Chapter 332: Bingxun Pass and the Militia Camp — Letters and Departure

The guard shook his cold-weather cloak, dislodging the light snowflakes that had fallen on it during his journey.

He walked into the hall where many merchants and officials were seated, and as he moved, he glanced at the various figures present; some of the merchants he had not seen before, but he still remembered several of the officials within Bingxun Pass.

Arriving before the Baron's eldest son, the guard pressed his hand to his chest and saluted: "Greetings, Lord Kendall. The Knight ordered me to return and deliver these letters." As he spoke, he took the letters from inside his chest and handed one to Longsisi-Kendeer.

Taking the letter from the guard, Longsisi did not rush to open it; he glanced at the second letter in the guard's hand and asked: "And this letter?"

"It is a letter from the Knight to the Baron. Since you have received the letters, I shall take my leave; I must depart early tomorrow morning to return to Kendall City. Please excuse me." Having said this, the guard saluted Longsisi once more, and without casting a glance at anyone else present, he turned and left.

"Very well, please wait a moment, everyone, and let me see what news our valiant Knight has brought." Longsisi did not feel there would be any urgent news in the letters; after all, the guard had arrived at the roughly agreed-upon time, and he was neat and clean, showing no signs of panic or reports of an emergency.

So, he had a Maid bring a candle closer and, in front of everyone, used a small knife to open the letter.

Inside were two sheets of paper, both filled with writing. Longsisi used the candlelight to begin reading. The others also politely ceased their arguing, each sipping a little Wine to moisten their throats.

Soon, an expression of surprise appeared on Longsisi's face, though it was not one of panic; it seemed that something unexpected had appeared in the letter.

"My Lord, has something happened with the Militia?" the merchants asked urgently. They were still worried that the Militia had suffered a defeat; although it had nothing to do with them personally, it might make business difficult in the coming year, and they would be unable to fulfill the promises they had made to their Shop Assistants.

"Oh? Oh. No." Longsisi put down the letter and explained to those present who were looking at him: "The letter concerns another Knight."

"Another Knight?" This, in turn, left everyone confused: "If it is possible, regarding matters of Bingxun Pass or the Militia, could you inform us?"

Longsisi smiled: "It actually concerns both, so please do not be alarmed."

Next, he looked at the second letter. The content on it was a brief summary of the information Kela the Knight had gathered from Jier and the old Hunters.

"Ahem, it is like this. Some time before Kela the Knight and I led the Militia to Bingxun Pass, there were repeated incidents of travelers and merchants disappearing without cause on the road from Kendall City to Yinyulin Village in the west. At first, no one considered it a serious matter; you all understand, our main energy at the time was focused on the training of this batch of Militia. As it turned out, a hero among the common folk took up the investigation of these incidents and discovered that the culprit behind the multiple disappearances was actually a Magic Beast that had emerged from the depths of the Forest."

"A Magic Beast?" The others were startled, but the degree of shock regarding Magic Beasts varied among them; the merchants appeared extremely shocked and fearful, while the officials of Bingxun Pass were surprised and curious.

The merchants immediately pressed for what happened next, sitting restlessly with their hands clasped together. The lecherous man sitting opposite them sneered in disdain.

However, he was met with a retort from the fat merchant: "Please do not mock me; you have no idea of the danger and harm of Magic Beasts." He looked at another companion, a merchant who had appeared very composed, who was also very nervous. He took over from the fat merchant and said: "We do business all over the Kingdom, and many Shanglu have been cut off due to attacks by Magic Beasts. Magic Beasts, well, they are not things that can be countered just by gathering a large number of people."

Seeing that the officials of Bingxun Pass were unimpressed, he continued by giving an example: "At?"

Unexpectedly, the officials opposite all shook their heads, having never heard of that incident.

After all, they were all people from the Province Capital and had never left the Western Province of the Kingdom, so their knowledge of news from other provinces was quite limited. Of course, compared to the common people, they still knew far too much.

The fat merchant explained with a tremor: "Before the local garrison could react, the rampaging Magic Beast had already sunk at least seven villages and two towns into a bottomless Swamp. The once-open fields became vast areas of Swamp after that. Everyone, at least ten thousand people, died silently at the hands of the Magic Beast."

"At first, the Church thought it was the work of an Evil God, but after the army scouted, they discovered it was a worm-like Magic Beast that had turned those places into a Swamp."

The officials, who had straightened their postures, followed up by asking: "Did the army defeat the Magic Beast?"

The two merchants shook their heads: "Our Merchant Guild had Shop Assistants there, and they happened to learn the first-hand news; most of the army was dragged into the suddenly appearing Swamp by the Magic Beast, suffering heavy casualties. It was only after gathering more than a dozen local Knights and joining forces with a large number of Church Priests that they finally defeated the Magic Beast after paying a heavy price in casualties."

