97: What to do

Chapter 97: Countermeasures

After confirming Paul was fine, Arthur and the others began discussing matters concerning Qingfeng Valley.

Intelligence from the Zhentarim indicated that since the Dark Lord fell into a long slumber, his vampire subordinates had split into two factions.

One faction was the Ventrue Clan, led by Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth was mentioned, Airo couldn't help but interject, "I know Elizabeth; she is one of the Dark Lord's brides."

"How many brides does he have?" Philip asked curiously.

Airo shrugged and said, "As far as I know, three."

"As for now, I can't say for sure."

"Anyway, those three women can't stand each other."

"He wanted to turn me into the fourth, but he failed."

"Is she difficult to deal with?" Godwin asked. "The intelligence from the Zhentarim didn't mention her capabilities."

"She was once a noblewoman, the wife of the fifth Baron of Qingfeng Valley."

"Rumor has it that she willingly surrendered to the Dark Lord, and after receiving the embrace, she returned and drained her husband's blood."

"Sounds like not an ideal partner," Philip commented.

Airo's lips curved into a slight smile as she continued, "Though young, she is cold enough and quite skilled in her methods."

"I think that's why she can lead the Ventrue Clan."

"As for the other two, they are merely bloodthirsty fools."

After Airo finished speaking, Arthur asked, "What about the other clan, the Toreador Clan? Do you know anything about them?"

Airo shook her head, "I've never heard of this clan, at least not before I left."

"At that time, there was only one vampire clan in Qingfeng Valley, the Ventrue. That was also the Dark Lord's surname."

Arthur nodded, "So, before you left, the vampires hadn't split."

"Then what do we know about this new clan?"

Catherine took over, "According to the intelligence, the Toreador Clan are pure hedonists, perpetually lost in their desire for blood.

"Their leader is named Dikon, or something like that."

Airo raised an eyebrow, "Dikon? Gods above, that guy is nothing but a court jester, a complete clown."

"I never thought such a character could become a clan leader."

"Don't underestimate your enemies," Arthur reminded them. "The Zhentarim also said there are potential allies in Mist Town?"

Jessica stood up, "Yes, sir. There's an organization called the Night Alliance, said to be composed of ambitious individuals who long to liberate Qingfeng Valley."

"Additionally, the mayor of Mist Town, Demetri Lovich, is also worth recruiting; he's rumored to be an upright man. But the Zhentarim warned us to be wary of the plantations outside the town; they belong to the Candy Family, and not a single one of them is a good person."

Arthur looked at Airo, who said, "The Lovich family are indeed good people; they've given us a lot of help."

"As for those so-called ambitious individuals, most of them are just seeking fame."

"For his amusement, the Dark Lord would send people out to spread various rumors, drawing many unsuspecting people into Qingfeng Valley, searching for what they dreamed of."

"Rangers, treasure hunters, followers of righteous gods... they came with various motives, yet no one has ever truly united them."

"In the end, they all became the Dark Lord's playthings."

Jessica asked, "But didn't they form the Night Alliance?"

"A precarious alliance, that is," Airo sighed. "If not for Demetri Lovich's efforts to maintain it, it would have long since disbanded."

"That it has lasted this long is truly beyond my expectation."

Arthur pondered for a moment before saying, "Originally, I thought we'd be fighting alone, but it seems we still have some allies."

"Just as you told me, Airo, as long as we can reach Mist Town, we have hope."

"Iron Shovel, how's the carriage? Can it depart on time?"

The dwarf patted his chest and guaranteed, "I just need to fix a few more things."

"In that case, let's talk about the Black Goat Caravan."

Arthur brought up another pressing issue.

"Sir, regarding this matter, Paul has a suggestion," Godwin said.

With Arthur's approval, Paul walked to the center of the room and said to everyone, "Sir, everyone, we have already reached a deal with the Wart Hog Caravan."

"As a result, the Black Goat Caravan will certainly not let us off easily."

"Behind them are the Little Finger Merchant Guild and the Shadow Thieves; these people—"

"Wait," Arthur interrupted, "The Black Goat Caravan is colluding with the Shadow Thieves?"

Paul nodded in response, "Yes, sir. That's also why Zalan plundered those caravans."

"They weren't after money or goods, but important intelligence."

"As far as I know, the Zhentarim's infiltration into Amn has not been smooth, and one reason for that is the Shadow Thieves."

"Some of Zalan's letters mentioned Shadow Thieves hidden within the Black Goat Caravan."

"Continue," Arthur said.

Paul cleared his throat and continued, "So, the Shadow Thieves will definitely come to investigate us."

"They will also try every means to spoil our deal with the Zhentarim."

Catherine interjected, "If it's truly as you say."

"Then we're in big trouble."

"The Black Goat Caravan is responsible for transporting provisions for the Bull Family; they have immense power here, and even the commander finds it difficult to command them freely."

"Now, with the Shadow Thieves added, I have a bad feeling that we'll have to leave here very soon."

"No, Lady Catherine," Godwin took over. "The reason these caravans are so arrogant and unrestrained is largely because managing provisions is a lucrative business."

"I think the commander is well aware of this, and thus unwilling to provoke them."

"If he angers the powerful figures behind them, he might be relieved of his duties tomorrow."

"As for whether we need to leave this place, it depends on the situation. Paul, please continue your explanation."

So, the conversation shifted back to Paul.

"Everyone, the worst-case scenario is that the Black Goat Caravan might sell our situation to Qingfeng Valley's enemies."

"Since conflict is inevitable, let's cut off their source of wealth."

"The Black Goat Caravan has two important businesses here: one is grain transport, and the other is mineral trade with Qingfeng Valley."

"But due to Night Mist, the mineral trade has been interrupted. Sir, how did your trip to the Whispering Place go this time?"

Arthur briefly recounted what happened at the Whispering Place.

"That's excellent," Paul said excitedly. "Lord Godwin had long anticipated that you would be able to establish good relations with the Whispering Place."

"So we can transport grain from there to Lookout Fort, thereby encroaching on the Black Goat Caravan's business."

This statement immediately sparked a heated discussion among the group.

The soldiers, represented by Bruce, naturally applauded the idea.

However, Catherine, Old Joe, Iron Shovel, Newt, and Jessica believed this move was too risky.

The rest remained silent, waiting for Paul and Godwin to provide further explanations.