Chapter 403: Unexpected Gains

Profit is the devil—money can make even ghosts grind mills. Now it has evolved to the point where money can make mills drive ghosts, let alone ordinary people. So, naturally, no one could resist the temptation offered by Rod. The middle-aged man and the young man on the other side were immediately tempted.

After some conversation, Rod learned that the middle-aged man’s name was Jones, and the young man was named David. The two had been in the merchant trade for over a decade and belonged to the older generation in this field.

“If that’s the case, I can contact at least twenty merchant caravans. I can’t guarantee nothing for them, but using their networks, we should be able to reach over 90% of the caravans. I’m sure they won’t pass up such profits! This should cut off the supply for the war faction!” Jones said excitedly, filled with enthusiasm, as if avenging a past grievance.

“That’s ideal. There’s no time to lose. If possible, start practicing right away. There’s no need to worry about Dark Moon City—I can handle that. As for transporting the goods, the people with me will ensure their safety. They’ll tell you how to get into the city!” Rod said after some thought.

“Okay, we’ll contact them as soon as possible!” Jones and David replied promptly. Thus, the group formed an alliance that they could never have imagined, with an influence far beyond their expectations.

The next day, at dawn, Jones left the caravan, likely to contact those so-called friends, while David followed Rod and the others, leading the caravan onward toward Dark Moon City. It was still two days away. Thanks to Rod and his group’s cover, no problems arose along the way. Perhaps the war faction didn’t expect the team they sent to be wiped out in battle, so they didn’t send reinforcements. What would their reaction be when they heard the news? Perhaps this was the case of trying to steal chickens only to lose one’s own eggs.

Two days later, the group arrived safely outside Dark Moon City. The area was completely surrounded by the war faction, making it impossible to enter through the main gate. Fortunately, Dark Moon City had a secret passage. Under Rod’s leadership, the group entered the city successfully—this was why Rod was so confident they could get the goods inside.

As for bringing the caravans in, he wasn’t worried that the war faction would discover this passage. First, if those caravans belonged to the war faction, they wouldn’t have encountered such problems yesterday. Even if they were from the war faction, it was unlikely they’d enter this secret passage—once they dared to, death awaited them. The guards at the entrance of this passage seemed impenetrable.

Inside the city, Rod had already sent word to the people here a few days earlier via carrier pigeons, so when they arrived, Sognar stopped them at the pass. Seeing Rod, the man was overjoyed: “Kid, you’ve really become famous lately! There’s been quite a stir!”

Sognar was naturally straightforward and skipped any pleasantries or unnecessary talk upon meeting. His direct words, though still with that mischievous tone, carried a sense of warmth.

“Who are these people?” Sognar asked, puzzled after seeing the people behind Rod.

“A caravan, bringing medicines to this place!”

“What? Medicines!” Hearing this, Sognar immediately became excited—these were exactly what the city needed urgently. Under the blockade by the war faction, Dark Moon City was on the verge of collapse, and the arrival of this caravan was like a lifeline. It was truly a timely help. How could they not be excited?

“Heh, not bad, kid. You’ve made a contribution!” Soon, Sognar reverted to his usual tone, teasingly, but it was clear his mood had improved greatly.

Immediately afterward, Sognar arranged for the caravans to rest, while he took Rod to the city lord’s residence.

Dark Moon City now appeared desolate, lacking its former prosperity and bustle. There were very few pedestrians on the streets, just a few scattered individuals. The shops on both sides were closed, and the cold wind created a gloomy atmosphere.

The war faction’s days-long blockade had completely disrupted the city’s rhythm, leaving people feeling disheartened.

“Has it always been like this? Is there any reaction?” Rod couldn’t help but ask Sognar.

“That’s exactly it! Those damned warhawks really intend to trap us here to death. Now, the city is running out of food and supplies. But thankfully, you came, and you brought a caravan too. Hehe, I guess the warhawks never imagined this would happen. All their efforts these past days have been in vain. If you hadn’t come, we would have had to fight them to the death in a few days!” At these words, Sognar sighed for once: “What else can be expected of the situation in the city? You’ve seen it yourself! If it weren’t for the good management of the opposition before, things would have already turned upside down. Recently, there have been frequent attempts by some people to flee and join the warhawks, but fortunately, they’ve all been suppressed. That little girl, Aida, is quite skilled! We can hold out for now.”

