It's undeniable that teleportation portals are an incredible invention.
These spatial Magic Circles can transfer not just living beings but also inanimate objects, all while consuming minimal resources in large-scale operations.
They are, in a sense, the epitome of transportation and logistics solutions.
The Azure Empire even managed to enhance these teleportation portals, making them more efficient and thereby fortifying its own formidable strength.
One such portal was installed in Frosty City.
However, at Ethan's query, disdain colored the faces of the caravan's crew.
Even Khosro chuckled before explaining, "What you've said is now a thing of the past. As of five days ago, Frosty City ceased to be a part of the Azure Empire. The Devil Guild attacked the city, destroyed its teleportation portal, and even captured a high-ranking official from the empire."
"They wiped out the Azure Empire's guards in Frosty City, but chose not to occupy it. Now, the city is a land without a master. But it still teems with adventurers, and the scarcity of essential goods has caused prices to soar—it's a golden opportunity for wealth."
Khosro succinctly narrated the recent events in Frosty City, leaving Ethan genuinely surprised.
The city's defenses had been toppled by the Devil Guild!
This might be something to discuss with the Lava Dark Lord, Ethan mused.
He then casually responded to Khosro, "I see, thank you for the information, Captain."
Afterwards, Ethan and Sherry stepped aside, not wanting to get too close to the caravan. But this also meant a change in plans.
Concerned that his identity as a Dark Lord might cause complications, Ethan initially didn't intend to go to Frosty City, or maybe just send Sherry to gather information.
Now, however, the city's current state seemed rather accommodating.
Having resolved to make a trip to Frosty City, Ethan once again reached out to the Lava Dark Lord.
[Unknown Dark Lord: Devil Guild has taken Frosty City?]
[Lava Dark Lord: So you've heard... Well, it's not entirely their doing. The situation is, let's say, complex. Things aren't as straightforward as they seem. If you're interested, I can fill you in when we meet—provided you pass the Devil Guild's assessment.]
The Lava Dark Lord was clearly reluctant to divulge more on the matter.
However, even the scant information he did reveal was enough for Ethan to sense a whiff of conspiracy in the air.
Originally, Snowy Plains had no cities to speak of.
Establishing a city within its harsh environs would require not just a monumental investment, but also face daunting challenges.
Yet after the Azure Empire conquered the Eastern Coast and expanded into Snowy Plains, Frosty City rose from the frozen tundra in less than six months.
This astonishing feat naturally led to questions about why the empire would exert such monumental effort to build a city here.
What was their ultimate goal?
Was it for some unique resources native to Snowy Plains?
That seemed unlikely.
Although Snowy Plains did have certain special resources, their demand was not so great as to justify the construction of an entire city.
The idea of claiming Snowy Plains was almost laughable, given that the real masters of these lands were not humans but the indigenous creatures that had dwelled here for untold years.
As human activities expanded, these creatures gradually retreated deeper into the mountains, but that didn't mean Snowy Plains had become human territory.
The creatures residing deep within the mountains were formidable, to say the least.
Even the area where Sherry used to live was decimated by a massive snow mountain ape.
So, building a city in Snowy Plains seemed like a folly.
"It appears there's something else in Snowy Plains that has caught the Azure Empire's interest," Ethan deduced.
As to what that something could be, it was too early to speculate.
Two days later, Ethan and Sherry, following the caravan, arrived safely in Frosty City.
It was an immense metropolis, even larger than the human cities built on the plains.
The city walls were coated with thick layers of ice, emanating a chilling aura—a true citadel of ice and snow.
After bidding farewell to Khosro, Ethan and Sherry stepped into the city.
With Frosty City's guards wiped out by the Devil Guild and no subsequent response from the Azure Empire, it seemed as if the Empire had tacitly accepted the new status quo.
As a result, Ethan and Sherry encountered no scrutiny as they made their way in.
Once inside, the sheer scale of Frosty City became even more apparent.
