For a moment, Thales thought that Tormorden was about to cry.
Under the firelight, his upper and lower lips collided back and forth. His small eyes, which rested on his cheekbones, blinked in a daze, and the greasy hair on his forehead swayed slightly.
But the master of the merchant group sucked in a sharp breath and stabilized his shaky image.
Tormorden's cheeks curled up, and he squeezed out an extremely ugly smile.
"Alright.
Do you know what this reminds me of? "
Tormorden coughed, and the necklace around his neck swayed continuously. "During those war-torn years, my great-grandfather once fought under the command of the 'Virtuous King' Mindis the Third. His Majesty told him during the banquet that the more difficult the situation is, the more confidence we have."
Quick Rope covered his forehead in pain and mouthed, "Here we go again." Thales noticed that quite a number of people in Dante's Greatsword made similar movements.
But Dean continued to stare at Tormorden calmly. His expression remained the same.
"Now, it's time for all of you — no, for all of us — to have more confidence." Tormorden tightened his belt, and his protruding belly swayed in the air with great elasticity. He seemed to think that this would give them more confidence.
"Alright, Dean, my dear Dean, you know that I've always admired you, so I think that you can increase your commission a little more …"
Dean smiled.
"You didn't hear me. What we lack is not confidence, but safety. This is not because we're trying to raise the price of our goods." Dean smiled very politely, as if this was just the most ordinary negotiation. "We can't go any further. God knows what's waiting for us ahead.
"The corpses in the camp are very fresh. Even the yellow sand did not manage to bury them in time. This means that we're only one step away from unknown danger. If you ask me, we should have considered turning back yesterday morning."
Tormorden was slightly taken aback.
"Dean, you're the one who promised me that we could come this time." The merchant's chest began to rise and fall. He widened his eyes and stared at Dean. "You can't let me return empty-handed and suffer a loss! If that happens, I won't even be able to afford your commission! "
Quick Rope's eyes lit up.
"If that's the case, I suggest that you deposit a sum of money with the tavern owner, Tampa. If you return empty-handed like this, then he will repay you … Urgh, urgh, urgh …" But before he could finish speaking, the Northlander Kant fiercely covered his mouth. With tears in his eyes, Kant danced and struggled helplessly.
"The situation will always change." Dean could not help but laugh at Tormorden. "So, what you're saying is, compared to that, if we die outside, we don't have to pay the commission?"
Tormorden's face froze. He wanted to say something, but he did not.
In the end, he raised his finger and stared at Dean intently. His eyes were filled with uneasiness, anxiety, and anger that he did not hide very well.
"This also concerns your reputation, Dante's greatsword!"
The caravan owner could no longer control his temper. "What kind of mercenary is this? What kind of bodyguard is this?" he yelled in exasperation.
"I humbly asked you to come out, generously paid, and provided you with good food and drinks. I didn't even say anything about you picking up trash on the way, wasting resources, and increasing the burden on the caravan …" Thales raised his eyebrows.
Thales raised his eyebrows and scratched his head. 'He picked up the trash along the way.
'What happened to being a Virtuous King?
'What happened to shouldering responsibility and having a warm heart?'
"And all of you took the deposit, and the thing you're best at is giving up halfway and betraying your employer?
"All of Blade Fangs Dune will know!"
As soon as he said this, the mercenaries' expressions changed.
"Let me tell you, I originally planned to praise you in front of Baron Williams after this trip and try to lower your taxes and venue rental fees. Now, should I go back and tell the baron or other people in the same line of work that you peed your pants because of a few corpses? You don't even have the most basic qualities —"
But Tormorden was interrupted.
"You should never doubt your guide and protector in the desert, fatty," Mickey said coldly while he sat by the side. The wrinkles on his face were a little ferocious. "You think too simply of the desert. Trust me, why don't you think about the coffins of those who sleep eternally in the desert? They're made of yellow sand, free of charge."
Tormorden was slightly stunned and subconsciously shrank back.
"Also, if you're really familiar with Baron Williams, Master Merchant, so familiar that you can decide our fates with just one sentence, why are you still afraid of going back to Blade Fangs Dune?" Old Hammer said faintly from the other side.
