Amber Sword
Chapter 146: Act 7 Leader 3

Chapter 146: Act 7 Leader 3

The mercenary looked at the master and servant, his first reaction was feeling tricked, and couldn’t help but feel a surge of shame and anger. At this moment, Mano also noticed his companion’s plight and quickly rode up to catch up with the others.

"Young man, how long do we have to protect these people?" Mano asked straightforwardly upon arrival.

Brand turned his horse and rode alongside Frey. He glanced at the refugees and replied, "We’ll ensure their safety by escorting them through the Sharp Stone River Valley to the other side."

"With so many people, we can’t shake off Madara’s army chasing us." Mano shook his head.

"You can’t, but I can."

Mano was taken aback. "How will you do that?" he couldn’t help but ask.

Brand unsheathed his Elf Sword with a "zing" and pointed it towards the high ground: "The Skull Cavalry are Madara Army’s spies; they come from Madara’s core territories. Scatter them. It takes more than half an hour to walk to Silver Sparrow Mountain at refugee speed, and I need to ensure our flank isn’t threatened during this time—"

Mano was stunned; he didn’t expect his question to turn into an excuse for Brand to issue orders. He couldn’t help but glance at Frey, as his agreement was with Frey, not Brand.

"Brand?" Frey wanted to trust the young man, but felt his attitude was overly aggressive.

Brand sheathed his sword and replied, "You just want a safe way out, not to help me escort these people. So, it’s pointless to argue. You have an agreement with Frey, right? Explain it to me—convince me, and I’ll let each of you leave with a horse."

Mano became serious, realizing this "Noble Youth" was no simple person; he had completely controlled the conversation within a few sentences. As a former mercenary leader who had dealt with nobles, he’d never encountered such a sharp-witted individual.

"We’re mercenaries. If you can afford our fees, we’ll work for you. But ordinarily, we prioritize our survival first; there’s no shame in that," the older mercenary replied matter-of-factly.

"Indeed, but I must remind you, you think having horses will secure your escape. Madara has an Air Force. Have you seen Ghosts and bone vultures? They’re in the sky, and do you know how to evade the Undead Wizard’s surveillance?" Brand placed his hand on the sword hilt. He didn’t believe these mercenaries understood Madara’s true terror—they’d only faced a few skeleton zombies and thought they understood Madara? In that case, the Undead Wizards might as well bash their heads against the wall.

Reto and his daughter Su also rode up, and upon hearing Brand’s words, Reto frowned: "So, you have a way?"

"Not exactly, no one can guarantee perfection. But in the forest, my chances are much higher, so my priority is to shake off the Skull Cavalry; their presence slows the refugees down—"

Mano and Reto fell silent, instinctively feeling the young man’s words were true.

Brand suddenly loosened his reins, making the horse circle wide around to the high ground. He turned to the mercenaries and took out a Ruby from his pocket: "If you want to survive beyond mere luck, it’s best to follow me. My requirement is simple—listen to my command, protect Frey and lead the refugees safely to the other end of the valley. You’re mercenaries; this is your reward. Complete my assignment and there will be more in the future—"

He tossed the Ruby, which arced through the air and landed at Reto’s feet.

Frey pointed to herself, puzzled, and asked loudly: "Me? Brand, why me?" She looked at the refugees, baffled about why they suddenly had to be led by her when Brand was the one who brought them out.

It wasn’t that she was unwilling, but with so many people, could she manage? Frey couldn’t help but feel uneasy; she had started as a mere Militia Captain, then had to lead over a dozen seasoned mercenaries, and now might end up leading hundreds, even potentially over a thousand people—this seemed beyond belief.

Brand smiled, having his own plans, but didn’t respond. Instead, he turned to Mano and Reto and waved, saying simply:

"Go, gather your men. I’ll wait here for your orders—at least you can choose how to die: being transformed into Undead by Madara upon running into their army, or like true mercenaries, fighting to protect the weak and carving a bloody path out."

He turned back; the Skull Cavalry appeared again under the moonlight, ten seconds earlier than before.

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