Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Traveling on the speedy Unicorn, Yang Ling returned to Wissen Castle in just four hours. The first thing Yang Ling did when he got back was to ask his tactician Goode about the latest developments in Wissen Town.
“Sir, the situation is becoming more and more complicated, and harder and harder to control!” Goode, who was wearing his usual black robe, had a worried expression. He sat down on the other side of Yang Ling when Yang Ling instructed him to.
More and more complicated?
Even though he was prepared for this, Yang Ling still creased his brows when he heard Goode say this. Goode then continued to explain.
It turned out that Steve’s tactician had suggested a new tactic just after Yang Ling went into the Terras Forest to train. Steve had consolidated his forces and set up barriers on every path toward Wissen Town to carefully examine townspeople who were making their way to and fro. This way, he could severely limit the mobility and the information gathering abilities of the Rossi forces.
In addition, Steve had forcefully taken the food stores of the townspeople. He had also purchased hides that the townspeople had treated at extremely low prices in order to collect a large amount of resources. Even though that would not allow him to make it through the long harsh winter, it could at least sustain him for the time being, until reinforcements and supplies could be sent from his home empire.
Faced with Steve’s extortion, the townspeople formed groups to retaliate, but they were unable to stand up to the Banto Empire’s elite Black Armor Guards without a leader. Even though a few troops and adventurers secretly joined the strikes, they were unable to alleviate the situation. They were all suppressed forcefully by Steve’s Black Armor Guards.
In order to threaten the enraged townspeople, the Black Armor Guards mercilessly hung the warriors who took part in the strikes on the trees by the roadside. They would whip the corpses for three days before dragging them into Terras Forest and intentionally luring in large groups of wild beasts to devour the bodies.
Perhaps their hatred was not alleviated even after killing the people, or perhaps they wanted to seize the opportunity to extort the townspeople even further. Either way, the Black Armor Guards under Steve even broke into people’s homes, robbed them, and burned their possessions in the name of searching for protesting citizens and Rossi soldiers. They committed all manners of evil, breaking apart many families. In the eyes of the people, Steve was not a leader, he was a demon that came from Hell.
In the short span of a few days, the situation in Wissen Town had become a complete mess. In order to avoid the conflicts, many people dragged their families to seek refuge at Wissen Castle. Even though Steve was powerful, he did not dare to have a direct falling out with Yang Ling, given his mysterious background and the fierce guards under him.
The townspeople were being bullied, and the troops and merchants had lost their sources of income. For the time being, even though Steve seemed to have gained control of the situation on the surface, the situation was becoming more and more dangerous. Small skirmishes with the Black Armor Guards happened frequently.
At the same time, due to the rumors of an ancient dragon’s cave being discovered in Terras Forest, there were more and more troops and adventurers swarming into Wissen Town, making the situation even more complicated.
Steve is forcing the townspeople to rebel?
When he understood the current situation, Yang Ling took a sip of the refreshing jasmine tea without changing his expression. There were both good and bad things about the current situation. Steve consolidating his forces and increasing the intensity of his inspections meant that the difficulty of launching surprise attacks had increased drastically. Steve could last for a while longer now, having stolen some rations and hides to ward off the cold.
But igniting the fury of the people was not beneficial to his rule. That rage would become a sharp sword if Yang Ling utilized it correctly.
“Goode, what is the current situation with the Rossi forces?”
“Sir, they aren’t doing well. They have already sent repeated requests for us to supply them with resources such as rations, clothes, and weapons. They still accepted these supplies hungrily even though I doubled the price!” Goode hesitated for a moment before continuing, “Furthermore, they have requested that we supply them with even more accurate information!”
Steve had consolidated his forces and strengthened the intensity of his patrols, while Yang Ling at the same time had taken away the Horned Bee Beasts and Withered Tree Warriors who were previously providing information. At that point, it had been hard for Goode to obtain detailed information about the activity of the Black Armor Guards. It was even harder for the Rossi forces. The efficiency of each of their surprise attacks was declining. With the temperature getting colder, they became as nervous as ants on a heated pot.
“Goode, from today onward, double the price of the resources and intelligence sold to the Rossi forces once again!”
Yang Ling leaned back comfortably on the large chair. The Rossi troops must be incredibly anxious in such a situation. They might agree to purchase all of the resources available if Yang Ling tripled the price, much less doubled it. After all, compared to breaking the battle strategy of the Banto Empire, their mortal enemy, mere tens of thousands of Purple Crystal Coins was nothing to them. He would be letting himself down if he did not extort them at a time like this.
