Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 1964: Different biomes (2)

None of the vegetation held any appeal for us, as there was simply no profit to be found in gathering such common specimens.

In our eyes, the materials harvestable from these plants were nothing more than ordinary weeds.

This indifference was natural; I ruled a nation that had ascended to become one of the human race's four great empires. Consequently, the royal guards protecting me were accustomed to training with resources of a far higher caliber than anything found here.

The treasures we regularly accessed were vastly superior to these mundane plants.

Because of this, the sight of them failed to spark even a hint of interest among our group.

Furthermore, we were well aware that causing any sort of disturbance would inevitably draw unwanted attention to our position.

Exposing our presence in a location like this was a risk we couldn't afford to take.

Thus, we chose to keep moving forward.

However, we didn't depart immediately. I permitted Klein and the royal guards to scout the immediate vicinity for additional trails first. I saw no harm in their desire to find more tracks, as any information gathered would help us better understand this territory.

It didn't take much time for them to pinpoint a fresh set of footprints for us to track.

This particular group had passed nearby but had chosen to venture much deeper into the heart of Death Valley.

As we trailed them, the environment began to shift noticeably. The surrounding greenery withered away, replaced by an endless expanse of desolate yellow sand.

This landscape mirrored the descriptions I had received from the other mercenaries earlier.

The area had transformed from a place teeming with life into a wasteland entirely dominated by death.

The terrain seemed devoid of the basic necessities for survival, lacking both vegetation and water. Yet, upon closer inspection, one could still detect faint signs of life clinging to the dunes.

It is, after all, nearly impossible to completely extinguish life from any corner of the world.

Living beings possess an incredible capacity for adaptation, always finding a way to endure despite the harshest changes in their environment.

Nonetheless, the creatures here clearly had to struggle immensely to survive such a brutal climate.

At first glance, it didn't seem like the region held anything of value that would justify anyone coming here.

That perception changed the moment Klein and the others made a discovery.

This area was nothing like the mana-rich oasis where we had seen plants being harvested.

Only the most cunning or ferocious beasts could survive in this desert, which meant those creatures possessed unique traits and materials that others lacked.

This scarcity made them significantly more valuable than the common fauna found elsewhere.

Consequently, the primary source of wealth in this region came from hunting or capturing these rare specimens to be sold for a high price.

If live capture proved impossible, hunters would simply kill them to harvest their most precious parts for trade.

The sheer number of traps scattered across the landscape made this industry very obvious.

These lethal mechanisms did not discriminate between man and beast; they were engineered to slaughter anything unfortunate enough to trigger them.

Their design was particularly cold-blooded, as they were buried deep beneath the shifting sands.

Without the expert tracking skills of Klein and the royal guards, these hidden hazards would have remained completely undetected until it was too late.

It was clear these mercenaries prioritized profit over human life, showing no concern for who might fall victim to their traps.

"Leave them be. This is simply the nature of this place," I commanded.

Klein and his subordinates had asked if we should dismantle the traps, but I decided against interfering.

Tampering with them would only result in creating unnecessary enemies that we would eventually have to confront.

Since the duration of our stay was uncertain, making enemies so early was a poor tactical choice. Our best course of action was to maintain a low profile while we conducted our investigation.

If we decided to deal with these people later, there would be plenty of time to do so.

Despite my orders, I could sense the deep resentment Klein and the guards felt toward the mercenaries.

I shared their distaste, especially after noticing the variety of bones rotting at the bottom of the pits.

These traps were crudely made, designed only to kill indiscriminately. This was evidenced by the presence of human remains mixed in with the animal bones at the bottom.

The belongings of these fallen travelers had long since been looted by the trap setters, leaving only the bleached skeletons behind.

It was undeniable that we were dealing with villainous individuals.

In this world, the line between mercenary and bandit is often blurred when the price is right.

However, now was not the moment for a confrontation.

As we moved on, I told Klein, "Record everything you've seen; we will settle this account later. We have enough information to identify them, so arresting them in the future won't be difficult."

Klein nodded slowly in acknowledgment, though his expression betrayed a lingering desire to take immediate action.

I remained silent, though I had no objections to letting him lead the operation when the time came.

The town bordering Death Valley fell under the jurisdiction of one of the smaller kingdoms within the racial alliance.

Once we revealed our true identities, it would be easy to compel the local authorities to move against these mercenaries.

Participating in a mission to wipe them out would also be a simple matter for us.

Yet, I knew it might not be entirely straightforward.

Mercenaries only act with such blatant cruelty when they have a powerful benefactor protecting them.

Usually, this meant a corrupt noble was pulling the strings from the shadows.