Taking the risk of offending the Assassin's Alliance to earn a single gold coin bounty was something Li Xi doubted many mercenaries would dare to do. However, if that gold coin bounty were to be amplified two hundredfold, these mercenaries would show the world what it meant to be a profession where one's head was tucked into their belt.
"Then what level of mission will you post?"
"Starting from the lowest F-class, we'll post up to whatever level we can."
What class of mercenaries were the most numerous? Naturally, it was the lowest F and E classes. Back when Li Xi was taking on the lowest level missions, he was overjoyed to earn a few silver coins a day. Now, by posting a bounty mission worth two hundred gold coins, he could drive low-level mercenaries into a frenzy.
The Assassin's Alliance was not to be trifled with, but the mission didn't require direct confrontation. Two hundred gold coins per mission was enough to last for decades if one was frugal. The chance to turn one's life around was right before their eyes. Li Xi didn't believe these poor and desperate mercenaries wouldn't go mad.
After a flurry of actions, Rayner said, "Normally, we charge different fees for different mission levels. However, your bounty amount is exceedingly high. I can charge the lowest rate of one percent, meaning for every mercenary who completes the mission, you will pay an additional two gold coins to the Mercenary Guild on top of the two hundred gold coins."
"No problem."
"If you agree, I'll post the mission."
"Post it."
Nerval, an F-class mercenary, was looking through missions in the F-class mission hall, his face contorted into a bitter grimace. He had used up all his savings and borrowed from all his relatives and friends to scrape together one gold coin for the registration fee to become a mercenary. He thought that becoming a mercenary would allow him to earn silver coins in droves, only to discover that with his low-level warrior skills, he couldn't even complete the simplest tasks. He had already failed three missions. If this continued, he would likely be expelled from the Mercenary Guild. (Failing five missions consecutively would result in the automatic revocation of mercenary status, with the one gold coin registration fee non-refundable.)
Nerval was carefully examining each mission. He no longer hoped to earn a large sum of silver coins; he just wanted to avoid being expelled. As for the money he owed, he could only rely on his thick skin to stall for time.
However, he had already seen these lowest-level missions countless times. There wasn't a single one he was confident he could complete. The simplest mission Li Xi had previously undertaken, clearing farmland for the Agricultural Temple, had also been canceled due to the autumn harvest. Otherwise, Nerval could have at least made a meager living with that mission.
Just as Nerval thought there would be no suitable missions for him today, a red mission suddenly appeared on the large screen. Red signified an extremely high-commission, unprecedented mission. As long as the mission remained, it would always be displayed in the top position.
The appearance of this red mission attracted not only Nerval but also other mercenaries. This was because red missions had not appeared for many years.
"Search for any and all clues regarding the Assassin's Alliance. Information verified, bounty two hundred gold coins. For significant information, bounty is unlimited, no limit on personnel."
"Two hundred gold coins."
"BOOM!"
The F-class mission room nearly had its roof blown off. What did two hundred gold coins mean? That was twenty thousand silver coins. Normally, the commission for an F-class mission did not exceed twenty silver coins. Li Xi earning more than one gold coin on his first day was not a normal situation; he had completed that mission with his life hanging by a thread.
Twenty thousand silver coins would be earned by a normal F-class mercenary after completing one hundred missions, which would take approximately a year, and that was without failure, completing them efficiently and quickly. Of course, even S-class mercenaries wouldn't guarantee a one hundred percent completion rate.
Now, any single mission was worth so much money. Who wouldn't go crazy? They'd be fools not to.
Madness had gripped everyone. All the mercenaries surged to the counter to accept the missions. Regardless of whether they could find any clues, they decided to accept the mission first. What if, by chance, they stumbled upon a clue? With those two hundred gold coins, they could even start a small business and live out their lives in comfort, or directly retire and enjoy life.
The situation in the F-class mission room was not unique; the E-class and D-class rooms were experiencing the same fervor. The C-class mission rooms, however, saw most mercenaries merely looking, not taking it too seriously. Two hundred gold coins was not a small sum for them, but it wasn't worth rushing to accept it.
Nerval didn't know what the Assassin's Alliance was. Such a high-level and mysterious organization was too unfamiliar to him. However, he had good connections and could make friends with many people, otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to borrow one gold coin to register as a mercenary.
He had indeed heard a friend mention the Assassin's Alliance in passing, but he had forgotten the details.
Nerval didn't go mad like the other mercenaries to accept the mission. Instead, he turned and ran out of the mercenary hall. Less than half an hour later, Nerval ran back, panting heavily.
With great flourish, he placed his mercenary badge on the table and loudly declared, "I accept the Assassin's Alliance mission."
The service staff had become immune to such mercenaries by this point. Eighty percent of the mercenaries had accepted this mission. However, after completing the registration for this mercenary, he didn't turn and leave to search the city for clues like the others. Instead, he loudly announced, "I'm turning in a mission."
"Are you sure?" the service staff member asked, surprised.
"I'm sure," Nerval said with a firm gaze.
"Very well, please follow me."
Amidst the envious gazes of others, Nerval followed the service staff member to a private reception room. Upon seeing it, Nerval noticed a long queue outside the reception room.
The service staff member explained to Nerval, "These are all people here to turn in missions. If the information you have is false, or if you intend to deceive us for gold coins, I advise you to be cautious."
