Chapter 23

The mist dissipated.

The small town, sealed away for many years, reappeared under the sunlight once again. With the death of the Shadow, the shadows that had long bound them also vanished.

Rod put away his longsword and gazed at the pile of white dust on the ground, the remnants of the Shadow. Under the sunlight, they emitted a soft glow. Rod fell silent for a moment, then squatted down and picked up a translucent, milky white gem from the dust.

The Core of the Soul.

It was not unusual for boss-level creatures to drop the Core of the Soul. After all, creatures that qualified as bosses inherently possessed a certain degree of powerful magic. Over the years, this magic accumulated, making it easier for their bodies to condense the Core of the Soul. Now, this had become Rod's spoils of war.

However, Rod did not waste too much time on these things. He quickly tidied up, then turned and walked towards the entrance of the square with a somewhat weary gait. Although the battle with the Shadow had not consumed much of his physical strength, it had left him mentally exhausted. Although Rod did not show any expression on his face, his slightly heavy steps revealed this.

Seeing Rod's figure reappear, Lisse and Mace finally breathed a sigh of relief. They hurriedly ran up to him, asking about his condition with concern. However, to their surprise, Rod did not seem to be in high spirits. He only responded with a few indifferent words and then changed the subject, not wanting to talk about it further.

Seeing Rod's reaction, Lisse and Mace exchanged curious glances but did not press the matter further. They could tell that Rod's mood was not good, and although they did not know what had happened in the thick fog, it was clear that Rod did not intend to talk about it.

Lisse was a smart and lively girl, and Mace was a seasoned merchant. Since Rod was in a bad mood, they wisely kept their mouths shut and did not ask about it further.

In fact, their curiosity about the Shadow did not last long, as they soon focused on something else—they were finally leaving this cursed place!

To be honest, from the crash of the airship to the three of them walking out of the mountain pass, it had only been a couple of days. However, the dangers they faced along the way made it feel like they had been through a much longer ordeal. The dangerous forest, sudden attacks, and the eerie town all added to the pressure, making it hard to breathe.

Because of this, when the three of them saw the town at the foot of the mountain, even the usually calm Rod showed a look of relief. As for the fat merchant, who was overjoyed at having survived, and the excited Lisse, their reactions were even more intense.

Ximuzhen was located at the foot of the Pafeld Mountains, a peaceful place on the border. In the game, it was a gathering place for new players due to its proximity to the Twilight Forest. Rod had spent some time here in the past and was very familiar with every blade of grass and tree. He could even call out the names of most of the people here—though walking down the quiet streets and seeing the characters from the game now transformed into real people gave him a strange feeling.

Although there was still much to do, at the moment, a soft, comfortable bed and delicious, sweet food were their top priorities. After filling their stomachs at the town's inn, the three of them eagerly threw themselves onto the soft beds and fell into a deep sleep.

When Rod opened his eyes, it was already mid-afternoon the next day.

The sunlight outside the window was warm and gentle, filtering through the wooden window and casting a comfortable, lazy glow on the floor.

"Phew......"

Rod let out a sigh of relief. He stretched out his hand and carefully examined the scars on it, moving his body. The left side of his chest still ached, pulling him back to reality from his somewhat hazy state.

This was not a dream.

For the first time, Rod had a real sense of living in this world.

The chaotic and dangerous days before had given him a vague, unreal feeling. Several times, Rod had woken up from dreams, thinking he was still dreaming, and that the battles and monsters were just subconscious reflections from too much gaming. But now, with the danger gone and a peaceful life before him, the sense of reality became even stronger.

So, what should he do next?

"Knock, knock, knock."

A slightly low knocking sound came from the door, interrupting Rod's thoughts. He looked up and towards the door.

"Come in."

With Rod's voice, the door slowly opened, and a blonde girl walked in. She held clean bandages and a basin of water. Seeing Rod sitting on the bed, the girl first smiled gently and lively, then asked.

"Mr. Rod, how is your body?"

"Fine, no problem."

In response to the girl's concern, Rod nodded slightly as a sign of gratitude. Although his demeanor was not particularly warm, Lisse was clearly used to Rod's reactions, so she only smiled lightly and said nothing more as she came to his side to start changing the bandages.

Looking at the girl's lowered head, Rod inwardly sighed. In fact, he was not trying to be cold; putting on a poker face was not fun, and he was past the age of trying to look cool. However, he could not change his habits, which were deeply rooted—when he was young, because of his face that resembled his sister's, he was often mocked by his friends and classmates as "looking like a girl." This was clearly not a compliment for a man. Rod had always been very self-conscious about his appearance, so when he entered the Dragon Soul Continent, he did not choose the advanced "scan and recreate" technology like many other players but instead chose the default character model in the game. At the time, being young, he had no way to fight back, so he tried to act cool and rarely smiled to show that he was a man, not a weak woman.

