"Wha-what?" Roxanne was reasonably confused. Her lilac eyes darted with uncertainty as she questioned, "Why? Isn't that where that werewolf came from?"
"That's precisely why. I did tell you I'm investigating the werewolf, didn't I?" Chen Mo replied while equipping the unique badge the King had bestowed upon him. He pinned it neatly, wearing it proudly upon his left chest with a subtle sense of authority.
"Uh-umm... You want me to help you with it? Really?" Roxanne slowly sat up on the bed, with an index finger pointed at herself as she questioned, "I have a job... y'know?"
"Three vermillions with me." Chen Mo increased his offer, while his gaze deliberately shifted elsewhere, refusing to linger upon Roxanne's exposed skin; it felt good to watch, but way too wrong.
Instead, his attention drifted toward the bookshelves, which were crammed desperately into the cramped bedroom, brimming with books that were precariously stacked and unevenly stored. Chen Mo didn't overthink it; he simply reached out, drew a random book out, and instructed, "This book. This is a very interesting book that's integral to the investigation. Discuss it with the lab."
"You know how to make me want you, Bai Bai." Another hidden trait of Roxanne's revealed itself: she had a fondness for nicknames. She bit her lip suggestively after hearing the offer of three vermillions, then accepted it without even a shadow of hesitation, "I'll do it."
She slipped off the bed, still completely naked as she received the random hardcover book from Chen Mo.
Then, while she began tidying herself up within the bedroom, Chen Mo exited through the wooden door that Amelia had left slightly ajar earlier.
He found himself in an unhealthily narrow corridor, dull and mundane, with nothing notable to display except an empty shoe rack; Chen Mo was already wearing the pair that was supposed to rest upon it.
Directly in front of him stood a door of slightly better quality than the rest. Adjacent to the bedroom were two more doors, one leading to the kitchen and the other to what seemed to be a guest room.
Whoever the character Chen Mo was currently playing, he was either incredibly cheap, or undeniably poor.
Every step he took toward the exit caused the corroded floorboards beneath him to creak noisily. Chen Mo opened the door to the sight of Southown, where the most prominent feature was the striking cerulean sky.
The streets were dirt paths, paved only by countless footsteps and the worn wooden wheels of horse-drawn carriages. Lining these paths were structures either similar to Chen Mo's dwelling or even worse. They shared a singular, undeniable similarity: they all embodied terrible living conditions.
Pedestrians roamed the dirt streets dressed in clothing far more appropriate to the medieval setting. Some wore robes, others simple blouses, and a few donned cotton coats. Most garments were visibly tattered, clearly indicating a widespread lack of wealth. Another shared detail: every individual wore a badge upon their left chest, each sewn with the symbol of a downward-pointing arrow.
In the far distance stood a spire so impossibly tall that Chen Mo could see it despite the miles separating them. The structure was forged entirely of what appeared to be pure diamond, evident by how brilliantly it scintillated under the sunlight, refracting light into a spherical rainbow that painted the cerulean sky.
If Chen Mo remembered the map correctly, the Crystal Castle should be at least ten kilometres away in distance. Yet, its overwhelming display of extravagance over the impoverished still imposed itself with undeniable dominance.
Suddenly, Chen Mo felt that his current character was, in fact, fortunate. At the very least, he could afford a wooden hut that was above average in size. He adjusted his unique badge subtly as a horse-drawn carriage passed by.
From within the cabin, someone casually hurled a scroll out the window, allowing it to land directly in front of Chen Mo's feet.
Then, the action repeated itself across the street, as scrolls were distributed in front of every residence.
Chen Mo bent down, unfurling it to read:
[Commands from the North]
[You are informed that Verdantic Tulip has been banned in the island of Northaria-Southown.]
[Such plants should either be exported out, or discarded via burial, whether in earth or in sea.]
[King Vostok is displeased with its unpleasant colour. Its powder has dispersed and stained too many items, rendering them unsightly against our Highness's will. Please, remove them from your possession.]
[Force will be used to enforce this ban.]
Beneath the text was an image depicting the plant. It resembled a regular tulip, but with significantly taller petals, each tinted in a strange yellowish-green hue.
Chen Mo noticed something peculiar about the message, specifically, the phrasing within the third line. The way it described 'its powder' implied that it was common knowledge that these tulips emitted powder.
