Chapter Eighty-Five: The Twin Dragons Mercenary Corps

After I vanished into the snow-covered highlands, Pyre of War, who had been hiding in the distance, stood agape for a moment, utterly stunned. But when Phantom Moon turned toward him, he realized the danger he was in. In a panic, he fumbled out a Town Portal Scroll and hurled it, a flash of white light heralding his attempted escape. Yet, just a second after the portal appeared, a massive hand seized his head and wrenched him forcibly from the shimmering gateway, slamming him hard to the ground. A black shadow descended from the sky, and in the next instant, a dark beam pierced his chest—four thousand points of damage flared into view. In his final moments, Pyre of War stared at his assailant in disbelief, but the blizzard all but blinded him; he couldn’t make out his attacker’s features. One thing was certain, though: this was no ordinary man.

At that moment, I too respawned in the Resurrection Plaza of Dragon City. The air was filled with the lively cries of street vendors.

“Selling high-attack purple greatsword, only five gold coins! Don’t miss out—get it while it lasts!”

“Custom-made attack-enhancing potions, five silver coins each! No haggling!”

“Loads of crafting materials for sale at fair prices! Don’t miss out as you pass by!”

Shouts mingled as a crowd of players hawked their wares, others browsing, bargaining, and selecting among them. I took a deep breath, savoring the warm sunlight on my face—an indescribable comfort compared to the frigid, eternal glaciers. Here, it felt truly warm.

I quickly checked my equipment, and upon seeing the results, I nearly despaired. The Wind and Thunder Greaves had dropped—unfortunate but bearable. But even my beloved Ruyi Staff, the tool of my trade, now lay entombed in the snowy mountains. My spirits plunged. I opened my backpack, but at least I had gained a short sword from the boss loot, making four pieces in total with the previous three. I made my way to the appraisal center, fully expecting the NPC to fleece me.

Fang of Ice
Grade: Amethyst Gold
Attack Power: +400
Strength Mastery: +10
2% chance to freeze the opponent on hit
Each attack adds 40 points of ice magic damage
1% chance to ignore defense
Sharpness: A
Required Level: 40
Agility Mastery Required: 30
Special: Usable by all classes

“Handsome!” I couldn’t help but rejoice. An A-grade sharpness—sharper than most blades. In a sense, it could slice through hair blown by the wind. Each strike added magic damage, and though forty points wasn’t much, it, too, ignored defense. Its base attack was a bit low for a melee weapon, but the best part was its universal compatibility—I could wield it even after losing the Ruyi Staff, and even pass as a warrior for now, though the thirty points in agility mastery were a tough pill to swallow.

Still, to keep leveling up, I gritted my teeth and allocated thirty attribute points to agility mastery, then equipped the Fang of Ice.

Next was that octagonal hat, which, after a quick appraisal, turned out to be a common item. I sold it off at the store. Then came the leather armor.

Dance of Flames
Grade: Amethyst Gold
Defense: +230
Health: +800
Mana: +300
Fire Resistance: +10
Regenerates 5 health per second
Required Level: 37
Special: Archer Exclusive

Well, Xiao Xi wouldn’t have to worry about gear for a while. Next, the Silverlight Dagger.

Grade: Crimson
Attack Power: +231
Armor Mastery: +10
1% chance to ignore defense
5% chance to inflict blindness on hit
Required Level: 35

Not bad for red gear—could fetch a decent price.

After reviewing the equipment, I headed to the quest hall. Since the quest item was in Phantom Moon’s possession, I couldn’t complete the mission myself, so I canceled it at the quest desk. Just then, a familiar voice sounded behind me.

“So tired… finally back!”

I couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy as I turned to see Long Xin, Xiao Ai, Xiao Xi, Ye Shuang, and Wind Whisper Moon entering together.

“Big brother!” Long Xin called out. Everyone crowded around me as I asked, “Where have you all been to end up so exhausted?”

