This is an oath, the words to be sworn by those entering the team. Perhaps for some people, oaths are meaningless, hollow words. But for these soldiers, this is their belief! It is the belief they hold while stationed here, defending the border with their lives.
The unyielding belief!
The unwavering belief!
“You all are amazing.” Robin Bailey looked at the soldiers with a hint of tenderness in his eyes. In this world, it is rare for him to be gentle, but these lovely soldiers have achieved it.
“Thank you, War God.” Conrad Reid and his men expressed their gratitude to Robin Bailey. The crowd then dispersed, with each person returning to their duties. They were soldiers after all, needing to resume their daily tasks. But the fervor in their eyes did not fade. The War God was with them.
Robin Bailey strolled the fortress, admiring the scenery of the western border. Conrad Reid and Jeff Reczek followed him. Conrad Reid, who used to be a guard, now held deep admiration for Robin Bailey. He was completely loyal. Though his rank was only one step below Robin Bailey, he still performed the proper ceremonies of respect.
“War God.”
Soldiers on the road continued to salute Robin Bailey. He acknowledged each gesture with a smile. He knew the pressure in the west was not light. Before his arrival for support, the Western border had almost fallen several times. After all, the Western border held a particularly special position.
To the west of Kisia was the Western Sea, and beyond that was Western Europe. Templars, Western Europe! In that area, there were many countries, all eyeing Kisia covetously. Among them, country Y, also known as the Empire where the Sun Never Sets, ruled the European side. They took pride in their once dominant cavalry legion until it was defeated by Robin Bailey’s Ghost Wolf Cavalry. There was also Country D, known as the War Chariot Country, which had a penchant for warfare perhaps due to some bellicose genetic trait. Located in the central-western region of Western Europe, the country showed no fear of any other nation and actively sought conflict.
In the southern part of the Western Province lay the Hundred Thousand Mountains, a vast expanse of mountains and forests never explored by outsiders. It was the territory of the Miaojing lineage, known for their witchcraft and sorcery. The largest clan among them was the Mitchell family. Luckily, they had a decent relationship with Robin Bailey. Otherwise, Genevieve Mitchell might not have come to help. Yet, this was only surface-level courtesy. In reality, even they dared not venture deep into the mountains. It was said that those who went in never came out, even the Miaojing clan was reluctant to enter.
It was considered taboo. The Miaojing lineage was difficult to deal with not only due to their aloof nature but also because of outsiders’ fear. After all, they could cast curses. Normal people were naturally afraid.
To the north of the Western Province were some Taoist sects, martial arts thriving. However, martial artists were forbidden to leave the Northern Western Province. Any violator found to have used excessive force would be punished, ranging from martial arts prohibition to death. Despite this, the area was a paradise for martial artists, accommodating various schools and powers such as the Tang, Martial, and Kunlun schools being the largest and most powerful. No one dared to provoke them.
In the central and eastern parts of the Western Province were cities inhabited by ordinary people, accounting for the majority. After all, martial artists were rare, let alone those who could block bullets. The ability to block bullets already marked one as an elite soldier. In the Western border, there were only three hundred thousand elite soldiers, while the entire Western Province had a population of three billion. It was evident how difficult it was. Hence, ordinary people made up the majority, and the so-called northern part of the Western Province was only a small area.
Soon, Robin Bailey left the Western border and arrived at the Western Sea. Standing by the sea, gazing at the azure waters, he knew that the Shadow Killers had been here before but had since vanished without a trace. He was here to investigate this matter.
“Conrad, what are the four routes to the Western Province?” Robin Bailey asked Conrad Reid, hands behind his back.
“There are four routes. The first is through our border entry. The second is via merchant ships, entering from the opposite inspection point responsible for commercial vessels. The third is with these fishermen through the southern border, which we don’t fully oversee, and there are some small paths we are not aware of. However, the native fishermen here must know.” Conrad Reid pointed to the fishing boats outside.
On the sea, there were several small fishing boats currently fishing. Despite frequent enemy attacks, Kisia maintained trade rather than resorting to isolationism, knowing the latter was a foolish policy. They were willing to deploy considerable troops to guard the four major borders. “What about the fourth route?” Robin Bailey inquired, noticing the absence of one.
“I have not yet discovered the fourth route, but my intuition tells me there is one,” Conrad Reid reported.
“That is indeed possible,” Robin Bailey replied, nodding before looking across and saying, “A fishing boat has just landed. Let’s go take a look.”
“Yes,” Conrad Reid agreed.
The three of them were dressed casually as they were here for an investigation, not clad in military uniform. It was a simple attire, as if they were here for a leisurely seaside trip. On the fishing boat were an old man and a young girl. The old man had weathered many storms and spent a lifetime fishing, with numerous wrinkles adorning his face. His smiles were etched in lines, but he appeared honest. The young girl, on the other hand, looked around ten years old, her fair skin indicating she did not engage in much labor. She seemed to be here just for fun.
“Old man,” Robin Bailey approached them and greeted warmly.
“Ah,” the old man turned towards the newcomers.
“How was your catch today? Did you catch any big fish?” Robin Bailey inquired with interest.
“We didn’t catch any big fish today. The wind and waves were quite strong. However, I did manage to catch a grouper, a valuable catch we dare not eat ourselves. I’m planning to sell it for a couple thousand,” the old man replied cheerfully.
The young girl’s eyes lit up at the mention of the grouper, licking her lips and swallowing saliva, clearly tempted. The sum of two to three thousand was already a considerable amount, enough to sustain them for a while. At that moment, Robin Bailey said, “Old man, you don’t need to take this fish to the market. I’ll buy it from you.”
“Really? You’ll buy it?” The old man appeared skeptical.
“Yes, it’s been a while since I’ve had fish. I’m craving it,” Robin Bailey affirmed. The old man was delighted as he no longer had to transport the fish all the way to the market. After presuming the fish, Robin Bailey suggested, “Old man, have you heard of Agri-tainment? We’re here for a vacation, and eating at hotels can be uncomfortable. How about you take us to your place, cook this fish along with a few others, and I’ll add another two thousand as processing fees? We can all share the meal together. How does that sound?”
“Alright,” the young girl stood up excitedly upon hearing the suggestion, her eyes sparkling. However, the old man’s expression changed.