When Ina received the magical communication from the lizard and rushed to the Midnight Marsh, the battle was in full swing.
The dragon blood sorcerers were holding back, reluctant to let the lizard lose too much blood. The dragon lizard, however, had no such concerns. With a swipe of its tail, it sent the tattooed man flying, smashing him into a tree trunk nearly as thick as a person.
The gloomy teenager seized this opportunity, finally broke through the sturdy scales of the lizard, and left a wound on its chest.
The others were greatly encouraged, each taking out a bottle of liquid that faintly radiated a blue glow. This was a paralyzing potion they had made specifically for magical beasts with dragon lineage, which would take effect upon contact with blood.
The lizard, which had dominated the Midnight Marsh for countless years, faced this provocation for the first time. After being injured, it roared angrily. The leaves of the nearby trees fell like snow, and the dragon-blood sorcerers immediately covered their ears in pain and retreated.
Suddenly, a strong wind came from behind. Ina transformed into a dragon, flapped her wings, and knocked the four people to the ground. She looked down at them from a high position, her stern dark golden pupils like huge candles.
"Are you the ones hunting for dragon- blood?" Her deep voice echoed across the field like a bronze bell. All the high-level magical beasts in the Midnight Marsh crawled on the ground under this overwhelming pressure, while the weaker beasts sensed danger and scurried into their dens.
"Presumptuous rats, are you ready to face my wrath?" The golden vertical pupils of the black dragon swept over each person's face, which showed nothing but panic and shock.
The people first widened their eyes in disbelief, then their faces turned ashen. The dragon race had disappeared hundreds of years ago, hadn't it? How could a giant dragon suddenly appear on the continent, and a notoriously violent black dragon at that! They dared to attack the lizard, but they probably had no chance of winning even against a young dragon. Especially the black dragon in front of them, every scale and every inch of claw exuding tremendous power, this was a powerful mature dragon!
They gave up resistance without any agreement, turning around without hesitation and fleeing in different directions. Ina sneered. In her eyes, these people were like chicks under the claws of an eagle, their struggle was futile.
Ina pulled them back one by one, cut wounds on their bodies, and smeared them with the paralyzing potion they had brought. Although the dragon blood in the bodies of the dragon-blood sorcerers was stolen, wasn't it dragon blood as well? Let them taste what their own potion feels like!
The four people were scattered all over the ground. If it weren't for the fact that they were paralyzed by the potion and could hardly move, they would probably be shaking like sieves.
[You have triggered the random side quest 0-5: The Storm is Brewing
Task Progress: 100
Rewards: Congratulations on defeating the unwelcome guests who intended to harm the restaurant staff, you can see the [Evil Value] and [Favorability] options on the NPC's attribute panel and receive corresponding bonuses.
When creatures with a lower evil value than your attack, they will enter a [Fear] state, reducing their luck by 200 and their attack accuracy by 50; the lower the favorability of the staff under the Dragon Flame restaurant industry towards you, the less likely they are to disobey your commands.]
Ina asked curiously, "Shouldn't it be that the higher the favorability, the less likely they are to disobey orders?"
The system smiled slightly: [That's why this is an extra reward for completing the task. Employees with high favorability will consciously abide by the rules, and won't be affected. Only employees with low favorability will face compulsory requirements.]
Ina looked at her own evil value.
Why was her evil value 105421? The stats must be wrong, she hadn't killed that many people! No, she hadn't killed anyone at all!
[The evil value is calculated based on your historical performance, and it's an absolutely accurate~]the system explained.
Ina calmed down. It seemed that she had indeed killed that many people. Why did they count the game period and fights with other players?
[Your evil value exceeds 100,000! Unlock the title [Adjudicator of the Night Mist], this title cannot be removed, additional effect: Extreme Cruelty (Creatures with a favorability towards you below 0 may experience negative reactions such as fear, anxiety, and confusion when facing you, mental attacks are ineffective, the chance of curse failure increases by 50, this bonus is doubled for psychic and undead creatures)]
Ina: Such a chuuni title is a bit childish for children, but it's just right for a mature person like her.
Ina glanced at the chaotic scene, she might as well deal with the aftermath first. She looked at the lizard next to her, which was showing its sharp teeth and making gestures at everyone's necks, and she said "Are you okay?"
The lizard shook its big head and stepped on the belly of the burly man: "Just a minor injury."
The burly man was furious, but he held back his scream, not daring to make a noise.
Ina looked around but didn't see the mercenary they had hired as a guide. "Where did their guide go?"
"I've never seen any guide," the lizard asked, "Lady Ina, what should we do with these people? They have a smell that I really dislike, even worse than the bugs that crawl out from the bottom of the swamp."
Ina tied them up two by two: "I still have a use for these people. Since you're okay, I'll take them away first. I'll bring you some good food next time."
She held two people in one hand, and with her membranous wings spread behind her, she flew towards Mist Town with these people as if she were carrying a string of gourds.
When they reached the edge of Mist Town, Ina retracted her wings and switched to walking. The four people were dragged behind her, leaving four long traces on the ground.
The passing mercenaries all looked at them sideways.
[The mercenaries have gained a new understanding of your strength, Regional Reputation - Silver Empire - Mercenary Guild +5]
Ina arrived at the entrance of Frank's house and shouted into the house: "Is Mr. Wenter in?"
Mr. Wenter, who was temporarily staying at Frank's house, came out: "Does Miss Ina need me for something...?" Mr. Wenter was so surprised by the sight of the four people being dragged by Ina that he almost forgot what he wanted to ask.
Ina presented her captives one by one to Mr. Wenter: "Their names are Jim Cliff, Dorothy Bell, Stevenson Smith, and Xavier Valen, are there any wanted criminals from the Mercenary Guild among them?"
