Chapter 009: The Caravan

Twelve silver coins. Gather at the south gate in the morning to set off

The one responsible for collecting the money is Eden's daughter, a young woman with her face covered by a veil

Most of the half-dragons in this world have reproduced for many generations, with some having mixed blood with lizardmen. Only the nobility of Dragon City retains the half-dragon bloodline, and these nobles generally do not intermarry with outsiders

After confirming that Stephen Zhou was not in any danger, Eden smiled and raised his glass to clink with him, before returning to his seat. Upon his return, the other caravan guards raised their glasses to signal Stephen Zhou and took a sip, loudly boasting. If Eden had not reached an agreement with Stephen Zhou, they would not have drunk this toast, as these caravan guards were all seasoned veterans.

He is a middle-aged man with a large beard, a native of the Southern Region, tall and robust. His weapon is a two-handed greatsword. He is both a merchant and a warrior, trading herbs, furs, and metals between the Southern Region and Frostwind City

The caravan guards are generally not very talkative, yet surprisingly, the most loquacious among them is that half-dragon. With green skin, a lizard-like head, dark red eyes, and a mouth full of sharp teeth, he is a descendant of the half-dragons who have reproduced for many generations. He has inherited little in terms of abilities, but possesses great strength and a high resistance to toxins

As for the immortality of the soul, it is the ultimate secret of alchemy

He looked at the burly man in front of him and smiled, saying: "A wandering minstrel. I heard that you are heading to Linfeng City, and the roads have not been very safe lately. I would like to hitch a ride along the way"

The danger is very low

As a legendary alchemist, Stephen Zhou is immortal. Although immortality does not equate to eternal life, he still has plenty of time to squander. The pursuit of alchemists in life is to achieve immortality, but while seeking longevity is relatively easy, attaining true immortality is quite challenging.

Eden's daughter called Stephen Zhou over for a meal, noticing that he had not brought any gifts. The food was a large stew cooked in a single pot. The caravan guards had a pot with two portions of meat, while the caravan workers had a pot with only a little jerky, and the others mostly brought their own provisions

In order to be more persuasive, Stephen Zhou stood up and smiled, saying: "If I encounter robbers on the road, I am concerned that I will not be able to handle it alone. Therefore, I hope you can take me to Linfeng City, and once I arrive there, I will leave on my own."

minstrel

Eden looked at Stephen Zhou as if he were a wealthy man, offering him the highest price for a bodyguard

Under normal circumstances, taverns are a good place for the indigenous people to boast and show off, where one can hear various drunkards bragging about their glorious past experiences. Over the course of a day, Stephen Zhou gathered quite a bit of useful information, but due to the limited perspective of the indigenous people, most of the intelligence was confined to the northern regions. This planet is very similar to Saturn; using the blue planet as a standard, Saturn's volume is more than seven hundred times that of it. Currently, the farthest distance known from the indigenous people is merely the Southern Wind Valley, which takes about a month of travel, and it is feared that the maximum area distance is not even half of Middle-earth. This planet is very similar to Saturn; using the blue planet as a standard, Saturn's volume is more than seven hundred times that of it. Currently, the farthest distance known from the indigenous people is merely the Southern Wind Valley, which takes about a month of travel, and it is feared that the maximum area distance is not even half of Middle-earth.

This thing tastes just like that of a war horse

The lunch break lasted for half an hour

In an instant, many gazes were directed over.

The team took quite a while to set off. Eden's daughter finished collecting the money and then ran off to tally the goods. They would also purchase some medicinal herbs to sell in Linfeng City, as the caravan needed to support more than ten guards, and the profits were accumulated little by little. The others were walking alongside the caravan. Before setting off, Eden approached Stephen Zhou and said loudly, "There is a vacant camel beast over there; if you feel tired from walking, you can hop on for a while."

The exploration area of indigenous civilizations left Stephen Zhou somewhat disappointed, but considering the current level of civilization, it is understandable. To fully explore such a large planet, even using floating cities for scanning, would require a considerable amount of time

Soon, the barmaid approached with a smile, bringing a tray and placing mugs of beer in front of the merchants. She pointed to Stephen Zhou's seat and said, "That guest is treating you!"

Twelve silver coins can improve the food provisions for the caravan's guards for one week

The cold wind of the northern regions is like a knife, and the merchants, regardless of gender, do not wash their faces when they go out for trade, which makes their faces appear dirty. However, this can also protect the skin of their faces; otherwise, it is easy to suffer from dryness and frostbite.

Of course, I will provide compensation

Indeed, it is a young person of noble birth; only they would be so bored

The middle-aged man at the forefront furrowed his brow, gave a sidelong glance to the person next to him, and then took a mug of beer to sit directly in front of Stephen Zhou. This man from the South stood nearly 2.2 meters tall, and even when seated, he towered over Stephen Zhou. He placed the beer down heavily and spoke in a manner reminiscent of an old hand: "Eden, the president of the Maple Leaf Chamber of Commerce. Why have you suddenly invited us for a drink?"

Eden assessed Stephen Zhou's height and build, immediately reducing his threat level to below that of a civilian. Such a 'shorty' could easily be taken down by the members of his caravan, and moreover, the other party was not even armed.

After reaching an agreement, Stephen Zhou found a hotel to rest for the night. The wooden house had dirty bedding, the dishes were made of pottery, and dry grass was spread under the bed, with small bugs similar to fleas inside. This was still the treatment of a single room. At night, there were snoring sounds from all directions, and occasionally, one could hear the calls of guards summoning cheap courtesans.

Stephen summoned a heavily made-up barmaid over, then took out a few silver coins and slipped them into her bosom while whispering a few words.

