Chapter 52: One Night in Yanxi

From a historical and geographical perspective, the rise of a city can be attributed to many reasons.

Some cities evolved from military strongholds in key geographical locations, such as Tianjin Guard in Huaxia on Earth, or Eternal Day City, a major stronghold in the Eastern Territory of the Empire. Some prospered due to their proximity to the coast, boasting shipping and maritime advantages, such as Shanghai Beach in Huaxia on Earth, or Eagle’s Rest Castle, the pearl of the Western Empire. Other cities became settlements due to their location at crucial intersections of transportation routes, thriving on the flow of people and goods, such as Shijiazhuang in Huaxia on Earth, or Sanshui Bay, a major crossroads in the Central Empire.

But some cities had much more complex histories, such as Yanxi City, which maintained a bustling metropolis and an oasis-like paradise on the desolate Wilderness of the Southern Empire.

In the ancient era when the Empire was first founded, its territory was far less expansive than it is today. Although Yanxi City was now located within the Empire’s borders, back then, it was part of the Demon Race’s territory south of the border.

The brave and enterprising pioneers of the Empire braved the artillery fire of the Demon Race to build a military fortress outside their borders. Serving as a bridgehead to expand their territory on the southern front, it became the predecessor of today’s Yanxi City. As the Empire raised the banner of "Manifest Destiny," the southward movement to expand its borders surged forward triumphantly. Former extraterritorial military fortresses were gradually incorporated into the Empire, and Yanxi City transformed into a distribution center for materials and personnel for all military operations in the Southern Empire.

In the centuries that followed, the fate of Yanxi City was closely tied to the situation in the Southern Empire. During the Empire’s most glorious days, the supreme commander of the Demon Race’s armed forces signed an armistice agreement in humiliation inside a carriage in Yanxi City. During the "Battle of the Apocalypse," when the Demon Race launched a massive invasion, Yanxi City fell into enemy hands, and the cruel Demon Race military god, Condoriel, ordered the massacre of the city.

Today, with the establishment of the Arcane Tower Defense Line along the border, the Human and Demon Races entered a brief period of peace. Yanxi City gradually lost its original military function and became the largest economic and transportation hub on the southern Wilderness. Since populations and settlements on the Wilderness were as sparse as a senior programmer’s hairline, almost all passing merchant caravans, Mercenaries, and travelers had to make a brief stop in Yanxi City, the capital of the Houston Grand Duchy.

This, of course, included the few scoundrels from the Igor Family.

Xiahou Yan, Master Laurie, Alice, Chris, and Lawrence—this classic five-man squad—were currently wearing cloaks, enjoying the evening breeze, and weaving through a marketplace in Yanxi City under the faint cover of night.

The reason the Lord hadn’t brought Clement along this time, instead leaving the Death Knight back at the camp, was twofold. First, the citizens in the camp needed a high-tier combatant for protection. Second, the Death Knight, who couldn’t take off his Nether Armor, was simply too conspicuous of a target, which completely contradicted the goal of this low-profile, covert operation.

Just moments ago, through a series of incredibly devious bargaining sessions, the Lord and Master Laurie had sold a portion of the Magic Materials they had freeloaded from Adrian’s Magic Laboratory. With the Gold Coins they earned, they pre-ordered the supplies needed for their convoy from a traveling merchant struggling with unsold goods. They had already agreed with the profoundly grateful merchant that he would load the goods and transport them out of Yanxi City early the next morning. They would then receive the goods and drive the supplies back to their convoy. This would also help them avoid being interrogated by the Houston Grand Duchy’s army for transporting bulk goods out of the city.

Therefore, the five members of the Igor Family gained an entire night of free time. However, unlike Master Laurie, who was entirely preoccupied with the Elf Plants transported by the "Desolate Wind" Mercenaries, the Lord displayed a leisurely attitude. Like a high-ranking official inspecting the lives of the commoners, he browsed through the marketplace with great interest.

