When the sun climbed halfway up the sky and warm sunlight began to pour down, this “legion” of fifty people finally set off in a rather chaotic manner.
“Good job, kid!”
Takur rode on horseback, constantly observing the movement of the entire group.
When he saw that the twenty people assigned to William had begun to reluctantly form ranks and follow behind the professional soldiers, he nodded inwardly in satisfaction.
“Keep up with me! Don’t fall behind, watch how you carry your weapons, and don’t hurt yourselves or others!”
For Wu Ming, this level of organization and management was naturally a piece of cake.
Although these were only militiamen and a temporary squad, after becoming the leader, he finally had a bit of authority and an opportunity to show off his abilities.
Wu Ming clearly understood that with today’s performance and his demonstrated abilities, upon returning he would easily receive a recommendation from Sir Takur, becoming a guard serving the baron, and instantly rising to the middle class in Nia Town.
But was that all he desired?
As the weather gradually turned colder after the harvest season, winter approached—a dangerous season.
The peasants who lived in towns and villages with their hearths were relatively safe, but the wild tribes and savages living in the wilderness would face the dual threats of cold and hunger.
In order to stockpile enough food, they often launched fierce attacks, raiding villages and even towns.
With the exception of the lord’s castle, there was hardly any building they would not dare to attack.
Therefore, at this time of year, many lords would simultaneously choose to launch expeditions into the wilderness, clearing out unsafe elements around their villages and towns.
Outside the town, the farmland was neat and orderly. Occasionally, farmers could be seen bent over working in the fields. A cool breeze blew by, carrying the fragrance of grass stems and earth.
Unfortunately, such a pleasant scene disappeared forever after walking for another half hour or so.
The surroundings became increasingly desolate, with weeds growing even on the main road. Occasionally, the roar of unknown wild beasts could be heard, causing everyone’s expressions to turn serious and tense as they gripped their weapons tightly.
“Beyond the village lies an unknown world of darkness and wilderness…”
Wu Ming looked at this scene and sighed inwardly.
Between the village and the wilderness, there seemed to be an invisible boundary separating two different worlds.
Ignorance and savagery, civilization and enlightenment, even survival and death!
In such an era, traveling alone often meant suicide. Many farmers never left their hometowns their entire lives.
Bandits on the roads, wild beasts, and wilderness dwellers were enough to make any adventurer hesitate.
Of course, this group was still relatively close to a civilized settlement, and Wu Ming’s party consisted of fifty strong men, all armed, so ordinary thieves would not dare to provoke them.
They walked all day until the road itself seemed to disappear, when Sir Takur finally gave the order from ahead: “Find a flat area and set up camp!”
Tents, essential for wilderness survival, were naturally prepared by everyone. However, the soldiers from the town had standardized, neatly arranged ones, while Wu Ming’s side looked rather pitiful.
“Chief! Let me help you!”
As Wu Ming was about to set down his leather tent, a tall, thin man immediately stepped forward to offer assistance. He had a few missing teeth, spoke with a lisp, and had a swollen cheek.
“Broken-Tooth Henry, it’s all yours!”
Wu Ming naturally agreed without objection, watching this new follower eagerly rush about.
After Wu Ming knocked him down with a single blow and then defeated all the challengers one-on-one, Henry had completely submitted, becoming Wu Ming’s loyal follower and earning the nickname “Broken-Tooth.”
Wu Ming’s management style was simple and direct. He divided the group into four teams of five each and appointed several squad leaders.
As for the selections, he naturally chose Joey, Andrew, and Henry—not that Henry had been knocked out in one move by Wu Ming, but he was actually one of the most skilled among the group, adept at using short spears.
The remaining four naturally followed Wu Ming himself.
This method of division resembled the ancient Chinese military system of units of ten and five, yet proved quite effective.
After setting up the tents, bonfires were lit one after another. Most of the men took out bread, toasted it over the fire, and eagerly smelled the aroma from the soup pots, constantly swallowing their saliva.
As the leader, Wu Ming naturally received preferential treatment, roasting a rabbit that Henry had casually hunted.
Bright yellow flames joyfully licked the meat, dripping fat and sizzling.
Wu Ming silently watched, then suddenly pulled out a small pouch from his pocket, sprinkling some fine white salt over the meat. The aroma intensified.
“William… this is top-quality snow salt you’ve got here!”
Joey approached, sat beside Wu Ming, stared at his salt pouch, and his eyes widened: “I bet this tiny bag of refined salt could fetch five silver Thalers in the lord’s mansion!”
