After the master and his disciple left through the western gate of the city, they continued on their way.
A few minutes passed, and then Ryu finally spoke up.
"Master, how did you know Old Man Zhang?
He was older than you, but he still called you his master.
Don't tell me… are you actually older than him?"
"Hmmm… that's a long story," the master said.
"A few years ago, there was a big martial arts tournament.
That old fool joined too. Even though he was practically ancient, he still beat up a lot of people.
What was it he kept saying? 'Martial arts are the path to ascension,' or something like that.
Anyway, when it was my turn to fight him…
I beat the living daylight out of him and sent him straight toward his so-called 'path of ascension.'"
The master laughed.
"The poor old man fell into a coma. And when he finally woke up a few days later, the first thing he said was, 'I want to become your disciple.'
I told him, 'You're already halfway into your grave. Go sit by a river and reflect on your life.'
But he kept insisting he wanted to become my disciple.
I barely escaped from him…
Heh, I guess he still remembers me."
"Woah… Master, were you really that strong?" Ryu asked in amazement.
"Of course. What did you think I was?"
Ryu muttered quietly,
Just a greedy lazy bum…
"What? What did you say?"
"Ah—nothing, nothing, Master!"
They continued walking.
After several hours on the road, both of them were exhausted.
They arrived at a tall sand dune that they had to climb.
When the master saw it, he groaned.
"Oh come on… someone kill me already. What is this?"
Ryu, who was so tired that he had sat down on the sand, asked,
"Master… where exactly are we going?"
"No idea. Old Zhang said there should be a small town somewhere around here.
Now get up, we need to reach it before nightfall."
After drinking some water, they began climbing the dune.
With a lot of effort, they finally reached the top.
Behind the dune, just as Zhang had said, a small town came into view.
"Master! There's a town over there! Let's go!"
Ryu and the master headed toward it.
But something was strange…
The city walls were nearly collapsing.
Only a handful of guards remained on the walls — so few they could be counted on one hand.
By the gate, there was just one soldier.
An elderly, wounded man barely able to stand.
When they approached, he raised his shaky hand.
"Halt… before entering, I need to check your belongings…"
They put down their backpacks in front of him.
Ryu, concerned by the state of the city, asked,
"Excuse me… why are the walls like this? And why are you still guarding the gate when you're so injured?"
Cough… cough…
"I'm guessing you two are travelers…
At night, monsters attack us. They've killed many of our young men… and many villagers too.
With our current defenses, we're barely preventing total destruction.
But honestly… our time is running out. This town is doomed.
People like me — old folks with nowhere else to go — we're the only ones left to defend it.
The rich, the merchants… they've all left.
Only the poor stayed behind, and if this continues, we'll probably die too.
The town's population dropped drastically, and it's lost all its liveliness.
If you decide to stay here… please be careful."
Ryu and the master were deeply affected by his words and fell silent.
Cough… cough…
"Alright… you may enter.
Just watch your belongings so no one steals from you."
They entered the town, and just as the old man said… it was nearly dead.
Not a single person in sight.
Suddenly, a little girl in torn, ragged clothes approached the master.
She tugged on his shirt.
"Mister…
Can you give me a piece of bread?
Our family hasn't eaten in days.
Please… I want to bring something to my little brother."
Because she was so pitiful, both the master and Ryu gave her all their food.
"Here, little one. Take this to your family."
The girl grabbed the food and ran so fast that both of them were stunned.
"Was she a spirit or something? She vanished instantly."
"Well, Ryu, let's go buy some food."
"Sure, Master."
They kept walking.
They found a fruit stand, and since the master liked apples, he grabbed one and took a big bite.
"That'll be one copper coin," the vendor said.
The master reached into his pocket…
It was empty.
He checked all his pockets — nothing.
And then it hit him.
That little girl… she had taken his money when she grabbed his shirt.
"That little rascal…
I'll find you!"
End of Chapter 17