Chapter 5: Ark Town

“So, this is still within the borders of the Arthurian Kingdom?”

“Of course! Not far ahead is Ark Town, part of Lord Wilson’s territory. They say he once fought in the Fencemoor Campaign and even received a medal from the queen herself…”

“Is that so?”

Li Wen’s eyes glinted.

Her goal was indeed to reach the Arthurian Kingdom, and as luck would have it, Ark Town wasn’t far at all.

The cart creaked along the rugged road, loaded mostly with grain, firewood, and some regional specialties.

The Reagans were transporting the goods to town to exchange them for money before winter set in.

The creature pulling the cart was something Li Wen had never seen before—she guessed it was likely the result of alchemical crossbreeding, maybe even a hybrid spawned by the flesh cult that had made its way into the wild.

She was incredibly fortunate.

Right after entering the game, she had met the Reagans.

After explaining she’d gotten lost in the forest while separated from her family, they kindly offered her a ride to the nearest town.

Of course, a big part of that kindness was because, in their eyes, Li Wen looked like nothing more than a frail, helpless little girl.

“Don’t buy into his bluster,” Mrs. Reagan said, her burly frame towering over her husband as she gave him a hearty slap on the back.

“Everyone in Black Dragon Territory knows Wilson spins tall tales when he’s drunk. Only the gods know if he’s a war hero or a deserter!”

Though the target of her sarcasm was Lord Wilson, Reagan’s face turned various shades of red and white.

Still, the scrawny man didn’t dare argue with his wife, who was easily two heads taller than him.

He could only grumble, “Well… he is pretty generous when he buys a round…”

Li Wen wasn’t interested in who was right.

Her focus was on recalling what she knew about Ark Town and the surrounding Black Dragon Territory.

In her previous life, she had never visited this remote frontier town.

The only thing she remembered was the rumor that there might be a real black dragon in the region.

Back then, a devastating wave had swept across the Black Dragon Territory, obliterating it completely.

Some said it was a magical anomaly, while others whispered that it had been the wrath of a black dragon.

Li Wen wasn’t sure what to believe.

Regardless, her objectives had nothing to do with dragons, and the disaster hadn’t occurred until after the great transmigration event—so it probably wasn’t an immediate concern… probably.

As they drew closer to Ark Town, the narrow and bumpy path gave way to a wide, well-maintained road.

Along the way, they passed a number of travelers and merchant caravans, all seemingly headed toward the same destination.

According to Reagan, Ark Town was the largest settlement in the area and a critical hub for trade and transport.

Many merchant caravans passed through, and adventurers or mercenaries often stopped by as well.

By midday, the worn yet sturdy walls of Ark Town came into view.

The town was frequently troubled by monsters, especially during the seasonal change between autumn and winter, when creatures would attack and pillage, making defensive walls absolutely necessary.

Being the region’s central trade hub, Ark Town charged an entrance tax—just a single penny per person, with an additional fee based on the weight of any goods being transported.

The Reagans, being the kind-hearted people they were, even paid Li Wen’s entrance fee for her.

“If you’re looking for someone, you can try asking around at the Hops Tavern in the western district—but it’s usually crawling with drunkards and greedy leeches. Still, if you talk to Mayor Morgan, he’s a good man. Tell him your situation, and I’m sure he’ll help you out.”

Before parting, Uncle Reagan gave her some advice.

His more sentimental wife crushed Li Wen into a bear hug, warning her repeatedly to stay safe.

She even urged her to visit them in Goldstone Village someday—she’d bake Li Wen a delicious oatmeal cake.

Li Wen couldn’t help but feel both a little overwhelmed and a little touched by their heartfelt warmth.

“Thank you so much. I promise, if I get the chance, I’ll visit.”

Goodbyes were always a little bittersweet—but she hadn’t forgotten her mission.

She didn’t follow Uncle Reagan’s suggestion to visit the tavern or find the mayor.

Instead, she began asking around for the location of the local church.

The Arthurian Kingdom belonged to the Order-aligned faction, so its mainstream religion was naturally the Radiant Candle Church, which worshipped the Light.

Any decently sized town in the kingdom would almost certainly have a church or a missionary outpost.

In World Tree: Origin, if a player wanted to grow stronger, the first requirement was to obtain a class—essentially a profession.

Unlike other games, though, acquiring a class in World Tree: Origin was notoriously difficult.

Players had to study skills for extended periods before qualifying.

For example, if a player studied swordsmanship under a veteran soldier or drill instructor, after a few days they might receive a class like Swordsman or Guard.

At this stage, most players were still stuck in that grind.

They worked during the day to earn enough for food and shelter—yes, this game had a hunger mechanic; players had to eat—and spent money at night to hire instructors who could teach them skills.

Some of the more cunning players aimed higher.

They tried their luck at organizations with impressive-sounding names like the Alchemy Guild, the Archive of Forbidden Tomes, or the Church of Blood, hoping to land an advanced or rare class.

But Li Wen knew better.

So far, most Order-aligned supernatural factions still viewed players with a mix of awe and suspicion.

On one hand, they were jealous of players’ limitless level potential.

On the other, they feared their reckless behavior and their ability to resurrect.

Because of this ambivalence, these factions were unlikely to accept players into their ranks—at least not within the first month of release.

Let alone granting them bloodlines or guiding them on extraordinary paths.

Thanks to the game’s explosive popularity, even in a remote town like Ark, Li Wen encountered plenty of other players.

They were easy to spot—not by their looks, but by their… behavior.

For instance, in just the short walk to town, she’d already seen at least three players trying to speed up their movement by jumping, rolling, or attempting slide-tackles across the ground.

Needless to say, these antics achieved nothing aside from drawing puzzled or annoyed stares.

Others flagged down every passerby, desperately hoping to trigger a “quest” by talking to NPCs—earning themselves nothing but irritated glares.

To be fair, if they hadn’t paid the entrance tax, the town guards probably would’ve kicked them out by now.

As it stood, they could only be reprimanded with a few stern warnings and allowed to continue their “performance art.”

And when Li Wen finally arrived at the church, she realized it was the worst hotspot of all.

The entrance was packed with people—not quite a sea of humanity, but definitely shoulder to shoulder.

Most were players, though some were bystanders or townsfolk simply trying to pass through, only to be blocked by the crowd.