Mercenary Harem in Murim Novel

Leo turned his head and saw Jack waving at him from a distance. Following him was Astrid, who smiled shyly at him.

"Morning, Leader." She greeted him with a bow.

Even though she was used to Hallowed Insect's behavior, she still retained her elegance and politeness. So she always greeted someone by bowing instead of waving her hand like Jack.

"Morning." Leo greeted back and smiled, "Do you need something from me, Jack?"

"Yes." Jack nodded and turned serious as he whispered, "Actually, it's about that village. I have noticed that they are more than what the martial artist who attacked us from before explained."

"What do you mean?"

"They might not be simple retired martial artists. Maybe, they're a part of a larger force who got ostracized by the Murim Alliance for some reason."

"I see."

Leo had a good feeling about it. People who were ostracized usually didn't want to return to society because they felt betrayed. Rules that were meant to protect the innocent were twisted and used to control the people.

And the one who actually did that was Murim Alliance.

He didn't know the reason why the alliance did that to those martial artists, but it was perfect for him.

If they could recruit them, that would be a huge benefit for the Mercenary Union. And they might have become the first force in the Union that was loyal to him.

"Let's check it out." Leo decided, grinning widely from the news. "Astrid, you're coming with me. I am sure you know basic etiquette when dealing with old martial artists, no?"

"Me? Hmph! Of course I know. Who do you think I am? I can even teach you a thing or two. You'll need it if you want to join the big table."

Her confidence was admirable. However, she felt pretty happy inside.

'Yay! I can finally go out on a mission!' She screamed in her mind.

Leo was amused. He liked her attitude. A so-called typical tsundere.

At first, he thought their type was so annoying. But when he looked at Astrid, he changed his mind. They were unexpectedly cute in their own way.

"I see. Then, we'll set out tomorrow morning. Ask Anya about the stuff you have to prepare. And don't forget to bring some alcohol. These old guys will probably want a taste of that."

"Okay, I'll prepare everything!"

Astrid rushed back, her face was full of joy.

Leo and Jack looked at her with an amused expression.

"It's as if I have gotten a cheeky little sister." Jack chuckled. "I know why Anya like her now."

"She's pretty cute." Leo said, his eyes were soft and gentle.

"Yeah, Leader. She's adorable. But, let's not go overboard. I don't want her to lose that smile. Anya will be pretty sad if her Peng Peng changed."

"I understand."

The two of them watched the girl's small back as she disappeared behind the corner.

"Well, then. Let's go back and make some preparations. I will be counting on you to teach the new guys how to ambush their enemies. Break their martial artists mindset and make them real mercenaries."

"Heh, leave it to me. They don't call me Jack the Killer Teacher for nothing."

"No one calls you that." Leo laughed, "But, seriously. Do a good job. This is our first step in the right direction."

"Yes, sir."

The two of them separated, heading to their respective task.

***

"Slooowww doownn pleaasee!"

In the path leading to Shaanxi, a black bike sped past the mountain. On its back, Astrid was desperately clinging onto Leo's waist, screaming.

She was afraid.

The road was rough and rocky, and Leo was driving like a madman.

Even though she was given a protector, a long-sleeved jacket and leather pants on top of her reinforced clothes, she still didn't feel safe.

And it was her first time riding a bike, so her fear was justified.

"We're almost there. Just hold on a bit longer!"

"I don't wanna die! Leader, stop! Please, stop!"

"No can do. We have a mission to do. Stop being a scaredy-cat."

"Scaredy-cat? Me? Ha! As if." Astrid shouted, trying to hide her embarrassment. "B-But I would appreciate it if you slow down a bit. There are a lot of rocks and holes on the ground."

"Alright, alright. I'll slow down." He chuckled in amusement and slowed down the bike.

"Thank you."

Astrid sighed in relief and rested her head on Leo's back. Her grip loosened, but she was still holding on.

She was getting used to the speed.

"It's not that bad. I think it's fun." Leo muttered, his voice soft and gentle. "You should get used to this soon. Chiaki's experiment and research had gone leap and bounds after we secured the information from the Hao Sect and the new epigraph. The time for your surgery to get Nanites in your body is near."

"T-That's a different story. I am not afraid of that. But, I don't know about riding this thing."

"Then, you will learn. I will teach you how to drive a bike and how to ride a car. That's important skills for a mercenary."

"Uhh... Can't I just run? If my body is enhanced with Nanites and Qi, I will be able to run fast, right?"

"Unfortunately that's not how it works." Leo shook his head, "While we're going to enhance your body with Nanites, we can't exactly make you as strong as us right from the start. We need to install a basic one and have your body get used to it first. And then, you have to take control of them 100% first before we can move to the next one."

Enhancing one's body with Nanites took a lot of effort and time.

To install the Nanites, the individual had to undergo a surgery and the body had to adapt to the foreign object. After that, they had to train their minds and learn how to control them. It was similar to how martial artists learned to control their Qi.

However, the risks involving Nanites were higher because it was, after all, a foreign subject. A mistake could make their effort go to waste and have them restarted from 0.

"Besides, Nanites and Qi are expendable. They are limited by nature, so you can't use them just to run. Also, riding a bike is faster than running. You can save energy and get to your destination faster. Isn't that the best?"

"I understand." Astrid mumbled. "I have read a lot about it, and Big Sis Jessica explained it in detail, so I am not ignorant. I was just afraid of this bike."

"Is that so? Then, I am going to have you get used to it."

"W-Wait, Leade- Noo!"

Alongside the loud scream, the bike's engine roared louder as it flew through the wasteland. Their journey lasted for roughly a day before they arrived at the forest that hid the hidden village.

Unlike before, Leo couldn't see a rising black smoke in the distance, but he still remembered the place.

He stopped his bike and dismounted. Astrid, on the other hand, stumbled and fell to the ground. She glared at him with teary eyes, but Leo only shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

"Come on, wipe that face away and follow me. The ones we will meet are grumpy old people. Give them a smile instead of a frown to show our friendly intention. Don't forget, we're here to recruit them."

"Uhh... Please wait a minute. I am going to... throw up."

"Sure."

Leo nodded and left the girl alone. She went behind a tree and began to vomit.