The Bandit's Chaotic Entry
Time had flown by swiftly.
It had already been a full month since Jin Chen had left.
In that time, the settlement had transformed beyond recognition, to the point where it was impossible to recall the old orc encampment.
Just the size of the settlement was enough to make one wonder if it belonged to two hundred strong followers who lived there.
On the left side of the lake stood the Zhujusil where Jin Chen stayed, and on the right, homes built for the followers.
In the center and scattered throughout the settlement, enormous training grounds and practice fields had been constructed.
Additionally, water channels had been dug from the lake and connected throughout the settlement so the followers could easily access water.
As a demonstration, they had dug wells at several locations after confirming groundwater on the cleared land.
Supplying food was no problem.
In the Dragon Mountain Range, which seemed like a veritable sea of monsters, there existed an astonishing number of animals.
The bandits caught every animal they spotted and put them in the pens they had built on one side of the settlement.
They would be able to catch them whenever needed.
This wasn't just animals.
They had gathered all the edible fruits and vegetables and planted them on one side of the settlement.
The settlement changed day by day like that.
The bandits were still busy, as if there was still more work to be done.
Among them, the noisiest place was the rear of the homes where the followers lived, at the cliff.
More than a dozen bandits had rolled up their sleeves and were digging at the lower part of the cliff.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
“How long does this need to be dug?”
“I don't know. We probably need to dig as deep as the old caves in our former settlement.”
“There was just dirt there, but here it's rock, so maybe we don't need to dig as deep.”
“Tsk. We could just use internal energy to blast through it in a day.”
“Don’t you remember how it collapsed all at once back then?”
The bandit who had been grumbling fell silent.
“The old ladies are in a hurry for us to finish digging. The fruit and vegetables are all rotting.”
“Whenever we get meat, they say it needs to be aged to taste good.”
“We'd rather not dig at all.”
“Go and talk to them yourself. They'll make you fast for a week.”
Again, the grumbling bandit fell silent.
The bandits continued their work.
When the pickaxes chipped away at the rock, the other bandits quickly cleared the rock pieces to one side.
The speed was incredible. Only two days had passed since they started digging the cliff, yet the tunnel was already quite deep.
“By the way, do you think our Lord Jin Chen has arrived?”
“It took at least a month and a half to get here, right?”
“That was just for a normal horse.”
“True. Thinking about those guys, they probably arrived by now.”
When the bandits nodded in agreement, someone suddenly spoke up.
“That's true, but our Lord Jin Chen shouldn't go around causing trouble there.”
“If he flips everything and gets angry again, it's going to be a big problem.”
“A big problem it is. Not the Lord, but the surroundings.”
Just as they were continuing their gossip while continuing to chip away with the pickaxes.
Kyaaaaang!
Suddenly, a completely different sound echoed through the cave.
The bandits turned to look at the source of the sound, their faces filled with curiosity.
“What is that?”
***
At the end of the windy cliff, Jin Chen stood.
The height was no ordinary thing, and the arid land stretched out endlessly in all directions.
The scenery laid out before him was completely different from the Dragon Mountain Range he had raced through over the past month.
Instead of towering trees, there were large and small rocks embedded in the ground, and instead of lush undergrowth, sharp thorny vines grew in places.
Jin Chen's gaze, having circled the surroundings, stopped at one spot.
In the center of the vast land stood a gigantic rock mountain.
It looked like it had sturdy walls around the top, as if it wasn't a normal place.
When he fixed his gaze there, Gannon's voice came from beside him.
“That place is the Free City of Cologne.”
“It's obviously a fun place.”
“I'm not sure if it's fun, but it's certainly unique.”
“What is it?”
“There are three things missing in that city.”
Jin Chen fell silent, as if urging him to continue.
Gannon continued.
“Because it's located on the border between the Gelk Kingdom and the Zerko Kingdom, both countries agreed to seat a non-noble as the lord of their own country. That's why there are no nobles in that city.”
“Does that mean it doesn't belong to any country?”
“Yes. That's why there are no laws either.”
“What is the last thing?”
“There are no restrictions.”
“What kind of restriction?”
“There are no restrictions that can be imagined.”
Gannon continued speaking with a serious expression.
“There's no entry restriction, so anyone can enter freely. And the same goes for buying and selling. If you have money, you can buy anything, and you can't find anything you can't get. Conversely…”
“Can sell anything?”
“Yes. That's why the merchant guild leader was trying to cross the Dragon Mountain Range to get here.”
“Why here? If you say what's in the carriage, it's just pictures or statues and some tasteless alcohol.”
“Because those are things only nobles can enjoy. So, to sell to commoners, they have to get permission from the nobles.”
“So he was trying to go there because you don't need permission there.”
“Yes. Because it's a place where anything can be sold.”
“I like it. I really like it.”
Jin Chen nodded with a satisfied smile.
Gannon said urgently, “H, there is one more thing you need to know.”
“What?”
“Since there are no nobles, there is naturally no army either.”
“It will be a battlefield.”
