Temptation and threats

(PS: This dispirited author begs for recommendations and bookmarks~~~~~)

"Mm, all right!" Luo De took the stack of wanted posters from inside his clothes and set it on the table.

Fehr took the wanted posters and sorted through them one by one. After a while, he handed his selections to Luo De and pointed at them. "These are the wanted posters I picked out for members of the Ironblood Brotherhood. There are a little over thirty. As long as you two eliminate any ten of them, your assignment will count as complete! Once you finish, I promise to pay you ten thousand gold coins. If you agree, consider these our deposit." As he spoke, Fehr took a small cloth pouch from inside his clothes, opened it just a little, and pushed it toward Zhang Yao and Luo De. In the morning sunlight streaming through the window, the Gems inside the pouch shone with dazzling brilliance.

Zhang Yao's heart gave a sudden jolt, not because of the Gems in the pouch before him, but because of the information that had abruptly appeared in his mind.

"B-rank quest triggered: Serial assassinations of the Ironblood Brotherhood. Accept?"

"Quest objective: Assassinate ten members of the Ironblood Brotherhood's leadership in succession."

"Time limit: Ten days."

"Quest rewards: 30,000 experience points, one random C-rank combat Skill Book, one random superior blue equipment item."

"Quest failure: Current level reduced by one."

A quest? It's actually a quest! And what generous rewards! After carefully reading the information in his mind, Zhang Yao could not help marveling inwardly at the rewards. Even setting aside the staggering thirty thousand experience points, the C-rank combat Skill Book and superior blue equipment alone held boundless temptation for him.

Zhang Yao currently had three skills: one he had comprehended on his own, and two D-rank skills he had learned through Skill Books. The Fetal Breath Technique and Concealment Technique were support skills, while basic battle aura was a combat skill. Yet although basic battle aura bore the label of a combat skill, in practice it merely enhanced his own strength and served a supporting role. Strictly speaking, all three of Zhang Yao's skills were actually support skills!

After entering Rodos, Chosen Ones used Skill Books to quickly learn all kinds of skills, strengthening themselves so they could survive more easily. Besides differing in power according to their rank, these skills were also divided by their effects into combat skills, support skills, special skills, and so on. Among skills of the same rank, combat skills generally produced the most immediate improvement in a Chosen One's strength.

Thus, for Zhang Yao, who yearned to grow stronger quickly, combat skills were what he needed most at present. As for the superior blue equipment, that went without saying. He only had three pieces of equipment worth mentioning altogether, while his other equipment slots remained completely empty. He was desperately short of equipment! Placing a superior blue item before him now was like tossing a fish in front of a ravenous cat or delivering a beautiful woman to a lecher.

The temptation of a C-rank combat skill and superior blue equipment made Zhang Yao hesitate. Should I accept this quest or not? If he accepted, the danger went without saying, and the penalty for failure was severe. If he refused, however, his life might well be in immediate danger. Above all, the enormous experience reward and those tantalizing Skill Books and equipment were simply too hard to give up. It truly was a difficult decision!

"Really, any ten of them?" After looking through the wanted posters Fehr had selected, Luo De could not help asking again.

"Of course!" Fehr nodded once more in confirmation.

"Then, Mr. Fehr, have you entrusted this assignment to anyone besides us?" Luo De asked next.

"You're the first people I've approached. If you two agree, I won't look for anyone else!" Fehr shrugged and smiled.

"Then..." Luo De turned his gaze toward Zhang Yao.

"Whew. All right! We accept!" Zhang Yao breathed out and nodded firmly.

Zhang Yao had already thought it through. The situation was not one in which he could do whatever he wished! Like an arrow drawn against the bowstring, it had to be released. Unfortunately, Zhang Yao was not the hand holding the bow, but the arrow laid across it.

"Heh, what a wise choice you two have made! These three tokens are for you two and the young lady in the bedroom. Please keep them safe! As long as you carry these tokens, I guarantee that you and the young lady will remain perfectly safe within our territory!" With a light chuckle, Fehr took three palm-sized tokens from inside his clothes and placed them on the table. Then he stood, bowed slightly, and said, "I'll leave this assignment in your hands. I hope we enjoy working together!" With that, he turned to leave.

"Mr. Fehr, let me see you out!" Luo De rose with Fehr and courteously escorted him to the door.

Zhang Yao, however, sat there without moving, staring at the three tokens on the table as the expression on his face shifted uncertainly.

Hmph. Is this a show of force? Or a threat? Are you using these tokens to tell us you know everything about our situation? Damn you! If that B-rank quest hadn't suddenly appeared, do you think I would have accepted your bullshit assignment? The fleeting look of smug contempt Fehr had shown when Zhang Yao agreed to his assignment kept surfacing in Zhang Yao's mind. Although it had vanished quickly, Zhang Yao had seen it with perfect clarity! And when Fehr took out those three tokens, certain that he had the situation firmly in hand, a threatening, mocking smile had curled at the corner of his mouth!

Fehr, go ahead and gloat. Once I finish this quest, I'll teach you the meaning of regret! Zhang Yao had already resented being half forced into accepting the assignment. Now, Fehr's naked threat just before leaving had magnified that resentment without limit! In his heart, Zhang Yao had already sentenced Fehr to death.

"Fuck, that bastard really pisses me off! I want to kill him!" After seeing Fehr off, Luo De returned, sat down, and immediately began swearing.

"Zhang Yao, you don't know what happened when I escorted Fehr to his carriage downstairs. A whole group of Public Security Force men and soldiers suddenly sprang out from all around the inn and left with his carriage! That was a naked threat! And these damned tokens-is he telling us he has everything under his control? That bastard! Zhang Yao, let's leave right now. Screw his damned assignment. Let it all go to hell!"

Luo De was no fool either. The moment Fehr took out the tokens, he understood what was happening. Though displeased, he could only swallow it now that the other man had the situation firmly in hand. But he had not expected Fehr to spare them no dignity whatsoever, even throwing in a show of force as he left. After these blows came one after another, even someone as thick-skinned as Luo De could not quite save face, and he began to lose his temper.

"Luo De, don't be rash! We're on his turf right now, so let's bear with it! I guarantee that the moment we show any intention of escaping, a crowd of men will appear and surround us on every side!" Zhang Yao patted Luo De's shoulder and shook his head. "Don't worry. I'll definitely make that bastard Fehr regret this someday! Right now, hurry and pick out the ten weakest people from these wanted posters for me! I'll start tonight!"