Forge a path to success.

Chapter 292 Self-Donation for Personal Use
Behind the burly man, dozens of mercenaries entered in groups, seemingly belonging to a single organization. They dispersed into their respective groups, with the burly man leading the way towards the bookstore's stall. Bangbangji greeted him warmly.

"Long time no see, Commander McCoy. It must have been—5 years, right?"

"Six years!" Commander McCor laughed heartily. "In recent years, the attacks from the outside have become more and more frequent. That's why a new batch of people went to the front line recently, which gave us the opportunity to sneak into the city."

Bangbangji curled his lip: "Those slackers on Shura Island, they're unwilling to put in any effort themselves, all they know how to do is exploit the mercenaries..."

"It's already quite good. At least there's a Martial Venerable Lord stationed here... Besides, after the fall of Toadlight Fortress, they also have to consider the internal strife on the island." Commander McCoy looked at the group. "Are these the new recruits?"

"Friends from the trendy city, you've come all the way here to participate in the exhibition!"

McCo's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward to shake hands with Chu Hengkong: "So you're a friend from Huilong City! I'm McCo, the leader of the 'Red Copper Mercenary Group.' Congratulations on your city's survival. The resumption of the flight path has been a great help to the front lines. Without your city's talismans and relics, my group would have lost half of its men."

Ji Qiufeng and Cui Ke went to browse the exhibition, but the mercenary leader mistook Chu Hengkong for their leader. Chu Hengkong didn't mind and said, "We're all righteous allies, it's only natural. I've dealt with many mercenaries, but I rarely encounter them in this kind of situation."

Working in the cutthroat world of mercenaries for too long inevitably leads to physical and psychological problems. During their breaks, they either seek out outlets for their pent-up emotions or retreat into solitude, becoming repressed and withdrawn. Therefore, the most common places to encounter mercenaries are nightclubs, bars, and casinos; you rarely hear of mercenaries attending anime conventions…

The mercenaries were currently having a great time browsing the exhibition. After McCo's Red Copper Group entered, dozens of similar mercenary groups arrived one after another. Each group ranged from a dozen to several hundred people, and many soldiers and mercenaries entered alone, instantly making the atmosphere in the venue lively. A large group of burly, fierce-looking men chatted happily with small animals, creating a scene reminiscent of the 108 heroes of Liangshan having a social gathering with a Disney forest—the scene was as bizarre as it could be.

"Where did all these mercenaries come from?" Vande also found it strange.

“Oh, you little eyes, you’re so ignorant,” Lico said smugly. “Forty percent of the people here today are from the front lines, and sixty percent are about to go to the front lines. They’re all about loyalty. Mercenaries are the most popular profession in the Thorn City-State.”

Lico quickly explained the situation to everyone. The mercenary profession in the city-state of Thornsa does indeed have a different significance than that of the other Dust Isles, and this significance can be traced back to the early days of Thornsa thousands of years ago.

At that time, the Jingsha Divine Tree had not yet grown into a giant of mass 7, while the attacks from the heretics were already extremely fierce, and the outcome of each battle would determine the life or death of the city. Therefore, Jingsha implemented a conscription system, requiring the entire population to be soldiers and united in hatred against the enemy in order to ensure their current livelihood.

The citizens who shared life and death with the divine tree understood the greater good and naturally fought bravely. However, there were many races within the city-state that were not good at fighting. These small animals did not possess any innate spiritual qualities, nor did they have the talent to become cultivators. They came to the city-state only to eke out a living in the chaotic world. Even if they obtained weapons, they would only be throwing their lives away on the battlefield.

Considering that some citizens were indeed unable to fight, the conscription system excluded certain races to avoid unnecessary sacrifices. However, the citizens who were unable to fight also harbored patriotic sentiments, and they spontaneously donated money, food, and clothing to hire upgraded individuals from outside the city to fight in their place at high prices.

The Ascendants, moved by his noble intentions, accepted the commission, and thus the first batch of Thorn Robe mercenaries were formed. Most of these surviving mercenaries became members of Thorn Robe after the war, and new mercenaries continued to participate in battles under this tradition. Over time, mercenaries became a regular part of Thorn Robe's military force.

