The villainous young master just wants to live a Buddhist-like life.

　While adventurers fear the power of dragons, they often harbor the dream of riding them.

　Daniel is just one of the millions of ordinary people.

　However, he is now chasing after the dragon not for any dream, but to seek refuge.

　Night is about to fall.

　The black soil plains at night and during the day are two different worlds.

　Once night falls, the desolate black soil plains will be swallowed by terror.

　The powerful dragon riders can help them get through this destined-to-be-difficult night.

　"Daniel, how much further?"

　As it grew darker, Congreve jogged from the back to the front and asked in a low voice.

　"If we really can't catch up, shall we set up camp here?"

　Monica also said with concern.

　A typical adventure team usually consists of three to five people, with Daniel, Congreve, and Monica all serving as team leaders.

　The three of them formed a team of twelve in Blackrock Town, the closest town to the border, and accepted a mercenary mission to escort a caravan to the Free City.

　Although Daniel's adventure team consisted of only three people, they were the strongest among the three teams. Therefore, he became the leader of this temporary team.

　However, the goods carried by the caravan were several times heavier than expected, which greatly slowed down the team's progress. In addition, some encounters along the way resulted in the team failing to leave the Black Soil Plain after a whole day!

　Daniel glanced back at Monica, whose skin was rough but whose curves were alluring, and said firmly, "I'm sure I saw those five dragons showing signs of landing. They must be not far ahead. As long as we can get the protection of the dragon riders..."

　A shadow crossed Congreve's eyes as he frowned and said, "The Black Earth Plains are so vast, who knows where they'll land? And even if we find them, are we guaranteed protection? They might become an even greater threat than the monsters."

　Daniel said with a hint of longing, "How could that be? Those are dragon knights! Dragons and griffins are controlled mounts, and only the Kingdom's Knights can be equipped with them in organized units. The holy coins they drop from their fingernails are worth more than the entire value of our team. There's no way they would covet us."

　Congreve countered, "What if they're in a bad mood?"

　Monica, unable to stand it any longer, interjected, "Congreve, you're being a bit unreasonable."

　Daniel said, "It's alright, Congreve is just being overly anxious, and so am I. But the nights on the Black Earth Plains are far too dangerous. If we're targeted by those monsters, we might be able to escape, but what about that caravan..."

　Congreve said indignantly, "I think there's something wrong with that caravan too. What exactly are they transporting?"

　"It might be some kind of contraband!" Monica couldn't help but glance back, her tone displeased.

　The atmosphere eased slightly after the three found a common target of their hatred.

　The road ahead suddenly opened up.

　……

　Professor Pava Jones deactivated the Field Magic Card "Invisible Labyrinth" in his hand, watching the adventure team gradually approach in the distance.

　She spotted them as she flew overhead. Therefore, she deliberately left her mark and chose a nearby spot to set up camp, luring them over.

　The night on the black soil plains is fraught with danger. She was merely showing some casual kindness, but it may have saved one or two lives.

　Professor Sylph did not object, as this was an opportunity for the three students accompanying her to come into contact with "real adventurers".

　As dusk fell, Professor Sylph casually flicked out a ball of light to serve as a temporary light source.

　Little fairies with flapping wings flew back from all directions, each carrying one or two dry branches in their arms, and in the blink of an eye, they piled up a small mountain of firewood in the middle of the camp.

　Professor Lily stood with her hands on her hips, looking down at the camp with a smug expression.

　Professor Jones used the item card "Camping Set" to summon three large tents and several sleeping bags that could last for twelve hours, while the others were setting up the tents.

　Setting up tents is an essential skill for camping in the wild, and at Professor Sylph's request, Dark, Aurora, and Witt each took charge of one.

　The professors and maids were responsible for providing guidance and assistance.

　As the three enormous tents were finally erected, the flames of the campfire ignited.

　The feeling of wilderness adventure instantly washes over you.

　Dak walked enthusiastically to the campfire and sat down on a rock that the goblin had brought.

