It doesn't matter what the lord is.

Not only that, Lid's clothes were bright and beautiful, and Alaiya and Shiloh also maintained their proper appearance. The three of them looked like they were on vacation. If each of them wore sunglasses and had a glass of juice, people would believe they were a family of three on a day trip to the Great Wall.

Reed could hear clear malice in the whispers.

"Well, I guess I didn't intend to kill any giants anyway. I just planned to go back after a while."

"I was lucky. I didn't encounter any enemies..."

"Isn't it all because of our efforts? Without us holding back the giants, the three weak people would have died somewhere long ago."

"That's why there are always people who lag behind every year... I really hope they can be more self-aware..."

Reed yawned, ignored the gossip, and took Alayya and Shilo back to Lingwu's garrison camp.

47. I am the young master’s man

After only two or three days of rest and preparation, Lingwu's army seemed to have recovered.

Their resilience is unimaginable to outsiders, and only those who have trained in such cold regions for many years can understand how to adjust themselves to the best condition in the shortest possible time. Because they have almost no peaceful time, they are alert to the dangers around them most of the time. If they cannot recover quickly after a war, they would have been defeated in the war with foreign races.

In comparison, the armies and masters of each territory clearly gave people a feeling of exhaustion.

After all, this was the first free hunt after leaving the human territory, and no one wanted to be at a disadvantage at the beginning. In the past two and a half days, each territory had been working hard to achieve a good result so that they could have a greater say in this coalition.

Lide came back early. When he arrived at the military camp, most of the people in the territory were still rushing here. So Lide used this time to observe the Lingwu army, to see what kind of training they usually do and what they do in their free time, and recorded it in the notebook he carried with him. When he returned, he would give it to Fang Shisan as a local specialty.

There was suddenly a commotion in the distance.

Lid turned his head and saw three familiar figures. Behind them followed the tired army. The soldiers used heavy ropes and trailers to drag the heads of the giants one by one, just like a square formation at a sports meeting, slowly moving forward under the gaze of the audience.

——The people coming towards us now are the "Taobao Rebate" Alliance! They are heroic and brave, not afraid of the cold winter, and they walk with their heads held high on the territory of the giants. Their bright smiles are a symbol of their confidence, and the jingling bags hanging around their waists mean that they have made a great harvest this time...

The Ceylon prince Mu Risheng, who was at the front, passed by Lid and paused. There was a sharp contrast between the two men. Mu Risheng had obviously led the troops in the past two days, his clothes were dirty, and he had suffered several injuries.

Looking at Lid's intact clothes, Mu Risheng snorted inaudibly, with a hint of contempt in his eyes. He lifted his coat and deliberately showed Lid his injuries, which were the marks left by his brave battles on the front line.

This is the reason why he looked down on Li De, and Mu Risheng did not shy away from talking about his contempt for him in front of Li De:

"I really look down on you, from the bottom of my heart. Which city lord is as self-degrading as you and doesn't feel ashamed? Which people from the territory just muddle through every day like you? People like you shouldn't have come to such a place from the beginning. Isn't it better to stay in the countryside and be raised like a pig?"

Mu Risheng looked at Alayya, with an indescribable look of heartache in his eyes, and raised his voice and said:

"And you, you are the fifth best rookie in the world, not a useless maid of a useless city lord! If you have a little ambition, you can leave this unmotivated guy behind and move forward alone, soaring to the sky and making a splash! Following him will only waste your talent. You are blinded by your old love, and he will plunder everything you have. One day you will be indistinguishable from everyone else. Is this the kind of life you really want?"

Alaiya replied coldly:

"Yes."

After a pause, he said:

"I belong to the young master. Staying by the young master's side and protecting his safety is the life I want."

Mu Risheng didn't know what to say for a moment, but Lid put his hands on Alayya's shoulders and said seriously:

"Alaiya, can you say it again?"

"I am the young master's man..."

"Stop, that's it! Can you repeat it?"

"How many times do you want to repeat this, Master?"

"Well... Anyway, let's do it 500 times first."

"I belong to the young master, I belong to the young master, I belong to the young master..."

"Oh! Nice Alaya! But wait, wait a minute! Stop for a moment. It's too cute for my heart."

Lid bent over, holding his chest, looking very painful, but with a strong smile in his eyes. These words coming from Alaiya's mouth could give him a strong impact. The only regret was that from that calm expression, Alaiya obviously did not have any other complicated emotions, but was simply repeating something that she thought was common sense.

