"Is that so... You're looking for people?"
Ethan, an elderly cat-eared man who held the position of head of the Travelers' Association, stroked his white beard while contemplating.
"I think I can help with this matter..."
He murmured. The number of travelers was almost half the population in the city. Therefore, if it was a matter of information, there was nowhere faster than his Travelers' Association.
"...What do you want in return?"
Bai Fanxian took a sip of water while asking. She didn't believe there was anyone anywhere who would help people they'd just met without wanting something in return.
Ethan, hearing this, laughed heartily the way old people liked to do. These two young ladies looked clever, so he wouldn't hide anything further.
"Have you ever heard about the secret village in the forbidden forest?"
Bai Fanxian narrowed her eyes slightly upon hearing this name. The forbidden forest was the forest not far from the border city. As for that secret village, if she guessed correctly—
It should be Wu Jia's village!
"There are rumors that in that village is a doctor who can cure any illness... But his identity is a mystery." Ethan spoke softly. He himself was also observing the demeanor of these two young women.
"...I've never heard of it before." Bai Fanxian refused without any suspicious manner.
But it made Ethan laugh lightly and shake his head.
"I already knew you two were humans."
The old man's sudden statement could make Bai Fanxian and Xie Suyao alert instantly. The two of them released slight pressure while staring at the old man.
Ethan, who could sense the tremendous power pressing down on him, broke out in sweat. He quickly showed an innocent attitude and hurriedly waved his hands.
"Calm down, I'm not your enemy. I know Wu Jia well. The disguise equipment you're using—I'm the one who helped him create and develop it."
Upon hearing a name that ordinary people shouldn't know, both of them dispersed the pressure. But their gazes still held doubt mixed within.
"I've been close with him for many years. He's my benefactor who saved my life." Ethan pulled his collar open, allowing them to see a long scar in the middle of his chest.
"If he hadn't helped me then, I would have died already."
The old man sighed about the past.
Bai Fanxian stared at Ethan for a moment. Both his demeanor and tone indicated he probably wasn't lying.
"Earlier I was just testing. So you've already met Wu Jia?" Ethan changed the subject. He continued asking about what he was interested in.
"I thought Wu Jia would be the last human. It's really good that you two are here as well."
Ethan's eyes were full of happiness. Xie Suyao couldn't help but ask, "You still have faith in humans?"
"Of course! Humans are those who taught and gave us knowledge. In this life, I was even saved by a human. How could I hate humans?"
The old man patted his own chest lightly as confirmation.
"Does this mean your companions are also—?"
Ethan understood the whole story roughly now, and was surprised to learn there were several more "humans" in this world.
"I'll help you then. You can trust me. The Travelers' Association's intelligence network is the best in this world."
The old man stood up. He pulled out a card and handed it to Bai Fanxian.
"If you have problems, come find me at the association. Don't worry about your companions. If there's any news, I'll come find you here."
When he finished speaking, he waved goodbye and left. Bai Fanxian looked at the card in her hand while no one knew what she was thinking.
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That night, while Wu Jia was sitting studying medicinal pills in his room, he suddenly jumped when beside him, Bai Fanxian's figure suddenly appeared from the shadows.
"At least make some noise when you come..."
Wu Jia sighed. Normally he had lived alone for a long time, so he wasn't accustomed to conversing with others at night like this.
"Do you know an old man named Ethan?" Bai Fanxian sat down on a chair naturally. She turned to look with interest at the medicinal pill in the pot that was heating properly.
"Ethan? You've already met him?"
Wu Jia was surprised. He didn't think the two young women who had only entered the city for one day would coincidentally meet one of his few acquaintances.
"So you really do know him..."
Bai Fanxian nodded. She was about to turn to leave, but was stopped by Wu Jia first.
"Wait, have you gotten any news yet?" The middle-aged man asked.
"...At first I thought I'd stay in this city for just two or three days. But if the man named Ethan is trustworthy, letting him handle it might be faster."
Bai Fanxian answered. She adjusted her previous plans slightly, becoming that she chose to set up base in this border city instead.
"If he said he'll help, then he can probably really help."
