Chapter 60: Trial Map

The blazing sun hung high in the sky, its scorching rays baking the earth beneath.

Under such harsh conditions, Ian dragged his exhausted body as he slowly pressed onward toward the north.

Along the way, Ian occasionally found clusters of glowing orbs—some radiating a blue light, others a green.

From the blue orbs, Ian obtained a blue-quality longsword, a blue-quality bow, and some arrows.

From the green orbs, he acquired several Engraved Green Stones.

Upon receiving these green stones, Ian could feel his strength growing stronger.

“Are these amplification items?” Ian wondered, sensing the change in his body.

He stuffed the green stones into his clothing pouch, and the amplification effect remained.

However, when he collected the seventh stone, the effect vanished.

“It seems one can only bear the amplification from six stones at once. Also, the finer the engravings on the stones, the stronger the amplification effect. The more intricate the pattern, the greater the power boost.”

Ian walked alone through the Desert Region, encountering no demon tribes nor other contestants along the way.

It was as if he had been cast onto a deserted island.

The desert was overwhelmingly vast.

After traveling for a long while, Ian still hadn’t found an exit.

It hardly matched the scale one would expect from a Secret Realm.

As evening approached and the sun began to set, Ian spotted a city settled in the distance.

Frowning, Ian found it strange to see a city inside the desert—especially within a trial Secret Realm.

‘Better to go take a look,’ he thought.

With nightfall drawing near, despite the uneasy feeling about the city, Ian had no choice but to investigate.

After all, the temperature difference between day and night in the desert was extreme.

Daytime heat could reach forty or fifty degrees Celsius, while nights could plummet to below freezing.

Without any Fire Attribute Ability, Ian had no way to warm himself at night.

Thus, seeking shelter in that city was his only viable option.

Ian cautiously advanced.

Whenever he sensed anything amiss, he prepared to flee immediately.

If escape proved impossible, Ian could always redeem a Teleportation Scroll from the System Shop to run away.

Clenching his longsword tightly, Ian carefully approached the city.

When he arrived beneath its walls, he noticed the bricks had weathered heavily, worn down by centuries of erosion.

The gates, also showing signs of wear, stood wide open.

The people inside seemed utterly unconcerned about intruders.

Gathering his courage, Ian cautiously stepped into the city.

Fortunately, it was not deserted—in fact, it resembled a bustling market, filled with many merchants setting up stalls and trading goods.

“Hey there, young man. Judging by your looks, you must be from somewhere else,” a sharp-faced youth approached Ian, striking up a conversation.

“If I’m not mistaken, you’re a contestant too, right?”

Ian was taken aback.

Normally, even within a Secret Realm, no one should know about the outside world.

Yet this young man clearly knew his identity.

Ian instinctively took a step back, eyeing the youth warily.

“Don’t be so tense. I’m in the same boat as you. You wouldn’t believe how many contestants I’ve run into today—only you so far,” the youth explained.

“If I don’t make a move now, I’ll be scolded when I go home again.”

Ian’s suspicion didn’t lessen as the youth babbled on.

He feigned ignorance: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I have the map for this year’s Holy Trial. It only costs one point,” the youth said unfazed by Ian’s response, eagerly pitching his product.

At the mention of the Holy Trial and a map, Ian’s pupils contracted sharply.

By now, he understood that pretending further was pointless.

This man obviously knew who he was.

“Who are you? How do you know about the Holy Trial?” Ian demanded.

“I’m a local,” the youth answered with a helpless shrug.

“The City Lord told us about the Holy Trial.”

“The City Lord?” Ian pondered for a moment, then pressed on: “Why come to me?”

“If I don’t get to you first, someone else will. Everyone here knows that at this time of year, outsiders come to participate in the Holy Trial.”

Ian rubbed his chin, considering the youth’s words.

“What do you want with the points?”

“To make a living, of course. People like me, powerless, only get by by selling information during this time every year.”

“Is your map complete?”

“Of course. It’s not just this desert. I have maps of other regions too,” the youth said eagerly, sensing Ian’s interest.

“More than that—with my map, you can even see the positions of other team members.”

Hearing those last words, Ian’s eyes gleamed.

His biggest problem now was how to reunite with the others.

If this map could show their locations, then meeting up wouldn’t be far off.

After careful consideration, Ian slowly nodded and agreed to the deal.

“Great!” The youth happily pulled out a map from his bag and handed it over.

After receiving the map, Ian transferred some points he had earned from killing Sand Scorpions to the youth.

The youth’s face lit up with joy.

“My name’s Laine. If you need anything else, come find me.”

With that, Laine left, apparently searching for other contestants.

Ian examined the map Laine had sold him.

It clearly marked five locations, with the desert where Ian stood situated at the southern edge.

Four red dots appeared on the map.

If Ian guessed correctly, these red dots represented Lillian and the others’ positions.

What frustrated Ian was the distance—Lillian’s group was quite far away.

Three red dots lay in the Forest Region to the north, while only one red dot was in the nearer central region.

Seeing the map gave Ian a plan.

He intended to first find the teammate in the middle area, then head north to reunite with the others.

Night had fallen, so Ian decided to set out tomorrow and rest in this city for the night.

He casually picked an inn along the roadside and pushed open its door.

Inside, the inn was livelier than he expected.

Around several wooden tables sat various guests—some whispering quietly, others drinking alone.

Behind the counter stood a slightly plump middle-aged woman, diligently polishing a wine glass.

Hearing the door, she looked up and gave a professional smile.

“Welcome. Are you here to stay the night?”

Ian nodded cautiously and surveyed the room for anything suspicious before asking, “How much for one night?”

“One point,” the woman replied with a practiced smile.

Ian’s expression froze instantly.

He had just spent his only point on Laine’s map and now had no points left.

The innkeeper seemed to notice his predicament.

Her smile faded slightly, replaced by a scrutinizing gaze.

“Don’t tell me you can’t pay?”

As Ian mulled over possible solutions, a voice suddenly rang out from within the inn.

“I shall pay for your points.”