Curse Return: Swordsmith Start

Chapter 187 Caravan

It seems that there is no choice in the menu at this restaurant.

First, there's a thick, white soup that looks like a stew of potatoes and beans, followed by steamed meat that looks spicy, and finally unfamiliar southern fruits that look sour and are drizzled with a sweet sauce.

Well, although they don't look very appealing, after taking a bite, I found that these foods actually taste surprisingly good when combined.

The soup, in particular, is fantastic.

At first glance, it looks like a white potato stew, but the sticky parts are actually well-cooked rice; in other words, it's a kind of porridge.

I never expected to be able to eat rice in a place like this; it's a delightful surprise.

The delicious local cuisine helped relieve the fatigue of a day's journey.

After eating and drinking to our hearts' content, we looked around and saw that many places were starting to close up shop.

It seems that some places have already turned off their lights and entered bedtime.

People here go to bed really early. Judging from the situation, the search for the guide will have to wait until tomorrow. There's simply no way to find him in the current state.

"Hello, excuse me, are there any hotels or similar establishments nearby?"

Seeing the man who had been soliciting customers earlier, I took the opportunity to ask him for information.

The result was this answer.

"A hostel? There's no such place. Just find somewhere you like to sleep."

There are no hostels or similar facilities in this market, and travelers without tents basically end up sleeping outdoors. Well, it's just a market after all, so we can't expect too much.

You're bound to encounter this kind of situation in the outside world.

"Where would be a suitable place?"

"I heard the lakeside is quite popular."

The final decision was to set up sleeping quarters between the two large tents.

These large tents usually have many guards, so it's unlikely that anyone would want to steal anything in the vicinity, although even if they did, he wouldn't be worried.

I slept soundly, and by morning, the market had changed dramatically.

The tranquility of the night vanished, revealing a vibrant landscape. Goods were displayed in front of the tents, and many people were loudly hawking their wares.

"Come buy some big melons! Otherwise we'll have to get rid of them tomorrow!"

"Here are griffin claws! Only thirty new salvos now!"

"Is anyone selling Narnia cloth? I want to trade it for Turquoise fruit..."

..!

Merchants shout out the contents and price of their goods, and customers who want to buy respond with even louder shouts.

Some transactions used currency, while others were conducted through barter.

Such scenes were playing out everywhere amidst the crowded market. Although some disputes arose, perhaps because they were all merchants, it seemed that no blood was spilled.

"These are Vega's glass bottles! They won't be shipped east anymore! Anyone want to buy from here?"

While strolling around, I passed by an interesting stall that was filled with square glass bottles engraved with beautiful patterns, which looked somewhat like whiskey bottles.

Some of them are even colored glass with a smooth surface, and they look like they have good quality.

The Central Continent I've passed through before also had glass, but it wasn't this thick, and the surface was rough and the transparency wasn't high.

However, in terms of productivity, it seems that the Bekarit continent has a higher level.

Of course, even if you stretch it out, it still can't compare to modern standards. It's just a nice souvenir to remember arriving at a unique place, and you can keep it as a keepsake.

The currency in this area is called "New Sa," which sounds quite unique, but it doesn't look much different from other currencies; it's just a round metal plate with a crudely engraved pattern.

I remember seeing it once when I passed through the Eastern Port with Alice and the others.

The Yue people sold some of the monster materials they had collected along the way and exchanged them for some local goods.

Although bartering is the mainstream practice, you still need to have some money on hand to feel secure.

Goods from the northern part of the Central Continent can fetch high prices here; for example, cheap dried meat sells for three times the price. Perhaps this is why cross-border trade can thrive.

After obtaining the cash, the Yue people began gathering information about the labyrinthine city of La Pen.

The target this time is the underground labyrinth, so the first piece of information to investigate is naturally the city of La Pen, which is said to be built on the labyrinth.

It seemed to be a big city; it was easy to find out the relevant information.

The location is about a month's walk north from this market.

After inquiring, I learned that the usual route is to go around the desert from Nkoz, but it is very dangerous recently because there are often thieves around.

