Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
***
July 10.
A tired caravan slowly moved forward in the scorching desert on the expansive yellow sand.
Two front leaders at this time rode their camel shoulder to shoulder.
Jonah Thorin looked at Onyx with a frown.
“Are we truly close? You said the same thing a week ago…”
Onyx brushed the sand off his face and took out the magic map to take a look.
“If we didn’t encounter that terrifying sandstorm five days ago, we would have arrived a long time ago…”
As Onyx spoke, his face revealed some worry.
“Let’s hope Twilight City survived this sandstorm.”
Jonah was a little anxious when he heard this.
“That sandstorm was so fierce, which weak territory would withstand it??”
He roared as he spoke.
“It’s all that damned lord’s fault!! If he didn’t deceive my daughter, how could Adele be in danger!?
“When I see that damned lord today, I will surely show him what pain is!”
When Jonah Thorin thought about the grievances he had suffered on the road this month, he was furious.
Why would he make this trip if it wasn’t for that young lord?
Moreover, a weak territory with only a few dozen people in the troop wasn’t worthy of his daughter’s support!
It was simply a slap to his face!
He slapped the back of the Bactrian camel hard with anger which caused it to speed up.
Onyx felt helpless when he saw this.
He felt exhausted dealing with this idiot.
When he looked at the territory at the end of his sight line, he could only pray Twilight City did not suffer too much damage from the storm a few days ago.
He waved his hand and told everyone to speed up.
******
“Lord, we’ve detected a caravan approaching Twilight City.”
“There’s a Phoenix-Tail Flower Chamber of Commerce on the flag.”
At the Lord’s mansion, Richard looked at the dark gargoyle while it reported the caravan information and was pleasantly surprised.
After he waited, the Phoenix-Tail Flower Chamber of Commerce finally arrived.
In an instant, he imagined the scene of heaps of rolling wealth entered into his account.
However, after he returned to his senses, he still asked vigilantly.
“How’s the strength of that caravan?”
“It’s not very strong. It can’t pose a threat to us…
“There’s no need to stop them. The sky has already turned dark, and the hunting troops will return soon.”
“Let them enter the territory. Inform Karu to bring those merchants to see me after he made arrangements.”
“As you wish.”
******
The blurred buildings in the distance gradually became clear.
The exhausted caravan immediately became excited.
Everyone subconsciously increased their speed.
Onyx saw people still walked outside Twilight City, and his mood immediately soared.
“Praise the gods, Lord Richard’s territory is still there!”
Although he did not know how much damage that sandstorm had caused to that small territory, at least it had not starkly destroyed this territory.
He said with a firm tone.
“This time, no matter what, we have to make Lord Richard leave this petrifying desert and return to Solan City with us.
“This kind of place is not suitable for living.
“I don’t want the yellow sand to bury a treasure like Desert Crown Honey.”
He only had this plan before. But the sandstorm he encountered a few days ago made him starkly moved.
It was already the second sandstorm he had encountered in the past few months.
Two months ago, the caravan that returned from the other end of the death desert suffered heavy losses.
They would have suffered heavy losses again if not for the unique strategic treasure the lord had bestowed upon them.
This desert was too dangerous.
Jonah Thorin’s anger grew even more intense after he distinctly saw Twilight City.
“Hmph! This kind of territory doesn’t even have a city wall. Let alone a sandstorm. Even a few wild beasts can trample it to the ground!
“I honestly don’t know where that lord has the confidence to make Adele submit to him.”
As he spoke, he laughed coldly.
“Moreover, even if Adele defected to him, would he be able to take out the things that Adele needs to forge for him?
“This kind of territory can nurture a special-level blacksmith?!”
Which special-level blacksmith wasn’t nurtured by several resources? This territory occupied an area that wasn’t even as big as the residential area of the Phoenix-Tail Flower Chamber of Commerce’s employees.
In Jonah’s belief, it was simply a joke.
