Compared to the journey they took, the merchant group's return journey was much more peaceful. Forget about the orcs and desert bandits, aside from a few corpses beside a few supply points, they did not run into a single person at all. They rarely even saw animals.
But everyone knew why this was so.
Once they thought of this, many of them felt troubled.
As always, the merchants kept their distance from Dante's Greatsword and stayed at the back with their eight empty camels. Their furtive glances hid indignation and resentment that were difficult to detect.
The mercenaries, who were left with only a few people, walked with tired steps. They pulled two camels and led the way in front. None of their warhorses were left. The only two camels they had were 'temporarily borrowed' in the name of safety after Dean argued with the merchants (he even threatened them with his sword).
Dean and Mickey walked at the front, dragging their tired bodies and gloomy hearts to identify the way home. From time to time, they would discuss the location of the next supply point.
Old Hammer had not recovered from his injuries. He leaned half his weight on the camel and coughed laboriously as he moved forward. He looked like he would fall at any moment. Louisa walked behind him worriedly, ready to catch him if he fell. Quick Rope followed behind them gloomily. He looked troubled, and at the same time, he lost interest in telling jokes and promoting his business.
The atmosphere in the entire team was quiet and depressing. Death and blood had destroyed the relaxed and happy atmosphere the mercenaries once had. After experiencing ambushes, battles, casualties, and extortion, it was as if the happy team would never return.
In this situation, the prince could only remain silent. He tightened the crossbow on his shoulder, pulled up the scarf to shield his face from the sun, and consciously walked at the end of the mercenary team. After fighting side by side against the orcs, he was much more familiar with this team that had suffered heavy losses.
Fortunately, perhaps because the Constellation cavaliers had gotten rid of most of the threats, or perhaps because their misfortune was finally over, other than the endless yellow sand under their feet and the scorching sun above their heads, there were no other accidents on the way back.
As the journey grew longer, every time Thales stepped on the sand, he felt something strange. The ground under his feet seemed to have come alive again, and with every step he took, it would tell him the direction and the terrain.
'So …'
Finally, on one of the days when the sun was setting and the team moved forward quietly, Thales paused when he climbed a sand dune.
The mercenaries in front of him stopped.
Louisa exhaled. There was a complicated feeling in her voice.
No one spoke.
"What's wrong?" Thales caught up to him and asked cautiously.
Dean turned around and said, "We're here."
Thales paused.
With an indescribable feeling in his heart, Thales raised his head and looked at the bottom of the sand dune. He stared at the seemingly endless horizon of the desert.
The youth was stunned.
Fortress.
A fortress towering in the desert.
No, it was more than one fortress.
It was the fortress group.
They were countless fortresses of different shapes and sizes that extended beyond his field of vision.
They appeared behind a seemingly endless low wall, sandwiched between several thick and large dunes, at different distances from each other, with a great difference:
Some fortresses stood alone in the wilderness, far away from other fortresses of the same kind. Some fortresses were closely stacked together, pressing against each other. Some fortresses were built in the style of sentry towers, pointing abruptly at the sky. Some fortresses were squarish, with earthy yellow stone stairs between the different levels. Some fortresses had many corners and were thick, clearly meant for defense. Some fortresses were wide, short, and looked more like residences. Some fortresses were more than ten meters tall, standing out among the sand dunes. Some were one or two stories low, as if they could only be used for drying clothes.
Perhaps it was because of the sandstorm, but the color of these fortresses matched the sand. There were even traces of fire and smoke in many places. From afar, they looked like a pile of clumsy building blocks on the beach.
Thales swore that if it were not for the plants that stretched out between the fortresses, if it were not for the foundations that appeared under many of the fortresses, if it were not for the double-crossed silver star flag that fluttered high above the fortress at the front, if it were not for the wooden barricades placed around the low walls, if it were not for the bustling figures moving back and forth between the fortresses, he would have thought that this was the remains of an ancient desert city.
"Blade Fangs Dune." Dean looked at the familiar place with a complicated gaze. "Blade Fangs Camp."
'Blade Fangs Dune?'
Thales shook his head in amazement as he sized up the man-made buildings that suddenly appeared in the desert.
