Carrick only came downstairs when Lollister and Tagger were about to finish their meal. Tagger ordered some food for Carrick, and then told him that he and Lollister were going out for a stroll, and that if Carrick needed anything, it would all be on his tab.
It was already evening, and Tagger took Lollister to the arena. The Blaze and Blood Tavern was really close to the arena. After passing through a small alley, they arrived at the main road surrounding the Imperial Court District. Opposite the main road was the camp of the royal guard corps. Although the royal guard corps had left for battle, the camp was not idle. A row of flags of various colors fluttered at the entrance of the camp, and people in various leather armors brandished their swords and spears as they walked in and out of the camp.
Before they crossed the main road, several people had already rushed over from the opposite camp, surrounding Tagger and Lollister in the middle.
"Hey, you two must have come to join the camp in response to His Majesty's call, right? I'm Jason, the vice-captain of the Sunback Mercenary Group. We very much welcome the two brave warriors to join our mercenary group … "A skinny man in tattered leather armor said very enthusiastically to Tagger and Lollister.
"Your lousy mercenary group scram to the side. You don't even have fifty people, and most of them are old and weak. Joining your mercenary group to die? Brothers, we're the Tiger Shark slave-catching group under Duke Goufman. We have more than three hundred people, so joining us is the best choice … "A tall man next to him disdainfully trampled on the skinny mercenary group, and then turned to recruit the two.
Another red-faced man shouted, "Join our Galil slave-catching group, and we'll provide equipment and weapons. Buddy, it's all free, don't miss this good opportunity."
"We're Duke Hocke's mercenary group. Although we've just been formed, we're treated well, and we'll even provide a bottle of sweet wine every day …" The fourth middle-aged man in chainmail armor also shouted, unwilling to be outdone.
Understood, these people were all here to recruit soldiers and buy horses to expand their forces.
"Greetings to all the brave warriors." Tagger replied with a smile, "It's just that the two of us are from the Peterson Chamber of Commerce. We came to your kingdom to open up a trade route and set up an office, and also to broaden our horizons and travel. I'm sorry to disappoint all of you, but I came to take a look after seeing how lively this place is. "
Alas, when they heard Tagger announce his identity, those people sighed sorrowfully before turning around and going back. However, there was still one person who stayed behind.
"I know you," the man said, looking at Tuggle.
"You are?" Tagger scratched his head. He did not know the person in front of him.
"You are a friend of Mr. White and the others. I have seen you drinking with them," said the man.
"Oh …" Tagger heaved a sigh of relief. He had thought that he had overlooked something. "Hello, I'm Tagger. Do you know where Lop and the others are? We were separated when we broke out of the inner city of Nubit Port. I couldn't find them … "
"Broop is dead," said the man. "I saw Broop lying on the ground, with arrows in him, when we were attacking the enemy at the two passes in the foothills."
"Do you know Philindor, Crinando, and Cherva? Do you know where they are now? "Tagger asked. These were the friends he had made in Nubit Port.
The man shook his head. "I don't know them, but I seem to have heard of the name Cherva. He should be in this camp. Do you want me to take you to find him? "
"You are?"
"My name is Dre. I used to be a steward in the transport department of Nubit Port. Now, I was forced by His Majesty to become a member of the Shame Army," said the man.
"Shame Army? What's going on? "Tagger was curious.
"It's nothing. After we broke out of the encirclement and ran to King's City, His Majesty was furious when he heard that we lost Nubit Port. Even Duke Gouffman and Duke Hawk were ordered to stay in their Archduke's Mansion to repent. As for us, we were all forced into this camp by His Majesty. He said that we will form the Shame Army. Once we recruit 24,000 people, we will head to the frontlines to help the royal guards recapture Nubit Port. So, these people are recruiting scapegoats for their teams … "
"Scapegoats?"
"Yes," Dre replied. "Many mercenary groups and slave hunters suffered great losses when breaking out of the encirclement, so they need to recruit new people. Once they reach the frontlines, they'll let these new people charge into battle. That way, no matter how many losses they suffer, it won't hurt the original team's foundation. Instead, they'll show their bravery and be rewarded for it."
"That works?"
"Of course. His Majesty has already issued a recruitment order. Those who want to join the army will come, and then they'll be divided among the teams. In a few days, when the numbers are full, we'll head to Nubit Port. At that time, whether or not I can survive will depend on Higwa's blessing. "Dre had a helpless smile on his face.
