Mercenary Harem in Murim Novel

When he stepped outside, a surprising sight made him stop. Wang Zhou, who was supposed to be his guide, was also dumbfounded.

What they saw was something that didn't really belong here.

The villagers that went on their way before were now gathered in front of the chief's house, their eyes focused on a single figure.

It was Astrid.

She was kneeling, her hands cupping in front of her face, and she was smiling.

From what Leo had seen, she apparently shared some stories with the villagers. The old men from the terrace and the young man plowing the field were all listening with interest.

"I can't believe this."

Wang Zhou was shocked.

He didn't expect the young girl to actually start a conversation with the villagers and even make them listen.

These people seldom interacted with each other, much less with outsiders. So, when he saw the villagers actually gathered in one place and started talking, he was flabbergasted.

'What sort of magic did this girl use?'

Meanwhile, Leo smiled softly when he saw Astrid getting surrounded by kind grandpas offering her some food and fruits. She looked flustered but didn't refuse them.

'She's better than I expected. While she was arrogant before, her social skill was top-notch among high class ladies. Combined with Jessica teaching, that talent blooms naturally without her even noticing it.'

Since she joined Hallowed Insect, he knew that she was a quick learner. She was smart and knew a lot about Murim and their customs. Not only that, she had good manners as well as a cute demeanor that made people want to spoil her.

The fact was further proven by Anya. It was rare for the assassin to get closer to someone. After all, her personality was prickly and cold but pretty

Now, he could see her talents in full swing.

'This girl can become something special in Hallowed Insect. She has a great talent for reading people. Not only that, she is smart and can use her knowledge to solve problems. Maybe, she can become our next secretary or an in-charge to negotiate with clients.'

While Leo was deep in thought, Astrid had finished her story and was now looking at him. She noticed his smile and knew that he was pleased by her performance.

'Hmph, I didn't do anything much. It's just a bit of conversation.'

But, deep down, she was happy.

"Leader, have you finished your discussion?" She asked, cupping her hands.

"We have. We will discuss the proposal again later. For now, Wang Zhao will show us our lodging." Leo answered.

"I see."

She then looked at Wang Zhou and smiled.

"Thank you very much for your kindness. We will be in your care."

"N-No problem. Follow me."

The man nodded, still surprised by what he saw earlier.

As they walked toward their lodging, the villagers offered to invite them to their house. Of course, Leo refused them kindly, as he couldn't let Astrid be together with strangers.

"My apologies, but as her guardian I can't allow her to be together with... people we don't know well without supervision."

Still, that didn't stop them. The old men understood what he said and offered something else.

"Young Lady, feel free to stop by my house later. I have some nice honey for you to take to your lodging and eat with your guardian."

"I have nice rice. Feel free to stop by if you are hungry."

"Hehehe, I just slaughtered a chicken this morning and grilled it. If you want some bites, just tell me. Don't forget, I also have vegetables and some fruits."

"Yes, thank you. I will visit soon!"

As Leo and Astrid were escorted, they received invitations from all around the village. It seemed like they had caught the attention of everyone here.

"Leader, look. There is a lot of food being offered." She showed him the bag full of honey, meat, rice, and vegetables. "They really love their guests."

"Yeah, that's true." Leo smiled, "This village is a bit different than I expected."

"Yes. That's what I thought too."

Wang Zhou, who walked before them, smiled wryly.

They were taken into a wooden log house. The house was small and only had a simple interior with a desk, a chair, and fireplace. There was also a small kitchen and bed for them to rest, but the others were pretty much nonexistent. However, the house felt cozy and welcoming.

"I'll bring some dinner later if the discussion is over. And please, make yourselves at home. I'll go and gather the villagers for the discussion."

"Thank you, Wang Zhou."

Leo nodded, and the man left.

As they had time, Leo made himself felt at home and sat on the couch without hesitation. Then, he opened his notebook to read the report sent by Chiaki regarding the result of her Qi research.

While he felt comfortable, Astrid was slightly confused.

"Um, Leader. What should I do right now?"

She asked.

He stopped his hand from moving and raised his head, looking at her with a slight confusion.

"Huh? Just relax and rest for a bit. No need to do anything. You can even read books or train your martial arts outside if you want. It's not like we're busy or anything."

"Oh, okay. I will just train then." She muttered, "But, it's weird."

"What is?"

"They have been so nice to us. I don't understand why they are outside."

