After the conflict eased, the Huozui trio took Chen Xing and A Qiaomu to the high tower in the middle of the city.
Halfway through, they met a group of black skeletons, led by the young man who called himself "Yang Ku" just outside the stone house.
"Huozui, are you trying to fool the newcomers again?" Yang Ku looked at Chen Xing and A Qiaomu and said in a sinister tone.
Huozui suddenly showed an angry look on his face and cursed: "If you talk nonsense again, be careful and I will tear your mouth apart!"
Perhaps knowing Huozui's fiery temper, Yang Kupi curled his lips without a smile and left with the others.
"Brother Chen, don't listen to his nonsense. He is just a villain. Our Leihuo Group has always been real." Perhaps because he was afraid that Chen Xing would misunderstand, Huozui explained after Yang Ku left.
"Yeah, the Black Skull gang is not trustworthy." "Not only are they not trustworthy, they are downright bad." The two companions next to him also joined in.
"Needless to say..." Chen Xing waved his hand and said simply, "I believe you!"
"Hahaha!" Huozui laughed loudly, then looked puzzled and asked, "Has Brother Chen known us before?"
This sentence seems casual, but it contains another layer of profound meaning. Although Huo Zui looks carefree, he is actually a very careful person. Mercenaries walking on the edge of life and death never believe that there is trust without reason in the world. There may be cannonballs wrapped in honey, there may be sharp knives hidden behind the smile, and any friendliness without reason may be dangerous.
Regarding Huo Zui's doubts, Chen Xing had already thought of an explanation. His expression remained normal and he said, "Actually, several groups of people have come to us before you."
"But they just said that they were looking for a black puzzle piece, and did not tell us that it was the key to the tower. But you did not hide the truth and told us directly."
"Also, they only proposed an acquisition and never thought of taking us in."
"So..." Chen Xing spread his hands, "You are obviously more trustworthy than them."
"So that's it, hahaha!" Huozui patted his head and laughed, then put away his smile and became a little serious, "Brother Chen, it seems that I still treat you like a gentleman with a villain's heart. We're tired, but don't be surprised. We don't want to harm others, but we don't want to be harmed by others either. After all, the environment here..." He sighed, looking a little helpless, "It's too complicated..."
"It's understandable," Chen Xing said.
"Thank you then." Huozui said, cupping his fists. At this time, A Qiaomu also looked over, and their eyes met with distrust. Huo Zui said nothing, immediately straightened his face, turned around and continued to lead the way.
After a while, Aqiaomu deliberately lagged a few steps behind, tugged on Chen Xing's clothes, and whispered in his ear, "I always feel that you have many secrets."
Chen Xing glanced at her sideways, "Have you ever heard of the story about curiosity killing the cat?"
"Don't mistake the desert leopard for a cat, you will regret it." A Qiaomu said.
"We are allies now." Chen Xing reminded.
"Yes, I am reminding you that you have a very reliable ally." Aqiaomu said.
Chen Xing glanced at her again and praised, "Good eloquence."
"Thank you." A Qiaomu nodded in greeting.
"You're welcome." Chen Xing said expressionlessly.
"But I still feel..." Aqiaomu insisted, "You have many secrets."
"Whatever you think..." Chen Xing shrugged, and then his voice became deeper, "But I suggest you not to have any evil intentions, otherwise you will pay a very heavy price."
"The world of our sand people is very simple. We are not as calculating as you yellow monkeys." A Qiaomu said.
"I hope that's the case." Chen Xing said.
The two chatted without a word. After about an hour and a half, Huozui led them through a large stone house, a windmill, a stable market, and arrived at the square in front of the tower.
Looking up, the spire towers into the clouds, glowing with bright green light.
The tower is conical in shape, with a small top and a large bottom. It is divided into nine floors. There is a circle of stone columns around the periphery of each floor. The architectural style is a bit like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. There were arched windows in the tower, but it was so dark inside that nothing could be seen.
The entire tower exudes a faint golden light, as if covered with a layer of golden sand.
Looking down, the square in front of the tower was filled with tents. There is a cross-shaped passage in the middle, which is obviously divided into four parts. The flags of different war groups are planted in the camp.
The one with a black skull and a sword should belong to the Black Skull, the one with the long knife piercing the peach heart should belong to Jirodan, and the one with the head of an ape with its bloody mouth open should belong to the giant ape group.
The flag of Leihuo's regiment is the simplest, with two large white characters - Leihuo!
The font is vigorous and full, and the strokes are sharp and majestic.
Except for the difference in the word "light", everything else is exactly the same as the one in the previous life. It should be written by the same person.
Walking into the Thunder Fire Regiment's camp, tents of various sizes stretched for hundreds of meters, and there were at least two hundred people there. It was estimated that this was just for those who came in to explore. There were also temporary camps outside, as well as those guarding the base camp.
According to the practice of the mercenary industry, small-scale mercenary groups are called "gangs", medium-sized mercenary groups are called "war groups", and large-scale mercenary groups are called "legions".
The number of the battle group is usually around 500 to 2,000, with independent reconnaissance teams, commandos, mecha units, logistics teams, etc. However, the war group in Blackstone Continent definitely does not have mechas because they cannot be purchased.
The mercenaries in the camp were in groups, squatting together to smoke and chat, or play poker and gamble for money.
Chen Xing noticed that the betting numbers next to the poker cards were all copper coins. The Lei Guang Tuan in the previous life had an unwritten rule. Fellows were allowed to gamble, but only small bets, not big bets. Because Tie Nuo believes that betting too much will affect the brotherhood.
