Revenge Begins

Several days later, in the main hall of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group headquarters.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li sat facing each other.

A heavy money pouch lay on the table.

Bang!

The oppressive silence was shattered by a thunderous crash.

Damn it! Damn it!

Xiao Li slammed his fist onto the sturdy wooden table, instantly covering its surface in spiderweb-like cracks.

His eyes were bloodshot, the muscles in his face twisted, and his chest heaved violently.

"The Mercenary Association is full of sanctimonious hypocrites! Is this the explanation they gave us?

"So many brothers died, and their lives are worth only this little compensation?

"The Poison Dragon Mercenary Group fled at a critical moment and betrayed their word, causing the deaths of so many of our men, yet they received no real punishment at all!"

Xiao Ding slowly closed his eyes, his face filled with exhaustion and helplessness. In a hoarse voice, he said,

"Second Brother, calm down. How could I not be angry? But... there's nothing we can do. What the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group did was shameful, but they merely exploited a loophole in the rules. They did not directly violate the Mercenary Association's regulations. All we can do now is condemn them morally."

"Besides... when all is said and done, we're outsiders..."

He paused and pointed at the money pouch on the table, his tone carrying a trace of self-mockery. "If Senior Lin Xiao from the Mercenary Association, Vice Commander Liu Shi of the Storm Mercenary Group, and several other righteous commanders hadn't spoken up for us, the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group probably wouldn't have even paid these thirty thousand gold coins in compensation."

"Still, after this incident, the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group's reputation in Stone Desert City is completely ruined."

"Reputation? What use is reputation? Can it bring them back to life?"

Xiao Li's fury did not diminish in the slightest. "I don't care about any rules! All I know is that our brothers' blood cannot be spilled in vain! I'll lead men over there right now and turn the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group upside down!"

"You stand right there!" Xiao Ding suddenly opened his eyes and shouted sternly. "If you go now, what can you do besides throw your life away? Luo Tai is a Battle Master, and Lin Qi is also a Battle Master. The Poison Dragon Mercenary Group was already stronger than us.

Besides, we've been badly weakened. What do we have to fight them head-on? Do you want the few brothers who survived to go die with you as well?"

Xiao Ding's words were like a bucket of icy water dumped over Xiao Li's head, bringing his impulsive steps to a halt.

Seeing the unwillingness and pain on his younger brother's face, Xiao Ding softened his tone.

He walked over to Xiao Li, patted him on the shoulder, and said gravely, "Second Brother, I understand how you feel. Don't worry. This matter will absolutely not end like this."

"Of course it won't end like this." Xiao Li gritted his teeth and spoke word by word.

"What we need to do now is endure, gather our strength, and wait for an opportunity to strike a fatal blow."

"An opportunity..." Xiao Li murmured, then seemed to remember something. "Right, what does Qing Mo think about this...?"

Xiao Ding fell silent for a moment. Qing Mo had only joined them a little over a month ago and rarely interacted with them. The fact that he had risked his life to save them was already an enormous favor. How could they dare ask for more?

Just then, the doors of the hall were pushed open.

A slender figure slowly walked in. It was Qing Mo. He had changed into a clean set of green clothes, his expression calm.

"Qing Mo? You..."

"Second Brother!"

Xiao Li had just started to say something upon seeing Qing Mo, but Xiao Ding interrupted him.

Qing Mo's gaze swept over the two brothers before finally settling on the cracked table.

"Gentlemen, I have a plan. If everything goes smoothly, tomorrow will be their day of death!"

"Really?!"

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li looked at each other, delight appearing on both their faces. If Qing Mo was willing to help them, things would become much easier.

Qing Mo did not waste words and laid out his entire plan.

"Good! Qing Mo! We'll do as you say." Xiao Ding and Xiao Li's eyes instantly erupted with a startling gleam.

Night fell. Inside Qing Mo's home.

Qing Mo sat at the table, quietly wiping the Silent Flying Dagger in his hand. Qing Lin sat obediently beside him and poured him a cup of hot tea.

Knock, knock, knock.

A cautious knocking came from outside the door.

"Come in."

The door opened, and two men entered. They were the same two men who had previously tried to kidnap Qing Lin.

"B-Big Brother, you called for us... what are your orders?" Datou swallowed, his voice trembling slightly.

