Lord of the Oasis

At the Oasis Lookout.

Asage stood by the lake, staring blankly at the small lake.

It did not remember that there was a small lake here.

But it did not think too much of it.

Asage felt a cold sensation from behind that caused a chill to run down its spine.

It was because it knew that two elite cavalry cavalrymen in fine armor were right behind it. They were definitely following it without any expressions on their faces. In addition, beside their armored large hands were the spiked warhammers hanging from their belts.

“Gulp.” Asage gulped.

The more it thought about it, the more afraid it felt. The cold sweat on its forehead had even dampened its gray fur.

Asage did not know when those sharp warhammers would ruthlessly smash into its head and easily pierce through its skull, sending it to its death.

“Hey, what are you standing there for?”

A Swadian Heavy Cavalrymen behind it looked unhappy.

Staring at the two-meter-tall Jackalan, the feeling of raising his head to look up made him feel very bad. He lifted his leg used his chain-mail boots inlaid with iron to kick the leg of Asage. “Enjoy and savor your free time.”

“Uh…”

Asage knelt on the ground but did not dare to resist. “Yes, yes, yes. I’ll go. I’ll go.”

As it spoke, it walked slowly along the lakeside, but its eyes were filled with sorrow.

It was time for a walk.

Kant had arranged it so that it was able to move around the village.

As the interrogation and investigation over the truth of the so-called Kingdom of Grey Mane had not yet been completed, Asage, the high-class Jackalan, was still guaranteed basic dietary requirements and a certain degree of freedom.

Just like right now, it had half an hour for a walk.

Compared to cruel torture tactics, giving one a bit of hope was often more effective in breaking down a person mentally and having them reveal everything they knew.

However, escaping was definitely impossible.

Asage had been under strict supervision ever since it was captured and brought to this Oasis Lookout.

Moreover, as the only outsider, not only was it locked up in the basement of the council hall every day, even its free time would never exceed half an hour.

Although there was enough food and water, it was being watched closely.

If it really dared to escape…

Asage glanced at the two strong and burly human warriors behind it and could not help but tremble in its heart.

Back then, it was exactly these guys who rode down the dune on fully-armored warhorses and easily nailed the Jackalan warriors it had hired to the sand. The miserable state of being annihilated in an instant had awoken it from its dreams recently.

It was just a merchant. These fighting and killings… they were the most terrifying.

“What will happen to me, Supreme Storm Monarch? Please give me hope.”

Asage could not help but pray sorrowfully in its heart.

The Storm Monarch was the god with the most extensive influence on the Mannheim Coast. It was also the religion of the high-class Jackalan in the Kingdom of Grey Mane. It could ensure the safety of seafarers and protect regions where it was located from being affected by disasters.

Asage prayed in its heart, but it could not help but sigh. “This is the south of the Nahrin Desert. Even the power of the Storm Monarch cannot reach this place.”

The Nahrin Desert used to be a forbidden area.

The many races and countries on the Mannheim Coast would not venture deep into the Nahrin Desert.

Ignoring those like Asage who went around the extremely hot Devil’s land to reach the extreme south of the Nahrin Desert and discovered an astonishing amount of natural salt mines before being captured miserably…

The truth was that the Kingdom of Grey Mane had not been inside the Nahrin Desert for a long time too.

It started ten years ago.

The low-classJackalan tribes that moved to the Nahrin Desert and had narrowly escaped death were discovered by the Kingdom of Grey Mane.

Then, after further studying the desert, they learned that there were human kingdoms in the south of the Nahrin Desert, and there were many of them. These human kingdoms had even sent troops to slaughter the low-class Jackalans in the desert.

On the Mannheim Coast, the Grey Mane Kingdom, which was a middle-class force, could not sit still anymore.

They urgently needed to open up a new battlefield and plunder enough things to make their country stronger.

The other two countries on the Mannheim Coast had grown their wealth rapidly in recent years since the establishment of their maritime trade. Even their military strength grew rapidly. This really made these high-class Jackalans somewhat fearful.

One was the Lizardmen Kingdom and an Elf Republic.

Asage gulped.

According to its understanding, the Kingdom of Grey Mane was about to send troops to plunder those human countries.

