"So, Hyena, where did you get that hammer?"
Inside the tavern, the group sat together, drinking and discussing their next move. Unable to resist the temptation any longer, Priest Aludo finally broke the silence, glancing repeatedly at the massive hammer lying nearby.
Hearing the question, Qin Ming smirked and lifted the hammer, setting it on the table with a solid thud.
"Oh, this? I ran into the Orc Chieftain earlier and managed to drive him off. He left this behind."
"The Orc Chieftain's hammer, huh? No wonder... Say, Hyena, you don't seem like the type to wield a hammer yourself."
"Not really," Qin Ming replied with a mischievous smile. "Why? You interested?"
Aludo instinctively glanced at the weapon in his hands but hesitated to respond. Before he could, Qin Ming chuckled, patting the meteor hammer on the table.
"This was my hard-earned prize, something I risked my life to win. If you want it, sure, I can part with it—but you'll have to pay for it. Fair's fair."
"Pay?" Aludo's face twisted with reluctance, his usual jovial demeanor giving way to hesitation.
Forcing a smile, he tried, "Come on, Hyena, we're all friends here."
"Exactly," Qin Ming countered, his grin widening. "That's why I'm willing to sell it to you. I'll even give you a discount—how about 20,000 gold coins?"
"Twenty thousand?! Have you lost your mind? A hammer for 20,000? No way! 5,000 tops!"
"How about we meet in the middle? Fifteen thousand."
"Ten thousand! That's my final offer! Take it or leave it!"
Seeing Aludo's pained expression, Qin Ming knew he'd hit the limit. Grinning, he pushed the hammer across the table. "Deal!"
"Humph! I don't like you!"
Grumbling, Aludo produced a hefty sack of gold coins, tossing it onto the table with a scowl. His already low opinion of Qin Ming dropped further, hitting a solid -80 in the system.
Qin Ming, however, couldn't care less. Reputation wasn't nearly as useful as cold, hard cash. Opening the bag, he quickly verified its contents before stowing it away with satisfaction.
Watching from across the table, Twin-Guns licked her lips, clearly envious of Qin Ming's windfall. After a moment of deliberation, she turned to Aludo, her voice honeyed and soft.
"Brother Aludo, may I take a look at your new hammer?"
"Hm?" Aludo frowned but, swayed by his favorable opinion of her, reluctantly handed over the weapon.
Twin-Guns examined it carefully, her eyes lighting up as she studied its stats. After a moment, she respectfully returned it, her expression contemplative.
The four of them soon turned their attention to planning their next move.
Given the orcs' recent retreat, this was the perfect opportunity to finish the job. They agreed to hunt down the Orc Chieftain and eliminate him for good.
At Twin-Guns' suggestion, they also resolved to destroy the orc village, ensuring no threats remained. This required splitting into four groups, each leading a small detachment of soldiers.
Aludo and Ranger Labelle would tackle the main orc forces, while Qin Ming and Twin-Guns were assigned to lead separate squads against the village.
As Twin-Guns animatedly discussed strategy with the mayor and the two protagonists, Qin Ming remained silent, his sharp gaze occasionally flickering toward her.
He couldn't deny her talents. Her ability to manipulate situations and secure protagonist-exclusive gear was impressive.
But her cunning also made her dangerous.
As if sensing his scrutiny, Twin-Guns turned her head and flashed him a warm smile. Her eyes, however, glinted with a predatory sharpness.
A man who could face the Orc Chieftain head-on and disarm him? Interesting.
With the plans finalized, the gates of Blackstone Town creaked open. Hundreds of soldiers marched out, splitting into groups to carry out their assignments.
The majority of the force—over 400 men—accompanied the protagonists, whose target was the main orc army.
Qin Ming and Twin-Guns each received a smaller detachment, though Qin Ming's was noticeably smaller, likely due to his poor standing with the townsfolk.
While Twin-Guns led a force of over 40 soldiers, Qin Ming had barely 20 under his command.
Unfazed by the discrepancy, Qin Ming approached Aludo one last time before departing.
Despite the priest's sour attitude, Qin Ming managed to purchase Aludo's remaining stock of bandages—14 in total—for 3,500 gold coins.
With the bandages tucked away and 6,500 gold coins still in his possession, Qin Ming led his small force toward their objective: the orc village.
The so-called orc village was little more than a cluster of crude huts—no walls, no defenses, just a scattering of primitive shelters.
Most of the orc warriors had already departed for battle, leaving the village lightly defended. Still, orcs, even their weaker members, were formidable foes.
Flattening the village with just 20 men would be no small task.
Standing atop a hill overlooking the village, Qin Ming surveyed the scene. A lieutenant with a spear approached, his voice low.
"Hero, what's the plan?"
Qin Ming's expression was calm as he replied, "Simple. We charge straight in."
"Charge? With only 20 men?"
"Yes. Don't worry—I'm here, aren't I?"
Qin Ming's grin was wide and toothy, but his narrowed eyes gleamed coldly.