Kingdom’s Bloodline

Sword dealer?

Thales' mind was in chaos, wrapped in a blanket, and he just recovered some energy, feeling as if he had just been scooped out of ice water.

The sword seller...

what is that?

He stared blankly at the triumphant Kuai Rope.

At this moment, a loud and powerful female voice came from behind Thales: "Mercenaries."

"We are mercenaries—as for 'Sellsword', that's what some people call us. It may be intuitive, vivid, and easy to understand, but except for rookies who have just entered the industry, we generally don't call ourselves that, like Merchants don't call themselves 'for money', apprentices don't call themselves 'bad guys', women who can't find a man and men who can't find a woman don't call themselves 'no one wants'."

The rookie who just entered the industry - the elated Kuaisheng instantly drooped and made a face at Thales.

Thales couldn't help noticing that although the other party spoke the common language, his pronunciation was difficult and his pronunciation was high-pitched. Many accents and intonations were very different from the common language of the Northland he was familiar with, and it didn't match the accent of Yongxing City in his impression. Number.

He turned away.

Three fast-moving, light-clothed warriors with their heads covered, were stepping on the gravel under their feet, and appeared in his field of vision in a dusty manner. Others saw their figures and avoided them one after another.

They went into the fire, and one by one, they took off their masks and hoods against the wind and sand:

A young man with a darker complexion, with black lines of unknown meaning painted on his entire face, carrying two crossed scimitars on his back, with a handle protruding from each of his left and right shoulders, looking at Thales with full eyes. Be vigilant; a grey-haired, middle-aged warrior put down a terrifying war hammer with a hammer head and spikes, and looked comfortably at the warm bonfire between his beards.

Finally, there is the owner of the loud female voice.

She was a chestnut-haired female warrior of medium stature, with regular but slightly weathered features, with a straight back holding a bow and arrow, and her bandaged arm was always pressed on the sword at her waist.

The three of them walked into the small camp together, each found a comfortable place to sit by the bonfire, and the mature warrior of Hammer happily touched Kuaisheng's hair, making the latter dissatisfied and protest.

"By the way, I'm Louisa Dante."

The female warrior who spoke—Luisa put down her longbow, untied the saber around her waist, and grinned at the weak Thales: "I'm glad to see you woke up, child, you are very lucky—not everyone A stranded lone traveler can survive in the desert."

Her smile is bright and gentle, which makes people feel good.

Thales was taken aback for a moment, and then gave her a grateful smile back.

mercenary.

He has heard of these people, and in fact he has encountered similar objects—six years ago, when he first arrived at Mindis Hall, there was a small team of people who were instigated (or deceived) by Duke Iris to come to test the The royal property that the king visited late at night, all died as a result.

But that's all.

There are quite a few people in Yongstar City's messy lower city who are willing to sell unusual labor in uncommon and often illegal forms for a few silver coins: debt collectors, whores, pickpockets, killers, swindlers, bounty hunters, as long as It doesn't affect the protection fee and doesn't cause trouble. Black street brothers often turn a blind eye to their own people's private work. Even the sixth house where Thales is located once took over the work of booing in the street for a few copper coins. .

But within the high walls of the majestic royal capital, Thales had never seen the acme of this profession - those who sold violence purely for money, full-time mercenaries who only appeared in bards and rumors.

It is said that they usually only run around in wilderness and remote villages far away from the king's law, in unstable frontiers, or in war-torn countries, looking for employers, pointing their swords at those who have no grievances or enmity, and then Take bloody rewards from the powerful.

But in Longxiao City, where the folk customs are tough and martial, there are even fewer mercenaries: in a place where almost all middle-aged men have served in the military and are proud of killing enemies and fighting,

Even a seventy-year-old man can swing a big ax ferociously for ten rounds, and who would want to rely on a stranger's weapon instead?

Eternal Star City, being the political center, does not need mercenaries, and Dragon Clouds City, which is self-serving, does not need mercenaries either.

But here...

Thales stared at these people's equipment, which is complete in length and suitable for both distance and near, and is completely different from professional or conscripted soldiers who pursue a single function.

