One-Eyed Monster

”Wilderness?” No one quite understood.

The word ”Wilderness” was an obscure concept across the entire Yowein Continent. It was a place almost untouched by anyone, and even the great Adventurers had left little to no record of it.

The Wilderness was forgotten by the people of the Yowein Continent. They’d rather attack others’ cities than develop that Wilderness.

In the traditional concept of the Yowein Continent, Wilderness meant a blank space where nothing existed, and nothing was present.

Therefore, no king would care about the Wilderness. No monsters threatened their interests there, and no treasures awaited their development. It was just a blank, a safely ignorable blank.

In this world, some people were not willing to be idle. They didn’t believe that nothing existed in the Wilderness, and they wanted to prove to people with their steps that there might be surprises in the Wilderness. So, they either teamed up or went solo, embarking on the path to explore the Wilderness...

The road was not smooth, and these ambitious Adventurers were never afraid of hardships. They overcame various difficulties and finally reached several marked Wilderness areas.

Their arrival didn’t receive many cheers, nor much attention. Besides the Adventurers themselves caring about their journey, almost no one paid attention to them.

The Adventurers sent messages to their companions using Mail Birds, announcing they had reached the Wilderness. However, this was the last message they sent after arriving in the Wilderness. After that, their companions received no more messages from them. Their companions sent many messages, but the Mail Birds returned the same way they went...

Their companions were worried, fearing they might be harmed in the Wilderness, as everyone was completely unaware of the Wilderness.

But their companions’ worry did not last long because a few days after losing contact, they reappeared. Dusty from the journey out of the borders of the Wilderness, their faces showed neither joy nor regret.

Was there some force in the Wilderness that could hinder your progress?

Or was there something special in the Wilderness that made you linger?

Their companions, always more curious than them, bombarded them with questions.

However, their answers were quite astonishing.

They said, ”You can go see for yourselves!”

This answer left people puzzled.

Everyone thought that walking out of that Wilderness, they would show a variety of expressions, but they didn’t.

This group of Adventurers who set foot in the Wilderness became the only ones to have been there on the Yowein Continent.

Initially, people thought these individuals would undergo significant changes after returning from the Wilderness, given that they were missing for many days. No one knew what happened in that Wilderness. According to common logic, after disappearing for days in a deserted area, a person should exhibit significant changes upon returning, having experienced many things unfathomable to ordinary people. Yet, after coming out, these Adventurers showed no change in disposition, remaining as warm-hearted or as indifferent as usual...

Some even felt it was abnormal for this group of Adventurers to all walk out of the Wilderness unscathed. They believed that many unknown forces in the Wilderness were sure to threaten these Adventurers. However, strangely, this group of Adventurers emerged completely unharmed.

Before entering the Wilderness, among Adventurers, these individuals were quite high-profile, determined to make a statement by going into the Wilderness. But after coming out, it was as if nothing had happened; their previous vows were just like the wind, they simply didn’t care anymore.

This left everyone incredulous, but ultimately it was an internal matter among Adventurers, unable to stir up much of a storm.

In the end, the journey into the Wilderness blew over like the wind, leaving no trace.

Later, some younger Adventurers asked the veterans who participated in this venture why no one ever mentioned that Wilderness expedition again.

Those veterans squinted, thought for a moment, then told the juniors, ”Because it was too ordinary, not worth mentioning.”

They had assumed the Wilderness was an unconquerable danger, but in the end, it was just a blank area, not worth exploring or the effort.

It was precisely the pioneers’ exploration that prevented successors from going down the wrong path. Gradually, people lost interest in the Wilderness.

And those early Adventurers who first ventured into the Wilderness underwent no significant changes—those who needed to retire retired, those who had to shine shone...

Not coincidentally, Soron was also among those Adventurers who set foot in the Wilderness.

”Wait...” Igor began scratching his head, feeling a bit confused. This story seemed to have many contradictions.

”What’s wrong, Igor, have you discovered something new?” Dean Hoffman asked.

”Not exactly a discovery, I just find it odd.”

”What’s odd?” Dean Hoffman asked with a smile, not finding Igor’s interruption abrupt; instead, he thought Igor’s action was quite good.

”You mentioned that those who ventured into the Wilderness didn’t talk about that experience, telling others to check it out themselves. But why did Lord Soron write eight Outer World Travelogues?”

This question seemed significant, yet Igor hadn’t read those travelogues, utterly unaware of their content, presuming they were about the Wilderness.

”Haha, Igor, oh Igor...” Dean Hoffman couldn’t help but laugh.

”What’s so funny...”

”Haha, Igor, the Dean is amused by your innocence,” Stim laughed as well.

”What are you laughing about...”

It seemed only Igor didn’t understand what was going on.

”Haha, Igor, the ’Outer World’ doesn’t refer to the Wilderness; it refers to those places the Three Great Empires don’t wish to venture into, small, insignificant nations regarded by the Empires as worthless exiles,” Tobin Sol replied with a smile.

Igor looked bewildered, realizing indeed, he hadn’t read enough and was ignorant!

”No surprise; I didn’t guide you well, can’t blame Igor,” Stim quickly said, fearing Igor might get embarrassed again.

”Can I have a look at those travelogues...”

This time, however, Igor didn’t feel embarrassed. Instead, the display of ignorance piqued his curiosity, sparking an interest in those travelogues.

”Sure, go ahead. We’ll talk later; the day is already well-lit, and it’s time for breakfast,” Dean Hoffman said, wiping his mustache.