chsdbacks Chapter 160 News from the Caravan
Chapter 160 News from the Caravan
However, after seeing that no one was approaching the escort team, Long You suppressed the urge to go forward and ask questions.
Not knowing the situation here, Long You dared not act rashly. He couldn't ask the city lord, but he could inquire with other residents of Beishuang City, so Long You decided to postpone his departure plan.
Although scanning maps is not impossible with a soul-guided detection device, it would undoubtedly be much easier to use the detection device if more detailed information could be obtained from local residents.
Online information is exchanged offline. Radio communication requires transcoding, so after spending half a day sorting out the geographical situation near Beishuang City, Longyou chose to go offline and knock on doors.
"This map was created after I communicated with the previous residents of Northfrost City. It marks in detail the mining locations that Northfrost City had already explored, the mines that had already been mined, and the terrain and landforms before the appearance of the sandworm swarm."
I've looked at the maps you compiled earlier, and they're not quite the same. I think we need to investigate any areas that are different in detail.
"Are you sure there's nothing wrong with the map you have? This map is so different from the one we found ourselves."
"The probability of error is very small. In this morning, I have basically visited all the residents of Northfrost City that I can find so far. I even found the original Northfrost City defense map in the hands of a city defense adjutant."
With a basic map available, compiling information from so many people might result in some inaccuracies, but it's highly unlikely that there will be any major errors.
"We understand. Please come over as soon as possible. It looks like the map exploration and mapping work needs to be redone. And if that's the case, we'll need to improve our prediction of the sand worm swarm's ability to change terrain."
Therefore, we need new soul tools capable of targeting underground targets; we can no longer rely on soul-guided armored vehicles for surface defense, as we did when fighting against martial soul types.
"Alright, you guys do your best, I'm off on my way. I uploaded the Soul Guidance Power Mech before the holiday, I'll use this big guy to get around this time."
Considering they would be setting off in the afternoon and there was no way they could reach the vicinity of Beishuang City before nightfall, Long You simply found a caravan heading to Tiemeng City to follow. This way, he would have a more secure place to stay for the night.
The journey, now free from the support of a massive armored convoy, proved anything but peaceful. Shortly after leaving the city, the caravan began to be repeatedly attacked by monsters from both the sky and the ground.
After repelling another wave of attacking monsters, Long You learned from the caravan guards who had fought alongside him why the caravan had only set off from the city in the afternoon.
"This trade journey was not very smooth. Before we arrived at Ironwood City, we encountered a group of migrating monsters, which injured half of our guards."
The caravan stayed in Ironwood City for so long for two reasons. First, to find a place for the wounded to recuperate, so they could be taken on their return journey. Second, to recruit more guards, as it was still quite a distance from here to Ironmont City.
If our defenses are insufficient, given what just happened, we could have suffered another major loss.
"Speaking of which, young man, your skills are truly impressive. Those martial arts techniques are very effective, managing to control the charging monsters. And your weapons are quite good too. Where did you buy them?"
"Weapons? Don't you know? These are combat weapons that were just developed in the last six months. They should have been sold in all the major cities of the Northern Alliance! Haven't you seen them when you were on the trade routes?"
"Oh, I remember now. I saw them in Julu City, but there were very few of them and they were expensive. I didn't buy them because I wasn't sure how effective they would be in actual combat."
"Hey, I'm a little different from you in this respect. I felt that there must be a reason why they dared to sell it for such a high price, so I just pooled my money and bought a set."
Look at me, with my current fighting skills, getting a job as a caravan guard would be a piece of cake. I could recoup my costs quickly and make even more money.
"Hey, that's why having good judgment is so important! Someone like me can only be a guard in a caravan, not a manager. I wonder when I'll run into someone selling these weapons again. I'll definitely buy some when that happens."
“I actually know that. In a few days, they will be available in Tiemeng City. And there should be a wide variety of them. Brother, you are going to Tiemeng City to do business, so you can catch up.”
"Thank you, young brother. Once we reach Tiemeng City, I'll go inside and take a look."
To gather information about an unfamiliar region, chatting with locals is a very convenient method. After carefully comparing his own travel speed with that of the caravan, Long You considered the planning required for traveling alone. He immediately abandoned his plan to spend only one night with the caravan and then travel solo the next morning.
From their previous exchanges, Long You astutely realized that this caravan was one that regularly traveled back to the Northern Lands (the northern part of the Northern Alliance, from Ironwood City to Northfrost City. Before its destruction, Northfrost City was the northernmost city controlled by the human race on the Panlong Realm continent). Therefore, Long You could try to obtain more information about Northfrost City from the caravan members.
Without hesitation, seeing that the caravan had already set off again, Long You simply followed the rather talkative guard and jumped into a carriage.
"Brother, from what you're saying, this caravan must have been operating in the Northern Alliance's territory for quite some time now. Do you know anything about Northfrost City?"
This morning at the city gate, I saw soldiers escorting someone, and someone next to me told me that one of them was the former lord of Beishuang City.
What could a city lord, especially one from a northern border city of the human realm, have done to deserve being sent to mine Songchuan Stone?
“Hey, young man, you don’t know this. North Frost City lost contact with the Northern Alliance almost two years ago. Rumors within the Alliance have been that North Frost City has fallen.”
Speaking of the news of the disappearance of North Frost City, it was initially deduced by us caravans.
At that time, every caravan operating in the northern region of the Northern Alliance, including ours, would pass through Northfrost City. This was because the rare metal ores and finished rare metals produced there were all highly sought-after commodities on the continent.