Chapter 18: Are You Happy, Friend?

After Annan broke free from the three mens’ besiegement, the first thing he did was to rush to the two mercenaries with rifles.

At this moment, the battle had just begun. The robber group was still hoping for a fluke of “maybe escaping,” so they were wary of Annan’s identity and did not dare to shoot him.

The two men armed with rifles wielded their swords, trying to force Annan to retreat. After all, it was too easy for a lead bullet to kill a person.

But, they did not pay attention to the battle on Annan’s side just now, so they didn’t realize the situation’s seriousness at all. They even dared to hold their sword with only one hand.

Annan did not hesitate. Utilizing the fastest speed and the greatest strength he could muster, he sent the two rifles flying to the sky and quickly beheaded them.

[Kill an unranked enemy in the battle. Obtain 21 points of Shared Experience]

[Kill an unranked enemy in the battle. Obtain 14 points of Shared Experience]

The process of Annan charging to the enemy till the experience prompts took less than 10 seconds.

What was left was just a massacre.

After Annan took care of the two mercenaries armed with rifles, the militias were no longer afraid, and their morale rose.

Only then did the mercenaries realize that something was wrong. They sent out a few veterans with the most sophisticated swordsmanship to attack Annan altogether. They did not dare to hold themselves off.

However, it was too late.

Annan was only afraid of those two rifles.

[Bodyguard Swordsmanship] was swordsmanship that had better performance in small-scale battles. It was effective at close combat.

Four mercenaries besieged Annan and managed to hold an equal ground temporarily. Before long, Annan darted forward, switched his sword to his left hand, and struck with his palm.

No matter where this palm struck on the opponent’s body, it revealed an opening to the opponent. A simple attack like this was enough to knock down or kill a person. After knocking down two enemies, Annan simply switched the sword back and forth between his left and right hands as he fended off the besiegement. Simultaneously, it forced the opponent to be more alert to his melee attack, making them vulnerable.

After a few exchanges of attacks, Annan knocked all of them down.

Then, Annan breathed a sigh of relief.

When he turned his head, he found that the militia group had also killed two enemies. This gave Annan a sense of urgency in his heart.

Don’t steal my kills!

Annan issued an order immediately.

The immature and majestic voice sounded, “Prioritize taking over the enemies I have defeated! Capture them all!

“Take away their horses. Don’t let them flee!”

After receiving Annan’s order, the militia group quickly reacted after being at a loss at first.

Their first reaction was to send someone to pick up the two rifles.

After seeing the militias understand his tactical intentions, Annan nodded in satisfaction.

He didn’t hesitate any more and charged forward.

Clang!

After a sharp collision, the long sword in the young mercenary’s hand was swung away. He also leaned forward out of balance.

Annan broke the opponent’s balance in just one exchange of attacks. Then, he pierced the opponent’s chest with his sword.

It appeared as though the opponent was feeding kills [1].

Annan had knocked every remaining mercenary to the ground. It all happened swiftly in a few exchanges of attacks.

Anna would leave immediately as long as the opponent was beheaded or temporarily loses the ability to fight. He would let the militias take over. Then, he immediately faced the remaining enemies.

Soon, only the last young mercenary remained alive.

Annan fought him while asking casually, “Do you know the details of what Joel said previously?”

“I don’t know. I know nothing…”

The mercenary was sweating profusely. He replied tremblingly as he stepped back, “They just dragged me along in this.”

Before the opponent had finished answering, Annan stepped forward, swung his sword horizontally, and launched the opponent’s weapon away.

Then, he pierced the young mercenary’s abdomen with one blow.

“What a pity.”

Annan sighed, “Isn’t it much better for you to confess?”

With that, he drew back the short sword that pierced the young mercenary’s abdomen. The opponent’s body also leaned forward weakly and knelt to Annan.

As the mercenary knelt to the ground, Annan pierced his eye sockets with a sharp sword.