Times have changed, and the city-state of Jingsa is now far more powerful than it once was. The military service system has long been abolished, but the tradition of mercenaries has been preserved. Even today, the city-state still has the custom of hiring mercenaries to solve problems, and whenever Jingsa leads the battle, the city-state hires a large number of mercenaries to participate in the war.

They were called “the ones who shed blood” and were welcomed and respected in every line of the line.

“Everyone worked hard on the battlefield, and the money they saved up must have somewhere to go. The exhibition is cheap and has a lot of good stuff, so it’s definitely a good place to go.” McCoy flipped through the bookstore’s latest issue with great interest. “Besides, spending this money will not only pave the way for future generations, but also support our predecessors. Everyone should come here out of loyalty.”

"Senior?" Ji Huaisu grasped the key point.

Bangbangji coughed repeatedly, waving his eyes to signal the mercenaries to shut up. McCormick pretended not to notice, and laughed loudly while holding the sticky fish fins: "Don't you all know? The three of you from the bookstore are all veterans who have participated in the 'Great War'. Manager Yu is a level 5 Anti-Law Rainbow, which is more powerful than my entire team combined. He is confident that he can even compete for the position of captain of the Divine Guard."

Bangbangji vigorously waved its fins: "Hey, we're all just swimming around to get subsidies in the late stages, we've been retired for a long time! Besides, we're all exotic beasts, very weak, nothing like Old Cui!"

Unfortunately, it was too late. Ji Huaisu had already approached with a beaming smile: "Manager Yu, you're so capable, why didn't you say so sooner? Since we're all on the path to supreme power, it's such a coincidence that we can teach me a few tricks!"

"I can't teach you—I've never seen anyone like you! Oh, I have to watch the stall now, let's talk about it when we get back, okay? Wait until we get back!"

Ji Huaisu persisted relentlessly, driving Bangbangji to distraction, while Gulibo and the other shop assistants egged him on. Meanwhile, Maike watched the commotion while browsing, buying numerous bookstore publications and paintings, as well as several sets of trading cards.

"Commander McCormick is quite the artsy type," Van der joked.

“No, they’re all for my son,” McCo said, shaking his head. “After being away from home for so many years, I have to bring back some local specialties… I only have the chance to do this after the competition.”

Looking at the man with a wry smile, Chu Hengkong thought of those white-collar workers who were always busy with work. He had seen many such people, busy with work and career from morning till night, only to realize they hadn't brought anything home when they were about to board their plane, so they had to hurriedly buy some local specialties at the expensive shops in the airport.

On Earth, white-collar workers can always send a package if they want. But in the Shifting Realm, it's uncertain how long it will take for goods to travel across oceans to arrive, and even if they do reach their hometown, they don't know if they will be contaminated by external sources along the way, becoming a source of trouble.

Over time, the mercenaries stopped even from sending letters home. They bought the safest goods at trade fairs guaranteed by the official Jingsha organization and carried them back with their own bodies – this was the most reliable method.

Throughout the exhibition hall, vendors chatted with customers, selling flowers, herbs, and restaurants—many of whom were veterans of war. Buying here was about peace of mind. McCo spent a long time browsing, selecting everything from children's fairy tales to young adult literature, only to find himself unsure of his son's current interests. He simply picked up a variety of things. While the small animals helped him pack, he pondered for a moment and asked Chu Hengkong, "Excuse me, does the City of Echoes allow the posting of missing person notices?"

This mercenary also had the idea of ​​finding someone, and Chu Hengkong nodded slightly: "The City Lord's Mansion offers similar services at a low price. Who is Commander McCoy looking for?"

McCormick was overjoyed: "You're a straightforward man! To be honest, I have a detachment leader in my regiment who went missing more than half a year ago with a squad of brothers at Toadlight Fortress. He's from Longquan Township, wields a large spear, and is extremely skilled in talisman magic. He's a very promising young man..."

