Hearing this sentence, Victor standing next to him was stunned. Then he couldn't help but look at Batel, smiling and silent. But facing Rhode's words, Batel was rarely confused. He stretched out his hand, touched his head, and looked at the young man in front of him in confusion. After a while, he opened his eyes as if he had remembered something, and then nodded vigorously.

"Oh, yes, yes, yes. Boy, haha, I forgot if you don't say it... It's after the Midsummer Festival. Don't worry, I've always said it's the same. As long as I say it, I will definitely do it!"

"Yes, Mr. Bartel."

Rhode's smile did not diminish at all, and he was so enthusiastic that he seemed to be made of delicateness.

"Since you remember so well, it seems that you are indeed a real man as I imagined. So, please accept this thing. I look forward to seeing your heroic posture at the winter festival."

After saying this, Rhode handed over the small bag in his hand, and Bartel reached out to take the pocket in confusion. He looked around with the soft bag and frowned. Just when he was about to say something, Rhode had already taken back half a step leisurely, and then nodded slightly to the two of them.

"Then, I will report to the association first. See you two, goodbye to the winter festival."

After saying this, Rhode turned around without looking back, left the two of them, walked into the passage, and soon disappeared. It was not until Rhode's back disappeared that the two of them retracted their gazes, and then Bartel shrugged and sighed.

"I really didn't expect him to succeed."

"Yes, I think so too."

Hearing Bartel's sigh, Victor nodded in agreement. To be honest, after the Midsummer Festival, although Rhodes' Starlight was promoted to the Mercenary Guild, neither of them had much expectations for this, because according to the association's regulations, a mercenary guild must complete at least two five-star mercenary tasks a year. Five-star mercenary tasks are generally very difficult. It is not surprising that Bartel and Victor have enough confidence in their guilds, although they did not have

If you have time to pay attention to those two five-star dungeons. However, as two experienced and experienced mercenary guild presidents, as early as the previous year's mission was completed, they had already begun to look for and decide which two five-star tasks to take place next year. So they were not completely unprepared, but in the eyes of the two, Rhodes was really unprepared. He had just taken over the mercenary guild and was facing such a problem. In addition, Xingguang has always been a habitual shortage of staff, which made the two of them not optimistic about Rhodes' front

Jing. To be honest, after Xingguang advanced to the guild, seeing so many mercenaries wanting to join, Victor and Bartel still felt that Rhodes was not without hope. But Rhodes' strict screening system next surprised the two of them. According to their views, although the strength of these mercenaries who came to seek join was not consistent, since they were mercenaries, they always had their strength. If Rhodes could take advantage of this opportunity to recruit 800 mercenaries, then relying on the number of people to push and push down a five-star mission or two

It is not impossible. But Rhodes' actions far exceeded the expectations of the two. Under his strict screening system, there are even less than 500 mercenaries joining Starlight, which is impossible to compare with Purple Lily and Cole Eagle. Although the two of them cannot understand Rhode's idea of ​​being noble but not too expensive, sometimes people have to bow their heads like reality. Indeed, some mercenaries are not strong enough, but at least they are obedient and willing to contribute their strength to the guild, which is enough in their opinion, right?

Because of this, they are not very optimistic about Rhode's guild strength. They have to integrate mercenaries in such a short time and find two five-star tasks to complete. Rhodes are not like himself who started preparing a year ago. In such a hurry, if they can complete the task, they will be really a ghost!

So………… they really saw the ghost.

Not only did Rhode complete the task, he was also the first among the three guilds to complete two five-star tasks. According to internal news, when he completed these two five-star tasks, he did not lead a large group of troops like Bartel or Victor. On the contrary, in these two times, almost no more than one hundred mercenaries led by Rhodes were more than one hundred. It has to be admitted that when he heard this news, both Bartel and Victor were stunned. They could not imagine what kind of means Rhodes used to do this in such a short time, with so few people.

But now, he did it after all.

The rumors spread in the Mercenary Association were naturally heard of, but they didn't care. Because the locations of the three Mercenary Associations were separated, no matter how much Rhode tossed the land, he couldn't make his head. To be honest, they also opposed those views, but this was more for their own sake. Although Rhode was named a sir by Lydia, it was an exception, but there were two. Whether it was the Cole Eagle or the Purple Lily, he also had a slight tribute to the royal party.

Loyalty, and in the process of quelling the rebellion, their mercenaries also provided a lot of information and useful information to the royal party. Since there is a precedent for Rhodes to be named by Lydia, they might one day receive the same glory. So of course the two of them would not be stupid enough to support those opposition voices. After all, no one would dislike their power. If they support the Mercenary Association to abolish Rhodes' mercenary status, wouldn't it mean that they would be unlucky when they encounter such a thing in the future?

but……………

"Batter, do you really remember the previous bet?"

