Chapter 452: The Final News
A team of desert bandits was galloping on the open plains.
The horse’s hooves knocked on the slightly rugged dirt road. Following the fixed route, they galloped rapidly towards the north. Their faces were also filled with anxiety. Even though they were extremely tired, they did not dare to relax for a moment.
This was because they were messengers, scouts, and cavalry. They had information regarding the safety of the Stone Pa.s.s.
At Grothenburg.
At the castle of the Lord of the North Prefecture, Viscount Wayne, a large number of troops were gathered.
According to some of the mercenaries they had bribed, they had obtained new information. These 30,000 men were an army formed by countless mercenaries. Their goal was the pa.s.s.
Most of them were infantrymen, and there were a few elite knights corps. They looked ready to battle.
Of course.
The goal of the battle was their outpost.
It was also a strategic Stone Pa.s.s that guarded the north-south junction!
According to the butlers of some n.o.ble families who were heavily bribed, this battle also had the support of the southern county. Although they did not send troops directly, they did provide logistical support.
There was enough food for 30,000 people to last two months, as well as a large number of wooden s.h.i.+elds and leather armor to spare.
There were also 50,000 arrows.
They were all strategic material, including mules, horses, and carriages used for transportation. There were nearly 8,000 of them.
It could be said that this battle, which seemed to be a mercenary group attacking and the n.o.ble system of the northern county, was actually something that the high-ranking n.o.ble of the southern county had allowed, and even the royal family had tacitly accepted.
This was a terrorist force that was enough to heavily injure the Dukedom of Leo. If it was not used well, it would be a double-edged sword.
They were able to successfully a.s.semble.
This was because many factions had made a compromise!
After capturing the pa.s.s, there would be enough benefits to satisfy the partic.i.p.ating factions.
It would be even better if they could go through the most important pa.s.s in the Senwaya range and enter the Nahrin Desert. They could also successfully capture the Oasis Lookout that still existed in the map and obtain countless salt mines.
The absolute benefits contained within could drive anyone crazy.
… ..
The city gate of the Stone Pa.s.s was not closed.
40 Swadian footmen were carrying a fan-shaped heater s.h.i.+eld on their backs and holding the hilt of the Germanic sword on their waists. Through the vigilant eyes under the helmets of the footmen, they stood majestically at the city gate, sizing up the trade caravan.
Just above the city gate and at the arrow towers on both sides, there were 50 Veruga archers standing guard.
This was the current military protection of the Stone Pa.s.s.
With just these troops.
It was enough to make the trade caravan not dare to let their guard down easily.
Especially those who had ulterior motives, they subconsciously shrank their necks, lowering their heads and not daring to show their faces, afraid that something unexpected would happen and cause them to fall here, or even lose their lives.
In fact, this was also the case. This was because there were almost daily cases of missing people in the Stone Pa.s.s.
This meant that there were people disappearing without anyone noticing.
Most of them were spies who were pretending to investigate.
Whether it was the spies who were hiding in the trade caravan as guards or laborers, or the spies who sneaked in while it was dark, most of them could not be contacted for a few weeks.
It was as if there was no such person in the Stone Pa.s.s. It was very strange, and even a little terrifying.
Ordinary people would not think so.
But in the eyes of those spies, it was indeed terrifying.
Waves after waves of accomplices entered the Stone Pa.s.s. Usually, they would only be able to send out a few messages before they died.
There were even people who had completely lost contact before they could even send out any messages. Even when they sent people in to inquire, they did not discover anything. They only knew that they left in the evening and never appeared again.
After that, even the person who had asked the question had disappeared without a trace at some point in time.
This also resulted in the fact that there was still some mystery behind the StonePa.s.s.
As a result, until now.
The number of spies that still existed in the Stone Pa.s.s was very small.
Some of the spies that were sent to scout or gather information did not bother to conceal their presence at all. They simply gathered some information that they already knew and left before the sky turned dark. They were afraid that if they were a step too late, they would never be seen again after the curfew.
However, this was also good. At least the spies that were sent over suffered less and less losses.
There were even unspoken rules.
If the spies did not move.
Then they would not disappear for no reason.
This became the law. At the very least, the Stone Pa.s.s was still as calm as ever.
..
“Move! Move!”
However, at this moment, the sound of hurried horse hooves could be heard from the city gate.
The 10-man team of Desert Bandits was galloping on their horses. They were brandis.h.i.+ng their whips in a hurry, causing the trade caravan in front of them, who had been lined up neatly and were about to enter the city, to immediately restrain their horses and dodge to the sides.
Even the light infantrymen stationed at the city gate had purposely made a gap for the desert bandits to enter.
This was an emergency arrangement.
Inside the Stone Pa.s.s.
The patrolling swadian infantry had already ordered the carriage and pedestrians on both sides to make s.p.a.ce.
This team of Desert Bandits headed to the council hall at an extremely fast speed. At that place, Fatis, who had already received the news, had already appeared in the hall, waiting for the report of this team of desert bandits.
Soon, the leader of the desert bandits, the captain, took the lead and entered.
“Sir Fatis!”
He quickly reported, “The investigation has been completed. As you said, the other party has already started to move.”
“Yes.” Fatis sat in the main seat. His expression did not change at all. He only nodded lightly. “Then, has the plan I mentioned before already been implemented?”
“Yes.”
The desert bandits captain said, “Lord Rolf has already informed us. The plan has begun.”
Fatis nodded. “Very good.”
After pondering for a moment, he waved his hand and said, “Go and rest. In the afternoon, your team will immediately head to Aaron and notify James. Let him make the necessary preparations.”
“Yes.” The captain of the desert bandits bowed and led the team away.
Only Fatis was left in the room.
His expression was calm. He turned his head to look at the candle, and the corners of his mouth curled up into a smile.
He had sent people to monitor the group of mercenaries in the northern county. Now, he had finally gotten results. Since those guys had started to gather with full confidence and even planned to directly engage in battle, then he must not give up on the Stone Pa.s.s, the core hub of the Nahrin desert leading to the Dukedom of Leo. There was no way he could retreat.
The Stone Pa.s.s was also the central hub of Lord Kant’s territory.
With this place in his possession.
He could head to the Dukedom of Leo and use the Mountain of Death as a point to enter the eastern county to communicate with Sargos.
He could also head to the Nahrin desert and use the central posthouse as a point to contact Oasis Lookout and Aaron.
If this place was occupied, it would be equivalent to cutting off the city network that Kant had set up. It would even leave a serious problem between Oasis Lookout and Aaron. After all, the only thing between the two was empty desert!