'This is …'
Dean patted Thales' shoulder. "After you pass this huge camp that can sustain the lives of a few thousand people, you will no longer be stepping on yellow sand if you head east for another day. Congratulations, Wya. The Great Desert ends here." Thales nodded.
'It ends here.'
Thales sighed slowly as he stared at the fluttering Constellation flag in the distance and sensed the sense of direction that had reappeared in his heart.
The merchants caught up to them. Many of them cried tears of joy when they saw the familiar scene in front of them.
"I knew it." Tormorden heaved a sigh of relief, but his face was immediately filled with worry. "But our goods …"
But his expression quickly changed. "Hey, Big Dean, we are very grateful for your escort along the way. To be honest, you are the best guide and bodyguard I have ever seen. Really, if it were someone else … But as you can see, we have bad luck on this trip. We have lost everything, and there will be some problems with cash flow. So, we might have to wait for a while before we pay the rest of the money …"
Dean's expression darkened. He stared at Tormorden coldly.
The mercenaries' gazes also turned cold.
"Wait for a while?" Mickey said softly, "Then, why don't you 'wait for a while' in the desert as well? We will send you back when your cash flow has arrived."
Tormorden's smile immediately froze.
But he reacted quickly and turned his head away to avoid the bald mercenary and the Barren Bone man's gazes. He turned to look at Louisa. "I am not reneging on my debt … And I swear on the reputation of the Tormorden Family that we started our business as lenders. Back then, even the Jadestar Royal Family borrowed money from us. We are the most trustworthy …"
Thales raised his eyebrows.
Tormorden's eyes darted around. He held the camel's reins tightly, as if he was going to ride it and flee the next moment. "I'm just saying that you have to understand us … My dear Louisa, think about it. Your father, Old Dante is such a good person. He helps the poor and the weak, and he is kind and charitable. And I have been friends with him for so many years. Do you think I will renege on my debt for this little bit of money?"
His face was filled with sorrow and nostalgia as he looked hopefully at the female captain.
Louisa fixed her gaze on him, and in the end, she exhaled in resignation.
"Forget it, don't use the trick of 'I know your father' anymore. I never expected you to give me the money anyway …" Louisa muttered and shook her head. "You should think about how to get past the guards … The blockade order is still in effect, but we are entering the camp at this time …"
The moment Tormorden heard the words "forget it", his face lit up.
"I knew you were a good person." The pot-bellied merchant was elated. He seemed to want to pat Louisa's shoulder, but his arm was slapped away by Mickey halfway. "Don't worry, we have already bribed that greedy freak. He said that no one will make things difficult for us …"
They soon found out whether Duro's words were effective or not.
"Duro?"
The guard guarding Blade Fangs Camp stood in front of Tormorden. He looked at the merchant group, which had nothing left except for ten camels, with a face full of suspicion. "Did he say that?"
Tormorden nodded obediently. He smiled wholeheartedly, as if he was very familiar with this place. "Yes, yes, yes, Brother Duro is very close to me. When he comes back, he will know once he asks … We don't know about the blockade order …"
The guard frowned and sized up everyone.
"Is that so? Are you … very close to Duro?"
Tormorden waved his hand and laughed. "Of course, we met on the road … We even drank together. Before we left, I gave him a lot of good stuff, and he insisted on sending soldiers from the Stardust Unit to escort me back, but I refused …"
Quick Rope widened his eyes and turned his head to give Thales a surprised look that said, "What the hell?"
The guard nodded with a straight face. He then turned around and whispered into the ear of an officer with a higher ranking.
"Ah, I have a bad feeling about this," Old Hammer whispered.
Louisa frowned a little. "Why?"
Old Hammer shook his head and pointed at the soldiers who were guarding in front of the barricades with hostile expressions. "Because I think I recognize them. They are not —"
Before he could finish his words, he saw the officer nod.
The officer strode forward and sternly gave an order to the Constellatiate soldiers present.
"Take them down!"
Tormorden's face turned pale in an instant!
The officer pressed his hand against the weapon at his waist coldly. "Disobeying orders, going out without permission, and even bribing the army … You are really audacious."
The mercenaries looked at each other in shock.