A shrewd businessman would choose to cross the Uchigaya Desert directly.

"First, follow the road signs to the east and move north to the oasis..."

""

As a result, all that was said was vague and confusing; besides having a lot of new place names in my mind, I didn't get anything else.

"Are there any maps for sale around here?"

In those times, maps were undoubtedly a reliable tool.

However, the result was not as expected.

"Maps? Who makes those things?"

After further investigation, I learned that, not to mention the extremely dangerous monsters all around, the desert environment changes drastically. A map drawn one month ago might be obsolete the next month. Therefore, maps, which are very popular on normal continents, are unexpectedly ineffective here.

"So, where can I find a guide to go to La Pon?"

"There are guys who know the way, but nobody comes to a supply depot like this to find customers. Normally, they'd solicit customers at trading posts, right?"

That makes sense.

There's no other way; now that things have come to this, I can only try one last method, otherwise I'll have to continue venturing out on my own.

The last option is to travel with merchants heading to La Poon.

If you can find a caravan also heading to La Pang and travel with them, you'll most likely be able to reach your destination safely.

Just do it.

"Do you know any merchants who will be traveling to La Punt?"

Like the guide, probably no one would recruit bodyguards in a place like this.

Although the chances seemed slim, Yue Ren still decided to ask around, just in case he ran into someone.

With this in mind, they continued to inquire, only to find that there seemed to be fewer merchants traveling to La Pang from here than they had imagined.

Merchants usually travel to Kinkara, located in the east.

However, it's not entirely absent.

Lapon truly lives up to its reputation as a labyrinth city, surrounded by countless labyrinths and also a source of magical enhancements.

It seems that a merchant's business involves buying magical enhancements there and then reselling them at higher prices in other towns.

I heard that the merchant buys magic stones and magic crystals from the southwest and travels to Lapon through here.

On a whim, Yue Ren inquired about the merchant's location.

"If you're looking for a merchant like that, it's Uncle Galban. I remember his tent is on the west side of the lake; go look there."

They began searching for a person named Galban.

It is said that this merchant was a traveling merchant between Lapon and Tinorio, and he amassed a fortune in the process. He would transport magic stones to Lapon and then transport magic-enhancing items out of Lapon.

With six camels, the income seems quite good.

After asking around about the name, he quickly found the other party's tent.

The tent didn't look very big, but there were six camels tethered outside.

Consistent with intelligence.

As the Yue people approached the tent, a woman with light-skinned skin stepped out.

She was wearing a breastplate and a waistcoat that resembled a skirt... I saw this face yesterday.

It's that female warrior, Carmelita.

"You are from yesterday!"

Upon seeing the Yue man, she pointed at him in surprise, indicating that she still remembered him.

It seems like quite a coincidence.

The stingy businessman he helped yesterday seems to be Garbon. It seems yesterday's efforts weren't in vain.

Garbang was very pleased to receive him.

"When we went back yesterday, you were already gone, which surprised us."

It turns out they didn't leave directly, but went to find the escaped cargo—the camels.

After bringing the camel back, they returned to the original spot only to find that their benefactor had already left, and their companion's body had been cremated and buried. They wanted to express their gratitude but couldn't find anyone, so they had to give up.

The Yue people were quite speechless; it was just a matter of a single sentence.

However, perhaps their actions reflect the common sense of this place: the highest priority is the goods, and everything else can wait.

"This is fate. Would you be willing to be my bodyguard?"

Garbon needs to replenish his guards. He lost two guards yesterday, so he naturally needs to find more men. The strength of the Vietnamese people has already been demonstrated yesterday.

After hearing the purpose of the Yue people's visit, they extended an invitation.

"Up to La Poon, 600 new taels of salt, plus meals, how about that?"

According to the information the Yue people gathered about local prices, the reward was quite generous, so it seems the other party was somewhat grateful.

Since that was the case, the Yue people agreed and expressed their willingness to accept La Pang's guard duties.

"Oh, really? That's a huge help! How about I sign a private employment contract with you? I've never seen a magician as skilled as you. I could even raise the price a bit, 10,000 new shards a year... no, Baribard will protest. How about 8,000 new shards?"

