Soldiers and Horses Welcome

## 28. Meeting with Troops

By the woods near the Mountain Forest Town road sign, Luo Ning's group rested here after finishing lunch.

After a morning of traversing mountains, the Guards sometimes had to dismount the carriage to push it, and everyone was still a bit tired.

However, the thought that this long journey was about to end brought joy to their eyes.

At this moment, they were gathered in groups of three or five, leaning against tree trunks and resting in the shade, occasionally engaging in quiet conversation.

A mountain breeze blew, rustling the leaves. Mage Elrond, who was meditating under a tree at the front, opened his eyes, looked into the distance, and a sharp light flickered in his gaze.

"My lord, I sense that there are people and horses approaching from that direction," Elrond reminded him.

Luo Ning's eyes snapped open, ending his mana refinement. He stood up and looked at the plain below the mountain. Indeed, he could see a group of people and horses coming along the main road.

However, the distance was too great to see exactly how many people there were.

Chahar stood beside Luo Ning, looking into the distance and saying, "Could it be that the Administrator here discovered us and specifically came out to welcome you, my lord?"

Luo Ning shrugged, "Let's hope so!"

He turned and strode towards the area where the Guards were resting. Guard Officer Macken and his deputy, David, both followed him.

"All hands!" Luo Ning shouted loudly.

After this period of training, all the Guards, regardless of their state, immediately stood up straight the first time they heard this command.

Their discipline had improved by countless levels compared to ten days ago.

The Guards reacted instinctively, but a question arose in their minds a moment later:

The Baron had just told them to rest well at noon, so why were they suddenly training again?

Luo Ning calling them up was certainly not for training. "Pick up your weapons and assemble here!"

Weapons?

The Guards were stunned for a moment. Practicing footwork and Military Boxing didn't require weapons, so why did the Baron want them to bring weapons?

Chahar and David were also stunned. They couldn't understand why the Baron would make such an arrangement.

Among those present, perhaps only Macken and Elrond weren't stunned. It wasn't that they knew Luo Ning's purpose, but rather that they would unconditionally follow whatever decision Luo Ning made.

Despite their confusion, Luo Ning held absolute authority in the Guards' hearts, so they immediately picked up their inferior longswords and quickly assembled.

Five ranks of six files, neat and uniform.

"Very good!"

Looking at the neat and orderly formation, Luo Ning nodded slightly. "Later, the people welcoming us might be enthusiastic allies, or they might be cold longswords, so be prepared for battle!"

Hearing this, everyone present was startled.

What was going on? Would there still be danger in Mountain Forest Town?

Luo Ning didn't explain further. "Now, in groups of five, spread out!"

Anxious and tense atmosphere spread, but they all knew there was an Intermediate Knight in the team, as well as a Mage, a total of four Transcendents, so they weren't overly panicked.

"My lord, are you worried they will attack us?" Elrond asked.

Luo Ning nodded slightly. "I hope I'm overthinking it, but it's always good to be prepared."

"Sworn to protect my lord!" Macken took off his shield, drew his longsword, and shouted.

David also made the same gesture. "Sworn to protect my lord!"

Seeing this, the Guards raised their inferior longswords one after another. "Sworn to protect my lord!"

Luo Ning couldn't help but smile at this scene.

It was good to have his own team.

Time passed slowly, and that line of people and horses was getting closer and closer. Luo Ning also noticed that they didn't just have cavalry, but also Infantry walking behind.

"Twenty-eight people in total."

Intermediate Mage Elrond had better perception and confirmed the number of the opposing party.

Luo Ning's mouth curved up. Twenty-eight people came at once, and there were both cavalry and Infantry. What were they here for?

If he had encountered such a formation when passing through other territories, Luo Ning would likely have chosen to immediately detour and avoid their strength.

But he couldn't do that now. He had already reached his own territory, how could he detour?

Even if the other party came with ill intentions, he had to face this wave head-on.

The sound of hooves and footsteps gradually became clearer, and everyone's hearts were in their throats.

Soon, the people and horses appeared about a hundred meters away.

Luo Ning was the first to mount his horse and rode forward, looking down from above, leading the team to block them on the slope.

Beside him, Macken, David, and Elrond also mounted their Warhorses, protecting him in the center.

When the two sides were about fifty meters apart, Macken asked in a deep voice, "Halt, identify yourselves!"

His voice was loud, shaking the mountain forest.

The five cavalrymen, who had already slowed down, reined in their horses and stopped. A tall, thin man lightly squeezed his horse's belly and moved slightly forward from the group.

"Who are you people?"

He questioned coldly, "What are you doing in Mountain Forest Town?"

Macken replied in a deep voice, "Standing before you is a Bloodline of the Wushan Family, the Baron of Mountain Forest Town, Luo Ning Blazing Storm! If you are subjects of Mountain Forest Town, you should offer your greetings and loyalty to Baron Luo Ning!"

"A Bloodline of the Wushan Family?"

The other party's voice held a hint of doubt, mixed with an almost imperceptible mockery.

"As far as I know, Count Wiggins has only three children. The eldest son, Luo Ning, has just been stripped of his inheritance rights, his daughter McKinney is married to Sir Cabir of Radiant City, and his second son, Brayden, is studying at the Wushan Supernatural Academy."

He raised an eyebrow and spread his hands, "I've never heard of the Count having a son named Luo Ning Blazing Storm. What, is he a bastard?"

"You..."

Luo Ning raised his hand, signaling Macken not to argue. He reined in his horse with both hands, sitting calmly in the saddle.

"Everyone says Mountain Forest Town is extremely remote and barren, and should be poorly informed. I didn't expect that living in the mountains, you would hear about the Wushan Castle's legitimate eldest grandson being stripped of his inheritance rights so quickly."

Luo Ning chuckled, "Then you should know that Luo Ning changed his surname to Blazing Storm, right?"

The other party's expression changed slightly, realizing he had just accidentally let something slip.

Luo Ning didn't want to waste words with the other party and got straight to the point, "If my guess is correct, you should be the Administrator of Mountain Forest Town. Tell me your name."

"The outside world has belittled you as if you were a fool, but seeing you today, it's clear that rumors are unreliable." The man stopped pretending to be foolish and raised his hand in a Knight's salute.

"Baron, I am Prinster, the Administrator of Mountain Forest Town, and also its operator and guardian."

Luo Ning narrowed his eyes and frowned.

The title of Administrator was granted by Wushan Castle. But operator and guardian were clearly titles the other party had given himself.

Judging by the other party's tone and attitude, it seemed he already considered himself the master of Mountain Forest Town.

That's why Prinster brought soldiers to meet Luo Ning and spoke to him from horseback instead of dismounting and bowing.

Luo Ning didn't know what the other party was relying on, but it was clear the other party wouldn't easily give up the seat of "actual lord" of Mountain Forest Town.

Or perhaps the other party was using this display to try and get some benefits from him, the lord?

Luo Ning glanced at the soldiers beside Prinster. There were four cavalrymen, twenty infantrymen, and he even saw three archers.

According to Rulans, Mountain Forest Town had a population of no more than a thousand. The fact that they could field so many people as Guards was a bit unexpected for Luo Ning.

"Alright, Administrator Prinster, you can tell me your purpose now."