Chapter 38: The Death of the Poet (3)
Tang Cuo and Jin Cheng continued wandering aimlessly through the city, subsequently picking up several more side quests. For example, “Mr. Took’s Little Toy,” “Mary’s Trouble,” and so on.
These small quests posed no difficulty, but like “Cecilia’s Bakery,” their contents were subtly interconnected, gradually painting a picture of daily life in the Kingdom Hidden in Moonlight for Tang Cuo and Jin Cheng.
This was a place with neither flowers nor trees. A small stone city rising from the desert, far removed from the rest of the continent. Even the most experienced traveling merchants had to journey for a very, very long time to reach the nearest Flange Principality.
Not to mention the Kingdom of Hundred Flowers, where spring lasted year-round, located at the southernmost tip of the continent.
Holding a lighter, Jin Cheng lit the streetlamps along the way as they walked. These lamps were covered in colorful, hollowed-out glazed glass. It was said that this type of glazed glass was only sold in the most prosperous Little Windmill Harbour in the north of the continent.
The previous king of the Kingdom Hidden in Moonlight had gone to great lengths to transport these lampshades back. He installed them along the streets and told his people, “When the lamps are lit, the colorful glass will bloom like flowers, so my people will no longer have to look at the sand all day.”
The quest they were currently doing was called “Billy’s Flower.”
Billy was a blind man living alone who never went out after dark, yet he still wished for the long street in front of his house to be lit up every night. The long street had ninety-nine lamps in total. After the two completed the quest, they received a handheld glazed lantern as a reward.
The reward items from these quests were also interconnected. For example, the reward from this quest could be used in another quest, provided you thought to use it.
Although they had finished the quest, Jin Cheng continued lighting the lamps. On a whim, he said he wanted to see what the entire city looked like lit up. Tang Cuo went along with it; despite lacking romantic sentiment, he still had a basic appreciation for beautiful things.
Walking down the long streets of this mysterious kingdom like this—lighting lamps and exploring, piecing together fragments into a complete story—felt quite nice.
It was also the most peaceful moment he had experienced in his heart since entering Yong Ye City.
“Look here,” Jin Cheng’s tone suddenly carried a hint of amusement. The lit lamp illuminated a small green door wedged between two buildings. He read the brass plate nailed to the door: “Popolo Island Greenvines Alliance, Kingdom Hidden in Moonlight Branch Office.”
Under the moonlight, this small green door was truly inconspicuous. The office seemed to be located in an alley and was pitifully small. The door was locked and couldn’t be pushed open. Jin Cheng examined the keyhole closely, then turned and asked, “Where’s Cecilia’s key?”
Tang Cuo had already thought of it and had the key in hand. He stepped forward, inserted the key, and turned it. With a click, the door opened.
There were no lights inside, and naturally, in such a narrow space, no windows for moonlight to filter through either. Tang Cuo took out the glazed lantern, lit it, and brought it inside.
Though small, the office had everything necessary. Directly facing the door was a reception desk; to its right hung a blackboard covered with notices and notes. Below the blackboard was a newspaper rack. Jin Cheng pulled a newspaper from it—it was indeed the Raven Daily.
“It seems Little Jack’s newspaper came from here,” Jin Cheng said. After all, they had walked so many places and hadn’t seen a single place selling newspapers.
“Is the latest paper also from July 30th?” Tang Cuo asked.
Jin Cheng flipped through quickly and confirmed it. Besides the July 30th paper, there were papers going back exactly one week, but none after that. Based on the existing clues, it was likely due to the long distance and inconvenient transportation, causing news in the Kingdom Hidden in Moonlight to be a month behind the rest of the continent. With this in mind, Jin Cheng simply took all the newspapers and sat down in the chair behind the counter to read them slowly.
Seeing him take the newspapers, Tang Cuo began studying the blackboard. They divided the labor clearly.
The blackboard mostly contained content related to the Greenvines Alliance. Tang Cuo only realized after reading that the Greenvines Alliance was a bounty hunter organization. Its headquarters on Popolo Island was separated from the Little Windmill Harbour by the Blackcurrant Strait, while its branch offices were scattered all over the continent.
In short, it was an organization that had existed for less than a century but wielded immense power, commanding respect even from the royal families of various countries.
It was somewhat similar to the Adventurer’s Guild Tang Cuo knew of, except adventurers were replaced by bounty hunters. Upon joining the organization, these bounty hunters were required to uphold the original purpose of the Greenvines Alliance’s founding: to eliminate all evil.
What did “evil” refer to?
Tang Cuo remembered the “July Rose Incident” mentioned in the newspaper—the Rose Sect. With this in mind, Tang Cuo sped up his scanning and, sure enough, found traces of it hidden among the lines of small text.
[Last month, according to the report from “Overseer” Lord Roger Reeds, the Rose Sect’s activities in the Flange Principality have intensified…]
The Flange Principality?
