Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 412 Traveling Under the Stars
"Arrogant male, do you think you're the matriarch? Are we females supposed to grovel at your feet and beg for your favor like servants to our fathers?"

"If you can't demonstrate any other value, then yes."

Ignoring the sarcasm in the other person's words, the mage stated a somewhat cruel reality in a calm tone, but the other person's reaction was not shock or anger, but rather thoughtfulness.

"Other values? You really do have other plans. Tell me, how do you intend to arrange things for us?"

"This is not something you should know right now, as for you,"

The mage drew a circle with his finger, encompassing all the prisoners, and then flicked his finger onto the drow's forehead:

"If you can get the current matter done well, that will be a testament to your ability and contribution."

He had already come up with some ideas about how to deal with this group of Drow when he was reorganizing the prisoners.

Releasing the tiger back to the mountain is impossible, and trying to get something from it is unacceptable, but keeping these guys around for free would also go against Zhang the Great Philanthropist's principles, since he couldn't deprive them of their right to work and realize their self-worth.

Besides their scheming and plotting, these drow are also quite skilled at training slaves, making them special talents in a sense.

Of course, this doesn't mean that Zhang is going to engage in the shady business of slave trading. However, the prisoners in front of him, as well as the prisoners captured in the future when expanding the territory and eliminating monsters and bandits, are all forces that can be utilized.

The mage didn't expect this ragtag army, which hadn't even been formed yet, to play any role on the main battlefield. Compared to the armored and motorized infantry legions he envisioned being industrialized, these amateurish bunches were simply not up to par.

However, there are times when, due to various rules and regulations, it is inconvenient to use overt means and methods, so some underhanded tricks are used.

For example, if a certain blind and stubborn lord insists on picking a fight with Zhang the Great Philanthropist, and happens to have some influence and can stir up some trouble, that's very annoying.

Just when our mage lord was having a headache, the rival lord was suddenly kidnapped by bandits. A group of bandits of unknown origin stormed the territory, the officials and bandits fought each other, and the lord died suddenly. How pleasing to the ear!

I was initially having some trouble controlling and managing these drow, since these guys were wolves through and through, not docile sheep. Fortunately, the appearance of Viconia filled that gap.

The drows were used to control a diverse and ragtag army of slaves, and the Viconia were given authority to govern these drows, while the Viconia were directly responsible to themselves.

This system is far from perfect; the internal friction and constraints inevitably affect efficiency. However, it is a feasible solution at present, and Viconia, as a key link, has too much influence, directly affecting the reliability of the entire team.

However, it was precisely because she was Viconia that the mage felt comfortable doing this. As a "lone minister," there was no possibility that she would collude with her subordinates to control the team and thus undermine her authority.

If she were merely a remnant of the Deaver family and a tainted witness, then Eirima and the others might indeed have some reason to compromise and cooperate in order to escape. But you've changed your beliefs...

Even if they assured her, Vicania herself wouldn't believe such a ridiculous promise.

Despite the infighting and backstabbing among them, he remained calm and composed.

However, he didn't rush to reveal these thoughts. Looking at Vicania, who had regained her spirits, and the assembled team members, the mage gave the instructions:
"Evacuate overnight, keep a close watch on the prisoners, and head to the outskirts of the city for the night!"

The already alert and fully prepared team quickly sprang into action, fully armed and escorting the mages and supply wagons southward, disappearing into the vast night, leaving only embers to sustain the last glimmer of light at the crime scene.

“Boss, we’ve reached the outskirts of Baldur’s Gate. We’ll reach the Dragon Bridge in a little while. I can already hear the sound of the Chossa River.”

From moonrise to sunrise, the group marched almost the entire night. If it weren't for the dwarves' exceptional physical condition and the mage's healing intervention, they wouldn't have been able to withstand such strenuous post-battle travel. "Hold on, this is the final leg of the journey. We'll cross the Chongsa River at night and rest in the city!"

Bathed in the glow of dawn and shrouded in the morning dew, a large group of over fifty fully armed men arrived at Baldur's Gate, weary from their journey.

The vast majority of them were dwarves, but there were also a few unusually tall figures mixed in. The battle scars and bloodstains on their armor had not yet faded, and their disheveled faces showed signs of weariness.

After a night of marching, Zhang Yuan finally led the dwarf detachment to their destination. The detachment crossed the Wanlong Bridge, traversed the Chongsa River, and arrived at the entrance of the Giant Dragon Bridge.

The Flame Fist soldiers on duty that day were truly astonished. More than fifty armed soldiers were no small number, not to mention what he had seen.
Steel Golem! Minotaur!

These four tall figures stood out from the group of dwarfs, making no attempt to conceal their imposing physiques.

There was no other way. While dark elves could use hoods and cloaks to conceal their figures, the tauren and the two high craftsmen, with their physiques, were truly helpless. They simply displayed their bodies openly and didn't bother to deceive themselves.

The guards at the city gate were on edge until they saw the official document and seal presented by the monk, at which point they were allowed to pass.

When the team arrived at the Flamefist camp, Ska's squad was already on duty as usual. They saw a large group of dwarves marching in, with the mage and Bard at the head of the procession.

So there was no panic, but when their gaze swept over the minotaur and the iron golem, they couldn't help but be drawn to them and couldn't take their eyes off them.

Skar also rushed over and, after talking with the mage, learned that the situation had changed. When he heard that they were not ordinary bandit monsters, but a drow hunting party, his expression changed as well.

"How could it be these troublesome underground scum? If this was a premeditated attack and conspiracy,"

Ska's tone became very serious:
“That will be trouble, Chanem, big trouble.”

The monk's expression remained unchanged, his tone firm yet composed:

"I have investigated their motives. It is yet another case of exiles fleeing the Underdark being hunted down."

"However, I have wiped out the Drow hunting party. Some are dead, some are captured, and they can't even go back to their hometowns to report the news."

“The body has been burned, and I’ve already dealt with the crime scene, so it won’t be easy to trace any clues.”

Zhang Yuan continued talking to himself, but Ska felt increasingly uneasy. This was something a mage lord should be saying.

Why does that sound so much like a long-time notorious bandit?

This wasn't solely Zhang Yuan's fault. When handling the aftermath, Master Zhang consulted with many experienced and seasoned individuals.

For example, there's Viconia, who's a regular in the Drow society, and then there's Kegan, a seasoned veteran of the underworld, known for his double-crossing tactics...

Thank you to Night·IceAbyss, Smoke Destroys and Dust, and Brother A-Yi for your monthly ticket support, and also thank you to Brother A-Yi for your donation. Thank you all!

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(End of this chapter)