“A strong warrior needs a strong body!”
Wu Ming smiled slightly, tearing off a rabbit leg to give to Joey once it was roasted.
“Phew-phew…”
Joey took a hearty bite. Although there were no other seasonings, the pure saltiness combined with the aroma of roasted meat produced a deliciousness that made him unable to stop. After biting hard, he was scalded and immediately began gasping for air, his expression so funny that others wanted to laugh.
Wu Ming ate his portion but felt somewhat regretful.
Of course, he also wanted to get some other seasonings, but unfortunately, in this world, spices and flavorings seemed to be extremely precious items—expensive and often reserved for nobility, with no way to purchase them even if one wanted.
Take black pepper, for example. Auntie Roa had told him that in Howling Castle, this precious spice was sold at exorbitant prices—each grain equivalent to one golden Daron!
After hearing this news and failing to find any wild alternatives, he could only give up entirely.
After finishing his meal, Joey wiped his mouth and suddenly said, “Chief, watch out. ‘Blondie’ seems to have something against you!”
“Blondie? Arthur?”
This person wasn’t part of the temporary team but belonged to the city guard, and was even a squad leader in charge of ten men.
“Why would he be like that?”
Wu Ming was somewhat confused and puzzled.
“Who knows…”
Joey shrugged his shoulders. Sometimes, jealousy is like a seed of thorns, unknowingly planted in the heart, slowly taking root and sprouting without detection.
“Alright, I understand. Thanks for the warning!”
Wu Ming naturally wouldn’t immediately believe Joey. Although he came to inform him, possibly with an element of flattery, who could guarantee that there weren’t other hidden intentions?
Or perhaps… deliberately provoking?
Not just him, even Henry and the seemingly honest Andrew, Wu Ming had never truly relaxed his guard around.
As he was silently thinking, a soldier approached from the opposite camp.
He wore half-armor, had curly golden hair, and bore a radiant smile—the most standard Western face, giving a feeling of a sunny neighborhood boy.
“Arthur!”
Wu Ming immediately recognized this guard squad leader and smiled: “Please just call me William!”
“Alright then, William!”
Arthur explained his purpose: “Although Sir Takur has arranged for you to take night watch, I still came to ask if there’s anything I can help with?”
“If that’s the knight’s wish, I will naturally carry it out resolutely!”
Wu Ming immediately agreed. However, after Arthur left, his expression turned slightly gloomy.
Although Arthur seemed like a friendly young man, exuding goodwill and making it hard for anyone to be wary, during their conversation, Wu Ming’s extraordinary perception had keenly detected a hint of malice.
Combined with Joey’s words, he was now about seventy to eighty percent certain.
“What could it be?”
Wu Ming lowered his head, silently considering the possibilities: “Conflict of interests? Simple jealousy? Or perhaps… he has been instigated or provoked by someone else?”
However, even if he understood the reason, this was not yet the time to act.
With a bit of doubt lingering, he assigned the night watch personnel and then silently sat by the bonfire, watching the others play and joke around.
It must be said that among these mercenaries, there were people from all walks of life. Compared to the baron’s soldiers, their discipline was incomparable, but each had their own unique skills.
Take Henry, for example—he was an excellent hunter. Although Andrew was old, he excelled in organization and discipline and could even help correct others.
Then there was a guy named Heim who had learned a bit of the bard’s art. After everyone had eaten their fill, he pulled out an instrument resembling a small organ and began to sing softly:
“The sword is born from fire, illuminating the glory of crowns…
A crimson star crosses the sky, heralding a new era…
The serpent is born from shadows, the hero holds his sword, blowing the horn of battle…
Brave youth, quickly embark on your adventure, the future awaits your miracle…”
Wu Ming listened to a few verses. It seemed to be a prophecy or a story. Because of its pleasant melody, it was quite popular in Nia Town and was said to be a must-have song for almost every bard.
“People in this world believe that long ago, the continent was created by a serpent, whose bloodline ruled the entire land until the advent of the Dark Age, when the serpent fell into silence and other creatures began to rise…”
He recalled the legends of this world.
“And when the ominous red star appears, the serpent will awaken from the shadows and chaos, ruling the world once again!”
“Unfortunately… I have never sensed any trace of a Creator God here…”
There were too many legends from bards, most of which were fictional or fabricated, so Wu Ming didn’t pay much attention. However, he was quite interested in the descriptions of other races within these tales.
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