Bounty completed, new treasure hunt mission! (6000)

At this moment, Elisa and Renice were both keeping their eyes closed, appearing to be in a deep sleep.

However, their twitching eyelids and tense bodies betrayed them.

Looking at the three women beside him pretending to be asleep with their eyes closed, Cao Xing pinched their cheeks one by one.

Then he chuckled and said, "It's dawn, time to get up."

Hearing this, Elisa was the first to bounce out of bed.

"Wooah! It's dawn!"

"Captain Elisa is full of energy again today!"

She grabbed the large bow by the bed and slung it onto her back.

At the same time, Renice and Sarah also crawled out from under the covers.

Then they each put on their wolf-skin coats.

Looking at their shy faces.

Elisa tilted her head and said with a smile, "I slept so comfortably last night!"

"Right, Sister Renice, Sister Sarah?"

The two women nodded shyly, "Mm…"

"That's right, someone kept leaning towards the Lord all through the middle of the night…"

Elisa's face turned slightly red, "Hehehe, that definitely wasn't me."

Cao Xing looked at them speechlessly and then said.

"Alright, everyone get yourselves ready, we're preparing to head out."

Upon hearing this, everyone quickly began to take action.

While the three women were washing up.

Cao Xing saw a message left by Liu Muxue.

The general content was that she had already arranged work for the residents.

And she and Assam had each continued to challenge 'Zhuo Mas Claw' according to yesterday's teams.

Besides that, the pet 'Buoyancy' chicken he had entrusted to her yesterday had also successfully broken through to Tier 3, and was expected to break through to Tier 4 today.

After reading the content of the message, a smile curled at the corners of Cao Xing's mouth.

"Very good, everything in the territory is proceeding in an orderly fashion; I don't need to worry."

"Once things here are finished, I can go back."

Cao Xing had three things to do in the city today.

The first thing was to find Earl Winston, hand over those four scammers to him, and collect the bounty.

The second thing was to go to the money shop and exchange these bills for money.

The third thing was to wait until nightfall and have Jess take him to see the so-called black market.

Of course, even if Cao Xing stayed a few more days, it would be fine; the territory could still operate normally.

This also made him feel very gratified, having the feeling that the child had grown up and he could gradually let go.

However, he came out this time to make money; once he had enough money, he would naturally have to go back as soon as possible to raise the warriors' levels.

Meanwhile, the three women, Renice and Sarah included, had all finished washing up.

Cao Xing said, "Let's go, we're heading out."

After saying this, they walked out of the room together.

Meanwhile, in the hallway outside, 10 Wild Boar Warriors were already waiting at the door, guarding the four scammers.

Seeing Cao Xing and the three women coming out together, they looked a bit surprised.

But these straightforward Wild Boar Warriors didn't overthink it and stepped forward to report.

"My Lord, we are ready."

"It was uneventful last night, and these four guys have been firmly guarded by us."

Cao Xing nodded, "Good, let's go."

After that, he led everyone out of the second floor of the tavern and came to the lobby on the first floor.

As Cao Xing was walking towards the door.

The beautiful bard from last night was walking towards them, holding her lute.

She seemed to have just come from outside.

The two met face to face.

She was like a blooming flower, quietly blossoming with the fragrance of the morning.

Even those Wild Boar Warriors, who lacked any artistic sense, subconsciously slowed their steps.

The bard looked at Cao Xing and bowed slightly.

Cao Xing also nodded slightly.

They brushed past each other.

However, just as he was about to leave, Cao Xing suddenly said.

"If you have time today, I suggest you go to the medical clinic in the city and ask what Black-Beaked Crow Poison is."

Hearing this, the bard behind him stopped, a look of confusion appearing on her beautiful face.

It seemed that even she did not know what [Black-Beaked Crow Poison] was.

Before she could recover, Cao Xing had already led his people out of the tavern.

The message had been delivered; as for whether this woman would listen to Cao Xing's words, that was unknown.

Meanwhile.

An attendant from the Woodpecker Chamber of Commerce was already waiting at the door.

It was the same young man who had brought Cao Xing to the tavern yesterday.

Seeing Cao Xing, the attendant immediately said respectfully, "Lord Cao Xing, our President Jess asked me to tell you that he has already made arrangements."

"I am to take you to the Earl's mansion."

Cao Xing chuckled.

This Jess was quite thoughtful.

It was clear that he attached great importance to Cao Xing.

"Good, lead the way."

Under the guidance of this attendant, they soon passed through the bustling streets and arrived in the central urban area.

This was also the most central area of the entire Merlind City.

