The Nanfeng Watchtower’s bandit extermination mission is executed every so often. It is a task with exceptionally generous rewards. Therefore, every mercenary group and magic guild desperately wants to secure it. Ye Dui had just inquired with the landlady about the location of Nanfeng Watchtower. This was overheard by members of the Blue Fox Mercenary Group. They immediately guessed the purpose of Ye Dui’s group. Thus, a few greedy thoughts arose in their minds.
Nick’s claim of selfless assistance naturally implied their intention to seize this mission from them.
They clearly did not take Ye Dui or Debbie seriously. Upon returning from afar, they were unaware that the two had now become untouchable figures of terror in Stan Town.
Green still wore a look of panic. Debbie, her mouth glistening with grease, shook her head helplessly at Green. How could you show no awareness of having joined an incredibly awesome guild?
“We can handle this mission ourselves. No need to trouble yourselves.” Ye Dui stood up from the table and said flatly to Nick.
“We are doing this for your own good. Most of those bandits are ruthless villains. There might even be wanted criminals among them. It is impossible for you youngsters to complete this mission.” Nick said with feigned sincerity, smiling hypocritically. “We can help you complete it successfully. In return, you just need to share a portion of the reward with us.”
By the end, his eyes gleamed as if he had stumbled upon a vast fortune unexpectedly.
“No need. Thank you.” Ye Dui continued coldly. He was already prepared to summon his grimoire.
“Wade, do not be ungrateful. We are helping you out of respect. Yet you refuse to appreciate it?” From the table of the Blue Fox Mercenaries, one man stood up cursing and shouting. The others also showed unfriendly expressions.
Nick’s face remained smiling. He waved a hand at his companions to signal them to calm down. He then continued to Ye Dui. “Young man, do not think we are after your reward. We simply do not want to see you killed by those villains. How about this? What is the situation with your entanglements with the Minotaur Magic Guild and the Kiss of the Goddess Magic Guild? I am friends with President Thorne and President Billis. Why not head to Stan Town later? I can put in a good word for you.”
“No need to worry about those matters.” Ye Dui laughed. “Thorne and Billis are already dead inside the ruins. Moreover, the Minotaur and Kiss of the Goddess guilds are on the verge of disbanding soon.”
“What?” As soon as these words were spoken, Nick and his companions’ faces turned shocked.
They had missed the adventure in the Gods’ Ruins due to another task. They had felt some regret about it. But now, the presidents of both major guilds had died inside? How had these youngsters escaped?
Their gazes towards Ye Dui grew heavier. Nick snorted coldly. “You are lying!”
“Boss, why waste words on them? Just snatch their mission scroll. The guild only recognises the scroll anyway. What is the point of all this talk?” From the Blue Fox Mercenary Group, one man shouted curses. In his rage, he kicked over a stool. With a swish, he drew a short dagger from his waist, revealing a ferocious expression.
The White Horse Inn immediately became tense, as if a fight was imminent.
Nick sensed something amiss in his heart. He turned his head, intending to calm his companion. But at that moment, a black shadow suddenly flashed past his eyes.
A breeze stirred the candles on the nearby rack. The flames flickered. In the next instant, the mercenary wielding the short dagger let out an “Ah!” of agony. There was a crash of tables and chairs toppling. As Nick drew his longsword from his waist and assumed a vigilant stance, he saw his companion’s body collapse onto another table and a pile of chairs. The hand gripping the dagger was severed at the wrist. Blood spurted continuously. He clutched his severed arm, howling in pain.
The others were on high alert like facing a great enemy. Yet they could not locate the attacker anywhere. They could only scan their surroundings in panic. They did not even know what had happened.
“Who!? Show yourself!” Nick shouted loudly. At that moment, he had not yet linked his companion’s injury to Ye Dui’s group. After this shout, only then did he glimpse from the corner of his eye that the boy who had been sitting at the table earlier was gone.