He turned his head slowly, looking at the dangerous desert under the howling cold wind, at the several bonfires in the distance, looking at the unknown darkness beyond his vision, and looking at the camels kneeling and resting in a circle around the camp Team, suddenly understood something.

"So?" The female warrior took off her sword, slapped the sand on her body, and looked at him expectantly.

Thales came back to his senses and looked at the other party politely: "So what?"

"I told you my name, boy, and as a courtesy and in response..."

Luisa smiled as usual.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!"

"I am--"

It was only then that Thales came to his senses. He hurriedly stood on the ground, trying to sit up, but felt his eyes go dark and his arms go limp.

"Wow wow, take it easy," Kuaisheng quickly caught Thales who was about to fall, put him down gently, and said in a fuss:

"You can't stand up yet. When you were found, you were lying face down in the middle of the road. Half of your body was buried in the yellow sand. It looked like an inconspicuous piece of sandstone. If it weren't for Dean's sharp eyes, a The team of Bactrian camels—twenty-three of them, weighing eight or nine hundred pounds each—nearly trod over you!"

"Relax, boy," said the grown-up warrior with the hammer, flicking his beard. "You're out of danger, and we've had you introduce yourself all night."

Thales glanced at him gratefully, then turned to Luisa: "I am...my name..."

The prince couldn't help being taken aback.

It's been a long time since he introduced himself seriously to a stranger. In fact, he didn't need to introduce himself, whether it was the beggar days or the prince's days: in the former, no one cared about his name, in the latter, Nobody knew his name.

Looking at the curious eyes of the other people, as well as their strange and alienated eyes, Thales couldn't help but feel a strange sense of absurdity.

"Wyah," his voice rang weakly around the campfire:

"My name is Wyatt."

Several other people looked at each other.

"So, Wyah," Luisa stared at him intently, "how did you end up in the desert?"

Thales tried his best to look more believable.

"I... I'm unlucky, in fact, very bad."

Thales sighed: "My father, he was a little powerful man when he was still alive. Unfortunately, he made enemies with people in the Northland, and when he could no longer protect me, the enemies would Several thugs were sent one after another—the kind with bad tempers and sharp knives—to come after me, and I had no choice but to flee, to the south.”

"They drove me all the way into the desert."

Thales knew that he looked bad, but he also knew that the other party must have seen his luggage. He must have a good reason to explain why a fourteen-year-old boy entered alone with a crossbow and a dagger. Great desert.

What's more, they saved their own lives.

Luisa looked at the warrior with the hammer and nodded to each other.

"Wow, it can make you flee to the desert in fear," Kuai Sheng's eyes lit up: "Your enemies, they must hate you very much."

Thales nodded silently, and said sadly, "I didn't expect life in the desert to be so difficult. I couldn't even last four or five days."

"enemy."

Thales raised his head curiously, and found that it was the young soldier with black stripes all over his face who interrupted. He sat by the fire and stared at the prince coldly, wiping his blade.

"So you have enemies at your back—of course, there's always trouble with that," he said softly, expressionless.

Thales didn't know how to answer for a while.

"You can put away your fierce face, McGee." Luisa glanced dissatisfied at the black-striped man named McKee, as if she had a problem with his attitude: "I know what you're worried about—this Children will not be undercover or spies for Sand Bandits."

Thales was taken aback.

The man who was wiping the scimitar paused slightly.

"No, you don't know my concerns," McKee's face became serious: "If you knew, we wouldn't be employed by that profiteer, and we wouldn't come here."

"Dean knows, but he won't listen to me."

Louisa pursed her lips.

Thales watched their argument curiously.

The bearded middle-aged warrior laughed and raised his hands to smooth things over: "Take it easy, buddy, there's no need to be so sullen all day long."

He turned to McGee and pointed at the weak Thales.

"But you saw it too, Mackie, he almost died there, no band of Sand Bandits would let a child dying of thirst be a spy - Tomdin's caravan is nothing to snatch, we'll be safe All right...in fact, we didn't run into sand bandits or exiles along the way, and you know why."

Thales smiled weakly.

McKee snorted.

"That's what worries me."

"Mortals try to use power to interfere in the desert, but the desert gods never forgive." McGee's eyes became more and more serious, and he glanced at the sky: "This means: we are in trouble."