Tormorden waved his hand anxiously as he stared at the dozen soldiers who pressed their hands against their weapons and surrounded him. "But Captain Duro said …"
"I don't care what that freak said!" The officer said sternly. He pointed at the Constellation flag above his head. "This is Constellation's land, and we are a sacred army. No one can bend the law for personal gain in the face of the law!"
Tormorden seemed to have turned into a helpless kitten in an instant. He was at a loss and full of grievances. "But … Duro … aren't you together?"
The officer frowned.
"Who the hell told you that we are together with those freaks?"
He took off the shield behind him and knocked hard on the picture on it.
Thales narrowed his eyes and was surprised to see that there was a huge and terrifying skull on the shield. It had four black eye sockets.
'This isn't that …'
"Do you see it clearly? This is the Four-Eyed Skull!"
The officer said proudly and contentedly, "We came from the Ruins, and we are soldiers from the Fakenhaz Family!
"We are not the same as those bastards from Williams!"
Tormorden was completely dumbfounded. He stared at the unfamiliar skull and muttered, "That's right.
"The Four-Eyed Skull …"
Dean sighed quietly.
Thales thought more about it. 'The people guarding Blade Fangs Camp are the direct recruits of the Fakenhaz Family. That means that their commander is at least …'
"You have two choices," the officer said arrogantly. "Pay the fine, or I will send you to the Prison of Bones …"
As the merchants wailed in fear, the soldiers of Constellation closed in on them.
The mercenaries gritted their teeth, while Thales clenched his fists. He wondered which of the soldiers was the highest commander.
At this moment …
"Colin!"
Old Hammer's voice rose. "Small Nose Colin!"
The righteous and stern officer was momentarily stunned.
"Who?" The officer with the small nose looked around in puzzlement. "Who's talking?"
"It's me." Old Hammer sighed and walked out of the crowd. "I served under Lord Mahn together with you, and we were even ambushed when we were squatting in the pits together …"
He did not need to continue speaking.
"Hammer!"
Small Nose Colin widened his eyes.
Old Hammer smiled awkwardly.
The mercenaries looked at each other and sighed in relief again.
A few minutes later, the merchants entered Blade Fangs Camp dejectedly under the escort of the soldiers. Their camels were led away by the soldiers from Fakenhaz Family as a fine. Dante's Greatswords stood on the other side and quietly waited for the result of Old Hammer's negotiation.
"Oh my Sunset …" Colin smiled as he watched the ten camels being led away. He patted Old Hammer's shoulder and spoke in the Western Desert accent that he was used to. "Hammer, how did you become a 'seller of swords'?"
Old Hammer sighed.
"It's a long story … Have there been any major operations recently? Why were the soldiers from the Ruins and Wing Fort recruited at the same time, and they even entered the desert with the regular army? "
Thales' interest was piqued by these words. He listened attentively with his hell's senses.
Colin rubbed his hands. "It's also a long story … In short, it's not just them. Over the past two months, Blade Fangs Camp has been filled with recruits from all over the Western Desert. Brave Souls Fort, Wing Fort, Lykenan, and even New Offering Land. Many of them are nobles or noble soldiers who can bring their own horses. Even the Skull Guards and Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers are taking turns to enter the desert …"
Old Hammer frowned. "What happened? I saw them chasing after orcs in the desert … "
Colin shook his head. "I'm not sure, but I guess the Barren Bone people or gray mixed breeds are moving east again, because those who enter are basically cavaliers … and we, who have two legs …"
"Are they collecting tolls here?" Old Hammer stared at the ten camels and Tormorden, who was about to cry.
Colin spread his hands and did not answer.
Old Hammer sighed in resignation. "But these ten camels are all these people have …"
"Don't, Hammer, don't plead for them. You pity them, but who will pity us?"
"The regular army is paid by the king, but what about our rewards? We can't even buy a ball of yarn! " Colin sniffed in dissatisfaction. "You know, it's already September. My family's mill is going to start work soon. My term of service has long passed, but I don't know how long it will be before my brothers and I can go back. One of my brothers in the same team is about to give birth at home …"
"But you're too greedy. The merchants will protest. Will the nobles in the camp have any objections?"
Colin scowled. He was clearly not in a good mood.
