Lord of Rot

After Leech and Baron Jin Fu agreed on the trade route, the caravans arrived as scheduled to conduct business.

Large quantities of dates and spices were sold, and handfuls of Silver Moons were delivered.

Baron Jin Fu immediately chose to convert his money into strength by purchasing weapons and armor.

The money earned from a single transaction was more than he had previously made in several months.

”I can’t wait any longer!”

Baron Jin Fu hadn’t heard about Leech’s recent activities in the East Canyon. With a domain of only two villages and being ostracized from the noble circles, certain ”speculative” information never reached him.

The reason he decided to make his move was that his appetite was huge, and he wanted more.

’Doing business with Baron Porcupine is profitable, but he’ll just use the opportunity to establish an even stronger foothold.’

’Baron Porcupine can’t possibly gain a firm footing in the desert. As long as I strike first and seize the Bonta market, he’ll have to play by my rules if he wants to enter the desert!’

’If I get lucky and capture Baron Porcupine, making him my prisoner, the entire trade route of the East Canyon will open up for me.’

His confidence stemmed from the existence of Bonta Canyon.

The natural barrier completely cut off the desert from the southern East Canyon. Even if Baron Porcupine had an army of thousands on the other side, they could not possibly threaten him.

’How could doing business with others possibly compare to making all the money myself!’

Having heard that Baron Jin Fu was planning to attack the Bonta market, Kunq Green Oasis rushed over.

He had been running around lately, and Baron Jin Fu knew he was unwilling to sit back and await his fate, seeking help from other nobles. But the Bonta market was a prize in Baron Jin Fu’s eyes; he wouldn’t give it up for anyone. Thus, he let Kunq scramble desperately for any help he could find.

”Lord Adari,” Kunq Green Oasis said by way of greeting as he entered.

Having not seen him for more than ten days, Kunq Green Oasis seemed to have lost some of his former arrogance. A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on his lips.

He didn’t look anxious in the slightest, which puzzled Baron Jin Fu.

Kunq asked, ”I heard you’re preparing to attack the Bonta market?”

”Hahaha, that’s right!” Baron Jin Fu laughed and nodded. ”Your father and I are good friends. Ever since I learned that the Bonta market was forcefully seized, I haven’t been able to eat or sleep in peace. I’ve finally found an opportunity. I will definitely help you take the Bonta market back!”

Kunq was speechless.

He had been living in Date Palm Village for a long time; how could he not know what Baron Jin Fu had been up to?

’I haven’t seen any signs of him being unable to eat or sleep. It is true, however, that the Baron’s appetite has grown enormously lately thanks to his good mood.’

’Besides, the man had warmly entertained Baron Porcupine, doing business with him and making a fortune in the process.’

”You are a true Knight!” Kunq’s expression was one of seemingly heartfelt praise. Then, his tone shifted. ”I’ve also found a few friends. With their help and yours, I am certain I can reclaim the Bonta market.”

Baron Jin Fu’s eyes narrowed. ”Friends?”

”Yes, and I brought them with me,” Kunq said, his smile growing wider to reveal his white teeth.

”Have them come in,” Baron Jin Fu said with an air of nonchalance. ”I want to see who is so bold as to take a risk and offer aid in a time of crisis!”

Four people clad in plate armor walked in—one woman and three men.

The moment he saw them, the air of nonchalance on Baron Jin Fu’s face vanished.

He gritted his teeth, struggling to control his expression. ”The Wild Boar Mercenary Corps. Kunq, you really found some capable helpers!”

The newcomers were indeed from the Wild Boar Mercenary Corps.

The Wild Boar Mercenary Corps was not large, but every member was an elite.

Those affiliated with them ranged from mercenaries and town soldiers to even desert bandits; they had connections everywhere. The irregulars merely associated with their name already formed the most powerful force in the region. One could only imagine how formidable their core members were.

The leading man nodded to Baron Jin Fu and said, ”Lord Adari, I am Jones, Vice-Captain of the Wild Boar Mercenary Corps.”

”’Desert Captain’ Jones, I’ve long heard of your great name,” Baron Jin Fu said, rising to his feet with a hearty laugh. ”Welcome! A most sincere welcome to my domain!”

”We received an invitation from Kunq Green Oasis to attack the Bonta market alongside you,” Jones stated. His attitude was arrogant, not the demeanor of a mercenary before a lord, but Baron Jin Fu seemed unbothered, appearing as unconcerned with trifles as his rough exterior suggested.

