Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

The messenger system is now activated.

[Ding! Weekly Commission - Send a Letter has been updated]

[Content: Escorting 54 letters home through the Black Magic Forest and the Aldor Canyon to reach the city of Kalan.]

[Deliver the letter to each designated recipient]

[Route: New Testament City → Black Magic Forest → Aldor Canyon → Karan City]

[Time Limit: 14 calendar days]

[Contract completion criteria: Acceptance rate exceeds 70%]

[Basic Reward: Each letter rewards 1 random beginner-level spell]

[Bonus: Slightly increases magical control precision and maximum mana (varies based on distance traveled)]

[Risk Warning: The area you are passing through has a demon activity rate as high as 53%, and there are rumors that legendary demons are lurking in it.]

[It is strongly recommended to pass by quietly and without making a sound]

May every longing travel through the darkness and reach the other shore.

Lin Gui stood there, stunned, as the glow of the system panel slowly faded from his eyes.

The cold, electronic voice stirred up a storm in his heart.

There was no ecstasy or excitement as I had expected.

A deep-seated, almost untouchable longing quietly surfaced.

His voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

That was the thrill of finally seeing a glimmer of hope after a long period of loneliness.

"System... can you take me home?"

【...】

[We apologize, but your physical body in the original world has died.]

"So... it still can't be done?"

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of Lin Gui's mouth, and his eyes instantly dimmed.

The newly ignited flame of hope was mercilessly extinguished.

Once upon a time, he was a shut-in who was obsessed with anime and manga.

Poetic landscapes, magnificent magic, and exhilarating swordsmanship.

A giant dragon soaring through the sky, a beautiful spirit.

He was transported to another world and encountered a beautiful girl.

Dominate the world in another world and begin a legendary life like a dragon overlord.

He had many fantasies about what it would be like to travel to another world.

But the hammer of reality is cold and cruel.

The underlying tone of this world is filth, disorder, and poverty.

Ubiquitous injustice, class, discrimination, and a deep-seated moral decay.

Exploited commoners, arrogant nobles, profit-driven adventurers...

There's no adventurous life worth reminiscing about, only two-legged beasts living for profit.

His illusions were shattered, leaving him alone to struggle in this quagmire.

The only thing that could offer him any solace was perhaps the dazzling magic.

"So, does that mean I'm going to stay in this damn post-apocalyptic city-state world...?"

Lin Gui gripped his staff tightly, then finally put it down with a bitter expression.

【...】

[The host does not need to be overly sad.]

Please believe that as long as you keep moving forward...

One day, the 'letter' in your heart will transcend time and space to reach the person you long to see.

His pupils contracted slightly; those words were like a ray of light shining into his frozen heart.

Lin Gui let out a soft breath, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

A very slight, yet genuine smile appeared on his face.

That was the first genuine smile I'd given in ten years.

The saleswoman at the counter next to her happened to catch a glimpse of that smile and instinctively covered her mouth in surprise.

The indifferent "Cold-Faced Mage" Lord Lin Gui actually... smiled?!

"I'll accept this commission."

Lin Gui's voice returned to calm, but with a hint of vitality.

"Also, could you please temporarily return all these envelopes to each of the principals?"

"Huh? Why...why?"

The saleswoman didn't react for a moment, her eyes wide open.

"Let them write down what they want to say, since this is a rare opportunity."

Lin Gui pulled out a pitifully thin stack of envelopes from behind the order board and handed them over.

Each letter was light and flimsy, containing only a thin sheet of yellow paper.

Clearly, the commissioners were afraid of writing too much.

It could become the final straw that breaks the adventurer's patience, incurring the adventurer's displeasure.

These 54 letters fit comfortably in one envelope, easily fitting into a pocket.

"Tell them to write until they run out of things to say. I'll come to collect the letter in two days."

He waved his hand, left enough deposit, and turned to walk out of the guild hall.

My steps were much lighter than when I arrived.

The sky outside was still overcast, but Lin Gui felt a long-lost, inexplicable sense of comfort.

He looked up at the sky, as if he had finally found the meaning of his existence in this world.

However, this sense of ease...

The moment he stepped into the slums, he was quickly overwhelmed by the weight of reality.