"Let's head to the marketplace first. According to Khosro, there are specialized information brokers there who know the ins and outs of Snowy Plains. We should be able to glean some useful information from them," Ethan suggested to Sherry.
Sherry nodded, following Ethan as they made their way toward the bustling marketplace of Frosty City.
Since the city's guards had been eradicated, adventurers of various species had flooded in, making the atmosphere even more diverse.
Soon enough, the pair found themselves in the market.
"Top-quality weapons made from the bones of Snowy Plains creatures! Durable and affordable, only one Blue Sea coin each!"
"Selling a magic scroll for three Blue Sea gold coins, non-negotiable!"
"Team 233 looking for a healer proficient in basic healing magic and some alchemy. We have three Rank A members—your safety guaranteed!"
The market was a cacophony of shouts and haggling.
Most transactions were conducted in the Azure Empire's official currency, known as the Blue Sea coin, which came in gold, silver, and copper.
The exchange rate among these was one hundred to one.
Naturally, some particularly precious items were traded in kind.
After asking a few passersby for directions, Ethan found the information broker that Khosro had mentioned—a rugged man with a one-eyed eyepatch.
The man's voice was gruff as he eyed Ethan and queried, "You're referred by Khosro, huh? So, what do you want to know? Let me be upfront: the information I deal in isn't cheap, but you'll find it's worth the price."
"Even if you want to know how many hairs are on the Azure Empire's queen, I could tell you."
The information broker's quip elicited laughter from the surrounding crowd.
Ethan didn't laugh, cutting straight to the chase: "What do you know about the Frigid Ice Cavern?"
"Frigid Ice Cavern? Now that's an unusual question," the information broker replied, visibly surprised.
Without elaborating, Ethan produced five gold coins and slapped them onto the table. "I just want information about Frigid Ice Cavern. Tell me everything you know, and these five gold coins are yours."
The broker's eyes widened instantly, as did those of everyone else in the shop, who were now fixated on the five gold coins laid out by Ethan.
To Ethan, the gold coins were essentially worthless.
Leaving aside the wealth stashed in his domain, the treasure alone that he'd unearthed from the giant octopus in the depths of Red Jade Valley numbered in the tens of thousands of gold coins—a fortune most people could only dream of accumulating in a lifetime.
But to the powerful, money was seldom an object.
"Frigid Ice Cavern is rumored to be the lair of the Snowy Plains' guardian deity, the Ice Wolf King, home to some of the most valuable treasures in the Snowy Plains," the broker began, greed gleaming in his eyes as he stared at the gold coins on the table.
"Now, this is common hearsay you could hear from anyone else. But I have some highly confidential information on top of that."
Ethan slightly furrowed his brow and placed another three gold coins onto the table. "Speak. If your information proves to be useless, you won't get a single coin."
"Of course, of course," the broker eagerly responded, galvanized by the sight of more gold.
The broker leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Esteemed customer, I heard a highly secretive piece of information two years ago—Frigid Ice Cavern does indeed exist. Someone ventured inside and even brought back a fragment of the Ice Wolf King's fang."
"Who was this person?" Ethan pressed.
As the broker's eyes flitted to the gold coins on the table, Ethan added two more to the pile.
Finally, the broker grinned and continued in an even softer voice: "It was a member of the Azure Empire's royal family. As for more specific details, I'm afraid I'm not privy to them. The matter is exceedingly clandestine, attracting scarcely any attention."
"Do you know the route to the Frigid Ice Cavern?" Ethan inquired once more.
This time, the broker shook his head. "I have no idea."
Having gleaned the information he sought, Ethan beckoned to Sherry, and the two strolled aimlessly through the bustling marketplace.
But within the labyrinth of his thoughts, Ethan was ceaselessly pondering the clues divulged by the broker.
"Two years ago, a member of the Azure Empire's royal family ventured into Frigid Ice Cavern..."
"Could it be Lana Mokos?" he wondered.
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