Chapter 0014

Tempest studied the composition of all the female mercenary group before she nonchalantly walked into the camp. Although Tempest doesn’t know the power system in the Cardinal Realm nor does she knows how to judge power levels she trusts the spirits so when they told her only two people here can harm her, she believes them.

She knew she couldn’t take on everyone in the camp should they wish to do her harm, but she can out run them.

It seems the two people in the group, a black hair Asian beauty and a white hair Caucasian woman dress in white are the organizer of this group as well as the only two people who pose any danger to Tempest.

Tempest began to wonder about the motive of this group. According to Ventus, the power of the two organizers are enough to kill the Sundered Lion, so why do they need a group to do what they can accomplish by themselves?

The Asian beauty walked up Tempest and introduces herself, “My name is Xing Zhi Hui and the white-haired ghost over there is my partner Aria Se Jivock. Are you here to hunt the Sundered Lion?”

“Ahhhh, don’t listen to my foul mouth partner! I’m not a ghost. Honestly.” The white hair ghost protested as she flew over. Her eyes held intense grievances towards her partner. They were supposed to work together, yet her friend called her a ghost in front of the new recruits.

Tempest said nothing to the flustered woman, but she agreed wholeheartedly with her partner’s assessment. She did look like a ghost. White hair, milky pale skin, and blue eyes covered by an opaque white film, if she is not the personification of the Asian ghost then what else can she be?

Xing Zhi Hui shrugged her shoulders, unconcerned about her partner’s protest. She was used to Aria Se Jivock antics. “The clothes you wear don’t make it any better.”

Tempest agreed with the stern woman. Translucent layered silk covered Aria Se Jivock’s body, giving her a transparent quality associated with ghosts. Tempest tried to see through her clothes but the fabric was layered well enough to block prying eyes while giving the viewer hints of the enticing curves underneath. Luckily, all the mercenaries here are all women and Tempest’s unusual features indicate her sex or else she’d be slapped silly and curse at for being a pervert.

“Zhi Hui!”

“What part of my statement is untrue?” Xing Zhi Hui retained her cold demeanor in front of her partner. Tempest got the feeling she was not immune to Aria Se Jivock’s whining as she leads others to believe.

“Can you leave me some dignity?”

“Truth is truth.”

“Zhi Hui, you meanie.”

Xing Zhi Hui ignored Aria Se Jivock in favor of Tempest. “Are you here to hunt the Sundered Lion?”

“Yes I am. My name is Tempest.”

“Get your supplies ready, we will leave soon.”

“Ah okay.” Tempest was glad she had a space ring where all here supplies are being stored. Again, she wondered about the purpose of this group. For a supposed mercenary group, they sure don’t act like it. Which mercenary group expect their members to handle their own logistic?

Their members are questionable too. One woman was dressed in fine blue silk with silver embroidery being fawned over by three flunkies while another woman dresses in tight black leather gear carrying a sword on her back lingered at the edge of the camp. Several young women in plain cloth clothes scurry to and fro, doing one thing or another. There was another group of women dress in ‘hunting’ gear giving a second check to their supplies. All in all, this look like a hodgepodge group of females thrown together.

Everyone had one thing in common. They were all paying attention to the woman next to Tempest, whether openly or covertly. Tempest was getting a bad feeling about this.

“My name is Aria Se Jivock, but you can call me Aria. Ignore that meanie over there. She got up on the wrong side of the bed today. And the bed she slept on might have had bed bugs. By the way, how much experience do you have hunting? What kind of skills or abilities do you have? What kind of equipment are you carrying?” Aria fired questions after questions, attempting to make a good impression on the newcomer while cursing her friend in her heart. She told Zhi Hui she was trying to hook an important fish, yet Zhi Hui still acted like a cold iceberg.

Her Kharmic Sight tells her this girl is the one she’s been looking for. No, the newcomer isn’t the Defyer, but she has a strong karmic line to the Defyer. In their previous lives, they were either lovers or close friends. Judging by the color and thickness of the karma line, the little girl and the Defyer have not met in this lifetime yet, but they will soon.

She needs to make a good impression right now so when she asks for a favor later, they will be amenable to her request.

Aria Se Jivock didn’t realize her action had the opposite reaction in her intended target. Instead of drawing the newcomer closer, her actions cause Tempest to become even more suspicious.

