Chapter 295 Riverwood, A Comeback

A light drizzle, like fine silver needles, quietly fell from the sky, soaking the slightly barren land with its cracked and barren soil. The air was filled with the moist scent of earth and the fresh fragrance of grass after the rain.

This trade route winds along the northwestern edge of the Serbian wilderness.

For many years, it remained unknown and rarely visited by caravans.

Mainly because monsters frequently appear and plunder, and because it is far from the Federation garrison camp and its safety is a concern, it has been deserted and almost abandoned for many years, with only wind, sand and weeds as its most loyal companions.

Only those impoverished caravans who were truly short of money and unable to afford the high tolls on the main roads would, when they were desperate, take a chance and grit their teeth to risk choosing this perilous route.

However.

Since that turning point more than 20 years ago, everything here has undergone tremendous changes.

Today's muddy path, though still not comparable to the bustling main roads, is by no means the desolate, almost deserted trail it once was.

now.

On the road, which had been more than doubled in width, the old businessman Matthew, wrapped in a thick, waterproof, dark cloak, huddled beside the pile of goods in his open-top truck.

The cold rain kept seeping into the cracks, bringing a chill.

He turned slightly to the young apprentice beside him, who was still inexperienced and had a look of travel weariness and curiosity on his face, and told him about the long-forgotten history of this trade route.

The engine roared low under the influence of black oil.

The truck, made of metal and hardwood, maintained an unexpected level of stability and speed on the muddy road.

Matthew raised his hand to wipe the rain from his face, his voice sounding somewhat distant in the rain.

"Back then... right here in this cracked earth, something significant happened. It caused quite a stir, even alarming many high-ranking nobles. That's how this godforsaken place came to be what it is today."

The young apprentice immediately straightened his back, his eyes filled with even greater curiosity.

As the truck moved slowly and steadily through the misty rain, the old businessman, with the composure of a storyteller, began to narrate his tale with a smile.

The apprentice listened intently, and the details of the story gradually became clear to him.

More than 20 years ago, a group of ferocious wild monsters united and occupied the land of Scaled Earth Rift, claiming it as their territory.

But to everyone's surprise...

The monsters that inhabit this place are not as ferocious and bloodthirsty as rumored, slaughtering or robbing passing merchants.

On the contrary.

Miraculously, they restrained their inherent ferocity and greed, and offered the crude minerals they had painstakingly mined deep in the wilderness, as well as the primitive animal hides they had hunted, to passing human caravans, indicating their willingness to engage in fair barter trade.

Even more incredibly.

They even took the initiative to act as "cleaners," clearing away the truly ferocious and bloodthirsty beasts and dangerous monsters in the surrounding area, transforming the perilous, cracked earth path into a relatively safe and reliable wilderness passage.

You need to know.

In this vast and dangerous land, only those large trade routes that require paying high tolls and taxes can enjoy the treatment of the federal garrison regularly clearing out threats from the surrounding area. This is a security guarantee that merchants have bought with real money.

This free passage, autonomously controlled by monsters, is surprisingly secure, and in some aspects even more so.

It is in a businessman's nature to keenly pursue profits.

After keenly recognizing the unique value and potential profits of the Scaled Earth Rift, more and more caravans began to tentatively travel along it. Once they personally verified that the monster clan had indeed restrained its minions and that trade could proceed smoothly, the trade route gradually became bustling.

"But."

Upon hearing this, the young apprentice, who was not yet twenty and had a straightforward personality, could no longer suppress the doubts surging in his heart.

"Old Matthew, why haven't we seen a single wild monster after walking for so long? Aren't they the masters of this place?"

He looked around at the desolate rainy scene, his voice filled with confusion.

"Young man, don't be impatient, listen patiently."

The old merchant took a sip of the hot tea he carried with him and continued to describe the turning point of the story in his weathered voice.

Just as the land was flourishing and merchants were coming and going, and everything seemed to be developing in a positive direction.

