"Tony," EeDeChi tapped the table, signaling the blabbermouth Adventurer's Guild guildmaster to look over, "How about I enter the Warrior Captain selection instead? I guarantee I can easily become the Warrior Captain."

Old Tony shook his head. "We're participating in the martial arts selection tournament just to clear the obstacles in Brain's way. Any elite adventurer who can stand toe-to-toe with Brain on the arena wouldn't be eyeing the Warrior Captain position. The Warrior Captain requires absolute loyalty to the royal family and a lifetime dedicated to protecting the king and the royal family. That's not the kind of task we adventurers prefer."

"And," Old Tony continued, "you should know, women aren't allowed to participate in the Warrior Captain selection. It's a rule."

Old Tony's words were clearly meant to dissuade EeDeChi from making trouble, but EeDeChi exploded with anger.

"What! What kind of bullshit rule is that! It's discrimination against women!!!"

Old Tony was taken aback and quickly waved his hands, "No… no, that's not what I meant. It's a tradition. Since the kingdom was founded, there's never been a female Warrior Captain."

EeDeChi was enraged. She stood up and shouted, "What outdated tradition? I'm going to break that tradition today! Princess Renner hires you guys to manipulate these rigged contests and says she's stirring up the already murky waters even further? I'm going to filter, settle, and distill this murky water and give the world a clear and pure one!"

Barrett poked EeDeChi in the side and whispered, "Captain, Princess Renner is also our employer. She hires us for twelve gold coins every day."

"Oh," EeDeChi's words faltered, and she sat back down. "I guess that's the case."

Old Tony saw that EeDeChi's arrogance had toned down a bit and quickly tried to persuade her. "Even if you defeat all the contestants, including Brain, and come in first, the old king still won't let you become the Warrior Captain. The final decision on the Warrior Captain is still in the old king's hands."

"That makes sense," EeDeChi nodded, unusually agreeing with someone else's opinion. "The ultimate root of the issue lies with the ruler."

"In fact, if you want to become a general, you could head to the Roble Holy Kingdom in the east of the continent," Old Tony suggested. "I've heard there are many female generals there, and the Holy Queen, heh heh, they're all stunning beauties with slim waists, long legs, and fair skin…"

EeDeChi glared at him.

"Oh, no, I meant they're all strong, muscular, and highly skilled women," Old Tony quickly corrected himself.

The three of them continued their discussion for a while. Other adventurers who were familiar with Barrett joined in, and they all gathered around a table, drinking malt beer and chatting about various topics.

As the night deepened, every gathering must eventually end. The meeting had long finished, and after the feast, adventurers in the tavern began to trickle out. Some adventurers, heavily drunk, stumbled and swayed while carrying their inebriated companions on their shoulders, weaving their way to their lodgings.

Others, unable to move due to their drunkenness, simply pushed a few chairs together and crashed on them to sleep, spending the night in the tavern.

EeDeChi and Barrett, having battled several drunken adventurers, remained completely sober. Barrett had a great tolerance for alcohol, but his face was flushed red, like a ripe apple in late autumn.

EeDeChi's mouth seemed like a bottomless pit. She had downed drinks from five adventurers who were trying to coax her into drinking more, but she remained unfazed, as if she had only drunk a dozen bottles of plain water, not even needing to visit the restroom once!

Navigating through the wreckage of tables, chairs, and bottles in the tavern, Old Tony escorted them outside.

The dim light seeped through the tavern's door, casting shadowy figures outside as the sounds of revelry gradually faded away.

Standing at the tavern's entrance, Old Tony suddenly grew serious. He advised, "No one can stay out of the kingdom's power struggles. The Adventurer's Guild has declared its support for Princess Renner, and the undercurrents are already stirring.

"Tonight is destined to be an sleepless night for many. Some will start targeting us. You're close to Princess Renner, so you need to be especially cautious."

It was now deep into the night, with the gloomy crescent moon hidden behind thick clouds, revealing only a faint yellowish crescent. A biting early winter wind cut through like a knife, piercing through the gaps in their clothing and chilling them to the bone. Barrett shivered, his drunkenness fading significantly.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

He nodded, "Thank you for your concern. We'll be careful."

EeDeChi and Barrett bid farewell to Old Tony and left the "Golden Harbor" tavern.

The two walked slowly down the street, treating it as a leisurely stroll. At this hour, the streets were empty; all the shops had closed and the lights were off. Occasionally, a carriage would pass by, its wheels making a "clop-clop" sound mixed with the jingle of bells, carrying passengers toward the warmth of home.

EeDeChi watched as a carriage disappeared into the distance, stretched out a big yawn, and muttered, "Let's head back soon. I'm getting a bit tired. Didn't we come to the tavern by carriage? Are we supposed to walk back now?"

Barrett thought for a moment, recalled a nearby carriage stand, and nodded, "Let's catch a carriage."

