章節 89: Chapter Eighty-nine: Four Bronzes and a King! A Gathering of Heroes in Gold Rush Town
Clackety-clack... clackety-clack...
The carriage rumbled along the less than smooth official road, occasionally emitting a sharp sound as the axle was jolted.
Inside the carriage, the sociable brown-haired youth, Gabriel, was adept at setting the mood, even managing to elicit occasional laughter from the most reserved girl, Jenny.
Wang Hui, with his mask, leaned back against the corner with his arms crossed, not actively participating in the "comrades'" conversation, but he gleaned much useful information along the way.
For instance, the term "mercenary" did not refer to a purely motley crew of riffraff but had a relatively strict rating system.
From low to high, the ranks were Black Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
These ranks not only represented the mercenaries' experience in completing commissions but also reflected their level of ability!
Novice black iron mercenaries, fresh to the trade, were mostly ordinary individuals without supernatural abilities, doing odd jobs to make ends meet.
The four in Gabriel's squad, on the other hand, were bronze-ranked, having crossed the threshold into the ranks of the supernaturally gifted and having some experience with commissions involving combat.
Mercenaries of different ranks could apply for corresponding colored badges from associations in various regions, which were usually worn as pendants around the neck.
Just as Gabriel and his three companions wore bronze badges.
When they inquired about Wang Hui's mercenary rank, he subtly grasped a handful of silver coins from his pouch, releasing intense heat from his palm to melt and reshape them.
When he reached out to show them, the coins had been fused into a silver arc-shaped badge!
According to the witch Meg's grimoire, this should be considered a sixth-tier fire spell, [Seething Grip]...
"Silver!"
Jenny could not help but exclaim.
Although they were a bit puzzled as to why Mr. Gord's badge was steaming, the silvery color was clear.
Protos, who was driving the carriage, turned his head and laughed: "With a seasoned silver-ranked mercenary joining us, our chances of completing the commission have greatly increased!"
Gabriel and Simon exchanged glances, their expressions equally delighted, thinking themselves fortunate to have such a new companion.
But Wang Hui's next question quickly doused their enthusiasm.
"You said that the commission was to kill at least ten orc warriors or priests, but you seem to lack the capability to match such a task. Why did you accept it?"
Wang Hui spoke the truth.
In his perception, the source energy within these four young mercenaries was too weak, on par with the children of the three clans who had just undergone one refinement.
According to the stories of powerful mercenaries that Gabriel had previously discussed, a silver-ranked mercenary was roughly equivalent to one who had undergone two refinements, with gold being about three refinements and platinum four.
The orcs of the Thunder Kingdom had a natural physical advantage, with the average warrior's combat power lying between one and two refinements!
Even considering their relatively lower intelligence and poorer cooperative combat abilities, it would be best for a silver-ranked mercenary squad to handle the task of killing ten orcs safely.
What were these four bronze-ranked mercenaries doing getting involved?
The previously lively atmosphere quickly cooled.
Protos silently drove the carriage, Jenny lowered her face, and Simon quietly polished his dagger...
Gabriel looked around and could only awkwardly explain:
"Mr. Gord, we do lack the strength, but haven't you seen the king's recruitment notice? The Storm Kingdom is in a perilous situation, threatened from both sides, and it is a time for our citizens to contribute their strength!
If the defenses are breached and we allow those barbaric orcs to rampage through our towns, burning, killing, and looting, none of us will fare well...
It's better to face our fears and fight with all our courage than to witness our loved ones and families being humiliated...
Even if we die on the battlefield, we can still demonstrate some value!"
Wang Hui took the Storm Kingdom recruitment notice that Gabriel handed him, read its contents, and chuckled noncommittally, offering no comment.
At first glance, the situation seemed quite tragic, with the defense of the homeland and the camaraderie of life and death...
But Wang Hui had learned from Justin that the Storm Kingdom's territory had once been confined to a small corner.
It was only later, with the rapid development of its wizard and knight populations, coupled with maritime power, that it expanded by continually encroaching on the Thunder Kingdom's lands.
The recent occupation of the two towns by the orc army was, in fact, a reclaiming of territories they had historically possessed!
The Storm King's rhetoric was subtle.
Although they had been the first to initiate the plunder, now that their power was waning and they were being counterattacked, they presented themselves as innocent victims, calling for "righteous individuals" to defend their land...
The face they put on was truly laughable!
It was no wonder that Gabriel and the others had been easily swayed, as in the memories of this generation, those towns had always belonged to the Storm Kingdom.
Furthermore, they had been constantly indoctrinated with the theory of "greedy and unscrupulous orcs" by the royal family and the nobility, making it understandable that they were willing to be cannon fodder on the battlefield...
Seemingly aware of the high likelihood of their impending demise, Gabriel lost interest in discussing anything lighthearted, and the carriage fell into silence.
At dusk, the carriage arrived at the Gold Rush Town station.
Just half a day's journey further, the region of the two towns occupied by the Thunder Kingdom lay ahead, and many mercenary squads had gathered here to rest and prepare.
Not all were like Gabriel and his group, driven by a sense of justice; many mercenaries, confident in their abilities, saw this as an opportunity to make a profit!
The royal family offered a generous reward for the commission, and with the chaos of war, perhaps they could also make some other windfalls...
"Look! It's the [Rose Thorns]!"
"Hiss, have gold-ranked warriors already appeared? What about us..."
"[Mountain Cat] and [Song of the Moonlight] arrived not long ago, and they're said to be going on a hunt early tomorrow morning!"
As Wang Hui stepped down from the carriage, he heard the commotion from a distance.
Looking over, he saw six knights approaching from another road, attracting the attention of many.
On their tall horses, six people were dressed in matching dark red armor, with sharp spikes protruding from their helmets, shoulders, elbows, and knees, making them look very dangerous!
Wang Hui's gaze sharpened; the energy within these six was roughly equivalent to three refinements, similar to the mid-tier combat power of the divine kingdom's forces.
Even the high-level Nalan Jie and Huyan Qingbo, who were not adept at direct combat, were at this level.
Gabriel, stepping down from the carriage, exclaimed in admiration: "That's the [Rose Thorns]... Six gold-ranked mercenaries, all heavy armor knights, they shouldn't be outmatched even in direct combat with the orc army!"
Protos, clad in cheap plate armor, looked envious: "When will I ever have such impressive armor?"
The four sighed as they watched the [Rose Thorns] depart, then entered Gold Rush Town with Wang Hui, finding an inn to stay in and preparing their plans in the same room.
Gabriel unfolded a map and earnestly shared the intelligence they had gathered with his companions.
Wang Hui, slightly distracted, glanced out the window, his lips curving upwards slightly.
"It seems that tonight's gathering is not limited to gold-ranked warriors..."
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票