Chapter 59

□■ Western Cardina, Altar Kingdom Border Area <Valera Great Desert>

Before dawn, a wind blows across the dim desert.

The wind, which has crossed the Altar Kingdom from the distant western sea, stirs the sands of Cardina.

It is a quiet time before dawn.

In just an hour, the sun will rise, and in two hours, the heat will scorch the land of the Valera Great Desert.

Cardina is a land of sand.

Nine-tenths sand and wilderness, and one-tenth oasis... that was the country of Cardina.

The land was beyond poverty, a realm of death.

Yet, Cardina is centrally located on the continent.

It has thrived as a hub of trade between the eastern countries of the Yellow River and the Heavenly East, and the western countries of the Altar Kingdom, Dryf, and Regendaria.

Moreover, it is rich in underground veins and resources, and numerous ruins containing magical items, except for food.

Food can be obtained through trade.

Thus, Cardina is a country of sand, wealth, and trade.

The desert serves as a path, transporting countless riches between the east and west of the continent.

It resembles what was once called the Silk Road on Earth.

A dozen or so dragon carriages—large vehicles pulled by wyverns—were traveling in a line on this sandy path.

The dragon carriages looked so luxurious that even a layman could tell, and the wyverns pulling them were well-built and also looked high-class.

These dragon carriages were not made in Cardina but in the Yellow River.

It was rare, but not unheard of, for the Yellow River, an eastern country, to transport goods directly to the west without unloading them at the transit point of Cardina.

This group might have been one of those, but there were two very peculiar points.

One was that each dragon carriage was flying the flag of the Yellow River Empire.

While it was common for merchants' dragon carriages to display the emblem of their country, it was unusual to fly the national flag.

The other peculiarity was not the dragon carriages themselves but the person riding on one of them.

On the roof of the last dragon carriage, a person was sitting.

This person was looking at the desert before dawn, which was passing by as the dragon carriage moved.

And while enjoying the scenery, they were blowing bubbles from a thin metal pipe, similar to a tobacco pipe, which they held in their mouth, letting the bubbles drift in the wind.

On its own, this might have been eccentric but not strange.

What was strange was not the person's actions but their appearance.

They were long.

Their limbs were far too long.

Although their long sleeves and robes of a Taoist robe covered their limbs, the length could not be concealed.

Standing over four meters tall, their legs made up more than half of their height, like a circus performer with elongated limbs.

Their arms were equally long, and the five fingers holding the thin pipe were more like thin metal blades than fingers.

This person was bending their overly long hands in a peculiar way, blowing bubbles while enjoying the scenery.

The face under the pipe was also unusual.

A sign was attached to the hat they wore, and the hanging sign obscured their face.

Combined with the Taoist robe, they looked like a Jiangshi from a Chinese movie.

Their visibly peculiar appearance made them stand out from the world.

However, at the same time, they emitted an intangible aura of authority that only those who understood it could perceive.

Strange and imposing.

Just by being there, they seemed to threaten the world, yet now they were quietly enjoying the scenery and the bubbles floating in the wind.

"Lord Xunhua!"

Someone called out to the Jiangshi—Xunhua—who was alone, gazing at the desert before dawn.

It was a boy, not yet ten years old, trying to climb onto the roof where Xunhua was sitting.

The dragon carriage had no ladder or steps, so he was struggling.

His efforts were precarious, and he might have fallen off the moving dragon carriage.

"..."

Unable to bear it, Xunhua extended his long arm, grabbed the boy by the collar, and pulled him up onto the roof.

He then gently placed the boy on the roof. Despite using fingers that were like blades, not a single scratch appeared on the boy's expensive clothes or delicate skin.

"Thank you! Lord Xunhua!"

"Up early, Tsang."

Xunhua's voice had a unique intonation.

But the boy, called Tsang, didn't seem to mind and smiled.

"No, not as early as you, Lord Xunhua."

"...I don't feel comfortable being called 'Lord' by you."

Xunhua sighed deeply, seeing the boy's bright eyes looking at him.

This boy, Tsang, whose real name was Canglong.

In the Yellow River Empire, only the direct male descendants of the emperor were allowed to use the character "dragon" in their names, which meant that Tsang was a member of the imperial family.

He was the third son of the current emperor.

So, this convoy of dragon carriages was not that of a traveling merchant.

It was a diplomatic mission carrying a member of the imperial family to another country.

The dragon carriages were heading for the border with the Altar Kingdom.

"It's almost the border."

"Yes! Lord Xunhua! Have you ever been to the Altar Kingdom?"

"No, but 'Spirit Turtle' said he came here once."

"Lord Gray Alpha Centauri! What did Lord Gray say?"

"...He said there was an interesting costume."

