Chapter 163 Getting to Know Strangers (1/2)
A merchant?
Realising Yang Ling's status, the rookie mercenaries were taken aback. Although there were merchants on the road coming and going, they were mostly in groups of caravans, and they rarely met a merchant who would dare spend a night in the wild, mountainous country alone.
”Boss Yuri, lately there have been quite a few folk who've been to Blackwater City to sell goods to the locals. What do you do for a living?”
Observing that there was only a single horse-carriage, yet each member of Yang Ling's group possessed a personal tent, the knight Halalei felt a sliver of suspicion. Normally, when small-time merchants spend the night in the wilderness, they would find a mountain cave to huddle in together with their hired hands, or make camp in one huge group inside one run-down tent. It was highly unusual for each member of a merchant party to have their own tent.
Watching the knight glancing back and forth between the horse carriage and the tents, Yang Ling noticed his expression of doubt. Coughing sorrowfully, he spoke in a downtrodden voice:
”Ever since my family fell on hard times, I had no choice but to do a few odd jobs to make ends meet. Pity! Even after working myself to the bone, the crystal coins I've earned are barely enough to even pay off my family maid's salary!
Family had fallen on hard times?
After taking a look at the durable horse-carriage, its impressive warhorses, and Yang Ling's rather depressed speech and demeanour, the knight Halalei appeared to have seen the light. On this continent, it was not uncommon for noblemen to fall into disgrace, stripped of their rank or property because of a serf's mistake that they would have to take responsibility for. Some would languish in a state of poverty after declaring bankruptcy. It was apparent here that Yang Ling was one of many who had suffered such misfortune.
”Boss Yuri, this is truly a coincidence! We just so happen to be on our way back to the capital of Montson. Just as well we're on the same path!” Fatso Hans glanced back at him shiftily, and said: ”The way to Montson is far, and the roads are dangerous. If we travel together, amongst other things, your safety will be the Dragon Slaying Troop Team's priority! Of course, compensation…”
”Oh? What about compensation?” Watching the man gallantly thumping his own chest and loudly pledging to protect him from harm, Yang Ling flashed a faint smile.
”We have an axe-thrower that is unrivalled in strength, a valiant knight and summoner, and also a formidable wizard and archer. All for the low, low rate of less than one thousand purple crystal coins! It's unbelievable!” Watching Yang Ling's chicken in his hand, he slurped up his drool and said: ”Of course, seeing as we are going in the same direction, if you really do not have enough crystal coins, you can always make it up in other ways. For example, you could compensate us in food supplies for the journey!”
Make it up in other ways?
Hearing the fatso make such a blatantly suggestive remark, and watching his drool almost dripping to the ground, Yuna burst into a fit of giggles, and even Orlando couldn't help but laugh. Only Yang Ling pretended not to hear, slowly turning over the roast pheasant in his hand, silently charting his next action.
The journey to Montson would be very far, and a few thieves or pickpockets could hardly be avoided. Joining these few troops wouldn't be such a bad idea, as they could be a cheap deterrent against them.
”Hey, my dear, come out and let's show them!”
Seeing Yang Ling mumble and say nothing, Fatso Hans assumed he was yet unconvinced of his troop's strength. After reciting an incantation, he summoned a green-skinned condor and ordered it to attack a nearby tree. To his surprise, the summoned magical beast did not move a muscle. Whether it was due to the freezing cold, or because it had not yet eaten, it just stared at the hunk of pheasant in Yang Ling's hands, completely oblivious to its master's commands.
Watching the fatso yell at the grotesque green-skinned condor over and over without it moving an inch, the female spellcaster Lia let out a whoop of laughter, saying: ”Haha! Hans, you damned fatso! If you keep starving your disgusting familiar, be careful, or it will swallow you whole, gobbling up the fat on your body like dimsum!”
”By Yiblis, this damned bird! If you don't do as I say, I will turn you into barbeque meat!” After repeating his command many more times at the motionless green-feathered condor, the fat man began to jump up and down in a thunderous fury, briefly rendered speechless at the sight of his old enemy.
Don't tell me, is this really the summoner of Tailun continent?
Glancing back and forth between this immovable green-skinned condor and the fatso jumping up and down in a fit of rage, Yang Ling laughed and then felt something move in his heart. During the fatso's incantation just now, he had felt a rather familiar sensation flowing within him. This sensation was somewhat similar to the Wizard Mantra that he used to summon the Magical Beasts from the space within the Wizard's Pagoda.
Wanting to confirm his suspicions, he tore off a drumstick from the pheasant and waved it in front of the staring green-skinned condor. Sure enough, the latter couldn't resist swooping over, and in a few bites had gulped down the golden-yellow roasted drumstick, beating its wings happily in front of Yang Ling.
”Yiblis, this damned beast!” Seeing the green-skinned condor eating the very pheasant that he was dying to taste, the fatso became even more enraged. A stream of curses flew from his mouth as he continued to stare fixedly at the pheasant in Yang Ling's hands.
Yang Ling said, ”Captain Lia, I truly do not have a single crystal coin on my person, you see. Would it be convenient for us to join ways anyway?” After a pause, Yang Ling looked sincerely at the female sorcerer seated on the other side of the campfire, and continued: ”Of course, I'll do my very best to reward you. I have no crystal coins, but we still have some food left in our horse-cart...”