Langton City, a bustling city located at the border of two countries, is an essential stop on the way to the Holy Capital.

Even from the carriage, one could see a part of the prosperous city. Shielding his head, which had become groggy due to the carriage's bumps, Shao Ci widened his eyes.

Wendell, riding a horse beside him, leaned over and softly said, "Endure a bit more. We'll be there soon."

During these days of travel, Shao Ci had stayed inside the carriage. The other knights scoffed at this matter, finding it unbelievable that a so-called hero could be so delicate.

However, due to their fear of Wendell, they remained respectful and polite in his presence.

"Yeah," Shao Ci nodded, feeling a bit flustered. He didn't know how the plot would develop because, in the original story, they directly went to the Holy Capital via water.

In the typical setting of this type of game, there was no way there wouldn't be something dreadful happening in Langton City!

Shao Ci initially wanted to suggest that they take a detour to the Holy City. However, the knights, who had been on the road for days, were eager to rest. It was impossible for them to heed the words of the current hero, Shao Ci, who had little authority.

Moreover, even Shao Ci himself felt physically and mentally exhausted from these days of travel, not to mention the more than ten days spent in the cave earlier. Now, he was eager to find a place to rest, indulging in good food and drink.

—In any case, they had overcome the previous challenges; this time should be no problem!

Soon, in the evening, everyone entered Langton City.

After Wendell provided identification, they were immediately welcomed into the mansion of Count John, the city lord.

Count John, a middle-aged man, warmly received everyone, arranged accommodations within the mansion, and prepared a delicious feast in the evening, instantly invigorating the initially weary Shao Ci.

After finishing dinner, it was time to rest.

Following a servant, Shao Ci entered his room, lay on the bed, covered himself with the quilt, and, observing Wendell sitting nearby, finally realized something was amiss. He immediately spoke, "It's so late now... shouldn't we sleep?"

"I'll be sleeping in this room tonight as well," Wendell smiled slightly.

"Huh?" Shao Ci was suddenly shocked. "Is that okay?"

Wendell's attitude was very casual. "Didn't we used to sleep together before?"

"That was in the past!" Shao Ci said. "Now that we've grown up, it's not good to sleep together. Besides, we're not at home. It would be troublesome if someone saw us."

"Yeah," Wendell seemed somewhat depressed. "You've grown tired of me, haven't you?"

"It's not like that!" Shao Ci hurriedly said. "I'm just afraid it might affect your reputation!”

"W-why would I? I don't care about such things at all." Wendell sighed, gently running his fingers through Shao Ci's hair. "During the time you were away from me, I couldn't rest properly every day. Every time I closed my eyes, I wondered if you were in danger somewhere."

Shao Ci: "..." Suddenly feeling a bit guilty.

Although Wendell usually seemed invincible, he had that saintly and kind character, and he must have been worried about Shao Ci for a long time. Thinking about it, Shao Ci felt that Wendell had it tough as well.

"W-well, alright then." Under the gaze of those blue eyes with a hint of melancholy, Shao Ci finally spoke, "Let's sleep together then."

Anyway, they had been through several years like this, so sleeping together for one night wouldn't matter!

...

 Shao Ci had a strange dream.

It was in the pitch-black night, running along a small path in a city. It felt like he was urgently evading something, running hastily as if being chased. Even when exhausted, he dared not stop.

There was no light around, and even the moon had hidden behind thick clouds, making it impossible to see anyone no matter how far he went.

"Hah, hah..." Shao Ci didn't know why he was so anxious, and he found himself on a dead-end path.

No, absolutely cannot be caught... absolutely cannot turn back, turning back would mean—

He struggled to grab the rough wall in front of him, futilely trying to climb up. But for Shao Ci, whose physical strength was never great, it was an impossible task.

After a while, he felt a cold presence.

"...Gotcha," a soft laughter sounded behind him.

...

...

"!!" Shao Ci abruptly opened his eyes, feeling his heart still pounding wildly.

"Hah... hah..." Shao Ci quickly sat up, turned to see the bright light outside, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

So, it was just a dream. Shao Ci relaxed; it had been a while since he had such a nightmarish dream. Was it because of the stress from sleeping with Wendell yesterday?

Or was it... some premonition about the future plot?

Wendell walked in with breakfast, "Awake? I thought you'd sleep until noon, considering your habits."

"I'm not always like that!" Shao Ci felt his rebuttal was quite feeble.

After changing clothes and having breakfast, Shao Ci almost forgot about the nightmare he had earlier.

Count John warmly invited everyone to stay a few more days in Landon City to experience the local customs, and of course, the knights eagerly accepted. After the previous journey, who wouldn't want to rest for a few days? The other knights left the count's mansion early to enjoy the city.