Thales made a move.

The grown-up warrior laughed out loud.

"Don't worry about McGee, he's just like that. The locals always have some prejudice against travelers, and they're still talking about it." The bearded soldier snorted nonchalantly, and turned to Thales: "Let's talk about other interesting things." something about..."

Thales was stunned.

He glanced at McGee.

native?

at this moment.

"So, you are a nobleman from the North who were forced to flee to the desert?" Luisa said lightly.

"You know, your accent is very similar to that of a Northlander."

"Uh, that counts?" Thales replied carefully.

Yes, that's all he can say, and with his six years of experience in Dragon Clouds City, he doesn't even need to deliberately imitate, he can easily grasp the Northland accent.

The middle-aged warrior on one side laughed: "Very well, Northlanders, I like Northlanders the most...Maybe we should ask Dean to talk to his fellow Northlanders..."

At this moment, Kuaisheng slapped his thigh with a slap!

"noble!"

Kuaisheng rubbed his hands excitedly, his eyes lit up.

"Very good! Let's talk about the remuneration." He looked at Thales happily, with a smile on his face: "You know, this little Mr. Wyatt, I saved your life—from being buried yellow sand."

Thales was slightly taken aback.

"Yes, thank you."

But at the same time, he noticed that Luisa, the middle-aged warrior, including the young man with black lines, all rolled their eyes outward.

Kuaisheng straightened up with a proud face.

"So, according to the rules in the desert, I saved you."

"That is to say, I will automatically own all the property on you, including your personal ownership," Kuaisheng coughed, and said solemnly with his hands on his hips: "So, Wyatt——you are mine now."

Thales was taken aback for a moment.

"do you understand?"

The next moment, a slap the size of a pot lid slammed the fast rope on the back of the head from behind!

Snapped!

"Ah!" Kuaisheng's scream even alarmed a camel in the distance.

Seeing Kuaisheng howling in misery, Luisa and the grown-up soldier laughed, and even McGee, who had a gloomy face, raised the corners of his mouth.

Thales looked at the person who appeared behind the fast rope in surprise.

"If this brat continues to talk nonsense like this, you can deal with him like this, that's right."

A familiar, seasoned voice joins the conversation.

The bald man who had met once before returned to the camp with a cold face, and sat down beside Luisa, followed by a strong man with a mustache and a two-handed sword, who was silent.

The rest of the people made way for them, obviously they were all in the same team.

Kuaisheng raised his head tearfully: "Dean! What I said is not wrong, the rescuer has the right..."

Bald Dean snorted and interrupted him: "But this is a desert, not the sea, and you are not the one who saved him."

"Ignore him," Louisa sighed, took her eyes away from the painful fast rope, and shook her head apologetically at Thales: "This rookie used to be a sailor before entering the industry—that's why we like to call him He fast ropes—he doesn't know anything, but he always likes to bring the rules of the sea here."

Kuai Rope excitedly raised his hand in protest.

"But... the sea made of sand is also a kind of sea, right?"

The aggrieved Kuaisheng received a piece of bread thrown in his face by the warrior with the hammer.

Thales stared blankly at the fight of this group of people.

The middle-aged warrior with a hammer showed his yellow teeth in his beard, and smiled at Thales: "Hello, strange Huaiya...you can call me Old Hammer, because I am in charge of swinging the hammer in the team."

Thales nodded.

"That stinking face is McGee. You should see how he wields a pair of knives. He is our clairvoyance and guide." McGee, the man with black stripes, snorted softly.

"And I'm sure you've seen Fast Rope, the commas sailor who's in charge of telling jokes..."

"Hey!" Kuaisheng struggled to break free from the big hand of the old hammer, protesting:

"Jokes are important too!"

Old Hammer ignored it and pushed the bread into Kuaisheng's mouth.

"You know Dean. The silent person sitting next to Dean is 'Luohuo', a strong man from the thorny land, who is responsible for killing people." Luhuo, the man with a two-handed sword on his back nodded to him.

Thales greeted them kindly.

"There are five guys on duty outside, and this lively girl in front of me..."

