Mercenary Harem in Murim Novel

Leo threw a tube toward the Sword Saint. A blue liquid with something glimmering was inside. It looked suspicious, but Wandering Sword Saint caught it and just smeared the liquid over his body without hesitation.

As soon as the liquid touched his wound, the blood stopped flowing out and a layer of frost appeared, closing the wound temporarily.

Feeling the pain faded away, Xiao Ah Tian looked surprised and grinned.

"Much thank you. I didn't realize that you're here."

"You're too focused on your battle. There are plenty of spectators from Chengdu too, but I think you also don't notice that?"

"Hahaha, I never thought that we would become such a spectacle."

"With two dragons rising to the sky, I think it's impossible not to become a center of attention." Leo smiled at Xiao Ah Tian who laughed despite his wound.

Then, he looked at Shui.

"Your Nanites should be almost depleted by now. Go to Chiaki and ask for replenishment too. We're going to get busy soon. I still have something to talk about with the Sword Saint, so you should go first."

"Yes, Leader. Please excuse me then."

With that, Shui got up and disappeared, leaving the two of them alone.

"I don't remember owing you anything, little boy."

The Sword Saint didn't forget about their debt. However, he didn't personally owe Leo something.

"I know, but you owed Chiaki twice and brought trouble into our home. So, it's time for you to pay it back. We can't have a troublemaker living in our base, right?"

"Grr... Fine. What do you want from me, little boy?"

Leo shrugged, not offended by the Sword Saint's word. He wasn't that sensitive.

"You heard about the Murim Alliance declaring war on us?"

"I heard the news. Are you crazy to challenge them? They are not the kind of enemy you can mess with."

"I'm not crazy. They are." Leo retorted and sat on the fallen trunk next to Xiao Ah Tian. "They are the one who declared war, so it's not like we can refuse. Even if we don't like it, they will attack. In my estimation, they will gather all Sects under the alliance and find those who have enmity against us. And I am not proud but we have many enemies."

Thanks to the incident in the Howling Ravine, many Sects were hostile against Hallowed Insects. They managed to snatch the greatest treasure, the Supreme Evil's epigraph and even destroyed Wudang Sect's group in the process.

And, because the Mercenary Union was a big fish, they were a target for many greedy people.

"I know this will happen sooner or later. It's just... The timing isn't right. We don't have many trusted people yet that I can count on to watch my back."

Mercenary Union was a new organization. All the people under him were not used to work together and fighting as a group.

Their individual skill was excellent, but the problem was that they didn't know how to cooperate. And more importantly...

'They are too green. The probability of them betraying me is high. It's not like I can trust them, and even if I did, they won't be enough.'

It was a harsh reality.

As a leader, he had to make a decision.

"We will fight them back with a small but an elite group. We will take the battle to the enemy's territory and show them what we can do."

With a limited number, the most probable tactic would be Guerrilla warfare. News fabrication, sudden attack, ambush, and sabotage were the methods they would use.

"What's in it for me?" Xiao Ah Tian asked, "As you know, I am not fighting a fight that isn't interesting. And I am only doing a duel, that's my conviction. If you force me to join a battlefield, then I must refuse."

"That's fine." Leo nodded. "You don't need to fight with us. Instead, I want you to take care of someone, alone. I believe you will like this fight."

"Hoh?"

Xiao Ah Tian sat up, towering over him and looking at him in surprise.

"What kind of fight would interest me? It's not like I have never seen any interesting fighter."

"There is one." He paused, and his lips curved into a smile, "One that can even match you."

The Sword Saint raised an eyebrow, and he could sense that the young leader was serious. He was a good judge of character.

From what he had seen, the young leader was a shrewd and cautious person. But, his eyes were burning with passion and determination.

And, his offer was something that couldn't be refused.

"Who is that person?"

Noticing the Sword Saint's interest, Leo's grin widened.

"Xue Wang, the head and leader of the Murim Alliance. From what I heard directly from his adopted daughter, it seems like he's almost advanced to 9 Stars. Isn't he a worthy opponent for you, Sword Saint?"

