Mercenaries and Adventurers

After Keel ate and drank enough, he quickly regained his energy. Knowing that there would be another hand-to-hand combat test at night, Keel kept twisting his waist to the left and his arms to the right on the horse, getting ready for the next battle.

As the vanguard, dozens of them received a batch of lighting torches from the logistics. Knights Kiel and Crow walked in front, and he lit one himself to illuminate the knights leading the crowd. The guards walking behind were divided into three groups, basically every ten people in a team, and the deputy captain of the team led by the team would light torches for the whole team walking together.

The same goes for the militiamen. The two groups of militiamen also received a dozen torches, which were held by two deputy captains to illuminate twenty of them.

Since the Kiel and Claw knights who led the team were very familiar with the road to Bingyuguan, even at night, everyone still advanced faster, and the team densely traveled south along the road.

Although the militiamen in the team can't see much at night, there is no problem with the lighting of the torches.

The quality of the bright lighting torches is very good. It burns waste cloth soaked in grease to provide lighting, which is far better than the simple torches made by Keel himself. Too strong.

After it got dark, there were often unknown birds chirping and chirping on the big trees beside the road, but after Keel and his team approached, those smart little guys consciously lowered their calls. Standing on the top of the tree and looking at them, the eyes reflected the light of the torch, hanging in mid-air and swaying.

Knight Crowe seldom spoke when he was marching on his war horse, so he led the team in such a silent way, it was difficult for Kiel to talk about the topic and get closer to the knight.

When the team walked along the road to a place a little closer to the river bank, Knight Crowe patted the steel plate on his leg armor with his hands, making a loud noise that attracted Keel's attention.

"My lord, what's the matter?"

Keel turned his head and asked.

Knight Crowe raised his finger to the other side that is not close to the river, and there is a series of high and low scattered stones in the direction of the depth: "There is someone there, Kiel, catch him here."

Keel looked over and found that the direction that Knight Crowe was pointing at was pitch black, and he didn't look like someone, but he didn't say anything, he just clenched his right fist and looked at his chest, then handed the torch to the person behind him, knocking Knock the horse's belly, speed up the horse, and run to the problematic place.

Approaching the side of the road, Kiel slowed down and jumped off his horse, holding the sword hilt at his waist with one hand, and putting the shield hanging behind his back on his hand with the other.

Approaching the scattered large and small stones, Kiel immediately smelled the smoke from the burning firewood. Although the eyes couldn't see anything at this time, the smell clearly showed that there were indeed people here.

"Who? Get out!"

Keir scolded, and then reported his identity: "We are the vanguard of the Kendall County Militia, and the leader is the Crow Knight. There is no need to be afraid, come out!"

But there was still no movement around.

"If you don't come out, I'll be rough!"

Holding the shield upright in front of his chest, Kiel strode forward, but his right hand just rested on the hilt and did not draw out the sword.

There were rustling sounds behind a few stones, and besides that, Kiel heard the nervous panting of humans.

Directly by the faint moonlight, Keir came to the stone and kicked towards the hiding place behind the stone.

Someone let out a cry of pain, and then rushed to Keir.

Released the hilt, Kiel raised his shield to block the opponent's attack, and then rewarded the opponent with a fist in the face.

The gloved fist was much heavier than bare hands, and the hard cowhide on the back of the hand hit his face, causing the opponent to scream in pain. Then, people around rushed out.

These people yelled, and through the moonlight, Keel noticed the faint flash of the dagger reflecting the moonlight from something like a dagger.

He raised his spirits, straightened his shield and charged towards several people. After knocking down one person, he didn't stop and continued to push forward with his shield.

The person in the back was afraid and didn't dare to face Kiel's collision. He wanted to dodge and dodge, but he tripped over an invisible stone at his feet and fell to the ground.

Then Keir turned around, and first kicked the man who fell on the ground and screamed, hitting him so hard that he could only hug his stomach and retch. Then Kiel heard the wind, raised his arm, and blocked the sneak attack of another person who turned around with a bang.

Without giving the opponent a chance, Kiel stretched out his right hand in front of the shield, grabbed the opponent's iron-clad short stick, and took a step back. At the same time, he pulled his arm and directly snatched the opponent's self-defense weapon.