“Sir, I just doubled the price a few days ago. If I double it again now, will they…” Goode was a little hesitant, worried that the Rossi forces would not accept the offer.
“Haha, relax. The Rossi troops have no other choice at this point!” Yang Ling let out a calm smile and said, “Chasing after profit is the instinct of a businessman. It would not be normal for us to be supplying them with various resources at a low price at this point.”
Chasing after profit is the instinct of a businessman?
After a moment’s deliberation, Goode understood; the Rossi forces might actually become more suspicious and difficult to deal with if Yang Ling didn’t gouge them.
“Goode, select a few suitable people over the next few days and set up a team that specializes in assassination and surprise attacks.” Looking at the confused Goode, Yang Ling continued, “The personalities of the candidates should be calm and composed. They have to be as merciless as a venomous snake, agile as a Cloud Leopard, and able to kill with a single strike. As for the name of this group, let’s call it Sudden Strike!”
A team responsible for assassination? After a moment’s surprise, Goode was a little hesitant. “Sir, what you mean is…”
“Haha, times are coming when we will have to help the Rossi forces. The enemy of our enemy is our friend! Steve is unrepentant and arrogant; it’s about time to teach him a lesson!”
After giving a few more instructions, Yang Ling left with large strides. When he returned to the yard, he thought about getting Alice to send him some snacks, but he suddenly recalled that he hadn’t had one of John’s famous mixed drinks for many days now. Thinking about it, he could practically smell the fragrant wine. Thus, he decided to walk toward Shangri-La. Behind him, Argus followed closely with a group of guards.
Argus had been training hard while Yang Ling was gone. With Casey and Goode’s help, he had finally advanced to become a beginner level Great Swordsman. Even though he was still not an expert, he had definitely crossed a hurdle. He could at least threaten and successfully command the barbarians under him.
***
Football should be watched with large groups of people, and the same went for drinking!
Unlike the dwarf Rumi, who viewed alcohol as his life, Yang Ling did not enjoy drinking alone. When he had just graduated, he would frequently go bar hopping with a few of his classmates or colleagues. To him, savoring an ice-cold beer while teasing a lonely lady or innocent teen girl at the bar was the greatest enjoyment he could get after work.
He could not watch the European Cup as there were no televisions in Wissen Town, nor were there games like World of Warcraft. But a bar here was more or less the same as a bar on Earth. There were the same greedy alcoholics, the same boorish curses, and of course, there were many slender and supple beauties…
Sometimes, Yang Ling would have an illusion while he leaned on the tall chair in the Shangri-La bar with an ice-cold rum in his hands as he looked at a couple doing the hanky-panky in a dark corner. In that instant, it was as if he had returned to the bar beside his school. Some times, he would even, for a second, wonder if he was dreaming a beautiful, adventurous dream all this while.
As per usual, Yang Ling freely greeted a few familiar looking troops. He then sat on a tall chair by the bar and asked the genius bartender John to serve him a premium cocktail.
“Boss, which wind blew you here today?” John smiled as he passed Yang Ling a cocktail that looked like a dry glass of red wine.
“Haha, I didn’t get the east wind, but I have been eating the northwestern wind for the entire night. Quick, hand me two plates of peanuts, I am famished!” Yang Ling patted John’s shoulder.
Taking a sip of the delicious wine and chewing on two Alpen Peanuts, Yang Ling licked his lips in joy. But just as he was about to get John to hand him another glass of alcohol, the rowdy bar suddenly turned silent. Following which, footsteps could be heard, clear and slow. At the same time, a faint fragrance wafted in from outside.
Looking up, all Yang Ling saw was a beauty in black walking into the bar. Her fair, delicate skin, slender waist, as well as her supple, perky breasts… The troops around him swallowed, all of them unable to come to their senses for the longest time, as if the beauty in black had stolen their souls when she appeared.
It was all a matter of perspective!
Looking at the beauty in black’s large, perky breasts, Yang Ling finally knew what voluptuous meant. Looking at her beautiful face and body, he finally understood what an angel-like face and devilish figure truly meant.
If Alice was a young green apple, and Sofia was a blossoming flower, then the beauty in black before him would be a fully ripe peach, filled with fatal temptation.
After walking slowly into Shangri-La, Maryse’s glistening gaze scanned past the troops and finally landed on Yang Ling. She believed that with her charms, she would be able to make Yang Ling fall head over heels in love with her. She was certain she could convince him to obediently hand over the Snake Demon Blood Staff, as well as join the dark side just by using a few tricks.
