I wao store the boat, but there were people around all the time, so finally, we locked the boat tight, paid extra at the marina for additional security, and took a taxi to the outskirts of Shanghai.

  Opting for a more adventurous mode of transport, we took out our bikes a off, Rue bounding alongside us. I reassured him, “We’ll find a more spacious trailer for you, buddy,” he expressed his approval with an affeate liy cheek.

  Once we got to Dayu Vilge, we headed straight to Malu Grape Theme Park, the Gate’s location. The park retty id-back, with a small ke that caught the sunlight, surrounded by rows of grapevines heavy with fruit. There were goats zily grazihe entrance, adding to the rural charm and, sadly, the rural smell, and a museum that looked like it hadn’t seen a signifit renovation in a while but still had that local, homey feel. Unfortunately, the pce was super crowded. Families piig, kids running around, and tourists snapping photos of every inch of the pce. The Gate wasly front aer, but not hiddeher. Two t stones in a far-off er were the anchors, just far enough to be out of casual view but still too close to all the foot traffic. Definitely not as discreet as we would’ve liked.

  I told the gang, “Hide me with your bodies.”

  I brought out a b, food, and drink, and we had a piic. It was a lovely day; we talked, ughed, and overate. Rue made friends with the children who visited the park and with some parents, and we waited for it to empty. Towards evening, the number of people finally decreased, and we could approach the Gate.

  Travelers Gate #368217850Destination: TrastomStatus: IedMana level: 43Threat level: Moderate-high

  “This might be a good pce to collect crystals for the boat,” Mahya said, gng around the park with a hopeful look in her eyes.

  “Not a good idea, too many people,” I replied, shaking my head slightly as I sed the crowded area.

  She sighed, her brow furrowing in frustration, but she gave a relut nod after a moment.

  We cast Invisibility, popped in and out, verified that we were alone, and became visible agaied to spend the night in Dayu Vilge si took us a few hours to get there from Shanghai.

  After returning to Shanghai, we took a train to Suzhou, and Rue immediately shouted, “Movie! John! Promise!”

  I set him up with my ptop, and now he was big the John Wick movies. He was distraught in the first movie when they killed John Wick’s dog, shouting, “No! No! Kill! Dog!” I thought he would stop watg, but he overcame the disappoi with a lot of shout-grumbling and tinued with the series.

  After booking our hotel rooms in Suzhou, I turo Mahya and Alfonsen. “There are nine cssical gardehat I want to see. Do you want to join me or find something else to do?”

  “Do we have the time?” Mahya asked.

  “There are no new messages on the captured Traveler’s thread, and I don’t io pass up this opportunity,” I replied, my tone firm. “I read about those gardens in the past, and I’m visiting them, one way or another.”

  Alfonsen shrugged. “I want more workshops,” he said.

  “I’ll join you,” Mahya answered, giving me a small smile.

  After I signed up Alfonsen for fifteen workshops back-to-back, Rue, Mahya, and I explored the cssical gardens. Each day was like stepping into a different world, where nature seemed to shape itself perfectly for the eye and spirit. The first garden had stone bridges arg over clear ponds and koi swimmih delicate willows. It was impossible not to feel a sense of peace there; I stood still for a long time, just abs it, feeling like my worries evaporated with the light mist that g to the water’s surface.

  We moved from garden to garden, eae its umosphere. Iall bamboo clicked softly in the breeze in a quiet, hypnotic rhythm that lulled my mind into a calm state. Anarden, with meticulously pruned bonsai and roations that mimicked mountains, made me feel like I was standing in a live painting. In these moments, I let my mind wahe weight of our journey lifting off my shoulders as if nature offered me a sanctuary.

  I took pictures—dozens of them—but none could capture what I felt. The baween stone, water, and greenery was more than just beautiful; it was a subtle remihat even in chaos, there’s harmony somewhere.

  Those gardens had a unique quiet, different from the silences we’d shared on the river cruise. We had still been part of the world, sailing through it. Here, though, it was as if the world stayed outside the gates of the gardens, and only we entered. It wasn’t just me who felt it. Mahya and Rue seemed just as affected. Mahya, usually full of ideas and teasing, walked through the gardens serenely, as if deep in thought, her hands occasionally brushing against the leaves. Generally bursting with excitement, Rue trotted quietly by our side, his telepathic voice quiet, like even he was tent to let nature speak for once.

  During those two weeks, we barely spoke, which was unusual for us. Instead, we listeo the birds’ song, the wind’s rustle, the soft whooshing of streams, and the occasional murmur of leaves. It felt like the gardens told us a story only nature could. When we finally fi all nine, I felt like something inside me shifted. I felt renewed, lighter, and surprisingly optimistic.