"I'm sorry, but my goal is to visit the Labyrinth City. We can talk about that another time."

"Really? Okay..."

"6

Although he felt a little regretful, Galbon didn't say much, or rather, he was already quite relieved to have such a powerful mage like Yue Ren in charge this time.

And just like that, the travel problem was solved.

The next day, he became a guard for Garbon and began his journey toward Lapbon.

The caravan included the merchant Galbon, the captain of the guard "Hawk-Eye" Baribadem, the guard "Bonebreaker" Carmelita, and the guard "Greatsword" Donte.

Besides the four of them, there was also Yue Ren, nicknamed "The Magician of Flowers".

The female warrior Carmelita was quite puzzled as to why Yue Ren, a bard who used ice magic, would have such a soft and gentle title as "Flower Magician".

But when she saw the Yue people conjure flowers while playing music to bring smiles to the children's faces, she suddenly felt that the title seemed quite fitting.

Because of the addition of new members, the team discussed and decided on their formation beforehand.

Basically, the formation was centered around Garbon, with Baribadem leading the charge, Carmelita and Donte on the left and right flanks respectively, and the Vietnamese positioned in the rear.

This formation consists of five guards surrounding Galban and the camels. Regardless of which direction they are attacked from, the guards in other positions can provide support before Galban is harmed.

This is considered a reasonable layout for a typical caravan.

After leaving the market, the group of five moved eastward and soon came to a road.

Although he couldn't remember the place name, Yue Ren had a vague impression of it. If he remembered correctly, this was the route where thieves would appear, which he had collected at the market.

Out of a sense of responsibility as a member of the team, he went to report to Captain Barrybadem.

"I don't know the route across the desert, and besides, the reason I hired guards is to defend against thieves. If we are caught, we might be able to get away with it by paying a toll."

Toll money...

Upon hearing this word, Yue Ren suddenly realized that it was quite distant from him, as few people had ever obtained it from him. He couldn't help but sigh that people with different social statuses viewed things differently.

That's right. Thieves are just trying to make a living. As long as they hand over what they want, the caravan will probably be let go. After all, compared to killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, it's a long-term solution.

As long as no one dies, even if the fees are a bit high, it won't cause the merchants to disappear. There's a strange feeling that it's forming an industry chain.

And so the caravan continued on its journey.

They were frequently attacked by monsters along the way.

For example, there are the "Because of the Buffalo" that charge in groups, the "King Tarantula" that rustles on the ground, the "Sky Hawk" that attacks from the air with wind magic, the "Rotating Velociraptor" that we've seen before but don't know the name of, and the "Cactus Tree Spirit", etc.

These battles also made the Yue people understand the true value of the saying, "There are no wrong nicknames, only wrong names."

As expected of a man called "Hawkeye," Barry Badham always manages to spot enemies early by detecting the slightest clues, sometimes even outsmarting the senses of others, thus preventing large-scale battles from escalating.

This saved the Yue people some effort.

As the team leader, he is nearly two meters tall and has a broad back and thick waist.

He was probably in his early forties, with noticeable wrinkles around his eyes and a hint of shrewdness in his expression.

The hairstyle is very distinctive; it involves shaving the hair on the sides and back of the head.

"Monsters are here! Everyone prepare for battle!"

Having such a character in the team is very important. After all, whether you are an adventurer or a guard, what you fear most is being ambushed. Having a companion who can spot the enemy can increase your safety level several times over.

It can not only interrupt the enemy's offensive momentum, but also launch a preemptive counterattack.

For example, after learning the enemy's hiding place, the Yue people could take him out with a single ice spike.

Hitting a stationary target is not too easy.

"If you keep using those powerful spells like that, will you still have enough magic power?"

Barrybadem probably felt that the Yue people's methods of dealing with monsters were too casual, which is why he raised this question.

Although the Yue people tried their best to hide it, the ice spikes that could cause air explosions every few seconds were like the Grim Reaper on the battlefield, directly threatening the lives of the enemy.