On the easternmost path of the orc territory, three carriages were traveling, looking like an ordinary convoy, with large carriages that seemed to be used for normal trade.
However, the imperial soldiers circling the carriage several times, their black armor seemingly proving that this trade was not ordinary, or rather... proving just how extraordinary it was.
Inside the lead carriage, three or four people were playing cards and chatting.
"I mean, didn't Lord Caligula's documents specifically mention that we shouldn't go through the Demon King's territory?"
As one of them spoke, he casually picked up a small wooden piece with the value "three" from a pile of wooden cards he had gathered and placed it in the center, saying, "Is this alright for us?"
Another man with a scruffy beard tossed out the number "seven." He seemed nonchalant, saying, "Let's go around the Gods' Mountains and stick to the mountains. The Demon Kingdom's territory is only a few miles away, it won't be a problem."
"I always have a bad feeling."
The third man, who was wearing an eyepatch over his right eye, played out a [Divine Messenger] card in his hand and said, "I hope nothing goes wrong. Elves are rare... their prices are worlds apart from those of wholesale orcs and dwarves."
The first man shook his head, indicating that he would not play his card.
"Don't worry, don't worry."
The bearded man spoke flippantly, casting out his [God] weapon and saying, "Princess Isabella has reached an agreement with Lord Caligula, and from now on, those gatekeeper knights won't investigate us."
The blindfolded man nodded in agreement and played his highest-ranking card, the World Tree, declaring that he could continue playing if he didn't have the Archon card. He said, "That's true, although it's a bit unpleasant to have to hand over a portion of the revenue."
"We should be able to reach the Demon Kingdom tonight, right? Then it'll be time to head home~"
The first man stretched and said, "This was really a big deal. As soon as I got back home, I immediately started hanging out at the [Ruyu Tavern]. That new guy who came before I left, his taste was truly...tsk tsk tsk~"
"What's her name? I'll give it a try too."
"roll!"
Amidst their shouting and cursing, the blindfolded man arranged the cards in his hand into ascending order and threw out six cards at once, saying, "A straight... I'll say it again, don't let anything unexpected happen."
Seeing the two shake their heads to indicate no, the blindfolded man casually threw out four of the remaining five cards in his hand. Those were four "fours," which in other words meant a governor with a combat power of 4.
If there are no stronger Archon cards, or World Gods cards combining World Tree and Celestial God, then the Eyepatch Man can continue playing.
Seeing the two men shake their heads again and throw down their cards in displeasure, the blindfolded man casually tossed his last card aside, declaring his victory, and then tossed the gold coins on the table into his pocket.
"Want to play another round?"
The bearded man shook his head at the invitation, saying, "I need to check on the elf's condition and see if the guards have done anything... This shipment is really important and cannot be compromised."
Watching the blindfolded man jump out of the window above the carriage, the remaining two men looked at each other, then shrugged helplessly and began to organize the deck of cards.
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Many carriages have this design, with a skylight in the middle of the roof that can be opened and closed, allowing people to stick their heads out for fresh air or to escape from being trapped in the carriage.
This is a common occurrence. Due to limited conditions, the bolts on the doors of carriages are often deformed by violent impacts or overturning. In such cases, the sunroof can come in handy.
As the blindfolded man emerged from the roof of the carriage and stood up, the soldiers surrounding the carriage nodded to him and greeted him: "Lord Jaraz, is this a routine inspection?"
"Yes, everyone has worked hard. This shipment is of elves, so we can't afford any mistakes."
As the blindfolded man known as Jalaz spoke, he looked back at the more heavily guarded carriages behind him, then leaped onto one of them and walked in from the front.
The reason we didn't use the sunroof was because the sunroof of this carriage was sealed shut... for safety reasons.
Under the watchful eyes of the surrounding soldiers, Jaraz stepped into the dimly lit carriage. He looked at the huge cage and inside it, at a wounded, pointed-eared elf, and checked whether the magic-suppressing shackles on its hands and feet were still working.
This elf, with its emerald green hair like that of a beautiful plant, had lost the dignity and beauty that elves should have, and instead huddled there like a desperate little beast.
Her body was covered with visible signs of battle, proving that she had been violently captured during a fierce fight... In addition, there were some signs of abuse, but not to a great extent.
The real pain will come after she's bought... but that has nothing to do with Jaraz.
Jaraz and his men only needed to ensure that the goods remained as beautiful and intact as possible while still being in good condition; otherwise, they wouldn't be able to sell them for a good price... Moreover, he actually couldn't quite understand the nobility.
Green hair, pointy ears, and stuff like that, aren't they disgusting?
At least he belongs to a relatively traditional human group, and is somewhat unable to accept people of other races.
"Thank you all for your hard work."
Jaraz spoke to the four soldiers guarding the cage, instructing them, "This is the only pure-blooded elf we've captured in thirteen years. This cargo is extremely important; we cannot afford any mistakes."
"yes!"
"learn!"
"Lord Jaraz, you've worked hard too."
"..."
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"You're back? Are you alright?"
The bearded man asked this question, then pursed his lips and said with a smile, "You're always like this. We were just saying that you're being a little too cautious."
The first unremarkable man immediately retorted, saying, "Are you the only one saying that? I also think it's better to be cautious, just... check it once a day is enough."
Jaraz shook his head helplessly. He sat down at the table again, tapped the [I-card] on the table to indicate that he could continue playing, and said, "It's better to be cautious. It's never a big mistake to be cautious."
However, this time, both the first man and the scruffy-bearded man felt that such caution might not be so necessary, at least not to go out and check every two or three hands.
With so many soldiers under our command, how could anything possibly go wrong?
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