Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

After some awkwardness, Yang Ling finally understood what they were trying to achieve with the help of Elder Berger’s explanation. As he thought, news of Sword Emperor Elderweiss defeated in the Magical Beast Realm shook the Troops Association. They immediately canceled all plans to fight the Hunter Association.

After some chit chats during the wine and dine, both parties quickly commenced proper talks. A mischievous young lady by the name of Annie too joined the discussions. While she kept interrupting Elder Berger, thankfully, she didn’t call Yang Ling some “lecherous geezer”. She looked around and kept murmuring about how boring the talks were, and got increasingly frustrated at the negotiation.

“His Lordship, there are currently some overlapping or conflicting missions between the two associations. I suggest that we should both compromise on the missions to avoid overlapping.” Eler Beger paused, “We troops will take charge of missions beyond the forest perimeter, such as guarding the city and escorting the merchant teams. As for the Hunters, you may take on missions within the forest, such as hunting and exploring. What do you think?”

According to the Chief Elder, Elder Berger has made a considerable concession on behalf of the Troops Association. Hunting and exploration missions made up a significant percentage of all quests. To smaller troop teams, such missions are a could bring them quite the income.

On the one hand, we have the Troops Association, with several thousand years of history, their subsidiaries littered all over Tailun Continent. On the other hand, we have the Hunter Association, who has limitless potential but has not yet grown in power. The difference in their overall strength is massive.

The Managing Elders were astounded upon receiving Chief Elder’s instructions. They secretly heaved a sigh of relief that they did not carry out any operations that were overboard to the Magical Beast Realm and Hunter Association. Although they were unclear on why the Chief Elder would give that much, they were sure that he must have some great reason for doing that.

Ever since the Troops Association was established thousands of years ago, the Chief Elders has weathered through countless storms and tough times with the association. One could say that without the mysterious and powerful Chief Elder, there would be no Troops Association of today.

The Chief Elder’s authority cannot be questioned!

“Elder Berger, have you heard of ‘City Hunters’?” Yang Ling took a sip of Rum and smiled slightly.

Yang Ling was also surprised at the extent the Troops Association was willing to concede. He was prepared for the discussion to drag, but it turns out to be effortless. However, no one would say no to more money. He doesn’t mind probing a little bit more to see what other benefits he could get.

City Hunters?

Yang Ling’s words sparked the interest of not just Elder Berger but also Goode and others.

“His Lordship, what exactly are City Hunters? Are they fun?” Annie, the little lady, asked loudly before Elder Berger could speak.

Before she came to the Magical Beast Realm, she thought that the negotiations would be fun. However, the conversations were as bland as tasteless water, and so she quickly lost interest. Now that Yang Ling has brought up something she has never heard of City Hunters, she perked up at once.

“In my homeland, City Hunters are the lurkers of the dark. For rewards, they could slice the throats of devils and get rid of the evil-doers; for survival, they would also kidnap children or young, beautiful girls for rewards. Therefore, people also call them ‘Bounty Hunters.’ There is nothing they cannot do for money!” Seeing how cheeky Annie is, Yang Ling tried to scare her on purpose.

“I have heard of places where Ogres love to eat children’s brain plasma, but…” asked a slightly puzzled Annie. She hesitated, “but, why would they kidnap young, beautiful girls?”

Why would they kidnap young, beautiful girls?

Yang Ling looked at the puzzled Annie, then turned to her hot, curvy and well-endowed figure that matured all too soon. He shook his head, finally understanding why Elder Berger seemed to have a headache whenever he saw her.

“Hehe, they kidnap them to do whatever they need to do! You’ll know in a few years!” Yang Ling simply shook his head, but the Corpse Wizard King quickly answered as he smacked his lips. He adores young, innocent girls around 12 years old, but it may be due to his mental trauma, his words are often shocking.

“His Lordship, missions within the forest should be enough to expand the Hunter Association. This is the largest concession that we can give!” Upon hearing what City Hunters were, Elder Berger was fast to understand what Yang Ling was implying.

“Elder Berger, while there are many missions within the forest, they, unfortunately, pay too much lesser than missions within the city!”

“His Lordship, this is truly the limit that we can give!”

… …

After some haggling back and forth, both parties reached a preliminary agreement. The troops will be responsible for missions in human territories, such as guarding the city and escorting merchant teams. Hunters will take on quests in natural environments, such as hunting and exploring the forest, rivers, and seas.

Furthermore, both parties established a consensus on data sharing and mutual assistance. On the surface, data sharing and mutual aid seem to be fair. However, the Hunter Association, who is currently in its infancy, stands to gain more from the arrangement.

