Chapter 233: Encounter
This time, when Luo Ning set out for Wushan Castle, he brought along not just the purification scroll but also a small gadget—a white porcelain bowl.
The ceramic workshop had been relocated to Huitu Village, where a new kiln had been built after months of effort. Under the leadership of potter Jim, the craftsmen experimented repeatedly and eventually made significant progress in temperature control.
Their hard work bore fruit when, after the latest kiln opening, they produced two white porcelain bowls of exceptional quality.
Though the porcelain still fell short of the flawless, crystalline white of modern standards that Luo Ning was familiar with, the bowls were simple, elegant, and smooth, with clean lines that caught the eye.
Taking one of the bowls, Luo Ning wandered through several towns before finally heading toward Wushan Castle in the afternoon of the 23rd.
High in the air, Carlos flapped his wings, his sharp eyes scanning the terrain below.
"There are several strong magical beast auras in the Wushan Mountains," the dragon reported, its voice tinged with unease. "Even I would hesitate to face them. One of them is a large eagle, nearly my size."
Although the eagle was weaker—likely around level four or five—it had incredible speed. With just a few flaps of its wings, it could easily outpace Carlos.
Luo Ning mused that the eagle likely possessed wind-attribute magic that enhanced its flying ability.
Sitting comfortably on Carlos's broad back, Luo Ning gazed down at the landscape below. Small swamp towns, a bustling horse-breeding city, and a lake town rich in aquatic resources passed swiftly beneath them.
He couldn't help but recall his early days after crossing over into this world. Back then, it had taken nearly ten days to travel from Wushan Castle to Shanlin Town on foot. Even with the Cloud-Stepping Horse, the journey still required four or five days, with only Macon and Tom as company.
But now, things were different.
Having Carlos was like owning a personal aircraft. At full speed, the dragon could cover the distance in just over an hour.
"Carlos, slow down. There's no rush," Luo Ning instructed.
"As you wish, Master," Carlos replied, easing his pace.
The dragon remained vigilant over the Warcraft Mountains, but its demeanor relaxed over the safer human-occupied areas.
To avoid causing panic or unnecessary trouble, Luo Ning had chosen to depart in the afternoon. By the time Carlos approached Wushan City, night had fallen, and the dark sky concealed their presence.
"Let's land in that forest ahead," Luo Ning directed.
Carlos folded his wings and descended swiftly.
Meanwhile, on the mountain road below, a patrol team from Wushan City was making their way back in the dim twilight. One of the patrol members suddenly looked up and shouted, "Captain, I think I saw a giant bird falling from the sky over there!"
Galil, the captain, glanced upward but saw nothing in the night sky. "A giant bird? Where?"
His men burst into laughter, quick to turn the remark into a joke.
"Looks like someone's been imagining things. Or maybe he's hoping for a giant bird to show up from his crotch!" one teased.
"Don't be ridiculous. There are no giant birds in Zalon. It's obviously just a chicken," another quipped.
"Hahaha…"
Such jokes were commonplace among the patrolmen, their way of coping with the monotony of the job. Day after day of patrolling the same road could grow dull, and they often wished for something—be it a bandit, a wild boar, or even a stray beast—to break the tedium.
Galil couldn't help but chuckle, though he shook his head in exasperation. In his younger days, he had indulged in similar banter. Now, as his strength and rank had grown, he refrained. Still, he allowed his men their jokes—it lightened the mood and strengthened camaraderie.
After the laughter subsided, the team continued forward.
They hadn't gone more than a few hundred meters when a figure appeared on the mountain path ahead, catching their attention.
In the fading twilight, silver hair gleamed brightly, standing out against the darkened landscape.
The place where Luo Ning landed was not far from the east gate of Wushan City, just a ten-minute walk away. He planned to find a nearby hotel for the night after entering the city.
What he hadn't anticipated was running into a patrolling team of knights along the way—and even recognizing their leader.
"Galil?" Luo Ning called out, turning to the knight riding toward him.
Galil froze momentarily. As he drew closer and recognized Luo Ning's face, his expression shifted to surprise. "Viscount Luo Ning?"
He quickly dismounted, approaching respectfully. "What brings you here?"
The other cavalrymen, though unfamiliar with Luo Ning personally, had heard of his reputation. They promptly dismounted to greet him.
"I was bored and decided to go for a hike," Luo Ning replied casually, deflecting the question. Changing the subject, he asked, "Why are you leading a patrol team?"
Luo Ning was somewhat familiar with the structure of Wushan City's patrol teams. These squads were typically led by four or five junior knights, supported by a small group of cavalrymen. It was rare for an intermediate knight, let alone a bronze knight of Galil's caliber, to serve in such a capacity. His curiosity was piqued.
Galil sighed and spread his hands in a gesture of resignation. "It's because of the Lei Sen incident."
Luo Ning's mind turned to the recent events involving Galil. According to intelligence reports, the Hyde family had accused Galil of coercing Knight Feridon into giving false testimony to harm the Purple Thunder family. They had pushed for Galil to be punished.
"Seriously? You were punished over such an accusation?" Luo Ning asked, incredulous. He had assumed Galil would easily weather such claims.
Galil shook his head, his frustration evident. After the trial surrounding Lei Sen, debates raged for days about whether Feridon had been coerced, but Feridon's death left the matter unresolved. During the proceedings, Galil had been placed under house arrest.
"To end the stalemate, I had to compromise," Galil explained. "I sacrificed a bit of my pride to gain my freedom and put the whole ordeal behind me."
Galil shrugged, feigning a relaxed demeanor. "It's not a big deal. I'm just serving as a patrol leader for three months as punishment. It'll be over soon."
As they walked, the two men continued their conversation, with the patrol team trailing behind. Luo Ning took the opportunity to gather more information from Galil.
After the Lei Sen incident, communication between Wushan City and the Hyde family had significantly dwindled. Lady Diane had returned to Black Python City to visit Earl Orson but stayed only briefly, seemingly for just over a day.
This incident at Wushan Castle had dealt a devastating blow to Orson. Known for his arrogance and pride, he was now left half-disabled, unable to wield his former strength. Luo Ning suspected Orson's frustration would be vented on Diane.
Their discussion also touched on the increasing threat posed by the Polante Bandit Group in the southwest. Captain Corian had sent multiple letters requesting reinforcements from Wushan Castle to secure Chishan Town. However, Rulans had ignored these pleas and turned a blind eye to Wiggins transferring grain from several estates in the region.
"Are the Polante Bandits truly that formidable?" Luo Ning asked, frowning. "Isn't there a knight order stationed in Chishan Town? They should be able to maintain order."
Galil's expression darkened with disdain. "Corian leads the Fifth Knight Order, but he's the weakest and most timid of the five knight commanders. He sends exaggerated reports to Wushan Castle at the slightest hint of trouble."
He scoffed. "If the First Knight Order had been deployed there instead, not only would Chishan Town be secure, but the towns occupied by the Polante Bandits would have been reclaimed by now."
The First Knight Order was led by none other than Galil's father, Toru, a Golden Knight. Galil's pride in his father was evident.
However, Luo Ning suspected Galil was overstating the matter. While Toru was undeniably strong, the First Knight Order lacked a second gold or silver knight. By contrast, the Fifth Knight Order not only had Corian but also Haan, another silver knight. Their bronze-level knights also outnumbered those of the First Knight Order.
Rulans had likely stationed Toru and his First Knight Order in Wushan City not for their overwhelming strength but for their unwavering loyalty.
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