Volume 3: Artifacts Chapter 31 Return to the Scorched Wood Camp
The train of the Imperial Prime Minister Meteorite, who was touring the western border, stopped at the Crescent Oasis Railway Station, and the Royal Knights sent by the Regent Queen to protect the Prime Minister walked out of each carriage. They were wearing gorgeous Royal Knight armor, holding knight swords in their hands and standing outside the carriage like statues.
The next people to come out of the train were the secret agents of the Imperial Secret Service. Some of them were in uniforms, some in plain clothes. They moved quickly and skillfully to set up a cordon around the train. Anyone with suspicious behavior would be caught and questioned by the agents, and then brought together for custody.
Following them out were members of the business delegation that came to the Western Territory with Prime Minister Meteorite.
After passing the Crescent Oasis, they officially entered the Western Territory. For these merchants living in prosperous cities, the Western Territory was a barren land. If it weren't for the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Empire, they would not be willing to set foot here.
Therefore, the train that the Prime Minister sent to inspect the western border would stay at the Crescent Oasis for a few days to allow these merchants to adapt to the harsh climate here. Once they officially enter the Gobi Desert, their life will not be so comfortable.
The merchants who got off the car stretched their arms and legs, and then they saw the team coming to Crescent Oasis to welcome the Prime Minister of the Empire.
The second prince, Alex, suddenly stood at the front of the team.
This could not help but cause the businessmen to marvel.
You have to know that even though Yunxing has reached the pinnacle of being a vassal, and even became the most powerful minister in the history of the empire, in terms of status, Yunxing, the chief minister, is below the direct royal family members. The last time the princess and Yunxing visited the West and passed by the Crescent Oasis, the second prince Yarik did not come to greet them, but the two of them went to visit.
This time, the second prince Alex actually brought a welcoming team to the station to wait for the meteorite, which surprised everyone who saw it.
It also made the merchants who followed Luke this time stand up with their chests high. Looking across the entire empire, how many people can enjoy such treatment?
All these discussions reached the ears of the second prince, Alex.
From the perspective of face, this is definitely a humiliation of lowering one's status. But for the sake of Meteorite's mercy, this humiliation is nothing.
Thinking about the end of the Northern Army and Sinclair, Alec was still trembling with fear as he had been when he first heard the news. He had been living in fear every day these days, and after hearing the news that Meteorite was about to patrol the Western Territory, he felt that he didn't have much time left.
Now that things have come to this, why bother about face or status?
His own Western Army was not the Northern Army. He was afraid that if the meteorite came to Crescent Oasis, the Western Army would launch a mutiny and he would die in the chaos.
Therefore, after careful consideration, Alex chose to protect himself and received this omnipotent figure in the empire with a humble attitude.
The merchants came down one after another.
Then came the imperial prime minister's servants, guards, attendants, and staff...
Hundreds of people followed.
The guards lined up, waiting for the most distinguished person to come out.
The second prince, Alex, took the officers of the Western Frontier Legion and the officials of Crescent Oasis to tidy up their clothes and waited for the Prime Minister's servants to roll out the red carpet, and the band played a welcome song.
Accompanied by the music, a young man dressed in the clothes of the Prime Minister, wearing the badge of a marquis, carrying the sash of the governor, and holding the command sword of the commander of the Saint-Lun City Garrison Corps, walked out of the carriage in square steps.
The second prince, Alex, immediately went to greet him, but after seeing the man's appearance, he immediately retracted the smile on his face and shouted angrily, "MacDonald, what are you doing!"
The man who walked out of the carriage with a smug look on his face was Prince MacDonald. Seeing the changed face of the second prince, Alec, Prince MacDonald stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder: "Nephew Alec, I didn't expect you to come to greet me in person. You look so bad, are you suffering from heatstroke?"
The second prince looked around the carriage and saw no one coming out, so he whispered to MacDonald, "Where is Meteorite? Why are you wearing his clothes?"
MacDonald brushed off the dust stuck on his clothes and replied to Alex, "My elder brother... the Prime Minister of Meteoric Star said that he would go to the West secretly and would not go with us. In order to prevent the news from leaking out, he asked me to pretend to be him and lead the inspection team to complete the business mission according to the normal schedule.
Look at this suit, it fits me well. And this badge, this ribbon, this knife... they were all given to me by my eldest brother."
MacDonald struck several poses, showing off the outfit.
