Chapter 62: Who is being unreasonable?

  Coming out of the Mercenary Guild, Zhuge Mingyue frowned: "This time we go to White Ice Plain, we must have complete preparation. Map, route and so on."

  "Don't worry about this, I'll be well-prepared." Ling Feiyang continued, "The climate and environment of the White Ice Plain are indeed very harsh, but that doesn't mean it's a place we can't go. We need to be fully prepared." After graduating early from the Purple Cloud Academy, Ling Feiyang had been traveling with Luo Jingfeng, accumulating more experience in the wilderness than they did.

  "Alright, let's first list out what we need to purchase. We'll prepare for the next few days and then set off." Zhuge Mingyue made a decision.

  In the next few days, Zhuge Mingyue and his group prepared everything. Tents, clothes, food, water, and a map were also purchased from an experienced mercenary team member, which cost a lot of money. This was a map that predecessors had explored with their lives, so it was very expensive.

  Bai Bing Ping Yuan, in the far northwest of Danling Country, where the climate is snowy all year round. Even when the sun comes out, the temperature doesn't rise much. Spring only lasts for a short period of about ten days, and summer almost doesn't exist.

  Three days later, at dawn, Zhuge Mingyue and his party set off. One person rode a horned horse and left the capital city, rushing northwest. Behind them, two horned horses that were not tall but more robust carried a full load of supplies.

  This journey has been relatively smooth so far, and on the way, they had also seen many mercenary groups heading to the White Ice Plain to make a fortune. Some were on missions, while others were searching for valuable materials such as minerals, medicinal herbs, and rare magical beasts that could be sold to nobles as pets.

  In the entrance of the White Ice Prairie, there is a small town called White Ice Town. Although it's called a small town, its scale is not small at all. The prosperity here is in no way inferior to that of a third-rate city. Mercenary groups entering the White Ice Prairie would replenish their supplies and rest here. Meanwhile, mercenary groups or adventurers returning from the White Ice Prairie would also rest here and sell items they found inconvenient to carry. As a result, there's an exchange house and an auction hall here. This place can make someone rich overnight; for merchants who know how to identify goods, they can buy good items at the lowest price and resell them for multiple times the original price. It's a place full of temptation and opportunities. However, this also leads to all sorts of people gathering here, including rascals and scoundrels. Fights and provocations are common occurrences, and it's not unusual for someone to get killed in public. Since this place is located in a remote area, officials can't manage it, so the order here is determined by the strong.

  When Zhuge Mingyue and the others arrived at Bailing Town, thick snow had already covered the ground, roofs, they had long changed into thick clothes, warm hats, and boots. They all got off their horses, leading the pack horses to walk slowly on the snow-covered streets. There was no one sweeping the snow here.

  "It's so cold, sister." Du Mu Xuan's face was frozen bright red, but she was excitedly looking at the snow. She had never seen such a snowy scene before. Cang Feng City and Jing City were both very warm, and in winter, it would occasionally snow just a little bit, but she had never seen such beautiful snow scenery?

  "Where are we going to live?" Wan Xi Chen squatted down, pinched a snowball, weighed it, and thought about throwing it at someone, but found that no one was worth provoking, so he gave up.

  "Let's head to the Mercenary Guild's supply point." Zhuge Mingyue said, "The security in this area is too chaotic, the Mercenary Guild's supply point is relatively safe, and we can get a good rest. We'll resupply tomorrow and set off again." Ye Wei wanted Zhuge Mingyue to summon her back, it was too cold here, she didn't like this climate.

  Everyone nodded. The Mercenary Guild Union has supply points in many cities, including White Ice Town. Inns can also be stayed in, but the Mercenary Guild Union's supply points are safer. With just the Mercenary Guild badge, you can enter and stay. There is an unwritten rule that within the Mercenary Guild Union's supply points, there will absolutely be no infighting among members. Once outside the gates of the supply point, it's every man for himself. Theft and other behaviors are also not allowed. In short, once inside the supply point, behave yourself and don't cause trouble.

  The crowd in White Ice Town is complicated, it's better to go to the supply point of the Mercenary Guild, at least there, you can be a little more at ease.

  The supply station of the Mercenary Guild was easy to find, with a simple wooden sign hanging from it with just a few words written on it: "Mercenary Guild Station". The gate of the station had a rickety feel to it, and a row of wooden fences enclosed the courtyard in front. As I pushed open the creaky door and went inside, someone came forward to greet me. It was a young man who didn't look very old, except that his legs were slightly crippled.

  Zhuge Mingyue showed the mercenary group's emblem, and the man said: "Accommodation fees are paid upon entry, and the cost of caring for your warhorses is calculated separately. Staying in ordinary sheds and eating ordinary feed costs one gold coin per horse, while staying in good sheds and eating good feed costs five gold coins per horse."

