Chapter 98

Chapter 97: The Prelude to Chaos

When Kudra and his subordinates stepped back through the gates of Deepstone City, they all felt as if they had entered a different world. When they were huddled in the narrow cave on Silent Heights, none of them had imagined they would see this familiar scene again. Some of the mercenaries, who had narrowly escaped death, were so moved that they wept on the ground, unable to stop sobbing.

However, unlike his subordinates, Kudra only felt a brief moment of daze before a sense of helplessness and depression washed over him. On the way back, two or three of his subordinates had privately discussed with him their plans to leave the mercenary group and stop working as mercenaries. This was a common occurrence in mercenary groups. Mercenaries were human, not machines that only completed tasks, nor were they soldiers who followed strict orders. If they were repeatedly pushed to the brink of death, they would eventually develop a fear. This time, they were lucky, as the Mercenary Guild sent people to rescue them, but what about next time?

Under such fear, choosing to quit was not surprising. Although Kudra tried to persuade them to stay, it seemed to be of little use. What worried him more was that the number of people in the mercenary group was dwindling. Excluding those who had already decided to leave, only three or four remained, and even among these, Kudra noticed that some were beginning to have second thoughts...

What Kudra now faced was not just a shortage of personnel in the mercenary group, but a life-or-death challenge to the very existence of the group.

Unfortunately, at the moment, he seemed to have no effective way to stop this.

"Ah......"

Kudra sighed, then he raised his head and looked toward the nearby area, where Rhod was speaking softly to Marin. From their occasional glances at the carriage, it seemed to be related to the half-orc girl.

Thinking of this, Kudra couldn't help but give a cold glare at the half-elf girl trailing behind him. In this adventure, he had come to understand Rhod and his mercenary group's strength very clearly. Although the group's numbers were far below the legal limit, based on Kudra's experience, under Rhod's command, the strength they displayed was enough to match two fully equipped mercenary groups. Kudra had long since shifted from initial resentment to admiration. Although he still had doubts about why Rhod possessed such rich experience and skilled command, he knew that this young man was very powerful.

If it were before, he might have hoped to negotiate with Rhod to join his group with his remaining men, but now, even this last hope had vanished. Due to the incident with Annie, the atmosphere between them had dropped to an icy point. On their way back from the heights to the carriage, Rhod ignored them completely, as if they didn't exist. The young female mage was even more terrifying, always staring at them with a piercing gaze that made it clear she was very angry. Even the usually gentle spirit master Miss Ling was now very cold toward them. Kudra had tried several times, but each attempt ended in a soft rejection.

What made Kudra even more frustrated was that not only did Rhod and his group show hostility toward him, but even Serek and the spirit masters from the Mercenary Guild were very dissatisfied. For a mercenary group, the Mercenary Guild was a very important organization. If they were to be remembered unfavorably, their future would be very difficult.

Upon careful consideration, the reason why the mercenaries wanted to quit was probably also related to this.

"Leader Kudra."

Just as Kudra sighed in frustration, Serek walked up to him, his face expressionless.

"I and Rhod will return to the Mercenary Guild. The mission is complete, and you have returned safely, so this is where we part ways. You can go back and rest now, but I hope to receive a detailed report about the entire incident tomorrow. I don't think this should be difficult for you, right?"

"Yes! Sir Serek!"

Kudra quickly responded, and upon hearing his answer, the swordmaster's expression softened slightly. He glanced at the people behind Kudra and shook his head with a bitter smile.

"You have suffered significant losses this time. Well, I won't say more. However, Mr. Kudra, I hope you can control your subordinates. After all, the Mercenary Guild went to great lengths to find people willing to rescue you, but now the relationship between the rescued and the rescuers is so... It's quite awkward for the guild. Frankly, Mr. Kudra, I hope to see your sincerity. I believe this is very necessary for the mercenary group."

"Yes, sir, I understand your point. I will handle this matter properly!"

Kudra naturally understood Serek's dissatisfaction and immediately responded loudly. Satisfied with his answer, Serek nodded and then turned to leave.