Ahead sat an impressive mansion!

Surrounded by tall black walls, guards patrolled back and forth, and the defense was strict.

And in the very center, one could see a building over ten meters high.

This was the Earl's mansion, quite imposing.

And Cao Xing also discovered an interesting thing.

That was, whether it was Lake Doron City he had visited before, or the current Merlind City.

Their city centers were all the Earl's mansion or the City Lord's mansion.

This layout was actually similar to the territories of the Survivors.

Both were centered on the City Lord's mansion or the Earl's mansion, then spread outwards.

The difference was that there were no furnaces in these Giant Cities.

Cao Xing suppressed some groundless speculations in his heart and looked ahead.

They had now arrived at the main gate of the Earl's mansion.

The black and heavy iron gate was tightly shut, inlaid with golden rivets and gorgeous decorations.

A mark of a giant ape hung in the center of the gate; that was the coat of arms of the Earl's family.

Two guards dressed in black battle armor stood at the door with solemn expressions.

The attendant from the Woodpecker Chamber of Commerce stepped forward and said something; these two guards looked at Cao Xing, then at the warriors behind him.

Then they said, "We did indeed receive notice that a guest would be visiting Earl Winston today."

After speaking, the two guards turned around and opened the gate.

"Go in."

And Cao Xing also led his guards, as well as the four prisoners, into the Earl's mansion.

A system prompt appeared.

[You have entered a special area: Earl Winston's Mansion]

[This area is a neutral zone, and the use of force is prohibited. If a battle occurs here, you will be wanted by the entire Earl's mansion]

…

Looking ahead, what came into view was a spacious courtyard.

The courtyard was paved with neat stone slabs, and various cold-resistant plants were planted around it, giving people a cold and serious feeling.

Following the stone path under his feet, Cao Xing moved forward all the way.

Soon, he arrived below an imposing building, which was also the core building of the entire Earl's mansion.

There were also a few guards standing at the door.

After seeing Cao Xing and the others approaching, those guards said, "Your soldiers cannot be brought in."

Cao Xing nodded, then ordered, "Wild Boar Warriors, wait outside with those four."

After speaking, he took Renice and Elisa into the building.

And Sarah, since leaving the tavern, had been in a stealth state, and her presence could not be detected at all.

Pushing open the door, a magnificent hall appeared inside.

Inside, there were also all kinds of gorgeous decorations.

A red carpet extended from the door to the end of the line of sight.

Proceeding along the red carpet.

Cao Xing saw a figure with a big bald head, wearing a thick fur coat, sitting lazily on a stool.

He glanced at his information.

[Earl: Winston Zachary]

[Affiliation: Ice Crystal Kingdom]

[Level: 47 (Tier 5 Commander-level creature)]

…

…

Cao Xing's pupils shifted slightly; this was actually a Tier 5 Commander-level powerhouse.

But thinking about it, it was normal.

After all, as an Earl and also the City Lord of Merlind City, it was not strange for Winston to have the strength of a Tier 5 Commander.

With his combat power, plus the knights in the city, as well as those guards, it was enough to maintain the public order of the entire Merlind City.

However, Cao Xing noticed that the Earl's complexion was a bit wrong.

His pupils were slightly sunken, and his lips were a bit pale.

However, Cao Xing had just checked his attribute panel and hadn't found anything abnormal.

Earl Winston did not get up, still leaning on the chair, and said casually.

"I heard from that old guy Jess that a special Otherworld Lord wanted to see me."

"What is your business?"

Cao Xing did not mince words and said directly, "I heard that you are offering a bounty for four scammers, their names are Mark, Goodman, Depsy, and Ouna, right?"

Hearing these names, Winston, who was sitting on the big chair, immediately opened his eyes.

A trace of anger appeared on his face!

"Those damned guys, I'm going to skin them!" the Earl said fiercely.

Then, he looked at Cao Xing and asked suspiciously, "You found them?"

Cao Xing shook his head, "No, I caught them and brought them to you."

"They are outside, but they are being guarded by my soldiers."

The Earl immediately understood something and said towards the door, "Let them in."

After saying that, several Wild Boar Warriors walked in, escorting the four scammers.

Seeing those familiar figures, Winston stood up from his chair with a start.

He walked quickly to the front of the group, with a trace of anger on his face.

"Damned guys! You finally let me see you again!"

"You bastards, how dare you deceive this Earl!"

And the four people whose hands and feet were tied had bitter expressions on their faces.

They regretted it immensely in their hearts; why did they have the brain to go and mess with this Otherworld Lord?