Wind Whisper Moon replied, “We went to complete a mercenary quest. We’re about to officially establish our mercenary group. Since you’re here, Longling, come with us. Afterward, we’re going to settle a score with a certain group.”

“What happened this time?” I wondered aloud.

Long Xin explained, “Today, while we were doing a mercenary quest in the Forest of Death, we ran into a group calling themselves the Blazing Flame Mercenaries. They were clearing the area and harassing both Sister Yue and your dear little sister—me, that is. So, big brother, we want you to join us in taking revenge and blowing off some steam.”

I sighed to myself—there’s no helping it; you all are simply too attractive for your own good. “And what happened with those guys?” I asked.

Xiao Xi said, “We refused to leave, so Sister Yue argued with them, and then a fight broke out.”

Ye Shuang nodded, “We didn’t want to fight, but those guys were determined to drive us away. Even though they had numbers, they were no match for us and fled after a few rounds. But as they ran, they kept threatening us, vowing revenge. Brother, we’ll need you to show them the power of the dragon and put them in their place.”

I said, “You already drove them off. I think we should just let it go—it’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble.”

Long Xin protested, “Big brother, they harassed your little sister. As her brother, shouldn’t you at least take a stand?”

I replied, “I understand. If they come looking for trouble again, I’ll deal with them for you. As long as we follow the rule—don’t provoke others, but stand up for ourselves when necessary—we’ll be fine. There’s no need to go looking for revenge; let’s just leave it at that. Didn’t you say you wanted to form a mercenary group? Let’s get going.”

At the Mercenary Guild, the building stretched over a hundred meters in both directions—massive and imposing. A row of counters stood at the front for handling group registrations. There were also sections for quest assignment, hiring, and equipment trading, all clearly separated.

When the five of us arrived, we found the grand hall already bustling with people. We approached the counter, and the attendant NPC asked, “Are you here to establish a mercenary group?”

We nodded, and Wind Whisper Moon turned to me, “Longling, please fork over fifty gold coins.”

“Why me?” I protested.

Ye Shuang chimed in, “Brother, you’re the richest among us. If you don’t pay, who will? Besides, you’ll be the head of our group—consider it an investment.”

“Fine,” I said helplessly.

“Please state the name of your mercenary group,” the attendant prompted.

This question had everyone scratching their heads. “How about the Rose Mercenaries?” Xiao Ai suggested. But Ye Shuang objected, “That sounds like a name for a girls’ club.”

Ye Shuang continued, “How about the Conquer the World Mercenaries?” This suggestion earned a round of eye rolls. Xiao Ai retorted, “You’re supposed to be the cultured one, yet you come up with such a tasteless name. Have you been reading too many comics like Longling?”

Long Xin said, “Brother, you’re the leader. You decide.”

I said, “Let’s just use the name of our studio.”

Wind Whisper Moon grinned, “Stealing the easy way, huh? But since you’re the leader and Long Xin is the deputy, let’s call it the Twin Dragons Mercenaries.”

Xiao Xi agreed, “That’s a great name—Long Brother is a dragon, and Long Xin is a dragon too. Two dragons in our studio, so Twin Dragons Mercenaries fits perfectly.”

Long Xin said, “I agree. What do you think, brother?”

“I’m fine with it,” I replied.

“It’s settled, then—our group will be called the Twin Dragons Mercenaries,” Wind Whisper Moon told the attendant.

With the name chosen, we selected our group emblem—a design featuring twin dragons playing with a pearl. Once everything was finalized, we prepared to leave the guild hall. But just then, a burly man blocked our way, his face twisted with greed and malice.

Clad in heavy armor from neck to toe, a massive greatsword slung over his shoulder, he sneered coldly, “You lot—don’t think you’re safe just because you’re in the city. Since you killed our Blazing Flame brothers, you’d better hand over their gear and throw in a few hundred gold coins as compensation, and maybe we’ll let this slide. Otherwise, don’t expect to have an easy time in Dragon City.”