“I want to go!” Solera folded his arms, staring at Chianti. “I want to do my part. Staying here as dead weight means I’m useless.”

“Don’t be a dumbass.” Chianti glared at Solera. “Did my point about war being dangerous fly straight over your head? Do you want to die that young?”

“Do you think I don’t know how dangerous it is?” Solera fumed. “I know how dangerous it is, and that’s why I want to go! Besides, you became a mercenary when you were eleven!”

“Yeah, I was a fucking idiot!” Chianti looked exasperated, but she also had a torn expression on her face. “Skadi, that piece of shit. He patronizes everyone, but you can see his true colors in situations like these. He treats humans like trash. The things he did…”

Solera shrugged indifferently. “Skadi’s right, I can’t drag everyone down by eating their food and drinking their water like this. I’ve been trained thoroughly, and I’m going to fight someday, anyway. Why not now, when I’m accompanied by strong people like you?”

Chianti stared at him, unwillingness in her eyes. “I’m going to talk to Skadi again. This is stupid, and you’re treating your life stupidly. Some food, some water, who cares? Sky seems to be a pretty horrible place, judging from the spirits that come out of there. Don’t send yourself there so soon.”

She walked out of Solera’s room, leaving him with Guinness, who had yet to wake up. Solera stared at him blankly. How did a kid like Guinness figure into all this? Solera had been trained all his life. With some luck, he had held his own against one Airborne soldier after another. But Guinness didn’t even know how to channel!

The time trickled by slowly, with Solera having no idea at all what to do. Training would get him tired both mentally and physically. Going into a battle tired was a very unwise thing to do. But was he supposed to just do nothing? It didn’t feel right.

After a while, Chianti came back, her face red from anger. “Make sure you bring your truesight goggles. Make sure your sword is in proper shape and take a nap. And definitely, definitely do not let Guinness leave the room.”

After tossing him a set of black clothing, she left in a huff.

Solera obediently did as he was told. When he woke up, several hours had passed and it was probably still midday. Being inside the dimly lit tunnel complex, Solera didn’t actually know for sure.

“Stay inside the bed, Guinness. Don’t go into that corridor.” Solera told Guinness as he was donning his clothing. “Not for the bathroom, not until tonight. Okay?”

Guinness nodded. His gaze seemed different, not at all like the blank one from before. He obediently rolled under his covers. This way, anyone passing the room would not be able to easily tell that he was inside. Smiling relievedly, Solera went out.

The tunnel complex was very large, with many soldiers moving around inside. He was detained several times by inquisitive troops, but they would let him go when he explained to them his situation. After a while, he was outside, where Chianti had introduced Fischer, Verreaux, and Macaw.

He realized he did not actually know where to go. Hadn’t Macaw said something about going to see an escort?

Solera blanched at the thought. After a moment of deliberation, he sat down to meditate. Not even a minute passed when a finger tapped him on the head.

Solera tumbled backwards in shock. It was Skadi, his eyes friendly again.

“Solera, is it?” Skadi laughed. “I heard your father was once going to be a future Immortal.”

Solera nodded, wary of Skadi. He couldn’t fathom this person at all.

“Immortality is an astonishingly hard feat.” Skadi sighed. “Perhaps only a thousand in this Land has achieved it over the entire seven thousand years it has existed, and most of them are in that backwards southern continent. For a future seed of the Garden to be nipped in the bud before flowering, it is a shame. But it is commonplace.”

He leaned towards Solera, his tattoos glistening. Even his tongue had tattoos. “You take care of yourself during this mission. Stick near your friends, they are dependable people. All great beings become great through struggle, but snuffing them out so early is counterproductive. You understand me?”

Solera nodded. Skadi smiled brightly as his palm latched onto Solera, lifting him up high into the air.

“Too slow, boy.” Skadi dropped him back down after a few seconds of Solera struggling. “Land is a very unpredictable place. Never let your guard down.”

Solera looked up, his face a bit pale. Skadi’s palm… it had been too fast! Captain Peng’s attacks had been too quick for Solera, but Skadi’s speed had boggled belief. It seemed that there were powerhouses everywhere Solera had went.

“I’m completely in over my head.” Solera muttered to himself self-deprecatingly.

“Haha!” Skadi laughed. “The Sky is the limit, kid. Never stop training, never stop cultivating. The body is the core! Come with me, let’s go have some food before we gather for the briefing.”

Solera realized, astonished, that he had not eaten at all for over twenty-four hours! He was famished, but he had never noticed it until Skadi had talked about it.

Long tables lined a vast underground cavern. They were covered with boxes with talisman etchings that kept the food inside fresh for a longer period of time. Several soldiers milled about, eating and talking. A mummy sat in a chair at the back of one of the tables.