His eyes widened in shock. In his disbelief, a dining knife used for cutting beef suddenly emerged from behind his back. The blade pressed against his neck. His body trembled. Having fought for survival for so many years, his senses for danger were incredibly sharp. Yet he had not felt Ye Dui approach at all!? Even the finest assassin could not achieve such silence!
“I do not think I made it clear just now? Thorne, Billis, and the others actually died by our hands. Ryan, Edel, Tatak, those fellows were all killed by us too. You should think carefully. With their personalities, if they were not dead, how could they allow us to live?” Ye Dui’s voice carried an intentionally aloof tone as he spoke. The knife in his hand pressed a bit harder.
Nick’s face showed horror. His body remained still. Regardless of whether Ye Dui spoke the truth, he no longer dared to view Ye Dui as a novice who had awakened a trash grimoire. He hurriedly said, “Wade, we have no grudge against you. We were just joking earlier… We will not have any ideas about your mission anymore!”
Ye Dui released the knife from Nick’s neck. He calmly walked back to the table. That famous grimoire, with its white cover reputed to be thin and tattered, floated beside him. He gave Nick a cold glance. “Get lost!”
Nick rubbed his neck. With a complicated look in his eyes, he glanced at Ye Dui. Then he slunk back to his table.
His companion’s arm was injured. The group hurriedly tended to the wound. The landlady of the White Horse Inn stood behind the counter. She watched the scene with some worry. Seeing that no fight broke out, she finally relaxed. She brought some healing ointment. In the end, the Blue Fox Mercenaries returned to their rooms.
Only then did Green finally breathe a sigh of relief. He gently patted his chest. “That scared me to death. But Wade, you injured one of them. They will not let it go easily.”
“It is fine. It would not be good to start a fight directly in the White Horse Inn. If they refuse to let it go, my heroic spirit is not to be trifled with.” Debbie said calmly. During the earlier dispute, the little girl had continued eating her food undisturbed. As if nothing could interrupt her enjoyment of the meal. After the events in the ruins, these mercenaries were mere small fry.
The little martial god Jiji, sitting at the dining table, immediately waved her chicken leg and roast meat. “Jiji, exactly! I am eating meat too!”
“…”
Could you first wipe the grease off your face? And you, a heroic spirit, why are you eating meat at all…
Ye Dui had just put on a grand show. His mood was refreshed. With [Flight Mode Shadow Stealth] + [Windstride] + [Space Blade], plus agility from the shadow space assassin build, these mercenaries were caught off guard and were no match at all. Of course, the Blue Fox Mercenaries’ swordsmen were skilled. If they were prepared for a frontal clash, that move might not work so easily.
But no matter. Ye Dui had bottom cards aplenty.
They finished their dinner. At the White Horse Inn, they booked two rooms to rest for the night. Green had driven all day. His body was weary and fatigued. Debbie had slept the whole day, but maintaining Jiji’s summon at superhuman limits had exhausted her greatly. She needed rest too.
This place was only half a day’s journey from Nanfeng Watchtower. To conserve energy for tomorrow, after much persuasion from Debbie, Jiji finally agreed to return temporarily to the heroic spirit world. This would allow Debbie to rest properly.
In Debbie’s room, a summoning gate with a holy aura appeared behind Jiji. As she prepared to enter it, she suddenly looked strangely towards the south. Her delicate finger pointed in that direction. “Jiji, that place seems to have some… really bad things…”
Bad things? Ye Dui and Debbie exchanged glances. That was the direction of Nanfeng Watchtower.
After Jiji left, Debbie began to rest.
Ye Dui left the room and returned to the one he shared with Green. Green’s expression was still uneasy. He worried that the Blue Fox group might attempt a sneak attack. Ye Dui smiled and reassured him. He opened the grimoire’s [Map Navigation].
Without unlocking map packs, the map resembled one in a game. It showed only a ten-metre field of view. However, that was sufficient to cover the entire White Horse Inn.
“If they harbour killing intent, then do not blame me for being ruthless. Dragon Treasure’s cooldown buffer is already complete…”