The other party was stronger than him, so he could tolerate their disrespect.

Baron Jin Fu said, ”With your help, we will certainly succeed in taking the Bonta market.”

”It’s not that simple,” Jones said, shaking his head. ”Baron Porcupine is not easy to deal with. He has at least ten Transcendent under his command, and he himself is the martial champion of the East Canyon. He alone can defeat at least two men.”

”Transcendent...” Although Baron Jin Fu’s information was outdated, he wasn’t as out of the loop as the Wandering Knights. After all, he was a success, while they were failures.

He knew how formidable Transcendent were; he just didn’t have any of his own.

”I’ve already hired three of your Transcendent,” Kunq Green Oasis couldn’t help but interject from the side. ”Is that still not enough?”

Baron Jin Fu’s eyes narrowed slightly. ’Such an extravagant move!’

’Three Transcendent would cost several dozen Jinri at the very least.’

It was a colossal sum that Baron Jin Fu himself could scarcely imagine. It seemed Kunq had truly risked everything to reclaim the Bonta market. The baron’s face darkened. With three Transcendent helping Kunq, even if they successfully captured the Bonta market, he might not be able to claim it for himself.

”Even if Baron Porcupine has ten Transcendent, he can’t possibly bring them all to the Bonta market, can he?” Baron Jin Fu said. ”I hear he has two other territories, both of which require Transcendent to defend.”

’These days, what lord doesn’t have at least a few Transcendent? It’s perfectly normal for a great lord to have ten or twenty. But for just a small town in the middle of the desert, it’s unlikely Baron Porcupine would dispatch ten Transcendent.’

”Some of our people were eliminated by men sent from Baron Porcupine, and our wayposts were also seized,” Jones said. ”Maybe Baron Porcupine really did bring ten Transcendent with him. That’s why I was specifically sent with men to help you—and to get our revenge. We have a total of fifteen Transcendent this time. We’ll only charge you the ’friend’ rate: just twenty Jinri per person.”

His heart gave a violent lurch.

Baron Jin Fu glanced at Kunq Green Oasis, whose face was a mask of confusion.

Shooting him a fierce glare, Baron Jin Fu sneered, ”The Wild Boar Mercenary Corps truly never makes a losing deal.”

Kunq Green Oasis had made a desperate gamble hiring three Transcendent. In addition to wanting to retake the Bonta market, he had also wanted to seize the initiative and prevent Baron Jin Fu from snatching the town for himself.

But now the Wild Boar Mercenary Corps was essentially forcing a package deal of fifteen Transcendent, which would cost 300 Jinri.

Was the entire Bonta market even worth 300 Jinri?

These Transcendent had been delivered right to their doorstep; they had to accept them whether they wanted to or not.

Couldn’t afford it? No problem. Weren’t they about to capture the Bonta market? They could just use the market to pay off the debt.

Kunq Green Oasis, who had a talent for letting the wolf into the sheepfold, had brought in Baron Jin Fu, only to realize he was at a disadvantage. So, he had brought in a lion to suppress the wolf. He failed to realize that neither the wolf nor the lion had any intention of giving up the prize that was the Bonta market.

Baron Jin Fu knew that the Bonta market was now completely out of his reach.

’But for mercenaries to dare meddle in the affairs of noble territory... do they truly have no fear of death?’

”Our Captain was ennobled by the Count. He’s a Viscount now,” Jones added, as if it were an afterthought. ”Back then, the Count asked our Captain which territory he wanted...”

At his side, the color drained from Kunq Green Oasis’s face. He was terrified the Wild Boar Mercenary Corps would demand the Bonta market.

Baron Jin Fu, however, remained calm.

’Why would a Viscount ever look twice at my shabby villages? The Bonta market is good, true, but only for making money. As a proper fief, it’s severely lacking—it doesn’t even have a castle.’ He felt nothing but contempt for Kunq Green Oasis’s petty reaction.

Suddenly, he felt that Kuer Green Oasis was more capable than Kunq. At least Kuer knew his place, unlike Kunq, who always overestimated his own abilities. In reality, everything had already spiraled out of his control.

Jones said, ”Our Captain said... Mama City is quite nice.”

”Mama City?” Baron Jin Fu repeated. ”Indeed, it is.”

’Has the Count developed a mind to kill off those desert bandits? I heard that after the death of Junma Mama, Mama City fell into a decline. It seems the rumors are true.’

’But none of this has anything to do with me anymore. None of it at all.’