Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 184 Caravan Deepens Enemy Camp to Discover Internal Cracks
Selyl eliminated the enemy pursuers, which brought the risk of exposing the camp.

Faced with the keen sense of smell and the large number of Otter-Headed Beastmen, Lord Chen Mo had to adjust the location of his camp once again.

Fortunately, the plains are large enough that even in densely populated areas like the Crystal Plains, one can always find hiding places among the mountains and rivers, let alone in areas like the orcs' extensive outpost control.

Inside the new temporary camp, the lamplight cast long shadows that swayed slightly on the rough tent walls.

The newly made sand table still carries the fresh scent of wood carving.

Chen Mo's fingers tapped lightly on the topographic map marked "Rotten Swamp," producing a dull thud.

"If we can resolve the issue of the Swamp of Rot from within, we can take over this 'Blackwater Land' smoothly and at the lowest cost and fastest speed. Subsequent development and construction will also face much less resistance!"

"Has the caravan arrived?"

"Reporting to the lord, the caravan is making its way here at full speed and is expected to reach the main road to the south by tomorrow morning."

"Okay, have you decided on the personnel to be sent to assist?"

"Reporting to the lord, the candidate has been selected: Wang Shouyi, a second-term graduate of the Torch Military Academy and platoon leader of the third platoon of the first reconnaissance company of the National Defense Force!"

The widespread adoption of Xia script in the Han Hai territory naturally led to the widespread adoption of Chinese names as well. Since these were newly created names, there were no family trees or bloodlines, so people chose their names rather casually. Usually, the surname represented the characteristics of the clan, while the given name was chosen based on what sounded good.

Just as the surname Liu corresponds to the Minotaur tribe, the surname Wang undoubtedly corresponds primarily to the Canine tribe.

The canine boy whose name was called jolted and straightened his back abruptly.

The orcs of the Han Hai Territory, starting with Liu Zaiyue, were all born slaves, either purchased from the human race in the south or from the orc race in the north.

Of course, later on, there were also slaves that Han Hai Territory personally captured.

Wang Shouyi belongs to the second category. He originally came from Bailu Plain. He is not tall and has a slightly thin build. In the traditional terminology of the dog breed, he should belong to the "greyhound" category.

The child had a clever look in his eyes, but he always seemed a little timid when facing the lord's gaze.

He was originally a spoil of war from a small tribal conflict in the north, and after being sold from one place to another, he eventually ended up in the vast desert via the "Yellow Trade Route," just like many of his kind.

Yes, from Qishan out of Bailu Plain, along the eastern end of the Razor Corridor down into the desert and towards the Han Sea, this is the Yellow Trade Route.

Boarding at Hailuokou, the ship meanders south along the coastline to Emerald Bay, marking the start of the Blue Route.

Because of his small frame and malnutrition in his childhood, Wang Shouyi looks much thinner than his peers. However, the ample food and systematic training provided by Hanhai have instilled strength and resilience into his bones and muscles.

Being selected for the Torch Military Academy in the second batch and graduating successfully, this child's talent far exceeds his frail body. What is especially rare is that he learns things extremely quickly, has an innate sensitivity to numbers and paths, and harbors an almost blind, fanatical loyalty to the Han Hai Territory and its lord who gave him a new life.

He is a die-hard member of the "Torch Youth League".

Chen Mo walked up to him, and the boy had to tilt his head slightly to see the lord's expression. Chen Mo raised his hand and gently placed it on Wang Shouyi's slightly thin shoulder. The boy could feel the weight and warmth from the great lord and respected mentor.

"Safety first, intelligence second, action third. Once danger is detected, evacuate immediately without hesitation, understand?"

“Understood, my lord!” Wang Shouyi replied loudly.

Lin Zhong was responsible for assigning specific tasks. Before leaving, Lin Zhong gave him a detailed explanation: "Now, your identity is Grayclaw, the young master of the 'Short Tooth' tribe of the Dog Clan, and you are in charge of supervising the caravan."

"Boy, remember my orders, be careful, and remember the lord's orders..."

Wang Shouyi carefully and neatly put away the "Torch Youth Corps" badge that he had just taken off his military uniform, handed it to his comrade who stayed behind at the camp, and then gave a silent reply.

"Commander-in-Chief Lin, in terms of skill and ability, I may not be as good as you. But in terms of loyalty, who in the Han Hai Territory dares to compare with my Torch Youth Corps?"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

As dawn broke, a small caravan consisting of seven camel-like beasts swayed along the dilapidated road of the White Deer Plain.

The entire road network in the north is still a legacy of the White Deer Kingdom from hundreds of years ago, and it's practically indistinguishable from muddy terrain, so caravans can never travel fast.

However, the local tribes still maintained at least some respect for the caravans.

The various orc tribes of the White Deer Plain were rife with war and betrayal, encroachment and ambush. How these small caravans were able to survive was once one of the most perplexing questions for the Vast Ocean Territory.

However, once Hailuokou stood up and became a part of this chaotic order, he gradually learned the answer.

The dwarfs' merchant guild has a background, and their scattered caravans have made irreplaceable contributions.

