parentshiftbook Chapter 499 Wild Berry Cliff and the Iron Rock Shield
Chapter 499 Wild Berry Cliff and the Iron Rock Shield
Chapter 499 Wild Berry Cliff and the Iron Rock Shield
Five days later.
A sea area southeast of Suoyu Bay.
On the vast sea, a medium-sized vessel that looks like a merchant ship is bobbing up and down in the waves.
Amidst the clamor of the sailors and the cries of seagulls, Xia Nan stood alone by the railing at the edge of the deck, his dark eyes gazing into the distance.
There, at the horizon where the sea meets the sky, the vague outline of an island can be faintly seen.
Three days have passed since he set off from the Broken Wave Wharf in Sucker Bay, and his destination is the remote island in the distance known as "Wild Berry Cliff".
Unlike the superior geographical location and unique terrain of Fish Bay, Wildberry Cliff, like Rabbit Island which he had visited before, is one of the most ordinary and unknown types of islands in the Southern Islands.
Even though it is called "Wild Berry Cliff" by traveling adventurers, the number of wild berries on the island is no more than that of other islands; it is just a name given arbitrarily for convenience.
Under normal circumstances, unless there is an unexpected event requiring a temporary stop for rest and recuperation, no one would consider such a remote island with no special features as a destination for their voyages.
However, according to the intelligence obtained by Xia Nan and his group, the pirate gang that is suspected to be closely related to the Tidefall Gang and robbed the collector Oriel Silverheart's goods and collections lives on the island and regards Wildberry Cliff as its main base.
This is also why Xia Nan gave up his rest time between missions to come here.
It is worth mentioning that since this trip was undertaken for his own benefit, and he did not want to trouble others and it would be more convenient to go out alone, Xia Nan did not ask any acquaintances for help.
The members of Alton and the Blade of Vengeance were still on vacation in Barracuda Bay. When the barbarian Arken learned that Xia Nan was about to go out to sea, he patted his chest in very typical character and said that he was willing to go to sea with him. He only gave up after Xia Nan declined.
In the battle of Twin Valleys, Xia Nan almost single-handedly turned the tide. His outstanding performance in the fight against the shark beast earned him the recognition of all members of the Blade of Vengeance team, including many sailors on the ship, who now regard him as a truly reliable member of the team.
If he were to actually ask for help, it goes without saying that Alton would respond, and within the Blade of Vengeance, he would likely receive a response from most of the crew, including Lorraine and Hein.
Ultimately, it was his own business, and Xia Nan's personality made him not want to trouble others too much.
Of course, he wasn't the only one going out to sea to do things.
Oriye has been operating in the Southern Islands for many years and has extensive distribution channels.
Arrangements had already been made for Xia Nan's lost goods long before contacting him.
The disguised merchant ship that Xia Nan is currently traveling on, which looks ordinary on the outside but is actually well-equipped inside, comparable to a custom-made model for adventurers, is one of the methods used by the other party.
In addition, as the main force for landing on the island to complete the mission, he also got to know several new teammates.
"Hey, The Hague! Come here, let's talk about our next steps!"
A rough male voice, slightly painful to the eardrums, came from behind me.
Turning my head, I saw a sturdy figure, also fully armed and clad in metal plate armor.
"Iron Rock" Habik, level 4 Shield Guardian.
A hill dwarf, who is also the leader of the "Iron Rock Shield" adventurer party he founded.
His height of just over four feet meant that the bottom of the heavy steel tower shield he carried on his back almost touched the ground, and a single-handed prism hung from his waist; his left hand held a well-maintained classic barrel helmet, and his right hand was raised high, swinging towards Xia Nan; the fine plate armor on his body reflected a dazzling luster in the sunlight.
Xia Nan had an ordinary impression of this dwarf warrior.
Rough, loud-voiced, so rough that he seemed somewhat reckless and impolite...
Perhaps because of the relatively short time they spent together, Xia Nan's impression of the other person was almost the stereotypical image of dwarves, with nothing special about them.
It's not that Xia Nan doesn't want to get to know the other person better and build a closer relationship.
Personally, he is relatively professional when it comes to adventure missions.
After all, they would be fighting side by side, and he hoped to get to know his teammates on this trip better.
