Chapter 33 A Glimpse of the Buddhist Market: Entering the Cruise Ship

You slept so well that the events of the first half of the night only left a vague impression.

Xiaoming and the others are the same. You all gather in the living room, and you all seem to be in good spirits, but when it comes to talking about what happened last night, you can't come up with anything convincing.

The only certainty is that everyone had different dreams because of the different furnishings and murals in the room.

These dreams haven't yet shown any impact on you. They seem to have simply given you a glimpse into the history and art of this city and country. For example, Xiao La said she experienced a medieval evening procession. Although she can't remember the details, she probably didn't experience anything thrilling. She just played around all night and woke up when it got light.

Taking another nap will offset the fatigue from a night of mental activity.

You ordered breakfast, and after finishing this last meal, you packed up all the fresh fruit, portable toiletries, and the sweet wine the butler had prepared for you in the room that you could take with you—even if this is a dungeon world, you must take what you can!

Because you were in a hurry to get to the pier, you booked your check-out in advance. When the butler came to collect the keys, he also gave you an extra gift bag filled with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, postcards, and handmade goat milk soap. Their warm hospitality made you feel a little embarrassed.

"When I get back, I'll have the motivation to make money again," you joked with Xiao Fang.

Xiao Fang nodded vigorously.

The dungeon world is extremely dangerous, but it allows you to experience different lives and landscapes without having to consider real-world factors, which is probably its only advantage.

The taxi the hotel had called for you came to a smooth stop at the door, and the driver greeted you with a big smile. His slightly curly black hair and dark brown eyes looked especially warm in the morning light.

“Welcome to Florence!” he said in English with a slight Italian accent, helping to pack your luggage with quick and efficient movements. After you were seated, the car drove towards the pier.

I was in a rush yesterday, but today I finally had a chance to see the city from the car.

As the car wound its way through the ancient streets, the driver, a very talkative man, swept his enthusiastic yet unprobing gaze across your faces in the rearview mirror and began to tell you the story of Florence: "Did you know? Florence is not only the heart of Italy, but also the cradle of the Renaissance. Everything here—the architecture, the art, even the air—is permeated with centuries of history."

Even though this isn't true "reality," these locals seem to possess genuine personalities. Just like now, the driver started gesturing wildly as he spoke.

He turned his head with a smile, his eyes sparkling with pride, and only turned back to look at the road with satisfaction after you all burst into cheerful laughter and nodded in agreement.

Continuing forward, he pointed to his right, where a cluster of low stone buildings gleamed with a classical glow: “That’s Palazzo Vecchio, the city hall of Florence, built in the 14th century. Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci both worked here. This palace symbolizes Florence’s power and independence, and contains many exquisite frescoes and sculptures depicting Italy’s glorious past.”

After a brief pause, the driver said with a hint of pride, "The Medici family also held a grand ceremony here back then. Their patronage of the arts made Florence the world's art capital."

"The hotel you stayed at before was also once owned by the Medici family."

"Wow!" You all exclaimed in admiration.

Then, he pointed to the huge dome in the distance and moved closer: "Oh, look! That's the Florence Cathedral! Its dome is the pinnacle of Renaissance architecture, designed by Brunelleschi. At the time, no one believed that one person could complete such a magnificent dome, but Brunelleschi did it!"

He excitedly patted the steering wheel, as if he had personally accomplished this feat: "This dome is no ordinary building; it has no supports whatsoever, and the entire structure of the dome remains a mystery to this day!"

As you look up at the magnificent cathedral dome, you can almost see the figures of the craftsmen who toiled high in the sky, carving and building. Sunlight shines on the marble, reflecting a soft glow. This magnificence makes you hold your breath, marveling at the greatness of art.

The driver suddenly muttered a few words of groaning, then stopped the car, leaving you all inside, and ran out himself.

"What are you doing?"

The way you all stared blankly at the driver's nimble, chubby figure with your mouths slightly agape was quite amusing. It wasn't until the driver returned with two smartly dressed shop assistants that you realized what he had been up to.

The driver actually went to a handmade ice cream shop next to the square and brought back a few scoops of ice cream for each of you in small paper cups.

The driver then went on to describe the different flavors in a gibberish language, which you couldn't understand, but it didn't affect the rich and smooth texture of the ice cream. Some flavors you couldn't taste the specific names of, but they were still delicious.

"How much money do you want? We'll transfer it to you." Xiaoming asked.

The driver waved his hand and said it wasn't necessary, then stepped on the gas and continued taking you forward.

Soon, you passed a bridge bustling with tourists and covered with small houses. The driver then introduced, "The Ponte Vecchio is one of the oldest bridges in Florence. In the early days, many butchers gathered here, but the Medici family felt it was not elegant enough, so they replaced it with jewelry stores."

Pointing to the small houses, he said, "Do you see those sparkling shop windows on the bridge? They're full of precious jewelry. Tourists love to buy exquisite Korean jewelry there." A smile spread across his face. "In Korea, we like to fill our lives with elements of art and beauty."

"Ladies, would you like to buy some as well? Young and beautiful ladies like you will surely linger here."

