"All of you, get out and work! Don't think you can fool me just because I haven't read many books. If you can't dig up any ore today, you'll find neither death nor a way to live!"
Yun Mo swung his massive right wing while holding a scroll in his left, stirring up a whirlwind of sand and stones.
He silently flew and landed atop the mountain peak, randomly pointing at a few subordinates with the tip of his wing, "Tonight, all of you go find him. Whether dead or alive, bring the blind man back to me!"
A few Ice-winged Eagles received the order, took off, and circled above the mining area before dispersing in different directions after a brief discussion.
Jiang Yuan was completely unaware. He walked and looked around, hoping to see if there were other fruit trees or herbs to harvest.
Firstly, to establish a company for selling fruits, as the demand for cherries might grow;
Secondly, he needed to plan to reserve a part for future home-cooked meals in the homestead construction, as he couldn't always rely on picking and selling immediately, which not only posed the risk of stockouts but also might lead to insufficient inventory when tasks needed to be completed later and large cherries couldn't be supplied.
He didn't know when those two wild large cherry trees were left in the courtyard, but since they survived, there must be other cherry trees out in the wilderness. If he could find them and work overtime picking every night, the supply would be stable and ample, allowing for open sales.
The speed boost effect of the Beast Tooth Necklace was significant, allowing Jiang Yuan to quickly traverse through the forest into a slightly open swamp area.
"Hey! Who's that person? Could it be the blind man the pesky rats were talking about?" By coincidence, an Ice-winged Eagle circling above the forest spotted a human poking around with a jujube wood stick and immediately swooped down!
They hadn't seen a trace of anyone after searching all night yesterday; the king was furious. Even if this wasn't the blind man they were seeking, they could at least gather some information.
[Ice-winged Eagle: Low-level monster at the third layer of Qi Refining, agile flight speed, claws as sharp as blades, capable of releasing Cold Ice Feather Arrows, fearful of flames, can be tamed as a flying mount]
A notification flashed across Jiang Yuan's vision, but before he could react, a strong wind blew against his face, and the next second, a massive Ice-winged Eagle quietly and gradually landed.
He was momentarily bewildered—what the heck! They're still around, lurking nearby?
What to do? What should I do?
Why isn't the system giving any hints? I at least knew the Flame Rats were conscripting people, but what is this eagle after?
This is bad. Although I'm aware they're afraid of flames, the cooldown is ten minutes, and it's often judged as an ineffective skill release, so the Heaven-Burning Flame hasn't been leveled up either, which means its power and duration are insufficient to slay this fierce mini-boss.
Or should I... run, quit the game and take some time to figure out the opponent's motive...
In an instant of face-to-face confrontation, Jiang Yuan felt a storm surge in his mind along with the wild grasses around, while the Ice-winged Eagle opposite was slightly taken aback, as it had never seen a human like him!
Unexplainable—though he was shorter than itself and lacked mighty wings and developed muscles, standing there, skinny with a stick, he exuded an aura of dignity reminiscent of the elders in their tribe who taught cultivation during his childhood.
"Greetings, sir," the Ice-winged Eagle hesitated for a few seconds, deciding to trust its instincts, slightly awkwardly placing its right wing over its chest, bowing slightly and, using a typical human gesture, politely inquired, "I'm searching for a learned blind man for the king, someone who could utilize the Water Line Treasure to make mining proceed smoothly, a tremendous help to the pesky rats. May I ask, are you that learned gentleman?"
Jiang Yuan was once again taken aback. What a polite little boss!
And the Ice-winged Eagle, up close, looks really damn majestic, with those gradually transitioning ice-blue feathers paired with robust, sharp, glittering claws and the fierce gaze of its eagle eyes. Even the feathers on its head scream "handsome." If I could raise one as a mount, I can't even imagine how happy I'd be.
The system still hadn't provided any hints, but he thought since the Ice-winged Eagle was so knowledgeable and sensible, it might be okay to ask about the situation. After all, in their meeting, there had been greetings and the address of "sir"...
Could it be due to the title I'm wearing?
The deterrent effect of Dignity +10 is that effective?