"Kangsiweier County was effectively ruined just like that; everyone fled, and even now, it has not recovered to the population level from before the Magic Beast appeared." Having said this, the two merchants looked at Longsisi, and Longsisi, who had just finished browsing all the letters carefully, smiled and comforted everyone present.

"Everyone, please do not worry. Let me state the result first: the Magic Beast has already been successfully subjugated by Lanisha the Knight of Kendall County." He reached out and gestured to press down, first comforting the nervous crowd.

Hearing the guarantee from the Baron's eldest son, and seeing that his expression did not seem fake, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and immediately rushed to ask for details.

"Please allow me to continue from the previous news." Longsisi nodded at those present: "A hero among the common folk went to investigate the disappearances, encountered the Magic Beast, and fought it. After a grueling battle, he successfully repelled the Magic Beast and sliced off a section of its mouth."

"A common hero, repelled a Magic Beast?" The two merchants were very surprised, while the other officials glanced at the two merchants. They had been terrified by what these two said earlier, but now, hearing the accurate news, they realized that perhaps the levels of Magic Beasts varied greatly. If the Magic Beast the merchants spoke of—assuming they hadn't exaggerated or embellished—required a great deal of power to deal with, then hearing what Longsisi said, if a common hero could repel a Magic Beast, then the one that recently appeared west of Kendall City seemed to be of very limited level.

Even if it hadn't been subjugated by some Lanisha the Knight, it would likely be difficult for it to cause harm to their Bingxun Pass.

"Yes, I saw the mouth of the Magic Beast in Kendall City at the time, and it was indeed quite large. Hmm, about the size of the low table between you all." Longsisi pointed to the low table in the middle, giving the others an intuitive impression of the Magic Beast's size.

"Afterward, my father dispatched Lanisha the female Knight, leading a team of Hunters, to subjugate the Magic Beast."

The fat merchant, who was more familiar with the terrain and town locations of Kendall County, raised a question: "So, how is the subjugation of the Magic Beast west of Kendall City connected to Kela the Knight's clearing of the Bandit Group?"

His question really hit the nail on the head. The others were also puzzled by this and looked at the Baron's eldest son.

Longsisi raised the letter and smiled, saying: "The interesting thing is that Lanisha the Knight set an ambush for the Magic Beast in the forest west of Kendall, but the ambushed and injured Magic Beast fled. It headed south, passed through a vast forest, and then crossed two high mountain ranges covered in wind and snow. Lanisha the Knight and her party, who were subjugating the Magic Beast, followed closely, tracking the trail left by the injured beast across the mountain ranges."

The officials of Bingxun Pass understood now; they were somewhat familiar with the terrain and geography around Bingxun Pass: "So? They just chased the Magic Beast all the way to the mountain forest west of Bingxun Pass? Why didn't they notify us?"

Longsisi did not answer the Bingxun Pass officials' question; he continued: "The interesting part comes now."

Everyone present looked at each other, then focused their attention on Longsisi.

"After crossing the two high mountain barriers, Lanisha the Knight and her party discovered that before their eyes lay a closed forest where many Bandit Groups were hiding to spend the winter and avoid the annual clearing of bandits led by Kela the Knight."

"Impossible! The lair of the Thieves of Luodai Cave is already deep in the western mountain forest; how could there be another forest hiding a large number of bandits? How do they deal with the dangerous beasts in those deep mountains?" The lecherous man stood up and waved his hand vigorously.

The others also could not believe this news, but what if Longsisi was not lying? After all, compared to a Magic Beast, the matter of bandits was not a big deal; bandits could be cleared by Soldiers, but a Magic Beast was difficult for a small-scale army to defeat.

"It is like this; that is what the letter says. After all, Kela the Knight could not be lying, could he?"

After that person calmed down, Longsisi shook the letter and continued: "Although there is a forest where a large number of bandits are entrenched, fortunately, the Magic Beast and the bandits did not live in peace. The Magic Beast devoured many bandits, and then, after a dangerous and fierce battle, Lanisha the Knight and her party successfully subjugated the Magic Beast. They also incidentally rescued several women who had been kidnapped by the bandits, letting a few people return to Bingxun Pass or Kendall City first to prepare to organize men to transport the Magic Beast's carcass back."

"Lanisha the Knight is temporarily guarding the Magic Beast's carcass to prevent other bandits in the forest from obtaining or destroying it, while the few who returned first ran into Kela the Knight leading his team outside the lair of the Thieves of Luodai Cave. In the end, Kela the Knight requested that I and everyone..." Longsisi looked at the officials of Bingxun Pass as he said this: "... requested that we find a way to organize more supplies. He will accelerate the operation against the Thieves of Luodai Cave, and afterward, he will lead the Militia further west to rendezvous with Lanisha the Knight, not only to bring back the huge carcass of the Magic Beast but also to wipe out all the bandits hiding in that forest."

