A strange team appeared.
There were about three hundred of them, each wearing thick leather, velvet hats on their heads, and gloves on their hands. Underneath the leather coat is another layer of leather coat, with a leather belt around the waist and a hand ax and dagger hung on it.
They all carried brown burlap backpacks on their backs, stuffed with a pile of wheat and dried meat, as well as small clay pots and spoons for cooking.
The tent linen was rolled up and tied over the backpack. The swords they were proud of were also hung on their backpacks, and many of them also carried wooden crossbows and more than thirty light arrows.
Their load was already extremely heavy, so each of them also carried a whistle stick with a dagger attached to it as a marching stick.
Is this a hunter? It is not an exaggeration to say that they are an expeditionary force.
This group of people all have a pair of huge black eyes. Of course, they are not eyes, but wearing eye protection sunglasses.
I was really stunned to see the old Eric family who came from afar.
He never imagined that the Russians who hunted were so particular about hunting. Perhaps it is precisely because of this that they have strong combat effectiveness.
One big bear is probably equivalent to the fighting power of several brave warriors.
When old Eric was exploring in the East, he encountered a group of people (actually Klivi Slavs) hunting bears. Those guys were carrying iron spears, and it took more than twenty people a lot of effort to stab and kill a bear.
He also saw that a furious bear slapped a hunter to death.
Those guys need to buy salt, and they happen to be willing to sell a batch of salt, but they can only sell leather if they can't get the money.
In Denmark, all local bears have been killed long ago. The bear was symbolized by the so-called "Emperor of Strength", and old Eric knew the preferences of those Danish lords very well.
The lords were all beauties, and having many wives and concubines could not be considered proud. They needed gold and silver utensils to enrich their dining tables, and the heads of beasts as decorations in their mansions.
Thinking of the bear head on the wall of Chief Ross's mansion and this extremely powerful hunting army, he could think of the bear's end.
This year's "northern hunt" for the Rus' was atypical. The hunt was part of a harsh winter activity and had nothing to do with a hymn of courage.
The hunters are for profit, Rurik is for resources, and the servant deer herders, their task is to drive the reindeer to the northern winter pastures, at least the reindeer ignore the severe cold of the Arctic.
A huge reindeer sleigh team was organized, and the sleighs were pulled by docile doe deer. The captured ponies with extremely long manes were not of their kind. They were not extremely cold-resistant livestock, and Rurik was attracted by the pile of extremely long manes on the horses' necks.
Horsehair is obviously a more reliable material than oil-soaked hemp rope bowstrings. Those horses were shorn, and in exchange they are now being fed and fed. Until next spring, all of these horses will be sent to New Roseburg to become the driving force for plowing.
More than a hundred reindeer sleighs are waiting for the Duke of Ross's departure order.
Otto himself was not part of this trip? He really didn't need to go out in person anymore.
Otto has been aging rapidly in the past few years? He refuses to accept old age, and the great victory in the Revenge War makes him feel that his life has been complete.
A great warrior no longer wants to be an ice warrior? He is more willing to guard this thriving community in his hometown of Roseburg.
Rurik has a heavy responsibility on his shoulders, but no one doubts his leadership.
There are as many as 400 people of various types going to Ironburg. In addition to a group of hunters, there is also a group of permanent immigrants. Most of them were captured women, and their trip was to Ironburg to reunite with their new husbands who had settled permanently.
A large amount of wheat and hay are piled on the sled. Is that food for reindeer and people? Especially wheat? Rurik needs to give the lumberjacks enough food to withstand the heat loss of maybe 5,000 calories a day.
"Brothers! Let's go!"
Rurik gave an order, and under the ardent expectations of the Shuqian people, the army sat on sleds and entered the frozen sea that was smooth and shiny by the wind. They advanced in the ice field? The dark group of people gradually left Fort Ross. The fjord is obscured by white mounds of pine forest.
What awaits the Russians is a three-day winter march? Compared with the previous difficult trek, the well-trained reindeer helped everyone save a lot of consumption.
They just need to feed the reindeer? Then more than ten people huddle on the sled to stay warm.
The cold wind had no effect on Rurik, as his sled had a leather tent.
He only brought one woman with him on this trip? Saipolava, who was as young as him.
She is the daughter of the "Governor" of Ironburgh? She is an out-and-out Covin person.
As a big man with a lot of women? Sometimes Rurik also thinks that he will neglect others because he favors a few.
The marriage to Saipolava was purposeful, and it was a measure to control the people of Kovin. I will only take her with me on this trip, and I will also spend time alone with her in the future, which is to enhance my relationship and strengthen my control over the Kewen people.