At this moment, on the other side, Rhod had finished briefing Marin. According to procedure, after completing the mission, everyone should return to the Mercenary Guild to receive the president's commendation. However, Annie was still unconscious, and Rijie, who was by her side, didn't want to go. Marin, who clearly didn't care about the mercenary's honor, had no interest in such optional rewards. Old Walker also had no intention of going to the guild for commendation; for him, a good rest was more important.

So, in the end, Rhod decided to let everyone go back and rest, while he would accompany Serek to the guild.

As for the angel Selia, Rhod had dismissed her after leaving Silent Heights, claiming that her mission was complete. After all, summoned spirits couldn't exist indefinitely, and Rhod's soul power was also quite limited...

Before leaving, however, Marin pulled him aside and asked with concern about the follow-up issues regarding Annie. As a knowledgeable mage, Annie was well aware of the consequences of a half-orc being exposed. She was worried that if Annie's identity was revealed, the people of Deepstone City might demand that they hand her over or expel the mercenary group. Marin was quite meticulous about this.

However, Rhod didn't think as much as Marin. He whispered a few words of comfort, telling her that in border cities, people's views on half-orcs were not as strong as in other places, especially in a place like Deepstone City. As long as Annie didn't cause any trouble, people wouldn't have such thoughts. Moreover, if someone did spread the news, they could use the Mercenary Guild's influence to resolve the issue. After all, Annie had done nothing wrong in the entire incident and shouldn't be treated this way. As long as they handled it properly, there wouldn't be any major problems.

Hearing Rhod's response, Marin finally felt relieved and then left with the others in the carriage. It had to be said that this young lady was increasingly taking on the appearance of a vice president...

"Mr. Rhod?"

Just as Rhod watched the carriage drive away, a timid voice sounded beside him. He turned to see a delicate-looking spirit master girl standing there, her head lowered, secretly glancing up at him. When she noticed Rhod's gaze, she quickly lowered her head again.

"Is there something you need?"

Faced with Rhod's question, the girl hesitated for a moment, then nervously glanced behind her. Rhod then noticed that a few other spirit master girls from the guild were standing nearby, smiling at their companion. She seemed to draw strength from their gazes, turned around, and bravely lifted her head, though a blush still colored her cheeks.

"It's... it's like this. When you saved me from those terrifying undead on the heights, I never thanked you, which was very impolite... I... I am very grateful for your rescue..."

As she spoke, the girl lowered her head again.

Looking at the shy girl, Rhod couldn't help but sigh. It seemed that this was indeed a matter of life experience. Both were spirit masters, but while Rijie was sometimes weak, she wasn't timid. This young lady, on the other hand, was clearly a sheltered flower... There was no comparison.

"There's no need to thank me."

Rhod waved his hand.

"I just did what I was supposed to do. If you want to thank someone, Annie is the one who deserves your gratitude."

"I understand, sir."

Hearing Rhod's response, the girl smiled, seeming less nervous.

"My sisters and I have discussed it, and once Miss Annie wakes up, we will visit her together. No matter what, she did so much for us, and we must thank her properly."

She paused, then continued hesitantly.

"Mr. Rhod, about Miss Annie... We were all surprised, but we can assure you that we are not afraid of her! We are spirit masters and have treated all kinds of patients, so we know that those with half-orc blood are not as terrifying as the legends suggest. And... if you need our help in the future, please let us know. We will not refuse as long as we can help."

With that, the girl blushed and bowed to Rhod, then hurriedly turned and ran back to her companions. At that moment, Serek appeared with a somewhat depressed smile.

"Good looks are always popular, young man, but let me tell you, don't try to poach our guild's spirit masters. The old man will come after you if you do."

Hearing Serek's half-joking words, Rhod glanced at him, then shrugged and shook his head.

"What's mine, no one can take away. What's not mine, I can't get even if I want to. I don't care, Mr. Serek."

"If those kids heard you say that, they would start overthinking. Well, let's not waste time here. We have more important things to do, don't we?"

On the surface, the Mercenary Guild seemed no different from usual.

However, when Rhod and Serek entered the hall, they immediately noticed that the entire guild had undergone a dramatic change.

