Chapter 834: Seeing Through the Monster's Trick, Demanding Benefits

The caravan entered the town and unloaded its cargo without taking much time; Jier had just finished eating eight wheat cakes when they were already coming back out through the southeast gate of the town.

Unlike a short while ago, this time there was no one outside the gate obstructing or causing trouble; although no one stepped forward to do anything, this did not prevent many of the townspeople, still in a fit of anger, from staring at the entire caravan with hostile gazes.

Bell-Sasi did not care about this at all; when one wants to get things done in times of crisis, it is unavoidable to offend some people, whether they be elders within the family, vassal forces clinging to the family, the merchant guilds in town, or the farmers outside the town.

If there was a choice, for instance right now, and one absolutely had to offend a group of people, in his view, the farmers outside the town were the most suitable.

After all, out of sight, out of mind.

Even if some resentment or the like were to arise between the two, if they don't see each other much, the conflict won't erupt, and the grudge will gradually blur over the years, and their memories won't reliably recall the suffering they endured today.

They aren't Dwarves, who have long lives and are petty, unable to let go of hatred for years. The Saint Hors Kingdom has been established for nearly a hundred years, yet the Dwarf kingdoms beyond the borders still remain hostile toward most of the people of the Saint Hors Kingdom.

"Hey! Knight Jier, are you finished resting? Let's hurry and set off."

Glancing at the sun, the Baron Heir, who was approaching by carriage, called out to Jier.

Standing up, Jier brushed the fallen cake crumbs off his body, looked at the drivers of the caravan, and asked: "I have no problem, the lumberjacks have also eaten their fill. The question is, how are the caravan's drivers and the livestock doing?"

"After all, this is a dangerous operation; only after eating and drinking their fill can they have sufficient energy and stamina to deal with danger."

Bell hummed a few times, patted the supply box under the carriage seat, and replied: "Rest assured, fresh water and bread that just came out of the oven—my people already replenished every vehicle just now. They can use them later while waiting at the Lumber Yard. The livestock have also been fed a few mouthfuls temporarily, no problem there. This operation cannot have any accidents; I have been keeping an eye on it the whole time."

"What about my people? Is there food and drink for them?" Jier continued to ask.

"There is, let's go, hurry up and set off!"

Only then did Jier nod. After his Groom put the bit and Jiansheng on the Tianxuecao, he vaulted onto his horse and, with a light tap of his heels against the horse's belly, walked at the very front of the caravan. While leading the way, Jier called out to the lumberjacks to take their eating utensils and climb onto the carriages.

The entire caravan first cautiously passed through the temporary Refugee camp filled with tents, and only after exiting the trench intersection guarded by the Armed Squad did the speed of the entire caravan pick up, continuing to move toward the Lumber Yard west of town along the route they had traveled in the morning.

Considering it was still noon and the sun was intense, it was unlikely the Monsters would come to block or attack the caravan just like that. Especially for any Monsters that might exist on the sides of the team, the entire caravan could rely on its speed to shake them off while they were seeing the caravan and rushing over. Jier exchanged a word with Bell, who was sitting in the lead carriage, then increased his horse's speed, taking a step ahead to ride at the front of the team toward the Lumber Yard.

It was much like his mission and position as a vanguard leader in the Kendall Expeditionary Army, serving the role of scouting and eliminating general problems.

If a small number of Monsters were wandering on the road or in the abandoned farmland on either side of the road, Jier would just ride over and deal with them if he saw them; this was just incidental, as the truly important thing was to scout for signs of Monsters at the Lumber Yard.

Yesterday plus this morning, the Human caravan had come twice, and the scale was larger each time; if he were a Monster, he would have to deploy manpower or traps at the Lumber Yard to gamble on whether the Humans would come here again this afternoon.

In one morning plus half a noon, they could at least gather up the wandering, hunting Monsters from the north, south, and west directions of the town, right?

Holding this possibility in mind, Jier arrived outside the Lumber Yard one step ahead of the caravan.

"Stop—"

Jier pulled the Jiansheng, letting the Tianxuecao slow down to a trot, while his own gaze scanned back and forth over the piles of logs outside the Lumber Yard that looked like small wooden mountains.

