The meat grinder of the Lore Swamp is still far to the southwest, but tonight, in the depths of this forgotten ice field, only the pot of hot soup and the roasted steak in front of them are the source of strength that supports them to continue.
Mark sprinkled the last bit of spice powder on the grilled meat, and the rich aroma burst out instantly. He took a deep breath and a satisfied smile appeared on his face: "Okay, let's eat!"
On the campfire, the last bit of fat from the roasted lizard leg dripped into the flames, making a sizzling sound. Mixed with the warm aroma of stewed tubers, it spread in the cold air, and it was unusually rich.
Mark had just distributed the roasted meat when Monica's hand, which was sharpening wooden skewers, suddenly stopped and the dagger silently disappeared into her sleeve.
"There's movement." She lowered her voice very low, her eyes like a hawk cast into the depths of the night where the wind and snow had temporarily subsided.
The wind brought the faint sound of wheels rolling over the frozen ground and the neighing of beasts of burden.
The team was instantly alert.
Enzo grabbed the warhammer leaning against the ice rock, and Anna's longbow slipped into his hand silently. Mark calmly stroked the cross necklace on his chest, completely restraining the last trace of aura that might escape from his body, leaving only the rough feeling of an ordinary adventurer.
Xiao Mu quickly shrank and transformed into an ordinary, dull-colored, inconspicuous slime, lying quietly at Mark's feet.
Not long after, a convoy of more than a dozen sleds covered with thick oilcloth and pulled by cold-resistant pack animals slowly appeared in sight, illuminated by the faint light of windproof crystal lamps.
There were not many guards in the caravan, and their attire was mixed, giving off a weathered and exhausted air. It was obviously a caravan traveling on the icefield route.
They were obviously attracted by the smell of rare food with a strange magical aroma in the heart of the ice field.
It's no wonder they are greedy. Every time Mark uses the skill of 'Soul Harmonizer' to make ingredients, he has to clear out the monsters within a radius of at least several miles, otherwise he will definitely attract equally greedy monsters.
On the leading sled, a portly merchant wrapped in a thick fur coat, his beard covered in icicles, poked his head out, sniffed hard, and put on a polite smile:
"Hey! Good cooking, friends! Serving hot food this delicious deep in the ice is like a blessing from the Frost Goddess!"
"We're from the Ice Otter Trading Company. We were just about to leave this damn place and head southwest, and we happened to stop by. It's freezing cold out here, could you please warm up by the fire and... buy some hot food?"
His eyes swept over the four members of Mark's team with a businessman's shrewdness and a hint of subtle scrutiny.
The appearance of Mark and his three companions at this moment, with their frayed leather coats, weathered complexions, and deliberately expressed fatigue, completely fits the appearance of a mercenary team adventuring deep into the ice field.
Mark's mind was racing.
Southwest!
This was the direction they were heading towards, towards the Lore Marsh.
Crossing the ice field with the help of an experienced and well-supplied regular caravan can not only greatly save physical strength and conceal one's whereabouts, but also avoid many unnecessary troubles and dangerous areas.
It's like a sleepy person finding a pillow.
He immediately forced a tired smile on his face after his guard had loosened, and stood up.
"Okay, okay. We're all living on the ice. There's enough room and a good fire. Come sit down if you don't mind. There's plenty of food. Whether you pay or not, just give us some supplies."
He behaves like a bold but shrewd captain of adventurers.
Monica still sat silently in the shadows, like an inconspicuous background.
Anna silently gave up her place by the fire, and Enzo swallowed his saliva, gathered most of the lizard leg meat into his arms as if protecting it, and muttered:
“We don’t have many of our own…”
This reaction actually seems real. As expected, Enzo's acting skills have been getting better and better since he stayed in the Dark Church for a period of time.
The people in the caravan cheered and got off their cars and gathered around.
…
The hot soup and barbecue quickly warmed the frozen bodies and livened up the atmosphere.
While sharing food, Mark's team pretended to casually ask about the latest situation on the ice field.
"Brother, I heard you guys say to go southwest? Is the ice field a bit unstable lately? We've been drilling deep in the north for over a month, and it seems the monsters have gotten a lot more aggressive."
Mark scooped a spoonful of soup and asked casually.
A caravan guard, whose face was frosted after drinking a mouthful of hot soup, immediately perked up and wiped his mouth:
"It's more than just unrest! You guys don't realize how deep you've dug. Over a month ago, something terrible happened in the Eternal Silence Abyss!"
"Oh?" Mark and the other team members pricked up their ears.
"A terrifying battle!" the guard gestured, spit flying. "It's said that the Church of Holy Light's most elite Eighth Holy Knights in the Arctic Ice Fields are fighting some terrifying force hidden within the glacier! I think it's the leader of some evil cult called the 'Enlightenment Society'? Anyway, it's a bloody battle!"
Another guard interjected, lowering his voice, with a hint of excitement at sharing a secret:
“Hey, we ran fast and didn’t see it with our own eyes, but we met many adventurers and mercenaries who escaped from the edge of the battlefield on the way, and the news spread like wildfire!
"They say it started with two legendary figures fighting tooth and nail in the depths of the Ice Abyss. The noise was incredible! I heard a large section of the ice cliff collapsed! The holy light and... uh, a dark light with tiny specks of light, it was hard to tell apart!"
Mark's heart trembled.
The holy light is naturally Theodore, and the darkness with star points... Could it be that the Oracle has already taken control of the Heart of the Star Skeleton?
"And then?" Anna asked at the right moment, her elf voice full of curiosity.
"The climax is yet to come!" The first guard interrupted, his voice even more excited. "Just as the two main characters were about to be beaten to a pulp, suddenly, two more shameless legends appeared!
"I don't know where they came from, taking advantage of the situation! They attacked the two in the Ice Abyss from behind! They are both legendary masters, and they actually resorted to sneak attacks!"
The four members of Mark's team were shocked.
Another third-party legend is involved?
"What's the result?" Mark asked, trying to keep his tone calm.
"Hey, what a mess!" The guard smacked his lips. "It's said that the two who were ambushed were quite ruthless. One of them seemed to have some connection with the dwarves. Anyway, he grabbed some unlucky dwarf nearby, tore open a space crack, and disappeared in a flash! He ran away so cleanly!
"The other one... well, it seems to be the big boss of the Holy Light Church. He's really tough! I heard that he was also seriously injured at the time, but he still unleashed the might of the Knights' army and forced back the two sneak attackers! I think he even cut off one of their arms, but..."
The guard shook his head, a mixture of gloating and awe. "We did force them to retreat, but they were a surprise attack! They say that the legend of the Church of Holy Light was wounded in the end, and his retreat with the Knights was a bit embarrassing."
"Tsk tsk, the Holy Light Church, how many years have passed since I heard of it suffering such a huge loss?"
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