Mercenary Harem in Murim Novel

'Maybe I should ask Chiaki to make some stomach medicine. Might as well add some poison to increase Astrid's tolerance.'

Silently, he concocted a plan to raise Astrid to become a true member of Hallowed Insect.

But, there was another reason why they were here.

Leo was excited.

He hoped he could find some hidden gem among the old martial artists. He knew that some old coot had a lot of secrets, and the village was a treasure trove for them. Maybe they would refuse his invitation or even show hostility to them.

But that was the reason why he brought Astrid.

'As a former daughter from Peng Clan, she knew a lot about martial artists, hidden or not, and good etiquette. I will leave greeting those old people. After all, who would get angry when a cute girl greets them? Maybe they even got reminded of their granddaughter and began to spoil her instead.'

The other girls in Hallowed Insects were too dirty. Not dirty literally, but their bodies had been covered in blood and battlefield. They no longer had the grace and charm to attract the attention of old men.

Astrid was different. Her attitude and personality were what he was looking for. She was a pure girl, a spoiled princess who could turn into a beast once she needed to.

"I'm done."

Astrid appeared behind him, wiping her mouth. She was a bit pale, so Leo gave him a pill.

"Drink this. There are Nanites for recovery inside. You will feel better once you drink that."

"Okay."

She didn't argue and obediently took the pill.

"Now, let's go. Remember, be friendly. Don't offend them. You're representing our faction."

"Ugh, I know. Please don't treat me like a kid, Leader." She groaned.

"Of course not. You're an important member of our mercenary band. I just remembered someone swung her sword when she met me just because she didn't like me. I wonder how things turned out since then."

"Don't remind me of that time! I really regretted it. Ugh... I was so frustrated and depressed back then. Please understand that, Leader."

"I do, don't worry." He laughed and patted her head. "Now, come on. Let's meet those old geezers."

"Yes, yes. I'm coming."

With that, the two of them entered the forest.

Inside, nature ruled. Insects sound could be heard alongside a small stream. The forest was green and beautiful.

As they continued, the sounds of human activities could be heard.

And then, the village appeared in front of them.

From the look of it, the village appeared to be small but cozy. Some wooden houses could be seen, and the entrance was marked with a sign written as 'Outcast Village'.

Inside the village, Leo noticed a few people walking around. He thought they were all would be old men or at least middle-aged men, but he noticed some youngsters as well.

They were all dressed in simple clothes and looked ordinary.

"Outcast village?" Astrid muttered. "The name is..."

"Pitiful?" Leo finished her sentence for her, and she nodded slightly. "Don't worry, people who have never seen the real world would say that. But for me, I'd like to say this village fits its name perfectly. Outcast here can also mean that the villagers don't fit the current society and decided to live a peaceful life. Not all of them are pitiful."

"You know very well."

A sudden voice greeted them. When Leo looked at the source, he found the middle-aged man that had attacked them before.

The man wore a strained smile as he cupped his hands.

"My apologies for greeting so late. My name is Wang Zhou, and I am the one responsible for the village's safety from beasts alongside a few people." He introduced himself and bowed, "And to you, I have attacked you without any warning after mistaking your vehicle as a beast. Once again, I offered you my apologies."

Unlike martial artists he found in Central Plains, Leo felt like the man in front of him was similar to a kind uncle who often gave his nieces candy.

Their first meeting wasn't exactly favorable and ended up in a tense atmosphere. However, he could tell the man had no ill intention. He only genuinely did his job as a guard of this village.

"I understand. And I apologize as well for scaring and injuring you. We were in a rush and didn't notice we drove past your territory and made you misunderstand us." Leo said, returning his greeting with a bow.

"My name is Leo from Hallowed Insect. This time, I am here because I wanted to talk about something with the villagers and bring a good proposal that can benefit both of our sides."

"M-My name is Astrid, a member of Hallowed Insect. It's a pleasure to meet you, Elder Wang." Astrid quickly bowed as well, realizing that she had been silent.

Wang Zhou looked at them, surprised. He didn't expect the leader of Hallowed Insect to introduce himself so quickly and respectfully.

"Hallowed Insect? You're the leader?"

"Yes. Are you aware of it?"

"Just from news in the wind." Wang Zhou answered respectfully, "While we're detached from society, we still hear important information to keep ourselves informed. Especially about new rising factions that even the Murim Alliance is wary of. If we stay ignorant all the time, we won't be able to judge enemies and allies, which will lead to our destruction."

