Dream Travel

Chapter 400 Desert Fox Girl
"Have you figured out their identities?"

"The local Dream Processing Bureau is carrying bombs that can blow this car to smithereens. Let's go kill them all!"

Lexenberg urged White Curtain on, but White Curtain shook his head: "No, I'm leaving."

Bai Mu had no intention of causing trouble for the other party. After all, the other party was a local official, and causing trouble for him could easily lead to further problems.

"Just like that?" The fragment of Luxembla was greatly dissatisfied.

"Of course not, we'll leave tomorrow." Bai Mu said with a smile, deciding to enjoy the local customs and culture of Hongsha Town today.

While strolling around here, Bai Mu discovered that the local customs and culture are quite unique.

There are many special 'shops' open to the public here, filled with young women exuding exotic charm.

"Hmm..." After a moment's thought, Bai Mu decisively turned around and went to another place.

It wasn't that he thought those exotic girls were unattractive, but rather that he didn't have a particular need for them.

Instead of looking at them, we should look at other people we haven't seen before.

He's already a Ghost Rider, how could he be tied up by something like this?

Why not find something more exciting, like wanted posters in the desert?

These things are on the notice board in Hongsha Town. Bai Mu looked at the bounties on it. Some of the bounties had turned yellow due to the local climate.

Some were newly pasted on.

"Hmm, Desert Lone Wolf? What kind of title is that... He really is a werewolf?" Bai Mu looked at a wanted poster and showed a surprised expression.

The warrant is recent, and the reason for the arrest is that the other party robbed a caravan, which is a common occurrence in the desert.

Many of them may not even make it onto a wanted list. If they do, it must involve something important.

The bounty of four million Karen coins would be roughly equivalent to five hundred thousand in the currency of the Maple Crown Republic.

The bounty was quite generous. Bai Mu looked at the other bounties and realized that, apart from some of the older ones, the latest bounties combined were not as good as this one.

There was some noise behind me, and Bai Mu moved aside and took a few photos of the notice board.

Several armed men saw what Bai Mu was holding, paused for a moment, and then continued to look at the bounty poster on the notice board without making a sound.

"Follow him."

One of them said this after the white curtain left.

The desert region is home to many caravans, but it also has other professions, such as gold prospectors, bounty hunters, and sand bandits who infiltrate towns and other areas.

Compared to normal places, the desert appears more chaotic.

“You’re being watched again.” The fragment of Lexenberg chuckled sinisterly. “I can sense that they’re full of malice towards you and interested in your woman. As soon as you leave here, something bad will definitely happen.”

Bai Mu stayed at the best hotel in Red Sand Town, which is also one of the safest areas in the town.

"The people are simple and honest."

Bai Mu shook his head, not caring much about those people. As for his women? They all seemed quite ruthless.

“I saw a good wanted poster.” Bai Mu sat back in the car and said to Esdeath inside. There was no air conditioning in the car, but Esdeath was a natural air conditioner.

He pulled up the photos from the camera.

"A lone wolf in the desert? You think you can afford that kind of income?"

"Of course I'd like to go. I don't have much money right now. It's 7,000 kilometers from the Maple Crown Republic and even further from Rota City. I need to prepare travel expenses, right?"

I just don't know if the Rota Dream Processing Bureau will reimburse me when I get back.

"It's not just that, is it?" Esdeath could see through the white curtain's insincerity.

"This bounty poster bears the seal of the local Dream Processing Bureau," Bai Mu said, pointing to a corner of the poster.

The other party stole something important from a caravan, but he didn't know what it was. However, there was no related stamp on the other bounty posters.

Afterwards, Bai Mu went to the local Bureau for the Handling of Strange Dreams.

Director Bashir said with a regretful expression, "I'm very sorry, the radio is badly damaged, and even the professional repairmen I found couldn't fix it."

However, I have already arranged for messengers to bring back the repair parts from another town as quickly as possible.

"Does that mean I'll have to wait here for a few more days?"

“It will take at least a week,” Bashir said. “During this time, the local processing authority will reimburse your accommodation and meal expenses.”

"...This news is urgent." Bai Mu's expression was troubled.

"I've already sent a messenger out tonight," Bashir assured him confidently. "The radio will definitely be fixed by then."

"Okay, I'll wait a bit longer."

That evening, Bai Mu went to Director Bashir's house, had Lexenberg ask him some information in a friendly manner, and then took a cell phone from the local Dream Processing Bureau.

This phone doesn't look like a smartphone; it's bulky and has a long antenna, making it look more like a satellite phone.

This is something that allows us to connect with the outside world.

