小小插曲風波很快過去,這只是旅程中的調劑品,冒險者們早已習慣長時間的等待與準備。25Please respect copyright.PENANAFau71XFMTJ
25Please respect copyright.PENANA6VeV9QAOQp
十數天後,運送隊伍穿越大片山路及原野,終於來到帝國邊境。25Please respect copyright.PENANA402AyD81kh
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獸車行走在高處山丘上,不少冒險者已自行站起遠目瞭望一切。25Please respect copyright.PENANApVZvuvWKgk
25Please respect copyright.PENANA4djGptmhgL
遠方原本的綠色雜草及間或幾顆大型樹木景色,自一段距離後逐漸稀疏,取而代之是慢慢加深的死氣灰褐色彩,不斷伸長至天際邊線。25Please respect copyright.PENANAVJRVeo9gdA
25Please respect copyright.PENANA7whmlnaxCR
彷若壞死大地之上,極遠處可見兩道貫天徹地突破雲霄的巨大山脈,如同遮天蔽地無法超越,其夾縫中的裂谷高低縱深,好似被神靈偉力劈開。25Please respect copyright.PENANAFq7ul9FURq
25Please respect copyright.PENANA7R4VW7HghG
附近更有數處大型湖泊,但越是遠方者顏色越是怪異,混濁深沉的令人心驚,上頭可見不少大型獵屍鳥群正在來回徘徊。25Please respect copyright.PENANAXj8CGEyVgb
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而與遠方詭異壞死景色截然不同,自山丘下來是塊地勢平坦巨大綠色原野,生機盎然。25Please respect copyright.PENANAuShejNpmAY
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這裡就是邊境最前線,同時也是皇家冒險團駐紮地點。25Please respect copyright.PENANAlSUesmJRjt
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還在山丘上就可以見到,營地內建設完善頗具規模,分成數個大區塊,外邊已有簡單圍牆與瞭望塔,不少人群來來回回走動,看起來相當熱鬧。25Please respect copyright.PENANAeR6H7KxZE4
25Please respect copyright.PENANABKXEYgRYsg
「呼哇!終於到了呀,希望可以好好放鬆一下。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAjLFu6PK5O0
25Please respect copyright.PENANAEMLn5WhupI
「哈!誰不想放鬆一下,只是這裡不知道有沒有......」25Please respect copyright.PENANAwVZpmZLbUN
25Please respect copyright.PENANAclYRKvOZdw
「怎麼樣都好,要有酒!要有肉!這是最基本!」25Please respect copyright.PENANACp6W3Yrdzn
25Please respect copyright.PENANA8Tp9ScyF36
眼見就要到目的地,乘車將近一個月的男性冒險者們只差沒有興奮的歡呼起來。25Please respect copyright.PENANAndLdTnZi6F
25Please respect copyright.PENANAEB4bJQJaXw
坐在前方駕駛的運送人員聽到喊叫,也因為就要順利完成這次任務,笑咪咪的解說著。25Please respect copyright.PENANAVdVSM3Tg2m
25Please respect copyright.PENANAdvWCR0kax0
「各位冒險者請放心,帝國有考慮到攻略迷宮城是長期任務,為了讓大家能盡心盡力完成任務,所以不論住宿、用餐、酒館還是......都早已準備好。」25Please respect copyright.PENANA0c2bX1Pyfp
25Please respect copyright.PENANALNgbwH4vl0
幾聲高昂歡呼立時傳出,不少人已經熱烈討論接下來的行程。25Please respect copyright.PENANAnbOksMFIib
25Please respect copyright.PENANAMipBlyDUPg
獸車角落,最有經驗的老巴達卻是面露沉思神色。25Please respect copyright.PENANAGY6l0MH5wd
25Please respect copyright.PENANAUoNW59jdgF
「不止大手筆清剿野外,還花費這麼多心思積極建設,蒼藍帝國這次是打算攻略迷宮城的同時順便拓荒?」老巴達低聲喃喃的說著。25Please respect copyright.PENANAHuXs5OVW4k
25Please respect copyright.PENANAZiEAaMDMf0
「也有可能是新迷宮城難以攻略所以才有長期打算?」另一名較悲觀的冒險者跟著道。25Please respect copyright.PENANASnsGpSjZse
25Please respect copyright.PENANAVKDx02rzWy
「又或者這裡有什麼值得蒼藍帝國長期進駐的素材和資源?撇開壞死大地部份不談,其它方向倒是看起來頗有潛力。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAIfPvcioxOp
