"Is there really such a place?" Muherr's pupils contracted. He paused for a moment before speaking, "How much are you planning to pay us? we're mercenaries, after all. As long as there's a job that comes their way, they will accept it, provided it doesn't involve something particularly repulsive or against their mercenary code. If it's just about exploring unknown lands or secret realms, then that job is something they can take on.
As long as it doesn't involve the massacre of the indigenous civilians on the land, such a heinous act. Of course, not only must this premise be made clear, but also the price offered by the other party must be satisfactory to their entire team. The more dangerous the commission, the higher the price required. You get what you pay for, as the saying goes."
"Directly asking for the price? It seems like Beyond hasn't approached them yet." Hearing Muherr ask this, Morin felt a temporary sense of relief. In the original version, Ging intended to buy off Muherr and his team for the No. 2 position in the team. Muherr responded, "We originally had no objections to you becoming the second in command until you mentioned money."
In Muherr's view, for a mercenary, the most important thing is the trust of their comrades. If the reputation of betraying partners for Ging's money spreads, they can forget about mixing in the mercenary circles again. No matter how great their achievements were before, it would all be the same.
Without a good reputation, what's the point? So as long as the money from the commission isn't clean, they would feel uneasy. Because it involves reputation, something akin to an unwritten rule, just like the title of a book or the position of a remote control on a table, it's decided from the start.
Therefore, Muherr would rather not have more money than let their reputation be tarnished. If they had already agreed to Beyond's commission, even if only verbally, they wouldn't agree to Morin's invitation. But now...
"It seems I've taken the initiative." Morin was in a cheerful mood and then offered Muherr a price. "Thirty billion Jenny to hire your team. How does that price sound to you?" Morin gestured an OK sign with three fingers.
"Thirty billion?!" Muherr's pupils were hit by an earthquake, and the few subordinates behind him who had been listening silently all exclaimed in shock. Even during the internal war of Lubo, which established their industry status and faced the enemy V5, they hadn't received such a high price.
In fact, ever since their mercenary organization was established, in all these years, there had never been such a high-priced commission. For a moment, the faces of these subordinates were filled with disbelief, as if saying, "You're not joking," or "You're not teasing us, right?"
"If you think I can't come up with that much money, I can transfer it to your account first," Morin said with a smile. "It's my habit to let others receive the money first, then I can trust them to complete the commission responsibly." Quite an odd habit... The subordinates muttered under their breath, but all turned their fiery gazes to their leader, Muherr.
That was a whole thirty billion Jenny! If they got it, divided among the eleven members of their team, each would receive at least two billion Jenny! Even considering the distribution according to contribution, each would still earn a few billion Jenny! Completing this job would mean they wouldn't have to worry about their livelihood for the rest of their lives! The atmosphere in the room started to heat up.
"How about it?" Morin smiled at Muherr. "Does the price meet your expectations?" In the original version, Beyond offered Muherr and his team fifteen billion Jenny for the main participants. For the minor subordinates and logistics personnel, it was only two billion Jenny each.
Even with that, Muherr loyally ran around for Beyond, even willing to infiltrate the Hunter Association to execute tasks. Although ultimately eliminated, it showed their dedication to their duty. If fifteen billion and two billion could easily buy them off, Morin didn't believe his offer of thirty billion wouldn't tempt them.
"We're quite satisfied with this price," Muherr finally spoke after a moment of silence. "But if the money from the commission isn't clean, we'll feel uneasy..."
"You don't need to worry about that!" Morin interrupted him. "I've earned all my money through my own efforts, bit by bit. I can provide you a lead. There's a hunter named Ging Freecss, a friend of mine. We often gamble, and he's lost quite a bit to me. Under him, there's a game called 'Greed Island.' At the recent Southern Peace Auction, just this one game fetched over thirty billion Jenny. So, you don't need to worry about the source of the commission money."
Morin spoke leisurely, while Muherr and his subordinates listened, their eyelids twitching in speechless agreement. They had, of course, heard about the Southern Peace Auction.
