Chapter 563 Gur Festival


    the city of Ihailes,


    Li Si and Taya stood outside the gate of this oasis town, looking at the small town in its surroundings.


    After learning that this small city was shrouded in a legendary illusion, although Li Si wanted to complete specific tasks in this area and get the final reward, he still carefully collected information about the city.


    Li Si let the mirror clone go into the city to explore, but he didn''t notice anything wrong.


    From what the clone saw in this small town, Li Si felt that this small town seemed to be no different from the oasis town he had encountered on his previous journey.


    There isn''t even anything special, it seems like it''s just an ordinary, unremarkable small town.


    What''s wrong?


    Li Si was a little confused, but he was still ready to go to the city to take a look.


    Anyway, this secret realm cannot prevent Li Si from leaving. If he finds something wrong after entering the city, Li Si can take Taiya away at any time.


    When they arrived at the city gate, the guard standing at the city gate looked at Li Si and Taiya and said to Li Si:


    "The entrance tax is two gold coins."


    "So expensive?"


    Li Si frowned and said to the guard:


    "We are bards from the city of Armandu, and we don''t have much savings."


    "And it''s just for entering the city, why do you need two gold coins? Other oases only cost about ten copper coins at most, right?"


    "This is a rule. You are not allowed to enter the city of Ihailes without paying the city tax."


    "This is too expensive. Can it be cheaper?"


    "How about I play a song for you guys?"


    Li Si had a pained expression on his face, and seemed reluctant to pay the two gold coins for the city entry tax. He was haggling over the price with the city guards.


    At this moment, there seemed to be a caravan on the other side who also wanted to enter the small town in front of them to replenish supplies, but they were also shocked by the expensive city entry tax.


    "There are so many people in our caravan. If the city entry tax is one gold coin per person, wouldn''t it mean that we have to pay more than a hundred gold coins for this alone?"


    “There’s nowhere to go that doesn’t offer this price?”


    "We just want to go to the city to purchase supplies. Are they also priced at this price?"


    The steward of the caravan looked at the serious-faced city guard in front of him in disbelief, his words full of unconcealable surprise.


    "If you want to hand it over, hand it over. If you don''t want to, leave now."


    "Am I begging you to come to the city?"


    Another city guard stood in front of the caravan manager, unwilling to explain anything more, and said coldly.


    "I''m really crazy about money!"


    "Does the city lord here not care about it?"


    The caravan manager was a little angry, and his face was extremely ugly.


    He felt that these city guards were deliberately making things difficult and wanted to exploit money by doing business without capital, but there was nothing he could do.


    The other party is a local snake here, how can he really confront him?


    Even the city lord of this city might protect his men immediately, right?


    The steward wanted to take the people away now, but he thought that there were really not many supplies in the caravan. He was originally a little surprised to see this unmarked oasis on the map, but now it seems that it is not much different from a bandit.


    If it is just water, it can be obtained directly from the small lake outside the city, but food is not so good.


    After thinking about it, the caravan manager had no choice but to let the rest of the caravan rest outside the city. He took a few people with him and paid the city entry tax before going into the city to purchase.


    "snort!"


    The tall city guard in front of Li Si seemed a little impatient. He didn''t say anything more to Li Si. He shook the stainless steel spear in his hand and snorted coldly.


    Li Si hesitated for a moment and had no choice but to take out two gold coins from his pocket and hand them hesitantly to the city guard in front of him.


    The city guard looked at Li Si with some surprise, as if he didn''t expect that the person who was so fussy just now was actually willing to pay such an expensive city entry tax.


    However, since they are from Amandu City, the appearance and clothing of these two people also look quite good, maybe they are a bit stingy.


    The city guard waved his hand and allowed Li Si and Tai Ya to enter the city.


    Li Si took Taya into the small town, and the pained look on his face disappeared instantly.


    When he used his mirror clone to enter the city just now, he used his stealth ability, so he really didn''t know about the city entry tax.


    Of course, Li Si was not distressed about the two gold coins, but was a little curious about the anomaly of the city entry tax.


    If it was just an oasis he encountered during the journey, Li Si wouldn''t care so much. After all, with his financial resources, it wouldn''t be a problem to pay him as many times as he wanted.


