That's right, that's what adventure is like!

Chapter 116 Return, Decline

Ding-dong—

The bells hanging at the entrance of the carriage jingled crisply in the breeze, startling the young adventurer who was huddled asleep on the bench.

He suddenly opened his eyes, instinctively placing his right hand on the hilt of his sword, his gaze sweeping out like that of a startled wild beast, wary of any monster that might be lurking nearby.

This action only elicited a mocking laugh.

"Hey, it's been so long, John, and you're still the same."

The speaker was a young man with a ponytail, twirling a silver coin in his hand. Next to him, driving a carriage, was a half-orc, grinning and revealing two worn fangs.

Little John was stunned for a moment before he could see his surroundings clearly.

Outside the window, wheat fields were already turning green, and in my ears, I could hear the rumble of wheels rolling over gravel. In the distance, I could faintly hear the barking of dogs from the village, and the air was filled with the aroma of food.

He was on his way back to Broken Rock Town.

"----Hold!"

John's tense shoulders gradually relaxed, his clenched hands loosened, and he covered his face with his palms, kneading the stiff muscles and feeling the throbbing veins under his eyelids.

"How long has it been?" His voice came through his fingers, tinged with frustration.

"Three days," the man with the ponytail tossed the coin up and caught it again, then tossed it up again. "You've been out of the Trembling Swamp for three days, and you're still acting like you haven't come out at all."

John remained silent, leaning against the carriage wall, his gaze unconsciously sweeping across the interior.

A few benches, some luggage, and some food scraps scattered on the ground.

And the two people sitting opposite.

A man who looked to be about the same age as him was currently looking down and playing with a strange die, his eyes so calm that they were devoid of any emotion.

The other one, whose figure vaguely suggests she is a young girl, was huddled in a corner, her face completely covered by a hood, with only a glimpse of deep blue light occasionally visible through the gaps.

John looked at her for a few seconds, then suddenly felt a pang of regret.

The series of actions he had just performed must now seem both pathetic and laughable to the other party, who had thought he was a worldly person after experiencing several adventures.

Roland noticed his embarrassment but didn't pay it any mind.

If the pseudo-dragon could only take them to the edge of the swamp, he would never have spent a gold coin to board this rickety carriage and return with a few unfamiliar adventurers.

Compared to a young man's shyness, he was now more focused on the die in his hand.

As he ran his fingertips along the intricate silver-white patterns of the Dice of Fate, he looked at the item notification again, the light lingering on "Extractable".

The fact that the system could extract the abilities of gods far exceeded Roland's expectations.

Although the extraction requirements are extremely difficult to meet, this is enough. As long as he takes it slow, he will eventually receive the gifts of the goddess of misfortune.

At that time, he will truly be fundamentally different from ordinary professionals.

It seems that although he has become a formal professional, his path of creating stories has only just begun, and many more legendary tales await his creation.

Thump—

The carriage jolted suddenly for a moment, and the neighing of the horses interrupted Roland's thoughts.

He put away the dice and looked ahead.

"What's going on?"

John sat up abruptly, his right hand gripping the hilt of his sword again. Then, realizing he had overreacted, he chuckled and released his grip.

The man with the ponytail lifted the curtain, glanced outside, and whistled, "Good news, we've arrived."

"Bad news, we can't get in."

"Can't get in?" Little John leaned closer. "What's wrong—"

His words caught in his throat, unable to escape, as he stared in disbelief at the sight before him.

Roland saw it too.

The carriage stopped less than half a mile from the town entrance, but the road ahead was already so congested that there was no room to pass, and it was packed with people.

Refugees, merchants, farmers—and even a few noble caravans—stretched from the horizon to the very end of the field, with even the roadside field ridges becoming temporary resting places, and makeshift tents erected haphazardly everywhere.

Smoke rose from all directions, drifting into the twilight. Some people were crying, some were cursing, and most were just sitting there blankly, their faces numb.

The air was thick with the smells of sweat, smoke, burnt porridge, and the sour, rotten odor unique to crowds, lingering around the nose and impossible to dispel.

The signs of the kingdom's collapse were no longer concealed, but laid bare before them.

"Get off the bus."

Roland was silent for a moment, then tossed a gold coin into the ponytail man's hand. He stood up and left the carriage with Aletta.

The boots landed on the ground, and the original bluestone path was now covered in grime, sticky to the touch, and it was hard to tell whether it was mud or something else.

The crowd surged in from all directions, engulfing them like a tide. An old woman carrying a tattered bag quietly reached for Aleta's bag, but Aleta grabbed her wrist tightly.

Roland tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the wrist.

There was nothing there, I just glanced at it.

The old woman froze, feeling as if something cold was choking her. She staggered backward, bumping into the people behind her, and then disappeared into the crowd without looking back.

Roland withdrew his gaze and continued walking forward.

A faint, azure light emanated from him, like ripples on the surface of water, spreading outwards. The congested road was instantly pushed aside by an invisible pressure, revealing a narrow passage.

No one spoke, no one complained, and no one even dared to look at them. They simply retreated step by step, in awe of the extraordinary beings' power, watching the two leave.

Behind them, several adventurers stood beside the carriage, gazing at the departing figure with dazed expressions.

"I said—" Little John began in a hoarse voice, trembling slightly without his own awareness, "Do you know that he was a fully-fledged professional?"

The man with the ponytail hesitated for a moment, then looked down at the gold coin in his hand: "I probably don't know, otherwise I probably wouldn't have taken this money."

Roland walked through the crowd, and the bluestone slabs under his feet gradually began to clean up.

Several guards in red robes were stationed at the town entrance, checking identities. Upon seeing the faint blue glow emanating from him, they didn't even try to stop him, but instead bowed in respect and made way for him.

Upon officially entering Duanyan Town, the situation improved somewhat, but only slightly.

A crowd of people thronged the entrance to the tavern, clamoring for an empty room, only to be met with a helpless refusal; a long queue stretched out in front of the bakery, every face etched with fear; many shops were completely closed, their doors and windows boarded up, faint traces of being occupied by adventurers could be seen.

Complete chaos.

Roland glanced at the scene, and his heart sank slightly.

He turned two corners and arrived at the entrance of the Adventurers' Guild.

Compared to usual, there is now an eerie calm here.

The once densely packed task lists were completely removed, and only a few adventurers were scattered around the hall filling out task completion reports, all looking hurried.

Only one person remained behind the counter; it was the girl Roland had met during his first adventure.

She was looking down, listlessly flipping through the account books, seemingly waiting for the final arrangements.

笃—

With a gentle tap of her knuckles, the girl looked up and was momentarily stunned when she saw Roland, as if she didn't recognize him.

Then, she saw the somewhat familiar face, the azure light, and the adventurer's badge being handed to her.

She blinked, her expression shifting from dazed to bewildered, and then from bewildered to surprised.

"You—you haven't left yet?"