A Meeting

Outpost County was very small, only a few dozen square kilometers, intermittently enclosed by crumbling brick walls less than two meters high. It had only two entrances: the south gate led to the heartland of the Kingdom of Locke, and the north had a small gate, just wide enough for a single carriage, leading towards the Great Wasteland and the Savage Beast Forest.

At this moment, the stars twinkled in the sky, and a crescent moon cast an eerie red glow.

Big Babylon and Little Zack swaggered in through the north gate. The two gate guards were fast asleep on a haystack. Little Zack crept closer and, on impulse, removed the boots of the two lazy guards.

The boots were a poor fit for Big Babylon's feet, which were at least size forty-eight, but he still gave Little Zack a thumbs-up.

Little Zack wasn't small at all. Although he was only seventeen this year, he was tall and well-built. His bare, sturdy muscles, visible beneath his deerskin tunic, contrasted strangely with his youthful face. With snot dripping from his nose, he looked rather unkempt.

It was the first time the two had seen a human town. There weren't many people on the road, but the passersby couldn't help but cast sideways glances at the two powerfully built fellows, whispering amongst themselves.

"They're so strong. Judging by their attire, could they be Wasteland Barbarians?"

"They shouldn't be. How could the border guards let those barbarians through?"

"Who knows? But they don't look too scary, apart from being so muscular."

The two paid no attention, completely unfazed by the pointing and whispering passersby. They looked around with curiosity, marveling at everything from the low-slung thatched huts to the sturdy horses pulling carts.

As they neared the marketplace, their eyes couldn't keep up. Despite the crescent moon overhead, many small vendors in Outpost County were still pushing carts and calling out their wares.

The aroma of roasted Saros beast meat and the scent of cheap ale made the two men swallow continuously.

Little Zack pointed at a vendor selling roasted meat and said pitifully, "Big Babylon, I'm so hungry. I want to eat that. I remember the Great Elder said we can't trade for human things, only buy them with money. Do we have money to buy it?"

Big Babylon, after all, was a seasoned barbarian elite warrior. He suppressed his craving and said sternly, "Buy what? All you think about is eating. Have you forgotten why we're here? You must remember this place. Once we're done with our main business, we'll come back and trade for it!"

"Trade with what?"

Big Babylon chuckled and said, "Trade with our fists!"

Little Zack nodded excitedly, secretly memorizing the appearance of the roasted meat vendor.

Big Babylon took out a simple map from his embrace and, with his large backside sticking out, sprawled on the ground to carefully identify their location, which made the surrounding passersby burst into laughter.

Little Zack looked at the commoners walking by, dressed in long coats and trousers, and then at his own deerskin skirt and tunic, patched in several places. His face flushed with embarrassment.

"They must be rich people from the human kingdom, to use so much fabric for their clothes," Little Zack said enviously. "Their lives must be so prosperous."

Big Babylon glanced disdainfully at Little Zack and said plainly, "Rich people? Them? How is that possible? They must be nobles. Don't you see they're all wearing shoes?"

Little Zack agreed wholeheartedly, "So many nobles! I don't see any commoners!"

After looking at the map with his rear end sticking up for a long time, Big Babylon slowly stood up, nodded at Little Zack, and declared resolutely, "I've finished looking. I'm sure of it, we're lost!"

Little Zack was dumbfounded and asked anxiously, "Then what do we do? You can't read a map. How did you find prey when you went hunting before?"

"By luck!"

"No wonder the tribesmen are always hungry. So what do we do now?"

Big Babylon spread his hands. "I don't know!"

"Then let's hurry back the way we came and find my dad."

Big Babylon put away the map, shook his head with a look of disdain.

Little Zack was on the verge of tears and could only say helplessly, "It's okay. When we go back, you can just blame everything on me. No one will blame you."

"Didn't I just say we're lost?" Big Babylon sighed and continued, "What I mean is, I can't find the way back either."

Little Zack kicked him hard. Big Babylon instinctively rubbed his calf, his eyes fixed on the distance as if he had lost his soul.

Little Zack followed his gaze and saw a young man in a luxurious evening gown, walking with his legs splayed like a crab. People around him quickly dodged and bowed their heads in deference.

This young man, with a wicked smile, kept whistling flirtatiously at the young women passing by. His lecherous eyes darted around like a thief. Those he glanced at would hastily bow with feigned respect, as if avoiding a plague, and then run away. This made the young man burst into exaggerated laughter.

Allen, like a giant crab, occupied the entire street by himself.

"Dina, how's my acting? Does it fit my identity as a good-for-nothing lord?" Allen said, then walked to a nearby barbecue stall and kicked over the grill.

