The boundless yellow sands stretched endlessly, reflecting a brilliant golden hue under the blazing sunlight.
The entire Golden Desert was famed for this gold-like luster. Once upon a time, Anbaixiu had actually thought the sands here were made of real gold, only learning later that a powerful mage had permanently altered the lighting effects using World Weaving.
It looked like gold, but in truth, it was still ordinary sand; once taken outside the desert, it was no different from any other sand.
Seeing such a resplendent sight again after so many years, Anbaixiu could not help but sigh. "There really are people in this world with far too much time on their hands."
A mage capable of casting World Weaving had to be of legendary rank—and an exceptionally powerful legend at that.
Yet they had used it simply to add a reflective effect to an entire desert. Such behavior was truly... Anbaixiu could not find the right words to describe it for a moment.
Beside him, Catherine handed over a special pair of tinted spectacles and told Anbaixiu to put them on.
These were tinted spectacles specially designed to block the desert's glare; without them, walking across the desert for even a little while would leave anyone blinded by the dazzling light.
But Anbaixiu was a lich. Puzzled, he asked Catherine, "What for? I don't even have eyes."
Catherine, however, said excitedly, "Aren't we pretending to be adventurers? What adventurer walks through the desert without tinted glasses? If anyone sees you, our cover will be blown!"
Watching Catherine throw herself so eagerly into roleplaying, Anbaixiu had no choice but to put on the tinted spectacles helplessly, then quicken his pace forward.
According to Catherine's design, Anbaixiu was a freshly classed ranger seeking a druid's help to bond with a beast companion, while Catherine played a female orc warrior hired as his escort.
She had even enthusiastically fabricated full family backgrounds for both of them—how long they had traveled together, what spells the hag they fought on their last adventure specialized in, how many romantic flings Anbaixiu had had along the way... pages upon pages packed with meticulous details.
Anbaixiu was thoroughly speechless.
As expected of an elven woman on her very first adventure, she was entirely overexcited.
To a seasoned veteran like Anbaixiu, adventuring was merely a job—and a former job he had retired from long ago. Having viewed the sights along this road for hundreds of years, he found it truly difficult to drum up any enthusiasm.
With completely different mindsets, the two trudged through the sea of sand. To make it feel authentic, they rode camels instead of simply flying, which was why it took them over half an hour to arrive before a towering city.
This was Sweetdew City, the settlement closest to the desert's Death Line and the site of the largest oasis in the region.
The thirty-meter-high city walls were a monolithic slab of rock conjured through magic, reinforced with numerous defensive spells capable of withstanding the most terrifying sandstorms.
Anbaixiu walked up to the city gate, preparing to enter Sweetdew City, only to be immediately stopped by a lizardman guarding the entrance.
The yellowish-green-skinned lizardman held a spear, his body wrapped snugly inside a cloak. The moment Anbaixiu appeared, he thrust out his spear, barring his path.
Flicking his tongue, the lizardman spoke to Anbaixiu in a shrill voice, "Human, state your name, identity, and purpose for entering the city."
Anbaixiu glanced around and noticed plenty of people walking in and out of the city gate. Even Catherine beside him hadn't been stopped; he was the only one singled out.
"Why are you only checking me?" Anbaixiu asked, puzzled.
The lizardman replied decisively, "Because you're human!"
Anbaixiu rolled his eyes. This was pure collateral damage; they weren't really guarding against humans, but against people from the Ryan Empire.
"Fine. My name is Barton, nicknamed Hawkeye, and I'm a ranger. I came from the City of Alchemy. As for my purpose—well, I'm an adventurer, and adventurers go wherever the coin is. I heard there's a war going on over here, so I came to try my luck."
Anbaixiu gave a brief explanation, and the lizardman guard could not detect anything amiss. Anbaixiu was no different from the adventurers they saw every day; his demeanor, movements, and tone were the spitting image of an experienced old hand, even if his face looked a bit young.
In contrast, the tall orc standing beside him wore a somewhat odd expression—eyes darting nervously, lips pressed tight, practically radiating guilt.
Yet upon closer inspection, this orc gave off an impression of utter harmlessness, looking deeply trustworthy and desperately in need of cherishing and protection.
The lizardman guard couldn't help but shudder. Why on earth would he want to cherish and protect an orc?
Hastily averting his gaze, the lizardman guard turned back to Anbaixiu. "Human, prove you aren't a spy sent by the Ryan Empire."
Anbaixiu spread his hands and said to the lizardman, "Proof? How am I supposed to prove that? Want me to recite an excerpt from 'The Untold Scandals of the Ryan Empress and the Goblins'?"
The lizardman burst into laughter. "Haha! I've read that scandalous chronicle—it's quite the spicy read!"
Anbaixiu chimed in at once, "Right, right, especially that scene through the shower curtain—the writing was utterly sensational."
"I preferred the part under the table during the royal banquet... Ahem! All right, there's no way you're from the Ryan Empire. Go on in."
Anbaixiu's taste in literature happened to suit the lizardman guard's palate perfectly, allowing them to enter Sweetdew City without further fuss.
Only after they walked past the city gate did Catherine let out a long breath, saying to Anbaixiu, "That scared me half to death just now. I thought we were about to be found out."
