After tossing the half-orc girl into Mo Xi’s Sea of Consciousness, Yue Jinghua was relieved that Granny Madan was still in a deep slumber. She straightened her attire and pinned the Two-star Mercenary Badge in a conspicuous place, then walked out unhurriedly.
The two Dark Arrays left by Old Kuru were not ordinary goods; their defensive capabilities were top-notch. Yue Jinghua was absolutely confident that as long as she didn’t deactivate the Dark Arrays, the mercenaries outside could be busy all night and might still fail to make even a crack.
Of course, such powerful High-level Dark Arrays demanded a shocking number of Dark Pills for their operation; merely activating one for a night would consume a Fourth-level Dark Pill.
Even so, Dark Arrays remained a valuable asset, and a skilled Array Master was even harder to come by.
Thinking of this, Yue Jinghua became even more determined to save the half-beast girl.
With a clang, sparks flew as the weapon of a Mercenary Inspection Team member trying to brute force his way through the Dark Array was sent flying.
"Who is living at the breeding farm?" The one leading the Inspection Team in tonight’s pursuit was a four-star mercenary and steward of the assembly, He Lei.
The Dark Beast Cub that was hunted by the half-orc girl was an acquisition he had spent a great deal of money on. It was a Sixth-level Three-tailed Fox, which, if raised for a few years, had a good chance of advancing to a Seventh Rank Spiritual Fox. It cost him two thousand Fourth-level Dark Pills, nearly half a year’s salary for him.
To think that it was devoured by the half-beast girl, without even leaving behind a single Dark Pill. At this thought, the Five-star Mercenary steward’s face darkened, wishing he could find that girl immediately.
"Reporting to the steward, sir, this is the Mazaro Breeding Farm. Living inside are an elderly couple known as Kulu and Madan," a Mercenary Inspection Team member informed about the origins of the farm, "Speaking of which, Boss Helen of Helen Tavern seems rather familiar with the couple of the farm. Would it be improper for us to barge in ?"
"Hmph, that saucy vixen Helen is nothing more than someone relying on her acquaintance with the Mercenary King Gaia to throw her weight around in the Five Saints Town. I refuse to believe in such nonsense. All of you step back, I’ll break the protective shield," stated the Four-star Mercenary He Lei, already at the level of Small Achievement of Dark Heavenly cultivation. Having had a conflict with Helen over a task before, his disdain grew even more upon hearing the breeding farm was connected to Helen.
In his eyes, those two protective shields merely covered an area of about one square mile; as long as he exerted his Dark Skill, it would be no different than puncturing paper with a finger.
"Deacon He, someone has come out," a lookout from the Mercenary Inspection Team sharp-eyedly spotted a flustered Yue Jinghua emerging from the farm.
The Dark Array was quickly shut down, and out walked a sleepy-eyed youth. The sight of the bustling Mercenary Inspection Team turned the young man’s face pale with fright.
"Mercenary?" He Lei raised his head, disdainfully noticing the Two-star Mercenary insignia on Yue Jinghua’s lapel.
In the mercenary industry, a one star difference signifies a disparity in experience and status.
In other Mercenary Towns, a Two-star Mercenary might not be considered too bad, but in Five Saints Town, this special Mercenary Town next to the Xuan Beast Ridge, there were almost no rookie mercenaries; thus, a Two-star Mercenary being half rookie and not quite a veteran became an awkward existence.
In the eyes of experienced mercenaries, especially Four-star veterans like He Lei, Yue Jinghua, as a Two-star Mercenary, was synonymous with incompetence.
"Greetings to the steward, and to all the senior mercenary brothers. I’m a Two-Star Mercenary from the ’Second Generation Soldier’ Mercenary Team. I took on a job from Boss Helen to help out with the cattle at the Mazaro Breeding Farm," said Yue Jinghua, bowing her head and putting on an appearance of being timid and easily bullied after coming out.
Seeing his sorry state and hearing that he was from the "Second Generation Soldier" Mercenary Group, members of the Mercenary Inspection Team laughed even more disdainfully, their voices sounding just like a dozen noisy flies.
"Second Generation Soldier, that’s hilarious, the one and only negatively scored team in Five Saints Town, I heard they even made it to the Mercenary Branch’s blacklist,"
"Even taking on a cattle herding job, truly a disgrace to our mercenary reputation,"
"Kid, you don’t even have a full beard yet, I think you better not embarrass yourself as a mercenary, just roll back home and drink milk,"
The mercenaries used all sorts of rude words to insult the seemingly weak and incompetent two-star mercenary until He Lei issued a mocking call to signal everyone to search the farm, only then did they stop.
"Respected mercenary big brothers, there is no one in the breeding farm, as you can see this Dark Array is very powerful, no one can break in," Yue Jinghua thought for a moment, "Could it be that the thief has escaped to the mountains?"
He Lei released a tracking eagle, which hovered above the breeding farm for a while and didn’t pick up any scent of the half-beast.
Looking at the pitch-black mountaintop, as well as the densely packed trees and rocks nearby, He Lei frowned and loudly ordered, "Leave a few people to guard the farm, the rest follow me up the mountain."
He was about to turn away when he suddenly glanced at Yue Jinghua, "You, the cowherd, also come with us up the mountain."
He Lei was no pushover; after all, he was an old mercenary with rich experience. He still had doubts about Yue Jinghua’s one-sided story.
The mountain path was treacherous, so let this youngster walk ahead. If there was any danger, they would have someone to shield them.
After leaving two or three mercenaries behind, Yue Jinghua with a troubled expression led the Mercenary Inspection Team towards the mountaintop.
Before heading up the mountain, Yue Jinghua kindly took out a bottle of insect repellent and suggested everyone spray it on their clothes, saying it would effectively prevent mosquito bites on the mountain.
The mercenaries carelessly sprayed some on their clothes.
The mountains were silent, and upon reaching the mountaintop, other than the sound of insects, there was no other noise.
He Lei narrowed his eyes, looking around, and soon noticed that in the center of the Heavenly Pit, there was a hole, from which faintly colorful smoke was emerging.
"Kid, go and check it out," He Lei unceremoniously kicked Yue Jinghua, who yelped in pain, rubbing his buttocks with a reluctant face and walked towards the middle of the Heavenly Pit.
That hole was all too familiar to Yue Jinghua, being the one left behind when the Centipede Worm had emerged from the ground.
Next to the hole, Yue Jinghua suddenly staggered, crying out, "Ow, someone’s ambushing."
As she wobbled and was about to fall, seemingly indeed attacked by someone lurking nearby, He Lei spread his wings like a roc, grabbing the back of Yue Jinghua’s neck and tried to retreat.
He had barely approached the hole when he smelled a mixed scent of fishy and sweet, and his mind became dizzy.
"Not good, it’s poison," He Lei hastily held his breath, but even so, he had still inhaled some poisonous gas. His movements to grab Yue Jinghua slowed down considerably, but he still managed to fling her out.
"Deacon He, I am truly grateful," it was at this moment, He Lei only saw a face flashing in front of him, he did not notice that the young mercenary had stealthily thrown a black crystal stone into the hole as he approached the Heavenly Pit.