The Lich of Glory Knight Spirit: Moving towards Krimasha!

When both sides finally saw each other clearly, they simultaneously let out a sigh of relief.

Standing in front of Andrew were the five members of the White Vulture Mercenary Group, half-hidden behind the trees. Yes, it was them—the same five. At some point, they'd ended up behind Andrew and Christina without either of them realizing it. Andrew must have been so deep in thought that he hadn't noticed.

Judging from their expressions, they had also been quite startled by Andrew and Christina. The Elf Archer's arrow was already nocked on her bow.

Wiping the sweat off his forehead, Kevin stepped out from behind the tree and managed an awkward smile. "What a coincidence. You guys came early, too?"

Before Andrew could think of a reply that wouldn't make him lose face, Christina had already jumped in: "Yes, we arrived long ago. In fact, we've decided to drop the mission."

"Drop the mission? That's... fantastic." Kevin froze for a moment, then quickly corrected himself with a chuckle. "Oh no, I mean... why would you drop the mission?"

"Because Mr. Duru isn't feeling well," Christina said helplessly.

"Ha." Off to the side, the dwarf known as Giant Hammer Hansen suddenly laughed. "This might just be the best news I've heard in a while."

"If they're dropping out, and we're about to leave soon, doesn't that mean the special 5,000-gold-coin reward is guaranteed to be ours? After all, there's no time to find another mercenary group to replace them." The Elf Mage Brian asked.

"Exactly, that's what it means! Hahaha! I hadn't even thought of that!" The dwarf burst into even louder laughter.

Soon, the Elf Archer Carol, the Thief Tina, and the others all joined in the laughter.

Even Kevin couldn't fully hide his excitement as a wide grin crept onto his face. "It's such a shame, though. Missions with a bounty this high are rare. After this, we'll finally be able to rank up to a Level-Six Mercenary Group."

The dwarf teased gleefully, "Christina, you really haven't changed a bit! The moment this Elf Mage guy feels under the weather, you can't complete the mission? Makes me wonder—who's the dragon here? Him or you?"

"Who knows?" The thief Tina shrugged with a sly grin. "Maybe if the group leader were sick, they wouldn't quit. But if a team member falls ill...? Well, they have no choice but to bow out. After all, there's no one left to do the work. Hahaha. Christina, really—next time you meet another 'Mr. Duru' who can handle all the work alone, please introduce him to me. I'd like to form my own mercenary group and see what it's like to be a leader."

The barrage of mockery left Christina's face burning red, her head hanging lower and lower.

Andrew, leaning against a tree trunk nearby, suddenly froze, his eyes opening slightly wider as if a realization had struck him.

Turning her head, Christina glanced over at Andrew and murmured softly, "I'm sorry... it's all my fault."

Before the laughter could even fade, Andrew had already grabbed Christina's arm and was dragging her toward the mansion.

"Where are you going?" Kevin quickly called out.

"To complete the mission. We've changed our minds. I'm just sick—it doesn't matter. Our group leader can complete the mission all by herself. Not only will the 5,000 gold coins have nothing to do with you, but the 2,000 gold coins won't either. You might as well go to the adventurer guild tomorrow morning and reclaim your deposit."

With that, Andrew stormed off with Christina in tow, leaving the five of them standing there in utter disbelief.

"What did he mean by 'the 2,000 gold coins have nothing to do with us'?" The Elf Mage whispered.

...

"You're going to take on the mission alone?" asked Mr. Paber, a broad-shouldered man with graying hair, dressed in plain black attire. His little mustache twitched as he stared in confusion.

The fire crackled in the hearth.

In the modestly furnished living room, "Mr. Paber" sat quietly on the sofa. "Mrs. Paber" sat across the room with their children, their guards standing watch nearby.

As for the two mercenary groups, they were seated on either side of "Mr. Paber."

"Yes," Andrew answered softly. "This mission can be completed by just the Blood Elf and Dragon Mercenary Group. There's no need for an additional group to join. You don't have to waste 2,000 gold coins unnecessarily."

"Mr. Paber," Kevin interjected hastily. "Just now, this Mr. Duru mentioned he wasn't feeling well. If you agree to their request, then it won't actually be the Blood Elf and Dragon Mercenary Group completing the mission—it'll just be their leader, Miss Christina, handling it on her own."

"Miss Christina?" "Mr. Paber" turned his gaze to Christina, scrutinizing her as he spoke softly. "They told me that you're a green dragon. To be honest, I find it hard to believe that such a sum of gold coins could entice a dragon. But that's what the adventurer hall told me. Is it true?"

Christina gave a small nod.

Both "Mr. Paber" and "Mrs. Paber" appeared visibly astonished.

Andrew's lips curled into a faint smile.

Kevin grew anxious and quickly said, "Mr. Paber, even though she is a dragon, you might not know her track record with missions. I can assure you—it's quite terrible. If you send someone to ask around the city for other mercenaries, they'll confirm that everything I'm saying is true. So, please think carefully. Being a dragon doesn't automatically mean success; what matters is completing the mission, isn't that right?"

Hearing this, "Mr. Paber" suddenly looked puzzled, his gaze shifting back and forth between Christina and Kevin.

"I... I don't quite understand. Are you saying the adventurer hall sent me a mercenary group with a poor reputation for my mission?"