"Cough cough!"
Nazla Adan, who was riding a magnificent steed and directing a large caravan, suddenly sneezed.
She rubbed her pert nose, and her signature fluffy, silvery-white fox ears twitched slightly, gleaming softly in the sunlight.
"Tsk, who's talking about me?"
She muttered something, but soon, a bright smile returned to her captivating face.
His amber eyes gazed into the distance, seemingly piercing through the rolling hills and sparse woodlands, landing on that emerging barren land.
"Linde, oh Linde..."
She murmured the name, her lips curving upwards involuntarily into a sweet and expectant smile. "Finally, I'll see you soon."
Behind her was a caravan of considerable size.
Hundreds of heavy-duty trucks, pulled by strong earth-riding dragons or incredibly enduring pack animals, moved slowly along the solid trade route like winding steel pythons.
The wagon, covered with thick, waterproof tarpaulins, was bulging with various scarce goods transported from the distant south and the wealthy fox-people kingdom: bundles of refined metal ingots, stacks of gold and silver treasures, and sealed wooden barrels containing expensive spices and alchemical potions...
Well-equipped guards lined both sides of the caravan.
They rode tall horses, their armor reflecting a cold, hard light in the sunlight, their spears forming a forest as they warily surveyed the wilderness on either side of the road.
The sheer size of the formation and the chilling atmosphere were a silent deterrent in themselves.
This massive, steel behemoth-like force naturally attracted the greedy gazes of territories large and small along its route.
But when those treacherous bandits or spies sent by minor lords cautiously approached and saw the fluttering banner embroidered with intricate fox clan crests, as well as the formidable armed force surrounding the caravan, they all gasped in shock. Like mice whose tails had been burned, they silently tucked their tails between their legs and fled into the forest, never daring to show their faces again.
The journey was smooth and unobstructed.
In less than half a day, a brand-new territory rose from the ground and appeared on the horizon.
Blackstone Ridge!
Although it is far from perfect, its vigorous vitality is already palpable.
The first thing that catches the eye is the castle in the center of the territory, which is already taking shape.
The black stone base and main tower are complete, while scaffolding is still erected on the unfinished secondary tower, where craftsmen are working like busy ants.
The castle's outline is rugged and sturdy, carrying a cold and hard quality unique to humans.
Not far from the castle, a simple yet sacred and solemn white church is nearing completion, its spire gleaming in the sunlight.
Surrounding these two core buildings are the outlines of neatly planned streets, as well as large areas of residential buildings and workshops under construction. The air is filled with the scents of new wood, stone, and dust.
"It's really... changing so fast."
Nazla reined in the reins, gazing at the vibrant scene before her, and exclaimed in genuine admiration.
When she last left, there was only a makeshift campsite and newly laid foundations.
Linde's ability to act always exceeded her expectations.
However, the enormous force she led immediately aroused the high vigilance of the Blackrock Territory's guardians.
Waaah—!
A sharp and urgent horn blared from the watchtower, shattering the tranquility of the territory.
Immediately afterwards, heavy footsteps, like muffled drumbeats, approached from afar.
A fully armed guard rushed out of the military camp and quickly formed ranks a few dozen paces in front of the caravan.
They were not many in number, about fifty people, but their equipment was extremely sophisticated.
The heavy leather half-armor, uniform in style, gleamed with a somber luster in the sunlight, and the eyes beneath the helmets were sharp and wary. The weapons in their hands were not spears, but heavy battle axes or broadswords more suited to close-quarters combat, and short javelins for throwing were also slung at their waists.
A fierce and cold aura emanated from them, as solid as a rock.
The leader was riding an exceptionally tall black warhorse.
He was tall and imposing, and also wore polished beast armor, but with a more complex design, and the emblem representing the Truk family was engraved on his shoulder armor.
This person was none other than Eric, the Silver Knight entrusted by Lind with the important task of staying behind.
At this moment, Eric's face was not as radiant as his armor; instead, it carried an inescapable gloom, his thick brows were furrowed, and deep in his eyes was an unyielding weariness and worry.
But when his gaze swept over the suddenly appearing, massive caravan, especially when he saw the familiar fox-people royal banner, a subtle, complex emotion still flickered beneath his gloom.
He spurred his horse forward a few steps, reined in his restless warhorse, and his gaze, like a cold probe, lingered for a moment on the stunning figure with silver hair and fox ears riding a Frostsnow-treading beast at the very front of the caravan.
Immediately, he spoke in a loud, businesslike voice, even tinged with a hint of detachment and wariness, which clearly resonated throughout the room:
"This is Viscount Lind Truk's Blackstone Territory! Caravan ahead, halt immediately! State your identities and purpose!"
His voice was steady and powerful, carrying an unquestionable tone of command.
Nazra was puzzled; where was Linde?
Although he had doubts, he put them aside and said:
“Sir Eric, I am Nazra Adan. You should remember that I traded with your lord before.”
Upon hearing this, Eric was taken aback, and the image of the fox-man nobleman in front of him gradually overlapped with the leader of the Cloudclaw caravan he had seen before.
"Cloud Claw Merchant Guild?"
Eric recognized that this was a completely different caravan from the previous ones.
“Indeed, I have an appointment with Baron Linde, and I would appreciate it if you could inform him.”
The expected report did not occur; instead, Eric shook his head and said:
"I'm sorry, Miss Nazra, our lord is not in the territory at the moment. We'll discuss the details later. Please come with me to the encampment first."
Nazla frowned, a sense of unease welling up inside her.
According to the information she received, it seems that there is currently a war between human nations, but she doesn't know if it has affected Lind's side.
Nazra's worries deepened, but she suppressed her unease and nodded, saying, "Then I'll leave it to Knight Eric."
The caravan followed Eric slowly into the territory and set up camp at the old spot on the opposite bank of the river.
The massive caravan attracted the attention of the people in the territory. They put down their work and came to the riverbank to watch the huge foreign caravan from afar.
Nazra, accompanied by several orc guards, followed Eric to the military camp.
After they sat down, Eric began to tell Nazla about the recent events.
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