　Devimon and Guhuon, riding on Magnemite, were chasing and playing around the campfire.

　Ollie came from behind and half-squatted down to tidy his slightly disheveled hair.

　The footsteps of adventurers and the rumble of carriage wheels finally reached us.

　"Hmph."

　The dragon guarding that side blew its nose at Daniel, who was approaching.

　Daniel, his face flushed, casually wiped the sticky liquid off his face and said cautiously, "This humble one, Daniel, greets Your Excellency the Knight."

　“State your origins,” Professor Jones’s voice rang out clearly.

　Daniel was overjoyed and immediately explained his origins, why he was there, and his intention to seek protection.

　Perhaps seeing his excellent attitude, the dragon blew its nose at him again, then impatiently moved aside, revealing a narrow path wide enough for a carriage to pass through.

　Daniel gestured to Congreve and Monica behind him, then cautiously entered the path.

　We crossed the path and entered the camp.

　What appeared before them was certainly not a kingdom knight.

　But after seeing that most of the people in the camp were beautiful women, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

　Women are always easier to put on a relaxed level than men, especially beautiful women.

　Following his instructions, Congreve and Monica also entered. Monica then turned back, spoke with the caravan leader for two minutes, and then led the caravan back into the camp.

　The camp, surrounded by five flying dragons, was enormous, and the three carriages that followed could only occupy a small corner of it.

　After the carriages and the flying dragons were some distance apart, they stopped one after another. The person in charge of the caravan lifted the curtain and stepped down gracefully, revealing a beautiful woman with a charming demeanor.

　……

　Dak sat by the campfire, curiously observing the group of adventurers.

　Of the three adventurer captains, Daniel had thick eyebrows and big eyes, and a square face. Although he looked travel-worn, his eyes shone with a spirit.

　Congreve was clad in iron armor, carrying a large shield on his back like a tortoise shell. He had a rugged face, a robust physique, scars on his face, and a ruthless look in his eyes.

　The other female adventurer, Monica, had rough, slightly dark skin. Her features were not ugly, but that was all. Her shoulder-length hair was tied into a ponytail and hung behind her head. You could see that her hair was not in good condition; it was very messy and even greasy.

　If these three were placed in an adventure novel, they would most likely be described as "handsome and dashing warriors", "robust and reliable shield warriors", and "stunningly charming black beauties".

　But in reality, the sand and sweat have long since obscured any potential physical attractiveness they might possess.

　However, the caravan leader who stepped down from the carriage stubbornly maintained her feminine grace.

　Dark smiled. In fact, the appearance of those three was already considered excellent among adventurers; the other nine who followed them were the ones who were truly in a sorry state.

　He handed the glass full of juice to the "Goddess of the Mind" sitting next to him, and then continued to tend to the campfire.

　As night falls and the temperature drops sharply, the warmth brought by the campfire becomes especially precious.

　Beside him, Aurora was boiling water, saying she was going to cook noodles in the wilderness.

　Having grown up in the city of freedom, Aurora was accustomed to the true nature of adventurers and could not be swayed in the slightest.

　Only Witte was slightly distracted, feeling a sense of disillusionment.

　Before they knew it, the professors had all sat down by the campfire, forming only a half circle, leaving the other half of the space for the adventurers and caravans.

　After a detailed conversation with Professor Jones, the group of adventurers also came over.

　The closer they got to the firelight, the more obvious their fatigue became.

　But the presence of those five flying dragons also gave them a sense of security.

　Of course, it also erased any evil thoughts that might exist in their hearts.

　Even though the group they mistook for the Dragon Knights consisted mostly of seemingly gentle women, they dared not underestimate them in the slightest.

　Adventurers are not exactly benevolent people, but the adventurer team we've just encountered seems to be... quite conscious of their lives.

　……

　The caravan consisted of only six people: the person in charge, a maid, a guard, and three part-time coachmen.

　These six people, along with the adventurers, make a total of eighteen.

　Once they sat down, they naturally divided into four groups, each with a very prominent leader.

