Merchant From Earth in the Magical World
Chapter 53: New Armor, New Warhorse_1

Chapter 53: Chapter 53: New Armor, New Warhorse_1

The Eternal Domain was making headway.

With funds secured, operations began. A constant supply of materials put the construction of the Eternal Domain back on track.

During this period, several more groups of refugees arrived. A week later, the addition of two peasant huts, one militia barracks, and one Wolf Den once again caused the territory’s population to surge.

Now, the number of people the Eternal Domain supported had reached over three hundred. The weekly taxes from the farmers and the territory amounted to 167 Gold Coins.

Although expenses still outstripped income, the previous reward of God-given gold coins allowed them to continue fully recruiting and refreshing the available pool of recruits for some time.

Cash was even more plentiful, allowing Yan Xing to buy whatever he desired.

So, Yan Xing ordered a suit of armor for himself.

The armor was made of titanium alloy. It was expensive, but Lord Yan Xing was not short on cash now.

The armor plates were uniformly two millimeters thick, with vital areas reinforced to five millimeters.

The style of the armor was a retro Western Gothic design. It offered full coverage, and its surface was polished to be mirror-like, adorned with gilded strips and patterns. The addition of some modern cinematic accessories and silk decorations made it look even more magnificent and unusual.

Regardless of its defensive capabilities, the armor’s appearance alone was enough to make it stand out in a crowd.

Yan Xing hadn’t ordered this suit of armor because he wanted to sacrifice himself and become the primary target in a battle.

It was solely for his hero class advancement.

When Yan Xing’s hero level reached 10, the system prompted him to find a Knight Instructor as soon as possible to learn class skills.

It also kindly provided a helpful note:

"A warhorse of fine bloodline, excellent and sturdy armor, and standard knightly etiquette will make a good first impression on the Knight Instructor."

As for the warhorse, Yan Xing had already bought one.

It was an Akhal-Teke horse. Its advantages were great strength, high speed, and strong endurance. It had a fine head and high neck, long limbs, thin skin, delicate hair, and moved lightly.

When Yan Xing went to the horse farm to choose a horse, the dealer used various professional terms to praise the breed. However, what made Yan Xing decide to buy this particular horse was one key phrase.

"The Akhal-Teke is also known as the Sweat-Blood Treasured Horse..."

"Why didn’t you just say it was a Sweat-Blood Horse? That’s the name we Chinese recognize. This horse is clearly a divine steed, beautiful!" Yan Xing immediately decided to buy the Akhal-Teke at the farm and requested to test ride a white-coated Sweat-Blood Horse first.

When it sweats, its coat turns red! A white horse with silver armor—impressive!

As a Knight hero, although Yan Xing had never ridden a horse before, once mounted, he could quickly discern a horse’s characteristics and temperament thanks to his class talent.

After choosing the horse, he also had a lavish saddle and tack fitted for it. After a one-time payment of six million, Yan Xing rode away from the horse farm, seen off by the enthusiastic owner.

With the horse selected, Yan Xing’s standards for armor emphasized both practicality and appearance, with a slight preference for the latter.

After all, this is for meeting the Knight Instructor. The instructor isn’t likely to hack at the armor a few times during our first meeting to test its defenses, right? An instructor has a reputation to uphold, face to save.

Therefore, appearance had a significant impact on the first impression score.

That was why Yan Xing had his armor made so conspicuously ornate.

The armor had a leather lining and cloth padding. It even had built-in fans for internal ventilation and cooling.

The armorer, thinking the customer ordered this suit for some comic convention, had thoughtfully added hidden ambient lighting at the joints of the armor pieces.

When the armor was worn, the ambient lights turned on, and the built-in fans could even make the silk decorations and accessories flutter, giving it the aura of a descended war god.

In his lord’s chamber, Yan Xing turned this way and that before the mirror, admiring his reflection. He felt those tens of thousands were well spent.

He then picked up the Double-Handed Greatsword forged by the Eternal Domain’s Blacksmith Shop.

I’m now the sharpest guy in the entire Eternal Domain!

Just as Yan Xing was busy taking selfies with his phone, Gao Sipa called from outside the door, "My Lord..."

"There’s someone claiming to be a merchant from the Golden Oak Chamber of Commerce requesting an audience."

Yan Xing stopped taking selfies and asked, "What’s his name? How many people are with him? What does he want with me, the Lord?"

"Reporting to My Lord," Gao Sipa replied. "He says his name is Stephen Eden. He’s accompanied by a merchant caravan and a mercenary contingent, sixty-three people in total. Merchant Eden says he has come to the Eternal Domain to discuss business with you, My Lord."

He’s finally here.

Yan Xing knew from Li Zhua that Eden was the human merchant who had been buying agarwood from the Thunderous Swamp Werewolves at a low price.

I raised the purchase price of agarwood to 200:1; it’d be strange if this fellow didn’t come knocking. And he even brought mercenaries. This doesn’t look good!

"Pitch the command tent in the center of the territory," Yan Xing instructed. "Have Eddie and Olaf don the new armor I equipped them with. They are to take up their weapons and wait at the command tent. Let our guests witness the military might and armaments of our Eternal Domain." After a pause, Yan Xing added, "Let Li Zhua join as well. Arrange a seat for him near me."

"Yes, My Lord!"

Stephen Eden of the Golden Oak Chamber of Commerce, along with his caravan and mercenaries, was permitted entry into the Eternal Domain.

As they proceeded, observing their surroundings, they were filled with nothing but shock.

The first thing they found unbelievable was the iron fence and the trenches lined with barbed wire.

They knew this grassland lacked stone and timber, so they had expected the Eternal Domain’s perimeter to be a low earthen wall.

They had never imagined that anyone in this world would use iron to construct fences.

Could it be this luxurious? How many armies could be armed with so much iron?

Looking at these not-so-high iron fences, Eden and the mercenaries felt a greater shock than if they had encountered a towering stone fortress.

The ambition they had arrived with instantly deflated considerably.

Then, they saw large groups of human farmers and Werewolves at work, wielding steel spades.

Similar tools existed in their world, but they were usually made of wood, with perhaps a bit of iron sheeting on the tip.

But in the Eternal Domain, the heads of the spades used by the laborers were entirely made of steel.

That’s right... steel.

As a merchant who had traveled far and wide, Eden could tell at a glance that all those spades were made of steel.

Steel was even harder to smelt and obtain than iron.

Steel was generally used for forging weapons; even some knights couldn’t afford armor made entirely of steel.

Yet here, ordinary farming tools were forged with so much steel.

This wasn’t just luxury or wastefulness; it was a desecration of steel!

Watching the farmers and Werewolves expertly dig the earth with these sharp, steel spades, Eden and the mercenaries felt their eyes twitching.

That steel should have been used to pierce enemy hearts!

Just who was this Lord Yan Xing of the Eternal Domain?

Li Zhua had said he was wealthy.

This was beyond simple wealth. This was wealth paired with outrageous extravagance!

But the shocks for the visitors to the Eternal Domain were far from over.

When Eden and the mercenaries were led deeper into the territory, they were suddenly assaulted by a blinding glare.

What kind of custom is this? Why have they set up so many mirrors to reflect sunlight at us?

However, when Eden and the mercenaries saw clearly what was reflecting the sunlight, they all froze, their feet rooted to the spot as if by Magic.

Steel armor! Full steel plate armor!

The Lord here had actually equipped his troops—even First Order Werewolves and Second Order militiamen—with full steel plate armor!

Is this something a human would even do?! Where in the world are we?