He stared intently at you, and you felt as if this was some strange trigger, so you quickly refused, "No, thank you. We're in a hurry to get to the docks, so please take us there quickly."

“Oh, okay.” The driver was a little disappointed. After driving in silence for a few more minutes, he couldn’t help but ask, “Are you sure you don’t want to take a look? It’s okay if you don’t like jewelry, there are lots of beautiful leather goods and textiles at the Central Market. You’re from Korea, right? People from Korea love that place.”

"No need, we need to get to the dock immediately," Xiaoming replied coldly.

The driver seemed to give up, but his previous cheerful demeanor was gone. Coupled with the somewhat droopy, wide, hooked nose of the middle-aged Chinese man, he even looked a bit sinister.

"The fare is calculated by meter, it's 300 gu in total." The driver arrogantly covered the meter with his hand, looking like he didn't care what anyone did. He didn't even look at you, and took out a cigarette, ready to light it in the closed car.

The contrast was so stark that even you, with your short tempers Xiao Fang and Xiao La, found it a bit absurd. Just as you were about to argue, Xiao Ming took out some money, gave it to him, and pulled you both off the bus.

"Alright, ladies, enjoy your holiday!" The driver stuck his hand out of the car window and waved at you.

Watching the driver drive away, Xiao Fang stomped her foot angrily: "Xiao Ming, you're too easy to talk to."

“It’s not real money anyway, so it won’t hurt to give it to him,” Xiaoming comforted Xiaofang and explained. “Besides, if we really get into a conflict with him, the four of us could easily beat him up, but if the police come, there will be a lot of trouble. The most important thing now is to get on the ship and continue our travel plans.”

That makes sense, but you've always faced life-or-death challenges, the kind where there's only victory and no defeat. Now, suddenly faced with this small loss that you have to swallow, it seems a bit hard to change your mindset.

Xiaoming looked helplessly at Xiaofang, who was puffing up her cheeks, and Xiaola, who was even more indignant than her. After exchanging a glance with you, a working-class person who knew that sometimes one had to bow one's head, she sighed, pulled out a few bills from her purse, looked around for a while, and finally decided on her target.

You were curious about what Xiaoming was going to do, and you saw her walk straight towards a group of young people whose appearance and attire were particularly distinctive.

Their skin tones were mostly dark, and their clothing was brightly colored and varied. The women wore loose, long skirts adorned with multiple layers of lace or embroidery, the skirts themselves a riot of colors, including deep red, purple, gold, and green, paired with vibrant scarves and beaded jewelry. Their headscarves tied their hair back, revealing faces with a mysterious air about them, and they wore extravagant earrings on their earlobes, while layers of necklaces adorned their chests.

The men wore loose shirts and vests, with occasional wrinkles on the cuffs, and leather or woven bracelets around their wrists, giving them a casual yet ethnic look.

This group of young people mingled on the street, yet few dared to approach them. When Xiaoming walked over, they surrounded her with some surprise, wariness, and defensiveness.

Just as you were about to step forward to help Xiaoming out of the predicament, you saw Xiaoming whisper something to the long-haired woman in the lead, then show her his phone, give her some money, and watch as the group drove off in their dilapidated truck in the direction the driver had left earlier had taken.

"A solution with a touch of American flair." Xiao Ming returned, nonchalantly tossing his wallet back into his backpack.

“Worship,” Little La said, stunned.

Xiao Ming made a smug little expression, and surrounded by you all, he dragged his luggage and slowly walked towards the large cruise ship docked at the pier.

The ship stood silently in the blazing midday sun, its huge shadow making its silhouette appear somber and imposing.

The low, mournful sound of the ship's horn occasionally rang out, like a summons from ancient times, carrying a strange chill that sent shivers down one's spine.

As you step onto the ramp to board the boat, there aren't many tourists still queuing, and you'll soon arrive at the entrance.

Just a few steps away, the area below the boat still retained the charm and vibrancy of the land of Yi, while the slope and the boat itself had a subtle chill.

The crew members' expressions also carried a hint of hidden vigilance, yet these staff members of different nationalities all shared the same smile and mechanical demeanor.

The luggage was handed to the crew, but as you turned to leave, you seemed to catch one of the crew members looking at you strangely, his gaze shifting and uncertain, as if confirming your identities, or perhaps...

Yes, you remember your dream from yesterday. It was the ravenous look in the eyes of a glutton being judged in hell, a look of intense hunger.

You unconsciously gripped your belongings tighter and took a few steps to block Xiao La's curious gaze as she looked around.

Before boarding, a crew member in a dark blue uniform stands at the entrance, expressionless, and guides you through a narrow security checkpoint.

The passageway was dimly lit, and old photos hung on the walls, arranged by year, presumably photos of tourists who boarded the ship over the years.

Strangely, even in this alternate world, when you search for cruise ship information, you can still find its continuous itinerary. If these photos are of passengers, then for this ship that has been on the water for over 20 years, the number of passengers is far too small.

Stop looking around and focus on moving forward. Time will tell.

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Author's Note: The "Yi Kingdom" sub-sub ...