Bear School Astartes

”Missing chickens, seeking out a cheating husband, recovering sea cargo... are these the kinds of tasks?”

Lann stood in front of a Hermes statue, which was at least four or five meters tall including its base, pinching his chin with his fingers as he muttered to himself.

On the base of the Hermes statue hung an inscribed board, left by nearby patrons with their tasks.

Hermes is the god of commerce and roads, and when people need mercenaries, they always hang a task board under the Hermes statue around their settlements.

In a large city with a population approaching 300,000, it’s impossible to find a powerful secret organization relying solely on individual strength.

This is one of the reasons Lann wanted to help Phoebe.

Now, it’s also his direction: by completing tasks, he connects with people who have power or networks in the city of Athens, using their strength to investigate the Divine Teachings.

Without intermediaries, it’s a good initial contact strategy to first do some tasks for politicians and big businessmen in Athens.

However, the invisible social class barriers still left Lann frustrated because those who have status don’t seem to put their needs alongside civilians on an inscribed board.

Lann tilted his head and shrugged his shoulders, having Mentos note down all the tasks on the board.

Since connecting with others was not going so smoothly, he couldn’t waste time idly.

Whether to make money or build fame by completing tasks, he planned to first be active as a mercenary for a while.

If the people of the Divine Teachings come to him during this process, it’ll be even more worth celebrating.

”Refuse high-interest loans, the task issuer is very close to us, sir. And it seems like it could provoke some enemies with prestige; their prestige could become our fame.”

Mentos analyzed leisurely.

Lann agreed and started moving according to Mentos’s guidance.

Apart from the Fisherman District, Athens’s municipal facilities are quite remarkable. Not to mention the many large sculptures, they used a massive amount of white marble to pave steps, and build flower beds and pools.

Even a small amount of ground is no longer yellow soil but spread with marble.

Lann even couldn’t imagine how many stones the Athenians had dug to bring all this here.

But it’s undeniable that Athens, by forming the Delian League, has extracted quite a lot of resources from its allies to build its city.

”Hello, Petulus?”

In the Hephaestus Temple with many marble pillars, Lann found the task issuer.

An Athenian man wearing a linen short skirt.

He had a small beard on his chin, seeming like he hadn’t done any heavy work; he should be an Athenian citizen.

But his rough clothes still showed his poor financial situation.

At this moment, the patron stared blankly, blinking at the tall, robust, beautiful silver-haired man before him.

”Ah, ah! Yes! I am Petulus.”

Lann was a bit used to such stares, especially after his bones further developed, making him extremely noticeable wherever he went.

So, the Demon Hunter merely curled his lips indifferently, and continued, ”I’m a mercenary, did you commission a task? Could you elaborate?”

In the end, the demand for the task overcame curiosity and shock, and the man stammered in his description to Lann.

Nothing peculiar.

An Athenian citizen took a high-interest loan, his income isn’t good, and he considers he’s repaid what he’s supposed to, thus intends to refuse to repay the remaining Drachma.

But gangs aren’t politicians who need votes; they don’t care if the debtor is an Athenian citizen.

To protect his health and property when facing the debt collectors, Petulus was looking for mercenaries.

Offering twenty Drachma, much less than he’d owe the gang, making it quite a bargain.

This price is enough to buy a suckling pig in Athens, not a paltry sum.

”Okay, gang enforcers.” Lann nodded indifferently, ”That’s not difficult to deal with, but I can’t follow you for several days for this amount. Do you have a place and time agreed with them?”

”Won’t waste your time, mercenary!” Petulus hastened to say, ”We’ve already set a time, just go to a warehouse at the port now!”

Generally, it’s normal for task issuers to order mercenaries around, but today Petulus felt inexplicably nervous in the conversation.

”Then let’s hurry up, sir. My schedule is quite full today.”

Lann actually wanted to clear all the tasks on that board in one day.

The two crossed through Athens and arrived at a warehouse in the port area.

But before they got close, Lann frowned slightly.

”They don’t look like they’re here to collect debt or rough someone up... more like they intend to kill you.”

A few gang enforcers sitting in front of the warehouse door, plus some breathing sounds caught by Lann from inside the warehouse.

Their equipment basically matched that of the One-eyed People’s henchmen on Kefalonia Island.

However, the One-eyed People on Kefalonia can almost be seen as rulers, while here, they’re really just a gang.

It can only be said that the wealth flowing through Athens also fattened these dark hyenas.

Listening to Lann, Petulus nervously swallowed.

”No, it might not be that? Let me approach and negotiate first...”

A look of pleading appeared on his face, showing his fear of Lann backing out upon seeing things going awry.

But before the Athenian citizen finished speaking.

”Bang!”

Lann kicked up a palm-sized piece of wood, feeling its light weight perfect for use. With a swing of his hand, that piece of wood hit one gang enforcer’s cheek.

The lightweight piece caused a wave effect on his face, and a big tooth flew out of his lips.

”Even if they intend to kill, it won’t matter...”

Amidst a group of bewildered stares, Lann walked towards them, flexing his wrist without intending to pull out his sword.

”Just need to hit harder.”

Initially planning to beat them up, now he was ready to break a few bones.

The words were light as air.

To Lann, the difference between armed thugs ’wanting to kill’ or ’wanting to fight’ was as trivial as a small dog ’wanting to bark’ or ’wanting to bite’.

The enforcers poured out from the warehouse, looking at Lann approaching slowly with weapons drawn from waists, swords, spears, shields...

Petulus then personally witnessed these vicious gang enforcers toss away their equipment far away, as if they never wanted to pick it up again in their lives.

Because when Lann beat them, he’d continue until they let go of their weapons.

It wasn’t long before the enforcers completely smartened up.

All wounded, empty-handed.

Pain is the best teacher.

Lann clapped nonexistent dust off his hands and stretched them towards Petulus.

The guy was stunned for a while before reaching into his wallet hanging from his belt for the Drachma coins.

Lann grasped the big coins, producing the sound of money rubbing against each other.

In total, taking half an hour, a small task was completed efficiently. Quite a good pace.

The Demon Hunter nodded at his efficiency.

But as Lann was about to follow Mentos’s planned route, heading to the next patron.

He suddenly looked towards the other side of the warehouse.

In his hearing, there was the sound of a trained stride appearing there.