To the south of the Xuanwu Domain is a desert, which is called the Southern Wilderness in the area that crosses the border of the empire, and in the southwest direction to the north, there is a large mountain range of hundreds of thousands of kilometers, which is located on the border of the Xuanwu Domain, in which the terrain is so steep that even brute beasts are rarely found, let alone humans, and because of this, it is called the Quman Mountain Range by the local humans. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

I don't know if it's because of the meaning of this name, in the past two hundred years, no brute beast has ever invaded the territory of the empire from the mountain range, or across the mountain range, most of the invading brute beasts have entered from the end of the north and south ends of the mountain range, harassing the Xuanwu Domain, which has made the third-level town under the Quman Mountain Range Phosphorus Fire Town have existed for eighty years, and has been living steadily under the protection of the mountain.

In the winter of 223, the tide of brute beasts that invaded the White Tiger Domain was divided into two groups, one of which went south, broke through from the Xuanwu-White Tiger Middle Boundary, and began to continuously infest the low-level towns and cities of the Xuanwu Domain, and within a month, four third-level towns and cities were destroyed in a row, and all the connecting routes north of the Phosphorus Fire Town were cut off.

Fortunately, Phosphorus Fire Town was built under the mountain range, and the direction of the Wild Beast Tide was the second-level towns and cities in the Xuanwu Domain, and when they killed and destroyed the nearest third-level town to the north of Phosphorus Fire Town for a week, they turned to the west, allowing Phosphorus Fire Town to avoid the invasion of Wild Beasts again.

However, the westward movement of the beast tide still caused a great sensation in the Xuanwu Domain, led by Qin Zhen, a first-level town, and finally sent a combat force to support the second-level town, and the leader Si Ge was a newcomer named Guan Xin.

Under the pressure of public opinion, the three first-class towns and cities successively sent three thousand-strong troops to oppress the east together with Guan Xin's troops, trying to force the southbound tide of brute beasts out of Xuanwu and stop the damage they caused in the second- and third-level towns and cities.

However, this wave of brute beasts was different from the previous wave harassment, showing extremely dexterous mobility, and even avoided four combat units in succession, turned south, and suddenly disappeared from the reconnaissance of the four troops.

Guan Xin was very angry about this, but after several searches, he failed to find any clues of this wave of beast tide, so he could only stop the army in place and wait for a new step in development.

But the other three troops didn't know that among the Guan Xin troops who had stopped the army, a team of sixty people broke away from the large army, not to find the traces of the brute beast tide, but to travel east and quietly pass through the two second-level towns and cities in the domain, and then arrived at the phosphorus fire town under the Quman Mountain Range.

In the army of sixty people, everyone was dressed in civilian clothes, but a discerning person could still see that they had a different temperament, and it was obvious that they were not ordinary townspeople.

After staying in the market for a short time, the sixty people came to the town lord's pavilion in Phosphorus Fire Town, fifty-seven people instantly scattered and hid in the crowd, while the other three, after not knowing what to show to the stunned guards, waited for a moment before being led into the town lord's pavilion.

The current mayor of Phosphorus Fire Town, a middle-aged man of about fifty years old, named Shibasaki Saburo, was sitting in the council hall at this time, his face was changing, his eyebrows were squeezing and provoking, and he seemed to be a little uncomfortable, until the three of them walked into the council hall, he suppressed his other expressions and replaced them with a flattering smile.

"It is really a sin and a sin for a few adults to come to Phosphorus Fire Town, and the lower officials have missed the welcome. ”

"Lord Shibasaki doesn't have to be polite, my visit to Phosphorus Fire Town this time is a confidential matter, and it's normal not to know. ”

As soon as this voice came out, Shibasaki Saburo was stunned for a moment, and when he raised his eyes, he saw that after the person in front of him took off his hood, he actually revealed an extremely young face, with no hair on his mouth, and he looked like he was still underage.

A person next to him introduced: "This is Captain Qiao Xiaodao Qiao of Qinzhen." ”

Qiao Xiaodao nodded slightly, Shibasaki Saburo reacted at this time, and immediately smiled: "It turned out to be Captain Qiao, Captain Qiao is really a hero and a young man, and he is in a heavy position at such a young age, which really makes Shibasaki admire!"

"The town lord praised it falsely, this time Qiao came to have a confidential matter and needed the assistance of the town lord. ”

Shibasaki Saburo hurriedly nodded his head: "Captain Qiao just orders, and Shibasaki will definitely help." ”

"In that case, then please ask the town lord to give me some information about the Quman Mountains first. ”

"Huh?"

For some reason, Shibasaki Saburo, who was originally full of sycophants, suddenly froze after hearing the four words of Qu Man Mountain Range, and his voice was stuck in his throat for a long time without making a sound.

Qiao Xiaodao frowned and asked, "Lord Shibasaki, is there anything wrong?"

Shibasaki Saburo was awakened and immediately waved his hand: "No, no, Shibasaki just didn't expect that adults were interested in that place, and he didn't react for a while." ”

"That place?" Qiao Xiaodao asked rhetorically: "What the town lord said is the Quman Mountain Range, right?"

