"Caravan Ribat?!"
The familiar place name jolted Lin Feng to full alertness. He turned quickly to the unfortunate man in front of him.
"You said your name is Fabird, from a place called Caravan Ribat?"
Hearing that name brought it all back to him now.
Wasn't this the guy Tinalari specifically calls out—the one who poisons himself with mushrooms three times a month?
"Yeah! Looks like you're from out of town, little brother, but you still know about Caravan Ribat."
Fabird lit up even more at the mention, practically bouncing as he spoke.
"You have to come back with me! I swear on my good name as Fabird, I'll ask Forest Watcher Tinalari to give you a medal for bravery!"
"Cough. No need for medals. I just happened to save you. Besides opening the cage, I didn't really do anything."
Lin Feng could barely handle the man's visible enthusiasm. Back in his old life, he had never been good with relatives' over-the-top concern during holidays.
"To be honest, I'm a wanderer from Liyue. Got lost in the rainforest. If you can tell me how to get to Caravan Ribat, you'd be doing me a huge favor."
Back to business. That was his real goal here from the start—even if the intel had come from conversation instead of shaking down the Treasure Hoarders. Having a local guide meant escape from the rainforest was in sight.
"Easy fix!"
Fabird scrambled to his feet, puffing out his chest with pride.
"I'm Fabird, the best mushroom picker in all Caravan Ribat, and it all comes down to my unmatched sense of direction!"
"Follow me, benefactor, and we'll be out in half a day max. Ready to head out now?"
Fabird clearly had zero interest in lingering at the site of his trauma.
Lin Feng hesitated. Fabird explained:
"You know, the rainforest looks pitch black at night, but it's actually safer than daytime. The monsters and beasts mostly sleep. Unless you set the whole place on fire, you won't see a thing. Only downside is getting your bearings—exactly my specialty!"
He threw his head back, radiating confidence that would have been impressive without the trail of snot on his face.
Lin Feng felt the pull. He had no attachment to this buggy, humid hellhole. With a nod, he agreed.
They looted the camp for supplies, kicked dirt over the fire.
After stuffing the blissed-out trio into the cage, Lin Feng—heart soaring—and Fabird set off for home.
Perhaps because they had reached the rainforest's edge, signs of human life began appearing.
Leaf-thatched rain shelters. Cold campfire ash. Bushes trampled flat. Lin Feng even spotted a tent belonging to an Akademiya scholar.
He walked and chatted with the nonstop talker Fabird.
From him, he learned the three who nabbed him specialized in snatching scholars who couldn't afford escorts.
Vahumana students often came to the Apam Woods for ecology theses. Caravan Ribat had started as a temporary scholar outpost in the rainforest; rangers were stationed later to protect them and passing merchants.
But some reckless types pushed deeper for standout papers, into uncleared zones.
That spawned Treasure Hoarder kidnappers cashing in on rich-student ransoms.
These three amateurs had just picked the wrong mark—Fabird, who had nothing but mushrooms to his name.
Chatting away the time and gleaning info, dawn crept in.
Hours later, clear of the dim woods, Lin Feng stared at the ragtag cluster of temporary housing.
Plain wooden shacks, nothing fancy—yet they filled him with a peace he had never known.
He rubbed Xiaobai on his shoulder and listened to Fabird whoop and holler in excitement.
Head tilted to the rising sun and clear sky, raw emotion welled up, nearly bringing tears.
On Caravan Ribat's paths, amid dawn merchants hawking wares and busy rangers, Lin Feng shook off the haze. He politely turned down Fabird's home invite and suggested meeting the local head—Forest Watcher Tinalari.
Fabird knew priorities. He led Lin Feng to Tinalari's treehouse.
Lin Feng reported the Treasure Hoarders; Fabird gave exact coordinates.
Soon, rangers hauled in the still-snoring trio. After antidote and verification, Tinalari swiftly ordered them to the holding cells.
"Sorry, got caught up with the Hoarders. Neglected you there."
"Hunting them isn't our main job, but thanks for clearing out that rainforest threat."
With detainment sorted, Tinalari turned to the ragged Lin Feng and offered sincere thanks.
"And on behalf of that idiot Fabird, thanks for the help. This isn't his first mushroom mishap—he pulls it once or twice a month, no matter what."
"Too bad. I specialize in botany, not growing brains."
His subordinate's clear logic, steady maturity, and faint exasperation when mentioning Fabird made him seem all-knowing.
Finally settled, Lin Feng eyed his first canon character with open curiosity. Forcing his gaze from those ears, he replied to Tinalari's thanks.
"I didn't do much. Just tied them up. Credit goes to Fabird's poison shrooms."
"Those three were total rookies. Left alone, they'd have poisoned themselves eventually."
His face twitched recalling the "rescue."
"Don't downplay it, Lin Feng, right? You're Liyuean. Willing to help a stranger in such a harsh, unknown place—that alone earns my thanks." Tinalari met his eyes seriously.
"No need to be guarded. Caravan Ribat sees plenty of merchants and wanderers; we don't mind your type."
Tinalari read Lin Feng's fatigue and modesty as distrust.
"Mm."
He paused, then called a ranger over.
"Nasrin, like before—tell everyone I'm working from Amir's place the next couple days."
To the young, ragged wanderer, Tinalari smiled faintly.
"Here's the deal. You've been lost in there a while. Rest at my place a few nights. I'll figure out proper thanks and tell you tomorrow, sound good?"