"This fruit core is still fresh, don't sell it to the drugstore on Central Avenue."
Originally a guy who wanted to steal children's things, Bryn, who had a rather low bottom line, shamelessly accepted the soma core, coughed lightly, and told Ian the news that only an insider knew: "Sold to Jill's family.
Winery, they are trying to grow wine trees... sell them as medicine or poison, where can you make money by selling seeds?"
"Of course, saplings are the best, but the Somo wine tree has been strictly guarded by the indigenous people. Even the seeds are mostly used for survival and are difficult to recycle, so one tree is worth seven or eight talers."
"really."
It's a very understandable truth. Ian nodded slightly, understanding it.
"It's almost time to go."
At this time, Ian saw that Brin had recovered a lot of strength, so he decided to take advantage of the night and before the opponent's injury worsened.
"You can see it, you lead the way." Brin nodded, then picked up the unconscious native swordsman and followed Ian.
Have a safe journey.
The woods on the northeastern coast of Harrison Port have long been cleared away, leaving only a white land that has been specially covered with salt. This is to prevent the indigenous people from communicating with the spirits of the sea of trees and summoning living tree totems nearby to attack the city.
Farmland is mainly located around the official road in the north, on both sides of the Ewok River.
Starting from this salt-alkali land, a stone road leads directly to the nearby village of Boer. The escort team usually patrols various villages and breeding plants along this road. There are also sentry towers with torches beside the road, illuminating the dark night.
of land.
Ian and Brin walked along the light of the sentry tower. Although they did not encounter the indigenous team, they were on alert the whole time.
When the two of them arrived at the bottom of the bright watchtower and saw the towering walls of Harrison Port, they finally took a breath and relaxed a little.
At the same time, they saw many people, either alone or in groups, coming from all directions and gathering under the city gate tower.
Most of these people looked scared, their clothes were messy, and some were even seriously injured and covered in blood.
Ian knew at a glance that they should be lumberjacks or fishermen from surrounding villages, and all of them, like himself, had been attacked by indigenous people, but unexpectedly survived.
"Don't panic, line up, prove your identity, and enter the city in order!"
There was a small team of city defense troops maintaining order. These normally lax soldiers rarely wore half-length armor and helmets, and were holding light crossbows in their hands, entering a state of combat readiness.
The captain's dull and solemn voice came from the helmet: "Viscount Grant has set up a free wheat porridge distribution point. After entering the city, everyone will have wheat porridge to drink and a place to stay - but don't make loud noises and cause commotion!"
"Those who cause commotion indiscriminately will be treated as indigenous spies and imprisoned. If they resist, they will be killed."
Hearing this simple but powerful combination of grace and power, the panicked crowd gradually calmed down, but Ian and Brin did not enter the crowd.
"We have a prisoner!"
Because Brin was injured in the lungs, Ian spoke for him. The boy's clear voice attracted the attention of the captain over there. He saw Brin's body twisted in his hands, but because of the tough constitution of the Terran people, the indigenous people who still had a breath of life suddenly appeared in front of him.
Yiliang: "What?"
"Brin? You're lucky..."
He seemed to know the herb gatherer, but before the captain of the city defense army led the team forward to lead Ian and Brin back to the city, another surprised voice sounded: "Ian?"
Footsteps, as heavy as rocks falling to the ground, sounded, and the figure of Elder Pude appeared in front of the city gate.
His appearance immediately made the city guard captain take a step back slightly to show respect, but the elder did not care about the respect of the other party. Instead, he walked forward quickly and looked at Ian's situation in surprise: "Not bad, no
Injuried."
Elder Bai Zhimin shook his beard. He looked at Ian's current state, and also glanced at Brin, who was smiling to apologize for his injury. He laughed and said: "Not bad, Brin, you did a good job!"
"No, it's not me..." Brin didn't dare to take credit, but before he finished speaking, Elder Puder withdrew his gaze and looked at Ian: "Of course I know it's not you. With your character, if it's true
He saved Ian's life and captured the prisoner, so he has already claimed credit from me."
"Ian, you did it?"
His questions were brief and forceful, and he looked at the young boy with burning eyes.
"Well... that's right."
He did not deny it, because Ian was keenly aware that Elder Puder was wrapped in a layer of chain mail under his loose robe, and that the opponent had a war hammer on his waist, completely in preparation mode.
Behind the city gate, he saw several of Elder Pude's usual guards, also wearing leather armor and fully armed, waiting.
——He is leaving the city.
Ian realizes this, and he clearly understands that, except for himself, Elder Pude has no need to venture out of the city - even if the Bai Zhimin Breeding Factory is destroyed, this benefit is too high compared to the risk.
Too subtle.
The other party... wanted to save him.
"So that's it." He said thoughtfully: "It seems that my identity as a psyker...may be more valued than I thought?"
But in any case, the other party was prepared almost immediately, and there was a high possibility of going for search and rescue. Normally people would not think that an eight-year-old child would end up well after being attacked by aborigines. He had already been killed.
Ian, for this reason alone, he is willing to express his gratitude.
"No matter what, even for the status of psyker, the close group relationship of the White people is still quite good."
"Call the doctor over, Brin needs treatment."
Patting Ian on the back, Elder Puder nodded to the captain of the city guard, and then took the two people into the city. He said to the guards around him: "I just received a summons from Fei Ge, and the breeding factory was raided.
, the two Aubrey brothers were defeated and took the surviving compatriots to sail into the sea to take refuge. You two called Sainan and Davion to go to the Labyrinth Sea to meet them."
"Ian...it's a pity that we ignored your hunch. Come with me and tell us what happened in the outer city."
"Not now, elder."
But to Elder Puder's expectation, Ian, who seemed very well-behaved, rejected his request.
But he didn't feel annoyed, but waited for the reason with interest: "Why?"
