Chapter 48: 20 Horses are Gone

Chapter 48: 20. The Horses are Gone

The cold lizards were full, and Dakus's party marched grandly back onto the road.

At this moment, from the high spires of Kracallonde, the black smoke rising from the manor was visible. After seeing Dakus's troops depart, the elites of other manors sent people to investigate, and news of the death of two sons of the Thorn Family patriarch gradually spread through the city's aristocratic circles.

"Not bad... no, wait, am I being influenced by this brother? Or by this environment? Does joining a group only make people blind? A rabble? A domestic husky acting as the alpha of a wolf pack?"

Dakus began to mumble random thoughts to himself while looking back at the manor, which was engulfed in flames.

"Rain, you have another task."

Rain glanced back and immediately smiled. "My Lord, I understand. Is a vantage point by the river acceptable?"

Dakus nodded with satisfaction. "Yes, you understand me."

Flanes's expression changed instantly upon hearing this. He glared at Rain, and Rain glared back, realizing he had said the wrong thing.

"Relax."

It was not a holiday; not a single pedestrian could be seen on the road south of the Red Poison River, only Dakus's marching troops.

Suddenly, a beastmaster scouting from the sky reported that a troop of cavalry was approaching from behind. A moment later, Dakus heard the sound of galloping hooves.

Dakus shouted to Wate, "Stop dazing off! People are coming!" Having said that, he picked up the monocular telescope from his belt and began to observe.

The newcomers were a group of Dark Cavalry. Seeing Dakus's five nobles blocking the roadside, the leader commanded the troop to halt, produced the banner of the House of Hell's Calamity, and rode forward alone.

The captain dismounted, approached holding the flag, and knelt on one knee outside the range of the six swords. He pulled an order from his tunic and said, "My Lord! My unit was stationed in the forest camp by order of Varahal of Kracallonde, and we have come to report to you!"

"What time did you depart?"

"My Lord, we departed in the afternoon!"

Dakus checked his pocket watch; it was four o'clock. There were too many slaves, making progress very slow.

"How many men and horses?"

"Forty Dark Cavalry, including ten crossbowmen."

Wate flipped off his cold lizard, leaning on his cane-sword with his left hand and holding his knight's hammer in his right. He walked over, glanced at the order, and nodded back to Dakus.

"Go to the front and maintain order among the slaves."

"Yes, my Lord!"

The Dark Cavalry then bypassed them to head to the front to suppress the slaves.

By the time they reached the forest camp, it was dark. The camp was exceptionally lively tonight; two newly arrived hundred-man companies and one original garrison company were driving slaves to construct the base.

The forest camp had a fortress-like structure, similar to a military encampment, rather than the well-laid-out forest camps of the North.

The ramparts were six meters high, made of felled black pine. Soldiers patrolled the walls day and night. The Black Ridge Mountains were not like the old forests of the North; while there were no Copper Bulls, Skaven, or Greenskins here, there were Beastmen, various beasts corrupted by Chaos, and Shadowmen exiled from Kracallonde following failed political struggles.

The camp contained barracks, slave sheds, warehouses, stables, and officer quarters, but it lacked cellars and cold lizard enclosures. It made sense—no Druchi noble would stay here, and even if they did, they wouldn't need a cellar; there were no cabbages in this godforsaken place.

"No sleeping tonight. Mobilize these slaves to start digging cellars and building the base. Get the soldiers moving too; don't let them idle. Edmond! You're in charge."

A crow landed on Dakus's shoulder. He pondered for a moment and added, "Flanes, you three siblings take the large room."

Flanes said hesitantly, "My Lord? This...?"

Dakus shot him a look, and Flanes nodded. Dakus then looked at Baine and said, "You'll work hard tonight. Have Wate stay with you; you two take that room." Dakus pointed toward a small room.

Baine nodded blankly.

"Dismissed!"

The crow flew away again.

Dakus guided the two dinosaurs to settle in the warehouse for the night.

The four Disaster Chariots commanded by Calion and Alisha had also returned. The beastmasters began spreading straw in the warehouse and patching drafty spots with wooden boards. Alisha once again used magic to heat the partitions.

Dakus expected some instruction from Nuker—perhaps saying he did a good job or went too far—but there was none. Dakus understood: the fire could keep burning.

After a simple dinner, the soldiers moved Dakus's personal belongings into the house. Since the stables needed to be used for horses, he didn't want to wake up the next morning to find all his mounts gone. He guided the five cold lizards into his room.

The room was not large and was sparsely furnished, but the layout of the furniture was quite creative. From the doorway, one could see the bed and everything else inside the room.

The roof had a spire structure with beams arranged in a cross pattern, leaving the ceiling open. There were four mirrors mounted; from any angle in the room, one could look up and see the beams through the mirrors.

"Ugh, it stinks."

After entering, Dakus checked the injuries of the five cold lizards. Finding no issues, he intended to play with them for a while, but the "Big Guy" stood in front of the others, blocking them. He had no choice but to play with the Big Guy.

After playing for a bit, Dakus prepared his rapid-fire crossbow and flintlock pistol. Lying on the bed, smelling the pungent scent of blood and the faint stench of the cold lizards, he fell straight asleep.

The next day, Dakus was nudged awake by the Big Guy. He checked his pocket watch; it was only six o'clock.

He glanced at the Big Guy, who was leaning against the bed, vigorously wagging its tail.

Dakus stroked the Big Guy's front claw and said, "Hungry?"

The Big Guy nodded expectantly. Dakus sighed, sat up, and patted its head.

"Are you a pig?"

Without even washing his face, Dakus led the five cold lizards outside. Calion and the beastmasters had already prepared their food. Dakus spent a long time instructing the Big Guy, telling it not to bite anyone.

All the slaves in the camp and the soldiers off duty were mobilized to dig cellars, the sound of pickaxes clanging rhythmically. Fortunately, this was the edge of the Black Ridge Mountains where several active volcanoes erupted year-round, so the ground was diggable; if they were in Chrace, it would be unthinkable.

Dakus did absolutely nothing all morning except tend to these five "ancestors." There was nowhere to put them, and reins wouldn't hold them. If he didn't watch them, the cold lizards would run wild in the camp, biting whoever they saw, and he had far too many potions to waste on them.

By the afternoon, the holes were half-dug. The ceilings of the pits were covered in some kind of glowing purple-blue crystals, giving the atmosphere a sudden "cyberpunk" feel. Digging continued inside; the cellars had to ensure two entrances large enough for dinosaurs to pass through, just in case.

Dakus began guiding the five cold lizards and the dinosaurs into the cellar breeding chambers.

(Writer's note: Feeling a bit of writer's block _(:з」∠)_ )

(End of Chapter)