The once bustling hall was now sparsely populated, and the mercenaries sitting at the tables had lost their usual vitality. Some sighed softly, while others drank in silence. When Rhod and Serek entered, the mercenaries only glanced at them briefly before lowering their heads again, looking lifeless and devoid of energy.

Rhod and Serek exchanged a glance. Although they didn't say much to each other, they could see the same thoughts in each other's eyes.

Things were getting more serious.

Their suspicions were confirmed by the old president.

"We conducted an investigation, but it was too late."

The old president, sitting behind the desk, looked much older, and the usual vigor was gone.

"After that, I issued an emergency notice to all mercenary groups, informing them of recent issues and urging them to stop their missions immediately. The Mercenary Guild guaranteed that their points would not be deducted, but even so, we were too late. Out of thirty-two mercenary groups, including 'Victory Wine,' twenty-one suffered severe losses. Three groups have already applied for dissolution and reorganization, and five groups have not been heard from, which is not a good sign. Now, in the entire Pafeld region, only four mercenary groups, including this young man's Starlight, have not suffered any losses."

At this point, the old president frowned, his expression serious.

"According to reports from various regions, this trouble seems significant. The Mercenary Guild of Deepstone City has never experienced such a situation! This is truly... sigh..."

The old president's face darkened, clearly finding this difficult to accept.

"What could the other side gain by trying to destroy us so deliberately?"

Serek stroked his beard, deep in thought.

Rhod didn't answer. He had already figured out why Deepstone City had been attacked by the Night Kingdom, but saying it now would be pointless. Serek and the old president wouldn't believe him. Rhod didn't care; many people believed that finding the motive was necessary to stop the enemy. However, Rhod took the opposite approach, stopping the enemy first and then finding their motive. The idea that a crime couldn't be identified without a motive was just artistic exaggeration, and Rhod had no interest in adding to it.

"What are the twenty-one mercenary groups planning?"

Rhod asked calmly.

"Some want to join forces and reorganize a new mercenary group. Others haven't given up and plan to recruit more members. In any case, there will be vacancies among the thirty-two mercenary groups."

"What happens after the vacancies?"

"According to the rules, we must select the top candidates from the existing mercenary groups to fill the vacancies. And other mercenary groups are also struggling, in fact..."

The old president didn't finish his sentence when a knock on the door interrupted him. This made his already displeased face even more irritable, but he still managed to say,

"Come in."

The door opened, and a man in his late twenties walked in.

He wore a red leather armor, and the faint magical glow indicated its considerable value. A green longsword and a black dagger hung from his waist. His handsome face bore a confident and satisfied smile, and his slightly narrowed eyes showed a calm and composed demeanor.

Entering the room, the young man glanced at the three people inside, then walked up to the old president's desk and respectfully handed over a scroll.

"Respected President, I represent the 'Emerald Eye' mercenary group to submit our application. This is our agreement."

"Oh?"

Hearing the man's words, the old president took the scroll, read it carefully, then nodded and signed it with the quill pen beside him.

"Very well, I, on behalf of the Mercenary Guild, officially recognize the reorganization of the 'Emerald Eye.' From now on, you are once again a mercenary group. I hope you will follow the rules and not do anything that would tarnish the reputation of mercenaries."

"Please rest assured, President, we will do our best."

At this point, the man bowed slightly, then turned to Serek, his expression more serious.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Sir Serek. It is a great honor. If you have time, I hope you can visit the 'Emerald Eye.' The mercenaries are currently disheartened, and if you could appear before them, I believe they would be greatly encouraged."

"I will consider your invitation."

Serek only nodded slightly in response, saying little. The man didn't seem to mind, turned to Rhod, thought for a moment, then extended his hand warmly.

"You must be the famous Mr. Rhod who led the mercenary group to rescue on Silent Heights. It's a pleasure to meet you, I am..."

"Mr. Frank Kellys."

Rhod stood up and shook the man's extended hand. His face was expressionless, in stark contrast to the man's warm smile.

"I'm surprised to see the third heir of the Kellys family here in Deepstone City instead of Basel. I remember your family is known for commerce. When did you become interested in mercenaries?"

At this, the man's expression changed!