Having said this, Longsisi put down the letter and drained the red Wine in his silver cup in one gulp: "A toast to the valiant Lanisha the Knight."

The others also raised their wine glasses and casually shouted along.

Everyone present had different thoughts, and each remained silent, but at least they all knew one thing: what they had been arguing about earlier seemed to be no longer important; now, there was only one question.

"May I ask, Lord Longsisi, does the letter say how big the Magic Beast is?"

Picking up the letter, Longsisi looked at what Kela the Knight had written about how Jier and the others described the Magic Beast: "How should I put it? If you want me to find something for comparison." He looked around: "According to the description in the letter, it is slightly larger than this small building of mine?"

Everyone around gasped; the fear of the Magic Beast, which everyone had set aside earlier, rose once again with Longsisi's words.

But at the same time, everyone wanted to know: how much would a Magic Beast of such a size be worth?

The few merchants present did some simple mental arithmetic and were overwhelmed by the prospect of immense wealth.

They said in unison: "Please, Lord Longsisi, you must let me/us join the follow-up operation to support Kela the Knight!"

At dawn the next day, noisy sounds came from outside the camp.

Jier got up and poked his head out of the tent to look, discovering that many of the Militia, who were experiencing battle for the first time, were already up. Everyone had risen early to pack up and eat.

Jier did not sleep anymore either; he got up, put on his armor, and packed the combat items he might need today on his person. He also wrapped a Red-eye Mushroom Sugar Pill in a piece of cloth, rolled it up, and hid it in an inner pocket of the clothes inside his armor.

If danger occurred during the battle, he would swallow the Sugar Pill to fight.

Of course, the Militia had a huge advantage against the bandits, and Kela the Knight had said he had very rich experience in commanding ordinary Soldiers and was very confident about subjugating bandits.

Jier knew that even if the bandits were granted Divine Power and defeated the Militia, Kela the Knight could handle them even if he were alone. So, Jier had a relatively relaxed mindset regarding today's battle.

But those Spear Militia fighting for the first time were not the same; while gathered around the campfire to eat, many of the militia were extremely nervous. Militia who could usually eat a large bowl of rice now had no appetite, and if they weren't sighing and groaning together, they were nervously walking back and forth while holding their wooden bowls.

Kela the Knight, who had risen at the same time, walked out of his tent and, with just a sweep of his eyes, saw the worries of many young men.

He came to the place where they were eating and called over some of the Squad Leaders of the militia, quietly telling them some methods. Afterward, these Squad Leaders hurriedly gathered the people of their own teams together. Once the militia, who had originally been scattered around the Yingdi eating, were gathered together, having familiar companions around them watching, their emotions gradually stabilized.

What was there to fear? All around were companions from the same village and the same farm; if others were not afraid, what was there to worry about?

Similar logic, spoken from the mouths of the militia Squad Leaders, caused these nervous and fearful young militia to calm down.

Jier moved up to Kela the Knight's side and spoke to him about what had just happened.

Kela the Knight smiled and asked, "Then Jier, do you have any fear regarding the upcoming battle?"

Jier's answer was to pat his own armor and Shield: "I believe they will protect me well." Then, he patted his Long Sword: "And it will deal with the enemies who want to harm me."

Nodding, Kela the Knight continued to ask: "Then what if you did not have these weapons and equipment you trust? At that time, how much confidence would you still have remaining in your heart?"

Jier thought for a moment, wondering how he would perform if he lost his weapons and equipment while facing cruel Bandits.

After thinking for a moment, he slowly said: "I do not have the confidence to say that I am currently a tough Warrior. But at least, I would wisely choose my enemies. When facing a strong enemy that cannot be avoided, I would not fight head-on, but rather look for flaws. I would look for opportunities to retreat and escape routes at any time, and while ensuring my own safety, strive to defeat as many enemies as possible."

Kela the Knight frowned: "Perhaps you should switch to some other weapons in the future and walk a different path. This does not sound like something a Warrior who uses a Shield would say."

Seeing Jier become flustered, Kela the Knight changed his tone: "Of course, I have heard a little about your previous experiences. If it is just facing multiple Monsters alone, then what you said is not wrong."

He patted Jier's shoulder: "But if you truly want to become a powerful Warrior, a brave heart and the conviction not to flinch when facing a strong enemy are the most important things."