Hitchhiking is a common occurrence for caravans

This is Stephen Zhou's first day in the indigenous civilization

Everyone has no unusual reaction to the existence of the Yalong people, and it seems that this world has achieved a certain degree of racial integration over a long period of time

In the wilderness, one may encounter many dangers. Whether they are town residents or travelers, they will often take a ride after leaving their place of residence, visiting friends and relatives, transporting goods, or bringing gifts. Small merchant caravans occasionally earn some extra income. Bringing one's own provisions and traveling with a caravan usually requires only one or two silver coins, although fees may be higher if charged. The Maple Leaf Caravan travels alongside a group of independent traders, including those from the southern and northern regions. The fees from those coming from the southern region are high, while those joining from the northern region midway have lower fees. Generally, merchant caravans with escorts may encounter independent traders seeking a free ride during their stops. Occasionally, town residents on the road may need to go elsewhere, typically traveling in groups or following a caravan, as traveling alone in the wilderness requires both courage and strength.

After speaking, he couldn't help but look Stephen Zhou up and down

Stephen Zhou

After a brief observation, Stephen Zhou quickly identified his target

Although this poet appears delicate and handsome, he is indeed quite short and somewhat frail

This caravan is about to head to Linfeng City to deliver goods, which include spices, handicrafts, and textiles from the Southern Region. The daughter is the manager of the caravan, and among the guards, there are seven Southerners, three Highlanders, two Dwarves, two Half-Elves, and one Dragonborn. All the crew members are Southerners, clearly showing signs of being more astute than the Normans. After initial contact with the intelligent races of this world, Stephen Zhou increasingly believes that this planet has experienced interstellar colonization. The two Half-Elves and one Dragonborn, along with the crew, are all Southerners, clearly showing signs of being more astute than the Normans. After initial contact with the intelligent races of this world, Stephen Zhou increasingly believes that this planet has experienced interstellar colonization. The foreign races introduced many other species of people, animals, and plants from different worlds, and when they interacted with the native organisms, mutations occurred. There have been serious signs of regression in civilization, but the specific reasons remain unknown.

If we were to use a lit map for marking, the currently known areas of intelligent biological activity would be merely tiny specks of dust on this planet

Basically, unless one awakens to become a Dragon Vein Sorcerer, the talents of the sub-dragon species are limited to this extent

Early the next morning, he arrived near the South Gate, where a large crowd had already gathered. There were several small merchants preparing to sell furs in Linfeng City, a town resident visiting relatives along the way, and a small group of itinerant traders who had followed along to sell their goods. The total number of people in the group reached around fifty to sixty, with six or seven pack animals and five carts, along with several other beasts of burden carrying goods. The air was filled with the smell of manure.

This kind of treatment is not something that others can enjoy

Stephen Zhou first changed into a different set of clothes, and then blended into the tavern to gather information

The most important members of the caravan are these pack animals, and only they are capable of undertaking long journeys to transport large quantities of goods. They are cared for by specially assigned veterinarians and attendants

As the leader of the caravan, Eden dined with his guards, while his daughter sat beside him, taking small bites. Although she was from the southern region, she stood nearly 1.85 meters tall, with large amber eyes that occasionally glanced at Stephen. However, after comparing their heights, she couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.

After a simple tidying up, Stephen Zhou finally looked less like a savage. Eden focused on observing his palms, which showed no calluses, appearing fair and slender, as if he had never undergone any combat training or hard labor. His skin was as delicate as a woman's, a condition that could only be achieved through prolonged pampering. Such individuals typically come from excellent backgrounds, either as noble offspring or wealthy merchants. However, given the rugged customs of the North, only a noble lady would be raised in such a manner; otherwise, even the hands of noble sons would bear the calluses from training.

The camel is a large animal, belonging to a hybrid species of the theropod, and is omnivorous. It has humps on its back, a single horn, sturdy limbs, and a head somewhat resembling that of a rhinoceros. Once domesticated, it exhibits a gentle temperament. To ensure the camel's strength and endurance, caravans feed it a diet consisting of 30% fodder, 50% grains, and 20% meat.

A large group of people advanced at a considerable pace, demonstrating the remarkable endurance of the various ethnicities in this world. Their feet are broad and sturdy, allowing them to walk for dozens of miles without needing to rest. The strong Normans can even carry furs weighing dozens of pounds while keeping up. The caravan guards have horses, but they do not ride them often; for half of the time, they lead them along, possibly to conserve the horses' strength. Occasionally, when the road is muddy, they need to use the horses to pull through.

The tavern serves beer that not only has a low alcohol content but also lacks any aroma, has a coarse texture, appears murky, and carries a hint of sourness. Yet, even such beer is a rare enjoyment for the indigenous people, with most residents of the small town satisfied with just a single glass. For Stephen Zhou, who is accustomed to top-quality brews, this is nearly undrinkable. The food is prepared using the simplest cooking methods, devoid of seasonings such as pepper, monosodium glutamate, soy sauce, honey, or cream; it is merely boiled or grilled and then sprinkled with salt. Sugar is considered a luxury, and spices are exceedingly expensive. For Stephen Zhou, who is accustomed to top-quality brews, this is nearly undrinkable. The food is prepared using the simplest cooking methods, devoid of seasonings such as pepper, monosodium glutamate, soy sauce, honey, or cream; it is merely boiled or grilled and then sprinkled with salt. Sugar is considered a luxury, and spices are exceedingly expensive.

He is the leader of a caravan, possessing 15 guards, 6 assistants, 5 camels, 3 carts, and a daughter