Chapter 187 Eno Oak Desert
The sun is scorching, the sky is filled with yellow sand, and the vast space between the sky and the earth is almost enveloped in the dry heat.
If you look around, you can see that there is no water, no livestock, no plants, and even the most common small animals such as scorpions and cobras in the desert within hundreds of kilometers, as if they have been there since ancient times. This place already belongs to Death.
Being there is like being thrown into the furnace of hell. Not to mention strenuous exercise, even breathing will quickly consume your physical strength. If the skin is directly exposed to the poisonous sunlight, it will not take a moment to become blurred. There was a smell of burnt barbecue.
This is a forbidden area of life, a cursed and unknown land. This is the Great Desert of Aenook, the territory of the Netheril Empire that fell dozens of centuries ago.
Perhaps it was punishment for being disrespectful and blasphemous to the gods. Although the culprit of the land's desertification, the Felin Demon Sunflower, had long been imprisoned deep underground and could not be freed, the land above had never been able to recover. To the original prosperity and prosperity.
But in this barren and barren land, there are still traces of human activities.
The scorching hot wind howled and rolled in, blowing not only sand and gravel in the wind, but also the peaceful and melodious crisp camel bells.
When the wind and sand calmed down a little, a dusty caravan appeared on the horizon.
This caravan is not small in size, with ten large sand sleds pulled by camels, loaded with various goods, traveling in the middle of the caravan, surrounded by no less than fifty guards on the front, back, left and right.
These warriors dismounted from their tall horses, wearing long white linen robes and leather armor. They hung veils to shield their faces from the wind and sand, revealing only two shining eyes.
Each guard has a scimitar and sword on his waist, and a compound bow and quiver are hung on the saddle, ready for use at any time.
As you get closer, you can see very clearly that each sand sled has a certain mark painted on it.
It was a white circle with a very sloppy letter 'Z' written in the middle of the circle.
In the eyes of people who are very familiar with the conditions in the desert, they can recognize at a glance that this caravan belongs to the dark intelligence network - the Zhentarim.
The Zhentarim are a secret organization originating from the city of Zhentil Keep in the northwest of the Moonsea.
Their influence spreads across the northern part of the continent, and their influence on commerce and trade is important in many regions and cities.
The reason why they are able to maintain such a status is largely due to their control of the black road.
This is an important trade route across the Eno Oak Desert, with very few desert oases scattered along the way.
Through the Black Road, the Zhentarim can transport all kinds of goods from the east of the continent to the major cities along the Sword Coast in the west and vice versa more quickly than all of its commercial competitors.
Although it looks desolate, for the Zhentarim and all its business competitors, the Black Road is undoubtedly a golden trade route.
This golden trade route is never peaceful. No matter the sandstorms, scorching heat, or severe cold in winter, it can easily defeat those who have been tempered by the arduous journey.
Of course, no matter when and where, the biggest enemy and threat to mankind will always be mankind itself.
So, even though he has been walking back and forth on this trade road for more than ten years, the caravan leader still dares not let down his guard at all every time he embarks on a journey.
“Actually, you don’t have to be so nervous.” Brian, who was sitting on the sand sled at the front of the caravan with the caravan leader, handed the sheepskin water bag to him with a confident smile. , said:
"Drink some water to quench your anxious mood. It can be seen that your security force is very strong, and your vigilance work is thorough enough. No one with evil intentions can take advantage of you."
"I can't really relax until I get out of this deadly desert." The leader of the caravan took the sheepskin water bag from Brian's hand and took a sip.
Using magic to keep the cold water flowing down the throat is indeed a rare enjoyment in this hot environment. The thin, gloomy caravan leader nodded to Brian to express his gratitude, and then said in a deep voice:
"Sir, is this your first time walking the dark road? Although as a wizard, your power is beyond my reach, but when it comes to your experience of traveling in the desert, you'd better listen a little bit. Advice from me, an old guy who has been wallowing in Haino Okri for twenty years
No matter who wants to live in this hell for a longer time, it is best to be ready at any time. Be vigilant at all times and never relax in the slightest. There are too many factors that can kill people in this cursed land, such as..."
Before he could finish his words, bursts of sharp whistles suddenly sounded without warning, resounding throughout the sky above the caravan.
