Deterrence

In the evening, Lin Ming and Qing Lin, who had spent the day browsing various shops in Stone Desert City, returned to the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. At this time, apart from a few guards, the rest of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group were still outside helping Lin Ming search for anything unusual.

Just after Lin Ming led Qing Lin into the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, a commotion arose outside the door, causing Lin Ming to stop in his tracks.

Then, Lin Ming saw several members of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group carrying a stretcher toward them. On the stretcher, a person was lying.

"What happened to you?" Lin Ming asked after the group carried the stretcher into the gate of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group.

"Young Master Lin!" one of them called out upon seeing Lin Ming.

"Weren't you all out searching for the Desert Iron Mercenary Group? Did this person get injured during the search?" Lin Ming nodded upon hearing the person's address and then asked.

When Lin Ming asked again for the reason, the people carrying the stretcher looked at each other.

Seeing their hesitant expressions, Lin Ming knew that revealing this matter would have a negative impact on their Desert Iron Mercenary Group.

After hesitating for a while, they probably realized that even if they didn't tell Lin Ming, given the power of Lin Ming sugar daddy and the magnitude of what had happened, Lin Ming would eventually find out anyway.

With a sigh, the man carrying the stretcher near Lin Ming spoke up, "Young Master Lin Ming, our Desert Iron Mercenary Group went to investigate something amiss. Everything was fine for most of the day, but around dusk, the Sand Mercenary Group suddenly interfered. A conflict ensued. However, Young Master Lin, rest assured, our Desert Iron Mercenary Group can handle this; it will absolutely not delay your Young Master Lin."

"Is the leader of the Sand Mercenary Group at least Da Dou Shi?" Lin Ming asked calmly after listening to the man's account.

Lin Ming's calm tone made the group believe Lin Ming was implying the Sand Mercenary Group was powerful, prompting one of them to immediately say, "Young Master Lin, although Luo Bu possesses the strength of Da Dou Shi, our Desert Iron Mercenary Group has two Dou Masters, Captain Xiao and the other." Therefore, Luo Bu doesn't dare to exert too much pressure on our Desert Iron Mercenary Group. Otherwise, if a real fight broke out, the Sand Mercenary Group would definitely not fare well.

Seeing their eager expressions, Lin Ming knew they'd probably misunderstood something. However, Lin Ming didn't bother explaining and simply said, "Alright, take your brothers to get treatment!"

After saying that, Lin Ming ignored the others and led Qing Lin towards his residence.

"Qing Lin, this is for you. All the clothes you bought today are in here. You can retrieve them with your mind." After returning to the room, Lin Ming took out a Storage Ring and gave it to Qing Lin, saying this.

Within the Sand Iron Mercenary Group, only two leaders possessed Storage Ring. Although Qing Lin had never used Storage Ring before, she knew Qing Lin value. Therefore, when Storage Ring Lin Ming handed the Storage Ring to Qing Lin immediately refused, saying, "Brother Lin Ming, this is too precious; Qing Lin cannot accept it!"

"Silly girl, you've already called me brother, why are you being so polite with me! Besides, if you don't get this Storage Ring, what will you do with all these clothes? Are you going to come here to get them every time you need a change of clothes?" Lin Ming said immediately when he saw Qing Lin refuse.

Upon hearing Lin Ming say that she could change her clothes here, Qing Lin immediately blushed and accepted the Storage Ring Lin Ming offered. Then she ran to the wooden shelf next to the bed and picked up the basin she had brought that morning.

After picking up the basin, Qing Lin came to Lin Ming's side and said softly, "Brother Lin Ming, Qing Lin will be leaving now."

Watching Qinglin Qing Lin and run away with her head down after finishing her sentence, Lin Ming smiled and shook his head.

After Qing Lin left, Lin Ming looked westward, then transformed into a black shadow and disappeared from the room.

To the west of Stone Desert City, there is a courtyard even larger than the headquarters of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group.

At this moment, in the brightly lit courtyard, a voice rang out. "Captain, the Desert Iron Mercenary Group is becoming increasingly arrogant. Today, when I led the brothers back, we encountered Xiao Ding and his men who had cordoned off a large area to the east, refusing us passage. I argued with them, and they actually attacked, injuring several brothers. Captain, if we let the Desert Iron Mercenary Group continue like this, I'm afraid that in a few years, our Sand Mercenary Group will be threatened by them."

"Do you know why they fenced off that area?" the person sitting above asked after hearing the man's explanation.

"Commander, they look like they're looking for something. Could there be some treasure there?" The person above immediately spoke up after the previous one finished speaking.

Upon hearing the word "treasure," the person seated above clearly became interested. This obvious interest was, of course, also noticeable to the person speaking below.

Upon seeing the expression on the face of the person seated above, this person smiled and said, "Captain, no one can say for sure how many secrets lie hidden in this desert. What if the Desert Iron Mercenary Group finds some high-level Cultivation Methods and Combat Skills left behind by their predecessors and increases their strength? Then our Sand Mercenary Group would be in real danger!"

"Alright, gather the men. Tomorrow we'll go and meet their Desert Iron Mercenary Group." After hearing what the person below had to say, the person seated above immediately gave the order.

"So you're the leader of this Sand Mercenary Group, aren't you?" Just as the person above finished speaking, a faint voice suddenly rang out from nowhere.

The sudden sound caused the two people who had been talking to to change their expressions drastically. The person who had just been speaking below was now sweating profusely.

"Look up!" Lin Ming said again, looking down at the two people who were constantly looking around for the source of the sound.

Upon hearing the sound again, the two below looked up as Lin Ming had instructed, and saw a purple Crystal Wings attached to a figure hovering in mid-air.

"Fight... Fight... Dou Wang!" Upon seeing Lin Ming's figure, the person who had been speaking earlier collapsed to the ground, stammering.

The person who had been sitting above was in no better shape. His previous casual posture was gone, leaving him slumped over, and he stammered, "Lord... Dou King Lord! What brings you here?"

Seeing the two men's frightened expressions, Lin Ming felt there was no need for further intimidation; he could simply speak up. So, Lin Ming said in a calm tone, "The Desert Iron Mercenary Group is currently working for me, and I don't want anyone disturbing them! Do you understand?"

"My lord, rest assured! From now on, wherever the Desert Iron Mercenary Group is, our Sand Mercenary Group will never be seen." Upon hearing Lin Ming's words, the slumped man immediately stood up and bowed.

After speaking, no one responded for a long time, so the person slightly raised their head and looked up at the sky. Apart from the bright moon in the sky, there was not a single person in sight.