Skill Extraction: Exploring Dungeons

Chapter 806 699: Coastal Strategy (2)

Tistek looked at his sister, the only woman in the team, and explained, "This faction has the best and largest seaport around here, otherwise, why did we spend so much time checking out the estuary in this area?"

The largest seaport around was the reason they had spent so much time understanding this faction.

Because soon, the guild they belonged to might launch a direct offensive here.

Although the Lantern Territory is vast, the direction for development has long been determined.

To the north of the Lantern Territory is the Wall of Mist, which is already the boundary.

To the south is the unforgettable snowfield region, where there is no need for development.

To the west is the Three-Race Alliance, with whom Kane and his group have signed a peace treaty. Although their strength might not match Kane's, they aren't too far behind.

There aren't many benefits to a head-on confrontation with them.

So both sides leave each other alone. The Three-Race Alliance develops westward, while Kane and his group move eastward.

Coincidentally, neither faction has coastal areas.

So Kane's next step in the development of the Lantern Territory is to take over a coastal region and then link the routes in between.

With a sea route, many things can be resolved very well.

For a vast faction, having no coastal area is quite fatal.

As they chatted, they had already left the forest.

Outside was an expanse of fields, with many serfs in thin clothes, using their withered limbs to plow the ground with hoes.

Judging by the appearance of these serfs, they were living very miserably.

A soldier riding a horse came by, swinging a whip in his hand, and then lashed it onto an old man who was working slowly.

"Old man, what are you dawdling for? Don't want to eat?"

If I weren't forbidden to kill you, I would have slashed you twice by now."

The soldier was fierce and vicious, spat a thick glob of phlegm on the back of the old serf, then swaggered over to the next one on horseback.

The serf wore an expression of numbed indifference, and the surrounding people merely looked up before continuing their work.

Mage Nestner had just helped a small child to their feet and couldn't help but express her disgust as she witnessed this scene.

"What a backward and worthless regime, I really hope they get wiped out soon."

For the explorers of the Mist World, such a scene was something they had never witnessed in their lifetime.

After all, in the Mist, regardless of your system, you have to ensure the most basic safety of the people's livelihood.

And with the integration of various factions, it's rare to see civilians in any region living in extreme poverty.

Seeing his sister's expression, Tistek patted her on the head to comfort her, "Don't complain, they won't be arrogant for much longer."

With that, the group quickened their pace as the scenes around them indeed made them uncomfortable.

However, to avoid conflict, they couldn't act too outrageously.

So they could only turn a blind eye to not bother their consciences.

Not long after, they entered a farm with a beautiful manor building on top.

Inside, a beautiful garden adorned with exquisite pebbles and various plants lined the manor's path.

Sentries were stationed at the entrance, and various maids bustled inside, serving the territory's nobility.

When Tistek and the others approached, the guards at the gate nodded and led them inside to the hall of the largest building in the center.

"Oh ho ho, warriors, I've been waiting for you all," said a slightly plump nobleman in luxurious robes, feigning courtesy as he opened his arms to Tistek and his companions.

In response to the attempted embrace, Tistek simply sidestepped.

He then reached into his space equipment, taking out a pile of neatly stacked pelts from the backpack and tossed them to the ground.

"Count them, Baron Hakman, those leopards harassing your territory have been taken care of, not one left."

The fresh hides, just recently skinned and untreated, exuded a strong bloody smell.

Baron Hakman immediately pinched his nose, cursed, and said to the nearby soldiers, "Are you blind? Quickly take this stench away."

At his command, the soldiers immediately walked over and dragged the pelts away.

Once the scent of blood dissipated, Baron Hakman restored his smiling facade and said to Tistek and his group.

"As expected of warriors of the God of Mist, effortlessly solving these problems, I should host a banquet in the manor to properly entertain you."

Upon hearing this, Tistek frowned and waved his hand to interrupt, "No need, Baron Hakman, just hand over the reward. We need to help more people and don't have much time to linger here."

"Oh, that's truly a pity. I hope we can continue to meet and exchange in the future."

With that, he clapped his hands, and a butler entered with a maid, who then led Tistek and the others to collect their deserved reward below.

Watching their departing figures, Baron Hakman, who had been all smiles before, immediately returned to a face of disgust.

"These Mist warriors are truly vulgar, it seems that the so-called God of Mist isn't that great either."

"Mind your words, sir," the steward immediately cautioned.

At the steward's reminder, Hakman irritably waved him off.

"Fine, fine, I get it."

"No matter what this God of Mist might be, and these damned explorers, they care about those filthy, lowly serfs.

The so-called God of Mist forbids us from harming our own serfs.

Even demands we treat these serfs better.

Claiming everyone is of the same race.

Serfs are but tools, how could they be considered kin?

Truly despicable."

With that, he left with a look of disgust.

Only the steward followed behind, a face full of helplessness.

Tistek and his companions collected their bounty and left the manor.

"In this bloody era, this damn place still has that damned slavery, along with these shitty nobles, truly disgusting."

Fuman, with a bow and arrow on his back, shouted in disgust.

Venting his dissatisfaction with the various scenes in this region.

The others nodded in agreement.

At that moment, Tistek, who was about to comfort them, suddenly received some news and stood still.

"Oh, it seems these damn nobles' good days are finally coming to an end."

Hearing Tistek's words, the others immediately turned their heads.

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