As he led EeDeChi around a corner, before they reached the spot he remembered, an old four-wheeled open carriage approached them. The coachman pulled on the reins, and the black wooden wheels came to a halt as the carriage slowly stopped beside them.

"Do you need a ride?" the coachman called out eagerly.

"Yes, yes," EeDeChi answered impatiently. Although the coachman seemed to lack a bit of Justice Value, she couldn't care less. It was like getting a pillow when she was about to doze off.

Barrett, however, frowned and asked in a low voice, "Why do I have a strange feeling that you don't quite look like a carriage coachman?"

He had once worked with a former carriage coachman who had transitioned to being an adventurer, so he had some understanding of the traits of a carriage coachman.

The coachman in front of him, though, seemed off. Despite wearing a tattered straw hat and appearing to be diligently managing the reins with his left hand and the whip with his right, Barrett had an unsettling feeling that this man wasn't a genuine carriage coachman.

"Ah, you have a sharp eye, sir! I was a farmer just two weeks ago," the coachman admitted with a grin. "You must be an elite adventurer!" He flashed a sycophantic smile.

"The season has changed and the harvest was poor, so I sold all my cows and bought this second-hand carriage to make some money in the city. But don't worry, I'm top-notch when it comes to driving!"

Barrett remained noncommittal. He could hear the distant sounds of horses whinnying and wheels turning, with more carriages waiting for passengers not far away. He was about to pull EeDeChi away.

"Hey, wait, please." The coachman's obsequious smile turned to one of desperation. "Have pity on me. I need to earn enough to send my daughter to the Craftsman Guild to learn tailoring. I'm just a few gold coins short of the tuition!"

The coachman's face was a picture of misery. EeDeChi's heart softened immediately. "Don't leave. Even though this coachman's Justice Value is -276, let's take this carriage."

Barrett reluctantly followed the captain into the open carriage. His desire to leave wasn't due to the coachman's lack of professionalism but because of an inexplicable feeling he couldn't shake.

Experienced adventurers might not always be able to pinpoint why such feelings arise, but it was best to follow them. However, since the captain was determined to take the carriage, he had no choice but to comply.

The coachman thanked them and, after confirming their destination near the royal palace on Lamb Street, set off.

The night was dark, and there were few pedestrians. The streets were silent except for the monotonous clop-clop of the hooves echoing through the street.

The old open carriage had only two seats. EeDeChi and Barrett sat on either side. The carriage's suspension was poor, causing a bit of jostling along the way.

After yawning twice, EeDeChi seemed to be feeling the effects of the dozens beers, champagne, and whiskey from the tavern. Her head lolled against the back of the carriage seat, swaying back and forth, and she soon fell asleep.

Barrett wasn't feeling sleepy. The cold, biting wind of late autumn made him more alert. After the carriage had traveled a bit, he noticed that the coachman wasn't taking the same route they had come.

"Hey, coachman, you're not lost, are you?" Barrett asked, puzzled. "We're supposed to go to Lamb Street."

"Don't worry, I'm taking a shortcut," the coachman replied without turning around. "You must want to get home quickly. I'll cut through the slums and we'll be there in no time."

The coachman flicked the whip and hummed a soft, unfamiliar tune. His raspy voice drifted through the night wind, like a lonely spirit singing in the breeze.

Barrett closed his eyes and leaned back against the seat, trying not to think too much. The carriage continued to jostle along, and before long, the lights of the buildings on the street dwindled, and the surroundings grew eerily silent.

Gradually, the carriage's motion subsided and slowed. Barrett opened his eyes to find the carriage moving through an endless night. The nearby scenery was blurred and indistinct. He was sure this wasn't the slums; it looked more like an abandoned outskirts.

The reason for the carriage's slowing down was that the coachman had unfastened the reins from the horse's back. The horses, now free of restraint, trotted aimlessly into the darkness ahead, their figures vanishing.

With the carriage losing its momentum, it slowed further until the axles ceased their creaking. The carriage came to a halt.

Looking around, Barrett saw only dim, shadowy outlines all around. The road beneath the wheels was a blur. The lonely carriage seemed to float on a dark ink lake, suspended in the dead silence of the night.

"You're going the wrong way!" Barrett felt something was off. He tried to get up to warn the coachman but found himself unable to rise. He struggled in vain, discovering that wherever his body touched the seat, it felt as though it had been welded in place, immovable.

"Damn it! What's going on!" Barrett tried to muster the strength to stand up, but it had no effect. EeDeChi remained seated beside him, her head resting against the back of the seat, deeply asleep.

Barrett looked up and saw the coachman, who had unfastened the horses, now standing directly in front of them on the coachman's seat. He had spread his arms wide, his robes fluttering as if by an invisible wind, resembling a gaunt scarecrow or a crucifix.

The coachman's lips moved, and his aged skin seemed to peel away in chunks, like paint coming off a wall, revealing a younger, more sinister face beneath.

His head tilted to one side, and he grinned, showing a set of eerie white teeth.

"Welcome, adventurers, to my domain, the Territory of Despair."