In any case, this undisguised display of affection makes the light bulb standing in front of them seem even more redundant.

Mu Risheng glanced at Lid coldly and said:

"Don't forget your promise, Lid! If you're a man, don't drag your feet after you lose. Find a place to commit suicide. I'll apply to General War Ghost to have you buried with those dead soldiers. For someone like you, this is an honor that you'll never be able to achieve in your lifetime."

After saying that, Mu Risheng chose to leave. He no longer talked nonsense with Lid or tried to sow discord between Alayya and Lid. The bet was clearly written in black and white. If Lid lost, he would die here. Once the Lord of Yuxi City died, people's hearts would be scattered, and it would be much easier to poach people.

Master Hua Liang and Li Neng followed behind Mu Risheng and also sneered at Li De.

In the past two days, they have experienced countless dangers and paid a lot of hard work, which gave them the confidence they have now. Hunting giants is far from being as simple as it seems. The attack of the lower race on the upper race is inevitably accompanied by tragic sacrifices. Whether it is Mu Risheng, Li Neng or Master Hua Liang, they all want to make Li De never stand up again. During this period, they not only drove their men to fight intensively day and night, but also did not rest much.

Because the main force of the giants here has been defeated by Lingwu, free hunting is actually to clear out the remaining giants. But these giants are few in number and strong in strength, making them very difficult to deal with. Especially when facing danger, even the low-level giants with low intelligence know how to cooperate with each other, and their combat effectiveness will increase exponentially. It's like facing a lone wolf and a wolf pack, the sense of oppression is completely different.

It's exhausting and painful.

When I came today, I saw that Reid looked like he had eaten well and slept well, and he was as energetic as could be.

What would Mu Risheng and the others think? At first, they were relieved, but then they felt a little regretful. If they had known that this B had no intention of working hard, they wouldn't have had to work so hard from the beginning. Even if everyone was just slacking off, because their hard power was dozens of blocks ahead of Lid, they would definitely win the gamble in the end, and it would be very easy.

This account should also be blamed on Lid!

48. Give you a brief moment of glory

Under the awe-inspiring gazes of countless people, the Lingwu Lord dressed in a red robe with gold thread appeared again.

Lid felt that people who worked in Lingwu were quite lucky, at least they could occasionally admire the stunning appearance of Lingwu Lord up close. She did have an imperial aura, and that feeling of being in a superior position was totally unlike what a twenty-something person should have. Although they both wore red clothes and were both very beautiful, He Yue did not have the domineering aura of Lingwu Lord. It can be seen that after a certain level of appearance, temperament is the biggest difference between people.

Of course, if Lide had to choose, he would still prefer to stay with He Yue. After all, it was really stressful when being watched by the Lingwu Lord.

The Lingwu Lord stood solemnly on a high platform made of ice bricks, her sleeves fluttering like flags in the cold wind. She looked down at the members of the various territories below and said in a calm tone:

"Before you submit your first hunting results, I have something to announce."

"I know that many of you have already started to think about how to deal with the wounded. Especially for those who are going north for the first time, it is inevitable that these things will be difficult to deal with. When the next supply arrives, all the wounded who have lost their combat ability will follow the escort team back to Lingwu to receive the best treatment."

"I will dispatch 3,000 men to protect their safety. However, the number of people who can return is limited. Only those who have passed the Lingwu inspection and are confirmed to have lost all combat capabilities can return. My standard is that a person who has lost an arm can fight with the other arm; a person who has lost a leg can fight on horseback. If you can't hold a weapon, you can bite your opponent with your teeth until your body is completely broken and decayed and can no longer play any role. Only then will you be qualified to withdraw from the battlefield. This is the standard of Lingwu. Those who die in battle will enjoy supreme glory, and those who abandon the battle and flee will never be able to get rid of the name of cowardice."

The soldiers of Lingwu all poked their spears into the snow and uttered a brief and rapid sound of agreement.

The people from other territories only felt a chill in their backs. There was indeed no emotion in the words of Lord Lingwu.

I wonder if this woman has also erased her human emotions through external forces like the assassin in the hidden guard... It doesn't look like it, but Lid can't say for sure. He thinks that maybe the people in other territories should thank the Lingwu Lord for her kindness, at least she released those who lost their fighting power instead of letting them be bait to attract the giants.