When the members of the Thunder Fire Group in the camp saw Huozui, they just nodded and did not stand up. This is also the custom of the Thunder Light Regiment. Unless you are on duty, you do not need to stand up and salute when you see a superior, because everyone is equal.
"Hey, Boss Huozui, last time you said you would give me more money, why hasn't it changed this month?"
When they reached the middle of the camp, a thin mercenary, fifteen or sixteen years old, blocked Huozui's way.
"Go away. I didn't fine you for deserting on patrol last time, so I had the nerve to ask for more money." Huozui opened his big hand and pushed the other person away, scolding him as he walked.
"But I didn't make any mistakes this month." The little mercenary caught up and said.
"Then we will add more next month." Huo Zui said.
"But, but..." the little mercenary looked a little embarrassed, "Xiaoying's birthday is at the end of the month, and I want to give her a strengthening potion."
Huozui stopped and his face became a little gloomy. Perhaps feeling guilty, the little mercenary shrank back.
"Why are you still stubborn?" Huozui frowned, looking like he hated iron. "You went to steal things for her, but you were caught and exiled here. But what happened in the end?"
"In the end, for the sake of her own reputation, she didn't even come to see you off and pretended not to know you. What's there to miss about such a woman!" Huozui almost yelled.
"Xiaoying, Xiaoying is in trouble too..." the little mercenary blushed and argued. He was seen clenching his fists, his body trembling with excitement, as if his long-held beliefs had been denied.
"Alas..." Seeing the persistence of the little mercenary, Huozui sighed, waved and said, "Okay, go tell the accountant and I agree to give you a salary increase."
The little mercenary immediately beamed, "Thank you, boss!"
"Thank you, you useless guy, he will die in the hands of a woman sooner or later." Huo Zu cursed.
"Boss, haven't you heard that 'if you die under peonies, you will be a ghost even if you die'?" the young mercenary asked with a playful smile.
"Get out of here!" Huo Zui frowned, eyes widened, looking fierce.
"Boss, I'm leaving first." The little mercenary ran away with a smile.
Looking at the thin figure gradually going away, Huozui sighed, "Poor little guy..."
"Yes, I was so deceived that I didn't even know it." "I don't know which rich young master I am in the bed at this moment, alas..." the two companions discussed.
Neither Chen Xing nor Aqiaomu liked to gossip, so they remained silent and did not make any comments.
Chen Xing had heard of this "green tea bitch" thing many times on Earth before, and he wasn't surprised or sympathized with it. Anyway, one was willing to fight and the other was willing to suffer. It was consensual. There was nothing to say.
When he pursues a girl, as a man he will definitely pay a few times first, but if the other party does not respond adequately, he will turn around and leave. Even if he likes her no matter how much he likes her, he will treat her rationally. Stalking is boring, and lowering one's stature and being humble to cater to someone won't last long. It's better to give up early and look for the next target.
In his opinion, no one is "necessary" in the world. Women have their own beauty and good points. It is sad and pitiful to only appreciate one kind of beauty and hang them on a tree.
Usually this kind of person is also very narcissistic and feels that there is only one woman in the world who is worthy of him, so if he is abused, it is not unfair.
While thinking, Chen Xing followed Huo Zui to the command tent.
This command tent is five or six meters high, with two semicircles, a bit like a large vegetable shed. Huozui opened the curtain and let Chen Xing in.
In the middle of the tent is a rectangular sand table. A man wearing a short-sleeved military uniform has his back to the door, his hands folded, looking at the colorful flags on the sand table.
The back is tall and strong, and the shoulders are broad and thick, giving people a calm and steady feeling.
"Boss..." Huozui stepped forward and called in a low voice.
The man turned around slowly. Perhaps influenced by the memory of his previous life, Chen Xing's breathing stopped for a moment.
With a square face and handsome eyebrows, he was the man who grabbed his shoulders in the bar in Dragonstone Town and invited him to conquer the world together.
"This brother is Chen Xing, the leader of the master group." Huozui introduced.
"Nice to meet you." Tie Nuo stretched out his big hand and Chen Xing shook it.
Just as he remembered, Tienuo's palms were broad and strong, full of enthusiasm.
Looking over his thick shoulders, familiar faces appeared in front of him.
Bang Lei who is as strong as a buffalo, the tall and thin rat, the short and sturdy iron cannon, the gong with a rough voice, the round bear running...
He clearly remembered how each of them left. During the Battle of the Southern Highlands, Hong Lei took the lead, rushed to the high ground, and single-handedly opened a bloody path for the friendly troops. Facing hundreds of enemy troops, they were beaten into a sieve.
Tiepao and Tongluo are brothers, and Xiong Ben is their cousin. The three are called the trio. They died respectively in the seventh, eighth and eleventh years when Chen Xing joined the Leiguang Regiment.
Rat and Xiong Ben have a good relationship and like to do funny things to make everyone laugh. For example, he often makes jokes about big cats, saying that big cats are his natural enemies, and his feet tremble when he sees big cats. After Xiong Ben died, Rat was disheartened and left sadly.
Seeing his former comrades in arms, Chen Xing felt his blood surge, and he almost couldn't control his emotions, and his eyes were red.
It was a young blue blood who calmed him down.
He has a tall and straight body, delicate features, but his skin is a little sickly pale. Chen Xing didn't know the other person, he was probably Shen Guangming whom Huo Zui mentioned before.
When Chen Xing was observing Shen Guangming, Shen Guangming was also observing Chen Xing. His eyes are calm and his temperament is reserved.
There is often only a layer of glass between smart people and smart people, and they can identify the same kind at a glance.
In order to avoid arousing suspicion, Chen Xing quickly looked away.
