Chapter 425 The Clouds of War
The dark clouds of war hang over Thunder City, but the morale of the Campbell people is unprecedentedly high.
A little cloud is nothing.
After all, long before it arrived, the black clouds from the chimneys had already filled their sky.
Just as a group of ragged people put on neat clothes, shouldered their flintlock rifles and prepared to devote themselves to the cause of justice, another group of ragged people finally saw a dim light from the dim road ahead...
It was on the muddy road leading to Dusk City, and a strange team was moving slowly forward.
At the front of the procession was Thomas's caravan, with dozens of covered wagons loaded with goods and horse-drawn carriages carrying people moving slowly. And just behind the caravan, a group of hundreds of ragged refugees also advanced slowly in silence.
They neither approached nor moved away, but just followed silently.
Everyone maintains an almost stubborn distance, like a silent pilgrimage, moving forward unswervingly on the dusty road.
The atmosphere of the entire team was solemn and strange, even with a hint of disbelief.
After all, no caravan loaded with goods has ever been able to escape intact from the locust-like swarms of refugees.
They actually managed to keep to themselves and not fight each other, which was unimaginable at least in the twilight province where starving people were everywhere.
And no one would have thought that all this was because of a "nun" named Kallen.
"Saint Sith...are we a merchant caravan or a pilgrim army?" Looking at the mighty team behind him, the mercenary holding a spear couldn't help but smacking his lips.
Just a week ago, he could see the end of the team at a glance, but now he couldn't even see the shadow of the tail end.
The mercenary guy named Ben standing next to him suddenly spoke in an excited voice.
"I have a hunch."
"Oh, what's that premonition?"
Ben said mysteriously as he looked at his lack of interest companions.
"Our 'sister' lady is Miss Karen. She might actually have something on her!"
Bring something?
The mercenary was stunned for a moment, then laughed out loud and said in a teasing tone.
"Stop talking nonsense. She escaped from Eagle Rock Territory. Even if she didn't do anything blasphemous, is there a good person there?"
He actually hadn't said half a sentence yet.
If he were Saint Sis, it would be considered merciful of him not to kick this guy into hell and ask him to reflect on himself. How could he possibly entrust the sacred cause to her?
Although there seem to be few priests in the Dusk Province, that is relative to its vast area. Ignoring the farmlands and woods, there are still many priests in castles and churches.
Even if we ignore these realistic factors, she is just a country girl with big breasts, no brains, and even a little bit of fanaticism.
She probably didn't even realize what she was doing.
However, Ben is different. Having been helped by Kallen before, he is very optimistic about this kind-hearted girl.
"I know everything you said, but don't we all come from the same place? Who in this world dares to say that they are absolutely clean?"
The mercenary chuckled.
"I don't have time to discuss philosophy with you. I'd rather know what's for dinner tonight."
“This is not a question of philosophy!”
Ben looked at him seriously and expressed his excitement in an unprecedentedly serious tone.
"Maybe we are witnessing a new legend! Not from the mouths of bards, but right in front of us!"
legend……
Ha ha.
The mercenary curled his lips, and the smile on his face turned playful.
This word sounds really amazing, but unfortunately it can neither be turned into bread nor is worth a few copper coins.
At the same time, in a carriage traveling in a caravan, the caravan owner Thomas was looking back through the gap in the window.
Looking at the increasingly long line, he felt a headache and finally couldn't help but sigh.
"Saint Sith is above..."
What am I doing?
If it weren't for the thick stack of account books in front of him, he would almost forget that he was a businessman.
Thomas's thoughts went back to the afternoon a few days ago.
At that time they passed by a dilapidated village. There were no cows in the empty cowshed, only a few corpses covered with gray cloth.
The breath of death was overwhelming.
Out of concern for the plague, he was about to take everyone away when a group of villagers surrounded him.
As in the village he had passed before, the people here asked if there was a priest in the caravan, and if so, they begged him to pray for the departed souls.
The old man, who was suspected to be the village chief, also said that just a few days ago, several villagers had died and turned into ghosts. The villagers were in a panic, suspecting that they had been abandoned by the gods, and everyone was in despair.
Thomas wanted to say it was none of his business, he was just a businessman, and if he didn't want the corpses to become undead, he could just burn them.