  "How can you tell?" asked Wan Xi Chen curiously.

  "A leaky barn is a poor place for hay, but a warm one is good for oats." The man answered simply.

  Five gold coins is indeed expensive. However, if the weather is like this and you don't take good care of your mount, traveling will be a big problem.

  Zhuge Mingyue took out a handful of gold coins: "Please take good care of our horned horses, and use the extra money to buy tea for this young man."

  The man finally had a smile on his face and accepted the gold coin: "Alright, don't worry."

  The horned horse was handed over to that person, and Zhuge Mingyue's group walked towards the house. As soon as they entered, it became much warmer inside. A wave of heat hit their faces, and in the middle of the room, a fire pit was burning fiercely, surrounded by several groups of mercenaries sitting at a low table full of cracks, drinking, playing cards, laughing and joking. When they saw Zhuge Mingyue's group enter, the look of surprise on their faces flashed by.

  "Old man, first arrange three rooms, then bring a table of wine and dishes." Wan Xi Chen took off his cloak, polished the mercenary badge on his hand, and said to an old man carrying a teapot. This old man had white hair, was frail, and had two obvious scars on his face. He probably used to be a mercenary when he was young, but after getting injured, he could only work at the post station. He should be like that young man outside the door just now.

  "You're in luck, only four rooms left." The old man walked over with a smile, pouring them each a few cups of tea, "Forty gold coins."

  "Hmm." Just as Wan Xi Chen was about to hand over the money, the door burst open with a loud "bang", and under the lead of two burly men, more than a dozen mercenaries swarmed in.

  "Old Blade, you old fellow still haven't kicked the bucket yet." The leader of the group, a burly man, sat down after entering and removing his hat, revealing a shiny bald head. He was wearing a short jacket made of animal hide, with tattoos visible on one arm. As soon as he entered, he greeted the old man familiarly, then patted his clothes and said, "Get me something to eat and drink quickly, set up a few tables, and get seven or eight rooms ready for me. This weather is terrible, it's definitely going to snow tonight, freezing people to death."

  "Left Anba, it's you. Unfortunately, there are no rooms available." The old man called Lao Dao shook his head.

  "What? No rooms left?" The bald-headed man exclaimed, "How is that possible?"

  "The last four, just enough." Old Knife put away the gold coins handed over by Wan Qi Chen and tucked them in, "You go find an inn to stay, or squeeze together by the fire pit?"

  "What a joke!" The bald man jumped up, staring at Wan Qi Chen and roaring, "Squeeze your fart! Fat boy, you guys squeeze together by the fire pit tonight, those four rooms are taken by the big boss."

  "Impossible." Wan Xi Zhen's nostrils flared upwards, and he gave a defiant white-eyed stare right back.

  "Mom's little fatty, you'd better listen obediently, otherwise I'll make sure you don't even have the chance to squeeze into a fire pit." Zuo Anba sneered with a menacing grin, clenching his fist in threat.

  "I'll return this sentence to you as it is. If you keep making noise, you won't even have the chance to squeeze in a spark." Zhuge Mingyue said coldly. Zhuge Mingyue deeply understood a truth: in this world of mercenaries, only strength could bring respect; any humility or tolerance was not a virtue, but a sign of weakness. The strong were revered, and this had been perfectly illustrated here.

  Zuo Anba carefully sized up Zhuge Mingyue, and was stunned for a moment. Female mercenaries were rare to begin with, let alone such an absolutely beautiful young girl mercenary - he had never even heard of one before. However, this couldn't change his original intention; survival was the top priority, and only by getting better rest could he recover enough physical strength and energy to have a greater chance of survival. To throw away one's life for beauty didn't conform to the mercenaries' code of survival.

  "You guys are looking for death." Zuo Anba said with a cold smile. Although there was an unwritten rule that mercenaries could not be harmed at the supply station of the Mercenary Guild, the strong were respected, and even if they did fight, who would know? He didn't intend to kill them either, just teach them a lesson and throw them out, which wouldn't count as violating the rules.

  "Looking for death is you!" Wan Xi Chen coldly snorted, he had already made preparations to take the potion.

  Zuo Anba was so angry that he swung his fist at Wan Qichen, but before it could hit him, Ling Feiyang had already acted. He simply used the scabbard of his sword to block Zuo Anba's attack.

  "Damn it, brothers, let's show them the power of our Haoxue Mercenary Group!" Zuo Anba was not weak, but he was blocked by Ling Feiyang and knew that his opponent was not a pushover. However, since they only had a few people, while they had many more, they should still be able to win.