Even if they can't become friends, or even if they never contact each other again after the mission ends, for the sake of the mission itself and the possible battles, they still need to understand each other's fighting styles and roles.
Unfortunately, since meeting him on the ship three days ago, the other party and the other members of "Iron Rock Shield" have maintained a lukewarm attitude towards him.
Even if he initiates a conversation, the topic will quickly end due to the other group's cold shoulder.
Xia Nan didn't sense much explicit hostility; however, the other person never took the initiative to be friendly, and always kept their distance during conversations.
He could understand that.
Just like the Silver Claw Osprey Squad he had encountered before, he was just a temporary outsider, while the others were all old teammates who had fought side by side for many years and had formed a fixed and close-knit group.
They might have some social interactions on a normal day, but in a dangerous mission that requires combat, they certainly wouldn't trust a complete stranger out of thin air.
I just hope things will improve later.
With that thought in mind, Xia Nan saw that the other party had gone out of their way to greet him for the sake of the upcoming plan, so he stepped over.
"Iron Rock Shield" is a very classic four-person adventurer team.
In addition to Captain Harbick, who serves as the front-line shield guard, the group is also equipped with an orc warrior, a human ranger, and a gnome rogue.
Based on the intensity of the auras that Xia Nan sensed, the professional levels of these individuals were probably between level 3 and level 4, and the highest level would definitely not exceed level 5.
Their equipment was quite good. Although I hadn't heard of their team before, they should all be seasoned veterans with many years of experience in the Southern Islands... well, except for one of them.
"What's there to discuss? Haven't we already found out everything from Oriel? They're just a bunch of bolder pirates, maybe with a few small-time thugs from the Tidefall Gang added to the mix."
"Just barge in, kill them all, and that's it! No need to waste any more time!"
It's not that Xia Nan has any racial prejudice, but he has to admit that the orc adventurers he has encountered since he transmigrated to this world are too much like his racial stereotypes.
While other races like "half-elf" and "half-dwarf" are perfectly normal, only the orcs give off a strange vibe, as if they've inherited the flaws of both races.
They lack the robust physique and fierce fighting spirit of pure-blooded orcs, and have also lost human intelligence and creativity.
Xia Nan even suspected that some professional adventurer teams recruited orc teammates simply because they regarded them as some kind of "consumables".
Right now, the one who uttered those overly reckless words that made Xia Nan frown was none other than the orc warrior Howl from the Iron Rock Shield squad.
The other man called himself "Skullbreaker," a title bestowed upon him by his tribe, which he was very proud of. In Xia Nan's few conversations with him, this orc acted as if his nickname "Skullbreaker" was quite famous in Barracuda Bay.
Unfortunately, Xia Nan had never heard of him and was not the type to offer empty flattery. This caused the orc, who made no attempt to hide his emotions, to immediately turn cold and refuse to speak to him. In fact, he even showed a slight aggression when they occasionally came into contact later.
Based on the information he had intermittently observed over this period, as well as the hints in the other party's words, Xia Nan guessed that the reason why this half-orc was behaving this way was most likely because of his nickname "The Hague".
Maybe... I'm a little envious?
Xia Nan couldn't help but laugh inwardly.
It must be said that, without speaking, Haoge is at least quite intimidating in terms of appearance.
His thick, coarse brown hair was tied into dozens of thin braids, with animal teeth and bone fragments in the middle. His features were fierce, like those of a wild beast. Two sharp lower canines protruded from his thick lips, and there was a kind of totem tattoo on the side of his forehead.
His robust body, nearly seven feet tall and two meters high, made him look like an upright brown bear. His dark green skin was taut with strong muscles and covered with hideous scars from battles.
The weapons were two heavy steel hand axes, tightly fastened to the waist with iron chains that served as belts, producing a crisp, soft sound as the body moved.
Right now, the orc Howl was standing on the deck, loudly explaining his understanding to his teammates, while glancing at Xia Nan who was walking over out of the corner of his eye.
Judging from the behavior of those around him, it was clear that no one, including his teammates, cared about the orc's opinion.
"Howl, be quiet."
The one speaking was a human ranger in the party, a rare female among lower-level adventurers.
