A battle that wasn't very intense concluded, marking the beginning of the wilderness exploration.
After calming his mind, Lear waved his hand for Haggs to lead people in cleaning the battlefield.
But these goblins, being so impoverished, survive in the wilderness without much to offer.
After a thorough search, nothing was found, and they could only give up.
They regrouped.
Lear had two squads of lizard-men continue scouting ahead while he kept the main force at a safe distance.
To prevent any unexpected events from arising.
However, the Dragon's Might emanated by the 2-star level dragon dung was sufficiently formidable.
Even after venturing deep into the wilderness, no creatures dared to attack.
If it weren't for the unusual Racial Talent of the Earth Goblins, these beings might not have dared approach the Dragon's Might.
Continuing the journey, on the second day, July 17th.
When the caravan set out in the morning, Lear ordered the wetting of three portions of dragon dung.
By noon, he increased the amount to four portions.
Each portion of dragon dung could release five days' worth of Dragon's Might, which would then quickly dissipate.
The ten pounds of dragon dung were enough to reach the swamp.
The overwhelming Dragon's Might released by four portions of dung sent shivers down the timid Mud Swamp People's spines.
Even knowing it's just dragon dung, they still felt a strong sense of unease.
From time to time, they turned back to glance at the clay pot.
Even the fierce lizard-men showed obvious agitation at this moment.
Dragons, the apex predators in the food chain, their terror had long seeped into the soul of ordinary lives.
Bain, the naturally cowardly Mud Swamp People hero, was restless, puzzled by Lear's orders, yet he dared not speak much, suppressing his inner doubts as he proceeded fearfully.
Ah~ Ah~ Ah~
By noon, a series of dreadful sounds came from the horizon, and Lear looked up, his heart skipped a beat.
Countless ravens appeared in his view.
Half an arm's length, entirely black, with long bird beaks.
So numerous, they formed a dark tide.
Covering the sky.
Level 5, Scavenging Raven!
The caravan instantly became tense, Mud Swamp People trembled, their faces filled with terror, wishing they could hide directly under the wheels.
The wetland lizard-men unsheathed their steel sabers, their eyes filled with ferocity, ready for a bloody fight.
But as everyone felt immense pressure, the monster black tide in the sky, upon approaching within a thousand meters of the caravan, seemed to collide with an invisible mountain, abruptly turned in the opposite direction, flying away.
Narrowly avoiding the caravan.
Boom~
A blinding lightning bolt exploded among the scavenging raven flock.
Instantly dozens of ravens fell from the sky, their bodies smoking with black fumes.
Then a terrifying rolling thunder roared.
This seemed to open the prelude... Bolts of silver dragon lightning danced wildly.
In the midst of the black tide, blinding thunder continuously flashed.
The deafening thunder caused fear in the heart.
Lear focused his gaze, a group of giant birds with a wingspan of seven to eight meters, covered in lightning, rampaged among the scavenging ravens.
Unrestrainedly hunting these level 5 beings.
Thunderstorm Bird, Level —— 13.
Number exceeding a hundred.
The strongest Griffin Legion in Lorand City, its average level was only 12...
This is the wilderness?!
A reckless slaughter unfolded in mid-air.
The Thunderstorm Birds wielded the thunder with abandon, casually massacring the ravens, the air filled with the smell of scorched feathers.
If the flock hadn't avoided them... even if those fierce Thunderstorm Birds were not targeting them, the terrifying aftermath would still impact the caravan.
Flying creatures, with incredible speed, after several hunts, the scavenging ravens accelerated in frightful screams.
Gradually disappearing from view.
Bain, initially puzzled in the morning why Lear ordered to multiply the dragon dung quantity, his expression visibly changed now.
Looked at Lear, eyes full of fervor.
The lord seemed to possess some formidable power... able to foresee impending danger!
In the wilderness, this was practically a divine skill!
This sudden encounter not only didn't make him feel anxious, but it dramatically boosted his confidence in the future.
To prevent accidents, after the raven flock left, Lear immediately ordered the army to quicken its pace.
After walking for more than ten miles, they finally returned to normal speed.
