The next day arrived quickly.

In his small attic, Colin was packing up the things he planned to take on this trip.

With money in his pocket, he was determined not to experience sleeping on rocks again. Besides, the burlap sack he used last time had to be carried by hand most of the time, which made his arm sore.

He had also returned the waterskins and other items to Bob; they were someone else’s property, after all. Now that he was setting out, he couldn’t go without water.

So, after agonizing over it for a good while yesterday, Colin had gone and bought some equipment for the trip.

He picked up a large two-strap backpack and tied his sleeping bag to the top.

The backpack was made of thick leather and durable canvas. It was equipped with sturdy leather buckles and plenty of straps, perfect for tying the sleeping bag to the top.

He also had two new waterskins. He wasn’t sure what kind of leather they were made of, but they seemed sturdy and reliable enough.

Keeping in mind that Kase would share the burden, the equipment cost about three Gold Coins.

Saving money was hard, but spending it was all too easy.

In one go, Colin had spent nearly half the money he’d saved up recently.

’It’s an investment, I suppose.’

After all, not resting well in the wild would affect his combat effectiveness, and he had no desire for his tombstone to read, "Died from lack of sleep."

Additionally, Colin had also taken a look at Spellbooks in the market this time.

These Spellbooks usually had leather covers, with pages made of durable, wear-resistant parchment. A few even had preservative and fire-resistant Magic specially applied to them, and were said to last for centuries without decaying.

However, the cheapest Spellbook cost forty or fifty Gold Coins, and the ones with Enchantments went for several hundred.

’Those Mages were really something else.’

’The price of anything even remotely related to Magic would skyrocket by dozens of times. I have no idea who’s actually buying this stuff.’

After strapping everything down, Colin headed for the tavern.

Caravan or no caravan, they had to set out today.

Pushing open the tavern door, he immediately spotted Bob and Kase sitting in a corner. Colin walked over, sat down at their table, and ordered some breakfast.

He asked, "So, what’s the situation?"

"There aren’t any caravans going directly to Dragon’s Fang Castle recently, but you’re in luck. There are several heading in that direction."

Bob continued, "I found a group for you. Your best bet is to get off at the Golden Plain, then follow the main road north, and you’ll find it. However, the caravan master this time only agreed to give you a ride; he’s not planning to pay any wages."

"That’s still great. Remember to let us know the next time you head out," Colin said with a smile.

"If I didn’t call you, all my effort would be for nothing, right?" Bob chuckled. "The caravan leaves from the East Gate in the afternoon. If you want, you can even go back and get some more sleep."

"That won’t be necessary... Oh, I almost forgot. I still have to go talk to the Dwarves."

"Are you tight on time?"

"There’s definitely enough time."

Breakfast was served, and after Colin quickly finished his meal, he took Kase and headed for the sewer entrance.

They walked all the way to Donkexes’s herb shop.

Unsurprisingly, the old Dwarf was still processing a huge pile of herbs, as if the work would never end.

Colin asked, "I’m heading to Dragon’s Fang Castle in the northeast today. Is there anything you need me to bring back?"

"Dragon’s Fang Castle."

Donkexes stroked his beard and said, "It would be best if you could bring us back some materials from an Earthworm. I want the creature’s egg sac... If you can’t find one, just gather some herbs or something. Hold on a moment."

With that, the old Dwarf pulled a small booklet from under the counter and began writing and drawing in it with a quill pen he produced from who-knows-where.

A moment later, he finished and handed the booklet to Colin.

Giving it a quick glance, Colin saw the booklet contained information on the habitats and anatomy of the Earthworm. With this, he wouldn’t have to worry about missing any materials.

’Come to think of it, I’m the only one who’s been coming here all this time.’

’It’s not surprising,’ Colin thought. ’After all, those who aren’t short on cash wouldn’t come to the sewers looking for work, and those who are desperate for cash wouldn’t work for these Dwarves.’

"Let’s be clear. I can only give you my share of the materials. Kase isn’t part of our deal."

"Have we ever cheated you before? You’re so annoying," Donkexes said, a little irritated.

"Got it. See you in a week."

With that said, Colin shouldered his pack and went with Kase to wait at the East Gate of Thousand Masts City.

He took a moment to check his Panel and, sure enough, two new quests had appeared.

-----------------

[Commission: Letter Delivery]

[Rating: Not Started]

[Reward: Not Calculated]

-----------------

[Commission: Earthworm Egg Sac]

[Rating: Not Started]

[Reward: Not Calculated]

-----------------

After waiting for a while under the eaves of a roadside building, the time came, and the caravan began to assemble.

This cargo caravan was quite large.

Including Colin and Kase, the entire caravan had over forty people. Among them were several guards wearing Plate Armor Chest Guards, though it was unclear which noble scion they were protecting.

After identifying themselves, Colin and Kase boarded a random wagon.

With a few shouts from the caravan leader, the convoy slowly rolled out of the massive gate of Thousand Masts City.

The salty, damp sea breeze was soon replaced by a fresh, gentle wind.

The well-maintained trade route was one of Thousand Masts City’s most important commercial arteries. Watchtowers guarding the road could be seen from time to time, and most monsters had no room to survive here.

The caravan pushed forward, making haste slowly.

Nothing much of note happened along the way. They didn’t encounter a single monster, though they saw plenty of patrol squads.

After spending the first night at a roadside camp, by the evening of the second day, fields had replaced the grasslands and forests along the road.

Wheat, carrots, cabbages...

All sorts of vegetables could be seen in the fields.

This area was called the "Golden Plain." It was said that Priests who worshiped the Goddess of Harvest tended the fields here, and it was also the largest grain-producing region in the entire Northern Lands.

"I swear, those Frostland Druids would probably go nuts if they saw this," Kase said, looking at the adjacent fields.

"Their way of thinking is pretty strange, then."

"To be honest, I kinda feel the same way. You southerners farm too much. This way of life lets you get food too easily, which is why the humans here in Thousand Masts City generally can’t fight as well as the folks up north."

"But there are more people here, and numbers are a part of combat strength too." Colin asked, "Speaking of which, does it snow all the time where you’re from?"

"You bet. Snow piled up as high as you are. Back then, I had to walk with my chin up just to see the road. And what’s more, you’d get dragons flying overhead from time to time. I bet you’ve never seen one."

"Dragons?"

"Real dragons. Not wyverns or the likes of Scorpion-tailed Lions, but real, honest-to-goodness Giant Dragons." Kase gave a mysterious smile. "I reckon you’ll never see one in your lifetime, but that’s probably a good thing."

Real, honest-to-goodness Giant Dragons...

Colin shook his head, clearing the fantasy from his mind.

"By the way, the winter disaster seems really severe this time. Are you sure you still want to go back? I get the feeling you’re bound to run into trouble when you get there."

Kase gazed at the distant wheat fields.

After a long moment, he said, "That’s one of the reasons I have to go back."