Quick Rope, who had finally broken free from Kant's grasp, snickered. "Or maybe you can bring up the matter of your noble ancestors drinking with the king. Maybe the baron will be shocked, and he will eagerly compensate you for your losses?"
Tormorden was rendered speechless. He could only point at Mickey and Old Hammer. "You …"
"Alright, boys." The silent captain, Louisa, coughed and raised her hands. Like a peacemaker, she smiled and said, "We don't have to be in such a deadlock. I promise you that we'll have a good way to solve this, right?"
She smiled and looked at Dean, signaling him with her eyes.
Finally, Dean sighed and rubbed his bald head.
"Alright then, let's, um, find a middle ground."
Tormorden looked as if he had found his savior. He looked at Louisa gratefully.
"Captain Dante! I knew you're reasonable … "
Louisa waved her hand.
"If we walk twenty or thirty miles in a certain direction, we'll run into a remote oasis foothold that very few people know about. A small tribe is stationed there," Dean said softly. "We know their chief. In fact, we're very familiar with each other. We call each other brothers and talk cheerfully. They should have migrated nearby by now."
Mickey snorted coldly.
"You can trade some goods there in exchange for some specialties from the desert, replenish your water supply and food, and at least sell off some of the goods you've accumulated. Then, you can decide on your next step. What do you think?"
Tormorden was slightly taken aback.
"Wait, a tribe of Barren Bone people? They're nearby? "
When he heard this, Thales was shocked. The waterskin in his hand trembled a little.
His surprise was the same as Tormorden's.
'Barren Bone people?'
A familiar face appeared before his eyes. The thing that left the deepest impression on him was that person's red eyes.
But Dean did not let him continue. "If you're worried, Seth, that tribe … They know the situation around here like the back of their hands. At least, they know it better than we do. Ask them, and we'll know what's going on right now. Whether there's a terrifying killer in the desert, or whether the desert bandits are killing each other out of boredom, then we can decide whether we should continue moving forward or …"
Tormorden waved his hands anxiously. "But those are Barren Bone people! Those man-eating bastards … How do you know? How can you guarantee that … "
Mickey stood up slowly and went to stand in front of him.
"Because that's the tribe I came from." The warrior, whose face was covered in black stripes, tapped Tormorden's belly gently. "Don't worry."
Mickey clenched his teeth. His gaze was as sharp as an arrow.
"As a man-eating bastard, I'll tell them in advance that you can't eat them."
The master of the merchant group's face was pale. He was so frightened that he took a step back and fell to the ground.
Quick Rope snickered.
Thales was stunned.
'Barren Bone people.
'Barren Bone people?'
He stared at Mickey, especially at the latter's eyes.
But they were a pair of normal brown eyes.
"Barren Bone …"
Tormorden subconsciously looked at the other mercenaries, but found that they were all looking at him with worried expressions. He could not help but shudder a little.
"Nearby?"
"Now, you know why we can come and go as we please in the desert." Dean sighed. "This is our greatest secret, master. We have a Barren Bone person as our guide."
Tormorden shuddered again.
Louisa helped Tormorden up and gave him an apologetic smile.
"Then … we'll go to that tribe tomorrow …"
A smile instantly appeared on Tormorden's face.
"Ahem, I understand now!"
The master of the merchant group chuckled, and he looked a little forced. "We'll go back tomorrow! Tomorrow, tomorrow! "
Before he finished speaking, he scrambled out of the camp. He looked like there were eight hungry wolves chasing after him.
Dante's Greatswords laughed in a relaxed manner.
Thales sat in the corner and did not say anything.
"But we all know that there's no Barren Bone tribe there." Old Hammer shook his head in resignation and patted Mickey, who sat down again. "And that's the supply point we're supposed to go to according to our plan, isn't it?"
"That's right." Dean shrugged and gestured at Tormorden's back with his chin.
"But he doesn't know."
Carefree laughter rose in the camp again.
"The problem is solved. We don't have to search those corpses in fear anymore. To be honest, I can even recognize a few of the exiles among the dead desert bandits as people from the Sharalun tribe. Some of them had at least twenty Flash Marks on their bodies, and they won twenty battles. They might even be in supreme class. "Dean sighed.
