Chapter 18: The Fire Fox Trading Company
Chapter 18: The Fire Fox Trading Company
As Su Nan walked down the street, he was surprised to see the city bustling with more people than before, much livelier than in the past. Many of these newcomers wore leather armor and carried weapons, looking tough and capable.
Noticing Su Nan's curious gaze, Kui smiled and explained, "Since the Blackstone Mine reopened, many trading caravans have rushed here upon hearing the news. These people are mostly traders and their hired mercenaries."
Su Nan nodded in understanding. The prosperity of a city often begins with thriving commerce. If the Blackstone Mine continued to be developed, it wouldn't take long for Blackstone City to become one of the leading cities in the Golden Rock Province.
As they continued walking, Su Nan spotted a makeshift wooden shelter where a group of people were busy. Some were cooking porridge, while others were distributing it. A crowd of ragged, gaunt individuals stood in a long queue in front of the shelter, their eyes fixed on the porridge, their throats moving with anticipation.
Under the watchful eyes of the surrounding soldiers, they obediently waited their turn.
"Who are those people?" Su Nan asked Kui.
"They are refugees from the Thornflower Principality in the west. A war is raging there, and many civilians have been displaced. I sent people to help them and plan to integrate them into the city."
Su Nan pondered this. For a city to thrive, population was just as crucial as income. Blackstone City, being on the border, had a small population, with only a few hundred soldiers in its army. This was a significant disadvantage.
If this issue wasn't addressed, Blackstone City would never grow, and the cavalry regiment would remain impossible to form. Integrating refugees was an excellent solution. Those who survived the long journey were mostly young and healthy, ready to become laborers after a few days of rest. The able-bodied could even join the military, strengthening Blackstone City's forces.
"Before winter arrives, I plan to launch an offensive against the Blackscale Lizardmen tribes in the Redhorn Wilderness," Kui continued with a determined look.
"By shifting the battlefield to the Redhorn Wilderness, Blackstone City can avoid the brunt of the conflict."
Su Nan nodded in agreement. Although Kui didn't say it, both of them knew the more important reason: the more Blackscale Lizardmen blood they obtained, the more knights they could train for Blackstone City.
They then discussed recent events in the Golden Rock Province. When Su Nan heard about the assault on Baron Stormwind, which left him critically injured and comatose, he was taken aback. Baron Stormwind was a Great Knight and a powerful lord, with a highly secure entourage. For an assassin to severely wound him was astonishing.
"Who is this Starfire Cult?" Su Nan asked, his curiosity piqued.
Kui explained, "The Starfire Cult is a mysterious sect that emerged over a decade ago. It grew rapidly, becoming a widespread force in the principality within just a few years. They operate in secrecy, and their goals are unclear. It's rumored they have connections with many nobles, yet they haven't shied away from assassinating them. It's a very strange situation."
The more Su Nan listened, the more he felt something was off. Could the Starfire Cult be linked to the mages or their apprentices?
Su Nan tried to recall his memories of the Starfire Cult but found little information. After all, in his previous life, he had played the game during its 2.0 version, and the 1.0 version only detailed things closely related to mages unless they were extremely important.
As he pondered, a commotion suddenly erupted ahead. They had turned a corner and were now near a tavern. The tavern's doors were wide open, and the sounds of lively chatter and shouting could be heard from inside.
Upon entering, Su Nan discovered a drinking contest in progress. Two burly men sat on opposite sides of a round table, desperately chugging down their drinks. As they drank, they shot each other challenging glares. A dozen or so burly men surrounded them, cheering and occasionally erupting in loud applause.
Su Nan's gaze swept over the crowd and settled on one of the men in the contest. The man was around twenty-five or twenty-six, with a rugged appearance and an abundance of body hair. His exposed arms, open chest, and much of his face were covered in hair, and his eyes were a deep amber, more like a beast's than a human's.
"Beastkin."
Su Nan's expression changed, and he blurted out the term instinctively.
Beastkin were originally the result of wizard experiments. They were often bloodthirsty and highly aggressive. Even a minor external stimulus could trigger their bloodlust, causing them to transform into ferocious beasts and attack any living creature in sight. In ancient times, the earliest Beastkin had caused the "Beastkin Plague," resulting in countless casualties before the wizards managed to suppress them.
However, after many generations of breeding and the weakening of their bloodlines, the later generations of Beastkin had improved significantly. Most could control their beast transformations. They couldn't practice breathing techniques, but their physical strength far exceeded that of ordinary humans. Adult Beastkin typically had the strength of a Squire, and those with the blood of fierce beasts could achieve knight-like power through rigorous training.
However, in exchange for their powerful physiques, Beastkin had shorter lifespans and lower reproductive rates compared to normal humans. By now, they were rarely seen on the continent, and if they were, they mostly lived within the borders of the Azure Gold Empire.
Su Nan hadn't expected to encounter a descendant of the Beastkin here.
"Few people can identify Otar's origins at a glance. You must be quite knowledgeable, sir."
A voice suddenly sounded in his ear. Su Nan turned to see a tall man, around forty, smiling as he approached. He wore a luxurious crimson fox fur coat.
"Lord Kui, it's been a while."
The man bowed to Kui before turning to Su Nan.
"May I ask your name, sir?"
"Su Nan."
Su Nan nodded slightly to the man, already guessing his identity.
"This is my brother," Kui introduced, then turned to Su Nan, "This is Mr. Muzo Ismail, the owner of the Fire Fox Trading Company."
"Mr. Su Nan, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Muzo shook Su Nan's hand with a broad smile, but inwardly he was puzzled. According to the information he had gathered, the second son of the Flash family, Su Nan, was reclusive and spent most of his time tinkering with strange things in his room, rarely going out. Such a person should not have the extensive knowledge to identify Otar as a Beastkin at first glance.
Moreover, the intelligence also mentioned that Su Nan lacked the qualifications to become a knight, hadn't even mastered the basics of breathing techniques, and was physically weaker than most people.
Yet, the Su Nan standing before him was tall and straight, with bright eyes and a confident demeanor, not at all the frail figure he had been led to expect.
What were those intelligence gatherers doing? They couldn't even get a simple thing right!
Muzo frowned inwardly, resolving to give them a stern lecture later.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
