, his voice tinged with helplessness. “I came here with sincere intentions to buy. Are you serious with this price?”
The flesh on the boss's face twitched slightly. He quickly waved his hands and smoothed things over. “Just kidding, just kidding! We keep this bird but don't get to rent it out often. Meeting you today is a stroke of fate.”
“And when it comes to fate, talking about money hurts feelings, right? I'll make another concession—twenty-five gold coins!”
Bai Xuan did not speak. He merely gave him a flat look, turned, and walked toward the exit of the yard.
“Hey, hey, hey—customer, don't leave in such a hurry!” The boss quickly chased after him for a couple of steps, his tone urgent. “We can still negotiate! Twenty gold coins, I can't go any lower!”
Bai Xuan did not stop, continuing to walk forward with steady steps.
“Eighteen gold coins! Eighteen gold coins, how about that!” the boss shouted anxiously from behind. “The saddle, grooming brush, and a full foot care kit—all thrown in for free! I absolutely cannot go any lower!”
Only then did Bai Xuan stop. He slowly turned around, his gaze landing on the boss, and calmly uttered two words: “Deal.”
The boss let out a long sigh of relief, secretly wiping away nonexistent sweat from his forehead, and quickly walked over with a smile plastered back on his face.
Bai Xuan pulled his coin pouch from his shirt, counted out eighteen glittering gold coins, and handed them over.
The boss took the gold coins, carefully put them away, and quickly called out to the employee, “Quick, go get the contract and the branding stamp. Hurry up and get the procedures done for the customer!”
The employee responded and turned, running swiftly into the building.
The boss turned back to Bai Xuan, a somewhat flattering smile on his face as he reminded him, “Customer, there is something I must mention. These magical beast mounts are not like ordinary horses. If they aren't tamed properly, they can easily cause trouble.”
“If you are staying at an ordinary inn without a dedicated stable to care for it, it would be best to stable it with us. You can collect it whenever you need, which is both convenient and worry-free.”
Bai Xuan nodded slightly without saying much, his gaze simply falling back onto the Chocobo.
Soon, the employee came running back in a hurry with a sheet of parchment, upon which the various terms of the sale contract were already written.
Bai Xuan scanned it quickly, and after confirming the terms were correct, picked up the pen and signed his name.
The boss then retrieved a palm-sized metal stamp from behind the counter and walked over to the Chocobo.
The Chocobo shrunk its neck slightly, but it did not dodge, still standing obediently in place.
The boss pressed the stamp gently against the feathers on the inner side of its wing. A faint glow flashed, leaving a unique pattern on the feathers.
“All done.” The boss put away the stamp and smiled at Bai Xuan, saying, “From today on, this Chocobo officially belongs to you.”
Bai Xuan walked back to the Chocobo's side, reaching out to pat its head once more.
At this moment, the grievance in the Chocobo's eyes had long since vanished, replaced entirely by docility as it obediently rubbed against his palm.
Bai Xuan gently patted its neck and said softly, “Let's go.”
Without delay, Bai Xuan immediately fed the Chocobo a handful of feed and used his water skin to moisten its beak.
Then, he led it quickly toward the town gate.
Passersby on the street looked over one after another.
A woman carrying a vegetable basket stopped in her tracks, her eyes filled with wonder; such a massive bird was truly rare.
A few idle men chatting by the roadside also stopped their conversation, their gazes closely following the large bird as it moved. From their expressions, they seemed to recognize it as the Chocobo from Silvermane Stable.
A child tugged on his mother's sleeve and clamored, “Mom, look at that big chicken!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, his mother covered his mouth and dragged him away in a hurry, fearing he would cause some sort of trouble.
Bai Xuan did not care about these gazes in the slightest, keeping his head down as he walked forward.
The most common mounts in this town were horses. Although there were people who rode magical beasts, they were very few and far between.
For example, the Silver Heart Adventure Team's combat members were mostly equipped with wolf mounts, but those were things only powerful adventurers could possess.
For caravans, horses were actually more practical; even if they were lost, it wouldn't hurt too much.
But trained magical beasts were different; no one was willing to spend a fortune to acquire them.
He led the Chocobo through the entire street, those curious and probing gazes following him all the way to the town gate.
The guard at the gate leaned against the entrance. Seeing him lead such a massive bird over, his gaze paused on him for a moment.
Then, as if he had seen nothing at all, he shifted his gaze away nonchalantly.
Once outside the town gate, Bai Xuan flipped himself onto the Chocobo's back.
The Chocobo strode forward with its long legs, galloping in the direction of Calais Town.
The ride was a bit bumpy at first, but after running several dozen paces, Bai Xuan gradually adapted to it.
The Chocobo alternated its two legs; although its speed was slightly slower than a horse, it excelled in stability and smoothness.
On both sides of the main road were sparse woods, where an occasional carriage could be seen passing by slowly.
Bai Xuan kept watch for any movement around him as he traveled. Fortunately, there was no anomaly along the way.
After traveling for nearly an hour, there were fewer and fewer pedestrians and carriages on the road, while the woods on both sides became increasingly dense.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Bai Xuan caught a dark shadow flashing past in the woods on the left, quickly ducking behind a tree.
He did not look back, still maintaining his original speed. But after traveling a bit further, a rustling sound came from the woods on the right.
It was not an ordinary sound, but the sound of horse hooves.
The Chocobo also sensed the anomaly. Its head snapped up, and its pace quickened slightly.
Someone was following him, and more than one.
Bai Xuan gently patted the Chocobo's neck, signaling it to stay calm.
He did not accelerate immediately, but instead slowed down slightly, pretending to observe the road conditions, while his peripheral vision quietly swept behind him.
Those dark shadows still trailed him from a moderate distance, never letting the gap widen.
Seeing this, Bai Xuan decisively turned into a fork in the road.
It was a narrow path leading toward a stretch of rolling hills. The ground was bumpy and uneven, making riding much more arduous than on the main road.
He wanted to test whether those guys would follow him in.
The rustling sounds behind indeed followed, and at a speed even faster than before.
No longer hesitating, Bai Xuan immediately had the Chocobo pick up speed. The Chocobo took large strides and began to gallop along the narrow path, kicking up a trail of dust behind them.
But when he glanced back, he found that those horses were even faster than he had anticipated, and the distance between the pursuers and himself was constantly shrinking.
At this rate, he would probably be overtaken before they even cleared these hills.
Bai Xuan patted the Chocobo gently again, signaling it to go faster.
Not far ahead was an open clearing; once they crossed this clearing, they could loop back onto the main road.
But just as Bai Xuan rushed to the edge of the clearing, the thundering of horse hooves behind him suddenly grew dense. The pursuers were no longer hiding.
Bai Xuan steadied the Chocobo and slowly turned around.
As he looked back at the clearing, over a dozen horses galloped out of the woods, fanning out to surround him.
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