Calm stopped what he was doing and looked up at him, his gaze calm.
“Are you done talking with the young master?”
“Yes.”
Matthew nodded. Without beating around the bush, he directly laid out the information and proposal Regg had provided.
“Young Master Regg hopes we can escort him back to the county seat and has offered a reward. He said... the forest likely won't quiet down anytime soon. I feel the matter regarding ‘Darkhoof’ is of grave importance.”
“I think we can take this opportunity to earn some rewards.”
“I just don't know what you think, Instructor?”
Calm did not answer immediately after listening.
He slowly sheathed his wiped sword, cast his gaze toward the dancing campfire, and remained silent for a moment.
“Regg's proposal is not surprising,” Calm finally spoke, his voice low and steady. “He has lost Taylor, his greatest reliance, so he will definitely need hands for the return journey. If the three of us travel with him, it will indeed add a lot of security.”
He turned to look at Matthew, an inquiring look in his eyes.
“Have you already decided to go?”
“Yes...” Matthew hesitated slightly.
“It's fine. Speak your mind. With me here, the village will have enough to find another place to settle down,” Calm comforted him.
Hearing this, Matthew let go of his worries and slowly spoke his mind.
“I feel that waiting at the border will make my growth too slow. I hope to improve my strength as quickly as possible. Heading to the county seat by escorting the Eldest Young Master of the Fiery Lion family would be an excellent starting point.”
Calm nodded, a subtle hint of approval flashing through his eyes.
This youth's vision and decisiveness always exceeded his age.
“You're right, Matthew,” Calm affirmed. “However, I'm afraid I cannot go.”
Matthew nodded, not surprised by this.
The instructor had already reached the Silver Rank, and his chances of breaking through to the Gold Rank were extremely slim. Ordinary rewards and conditions could no longer truly move him.
Furthermore, the village had just migrated to an unfamiliar territory. It was a time when people were anxious and desperately needed a pillar of support. They indeed required a Class holder to sit in command so everyone could settle down with peace of mind.
“I understand, Instructor,” Matthew said with a nod. “But I have still decided to head to the county seat.”
Even if the instructor did not go with him, he was still determined to go.
Would staying on this seemingly safe plain really allow him to rest easy?
He clearly remembered how the people of Stone Mill Village had been forced to migrate in an emergency this morning. That earth-shaking commotion and the threat of the approaching Gold Rank monster “Darkhoof” were things that had happened right before his eyes.
The peace of the border was so fragile. Rather than passively waiting for crisis to strike again, it was better to actively seek opportunities to grow stronger.
Moreover, this “Darkhoof” was coming for him. Rather than waiting, it was better to seek change.
Instructor Calm nodded after listening.
He did not comment much on Matthew's decision, only sharing his years of experience traveling the wilderness detail by detail, as well as the dangers and key points to watch out for along the way.
Night fell, and the campfires in the camp flickered and danced, stretching their shadows long.
The evening wind swept silently across the plains, bringing the faint rustle of leaves from the distant forest, along with a trace of chill.
The campfire crackled from time to time, sparks drifting upward with the airflow before quickly vanishing into the deep night.
Not far away, the murmuring of the villagers, the occasional crying of a child, and the clinking of pots and spoons intertwined with the quiet wilderness—
It held both the warmth of everyday life and revealed a sense of anxiety and bewilderment amidst their displacement.
Calm's voice sounded exceptionally steady against this backdrop.
Facing the firelight, his gaze seemed to pierce through the warm colors before him, casting toward the bottomless darkness further away.
He began to recount his encounters during his early years of traveling the wilderness: which paths often had bandits and what their strength was like; which river valleys seemed gentle but hid quicksand; which places had beasts that, though not powerful, knew how to cooperate in groups; and which terrains were suitable for camping and how to set up sentries.
He spoke very thoroughly in a plain tone, as if sorting through segments of sealed memories.
He paused occasionally, looking at Matthew to make sure he heard clearly.
The firelight danced on his well-defined profile. In the flickering light, his usually stern face actually revealed a hint of weathering and gentleness.
...
A few days later, in the morning.
The young, old, women, and children of Stone Mill Village rushed all the way, finally arriving at the pre-planned location at noon.
This was an open river beach right next to a bend in the river, with flat terrain and easy access to water.
The grass was starting to turn green, and a few old trees stood solitary by the beach, their gnarled branches stretching toward the sky.
And this place was only a few hours' journey from Anda Town, making them practically neighbors.
Though this place was good, its close proximity to the Mute Pass leading to the forest meant that bandits often frequented the area.
Therefore, over the years, no village had ever been willing to abandon their ancestral lands to migrate here on purpose—after all, no one would easily leave a home they had long been accustomed to just for a "potentially more convenient" river beach.
As for safety, there was no need to worry.
The bandits occupying this place had already been completely wiped out after the onset of winter, and the remnants had been subdued by Matthew.
It was just that this news had not yet had time to spread in Anda Town during this early spring.
Matthew withdrew his gaze from the direction of the town and turned to walk toward Calm.
“We've finally arrived. The land actually looks even better than before.”
Calm was looking around. Hearing this, he nodded slightly. “Yes, the terrain is open, close to water, and the soil is fertile. It is a good place.”
He paused and looked toward the distant Mute Pass.
“It's close to the town, making travel convenient. Moreover, the bandits have been eliminated, so safety is not an issue. Later on, the young and strong men of the village can even station themselves at Mute Pass to act as sentries.”
As the two of them conversed, footsteps approached from afar.
Matthew and Calm turned around. Regg had already walked over.
The panic and wretchedness of a few days ago had faded from him. At this moment, Regg walked with a calm pace and a steady expression. Under the sunlight, the noble temperament belonging to the heir of the Fiery Lion family had quietly recovered a bit.
With a proper smile on his face, his gaze lingered on the two of them for a moment, and then he nodded slightly, his tone gentle yet polite:
“Instructor Calm, Brother Matthew.”
Hearing this, Calm nodded politely. Without saying anything more, he simply patted Matthew on the shoulder and stood up to walk toward the crowd.
He did this not only to leave ample space for Matthew and Regg to talk, but also because the camp had just been established, and many miscellaneous tasks and the settlement coordination of the villagers still required his attention as the instructor.
Seeing Calm leave, Regg sighed inwardly, but he had no choice but to accept this fact.
Understanding the rules of such a small village, he felt both regret and a trace of admiration for someone like Calm, who was not tempted by money and chose to stay behind.
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