Xiao Ah Tian's eyes twinkled. His hands moved to his beard, stroking it. Find your next read at empire

Life was full of twists and turns. Sometimes, the path one wanted to take wasn't the right one. While sometimes, a person could meet a dead end at some point, unable to advance through the path they had taken.

However, one couldn't stray or return to the path they took before. For those advancing to the blocked path, they had to find a way to pass through while using everything they had on them at that time.

And for the wandering soul like Xiao Ah Tian, the path he could choose was infinite.

His ambition had always been a peak that he could never reach, a dream that would remain as a dream forever. But, if he could have a chance to face a master that could match him, then it would be worth it.

The question was...

"Will he fight me? And how can I reach him when the whole Murim Alliance is looking for me?"

"Leave it to us. We will definitely arrange a meeting between the two of you. Just focus on your fight, and leave the rest to me. Don't worry. I have a plan."

Leo was confident. With his knowledge and experience, he had a clear idea on how to get the Wandering Sword Saint and Xue Wang face to face.

The only problem was the Murim Alliance's numbers. But, he had a few plans in his mind, and it was time to put them into action.

"If you agree, just tell Jessica. I have to meet Tang Jiaofu and Nabi before talking about our next move. See you."

"Hmm, little boy. Don't let me down. Make sure you fulfill your promise."

The Sword Saint's eyes glowed with excitement. His hearty laugh echoed in the forest as he walked away, leaving Leo alone.

Shaking his head, the latter sighed.

"Well, at least, I managed to recruit another person. And a strong one."

***

A rare instance happened in Butterfly Pavilion. Unlike the usual festive mood, a serious atmosphere lingered in the air. The first floor where the large hall was located was filled with chatter and noise, but the second floor where the private room was located was quiet.

Only four people were present.

Tang Jiaofu, the head of the Tang Clan, was sitting whille sipping a cup of tea. His eyes were fixed on a piece of parchment in his hand, detailing the movements and actions of the Murim Alliance.

On his left was Nabi, the current leader of the Hao Sect. She was frowning and looking at a report, detailing the losses and damages incurred by attacks that happened in a day.

Not only did martial artists from Murim Alliance begin to extort and collect taxes from merchants, but they also attacked those who resisted, creating chaos and confusion.

"These people are truly brazen. They dare to declare war and start attacking without warning to the point the civilians can't sleep." She huffed and rubbed her temple.

"Well, at least we are not affected that much." Tang Jiaofu shrugged. "And they only attack those near the Capital and not anywhere near Shaanxi or Sichuan."

The Tang Clan and Hao Sect were considered to be neutral and had a good relationship with many organizations. They were mostly based in the north and not involved in any conflict or war.

"But, it's not like we can let this continue."

Nabi looked at Leo, who was sitting on the other side of the table.

"Some of our businesses have been affected. Our contact disappeared one by one, especially those hiding near the Capital. The Murim Alliance already knows that the Hao Sect is supporting the Mercenary Union, so I think they want to cripple us before starting the war."

She explained, looking frustrated.

"And, the damage caused by these attacks is not small. This is affecting our profits and the overall situation of the economy."

"Our economy will be fine. Our other collaborators have made contact with Four Wind Merchant and made a good relationship with them. For the long run, we will be fine as long as they don't suddenly change their ideas."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Which they wouldn't. Leo had made sure that his collaborators would maintain a stable relationship with the Four Wind Merchant and others. They needed a secure source of income, and the economy was the key to their growth.

"Alright, let's get to the point. How do we deal with this?" Tang Jiaofu spoke out, his expression stern. "Murim Alliance is moving quickly, and if we don't act soon, then our losses will be even worse. Not just that, we will also lose the advantage of a surprise attack."

"The best thing I can think of is to surrender and take our work underground. But that's not what you want, right?" Nabi added, and Leo nodded.

"Don't worry, my preparations have begun already." Leo said, glancing at Jessica who stood next to him.

Sensing his gaze, her fingers moved in the air and a hologram appeared above the table.

It showed the layout of Chengdu and its surroundings. There were three groups of Mercenary Union's members, marked with red, green, and blue colors.

"We will begin with these first. Then, we will destroy and throw away their foundation, cutting off their support and resources."

Leo tapped on the table, and the hologram changed to a map of the entire region.

"We will start from here, here, and here."