Onyx immediately felt a headache when he heard this.
But in the end, he still wanted to save some face. He didn’t want this guy to embarrass Richard.
Although he didn’t want to reason with this muscular man whose muscles shrouded his brain, he still tried to persuade him tactfully.
“Sir Jonah, no matter what, it was still Miss Adele’s choice.
“If Miss Adele is fine, I hope you won’t make things difficult for Lord Richard.
“After all, he saved my life. At the same time, I will also invite him to Solan City. You might see each other more often in the future.”
Jonah looked at Onyx’s pleading gaze and remained unmoved.
He snorted coldly.
“That will depend on the specific situation of that young lord!”
“If anyone has wronged Adele here, I said that I would personally use a hammer to smash everyone’s head in this territory!
“That lord is no exception!”
This damned barbarian was even more unreasonable than the dwarves.
Onyx swallowed hard and instantly lost interest in talking.
He turned around and ordered his guards to stop Jonah if he went crazy.
The caravan of more than a hundred people arrived at the territory when the sun sank into the yellow sand.
Onyx did not bring people directly into the territory. He got off the camel from outside. He asked the guards to tie the camel properly and wait for his order.
This was basic courtesy. How could he ride a camel and run around in someone else’s territory without permission?
But Jonah Thorin scoffed at this. How could such a territory be worthy of his respect?
While they rode their camels, Onyx took the lead and directly entered the territory.
He immediately had a headache. To prevent any accidents, he immediately had two guards chase the barbarian into the territory with him.
After Jonah Thorin entered the street, he saw buildings piled up everywhere. Many people carried wooden blocks or stones with dirt on their faces.
It seemed that they were no different from other territories that enslaved the residents to do manual labor.
He glanced around and saw a few familiar faces.
This made him furious.
“That lord must have enslaved these residents and forced them to work!”
He had seen this kind of scene too many times!
Just as he was about to lose his temper, a resident that carried stones saw Jonah Thorin riding a camel and immediately shouted excitedly.
“Lord Jonah!!”
This cry attracted the attention of many people.
Soon, various residents gathered around.
These people were all companions who had followed Jonah Thorin across the desert to avoid the war.
When they saw Jonah who had been missing for more than two months, was fine, they were extremely excited.
Two months ago, this was the leader they had relied on.
If it wasn’t for that detestable sandstorm, perhaps, they would still be following each other.
“Lord Jonah, thank the gods you’re still alive!
“Miss Adele is in the territory. I’ll go get her for you!
“Praise the gods. I didn’t expect to see you again…”
Jonah was dumbfounded.
He looked at the familiar figures and became excited.
He then turned around and got off the camel’s back.
He then hugged the people around him warmly.
He finally regained his senses after he got excited about a while.
When he saw the residents around him stained with fines of dust due to their work, he immediately shouted in anger.
“I’ve already settled down in Solan City!”
“Everyone, pack your things and leave with me immediately. I’ll take you all to the Phoenix-Tail Flower Chamber of Commerce. The Phoenix-Tail Flower Chamber of Commerce has already promised to help everyone arrange your work.
“This kind of territory is not worthy of my people from ironstone town staying behind!
The more he spoke, the louder he became.
“Even if you sign a contract to sell yourself to that evil lord, it will all be null and void. They should not oppress my companions. Everyone is free!”
Jonah had initially imagined everyone would respond to his appearance as the savior.
However, it was unexpected.
After he said that, the lively scene just now seemed to have pressed the pause button.
There was silence.
Everyone looked at Jonah in a daze. There was a strange look in their eyes.
That expression was as if they stared blankly at… a fool.
The surrounding residents were all stunned.
“They… heard that, right?”
Let them go?
After they had experienced so much suffering, life finally got better. Let them go?
This was worse than killing them.
Moreover, what kind of lord was oppressing them? ‘Was there a better territory than Twilight City in this world?’
‘Was there a better lord than Lord Richard?’
