Chapter 1930

chapter1930

The surrounding houses were all unevenly built from earth, some tall and some short.

There weren't many people on the streets. Most passersby wore straw hats or veils to shield themselves from the swirling sand.

Her sudden appearance didn't attract any attention. This unexpected lack of reaction left her momentarily at a loss.

Taking a closer look, she noticed many beggars lying by the roadside.

Their clothes were tattered beyond recognition-the original colors completely faded.

These people looked weak and lifeless, their gazes hollow and empty.

Feeling uneasy, she walked forward, trying to find something-or someone- familiar. But of all the times she had traveled, this was the most unfamiliar place yet.

She wasn't sure where she had ended up. Had an even longer time passed this time?

The pedestrians moved hurriedly. Steadying herself, she stopped one of them.

"Excuse me, where is this place?" The person she stopped was a middle-aged

woman.

She wore coarse linen clothes, though they weren't in tatters. However, she was thin and covered her mouth and nose with a simple veil.

Hearing Vivian's question, the woman sized her up from head to toe.

Vivian's clothing was luxurious, unmistakably belonging to a young lady from a wealthy family.

"This is Briarpatch. Did you get separated from your family? You need to find a place to hide or go to the authorities. Don't wander around alone-it's dangerous."

The woman frowned as she spoke, then quickly hurried away.

Briarpatch?

Vivian wanted to ask more, but the woman had already left.

There was no time to dwell on what Briarpatch was-she knew that the situation here was dangerous.

So many beggars... and even...

Looking toward the corners of the

street, she saw unmoving figureme

lying on the ground. Without getting closer, she couldn't tell if they were alive or dead.

And when she focused, she caught a faint, rotting stench lingering in the air.

Even though she had grown up in a peaceful era, she understood in that moment this town was chaotic and perilous.

She glanced down at her own clothes. Without hesitation, she stepped into a nearby alley.

She took off her luxurious clothing and rolled it in the dirt, then tore at it a few times until it looked tattered.

After putting the ragged garments she messed up her

back on

from

shup a few dry t

the ground and weaving met

in.

Then, she pulled out a compact powder from her bundle and quickly darkened her

face to a dull yellowish hue.

Within a short time, the refined and beautiful woman had transformed into a pitiful

little beggar.

At a glance, she now blended in with the beggars and impoverished commoners, unlikely to attract unwanted attention.

At the same time, she secured her pepper spray and small knife from her bundle, keeping them within reach.

Only after making these preparations did she finally feel safe enough to think about her next steps.

She needed to find out whether Manfred was in Briarpatch.

Although she wasn't sure how much time had passed, she was certain

about one thing-her first time in

traveling through time had been because of Manfred.

And every time after that, she had always managed to end up near him.

Though the last two times, the distance had been farther apart, she had still been able to find him.

So this time, she was convinced-Manfred must be nearby. Perhaps he was somewhere in this town or somewhere close to it.

She had to find a way to track him down.