Though Mo Han and the others couldn't see anything, Mo Han was certain that the moment he and Bai Ling appeared above Jite City, they would be considered hostile by the Fire Cloud Empire and immediately face an attack from the magic barrier.

It would certainly draw the attention of the Fire Cloud Empire's mages. Since Jite City served as the eastern gateway to the Fire Cloud Empire, it must be garrisoned by mages of considerable skill. Although, given Mo Han and Bai Ling's strength, they might not necessarily fear them.

However, doing so would inevitably offend the Fire Cloud Empire. The news of Mo Han’s presence in the Fire Cloud Empire was no longer a secret, and it was likely he would soon be recognized. If the Fire Cloud Empire interpreted this as a provocation, they would needlessly acquire such a powerful enemy, which would be far more trouble than it was worth.

Moreover, Mo Han and the others now had the completely powerless Liu Yanran with them, plus Xiao Anli, which changed the situation entirely. Mo Han naturally was unwilling to take that risk. Therefore, Mo Han decided to enter the city first to gauge the situation, see if there was a chance to devise a way to leave later, and if all else failed, they could still force their way out.

Immediately upon entering Jite City, Mo Han and Bai Ling headed to a tavern in the west side of the city to gather intelligence. This was the largest tavern in all of Jite City.

It was also the haven for mercenaries, as those who usually completed missions would flock here to reward themselves and relax. All adventurers arriving in Jite City also habitually chose this tavern as their lodging, and over time, it had evolved into the most substantial establishment in the city.

These travelers, coming and going, usually brought the latest news from across the continent. Thus, if one wished to know the most current happenings on the mainland, such a tavern was undoubtedly the best choice.

When Mo Han and the others entered the tavern.

The entire place was packed with mercenaries from various regions, much livelier than usual. It seemed the lockdown order in Jite City had thwarted the plans of most mercenaries, preventing them from successfully completing their assignments. Yet, having no other option, the mercenaries unable to leave the city could only gather in this tavern, exchanging information in the hope of departing soon.

As soon as Mo Han and the others stepped inside.

They immediately drew the attention of everyone in the tavern. Given the appearance of Dali and Bai Ling, it was hard not to attract notice. The mercenaries had rarely seen such beautiful women, and their appearance in Jite City during this critical period caused many to begin whispering amongst themselves.

Mo Han and his group, however, paid them no mind, proceeding directly to find a secluded corner table. Fortunately, after a brief period of murmuring, the mercenaries ceased paying attention to Mo Han and his party. This was because the seasoned mercenaries were initially just struck speechless by the beauty of Bai Ling and Liu Yanran.

Furthermore, from the very look of the Mo Han and Bai Ling pairing, it was clear they were not ordinary mercenaries, which is why the others were curious enough to comment.

And when Mo Han and Bai Ling glanced their way, the mercenaries knew they were not characters to be trifled with—otherwise, they wouldn't have come to this sort of place.

The mercenaries naturally did not wish to provoke Mo Han and his group unnecessarily. Moreover, due to the martial law, incidents of armed conflict within Jite City were absolutely forbidden. Any breach would result in immediate arrest by the Fire Cloud Empire soldiers and punitive action at the City Lord’s Mansion. Therefore, not long after, the general conversation shifted back to the subject of the lockdown in Jite City.

A lean mercenary was heard saying, “Damn it all, we’ve really been screwed over this time. Why now, when the Aoyue Empire decides to mobilize troops? They could have attacked any other time! Now we’re stuck in Jite City for who knows how long. If this war drags on for years, does that mean I have to stay here for years too? Might as well let us settle down, marry, and raise families here.”

Hearing the mercenary’s words, everyone chuckled. Then another, a middle-aged mercenary, spoke with resignation: “Chico, what’s the rush? Your mercenary group only takes on petty missions. Even if you lose out, it’s not a big deal—a mere few thousand gold coins. But we’re the ones who’ve suffered. We just accepted an A-rank mission and put down a deposit of one hundred thousand gold coins, only to be told we can’t leave the city now. If we can’t complete this mission on time, that hundred thousand will be washed down the drain. It’s infuriating just thinking about it.”