    But in the cooperative town in front of him, Li Si was sure that there were big problems.


    Otherwise, this secret realm would not be called [a small town stuck in time].


    In this small city called Ihales, did time stop in it, or was it because of other anomalies?


    Such an expensive city entry tax is really hard to accept for normal desert travelers.


    Even for a caravan that specializes in traveling between desert oases, this price is difficult to accept.


    However, the few city guards just now were only silver-level professionals, and the entire town did not have any special defense arrangements.


    Otherwise, Li Si''s mirror clone wouldn''t have been able to get in so easily before, and he wouldn''t have noticed any defensive or early warning measures at all.


    So, is the "expensive" city entry tax an attempt to actively dissuade those who have nothing to do with it?


    Li Si had some guesses in his mind, but he was not too worried, but rather excited.


    We are not afraid of exceptions, but we are afraid of not being able to find the problem.


    Next, as long as you follow the clues, you will definitely discover the problems in this city.


    Li Si took Taya to stroll along the streets of the small town, carefully looking at the small town called Ihailes.


    The name of the area-specific mission he received is [Ihailes’ Persistence]. The introduction is that because of Ihailes’s persistence, this small town will always stand still in time.


    Although other reasons cannot be ruled out, this Ihales should be a person''s name and the reason why this secret realm was formed.


    So the first thing to do is to find this man named Ihailes.


    The name of the small town is Ihailes, and it is very likely that the lord of this small town is Ihailes.


    This is Li Si''s guess, but there shouldn''t be too many problems.


    Even so, Li Si did not go directly to the city lord''s mansion to find the target rashly.


    If it were that simple, this area-specific mission wouldn''t be legendary.


    At least judging from the information Li Si observed, the secrets of the small town in front of him seemed to be hidden deep in the depths, and now it looked quite normal on the surface.


    Better observe more!


    Li Si made a decision in his mind. After all, there must be legendary power involved in this small town, so it was better to be cautious.


    Immediately, Li Si and Taya started walking around the small town. The houses in this small town are generally built low and strong, as if they are crawling humbly on the ground to reduce wind resistance and invasion.


    The windows are designed to be small and delicate, like chess pieces embedded in the thick wall. This design not only effectively blocks the invasion of wind and sand, but also makes the indoor light soft and warm. Whenever the sun sets or the morning light shines, beams of light shine through this narrow window and shine on the simple ground, creating a An atmosphere of quiet time.


    As the mountain slowly rises, these low buildings spread upward layer by layer until the mountainside, which is quite harmonious with the surrounding oases and small lakes. Viewed from a distance, the entire town is like a carefully laid out oil painting, simple yet rhythmic, and every part is an indispensable part of the painting.


    There were not many people walking in the small town, and Li Si felt that he could easily distinguish between outsiders and locals living here.


    Li Si carefully looked at the people living in this small town. They usually wore white clothes. What was different from other oases was that this kind of clothes looked simpler and only covered most of the body, including the arms and calves. Exposed.


    You must know that the reason why people in desert areas like to wear robes to cover their bodies is because compared to the heat, the direct rays of the scorching sun are more unbearable. Ordinary people may even get sunburned accidentally.


    In addition, people who live in this city are generally a little thin, and their faces are pale, as if they are malnourished.


    But there was nothing unusual about their expressions, and they even showed a bit of joy and happiness.


    Although there are not many pedestrians, the stalls on both sides of the market are filled with many commodities and goods, most of which are grains and fruits produced in the oasis, as well as some handicrafts.


    Just like a normal oasis town.


    After all, the products produced in most oasis towns are very similar, and smaller oases do not have any special goods. Instead, food and fruits are the most favored by travelers.


    Li Si bought some grapes from a stall nearby for fifteen copper coins.


    Picking up a grape and putting it into his mouth, Li Si nodded slightly as he felt the sweet juice bursting in his mouth.


    Um.


    There is nothing unusual about the food, and there is no problem if travelers want to replenish their supplies here.


    After feeding the grapes one by one to Tai Ya, Li Si thought for a moment and said to the vendor:


    "Excuse me, I just came here and would like to ask where is the best hotel here?"


    "Hotel?"


