Wasteland (1)
After studying with red-haired Annie for three months, Mi began to speak. Although she could understand the meaning of different languages quite well, her pronunciation still had a strange rhythm and accent. A year later, Mi bid farewell to everyone in Redstone Town, young and old, and set off alone for the Flower Kingdom. Annie carried Mi's luggage and saw her off again and again, but Mi still carried the bow and satchel she had brought from the Witch's Forest, walking ahead of her.
"Do you really have to leave?" Annie kicked at a small stone by the roadside, watching it roll away. She hesitated, as if leaving would open some mysterious box, and the foreseeable future was suddenly filled with uncertainty. "Redstone Town is fine. Nobody cares and there's no trouble."
“It’s a good place to retire,” Mi said, taking the bag. “Take care.” He turned and walked towards the Flower Kingdom. Annie watched silently for a long time before catching up and giving Mi a handful of marigold coins and a blank envelope: “These are special coins made by the nobles of the Flower Kingdom. Take them out when necessary; they can save you a lot of trouble. If you encounter any problems you can’t solve, take this envelope to the elders of the Adventurers’ Guild.”
Mi put away the gold coins and the envelope, and looked at Annie, whose expression was complicated. Annie had many adventurer teammates in the Flower Kingdom. What made Annie leave her teammates to become a mentor to a group of children in this small town? "You—is there anyone you need me to look after for you? Are there any old friends you need me to visit for you? Or is there any message you need me to pass on?"
“No, you can go now. If—if you want to come back, Redstone Town is always here.” Annie said, then gave Mi a push. “It’s getting late, you should hurry up and go.” Annie waved to Mi’s thin back. “Take care on the road.” Mi waved back without turning around, bidding farewell to Redstone Town.
To the east of Redstone Town lies a nearly deserted dirt road. At the fork in the road, to the left lies an endless wasteland, teeming with adventurers and unknown creatures; to the right is a train station, the Adventurers' Guild base. At the end of the road, Mi chose to turn left almost without hesitation, for beyond this wasteland lay the legendary Flower Kingdom, home to the legendary longevity plant.
Redstone Town is nestled against the Misty Forest. A little distance from the town is a train station, which also serves as the Adventurers' Guild's base. Children who go on adventures are brought back by special carriages, and grown children who want to go on adventures will go to the station to inquire about information and decide which direction they want to go.
The Adventurers' Guild base was also overseen by Mayor Janda. Annie had taken Mi to see it; it was an almost deserted building at the front of town, consisting of a main hall and a ticket window. There wasn't even a place to sit inside, and the floor was covered with a thick layer of dirt. Mi looked around for a while before asking, "Is this station still operating?"
"Yes, the station has carriages traveling to and from the borders of various countries, accompanied by guards. There are also merchant caravans traveling to and from countries with the guards. Merchants seek stability, and guards earn some pocket money. There are no goods to trade in Redstone Town, so merchants don't come. The carriages and guards only pass through Redstone Town once every few years. However, no one can say for sure when the caravan will pass through. If you are patient enough to wait a few years, you will eventually be able to catch a carriage to the Flower Kingdom."
When Jane heard that Annie and Mi had gone to the Adventurers' Guild base, she specially brought water, brooms, and rags to clean the station. Annie and Mi helped wipe the ticket windows and waiting area clean. It was then that Mi noticed some murals carved on the outer corridor, with bows and axes crossed together and tiny stars surrounding them, looking like a child's doodle.
“This is the flag of the Adventurers’ Guild. The Adventurers’ Guild uses this flag no matter which country it is in,” Anne said as she walked over to Mi, who had stopped in front of the mural. “You can seek protection from the Adventurers’ Guild at any time.”
"The Adventurers' Guild doesn't belong to any country?" Mi continued strolling around the small station after looking at the mural. There was a wooden sign in front of the station, also with the bow and arrow axe symbol, and below it were written "Land of Flowers, Land of the Sea, Edge of the Stars, Snowfield, Sand Island," etc. Mi looked around; the road in front of the station was already buried by waist-high weeds. It would be time for the children in the town to grow up before vehicles came to pick up the adventurers.
"Yes, the Adventurers' Guild is an independent organization. In the Flower Kingdom, adventurers once fought alongside King Derek. King Derek granted the Adventurers' Guild the status of a minister, enjoying diplomatic immunity. Other countries receive less favorable treatment." That day, Annie explained to Mi the locations of the Adventurers' Guild's branches, its members, and its specific rules and regulations. The Adventurers' Guild is like a small united kingdom, with each member possessing sufficient autonomy. Disputes are resolved by the council of elders, and generally, adventurers' conflicts are left to be resolved externally.
Mi entered the wasteland alone. The wind was strong, blowing sand and dust everywhere. The sky was noticeably darker, the red sun appearing veiled and its color dulled. As dusk settled over the wasteland, gray clouds pressed down on the horizon, the sun gilding the clouds with a golden edge. Only then did Mi stop to survey the wasteland. The ground was dry, yellowish-white soil, wind-eroded gullies like dried-up veins crisscrossing the surface. Jagged rocks cast shadows of varying lengths in the twilight. Clumps of withered grass and shrubs were scattered in different places. Occasionally, a few dark shadows flew across the sky, emitting sharp cries. The path that had guided Mi into the wasteland had long since disappeared, and the red sun on the horizon was now just a blurry halo. Mi found a sheltered spot, leaning against a slightly higher mound of earth to rest.
