Reincarnation Paradise Park

Chapter 810: Chapter 41: Roadblock

The Chasing Army marched methodically toward the Black Soil Fortress. Along the way back, Su Xiao occasionally saw small groups of Imperial soldiers patrolling around the Black Soil Fortress. Once they spotted the Tribal Army, they immediately fired a signal flare into the sky.

Signal flares occasionally soared into the night sky as the hundreds of thousands of Imperial soldiers split into several groups to cleanse the nearby areas of Tribal Army forces.

Of course, this clearance had a time limit. Once nightfall fully descended, the cleansing would end, and the army would gather at the Black Soil Fortress to defend it.

As expected, the Tribal Army would not give up on the Black Soil Battle Zone. After all, it was one of the three major battle zones, and this was not the first time the Tribal Army had been repelled.

In this battle, the Tribal Army was beaten terribly. This was not only because they were not united but also because of Carlos’s presence on the front line, which drove the Imperial soldiers’ morale to an unstoppable level.

When Su Xiao returned to the Black Soil Fortress with the army, piles of corpses were stacked outside the fortress, burning in blazing flames, sending plumes of black smoke into the sky.

”Lift, be careful, slow down with that snare over there.”

”Has anyone seen Marsa? Get him in front of me within five minutes.”

”Report, all of our fallen soldiers have been transported inside the Black Soil Fortress.”

The soldiers were busy on the battlefield, with Legion Commander Carlos among several officers receiving reports from them.

Su Xiao’s unit dispersed after reaching near the Black Soil Fortress, allowing all soldiers to move freely.

The new recruits climbed up the fortress using rope ladders, seeking the secretary official within the Black Soil Fortress to write a letter home, informing their families they were still alive.

As for the veterans, they scoured the battlefield for valuables. Compared to letters, they preferred sending valuable items to their wives and children at home.

Su Xiao headed toward the Black Soil Fortress to find Quartermaster Nicholas Caesar. If all went as expected, the Merit Shop would open soon, and leaders of various adventure groups would also head there. After this battle, there would be many who could exchange their merits for the ”Holy Oak Tree Trunk,” not just Su Xiao.

Fortunately, Su Xiao had previous dealings with Nicholas Caesar, which provided an opportunity to pull some strings.

Su Xiao climbed the rope ladder onto the Black Soil Fortress, noting that the stone slope outside the fortress had been dismantled, as it served no purpose other than facilitating the Tribal Army’s attack on the fortress.

On top of the fortress walls, the ground was wet, with shallow reddish puddles reminding everyone of the recent events there.

Su Xiao smelled a faint scent of blood. Although the corpses on the walls had been dealt with, and the ground had been cleaned, the scent of blood lingered.

After inquiring with passing soldiers, Su Xiao learned Nicholas Caesar’s whereabouts. The man had already moved his entire household back to the Black Soil Fortress.

The fortress’s stone walls were about several tens of meters wide. The inner side of the fortress wall was hollow, used for storing supplies and housing soldiers. The outer side was entirely made of obsidian, frequently attacked by the Tribal forces, necessitating its strength.

Su Xiao entered the interior of the fortress walls, which resembled a large war fortress with 16 floors. Each floor had a corridor running the entire length, facilitating movement.

Floors 16 through 6 were for soldiers’ quarters, partitioned into large barracks several thousand square meters each. Floors 5 and 4 were for officer housing, divided into small compartments, with better accommodations for higher ranks. Floors 3 through 1 were used for storing supplies.

As Su Xiao walked into the fortress, a strong smell of gunpowder assaulted his senses, with large fragments of black stone scattered in the corridors. This was the work of the Tribal forces, who had tried to blow up the hollow side of the Black Soil Fortress.

Torches were mounted on the walls of the fortress corridors, their flickering light bathing the interior in a cold dampness.

Su Xiao had learned that Nicholas Caesar resided on the 4th floor, a place only high-ranking officers could reside.

Su Xiao had just reached the entrance to the 4th floor when he found several soldiers blocking the entrance.

”Please show your officer’s credentials, sir.”

The soldiers stood straight, their expressions serious.

”I am Squad Leader Bai Ye, temporarily without credentials, promoted during wartime.”

Su Xiao had nothing to prove his identity. However, he did not need any credentials. After all, the war had just ended, and many newly promoted officers lacked credentials. Pretending to be an officer was highly unlikely since it carried a death penalty.

The soldiers exchanged glances, appearing hesitant.

”Sorry, sir, you can’t enter without credentials for now.”

One soldier stepped forward, whispering, ”Sir, I have no way around it, please don’t make it difficult for me...”

The soldier’s words carried a hint of pleading.

”Interesting approach.”

Su Xiao roughly guessed what was happening. Undoubtedly, these soldiers were planted by ’interested parties.’ With the war at the Black Soil Fortress just over, the officers were busy and couldn’t return here now. Anyone visiting at this time was likely a contractor intending to exchange merits for items.

Su Xiao had gained his officer title to access the Merit Shop. The same was true for the leaders of adventure groups. A squad leader could recruit 200 subordinates, essentially preparing for adventure groups. The leaders would recruit their members as soldiers, allowing members access to the Merit Shop, where merits would then be displayed.

The soldiers blocking Su Xiao were likely hired by those group leaders to block other contractors from seeing Nicholas Caesar.

Even if they couldn’t stop everyone, stopping a few would be beneficial. During the war, military discipline was strict, and most contractors dared not cause trouble.

Realizing this, Su Xiao pushed through the soldiers in front of him and walked forward.

”Wait.”

The soldiers didn’t shout ’halt’ or threaten to ’kill if approached’ but instinctively said ’wait,’ confirming to Su Xiao that they were paper tigers.

Su Xiao paused, looking at the soldiers, who should have been the ones feeling guilty now.

”Sir, I... ”

An older soldier stepped forward.

”Say one more word, and I’ll kill you.”

Faced with such deliberate obstruction, Su Xiao wouldn’t be polite.

”...”

The soldiers stepped back a few paces, sensing that if they continued to block Su Xiao, they would genuinely die, and dying now would be in vain, leaving them with a tainted reputation even in death.

Su Xiao stepped into the 4th-floor corridor of the fortress. From a distance, he saw a dozen people standing inside, seemingly waiting for something.

Seeing these people, Su Xiao recognized them as contractors because among them were some ’familiar faces,’ the siblings he had met outside the Quartermaster’s Tent, one of whom he sold the ’Minotaur Lord’s Arm Armor’ to.

A dozen contractors turned their attention to Su Xiao, divided into four groups, representing the remaining four adventure groups in the Black Soil Battle Zone.