Yaine wasn't particularly worried that Liu Ji might have an intention to stay once he heard the truth. The reasoning was similar to what she had given Osar.
At the end of the day, they were just passing through this city and had no reason to risk their lives for a place that held no meaning to them.
Yet, she still hesitated, unsure if she ought to tell Liu Ji the full truth.
As for why…
Humans are emotional creatures. One can form a fragile connection with a stranger even if just a few words are exchanged. And hearing that the said stranger has died shortly after can easily weigh on one's heart.
But, if one doesn't know anything to begin with, then at least they'd be spared that burden.
Yaine watched Liu Ji scrape a plate against the bodies of the potatoes; she wasn't clear whether he was cleaning the plate, the potatoes, or feeding them.
Finally, she took a deep breath and walked over. She crouched next to him and said softly, "We need to get ready to leave."
"Huh? We're leaving already?" Liu Ji was slightly surprised. Still, he set down the clean plate and picked up another with leftovers before smearing the food across a potato's face.
He wasn't being crude; this was just how the potatoes ate."Yes, we've roughly earned enough. Tomorrow, we'll head to the streets to pick up supplies, and then we'll be off," Yaine said with a nod. "By the way, is there anything you want to buy?"
"Me? Uh, let me think," Liu Ji muttered, scratching his head. "Didn't we talk about getting me a practice staff? So, I guess that."
"That's a necessity." Yaine shook her head. "I meant something you actually want."
"Something I want, huh?" Liu Ji mulled for a moment, glancing down at his worn-out robe. "How about some new clothes?"
"Yeah, that's a good idea," Yaine agreed, stroking her chin thoughtfully. "I'll go with you tomorrow to look around. I don't need much myself."
"Sure!" Liu Ji grinned. "Once I'm done feeding these little guys, I'll head to bed."
"Alright." Yaine nodded. Then, as she glanced at the bunch of potatoes, a sudden thought came to her. "By the way, do these potatoes of yours need anything?"
"Them?" Liu Ji went blank for a moment, then nearly blurted out that they only cared about eating, but…
He realized he'd never actually asked them before.
Perhaps these little guys had their own wants and needs?
"Hmm… But even if they do want something, I doubt we could afford it." Liu Ji chuckled. "We've spent most of our days training and didn't earn much."
"Ah… That's true," Yaine sighed, rubbing her temples.
She hadn't expected to leave so soon, and it looked like she would have to borrow some money now…
Liu Ji noticed Yaine being this way and found it a little strange. "Um, is there a reason we're in such a rush to leave?"
"Ah? Well, not exactly…" Yaine hesitated for a moment. "Yeah, we still have two missing companions. If possible, we want to get to the holy city of Kaga to search for any news about them."
"Oh, I see." Liu Ji nodded in understanding.
"Yeah. So, you should get some rest tonight," Yaine said with a gentle smile as she stood up. "I'm returning to my room now. Good night."
With that, she went back into the inn.
Watching her leave, Liu Ji pondered for a while, then turned to the little potatoes. "Hey, little fellas. Is there anything you guys want besides food?"
————
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Early the next morning, everyone split into groups and set off early to buy what they needed.
Osar handed some gold coins to Guoguo before heading off with Girunini to explore the market. Neither of them had any specific gear in mind but were interested in buying supplements for body strengthening, so they went together.
Nox decided to go solo. As a summoner, the things he required were scattered all over the city, and dragging anyone else along would be punishment in itself.
Shelo, too, went off alone. She didn't need anything in particular but planned to buy essential travel supplies and convert some of their spare funds into high-value commodities. She also intended to wander around to see if she could find any good deals on raw materials.
Calidora needed to pick out a new staff, so Mervant tagged along. Yaine, who needed to buy a practice staff for Liu Ji, brought him and Guoguo along, making it a group of five.
Just as well, she could ask Calidora for a loan.
As they stepped outside, they were immediately met by some hunters who had been waiting to get massages.
Seeing Calidora leave, the hunters were taken aback and startled. "Hold on, Lady Boss? You're heading out? Are you not opening for business today?"
"Ah, my apologies." Calidora gestured to the sign at the door. "I have certain matters to take care of. We're closed for today."
"Oh… is that so." The hunters were clearly disappointed but accepted it unwillingly. "We'll just come back tomorrow, then."
After saying their goodbyes, the hunters left. Calidora sighed softly as she watched them walk away.
Even though running a massage parlor was never her plan, seeing the dejected hunters still stirred mixed feelings in her. But she knew she couldn't stay here forever, playing the role of an establishment owner. Sooner or later, she'd have to move on.
"Cali, maybe you should change the 'closed for the day' sign to something permanent," Yaine suggested. "No need to leave them with false hope."
"Yeah, I'll do that when we get back if nothing else comes up." Calidora sighed once more. "It's funny. I know this isn't the same, but it reminds me of when I was forced to flee my hometown… Anyway, enough of that. Let's go find a good staff."
With that, she led the way out of the alley.
Mervant glanced back at the inn, pursing his lips for a moment before following after. Yaine let out a sigh and motioned for Liu Jiu to follow.
Soon, the once-bustling inn was quiet again, save for the occasional hunter stopping by, only to see the "closed" sign and leave in disappointment.
————
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The Hunter's Guild was just as lively as ever.
Even though it was still early, many hunters who had finished their morning routines gathered in the hall, ordering breakfast and chatting with their comrades. The mood was boisterous, though fewer were drinking this early in the day.
Of course, it was still the Hunter's Guild, so there were always a few who started the day with meat and ale.
As the hall was buzzing with activity, someone suddenly shouted, "Hey! Master Luo is here? This early?"
All the hunters were taken aback and turned toward the entrance.
Sure enough, there stood Master Luo, arriving much earlier than usual. Moreover, he didn't look like he was here for breakfast. In his hands were a thick stack of papers.
As Master Luo made his way up to the platform, the crowd exchanged puzzled glances. Was he really going to hand out consignments this early? Most teams weren't even fully gathered yet, so taking on jobs without discussing them with absent teammates would be tricky.
Just as they were wondering what was going on, Master Luo started.
And with just one sentence, the entire hall fell deathly silent.
"Based on the unusual activity we've observed recently, the guild master would like to inform everyone that there's a strong possibility we'll be facing a beast tide in half a month's time…"