‘Has the sandstorm filled Lord Jonah’s head with sand?’
Jonah thought that these residents were afraid of the lord. So, he roared angrily.
“You don’t have to be afraid!! That damned lord would never dare to stop you from leaving!
“I will smash his head with a hammer if he bullies the residents of my ironstone town!
“Who would dare to stop my ironstone town people in such a weak territory?!”
As soon as he finished speaking.
Suddenly, the sky darkened.
‘Whoosh! Whoosh!’
A gigantic dragon, without any flesh or blood on its body, flew across the sky. Its bones were as clear as red crystals.
Its gigantic body gave off an intense visual impact. The paralyzing dragon emitted horror-stricken might that made people tremble.
Jonah raised his head and was shocked when he saw this scene. ‘Undead dragon??
‘How could there be such a high-level undead here?
‘Are they here to attack this territory??’
Just as Jonah was about to react…
He suddenly saw a black mass of gargoyles fly over the sky.
Several mummies also rode on the gargoyles.
This made him freeze.
With so many troops, let alone him, even the entire caravan came for nothing.
He subconsciously lowered his body and nervously looked at the troops in the sky.
After he waited for a while, he realized that the troops ignored him and directly landed in the territory.
He was bewildered. “What was going on?”
He turned his head and looked at the surrounding residents whose expressions did not change much. He suddenly felt enormously awkward.
“Those soldiers, are they from this territory?”
The middle-aged man who was the first to call out to Jonah nodded his head as if it was a matter of course.
He did not feel anything strange at all.
“These troops went out to hunt. They return to the territory at dusk.”
Jonah dared to speak.
Suddenly, they could hear the sound of footsteps.
Several mummy troops surged into the territory from behind.
There were mummies wrapped in bandages, monsters with scorpion bodies and two iron pincers, and warriors with battle axes and chains tied to their hands. He even saw mechanical puppets that were up to five meters tall…
After hundreds of soldiers entered the territory.
He did not return to his senses.
Suddenly, the ground shook.
‘Bang!’
‘Bang!’
It was as if someone hit the ground with a battering ram. When Jonah felt the gazes of the surrounding moving people, he subconsciously turned his head to look outside the territory.
He saw a terrifying giant tree dozens of meters tall, with no leaves but a tree trunk had slowly approached the territory.
Its aura sent chills down people’s spines as if it were an evil being planted at the bottom of a bottomless abyss.
An indescribable fear welled up in his heart.
He even subconsciously slowed down his breathing.
Fortunately, the evil giant tree stopped outside the territory. And then it slowly pulled roots in the earth.
It seemed to be the most loyal guard that protected the territory.
Jonah focused his eyes and saw hundreds of buzzing wasps on the top of the tree. The wasps emitted sounds from a very close distance.
He was starkly dumbfounded and looked at the residents with a dry mouth.
“This, this is also a troop of this territory?”
His tone slightly trembled.
The other party nodded.
He said with a hint of worship.
“This is the god’s ancient tree that the Lord personally conquered.
“Did you see the poisonous wasps on that big tree? They are rare species. They said there are mostly a few hundred thousand of them…
“Lord Karu said that the god’s evil ancient tree goes fishing a few kilometers away every day. It came back quite early today.”
Jonah was in a mess.
‘Could anyone conquer this kind of monster??
‘And what the hell was fishing?
‘Were there fishes in the desert to catch?’
And this kind of terrifying aura, why did it feel like it would be a waste for him to send a large troop forward?
Shame instantly impregnated his face when he thought about how he had wanted to flatten this territory.
‘F*ck! Just this giant tree alone could take ten of my life. Flatten it, flatten it with a hammer.’
At this moment, Onyx had also come to Jonah’s side. When he heard the conversation between the two, he opened his mouth, wanting to say something. But Onyx could not say anything.
The resident looked at the dumbfounded Jonah and seemed to have thought of something. He warned him solemnly.