The Seven Luminaries Garland Merchant Guild of the dwarves was unwilling to engage in many basic necessities, such as inferior wine, coarse salt, supplying scattered daily necessities, and recycling damaged and cheap furs. These were activities that required long journeys and yielded meager profits in each tribe, which was not worth much money.

This can only be accomplished by these traditional small or even micro-sized traveling merchants of the orcs.

Moreover, these itinerant merchants are all approved and numbered, and have obtained licenses from large tribes. If any tribe were to act recklessly and rob a caravan, it would offend not only the large tribe that issued the caravan license, but also the entire itinerant merchant supply system.

From now on, if you want to eat salt or drink alcohol, you'll have to send someone out yourself, and you'll also have to be careful not to get beaten up!

At this moment, the caravan named "White Deer 890" was driving several pack wagons equipped with sand-proof covers, pulled by sturdy pack animals, westward.

The most valuable goods in the caravan were the "Unblocking Elixir" and the "Exorcising Pagoda," packaged in wooden boxes and earthenware jars.

In addition, there was coarse salt, cheap wine, some rough porcelain bowls, and inexpensive metal jewelry, etc.

These things are worthless in the human world, but in resource-scarce orc tribes, they can fetch a price.

The caravan leader was an orc veteran nicknamed "Old Pipe," with a deep scar on his face that ran from his left temple to his right jaw, making him look particularly fierce.

At this moment, he was smoking a nanmu pipe, squinting as he carefully checked the tightness of the reins, escorting his young master, who was going on his first business trip, as "Grey Claw" played by Wang Shouyi, on the road to the Rotten Swamp Tribe.

Gray Claw had shed his military uniform and donned a worn-out leather armor for a merchant's guard, with a fairly sharp-looking scimitar at his waist, trying his best to look more like a young master who had recently joined the world of martial arts.

The deeper one ventures into the northeastern part of the Bailu Plain, the more pronounced the scars of war and the marks of oppressive rule become. Along the way, one frequently sees the remains of small, burned-down settlements, with charred wooden stakes standing scattered about, and a faint smell of blood and burnt flesh always seems to linger in the air.

The caravan members chatted quietly, calculating their earnings from the trip, complaining about the awful weather in the north, missing their families back home, and lamenting the devastation of war...

That evening, the caravan finally arrived at the outer outpost of the Rot Swamp tribe.

The low walls and watchtowers, built of rough logs and rammed earth, were topped with the flag of the "Rotten Swamp" tribe—a dirty rag painted with ferocious fangs and swamp bubbles.

According to the rules, after inspecting the documents the caravan obtained from the orc tribe and collecting the necessary toll, the old pipe's caravan was granted the right to set up a stall in the square in front of the stronghold for a few days.

The main settlement of the Rotten Swamp tribe was far more chaotic and filthy than anyone had imagined. Low shacks were crammed together haphazardly, and animal excrement and garbage were scattered everywhere on the streets. After fermenting, these substances mixed with the stench of the animals and other indescribable damp odors, filling the air with a nauseating smell.

In this situation, the smell emanating from the black, solidified tarpaulin next to the houses can indeed be invigorating.

Not only do the otter-boar orcs like the smell, but even the humans in the caravan find it refreshing.

It really tastes great!

Groups of two or three otter-boar beastmen lay lazily outside their huts, basking in the sun. When they saw the caravan arrive, they would come over for a few glances, then lazily drag themselves back inside to retrieve various leftover furs, coins from different countries, and even some gold and silver jewelry and gold and silver granules, preparing to go to the market.

Orcs do not issue their own currency. On the wasteland, food and fur are the anchors for trade. However, after plundering human settlements, they generally know what is valuable and have developed the concept that gold and silver coins can be exchanged for goods.

The old pipe smoker chose a relatively spacious open space to start setting up his stall.

"Grey Claw" lay on a nearby chair, tossing two animal bones, each the size of a baby's fist, up and down in his hand. He looked lazy and casual, but his eyes were unconsciously scanning the details of the fortifications, the number and batches of patrolling guards, the blind spots of the high-ranking sentries, and so on.

The Hanhai Torch Youth Corps has been a military group since its inception, and the preparation for war is ingrained in its very bones.

The old pipe displayed everyday supplies that ordinary orcs might use, along with the [Unblocking Elixir] and [Exorcising Pagoda], which were already somewhat famous in the orc settlement, immediately attracting a considerable number of otter-like orcs.

During the exchange, the caravan's guards were scattered in squares, streets, taverns, and other places where orcs gathered, trying to gather any useful information from the orcs' noisy conversations.

The most useful information, of course, is the orcs' complaints!
"...This time, the gap-toothed old man's tax collection is too harsh. We've handed over the last bit of grain we had. What are we going to do in the winter?"

"What else can we do but go and rob some more? There's still the autumn hunt to come!"

"I heard the spring hunt resulted in huge losses, what if..."

"Shh! Keep your voice down! If the patrol hears you, they'll skin you alive to make boots!"

