27 Zhoukou

Karan and his party for ready to start their mission. All of them had gathered at the main gate.

Esha started sleeping at Jiwon's residence for training and Karan is not going to be here for a few days.

Since Esha was not there, Karan had spent his night paying his friends' debts to the receptionist that had come at the night at his place.

To reach mount Hua, all of them had to first go to town Zhoukou. Then it's a day of travel to get to Mount Hua. Mount Hua was the mountain in the mountain range that separated the two continents, Daguo and Aryavarta.

"We will depart to Zhoukou now. I hope you guys are prepared." Karan announced.

"Let's do it. We are the future inner disciples." All the three guys said in the tandem.

Jingjie, one of the three guys, was an obese and unsightly guy. He was the tallest among the three. Even though men and women are better looking compared to the Earth, he was one of the ugliest men existing.

Hui, the second guy, had nothing unique about his appearance. He was always daydreaming and can't get the hang of a situation properly. He was the idiot one of the group.

Last but not the least, Bowen, was a hard-working guy as he managed to join a sect even though his family is dirt poor. His poverty can be seen from his tattered clothes.

All three under the leadership of Karan are going to get the Spirit Hogweed.

They took a carriage and departed for Zhoukou.

*********

Karan and the group reached Zhoukou. It was already evening so

Zoukou looked like a decent-sized Chinese town. People were going on their lives as usual.

It was already evening so the group decided to rest.

"Any one of you is familiar with this town?" Karan asked.

"Yeah, I came here one time with my father," Jungjie replied.

"Very well. For now, we will split and gather some information about Spirit Hogweed." Karan said. "We will meet here in the morning."

Everyone nodded and left.

Karan took out a locket from his pocket that was given by Piyu, whom he killed in the forest.

'I should atone for my sins.' Karan thought as he put the locket in his pocket back.

Karan walked towards a nearby inn in hopes of getting some information.

He opened the door as he entered an inn. A lot of guys were eating and drinking inside. Most of them were looking like adventurers.

Karan sat on a table and ordered a drink.

There was a particular group of fifteen and so that was sticking out like a sore thumb. They were some shabby hoods to hide their identities but idiots don't know that they attracting everyone's attention.

Karan's chair was close to a couple of them so he could hear them talk.

"Does the leader thought any plan to counter those flying beasts?" One of the guys asked the other one.

"Leader said to recruit more for our party as there is protection in numbers." The other guy replied. "But almost all of in this town are scared to go to that mountain."

"Right. We need to lure a lot more until tomorrow morning." The guy said and they continued talking.

Karan completed his drink and left the inn. He crossed paths with Jungjie there.

"Hey Hui, I got a task for you," Karan called to him.

"Huh... What is it?" Jungjie asked.

"There's some hooded guys inside this inn. They too are going to the mountain. I want you to get all four of us in their group for a while." Karan said.

Jungjie nodded and went inside the inn.

Karan went on his way to visit the town lord.

*********

*KNOCK* *KNOCK*

Karan reached a fairly large house that was owned by the town lord.

The door opened and a man in his fifties with droopy eyes came forward.

"Who are you?" The man asked with a heavy voice.

"I'm Karan. I met Piyu when he was taking his last breath. I take it that you are his father?" Karan introduced himself.

"Oh! You know Piyu. I'm indeed his father. Please come inside." Piyu's father welcomed Karan inside his house.

He took Karan to the guest room and asked him to seat. Karan sat on a sofa.

"Let me call Piyu's mother too." The man said. "She will be happy to meet you."

Karan nodded and waited while the man went and brought a woman with her.

The woman had a voluptuous body and a mature face. She looked in her late-thirties. Like Piyu's father, she too had a depressed look on her face.

The man introduced Karan to the woman as Piyu's friend. The woman also sat on the sofa a little farther away from Karan.

"When I met Piyu he gave me this locket and asked me to give it to you." Karan pulled the locket from his pocket and handed it to the mother.

When the mother opened the locket her tears couldn't stop and she broke out crying. Piyu's father gave her a slight hug to calm her down.

"I'm... sorry." Piyu's mother said to Karan.

"She is depressed since we got the news about the death of our son." Piyu's father said. "And today's his birthday too so her emotions are overflowing."

"I can't understand you as I have never lost someone close to me but I can still emphasize." Karan put his hand on her shoulder to console her.

Piyu's mother nodded as she cleaned her tears from her pretty face.

"I'm proud of him since he died fighting valiantly for his dreams." She said proudly but still, there was some sadness.

Karan smiled.

"Oh... I have some official work in the town so I have to go now." Piyu's father suddenly remembered.

Karan and Piyu's mother nodded. The father left leaving the two alone.

"I didn't know him well but I think it's my duty to worry about his parents like a friend," Karan said to Piyu's mother.

She nodded as one more time tears trickled from her eyes remembering her son.

"Don't cry." Karan spread his arms giving her invitation to lean in which she did.

They both ended in a hug.

Karan moved his hands over her hourglass body. She was ignorant about this and was not thinking about anything naughty her body was heating up from inside.