“Lord Jonah, although I understand that you want to help us. This is Twilight City. I absolutely won’t allow you to slander my Lord!
“As for what you said about leaving this city with you, do not mention this anymore.
“Twilight City is the best city I’ve ever seen in all the territories!
“This is our home!
“No single noble can oppress, bully, enslave us. I don’t even dare to think I could become a member of Twilight City in this lifetime.”
As the resident spoke, his gaze became more solemn.
“Lord Jonah, you were our leader in the past. And you led us forward.
“But now, we’re a member of Twilight City, and the Lord is our ruler. I won’t allow anyone to say anything adverse about Twilight City in this territory.
“Please have some self-respect.”
Jonah suddenly felt a heavy hammer strike his heart ten thousand times.
He looked at this old friend of his who had known him for more than ten years with his mouth agape.
‘What right did this territory have?
‘How long had it been, and why had my old friend changed a lot?’
He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t say anything.
His old friend had said it so seriously. What else could he say?
The resident sighed in his heart and bowed slightly to Jonah. Then, he picked up the building materials on the ground and went to work in high spirits.
The others did the same. After they bowed, they continued to do their things.
The troops surrounded just a moment ago. But in the blink of an eye, they all had gone.
Jonah was still at a loss for words.
When Onyx saw this scene, Onyx didn’t know what to say. He could only pat Jonah on the shoulder to comfort him.
Jonah returned to his senses and immediately went to the blacksmith shop not far away under the guidance of a resident.
It didn’t matter if the others didn’t want to go with him. As long as Adele was there, it was enough.
When Jonah arrived at the blacksmith shop, Adele, who had received the news of her father’s arrival, rushed downstairs.
When she saw that familiar figure, her eyes immediately turned red.
Her crystal-clear tears left long traces of tears.
She quickly walked forward and shouted with excitement and grievance.
“Father…”
Jonah looked at his daughter’s grievance and his heart almost melted.
“Adele, don’t cry. Don’t Cry! I’m here to pick you up.
“How have you been lately? Are you hurt?”
Adele cried and laughed. “I’m fine. This place is fine. I’m just too happy to see you…
Jonah didn’t believe her. His anger rose again when he looked at his daughter’s appearance.
“Did that damn lord trick you into staying?
“I don’t know what drug that lord gave the others. I asked them to return to Solan City with me, but they weren’t willing!
“Hmph! this kind of territory, although it’s fine now, sandstorm would instantly submerge this city as long it encounters one.”
When Adele heard this, she stopped crying and shook her head.
“Father, Lord Richard is very kind to me. He didn’t lie to me, and I stayed here voluntarily.”
Jonah angrily said, “That’s not important. Pack your things and leave this place with me. I’ve already helped you find a suitable job at the Phoenix-Tail Flower Chamber of Commerce.
“They are willing to treat you as a special-level blacksmith.”
As he spoke, he became excited again.
“With the Phoenix-Tail Flower Chamber of Commerce’s abundant resources, they can upgrade you to a special-level blacksmith in a year at most…”
Adele was stunned for a moment before she revealed a brilliant smile.
“Father, I might have made the same choice as the others.”
Jonah’s heart thumped as he had a bad premonition.
Sure enough, what the other party said next made him feel as if he had received 10,000 points of true damage.
“I’m now a member of Twilight City, and I won’t leave.”
Jonah’s face instantly stiffened.
No, won’t leave?!
Ten thousand question marks congested in his mind.
‘Why? Why are all of them like this?!’
Forget about the others… ‘Why would adele stay here?’
“Adele, do you know what you’re saying?
“You’re one step away from being promoted to special-level blacksmith. Your stay here will only delay you!”
“The bloodline of our Thorin family can only be activated when we become a special-level blacksmith.
“Once the bloodline is activated, not only can we have greater power, but we can also have a lifespan several times longer than humans…”
Adele laughed.