Another person next to him slashed at him with a dagger, but Kiel didn't block him, and let him slash, and hit the opponent's head with a stick with his backhand, and the felt hat of the person who slashed him with the dagger flew out with blood.

"Wuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu" The man who was hit on the head swayed and crouched on the ground.

He raised his kick and kicked the man over, and then added a stick, knocking the dagger in his hand flying.

The person whose self-defense stick was taken away by Kiel was terrified. He turned around and wanted to run into the far field, but after Kiel opened his eyes wide and could barely see his figure, he threw the stick and hit his back, knocking him over. land.

-

Not far away, the vanguard team led by Knight Crowe stopped, and the militiamen vigilantly put down the spears they had been carrying, and pointed to the dark place where the fight took place. The guards, on the other hand, looked at the Claude knight leading the team, waiting for the knight's instructions.

But Knight Crowe instructed to listen to the movement on Kiel's side until the movement disappeared, and then ordered five guards under him, and went over to arrest them with torches.

Five guards ran over quickly with two torches, each with their long swords in their hands, ready to fight. But when we looked over, several people were knocked to the ground and wailed, while Keir stood amidst the wailing and waved at them.

"What's going on? These people?" The guard who led the team handed a torch to Kiel, and then asked.

Keir shrugged: "How do I know, we reported our identities, but they didn't talk to each other at all. When we got close, I started fighting with them."

A guard saw several wooden baskets lying upside down in the bushes next to the stone, checked them and found some wrapped goods inside.

"Could it be a businessman going back and forth between Bingxun Pass and Kendall City?" Someone asked doubts.

So, they gathered the downed people together, and the guards asked.

As a result, the men who were beaten up by Keir just wailed and said that they don't want to kill them, they are willing to hand over the goods, and they only want to spare their lives.

Only then did the guards realize that these people were really businessmen.

Only on a smaller scale.

Keir scratched his head, a little embarrassed, he looked at the guard next to him, and the other party shook his head: "Take these people over to show the adults first, anyway, these people will extinguish the fire ahead of time when they see us coming with torches. Suspicious. Go ahead first."

So, Keel and the others dragged these people's hidden wooden baskets, and several businessmen who were crushing or wailing or begging for mercy came to the stopped team.

When they came to the front and back of the team, these people saw dozens of well-equipped people around them, and only then did they know that they had really encountered a regular militia team in Kendall County.

When they saw the Knight Crow riding on the back of a tall horse, they immediately showed their identities and cried that they had just been beaten.

Keel sat on the horse in embarrassment, not knowing what to say.

Do you want to compensate them or pay for medical expenses?

It is impossible to think that Knight Crowe didn't care what these people said at all. He just waved his hands and asked his subordinates to find something to gag their mouths, and then tied them up with ropes and put them in the middle of the town guard team. The things of these merchants are also called guards. carrying.

Then organize the team and continue on the road.

There was a lot of discussion in the team, and they didn't understand why these businessmen were taken away, but everyone didn't dare to refute Knight Crowe's order, so they could only talk in twos and twos in a low voice.

Knight Crowe didn't care that much, and made a gesture to the inexplicable Keir to talk about it later, and then said nothing.

The group continued to march south.

Soon, after walking quietly for more than an hour, they came to the north gate of Bingxun Pass.

In the distance, on the wall outside the north gate stood many soldiers in the checkpoint. They held illuminated torches and high braziers. They were densely populated, each holding weapons, and seemed to be waiting for the arrival of everyone.

And on the open space near the river outside the north gate, there has been an open space surrounded by wooden pillars that can accommodate almost a thousand people. There are also lit fires everywhere inside, and a dozen checkpoints The soldiers were anxiously staying where they were, waiting for Kiel and his group to arrive.

"Gods above, I don't know if their arrival tonight is a good thing or a bad thing."

A soldier captain leading the team grumbled in distress.

Seeing a team of dozens of people coming along the road, he rubbed his face and led the people to meet them urgently. While sizing up Kiel and the others, he also frequently looked to the north side of the road.

Knight Crowe snorted coldly: "What are you looking at? Don't take us in yet."