"What a wise word you said."

Leo changed his perception of this village. He thought the hidden martial artists of this villages were all ignorant and selfish. But, no. They were different. For example, the man standing before him. He was wise and had a strong sense of responsibility.

'This village might not be as pitiful as it looks. Maybe, it's a hidden gem of sorts. I struck a jackpot.'

"Thank you. Now, what can I help you with?"

"Can we talk in private? We have something we want to discuss and maybe a proposal that might interest the villagers. If you know me already, then you know what I am talking about, right? As a martial artist, you can't miss the opportunity."

Wang Zhou nodded deeply.

"Please allow me to guide you to the village chief's residence. He always listened to what our guests had to say before discussing it with all the villagers. Please understand, not all people in this village welcome outsiders."

"That's fine. We expected that much."

With a nod, Leo followed Wang Zhou.

As they entered the village, Leo was amazed by the simplicity and tranquility of it. Many people looked at them curiously. Some nodded at them while some looked at them with a distrustful gaze.

But, they didn't do anything else. Mainly because Leo and Astrid were accompanied by the village guard, Wang Zhou.

'Not a bad place. The village is well-organized and maintained. I didn't see any slum or dilapidated houses. The villagers are all clean and dressed in simple but well-made clothes. Also, the people living here look pretty strong, especially those sitting on their terrace.'

Old men sitting together around the table looked at him with a judging gaze. Their eyes were sharp and cold, but he didn't feel any killing intent from them.

It was clear that these people were all strong and had seen many battles. They were the true warriors of this village.

"The village chief is waiting inside." Wang Zhou said, "He will hear you out."

"Thank you. Astrid, you can wait here. I will go alone."

"Okay."

Astrid nodded, and Leo entered the chief's house with Wang Zhou.

The wooden building was spacious and neat. There were a few decorations on the walls and a lot of bookshelves.

As he stepped inside, Leo saw an old man sitting on the couch. He looked weak and thin, but Leo knew better. This person was similar to the Old Man Bao he had met before.

After getting used to living in this Murim novel, Leo was able to roughly guess a person's strength with his keen observation.

In a glance, he guessed the man with white hair sitting on the couch was over 100 years old and was a powerful martial artist.

When he entered, the man looked at him and smiled.

"Welcome, guest. Feel free to sit on the couch."

"Thank you."

With that, Leo sat on the couch and introduced himself.

"My name is Leo, the leader of a mercenary band Hallowed Insect as well as the Master of Mercenary Union. I have come here today to discuss a good business opportunity with the villagers. If you're interested, I have a proposal that will benefit both of us."

"You're so polite to this old man, so I will act the same." The old man chuckled, "I am Xing Yu, the village chief. Please, speak. I will hear you out and decide accordingly. However, all I can do is to relay it to the villagers. We have a system where we decide something with the highest vote here."

"That's fine."

Leo nodded.

'I like his style. He's direct and doesn't try to hide anything. It's refreshing.'

With that, Leo began to talk about the mercenary business and his intention to invite the villagers to join the Mercenary Union. Not only that, he also explained the pros and cons of joining without hiding anything.

"The biggest disadvantage is that the Murim Alliance will try to antagonize us. I believe you understand that they don't want a new power to rise and threaten their authority."

"We know."

"That's good."

Leo smiled.

"The pros, however, are limitless. As a mercenary, we are given a chance to live our own lives. Freedom and good pay from a job is certain. Unlike the Murim Alliance, we don't care about honor or family ties. We are free to make our own choices and build our own team. Of course, there is a hierarchy, but everyone has their own roles and responsibilities."

Xing Yu remained silent as he listened to Leo's proposal.

"One thing that I promise to all Mercenary Union member is their own decision. If the mission is against their moral code or they find it dangerous, they have the right to refuse. No one is forced to do anything."

"I see." Xing Yu nodded. "You seem like a good person, but I don't think we can trust you fully yet." He said.

"Of course. You can't. Not yet."

"But, I believe there is a benefit for both sides in this." The village chief smiled softly, "And I think most villagers here will like your offer. But, we need to talk about it and take a vote."

"Take your time."

"Then, please meet me again." Xing Yu said, "I will notify everyone and gather the village for a vote. In the meantime, you can stay in one of the log houses here. We have plenty of empty ones. Wang Zhou will show you where it is."

"Please follow me."

"Thank you for your hospitality."

Both of them stood up with that. Leo nodded at the village chief and left the room with Wang Zhou.