Bai Fanxian turned away again. This time she would really leave. Xie Suyao didn't even know she'd come. But before leaving, she turned to speak one sentence to Wu Jia.
"The proportion of earth grass you're using is slightly off... Reducing it by one-third would be better."
When she finished speaking, she didn't turn back again, leaving only Wu Jia who was so shocked that the medicinal pill in the pot was about to explode before he came to his senses.
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After that day, in this border city, the reputation of the "two sisters" began to become famous overnight.
Because their beauty meant that wherever they walked, incidents would occur every time. But no matter the time, the people who bothered them would all fall miserably without anyone knowing the cause, and evidence couldn't be found to hold them accountable.
Especially groups of people who worked in underground matters and were in the same gang—upon hearing that their friends or underlings had been harmed, they would come for revenge endlessly.
But fortunately, as days passed, people began to not dare bother them. Until approximately one month had passed, both of them had nearly successfully subdued the entire underworld of the city beneath their feet.
When they encountered Bai Fanxian, they would quickly come over and respectfully call her "Elder Sister."
As for when they encountered Xie Suyao, they would call her "Second Sister" instead.
Because they were always there to restrain them, those underground workers couldn't come out to create problems for the citizens. Their strength and fairness caused both of them to be respected by a great number of people. Their reputation began spreading to neighboring cities.
During this time, Ethan would stop by to see them occasionally. Each time he came, it was mostly rumors about discovering humans in various places, or encountering strange individuals.
But all of those still weren't the companions she was searching for.
Bai Fanxian, who had calmed down once, was also starting to become a bit impatient.
Until one day, Ethan, who should have been working at the association, hurriedly ran to find them at their room in the early morning. Xie Suyao, who went to open the door, was surprised at the old man's panicked demeanor.
"Is there any news?"
Xie Suyao asked excitedly. Even Bai Fanxian, who was sipping tea on the room's balcony, turned to look as well.
"It's not news from the Travelers' Association..."
Ethan didn't know where to start telling the story. He entered the two women's room and tried to organize his words.
"But it's news from the city government. It seems a great war is about to break out at the border soon."
Bai Fanxian frowned. She had been quite lazy about paying attention to the war between the two species all along, even now. So she turned to continue paying attention to the hot tea in her hand.
"From the intelligence sources I obtained information from, it seems the dog-ear tribe has acquired several new powerful figures. They were appointed as marshal, military advisor, and vice marshal in a short time."
Ethan pulled out a data sheet.
"This new marshal is very powerful. He has a military advisor skilled in administration and an assistant who seems to be an old man helping. But no one has ever seen their faces. They wear face masks and black cloaks all the time."
At this point, both Bai Fanxian and Xie Suyao began turning to look at each other's faces. They felt these three people were quite strange.
At the same time, they felt a certain premonition.
"The important thing is that on their masks is carved the character 'Bai'... Do you think they might be your companions?"
Ethan finished reading all the information and turned to look at Bai Fanxian with a strange expression.
"Do you know their location?"
Bai Fanxian asked.
"...That's the reason I came to find you two now." Ethan spoke with an uncomfortable tone.
"The dog-ear tribe's army has already marched close to the border. The distance from here is about fifteen kilometers. They've moved tightly and quietly for so long that our intelligence network couldn't report in time... Additionally, there's a strange military formation pattern we've never seen before."
Bai Fanxian, listening, could already guess who was leading the army.
It must definitely be Marshal Zhang Xianyuan!
Otherwise, who else could consolidate power and become marshal of an unknown force in one month, while also having battle plans and strategies filling their head?
It was unfortunate he wasn't truly her person. She had hoped her followers would grow from this adventure. If they could have achievements like Zhang Xianyuan's, that would be good.
"And the reason you came to find us is?" Bai Fanxian asked Ethan.
"Because it's a sudden situation, our side's army still can't travel here in time. So it's necessary to rely on both travelers and soldiers stationed in this city to defend the border first..."
The old man spoke heavily. He bowed his head to request of Bai Fanxian and Xie Suyao.
"I don't agree with waging war either, and there's still the possibility they're your companions. But this is a request from the citizens—may we borrow your strength to protect this city?"
"..."