---
The Greed Island game alone fetched over Thirty Billion Jennyat auction. The wealthy Battera even bought several units in one go. Adding to what he had previously acquired, he's spent about two hundred billion Jenny so far. Then he hired players, offering a reward of fifty billion for clearing it...
Damn, these filthy rich people really know how to play!!! Muherr grumbled inwardly, but his doubts were greatly alleviated. Looking at it this way, the thirty billion Jenny price for their team doesn't seem that high. Hmm, it's not even as much as a single game console, is it? Despite feeling a bit unbalanced, Muherr knew no one would offer a higher price than Morin.
And just as he was pondering this moment~
"Thirty Billion Jennyis just the hiring price for your eleven-member team. There's an additional Twenty billion Jenny I plan to deposit into the Norwell Foundation."
"What do you think?"
Norwell Foundation?! Not only Muherr but his subordinates were also getting excited one by one. The Norwell Foundation is a mutual aid fund for the families of mercenaries. It's a welfare institution for those impoverished mercenaries and their families who can't support themselves after a mercenary's death.
This organization provides financial support, employment, survival basics, and education for the children of deceased mercenaries. It's a charity group that protects their survival rights.
The founder of this group was a soldier named Norwell, who devoted himself to aiding child soldiers, refugees, and the economically weak. Inspired by his good deeds, his comrades poured their money into his personal account, eventually forming a unique foundation with accounts spanning three generations: father, son, and grandson. It's entirely built on trust, a miracle of an account.
"Are you serious?" Muherr asked sternly. "By creating an account under the guise of a remittance, you would also be considered a mercenary, and you wouldn't be able to refuse orders from above!!"
Above? Once I join this mercenary organization, who is above and who is below might not be so clear~? Morin's lips curled into a slight smile.
"Money from dubious sources isn't something you like to accept. This account is managed by all mercenaries, so no one should gossip about the large reward behind your back." Morin didn't take it seriously at all. "I'm spending this money just so you can work for me wholeheartedly without any worries, nothing more than that."
Spending money for peace of mind, that's all I want~?
Once again, the scent of doing whatever one wants with money...
Muherr raised an eyebrow. But this feeling doesn't seem bad? Hmm, as a beneficiary, that is.
"If that's the case..." he said seriously, "we'll take the commission."
"Pleasure working with you." Morin extended his hand with a smile. "By the way, send me your account details."
With a flurry of messages, Muherr saw the Thirty Billion Jenny reflected in his bank account, and his frown completely relaxed. We can count ourselves as wealthy now!!
"Now that the money is in place, what's our next step?" Muherr, ever professional, immediately moved on to business.
"Head to Saba City first. There's a bar called 'Laxative Bar' that I own, which can serve as a gathering point before the operation." Morin explained, "The owner there is named Tonpa. He'll take care of your accommodations. The expected operation time is around July or August next year. Although there's still more than half a year, I don't want you running off to take other private jobs in the meantime."
"If anything goes wrong in between, my several tens billion Jenny commission would go down the drain, and I'd have nowhere to cry about it." Morin joked at the end.
"Don't worry, we have our own principles. Once we've taken a task, we won't accept other commissions until it's completed," Muherr assured. "In the meantime, we can sort out our affairs and prepare thoroughly for the exploration of that unknown land. Being fully prepared before acting is a standard rule for us mercenaries."
"No problem," Morin agreed. "In the 'Laxative Bar,' I also have a copy of the 'Greed Island' game. If you get bored, feel free to play it."
Having said everything necessary, Morin waved goodbye and left. Thus, aside from Kalikuchi, the legendary 'Stone Wall' mercenary group led by Muherr was officially under Morin's command. Including the previous recruits, there were now eighteen people in total.
Eighteen people—
"Beyond recruited twenty-five people for the Dark Continent expedition. This is just the beginning." For Morin, eighteen wasn't enough.
"Is he gone?" Muherr sighed in relief as he watched the figure disappear again. "I never thought we'd land such a job." He glanced again at the rows of zeros and the number three in his account, unable to suppress a smile. He was being quite reserved about it.
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