  Those under his command heard Left General An Ba's roar and drew their weapons in unison.

  "Never mind, we're all mercenaries. It's not easy for anyone to be out on the road. Let's just give in a bit and it'll be fine. Why must we fight and kill each other?" Lao Dao came out to mediate and calm things down.

  "Mind your own business, Old Knife. If you keep interfering, don't blame me for being rude." Zuo Anba drew out his broadsword and swung it at Old Knife with a menacing glare.

  Lao Dao sighed and retreated to the side. Why couldn't Zuo Anba see it? The group of people with Zhuge Mingyue, although they were all very young, didn't have a hint of fear on their faces. Especially that girl who spoke earlier, she emitted an extremely dangerous aura. People like them weren't someone Zuo Anba and his gang could provoke. He was actually doing it for Zuo Anba's own good, but if others didn't appreciate it, then so be it.

  "Brothers, up!" Zuo Anba raised his broadsword and led the charge towards Zhuge Mingyue, with the mercenaries close behind.

  "Clang, clang, clang..." The sound of weapons hitting the ground echoed from behind, followed by the dull thud of mercenaries falling to the ground and a chorus of cries of pain.

  Zhuge Mingyue and his group have not made a move yet!

  Who is it?

  Zuo Anba hastily stopped in his tracks and turned around, only to see that all of his subordinates were lying on the ground except for another bald mercenary who looked about 70% similar to him. This bald mercenary was Zuo Anba's younger brother, Zuo Anxiong. Behind them, a swordsman wearing a black cloak held a slender sword less than two fingers wide and pointed it at them from afar.

  "A group of big men, actually laid hands on a little girl, you've disgraced the face of mercenaries!" A slightly husky female voice came over, and the swordsman lifted his helmet to reveal a elegant and beautiful face. It turned out to be a woman in her thirties, who was now looking over with a cold expression.

  "Yan Qingfeng?" Zuo Anba's heart sank. He had unexpectedly run into Yan Qingfeng, the leader of the Lihuo Mercenary Group! Her sword, Light Wind, was quick and gentle yet ruthless, famous in the mercenary world. The Lihuo Mercenary Group she led was a B-level group, with momentum growing stronger by the year, having great hopes to be promoted to an A-level group.

  "What's wrong, want to fight?" Yan Qingfeng said coldly.

  "Damn it!" Zuo An was furious, losing face in front of so many people. If he retreated like this, how could he face his subordinates? So he let out a loud roar and the two brothers charged at Yan Qingfeng together.

  A light "ding" sound, Zuo Anba gathered all his strength and was about to slash out with his sword, but just as he moved his arm, the broadsword hadn't even swung up yet when it was pressed back by a gentle force. He twisted his wrist again, slashed again, and once more was pressed back... Zuo Anba couldn't exert any of his strength at all, feeling so stifled that he wanted to vomit blood. The situation with Zuo Anxiong beside him was exactly the same, under Yan Qingfeng's swift and gentle swordsmanship, they couldn't even slash out a single sword. That extremely delicate longsword was like the last straw that crushed the camel, and the two brothers were naturally that camel.

  "What a swift speed, what exquisite swordsmanship, what clever use of strength." Zhuge Mingyue watched with rapt attention, never having seen anyone else wield their power with such precision and finesse.

  "Clang!" Two light sounds, the two men's wrists and knees simultaneously went numb, the broadsword fell to the ground, and their knees softened as they squatted down. Fortunately, Yan Qingfeng showed mercy, leaving only a shallow blood mark on their wrists, without injuring their tendons and bones; otherwise, the two would never have been able to engage in hand-to-hand combat again for the rest of their lives.

  Zuo Anba and his two brothers were so scared that their faces turned pale, they had been arrogant just now, but now they didn't even dare to breathe.

  "Let's go." Yan Qing said lightly, "It's already nighttime, aren't you going to hurry up and find an inn? Do you want to sleep outside?"

  Zuo Anba and his brother got up, glared at Yan Qingfeng with resentment, and fled in disarray with their subordinates.

  "Thank you." Zhuge Mingyue stood up and thanked Yan Qingfeng.

  "You're all too reckless, daring to come out and cause trouble like this. If you hadn't met me today, what would have happened? If nothing's wrong, it's best for you to leave. The White Ice Plains are not a place you can come to." Yan Qingfeng turned his head, his tone severe as he began to criticize Zhuge Mingyue and the others.

  Zhuge Mingyue smiled faintly: "This big sister, thank you for helping us just now. However, the ones who should be thanked are actually that group of people. Because if it were us who took action, their outcome might have been even more miserable."

