It is a huge old warehouse hidden inside the belly of the mountain, almost imperceptible from the outside. In fact, Ash Valley Town, which was already a small city, had a real floor area nearly twice as large as what could be seen on the surface. The power of the arcane at the height of the Age of Empires wasn't just in the strange experiments of the archmages and the three floating cities. Even such a military stronghold, which was not the core, was forged by dozens of high-level mages leading hundreds of engineering golems. Arcane melts and reshapes rocks like dough and mud, and in the hands of mages who specialize in it, building buildings and digging tunnels is as easy as eating and drinking. The cave tunnels they built were not much better than even the dwarves.

It's just that after decades of decay, even the surface building Northern Legion has been too lazy to maintain it, and of course those cave warehouses that are not often used have been abandoned. During the ten years of earthquakes, many passages were damaged and collapsed, and the Northern Legion had completely regarded them as ruins, and after gradually cooperating with the dwarves, they simply assigned many of these cave warehouses to them. Gradually, these places became the territory of the dwarves.

However, under the faint crystal light, it was not the stout barbarians who gathered here, but hundreds of Westerners with relatively slender limbs, yellow skin, black hair and eyes, and dozens of Euros with different hair colors. Westerners and Europeans sit quietly and orderly on the floor of the warehouse.

In the center of the crowd was a burly man sitting cross-legged on the ground with only one arm, the big man's face was wearing a wooden mask, and the simple and crude knife skills and lines could not hide the hideous aura spreading on it. But this aura blends perfectly with the big man himself, and it doesn't give people a sense of obstruction at all, even if it's the first time to see this mask, it won't be strange. The eyes behind the mask were closed, and the big man's breathing was long, wide, and grand, as if he was swallowing an invisible Yangtze River with his eyes closed.

The people sitting on the floor around him were all facing him, some with their eyes closed, others staring straight at the mask. Some people looked sad and desolate, as if they were stuck in a memory that could not be looked back, some were hideous, gritted their teeth, and their eyes were full of tears, and some muttered to themselves in an inaudible whisper. In short, no one has a peaceful expression, and these sad or solemn or hideous auras are connected into a tangible aura with the central Han as the center, which cannot be swirled around in this entire warehouse, making this old and dim underground warehouse reveal a profound aura like an altar or a temple. The big man who is in the middle of the crowd and in the middle of this aura is like an ancient god statue that has been worshipped for thousands of years.

In fact, these Westerners are not the only ones in this vast warehouse, and there are also some dwarves scattered around the entrances of each passage. In fact, they also prefer to build a bonfire in a wide area, roast some meat and berries and chat and drink, but the strange smell of the Westerners makes them feel uncomfortable, who are known for their nervous coarseness, and they can only try to stay away, and the faint creepiness also makes them can't help but dare not make noise.

There was the sound of heavy footsteps in the distance, and the big man sitting in the middle of the crowd opened his eyes, and the dim warehouse seemed to be a flash of light, but in an instant it regained its calm. The strange aura from before slowly dissipated, and the big man stood up, turned to the direction of the footsteps, and watched quietly without saying a word. His movements caused a slight ripple in the crowd around him, and many people looked with him in the direction of the footsteps, but they didn't show any fluster.

The footsteps were as heavy as a giant ten meters high, but the last thing that appeared at the door of the warehouse was a dwarf with a bare head and no hair, dark and fierce eyes, and a somewhat sharp nose that made him look like a giant man-eating mouse. The surrounding dwarves nodded and saluted, this was their leader, Jinshi.

"Your Excellency High Priest, there has been some accident, and we may need your help. We'd better find a place where there's no one to talk about. The leader of the golden stone waved his hand, trying to speak in a more polite and friendly tone, so that he was accustomed to the sound of roars and roars sounding a little strange.

The masked man thought for a moment, whispered instructions to the two people closest to him, and followed the leader of the golden stone towards the distance.

"There's a Westerner mage who recognized me from the way you learned my combat skills?"

In a ruined tunnel far away from the warehouse, a strong human man called the High Priest was also a little surprised after hearing the words of the leader of the gold and stone: "What kind of person is it?"

