Chapter 401: Echoes of Humiliation
As for Elder Lurgan, there's no need to even mention him. He was a tyrant in the Merlin Family Elder Council. And what was his fate? He brought two subordinates—yet all three were reduced to ashes before the spellstorm unleashed by the Wheel of Arcana.
That's the fate of anyone who provokes Matthew Merlin!
"Leon, what is the meaning of this? Is a mere side branch of the family really worth your protection? Let me be frank, I have evidence, and if the punishment for Matthew Merlin doesn't satisfy me, I—"
Mmph! Mmph!
For the first time, Orson tasted what it felt like to be cut off mid-sentence. Leon stuffed something into his mouth, leaving him only able to grunt, "mmph, mmph!"
After a brief struggle, Orson finally managed to speak. Face flushed with fury, he glared at Leon Merlin, his finger nearly jabbing Leon's nose.
"Leon Merlin, this is outrageous! Damn it... The Merlin Family really is a nest of vipers!"
*Smack!*
A resounding slap echoed through the room.
Not only am I going to bully you, I'm going to beat you senseless!
Expressionless, Leon withdrew his right hand, turned away, and didn't bother sparing Orson a glance. Befriending someone so reckless is just asking for death...
A mere side branch?
Leon Merlin couldn't help but sneer inwardly. He wanted to point at Orson's nose and ask: Have you ever seen a collateral branch of the family cause chaos in the Elder Council, kill several elders, and still walk away unscathed? Not only that, our ancestor even handed half the command of the Blazeforge Realm puppet army to Cousin Marfa...
This is someone you really shouldn't mess with...
"You—you... you actually dared to hit me! Leon Merlin, you bastard, do you even know where you are? We're the Apocalypse Mercenaries..."
Slap!
Orson hadn't even finished speaking before he got slapped again.
"Who are you!" Orson's eyes were practically spitting fire. One slap wasn't enough—now there was another! The first slap from Leon Merlin had sobered him up, reminding him of his previous insults to the Merlin Family... If his actions led to a falling out between the Merlin Family and the Apocalypse Mercenaries, the consequences would be unimaginable, and he couldn't bear that responsibility. Fine, let him hit me—I'll swallow it, as long as Leon forgets what I said.
But what's with the second slap...
Damn it, why the hell am I getting hit again!
"I'm Ross Merlin..." Ross Merlin wiped his nose with the hand that had just slapped Orson, smiling broadly.
"..."
Orson felt the urge to curse. Another Merlin Family member shows up, and Ross Merlin's reputation was well-known—one of the family's outstanding geniuses. During the Blazeforge Realm campaign, he single-handedly took the Crimson Fortress. Among Auckland's younger generation, only Stan Watson could rival him...
Orson might be proud, but he had enough self-awareness to know Ross Merlin was someone he couldn't afford to offend...
Fine, I'll swallow it one more time.
Serves me right for running my mouth...
"Matthew Merlin, I won't forgive you. Every humiliation I suffered today is because of you..." Orson shot Lin Yun a deep look, roaring inwardly. Things had gotten this far—there was nothing more he could do to Matthew Merlin. The Merlin Family was just too powerful.
He silently turned away, his face dark as thunder, and walked back toward the camp without looking back.
"Wait..."
A voice called out from behind, making Orson freeze in his tracks. He turned around, face still grim, and glared coldly at the stranger: "What do you want now?"
Slap! Slap!
After getting slapped on both sides, Orson's face was completely swollen. Only then did William Merlin smile and state his intention: "Sorry, I just wanted to slap you in the face..."
"I'm William Merlin..." William Merlin added softly.
"Fine, fine... You Merlin Family people are just great!" Orson was furious, nearly roaring. In his mind, he cursed them all—what is wrong with these Merlin Family lunatics, all flocking to the Turin Mountains... Wait, surely that orc isn't a Merlin too?
Thankfully, the orc didn't seem interested in charging over—instead, he just grinned at Orson, baring his teeth.
Suddenly, Orson remembered: that bastard William Merlin slapped him twice!
Damn it, legends like Leon Merlin and Ross Merlin only slapped me once, but you—some nobody I've never even heard of—hit me twice!
"One of those was on behalf of Cousin Marfa..." William Merlin chuckled gleefully, and without waiting for Orson's reaction, headed off toward Lin Yun and the others.
Orson watched the three of them leave, grinding his teeth so hard he nearly drew blood...
His eyes were filled with rage and hatred.
