Above The Sky
Chapter 92 - 92 88 Five Pairs of Weighted Wheels

92: Chapter 88: Five Pairs of Weighted Wheels 92: Chapter 88: Five Pairs of Weighted Wheels The streets were still bustling, but clearly much quieter than before; both vendors and pedestrians were now looking towards the Viscount’s Mansion with uncertain and alarmed expressions.

There, a majestic horse of a brilliant red hue was gradually slowing down.

Extremely robust, it stood over two meters tall, radiating intense heat.

The hot air rising from it was so intense that it distorted the atmosphere around it.

Clearly, it was a steed with the Flame Dragon Bloodline, at the Demon Beast Level.

What surprised people the most was how docile the horse was.

It took special care to avoid the crowd, choosing a path that wouldn’t lead to anyone getting hurt.

Despite its seemingly reckless sprint earlier, in reality, the entire street had been largely unaffected except for those startled by the event.

The rider was dismounting, clad in black-and-gold full-body heavy armor with the Eye of the Sun Emblem branded on the right arm, his visage concealed by an iron helmet, looking through a T-shaped visor.

“An emissary from the Imperial Capital!”

Ian heard the owner of a nearby jewelry store speak half with excitement and half with worry, “Looks like the aid from the Imperial Capital is finally arriving—but why is he in such a hurry?”

“Could there be some bad news…” The onlooking residents around were also mostly wearing expressions of uncertainty.

“A visitor from the Imperial Capital?” Ian murmured to himself, not understanding why the shopkeeper was worried.

The other’s unease seemed to be an instinctual warning borne from too many experiences.

Narrowing his eyes, he added, “Something definitely feels off.

I’ve seen aid convoys before, and their protocols are clearly not like this.”

Shelving his doubts, he lifted his head and stared intently at the Viscount’s Mansion.

The emissary from the Imperial Capital went straight to the entrance of the Viscount’s Mansion.

He wasn’t arrogant and, facing the still-damaged gates, he courteously presented his token to the gate guard.

It wasn’t long before Ian saw a servant leading the knight into the estate, with Viscount Grant himself already waiting at the doorway.

Even with Ian’s vision, this was as much as he could see.

He could only vaguely perceive that the emissary from the Imperial Capital didn’t enter the mansion; after a slight bow to the Viscount, he began to report his news.

This news was obviously incredibly shocking.

Without a clear view of the details, and despite the clear weather, Ian could distinctly feel the moisture in the air suddenly intensify around him, almost like the precursor to a downpour.

—It was a reaction from Viscount Grant, a Second Level Sublimator, losing control of his emotions for a moment, even to the point of ‘utter astonishment’!

Even when he had utilized the Aether Armament to battle the Great Shaman and the Crocodragon, Viscount Grant’s emotional turmoil probably hadn’t been as intense as it was now.

After the briefing, the emissary from the Imperial Capital bowed again and then politely took his leave.

He mounted the great red horse with the Flame Dragon Bloodline and sped off, quickly departing.

What exactly was exchanged between the emissary and the Viscount, no one knew.

But soon after, with the Finance Officer, the Security Officer, and even Elder Prude among others heading to the Viscount’s Mansion, and local village chiefs along with mercenary and militia leaders hurrying in from outside the city, everyone knew that something significant was about to happen.

The crowd slowly dispersed amidst unrest, and the jewelry store owner, distracted and muttering ‘so much for relying on The Empire,’ sighed and retreated into his shop.

But Ian did not leave the vicinity of the jewelry store.

He stood by a small alley, watching for any signs from the Viscount’s Mansion.

He had all the time in the world to wait for the outcome of this affair.

In fact, it was not just Ian who held this thought—despite Harrison Port being in a period of reconstruction, those who still had some spare time did not leave.

They were well aware that, should there be any significant event, the Viscount would soon head to the town square and make a public announcement, enabling them to obtain the news firsthand.

In the Southern Border, at the edge of human civilization, even the high and mighty Lord had to join hearts and hands with his subjects for the majority of the time.

This was perhaps the only advantage of the untamed wilderness.

However, before the Viscount made an appearance, it was the support caravan from the Imperial Capital that showed up first.

“Moo—”

A majestic beastly roar originated from outside the city, yet it was clearly audible within the harbor, and one could faintly hear the continuous trampling sounds, making the ground under the stampede of the herd’s footsteps quiver slightly.

“This is…”

Ian’s expression changed.

He seemed to have discerned something from the roar, opened his mouth to speak, but then another roar sounded, this time within the city itself.

Dust rose at the city gates, and a dark, oppressive shadow approached from the main road, slowly entering the warehouse district under the watchful eyes of everyone in Harrison Port.

And Ian saw the source of the beastly roars.

It was a bison.

A bison so immense that it was hard to believe.

The over-three-meter-tall carapaces were like moving houses, the horns curving upwards from their heads were adorned with tinkling wind chimes.

Unexpectedly gentle eyes like jewels, and every movement of their harnessed bodies clearly displayed the thick, well-defined muscles flexing layer upon layer, overflowing with vibrant life force.

“Bison Giant Cows…”

Gazing at the formidable behemoth, Ian muttered under his breath, as he recalled the origin of the name Bison Mountain Range: “Beasts that dwell in the snow-covered regions of the Northern Bison Mountain Range, one being worth five hundred Talle, they are among the most expensive and mightiest of normal beasts…”

When Hiliard was explaining the knowledge and distribution of magical beasts of Nanling Province, he made a special note of the Bison Giant Cow for Ian—it might lack any elements of sublimation, but its strength surpassed most magical beasts of the First Energy Level and, moreover, due to its gentle and intelligent nature, could live and fight alongside its recognized partner.

“Don’t think that just because you’re a Sublimator, you can look down upon ordinary wild beasts…

You’re too young, your body has not yet fully matured, and let alone the fact that no matter how much the human body sublimates, it will only go so far.”

“Even among magical beasts, purely in terms of raw physical strength, many can’t beat the sturdier wild beasts.”

This was an example his teacher used to caution Ian to understand humility and prudence and not become overconfident due to an increase in strength.

Although Ian was always careful and cautious, he didn’t mind being even more so.

It is known that, back in the day, the Mountain People had used three hundred ‘Bull Riders’ to hold back the advance of the Empire’s Long Halberd-armed heavy infantry regiments.

Although this achievement did not alter their subsequent defeat, the fact that the Mountain People still have two large autonomous regions in the Southern Territory was mainly due to this battle.

Not to mention the widespread fame of the military valor of the Mountain People throughout the Empire.

“An ordinary bison is worth about two hundred Talle.

I was wondering why these bison are so exorbitantly priced at five hundred each…

Now it seems that this might even have been an insider price due to teacher’s connections back then, and the actual market price would surely double, and that’s just the conservative estimate!”

The massive caravan entered the city, and seeing the houses-like cargo trucks made Ian catch his breath.

It wasn’t so much their size, but rather the fact that Ian noticed that these cargo trucks had five pairs of heavy-duty wheels—and tracks!