Although the Great Wall blocks the cold current blowing from the Siberian permafrost, the northernmost region is still as cold as winter. The summer season every year is as short as sand between fingers, and the warmth is already lost before you feel it.
The coniferous pines and cypresses stand tall, bringing a little greenness, but the large lake is still covered with thick ice.
On this date in previous years, the townspeople would dig caves in the ice, seize every moment to fish and hunt, and save food for the long winter, but this year not even a single person was seen.
Because a large number of adventurers and business groups poured into Venisha Town, land prices rose. The townspeople had already sold their properties at high prices and moved to the main city with their gold coins.
When Downton arrived at the meeting point, it was still half an hour early than the designated time.
There was a buzz of people, the crowds were crowded, and the white breath exhaled from the mouth seemed to melt away the cold.
Downton roughly counted more than a thousand people, and these adventurers were all waiting for their teams to gather, just like him.
The plane rift is 300 meters away, a strip of land nearly 30 meters long, with the highest point not exceeding five meters. It looks like a hole has been torn out of space.
Weak spatial turbulence overflowed, slightly distorting the vision.
The farmer who discovered it was undoubtedly lucky, because there was always turbulence in the plane cracks, which would erupt from time to time. If he happened to hit the tsunami period, he would be directly torn into pieces.
An elite thousand-man team from the Principality of Browning has been stationed nearby and established a camp. Guards are stationed at all times to guard the plane rift. Anyone who wants to enter must pay a toll of one hundred gold coins, and after returning,
Partial taxes must also be paid based on the harvest.
Although everyone is complaining that the taxes are too harsh, looking at the teams that have made a fortune, they still want to enter the secret realm with the intention of 'gold digging'.
"This is a recognized rule in the mainland. Whichever country the plane rift is in has the right to collect tolls. Of course, as an obligation, they must send troops to station in the rift to ensure the safety of both sides of the plane."
Who knows what area is opposite the secret realm? What if the adventurers were ambushed by the natives of the secret realm or the Westerners as soon as they passed through? It would be a tragedy.
A soldier was drinking wine, sitting on a blanket, chatting with his companions around him, but not many people paid him any attention. When Downton approached, they all looked over.
"What's the matter with you?" A 27- to 8-year-old female warrior stood up and asked Downton,
"Hello, I'm Downton." Downton stretched out his hand. "Captain Anthony told me to meet here at three o'clock in the afternoon."
The reason why Downton did not admit his mistake was because there were wooden signs erected at each meeting point with the name of the team written on them.
"Tsk, did the captain make a mistake? Why did he choose a boy?" The drinking soldier stared at Downton, trying to see through him.
"What can a child like this do except make trouble for his hair?" A bearded man was also expressing his dissatisfaction. Although the others didn't say anything, the disgusted expression on his face said it all.
Secret realm strategy is a very dangerous activity, and no one wants to encounter a loser teammate.
"Hello. I am Rebecca, the deputy leader of the Denver Nuggets Adventure Group. You are welcome to join." The female warrior showed a smile and shook Downton's hand.
Downton nodded. This woman was somewhat pretty and treated people well. She didn't feel indifferent or contemptuous.
"Are everything ready?" Rebecca is an immigrant from the Kuta Empire. Her skin color is slightly dark and wheat-colored, but she looks quite healthy.
"Okay!" Downton glanced around at the adventurers who were about to join him with the corner of his eyes, "The Denver Nuggets seem to have a reputation that doesn't match up. It's almost time to gather, why are there only twenty-six people?"
"Who told that the strength of an adventure group depends on the number of people in the team?" Homer said helplessly, "Of course, this is an indicator, but more depends on the strength of the group members. If all of them are at the Judgment level, this team is enough to crush a hundred
An adventure group composed of war-level people."
"Do you need me to check you out?" Rebecca's tactful concern was actually because she was worried that Downton was not ready, but based on her first impression, she felt that this boy was very reliable.
He was leading a war horse, and on his back was a popular deerskin backpack. Two more were hung on both sides of the horse, both of which were fully stuffed. Then there were three large rhinoceros skin bags, filled with water.
"No, I've checked it five times."
In order to save horsepower, Downton removed the materials from the horse's support.
"Well!" Rebecca approached to help, focusing on observing his equipment. After all, it was related to combat effectiveness.
He was wearing an unnamed leather armor, with a weapon hanging on each side of his waist, all wrapped in white bandages, and the type could not be discerned.
On his feet were a pair of long military boots with a dagger stuck in the boot. In addition, he also had a palm-sized combat bag slung across his body, which should contain various medicines.
"Young man, let me help you!" A young man with triangular eyes walked in with a smile. Without waiting for Downton to reply, he pulled off the cloak covering the horse's neck.