"Second Young Master is the best. Whatever you say goes," Dina praised, then grabbed a handful of roasted meat and gestured with her fist, which was as large as a soup pot, at the pitiful vendor.

"Of course, hehe." Allen stroked his chin, his eyes full of mischief darting around.

Just before sunset, Yorkshire had personally handed Allen a Magic Letter. The letter was from Allen's cheap mother, the Grand Duchess. There was no unnecessary nonsense; the entire letter revolved around one theme: it would have been better to give birth to a pig than to Allen.

Then, the letter ended with a few brief warnings, essentially stating that Allen had been doing too many good deeds lately, attracting the attention of many unknown forces, and that this did not fit his identity as a good-for-nothing lord. From now on, he must be high-profile, preferably spending his days eating and sleeping, and occasionally bullying commoners if he had nothing else to do, striving to be a top-tier useless noble.

Allen wasn't stupid; he knew his cheap mother's good intentions.

Furthermore, Sakre, as if deliberately trying to annoy Allen, specifically informed him that in two days, Princess Hathaway, the jewel of the Duchy of Rothel, would visit Outpost County as a member of the Duchy of Rothel's magic team and participate in the campaign to suppress the heretics.

The small Outpost County, with its calm surface, was turbulent underneath; the current situation was extremely complex.

The Earth Dragon Legion, stationed a few kilometers away, was the direct subordinate unit of his old rival Xiulunte, who might be plotting day and night to get revenge on Allen.

Within Outpost County, the auction houses representing various merchant groups from other countries had recently suspended all caravan activities, their intentions unknown.

The local Bishop Wood of the Diocese, a cunning old fox with hidden malice, was no good either.

And then there was the Cardinal from the southwest region, who would soon personally meet Dina. The Cardinal was one of the highest-ranking figures in the Holy See, with an incomparably noble status.

In addition to that, there was an armed team of nearly a thousand people led by Hathaway.

With so many important figures, each with their own calculations, Allen didn't want to be the center of the storm. He just wanted to be as far away as possible. Unfortunately, Outpost County was only so large, and the old castle couldn't grow legs, so Allen couldn't leave. Helplessly, he had to follow his cheap mother's advice and play the role of a profligate noble, always ready to be humiliated.

That's why today, for the first time in a long time, he hadn't stayed in the old castle to sleep and live off the fat of the land, but had gone out to cause trouble for the residents of Outpost County.

Having watched many "Young and Dangerous" movies, Allen perfectly mimicked the exaggerated mannerisms of the villains from them.

With arrogance written on his left cheek and haughtiness imprinted on his right, Allen acted as if he was afraid no one knew he was a profligate noble. He was like a drunkard city guard, squinting at everyone with displeasure. He kicked over every merchant stall he encountered, his kicks accompanied by arrogant laughter and a touch of deliberate smugness, making him look exactly like a minor villain ready to be slapped in the face at any moment.

Unfortunately for Allen, in the small Outpost County, he carried himself as if everyone knew him. Anyone who mattered in Outpost County, let alone the ordinary residents, even the major powers lurking in the shadows, simply couldn't be bothered to deal with him. They just played their assigned roles.

Everyone had long since grown accustomed to this good-for-nothing lord who changed his ways daily.

Many even thought with satisfaction: "This good-for-nothing lord is finally doing something productive, oppressing the common folk."

Just because no one in Outpost County was willing to deal with Allen didn't mean that two barbarians with more muscle than brains found him agreeable.

Little Zack looked at Allen not far away and said enviously, "So amazing!"

Meanwhile, Big Babylon's eyes were fixed on Dina. He pulled out a scroll from his animal skin skirt, compared it with something, and a smile spread across his face.

While Big Babylon was watching Dina, Allen was also observing these two barbarians whose attire was clearly different from everyone else's.

With their animal skin aprons, patched-up short jackets, bulging muscles, and unrestrained, savage gazes, Allen immediately recognized them as Dina's kin – the Barbarians of the Wasteland who had once caused the Holy See significant trouble.

Allen smiled and casually snapped his fingers.

Sakre and four armored warriors emerged from the shadows. Eight Faith Guardian Knights from the local diocese, holding greatswords, ran over from a distance behind Little Zack.

"Do you have a temporary residence permit? Have you paid social security? You dare come to Outpost County to cause trouble?" Allen mockingly asked Big Babylon, "What did you grow up eating, kid? Don't tell me you eat hormones and protein powder every day."

Big Babylon, like a souped-up version of Schwarzenegger, ignored the warriors slowly surrounding him. He slammed his fists together forcefully and provocatively looked at Allen.

Allen, like a big shot, waved his hand forcefully and shouted, "My lackeys, get him!"

The warriors, who had just formed a circle, exchanged wry smiles.