The nominal owner of this land—Viscount Ironthorn—had his heart stirred by the prosperity of his territory, and his greed swelled rapidly.

He increased the taxes levied on merchants traveling through the Lin Tu Lie Dao (a type of road), and the extent of his exploitation was astonishing.

At the same time, he began to extend his greedy tentacles to the monster clans that occupied this place and maintained the order of the passage, demanding high taxes from them as if those monsters were his tenants.

The apprentice frowned, puzzled, and asked, "You mean, it was Viscount Ironthorn who drove away those wilderness monsters?"

"Yes, but to be more precise, the monsters killed Viscount Ironthorn and then voluntarily abandoned the Scaled Earth Rift."

Hearing this answer, the apprentice's confusion deepened: "This...this isn't right, is it?"

"Why would nobles, of such high status, personally risk their lives to come to this perilous wilderness?"

"Those wild monsters, no matter how ferocious, how could they possibly kill a nobleman who must be surrounded by many elite guards? I can't understand it."

Seeing the apprentice's face filled with confusion and astonishment, the old merchant's lips curled up into a very satisfied smile.

He particularly enjoys the emotional fluctuations that young people show due to the unknown.

He especially looked forward to seeing the shocked and bewildered expression on the other person's face after learning the truth. This always brought him, the narrator, a sense of pleasure, as if he were seeing his former self.

The old businessman slowly shook the water droplets that had accumulated on his raincoat, and the water droplets fell with a pattering sound.

He cleared his throat and continued his narration.

In order to train his heir and allow the future ruler of the territory to accumulate merit and prestige, Viscount Ironthorn sent him to this desolate land, accompanied by many of the family's elite guards, including an alchemical golem.

This team has a strong lineup and a clear objective.

—Backed by force, negotiate with those ungrateful monster clans, forcing them to accept the Viscount's will and obediently pay that exorbitant tax.

However, no one expected that things would develop in a way that completely exceeded everyone's expectations.

Behind that seemingly ordinary monster clan stood three young dragons!

Dragons are proud and violent by nature; how could they tolerate human extortion?

They instantly shattered the facade of peace, brutally murdered the noble offspring, and then led the entire monster clan away, disappearing into the depths of the wilderness.

Viscount Ironthorn was furious upon hearing the news and spared no expense in recruiting a powerful dragon-hunting team, personally leading them deep into the wilderness in pursuit.

However, this team ultimately disappeared without a trace, as if it had vanished into thin air.

Those who know about this generally believe in private that it was the three evil dragons that annihilated Viscount Ironthorn and his dragon-hunting party.

Although the environment in which dragons live is indeed treacherous, often attracting the siege and extermination of humans, no one dares to underestimate their power and ferocity.

There are numerous examples of those who launched attacks only to be slaughtered instead.

"A noble viscount, along with his heir, was killed by a monster in the wilderness... This caused quite a stir at the time, shaking many of the nobles of the Duchy of Raymond."

The old businessman was somewhat sentimental.

"Subsequently, in order to quell the situation and demonstrate their strength, the federal garrison launched a large-scale operation to thoroughly sweep through the area surrounding the Lin Tu Lie Dao."

"The surrounding ferocious beasts, demons, and even some innocent or weak scattered monster clans were almost all slaughtered by the army, leaving nothing behind. This bloody purge has actually made the area around the Scale Earth Rift more stable than ever before, at least on the surface."

"Moreover, with the death of Viscount Ironthorn, his control over this place collapsed, and the tolls and taxes that he had collected, which had caused great hardship for merchants, also vanished."

"The number of caravans coming and going has not decreased due to the previous killings; on the contrary, it has increased day by day due to the tax exemption and the temporary increase in security, making it even more lively than when the monsters were rampant."

The apprentice still had lingering questions in his mind, and he pressed on, "But when we came here, weren't we clearly stopped by soldiers at the intersection and forced to pay a hefty toll?"

The old businessman clicked his tongue, a hint of helplessness on his face.

