Upon hearing Khosro's words, Ethan halted his steps and turned to face him.
Khosro gave Ethan a suggestive wink.
Picking up on Khosro's intention, Ethan decided not to inquire further in the busy market.
Instead, he followed Khosro to where the caravan was resting.
Once in the room, Ethan took a seat.
"Khosro, you can speak freely now," Ethan urged, facing Khosro.
Aside from him and Sherry, there was no one else in the room but Khosro, the person involved in the matter.
Khosro's expression became grave as he retrieved a finely crafted wooden box from his pocket.
The box was only as wide as a thumb and about twenty centimeters long.
"Lord Ethan, this is a treasure I stumbled upon," Khosro handed over the box, elaborating further, "It was during one of the cargo transports. My caravan encountered an avalanche. Back then, the snow swept away all our goods, but thankfully, we all survived. It was in that avalanche I found this treasure."
As Ethan listened, he opened the box.
Inside, there lay a slender piece of white jade, marred with intricate cracks all over its surface.
At a glance, it seemed like a crudely fashioned object, devoid of any remarkable aura.
But soon, Ethan realized how profoundly mistaken he was.
He lifted the peculiar white jade from the box; it felt surprisingly warm to the touch, contrasting sharply with its icy appearance.
At that moment, Khosro continued, "Back at the market, had it not been for your intervention, Lord Ethan, I would have been a corpse by now. I insist you accept this item as a token of my gratitude."
Khosro looked up with sincere, pleading eyes.
Ethan rubbed his chin, sinking deep into contemplation, the warm jade held tightly in his hand.
This burning jade indeed was a wonder, possibly an extremely special material. Khosro presenting it as a token of gratitude seemed generous and Ethan hadn't considered declining it.
However…
Ethan perceived another motive behind Khosro's actions and directly articulated his thoughts: "I can accept this item, but Khosro, calling me into this secluded room couldn't solely be to express your gratitude and offer this mysterious jade, could it?"
"You're absolutely right, Lord," Khosro acknowledged candidly.
He continued, "Lord Ethan, I assume there is a powerful force backing you?"
This abrupt inquiry took Ethan aback.
He couldn't quite fathom Khosro's intentions, yet felt no need to conceal the truth and hence affirmed, "Indeed, there is a substantial force behind me. However, it is not based here, but in the regions of the Abandoned Temple in the erstwhile Sunset Empire."
Upon hearing this, a transformation was visible in Khosro's demeanor.
"The regions surrounding the Abandoned Temple? Isn't that territory occupied by the Dark Lord? Could it be that Lord Ethan, you are…"
Khosro's mind raced, suddenly connecting Ethan to the identity of the Dark Lord.
Yet at this realization, there was no fear in Khosro's face, but rather a faint trace of exhilaration emerged.
He had initially planned to seek shelter under Ethan's influence, hoping for protection for his caravan.
But Ethan being the Dark Lord?
"This… why not? Currently, the Azure Empire is constantly facing setbacks against the forces of the Dark Lords. Although the Azure Empire hasn't mobilized its full strength, the situation is clear — they cannot eradicate the Dark Lords. Eventually, they will have to coexist, and with that..."
"There are many specialties in the territories of the Dark Lords that the Azure Empire needs."
"Similarly, in the Azure Empire, there are many goods desired by the Dark Lords. Establishing a trade route between the Dark Lords' domain and the Azure Empire would undeniably yield substantial profits."
"And I, Khosro, will be the pioneer!"
Khosro's thoughts raced wildly, his gaze becoming increasingly fervent as he looked at Ethan, unable to contain his excitement and desire, he continued, "Lord Ethan, if I'm not mistaken, your domain lacks a caravan, does it not? I am willing to assemble a seasoned caravan for you, Lord Ethan, to ensure that goods from other regions and the products you wish to sell are transported to the right places."
After hearing this, Ethan remained unusually silent.
He had initially thought of Khosro as a person content with his lot.
Now it seemed Khosro harbored substantial ambitions too.
Perhaps today's events had prematurely unveiled his ambitions, or maybe it was for other reasons — but all that seemed of little consequence now, as Ethan found himself equally enticed.
A caravan...
Indeed, his territory lacked a caravan.
