Mount and Blade System: Start from Pioneer Lords

This caravan consisted of eight large cargo wagons pulled by pairs of horses, laden with goods and guarded by forty-odd well-equipped mercenaries armed with swords, not counting the drivers.

The wild bandits numbered nearly two hundred, including several dozen tall, muscular lizardmen.

Having had their courage broken, the wild bandits’ combat effectiveness was noticeably reduced, and they were surprisingly unable to overcome the mercenaries, despite their numerical disadvantage.

The main culprit behind this was a woman in leather armor and high boots, a spirited figure with a hood, who stood atop a wagon, constantly drawing her bow. Even amidst the chaos, she could accurately send arrows into the lizardmen's eye sockets, her shots unerringly finding their mark.

This archery skill, reaching one-tenth of the lord's level, made the bandits hesitant and fearful, afraid of becoming the next target.

This led to a brief stalemate between the two sides.

Seeing this situation, Li Wei quietly led the barbarians, approaching from the rear, spreading out the team to form a pocket, preparing to encircle the wild bandits.

The wild remnants were originally engaged in fierce combat with the mercenaries, and upon discovering a team approaching from behind, they intended to divert troops to counterattack. However, upon closer inspection, they recognized these hulking figures.

Immediately, they raised white flags with lightning speed, dropping their weapons and squatting on the ground one by one.

This left the mercenaries completely bewildered. They had been fighting tooth and nail just moments before, but suddenly surrendered?

And their expressions were as if they had seen the undead.

The natives were on the verge of tears. These enemies were too terrifying; even after defeating them, they continued to pursue and kill.

Even three to four thousand people couldn't conquer this tough nut to crack; the wild natives didn't believe their rabble could stand against these orcs.

The orcs herded the dejected prisoners together, watching them coldly.

Originally, if Li Wei had waited for the caravan to be destroyed and all the spoils to be seized by these wild bandits, then these spoils would rightfully belong to Highcliff.

However, after thinking about it, Li Wei abandoned this tempting idea.

This caravan had just returned from trading in the depths of the wilderness, and the goods on the wagons were mostly wilderness products like animal hides or milk. Currently, Highcliff could only be considered a military territory and couldn't process these things on its own.

Transporting goods like animal hides to Debe for sale would be troublesome and time-consuming, and without familiar buyers, being ripped off was guaranteed.

Secondly, Highcliff's reputation as a newly emerging territory was far more important than these goods.

Only with a widespread reputation would merchants be attracted to stay in Highcliff to replenish supplies, thereby driving Highcliff's economic development.

Li Wei was well aware of the principle of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

If this caravan were to be lost here, and the news spread, most caravans would choose to avoid this dangerous route.

Conversely, if Li Wei could guarantee the safety of this trade route, caravans would surely flock to this road.

The bandits who robbed the caravan were finished, and the crisis was resolved.

However, the mercenaries did not lower their weapons and remained vigilant, with one crossbowman even quietly loading another bolt into his crossbow.

The straightforward orc barbarians couldn't stand this. We kindly saved you, and this is how you treat us? They raised their weapons, ready to fight.

Zat even launched a zero-frame attack, sending a curse: "Damn it, a bunch of..."

"We are civilized people, say fewer Debe swear words."

Li Wei waved his hand to stop him.

This guy had lived in the Debe Kingdom for three years, and hadn't changed his orcish temper at all, but had learned all the swear words.

The mercenaries' concerns were not unreasonable. Although these orcs had indeed helped them out, in this chaotic and disordered wilderness, the enemy of your enemy was not necessarily a friend, but could be another jackal.

And these hulking orcs didn't look like good birds either.

Although he could understand, it didn't mean Li Wei didn't mind. Sitting on his tall horse, he rested one hand on the hilt of the Holy Sword at his waist, his smile cold, as if he would draw his sword and issue an attack command at any moment.

Although this newly arrived team had less than half the number of wild bandits, the overwhelming momentum was ten times stronger. The mercenaries swallowed involuntarily, and fine beads of sweat appeared on their foreheads.

Although the morning breeze was gentle, bringing a hint of coolness, they felt as if they were under the scorching midday sun, their bodies relentlessly baked, unbearably hot.

The atmosphere became tense.

After a long time, a mature female voice came.

"Put down your weapons, these are friends who came to help us."

All the mercenaries couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from their foreheads.

The female archer on the roof of the car jumped to the ground, moving lightly and nimbly.

She handed the bow and the half-hand sword at her waist to the mercenaries next to her for safekeeping, and walked towards Li Wei while lifting the hood on her head.

As Li Wei judged, it was a woman, and quite beautiful.

Her features were extremely delicate and fair, with a fox-like charm, and a head of beautiful red hair scattered around her waist, and the bangs woven and gathered behind her revealed her slightly pointed ears.

Unlike the girls like Bai Ruisi Tina and Liya, this woman was very mature, the type of Fulina, but less noble and aloof, and more fiery and seductive.

Fortunately, Li Wei was no longer a bumpkin who had just crossed over and had never seen a natural beauty. Now he has a clear mind and is not surprised by the collapse of the sky.

"Miriel?!"

Turning his head, he saw that Bai Ruisi Tina, who had solved the battle, had already followed.

When Bai Ruisi Tina rode her white horse and stopped side by side with him, Li Wei asked curiously, "Do you know each other?"

"She used to trade with our tribe." Bai Ruisi Tina simply introduced, then leaned into Li Wei's ear and whispered the second half of the sentence: "This is a very dissolute half-elf."

The lord looked up and down at the half-elf, and also leaned into Bai Ruisi Tina's ear, and gave a pertinent evaluation in a low voice: "Indeed very slutty."

Looking at the two people who were getting together and whispering in front of her, colluding with each other, Miriel's expression froze, and she cursed in her heart.

It was one thing to be inexplicably attacked by wild bandits early in the morning, but now she was being openly ridiculed, Miriel's mood was like a sunny day suddenly raining, and the umbrella was broken, which was terrible.

Elves are born with keen ears and eyes, and half-elves naturally inherit this talent. The whispers of the two people were no different from speaking loudly in her ears.

Miriel pulled out a stiff smile and bowed her chest in salute: "I am Miriel, a businessman from the Mithril Chamber of Commerce, thank you for your selfless help."