As the service staff member spoke, the door to the reception room opened, and an E-class mercenary was thrown out by a priest. The mercenary didn't get angry at such rough treatment; instead, he shamefacedly lowered his head and fled, as if afraid of being recognized.
The priest, with a dark expression, sternly warned the mercenaries in line, "Think carefully about the consequences of deceiving us. One instance of deception is equivalent to three mission failures, and five instances will result in the revocation of your mercenary status. Do not treat the Mercenary Guild as fools. Carefully consider the clues you hold."
After this priest's speech, many mercenaries slowly withdrew from the line, and the previously dozen-meter-long queue was suddenly reduced to five people.
The service staff member who accompanied Nerval patted him on the shoulder. "Little mercenary, I wish you good luck."
Nerval stood nervously in line, unsure if the information he had obtained from his friend was true. However, he had no other choice. After so many days without any suitable missions, it was better to take a gamble than to waste time here with a slim hope. What if the information was true? Two hundred gold coins! It would be more than just a stroke of luck; it would be a miracle.
As one person after another went in and then came out with impassive expressions, Nerval had no idea if their clues were true or false. His heart was pounding in his chest. He looked at the ordinary wooden door as if it were the door of destiny, deciding his future, and his mercenary path lay behind this small wooden door.
Soon, it was Nerval's turn. He cautiously walked in and saw a person wearing a mask, emanating an inexplicable aura, sitting there. In front of him, he felt like a weak little rabbit facing a king of the forest staring at him, as if he would be devoured at any moment.
Nerval stood opposite him cautiously. "Sir, I don't know if my information is true or false. I heard it from a friend."
"It's alright, tell me first."
Li Xi was getting tired. His bounty was indeed generous, but these mercenaries were truly daring enough to lie, saying anything. If it weren't for Priest Rayner assisting behind the scenes, using the Mercenary Guild's intelligence to screen them, along with some of his own little tricks, this ten thousand-plus gold coin bounty could have been swindled away by these mercenaries in just a few hours.
Li Xi rubbed his temples and opened his eyes the moment Nerval was about to recount his intelligence.
Nerval was already scared. Upon seeing the two tadpole-shaped, ominous eyes behind the mask, he felt an urge to speak the truth or be killed. The words he was about to utter were instantly swallowed back.
Using the Sharingan to detect lies was something Li Xi had just discovered. Its mysterious and eerie nature always induced unfounded fear. Coupled with Li Xi sitting there and making his aura cold, all these mercenaries with weak abilities involuntarily revealed their flaws.
"Don't be afraid. Say whatever you know. As long as you're not intentionally deceiving, I won't hold it against you. I'll even inform the Mercenary Guild, and it won't count as a mission failure, though you won't receive the commission."
Li Xi's generous words immediately calmed Nerval. "Here's the thing, I have a friend who is a servant at Katherro's Boxing Gym. Once, when the gym's owner was drunk, my friend went to clean up for him and vaguely overheard Katherro saying, 'You all just wait, you looked down on me, it's just the Assassin's Alliance, what's so great about it? I'll be better than you sooner or later.' Because my friend was just a servant, he didn't dare to listen further. That's all the information I have."
Nerval finished speaking and looked expectantly at the masked Li Xi, his tense heart like that of a fresh graduate awaiting an admission letter.
Katherro. Li Xi meticulously recalled information about this person. He was a boxing master very close to level five. His iron fists were famous in Kador City. He belonged to no faction and was not registered as a mercenary with the Mercenary Guild. Instead, he ran a boxing gym in the city. He was reclusive, living a low-key life by teaching disciples and collecting tuition fees.
This was all the information Li Xi could gather. Most of it was rumor, suggesting Katherro was strong but not very intelligent. He had supposedly committed a mistake in his early years, offending some important figure, and had only settled down in recent years.
Li Xi's brow furrowed slightly. The people he had encountered from the Assassin's Alliance were all deeply hidden and exceptionally cunning. If a brute like Katherro was also a member of the Assassin's Alliance, Li Xi truly found it hard to believe.
However, this was currently one of the most useful clues. And this young mercenary's words didn't seem like a lie. His friend should have indeed told him this. As for whether his friend had lied to him, that was hard to say.
"I understand your clue. I will verify it. Don't wander around for the next few days. If my verification proves it true, I will have the Mercenary Guild settle your commission."
Adhering to the principle of checking thoroughly rather than letting any chance slip, Li Xi had to investigate. If Katherro was indeed part of the Assassin's Alliance, then he could lift the veil of mystery surrounding the organization and, by following the thread, capture these despicable individuals.
As for how he would capture Katherro, Li Xi smiled faintly, a smile filled with hatred that even the waters of the Yellow River could not wash away.
Katherro's Boxing Gym was located in the northwest corner of Kador City, on the outskirts of the middle-class district. The housing prices there were not high, and there was a large open space for martial arts practice.
Li Xi leisurely walked to the entrance. The two large, heavy wooden doors inlaid with iron were open. Inside, only a few disciples were practicing martial arts. It wasn't that the gym's business was poor, but the events of last night were still unfolding, requiring the citizens of Kador City to spend a significant amount of time tending to their wounds.
With over five thousand casualties, almost every household had lost someone. Kador City was immersed in grief today. The boxing gym was no exception. Fortunately, due to its remote location, it had been minimally affected by last night's events.
If one considered it from a conspiratorial perspective, Katherro could indeed be a member of the Assassin's Alliance.
"May I ask what you need?"
Seeing Li Xi walk in, a servant approached and inquired.