Anbaixiu calmly reminded her, "What were you afraid of? It's just inconvenient for us to reveal our true identities, but even if we were exposed, it wouldn't be a disaster. We aren't Ryanites, nor are we fugitives wanted in the Golden Desert. What's there to fear? The more nervous you act, the easier it is to give yourself away. You'd be better off relaxing. The worst that could happen is drawing a crowd of Sweetdew City locals to gawk at us." In truth, the lizardman guard had already noticed the changes in Catherine's expression; she had simply assumed she was acting flawlessly.
Hearing Anbaixiu's words, Catherine could not help but blush.
How could she have thought through all that? The moment Anbaixiu was stopped earlier, her heart had nearly leaped out of her chest.
Yet Anbaixiu had talked his way through in just a few sentences. Curiosity getting the better of her, Catherine asked, "What history book were the two of you talking about just now? How come I've never heard of it?"
Anbaixiu did not explain, merely tossing out, "I'll lend it to you later."
Catherine nodded. Though the elves had little contact with the Ryan Empire, that book seemed quite useful—if it could help them travel through the desert unimpeded, she really ought to read it carefully.
Having entered Sweetdew City, Anbaixiu wasted no time and led Catherine straight toward the largest tavern.
Whether mercenaries or adventurers, the rule across the continent was that they gathered in taverns, and commissions were posted through taverns as well.
These taverns scattered across the continent thus formed networks that, while not formal guilds, functioned better than guilds.
The tavern, named the Golden Camel Bell, was bustling with activity, its cavernous hall filled with over a hundred patrons drinking.
The moment Catherine stepped inside, the clamor and the foul, chaotic stench made her brow furrow deeply. In her entire life, the Elven Queen had never seen such a filthy, noisy, run-down place. Utterly inexperienced, she could only trail right behind Anbaixiu. When she saw him take a seat directly at the bar, she moved to follow, only to discover there was only a single empty stool left.
Seeing Anbaixiu already seated, Catherine suddenly felt at a total loss.
What should she do? Was she supposed to stand beside him and wait?
Anbaixiu, however, paid Catherine no mind whatsoever. Many things required figuring out on one's own; relying on someone else to prompt every move was completely pointless.
If this girl wanted to stand, then let her stand.
Anbaixiu casually ordered a drink that was neither expensive nor cheap, then began striking up a conversation with the bartender.
Amusingly, the bartender of the Golden Camel Bell was also an orc, only older and somewhat shorter than the one at Slag Ember.
The orc bartender said to Anbaixiu, "First time in Sweetdew City, traveler? Need a guide? I have a few decent local guides I can recommend."
With a soft clink, Anbaixiu flicked a silver coin onto the counter, then said to the bartender, "I'm not here for sightseeing. In this city, I only go to two places: an inn, and a tavern. I'm here to make coin. Got any commissions suitable for a ranger?"
"A ranger? There are plenty of suitable jobs, but around here, locals and regulars get first pick. You're new after all, traveler. If you want to get in line, you'll have to wait your turn at the very back. You should know the rules well enough."
Anbaixiu nodded. Taverns functioned somewhat like brokers, naturally directing commissions to familiar faces first. A newcomer like Anbaixiu, lacking any guarantor, might wait a month or two without seeing a suitable job.
Of course, Anbaixiu wasn't actually here to earn money; his earlier words were merely to reinforce his adventurer persona.
After chatting for a bit and warming up to the bartender, Anbaixiu said, "By the way, I'm planning to put together an adventuring party. I'm a ranger, and my friend here is an orc warrior. I was hoping to ask around and see if there are any suitable adventurers looking for a party. Spellcasters would be best—clerics, wizards, druids are all fine. Forget about bards, though."
For an outsider to post a formal bounty directly with the tavern was foolish; the establishment would find every excuse to hike the processing fees—claiming outsiders lacked guarantors, demanding insurance deposits for first-time listings, and the like. Unwilling to be taken for a fool and fleeced, Anbaixiu found it far better to inquire through indirect means.
The bartender looked a bit troubled. "Forming a party with locals? That won't be easy. You're a human, traveler. As you know, being human right now is a rather delicate matter."
Another clink rang out, and this time, half a silver coin landed on the counter.
Looking at the halved tip, the bartender's expression showed a trace of disdain, but Anbaixiu's deadpan "I'm broke" look made it clear that not much grease could be squeezed from this fellow.
The bartender said with a sigh, "Clerics and wizards are hot commodities; very few are still looking for work. A pity you don't want bards—I could introduce plenty of those."
Anbaixiu gave a chuckle. "Why are there so many unattached bards available? Don't you already know the answer to that yourself?"
Without the slightest hint of embarrassment on his face, the bartender continued, "Since you're a true connoisseur, I won't waste time beating around the bush. As for druids, I can ask around for you, but..."
Anbaixiu pulled out another silver coin and slid it over. "No posted commission. Find a suitable one, and five silver coins go straight into your pocket. If I post a commission, the brokerage fee goes to the tavern. My friend, that should be an easy choice, right?"
The bartender's eyes darted around, then he said to Anbaixiu, "I work every other day. The day after tomorrow, at this exact time, I'll be right here."
Anbaixiu nodded. A preliminary understanding had been reached; by the day after tomorrow, there should be news.
Just as he prepared to call Catherine and leave the tavern, he turned around, only to find Catherine sitting stiffly before a luxurious gambling table.
Several orcs, their eyes practically starry, were crowding around her, enthusiastically stuffing chips into her hands.
Chapter 148