Verse 10: Fear

Claire was so angry that she had nothing to say. Before, she thought that Ashrufat had given her a good idea, but now she realized that she had fallen for a big trick.

In this trade, it seems that the risks and benefits are not proportional.

However, they have crossed the line. They had crossed the border line drawn with human skin flags and entered territory claimed by this tribe. In other words, they move on, and can be understood as a trade, and if they turn around and leave now, it becomes a blatant provocation. When the time comes, if someone finds out again, things will be very bad, and you will have to fight even if you don't fight, and it's useless to pretend to be anything.

Besides, if she looks back now, how will she explain to Asowen, or further, how will she explain to Prince Huanyu, and her life will probably have no future.

Claire had no choice but to grit her teeth and risk her life this time.

Afraid of something, she prayed to Slaanesh in her distraction, and in the distance there was smoke and dust from the advance of the cavalry troops. It was only a brief moment before she saw a group of cavalry, apparently patrolling, appear on the side of the carriage.

Now, I can't retreat if I want to. Claire was ruthless, and she no longer thought about retreating. She sat down in the carriage, trying to keep herself in a haughty and disdainful look, ready to meet the cavalry.

The cavalry approached. Thankfully, as the distance approached, their horses slowed down. This shows that they plan to find out what is going on first, rather than ignoring 3721 and doing it first.

The speed of the carriage slowed down. After a short while, this group of about fifty cavalry surrounded the wagon. After seeing that the people in the car were calm, the cavalry did not take any drastic measures. It must be noted that their attention was quickly focused on Claire.

From the way she dressed, and the look she revealed, you could guess that the girl was a witch.

Although the barbarians and the people of the Seven Kingdoms regard themselves as superior to each other. But when it comes to magic, they all have something in common: the Church of the Gods of the Star Field shouts the slogan "Everyone can be a magician", but in reality the number of magicians in the Seven Kingdoms is really limited. The barbarians are similar, and while Tzeentch, one of the evil gods, claims to have all the magical knowledge, the wizard is still the best choice (and that includes even the apprentices). In short, humans need special talents to become users of magic, and if they don't have this talent, then they probably need divine grace.

In any case, a shaman is quite important to the existence of zài. Or to put it another way, in any case, a wizard is respected - or at least valued.

The situation at hand is no exception. Although the patrol team had an absolute advantage, since there was a witch on the opposite side, they did not dare to act rashly for a while. It was clear that this car, a small team of three people, was not here to launch an obvious provocation. And since they have a witch in their ranks, it means that the forces behind them are not so easy to mess with.

Just a witch clearly expresses two meanings: the sincerity of the owner of this team, and the strength of the master of this team.

"You ...... Who is it, what are you doing!" After a few minutes, the leader of the cavalry finally took the initiative to speak, because the three uninvited guests seemed to be calm and did not speak.

"We are not enemies. This time, Ashruphat took the initiative to speak. He stood up from the carriage and spread his hands outstretched, indicating that he had no hostility. "We're here to beg/buy salt. ”

He reached out and pointed to the stacks of fur beneath him. "Come on behalf of our tribe. ”

The leader hesitated for a moment. It was evident that he was eager to order his subordinates to take action, kill the three outsiders, and steal the whole cart of furs, including the horses that pulled the cart and the cart itself. But in the end, reason prevailed over impulse, and he rode forward, then dismounted and got into the car.

At such close range, he immediately judged that the car was entirely fur - fur from different beasts. There were no other suspicious items in the car other than fur. It's really just a squad that comes to trade.

If this is not the northern wilderness, but the southern country. Then he can take out these three people, and then use a lie to shift the blame off Yiqiē, claiming that he has never encountered such a team. But here is the Chaos Territory. There is no concept of law, fairness, let alone "crime needs evidence" and the like. The disappearance of a salt-seeking squad is a justification for war.

"Well, you come with me. The leader jumped out of the car and gestured to his men. They left around the wagon.

The next one is logical. On the outskirts of the tribe's camp, Claire meets another person within the tribe. However, this person is not a wizard, but a small boss (or a henchman of a big boss). The deal between the two sides was negotiated in a few words. They handed over all the furs, and then twenty bags of salt were put on the wagon. Then, under the watchful eye of the patrol they had just taken, they left the way they came.

