Chapter 413 - 58: The New Three-Illumination Policy
"Reporting to the Divine Goddess, we have sealed off the four known entrances to the Black Forest. Two mercenaries have already secured the only freshwater source within the forest," Li Rui, upon entering the Greenland Black Forest, immediately demonstrated the savvy of an experienced mercenary.
Since Yue Jinghua was able to buy a map from the mercenary branch, he naturally could get one as well, and he also sealed off the four entrances to the Black Forest. As long as any member of the "Second Generation Soldier" squad entered the Black Forest, they would definitely need to pass through these four places.
If the members of the "Second Generation Soldier" squad sensed anything amiss and temporarily hid in the forest, as long as the freshwater source was guarded, he believed that it would not take long for their whereabouts to be revealed.
"Truly befitting of a Five-star Mercenary. Just find those rookie mercenaries and capture the traitor Ximing, and I will pay you a considerable mercenary salary," Lord Sha Xi, after entering the Black Forest, did not see any trace of the legendary Ogre Grass. Instead, she found the scenery within the forest to be beautiful, and her fatigue from the journey dissipated, so her tone became much kinder.
Li Rui respectfully said: "The Divine Goddess is too kind. The Divine Court is highly esteemed; serving the Divine Court is a privilege for every mercenary. I am in no need of any salary, but if possible, I would like to ask for Lord Sha Xi’s help to put in a good word for me with Lord Sha Yan. If I could have even a small Divine Rune inscribed on me, it would be something I’m infinitely grateful for."
Indeed, for a Five-star Mercenary like Li Rui, things like Dark Pills, Spiritual Treasures, and Mercenary Points are all inconsequential.
Li Rui, now in his forties, had finally made a breakthrough in the Dark Heavenly technique thanks to years of accumulation, but after entering the Dark Heavenly Realm, he made no further progress, and his Mercenary Level had remained stagnant. Seeing that he was growing older and the opportunity to become a Mercenary Strongman was becoming increasingly unlikely, he had no choice but to flatter Sha Xi along the way, all for the chance to receive a body-transforming Divine Rune from Sha Yan.
Legend has it that Sha Yan’s Divine Rune could allow a Dark Practitioner with a Small Achievement in Dark Heavenly to immediately step into the Dark Heavenly Great Success. At that point, if Li Rui could somehow obtain a Spirit Pill, he might even have a chance to break into the Dan Realm.
Once one entered the Dan Realm, it meant a lifespan of 500 years and the opportunity to learn a cultivation technique from one of the Ten Saints.
Holding such thoughts, Li Rui had been subservient to Sha Xi all along, tending to her needs with great care.
Upon hearing this, Sha Xi rolled her eyes, revealing a look of disdain. There were as many people asking her mother for a Divine Rune as there were fishes in the river, and how could it be a brute mercenary’s turn.
Sha Xi made a non-committal promise in response. She looked around curiously and asked, "When entering the forest, you cautioned repeatedly to avoid the Ogre Grass, yet I haven’t seen any Ogre Grass. Why is that?"
Li Rui looked around and lowered his voice: "Not to conceal from the Divine Goddess, that type of white reed-like grass, the Sheep’s Beard Grass, is actually Demon Grass. This is a secret I have never reported to the Mercenary Branch. This grass, at night, upon seeing moonlight and when meeting an enemy, will shoot out thousands of poison needles, comparable to the finest archery battalion of the Empire. Once besieged extensively, no beasts or humans can avoid it. However, rest assured, I have instructed the brothers to set up camp away from the areas where Sheep’s Beard Grass grows. And I have noticed that the amount of Sheep’s Beard Grass has decreased significantly on this trip into the Black Forest."
Li Rui is not exactly magnanimous. Ten years ago, he was fortunate enough to follow a renowned Mercenary Strongman from the continent into the Black Forest, and it was under that strongman’s guidance that he learned the secret of the Sheep’s Beard Grass.
Yet he deliberately kept this secret to himself, that’s why there has been no record of it at the mercenary branch.
In Li Rui’s eyes, the fewer powerful fighters or potential mercenaries there are in Five Saints Town, the better it is for him.
Sha Xi remained noncommittal, noting that there really weren’t any Sheep’s Beard Grass around, and the mercenaries had chosen to camp in a clearing covered with tender black grass, away from the shrubs, with a clear and open view on all sides.
"That’s fine, I’ll leave everything to you. I am going to rest," Sha Xi said and walked into her tent. Li Rui picked a few mercenaries and checked around the campsite again, removing any Sheep’s Beard Grass they found.
After nightfall, Sha Xi took out a Blue Snow Candle, and after using it once or twice, she discovered the benefits of such candles. In particular, a type called the sleeping candle, when lit, would emit a faint fragrance. Once smelling this aroma, one could sleep soundly until dawn.
With Li Rui and others standing guard outside and after several nights of continuous travel, Sha Xi and her maid fell asleep shortly after the candle was lit.
"Stay alert and pay close attention to any movement in the surroundings; report back immediately if there’s any sign of activity," Li Rui did not disregard the "Second Generation Soldier" squad like Sha Xi did, not taking them lightly at all.
After discovering traces of the Dragon Breath Flower, he immediately sent someone back to the Mercenary Branch to gather all the information on the "Second Generation Soldier" squad.
Among them, two individuals stood out the most, one being the recently appointed captain with the surname Yue.
This captain was the same young mercenary who had once briefly crossed paths with him at Kalan Peak.
Li Rui felt increasingly uneasy as he remembered how the other party had resolutely turned down his invitation to join a squad on the brink of disbandment.
Li Rui, who was the leader of a mid-tier Mercenary Group himself, had always had great confidence in his judgment. When he first met Yue Jinghua, he wanted to recruit the young man into his group.
Unfortunately, he was turned down.
If they could not be teammates, then Li Rui wouldn’t be courteous anymore.
But compared to the mysterious young mercenary, Li Rui was more concerned about another young member of the "Second Generation Soldier" squad—a person with the surname Li.
The ice-cold Qin Dongting, who always presented a detached demeanor, pushing everyone thousands of miles away.
It was said that Qin Dongting might be closely related to that person.
That person... Thinking of the one in the Mercenary World whose name was not lightly spoken, Li Rui’s expression grew solemn.
If the rumors were true, offending that person for an uncertain future with a Divine Rune seemed to be an unwise choice.
No matter, as long as it could enhance his strength, he was willing to take any risk.
"Reporting to the captain, there are figures lurking ahead," one of the scouts from the Mercenary Team alerted.
"You, follow them immediately and take a look," Li Rui did not leave the camp immediately, but instead sent two mercenaries to follow the figures.
Who would have known that a short while later, one of the two mercenaries guarding the freshwater also rushed back, reporting that they had spotted traces of the "Second Generation Soldier" team members near the Water Source.
"Activate the camp’s Dark Array, leave two people behind, and the rest follow me to track them down," Li Rui didn’t hesitate any longer and quickly led several mercenaries towards the Water Source.
The so-called "Second Generation Soldier" squad had been causing trouble back and forth for a couple of two-hour blocks, and just as dawn was returning, Li Rui and the others futilely made their way back to the camp, only to find that the campsite had disappeared.
To be precise, the tent where Sha Xi and her Maid had been resting was gone.