"Costume?"

While they were having this conversation, the convoy of dragon carriages reached the border of the Altar Kingdom.

The kingdom's officials, who were processing the group's entry, looked tense, but the two on the roof remained as they were.

Not only the kingdom's officials but also the empire's attendants and officials seemed to want to say something, but they hesitated, fearing Tsang, a member of the imperial family, and also fearing Xunhua.

Tsang was curious and had a straightforward, cheerful personality.

Therefore, he often spoke casually to people who were not of the imperial family.

However, the people he spoke to, like Xunhua, did not respond in the same way.

They were supposed to be more respectful and humble. It was only natural.

Xunhua did not treat him casually.

Why, then, did Xunhua behave this way?

Part of it was due to Xunhua's personality, but the fact that he was "allowed" to do so was a different matter.

It was because Xunhua was a special type of person called a "Master" in this world... and he was particularly special among them.

◇

About an hour after passing through the border and entering the Cruella Mountain Range, which was near the border between the kingdom and Cardina, the dragon carriages had been warned in advance by the kingdom that a notorious band of bandits called the Gouzmei Bandits had their base in this area.

This group, led by powerful undead and warriors, specialized in kidnapping, but they might also attack the dragon carriages, so they were asked to be cautious.

Normally, caution would not be enough, but the kingdom's officials did not say more.

They were not negligent.

To them, caution was all that was needed, so that was all they said.

"......It smells."

Suddenly, Xunhua sniffed and said.

"But it's not undead. Tsang, lie down a bit."

"Yes!"

In response to Xunhua's command, Tsang lay flat on the roof of the dragon carriage—then, in the next moment, Xunhua's long arm flashed.

Two seconds later, a sound like something embedding itself in the ground was heard from a distance.

What was embedded in the wet soil—anyone knowledgeable would immediately recognize it as a "bullet."

"......"

Xunhua said nothing.

He only glared at a rocky area several hundred meters ahead, his eyes visible under the sign.

◆◆◆

Cardina was the golden artery that connected the east and west, transporting wealth.

In recent years, many wealthy merchants had abandoned their dying kingdoms and moved to Cardina or the east.

Whether going to Cardina or leaving Cardina, those who passed through the border with Cardina were wealthy.

Because of this, the wolves were sharpening their fangs, eager to gather around the wealth being transported.

"First shot missed. Sorry, I missed."

At the rocky area Xunhua was glaring at, a woman was lying down, aiming a large gun with a scope.

There were more than twenty others hiding behind the rocks.

Each of them was armed and watching the convoy of dragon carriages several hundred meters away.

They were bandits.

While such people were not uncommon in this world, they had a common trait.

It was the unique emblem on the back of their left hands.

This emblem indicated that they were "Masters"... "Embryos" who wielded special abilities and were immortal, and players of the game "Infinite Dendrogram."

Their name was the PK Clan "Goblin Street."

They were the group that had blockaded the "Wes Sea Road," connecting the western port city and the capital of the Altar Kingdom, during the recently resolved capital blockade incident.

After that incident, they, who had roots in the western part of the Altar Kingdom, were now near the border with Cardina.

There was a reason for this.

During that incident, three PK clans and one PK were hired by someone.

These four—Goblin Street, K&R, Xiongcheng, and Super Assassin—were all PKs, but their methods of operation were different.

Xiongcheng, which aimed to rob and dominate players and play the role of villains.

K&R, which hunted players.

Super Assassin, which accepted requests for money and inflicted Despair Penalties on players.

And Goblin Street, a band of bandits who plundered regardless of who their targets were.

During the blockade, the only place where Tian (non-player characters) were victimized—robbed, assaulted, and killed—was the Wes Sea Road, where Goblin Street had set up their net.

Therefore, Goblin Street was the only one of the four to be wanted in the Altar Kingdom.

In this world of "Infinite Dendrogram," it is not a crime for a player to kill another player or steal their possessions.

This is because there is a belief that disputes between Masters cannot be judged by the laws of non-Masters.

However, when a Master commits a serious crime against Tian, they can be wanted, just as Tian can be wanted for crimes against other Tian, both domestically and internationally.

If a Master is wanted in all the countries where they have set their respawn points, their respawn point after a Despair Penalty becomes a save point inside a "Prison."

The reason Goblin Street, formed in the Altar Kingdom, was operating in Cardina was because of this.

Their save points in the Altar Kingdom were all destroyed.

During the incident, all the members who were logged in at the time were given Despair Penalties by one of the "Super" players of the Altar Kingdom, "Alcohol Pool Meat Forest" Lei Lei.

Some members respawned in save points in other countries, but many ended up in "Prison" because they had only set save points in the Altar Kingdom.