  "Hey!" Yan Qingfeng had never met such a bold girl before. The girl in front of her, with her bright and radiant face, was shining with confidence, arrogance, and an overbearing aura. She felt a bit indignant, wondering if she had done something wrong. Shouldn't she have helped someone as ignorant as this?

  "Miss, may I know your name? If so, I'll return this favor to you." Zhuge Mingyue saw Yan Qingfeng's annoyance but didn't mind. What she said was the truth anyway; if they had made a move, Zuo Anba and his men would have ended up in an even more miserable state.

  "Yan Qingfeng. However, you don't need to repay this favor." Yan Qingfeng felt a bit stifled.

  Zhuge Mingyue didn't mind Yan Qingfeng's bad attitude, she just smiled slightly and nodded, then turned her head to let Lao Dao take them to the house.

  Yan sat down with a soft sigh, watching the backs of Zhuge Mingyue and the others disappear into the distance, feeling that her kindness had not been rewarded.

  After Zhuge Mingyue and the others entered the house, Qi Jian Shan came in from outside and sat down at Yan Qingfeng's table with a big smile: "Captain, everything is ready. When are we leaving?"

  "Let's take another day off tomorrow and set off early the day after tomorrow!" Yan Qingfeng said with a hum, then got up and went back to his room.

  "What's wrong, Captain?" Qi Jian Shan rubbed his head in confusion, looked around and casually hooked someone's neck. "Tell me, who made our captain angry? I'll go skin him alive."

  "It's like this......" The man detailed the events of earlier to Qi Jian Shan. As Qi Jian Shan listened, he felt a sense of familiarity. Five people, including a ten-year-old girl, led by a beautiful fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl. Oh, could it be those people they met at the Mercenary Guild that day? Who would have thought they'd actually come on their own? Hmph, saving them with his own guild leader's hands and still being so ungrateful. Next time there's an opportunity, he'll teach them a lesson, let them know that White Ice Prairie isn't a place for these young masters and misses to come, and have them scram back home to drink their milk.

  The next day, Zhuge Mingyue and the others had a good sleep, replenished their supplies in the town, and returned to the post station. After resting well for a night, they set out early on the third morning as well.

  The white ice plain, the cold wind howled, at first it was just a few scattered snowflakes, but later it turned into a heavy snowfall. Zhuge Mingyue and Ling Feiyang walked in front, wearing hoods, looking out at the vast expanse ahead, once again realizing the harsh weather of the white ice plain. Xue Zixiao held Duanmu Xun in his arms, riding a single horned horse, walking alongside Wan Kui Chen.

  Along the way, there were quite a few mercenary groups, all advancing cautiously.

  Getting closer to the White Ice Plain, in front of us is a dense forest. Once we enter the forest, the howling cold wind seems to have subsided a bit. The dense leaves block out the heavy snow, and the forest seems like another world. As we walk further in, it becomes quieter and quieter.

  Everyone turned down their horses and walked forward on foot. Duanmu Xian looked around, calling out in a low voice: "Sister, there's a small fox."

  Zhuge Mingyue looked in the direction she was pointing and indeed saw a fluffy big tail flash by.

  "Wow, there's a mushroom." Du Mu Xuan looked at the brightly colored mushroom under a big tree in surprise. She was surprised that such weather could produce mushrooms, but she also knew that brightly colored mushrooms were poisonous, so she wouldn't touch it.

  "It's a bit strange." Zhuge Mingyue smiled slightly.

  "The magical beast we're looking for should be here, we need to cross this mountain forest, and get past the lake in front of the snowy mountains." Ling Fei Yang unfolded the map, looking at the location on it.

  "This location on the map is here." Zhuge Mingyue stretched out her finger, leaned in close to Ling Feiyang, and pointed to a location on the map in Ling Feiyang's hand. Beyond the snowy mountains was a swamp, and the location described by the treasure map seemed to be near the swamp.

  "Hmm..." Zhuge Mingyue suddenly leaned in, and Ling Feiyang could even feel the warm breath on his ear. He could also smell the faint fragrance on Zhuge Mingyue's body. His heart tightened, and he absent-mindedly murmured a response.

  "There's still some distance, but don't rush, pay attention to safety, and take it slow." Zhuge Mingyue comforted the crowd.

  The outskirts of the White Ice Plain were not very dangerous, so they advanced slowly for a day without encountering any danger. At night, when they camped out, except for Du Mu Xuan, they took turns keeping watch, and everything was peaceful. On the second evening, they finally walked out of the mountain forest. They also encountered some wild beasts in the mountain forest, but they were not worth mentioning.

  Whoosh——

  Duanmu Jian's arrow shot out like a meteor, piercing a plump rabbit and pinning it to the ground.