Everything seemed exactly the same as the scene when he left in the morning; there was nothing strange.

The warhorse did not stop its pace, trotting around the entire Lumber Yard to the right under the adjustment of Jier's Jiansheng. This time, he boldly took off his Helmet, tilted his head, pricked up his ears, and used his pair of ears, which were gradually becoming more sensitive, to scout around.

Apart from the sound of the horse's hooves treading on the soft grass, there was only the sound of the Tianxuecao's hearty, heavy breathing; there was still no movement from the Lumber Yard side, it was very quiet.

"It seems the Monsters have retreated?"

Jier muttered to himself, feeling that perhaps he had overestimated the Monsters. After all, the Parasitic Monsters occupied and parasitized Human bodies, and most of them had already devoured the brains of those not-so-bright people during the parasitic process. Concealing themselves in ambush and gambling on their caravan coming in the afternoon—perhaps the Monsters didn't have that ability or cleverness at all?

Holding such thoughts, Jier continued to circle the entire Lumber Yard, but it wasn't until he had run a full lap and returned to the road at the entrance of the Lumber Yard that he finally determined he had overthought it.

There was no ambush in the Monster-less Lumber Yard as he had imagined. Perhaps there might be one or two Parasitic Monsters in the center position that he couldn't see, but a large number of Monsters capable of fighting their entire armed Human caravan likely did not exist.

"I really overestimated the enemy."

Jier muttered to himself, touched the few soft, newly grown whiskers on his chin, and mocked himself: "I guess it's because I haven't slept much lately, making me more and more suspicious. Tsk—sleep, ah~ sleep~ people are born with you~ but only after losing you~ do they suddenly realize the preciousness of sleep~~~"

While singing an off-key song, Jier laughed and put his Helmet back on, carefully using his fingers clad in Steel Gauntlet to fasten the locking buckle connecting the Helmet to the neck Armor while on the bumpy horse back.

However, when Jier turned his horse around and ran back toward the caravan, he accidentally glanced at the corpses of the Parasitic Monsters he had killed by the side of the road on his way here.

The Monster corpses that Jier had killed and then tossed to the side of the road with his Long Spear—calling them Monsters, in reality, after being killed and mangled, most were just the original Human corpses. Unlike before, although the Humans parasitized by Monsters were already dead, they could barely be called 'alive'.

But at this moment, the empty and broken Human corpses, with even their Parasitic Core destroyed, were covered by red-eyed crows and flies that had wandered over from who knows where.

The former landed on the fleshiest parts of the broken corpses, extended their hard and sharp beaks, and pecked at the parts they liked. And while pecking happily, they cawed loudly, communicating something with their companions.

The latter, like a small dark cloud, flew over in swarms following the smell of rot, swarming up whenever they saw a broken part of the corpse, crowding together, 'sharing' the small gift of nature.

Jier glanced at this scene and rode his warhorse past without paying much attention.

But soon, following a dissatisfied neigh from the Tianxuecao, the galloping warhorse was quickly pulled to a stop and reared up.

Jier, riding on the horse's back, turned his horse around, and his whole person looked back toward the direction of the Lumber Yard.

"No, something's not right!"

He muttered, his eyes narrowing.

"Why is it that the corpses by the roadside have crows and flies fighting to eat them, while the corpses of the Parasitic Monsters defeated and smashed inside the Lumber Yard don't have a single crow pecking at them? And aren't making any noisy bird calls? It's too quiet."

Jier gritted his teeth and said: "It's too quiet!"

After speaking, he began to recite the ability prayer taught to him by the Great Bird Deity, and the vision in his eyes quickly multiplied in strength.

His gaze, sharp as an eagle's, scanned the mountain-like piles of logs he had scouted before, and he soon saw the clues.

"So that's how it is. I didn't look carefully just now and didn't notice that some vine heads had appeared in every corner of the log piles. Hmph, these are your 'eyes', right? Although you parasitized Humans, Humans are not born with eyes that can see at night. And the Parasitic Monsters can all move smoothly at night and use this advantage to hunt Humans, precisely because these vine heads, which look no different from other vines used for attacking, are the 'eyes' you use to observe!"

