Chapter 83: Unexpected Gain
The night was not particularly suitable for travel, but for Yam and Akar, it was not much of an issue.
By the time dawn approached, the two had already reached the outskirts of Mountain Ridge Village.
This mountain village was actually situated at the foot of a spur extending from the Eaglehead Mountains.
The mountain path was not perilous, but it was also unsuitable for horses, so merchant caravans would typically stop several dozen li away from the village and then send a few merchants carrying goods on foot, this route led to the Eastern Mountain Territory, and one did not need to enter the village via the mountain trail but could instead pass by using a separate mountain road that had been developed nearby.
As a result, it was not uncommon to find some mountain folk waiting near the trail, helping passing caravans transport goods into the village for a meager wage.
After arriving near the mountain road, Yam and Akar dismounted and removed their packs, then released the two horses to return on their own.
These two horses bore the crest of the Bole Family. They were old horses raised by the family’s stable hands, so unless someone with ill intent intercepted them, they would know the way back, and Yam and Akar had no cause for concern.
After a quick change of attire, the two entered the mountain trail at once.
Their food consisted of flatbread, each piece as large as Yam and Akar’s faces.
For ordinary people, one piece was sufficient for a whole day.
But for Bloodline Users, consuming two or three pieces in one sitting was normal.
In fact, if there was no meat to accompany it, and if it was after a battle when physical recovery was urgent, they might need more than five pieces just to feel full.
Compared to food, however, their water needs were similar to those of ordinary people and did not increase significantly. In fact, when necessary, they could even suppress their thirst.
The flatbread prepared by Lily for Yam and Akar amounted to twenty pieces, enough to sustain them for two to three days under non-intensive combat conditions.
Any more, and it wasn’t that Lily was unwilling to give, it was simply that they couldn’t carry it.
Besides, this time Yam and Akar’s mission was mainly reconnaissance, they would scout ahead for the reinforcements from Gem Territory and the Red River Territory reinforcements brought by Giggs Bole, gathering sufficient intelligence so that once reinforcements from other territories arrived, they could formally advance the front line and retake the lost territory.
That said, if possible, Yam and Akar certainly wouldn’t foolishly wait until the reinforcements arrived before taking action.
...
“Brother.”
After nearly half a day’s trek, Yam and Akar finally arrived near Mountain Ridge Village.
Yam’s eyesight was not as sharp as Akar’s, he had already realized that due to their differing combat styles and training, as well as different Bloodline Stimulation Methods, even though both had awakened the Flame Demon Hound bloodline, they were beginning to show distinct differences in individual abilities.
For instance, his eyesight was inferior to Akar’s, and his control over flame was also less refined.
Akar, on the other hand, had far superior vision, but in terms of physical strength and stamina, he was only slightly stronger than an ordinary person, incomparable to Yam.
At that moment, Akar could make out some details of Mountain Ridge Village, which had been burned into ruins, but Yam could only see the desolate remains and a few vague figures.
“What do you see?”
“Nothing special,” Akar shook his head. “Doesn’t look like there are any Bloodline Users stationed there.”
“Did you see any family crests? Can you confirm which lord’s soldiers they are?”
“None.”
A trace of puzzlement appeared on Yam’s face.
In the world of Bloodline Users, only families with Bloodline Users for at least three generations could be recognized as a true family.
For example, the Knight Commander of the Bole Family, Ken Andar, had qualified as a recognized Bloodline User family because starting from Ken’s grandfather, there had been Bloodline Users for three successive generations; thus, they were officially recognized and called the Andar Family. Families like Yam and Akar’s, although they carried family names in name, were not considered true Bloodline User families until their descendants also became Bloodline Users.
A family crest, commonly referred to as a heraldic emblem, was the second step in the nobility sequence for Bloodline Nobles, receiving family recognition was the first.
Normally, any Bloodline Noble who possessed a fief would have a heraldic emblem.
In rare cases, one might be granted a heraldic emblem early due to exceptional royal honors, for instance, thorn patterns on either side of the emblem often symbolized royal commendation during a major defensive battle; a red wave pattern at the base marked glorious victory in a key naval battle.
The Bole Family’s emblem bore no such honors. They had obtained their fief through generations of effort, although they did receive recognition from the Bourbon Family, so their emblem was a cold crow upon a shield.
The shield symbolizes protection, while the cold crow represents the Bole Family’s bloodline power, specifically signifying the Bole Family’s role as defenders of the Bourbon Family’s territory.
Naturally, in the Tyrella Kingdom, there were many cases of duels and even wars breaking out due to conflicts over heraldic designs.
Therefore, recognizing Bloodline Nobles by their family crest was basic knowledge that every Bloodline User had to master.