"Listen, Hammer, you haven't been in the army for a long time … It's different from the Desert War. Blade Fangs Camp is no longer managed by the Fakenhaz Family." The small-nosed officer waved his hand.
"Now, this is the territory of the regular army of the royal family. Usually, the profits belong to those brats under Williams. There aren't many places where we can take advantage of them. If it weren't for the regular army going on an expedition and not having enough manpower, do you think we would be able to stand here? So, who cares if they protest or not, we'll just take whatever we can. After all, if anything happens, it'll be Williams' problem …"
Thales listened to these words and fell into deep thought.
"Listen." Colin put his arm around Old Hammer's shoulder. "For the sake of the past, I won't make things difficult for you. I won't take the mercenary tax either. But when you go back, remember to send a message to my father. Tell him to keep an eye on my wife. Don't let that cripple from the village in front of the house do anything to her …"
Finally, with Old Hammer's comradeship, Dante's Greatswords entered the city, or rather, the oasis camp that occupied a large area in the desert.
When they passed through the boundary formed by low walls and barricades, they were greeted by a crowd.
It was a crowd that Thales had not seen for a long time.
They rubbed shoulders against each other, and there were shadows everywhere.
"You're new, right? Go and extort money from others. We're not white pigs!"
Dean coldly pushed away a man who looked drunk. When the man fell limp, he kicked him in the stomach.
"Dante's Greatswords, have you heard of them?"
Thales watched as the man got up from the ground and walked into another alley while cursing. There, a group of fierce men looked at them with malicious intent.
"I thought you died outside." One of the men rubbed his fists and laughed. "Baldy, and my beautiful but thorny little flower, Louisa! When are you coming to sleep in my bed? I guarantee it'll be more comfortable than Big Dean's bed! "
"F * ck yourself!" Louisa expressionlessly gave him the middle finger and continued walking forward.
The man laughed loudly.
"I'll give you a piece of news for free, Baldy." He picked his nose. "It's very chaotic here recently! Don't provoke Big Soldier! Maybe they're some noble's personal guards! "
The bald mercenary frowned when he heard that.
Dean turned his head around and said to Thales, "Follow closely, don't get lost.
You don't want to be alone in Blade Fangs Camp. These people are scarier than orcs. "
Quick Rope nodded fiercely behind him.
Walking on the 'streets' between the fortresses, Thales looked around in surprise and anxiety. He quickly understood the 'characteristics' of Blade Fangs Camp.
The architectural style here was not even as orderly as that of a normal Constellation village, but it was as chaotic as Dragon Clouds City's Shield District and Eternal Star City's Lower City District.
There were people coming and going between the yellow sand and gravel. Because the roads between the fortresses were uneven and varied in width, it made the place look even more chaotic and disorderly. The style of the people on the streets was completely different from the Northlanders and the Constellatiates Thales had seen before. They were light and shaded, and many of them had their heads covered.
And if one added sound to this picture …
"Dragon-Kissed Land Velvet, which even the king can't enjoy. Only two silver coins per bundle!
"Do you want to know the story of your life? An authentic descendant of the Barren Bone Tribe, the beloved of the Desert God, your fate will be divined for six copper coins each time …
"Hey, handsome boy, don't you feel lonely sleeping alone at night? Do you want to see my face? Why don't you look at my legs? Yes, I'm a man … Hey, that's not right. If you don't believe me, come and touch me. Which part of my body is worse than a woman's? Hey, you've already touched me, and you want to leave? Come, look at my pecs and fists. Look at the brothers behind me. Say it again. Are you going to pay up? Are you going to pay up? Are you going to pay up? Are you going to pay up?