Wendell wanted to take Shao Ci shopping, as he was interested in the city. Excited, Shao Ci followed him.

Landon City was indeed a bustling place, even more so than the capital.

The capital had a long history, but it was a bit too traditional. The current city was full of vitality and a lively atmosphere. The buildings were vivid and colorful, lifting one's mood just by looking at them.

On the commercial street, there were merchants from other countries selling various exotic items, attracting the attention of passersby.

Shao Ci found it fascinating, and Wendell, watching him, said, "Buy whatever you want." Money meant nothing to him; as long as Shao Ci was happy, it was enough.

After buying several things, Shao Ci suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head. He initially thought it was due to lack of rest, but as they continued, he felt more and more exhausted.

Wendell immediately noticed something was wrong with Shao Ci and wanted to take him to the temple priest for treatment. However, Shao Ci, feeling fine, persuaded him otherwise. They rested by a fountain instead.

Sitting on a bench by the fountain, Shao Ci's complexion finally improved. Looking at the pedestrians passing by, he suddenly felt something was strange.

The city seemed normal and prosperous, but he had a vague sense that something was off. It was like he could faintly perceive some magical aura, but when he focused, it disappeared.

"What is this..." Shao Ci lost interest in continuing the tour and wanted to go back to the count's mansion. However, halfway there, he was surprised.

"What's wrong?" Wendell looked at him with concern, reaching out to touch Shao Ci's forehead. "Are you sick?"

"No, no." Shao Ci shook his head, staring at the residential area next to the mansion. Something about this place looked familiar.

But he was certain he had never been here.

Where did he see this before—

Suddenly, Shao Ci's body stiffened. He remembered the dream he had the previous night.

In the dream, he was running in a dark alley in a city. Although he only glanced briefly at the surroundings, the architectural style in the dream was exactly the same as the residential area in front of him.

It seemed that the dream was not ordinary, probably related to some troublesome monster. Shao Ci immediately grabbed Wendell's hand, looked into his eyes, and with a pale face, said, "We have to talk."

How could he let the events from the dream become reality without informing the original male lead?!

After hearing Shao Ci's words, Wendell's expression turned serious. He placed a small bottle of holy water in Shao Ci's pocket, then asked him to rest while he hurriedly left.

Shao Ci instantly felt relieved. With Wendell involved, things should be resolved quickly.

It wasn't until the evening that Wendell returned. His expression was somewhat grim, and he requested to meet Count John.

Of course, Shao Ci followed. In the study, they found Count John, who seemed visibly aged compared to before.

"Is there something the Hero wishes to discuss?" Count John's smile appeared somewhat forced.

"I've already figured it out." Wendell spoke, "Since half a year ago, strange incidents have been occurring in Landon City. Many previously healthy commoners suddenly lost consciousness and never woke up. What's even stranger is that not many outsiders know about these events."

Shao Ci: "...!" It was happening, the classic RPG scenario where you had to solve problems wherever you went.

"Ah." The count sighed, "Indeed, such matters cannot be concealed from a Hero."

Then, Count John explained the situation from the beginning. Starting half Shao Ci felt he might have overthought it earlier. Most likely, the nobles avoided dangerous places like hunting grounds, preventing any risk.

"...So, as long as we eliminate these monsters, the current issue will be resolved?" 

"That's right," Count John replied, "But these monsters are extremely powerful. The city's forces are insufficient to eradicate them, only a Hero like you can kill them."

"...Me?" Shao Ci exclaimed.

Wendell calmly spoke, "Dealing with such powerful monsters will require considerable effort, and I wonder what reward Count is willing to offer."

"...?" Wendell didn't immediately agree without the Count's direct offer?

Although Wendell was a Saint Father, he wasn't blindly so. He wouldn't readily agree to such matters. Count John, wanting to expedite the resolution, promptly promised a substantial reward along with a hefty fee for confidentiality. It seemed he couldn't keep it hidden any longer.

Shao Ci estimated the combined rewards to be the annual tax revenue of Landon City. The amount made him feel breathless; having so much money would be like getting rich overnight!

Exiting the study, Wendell tousled Shao Ci's hair. "Happy? All these rewards will be for you."

"For me?" Shao Ci looked surprised.

"Of course," Wendell smiled, "It's a task you can only take on because of your Hero title, so the rewards naturally belong to you."

"But my strength is..." Shao Ci began.

"It's okay." Wendell gently assured, "It's because of you that I agreed. So, the rewards are rightfully yours."

Shao Ci wanted to refuse again, but Wendell's expression turned serious, indicating he would get upset. Shao Ci reluctantly kept quiet.

No wonder, even though Wendell wasn't in need of money, he had proposed such a request. Was it all for him?

For a moment, warmth flowed through Shao Ci's heart. "But, are you sure we can handle those monsters?"