Sally appears to be in her early thirties. Judging from her striking features and honey-colored skin, she is likely a native of the Southern Islands.
She was tall and wiry, with neat chestnut-brown short hair, a angular face, high cheekbones, and a few sunspots on her cheeks.
The sharp gaze is characteristic of archers; they habitually squint when looking at people.
She wore a light green leather armor, with a cedar longbow slung across her back and two spare short swords at her waist, exuding a capable and efficient air.
Xia Nan and the other party did not communicate much either.
But compared to the orcs who were clearly lacking in intelligence and perception, this human ranger was obviously much more perceptive.
When Xia Nan first boarded the ship, he often felt scrutinizing gazes from the other party. The wandering knight seemed to have also vaguely sensed his danger and kept his distance while remaining secretly vigilant.
She was very careful and never exposed her back to him.
On several occasions, when the orcs lost control of their emotions and seemed about to offend Xia Nan with their words, Seri would always step in to stop them and prevent the situation from escalating.
Just like now, the orc who was shouting that he wanted to attack the island directly stopped talking immediately after Seri whispered a word to him. He didn't argue, but just snorted and turned his head away angrily.
As for the last member of their squad, the dwarf wanderer.
It can only be said that his words and actions certainly fit the profession of a "wanderer".
It has a very low profile.
He rarely appears on ordinary days and hardly speaks. When you do happen to see him, he usually hides in the shadows, playing with his two small daggers, and occasionally raising his eyebrows to give passersby a sinister glance.
Xia Nan didn't even know the other person's name; he only heard Habik, Seri, and the others call him "Agu."
Although he had followed his teammates to the deck, he had no intention of participating in the conversation and was squatting on the stairs, silently staring at the floor.
“Going directly onto the island from the front is definitely not an option.” As the squad leader, the dwarf Habik once again rejected the orc’s idea. “That would be too dangerous, and we might not have enough manpower.”
Their primary objective on this trip was to retrieve the collection stolen from collector Aurelius.
"Teaching the pirates and the Tidebreakers a lesson" was just a side effect.
To some extent, as long as the cargo can be brought back to Barracuda Bay intact and safely, the mission can be considered a complete success even if the pirates suffer no casualties.
Of course, given that Aurelius's collection is likely to be under strict guard due to its inherent value, a battle is probably inevitable.
"Then tell me how we should get to the island!" After being rejected by his teammates one after another, the orc lowered his head and muttered a dissatisfied sentence.
Already accustomed to this, and ignoring Howl's discontent, the dwarf Harpy glanced at Seri and the dwarf Agu beside him, pondering:
"During this period of time, I have thought of two methods."
"The first option is for us to simply present ourselves as a passing merchant ship and lure out the main force of the pirates."
"Change the battle environment from their home ground on the island to the sea to minimize the disadvantages."
"If we take care of their main force at sea, it will be much easier to land on the island later."
As he spoke, Habik raised his second finger, which was short and thick like a radish.
"The second option is to dive into the island from the other side of Wild Berry Cliff."
"Then, depending on the specific circumstances, while searching for a storage location for the collection, we should observe the pirates' detailed layout and the number of their troops before making a decision."
“Let’s go with the second option,” suggested the human ranger Selene, nodding slightly. “The first option is a bit too dangerous. If the pirates discover our identities beforehand, it will only make things more complicated.”
"The second option is relatively safer. We can have the ship anchored in a slightly more distant area and wait for a signal to approach and provide support."
After listening to Sally's explanation and thinking for a moment, Habik nodded in agreement.
“Very good, then we’ll go to the island from the side, and then decide on our next course of action based on the situation on the island.”
With that, their subsequent plans were finalized.
Although Xia Nan was symbolically invited over, she was tacitly excluded from making actual decisions by the others.
It's easy to imagine that even if he raised a different opinion on the spot, the members of the "Iron Hammer" team would not agree.
Knowing this, he didn't get involved, but secretly observed the people on the field and waited for the result.
If things don't go as planned, or if they affect his performance, he will choose to act alone.
Fortunately, the team's final decision to land on the island from the side was actually what Xia Nan had in mind, saving him from wasting his breath. He could just stay with the team and prepare for battle.
(End of this chapter)