"Do you really want to kill someone? Do you really hate someone? Do you really want to sleep with someone's wife? I, Malar, the experienced mercenary who has seen countless bloodshed, will help you kill someone for ten gold coins! He guaranteed that he wouldn't make a move in the city. His methods were clean, and he would dispose of the corpses neatly. You can pay the deposit now, and the rest will be paid after the mission is completed! "
"What? You're saying that I stole your wallet? Damn it, do I look like someone who would steal from you? Look again. Is this your wallet? That's right, it is! I've never stolen, this is daylight robbery! F * ck you! "
"Believers! Lambs! The calamity is coming again, and Dark Night will return. Only believers will live! Go to the Dark Night Temple now and watch the latest drama, 'The Story Between the Dark Night God and the King of Renaissance's Queen Must Be Told'. There's a chance to get an unexpected reward, right? You're not allowed to act this? Hey, you heard wrong. I'm talking about the latest drama, 'The Story Between the Dark Night God and the King of a Nation's Queen Must Be Told'. Hey, what are you doing? Let me go, sob, sob. You can't interfere with the freedom of art. Dark Night will return to save us! "
"Put away your weapons, put away your weapons! Sabers, spears, swords, axes, bows, shields, spears, and hammers. I don't care if it's second-hand or newly made, I don't care if it's for military use or for personal use.
"What if the camp is sealed? Merchant Billy will help you! Go around the desert from the east and avoid the patrols. It's absolutely safe! Comfortable camel caravan, go straight to Sera Dukedom, one gold coin per person! "
Merchants peddling their wares along the streets, mercenaries carrying swords, adventurers in a hurry, prostitutes who practically exposed all their body parts, and, of course, there were also groups of soldiers. The entire journey was bustling with activity, and it was very lively.
Dante's Greatswords habitually squeezed through this strange and varied crowd. From time to time, they would use fierce gazes and rude actions to scare away a lot of people who were eager to cause trouble. According to Mickey, it was Thales' "white pig appearance" that attracted a lot of attention. If they were not fully armed, there would have been more trouble.
They finally turned around a fortress with a window and arrived at an empty space that was not as narrow and blocked off.
Dean stopped and said solemnly, "I have to go to the Garrison House and look for Frank. He needs to know about this."
"I'll go with you." Louisa's expression was gloomy. "After all, I'm the captain."
Dean nodded.
Mickey glanced at Dean, then at Louisa. He sighed and said, "Then … I'll go get rid of the extra equipment."
"Then let's go to 'My Home' and meet up with Simon and the others," Old Hammer continued. "We can also help Wya ask about his family's whereabouts."
Thales was taken aback, but before he could say anything, the mercenaries dispersed in a show of tacit understanding.
He was dragged by Quick Rope and followed behind Old Hammer. They turned into another secluded road.
"Let me tell you." Quick Rope sighed and said, "You don't know how scary this place is. The first time I came here, I met a beautiful lady, and in the end … Sigh, life is unpredictable. Wya, you have to cherish your life. For example …"
Thales smiled in an unpleasant manner and looked at Old Hammer for help.
When Old Hammer heard this, he smiled. Without hesitation, he interrupted Quick Rope, who was about to start his business.
"It is said that in the beginning, there were only sand dunes in Blade Fangs Dune. There was no camp until a long time ago, when a merchant group spontaneously built a fortress here to rest. As the number of people entering and exiting the desert increased, the number of fortresses increased one by one … When it was as big as a small town, a King of Constellation or a Duke of Western Desert conquered it.
"Obviously, the location of this place is too important … Blade Fangs Camp might have been given to many families, but most of them perished because of the war and the invasion of the desert.
"After the Bloody Year, this place became Baron Williams's fief, but he was not a vassal of the Fakenhaz Family, but a direct vassal of the king. I used to wonder if he could get enough taxes from this fief, which doesn't even have arable land. But obviously, now …"
Old Hammer looked at the strange people on the street and shrugged.
Thales nodded.
"Blade Fangs Camp is a famous chaotic place. There are plenty of opportunities, but there are even more dangers." Old Hammer sighed. With nostalgia and sentimentality, he said to Thales, "Many criminals in the kingdom were sentenced to be exiled here. Some went to the Prison of Bones, some joined the suicide squad, and those who survived became the citizens of this city. I don't know whether I should call it the city's residents. There are also the farmers, craftsmen, and soldiers who have nowhere to go who can't make a living in the area.
"During the war, this place was even more exaggerated."
Thales walked up a slope, and the noise around him suddenly became much quieter.
Then, behind a round barricade, he saw a very high tower.