Especially the dishonest looks of the villagers made it hard for him not to suspect that finding a priest was just an excuse and they wanted to get their dirty hands into his cargo box.
Just when Thomas was about to order the mercenaries to drive away the group of guys, Miss Karen took the initiative to step forward and told him in a gentle tone that she could take care of this problem.
"...When our feet are in hell, we cannot imagine that we can obtain divine salvation without saving anyone else. Please let me pray for them, and for ourselves as well."
She seemed to really think of herself as a nun and believed in her so-called sacred duties.
Thomas couldn't convince her and could only watch as she walked forward and prayed for the bodies lying on the ground.
Then--
An incredible scene happened. It seemed as if holy light really descended from the sky, soothing the despair on earth.
Thomas could hardly believe his eyes, but what was happening before his eyes was the fact.
The corpse that had already shown signs of becoming undead actually stopped transforming and returned to eternal peace.
Everyone had an expression of disbelief on their face, except for Kallen who was standing in front of the corpses and looked calm.
She seemed to know what she had done, and spoke to the villagers in a calm and gentle tone.
"...Please bury them. They won't struggle to wake up again."
After saying that, she returned to the caravan, leaving everyone standing there, unable to calm down for a long time.
Afterwards, the villagers buried their compatriots, and the caravan spent the night peacefully with the villagers.
The next morning, just as the caravan was about to leave quietly, the villagers took their only belongings, led their skinny cattle and sheep, and followed the caravan with their families.
Just when Thomas was at a loss and didn't know what these guys wanted to do, the village chief who had talked to him yesterday stood up and explained the situation to him.
"The lord no longer wants us. The army will be here soon. It will either be the king's or the rebels'..."
"We're going to die anyway, so we want to leave in a more dignified manner. Please let us follow Ms. Kallen!"
"We are willing to be her guards. We don't ask for any reward, but only ask her not to abandon us and to pray for us when we die!"
Thomas looked at them dumbfounded, as if he were looking at a group of lunatics talking in their sleep.
It's okay to follow Kallen.
This guy has been talking nonsense since he was rescued, and he doesn’t even know where he is going!
Just when Thomas was about to refuse, Mr. Colin, who had never shown up from beginning to end, walked behind him for the first time.
That handsome face had a gentle smile on it, and he spoke in a voice so soft that only he could hear it.
"Let them follow."
"But……"
“That’s interesting, isn’t it?”
Mr. Colin's funny remark shut up all of Thomas's reasons and complaints.
Since the Master Mage had agreed, he couldn't say anything to refuse.
After all, this gentleman would abandon them and take this group of people away by himself, and the result would be the same.
After all, they were not in an employment relationship. He did not pay the gentleman a penny, so the gentleman naturally did not have to consider his feelings.
"If you insist on doing this..." Thomas forced a smile that was uglier than crying, and tacitly allowed the villagers to follow the caravan and head towards Dusk City.
Thomas consoled himself, thinking that the villagers would only follow him so far. After all, they were technically refugees, and no feudal lord would let them go easily, much less allow them into their territory.
However, things were not as simple as he thought.
Not to mention that all the nobles, big and small, in this land have fled away. Even if they stayed here, they would not be able to cope with the current difficult and chaotic situation.
As they were on their way to Dusk City, the scene that came into their eyes could only be described as tragic.
If they could still see intact corpses in the villages they passed by before, later on only pale bones were scattered on the ground.
This time Thomas felt a little bit reluctant. After all, he was a devout Christian, at least he thought he was quite devout.
Faced with those pale and skinny refugees, he no longer stopped Kallen from praying for their families and for the souls that refused to rest in peace, and he tacitly allowed the refugees to follow the caravan.
A few days passed like this, and when he began to notice, the refugees following the caravan had expanded to an unimaginable scale like a snowball rolling down the mountain.
Night falls.
The caravan set up camp as usual, and the refugees following the caravan also set up their own camps.
Although it is called a camp, there is not even a decent tent here. People sleep on the ground, sitting or lying down. In the distance, you can even hear the faint howling of wolves.
However, surprisingly, those hungry people did not despair, but were in good order instead.
Some people were responsible for collecting firewood, some were responsible for making fire, some were responsible for taking care of children, and some were responsible for cooking porridge and distributing the thin porridge like water to the believers lined up in long queues.
Even though they were extremely hungry, they still maintained basic order. There was no looting, fighting, or stealing.
