At the junction of the Senhai Plain and the Northern Territory, in the center surrounded by rivers, there is a small island. Because it is surrounded by clouds and fog all year round and has no one to manage it, it is nicknamed the Fog Triangle Free Zone. It is the place where black markets and mercenaries hang out for the longest time.
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In an old shop, a group of sloppily dressed mercenaries were sitting awkwardly. The room was noisy, full of people, and filled with the smoky smell of low-quality alcohol.
The walls of the shop are damp, dirty and yellow, with some black and green mold growing on them. There are large and small task papers stuck on them, some are still new, and some have become worn. Some have been torn off, leaving only a remnant.
The footer indicates that it has been completed, and some have a red cross on it to indicate that the mercenary who took the task has died.
This is a stronghold for mercenaries. Not only can you issue and receive tasks, but you can also register and dissolve unions. The owner of the store is the person in charge of the stronghold. While managing the stronghold, he sells alcohol to make money. Because there are so many mercenaries coming and going, the business is quite large.
good.
"Boss, is this task still pending?" the young mercenary asked, pointing to the task with the most red crosses on the wall.
The shop owner glanced up casually: "It's not finished yet, so it's just hanging there."
The task with the most red crosses reads: Kill Yan Qing. The price is as high as one thousand purple bone coins. Even the last red cross was drawn a year ago.
Yan Qing appeared here five years ago. No one knows his origins, and even his race is unknown - he always wears a black robe, covering his ears and tail.
Everyone only knows that he is a rare male female orc. He is short, speaks in a gentle voice, and almost never takes action. But no one dares to look down on him because of this.
After Yan Qing appeared, he established his own mercenary organization, Yan Wu, and it grew at an incredible speed. The mission to assassinate him was jointly set up by several major forces after they felt threatened.
People from these forces, other mercenary organizations, and teams to take on tasks have gone to more than a dozen groups, but without exception they have been lost to Yan Qing. The rewards for the tasks have been raised again and again, but in the end, no matter how high the price is,
There is no way to attract people to try it. After all, everyone is doing tasks to make money, not to die.
"Creak-" The old wooden door was pushed open, and three people stood at the door. Against the light, their faces could not be seen clearly.
A drunk man sitting at the door raised his head impatiently and complained: "It's so cold, who knows..."
Halfway through his words, he suddenly stopped and stared straight in the direction of the door. He saw the three people at the door with the "Yanwu" logo embroidered on their clothes. Two of them standing next to him were wearing fancy clothes, and one person in the middle
Wearing a cloak, only half of his young face was exposed.
"Yan Qing!" The drunk man recognized the person's identity and was so frightened that he woke up. He trembled and apologized: "Yes, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend. Don't be angry."
"Pfft." Yan Qing chuckled, raising the corners of his lips in a nice curve, and said in a gentle voice: "Don't be nervous, I don't eat people."
He said this, but the store still became quiet, and there was a tense atmosphere everywhere. Everyone stared at him tremblingly, for fear of disturbing him, and if he was unhappy, he would cut himself off.
After all, there is no law in the Fog Triangle, and strength is everything. The lives of ordinary mercenaries are as worthless as grass, and no one cares about life or death.
Yan Qing had long been accustomed to this kind of reaction. He glanced around the store at will, skipping those who were afraid of him and the red crosses painted on the task wall, and finally landed on the store owner: "I want to
Send a task."
"You said." The boss has seen the world and knows that Yanwu is one of the few extremely well-behaved people in the mercenary organization. If you don't take the initiative to provoke him, he will never kill innocent people indiscriminately, so he doesn't
Not as fearful as those young mercenaries.
But it's unusual for Yanwu to come and issue a mission, they usually solve it by themselves.
"Collect Galaxy Stones, the price is 20% higher than the black market price, the quantity is not limited, and the time is within five days."
"Hiss!" The sound of inhaling came and went in the room. This is really a big deal. Although it only lasts for five days, the quantity is not limited and the price is higher than the black market. I'm afraid I can only collect a few thousand pills.
It's just that the galaxy stones are not for priests, and Yanwu has no priests, so why collect these things? Could it be that Yanwu wants to expand again, and even plans to recruit priests?
Only Yanwu's people knew that the captain was not recruiting a priest, but preparing a gift for a person.
"You don't have to send me off, just go back. I'll be back in a few days." Five days later, Yan Qing stood at the ferry and said goodbye to his team members.
"Do you really want to go to the North alone? Why don't you bring a few people with you? I heard that people in the North are warlike, and frost wolves are the most capable race. Don't be bullied when you go."
He persuaded with a worried look on his face.
"No." Yan Qing smiled and turned around to get on the boat: "Let's go."