Poor Quick Rope pulled the bread out of his mouth vigorously, took the old hammer's words, and threw his arms towards Louisa, vividly:

"Louisa Dante!"

"We are beautiful, cute, capable of fighting and charming, but it's a pity that the captain has a bad temper!"

Louisa's face flushed slightly.

Thales raised his eyebrows.

Kuaisheng looked at his somewhat embarrassed captain, turned to the bald man, rolled his eyes:

"And Big Dean—we are beautiful, cute, capable of fighting and charming, but it's a pity that the captain with a bad temper wants to marry him in his dreams!"

next second.

"ah!"

Luisa's wristband slammed into Quick Rope's forehead.

"Shut up." Luisa twisted her face fiercely, staring at the fast rope with her teeth gritted.

Thales saw that the others lowered their heads as if they hadn't heard the words, and went about their respective tasks: the old hammer started to pick his beard again, the fire continued to drink his water, McGee finished wiping the second knife, and restarted Going back to wipe the first one, the bald Dean, one of the protagonists of the dispute, coughed awkwardly.

"Did I said wrong thing?"

Kuaisheng raised his head dissatisfied: "You are our leader and captain, the much-loved Luisa."

"No one can deny that you formed this team and carried the 'Dante's Great Sword' on your back—Dean never objected to this."

Louisa's face darkened even more.

"You know, that's not what I'm talking about."

"Then which do you think I'm talking about?"

Flying from the air to respond to the fast rope, it was Luisa's other wristband.

Thales stared at their interaction.

He suddenly felt that the Great Desert wasn't all that scary.

Dante's great sword.

Thales nodded, chewing on the name of the mercenary team.

So, that female warrior is the leader of these mercenaries, and the team is named after her.

But……

Amidst the noise, Dean coughed again, and turned his eyes back to Thales.

"Eat something, you just recovered." He handed out a piece of bread and a water bag to Thales: "Water can extend life, but it can't fill your stomach."

Thales took the food with a heavy heart, barely showing a grateful smile: "Thank you."

The man looked at Thales and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Wyatt, we've kept all your stuff, it's in our luggage—some profiteer really wants to swallow your money bag and money." Crossbow, but we stopped him."

Dean pouted at another bonfire. Beside the fire, a man dressed in rustic clothes was bargaining fiercely with others.

Thales hesitated a little, then nodded.

"thank you all."

"You saved my life and I will repay you."

"I swear I will."

Kuai Sheng looked happy: "Ah, I knew you were a good friend, Huai Ya, I'm shrinking from you..."

His mouth was stuffed back into the bread with the old hammer.

"But where are you going?"

Thales took a bite of the bread, looked at the faces of these people, and felt vigilant: "Actually, can I hire you?"

The mercenaries looked at each other.

The prince tentatively said: "I mean, I have some relatives in Star Kingdom, they are very rich..."

The mercenaries looked at each other again, this time, Thales saw worry in their eyes.

Only Kuai Sheng's expression changed, and he hawed and hawed in the bread in surprise.

McKee stretched out his hand expressionlessly, stuffing the bread in his mouth even tighter.

"Stars?" The black-striped man snorted softly.

Luisa raised her eyebrows and smiled: "You know, Huai Ya, we have already received a business, and we are going to send this caravan to..."

But the bald-headed Dean raised his hand gently, and Louisa stopped talking immediately.

Thales noticed this detail.

Dean sighed, he looked at Thales calmly and shrewdly.

"Listen, Wyah, I can see that you have concerns."

He was straightforward: "Don't worry, we will not touch your belongings, nor will we endanger your life."

Thales' heart trembled.

"This is a big desert, so I won't ask your surname and origin, including how you provoked your enemies. We're not interested in those, and they can't chase you here—it's just an obligation in the desert to save you," Dean touched the stubble on his face:

"So you can rest assured."

Thales frowned slightly.

Dean's words obviously had a lot of prestige in the team. Once these words came out, even McGee, who was quite hostile to him, stopped saying anything.

With only the fast rope, he managed to pull out the bread, and raised his hands with a mournful face:

"What about our reward?"

No one paid him any attention.

