Sealing Off the Mountain, Second Prelude to the Night of the Drifting Snow

Do what? Of course it was to face off as well as mislead you guys far away from the actual stage of the fight!

But Jiang Nan did not reveal this truth to them. He shook his finger similar to how he had done while lecturing in his past world, “Calm down, gentlemen. Please calm down…. Before I answer your question, Mister Eddy, could you first answer a few of my questions?”

Eddy had always had a favorable impression of Jiang Nan, so he immediately grew interested, “Young chap, what do you want to ask?”

“My first question is this. If you are someone’s subject, someone’s subordinate, then you ought to put forth your best effort out of loyalty to your master, correct?”

This was common sense that no one would be able to refute, so Eddy nodded.

“Alright, then here’s my second question. No matter how much Miss Weylin beats or scolds me, I am still her slave as well as a member of West Farms, correct?”

“So what if it is?” Victor responded impatiently!

“If so…. Then please answer my third question! If something happens to Miss Weylin, as her servant, don’t tell me that I shouldn’t rush to her side immediately? Don’t tell me that I shouldn’t put forth effort on my part for Miss Weylin’s sake? Don’t tell me that I shouldn’t go to Mount Longinus to help Miss Weylin?!”

All of these comments were in direct favor of Weylin made specifically to combat Victor. Nodding his head, Victor’s expression towards Jiang Nan grew a bit more peaceable.

However, Talik laughed coldly from the side, saying: “Simply on the basis that you want to help Weylin? Hmph, you overestimate yourself!”

“Mister Talik, the laws of the empire do not prohibit me from overestimating my capabilities. On the contrary, the《Imperial Slave Law》stipulates that if the master is in trouble, the slave must appear promptly at the master’s side, is it not so?” He spread his hands out in helplessness, “Alright, I admit, I am only going to Mount Longinus because of this law, but all of you are also aware of Miss Weylin’s temper. If I do not appear at Mount Longinus…. Good heavens! Miss Weylin would beat me to death according to this law!” After he said this, Jiang Nan looked pathetically towards Talik, “*Judge Talik, is my abidance of the law…. wrong?!”
(*TL: I’m not really clear about what kind of position Talik holds, but Jiang Nan refers to him as judge 法官)

Talik was completely speechless!

“Alright, alright, I’ll say one more thing of great truth!” Jiang Nan began to add to the fire, “All of you know that as a slave, I am not qualified to enter the Totem stadium. However…. I also want to watch the match! If I miss this chance, I probably won’t be able to see such a spectacular match for the rest of my life! Gentlemen, how about you take me? I’ve gone to Mount Longinus before, so I can act as a guide for you!”

The three of them had been completely tricked into silence and none of them wished to speak unreasonably in front of a lowly person. Eddy smiled bitterly: “Then ready your luggage. My, to be able to talk Talik into silence! You are the first!”

“Alright, as *you wish!”

Jiang Nan picked up the luggage which he had prepared long ago with a face that said, ‘You bunch of students, actually making this teacher waste so much saliva! Your comprehension abilities are truly pitiful.’

Sun City’s prosperity could be completely accredited to the fact that its golden soil could increase output by twenty-something percent. Moreover, a significant half of Sun City’s golden soil came from Mount Longinus!

It could be said that whoever seized Mount Longinus would then have Sun City’s golden soil in their control! This was why Madame Suzanne used all the methods possible to acquire Mount Longinus, and also why Weylin lost all hope for the farm after losing Mount Longinus, bidding a depressing ‘final farewell’.

Jiang Nan had already gotten the map of Mount Longinus, so for the entire journey, it was a walk in the park. He truly acted the part of a guide.

The evening of the second day, several people appeared before a majestic and magnificent landscape.

Proud, lofty mountains rose and fell in succession, extended into the distance and piercing into the clouds. As for the highest points of the mountain peaks, a bit of radiant red light dazzled!

Circling around and surrounding the red radiance was a huge layer of golden soil that streamed down like a roaring, golden waterfall.

“So this is Mount Longinus? Oh my, what a huge amount of golden soil….”

Eddy gawked at the glorious sight, unable to speak for the longest time.

“Mister Eddy, now is not the time for admiration….” Jiang Nan pointed towards the crowd in front of them from the side, “It seems as though we’ve run into a bit of trouble.”