  Until then, I was impatient to leave Earth and stayed only to buy stuff and raise my Gate t for levels. Those gardens made me shift my perspective. I was on an endless journey without a defined destination. I had no reason to rush, no pce I o be. It was a journey of discovery, of myself and the os—disc magid knowledge, friendships and adventures, and seeiy aru. With at least 750 years to live, or maybe even a millennium if I raised my Vitality enough, I had o rush. The os wasn’t going anywhere. It would still wait for me when I was ready to tinue my journey.

  For the first time, I uood Earth was also part of the os. Or rather, I’d always known it, but this was the first time I internalized it. I hadn’t truly traveled this world before my trip with the gang. After Sophie’s death, I traveled around Europe but saw nothing. My grief absorbed me to the point where I directed all my attention inward. I saw what was around me, but didn’t really see.

  Now I saw it!

  I felt myself expanding. It wasn’t the expansion I felt when my mana increased. It was an expansion of viewpoint, of perspective.

  I had o rush!

  Even this world, which I had so muegative charge against, was fasating in a unique way. It was chaotid polluted but also diverse and full of wonder. It was another part of the os for me to explore and experiehis uanding, this grounding, anchored me in the present moment of NOW.

  The past was dead. I had lived it, experie, learned from it, and licked my wounds. Lis’s friendship had healed those wounds into scars that no loched. They were just memories of a past I had experienced a behind. The future unfolded before me like ay vas that I wasn’t in a rush to fill. It would e at the right time. What mattered was now: the experiehe friends, the progress, the learning, the achievements, the ughter, and seeing the incredible things humanity could create.

  At that moment, I became a real Traveler. I remembered Lis’s speech to Lyura, about what it meant to be a real Traveler, and for the first time, I truly uood.

  My sensei is wise.

  The thought made me snicker, but it was also true.

  With that newfound perspective, Mahya and I ed up our tour of the gardens. We returned once more to the Master of the s Garden, the location of the Gate, while Rue stayed behind at the hotel to finish watg the st John Wick movie.

  Whe to the garden, Alfonsen looked around, his eyes widening as he took in the sery. “Perhaps I should have apanied you. The sight is truly breathtaking,” he said, his tone almretful.

  “At least you earned points,” I pointed out with a grin, patting his back lightly.

  “Indeed, my current t exceeds fifty,” he replied with a proud smile.

  I gave his shoulder a friendly squeeze. “We’ll see maiful things iure, but if you want to dey a day or two and do a quick tour of the gardens, I think it won’t be a problem.”

  He shook his head, waving off the suggestion. “There is no need for it,” he said with a slight shrug.

  We touched the Gate:

  Travelers Gate #368217851Destination: TrastomStatus: IedMana level: 43Threat level: Moderate-high

  Mahya turo me, her eyes hopeful as she asked, “What about using this one for crystals?”

  “Judging by how these three Gates are close to each other,” I began, gng around the garden, “I think the third Gate will also lead to Trastom. The garden here may be a little emptier thahe first Gate, but there are still too many people around, and I don’t want to risk them seeing us. The best idea is to check the third Gate, and if it leads to the same pce, we’ll decide based oraffic which gate we’ll use to collect crystals. I pletely agree with you—it sounds like an excellent source of crystals, but I’m not willing to put us at risk.”

  “Yeah, you’re right,” she said, kig a nearby stone and sounding frustrated. “I just want my baby to be perfect.”

  I smiled and hugged her shoulders, squeezily. “It’s already perfect. It just needs a few bells and whistles.”

  Her shoulders slumped, but she nodded.

  We took a train from Suzhou to Hangzhou, and on the way, I checked the Archive. I saw a new message from Lis, but it wasn’t a tinuation of the thread of the previous messages but a pletely new one.

  Tr. LM

  “Ior, Versailles, Hungry, Clueless”

  Hello, my dear friends,

  John

  I don’t o ask dragons; I know the answer.

  Rummage through the books I gave you and look for a book with a tree on the cover. There are many books with trees, but this tree is different. It has three orbs of power—between the branches, irunk, and the roots, and throughout the eree, there is a drawing in gold of lihat are very simir to our mana system. Two lines also cross it: one above the roots and the other below the foliage. The book is called The Three Levels of Mana trol.

  In addition, look for the thickest book I gave you; It’s even thicker than the Cambridge diary you gave me. On the cover is a drawing of a man with a staff and an animal resembling a cross between a bear and a rhinoceros. The name of this book is The Travels and Adventures of Marbus. I don’t reend reading the book because you might get to some of these worlds, and the book will be a spoiler, but look for a chapter towards the middle of the book called ‘Creating A Stronger e’ or ‘Establishing A Stronger e’ or something like that. He describes there how he started eling mana through his familiar. I hope it helps you.

  And tell me how the rescue goes.

  Mahya

  Order the following books: Lighter Than Air Systems by Dhwanil Shuk, Principles of Aerostatics: The Theory of Lighter-Than-Air Flight by John A. Taylor, Lighter Than Air cepts: LTA-crafts by Sascha Hissler, and Structures Teology fhter-Than- Air Vehicles by T. E. Hess.

