The Show Begins

The mercenaries of the Flame Mercenary Group watched with cold sneers and a hint of pity as the errand boys rejoiced over their new leather armor.

How many of them would return alive today?

Of course, the most likely outcome was total annihilation.

Because inexperienced mercenaries like these were guaranteed to be the first to die in the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

Even the formal mercenaries suspected that one or two of these errand boys might perish before they even reached the Fire Wolf Lair.

As for whether the loss of all these errand boys in the Magical Beast Mountain Range would have any impact on the Fire Wolf Mercenary Group?

It would have an impact, but a very small one.

When recruiting this batch of errand boys, they had set clear parameters to minimize any potential repercussions.

Among this group of errand boys, the one the Regiment Commander was most satisfied with was the one named Wang Wu.

Orphaned, with no children of his own, he was alone in the world.

Such a person, let alone dying in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, wouldn't even have anyone to seek justice for him if he died within Fire Wolf Town.

Although few in this batch of errand boys were as extreme as Wang Wu, most of them were also venturing out on their own.

Under such circumstances, if they all perished in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, the impact on the Flame Mercenary Group would be minimal.

After all, being a mercenary was a profession where one lived by the sword.

High rewards were accompanied by high risks.

It was common for mercenary groups to pay a heavy price while Hunting magical beasts.

Such tales were commonplace in magical beast towns like Qingshan Town and Fire Wolf Town.

There was no one to blame for such misfortunes.

Just like the Iron Blood Mercenary Group Lin Ze used to belong to, which suffered heavy losses due to encountering an overly powerful magical beast.

Such calamities could not be blamed on anyone.

After all, it was a path you chose yourself, and the consequences were yours to bear.

Since you chose the path of a mercenary for its high returns, you had to accept the high risks that came with the profession.

The friends and family of fallen mercenaries, if they were powerful enough, could track down and slay the magical beasts to avenge their loved ones.

If their strength was insufficient, they could only pray that the beast would be killed by other powerful mercenaries.

At least, for the mercenary team Lin Ze had left behind in Qingshan Town, the Intelligence gathering regarding the Iron-Armed White Ape had always been at the highest priority.

That was the culprit responsible for the Iron Blood Mercenary Group's heavy losses.

Once my strength is sufficient, I will naturally slay it!

Within Lin Ze's thoughts, the Flame Mercenary Group had already entered the Magical Beast Mountain Range in batches.

Today, Lin Ze did not have the Death Soldier Squad hunt magical beasts. Instead, they were all dispersed around the periphery of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

After the Flame Mercenary Group entered the Magical Beast Mountain Range, they quickly set up the traps that had already been prepared and put them in a ready-to-trigger state.

A portion of the traps were also dug in advance.

In short, to deal with these two mercenary groups, Lin Ze had laid dozens of traps of various sizes around the periphery of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

Each trap had been meticulously crafted by the Blue Death Soldier, using his Talent to make the traps appear more natural and difficult to detect.

As they gradually approached the Fire Wolf Lair, the other Errand Boys on their faces also showed curiosity, excitement, and nervousness.

These ordinary Errand Boys had no understanding of the terrain around the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

Therefore, they did not know that they were heading towards the Fire Wolf Lair, an abyss that could easily swallow them whole.

Wang Wu, controlled by Lin Ze, looked at the mercenaries of the Flame Mercenary Group surrounding them, his Eyes narrowing slightly.

"Truly ruthless."

Wang Wu carried a Broad-Backed Saber on his back.

This was the weapon Lin Ze used most often when controlling his death soldiers.

That's why he chose this weapon; it felt more natural to use.

"Awooo—"

A piercing wolf howl echoed from afar, immediately causing the Errand Boys in the group to panic.

"What are you afraid of? We're here!"

A mercenary in the group coldly rebuked in a low voice.

Compared to the magical beasts far away, the ferocity of the mercenaries close at hand was even greater.

This immediately silenced the Errand Boys, who dared not make another sound.

Sensing the change in the mercenaries' attitude, Lin Ze knew that these mercenaries were no longer pretending.

It could only be said that they were indeed mercenaries under Huo Lie.

In Lin Ze's opinion, the overall style of a mercenary group generally had a significant relationship with the high-ranking members of the group, especially the Regiment Commander.

The overall style of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group is greedy and profit-driven.

In contrast, the overall style of the Flame Mercenary Group is more aligned with Huo Lie.

Even ordinary mercenaries possess a certain level of cunning.

Just like the mercenary who recruited Lin Ze into the mercenary group.

When recruiting errand boys, they painted a picture that was more enticing and grander with each passing moment.

At the Flame Mercenary Group's stronghold, their attitude was also quite amiable.

Now that they had entered the Magical Beast Mountain Range, they had completely shed their hypocritical masks.

Lin Ze blended into the crowd, not showing any signs of standing out.

He simultaneously observed his surroundings and the mercenaries.

He had not entered Proxy State, so his perception was still inferior to that of the mercenaries.

Soon, he noticed that the mercenaries' expressions had become solemn.

They're here!

Lin Ze's heart tightened, and his eyes caught a fleeting flash of fiery red fur in the distant jungle.

Fire wolves!

And definitely not just one or two!

They were already close to the hill where the Fire Wolf Lair was located.

Fire wolves have a strong sense of territory.

Although, being in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, there were too many powerful magical beasts, so their territories couldn't be too large.

But this mercenary team had already reached the vicinity of their lair, enough to make them move out in full force.

Even if it wasn't enough to make them move out in full force, it was enough to leave the Fire Wolf Lair's defenses empty.

Taking advantage of the empty defenses of the Fire Wolf Lair, they could strike while the iron was hot and seize the Fire Wolf King Cub.

And it was clear that the Flame Mercenary Group was responsible for attracting the fire wolves' attention.

The task of seizing the Fire Wolf King Cub would naturally fall to the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.

Although there were two Fire Wolf King Cubs, which provided a basis for their cooperation, it did not mean they could trust each other intimately.

The two mercenary groups would inevitably engage in a certain degree of mutual checks and balances, such as having the Young Leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group stay at the Flame Mercenary Group's stronghold.

In such a situation, they could effectively avoid being tricked to death by the other party.

Just as Lin Ze's thoughts flickered, the mercenaries of the Flame Mercenary Group became busy, organizing their defensive formation and intending to fight and retreat.

They were only meant to attract the Fire Wolves' attention, creating an opportunity to seize the Fire Wolf King Cub.

They were not meant to fight the Fire Wolf Pack to the death.

After all, no matter how prestigious a Regiment Commander was, if he issued a mission that would cause his members to die, he would instantly lose all support.

Lin Ze, using the perspective of a Death Soldier stationed on high ground, saw a small team rapidly approaching the small hill where the Fire Wolf Lair was located.

He muttered to himself.

"The show is about to begin!"