"It should be a man......" The Jinshi leader was a little speechless, not knowing how to answer. Just as humans look at dwarves basically the same way, dwarves look at humans as long as the difference is not too big, not to mention that the Westerner mage has also changed his appearance. As an opponent, the Jinshi Leader was of course impressed, as long as that person walked in front of him, even the blindfolded Jinshi Leader could tell him from the rhythm of his footsteps, but it was too difficult for him to describe what kind of person he was in words. The age level of human beings is not very clear, and the gender screening is already the limit.

"It's the mages of the Imperial Legation from the west of Osstar Harbor, I heard that they are helping the temple investigate us. Unexpectedly, he finally chased here...... "Fortunately, the high priest didn't expect to ask anything from the dwarven leader, so he deduced the conclusion himself. "You said he could use arcane, is it really arcane?"

"Of course. The leader of the golden stone glared. In the nearly 100 years of opposing the Empire, he had torn apart at least dozens of Arcanists with his own hands, and at least a thousand of his compatriots who had witnessed being killed by Arcane bombardment, and he could not recognize the appearance and age of Westerners, but Arcane would never be mistaken.

"Although I don't quite understand how the mages of my hometown can adapt to the magic net system of the Euro Continent so quickly, if it is to use arcane arts, it should not be the most difficult to deal with..."The high priest nodded, and then looked at the goldstone leader who had no hair around him and still smelled of burning. "Looks like you're at the hands of that mage, right?"

"Yes!" the leader of the golden stone replied unabashedly, murderously and loudly, the sound of two bloodstained decapitators slashing at each other, with a bloody aura and violence echoing through the underground space. "So first of all, I want to ask you, is it possible that that guy is a friend or relative of yours back home?"

"No way. The High Priest's voice was flat, but very affirmative. "I don't have any friends or relatives anymore. ”

"Then why did he know that I learned it from you just because I learned your fighting posture and techniques?"

"In my hometown, there are not many people who know my fighting posture and technique. The high priest replied lightly.

"Oh? Why?"

"Because there are many people who want my life. ”

"That's good. Very good. The leader of the golden stone said it as hard as if he was about to bite these words to pieces. "So, this mage is your enemy. Then, please deal with him, such an unexpected adversary will cause great interference with our plans. It's impossible to count on the Legion's waste mages, and they can't be a match for this guy in those three or two hits. ”

"Yes. The high priest replied easily, without even asking what kind of opponent it was. "But we're going to take a tenth more afterwards. ”

"Good. "The Jinshi Leader is also very simple. "As long as you can help me solve that mage, you can take an extra tenth. Anyway, those guys in the legion don't need it, hehehehe..."

"It's not about taking a tenth more. It is one-tenth of the value of the entire goods. The High Priest explained lightly. That is to say, you take sixty percent, and we take forty percent. Don't worry, I won't ask for a drop of ale, but you'll give me gems or gold coins of the corresponding value. ”

The leader of the golden stone stopped speaking for a moment, stared at the high priest with dark eyes, and only after a long time did he say word by word: "This is too much beyond the agreement. I'm also going to get in touch with a few other clans to sweep through the cities in the south, we'll send out thousands of dwarven warriors, and you're just helping us get the attention of the temples. Your appetite is too great. ”

"We're at a lot riskier than you. The high priest was unmoved. "Afterwards, you can retract back into the Sgut Mountain Range, and at most give half of the harvest to the other clans, and you can get their understanding and support. Neither the Council of Nobles nor the Northern Legion could really declare war on the entire dwarven race. Even next year, I will have to continue trading with the dwarves. In the end, the greatest pressure will be borne by us, and the people who have followed me will not be able to return to any human city. A new denomination that has been ostracized and beaten, a group of displaced people, we must need more money. ”

After thinking about it, the Jinshi leader nodded: "Okay, but as a condition, you must really give me your unarmed attack technique." ”

The High Priest also thought for a moment and nodded, "Okay, but I'm not sure you'll learn much." ”

"By the way, you said earlier that this mage is not the most difficult one in the legations. So what is the most difficult Westerner to deal with? Arcane or Divine Magic?"

