C22 The Toad

Jiang Hao learned from the mayor about a peculiar beast capable of traveling thousands of miles in a single day. It would take him only half a day to reach Zrishire. Even with Jiang Hao in tow, a full day's journey would suffice.

As Jiang Hao was confirming his departure to Zrishire with the mayor, a jarring voice cut through the air, "Jiang Hao, you're actually leaving us behind to undertake the mission alone? Are you worried we'll snatch your loot?" He turned to find Zhou Yi approaching, seething with anger. It appeared that not only the unicorns had arrived, but also the entire group that had been resting in Desert Town.

"Ugh." Jiang Hao couldn't suppress a gag as Zhou Yi came to stand before him. Zhou Yi was left speechless, and the rest of the group fell silent. "Jiang Hao!" Zhou Yi's face turned a shade of iron, his body shaking with rage. Did Jiang Hao find him repulsive? How dare he show such contempt!

"You're overthinking it," Jiang Hao replied with composure. He had merely been reminded of the nauseating antidote recipe.

"Haha, exactly, my brother is just exhausted from the mission. It's a natural reflex, nothing personal. Don't overthink it!" Jiang Lulu said, moving to Jiang Hao's side, concern etched on her face. She quickly retrieved a bottle of clean water from her backpack and offered it to him. "Brother, have some water."

Lu Zhiyao also hurriedly presented water to Jiang Hao. Without a moment's hesitation, Jiang Hao accepted the bottle from Jiang Lulu's hands, leaving Lu Zhiyao awkwardly holding her offering. Jiang Hao, seemingly oblivious to the slight, tilted his head back and drained the bottle dry.

The sweet water revived him, clearing his mind and boosting his spirits. "Jasmine gel dew," Jiang Hao handed the bottle back to Jiang Lulu, his brow furrowed in mild disapproval. "Next time, don't give me this kind of water. Keep it for yourself." Jasmine gel dew, a concoction made with peppermint and spiritual spring water, was known to invigorate the senses and guard against falling prey to enemy illusions during battle.

This item was incredibly rare, and he never imagined that Jiang Lulu would be so generous as to let him drink it.

"Bro, you're my brother, so naturally, I want to share the good stuff with you," Jiang Lulu said with her arms crossed and a smug expression. "If you refuse to acknowledge that you're my brother, then next time, you get nothing. How about that?"

"Plus, Dad included plenty of supplies this time. We can definitely use it like regular water."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Hao had no choice but to reluctantly agree, transferring 500 Scarlet Flame Stones from his backpack to her.

Scarlet Flame Stones were fire-attribute gems that could enhance a weapon's attack power.

They were particularly well-suited for a heavy gunner like Jiang Lulu.

A single Scarlet Flame Stone could add ten attribute points. Even accounting for the loss during refinement, it could boost Jiang Lulu's heavy gun's attack power to four thousand.

An attack power of 4,000 might not match up to half of Jiang Hao's black magic scepter, but it was certainly enough to outclass most professional attackers.

"Brother, I just love you so much!"

Clearly, Jiang Lulu recognized the significance of the gift Jiang Hao had given her, hugging and jumping around him excitedly.

Jiang Hao was nearly unbalanced by her enthusiastic embrace.

Lu Zhiyao, standing nearby, wasn't sure what had transpired but could tell from Jiang Lulu's excitement that Jiang Hao had given her something special.

She felt that should have been hers!

With a soft voice, Lu Zhiyao called out, "Jiang Hao."

Jiang Lulu couldn't hide her irritation at the sight.

They had already annulled their engagement, and now here she was, feigning deep affection. It was just too much for Jiang Lulu to stomach.

Before she could snap back, she heard Jiang Hao instruct, "Go get everyone together. I've got something to discuss with them."

"I have some Condensed Dew Gel here, even better than Jiang Lulu's. It's yours," Lu Zhiyao said as she offered a porcelain bottle to Jiang Hao.

"Thanks, but you keep it. I've got plenty of that stuff," Jiang Hao replied without a hint of sentiment, then quickly urged her to gather the others.

With a resentful glance at Jiang Lulu, Lu Zhiyao turned away to summon the rest.

Once everyone had arrived, Jiang Hao distributed the rewards he had collected in Oasis City, providing items that could enhance their attack power to each person according to their attributes.

Zhou Yi and Lu Zhiyao were included as well.

The group was both shocked and delighted to receive these items, and their faith in Jiang Hao's leadership grew even stronger.

For Jiang Hao, however, these gestures were a necessity rather than a cause for pride. The Magic Building had undergone a transformation, and if he wanted the entire team to survive, it wasn't enough for only his combat strength to increase.

After all, one can't fight off many with just two fists, and even the mightiest lion needs to rest.

He knew he had to rally every ally he could.

While Jiang Hao believed in the importance of unity, Zhou Yi, upon receiving his share, saw things differently. He suspected that Jiang Hao was merely trying to curry favor and put on a show.

To Zhou Yi, these were mere trinkets; the Zhou family could obtain such items in abundance. It was only those who hadn't experienced much of the world who would be so profoundly grateful for such minor benefits.

Back in the Desert Town, Jiang Hao instructed everyone to rest and integrate the items he had given them into their weapons or abilities. Meanwhile, he sought out a swift unicorn under the guidance of the town mayor.

Man and beast departed the town, swiftly making their way toward Zrishire Village.

The unicorn moved at an impressive pace, and in the blink of an eye, the Desert Town was out of sight.

Jiang Hao had expected the unicorn to run like the camels and horses of his past life, but it utilized a technique akin to skiing. The unicorn's hooves transformed into wide, long skis as it moved.

Marveling at the wonders of the Magic City, Jiang Hao employed the Wind God skill to hasten their journey.

Indeed, with this boost, the unicorn was even swifter, reaching the desert's edge in just half a day.

After maneuvering around a towering cactus, the unicorn came to a steady halt.

Jiang Hao offered it some Three Clarity Flowers, a favorite treat of unicorns, and asked it to wait for him there.

He walked a hundred meters or so, noticing the greenery becoming more abundant, a stark contrast to the unchanging yellow sand.

Looking back at the path he had traveled, he saw yellow and green lines, seemingly unrelated yet nestled closely together, each presenting a distinctly different visage.

After a brief moment of surprise, Jiang Hao calmly departed from the strikingly different landscape.

His purpose here was to slay monsters and rescue people, not to take in the sights.

Continuing on his way, Jiang Hao came across a cluster of houses.

The size of the dwellings suggested that Zrishire Village might be inhabited by normal humans.

Speculating, Jiang Hao cautiously made his way into the village.

But he quickly noticed something was amiss.

The village lay in eerie silence; not a single living creature was in sight.

How could this be?

The Unicorn Village Chief had mentioned that a swift unicorn had recently been sent to exchange goods for daily necessities.

"Bang, bang, bang."

The thunderous noise caused the earth itself to tremble.

Jiang Hao steadied himself against a nearby tree, surveying his surroundings with a complex look on his face.