Chapter 79: Crisis Awareness (Please Favorite, Vote for Recommendation)_1
Yan Xing, while interrogating the mercenaries, unwittingly uncovered some significant issues. Someone in the higher echelons of the Silvermane Principality had tacitly allowed, or even indulged, the mercenaries’ collusion with the Orcs. Perhaps they were directly involved as well.
In subsequent interrogations, Yan Xing learned from the mercenaries that Yarlin seemed to be a member of an unknown mercenary circle, which provided many bounties related to Orcs and Elves. But this circle was not something any mercenary could access.
After answering Yan Xing’s questions, the mercenary pleaded, "Respected Lord, I express my most sincere apologies for my actions. I am just a freelance mercenary, temporarily recruited into Yarlin’s team. When I came here, I had no idea what the mission entailed. Once we joined forces with the Malevolent Wolf Cavalry, it was impossible to back out. I beg your mercy, please don’t kill me. In my distant homeland, my wife and children are waiting for me to return."
Gazing at the surrounding Werewolf Warriors, the mercenary was terrified. In battle, he had seen a Werewolf bite off and eat one of his comrades’ arms. These swamp barbarians really eat anything.
Yan Xing looked at the panicky mercenary. This batch of mercenaries is a hot potato; mishandling them will surely bring me great trouble. I had originally thought of putting them to work in the Eternal Domain, but now, I just want to get rid of these ticking time bombs as quickly as possible. It doesn’t matter who gets caught in the blast, as long as it isn’t me. But how should I do it? Simply let them go? Definitely not. Wouldn’t that just tell those behind these mercenaries that I, their Lord, am afraid of them and dare not provoke them? These people would even sell out their own country! If they knew I was easy to bully, wouldn’t they all rush over to devour me completely? Kill them all? That’s not good either. Killing captives is inauspicious. In future wars, if the enemy knows I have such an ill repute, wouldn’t they all fight me to the death? Therefore... even disposing of them requires tact.
Yan Xing waved his hand and said, "Dig him out!"
The farmers, experienced from days of digging pits, quickly unearthed the mercenary. Thrown at Yan Xing’s feet, the mercenary shivered under the watch of two Werewolf Warriors, repeatedly pleading, "Please, Lord, spare my life! Please, Lord, spare my life..."
Yan Xing tossed aside his cigarette butt, then turned to Olaf at his side and said, "Take him away. Lock these human mercenaries up separately and keep them under strict surveillance! As for food... one meal a day. Just enough so they don’t starve."
"As you command, my Lord," replied the burly Olaf. He grabbed the mercenary by the collar, lifted him from the ground, and dragged him towards the prisoner jail.