Furthermore, according to the information currently controlled, although the Dark Lords had become increasingly communicative, there hadn't been further activities between their respective forces.
Even if both parties had some resource demands, the exchanges were mostly face-to-face, much like the trade between Ethan and the Lava Dark Lord.
But having a caravan would change the dynamics entirely.
A caravan could transport a wealth of goods, facilitating resource exchanges with other Dark Lords, a venture promising colossal profits.
"Khosro, are you certain about this endeavor?"
An equally animated Ethan asked, not confirming immediately.
Khosro spoke with unwavering determination, "Lord Ethan, I have made up my mind. I am willing to establish a caravan for you. As you know, I have my own needs too. Your power is substantial, capable of ensuring the caravan's safety, which is what I require."
"Furthermore, I wish to become someone who stands in the spotlight."
As he finished speaking, Khosro trembled slightly, the words coming from the deepest recesses of his heart.
Although he already commanded a small caravan, in this world where might was right, Khosro's power fell short, reducing him to a plaything in others' hands.
Many times, the hard-earned profits from transporting goods were swiftly snatched away by others.
Today was not the beginning of such incidents.
Therefore, Khosro had always harbored the intention to seek the protection of a powerful figure.
And Ethan's appearance ignited hope in Khosro.
After pondering for a few more moments, Ethan agreed to Khosro's request.
Commanding him to fetch paper, Ethan penned down a letter and handed it to Khosro, saying, "I have matters to attend to next. If you are serious about this, take this letter to the Abandoned Temple and ask for a person named Victor. Once you hand over the letter to Victor, he will know what to do."
"This will also serve as a test for you, albeit for a caravan."
Khosro took the letter, his emotions soaring with anticipation and zeal.
"Lord Ethan, I will accomplish it!" Khosro proclaimed vehemently, subsequently escorting Ethan and Sherry as they departed the resting place.
On the streets, Sherry walked alongside Ethan, slowly articulating her concerns, "Forming a caravan? It's a considerable risk. Those Dark Lords will certainly not allow you to establish a caravan easily. Moreover, judging by Khosro's intention, he wants to facilitate trade between the Dark Lords and humans, which seems a bit mad, even more challenging to realize, and could easily draw the targeted wrath of the Azure Empire."
Ethan nodded, acknowledging he had pondered over all these concerns but had still agreed to Khosro's proposal.
"Everything is extremely difficult in the beginning, and those issues you mentioned, from my perspective, aren't exactly issues," he said with a steadfast demeanor.
"Do you know the most effective way to communicate amongst Dark Lords?" he suddenly inquired, turning towards Sherry.
Sherry paused to consider the question before shaking her head to indicate her lack of an answer.
Ethan grinned, his fist clenched as he stated, "The communication between Dark Lords always comes down to a show of force. As long as my fists are potent enough, opposition from them wouldn't be a problem."
"Moreover, establishing a caravan would be beneficial for the Dark Lords too. Of course, if any shortsighted individuals dare to obstruct our caravan project, it would be an excellent opportunity for my monster army to spring into action."
Strength was the underlying principle, a truth Ethan understood profoundly, hence his lack of worry about the formation of the caravan.
Later, Ethan and Sherry wandered around Frosty City, eventually deciding to stay at an inn as the sky began to darken.
However, just as they had settled into their room, they were approached by an individual.
A man adorned in luxurious clothing stood before them, an almost imperceptible scent of blood clinging to him.
"Sir, miss, may I invite you both for a meal together?" the man inquired with an eloquent tone.
Sherry furrowed her brows, preparing to decline the invitation, but before she could utter a word, Ethan intervened, "No problem, lead the way."
A smile surfaced on the man's face, displaying no signs of discontent.
He led the way with Ethan and Sherry trailing behind, guiding them into a small room within the inn.
Several people were seated around a large round table laden with a feast of rich foods and distinctively flavored juices and spirits.
"Welcome to join us!" he greeted warmly as Ethan and Sherry took their seats.
Settling down himself, the man extended a hand towards Ethan, introducing himself and the others at the table.
"I go by the codename Blood, this here is Rock, and that's Ice. Next to Ice is Vulture. May I ask how to address you?"
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