Chapter Fifty-Three United Action

  "Cheers!"

  She swung her sword again to force back the approaching corpse, Shana let out a long breath. The wound on her shoulder had started to go numb and even her arm was gradually losing feeling. The corpses around her were getting more and more numerous, making Shana feel somewhat oppressed.

  Is it going to end like this?

  She bit her lip, the pain spreading, but it couldn't dispel the despair and heaviness in her heart. Although she thought she had made thorough preparations after receiving the task, when she led her subordinates into this place, she found that what she had thought was really too simple.

  As a four-star mission, the Pavel Cemetery was indeed not a trivial task. The undead creatures kept coming in waves, almost sweeping them away. Although Shana led her subordinates to repel their attacks time and again, they also suffered significant losses. Until just now, five or six members of the team had been lost, and most of the remaining people were injured. In such a situation, could they still hold on?

  Shana had thought of retreating more than once, but in the end she gritted her teeth and persisted. Now it was too late to quit, she was too deeply involved, wanting to withdraw but having lost the opportunity. At present, the only chance is to persist, eliminate that undead wizard, maybe there's still a glimmer of hope.

  Although that's what they said, Shana was well aware that it was almost impossible now. They couldn't even handle these undead creatures, where would they get the chance to face that terrifying and powerful lich?

  It wasn't just Shana, but her subordinates as well, their hearts had long since given up hope, facing these nauseating yet impossible to eradicate undead creatures, only the will to survive supported them in wielding their weapons, instinctively trying to pull themselves back from the edge of that abyss of death.

  But this is also their limit.

  "Terrible!"

  When the pungent smell wafted up to her nose, Shana suddenly woke up with a start. Just then, she felt a sudden jolt in her hand, followed by a massive impact that sent her sword flying high into the air, and the flames that had been burning fiercely on it suddenly went out. At the same time, an ugly corpse ghost let out a mournful cry as it stretched out its arms and pounced towards her.

  She's spaced out!

  At this moment, Shana's heart sank straight down. As a swordsman, she naturally knew what the consequences of being distracted in battle would be, and now, she was about to taste the bitter result - at the cost of her own life.

  Fortunately, the Grim Reaper's scythe passed her by this time.

  Just as Shana closed her eyes, resigned to her fate, a dazzling light descended from the sky, as if a heavy hammer had pierced the corpse ghost's body. The monster that was about to get its hands on her trembled violently and then collapsed to the ground like a soft mud.

  A cold icy wind blows up.

  Everyone's body was stiff, and then a dazzling flash of lightning flashed by.

  "Rumble, rumble, rumble!!!"

  In the blink of an eye, those terrifying undead creatures were completely annihilated in this round of explosions. It wasn't until then that everyone saw a few people standing at the entrance of another passageway.

  "Sister Shana, is everything okay with you guys?!"

  With the danger now cleared, Lijie hurriedly ran towards the crowd. Marlin, who had just finished casting her spell, proudly swung her long hair and then looked at Rode with a confident smile, apparently gesturing to him: How's that, see, I did a good job, didn't I?

  But in the face of Marlin's hint, Rod's expression was somewhat indescribable... Indeed worthy of being a top student with five lectures, four beauties and three loves. My intention was to get rid of them all at once... Never mind, it's good this way. After all, when Rod gave the order, he didn't think that Lije would know these people. Now he is somewhat grateful for Marlin's top student thinking, fortunately she is not a player, otherwise the trouble might have been big by now.

  "It's Red Eagle..."

  Looking at the red-haired female swordsman in the distance, Old Wark muttered to himself, and he exchanged a glance with Rode, both of them seeing the thoughts in each other's hearts.

  "Lily?"

  Shana, who had barely escaped with her life, didn't have time to celebrate her good fortune before being startled by the figure in front of her.

  "How did you end up here?"

  "I'm here on a mission."

  Lijie answered while kneeling in front of Shana, soon she stretched out her hands, accompanied by a faint light, the wounds on the red-haired female swordsman's body quickly healed, and even the corpse poison that was originally infected was completely eliminated.

  That's the importance of a Cleric, although mercenaries may know some basic first aid and wound treatment techniques, only a Cleric's healing magic can produce immediate results. Therefore, every Cleric is an object of attention and protection for each mercenary group, plus the number of Clerics is not large, and most of them are not very interested in adventure, so except for those who go out to travel according to the church's requirements, there are only a few Clerics like Lijie who can stay outside for some reason.