Xiahou Yan felt that Yanxi City truly lived up to its reputation as an oasis on the southern Wilderness! In a food shop here, he not only saw fresh fruits like tomatoes and bananas from the Eastern Empire, and premium meats like roasted squab and pork shoulder, but even a variety of seafood caught from the ocean in the Western Empire, such as dried salted fish and squid! The sheer variety of food available here almost made him think he had stepped into a food street in the Imperial Capital, brimming with natural treasures and exquisite delicacies!

"Grain and food are always the lifeline for a territory’s survival." Unlike Xiahou Yan, Alice, and the others who were full of wonder, Master Laurie frowned deeply. "Our new territory will be located even further south in a much more desolate region of the Empire. Due to food shortages during the construction phase, we will inevitably have to import grain from Yanxi City! But..."

Xiahou Yan knew exactly what the Master meant. Since the Houston Duke had already stooped so low as to hire Mercenaries for highway robbery, expecting him not to strangle the Igor Family’s supply trade in the future was simply impossible. Yet on the southern Wilderness, where resources were extremely scarce and trade routes limited, the Houston Grand Duchy and Yanxi City were undoubtedly hurdles they couldn’t bypass! If they forcibly bypassed Yanxi City to import and export goods from other Noble Territories much further away, transportation costs would skyrocket, not to mention the increased risk of encountering bandits or other accidents!

"We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. It’s not the time to worry about this yet," Xiahou Yan said, pinching the bridge of his nose to comfort Master Laurie. But in truth, he didn’t have a good solution to this problem either.

However, Mr. Xiahou inherently possessed a simple, revolutionary optimism—if he truly ran out of options when the time came, even if it meant selling his own ass or having Clement block the road and rob people with his Great Treasure Sword, he would find a way to feed his citizens! After all, a person shouldn’t just hang themselves on a single crooked tree!

The top priority at the moment was to find a way to snatch the Elf Plants transported by the "Desolate Wind"—this wasn’t just to retaliate against the Houston Duke. More importantly, Elf Plants were naturally highly prolific and magical varieties. Who knew? Just one Elf Plant could potentially solve the territory’s future food problems once and for all! And according to the intelligence provided by Tebili, the grand commander of the "Desolate Wind" and that specific Elf Plant were right here in Yanxi City!

After hearing this news from Tebili, the Lord didn’t hesitate for a second. He immediately set the strategic directive of "ruthlessly stealing the flower"—since the Houston Duke had already shown his true colors and punched him in the face, given Mr. Xiahou’s nature of never taking a loss, he naturally had to find a way to skin him alive!

"Lord, which type of Elf Plant is our target this time?" Lawrence asked casually.

"According to Tebili’s confession, it’s a variety called the ’Flower of Abundance.’ It was said to have been discovered by an explorer in the Eastern Mountains, and then the Houston Duke bought it for a high price," Xiahou Yan said with a shrug.

The Lord, who lacked a deep understanding of even his own core profession of Magic, naturally knew even less about elven botany. It was Master Victor Laurie who once again demonstrated the profound knowledge expected of a Mage.

The Master frowned and said, "Generally speaking, the most common elven crops are the ’Jade Lotus,’ which continuously produces sweet fruits; the ’Ghost Moon Millet,’ which can continuously self-propagate and cover a whole plot of land from just a single stalk; or the ’Seed of Fertility,’ which greatly increases soil fertility and the yield of other crops... I’ve never heard of the ’Flower of Abundance.’ But judging from the Houston Duke’s attitude, it must be some previously undiscovered, precious variety. Based on its name, I’d guess its effects are similar to or even stronger than the ’Seed of Fertility’!"

"So, it should also be a supportive plant that can increase the yield of other crops?" The Lord’s breathing grew much heavier. "Everyone, our chance to solve the new territory’s food problem has arrived. This time, we must get our hands on the ’Flower of Abundance’!"

Before Lawrence could pat his chest and make a military pledge to the Lord, a sudden clatter of hooves and ringing bells from the street startled them, causing them to turn their heads sharply.