Even the low-class Jackalan tribes could enter the human countries and wreak havoc for three years. Would it not be even easier for the high-class Jackalans, who were much better equipped, to easily defeat the human countries’ armies, plunder wantonly, and even conquer new estates?

“When the time comes, I’ll be saved.” Asage suddenly felt elated.

“Quickly, go!”

However, a force came from behind, causing it to stagger forward a few steps.

Its elated heart turned into fear again. It walked quickly, not daring to resist the two Swadian Heavy Cavalrymen behind it at all. It did not dare to even look at them with hatred.

Right now, its life was still in the hands of others.

…

Senwaya Range, Stone Pass.

Kant narrowed his eyes slightly.

He did not find any troops on the six-meter-high city wall in front of him.

He raised his head and glanced at the two sides of the tightly shut city gate. There was also not a single person in sight on the seven-meter-tall wooden arrow tower.

“The defense is lax.” Kant’s lips curled into a mocking smile.

Even if there were only Jackalans in the Nahrin Desert and they were not worth paying much attention to, such lax defense was enough to showcase the management level of the owner of the Stone Pass, Baron Dylan.

“Lord, do you want to knock on the door?” A Sarrandian Horseman behind him asked.

“Knock on it. Make it louder.” Kant nodded.

The Sarrandian Horseman nodded. He gently kicked his horse’s abdomen and urged his horse to quickly reach the outside of the Stone Pass’ city gate. After dismounting his horse, he raised his leg and kicked heavily on the wooden city gate. One after another, creating multiple heavy “Bang! Bang!” sounds.

The sounds were very loud, and the wooden gate shook continuously.

“What’s going on? Are the Jackalans attacking?”

“This vibrating sound! Is the Jackalan tribe charging in?!”

“Set up the defenses! Set up the defenses! We can’t let those Jackalans in!”

A mixture of noses immediately came from inside, but no matter how one listened to it, it sounded a little panicky and unprepared.

After a long while.

More than 30 soldiers in leather armor and holding long lances appeared on the city wall.

Each of their faces was filled with fear and panic. Kant, who was below, even saw many young and tender faces. Moreover, he felt that they were just like him, children who had just reached adulthood at the age of 16 or 17!

“Is this the garrison at the pass?”

Manid could not help but say, “It is just like a group of militia.”

“These are all peasant recruits. They are not much stronger than our Swadian new recruits. They are used as cannon fodder.”

Kant naturally understood the military configuration of the Dukedom of Leo.

However, looking at those abject soldiers on the city wall, he could not help but snort, “It’s such a crucial pass, yet they still use these peasant recruits as the key forces guarding the city wall? This is just too careless.”

“Damn… Damn it, who are you people?”

On the city wall, the soldiers also realized that Kant and his group were not Jackalans.

The confidence of also being a human appeared. They shouted loudly without much fear, “Do you know that this is the Stone Pass, an estate belonging to Baron Dylan?”

Just as these peasant recruits were talking, new troops walked up the city wall.

These were warriors who wore leather armor ingrained with iron and chain mail. They looked much stronger, and the weapons in their hands were standard military weapons such as iron swords and spears.

Obviously, the new reinforcements had arrived.

Moreover, more than ten archers had gone up the city wall and the arrow tower. They looked at Kant and the others coldly.

“This is more like it.”

Kant shrugged and ordered Manid, who was next to him, without any fear, “Tell them that Baron Kant of the Nahrin Desert wants to enter the Stone Pass. He also wants to meet with Baron Dylan to discuss important matters.”

“Understood.” Manid nodded.

At the same time, he urged his horse to take a few steps forward and looked at the garrisoned soldiers on the city wall. Then, he said loudly, “This is the noble of the Dukedom of Leo, the second son of King Cameron, one who was conferred the title of Baron in the Nahrin Desert, Baron Kant. He is preparing to enter the Stone Pass. He also wishes to meet with Baron Dylan to discuss important matters!”

Revealing his identity and conveying his intentions early on was already a gesture of goodwill.

There was a brief silence on the city wall.

The militia formed by the soldiers and the recruited peasants was not qualified to deal with matters that concerned the nobles.