Outside the Slums, in a small Tavern.
The Boss Lady had been in exceptionally high spirits lately.
Because this out-of-the-way Tavern had finally started to thrive!
A fair number of destitute Mercenaries had gathered here, and thanks to them, she’d made quite a bit of money.
Of course, the Boss Lady was well aware that this was all because an important figure had taken up residence in her little Tavern—rumor had it, someone who ran with the Slums’ Nade Black Snake.
So whenever Aililan came by, the Boss Lady would always generously offer her a free drink.
This made Knight Arkernard—the very Nade Black Snake whose reputation the Boss Lady so often spoke of—break into a cold sweat as large as beans on his forehead.
Are you kidding me right now?
The Saintess Aililan, running with me?
Do you even realize that among us Knights, there are… 499 brothers and sisters just like me in the order!
Behind her Snake-Eroded Mask, the young girl tugged the corner of her lips in amusement: “Go find a seat for yourself first! My great Nade Black Snake boss?”
Arkernard slapped his thigh and grimaced, “Oh come on, Saintess, please don’t mock me.”
You can’t even tell a Joker from an Ace.
And you think I can’t?
He circled the Tavern, surveying security, then finally found a seat in a corner.
He hadn’t forgotten his most important task, which was to ensure the personal safety of Saintess Aililan; as for all that Nade Black Snake business, that was just a side job out of necessity.
With the arrival of Aililan and her distinctive ‘Snake-Eroded Pattern’ mask, all those dejected Mercenaries inside the Tavern turned to look.
“Gentlemen, ladies!”
Aililan signaled for them to head to the small room.
Not long after—
‘Bang!’
The door shut.
But in reality, should anything go wrong inside, there were at least dozens of Knights lying in wait, ready to storm in at a moment’s notice. Renata and Milisanel, in particular, could tear any scheming fool apart on the spot.
Aililan smiled, “I’m glad to see you all again.”
“Bah!” A rather hot-tempered Mercenary spat and grumbled, “You didn’t call us here just to hand out another thirty-copper job, did you? I’m telling you, only an idiot would take your jobs.”
The moment the words left his mouth.
Everyone’s expression turned awkward.
Are you truly reckless, or just pretending? To be standing here means you’re all the ‘famous idiots’! Back then, you took Aililan’s bait and took on those jobs.
Their gazes towards Aililan grew less than friendly—everyone here lived by the blade, and they swore, if she played tricks on them again today, she’d regret it.
Aililan remained unhurried.
“Gentlemen, ladies.
I know you’re anxious, but please, don’t be. I’ve seen your abilities already, although… mm… a few did die at the hands of those thugs.”
“But I swear.
This time, it’s truly a big job.”
“What’s the job? Spit it out already.” The short-tempered Mercenary pressed impatiently.
Aililan gave a slight smile.
“This time, the task is simple. I don’t care what method you use—just kill every one of those rival Mercenaries.”
“As for payment! Two gold coins per head. If you take down a captain, five gold coins.”
A Mercenary grumbled in discontent, “Just two lousy gold coins? This is your ‘big job’? You playing us?”
Aililan replied, “No upper limit.”
Mercenary: “Tch, I’m in.”
Don’t think two gold coins is a pittance.
A formal member of the Chastity Knights only earns about two or three gold coins per month.
Two gold coins for a single life—enough to tempt anyone’s heart.
The Mercenaries accepted the job and immediately set out after receiving their assignments from Aililan.
An invisible battle had begun. At least for now, none of the major forces were using their own people; instead, they were leveraging third parties to wage war in the shadows.
It was now a contest of resources.
And the ferocity of these deadly clashes grew worse by the day.
People kept dying in the course of these jobs; some quit halfway, others squandered their reward in wild excess, and a huge number of low-level Mercenaries slaughtered each other in droves.
On the seventh day after the ‘big job’ was posted—
At a recently bloodied battlefield.
“Damn, are they all dead?”
Knight Arkernard moved among the corpses, then suddenly yelped, “Hey, Saintess, there’s still one breathing over here.”
Aililan didn’t even lift her head, “Is it one of the enemy? If she’s still alive, finish her.”
Arkernard: “She’s one of ours.”
Aililan: “Which one?”
Arkernard: “Looks like Taniya.”
Aililan took out her notebook and flipped through it, her cute brows lifting in surprise: “Wow, what a résumé!”
Name: Taniya.
Occupation: Low-level Mercenary (Lone Wolf).
Mission record: Two jobs on the first day, one on the second, five on the third, rest on days four, five, and six (resting from serious injuries).
Aililan’s evaluation: If the mass slaughter among the low-level Mercenaries is like raising Gu, then Taniya may have the potential to become the Gu King.
Aililan quickly ordered, “Hurry, save her!”
She hadn’t forgotten her plan to cultivate a third-party force. Now that someone with the potential to become the Gu King had appeared, of course she had to take notice.
Several Knights moved quickly, applying first aid as they had been trained.
But the ultimate healing still fell to Aililan. A holy, pure light appeared in her palm, slowly descending on the bloodied girl.
Suddenly—
An anomaly occurred.
Aililan’s always-effective Holy Light Healing was this time met by a faint resistance when it touched the blood-stained girl.
Because the two powers repelled each other, the girl’s wounds seemed to deepen.
Aililan was perplexed. “How can this be?”
Knight Arkernard frowned slightly, his tone a little sour, “Saintess, I’m afraid we’ve got a Mercenary who used a Prohibition Elixir on our hands. Back in my Snake Gang smuggling days, I heard plenty about those.”
Aililan exclaimed, “Prohibition Elixir?”
Magic Potion, Stamina Potion—these are all officially certified magical concoctions.
But there’s also a dark side.
Many forbidden magical formulas exist, carrying enormous risks.
The benefits: they strengthen the body and grant power.
The drawbacks: they risk Magic Disease.
Judging by the repulsion to her Holy Light, the girl’s elixir probably included materials from the Lava Lands, and perhaps even some Demon’s Blood.
Arkernard asked cautiously, “Saintess Aililan, do we still save her?”
After all, the girl had dabbled in demonic power—he wasn’t sure what to do.
Aililan spoke softly, “Of course we save her.”
“Knight Arkernard, you said yourself, the Snake Gang’s smuggling days saw plenty of Prohibition Elixirs. That means there’s a huge market for them in Atester City.”
“And it’s not just one girl.”
“I’d wager plenty of Mercenaries are using them, aren’t they?”
This wasn’t something that could be rooted out. To the Church, these things were strictly forbidden, but to Mercenaries who lived and died by the blade, they were a means of survival.
You tell them to stop?
They’d laugh right in your face!