Thales carried his own luggage and dragged his body, which was recovering from a serious illness, as he panted and walked behind the caravan's camel.
Although the sand under his feet was still difficult to walk on, although the skin wrapped in linen was still damp and uncomfortable, and although the harsh sun was still merciless, the young man's heart was much calmer.
Nothing else.
"I tell you, Kanze, I really tell you," said the rookie mercenary, walking quickly beside the previous camel, facing the burly man from the North, who was also in "Dante's Great Sword"
Kanze said something excitedly:
"What I'm talking about is definitely a sure profit... Think about it, the work we do is so dangerous, it's like tying our lives on our belts, and we have to pay attention to the frequency when we urinate and shake our cocks.
Worry about whether your head will shake off. Maybe one day you encounter a hard idea and you can't go back. Then your wife and daughter will cry to death and then be poor and miserable..."
"Fuck you, Quick Rope," Kanze, who was already impatient, carried a two-handed sword, stepped over a piece of gravel, and gave the chattering Kuai Rope a disgusted look: "Your mother never taught you not to curse others.
?"
Thales raised his head and looked at the camel caravan meandering in front of him, the merchants chatting before and after the caravan, and the mercenaries patrolling on horseback in the distance, and he couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth.
Compared to being alone without hope, being in solitary confinement is like trekking in pain in the desert.
You can see people, you can meet people, you can hear their happy or frustrated conversations with each other...
That's great.
Kuaisheng shook his head desperately.
"I'm just making an analogy... But think about it, if you take out this money and deposit it in Tampa, if you go back alive, he will return 99% of the money to you. If you die, Tan
If I pay ten times the money to your family, then your death will be meaningful. Hey, goodbye, good Kanze, good Kanze, great Kanze, handsome Kanze, don’t do it! I will
For example, eh, don't, ow..."
Thales shook his head, took steps, and looked away from Kuai Rope, who had been beaten violently.
"It seems to be recovering well," a mercenary who returned from patrol wearing a thick turban kicked off his horse beside Thales and walked on foot to let the horse rest under the scorching sun: "But after all, you
You have just recovered, so don’t force yourself, you might as well stay on the camel’s back.”
Big Dean took off his turban, revealing his smooth head, and tied a fighting ax behind his shoulder.
Thales smiled at the bald mercenary: "I think it's still good to do some restorative exercise."
"I think what he means is," McGee, carrying a pair of swords, rode behind Big Dean expressionlessly, without looking at Thales, "if you fall down again, we won't have time to be a burden."
waste time."
Thales watched with embarrassment as the tattooed Mikey rode past them to take over with his companions.
"I don't think he likes me."
He looked at Mikey's back and couldn't help but frown.
"Obviously, you can't turn everyone into your fans," Dean looked thoughtfully at his companions walking away: "Especially McGee."
"Given his past experiences, McGee is very wary."
"He was suspicious of every stranger until he got to know him well."
Thales forced a smile.
This was the third day after he was rescued by the caravan.
"Dante's Great Sword" is a mercenary team that is neither big nor small: "Breeze", the little warrior responsible for exploring the path, fell asleep as soon as he came back. Hubert, the former blacksmith from the City of Steel, smiled shyly.
Haken, a big-bellied Allenbian, asked in a friendly manner whether Thales was married (if not, he wanted to introduce one of his seven unmarried sisters to Thales). Kanze, a Northlander, spoke harshly.
Angry, always likes to slap people on the shoulder vigorously, and the shooter Pangjia who whistles when nothing happens takes a glance at Thales and runs to pee, plus the fast rope, the old hammer, McGee, the fire, and Big Dean and
At least during this journey, leader Louisa Dante, they had eleven professional mercenaries working day and night to protect this small caravan of twenty people and twenty-three camels through the desert safely to the famous end.
of tower.
Thales sometimes wonders: Are such a small number of people really enough to protect the caravan?
"Of course, facing some gangs of dozens of sand pirates, we are tight in numbers," this is what Dean said to him: "But the armed caravan itself tells a lot of questions: whether the sand pirates are willing to risk
Risk, come and fight us, eleven heavily armed professional killers, to kill people?"
"Maybe they can win, but the price will be heavy. They don't have many people left. The next time they rob, it might be their doom."
"This is our meaning, and it is also the way for mercenaries to survive. Deterrence is greater than risk. After all, we are not a death squad. Of course, except for those hundred-man regiments that specialize in fighting." Dean shook his head at that time.
Thales was grateful for their rescue and shelter, especially after the terrible sandstorm the day before yesterday, when he couldn't see his fingers in the gray field of vision, and the shrill wind in his ears was so disturbing that Thales even listened to his own words.