"Count all the enemies killed before noon. After lunch, continue heading north. Zhan Gui, you will be in charge of the statistics."

Every arrangement made by Lord Lingwu was in order.

General Zhan Gui walked to the front of Lingwu Lord, clasped his hands together, bowed deeply, and said in a loud voice:

"I will obey your command."

The Lingwu Lord looked around, his eyes lingered on Lid for a moment, then turned and left. Her toes tapped lightly on the ice, but each step was steady. The snow dared not fall on her, and the wind only blew up her soft and beautiful black hair. Her simple back was an unparalleled beauty that transcended the mundane world.

Zhan Gui clenched his two fists, which were as big as sand bowls, and slammed them against his chest twice, making a rumbling sound, which attracted everyone's attention from Lingwu Lord. Zhan Gui was already tall and strong, and when he stood on the high ice platform, his whole appearance was very oppressive. If Lingwu Lord's sense of oppression came from his imperial aura, then Zhan Gui's body was the bloody aura accumulated from countless battles on the battlefield, which was equally frightening.

"Next, I only need you to do two things. Those whose names are called out, step out and present the spoils of this hunt; and then, when we count the numbers, report the casualties of the battle. Do you understand?"

The War Ghost's voice was deep and powerful, just like that of a ruthless instructor.

The people in other territories nodded involuntarily at first, and then began to be eager to try. Especially those who had made a lot of gains in this free hunt, their smug expressions meant that they had already started to think about what kind of rewards they would get this time. Of course, there were also people who obviously did not perform well, either extremely flustered or discouraged, the contrast was very obvious.

Velote walked to Lid, put his arms around his neck and cried:

"Brother Lid, your 'Water of Life' is too strong. I drank half a bottle and passed out. I slept for a whole day. We didn't kill many giants, so I'm going to be at the bottom this time."

Reed shook off his arm and said speechlessly:

"That's why I told you to drink less before doing serious work."

Vilot patted his chest, with a hint of pride in his tone:

"Hey! My greatest strength is that I refuse to accept anything. I refuse to accept the heavens, the earth, the water and the soil. I refuse to accept the medicine the doctor asks me to take. If others tell me something is not possible, I just want to try it. If others tell me something is awesome, I just want to try it out. If I didn't have this kind of ambition, I wouldn't be able to become a senior military official in Zhaoxin Territory and I wouldn't be able to win so many battles."

Lid complained:

"Okay, Niu Niu Niu, you are very arrogant. Then please don't drink and make trouble and then come to complain to me, okay?"

Velote scratched his head awkwardly, laughed, and said:

"I'm not complaining, I'm asking if you still have that kind of wine, can you give me some more..."

Lid asked Alayya to take another bottle from the box and handed it to Velot. Velot took it with one hand and quietly stuffed a small package into Lid's hand. Velot opened the bottle, took a deep breath, praised it twice, and then lowered his voice and said:

"I told Zhan Gui that I slept for two days. You can use this thing first. Even though I still lost in the end, at least it wasn't such a terrible loss."

Lide opened the package and took a look. There were more than a dozen lacquered moon armors inside, which were obviously obtained by the people of Zhaoxin Territory during hunting. Vilot knew about the bet between Lide and Mu Risheng, which was a disguised support for him. However, if Vilot handed in a blank paper, he would be despised by the people of Lingwu.

Lid said to Alayya:

"Give him another bottle."

Alayya took another bottle of wine and handed it to Reed. When Reed handed it to Vellot, Vellot found that the small package was inexplicably in his hands again.

I only heard Lid say lightly:

"Those who can win will win, and those who are destined to lose will lose no matter what."

Velote was silent for a moment and put the package away. He understood Lid's words as Lid's side didn't kill many giants at all, and even if he got support from him, he couldn't beat Mu Risheng in the Ceylon Territory, so he had given up in despair. This was normal. Since Lid thought so, Velote no longer insisted.

The War Ghost has begun to read out the name:

"Yunyang Territory, beneficial energy."

Li Neng walked up with a small bag of lacquered moon armor.

It didn't take long for War Ghost to announce the results: twelve giants were hunted down.

"Hualiang territory, Huaqian."

Young Master Hua Liang also went there with a bag of Lacquer Moon Armor, and War Ghost also gave a result: nineteen giants were hunted down.

"Ceylon Territory, Mu Risheng."

