Last chapter recap: Aofeng and Li Qing, the envoy from Radiance Church, make a wager on who hunts the most magic beasts.
This chapter has been brought to you by me, and WanderingGummiOfDoom.
Chapter Four – Switch, Start
Three in the morning was the darkest time of night before dawn.
Two small mercenary squads that were dressed in light armor sneaked out of the mercenary camp in the darkness. These people were dressed in black clothing with their entire faces covered and only their eyes exposed. The squad dragged two boxes that were about half a story high as they hurriedly ran out.
Using the tall gra.s.ses as cover, the group softly sneaked to the rear of the camps of the large mercenary camps. According to the layout, the west was the combined camps of Crimson Forge and Wolf Pack. The east was Flying Aspara Mercenary Company"s camp, and the other small mercenary companies were between the two major camps.
Yesterday night, Crimson Forge, Wolf Pace and Flying Aspara Mercenary Companies gathered their scattered troops to the two sides of the gates to avoid chaos when the time came. This was a grand bet concerning two sacred beasts.
“Elder Luo Xi, let us split up here to act. We will go to Crimson Forge, and you will go to the camp at our rear. If we can cause a large number of people from Crimson Forge and Wolf Pack to be killed, your status in Flying Aspara Mercenary Company will become more solidified,” a deep male voice said. This was the young captain of Flying Aspara Mercenary Company, Ba Tuke.
Elder Luo Xi, dressed in yellow robes, nodded with a serious expression. “Young Master, we will not have any problems on our end. This old man will personally keep watch. I believe that not even a fly can fly in. But you have to be careful on your end. The scent of the giant dragon excrement and Sidian Pollen is unique. Do not let any get out. If they learn of this prematurely, we will have wasted all of our efforts ,and will be pursued relentlessly by Crimson Forge and Wolf Pack. Tomorrow, during the siege, we will send people to burn the boxes. Just a little fire will spread the scent, and then it will be too late even if they discover this.”
Because they were afraid people would discover their actions, Ba Erbo didn"t want to even delay one minute. He said, “No problem, Elder, we"re going … …”
When he said this, noise suddenly sounded in the nearby gra.s.ses!
Someone was there!
This shock was a significant one. The minds of Ba Erbo and the rest of the group blanked. Their hairs stood on end as though they had been shocked by electricity. Anyone who found someone stumbling onto their conspiracy would feel some fear.
Elder Luo Xi was the fastest to react. He shouted with a dark expression, “Who! Come out!” Before he finished, the old man dashed forward. That person seemed to want to flee but could not match the speed of a spirit magister. They didn"t manage a few steps when the old person"s withered fingers accurately grabbed onto a collar. That person made an “ah” sound and then fell to the ground surrounded by a group of males dressed in black.
“Hm, Young Captain, it"s a woman!”
Ba Erbo and Elder Luo Xi stilled when they heard this. Seeing that it was a harmless-looking woman rather than Rong Luo and the other experts, they sighed in relief.
“This probably is a straggler from a small adventurer group. Tsk tsk, pretty.” A black-clothed male that was close looked over and sighed in amazement.
Ba Erbo heard this and also looked over. His eyes immediately lit up.
The young female was clothed in a tight robe. She was beautiful, with jade-like skin that could be seen clearly even in the night, a pair of deep eyes that were bright and glittering. Her features seemed to be flawless as though they had been carved by an artist. The tight clothes emphasized the female"s demonically seductive figure. The leather short dress stopped just below the thigh. A pair of snowy-white legs were exposed. The group of males almost turned into wolves. If they didn"t have something important they had to complete, they would be fighting to be first.
Too beautiful! There was such a beautiful woman in this world!
Hot blood rushed into Ba Erbo"s head. He almost embarra.s.singly had a nosebleed. He had seen many beauties before but he felt at this moment that he had seen nothing before. All of the beautiful women he had seen before added up together could not compare to her. The most beautiful of the City of Neversetting Sun, Sisli, wasn"t even worthy of holding her shoes! The Empress that was called the most beautiful of the Kaya Empire might not be as soul-shakingly beautiful as her!
“I … … I didn"t hear anything, I don"t know anything. You … … don"t kill me!” The beautiful young female seemed to have received a great shock and seemed fearful. She shrunk back pitifully until she was between the two large wood boxes before she seemed to feel slightly safe and stopped moving.