For Orson, who had reached the rank of Magus at a young age and always had things go his way, today was an unprecedented humiliation.
And this humiliation was something Orson had no choice but to endure...
There was no way around it—the gap in power between the two sides was just too great...
Leon Merlin was on another level—a genius Magus from Cloudspire Tower, already a seventh-tier Magus at a young age. Normally, Orson would have to look up to him. And then there's Ross Merlin, the top fighter among the Merlin Family's younger generation. Either one could wipe the floor with Orson, let alone both together...
Orson had no choice but to endure...
Now, all Orson could do was direct all his rage and hatred toward that guy called Matthew Merlin...
You Merlin Family people really are too much...
Just wait—I'll make you pay for this someday...
............
After the wyverns appeared in droves, the three Merlin brothers and the Dragonblood Orc joined the fray to slaughter the wyverns. The fighting was so intense that few mercenaries in the camp even noticed the presence of the Wyvern King—but the sharp-eyed Merlin brothers kept close watch.
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Until the aura of death filled the camp, and a wheel glowing red and blue like a full moon appeared. Though it lasted only a few seconds, they knew it was Cousin Marfa...
Then, he called for the Dragonblood Orc to join him at the spot where the Wyvern King had fallen...
When Lin Yun and the others returned to camp, the battle was nearly over. Originally, each of the three mercenary companies had a deputy commander stationed there—three Sword Saints, all at the Title Magus level. But now, another Title Magus had appeared, and with the Wyvern King's death, the situation was completely reversed...
Before heading back to the tent, Lin Yun even sent the Dragonblood Orc to gain some combat experience...
"Awoo, awoo, awoo..."
Lin Yun reached into his pocket and pulled out the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf. Ever since he caught it in the Auridge Mountains and was teleported by the Lucky Box to the Scar of Misfortune, fighting for three days before arriving at the mercenary camp, he'd nearly forgotten about the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf...
The Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf let out a puppy-like howl, its little claws scratching Lin Yun's palm in mock revenge. Sadly, with a battle power of less than five, this magical beast couldn't even leave a mark on his hand...
After its little tantrum, the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf hugged its flat belly, lay on its back in Lin Yun's palm, howled twice, then closed its eyes and didn't move.
...Lin Yun rubbed his nose. Ever since losing a dozen or so level-20 magic crystals in one go, he'd gotten smarter and kept the crystals he used to replenish mana in a separate pocket. He hadn't had time to care for the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf for three days, and judging by its flat belly, it was clearly starving...
Luckily it was only three days—if he'd starved this hard-won Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf to death, it would have been a real loss...
"Eat less, these things are worth gold..." Lin Yun winced as he pulled out a dozen magic crystals from his other pocket—all level-20 and above, usually reserved for mana recovery. He'd thought spending thirty-seven million at an Auckland auction was extravagant, but compared to the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf, that was nothing—one meal for it cost millions...
Even with Lin Yun's wealth, it was a bit much to handle.
But the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf's value couldn't be measured in gold.
"Awoo, awoo, awoo..."
The moment the magic crystals came out, the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf perked up, stopped playing dead, and pounced right at them...
While the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf was eating, Lin Yun turned aside to meditate, but he couldn't focus—he kept thinking about how he'd have to keep pampering this little ancestor.
One meal of magic crystals cost millions—only Lin Yun could barely afford it. Anyone else would be cursing by now...
No matter how much he begrudged it, he had to keep pampering this little ancestor.
Especially that divine demon rune representing thunder...
"Awoo..."
After half an hour, the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf had devoured all the magic crystals, then lay on its back, rubbing its round belly with its paws, and let out a satisfied howl.
Lin Yun stared intently at the rune on its forehead, deep in thought...
"Damn it, all it does is eat and sleep..." After a few minutes, Lin Yun still couldn't figure out why the divine demon rune—symbolizing destructive thunder—appeared on the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf. Curious, he poked its round belly, only to find it was already asleep. He cursed inwardly.
Not wanting to bother with it anymore, he picked it up and set it aside...
William Merlin had already sent a letter to Faro in Thousand Sails City days ago. Odds are, Faro will soon bring the Gilded Rose Mercenary Company to Auckland.
Thinking of this, Lin Yun couldn't wait to check on the demi-plane. The Death Tome appeared in his hand, and he began chanting the runes to open the Plane Path...
A stream of divine demon energy suddenly burst forth.
At that moment, the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf seemed to sense something, instantly woke up, and darted into the demi-plane...