Chapter 458: Chapter 97 Changes in the Divine Artifact _5
East City Gate of Mimu City.
The Stan Empire Alliance, one of the largest commercial organizations in the Empire of Tian Jing, was gathering their merchant caravan. Over two hundred carriages were loaded with various precious goods produced by the Empire of Tian Jing. The wheels of the carriages left deep traces on the ground, manifesting the sheer weight of their cargo. By re-selling these items to the Sodum Federation, the Stan Empire Alliance could make a considerable profit. The Yajin Tribe in the Sodum Federation was incredibly wealthy due to their production of rare minerals. That was their destination.
Hundreds of knights suddenly appeared from both sides of the street, encircling the busy merchant caravan. The laborers of the caravan didn’t seem to notice them, and continued their work. These knights were organized, each one astride a tall horse, clad in brown leather armor. On their left chest was a metallic shield emblem, crossed by two longswords. Above the intersection of the swords was a sculpted skeleton. And on the right side of their armor were two prominent words—Skeleton. Each person’s saddle hung a light long spear while a combat knife was belted at the waist. Despite being several hundred in number, there was no sense of chaos or noise and discipline was strictly maintained. It was immediately clear that they were battle-hardened warriors. They were none other than the Skeleton Mercenary Group, hired by the merchant caravan for a hefty price, and one of the few Special Class Mercenary Groups on the continent.
The Skeleton Mercenary Group was quite famous in the Mercenary World. They almost never failed any mission they undertook. The group was comprised of over a thousand exceptional samurai. Relations with other mercenary groups were scarce; their brutal style ensured that anyone who crossed them met a grim end. But equally prominent was their reputation for integrity. Once they accepted a mission, they would undoubtedly complete it wholeheartedly. Of course, the remuneration for a Special Class Mercenary Group like them was significantly high. Due to their ruthless methods, even the Red Hurricane, the only Superior Mercenary Group on the continent, was hesitant to associate with them. Any major security missions in the Empire of Tian Jing would invariably invite them for protection, and they had yet to make any blunders.
The Skeleton Mercenary Group consisted of four main parts: the Light Cavalry, the Archers, the Heavy Cavalry Infantry, and the trusted aides. They didn’t have a supply unit; for major tasks, their provisions are usually provided by their employers. The former three units each had four hundred warriors, whereas the trusted aides consisted of two hundred men. The group here was the Light Cavalry of the Skeleton Mercenary Group. In a small city like Mimu with narrow streets, only so many could be accommodated. Due to the high reward for this mission, the entire Skeleton Mercenary Group was mobilized, although the other three units were waiting outside the city so as not to disturb the residents and cause unnecessary trouble.
The Skeleton Mercenary Group had four leaders: Ice Skeleton, the deputy leader of the Light Cavalry; Wind Skeleton, the deputy leader of the Archers; Iron Skull, the deputy leader of the Heavy Cavalry Infantry; and Blood Skull, the leader of the trusted aides. These four leaders have been using their nicknames for so long that nobody calls them by their real names anymore. The rise of the Skeleton Mercenary Group was quick; within less than five years, they had elevated from a fourth-tier group to their current status, with countless bandits falling at the hands of their four units. They were a legendary team in the mercenary world, much like the Red Charming Mercenary Group. It had been said that, were it not for the small size of the group, they would likely have risen to the rank of a Superior Mercenary Group by now.