"It's hard to imagine what killed them."
Louisa smiled gently at him. "Don't worry, we'll go back tomorrow."
Thales quietly shrank in the corner and looked at the group suspiciously. His gaze swept past Mickey from time to time.
Louisa noticed Thales's gaze.
"Don't mind me, Wya, and don't be too surprised. I know what you're thinking," Louisa said in a considerate manner. "Barren Bone people have green faces and fangs, and they eat human flesh …"
Everyone's gazes turned to him at the same time, and it immediately made Thales feel very awkward.
Old Hammer even started laughing out loud.
The female captain shook her head. "First of all, that so-called Barren Bone tribe doesn't exist, and we're not going to any tribe as guests."
Quick Rope flashed his white teeth. "I was just joking."
Thales forced himself to twitch the corners of his mouth.
He cleared his throat and felt that he should say something. "Alright, of course, but you just said that Mickey is …"
Louisa smiled and said, "That's right, Mickey is a Barren Bone person. Do you see the lines on his face? Those are war marks, one of the proofs of a Barren Bone person. Obviously, he doesn't eat humans, and Barren Bone people don't — "
"No, not all of them." Mickey snorted softly. He seemed to be quite disdainful, and his gaze was cold.
"It's just that the tribe I belong to doesn't eat humans."
Thales was stunned again.
"Damn you, Mickey." Old Hammer snorted and took a bite of his food.
"Every sentence sounds like you're telling a ghost story."
Thales still felt a little embarrassed. After all, he was in someone else's camp, but Louisa's smile made him feel much better. But Dean stared at him with a contemplative look, and it made the prince feel rather uneasy.
He turned to Quick Rope.
"So, what I've heard …"
"Oh, forget what you've heard." Old Hammer sighed and swallowed his food. "Madness, brutality, cannibalism … The people outside the desert always describe this place as … you know, some people are too lazy to differentiate, and they can't differentiate, so they hastily end things and spread false rumors. They call the humans who are forced or willing to make a living in the desert Barren Bone people, and they even include the desert bandits and thugs from outside the desert."
Thales' eyebrows rose and fell as he listened. He came to a slight realization.
"Of course, I doubt whether any of them have ever seen the truly troublesome and terrifying Barren Bone people."
Old Hammer snorted softly and said, "Even in the Desert War, the real Barren Bone people aren't people you can meet whenever you want to."
Dean opened his mouth. His calm voice caused everyone to slowly quiet down and listen to him.
"I know your confusion, Wya, and I also know how the rumors about the Barren Bone people spread outside. But you don't have to be afraid. The desert is huge, and the Barren Bone people aren't a simple and distinct race." The bald mercenary gestured politely at Mickey. "Their history might not be much shorter than the desert, and their species might not be fewer than the animals in the desert.
"Some tribes are vigilant and xenophobic, some are happy to entertain guests, some are cruel and warlike, some are friendly and peaceful, some have a small population, and some are so powerful that they dare to wrestle with the orcs, and even go to the borders of the two great countries to enjoy the scenery. They are all different, and that's how it is."
Thales nodded as if he understood something.
"But I heard that the Barren Bone people … all have red eyes?"
At that moment, Mickey raised his head. His gaze was cold.
"Red?"
Under the other party's hostile gaze, Thales thought of something.
'Did I say something wrong?'
"That's what many soldiers heard too," Dean said with a smile. "Obviously, they haven't met the real Barren Bone people, or they haven't met many."
But this time, Mickey cut him off.
"No, the red-eyed Barren Bone people do exist."
The Barren Bone man raised his head. The black patterns on his face were faintly discernible in the firelight. He looked at Thales. "You've seen them before?"
His tone was aggressive.
Thales scratched his head.
"I've seen … seen those who have heard of them," Thales stuttered for a moment. "Just … just like you."
Mickey stared at Thales, and his gaze did not shift for a long time.
"Only a small number of Barren Bone people have those eyes," he said slowly. Even the other mercenaries were listening to him seriously. "They are the descendants of the ancestors. In your words, they are probably the nobles of the Barren Bone people."
