Chapter 728: Isfahan

Whether intentional or not, at least dozens of people had met the barrels of the Dragon Knight’s weapon.

Now this is a good situation.

After the journey, Lin Mo had already been through countless battles, leaving behind a path marked by the bodies of the fallen, painted in blood.

In his bag, Lin Mo carried consolation gifts for "Monkey" Abul Hasan Zargalar’s family, prepared together with Yuri.

The "Dragon General" could easily disregard the rain of bullets, but the bag and its contents did not have such strong defense capabilities.

Every time Lin Mo encountered these unwary foes, he never held back.

…

Aside from the "Dragon General" that could be worn as armor, the weapons in Lin Mo’s hands were eagerly devoured by the gold giant dragon, leaving them utterly useless.

This gluttonous giant dragon had effectively disarmed Lin Mo.

Grandpa Dragon remained unconcerned; with it around, why would there be any need to worry about being unarmed?

Didn’t one know that in legend, the gold giant dragon is the sharpest weapon in the hands of the gods?

If you want an AK, there’s an AK; if you want an electromagnetic cannon, there’s one too. If Grandpa Dragon is pleased, evolving a tank is as easy as lifting a hand. If it can solve issues with satellite surveillance in space or ground anti-aircraft fire, bringing in an interstellar dreadnought wouldn’t be a problem at all.

This foodie always found various reasons to justify its greedy cravings.

Indeed, the profession of Air Knight is not something the common people can afford in any world; whether raising a giant dragon or maintaining a fighter jet, the resource costs are immense.

After hitching a few rides along the way, it took Lin Mo two days to enter Iran.

Looking back at the chaotic states he had left, he let out a long sigh of relief.

He was here to relax, not to be a butcher, but some people seemed unaware of the danger, carelessly charging toward the muzzles of guns.

As he entered Iranian territory, the journey became much more peaceful. Even at the border, Lin Mo could see soldiers prepared for battle; under the threat of military force, petty criminals had become much more restrained.

Being Chinese made passing through the border a simple matter.

In the small city of Dizful on the left bank of the Dez River in Khuzestan Province, Lin Mo boarded a small civilian flight. Amidst the roar of the engines and the shaking of the plane, he flew straight to Isfahan.

Although the "Dragon General" was eye-catching, it was not an offensive weapon.

Iran also lacked the ability to identify Lin Mo as a human weapon and the gold giant dragon as a mass destruction weapon, so both Lin Mo and the dragon passed through security checks in no time.

Isfahan is one of the oldest cities in Iran, built during the Achaemenid dynasty in the 4th and 5th centuries BC. It has repeatedly served as the capital of various dynasties and boasts a thriving economy; the local proverb "Isfahan is half the world" reflects its historic prosperity.

"Monkey" Abul Hasan Zargalar’s hometown is located in a small village near Isfahan.

Not long after Lin Mo exited the airport in Isfahan, he saw several Iranians holding signs in both Chinese and English, loudly calling out to him.

"Accommodation! Tour guide!"

"Food! Hotel!"

"Tour guide! Tour guide!"

The strange accents of their Chinese were still distinguishable in their meaning.

Lin Mo’s attire and appearance stood out prominently; as soon as he appeared at the cabin door, he immediately attracted the attention of those Iranian tour guides who spoke Mandarin.

Among East Asians, with a little attention, one can easily tell the differences between Chinese, Japanese, and South Koreans.

Isfahan has always had close ties with China and became a sister city with Xi’an in May 1989. Compared to its neighboring countries, the domestic security made it so that Chinese tourists made up a significant portion among many foreign visitors.

The generous spending of foreign tourists also allowed these bilingual guides to earn quite a bit of extra money.

Lin Mo indeed needed the services of a guide, or more precisely, a translator.

He was not here to sightsee; he was here to find someone. Having a local who could communicate with him would save him a lot of effort, allowing him to avoid awkward gestures that took too long just to convey a simple message and even help him avoid some trouble.

He was willing to spend a little money for this.

Lin Mo waved to one of the guides, a man in his thirties among those holding signs. When the Iranian guides saw that a client had made a choice, they stopped calling out and quickly dispersed.

Perhaps due to the unspoken rules of competition, no one remained to pressure or snatch clients; the Iranians appeared quite composed. Being chosen made them happy, while those not selected showed no signs of frustration or resentment.

The Iranian man, dressed in a dark-patterned T-shirt and black dress pants, bowed slightly to Lin Mo and said, “Hello, sir. I’m Saeed. Muhammad Banisadr is pleased to serve you. You can call me Saeed.”

Upon noticing the tactical armor components peeking out from under Lin Mo’s coat, he showed a brief flash of surprise but wisely pretended not to notice, keeping his attitude and tone unchanged.