After all, they didn't even have the energy to argue, and there was nothing here worth stealing.
Of course, the most important thing is that they regained their "faith".
It is precisely because of this belief that they did not become bandits and robbers, and become like the Green Forest Army.
However, it is worth mentioning that rather than believing in Saint Sith, it is better to say that they believe in Ms. Kallen who gives them food.
These refugees are very realistic. Whoever can keep them alive is their god.
As for where Ms. Kallen's food comes from?
Although no one has ever cared about this issue, it is clear that the food did not appear out of thin air...
As soon as Thomas got off the carriage, the mercenary leader carrying a flintlock rifle walked towards him.
"Boss, we need to talk."
Thomas sighed and said, guessing what this guy wanted to say.
"Go ahead and talk. I'm listening."
The mercenary leader said immediately.
"We are a caravan, not the Jishi Army! What I mean is, I only accepted the money for escorting the caravan, but I never told my brothers that we had to protect an army!"
"I know, and I don't want to do this, but I have no choice," Thomas responded with a frown.
"Hurry and think of a solution!" The mercenary leader glanced outside the camp, his face filled with solemnity. "With so many people following us, I'm not even going to mention the consumption of water and food. The key is that it's too conspicuous!"
Looking at the caravan owner who had fallen silent, he continued in a serious tone.
"Excuse me for being blunt, but we're like torches in the darkness right now! Whether it's the governor of Twilight City or those bandits out there who call themselves the Green Forest Army, I bet they don't look upon us favorably!"
Thomas swallowed.
"We have Mr. Colin. Even if they don't like us, they won't..."
The mercenary leader whispered.
"Yes, but don't think those people don't have their own unique skills! A bunch of peasants can't possibly defeat a lord's army. When have you ever heard of a group of peasants overthrowing their lord with just pitchforks? Putting aside the failed uprisings, every successful uprising almost always has a demon behind it!"
Thomas's expression changed instantly, and his voice began to tremble.
"You mean... there are demons from hell standing behind them?!"
The mercenary leader shook his head and said with a wry smile.
"The demons of Hell are fine, but I'm afraid of... Chaos. You should have heard about the incident at the Brass Gate? Something went wrong a while ago, and even the Great Sage was alarmed!"
When he mentioned the word chaos, he shuddered involuntarily, as if the word itself carried incredible magic.
He forgot which elder had told him that the demons in hell were nothing to be afraid of. Those guys were just trying to gain faith or scare people, and they would never do anything that would be thankless.
However, Chaos is different. For example, the "Flame of Destruction" that is currently attacking the Bronze Pass is clearly intent on bringing down the fire of doom on the world.
They want nothing, nothing at all, just to turn the world west of the Brass Pass into a dimensional desert!
The same was probably true for the "Crown of Pride" and the "Mist of Treacherousness", and his vague intuition told him that the one wreaking havoc in the Twilight Province was probably the most vicious "Claw of Eternal Hunger"!
Hearing the mercenary leader's words, Thomas couldn't help but feel a little scared.
"So what do you think...what should we do?"
The mercenary leader said in a cold and hard voice.
"...If all else fails, parting ways is also an option. The longer we delay, the harder it will be for us to separate from them."
Thomas couldn't help but smile bitterly when he heard this.
"I don't think this is a good idea. As you can see, Mr. Colin seems to support her cause... I mean, he might not choose to go with us. It's better to have the protection of the Master Mage than not. Honestly, if I had known the situation here was so dire, I should have brought more people with me."
This is also his biggest headache. For some reason, the mysterious magician is particularly fond of this "nun" he picked up along the way.
He obviously didn't bother to pay attention to that woman at first, but he changed after a funeral.
His appreciation was not limited to words, he even began to take the initiative to sponsor "Karen"'s charity.
No one knew where her food came from, but Thomas knew it very well.
All the grain was bought from the generous Mr. Colin at a price higher than the market price.
Not only that, he also bought the covered wagons that transported grain and lent one of them to Kallen as her mobile prayer room.
Thomas didn't know what happened between the two, but Kallen had often run to the magician's carriage since a long time ago. This was not a recent occurrence.
He actually understands.
Apart from being a little rustic, the girl had a good appearance and figure, otherwise she would not have been chosen by Ms. Lina as a precious "commodity".
