"Could someone please explain what the hell is going on here?" The other mercenaries were clueless, assuming these corpses belonged to the owners of the camp. But Avi, Rafe, and Airen knew better: these dried corpses were clearly the 'goods' they had lost.

With a grim expression, Avi gathered his two companions and Manid under the guise of 'surveying the terrain', fixing Manid with a gaze that could pierce steel.

"I-I really don't know anything!" The poor merchant quivered under the scrutiny of the three, his voice almost breaking. "By Sigmar's grace, had I known the boxes contained corpses, I would never have embarked on this journey. Murder carries a penalty of death, I only sought to earn some coin!"

"Boss, how did you recognize these corpses as the ones we lost?" Rafe inquired with curiosity. "Why do I feel like all these corpses look alike?"

"You can't identify dried corpses by their faces. These corpses all have hemp ropes tied around their ankles, and their faces are shrouded in cloth, just like those at the camp."

"Wow, you know all this, no wonder you're the boss." Rafe praised sincerely, offering a thumbs-up. "I didn't think of this at all. Truly, only the sharpest minds can lead!"

"Um..." Avi wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to Airen. "Do you know how vampires might utilize these corpses?"

"What are your thoughts, sir?"

"They may reanimate them into zombies, that's the only possibility." Avi surmised. "Powerful vampires typically utilize mass graves or battlefields, but for a lone vampire, it's uncertain."

"I had the same notion, sir," Airen concurred. "In any case, we cannot allow these corpses to be desecrated by vampires. By Sigmar's grace, he would never condone such sacrilege."

"What should we do then, simply burn them all?" Rafe suggested. "If I could be given a pyre after I pass, it wouldn't be too bad. At least I'd have warmth in the end."

"Very well, let's proceed with that decision, let's burn these corpses." Avi commanded. "Manid, I'll ask you once more, do you truly have no knowledge of these corpses?"

"I... I honestly know nothing, I'm just a merchant hired to transport goods. I didn't know anything about him before this, how could I know about the corpses?" Manid stuttered.

"Very well." Avi turned away. "Rafe, gather some men and incinerate these corpses. Airen, you and your comrades keep vigilant, and raise an alarm at the slightest sign of trouble. As long as we deny vampires the chance to employ illusions, we stand a chance."

"As you command, sir."

Both companions followed Avi's orders, with Rafe leading the burning of the corpses. Manid attempted to slip away unnoticed, but was intercepted by Avi.

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"Manid, you claimed to be a merchant hired to transport goods?"

"Y-yes..." Manid trembled, sensing Avi's skepticism. "Most of my family fell victim to greenskins and orcs, now I only seek survival, please spare me!"

"You misunderstand." Avi clarified. "I meant, would you be willing to join us? I happen to be in need of a quartermaster."

"Join you?" Manid was taken aback, "But I-"

"No need to rush, give me your answer once we've left this forest."

With that, Avi reassured Manid with a pat on the shoulder and proceeded alone into the camp to oversee the handling of the corpses.

"Join... a mercenary group?" Manid stood rooted in place, torn by conflicting emotions.

With Captain Rafe's leadership skill bolstering morale, the mercenaries found a newfound stability.

Rafe's somewhat simple-minded and optimistic nature considerably brightened their mood, despite the grim task of dealing with corpses. They showed no signs of fear or panic; instead, they methodically followed Rafe's instructions to stack firewood and prepare for the cremation of the bodies.

Airen remained vigilant with his twelve followers, yet there was no indication of any disturbance. Everything seemed stable and ordinary.

Avi, sword in hand, meticulously combed through the abandoned camp for any traces of vampire presence. However, aside from some almost forgotten utensils, most of the tents stood empty.

"There are far too many places around here where vampires could conceal themselves."

Avi gazed up at the towering, dense trees that enveloped them, feeling somewhat disheartened. "Without sunlight, vampires could easily thrive, even perched atop a tree. How can we possibly locate it with just us?"

Furthermore, they weren't even certain if the entity they were seeking was indeed a vampire. What if, after all their searching, they stumbled upon a wailing shaman and his horde of beasts? That would spell certain doom.

Lost in these ruminations, Avi absentmindedly used the tip of his sword to pry open a severely dilapidated tent. He intended to take a cursory glance inside for reassurance, but something caught his eye within.

It was a large bag, covered in thick layers of dust, with several spiders, each the size of fingertips, weaving webs nearby, scuttling around on the strands.

What treasures could this bag hold?

Wary of any potential magic or traps, Avi cautiously extended his hand and sword into the bag, nudging off a spider. The small creature wriggled for a moment upon falling to the ground before swiftly scuttling away, with nothing else happening.

Carefully, Avi swept away the dust and spider webs with his sword, peering into the bag. Instantly, his mouth fell agape in astonishment.

Inside were gleaming gold coins, the entire bag filled to the brim with them. Despite being obscured by dust and darkness, the circular metal coins still gleamed brightly in Avi's eyes.

"By Sigmar, this is—"

Feeling assured there was no immediate danger nearby, Avi cautiously maneuvered into the tent, then dragged the bag of gold coins out in its entirety.

The mercenaries had just finished their tasks, and Rafe, not wanting to witness the dried corpses being piled onto the pyre, approached Avi.

"Boss, what's going on?"

"We've struck gold!"

"What?"

Rafe was momentarily taken aback, then hurried over. His eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of the entire bag of gold coins.

"S-so much money!" Rafe wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, exclaiming, "Boss, we're set for life! We'll be feasting on meat from now on!"

"Regardless of how we use it, there's no reason to leave this much money behind. With this, we can easily upgrade equipment, purchase horses, and more."

Just then, a chilling realization dawned on Avi, interrupting his jubilation: "But now there's another problem: Where are the owners of this camp?"

"They're likely dead by now. Given the time that has passed, anyone still alive would have left long ago."

"And what about their bodies?"

Rafe froze.

"Boss, are you suggesting..."

"Help—!"

A desperate cry for help pierced through the silence, sending shivers down their spines in the eerie depths of the forest.