System: Build My Own Territory

Without daring to hesitate any further, he quickly ran into the bushes of the mountain forest on the right.

As the bushes shook and then settled into calm, Boer felt a slight relief in his heart.

The murmured words came from his mouth, "Consider it as sparing you a life."

Rumble ~ Rumble ~

A continuous thunderous sound of hoofbeats echoed from behind Boer.

Boer came to his senses, pulled the reins, and looked back.

Under the light of the burning torches, Boer clearly saw a knight wearing full plate armor, with a helmet, riding a warhorse at the front.

This is a knight!

Boer, who often traveled between various villages, Morgan Town, and Kakasong City, naturally knew that this knight was Anthony!

Perhaps it was to let Mike escape, or maybe he had already prepared for the worst.

Compared to the initial panic upon seeing the bandits, Boer was now calm.

He sat astride the horse, his eyes fixed on the approaching Anthony.

As they drew closer.

Anthony also saw Boer. He pulled the ancient reins in his hand, and the warhorse beneath him gradually slowed down.

Without needing to give any commands, several bandits dismounted directly and forcefully dragged Boer down despite his struggles.

Held by two bandits, Boer, with his arms being bound, stared directly at Anthony, shouting, "What do you want?"

"I'm a traveling merchant registered with the Merchant Guild!"

"Whenever I enter the city for trade, I pay the market tax to Marquis Duca; my safety is under his protection."

Despite Boer making his final struggle with the Merchant Guild and Marquis Duca as his last threat...

Anthony merely glanced at him indifferently and then withdrew his gaze.

Fan Ke, riding a horse, came to Anthony's side. He glanced at Boer and then at the horse beside Boer.

"Looks like a little mouse decided to flee for its own life, regardless of its master's safety..."

Always following Fan Ke, Tyrone spoke, "I'll go find him right away!"

Listening to Tyrone's words, Boer felt a tightness in his heart.

Mike had just escaped, and if these bandits were willing to spend manpower and resources searching for him,

then Mike wouldn't be able to escape...

As soon as he finished speaking, Fan Ke stopped him, saying, "No need."

Confusion appeared on Tyrone's face.

Fan Ke explained, "The entire traveling merchant convoy has been captured, so no one can relay the information!"

"Without anyone to relay the information, how would the lord behind the walls know what has happened here?"

"Without knowing what happened, how could they possibly lead people out for rescue?"

"Without the lord coming out for rescue, how could we possibly ambush him?"

Tyrone nodded in realization.

In the next second.

Fan Ke's gaze shifted, looking at Boer, who was tied up tightly with ropes, "Isn't that right, Master Boer Hansen?"

Upon hearing this.

Boer finally understood.

The target of the Iron Blood Brotherhood Bandit Corps was not his goods, nor him.

The real target behind all these actions was Master Lynn behind the walls.

Boer quickly contemplated.

Then what is the purpose of these bandits?

Was it for revenge for last time when Master Lynn saved him?

No.

Such trivial conflict wouldn't be enough of a driving force.

In the next second.

Boer thought of something.

Master Lynn's mineral veins on his territory!

Salt mine, iron mine, coal mine!

The Iron Blood Brotherhood Bandit Corps now has many members, yet lacks any armed forces and armor.

If they could completely defeat Master Lynn's armed forces and seize the walls and the territory behind them...

Then given time, the Iron Blood Brotherhood Bandit Corps would rise to power!

But.

How did the Iron Blood Brotherhood Bandit Corps know that Master Lynn's territory had mineral veins?

No one could answer him.

...

On the other side.

A slightly lean figure was constantly moving through the bushes in the forest.

Though he wore leather armor, which blocked most of the sharp thorns and branches,

his exposed hands, as well as his neck and face, had several noticeable scratch marks stained with blood.

The sound of the hoofbeats from behind filled Mike with fear.

Under such mental pressure, he felt no pain from the scratches.

He knew that they were ruthless bandits who plundered villages and towns!

The Iron Blood Brotherhood Bandit Corps!

All he could do now was run, as far away as possible.

Then make his way to the city walls fifty miles away to relay the information to Master Lynn.

Pant pant~ Pant pant~

After long hours of passage through the forest, the exhaustion had Mike breathing heavily uncontrollably.

Despite the onset of nightfall and increasingly colder temperatures in the forest,

Mike felt no sense of cold.

Instead, his back was covered in tiny beads of sweat, sticking his inner clothing to the leather armor...

Mike paid no attention to these matters.

Until an hour later.

Mike finally reached the edge of the forest.

He hid behind a large tree, his eyes constantly scanning around.

After confirming there were no torchlights, horse silhouettes, or any unusual sounds,

only then did he start running southward.

Perhaps due to excessive exhaustion, after running a few hundred meters, Mike's leg faltered, causing him to fall directly onto the ground.