Angie Ziya, who was wielding the iron shovel with all her might, also heard the commotion. Ding ding, she stopped and listened intently. However, she didn't climb up, afraid that Zhong Shenxiu would glare at her again! (In truth, what she really feared was Zhong Shenxiu getting angry and refusing to teach her skills again; they had just agreed that after finishing this task, he would teach her the "Kicking Technique" martial art!)

Just then, footsteps and voices grew closer.

“Cain, shouldn't we be arriving soon?” asked a man dressed in a magic robe. His name was Hank, an Earth Elementalist.

“I’m not too sure either; this is my first time in this area.”

Cain’s eyes constantly swept across their surroundings. He was a dual cultivator of magic and martial arts, primarily focusing on swordsmanship.

“Hey, you two, don't be so anxious. We have our Captain leading; why worry yourselves?” another voice interjected, glancing towards Xia Luo, who was walking ahead.

Xia Luo, clad in flowing white robes that billowed in the wind, exuded a mature beauty amidst her elegance. She was the leader mentioned earlier, possessing long, raven-black hair and pale skin. She was also the Captain of the “Cloud Splitter Mercenary Group.”

Despite being female, she possessed strength capable of overpowering many, and she handled matters with coolness and keen observation. No one in the “Cloud Splitter Mercenary Group” dared to disobey her.

The reason these people were here today wasn't to execute a mission, but for a personal vendetta.

It sounds somewhat unbelievable, right? Don't rush; let me explain slowly!

Several months ago, a small squad from the “Cloud Splitter Mercenary Group” was returning from completing an S-rank mission when they were ambushed by a group called the “Double Axe Mercenary Group,” resulting in two fatalities and seven injuries among their squad!

A few days ago, after Xia Luo and her elites had just returned from another S-rank mission, she heard about what happened to her subordinate squad, and immediately, her “anger surged within her!”

The others were also filled with righteous indignation, all vowing to avenge their fallen comrades.

Thus, under the leadership of Captain Xia Luo, these elites of the “Cloud Splitter Mercenary Group” rushed non-stop toward “Gulu City,” because they had already found out that the headquarters of that “Double Axe Mercenary Group” was located within “Gulu City!”

However, they never suspected that the “Double Axe Mercenary Group” had long since vanished from this world, leaving behind not even ashes!

“Huh? Look, there’s a child over there!” Cain, having sharper eyes, spotted Zhong Shenxiu first and couldn't help but exclaim.

Xia Luo, walking in front, also saw him and displayed a slight look of surprise, not expecting to find a child around five or six years old in this location.

Whose child was this? Why was he here?

The progress of the “Cloud Splitter Mercenary Group” slowed down upon seeing Zhong Shenxiu. Many even started shouting loudly: “Child, are you lost?”

Zhong Shenxiu reacted calmly, merely sweeping his gaze over them as if they were idiots, saying nothing. He was busy—currently overseeing work—and couldn't be bothered to care who these people were!

Xia Luo’s observation was more acute. Unlike the others who were curiously sizing up Zhong Shenxiu, she shifted her attention to the large pit dug nearby by Angie Ziya.

From its appearance, the pit looked freshly dug. Coupled with the sparse surroundings and the absence of anyone besides the child Zhong Shenxiu, and the fact that Zhong Shenxiu showed no trace of mud or water on him, Xia Luo deduced that someone must be inside the pit!

After a moment of hesitation, Xia Luo walked toward the pit!

At that moment, Angie Liyia was looking up expectantly, as she had heard someone approaching her. Who could it be? (Definitely not Zhong Shenxiu!)

Finally, their eyes met, and both were startled!

Xia Luo was surprised to find a young woman in the pit, appearing to be only sixteen or seventeen.

And Angie Liyia was astonished by the massive sword strapped to the woman’s back, estimating its weight to be at least fifty pounds.

“Hello! My name is Xia Luo!” Xia Luo broke the silence first.

“Angie Liyia!” Angie Liyia replied in return.

“May I ask how to get to ‘Gulu City’?” Xia Luo asked in a subdued tone, making it impossible to gauge her thoughts.

“That way!” Angie Liyia pointed with her finger, also replying in a flat tone.

Truthfully, these two women shared surprising similarities in certain aspects; perhaps this meeting was a deliberate arrangement of fate!

“Thank you,” Xia Luo said, then turned and left. Although she was very curious why Angie Ziya was digging that large pit, she didn't ask.

Having learned the general direction, Xia Luo hesitated no further and continued to lead the group toward their destination.