Saipolava, she naturally clung to her man, her whole head sinking into the hood.
"This will make your father very happy."
The girl hummed.
"Just grow up quickly. Your brother will be the governor of Ironburg, and our future children will be the lords of Ironburg. Listen, that's the best mine, and I have to give it to my son."
Saipolava suddenly raised her head, stared at Rurik's face, and then smiled like a flower.
Rurik liked her face very much, and to be honest, he liked Rumia's face even more. After all, they all have North Asian ancestry, and their faces and body shapes are closer to those of Orientals. Rurik just likes this kind of aesthetic.
Of course, Carlotta and Ella are two dolls that I also like very much. As for sister-in-law Aslaki, she is like a legendary elf princess.
Rurik, his masculinity, like the golden fuzz that began to thicken on his upper lip and chin, began to awaken!
The army moved forward day and night. Many people took naps on the sleds, but the reindeer continued to move forward under the urging of their whips.
Sometimes wild reindeer dare to run for fifty kilometers while avoiding the pursuit of wolves. They have such amazing endurance, even if they cause great damage to the body.
Rurik ordered that in addition to the hay prepared for feeding, all the reindeer also ate a batch of oats.
The plan is to arrive at Ironburg in three days, with everything under Rurik's control.
They moved forward on the smooth ice field, even as fast as a ship!
Ailon-Olawa Fort is located at the mouth of the second major river on the northern coast of the bay. It is a geographically easy-to-identify location.
Now, Ellenburg in the ice and snow is a fortress standing in the snow!
There are obviously a group of ships on the shore of the frozen pier, and a huge "ice sculpture" stands next to it.
That is the largest squirrel cage winch crane of the Russian people, and it is also the largest machinery currently owned by the Russian people. Rurik could imagine that this machine had made a great contribution in pulling the ship ashore.
Another part of the frozen fortress is a hot place. It is adjacent to the glacier, but the ground is black.
The chimney was spewing thick smoke, and a group of figures were moving. They were obviously working.
Saipolava on the sled saw all this clearly, and she was so excited that her whole body was shaking.
"You'll see your father soon."
"And my brother." Saipolava shouted excitedly.
Her laugh was sweet, and Rurik also smiled heartily.
To be honest, the army marched along the ice along the coastline for three full days and nights, and the short daylight was about to end again.
Rurik, who was sitting on the sled, was busy on his way. He often curled up into a ball, as if his whole body was rusty.
He needs to take a good walk, and his escort mercenaries, as well as those ruthless people who are eager to hunt bears, are eager to arrive at Ironburg to rest.
"I'll order it soon. I can take a good sauna and then have a comfortable sleep. If there's anything else, I'll take a rest for a day."
"Okay, I'll stay with you." Saipolava continued to hold Rurik's arm. She was still ignorant about marriage. She seemed to just live with those close to her and then give birth to a bunch of children. Have a peaceful and safe day. At this moment, she regarded Rurik as a brother without hesitation, and she also hoped that this close relationship would become eternal. She longed to enjoy exclusive happiness.
"That's fine, the army needs to take a good rest before they have the energy to hunt bears. Haha, this time I want to try the power of the torque slingshot."
How can you kill a chicken with a knife? The steel-arm crossbow is already an artifact for hunting bears, and the powerful shoulder-shaped armor-piercing arrows have turned any hard cowhide armor into waste, and polar bear leather is nothing.
But Rurik wanted to try sniping.
The so-called reindeer pulls a sled carrying a torsion slingshot. When you see a bear in the snowy field from a distance, you adjust the azimuth and shooting angle to aim and shoot.
In this era, the area near the Arctic Ocean in the Nordic region can be called a paradise. Rumia and other deer herders have introduced that they, the ice nomads, always walk around when they see a bear.
Rurik is sure that the only ones who dare to hunt bears on a large scale are the Russians.
A blue-and-white flag fluttered on Rurik's sled. People moving near Ironburg had long noticed a group of dark objects approaching. They were first instinctively vigilant, and then turned into joy and ecstasy.
"Governor" Mechasta led a large group of people out of the thick gate. Almost the entire Ironburg was out in force. Everyone stood on the ice with open arms to welcome the distinguished guests from afar!
At this moment, there were still three people standing beside Mechasta who were a little reserved.
They are not Russians, let alone Covins.
The three of them came from the west side of the Peninsula Mountains. They were distinguished guests who had come all the way to accept Rurik's invitation!
One of them is Mo Degen, who is a messenger, and the people around him, one high and one low, are people of noble status.
