Chapter 10: The Contest
“Now we just have to wait for approval.” Quasimodo said.
“How long will that take?” Nuo asked.
“Hard to say.” Quasimodo shook his head. “According to the procedure, it needs to go through the Quartermaster Procurement Department, the Financial Audit Department, the Legal Cooperation Department, and the Morningstar Headquarters for co-signing before it’s finally submitted to Commander Bryce.”
So long… everyone thought silently.
However, lengthy procedures were a common problem for large companies and organizations, and this was unavoidable. Thinking about the many items on the order, they felt it was bearable.
“Actually,” as the group left the supply warehouse and walked towards the open space outside, Quasimodo said, “Whether it’s the Quartermaster Procurement Department or the Financial Audit Department, there probably won’t be any obstacles, because we sell things at a higher price for external transactions, there’s a surplus profit.”
“For the Legal Cooperation Department, as long as it doesn’t involve a contract, there’s no problem with this kind of on-the-spot transaction where money and goods are exchanged.”
“The more troublesome part is the Morningstar Headquarters, because as your guarantor, if there is any problem with the transaction, Morningstar will be jointly liable. And Commander Phoebus, our Knight Commander of Morningstar, is a shrewd and difficult person to fool…”
“I didn’t expect you to have some insight, Quasimodo.” A middle-aged man walked over from the opposite side, wearing the inner uniform of powered armor, his hair and mustache neatly combed and shiny, his appearance quite mature and handsome.
Beside him was Claude, the Knight Commander of the Morningstar Second Squad, who was now looking at Quasimodo triumphantly.
“Commander Phoebus!” Quasimodo hurriedly saluted upon seeing the man.
“No need for formalities in informal settings.” Phoebus said lightly, his deep gaze turning towards them.
This Commander Phoebus is quite handsome! Nuo thought in surprise.
However, he’s still not as good as my team leader~
She turned to look at Asker’s profile and couldn’t help but laugh at herself.
“This is…” Phoebus asked slowly.
“Asker, the leader of the Azure Longsword mercenary group.” Quasimodo hurriedly introduced.
His tone was so serious that Claude couldn’t help but laugh.
“So it’s the Azure Longsword mercenary group, it’s a pleasure to meet you, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Claude said mockingly, his tone full of sarcasm.
His expression seemed to be saying, “What kind of trash mercenary group is this?”
Phoebus frowned imperceptibly.
The reason he came here was because Claude had snitched on him, suspecting that Quasimodo had taken the spoils of their fallen comrades and falsely claimed them as his own squad’s loot.
According to the Night’s Watch rules, the belongings of any knight who died in an undead anomaly incident, if they had any unsubmitted loot, should be uniformly inventoried and settled by the quartermaster, and the money should be sent in full to the family of the deceased as an additional supplement to the pension.
Therefore, privately taking the belongings of fallen comrades was not only a serious violation of the Night’s Watch rules but also a great moral transgression, the kind of serious stain that would be condemned by everyone.
Phoebus knew Quasimodo of the Third Squad. Although this guy was always arrogant and not very sociable among his colleagues, he still knew right from wrong and was unlikely to do such a despicable thing.
It was just that Claude’s description was too exaggerated. Seven Night’s Watch knights killed more than a hundred ghouls and a Black Knight without any casualties? Even the Sun and Moon knights couldn’t do that, unless it was the “Resting Paladins” from headquarters.
“I was just about to explain to you, Commander.” Quasimodo said seriously. “The loot this time was not obtained solely by our squad, but with the help of the Azure Longsword mercenary group, we achieved such results.”
He described the whole incident, including the sudden change of direction of the ghoul horde, how they were divided into two and then annihilated by the mercenary group, and then the appearance of the Black Knight, who was then defeated head-on by Asker in one, two, three strikes.
Phoebus and Claude were dumbfounded. Quasimodo, are you kidding me?
The former, after all, was deep and unreadable, his face expressionless. The latter exclaimed:
“What? Defeated a Black Knight with powered armor head-on? You might as well say that this mercenary is actually a demigod in disguise.”
“What I said is what I saw with my own eyes.” Quasimodo insisted. “I swear on my honor.”
“That’s enough, Claude.” Phoebus frowned and said, “In that case, then…”
“Why don’t I have a contest with him!” Claude said angrily. “A mercenary killed a Black Knight? This is not how you shirk responsibility! Do you take me and Commander Phoebus for fools?”
Phoebus turned his head back in surprise.
In his impression, although Knight Commander Claude was mean and sarcastic, he wasn’t so easily angered and foolish. Why was he acting like he wanted to fight Quasimodo to the death today?
“Medea?” Asker asked mentally.
“A good show, isn’t it?” Medea smiled, revealing her white teeth.
