Chapter 38

"What did you say?!"

The old chairman abruptly stood up.

"That brat took Liss to the Sereil haunted house? Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"

"I just found out myself, old friend."

Serek's face was a mix of helplessness and a wry smile.

"I was planning to go and ask them about the young man's next move, but I didn't expect them to be gone. Later, I found out that the boy had gone to the town hall and spent five hundred gold coins to buy the Sereil haunted house—frankly, just for his courage, I have high hopes for his future."

"Nonsense, pure nonsense."

The old chairman slammed his hand on the table.

"That place isn't somewhere just anyone can go. Go and bring them back immediately!"

"It's too late; they've already gone in."

Serek shook his head, but soon a smile appeared on his face.

"But tell me, old friend, why are you so anxious? Haven't you always disliked such disruptions to the mercenary rules? Isn't this good? If they disappear in the haunted house, the mercenary guild will be disbanded, and you'll save a spot. Why not let them have their way?"

"That's one thing, this is another."

The old chairman frowned, clearly dissatisfied.

"Now that the boy is the leader of a mercenary guild, a leader who doesn't take responsibility seriously is unacceptable. Serek, I hope you stop making light of the situation. Go and bring those two brats back; it might still be in time."

"Don't be so tense, my old friend. Perhaps things aren't as bad as you think."

"What do you mean by that?"

Hearing Serek's calm words, the old chairman showed a hint of confusion. Given his understanding of Serek, the swordmaster wasn't the type to be cold and ruthless. But from Serek's words, it was clear he had something in mind.

"Nothing much."

In response to the old chairman's curious inquiry, Serek just smiled, spreading his hands in an elegant gesture.

"You haven't faced him, so you might not understand him, but I do... Perhaps this young man can create a miracle. If he dared to go, he must have confidence. We just need to watch quietly from the side. Didn't you tell Liss that this is a gamble? She bet, and we should bet too. The Sereil haunted house is in the upper district, and our mercenary guild has never had a good opportunity to enter. If this young man can take it, it will be a good thing for us, and I think he believes he has the ability."

"It's just the arrogance of youth."

The old chairman seemed unconvinced by Serek's words.

"A little talent and they think they're invincible. There are plenty of such fools."

"There are also many geniuses."

Serek continued with a smile.

"We don't know if this young man is a fool or a genius, but I think we'll find out soon."

"I just feel this is a bit... exaggerated."

The old chairman raised his eyes, looking at Serek with a hint of depression.

"To be honest, if you hadn't been in Deepstone City for decades, I would have suspected that you have some connection with that boy, to be so protective of him."

"I wish I did."

Faced with the old chairman's sarcasm, Serek sighed wearily.

"I'm getting old. I didn't feel it before yesterday, but I was forced to use my full strength by that little guy. Thinking about what I was doing at his age and looking at the kids now... Don't you think we're a bit out of touch with the times?"

"But history will still have a place for us."

The old chairman said casually, picking up his pen.

"Young people have their glory, and we have our pride. It's not time for you to admit you're old yet... Alright, since you have such high hopes for that brat, I'll leave this to you for now. But if there's no news in three days, you'd better be ready to go and collect the bodies."

In the dim, dark corridor, the rotten wooden boards creaked under the weight.

The Sereil haunted house, though rumored to be terrifying, was still a high-quality building in the upper district. The dark red velvet carpet, the ornate sculptures, and the crystal chandeliers all displayed its opulence and beauty—of course, when they were clean and beautiful.

But now, with holes everywhere, the curtains fluttered in the wind through the broken glass, the furniture was incomplete, the chandeliers had fallen and created deep pits on the once-luxurious floor, and the paintings were covered in cobwebs. The scene, though artistically interesting, was clearly not a pleasant one.

Though the view was quiet and artistic, the noise that followed ruined everything.

"Crash."

Rod patted the dust off his hands and threw the wooden table fragments, which had turned to trash, to the side. Behind him, Liss watched in fear.

"Mr. Rod, what are you doing?!"

"Cleaning up."

With a gesture, he instructed the Spirit Bird to use its powerful wind to clear the accumulated dust. Then, Rod turned around and said to Liss with his usual stern, expressionless face.

"After all, no one has lived here for years, and these things should be thrown out... As a base for the mercenary guild, we can't be as complicated as the nobles. Simplicity is better... Hmm, but the carpet is of good quality and can be kept. What do you think?"

"Mr. Rod!"

Liss was almost in tears. The Rod in front of her seemed like a homeowner who had just bought a new house and was now decorating it, looking around and picking things up, seemingly without any pressure. On the contrary, Liss had been under great pressure since they entered. The haunted house's reputation made the poor girl feel as if every rustle of the curtains or a slight sound was a threat. This wasn't her fault; though Liss had faced many life-and-death situations in mercenary missions, those were visible and tangible enemies, and she was mentally prepared. Now, in the haunted house, she didn't know what the enemy looked like or where it would come from, and the sight of the dilapidated house made her heart race.

Rod noticed Liss's distress but didn't say much. He was familiar with the process of the mission. When he first started the mission, he had carefully searched every corner of the house with his weapon, fearing that a monster might suddenly appear. But even Rod hadn't expected the danger to appear in the most unimaginable way at the most unexpected moment. Frankly, recalling that moment, Rod still felt a chill, as it was the first time he had been so scared in the game.

By saying he was cleaning, Rod was just putting on a show. Although he had already obtained the deed from the town hall, the mercenary guild system did not recognize this base, indicating that he hadn't fully secured the place. That's why he brought Liss here. First, to fully claim the land, and second, to help her improve her skills. Since Liss was his only subordinate, he needed her to keep up with his pace. But Liss wasn't a player, so Rod couldn't directly tell her, "Come, there's a mission here, get ready to level up." NPC leveling had its own characteristics, different from players, so besides patience, Rod had to deceive the innocent and pitiful girl—after all, she had no other choice.

As the sun set, the dark night enveloped the already gloomy house, making it even darker, as if painted with heavy ink. The only light and warmth came from the fire in the center of the hall, casting flickering shadows.

"Mr. Rod, I think we should go back. We can come back tomorrow to clean up."

As the night grew darker, Liss felt increasingly uneasy. It wasn't physical pain but an instinctive suppression, as if some indescribable danger was coalescing under a thick layer of ice, ready to break out at any moment.

"No need, we can rest here. After all, this is our base now."

Noticing Liss's unease, Rod didn't say much. He knew she must be very uncomfortable, as he had received a system prompt when they entered the area—entered evil territory.

For a pure angel, an evil territory was a formidable enemy. The eternal opposition of good and evil meant that each side would give the other a decisive blow on their territory. Liss was now under the influence of this evil territory, which was why she felt vulnerable and uneasy. But as a half-angel, half-human, she could still勉强 support this state without it worsening.

The time was almost right.

While comforting Liss, Rod carefully recalled the content of his previous mission, then reached out and silently summoned a crimson card.

"Clang..."

At that moment, a low, resonant sound suddenly rang out.

PS: The起点后台 is messing with me. I clearly changed the content, and the backend shows it as normal, but when I come in, it's wrong. What a tragedy, so frustrating...

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