Now it was bad; not only did they get nothing, but they were also brought to the Earl's mansion by him.

Just thinking about the days they would fall into the Earl's hands made them feel a burst of despair.

And at this moment, Winston, after his initial anger, also recovered.

He rubbed his shiny, bald head, and an exaggerated smile gradually appeared at the corners of his mouth.

He chuckled and said, "Didn't expect it, didn't expect it… You actually had a day where you fell into my hands."

"I actually thought you guys had already escaped the Ice Crystal Kingdom, and that I would never be able to catch you in this lifetime!"

Upon hearing this, one of the middle-aged scammers named Mark said with an apologetic face, "Earl Winston, we are very sorry."

"But you must understand, we did not deceive you; we simply failed in our investment."

"You know how it is; the market is like that—it has its ups and downs."

"As long as you can give us one more chance, I will definitely be able to earn your money back in three months—no, in one month!"

Hearing this, Earl Winston's eyes widened, and he instantly roared, "Do you take me for a fool?"

"You swindled me out of twenty million crowns, and you want to swindle me again?"

At this moment, upon hearing the number twenty million, Cao Xing was also inwardly shocked.

Good grief, this Earl really is wealthy and generous, casually handing out such a huge sum of money to a few strangers.

The middle-aged man said with a terrified expression, "Earl Winston, we are truly sorry!"

"Please forgive us this once; we will definitely work hard to pay you back."

The other three also begged for mercy, kneeling down together as if they were slaves.

"Earl Winston, we truly know we were wrong."

"We can swear to the gods that we will definitely work hard to pay you back!"

"Please forgive us…"

For a time, the four of them wept bitterly.

They exhausted every vocabulary word they could think of, hoping to gain the Earl's forgiveness.

However, looking at the four kneeling on the ground, a flash of contempt crossed Earl Winston's eyes.

"Do you think I care about that twenty million?"

"What I care about is that you dared to deceive me; this is simply insulting this Earl's intelligence and trampling on our family's dignity!"

"You know that the dignity of an Earl cannot be violated."

After saying this, he looked toward the door and shouted, "Soldiers!"

Soon, a few soldiers walked over quickly.

Earl Winston waved his hand and said directly, "Lock these guys in the Insect House, and don't let them out for three days and three nights."

Upon hearing this, the four below stiffened, and then began to tremble uncontrollably.

They had all heard how terrifying the Earl's Insect House was!

An ordinary person who spent less than half a day inside would die suddenly, and in a miserable state.

And they had to stay inside for three days and three nights; this was even more agonizing than being killed!

"Earl Winston, spare us, I will never dare to do it again!"

The woman also begged for mercy, "Earl Winston, please forgive me, I can serve you with my body, I beg you."

"…" However, Earl Winston's eyes remained indifferent, completely ignoring their pleas.

Amidst a chorus of screams, all four scammers were dragged away.

Earl Winston seemed to have vented his frustration, exhaling a long breath.

A moment later, a happy expression reappeared on his face. He then looked at Cao Xing and said, "Thank you, this…"

He seemed not to know how to address Cao Xing. "My name is Cao Xing."

Earl Winston realized and said, "Thank you, Lord Cao Xing."

"Then, I will give you the reward for this bounty."

Then, he looked toward a small room behind him and said, "Melanie, go to the warehouse in the back and get two million crowns."

"Yes… my Lord…" A soft voice came to his ears.

Soon, a tall woman, nearly one meter ninety in height, walked in gracefully.

She was wearing a black low-cut evening gown. The upper part of the gown had a tight design that clung closely to her body, highlighting her sizzling figure.

The revealing attire exposed nearly half of her chest.

The lower part had a fluffy skirt, like a black lotus flower.

Every step she took was full of allure.

Earl Winston looked at the woman walking gracefully toward him, his eyes filled with hidden indulgence and lust.

At this moment, Cao Xing was inwardly shocked. Because he had seen this woman before.

Last time in Lake Doron City, in that hidden cabin, the female Night Demon who played dead!

Cao Xing sighed inwardly, "I didn't expect this Succubus to have escaped to Merlind City and even infiltrated Earl Winston's side."

"And it looks like this Earl seems to know her identity, yet he still keeps her by his side."

Seen in this light, Winston's pale complexion could be explained.

Cao Xing mused, "I had heard before that those nobles have very wild lifestyles."

"I didn't expect them to be so unpicky; they can accept anything."

However, this female Succubus did not recognize Cao Xing's identity.

Because last time in that Night Demon cabin, Cao Xing had used the White Robed Priest disguise the entire time.

