Chapter 48: The Return Journey (Part 2)

  (Second update)

  They dragged the corpse aside, found some scattered coins and Elara continued on with the three most expensive bodyguards she had ever hired since birth.

  Behind them will be wave after wave of pursuers.

  When Eddas Brown completed his studies in the Temple of Solara and was expelled to travel, he first thought of his brother, Will Brown. This ninth-level warrior sent him to the temple after their parents' death and became a mercenary himself. Until today, he is still alive and well, Eddas can only attribute this point to his devotion to Darenis, it is devotion that moved the great true god, letting him bless the world.

  Will Brown wasn't just praying during his long mercenary career. He found a partner, also a 9th-level warrior, Bonebreaker Aizik. This was a northern barbarian, tall and burly, not particularly bright in the head, but enough to learn everyday communication using Common Speech.

  Now these three people gathered together and saw a wanted poster with a handsome portrait on it, written with a reward of fifty gold coins.

  Will stared at the notice, his eyes wide with shock, as if frightened by the amount. Then he turned around and excitedly said to his brother: "Fifty gold coins! Fifty gold coins!"

  Fifth-level Pastor Edas didn't have much enthusiasm for this amount. Having stayed in the temple for a long time, his concept of money was different from others. In fact, one of the purposes of letting them go out and gain experience was to correct their wrong views on money. He glanced at the notice, furrowed his brow: "Killing people? This isn't very good, I'm a pastor of the Sun God."

  Isaac smiled foolishly. He couldn't read or write, so Will had to take charge of everything.

  Will stared blankly for a moment, then looked back at the poster with some reluctance, and exclaimed in surprise: "Oh, oh, we can kill him!"

  Seeing Ida still frowning, Will adjusted his tone: "I mean, we should kill him, you see, he's committed such a great crime, he insulted so many people's wives!"

  He ran his finger over the list of names: "These poor men, their wives ravished and the culprits going scot-free; as a priest of the good and just Sun God, shouldn't you do something about it?"

  Aidas listened to Will's words, his eyebrows gradually relaxed, and he nodded with a smile: "Right, right, no mistake, haha, that's it! How can such an evil person be allowed to escape? This is not allowed by the supreme Sun God! Come on, take up your weapon and follow me, let's go and eliminate this evil villain!"

  Good people don't kill, they just need a reason.

  Similarly, a person who has seen a lot of money doesn't mean he no longer likes money, as long as the money should belong to him, he will go crazy for it.

  But where is that wicked Elara?

  News from the Red Sun Inn - where Odara once stayed - a man resembling the portrait on the wanted poster was seen heading north with three others this morning, his head wrapped in linen! The news is worth a silver coin, and the innkeeper made a pretty penny.

  North? Three people? So there are accomplices! These evil people, await the wrath of the Sun God!

  We say that the Holy Warriors are somewhat radical, but it doesn't mean that the priests are rational. Gandova who died at the hands of a wild wolf was a rational person, and Eidas who just graduated from the temple is another story altogether. Birds of a feather flock together, what can you expect when he's always hanging out with those crazy Holy Warriors?

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  After clearing out the third batch of overly brave attackers, Odara and his men were finally able to confirm that Eilar's whereabouts had been exposed.

  "Isn't it to cover your face!" Odala roared at Ailar.

  Aila pointed at the layers of linen wrapped around her face and shook her head innocently.

  "I think it might have been yesterday when he was chatting with us," said Johnny from the side.

  "I knew that," Odara said lightly. "Let's think of a countermeasure while we walk, this can't go on like this."

  Get out of here! Are you taking away everything I own? What's gotten into you? Elara was on the verge of tears.

  "Master, how does the Mercenary Union pass on mission information?" Johnny asked. He had a glimmer of hope in his heart.

  Before Odara could speak, the sound of horseshoes echoed from behind them. The four stepped aside to let a fine horse gallop past, its rider carrying a flag on his back.

  "That's the Mercenary Union's messenger. Do you have any other questions?" Odara gazed at the dust raised by the galloping horse in the distance and said helplessly.

  Jony sighed and shook his head.

  Things have gotten out of hand now.

  Audrey bowed her head to calculate the distance, then raised her head and said in a very heavy tone: "Thirty days, we will have to walk along the road for thirty more days before entering the border of Ocedin, thirty days! Along the way!"

