Late at night, in a courtyard somewhere within the Sand Mercenary Group's base.
Sha Tie and the three deputy regimental commanders gathered together, all looking very grim.
"The commander actually yielded to those two brats!"
A bald deputy commander angrily said, "We're supposed to take orders from the Desert Iron Mercenary Group? It's a disgrace!"
"Keep your voice down."
Sha Tie glanced around warily. "The commander had no choice; those two kids are really strange. But..."
A sinister glint flashed in his eyes. "Once the leader breaks through to the Dou Ling, he might be able to counterattack. At that time, the Desert Iron Mercenary Group will have to spit out everything they've swallowed!"
"Just bear with it for now."
Sha Tie lowered his voice and said in a low voice:
"I secretly contacted the ' Black Storm ' gang; they've always wanted to get involved in business in Stone Desert City. As long as the price is right..."
Among the three, one of the deputy commanders looked at Sha Tie with a hint of sarcasm in his eyes.
Before Sha Tie could finish speaking, the courtyard gate was kicked open.
Luo Bu stood outside the door with more than twenty of his trusted men, his face as cold as ice.
"Regimental... Regimental Commander?" Sha Tie's expression changed drastically. He hadn't expected Luo Bu to come knocking on his door at this time, and judging from the other party's demeanor, it didn't seem like a good thing.
" Sha Tie, you have colluded with foreign enemies and intend to betray the group."
Luo Bu's voice was devoid of emotion, "According to the rules of the group, he should be executed."
"Commander! I didn't!" Sha Tie exclaimed urgently, "Those two lads are sowing discord! They're trying to divide us!"
Luo Bu stopped talking and his heavy sword ignited with crimson flames.
"Kill."
More than twenty trusted men rushed forward.
Apart from the vice-commander with a sarcastic expression, the other two were Sha Tie's close associates and were quite powerful.
Seeing this, how could anyone not react?
But Luo Bu brought only the true elites of the group, and besides, with his strength, Sha Tie couldn't cause any trouble at all.
The battle broke out suddenly and ended just as quickly.
Sha Tie fought back desperately, unleashing the full power of Three-Star Dou Shi and injuring three people. However, as Luo Bu personally intervened, severing Sha Tie's right arm with a single strike, another vice-captain pierced his heart from behind.
"Why... why..." Sha Tie lay in a pool of blood, his eyes filled with confusion and resentment.
Luo Bu crouched down and said softly, " Sha Tie, you're too reckless. You'll get our whole regiment killed if you keep this up."
Sha Tie stared wide-eyed, took his last breath, and a look of resentment lingered on his face.
The other two deputy commanders were also subsequently executed.
Luo Bu looked at the corpses in the courtyard, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes. After all, they were brothers who had fought alongside him. But soon, Luo Bu resolute expression replaced his expression.
"Clean it up," Luo Bu said, turning to his trusted aides behind him.
"It was publicly announced that Sha Tie and others colluded with foreign enemies, but after being discovered, they resisted stubbornly and were executed."
"Yes!" the trusted men answered in unison.
The next morning, at the headquarters of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group.
When Luo Bu walked through the gate alone, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were both stunned.
They hadn't expected Luo Bu to actually come, much less that he'd come so early, and... he was alone.
Luo Bu's attitude was respectful to the point of humility. He allocated 50% of the Sand Mercenary Group's profits to Mo Tie and promised that he would consult with the Desert Iron Mercenary Group on all major decisions in the future.
Luo Bu's appearance surprised Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, but under Xiao Huohuo's encouragement, they quickly accepted Luo Bu's overtures.
"Commander Xiao Ding, I hope you will take good care of me in the future." Luo Bu cupped his hands, a perfectly timed smile on his face.
Xiao Ding gave him a deep look, then glanced at Xiao Huohuo, who stood calmly to the side, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
What I couldn't accomplish even after years of hard work, my third brother solved in a single day.
"Likewise, the future of Stone Desert City will still depend on Commander Luo's help," Xiao Ding returned the greeting.
Before taking his leave, Luo Bu glanced at Xiao Huohuo. Seeing Xiao Huohuo slightly, Luo Bu breathed a sigh of relief.
"Third brother, how did you communicate with him?" After Luo Bu left, Xiao Li asked Xiao Huohuo curiously.
Xiao Huohuo, took out the antidote for the Heart-Devouring Gu from his Storage Ring, handed it to Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, and said:
" Heart-Devouring Gu plus Barrier-Breaking Pill. He's a smart man; he knows how to choose."
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li took the antidote, and Xiao Huohuo continued:
"However, we can only borrow his power for now; he's not one of our own. Brothers, don't be deceived by him."
"Don't worry, you've gone this far. If we still mess this up, we'll have no face to go back to the Xiao Clan."
Xiao Ding nodded, already planning in his mind how to divide the interests of Stone Desert City in order to enable the Desert Iron Mercenary Group to develop rapidly.
"Third brother, are you really leaving?" Xiao Li, somewhat reluctantly.
Xiao Huohuo nodded:
"Second brother, I want to become stronger!"
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li both understood the implication in Xiao Huohuo's words.
With Xiao Zhan missing, the entire Xiao Clan rests on Xiao Huohuo's shoulders, so he has no choice but to become stronger.
But this also means that his current strength is not enough to solve the Xiao Clan's problems.
"By the way, third brother, do you know anything about Yanran?"
" Yanran?"
Seeing the confusion in Xiao Huohuo's eyes, Xiao Ding immediately explained:
"After the Xiao Clan suffered a severe blow, Uncle Nalan and the others sent people to help. It is said that Nalan Yanran also came once, but you were already out training at the time, and they were received by three elders."
Xiao Huohuo was taken aback upon hearing this. Nalan Yanran was indeed his nominal fiancée.
To this day, the two of them have never even met once.
" Yanran went to the Xiao Clan last time intending to find you, but you weren't there. So she told the three elders that if they heard anything about you, they should definitely send you to the Misty Cloud Sect."
Xiao Huohuo nodded upon hearing this.
Misty Cloud Sect. He had once gone to the capital. If it weren't for the changes in the Xiao Clan and Elder Ling's trip to the capital to bring him back, he probably would have already entered the Misty Cloud Sect for cultivation under the recommendation of the Nalan Family.
However, if I join the Misty Cloud Sect, I might not meet my teacher again.
"Alright, brother, I'll find a chance to go to the Misty Cloud Sect." Xiao Yan nodded.
That day, Xiao Ding, Xiao Li, and Xiao Huohuo got very drunk inside the Desert Iron Mercenary Group.
This was a gathering for Xiao Huohuo and his two brothers, and Xiao Yan didn't join in the fun.
The next morning, before dawn, Xiao Yan and Xiao Huohuo walked towards the outside of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group without disturbing anyone.
"Aren't you saying goodbye?"
Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Huohuo.
"Forget it, I don't like this kind of scene." Xiao Huohuo shrugged, and the two gradually moved away from the Desert Iron Mercenary Group.
Inside a room within the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li watched Xiao Huohuo and Xiao Yan's departing figures and spoke softly:
"Third brother, take care..."
They knew they couldn't leave Xiao Huohuo here. They didn't care about the secrets or opportunities Xiao Huohuo might have; they only hoped their younger brother would be safe.