A prompt quickly appeared in front of Annan’s eyes:

[Killed an unranked enemy in the battle. Obtained 7 points for Shared Experience]

The battle was over.

Annan exhaled with satisfaction, showing a happy and bright smile. He then slowly drew out the short sword.

He killed many people in the dungeon instance previously, but he didn’t get any experience. It misled Annan, thinking that he could only get the Shared Experience when he cleared a dungeon instance.

It turns out that farming monsters outside the dungeon instance provide experience. I should have been told earlier.

Annan held the short sword that reflected crimson light and approached the survivors with a smile.

Including Lyon, suffering from Annan’s frostbite, there were only five captives left.

Seeing Annan getting closer and closer to them, these mercenaries and militias instantly became quiet. They watched Annan with fear and awe.

“Speak out, my friends.”

Ignoring the militias, Annan spoke softly to them, “Who can tell me the Roseburg Viscount’s secrets?”

The mercenaries just trembled and said nothing.

So, Annan threw a bitter smile.

He approached the front-most mercenary, laid the sword flat on his shoulder, and asked gently as if he was giving recognition to a knight, “Friend, do you know something?”

“I…I don’t quite…”

The man just stared at Annan blankly.

After their gazes met, Annan quickly became convinced that the captive knew nothing.

He didn’t hesitate any more and took the opponent’s head with a sword attack.

The warm blood sprinkled directly on the mercenary next to him. That person’s pupils instantly expanded to the limit.

“Don’t act like this. You are here to plunder my people. Why do you make it look like I am the villain?”

Annan complained softly. Then, he put on a professional smile and asked the second person, “Then, do you know anything, friend?”

“I…”

There was a short silence spanned for 3 seconds.

Then, another head fell to the ground.

As Annan asked one by one, he was regretful to discover that someone knew some clues.

Lyon, suffering Annan’s frostbite, shivered and shouted, “I know! Alvin Barber sent me here. I know everything!”

He had already urinated his pants, shivering, not even speaking cohesively. He didn’t even have any hopes to survive, but only intense despair in his eyes.

But Annan stopped.

His murderous aura, as cold as the harsh winter breeze, suddenly disappeared. It was like snow melted under the radiant sun, disappearing without a trace.

Annan’s smile was still gentle.

He just patted Lyon on the shoulder and whispered, “You should call him Viscount Barber. You’re quite rude.”

“Yes, yes…”

“Don’t be a robber any more. You will die.”

“Yes…”

Lyon shivered, especially after Annan’s hand patted his shoulder.

But, Annan didn’t plan to kill him.

Since you are willing to provide me clues, you are a good NPC, and we are allies.

Only allies can survive.

But as for the price to have the atrocity to rob me, to deceive me and threaten me…

“Someone bring me his right thumb.”

Annan raised his voice. He ordered coldly, albeit not showing any emotional fluctuation, “Then, heal his injury, give him a bath to change his clothes, and bring him to see me again.”

Seeing that no one else left to kill, Annan rechecked his panel and smiled in satisfaction.

This mercenary group provided different experiences due to their varying strength. He would obtain meager experience to kill his enemy after the battle was over. However, they contributed 3 experience points to him at the very least.

His Shared Experience had returned to 84 points again.

When he came out of the first dungeon instance, the Shared Experience was only 76 points.

These experiences should be enough to push the Wizard Apprentice to Level 10, right?

He turned off the panel and smiled gently at Lyon, “You get to live, my friend.

“Now, are you happy?”

“Ha… happy…”

Lyon shivered, not knowing how to respond. He could only force a smile and replied, shivering.

He was afraid that Annan would torture him again.

But, seeing his reply like this, Annan nodded in satisfaction, “Good to be happy.”

Then, Anna left and walked towards the city as the militias awed silently.

Am I still alive?

Seeing Annan’s young figure moving further and further away, Lyon felt relieved before he collapsed and fainted.

[1] More of a game terminology; to describe someone intentionally surrendering themselves to the opponent.