Chapter 174: The Desolation and Hidden Dangers of the Eastward Road

As soon as the opponent made a move while cursing, Keir judged the opponent's next move.

He just made a subconscious judgment and understood that the opponent's flying kick could not really harm him.

Therefore, his upper body remained motionless, except that he took a half-step back with his right foot, stabilizing his body forward and backward.

Boom!

The young gang leader's flying kick hit Kil in the middle of the chest, but Kil's body only swayed slightly and he calmly received the opponent's attack.

He raised his right hand from the metal belt and grabbed the man's right leg and ankle.

Looking at the strong young gang leader, his ankles were not actually strong. He was caught by Keir and then raised his hands. While the man was screaming in panic, Keir's left hand grabbed the man's waist and lifted it up as well.

A large living person, just like a domestic dog, was easily lifted above Kil's head.

No matter how much the man twisted and flapped his palms to break open Kil's metal palm, it was all to no avail.

"What are you doing standing still! Come and save me!"

The young gang leader shouted for help from his men, but out of more than ten people, only three, including his woman, rushed forward.

"It's so funny."

Kil mocked, and then threw the guy with the head caught on his head towards the people rushing towards him.

He didn't use too much force. He was afraid that if he used too much force, these people would be in trouble if their bones were broken and their tendons were broken. Priest Batar would have to use divine magic to treat them.

Amidst the kicking and clanging sounds, these people fell together. The guy who was thrown out was so frightened that his pants were wet. The dripping water dripped from the linen pants and dripped onto the face of his companion who was pressed beneath him.

The man wanted to call for help, but he didn't dare to open his mouth.

Kil patted his chest with his hand, and there was a harsh scratching sound between the steel. This was like a warning, making all the young people around him aware of the difference in strength between the two.

"You may think that something like a 'safe village' can't be done, but don't think that I can't do it, do you understand?"

Kil nodded at the few people who were getting up in embarrassment in front of him, and said loudly to the people around him.

The young gang leader, whose pants were wet, looked ashamed and angry. He pulled out a short knife from his waist and rushed over angrily. Without even looking, Kil reached out with his left hand to grab the blade of the dagger, then pulled hard and snatched the dagger from the opponent's hand.

The young gang leader who had no dick in his hand was like a shed dog. He suddenly fell asleep and stood carefully in place.

Kil held the dagger in his left hand and waved it towards the others around him. Then he held the handle of the knife with his right hand and the blade with his left hand. With a little force, he directed the life energy in his arm to provide assistance. He used an iron dagger like this. The hands were broken into U-shaped pieces of garbage.

Throwing this thing to the ground casually, Kil clicked his lips.

"Everyone, please believe me, this power can still do something. I have no prejudice against you. During this trip, if you help me and Priest Batal complete our mission and rescue people, I will guarantee that you will be safe. Get through this chaotic time.”

With such a 'performance', the vast majority of the young people present agreed with Kiel's statement, at least no longer objected, and were ready to see if Kiel really did what he said.

Kiel saw the reactions of hundreds of people around him, and then patted the young gang leader who was still staring blankly in front of him on the shoulder: "Pick up your toys and stand down."

This guy stiffly picked up the bent dagger lying on the grass at his feet, silently bowed his head and retreated.

His companions also lowered their heads in embarrassment. When the four of them returned to the rest of the gang, they were immediately disliked. What exactly was they disliked? Was it their pants soaked in urine or their embarrassing performance just now? Can't tell clearly.

-

Kiel took over the crowd initially, and Priest Batal also stopped praying to the small statue of the God of Agriculture.

The priest put away the amulet statue with messy fluorescence, then asked dozens of people around him to follow him, and then communicated with Keir.

"What should we do now?"

The priest looked at the crowd of people around him and asked with some numbness.

Kil shrugged: "What else can we do? Let's go. Anyway, we can provide them with food, right. Then let's set off first." When Kil said this, he took it out from the small backpack hanging on the back of the armor. map.

After unfolding the map, Kil pointed to the map that had been re-drawn on the original map and said: "Let's set off first, go east, and arrive at Ito Town. We will reorganize the team there. I have already thought about it. According to what we are willing to do, That's how the Del militia came. Organize it first, and then arm them a little bit as they went southeast."

Priest Batal looked surprised: "With so many people armed, we can't even sell them! In today's situation, it is impossible for merchants and blacksmiths to sell weapons. People can arm themselves with it." It’s probably not enough!”

Keir smiled and whispered: "Who said you have to spend money to buy it?"

"What do you mean?" Priest Batal seemed to have guessed what Kil was thinking, and felt incredible: "Those guys aren't fools, are they?"

"It's hard to say. When seeing delicious food in front of you, one or two guys with strong will and life experience may be able to tolerate themselves and a few people, but once the number of people increases, greedy desire will not One or two people can stop it.”

