After the Gauss squad made some preparations in the city, they headed towards the outskirts of Farlim.
Dwarf Toga went missing at a location west of Farlim, a distance away from the city in the wild.
According to the intelligence provided by Bruno, they traveled south all the way from the Dwarf Kingdom; they had just arrived at Wine Heart City a while ago and stayed there for a while before embarking on their journey again, intending to explore the Jade Forest to the south, only to encounter an unexpected incident.
Although Gauss felt sympathetic about their experience, Bruno’s mention of Wine Heart City did evoke some memories for Gauss.
Last year, he briefly collaborated with a squad, initially exploring the ancient ruins of a dwarven workshop, and later purging the contamination of the Evil God Durag there. Incidentally, the squad’s leader was also a dwarf named Sorin Copperhill.
Before they parted, Sorin informed Gauss that his main area of activity was around Wine Heart City, and he even provided Gauss with his specific residence address in the city so that they could contact him upon arriving there.
Though Gauss never went to Wine Heart City, he did take some time to learn a little about that city.
Wine Heart City is located in the northwest direction of the Cold Jade Province and is an exceedingly unique city within the province.
This is because Wine Heart City is renowned for its racial diversity.
The city is teeming with various dwarves, halflings, half-beastmen, half-elves, gnomes, and tieflings — these non-pure human races who are considered minorities in ordinary human cities, have rooted their lives in Wine Heart City. Many of them are simply regular residents, rather than wandering adventurers.
It’s said that this congregation of races is the result of historical factors. Initially, the halflings rooted themselves in that rather secluded land, cultivating estates and establishing dwellings.
Subsequently, as large-scale wars broke out, other ethnic groups provided support, participating in the battlefront either as main forces or providing logistic support. After the war ended, a considerable number of ethnic groups chose to settle down.
And this location became what is now Wine Heart City.
Through many years of development, it eventually formed a diverse multi-ethnic community.
Ordinary humans instinctively worry and thus rarely choose to relocate to Wine Heart City unless there’s a specific trade need while those alien races wanting to venture near the border of Cold Jade Province for opportunities often choose Wine Heart City as their first stop, thus creating a further trend towards the emergence of more race-diverse cities.
In fact, if looking across the entire kingdom, there are quite a few regions similar to Wine Heart City.
"Do you know Sorin Copperhill in Wine Heart City?"
Gauss asked while rushing along the road outside the city.
Bruno shook his head.
"I know the Copperhill clan, but I probably don’t know this Sorin you’re talking about; there are too many dwarves in Wine Heart City."
Gauss wasn’t surprised by this.
Though the dwarves before him looked somewhat similar to Sorin in his eyes, almost like relatives, it made sense considering they had traveled there and weren’t acquainted with Sorin, who resided permanently in Wine Heart City.
Having ridden some distance away from Farlim.
Gauss finally dismounted from his steed.
"What’s the matter?"
Bruno and the others also leapt down from their dwarf horses, looking at him with perplexed inquiries.
"Aren’t you eager to find someone? This way is still too slow; we need to switch to a new mount."
Gauss told them to move a little distance away.
Then, under the bewildered gazes of the dwarves, he waved and summoned a big fellow.
The dwarves’ eyes visibly widened when Hephaestus appeared.
"Is this... a dragon?"
Bruno swallowed, instinctively stepping back two steps.
"Hephaestus is a dragon beast."
Gauss explained, always factual without exaggerating.
Yet even such a modest explanation left the dwarves utterly shocked.
Whether it’s a dragon or a dragon beast as a mount, both are exceedingly, exceedingly rare.
"This is truly remarkable."
Bruno showed a more exaggerated expression than when he heard Gauss had once saved a town.
For a moment, he didn’t even know what to say.
Gauss was fitting a saddle on Hephaestus.
The Red Dragon Beast took the opportunity to glance at the unfamiliar dwarves newly added to the team.
"Roar~"
It didn’t quite have a good first impression of these short and stout dwarves.
The fiery breath it expelled accidentally ignited the dwarves’ dense beards; the dwarves frantically patted them out to extinguish the sparks.
"You rude big lizard, we’re dwarves, we’re not afraid of you."
Bruno glared with eyes as large as brass bells, his hand resting on the war axe at his waist, looking on angrily.
"Roar?"
Hephaestus tilted its head, a hint of mockery flashed in its dusky gold vertical pupils. It let out a low growl as if to say "Is that all?".
After the interaction, it leaned forward, its breath expelling even hotter air.
"Alright, Hephaestus, calm down."
Gauss gently patted the dragon’s neck.
He had vaguely heard before that dragons and dwarves are inherently incompatible, now it seems it’s not unfounded.
Just as he became a bit distracted, it seemed that Hephaestus and the dwarves kindled a bit of gunpowder-like tension.
"My dwarf friends, Hephaestus is a bit mischievous, but it isn’t bad by nature. We need to rely on it to reach the location you mentioned quickly."
"Are we really going to ride a dragon?"
Behind Bruno, a slightly younger-looking dwarf with his beard braided into strands, Teben stumbled through his words, his tone tinged with a hint of excitement.