After they reached an agreement, Yang Ling accompanied Elder Berger in person to tour around the Wissen Castle, explaining the blueprint of which he plans to develop the Magical Beast Realm. As for others like Goode and Yuna, they stayed back to straighten out some detailed rules with the administrative staff of the Troops Association, avoiding the overlapping of missions. Missions that they cannot sort into clear-cut areas are labeled for data-sharing, where both Troops and Hunters are eligible to apply.

After getting a better idea of the development plan of Magical Beast Realm, Elder Berger proposed to build a Troops Association Division. Yang Ling contemplated for some time but did not refuse him. They began to discuss further plans for collaboration.

As they were fully absorbed in their meeting, neither Yang Ling nor Elder Berger noticed that the Corpse Wizard King and Annie had gone missing, after the pair quickly got close.

“Eh? Where is Miss Annie?” After an extensive tour of the Wissen Tour and admiring the tens of thousands of night nights atop the tall tower, Elder Berger finally realized that the young lady has gone missing.

“Elder, Miss Annie said that she’s going out with Master Roke. She promised to return before sunset!”

“Before sunset? Look at the time!”

… …

Elder Berger looked into the dark night as anxiousness overcame him. How could he answer the Chief Elder if something happened to Miss Annie? No one could shoulder the Chief Elder’s fury!

Yang Ling was also worried as Elder Berger paced around anxiously like a cat on hot bricks. He issued a hushed order to Orlando, instructing him to lead a team to the Magical Beast Plaza, bringing back the Corpse Wizard King and Annie.

While others may waste half a day trying to find the eccentric Corpse Wizard King, Yang Ling was different. So long as the Corpse Wizard King is within a 100 miles radius, Yang Ling could sense his rough position anytime. It’s just that the further apart they are, the murkier the location signal.

Although Elder Berger had not stated this explicitly, Yang Ling deduced from their long conversation that the girl should be closely related to the mysterious Chief Elder. Should anything happen to the young lady, it will cause immeasurable damage to the upcoming collaboration.

The young miss is unlikely to encounter any danger with the Corpse Wizard King by her side. However, the Corpse Wizard King was, in fact, the reason why Yang Ling was worried.

Due to his traumatizing experiences in the past, the Corpse Wizard King bears a deep hatred towards mature women and alluring young wives. Instead, he dotes on teenage girls. In theory, he should not harm a young girl like Annie. However, after the intertwining of love and hatred for over ten thousand years, the Corpse Wizard King is toeing the line of lunacy. No one can say for sure that he will not commit the unthinkable when left alone with Annie.

“Elder Berger, Miss Annie, she…she cleaned Wissen town of all bottles of 100-year-old Rum!” Just as Yang Ling and Elder Berger are about to head towards Wissen Town, a personal guard of Annie rushed up to them. In his hands, a tall stack of debt notes.

Did she clean out all bottles of 100-year-old Rum in Wissen Town?

A good flask of 100-year-old Rum costs at least a thousand over Purple Crystal Coins; ordinary folks could not afford a sip a month. Elder Berger felt his head throb as he skimmed the massive stack of debt notes. What is the playful young lady Annie up to this time?

“Wait, hold on. We are not in Capital Montson, and Miss Annie has just arrived in the Magical Beast Realm. How could she make all these pubs put the wine on her tab?” Elder Berger flipped through the notes. An idea suddenly hit him; he checked the signature, and sure enough, there was Lord Yang Ling’s name written at the bottom of every note.

Conning people while assuming Yang Ling’s name?

Elder Berger made a bitter smile as he shook his head. It was utterly embarrassing. Although he had not figured out how Annie managed to con the pubs in the name of Yang Ling, nothing is impossible for that bizarre mind of hers. It may be all fun and games for her, but he was the unlucky one who always had to clean up her mess afterward.

“Let’s go. We’ll see what this is all about.”

Elder Berger kept away the stack of debt notes and shook his head again. With Yang Ling, they made their way to the Magical Beast Plaza. Annie is too unruly; if he continued to let her be, who knows what will happen next! If anything more disgraceful happens, he can kiss goodbye to his dignity!

She just arrived in Wissen Town but has already conned in his name?

Tsk tsk, is she just a classic unwitting bimbo, or is she borrowing his name to throw her weight around?

Even though Elder Berger has quickly put away the debt notes in embarrassment, one glance was all Yang Ling needed to see his name. In the past, the Corpse Wizard King was the only one who dared use his name to cheat; from the looks of it, he might need to add one demoness to that list.