I don't know, I can only hide my head and avoid it. The howling sand is more terrifying than the blade of the knife. They hit all the targets exposed in the air and get into all the gaps that can be drilled. The force is so strong that they are almost scraped.
Thales's flesh and blood skin, thanks to the experienced caravan hiding in the shelter, they were able to survive the crisis with the help of the camel caravan. He knew that he could walk in the terrifying desert for a full four days.
After fainting and being rescued again, the only side effects were a little dehydration, mania and desert hallucinations. It was really a blessing from the Desert God.
Thinking of this, Thales smiled at Dean: "Thank you, Dean, for saving my life even though I am a stranger and most likely a spy of the Sand Bandits."
Dean paused for a moment, then smiled softly.
He hung the horse on the hook of a camel in front of him, and specially stretched a length of rope to prevent the camel's smell from affecting the horse:
"Taking care of each other is our creed as merchants and mercenaries who make a living in the desert."
Dean exhaled and sighed slightly: "Many years ago, Waiya, I was just like you. Of course, at that time I was much older than you are now. I was so destitute that I fell alone in the desert, lingering and desperate to die."
He shook his head: "It was Dante, I mean Luisa's father, old Dante. It was he who redeemed me from the prison ferrymen with his enthusiasm and persistence, even though they themselves were very bad at the time."
"People always rely on each other and rely on each other, this is what Dante told me."
"A person cannot survive alone in the desert."
Thales nodded thoughtfully.
I see.
"So you entered 'Dante's Great Sword' and relied on them," Thales said silently, "That's why you saved my life even though it was very risky."
Dean looked at the sand dunes in the distance and nodded slowly.
"In the desert, if we don't help each other, we will only be swallowed by the desert," the bald mercenary patted his mount:
"You have seen sandstorms, and in the face of the most terrifying black storm, even enemies fighting for life and death must find opportunities to coexist and escape. Don't worry, Huaiya, we can get along well during this period, and you will definitely be able to return.
Go to your home and loved ones and let go of your worries."
Thales sighed: "Thank you."
Dean smiled and said nothing.
Yes, Thales said silently: He has no choice.
Drought, heat, sand, and cold. If he left the team alone, he would die in this ruthless desert in just a few days. In contrast, this caravan has experience, supplies, protection, and knows the route. Follow them
Undoubtedly the right choice.
They can only make plans after arriving at their destination.
Thales sighed secretly in his heart.
They have to go back to Blade Tooth Sand Dunes, to the Western Wilderness, right?
Thales, who was lost in thought, stumbled and almost hit the camel in front of him.
The young man was surprised to realize that the caravan had stopped.
"What's wrong?" Thales looked at the camels lined up in front of him, but couldn't see clearly. He could only ask Dean beside him strangely.
But Dean just frowned and didn't answer.
"Dean!"
"You have to come see this!"
With the special muffled sound of horses' hooves trampling on the sand, the mercenary pathfinder, the small "Breeze" galloped past many confused businessmen, and stopped the horse in front of Dean with an anxious look on his face.
He said anxiously: "Louisa discovered something in front!"
Dean's expression changed.
The bald warrior picked up his single-edged fighting ax and mounted his horse with a solemn expression.
"McGee, hurry up, grab your weapon, mount your horse and follow me!"
"Kanze, you and Hubert stay where you are, stay vigilant, especially pay attention to the back slopes of the dunes on both sides!"
His orders were decisive and swift, and the mercenaries acted according to his orders without hesitation.
What's wrong?
Thales nervously grasped the time crossbow and watched the serious-looking mercenaries riding past the caravan and heading in the other direction.
He was not the only one who had this doubt. Others in the caravan were whispering to each other in confusion. Thales even saw someone unloading the goods with a pale face and getting on a camel. It seemed that he was ready to run away if something went wrong.
Ten minutes later, McGee and Quick Rope came back, but their faces were a little heavy.
The caravan continues to set off.
"Dean and Louisa are going to find the leader of the caravan. They need to discuss it carefully."
Under Thales's insinuations, Quick Rope managed to keep a straight face and whispered to the boy: "Not far away, we found a small camp."
"But everyone inside is dead."
Thales was horrified.
"How did you die?"
Quick Rope led the mount glumly and followed the caravan forward: "The one who was killed."
Thales frowned and looked at the uncomfortable fast rope suspiciously: "What?"
"Who did it?"
"I don't know, that's what's so bad."
But Quick Rope immediately turned his eyes, looking at Thales with a look of pride in his eyes.
"This is your first time in the desert, lucky Huai Ya," Kuai Sheng sighed and coughed in a mature manner: "Besides temperature and drought, and of course sand, the most famous threat in the desert is
, there are two kinds.”
He leaned his head over and said mysteriously: "Orcs, and Bone Man."
Thales looked stern.