While talking to himself, Jier carefully observed and counted the extra vine heads emerging from every corner of the log piles.

"Let me see, one, two, three, four. Hmph, one pile of logs hides four Monsters. This pile here, one, two, three, four, five, six. Good heavens, this one has even more."

Jier counted simply; just around the log piles where they had gathered wood in the morning, there were at least thirty identifiable Parasitic Monsters. As for how many were ambushed deeper inside the Lumber Yard, he couldn't even estimate.

Raising and then lowering his Long Spear, Jier gritted his teeth and whipped his horse to run toward the caravan. There was a major change in the situation; he couldn't make a decision on his own, he had to notify Bell first.

He felt that since the enemy had already set an ambush, although he had seen through the ambush in advance, the ambushing side must have had a strength advantage to hide their forces; it wouldn't be appropriate to face them head-on at this time.

He hoped Bell would agree with his thinking.

Jier thought with a frown on his way back.

"Ambush?"

Bell-Sasi snorted coldly, then asked Jier, who was riding alongside the carriage: "How did you confirm it?"

Jier gestured with his hands: "Crows are fighting to eat the Monsters—no, the parasitized Human corpses on the road we passed. And this morning at the Lumber Yard, didn't we deal with some Parasitic Monsters?"

"That's right." The Baron Heir nodded.

"Yet in the Lumber Yard, amidst the piles of logs, there was none of that noisy crowing. That is how I realized something was wrong. Later, I went closer to take a careful look and discovered that in some of the subtle corners I could see, there were a few more vine sprouts than there should have been. You know what I am talking about, right?"

Facing Jier's words, Bell's eyes darted as he thought: "Plant structural tissues that can replace eyes? Just like the vine tentacles they always use as weapons, arms, and legs?"

"I suspect that is the case. You must know that the monsters can move at night, while we Humans do not have the ability to move smoothly in the dark. This must be a form of observation ability they possess. And when I was looking at those extra vine heads in the Lumber Yard, those parasitic monsters were also 'looking' at me."

Jier's explanation made the Baron Heir and the trusted driver steering the carriage beside him shiver.

"So, what is your opinion?"

Jier continued to ask.

The Baron Heir did not answer directly; instead, he first had the entire convoy slow down. Slowing down would increase the time it took to reach the Lumber Yard, and this time was enough for them to make a judgment on their next course of action.

Bell then asked Jier in return: "What is your opinion? Being able to lead a Refugee Team here at this time, your opinion is also very important. Tell me your thoughts and opinions."

Jier answered directly: "Retreat immediately. Since the monsters' trouble has been seen through, there is naturally no need to recklessly start a war when the enemy has the advantage in numbers. This is disadvantageous for us."

Bell asked in return: "What about the firewood the town needs? We agreed on one more trip."

"The firewood I brought people to get yesterday, plus the convoy of firewood we brought this morning, I think these can last for a while. For what is lacking, we can concentrate the use of fire. How about the residents collectively use a public fire source?"

The Baron Heir shook his head: "Apprentice Knight Jier, this is simply not enough. Before I came, I made a promise to everyone that I would bring them enough firewood fuel. Do you think I, a family's eldest son, can just ask for drivers, carriages, and horses from various Merchant Guilds for free? Hah, which Merchant Guild doesn't have big shots behind it? Although they are just some Merchants, those people don't care much about me, this Baron Heir!"

Jier tilted his head back and muttered: "Is that so."

"I made a promise, and that is why I was able to get the carriages ready overnight. Therefore, I must bring back two full loads of firewood today! Two loads! Full! I won't hide it from you, foreign Knight, once the promise is fulfilled, I will naturally gain the trust of some people in town, because I can accomplish things others cannot, and without cutting corners! This is very beneficial to me. The elders in the family will also respect my opinion, and my voice will possess power and support just like my father's."

"So?"

"So? The convoy will not just go back like this. Aren't the monsters ambushing us? Then let them come. I brought Soldiers and Priests, and it wasn't for them to go on a picnic. When the axes swing, blood will surely be seen!"

