"Greetings, we are the Strong Shield Legion. It's a pleasure to meet you. Are you visiting 'Pilaqiu' for the first time?" The leader, a burly man, tried his best to appear friendly, but his eyes betrayed him. Damn it! This was just a pick-up line!

Had they been sincere, Zhong Shenxiu might have chatted with them for a while, but if they harbored any ill intentions, they had chosen the wrong people! "I'm sorry, we're very busy. Please let us pass!" Xia Luo intensely disliked people like them, so she replied curtly.

The big man felt he had lost face, his complexion shifting from pale to flushed. He made no move to step aside.

A large man beside him interjected in a saccharine, mocking tone, "Refusing people so coldly right off the bat doesn't seem quite right, does it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the other burly men moved with practiced synchronicity, completely blocking the path. It was clear that passing through now required their explicit permission!

The other mercenaries, sensing drama, ceased their chatter and turned their gazes toward the unfolding scene. The old man named John also retreated to the side, adopting an observer's stance. The atmosphere in the entire hall instantly grew taut. "Hey, they're blocking the exit here. Doesn't the 'Mercenary Association' have anything to say about this?" Zhong Shenxiu turned back to the attendant, who was also preparing to watch the show from the sidelines. Ugh!

The attendant visibly froze. Normally, creating such a disturbance within the association grounds was strictly forbidden, but the captain of the 'Strong Shield Legion' happened to be a relative of the association's president.

Seeing the attendant adopt a 'what did you say?' expression, Zhong Shenxiu let out a silent sigh, then smiled—a smile of "innocent ignorance"!

The burly leader, noticing Xia Luo had gone silent, mistook it for fear. A surge of smugness rose within him; here, they were the local overlords. As long as they didn't cross any major lines, there would be no trouble!

However, the smile on his face didn't last long before Xia Luo's voice, now chillingly cold, cut through the air: "Move!" Though it was only two words, they carried an intimidating presence.

The big man blinked in surprise, but then responded in a tone thick with provocation, "And what will you do if we don't move?"

Almost immediately after his sentence concluded, a dull thud echoed, followed by renewed silence in the immediate vicinity.

But in the next second, as everyone focused on the scene, they were completely stunned. The big man who had just been speaking was now lying face-down on the floor, utterly motionless! The shock spread among the onlookers like a contagious plague!

So many mercenaries, so many eyes watching, yet not a single person had seen what happened! By the time they processed the reality, the man was already down! At that moment, the tense atmosphere abruptly shifted to one of crushing oppression.

The man's companions first stared blankly at the figure on the ground, then blinked toward Xia Luo, before their gaze snapped back to the floor—this cycle repeated several times! Being the closest, they were the most profoundly shaken. If the evidence hadn't been laid out before them, they could never have imagined such an bizarre and uncanny event!

One of them tentatively bent down, trembling, and checked the fallen man's pulse. Fortunately, he was merely unconscious, not dead! But even so, the effect was astonishing. "Move!" Xia Luo's voice rang out again.

Perhaps completely intimidated, the remaining large men instinctively flinched upon hearing the command. Then, dragging their unconscious comrade, they hastily cleared a path. Before the eyes of the crowd, the members of the 'Misty Legion' swaggered out! It wasn't until Zhong Shenxiu and his group had been gone for quite some time that the sounds of relieved exhalations finally filled the hall! "Heavens, that was intense. How on earth did that guy collapse? Did anyone see it?" "I desperately want to know too. I didn't see anyone even move a muscle!" "I have a feeling that mercenary group isn't simple. Could they have 'E-War' personnel among them?" "Could a second 'Tornado Legion' be emerging?"

Hearing the name 'Tornado Legion,' everyone present froze, expressions turning to utter dread.

They were far too familiar with the name 'Tornado Legion.' Anyone with even a modicum of awareness had heard of them—they were the most mysterious mercenary group of the last two years.

It was rumored that seventy percent of the members of that group were composed of 'E-War' personnel, their sheer strength reaching astonishing levels.

The crowd had truly grasped their terror due to one major incident: in only its second year of existence, the 'Tornado Legion' had achieved something that shook the entire world—they annihilated the 'Dragon Slayers Legion,' which was ranked second globally!

In this world, mercenary power recognized no borders! A mercenary group ranked second worldwide possessed top-tier strength and membership, capable of rivaling the armed forces of a small nation!

