Chapter 73: Migrating Sand Gazelles
Kant was awoken by the sound of someone shouting.
His head was heavy with slumber still. There was the sound of a palm beating urgently on the wooden door, and it was mixed with a rough voice. Kant stepped out into the corridor outside the room. “My Lord, wake up quickly.”
“Stop knocking.”
There was anger still lingering from being awoken so abruptly. Kant forced himself to suppress it and said helplessly, “You’ll pay with Denar if you break the door.”
Kant lifted the wool blanket and quickly put on his clothes. He opened the door and looked at the embarra.s.sed and excited infantry outside. He could not help but shake his head and said, “What happened? Did the enemy attack?”
“No, we found a herd of sand gazelles.”
The Swadian footman gulped and quickly reported, “They are migrating near us!”
“What?” Kant had an incredulous expression.
He looked at the footman, unable to think straight after a night’s sleep. He could not help but blurt out, “You said that there are sand gazelles migrating near us? ”
“Yes, my Lord!” The light footman nodded resolutely.
Kant rubbed his face. “Is it April Fools’ Day Now? I don’t remember there being such a festival in Caradia.”
But he walked down the stairs anyway.
After all, seeing is believing. One only needed to take a look to see if there were any sand gazelles migrating near the Oasis Lookout.
“My Lord, Good Morning.”
“Good Morning, Lord Kant!”
In the Council Hall, Swadian cavalry wearing chain armor were standing guard.
Kant nodded. “Good morning.”
As he walked out of the Council Hall, there was no bustling crowd outside the street.
Instead, at the western end of the street, many people were gathering at the sugar workshop. Swadian Heavy Cavalry, Swadian Footmen, Sarrandian hors.e.m.e.n, and the Ravenstern rangers were all blocking the street.
“What happened?”
Kant frowned. He saw that Firentis and Ma Nide were also standing there.
They were all looking outside, full of vigor.
“Are there really sand gazelles migrating? How can there be such creatures migrating in this d.a.m.ned place?”
Kant was helpless. His curiosity was piqued and he quickly walked over.
The Nahrin Desert did not have the rich vegetation resources of the Senwaya Range, nor did it have the streams and water pools that were commonly seen in the Senwaya Range. It was not a place where creatures like the sand gazelles lived.
Sand gazelles. Despite their name, it was not like they could really live in the desert.
They could only adapt very slightly to the desert environment.
Rather, compared to other creatures, they had evolved their own way of living in the desert.
“Lord Kant, you’re here.”
Ma Nide heard footsteps behind him and turned his head to see Kant walking over quickly.
With a smile on his face, he said to Kant in surprise, “I didn’t expect the Oasis Lookout to be part of the sand gazelles’ migration route. In the future, we can hunt these gazelles for food, and their hide for leather products.”
“Are there really sand gazelles?” Kant was slightly stunned.
Firentis also nodded affirmatively and pointed outside. “There are many, my lord.”
The other soldiers also saw Kant walking over and bowed their heads respectfully. At the same time, they gave him a path to the outside so that Kant could see for himself in front.
“I see.” Kant nodded in response.
Walking forward, the newly appeared small lake was sparkling. His eyes looked at the lake to the west, and then they widened as if he had discovered a new continent. “This… There are so many?!” He could not help but exclaim.
What they said was that there were sand gazelles migrating. From Kant’s point of view, it was not just a lot.
It was an overwhelming number!
Thousands of sand gazelles were gathering and sticking their heads out to drink from the lake.
They were orderly and vigilant. Many sand gazelles were poking their heads out of the lake to look in the direction of Drondheim. Their eyes, dark as black pearls, did not allow strangers into their depths.
Their small bodies were vigorous and agile.
Tufts of black hair cut across their necks from the top of their heads to the end of their backs. Among the pale yellow fur on their bodies, they looked like a long black line, adding to the spirituality of the little thing.
There were also two long horns that were spiraling slightly above their heads, like sharp swords that pierced through the sky.
