Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

Xial came back, and he brought Little Lion with him.

Winters now least wanted to see guests, but guests always seemed to come at times he least wanted to see them.

"Good luck and great prosperity, Batu." Little Lion offered a saber as a gift, embracing Winters warmly.

Besides the saber, Little Lion also brought thirty horses, likewise as gifts.

It had been some time since he had heard the title "Batu," and Winters felt a subtle sensation.

"Good luck and great prosperity to you too!" Winters hugged Little Lion tightly, "How is your brother? And your...sister, how is she?"

"Erhulan? She's fine. My brother, he's also fine." Little Lion replied casually, "He's recently been busy with household registrations, otherwise he would have come in person."

Winters's body instantly stiffened.

He composed himself and asked as naturally as possible, "Oh? Household registrations? What does that mean?"

"Just household registrations." Little Lion clearly did not wish to elaborate on this matter: "Just like yours."

With a distant guest visiting, according to the customs of the wasteland as well as Paratu etiquette, family and friends should be introduced.

Winters took Little Lion to the military camp to meet Bard, Andre, and Mason first.

Bard and Andre had a deep impression of the slaves from Red Sulfur Island.

Learning of Winters's experiences in the wasteland, everyone sighed with emotion.

Then, Winters led Little Lion to meet Anna, Catherine, Mrs. Mitchell, Scarlett, and other ladies.

Seeing a "barbarian" visitor, the ladies were surprised, but they still extended their utmost courtesy to Little Lion.

Little Lion could speak the common language and was also respectful to the ladies, except for one impolite act:

When Winters introduced Anna as "This is my fiancée," Little Lion raised his eyebrows and sized Anna up thoroughly, making Anna quite uncomfortable.

The smile on Winters's face also became somewhat stiff.

Little Lion let out a long sigh, "Now I know why Erhulan was defeated."

The ladies keenly sensed the subtle emotion in Little Lion's words.

Catherine's almond-shaped eyes immediately glared at Winters as if she would have caused a scene if there were no guests present.

Mrs. Mitchell shook her head helplessly, while Scarlett was still somewhat puzzled.

Anna's brow furrowed slightly, and she asked Little Lion with a smile, "May I ask who Erhulan is?"

"She is my benefactor," Winters answered before anyone else could.

"I was asking Mr. Yahachi," Anna's smile grew even brighter.

Winters was all too familiar with that smile; the last time he saw it, he ended up with a solid slap on the face.

"May I ask, who is Erhulan?" Anna repeated the question with a smile.

Little Lion swallowed hard and answered seriously, "She is Winters's benefactor."

The matter was temporarily glossed over.

When Winters left the Mitchell Manor, he tried to impress Anna with a favor, "I've made you a particularly beautiful easel, made by myself. Made of pine wood, light and sturdy, it can be carried on a horse's back and taken outdoors. I'll bring it to you tonight..."

"You should be careful, Mr. Montaigne," Anna leaned on Winters's shoulder and said kindly, "That golden sword you gave me, I've also brought it. If you prove faithless, I'll just do as you taught me—stab hard."

Having said that, Anna gently kissed Winters's cheek.

Winters, with Little Lion in tow, fled from the Mitchell Manor as if escaping.

Of course, Little Lion's visit to Wolf Town wasn't just for friendship.

He came fully authorized to negotiate a deal on behalf of the White Lion, perhaps a significant one.

After the formalities of hospitality, it was time to get down to business.

Little Lion had just arrived in Wolf Town in the morning, and by the afternoon, he was holding a private meeting at the military camp.

"What do you want?" Winters got straight to the point.

Only Winters, Bard, Andre, and Mason were in the tent; everyone else was absent, even a clerk.

"What do we want?" The meeting being confidential, Little Lion too was at ease, smiling bitterly, "We want everything."

Food, iron, cloth, oil... The Red River Tribe wanted everything.

The Hurd wasteland was surrounded by mountains to the north and south, with a bitter cold plateau to the west, and more mountains beyond the plateau; there was only one exit to the east, which was sternly blocked by the Paratu people.

Smuggling caravans going to the wasteland were either tools for the profit of the powerful or spies for the Parlatu Army, with most caravans playing both roles.

The Hurd tribes, fully aware that the visitors were spies, still had no choice but to trade with them.

Little Lion spread his hands, "The great prairie produces nothing but grass; it lacks everything except for grass."

His words contained some exaggeration, but they were largely accurate.

"What is key, though, is what do you have?" Little Lion counter-asked.

Winters flushed slightly, "We also have nothing. Wolf Town has nothing but farmland, nothing but forests. But in the future, we will have everything."

Little Lion sighed, "I can see that, you are rebelling... What do you want then?"

Bard and Mason smoked their pipes, silent.

"Captives." Winters replied without hesitation.

Little Lion nodded.

"And horses!" Andre finally reached a topic of interest.

Mason spoke slowly, "Horses, cattle, sheep, we need all these livestock."

Little Lion nodded again.

Winters straightforwardly took out a quill and started to do the math for Little Lion,

"Vineta had a saying, [Only gold can be sold ten thousand miles away]. Goods with high profit margins per unit of weight and volume can withstand long-distance transportation. Wolf Town doesn't produce anything, and the Iron Peak County has only a bit of handicrafts. If your brother thinks of using Iron Peak County as a smuggling window, it's actually not quite suitable.