Chapter 346: Chapter 293: Ximu Town, Making a Comeback (Part 2)

"Those wilderness monsters, no matter how fierce, how could they possibly kill a noble lord surrounded by elite guards? I can’t understand."

Seeing the apprentice’s face full of confusion mixed with astonishment, the old merchant’s lips curled upwards, revealing a highly satisfied smile.

He particularly enjoyed the emotional fluctuations of young people due to the unknown.

Especially anticipating seeing the other’s shocked and stunned expression upon learning the truth, it always brought him a bit of pleasure as the storyteller, as if seeing his former self.

The old merchant leisurely shook off the water droplets accumulated on his raincoat, the drops fell with a crackle.

He cleared his throat and continued his narration.

To train his successor and let the future ruler of the territory accumulate merits and prestige, Viscount Ironthorn sent him to this wilderness, accompanied by many elite family guards including the Alchemy Golem.

This team was powerful and had a clear purpose.

—Using force as a backing to negotiate with those unyielding Monster Race, forcing them to accept the Viscount’s will and obediently pay the exorbitant taxes.

However, no one anticipated that the development of events would completely exceed everyone’s expectations.

Behind that seemingly ordinary Monster Race stood three young Dragons!

Evil Dragons are inherently arrogant and violent, how could they tolerate human extortion and coercion?

They instantly tore apart the false pretense of peace, brutally slaughtered the noble offspring, and then led the entire Monster Race away, disappearing into the depths of the wilderness.

Viscount Ironthorn was furious when he heard the news, sparing no expense in recruiting a powerful Dragon Hunting Squad, personally leading the team deep into the wilderness for pursuit.

However, this team ultimately disappeared like a stone sinking into the sea, leaving no trace.

People who knew about the matter privately generally believed that those three Evil Dragons had counter-killed Viscount Ironthorn along with his Dragon Hunting Squad.

The environment where Evil Dragons live is undoubtedly perilous, often attracting human raids and campaigns, but no one dares to underestimate their powerful ferocity.

The examples of the raiders being slaughtered are quite numerous.

"A distinguished Viscount, along with his heir, killed by monsters in the wilderness... This stirred quite a wave at the time, shocking many of the prominent figures of the Raymond Duchy."

The old merchant was somewhat moved.

"Subsequently, the Federation troops, to quell the situation and to demonstrate power, launched a large-scale operation, thoroughly sweeping the areas surrounding Scale Earth Rift."

"Around the area, fierce beasts, magical creatures, and even some innocent or weak straggling Monster Races were almost completely slaughtered by the army, not leaving a blade of grass, this bloody cleansing instead made the surrounding of Scale Earth Rift unprecedentedly stable, at least on the surface."

"Moreover, with the death of Viscount Ironthorn, his control over this place collapsed, and the toll taxes he originally collected, which made the merchant caravans suffer greatly, vanished with him."

"The merchant caravans not only did not decrease because of the previous slaughter, but instead increased due to the removal of taxes and the temporary improvement in safety, seeming even more bustling than when the monsters occupied."

The apprentice was still puzzled, and he asked, "But when we came, weren’t we stopped at the crossroads by soldiers and paid a hefty toll tax?"

The old merchant clicked his tongue with a hint of helplessness on his face.

"That’s because seven years ago, the Albert Family — Viscount Ironthorn’s family — sent people again to retake Scale Earth Rift, starting to collect taxes again, and their greed is even more unabashed than before."

"Their greed made many merchants back out and give up this route, but overall, Scale Earth Rift is still more prosperous than initially, caravans like ours with needs will still choose to pass through."

Albert, the surname of the late Viscount Ironthorn.

The Albert Family holds an eminent position in Raymond Duchy, deeply rooted, and in its prime, had produced a mighty Marquis’ Head of the Family.

Though now slightly in decline, no longer glorious, they still have a Count’s Head of the Family overseeing, and have multiple Viscount Lords guarding all sides.

A camel dead is still larger than a horse, its network of connections is vast, and the entanglements of interests are far beyond the ordinary Earl Family.

The drizzle continued endlessly, like unbroken threads draping the world in a grey mist.

As time passed, this small caravan, only consisting of a few carts, slowly approached the checkpoint ahead through the misty rain.

Gazing forward through the drizzly rain, the outline of a small town, though small in stature, begins to clear.

It was built close to Scale Earth Rift, disorderly congested wooden and stone houses clutter together, the thin cooking smoke from chimneys quickly dispersed by the rain.

————Ximu Town.

It emerged over almost twenty years along with the ups and downs of Scale Earth Rift, growing from scratch, primarily serving those dusty merchant caravans, stationed soldiers, and adventurers who make a living licking the blade edge in the wilderness.

At this moment, the town appeared particularly silent in the rain.

When the caravan finally reached Ximu Town, the slanted rain was densely striking the tiles of the watchtower’s peak.

Six soldiers cloaked in capes bearing the emblem of the Albert Family stood in front of the barricade.

The bald captain at the head had sharp eyes, scanning the caravan members like an eagle.

"Same old rule! Three-tenths toll tax for each carriage!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

The captain impatiently tapped the iron bars of the carriage with the scabbard of his sword, the rainwater trickling from his shiny scalp into his collar.