As the boat sailed out of the dock, the wind lifted the hood on Yan Qing's head, revealing the face that belonged to An Qing. It had been five years since he left the North, and he finally lived the free life he wanted. With the abilities he learned in the hunting team
With his outstanding mind, he successfully carved his own world among mercenaries.
He has been very happy after leaving the North for many years, but he still often misses his stupid and cheap brother. Recently, he heard that the former high priest abdicated and Shuang Yu was going to take over as high priest. An Qing finally couldn't help it and planned to go back to see him.
Look. As for the three thousand galaxy stones, they are just a gift for Shuangyu to succeed as high priest.
He came to Yuehua City alone. It had just snowed here recently, the road surface creaked, and the air was refreshingly cool.
An Qing followed her memory and came to the White Tower. The place was celebrating the appointment of the new high priest, which was very lively. Shuang Yu stood upright in front of the steps in a white dress, looking much more mature and solemn.
An Qing stepped forward and said, "Congratulations."
"Thank you...brother?" Shuangyu recognized the person, his eyes widened, and the five-year time difference was instantly erased, and he looked like a child again. He seemed to be unbelievable, and asked as if to confirm: "You are back?
"
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An Qing felt a little uncomfortable being stared at like this: "I'll come to see you and come back tomorrow. I'll have the gift delivered directly to the White Tower."
When Shuang Yu heard that An Qing was leaving, her eyes showed a bit of hurt: "We still have to leave, so... how many more days should we stay?"
"No, I still have something to do." An Qing refused.
"How have you been in the past five years?" Shuang Yu asked.
An Qing thought of her mercenary group and raised her lips: "Not bad."
"That's good." Shuang Yu begged again: "Stay here with me tonight, just for one night. I want to stay with you for a while longer."
"Okay." An Qing couldn't bear to refuse this time.
He thought it was just a simple one-night stay, but he miscalculated this time. Because Shuangyu was so happy, she made a fuss about drinking with him, and ended up getting drunk within two drinks. She hugged him and muttered non-stop.
From playing in the mud when I was a child, to the last time I wrote a letter to myself, I talked for two hours at a stretch.
An Qing noticed that although Shuang Yu was talking about things between them, there was no unhappy past at all. It was as if nothing that hurt him had ever happened before she lost her memory. She and he were really a pair of brothers who had a harmonious relationship.
An Qing knew that this was not the case. In the past five years, he had heard a lot about his past. He was rejected by his father, jealous of his younger brother, betrayed his tribe, and almost killed Shuang Yu. He was a confused and pathetic scumbag. An Qing didn't understand.
, why after all this, Shuang Yu is still willing to treat him as his elder brother.
"Yan Qing. An Qing, Yan Qing." Shuang Yu, who was drunk, suddenly said without any clue.
"What?" An Qing's hand shook heavily.
Shuangyu: "Yan Qing, that's An Qing, that's you."
"No, you made a mistake." An Qing denied.
"Huh, it's you. It's so obvious. Don't you think I can't find it? Your mercenary organization is called Yan Wu, and Yan Wu is Yu. It's me, right?" Shuang Yu was very happy and leaned on An Qing, with her hand still there.
Point and draw in the air.
This sudden loss was caught off guard. An Qing never thought that Shuangyu would pay attention to a mercenary organization outside the northern border. She felt a little flustered for no reason: "You are mistaken. I don't know Yan Qing. That's probably just a coincidence."
"Liar, I know it's you. I've secretly looked for you five times." Shuang Yu stretched out a hand and waved it in front of An Qing, then showed an aggrieved expression: "You're too hard to find."
"You're looking for me? When?" An Qing said unexpectedly. He had no idea.
"I don't know, hey, because I'm hiding. I'm pretending to be a mercenary, a hotel boy, a flower shop owner, a pharmacy apprentice, and an old man who herds cattle." Shuang Yu counted on his fingers: "Five years,
Once a year. I’ll go give you a birthday present.”
An Qing remembered that for five years, he would receive gifts at a fixed time every year. Sometimes it was a set of clothes, sometimes it was a machine or a crossbow. Each one was very satisfying to him, but because he did not know who gave it to him,
, so he didn’t use it and kept it in the warehouse.
He didn't even know it was his birthday.
An Qing's voice was slightly bitter: "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Shh, you can't tell brother." Shuang Yu suddenly became nervous, lowered her voice, and looked around warily.
"Why?"
"I can't disturb his freedom. Knowing that he is living a good life makes me content."
"Don't you want him to stay with you?" An Qing asked.
"I think so." Shuang Yu nodded, then shook her head: "But I want him to be happy even more. My brother had a hard time before, but I think he will be happy every day in the future."
"Idiot." An Qing closed her eyes and didn't know who she was talking about.