Mu Risheng stood up and walked towards the platform. The soldiers behind him used trailers to drag the heads of giants and placed them under the platform. Without the need for War Ghost to count the Qiyue Armor Mu Risheng brought, some people had already begun to count the heads of giants he brought back with envy, to calculate his achievements. A pile of giant heads was frozen like a majestic pyramid in the snow. Just one look would tell that this number was definitely the best among all the territories.

After War Ghost finished counting, he raised his voice a little and announced to everyone below:

"In the past two and a half days in Ceylon Territory, we have killed forty-one giants, ranking first for now!"

49. Ranked first

When Reid heard this number, he knew it was highly inflated, because it would be impossible for the people Mu Risheng brought with him to kill so many giants in just two days.

The thousands of soldiers he mentioned could only kill seven or eight giants at best before they would lose their combat capability due to heavy casualties; from the perspective of masters, Alaya and Shiloh, one a fifth-rank rookie and the other a candidate for the Grand Guard, had only killed four giants during this period of time, and they were lucky not to encounter any giants above the ninth level. In other words, it was conservatively estimated that Ceylon would need seven or eight times as many masters of the same level to achieve such a feat.

If he has so many experts at his disposal, would he still need to worry about Lid's followers?

Just look at the number of kills in Hualiang Territory and Yunyang Territory, and you will know that the three people in Taobao Rebate Alliance are definitely doing some PY transactions behind the scenes. Mu Risheng bought some Qiyue Armor from the two of them as his own military merits, in order to fully insure today's bet. But to be honest, Li De really has no way to deal with them on this point. As long as the three people do not admit to the private transactions, no one can find any evidence.

Reed felt that these people were quite knowledgeable. This was called despising the enemy strategically and taking the enemy seriously tactically.

Mu Risheng walked down from the high platform in a grand manner, facing countless envious gazes, which intoxicated him because he had never enjoyed such gazes in the Ceylon Territory. He was overshadowed by his brother and was arranged to the uninhabited northern border, where he received glory that was incomparable to the past.

If possible, Mu Risheng really hopes that this road will have no end, so that he can always live in the admiration of others.

But the road always ends, and the War Ghost has already read out the next name. However, the results reported by several territories that came on stage were far behind his, and the closest territory killed three fewer giants than him.

Although he was no longer in the spotlight, it was a great feeling to sit back and relax in the audience. He could watch people who were not as good as him perform on stage one by one, and he could think about the future with ease. Mu Risheng's hand unconsciously touched his chest, and in his pocket was a folded bet. People are refreshed when they have good things, and it is even better when there are double happiness.

Soon it was Velot's turn to submit his results. Mu Risheng's eyes were a little more nervous, but after hearing his results, he breathed a sigh of relief. As far as he knew, Velot was the only person in the team that Lid could be considered to have some friendship with. Velot's results did not drop significantly, which meant that he did not privately share the hunting results of Zhaoxin Territory with Lid to help Lid improve his results. This made Mu Risheng feel a lot more relieved. Although he didn't think Velot could play a big role, since Velot didn't help, he was more sure of success this time.

The list in Zhan Gui's hand gradually came to the end.

"Yuxi City, Lide."

He said the name indifferently. Although the name was already known to everyone in the core high-level of Lingwu, in public, Zhan Gui's voice and demeanor did not change at all, as if he was hearing the name for the first time. Only when Lid stepped onto the ice platform step by step, Zhan Gui looked at him seriously with his eyes that had seen countless people silently.

People from other territories began to whisper, mixed with cheerful laughter.

Someone from some territory couldn't stand it and whispered:

"Ah, why does everyone have to announce the final results? Those who hunted fewer animals and performed poorly can obviously be given some face..."

This happened to be heard by Master Hua Liang, who immediately stood up and refuted him completely:

"Save face for them? Who can you blame for your poor grades? There are embarrassing guys every year. Don't you want to step on them and see their frustrated and ashamed faces? If you don't want to, it only means that you are the one being stepped on. I guess your final grades will be as bad as his, so you are speaking up for him."

Li Neng, who was standing next to Mr. Hua Liang, smiled and said:

"Well said. People are born into different classes, and so are territories. What's the point of showing off in normal times? When it comes down to it, it's all about the territory's foundation. If you can't win, just shut up and watch from the sidelines. It's not shameful."

Mu Risheng smiled but said nothing. As he was the undisputed number one, there was no need for him to say anything. It would only lower his reputation if he argued with others. He just needed to watch the show from the side.