I slept soundly through the night.
On the morning of the second day, Rachel and Todd, having packed their belongings, used their money to buy a camel from a merchant and continued their journey westward to the port of Anuda.
The desert stretches endlessly, with yellow sand reaching to the sky as far as the eye can see.
Holding the reins in both hands and sitting behind the woman, Todd looked at the scorching air in the distance and said, "Ratchet, what does my hometown look like in your memory?"
You mean heaven?
Rachel rested her chin on her right hand, thinking as she spoke, “It’s a picturesque yet highly developed world. People live in cities high in the clouds, surrounded by all sorts of amazing machines, and the food and drinks are unimaginably delicious. Moreover, the people there love to sing, dance, adventure, research, and learn.”
Todd asked with a wry smile, "Did you see all these messages from the soul space?"
"That's right. There are many videos from a channel called Discovery Channel, which provides a very detailed introduction to the natural scenery and customs of heaven. I've watched almost every episode, and I can still remember many of the parts clearly."
Todd nodded helplessly. In his previous life, Discovery Channel was indeed his favorite program, so it wasn't surprising that a large number of related videos were stored in his soul space. However, the problem was that most of the programs Todd watched in his previous life only mentioned the beauty of Earth, rarely touching on history and society. This resulted in Rachel knowing very little about Earth's wars and people's livelihoods in his soul space.
When talking about natural scenery, Rachel held up her fingers, listing them off one by one as if reciting a familiar list: "If I could go to heaven, the places I want to visit include Santorini in the Aegean Sea, the Tyrol Mountains in Austria, Lake Como in Milan, Italy... and..."
Rachel turned her head, chuckled, and gently kissed Todd's chin. Then she nestled into his arms and whispered, "The places you've lived, the places you've worked, all the places you've left your mark..."
"Todd, do you know? You and your world are the only hope that keeps me going."
Feeling the presence of the woman in his arms, Todd felt as if sunlight were shining into his heart, and his body was instantly enveloped in warmth, sweeping away all his fatigue and exhaustion.
Not wanting to shatter Rachel's beautiful dreams and aspirations, Todd lowered his head and said softly, "On my street, there's an old shop that's been open for over ten years. The pastries made by that elderly couple are especially delicious. Also, at the university where I work, there's a lake called Late Autumn. In the middle of the lake is a pavilion, and in the summer, you can see the pond full of lotus flowers—it's incredibly beautiful..."
Rachel didn't speak, but listened quietly as Todd recounted everything about his past life.
Those unforgettable landscapes, those irresistible delicacies, those hilarious memories…
Two people, a camel, and a vast desert—this moment was frozen in time, becoming a permanent image etched in our eternal memories.
Every journey eventually comes to an end.
As the sun set, Todd and Rachel finally arrived at Anuda, the port of the Ayyubid Empire.
As the largest port on the western coast of the empire, Anuda Port, after enduring countless wars, still boasts a population of 260,000 and hundreds of ships docked in the port, demonstrating to the world the city's unimaginable vitality.
Arriving at the city gate on a camel, Rachel tugged at Todd's sleeve, signaling him to stop.
Todd asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
“Something’s not right,” Rachel said, frowning. “There are significantly more guards at the city gates than before, and the checks are much more thorough. Judging from this, it seems we won’t be able to get into the city easily.”
Todd asked in a low voice, "Is it because of us?"
Rachel shook her head: "Unlikely. News of our escape from the Elders' Council couldn't have reached here so quickly, and Eleanor doesn't have the ability to mobilize the Empire's forces... There must be some other reason."
Todd patted the camel beneath him and suggested in a low voice, "How about we change our route? Take a ship from another port to the north?"
“The nearest port to Anuda is 300 kilometers away, and it will take ten days to get there. Moreover, the longer we stay in the Empire, the more dangerous it will be.” Rachel jumped off the camel. “And, in this city, there is the person I am looking for.”
Rachel tightened her headscarf, gestured for Todd to get off the camel first, and then walked toward the vendors' area at the city gate.
She found an elderly farmer, well past fifty, and spoke with him for a few moments. The farmer glanced in Todd's direction, then got up and left the stall, finding a merchant dressed in silk.
A merchant with a white turban and a small mustache followed Rachel slowly over. Without even glancing at Todd, he walked around the camel once and casually gave a number.
Rachel shook her head vigorously and argued with the other party for a long time before finally reaching an agreement.
Rachel first handed the camel's reins to the merchant, then waved to Todd to follow the merchant.
The two of them thus blended into the merchant's caravan, passed through the checkpoint at the city gate, and successfully entered the city of Anuda.
Walking along the bustling streets of the city, Rachel looked at Todd's curious expression and smiled as she whispered, "I told the merchant that we were a couple from the Semitic tribe who had to leave our tribe and come to the city to make a living because of the war in the south. As a result, I sold the camel to the merchant at a low price, and he agreed to take us into the city."
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