"I think you'll live to be a hundred years old. Maybe you'll make great contributions and make His Majesty promote you to a noble," Tagger complimented, then pointed at Lollister. Tagger complimented him and then pointed at Lollister, saying, "This brother of mine has never been here before. I'm going to take him to the famous King's City Arena to broaden his horizons. I'll come find you when I'm done. How about we go to the Blaze and Blood Tavern for a few drinks? "
Dre nodded. "Alright, then I'll help you find Cherva and the others. When you come find me, go to the sentries at the entrance and mention Dre of the Thunderfire mercenary group. They all know about it."
After bidding farewell to Dre, Tagger quickly brought Lollister to the arena in the city. This was the most majestic building in Hamidas City apart from the palace. From the outside, it looked like two orange petals spread out on the ground and then joined together, much like the stadiums in Lollister's previous world.
"There's a wild mulberry tree in the alley to the left of the main entrance …" Tagger muttered. "Yes, that's it."
The alley was very secluded, and the smell was very unpleasant. There was no telling how many spectators who went to watch the gladiators' life-and-death performances had used the alley as a convenient public toilet after they left. Even the base of the stone wall of the alley had been dyed blue and yellow by the stains of urine over a long period of time, emitting a disgusting smell that made people want to vomit.
However, on this greenish-grey stone wall, there were more than thirty scrawls, two horizontal and one vertical.
Tagger covered his nose and said, "My Lord, every time Aire goes in, he draws two horizontal lines on the wall, and only when he comes out will he draw a vertical line on top of the two horizontal lines. Others will only think that he came in to urinate, and even if they notice these markings on the wall, they will think that it's a child's scribbling …"
Thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four … Tagger was stunned when he counted up to this point. There were only two horizontal lines on the wall and not one vertical line. This meant that Aire had not come out after entering the King's Arena.
"Let's go to the arena and ask," Lollister said.
The few soldiers guarding the entrance of the arena did not know anything. After Tagger stuffed a large silver coin into each of them, he finally got the soldiers to call for their platoon leader. However, this platoon leader denied the fact that Ell was still in the arena, insisting that Ell had left after finishing his swordsmanship practice two days ago. He also felt it was strange that Ell did not come for the past two days …
Lollister tugged on Tagger's clothes, indicating that he should leave first.
On the way back, Lollister confidently told Tagger that something had happened to Aire. This was because the platoon leader's eyes flickered when he answered, not daring to look at Tagger at all. Lollister prepared to secretly go to the arena at night to find out the truth.
Tagger decided that Lollister was taking too much of a risk. It would be better to visit Viscount Timba tomorrow and ask him to go to the arena to find out Aire's whereabouts.
Lollister shook his head. Tagger was about to persuade him again when he suddenly heard someone shouting his name. He looked up and saw that it was Dore from the Thunderfire mercenary group. There were several people standing beside him, and one of them was Cherva, a friend he had made in Nubito Port.
Cherva laughed heartily and came over to hug Tagger, congratulating him on his victory in escaping to the Hamidas capital. He then asked Tagger to treat him to a meal, but Cherva said that he was penniless ever since he ran to the capital. Apart from filling his stomach in the camp, he did not even have a bone to eat. Every day, he ate cabbage soup and black bread. Now that he had caught the rich and powerful Tagger, he had to give him a good beating. He could also introduce him to a few friends and so on …
Alright, it was another Garlic. Tagger very generously invited everyone to the Flame and Blood Tavern to have a good meal. On the way, Tagger briefly introduced his group's experience of escaping danger, and then sighed deeply.
"What's wrong, Brother Tagger? Why are you sighing? Are you blaming us for eating your meal for nothing?" Cherva said with dissatisfaction.
"No, when we went to the arena just now, we found that a brother who stayed in the capital and went to the arena to practice swordsmanship every day had disappeared. I am very worried about his whereabouts. I don't know how to explain it to my uncle when I go back." Tagger frowned and sighed sorrowfully.
"What happened?" Dore asked.