Kil replied in a mysterious whisper.

-

It was almost noon, and more than 800 refugee youths still gathered into a long group of people, following Kiel and others who led the way, slowly moving along the main trade road heading east.

Although most people barely ate two bowls of rice last night and this morning, the strength and resilience of young people who were mostly farmers before were not fake. Although they were confused and panicked, and their bodies were hungry and weak, there was still no one. Those who are left behind gather in groups that are familiar to them and keep up with the team in front.

Bloodfangster drove the carriage at the front of the team. He did not interfere with any actions of Kiel and Priest Batal, and was afraid that he would say the wrong thing and be heard. After the team started to move forward, He even talked a lot less.

Priest Batar, who was riding a borrowed prairie horse, let the horse slowly follow the carriage. Behind him were dozens of 'Faith Believers' who had gathered together, although it was not known how many people were inside. He really believed in the God of Agriculture and the God of Agriculture, but the priest didn't care about this at this time. As long as he united people around him with religion and belief, he could reduce the number of people who brought trouble to Kiel.

After all, he is a priest of the Church of Saturn, and is naturally higher than ordinary people in the social class. Regardless of whether their beliefs are true or false, these believers must obey his actual commands and orders after expressing their beliefs and inclinations.

This is the benefit that comes from a sense of dominance in church and society.

In addition to dozens of young people who expressed their faith, these people's friends, brothers and lovers also came out from the original acquaintance groups in the village and followed the former team.

There were dozens of people in this group, and the two together totaled roughly a hundred people. Priest Batar rubbed the amulet statue in his hand, and while he was decomposing and disposing of the messy spiritual beliefs on the amulet statue, he felt that he could help Kiel deal with the trouble of at least a hundred people, which was already a very good result.

His eyes passed over the ruins of an isolated stone house beside the road. Priest Batal still vaguely remembered seeing this place when he came here.

At that time, this stone house was still a roadside hotel being repaired and guarded by thugs. Unexpectedly, more than twenty days later, just like the hotel outside the east gate of the White Stone City Wall Gate, it was destroyed and burned down.

The stone walls collapsed inward as the internal supporting wooden beams were burned, trapping other rubble inside the building beneath the stone. I don’t know how many people were buried inside.

At this moment, Kiel happened to be riding his horse back from behind the team. Seeing the priest's gaze on the ruins of the building on the roadside, he asked: "What? Is there anything weird about this building?"

Shaking his head: "It's nothing weird. It's just that when I came here, this place was still in business. Although the business is not good, the refugees who fled here can probably buy a meal here that is twice the price." Bata The priest said this.

However, Keir found it interesting. He quickly approached the ruins on horseback, controlled the horse to circle around the large collapsed stone and wood building, and then returned.

"It's interesting. When I get closer, I can smell the thick smoke coming out of the collapsed ruins. It looks like it was destroyed by fire a few days ago."

After finishing speaking, Kil looked thoughtfully at both sides of the deserted road.

The mountains facing north and south in the distance are lush and green because of the spring. Trees of different sizes grow in the lower areas. The trees gather into forests, forming a forest in the gentler areas.

The trees sprout and stretch their leaves, swaying with the spring breeze.

Looking around, Kil rubbed his teeth, rode his horse to the front of the team, and whispered to Bloodfangster: "Slow down the carriage a little more. Can you get out of this gap in the mountains before dark?" ?”

Keir's words confused Bloody Fangster. What does it mean to be able to get out of here?

Do you want to get out, or do you not want to get out of here?

After thinking about it for a while and looking at Kil's expression, Bloody Fangster finally understood what Kil meant. He said thoughtfully: "If this is the plan, we can let the team walk for a while and then take a rest. After all, these young people People are weak and their physical strength is not good. And after the team stops to rest, it will be much more troublesome to get people to set off. After all, not all teams are like you Kendal people."

Keir smiled: "Good idea, then, you slow down first. I'll see where it's suitable ahead and let everyone find a place to rest."

After saying that, Kil knelt on his horse's belly and ran forward quickly.

This main commercial road in the mountains is paved with stones collected from the mountains, so after Kiel's blood-licking grass ran quickly, the horseshoes collided with the stone flakes, making a loud clanking sound.

As Kil ordered, Bloodfangster slowed down the carriage, and the long line of young refugees following him also inadvertently slowed down their walking speed.

Some people who have better physical strength feel the slowdown during the uncomfortable march, but other panting young people have long been deprived of their thinking ability by the uncomfortable energy after physical exertion, and they cannot notice the slowdown at all. difference.

-

Kil ran forward for a while and found a gentle open space next to a relatively open road. The open space happened to be next to a creek. Everyone in the team could also replenish water here.

This open space also has traces of the rest of the business travelers who came and went in the past, but this place is actually not far from the White Stone City Wall Checkpoint, and the business travelers who come and go will not spend the night in this place that is close to the checkpoint.