Anne said you could encounter anything in the wasteland. Lone adventurers would make great teammates, as adventurers are the most cooperative and helpful people. The wasteland also harbors enormous predators; if you encounter one, be vigilant. If you have no help, the best course of action is to run. Anne once said, holding her bow, "Stay alert so you can spot them early and shoot them within arrow range. Never let a predator get close; your body—a predator could crush you with a single slap."
Mi stood at the resting point and gazed out. The fierce winds that had swept across the wasteland during the day gradually subsided. There wasn't a single person in sight. No mountains obstructed her view; Mi could see very, very far. As night fell, the wasteland became quiet; the daytime winds and flying sand subsided. Mi looked back; Redstone Town had vanished without a trace. Before her lay a desolate landscape. If it weren't for the absence of towering trees and roaming animals, Mi would have almost thought she had returned to the Misty Forest.
As Mi pondered tomorrow's plans, she untied her hair, ran her hand through it, and shook it. A lot of sand fell out. Her hair was too long; should she wrap it in a headscarf or cut it shorter? Mi was quite satisfied with her water-like body. Even someone as agile as Annie hadn't noticed that this body wasn't human. She had lived with Annie for so long, learning hunting and fighting techniques from her. Annie had always lamented that her body was too frail and had been teaching her more skillful moves. Mi had learned from Annie how to kill with a single blow. Annie possessed superb anatomical skills; the adventurer was more like a cold-blooded killing machine.
Mi put down the package, took off his clothes, rolled them up and stuffed them into the package, then picked up some large stones to build a simple fortress before letting go of his consciousness. A gray line merged into the night, and apart from a newly built stone pile, the wasteland looked unchanged.
Rice stretched across the entire wasteland, a wasteland almost devoid of large, running animals. There was no sign of human habitation in the surroundings; in the distance lay a grassland, dotted with occasional mounds of earth and stones, their origins unclear—whether man-made or accumulated by wind and sand. Further still, there were thickets and groves of trees. In the darkness, specks of yellowish light flickered across the wasteland, accompanied by rustling sounds as many nocturnal animals began to emerge. After a long while, Rice retracted the silken thread. The wasteland was deserted, and Rice transformed once more into the middle-aged woman in the black shirt from the Witch's Forest.
Mi was very satisfied with the witch's body. The witch didn't need to eat and wasn't affected by the weather—it was incredibly convenient, practically a travel essential. If it weren't for the need to avoid attention, Mi felt she could fly straight to the Sun City of the Flower Kingdom. If she didn't need this package, Annie had prepared a huge one for her.
Mi opened the heavy package that red-haired Annie had packed, supposedly useful anywhere. Fortunately, it didn't bother Mi; under Annie's intensive training, Mi had only developed strong muscles. Inside were a clay pot, wooden bowls, and small spoons; a single tent; a document wrapped in several layers of waterproof oil paper; a large bag of dry, hard flatbreads; a large bag of jerky; two sets of light hunting clothes; a thin blanket and a small wolfskin cloak; two pairs of deerskin boots; and a pack of concealed weapons—Mi stared at a small pack of finger-sized razor blades. What could these be used for?
Mi hesitated for a moment before putting the razor blade away. She lowered her head in thought. She had been traveling on the ground the entire way, every piece of land connected to the next. The only means of transportation in Redstone Town was a horse-drawn carriage. How could she possibly traverse one territory after another to reach another planet? El had said that as long as she was determined to return to Blue Star, she would return home once she left the Misty Forest. Now she didn't understand how this forest was connected to the urban jungle of Blue Star. Mi wanted to go back to Blue Star. She wondered if traveling like this was a good idea. What kind of country was the Flower Kingdom at the end of the wasteland? Would she be able to meet a legendary long-lived race? A long-lived race… Mi was truly curious about what this race looked like.
Mi lay down against the pile of stones. The Misty Forest was so vast; she had been led to Redstone Town by the deer. What was she thinking then? She had repeatedly told herself in the Misty Forest not to be influenced by El, yet she still embarked on the journey to find the long-lived species. Was this her own decision, or was it that whatever her thoughts, she would have continued on the path to find the long-lived species, just as El had always been searching for them?
Mi stared at the dark night sky, wondering if there was another pair of eyes watching her every move: "Is your goal also long-lived species?" Mi asked softly. "You have lost interest in the world you created. Now you want to find species that existed like you at the beginning of time?"
The blue moon slowly rose from the east, its pale light making the night sky appear even deeper and more serene. Stars filled the sky, making the mysterious night sky as alluring and captivating as a Van Gogh painting. Mi sat up, packed her luggage, and opened the travel document that Jianda had prepared for her:
Certificate Holder: Mi-Janda
Features: Black hair and black eyes
Skills: Melee, Archery
Place of issuance: Hongshi Town
Guarantee: Adventurers' Guild Base
Jane, the mayor of Redstone Town, runs the town's only tavern and also manages the dilapidated Adventurers' Guild base. She's an elderly woman with a full head of silver hair, wise eyes, and still agile movements. The wrinkles on her face tell tales of adventurers; she's a wise old woman. Jane prepared a pass for Mi, a pass that could open the gates of any country marked on the station sign. Besides the pass, there was a blank envelope with the Adventurers' Guild's logo drawn on one corner. There was no address on it; Jane said that if Mi needed help, she could give the letter to any Adventurers' Guild, and she would receive assistance. Mi lifted the envelope and shook it. Inside was a thick stack of papers. Mi stuffed the pass into her pocket, reminding herself, "This is my travel permit; I must keep it safe."
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