By this time, they had already arrived at a small town at the foot of the mountain. Normally, this small town would be bustling and flourishing in a way comparable to that of Sun City’s city square because it was connected to the multiple paths leading to the resource locations of Mount Longinus. However, today, the small town was filled with an austere and grim air. The dark and oppressive soldiers were stationed in strategic areas, and they numbered a full *3500 people, blocking the path one would inevitably take if one were to go up the mountain!
(*TL: Not very sure about the number of soldiers 三五千人, so here’s the raw.)

A portion of these soldiers were overseers of West Farms while another portion consisted of mercenaries. However, the majority of them were city guards borrowed using the name of the city lord.

And on the inevitable path to the mountain, a group of people almost as densely packed as the soldiers had already begun heating up. A voice angrily roared: “Weylin, get the f*** out here! On what basis do you prohibit us from watching the Professor’s and Gibson’s match?!”

Another voice called out: “Weylin, I am a member of the Sheffield Clan and Gibson’s servant. Don’t tell me that even I cannot step up Mount Longinus?!”

“Miss Weylin, on the account of our many years of friendship, how about you give me some face and let me up the mountain?”

But Weylin was not actually in the small town. Currently, the elderly manager was supervising the situation in her place, and he barked out coldly: “Silence! All of you quiet down! I will say it one more time. According to the Professor’s wish, on the night of Drifting Snow, Mount Longinus will be sealed off. Only Gibson and the Professor can climb to the mountain peak! If you wish to break through…. Soldiers, hear my command! Mount Longinus is still considered as our family estate. According to imperial law, intruders will be killed without question!”

“What bullsh** wish of the Professor!”

A brawny man who seemed to possess some fighting capability spoke out indignantly: “You guys want to seal off Mount Longinus? Fine! *I didn’t feel like watching anymore anyway! The Professor is only a primary rank 8th level Strength Totem Warrior and he’ll definitely die in Gibson’s hand. This kind of match where the Professor is just courting death is not interesting at all!” Another person also yelled out in response: “That’s right, that’s right! The Professor is only a primary-rank expert. He’s definitely not Gibson’s match! Hmph, I ain’t watching anymore, ain’t watching!” Although they spoke like this, not one person left.

Looking at the scene, Jiang Nan revealed a knowing smile. Weylin had already sealed off Mount Longinus, which was right within his expectations.

However….

The crowd’s complaints swayed Jiang Nan’s heart a bit. While ordinary people did not think that he would win, how would experts think? There were two great totem experts right next to him. Why not ask them what they thought about this match?

Thinking up till here, Jiang Nan spoke with a smile: “Young Master Victor, these people are all saying that the Professor is fated to lose, but what do you think? Alright, what I’m asking is this. Do you think that the Professor has some method to obtain victory?”

“The Professor wishes to obtain victory? Hmph, impossible!” Victor laughed disdainfully, “A wolf can most definitely slaughter opponents levels above it, but the Professor…. I don’t believe that the Professor has the ability to beat Gibson! I only hope that the Professor will live to return and die in my hands! Talik, do you agree?”

“Before victory is decided, all things are possible.” Talik answered coolly without any expression on his face: “Gibson is an intermediate rank Wind Totem Warrior, so he’ll be able to call up ‘Totem Guard’ for assistance. However, if the primary rank Professor is able to properly utilize his surroundings during the battle, he can likewise avoid an intermediate rank Totem Guard and find victory in defeat!” He halted for a bit, then continued on with a cold smile: “However, even if he does win, the Professor will have to pay an exorbitant price!”

The two of them did not favor Jiang Nan either, but Jiang Nan’s eyes lit up at their words!

This was because he extracted an extremely important piece of information from their conversation—Totem Guard!

The symbol of a primary rank Totem Warrior was being able to manifest in the form of their faith totem, just like how Victor was able to become a wolf man.

On the other hand, the symbol of an intermediate ranked Totem Warrior…. Was summoning a natural medium to assist themselves in battle, called ‘Totem Guard’!

Okay, so Gibson could conjure ‘wind’ to assist him!

Jiang Nan touched the bridge of his nose. It was the same motion of pushing up his gold-rimmed spectacles as he did in the past when he challenged multiple figures of authority….

Yet right at this moment, a white cloud flitted speedily across the sky, causing Jiang Nan’s eyes to flower in bedazzlement.

People already began to cry out from within the crowd, “He’s come, he’s come! Lord Gibson has come!”

A middle-aged man whose long hair drifted behind him stood on the white cloud, dressed in white. He came to the foot of Mount Longinus with wisps of white cloud curling around him and gave a calm laugh, his faint voice transmitting throughout the entire mountain range, “Professor, on the night of Drifting Snow, I, Gibson, have come to accept your challenge on the peak of Mount Longinus!”