The surrounding went still, so much that even a drop of pin could have made a loud sound at that moment. Not after, sounds of hurried footsteps broke through the silent moment.
"The union guards are here!" Someone from the crowd shouted. Like a cluster of ants hurrying away from their nemesis, the crowd was immediately parted into two. In the middle, a pathway was made for the newly arrival union guards to march on. The guards were all garbed in a black combat suit. Their expression was cold, as they marched toward the two group of people in the middle of the crowd.
"What's going on here?" The leader of the union guard looked at both guild president standing opposite each other. "Do you two know that you are disrupting the activities of the mercenary hall?" His voice was stern as he asked. "And you lots, what are you all doing here!?" He turned to the crowd and bellowed at them. "Don't you have a task to complete? How about I deduct 10% contribution points from each of every one of you."
Some who were still deliberating on whether to go or stay on to watch the show, immediately scattered like wind after hearing the leader last sentence.
The surrounding area became free. Amos who had been trapped in the midst of the crowd for so long instantly felt relief when he saw the wide space in front of him. His sigh suddenly stuck up to his throat when he saw the union guard leader glowering at him with a cold eye.
He hurriedly made his towards the Tyron guild side. "I'm with them." He pointed at Tyron as he explained to the guard leader.
The leader cold gaze then left Amos and shifted to the two guild leaders.
"Why are you two making a nuisance here? Do you know that you could actually be punished for disrupting the activities of the mercenary hall?"
"Of course, it's not us. You should ask him instead." Walker pointed at Cedric. "He suddenly stopped us on our way to the mission board and started to make a scene here."
"I didn't ask you for an explanation, did I?" The leader gazed at Walker with a frosty expression.
"I..." Walker could only press his lips together and apologize, "Forgive me for my rudeness."
"Now who among you two care to explain to me what is going on here. If none of your explanation is worthy enough to convince me not to punish you, I'll deduct 100 contribution points from every one of you here."
The Tyron guild side took in the leader words with a calm expression. However, the team members behind Cedric immediately went into an uproar after hearing the leader words.
"What? 100 contribution points! Why don't you just rob us instead."
"Do you know how long it takes to accumulate 100 contribution points? Yet, you want to deduct it from every one of us. What a despicable action."
"Silence!" Cedric shut down his team members rambling. He watched the leader expression and saw that the other party wasn't giving just an empty threat. His lips immediately curl up into a flattery smile. "Please, forgive my team members outburst. I was just having a normal conversation with the Tyron guild leader. However, it appears that our conversation seems to have capture the interest of the others." Realizing that the guard was still waiting for him to carry on, he explained further. "You should know that a month ago, I was brutally attacked by the vice president of the Tyron guild without any valid reason. I had to spend several weeks in the hospital for a proper care. Now that I'm perfectly fine, I came here to demand an explanation and likewise an apology for what she did to me." Cedric ended his account and waited for the guard leader next words.
Indeed, the union guard leader turned to looked at Miley before he finally spoke. "If I should recall, the vice president of the Tyron guild you mentioned has already been punished according to the law of the mercenary hall. So, there's no reason for demanding any apology from her."
"What? You called that punishment." One of Cedric team member burst into outrage. "She destroyed our private room, hit every one of us and even beat our boss to stupor. Yet all she got was being locked up in prison for a few hours. How is that fair?"
"The higher up decision is final. Since she was released from the cell, then there's nothing to be done about it." The guard leader answered.
"Nothing to be done." The member spat. "Tch, what shit are you spouting. Can a--"
Pah!
The loud sound put an end to the young man rambling.
"Bo-boss." The man touched his swollen left cheek, shock evident on his face as he gazed at the figure that had just slapped him.
"I said you should shut up! Are you the boss, or am I?" Cedric was furious at this dumb team member of his who couldn't read the situation.
Feeling a bit indignant, the subordinate could only swallow back his anger and lowered his head to apologize to Cedric. "Sorry, boss."
Cedric could feel the other party dissatisfaction, but he doesn't give a damn about it. While the other party was rambling along, Cedric who stood in front of the union guard leader noticed the constant changes in the guard's expression.
If he were to allow his subordinate to keep rambling on, who knows if because of this, they would have offended the whole union guards. This wasn't what he wanted to see.
Cedric pleasantly turned to guard again and said, "So, are you trying to say that it's the decision of the higher up to release Miley. May I ask why?"
"You should relay that question to the President of the Tyron guild." The guard answered. "Okay, now that the situation is all clear, I'll be deducting ten contribution points from each of every one of you. You can call it me being lenient on you. However, if such situation arises next time, I don't care who among you started it first, I'll definitely lock you up in cell myself." With that, the guards left.
After the guards departed, Cedric team members immediately started to raise up their dissatisfaction. They had come here to support their boss, in the hope of gaining something in return. Instead of that, they all lost ten contribution points each.
Who the hell would be happy about that.
Despite him also loosing ten contribution points, Walker expresses his amusement after seeing the dissatisfaction written on their opponent face.
"Oh, sorry. I just can't hold it in anymore. Ha-ha-ha." Walker held his stomach as he laughed.
Cedric expression turned rancid when he saw them being make mocked of.
"Is that it." Miley took a step forward and stare down at Cedric. "I thought it was going to be something amusing, but this is all you can come up with. What a thwart show." Miley scoffed at him.
"You--"
"Let's go." Miley cut in as she turned to face the others. "It's not worth it listening to a defeated fool argument. We should head out to complete our task for today." Miley reached out for Xue Yiran hand, before pulling her away.
The other members also followed along, not forgetting to give Cedric a mocking glace as they walked pass him. Ian didn't say anything, as he didn't know of the vendetta going on between the two guilds. But from their earlier confrontation, their relationship seems to have no signs of reconciliation at all.
"Defeated fool? Did she just... Ah." Cedric gave a low chuckle. "She's quite interesting, isn't she?"
"Boss, what should we do now. Are we really going to pay 10 contribution points each?" One of the team members asked. "I just substituted my points in exchange for some resources. Now my account is blank."
"Me too. I only have 2 contribution points left with me."
"I just completed the points to use in exchange for my new combat suit. Deducting ten contribution points from it would definitely make me short of ten."
"I also don't think --"
"Shut up everyone! Do you know when you speak, your voice sounds just like those annoying mosquitoes in my ears." Cedric turned to look at them. "As a guild member, we're meant to share fortune and sacrifices together. Hence each one of you are to pay the ten contribution points stipulated. And if you don't, get ready to go to jail. Let's go. We'll be going against an A rank beast king today. Luis would be the one to direct the beast over." Since Luis was a previous member of Tyron guild, Cedric could only vent his anger on him.
Luis who was hiding behind the other members expression fell the moment Cedric last sentence landed. The grip of his palm against his shorts tightened.
"Why? Why aren't you saying anything?" Cedric looked in his direction.
"I... Yes, boss." Luis could only mutter out through gritted teeth.
"That's more like it." A smirk appeared on Cedric face and he ordered, "Let's go."