Along the streets, emaciated children huddled in cold corners, their eyes vacant and numb.

A woman knelt by the roadside, a wooden sign that read "Selling Oneself" hanging on her chest swaying slightly with her trembling.

Withered fingers gripped the tattered hem of his clothes tightly.

Not far away, several veterans with broken legs lay prostrate on the ground.

He stretched out his broken bowl towards passersby, inside which lay a few dirty copper coins.

The sounds of fighting and heart-wrenching screams echoed from the alley.

Two gaunt men were fighting tooth and nail over half a moldy piece of bread, their heads bleeding profusely.

Lin Gui subconsciously lowered the brim of his hat and quickened his pace.

He was so familiar with these scenes that they had almost become part of his physical instincts.

Once upon a time, he was one of them.

Until it was in that stinking garbage can.

Turn to that incomplete basic magic meditation book that changed my destiny.

In this dark age, isolated by high walls, the class divide was as insurmountable as a chasm.

The pocket money that a nobleman slips through his fingers is enough to drive adventurers to risk their lives for him.

A single gold coin commissioned by an adventurer might be enough for a poor family to live on for an entire year.

The upper level is a world of dazzling order and luxury, while the lower level is a silent, spreading despair and struggle.

He gripped the oak staff tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

But in the end, he still didn't stop.

I tried before, but the pain of failure was so unforgettable...

He was just a mage struggling to survive, and he had no power to change anything.

Now, he only wants to do one thing well.

Delivering messages, becoming stronger... and then...

A hint of murderous intent flashed across Lin Gui's face as he passed through the slums.

Arrive at "Glowstone Light," the only magical item shop in New Testament City.

The bell on the door jingled crisply.

The shop was filled with the scent of dried herbs, old paper, and a faint dust.

The shop owner looked up, adjusted his crystal glasses, and carefully examined his regular customer.

"Three ounces of dragonwood ash, two portions of demon bait catalyst, five bottles of minor healing potion, three bottles of mana replenishing potion, and five portions of antidote powder."

Lin Gui recited the list skillfully, paused, and then added.

"And another top-of-the-line, durable travel backpack."

The old shop owner quickly prepared all the goods.

Prepare the dragonwood ash and demon bait separately.

Along with the potion, he stuffed it into a magic-reinforced bag that was only the size of four palms.

He looked up, his deeply wrinkled face showing obvious confusion:

"Hiss~ This portion and the combination... this doesn't seem like a hunting trip nearby?"

"What, going to the magic city to hunt for treasures again?"

Lin Gui shook his head, took the seemingly small but unusually heavy bag and slung it over his shoulder.

Place the five shiny gold coins on the counter.

"No, I got a transport mission and have to go to Karan City."

Upon hearing the words "Kalan City," the shop owner, who was wiping his glasses, suddenly paused.

He raised his eyes, lowering his voice:

"Is it... that exorbitantly priced mission to escort the city lord's daughter? I heard the reward is as high as three thousand gold coins..."

"no."

Lin Gui spoke in a flat tone.

"It's just delivering a few letters for some people."

As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed that the old shopkeeper was staring at him with an extremely strange look.

The complexity in his gaze sent a chill down his spine, and he instinctively took a half-step back, asking warily.

"W-what's wrong?"

"you......"

The old shop owner's voice was somewhat hoarse.

"Why did you take that mission? As far as I know, the bounty... should only be a dozen or so gold coins..."

"That's not a small amount, is it..."

Even Lin Gui didn't quite believe what he was saying.

The cost of the potion alone was almost half of the commission fee for buying these herbs.

"And it was a transport mission!"

The shop owner's tone became a bit harsher.

"Over the years, every single adventurer who took on a transport mission has never returned alive."

"Including Lor, the only high-ranking warrior of the New Testament."

"......"

Frowning, the shopkeeper sensed something was amiss and, looking at the young mage before him, added,

"Except for you, kid."

The text mentions Lin Gui's trip to the Magic City and his return alive.

The shop owner couldn't understand how the other party had managed to do it.

That's a magical city, tens of thousands of kilometers away from New Testament City.

The opponent's strength has only just broken through to the advanced level... and he's alone...