The expression of the caravan leader who was interrupted suddenly changed. He grabbed his weapon as a reflex and stood up. He solemnly said: "Here we come! Everyone, get ready to fight. You will see Henault soon." The cruelty and terror of the Oak Desert."
"Is it an enemy?" Brian raised his staff and stood up nonchalantly. There was no trace of fear on his face, but a mysterious smile. .
At this moment, all the members of the Zhentarim caravan are experienced veterans. What they should do when encountering danger has long been completely instinctive, and there is no need for others to remind them.
They drove the camels to pull the sand sleds, ran up the small sand dune closest to the caravan, and arranged all the sand sleds and the camels into a circular defensive formation.
The guards lined up, bows and arrows bent, ready to meet the enemy at any time. There was no noise or panic at all. Everything was familiar and smooth, as if it was a common occurrence.
We have just made preparations here, and there are faint movements coming from the strong wind over there.
Immediately afterwards, a large group of dark clouds broke out from the flying yellow sand.
No, those are not dark clouds, but cavalry! Hundreds of warriors dressed in black gathered in a group and were galloping towards the caravan.
The soft sand absorbed the thunderous vibrations when the iron hooves stepped on the ground, making the knights as silent as ghosts, and the deception swept over them.
Although it is not as powerful as when a formal knight charges, it is even more weird and unspeakable.
“Damn it, it’s the Bedai barbarians!” Under the hot sunshine, the caravan leader’s face looked even more gloomy.
Holding the hilt of the sword in his hand, he jumped onto the roof of the truck, condescendingly allowing his sight to become wider.
That group of tough cavalry dressed in black are the indigenous residents of the Ainooke Desert, the Bedai barbarians who are famous for their bravery.
The Bedai barbarians are a nomadic people with complex composition.
Strictly speaking, they actually have something to do with the Netheril Empire.
Although the great disaster that year destroyed the entire empire, it did not immediately wipe out all the empire's residents.
In the next few hundred years, several cities were established on the edge of the desert, and they all claimed to be the orthodox successors of the Nese Empire.
But as time passes and the desert area continues to expand, these successors to the Nese Empire gradually disappear.
Out of attachment to their hometown, they did not leave the Eno Oak Desert, but adapted to the new land's way of life and survived, forming what is known as the Bedai Barbarians.
Hundreds of tribes, large and small, led by their respective chiefs, constantly migrated from one oasis to another, rarely staying in the same area for a long time.
The Bedai barbarians rely on secret passes to make a living. Caravans without passes will be robbed by them, while caravans with passes can get their guidance.
They regard the ancient ruins as their base and the entire desert as their inviolable territory. However, the number of oases in the desert that can supply survival needs is extremely limited. Moreover, the Bedai Barbarians' practice of stipulating that all caravans must purchase passes from them also has a serious conflict of interest with the Zhentarim.
The hatred between the two sides is higher than the mountains and deeper than the sea. As long as they meet each other, no one needs to talk nonsense. Often, they will start a war directly after making eye contact.
There will be absolutely no 'prisoners' after the battle, and no one will leave anyone alive for the other party.
In the past hundred years since the Dark Intelligence Network opened up the black road, the caravan guards who died at the hands of the Bedai barbarians, and the Bedai barbarians who died at the hands of the caravan guards, add up to at least tens of thousands. .
Here today, there is no doubt that this number will increase again.
The dark cloud composed of hundreds of Bedai barbarians came very quickly, and in just the blink of an eye, it was approaching under the sand dunes.
The leader of the caravan unsheathed his sword, slashed downward with force, and shouted loudly: "Fire the arrow!"
The bow strings rang, the wind whistled continuously, and fifty powerful arrows immediately followed the order and shot out like a rainstorm.
In an instant, only the screams of war horses were heard. Seven or eight knights were hit by arrows and fell down on their backs, unable to get up again.
The dark clouds split into two in an instant, and the cavalry of the Bedai barbarians relied on their advantage of twice the number of enemies to outflank them from the left and right.
The sharp arrows like locusts are fast and accurate. Even if they are aimed at the galloping horses and attack from bottom to top, their accuracy is not off at all.
The blood instantly dyed the yellow sand red, but the attack of the Bedai barbarians was as fast as the wind.
After two rounds of arrow fighting, a very loud whistle suddenly came from the dark clouds. Hundreds of knights immediately drew their horses and made a half circle, unsheathed their swords, and charged towards the convoy with a roar.
