Chapter Fourteen: A Strange Dream

  The room of the attendants is in the backyard of the castle, a row of neat wooden houses. According to Odara, this is also the barracks for soldiers.

  "Be content with what you have, ordinary soldiers share a room with three others, but you are enjoying it alone!" Odara comforted Johnny.

  Jony doesn't care, as long as he has a bed to sleep in.

  He pushed open the door and entered the room, Joni strongly opened his eyes to take a look at his own room, not bad, with windows, beds, wardrobes and shelves. Then he stared fiercely at the bed, where there were soft pillows, comfortable mattresses, warm quilts...

  "What are you staring at so intently?" Odara nudged Jony slightly.

  "Huh? Ah...... Sir, it's like this, I was so excited last night that I didn't sleep all night, so......" As he spoke, he couldn't help but let out a yawn.

  "Haha, didn't sleep all night? You're like this after just one night without sleep? Alright, alright, considering you've just arrived and training hasn't started yet, take a rest for now. You probably won't wake up in time for lunch, I'll come call you at dinner time. Hehe, it seems one night without sleep is not enough, looks like I overestimated you. Get some good rest, don't cry tomorrow, haha." With that, Odara turned around and left, closing the door behind him.

  "Don't cry? What's the meaning of that? Never mind, never mind. First, let me sleep for a while. Even if you want to kill me, I need to get a good sleep first." Joanie took off her equipment and shoes, jumped onto the bed, pulled over the quilt to cover her belly, and fell asleep in an instant.

  Joni grasped the giant sickle shining with magical luster, accompanied by his dog-headed younger brother, dodging the traps on the ground, drinking a bottle of anti-fear potion, and fiercely slashing at the giant dragon sleeping on the ground. The dragon had grown old and was no longer as powerful as it once was, its dragon might no longer striking fear into people's hearts. It soon fell to the ground at Joni's feet.

  Jony was surrounded by the dark elves, he let out a loud roar, swung his giant scythe and chopped off one of the elf's necks. He didn't stop there, instead using the momentum to attack another elf. The elves' attacks left streaks of blood on his body, but Jony didn't care at all, only swinging his scythe in a deadly rhythm, reaping the lives around him...

  Joni observed the soul-sucking monster in front of him through the gap between his helmet and face mask. The monster's tentacles danced, seemingly trying to get into Joni's mind, but were blocked by the helmet. Helpless, it could only communicate with Joni through a common language...

  Joey went through battle after battle, killing batch after batch of enemies. He played various characters, carrying out their missions, manipulating their weapons. Finally, he came face to face with a devil.

  "You've found me, mortal. Now what do you want to do? Do you want to destroy me? I will crush you like the insignificant insect that you are. Or do you want to surrender to me? Then you shall enjoy all the riches and glory this world has to offer. You shall be my spokesperson in the human realm, the one and only king of this world! What is your choice, mortal?"

  "Praise you, my master, I will follow in your footsteps and rule this world." Johnny, clad in black leather armor, holding a dagger, half-kneeling with his hand on his chest, swore allegiance to the devil.

  "I will annihilate you and let this world be reborn in the glory of justice!" Johnny wore a full suit of shining golden armor, with a closed helmet and held up a heavy giant sword. His voice pierced through the metal mask, with a metallic clang.

  "This has nothing to do with me." Johnny shrugged. "But you've disrupted my life, you've hurt my friends, so you have to die!"

  After finishing speaking, Joanie waved her staff and started chanting...

  Huh?!

  Joni suddenly opened his eyes.

  Staring blankly at the void for a long time, Joanie blinked her eyes.

  It was just a dream after all.

  Sitting up, Johnny felt a wave of dizziness. His right hand pressed against his head, he sat back against the wall, recalling the dream he had just had.

  "An old dragon, a dark elf, a soul-sucking monster... and finally that devil?" Johnny muttered to himself in a low voice. "A very familiar story, where have I seen it before? Where, where... Ah, isn't this the plot of Phantom City's Shadow? It's been so long, yet I still dream about it, how nostalgic."

  "In the end, am I a mage or a wizard? Whatever, can't chant spells anyway. How come there are three people? Looks like it should be an evil thief, a holy knight who guards order and goodness, and a neutral spellcaster profession. What a strange dream, just choose one, why repeat so many times. I remember when I played before, I always chose to eliminate, how can I still create dialogue for surrendering? Alas, the human brain is indeed amazing, now I'm dizzy..."

  At this moment, the door was pushed open with a bang, and Odala's tall figure blocked the doorway.

  "Get up... Ah, you little rascal is awake, just woke up? Hehe, as long as it's meal time, you're fine. Get up, let's go eat."

  Johnny got out of bed dazedly, put on his shoes, and followed Odara in a trance.