The whole process was quick and simple, and there was hardly anything to say other than to propose a trade price. The patrol escorted them until they saw the human skin flag, and watched them leave, eventually disappearing from view.

"We ...... We succeeded!" It took a long time for Claire to realize that all the cold sweat on her forehead had been blown dry by the wind, and she realized what had happened.

I thought I would risk my life, but I was able to complete it so easily and simply? Isn't it much more difficult than having a breakfast!

Success came so suddenly, so simply, that she lost the joy she should have had, and she only felt incredible.

"yes, it worked. Ashruphat also did not have the slightest rejoicing in the aftermath of the catastrophe. He just looked at the horizon faintly, "When you go back, Asowen will admit that you are a marauder." ”

Claire nodded. At this time, she suddenly found that her legs were so weak that she couldn't stand up even if she wanted to.

"We went back the way we came, and it was safe. Ashrufat said.

When it was dark, the three of them camped by the carriage.

On the campfire, a prairie lizard is roasted. This small animal commonly found in the grasslands actually has a relatively hard flesh and only has very rudimentary cooking conditions. But maybe because Ashrufat was a good cook, or maybe because of the good mood it was to complete the task successfully, at least the lizard meat was a big hit tonight. The creature was quickly eaten clean.

The old man who was driving the car went to bed early. But Claire seemed to feel the belated excitement at this time, and she didn't feel sleepy for a long time. Ashrufat accompanied her to make small talk around the campfire.

"Ashrufat, you said you don't like fighting, are you scared?" she asked suddenly. "I mean, you weren't like that before, and then one day...... Experienced a very dangerous ...... And then you get scared. ”

"Hah...... Let's just say that. Ashrufat replied. He gently broke off the dead branches of the bushes with his hands and threw them into the campfire.

"Did I really guess it......? Like fighting?"

"Well, it used to be. I used to be a mercenary...... I don't know, do you know mercenaries? In short, take someone else's gold, and then work for someone. Ashruphat laughed. "I used to be a very arrogant person, I thought I was talented, I thought I was amazing, even omnipotent. Later, I found out that I was just there to bully and bully laymen who didn't know anything. He laughed again. "Bullying a self-righteous idiot, and then a megalomaniac with no one in mind...... It's like an ordinary person fighting a blind man, even if he wins, what does it mean? But at that time, I thought I was very good. ”

"And then, you meet a real opponent and get terrified?"

"I was really scared. I admit it, because that day I thought I wouldn't see the sun the next day. Ashrufat said. "When you find that your strength and strategy are so ridiculous in the face of absolute strength...... It seems that a long time ago, someone told me to have a sense of awe...... I didn't understand it in the past. Now I finally get it. Fighting is such a thing, if you can avoid it, avoid it. ”

"Coward!" Claire said. She noticed that Ashrufat did not react to the title. "You're not angry when you're called a coward?"

"It doesn't matter if you're called a coward. Because it's not a lie. Ashrufat replied.

"Cut, you're really hopeless. Claire snorted disdainfully. "How could the Prince of Darkness take a fancy to you!" she thought for a moment and suddenly asked. "By the way, how do you know they won't find a wizard apprentice to meet me. ”

"Guess. Ashrufat replied.

"Tell the truth. Claire said very politely. "I don't believe you don't know anything, it's just a guess. You must know something. Sue me to the truth, and know that you are in the tribe because I invited you. If I reject you, then ......" She deliberately left half a sentence unspoken, so as to increase the hidden threat in her words.

"Well, because I know one thing. Ashrufat said. "Remember that flag? I've seen that. ”

"South?"

"Well, on the battlefield. Ashrufat said. "So I'm guessing a lot of people in this tribe ...... It seems to have joined the army that invaded the South. However, the army that invaded the south was later defeated, and except for a few who could fly, the others were either killed or captured. So now...... Don't look at them still bluffing, but I'm afraid there aren't many wizards among them anymore. Especially those apprentices, I'm afraid there are no more. ”

Ashrufat's guess was very certain, because it was he who defeated the invading Chaos Legions, killing more than 100 Chaos wizards before and after. Judging from the strength of the Chaos Legion's invasion, their composition, and the corpses of the slain wizards, he easily deduced that this Tzeentch tribe was probably already suffering from a long time ago, and now it was just bluffing, and he didn't dare to provoke others at all.