Mo Han chuckled lightly, "Heh, I’m just a freelance strategist. Just ask me for ideas; you’re not expecting me to do the heavy lifting too, are you, Yunyan? You’re exploiting me a bit too much."

His few words brought a smile to Gongsun Yunyan’s face, washing away much of the sorrow of parting.

At that moment, Shui Ling'er, standing nearby, also spoke up, "The Archpriest Mora in the Grand Cathedral of Tianlong City is someone trustworthy. If you run into any trouble in Tianlong City, you can seek his help anytime. I will also speak to him on your behalf."

Gongsun Yunyan chimed in, "Yes, Big Brother, if you face any difficulties in the Imperial City, you can also go to my father. I will tell him, and he will certainly help you."

Mo Han was deeply touched by the girls' earnest advice. He grinned, "Don't worry, I'm Xiao Qiang, you know? Anyone who tries to bully me is probably still in the womb."

Anna, standing behind them, asked curiously, "Brother Mo Han, what is Xiao Qiang?" Mo Han smiled and replied, "Xiao Qiang, as the name suggests, means someone incredibly strong. Got it?"

This caused a burst of laughter from the crowd.

Seeing that the time was about right, Mo Han spoke up, "Alright, we should get going now. You all take good care of yourselves. If anything happens, you can find me in Tianlong City; I plan to stay there handling some matters for a while."

Gongsun Yunyan nodded, "Big Brother, rest assured. Once my work here is complete, I will definitely come to Tianlong City to find you."

Mo Han looked at Shui Ling'er, recalling how he had treated her the day before, yet she still cared for him so deeply. With an apologetic tone, he said, "Ling'er, I have to leave now. You must be careful traveling alone. The Dark Church will surely still be after you. Send me a message if anything happens; I will definitely come back to help you."

Hearing Mo Han’s caution, Shui Ling'er felt a surge of emotion. She also replied softly, "Don't worry, I will be careful. You must be careful too. After offending the Dark Church last time, be wary of their retaliation. Even with someone looking out for you, you can't afford to be careless."

Mo Han smiled and said, "I will. I really must go now, or it'll be dark before we leave, hehe."

With that, he gave Gongsun Yunyan and Shui Ling'er a slight smile and turned to leave. Daili and the others behind him bid their separate farewells before following Mo Han out.

After watching Mo Han walk away, Gongsun Yunyan laughed and said, "Well, Ling'er, when did you and Big Brother get so close? You’re calling him 'Ling'er' now! You need to confess honestly."

Hearing Gongsun Yunyan’s words, Shui Ling'er retorted with a laugh, "Stop talking nonsense! We’re just good friends."

Gongsun Yunyan smiled, "Really just friends? I don't think so. Look how concerned Big Brother was when he left! And the way you spoke to him, it was like a wife reminding her husband before he heads out. At the very least, Big Brother doesn't see you as just an ordinary friend; I think you’re his confidante!"

At Gongsun Yunyan's teasing remarks, Shui Ling'er’s face flushed slightly, and she mumbled, "That’s his business; what does it have to do with me?"

With that, she hurried off without looking back, prompting Gongsun Yunyan to burst into laughter behind her.

Once Mo Han and his group were outside the city, Daili spoke up with a hint of jealousy, "Hmph, calling her Ling'er now. You really are capable, tricking even the Saintess of Light."

Mo Han, overhearing this, offered an awkward laugh, "Heh heh, my dear wife, look what you're saying! You are my treasure; how can others compare to you? I call you 'wife' every day. See if I’ve ever called anyone else that?"

His sickeningly sweet words made everyone’s skin crawl. Jack chimed in, "Boss, please, can you two save the romance for when there's no audience? I think I’m going to throw up this morning's breakfast."

As soon as Jack finished speaking, everyone erupted in laughter.

Daili’s face turned bright red as she playfully scolded Mo Han, "Look at you, always talking nonsense! Now everyone is laughing at us."

Mo Han adopted a serious expression, "It is my absolute right to express my affection with my wife Daili; even heaven itself cannot intervene. If you all find it hard to listen to, you can just move further away, honestly! Next time, I’m charging you tuition fees for listening in."

His shameless declaration earned him a round of eye-rolls. Yan Shi spoke up, laughing, "Boss, only someone with your thick skin could say things like that. I, Yan Shi, truly admire it."

Mo Han said smugly, "Of course. Otherwise, how could I be your boss and keep you little monkeys in line? Heh heh."

Hearing Mo Han’s words, the group laughed even harder, passing the rest of the journey in jovial spirits.

As evening approached, the group arrived at Marfa City in the Tianlong Empire. Upon entering the city gates, they saw a crowd gathered around the notice board at the entrance. Curious, they walked closer and saw several guards posted next to a proclamation issued by the City Lord.

Mo Han looked toward the notice and read that about a month ago, a never-before-seen monstrous beast had suddenly appeared in the Clear Wind Canyon, not far ahead of Marfa City. It was constantly attacking passersby, causing widespread panic.

The Mercenary Guild had posted a mission notice, but several B-rank mercenary groups and one A-rank group had attempted to capture the beast, only to return in disastrous defeat, having lost considerable manpower. No one dared to take on the hot potato mission now.

The City Lord, in desperation, issued the public notice, promising a reward of fifty thousand gold coins for anyone who could subdue the monster, to be held by the Mercenary Guild and disbursed directly upon mission completion.

This was because the Clear Wind Canyon, where the beast resided, was the only direct route to the Tianlong Empire. Bypassing it meant taking a detour through Tianhai City to the west, which would add at least half a month to the journey, causing significant inconvenience to many in Marfa City.

Merchants, in particular, were constantly petitioning the City Lord’s mansion, giving the City Lord, Craig, a massive headache.

He was thus forced to issue this notice: No level restrictions, no requirements—any mercenary group that completes this mission will receive payment immediately, along with an instant rank promotion, limited to teams below B-rank. For teams ranked B and above, completing the mission would count as mission experience points, tripled in amount.

Seeing the notice, Mo Han smiled and replied, "Looks like our chance has come, hehe. This way we can directly advance to D-rank mercenary group."

Daili, beside him, frowned and said, "But we haven't completed our last mission. According to the Mercenary Guild regulations, we aren't allowed to take on new ones."

Hearing Daili’s words, Mo Han’s face immediately soured.

Mo Han cursed, "Ugh, which idiot established this rule? If I find out who it was, I'll beat his head into a pig's snout."

Daili chuckled at Mo Han’s complaint, "I’m not entirely sure. It seems this rule has been in place since the Mercenary Guild first existed—who knows how many years ago? Who are you going to look for?"

Hearing Daili’s response, Mo Han forced an awkward laugh, "Uh, then just pretend I didn't say anything, heh heh. Since they are people of the past, we should show them some respect."

The sight of Mo Han being put in his place made everyone else happy, and they laughed heartily.

Mo Han could only console himself, "Forget it. People slip up sometimes. This time, just consider it free entertainment for you all. Am I not great?"

Hearing Mo Han’s roguish statement, everyone felt a sudden urge to gag.

Leaping to