"That's because seven years ago, the Albert family—the same family as Viscount Ironthorn—sent people to take over the Scaled Earth Rift again and started setting up checkpoints to collect taxes, and their exploitation was even worse than before."

"Their greed deterred many merchants from taking this route, but overall, the Lin Tu Lie Road is still much more prosperous than it was originally. Caravans like ours that need it will still choose to pass through here."

Albert was the surname of the late Viscount Ironthorn.

The Albert family held a prominent and deeply entrenched position in the Duchy of Raymond, and at its peak, it produced a marquis who wielded immense power.

Although it has declined somewhat and lost its former glory, it still has the Earl as its head and several Viscount lords protecting it.

Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse; its extensive network of connections and deep-rooted entanglements of interests far surpass those of ordinary earl families.

The drizzle continued incessantly, like unbreakable threads, shrouding the world in a hazy, misty atmosphere.

As time passed, the small caravan, consisting of only a few trucks, slowly approached the pass ahead through the misty rain.

Looking ahead through the misty rain, the outline of a small but complete town gradually becomes clear.

It was built right next to the cracked earth road, with low wooden and stone houses crammed together in a mess, and the thin smoke coming out of the chimneys was quickly dispersed by the rain.

—Streamwood.

It gradually rose from nothing along with the rise and fall and increasing prosperity of Lin Tu Lie Dao over the past twenty years, mainly serving the weary caravans, the soldiers stationed here, and the adventurers who made a living by risking their lives in the wilderness.

At this moment, the town appeared exceptionally quiet in the rain.

When the caravan finally arrived in Riverwood, a fine drizzle was pattering down on the roof tiles of the watchtower.

Six soldiers wearing cloaks bearing the Albert family crest stood in front of the roadblock.

The bald captain at the head of the group had sharp eyes, scanning the caravan like a hawk.

"Same as always! A 30% toll will be collected on each truckload of goods!"

The captain impatiently tapped the iron railing of the truck with the scabbard of his saber, rainwater trickling down his shiny scalp and into his collar.

He grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, his voice laced with undisguised greed: "Or... do you have any special donations?"

The old businessman nimbly slid off the truck and strode quickly to the soldier captain.

He first respectfully handed over the travel documents stamped with the bright red seal of the Principality of Raymond, and then, as if by magic, produced two bottles of enticing amber-colored mead from his pocket.

"You've worked so hard, coming and going in the wind and rain. This little something is for the brothers to warm up and keep warm."

He handed over the mead with a forced smile, adopting an extremely humble posture.

Without any hesitation, the bald captain stuffed the mead into his pocket.

The old merchant then lowered his voice and leaned closer, saying, "I heard that last month a caravan only 'donated' twenty gold coins?"

He calmly raised three fingers and lowered his voice even further: "Our caravan operates on a small scale, but we know the rules. We are willing to donate this amount, only asking that you be lenient and issue a receipt for the full amount of taxes paid."

The bald captain narrowed his eyes.

This means that he could pocket thirty gold coins in private, but only had to report a mere ten gold coins as tax to the Viscount's mansion.

"Haha, so sensible!"

The captain burst into laughter and punched the old merchant on the shoulder. However, when he took the heavy money bag from the merchant, his expression suddenly changed and his voice turned cold.

"However, things have changed now! Times are tough, and the brothers are spending a lot! Here's the figure!"

He spread his five fingers and waved them in front of the merchant.

The young apprentice stood by, trembling with anger, his fists clenched, yet he dared not lay a hand on the armed soldiers.

The gleaming weapons at their waists and the alchemical golems standing in the rain, radiating a cold metallic sheen, were no mere decorations.

"Damn vampire! Greedy bastard!"

The apprentice gritted his teeth and cursed in a voice barely audible to himself, muttering under his breath.

"Compared to this, it would be better to let those wilderness monsters take over this place! At least they're not so greedy!"

His voice was already very low, and it was almost inaudible because it was covered by the pattering rain, but the soldier's keen hearing still managed to pinpoint the faint sound.

"Um?!"