"Like me, with your own hands. ”

"Oh, is his freehand technique even better than yours?"

"I'm not afraid of him in actual combat. But when it comes to the techniques he has learned, he is much better than me. ”

"A lot?" the Golden Stone Leader's eyes widened, but they were still a small speck of pitch black.

"A lot. The high priest was very indifferent and very sure.

The leader of the golden stone stopped talking, but a pair of eyes flashed with an inexplicable light.

###

Leaping down from mid-air, the wind whispered and landed in the courtyard of the Howard family's caravan station, immediately causing a commotion among the nearby guards, who drew their swords and surrounded the translucent humanoid object with a choking sound. The Boar of Dotara, who was still snoring and eating in the corner, came running over and circled around him with a coaxing and affectionate sound, and then the more intelligent guards came and asked loudly, "Is it Master Wende?"

"Oh, is Master Wender back?" said Master Dundell in the back room.

"Lord Dundell, my pet just sent a friend of mine here, right? Where is it?" Feng Yinqiu noticed, of course, that the boar's back was empty.

"Ah, the beautiful Western lady who is wounded?" said Master Dundell, clapping his hands. "Of course she got here safely, but it looks like she's been through something terrible. What could be more rude than having a beautiful lady messily wear an alchemical robe covered in sweat and filth, and I have just prepared her a dress suited to her beauty, and she is changing her costume inside. ”

“... Really?" This answer really made Feng Yinqiu stunned, he also thought that Master Deng Deer would let Mu Qinyi recuperate from his injuries or recuperate, or ask questions or something, so he hurried back, and he didn't see where there were women in the caravan, or where there were women dressed up. "Where did you get the ladies to dress up?"

"Of course, I always have it on board. Master Dundell took it for granted, and pointed to the luxurious and oversized carriage. "As a true aristocrat, how can you allow a lady to appear in her place when she accidentally soils her clothes and can't find a suitable change of clothes?"

"I thought you weren't in the mood to do this. Feng Yinqiu looked at the extra swordsmen in the courtyard who had not seen before, as well as the caravan guards who were not in the slightest casual and quite vigilant, obviously in a state of vigilance. "Are those the guards of the other caravans? Are you asking people from the other caravans to help keep guard?"

"Isn't it all because of your reminder, Master Winder? I also find something strange here. Master Dundell's face darkened, and he leaned closer and asked in a low voice. "Was the previous voice from you, Master Winder? What kind of arcane effect is it? It actually sounds like a warrior's roar, I can't figure it out for a while, but the arcane fluctuations that came later... Did you really do it, fighting the dwarves? What the hell is going on?"

“...... This is a somewhat complicated topic, in fact, I don't know a lot of secrets very well, I need to ask that Ms. Mu to know. Let's wait until she gets dressed and then we'll talk about it. ”

It seems that as long as she is a woman, she has a strong talent for wearing clothes, especially beautiful clothes, so even if it is the first time to contact the female dress of the European continent, Mu Qinyi still didn't take long to put it on.

A purple pleated skirt, fitted and smooth satin, revealing snow-white shoulders and a small half of the chest, and a skirt with a diameter of almost two meters stretched underneath, this is undoubtedly an extremely unsuitable piece of clothing, in Feng Yinqiu's opinion, it is a hundred times better to pick up a torn robe there and put it on. But looking at Mu Qinyi's pale face, there was a hint of blush and a faint smile, as if he really liked this Euro court costume very much.

"This dress is just perfect for you. Your beauty shines as brightly as the eternal sun, as refreshing as the breeze on the side of the mountains, and even the boundless sea of chaotic storms cannot stop you from bringing your beauty to our continent. Be sure to come to Oroyosta and let me put on a grand welcome dance just for you. Ah, by the way, I've also heard of the magical spell casting system of the Western Continent, and we can talk about it more if we have the chance. ”

Master Dundell stepped forward and took Mu Qinyi's hand, bent down and put it to his mouth and kissed it gently. Although it was the first time for Mu Qinyi to come into contact with such a bold European etiquette, he was not surprised, he showed the generosity and indifference of the children of the rivers and lakes, his smile was even brighter, and the blush on his face was a little more, as if even the injury had improved a lot.