The Karco Family of the Western Wind Territory had a crest depicting a knight riding a white horse.
The family emblem of the Robert Family from the Spring Breeze Territory was a gray-white wolf head with green eyes.
As for the Abres Family from the Eastern Mountain Territory, theirs was a green eagle with outstretched wings.
Normally, the soldiers occupying Mountain Ridge Village would certainly wear equipment marked with the lord’s family emblem, perhaps a garment worn over their armor, or a symbol printed directly on light armor or leather armor.
In short, there must be an identity marker to distinguish friend from foe.
But now, these people bore no insignia at all. Then how could one prove, or rather determine, that these people were from the forces of the County of Fertile Plains?
“Cover me.”
Yam thought for a moment and then prepared to move forward to investigate.
He first picked up the Rare Iron Longsword he always wore, but after a slight hesitation, he put the sword down and instead picked up the Demonic Sword.
Akar grabbed his longbow and quickly climbed a nearby tree to use the height advantage for observation. “From this direction, it’s right within the enemy’s observation range. You can climb into the village from the outside, but I can only see the southern gate area. I can't see the rest.”
“Got it,” Yam nodded and then sprinted forward.
He moved swiftly, but almost without making a sound. Before long, he had reached the village's outer wall.
These village walls were constructed using wooden stakes as the base, with a height of only around five meters. With some effort, an ordinary person could climb over them, not to mention someone like Yam, a Bloodline User.
He easily leapt over the wooden walls and entered the village.
Akar’s gaze quickly shifted from where Yam had disappeared to the gate. He was watching to see if the enemies there noticed Yam.
If they did, he would immediately fire and eliminate the ten guards stationed at the gate to clear a retreat path for his brother.
But he soon noticed that the guards showed no signs of reaction. Clearly, they had not discovered his brother, so Akar no longer felt urgency.
Time passed, minute by minute.
The sun gradually shifted from east to west and then hung directly overhead.
Akar estimated that one or two hours had passed. Although there was still no sign of his brother, there were also no signs of battle inside the village. He believed Yam was still safe, so he remained calm, quietly waiting and sipping some water.
However, as noon approached, sounds finally began to emerge from within the village.
Akar's eyes narrowed.
He saw the guards at the southern gate beginning to stir. They frequently looked toward the village, their once-relaxed posture shifting into a defensive formation, and their orientation was directed inward.
Akar knew it was time to act.
He glanced again toward the village, still seeing no sign of Yam, but the commotion was clearly growing. It was obvious that all the guards stationed in Mountain Ridge Village had been alarmed.
As the village alarm bell rang, Akar finally hesitated no longer.
"Whoosh—"
The first Fire Arrow flew out.
Several soldiers who had just heard the noise and turned their heads were immediately pierced like skewered candied fruit by a rapid volley.
The few who survived and looked back did not first see their comrades dying, but rather saw multiple arrows formed entirely of flame shooting in from the village’s outskirts.
They had never heard of the name Blazing Flame Bow.
But they knew full well that such flaming arrows could not possibly be fired by ordinary people.
Almost the moment they saw the Fire Arrows, their morale completely collapsed.
Because no one knew better than them that in this ruined village, there was no Bloodline Knight stationed!
By the time they realized this, each of the soldiers had already been shot dead.
Akar swiftly jumped down from the tree, tucked the longsword Yam had left behind into his belt, grabbed the pack and water pouch, and ran quickly toward the village gate.
When Akar reached the gate and looked inside, he finally understood what had drawn the attention of all the guards.
Mountain Ridge Village had suffered a large fire. The closer it got to the central plaza, the more houses had been completely burned down.
So, despite the apparent debris, there were few places to hide.
Once someone was spotted, it was hard to escape the enemy's line of sight. Conversely, near the village entrance, fewer buildings were destroyed, providing not only cover but also a visibility advantage for Akar.
When he climbed onto a rooftop, he saw that his worries had been unfounded. Yam was wielding a sword and cutting through the enemy ranks.
The commotion was actually the sound of enemies fleeing in panic.
The guards at the southern gate couldn’t clearly see the situation inside the village, which was why they remained at their posts.
The others, who had already sensed something was wrong, had long abandoned their weapons and fled.
After all, there was no Bloodline Knight in the village now, and ordinary soldiers stood no chance against Yam and Akar.
Soon, Akar jumped down from the rooftop and walked up to Yam. “What’s going on? This isn’t like you at all.”
“The Demonic Sword sensed a component!” Yam said gravely. “It was the sudden loss of control in that moment that got me exposed.”
“What!?”
This time, it was Akar who looked utterly shocked.