C17 Hearthfire

Liu Xiaobao and his group had decisively defeated the Vipers, leaving their vice-captain, Zhu Fu, lying half-dead in a pool of his own blood. The incident had escalated, and it was clear that the Mercenary Alliance wouldn't just stand by.

As Xiaobao was preparing to depart with his men, five individuals appeared before them, each adorned with a distinctive medal depicting a sword and shield, the emblem of the Mercenary Alliance's management.

The leader of the quintet addressed Xiaobao, "You can't just walk away. You've caused quite the stir here, so skip the registration office and head straight to Human Resources for your punishment."

Han Xin, ever the epitome of grace, stepped forward and challenged, "Excuse me, sir, are you blind? Can't you see that we're the victims here? They outnumbered us, twenty-odd to our twelve. We're merely newcomers. Should we just accept being bullied?"

The bystanders couldn't believe their ears. Were they claiming to be victims? They stood unscathed while the Vipers lay injured or dead.

The leader was unmoved. "That's not my concern. We judge only by outcomes, not by causes. It's your fault for winning."

Han Xin was about to retort, but Xiaobao pulled him back, "Brother, you've seen it yourself. They provoked us, and we were merely defending ourselves. If you're set on punishing us, we'll accept it. But it won't sit well with us, and who knows what might happen then?"

The leader scoffed, "What trouble could you possibly cause? Come along now, and don't even think about resisting. We are all Level 4 Silver Knights; you stand no chance against us with your little tricks." It was evident that the five had run out of patience and were determined to punish Xiaobao and his group.

Xiaobao responded, "We have no intention of causing trouble here, but once we leave, I'll make sure the whole capital hears of this unjust treatment. We are twelve strong, and Duke Silverwind has countless servants at Liu Manor. We can send fifty people daily to the city's four quarters to expose the Mercenary Alliance's tarnished reputation for a whole month. Imagine that, even if the Mercenary Alliance has a sterling reputation in the capital, mercenaries from other regions will think twice before coming here. And let's not forget, I'm well aware of your exorbitant fees and how you shortchange the mercenaries on their earnings. It would be a shame if that information were to become public, wouldn't it?"

"Looking for trouble, kid?" The leader snatched at Liu Xiaobao's collar. "You dare to slander us? You're not walking out of here today."

Liu Xiaobao remained calm, replying with measured words, "I may be the scum of the capital in the eyes of many, but let's not forget who I am. I'm the young master of Duke Silverwind, the sole heir to the Liu family, the future Duke Silverwind himself. What do you plan to do to me? Would you really dare to harm a duke under the Emperor of Aeseaba?"

"You..."

"What's this 'you' business? It seems the Mercenary Alliance isn't all it's cracked up to be. Butler Yan, we should leave. This place is nauseating. It's no wonder the Knight Alliance has such contempt for the 'dogs' they keep." Liu Xiaobao emphasized 'dogs' with a raised voice.

The Mercenary Alliance members were seething with rage, itching to tear the group to pieces. But Liu Xiaobao was right; no matter how powerful they were, they couldn't just kill a young duke in the capital. Did they still want to maintain a branch in the capital? If so, it would become the laughingstock of the entire Mercenary Alliance.

"Well, well, well. This young man certainly has a sharp tongue. I've managed the capital branch for five years and have yet to meet someone with your gift of gab," a woman in black descended from the upper floor. "It's been quite some time since we've seen bloodshed here in the Mercenary Alliance. You've certainly set a precedent today."

She commanded her subordinates, "What are you standing around for? Get those people off the floor. And where is the leader of the Vipers?"

"Golden Lord, I am here," announced the Vipers' leader, having hurried down with twelve elite members. "Golden Lord, please allow me to discipline these ignorant fools right here."

"You're the leader of the Vipers? Do you want to add to the chaos? Take your men and leave," the woman in black ordered.

"But Golden Lord, my men have been wronged. We need to save some face."

"Your face isn't worth as much as this young master's. Out, now!" Her voice filled the ground floor. "I've overlooked your minor skirmishes in the Mercenary Alliance before, but to prevent further bloodshed, from today on, brawling within the Mercenary Alliance is forbidden. Anyone who breaks the rules will surrender their mercenary badges."

No one expected the woman known as the boss to establish such a rule. Could it be that even the highest-ranking boss of the branch felt threatened by this young man's words?

"Take your vice-captain for treatment!" the Vipers' leader ordered his men, addressing his wounded. "Don't just lie there on the ground, get the hell up!"

"Get up? They won't be getting up anytime soon," Dong Haichuan remarked from behind Liu Xiaobao. "We've knocked their bones out of place. They'll need to set them straight before they can stand."

Furious, the Vipers' leader bellowed, "Kid, bring your people and accept our mercenary challenge. If not, this isn't over. From now on, whenever we see any of your people, they're as good as dead."

"What's a mercenary challenge?" At that moment, Liu Xiaobao looked as innocent as a child, his earlier worries about the Vipers' elite forgotten now that the woman in black had intervened.

The boss said, "Little brother, you don't even know what a mercenary challenge is? Haven't you read the mercenary handbook?"