  Du Mu Xuan's bright eyes turned to look at Xue Zi Hao, who smiled and walked up to her, rubbing her head: "Xuan Xuan is getting more and more amazing, I'd better work harder, otherwise you'll surpass me, and I'll really lose face."

  "It's fine if you know, as my guardian, you can't lose face." Wan Xi Chenliang chimed in from the side, then walked forward to pick up the rabbit.

  Tonight, they camped at the edge of the mountain forest, with a huge lake not far in front. At this time, the lake had already frozen into a thick layer of ice that could be walked through directly. Of course, it was also possible to go around it. The crowd looked at the lake, which was almost invisible in the dusk, and decided to cross the lake surface carefully tomorrow.

  Wan Qi Chen carried a rabbit, went to the lake to collect water, he planned to smash an ice hole, take out the water. While Ling Fei Yang and Xue Zi Hao started setting up the tent. Zhuge Ming Yue was detecting around, by the way, sprinkling powder around to prevent snakes, insects, mice, and ants from coming over. These were all good things she extorted from Xing Lin Zhou.

  Night falls, the cold north wind howls by, leaning against a thick tent, in front of a blazing bonfire, but feeling not too much coolness. The rabbit on the flames has been roasted to golden brightness, dripping with oil, and the strong fragrance makes one involuntarily swallow saliva.

  In the distance, a few long howls of wolves came, which sounded particularly desolate in the whistling wind. However, Zhuge Mingyue and others didn't pay much attention to it. Whether it was the Xunlong Mountains or the White Ice Plain, as soon as night fell, it became a paradise for animals. After several experiences, they had long been used to it and were no longer as tense as when they first started.

  But tonight, the situation is somewhat different. Shortly after those wolf howls sounded, there were several more wolf howls in another direction of the mountain forest, as if they were echoing each other from afar, lingering on for a long time.

  "Not good, it's a pack of Blood Wolves!" Ling Feiyang tilted his head to listen, and suddenly his expression changed.

  "It's just a wolf, what's there to be nervous about." Wan Xi Chen was gnawing on a rabbit leg with his mouth full of oil, and he gave Ling Fei Yang a disdainful glance. He had just been promoted not long ago, and his confidence was rapidly inflating, let alone wolves, even lions and tigers probably wouldn't be taken to heart.

  "Fatty, the Blood Wolf is a magical beast unique to the White Ice Plains, not what you think it is." Xue Zihao subconsciously touched his longbow as he explained to Wan Qichen. This guy didn't like reading books, so he hadn't really looked at the Magical Beast Compendium.

  "That's still a wolf, what's the difference? I don't believe it can fly to the sky!" Wan Qi Chen, who was bursting with confidence, didn't take Xue Zi Hao seriously.

  "It really is as you said, some packs of Blood Wolves have wolf kings that can actually mutate to gain the ability to fly." Ling Fei Yang added.

  " Flying wolf!" Wan Xi Chen's hand trembled slightly, but he didn't show any signs of fear, instead his face was filled with excitement. "You're talking about the mutated skill that allows flight!" Ever since seeing Wen Yi's dragon cat, which had a clumsy appearance but an absolutely astonishing defense, Wan Xi Chen couldn't stop thinking about adding skills to his own team. Just imagine it, a flying earth armor beast, how cool would that be! Wan Xi Chen didn't even dare to think about it, if the earth armor beast really could fly, it would be ridiculous. With such a heavy body, it would need wings of enormous size!

  "How did you know? I've never heard of it." Wan Xi Chen asked curiously after his excitement.

  "Go see for yourself." Zhuge Mingyue tossed a bestiary to Wan Qi Chen with ill humor, this fatty was good at everything except reading books.

  Wan Qi Chen hastily opened the manual and as he read on, his face changed color.

  Blood Wolf, a pack of magical beasts unique to the White Ice Plain, known for their ferocity and cunning nature. They possess extremely high intelligence. A typical Blood Wolf pack consists of over 500 members, with strength ranging from mid-level to high-level. The Wolf King is usually a mutated Blood Wolf, with the lowest being at Earth Level, while some exceptional ones can reach Sky Level. Note: Some Blood Wolf Kings may develop temporary flight skills after mutation, possessing extremely strong combat power.

  "Shouldn't we change places?" Closing the Monster Encyclopedia, Wan Xi Chen swallowed his saliva, looking at the plump and fragrant rabbit meat in his hand, he couldn't eat anymore. Not to mention the Earth-level or even Sky-level mutated Blood Wolf King, just the more than 500 Blood Wolf pack wasn't something he could handle, let alone the Geodrakon which could resist but not withstand such a gang beating, as for what additional skills, he didn't dare think about it.

