Chapter 79 Preparations for the Long Journey After dinner, everyone dispersed…
After dinner, when everyone had left, Lin Yue went directly to the lobby of Store No. 1 and summoned all the heads of the production teams and some core members.
On the table was refined carbon steel gleaming with a tough luster, which contrasted sharply with the earth fire crystals next to it that seemed to still carry the warmth of the flames.
"We can't wait any longer."
"Gentlemen, you are all aware of the situation in Blackrock City. I don't want to preach too much; I just want to ask you one question: those trapped in Blackrock City, suffering greatly, are your relatives, your fellow countrymen. Will you save them or not?"
“Help!” Brother Li patted his chest and stood up, his dark face full of indignation. “I have a cousin trapped in the city. That idiot used to always follow me around. The only time he didn’t come with me was when we came here, and this happened. I can’t just stand by and watch him be captured by those beasts and made into a slave.”
"But...how can we save them?" Old Barton said worriedly. "That's Blackrock City, with its high walls and Duke Caslan's army. With our limited manpower, can we really manage to rescue them?"
"Let's go then, what's there to be afraid of!" Uncle Stone Fist was the first to stand up. He slammed his big iron hammer heavily on the ground with a dull thud. "I've been wanting to see what those human blacksmith shops outside are really made of, and I'll also let those blind fools see the power of dwarves. Count me in!"
“No, Uncle Stone Fist.” Lin Yue shook his head, rejecting his suggestion. “You are the only forging master in our town, and our family’s production cannot do without you. More importantly…” He glanced at Stone Fist’s signature beard and burly physique, “We are going out to survey, not to fight. Your alien features are too obvious. If it causes unnecessary trouble, it will be a loss. We need you and the elders to keep things in order at home.”
Shi Quan opened his mouth as if to retort, but in the end he sat back down dejectedly, muttering, "Hmph, coward..."
"Whether it's to find more Earthfire Crystals, or to... respond to our companions' longing for their loved ones, we must go out and see for ourselves. So, I want to go to Blackrock City myself."
This decision immediately drew opposition from everyone.
“No, Mayor, you are our pillar of strength, you can’t take the risk,” Aunt Leah was the first to object.
“I’ll lead the team and go with you,” Gray suddenly said.
He faced everyone's gaze and said, word by word, "I... am going. Before, I only knew about the Valley of Tears, only knew about protection. Coming to Hope Town, I saw humans, dwarves... I saw a bigger world. But... I am not strong enough, and my vision... is not broad enough."
He gripped the spear tightly, his eyes burning with a flame of desire: "I want to become stronger, not just in terms of power. I want to see the world for myself, to learn how to interact with more different people, and to make language... no longer a barrier for me. Karl... the elves... their appearance made me realize that staying at home cannot hold onto hope."
After nearly a year of dietary therapy and continuous social interaction, Gray's language skills have made a qualitative leap. If he doesn't use overly complex sentences, his daily conversations are no different from those of an ordinary person. But he knows that the inner barrier and lack of confidence still exist. He yearns for true integration, for the ability to stand on his own, and to become Lin Yue's true right-hand man.
Looking at the resolute expression in Gray's eyes, Lin Yue felt a surge of relief and emotion. This silent lion was finally venturing out of its territory to explore a wider domain.
"Okay." Lin Yue nodded heavily. "Okay. With you here, I feel reassured."
After careful consideration, the members of the exploration team heading to Blackrock City were finally determined.
The team leader is naturally Lin Yue himself, who is responsible for overall planning, external communication, and technical support.
Gray, who volunteered to be the vice-captain and also the one in charge of combat, is responsible for the team's safety.
The core team members include Amu, who is responsible for strength; Bard and Aunt Lia, who are familiar with Blackrock City as guides; and Mia, who represents logistics and cooking.
In addition, Lin Yue selected four of the most quick-witted young people from each group—two men and two women—to go with him. They were also potential future business leaders that Lin Yue hoped to cultivate.
Considering that the Silent Ones and Dwarves' alien features were too obvious, Lin Yue decided to have them stay behind for the time being before they went out on their first official trip and before they were sure how the outside world would treat them.
On the night before his departure, Lin Yue lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep for a long time.
This was the first time since he came into this world that he was truly stepping out of the starting village he had built himself, to face a completely unknown human society. His heart was filled with indescribable, complex emotions.
There is excitement, a strong curiosity and anticipation for the real cities of another world, the different cultural customs, and the novel ingredients and technologies that may be encountered.