"Sister, we haven't even established our own group of mercenaries yet. Your people were obstructing us from registering; how would I know about your mercenary challenge?" Liu Xiaobao replied.

The five who had tried to apprehend Liu Xiaobao were taken aback by his direct complaint to the boss. They were aware that the Vipers had instigated the conflict with Liu Xiaobao, a common practice when dealing with newcomers. Yet, they hadn't anticipated Liu Xiaobao and his group's fierce response, defeating Zhu Fu through a surprise attack. It was only natural for them to want to retaliate against Liu Xiaobao.

The boss responded, "Thank you for the reminder, little brother. I'll discipline my people. Now, please go ahead and register as a mercenary. The ten gold coin fee is on me."

"You wouldn't let us register before, and now I've lost interest in becoming a mercenary," Liu Xiaobao retorted.

"Is that so? Well, if you don't find a way to accept the mercenary challenge, the Vipers won't hesitate to seek vengeance. Did you see the thirteen who just came down from upstairs? Twelve are Level 3 Bronze Knights, and their captain is a high-ranking Level 4 Silver Knight. Do you really think your dilapidated Liu Manor can withstand their onslaught?"

Wow, are the Vipers really that strong? Liu Xiaobao recoiled in fear. Maybe it's pointless to feign nobility. Why not heed his sister's advice and set up a mercenary group to take on challenges?

Liu Xiaobao spoke up timidly, "Sister, we should go register now."

Seeing Liu Xiaobao's apprehension, Shan Xiongxin declared with valor, "Fear not, Young Master. They may outnumber us and be stronger, but give me a gun, and I can take several of them down."

"Exactly, Young Master. With us by your side, what's there to fear? Hand me a pair of hammers, and I'll knock them down in no time."

The rest of the group exchanged confident glances with Liu Xiaobao. They were aware of the opposition's strength but showed not an ounce of fear. Even Yan Yongchun was sure she could handle one or two on her own.

Those present had encountered arrogance before, but never on this level. Two Level 2 fighters boldly claiming they could topple several Level 3 Bronze Knights? That was laughable!

Most assumed Shan Xiongxin and Liang Shitai were merely jesting, but Liu Xiaobao knew better. His summoned companions were either battle-hardened generals or grandmasters of martial arts, not the type to make empty boasts about duels. While Shan Xiongxin, Liang Shitai, Geraint, and Lancelot might struggle in unarmed combat against a Level 3 expert, armed with their favored weapons, their prowess could increase manifold. And as for Yang Luchan, Dong Haichuan, Sun Lutang, and Yan Yongchun, their exceptional martial techniques were not something the brute force of the Vipers could handle.

Regarding Han Xin, Liu Xiaobao hadn't expected such cunning. Still, he figured that someone like Han Xin, whose mind was always strategizing for victory, wouldn't bother with chivalrous titles. After all, Han Xin wouldn't have subdued four nations and defeated the invincible overlord otherwise.

Liu Xiaobao arrived at the Mercenary Registration Office, where the manager had already prepared the paperwork and mercenary badges, following the financier's instructions.

Upon reviewing the list, the first item Liu Xiaobao noticed was the need for a name for their mercenary group.

"What should we call ourselves?" Liu Xiaobao asked the group. "Let's brainstorm and come up with a name that's really commanding."

"How about Yin Yang Mercenaries, or Tai Chi Masters of Yin and Yang?" someone suggested.

"No way," Liu Xiaobao quickly shot down Yang Luchan's idea. "We understand the concept of Yin and Yang, but others might not. Imagine the embarrassment if we're mistakenly promoted as the Yin Yang People Mercenaries."

"Yin Yang People isn't too bad," Dong Haichuan chimed in with a hint of effeminacy, to which Yang Luchan hastily added, "Master Xiaobao, you made a good call. Yin Yang Mercenaries just doesn't sound right."

Shan Xiongxin then proposed, "Master Xiaobao, how about the Valiant Mercenaries?"

"That's not a bad suggestion, Brother Shan," Liu Xiaobao replied, "but consider Butler Yan. We can't overlook the ladies, can we?"

"What about the Great Qi Mercenaries?"

"Have we forgotten that we were decimated because of King Qi?"

"Maybe the Jack-of-All-Trades Mercenaries?"

"We're not carpenters; we're good people."

Despite their efforts, they struggled to settle on a name. Not only were they at an impasse, but there were also hundreds of mercenaries on the first floor eagerly awaiting the outcome. These mercenaries were all anticipating Liu Xiaobao's formation of the group so they could then take on the challenge from the Vipers.

Finally, Yan Yongchun came up with a suggestion, "Master Xiaobao is a person of great kindness. Why not call ourselves the Hearthfire Mercenaries?"

"That's a great name. Butler Yan, you're full of good ideas," Liu Xiaobao complimented, as he swiftly filled out the form and handed it to the manager.

The manager took the form and, with his bare hands, engraved 'Hearthfire' onto the twelve badges. He also added a pair of wings to each badge, based on his own interpretation. "Here are your twelve mercenary badges. Take care not to lose them, as they'll cost you a gold coin apiece to replace."