The situation was indeed grim. Rod took a deep breath, frowning slightly. “We’re already in contact with the caravan. Things here should improve soon!” Thinking of the agreement he reached with Jones and the others last night, Rod finally managed to smile a little.

Patrol soldiers could be seen walking along the city streets from time to time, fully equipped and looking very serious, adding to the tense and volatile atmosphere.

Soon, the group arrived at the city lord’s mansion. It was still magnificent, but with a hint of desolation.

“Big brother!” Aida was waiting at the door early on. Seeing Rod arrive, she rushed forward to greet him happily.

Looking at Aida, Rod felt a pang of pain. This little girl had lost a lot of weight these past days. He didn’t know how much burden she was carrying or how much pressure she was under. Having to bear so much at such a young age was indeed tough for her.

“Sister Lucy!” Seeing Lucy arrive as well, Aida greeted her with a smile. It seemed the two of them got along well.

“Big brother Melon!” Standing beside Aida was Melon. Seeing him, Rod greeted him cheerfully. This mentor-like figure had given him countless help. In fact, without Melon’s full support back then, Rod wouldn’t have achieved what he has today.

“Alright, let’s go inside first!” Melon said with a smile, looking at Rod thoughtfully.

How little time had passed? In just a year, this kid had grown to such an extent—it was astonishing! Remembering the first time he met him, he was just a young guy struggling in the divine realm. Who would have thought he would grow to such a height, one that even Rod now had to look up to?

Although Dark Moon City had been under the blockade of the war faction for the past six months, news still reached them fairly quickly. After all, the war faction couldn’t completely block all means of communication, so they were well aware of everything happening outside. Saving the Black Phoenix clan, leading them to first destroy the Mi Jiao clan, then capturing Wuyou City, and finally taking over Shuimu City—each of these actions was astonishing and beyond imagination. Things that others dared not even think of, he had accomplished all of them, even reaching an unimaginable realm—the Yang Xuan realm! Inside the city lord’s mansion, he met familiar faces like Lilith, Hei Yin, and Hei Yao. Everyone was filled with emotion upon reuniting. “You’ve really been successful lately, while we’re stuck living like prisoners here!” they said with a wry smile at Rod. Living in Dark Moon City over the past six months had indeed been unbearable. After some small talk, night fell unnoticed. After understanding the general situation, Rod didn’t plan to discuss anything immediately; he would conduct a thorough analysis of the current situation the next morning. He went to his assigned room, the same one he had stayed in before. It was clear that no one else had occupied it since he left—it had been kept for him, with regular cleaning ensuring that the tables and beds were spotless, carrying a faint, familiar scent. A faint smile appeared on Rod’s face—Aida must come here every day. The scent in the room was exactly like hers. It seemed she was the one who cleaned here regularly. The classical atmosphere made the place very comfortable. Just as he was about to rest, there was a knock at the door, and Aida entered. “What brings you here?” Rod asked with a smile. Compared to half a year ago, though he had lost weight, he now carried more presence and authority, inspiring affection in others. She walked up to him and sat across from him, her face slightly flushed as she gazed at him, seemingly lost in thought. “What’s wrong?” Rod asked with a wry smile upon seeing her expression. He felt a bit embarrassed under her gaze. “I haven’t seen Big Brother for so long; I just wanted to see you!” Aida replied, her face turning red with embarrassment. Frowning slightly, her adorable appearance made Rod feel affectionate toward her.

Hearing him say this, Rod was both amused and exasperated. This little girl always acted like an immature child in front of him, but Rod knew that when it came to serious matters, she was more mature than anyone else. Yet he preferred this side of Ada, as it reminded him of her days in the Storm Mercenaries.
“How have you been these past six months? Must have been tough!” With a sigh, Rod spoke with emotion. It was understandable—Dark Moon City now rested almost entirely on her shoulders, and the pressure must have been immense for such a young woman.