It was twenty to thirty meters tall, slender, and towering. It seemed to be standing in the middle of the empty space between the many fortresses, but it was far away from the other buildings, making it seem especially isolated.
Thales could not help but notice that there were very few people around the tower. The people who were originally shouting all sorts of things became strangely silent when they walked past it. They turned their heads to look in other directions before they left quickly.
It was as if they were afraid of something.
Thales narrowed his eyes. He saw that the highest window at the top of the tower was sealed shut with wooden strips.
'A tall building with few people …'
A thought appeared in Thales' mind.
"That tower is really tall. Is there someone important living there?"
The teenager asked curiously.
Old Hammer followed his gaze and looked. His expression immediately darkened.
"No."
"The nobles never live there. I guess Baron Williams isn't there either … That tower is called 'Ghost Prince'."
"It's been so many years, no one would dare to live there."
Thales furrowed his eyebrows.
"What prince?"
"I know, I know!" Quick Rope was beaming with joy. "It's a legend in Blade Fangs Camp … There's something ominous in that tower —"
"Shh!" But Old Hammer cut him off sternly.
"Eighteen years ago … during the Bloody Year, the Barren Bone Tribe and the orcs once attacked Blade Fangs Camp. At that time, I was serving here."
The veteran's expression was tense as he pointed at the tower. "Before the camp fell, a noble prince — I mean, the king's son, a real member of the royal family. He wasn't some prince from a fairy tale who came to the west and served as a garrison in Blade Fangs Camp.
"He lived there, in the tallest tower in Blade Fangs Camp."
Thales' heart tensed.
He stared at the lonely tower, and an ominous feeling welled up in his heart.
"On a dark night, the prince came from there, from the tallest window …
"Someone pushed him down."
Thales was stunned.
He stared at the window that was sealed shut with wooden strips at the furthest point of his field of vision. His gaze slowly moved from there to the empty space at the bottom.
A chill immediately surged in his heart.
"I heard the rest of the story from others after I retired." Old Hammer exhaled slowly. "It was said that King Kessel caught the murderer after the war.
"As punishment, he locked the murderer and his accomplice in the tallest room. Then, he lit a fire from the first floor and burned upwards."
Quick Rope exhaled and pursed his lips.
"Quite a number of people could not stand the fire and jumped down from the window to pay for the prince's death.
"Whether they were burned to death or fell to their deaths, the screams and wails of the prisoners disappeared within the first hour." Old Hammer's voice became cold and mournful. "But the fire burned for an entire day.
"The strange thing was that the tower still stood tall. And the most mysterious thing was that after the fire was extinguished, there was not a single burn mark on the outer wall or the interior."
Quick Rope pursed his lips and nodded as Old Hammer explained. His gaze was solemn.
Thales fixed his gaze on the tower. When he saw that it was undamaged, he felt his skin crawl.
"From then on, all sorts of strange things happened there, from singing in the middle of the night to ghostly figures at the window, to faint screams and wails, and even the sound of fire burning. Even in broad daylight … the baron had to seal the window.
"Some of the nobles who were stationed here did not believe in evil and wanted to live there … but …"
Old Hammer shook his head quietly.
"All the people who lived there died in the Great Desert and never came back. They did not even manage to take their belongings with them.
"So everyone said that the tower was cursed by the prince's death."
Old Hammer tugged at Thales, who had unknowingly approached the tower.
His expression was unpleasant.
"From then on, the locals called it the 'Ghost Prince'."
Quick Rope shook his head and clicked his tongue.
Thales stared at the gloomy, deserted, and desolate tower in a daze.
'Ghost Prince …'
"Who?"
The teenager asked in a daze, "The one who died there …
"Which prince?"
Old Hammer shook his head.
"I forgot." The veteran's expression was tense. "I only saw him from a distance when he entered the camp.
"That prince was very handsome. He was even prettier than a girl."
'Very handsome.'
Thales gulped.
A name from a long time ago rose in his mind.
'The Ghost Prince.'
"But what's the use of being handsome?" Old Hammer snorted softly. He stared at the empty space under the 'Ghost Prince', and his gaze was unfocused.
"That night, I was one of the first patrols to arrive. And I remember very clearly that beautiful prince … "
He sighed slowly.
"He landed face first."
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