Chapter 465: Chapter 99: Skeleton Mercenary Group_2
In between the battalion of heavy infantry cavalry and the archer’s battalion were 200 samurais dressed entirely in red attire. They were unarmored, yet the red outfit preserved their maneuverability. Each one carried a narrow sword on their back. The display didn’t seem as imposing as the other battalions, but in reality, they were the most formidable force in the entire Skeleton Mercenary Group - the personal guards of the Blood Skull, and the group’s assault team. Each of these warriors possessed remarkable martial arts skills, comparable or superior to a member of the Assassin’s Guild. Whenever the Skeleton Mercenary Group encountered a tough enemy, they were summoned. With the Blood Skull leading them, they had yet to experience a single defeat or casualty since their inception, growing from the initial twenty to now two hundred strong. The success of the Skeleton Mercenary Group today had a lot to do with their contributions.
The Skeleton Mercenary Group was organized in a rigid structure, essentially a small army. Four types of troops complemented each other to form a force that even a regular army couldn’t compete with. The Empire of Tian Jing once offered a massive reward to recruit the four "Skulls" into their army, but each proposal was rejected by the Blood Skull. Their reasoning was simple - they valued their freedom.
The Blood Skull appeared as an ordinary middle-aged man, tall and always wearing a faint smile. His gray outfit didn’t make him stand out among the mercenaries. However, those who knew him well understood that the brighter his smile, the more ruthless his hand. There was a saying that his laughter could harvest souls. The four "Skulls" were all disciples of the Northern Sword Saint, who taught them different martial arts based on their individual qualities. None of these disciples, however, were taught his most proud swordsmanship style. Among the four great Sword Saints, the skills of the Northern Sword Saint were the most eclectic. Blood Skull and Ice Skull were siblings, while the other two "Skulls" were disciples of the same master as the Blood Skull, and elder disciples to Ice Skull. As the youngest among them, Ice Skull was taken care of by her older brothers.
Iron Skull, who was hot-tempered, glanced at Blood Skull and said, "Big brother, why hasn’t our sister arrived yet? What’s up with this trading caravan? Could something have happened?"
Blood Skull smiled and replied, "Don’t worry; nothing will happen to our sister. Don’t you know how capable she is? Iron, you need to learn to be more patient. Being impulsive won’t get you very far. And don’t forget, our goal is to surpass the Red Charming Mercenary Group and become the top mercenary group on the continent. It’s a long and arduous journey to that goal!"
Iron Skull sneered, "I hope we get to confront the Red Charming Mercenary Group. I doubt they could withstand a charge from my heavy infantry. What’s the use of them outnumbering us?"
Blood Skull furrowed his brows, "Never underestimate the Red Charming Mercenary Group. Their three commanders are extremely powerful. As the rumors suggest, their commander-in-chief is a disciple of the Eastern Sword Saint. Their success is not simply a result of numbers, but skill. While their auxiliary mercenaries might not be that strong, the core group of several thousand people possesses formidable abilities. We are still in the building phase and cannot afford any rash conflicts with them. Hmm, look, your little sister is coming."
As expected, a light cavalry battalion from the Skeleton Mercenary Group quickly charged out from the Mimu City Gate. The four hundred soldiers lined up neatly on both sides of the gate, protecting the slow-moving caravan emerging from the city.
Ice Skull didn’t manage her troops, instead she rode her white horse straight to her older brothers, with Zong Yue closely following her in a state of anxiety.
Wind Skull asked, "Big brother, why has our little sister come here alone?"
Blood Skull was also puzzled. According to their plan, Ice Skull should be escorting the caravan and joining them at the wings after rendezvous. Now, she should be commanding her troops."
Swiftly, Ice Skull galloped up to them, pulling on the reins abruptly causing the horse to halt. Though the horse was strong, it could not stand such violent handling and whinnied in protest. Zong Yue caught up, panting, "Miss Ice, why are you rushing like this? Are you trying trying to exhaust me?"
Ice Skull did not acknowledge Zong Yue’s complaints but looked at her oldest brother, pulling the reins to steer her horse around their group and continue forward. However, Blood Skull spoke in a grave voice, "Little sister, what’s gotten into you? Is this one of your temper tantrums?" Ice Skull held some reverence for her big brother and said coldly, "I’m fine." After uttering these words, she pulled the reins again and guided her horse to the front of the group.
Blood Skull turned to Zong Yue, asking, "Zong, what’s wrong with Ice? Did anything unusual happen in the city?"
Zong Yue sighed and gave a full account of what happened in the city. Upon hearing his tale, Wind Skull and Iron Skull exclaimed in disbelief, "Impossible!"
Blood Skull seemed perplexed, wondering how a single attack could defeat his sister when even their master might not achieve such a feat, especially given that the attacker was just a young man. "Zong, what technique did the man use?" He inquired.
Zong Yue responded with a bitter smile, "To be honest, I didn’t see it clearly, everything happened in a flash. The man seemed to create two illusions of himself, and as he passed Ice Skull, he bound her with green energy. Despite her abilities, she had no chance to resist and was unable to break free once bound. He really took her down in just one move! I was dumbfounded, having never seen Dou Qi used in such a manner before - his Dou Qi seemed capable of transforming into anything. However, I must acknowledge his skill. He’s only around twenty, but his abilities are extraordinary. Ice Skull intended to kill him, but he did not harm her. Ah, I recall Ice Skull saying that he was from the Tian Gang Sword Sect."
