Work Prophet

"You want to recruit Jude? Well, his martial arts are indeed excellent, and he has a sharp mind, as well as a remarkable hunting dog," Li Yu said. "He is indeed the kind of talent you urgently need right now."

"I feel the same, but I'm afraid he won't listen to me," Ireya said softly as she glanced at the figure ahead of her.

"He's not like the knights in my family. I... feel those oaths and honors just can't bind him, and being with him always makes me uneasy. You saw it, he chopped someone just now without even blinking, and if he takes a dislike to me halfway through..." Miss Rabbit couldn't help but swallow nervously.

"Hmm, capable people are always somewhat unruly; such people are generally reluctant to obey others willingly, and you don't have the kind of domineering presence that makes people fall over themselves to worship you, so forget about subduing him for the time being..."

Li Yu paused, "But cooperation might be possible."

"Cooperation?" The girl thought about it and felt it wasn't a bad idea, "But I don't know what he wants."

"Just ask him directly," Li Yu finished and called out to Jude ahead, "Friend, do you have urgent business in Duolin City, or would you be interested in looking for something to do along the way?"

"Green Field and Duolin City are not in the same direction," Half-Face stroked his chin, "I am going to Duolin City because I have a lover there, she wrote to me saying how much she misses the passionate and sweet days we once shared.

"Her man is not as heroic and manly as I am, so she sits alone in her empty boudoir, washes her face with tears, and eagerly awaits my arrival, eager to relive the old times with me."

"You can read letters?" Ireya asked in surprise.

"No, I'm not a noble, just a farmer's son; I can't read, but she drew that letter for me."

"What kind of drawing can convey such rich meaning?"

"My old second, don't mention it, she drew it quite realistically," Half-Face chuckled, "But... if you're willing to pay me a bit more Gold Lions, I think she might not mind waiting a bit longer."

"Escort me safely to Green Field, and once we enter the castle, I will pay you twenty Gold Coens," the girl declared.

"Thirty coins, twenty is my hiring price, and ten more for Black Beauty, who is as competent as I am," Jude bargained.

"Twenty-one, ten for you and eleven for your dog."

"......"

"Twenty-four Gold Lions, that's my bottom line, and you need to pay me half upfront," Jude said sternly.

"Twenty-two, I was just robbed by a thief, so I don't have any money on me right now, you'll have to escort me home before I can pay you. I am the Family Head of the Arias family, and you can trust the honor of the Arias family to ensure you get your dues," the girl assured.

Half-Face furrowed his brows, thought for a long time, and eventually compromised, "Alright, twenty-two it is, thanks to you letting me make a big profit tonight, consider this a friendly rate."

After he finished, he looked at the girl with admiration in his eyes and sincerely said, "You drive a hard bargain."

Ireya felt weak in the knees. She didn't know where she found the courage to confront this ruthless killer face-to-face only moments ago.

Despite feeling incredibly cowardly inside, once it involved money, she couldn't control her tongue. As if driven by an invisible power, she seemed like a War God wielding a golden spear at that moment, fearless.

Even Li Yu saw her in a new light, obviously not expecting Miss Rabbit to possess such a talent.

This guy... is he really a rabbit or perhaps more like a Pixiu?

However, the girl quickly got anxious again and secretly asked her advisor, "Do you think... he might chop me because I paid him two Gold Coens less?"

"Then just make up the difference."

Miss Rabbit was torn, struggling for a while before barely whispering, "Can't."

......

"That's a lot of money, gotta sell quite a few carrots," the girl lamented.

"Your concerns are not without reason," Li Yu said, "How about this, the two of you can make an oath."

"Uh, I don't think he's the type to keep promises."

"We can ask God to witness again."

"Considering how he referred to the gods of Holy Mountain before, I don't think he'll take a divine witness seriously."

"I'm talking about 'Saturday,'" Li Yu said.

"Saturday? What's different about it?"

"It's different because my god will respond to you."

"How will it respond?" Ireya was completely baffled, "By shaking branches to make leaves fall or by making flames take on various forms?"

"Neither," Li Yu interrupted the girl, "It will answer directly. I am the Prophet, and I can communicate with it at any time."

???

Miss Rabbit's mouth had formed a perfect O.

She had been with Li Yu for just a little over a day, but the incredible things she had experienced had far exceeded those of the previous decade!

Recording voices, manipulating thunder and light were bizarre enough, but direct dialogue with gods was like something out of mythology.

Ireya had served the Silver Moon Goddess in the Temple; nobody knew better than her how rare Divine Speakers were.

Moreover, those Divine Speakers could only hear the whispered utterances of the gods by entering a state of trance, half-asleep and half-awake, and the gods never bothered with what mortals wanted to say. It wasn't a communication, merely a one-sided receipt of divine decrees.

"Are you really sure you can do it?" Miss Rabbit still found it hard to believe her own ears.

Li Yu looked down at his phone's battery level—85%. He had just arrived in Bratis not long ago, and the battery was still plenty, so he nodded and said, "No problem."

The three of them walked a bit further and chose a dry, flat hillock as their new overnight spot.

Moments later, Half-Face and Ireya stood under a fir tree, watching as Li Yu unevenly carved images of a beach, palm trees, a lounge chair, and a parasol into the trunk with a small knife.

Miss Rabbit asked, "Which one is 'Saturday'?"

"None of them," Li Yu replied, "This is just a ritual for communicating with it."

"Oh, it's like how our priests please the gods through sacrifices," the girl felt she understood.

"Something like that."

After waiting a little longer, Half-Face grew impatient and asked Li Yu, "Isn't it ready yet?"

"Almost there."

After Li Yu finished the final stroke, he handed the knife back to Ireya, then said, "Drop a drop of your blood on this fir tree."

"Will this really work?" Jude expressed his doubt, but while grumbling, he still used his War Axe to cut his palm and smeared the fresh blood on the rough bark of the Cold Fir.

Seeing this, Ireya steeled herself and cut her own finger as well.

As they each completed their steps, Li Yu also began to call out, "My lord, Saturday."

A moment later, a gentle, clear, and slightly tense unfamiliar voice echoed from the woods.

"I am here."