"Try to look on the bright side. I heard that the Blackmouth tribe is also being requisitioned for grain, and they're in an even worse situation than us..."

There were quite a few complaints. In previous years, the spring hunt was a time of harvest, but this year, not only did they not get anything, but orcs also died. They still had to continue to provide food, supplies, and manpower to support the orcs' northern and southern camps. The chieftains at the top would not use their own wealth to fill this hole. With each layer of exploitation, it was these middle and lower-class orcs who had to shoulder this burden.

However, despite the complaints, most of the Otter-Headed Orcs focused their attention on the Orc camp at Flag Mountain, or on specific events such as "requisitioning grain" and "conscription," and almost no one expressed any dissatisfaction with "Gap Tooth," the chieftain of the "Rotten Swamp" tribe.

It seems that this tribal chief is quite skilled.

In order to buy more time, Grey Claw Wang Shouyi used the strategy taught by the lord, cleverly controlling the delivery speed.

For example, the first ten items of certain important supplies sold each morning are priced 30% lower than usual. It may seem like a simple promotional event, but which orc wouldn't want to take advantage of such a bargain?

So, after the morning's opening discounts were snapped up, the remaining orcs would always tug at the old pipe, chattering incessantly, "Are you coming again tomorrow? Is there anything left to sell?"

Having received an affirmative answer, the orcs promptly postponed their shopping plans, day after day.

The caravan, which had been "warmly welcomed" by the people and had such a strong expectation for further shopping, naturally had enough reason to stay longer, even if it meant paying a few more days' worth of venue fees.

Five days passed, and finally, an important piece of intelligence surfaced.

In the tavern, after a few cups of cheap liquor, a giant otter-boar orc with a rather large tongue slammed his fist on the table.

"The gap-toothed boss has been in a really bad mood lately. The day before yesterday, Captain 'Tail-Broken' led a hunting party, but they didn't catch anything and were even humiliated by the Blackmouth guys. Goodness, the boss whipped them so hard..."

"Huh? What's going on? Tell me!" The old pipe handed over a glass of wine at the right moment.

Several orcs nearby seized the opportunity to gather around, chattering amongst themselves: "Who is Captain Shorttail? Why is he fighting with Blackmouth's men?"

"Yes, yes, how come we didn't know anything about what happened that day? You're so well-informed!"

"Yes, yes, tell me about it, but old man, one glass of ale won't do, you should give us all a glass!"

Amidst the cheers and jeers of a crowd, the big-tongued orc proudly began to gossip.

Duanwei is the hunting team leader of the "Rotten Swamp" tribe's stronghold. He should be the seventh person in the camp. If you remove the old shaman who never shows his face, he is the sixth person.

During this hunting trip, a minor conflict occurred with the neighboring Blackmouth tribe. The chief, Toothless, felt he had lost face and couldn't outmaneuver his opponent. He then severely beat Duanwei, who hadn't been able to get out of bed for two days.

Gray Claw, who had been desperately seeking an opportunity, was overjoyed. That very night, he arranged for someone to deliver a box of high-quality wound medicine to Captain "Tailbreaker".

Two days later, the caravan received a positive response from Captain Duanwei. The location of the "White Deer 890" caravan's stall was changed to a shady and rain-sheltered spot on the south side of the square.

Greyclaw immediately took his old pipe and generous gifts to express his gratitude.

Over time, they developed a friendship.

In this situation, the caravan continued to significantly extend its stay in the "Rotten Swamp" tribe by purchasing a limited amount of inferior fur from the orcs each day and tanning it on the spot.

As the two sides became closer, under the influence of the high alcohol levels provided by the caravan, the hunting team leader, Duanwei, finally inadvertently revealed his complaints about his boss.

He grumbled and cursed, clearly quite indignant.

They immediately followed suit, echoing each other enthusiastically, and for a moment the two sides even felt a sense of mutual respect.

Grayclaw casually teased, "Chief Gaptooth's treatment of the tribe's warriors is truly disheartening. If it were a reasonable chief like you..."

A flicker of wariness flashed in Duanwei's drunken eyes. He slammed down his wine pouch and stared at Gray Claw: "Kid, what do you mean?"

"The gap-toothed leader was a bit harsh on me, but he's still our leader, the Otter-boar Beastman! It's none of your business, you outsiders, gossiping about things that happen in the tribe! Get out!"

Covered in dust and grime, the old pipe smoker helplessly advised the gray claw, "You were still too hasty!"

Well, the children of the Hanhai Torch Youth Group, no matter how much cultural knowledge they have learned, are still too young and inexperienced.

This is also the main problem of the current upper management team of Han Hai Ling. The older ones have some "residual bad habits from society", and only the small teams they cultivate themselves are loyal enough.

There always has to be trade-offs.

Greyclaw Wang Shouyi looked rather dejected: "It's not that time is too tight. Who knows when the orcs will start their autumn hunt? Our caravan can't stay here forever."

The old pipe reassured him gently, "It's alright, don't panic. The internal conflicts among the orcs are still there. We'll look for another opportunity!"

And the opportunity did indeed arrive very quickly.

(End of this chapter)