  John had those books, but I took them. I’m sure you’ll find a lot of ideas there on how to improve your balloon.

  I’m gd you’re traveling and enjoying yourself, and I pletely uand your fear of flying with the rising mana levels.

  Until ime, with friendship and admiration

  Lis, aka Ior

  I scrolled down to the inal thread and saw the reply that Mahya had written him.

  Tr. MN

  “Versailles, Hungry, Clueless, Ior”

  Thank you, Spirits! We finally heard from you. John was going crazy with worry.

  I have little to add beyond what John told you above, except to show off that after the boat overhaul, the Guidance offered me the Magieer Css for a mere one point. Of course, I didn’t take it; I io get it for free.

  As for Alfonsen, John hasn’t realized it yet, but the novels he’s reading aren’t just vampire-werewolf romances but steamy gay romances. I look forward to the day John finds out to see his rea. When it happens, I will describe it to you i detail.

  I’m gd you’re enjoying yourself and always happy to hear from you.

  May your road be smooth and full of amazing things.

  Mahya, aka Versailles

  Below Mahya’s message, there were numerous messages from various Travelers. I scrolled page after page, and it didn’t end.

  Tr. MK

  Please give me the Gate to reach the dragon’s realm; I have been looking for them for ten years.

  Tr. FP

  Please thank the dragon on my behalf. I was stuck for years in Mana Immersion at the master level, aip of the golden rule helped me progress to Mana Oneness.

  Tr. JD

  He’s a liar. There’s no such thing as the dragon realm.

  Tr. BI

  we get the of Gates to get there?

  Tr. CT

  Don’t be cowards. You don’t raits over 200; over 100 is enough.

  Tr. OV

  What is a Wizard’s magiyway?

  Tr. XP

  Dragons are idiots; who cares about books?

  Tr. RM

  Please pass on a warm greeting from Rustin Mobest, to the dragon Shumirxis in the world of Gogmathompsonixsious, a him know he was right about the world cores.

  Tr. ME

  What are world cores? You ’t leave us hanging like this.

  Tr. WL

  Please ask the dragons:

  I’m trying to build an airship navigation system for a world with no nd but isnds hanging in the air with strange maween those isnds. The only way to travel there right now is on the backs of gigantic birds that fly between these isnds.

  The mana has the Turbulence, Void, Annihitioion, and Devour aspects.

  How do I overe it?

  Everything I tried gets destroyed.

  Tr. QM

  Is it possible to get a Gate ?

  It went on like this, page after page after page. I imagined Lis’s face when he opehe Archive, and I started ughing out loud. I couldn’t stop snickering occasionally as we traveled to our stop.

  In Hangzhou, we checked in at the hotel and explored the area the following week. We wahrough temples where inse hung so thi the air that breathing was hard. Climbed pagodas that gave us sweeping views of the ke and strolled through gardens bursting with colors and smelling of flowers. We even hopped on boats to visit isnds—some natural, others man-made, but all equally peaceful. On those days, Rue stayed at the hotel with a movie. He still refused to even e near a wobbly boat. Alfoagged along this time, and his excitement was hard to miss. Whenever we reached a new spot, his eyes lit up like a kid disc a hidden treasure.

  I remembered Mahya’s message about the books Alfonsen was reading and decided I didn’t care. He could read whatever he wanted aerested in whomever he wanted. I suspected that Mahya, the trouble-making imp, wanted a more dramatic rea from me and was very disappointed when it didn’t e.

  After a week of sightseeing and hundreds of photographs, we visited the Gate. It was in a secluded spot, about half a kilometer from the ke shore.

  Travelers Gate #368217852Destination: TrastomStatus: IedMana level: 43Threat level: Moderate-high

  Mahya kicked my leg lightly and asked, “How did you know it would lead to the same pce?”

  “I didn’t know for sure,” I admitted with a shrug, “But suspected based oher Gates. Those three Gates are very close to each other.”

  “That’s a great location. We go in and out easily without being spotted,” she said, turning to Alfonsen with a grin. “Want to help us harvest some mana crystals for the boat?”

  Alfonsen raised an eyebrow. “Do you possess information on a potential site for the procurement of mana stones?”

  “No,” Mahya said, shaking her head. “John harvest them from monsters.”

  Alfonsen looked at me wide-eyed. “Truly?”

  I nodded, and he gave me an impressed look.

  “Let’s do it tomorrow, okay?” I suggested. “Tonight, let’s treat ourselves to a fancy dinner. I want to get pampered before I have to fight monsters.”

  They both ughed and agreed with that pn.

  We had di Panorama Signature Restaurant & Bar, drank too much, and told Alfonsen about the dungeon we cleared in Tuone. He told us about dungeons he cleared to get his Heavy Warrior css. It was a fun evening, with lots of good food, drinks, and ughter, and Alfonsen was being a friend.