Chapter 71

The hot and humid wind blew through the market, bringing no trace of cool air.

Sweat-soaked clothes clung to bodies, and the air was filled with a pungent odor of sweat.

The scorching sun turned people's faces red, and the vendors squatted in the sun, enjoying the pleasure of a sweat bath and sunbathing.

To thank Lakin, Suldak invited him to sit in a tavern on the market street.

Lakin's face was adorned with a kind smile, and a faint sense of satisfaction lingered on his greasy face as he chatted softly with Suldak.

He was a shrewd businessman who usually calculated every transaction meticulously, but this time he did not mention the commission for selling the demon skull, as if it were a trivial matter.

He Boqiang originally thought that wearing such heavy leather armor would be unbearably hot.

If he wandered around the market, he feared he would be completely overwhelmed by the heat, breaking out in a sweat at best and possibly suffering from heatstroke.

However, when he put on the set of magic beast leather armor, a refreshing coolness seeped through the swamp crocodile leather pants, instantly alleviating most of the heat, making him feel no warmth at all.

Thinking of the high price of the leather armor, he was no longer surprised.

For such expensive magic beast leather armor, it would indeed be unreasonable if it didn't have some unique qualities.

...

Even though it wasn't evening, the open-air tavern was still crowded with patrons.

People who came here to seek their fortune had almost no entertainment activities, so the taverns in the market became one of the few places to pass the time. Many people liked to come here for a drink during their free time, and for just ten copper coins, they could enjoy a cup of fragrant barley wine.

He Boqiang ran to the bar and bought back three large mugs of foamy beer. Seeing Suldak and Lakin occupying an empty table in the corner, he squeezed over with the beer.

The warriors of the 57th Heavy Infantry Regiment who were drinking in the open-air tavern greeted Suldak one by one.

Everyone had heard of this newly promoted squad leader of the 4th Platoon.

Suldak's feat of leading the 2nd Squad to eliminate a demon gate in the Gandaur Mountains had spread throughout the 57th Heavy Infantry Regiment.

Lakin picked a few ice cubes from a wooden bucket and dropped them into his glass, taking a big sip before saying to Suldak:

"Back when I first came to the Warsaw Plane with the 57th Regiment, you were still a green young man. I never thought you would become a squad leader."

Suldak also wore a nostalgic expression, his blue eyes full of memories:

"Yes, those early days were really tough, but thanks to your help."

Every new recruit has an adaptation period when they first join the military, and Suldak and Lakin's friendship was formed during that time.

Lakin smiled proudly, "Ha, why talk about that! We're from the same hometown, so of course we should look out for each other."

He Boqiang didn't like the slightly sour taste of the beer. Whenever he drank, he would think of the taste of Niu Lan Shan and fried peanuts, but he could only sigh softly.

At that moment, the conversation from the neighboring table clearly reached He Boqiang's ears and caught his attention.

"... I heard there's going to be a big move around the Kempato River?" said a patron facing away from He Boqiang.

For some reason, in such a noisy environment, the two men's conversation was surprisingly clear.

The other person said, "The Bena Legion is mainly stationed in the Handanar County, while the Kempato River is where the most elite Royal Constructed Knights of the Green Empire are gathered. If the supply line along the Kempato River isn't secured, Duke Busman's Alex City will be isolated and without support."

The patron facing away from He Boqiang said in a low voice, "Do you think Prince Wells can succeed this time?"

The other person replied, "To ensure the victory of the Kempato River campaign, the major battle in Handanar County will likely be delayed. The troops deployed by Duke Newman at the border between Handanar County and Kempato County have already moved to the north bank of the Kempato River."

The patron facing away from He Boqiang took a deep breath before saying:

"Delaying is better. In previous plane wars, the priests and battle clerics from the temples provided auxiliary units, which helped control casualties. Now, the temples have become like turtles hiding in their shells, and these big shots probably haven't figured out the current situation yet. Too many people are dying, and the news coming in lately has been bad."

The other person added, "How about Duke Busman?"

"That old fox is evading, saying his troops are spread across various battle zones in the Warsaw Plane and can't be gathered in a short time..."

He Boqiang didn't want to eavesdrop on others' private conversations, so he raised his head and focused his attention on Suldak and Lakin.

The waiter brought a plate of dried meat, the most common bar snack in the open-air tavern, which was a bit salty.

Suldak asked Lakin, "You've been out for a while. When do you plan to go back?"

Lakin's glass was almost empty, so He Boqiang ran to the bar and bought two more large mugs.

"... Once our merchant caravan withdraws, what will happen to all these troops? Duke Newman doesn't have his own supply line, so we merchants will probably have to stay for a while longer," Lakin said. "But you, after your service is up, don't stay here. Return to Roland Continent as soon as possible."

Suldak chuckled and said, "Of course, I won't stay here. And this time, Little Dak will go back with me. By the way, can you get a teleportation pass?"

Lakin didn't expect Suldak to want a teleportation pass and couldn't help but glance at He Boqiang, asking:

"For Little Dak?"

Suldak nodded.

Lakin frowned and said, "That thing is not cheap. Get ready with your gold coins. I'll try!"

Suldak, who had recently made a small fortune hunting Tim fish with the 2nd Squad, wasn't too concerned about money. He told Lakin, "Don't worry about that... I'll find a way to gather enough."

After taking a sip of beer, Lakin said to Suldak:

"By the way, a new magic goods store has opened on this street. If you have time, you should check it out. Try to buy some emergency supplies. The Moyun Ridge campaign won't be as easy as the previous ones. The more prepared you are, the better."

Suldak's eyes lit up, and he said cheerfully:

"Alright, I'll go with Little Dak when we have time!"

...

A new magic goods store had opened in the temporary market. Walking into the tent, they saw a row of crystal balls on wooden shelves, and a few magic wands hanging from the crossbeams. When they lifted the tent flap to enter, the fir wood wands began to sway like wind chimes, but there was no sound.

The tent had excellent soundproofing, and He Boqiang and Suldak, standing inside, could hardly hear the noise outside.

The space inside the tent was very small, and the two of them had to be careful not to bump into anything valuable as they squeezed in.

On both sides of the shelves were bundles of magic scrolls, various colored magic inks, bundles of magic pattern threads, and thick stacks of magic parchment.

The most prominent place on the shelves hung a wooden board with the words "High Price for Magic Herbs" written in charcoal.