Mercenaries and Adventurers

Kiel told Knight Crowe about the rain protection matters that the local businessman in the western province had reminded him, but Knight Crowe proudly pointed to one of the logistics carriages.

"Kill, guess what's on that?"

Seeing him like this, Kiel guessed that the carriage, which had not been used much, must be loaded with supplies related to marching and fighting, rainfall and waterproofing.

Needless to say, Keel smiled tacitly and gave Knight Crowe a thumbs up.

"This is just the basics of marching. An excellent army must have the ability to cope with various environments. Of course, it is okay to be unsophisticated. Such an ordinary army can also fight, but soldiers who get sick because of getting wet will definitely affect their combat effectiveness. , causing non-war attrition."

The knight shook his fingers: "Actually, most of the armies of the noble lords are very average. They are more than enough to be recruited to deal with riots or bandits. It is barely enough to fight with other similar armies."

He looked to the south and pointed to the distant direction: "But it will not be so easy to fight the army of the neighboring country this time. Hey, you know why our distant army in the northwest province will go to support the southern province this time Border?"

Keir had some guesses, but Knight Crowe was willing to say, so he didn't answer.

Seeing that Kiel shook his head, Knight Crowe explained: "It's very simple, because the lords on the border can't win against the army on the opposite side. As I told you, the temporary recruitment of armed people, plus some temporary employment The mercenary group that came here. Such a combination is okay to resolve conflicts with neighbors by force, but it is difficult to have a chance of winning when encountering a slightly more regular army."

He folded his arms on his chest, exhaled and continued, "They were defeated last year, so we will go to support this year. Hey, I hope the situation is not too bad, too bad to be taken care of."

After that, the two talked about the things that Crow Knight had participated in when he marched and fought. The knight told some stories about his service as a soldier before he became a knight. At that time, he was a young ordinary soldier. This is the chance to become a knight in the kingdom's army.

Unlike today's Claude Knight who cultivated Er to become a knight, the kingdom's army has sufficient resources, and there is a special team responsible for the cultivation of new knights. Things like monster meat can be eaten every day.

Unlike Kild, who saves on eating water ghost meat, he accumulates life energy inside his body at a slower rate.

Fortunately, Knight Crowe is very satisfied with Kiel's talent. Little Kiel can always master the skills of manipulating life energy that he learned repeatedly in the past. Therefore, even if there is not enough monster meat to provide life energy, Kiel can still accumulate a lot of life energy from his daily life.

-

Sure enough, as the local businessman said, the master of the sky still displayed his divine power.

In the middle of the night, light rain fell from the sky, and the elastic tent trembled slightly in the rainy night. Only the slight sound of raindrops falling from a corner of the tent to the ground woke Keel, who was alert even when he was asleep. to wake up.

"Sure enough, it's raining."

He huddled in the warm and rough dog-skin sleeping bag, listening to the slight sounds outside.

The darkness was his friend and made him feel comfortable, but Kiel had to watch out for water getting in his tent.

Fortunately, the rain was not heavy, which made him relieved.

Outside, the knight's guards asked in a low voice about Knight Crowe's voice. After a while, the knight put on his clothes and walked out of the tent to inspect.

Dimly, Keel fell asleep again.

-

Before dawn the next day, Keel woke up on time.

When he got up, he checked the inside of the tent first, and found that the tent he bought at the beginning was really good and cheap. It was not only anti-freeze and windproof in winter, but also had a certain protective effect against this kind of light rain.

The tent was warm and no rain seeped in.

Wandering fully dressed, Keel walked out of the tent with a rolled up dog-skin sleeping bag in his arms.

His two horses were looking at him dissatisfied, snorted, and shook their heads, obviously not feeling well after being exposed to the rain.

Although it is uncomfortable, the horse itself can be exposed to the rain. After all, when living in the wild, the horse has no way to shelter from the rain.

The hairs on the two horses were pulled down, dripping drips of water bit by bit.

It is really convenient to march in the western province these days. The two horses don't even need to be fed. They can eat fresh green grass as long as they lower their heads. These days, they are even stronger.

