After modifying their route, the group headed straight toward Sun Worship Town.
To save time, they took some risks by passing through areas frequently inhabited by Delex and Cephalos. Naturally, they encountered several attacks along the way, and at one point, they even ran into a Cephadrome.
Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of the two young hunters, they managed to repel the Monsters without major incident.
On the tenth day after leaving Val Habar, the majestic bedrock where Sun Worship Town was located finally appeared on the horizon.
Reaching the town meant access to ample water, food, and a living environment far safer and more comfortable than the wilderness.
After trekking through the desert for over a week, the group couldn't help but feel excited. Even the two woolly camels quickened their pace.
A small Sandship zipped past them.
Isis couldn't hold back a gasp of surprise. Pointing in the direction the small Sandship had gone, she exclaimed, "Whoa! So fast! What was that?!"
Altaïr was momentarily taken aback, thinking she was referring to something on the Sandship. In his mind, small Sandships were the most basic mode of transportation, more common than vehicles or sand sleds. It never occurred to him that Isis might not have seen one before.
It wasn't until the Professor replied, "A small Sandship, a common means of transport in the sand sea," that Altaïr understood. He then went on to explain in detail the geological differences between the sand sea and the northern regions of the Great Desert, as well as why small Sandships couldn't be used near Val Habar.
"That looks like so much fun!" Isis didn't withdraw her gaze until the small Sandship had completely disappeared from sight. "If I get the chance, I'd really love to ride one."
Altaïr's expression turned slightly odd. He wanted to ask what could possibly be interesting about a small Sandship. But then he thought about how many people traveled to Loc Lac every year, despite it having nothing but sand and no scenery. There were even tourists willing to pay a hefty sum to join the Hunting Fleet and fish in the sand sea.
Perhaps someday, he would encounter something he found incredibly fascinating, but which Isis would consider utterly ordinary.
As they drew closer, the number of Sandships and merchant caravans around them increased. Occasionally, an Airship would fly overhead.
It was clear that while Sun Worship Town couldn't compare to large cities like Loc Lac, it was still a prosperous and vibrant settlement.
Finally, they arrived at the rock platform where Sun Worship Town was situated.
Compared to Loc Lac's massive rock platform, which spanned nearly twenty square kilometers, this one was much smaller, covering only about one or two square kilometers.
However, this rock platform was tall and uneven, unlike Loc Lac's flat giant rock. It resembled a rugged rocky mountain.
Sun Worship Town was built against the mountain. About halfway up the slope, clusters of buildings were visible, the residential area of the town.
The path up the mountain lay ahead. The residents of Sun Worship Town had carved a winding stone road into the rock platform, complete with minecart tracks for transporting ore and a Lift along the route.
This was not the kind of facility one would typically find in a remote town.
Altaïr looked at the Professor. According to their prior agreement, his role as a guide ended here, especially since he had never been to Sun Worship Town himself. From this point onward, negotiations and other tasks would be handled by the elderly Wyverian himself.
The Professor gave him a nod, adjusted his attire, and then retrieved two flags from the saddlebag, the guild's banners.
He unfurled one flag and hung it on the side of the woolly camel, then handed the other to Altaïr, who was riding alongside him. Understanding the gesture, Altaïr also unfurled and displayed his flag.
From the moment the flags were raised, they were officially representing the guild.
At least for the time being.
The guard stationed at the mountain path saw the flags and didn't even bother to question them, directly granting passage and even assigning a clever young townsfolk to guide them.
The group dismounted from the woolly camels and led them up the mountain path.
The young guide was very enthusiastic, taking the reins of the camels, though his eyes kept drifting toward the weapons carried by Altaïr and Isis.
When he accidentally met Altaïr's gaze, he tentatively asked, "Are you two hunters?"
Altaïr simply confirmed with a "yes," and the young man's enthusiasm immediately grew.
"Ah! That's wonderful! Our Sun Worship Town is so remote that we rarely get hunters visiting. But with the Great Rock Plateau protecting us, we usually don't have to worry about Monster attacks, so there aren't any hunters stationed here long-term.
But whenever we run into trouble with Monsters or the like, it's a real headache. Lately, we've been dealing with Vespoids everywhere. It's driving us crazy. By the way, have any of you been to Sun Worship Town before?"
"I came here once, long ago," the Professor replied. "Back then, there were no minecart tracks or Lifts."
"That must have been quite a while ago," the young townsfolk said, shaking his head. "The Lift was built after I was born, but I've heard the minecarts have been around since my grandfather's time.
But you're a Wyverian, sir, so that makes sense.
Speaking of which, there are many Wyverians in Sun Worship Town; they make up almost a third of the population. You might even run into some old acquaintances!"
"A third? That many?" Isis expressed surprise.
Compared to ordinary humans, Wyverians are scarce in number, with a population only a fraction of that of humans. However, they generally live much longer, with lifespans several times that of humans.
As a result, Wyverians often excel in professions that require extensive time and accumulation of knowledge, such as scholars, craftsmen, and alchemists.
At the same time, many pioneering villages or remote towns are led by Wyverians serving as village chiefs, town heads, or elders.
After all, when it comes to "experience," humans can hardly compare to elderly Wyverians.
It could be said that the higher the proportion of Wyverians in a place, the greater the number of "high-end technical talents" like scholars, researchers, and master craftsmen, and the more developed its industries.
Sun Worship Town, renowned for its heat-resistant metal, is a prime example.
However, this proportion shouldn't be too high either.
Due to their long lifespans, Wyverians are naturally disinclined to conflict, often taking things slowly and lacking ambition. They need to integrate into human society to truly realize their potential.
If a village were entirely composed of Wyverians, or if Wyverians made up the majority, it would likely evolve into a leisurely atmosphere where everyone drinks tea and enjoys retirement, with a hundred years passing in the blink of an eye.
Just then, a minecart loaded with metal ingots passed by on the tracks beside them.
"Look at that!" the young townsman pointed at a gear-shaped emblem on the minecart. "That's Sun Worship Town's Sunwheel Emblem, our totem.
The Sunwheel has eight teeth, symbolizing sunlight, steel, humans, Sandships, fire, furnaces, Wyverians, and Airships.
Sun Worship Town's development to its current scale wouldn't have been possible without these eight elements."
The Professor stroked his beard gently. "Indeed, many years ago when I visited this place, the Sunwheel Emblem wasn't like this. Back then, it was merely a religious symbol used to praise the sun.
Compared to that, the current Sunwheel Emblem is much more practical, and Sun Worship Town is far more prosperous now than it was then."
"Ah, are you referring to that?" the young townsman pointed toward the ancient carving on the sun-facing slope high above.
"Yes, exactly." The Professor nodded.
The hunters' gazes drifted slightly, and not far from the carved rock face, they spotted a Vespoid resting.
"That was a very long time ago," the young townsman remarked nostalgically. "Nowadays, you can only see the old Sunwheel Emblem on the most aged buildings."
"By the way, Professor," Altaïr, having withdrawn his gaze, suddenly grew curious. "How many years ago was it exactly when you last came here?"
The Professor pondered for a moment. "I was still quite young then... roughly two hundred years ago."
Altaïr: "..."
This old-timer's age is probably even older than the establishment of the Hunter's Guild, isn't it?