The bald captain whirled around, his gaze dangerously fixed on the apprentice: "What did you just say?! You little bastard! Say it again if you dare!"

The old businessman's expression changed drastically. His heart sank, and he knew things were going badly. He was prepared to bleed a lot of money to quell the trouble.

In that tense moment, when the air seemed to freeze,

*Sizzle!*

A terrifying, ear-piercing sound, like a giant piece of leather being torn apart, suddenly came from the sky!

A figure whose exact color was indistinguishable suddenly spread its wings and hovered in the gray rain. Centered on it, countless falling raindrops seemed to be stained by an invisible force, instantly turning into an eerie emerald green.

The moment these green raindrops touched the ground, they emitted a chilling hissing sound.

Thick fog carrying a sweet, fishy smell spread out.

The closest low-ranking soldiers only inhaled a tiny amount and immediately felt dizzy and lightheaded, almost fainting on the spot.

Almost at the same moment, the ground shook violently.

One after another, emerald green vines covered with poisonous barbs and writhing like living creatures broke through the soft, muddy ground and wrapped around the limbs and torsos of all the soldiers around them.

The soldiers' terrified screams and angry curses were instantly drowned out by the creaking sound of the vines twisting around them.

Even the heavy, metal-cast alchemical golem was instantly wrapped and tightened by several thicker and tougher vines. The immense force caused the metal to groan piercingly, and in an instant it was wrapped into a huge, constantly shrinking green cocoon, unable to move.

Five-colored dragon!

It's a green dragon!

The bald captain's pupils suddenly contracted, and immense fear gripped his heart.

"Enemy attack! It's evil..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was abruptly interrupted by an even more violent, wind-tearing howl! A massive, terrifying spiked club was hurled like a meteorite!

Bang!

A dull thud that made your teeth ache!

The spiked club struck the bald captain's upper body with perfect accuracy, the terrifying force instantly shattering him. Hot blood mixed with bits of flesh and bone shards splattered like a fountain all over the old merchant standing directly in front of him.

Thump thump thump! Thump thump thump!

A heavy, rhythmic tremor, like the footsteps of a giant, came once again from the depths of the rain curtain.

An elite ogre warrior riding a massive rhinoceros clad in heavy armor appeared before the terrified soldiers like a moving mountain, effortlessly clearing away the trees blocking his path as if they were straw.

But this was only the beginning of the disaster.

Hissing sounds filled the air... In the depths of the dark rain curtain, one after another, cold eyes, flickering with eerie green, scarlet, and pale light like will-o'-the-wisps, lit up without warning.

Densely packed, layer upon layer.

They had already completely surrounded the intersection, along with the town of Riverwood.

Then look at the human garrison's scouts and sentries, who show no reaction whatsoever.

Unbeknownst to them, they had been silently killed by the lizardmen assassins lurking in the shadows.

The soldiers were easily torn apart by the swarming monsters, and the alchemical golems were smashed into twisted scrap metal by the powerful monster warriors. The sporadic resistance seemed extremely fragile in the face of overwhelming power.

Many merchants and adventurers stranded in the town huddled under the eaves, watching all this in horror, at a loss for what to do.

Just then, the green dragon Ludwig spread its wings, circled once in the low sky, and let out a deafening roar that proclaimed its sovereignty.

"From this moment forward! This place is under the control of the powerful Ironforge Tribe!"

"Those who surrender live! Those who resist—die!"

The old merchant wiped the blood from his eyes with trembling hands, and with unusual understanding, knelt down on the ground. At the same time, he forcefully pulled the apprentice, who was already terrified and dumbfounded, down to his side.

Ironforge Tribe?

What a familiar, yet chilling name.

More than twenty years ago, those monsters who killed nobles and then fled to the wilderness have returned! Moreover, their return seems even more unstoppable than before.

At this moment, the wind and rain began to intensify.

But an invisible veil, even thicker than wind and rain, has quietly enveloped the cracked earth and the road.

Everyone in Riverwood realized that something was about to change.

(End of this chapter)