Chapter 327 - 325: A Good Location for a Base

Chapter 327: Chapter 325: A Good Location for a Base

Duane put on a disguise.

He was now dressed in coarse linen. He had used charcoal to draw a faint beard on his face, which he’d also smeared with a bit of dust. With his hair disheveled and a gray hood pulled up, he looked just like a commoner on the road.

He passed through the dense woods and stood atop a hill, looking ahead. He finally saw signs of habitation.

It seemed to be a small village in a remote area. Judging by the thatched huts scattered in twos and threes throughout the valley, the population was likely only two or three hundred people.

Duane took out his map and glanced at it, only to find the village wasn’t marked. It seemed the mapmakers had missed it.

He took paper and a pen from his Void Space and began making simple sketches and notes on his map.

It was worth mentioning that his Starlight Meditation Skill had now reached the Skilled level.

The capacity of the Void Space in his left eye had expanded from ten cubic meters to thirty, allowing him to store far more items than before.

This made his day-to-day activities much more convenient.

After finishing his notes, Duane followed a small path down the mountain. He began to see peasants digging for wild vegetables and people furtively gathering branches.

They didn’t dare chop down trees openly, as all resources on this land belonged to the Lord.

Torre Courtney’s exploitation of his subjects had reached an extreme.

Anyone who broke the rules would be crippled at best; at worst, they’d be hanged and dismembered.

Duane traded a piece of dry bread to an old woman in exchange for the name of the place: Mountain Village.

He also learned the way to Sharp Stone Castle: simply follow the only mountain road out of the valley and keep going.

Duane broke into a run, covering nearly ten miles before he finally left the mountains and reached a relatively open, flat area.

’This Mountain Village may be remote, but it would make an excellent base of operations.’

’I landed on the coast, and that area was completely uninhabited—perfect for moving people. Worst case, I can just use Water Flow Manipulation a few more times.’

’And this valley is so isolated from the world; it’s unlikely many people ever come here.’

’I could station a Guard Squad here, stockpile food and weapons, and even build up my forces.’

’If Baron Torre were alive, this would be very risky. But if Selena’s son inherits the Courtney Clan’s Territory, then things will be much simpler.’

Although Selena is a Level 4 Mage and Brison is a Human Tier Warrior, their strength is insignificant in the complex political landscape of the Starfall Islands.

Even working together, the two of them would likely be no match for Baron Torre’s knight, Sir Sean Collins.

That being the case, they would probably be more than happy to have Duane station men in Mountain Village to guarantee their family’s safety.

’Anyway, first things first. I need to get rid of Baron Torre.’

He summoned a swift horse and galloped down the road. After more than an hour of hard riding, he finally saw the silhouette of a small city at the road’s end: Sharp Stone City.

The name alone suggested that stone was abundant here.

And indeed, Duane had seen plenty of exposed granite and bluestone along the way.

However, Black Forest Island had them too; they were a very common resource.

Duane unsummoned his warhorse, cast a Stealth Spell, and proceeded on foot.

The moment he stepped into Sharp Stone City, he was assaulted by a heavy stench, a mixture of rot and decay.

The flagstones on the street were cracked and had never been repaired. The crevices were filled with a blackish-brown grime—it was hard to tell if it was mud or excrement—that gave off a pungent odor.

Low, crooked wooden shacks were crammed together on both sides of the street. A few sallow, emaciated children were hauling heavy planks, their skinny arms and legs a stark contrast to their burdens.

Further in, Duane saw two drunkards brawling over half a cup of leftover wine, a numb crowd giving them a wide berth, and patrolling Guards watching the spectacle with their arms crossed...

The whole place seemed ignorant and backward. The common folk had hollow eyes and numb expressions, as if they’d forgotten how to laugh.

’It’s a bit like Black Forest Island used to be,’ Duane thought.

Whether they were Free People, serfs, or Slaves, they all had minds of their own; they weren’t truly the walking dead.

But under such extreme exploitation, they had next to nothing to call their own. For many, the first thought upon waking each day was simply how to not starve to death.

In such conditions, they had no time or energy to think about ideals or striving for a better life.

This environment taught them that any work they did was ultimately for the Lord. In the end, all they ever received was just enough food to keep from starving.

So, naturally, they learned to be lazy and slack off.

The lords and managers had their whips, but the people had their own ways of coping.

’Phoning it in... it’s just a matter of looking busy. Who doesn’t know how to do that, regardless of the world?’

That’s why, after Duane implemented policies like tax cuts and wage payments in his own Territory, and the people realized they weren’t just working for their Lord but for themselves, their passion for work was ignited.

There’s a saying: productivity is all about willingness.

When people were willing to work on their own initiative, the Spirit they exuded was naturally different from that of the people in Sharp Stone City.

Duane had spent all his time in the prosperous areas of Black Forest Island and Silent Shore, so he hadn’t fully appreciated the contrast.

But now, walking into Sharp Stone City, the stark contrasts hit him with full force, and he couldn’t help but feel a wave of emotion.

However, he didn’t intervene to stop the tragic and chaotic scenes in the city. There was nothing he could change.

...

Night fell. Sharp Stone City was plunged into darkness, with only a few scattered places lit by candlelight.

Duane found Sharp Stone Castle with ease. It was the brightest place in the entire city, ablaze with countless candles.

Duane activated his Starlight Eye. There was no sign of Magic Flow in his vision.

’Looks like Baron Torre is extremely confident in his own strength. He didn’t even bother setting up a Perception Barrier.’

All the better for him. He just needed to use his Stealth Body Skill to slip inside.

Even though it was night, the Guards and servants weren’t resting. They had to stand watch and finish tasks left over from the day.

"Phoebe is sleeping in the Baron’s room again tonight!"

A maid cleaning out the kitchen trash sighed with envy.

"She managed to climb into the Lord’s bed. Soon we’ll probably have to call her ’My Lady.’"

"I wouldn’t be so sure."

Someone else retorted, "Our lady is Lady Selena. She’s not only a noble Mage, she also bore the Baron a son, Master Willard. How could Phoebe possibly compare to her?"

"Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong. I heard that Master Willard..."

"SHH! If you want to die, don’t drag me down with you!"

The older woman, who clearly knew more, frantically cut the younger maid off. "Have you forgotten what happened to the last person who spoke out of turn?" she warned.

The young maid’s expression changed. She recalled her companion being dragged out by the Guards, beaten to death, and strung up for saying the wrong thing. Her face went pale, and she immediately clamped her mouth shut.

Duane’s brow furrowed. It seemed Selena hadn’t been lying; her current situation was dire.

Baron Torre certainly wouldn’t use any form of contraception. If he slept with Phoebe frequently and she didn’t get pregnant, his suspicions about Selena would undoubtedly grow.

’I’ve come at just the right time.’

Duane remained in Stealth as he moved through the castle. He located the keep, found Baron Torre’s bedroom, and heard... certain unmentionable sounds.

The commotion was quite loud—he certainly didn’t sound like a man in his sixties.

Finally, outside a courtyard in the rear of the castle, he heard the cry of a baby.

It was obvious that this courtyard, patrolled and watched by Guards, was where Selena lived.