The Hero Turned Into A Potato And The World Fell To Ruin

Though it was called a "city," Mir felt more like an enormous adventurer's camp than a metropolis.

There was no luxurious lord's mansion, only a bustling adventurer's guild teeming with people.

There were no elegant shopping streets, only lively markets filled with an array of hunting gear.

There were no banks offering loans or mortgages, only exchanges that dealt in monster materials and merchant caravans stocking up on supplies.

Walking through the streets, Liu Ji found himself surrounded by adventurers and hunters of all races and appearances, each clad in armor and armed to the teeth. It was like wandering through the main city of an MMORPG.

Because of this, their group barely attracted any attention as they entered Mir. Here, they noticed that the races in this part of the world weren't much different from those on the other side of the desert. Other than a few unfamiliar beings, most of the races here had counterparts on the other side of the desert.

Thinking about it made sense. Although a desert separated the two sides, it had merely been an ordinary desert before the coming of Myza.

In this world where magic existed, a single seaberry tree could sustain a village's water supply. Thus, it was unlikely that a desert could divide a world into two distinct halves. Thousands of years ago, these two lands were likely one.

"Captain, should we find a place to stay first or jump right into hunting?" Osar asked Shelo.

"I've told you already, stop calling me Captain," Shelo said with a helpless smile. "We should decide as a group."

"I think we should rest for a day. Just look at those two," suggested Calidora, pointing at Liu Ji and Yaine, who were lagging behind.

The two of them, each with dark circles under their eyes, had been yawning non-stop since they landed.

"You've got a point; let's find an inn first," Nox said, stopping in front of a nearby inn. "I think this one looks good."

Everyone looked up.

The place was in shambles, and the signboard was on the verge of falling off. Wooden spears holding up were covered with repair patches, and cobwebs hung from the key rack at the front desk. The sole employee was slumped over the counter, fast asleep.

"Come on, old man, do we really need to be this cheap?" Mervant asked, his cheek slightly twitching. "How can you even suggest this place?"

"Hey, what's wrong with this? Even the most rundown place will look new after I work my magic. Right, Shelo?" Nox said confidently.

"No way, not this time. We've been roughing it out for too long." Shelo shook her head vehemently. "Let's find somewhere comfortable so everyone can get a good night's sleep."

"Really? Well, if you insist," Nox considered, squinting down the street.

He looked about silently for several minutes before abruptly striding toward a different location. The others, momentarily bewildered, hurried to follow him.

Then, they found themselves before another inn.

This new inn was a marked improvement over the first one. The exterior was clean, the decor well-kept, the sign polished to a shine, and a lovely, cheerful receptionist greeting them at the front desk.

Just that…

This inn was tucked away in a remote corner.

To find it, the group had to take several turns of the main street, where it stood as a solitary establishment among the back walls of other buildings. It seemed dubious.

Adding to their doubts were the suggestive silhouettes painted on all the directional signs leading to the place, and the inn's sign itself was adorned with an array of brightly colored dried flowers. Something about it felt off.

The group hid behind a corner in front of the inn, peeking out surreptitiously.

As for why they were hiding, none of them could say. In any case, this was Nox's idea.

"Old man, are you sure this is an inn and not… you know," Mervant asked, skeptically.

"Of course, I'm sure," Nox replied with a sideways glance. "If this were a place like that, the desk would be staffed by a madam or a line of girls, not just one pretty young lady. This is a classic bait-and-switch scam."

Having said that, Nox sauntered inside.

"Oh, so it's a scam… Ah?" Mervant's expression turned into one of aghast.

He watched as Nox approached the receptionist with a bashful smile and hands clasped behind his back. Nox nonchalantly flashed the luxurious bracelet on his wrist, a not-so-subtle hint of his wealth.

The receptionist's eyes immediately lit up with interest, and she walked out from behind the counter to flirt with Nox.

Nox played along, acting coy. Being a Miffy, Nox was naturally short, and with his unknown method of preserving his youthful looks, he could easily pass for an awkward young boy.

After a bit of playful banter, the woman attempted to lead Nox upstairs.

Nox feigned reluctance, and as they jostled, the receptionist stumbled and fell, pulling Nox down with her.

Nox's right hand ended up resting on her chest, and she let out a theatrical scream.

In an instant, a group of muscle-bound men charged out from the back, blocking the entrance.

At that moment, the group could see the crafty smile on Nox's face, betraying his true nature as a cunning old miser.

And then, they started beating Nox up.

The brawny thugs of this hunter's haven were formidable opponents. Unfortunately for them, they were outmatched this time.

Nox dissipated into a mist as the blows landed. Meanwhile, his real self had already slipped outside. He waved his hands and called out, "Guys, I'm being beaten up. Get in here and save me… with your bare hands!"

Hearing this, the thugs hesitated, surprised by the prospect of Nox having backup.

The party was also caught off guard—not by the need to rescue Nox but by his insistence on doing so barehanded.

Still, they were roughly able to guess the reason. It was unwise to kill when on someone else's turf.

Yet, the absurdity of the situation left them momentarily dumbfounded.

When Nox's plea for help went unanswered for several seconds, the thugs jumped to conclusions.

"Ha! Brothers, he's bluffing! Get him!"

They lunged at Nox.

"Wh-what do we do?" Mervant looked to Shelo.

"What else?" Osar interjected before Shelo could respond. "It's a brawl! Let's go!"

With that, he charged forward, with Liu Ji following suit.

Liu Ji couldn't understand a word, but seeing a comrade being attacked was enough. His initial hesitation stemmed from waiting for tactical orders, but with Osar charging in, he followed without a second thought.

Unexpectedly, Liu Ji's bunch of little potatolings joined the fray too.

On top of that, they moved faster than Osar, sprinting full tilt. In the blink of an eye, they leaped from their basket, burrowed underground, and emerged beside the thugs.

One potato raised its fist.

With a single punch, it sent a thug flying over five meters away, where his head smacked against a pillar, and he passed out cold.