25Please respect copyright.PENANANTKrD4vI9m
幾名較有經驗冒險者低聲討論幾句無果後,便將視線轉向身旁的卡洛,他之所以被選為這次臨時隊長,是因為本身就是蒼藍帝國出身的冒險者,也是隊伍中最老牌的當地人。25Please respect copyright.PENANAk0osXykEt2
25Please respect copyright.PENANA7TFYmRCkpT
知道有經驗的冒險者不像菜鳥好唬弄,其中更有老巴達這位有名冒險者存在,卡洛也不藏私,便道:「哈哈,這也不是什麼秘密,我就稍微解釋一下吧。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAVQFfoynuiC
25Please respect copyright.PENANAiOr62G26qE
「帝國不是特地在這裡建設,而是每發現新的迷宮城和禁忌之地都會投入如此多的人力和物資,這點花費對帝國來說算不上什麼。」說到這裡,卡洛臉上流露出些當地人的驕傲。25Please respect copyright.PENANAMbQcPyQx4K
25Please respect copyright.PENANAMMmGdgZ9Nd
「呵,早聽說蒼藍帝國是五大國度中最為富有,如果不是這樣,大老遠跑來接下這次任務就沒意義了。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAVxFvB4p8R6
25Please respect copyright.PENANAprLbXgbFa3
輕輕捧了一句後,其中一名冒險者才續問道:「不過,再多的錢財也不會有人拿去填水湖,更不用說最會作生意的蒼藍帝國,那麼......是為了什麼呢?」25Please respect copyright.PENANAMkyP1CEbiX
25Please respect copyright.PENANADvKwQ63JHp
卡洛心裡默默讚揚對方一句,懂得搭臺階的人總是令人欣賞,不愧是走過許多地方的有經驗冒險者。25Please respect copyright.PENANANf2rtQVERy
25Please respect copyright.PENANAHiOd0pyhMU
「說起來,這其實也是帝國不足地方。」卡洛微微沉聲說著。25Please respect copyright.PENANAvuItAGhoWM
25Please respect copyright.PENANALCcCb9axkP
「我們都知道,自混沌時代崩壞以來,近千年間,智慧種族好不容易崛起,更陸續建立了五大國度,成為勢力最大、領土最廣、數量最多的種族,如果不是幾十年前『血染薔薇』事件......」25Please respect copyright.PENANAqNshm2d7Wx
25Please respect copyright.PENANAgeJ0oQ3Nn7
聽到這裡,老巴達咳了兩聲,其他有經驗冒險者也故作不知的四處張望,彷彿什麼都沒聽到一般。25Please respect copyright.PENANAGgqoHVXz3H
25Please respect copyright.PENANApAd4NHP3F1
卡洛知道自己失言,偷偷瞄了一眼不遠的女性冒險者車隊後,連忙改口道:「......人類停下急速擴張腳步的同時,也發現自己不足之處。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAEhhrI1Dg90
25Please respect copyright.PENANAbERRGdnpN5
「席洛大陸實在太大,即使到現在人類再加上其他智慧種族也尚未能探索完全,說不定連一半都不到,更不用說還有大量混沌時代遺留下來的迷宮城、禁忌之地與海外群島了。」25Please respect copyright.PENANATqVV9qdxUs
25Please respect copyright.PENANAE2oaZRNlck
「就在這些我們所不知道地方,大量魔獸、野盜、邪惡體甚至是惡魔種族依然存在,並且不斷繁衍擴大,這些都是智慧種族生存所必須要面對的威脅。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAbCsfu8oMun
25Please respect copyright.PENANArThVck8J42
其中一名冒險者聽的有些不耐煩,道:「隊長,歷史就不用再介紹了,那些詩人已經唱到我們連酒都喝不下啦。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAx3ExOCgQMy
25Please respect copyright.PENANAikI3YkoleS
看了打斷自己談興的冒險者一眼,知道不是每個人都像有經驗冒險者這麼捧場,他只好簡短的繼續解說。25Please respect copyright.PENANAZkint05McO
25Please respect copyright.PENANAQmBFYG3HsC
「總之,與四大國度比起來,雖然蒼藍帝國擁有唯一的海上航行與強大貿易能力,又位處五國較中心位置,所以能夠賺取大量通用金幣,但缺乏能與其它國度相比的決定性戰力,因此特別重視迷宮城與禁忌之地。」25Please respect copyright.PENANA0pa3EujrvP
25Please respect copyright.PENANAI8MEKr4hri
「只要能從中取得秘寶、古代魔法、失傳技術又或是特別素材與資源,對帝國都有很大幫助,這也是為什麼帝國即使要花上更多金幣,也不惜繞過遊騎兵公會請大量冒險者來協助原因。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAAaDKC8xMCw