The mercenary leader seemed to feel that his own appeal was not as great as that of a young and beautiful nun. He was silent for a while and finally sighed.
"...You're the boss, you decide."
Watching the mercenary leader walk away, Thomas shook his head, sighed, and walked to the campfire.
Although he is the boss of the caravan, there are some things that are beyond his control.
The fate of this caravan was no longer under his control...
As he squatted by the campfire, a pair of eyes were watching his back in the darkness.
Sarah saw the entire conversation between the two humans, and silently disappeared into the darkness.
On the other side, in Colin's carriage, Karen was holding a copy of the "Book of the Holy Word" devoutly, listening carefully to Mr. Colin sitting opposite her explaining the scriptures in the book, and learning the words in the book by the way.
It’s embarrassing to say.
Although she considered herself a devout believer, she didn't even know what Saint Sith was.
There is a priest in her hometown, but it is not easy to see him. Daily prayers are mainly conducted by the deacon and the villagers.
A country girl like her had no chance to come into contact with the true doctrine and had never seen the original text of the Book of the Holy Word.
It was precisely because of this that she did not realize that the "Book of the Holy Word" in her hands was not the real Book of the Holy Word, but a "New Chapter" modified based on the "Old Testament" by a demon king from hell.
"Incredible... The Demon God and Saint Sith are not enemies." After listening to Mr. Colin's lecture, Karen sighed softly, with an expression of wanting more.
If someone else had said this to her, she would probably have thought that person was crazy.
But this gentleman is different.
The voice clearly floated into her ears, but it seemed to penetrate her skin and into her heart.
Luo Yan smiled slightly and spoke in a gentle tone.
"Of course they were enemies a thousand years ago, but now it's been a thousand years, and the demons in Hell have changed three generations. They no longer hate each other."
Kallen blinked in confusion.
"But if that's the case, why is the Empire still at war with Hell?"
"That's because, of course, they all need an enemy."
Looking at Kallen who was still confused, Luo Yan continued in a patient voice.
"The peasants' desire for land is endless, just like the merchants' desire for money and the herdsmen's desire for pasture... But the nobles who truly hold power are different. They lack neither land nor money, and certainly not cattle and sheep."
Kallen wondered.
"So what do they need?"
"Dominance, or power. But they already had it. It's not so much a need as it is a reluctance to lose it."
Luo Yan paused for a moment and continued.
"As for land, money, honor, even supernatural powers, and even faith itself... they are merely means to achieve the goal, not the root of the goal."
Even the gods are the same.
Looking at the clear and silly eyes of the village girl in front of him, Luo Yan smiled slightly and ended the topic.
"Are we getting off track?"
Kallen shook her head slightly, a hint of admiration written on her devout face.
Or rather, longing.
"No, Mr. Colin... I really enjoy hearing you talk about these things. However, every time I finish listening to your teachings, I always feel confused. If things are really as you say, then doesn't it mean that the Book of the Holy Word in my hand is not as... brilliant as it seems?"
"There are many things that shine brightly: the sun in the sky, the moon in the water, the lamp in the carriage, the bonfire outside the window, and the hope in people's eyes..."
Luo Yan looked out the window, watched the fireflies floating in the grass, and spoke in a very soft voice.
"The same is true of the Book of the Holy Word in your hand. It undoubtedly shines brilliantly, but human desires are endless. This is why the priests choose to shine in the castle, while the people of Saint Sith struggle on the ground."
Kallen lowered her head, as if she had some enlightenment in her heart, like a saint who truly yearned for light.
After a moment of silence, she spoke softly.
"I want to save those poor people, but I don't know how... I beg you to show me a way."
Luo Yan smiled slightly and offered a word of encouragement.
"You're doing pretty well now."
Kallen looked up in confusion.
"Now? But... they're following me, and I don't even know where I'm going."
"That's not something you should worry about. You just need to walk your own path, just like this lamp in the carriage... It only needs to emit its own light and doesn't have to walk the rest of the way for the traveler."
Looking at the pair of eyes immersed in mist, Luo Yan soothed the confusion in her heart with a gentle voice.
"Since you've decided to become a nun, then just do what a nun should do. Shining souls will eventually find their own way. You just need to light up those who are in despair."
In an instant, the pair of eyes covered by fog were like a rekindled torch, dispelling all confusion.