Fine snow drifted from the sky. Pieces fell on their heads, shoulders, ears, and tails. The ice was cold and melted quickly.
"It's snowing." Zuihe Shuangyu shouted excitedly, then lay on An Qing's back: "Brother, carry me home."
Shuang Yu was now half a head taller than An Qing. An Qing was pushed down and staggered two steps forward. Her body reacted faster than her brain and transformed into a beast, carrying Shuang Yu on her back.
He jumped up to the white tower with light movements and sent Shuangyu back to the bedroom. When he was about to put him on the bed, he found that he was already lying on his back, sleeping soundly.
The next day, Shuang Yu got up a little late because of his hangover. He opened his eyes and found himself lying in his room, covered with a quilt, but he didn't remember how he came back.
The boats at the pier usually depart in the morning. Shuang Yu thought An Qing had already left, but unexpectedly she saw An Qing sitting at the table in the restaurant, enjoying tea leisurely.
"Brother..." Shuang Yu was stunned for a moment, and then apologized out of habit: "I'm sorry, I was too happy yesterday and accidentally got drunk. Didn't I cause you any trouble?"
"But it actually caused a lot of trouble." An Qing said with a yawn, and the black and blue eyes showed that he did not get a good rest last night.
"Ah?" These words made Shuang Yu at a loss. What did he do yesterday? He didn't say anything he shouldn't have said. Did he make his brother angry?
Seeing Shuang Yu's expression that he had done something wrong, An Qing couldn't help but feel a sense of malice that she wanted to bully others. She squeezed his face hard and said, "So I plan to come back and move Yan Wu's headquarters.
Yuehua City. Go and help me take care of things. Anyway, you are now the high priest, so this trouble should be easy to solve, right?"
"Yan, what am I?" Shuangyu subconsciously started to act stupid.
"Yu, Shuangyu's language." An Qing laughed evilly: "Didn't I understand it quite clearly yesterday? Didn't you still give me gifts every year? Why are you pretending to be stupid now that you think about it? It's too late, pretending to be stupid.
You have to work for me too."
Shuangyu's head was buzzing. He drank so much yesterday? Why did he even mention this? "Brother... you don't have to come back specially for me. It's fine now, you have your own business."
, I have my own things to do, and I just want to see you to make sure you are doing well."
"Don't you welcome me back?" An Qing raised her eyebrows.
"No, you're welcome." Of course Shuang Yu hopes An Qing will return to Yuehua City, but...
"But I want you to live a free life more. No matter where you are, knowing that you are living a good life is enough for me."
An Qing leaned forward and came closer to Shuangyu: "But I don't think it's enough. My brother is already a high priest. Why should I work so hard? I have to stay in the moonlight with my back against the big tree to enjoy the coolness."
Huacheng, please."
Shuang Yu's eyes were a little confused. Of course he knew that this was not An Qing's true words. If An Qing really had such thoughts, he would not have gone to the Fog Triangle alone to establish a huge mercenary organization and become a legendary figure among mercenaries.
.
Shuang Yu just didn't understand, so he simply made it clear and asked: "I hope that my brother will stay, but I don't want my brother to wrong me like this. Doesn't my brother want freedom the most? Why did he give up now?
For me? If that’s the case, then I won’t accept it.”
"Who says I won't have freedom when I come back?" An Qing leaned on the desk, her expression becoming lazier because of sleepiness: "My freedom is to do whatever I want. In the past, I wanted to go out and explore, which was freedom, but now I want to stay at home with you.
Brother, you are also free. I do what I want to do, how can I feel wronged?"
"Is that so?" Shuang Yu stood up, with indescribable joy rising in her heart. Does An Qing also want to stay for herself? It's not a debt, not a compensation, not a restriction. It's from the bottom of her heart.
, I want to stay, for myself.
"The main thing is that I don't want to work hard anymore." An Qing returned to her unserious look: "You don't know how tiring it is to run a mercenary organization. Just wake up early and work late at night. The key is that others think I have no background and that I am a female.
He really wanted to bully me. He was given the task of killing me more than a dozen times. When I went to the toilet, I had to be careful of assassins suddenly appearing in the latrine."
"Now I've shown my cards and stopped pretending. I am the brother of the high priest of the North. Whoever dares to offend me in the future will offend you and the North. Frostwolves are said to be the most capable race in the mainland. Let's see who they will have in the future.
Dare to attack me."
Shuang Yu nodded in cooperation and said seriously: "Yes, with this high priest here, no one can bully my brother."
The two looked at each other and laughed at the same time.
The sun shines on the streets and rooftops, illuminating the broken snow on the streets last night and the neat ice hangings on the eaves, giving the cold Northland a layer of warmth, making the sky and earth crystal clear and bright.