Chapter 397 - 339: Border Town

Chapter 397: Chapter 339: Border Town

’He sees a Teleportation Gate and immediately thinks of Mizkatoke? Looks like he knows a thing or two about the academy. He even knows that Space System abilities are our signature.’

Lloyd mentally filed away this detail and said casually,

"You probably know that Mizkatoke’s rules are... rather particular, so I can’t really say much."

"Of course. I know you have strict rules against casually revealing information, which is why your academy seems so mysterious to outsiders. Since you’re from Mizkatoke, it’s no wonder you’re so exceptional at such a young age. That gives me a lot of confidence in this mission."

Little Olga said as he followed Lloyd through the Teleportation Gate and into what looked like half of a small shop.

Lloyd had cleared out all the old shelves, the ancient merchandise on them, and the various scattered junk this morning. He’d stuffed it all into a corner of his Storage Bag. He hadn’t thrown it away yet, but it wasn’t worth anything. His plan was to ’return it to the wild’ during some future archeological dig.

So all that remained was an empty corner of the room. It had no furniture or amenities, just two chairs set up as a temporary, if somewhat crude, arrangement.

But Little Olga was like a curious child, looking all around the empty ’lifeboat.’ It was as if this was his first time entering such an Alternate Space, and he was savoring all its mysteries and wonders.

Lloyd paid him no mind and said,

"Alright, it’s time to set off. We should arrive in about three hours."

With that, he guided the ’lifeboat’ toward the Space coordinates of Snowstorm Mountain Villa. He also released his Projection, which enveloped the ’lifeboat’ from the outside and propelled it forward like a paddle, accelerating its drift.

The result was an immediate and strong adverse reaction from Little Olga. He quickly clutched his head and said dizzily,

"My friend... I feel like... the world is spinning... This... I..."

He couldn’t even finish his sentence before he passed out on the spot.

’Seriously? You’re that weak? We just left and you’re already out cold?’

Lloyd felt a bit helpless. ’I thought the dizziness wouldn’t be this strong, since we’re drifting through Space so close to the real world...’

’I guess this crude ’lifeboat’ just isn’t as stable as professional equipment like a Space Elevator.’

’Of course, it’s also possible this guy’s own spatial adaptability and sense of direction are just terrible.’

Lloyd had originally planned to chat with Little Olga during the trip about the various aspects of Manifestation abilities and share experiences. But the guy passed out the moment they set sail...

With nothing else to do, Lloyd pulled a thick tome from his Storage Bag and started reading.

Time always flies when you’re studying. Lloyd felt like no time had passed at all before the ’lifeboat’ gave a slight jolt, signaling their arrival.

As the Space around them stabilized, Little Olga began to stir. He came to without Lloyd needing to wake him, clutching his head with both hands and speaking weakly,

"My friend... that was a truly unforgettable journey... If I have the choice in the future... I’d much rather take an airship..."

Lloyd didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He waited a moment for the man to recover before helping him to his feet. The two then passed through the Teleportation Gate, emerging in a small frontier town at the foot of a snowy mountain. They planned to gather some information before doing anything else.

Lloyd hadn’t guided the ’lifeboat’ directly over Snowstorm Mountain Villa—what if something went wrong?

He had always cultivated the persona of a patient and cautious young man. He was no brainless brute; he always performed a Divination before taking action.

The moment they stepped out of the Teleportation Gate, the air plummeted to a freezing temperature, and snowflakes began to drift down. As far as the eye could see, a pure white, silver-draped snowscape stretched out before them, a sight that could instantly calm and relax the soul.

The town before them perfectly matched every stereotype of a ’snowy mountain village.’ Wooden cabins were everywhere, their roofs laden with thick snow. Dancing firelight flickered through the windows, and wisps of smoke rose gently from the chimneys, painting a picture of peace and tranquility.

The snow underfoot was already ankle-deep, yet it was trampled with a chaotic mess of footprints. This suggested the town wasn’t as quiet as it looked. ’It’s actually pretty lively? Looks like they’ve had a lot of visitors.’

’Don’t tell me they’re all here for the inheritance.’

A narrow mountain path wound its way up from the far side of town, leading to Snowstorm Mountain Villa. Lloyd gazed in that direction and could faintly make out the majestic silhouette of a building, appearing and disappearing in the swirling snow.

At the same time, he mentally confirmed his earlier judgment: the Space there was indeed compromised. It showed a clear instability, like a distinct crack in a painting of a snowy landscape.

Although the frontier town and Snowstorm Mountain Villa were a few hours’ hike apart physically, they were actually very close in the dimension of Space. Therefore, Lloyd was certain his observation was correct.

Without intervention, the ’crack’ might remain as it is. It might also dissipate on its own, influenced by the surrounding Space. But it was far more likely to worsen and expand.

And if it expanded... no one could say for sure what would happen.

’Looks like I was right to come. At least I can prevent a small crack from turning into a total collapse.’