At this point, the captain's mood sombered slightly: "He possessed supernatural abilities, a precognitive capacity for danger, and saved our lives several times. I think with his skills, even if caught in the chaos of battle, he should have had a chance of survival. By then, the waterway had gradually recovered, and judging from the currents at the time, he might have been able to make contact with Huilong City... Have you seen him?"

The more Commander McCoy spoke, the more interesting the expressions on everyone's faces became. Vande stared intently: "Is your detachment commander named Wu He?"

"Exactly!" McCo exclaimed excitedly. "How's that kid doing?"

Ji Huaisu hesitated, unsure how to begin. Captain McCormick and his mercenaries clearly considered Wu He their brothers, but that scoundrel Wu He himself didn't seem to value them much. And since Wu He had ultimately caused chaos and had already defected to Black Moon, they couldn't bring themselves to tell the hopeful McCormick what he had to say.

“He stayed on the battlefield,” Chu Hengkong said.

McCo fell silent upon hearing this, then sighed deeply. For a man who had weathered many storms, such a statement was enough.

"Mercenaries...it's always like this." He smiled wryly. "Thank you all."

He paid the bill, quickly composed himself, and returned to his brothers. Chu Hengkong overheard him telling his men that he had received good news: Wu He had made a fortune and was now a local tyrant on the remote Dust Island. The mercenaries cursed their captain for being dishonest, forgetting his old brothers after getting rich, while others said he was just jealous of Wu He's good fortune. After the battlefield, where are the old brothers?
As they talked and laughed, they learned of the fates of their former comrades, and the topic moved on to a new one. Some reminisced, others looked around, newcomers inquired about the war from the veterans, and the veterans sought out their fellow villagers to ask about their current situation. There were always people happy and people sad.

The bookstore stalls were getting busier, and Chu Hengkong, unable to help, simply took Fan De for a stroll. He wandered over to the vicinity of the entrance and noticed a strange man from a distance.

This strange man was over three meters tall, carrying a bulging bundle on his back as if he were moving house, and wearing a mask reminiscent of the Shura Island style. His hands and feet were large and strong, his palms outstretched like fans. With his back to the exhibition hall, he shouted towards the bustling avenue: "Hey—! Citizens of the Third Order, please take note! This is the place to raise funds for warriors; all kinds of excellent goods are available. Patriots, please come in!"

The citizens stared at him as if he were a fool, and some sneered, "If I pay this time, does that mean I won't have to pay taxes next month?"

The strange man's imposing aura faltered: "This... is one thing, but another thing..."

"War is something Parliament should be concerned with!"

"The Divine Guard's funding has long been excessive, hasn't it?"

"Once the bill passes, these people won't have a chance to do anything..."

The citizens chattered amongst themselves, leaving the strange man speechless. Enraged, he stomped his foot, causing a series of tremors that created a mini-earthquake around the exhibition area.

"Fellow citizens! How can you be so unreasonable! The war concerns every citizen of Jingzai!"

"Someone's bullying us!" "So what if you're an Ascended?" "Hey, is this the Divine Guard?"

The local residents, unfazed, immediately called the police. Seeing this, the strange man quickly retreated into the exhibition hall, crouching dejectedly beside the entrance.

“These naive guys have all been fooled by politicians,” he muttered to himself. “It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?”

Chu Hengkong happened to be standing nearby and laughed when he heard this: "I have never seen soldiers donate money to the war effort while civilians look down on it, except on Dust Island outside of Jingsha."

"We've had too much peace and quiet for too long! And then, twenty years ago, things got so bad, it was just..."

The strange man shook his head repeatedly, but he was not one to give up easily. He immediately perked up and said enthusiastically, "Okay! If it doesn't work here, we'll go to more distant places to promote it. Do you want to come along—hmm?"

His gaze fell on the wrist of the scourge, and his eyes behind the mask visibly lit up.

"This! Could it be... a treasure containing the power of chaos... no, a treasure containing the power of misfortune! This is an extraordinary relic!"

The masked man suddenly leaned in, his face beaming with excitement: "How much is this prosthetic arm? I'll buy it!"

(End of this chapter)