Chapter 37: Road of Dumb Dangers
A dusty road stretched across the pale desert. Heat shimmered off the cracked stones. Shen Karguro walked ahead, arms behind his head, dark cloak fluttering lazily. Behind him, Commander Ryulga pushed a strange wooden cart that was squeaking with every bump.
"Why am I the one pushing this useless cart?" Ryulga grumbled. "You can punch through dragons, but lifting a wheel is too much?"
Shen turned, walking backward now. "Because, Commander, I am the brains."
"You once tried to eat a magical rock because you thought it was candy."
"It was shiny," Shen defended.
A silence fell.
"Squeak… squeak… squeak…" the cart complained.
Inside it sat a glowing blue orb, a cactus in a cage, a mini fridge filled with fish jerky, and a mysterious golden scroll that had been screaming for three hours straight.
"Should we open it?" Shen asked.
"No."
"But what if it's a helpful curse?"
Ryulga stopped walking. "There is no such thing."
The scroll stopped screaming for a second. Then whispered, "He's right, you know."
---
Meanwhile, at a Strange Oasis
They arrived at a hidden spring known as the Laughing Mirror Waters. Legends said it could show the true reflection of one's soul.
Shen peered into the water.
His reflection winked and turned into a cartoon version of himself riding a goat.
"I think it's broken," Shen said seriously.
Ryulga looked in. His reflection was just… him. But buffer. With a six-pack.
"…That's fair," he mumbled.
Suddenly, the water rippled, and a giant Arcane frog burst out, roaring in seven languages—six of which were just insults.
Shen screamed. "YOU DIDN'T TELL ME THIS WAS A FROG-LAKE!"
"I literally did, ten minutes ago."
Combat began. Shen jumped into the air, kicking the frog's eyeball while yelling something about justice. Ryulga calmly reached into the cart and threw a mango.
The mango exploded.
The frog vanished.
Shen landed and blinked. "Did you just kill a monster with a fruit?"
"Exploding mango. I packed three."
"…You're terrifying."
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Nightfall – Campfire of Mystery
Under the night sky, Shen sat roasting fish jerky on a stick while Ryulga studied a strange map with shifting ink.
"Tomorrow, we reach the ruins," Ryulga said. "The energy signal of the Arcane General Rank 5 is near."
Shen looked up. "Do we fight it?"
Ryulga nodded slowly. "Eventually. But not yet. First… we mess up everything trying to sneak past it, then panic, then accidentally find a secret weapon."
Shen stared. "That sounds way too specific."
Ryulga grinned. "It's how we always survive."
Shen laughed, and for a moment, the air was light.
Then the scroll started screaming again.
"SHUT UP!" they both shouted at it in perfect sync.
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To Be Continued in Chapter 38...