Mission (2)

As he ate, Alex continued listening to the three other men talk.

"Hey, did you hear the news?" One of them asked if they had heard the news, to which another man replied.

"Oh, you mean the Mount RedBandits?" he said as he drunk his drink.

As per the conversation that the man overheard yesterday, the bandits known as the Mount Red Bandits have been on the rise lately and have been engaging in more frequent and daring activities.

"According to what I heard yesterday, they attacked the Duke's mansion and stole a treasure from his vault."

"What!!"x2

The man, who had been uncharacteristically silent during the conversation, suddenly spoke up with an intriguing question: "Excuse me, may I ask who this Duke is?" His unexpected inquiry indicated that he was caught off guard by the news he had just heard.

In response to the question, the man nodded thoughtfully and replied, "if my sources are correct, I believe it was Duke Grey who was targeted by the Mount Red Bandits."

As Alex was enjoying his meal, he suddenly heard the name Duke Grey being mentioned, causing him to pause mid-bite in astonishment. A mischievous grin appeared on his face, and he whispered to himself, "His son was such a terrible person, and now his father has been robbed." The news seemed to bring Alex great pleasure, as evident from the smirk on his face as he resumed eating his meal, unable to contain his amusement.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, and from what I've heard, the bandits slaughtered a large number of his guards that day."

"So, why didn't Duke Grey intervene?" "Isn't he an expert as well?"

"Duke Grey was not at home that day, so the bandits took advantage of the situation and attacked his mansion." When Duke Grey returned, he discovered his mansion had been completely raided and his treasure had been stolen."

"Wow, I bet Duke Grey was absolutely livid," remarked one of the men in the conversation.

The other man nodded in agreement and added, "Oh, he was definitely furious. In fact, he was so angry that he immediately ordered a squad of soldiers to go after the bandits.

Unfortunately, it didn't go as planned, as half of his guards were killed or injured during the attack on his mansion." The exchange conveyed a sense of sympathy for the Duke's plight.

"Doesn't that rule out attacking the bandits?"

"From what I've heard, Duke Grey is in a tough spot, and he can't rely on his usual troops to handle the situation," explained one of the men.

"So, he has turned to some independent cultivators to pursue the Mount Red Bandits. In fact, he has even offered a mission to any cultivator willing to join his group, with the promise of a substantial reward," he continued.

The man then paused before revealing the details, causing one of the other men to eagerly ask, "How much is he offering?" The first man replied,

"It's unbelievable. Just for participating, he's offering 50 gold coins, and as if that wasn't enough, you can earn even more money every time you kill one of the bandits." The conversation indicated that Duke Grey was willing to offer a significant amount of money to anyone who could help him eliminate the threat posed by the Mount Red Bandits.

"Really"x2

"Yes, I am certain; I got this information from a reliable source," the man said, nodding his head.

"Does anyone of you want to join? We can make quick money from this." He added.

"If both of you are going, I will as well."

...

Alex couldn't help but smile as he listened to the conversation about Duke Grey and his mission to subjugate the Mount Red Bandits.

He finished his meal and left the inn's restaurant to return to his room, where he took a shower and bath. As he sat on his bed, he thought deeply about the conversation he had overheard. "So the Duke is looking to take down the bandits that raided his mansion," he mused.

Given his financial situation, Alex saw this as a perfect opportunity to earn some money. After purchasing the Astral Body Art and sword technique, he had only 50 gold coins left, which was not a lot for a cultivator. "I've made up my mind; tomorrow I'll go and register my name to participate," he decided.

Alex was eager to participate in this mission, not only for the financial benefits but also to continue his training. After his encounter with the group of men who attacked the village, Alex knew that he lacked experience in killing other cultivators.

Participating in Duke Grey's mission would provide him with the opportunity to gain more experience and improve his skills.

Alex chose to join the mission and then went to bed. The following day, Alex proceeded to the location where he could enroll for the mission.

To Be Continued...