Quick Rope popped up again. "Are you sure they're not albinos?"
Old Hammer slapped him from behind, causing Quick Rope to howl in pain.
Thales ignored Quick Rope, who was fooling around, and asked in puzzlement, "Descendants of the ancestors?"
Mickey narrowed his eyes and answered his doubts. "Red-eyed … It is said that they are the origin of the Barren Bone people. They are the bloodline left behind by the first generation of Barren Bone people who settled in the desert. No matter which tribe they are in, they will be given preferential treatment. They are born to be the tribe's priests."
Thales frowned a little in his heart. 'The Secret Intelligence Department cadre with dark red eyes, Raphael Lindbergh … is the so-called' descendants of the ancestors'?
The origin of the Barren Bone people? '
Quick Rope cut in at this moment. "But I heard that those red eyes are proof that the Barren Bone people made a deal with the demons?"
Mickey frowned.
"Demons?" Thales was shocked again.
"Yes, I heard from the old sailor that the demons who live underground are evil, terrifying, sinister, and chaotic demons who constantly think about causing trouble on the surface." Quick Rope raised his hands and said in a ferocious manner, "Legend has it that the Barren Bone people are a race abandoned by the gods.
Quick Rope pretended to be serious. "Legend has it that the Barren Bone people are a race abandoned by the gods, so they made a deal with the enemies of the gods, the demons in hell, and became the demons' servants on the ground. They obtained the power to stay in the Land of the Dead for a long time, and became an existence in the Great Desert that is second only to the orcs. They are an existence that people fear just by hearing their name … So, Wya, this world is very dangerous. As the saying goes, fate is unpredictable.
Thales curled his lips awkwardly. He knew what Quick Rope was going to say.
Fortunately, before Quick Rope could continue, Old Hammer slapped his words and his face into the sand.
"Come on, rumors stop at the mouth of the wise. Almost all the Barren Bone people worship and believe in the Desert God. They even built sacred altars and influenced a large number of outsiders. They have nothing to do with the demons. Just ask Mickey, and you'll know, "Old Hammer said quietly.
Mickey shrugged.
Quick Rope raised his head indignantly and spat out a mouthful of sand. "How do you know? You've seen them before? "
"How do I know?"
Old Hammer put down the food and smiled. "I didn't tell you, did I? I'm a Constellatiate. I was born in Western Desert Hill, in Brave Souls Fort.
"So, I've seen them before, and I've seen quite a lot of them."
Thales raised his eyebrows. It had been too long since he heard of these familiar names in Constellation.
"When I was young, I was a soldier of the Fakenhaz Family. During the Bloody Year, I was called to guard Blade Fangs Dune. During the Desert War, I also followed the king's army into the desert and fought in the Battle of the Altar. Heh, that was a great battle." Old Hammer showed a nostalgic expression. "But from then on, I realized that I could only swing a hammer, and I couldn't feed my family with the meager rewards from farming and recruiting soldiers. I wanted to enlist in the regular army of the royal family. I heard that their salary was higher."
Quick Rope blinked in surprise.
Thales also stared at her in a daze.
'This bearded man … is actually a veteran of Constellation …'
"But fate makes fools of me. In the end, I still ran over and became a mercenary."
Old Hammer turned his head and chuckled. "Then I became brothers with a Barren Bone man."
"I'm not close to you," Mickey, who was beside him, answered coldly.
"Who said that?!" Old Hammer laughed out loud and hugged Mickey fiercely. He used his elbow to strangle Mickey's neck and shook him back and forth. "I'm your savior!"
"Damn it … let go!" Mickey's expression was unpleasant. He looked as if he had just eaten shit, but he did not get angry or flare up. He only struggled desperately.
"But he can't save your life every time." Quick Rope sighed and spread his arms, pretending to be helpless. "So I suggest, Mickey, that you save some money to the tavern owner … Argh …"
This time, no one needed to remind him. Kant the Northlander pressed Quick Rope's head into the sand.
"I'm sorry." The leader of the group, Louisa, pressed her head in resignation and pretended not to see the rowdy mercenaries. She smiled embarrassedly at Thales. "This is our daily life. You know, they're usually under a lot of pressure."
