Re: Level 100 Farmer Chapter 4
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As Li and the old man traveled to town, they talked. Or, as it was, the old man – Old Thane as he was called, for it seemed that his advanced age had become part of his identity – talked and Li listened. Old Thane liked to talk.
Maybe it was because he was blind, but he talked with expression. His hands gestured wildly and his wizened brows leaped up and down, accurately conveying a vast breadth of emotions.
When Old Thane spoke of his young adventuring days, Li could see in how he raised his brows and screwed his lips the struggle of slaying an Orc Chieftain.
When he told the story of his late wife, how she had passed in a particularly bad winter when the winds were cold and sharp like knives, the sadness of times and love lost was visible, etched in the aged creases of his crow's feet and echoing in the melancholy of his voice.
Old Thane spoke of more than just himself, too. He spoke of the world, of its quarrels and events. They were right now in the duchy of Soleil ruled by the duchess Vivienne.
The duchy used to be part of the Republic, an empire to the north, but a rebellion a decade ago had made it an independent territory almost as large as a kingdom.
The Republic was a multiracial council of several different races with elves at their head. Humans used to occupy a head seat at the council as well, but their secession was what created Soleil. Now, the two territories occupied a state of tense friendship, trading goods and diplomats but always ready to have skirmishes here and there over silly disputes over land.
The place that they were headed to was a town called Riviera. A modestly sized community located in the western territory of Soleil. It was a peaceful place as far as things went, isolated from border skirmishes with the Republic to the north. The only problem were bandits and monsters, but the duchess's knights often took care of them.
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Old Thane stopped the wagon when the moon shone brightest. He wiped a thin sheen of sweat off his forehead and took in a hungry breath of the cool, crisp night air. Li did the same, appreciating just how clean the air felt. Nothing like the smog of his world.
"So, young'un, or rather, I should call you by your name. Li, what's your story? Your name sounds foreign. You must have quite the adventures to your credit."
"I come from a land far away," started Li, carefully choosing his words.
"To the East, right? That's where your name comes from." Old Thane stroked his scraggly, grey-dotted beard. "A mystical place, I hear, where three great kingdoms of jade, gold, and pearl fight unending wars for dominance. Old adventurer's tales say that they have dragons as large as mountains that rain down gold and good fortune to all that pray to them. They say that their kings live in towers that reach the skies."
"To be honest, my memories of home are very faint," said Li slowly. He knew nothing of this world, but he reasoned that he would be safest if he tried pretending to be part of it. He didn't like standing out in his past life, and he sure as hell wouldn't want to stand out here where he knew nothing of the world.
"Oh, how does that come to be?"
Li remembered all the details of Elden World and its lore, but from what he could tell, this world was entirely different. In the game, there was no Soleil or Republic. It seemed that though this world took the magic system of the game, its history had diverged completely from it. But he was quick on his feet and tried to lie his way into belonging regardless.
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Just the right amount of vagueness and sob story to keep the questions against him low.
"I was exiled at a young age, I'm afraid. My parents had committed crimes against the state, and, through a small mercy, I was the only one allowed to leave alive."
Li nodded to himself. This way, he could absolve himself of knowing anything about the East while at the same time having a solid excuse to not know anything about the West. It also cut all ties he could have in the world, so he didn't have to make up any family or friends.
Old Thane shook his head. "Exiled? How old are you? Judging by your voice, you don't even sound as if you've passed twenty summers."
"I'm exactly twenty, sure," said Li. His real-life age was thirty, but the younger he came off as, the better. It meant he didn't have to know much about the world. He had always had a soft-spoken voice, and he guessed that Old Thane thought he was young because of that.
"Twenty? And it must take years and years to travel from the far East to here. A boy left to the wilds, thrown to a land unknown. You must have learned to fight on the road. So much suffering all because of the sins of your parents." Old Thane bowed his head. "Tell me, do you have anything to your name? Somewhere to go? Coin to your name?"
"No," said Li simply. "I have nothing. I'll have to find my way around this place and figure out what I want to do."
Old Thane furrowed his brows as he stared at the ground. He spent a minute like that, thinking hard.
"Come with me, Li. Right outside Riviera, I have a small farm. I can't work the fields like I used to, not with my eyes dead and my arms growing thinner by the year. Sooner or later, the years shall take me and return me to the dirt.
When that happens, I want to have a spry young lad I can pass the place down to. No sons do I have to my name, so while I understand it is not very much, I offer you a roof and, when I sod off to the afterlife, a farm. Now, what do you say to that?"