Seeing Knight Crowe talking to him, the soldier captain immediately reacted. Of course he knew Knight Crowe. Few people in Kendall County didn’t know him, even if they didn’t know the face of Knight Crowe. The knight's extraordinarily tall and strong horse, as well as the complete set of knight's thick armor, should also be recognized.

He led the team into this empty camp that was specially built after being notified by Kendall City in advance.

The captain of the soldiers saw several businessmen being escorted by the guards in the team, turned his eyes, and pretended to be curious and asked the town guards who were escorting them what was going on.

But he was immediately rebuked by Crow Knight saying that it's none of your business.

"Okay, I don't need you here anymore, go out! Just wait for the baron outside the camp. Now this camp is under my control."

Knight Crowe was not polite. He waved his hand and asked a group of militiamen to 'invite' them out.

Keel felt strange, as if things had gone wrong since just now.

"My lord, what's going on here?" Keel got off his horse, and asked in a low voice carefully to Knight Crowe who hadn't dismounted yet.

"Well, it's none of your business. But it's nothing if you want to know. I'll explain to you later." Knight Crowe rode on his horse, glanced at the soldiers at the gate on the wall of the north gate of Bingxun Pass, and said casually. Said to Kiel.

-

Crow Knight arranged for dozens of guards and militiamen in the vanguard to briefly inspect the open space where they camped tonight, and then rested on the spot.

He brought Kiel to those businessmen, and before they approached them attentively, he picked out the best-dressed businessman among them, and brought him out.

Kiel led the man to a place some distance away, and then, according to the knight's instructions, untied the merchant's mouth.

The man glanced at Kiel in fear, and then bowed to the Knight Crowe who was standing next to him to admit his mistake: "My lord, my lord. We knew we were wrong, and we shouldn't hide when the team came over. Where are the bandits in the north of the checkpoint?" , It’s all of us who are blind and mistakenly think that the soldiers led by the adults are bandits. It really shouldn’t be, ahem, we should fight, we should fight.”

Keir's eyes lit up, no wonder this group of people hid, and they fought with him when he went to inquire. It turned out that they were regarded as bandits.

But Knight Crowe just rolled his eyes and didn't speak. He just took off his helmet and stared at the man seriously.

Knight Crowe looked serious, and Kiel also put away his joyful face and became serious as well.

Is there any problem here?

"My lord? My lord?" Seeing that Knight Crowe didn't speak, but just stared at him, the businessman also became nervous. His body shrank a little. He had been hit on the head before, and now he squatted down nervously. land.

"My lord, we are all small merchants in the checkpoint. We usually do some small business, and go to Kendal City to buy some rare things outside the county. We are all serious merchants."

He became more and more nervous, with snot running out of his nose, and he stumbled when speaking.

Knight Crowe took a step towards him, and the businessman sat down on the ground in fear, staring blankly at the knight.

"Do I look stupid?"

Knight Crowe stared at the man, and said slowly and word by word.

Both Kiel and the businessman sitting on the ground shook their heads, but Kiel just shook his head naturally, while the businessman on the ground shook his head quickly from side to side.

"Then, tell me, why are you hiding by the roadside?"

The businessman replied immediately, his words changed from his previous nervousness, and became fluent and efficient: "My lord, we are spending the night there at night, so there is really no other problem."

"Look, bark bark bark. Answer me, where did you start and where did you go?"

The man still replied smoothly and directly: "My lord, we started from Kendall City and headed south all the way. At night, we spent the night among the stones beside the road. Really, really."

Knight Crowe snorted disdainfully, and he looked at Kiel: "Kiel, when did we start? Where?"

"My lord, we set off shortly after dawn, from the militia camp outside Kendall City." Speaking of this, Kiel immediately reacted: "That's right, in the morning, except for the farmers led by the Church of Saturn, they went out of the city and borrowed the camp. Other than the road in the center, no one else is allowed to move around. If there are merchants, they should start after us."

Knight Crowe snorted heavily: "So, how did you guys overtake the troops on the road and run in front of us? Floating down the Kendall River?"

The knight stretched out a palm to cover the top of the businessman's head, and the cold gloves made of steel armor scraped the top of the man's head roughly, making this so-called 'businessman' horrified.

