Chapter 88: Chapter88-Blazing Plains
John's idea wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision.
It stemmed from his conversations with Elaria.
Elaria, like a newborn child, was full of curiosity about the world and asked John many questions.
When Elaria learned that there was another world outside of this one, which was John's homeland, her curiosity peaked. She wanted to see John's world.
Upon realizing that, as a being of this world, she couldn't travel between the two worlds, Elaria was disappointed.
This was what inspired John to consider turning Elaria into a player.
He had consulted Seraphina about it.
"No, it's not possible," Seraphina had said without hesitation, directly rejecting John's idea.
"Why not?"
"It's just not possible. Do you know how many differences there are between your physical structures? Muscle density, magical resonance patterns within the body, even the number of bones are entirely different. Taking a person from a parallel world out of it is nothing but a fool's dream. Don't say I didn't warn you, John. You should give up on this idea.
Even if it were possible, what would be the point of wasting time and energy on it?"
"Never mind the point. Can it be done or not?"
John half-closed his eyes, a cunning smile playing on his lips. "Seraphina, didn't you say alchemy could create miracles? I knew you were just bluffing."
"Taunting me won't work. No means no. Have you thought about what would happen if it fails? As an NPC, once she dies, her soul won't enter the abyss. When that happens, you won't even have the chance to revive her."
So when Seraphina hinted that there might be a way, John hesitated, leading to today's conversation.
"So, Elaria, if it were up to me, I'd suggest giving up on this idea. My world is nothing but desolation and ruins; there's really nothing to see."
"Let me think about it some more, can I?"
"Of course, there's no rush. We have plenty of time."
Elaria stepped closer and gently embraced John, her intoxicating fragrance making his heart race.
"Don't, stop it, Helena's just next door. She'll hear us..."
"Don't worry, they won't hear anything," Elaria said, her cheeks flushed.
"I think you're just..."
Before John could finish, Elaria kissed him.
The long-missed softness of her lips made him lose himself, gradually forgetting to resist.
And so, the next morning!
As the first rays of sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating Elaria's smooth, alabaster shoulder, John realized they had gone too far.
"It's already morning! Let go of me!"
Elaria bit her lip and kicked John away, grabbing her clothes to cover herself. "What if someone finds out I stayed in your room all night? How will you explain that?"
Seeing Elaria's embarrassed expression, John smirked.
"Maybe you should stay and rest today. Just look at yourself. I'm worried you might get dehydrated."
John pointed to the nearly soaked bedclothes and then to Elaria.
Moments later, John, feeling drained, gulped down an HP potion, followed by another, until his HP was back to a safe level.
As he stepped out of his room, he almost bumped into Exiled Immortal.
Seeing John's exhausted expression, Exiled Immortal rushed over, puzzled. "John, are you alright? You look so weak. Did a monster attack?"
"No, no, nothing like that. Where are the others? Are they ready?"
"Helena came to wake me up earlier. She said she and Lily went ahead. Qing is the same as always; he's not joining us. As for the queen... I haven't seen her."
"No need to wait for her. Elaria isn't feeling well, so she won't be coming with us."
"Then we're all set. We can leave anytime."
"Let's go to the Adventurers Guild then. We don't want to keep Helena and Lily waiting."
Elaria was indeed exhausted. From last night until the early morning, they had been up all night.
John could replenish his strength with potions, but Elaria needed sleep to regain her stamina.
When they arrived at the Adventurers Guild, Helena and the others had been waiting for a while.
Helena walked up to John, looking puzzled. "We asked around the guild, but no one has seen anyone named Mac. Are you sure he exists?"
"Of course. We had a long conversation yesterday. Mac Sanders, that's his name."
"Could it be that he hasn't arrived yet?"
Helena frowned, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes.
Just as John was feeling perplexed, the doors of the Adventurers Guild suddenly swung open.
Mac Sanders entered, dragging a bag behind him, its contents unknown.
Seeing this, John approached him, puzzled. "Mac, we've been waiting for you for a long time. Why are you so late?"
"I had to prepare some things on the way, which took some time," Mac Sanders replied. "This time, we might need to leave Talcavano and head to a mining site in the blazing plains. Are you sure you're all ready?"
"Of course, we're fully prepared. What you should be more concerned about now is whether Shadows of the Past actually exists. If this is just a lie, old Mac, you know the consequences."
"Shadows of the Past is real. It's not my imagination. I'll prove it to you!"
Hearing old Mac's resolute tone, John nodded slightly and turned to Helena and the others, saying, "If we're all set, let's go."
Outside Talcavano, the blazing plains, the largest desert in Olympus, contained countless mining sites.
Even old Mac didn't know exactly how many mines existed within the blazing plains.
The abundant underground resources made Talcavano one of the most popular cities, second only to Everglow.
The rich mineral resources and skilled blacksmiths led to low equipment prices, making Talcavano a preferred place for players to upgrade their gear.
Compared to other cities, the cost of upgrading equipment in Talcavano was only about a third or even less.
As long as you provided the materials, you could have Epic or even Legendary equipment crafted.
"Mac, before we set off, I need to confirm something. Since you said you've seen Shadows of the Past with your own eyes, given your strength, what's your chance of winning if you face it?"
"...Less than twenty percent, maybe even lower."
Old Mac sighed deeply and answered John's question seriously. Hearing this, John frowned, feeling a bit worried.
If what old Mac said was true, and Shadows of the Past was nearly unbeatable, then this journey would be fraught with danger.
It was crucial to note that old Mac was already at level 45, making him a formidable force comparable to John.
If even old Mac was helpless against Shadows of the Past, John and his companions would stand no chance if they encountered it.
However...
"If someone as strong as you can't contend with Shadows of the Past, how did you escape? Don't tell me that in the past 160 years, Shadows of the Past has never once attacked you."
"Maybe you don't want to believe it, but... that's the reality."
Old Mac sighed deeply, lifting his head to meet John's gaze. "I've had only one close encounter with Shadows of the Past."