Looking at the female trembling, even the wolves didn"t dare to press her and moved back a few steps. They formed a large circle as though frightening this person was a great sin.
“Beautiful Miss, do not be afraid.” Facing such a beauty, Ba Erbo"s voice unconsciously gentled. He smiled. “Do not worry, we are not bad people, but there are some things that we cannot have leaked out. We will not do anything to you but the magic beast siege today is extremely dangerous. Stay for a while in our Flying Aspara Mercenary Company. After today pa.s.ses, we will release you. Maybe we can go somewhere to have a meal together later.”
Ba Erbo could be considered young and handsome. He tried to be gentlemanly and managed to achieve some of the presence. The anxious young female gradually calmed down but her eyes still flashed with wariness and uncertainty.
“Who are you? Why are you roaming about at this time?" The old and experienced Elder Luo Xi had a slight feeling that something was wrong. This woman was too strange. A beautiful appearance was a powerful weapon on its own. Also, this person came to such a remote corner in the middle of the night and coincidentally saw them. Was this really a coincidence?
Elder Luo Xi felt that there was something wrong the more he thought about it. His eyes sharpened as he stared at the young female.
“Ah! Wolf! There"s a wolf!” The young female did not answer Elder Luo Xi and showed fear again as she pointed with a trembling finger to the sky behind the group and exclaimed softly.
“What? Wolf?” Everyone, including Elder Luo Xi, was astounded. When the word wolf was mentioned, the first thing they thought of was “Zhui Yun"s” sacred beast Four-Winged Silver Wolf. They immediately turned their heads to look. As expected, they saw a Four-Winged Silver Wolf flying idly through the air nearby as though it was patrolling.
“It really is Zhui Yun"s silver wofl! F**k, please do not come over!”
Ba Erbo and the others felt as though they were sitting on needles. Their hearts were in their throats and they had no attention to spare for behind them. All of their attention was focused on the silver wolf on the horizon. They didn"t see that, behind them, the hint of ridicule in the eyes of the “beautiful and harmless” young female behind them.
The young female moved rapidly. Her hands slapped onto the two enormous boxes next to her. She quickly used the two spatial rings she wore on each hand to put away the two boxes. Then she crossed her hands and released the boxes. The entire process was lightning fast and soundless. Because these two large wooden boxes came from the same business, and Ba Erbo was afraid of attracting attention, the two wooden boxes were exactly the same. If they were mixed up, no one would be able to tell which was which.
After doing this, the young female stepped softly and then disappeared where she was.
And also at this time, the Four-Winged SIlver Wolf slowly pa.s.sed by. It didn"t seem to find anything as its enormous shadow slowly disappeared into the pitch black night.
Ba Erbo and the others exhaled in relief. When they looked back, the young female was gone.
“That woman ran away!” Ba Erbo stilled and then said urgently. “Elder Luo Xi, we need to capture that woman as soon as possible. Otherwise, if she tells Rong Luo and the others, our plan will be ruined!”
“Alright, Young Captain, time waits for no one. If we keep on delaying, the sun will be up. Let"s prioritize and first move these where they need to be.” Elder Luo Xi rolled his eyes impatiently. He thought inside, you think this old man doesn"t know what you are thinking? You just have intentions towards that beauty, still thinking of your l.u.s.t at such a time!
Pausing, Elder Luo Xi then said, “That woman did not have any insignias. She should not be from Wolf Pack or Crimson Forge. She also looks timid. I think that she will not dare to be enemies against our Flying Aspara Mercenary Company. During the celebration banquet for the magic beast siege this time, Young Captain, if you invite her out under the eyes of thousands of people, what kind of woman can resist you?”
Ba Erbo heard this, and he gave a satisfied smile. He seemed to see that young female falling into his arms already. He nodded and said, “You are right, Elder, take care! We"re going!”
The two groups finally left with their big boxes. No one noticed that the two boxes had been switched!
Not long after they left, a figure stood up from the nearby long gra.s.ses and looked coldly at the backs of the two groups. Lips curved up in a disdainful smile, she looked back at the trembling gra.s.ses and then shook her head helplessly. “How long are you going to laugh?”