"The prisoner is right there. Elder, if you really have a problem, you must have a way to get him to talk."
Turning sideways, the boy smiled and looked at the indigenous swordsman who was surrounded by three doctors and restrained on a stretcher: "And my younger brother hasn't eaten yet - I wanted to bring some food back when I went out this time, but now
It’s all in vain.”
"not to mention."
Turning back, Ian looked at Elder Puder and said with a chuckle: "Elder, haven't I already answered the question you really want to ask me?"
In his cyan pupils, a warm, crystal clear, watery halo shone, flickering slightly like a firefly.
Although this faint light that sprouted from within only lasted for a few seconds and then disappeared, it was like an illusion, but the color that suddenly lit up in that moment was a reality that was definitely not false.
"This is……"
Narrowing his eyes, Elder Puder stared into Ian's eyes, and he clearly saw the halo.
"That's a really, really good answer."
He said softly, with the corners of his mouth raised slightly, and there was a rare trace of nostalgia in his tone, but more of a relief: "That's it, Ian. Pay attention to safety, you should know by now how dangerous it is outside the city."
After a pause, the old man stretched out his hand, rubbed the boy's head vigorously, and emphasized his tone of reproach: "Besides, you promised me that you would not go out alone. Huh?"
"If you promise but don't do it, you are not a good boy."
"Hey."
Ian tried to be cute and get away with it. With his appearance, an ordinary person would definitely feel soft-hearted for a moment and even develop a desire for protection... But obviously Elder Puder did not accept this trick.
He gently patted the boy's shoulder: "Go back. This time you have captured the prisoner and made a great contribution. Viscount Grant will not ignore it."
"Go home and wait for the good news."
Soon, Elder Puder left with Brin and the indigenous captives.
In addition to looking for Ian, they originally wanted to lead a team out of the city to patrol, try to catch a few tongues, and find out why the natives were so crazy that they actually broke the tacit understanding of more than ten years and took the initiative to attack the other side's civilians on a large scale.
Because of Ian, they already have ready-made prisoners, but it is also necessary to patrol several key entrances and guard towers.
Ian stared at the direction they were leaving, his relaxed expression gradually turning serious.
"Why did the natives suddenly go crazy..."
He turned back and looked at the city gate where the approval was being slowly reviewed.
Under the dim light of the algae oil lamp, the terrified-looking villagers with bloodstains on their bodies either cried or trembled as they entered the city. Several guards silently lifted a large bucket of water and poured it on them, turning them into drowned rats.
At the same time, they also washed away the mud, blood stains, and the poisons and insects that the natives might try to send into the city through them.
After the cleaning, some families were reunited. Although they were confused but at least calm, they were guided into the cleared temporary tent area.
Some of them fled all the way, and now when they reached a safe place, they suddenly realized that they might have lost some of their most important family members, so they fell to their knees, howled in despair, beat the ground and cried.
"No, don't wash it off, that's dad's blood..."
He heard a little boy crying loudly, which would have attracted scolding, but in the end it was just an acquaintance who forced a smile, covered the child's mouth with a smile and left.
The guards just watched in silence.
After more than ten years of peace, everyone recalled the bloodshed and terror of the past wars with the indigenous people.
Watching this scene, Ian murmured to himself: "Is all this related to what the teacher said?"
"If not, why?"
"And Mr. Hilliard, what are you doing now?"
Silently watching the various scenes behind the city gate, Ian shook his head slightly and walked home.
At the same time, outside the residence of Viscount Grant.
A gray tit quietly descended from the wind and landed in front of the guard who had been waiting for a long time in front of the mansion.
The guard who finally waited for the target let out a long breath and hurriedly took off the note from the bird's leg.
He returned to the mansion as quickly as possible and handed the note from the depths of the redwood forest to the butler, a slightly hunched old man with white hair who had served the Grant family for forty-five years.
"Sir, the letter from over there is here."
After knocking on the door and receiving a rather bored response, the old butler slowly walked into the study and handed the letter to Viscount Grant, who was looking depressed and almost gnashing his teeth.
The Viscount is currently signing authorization letters one after another, preparing to mobilize the resources of various chambers of commerce in Harrison Port to help resettle the refugees caused by the indigenous attacks, and prepare a war preparation report - no matter whether the imperial capital sees it or not, it is in charge after all, as a name
In the Crown Territory above, the Governor of Port Harrison needs to write a report for backup whenever he does anything, not to mention mobilizing military reserve resources to prepare for war.
Hearing the words of the old butler, the angry viscount raised his head, and with a click, he crushed the pen in his hand: "Trash! The natives hit us on the head and broke all our teeth before you passed on the news to me?
Then what use do I need these lurking spies? It’s a waste of so much of my money!”
"Early warning, early warning, early warning, I just believed their lies. A few days ago, Pude came over and told me to be careful of the sudden actions of the indigenous people. I smiled and told him that I must have known it before him, and told him not to worry. As a result,
Woolen cloth?!"
After cursing angrily and taking a deep breath, Viscount Grant controlled his emotions and unfolded the note expressionlessly.
Then, he frowned and his expression became suspicious.
"Isn't the purpose of pure sacrifice to increase the number of ascendants in the tribe, nor is it to allow the sea of trees to protect them in big storms?"
He said in astonishment: "This pure sacrifice is the purest blood sacrifice."
Thinking of a possibility, Viscount Grant raised his head, and sure enough, the old butler's expression became extremely solemn. This old man who had witnessed all the history of Harrison Port from its establishment to the present had obviously thought of the same possibility as him.
The Viscount stood up and muttered to himself in disbelief: "Their attack on the village this time is not a precursor to attacking the city, but to capture enough blood sacrifices?"
"They...are going to use blood sacrifice to awaken the mountain master?!"