Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Up ahead, Gao Peng could hear the sounds of human activity. Along the way, Stripey’s huge form had garnered stares from passers-by in black robes who hurried past them alongside their familiars.
Probably shouldn’t have Stripey out in broad daylight. He stands out like a sore thumb, thought Gao Peng. Stripey stood at least 200 feet tall, which was almost as tall as a high-rise building.
Worried that Stripey might give away their positions to the Golden Hands, Gao Peng said, “I’m sorry, Stripey, but I’m afraid you’re going to have to stick to the less crowded areas for a bit.”
Stripey nodded. “All right. Whatever you say, Gao Peng,” it said cheerily. Gao Peng felt a twinge of guilt as he watched Stripey lumber away.
For convenience’s sake, Gao Peng decided to bring only Goldie, Da Zi, Desolion, and the White Steel Bladed Beast along to the next human settlement that was marked on the map. He had his other familiars on standby on Stripey’s back for the time being.
After walking approximately 20 miles, they finally reached a small town that was encircled by a metal fence. As they drew closer, they could see that a strange plant had entwined itself around the fence. It had thick, dark green leaves and fine white spines across its stem. It also had blue flowers growing out of certain places.
Gao Peng instantly recognized what it was: a Blue-flowered White Ground Vine. It wasn’t a Plant-type monster, but rather an ordinary plant that was known to flourish in colder climates. The white spines on its stem, which contained a type of paralytic toxin, were sharp enough to pierce through leather.
Most of the buildings in the town were of the short and stunted variety. Their roofs were gabled, as heavy snowfalls weren’t uncommon there in the winter. Flat roofs weren’t suitable for such weather conditions, as the accumulation of snow could cause the roofs to cave in.
The streets were presently bustling with people. Stalls were set up on the roadside, selling all kinds of roasted fruits and meats of questionable origin.
Every chunk of meat was caked in all kinds of seasoning and sauce. An intoxicating aroma wafted from the stalls.
“Monkey brains, get your monkey brains here while they’re still hot for just 2,000 Desert dollars! Five hundred Desert dollars if you want seconds!” shouted one of the vendors who was wearing a black-bottomed floral cap.
“Today’s specialty: the roasted paw of a mountain bear that I just caught in the mountains, covered with a thick layer of honey sesame sauce. Come get it while it’s still hot!”
“Freshly-caught Red-clawed Ghost Vines here. You won’t find prices like mine anywhere else!”
The place was in an uproar. People thronged the streets. The vendors’ street cries filled the air.
Unlike the markets Gao Peng had visited in the past, which sold all kinds of daily necessities, from clothing to medicine, all kinds of monsters and other resources seemed to be sold here. The town’s denizens relied on the monsters that lived in the region for their survival.
“Mister, mister, I’m hungry. Have some sympathy for me, please. Could you spare me some change?” said a boy in dirty rags as he pulled on Gao Peng’s sleeve.
Gao Peng looked at the boy impassively. “Sorry, I don’t have any money on me.”
The boy pouted.
“Nor do I have any sympathy for you, boy.”
The boy widened his eyes.
“Scram,” Gao Peng growled menacingly.
The boy staggered back, his eyes widened in horror. He then ran off without giving Gao Peng a second look.
Gao Peng grinned. He was aware that most of these street urchins usually had a “caretaker” to answer to.
In the middle of the town stood a slightly tall building. Its walls were painted red. A few people could be seen going in and out of it, though it seemed less busy compared to the stalls around it.
The building housed the town’s administration offices. A dark-skinned man in sandals was squatting by the entrance, hungrily gobbling down something from his bowl.
The place rarely saw any activity, as only those who wished to open a stall would come here in order to fill out the requisite forms. The administrative employees were tasked with collecting rent from the vendors in town.
“Good day, may I know who the highest-ranking official here is?” asked Gao Peng.
The man by the entrance stopped what he was doing and looked up at Gao Peng with a grin, revealing a piece of vegetable stuck between his teeth. “You a newcomer? Well then, you’re looking at him.”
While saying this, the man patted his butt and turned towards the building’s entrance. “I’ve never seen you around here before. You must be here to rent a stall. Come along then, we’ve got prices so cheap you won’t believe your eyes. We have a nice spot near the Hondana boundary. The monsters there are quite low-level. We also have a couple of trainers visiting there sometimes. We just need you to—” The man began feverishly reciting the lines he had rehearsed God knew how many times.
“I’m not here to rent a stall,” interrupted Gao Peng.
“What?” The man stopped speaking and turned to look at Gao Peng. His expression quickly turned to one of boredom. “Then what are you here for?” he said, scowling. The warmth in his voice had disappeared.
“I would like to meet with one of your higher-ups… Or just someone you can get in touch with,” said Gao Peng seriously.
“…Are you pulling my leg?” said the man. “You’re not from around here, are you? Your accent sounds… off.”
“I have important business to discuss with your superiors. I really have no time to waste.” Beside Gao Peng, the Desolate Frost Lion flashed its bluish Lord-tier aura at the man.
The man’s jaw fell. Was that a Lord-tier aura? Must be the heat playing tricks on my mind again…
“All right, calm your horses. I’ll see what I can do. Just so you know, the highest-ranking official I can get in touch with is the chief administrative officer of the nearby Dahran base city. Anyone higher up than that is simply above my paygrade…”
“Noted. Thank you,” said Gao Peng, before producing an Elite-grade monster core crystal from his pocket and handing it over to the dark-skinned man. It was noteworthy that here, core crystals were a currency of far greater value than ordinary money.
“The name’s Ahrafat, by the way. Pleasure doing business with you. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to hit me up.”
Through Ahrafat’s chief administrative officer, Gao Peng was able to get in touch with one of the Jinsha region’s most influential political figures, the Holy-Winged Ivory Minister, Jafar. He was a fervent Holy Lotian adherent, as well as a Lord-tier trainer.
He was always seen wearing pristine white robes, his eyes were sharp, and he usually maintained a neat set of whiskers.
“Greetings! As Jinsha’s representative, I welcome you, Huaxia’s Undead Catastrophe, to our humble land!”
Behind Jafar stood his familiar, a 40-foot-tall white elephant with a pair of huge wings and blue-white stripes on its body. It looked like a statue carved out of white jade, sturdy and majestic-looking.