“Actually, it's the opposite. That city has its own order and rules. And at the center of that…”
Jin Chen cut him off.
“Up to there.”
“Eh?”
“Whatever there is, it doesn't matter. What matters to me is…”
Jin Chen curled the corner of his mouth up and continued.
“How much I can sell my things for a high price.”
“T, that, so…”
“To do that, I need to draw attention, right?”
“Y, even just appearing will draw everyone's attention.”
“Will that be enough with that?”
When Gannon felt an unknown unease at the strange words, Jin Chen turned his body around and headed back to the carriage.
“Let’s go. Time to catch a horse.”
***
Free City of Cologne.
As befitting its reputation and name, many people were passing through the city gates today.
Unlike other cities where people lined up to wait for the gates to open, there was no such thing in Cologne.
People of different appearances, sizes, and backgrounds entered the open gates without hindrance.
“Ah! Here again.”
“Nice to meet you. Ah! Can we get the same items from last time?”
“As long as the prices match, anything is possible.”
People who frequently visited already had deals going on.
Everyone around them was listening intently.
In this city, the first to transact was the one who got the deal.
So, while everyone listened to the surrounding talk without realizing it, they were crossing the gates.
Kuguguguguguk!
Suddenly, an unknown sound came from behind.
“Huh?”
The people who had been about to cross the gates turned around with curious expressions.
The passage to the city built on the top of the gigantic rock mountain was quite unusual.
Due to the significant height, the path curved around the rock mountain in a spiral rather than straight, because otherwise the carriages would not have been able to handle the slope.
Because of that, there was a turning area near the main gate of Cologne.
When everyone's gaze gathered at the end of the turning area,
Kuguguguguk!
With the familiar howling sound, something shot out.
“A, a Kogirash!”
“W, why is that shooting out from here!”
People screamed in shock, and then an urgent voice came from somewhere.
“All of you, get out of the way! Quickly!”
The Kogirash, which had just howled as if urging them to, let out another howl.
Kuguguguguguk!
“Get out of the way!”
“Move aside!”
“Aaaaah!”
The Kogirash was incredibly fast.
In an instant, it arrived in front of the gate, rushed past the people hurriedly evacuating, and disappeared into the city.
“W, did you see that? A carriage was pulled by the Kogirash?”
“I, I never dreamed I'd see a carriage pulled by a Kogirash in my lifetime.”
“No, who is the crazy bastard dragging a carriage behind a Kogirash!”
“Exactly! How can a fierce Kogirash pull a carriage?”
People who couldn't hide their astonishment quickly fell silent.
They turned their gaze back toward the side of the city where the Kogirash had disappeared.
How could a Kogirash pull a carriage? It was impossible without a path!
A thought flashed through their minds like lightning.
“Quickly chase after it! Hurry!”
“Hey! Wait a moment!”
“There! Kogirash carriage! Stop a moment!”
Everyone began running into the city as if they had made a promise.
***
Meanwhile, in the largest bustling area of the city.
The path named after the Dragon Lord, crossing the central part of the city like the Dragon Mountain Range that divides the continent in two, was a must-pass route for those searching for Cologne.
It was filled with countless shops crowded on both sides.
“Oak leather! We buy teeth!”
“Goblin tongues, claws, eyes! We have everything!”
“Come and see! We have everything!”
Merchants were grabbing people's feet to perform their sales pitch.
Because it was the largest bustling area, people of all ages and genders were crowded without discrimination.
At that moment, a loud shout came from the front.
“Everyone, get out of the way! It's Lord Sybel's procession!”
Hearing that cry, people quickly moved back and made a path.
In an instant, a splendid carriage appeared at the end of the newly made path.
The carriage ignored the people moving aside left and right and rushed down the road at an enormous speed.
At that moment.
“Ah, Mom!”
An child who had been pushed by people and separated from his mother crossed the road.
The carriage had already reached near where the child was.
“No!”
Despite the mother's desperate shout, the carriage did not slow down.
And when it was about to reach right in front of the child's nose,
Kuguguguguguguguk!
From the opposite side of the carriage, an unknown sound came, and it rushed past the people who had quickly moved aside at lightning speed.
And, just like the splendid carriage, it dashed madly toward the child.
“Aaaaah.”
When the child's mother let out a despairing scream,
Tudududuk!
A sound as if the ground was deeply carved echoed through space.
Kwaaaah!
Along with the sound that seemed to deafen the ears.
Hiieieieieing!
The horse pulling the splendid carriage reared in shock and kicked its feet.
Then the carriage's speed suddenly decreased, and it stopped hurriedly.
“Aaaaah!”
The coachman barely avoided falling forward and shouted.
“Who dares to interfere with Lord Sybel's procession… Heek!”
When the coachman discovered the Kogirash in front of him and let out a horrified sound, the door of the splendid carriage opened, and a burly middle-aged man stepped down.
“What's going on? Eh? Why is the Kogirash here?”
When the middle-aged man showed a bewildered expression, someone fell down in front of him.
“Are you the bastard here?”
It was Jin Chen.
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