"Brother Cherva, you know. When I first came to Nubito Port, wasn't there a guy named Aire with me? He is my uncle's son, and he followed me out to gain experience. He is a martial arts fanatic who only knows how to practice swordsmanship. Later, Cherva, didn't you take us to the arena in the capital to watch the fights? When my brother heard that he could practice swordsmanship with the gladiators, he insisted on staying here. But when I went to the tavern today, the boss said that he hadn't been seen for two days. I went to the arena to ask, and they said that my brother didn't come back after he went back the day before yesterday …
Everyone knows that we brothers are from the Peterson Chamber of Commerce. This time, we came to your kingdom with the responsibility of opening up a trade route and setting up an office. We naturally have a set of secret codes and contact marks between us. We just found that the mark left by my brother Aire was a sign that he entered the arena but didn't come out, so we went to ask the soldiers guarding the arena. As a result, the soldiers shook their heads and said that they didn't know, so we called their platoon leader, and the platoon leader gave us the same answer … "
"You mean Brother Aire is missing?" Cherva jumped up and said, "No, let's go back. I'm going to gather people to search the arena …"
"No need …" Tagger hurriedly hugged Cherva, "I appreciate the brotherhood, but you can't do this. If something goes wrong and His Majesty the King blames us, no one will be able to bear the consequences …"
"What's there to be afraid of? I'm going to the battlefield in a few days anyway. It doesn't matter if I die earlier or later. There are less than two hundred guards in the arena now. If you want to cause trouble, now is a good opportunity. If you cause trouble, you might not even need to go to the battlefield. "Cherva shouted.
"Eh?" Tagger said curiously, "Didn't you say that there were a thousand soldiers from the royal guard corps when you brought us to the arena last time? Why are there only two hundred now? What if the slave gladiators start a riot? "
"Haha, the royal guard corps sent out twenty-five thousand people this morning. Now there are less than three thousand left in the capital, and they have to be responsible for guarding the warehouse area in the west of the city. How can there be so many troops to guard the arena? In any case, there are no performances in the arena these few days, and all the slave gladiators are locked in the iron cages and not allowed to go out. The arena doesn't store weapons, so even if they want to riot, they won't be able to find any …
Besides, don't we still have the barracks in front? If something really happens in the arena, we will move out to suppress it. It's hard to say about other things, but we are good at dealing with those slave brothers. Tagger, don't worry, the capital city won't fall into chaos.
By the way, it is said that on the day we prepare to go to the battlefield, His Majesty the King will hold a grand gladiatorial show. Now, the more than one thousand six hundred slave gladiators in the arena will be divided into two sides for a large-scale gladiatorial show as a sacrifice to the God of War, so as to obtain the God of War's favor and protection to achieve victory … "Dore showed that he was well-informed.
"Oh, I believe the gladiatorial show that day will be very spectacular. I like watching gladiatorial shows very much. By the way, Brother Cherva, don't be impulsive. I'm going to visit Viscount Timba tomorrow. I believe that Viscount Timba will help me go to the arena to find out the whereabouts of the Ayer brothers, considering that we have been companions along the way. Tonight, let's drink to our heart's content, and we won't return until we are drunk … "Tagger said to Cherva.
"Alright, it's a deal. We won't return until we are drunk!" Cherva was excited.
They soon arrived at the Blaze and Blood Tavern. As soon as they entered, Cherva, Dore, and the others shouted at the owner to hurry up and serve good wine and food. Tagger asked the owner if Carrick was upstairs. The owner said that Carrick had gone out after drinking three bottles of fruit wine and hadn't returned yet.
Cherva patted Tagger on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry about Carrick. I remember that he seems to have a cousin who lives in the capital city. Perhaps he went to visit. By the way, Brother Tagger, get me a room. I've been bored to death these days. "
Tagger turned his head and saw that at some point, Cherva was already hugging a tavern maid and flirting with her. He smiled and said to the tavern owner, "Boss, I've booked all the empty rooms upstairs tonight. If any brother wants to relax, feel free to bring someone up and come down to drink after you're done. Put all the expenses on me."
With that, he slapped a gold yuan certificate on the counter, drawing a burst of cheers and generous praise.
Dore did not bring the maid upstairs. He liked to drink, and after drinking three or four bottles, he became interested in the silent Lollister and insisted on competing with him in drinking.
Lollister refused, stating to Dore that he was Young Master Tagger's guard and could not drink. But Dore was unyielding and insisted on competing with Lollister in drinking. In the end, Tagger ordered Lollister to drink. He had no choice but to give his friend face.
Lollister frowned and said, "Young Master, I don't know how to drink."
Then, under Dore's persuasion that a man could drink, he poured down three bottles of fruit wine. He spat it out on the spot and fell unconscious on the ground, amusing everyone present.
Tagger grumbled, "Really, why do you have to get someone drunk when he doesn't know how to drink? Who's going to help me carry Locke upstairs to my guest room so he can have a good night's sleep? Otherwise, I'm afraid he'll give me a bad review when he gets back. "
Downstairs, there was a hubbub of voices. Tagger and his friends had only just begun their nightlife. A series of slapping sounds came from the next room, mixed with the real and fake moans of the tavern maids. In the dark room, Lollister, who had been unconscious and drunk, opened his bright eyes and gently climbed up …
… …
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