She appeared to be a woman, but Solera wasn’t sure. Her skin was sagging so much that it seemed like it would flow off if she stood up. He scratched his head before looking away. He suspected this person was probably reaching the end of her lifespan.

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“Skadi.” A whisper rolled out of the mummy, so soft that Solera could have mistaken it for wind.

Skadi looked up from his food inspections, raising an eyebrow amusedly. “Can it wait until I’m done, Leera? I’m still getting used to all this food, haha, I’ve been away too long.”

Skadi bit into a drumstick, smearing oil all over his face. Rather than laughing at this, Solera only became more bemused.

This guy… he didn’t make any sense at all! One moment he would be laughing in a friendly fashion, the next he would be hoisting someone up in the air. Warm and friendly, cold and callous. Likes chicken.

“Who’s the boy?” The whisper came again. This Leera person sounded annoyed now.

Solera started eating his food as well, when his eyes widened. He had heard this name before! Chianti had said, back when she was dropping them off at Fortress Hickory, that she was going to “Leera’s camp”!

Solera looked back at the bag of flesh on the chair, only to find that a pair of sunken eyes was staring directly at him. He looked back down, highly unnerved. Could it be that this was a general of the army of Eden?

“Some kid, don’t worry about him.” Skadi said dismissively, his eyes fixated on the drumstick.

Solera was at a loss for words, so he just kept eating.

“He will be dead weight in this mission.” Leera’s whisper stabbed like daggers now. “He should leave.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Skadi smiled widely. “He will do just fine, I think.”

No more sounds came from Leera. Skadi continued to stuff himself with food. More and more soldiers filed in as the time passed. All of them were dressed in black uniforms, with goggles hanging around their necks.

All of them carried the stench of blood. As Eden had not had war in two centuries, these people were undoubtedly once mercenaries!

Macaw walked in, a cheery smile on his face. His cheeks were red from blood flow, and he seemed to be full of energy.

“Haha, you’re looking lively, Macaw.” A man with short black hair and a hooked nose greeted him. “Bit too lively, actually. Did you overexert yourself?”

“He’s been at it again!” A woman with a jet black leather gauntlet on her right hand laughed as she downed her drink. “What an idiot, he’ll be the first to die tonight.”

“I’ve lived for a hundred years on the battlefield.” Macaw laughed as he ate a bread loaf. “Will tonight be any different?”

“I suppose Leera will tell us soon.” Verreaux said as he turned out of the corridor into the cavern. “Tell us when this sewage system gets an upgrade, that is. The UD guys will be smelling me from kilometers away, good lord.”

“Well, someone has on his body a weapon that can match Skadi’s miasma.” Another mercenary guffawed. Skadi smiled amiably.

Chianti and Fischer came in. Behind the two of them was Chip, who looked very unhappy to be here.

“Hey, what are these kids doing here?” One of the mercenaries, a man with a burn mark covering an entire arm, growled. “I didn’t think we had another Chianti distinguish herself lately.”

“I don’t know either.” Chianti glared at Skadi.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Calm down, everyone.” Skadi sighed. “Do I have to repeat myself so much? It’s almost like I didn’t tell each of you this beforehand.”

“Uh, I’m pretty sure you didn’t.” Chianti didn’t calm down at all.

“Yes, that was the joke.” Skadi sat down on a chair. “Well, let’s get started, Leera. We’re all here now.”

“The target is a heavily guarded Xuanwu monster from the Eastern continent. Markings indicate that the guards are men of the Shatter clan of the United Duchies.” Leera’s voice was no longer a whisper, but instead a hoarse rasp. “My imps sighted them the other day, moving towards the Verdant River. I want to know what kind of transport mission warrants coming so close to my camp.”

An imp unfurled a map across the table as she spoke and indicated the position of this transport.

“Take everything, kill everyone, destroy what you can’t bring away. The rules of war will be ignored after Fortress Hickory.” Leera looked up, her sunken eyes flitting across the room. “Survival is of the utmost priority, however. I want to know what these people are carrying.”

Many mercenaries laughed. “Not a problem, ma’am. That’ll be the least of your worries.”

“Skadi will discuss the details with you. I have to confer with my imps now.” Leera nodded at them before closing her eyes.

Skadi burped. “‘Scuse me. We should head out now if we catch them, explain on the way. If you need a piss, do it now, hahaha. Fifteen minutes and we’re gather in tunnel C.”

As the mercenaries filed out, Skadi turned to grab Solera’s shoulder, smiling widely.

“By the way, bring that large boy hiding in your room over to the meeting spot. It would be a shame if he were to miss out on this experience.”