Feng Yinqiu coughed hard and said, "This Lady Mu is a mage of the envoys of the 'Qian' Empire in the Western Continent, and she just came to Osstar Harbor not long ago to help us sabotage a conspiracy between a gang and a cult that has been causing trouble for a long time. Due to a lack of manpower, on behalf of our family and Port Ossing, I invited her to help investigate the cultists' tracks. Because I was delayed on the road for a few days, Ms. Mu rushed here first and clashed with those dwarves. ”

Feng Yinqiu first opened his mouth to introduce Mu Qinyi's identity, and also hinted at his current identity. In fact, for an outsider like Master Dundell, there are not many things to hide, but Feng Yinqiu also feels that it is quite convenient to disguise himself as a Euro Master like this now, and he is even more lazy to explain to the other party, so he simply continues to pretend. As for this mage's actions, Feng Yinqiu could also see that it was not the kind of prodigal son who dizzy when he saw a woman, but just out of the instinct of a pampered family.

"Yes, thanks to this ...... Venerable Wende arrived just in time. Mu Qinyi was clear-minded, and naturally understood the meaning of Feng Yinqiu's words, and continued to say as he said.

"Those damned barbarian slaves treat a beautiful lady like this. If it weren't for the fact that they could mine all kinds of rare metals and gemstones, they wouldn't have any value at all!" Master Dundell was a little angry, the nobles from the imperial capital naturally had full contempt for these former imperial vassal barbarians in the remote areas. "But even in a place like the West Coast, where temples and churches are so powerful and dense, can there be a new cult? ”

"So, did you make any discoveries? Ms. Mu. Feng Yinqiu asked seriously.

"The cultists from Ossing are planning something in collusion with these dwarves. Mu Qinyi glanced at Feng Yinqiu. "I met fellow Westerners who had taken refuge at the mouth of the northern river, and who had purchased a dwarven floating island to live on it. I spoke to their patriarchs, and it seems that it was because they had long been oppressed by the local nobility and the Northern Legion that they wanted to rely on a new secondary deity, so they secretly supported this sect that believed in the 'God of Vengeance'. ”

"Also, I have met the high priest of this vengeful sect, a one-armed Westerner. I was knocked down and caught by him. Then he threw me over to the dwarves, who took control of several prisons that could suppress spells, imprisoned me inside, and I escaped while they weren't looking. That Western High Priestess is very powerful, and I don't think we are any match for him. I think we should go to Osstar City first and invite Mr. Liu from our envoy group here. ”

"No need. There is no need, at least now it's too late. Feng Yinqiu said lightly.

"We can take a break for a while. Please trust my judgment, it is indeed a very dangerous enemy. Mu Qinyi glared at Feng Yinqiu slightly.

"Is it a very powerful enemy? The Divine Priest is indeed a very dangerous opponent, but if it is just a cult and does not rely on the true god who represents the laws of the world, then the divine art should only be some superficial effects, right? Even if a warrior does not comprehend the law and sublimates the pure life energy into a fighting spirit containing attributes, it will not be a powerful enemy. Master Dundell on the side also spoke. "And the Northern Legion actually connived at the cultists and dwarves to collude on their own territory, what the hell do they want to do? This is their territory, and there are not many outsiders, they can't be unaware. ”

"The people of the Legion should be in the same league as them. Feng Yinqiu said.

Master Dundell was stunned: "Then what do they want to do?"

At this time, the caravan guards outside walked to the door and reported: "Your Excellency, the Northern Legion has sent someone. He said that there have been frequent fights between dwarves in recent days, and that we should not move around, just stay in our own places. Also, when he saw the guards of the other caravans, he asked them to return to their respective stations. ”

"Let him go. Master Dundell waved his hand as if to repel an invisible mosquito fly. "Even the commander of the Northern Legion is not qualified to order anyone from the Howard family. Tell him that the most he can do is suggest that it is our business whether we adopt it or not. ”

"Wait, why don't we go and have a look. Feng Yinqiu said suddenly.

