Glittering Gold Coins scattered on the stone stool, two of them rolling onto the ground with a crisp, pleasant sound.
The mercenaries immediately grabbed the weapons at their sides and turned around.
Then, they saw the thief favored by the leader of the Farsight Mercenary Corps, who had returned at some unknown time.
During the commotion, these mercenaries had witnessed the thief’s ghostly and mysterious movements, akin to those of an Undead Spectre. They knew this was not someone they could afford to provoke.
The life of a mercenary was one of licking blood from the blade’s edge; they possessed courage, but they were also highly pragmatic.
Since this thief was offering so much money for them to leave... This task was not only simple but also came with an extremely generous reward. There was no reason to refuse.
The mercenaries sheathed their weapons, clumsily gathered the Gold Coins from the stool and the ground, then slowly backed away before turning and departing quickly.
After all, Captain Donald had also issued a mission to find this thief. Finding Captain Donald first would mean an extra reward.
The mercenaries left, leaving only the emaciated mercenary who had been running the game to stand up anxiously.
Knowing he was no match for the thief before him, the mercenary said carefully, "Your Excellency... I’m just a nobody, and I’m disabled. I’m definitely not the person you’re looking for."
To be persuasive, the mercenary lifted his left hand and shook it, showing that his little and ring fingers had been severed at the base.
"I haven’t found the wrong person..." Yan Xing, his hood pulled low, approached. In a low voice, he spoke the mercenary’s nickname: "Grey Mouse. Three months ago, Yarlin recruited a group of mercenaries to work near the Thunderous Swamp. You must have been one of them. I heard they all died, so why are you the only one alive?"
Hearing his long-hidden identity exposed, Grey Mouse trembled as if electrocuted.
In a pleading voice, he said, "I’m sorry, Your Excellency... At that time, I was just a mercenary temporarily recruited by Yarlin; I really don’t know anything! Please spare me. I’ll leave Nuta City immediately. No, I’ll leave the Wildwind Highlands immediately!"
Earlier, when Yan Xing had been watching Chui Chui capture images, he had recognized someone he had met once before.
Originally, the mercenary leader Yarlin had gathered a group of mercenaries and colluded with Orcs to attack Yan Xing’s Eternal Domain. They were ambushed and wiped out by Werewolves who attacked them from behind.
A number of mercenaries died in the battle.
The rest were sent to Nuta City by Yan Xing and subsequently all killed by Count Theodore.
However, one mercenary who confessed quickly had been spared by Yan Xing and sent to Orc Spikes Castle to deliver Gustav’s head to Chief Little Lillia.
Yan Xing had not expected to encounter this mercenary again here.
Yan Xing had forgotten the mercenary’s name but still remembered his nickname.
No one would believe that these mercenaries, recruited by Yarlin and involved in a joint military operation with the Orcs, knew nothing.
In fact, it was because Grey Mouse had confessed promptly while at the Eternal Domain that Yan Xing had spared his life.
His companions, who knew something—though clearly not much—were killed by Count Theodore without even being questioned.
Now, with a large number of mercenaries gathering in Nuta City, those who had colluded with the Orcs and Elves must have also entered.
Since Grey Mouse had been found, Yan Xing naturally wanted to try and extract more information from him.
In response to Grey Mouse’s plea, Yan Xing used Mage Hand to grab the gambling dagger from the stone stool—an extremely ordinary weapon.
"Take me to a safe place and answer some questions. If your answers satisfy me, I’ll give you a sum of money. Whether you plan to leave Nuta City or the Wildwind Highlands, you’ll need money."
Yan Xing twirled a Gold Coin between his fingers. The glint of gold flashed in Grey Mouse’s eyes.
Delivering Gustav’s head to Chief Little Lillia at Stakes Castle had been a mission from which Grey Mouse had barely escaped with his life.
After an arduous journey back to Nuta City, he learned that all the mercenary prisoners sent by Yan Xing, the Lord of the Eternal Domain, had died in their cells.
Grey Mouse became like a startled bird, cutting off all his old connections and going into hiding.
Fortunately, the mercenaries who knew of his involvement in the attack on the Eternal Domain were all dead.
Only after hiding for a while, once he felt the danger had passed, did Grey Mouse re-emerge to eke out a living.
But with his disability, he could no longer take on mercenary work and had to rely on his meager gambling skills to barely scrape by.
However, the good times didn’t last; war erupted in the Wildwind Highlands.
Prices in Nuta City skyrocketed, and Grey Mouse was often going hungry.
The Gold Coin glinting in Yan Xing’s hand held a powerful allure for him.
After all, staying silent is a dead end, he reasoned. If I speak and he keeps his word, I could make a fortune.
"Come with me," Grey Mouse said, bending down to quickly gather the scattered copper coins and various small trinkets. He then turned and led Yan Xing into a nearby alleyway.
Yan Xing followed closely.
A short while later, several mercenaries led members of the Farsight Mercenary Corps to the spot. However, none of them recognized Grey Mouse, so they didn’t know where the thief Captain Donald was looking for had gone.
Yan Xing and Grey Mouse navigated the labyrinthine alleyways.
If it weren’t for Chui Chui, I’d surely never find my way out if I lost Grey Mouse, Yan Xing thought.
Grey Mouse, however, was very familiar with these paths, at times even cutting through the front and back doors of houses.
Foreign mercenaries generally didn’t venture here, making the area surprisingly busier than the wide main roads.
Some small markets were still active, with people mostly trading goods through barter.
Grey Mouse led Yan Xing into a tavern. They sat in the quietest corner at the back, and Grey Mouse loudly ordered two mugs of ale and two large steaks.
This might be my last meal, Grey Mouse thought. I should treat myself well.
The young and beautiful tavern owner brought over two mugs of ale, her expression wary. "Grey Mouse," she warned, "you’d better show me you have money right now. If I find out your wallet is empty, I guarantee I’ll chop off both your hands."
With everything in Nuta City becoming more expensive, the tavern was exceptionally quiet.
The tavern owner genuinely worried that Grey Mouse, having ordered ale and steaks, would dine and dash.
"Li Jiya, don’t be so tense. Didn’t you see I came with a friend? We’re here to discuss a big deal..." Grey Mouse took a large gulp of ale and then said, "Two large steaks, and make it quick!"
Li Jiya didn’t move. She didn’t trust Grey Mouse and naturally didn’t believe he could have wealthy friends.
In Nuta City at that time, meat was a luxury.
If Grey Mouse really has no money, I’ll only lose the cost of two watered-down ales at worst, she figured.
Yan Xing, having once been a commoner himself, naturally understood the difficulties faced by small establishments .
He placed a Gold Coin on the table. "Grey Mouse and I do have some business to discuss," he said. "Two steaks, please. You can give the change to Grey Mouse when we leave."
Seeing the Gold Coin, the tavern owner immediately snatched it up. Her face lit up with a smile. "Please wait a moment, gentlemen," she said. "I’ll cook the steaks myself!"