The number of members who left was about half of the total.

The damage was significant, and it would not have been strange for the clan to suspend or dissolve its activities.

The same was true for Xiongcheng, which had also participated in the newbie hunting net.

Xiongcheng was not wanted or sent to "Prison," but they had suspended their activities due to the shock of being annihilated by Figaro alone.

The extent of the damage to their equipment and the terror they experienced in "Infinite Dendrogram," which was almost indistinguishable from reality except for the pain, made it understandable.

In contrast, Goblin Street had moved their save points from the Altar Kingdom to Cardina but continued to operate in the Altar Kingdom.

They had infiltrated the border and set up their net in the eastern part of Cardina, which was easier to travel to and from than the west.

Especially in this Cruella Mountain Range, there was another notorious band of Tian bandits called the Gouzmei Bandits. It was a convenient location.

Of course, there was a possibility that they would be attacked by those who came to eliminate them as PKs and criminals, or by the Gouzmei Bandits and other bandits who had their base here.

However, Goblin Street was not afraid of this at all.

"Hey, didn't you say that your effective range was a thousand meters because you had the 'Sniper Expert' job?"

"It seems I miscalculated the speed of the dragon carriages."

The members of Goblin Street were talking about the sniper shot the woman had just taken at the person in the dragon carriage, thinking she had missed.

"No, Neara, you didn't miss. The bullet was deflected."

Except for one person.

"Owner, what do you mean by that?"

The person called "Owner" was a young man with red hair.

He was wearing a red jacket with a lion-like mane.

However, while his hair was a natural red, the red of the jacket was dyed.

It was as if he had been splattered with something red...

"The bullet you fired was deflected by him. That's all."

"That's impossible. The bullet speed is supersonic."

"I can do it, and so can he."

The red-haired man said this casually, and the others were stunned.

It was not because he said he could do it, but because he said the other person could do it.

They believed and knew that the Owner could do it, but the idea that the other person could do it was shocking.

【Plunder King】Eldridge.

A man who had reached the super-class job of a thief and was considered one of the strongest PKs in the Altar Kingdom.

When the PKs who had blockaded the capital were purged by a "Super," he was coincidentally logged out.

Thus, he was safe, but at the same time, the members of Goblin Street thought:

—If the Owner had not been logged out, he would have turned the tables on the "Super."

The reason Goblin Street continued to operate even after changing their base was because of Eldridge's strength.

The members of Goblin Street believed that if Eldridge was safe, there would be no problem with their activities.

Eldridge, looking at the group of dragon carriages several hundred meters away, announced to his members:

"Most likely, the opponent is a super-class job from the Yellow River. But there's no problem. I'll take him out one-on-one. You attack the other trash that appears. That's all."

Saying this, Eldridge opened his hands and extended them backward.

As if pulling a bowstring, invisible power and killing intent gathered in his arms.

Straining his muscles, Eldridge clenched and opened his hands.

This action had no meaning for the skill he was about to use.

It was a habit.

An unconscious habit that expressed his will to grab and take what he desired.

"Greater Big Pocket... Greater Takeover... Set!"

The Plunder King's dedicated skills were three, all of which were released from his hands.

The skill he set in his right hand was Greater Big Pocket, which stole items.

It could forcibly store in his item box any item, except for non-transferable items, within a radius of 100 meters, regardless of ownership. It was a terrifying skill that could put a dragon carriage in his pocket in an instant.

The skill he set in his left hand was Greater Takeover, which stole life.

It could snatch and take any part of the opponent within range, as long as it was small enough to be grabbed by his hand.

(Aim for the dragon carriage where that "long one" is sitting.)

Eldridge's perfected Appraisal Eye understood that the dragon carriage was a special one.

(It's a mobile save point.)

A top-of-the-line luxury item, even in the Yellow River Empire, which excelled in the creation of magical items.

As the leader of a clan that had lost its save points in the kingdom, Eldridge could not resist taking it.

The dragon carriage was about 300 meters away.

At its current speed, it would enter range in one or two minutes.

First, he would take the dragon carriage where the man was sitting to disrupt his position, and then he would take his "head."

That was the end of it, Eldridge thought.

—Here, a note:

—Eldridge's calculations were not wrong.

—If the conditions he set were met, it would have happened with a high probability.

—However, he had made one mistake in the value of the conditions.

—He had read the value of Xunhua as a super-class job from the Yellow River, but

—There was something fundamentally missing in that value.

"Got off, huh?"

Xunhua, who had been sitting on the roof of the dragon carriage, stepped down.

His limbs looked even longer than when he was sitting.

Even from a distance, he looked so vertically elongated that he resembled a utility pole.

"Planning to attack from there?"

"Did you realize our location with the first shot?"

"Be