Jier looked troubled. It was not that he thought fighting monsters was bad, but the parasitic monsters of the Flesh Demon were different from many monsters he had fought before. Parasitic monsters, ugh, parasitic! Jier did not dare to eat the parasitic monsters he defeated and captured, and besides the rotting flesh of the human bodies they parasitized, the monsters did not even have a single Iron Coin on them. There was no combat profit at all from fighting them.

At least for Jier himself, that was the case; the Baron Heir's own political gains were a separate matter.

So he was at a loss, you know?

There was no combat profit, and he still had to bear the combat risks along with them.

"This..."

Although Jier's troubled expression was hidden behind his steel-forged Helmet Faceplate, the reluctance in his words was naturally heard by the Baron Heir: "What are your thoughts?"

Jier, who found it hard to ask for benefits and still wanted to save some face, said awkwardly: "This is your battle, Bell-Sasi. How about my people and I stop here and wait for the results of the heroic battle between you and your people?"

The Baron Heir, who had been impassioned just a moment ago, immediately changed his expression: "What about the promise we agreed on yesterday? If a promise cannot be fulfilled, then your Knight honor will surely fall from the horse."

"Before, you were still calling me a noble Knight. How is it that now, my honor has fallen from the horse?" Jier mocked with a grin.

"Will a noble person lose their nobility because of one thing that loses honor? Even if they only did this one thing that lost honor."

Taking a deep breath, Bell-Sasi glanced at his trusted driver. The driver immediately sat up straight, holding the Jiansheng properly with both hands, as if the horses and Jiansheng he usually controlled easily were something that required great concentration to handle well.

Thus, the Baron Heir lowered his voice slightly so that his words, aside from being heard by those within a few meters, would be unclear to those on other carriages further away due to the noisy sound of the carriages moving.

"Speak, tell the truth, foreign 'noble' Knight, what do you want? Let me see if I can satisfy you so that you will join my battle."

Jier hooked the corner of his mouth and asked in return: "Bell, oh Bell, what can you give me?"

Frowning, the Baron Heir carefully weighed his words: "A sum of money stored in the Province Capital treasury? Believe me, it is a considerable amount. Although I cannot say exactly how much, you must know that it was originally money I took to strengthen my future warhorse and to purchase a primary Knight weapon."

Jier's eyes rolled: "Very generous. Let me consider it. Is there anything else?"

"Hmm, how about the three shops that belong to me in Yemei Town? As long as it is not a year like this, shops with the shopkeeper and Shop Assistants fully staffed are hens that lay golden eggs when operated! No need to intervene or worry about management; you can get stable income every year."

Jier asked suspiciously: "Then, these three hens—no, three shops—bah, that's not it either—these three hens that lay golden eggs, how many golden eggs can they lay in a year? Is there a specific number? Your description is too vague."

The Baron Heir glanced at the trusted driver sitting straight beside him with an "I didn't hear anything" expression, and spread his hands to Jier in embarrassment.

Jier nodded and moved past this question: "What else? Let me see your sincerity."

"You! As a Knight, you cannot be so greedy!"

Jier rolled his eyes upon hearing this: "Yes, yes, yes, as an Apprentice Knight, I indeed cannot be greedy; this damages my dignity and the honor of the Kendall people! So, shall I just take my people back? How about that?"

The Baron Heir was choked by this and said with an ugly expression: "The harvest one deserves is also deserved. How about this, let us talk about something concrete."

"Ah? Was the previous stuff not concrete?" Jier was a bit surprised.

But unexpectedly, Bell nodded and said with a firm expression: "What is concrete is that my aunt has several children, and her eldest daughter is about to come of age and is not yet betrothed. If you have any ideas and can produce a considerable betrothal gift to send to my aunt and uncle, I can guarantee that you will be able to marry my cousin! How about that? Is this enough to be concrete?"

Jier had a head full of question marks???

This is what he called concrete? The previous things were at least him paying money or giving shops to Jier, but here, it was actually him having to take out money and gifts for the elders of the person opposite him. Ah? Ah? Ah?

Is there some kind of logical error in this?

Jier could not figure it out.