Director Bashir did indeed send people out overnight, but the people who went out were specifically to deliver a message: the other party had connections with the demons.

It was a demon he didn't recognize.

“Your colleagues have quite a wide reach,” White Curtain and Fragments of Luxembla said as they drove.

"Isn't this normal? I say that guy should just be killed."

"Why kill him? Didn't you stuff one of those shadow bombs into his head?"

When the White Curtain asked the fragments of Lexenberg in a 'friendly' manner, the other party revealed quite a few bombshells.

They've done plenty of things like smuggling dreams and ripping off tourists.

“That’s too good for him,” said the fragment of Luxembla.

The Shadow Bomb is implanted into the mind, and then there's the bewitching influence of the Pale Light. Next, the director will try to directly contact the highest-ranking demon he can reach.

Then the shadow bomb will detonate. Its power certainly won't kill those powerful primal demons, but as long as it explodes, it will disgust those demons.

Shadow Bomb is a mental attack, an improved version of magic wielded by the nameless demon.

While demons are adept at manipulating souls, they are also skilled at ripping off their own kind.

"The people who were watching you during the day have caught up with you. What do you do with them?"

"Those people are sand bandits, right?" Bai Mu glanced into the distance; the Dream-Eroding Imperial Arm allowed him to see very far even at night.

He glanced at Esdeath: "I think their focus isn't on my camera, but on you."

“Boring.” Esdeath crossed her arms, showing little interest in the matter. “Let your alchemists handle them.”

She dealt with the sand bandits by killing them all, while Atriste dealt with these people by squeezing out their last bit of value.

“That works too.” White Curtain summoned Beatrice, then after thinking for a moment, summoned another helper for her—not Luciela, but Octavia.

This awakened being, who can transform into a horse, possesses the ability to turn his arms into tentacles.

"Another sand bandit?" After understanding the situation, Beatrice revealed a light smile: "Then I'll have to order another batch of goods."

"Don't rush to kill them. Ask them if they know anything about the Desert Lone Wolf."

“Okay.” Atresia led Octavia away.

At night, the sand bandits were already very cautious. After realizing that something was wrong, they not only did not take action, but chose to retreat instead.

However, faced with the Awakened Ones who were skilled at speeding, the sand bandits had no chance of escaping.

Bai Mu did not pursue them, but waited for news from Beatrice, who was over a hundred years old.

Her identity as an alchemist makes it easy for people to mistakenly believe that she is a 'homebody'.

In reality, Beatrice has been traveling around for many years, finding many financial backers to support her research, and she is by no means a homebody.

On the contrary, she is more shrewd in handling certain matters.

White Curtain's job was to drive around in circles to ensure that Beatrice's side didn't go beyond the weapon crate's summoning range.

Two hours later, Atreus returned with a lot of things, and Octavia's awakened body was also covered with many items.

"We've heard news about that lone wolf from the desert. He's often seen near a city called Ashra, and he's quite a well-known figure in that area."

After getting into the car, Beatrice began to recount the intelligence she had gathered.

There are many legends about the Desert Lone Wolf in the Desert Kingdom. It is said that the creature is not human and has extraordinary physical strength.

It is said to be a non-native existence from some other dream, but this has never been confirmed.

As for the other party's evaluation, opinions were mixed.

Some people think that the lone wolf in the desert is a chivalrous thief or a knight-errant, while others regard him as a complete bandit, even more despicable than the sand bandits.

The other party not only targeted caravans, but also their fellow merchants.

How far is that place from Hongsha Town?

"More than 300 kilometers."

"So far away? How are you connected?"

Atrist said with a smile, "Perhaps they followed us all the way here in order to find an opportunity to make a move. Those sand bandits don't know much about us."

After she finished speaking, she opened a bag made of animal hide, inside which were some bright red columnar crystals.

The bright red color was quite attractive. While examining the crystals, Beatrice continued to talk about other things.

"Oh, right, I also learned something special. There's a 'Desert Fox Girl' over in Eshra."

"Fox girl... what?" Bai Mu was slightly taken aback, wondering if there was any connection between them.

No, if it were Chinese, they might be confused at first glance when arranged together, but the text in both Rota City and the Desert Kingdom is clearly not Chinese.

They won't be confusing when written together.

"That's literally what it means."

"A title?"

Beatrice shook her head: "It's jokingly called that there's a 'half-orc' over there who's related to foxes. I don't know when that name came about."

"Is this some kind of way to humiliate that Lone Wolf?" This was the possibility that Bai Mu had in mind.

Beatrice smiled and asked the white curtain, "Want to go take a look?"

