Three Sides Converge

"Wow, you looked so cool just now!" Qiluo jumped excitedly on the motorcycle seat, making the motorcycle bounce around.

"Sit still, or I'll leave you behind," Su Ming warned.

He was actually in a pretty good mood after beating Zijin in training. However, he had been suppressing his emotions and trying to comprehend the phrase "Deathly Word, Grey Thoughts Exhaust the Heart" for the past few days, and he was too deeply immersed in it to get out of it for the time being.

This was the most somber of all the spells used in Deathly Word, and Su Ming hadn't originally intended to use it. However, the grief brought on by Si Ran's sudden passing caused Su Ming to become hopelessly lost in memories.

Si Ran is not an ordinary friend. Seven years ago, Su Ming failed the college entrance examination and only got into an ordinary university, and his major was assigned by the university.

The two mothers agreed that Si Ran, who was also attending university in the same city, would take Su Ming to register.

Su Ming would put on an act in front of his parents, but once he boarded the train with Si Ran, he completely dropped his act. The soon-to-be freshman lay lifelessly on the hard sleeper berth, playing a mobile game with a blank expression.

"Your operation is really steady, and your strategy and tactics are very refined," Si Ran praised him.

Su Ming couldn't remember how they started chatting, but for some reason, she poured out her pent-up feelings to this older sister she wasn't very familiar with at the time.

"So, because of a minor car accident that didn't even make you late, your mindset during the exam affected your performance on the essay?" Si Ran asked.

"Yeah, then I got the last two big math problems wrong, and then my combined science score completely collapsed," Su Ming said dejectedly. "It was like a snowflake turning into an avalanche; my total score was a full 130 points lower than the mock exam!"

"That's such a pity—why didn't you repeat a year?"

"I'm scared," Su Ming replied shamefully. "The thought of having to retake the college entrance exam and possibly encountering another accident terrifies me." As he spoke, he even shivered involuntarily. "I've been having sleepless nights. The more I worry, the worse things get, and the more unbearable it feels like I can't face it."

"What you're looking at sounds a bit like panic disorder."

"Panic disorder? What's that?" Su Ming asked, puzzled.

Si Ran waved her hand, "I'm not a psychologist, just saying."

"I'm so bad, I can't handle any pressure at all," Su Ming said with a wry smile, sounding somewhat resigned. "At least now I can get into a second-tier university, that's good enough."

"It seems you know the problem lies in your mindset." Si Ran thought for a moment, "Little brother, would you be interested in playing a very difficult video game with me?"

What game?

"A multiplayer online game on a computer. If you succeed, you can hone your mindset and develop your ability to withstand pressure there," Si Ran replied, gesturing with her chin towards her phone. "Even if you fail, there's no loss; it just replaces the entertainment time you would spend playing mobile games."

Su Ming agreed without much consideration, and from then on, he was drawn into the world of "Hell Let Loose." This is an extremely niche, hardcore war game that requires all team members to have clear roles and cooperate under the command of commanders at all levels.

The competition, in particular, is even more brutal.

Su Ming had a natural talent for games, so he was thoroughly tested in this game. As his quick thinking and comprehensive observation skills became apparent, he began to take on the role of commander under Si Ran's guidance.

This began a painful ordeal. In his first time as a coach, he lost five games in a row and was constantly left out in important matches. He was so frustrated that he became disheartened, and his team disintegrated and reorganized several times over the years. It was Si Ran who stood by him through these experiences and helped him grow.

Upon learning of Si Ran's death, a wave of sadness washed over him, mingled with the resilience his senior had repeatedly taught him.

This put Su Ming in a dilemma. When he was at a loss, he chose to study magic.

Perhaps this can be considered a form of mourning.

He was determined to return to his hometown, stand before Si Ran's grave, and offer his senior a bouquet of her favorite Butterfly.

The snowmobile was fast, and in less than an hour, the Lisi City appeared on the horizon.

Su Ming found a good spot to hide the carriage, then followed Qiluo towards the city gate.

There were still guards at the city gate, but this time no entrance fee was charged. Su Ming found it a little strange and asked a passerby about the situation. He learned that they used to charge an entrance fee, but the neighboring Dawn Territory had abolished it throughout the entire territory. As a result, many caravans and travelers preferred to take a detour to Dawn Territory, so Lisi City had to follow suit and abolish the entrance fee as well.

Indeed, all progress stems from involution!

