Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 170 - 166: The Conflict of the Dwarf Race

Chapter 170: Chapter 166: The Conflict of the Dwarf Race

"Don’t you know," Yila looked at her with an incredulous expression, then explained, "the Zhuyan People and the High-peak people are mortal enemies."

"Hey!" Tangmo froze for a moment, quickly realizing she had misspoken. She wasn’t ignorant of the fact that the Zhuyan People and the High-peak people were mortal enemies, it was just a slip of the tongue due to her confusion.

In the pre-war intelligence summary, Wang Xu had specifically emphasized again that the Zhuyan People and the High-peak people were mortal enemies. It was said that these two large ethnic groups were once one people, known as the Zhuyan People. Several hundred years ago, the Zhuyan People experienced a catastrophic disaster, and the survivors split into two groups. One group wanted to build underground cities to escape the disaster, while the other sought to find refuge in the highest peaks.

The two groups went their separate ways. The group that built the underground city stayed in the desert and established the Zhuyan People’s nation of Baales. The group that yearned for the sky left their native land, moved to the northeastern corner of the continent, and established Ronisca. Since then, they have called themselves High-peak people, and they have also mastered the continent’s unique anti-gravity engine technology.

As for why the two groups are mortal enemies, Wang Xu wasn’t sure. It’s said that it might be due to ideological differences. Luckily, one is in the north and the other in the south, so even though they are enemies, it doesn’t influence much.

"Sorry, I’m not very familiar with the Dwarves’ situation," Tangmo said with a cold sweat, laughing awkwardly as she explained.

"Well, of course," Yila responded with a kind smile, not doubting her words at all, "Even the young High-peak people may not know about this, let alone outsiders like you."

Yila didn’t have any doubts because she was the proprietor of a tavern. The tavern was a complicated place, so she knew many rumours about the Continent. It was normal for Tangmo, who was a Southerner and still so young, not to know about the conflict between the High-peak people and the Zhuyan People.

"However, it is strange to see other Dwarves on a High-peak airship." Having finally regained her composure, Tangmo continued the conversation with feigned calmness.

"Ah, well," Yila began to explain, "The High-peak people and the Copperbeard people have much trade between them, so they interact quite frequently."

"Trade interactions?" Tangmo remembered correctly. Ronisca, the country of the High-peak people, and Lene, the country of the Copperbeard people, are nearly half a continent apart.

"Lene is rich in Magic Crystal Mines, and Helros needs a large amount of high-purity Magic Crystal ores." Yila replied without any guard.

"High-purity Magic Crystal ore, is it a recent need or has it always been a need?" Tangmo, sensing a whiff of valuable information, promptly asked for details.

"Ah, I’m not sure, but it’s probably been within the last few months," Yila thought for a moment then answered. A lot of people drank in her tavern every day, so she heard many things.

"Helros has been urgently needing a large amount of high-purity Magic Crystal ore in the past few months." Tangmo muttered quietly, furrowing her eyebrows. This was clearly significant information; the Magic Crystal ore could serve not only as the power source for the airship but also for their industry.

During thirty years of mutual cooperation and exchange, the High-peak people have fully absorbed the industrial production techniques from Earth and transformed them into Magic Crystal industry suitable for their local development. If they have been purchasing Magic Crystal ore recently, this indicates they could be working day and night to produce something within the next few months. Or perhaps they have obtained numerous airships for the army and urgently require energy.

Tangmo remained silent, gazing at the Dwarves nearby quietly chatting. They were boarding the airship to Helros, indicating that the High-peak people and the Copperbeard people may be planning to strengthen their cooperation.

If the High-peak people urgently needed Magic Crystals for industrial production within recent months, this could be related to the war in Masya. After all, the whole of last year, the Masya Army’s cannonballs were supplied by them. But if the Magic Crystals were needed to start up newly commissioned airships, the situation could become serious.

You see, the United Nations had been planning a third Otherworld War last year. Although the High-peak people had repeatedly assured the headquarters that they would not intervene in the new conflict between Earth and the Otherworld, who could guarantee that they would keep their promise if Earth were aware of the High-peak people’s comprehensive enlistment of airships.

While she was deep in thought, someone accidentally bumped into her. She looked up and noticed Ziang walking past, pretending not to know her, bumping into her to signal her to prepare to retreat.

"That uncle bumped into Sister Moumou!" Sara pointed at Ziang in a childish voice.

"It’s alright. Uh, I actually have something else to do. I have to go now." Tangmo smiled, hastily bidding goodbye to the mother and daughter.

"Ah, okay, you go ahead." Yila said with a smile.

"Goodbye, little Sara!" Tangmo bent down to say goodbye.

