Lord: My Shop Connects to Modern Times

Earl Lehman stared at Lynn for a few seconds.

The young man's eyes were open and honest, but there seemed to be a layer of mist in his gaze.

He knew he wouldn't get any information out of them, so he didn't press the matter. Everyone has their secrets, especially those who can produce such rare items. The key question is whether the transaction itself was worthwhile.

"Sulfur and saltpeter, I do have mineral deposits within my territory, and the reserves are considerable. The quantity you require..."

Earl Lehman quickly weighed the options in his mind. The quantity requested was substantial, but compared to the potential value of cement, especially its significance in military defense, and the convenience and even enjoyment that those novel materials might bring, the deal was still worthwhile.

He even felt that he might have gotten a good deal, exchanging these relatively narrowly used ores for something that could potentially change some industry rules, which he considered a very worthwhile exchange.

"Alright." Earl Lehman finally nodded. "The price will be 20% above the market price. How many Dawn Coins do you want?"

Lynn presented a figure, a figure sufficient to replenish the Grayrock Town coffers and sustain development for some time to come.

Earl Lehman did not haggle. At his level, he often valued the long-term implications of a deal and the potential worth of the other party. The young man before him was clearly a worthwhile investment.

"Deal." Earl Lehman said decisively. "I'll have the butler prepare the contract. The first batch of your items can be ready within three days. Will you send someone to pick it up, or will I send someone to escort it?"

"I would be grateful if Your Excellency could send someone to escort me." Lynn readily agreed. With Earl Lehman's banner and guards, the return journey would be much safer.

The remaining details were finalized quickly. Neither side was one to drag things out.

The contract was drafted by Earl Lehman's clerk, and the terms were clear. Lynn carefully reviewed it, confirmed it was correct, took out his seal, dipped it in ink, and firmly stamped it down.

The butler put away the documents and asked in a low voice whether a banquet should be prepared.

Earl Lehman waved his hand and looked at Lynn: "Lord Lynn, you have come a long way and must be eager to return home. I will not keep you here today. Once the goods are ready, I will arrange for someone to deliver them."

This meant it was time to see him off. Lynn didn't intend to stay any longer. Now that he had dealt with the saltpeter and sulfur, his biggest wish was to get back and produce the gunpowder.

Lynn rose and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Your Excellency. I'm sorry to have bothered you today."

"No need for thanks for something that benefits both parties."

Earl Lehman also stood up. He walked to Lynn, paused for a moment, and then suddenly lowered his voice, making sure only the two of them could hear:

"Karl won't give up easily. Keep a close eye on things."

This statement goes beyond the scope of trading and is almost a well-intentioned reminder.

Lynn met his gaze and nodded solemnly: "I will keep your reminder in mind."

As we left the castle, dusk was approaching. The carriage was still there, but the feeling of returning was completely different from when we came.

The weighty contract and the supplies that were about to be obtained eased the huge weight that had been pressing on Lynn's heart.

As night fell, the carriage headed towards Grayrock Town in the darkness.

……

Deeper northwest of Gray Rock Town, in a shady spot on a mountain ridge overlooking the old trade route.

At this moment, Lia was pressed against the cold rock like a stone.

She had been lying there for most of the day. Chewing on a slightly bitter blade of grass made her parched throat feel a little better.

His amber eyes gleamed faintly in the darkness, staring unblinkingly at the flickering lights in the valley about two miles below.

What was once just an abandoned camp on the outskirts of Ironstone Fortress, a place for herders to rest during the summer, has now been transformed.

A simple wooden fence enclosed a sizable area, where dozens of neat canvas tents were set up. In the center stood a large tent that was much taller and looked more sturdy than the others.

At the entrance to the valley, simple barricades and watchtowers were built with felled wood and rammed earth, and figures carrying torches moved back and forth on them.

Three more tents have appeared in the southeast corner.

Leah felt a little heavy-hearted. She pointed to the newly erected tent below. Beside her lay two members of Bray's hunting party, one codenamed Old Cat, and the other Mason.

Mason squinted in the direction Leah indicated, licked his chapped lips, and said in an almost inaudible voice, "Judging from the shadow, it looks like a large tent for living, not a small shed for storing miscellaneous items."

The old cat didn't make a sound, but pressed its face closer to the ground. Its ears seemed to twitch as it tried to catch the scattered sounds carried by the wind: the clanging of metal, hushed human voices, and the occasional neighing of a horse.

Lia gently spat out the grass from her mouth. This wasn't her first time observing this camp, but each time she came, it was larger than the last.

The number of tents has increased, the fences have been expanded, the patrol routes of the sentries are more fixed, and the changing of the guard is more regular.

Everything indicates that this place is transforming from a temporary foothold into a fully functional forward base.

What Liya was most concerned about was the people coming in and out these past two days.

In the afternoon, she saw a troop of about twenty cavalrymen gallop into the camp from the north. The horses were strong and powerful, and the knights' armor gleamed coldly in the setting sun. Hanging beside the saddles were not only longswords but also finely crafted crossbows.

The leader was a tall knight in full plate armor, and even from this distance, one could feel the chilling aura emanating from him that set him apart from ordinary soldiers.

After entering the camp, they went straight to the central tent and didn't come out for a long time.

It's like they've come to deliver an order...

The night wind grew colder and damp, as if it were about to rain.

Lia pulled her dark cloak tighter around herself; it was one of the pieces of equipment Lynn had given her, made of a special material that barely reflected light in the dark.

Her gaze swept over several inconspicuous corners at the edge of the camp. There were a few newly dug pits, not large, but scattered, with piles of fresh soil next to them.

During the day, soldiers were busy there, and every now and then a few people in robes would come and go carrying some objects, seemingly burying something. It was too far away to see clearly.

Lia didn't know what they were doing; the telescope couldn't reveal many details.

But she knew this was definitely not a good thing.

She recalled the dark red fragments she had brought back last time, and Lynn's solemn expression.

Monsters... Could these things be related to monsters? The thought sent a chill down her spine.

"The number of people is still increasing, Miss Liya. Perhaps we should retreat. Staying in this position any longer may not be safe," Old Cat said softly, bending even lower.

Liya glanced at the sky; dark clouds were gathering. "Let's wait another hour, until they finish their second shift in the middle of the night, when they're most tired. Then we'll go back around the ditch to the south."

It wasn't that she didn't want to get closer and obtain more detailed information. However, the other side was more vigilant than she had imagined, and there might be superhumans in the camp. The density and area of ​​patrols had increased, making it too risky to approach rashly.

Lia took a deep breath of the cold air, suppressing the growing sense of urgency in her heart.

She had to bring this intelligence back, the more detailed the better.

Night deepened, and most of the lights in the camp went out, leaving only a few torches flickering at the sentry posts. Leah took one last look at the valley where the darkness lay dormant, then silently retreated, disappearing into the even deeper darkness behind her.