Iron Harvest: When Farming Becomes Conquest

"Evil Dragon! Come, let's duel!"

Roman was taken aback by this wild man who had suddenly jumped out from the forest.

There wasn't a trace of civilization on this man, who seemed to have long been assimilated by the wilderness.

According to the information Roman had obtained,

the outlaw Bo Ge had been living in the mountains the longest among the Transcendents, a full twenty years. Hunters had changed generations, but Bo Ge was still active in the mountains.

The next longest were Dick, followed by Galin, and lastly Jet and the Witch of Calamity.

These Transcendents clearly lived reclusive lives until his arrival disturbed the peace.

After realizing that this man was Bo Ge, Roman's expression turned extremely ugly.

His gaze hardened, and he spoke in a stern tone, "I sent Green to find you. Where is he?"

Just as Roman was preparing for the worst, Green and Dota emerged from the woods.

Green's face was awkward, "Master, I'm here..."

He had messed up, underestimating this famed outlaw from twenty years ago—he had caught up with Bo Ge several times but each time failed to capture him.

When Green realized that Bo Ge was moving towards Roman, he hurried back, but it was too late, making him feel deeply ashamed.

However, Roman's expression eased a bit, and he asked Bo Ge, "So you want to duel with me?"

Bo Ge replied fiercely, "Yes! I want to kill you, this Evil Dragon, with my War Axe!"

He swung the weapon in his hand.

But when Roman saw the weapon in Bo Ge's hand—a stone piece tied to a stick with vines—he laughed bitterly at the absurdity.

However, he noticed that Moor's face turned pale upon seeing Bo Ge, his legs started trembling involuntarily as if he had had some past encounter with the outlaw.

"Why do you seek a duel with me?"

Bo Ge raised his arms, proclaiming loudly, "Because I am the great outlaw Bo Ge! I want to plunder all the treasures of the Evil Dragon!"

"How ridiculous, why do you call me an Evil Dragon!"

Bo Ge argued confidently, "You don't have sharp claws, yet you control vast lands; you don't have bat wings, yet you reign high above; you don't have the power to spew flames and thunder, yet everyone on this land fears your might— who else if not you resembles an Evil Dragon!"

This argument almost convinced Roman, making him nearly believe he truly was one of those mythical creatures said to come from distant islands.

Dick murmured to him, "Bo Ge has North Ice Bloodline."

Dick was conflicted at the moment; he didn't want his longtime neighbor to come here seeking death, but when Bo Ge actually showed up, Dick realized he couldn't help Bo Ge at all.

The latter would neither surrender nor admit defeat, he was as stubborn as a rock.

Roman finally understood; North Ice referred to the Northern Ice Sea—he had heard myths about the people of North Ice.

The distant North Ice Ocean nurtured the tough and savage North Ice people. They revered brute force and regarded death as homecoming, hence piracy was rampant.

One hundred fifty years ago, the pirates suffered a heavy blow from the Conquerors.

But Roman knew, the North Ice people had resumed their old ways, reviving over the decades, continuously raiding various coastal nations.

The tales of the Dragon Clan on land had a long history, the latest being one hundred fifty years ago, when the Grand Duke of the First Generation Split Armor famously shattered the Red Dragon Scale Armor.

Since then, it seemed as if the Dragon Clan had vanished from this land.

Roman also knew that the Dragon Clan was still active in the distant seas.

But only the most robust and huge ships could reach the islands where the Dragon Clan resided.

Roman didn't think that the terrestrial nations had such capability.

But the North Ice people could have a chance to witness the Dragon Clan.

Bo Ge, evidently influenced by the North Ice myths, naturally compared Roman to an Evil Dragon.

His intention to plunder all the wealth of an Evil Dragon was also in keeping with the style of a great outlaw.

Roman, puzzled, asked, "Are you trying to recreate the past?"

Bo Ge shouted, "The past will not repeat itself!"

Roman shook his head, "You can't save them. Bo Ge, standing on the shore, you can't rescue those stuck in the swamp. You don't realize that the more you struggle, the deeper they sink, and the dark gravity of that swamp will pull you in too—it's the curse of human nature."

"Then let's break the curse with your corpse, allowing everyone to climb ashore over you!"

Bo Ge swung his mighty, sharp War Axe towards the sky!

He felt as though he were the bravest warrior from the myths of the North Ice.

The sky was filled with dense clouds, and great waves surged!

Standing tall and proud on the wide deck of a ship, he roared at the sea-bound Evil Dragon.

No wind or waves could shake his strong body, his feet solid and unyielding as if rooted on the deck, only swaying with the heaving ship.

Behind him stood countless people, a delicate yet tenacious figure looking at him with a comforting, gentle gaze.

Bo Ge felt his blood begin to boil again, filled with a strong sense of pride and honor.

…

Roman, Dick, Jet, Shasta, Aaron, and Green, among others, watched Bo Ge silently.

