Ankle-length riding boots, silver bells, and red-thread bracelets adorned the women's wrists, while the men carried sabers and the women silver daggers.
This caravan was large, consisting of about thirty people and nearly fifty horses.
In addition to the mounts, there were pack animals carrying cargo and others pulling wagons.
The grand caravan wound through the mountain path like a flowing ribbon.
The seven members of the New World Squad were all within the caravan, positioned not far from one another, exchanging subtle glances as they began to survey their surroundings.
Fu Xi Ming's prediction had been spot on.
The pollution outside existed in the form of small worlds, but this was a fragmented realm that had not yet been integrated into the operating system's mission distribution.
They had entered without triggering any system notifications or receiving any objectives, leaving them completely in the dark.
However, mission worlds were familiar territory for scavengers, and even without a prompt, these seven elite scavengers remained calm.
"Camel bells chime, horse hooves clatter, the bells ring out with spirit so high. Over ten thousand waters and a thousand mountains we go, with a joyful heart for the trade we ply."
The man in the lead belted out a mountain song, and the winding line behind him joined in, their voices echoing grandly through the narrow ancient mountain pass.
The path hugged a cliffside, and the stones kicked up by the horses' hooves tumbled into a bottomless abyss below.
Jiang Yuhao's face turned pale.
He gripped his reins tightly, trying not to let his stiffness attract attention, but his entire body was frozen with fear.
Nan Yue observed the group; they appeared to be a horse gang from a minority ethnic group, carrying small black flags with red borders and the character "Qi" embroidered on them.
The saddlecloths also bore the same character, identifying them as the Qi Family Gang.
The thirty-some members guarded five horse-drawn wagons. From their shape, the cargo appeared to be five large vats, though their contents remained hidden.
Was this polluted world born from the Qi Family Gang's resentment?
Or perhaps their fear?
Would the threat they were meant to face appear on the road, or only once they reached their destination?
With no answers, the seven continued forward in silence, following the caravan.
Eventually, they moved past the narrow cliffside trail and into a dense, wild jungle. The leader waved his flag and shouted.
"Company, halt! Team one on guard, team two start the fires!"
Despite being a simple horse gang, the group moved with disciplined precision. Upon the leader's command, they immediately reined in their mounts, dismounted, and secured the horses.
Nan Yue noticed that team one consisted of the men at the front of the cargo train. After tying their horses, they drew their sabers and checked the camp for snakes and insects before forming a defensive perimeter around the caravan.
Team two was made up of those at the rear. They unloaded iron pots from their pack horses, while others gathered dry wood to start a bonfire and set the pots over the flames.
Nan Yue, Chi Yu, Gu Xiang Kai, and Jiang Siyan were assigned to team one, while the others were in team two.
Zhu Xi Ning deftly helped with the fire and the pots. Though Jiang Yuhao was inexperienced, he followed her lead cleverly, making sure not to slip up.
Yin Qian was the quickest to blend in with the members of the horse gang. His ability, Friendly Intervention, allowed him to gain a higher favorability with NPCs.
It was a highly effective support skill.
The four in team one stood scattered, with Nan Yue positioned closest to the leader.
The leader's attire differed slightly from the others; over his short tunic, he wore a white sheepskin vest and a lacquered sun hat.
His horse, larger than the rest, grazed lazily behind him. It had bright red saddlebags, a bronze horse head ornament, and a small six-sided bagua mirror tied to its forehead with red silk.
Nan Yue didn't speak impulsively, choosing instead to listen to the conversation between the leader and a thin, tall man with a goatee.
"Headman, once we cross this mountain, we should reach Fish Fry Village. If we keep a good pace, it's only a day's journey."
Headman Qi puffed on his pipe, then tapped it against a rock. "Take it slow, there's no rush. This cargo is valuable; we can't afford any mishaps."
The man with the goatee hesitated for a moment before whispering, "Headman, I just can't shake this feeling about this shipment..."
"It's just that the price is too high."
Headman Qi chuckled. "Old Wu, the Qi Family Gang has traveled far and wide for years. We've seen everything. Are you actually scared?"
Old Wu smiled but didn't respond.
Headman Qi patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry. We might just be transporters, but even the outlaws in the greenwood give us some face. A place like Fish Fry Village wouldn't dare do anything to us."
Old Wu didn't press the matter further, only instructing the men to keep a close watch on the cargo.
The people he happened to instruct were Jiang Siyan and Nan Yue, who were standing not far from him.
"A-Nan, A-Jiang, you two keep an eye on the goods. Just two more days of hard work and we'll be there."
Nan Yue hadn't expected she and Jiang Siyan would be cast as a couple in this mission. The two of them gave a synchronized nod and moved toward the five vats.
As soon as they sat down, a man with a mole on his chin sidled up to Jiang Siyan with a teasing grin.
"You follow your wife wherever she goes, don't you? You even have to stick by her side just to watch the cargo."
Jiang Siyan showed none of his usual coldness. He gave a hearty laugh and sat down with a wide stance, his red belt draped over his legs.
"What? Jealous?"
The man spat on the ground. "If it weren't for this mole on my face, who knows whose house A-Nan would have ended up in?"
"You lucky dog. With A-Nan's looks and her incredible blade skills, you've really hit the jackpot."
Listening silently from the side, Nan Yue glanced at the silver dagger at her waist. Apparently, she was quite skilled with a blade here.
That wouldn't be a problem for her.
Jiang Siyan joked with the man for a bit before steering the conversation toward the cargo.
"Stop talking nonsense. The Headman sent me over."
Dazhi laughed. "More like Manager Wu sent you."
Seeing that Jiang Siyan didn't deny it, Dazhi scratched his head and lowered his voice. "Manager Wu has been uneasy ever since we took this job. It's probably because of what Shaman Zhu said."
Shaman Zhu?
Nan Yue raised an eyebrow. In this mission, they didn't have to play entirely different personas; their names and abilities were similar to their real selves.
That was a good sign.
However... she had a feeling the difficulty of this mission would not be low.
Jiang Siyan's gaze drifted toward Zhu Xi Ning, who was busy tending the fire. Dazhi leaned in, bringing with him the heavy scent of tobacco.
"You remember, right? The result of Shaman Zhu's divination."
"No return, a grave omen."
Dazhi clicked his tongue. "The Qi Family Gang has been running cargo for so many years, and this is the first time we've taken a job marked by a grave omen."
Jiang Siyan lowered his eyes. "We shouldn't have taken it."
Dazhi nudged him. "Don't let the Headman hear you say that. But then again, Shaman Zhu also said that if we refused the job, an immediate disaster would have wiped us out."
Both Nan Yue and Jiang Siyan were speechless. It seemed they were doomed whether they went or not.
"It's no wonder Manager Wu is uneasy. Yet, the Headman doesn't seem to care at all."
Rate on N.U.
