Dharma Ring: Selling dung beetles at the border

In the Ailei Church, the sound of tinkling iron can be heard all the time.

Wuming sat opposite the mountain demon blacksmith, watching the blacksmith grab a huge mallet and gently tap the iron on the petite anvil.

What I want, get it done as soon as possible. Wuming told the mountain demon.

Other orders have been stopped, so I will make them for you. The mountain demon blacksmith said, But your demand is too great. What on earth are you going to do?

Business secrets. Wuming said.

Am I not an employee of our caravan?

That's not okay. You have such a big mouth and a big voice. If you spill anything, the whole world will hear it.

The mountain demon blacksmith was a little angry, so he exerted force, and with a sound, the unformed iron plate broke.

Before Wuming could speak, the mountain demon blacksmith suddenly glared at Wuming:

It's all your fault. If you hadn't come to chat with me, would I have been distracted and made the mistake?

He was the first to take the initiative and win the trust of his boss.

How can you blame me for this? Even if I have 99% of the responsibility, then don't I have 1% of the responsibility for the iron? It's obviously the metal's fault. Beat it properly to remove impurities, but if you beat it too much, it will break - hypocritical !”

The mountain demon gave up, and the boss was obviously better at being shameless.

Wuming stood up: Then I won't disturb you anymore. This is a big order, so I have to trouble you.

A batch has been prepared here. Do you want to take it away first? the mountain demon blacksmith asked.

Just send someone to deliver it. I'll pick it up from another place. Wuming said, walking from the teleportation array to the west bank of the lake area.

==========

In Stonewell City, Neferi took Hyde to inspect Stonewell's fortifications.

Why does it feel like the city is so deserted? Neferi asked Hyde, The smell of the wind is different.

“There’s been some unrest in the city recently, and there are always people who can’t stand it,” Hyde said. “If you can’t stand it, you have no choice but to run away.”

Then there shouldn't be so few people. Neferi said, You weren't there during that time, and there were quite a lot of people.

Hyde said: There is also the impact of the war. Many people should have heard that the coalition of lords is coming to besiege Stone City.

Neferi was suspicious: That's not necessary, right?

Stonewell's geographical location is quite advantageous. It is located at the pass between Nimgofu and Lienia Lake District. It is surrounded by cliffs, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack.

Nimgefu in this kind of terrain is extremely difficult to conquer, because no matter how many lords' coalition forces there are, they can only surround half of Stonewell. There is simply no way to cut off supplies and logistics like we did with Fortress Hyde.

Just like ten giant birds or a hundred giant birds besieging a faded person, there is no use in large numbers because they can't get in front of the faded person.

Hyde said: You can't expect the people to be as awake as we are, nor can you expect their loyalty. Stonewell is yours, but not theirs. Their lives are theirs. Just as you are responsible for Stonewell, they are also responsible for it. You are responsible for your own life.”

That's not right. Neferi said, That's not right either. It's just that many residents have fled, so it won't be so deserted.

During this time, Neferi has been creating files for residents, and she has developed a sensitivity to data.

Neferi took Hyde to find the statistics official at the city gate and asked about it. Sure enough, there were other reasons.

Nowadays, almost no one enters the city. The only reason why the city is so deserted is because there is no way out.

Neferi asked again about the number of people who had left the city, and found that not everyone had fled. There were still quite a few people in the city, but they were all hiding.

Why are you hiding? Neferi was puzzled.

I don't know, said the official responsible for counting the population, but this kind of thing has happened in Stone City before.

Really? Neferi looked at Hyde, I don't remember such a thing happening.

Hyde doesn't remember either.

Officials said: It happened during the time of Greg. People would hide in remote huts or basements to avoid being used for limb replacement by Greg.

Neferi was stunned: Are I treated the same as Greg?

I'm afraid there is something hidden, Hyde said, I'll go ask it for you.

The answer soon came out, and a rumor began to spread among the people. When people outside heard this rumor, they no longer dared to enter Stonewell.

After people in the city heard about it, they began to hide in the basement and never went out again.

Huh? I'm cooperating with the Corrupt Family? Neferi couldn't believe it, How could there be such a rumor?

Hyde said: It should be the legacy of the last incident. This news spread from outside. It is very likely that the lords' coalition is causing trouble.

But after all the trouble last time, people won't believe this news easily anymore, right? Neferi wondered, I don't understand at all.

There are some things that I would rather believe. Hyde said, Especially the people who have experienced the Gregorian period. They are too afraid that a second Gregor will appear.

How to get them out? Neferi asked.

You just have to continue to be yourself, Hyde said. As time goes by, people will recognize your true nature.

Why do you trust me so much? Neferi asked.

Because I know you, Hyde said. Even standing in the arena, you are blurry. You are not their friend, but a silhouette-the silhouette of a king-who can only know you from one side. , I am in awe of you. Most of the tragedies in the border areas stem from this. No one can think from your perspective, and we are destined to be alone.