At this moment, dark clouds suddenly filled the scorching sky.
A large thick thundercloud area quickly gathered over the Zhentarim guards, making the entire fierce battlefield become darker and darker.
“Crack!”
Then, a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, followed by an earth-shattering thunder, deep purple lightning, and lightning like a dancing snake. Accompanied by Jing Lei, it came like a divine punishment.
Accompanied by thunderous lightning flashes, charred corpses dancing with dark purple arcs and emitting thick smoke were constantly left on the battlefield.
In just a moment, dozens of lightning bolts blasted away the Zhentarim caravan guards until only a few of them were left.
At the same time, the cavalry of the Bedai barbarians also arrived and slaughtered the remaining people.
A stream of blood spattered, and the caravan leader's eyes widened, and he fell on his back. Until his death, the little leader of the Zhentarim did not see who had accelerated their demise.
“Transport all these goods back to Mokou Town.” Brian looked at the Bedai barbarian leader who was walking towards him, gave him an order, and then said to him, “Get the things I need ready. No more.”
When he and Helister appeared near the desert, they happened to encounter the Zhentarim caravan crossing the black road.
Since the Standing Stone Plain is adjacent to the Black Road, he found a way to sneak into the caravan, and secretly informed the Bedai barbarians of the Moose Tribe who had surrendered to him, completing a black-and-black war. mini-game.
"Lord, we have found the map you need." A fierce-looking barbarian warrior took out a sheepskin scroll and said: "If you need it, I can arrange it for you. A guide. "
"Sir, I also heard that there are often human-eating demons near Standing Stone Plain, and many tribes dare not approach there," the barbarian warrior thought for a while and reminded.
"I appreciate your kindness. I know the approximate location, so I won't bother you." Brian took the map, walked to the carriage, and met Helister who just walked out of it. .
At this time, she was wearing a silver-trimmed cloak. After stepping out of the carriage, she slowly put on her hood and lowered the brim to cover her long, flowing silver hair and beautiful face.
Brian gave a few brief explanations to the Bedai barbarians, and then walked with Helist towards the Standing Stone Plain in the desert.
"Look at the specific location." He handed the map to Helister.
In the Sage Library in Silvermoon City, he borrowed a book once left by the great arcanist Opas, and then asked Helist to detect psychic powers, predict and Items related to this book.
Obviously, the location where her prophetic spirit manifested itself was the Standing Stone Plain in the middle of the Eno Oak Desert.
Helist took the map, closed her eyes and thought for a moment, then opened her bright eyes, stretched out her hand and pointed to a location on the map for him, "This is it, it's absolutely right."
Brian Looking at the location she was pointing to, I saw that it was Ryūbei Ridge in the Tateishi Plains.
"I just checked it carefully using my psychic detection ability. This does not look like a place where the ruins of the floating city can be buried." Helist thought for a moment and said to him.
"Indeed." Brian nodded slightly, without denying her statement, and then explained: "Actually, my main purpose is to find a demon that has lost its memory, because only this demon can Open the treasure in the ruins of the floating city.”
This is what he learned from the players in the game world.
But he didn't know the specific location of the golem that had lost its memory. He could only use the books left by the great arcanist and search through prophecy.
Because that demon is the most outstanding work of the great arcanist Opas during his lifetime, and it is also his closest companion.
"Let's go." Brian said to her, "Now, let's go straight to Longbei Ridge."
Helist did not move, but frowned her slender eyebrows, Whispering to him, "Brian, have you ever felt that we have been followed since we returned to the surface from the Underdark."
"How did you know?" Brian turned around, curious. He asked, "Or did you see or notice something suspicious."
"None of them." Helist shook her head slightly and said in a rather affirmative tone, "For me, this is both art and intuition, and it is difficult to explain clearly."
"Then Don't explain, I trust your intuition." Brian smiled, "If I can avoid your detection, I believe that tracking our enemies secretly is not as simple as imagined."
"But... He shook Helist's hand and gave her a reassuring look, "My intuition has already told me who this enemy is hiding in the dark. So, for now, we just need to go on our way with peace of mind." Just don’t pay attention to the secret enemy.”
Herister met Brian’s confident eyes and showed a comfortable smile on her beautiful face hidden in the hood.
Under the scorching red sun, the two figures walking together gradually merged into the yellow sand flying in the sky.
(End of this chapter)