Shackles of Humanity

If it were just Luo Kai, it wouldn't matter. He was used to roughing it in the wild, and he could run nearly as fast as a gas-powered car. But with Lu Qing along, they would need to get a vehicle.

After dinner, Luo Kai sat on a stool, counting the gold nuggets he carried. He had found them at the airship crash site. It was probably money Li Hong and the others had been carrying; any paper currency would have certainly burned up, leaving only the metal.

"What are you doing?" Lu Qing asked curiously from the side.

"We need to buy a car for our trip. It'll be very inconvenient in the wilderness otherwise."

Lu Qing said magnanimously, "Then let's just go buy one tomorrow. I have money."

After Su Chengbo became City Lord, the first change he brought to the city was a significant increase in gas-powered cars on the streets. The cars themselves weren't considered expensive, costing only three to four hundred thousand Star Dollars. However, fuel was extremely pricey. A full tank cost about five to six thousand Star Dollars, equivalent to two or three months' salary for an average worker.

The two of them went to the new industrial district early the next morning. Lu Qing, who turned out to be quite the rich girl, simply took out a credit check for three hundred thousand and bought a brand-new gas-powered car. In this world, there was no need for license plates or anything of the sort. Only after buying the car did she realize a problem. "Do you know how to drive?"

Luo Kai smiled. "Is there anything I can't do?" With that, he slid into the car and, with a few sputters and coughs, got it started. The vehicles of this world were still quite primitive, requiring a pull-ring to strike a flint to ignite the engine, but the way they were driven was no different.

The two then bought some food and drinks, grabbed a map, and drove out of Longyang City.

Just as they left the city limits, they saw several able-bodied men standing ahead. Each carried firearms and blades. One of them, a middle-aged man in his forties, rushed forward to block the car, shouting, "Miss Lu, we were sent by Young Master Su to help you."

Luo Kai wasn't surprised. They had been followed all day, so it was clear Su Wenlin already knew what they were planning to do. He had a rather good impression of Su Chengbo and Sister Su, so he couldn't be bothered to argue with Su Wenlin. He stopped the car, rolled down the window, and said, "That won't be necessary. You can go back."

The middle-aged man forced a smile. "You must be Mr. Luo. It's like this—we brothers have been gathering medicine in the Mist Mountain Range for years and know the area very well. I'm sure we can be of help to you."

"Luo Kai, let them get in. There's strength in numbers," Lu Qing said from her seat.

Luo Kai pondered for a moment. He and Lu Qing were going into the Mist Mountain completely blind and really did need help. If Su Wenlin had any ulterior motives, Luo Kai wasn't afraid, given his own strength. "Alright then, get in," he said.

"Alright! Brothers, get in the car."

There were three of them in total. After getting in, the middle-aged man introduced himself. "Mr. Luo, we are medicine brokers from the Guangyao Trading Group in Han State County. My name is Yao Guangfa, this is Li Shuncai, and this is my cousin, Zhang Wei. We three brothers have been gathering medicine in the Mist Mountain for years, so we're very familiar with it. We also have a few more brothers back in Han State who can help you search for the person you're looking for."

The other two men were more reserved, just offering awkward smiles without saying a word.

Luo Kai caught the strong scent of earth and medicinal herbs on them, confirming they were indeed Medicine Gatherers who spent their years in the mountains. 'I didn't expect Su Wenlin to be so thoughtful,' he thought. 'If it weren't for our previous conflicts, he might have been a good friend.' He nodded and said, "Thank you, then."

"Mr. Luo, please don't be so formal. Actually, Young Master Su wanted to lead the search party himself, which is why he specifically summoned us from Han State to ask about the situation. When he heard you had returned, Mr. Luo, he ordered us to come help you instead."

Luo Kai smiled. "If I have the chance in the future, I'll be sure to pay Young Master Su a visit to thank him personally."

They gradually left Longyang County behind. The surrounding wilderness gave way to forests, and ahead lay a range of rolling green mountains. It was the transition from spring to summer, and the trees were lush and vibrant, creating an exceptionally beautiful landscape. Lu Qing, who had never traveled far from home, was captivated and refreshed by the sight. "It's so beautiful!" she couldn't help but exclaim.

"Hehe, Miss Lu, there are even more beautiful sights ahead. In Han State County, there's a place called Moon Lake. It changes with the seasons. In the summer, it's shaped like a full moon; in spring and autumn, a half moon; and during the dry winter season, it becomes a crescent moon…"

Lu Qing's eyes lit up like stars; she was clearly filled with longing. In this world, most people rarely had the chance to travel far, especially women. Once outside the densely populated towns, it was a world of lawlessness, with bandits and highwaymen lurking everywhere, not to mention terrifying mutated creatures.

The geography of Han State was completely different from Longyang. It was more mountainous, with terraced fields lining both sides of the road. Many farmers were hard at work in their fields.

"Brother Yao, when do most people usually go into the mountains to gather medicine?" Luo Kai asked casually.

"Usually, most people go during the spring and autumn. In the summer, the mountain mosquitoes can bite a person to death, and in the winter, the animals have already eaten all the herbs."

"Oh, so that means now is the perfect time to go into the mountains for herbs?"

"Yes. At this time every year, tens of thousands of people head into the mountains. Not just to gather medicine, but also to hunt mutated animals. I've even heard that Mercenary Corps go in to hunt for Fierce Beasts."

Luo Kai's gaze sharpened slightly. "Are there really Fierce Beasts?"

Yao Guangfa shook his head. "I've never seen one, but we ordinary Medicine Gatherers don't usually go too deep. Maybe they really do exist in the depths of the swamps."

After driving for about another hour, a city-like cluster of buildings came into view. It was Han State City. Compared to Longyang County, this city was much more primitive. It had no large-scale industrial districts or tall buildings. Apart from its surrounding wall, most of the structures were built from earth and wood, giving it a unique appearance, somewhat like a city from Ancient China.

"Junior Brother Luo, let's head into the city and rest for the night. They have some excellent wild game here."

Luo Kai glanced at the map in his hand but shook his head. "Time is of the essence. Let's not go into the city. We'll head straight for Mist Mountain."

Time was crucial when searching for someone. Luo Kai's sense of smell was now on par with a common hound's. Granny Hua, having spent her life around flowers and plants, carried a very strong, lingering scent. Wherever she went, she would surely leave a trail that wouldn't dissipate easily. This was the main reason he was so confident he could find her.

Yao Guangfa nodded. "Hmm... alright. In that case, let's go to Yangjiao Village. That's where the most people enter the mountains. We can ask the hunters there for information."

"Luo Kai, thank you," Lu Qing said, turning slightly to take his hand.

"Silly girl, what's there to thank me for?" Luo Kai squeezed her small hand and said with a smile.

The car turned onto a country road, bumpy and full of potholes. Following Yao Guangfa's directions, they drove for another hour or so. As evening fell, a village appeared at the foot of the mountains ahead. It consisted of a few dozen households, and from every doorway hung animal hides and cured meat. It was a village of hunters.

The car stopped at the edge of the village, and the five of them got out. The small village seemed modest in scale, but it was a world of its own. In the center was a large, cultivated vegetable patch filled with all kinds of grains and produce. Cattle and sheep occasionally ran past, and the cries of children mingled with the barking of dogs. If not for the dark forest looming behind it like a man-eating beast, the place would have truly been a paradise unto itself.