  "Let's see the situation first." Zhuge Mingyue said calmly, now at the edge of the mountain forest, in front of her was a vast and endless ice lake, behind her was a dense forest full of crises, nowhere was safe.

  "Ah!" In the stillness of the wilderness, a shrill and mournful cry suddenly rang out, followed by the long howls of wolves rising and falling in succession.

  Someone! Zhuge Mingyue and several others stood up at the same time, looking in the direction of the mournful cry.

  Then there were several mournful cries, followed by the sound of dense and chaotic footsteps. A small team of mercenaries came running in this direction, looking like they were also mercenaries. Seeing the raging fire, the few mercenaries who ran at the front revealed an extremely surprised expression, just like a drowning person seeing a lifeline.

  "Help, help!" Several mercenaries ran over while shouting for help. When they saw that there were only a few young people including Zhuge Mingyue by the bonfire, they all showed disappointed expressions. The other mercenaries who were running behind weren't so lucky and were surrounded by several blood wolves after being just half a beat slower.

  Several mercenaries gritted their teeth, just about to go back and rescue people, when they saw a lithe and elegant figure appear in their line of sight. In her hand was a slender sword with a cold gleam, and in the faint light of the fire, a dark red blood color flashed by. A hidden wolf in the darkness let out a mournful howl as she ended its life with one stroke of her sword. The lithe figure's agile movements and ruthless yet nimble swordsmanship gave Zhuge Mingyue a sense of familiarity. Ah yes, it was her - Zhuge Mingyue suddenly remembered who this person was: Yan Qingfeng, the one who had lent a helping hand in White Ice Town.

  "Squad leader, we're over here!" The several mercenaries who had been with them earlier shouted in unison, overjoyed at seeing Yan Qingfeng.

  Yan Qingfeng swiftly moved her foot, killing the other Blood Wolves that were attacking the other mercenaries. She quickly arrived at the bonfire and first looked at her own mercenaries, seeing that although they were all injured, none of them had suffered fatal wounds, which slightly put her mind at ease. Then she turned to look at Zhuge Mingyue and the others, saying in surprise, "How is it you guys? Weren't you told to go back? How did you end up here?" She also recognized that Zhuge Mingyue was the same girl from the Mercenary Guild who knew how to repay kindness.

  Zhuge Mingyue rolled her eyes and was about to retort, "Is the White Ice Plain your family's property? Are you allowed to come but we're not?"

  But seeing the anxiety and concern in her eyes, he didn't say it out loud.

  "Never mind all that, you guys hurry up and leave, I'll go save the others." Yan Qingfeng's heart was worried about the safety of the other mercenaries, and he didn't have time to be angry with Zhuge Mingyue, saying repeatedly.

  "No, Captain, we're going too." At this time, several other mercenaries also rushed forward and heard Yan Qingfeng's words, shaking their heads in unison.

  "You go and do what you can, obey orders, hurry up, and also, bring a few of them with you, protect them well." Yan Qingfeng commanded decisively.

  Upon hearing this, Zhuge Mingyue and the others felt a strange warmth in their hearts. This Yan Qingfeng was actually quite all right.

  "Squad leader, our brothers are at a critical juncture, you let us escape, do we still have the face to live? Even if it's death, I want to die with my brothers." A mercenary almost shouted. Behind him, a young mercenary who was only slightly older than Zhuge Mingyue and others, although still frightened and trembling with fear, had an extremely determined gaze.

  Yan Qingfeng fell silent, gritted his teeth and patted the mercenary's shoulder. "Alright!" Then he said to Zhuge Mingyue and the others, "You all escape first, be careful on your way!"

  After saying this, Yan Qingfeng took the mercenaries and was about to leave.

  "Wait!" cried Zhuge Mingyue.

  "What else is there?" Yan Qingfeng asked impatiently.

  "This jungle is so vast, where are you going to rescue your companions? If I'm not mistaken, they've already scattered. You can save one or two, but can you save everyone?" asked Zhuge Mingyue.

  Yan Qingfeng fell silent, earlier he was only anxious to rescue people, but hadn't thought about how to do it. Now, after being reminded by Zhuge Mingyue, he realized that he didn't even know the location of his own mercenary troops. If he rushed into the forest like this, not only would he fail to rescue anyone, but he might also lose the lives of the few mercenaries who followed him.

  "So, do you have a good plan?" Yan Qingfeng looked at Zhuge Mingyue, the girl in front of her, and suddenly had an inexplicable feeling. The faint smile on her face and her confident expression made Yan Qingfeng's confused mind clear up instantly, and she felt an inexplicable trust in Zhuge Mingyue.

