Yu Zhou was stunned.
Codename "Three."
Tiga.
Tiga…
Was it just a coincidence that Anmon had named the giant Tiga right before his eyes?
Or was it fate?
Thinking back to everything that had happened since traveling to the Ultra-Ancient Era, Yu Zhou came to a chilling realization.
"No… I must have just been asking the wrong person!"
He forced the thought from his mind and steadied himself.
"How about that codename, Tiga?" Anmon asked with a smile, clearly hoping for approval.
"It's a good name," Yu Zhou replied, chuckling. "Though it's funny — my name is A-San, which sounds a bit like Tiga."
"What a coincidence," Anmon said with mild surprise, taking it as nothing more than chance.
He never expected the name he'd given to the giant to resemble that of the traveller sitting before him.
"By the way," Yu Zhou exhaled slowly and asked, "Lord Anmon, do you know of the Earth Defence Force?"
The Earth Defence Force — an organization from the Ultra-Ancient Era dedicated to protecting the planet. Its leader was none other than Yuzare of the Light.
"Earth Defence Force?" Anmon thought for a moment, but the term didn't register. "I've never heard of it."
"What…?"
Yu Zhou frowned deeply, unwilling to believe it.
By all logic, the Earth Defence Force was a powerful organization established in the Ultra-Ancient Era, protectors of Earth who wielded the Light's power. They should have been renowned throughout this world.
And yet… Anmon had never even heard of them?
Could it be… that he had come to the wrong place?
That this wasn't the Ultra-Ancient world after all?
"Please, Lord Anmon, think carefully," Yu Zhou said earnestly. "This is very important to me."
"I really haven't heard of any such organization," Anmon replied, furrowing his brow as he searched his memory. But no matter how hard he tried, the name never surfaced.
"In that case," Yu Zhou said, giving up on that line of questioning, "do you perhaps know someone named Yuzare?"
If Anmon didn't know the Earth Defence Force, maybe he at least knew of her.
"This name…" Anmon muttered, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I feel like I've heard it somewhere before."
Yu Zhou's eyes lit up instantly. "You have?! You know Yuzare?!"
"Let me think…"
Anmon propped his chin on one hand, trying to recall the memory.
"Yuzare… Yuzare… Yuzare?!" His eyes suddenly widened. "I remember now!"
"Where is she?!" Yu Zhou exclaimed, grabbing Anmon's arm in excitement.
"Calm down, traveller! Calm down!" Anmon stammered, unnerved by Yu Zhou's sudden intensity.
"Ah—sorry!" Yu Zhou quickly released his grip, realizing he'd lost his composure.
"If I'm not mistaken," Anmon began slowly, "the king of this continent has a daughter named Yuzare — the princess of this land."
"Princess?!"
Yu Zhou froze, utterly shocked.
He had never expected that Yuzare would turn out to be a princess of the Ultra-Ancient continent!
"Yes," Anmon confirmed with a nod. "According to rumours, Princess Yuzare, like myself, possesses the power of Light."
"It's her!"
Yu Zhou's heart surged with excitement. There was no doubt anymore — a woman named Yuzare, one who wielded the Light.
There was no mistaking it!
The Princess of the Continent — Yuzare — was the same Yuzare who led the Earth Defence Force!
"Lord Anmon, thank you! Truly, thank you so much!"
Yu Zhou grasped Anmon's hands firmly, his face full of gratitude.
"This information is incredibly important to me! Please, allow me to offer you something in return."
He rummaged through his spatial bracelet and pulled out a small pill, handing it to Anmon.
"What's this?" Anmon asked, puzzled as he examined the pill in his palm.
"This," Yu Zhou said solemnly, "is a Dragon-Tiger Vitality Pill. It helps with, uh… fertility."
Anmon: "…"
By the time Yu Zhou left Anmon, night had fallen.
There were no inns available in Fuhuo City, and Yu Zhou had no intention of staying there anyway.
At the city gates, he found Ria already fast asleep atop the dragon cart. Yu Zhou couldn't hide his excitement.
"A-San, why do you look so happy?" Ria asked curiously as he rubbed his eyes.
Had the city lord given him some kind of reward?
"I found what I was looking for," Yu Zhou explained.
"Did you sell all your goods?"
"Yup. Supplies were short, so they all sold out quickly — and at a high price too."
Ria patted his chest proudly. This had been his most profitable business trip ever.
Yu Zhou could only shake his head. "Truly the heart of a merchant," he sighed.
"Have you eaten?" he asked. Now that their business was done, he wanted a proper meal.
"I chewed on a piece of bread earlier. Want some?"
Ria pulled out a hard, dry piece of bread from his coat and offered it to him.
"Uh… no thanks. I'm in a good mood today. Let me cook us something better."
He gestured for him to steer the dragon cart out of the city.
"Where are we going?" Ria asked, growing nervous as they ventured farther into the dark wilderness. "It's getting darker and darker — where's this 'good dinner' supposed to come from?"
"Don't worry."
Yu Zhou glanced back at the distant lights of Fuhuo City. Once they were far enough, he took out his spaceship from the dimensional ring.
BOOM—
Ria's jaw dropped. "That's… that's a spaceship!"
Of course, he'd seen one before — but only the wealthy or the military could afford such advanced technology. Ordinary citizens like him could never even dream of boarding one.
"Come on up," Yu Zhou said with a grin, bringing both him and the dragon cart aboard.
The ship's interior was spacious enough to accommodate everything easily.
Ria looked around in awe, taking in every detail of the sleek, high-tech interior.
Yu Zhou ignored her curiosity and switched off all manual controls — the ship's AI only obeyed him.
"I'll cook. Once we've eaten, rest for the night. Tomorrow, I'll send you home," Yu Zhou said, heading for the kitchen.
He piloted the ship toward the mountains, hunted a massive Ultra-Ancient porcupine, and prepared a hearty meal.
After dinner, both of them slept soundly aboard the ship.
Lying in bed and staring at the ceiling, Yu Zhou couldn't sleep. His mind was filled with one thought:
"Yuzare… I'm coming for you."
Anmon had told him where Yuzare might be — in the royal capital, located at the very centre of the continent.
The Central City.