　Professor Jones finally sat down and raised an eyebrow at the adventurers over there.

　Daniel immediately mustered a surge of enthusiasm and began to introduce himself: "Thank you all very much for allowing us to travel together. I am Daniel, an ordinary soldier who has been on the battlefield and participated in three battles, all of which I won."

　"So how many demons did you kill?" Congreve suddenly interjected.

　A hint of embarrassment appeared on Daniel's face as he scratched his head and said, "Not a single one."

　"You went to the battlefield three times, but didn't kill a single demon?" Witt immediately asked in surprise, looking as if he had "you're a deserter" etched on his forehead.

　Ophelia Brad pressed down on the back of his hand, saying helplessly, "Killing the enemy on the battlefield is never that simple. If it were a matter of overwhelming force, those at the rear might not even reach the front before the war is over. Mr. Daniel is already very lucky to have survived three battles."

　Daniel wasn't annoyed, and said with a smile, "It was indeed a great victory. Looking back now, it's all thanks to 'Hero' Bright sacrificing himself to seal the Demon King, allowing humanity to take control of the war, which is why I was able to survive by chance. Later, because I didn't gain any merit, I retired from the army and became an adventurer, which has been almost ten years now. Everyone calls me Lucky Daniel."

　After Daniel finished speaking, Monica chimed in, "My turn. I'm Monica, and people who know me like to call me 'Black Beauty.' Of course, I'm just average-looking, but luckily I don't have a scar on my face, unlike some of my other sisters who are disfigured. I'm not exactly handsome, but I'm not ugly either. Right, Scarface?"

　The scarred man, Congreve, glared at her and said, "Congreve, known as 'The Unyielding Fortress,' is a shield warrior!"

　……

　The adventurers' self-introductions gradually eased the atmosphere between the two sides.

　Dark looked at him strangely, thinking to himself that Monica was actually called "Black Beauty," but the nickname of Scarface Congreve was still more imposing.

　Hey, the fortress is unstoppable!

　If I ever have the chance to become an adventurer in the future, I must choose a nickname as domineering as his!

　We can't let someone with ulterior motives give us a nickname like "Dark Cat".

　……

　After all the adventurers had taken their turn, the caravan members finally spoke.

　Marilyn had been observing this team she had encountered by chance on the black soil plains.

　From the occasional conversations between Dak and the others, she quickly noticed that they were from the Academy.

　Among this group of people were professors, students... and maids!

　Although they were riding three dragons, they were definitely not from the Knight Academy; they were most likely from the Magic Academy.

　Everyone here exudes magical energy.

　Especially that beautiful elf lady, so beautiful that even the bright moon dared not show its face, must be a powerful great magician.

　This made her even more vigilant.

　However, she still followed Professor Jones's instructions and introduced herself.

　Of course, it's a pseudonym.

　"I am Mary, and I am in charge of this caravan. It is truly fortunate that we have been able to receive the protection of you dragon knights on the Black Earth Plains during the night. I was terrified when Monica told me that our caravan would not be able to leave the Black Earth Plains before nightfall. Once we reach the City of Freedom, our merchant guild will certainly provide you with satisfactory compensation."

　"Ah."

　Professor Jones gave a casual reply and said, "You're from the Black Sands Merchant Guild, aren't you?"

　Marilyn's expression tightened, and she instinctively wanted to deny it, but in the end she gritted her teeth and said, "Yes."

　The next instant, the adventurers gripped their weapons tightly, and more than a dozen eyes were fixed on her.

　Her guards reacted immediately, drawing their swords.

　The previously relaxed camp area instantly became tense.

　In the distance, the sound of the earth churning suddenly reached their ears, and a fierce and terrifying black sandstorm surged into their view, carving a road straight to this place.

　Something's coming!

　"It's Sharon!" Congreve shouted.

　Marilyn quickly said, "It wasn't us!"

　The five flying dragons suddenly rose up, their dragon might spreading outwards.

　Professor Jones frowned slightly and looked at the only three students in the room.