Yet, such a formidable force had been wiped out by a legion that had only recently emerged. The level of shock was immeasurable! Now, every mercenary group spoke the name 'Tornado Legion' with fear, terrified of suffering the same fate as the 'Dragon Slayers'! The entire hall fell into a renewed silence. The old man named John absorbed every word, and then, looking distraught, he departed... ) ) $ $ $ $

As for Zhong Shenxiu and his group, the brief incident at the 'Mercenary Association' hadn't dampened their enthusiasm for shopping in the least. It was still morning, with plenty of time remaining before the next day, so they felt no rush whatsoever.

Just moments ago, Keni had distributed last month's operational fees. Now, every member of the 'Misty Legion' had a substantial amount of funds deposited into their accounts. What were these funds for, if not for spending? "Rachel, you don't mean you don't know how to spend money, do you?" Keni teased Rachel, who had been standing frozen, staring into space. "This... all this cash is for me?" Rachel asked, her voice laced with genuine surprise.

She found it hard to believe this was her service fee. Her storage card had suddenly been credited with fifty million Diamond Coins. This was the largest sum of money she had ever seen! "Don't worry! I'm perfectly fair; I'm not playing favorites with you! I can tell you secretly, among everyone here, your share of the fee was the smallest!" Keni explained with a smile.

Rachel was even more bewildered at that moment. If this much money was the least anyone received, how much must the top earners be getting?

Meanwhile, John, returning defeated, walked into his room looking utterly dispirited. An elderly man of similar age immediately greeted him with concern. "Did you find the mercenaries?"

This elder was named Abel, a friend of John's for decades and also a business partner. "I found them, but..." John hesitated, unable to finish his sentence. "But what?" Abel pressed.

Their consignment was scheduled to depart early tomorrow morning. Although small trading caravans like theirs were unlikely targets for brigands, hiring a mercenary group would offer greater peace of mind—at least for their nerves!

"The mercenary group I hired seems... complicated!" John muttered, his mind still replaying the events at the 'Mercenary Association,' especially the mercenaries' discussions, which weighed heavily on him.

"Complicated?" Abel was momentarily taken aback, then curiosity sharpened his excitement. "How so?" "They might have people from 'E-War' among them!" John said, striving for calmness, though his breath hitched slightly.

Given the current climate, virtually no one was unaware of the immense power of 'E-War personnel.' Their sudden emergence had already caused significant upheaval in the world, leading to profound, sweeping changes! "You... you mean people from 'E-War'?" Abel's eyes widened, his shock no less than John's!

For a small trading convoy like theirs to successfully hire a mercenary group that included 'E-War personnel' was an almost unbelievable stroke of luck! ) ) $ $ $ $

The next morning, Zhong Shenxiu's party arrived at the agreed-upon location with reasonable punctuality. Several wagons loaded with cargo were indeed parked there. Covered by tarpaulins, their contents remained unknown.

Upon seeing Zhong Shenxiu's group, both John and Abel hurried forward, their demeanor so deferential it was as if they were the ones being hired! "Greetings, let me introduce you. This is the other person in charge of the Kan-Shi Merchant Convoy; his name is Abel!" John said with a smile, though a subtle tension lingered in his manner.

"Is... is there anything we need to be aware of or adhere to?" Xia Luo asked professionally. "No... no!" To her surprise, John immediately stammered out the reply, leaving Xia Luo quite perplexed. "Our job this time is just to ensure the safety of the convoy, correct?" Xia Luo reiterated. Before officially setting off, it was essential to clarify the terms to prevent any future disputes.

"Yes, you only need to be responsible for the convoy's safety!" Abel interjected on John's behalf.

From the moment he saw Zhong Shenxiu's group, Abel had been scrutinizing them, trying to discern which one among them was the 'E-War personnel'!

"And how much longer until departure?" Xia Luo continued.

"We can leave at any time!" John paused, then added, "The carriages prepared for you are already waiting right there!"

He gestured forward!

"Prepared for us?" Xia Luo looked at John suspiciously. This was a first for her—the mercenaries being provided with their own carriages!

John nodded, then explained, "The journey will be arduous; this is just a small token of our appreciation!"

Ugh. Was that something an employer should be saying?

Although Xia Luo remained puzzled, she asked nothing further and followed Zhong Shenxiu onto one of the carriages.

"May I ask a question?" Abel suddenly asked with serious intent.

"Ask away, please do," Xia Luo replied politely.

"Forgive my presumption, elder, but who among you is the 'E-War personnel'?"