"You were just waiting there a long time ago, am I right?" Knight Crowe stared at the man and asked.

The man stammered and wanted to nod his head to answer, but the steel gloves tightly bound his hair, and the man's head could not move at all: "Yes, yes. But we are really businessmen, it's just that someone spent money in Bingxun Pass Find us, let us hide north of the checkpoint and wait for the troops starting from Kendall City."

"Yeah?"

Knight Crowe tightened his fingers, then raised his hand, and directly lifted the man sitting on the ground.

The man just wanted to scream and wail, but he quickly shut up, for fear of offending the knight in front of him.

"Just hide there, won't you do something?"

The two looked at the same level, and Knight Crowe stared at the person in front of him.

"I don't know, really, really, I don't know." The man was shaking as he spoke, genuinely terrified.

Knight Crowe was silent for a while, and then said to Kiel: "Kiel, go over and ask the guards to gather all their luggage and burn it!"

"Yes!" Keel thought for a while, and it is estimated that there may be problems with those things.

"It's on fire!" Cavalier Crowe warned.

"Yes, it's on fire." Kiel responded, then immediately turned and ran to the guards.

-

The guards were sitting on the ground to rest at this time. Someone was curious about the merchants' things and was about to open them to have a look, but Kiel ran over and stopped the guards from moving.

"do not move!"

He ran over quickly and directly pressed the hands of the guards who wanted to unpack the so-called merchandise that the merchants had tightly wrapped.

"There is something wrong with these things. Knight Crowe has an order to burn all the wooden panniers of these people! Burn it!" Keel said seriously.

The guards looked at each other, until Keir repeated it again, they reluctantly picked up the thing and threw it into the lit fire.

After watching them throw everything in, Keel asked someone to find firewood, increase the firepower of the fire, and completely burn the contents of the wooden basket.

"Is there a mistake? I thought I could make a fortune directly." Someone complained softly, and someone beside him agreed: "It is said that this place is so close to Bingxun Pass, so I will find someone to sell it at a low price tomorrow. It will delay things."

But while Keir was paying attention to the several wooden boxes in the fire, he turned his head and looked at the remaining so-called 'businessmen' who were being guarded by the guards.

He noticed that one person was particularly excited, the others were just gagged and shaking their heads feeling sorry for the goods being burned, and only one person moved his butt, trying to stay away from the fire.

"Add more firewood! Stay away from here at the same time!" Kiel shouted towards the guards around the fire.

Some guards didn't understand, and some guards didn't want to listen to Kiel's order, but Kiel repeated it several times, and then stepped forward and dragged away the guards who were resting on the ground. UU Reading www.uukanshu. com to get them.

"Keep an eye on these people, they have problems." Speaking to a middle-aged guard who can handle things among the guards, Kiel stared at the so-called commodities in the fire.

After a while, the wooden waterproof shell of the wooden pannier was burned through, and the packaging of the 'commodity' inside was also lit up. With a bang, something exploded in the fire, and a stream of yellow flames appeared on the high-temperature flame head. smoke.

But before these things spread, they were ignited by the billowing flames, followed by them, and were completely burned up.

The guards who had been looking at the fire and regretted the goods inside were stunned. They looked at each other in blank dismay, and then consciously moved away from the fire for a few meters.

Keir also stepped back calmly: "Throw some more firewood, just throw it in."

This time, no one stopped talking.

A few guards who also saw that something was wrong angrily beat up a few 'businessmen' with fists and kicks. Keir didn't stop them at first, but after these people were beaten all over, he stopped the guards' beating on the grounds that Knight Crowe might still interrogate them.

"Look at them."

The guards watched them closely, and two guards drew their weapons and stood beside them.

After a while, Knight Crowe came over dragging the leg of the person who was interrogating him. He naturally noticed the situation here. He patted Kiel on the shoulder, silently encouraged him, and then shook the person in his hand. Passed over: "Stop his mouth and watch these people. Others, don't ask too much, this is something the baron needs to consider."

As he said that, on the road to the north of Bingxun Pass, a series of torches were arranged to form a long snake made of flames, slowly walking over.

The baron's army is coming.