Driven by curiosity, Angie Liyia poked her head out of the pit to see what the situation was outside. When she saw a large group of people passing by, she couldn’t help but be surprised again.

She wondered in her mind, who exactly were these people?

Just then, Zhong Shenxiu’s voice cut through, “Girl, stop slacking, hurry up and keep digging!”

Angie Liyia turned back to see Zhong Shenxiu staring intently at her; she quickly retracted her head sheepishly! Xia Luo and everyone behind her stopped in their tracks, turning back to stare at Zhong Shenxiu with incredulous looks, as they had clearly heard the word “Girl!”

“Don’t waste time here, let’s go quickly!” After a moment of stunned silence, Xia Luo suddenly commanded.

This moment fully demonstrated Xia Luo’s authority; the others didn't say much and followed along. They weren't sightseeing; they were collecting a debt!!

After the brief interlude with the “Cloud Splitter Mercenary Group,” Angie Liyia resumed her work. After an unknown amount of time, she finally saw a glimmer of hope.

“There’s—there’s something!” Angie Liyia shouted excitedly. The clunk sound as the iron shovel struck something suggested it was metal.

“Bring it up!”

Almost as soon as Angie Liyia cried out, Zhong Shenxiu arrived at the edge of the pit, his eyes fixed on it with intense eagerness. That was money! Dazzling diamond coins!

Working together with Angie Liyia handling the digging, the general appearance of the shield could finally be discerned. It was circular, as large as a pot lid, and entirely silver-white. The front was adorned with a cross-sword crest, while the perimeter featured a layer of purple totems, making it look quite beautiful!

It was evident that the shield was preserved in excellent condition and should be worth a great deal!

“Girl, take it, we can leave now!” Since the shield was still covered in mud and Angie Liyia was already covered in mud anyway, he let her carry it.

Angie Liyia looked back at the ten-meter-deep pit she had dug, feeling a bit overwhelmed, not realizing that all her strenuous effort had only been for this single item. She still didn't know how valuable the shield in her hands truly was.

“What about this pit?” Angie Liyia asked meekly.

“Forget about it; I'm in a hurry!” Zhong Shenxiu was now impatient to convert the shield into cash. He didn't care about the shield's historical, metallurgical, or arcane value; in his eyes, it was simply substandard scrap.

Since Zhong Shenxiu had spoken, Angie Liyia said no more.

. . .

Donald’s house was quite lively today. Not only had Old Danny arrived, but Elena and Laurent had come along too. Solomon and the others hadn't accompanied them, as this was considered Elena visiting relatives.

Elena now fully understood why her father frequented this place—it turned out Uncle Donald had acquired two “War Relics!”

Currently, Elena was chatting animatedly with Marksin, while Laurent and Cecil sat nearby. To briefly establish their seniority among the group: ranked from oldest to youngest, they were: Elena, Marksin, Cecil, Laurent.

Initially, the two women were just discussing everyday matters. Then, perhaps someone started it, but they began discussing how to manage their younger brothers. (The extent to which women can digress is truly impressive!)

“Sister Linna, I always admire you. You never seem to lose your temper, yet Laurent listens to you so well. I’m not like that; I can’t manage Cecil at all!” Marksin finished, glancing at Cecil, who was sneakily peeking their way.

Since they weren't too far apart, their conversation easily drifted to Cecil’s ears.

“Big Brother Cecil, I’ve always admired you,” Laurent said sincerely, but he didn't dare say the rest because his sister was present.

“Sister Linna, do you have any secrets? Could you teach me?”

Simultaneously, Laurent was also seeking advice from Cecil.

While they were chatting enthusiastically here, Old Danny was no less engaged on his side. He was currently pestering Donald again, asking how he obtained the “War Relics!”

“Can’t you reveal even a little?” Old Danny asked, his face flushed red.

“I truly can’t; this involves client privacy. I cannot casually disclose it!” Donald felt a massive wave of satisfaction rising within him, thinking, It’s finally my turn to have the upper hand!

“Can’t you reveal even a tiny bit?” Old Danny hadn't given up.

Donald didn't answer directly, just smiled, adopting an expression that clearly communicated this matter was non-negotiable.

Old Danny was furious, thinking: You just wait, don't let me get a second ‘War Relic,’ or you’ll see how I annoy you!

After chatting for a while longer, perhaps feeling that time was growing late, Old Danny stood up to take his leave, and Elena and her brother also prepared to depart.

As Donald's family escorted Old Danny's family out, before they had even left the courtyard, the unexpected individuals appeared before them.

It was none other than Zhong Shenxiu and Angie Liyia, who was clutching a “War Relic!”

It seemed a good show was about to unfold.