"They tend to gather in their own tribes, have their own livestock and territories, and move around in four seasons. When they encounter threats, they go out in groups."
Thales subconsciously clenched the time crossbow under his arm: "You mean, the one who killed those people was..."
"No no no."
Quick Rope shook his head, looking very experienced: "Even if you are unlucky and fall into the hands of a larger tribe, you may not be certain to die. According to experience, the Bone Man will estimate your price, and the Orc will weigh you."
Weigh your weight and decide whether to sell you or sell you after you finish selling."
According to experience?
Thales looked at the serious fast rope with a strange expression.
"Sell?"
Thales coughed and repeated: "Where to sell it?"
Kuai Rope showed a happy smile.
"Do you know Caligre?"
"Caligre?" Thales was slightly startled, feeling as if he had heard of this place before.
"Yes."
Speaking of this, Kuaisheng's eyes shone: "Calligre, the legendary desert city... Some people say it is an impenetrable fortress deep in the desert, while others say it is composed of several tribes.
A large camp that moves with the seasons, some even say it is an ancient underground city that has lasted for thousands of years, occupied by desert people. Some even say that Caligre is the playground of an evil dragon in the desert. It likes
Watching people killing each other there."
Thales was stunned for a moment.
"There is...a giant dragon in the desert?"
But Quick Rope just waved his hand impatiently: "Don't interrupt me... In short, Caligre, that is the most mysterious, lively and dangerous place in the desert. Bone Man and Orc are regular visitors there.
, legend has it that there is a close relationship with several large desert tribes."
"Once you are captured, whether it is a skeleton man or an orc, they will sell you there, turn you into a slave, and turn you into the property of others. Before you can move, they will let you fight.
Prostitute yourself, do anything you can to make a profit, and please the big shots in the desert..."
"but."
Quick Rope's eyes became serious, and the conversation suddenly changed: "Whether they are organized orcs or desolate bones, they are not the biggest worry for the desert caravans. They at least have order and their own rules. No matter how incredible those rules seem, there are
At that time, some tribes even welcomed caravans to visit.”
Kuaisheng narrowed his eyes and raised his index finger: "But what if you encounter a sand pirate..."
"The lawless people who fled into the desert from the outside, the scum and lunatics who have reached the end of their rope and have nothing to lose."
Kuaisheng's expression became terrifying: "Then pray to the God of Desert or Sunset Haoyue. They don't know what it means to be soft-hearted, what it means to be a prisoner, and what it means to be merciful."
Thales looked at him worriedly.
But the fast rope is not over yet: "Even worse, you meet the exile..."
"Exile?"
Kuaisheng narrowed his eyes and nodded: "The most dangerous existences in the desert are the skeletons and the orcs."
"They were exiled by their tribes because of their mistakes, and they walked alone. But don't forget, these people are powerful and experienced fearsome warriors who were trained in large tribes. Walking in the desert is like walking in your own home.
After losing the protection of the tribe, they also gradually lost their principles and rules. They were tortured by the scorching sun and wind all year round, and became cruel, vicious, and violent. In order to survive, they had to stick together and even associate with sand bandits, but the threat was far greater than that of ordinary sand pirates.
Steal."
Kuaisheng's expression and tone rose and fell with his words, looking lifelike and lively.
His voice darkened: "They often have no bottom line. In order to survive, they will even do something beyond imagination."
He took a deep breath, tightened his neck, and mysteriously said a few words in front of Thales: "Cannibalism."
Thales' breathing was stagnant.
"So, everyone has been spreading rumors that there are cannibals in the desert, and that children are even sold into the desert to be eaten by skeletons or orcs..."
"It's true," Kuaisheng looked at him coldly: "Or it's partially true."
"Huaiya, it's very dangerous in the desert. A good person may no longer breathe tomorrow." Quick Rope's voice was full of melancholy: "The fear of death occupies our bodies and minds all the time."
"So, in order to overcome this fear, Huaiya, we have a way..."
Thales looked at him blankly, suddenly feeling that something was wrong.
I saw Kuai Sheng coughing: "Let me tell you, there is a tavern owner named Tampa in Blade Tooth Dune. He promises that as long as you deposit a certain amount of money with him, if you return alive, he will return it to you."
Ninety-nine percent of you, if you don't make it back alive..."
At this moment.
Snapped!
A heavily armed woman suddenly appeared behind them and slapped Quick Rope on the back of the head hard!
"Ahhhh Louisa!"
"Quick rope, you brat!"
The captain of the mercenaries, Luisa Dante, was full of anger and slapped Quick Rope on the head, making him run away with his head in his arms.
"You don't see many people trying to mess with your crooked money-making businesses!"
"besides!"
"Stop bluffing people with your hearsay knowledge about three-legged cats!"