But more than anything, there was worry. What kind of den of dragons and tigers was Blackrock City? What kind of being was the tyrannical Duke Caslan? Would they really be able to find their lost relatives on this trip? Would they over-expose the existence of Hope Town and invite even greater disaster?
He thought about many things, from strategies for entering the city to how to establish contact points, and even the retreat route in case he was discovered... His thoughts were like tangled threads, impossible to cut or untangle.
The next morning, when Mia came to wake him up, she saw a town mayor with two huge dark circles under his eyes, but with unusually bright eyes.
"Let's go," Lin Yue said, taking a big gulp of cold water to fully wake himself up. "Let's go see what this world is really like."
Before setting off, Lin Yue specially invited all the workshop leaders and core members to his office for a detailed handover of their work.
"Everyone, while I'm away, the town's daily operations will depend entirely on you. Production cannot stop, and the construction of the city wall must continue. Everyone should do their part, and if you encounter any uncertainties, discuss them together. Especially..."
His gaze shifted to the former village chief's wife, who was sitting quietly to the side.
“Madam,” Lin Yue bowed deeply to the resilient old woman, “I’m troubling you again this time. Most of the town’s residents were once your people, and you are the one they trust most. I hope that during my absence, just like when we left to search for the Gray people, you can keep a close eye on things and help unite everyone. If there’s any trouble or conflict that can’t be resolved, please take the time to mediate and make decisions.”
The old lady nodded slowly, her eyes, which had witnessed too much suffering, filled with wisdom and responsibility: "Mayor, you are too kind. You are the pillar of our family now. Please come back safely. And please rest assured, as long as I am still alive, I will not let this family fall apart. We will wait here for your return."
Lin Yue then looked at the others: "Li Ge, the construction team is in your hands; Kailan, the furniture production can't stop; Ella, make more good porcelain; Norm, sanitation and the composting site are of utmost importance... In short," he took a deep breath, "everything, the safety of all of us is the top priority! Remember, houses can be rebuilt if they collapse, food can be replanted if it runs out, but if people are gone, then nothing is left. If you really encounter a danger that you can't withstand, don't hesitate, abandon everything, saving your lives is the most important thing. As long as our people are still here, there is always hope!"
"Don't worry, Mayor!"
"We know!"
Everyone present nodded emphatically.
Finally, Lin Yue handed the Wind Whisper Crystal, which he had obtained from the elves and could transmit the power of nature, to Elder Farador: "Elder, this is a token of the elves. If... I mean if, a major crisis occurs in the town that even you and Uncle Stonefist cannot resolve, a crisis that threatens everyone's lives, please send the fastest young man in the tribe with this crystal to Silvermoon Forest immediately. They promised in the last transaction that we could make one request, so as long as it's not an overly intense conflict, they will agree to the request for rescue. At the same time, you can also send someone to Blackrock City to find us; we will leave a coded message in the city."
Lin Yue then stroked Xiao Fen, who was lying at his feet, rubbing its big head against his trouser leg. This guy had now grown into a majestic husky, a size larger than an average adult gray wolf.
"Xiao Fen, you can't come with us this time." Lin Yue stroked its soft neck fur, saying with some reluctance, "You're too conspicuous. Taking you to a human city might cause unnecessary panic and trouble. More importantly, the family needs you. Your nose and ears are the most sensitive alarms in our Hope Town. While I'm gone, you have to help Gray and Uncle Stonefist protect our home, understand?"
Xiao Fen seemed to understand Lin Yue's instructions. It whimpered, licked Lin Yue's palm with its tongue, then walked to Gray and Stonefist, rubbed against them, and finally ran to Elder Farador's feet, quietly lying down, its pair of green eyes watching the darkness in the distance warily.
Preparations for the departure were carried out systematically throughout the town.
Stone Fist personally crafted lighter and more concealable self-defense weapons for every member of the exploration team. Lin Yue received a fine steel dagger that could be hidden in his boot, while Gray's spear was modified into a portable weapon that could be disassembled into three sections. Amu, Old Bud, and others were also equipped with short knives and hand axes that could be concealed under their coats.
The pottery workshop produced a batch of specially made pottery jars with hollow inner layers, which could be used to store important items such as gold coins. These jars looked no different from ordinary storage jars on the outside, but only those who knew the mechanism could open the hidden inner layer.
The most important thing, of course, is preparing food for the trip.
