The Path To The Goodhood

Feng Yun slowly opened his eyes, groggily taking in his surroundings. He was lying on the ground, covered in leaves. The air was crisp and clean, a stark contrast to the world he had left behind. As he sat up, he noticed the sky above, a brilliant blue with only a few wispy clouds.

"The sky looks so beautiful," Feng Yun said to himself, "and this air is so refreshing." He took a deep breath, feeling invigorated. But as he thought about his past, his expression turned somber. "Thinking about that world reminds me of Riyal, but he's nothing to me now. My priority is completing this mission, and then I'll move on."

Feng Yun stood up, brushing off the leaves from his clothes. He looked around, but all he saw were towering trees in every direction. "Where the hell am I right now?" he muttered. 

Suddenly, a screen appeared in front of him. [Ding.... You are at the dark forest of Alex Kingdom which located at the backside of the Alex Kingdom]

Feng Yun's eyes narrowed. "Alex Kingdom? Hmm, do you have any map of this world?" he asked the system.

[Ding... No system can only place where you have been.]

Feng Yun raised an eyebrow. "Hmm, then why would I need you if you can't even give me maps?"

[Ding... but i can help you with, like, what type of things you need to require to start this mission.]

Feng Yun sighed. "What? I need to do your side mission to start the real mission."

He started walking, his footsteps quiet on the forest floor. "Alright, tell me, what kind of side mission do I need to do to start the real one?"

[Ding..... 1. Register your self at Alex Kingdom's Guild as citizen→ Uncomplete.]

Feng Yun's expression turned thoughtful. "That's all?"

[Ding... There are total three side missions you have to do to start the main mission.]

As Feng Yun walked, the trees seemed to grow taller, casting long shadows across the ground. He asked the system, "So, what's the other two side missions?"

[Ding... You need to complete first mission, then the system will tell you about other mission later.]

Feng Yun's eyes sparkled with amusement. "So, secretive, huh? Alright."

An hour passed, and Feng Yun found himself still walking through the forest. He asked the system, "How big is this forest? Because I have been walking in this forest for an hour and I still can't see anything beside these big, dark trees."

[Ding.... You just have to walk for one hour more and you will be able to get out from this forest.]

Feng Yun rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, an hour more?" He activated his footstep technique, Devil Pace, and disappeared into the trees.

Five minutes later, Feng Yun reappeared outside the forest, his clothes dirty and his body covered in sweat. He sat on the ground, taking long breaths. "I need to build up stamina; if not, I can't use this Devil Pace technique; it takes too much of my stamina."

As he caught his breath, Feng Yun noticed a road in the distance, with carriages and people moving along it. He stood up, brushing off his clothes, and asked the system, "System, tell me where to go, left or right?"

[Ding... Left.]

Feng Yun started walking toward the left, his eyes scanning the carriages and people. Some of the carriages had royal crests on them, while others looked more humble. Feng Yun's stomach growled, reminding him that he was hungry.

As he walked, a young man from a nearby carriage called out to him. "Sir, do you need a ride to the gate?"

Feng Yun looked up, noticing the friendly smile on the young man's face. "Yes, I do need a ride, but I don't have any money on me."

The young man laughed. "No, you don't have to give me money. I'm also going in the same way, and it would be good to have company while traveling. So just hop on."

Feng Yun nodded, grateful for the kindness. "Thanks."

As they rode together, Feng Yun asked the young man, "So, what's your name?"

"My name is Andy, and I live in the near village from this kingdom; it's called Chinhi. My father is the chief of the village."

Feng Yun's eyes sparkled with interest. "So, are you here to sell these fruits?"

Andy shook his head. "These fruits are just a gift to the king from my father, to thank him for sending guards to our village to protect us from the monsters."

Feng Yun's eyes widened slightly as he processed Andy's words. "Monster?" he thought to himself. "There are monsters here too? I'll have to ask the system about this later."

Andy's curious gaze snapped Feng Yun back to reality. "So, what were you doing here?" Andy asked, his tone friendly. "And without any money, too?"

Feng Yun rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a hint of embarrassment. "Well, it's a bit of a long story," he began, "but I suppose I can tell you. After all, you've shared a lot about yourself with me."

He took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts. "I was traveling in a carriage with some people. We were all headed in the same direction, or so I thought. But then, out of nowhere, they turned on me."

Feng Yun's eyes clouded over, recalling the unpleasant memory. "They demanded that I hand over all my money. I tried to resist, but... well, let's just say I wasn't exactly prepared for a fight. They had swords, and I didn't. So, I surrendered."

He gestured to his dirty clothes. "As you can see, they didn't exactly treat me gently. They took all my money and left me on the side of the road. I've been walking ever since."

Andy's expression turned sympathetic. "Sorry to hear that," he said. "But you're safe now. You can ride with me to the gate, and then we can figure out what to do next."