In her sleeve, her slender fingers manipulating Desire clenched tightly, and everyone heard Claude say fiercely:
“Commander Phoebus! After I defeat this mercenary, please ask Quasimodo again where those spoils really came from!”
Phoebus stared at him expressionlessly for a moment, then smiled slightly.
“Mr. Asker.” He turned his head and said gracefully, “I don’t doubt the veracity of Quasimodo’s account, but since Claude has requested verification, would you be willing to demonstrate your strength here?”
“If you can defeat Claude, then there will be no further doubt in this matter. As compensation, I will immediately approve your trade application and personally submit the order to Commander Bryce.”
“Everything is going smoothly as planned, that’s great.” Medea’s voice echoed leisurely in Asker’s mind. “Next, it’s time for you to show your skills, Captain.”
“Okay.” Asker nodded. “I have no problem with that.”
“Then let’s go to our training ground.” Phoebus made a “please” gesture.
The news that Knight Commander Claude of the Morningstar Second Squad was about to have a contest with an outside mercenary quickly spread throughout the camp like wildfire.
Not only the Morningstar Night’s Watch knights, but also the Silver Moon and Sun knights, and even some non-combat priests came to watch.
After all, they had just experienced a difficult mission and urgently needed some entertainment to relax.
Watching the fun was human nature, and even the Night’s Watch knights were no exception.
The training ground was located in the valley below the high ground, a small natural flat area.
Knight Commander Claude was holding a spiderweb gun, a firearm specially designed for capturing undead. Its ammunition was a kind of ultra-high molecular viscous liquid, which would be oxidized into a sticky liquid in the air. Once it adhered to a human body, it would quickly entangle, immobilizing the target.
Asker was holding an iron sword – it was Commander Phoebus’ officer’s sword, used for self-defense. Because it wasn’t used very often, the blade was very well maintained.
“This isn’t right, is it?” The Night’s Watch knights on the hills on both sides discussed in surprise. “One side is powered armor + spiderweb gun, the other side is ordinary chainmail + iron sword? The equipment gap is too big, isn’t it?”
“What kind of performance is this? Modern technology crushing cold weapons?”
“Hey, hey, hey, Knight Commander Claude, at least take off your powered armor!”
“Yeah, why are you wearing powered armor when the other party doesn’t even have a gun? Shameful! Get off the stage!”
Claude stood on the field blankly, listening to the jokes and jeers from his colleagues, his heart full of regret.
He didn’t know why he had impulsively offered to have a contest with that mercenary.
Thinking about it carefully, for a formally trained Night’s Watch knight to have a contest with this kind of unorthodox mercenary, it wouldn’t be strange to win, but it would be embarrassing to lose!
It was completely disadvantageous, why did he lose his mind and propose it in front of Commander Phoebus?
He wished he could slap himself.
Claude didn’t want to wear the powered armor, but Phoebus had asked him to.
Since Quasimodo claimed that this Asker had defeated a Black Knight head-on, it was naturally necessary to wear powered armor, just like the Black Knight, in the process of verifying it personally.
How the other party would react under the powerful deterrence of powered armor was what Commander Phoebus wanted to see with his own eyes.
As for why he was using a spiderweb gun instead of a cold weapon, it was naturally to prevent injuring the other party. With the output power of powered armor, even a wooden sword could cut the other party in half.
But these colleagues around him didn’t know that! Claude couldn’t just jump out and say: “It was Commander Phoebus who asked me to wear powered armor, understand! It has nothing to do with me!”
So he could only endure the comments and mockery from his colleagues, aiming his gun at Asker fiercely.
End this farce quickly, it’s embarrassing to stand here for even one more second.
“Take your positions!” Quasimodo, acting as the referee, stood on high ground with a straight face, aiming his starting pistol at the sky.
“Ready!”
A gunshot rang out. Claude immediately pulled the trigger.
The spiderweb splattered on the empty ground. Claude’s eyes caught the other party’s figure, and his heart immediately skipped a beat.
So fast! Such explosive power… the opponent’s physical strength was very strong, at least level 4 or above!
In an instant, Asker had already rushed to him, swinging his sword horizontally.
Claude retreated half a step, slightly raised the muzzle of his spiderweb gun, and pulled the trigger.
A sword couldn’t possibly break through the defense of my powered armor! And as long as the other party was hit once, this ridiculous contest would be over!
The spiderweb shot out, missing again. This time, Claude couldn’t catch the other party’s figure. He subconsciously wanted to charge forward and dodge, but he felt a slight force behind his head.
The surrounding Night’s Watch knights fell silent.
They saw it clearly from the sidelines: the moment the spiderweb shot out, Asker had already spun to dodge, then swooped down, passed under Claude’s left arm, and pressed his sword against the back of his helmet with a backhand.
If Claude hadn’t been wearing powered armor, he would have been dead with just this one sword strike.
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