When Alex heard that Meteorite was not on the train and had secretly entered the Western Territory, his heart and neck instantly felt cold.
This time the meteorite’s patrol of the Western Territory is fake, the real purpose is to specifically target me!
After Sinclair announced that he would give up his right to the throne, I was the only stumbling block left standing in his way.
what to do?
The opponent is a meteorite, what can I do?
Alex was at a loss and sweat was pouring down his face.
MacDonald smiled and said, "Nephew Alec, why are you so nervous? Oh, my elder brother, the Prime Minister of Meteoric Star asked me to bring you a message. He hopes that when he returns from the West Territory via Crescent Oasis , you can understand the situation of the empire.
A scarab beetle that tried to block a moving train would be crushed to pieces."
McDonald, who was relying on the power of others to bully others, left Prince Alex in a trance and led the team into Crescent City.
By this time, Luke had arrived at Camp Scorched Wood, the outpost entering the Halmutu Basin.
The fast runner, who had received the news long ago, was already waiting here. When he saw Luke arriving on a camel, he immediately welcomed him into Ham's Tavern.
"Orc Ham, ask your people to take good care of my master's camel and add a few more eggs to the food." The fast-legged man who entered the tavern shouted loudly and greeted other diners enthusiastically. He has become very familiar with the place now.
The orc Ham came out from the back kitchen of the tavern. When he saw Fast Legs, he asked his goblins to take care of the camels. Then he walked up to Luke and saluted: "Dear sir, welcome to the Scorched Wood Camp. Fast Legs and I are friends. Please let me know if you need anything."
The last time Luke met Orc Ham was as Qingkong. This time he greeted Orc Ham as if they were meeting for the first time: "Hello, Orc Ham. My servant Fast Legs has mentioned you many times in my letters, saying that you have helped me a lot with my business in the West. Please continue our friendly cooperation in the future."
"It's my pleasure. Please wait a moment, the food and drinks will be served soon."
The orc Ham regarded Luke as an ordinary businessman, so after a brief greeting, he returned to the kitchen.
After Luke and Fast Legs sat down, they asked, "You are doing well in the West. The orc Ham is a famous sand bandit broker."
The fast-legged man smiled and took out a stack of imperial marks from his pocket. "I am doing well in the Western Territory thanks to this. Master, are you coming to the Western Territory this time to expand new business or inspect existing businesses?"
Luke's arrival has attracted the attention of many people in the tavern. Although the security in the West has improved, it will take a long time to eradicate the sand bandits.
Fast Legs didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble, so he asked Luke in code.
At this time, a goblin brought two roasts and two large glasses of wine.
The fast-legged man paid the money without hesitation and gave the goblin a generous tip, praising him: "You have good eyesight and didn't serve horse meat bran cakes to my master."
The goblin happily took the money and said, "Thank you, Master Fast Legs!"
After the goblins left, Luke said to Fast Legs, “I came to the West this time to inspect existing businesses and to expand new ones.
How is the weather in the West recently? I want to go to the Moonlight King's Court in the Prairie of the Ancients. I heard that it is very lively there and there are many business opportunities. "
Knowing that Luke was asking about the situation in the West, Kuaitui answered, "The weather in the West has always been very bad, and there have been frequent sandstorms recently, but it is still no problem to walk through a few large oases. As for the Moonlight Court... the angels built a temple there, the Golden Man opened a World Bank branch there, and the Oulu College and the Winter Capital Magic Steam College sent scholars there to build many schools.
Many barbarian tribes have migrated into the Grasslands of the Ancients. I've heard that more are preparing to migrate in, and soon the Moonlight Court will be a great city.
If the master goes to the Moonlight Court to look for business opportunities, he will definitely gain a lot.
Do you have a project you would like to invest in? "
Luke said, "Let's talk about it on the way. I also want to know the specific climate of the West."
"We'll talk about it on the way. Master, try this barbecue. The orc Ham's barbecue skills are quite good."
Luke picked up his knife and fork and started eating, trying to fill his stomach as quickly as possible and get on with his journey.
At this time, the door of the tavern rang, and a woman dressed in leather armor and dressed like a mercenary walked in. She shook off the sand on her body and shouted loudly: "Give me a portion of horse meat bran cake and a glass of wine."
Luke sounded familiar with the voice and couldn't help but turn his head to look over.
By chance, the woman also looked over. When she saw Luke's appearance, she couldn't help but open her mouth and exclaimed: "You are..."