His hair was wild and long, his frame had shrunk considerably, but one could still see the remnants of his towering bravery, though his behavior was now marked with madness.

Dick averted his gaze, commenting, "He's gone mad."

Bo Ge roared himself hoarse, as if shouting through a storm, "I am Bo Ge the Great Thief! Follow my footsteps! Board my warship! Let us slay dragons together! Kill all the Evil Dragons! From now on! We are all the great thieves of this world!"

Roman originally found it a bit absurd, but after hearing this, he changed his mind, and his eyes and expression gradually calmed.

He said, "I accept your challenge!"

He raised his hand to stop Aaron from intervening and took the Round Shield from him, then took the Big Sword from Green.

"Dragon Slayer, come forth!"

Bo Ge, hearing this, felt as if he heard the charge horn on the North Ice Warships.

His battle spirit soared, his desire to slay dragons stronger than ever, he could hardly wait to kill the Evil Dragon before him!

Bo Ge swung his War Axe, bellowing commandingly, "I am Bo Ge the Great Thief! My followers! Charge with me!!"

Under the watchful eyes of all, the two collided.

This was a seasoned warrior, whose body was degenerating due to poor conditions and nutrition, unable to maintain regular training, and had not experienced a proper battle in twenty years.

But he remained the most skilled, most valiant warrior!

On this tumultuous sea, Bo Ge took the lead.

He maneuvered his War Axe deftly, dodging and weaving, battling this invulnerable, fiercely clawed Evil Dragon!

The spirited battle continued for over ten minutes.

The Great Thief, shouting about killing all the Evil Dragons of the world, gradually felt his stamina waning.

After all, the battle had lasted too long, and he felt as if it had turned day into night, the sea churning, perhaps for three days and nights.

Otherwise, how could he feel so exhausted?

Beneath the worried gaze of that fragile figure, he escaped the Evil Dragon's deadly claws countless times, and likewise counterattacked time after time, much like a scene from the legends.

'It's time to end this!' he thought.

Bo Ge's eyes were fierce, believing he had finally found the Evil Dragon's weak spot, he leaped from the deck one last time.

He sprang up, swinging his massive War Axe like thunder, fiercely slashing at the hard neck of the Evil Dragon!

Thud!

The vines had long been released, the tied stones had also fallen off.

Only a bare wooden stick struck Roman's shield.

Great Thief Bo Ge finally let go of the War Axe in his hand, and amidst countless exclamations, he fell into the icy sea water.

He could not breathe, his vision started to blur, and he felt an unprecedented cold.

'I am Bo Ge the Great Thief!' he thought.

'I can't die like this, I still have to lead more people, to kill more dragons.'

He tried to swim up, but the relentless cold continued to invade his body, starting with his fingers, which became stiff, and his body's warmth kept fading.

Bo Ge kept sinking, falling into the increasingly dark and cold depths of the sea.

In a daze, he saw a fragile figure also jump into the sea and desperately swim towards him.

'Bo Ge… Bo Ge…'

He heard someone calling his name, and the voice was full of tenderness and kindness, as if coming from a distant memory.

"Uncle Bo Ge… Uncle Bo Ge…"

Somehow gathering strength, he grabbed the hand reaching out to him, and asked in the sea water, "Did I kill… that Evil Dragon?"

In the icy sea water, Bo Ge felt a moist warmth flow into his increasingly stiff palms, and he seemed to see that fragile figure crying uncontrollably.

"Mm, mm… Uncle Bo Ge, you did it," Gwivelle replied as instructed by Roman.

She felt intense sorrow for the impending end of this elder who once helped her.

"I am… Bo Ge the Great Thief…" Bo Ge felt himself sinking into the deep sea and falling to a degree where he struggled to control his body.

Bo Ge seemed to realize something.

In his youth, he had killed many because he believed in the legends of North Ice, believing in the existence of Heroic Spirit Hall—where all warriors who died in battle were guided by the Valkyrie into the mythical hall.

But at that moment, Bo Ge regretted.

An unprecedented regret gnawed at his soul, injecting into him the most fierce toxin of the world.

He no longer wished to go to Heroic Spirit Hall!

He had betrayed his faith, but he felt no pain!

What really brought him pain was—

"Mom, I'm sorry, I killed you…"

"Please forgive me for this sinful Bloodline, forgive the sins I have committed…"

"You must be in great pain, you must be so hurt…"

"Mom, I beg for your forgiveness, my hands are stained with blood…"

Bo Ge cried bitterly like a child who had done wrong.

He kept begging, pleading, repenting, imploring his mother to grant him mercy and forgiveness.

He no longer wanted to go to Heroic Spirit Hall, he did not wish to go to the legendary hall where there was no warmth.

In the last moments of his consciousness sinking, he felt as if tightly embraced, like a newborn held by a mother, the arms slender and fragile yet still able to hold him firmly.

Everything returned to the beginning.