I can evolve everything

When the three of them walked out of the mine, the sky was already beginning to lighten.

Thick smoke billowed from the mountain village behind them.

The flames devoured the evil and covered up all traces.

Ryan rode on the back of the rye, with the bag of silver coins tucked into his arms.

The cold wind blowing on my face seemed to carry away all the smell of blood, as if Renn had never been there.

"How does it feel?" Ella rode alongside him, looking at Renn's thoughtful face. "Is this your first time doing something like this?"

Raine touched the hilt of his sword, seemingly lost in thought.

"It feels..." he thought for a moment, "not as...repulsive as I imagined."

Karen, who was walking in front, heard their conversation, snorted, and pulled her hood up to cover half of her face.

"Very good. It seems you are much better than I thought."

The old knight spurted his horse's belly, and the warhorse exhaled a puff of white steam.

"Let's go."

The three rode back to the village and threw the one-eyed bandit's head onto the muddy ground at the village entrance. A few scattered people who ran out to greet them stared at the head in silence for a long time before bursting into wailing.

The old village chief knelt on the ground, his hands trembling as he tried to kiss Karen's riding boots, but the old knight pulled his horse back to avoid him.

"Burn that thing, or feed it to the dogs," Karen said, pointing to the severed head on the ground. "Don't give us any benefits, and don't go around telling anyone. If anyone asks, just say Baron did it. That madman likes that kind of reputation."

After saying that, Karen and her group did not linger, turned their horses around, and followed the tracks left by Baron.

"Why give the credit to that wild knight?" Ella asked, somewhat puzzled, on the way.

"Because of the trouble." Karen pulled down her hat brim. "Barron's a wanted criminal, and a prime target. Letting him draw the attention of potential enemies will save us a lot of unnecessary trouble."

For the next two weeks, Karen and her group traveled non-stop.

Autumn in the North is as fleeting as a lie, with winter following closely behind.

The sky was always overcast, with heavy clouds pressing down overhead, and occasional drizzle falling.

The three of them headed north along the main road.

The scenery along the way changed from desolate hills to black pine forests.

During this time, they were not idle.

Although there were no large-scale battles, sporadic troubles never stopped.

Wandering ghouls, a pack of starving dire wolves, and even a lone swamp behemoth.

Although these things didn't bother Karen and her group too much, there were still costs involved.

Ella's leather armor was torn by thorns during an ambush, Karen's greatsword developed several small nicks, and Raine's longsword grew increasingly dull. The food bag also slowly emptied.

Finally, on the evening of the fourteenth day, the outline of a town appeared on the horizon.

That's Tiemu Town.

This is one of the trade hubs on the edge of the North, and the last tentacles of civilization reaching into the wasteland.

The towering walls are made of whole pieces of black ironwood, as hard as iron, fireproof and rot-resistant.

"We've finally arrived."

Ella looked at the smoke rising from the chimneys in the distance and couldn't help but swallow. "All I want right now is to take a hot bath and then eat a whole roasted chicken, no, two."

"Stop dreaming." Karen reined in her horse, observing the guards at the city gate. "Prices in Ironwood Town are twice that of Sunset City. A roast chicken costs one silver coin."

Even so, the old knight's tone couldn't help but relax a bit when he saw the town.

Baron's trail disappeared three days ago. That cunning wild knight clearly knew how to hide his tracks.

In this wasteland, if a person doesn't want to be found, he will be like a drop of water merging into the ocean.

And Tiemu Town is the deepest whirlpool in this sea.

This place is a gathering place for caravans, mercenaries, fugitives, and bounty hunters.

If Barron needs supplies or is looking for targets for the next trial, this is the place he must pass through.

"Let's go into town." Karen waved her hand. "We need to rest and gather some information while we're at it."

------

The town of Tiemu was quite lively.

The streets were paved with stone slabs, and the houses on both sides were made of wood and stone. Flags of various merchant guilds and badges of mercenary groups were hung everywhere.

The three men led the horse through the crowded throng.

"That one looks nice," Ella said, pointing to a hotel with a sign hanging up.

"Too noisy. That's where adventurers like to hang out. They fight at night and they can blow the roof off." Karen shook her head, turned into an alley as if she knew the way well, and found a place called "Grey Furnace Inn".

This is an old-fashioned hotel; most of the lettering on the sign has peeled off, but the entrance is very clean.

"We need two rooms."

Karen slapped a silver coin on the counter; it was a prepayment for her accommodations along the way.

"Hot water, and plenty of stew and ale. Bring it downstairs."

The boss was a middle-aged man who was as fat as a barrel. When he saw Karen's outfit and the giant sword on her back, he immediately became respectful.

"Yes, my lord. Hot water will be here shortly."

The room assignments were simple. To save money and for safety, Ryan and Karen shared a double room, while Ella had a room to herself.

Dinner was served in the lobby on the first floor.

The hot and steaming stew with potatoes and beef was quite substantial, even though the beef was a bit tough.

Add a large glass of ale, and it's enough to dispel the chill that's accumulated over the past two weeks.

At the dinner table, Karen asked the hotel owner—the well-informed fat man—about Barron.

The shopkeeper's eyes flickered, and he only said that a strange person had indeed come to buy supplies a few days ago, but left quickly, and no one knew where he went.

This was within Karen's expectations.

A seasoned knight like Baron wouldn't easily reveal his whereabouts.

"Don't rush." ​​Karen tore off a piece of bread. "As long as he's active in this area, he'll eventually slip up. Tomorrow I'll go to the Adventurers' Guild; that's where the most intelligence is concentrated. Rein, go to the blacksmith and get our equipment repaired. Ella, go to the market and stock up on rations and potions."

Clear division of labor.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Late at night.

The hustle and bustle of Tiemu Town gradually subsided, leaving only the occasional sound of patrolling guards' footsteps.

Inside the room, the firelight flickered in the fireplace.

Karen was already asleep.

The old knight was a terrible sleeper, taking up almost the entire bed, with the greatsword within easy reach of him.

The habits he developed in the wild kept him alert even in his sleep. Renn was certain that if there was the slightest noise at the door, the sword would strike instantly.

Ryan sat cross-legged on another bed.

He was not sleepy.

The battles and travels along the way, though exhausting, were constantly strengthening his body.

He closed his eyes, adjusted his breathing, and slowly entered a meditative state.

As consciousness sinks, the sounds of the real world gradually fade away.

boom--

That familiar world has returned.

A gray mist rolled and swirled, forming the corridor.

Ryan walked skillfully to his assigned wall.

Name: Ryan Wilder

Race: Human

【Occupation: Knight (Apprentice)】

[Level: 2]

【Strength: 11】

[Agility: 10]

[Physical Fitness: 13]

【Intelligence: 13】

【Perception: 12】

【Charm: 13】

His gaze then shifted to the skills section.

【skill:】

[Gambling Skills (Proficient)], [Street Fighting (Beginner)], [Knight's Basic Swordsmanship (Beginner): Iron Wall Stance (Beginner), Straight Slash (Beginner)], [Black Rock Breathing Technique (Not Yet Learned)]