“But father, I’m already a special-level blacksmith.”
“I don’t care what reason you have, you… Hmm? You, what did you say??”
Jonah suddenly froze. His eyes widely sparked as he stared at Adele.
Adele’s smile grew brighter.
“Father, I’m already a special-level blacksmith.”
As she spoke, a remarkable power rose from her body.
At this moment, the bloodline in his body revealed its aura at the same time.
Jonah was exceedingly stunned.
“The aura of the Thorin family’s bloodline… Has it truly been fully activated!!”
While he listened to her sweet flower-like voice, he instantly went crazy.
“But… But how have you become a special-level blacksmith??”
“It’s only been two months!! How can this shabby territory satisfy the resources you need to become a special-level blacksmith?
“Which special-level blacksmith couldn’t only advance after forging a large number of high-level equipment.
“This territory doesn’t even have a city wall!
“Wasn’t this a joke?”
However, there was no way Adele’s aura could be fake.
Dilemma instantly caught him. Then, he seemed to have thought of something and said excitedly.
“This must be because of your outstanding talent! I knew it! My daughter isn’t someone ordinary people can compare to!”
Adele shook her head and interrupted his fantasy.
“Lord Richard provided me with various resources. So, I became a special-level blacksmith.”
Adele became a little excited as she spoke.
“Lord Richard even gave me a 4-stars equipment blueprint. Unfortunately, it’s too difficult. I still need to study it for a while before I can forge it…”
She took out the blueprint from her bosom and gestured as she spoke. Then, she seemed to have thought of something and hurriedly put it away.
“I almost forgot. Father, are you from Twilight City? I can’t let you see it.”
‘Four-stars equipment?’
Jonah was slightly in a daze.
The top-tier treasure blueprint was a rare-level treasure even in the Phoenix-Tail Flower Chamber of Commerce.
Even he, who had not joined for a time, could not come into contact with it. Now, Twilight City lord is giving the blueprint to a blacksmith who had just advanced?
‘What kind of treatment was this?’
“Lord Onyx…”
Adele wiped her tears. Only then did she remember there were others. She immediately invited him in embarrassment.
“You were supposed to tell father about me, correct? It’s been hard on you. Come in and have a seat. Have some tea.”
Onyx shook his head.
“I won’t participate in your father-daughter reunion. I still have to go and request to see Lord Richard.”
When she heard this, Adele did not force him. After a few polite words, she happily brought Jonah into the blacksmith shop.
Jonah suppressed the disgust in his heart and prepared to go upstairs to have a good chat about what was going on.
But just as he was about to step up the stairs, he suddenly saw a 15 meters tall extraordinary hunter in the backyard through the half-open back door.
As a top-tier blacksmith who was just one step away from becoming a special-level blacksmith.
His eyesight beamed outstandingly.
He stopped in his tracks instantly.
He pointed at the mechanical puppet in the backyard with a shocked tone.
He said with a trembling voice.
“What… What is that?”
Adele was shocked and quickly closed the door.
“Lord Richard didn’t agree to let outsiders study it.”
She said with embarrassment.
“That’s a mechanical puppet Lord Richard especially left for me to study.”
“Especially left for you to study?”
Jonah felt like he had received a tremendous shock.
Although it was only a fleeting moment, he was extremely sure that it was a mechanical puppet made by a master who was countless times stronger than him.
The essence was to deal with the materials to maximize their performance, although quite a distance separated the blacksmith and the mechanical puppet.
He knew the value of this mechanical puppet better than Adele.
‘If one would place it in the Phoenix-Tail Flower Chamber of Commerce, it would probably be locked in the most heavily guarded treasure vault.
‘Not to mention placing it in the backyard for research, even a glance at it would require an application.
‘But for such a precious treasure, that lord just let Adele casually study it in the backyard?
‘What the hell kind of treatment was this?
‘Was this still an unremarkable territory built in the desert?’
He felt some of his ideas collapsed…