“They’ve all gone in.”

Agnes peered through the Mercenary Guild window at the guild across the street.

“They’re probably obediently taking missions.”

“Worried they might run?” Tina countered, hands clasped behind her back. Agnes let out a slow, heavy sigh.

“Roland and Thuke seem like that type. Though after meeting the Deity, they likely lack the nerve to act. Still… I suspect they’ll slack off.”

“…”

Sasha’s heart skipped a beat.

*She saw right through me. Miss Agnes is way too sharp.*

The young lady felt a flicker of unease.

“If they stop working, the Faithhunter Goggles trial plan fails.”

“How about joining them? We can keep an eye on them,” Agnes suggested.

*Crap…*

A cold sweat beaded on Sasha’s forehead. If Tina and Agnes tagged along, her carefully laid “slacking-and-side-questing” scheme would collapse! Worse—her Roland-side self had already accepted one C-rank and four D-rank missions. No backing out. If Agnes found out? Disaster.

*“Still chasing side cash at this point? Confident, huh? Then the Lionbite Shark hunt falls entirely on you, Wolf-rank mercenary… Mr. Roland.”*

Agnes would definitely say it like that—with a look of utter contempt, as if he were trash.

No. Not happening.

Gotta do something.

“U-um… How long will we stay in the forest?” Sasha quickly changed the subject before they decided.

Hearing little Sasha speak up, Tina and Agnes were ready to answer—but Xue Die spoke first.

“Once an A-rank mission is accepted, unless the bounty target is slain outright, you must investigate near its territory for at least two full days. Less than that? Heavy credibility point deductions and a temporary mission ban. After two days, you must submit new intel on the target. Fail that, and the next three B-rank+ missions lose twenty percent pay.”

“…”

Sasha already knew. (Skip those penalty missions? C and D-ranks get a permanent thirty percent pay cut.)

Such strict rules existed for two reasons: to stop reckless sign-ups, and to curb rogue mercenaries who’d hoard hundreds of missions, block others, then resell them for profit. After that scandal blew up, the Guild overhauled everything.

Rules are patched after mistakes.

The tighter the rule, the darker the history behind it—always traceable.

“Right, at least two days and nights. Little Sasha, worried? Forgot spare clothes?” Tina asked.

Agnes instantly perked up. “Oh no! Let’s buy little Sasha some cute underwear and outfits!”

*Hey, hey, hey—Miss Agnes, don’t breathe like an ogre when you say stuff like that!*

Sasha seriously suspected lolicons weren’t just in the boys’ camp… but the girls’ too. And not just one.

“No, it’s not that!” Sasha cut in hastily, then pleaded with wide, pitiful eyes. “It’s just… Mr. Thuke’s gaze on me feels… strange.”

“Strange?” Agnes cupped her chin slightly. “Now that you mention it… I’ve felt his eyes too.”

*Yeah, but yours are way weirder, Miss Agnes.* Sasha thought inwardly, then redirected all suspicion squarely at Thuke.

“I want to stay with Sister Tina, Sister Agnes, and Sister Xue Die! Mr. Thuke’s presence… feels scary.”

“Lolicon! He’s totally a lolicon!!” Agnes’s eyes darkened. She snatched out her phone. “Don’t worry, little Sasha. I’m calling the police right now.”

*No—doing that might land YOU in cuffs.* Sasha mentally groaned, then rushed to add: “But Miss Tina still has the Faithhunter Goggles plan! We can’t!”

“Then… we won’t meet Thuke’s group for now. Is that okay?” Tina clapped her hands.

*Yes! Exactly what I wanted!*

A chilling glint flashed in Tina’s eyes. “But after this ends? I’ll have a *very* serious chat with Thuke about how he sees little Sasha. If his answer disappoints me… I’ll arrange a personal tour of Uncle’s prison tower for him.”

“…”

Tiny Sasha stood utterly stunned. Helpless.

*Sorry, Thuke. For the mission… just grit your teeth and endure.*

…

At that exact moment, Thuke—ordering three beers from Miss Ning at the counter—shivered violently. Despite the summer heat.

…

Later, the group accepted the A-rank mission: bounty target *Lionbite Shark*.

Reward: 100,000 gold coins.

Tempting? Sure. But how many lives would it cost?

Heaven Rank High Martial couldn’t win. Grandmasters wouldn’t bother. A true dilemma. No wonder it’d hung untouched in Heiyang Association for half a year.

A while passed.

“They’re still not out,” Agnes murmured, watching the window.

“Slipped out the back?”

“No back door,” Xue Die replied, eyes glued to her game.

“They’re waiting for us to leave first.”

“Trying to slack off?” Agnes mused, then shook her head. “No… Maybe they just want us to go ahead.”

“Or grab a drink first?” Tina glanced at the tipsy mercenaries nearby and gave a wry smile. “Men do love their ale.”

“Sigh… Fine. Let’s go first,” Agnes stood.

“Only option left.”

Decision made, the four followed Agnes out of the guild—then turned *away* from Heiyang Association’s private teleport station.

“The station’s south…” Sasha whispered.

Agnes smiled. “Commoner channels are too slow. We’ll use the noble-exclusive route.”

“…”

*Whoa. SVIP treatment? Never even heard of it.*

Soon, they reached a grand estate.

Turns out Heiyang City housed a Yixin Clan branch. Tina’s arrival triggered a spectacle: hundreds of branch family members—young and old—streamed out to greet them. Truly overwhelming.