If you want to spend the night, you will spend the night in a large open space outside the level, waiting for the gate on the east side of the level to open the next day.

What’s interesting is that the white stone city wall on the west side of the White Stone City Wall Pass will never close its gate due to light reasons, while the man-made stone city wall on the east side will close its gate at night.

The main thing is that on the west side of the gate is the city of Montoka. The public security is good, and it doesn't matter whether the city gate is closed or not. But the east side faces the wilderness in the mountains. In such an unmanaged place, he thinks anything is possible.

However, after seeing the hotel that had been set on fire and destroyed by someone on the roadside, Kil realized that the most people here would definitely be some bandits who robbed homes and robbed businesses and travelers.

Gil rode back, thinking as he went.

A large area here is so desolate, which naturally has something to do with the fact that it is too close to the mountains.

There are many monsters in the mountains, so they are not suitable for establishing settlements.

In the past, there were still some hotels operating here that relied on stone buildings to resist monster attacks. This was also because this was a must-take trade route from the southern province to the western province.

If it is profitable, some bold operators will take risks to operate hotels here to serve business travelers.

There are probably quite a few human bandits who rely on robbery to make a living.

Everyone eats this bowl of food and relies on business trips to make a living, so the bandits probably won't attack those hotels. After all, they themselves may need those hotels for consumption and enjoyment, and even take some action there. Stolen stolen goods.

There is mutual benefit and reciprocity, and the water in the well does not interfere with the water in the river.

But there had been wars in the border areas of the southern province, and the defeat of the war gradually spread to other parts of the province. Chaos and instability gradually spread with the absence of violence.

The local noble lords deployed soldiers who maintained law and order to participate in the war, which was probably a big reason. The defeat of the war caused the deserters and defeated soldiers on the battlefield to lose their organization and supplies, which also led to more serious consequences.

If you think about it, you will know that some soldiers who killed people on the battlefield fled back to their hometowns. These people probably had no choice but to join various underground forces nearby in order to avoid punishment from the local ruling forces.

The road robbers who gather in the mountains and forests, the gang thugs who are parasitic on the people in the towns, and the petty thieves who steal and rob in secret.

All of a sudden there was an influx of new blood.

Coupled with the lack of local governance and security forces, it is estimated that the entire southern province will gradually become worse.

The merchants' caravans were killed and robbed one after another, resulting in a rapid decrease in the number of foreign merchants who dared to go out of the city to do business or come here.

This leads to a problem.

Keir stood on the side of the road and shouted to the carriage passing in front of him and the many young refugees following him: "There is an open space next to the stream ahead. Let's take a temporary rest there!"

He repeatedly spoke to the people passing by him. Many young people who were weak due to hunger breathed a heavy sigh of relief, and their bodies gained a little strength, and their feet speeded up a little.

Kiel followed the team at the end, nodded to the group of refugee gang members he had specially arranged to come to the rear, followed the team at the end, and began to think again.

The deterioration of public security in the southern provinces has led to a significant reduction in the number of merchants and chambers of commerce who dare to do business from abroad and locally.

After all, there are not many large and powerful chambers of commerce anywhere, and the proportion of personnel in the industry has always been smaller, middle- and lower-level chambers of commerce and caravans.

These small and medium-sized caravans and merchants do not dare to come out to do business, so who will eat and drink from the bandits and hotels run by Kiel and the others in the area at this time?

With a sneer, Kil thought for a moment and understood that at the beginning, the black and white groups who relied on this main trade route for their livelihood were probably still waiting and watching. But as fewer and fewer merchants came and went, only some villagers who fled the village passed by.

Although the refugees are poor, they are not without money and water. The bandits and hotel operators can still make a living by pinching their noses, but as time goes by.

Kiel guessed here that it was about the time after the Battar priest passed here and headed west. Even the refugees who wanted to flee west to the Montoca City area of ​​the Western Province and the noble territories on the west side of the Southern Province gradually disappeared.

With no people to interact with, the bandits and hoteliers who relied on trade routes to make a living became the only 'residents' here. Of course, some large armed caravans probably still passed by here, but the bandits probably suffered heavy losses after fighting a few times, so they stopped attacking the large chamber of commerce in vain.

Instead, in the days before Kiel and the others arrived, they focused on locally run hotels.

One side has a knife and the other side has meat.

The results speak for themselves.

However, how many bandits can be fed by a few hotels? how long?

They must have been like hungry wolves at this time, staring at their group of people with hungry green eyes exposed in the woods far away on both sides of the road.

Kil put his hand on the hilt of his long sword, and pulled it away a little, revealing the black and gray blade.

He whispered to his weapon: "Wait a moment, wait a moment. It won't be long before a battle that satisfies you and me will come."

The long sword vibrated slightly in the scabbard, and Kil smiled and inserted the long sword back into the scabbard.