Knife

"Bacon and dry food have been already packaged for five people. It's enough to survive for half a month." Nicholas respectfully replied.

Dudian looked at him. Nicholas was very qualified if you measured him from the perspective of a butler. Basically, Dudian didn't have to worry about anything: "Make sure that they are awake and here in five minutes."

"Yes." Nicholas went upstairs.

Dudian came to the hall and checked the parts of the cannon in the suitcases.

It didn't take even three minutes for Scar, Jin, Sergei and Gwyneth to join him. Although Dudian was usually a little server on their attitude but he would normally act mildly with them. However they were clear that his character hasn't changed but it was a test.

Dudian looked at the four who were wearing the intermediate hunter armor that was bought from the Temple of Elements a few days ago. This armor was exclusive product of the Temple of Elements and sold only by the Temple. Other consortia were prohibited from production or sales of this suits. Occasionally you could by them at underground black markets.

"Both of you are going to go outside the giant wall for the first time. If there is something that you don't know then don't be shy but ask Scar or Sergei." Dudian told to Gwyneth and Jin.

Gwyneth nodded.

There was nervousness and faint excitement on Jin's facial expression. Although he was a Knight of Light in the past but he had never been outside the giant wall. In the prison he had heard many stories from Scar about the outside world. He knew the dangers of the outside world but he yearned to see it too.

"Eat breakfast and get ready to leave. " Dudian ordered them.

Nicholas commanded the maids to prepare the breakfast. They quickly finished it and loaded the luggages, suitcases and the barrel of the cannon outside of the carriage. Dudian sat inside the compartment while Jin sat on coachman's seat. The others ride the horses.

"Refuse everyone who asks for me." Dudian warned Nicholas: "Do not reveal my whereabouts."

Nicholas respectfully nodded.

The smile on Nicholas's face slowly faded away as he watched them leave. He sneered as he looked at the back of the carriage.

...

...

The carriage traveled through the remote path so that Dudian wouldn't be recognized. After some time they put the Ryan family's banner on the carriage and went towards the border forts. Three hours later they reached the wilderness. Dudian sensed smell of group of people.

"Other consortia?" Dudian was puzzled.

It didn't take long for the source of smell to appear in his sight. It was actually group of soldiers wearing unifroms belonging to army. They quickly caught up with them and passed by. They didn't even checked the presence of Dudian's carriage as they ride past them and soon diminished from their view.

Dudian slowly put down the curtain and looked at the border fortress. The war seemed to be more problematic than it was reported in the newspapers.

After a moment they reached the gates of the fort.

Dudian noted that the number of the soldiers in the fortress wall were several times more than in the past. The soldiers were crowded on the walls checking the other side. The others were practicing in the open ground. Some of them were similar to Dudian as they looked like fifteen-sixteen year old boys. Dudian saw that the soldiers were unfamiliar with the drills. Their limbs appeared weak. It would be result of lack of exercise. It seemed they weren't regular soldiers trained in the barracks.

Dudian frowned as he remembered the mandatory conscription.

"Stop!" A soldier shouted at them as they approached the gate: "This is the border fortress! If you don't have official permission then get back! "

Dudian pushed the door and jumped out of the carriage. He took out his hunter medal and said: "We are hunters of the New World Consortium. We are going to go outside the giant wall."

The soldier looked at his medal then turned to look at Sergei and others: "What about them?"

Sergei took out his medal and threw to the soldier: "Look carefully." Although his original hunter medal has been confiscated long ago but Dudian had asked Old Fulin to re-submit an application to the Temple to get new Hunter medal for all of them.

Soldiers checked each of them and confirmed that all of them were hunters. He looked at Dudian who was in the carriage: "Anyone else inside the carriage?"

Dudian replied: "No one, just some tools for hunt."

"Let me see." Soldier said.

Dudian shrugged his shoulders and let him check.

The soldier turned behind the carriage and saw the suitcases and the barrel roled in clothing. He inspected them and didn't find anything suspicious. He turned back to Dudian: "Do you use these to hunt?"

Dudian faintly smiled: "Do I have to report you the way we hunt?"

Soldier's face changed but he still turned back to the team and gestured his companions to open the gate.

Dudian returned back to the carriage. They passed through the passage of the gate and entered the desolate era. According to Dudian's instructions Sergei and the other two lead the way while carriage followed after them.

Dudian opened the curtain after they left the carriage. There were hammers, swords and knives scattered along the plains. There were faint footprints on the ground and the dry blood.

"It seems that a war has happened here recently." Sergei said as he calmly observed the place.

Scar, Gwyneth and Jin were also aware of this.

Dudian suddenly saw something and ordered: "Stop."

Jin locked the ropes of the horse for it to idle.

Dudian pushed open the door and jumped down. He ignored the others as he went straight for ten meteers and picked up a knife. It was a strange knife which was stained in blood. It had weird patterns engraved on its handle.

He frowned as he carefully inspected the knife. He closed his eyes to search his memories. He had checked the soldiers on duty in the fortress. Although they had short knives on them but the size seemed to be slightly longer and handle was totally different. His eyebrows wrinkled as he was puzzled.

"What?" Sergei approached him as he rode the horse.

Dudian recovered and shook his head: "Nothing." He put away the knife and returned back to the carriage: "Continue."

...

...

Two hours later.

Everyone finally saw the giant wall which towered like mountains and blotted out the sun. Dudian jumped off the carriage as they reached the passage. The Knights of Light were present as always. He handed them his hunter medal so that they let them use the passage. Sergei, Gwyneth and the other transported the suitcases to the passage.

Both of the Knights of Light saw that thsee things looked different but they didn't come forward to check or inspect. They were only responsible to inspect the materials brought from outside. They would normally ignore the things taken out though.

Dudian handed the carriage and horses to the knights of light and entered the passage.

Sergei saw that Dudian was already going to the other side: "Aren't you going to pray?"

"I have already said. I don't believe in God."

Sergei was stunned but still turned towards the wall where the Goddess of Hun was engraved. That beautiful face and enchanting body was the place where all the hunters prayed for prosperity and luck. He closed his eyes for a moment to make the prayer. He saluted and rushed to catch up with Dudian.

Dudian pushed the heavy iron gate and looked outside the giant wall. He didn't see or smell any monsters closeby. Before they went out he looked at the gunpowder boxes from the last time. They were covered well and they shouldn't be wet.

"Wow!" Jin went out of the passage and looked around. He was surprised. Is it the scenery outside the giant wall?

Gwyneth also looked around the place which was covered in vegetation and moss.

Dudian opened all the suitcases and removed the parts. He was fast as it didn't took few minutes for him to assemble the cannon. The base of the cannon had a rolling turret. The diameter of the barrel was twenty centimeters while the length was hundred and sxity centimeters. IT was kind of a cannon which was used in forts in old times.

Sergei, Gwyneth and the others were very curious as Dudian assembled the cannon.

"Is it a catapult?" Sergei was puzzled: "Strage... There is no elastic rope."

Dudian didn't answer his questions and asked the others to bring the gunpowder boxes and follow him.

Sergei and other had long been aware of the existence of the gunpowder boxes. Sergei checked inside one of the boxes when he saw that Dudian wasn't paying attention. From the edge of the box he took out a handful od gunpowder. He saw that it had an unpleasant smell.

"Is it poision?" Sergei asked as he caried onto six gunpowder boxes.

Dudian replied: "If you eat them."