According to the confession obtained from interrogating Old Luo's soul, his superior was a man named Akosita in Lisi City. Su Ming easily found out the address and went to investigate. It was a detached house surrounded by a fairly large yard.

The cellar beneath the house must be quite spacious. These people who run shady businesses chose such similar locations. As Su Ming and Qiluo passed by, they saw a restaurant waiter carrying a basket, delivering food inside. Su Ming observed for a moment and realized it was enough food for a dozen or so people; this was probably the number of enemies.

"Go in and kill?" Qiluo asked. She was much more obedient today, probably knowing that she was no match for Su Ming in this kind of thing.

Su Ming gave her an annoyed look. "With so many enemies, am I supposed to charge in and get myself killed while my Magic Power is completely depleted?"

"What should we do then?"

Su Ming thought for a moment and then suggested, "Why don't you go and report it to the sheriff?"

Interviews with passersby revealed that the town's public security is decent. After all, even if people are treated like livestock, their lives still need to be taken care of.

What's particularly beneficial is that, due to the large number of people fleeing to the neighboring Dawn Territory last year, the lord was forced to change many policies, and overly cruel and derelict officials were replaced. After all, the population on the Ice Plains is sparse; a territory without people and a lord is nothing.

The Morton Family's high-profile implementation of a policy of appeasement slowed down the loss of their people to some extent, and even absorbed some people from other places, thus compensating for the losses to a certain degree.

So let the more distant territories worry about it; it's better to let your fellow cultivators die than to let me.

The effects of the strategy led by the Northern Flow Commoner Faction of the Church of Light on this snowy plain are spreading in a chain reaction.

With ample military power as their backing, these territorial nobles disliked them but couldn't seem to eliminate them.

So cute!

Having seemingly sorted out the intricacies of the situation, the unicorn hopped and skipped off to the police station.

****

Su Ming waited for a while before he saw a noisy group of people rushing towards him from afar. The leader, a fat middle-aged man dressed as a sheriff, was still shouting loudly.

Su Ming sighed, "Did this guy just get a bunch of idiots?!" Was he really being too naive to think they'd be of any use?

The delivery guy who delivered the food earlier appeared outside the yard again with a basket, apparently to collect the dishes left behind from the previous delivery.

Su Ming rushed over and stopped him, flashing several silver coins. "I'll buy your clothes and basket!"

The waiter was overjoyed, fearing that he might change his mind, so he immediately started taking off his clothes in the street.

"No, it's just an apron," Su Ming quickly added.

The waiter put down the apron and basket, which Su Ming quickly put on. He tossed the silver coins to the waiter, "I also bought the bowl you left inside. Do you have enough money?"

"That's enough, that's enough!" the waiter said hastily as he caught the silver coins.

"Then get lost, don't get in my way!" Su Ming rudely shooed him away, put his weapons into a basket, covered it with a cloth, and went to knock on the courtyard gate.

Finally, before the guards arrived, the courtyard gate opened, and Su Ming squeezed in first, heading straight into the house.

The door was opened by a man who looked like a mercenary. Seeing his attire, the man showed no suspicion. "The bowls are all piled on the table. Tell the owner to add more oil and salt, don't be so stingy," he continued. "And don't always serve potatoes and stuff like that, give me more greens. This food is making me so sick I can't even poop!"

Upon seeing the door open, the fat sheriff leading the group rushed over and blocked the door from closing. "I am Alessandro, the sheriff of Lisi City! I am now conducting a search of you, get out of the way!"

As Su Ming watched this reckless guy squeeze in with seven or eight security guards, the merchant Akosita immediately came out of the house. More mercenaries appeared and subtly surrounded the security guards.

The fat man seemed oblivious and loudly announced again that he was the sheriff and was going to inspect the cellar, demanding that Akosita cooperate obediently.

Su Ming sighed, "How can people be so different? Rupert, the security captain in Shafeng'er Town, was so clever just a few days ago."

Is it really true that makeshift teams are the norm worldwide?

The security team members who followed clearly didn't know the specifics of the situation; they were simply being addressed by Alessandro.

They grabbed their weapons and followed. Some of them had been shaken awake from their afternoon nap and were still yawning. Their target was merchants, and everyone guessed they were mostly tax evaders or something similar, so they weren't on guard at all.

[Su Ming, that idiot is newly appointed, and I think he's from a lord's family.] The unicorn's message came in: [Don't blame me, I tried everything to stop him but couldn't.]