Tempest rather deal with the no-nonsense Asian beauty than the pushy ditz firing rapid questions, contagious disease notwithstanding, but her desire for money coupled with her lack of information about Cardinal Point Realm stopped her more caustic words from flowing.

She did confirm with Ventus about cultivators and human disease. Cultivators absorb different types of energy and fuse it into their bodies, making them immune to most mortal disease.

“I have no hunting skills. I have been selling charms to make a living in Orinet until it my mother went to gather herbs one day and never came back. The magistrate believes it to be the work of a high-level beast. I want to take revenge, but I have never killed a chicken, so how can hunt down the beast that killed my mother? Ever since then I’ve been wandering from city to city selling charms, trying to join a mercenary group willing to teach a newcomer.” Here Tempest smile despondently lend credence to her story, “Unfortunately I have not found a group willing to take me in. I’ve heard a group was forming to hunt a Sundered Lion, so I thought I’d try my luck.”

The best way to get a stranger to believe you is to mix truth with lies. A good liar can lie, keep the lies straight all the while interjecting emotions at the right time to elicit an appropriate reaction or response.

Tempest is not a good liar. Keep in mind, Tempest spent her formative years in a state of neglect and hunger, defending what meager food her mother cook or brought home against the leeches she calls family. She spent her teenage years in a insane… ahem… psychiatric… ahem… hospital. The little girl never learned the intricate art of lying.

She knew she did not manage to sell her story to Aria Se Jivock, but the other decided to play along with her, which puzzles the newly proclaimed Charm Maker as well as increase her vigilance against the seemingly natural air head.

No one willing walks into traps when they know it’s there unless the bait or incentives is more valuable than the dangers.

Tempest have nothing valuable on her. She is a trap without a bait. So why does this foolish person willingly walk in?

“Ah, so you are new the mercenary life. Don’t worry, nothing will go wrong with a big sister here.” The ditz patted her chest to emphasize her trustworthiness, “If you have any questions just ask me. I’ll answer you as best as I can. I won’t give away all my secrets, though. I have to have some to maintain my image of course, but you can ask any questions of cultivating.”

Wink. Wink.

Seriously?

Tempest wonder if she stepped into the Twilight Zone or Child Trafficking R’ Us, or maybe I have candy, get into the van situation. Though sending a pervert to lure her is a bit much. Also futile. Though the original body is 13 years old, Tempest had the street smarts of an abandoned child living in the foster care system and the wiles of a crack addict in rehab, though Tempest must stress the point, she was never a drug addict. The crack addict in the room across from hers going through withdrawals told her how to smuggle the drugs.

“Ah let me point out the important personage in our group. That blondie in the blue dress over there, she is Jean Grentnore, a royal princess of a small kingdom in the Magus Alliance. There nothing great about her or her kingdom to warrant her arrogant attitude. She got Earth and Wood mortal spirit veins, minor soul force and minor mental power, an all around low level cannon fodder, who might make it to a medium level cannon fodder if she wises up.” Said low level cannon fodder audible gritted her teeth but held her tongue.

It shows the status of the airhead next to Tempest that she can openly badmouth a member with fear of retaliation.

“Ah over there,” Aria pointed to the black clad woman equipped with a big sword, “That girl over there Emery Avant, light mortal spirit vein, minor soul force, medium mental power and poser extraordinaire. Don’t believe the assassin killing intent she’s sending out, it’s fake. She’s like you in that she never kills a chicken. I have to admire her mental fortitude. She’ll get herself killed one of these days with her stubborn I’m always right, you are wrong personality. She might live a little bit longer if she learns how to make friends and adapt to the situation, but really mules like her don’t learn.

Those mercenaries over there, Senna Tillock, Amber Eldgand, and Bailey Tutten, they are liars. Oh, they have been on several expeditions, no doubt about it, but really, trying to pass off their battle general spirit vein as king spirit veins, who are they trying to fool? Their grandstanding will get themselves killed.

You see that plainly dress girl over there boiling the water, her name is…”

Tempest was glad when Xing Zhi Hui came over and drag that hate magnet away from her. What was she trying to do, getting close to her to draw everyone’s attention then insulting everyone right in front of their face without a qualm? Trying to get her killed? The idiot might survive the backstabbing but Tempest won’t. Tempest already regretted her decision to come here.

This is going to be a long expedition.