Wasn’t this the place closest to the Kingdom Hidden in Moonlight? “Overseer” Roger Reeds had also appeared in the report regarding the July Rose Incident; he was likely a high-ranking member of the Greenvines Alliance.
When Tang Cuo searched for things, he never missed a single corner. The papers on the blackboard were layered, so he read one and took it down, until—a symbol was revealed on the blackboard.
A golden inverted pentagram with a blooming red rose in the center.
The Rose Sect.
But why would the Rose Sect’s symbol appear in a Greenvines Alliance branch office? Had their influence already spread here?
Tang Cuo couldn’t help but look out the door. September 1st, the Flower Festival, should have been a time of bustling crowds. Combined with the previously mentioned news from the Flange Principality, the outline of the story seemed to be coming into focus.
“Did you find anything on your end?” Tang Cuo turned back and asked.
“Nothing.” Jin Cheng shrugged. “During that week, aside from the July Rose Incident, there doesn’t seem to be any major news worth reporting. However, there’s a lot of gossip. Do you want to hear it?”
Tang Cuo, of course, did not.
Jin Cheng insisted on telling him anyway, “Lancelot had a best friend named Theodore, a hereditary duke of the Kingdom of Hundred Flowers. He’s a righteous, brave, and handsome knight. Care to guess if their ‘brotherhood’ was just brotherhood?”
Tang Cuo: “…”
You annoying straight man are truly obnoxious.
Jin Cheng tossed the newspaper aside, crossed his legs, propped his elbows on the counter, and rested his chin on his hands, saying, “Really not going to guess? Ten points bet.”
Tang Cuo: “I guess they were just brothers.”
For ten points, Tang Cuo yielded.
Jin Cheng wasn’t quite satisfied with his answer; it was too standard, lacking thrill. But he knew when to stop and asked, “What did you find?”
Tang Cuo then recounted the matter concerning the Rose Sect.
Jin Cheng stepped up to take a look. “The Rose Sect, the Well of Time, the Flower Festival, the climbing roses coming alive, the dead city—it all seems to connect. The problem remains the location of the Well of Time. With our luck, I bet it might just be inside that palace.”
Tang Cuo: “You could also try not being such a jinx.”
Jin Cheng shrugged. He didn’t do it on purpose. Mainly, Mr. Crow was an actual crow, and he was always cursing Jin Cheng.
The two then left the branch office, deciding to look for a library. A library might hold a map of the Kingdom Hidden in Moonlight, which could determine the specific location of the Well of Time.
An hour later, they hadn’t found a library but did find a school. Just as they stepped through the school gates, a “Ding” sounded, and a new system announcement arrived.
“Side quest triggered—Eve’s Bookmark.”
“Little Eve is a careless child, but she is also a well-behaved and sensible one. Even when heartbroken, she only hides in corners to cry alone. Travelers from a foreign land, please help her find her lost bookmark so this pitiful child can attend class in peace.”
Jin Cheng went to light a lamp first, casually complaining, “This hidden instance is full of humanistic care everywhere. Either Yong Ye City is bugging out, or it’s trying to make us lower our guard so it can tie us up with climbing roses and drown us in the Well of Time.”
Just shut up.
Tang Cuo turned and walked away, ignoring him. His destination was clear: the music room. Almost all the side quests in this instance had subtle connections to Lancelot. The location of the bookmark might also be related to him.
But the school was too small and lacked a dedicated music room. As Tang Cuo walked, he surprisingly found the elusive library—that’s right, the city might not have a dedicated library, but the school definitely would.
Creeeak. Tang Cuo pushed the door and entered.
There were no lights inside, but the moonlight was bright, so he didn’t light a lamp. He casually pulled a hardcover book from a shelf and read the title by the moonlight: Encyclopedia of Plants of the Sicilite Continent.
Flipping the book open, it contained detailed annotations and illustrations for every type of plant. Sandwiched inside was a library card with borrowers’ names written in various handwriting.
Tang Cuo didn’t spot any familiar names, so he set the book down for the moment and picked up another.
Lillian’s Travels. It contained incredibly detailed content written in a lively and engaging style, accompanied by cute hand-drawn illustrations, depicting the protagonist Lillian’s experiences across the continent bit by bit.
Elven Sonnets, Secrets on the Lake, Sicilite Fairy Tales, and so on. Every book had substance, as if an ancient Sicilite Continent truly existed in this world.
Tang Cuo even found a copy of General Rules of Magic.
“I think we’ve stumbled into an epic-tier major instance,” Jin Cheng’s voice came from behind.
“How so?” Tang Cuo looked back.
“Don’t you think the worldbuilding here is too detailed? Humanities, geography, including these books, and countless minute details. If it was just to have us find Lancelot’s corpse, it would be a huge waste.”
“This is only Phase 1.”