The Northern Legion sent a young officer, who should be a mid-level officer with the rank of squadron leader, with four or five ordinary soldiers, a neatly trimmed beard, and a confident countenance, as if to explain to others that he can already be regarded as a middle-level person with a certain status and voice in Gray Valley Town.

But when facing the noble mage from Oroyosta, the young officer's back still bent slightly, and a smile appeared on his face: "Your Excellency, because there is some small commotion outside, we have asked the various caravans to stay in their respective inns and garrisons as much as possible, in case of any unexpected conflicts. And tomorrow the dwarfs' gems and gold will arrive, for the sake of convenience......"

"Don't worry, we're going to be ready to leave in no time. Having just heard that the dwarves here were rioting and looting, we decided to trade our goods to the port city to the south. Master Dundell's words were flat and soft, but the squadron leader who listened was like a lightning strike, and his eyes immediately widened.

"Ah, this... This one... How can you..."The squadron leader was stunned, panicked, almost danced, and stammered for a long time before he could barely make up his words. "Please... Please don't do this, this... Contrary to the old rules, no city in the south ever bought ale wine and sold it here. ”

"This is Master Winde of the Rothschild family, and it was he who invited us to go south. His family can buy our goods. ”

"Fake! He must be a liar! The Rothschilds would never dare to buy the goods at this time!"

The panicked squadron leader told the truth in one bite, and even Mu Qinyi couldn't help but glance at Feng Yinqiu. But Feng Yinqiu was unmoved, just waved his hand indifferently, and the five-force field missile flew past the middle leader's head and hit the wall behind him with a few muffled sounds. The squadron leader jumped up with a snort, and one of the shots grazed his ear, and although it didn't hit, the base of the ear was still soaked with blood.

"Next time, I'll have the arcane explode in your mouth, and I'll make a specimen of your corpse and hang it on my mage tower for everyone to see. As for your chief, I think a maximum of five hundred gold coins will allow him to put you on the list of heroic deaths against the dwarves. Feng Yinqiu was neither angry nor arguing, and the cold indifference on his old-fashioned and stiff face seemed to be the arrogance of a mage, just as he was too lazy to explain to a lowly creature like a bug.

The squadron leader was frightened and frightened with his head in his arms, and several soldiers behind him were also panicked. The soldiers of the legion have some knowledge of the arcane, and those who can casually pop out a ring of arcane without the slightest preparation and ominous omen must be a high-level mage who has mastered at least four or five rings of arcane. By any measure, that's something they can't afford to mess with.

"But... But..."The officer didn't seem to even have the courage to look at the high-ranking mage, so he could only look around, as if he wanted to get out of the ground to find an answer. A vicious look occasionally flashed on his flustered face, and then he immediately covered it up, and after a while, he raised his head and said, "Then please leave tomorrow, okay? We can also send some men to escort ...... along the way."

"Aren't the dwarves going to deliver the goods and gold they owe tomorrow? Can you still send someone to escort us?And we have to hurry, because the main buyer this time is the Imperial fleet from the Western Continent, and this Lady Mu is their representative......"

"Wait a minute, wait a minute, no matter what...... Fearing that a handful of dwarves would come to sabotage and loot, we've sealed off the town of Ashdale, and I'm sure you saw the guards outside when you came... As long as tomorrow, tomorrow morning our guard will be withdrawn...... Anyway, please don't act indiscriminately for the time being, I'll report to the sir. ”

Looking at the officer who was almost deserted, Master Dundell frowned: "The Northern Legion is really getting more and more disagreeable. Such a young man seems to have been promoted by the shadow of his elders. There is neither etiquette nor ability, and even the most basic response is so unprepared. But what does he mean he wants us to stay here and wait until tomorrow?"

"Presumably, the plan is to wipe out all the caravans here tonight, and kill them for money. Feng Yinqiu said lightly. As early as on the border of Shenzhou, he had seen too much of this kind of drama of officials and bandits seeking money and killing people. Even if there is no real evidence, just the cultists lurking here, the dwarves insisted on expelling them before, the Northern Legion has been delaying the payment of the caravan, and the officer's reaction, he has guessed everything.