"An assembly line is a method of cooperative division of labor, not a Magical Treasure," Jiang Yuan nodded slightly as he returned the courtesy and patiently explained, pretending to be blind, before asking, "Did you encounter problems mining?"
The Ice-winged Eagle was overjoyed, but strangely dared not issue orders with the usual air of superiority typical with puny, insignificant humans, merely keeping its head slightly lowered as it replied, "The king has captured those Flame Rats occupying our Lushan territory, but they refuse to mine properly. I trouble you, sir, to provide some guidance."
Wow, look at that attitude!
Jiang Yuan's mind was suddenly clear. No wonder the system wasn't giving hints; there was no danger at all.
If that's the case, since I can't run nor fight, going over to guide them while checking the sorry state of those pesky rats, perhaps even collecting some stones for building the Floating Market back home, achieves multiple goals at once. Isn't that marvelous?
If I do encounter danger, I have a Teleportation Talisman to escape straight back to the courtyard to log off and hide. What's to fear?
"Alright." Seeing the Ice-winged Eagle behave so respectfully, he nodded, not saying much to avoid slipping up.
Unexpectedly, upon his agreement, the Ice-winged Eagle eagerly inviting him to suggested, "The road is rugged and far; your mobility might be limited. Why don't I fly you there instead? It would be steady and fast."
There's such a big difference between monsters. Look at the Ice-winged Eagle, courteous and articulate. Unlike the Flame Rats, who pretend to be people, are vulgar and disrespectful, and even eat people!
The most critical thing is being able to snag a free ride!
If a big eagle carried me while flying, I wouldn't be afraid anymore.
Jiang Yuan didn't refuse and immediately climbed onto the eagle's back, finding no cold sensation as expected; on the contrary, the seemingly sharp and icy feathers were as smooth as silk, and the neck hair was remarkably soft.
Fearing that the blind man he finally found might fall off, the Ice-winged Eagle signaled him to sit steadily and hold on, then raised itself up, flapping its enormous wings a few times, buoyed by a gust of wind as it quietly ascended into the sky!
"Whoa!" Jiang Yuan restrained himself from exclaiming; it was exhilarating!
Never having flown due to economic reasons, he'd only experienced "flying" in dreams before, often accompanied by a "falling" sensation with a strong sense of weightlessness that was terribly unpleasant.
Unexpectedly, his first flight was in a wilderness game, riding a magnificent eagle—the experience was maxed out.
The Ice-winged Eagle spread its wings, gliding over the expansive lush treetops, wind swaying the dense leaves with a rustling sound, the dark canopy parting, leaving the trail of the wind, like a small boat stirring ripples across a lake.
Slightly veering, skimming past a steep mountain peak, Jiang Yuan could even feel the icy scent of the stones facing him.
The only regret in this first experience was its short duration. The Ice-winged Eagle flew swiftly, pursuing a direct path in the air towards the mining field, and before he'd had his fill, he saw the dazzling flames of the mine below.
Circling twice in the air, the Ice-winged Eagle stably descended, carrying Jiang Yuan as it respectfully stood before Yun Mo, crossing its wings and saluting for credit, "Great King, I have brought… the gentleman as requested!"
The Ice-winged Eagle leader, Yun Mo, suddenly stood up, its eyes narrowing slightly with a chilling demeanor, thinking, this gentleman? A mere insignificant human...
But upon seeing Jiang Yuan agilely jump off the subordinate's back, it felt something hit its mind, and the arrogance instantly vanished, instead genuinely sensing an indescribable aura of dignity emanating from this gentleman.
Roaming the wilderness for long, it had never encountered a human capable of impressing it like this. Could it be… a human cultivator?
Yun Mo couldn't help being startled, despite the Spiritual Energy having been drained from this barren land for a long time, rendering most humans fragile and insignificant. But long ago, human cultivators possessed abilities to move mountains, fill seas, and destroy the heavens and the earth, once cultivated, they were much more powerful than demon beasts.
Oh no! Should he indeed be a human cultivator, and having dealt with those pesky rats, if he is in league with them... This fellow cannot be allowed to remain!
Naturally suspicious and hypersensitive, especially towards outsiders, Yun Mo was always cautious, suspecting others might deceive him due to his limited education.