"I see……"
Kallen whispered softly, and a smile like the sun after the rain gradually bloomed on her simple face, and the smile seemed to be glowing.
She bowed deeply, then scratched her cheek shyly and said embarrassedly.
"Thank you... Although I still have a lot of confusion in my heart, I feel much better after talking with you."
"You're welcome." Looking at this simple girl who blushed easily, Luo Yan smiled and nodded, closing the Book of Holy Words in his hand and said, "It's getting late, go back to bed."
"Um."
The nun nodded, her cheeks as red as lanterns, hugged the book Mr. Colin gave her tightly in her arms, jumped off the carriage and hurried away.
At the same time as Kallen left, Sarah's figure quietly appeared in the carriage.
Because the carriage was not very spacious and she was worried about affecting the Demon Lord's unfathomable plan, she quietly left here when Kallen came over.
Of course, she wasn't just killing time during the time she wasn't with the Demon King.
In addition to keeping watch to prevent outsiders from approaching, she also walked around the camp to collect intelligence.
"grown ups."
Luo Yan smiled gently.
"No need to be polite, just sit down."
"yes."
Sarah obediently sat opposite him, then coughed lightly and told him her previous discovery.
"The people in the caravan seem dissatisfied with the growing number of refugees. They are worried about attracting the attention of local lords or rebels. In addition, the mercenary leader escorting the caravan also mentioned..."
She hesitated for a moment and told the truth.
"He speculates that the rebels roaming around the Dusk Province are supported by the forces of Chaos."
"Chaos?! Where?!" Tafu, who was dozing off, suddenly shuddered, and her entire dragon spine straightened up in fear.
Of course, this little pig who loved to eat and sleep a lot didn't really wake up. After mumbling a few words in his sleep, he fell asleep again.
It was clear that she had truly been traumatized by the Outer Gods of the Void. Fear had been etched deep within her soul, and it hadn't faded to this day...
Luo Yan was not panicked at all. Having studied the Void Realm in depth, he just asked calmly.
"Does he have any evidence?"
Sarah shook her head.
"No... but Don't Starve does easily remind people of the Claw of Eternal Hunger, and some people have already made such an association. I'm worried..."
"The more people fear something, the harder it is to avoid it," Luo Yan said in a low voice after a moment of silence. "Whether it's Chaos or not, we have to be careful with the situation here. If something goes wrong with the Brass Pass, it will be difficult for us in the Principality of Campbell to remain unscathed."
"What do you need from me?"
Looking at the cat that was eager to offer its loyalty immediately, Luo Yan couldn't help but smile, and reached out to rub its furry head.
Sarah, who obviously hadn't expected the Demon King to do something like this, was caught off guard by the touch on her ear and let out a short "Meow?!"
That snow-white face suddenly turned bright red as if it was about to bleed.
She subconsciously looked at the sleeping Tafu, and confirmed that the guy was indeed asleep. Then she restrained her murderous intent, left Tafu who shivered inexplicably, and looked at the Demon King in confusion and trepidation, waiting for him to continue his next move.
However, nothing followed.
Luo Yan just smiled and said.
"Don't keep thinking about what to do. When I don't tell you to do something, just stay by my side. I will tell you when I need you."
"Yes..." Sarah responded with her head down.
The voice was unusually gloomy, as if it was still brooding over the embarrassing sound it had inadvertently made just now.
Just when Luo Yan was thinking about how to comfort his cat, his dog suddenly jumped out.
Youyou: "Lord Demon King! Something terrible has happened! The Duchy of Campbell has decided to send reinforcements to the Dusk Province! Your players have also signed up to participate. Judging by their discussion on the official website, it seems they have a battalion of troops!"
Luo Yan thought it was going to say something big, but it turned out that the dog couldn't spit out ivory from its mouth after all, and it muttered for a long time about such a trivial matter.
What's wrong with going to the army?
Some clever little players have even gone to Thunder City to become capitalists! Is that a big deal?
"It's no big deal... If they want to make a fuss, just let them make a fuss."
Come back to me when they become dukes!
Luo Yan had just thought of this in his heart, but Youyou's next words made him stunned on the spot.
"But, but! The team leader is Erin Campbell! Is this really okay? Youyou remember you said goodbye at the port!"
“…………?”
What the hell!?
(End of this chapter)
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