Chapter 53: Setting Out for the Wilderness

When he returned home, Song Qi shared the news that he would soon be leaving the city. Of course, he didn’t mention that he was heading out alone to the wilderness to hunt monsters and level up. Not wanting his parents to worry, he told them it was a special training arranged by the City Lord’s Mansion, with safety well assured, so there was nothing to fear.

The next morning, at dawn, Song Qi stood outside the house, ready to depart for the wilds.

“Dad, Mom, Sis, I’m heading out now.”

His mother fussed over his collar, a look of concern on her face. “Son, you must work hard during your training out there! Just look at how well the City Lord treats you—giving you a house, handing you money, and now even arranging special training. You can’t let down the effort others have put into you. In life, you need to have a conscience. If someone treats you well, it’s okay not to accept it, but once you do, you must bear that kindness in mind.”

His father nodded in agreement. “Song Qi, you’ve made us proud. By rights, I should give you some words of wisdom before you leave. But I’ve spent my whole life working in a factory, and I don’t have much wisdom to offer. Besides, I know you’re the most promising one in our family—I’m not qualified to teach you. The best I can do is to let you find your own way. If we don’t cause you trouble, that’s help enough. Still… if it’s possible, I hope the children of our Song family can always be upright and decent people.”

Song Qi could only smile wryly at these words. “Don’t worry, Mom, Dad. Your son is only going out for a few days of training. There’s no great danger, no need to act as if it’s some parting of life and death.”

With that, he waved at Song Lan, who stood not far off. “Sis, I’m leaving.”

“Mm, remember to come home safe.”

Seventh District, at the main gate.

Rumbling echoed as the city gates were slowly pushed open. Song Qi joined the flow of people leaving the city, paid five hundred credits, and boarded a specially modified bus. Sitting by the window, he gazed out with a trace of emotion.

The last time he ventured into the wild was when he followed that burly man. He hadn’t had the chance to take in the scenery then.

Today, finally, he could see it clearly. The so-called wilderness was, in fact, what had once been a city. If one looked carefully, faint traces of the old city still lingered. Moss-covered skyscrapers lined the roads—some battered and broken, sliced clean in half, others still retaining much of their original form. On the rooftops of these towers, flying monsters occasionally swooped and landed. What was once a city of humankind had now become a breeding ground for monsters.

Just then...

“Hello, handsome.”

Feeling someone grab his arm, Song Qi turned in confusion to find a rather seductive-looking middle-aged female mage. Her attire was revealing, her bosom conspicuously prominent.

“Hello, is there something you need?” Song Qi calmly withdrew his arm from her grasp.

The mage flashed a charming smile, unfazed. “Handsome, you look quite young—here for some leveling too, I suppose? Want to join our party? We’ve got five members, all above level sixty-five...”

Before she could finish, Song Qi interrupted, “Sorry, I’m not planning to join any other teams at the moment.”

“Oh, what a pity. To be honest, I rather like you,” the mage said with a touch of regret. But she didn’t press further, instead rising to scout for another prospective teammate.

Song Qi paid her no further mind and returned to gazing at the scenery outside the bus window.

Over an hour later, the bus reached its destination without incident. There had been a few monster attacks along the way, but the driver dispatched them all with a single fireball—clearly, he was no low-level adventurer.

“Endless Snowfield! Off the bus, everyone!” the driver called out.

At his urging, the passengers filed off. Song Qi stepped down and, rubbing his hands, exhaled a plume of white breath.

“It’s freezing—no wonder it’s called the Endless Snowfield.”

This was the human outpost; three kilometers further lay the monsters’ domain—the Endless Snowfield itself.

The Endless Snowfield was the favored training ground for most newly expelled professionals. Once a professional surpassed level sixty, they were forcibly driven out of the city, barred from re-entering the dungeons. They were compelled to train in the wild.

Monsters on the outskirts of the snowfield were generally between level forty and seventy, just right for those around level sixty to hone their skills. Of course, being the wild, monster levels and territories were far from fixed. Occasionally, level eighty or ninety monsters appeared, though most kept to the deeper snowfields. There had even been several monster sieges on human settlements.

Thus, for most professionals, the outpost was not a permanent home, but merely a place to rest their feet.

“I’d best find a place to stay, or I’ll have nowhere to sleep tonight,” Song Qi mused, glancing around.

The outpost had simple roads, a few convenience stores, and several inns and restaurants. The population was sparse, with only a few figures meandering through the streets. He circled the area, eventually settling on a tidy-looking inn, paid seventy thousand credits, and took a room.

The room had electricity and an electric heater. Song Qi turned on the heater and spread out the map the City Lord had given him.

“Let’s see… I’m here,” he muttered, pointing at a red dot on the map.

The City Lord’s map was meticulously marked—not only were the terrains clearly drawn, but the types and names of nearby monsters were noted in detail.

“With my current level and strength, I should aim for monsters around level fifty. Any lower, and the experience won’t be worth it. Ten levels higher, and it’ll get tough and slow, not to mention far more dangerous. Not worth the risk.”

“So, the best place for me to grind is… here!”

His finger landed at the upper right of the red dot.

“Icefield Wolf Pack Territory.”

“Icefield wolves average level forty-five, with the pack leader usually around level fifty-two—no major threat to me. Plus, they’re pack monsters: find one and you’ve found a group. Most importantly, because of their level, professionals over sixty don’t bother with them. Over the years, their numbers have swollen, verging on overpopulation—there are plenty to be found.”

“The only thing to watch out for is that this area isn’t just the wolves’ domain—it’s also home to high-level monsters like the Polar Bear and the Blue Two-Headed Ogre. So while grinding, I’ll have to stay alert for ambushes.”

Song Qi stroked his chin, pondering a few minutes longer to be sure he’d covered every angle, then finally rolled up the map.