Su Ming glanced outside and saw the little girl, with her short legs, peeking out from behind a nearby wall.

[Why don't you revert to your original form?] Su Ming sighed. He knew it. A little girl went to the police station, and the fact that they even came to check was already a sign of good conduct!

[How was I supposed to know these idiots wouldn't recognize me? I was completely exhaling!] The unicorn complained in return, [Who wants to take off their winter coat in this cold weather!]

If Qiluo doesn't conceal herself, her true form is easily detected by Intermediate Rank combat professionals. Even if their perception is insufficient, the footprints she leaves are much deeper than those of a normal little girl, and they make a small crunching sound when she steps on the stone slabs.

Especially now, with a gentle breeze, the stray strands of Qiluo's hair at her temples flutter in the wind. "Can't they even notice such a simple detail?!" Su Ming cursed inwardly.

But things have come to this, and they can only take it one step at a time. Su Ming sent a message to Qiluo: "[We'll act according to the situation, don't act rashly.]"

[Um.]

After the fat sheriff led the man into the house, Akosita made a gesture to knock him unconscious. The mercenaries immediately swarmed forward and struck each of them on the back of the neck. Su Ming, disguised as a restaurant waiter, was not spared either; he obediently fell to the ground.

"Don't kill them yet, keep them as hostages," Akosita said, then angrily stomped on Alessandro's feet several times. "Damn fatso, why did you come to investigate me for no reason! Everyone, pack your things, bring out all the carriages and horses, and get out of here immediately!"

The sheriff's brazen arrival at his doorstep clearly indicated he wasn't certain Acosta was involved. However, Akosita's group was utterly incapable of withstanding scrutiny, especially now that they were hiding a major criminal. The criminals had no choice but to hurry and escape.

Su Ming smelled the scent of wound medicine. He slightly opened his eyes to observe and saw eleven mercenaries in succession.

All of them were at the Intermediate Rank. Four of them had injuries of varying severity, wrapped in thick bandages, clearly indicating that they had recently gone through a fierce battle.

There was also a young man with a panicked expression, clearly a menial servant with only Low Rank strength, so he was not included in the count.

In the yard, important items were quickly packed up, and the sleds and snow deer were brought out and secured with bridles. There were two barrels against the corner of the wall, and a few people were about to lift them when Akosita stopped them.

"We can't carry kerosene; it's too heavy. Speed is the priority!"

"But—" one mercenary tried to argue. Finding fuel on the snowy plains was difficult, and untreated wet wood was hard to burn. Once they set out, they didn't know how long they would have to stay in the cold wilderness.

"A little less fire won't kill you!" Akosita scolded them.

Akosita himself wore a formidable-looking soft armor, offering both defense and warmth. However, the novice and several wounded mercenaries looked rather grim. Without a fire, they would have a difficult time at night.

The mercenary captain walked over and kicked the barrel that had caused the altercation, smashing it to pieces. The semi-solid oil spilled onto the ground, flowing white into the slush. "There's a supply point three days' journey away," he yelled at the men. "Get to work!"

The mercenaries hurriedly continued with their work.

Su Ming understood immediately; these people had been abandoned.

Suddenly, a hamster-like alchemical golem appeared out of nowhere, crawling past Su Ming on its four short legs and running towards the entrance of the cellar.

This was the first time he had ever seen such a tiny puppet in this other world. Completely different from Beianqi's hard and rigid combat puppet, this miniature puppet had a bizarre design and exquisite craftsmanship.

Are there puppeteers among the mercenaries? Su Ming secretly took note.

****

In the attic across from Akosita's house, Yise and Jielusi, who were resting, were shaken awake. They had originally planned to raid Akosita's house that night, so they were taking a nap during the day to recharge.

Upon learning that the situation had changed, Yise quickly checked and found Akosita and his group fleeing in a panic.

"What's going on?" Yise was taken aback; she had only been in a state of arousal for an hour.

"Sheriff Risco just went in with a few men," Priest Zephlin of the Shafeng'er Town Church reported to them. This was the hiding place he had tracked down. "There was no sound of fighting; it must have been taken down instantly."

"You useless, incompetent pig!" Yise cursed as soon as he opened his mouth.

"Which sheriff?" Jielusi asked Zephlin. "Wasn't the sheriff of Lisi City dismissed?"

"He's a newly appointed acting official," Zephlin explained. "Alessandro, the second son of Lord Morton, was sent here temporarily to fill in."