Shibasaki Saburo took a few breaths, his face softened, and then replied: "Exactly, the Quman Mountain Range is rarely visited, even birds and beasts are rare, and the terrain is extremely steep, so no one will approach that place at all, so when the adults mention it, Shibasaki will be so surprised." ”

"Is that so? Then please share all the information you know with me!"

Shibasaki Saburo lowered his head and thought about it, and then said: "Although there is no trace of **** in this Quman Mountain Range, but Phosphorus Fire Town is also fortunate to be protected by this mountain range, and it has only existed for more than 80 years. ”

"Hmm. Qiao Xiaodao nodded.

"In addition, the origin of the name of our Phosphorus Fire Town is precisely because of this Quman Mountain Range. ”

"Oh, what do you say?"

"That's right: eighty years ago, when Phosphorus Fire Town was first founded, it was actually called Gushan Town, which meant relying on the mountains to seek protection, but a year after the town was built, hunters in the town began to see the ghost fire realm at the foot of the mountain range, and after being frightened, it quickly caused a sensation and unease in the town. ”

Qiao Xiaodao frowned: "Ghost fire?"

"Yes, when the hunters were hunting near the mountain range, some of them would forget the time because of the hunting of their prey, and as a result, they would not return to the town until nightfall, and some of them would see countless dark green ghost fires floating in the Quman Mountains at night, floating in the mountains and forests, and even heard the cries of all kinds of demons, which immediately frightened them too much, and most of them fell seriously ill after returning to the town, and they could not cheer up for a long time. ”

"And what happened next?"

Shibasaki Saburo smiled: "Later, the then lord of the mountain town was forced to send people to investigate the source of this ghost fire, and after half a month, it was finally discovered that these ghost fires were just a spectacle formed by the spontaneous combustion of phosphate mines in the mountain. ”

"Phosphate rock?"

"Yes, this phosphate mine is also a strange thing, as long as it is placed on a hot day, it can spontaneously combust even if there is no fire, and it is light, so there are often countless spontaneously combustible phosphate mines floating in the air on summer nights, which forms the ghost fire that those hunters see. ”

Qiao Xiaodao raised his eyebrows, thought about it and asked, "Then what is the reason for the sound of ghosts crying that they heard?"

"Hey, hey. Shibasaki Saburo chuckled again: "This matter is even more of a coincidence." Adults also know that the terrain of this Quman Mountain Range is particularly steep, and the structure is undulating, because the peaks of the canyons are uneven, and the night wind in summer is mighty, after blowing into the mountains, it will cause all kinds of strange sounds because of this peculiar terrain, and the sound of ghost crying comes from this. ”

"So, because of this incident, the town was renamed the current Phosphorus Fire Town?"

"Your Excellency is so smart! Shibasaki Saburo nodded repeatedly.

Qiao Xiaodao didn't care about Shibasaki Saburo's praise, but after pondering for a while, he looked at him again: "Is there anything else?"

Shibasaki Saburo's movements paused, his expression became scornful, and he said, "It's gone." ”

"Gone?"

He laughed awkwardly twice: "Yes." Although the matter of the ghost fire has been solved, after all, no one will go deep into the mountain range, and our understanding of the Quman Mountain Range is nothing more. ”

Qiao Xiaodao was silent, staring at Shibasaki Saburo for a long time, until the other party sneered and wanted to say something, he said: "In that case, then please ask the town lord of Shibasaki to arrange accommodation for me and others." Today, 60 of us and others need to stay here for one night. ”

Shibasaki Saburo's expression immediately became brighter: "Okay, I'll let people arrange accommodation now, besides, since the adults have come to Phosphorus Fire Town, why don't I have a banquet tonight, which can be regarded as a breeze and dust for the adults, right?"

......

At night, the banquet in the town lord's pavilion had ended, and Qiao Xiaodao also returned to the inn arranged by Shibasaki Saburo.

"My lord, the brothers have already inquired in the town in the afternoon, and there are indeed not many people who know about the news about the Quman Mountains, and the hunters do not go to the mountains to hunt, and they can't even find a guide. ”

One of the people who followed Qiao Xiaodao into the Town Lord's Pavilion was also in the house, and he was looking down at him and asking.

Qiao Xiaodao relaxed his expression, closed his eyes and thought for a while, and then said: "It is indeed a fact that there are few people in this Quman Mountain Range, but today's town lord pavilion and his party are a little strange!"

The gray-clothed subordinate beside him also nodded: "This Shibasaki Saburo, the lord of Phosphorus Fire Town, seems to be respectful to the adults and responds to his requests, but it seems that the matter of the Quman Mountain Range has not been explained. ”

"That's right! When I mentioned the Quman Mountains, there was something wrong with his expression, but then it was all on the surface. What the hell is this guy hiding?"

"My lord, or I'll ...... tonight"

Qiao Xiaodao shook his head: "Brother Guan...... Guan Sige has already said that our mission this time is confidential, and it is best not to cause a conflict in this phosphorus fire town, otherwise the consequences will be unpredictable. ”

The man in gray nodded, letting go of his tense shoulders.

"Forget it, since this Shibasaki Saburo is unwilling to confess to the truth, then tomorrow we will go to the mountain range to explore it ourselves, and then decide the next step!"