The logistics team prepared the latest Hope brand travel ration package for the survey team.
In addition to their usual dried meat strips and roasted potato chips, they have also launched high-energy bars and braised bamboo shoots for the first time. Although these two items cannot be stored as long as canned goods, they are still a good travel companion.
Starlight wheat flour, various roasted and crushed nuts, and a large amount of animal fat and honey are mixed together, repeatedly pressed with heavy objects, and then baked at a low temperature to make energy bars with extremely high density and bursting energy.
Although this thing doesn't taste very good and is so hard it can be used as a brick, just a small piece is enough to sustain a strong adult man through half a day of high-intensity physical labor.
A more flavorful braised bamboo shoot dish is made by blanching the freshest bamboo shoots picked in spring in salt water, cutting them into small sections, and then simmering them in a ceramic pot with plenty of animal fat, fire pepper, and other spices over a low flame.
The braised bamboo shoots are not only savory and delicious with rice, but also can be preserved for a long time because they are coated with a thick layer of oil. Each serving is wrapped in special oil-resistant leaves for easy carrying.
Considering that salt and food are the best forms of hard currency, they also ground large quantities of Shifu potatoes into powder for easier transportation and trade. The livestock team processed a newly harvested batch of Long-eared Snow Rabbits into uniquely flavored smoked rabbit.
Aunt Lian put her culinary creativity to good use. With limited animal fat and plenty of fire crystal peppers, she made a batch of spicy and fragrant cold rabbit cubes, which she sealed in small earthenware jars as a secret weapon to improve the expedition team's meals.
To make it easier to carry these supplies, it was ultimately decided to use two wheelbarrows to load all the supplies, including pots and pans, daily seasonings, and changes of clothes. With everything ready, the reconnaissance team set off for Blackstone City amidst the worried yet expectant gazes of all the residents of Hope Town.
Along the way, as they gradually moved away from the unique and oppressive ecosystem of the cursed land, the surrounding scenery underwent significant changes.
The initial stretch of the road remained desolate and uninhabited. The twisted trees and strange vegetation gradually thinned out, replaced by a vast and barren wasteland.
Occasionally, one can see the ruins of villages long since eroded by wind and sand, with collapsed earthen walls and empty doors and windows, like silent wounds, silently telling the story of the disasters that once occurred here.
“Most of these villages were abandoned after the great plague decades ago,” Old Bard said, pointing to a ruin. “Since then, few people have dared to walk this road that is too close to the cursed land.”
However, as they continued westward and officially entered the territory of the Duke of Caslan, the scene became even more bizarre and oppressive.
The road began to become smoother, clearly indicating that someone was maintaining it.
The population gradually increased. But strangely, most of the villages they saw were lifeless. Only a few farmers were working listlessly in the fields, their clothes even more tattered than those of the initial refugees in Hope Town. They were all emaciated, their eyes filled with numbness and fear.
“Mayor, look,” Aunt Leah said, her voice trembling, pointing to a farmer being whipped by soldiers in wooden shackles by the roadside, “that’s what happens when you can’t pay your taxes… It wasn’t like this before… it wasn’t like this before…”
"Although this place was poor before, at least everyone had hope. They planted wheat in spring and harvested it in autumn. On market days, the town was as lively as a festival. But since the old duke passed away and Karl's father, the current duke, came to power, everything has changed. Taxes have increased year by year, and the soldiers have become increasingly tyrannical… Now, they're not even human anymore…"
With tears in her eyes, she told Lin Yue and the others about Blackrock City's past prosperity and present suffering.
"This place used to be called Xiangshui Village, named after the clear stream at its entrance. We used to stop here to rest and drink some sweet well water when we went to the market. Now…sigh…"
Lin Yue looked in the direction she pointed, and saw that the river had long since dried up, leaving only a riverbed full of cracks.
As they approached Blackrock City, most of the pedestrians were raggedly dressed, their eyes filled with numbness and wariness. When they saw Lin Yue's group, who, despite their simple attire, possessed an exceptionally high level of spirit, they would instinctively avoid them, as if they were from another world.
Seeing all this, Lin Yue finally understood in a concrete way the despair and desperate resolve with which Aunt Leah and Old Bard chose to flee to the cursed land, a place feared by everyone and filled with unknown dangers. Because for them, the so-called civilized world behind them was perhaps more like hell than the cursed land.
When the dilapidated gray walls of Blackrock City finally appeared on the horizon, everyone fell silent.
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