Chapter 43 - Actually, I Have a Cheat Too

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Chapter 43: Lauren of the Earth Scorpions

 

 

Just as the two were preparing to return, a commotion broke out ahead of them—right outside the Mercenary Guild.

 

It wasn't unusual for the entrance to be loud and chaotic; people passing by were long used to it. But as Ge Yan glanced over casually, ready to look away, a sudden flicker of recognition stopped him.

 

"That guy—Frank! That's him!" Excited, Ge Yan grabbed Rex's arm.

 

Rex's instinct was to pull away—he wasn't used to being touched—but in the end, he let it be. His gaze followed Ge Yan's, and sure enough, there he was: Frank, the man who had once slipped right through his fingers, now arguing with someone outside the Mercenary Guild.

 

He looked nothing like the man they had encountered before—no longer sharp and self-assured. Frank now appeared haggard, his body gaunt, his face sunken and lifeless. A shadow seemed to hang perpetually over his brow. He looked like someone who had crawled out of a nightmare—and it hadn't even been a month since they last saw him. It was as if he had lived through a lifetime of misery in just a few short weeks.

 

Ge Yan had originally been thinking of ways to deal with Frank, but upon seeing his pitiful state, he realized there was no longer any need. A man like that no longer posed a threat.

 

Frank had always been proud. It was the natural result of strong talent and high capability. For the first thirty years of his life, everything had gone his way. Everyone around him had treated him as the center of attention. That kind of treatment bred arrogance. But ever since entering the Tasha Forest, his life had veered off course, spiraling into chaos.

 

One of his companions who died in Tasha Forest had been the younger brother of a close friend. When the friend found out, he blamed Frank for leading the group in and failing to bring everyone out alive. He cut ties with Frank and incited others to turn against him.

 

Frank, proud to a fault, had never considered them true friends anyway. In his heart, he thought this was for the best—once he sold the information he held, he wouldn't need to share the profits with anyone.

 

By that time, he had already guessed that neither the Raven nor the Black Wolf Mercenary Group had managed to capture the Shadow Winged Tiger. Which meant, most likely, that the sacred beast cub had fallen into Rex and Ge Yan's hands. Though he didn't know who they were, he believed he could sell the information to them. Knowing how much value sacred beasts held, he was certain he could make a fortune.

 

But when he left the Tasha Forest, he discovered that Raven had already departed Triss Town, and the Black Wolf Corps had soon followed—apparently on their way back to the imperial capital. So Frank had chased after them. By the time he reached Manan City, he heard that they had headed into the Magic Beast Forest. Frank didn't dare enter the forest alone and had no choice but to wait for them in Sarge.

 

That wait, however, brought more misfortune.

 

Frank began noticing something was wrong with his body. Every time he circulated his internal energy, he felt a strange blockage. At first faint, it gradually grew more distinct—and more alarming. Panicked, he sought out a healer—a mage skilled in restorative magic—to check what was wrong.

 

But the mage found nothing unusual. He couldn't help. Desperate, Frank turned to anyone who might have a solution—until someone claimed they'd experienced the same thing. Trusting too quickly, Frank was deceived. In his urgency, he failed to verify anything before placing his hope in the stranger's words. The result: every last gold coin he had was stolen, and the man vanished without a trace.

 

Left penniless and unable to even feed himself, Frank was forced to turn to the Mercenary Guild in hopes of accepting a task to earn some coin. But before he could even take a job, he attracted the attention of one of the worst groups in Sarge—the notorious Earth Scorpion mercenary corps.

 

The Earth Scorpions were a third-rate guild known for picking on the weak. Their leader, Lauren, was a high-ranked swordsman whose greatest skill was bullying those below him. He and his crew loitered around Sarge, often targeting adventurers who looked vulnerable—especially those who flaunted wealth.

 

Though Frank barely had enough to eat, he still took great care with his appearance. That alone was enough to draw their attention.

 

In the past, Frank wouldn't have needed to fear a group like the Earth Scorpions. But the past was gone. The once-proud lion had fallen, and now even jackals dared to bare their teeth.

 

Seeing the smug, greedy look on Lauren's rugged face, and the jeering expressions of the onlookers, Frank felt a surge of humiliation. But after evaluating his current strength against theirs, he ultimately chose to swallow his pride.

 

"I don't have any gold on me," Frank said in a low voice, "but I do have a way for you to make a lot of gold. You just can't let anyone else hear it—if the word gets out, it won't be worth anything."

 

"You trying to scam me?" Lauren sneered, clearly suspicious. "You better not be playing me for a fool."

 

A flicker of disgust flashed through Frank's eyes, but he forced down his impatience. "Would I really bother lying to you in a state like this? I'm telling you—this method only I know. It won't cost you a thing, and if you wait too long, the chance will disappear for good."

 

Lauren was still wary, but figured there wasn't much Frank could do. He gestured for his men to take him elsewhere, away from the crowd gathered outside the guild.

