Chapter 5 Ark Town
“So, this is still within the Kingdom of Arthur?”
“Of course! Ark Town isn’t far ahead, it’s the territory of Lord Wilson. It’s said that he participated in the Fence Wood Battle back then and was even awarded a medal by the Queen herself…”
“Is that so?”
Li Wen’s eyes flickered. Her target was within the Kingdom of Arthur, and not far from this Ark Town.
The cart creaked as it moved, loaded with goods primarily consisting of grain, firewood, and some local specialties. The Regans needed to transport them to town to exchange for money to prepare for winter. The cart was pulled by an animal Li Wen had never seen before. She guessed it was a product of some alchemical or flesh faith sect that had interbred with wild animals after fleeing into the wild.
She was lucky. As soon as she entered the game, she met the Regans. After expressing that she was separated from her family and lost in the forest, the Regans were happy to give her a ride to the nearest town.
Of course, this was also because Li Wen looked like a frail little girl at the moment.
“Stop babbling. Everyone in the Black Dragon Territory knows that Wilson loves to brag after drinking. Besides the Queen herself, God knows if he’s a deserter or a hero!”
Mrs. Regan, who was particularly stout, slapped Mr. Regan, signaling him to focus on driving so they wouldn’t arrive at Ark Town after dark.
Even though Lord Wilson was being mocked, Mr. Regan’s face turned red and white. However, his small frame didn’t dare to retaliate in front of Mrs. Regan, who was much taller than him. He could only mumble, “You can’t say that. At least he’s generous when he treats people to drinks…”
Li Wen didn’t care whose opinion was correct. She was currently recalling information about Ark Town and the entire Black Dragon Territory.
In her previous life, Li Wen had never come to this border town. Her only impression of it was that the Black Dragon Territory might truly have a black dragon. At that time, a tide erupted in the Black Dragon Territory, and the entire territory was destroyed by the tide, but some people also said that it was actually a calamity caused by a black dragon.
Li Wen didn’t know if it was true or not, but her target had nothing to do with the black dragon, and the calamity happened after her transmigration, so it shouldn’t be a big problem… perhaps?
As they got closer to Ark Town, the narrow and bumpy path turned into a wide and flat road. Along the way, they encountered a few pedestrians or convoys, all heading to Ark Town.
Mr. Regan said that Ark Town was the only large town in the vicinity and an important transportation hub. Many foreign merchant teams passed through here, and adventurers or mercenaries also arrived from time to time.
When it was noon, the dilapidated but sturdy city walls of Ark Town appeared in Li Wen’s eyes. The town was often harassed by monsters, especially at the turn of autumn and winter when many monsters would come to the town to attack and loot, making the city walls necessary.
Ark Town was the transportation hub of the Black Dragon Territory. Generally, an entrance tax was collected to enter the town, not much, just one penny per person, and additional fees were charged based on the weight of the goods. The Regans were kind enough to pay the money for Li Wen.
“If you’re looking for someone, you can inquire at the Hop Tavern in the west district, but it’s full of damn drunkards and bloodsucking vampires who only care about money. Mr. Morgan, the mayor of Ark Town, is a good person. Tell him your troubles, and he’ll help you.”
Before parting, Uncle Regan gave Li Wen some advice. Mrs. Regan, being more emotional, gave Li Wen a bear hug, earnestly reminding her to be careful, and told her to remember to find them in Golden Mouth Village in the future, promising delicious oatmeal cakes.
This made Li Wen feel touched by their enthusiasm and a little moved.
“Thank you very much, I will if I have the chance.”
Although parting was always sad, Li Wen did not forget her goal.
She did not follow Uncle Regan’s advice to go to the tavern or find the mayor of Ark Town but instead asked passersby for the location of the church.
The Kingdom of Arthur was a lawful kingdom. The mainstream church was naturally the great sect that served Glor, the Holy Candle Mass Church. Any larger town in the Kingdom of Arthur would have their church or mission.
In “World Tree: Origin,” the first requirement for players to upgrade and improve their strength is to have a class, equivalent to professions in other games. Unlike other games, it is very difficult for players in “World Tree: Origin” to obtain a class. They usually need to learn the corresponding skills for a long time to obtain them.
For example, if a player learns swordsmanship from a veteran or an instructor, then after a few days, this player will likely obtain classes such as Swordsman or Guard.
Most players are currently in this process. They work during the day to earn money for food and lodging—yes, this game has a hunger setting, and players need to eat—and at night, they spend money to hire teachers with the corresponding abilities to impart skills.
Some shrewd players have higher aspirations. They go to places like the “Alchemist Association,” “Grimoire Bureau,” or “Blood Chapel,” which, judging by their names, hold extraordinary significance, to try their luck. If they obtain a powerful class, they will soar.
However, Li Wen knew that was wishful thinking.
Currently, in the game, at least the transcendent forces on the order side still have a subtle and ambiguous attitude towards players. On the one hand, they covet the players’ ability to level up without restriction, and on the other hand, they are wary of players’ unrestrained personalities and their resurrection ability.
Given this impression, these transcendent forces rarely recruit players as members easily, let alone grant them lineages or guide them on their path, at least for a month.
Thanks to the immense popularity of “World Tree: Origin,” even in a border town like Ark Town, Li Wen encountered quite a few players along the way. The reason she recognized them at a glance was that their behavior or words were simply… too peculiar.
For instance, in just this short stretch of road, she had already seen no fewer than three players trying to speed up their progress by jumping or sliding on the ground. Naturally, this behavior achieved nothing except attracting others’ attention. Some other players even stopped people they saw, attempting to get quests from these so-called NPCs, consequently earning themselves rolling eyes from others.
Frankly, if these players hadn’t paid the entrance tax, the town guards would have already driven them all out. However, as long as they didn’t break any laws, the guards could only issue verbal warnings and let them continue their “performance art.”
When Li Wen arrived at the church, she discovered it was an even worse situation.
Countless people were crowded at the church entrance. It wasn’t exactly a sea of people, but it was certainly packed. Most of them were players, some were onlookers, and some were simply blocked by the crowd…