  After treating Shana's injuries, Lijie immediately got up and walked towards the others. After this battle, almost all of Shana's subordinates were injured, and some were seriously injured. If they didn't receive timely treatment, it was likely that they would soon be joining those things they had just defeated in death.

  Withdrawing her gaze from Liche, Shana finally noticed Rode and the others approaching her, she hastily stood up, extending a hand with a hint of bitter smile.

  "Thank you for your help."

  "You're welcome."

  Rod grasped Shana's outstretched hand and replied in a calm tone,

  "This seems like the second time I've thanked you."

  Shana withdrew her hand, with a mixture of surprise and curiosity, smiling as she sized up the young man in front of her. She had only met Rude twice before, and they weren't very familiar with each other. All she knew was that this man had saved Lijie, then dueled Seric and passed the mercenary assessment, proving his strength wasn't weak. But now...this man seemed not so simple after all?

  As she thought of this, Shana involuntarily looked at the two people behind Rude, and the first thing she saw was Marlene wearing a gorgeous mage robe, which made Shana stunned for a moment. After all, mages were even rarer than spirit masters, how could they appear here? And... standing next to her, wasn't that old Wolk who drank every day at the guild?

  How did these people get together?

  Shana involuntarily turned her head and took another look at Lisha before looking at Rude with a hint of doubt.

  "Excuse me, what is this......?"

  "We have come here to complete our mission."

  Rod's answer was brief and direct.

  "Same as you."

  "Are there just four of you?"

  "That's right."

  If it were on a normal day, Shana would have thought Rude was talking nonsense. Pavel's graveyard is an extremely dangerous place where many mercenary groups had suffered greatly. If they said only four people were left after being killed, that would be the normal logic. But reality told this red-haired female swordsman that things didn't seem to be as she imagined. After all, Rude and the others didn't show any signs of fleeing in disarray, and from their appearance, it didn't look like they had been attacked either.

  Is this man telling the truth?

  Shana blinked her eyes, unable to believe the fact that the four of them could actually make it this far? And they seemed to be doing so with ease? How was this possible? Was this young man really that amazing?

  Just as the red-haired female swordsman was thinking about these things, Lijie, who had finished treating everyone's injuries, returned to Rod's side and whispered a few words to Marlin. The two seemed to be chatting, but Shana no longer cared about this matter now. Because at this time, Rod's voice rang out.

  "What are you going to do next?"

  "What's next?"

  At Rod's inquiry, Shana was taken aback, and only then did she realize the current situation.

  They are completing their task.

  And this young man is also completing his task.

  So that's what it means...

  Thinking of this, Shana immediately felt that things had become somewhat tricky.

  Generally speaking, mercenary groups also encounter such accidental events when performing tasks. After all, there are only so many tasks, and anyone can take them before they are completed. So car crashes are not uncommon either. When encountering this situation, mercenary groups with good relationships either choose to retreat or unite to take action. Those with slightly worse relationships will directly engage in a fierce battle to decide the outcome through strength.

  So now, which road will they choose?

  Shana immediately deleted the option of resorting to violence from her mind. Since they had saved her, it meant they didn't have malicious intentions. If she chose this way again, it would go against her own principles and tarnish the dignity of Red Hawk. But should she ask them to back down? She had put in so much effort, lost so many companions, and was now at this critical juncture - did she still have a choice but to retreat? However... Shana was also clear that with their current strength, they were no match for the Lich Wizard.

  "If possible, I hope we can cooperate."

  At last, Shana gritted her teeth and made this suggestion.

  "We don't want any points, nor do we need spoils of war. In fact, my companion and I came here for one thing only - a sword. According to our intelligence, it should be with the Lich Wizard, and we hope to join forces with you, as long as we can get that sword, everything else we can give up."

  Sword?

  Rod was taken aback by Shana's response.

  How could he have forgotten that there was a sword in this cemetery?

  Did you forget yourself?

  Is there another reason?

  Rod furrowed his brow and thought for a moment, but didn't get an answer. So he simply opened his mouth to ask directly.

  "Miss Sha Na, I don't recall the association ever posting this task."

  "We received private commissions."

  Shana slightly shook her head and then gave a response.

  So that's how it is.

  When Rod heard Shana's answer, his doubts in his heart were also cleared up. He didn't say anything more and just nodded.

  "I can agree to your request, but I have one condition."

  He opened his mouth and said that when he heard Rod's answer, the red-haired female swordsman also showed a joyful expression, but she still asked with some tension.

  "What conditions do you have?"

  "It's very simple."

  Rod made a gesture.

  "In the upcoming battle, I demand that you all follow my command completely."