 

From the sidelines, Ge Yan couldn't make out what they were saying, but his instincts told him nothing good would come of it. He was just about to speak when he heard Rex say softly, "Follow them."

 

Lauren had taken Frank down a quiet alley. Once they were out of sight, he ordered his men to release Frank and growled, "Now talk."

 

Frank rubbed his sore shoulder and muttered a silent curse, then revealed the story about the sacred beast cub in the Tasha Forest. But he was careful—he held something back. "All you have to do is pass this news on to the Raven Mercenary Group. They'll definitely make a deal with you for the sacred beast cub. No doubt about it."

 

He deliberately left out the Black Wolf Mercenary Group—reserving that part for himself. What he didn't know was that the Black Wolf Corps had been reduced to just one person: Captain Locke, and even his title now hung by a thread.

 

Lauren narrowed his eyes. "And what makes you so sure the Raven Corps will agree to this?"

 

He wasn't stupid. If they thought the information wasn't worth it, he'd end up with nothing.

 

Frank had already prepared for this. He spoke with confidence. "I'm absolutely sure. That sacred beast cub was the Raven Corps' mission. Just think—if a mission they thought was a failure suddenly had a chance to succeed, would they really walk away from it? I would've made the deal with them myself, if they hadn't suddenly gone into the Magic Beast Forest. I arrived in Sarge too late. I heard they're preparing to leave again."

 

Lauren had indeed heard similar rumors. He began to believe Frank. If what he said was true, then this was his ticket up. The Raven Mercenary Corps wasn't some low-tier group—they were Class A. With wealth and resources far beyond what he could imagine, they'd surely pay for information this valuable.

 

"Alright," Lauren said, his tone a warning growl. "I'll trust you for now. But if you're lying to me, I swear, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Now scram."

 

Frank let out a breath of relief and turned to leave.

 

"Wait." Lauren's voice stopped him cold.

 

A ripple of unease rose in Frank's chest. He turned back, frowning. "What now?"

 

Lauren suddenly felt uneasy letting him go just like that. He needed to verify this story. He wasn't about to get into trouble with the Raven Corps based on a lie. "I've changed my mind," he said, his voice heavy with threat. "You're not leaving—at least not until I send someone to confirm your story."

 

Frank's expression instantly darkened. "What is that supposed to mean?"

 

"It means I want to make sure you're not trying to screw me over," Lauren said, narrowing his eyes, voice filled with menace. "Or what—is it because the story's fake, and you're in a rush to get out of here?"

 

"Believe what you want. Everything I've said is true. You can verify it however you like." Frank's voice dropped, cold and steely. A stormy darkness clouded his face. He hadn't lied—not really. So he wasn't worried. Still, he had concealed the part about the Black Wolf Mercenary Corps, and he feared Lauren might pick up on that. Yet he also knew that pushing to leave would only make Lauren more suspicious.

 

Seeing that Frank made no further effort to leave, Lauren grunted and immediately ordered one of his men to investigate.

 

Nearby, Ge Yan and Rex had heard the entire exchange. Though they'd already suspected something like this, it still stung to hear it confirmed—Frank had revealed the secret of the sacred beast cub, and now the Earth Scorpion Corps was involved. Even if he'd only mentioned the Raven Corps, the more people who knew, the greater the danger. And if he described their appearances, it wouldn't take much for the Raven Corps to connect the dots.

 

"This is bad," Ge Yan muttered. "Isn't there some way we can stop them?"

He couldn't help but feel regret. If they had intervened before Frank opened his mouth, none of this would have happened.

 

Rex remained as expressionless as ever, his deep gaze fixed on the direction Lauren and his men had gone. In his eyes, something stirred—complex, unreadable. Ge Yan glanced at him, thinking Rex was working on a plan.

 

Lauren's scout returned not long after. The events in the Tasha Forest had long since spread through Sarge. Finding out the truth wasn't difficult.

 

The report matched Frank's story for the most part, though it also mentioned the Black Wolf Mercenary Corps and the events at Thorn Valley. As Lauren didn't seem to catch the discrepancy, Frank let out a quiet breath of relief.

 

"See? I wasn't lying. Now can I go?" Frank straightened his back, voice full of self-assurance.

 

Lauren, pleased by the information, didn't press further. The menace in his face melted into a smile. "Alright. You can go."

 

Frank immediately stood and strode out of the inn. Once outside, he quickened his pace. Only when he was certain no one was following him did he slow down. Leaning against a wall, his knees almost gave way.

Thank the gods Lauren's a greedy bastard, he thought. Otherwise, I might've died right there.

 

Wiping cold sweat from his brow, Frank's expression suddenly twisted with malice. He had made up his mind—he was going to the Raven Mercenary Corps right now. If Lauren dared to threaten him, then he'd return the favor in kind. He wasn't some noble-hearted fool.

 

The continent of Azelra is vast, he sneered to himself. Once I leave Sarge, what can a few Earth Scorpion dogs do to me?

 

Just then, a voice called out.

 

"Frank."

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