49 Hometown

After a sixteen-day trudge, they finally reached Isolated Cliff City. Along the way, Han Jin had learned a lot about this city from his companions. Just like Beitman, which was adjacent to it, Isolated Cliff City had also refused to join any wars. They were both, to some extent, neutral states. Beitman maintained its neutrality because it was distrusted by other states due to its unsteady position, while Isolated Cliff City had kept its neutrality since the establishment of its states.

The interior systems of Isolated Cliff City and Beitman were very different. In Beitman, the four owners of the acropolises controlled the whole country by rotations, while in Isolated Cliff City, all governmental affairs were decided together by nine local commercial corps. They had established an association made up of nine elders, and as long as any decision was agreed on by five or more elders, it could be put into action.

Since they were now in a troubled state, the nine commercial corps had developed into armed forces. But inside the city, there was another group that would confront them: the Association of Mercenaries. Policies made by the commercial corps could only govern ordinary civilians, but not mercenaries, who lived a free life by working as private bodyguards, protecting business groups, or hunting holy animals. It was unwise for any of the commercial corps to interfere with the freedom of mercenaries; they would never make a concession. On the other hand, commercial corps had their own military force, thus none of the mercenaries dared to go too far. This was the subtle balance that had been established.

The nine commercial corps had once planned to bribe the high-grade mercenaries with high prices to disperse the strength of the Association of Mercenaries, but it was proven that its losses outweighed the gains. Any mercenary, as long as he was not too lazy, could gain a great deal of money while still living a carefree life. He could either work or rest according to his own will, and if you wanted to hire a high-grade mercenary to serve you for the entire day, then you had to pay several times the price for occasional service. No matter how rich you were, you would not be able to afford a huge number of high-grade mercenaries. Plus, human beings were born lazy. If one could get money regardless of working or not, who would choose to work hard? Moreover, mercenaries were used to living freely; they would feel displeased if they were only given orders like servants. Unlike army men, they would only cooperate with others, but would not be manipulated like puppets.

But most importantly, the downfall of the Association of Mercenaries brought no benefit to Isolated Cliff City. The situation in this territory was complicated. The city could only be governed by strong laws and rules, and mercenaries were the best executors of these laws and rules. Only the Association of Mercenaries could keep justice and impartiality against all of the nine commercial corps.

Of course, all of this was just superficial information, and as for the internal information, none of the outsiders knew.

Isolated Cliff City was located inside a forest, but the dense woods nearby had been cut down and transformed into wheat fields which looked very neat from a distance. There was an abrupt high mountain behind the city which thrust straight into the clouds. That was where 'Isolated Cliff' City had gotten its name.

Their faces lit up with delight. They could finally live a normal life! But Moxinke obviously wasn't as happy as the others. He walked slowly and reluctantly behind them. The closer they got to the city, the slower his movements. He acted so stealthily that even a fool could detect something was wrong with him.

Han Jin stopped and turned his head around. "What's wrong with you, Moxinke?" he asked with his eyebrows knitted.

"Nothing… I'm all right," Moxinke replied with a forced smile.

"Tell us the truth, Moxinke. Is there anyone that hates you in Isolated Cliff City?" Han Jin said. "If there is, tell us now, so that we can be prepared for it."

"He's right, Moxinke. If there is anything, tell us now. Don't you trust us?" Cessacioun said.

"It's not that someone hates me... You've misunderstood." Moxinke scratched his head.

"Then what makes you so afraid?"

"A… a woman." Moxinke faltered. All of them were looking at him and he knew that he couldn't keep it from them anymore.

Han Jin's eyes lit up. He cast a glance at Cessacioun and asked curiously, "A woman? What is she like?"

"She's... It's hard to describe. She's just an ordinary woman," Moxinke said with his eyes glancing around to avoid direct eye contact with them.

"How old is she?"

"More than 20."

"How old exactly?"

"Three years older than me, what's wrong?" Moxinke asked back.

"Nothing. I am just curious." Han Jin laughed. "Is she beautiful?"

"Not ugly."

"How long have you known her?"

"Nearly... ten years."

"You have very good relationship with her?"

"You... are you going to move or not?" Moxinke was shamed into anger. "If not, I will go alone!" This said, he strode directly forward, but stopped and returned after taking only three or four steps.

"Er... could you lend me your magic wand, Cessacioun?" He asked.

"To do what?" Cessacioun was confused, but he still passed it to Moxinke.

"Hold this." Moxinke gave his giant sword to Cessacioun.

The sword was forty pounds in weight at least. Cessacioun nearly failed to hold it. Fortunately, as a man who had traveled a lot, he was not that weak.

"And your cloak, could you lend it to me?" Moxinke turned to look at Miss Keeley. 

"But this is a cloak for women," she said surprisingly.

"It's okay, just lend it to me," Moxinke begged.

Miss Keeley had no choice but to take off her cloak and pass it to him. Moxinke directly put it on without saying another word. But his head was three times larger than that of Miss Keeley's. The hood wrapped around it tightly, and he looked very ludicrous.

Moxinke didn't mind it at all. He turned around and walked forward. Everyone else simply burst into laughter, and even Sunier was bowing forward and leaning backward due to laughter. The cloak could reach Miss Keeley's knees, but it couldn't even cover Moxinke's butt. In addition, compared to his large and sturdy body, the wand in his hand was like a toothpick. It was a ridiculous outfit.

"Do I look that funny?" Moxinke looked around, but he couldn't see himself at all. "Release an art of mirror image for me, Cessacioun," he said.

"I am just a high grade warlock now. How could I release it for you?" Cessacioun showed a bitter smile.

"It only makes you more noticeable, Moxinke." Han Jin laughed. "In fact, if you really want to disguise yourself, just shave off your beard. Then, no one would be able to recognize you."

"Good idea!" Moxinke yelled pleasantly and surprisingly. "Come on, Cessacioun, give me a hand!" he said while trying to pull off the cloak, but it was too tight. Fizz! The hood was ripped in half.

"I wonder what kind of woman can frighten Moxinke like this," Sunier muttered smilingly.

"Me too," Han Jin responded. He looked at Isolated Cliff City in the distance. "This must be his hometown."