Versus Shi Jingtian (Part 1)

Inner Hall of Mercenary Guild.

The usual Mercenary Guild. The place was filled with various mercenaries doing their own thing. while some receptionist's counter was filled, only one counter was empty.

Behind Miss Chen's personal counter, Miss Chen was scribbling something on a paper. Her movement was very smooth, each of her stroke was akin to a painting.

If one didn't see the content of the paper, they would think that a beautiful woman was creating a beautiful painting.

She was used to this kind of situation.

"Old Shi, how many will pass the test? Don't you think that the test is kind of annoying?" Miss Chen returned to her work as a receptionist, but she would return to be examiner after the first exam finished.

She didn't move her gaze, but the man behind her could hear Miss Chen's question very clear.

"What can we do. If there is lesser new blood, it will be much better. I cannot afford to let young chicklings to be an offering for the greedy nobility."

He was the tight shirt man with bald head, one of three examiners this time. No, he was the usual examiner from time to time, Shi Jingtian. He was the combat instructor at the Mercenary Guild, and every 0-star mercenary would respectfully call him as the instructor. But most mercenaries would call him as a muscle stone.

Miss Chen stopped the movement of the quill in her hand.

"Another war?"

"Yeah. Viscount Hammer always wages war everywhere. And this time, I heard that his opponent this time is an Earl." There was a trace of hopelessness in Shi Jingtian's tone.

The ranking in nobility from the lowest ranking was Baron, Viscount, Earl, Marquess, and the highest was Duke.

If it was the war between a fellow Viscount, it would become a hard fight as a fellow Viscount would have almost similar war strength.

If it was the war between Viscount and Earl, then it could be concluded as Earl's easy victory. Not to mention war strength, but also Earldom had much more resources, whether it was human resources or natural one, if compared with Viscountdom. And usually, this kind of war would be prevented by the higher nobility.

Except, if the Viscount was the one who started the war.

Hence, this news could be considered as a baffling news, a stupid move from Viscount Hammer.

"Earl? This person never thinks, doesn't he?" Miss Chen shook her head. "Fighting between a fellow Viscount, and he had a miserable defeat. And now, he sets his eyes even above?"

Shi Jingtian shrugged his shoulders. "Can't say anything about this suicide act of him. But from some insider info, the suggestion came from Viscount Hammer's first-born, Pan Guiying."

". . ."

"Yeah. There is a possibility that he had roped in a successor of an Earl. Or it is more like that this Viscount Hammer will be used as this certain successor of an Earl's cannon fodder. How stupid."

As both of them were talking, a woman came toward Miss Chen's spot.

She was not very youthful and even had given birth to a pair of a beautiful daughter. But even so, this woman was still beautiful. Or you could say that it was a married woman's charm, an attractive woman. Not only that, but she also had a gentle temperament and a mind-calming smile, making her became well-known in the Mercenary Guild.

Together with Miss Chen, both of them were well-known as the pair of rose and lily of the Mercenary Guild.

Who would hate a gentle woman? Most female mercenaries had no that kind of disposition and they were no different from a male.

She was Ye Huanger.

Ye Huanger smiled when she arrived in front of Miss Chen.

"Sister Chen, there is some child that have finished their assignment."

"Finished?"

Shi Jingtian startled while Miss Chen giggled while covering her mouth.

"Where are they, big sister Huang er?" Miss Chen cleaned up her desk and put down the quill.

"I told the three of them to go to the backyard. Are you going to begin their second exam?"

Miss Chen put down her eyeglasses and stood up. She flashed her gentle smile and said, "It depends on their own decision. But looking at the time, they should be rearing to fight."

"It is only afternoon, how can someone finish the assignment? Is it cheating? Or maybe-"

Ye Huang er chuckled. "No, not someone. Three children, Old Shi."

"It is still weird! They must be cheating!" Shi Jingtian slammed down the desk in front of him.

He couldn't think any other way other than cheating. Asking help from a 1-star mercenary was considered a violation, and that 1-star mercenary would have their qualification revoked.

"Then, how about we look at them now?"

Miss Chen's gorgeous smile tugged the heart inside Shi Jingtian. It was bittersweet's taste. He was enchanted by that smile.

It was not a secret that Shi Jingtian had been fancying Miss Chen. Every Mercenary Guild's staff, and even most mercenaries knew about it.

It was an open secret.

Even so, Shi Jingtian was not brave enough to court Miss Chen.

But, he was contented enough as long as he could see that smile. He was satisfied, even though there was a trace of dissatisfaction hidden bottom under his heart. But this small speck of dissatisfaction had grown.

Looking at the daydreaming Shi Jingtian, Miss Chen called him, "Don't you want to look at the child? Why are you dilly-dallying for?"

Returned to his sense, Shi Jingtian coughed and followed after Shi Jingtian.

"Big sis Huanger, takes care of the counter." Miss Chen waved her hand.

"Un! Have fun with the exam's participant!" Ye Huang er waved back.

…

Fu Tao's pair of eyes bulged out as he held three stalks of Blood Rose Grass. His hands trembled as his sweat began to drenched his hands.

"Li- little Yue, is it real?" Fu Tao couldn't believe what he just heard.

"Of course! I am the best!" Mingyue had a smug smile pasted on her face. With her pair of hand placed on her waist, Mingyue puffed up her non-existent chest.

"But, how did you pay for it?"

"Pay? Do I need to?"

". . ."

"I sell my cuteness, of course." Mingyue humphed.

". . . Sell your-"

"Cuteness! I am unlike the smelly you!" Mingyue wrinkled and fanned her nose.

Fu Tao moved his pleading gaze toward Liao Yun. "Can't you say something to her?"

Liao Yun rolled her eyes as she scoffed at Fu Tao short-sightedness. "If she likes it, just let her. Don't forget that she is tricky and not stupid enough."

"Really? Letting a little girl running around without constraint?"

"I AM NOT LITTLE!"

"Fine, fine. Young lady, I can't possibly let you running around without constraint."

"You followed me, but you didn't follow me inside the store. Whose fault, yours or mine? You tell me." Mingyue puffed her cheeks.

But, some uninvited intruder appeared. No, it was the people that Mingyue, Fu Tao, and Liao Yun saw this morning.

"Big sis Chen!" Mingyue's mood changed 180° in the matter of second.

"Ah? It's you?" Miss Chen accepted the hug from Mingyue, and she hugged back.

She didn't expect that the cute little girl from the other day was one of the three children that Ye Huang er talked about. Meeting a cute little girl that she knew improved her mood considerably.

"Un! Praise me, praise me!" Mingyue snuggled inside Miss Chen's embrace as she enjoyed the ample pair of soft melon right in front of her eyes.

"Fine, you pampered little girl. You are doing great, very great. How did you return so fast?"

"Extortion! From a small-minded uncle."

…