Hearing the middle-aged mercenary speak, Mo Han was drawn in by his words. After all, only an A-rank mercenary group would be eligible to accept A-rank missions, and there were only a handful of such groups on the continent—they were truly rare. Mo Han became curious and focused his gaze on the speaker.

The middle-aged mercenary had a long face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes, with skin tanned a dark reddish-brown. He was quite tall and carried a standard knight’s longsword on his back. His entire bearing conveyed an air of solid composure; seated there, he looked like a small mountain, clearly a man of considerable power. Beside him sat six other mercenaries, including two warriors, two mages, and one archer.

What surprised Mo Han most, however, was the presence of a White Robe Light Mage within the group—a type rarely seen among mercenary companies on the continent.

Because of the miraculous healing magic of Light Mages, they could significantly boost the overall strength of a mercenary team. Many mercenaries would inevitably sustain minor injuries, or even just scrapes, while completing missions. Even minor injuries could slow down the entire team’s progress.

But with a Light Mage, this situation could be entirely avoided. Unless the injury was severe, these Light Mages could heal their comrades’ wounds in the shortest time, thereby enhancing the entire team's capability. Thus, Light Mages were highly sought after by mercenaries in any setting.

Yet, only high-tier groups, like A-rank mercenary companies, could attract the dedication of Light Mages. Those mages usually scorned joining lower-tier groups, although it was not entirely unheard of for one to join a low-tier company—it was just exceedingly rare.

The Light Mage before Mo Han was clearly of a higher rank. This was evident because embroidered on the chest of his robe were three silver bars, the unique marking of a high-ranking Light Mage. Above that level were the Priests, whose chest insignia featured gold bars.

Once a Priest level was attained, they were considered high-ranking clergy capable of independent command, and the Church of Light would not permit them to join mercenary teams. If any Priest dared defy this regulation, they would face severe punishment from the Church. Therefore, high-ranking Light Mages like this one were the highest caliber of light magic users mercenaries could hope to recruit.

The fact that this mercenary group managed to recruit such a high-ranking mage demonstrated their extraordinary standing. At this point, another mercenary sitting at the table next to the middle-aged man spoke up: “Commander Rick, how long do you think this lockdown will last? Will it really drag on for a year or more?” Commander Rick, hearing the question, replied, “It shouldn't. As far as I know, this lockdown is due to the Aoyue Empire suddenly declaring war on the Fire Cloud Empire. The Fire Cloud Empire never expected the Aoyue Empire to fight on two fronts. Their campaign against the Heavenly Dragon Empire is already a stalemate, and yet the Aoyue Empire dared to wage war against two empires simultaneously without regard for the consequences—it’s almost suicidal.”

“Previously, when the Aoyue Empire and the Water Blue Empire attacked the Heavenly Dragon Empire together, they barely gained the upper hand, and that effort likely consumed most of the Aoyue Empire’s military might. For the Aoyue Empire to dare initiate hostilities with the Fire Cloud Empire at this crucial juncture is completely unexpected. If the Aoyue Empire is defeated this time, the fate awaiting them will likely be national collapse.”

Commander Rick paused here, seeming thirsty, and raised his wine cup, draining a large gulp.

A mercenary immediately asked, “Commander Rick, based on what you’re saying, isn't the Aoyue Empire doomed this time? Why would they dare attack the Fire Cloud Empire? Are the people of the Aoyue Empire all fools?” Hearing the question, Rick wiped his mouth and replied smugly, “Heh heh, everyone thought so initially, and the Fire Cloud Empire thought so too, sending overwhelming troop superiority to repel the Aoyue invasion. But after a few battles, they actually suffered consecutive defeats, which shocked everyone.”

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