Chapter 1285: Blood Castle

Chapter 1285: Chapter 631: Blood Castle

Regarding the origin of Bloodcast Fort, there are many explanations among the people.

Some believe it was built during the era of the legendary “Silver Lake Shield,” as a fortress guarding the kingdom’s northern regions, defending against the savage barbarians beyond the border;

Others feel this fortress existed long before the rise of the “Silver Lake Shield,” left by the Northern Dwarves who once operated in this area, and that the ancestor of the Willmott family merely occupied it.

In recent years, as the Willmott family has gradually declined, there has even been an outrageous notion circulating in the Imperial City that Bloodcast Fort is completely unrelated to the “Silver Lake Shield,” and was only reactivated due to wars with the northern neighboring kingdom of Untergard.

But anyhow, at least now, this fortress is an important pass on the northeast border of the Sevia Kingdom, a critical throat connecting with the Northern Kingdom of Untergard.

Before setting out, Xia Nan had inquired about information concerning this border fortress at Salt Rock Port.

Driven by his own interest, after gaining the necessary details about recent changes, current conditions, and surrounding dangers, he also asked the adventurers and local residents at the tavern in Salt Rock Port about the origin of the name “Bloodcast Fort.”

Having not undergone any systematic historical education, most of the information was passed orally, with each person’s responses showing significant differences.

After summarizing, and combining with the legendary origin of this fortress, the information could roughly be divided into two types.

First, the materials used to build the fortress were sourced from underground mines controlled by Northern Dwarves, a type of sturdy stone with a special blood-like color. From afar, the entire fortress seemed to be cast from blood, hence the name;

Second, the materials used to build Bloodcast Fort were just ordinary, but due to the long history of war with the Northern Barbarians, with the influence of magic particles or some unknown power, the enemy’s blood gradually seeped into the stone seams of the fortress and was permanently preserved, earning the name “Bloodcast Fort.”

Since it was merely out of interest in the cultural history of the Otherworld, not being a scholar or professor in related fields, Xia Nan naturally would not delve deeper to restore the historical truth, simply keeping the information gathered in mind without paying much attention.

And presently, when he finally crossed the last small hill and gazed upon the fortress standing amidst the mountains, illuminated by the orange twilight, seemingly constructed with blood,

He finally felt the real sense of its name, “Bloodcast Fort.”

The fortress itself was built on a rock mountain that, compared to the surrounding hills, wasn’t the highest, but particularly steep. The north and part of the east side below were almost entirely ninety-degree cliffs, with the towering towers radiating a blood-red light situated on the edge, watching the Frost Forest faintly visible in the distance.

The southwest slope and the remaining part of the east were slightly more level, with densely packed human structures sprawling from the upper fortress as the starting point and core, layer by layer towards the valley bottom, where the view was obscured by trees, yet the faint smoke rising between the tree crowns was still visible.

Although named “Bloodcast Fort,” as the key fortress on the northeast border of the Sevia Kingdom, it certainly couldn’t be just a solitary castle standing there.

Outside wartime, the garrison stationed at the border had numerous material and living needs, aside from the supplies like food, meat, salt, and fodder transported by official sources, including but not limited to daily clothing, medicines, daily necessities, weapons and equipment, and horse gear, to entertainment venues like taverns and bathhouses.

And being located on a border thoroughfare, merchant caravans often passed through, thus spawning businesses such as inns, markets, currency exchange, and car repairs.

Plus, the border region tended to be turbulent, with nearby residents naturally gravitating towards the fortress with ample defense forces, and thus making a residence nearby, forming a considerable human settlement centered around Bloodcast Fort.

The overall structure wasn’t complicated, even somewhat familiar in Xia Nan’s view.

Similar to Suo Yu Bay of the Southern Islands.

Bloodcast Fort was even more direct, not using elegant names like “White Cliff District” or “Cormorant District” to distinguish boundaries, instead rudely and directly dividing the surrounding settlements into five areas: “Inner Castle,” “Upper City District,” “Central City District,” “Lower City District,” and “Outer Camp.”

Among them, Inner Castle requires no further elaboration; it’s the grand fortress main body seemingly constructed with blood, which Xia Nan saw from afar.

The Upper City District is primarily inhabited by officers and their families, along with some wealthy old merchants and skilled craftsmen.

The Central City District is noticeably larger than the above two places, closest to typical town streets, housing numerous shops and establishments.

The Lower City District is the largest area, spanning from the lower half of the mountainside to the foot, with houses mainly being simple shacks or mud houses. Migrant workers, car drivers, scavengers, and the like are the permanent residents here.

As for the last Outer Camp…

“If I have to say, the term ‘Outer Camp’ has only become popular in the last few months.”

Walking among the hills, deliberately half a body behind Xia Nan, Bald Ranger Tal carefully introduced.

The previous Bloodcast Fort almost never recruited adventurer mercenaries, coupled with the lack of worthwhile resource points nearby, hence even if adventurers appeared, it was mostly passing through the place during missions, for temporary rest and resupply.