"Of course."
Man Xiu agreed readily, and Luo De immediately asked Durant to bring over a map and spread it out on the wooden table.
Luo De's map came from Lawrence, which had some annotations but wasn't comprehensive, only showing main roads and typical gathering places like Frost Leaf Town.
"The most common danger is the Desert Wolf; they appear in packs, and when encountered, one must respond cautiously. Your knights are likely more experienced than I am in this regard."
Man Xiu pointed at the map generously, introducing it, "To go north, you need to bypass Gray Snake Canyon, where there are giant serpents. Not far from there, in Ice Spring Lake, there's a water monster."
"In the Thorn Valley to the west, there's a gigantic black bear, said to be three meters tall. Two trading teams have already been destroyed by it. Be cautious, it should already be out foraging since hibernation has ended."
"These are the dangers I know of; I hope this helps you."
"Certainly, it is helpful. Thank you very much, Mr. Man Xiu."
Luo De, full of sincerity, raised his cup voluntarily, "May our friendship last long."
"May our friendship last long."
Man Xiu raised his cup in response and drank with Luo De.
What Luo De said was genuine, as he currently had a good impression of this merchant.
To that end, Luo De specially took out the fruit wine he found in the former mayor's house to entertain Man Xiu.
Of course, Man Xiu brought gifts for Luo De as well, the specialty of Oak City—two bottles of Oak Nut Wine.
Luo De put down his cup, wiped his mouth, and continued to ask, "Are there any other gathering places in Black Pine Ridge?"
Man Xiu shook his head slightly, "I'm sorry, other than the Black Stone Mountain People's village, I haven't encountered any."
Luo De understood as well.
Here, beasts roamed wild, and robbers were rampant, forcing people to live together.
Even if small villages with dozens of people existed, they would likely be hidden in some unknown corner, evading robbers.
"Then tell me about the Black Stone Mountain People's gathering place, are there many people?"
"It's incomparable to your place here; it's not even a village, just a dozen households, less than fifty people."
Man Xiu spoke without any reservation, sharing everything he saw in Black Stone Mountain Village with Luo De.
He went there twice, but didn't stay long, as the total time didn't exceed three days.
"However, there is a famous, formidable hunter there. On my last visit, I received seven complete Desert Wolf pelts and dozens of other animal skins."
"A complete wolf pelt... that must require excellent archery."
To acquire a whole wolf pelt, one must shoot an arrow into the wolf's heart or lung, ensuring a one-hit kill and avoiding damage to the wolf's fur.
Close combat with wolves and setting traps make it hard to achieve this.
Additionally, the hunter who skins the wolf must have skilled techniques and a deep understanding of a wolf's anatomy to successfully peel off an undamaged wolf pelt.
This matched pretty well with what Luo De had learned.
"There are a lot of beasts in the Black Stone Mountain Range, so having a skilled hunter is not surprising."
Luo De casually added a line and then shifted the topic to other experiences of Man Xiu.
It was until the banquet was about to end when Luo De asked again, inquiring when Man Xiu planned to leave Frost Leaf Town and continue his journey.
"I need to inventory the goods tomorrow. If the weather is clear the morning after tomorrow, my trading team will depart," Man Xiu replied.
Luo De nodded slightly, "Good, then I'll personally see you off the morning after tomorrow."
"That would be a joyous occasion."
Man Xiu slightly bowed to express respect, then cautiously inquired, "Will your knight Durant have any free time?
If you're willing to assign him to escort my trading team, I am willing to pay an additional gold coin as compensation."
"Of course, I'm willing, not just for the money, but for the friendship between us."
"Indeed, for the sake of friendship."
The two raised their glasses once more, their faces full of smiles.
Man Xiu's smile was because one gold coin was below his mental price.
Luo De's smile, though, was because he achieved his objective and unexpectedly gained a gold coin.
Luo De put down the wine glass and spoke once more,
"To make our friendship more lasting, I've decided to deploy a small squad to ensure your safety until you leave Black Pine Ridge."
Man Xiu widened his eyes in surprise and stood up excitedly to give a bow,
"Your generosity amazes me. Next time I visit, I shall bring a grand gift for you!"
...
...
Because of Luo De's generosity, what was supposed to be the end of the banquet extended until the celebration.
An enthusiastic Man Xiu specially sent for two more bottles of Oak Nut Wine, finishing all of them before leaving in a tipsy state.
Luo De dismissed the servants and summoned Durant.
"Master, are you alright?"
Seeing Luo De holding his forehead, leaning against the table, Durant bent down and asked with concern in a low voice.
"I'm okay, just a bit dizzy."
It must be said, this wine from a foreign world doesn't taste like alcohol, but drinking all of it can be quite overwhelming.
"I've already spoken with Man Xiu. You'll lead a small squad to escort them until they leave Black Pine Ridge."
Luo De relayed all the gathered information to Durant and instructed, "Select a few skilled people, fully equip them with armor, and bring all the round shields.
There are some skilled hunters among them.
I'll follow with my men, but don't act rashly upon arrival."
"Rest assured, you have a day, and I'll organize it properly."
"Hmm, take care of it."
Luo De took a deep breath, then lay directly on the table, as the alcohol was making him just want to close his eyes.
Durant hurriedly called in the maidservants Leia and Shanni from outside, to help bring Luo De to bed.
After instructing the two to take good care of the lord, he turned and left, beginning to select the members of the squad.
For caution's sake, Durant did not reveal the true objective, only mentioning the escort mission to intimidate the robbers.
Luo De had fallen asleep in bed, only waking at midday the next day.
After having lunch, in the afternoon, Luo De gathered Gang Le, the former Golden Sand Trading Team's guards, and the militia captain, distributing the purchased weapons and chain armor to everyone and instructing them to stay vigilant, prepared with two days' worth of dry rations and water.
The reason being that Luo De claimed to have received word from a scout that robbers were rampant lately, necessitating increased alertness and vigilance.
The three leaders were puzzled, as they hadn't heard of any scout before. Where did this scout come from?
However, since the lord spent a hefty sum on equipment, he certainly wouldn't deceive them. Thus, all three took it seriously and relayed the message down the line.
The next morning, Luo De woke up early.
As per their agreement, he and Man Xiu had breakfast together, after which he personally saw off the young merchant from Frost Leaf Town.
Then Luo De swiftly returned to the manor, selecting fifteen of the strongest slaves, giving them axes and longswords.
Following Luo De's orders, Gang Le and others quickly mustered the team.
Luo De gazed at the sky, estimating the time, and waited for nearly an hour.
Leaving ten men behind to guard, Luo De led forty soldiers in a mighty procession, pursuing the direction where Man Xiu had departed.