Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Wanderer of the Earth

The weather was clear, a gentle breeze blowing, and the temperature held at nineteen degrees Celsius—a perfect day for going outside.

Chu Yun woke up early in the morning, and the first thing he did was check on Paimon’s condition in the Mirror World. As expected, Paimon's mirrored form had already recovered. Chu Yun killed Paimon’s mirrored form once again, and perhaps because it was his second time, when he absorbed the creature’s experience, his Gamer Specialty allowed him to analyze even more information about the mirrored copy.

[Paimon Lv3]
Race: Earthwalker Dragon (Wind, Female)
Bloodline: Lizard 63.54%, Bird 15.87%, Dragon 10.23%...
Attributes: Life 50, Physical Attack 7, Magic Defense 5, Defense 6, Speed 23
Affection: 43 points
Abilities: Bite Lv5, Carry Rider Lv3, Hauling Lv3
Skills: Swift Step 1, Savage Charge 1

Paimon possessed two first-tier skills: one increased her speed, and the other was a powerful ramming attack. Her bloodline was a chaotic mix, primarily lizard with a trace of draconic heritage.

Chu Yun’s legendary skill, “Dominion of Realms,” was an extraordinary power that would grow stronger as his rank advanced. For now, he could only gain experience and skills by killing targets. However, once he became stronger and advanced to Tier Two, he would gain greater power to directly influence the Mirror World. Perhaps then, by altering the mirrored form’s bloodline, he could in turn affect Paimon in the real world, thus enabling deliberate evolution and modification.

These were merely Chu Yun’s conjectures; whether or not it would work would only be revealed upon reaching Tier Two. The Mirror World was steeped in mystery, and the legendary skill “Dominion of Realms” was far more than just a means to traverse realms—otherwise, it would not be worthy of the title “Dominion.”

After bullying the hapless Paimon, Chu Yun brought his belongings to the front desk to settle his bill. The attendant, seeing him, reminded, “Sir, your goods and cart have already been taken to the stable. They’re waiting for you to settle the payment over there.”

Chu Yun had thought he’d risen early enough, but these merchants had prepared everything in advance—truly excellent service.

Heading to the stable, he found Paimon a little dispirited, likely a result of her mirrored form being killed. Upon seeing Chu Yun, however, she perked up, sticking out her tongue in excitement, eager to dash out into the open.

But this time, Paimon probably wouldn’t get to charge around freely. The wagon was loaded with goods, heavy enough that, while not at her limit, she wouldn’t be able to move very fast.

“Little one, do well today and you’ll get a treat.” Chu Yun took out three raspberries and fed them to Paimon. Raspberry bushes grew everywhere around Rockstead, and he’d gathered plenty as backup.

Paimon’s affection level immediately rose by two points; after all, the best way to tame a creature was to feed it.

“Master~ Happy~ Yi ya ya~”

With the aid of Monster Communication, Chu Yun could sense Paimon’s thoughts, and Paimon could understand his words as well.

After checking the goods, Chu Yun paid the balance and completed the transaction. He then secured the wagon’s harnesses to Paimon and began training her for better teamwork.

The spell Monster Communication only lasted thirty minutes at a time, after which he’d have to spend more mental energy to cast it again. To make driving easier, aside from relying on magic, he also taught Paimon some basic commands.

“Paimon, if I kick your rump, use your speed skill to accelerate...”

After a session of training, Paimon nearly overturned the cart a few times. Fortunately, she was clever, and after leaving Rockstead and traveling a bit, she finally grasped the simple instructions.

In fact, when Chu Yun gave orders in the common tongue, she could already respond—perhaps the stablehands had trained her before.

“Very good. From here, just follow this main road. If we reach a fork, stop and let me pick the route, understood?” Chu Yun instructed with satisfaction.

“Yi ya ya~ Paimon~ Will obey~” Paimon nodded, indicating she understood.

In reality, high-end carriage and drake-cart companies often hired mages skilled in Monster Communication to train their creatures—at rates more expensive than private human tutors.

Chu Yun settled inside the wagon and studied the map. Judging by Paimon’s stamina and speed, the journey to Blackstone City would take about five days. Aside from the initial grasslands, they’d have to pass through the dangerous Blackstone Forest.

Many solo merchant caravans and adventurers would gather at the forest’s entrance to form groups, or else detour around it entirely. The Blackstone Forest teemed with monsters, making it a prime destination for adventurers to hunt and explore. Rumor had it that ancient ruins lay hidden within, and once, someone discovered a rare holy relic and became rich overnight.

In addition to the map, Chu Yun had bought several books introducing local customs and weekly newspapers. Although he traveled alone, with these books and Paimon’s occasional chatter, the journey was quite entertaining.

“Master~ Big frog~ For you~”

“Master~ Paimon’s tired~ Need a break~”

“Master~ That last horse~ So slow~”

...

Chu Yun hadn’t expected Paimon to be such a chatterbox, but he didn’t mind. Perhaps because she was a Tier One monster, no wild beasts dared trouble Chu Yun along the way. Even among her rank, Paimon’s size and strength were above average, with her only drawback being a voracious appetite. Fortunately, Chu Yun’s Mystic Berry spell meant he never had to worry about food.

The “Earthwalker” Weekly he’d bought that morning was packed with content, apparently compiled through some magical message-gathering spell from all over the world, with a new issue each week. The cover depicted countless meteors streaking across the night sky, and its glossy finish alone had cost Chu Yun five silver coins.

At first, Chu Yun thought the headline was just tabloid sensationalism, but it turned out to be the continent’s most popular and reputable magazine, so he took its content seriously.

In truth, compared to his relatively calm reaction, nearly everyone in the know was left utterly shocked by this week’s issue—their world felt as though it were collapsing. For them, this news was as devastating as a thunderbolt on a clear day, a nuclear bomb dropped without warning.

“‘Twilight of the Gods, Dawn of Mankind; The Night the Stars Fell, The Collapse of Faith!’ Is the prophecy on the Tablet of Fate coming true?”

Though the headline was phrased as a question, as Chu Yun read the article, he realized it contained substantial evidence.

The Tablet of Fate was a holy relic unearthed centuries ago by an adventurer in ancient ruins. After countless scholars deciphered its inscriptions, they uncovered a shocking prophecy. Few believed it at the time, and though followers had asked the gods for answers, none were given.

The date inscribed on the prophecy was actually a day before the Night the Stars Fell, but such proximity naturally aroused suspicion.

“The timing of the prophecy seems to coincide with the day I crossed into this world...?”

P.S. Next week, we’ll be featured as a top recommendation—thank you all for your support! From now on, for every 500 new recommendations, I’ll add an extra chapter~ (the current 400 recommendations are included in the count).