So we need to communicate. Neferi said, I want to call them out and talk to them again.

This... Hyde wasn't sure if this was a good idea. When there are more people, the sound becomes chaotic, and when the sound becomes chaotic, nothing can be heard clearly.

You can't let people outside slander me, right? Neferi said, I want to clarify misunderstandings and face rumors head on. As for whether those people believe it or not, you have to judge for yourself.

As she said, Neferi summoned the entire city's residents to gather in the arena again.

There were a lot less people this time, and Neferi didn't care.

When those who come hear it, they will naturally tell it to those who haven’t come.

Neferi is very magnanimous and confident.

Because she announced it in broad daylight, the effect would naturally be more powerful than those that were spread behind the scenes.

Although there are indeed some people who are more willing to believe the news in the shadows, thinking that what is on the table must be untrue, and that things that should be made public almost do not exist.

But people have to live in the sunshine after all, and humans cannot sleep in the darkness forever.

With this belief, Neferi once again stood in the arena and publicly expressed the ugliness of rumors.

I am a warrior and I don't know too many twists and turns. Neferi said, I will wait for the arrival of the lords, and there will naturally be blood and fire to prove everything.

The combination of Neferi's purity and her recently practiced eloquence can still move the residents. The warm blood in Neferi's bones is like a warm sun, inspiring the residents and making people want to believe in her.

People shouted in support of their queen, and the sound waves gathered in the ring arena and dispersed the thick clouds in the sky.

Another piece of something covering the sky was revealed.

Crows were flying, blocking out the sky and the sun, blocking people's sight.

What is this? People were surprised.

Crows flew low over the arena, and many black weapons fell from mid-air.

It was definitely not feces because it was so big.

Soon people discovered what was thrown down by the crowd of crows, and someone screamed.

Human heads, densely packed, rolled and fell from the air like hailstones, accompanied by a bloody wind.

Part of the fragile head hit the hard ground, splashing dark red marks. More heads fell into the arms of residents, triggering bursts of screams.

Neferi's face looked uglier than ever.

She knew all the faces on these heads.

It was the expedition team that was sent to the foggy forest before.

In terms of quantity, it’s almost the same.

That means the expedition team has been wiped out.

Along with the rain of heads came a flurry of letters, still denounced by the coalition of lords, accusing Neferi of colluding in corruption, harboring Platinum, and ignoring the Golden Dynasty's decree to restart the arena.

The lords also searched out the past when Neferi was imprisoned in Grek's kitchen, proving that she was by no means orthodox, but she was shameless in claiming to be orthodox.

How is it possible... Neferi was furious. Neferi completely ignored the content that denounced her. All her thoughts were on those heads. How could it be possible that they met and were annihilated...

The forces of the lords' coalition are indeed strong, but they cannot be spread across the entire Nimgefu like dumplings. It is still difficult for them to encounter the expedition team. Even if they encounter the expedition team, it is impossible to surround them in advance. How can they achieve total annihilation?

Although Neferi really wanted to send the restless elements in the city to the border, she was equipped with the best equipment. The best armor, the fattest and strongest horses, tireless puppet logistics, and several experienced knight leaders who were dissatisfied with her.

With such a team, Neferi believed that they would mutiny and rebel, but she did not believe that they would be completely annihilated.

Neferi's contemplation also aroused fear in the crowd, and the blood that had just surged was completely extinguished by the rain of blood.

There were many relatives and friends of the expedition team present, and they burst into tears when they saw the heads of their relatives and friends.

The storm returned to the arena, blowing away the strong smell of blood, but it couldn't blow away the haze in people's hearts.

============

The teleportation array on the west bank of the lake area is located in the middle of the long road on the left, in front of the ruins of the royal family.

It is the location of the blacksmith of the Calian royal family, the knight who serves Lani, and the mountain demon Iggy.

Nowadays, the ruins of the royal family have been renovated into one of the commodity distribution centers by unknown means. A large amount of pig iron was sent here for Iggy to help forge.

Hey, brother Iggy, I'm here to pick up the goods. Wuming greeted Iggy.

It's all over there. Iggy struck iron with one hand and flipped through a book no bigger than his thumb with the other.

How is your princess doing? Wuming greeted, Are you still looking for her mother?

Iggy nodded: It feels like Lady Lani is too tight. Appropriate tension can improve efficiency, but too much pressure can destroy people. Just like ironware, ceramics and puppets. I even suspect that she is like Lady Man Yue, I was hit so hard that I lost my mind.

Abnormal? Wuming asked, She also picked up the egg?

The mountain demon knight was a little worried: Lady Lani is so angry that there are many more cracks on her body. The princess has already told her that no matter what the cost, as long as she finds the whereabouts of the other party, even if the other party is the king of a region, she must cut it off with her own hands. His head was carved with scars that would never heal.

A curse should be placed on someone who kills someone? How terrifying. Wuming said, I won't bother you. I'm leaving.