  "First, let's get all the mercenaries gathered here before we discuss anything else. You should have something like communication flares, right?" Zhuge Mingyue said with confidence.

  "Gather together? Are you saying to fight the Blood Wolf Pack head-on? Do you know how big this pack of Blood Wolves is? At least over a thousand adult Blood Wolves, and we have five people here, seven including us, plus other mercenaries who escaped, adding up to no more than a hundred people at most. How can we possibly fight?" Yan Qingfeng let out a cry of surprise. If they could fight head-on, she would have led her men to do so long ago. It was because they couldn't win that she had led the mercenaries to retreat, and on the way, they encountered an ambush by the Blood Wolves, causing their group to be scattered and resulting in the current situation.

  "If you don't fight once, what else can you do? You're not even afraid of death, so why be afraid of a fierce battle?" Zhuge Mingyue said calmly and clearly, but it made Yan Qingfeng choke.

  "Alright, you're not afraid, what am I afraid of?" The mercenary's hot blood was burning inside his body. Yan Qingfeng took out the signal flare and ignited it. In the midst of the dull explosion sound, a burst of colorful fireworks bloomed in the sky, dazzlingly bright and extremely eye-catching.

  Zhuge Mingyue took out a bottle of medicine, slowly circling around the fire pit and pouring the medicine onto the ground.

  "What are you doing?" Yan Qingfeng wiped his slender sword and asked curiously.

  "I am an alchemist, and this is an alchemical elixir." Zhuge Mingyue explained.

  "Oh." Yan Qingfeng was slightly puzzled, the alchemist knew that some potions were said to have a miraculous effect on driving out poisonous insects. Could it be that this Zhuge Mingyue was treating the Blood Wolf as an ordinary poisonous insect? Could she really help them get out of this predicament? Yan Qingfeng wavered somewhat. But now there was no other way. The life of a mercenary was all about taking risks, if you won, you got rich, if you lost, you died. This time, they might as well take the risk, maybe there would still be a turning point.

  "What's your name?" asked Yan Qingfeng.

  "Zhuge Mingyue."

  "Ah, Zhuge Mingyue, I am Yan Qingfeng, the leader of the Lihuo Mercenary Group."

  Zhuge Mingyue was taken aback, and then looked at Yan Qingfeng again. A woman was actually the captain of a mercenary group? It must not have been easy to get to this point. Zhuge Mingyue's evaluation of Yan Qingfeng rose by several points.

  Not long after, several mercenaries with injuries all over their bodies came running towards the bonfire under the frenzied pursuit of the Blood Wolves. Yan Qingfeng flashed out with his slender sword, and with a flash of sword light, he blocked several Blood Wolves behind him. The other mercenaries raised their weapons to welcome them, and escorted their companions to safety.

  "How is it? Nothing's wrong, right?" A few minutes later, Yan Qingfeng killed several Blood Wolves, wiped the blood stains on his face, and returned to the bonfire to ask a few mercenaries.

  "It's all right, no big deal." A mercenary replied while treating the wound torn by wolf claws.

  "Take a rest for now, there's still another fierce battle ahead." Yan Qingfeng nodded and said solemnly. Among the few Blood Wolves just now, one of them already had the strength of a high-level peak approaching that of a Great Earth-level magical beast. With her own strength, it was really too difficult to protect these mercenaries under the wolves' siege, and she still had to rely on them themselves.

  "Yes, Captain." The mercenary responded in a rough tone and lay down on the ground to rest.

  More and more mercenaries rushed over, the previous mercenaries had a brief rest and recovered some physical strength, and followed Yan Qingfeng to rescue these newly returned companions.

  But just at this moment, something unpleasant finally happened.

  In the darkness outside the fire, pairs of eyes gleaming with a thick, bloody light flickered restlessly. The fierce magical beasts' heavy breathing sounds rose quietly. They were surrounded by wolves. A hungry blood wolf couldn't resist the temptation and directly broke through the pack, pouncing towards the mercenary beside the fire.

  "Swish!" Gentle breeze, fine sword in one swing, left a deep blood mark on the throat of that bloody wolf, amidst flying blood mist, the bloody wolf fell to the ground and died.

  The strong smell of blood wafted everywhere, and the already ferocious Blood Wolf Pack became even more restless, moving forward in unison. The thick stench, the heavy pressure, made these seasoned mercenaries feel like vomiting.

  "Damn it, if only there was a bunker." Yan Qingfeng couldn't help but curse, on the edge of the mountain forest, by the icy lake, the flat plain didn't have any cover at all. Once the wolf pack launched a full-scale attack, she had no ability to protect the others.

  "Jiang Fei!" Yan Qingfeng shouted loudly.