This was a phase everyone goes through, and as he grew older, Rod no longer dwelled on such trivial matters. However, he soon realized that this had become a habit, and he could not change it. Later, as the leader of the most powerful online gaming guild in the Dragon Soul Continent, he had to maintain a calm and reserved demeanor to lead and manage the guild. Now that his personality was formed, changing it was not easy.

But these were minor issues.

The pain from his wound brought Rod back to his thoughts. He looked at the girl gently wiping the scar on his chest and remembered something else.

"Lisse."

"What is it, Mr. Rod?"

"What are your plans next?"

Hearing Rod's question, the girl's body trembled slightly, and her hands paused for a moment. Then, she sighed and lowered her head in resignation.

"To be honest, I'm not sure, Mr. Rod."

"What about your companions? Don't you have a place to return to?"

"Even if I go back, I'll be the only one left......"

At this point, Lisse's tone became somewhat low.

"Besides, the mercenary group is about to disband."

I see.

Hearing Lisse's story, Rod finally understood her situation.

In the Dragon Soul Continent, mercenary groups were divided into three levels. The lowest level was the mercenary squad, usually consisting of five to six adventurers, with a maximum of ten people. These groups were very loose and had no special rules. As long as they registered with the Mercenary Association, anyone could form such a small team.

The next level was the mercenary group, which had at least ten members. Compared to the loosely organized mercenary squads, mercenary groups were more formal. They had to fill out official documents and report to the Mercenary Association, and they could receive some assistance from the association. They could even have their own base.

The highest level was the mercenary guild, with over a hundred members. These guilds were not only powerful but also had their own bases and fortresses. They could even receive direct support from the government or merchant guilds. Some large mercenary guilds even had their own territories and cities, with significant influence.

The class distinctions among these mercenary groups were not just about strength and reputation; they also affected the types of missions they could take. A mercenary squad could not take on guild-level missions, and even if they wanted to, the Mercenary Association would refuse them. Even if they completed the mission, it would not be recognized—of course, ordinary mercenary squads did not have the capability to complete guild-level missions.

Although mercenary groups and guilds enjoyed many privileges, they were not without pressure. The Mercenary Association would score them based on the danger and completion of the missions they took. If their score was insufficient after a year, the association would forcibly dissolve the mercenary groups that did not meet the passing line. Even mercenary guilds could be demoted to mercenary groups.

Lisse's dejection was related to this. Her mercenary group was originally a small to medium-sized group of a dozen people. Now, due to this mission, she was the only survivor, and even the leader was dead. This made it impossible for the mercenary group to continue. Although it was still spring and there was a long time before the end of the year, Lisse alone could not sustain a mercenary group, especially since she was a Spirit Master with no combat ability. Even if she tried to do it alone, it would be beyond her capabilities. From the current situation, Lisse's mercenary group would have to disband, and as a Spirit Master, it would not be difficult for her to join another group.

However, it seemed that Lisse did not intend to leave.

"You don't want to leave?"

In response to Rod's question, the girl nodded firmly.

"Yes, Mr. Rod. After all, they were the first to take me in, and here, I feel like I'm part of a family...... I really don't want this mercenary group to disappear."

At this point, Lisse's eyes welled up, but she bit her lip and did not waver.

"They are gone, but at least...... at least I hope they can prove that they can stay."

"But from the current situation, if you can't find enough people, the dissolution of the mercenary group is just a matter of time."

"Yes."

Lisse did not avoid this point. She was very clear about the problem, but she did not give up.

"But, I don't want to give up, Mr. Rod. As you said before, since I am alive, I must do something meaningful. Although I don't know what I can do, I still want to try."

Looking at the girl's determined expression, Rod suddenly had an idea. He fell silent for a moment, then spoke.

"In that case, I have a proposal."

"What proposal, Mr. Rod?"

Hearing Rod's words, Lisse looked up anxiously, her eyes wide with anticipation. Although she had only known Rod for a few days, his extensive knowledge and powerful strength had left a deep impression on her. Whether it was the Wind Serpent, the Silver Wolf, or the Shadow, these were monsters she had never encountered or even heard of. Not just her, but many mercenaries probably had never seen these monsters, yet Rod knew their weaknesses and habits intimately, which was almost unimaginable. She did not waste time like Mace, speculating about Rod's true identity. In the world of adventurers, it was enough to know that he was very powerful.

Although Lisse thought she was prepared, Rod's next words still made her eyes widen in surprise, leaving her speechless.

"If you are willing, hand the mercenary group over to me."