Rurik's sled was the most flamboyant, and he was also the first to get off the sled.
When Saipolava saw her father, she ran straight into his arms without caring about any etiquette.
Rurik also walked forward with a small amount of confidence, accompanied by a kind of escort. After getting up again, Guangda's hunters ran towards Ironburg with arrogant steps and holding whistle sticks.
"I'm here, Mechasta. It seems that the situation in Ironburg is very good. The blacksmith is also here this time, and our iron smelting will be better..."
Rurik still had a lot to say, but he keenly saw two very familiar faces.
He knew Modgen, the brave Norwegian explorer, and there were two men with him.
"Who are they? Mechasta, Mordgen! Guests?"
The tall bald young man with beard stepped forward holding the hilt of his sword, and Jevro and others naturally formed a human wall to protect their master Rurik.
"Don't be nervous, I'm not an enemy." The man made a big gesture, and a short boy hurriedly came over.
The man covered his heart and bowed slightly and said: "You must be Rurik. Modgen has informed our leader. I say Bjioni, and the one beside me is my brother Frokki." . We say Balmoks, come to your territory only to do business."
Modgen hurriedly interrupted, "Sir, they are the sons of the chief. Our chief is very interested in long-term trade with Ross! Our Lord Biyongni is here, which is enough to show our sincerity."
At this moment Rurik believed in them very much and was even extremely happy to see these Norwegians from Narvik Port. The two sides are very far apart. It is unlikely that there will be any conflicts now or in the future. Cooperation between the two sides is a win-win situation.
In other words, when it comes to which of the two sides is the most aggressive, Rurik does not dare to expect the Balmoks to be so-called peace-loving. However, Rurik knows that Narvik is a rare ice-free port in Northern Europe facing the Atlantic Ocean. The only way to do this is to go deep with them. Cooperate and even become powerful after the Rus conquered there. Then, the Rus would have the opportunity to conquer Greenland, Iceland, and even discover the American continent.
That’s right, that boy’s name is Floki. Why does this name sound so familiar? The more he thought about it, the more Rurik looked at the boy who was taller than him.
I never imagined that a young man could also be bald? Is it natural, or does their brother like it?
There are still some brown marks on this boy's forehead. Is this a tattoo? But there is always something strange.
Rurik's gaze aroused the anger of young Floki, "Are you provoking? People from Russia, I want to fight with you and let you taste my power."
"Fight?" Rurik twisted his nose, "I pay attention to the tattoo on your forehead."
"You think my forehead is beautiful?" The boy seemed to take a breath, "You're not mocking me, are you?"
"It doesn't matter, everyone can choose the tattoo they like, as long as your tattoo looks like a bird."
"You actually saw this!" The young man straightened his chest, "This is something I was born with. Odin tattooed a raven on my forehead. Our priest said that the raven flew to the distant sea. In the unknown world, I will also conquer far away places and become the new territory of the tribe. I am Raven Floki!"
"Oh? It seems that Odin has also given you a blessing. But I am the descendant of Odin, and we Russians are protected by God. Then let's have a fight and use our own way to see who is the warrior favored by God."
Rurik was just trying to stretch his muscles. He was fighting just as well as anyone with similar physique. What's more, now he has a new reason, which is to prove to the people present that Odin loves him more than Rurik.
But the fight soon came to an end.
Rurik is already the supreme leader of the Principality of Rus, and the people need a witty duke, and even more, a fighting master.
As for the Balmok people, the game among boys is to fight, and after the fight, everyone is considered a good brother.
Although it was very strange, the first big thing that happened when Rurik arrived at Ironburg was actually a fight. Rurik easily knocked down Floki, who had no rules and no sense of martial arts and was full of bastard punches, to the snow. Then he clamped his neck with his legs and hugged one of his arms, making Floki feel uncomfortable all over. It was difficult to move and breathe, and I had to beg for mercy.
After meeting the "little prince" of the Balmoks for the first time, Floki admitted defeat, and then stood up shamelessly and shouted, "It seems that what Modgen said is true. The little prince of the Rus' The leader is a brave warrior, I want to be your brother."
Seeing how frank the young Floki was, Rurik didn't want to refuse anything. This brat was reckless and straightforward and it was feasible to make friends with this person. "Okay, let's do business. If you are willing, we Rus are willing to form an alliance with you Balmoks." !”
What else could Biyongni say? He laughed wildly and welcomed this urgently needed alliance. Because they came across mountains and rivers, what they wanted most was to form an alliance. Unexpectedly, the plan of "taking a beating" for my brother was completed.