Mr. Wenter chuckled, "How could wanted criminals to be found everywhere..." Despite saying this, he still took out a record stone from his space ring. As he flipped through it, his face changed.
"There really are, aren't there?" Ina thought as much. She had seen a sin value as high as a hundred when she randomly checked one person's information, so it wasn't surprising that this group of dragon blood mages, notorious for their evil deeds, were listed in the bounty of the Mercenary Guild.
Mr. Wenter read from the records he had consulted: "Dorothy Bell and Stevenson Smith are indeed notorious wanted criminals, with bounties of fifty gold coins and thirty gold coins, respectively."
He was referring to the only woman and the man with a tattoo on his face. Ina looked at the old man and asked curiously, "He killed the most people, why isn't he ?"
Jim, the old man lying on the ground, changed his face. It was his first time meeting this girl, no, this black dragon. How could she tell at a glance that they had killed people, and even know who had killed the most?
He moved his lips a few times, about to reveal to Mr. Wenter the fact that a black dragon was standing in front of him.
Ina gently kicked him and bared her teeth at him, "If you say that word, you will 'pop' become a puddle of meat."
Jim gasped a few times in shock, but in the end, he didn't dare to try.
Ina dragged Dorothy, Stevenson, and Jim to Mr. Wenter, "Buy two, get one free. You should check again, this person is definitely not innocent."
It seemed like there was one more, Ina turned around and saw the gloomy young man had managed to break free of the rope and was trying to run away.
He was hauled back by Ina by the collar, and tied up tightly like a dumpling.
"How are you not affected by the paralysis potion?"
Xavier explained weakly, "I'm not a dragon blood mage, and I haven't killed anyone. Can I go?"
Ina snorted, wondering what kind of 'good person 'would hang out with these three dragon-blood mages. But to prevent a wrongful conviction, she threw an appraisal spell at him.
[Name: Xavier (Civilian)
Profession: Necromancer
Race: Lich
Age: 186
Level: 62
Evil Value: 0
Favorability: -50
Evaluation: This lich possesses a mature soul that is not reflected in his appearance. He is proficient in various undead magic and curses. He has a very valuable characteristic, he does not get sick, does not die, and does not need to rest.]
The evil value was really zero?
Seeing that Ina didn't refute Xavier's words, Mr. Wenter shrugged helplessly: "If he is not a wanted criminal from the Mercenary Guild, I might not have the right to take him in. As for the other one, if an investigation proves that he was indeed the leader of the other two, he will be punished as well."
Ina asked further, "What kind of punishment do these wanted criminals usually get?"
Mr. Wenter's victim's family agrees to seek compensation, we sell them to the Neranka prison and get some money to compensate the victim's family. As for them, they will probably work to death."
Ina was quite satisfied with this answer. But what about Xavier?
"You're not a dragon blood mage, why were you with them?" She questioned Xavier from above.
Xavier blinked, "I helped them hunt magical beasts, they promised to give me the bones of the beasts." After all, as a necromancer, he has quite a large demand for bones. For a necromancer, this is a very common transaction, just killing magical beasts, the rewards are generous, and you don't have to worry about the beast's friends and family seeking revenge. Xavier didn't expect to stumble this time.
"What about the mercenary who brought them to the Midnight Swamp?"
"He's dead."
"How did he die?"
"He was killed by them."
"What were you doing when they were killing?"
"I was watching."
Ina sneered. She would never let go of such a dangerous neutral element, especially since Xavier was the highest-level professional she had encountered so far, and his favorability towards her was negative. If he wanted to retaliate against her, although he wouldn't pose a threat to her, the Dragonflame restaurant or the Misty Town would be excellent entry points.
So Ina quietly asked the system, "What are the requirements to become a restaurant employee?"
[As long as the other party agrees.]
"Xavier, would you like to work in my restaurant?"
Xavier resolutely shook his head, the only part of him that could still move.
"Would you like to work in my restaurant?" Ina repeated with a charming smile, "If you don't agree, I'll kill you."
Xavier spoke with difficulty, "I agree."
Ina smiled satisfactorily, "Don't worry, I'll pay you a higher salary than the market rate, 20 silver coins a month. Our employment also has a term, as long as your favorability towards me returns to positive, you can immediately gain your freedom."
Xavier didn't quite understand Ina's words, but he caught the word 'favorability', seeming to understand something. First, he would appease this black dragon, then find an opportunity to escape. Did she think that agreeing to become some employee could bind him? He was an immortal lich! A strong person walking in the dark world, a ghost that feared neither death nor pain!
"Your strength and beauty have made me submit, my lady. I will be loyal to you, please give me this opportunity."
At the same time, Ina received a notification [Because of being forced to say flattering words, Xavier's favorability towards you decreased by 50 points].
There are those who add to their own sentence?!
Ina started her onboarding education for her new employee, "From today on, you will be brave in doing what is right, you will be kind and helpful, and you will face difficulties without fear. You will be a good lich, who is polite, hygienic, and civilized."
Xavier lowered his head and scoffed dismissively. Was this some strange spell? Did she think that a lich who had lived for nearly two hundred years would be swayed by a few words?!
Since everyone had found a good place, it was time for Ina to say goodbye to Mr. Wenter. She handed all the paralytic potions confiscated from the dragon blood mages to Mr. Winter, "They are all seriously injured, apply this on their wounds to make them weak all over. If you need my help, you can come to the Dragonflame restaurant. Just wondering when the bounty will be deposited?"
"I will inform the person in charge of taking away these wanted criminals to bring the bounty." Mr. Wenter promised.
[Your active effort to capture the wanted criminals has earned Mr. Wenter 's admiration, regional reputation-Silver Empire-Mercenary Guild +10]