  Then he stopped in his tracks, came to El'gor's side, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck: "With you around, we can't possibly follow the road! At least forty days. In those forty days, because of you, we'll have to live in the wilderness; because of you, we'll have to make our way along the trails; because of you...because of you!"

  Joni and Astrid looked at Odara in excitement, somewhat at a loss. This wasn't the usual Odara.

  Audra shook the poor Eirak back and forth until she was satisfied, then set her down, took a deep breath as if to calm herself, and said in a light tone: "So, your life is now worth two hundred gold coins."

  Jony suddenly realized.

  Eilar was dazed at the moment, but when he suddenly heard that the reward had doubled, he immediately came to his senses. He stared eagerly at Odara, just about to speak, but was stopped by Odara stretching out a hand: "Given how big this thing has blown up, it's hard for me to explain the cause to your father. You know, we Osdin people have to think carefully about how to tell benevolent lies, it's very difficult and taxing on the brain. So, for my wasted energy, I'll need to collect an additional fifty gold coins as a silence fee from you. Any questions?"

  There were many questions, but Ailar didn't dare say a single one. Closing his eyes and nodding, Ailar lowered his head and silently followed behind the team.

  Joni gazed once more at Odalla's back. A follower of Odin? How could he be so... cunning?

  Although Odara was delighted to have collected an extra 150 gold coins, he clearly understood the dire situation they were facing. Fifty gold coins might be a paltry sum from a noble's perspective, but in the eyes of mercenaries, it was a huge amount. As a level-12 warrior, Odara could be considered upper-middle class among mercenaries in the entire Velsa Second Empire, but he didn't have the confidence to face every challenge.

  Hiding and advancing quietly is undoubtedly the best choice at present.

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  Aidas and others walked out of the city gate in groups of three or two, heading north along the main road. This large team was mixed with more than 20 mercenaries, and everyone had only one goal - 50 gold coins. Oh no, it's Ailar, that golden head.

  Acknowledging, naturally they can't stroll leisurely, but there are no horses either. Those who could afford a horse wouldn't care about this small amount of money. Everyone is running at full speed, which surprises the reserved Aidas somewhat.

  "What a lack of style!" Adas lamented, "It's just a little money, is it worth it?"

  Will gazed at Idaas in wonder. A penny? It had been a bit thoughtless to send him to the temple after all. Then he was startled by his own thoughts, clasped his hands over his chest and prayed silently: May the Lord forgive my foolish notions.

  There is only one brain, and there are only fifty gold coins. With so many people, only one can achieve the final victory. Who will be the winner of this bounty?

  There was no doubt in Idris's mind that the person was him.

  The tavern owner's silver coin clue only gave a direction, and no one knew where the mobile gold vault of Ailar had run to. The only clue was to follow the road and find some clues.

  As expected, Idas saw a pile of bloody and mutilated corpses and limbs on the side of the road, which had obviously been carefully searched, with nothing left but blood-stained clothes.

  "These wicked robbers! Murderers!" Eidas exclaimed, "That they should commit such a crime!"

  Will gradually understood the temple's approach of sending these newly trained priests out for experience. This group was clearly a mercenary troop that had received news in advance, and Ailuer didn't kill them; would he have to let them be killed before showing his benevolence?

  As they went on their way, they saw two more piles of bodies that were similar to the first one, also mangled and dismembered, with nothing left behind.

  "Those blasted fools don't even leave us any!" Cragbone Isaac cursed in rough Common Speech.

  Will jumped and turned around, gesturing with his eyes for Isaac to shut up.

  Aidas looked at Eizak with some oddness: "Leave some for us?"

  "Leave some clues, leave some clues, his universal language is not fluent." Will made a round.

  Aida looked suspiciously at her brother and then shook her head, continuing to walk quickly.

  Well, I managed to muddle through. Will didn't dare imagine how Eddas would react if he knew how his remains were being treated. But, for goodness' sake, even the great Daenerys didn't blame me for it, so why are these priests and holy warriors making such a fuss?!

  As they continued forward, they discovered new corpses, and fresh ones at that.

  "Isn't that one of the men we saw at the city gate?" Eidas exclaimed, pointing at the corpse still bleeding on the ground. "How did he die so quickly?"