Unless...
Chen Mo quickly shifted his gaze and spotted a nearby bush adorned with white roses. He reached out, brushing his thumb gently against one of the petals before examining it closely.
His thumb was quickly coated with a fine white-grey powder, nearly identical in colour to the rose itself. The more he brushed, the more of that powder accumulated upon his skin. Chen Mo formed a hypothesis: it was likely that, it was indeed common knowledge in this in-game world that every flower emitted its own respective powder.
Chen Mo rolled the scroll back up neatly and slipped it into his pocket.
Roxanne, now dressed in a revealing white dress, suddenly embraced Chen Mo from behind.
She was only slightly taller than Chen Mo's current goth girl physique, allowing her chin to rest comfortably upon his shoulder as she spoke, "Those three vermillions better be magical. You hear me? Magical."
"I need to go." Chen Mo stated coldly before beginning to walk away without offering a proper farewell.
"Rude!" Roxanne pouted, crossing her arms indignantly, "Good byeeee?"
"Bye." Chen Mo responded curtly, quickening his pace. He wasn't uncomfortable. If anything, he would have preferred to begin their three vermillion arrangement immediately. However, he genuinely needed to reach his destination as quickly as possible.
Roxanne's exasperated expression went completely unnoticed. She sighed softly before turning eastward, heading toward Tealwood Laboratory.
Chen Mo, on the other hand, power-walked through the streets, ignoring every passerby and mode of transportation. Soon, he concluded that walking wasn't fast enough and broke into a steady jog heading north.
As he jogged, he engaged in subtle observation. He noticed several enforcers clad in medieval knight armour patrolling Southown, each bearing badges marked with an upward-pointing arrow.
They carried either greatswords or bows — both weapons far more intricate and refined than anything found within the southern households. Occasionally, Chen Mo would spot some of them carrying sacks filled with hundreds of yellowish-green petals. These were Verdantic Tulips, and the enforcers were clearly confiscating them.
At other times, these enforcers carried crates filled with silver coins, or, taxes imposed upon the South by the North.
Chen Mo absorbed and processed all of this information thoroughly, though none of it directly related to his current objective.
The further north he progressed, the more refined the infrastructure became. Dirt roads gradually transformed into stone paths, then cobblestone, and eventually even brick-laid streets. The surrounding buildings grew increasingly grand, though none could truly be described as ornate.
The number of enforcers also increased the further north he travelled. Based on the badges worn by civilians, Chen Mo noticed several Northerners present within Southown. They were most likely merchants, judging by their baskets of goods and loud, lively banter.
Although the northern regions of Southown were already comparable to more obscure areas on Earth, they were still nothing when compared to Northaria.
Chen Mo could see it now, the city across the divide. Buildings that were sturdier, more decorated, and architecturally complex. The city of Northaria loomed beyond a vast gap.
Chen Mo had reached the edge of Southown, or the northernmost point of the southern island. Balustrades had been constructed to prevent civilians from falling down the steep hill that would otherwise send them plunging into the wide river separating the two nations.
The river surged violently, its powerful current capable of shifting massive boulders. Combined with the steep terrain and a width of at least two hundred metres, crossing it by swimming was impossible for any ordinary human. Although, whether that applied to a high ranked player such as an SSS rank player remained uncertain for Chen Mo.
Chen Mo finally came to a halt. He leaned lightly against the balustrade, catching his breath as his lungs strained. Having been born with asthma, his lung capacity had always been weak.
He turned his gaze leftward and there it was.
Klein's Bridge.
The sole connection between Northaria and Southown.
More enforcers stood stationed upon the grand cobblestone bridge than civilians. The border was clearly under strict surveillance. Chen Mo deduced that crossing the bridge was likely a privilege reserved only for Northerners, which explained why the King had granted him a unique badge.
Diemer's Street, which was the crime scene players were instructed to investigate, lay across this bridge, within western Northaria. This meant that all players would almost certainly be forced to pass through this checkpoint to complete their first task.
Chen Mo positioned himself directly at the entrance of the bridge, which was wide enough to span four adjacent houses.
Then, he waited.
He simply waited, hands tucked into his pockets, his small feminine frame completely relaxed, without even a trace of concern.