Chapter 130: The Visitor from Afar

The torrential rain poured down.

The carriage galloped along the muddy road, kicking up a spray of sludge in its wake.

"The rain is getting heavier."

Gazing at the dense, dark clouds outside the window, Jan sighed. He retracted his gaze, closed his eyes, and leaned back against the soft sofa-like seat. Although the biting cold wind outside the carriage occasionally snuck through the gaps, the warm radiance emitted by the magic crystal suspended from the carriage ceiling easily dispelled the chill.

Jan had purchased this magical carriage from the Demon Realm through Clarice before leaving Storm City, at a cost of a full one hundred thousand gold coins.

Unlike ordinary carriages, which forced passengers to endure constant jolts, this carriage was crafted entirely by magic. It was drawn by tall steeds possessing the bloodline of nightmares, their hooves fitted with special horseshoes that allowed them to move with great speed. The balance runes etched into the wheels allowed the carriage to travel smoothly even on the most treacherous terrain. The spacious cabin could accommodate four people; the seats were upholstered in soft, comfortable velvet and covered with thick furs. The magic crystal hanging from the ceiling not only illuminated the dim interior but also emitted enough heat to ward off the frigid night air. Furthermore, the entire exterior of the carriage was coated with a magical barrier capable of repelling malicious attacks and ambushes.

That was why Jan could remain leisurely in the cabin, enjoying a level of comfort comparable to a high-speed train, even as thunder roared and rain lashed down outside. However, such luxury came at an extremely high price. Magical carriages were not something just anyone could afford; due to the expensive materials and the vast amount of time and energy required to craft them, the production cost was astronomical. While one hundred thousand gold coins might not sound like much, in the main plane, it was hard to say if many minor lords even brought in five thousand gold coins in annual tax revenue. If converted to Earth standards, it would be enough to buy a small private jet without issue.

However, Jan was not short of money now. He had seized the entire wealth of Menzoberranzan, and he currently had more money than he could ever spend. Because of this, Jan had uncharacteristically begun to live extravagantly. Of course, beyond the carriage, he and Clarice had reached an agreement in principle regarding the hiring of ten maids of elven descent to serve as his assistants in the main plane.

The only reason the two sides had not yet finalized the deal—cash on delivery—was that Clarice insisted these maids were only responsible for Jan’s daily care. If Jan required other services, such as warming his bed, killing enemies, or eavesdropping on intelligence, it would cost extra. Jan, who loathed this "base game plus DLC" approach, strongly demanded that everything be bundled together, and he also insisted on a discount. Clarice clearly could not accept these terms, so the two parties had temporarily shelved the transaction to be discussed at a later date.

Enoa had not accompanied Jan to the Eagle Plateau; Verna was currently taking over Brandon Stone City. Jan needed Enoa to keep an eye on the dungeon. In truth, life in Brandon Stone City was not easy right now. There was no need to mention the death of Kadok; during the battle with the Temple, the grey dwarf warriors had also suffered heavy casualties under the bombardment of Patilina’s artillery. Because of this, they had put up almost no resistance when Verna descended with over thirty dark elves to take over the city—coupled with those Xenomorph minions, the grey dwarves knew exactly what choice they had to make.

In any case, it was not as if the grey dwarves had never been slaves to other races; they could be considered quite practiced at the profession.

Jan had already decided that once he established a forward base on the surface, he would return to the main city to resume his path of summoning to expand his army. His population cap had increased after the dungeon reached level four, but the Xenomorphs were true population-killers; they had immediately devoured his entire allowance for "special biological" units. Now, the number of these Xenomorphs had reached one hundred, which could be considered the backbone of Jan’s dungeon forces.

Unfortunately, not a single Xenomorph Queen had evolved among them yet, meaning he could not even control their population growth.

Thinking of this, Jan could not help but shake his head. Just then, a slightly curious inquiry reached his ears from Ilis.

"Is there a problem, Master?"

"Nothing, Ilis. I just think the methods of certain idiots are far too foolish."

Hearing Ilis’s question, Jan looked up and glanced at Ilis and Bix, who were sitting opposite him. After a few days of life on the surface, the former seemed to have completely adapted to everything there, while the latter still remained somewhat uneasy. However, Bix was doing slightly better than a puppy that had lost its owner. Perhaps because the dense clouds blocked out the sky, the little one was much calmer than before.

"How is your situation?"

Hearing Jan’s inquiry, Ilis froze for a moment before nodding hurriedly.