As long as the employer did not initiate conversation, any unnecessary curiosity would be foolish behavior, even if it were a personal preference.

Travelers who journey alone were not uncommon, but those who were so generous were rare.

Compared to a group of tourists chattering away, one-on-one service was much easier to handle, and Saeed did not want to risk losing a large income due to his own carelessness.

“Hello, Saeed. My name is Morin. I need a guide and translator. Do you accept dollars or euros?”

Iranian currency is the rial, and Lin Mo had little interest in spending thousands upon thousands of rials that practically only amounted to a small portion of Chinese yuan; his wallet carried either dollars or euros, or else yuan. He had not exchanged a single rial since entering the country.

The other man spoke Chinese quite fluently and had considered the communication habits of Chinese people.

The two quickly agreed on the employment fees, with other transportation costs calculated separately.

Having made a fortune in the "Abyss Nirvana" competition, Lin Mo was a small rich man; he did not care to haggle, accepting whatever fee was offered.

Saeed wore a wide smile, appearing to have come across a big client.

He warmly led Lin Mo to the parking area outside the airport, where a black Citroen SUV awaited them.

It seemed this Iranian guide was not inexperienced; equipped well, he could provide excellent service for his client.

Saeed quickly started the Citroen, acting as if he were Lin Mo’s friend, and enthusiastically suggested, “Shall we rest at the hotel for a night first, or would you like to tour around the city? There are many great sights nearby that Chinese tourists often visit.”

The car was spacious, and although Lin Mo wore the "Dragon General," he felt no sense of crowding, indicating that he had chosen the right guide in Saeed.

“I’m here to visit a friend,” Lin Mo provided an address to Saeed.

Saeed paused slightly, clearly recognizing the place. He said, “If we go there now, it will take at least three hours, and it will definitely be dark then. It will be difficult to find suitable accommodation there. I suggest you rest in Isfahan for the night, and I can come pick you up in the morning.”

This guide, being a local expert, likely considered both the local customs and the living facilities surrounding that village, which made his suggestion reasonable.

“Alright!”

Since Lin Mo chose to hire him, he would trust him.

Saeed smiled and nodded, leading Lin Mo to find a nice hotel for accommodation.

Finding a place to stay in Isfahan is often troublesome, and it’s common for hotel rooms to be fully booked. Lin Mo’s decision to find a local guide immediately upon arriving was quite wise.

Iranians typically eat dinner just before going to bed, but Saeed took into consideration the daily eating habits of East Asians. After settling Lin Mo into his hotel room, he took him out for dinner.

This thoughtful attention greatly pleased Lin Mo. Had he followed Iranian customs, the Dragon Knight would have likely gone hungry.

With a local guide leading the way, Lin Mo could easily enjoy local food. Although Iran was not considered a paradise for food compared to culinary heaven, China, there was still plenty of grilled meat and free bread that satisfied the Dragon Knight’s appetite.

The next day, at dawn, Lin Mo packed his bag and checked out, finding Saeed and his Citroen waiting for him at the hotel entrance.

Not long after leaving the urban area, the vegetation became sparse, and the dominant scenery turned to yellow earth mounds.

The name "Isfahan" comes from the Persian word "Sepahan," meaning "army." This area was historically a gathering place for troops. It gave rise to an Air Knight who achieved quasi-high tier in the "Abyss Nirvana," confirming Isfahan’s reputation as a place that produces warriors.

Leaving the smooth road and with the help of satellite GPS navigation, the black Citroen SUV drove onto a bumpy gravel road.

As a diligent guide, Saeed took Lin Mo to a village filled with houses made of yellow clay bricks. This was a settlement primarily engaged in traditional agriculture and livestock farming.

This was the hometown of "Monkey." Lin Mo jumped out of the car, squinting his eyes as he surveyed the village nestled on a small hill.

The coordinates from the satellite matched perfectly with the address Yuri had given him.

In the village, men and women dressed in long robes and headscarves cast curious glances at the unexpected visitors, Lin Mo and Saeed.

“Indeed, this is the right place. You wait here; I will ask around.”

To avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings, Saeed instructed Lin Mo to stay put while he went to inquire ahead.

Finding a nearby villager, Saeed quickly learned the location of the family Lin Mo wanted to find.

As a retired pilot from Iran, Abul Hasan Zargalar, who had the flight code "Monkey," clearly lacked the economic strength to move his family to a big city.

Upon seeing this village for the first time, Lin Mo understood why he worked for the Northrop Grumman company to participate in "Abyss Nirvana," risking his life to earn a sum large enough to provide his family with a lifetime of comfort.

Undoubtedly, almost every man with a family would make the same choice.