"I would want nothing else in the world," said Li, overwhelmed at the sudden offer.
This was his dream. As if cosmic fate had heard his prayers, he could now be a farmer. What was impossible in his old life was now his. He could plant and grow life, real life, not just video game pixels, and watch the waxing and waning of seasons as the life around him grew.
For the first time since his parents passed, he felt happy. Truly happy, fulfilled at a deep, almost spiritual level.
Old Thane laughed. "Nothing else in the world? You've got small ambitions, my friend, but I admire that. It's no good to be weighed down by heavy dreams. Come, let's head to Riviera. My old back is looking forward taking a rest with a strong young'un like you to man the plows."
And so they went, starting the story of a peculiar young farmer whose power could rock the world.
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World Transcending Dragon Paragon [HIATUS]
NOTE: This story is on hiatus for now. Kindly check my new story here! Yulian Starlighter was formerly an ordinary University Student. After his sudden death, he was sent decades into the future, where the world has been shaken by a heaven rending apocalypse! This is a world of strength, where the only law is the law of the jungle! For what reason did he transcend death? This world that has drastically transformed, is it really Earth or another world? Follow Yulian as he seeks answers on his path of cultivation!Tags: Xianxia, Sci-Fi, Post-Apocalypse, Time Travel, Fanfiction[Note: This story is a fanfiction that takes place in the world of Swallowed Star, a famous novel by I Eat Tomatoes. Swallowed Star ranks among IET's best works and is extremely popular in China. It is currently translated by Zebulin in Translation Nations.] NOTE: This story is on hiatus for now. Kindly check final chapter for the prologue of my new story!
8 170Heroic Chronicles Volume 2: Dawn of the New Beginning
Volume 2: Dawn of the New Beginning. [A High Fantasy + Non OP MC + Worldbuilding + Harem Novel] [This story is written in a Light Novel style] Heroic Chronicles tells the tale of a 17-years old protagonist, Claude Leonheart, a lowly Initiate of the Brotherhood of the Sun whose whole world became one of many trials, and challenges after saving the Kingdom's only princess. As he becomes a hero, a new world now awaits him. Follow his adventures of epic proportions (maybe not) as he encounters various adventures upon adventures and meeting new people during his journey as his life would then be shaped by these encounters for better or for worse. Take the journey with him as he learns his power and responsibilities that comes with it. Becoming a hero is not just about saving girls and slaying monsters. The cover is commisioned and done by: Artist: FatCatInTheBox ***** Before you lot bashes me up with my English etc., consider this: 1. This is my first novel. First conceptualized and written some 23 years ago. Only until last year that I did some improvisations and improvements to what I had kept in the dusty corner of my room all these while. This story sees the light of the day because I challenged myself, that's all. 2. English is the 6th language that I speak.And in RRL, I'm using British English mostly to write my story. 3. Easier said than done. Rather than subjecting me to subjective comments/reviews about the language, point it out and suggest an alternative. One or two would do just fine. It goes a long way. The Pledge - This story shall continue till it ends properly.
8 112Life of a Villain
Our lives are based on lies. Historically, heroes were supposed to be the role models we looked up to, but were they? Some of them steal other people's fiancées, murder people to make a point, and so on. If these are the heroes, then who was the villain? Does being killed by a hero make someone a villain? Has anyone had the experience of living the life of a villain? Were they truly the villains we were led to believe they were? --------------------------------- Follow Andy's journey as he is transmigrated to the world of Cultivation. It was the same world he had read before being transmigrated.Furthermore, he discovered himself in the body of Lu An, the first villain, who was killed by the main character of the book. Image Source: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/ARvRowAG7vHGdKNLTkxiJYLui3lx-dzTzeITNFVhXA-XA46gUs4Z1S8/
8 126Wistful Eternity
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When everyone turns 17, they get a set of initials or an initial somewhere on their body that links them to their soulmate - the person who is their other half. Marinette was incredibly excited for her seventeenth birthday. She was hoping her mark would link her to Adrien. When she saw her mark, she was shocked. There was only one person in the world who her soulmate could be. Her mark was a green and black CN, which meant her soulmate was Cat Noir.DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN MIRACULOUS LADYBUG! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THOMAS ASTRUC!Inspiration from Soulmates by its_nusa_obviously and other stories on Wattpad :)
8 95camp camp max's sister!!
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