"It’s alright, Master. I have become mostly familiar with the fluctuations of magic on the surface. I shouldn’t experience any more spellcasting errors..."

As she spoke, Ilis’s voice grew much quieter, and she finally lowered her head with a flushed face, stealing glances at the man before her. It was no wonder Ilis felt this way; previously, while testing spells, she had attempted to open an interdimensional portal. Because she had not mastered the surface’s magical fluctuations, the spell went awry, turning the intended summoning into a self-immolation spell—fortunately, because the magic level was too low, it only burned away her clothes and did not cause her any real harm.

Or, strictly speaking, it would be more accurate to say it caused no physical harm.

"Take your time. It is a troublesome process, but once you are accustomed to it, your grasp of magic will reach a new level."

Noticing Ilis’s state, Jan did not say much else, offering only a few words of comfort. Unlike Ilis, Jan’s magic came from the dungeon system and followed a simple, brutal path. The differences in magic between the surface and the Underdark were, in Jan’s view, no problem at all.

"Hiss————!!"

Just then, a crisp neigh sounded from outside, piercing through the thick veil of rain and reaching Jan’s ears. Hearing this, Jan reached out and gently adjusted his glasses.

They had arrived.

When Jan’s carriage entered Passus, it inevitably caused a commotion. At first, the dutiful militia, seeing a carriage with no driver, wondered if it was a runaway vehicle. But soon, their attention was drawn to the carriage’s luxurious, elegant patterns and motifs. Before the guards could recover, the carriage plunged into the town amidst the pouring rain. The startled militiamen hurriedly rushed forward, fearing that the seemingly uncontrolled carriage might crash into something in the town.

To the surprise of the militiamen, the carriage did not careen wildly as they had expected. Instead, it gradually slowed down and came to a stop in front of the inn at the center of town.

It was already evening, and due to the heavy rain, most people had returned home to rest. However, there were still quite a few people whiling away the time in the tavern. The appearance of such an extraordinarily luxurious carriage immediately drew their attention. Their enthusiasm was not dampened by the downpour; the guests poured out of the tavern, staring curiously at the carriage. To them, this pure white carriage, without a speck of mud and emitting a soft magical glow, seemed as if it had descended from the heavens—so beautiful it was intoxicating.

It was not until the tavern owner rushed over and loudly shooed away the drunken patrons that the crowd dispersed, though they still lingered under the eaves, watching the carriage with curious eyes.

Under the gaze of the crowd, the carriage door slowly opened.

Jan stepped out, squinting his eyes to look around. The carriage’s magical barrier formed a perfect shield, blocking the torrential rain. Seeing Jan step out, the tavern owner hurriedly rushed over, greeting him with a face full of smiles.

"G-Greetings, noble guest. Welcome to the Sweet Wine and Honey Inn. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Prepare two guest rooms for us. They must be clean, with brand-new sheets and utensils. Make sure they are well-kept. Also, prepare some fruit wine, warm. Bring out the best food you have; if you can satisfy me, you will be well rewarded."

Hearing the owner, Jan scanned him and then tossed out a gold coin. Upon catching the coin, the owner’s face immediately broke into an ecstatic smile.

"Of, of course, guest! Please, follow me. I will prepare the best rooms here for you..."

With money leading the way, everything else was easily handled. To welcome this noble guest, the owner chased all the drunken louts home. He then ordered his servants to quickly clean the tables to provide the best environment for Jan and his party. Of course, he did not forget to kick his fat wife’s backside, ordering her and their equally barrel-shaped daughter to go tidy up the rooms.

"Please rest assured, noble guest. We will prepare the most sumptuous dinner for you. It is the blueberry harvest season, and I think you will surely enjoy the blueberry wine. By the way, we also have roasted venison and fresh, succulent salmon. I guarantee it will satisfy you all..."

While rubbing his hands together to usher Jan and the others to their seats, the owner wore an enthusiastic smile and began to chatter incessantly, introducing Jan to the situation in Passus.

"I wonder if you all are here in Passus for a short stay, or for business? As long as it concerns Passus, there isn't anything I, Old John, don't know..."

"We are here to find someone."

Hearing the owner, Jan removed his misted glasses, wiped them gently with a velvet cloth, and spoke.

"Do you know where the Cotton Black family lives?"

"Black... Black... are you referring to the Black family?"

Faced with Jan’s inquiry, the owner frowned and recalled for a moment, then spoke with a sudden realization.

"Oh my, noble guest, you have come just in time. If you had arrived a few days later, I fear you would not have been able to find them at all."

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Jan raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"