Above The Sky

"This kernel is still fresh, don't sell it to the pharmacy on Central Avenue."

Originally a guy who would think about stealing things from children, Brin, who has a low bottom line, took the Somo core with a cheeky face, and then coughed lightly, telling Ian a piece of news that only people in the industry knew: "The wine sold to Jill's family. Factory, they are trying to plant wine trees... They are selling drugs as drugs, where can they make money from selling seeds?"

"Of course, saplings are the best, but the Soma wine tree natives have been strictly guarding them. Even the seeds are mostly used for life and difficult to recycle, so one is worth seven or eight talers."

"really."

Very well understood, Ian nodded slightly, understanding.

"It's almost time to go."

At this time, Ian saw that Brin's physical strength had recovered a lot, so he decided to set off while the night and the opponent's injury hadn't worsened.

"You can see, you're here to lead the way." Brin nodded, then picked up the aboriginal knifeman who was still in a coma and followed behind Ian.

Safe journey.

The woods along the northeastern coast of Port Harrison have long been cleared, leaving only a white field that has been deliberately doused with salt and alkali. The farmland is mainly located around the official road to the north, on both sides of the Ewok River.

Starting from this saline-alkali land, a stone road leads directly to the nearby Baier Village. The guards usually patrol various villages and breeding factories along this road. There are also sentry towers with torches beside the road, illuminating the dark night. the earth.

Ian and Brin walked all the way along the light of the sentry tower. Although they did not encounter the indigenous team, they were on guard throughout.

The two finally took a sigh of relief and relaxed a little when they reached the underside of the bright sentry tower and saw the towering city walls of Port Harrison.

At the same time, they saw many people, either single or in groups, coming from all directions and gathering under the city gate tower.

Most of these people looked frightened, their clothes were messy, and some were even seriously injured and covered in blood.

Ian knew at a glance that they should be lumberjacks or fishermen in the surrounding villages, and all of them, like himself, were attacked by the natives, but unexpectedly survived.

"Don't panic, queue up, and enter the city in order after proving your identity!"

There is a squad of the city defense army maintaining order. These usually slack soldiers rarely put on half-armor and helmets, and hold light crossbows in their hands, entering a state of combat readiness.

The captain's dull and solemn voice came from his helmet: "Lord Viscount Grant has set up a free oatmeal release point. After entering the city, everyone will have oatmeal to drink and a place to put it - but don't make a loud noise and cause riots!"

"Those who stir up a commotion indiscriminately will be detained as native spies. Resist and kill."

Hearing this simple but powerful grace, the frightened crowd gradually calmed down, but Ian and Brin did not enter the crowd.

"We have captured prisoners!"

Because of Brin's lung injury, Ian spoke on his behalf. The boy's crisp voice caught the attention of the captain over there. He saw Brin's body twisted in his hands, but the indigenous people who were still holding a breath because of the tough physique of the Terrans, immediately saw a sight in front of him. Liang: "What?"

"Brin? You're lucky..."

He seemed to know the herb collector, but before the city defense captain led the team to lead Ian and Brin back to the city, another surprised voice sounded: "Ian?"

The heavy footsteps sounded like a rock landing, and the figure of Elder Pude appeared in front of the city gate.

His appearance immediately made the commander of the city guard take a step back to show respect, but the elder did not care about the awe of the other party, but stepped forward and looked at Ian's situation in surprise: "Yes, not injured. ."

Elder Bai Zhimin shook his beard. He looked at Ian's current state, and took a look at Brin, who was injured and smiling. He laughed and said, "Yes, Brin, you did a good job!"

"No, it's not me..." Brin didn't dare to take credit, but before he could finish his words, Elder Pude looked back and looked at Ian: "Of course I know it's not you, just your character, if it is true Saved Ian's life and captured the prisoner, and I have long since claimed credit."

"Ian, did you do it?"

His question was short but forceful, his eyes searing at the young boy.

"Um...that's it."

He didn't deny it, because Ian was keenly aware that under the loose robes of Elder Pude, he was wrapped in a layer of chain mail, and the opponent had a warhammer on his waist, which was completely in preparation mode.

On the back of the city gate, he saw that the guards of several elders of Pude were also wearing leather armor and waiting fully armed.

-He is going out of town.

Ian realizes this, and he clearly understands that apart from himself, Elder Pude has no need to venture out of the city at all - even if the White People's Breeding Plant is destroyed, this benefit is too much compared to the risk insignificant.

The other party... is trying to save him.

"So that's the case." He said thoughtfully: "It seems that my identity as a psionicist...maybe more valued than I thought?"

But in any case, the other party made preparations almost immediately, and it is very possible to go to search and rescue - usually people don't think that an eight-year-old child is attacked by indigenous people. Ian, for that alone, he's willing to accept it.

"In any case, even for the identity of a psionicist, Bai Zhimin's intimate group relationship is quite good."

"Please come here, Brin needs healing."

Patting Ian on the back, Elder Pude nodded to the commander of the city guard, and then brought the two into the city. He said to the guard beside him, "I just received a call from the flying pigeon, and the breeding factory was raided. The two brothers Aubrey lost, and took their compatriots who were still alive and sailed into the sea for refuge. The two of you called Sainan and Daveen to go to the labyrinth and algal sea to meet them."

"Ian...sorry, we ignored your hunch. Come with me and tell me what happened in the outer city."

"Not now, elder."

But beyond the expectations of Elder Pude, Ian, who looked very well-behaved, refused his request.

But he didn't feel annoyed, and waited for the reason with interest: "Why?"

"The prisoner is there. If you really have a problem, elder, there must be a way to get him to speak."