Tang Cuo had a near-abnormal intuition. This Phase 1 was merely the beginning of the story; the true adventure was still to come. He couldn’t help but look down at the book in his hand again. This General Rules of Magic was essentially an introductory guidebook to magic. It started with basic meditation techniques and then introduced simple beginner spells.
More profound magical arrays were glossed over, while potions were a separate branch altogether.
Become a mage?
Tang Cuo thought of Leng Miao, the renowned Great Mage of Zone A. He also specialized in spatial magic, capable of traveling from Zone A to Zone F at top speed.
At this moment, Jin Cheng spoke up again. “Want to hear your instructor’s opinion?”
Tang Cuo looked back and saw him leaning against the bookshelf with his arms crossed, still lacking a proper posture. But Tang Cuo knew he was very reliable, so he nodded honestly.
The corners of Jin Cheng’s mouth curled up slightly. “In the early stages, when you don’t have many points, it’s best to specialize in one direction. Compared to ranged classes, you’re more suited for melee combat. However, it never hurts to have more skills. Learning a bit of magic is fine too. You don’t need much; just pick a few suitable spells with low casting requirements to assist your combat.”
Tang Cuo had the same thought. His previous hesitation was merely because the path of magic was right before his eyes, whereas if he chose melee combat, he didn’t know if he’d find the opportunity.
K27216, after all, was a fierce warrior who enjoyed hacking people with a blade.
“The combat paths in Yong Ye City, regardless of the direction—warrior or mage—generally fall into two growth trajectories: self-taught talent and cram-duck education.”
The overbearing instructor came online. Under the moonlight, Jin Cheng’s eyes revealed a touch of seriousness and authority; even his facial lines seemed to harden.
“Self-taught talent is like what you’re doing now—finding your own way in instances and exploring the possibility of becoming a mage. You might succeed, or you might fail. Talent, effort, and luck are all indispensable.
“Cram-duck education is simpler. Clear missions, get system rewards. No need to study; learning is guaranteed. You should have obtained some as well.”
Tang Cuo remembered “Fireball” and “Air Walk” in his skill bar. These two skills required no practice; once learned, they were learned and could be used directly.
“The difference between an expert and an average player?” he asked.
“Not necessarily.” Jin Cheng shook his head. “Yong Ye City holds infinite possibilities. The harder the instance, the more likely you are to be rewarded with high-level skills upon clearing it. But remember, the true experts who can survive to the very end are definitely self-taught, because they have a solid foundation.”
Although Jin Cheng was someone who favored unorthodox methods, as his former student, Tang Cuo knew how much he emphasized laying a solid foundation. Only with a strong enough foundation could one possess the strength to utilize unorthodox methods effectively.
“A person who chooses to be self-taught might not necessarily get a result, but they have the process of making the effort. Even if they fail in the end, their overall capabilities improve during that process, and Yong Ye City’s evaluation of their survival ability will naturally increase. Of course, this path requires opportunity; not everyone can find an entry point within an instance. At times like that, one can only settle for the next best thing.”
Survival is justice.
Tang Cuo remembered this phrase again. In this Yong Ye City of infinite possibilities, even the worst player had a chance to survive. Just as Jin Cheng said, talent, effort, and luck were all crucial.
“As for magic and superpowers, which might seem similar—it’s hard to have a standard judgment on which is superior. Magic requires incantations and staves, while superpowers do not. But espers cannot choose their own attributes; whichever element they awaken is what they get. Mages, on the other hand, are more flexible. Although most mages specialize in one element to make themselves stronger in it, it doesn’t mean they can’t use magic of other elements,” Jin Cheng said.
“It seems there are many more espers than mages in Yong Ye City?” Tang Cuo asked.
“That’s because instances related to magic are rare, and it’s harder to get started. You’ll know once you’ve been in Yong Ye City longer: espers are as common as dogs, and gunmen walk everywhere.” As he spoke, a hint of teasing crept into Jin Cheng’s tone.
“What about you?”
“Archery counts as a type of martial art. But I also cultivated a superpower. You should have guessed it by now—sonic waves.”
Jin Cheng used his bowstring to play a melody, vibrating sonic waves to create true indiscriminate area-of-effect attacks. Tang Cuo quite liked that move, but he had no musical talent whatsoever, so he figured he’d pass.
“According to standard settings, orthodox knight training is monopolized by nobles. You probably won’t find it in a small school like this. While no one is bothering us, you study magic first; I’ll look for the bookmark.”
The overbearing instructor once again laid out a clear plan for Tang Cuo. Tang Cuo was lazy and more than happy to be arranged. He took the book, found a corner bathed in moonlight, sat cross-legged, and attempted to meditate.
Jin Cheng continued flipping through books.
The side quests in this instance were all very simple. Perhaps the bookmark was just tucked inside a book. The library wasn’t large—only six large bookshelves in total. Quickly flipping through all of them wasn’t a difficult task.
He’d also look for a map while he was at it.
Time ticked by. The two didn’t disturb each other; only the quiet rustle of turning pages flowed softly through the room.