"Miss Nightingale!" The woman who came in was Nightingale. Luke immediately stopped Nightingale from calling out his other name. He stood up and pulled Nightingale to sit at his table under everyone's gaze: "I am Luke, a businessman from Saint Lun City. The last time we met was at the manor of His Royal Highness the Second Prince. I didn't expect Miss Nightingale to remember me, a humble person. I am really flattered."
Nightingale, who was confused, had just sat down when she felt a dagger against her waist.
The young man who threatened him didn't seem to be showing any signs of abnormality. He even smiled and shouted to the goblin bartender, "Change this lady's horse meat bran cakes to barbecued meat, and order the best wine. I'll pay the bill!"
"I'll do as you say, Master Quick Legs." The goblin happily ran to the kitchen, exchanging the horse meat bran cakes for the barbecued meat.
The controlled Nightingale cooperated and said, "Mr. Luke, I heard that your business is getting bigger and bigger, and you have contracted the decoration of the palace. Logically, you should be very busy, so how come you have the time to come to the West Territory?"
Luke hinted to Fast Legs to put away the dagger, and then replied: "My business is spread all over the empire, and recently there is business in the West that needs my personal attention, so I came here.
On the contrary, Miss Nightingale, weren't you enjoying life with the Second Prince, His Royal Highness Alex? Why did you run to this desert and eat horse meat bran cakes?"
This time facing the meteorite, Nightingale completely lost the momentum that she had when she chased him from Saint Lun City to Raging Waves City to assassinate him. She became powerless and helpless.
"It's all because of... it's all because of Meteor. I went to Fury City to assassinate Meteor, but ended up looking like a clown.
Meteorite sent someone to inform His Highness Alex, and His Highness Alex took me back to Crescent Oasis, and then... then His Highness announced that he would sever all ties with me and kicked me out.
I can only become a ranger again and take on quests to earn some bounties."
Luke couldn't help but sigh: "His Highness Alex is a little too heartless!"
But Nightingale was very open-minded: "His Highness is willing to come forward and bring me back from the imprisonment in the City of Raging Waves. He has done his best. He can completely distance himself from me and deny that the premeditated assassination had anything to do with him. But now that Meteorite has become the Prime Minister of the Empire, I wonder if he regrets saving me now.
But it has nothing to do with me anymore, there is no way he will accept me back."
To be honest, Alec has been able to do this and is already more humane than the eldest prince Fania.
Luke couldn't comment on Nightingale's experience.
"Miss Nightingale, do you have any mission now?"
Nightingale replied: "No! It's hard for a single woman like me to get money-making missions, especially because of my experience, most people don't dare to cause unnecessary trouble. Since I offended both Meteorite and the Second Prince at the same time, it's a miracle in the eyes of some people that I can still live to this day."
Luke said, "Since Miss Nightingale has no mission now, I can hire you."
Nightingale looked at Luke with a puzzled look in his eyes: "Why? With your status and financial resources, you can easily hire guards stronger than mine."
Luke smiled and said, "You can regard this employment as a help from an old friend. I hope the commission from this mission can help you get through the difficult times. I believe everything will be fine."
Nightingale still couldn't believe that Meteorite would hire him.
"You must have many business secrets that cannot be known to outsiders when you come to the Western Territory this time. Aren't you afraid that I will tell your secrets to others?"
The "others" that Nightingale mentioned were of course the second prince.
Luke said nonchalantly, "It's useless for you to know my trade secrets. Even if you tell others, it won't cause me any trouble.
I am going to the Moonlight King's Court in the Prairie of the Ancients. I will visit some places to investigate the market on the way. The whole journey will take half a month, and there may be some dangers. My followers and I have a certain amount of force, so you don't need to be too distracted to protect us.
How about it?
Name your price! "
Nightingale considered this.
Although he couldn't figure out the purpose of Meteorite hiring him, he was indeed short of money. Perhaps the money he earned from this mission would be enough for him to leave the empire and start a new life in a place where no one knew him.
"Half a month, four gold coupons."
Luke smiled and said, "Four gold coupons? That's too cheap. I'll give you ten gold coupons. If the mission time exceeds the limit, the reward will be calculated separately."
The employer took the initiative to raise the price, and Nightingale had no reason to refuse: "Deal."
Luke signaled to Fast Legs, who immediately took out a handful of gold coupons from his pocket, selected ten and gave them to Nightingale.
