Chapter 85: Chapter85-Talcavano

[Talcavano, Blazing Plains]

Traveling westward, through the Deep Forest, John and his companions found themselves in an endless desert, stretching beyond the horizon.

The scorching heat created waves of mirage in the air, engulfing John and his party.

Even as seasoned players, they suffered from dehydration and heatstroke debuffs. Elaria, in particular, was weakened to an extreme.

"I can't take it anymore, John. I'm really going to die of heat. Isn't there anything we can do to cool down? Look at Qing, he's stripped down to just shorts and is still baking like a dog!"

"It's pointless. Our gear won't change our body temperature. No matter how much we strip, we'll still be hot. To cool down, we need to reach Talcavano City."

If there was one map John despised the most, apart from Spartonia, it was definitely Talcavano.

The former was merely uncomfortable due to its aggressive customs and rough ways, but the latter was an all-encompassing nightmare for John.

The endless sandstorms, the blazing sun, the boundless desert, and the extreme temperature swings between day and night made it the most torturous environment John had ever encountered, bar none.

Yet, within Talcavano lay a rare legendary item, making John's journey there unavoidable. He had no choice but to press on.

"Hang in there a little longer. We're almost there."

John exhaled deeply and took a water pouch from his backpack, handing it to Elaria.

Without hesitation, Elaria grabbed the pouch and drank deeply, her cracked lips and overheated body finally finding some relief.

"Just two more hours, and we'll be there."

In the distance, shrouded by the swirling sandstorms, the faint outline of a city emerged.

Nestled in the heart of the desert, Talcavano awaited.

As the only major settlement in the desert, almost all players and NPCs congregate here.

Due to the extreme temperatures and the abundance of mineral resources, this place has become a haven for the dwarves and a paradise for all forging enthusiasts.

Here, you can find any material you desire and forge any weapon or armor you can imagine.

In his past life, John came here and commissioned a legendary dwarven master to craft a scale armor that helped him conceal his presence, making him almost invisible.

"The outside world... it's nothing like I imagined!" Elaria bit her lip lightly. As the queen of the elves, she had never experienced such a harsh environment.

"This is just the beginning. There are snowy mountains, oceans, and even the underground world. There's so much you haven't seen yet. Isn't that the point of traveling? To explore every corner of the world, leaving your own footprints, and finally, to climb Mount Olympus."

They arrived at a tavern, and after some thought, John rented six rooms.

He had originally considered having the three men share a room while the women each had their own, but it felt inconvenient. So, he rented six rooms to ensure some privacy.

"By the way, Lily, which city are you in? How much food do you have left after all this time? If you don't mind, why not come and join us? Helena and Exiled Immortal are here too."

"It's okay, Johnny. I still have enough food for a while, and... for some reasons, I can't leave just yet."

"No worries, just let me know when you're ready. How about you, Qing? Do you still have food? Why not come over and join me so we can look out for each other."

"I don't mind, John. Which city are you in? If it's not too far, I could probably get there in three to five days."

"I'm in Riverside."

Hearing this, Qing pondered for a moment, then grinned and said, "That's not too far. I'll log off tomorrow and head your way."

"No need for that. With a Targeted Teleportation Scroll, you can be here in the blink of an eye."

John rolled his eyes and then looked over at Elaria.

"I wonder if you can come to our world. But then again, there's not much to see. After the disaster, it's mostly ruins."

During their journey to Talcavano, John had gradually explained their identities to Elaria, including the fact that they didn't belong to this world and the catastrophe that had happened outside.

This revelation had quite an impact on Elaria's worldview.

"Even if it's ruins, I still want to see it with my own eyes. The steel jungles, the iron horses, and the giant birds soaring through the sky—what kind of sight must that be?"

...

Calia City had become increasingly unsettled lately.

Out of nowhere, a large number of counterfeit items had surfaced: second-class change stones, antidotes, HP potions, and more, even resulting in numerous deaths.

Yet no one knew who was behind these counterfeits.

The craftsmanship was so convincing that even appraisals couldn't detect any flaws; only after using them did people realize they had no effect.

was one of the victims.

He had spent a hefty sum of forty thousand on a second-class change stone, only to discover it was just a worthless piece of rock, fueling his rage instantly.

As a result, trust among players in Calia City plummeted to an all-time low.