Night Raid

"Amazing! Brother Qing Mo, you're incredible!"

After leaving the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's headquarters, Qing Lin kept looking at Qing Mo with undisguised admiration. Her pale green eyes sparkled, and her tiny hand tightly clutched his sleeve.

"Brother Qing Mo didn't even use his full strength, and that man already surrendered! You're amazing!"

Hearing Qing Lin's exaggerated praise, Qing Mo's lips could not help but curl upward, though he still put on a calm expression.

"Not really. He was just too weak. Using my full strength would have been bullying him."

"Exactly, exactly! Brother Qing Mo only used one tiny gold coin to knock away that huge blade of his! Brother Qing Mo is the strongest! You're even stronger than Captain Xiao Ding and Captain Xiao Li!"

"Ahem, alright, Qing Lin. That's a little too exaggerated."

Qing Mo coughed, feeling somewhat embarrassed by Qing Lin's unabashed praise.

He reached out and ruffled Qing Lin's hair. "Let's go home. I'll make hot pot for you."

"Hot pot!" Qing Lin's eyes lit up. She had not eaten it in half a month.

Xiao Ding had originally invited them to stay at the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's headquarters, but Qing Mo had politely declined.

Staying with the mercenary group would certainly have been safer, but it would have been inconvenient to do anything.

After returning home, Qing Mo skillfully began preparing the ingredients for hot pot.

Steam bubbled from the pot, carrying an enticing aroma.

Qing Lin skillfully tossed slices of meat and vegetables into the pot.

"Qing Lin, eat slowly. Don't burn yourself."

Qing Mo picked up a slice of meat and placed it in Qing Lin's bowl. As she chewed, Qing Lin spoke indistinctly.

"Brother Qing Mo, the hot pot you make is the most delicious."

"As long as you like it."

After dinner, the two returned to their respective rooms.

Late at night, a faint sound suddenly came from outside the courtyard.

Two figures were sneaking around in front of the main gate, doing who knew what. They carried sacks, ropes, and other items, dressed in black nightwear. Hunched over furtively, they glanced around from time to time, afraid of being spotted by the patrolling guards.

"Datou! Are we really doing this? If the patrol finds us, we'll end up in prison!"

One of them, a dark-skinned man, sounded uneasy as he kept his voice low.

Stone Desert City's garrison was no joke. Breaking into someone's home alone carried a minimum sentence of three years, not to mention kidnapping. If the circumstances were serious, they might never get out for the rest of their lives.

"What are you afraid of? That kid is just a pretty boy. What can he possibly do?"

The other man, Datou, whose face was covered in flesh, said disdainfully, "Besides, this place is so remote. No one will notice."

"Young Master Luo said that once we finish this job, he'll let us join the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group."

At the mention of joining the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group, Heizi's eyes immediately lit up. Seeing his expression, Datou continued.

"That's a major mercenary group with a Battle Master overseeing it! Don't you want to join?"

Datou licked his lips. He had always dreamed of joining a powerful mercenary group and living a life of fine food and drink.

"But I heard they seem to have ties with the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. That's also a major mercenary group with a Battle Master overseeing it!"

Heizi spoke with some concern. The Poison Dragon Mercenary Group and the Desert Iron Mercenary Group had never been on good terms, and that was no secret in Stone Desert City.

"Don't worry, Heizi. I looked into it. Do you know what that girl is?" Datou said mysteriously.

"What is she?" Heizi asked.

Datou grinned, a lewd smile appearing on his face. "She's the offspring of a human and a Snake-Person!"

"What? That can happen? Didn't they say people like that never live long?" Heizi was utterly shocked.

Human-Snake-People hybrids were not uncommon here. The humans of Stone Desert City and the Snakefolk living in the Tagore Desert had been blood enemies for generations, locked in conflict for countless years.

If male Snake-People captured human women, they would not kill them, but use them as tools to vent their desires.

Likewise, exceptionally beautiful female Snake-People were highly sought after among humans.

If either side was unfortunate enough to conceive the other's child, both regarded it as a disgrace. Most abandoned the child, and even those fortunate enough to be born rarely lived past ten. Such children were called mongrels, their status even lower than that of slaves.

"Of course. I investigated it thoroughly. Even if people like that are played to death, the garrison can't be bothered to interfere."

Datou spoke with contempt in his eyes.

"No one would ever stand up for them."

"But..." Heizi still hesitated.

"No more buts. Do you think we can join the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group with our strength alone?"

Datou impatiently cut him off. "We're already here. If you want to go back, go by yourself. Once I join the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group, I won't help you anymore."

Hearing this, Heizi gritted his teeth. He did not want to take the risk, but the temptation of joining the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group was simply too great.

"Then what if that man finds out?"

"Simple. Just knock him out."

"You're at the Eighth Stage of Dou Qi, and I'm at the Ninth Stage of Dou Qi. The two of us working together, are we really going to fear some pretty boy?"

Datou puffed out his chest. That pretty boy looked only fifteen or sixteen at most. How strong could he possibly be?

Heizi gritted his teeth and finally made up his mind.

"Fine! I'm in!"

"Good! The right decision." Datou patted Heizi on the shoulder.

"Don't worry. Nothing will happen."