Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

Under the intimidating gaze of his father, Laor half reluctantly and half fearfully uttered the name: "Blood Wolf... Sir."

But saying that name felt like shedding some invisible burden, and Laor simply blurted everything out: "So what? I actually want to see just how remarkable that person is!"

Old Majiya looked at his youngest son, and for some unknown reason, he neither reprimanded him nor asked further questions.

It was the old Taso behind who smacked his lips and broke the deadlock between the father and son: "Master, in my opinion, even if you drive young master Laor away now, he'd catch up to us again."

Old Majiya said nothing.

In this world, there is probably no one who understands better than Majiya Milock's old servant on how to please and persuade Majiya Milock.

Old Taso blinked and half-complained, half-teased: "Ah, really, just like you, both stubborn mules! Sigh... Otherwise... how about taking young master Laor to the county seat first? Once we reach Artemis, finding a place to settle young master Laor shouldn't be difficult."

Old Majiya pondered for a moment, then gently tugged on the reins. The old horse he rode immediately understood and turned to face the other direction, stepping away.

Majiya Lauer was first stunned, then ecstatically delighted, making a face at his Uncle Taso.

Taso silently patted Laor on the shoulder, took a sweat cloth from the saddlebag, and handed it to him.

The trio set off again.

[Oak Town] and [Artemis] are both located on the west bank of the [Anya River], with a straight-line distance of about twenty kilometers between them.

At full speed, it would take at most two hours to reach.

However, as the Majiya family deliberately avoided settlements and towns along the way, they took some detours, which consumed additional time.

Moreover, the four old horses they rode were aged and weak, so when the trio reached the outpost set up by the "Rebels" on the outskirts of the city, it was already noon.

On the provincial road from Oak Town to Artemis, the west is [Deer Mountain], and the east is Anya River. The "Rebels" set up a roadblock at the narrowest part between the mountain and the river, making it unavoidable and impossible to bypass.

The trio halted their horses on the hillside. Looking at the distant congested checkpoint, Taso couldn't help but show a troubled expression.

"Master." The old servant whispered, "Perhaps we should find a way around?"

Laor chuckled wryly. Though young, he was quick-witted: "Go around? Where to? Should we turn back and make a detour around Deer Mountain? What if there's a checkpoint on that road too?"

The old servant gently shook his head at the young master, signaling him to be patient.

Old Majiya silently observed the distant outpost and finally nodded slowly.

Taso felt a tightness in his heart—because he knew Majiya Milok had already made up his mind.

...

[Half an hour later]

"When will it finally be our turn?" Laor couldn't help but shout.

What he saw as "congestion" from afar was completely different once experienced from within.

In front of the Majiya family trio were more than thirty double-horse carriages linked in a long queue;

Behind them were even more single and double-horse carriages.

The slowly progressing convoy moved at a maddeningly slow pace, and the noonday sun was mercilessly scorching. Many coachmen simply sheltered in the roadside shade for a nap.

Yet Laor could only endure the blistering heat, anxiously awaiting the convoy's painfully slow progress.

Fortunately, old Taso soon returned from watering the horses, bringing back two full sheepskin bags of fresh water.

Laor cheered, took a water bag from the saddle, bit open the stopper, and drank heartily.

Drinking alone wasn't refreshing enough; Laor held the water bag high above his head, pouring the remaining fresh water over himself, washing away the sweat and heat.

On the other side, old Majiya took another water bag from old Taso, took a simple sip, and then put it down to look at his old servant.

Old Taso, of course, understood and smiled in reply: "I drank my fill by the river."

Old Majiya nodded, drank a few more sips, carefully tied the sheepskin bag tightly, and hung it back on the saddle.

During this time, Taso had already taken out a fodder bag, and while taking a moment of leisure, gave the old horses a quick snack.

After finishing all that, Taso rubbed his sore shoulders and strolled back to join his "old master" and "young master."

"The convoy ahead, from [Hammer Town]." Taso lowered his voice, "Behind, from [South Mountain Town]. And there are a few 'fellow townsmen' from [Oak Town], but they're just lone wanderers tagging along."

"How did you..." Laor stared in amazement.

"When watering the horses, I asked around." Taso exchanged a glance with old Majiya: "Don't worry, nobody recognized me."

Laor looked at his father, then at Taso. After a brief moment of processing, he surprisingly asked, "From Hammer Town and South Mountain Town? That's more than a day's journey..."

With that, Laor tiptoed to look forward and then backward; the convoy stretching along the provincial road was excessively large to the point of being "abnormal."

Perhaps two or three years ago, this would have been normal.

But in the current circumstances, what's normal seems abnormal instead.