Traveling across the perilous wilderness, the biggest obstacles besides fearsome monsters and wild creatures are the difficult roads.
Fortunately, the horses from the Fantasy World are sturdy, akin to small trucks with immense horsepower, able to forcibly pull the carriage along.
Otherwise, just the journey itself could drive a person to despair.
The long trek is tedious and dull. After two consecutive days of travel, as the afternoon of the 19th approached, Lear suddenly ordered the Lizard-men to dispose of the Dragon Dung and set up camp in a tall grassy area.
No one understood why they stopped so early today.
When Lear commanded everyone to be silent and the horses' mouths were bound, they realized something.
One by one, they tried their best to lower their breathing.
Until dusk, when the ground suddenly began to tremble, as if a large group of cavalry was sweeping in another direction.
The vibrations were slight, but the distance was only two or three kilometers.
If the Dragon Dung had not been disposed of, it would have surely attracted attention from the other side...
Though they were unsure who it was, anyone with a large cavalry unit in the wilderness is definitely not to be trifled with.
Only Lear knew what they had avoided.
Wilderness Blood Raiders, who ambush merchant caravans traveling through the wilderness by pioneering lords; they are extremely ferocious and terrifying.
Wherever they go, only blood and bodies remain.
The Barbarian Race is the primary source of Wilderness Blood Raiders. These races, growing in barren lands, filled with tyranny and slaughter, love nothing more than pillaging.
It's no wonder no one chooses to pioneer in the wilderness 500 kilometers away... a raid by the Wilderness Blood Raiders could wipe out a Lord who has just set foot in the wilderness.
Everyone is here to expand territory, not to seek death.
After averting a disaster, Lear relaxed a bit, sending the Lizard-men out to keep watch, allowing everyone else to rest peacefully.
Travel by day, sleep by night—this is the routine journey.
At night, the dangers of the wilderness significantly increase, necessitating caution.
But Lear did not sleep, because dawn would bring the 20th, another intelligence update...
——
——
The journey through the wilderness is filled with unknown danger.
For most pioneer lords, just the journey requires a Herculean effort; scouts might need to venture twenty or thirty miles ahead to monitor dangers, and could be attacked by wilderness monsters at any moment.
However, for Bain, it has become somewhat tedious; each day is just travel, travel, and more travel.
The Dragon Dung ensures that most creatures dare not approach.
From time to time, the great Lord commands the army to either quicken their pace, rest in place, or hide in dense forests or grasslands.
Thus, wave after wave of danger passes by quietly unnoticed.
This increasingly convinces the Mud Swamp People that their Lord must possess a heightened sense of crisis!
They even imagine he might have the power to foresee the future...
The latter is purely a wild imagination, but the former has been confirmed during these two and a half weeks of travel.
Within Bain's heart, Lear's position rises rapidly.
In just these few weeks, it's already filled with frenzy and fervor.
Following the strong is the innate nature of all life in Noel World!
In the wilderness, this trait is magnified to the extreme.
And it's not just him, all Mud Swamp People and Wetland Lizard-men feel the same...
On the afternoon of August 4th, the team stops to rest.
From the departure on July 12th to today, Lear has traveled through the wilderness for a full 22 days.
Travel by day, rest by night.
On the Magic Map, their destination—Mire Swamp—is only... 30 kilometers away now.
Seeing the hexagram pattern flickering close by, Lear's spirits rise.
By this afternoon, they will reach their pioneering territory.
Land cultivation, city construction, consolidation of authority... it all begins here.
"Pick up the pace! We will reach the territory before sunset!"
Upon hearing this, the group's morale soared.
The pace of travel spontaneously increased.
As the sun gradually sank below the horizon but temperatures remained scorching, a refreshing breeze suddenly swept in, and their bodies felt instantly comforted.
Lear felt invigorated.
He looked up.
At the end of his vision, a curved seven-color rainbow hung in the air, the sunset colors dazzling like a blaze, reflecting beautifully with the rainbow.
The water vapor continued to evaporate upward due to the high temperatures.
At the same time, on the Magic Map, his light merged completely with the hexagram pattern.
Mire Swamp... he had arrived.