"Goodbye, Sister Moumou!" Sara waved her little hand and said loudly.

After leaving the mother and daughter, they returned to the place they had just left. They checked around and then lifted up the floorboards to crawl back in.

Once back in the cargo hold, they immediately felt a stifling atmosphere. Luo’er and Baiyue were looking at the outside scenery side by side; Hu Daoke was lounging leisurely on a sack of grains, legs dangling.

On seeing the two return, Hu Daoke climbed off the sack and said to them, "You were gone for so long, I thought something had gone wrong."

"Jinx!" Cheng Ziang gave him a glare, ignored him, and walked straight towards Luo’er.

"How is the situation?" Luo’er turned around and asked.

"I’ve walked around and checked the airboat thoroughly." Cheng Ziang replied.

It was his occupational habit. As a reconnaissance soldier of the team, he always liked to familiarize himself with their surroundings.

"Moumou, how about you?" Luo’er turned to Tangmo and asked.

Tangmo glanced at everyone and then replied, "I have gathered some intel. The High-peak people’s demand for magic crystals has surged in the past few months. They even had to buy from the Copperbeard people. Just now on the deck, I saw quite a few of the Copperbeard people. They’re probably heading to Helros for trade negotiations."

"A surge in demand for magic crystals?" Upon hearing Tangmo’s words, Luo’er’s expression froze, and he said frowning.

He didn’t expect Tangmo to come up with valuable intel, but Tangmo’s performance this time took him by surprise.

"High-purity magic crystals, for industrial production and as a power source for air ships." Tangmo nodded in response.

"So, you’re saying that the High-peak people have been urgently needing high purity magic crystals in the past few months? Likely for industrial production, or possibly for airship propulsion?" Luo’er pondered, furrowing his brow.

"If it’s for industrial production, then it’s probably related to the conflict in Masya. These bastards might be continuing to supply weapons to Masya." Cheng Ziang analyzed. On this issue, he and Tangmo were on the same page.

Luo’er nodded in agreement with his analysis. The High-peak people have been supplying weapons to the Masya army. The Prince’s army is severely depleted and urgently needs to be reorganized, which offers a golden opportunity for them to sell weapons.

The High-peak people probably think that headquarters doesn’t know about their unauthorized weapons trade. Little do they know that they were betrayed by Princess Melia a long time ago. The current task of the Advance Team heading to Helros is to investigate these matters.

"I am thinking," Tangmo paused before analyzing, "their urgent need for magic crystals in the past few months could mean that they are expanding their air force."

Luo’er positively blinked at the unexpected conclusion by Tangmo. If what she said is true, then the problem is serious. Although the High-peak people repeatedly reassured that they won’t interfere with affairs in Yazhi City, their eagerness to expand their army equipment could mean they are waiting to catch the Earth forces off guard.

Remember that during the Second Otherworld War, the main assault of the multinational forces was countered by the High-peak people’s airfleet. Thanks to them, the attacking forces were completely defeated, leading to a total retreat from the Earth side.

"Anyway, let’s pass on the known information to headquarters." After pondering for a moment, Luo’er instructed.

"I understand." Tangmo nodded and turned to draft the report.

"It seems like it’s necessary to go to Helros this time." Seeing Luo’er with a worried expression on his face prompted Cheng Ziang, with folded arms, to remark.

"These High-peak folks are really cunning." Hu Daoke said, then suddenly stopped, clamped his mouth shut and glanced back at Tangmo.

If his memory served him right, Tangmo was of high-peak descent. He certainly didn’t want to insult her.

"The known intel at the moment is, the High-peak people need a large quantity of magic crystals, there are Copperbeard people on the airboat headed for trade talks in Helros, and there are dozens of loaded guns of unknown origin in the cargo hold," Luo’er summarized.

"Could these weapons belong to the Copperbeard people?" Cheng Ziang analyzed, "Since the High-peak people have requests for them, they naturally wouldn’t dare to trouble them too much."

"Quite possible." Luo’er nodded, "The Dwarf race seems to prefer such short guns. However, the curious thing is, if the crew confiscated their weapons, why did they put them in the cargo hold instead of their usual weapon storage?"

"Maybe these guys were too lazy to move them, so they dumped them in the nearest cargo hold." Hu Daoke picked a rifle and said.

Luo’er shook his head in denial. This question had always puzzled them. This was a good number of rifles loaded with bullets— how could the crew be careless enough to leave them in the cargo hold, without someone to guard them?

The only explanation for such recklessness is that the crew members simply weren’t aware of the weapons in the cargo hold, which is why no one was assigned to guard them. But the question remains- what did the Copperbeard people intend to do with the weapons in the cargo hold? They could have stored them properly through proper channels instead of tossing them into the cargo hold.

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