Turning to the side, the boy smiled and looked at the indigenous knifeman who was surrounded by three doctors and bound on a stretcher: "And my younger brother hasn't eaten yet -- I originally wanted to bring something to eat when I went out this time, but now It's all gone."

"not to mention."

Turning back, Ian and Elder Pude looked at each other and chuckled: "Elder, the question you really want to ask me, haven't I already answered it?"

In his cyan pupils, a warm and crystal clear, light as water halo lit up, flickering slightly like a firefly.

This shimmering light that sprouted from within, although it only lasted for a few seconds and disappeared, like an illusion, but the color that suddenly lit up at that moment was absolutely true.

"This is……"

Squinting, Elder Pude stared into Ian's eyes, and he clearly saw the halo.

"Really, a very good answer."

He whispered softly, the corners of his mouth raised slightly, with a rare trace of nostalgia in his tone, but more of a relief: "That's it, Ian. Be safe, you should know by now how dangerous it is outside the city."

After a pause, the old man stretched out his hand, rubbed the boy's head vigorously, and reproached: "Also, you promised me that you would not go out alone. Huh?"

"Agreeing but not doing it is not a good boy."

"Hey."

Ian tried to make a fool out of himself. With his appearance, if he was an ordinary person, he would definitely soften his heart for a moment, and even have a desire to protect... But it is clear that Elder Pude does not eat this.

He tapped the boy on the shoulder lightly: "Go back, this time you have captured the prisoner and made a great contribution, Viscount Grant will not ignore it."

"Go home and wait for the good news."

Soon, Elder Pude left with Brin and the native captives.

In addition to looking for Ian, they also wanted to lead a team out of the city to patrol, try to catch a few tongues, and figure out what happened to the natives. They broke the tacit understanding of more than ten years and took the initiative to attack the other side's civilians on a large scale.

Because of Ian, they have ready-made captives, but patrolling a few key entrances and outposts is also a must.

Ian stared in the direction they were leaving, his relaxed expression gradually turning serious.

"The natives suddenly went crazy, why exactly..."

He turned his head and looked at the city gate where he was slowly reviewing and releasing.

Under the dim algae oil lamp, the villagers looked terrified. The bloodstained villagers either wept or trembled and entered the city. Several guards silently raised a large bucket of water and poured them on them, turning them into chickens. At the same time, it also washed away the sludge, blood, and the plague and bugs that the natives might try to send into the city through them.

After the cleaning, some families were reunited. Although they were at a loss, they were at least calm and were led into the temporary tent area that was cleared out.

And some fled all the way, and now they are in a safe place, only to realize that they may have lost some of their most important family and loved ones, so they fell to their knees, wailed in despair, and wept.

"No, don't wash it off, it's Dad's blood..."

He heard a little boy crying loudly, which would have attracted reprimands, but in the end it was just an acquaintance who forced a smile and left with a smile covering the child's mouth.

The guards just watched in silence.

After more than ten years of peace, everyone recalled the bloody and terrifying wars with the indigenous people in the past.

Watching this scene, Ian muttered to himself: "Is all this related to what the teacher said?"

"If not, why?"

"And Mr. Hilliard, what are you doing now?"

Watching the scene behind the city gate silently, Ian shook his head slightly and walked home.

At the same moment, outside the mansion of Viscount Grant.

A gray tit quietly descended from the wind and landed in front of the guard who had been waiting for a long time in front of the mansion.

The guard who finally waited for the target took a deep breath and hurriedly took off the note from the bird's leg.

He returned to the mansion as quickly as possible, and handed the roll of paper from the depths of the redwood forest to the butler, an old man with white hair who had served the Grant family for forty-five years, with a slightly hunched back.

"My lord, there's a letter over there."

After knocking on the door, after a rather annoying response, the old butler slowly stepped into the study and handed the biography to Viscount Grant, who had a gloomy face and was almost gnashing his teeth.

The Viscount is now signing a letter of authorization, preparing to mobilize the resources of the various chambers of commerce in Harrison Harbor to help resettle the refugees caused by the indigenous attack, and prepare a war preparation report - whether the imperial capital sees it or not, whether it is or not, as a name In the royal land on the top, the Governor of Port Harrison needs to write a report for everything he does, not to mention the mobilization of military reserve resources to prepare for war.

Hearing the old housekeeper's words, the angry viscount raised his head, and with a click, he crushed the pen in his hand: "Trash! The natives have all hit us on the head, breaking our teeth, and then passed the news to me? Then what's the use of me wanting these lurking spies? I'm wasting so much money!"

"Early warning, early warning, I just believed their nonsense--Pude came to me a few days ago and told me to be careful about the sudden actions of the indigenous people. I smiled and told him that I must have known before him, so he didn't worry about it. Woolen cloth?!"

After scolding and taking a deep breath, Viscount Grant still controlled his emotions and unfolded the note expressionlessly.

Then, his brows furrowed, and his expression became suspicious.

"Isn't the sacrifice of purity to increase the number of Ascenders in the tribe, or to allow the Sea of ​​Trees to shelter them in the great storm?"

He said stunned: "This pure sacrifice is the purest blood sacrifice."

Thinking of a possibility, Viscount Grant raised his head, and sure enough, the old housekeeper's expression also became extremely awe-inspiring. The old man who has witnessed all the history of Harrison Harbor from its establishment to the present obviously thought of the same possibility as him.

The Viscount stood up and said to himself incredulously: "They attacked the village this time, not as a precursor to the siege, but to capture enough blood sacrifices?"

"They... want to wake up the mountain master with a blood sacrifice?!"