Chapter 334

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Before, he intended to return this item to the elves when he had contact with them, but Ji Chen changed his mind halfway.

This time, giving a top-notch Merfabric was already sufficient. He could wait until the next meeting to give this item.

The carriage drove out of the embassy district and re-entered the city’s main thoroughfare.

Although it was already evening, Maple City was still bustling. The streets were brightly lit, and there was a constant flow of people, a sea of heads as far as the eye could see.

The carriage moved along a dedicated road. Suddenly, the horses neighed, and the carriage abruptly came to a stop. This startled everyone inside the carriage. Shortly after, a commotion could be heard from the front. Ji Chen furrowed his brow and opened the carriage door.

Seeing him come out, the coachman hurriedly explained, “My lord, a young girl accidentally entered the carriage lane, and 1 had to brake urgently…”

Ji Chen looked ahead and saw a girl who appeared to be a resident of Maple City. She was wearing rough clothes, and her face was freckled. She looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. She was anxiously picking up apples scattered on the ground. When she saw the adult coming out of the carriage, her face turned even paler, and her legs gave way, causing her to sit on the ground.

She recognized this type of carriage, the kind that only important figures could ride. Maple City had clear regulations that if she angered these important figures due to her own fault, she would be thrown into prison and receive twenty lashes as punishment.

Thinking of this, the girl’s face grew even paler, and she trembled all over.

“My lord, 1 didn’t mean to. Please forgive me…”

Ji Chen looked at the girl, who was now terrified and sighed. He walked over, squatted down, and picked up the scattered apples, placing them one by one into the girl’s basket. His expression was kind.

“It’s okay, I won’t hold you responsible.”

The freckled girl was stunned. “Really? You won’t have the guards arrest me and throw me in prison?”

“Of course not. Please, get up.”

With this reassuring answer, the freckled girl hesitated for a moment, then placed her hand on the one Ji Chen had extended to her. She used his help to stand up.

“It’s quite late now. You should hurry home.”

The freckled girl obediently nodded, picked up her wooden basket, took a few steps, and then stopped. She turned around, revealing a face that wasn’t particularly pretty but brimming with youthful charm. Her expression was earnest as she said to Ji Chen.

“Sir, you are a good person.”

She said this without waiting for a response and then bounced away, gradually disappearing into the streets and the crowd.

Ji Chen had a slightly bewildered expression on his face, then smiled and shook his head.

Well, he had just given a ‘good person card’ to a little girl, but it didn’t feel too bad.

This was just a small episode. Ji Chen returned to the carriage, and with the crack of a whip, the carriage continued to rumble forward.

However, what he didn’t know was that the freckled girl was now standing on the roof of a building, watching their departing carriage.

A youthful face was marred by a sinister expression, her eyes filled with endless disgust and murderous intent.

“Damn Divine Patron, you and your domain will inevitably be destroyed by us.”

“Whether it’s Divine Patrons or deities, they will all be thoroughly eradicated! This world does not belong to you!”

Maple City and Maple Harbor, as prosperous commercial zones, had no curfew at night. People thronged the streets, and industries that were dormant during the day became lively at night.

For example, a street lit with red crystal lamps. Inside and outside the shops along the street, there were young women dressed provocatively, with flirtatious and alluring expressions, some seductive, some innocent, some aloof – anything one could imagine could be found here.

Among the crowds coming and going, there were also quite a few players walking shoulder to shoulder, greeted with smiles as they were welcomed in or sent off.

The streets, which were originally filled with a dusty atmosphere, now seemed somewhat peculiar due to the presence of these casual players.

After finally arriving on the continent and in such a bustling place, Ji Chen naturally didn’t want to return to the estate just like that.

He wanted to explore, see some places, or do something interesting.

Ji Chen pondered for a moment, then opened the glass window at the front of the carriage and asked the coachman who was driving ahead.

The coachman was assigned along with the carriage by the authorities of Maple City and had been driving people around the city for years, so he was very familiar with the place. He should know of some interesting places.

If we were to make a comparison with Earth, they would be like local taxi drivers.

“Do you know of any places in Maple City or nearby that are worth visiting?”

The coachman stopped the carriage and said respectfully, “There are quite a few beautiful attractions near Maple City that are worth visiting. However, it’s getting late now, and it might not be suitable to go there. You’ll have to choose within the city or the harbor area… If you don’t mind, sir, I know of a place that you might find interesting.”

“Oh, what place is that?”

“It’s called the Black Gold District. However, there are many Lords of Glory like yourself who frequent that place, so there might be some interesting things happening there.”

Players?

Ji Chen felt somewhat interested. Since coming to this world, he hadn’t interacted with many players apart from I_Love_Black_Stockings. This was a good opportunity to see what they were like now.

“Just take me to this place.”

“Yes!”

The coachman skillfully adjusted the reins, turned the carriage around, and left the main road, heading into a side street.

Maple City was quite large, and it would take several hours to travel from one end to the other. So, if you didn’t take a carriage, it wouldn’t be possible to cover the distance in a day.

Ji Chen and his group spent more than two hours traveling from the main road to the place called the Black Gold District.

Its location was at the junction of two city walls, tucked away in a rather secluded corner near the base of the city wall.

Because of the height of the city walls, most places near the base of the walls often couldn’t receive sunlight, making these areas some of the worst positions in the city. In most cases, they were inhabited by the poor, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call them slums.

At first glance, the Black Gold District didn’t appear bustling. Most of the buildings there were only three or four stories high, and there were fewer patrolling soldiers.

Unexpectedly, this district was exceptionally neat. The ground was neatly paved, with crystal street lamps placed at regular intervals.

Even trees were planted along the streets, and the sides of the buildings were covered in ivy-like plants. In this city filled with stone and wood structures and stone-paved roads, it appeared particularly vibrant.

Most of the people here were players, with their respective units coming and going in an orderly manner.

How should he put it?

This place was quite different from the rest of Maple City.

The other parts of Maple City were undoubtedly more prosperous, but that prosperity came with a sense of suppression and tension.

The streets were bustling with well-dressed merchants and nobles, but most common residents felt somewhat oppressed, constantly busy on the streets.

Just like the freckled girl who accidentally collided with a powerful person’s carriage and then collapsed in fear.

Here, although it might not be as bustling, he could easily feel a relaxed atmosphere, full of vitality. Everything seemed to slow down a bit.

Ji Chen and his two carriages naturally attracted the attention of many players. They whispered among themselves, speculating about which local dignitary had arrived.

However, when they saw a handsome guy descending from the carriage, accompanied by an unbelievably beautiful woman who seemed like an ice queen, and followed by a dozen high-tier unit guards, their thoughts took a different turn.

They couldn’t help but wonder, was this a wealthy local young master?

Had he brought his beautiful girlfriend for a day out?

But they quickly realized that this didn’t seem like a local.

Amid their astonishment, the handsome guy, who was the envy of many, led the beautiful woman and his personal guards straight into the Black Gold District..