"What's the route?" Bai Mu wanted to go directly to Karen, the capital of the desert kingdom. No matter where you are, once you're in the capital, things tend to go well.

There's an airport over there, so he could take a plane back quickly, but due to the limitations of this world, the tickets are very expensive.

"Take a detour."

“Then let’s go,” Bai Mu said decisively.

This time, White Curtain had Beatrice drive, and none of them discussed the matter of the sand bandits.

Bai Mu had no intention of staying in Red Sand Town for long. He had no interest in the hidden stories surrounding the town or the grudges between the sand bandits.

Eshra is a unique desert city with underground caves; half of the city is above ground, and the other half is built upon underground caves.

When Bai Mu drove here, he wasn't even subjected to much scrutiny; the authorization certificate from the processing bureau played a significant role at this time.

"Are there any special rules here?" Bai Mu specifically asked the guards when entering the city.

"No, it's just like any other city. Just don't break the local laws."

The guard patiently explained to the white curtain that Eshra, as a large desert city, attracts quite a few people every day.

This area is rich in desert iron ore, and the local forging techniques are also excellent.

In addition, it is also a special desert gambling city. All these factors combined make Eshra quite famous.

Bai Mu has an authorization certificate from the Bureau of Processing. Although it's not from the Desert Kingdom, no ordinary person can obtain such a thing, and the guards won't treat Bai Mu as an ordinary tourist.

Besides, aren't people with such certificates considered experts in the field of alternate dreams?
There are also strange dream incidents to deal with in Eshra. If White Curtain comes here, she might even be received by the local handling bureau.

"Thank you very much." Bai Mu thanked him and drove into the city.

Eshra has excellent greenery, including plants that don't belong in the desert. If you stay in the city and don't look outside, you won't think it's a desert city.

Upon arriving here, Bai Mu immediately inquired about transportation-related information.

"There's an airport here. Don't you think our previous plan was foolish?"

“It’s my fault,” Beatrice said immediately.

She didn't know much about the desert kingdom; her last contact with it was thirty years ago.

No matter how well this place develops, environmental issues cannot be ignored.

She didn't like the desert environment, so she didn't intend to come here to have much contact with anything.

There probably wasn't an airport here back then...

"Let's get to know this city first, at least so we can get the money for the plane tickets."

Beatrice glanced at the backpack she was carrying, which contained the life crystals she had refined using life alchemy.

This thing is a replica of the Philosopher's Stone that she made, but it can't compare to the original, and she didn't even have comprehensive information about it.

The finished products are often misrepresented, but even so, these crystallizations of life have a great advantage in terms of portability.

Moreover, this substance can be a high-quality additive when used in biological modification through life alchemy.

For example, when it comes to extending the lifespan of certain clients, the addition of this product can make the process much more efficient, but she generally doesn't do that.

If wealthy customers can easily get what they want, then she will find it difficult to get what she wants.

For those doing business with these things, the cost of airfare is nothing to Bai Mu.

However, White Curtain's true intentions were not what they seemed, so Beatrice wisely refrained from reminding him.

Let Bai Mu do whatever he likes in this city.

"Desert Fox Girl? If Desert Lone Wolf hears you say that, you'll be in trouble." In the tavern, a customer, seeing the drinks Bai Mu had bought, proactively reminded Bai Mu.

As for extorting money from him, he was a regular customer of the tavern and had a keen eye for such things.

Putting aside the strong, muscular silhouette beneath the white-clad clothes, the sheer size of the large suitcase he carried with such ease indicated that he was not someone to be trifled with.

"I just want to learn more about this 'Desert Fox Girl'."

The customer finished the drink that Bai Mu had offered in one gulp and smacked his lips.

"Another drink, please," Bai Mu called to the bartender.

"Then it's not the Desert Fox Girl. It's just something people from outside the city spread after hearing some unreliable rumors," the drinker said, talking about the Desert Fox Girl.

This title was given to the lone wolf of the desert, a solitary figure whose reputation is mixed, and who also has enemies.

Lone wolves are always easy targets, and the desert lone wolf is not stupid. When faced with targeted traps, the opponent will directly avoid those traps and not fall for them.

Then his enemies got anxious and angrily cursed the Desert Lone Wolf as some kind of Desert Girl. As the story spread, some people started to link the incident to a 'half-orc' in Ashra.

Rumors can spread as long as they satisfy some people's psychological need to watch the excitement and have fun.

Over time, "Desert Fox Girl" became the name used by Lone Wolf's enemies to attack him.

Of course, there is indeed a 'fox girl' in Eshra, who is a resident of the desert city who is inexplicably associated with her.

"Is she dangerous?" Bai Mu sensed the apprehension in the drinker's words.