Astrid explained her conversation with the villagers. The villagers were warm and kind, almost treating her like a princess. None of them looked like a criminal that should be casted aside from society.

"Someone like my... Peng Clan's patriarch fits the word villain or should be cast aside instead of them."

Hearing her opinion, Leo couldn't help but smile. He closed all the hologram screens in front of him and decided to give the honest but naive and sheltered new member a lesson.

"What do you think about society, Astrid? What made it functioning and who made the rules? Have you ever thought of that instead of just blindly following the norms that other people made even before you were born?"

"Huh?"

Astrid looked at him, confused.

She had never thought about it.

All her life, she had been raised to obey the clan and follow their rules. She never questioned it and never wondered what sort of people were in charge of making those rules.

Society worked like that as well. Everything followed sets of rules and norms, and everyone had their role to fulfill.

However, Leo's words made her curious.

"What are you trying to say, Leader?"

"What I'm trying to say is that the world is not black and white. Nothing is determined right from the start. And unexpectedly, society hates something different from the norms created by those in power."

"Society hates something different from the norm..."

"That's correct."

If Leo did nothing, he and the members of Hallowed Insects would receive hate as they grew more famous. Their group was 'different' from a normal Sect or warrior school.

From what he and Jessica discussed before, there was no doubt Murim Alliance would brand his group as either unorthodox or Demonic Sect and tried to destroy them.

"Society is not just one side or the other. Everyone has their own view and perception. And, sometimes, the truth is hidden from the public and replaced with lies and propaganda." He opened a few hologram images and showed them to Astrid.

Since she joined the mercenary band, she was also given smart lenses so she could see them.

These images showed various things.

One was an image of a beautiful woman wearing a white coat. She had a kind smile and gentle look. However, the image beside her showed the said woman created a rule that made slum residents suffer while she was hailed as a Goddess because it benefited the 'majority' that lived in that city.

It perfectly showed how society never worked for 'everyone' and, instead, it was created by someone for the majority that followed them.

"People who can't get used to these norms are exiled, branded as heretic or demonic, and become outcasts. I guess that's why they named this village as 'outcast village' instead of 'hidden martial artists village'."

Just as he finished, Leo sensed a presence in front of the door. From the quick scan, he noticed that it was the village chief, so he decided to bring him up in the conversation.

"Isn't that correct, Village Chief?"

Astrid looked at the direction that Leo was facing. She didn't sense anyone, so she wondered what the leader was talking about.

The door opened and revealed the person who stood behind it.

It was the village chief, and he didn't seem surprised. A soft smile formed on the old man's wrinkly face. He seemed to be amused by the young leader's perception.

"That's true." He replied, nodding. "For someone as young as an unripe fruit, you have a sharp eye. Your perception and intelligence are above average. Even though you have only seen a bit of the world, you can already see the hidden truth behind the facade."

"Please, I might be young but I saw plenty of things. Enough that I get sick of the hypocrisy that everyone showed. That's why I decided to form a mercenary group myself as I don't want to follow the norms everyone set before. If I am strong enough, they won't be able to say or do anything to us."

"And, you're doing a great job." Xing Yu nodded in appreciation. "But, now that we have that cleared up, how about we move on and discuss the proposal? Everyone unexpectedly had arrived at the same decision. Is this also a part of your wisdom, I wonder?"

The old man glanced at Astrid and chuckled.

"Well, you have a sharp eye." Leo praised him, "Yes, let's move on to the proposal. What are your thoughts, Village Chief?"

"After discussing it with the villagers, we have decided to join the Mercenary Group."

Upon hearing the chief's answer, Astrid's face brightened. However, it wasn't that easy.

"From the way you talked, it seems there is a condition that the villagers requested from us."

Leo's guess was spot on.

"Yes, indeed." The village chief nodded, smiling meaningfully. "The villagers want the Young Lady to be the leader of this new group, or whatever you call it."

"Me?!"

"Deal. I will assign her as the leader of the Outcast Village group."

"Wait, Leader!"

"Hahaha, then I guess we will be under your care in the future."

"Listen to me!"

Both men laughed while ignoring Astrid who protested on the side.

She didn't understand what was going on. She had been listening to the two's conversation and couldn't find anything wrong or offensive. It just didn't make any sense at all!

Yet, they still ignored her and made the deal.

'What happened?!' She screamed in her mind.