Following the Golden Sparrow Mercenary Group, Aske had arrived at Segovia City, built within the Central Mountains.

Segovia City was highly reputed in the original game world.

On one hand, it was because it was close to the frontline, where players replenishing their supplies could go to brush up on Undead Dungeons; on the other hand, huge relics like the Ancient Solomon high bridge and the towering Rosoya Tower were highly attractive, spectacular wonders to the players.

The former was a symbol of the formidable industrial strength of the Ancient Solomon Republic of the Third Epoch, while the latter had once been the stationing point for the Iberian Witches' Congregation. Later, with the rise of the Church Court at the end of the Fourth Epoch, all those witches were massacred and driven away, leaving only an empty dungeon instance said to contain various treasures, puppets, and traps.

Aske was uninterested in the dungeon instance; after all, he was not in this world to play games, and there were no vital supplies that he absolutely needed.

The Golden Sparrow Mercenary Group's base was located inside "Diamond Peak House," originally an art academy. Students of art had made many diamond-shaped reliefs protruding from the walls, thus the peculiar name.

Upon entering the academy, Aske saw those art students, tremblingly cleaning and making beds and fetching water for the domineering mercenaries who had taken over their nest.

Some mercenaries, with their lascivious grins, would molest the passing female students, but probably due to team discipline, there was no forceful misconduct; at most, they just groped and fondled, slyly taking their chances.

"Humph, no chest, no buttocks, what's there to fancy?" McGree, the leader of the Highland Swordsmen, snorted disdainfully at his subordinates' advances, showing scorn for these acts, "Today I'm going to Red Mill near the market square, who's joining me?"

"Me!" The other Highland Swordsmen responded one after another.

"Change into skirts, and let's go!" McGree waved his big hand, and everyone went back to their rooms to change clothes.

Compared to the untamed wildness of the Highland Swordsmen, the Lobster Soldiers were silent and reserved. They took their gun bags and silently returned to their rooms to drink and play cards.

"Lord Aske?" At the entrance of the conference room, Deputy Squad Leader Eric looked at him seriously and made a gesture of invitation.

......

"Your lordship, you need to disclose what's going on to us," said Eric anxiously inside the conference room, "Besides you, did Deslar send any other support, like personnel or supplies?"

"Nothing else," Aske said.

"So what about the barbecue and beer earlier…"

"I brought those myself," Aske said.

Eric: ......

I have a British curse to say, but I wonder if God would permit me to speak it.

"Our situation here is not good," Eric stood up and spread out a map on the table, "Currently there are three points of Undead attacks throughout the Central Mountains, namely Madrona, Adrada de Peron, and here in Segovia."

"You don't need to remember these complex Iberian names; you just need to know that in the middle of the Central Mountains, only these three valleys are passable, while other places are rugged mountains that are difficult to traverse."

"The ancient Castilian Kingdom had built fortresses in all three places to guard the key passages. Because the position of the fortress in Adrada de Peron was too forward, the Bull Mercenary Group assigned most of their mercenaries there, so there haven't been any problems."

"In the Madrona region, the fortress is deep in the mountains. Despite having fewer mercenaries stationed there, its geographical advantage still makes it easy to defend but hard to attack. Only our Segovia, with fewer troops and imperfect terrain, unfortunately became the weakest among the three fortresses."

"In order to ensure the defense of this place, we must get more supplies as soon as possible. Just depending on what we brought ourselves and what the city provides, is entirely insufficient. If Deslar truly intended to send aid, they definitely wouldn't send just you alone."

"Am I right, your lordship?"

Eric's reasoning was logical, his tone certain and his expression confident, as if Aske most definitely had hidden aid supplies.

If he truly were acting that way, his face would likely be guilt-ridden, with a hesitant voice and shifty eyes—at least, that's what Eric thought.

Yet Aske simply responded with a calm "Oh," as if he hadn't detected the skepticism in Eric's words and simply asked,

"Since your supplies are insufficient for defense, why not strike out?"

Eric: ???

First off, that was a very abrupt change in topic; secondly, the enemy has more undead and more High Rank Transcendents than us. Plus, the terrain is flat beyond the mountains in the Meiseta Plateau with no strategic points to defend—what are we supposed to fight with? Our heads?

Of course, he wouldn't say that out loud. Being a gentleman from Winchester in Brittania, Eric wouldn't curse like a crude mercenary, lacking in decorum. Instead, he simply stated coldly,

"With our forces, attacking the undead away from the fortress is as foolish as throwing eggs at rocks."

"That's true," Aske nodded, "You are too weak."

Eric: .........

His hand, hidden under the table, clenched the handle of his gun tightly, suppressing the urge to draw and fire.

Cooling down after much effort, he heard Aske say,

"However, starting today, things will be different."

"What's different?" Eric forced the words through clenched teeth.

"Now that you have me joining," Aske laughed heartily, thumbs pointing at his chest.

Ah, if he were to shoot him here and now, maybe nobody would notice, maybe not...

After several deep breaths to calm himself, Eric just barely managed to maintain his composure and pride with a cold voice and said,

"Heh, your ability, Lord Aske—we shall see it in action soon."

Hours later, the Highland Swordsmen, content with their trousers snug, returned vigorously. Eric, who had been waiting, called Aske and the leading Highland Swordsman, McGree, who entered the hall first and said,

"McGree, this 'support person' will join your team at the front lines tomorrow."

"Who?" McGree, with a toothpick in his mouth, paused and then eyed Aske beside him, "This guy?"

He looks like he could barely withstand a breeze; although he's a Transcendent, it seems his only skill is conjuring some weapons... What use is that? If he could wield fire, create ice, or summon lightning, I might have some reservations...

Seeing McGree's disdainful expression, Eric said stiffly,

"This is an order!"

After speaking, he turned around, hands behind his back, giving Aske a slight, sinister smile before heading to his bedroom.

"Meet here at 8 AM tomorrow," McGree grudgingly dropped these words and turned away displeased.

Just seeing Aske's face reminded him of the other enjoying a barbecue and beer on the hillside, instantly filling him with the desire to execute him on the spot.

Aske quietly sensed his skill comprehension for the day and felt quite satisfied; he then left the place and went to find a hotel in the city to stay.

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