Chapter 47: Which Scoundrel Stole My Horse? [Seeking

Looking at the farmers who were somewhat panicked by his sudden entry into the small courtyard.

Zong Shen's lips curled into an approachable smile.

"Your lord is indeed dead; otherwise, I would not have been able to step into this courtyard."

"Now, your only choice is to submit to me and join my territory."

"I possess many powerful soldiers and ample food. Within my territory, I can ensure your safety and provide suitable dwellings."

Zong Shen's voice was calm, yet his words were filled with allure.

He had already accurately grasped the core needs of these farmers.

It was nothing more than two things: satiety and security.

These were the most fundamental needs of farmers.

Sure enough, upon hearing this stranger say such things, the farmers began to waver.

It was a pity Zong Shen hadn't brought back that unlucky fellow's corpse; otherwise, it would have been even more persuasive.

Zong Shen did not rush them.

He intended to give these farmers some time to consider.

As for himself, he had already approached the territory storage chest.

As he reached out, a prompt immediately appeared.

【Unclaimed Territory. Do you wish to declare occupation?】

Zong Shen selected 【Yes】.

In the next instant, the storage chest fully unfolded.

【Wood × 87】 【Stone × 65】 【Iron × 21】 【Hemp × 32】 【Copper × 3】 【Complete Forest Wolf Pelt × 1】 【Complete Juvenile Wild Boar Pelt × 1】 【Crude Roasted Wolf Meat × 3】 【Crude Roasted Wild Boar Meat × 6】

There wasn't much of value in the storage chest, just a fair amount of basic resources and some simple roasted meat.

It seemed this fellow had killed wolves and wild boars.

It would be no problem to maintain the basic operations of the territory.

Inside the courtyard, two thatched huts had been built.

A Tier 1 stove and a Tier 1 blacksmith shop.

In Zong Shen's view, the construction level was quite mediocre.

Aside from that, there was a package inside the storage chest.

【Relics of Lord Zhang Song 1999312】 【Contains nine items. Please ensure sufficient storage space.】 【(Click to open)】

Zong Shen checked his backpack and personal storage slots, finding that only five or six slots remained.

To be safe, he would take it back to the territory to inspect it.

Zong Shen put the package away.

He turned back to look at the farmers.

By now, the farmers seemed to have received certain messages and finally understood that their lord was indeed gone.

As the saying goes, "the wise man adapts to the times." These farmers were merely weak, ordinary natives.

They immediately came behind Zong Shen and knelt before him.

"We are willing to follow you, My Lord!"

"We will build the territory for you; please treat us kindly."

Zong Shen nodded with satisfaction.

"Very good, very good. Your decision will be a wise one."

"Boys, take these farmers and head back to the camp."

"You know the way, right?"

Zong Shen called out to the Wolf Cavalry.

Colby nodded, placing a fist against his chest in a respectful salute.

"Rest assured, My Lord. Once we descend the mountain and return to the grassland, I will be able to find the location of the territory!"

Then, Zong Shen spoke to Favide and Tasia.

"You two, follow the Wolf Cavalry as well."

"Tie Zhu, you stay with me."

"We will return via the same route we took to the dungeon. The old traveling horse is still tied up on the road by the forest!"

Zong Shen quickly made his arrangements.

Among these five farmers, there were three men and two women.

They all looked sturdy.

Their limbs were thick, and their skin was a healthy wheat color.

They looked somewhat like people living in Southeast Asian tropical regions.

The three Wolf Cavalrymen, the two mages, and the five farmers set off on their return journey.

They headed down the mountain on the side of the courtyard.

Zong Shen and Tie Zhu, however, returned the way they came.

Through the escape tunnel in the ruins, they returned to the dungeon.

There were many ruins in the mountains.

This place must have originally been part of Azara.

The mountains were the former highlands of the city, while the grasslands were the low-lying areas within the city.

Furthermore, there were many timber resources in the mountains, as well as prey to hunt.

By comparison, this place seemed slightly superior to the grasslands.

However, moving here specifically would be like losing sight of the forest for the trees.

Zong Shen planned to establish an exploration camp here once the main camp was established.

This would make exploring this mountain forest more convenient.

The two returned to the dungeon.

Passing through the left cells, they returned to the central corridor and followed the underground stairs back to the temple.

Walking out of the temple gave him a profound sense of shifting time and space.

Zong Shen and Tie Zhu left the temple and traversed the small path they had cleared on their way in.

"Tie Zhu, are you, Er Gou, and Gou Dan all from the same village?"

Zong Shen suddenly asked.

Hearing this question, Tie Zhu froze for a moment before nodding.

"Yes, My Lord."

"However, we are not from this kingdom."

"The kingdom we belong to is called Moon Blue."

Hearing this, Zong Shen fell into thought.

He was still completely ignorant of the map, size, and distribution of kingdom powers in this world.

He only knew that this world was many times larger than Earth.

It lacked a heavy technological atmosphere and was instead closer to a fantasy world.

There were domineering Wolf Cavalry, ferocious and terrifying stitched monsters, and mages who could cast spells with a wave of a hand.

There were even legendary races like Dark Elves.

More importantly, this world seemed to be governed by some unimaginable great power.

It possessed a rule system similar to a real-life game.

"Interesting, very interesting."

Zong Shen rubbed his chin, his eyes flashing with brilliance.

This world was truly much more exciting than his original world!

"So, Tie Zhu, do you remember why you appeared in that small courtyard?"

Zong Shen continued to ask.

Upon hearing this question, a look of confusion appeared on Tie Zhu's face.

"Our village was attacked by a band of vicious bandits. I remember that Gou Dan, Er Gou, and I had clearly died under the bandits' blades."

"But then we entered a white room."

"A voice told me to make a choice."

"To choose to serve a lord, or to choose true death."

"We all chose the former, and then followed a mysterious guidance, waiting for your arrival, My Lord!"

Tie Zhu spoke with a look of reminiscence.

"I see."

Zong Shen nodded in acknowledgment.

By this time, the two had passed through the temporarily cleared path.

They had returned to the roadside of the mountain path.

Zong Shen was lost in thought.

Subconsciously, he reached out toward a tree by the roadside.

But he grasped empty air.

"Huh? Where is my horse?"

Zong Shen looked up, scanning his surroundings with a puzzled expression.

He realized the old traveling horse was gone!

"Holy crap!"

"The world is going to the dogs!"

"Which unscrupulous bastard stole my horse?"

Zong Shen drew his longsword and shouted in irritation!

At that moment, Tie Zhu, who was crouching on the road, discovered some clues.

"My Lord, I found the horse's hoofprints heading down the mountain!"