The eyes from all around were staring at him.
A kite-shaped shield hangs next to the war horse's neck. Although there is no rust on it, it looks a bit old and cannot be named. However, no one underestimates it because it is of good quality and exudes a faint white light.
There is also a pair of white feather wings on the top of the shield, which are as gorgeous as angel wings.
"Hiss, is this an excellent and top-grade shield?"
Triangle Eyes took a deep breath, and even the alcoholic warrior was stunned.
In addition to the metal used for forging, the brilliance emitted by the equipment also comes from the rune enchantments engraved on it. This quality is undoubtedly very high, with the lowest being an outstanding top grade, with a price of more than 500,000 gold coins.
"What are you doing?" Downton frowned and pulled his cloak over it.
As a paladin, it is unreasonable for Downton not to carry a shield, and this is a shield of order. Attacks below the war level cannot break through the defense.
It was too dangerous in the secret realm, and protection always came first. No matter how stupid he was, Downton would still bring one. If it weren't for the Order Armor's shining light and eye-catching appearance, he would have wanted to wear one when going out.
"Hmph, what do you mean? We will all act together in the future, and sooner or later we will know each other's details." Triangle Eyes was not to be outdone, "I don't want to hand my back to my teammates who are hiding their strength!"
"Then it's okay for me to strip you naked now and take a look?" Downton stared back. If you lose your momentum at this time, you will be looked down upon in all kinds of ways when you join the team. People with no status will never get anything.
respect.
"Hey, you're quite arrogant?" Another young man stood up, obviously with Triangle Eyes. He was an archer, carrying a long bow and a quiver on his back.
The others did not say anything or stop them. They looked at all this indifferently. This is common sense in the adventure world. Even if you enter the secret realm, those who are not recognized will not be teammates. Downton is too young.
It makes people worry.
"You haven't seen my true arrogance!" Downton replied, seeing for the first time the law of the jungle in the adventure world. Here, a person's right to speak and any interests are defeated with fists.
.
Triangle Eyes pulled out the long sword, pointed the tip of the sword at the end of Downton's nose, and tapped it slightly.
Seeing that Downton didn't move a step and didn't blink, the others felt a little relieved. At least this young man was brave enough.
"Okay, the welcome ceremony is over, let's do it over here." Rebecca tried to smooth things over, slapped the long sword away, and took the war horse to the side to feed the materials.
"Hmph!" Triangle Eyes and Archer left arm in arm. He didn't know that if his long sword moved forward a little, divine revenge would be launched.
Let alone killing Downton, he would be severely injured in an instant.
The alcoholic warrior and the bearded warrior looked at the shield covered by the cloak, and then looked at their own, feeling envious. If they knew that Order was at the perfect level, they might have to take it away.
"I really envy Dupont. He is so powerful that even if he rides a nightmare horse, no one dares to covet him."
Seeing that the war horse was dragging more than 200 pounds of supplies, its movements were inevitably a little slow. Downton sighed slightly. If it were a Sherman War Bear, carrying 2,000 pounds would not affect his running.
The atmosphere in the team was dull and no one was talking. Downton discovered that there were three small groups among the twenty-six people. These people should know each other. In addition, there were newcomers like Downton who had just joined the team.
While waiting for Anthony, more than a dozen adventure groups arrived and started heading towards the rift in the plane. People around them spontaneously gave them applause and blessings.
Even though everyone will become competitors after entering the secret realm, at this moment, everyone hopes to get the blessings of others and finally return in triumph.
"Have you never seen it? This is a custom in the adventure world." A short man with a round face sat next to Downton and introduced him familiarly, "My name is Dongba, a shooter."
Dongba was a little fat and carried two fir longbows, one long and one short. His hands were not idle, grabbing a piece of dried meat and stuffing it into his mouth.
"Deputy commander, when are we going to set off?" Bearded Beard waited very anxiously, "Where is the commander, he won't let us go, will he?"
"Absolutely not." Rebecca was confident, "I'll leave as soon as the leader arrives."
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Anthony's voice came from a distance, and he rushed back before three o'clock with a dozen people escorting a cavalry team.
Being able to accurately hear the bearded man's complaints among the clutter of voices dozens of meters away, one can imagine Anthony's strength.
Some members understood that this was the leader nicknamed "Melon" showing off his strength, otherwise he would not be able to convince everyone.
"Captain, please join us." A bearded man chased after him and kept begging, "I am a third-level adjudicator, and I am very powerful."
"No, you have been injured. Although your rank is not low, your strength is probably around the fifth level of war." Anthony refused, "Don't think of me as a fool."
The men noticed that behind the bearded man were two women carrying large and small bags. It seemed that they were a mother and daughter. (To be continued...)