When the other party returned to New Testament covered in blood, it shocked the entire town of New Testament, including the knowledgeable shopkeeper.

That's a magical city!

Compared to this, the path from the New Testament to Karan is like a cat baring its teeth at a tiger. You think you're worthy?

"If you're really short of money, why not pull off a big heist? Why not take the city lord's commission?"

"It's the same trip to Karan City, but that costs three thousand gold coins! Enough for you to live a carefree life for the rest of your days!"

"Oh."

Lin Gui sneered.

"Last time I went to the magic city, I narrowly escaped death; I almost lost my life on the way."

"And add another pampered, spoiled aristocratic burden?"

"And... I hate nobles."

"By the way, how do you know that all the adventurers who accepted the quests are dead?"

"Maybe they successfully traveled through time and settled down in the more prosperous city of Karan."

"After all, Karan isn't like a magical city; there aren't laws prohibiting long-term stays."

The old shop owner sighed and smiled bitterly.

"I hope so."

A heavy silence permeated the small shop.

Neither of them spoke; only the ticking of the old-fashioned clock on the wall could be heard.

The old shop owner was silent for a moment, then suddenly reached out his hand.

He slowly pushed the five gold coins on the counter back in front of Lin Gui.

He raised his head, his eyes filled with unprecedented hesitation and a hint of pleading:

"Since...since you've already decided to go to Karan City...can I add another request at the last minute?"

Lin Gui did not agree immediately.

When crossing the wilderness, the amount of weight you carry is directly related to your survival rate.

"You tell me first."

The old shop owner turned around and shakily groped his way to a hidden crevice at the very back of the counter.

Carefully take out a yellowed but well-preserved letter.

And an old money bag that looked heavy and seemed to be full of coins.

"Since you've already accepted the 'carrier pigeon' commission, could you... also deliver a letter for me?"

His voice carried a barely perceptible sob.

Lin Gui's mind stirred slightly, and he silently asked the system.

"Can this letter be included in our regular service? Is there a reward for delivery?"

[Sorry, host.]

The content of the weekly assignments is fixed; additional emails cannot be added midway.

【How about you accept this for now, and send it back when you set off again?】

Once you have delivered 54 letters, the system will add them to the subsequent list.

"So, even if I accept the order now and deliver it, there won't be any system reward, right?"

【correct.】

Lin Gui understood.

He took the letter and the heavy money bag almost without hesitation.

"Okay, what's the address and recipient?"

"It would be best if you told me what the other person looks like, as there are quite a few people with the same name."

The old shopkeeper's expression was shrouded in immense sorrow.

He took a deep drag on his long-extinguished pipe, his voice low and menacing, as if in repentance:

"Her name is Marina. She has blonde curly hair, a mole near her eye, and her right pinky finger was severed in an accident."

"I don't know... I don't know where she lives in Karan now... Ten years ago, during that massive evacuation, we... got separated... I don't even... know if she's still alive..."

He stuffed the five gold coins into his money bag and pushed it toward Lin Gui.

"This bag contains three hundred and forty-eight gold coins, almost all of my savings."

"Half of it is your reward."

"Your other half...if...if Marina is still alive...please make sure to give this to her...along with this...this divorce agreement."

Tell her... I'm sorry, I don't have the ability to cross the wilderness, so...

Lin Gui looked at the unusually heavy money bag in his hand, his feelings complicated, and in the end he could only let out a soft sigh.

He weighed the purse in his hand and asked, half-jokingly and half-seriously:

"You trust me that much? Aren't you afraid I'll just pocket this huge sum and then tell you I couldn't find the person?"

The shop owner gave a bitter smile and shook his head:

"Ten years... You are the first... and the only adventurer to accept that delivery commission."

"He's also the only one I know who managed to come back alive from outside the walls."

"I...I have no other choice..."

"The next Kuroshio Current is coming in just a few months, and it will be even more dangerous in the wild."

Lin Gui remained silent.

He carefully put away the letter without an address and the heavy wallet, then turned and pushed open the shop door.

The bell rang again, its clear sound carrying a different meaning.

Behind him, in the magic item shop, the shopkeeper silently watched him leave.