"What?" said Master Dundell's eyes widened. Although he was also a little vigilant and took defensive measures, he was far from imagining such a situation. "How is it possible, how dare they do such a thing! murder the nobles of the Empire, murder the mage from Oroyosta!"

"Aren't there dwarves, especially cultists, to bear the blame for them? Maybe they're just accomplices. Feng Yinqiu's eyes flickered. "Then what does Lord Dundell think he should do?

###

"Waste! Waste!

Gnawing on the chicken thighs, pouring honey on them, and roaring loudly, the Resident Commander's throat was busier than that of the hardest bees.

"I knew that these little cubs who bought jobs with money were all rubbish! They were all rubbish! They couldn't even do such a little thing. Even the guys in the canteen who specialize in making soup can come up with dozens of flawless excuses to cheat the food bill, how can they not find a single one to fool those caravans!"

The soldier standing in front of the commander closed his eyes with a bitter face, enduring the raindrops of food and wine spit out as he roared. The young officer who had been tasked with pacifying the Howard family's caravan was said to have suffered a sudden episode of dysentery, but only sent this soldier to report it. Sure enough, as soon as the situation was explained, the commander was furious.

The Commander kept stuffing food into his mouth, but even the most delicious food couldn't suppress his anger now. He really felt angry and helpless. This time was originally just a simple and lucrative action, so when he heard the news, he spent a lot of money to get his current position, but he didn't expect it to become like this now. These middle- and lower-level officers who are trying their best to temporarily transfer here like themselves don't have the appearance of a soldier at all, and their sense of responsibility is not as good as that of a civilian man who is caught anywhere, if they really rely on these guys to fight, 10,000 people can't do a hundred dwarves.

But the commander can't forcefully come up with military law to deal with it, not just because everyone is in a position that everyone has bought, such a young middle-level officer, you don't have to guess to know that the backstage or elders behind this guy must have a higher status than him. If he still wants to mess around in the Northern Legion, turning a blind eye or finding a substitute for the dead to help carry this black cauldron is the best way to deal with it.

"Report!" A sweaty soldier rushed to the door: "The Howard family's caravan wanted to leave the town, but it was stopped by the troops guarding the intersection, and the two sides have begun to fight in earnest!"

A mouthful of mead choked in his throat, and the Commander coughed violently. It took him a while to regain his breath, and he shouted with a flushed face: "Go and stop them, you must stop them." If it really doesn't work, go and inform the dwarves and Westerners and let them do it in advance!"

Could it be that something leaked out of the caravan to let those caravans know? Gasping for breath, the commander only felt his stomach constrict, and the food he had just eaten seemed to have turned into cold stones, and he couldn't vomit when he wanted to. The secrecy of this operation is not high, at least everyone who spends money to come in to participate is clear, and with them are also cronies, so it stands to reason that a group of foreign caravans cannot know. So are the dwarves and the Westerners? There's no reason, what good can this do them? Wouldn't it be good to wait until the evening to do it together without even noticing? If a few people accidentally escaped, if the news leaked out......

Before he knew it, the commander's head was covered with beads of sweat, and the whole person looked like a meatball that had just been fished out of the soup. At this moment, his deputy, Alstom, walked in quickly, and there was a hint of joy on his stiff face, which was full of wrinkles and looked at least thirty years older than his actual age: "Sir, there is good news. ”

"Good news, good news, what good news can there be?" asked the commander, cautiously and hungrily.

"We have reinforcements coming! Actually, I think our biggest weakness in this operation is our lack of strength, which is not enough to deter those barbarians and cultists, and we do not have enough preparation strength in the face of any unexpected situation, but now it is different!"

"How many reinforcements are there?" The commander's face and mood did not change much, if it was a group of guys who were rushing to share the oil and water and the credit, it would not be good news.

Master Alstom did not answer, but looked back for a moment, then bowed down and said with a respectful face to a heavy footstep that was gradually approaching, "Sir, please come in." ”

Then a tall, majestic old man who looked like a bear standing upright walked in.

"Sir Adari!" the Commander swooped up like a bouncy ball.