Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Chapter 746: Chapter 745: The Third Kind of Contact

Riding on horseback, the Sheriff looked proudly at the nearly hundred-person convoy before him, their wagons drawn by horses, and their warhorses carrying them deeper into the wilderness.

”Hey, Sheriff.”

Just as the man was about to turn his head to count the number of people, an old man on horseback came up beside him. Seeing the old man, the Sheriff couldn’t help but smile.

”Old fellow, I really didn’t expect you to come along?”

”Of course, the Lord had instructed me again and again—I couldn’t possibly not come,” the old man replied.

Hearing the Sheriff’s words, the old man chuckled and patted the ”Pioneer Emblem” on his chest.

”To be honest, when I heard that the toxic fog over the northern canyon had dissipated, I even thought I might be hallucinating due to old age... Hey, are we really going to open up a new territory?”

”Definitely, that’s why we’re here,” the Sheriff said, nodding vigorously, then he reached out, took a pipe from his bosom, and put it to his mouth.

”We haven’t expanded our territory for many years; if it weren’t for this accident, I’m afraid we’d soon be running out of space to live.”

”Indeed...”

In response to the Sheriff’s complaint, the old man sighed as well. The West Continent is vast, but many areas are barren wilderness, with no rivers or lakes. Such places are simply uninhabitable and can’t be used for farming. Even if used for grazing, it would starve and dehydrate the livestock to death.

After so many years, most of the resource-rich areas have already been firmly held by the nobility and merchants of the Kingdom of Flame. For ordinary people like them, hoping to change their destiny overnight, they could only look forward to the discovery of ”unexplored territories.”

Whether by luck or misfortune, just a few days ago, patrolling soldiers discovered the dissipating Chaos fog near the northern canyons, and it was this news that led their Lord to grit his teeth and gather a team to head to the Northlands canyon to inspect the situation. If that place had truly transformed into ”unexplored territory,” then they’d immediately occupy it!

Most of the people in this team were soldiers from the territory, along with some professionals. They were responsible for securing advantageous positions in the unexplored territory, clearing any remaining Demon Beasts, and figuring out what resources the unexplored territory possessed—which, despite the suffocating Chaos, could leave behind wealth and treasures coveted by humanity when it retreated.

Plants with Magic Power, springs granting eternal youth, Spirit Crystals containing immense power—all of these could potentially be found in ”unexplored territory.” And if they could obtain these, they would be able to rise to the top, enjoying endless glory, wealth, and status, along with money, treasures, women, land, and manors. Everything they could think of, they could have!

So next, just over this little mountain, they would almost be there...

”Clip-clop... clip-clop...”

At this moment, the Sheriff saw a Cavalry rushing toward him not far in front, and his expression involuntarily changed slightly. If he was correct, this Cavalry should be the Scout he had sent ahead to observe the situation... Could it be that something had happened?

”Master, Master!!”

Just then, the Scout had also arrived quickly on horseback in front of the Sheriff. He hurriedly saluted, then spoke.

”Things are not looking good!”

”What’s happened?”

”I’ve found the unexplored territory... but it looks a bit strange there, and... I saw the banner of the Iron Shield Family!”

”Those damned thieves!”

Hearing the Scout’s report, the Sheriff’s expression darkened. Although the unexplored territory was closest to his own Lord’s lands, there was no rule stating that only the neighboring families had the right to develop it. On the contrary, the development of unexplored territories always comes with bloody conflicts and struggles, for it would be certainly no good if an enemy occupied territory near one’s own.

Not to mention, the Iron Shield Family were sworn enemies of his own Lord!

”Quick, everyone, follow me!”

Without hesitation, the Sheriff grabbed the nearby flag and raised it high, then, giving his horse whip a forceful swing, he charged rapidly forward. Seeing the Sheriff ride off, the other soldiers also hastily followed him and surged forward.

”Damn... that filthy banner!”

Just as the Sheriff rode his horse over the hillside, he immediately spotted another cavalry unit not far away, with the Cavalry Captain holding high a flag featuring a red background emblazoned with the emblem of the Iron Shield, galloping forward. The other party seemed to have also noticed the Sheriff’s presence. The Cavalry Captain glanced in this direction before once again picking up speed.

”Damn it!!”

Seeing this, the Sheriff also cracked his whip and hurriedly charged down, at the same time raising his own flag, which had a blue background with the emblem of the Sword—the crest of the Lord to whom he swore allegiance!

I must enter the undeveloped land before those damn bastards!!

The Kingdom of Flame had no strict guidelines regarding the development of undeveloped lands. However, for such contenders, being the first to set foot on the undeveloped territory clearly indicated a notch above the rest and could severely demoralize the opposition. This had nothing to do with interests, it was purely about family honor and glory!

The cavalry of the Iron Shield Family and the Sword Family were almost neck and neck, and although they hadn’t discussed it, they had clearly decided whoever set foot on that land first would be victorious!

But...why was this ”undeveloped land” purple?

The closer the Sheriff got to the ”undeveloped land,” the more puzzled he became. He saw that the land was nothing like the undeveloped land he had imagined. If he remembered correctly, this land had always been shrouded in Chaos miasma, filled with bottomless mud pits and swamps, but now...why was the ground covered with something purple? What on earth was it?

Could it be that this was the ”specialty” of the undeveloped land this time?

This question flashed through the Sheriff’s mind, but he didn’t have time to ponder it. At this moment, he and the rival Cavalry Captain were almost side by side, having left all others behind. It was now a contest between just the two of them, and if he could step onto this land before the other....he would win......!!

”Hiss—————!!”

What the Sheriff hadn’t expected was just as he was about to step onto the purple land, the warhorse beneath him suddenly let out a long neigh and stopped abruptly. The Sheriff, completely unprepared for such an event, was thrown forward and hit the ground hard.

”Oof!”

”Ah!”

Accompanied by cries of pain, the Sheriff felt as if his body had been thrown onto a hot iron plate, the pain searing. However, when he turned his head, he was surprised to find that the Cavalry Captain also appeared to be in agony not far from him...what on earth was happening?

”Damn horse!”

The Sheriff cursed, gasping as he got up and limped over to his horse, trying to pull it forward. But this time, his warhorse completely refused to move ahead. Instead, it shook its head vigorously while desperately retreating, as though some terrifying threat loomed ahead. Then, the next moment, the horse broke free from the Sheriff and turned to flee!

What the hell was going on?

Watching his warhorse run into the distance, the Sheriff was left speechless, not knowing what to say. It was then that he felt someone gently touch his shoulder. freēwēbnovel.com

”What do you want, I have nothing to say to you!”

The Sheriff didn’t turn around. He could guess with his toenails that it must be that jerk Cavalry Captain trying to mock him, and he certainly wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction!

”......”

But the person behind him didn’t seem to care about the Sheriff’s tone at all and patted his shoulder again.

This time, the Sheriff could no longer restrain himself. He furiously drew his Longsword, turned around, and started to curse.

”You motherfucker want to fight........”

But the Sheriff’s words were cut off abruptly as he froze in place.

Behind him was not the Cavalry Captain he had imagined, but a creature as tall as two men, covered in sharp spikes, resembling a giant serpent, waving its two front paws, its pair of blood-red eyes staring coldly at the human before it.

”............”

At that moment, the Sheriff felt his mind go completely blank.