The Next Commission

Ye Chuan patted Torres’ shoulder, who was standing right in front of him, then moved his hand once more.

“Gravity Field.”

The arrows flying towards them froze completely under the oppressive force of gravity. Despite their overwhelming numbers, wave after wave of arrows clattered uselessly to the ground.

Realizing that their arrows couldn’t harm Ye Chuan, the group hiding in the shadows understood how troublesome a mage could be. Immediately, a voice rang out,

“Scatter and rush in! Take down that mage first! He can’t keep casting spells non-stop!”

Suddenly, torches flared up in the darkness, and dozens of men emerged from the corners—bathed in flickering firelight, their attire was a chaotic mix: some wore leather jackets, others wore armor, their overall quality wildly inconsistent. Their footsteps were disorderly, like a band of ruffians.

And without exception, all their attention was locked on Ye Chuan.

“They’re local bandits,” Torres said, raising his shield. “Lord Xixi, I’ll buy you time to cast your spells.”

With that, he slammed his shield down onto the ground.

“Blessing of Defense!”

A green glow radiated from Torres’ sturdy frame as he faced the charging bandits with a serious expression.

By common understanding, the more powerful a mage’s spell, the longer the incantation time required—especially for spells with area effects, each needing a certain amount of chanting.

Even high-level mages were no exception. Rumor had it some mastered “Accelerated Chanting,” but even so, continuous rapid casting of area spells was impossible.

“No problem.” Ye Chuan’s spiritual senses could gauge that these bandits weren’t particularly strong. Even the leader, a middle-aged man wielding a large broadsword, was only about third-tier level.

Even if Ye Chuan didn’t intervene, the silver-rank adventurers in their team could handle them, though the numbers disadvantage would cause some losses.

Ye Chuan clenched his hand in midair, and a massive black banner appeared in his grip, black flames swirling around it, exuding a thick aura of menace.

“T-This…” Torres was visibly shaken by the ominous aura radiating from the banner in Ye Chuan’s hand.

“What is that…”

Ye Chuan didn’t answer Torres. Instead, he shook the soul banner in his hand, chanting newly improvised words as he activated it.

“Light attribute magic, Purification of Sin.”

The banner emitted a ghostly, piercing wail. Then dozens of chains materialized, piercing through the bandits’ bodies in an instant, their terrified eyes wide with horror!

The chains tightened instantly, stripping their souls away one by one, drawing them into Ye Chuan’s soul banner.

Screams echoed in the air. In just a short while, all the bandits collapsed, reduced to soulless shells.

“T-This is light attribute magic?” Torres pointed at the soul banner in Ye Chuan’s hand, swallowing hard—he had never seen such a sinister form of light magic before.

“Yeah, see the purple glow? It’s the light of purifying sin,” Ye Chuan said. “Amitabha, the Holy Light.”

Torres felt he shouldn’t ask any more questions. Nearby, a few adventurers who witnessed the scene were dumbfounded.

Could this man be a necromancer?

Torres stepped forward to inspect the bodies of the bandits. After a thorough check, he realized it wasn’t a premeditated ambush—just a common robbery by petty thieves.

“Miss, are you alright?”

“No harm done. Let’s keep moving.” The voice from inside remained calm, showing no sign of being shaken by the recent attacks from monsters and bandits.

“Yes, ma’am!”

After dealing with the bodies, the carriage resumed its journey.

The road ahead was much smoother, with no further encounters with monsters or attacks. Time passed, and eventually, dawn began to break.

…

“Want to get some sleep?” Ye Chuan, still fairly alert, turned to ask Torres, who was sitting beside him.

“Lord Xixi, won’t you rest?” Torres’ voice carried a hint of fatigue, but he shook his head.

After last night’s attack, Torres had upgraded his form of address from “sir” to “lord,” probably because he had witnessed Ye Chuan’s strange and terrifying power firsthand.

Rest?

“I have my own way of resting,” Ye Chuan smiled.

In fact, he had already logged off once. But after saving the game and logging back in, no time had passed here—it was a seamless transition.

“This is Magic Dew Grass. It helps keep you alert.” Torres pulled a green herb from his small pouch and began chewing it. That seemed to be his method of staying awake.

For the next few days, to avoid any accidents, Ye Chuan didn’t plan on sleeping at all.

“Lord Xixi, would you like some?” Torres held out the herb.

“No, thanks.” Seeing Torres’ earnest expression, Ye Chuan snapped his fingers, and a soft emerald light instantly enveloped his body.

“What’s that...?”

Torres felt the fatigue vanish instantly and quickly caught on. “A dispelling spell?”

“Yes,” Ye Chuan replied.

After all, he had spent money on various strange magic spells, including this simple one that dispels negative status effects and keeps you alert.

“Much appreciated.”

“No problem.” Ye Chuan didn’t forget to add, “Oh, by the way, ten silver coins a use.”

Torres: “...”

Is this lord really that broke?

The carriage rolled into a relatively open plain. Aside from a few harmless monsters in the distance, there was nothing truly dangerous around.

“Torres, let’s rest here for a while.” Isabella’s voice came from inside the carriage.

“Yes, ma’am!”

The horses had been traveling all night and were thoroughly exhausted. Once the carriage stopped, the other adventurers began setting up camp.

Ye Chuan found a large rock to sit on and took a moment to rest. Gazing at the alien world’s scenery, he couldn’t help but admire it.

*Rustle, rustle.* The sound of feet brushing against the grass caught his attention. He glanced sideways and noticed a young woman standing beside him.

She spoke softly, “May I talk with you for a while, Mr. Xixi?”

“Of course, Miss I.” Ye Chuan smiled and slightly shifted his position. “Have a seat here.”

Isabella paused for a moment. She glanced at the large rock beneath Ye Chuan’s seat, unsure whether she should try to jump up and sit beside him or if she simply didn’t want to share the spot. Instead, she just took a few steps closer.

“Thank you for stepping in last night.”

“You’re my employer; there’s no need to thank me,” Ye Chuan replied with a slight smile, sensing her politeness.

“...” The young woman fell silent for a moment before speaking again. “Mr. Xi Xi, now that this escort mission is over, may I hire you as my bodyguard for a while?”

“What do you mean? Are you booking me for your next assignment?”

“Exactly. You could put it that way. But this next job will be far more challenging,” Isabella said. “Of course, the pay won’t be low.”

“Go on, I’m listening.”

“To assassinate the King of Hill Country.”

Ye Chuan blinked in surprise.