Even those Red Robed Priests couldn't tell, let alone this Succubus who was only level twenty-something.

Earl Winston waved his hand and patted her pert buttocks. "Melanie, give the box to Lord Cao Xing."

"Yes…" The woman's voice was somewhat delicate, completely inconsistent with her tall physique.

Moreover, as soon as she spoke, it made the men present, including those Wild Boar Warriors, feel a stir of hormones.

Through her tight black gown, one could imagine the fiery figure beneath the clothes.

It made one subconsciously want to pin this woman down and ravish her fiercely!

Cao Xing could only say, she was truly worthy of being a Succubus.

But fortunately, their self-control was very strong, and they did not show any abnormality.

At this moment, the Succubus walked gracefully to Cao Xing's side, bent down slightly, and handed the box to him.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, she leaned in very close, displaying her deep cleavage in front of him.

And Cao Xing, of course, directly ignored it.

If this woman was intentionally seducing him and the Earl saw it and used it to cause trouble, that would be a clichéd mess.

Cao Xing calmly put away the money box and then stored it in his backpack.

[Obtained: crowns * 2 million…]

With the items in hand, Cao Xing did not intend to linger.

At this moment, the Earl already had one arm wrapped around the Succubus.

However, because he was around one meter sixty-something in height, standing next to this Succubus, there was always a sense of disharmony, like a mother with her child.

His hand also happened to be placed on the Succubus's pert buttocks.

This Earl, completely ignoring everyone present, was wantonly kneading this Succubus named Melanie.

And Melanie kept making coquettish sounds.

Obviously, this Earl was also the type who craved pleasure and was addicted to beauty.

But fortunately, before coming in, Cao Xing had asked Renice and Elisa to cover their faces.

So, there were no clichéd incidents of conflict arising because of the beauties by their side.

"Then, Earl Winston, we shall take our leave."

Just as Cao Xing was preparing to take his people and leave, the Earl said, "Wait a moment, I have another matter to entrust to you."

Cao Xing turned his head and looked at him in confusion.

The Earl said with a calm expression, "During this time, many Otherworld Lords have come to Merlind City; they often harass my guards and the residents."

"They keep repeatedly asking the residents if they need any help."

"The residents in the city have already complained to me that those Otherworld Lords have affected their lives."

"Even my Earl's mansion often has some Otherworld Lords wandering nearby, and they have even tried to sneak in multiple times."

Cao Xing's mouth twitched. Obviously, this was done by those silly players.

In order to trigger various quests, they could be said to have wild imaginations and would do anything.

Cao Xing continued, "I am not that kind of person; I have no relationship with those people."

He directly distanced himself. However, Winston waved his hand and said, "I know."

"My meaning is, seeing that your ability is quite outstanding, and you were even able to bring back those scammers like Goodman, you are much stronger than those Otherworld Lords."

"Therefore, I do have a commission I would like to entrust to you."

Cao Xing's heart stirred. This is… a quest triggered?

If other Survivors knew that they had tried every possible way to get a quest, while Cao Xing triggered the Earl's quest just by walking in, they would probably be furious to death.

But he did not accept immediately, instead saying, "Earl Winston, please explain the quest content first; let me see if I have the ability to do it."

"If my ability is insufficient, I shouldn't waste your time."

He did not explicitly say he was going to refuse, but instead used a tactful way of speaking.

Earl Winston did not mind, saying directly, "It is not a difficult matter; I want you to help me find a weapon I once used."

"A weapon?" Winston nodded, "Yes, it is a sword."

"It is also something my father left me. As an heirloom of our Zachary family, this weapon holds extraordinary significance."

"However, about six years ago, I participated in an operation to hunt Griffins."

"Everything was going smoothly, and we were about to catch that group of Griffins."

"But then, a Griffin King suddenly appeared halfway through."

"This Griffin King was extremely powerful; our entire Knight Order could not take it down, and several knights even died."

"My heirloom sword was also snatched away by the Griffin King, and I haven't been able to find it to this day."

"So, I would like you to help me look for it…"

At the same time, a system prompt appeared.

[Because your strength meets the requirements, a special event has been triggered: Earl Winston's Commission]

[Commission Content: Retrieve the lost heirloom sword]

After listening to the quest content, Cao Xing keenly grasped a keyword: 'Griffin King'.

Recently, he had just captured four Griffins in his territory and was planning to use them to find the Griffin nest and then wipe them all out.

And the heirloom sword that Winston lost was snatched away by the Griffin King. Could it also be in that Griffin nest?