Reborn with Infinite System Points, I Can Directly Change Item's Value-Chapter 47 --Annihilating the Mercenary Legion, Settling the Quest Rewards
"So noble a dragon and phoenix race... why would they appear in this border city?"
The Mercenary Commander’s face had turned deathly pale.
All the arrogance he had shown just moments ago was gone without a trace.
He watched his men scream and scatter beneath the assault of blazing fire and freezing frost. Fear gripped his heart.
At that moment, only one thought remained in his mind:
Run!
He no longer cared about regrouping his forces.
Spurring his horse around, the Mercenary Commander prepared to flee at once.
However—
In the very next instant, the warhorse beneath him let out a pitiful cry and collapsed to the ground with a crash.
The Mercenary Commander scrambled to his feet and looked up, only to see a figure standing beside the horse’s corpse, gazing at him coldly.
"You!"
The Mercenary Commander’s lips trembled.
The newcomer was none other than John—the very man he had mocked earlier.
John pulled his dagger from the dead horse’s body.
Then, step by step, he walked toward the Mercenary Commander.
The commander staggered backward uncontrollably, looking utterly terrified.
"Don’t move."
With a single sentence from John, he froze on the spot.
John stared at him. "Answer me. Who exactly hired your men to attack Snelow City this time?"
The Mercenary Commander opened his mouth. "Th-this... in our line of work, we can’t just reveal the employer’s identity, so—"
Before he could finish—
Roar!
The Crimsonflame Dragon circling overhead received John’s command and dove down at once.
Its terrifying dragon breath swept past the Mercenary Commander by a hair’s breadth.
The scorching heat alone made his scalp go numb and cold sweat pour down his back.
Watching the Crimsonflame Dragon soar away again, the Mercenary Commander finally broke completely.
A foul-smelling puddle spread beneath him.
John let out a cold laugh. "If you refuse to speak, then you can burn to ash with the rest of your men."
How could the Mercenary Commander dare keep anything hidden now? He hurriedly blurted out, "I’ll talk! My lord, please spare my life!
"The one who hired me this time was the lord of Krell City in the Ruvan Kingdom!
"He promised me half the treasure once the job was done.
"I was blinded by greed, so I—"
Slash!
[-71000!]
Before he could finish speaking, a thin line of blood appeared across the Mercenary Commander’s neck.
His head rolled from his shoulders.
John had beheaded him on the spot.
[You have slain Boss "Mercenary Commander Lv.45," EXP +100,000, gold coins +5,000!]
[You have plundered the special item "Pillage Order," gold coins +500,000!]
John sheathed his dagger and gave an order to the Crimsonflame Dragon and Frost Phoenix circling overhead.
"Leave no mercenary alive."
The two colossal beasts received the command and immediately plunged downward.
A slaughter began.
[Your pet "Crimsonflame Dragon" has slain Mercenary Vice Commander Lv.40, shared EXP +20,000, gold coins +1,000!]
[You have plundered B-rank talent "Slash Enhancement," gold coins +100,000!]
[Your pet "Frost Phoenix" has slain Elite Mercenary Lv.30, shared EXP +10,000, gold coins +500!]
[You have plundered B-rank talent "Slash Enhancement," gold coins +50,000!]
...
As the two giant beasts continued their massacre, the EXP they gained from their kills was shared with John as well.
Even better, their kills could still trigger his Plunder talent.
It meant John could simply sit back and do nothing while EXP and gold coins poured in.
No one knew how long the slaughter lasted.
At last, all three thousand mercenaries of the Mercenary Legion had been exterminated by the Crimsonflame Dragon and Frost Phoenix.
John directly plundered 5,000,000 gold coins and 20,000,000 EXP.
His EXP bar overflowed on the spot.
As for his wealth, it had skyrocketed dozens of times over in an instant.
The riches this Mercenary Legion had looted over the years were now all swept into John’s possession.
The city guards on the battlements had long since been dumbstruck.
They stared in disbelief as the mercenaries perished beneath the skills of the two giant beasts.
Normally, beast-race creatures of such overwhelming power would never enter human territory without reason.
They usually dwelled in special environmental domains of their own.
So why had they suddenly appeared here?
And why did they seem to be helping them wipe out these mercenaries?
At that moment, after completing John’s command, the two colossal beasts swiftly descended.
John first recalled the Frost Phoenix into his pet space, then lightly stepped onto the Crimsonflame Dragon’s back.
The Crimsonflame Dragon carried him straight toward the city walls.
Only then did everyone finally notice John.
And they were utterly shocked.
"Isn’t that the imperial reinforcement who disappeared just now? How did he suddenly end up there?"
"Wait... did he just subdue those two dragon-and-phoenix beasts?"
"Hiss... those terrifying monsters are his pets?!"
The city guards were completely stunned.
They had never imagined that beings as mighty as a dragon and a phoenix would willingly serve a human as pets.
By all logic, dragons and phoenixes regarded themselves as races equal to humankind.
Even the few among them willing to become pets were usually mongrel bloodlines from those two clans.
But the Crimsonflame Dragon and Frost Phoenix from just now were obviously no such mixed-blood creatures.
And yet now, they had submitted themselves to a human and willingly obeyed his commands?
After carrying John onto the battlements, the Crimsonflame Dragon was also recalled into pet space.
The city guards looked at John with eyes full of awe and admiration.
The City Guard Captain personally stepped forward and spoke with deep respect.
"My lord, you truly are the Empire’s hope, to make such fearsome beasts bow their heads in submission!
"On behalf of Snelow City, I thank you for your efforts!"
As he spoke, all the city guards dropped to one knee in unison.
"Thank you, my lord, for saving Snelow City!"
John waved a hand, signaling them to rise. "Guarding the Empire’s frontier is my duty. There is no need for thanks."
Just then—
A great cloud of dust rose in the distance.
A massive army was rushing toward the city at full speed.
The city guards, mistaking them for reinforcements of the Mercenary Legion, immediately became alert.
But once they saw the banner unique to Snelow City, they all let out sighs of relief.
Then came joy.
"Wonderful—the main force is back!"
"We finally don’t have to live in fear anymore."
"Thank the heavens. Even if another enemy force comes now, we won’t have to worry so much."
This army was none other than the main force of Snelow City.
They had returned just after John finished wiping out the Mercenary Legion.
This was probably the twisted humor of the Hidden Quest.
The true main force was always destined to arrive one step too late.
The city gates opened, and the main army returned smoothly to Snelow City.
When the newly returned Lord of Snelow heard that the Mercenary Legion had been destroyed by John alone, he was immediately overwhelmed with shock and personally came to express his gratitude.
"My deepest thanks to you, brave hero. Had you not intervened personally, I fear Snelow City would have been doomed!"
Naturally, John exchanged a few polite words in return.
Then—
The Lord of Snelow took something from his robes and handed it to John.
"Snelow City has little of value to offer, but this item was something I obtained by chance in a secret realm.
"As a token of thanks, I present it to you, brave one."
The moment John accepted the token, a prompt sounded by his ear.
[Congratulations, Host, for completing the Hidden Quest "Defend Snelow City"!]
His spirits lifted.
At last—the quest rewards were finally being settled.