Seeing his friend's calm look, Victor finally couldn't help asking. He looked up and down at Bartel with a playful look, trying to see if he was deliberately trying to calm down. When he heard Victor's inquiry, Bartel was stunned for a moment, and then touched his head in confusion.

"Of course, it means that after he wins, we will give him a business channel within our sphere of influence. This is not a big deal, what's there to say?"

“………………………………………………………………”

Hearing Bater's answer, Victor breathed helplessly, and then he reached out and patted Bater on the shoulder.

"Old friend, please beg for your own blessings. It seems that your memory is really getting worse every day. I think you should find a replacement for Zi Lily as soon as possible and don't hold on here."

"how?"

Facing Victor's answer, Bartel looked at him in confusion, but Victor did not explain much. He just smiled and patted Bartel on the shoulder, then pointed to the small bag in his hand.

"I think you will understand after reading this, hahaha, Batel, you said it just now? As long as you say it, you will definitely do it. Then... I'll take a step first and wait to watch the show."

"………………what the hell?"

Bartel looked at Victor's departure in confusion, muttering in a low voice, then lowered his head and opened the small bag in his hand.

"ah……………………………………………………!!"

The roar like a giant bear suddenly broke out, scaring the hall of the mercenary association that was originally lively suddenly quieted. Many people turned their heads in surprise and doubtfulness to look at the tall man standing in the corner of the hall, but Bater at the moment didn't care about the curious gazes of the mercenaries. He just looked at the small bag in his hand with a pale face, gritted his teeth, and roared in a low voice.

"That little bastard———!!!"

Rhodes did not hear Bartel's roar from the bottom of his heart. I'm afraid even if he heard him, he would just laugh and ignore it. This is also Bartel's own hard work, who will blame him... As early as the end of the Midsummer Festival, Rhodes had decided to let this guy suffer. For this reason, he was trying hard, and hoped Bartel would like his gift-Rhodes was looking forward to this moment.

However, Rhodes didn't care about this matter now. He just leaned lazily against the window of the guest room, looking at the white world outside. The first snow in early winter fell down, and the warmth brought by the burning fireplace in the house and the cold outside responded, forming a faint white mist on the glass.

Looking at the snow scene outside, Rhode couldn't help but remember the conversation between him and the association president just now.

The association leader looked much haggard than during the midsummer festival. In his conversation with Rhode, he was indeed not as expected by Rhode. President Ton showed a certain degree of worry and anxiety about his current status. And according to him, there was actually such a trend within the Mercenary Association. But now, after all, the situation is different. If it were normal, the mercenaries were naturally under the jurisdiction of the Mercenary Association. But now, because he did not fulfill his responsibilities as mercenaries, he was suppressed by Grand Duke Lydia. It can even be said that from today on, the mercenary associations within the Duchy of Moon have the final say by the three major mercenary associations, and the mercenary association is really just an organization that runs errands and passes messages.

Rhodes had no interest in the future life and death of the Mercenary Association. After the conversation, he also made it clear that he would not give up the mercenary status, nor would he give up the mercenary guild, because there was no precedent and it did not meet the specifications. However, Rhodes still gave the association president a way out. In exchange for maintaining his status, Rhodes said that he would not interfere in managing the mercenary group in the south this time, and handed over this part of the sphere of influence to Purple Lily and Cole Eagle. Because Rhodes also knew very well what the mercenaries in the south had about him, he was unwilling to manage a group of guys who had a grudge against him. Although such a power expansion is a good thing for ordinary mercenary guilds, this level could no longer meet his needs. It was nothing wrong to simply take it out and sell personal favors.

Ton naturally had no reason to object to Rhode's proposal. Of course, he knew that the young man in front of him was at his peak in the Duke of Mun. Although he was the president of the Mercenary Association, even without these troubles, he would be hard to raise his head. Originally, he was worried that Rhode would ask the lion to speak up and get a share of the southern mercenaries. Now that Rhode is so tactful, he is naturally in a good mood and naturally agrees with Rhode's request. Moreover, with this, the mercenaries must not find any excuses to oppose Rhode.

It's so boring.

Thinking of this, Rhode shook his head and threw all the annoying things behind his head. The news from Qilian said that the Skynet plan was not as smooth as before. Although he asked Metz for help, Metz was just a regional businessman after all, and had not developed into a huge business association. But this is good, although it is a little harder, it can make people let go of their guard... and will not immediately arouse other people's suspicion.

However………Rod is most concerned about another thing now.

Rhode reached out and soon, a white card appeared in the palm of his hand.
Chapter completed!