Mercenary Harem in Murim Novel

Chapter 86: Chapter 86 – Wind of Change

"Leo from Hallowed Insect, initials Thunder God. I have heard about you, but meeting you like this is truly different. I wonder how many people have you killed to have such a strong smell of blood and death."

His voice was low and hoarse. It was like an old tree speaking.

Leo didn't flinch.

His body right now was that of his game character. And in the 10 years he played the game, he had killed and killed so many NPCs and people that he lost count.

It was only natural for him to have a bloody smell.

"Not as much as you, I believe."

"Heh, you're not wrong."

The old man laughed, showing his yellow teeth.

"Well, since you have the epigraph, show me the goods."

He sounded like a merchant trying to get his goods.

Seeing him being impatient, Leo took out the capsule and released the epigraph compressed inside. The large stone appeared in the air and dropped to the ground with a loud thud.

Looking at the newly appeared stone, Old Man Bao's expression brightened.

"The epigraph. Finally."

He looked at the engraving on the stone and mumbled.

"Yes, this is genuine. The contract is over with this." He said, turning to Leo. "Wait a little. I will fetch the promised reward."

"Please, take your time." Leo smiled as he saw Old Man Bao enter the hidden warehouse.

Soon, the old man returned with a scroll. That scroll looked brand new and was sealed with a golden rope.

"Here you go. The promised content of the first epigraph we found. I copied the content exactly as it's described and put the translation to today's language under it. As for the rest of the payment, Sect Leader will personally deliver it to your base."

Old Man Bao handed the scroll to Leo, who received it carefully.

"Thank you for your cooperation. Let's meet again in the future."

"Sure. We will gladly do business with you in case you need us again."

After receiving the payment, Leo put it inside his storage ring and left again with Zhen, who saw him off and guided him through the traps again.

***

Shaanxi wasn't the only province that experienced commotion. The same could be said about Sichuan.

If there was the Wudang Sect that raged and mobilized almost all of its Elders to get revenge on an outsider who destroyed their army in Shaanxi, then there was the Tang Clan, whose Elders suddenly fell ill one after another and died a mysterious death.

No one knew what happened besides those responsible.

However, the commotion in Sichuan only lasted for a while as new Elders were appointed pretty quickly.

The Clan's patriarch, Tang Jiaofu, sat in front of two old Elders and drank tea calmly. These two people were Tang Heng and Tang Feng, the Clan's Master of Communication and the leader of Secret Guards.

While the former was called Old Snake by the latter, he unexpectedly was one of the most loyal people in the Clan. His loyalty was also confirmed by Anya, who found proof that he investigated the traitors behind the scene.

"The mastermind managed to slither away before we caught him." Tang Heng said bitterly. "That guy was truly dangerous and smart. It was like a snake, always elusive and cunning. I can't believe that someone could control so many Elders and even kill some from our side."

"Hah! I will crush his head when I meet him." Tang Feng replied with rage, his face was red. "How dare he dare to meddle with our Clan. I will make sure he regrets it."

"Calm down, Elder." Tang Jiaofu said coldly. "We are not here to blame anyone. We are here to find the mastermind and make him pay."

He slammed his cup on the table, trying his best to stay calm.

"And our priority is now rebuilding. Shaanxi has been hit by the chaos caused by the Venom Sect's epigraph Incident. The situation is not looking good. However..."

Tang Heng and Tang Feng looked at the patriarch, waiting for him to continue.

"One of our relation had good information. Good and bad." He said, his expression hardened, "One suggestion they give us is to gather our force and fortify our defense. Another suggestion is to keep our good relationship with Clans but keep our distance with Sects."

"Is there a reason?"

"The world is undergoing change." Tang Jiaofu's voice was low, "There will be a battle for power and survival. And we need to adapt and change according to the situation."

"But, Patriarch, we have always been neutral between Clans and Sects. Our business will be affected by this change." Tang Feng objected.

"But, what if the Sects are trying to covet our riches?"

Both of them were silent.

Was Murim's situation that bad?

"It's too early to decide. But we can't afford to be weak." Tang Jiaofu sighed, "I hope you will trust me. We need to lay low for a while. I will try my best to gather more information and prepare for the worst. For now, let's focus on recruiting talented disciples."

"Yes, Patriarch."