Throwing the things in his hand into his own carriage with a shed, Keel then dug out a thin cloth cloak from the carriage box, and wore it over the hard cowhide armor to keep out the rain.

Then Keir removed the tent, but did not put it away. Instead, he hung the main tarpaulin of the tent outside the carriage with a rope. He then took out a dry cloth and wiped his two horses.

He casually fed two handfuls of hay, and after the two horses sat down, Keel went out to eat with his bowl and spoon.

The cooks accompanying the army set up open tents outside the cooking iron pots, and the militiamen who were waiting to eat gathered outside.

Interestingly, Keel saw that the town militiamen with logistics brought bundles of rain gear to the cauldron, and distributed a set of cloak-style rain gear to each militiaman who was cooking.

When it was Keir's turn, he waved his hand and rejected the rain gear handed over by the other party, indicating that he had something on his body that could keep out the rain.

Not to mention that the thin cloak itself can keep out the rain, the hard cowhide full-cover armor that Kiel usually wears outside can withstand the wind and rain because of its tight design.

Although he refused the rain gear offered by the other party, Keel observed the surrounding militiamen while standing and eating breakfast.

Most of the militiamen from all over the county had never used the handouts, but because the rain gear was simple, they took guesses and quickly mastered the use of this cloak-style rain gear.

When the rain gear was sent out, it was **** with a dry hemp rope. After the hemp rope was untied, the things inside were three sets of one type.

The first is a waterproof thin cloth hood that is put on the head. This thing can be put directly on the outside of the leather and wood helmets made of wood by the militiamen to prevent the wooden parts of the helmet from directly seeing the water.

Then there is the main body of the rain gear, a cloak made of the same material, which can be draped over their half-length wooden armor. The thin hemp rope passed through the upper part of the cloak can just be put on the neck of the militiaman. The rain cloak stays on.

The last thing is something like a sock or a glove, with some dry sawdust inside, I don't know what it is for.

This question was quickly answered. A clerk rushed over and told the militiamen in a loud voice that the last thing should not be used. It was put on the feet when the rain was heavy and the water was deep. A tool for drying.

And that thing is put on the feet, not only can the sawdust inside absorb the moisture of the feet, but also isolate the external water.

Wearing that thing and putting on boots, the militiamen can walk a certain distance lying on the water under very difficult circumstances.

The thing was designed to be simple and effective, but Keel couldn't use it.

His boots were well-sealed boots, extending from the foot to the mid-calf, where they were fitted with the armor's neck gaiter.

If the water on the ground really submerges the calf, it doesn't matter if there is such a thing or not.

After eating, Keel found Knight Crowe, and a new day of marching began again.

-

Unlike the Kendall army, which had been prepared for a long time, the caravan accompanied by the army was in chaos. Although most of the merchants who went out for business had prepared things to protect them from the wind and rain, they were still in chaos for temporary use.

The army waited for them for a while, and the baron even sent more than a dozen town guards to help supervise them. Only then did they get them in order. The group of people bypassed the nearby village and guided the stone pillars forward according to the blurred business road in the rain.

On the contrary, the local caravan reacted quickly. According to Knight Crowe, when it rained in the middle of the night, the other party had already started preparing the rain-shielding equipment for the road.

Looking at the neat appearance of the other party when they set off, it is obvious that the other party is well prepared.

And from a distance, the opponent's rainproof material is too sufficient.

Not only are the people wearing inconsistent rain gear of various colors, but even the horses and the carriage boxes without a roof are prepared to protect them from the rain.

The rain-covered leather cloth with the names of the various chambers of commerce and caravans was sewn on and covered the horses, making it look as conspicuous as an advertisement for each caravan.

Just as Kiel rode around the army and looked around, the Rumi knight called him over.

"Kiel, although the rain curtain is not heavy, it still blocks the view quite a bit, and the guiding stone pillars are hard to see." The Rumi knight in armor said loudly to Kiel.