  "Still like this after waking up? Mouth corners, wipe them clean, and there's also eye discharge. Ah, be more spirited, or people will think I've kidnapped a mentally challenged child as my follower. Stand up straight, swing your arms open, don't let them hang in front of you, do you think you're a zombie? Head, lift it up..."

  Audrey corrected Johnny's limp all the way, but even after they entered the cafeteria, Johnny still looked half dead.

  Looking at the group of people whispering to each other, Odala felt like she had lost a layer of face. She turned around and glared fiercely at Johnny, not caring about his mental state anymore, pointed him to a position and stopped talking.

  Johnny felt as if a fly was missing beside his ear. Like anyone who had just woken up from a dream, he stared blankly at the table in front of him, subconsciously counting the wood grain on the tabletop... until the dishes were served.

  The Earl of Dallas was generous with his army. This wasn't surprising, as he had won the startup funds from an earl who was stingy with his own troops. The main course for dinner was a meat soup served with bread, and each person also got two pieces of dried meat. The rich and savory meat soup lifted the spirits of the soldiers who had been training all day, plus there was enough bread and salty dried meat... But Johnny felt no surprise at this. Even after eating terrible food for over a decade, and still in an unclear state, he still remembered what real good taste was like.

  But I'm really hungry.

  Gobbling down food like a wolf and swallowing it like a tiger, with the accompaniment of a group of soldiers, Joanie's eating manners seemed even more elegant.

  After dinner, Odara came over to Johnny's side.

  "You go back and rest first, take good care of yourself. Hehe, you dare to come eat like this today? Hehehe. Alright, go rest now."

  Having said that, he turned and left.

  Joni, who had eaten and drunk his fill, was already wide awake and naturally picked up on the malice in Odara's words. "Take good care of your spirit, huh? What does this old guy want to do?"

  Shook his head. No matter what he wanted to do, escape was impossible, so it's better to go back and sleep well.

  With a heavy gait, Johnny returned to his own house. He closed the door, took off his shoes and fell asleep immediately.

  A dreamless night.

  The second day, just as the darkness was showing some signs of receding, Johnny was already awake.

  But was dragged out of bed by Odala.

  "The sun has already shone on your butt, and you're still sleeping?!" Odala boasted without even blushing. "Get up, put on your armor, and bring your weapon. Oh, don't bother bringing that broken sword of yours, from today on, the sword in the armory is yours to take care of!"

  This sentence made Johnny extremely excited, and the unpleasantness of being woken up and the fatigue of getting up early were all swept away. He quickly put on his armor, wore his long sword, and tied up his short blade. Following Odara's instructions, he washed up in the designated place, then entered the castle under the stars.

  Arrived at the third floor. Joanie stroked the pair of large swords in his hands, his eyes filled with joy and appreciation. Although this was his salary for the next ten months, but wasn't it worth spending?

  "Alright, you have plenty of time to admire it properly. Now, put your sword back!" Odara ordered.

  Jony slung the great sword over his back just as he had carried his own battered sword yesterday.

  "Come with me."

  Audrey and Johnny walked out of the castle. The soldiers on duty at the gate did not glance sideways, remaining vigilant.

  "Strange, didn't they say we need a pass to enter and exit?" Joanie muttered to herself.

  The two of them walked further and further away until they finally left Tabriz city.

  Audra looked around at the city gate, then her eyes lit up and she walked quickly to a pile of logs.

  Jony swallowed hard at the sight.

  Haven't eaten pork but have seen pigs run. Joanie hasn't watched fewer military-themed shows, and running with a log on his back is standard physical training.

  Who is so lacking in public morals as to put this pile of rotten wood here?! Johnny lamented in his heart.

  "Come on, come on, this is the outdoor warehouse of Earl's logging site, just right for your training." Odala smiled and beckoned to Johnny, "Come here, considering it's your first time, eh, put this thin pole on your shoulder."

  Joni looked at that thin one, roughly the size of a basketball in cross-section. Fortunately, it was not an entire tree trunk, just a small section.

  "What are you dawdling for, come on." Odara pulled Johnny to the woodpile, "You carry this, run ahead, I'll tell you where to go, I'll run with you."

  Is it still unlimited distance?

  "What's wrong with you, physical strength is the foundation of a warrior, and it's even more so for us dual-wielders. Without endurance, no matter how advanced your techniques are, you'll still end up dying under a flurry of blades." Jony felt that Odara was always right, "Alright, let's get moving, we'll run together."

  So can you carry it? Jony looked at Odala.

  Audra was already running ahead: "Catch up!"

  I wiped it, and it really didn't work. Joanie secretly scolded herself, bent down to carry that thin wooden stick, fortunately, it wasn't too heavy, probably around 100 kilograms, barely manageable on her shoulders, the length also didn't affect her walking. Taking a deep breath, Joanie headed in the direction of Oudala, taking big strides. (Collected broken 40, two updates today)