Naturally, Zane was faster than word could spread. The guy could travel faster than sound after all. Although he seldom liked to do so because breaking the sound barrier caused a lot of noise and would thus bring him a lot of attention. Still, mach 1 was at 767 miles per hour, so if he travelled at 766 miles per hour he was in the clear.
And besides, sprinting at 766 miles per hour, across a distance of less than 50 miles away from the settlement was a damn near instant sprint. Because of that, he ended up right in front of his destination before he even broke a sweat.
Once Zane was standing in front of the settlement, the guards immediately recognized him. He had only been there a day at the most, and yet it was a kind of difficult to forget such a distinctive-looking human being. Especially if he was a foreigner, who nobody had seen around these parts in years.
Since he had paid his dues via the entry fee to the settlement upon first entering, and had yet to cause any problems, they opened the gates and waved him on in. Where once more Zane was introduced to a scene straight out of a cultivation novel.
He wasn't exactly sure how this settlement had been built, but it looked like it was designed to mimic the sects he had seen in manhua throughout the years. Obviously, he did not understand the depth to which one was capable of using the settlement management feature these days.
For a person who controlled a settlement, removing the buildings of the old world, and creating new buildings to replace them was like playing a city builder video game. It had evolved into a very advanced and complex system where one could even alter the terrain.
Because of this, Zane felt woefully out of place. As everyone around him was dressed in armor and clothing which mimicked the setting of an eastern fantasy novel, while he himself looked like an assassin straight out of a western RPG.
No doubt attracting looks with every passing step because of this difference in aesthetic. The world had changed so much over the past few years that Zane barely recognized it. Especially when he considered that this small eastern fantasy "city" existed within the boundaries of the ruins of the old world's Beijing.
Zane grabbed the cup from Gwen's hand, which she was about to sip on, and drank it himself. He was quick to stare her directly in the eyes, which naturally caused the young horde king to avert her own gaze as he questioned her boldness.
"And who pray tell said you could drink alcohol while I'm out slaying a legendary monster?"
Zane then flicked the girl's forehead with his finger. Where he was immediately set upon the owner of the establishment. Who was quick to mock Zane for "lying about his strength"
"Come back empty-handed have we? It's okay tough guy, many men have boasted about their ability to slay the legendary Lake Monster of Houhai all by themselves, but you're the first to return with your life intact.
If you didn't piss your pants and run away in fright like a little girl, then I suppose surviving your attempt is proof enough of your skill. But why don't you appear injured? You wouldn't perhaps need a change of pants now would you?"
Zhao Qiu had an expression that was so smug Zane felt an innate compulsion to slap her across the face. But he chose to restrain himself as he simply sighed and fetched the head of the monster in his inventory. Which he quickly dropped on the table. Smashing it beneath his weight as he did so.
In doing this, he caused everybody within the vicinity to damn near soil themselves as the massive head of the legendary Houhai Lake Monster had suddenly appeared before them. As for Zhao Qiu, she stared in disbelief for a long time in silence.
First as the monster, and then at Zane who appeared completely and totally unscathed even after killing such a powerful monster entirely by himself. She had every urge to go back in time and revoke her repeated provocations to Zane as she decided whether or not she should actually introduce the man to the group which called themselves the Divine Sword Sect.