Over the past few days, the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group's betrayal and the deaths of so many Desert Iron Mercenary Group members had become the talk of Stone Desert City. Everyone was cursing them.

The two of them had once desperately wanted to join the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group, but now they avoided the group like the plague, terrified of being associated with it.

Qing Mo did not look up. He merely put away the cleaned throwing dagger, then lifted his teacup and took a light sip.

The calmer he was, the more uneasy Datou and Heizi became. Cold sweat even seeped from their foreheads.

"Help me with something."

Qing Mo glanced at Qing Lin. Qing Lin nodded, then took out a map and spread it across the table. "As long as you lure Luo Yi to this place, I'll give you the antidote. From then on, you'll be free."

His finger pointed to a narrow stretch of desert terrain on the map.

Datou and Heizi's faces instantly turned deathly pale.

"Th-This... Big Brother, it's not that we don't want to!" Datou cried miserably. "Because of what happened this time, that bastard Luo Yi has already been confined by his father. He was strictly forbidden from leaving their base even half a step. We... we probably can't lure him out..."

"Yeah, Big Brother!" Heizi hurriedly agreed. "Luo Yi is his father's favorite. Forget leaving Stone Desert City—even if he walks out the front gate, his father will find out. We have no chance to make a move!"

"That is your problem to solve. All I want is the result." Qing Mo's voice was calm.

"Big Brother... this..." Datou looked troubled, inwardly lamenting his fate.

This was clearly asking for their lives! If Luo Tai found out they had encouraged Luo Yi to sneak out, wouldn't that old bastard skin them alive? How was that any different from going to their deaths? If they were going to die either way, why should they go to such trouble for Qing Mo?

Qing Mo cast Datou a glance, seeing through his little thoughts completely.

"Don't worry. Luo Tai won't be home tomorrow. The Mercenary Association will summon him for a talk tomorrow, and he cannot refuse them that courtesy."

"Vice Commander Lin Qi was injured in the battle as well, so he won't be at the base tomorrow."

Hearing this, a trace of struggle flashed through Datou's eyes before quickly fading. "But... Big Brother, even if both Battle Masters, Luo Tai and Lin Qi, aren't there, the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group still has many skilled Fighters. They won't just watch Luo Yi leave alone."

"I only need him to come out. How many people accompany him is unimportant." Qing Mo's lips curled into a faint smile. "I've already given you the opportunity. Whether you can seize it depends on your own abilities. If you can't..."

He did not finish the sentence, but Datou and Heizi both shuddered.

"W-We..." Datou gritted his teeth, seemingly making up his mind. He raised his head and looked Qing Mo directly in the eye. "Big Brother, we can try! But... how can we be sure that you'll really give us the antidote once it's done?"

"Heh, so that's what you're worried about." Qing Mo chuckled softly, as though he had expected it. "Don't worry. When I, Qing Mo, give my word, it is as good as gold."

Seeing the doubt in their eyes, Qing Mo offered them an even more tempting condition.

"You should know about the grudge between our Desert Iron Mercenary Group and the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group. If you succeed in this, not only will you regain your freedom, you will also avenge our Desert Iron Mercenary Group. By then, you'll be benefactors of our Desert Iron Mercenary Group."

"If you're willing, I can make the decision to let you join the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. Once you join, we'll be one of our own. Naturally, I won't make a move against you again. What do you say?"

"Is that true?!"

Datou's eyes instantly lit up, and even his breathing became hurried.

All of Stone Desert City was now spreading word that the third commander of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group had slain the second-tier magical beast, the Mujin Snake, with the strength of a Seven-Star Dou Practitioner!

Senior Lin Xiao of the Mercenary Association and Vice Commander Liu Shi had personally confirmed it!

The Desert Iron Mercenary Group had suffered grievous losses this time, but with the Xiao Ding and Xiao Li brothers, plus such a genius with limitless potential, their future was boundless!

Following him was ten thousand times better than following that useless, spoiled Luo Yi!

"There is no need for me to lie to you." Qing Mo took a sip of tea and said blandly.

"Good! We'll do it!" Datou no longer hesitated and nodded heavily. "Big Brother, don't worry! Even if we have to risk our lives, we brothers will definitely trick that little bastard Luo Yi out!"

"That's right, Big Brother, just leave it to us!" Heizi hurriedly added. He would regret it for the rest of his life if he missed such a windfall.