  Will stepped forward and took a look at the body.

  "Their fatal injuries are different from those corpses earlier. They're all on their backs. And they're stab wounds, not slash wounds."

  Isaac also came over to take a look, then snorted contemptuously through his nose: "This must be the work of those despicable vagrants, this bunch of timid cowards, gutless wimps, even goats that have contracted the plague are bolder than them!"

  For this kind of scolding method with strong local characteristics, both brothers expressed incomprehension.

  More and more fresh corpses appeared on both sides of the road ahead, all with the same wounds, all those mercenaries at the city gate.

  "Who?!" Hearing the rustling sound from the grass by the roadside, Isaac raised his axe in hand and suddenly turned around, shouting angrily.

  As soon as they saw their tracks exposed, four people emerged from the grass thickets on both sides, short in stature, with a dangerous glint in their eyes.

  "Are you ready to die? I'm already prepared to send you off." A black-clad man who seemed to be the leader licked his short sword, smiling faintly as he spoke.

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  At this time, Joanie and her party did not know the blood rain and strong wind behind them. They had left the main road and entered a forest not far from the roadside.

  "Let's get through this part first, and then think of a way when we reach the north. There aren't such dense forests there," Odara said.

  Now that his whereabouts had been exposed, there was no use in covering up anymore. Ailar finally managed to untie the linen cloth covering his mouth and nose, directly contacting the lovely air.

  The forest here is not like the Tabri Forest, where countless dangers lurk. Although there are trees and grass, birdsong, and fragrant flowers, within the powerful Saval Kingdom, dangerous monsters have almost become extinct. The remaining small monsters that can only harass ordinary farmers are hardly worth worrying about.

  The only danger comes from men, from those mercenaries who are paid for their tasks.

  "Astrid." Jony was still as carefree as ever, anyway everything had Ondara, "Let me tell you a story!"

  For those who listen to the story, this opening is lovely. But for onlookers, Odala really wants to hang up and beat this uncreative little brat.

  But the story continues.

  This story takes place on a distant continent, that continent and Velsa are separated by an ocean of millions of miles...

  "Are you referring to Kanaq?" Elarl asked, perplexed.

  "What's Kana?" Johnny thought to himself, "No, no, it's on another continent - just pretend you're listening to a story, we're not doing history."

  Aira had heard enough from Johnny and didn't interrupt anymore, quietly listening on the side.

  On that distant continent, there was an ancient kingdom called Chaiyena. They... Joanie began to talk about the Zhou Wu Fa Yan, telling the story of the "Chaiyena Empire".

  King Zhou listened to Daji's suggestion, and chopped the son of Duke Wen of Zhou into meat sauce, made into meatballs, and let him eat, to see if he could predict everything...... These names are really hard to translate, thought Joanie painfully.

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  At this time, on Ada's side.

  When Aidas came to his senses and began to chant the spell of brute force, a crossbow bolt shot out, startling him, hastily stopping the divine art, holding up his shield in front of him.

  Boom! Like a war drum beating for an attack, the seven people on the field were entangled in a fierce battle.

  The barbarian warrior Isaac let out a roar of anger, raised his heavy battle-axe and swung it at the "cowardly" wanderer in front of him. The wanderer dodged nimbly to the left and right, searching for an opening in the sparse web woven by the axe. Meanwhile, behind Isaac's back, another wanderer was looking for an opportunity to strike him with a sword. Despite his robust physique and strong will, he felt the pain of metal piercing his body. With a roar, he turned around and swung his axe horizontally, and the wanderer ducked down to avoid the blade that whizzed over his head, then began to dodge and weave, taking over the work of the previous wanderer. The other wanderer who was facing Isaac's back also took over the work of the one in front, starting to stab randomly at Isaac's body.

  It wasn't easy for Will and Ida either. Although they only had to face one wanderer, it was enough to keep them busy for a while.

  However, the long sword and nail-headed hammer were not as heavy and difficult to handle as the battle-axe. Will quickly finished off the enemy in front of him. Pulling out the long sword that had been thrust into the enemy's body, Will took a glance at the situation on the battlefield and ran to help Isaac.

  Three to three, but Isaac was already somewhat out of it, and the situation remained precarious.