"I just want to ask about a few other things," Dean said seriously, "Wyah, you came down from the north."

Thales was a little inexplicable, but also a little nervous:

"right?"

I saw Dean pondering, pressing his fingers on his knees, and the others waited patiently for his question.

"And along the way, you didn't meet the army of the stars?"

Thales frowned.

"No."

Dean's face moved slightly: "Exter and Xingchen... didn't fight in the desert?"

"No," Thales said lightly, "at least I didn't see it."

"Did you meet Sand Pirates?"

"No."

As soon as this remark came out, everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"It seems that the road ahead is smooth," Luisa said happily: "Guys, we are lucky-we are on the right track."

Kuaisheng smiled and punched Old Hammer, but was pushed back and forth by the latter's force.

Thales looked at them suspiciously, not quite understanding.

But Dean seemed very cautious, and he continued to ask: "But you... haven't encountered any tribes gathered in the oasis?"

"I haven't seen many oases, and I haven't seen many tribes."

"No trace of the exile?"

"What is an exile?"

"Meet grayskins, too? Orcs, I mean."

"No, I was the only one from beginning to end."

Facing Thales' question, Dean didn't speak any more.

"Strange, the desert shouldn't be so peaceful," Dean murmured, "I have to discuss it with Tomdin again..."

"What's wrong?" Luisa asked with concern.

Dean shook his head: "It's okay, I hope it's my unnecessary worry."

He seemed to have finally finished his question and nodded to the others.

"So, can you... send me to the stars?" The prince looked at Dean, knowing that he was the backbone of the team: "It doesn't need to be too far, just go to the Western Wilderness, just go to the Saber Dunes."

"As I said, I have relatives there..."

The others laughed.

"What a coincidence, poor Wyah." Old Hammer smiled slightly: "A few days ago, we just came out of the Saber Dune, and that is the territory of the stars."

"Obviously, we're not going back so soon."

Thales felt heavy in his heart: "Even... I promise you not a low salary? The Casso family can..."

Dean shook his head.

This time, it was Louisa who answered Thales.

The female captain sighed: "You have to talk to Tomdin about this. He is our employer, and this is also his caravan. I guarantee that he will not agree, no matter how much money—just like us."

"Why?"

"Well, let's put it this way," the female captain shrugged, tilted her head, and looked around: "On the day before we set off, the stars just issued a ban in the Saber Camp: within a month, no one Into the great desert."

Thales was taken aback.

The prohibition of the stars.

So that's...

Louisa shook her head: "Obviously, they're going to send troops into the desert to fight, no matter who they fight—like the desert war ten years ago, and the occasional purge campaign after that."

"Anyone?" Thales thought about the words: "But you still came in?"

"Yes," Louisa coughed, "and you know why?"

Thales gave him a puzzled look.

"Business, Huaiya, business!" Kuaisheng rushed to answer, his eyebrows beaming:

"Sep Tomdin, that damn profiteer wants to take advantage of the ban to secretly make a fortune in the desert-blocked trade routes mean higher prices for goods and more lucrative long-distance business!"

McGee, who was silent, raised his head: "There are still greater risks."

Thales squinted in confusion.

Dean sighed and explained: "I know you really want to meet your loved ones quickly and escape the threat, Wyah, but..."

The bald man touched his stubble and sighed:

"Once we encounter the army of the stars, Tomdin will never want to keep his goods, and he himself will go to jail-and we hired by him, 'Dant's Great Sword', no matter how lucky we are, there will be one A large fine, if you are unlucky, you will be kicked out of the Saber camp, and you will no longer have to accept business there, and you will no longer have to accept business related to it.”

Thales couldn't help frowning.

so……

"So," Dean said indifferently, "do you think, whether it is the employer or our team, we will be willing to return to the stars before the ban is lifted, and even deal with the officials of the stars?"

Thales figured it out, and he also sighed.

"Then... you guys, where are you going?"

Dean and Louisa exchanged glances.

A second later, Dean lowered his head and smiled:

"Now, apart from the Liberty Alliance and Qiyuan City, where the situation is becoming more and more tense, there is only one place left, which is the most profitable place for a caravan that ventures across the desert from the stars."

"Tower of the End."