My monster cards can evolve infinitely.

The rapid sound of horses' hooves grew louder as they approached, the dust they kicked up obscuring the view and shattering the silence of the path.

The travelers' hearts, which had settled, were lifted again, and they all looked ahead with fearful eyes.

Xiu Qi looked surprised, not out of fear, but because he had already seen the riders coming from the front.

Beneath a towering oak tree, a longsword and shield intertwine—the emblem of the Knights of the Forest Rangers.

"It was them..."

Xiuqi had already heard countless versions of stories and legends about this legendary kingdom knight order.

Whether it was the rumors in the tavern, the songs of the bard, or the bedtime stories that the man told to lull his young son to sleep.

All of this filled Xiuqi with longing during his youth.

The silver-armored knight, who has mastered unparalleled combat skills, fulfills an ancient oath from a hundred years ago, guarding the entire kingdom and the former king's castle for generations.

Just imagining their heroic figures is enough to make any young man's blood boil.

At the end of the forest path, a troop of cavalrymen clad in silver armor galloped towards them.

The ten riders stood solemnly and orderly, their "Forest Ranger" badges gleaming in the dappled light.

The leading knight had a resolute face, and a knight's longsword engraved with arcane runes hung at his waist.

His mount was an extremely tall white warhorse, its pure white mane dancing and flying in the forest wind.

The knight reined in the carriage, his voice steady and firm.

"What happened here?"

Weapons were scattered all around the meadow, bandits were howling in pain, and travelers beside the carriage had various expressions.

The coachman, Old York, quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Sir Knight! We are the caravan of the 'Swift Wind' trading company, and we were just robbed by these bandits..."

"Thanks to this gentleman who stepped forward, we were saved!"

He pointed at Xiuqi as he spoke.

The knight's gaze fell on Xiuqi, and he began to look him up and down—

He was of average build but stood extremely upright, as if he had undergone years of rigorous training.

He was faintly surrounded by arcane energy, and a strange silver-gray goblin stood beside him, staring at him with cold eyes.

"Are you a mage?" the knight asked, his tone carrying a hint of scrutiny.

"Sormar Royal Academy Arcane Department, Xiuqi."

Xiu Qi nodded slightly, without offering any further explanation.

The scribe, Erwin, quickly stepped forward and added, "My lord, thanks to the mage Xiuqi, we subdued the four bandits, otherwise we would have been in grave danger!"

The clerk briefly described what had just happened, his tone full of admiration.

A hint of surprise flashed in the knight's eyes.

He dismounted.

After checking on the fallen robbers, I found that although the four were seriously injured, none of them were in mortal danger, which showed that the person who attacked them was very careful.

But when he saw the obvious blunt force wounds on the heads of three of them, and the burly man curled up on the ground clutching his groin,

The knight's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

"They might be remnants of the 'Flagless' gang," the knight said, standing up. "But I can't be sure yet."

"We recently destroyed their hideout, but some escaped."

He waved his hand, and immediately four cavalrymen stepped forward and bound the four bandits.

"Thank you for your righteous act, Mage Xiuqi." The knight's attitude was noticeably gentler than before. "I am Roland, the captain of the 'Forest Ranger' Knights."

"According to the laws of the kingdom, a reward is offered for assisting in the capture of bandits. You may accompany us to the former king's castle to collect it."

"No need, I urgently need to get to Summertown." Xiuqi smiled and shook his head. He was pressed for time, as he had an arcane duel to attend in two days.

The most important thing right now is to get to Summertown as soon as possible and enter the Grey Forest to help the "Princess" advance her level.

If he had the time, he wouldn't mind going along, as the late King's Fort Lin was a pilgrimage site for all the kingdom's patrol guards.

If you could obtain a "Forest Ranger" medal, that would be even better, as you could seek help from the Ranger Knights you encounter in the future.

Roland did not press further, but simply nodded: "Master Xiuqi, your noble act deserves praise and acclaim."

"Since it's inconvenient for you to come along, I'll deliver the bounty to the town hall next time I pass through Summertown, and you can collect it there."

"All the items on these bandits are your spoils; don't forget to take them with you."

The knight nodded to Xiuqi, offering a friendly reminder.

At this moment, the woman who had been silent suddenly spoke up: "Lord Roland, since there are still 'Flagless Ones' left, are there any accomplices nearby?"

"We need to travel to Summertown. Could you please send someone to escort us for a part of the journey?"

The knight looked at the lady, his gaze lingering on her veil for a moment, then nodded: "That is as it should be."

He ordered two cavalrymen to escort the carriage to the border of Summertown, and then led his other men away with the bandits.

The sound of horses' hooves gradually faded into the distance, and the forest returned to tranquility.

The ground was littered with items stripped from the bandits: three old cloth armors, one half-new leather armor, a rusty two-handed axe, a short knife, a longbow and arrows, and a steel longsword.

And a few scattered coins of 1 silver and 16 copper.

"A poor, pathetic bandit..."

Xiu Qi muttered to himself.

But then I thought, if it weren't for poverty, who would be willing to do a dangerous and unprofitable job like robbery?

Old York, standing nearby, breathed a sigh of relief. He circled the carriage three times and found that apart from three arrows stuck in the side of the carriage, there was no other major problem.

"Everyone, let's keep going!" Old York shouted as he climbed into the driver's seat of the carriage. "We'll definitely reach Summertown before noon!"

Punctuality is also a professional ethic for a coachman.

Xiuqi took a liking to the loud-voiced coachman, and was deeply impressed by his noble professional ethics.

The passengers gradually returned to the carriage.

The scene of four people traveling together reappeared in the carriage, but the atmosphere was no longer as somber as before.

A great sage once said that friendships forged in times of crisis are all the more precious.

The barriers of unfamiliarity and the unknown between them had long been pierced by the arrows from the carriage wall.

The person who initiated the chat was the most unexpected one.

The woman removed her veil, finally allowing everyone to see her true face.

"Lord Xiuqi, thank you for your heroic act!" Her full red lips moved slowly, and with the rise and fall of her voice, her proud breasts also rose and fell.

"I was in too much of a rush just now and didn't have time to introduce myself."

"My name is Olivia, and I am an apothecary who runs a magic potion shop in Harbor City."

Xiuqi initially thought that this lady must be a noblewoman, but since she only revealed her profession, it was still difficult to make a judgment.

At this moment, he also carefully examined the other party. After removing her veil, the lady, with her elegant temperament, became even more radiant and captivating.

If Lady Cassie is likened to a beautiful and resilient rose, then this lady is more like a tulip, elegant and vibrant.

"Please do not address me as Your Excellency; I am still just an apprentice." Xiuqi was quite at ease in front of this beautiful and elegant lady.

"It's only a matter of time before you become His Excellency!" Scribe Erwin immediately seized the opportunity.

"Of course! Lord Xiuqi's strength is truly amazing!" Lina said, resting her chin on her hand, her large eyes sparkling with a faint starlight.

He knew his own situation best, but he still felt a sense of pleasure when faced with praise from others.

Since this lady is also going to Summertown, it's a good opportunity to find out some information;

"Ms. Olivia, what are your plans for going to Summertown?"