He pointed to the guiding stone pillars of the trade road that could barely be seen from the front of the team, and then said: "This is not possible, there is a risk of going the wrong way. In this way, I discussed with His Excellency the Baron and Crowe, and you go to the local caravan behind to find A guide who is familiar with the trade road, then find the baron, take his lighting magic ring, walk in front of the team, first find the nearest guiding stone pillar on the trade road, and then activate the ring on the spot. Use the light it emits to give the team The striker provides guidance."

At this time, the forward of the army is said to be a forward, but because of the problem of rain, the distance between the forward and the main force of the team is already very close, far less than the distance of at least one kilometer when the weather was good before. Basically, the two are only a few hundred meters apart, barely visible.

At the same time, the distance between the logistics carriage and the large militia was also shortened, and some town guards got on the carriage to act as a carriage defense.

Because of the rain, the situation on both sides of the commercial road was already unclear. In order to avoid people and monsters hiding on both sides of the road and attacking the logistics carriage, Knight Crowe issued such an order.

This made many walking militiamen quite envious, but who made the town guards who accompanied the army this time usually be the subordinates of Knight Crow.

They are not envious.

When Keir got the order, he acted immediately.

He was a little excited, and finally he was able to get close to using the baron's magic accessories.

In the local caravan following some distance behind the army, Kiel soon found a guide on horseback.

However, this person was not what he expected before, he was a merchant or caravan partner who was familiar with trade routes. On the contrary, the guide was an armed caravan escort.

A middle-aged man with a scruffy beard. The steward of the local caravan he had dealt with before assured Kiel that this armed guard had been walking on this main commercial route leading directly to the southern province for ten years. Even if you close your eyes, you can smell the smell and run to the southern provinces.

"Hi, I'm Joe Keel, from Kendall County in the Northwest Province, and I'm a knight apprentice."

Kiel waved his hand in greeting.

This armed guard rode a strong local horse. Although he didn't wear any armor, he was also wearing a thick leather jacket with a few iron plates. Outside the leather jacket, he wore a large rain gear, even the horse under him was the same.

Compared with the opponent's horse, the horse that Kiel was riding was thinner and shorter, which made Kiel a little embarrassed.

But obviously the other party saw Keir's embarrassment in this regard, opened his mouth and smiled, showing half of his rotten teeth: "Nival-Ste, everyone calls me blood teeth. Don't be surprised, there is a bit in my mouth. A small problem, always bleeding at the root of the tooth, making the teeth of this half of the mouth blood red, that's why everyone calls me that."

That being said, the armed guard cautiously kept a certain distance from Kiel when he greeted him in a seemingly friendly manner.

Because as a caravan guard traveling north and south, although he dare not say what his combat strength and wrist skills are, his vision is far superior to that of ordinary traveling merchants.

As soon as he saw this young man who was not very old, he felt a faint tingling pain from the tip of a knife from the other party.

The young man must have killed a lot of people.

It seems to be careful.

he thought so.

"I see. It seems that your friend called you Bloodfang, which is considered a kind of friendly teasing." After a few pleasantries, Keel asked the other party to follow. On the way from the following local caravan to the logistics carriage where the baron was in, Kiel talked to Bloodfang about the mission.

"What did they tell you? What are we going to do now?"

Xueyasite shrugged: "Just now, the steward spent money to replace me from the original employer, and then gave me another sum of money, and asked me to guide you correctly in this continuous rain. Don't go away?"

"Yes, that's right." Kiel affirmed the other party's statement.

With this guide, the two of Kiel caught up with the slow-moving army on horseback.

The horses trampled across the water-soaked ground, and the creeping grass, which seemed to be compacted by the soles of the feet and the wheels of the carriage, was full of rainwater. When the horses' hooves trampled over, it would cause a lot of water splashes.

These splashes wet the horse's belly, making Kiel's horse shake its head.

"Uh, Warrior Kiel, right? Your horse is on the horse's belly. You need to find something waterproof to wrap it up. This place is different from other places. It's not a dirt road or a gravel road. The grass that absorbs water will always splash There is a lot of water."

Bloodtooth sat aside, explaining about this.

Keel nodded, and he thought so too.

