Mercenary Harem in Murim Novel

Leo's daily life became busier as the situation in Chengdu came under control. No one panicked anymore after the Murim Alliance didn't attack for a while, and the city was beginning to recover.

But, the war was still ongoing.

"Leader, here are the reports and information from our spy. Everything is up-to-date and accurate."

Jessica sent files into Leo's private cloud. There were a lot of pictures, maps, and videos. It was enough to plan the next move.

"Good work. Have you done the analysis?"

"Of course. According to our intel, there are 2,000 troops gathering around the city, preparing to advance toward Sichuan. Jack and Anya were still there, but we have sent the training manual given by Sherly to them. Astrid also got a new manual, and she will help these two awaken their Qi."

"Great. What about Shui's progress? Has he managed to awaken his Qi yet?"

"Shui was still struggling, but he had Wandering Sword Saint to teach him. He didn't want the method given by Sherly because it's cheating, he said. I don't know what's wrong with him."

Jessica shrugged and sighed.

"It's fine. Shui will be able to figure out himself. Chiaki won't learn Qi because it will disturb her Nanites, so we don't need to worry about her. And you... How's the preparation?"

"Good. I have analyzed the layout of the places that might become the battlefield. It's time to make a plan."

Saying that, Jessica opened a large hologram screen and showed the map. She zoomed in and pointed at the red dots, indicating the enemy's forces.

"According to the information we have, there are a few key locations that might become the battlefield." She changed the view and showed a large map with red dots and blue dots scattered all over the place.

"Here is where we are. And the red dots are Murim Alliance's base and other cities and villages that are under their control. They are moving pretty slowly thanks to Jack's effort to destroy their supply lines. From my estimation, they will only reach Shaanxi's border in 7 days."

"That's still far." Leo stroked his chin and frowned, "I thought they would be here soon."

"Yes, but it's good. We can prepare a lot of traps and obstacles on the way. And I will be able to finish gathering the material to upgrade our base and rooms to Level 5 soon. Hao Sect has been searching for the materials needed to complete the upgrade, and we should have everything we need in a few hours."

"Good. After we finish upgrading, we will create more traps and defenses around the city. And, we will be able to create a better weapon and set our bodysuit again to match our new strength. You need a sturdier thread too, no?"

"Yes. My current threads begin to lose their elasticity. Jack also complains that his best bullets are so limited that he can't shoot them at all. The sword used by Shui is worn out as he left his loved sword back in our old base. And Chiaki... She wants to try to cure Tang Soso and recreate the drug used on her."

"Hahaha, she's really interested in that. Well, it's her research after all. I don't have anything else to tell her." Leo grinned and nodded, "Are there any important people among the 2 thousand strong martial artists army?"

"According to the intel, the strongest person is Ning Feng, a 7 Stars martial artist."

A middle-aged person appeared on the screen, his face looked stern and determined. When Leo saw him, he could feel the power and energy coming from the person.

'Not bad. This is interesting.'

Ning Feng was a character who appeared in the original novel as one of the villains. He was not a powerful person for Leo, but he was strong in this world.

As a 7 Stars martial artist, he was no joke.

"Is there anything else, Leader?"

"Yes, I have something. Where is Xiao Ah Tian?"

"The Wandering Sword Saint is currently training with Shui and the other mercenaries, trying to teach them the way of the sword. He's giving a free lesson to those interested, and they are so many of them interested that he has to give the lesson outside the-"

Boom!

A sudden explosion rocked the ground and a huge smoke appeared outside the window. Jessica immediately stood up and looked through the window.

"That should be them." She sighed and shook her head.

"So easy to find." Leo laughed and also looked out the window. "I will go first. Put the material in the storage once it arrives. And, let's upgrade the base before the Murim Alliance moves."

"Understood."

After that, Leo's body turned into a lightning and shot out. It was one of the martial art he developed himself after training with the element. He was able to turn into a ball of lightning and move faster than the wind.

Thanks to his Nanites and the processing speed of Main Cube, he could try various simulations before applying it in real life.

His speed reached 100 meters per second, and his energy was stable and full. He didn't feel tired or exhausted at all.