    "That must be the Golden Coconut Hotel in the east of the city. Go in that direction and you''ll be there after crossing two streets."


    The stall owner smiled and said to Li Si.


    As if he hadn''t seen an outsider for a long time, the stall owner said to Li Si enthusiastically:


    "It''s hard for our guests to come to Ihailes. The day after tomorrow is the Eid Al-Adha. Do you want to stay a few more days to experience it?"


    "Adha?"


    "What''s that?"


    Hearing this, Li Si asked the stall owner curiously.


    "That''s our unique holiday celebration in Ihales, held at this time every year."


    "The city lord will also appear at that time and lead everyone to hold a bonfire party in the square. He will also bring out a variety of food and wine to share with everyone, and lead everyone to pray to the gods and celebrate the passing of the year."


    "There used to be a lot of guests coming from afar to participate in the Al-Adha festival, but recently there have been fewer guests."


    The stall owner seemed a little regretful.


    "I would like to ask, which **** did everyone pray to at the party?"


    Li Si narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at the stall owner in front of him and asked.


    "It''s the **** Gur! This is a great existence that has been protecting our city."


    "Thanks to Him, we can live such a stable life and no longer be displaced."


    Li Si glanced at the stall owner and asked a few more questions. When he saw that there was no valuable information, he nodded slightly and said:


    "I get it and I would be involved if I had the opportunity."


    After that, Li Si took Taya and walked in the direction pointed by the stall owner.


    Eid al-Adha?


    Could the secret of this city be related to this so-called celebration?


    Li Si felt something was wrong, but he couldn''t get any valuable information from the stall owner.


    Praying to the gods, is it some evil god?


    Li Si was a little skeptical. After all, the source of many tasks in previous games pointed to a certain evil god.


    But Li Si doesn''t remember any evil **** whose name is Gur?


    The most important thing is that from the stall owner''s description of the Eid al-Adha, Li Si felt that there was nothing special about the so-called celebration and bonfire night.


    Why do people come from far away just to participate in this festival?


    Displaced?


    Could it be that the people living in this small city all wandered in the desert before settling here?


    But from the looks of the buildings in this small town, it doesn''t seem like it has existed for a long time.


    No matter how you look at it, it doesn''t look like it was established recently.


    Although it seems that I have learned a lot of things, it is more like the thick fog has been lifted.


    The city lord will show up at the bonfire party, and many things may become clear by then.


    From the stall owner''s description, Li Si felt a sense of confusion and disharmony, which was somewhat depressing and uncomfortable.


    On the way to the hotel, Li Si asked a few more people about buying things, but the answers he received were all similar.


    It felt as if the city had only felt the sense of excitement and joy from passers-by because of the festival.


    Soon, Li Si and Taya arrived outside the Golden Coconut Hotel pointed by the stall owner.


    This hotel looks much larger than the surrounding houses, with three floors. It seems to have been newly built not long ago, and it looks much brighter.


    Stepping inside, Li Si took a few glances at the internal environment.


    The interior design of the hotel abandons complicated decoration and uses simple lines and elegant colors to outline a sense of comfort.


    Under the high ceiling, several rows of wooden tables and chairs are neatly arranged. Although they are not gorgeous, they are polished to a discernible shine, revealing a timeless charm. All decorations have been carefully cleaned to be spotless, even if they are Even the pickiest traveler will be pleased with the tidiness.


    The space on the first floor is cleverly divided into two areas. One half maintains the reception and rest functions of the hotel, while the other half has been transformed into a pub full of life.


    In the tavern area, warm lights fall on every table, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere, and the air is filled with the enticing aroma of food, from freshly baked bread to slow-cooked meats.


    Intertwined with it is the aroma of beer that cannot be ignored, which quietly swims in the air, teasing the taste buds of every passerby. A lot of people have gathered in the tavern. They are sitting or standing, holding wine glasses, with satisfied and relaxed smiles on their faces.


    The sounds of conversation and laughter intertwined to form a symphony of life, and it felt like the whole space suddenly came alive.


    As if noticing the entrance of Li Si and Tai Ya, a lively and pleasant voice sounded.


    "Both guests, do you need anything?"


    Following this voice, a bright and charming blond girl appeared.


    (End of chapter)