The merchant caravan had stayed at the rest station for two long days. They ate on the first floor, bathed on the first floor, drank tea and enjoyed the scenery on the second floor, and also slept there.
During these two days, Khanh, Vy, and Minh Triet wandered everywhere, exploring every corner of the station. They looked around with wide eyes, like little children discovering a new world, marveling at everything unfamiliar around them.
Even Minh Triet, who had already been here twice before, could not help but sigh in amazement. Returning again, he still felt that everything looked different, unlike what he remembered in the past.
The rest station was arranged like a giant ancient tree with two distinct layers. Inside: the first floor was the bathhouse, the second floor was the guest rooms. Outside: the first floor was the dining hall, while the second floor was a place to drink tea, feel the breeze, and enjoy the scenery. Everything was beautifully designed, blending naturally with the environment yet extremely practical.
After two days, the caravan had fully rested. They began packing their belongings and headed toward the storage warehouse of the station.
A massive warehouse appeared, almost equal in size to the entire rest station itself. Its vastness was accompanied by streams of icy air, the result of LINH system THUY being used by Water-type Linh Masters to freeze goods. These Linh Masters worked in shifts, constantly sealing cargo in blocks of ice to preserve them.
As soon as the caravan arrived, one of the Linh Masters quickly came forward to greet them. While talking, he skillfully used LINH system THUY to slide a frozen block of the caravan's cargo across the icy floor and hand it over neatly.
Khanh, Vy, and Minh Triet watched in silence, listening closely to every word of the conversation. They knew that as long as they paid attention, they would always learn something new.
"To be honest, brothers," the Linh Master said with a smile, "if you want to rest for another one or two days, no one would mind. The goods you bring are rare and special, and not often seen around here."
The caravan leader replied warmly:
"Well, the schedule affects many other groups. Otherwise, I'd love to stay a little longer myself."
Their conversation carried on like that—one spoke, another listened. Back and forth, lively and familiar.
From listening, Khanh and Vy realized something: Dai Long, the land they were living in, was far greater than they had imagined. The place they came from was merely the center of Dai Long. Beyond that center, one had to pass through toll stations, each guarded by massive walls of layered stone and earth, before reaching the forests. And only by knowing the right paths could one arrive at rest stations like this.
The caravan had already passed through three toll stations, stopped at four rest stations, and their next destination would be the seaport.
Khanh turned to Vy and asked:
"Three toll stations, four rest stations… does that mean we'll have to go through five seaports next?"
Vy chuckled softly and shook her head:
"No, you fool. We're only going to the port to deliver the goods to other nations."
As always, Minh Triet could not resist teasing her:
"Oh, I thought you didn't know anything about seaports."
Vy snapped back instantly, her voice sharp:
"I may not have been there, but at least I've heard enough about them!"
The two of them immediately started bickering again, like cats and dogs.
Standing nearby, Master Tinh Hai watched them and simply smiled, shaking his head:
"Ha… these two really do make quite the pair."