This was the power of a 9 Stars martial artist. And this was just artificial, not a genuine one.

In 3 seconds, he reached the outside of the city. A second later, he arrived at where the explosion was. Thick dust and smoke filled the air, making him cough slightly.

'What a mess.'

He looked around and found a bunch of people on the ground. Most of them were injured or unconscious, and a few of them were trying to stand up. Some were watching from a distance, both terrified and curious. They looked at Leo as if he was their savior that came late into the battle.

"So, what happened here?" Leo asked, looking at the Wandering Sword Saint and Shui who were standing in the middle of a newly-created crater.

Both of them had their swords drawn, and the area was scorched, with many holes and broken stones.

"Ah, Leader. This is... They begin to fight as their ideas about sword clashed. It's a mess." A man wearing a hat said, his voice cracked from being scared.

"I see. Then, we should break it up."

Leo grinned and walked toward the two guys who kept fighting. Clanging of swords and energy exploding could be heard, and Leo was amazed by the power and strength behind their strikes.

But, it was a mess.

It was nothing more than a slashing and slicing without any form or technique. Or so it looked like so in an amateur's eyes.

But now, Leo has learned martial arts. His eyes changed and he was able to see some kind of path in a form of color. From these paths, he could sense the flow and energy.

"Interesting." He muttered, his hand reaching out.

Then, he grabbed the blades and stopped their movement. The force and power behind their strike was not a joke, and he could feel it. However, his hands were uninjured and they didn't shake at all.

Both Shui and Wandering Sword Saint were surprised. They couldn't believe what was happening.

"Hey, what are you doing? We're in the middle of a battle." Xiao Ah Tian was shocked.

"No, you're not. It's just a clash of ideals." Leo smiled and released the swords, "Why did you fight anyway?"

"He started it!"

"You're the one who talks big!"

The two glared at each other, and Leo couldn't help but sigh. They were such good friends, and yet, they couldn't even get along for a minute.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"Alright, alright. Stop it." He patted their shoulders and grinned, "Why don't you two show me your sword style? And then why don't you tell me what made you fight in the first place?" Discover stories at empire

"Oh, Leader. That's a good idea." Shui smiled and nodded, his anger dissipating. "Xiao Ah Tian and I have different opinions about the way of the sword. But, I think we should have a talk before deciding anything. Please look at this."

Shui took a step back and began his demonstration.

The man raised his sword and swung it in a circular motion. His movements were graceful and smooth, and his energy flowed out, creating a trail of light and force.

"Swift, precise, and beautiful."

The Wandering Sword Saint's eyes brightened, and he couldn't help but admire the skill shown. It was beyond his expectation.

"Now, my turn."

He stepped forward and began his demonstration, showing his unique way of using a sword. A gust of wind blew past them, and Leo felt the energy and force behind his swing.

Both of their energies were unique and had their own style.

Leo had never seen anything like it before.

"We need to swing hard and powerful. No one will survive if we hold back."

"And, we need to use our sword, not our Qi. If we use Qi, we will destroy everything."

The two continued their debate, and Leo couldn't help but nod. He couldn't understand them at all.

'Their lines are beautiful and they have no wasted movement. What's wrong with these two styles that they clashed? Maybe I will need to train and learn more about martial arts.'

Leo sighed and shook his head.

"Okay, you two. Calm down. Stop arguing and tell me why you're fighting in the first place. Don't forget that we're in the middle of a war. We can't afford for any of you to get injured or hurt. Also, Xiao Ah Tian. Your style is not a waste. It's unique and strong. So is Shui's. They just have their own way to use it."

Leo smiled and shook his head.

"Anyway, stop fighting. There's no time for that. And, I don't care who started it. You two need to talk and find a solution. Now, back to the real matter."

Following that, he showed them the intel gathered by Jessica and explained their next plan.

Both Shui and Xiao Ah Tian were listening, and so were the other new mercenaries. The way they looked at Leo changed greatly from earlier. Now, their gazes were filled with respect, and they couldn't help but wonder how Leo managed to handle the situation like that.

It was a true miracle.

"He's indeed the true Leader of the Mercenary Union."

Someone muttered, and the others nodded in agreement.