"It's not exactly dangerous, it's just very abnormal." The drinker put down his empty glass.

Bai Mu didn't call a waiter this time; the drinks he bought weren't cheap.

The drinker didn't want to continue, but when he saw the white screen looking at someone else, he immediately said, "A half-orc, and one that, apart from its ears and tail, has virtually no wild animal characteristics. This is an extremely rare 'commodity'."

The drinker described the 'Desert Fox Girl' as someone with fox ears and a tail, whose appearance perfectly matched human aesthetics.

The beast-like aspects are all pluses, as the other party lives alone in the desert city of Eshra.

It's worth noting that besides being rich in iron ore and having excellent forging techniques, the biggest industry in this desert city is gambling.

The fact that this is involved means that the distribution of power here is not so simple.

If those 'half-orcs' didn't have something special about them, they would have been in trouble long ago.

However, the other party was able to stay there unharmed for a long time, and the local residents eventually got used to it.

No matter how special the other person is, it has nothing to do with most people, and paying attention to them won't make your life any better.

However, due to rumors, many people in this desert city still know about this 'Desert Fox Girl'.

They just didn't dare say it openly, since that term was quite appropriate for the other person.

A humanoid fox girl, living in a desert kingdom.

But it's best to just keep this to yourself. If you actually say it out loud and the lone wolf of the desert comes knocking on your door, you'll be laughing all the way to the bank.

The lone wolf of the desert is a "ruthless bandit" whose reputation is mixed.

"That orc occasionally sells amulets and the like, but not many, and the prices are acceptable."

After finishing his sentence, the customer stared longingly at the white screen.

He has already told everyone he knows, so even if Bai Mu doesn't invite him to drink anymore, no one else should try to get a free drink from Bai Mu using 'exclusive information'.

"Another drink, please," Bai Mu called to the waiter.

The waiter walked over and rolled his eyes at the customer: "Sir, I know all the things you want to know, and all you have to do is buy me a drink."

"Xiao Cui, you can't do this!" the patron cried out, but then chuckled, "Besides, our deal is already done."

Bai Mu smiled and said to the waitress, "Two drinks, please."

As for whether the bartenders are allowed to drink during working hours, White Curtain doesn't care.

He already knows the information he wants to know, but as for information about the Desert Lone Wolf, it's obvious that he can't get it from him here.

The apprehension displayed by the drinker indicated that the other party was unwilling to discuss the main character, Desert Lone Wolf, further.

"One last question, her name?"

"I don't know, she's very mysterious about her name." The drinker shook his head; he had no interest in the desert fox woman.

Apart from their mysterious name, the other party made no attempt to conceal anything else.

If you're lucky, you might even bump into someone while you're out in the city.

The desert fox girl in the desert city is someone who looks like a child.

"Ashera also had a deliberate intention in conveying this name," the waitress named Xiao Cui whispered to Bai Mu after accepting the drink he offered.

"Attracting tourists?"

"Aren't you also curious about this?" Xiao Cui asked Bai Mu.

Actually, I'm more curious about the lone wolf in the desert... Bai Mu muttered to himself, but the information the drinker had given him made him genuinely curious about the matter.

But curiosity aside, the important things still need to be done.

Before Bai Mu could even enter the house with the intelligence, he discovered that there were people inside!
Esdeath and Beatrice were in the hotel room he booked.

But neither of them can be considered alive now.

The white curtain opened the door directly, and the first thing you saw was a little girl who was less than 1.3 meters tall, with fair skin, white hair, and delicate features like a doll, sitting upright in a chair.

She wore a veil that covered her fox ears, and the white veil covering her tail was not visible, so it must have been hidden.

"What's going on?" Bai Mu looked at Beatrice.

“She said she was looking for you.” Beatrice put on an innocent expression. When the other party came to her door, Beatrice’s first thought was to silence her.

They were unfamiliar with the place and people, and suddenly someone came to their door, and seemed quite abnormal—that was a potential problem.

Furthermore, Atreus herself was also interested in 'orcs'.

If Bai Mu feels it's a pity to kill them, she can still use life alchemy to deal with it.

However, the other party immediately saw through her malicious thoughts.

That's not important; what's important is that Beatrice realized she couldn't beat her.

Esdeath had no intention of making a move, so the other party became a 'guest' here.

At present, it is certain that Beatrice is a dreamer.

But she didn't know why they would come to her on their own initiative.

Bai Mu has only been in this city for less than half a day and has barely had any contact with anyone else.

"Looking for me?" Looking at the white-haired, fox-eared girl, Bai Mu sensed something was amiss.

(End of this chapter)