Next, he lowered his voice and quietly said to Jier: "To become a Knight like me, you must fight. No matter what it is, only by fighting can one become a Knight-rank Warrior like me. At least this is my path; remember that well."

Jier nodded lightly.

Before the team officially set off to attack the Bandit lair, Jier ran to the camp Craftsman and asked for his Double-edged Spear, which had been fitted with a shaft.

"Good lad, when you brought back three Bandit heads yesterday, it really gave me a start. Let me confirm, were those Bandits defeated by you personally?" The Craftsman Kangkuinaersi asked specifically before handing the tightly gripped Long Spear to Jier.

Jier snatched his weapon away and pulled the Long Sword slightly out of the Sword Sheath, letting the Craftsman see some bloodstains on the blade that had not been cleaned off.

Satisfied, he let go, and Kangkuinaersi folded his arms: "Not bad, not bad. Kill a few more Bandits today. By the way, I have reported the Bandit heads you gave me to Kela the Knight and the clerk who tallies military merit, using your name."

Jier smiled, thanked the Craftsman, and carried the Long Spear to stand behind Kela the Knight.

The Knight's other guard needed to guard the Knight's tent, so Jier became one of the members standing behind the Knight for show. It was mainly because Jier was someone who had joined temporarily, and the various original Spear Militia teams could not accommodate a Warrior like him.

If Jier joined in, who would Jier listen to? Would he command the other militia, or would the militia's original Squad Leader? How could a militia Squad Leader, whose equipment and strength were inferior to Jier's, command a brave Warrior like Jier who could fight several Refining Qi Bandits at once?

Therefore, Kela the Knight kept Jier behind him. He himself would not participate in this kind of battle, which was like children playing around. If combat support was needed somewhere, it would be convenient to send out Jier, whose strength had already been proven, to support areas in crisis.

At the entrance of the militia Yingdi, Kela the Knight dragged out four captured Bandits and had the four Melee Militia Squad Leaders who were executing the rear encirclement of the Bandits each take one and slaughter these four Bandits as a vow before the battle.

These four Melee Militia Squad Leaders were the four teams that had performed particularly well in training, and they had also engaged in some large and small battles with Bandits during previous forward reconnaissance. But at this time, in order to make them take it seriously and for the other militia to recognize the cruelty of battle, Kela the Knight specifically used four Bandits who had confessed to many evil deeds as an appetizer to stir up the militia's bloodlust.

"Bandit York. Murder, rape, robbery, theft. Crimes are numerous, death is not to be regretted." Kela the Knight waved his hand, and the Squad Leader of the Eagle Team raised his Cleaver and chopped off the neck of the Bandit who was kneeling on the ground with his eyes and mouth blocked.

The Knight walked up a few steps and arrived in front of the next Bandit.

"Bandit Sikulai. Murder, robbery, theft. Confessed to killing twenty-seven people, deserves to die." He then waved his hand, and the Squad Leader of the Lion Team stabbed his Long Sword into the Bandit's chest, then pulled it out. Fresh blood pumped from the wound, and the Bandit struggled on the ground for a moment before losing all sound.

The Knight walked up a few steps and arrived in front of the third Bandit, looking at all the militia as he spoke.

"Bandit 'Thin Boar' Paniduobo. A wanted criminal in many places, raping women, raping women, and still raping women. Kendall County is not a place where he can run rampant." The Knight waved his hand, and the Squad Leader of the Mountain Leopard Team walked up, first kicking the damned Bandit between his legs, then stomping the painfully writhing Bandit to the ground, unhooking an axe from his back, and chopping the Bandit in two with one axe.

Kela the Knight did not mind the blood splattered on him; he came to the last Bandit brought out.

"Bandit Delalu. Led people to bloodbath two migrant families and personally strangled multiple children. A felon for murder and robbery." Waving his hand, the Squad Leader of the Wild Boar Team, holding two small round hammers, walked up and knocked the Bandit down with two swings, then smashed him a few more times until the Bandit's chest was beaten into a depression.

Kela the Knight ignored the actions of the Squad Leader behind him; he walked to the front of the militia and looked at their fresh, young faces: "These guys have committed numerous crimes." He turned and pointed his finger toward the direction of the Bandit lair in the distance: "And there, inside there, there are still many such scum. Kendall County does not need these guys. Three days. By the evening three days from now, I do not want to see them carefree and unpunished for their numerous crimes."

"Form up and move out!"

The militia responded, their long Spears thumping in unison on the ground. The surrounding Forest seemed to be shaken by the momentum of the militia, shaking in unison.

Jier moved the four Bandit corpses away so they would not block the road out of the Yingdi.

Then he left the corpses, handed them over to the clerk's assistants remaining in the Yingdi, and then quickly followed Kela the Knight, who had already led the team out.