"If the horse's belly is constantly splashed with water, it will easily cause diarrhea, and the horse will not be able to ride. After all, it is spring rain, and it is still quite cold."

"Thanks, I'll try to figure this out tonight."

Keir felt that he could ask for a piece of rain gear used by the militiamen, and put the rainproof cloak on the horse's abdomen backwards. As long as it does not touch the water, it should be fine.

-

The baron's carriage is in the middle of the logistics vehicles. There are several carriages serving the baron. Not only himself, but also his servants and personal guards, as well as capable cooks, luggage and other items are packed in these On the carriage, not to mention some other supplies.

Around these carriages, there were more than a dozen baron's personal guards on horseback, guarding them, preventing anyone from approaching them.

If it was normal, the baron would of course lead the team himself on horseback. Now that it was raining, he would naturally not be exposed to the rain or cold outside. He had been resting in the passenger carriage since the morning.

"Who is it? Slow down."

As soon as Kiel and his men crossed the other carriages from the side of the road and approached, they were stopped by the baron's personal guards.

The two immediately rode their horses and approached Kiel with their hands on the handles of their weapons.

It wasn't until he got closer that he saw Kiel himself with his helmet and visor lifted, and then he relaxed: "It turned out to be little Kiel. The baron has sent someone to wait for you, come here. But who is this person?"

Keel explained that it was a guide who was familiar with the road launched by the local caravan. Then let Xueyasite follow here slowly on horseback, and he will come back soon.

Keir didn't say what he was doing, but Bloody Gaster didn't ask too much, because the middle-aged man knew that if he wanted to live a long time, he had to speak less. Once you open your mouth, your life will be lost.

As a caravan guard running north and south, he knows that not to explore things that have nothing to do with him is the first rule of survival.

-

Keir originally thought he would meet the baron, and Baron Kendall lent him the magic ring himself. But unexpectedly, as soon as he approached the baron's several carriages, a sound of calling came from a heavily guarded carriage next to him.

"Joe Kiel Warrior! Kiel Warrior!"

Keir looked at the carriage next to him, and found that a baron's valet was huddled by the window of the two carriages calling him.

"Come here, come here! It's here!"

Touching his nose, Kiel let the horse lean over and asked: "Hello, thing, what you said, was it said by Knight Rumi, is it the baron's magic ring?"

The valet in the carriage smiled slightly: "Yes, I have the things here. The baron asked me to come and pick them up just now, and here they are for you."

After finishing speaking, the expensively dressed valet took a heavy wooden box from the table in the carriage behind him. The wooden box was engraved with Baron Kendall's family crest, and a small but strong lock was hung on the box ~www.readwn.com~ In addition to this valet, there are several other people in the carriage. While chatting, these people looked at Kiel. After all, Kiel is already a little famous in the army at this time. Not to mention the Knight Apprentice of Knight Crow, his own combat prowess has been spread by other comrades-in-arms, and many people are curious.

The people in this carriage are all close people who serve the baron, and it is usually difficult to see Kiel. At this time, most of the others are seeing Kiel up close for the first time.

A boy who is too young.

It's really good luck to be able to attract the attention of the extraordinary knight Crowe and become a knight apprentice.

This made them quite envious.

The valet took out a key hanging around his neck from his collar. Interestingly, the key was not directly inserted into the keyhole of the lock. Instead, the key was regularly inserted into the lock. The two sides of the door were pressed together a few times, and the metal lock opened by itself.

"Interesting, if you don't know this thing, just insert the key in it, what will happen?"

Kiel watched the other party unlock it, and asked curiously.

The valet smiled: "Then it can't be opened at all."

"Isn't it enough to smash the lock?" Kiel raised his eyebrows.

The attendant still smiled slightly: "This is a lock made of strong magic material, even the inside of the box, it can't be broken with a hammer."

After speaking, the valet removed the lock and opened the box facing Kiel.

Sure enough, as the valet said, it looks like a wooden box on the outside, and the opening and closing parts connected to the lock inside are all made of dark magic material metal.

And in the middle of the box, surrounded by luxurious velvet, lay a simple gemstone ring in the middle.