  "Alright, Captain." A mercenary with a bare upper body and well-developed muscles stood up, although his legs were slightly injured, but his injuries were much lighter than others, and he looked energetic at the moment.

  "Lead your squad and protect them well." Yan Qingfeng pointed at Zhuge Mingyue and the others.

  "Yes, Captain." Jiang Fei saluted and cast a disdainful glance at Zhuge Mingyue and the others. In his heart, he couldn't help but think that he didn't know what the captain was thinking, why he still brought these burdens along, and why he didn't let them escape earlier to conserve energy to help other comrades.

  "It's all right, let them take care of themselves." Zhuge Mingyue sat by the fire pit, poking at the faint flames with a branch.

  "This is not the time for you to play hero, nor is it the time for you to act like a spoiled princess." Yan Qingfeng couldn't help but scold.

  "Believe me, we can protect ourselves." Zhuge Mingyue smiled slightly.

  "Fine, whatever." Yan Qingfeng said with a huff, not even wanting to look at Zhuge Mingyue again. This girl was too ignorant of her place.

  The wolf pack was closing in, all the mercenaries stood up with their weapons at the ready, just as the wolves were about to launch a final attack, Zhuge Mingyue suddenly stood up and threw the burning branch far away.

  That little spark, at this tense moment, is like a sharp stab to the eye. Branches fell to the ground, splashing out a few sparks, and then, a flame dragon-like fire burst into the air, centered on the mercenaries, rising up a five-meter-high firewall around them. The flames burned fiercely, occasionally emitting deafening explosions, while also releasing a pungent smell.

  "What is this?" Yan Qingfeng was stunned for a moment, could it be that the medicine water that Zhuge Mingyue had sprinkled on the ground earlier was so terrifying? The raging flames were five meters high and one meter wide, and being in the midst of it was like standing at the mouth of a volcano, with sweat all over his body. How could such a small amount of medicine water possibly produce such a frightening wall of fire?

  "I told you, didn't I? I'm an alchemist." Zhuge Mingyue replied.

  "Ah......" Yan Qingfeng really didn't know what to say, weren't alchemists just refining those useless combat potions and ordinary auxiliary potions? When did they start refining this kind of thing?

  Zhuge Mingyue would not tell her that his teacher, a genius in alchemy, was actually quite skilled at brewing explosive potions, and any potion he made could potentially ignite or explode.

  The firewall burned more and more fiercely, protecting the mercenaries in the middle, except for a small gap just big enough for two people to enter and exit, with flames soaring all around.

  The extremely ferocious Blood Wolf Pack, although not afraid of ordinary flames, had an innate fear of this wall of fire. However, they were unwilling to give up on the people inside. They could only charge towards that gap, but under the cold light of Yan Qingfeng's slender sword, any Blood Wolf that tried to break through the gap would meet with only one outcome - death.

  Watching his companions fall one by one under Yan Qingfeng's sword, the cunning Blood Wolf began to retreat, gazing at the food that was within sight but unwilling to give up. Finally, a Blood Wolf leaped high and charged towards the firewall. Just as its powerful body was about to clear the firewall, it suddenly let out a mournful howl unlike any other, and its entire body ignited like lamp oil, burning rapidly. By the time it fell to the ground, it had already turned into a piece of charcoal.

  No Blood Wolf dared to make a move, and the mercenaries also subconsciously squeezed towards the middle, no one wanted to follow in the footsteps of that Blood Wolf and be burned to ashes.

  "Look quickly, who is that?" Just as all the mercenaries' hearts were slightly at ease, one of them suddenly exclaimed.

  Not far away, a mercenary was running towards the firewall, holding a heavy giant sword that continuously slashed and knocked several blood wolves surrounding him to the ground.

  Those blood wolves outside the firewall discovered new prey, and a group of them pounced on that person. This is nearly a thousand blood wolves, even if one's strength is strong, how can they withstand the siege of so many blood wolves?

  "It's no good, it's the deputy commander." One of the mercenaries recognized who had come and his eyes reddened as he was about to rush out.

  "Go back and hold this place." Yan Qingfeng threw him back, then shouted loudly, "I order everyone to hold this gap, wait for me to come back."

  After finishing speaking, Yan Qingfeng took a swift step forward, without hesitation or fear, but with unyielding determination and absolute resolve.

  "Captain..." The mercenaries gazed at her back, their eyes welling up with a hazy light.

  Just then, another figure flew out of the firewall, and even blocking couldn't stop it.

  "She's gone!" Jiang Fei was shocked and turned pale. The person who went out was none other than Zhuge Mingyue!

  No motivation at all == Ahhh~ Rolling over~