"Art? Bullshit! Your magic has as much charm as your beard!" Brendan's gruff voice echoed through the narrow corridor.
"Brendan, you!" Fletcher bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "You can insult my magic, but you can't ignore my charm! Besides, I don't even have a beard. My face is as smooth as a flower petal glistening with morning dew!"
"He means your magic is just like your beard: even if you shave it off, it's still completely useless. All it does is cause trouble." A cold voice came from behind Fletcher.
Everyone turned toward the voice. A black-haired man had appeared silently in the shadows inside the doorway. Leaning against the doorframe, he swept his sharp eyes over Healy and her companions, lingering for a moment longer on Hughes.
"We weren't likely to run into a hundred frogmen, but we did find out a few things. If you want to know, come inside."
Ignoring the two still heatedly debating the philosophical question of "beards and charm" in the corridor, Healy and her companions filed into the room.
"My name's Kane." He closed the door, shutting out the noise from outside. "The one out there is our captain, Fletcher. As you can see, he's not quite right in the head. You can discuss the job with me."
He paused, his gaze settling on Healy again.
"But before that, I'd like to know what you can offer."
Healy hesitated, unsure how to respond, when a voice suddenly sounded in her mind, clear and calm.
"Ms. Healy, let me talk to him."
The unexpected voice startled Healy slightly, but she quickly recognized it.
Trusting He Xi's abilities and judgment, she didn't hesitate. She simply nodded to him.
The Stone Crow Marauders weren't quite the "powerful team with professional adventurers"