"Of course," Wendell said indifferently, "Even if I were alone, I could handle those monsters."

The statement might sound arrogant, but judging by Wendell's strength, Shao Ci felt he was just stating a fact.

Truly reliable and dependable! Truly worthy of  the male lead!

----------------

The next day, Wendell took Shao Ci outside the city.

The other knights seemed lazy, complaining about Wendell not allowing them to enjoy the city properly. Due to the Temple's lack of confidence in Shao Ci, these knights were just trying to show off by accompanying them.

Wendell never intended to rely on them. In fact, he had been thinking of getting rid of them at some point. This time, he let them be and directly took Shao Ci toward the depths of the forest.

"Make sure to carry the holy water with you," Wendell instructed Shao Ci, "It will help you endure if you encounter monsters... but, do you really want to stay here? You could wait in a safe place."

"I can use magic too!" Shao Ci replied, "This is also related to me; how can I just stay in a safe place and wait?"

He could handle ordinary monsters, and for the most formidable ones, he had Wendell by his side. In the end, entering the forest, things unexpectedly went smoothly.

Wendell's strength was undeniable; he effortlessly dealt with most monsters, intentionally leaving one or two for Shao Ci to handle, for training purposes.

Soon, they arrived at the entrance of a cave. The magical aura here was several times denser than in the forest, making people feel a bit powerless even by standing.

If it weren't for the vial of holy water Shao Ci carried, he probably wouldn't have been able to continue walking. Yet, being in such a place, turning back was impossible.

"Hold on a bit longer," Wendell wiped the sweat off Shao Ci's forehead, "It'll be resolved soon."

"Yeah," Shao Ci nodded.

Entering the cave, they encountered large eggs that Wendell calmly burned with magic. Faced with such repulsive things, he preferred not to use his sword.

The most formidable creature in the cave was a scorpion-like monster, towering two people high, with crimson eyes and a venomous tail. It seemed challenging to handle.

Wendell asked Shao Ci to wait on the side while he cast defensive magic on himself before approaching the monster. Shao Ci, watching nervously, accidentally stepped into a pit that appeared out of nowhere, causing him to fall. The vial of holy water rolled away.

"Oh no!" Shao Ci tried to reach for it but suddenly felt a strong urge to sleep. The surroundings blurred, and despite blinking hard, his eyelids felt unbearably heavy.

... How could he fall asleep in such a place? He would definitely be in trouble!

Shao Ci bit his finger firmly, momentarily regaining clarity. He desperately tried to grab the fallen holy water, but just as he was about to touch it, he completely lost consciousness.

...

Shao Ci opened his eyes in a daze and found himself in a dimly lit city.

The scene was identical to the dream he had before. He stood up abruptly, realizing he wore only a thin shirt and pants, even barefoot.

"Is this the same place as in the dream?" Shao Ci's expression turned grim. "Could a monster alone cause all this?"

Something felt off.

Several monsters crawled out of the darkness around him, their forms shapeless except for eerie eyes fixed on Shao Ci.

Shao Ci wasn't afraid of such monsters; he had dealt with them before. However, after a few attempts, he discovered he couldn't use his mental power and magic. His face turned pale instantly.

This dream seemed to bind his mental power, and now he had no other means of defense!

The monsters approached, and Shao Ci could feel their terrifying aura. If caught, even in a dream, he might die.

Realizing this, Shao Ci didn't hesitate; he ran quickly toward the direction without monsters.

The creatures seemed to spawn endlessly, but their speed was extremely slow. Every time they seemed about to catch up, Shao Ci swiftly moved away.

Shao Ci ran tirelessly, but he couldn't escape.

This situation made Shao Ci even more nervous. His body felt cold and exhausted, and he dared not stop, even if stepping on sharp stones with his bare feet.

After an unknown amount of time, his chest felt like it was about to burst, and his feet were covered in blood. Even if he wanted to give up, the approaching coldness stimulated him, preventing him from stopping.

It felt as if the creature manipulating this dream was intentionally toying with him.

Yes, Shao Ci understood. Typically, antagonists played with others like a cat toying with a mouse before delivering the final blow. He didn't expect to encounter such a situation so soon!

"Damn it... Ha... Ugh..." Shao Ci gasped continuously. His body was nearing its limit, and with every step, the cold that enveloped him prevented him from giving up.

Suddenly, he tripped and fell to the ground. No matter how hard he tried, Shao Ci couldn't get up. His body lacked strength, and he could only lie on the ground, gasping for air.

At this moment, Shao Ci was on the verge of despair. However, contrary to expectations, the monsters did not seize him.

"Huh?" Shao Ci, curious about the situation, attempted to lift himself to see what was happening.

Then, he heard footsteps approaching.