As she spoke, the m.u.f.fled laughter turned into roars of laughter that echoed unrestrainedly in her mind. “Hahahaha! Master, I cannot help it! I cannot … … I think that we don"t need that Three-Tailed Charm Fox. You … … you are more seductive than the ancestor of the fox!”
Pushing aside the gra.s.s, she saw Ben Lei and Xiao Bing rolling about as they roared in laughter.
The two had been unable to bear it a long time ago. When they saw Aofeng"s “scared and pifitful state,” they almost suffocated themselves! Aofeng"s acting had been good, but when they thought of Aofeng"s personality, the great disparity was like a bolt of lightning!
“Haha, Master, how was my acting? Was I flamboyant enough?” Liao Ya who had turned back into his mimicry state sprinted back.
“You are far less than Master.” Ben Lei"s paws were in the air as he snickered with closed eyes. He said, “Those people would never dream that Master would switch the things?”
Yes, Ba Erbo and the others did not realize the severity of the matter even now. They didn"t know that they were digging their own graves.
Elder Luo Xi felt that the matter was slightly strange, but he didn"t expect that Aofeng had two valuable and enormous spatial rings that could silently switch the two chests. Large spatial rings were worth cities. Only Ba Tuke in Flying Aspara Mercenary Company had one large enough to hold such a box. But Ba Tuke was the captain and couldn"t leave the camp. They could only have people carry the boxes.
He also would not have thought that the “scared and pitiful” young female was the youth “Zhui Yun” they had seen recently.
Aofeng had thought carefully before deciding on a plan to switch the two boxes. Once they were delivered, there would be people guarding them. It would be difficult to switch them without anyone realizing it at that time.
Aofeng knew beforehand where the boxes would be kept. After taking care of everything else, Aofeng silently went back to Crimson Forge"s camp. She closed her eyes and rested in her own tent, practicing the Magus Divinity Spell for a while. She adjusted her body to the best state.
The sun rose in the east. The bright winter sun illuminated the land. Today was especially bright.
Aofeng walked out of the tent and looked around. The entire mercenary company had finished gathering, and the Crimson Forge mercenaries were all energized.
Soldiers, mercenaries and adventurers built up a wall of people that was ten meters thick outside the City of Neversetting Sun. The crowd wrapped completely around the City of Neversetting Sun. The riders of the lion-vulture squads in the air held long lances upright in the air. They were to fight the flying magic beasts
Because the city of Neversetting Sun was next to the mountain, the defense line was focused at the main gates. This was the south gates that faced the Great Forest of Neversetting Sun. The three big mercenary companies, and the Neversetting Sun Defense Army that Luo Fei led were primarily based here. Various other adventurer groups were a.s.signed to other places.
Aofeng split apart the crowds and walked forward. The Crimson Forge mercenaries in the surroundings looked at her respectfully. Because of her battle with Rong Luo yesterday, and Ba Tuke deliberately spreading the bet far and wide last night, Aofeng"s reputation around Neversetting Sun reached a peak. She could hear the words “Zhui Yun” all over the place.
“Zhui Yun Daren, good luck. Do not lose to that Li Qing!”
“Zhui Yun Daren, we believe that you and Young Captain can win!”
Along the way, Aofeng heard many voices of encouragement. The enthusiasm of the mercenaries caused her spirits to heat up.
“Zhui Yun, you finally came.” Seeing Aofeng come to the front, Rong Luo and Lu Feng laughed and came in front of her. Rong Luo shook his head and said, “I"m in a hurry for you, but you aren"t hurried. We are worried about your wager, but you don"t seem to care at all. You are still so relaxed and idle. You are arriving just as the siege begins.”
“So early?” Aofeng was shocked. Because she did not understand the magic beast siege, she thought they would have to wait until the afternoon.
“Little Brother Zhui Yun, you have not partic.i.p.ated in a magic beast siege before. You do not know. The magic beast siege of Neversetting Sun is famous. It will continue for one day, one wave after another. The morning will be some average magic beast. In the afternoon, the truly powerful magic beasts will appear. It will take at least the evening to see divine beasts. The day is just a warm up.” Lu Feng spiritedly pulled out his broadsword from behind his back and waved it. He suddenly grinned and pointed into the sky, “Look, the first wave has arrived.”
Translator Ramblings: Aofeng"s seductiveness is also called plot armor.
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