Chapter 7

Since it has been determined that the blood is not his, there's no need to panic too much. Panic solves nothing, unless it's used to hide one's true emotions to deceive others.

Previously, in the Cloud City, he had seen angels and devils. Apart from their indistinct features, their body types and movements did not exceed Zhao Mai's expectations. In most literary and cinematic works, angels are kind and helpful, while devils are cruel and destructive. Although his previous experiences were somewhat cursory, with many details unexamined, Zhao Mai at least understood the general direction of the world.

After all, he had crossed over to a different world—ever since the car flew up and entered the void tunnel, Zhao Mai had already come to this realization. Crossing over definitely carries risks, but it also contains numerous opportunities. If he could seize these opportunities, he might quickly accumulate wealth and soon gather enough funds for treatment.

He lifted the "Cihai" from the passenger seat, and the destiny coin still lay obediently on the cushion. He couldn't afford to lose this; without it, he couldn't return. After much thought, Zhao Mai felt it wasn't safe to keep it on him, so he opened the storage compartment and placed it in the deepest corner.

Finding more destiny coins would be best, but ensuring his escape route was even more important. This coin could at least open a return passage once. If he couldn't return, what would be the point of earning money in this world? The old man had said that as long as he held the coin, he could detect the destiny coin mixed among other currencies. This way, he didn't need to carry the destiny coin around; bringing other coins to the car would work just as well.

This was a world of fantasy, without firearms or warships, only swords and magic. Although Zhao Mai had never used these, he had accumulated extensive theoretical knowledge and at least had a good eye. The appearance of the angels and devils was not far from his imagination, and he hoped the same would be true for other things.

Zhao Mai's hands tightly gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles tingling. It was impossible to say he wasn't nervous or excited. A person born and raised in a scientific and affluent society needed some time to adapt to a world ruled by swords and magic.

Physically, Zhao Mai was neither clumsy nor particularly robust. During his college physical exams, he was at an average level. Academic performance, though not directly linked to intelligence, clearly indicated that he was of average ability. Being ordinary in both body and mind wasn't a problem, but his appearance was also quite average, blending into the crowd without standing out, whether for beauty or ugliness. Zhao Mai deeply realized he was a standard, average person.

Well, since he was here, he might as well make the best of it. Whether he could excel had little to do with his foundation; it depended more on his efforts. And could an ordinary person drive a car to another world? In this aspect, he could consider himself extremely lucky.

How many treasures could be found in a fantasy world? Zhao Mai could list countless examples off the top of his head. Anything that existed here but not on Earth, with a bit of special ability, would be invaluable. Even learning a couple of magic spells to take back would be a significant achievement. It wouldn't be wrong; having something others don't is the greatest wealth.

First, he needed to understand where he was and what the environment was like. He remembered the old man saying that the ride-hailing app on his phone could record the journey.

The place name displayed was Golarion: Ash Lake, with everything else blank, and the surrounding map completely unavailable. After the strange black screen and crash at the airport, his phone had changed, with the ride-hailing app gaining new functions. Zhao Mai found the "Download Local Map" button, which prompted him to recharge with two gold coins.

This definitely referred to destiny coins, and Zhao Mai had only one. He neither wanted nor could afford to activate this function. However, the name Golarion gave him a lot of information; he had heard of this world!

As someone deeply immersed in various world settings, Golarion, though not as well-known as Azeroth, was still mentioned in the circles of tabletop gamers. Unfortunately, the available information was limited, and there were language barriers. Zhao Mai was not an encyclopedia and couldn't remember an entire world setting, but when he saw this place name, he knew the general rules of this world.

Being able to standardize a world with six attributes (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) and a mathematical system was a significant achievement. Although no mathematical system could be perfect, it was enough to help people understand and adapt to a new environment. Zhao Mai vaguely remembered that Golarion did not have world-wide conflicts and that the gods did not interfere with the mortal order. The long history and past turmoil had left many ruins, making it a paradise for adventurers, where the bold, meticulous, and skilled had plenty of opportunities to rise to prominence.

Unfortunately, Zhao Mai only met the criteria of being bold and meticulous; skills were not his forte. So, if he went into the wild alone, he would be dead. The immediate priority was to find a friendly settlement. After all, most adventures start in taverns, don't they?

Since it wasn't a soul transfer or memory fusion, learning the local language was very important. A "Cihai"-like general language tutorial couldn't be learned in a short time, at least not before starving. Zhao Mai spent about half an hour learning a few simple words: "Help," "No malice," "Help me," and "Poor speech."

He kept muttering these four phrases, trying to engrave them in his mind so he could say them accurately and quickly at any time. Next was a crucial step he had to face: he gently pushed the car door and carefully stepped out, marking his first step in this new world.

"This is a small step for Zhao Mai, but a... " He stopped halfway, realizing it was wrong. Golarion had humans, so it couldn't be considered a significant step for humanity. Even as an outsider, Golarion was not lacking in visitors from other worlds, some of whom had even settled permanently. In this sense, magic was far more powerful than technology, as Earthlings had yet to find concrete evidence of extraterrestrial life.

As soon as he stepped out, he regretted it. He had forgotten where the car had landed. Beneath his feet was a layer of sticky, slimy substance. Broken bones and internal organs, flattened by the falling taxi, burst through the outer skin, spreading like smashed tomatoes. The bloody smell, though not overwhelming, filled Zhao Mai's nostrils, making him feel slightly nauseous—though it was nothing compared to the stench of the devil's attack.

Before he could examine the remains, a crossbow bolt flew over, whizzing and embedding itself next to Zhao Mai's foot, the short shaft still trembling. Without thinking, Zhao Mai blurted out:

"Help! No malice! Help me! Poor speech!"

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