25Please respect copyright.PENANAluRJmfSFeZ
其實還有一個隱藏原因,那就是花錢請人去送死探路,損失冒險者總比損失帝國自身戰力好的多,不過這點卡洛就沒說了。25Please respect copyright.PENANAYDwWVAvGaJ
25Please respect copyright.PENANAICXwOOwX0h
頓了頓,卡洛見大家聚精會神在聽的模樣,單手用力握拳,激動的道:「所以呀,公告出來的豐厚獎勵可都是真的!只要各位能完成任務,金錢、權勢、地位......都會有!」25Please respect copyright.PENANAQZ73bZ2xyA
25Please respect copyright.PENANARgSdbGCLa1
「你說對吧?姐夫,從男爵大人。」說完,卡洛還笑著點了下坐在角落不語的男人。25Please respect copyright.PENANAvjK6osQ6FE
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聞言抬頭,文森特看了看眾人,這才點頭道:「是真的。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAUq7TFMAbHu
25Please respect copyright.PENANAmB1TQCX3t9
不知何時,討論人群早從小圈子擴大,原本還在高興要到達目的地的那些冒險者也早已圍過來,許多人聽到文森特回答都激動的討論起來!25Please respect copyright.PENANAYzXxHPU2NK
25Please respect copyright.PENANABqeg8jrOn2
如果說卡洛的話大家還有質疑,那文森特的話就沒有人懷疑了。25Please respect copyright.PENANACptcn8lltc
25Please respect copyright.PENANA7kgeYqbDI9
平時越是沉默的人,說出來的話越是令人相信,更何況說話者還是實打實以功勛換來從男爵地位的人。25Please respect copyright.PENANALj1hUtGQWr
25Please respect copyright.PENANA5mjKMg7WRQ
雖然聽起來好像階位不高,但文森特可是只差一步就能正式成為帝國貴族的人,到時候不僅有領地可以世襲,更可以享有律法、稅務等大量優惠,也許還是他們以後雇主呢!25Please respect copyright.PENANASmQlCPh1Vb
25Please respect copyright.PENANAPE2XotLztZ
隨著越是接近營區,眾人越是按捺不住躍躍欲試心情,就在獸車上一片興奮混亂之中,傑特來到文森特身邊坐下,神色緊張低聲問著。25Please respect copyright.PENANA87TvlXRxsl
25Please respect copyright.PENANAe5Gr4L57G5
「文森特......大哥,所以你會成為貴族,以後......以後桃樂西也會變成貴族嗎?」25Please respect copyright.PENANAlR2HzCNBFo
25Please respect copyright.PENANAzBWiyKtVqJ
不言不語的木毅面容,散發無聲壓力與氣息,文森特看向傑特,簡短的道:「完成這次任務,我就是男爵。」25Please respect copyright.PENANA2LzBFIIvG8
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他成為男爵,妻子與妻妹自然也就是貴族了。25Please respect copyright.PENANAvLSdtWwX2n
25Please respect copyright.PENANATIbb4GiwVW
傑特聞言表情有些失色,他雖然家境不錯,但也就只是中小商人家庭出身,想要高攀貴族實在有點困難。25Please respect copyright.PENANAxKmyqJyDvT
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不過,才失落一會兒,傑特很快又振作起來。25Please respect copyright.PENANA823LTUkccI
25Please respect copyright.PENANAhMZwMGlcXu
他知道這些新興貴族向來很缺乏金錢支援,畢竟一塊新領地從無到有需要花費長年時間建設與大量物資,如果能有自家商隊幫忙,或許對方會願意讓自己與桃樂西交往。25Please respect copyright.PENANAGKTnHQIWPK
25Please respect copyright.PENANAJZbVdh7sGS
想到這裡,傑特又重新有了勇氣,道:「文森特大......」25Please respect copyright.PENANAuiKIr2INvv
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但話還沒說完,圓臉青年就見到對方灰白頭髮下那雙銳利眼神。25Please respect copyright.PENANAPiYigpoDdR
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一股被盯視感覺升起,心中頓時為之震懾,連後面的話都說不出來,只能呆呆的聽對方說著。25Please respect copyright.PENANAmOjiO7IRLL
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「我不是你大哥,不要靠近我,也不要靠近桃樂西。」25Please respect copyright.PENANABDBj9JZ3Ms