SWNOVELXO Chapter 259: Gathering in Carrydon Town
The sudden jolt of acceleration startled Furina.
"Clorinde, I thought you said you learned how to drive?"
Clorinde quickly grabbed the steering wheel.
"Don't worry, Lady Furina, this is perfectly normal."
Furina: "…"
Since it was her first time driving, Clorinde's control of the truck was far from steady. The vehicle wobbled dangerously, even looking like it might tip over.
Fortunately, Clorinde's reflexes and composure far exceeded that of ordinary people. Even in such a situation, she was able to keep the truck moving steadily forward.
Their destination was the small town of Carrydon.
...
At the same time, in Carrydon Town—
Caesar, Lucy, Piper, and Lighter were crouched beside a slick-looking motorcycle, inspecting it for internal issues.
The Tour de Inferno was fast approaching.
They had to finish repairs, modifications, and maintenance in the remaining time to ensure top performance during the race.
Just then, Burnice walked over.
"Caesar, Lucy, did you invite the people from Hare's House to watch the race? This is a big event—we can't possibly leave out our best partners."
Caesar smiled.
"Already taken care of. I even had Sam Li find a reliable Proxy to help out. If the timing's right, they should be arriving any minute now…"
As she spoke, Caesar glanced at the time, then looked down the broad road leading out of town.
The Hare's House group should be arriving soon.
With their help—and the Proxy—Caesar was determined to win the Tour de Inferno.
Still no sign of them though.
Caesar turned back and continued checking the bike alongside Piper and the others.
But then—
A blaring horn sounded from afar.
Caesar whipped her head around—sure enough, a truck was speeding toward Carrydon Town. It screeched to a halt right near the town square, where Sam Li had previously placed the Statue of the Seven.
Piper blinked in confusion.
"Huh? Did the Hare's House switch vehicles again?"
Lucy frowned slightly.
"Doesn't look like them."
And then, to their surprise—
A woman in a short purple skirt, with long purple hair and a tilted side hat, stepped out of the truck.
She had gear strapped to her waist and carried a vintage-style musket. It was clear at a glance—she wasn't just anyone.
Right after her, another girl got out—dressed in blue with elegant white hair, topped with a small hat.
As soon as she stepped down, she unfurled a small blue parasol with the poise of a city-bred celebrity.
Caesar, Piper, Lucy, and Burnice exchanged puzzled looks. None of them recognized the two newcomers.
"Lucy, you know tons of celebs. Ever seen her before?"
"Nope… maybe she's a newly debuted idol singer?"
"That one in purple looks like a bodyguard."
"What are they doing in Carrydon Town?"
...
Before they could figure it out, Furina and Clorinde—who had just gotten out of the truck—spotted Caesar and the others nearby.
Furina quickly gripped her parasol and headed toward them.
"Clorinde, look! There are people over there—we finally found someone alive. Let's go ask where we are…"
Clorinde followed her quickly.
"…"
After the encounter with the bandits, Clorinde had become much more cautious. When she noticed the axes, spiked clubs, and shields around Caesar and the others, her guard immediately went up.
Her hand hovered near her sword hilt at all times.
Soon, Furina arrived in front of Caesar's group, slightly out of breath.
"Finally! We've found locals!"
Caesar noticed Clorinde's guarded stance and became wary as well.
Lucy frowned slightly.
Piper looked completely confused.
"???"
Then, Furina cleared her throat, adjusted her posture, and smiled.
"We ended up here by accident and got lost. Could you tell us where we are? And where's the main city of Sumeru?"
Lucy's frown deepened.
"Sumeru? What are you talking about? This is the Outer Ring—Carrydon Town. It's not part of the city."
As the leader of Carrydon Town, Caesar stepped forward with authority.
"Welcome to Carrydon Town. Don't worry—we, the Sons of Carrydon, aren't like the other gangs."
Furina blinked in confusion.
Outer Ring? Carrydon Town? City?
Were those place names in Sumeru?
She turned to Clorinde.
"Have you ever heard of Carrydon Town?"
Clorinde shook her head.
"Never."
Lucy raised an eyebrow, clearly annoyed.
"Figures. You fancy city‑center celebrities wouldn't know about a place like Carrydon Town."
Sensing the irritation in Lucy's voice, Furina quickly explained.
"Sorry, we didn't mean any offense… We're just lost and looking for directions."
Caesar smiled.
"If you're trying to get back to the city, I can send someone to take you."
Furina shook her head.
"No, we're not going to the city. We're trying to get to Liyue. Do you know how to get there?"
Liyue?
The name sounded familiar, but Caesar couldn't place it.
She thought for a moment, then shook her head.
"Sorry, I've never heard of it."
While Furina questioned Caesar and the others, Clorinde had been quietly observing the surroundings since they arrived.
Suddenly, her eyes landed on something in the town square—not far away.
A Statue of the Seven. And not just any statue—one with Geo alignment.
That meant they hadn't been sent to the wrong place after all. This really was Liyue.
But then...
If this was Liyue, why did the locals act like they'd never heard of it?
Before Clorinde could voice her suspicions, the sound of more vehicles echoed from behind.
Clorinde, Furina, Caesar, Piper, and the others turned around and saw a familiar off‑road vehicle and an unfamiliar car entering the town.
Caesar immediately lit up with a grin.
"It's Sam Li and Nicole! Piper, Lucy, let's go greet them."
Furina huffed in frustration.
"Hey, you still haven't told me where Liyue is… Also, is there a restaurant nearby?"
But Caesar, Piper, and the others were already walking toward the Hare's House off‑roader, no longer paying attention to Furina or Clorinde.
Moments later, Sam Li, Nicole, Billy, Anby, and the rest stepped out of the vehicles.
The instant they saw Sam Li—
Furina and Clorinde's eyes lit up.
"It's Consultant Zhongli!"
They had finally met someone they recognized.