"Fear not, it's only just turned dark."
Justin closed the door behind him, instructing, "I've arranged for a carriage; pack your things, we'll return to Adverse Port tonight, and set out to sea with me tomorrow morning."
The woman veiled in silk instinctively recoiled, "Where to...?"
Seeing Justin's calm gaze upon her, she immediately lowered her head, acknowledging her mistake in speaking out of turn.
If anyone from the Dark Kingdom witnessed this scene, they would hardly believe their eyes. The leader of the Platinum-ranked mercenary team, [The Songstress], reduced to such a state of timidity!
Initially, she had been quite defiant, thinking that with some secret information about Justin, she could negotiate or even blackmail him. However, since Justin had ambushed her, biting her neck and draining some of her blood, The Songstress had lost all will to resist, feeling as if her very essence had been drained. Every couple of days, she endured this torment, which left her in a neurotic state, constantly fearing another bite.
"To Solendan."
To The Songstress's surprise, Justin actually answered her question.
Solendan! The capital of the Dark Kingdom!
Due to its unique governance by the "Shadow Council," where six individuals take turns as king, managing the country like a business partnership, Solendan resembled more of a vast marketplace than a royal city.
The Songstress's eyes flickered as she packed, contemplating escape with her connections in Solendan. Yet, she reconsidered; if Justin was willingly taking her there, he must have precautions in place. Acting rashly might lead to even harsher treatment...
Justin paid no mind to her internal struggle, lying back on the bed with his eyes closed, planning the journey.
"In the last few months, over five thousand bodies have gone missing in the Kingdom of Storms. Adding those from the Thunder Kingdom, conservatively, we're looking at around ten thousand...
Such frequent theft of corpses exceeds the normal capacity of the Dark Kingdom. Is the Necromancer behind this?"
Having observed Wang Hui's actions against the Thunder Priest and the Chief of the Royal Court, Justin had some guesses about Wang Hui's intentions. He wanted to contribute to his master's cause.
"This trip provides a perfect opportunity to investigate the capabilities of that last-ranked legend!"
...
[Year 13 of the Divine Descent], November 12th.
Justin, with The Songstress following like a personal maid, left the capital of the Kingdom of Storms under cover of night, arriving in Adverse Port at dawn, preparing to sail for the Dark Kingdom.
Before departing, he gave specific instructions to the local rogue, Peachy, and dispatched additional trusted subordinates to keep a close watch on Liang Xiaohao. After specialized training, his dedicated gatekeeper, Maris, had significantly enhanced combat skills, sufficient to handle any unexpected situations.
This overly cautious arrangement bewildered Peachy.
Since that boy was crippled by the Divine Realm's high officials and had been recuperating in a fisherman's home, it had been nearly two years. Now, having regained the ability to walk somewhat normally, he was still a weakling, easily killed. His daily activities consisted of helping the fisherman's daughter dry fish and crafting small clay figurines in the backyard, known as "figurines."
Why would Justin send so many people to watch over such a useless individual? Just because Liang Xiaohao had once come back to life? Well, that reason might be plausible...
However, Peachy was professionally discreet; as long as the pay was good and the job was easy, asking too many questions would only cause trouble. He watched Justin leave without further comment, his gaze lingering on The Songstress's silhouette.
"That woman resembles the rumored Platinum mercenary, The Songstress... Could it be her?"
Peachy quickly dismissed the thought, turning his gaze away. He was just an old rogue living day by day; why bother with such conjectures? Living as ignorantly as that boy in the yard might be much easier...
"Achoo!"
In the backyard of the fisherman's hut, Liang Xiaohao sneezed without reason, his finger slipping and breaking the arm of a figurine. His frustration was palpable, veins bulging on his temples.
"Huff—"
Taking a deep breath, Liang Xiaohao patiently repaired the figurine, spending an extra half hour to perfectly reattach and detail the arm.
Choosing to venture into figurine-making was a well-considered move. To earn his first pot of gold in this medieval-themed "game world," one should opt for something novel and absent locally.
The player from the Divine Realm did just that with his unprecedented spicy strips, thriving by catering to the NPCs' taste buds. Liang Xiaohao, on the other hand, aimed to provide "spiritual nourishment" through these cross-era products, figurines.
Once his legs had mostly healed, he had surveyed the market, finding that statues and similar items were crudely made, aimed at solemnity or bulk display, with low demand. With his background in running an online streaming company, he understood the otaku love for detailed collectibles. Even simple merchandise tied to popular IPs could fetch a fortune!
So, he crafted several small, detailed clay figurines, complete with tiny clothes, and sold them in the market. They were instantly bought by a noble young master, earning him over eighty silver coins - nearly two months' wages for an average person!
This success spurred Liang Xiaohao to buy various dyes to create more colorful figurines and outfits, sculpting likenesses of notable figures from the Kingdom of Storms. There was no concept of copyright here; he was free to capitalize on their fame!
He hoped to make a splash in the market, but then war broke out between the Kingdom of Storms and the Divine Realm, with the former losing disastrously. The figurines he meticulously crafted of King Chardon IX, the third prince, and Chief Wizard Bellmoru became symbols of despised fools and villains overnight...
With tears, Liang Xiaohao had to destroy these politically sensitive items. The purge of old nobles led to a sharp decline in his clientele. However, fortune smiled through one mysterious buyer who continued to purchase his works, even after moving to the capital, sending servants to Adverse Port regularly for new figurines.
Thanking his lucky stars, Liang Xiaohao offered discounts, but this client seemed unconcerned with cost, only demanding more detailed outfits and articulated joints for posing, willing to pay extra for such enhancements...
A classic case of an enthusiastic otaku!
Liang Xiaohao worked with determination, "So what if I can't return to reality?
Once I've made enough money, I can buy potions and magic stones to enhance my strength, reaching the pinnacle of this game world!"