Thales was dumbfounded as he stared at the friendly mercenaries.
The atmosphere in this group suddenly gave him a sense of novelty.
This was the most harmonious group he had ever seen. The child beggars in the Abandoned House could only tremble in helplessness, the private soldiers in Mindis Hall could only obey coldly, Nicholas' White Blade Guards were full of brotherly camaraderie, and whether it was Gilbert, Yodel, Jines, or Putray, there was always an indescribable sense of alienation between them.
'If I'm talking about the closest … Hmm …' Thales thought of Aida, Wya, and Ralf. He suddenly felt that the way they got along was quite similar to the people in front of him.
Quick Rope spat out the sand in his mouth for the second time and gritted his teeth. "Bah, bah, I got it … Urk, maybe, maybe the Desert God has always been a demon from hell?"
"Be careful with your words." Mickey broke free from Old Hammer's embrace, and his expression turned cold. "In the desert, many people die from heat, hunger, and thirst, but even more people die from lack of respect and excessive arrogance."
Quick Rope winked at Thales and gave him a look that said, "Here we go again."
Old Hammer laughed. "Come on, Quick Rope, stop spreading those hearsay rumors. A wandering poet who passed by the Scouring Path once swore to me that there's a Great Dragon in the desert, and her nickname is' Heartwarming Lady '! Great Dragon, do you believe it? Those legendary things used to deceive children are even called 'Heartwarming' … "
Quick Rope's expression changed.
"But dragons are not legends." Thales joined the discussion softly. "It is said that Eckstedt was built by the Great Dragon, and the nobles and rulers of Dragon Clouds City are proud of it."
"Yes!" Quick Rope found a supporter, and his morale was greatly boosted. He said confidently, "There are people from the north in the tavern. I heard them say that five or six years ago, a Great Dragon descended upon Eckstedt, descended upon Dragon Clouds City, and fought against the legendary calamity …"
Thales coughed softly and lowered his head to focus on dealing with his waterskin.
"Calamity? You still believe in this? "Old Hammer laughed happily." Are you sure that you didn't run into the priests of Dark Night Temple? Those nagging drama queens? "
"Hah, they're just a bunch of drunk Northlanders. You know how they are. They start babbling nonsense after drinking a few cups of horse piss. Who knows if they saw a Great Dragon or a winged mammoth? Maybe they're just making up some legends to cover up the death of the king …"
"Hey!" This time, Kant, who had been silent all this while, raised his hand in dissatisfaction. "Don't forget that there are Northlanders here!"
"Hammer, when it comes to things you don't understand, you should at least maintain a little bit of respect." Sitting by the side, Dean watched his companions chat. He only smiled to himself, like a father watching his children play around. "We're still in the desert. Maybe we're unlucky and we'll run into that 'heartwarming girl' tomorrow?"
"Then I'll f * ck her." Old Hammer shrugged. "Since I was young, my dream has been to become a dragon knight!"
Louisa snorted disdainfully, "Before that, finish your food, Dragon Knights! And Mickey, and you, Quick Rope, don't think that you can slack off just because you're a rookie. Then, go outside and take shifts with Breeze, Furnace, Haken, Palka, and the others! "
"Hey, what about Dean? He has to take shifts too! "Quick Rope raised his hand in protest." Why don't you urge him? "
Dean shrugged.
Louisa flashed a mysterious smile.
When he saw his captain's smile, Quick Rope felt a little panicked.
"As for Dean, he's already worked hard today, whether it's checking out the surroundings or negotiating," Louisa said gently. "So, my dear Quick Rope, sleep less today. Take his shift."
Quick Rope wailed. The mercenaries laughed. The camp was instantly filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
Thales took a bite of his food and watched their interaction quietly. Suddenly, a sense of tranquility and comfort rose from the bottom of his heart.
'This is what it means to be a mercenary.
'They … seem pretty good?'
At that moment, he suddenly noticed a pair of eyes on him. Thales thought that it was Mickey, who was rather unfriendly towards him. But he was wrong.
'It's not a Barren Bone man.
'It's Dean.'
The bald mercenary looked at him quietly. With a strange gaze, he sized up Thales, who was eating.
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