In Sumeru, pretend to be a scholar!

Time slips away unnoticed while studying.

As the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the surrounding light gradually dims, and the temperature, which had been making people sweat not long ago, begins to feel cool.

Night gradually enveloped the boundless sea of ​​sand, and the silver moon and sparse stars cast a hazy light on the caravan.

The sound of the pack animals' hooves was exceptionally clear in the silence, as if they too sensed the approaching home and quickened their pace.

Finally, Dixia, who was leading the group, raised her right hand, signaling the group to slow down.

Ahead, a massive rock formation, sculpted by wind and sand over the years, came into view. The rock surfaces were covered with deep ravines, like silent giants guarding the last pass leading to their homeland.

Caravans crisscrossed the area, the shadows cast by the rocks bringing a moment of coolness, or perhaps it was the joy of returning home that made everyone feel relaxed.

As Wang Yan's pack animal stepped out of the shadows of the rocky passage, the view before him suddenly opened up.

The first thing that catches the eye is a large expanse of warm, vibrant firelight.

It wasn't a few scattered campfires, but rather a continuous, staggered array of lights, shining from the windows of houses nestled in the mountainside and igniting from the stone lampposts in the center of the square, twinkling like stars and converging into a sea of ​​light.

The light illuminated the outline of the village built against the mountain. The houses, mostly made of stone, were nestled among the reddish-brown rocks in a staggered manner, appearing ancient and dignified.

Almost simultaneously with the firelight, the sound of flowing water reached my ears.

Although the sound was still somewhat distant, it was clear and melodious, and seemed especially precious in the dry air.

Looking in the direction of the sound, one can see a clear spring gushing out from a man-made structure resembling ruins beside the village, flowing along a man-made ditch and into a pool below the village.

Following the water flow, the surrounding area becomes even greener.

Of course, the most eye-catching thing is not the village itself, but a statue of the Seven Gods at the entrance of the village.

At this moment, a figure stands quietly beneath the statue.

Her posture was as upright as a resilient poplar in the desert, and her cool and easy-to-move outfit accentuated her agile figure.

What is most striking is her eyes. In the flickering firelight, one can clearly see that she has a unique amber left eye, its color pure and deep, like a frozen sunset or a cellar of honey.

In ancient desert legends and tribal beliefs, such pupils were seen as a symbol of the Red King's descendants, a mark of nobility and power.

Without a doubt, this is Candice, the guardian of Aru Village.

Candice's gaze remained calm as she watched the caravan slowly emerge from the rocky passage.

Her gaze swept quickly and carefully over every pack animal and every familiar face, weary from their journey yet unable to hide their joy at returning home.

When it was confirmed that although everyone in the team looked exhausted from the long journey and the goods were covered in dust, there were no casualties or obvious signs of injury, and the team was still generally well-organized,

Candice's usually calm and resolute face showed a barely perceptible slight relief.

Every time a caravan leaves Aru village laden with hope and supplies, heading to Kawan Post or even further into the rainforest, Candice's heart is always in suspense.

In the village, she is confident in protecting the peace and tranquility of every villager.

But once the caravan embarks on the long, sandy journey, facing unpredictable weather, lurking monsters, and even treacherous bandits, no matter how strong she is, she is ultimately powerless to help.

Therefore, every time a caravan set out, it was Candice's biggest worry.

Fortunately…

Candice's gaze finally settled on the familiar figure at the very front of the caravan.

As Dixia waved to her, she loudly directed her team members to advance in an orderly manner. Her brown hair danced in the firelight, and she had a bright smile and was full of energy.

Seeing her friend as reliable and energetic as ever, Candice smiled slightly and took a few steps forward: "Welcome back, everyone."

"Haha, Candice, you've kept me waiting, haven't you?"

"Long time no see, Candice."

"The goods are much cheaper this year, so for the same amount of money, I can bring back much more goods."

"Candice, how's the village?"

It was clear that Candice's reputation in the Aru Village caravan was no less than that of Desia. As she approached, the caravan members began to speak.

Even the mercenaries of the Blazing Beast Hunters smiled.

In fact, for most desert people, as long as they have no ill will towards Aru Village, Candice is a reliable friend.

Whether you encounter monsters in the wild or fall into quicksand traps, as long as Candice meets you, she will save you, and she has the ability to do so.

"It only took a short while."

"Long time no see, Thorne."

"Really? That's fantastic! Uncle Amp is already waiting at the warehouse. He'll be so happy to hear this."

"Everything is fine, as usual. Monsters come by from time to time, but we've dealt with them all."

Candice handled the situation with practiced ease, then walked over to Dixia and asked softly, "Was the journey alright?"

"There was a minor issue, but it's resolved. I'll tell you in a bit," Dixia replied, then looked at the caravan leader, "Thorne, take your men to the warehouse."

"No problem, Dixia, you and Candice have a good chat." The caravan leader, Thorne, responded with a smile, then waved to the pack animals, "Brothers, come with me, let's finish this quickly so we can get back to rest."

"Good!" the caravan members echoed loudly.

The mercenaries of the Blazing Beast Hunter also dispersed, appearing quite familiar with the place.

However, Dixia came to Wang Yan and Farusan's pack animals and gestured to them, "You don't need to come with us to the warehouse."

Wang Yan and Falushan dismounted from their pack animals and watched the pack animals head towards the village warehouse from the other side of the road.

"This is Senior Farusan, a great scholar from the Order of the Church, and this is Wang Yan, Senior Farusan's student. Candice, let me tell you, you really have to thank them."

Desia introduced Candice to the situation.

Candice smiled and nodded to Farusan, "Senior Farusan, I didn't expect to see you again so soon."

"Huh? You two know each other?" Dixia was taken aback.

Candice nodded slightly: "Senior Farusan came to the desert for research before, and I was the one who received her."

"Oh, I see. We should thank them even if they're acquaintances." Dixia didn't care about the details and then told her about how Wang Yan discovered the criminal gang, told her about the situation, and finally helped take down several bandits.

Candice's expression didn't change much after listening, but the distance between her and the two scholars lessened.

"I never expected you two to be such a big help. If the goods had been stolen, the village would have had a tough time next year."

Then, Candice looked at Farusan and said, "Senior Farusan, you've come here this time, surely for that new relic?"

The new ruins were discovered in the desert, so naturally they couldn't be kept secret from Candice, the guardian of Aru village.

Given that Farusan had previously conducted similar investigations in the desert, Candice was naturally able to guess the purpose of their trip.

Farusan didn't hide anything and nodded: "That's right. The intelligence said that this new ruin is not big, but the patterns inside seem to be different from the previous Red King ruins, so I brought my student here to take a look."

"It just so happens that the people who discovered the ruins are also from Aru Village. How about... you two stay at my house for the night, and I'll arrange for someone to take you there tomorrow?" Candice said politely.

Wang Yan looked at Falushan but didn't say anything.

Children do not have the right to express their opinions.

Fiona agreed, "Okay, about accommodation..."

"You've helped us so much, so naturally we're friends. We can't charge friends when they come to stay at our house, can we?" Candice smiled and shook her head, then pointed to Dixia next to her, "Don't worry, we have plenty of rooms. She never pays when she comes to stay."

Dixia immediately became somewhat displeased: "Hey, given our relationship, talking about money is too formal."

Farusan understood what she meant: they should just be friends from now on.

"Then we'll accept it without hesitation."