“How did they appear here?”
Kant swallowed, the shock disappearing from his expression..
Firentis said from behind, “We found them when we were patrolling this morning. They came from the Senwaya Range, and it wasn’t just this herd. Many herds of sand gazelles had pa.s.sed before, but they weren’t as numerous as this herd. ”
“I know they came from the Senwaya Range.”
Kant nodded. He had known this since he was young. The sand gazelles in the Senwaya Range was a delicacy on the plates of n.o.ble families.
But looking at the sand gazelle in front of him, he could not help but ask, “I want to know why they went to the depths of the desert. Is there something in the depths of the desert that attracts them?”
A herd of cute little things risking their lives to enter the desert was unusual.
The surrounding soldiers frowned slightly. They did not understand either.
“I may have an idea. ”
Ma Nide suddenly spoke. His tone was slightly hesitant, but after some thought, he still asked Kant, “I remember that you once talked about the sand gazelles in the Senwaya Range. At the end of the month, even the most outstanding hunter of the Dukedom of Leo would find it difficult to catch one during this time, right?”
“That’s right. Everyone in the Dukedom of Leo knows about it.” Kant nodded.
This interesting matter was recorded in some books, but they did not take it seriously. After all, there were a few days a month when they could not eat the sand gazelle meat, so it did not matter too much.
But who would have thought that these sand gazelles would actually appear here?
This made Kant curious.
Ma Nide continued, “Moreover, in the ruins of the Jackalan Tribe, we once found burnt dried meat, which were all made of these sand gazelle. At the same time, I remember that your first battle in the Nahrin Desert was to kill the hunting team of the Little Jackalan Tribe that originally occupied the Oasis Lookout.”
“Yes, that’s right. It’s true.” Kant frowned, and the image of that time appeared in his mind.
In his memory, he seemed to have arrived at the Oasis Lookout at the end of the month. With this thought in mind, Kant understood. “You mean to say that, in the last week of the month, there will be sand gazelles migrating near Oasis Lookout? ”
“That’s right.” Ma Nide nodded slightly. “It’s very simple, then. Perhaps there is something in the Nahrin desert that is attracting these sand gazelles, even if it they have to risk their lives to go in. ”
Kant frowned slightly.
Firentis and the other soldiers who surrounded them were all staring at them in a daze.
Obviously, they had not reacted yet.
Looking at the puzzled gazes around him, Ma Nide said with certainty, “It’s salt. ”
“Salt?” The surrounding soldiers were still in a daze.
They were all model warriors. If they were asked for a way to kill the enemy in the shortest time, then they would be able to come up with seven or eight of the most effective ways instantly.
But this kind of question was obviously difficult for them to deal with.
Kant opened his mouth, and his furrowed brows slightly relaxed. “You’re referring to the natural salt mines? If that’s the case, then maybe you’re right.”
“That’s right. This is the most reasonable explanation.” Ma nide nodded.
At the same time, he also explained to Firentis and the other soldiers, “The sand gazelles should be similar to those creatures in the Salander Desert. They have a lot of vigor and so they need to replenish a lot of salt. Therefore, they need to migrate to the salt mines in the depths of the desert to restore their salt levels, and they will use the water source of the Oasis Lookout as a transit station.”
Ma Nide said, “This is also the reason why the Jackalan Tribe would have the dried meat of the sand gazelle. There are the carca.s.ses of the sand gazelle in the salt mines and here in the Oasis Lookout as well, which was once occupied by the Jackalan Tribe. ”
“I see.” The surrounding soldiers suddenly understood.
Ma Nide chuckled and said, “Lord Kant, perhaps this is a good opportunity to stock up on food.”
“Of course.” Kant also smiled and nodded.
He waved at the Ravenstern Rangers behind him. He pointed at the sand gazelles and asked, “Can you help me set aside some of the gazelles? Fresh gazelle meat is better than dried meat, after all.”