"Is there a possibility that I’m neither B-ranked nor A-ranked?" Rosen casually said.
"Could you be C-ranked?" Hearing Rosen’s words, several people showed skeptical expressions.
Even if one is down on their luck and joins the Town Guard, the hero template should start at B-ranked; anything less than B-ranked would be ridiculous.
Their first reaction wouldn’t be to think Rosen is an S-ranked hero, as S-ranked heroes are key protection targets in the Central Plains and shouldn’t easily end up in the Guard Team.
Rosen was about to say that he was actually an S-ranked hero when he suddenly rembered that he indeed awakened as a C-ranked hero.
With a slight hesitation, this reaction was taken as a tacit acknowledgnt by them.
"So, you’re really a C-ranked hero. What’s the captain thinking? These days, recruiting newcors without checking hero ranks? What if the newcor dies as soon as they start, won’t we have to compensate?"
"C-ranked hero? In such situations, it’s better to go ho and farm. Don’t get involved in the lord’s affairs. For your own safety, you’d best stay and guard the house."
Everyone’s chit-chat left Rosen in a difficult spot to explain.
"Why so much nonsense? Do you think you can handle an S-ranked veteran hero?" Rosen retorted.
"You’re really arrogant, newcor. Although we’re all A-ranked heroes, we’re more experienced than you. It’s not that easy to kill us. But you, C-ranked hero, are too weak!"
"Do you think there’s a possibility that I have many hero revival scrolls?" Rosen asked in return.
The few looked at each other and grinned, saying: "Okay, since you have plenty of revival scrolls, we’ll take that as you talking too much."
They imdiately considered that newcors joining the Town Guard usually have more stock, having more revival scrolls is common.
Such a newcor should be sent out as cannon fodder.
Hence, the group took Rosen and went to the scene of the incident.
The incident happened in a rather desolate Stone Village. Because the population was small, it was rarely managed, and therefore, many miscreant lords targeted this place, making it the first stepping stone for evil deeds.
Recently, a veteran S-ranked lord appeared in this village, started collecting protection fees, claiming he could keep the villagers safe from the surrounding Demonic threat.
But in reality, after the lord arrived, he began oppressing the villagers, and within a few days, human casualties started occurring in the village.
Indeed forced by desperation, the villagers had to cross mountains and rivers to report the situation to the Guard Team office.
The group arrived at the scene only to see several villagers’ bodies hanging under a big tree at the village entrance.
Upon seeing this, Rosen and others furrowed their brows instantly.
"Are you kidding? This is the Central Plains, not outside Rakshasa Country. Such a situation happens here?" Rosen could not comprehend the scene before him.
The team mbers explained: "Since the Demonic large-scale invasion at the frontline and the frequent wars with the Chaos Faction erupted, most of the high-level officials from the Central Plains went to the frontline to fight, leaving the remaining ones to turn a blind eye, not considering the chaos at the lower level, thus indulging the occurrence of such situations. Though, only so backward areas show bloody and brutal scenes; most densely populated villages won’t have such sights."
"Shouldn’t we take down the bodies and bury them?" Rosen asked.
"Is there a need to bury the bodies? Also, haven’t you seen what’s written on the nearby notice board?" A team mber pointed Rosen to look.
Rosen walked over to the notice board and saw the words:
"Those hanging on the tree are villagers unable to pay the protection fee; anyone taking down the bodies will be treated as an accomplice!"
"Good heavens."
Seeing the words on the notice board, Rosen felt infuriated.
This tone is unusually arrogant.
Forcefully collecting protection fees, killing those who can’t pay, hanging bodies on trees, and not allowing anyone to take them down to let them dry up and stink?
Rosen could already imagine that the S-ranked lord who occupied this village is most likely a demon who has killed countless people.
Such lords are probably from the Chaos Faction, since most lunatics like this are predominant within Chaos Faction.
"We are from the Guard Team. Do we need to heed a notice board for the Guard Team’s work?" Rosen questioned, feeling these team mbers were too cowardly.
Even veteran lords, even older team mbers show no sense of judgnt.
"If you want to die, you can ignore the notice on the board. No one will probably claim your body when you die."
"What do you an?" Rosen asked, puzzled.
"It’s simple. We’ve handled many such cases before. Previously there was a similar one, and our warmhearted teammate tried to bury and properly inter the corpses persecuted to death by the forces of evil, but then incurred their wrath, and was forcibly killed. Our captain went to seek justice, but as the captain was an A-ranked hero, the opponent was S-ranked, leaving the captain beaten to a pulp and had to flee. Afterward, when we encountered such powerful forces, our team mbers dared not provoke them."
After hearing the senior mbers’ explanation, Rosen imdiately understood.
The mighty tiger can’t outweigh the local bully snake; in such impoverished backwaters, reason isn’t effective, it’s all about the strength of the fists.
"I understand, so when the ti cos, just pretend not to know . I’ll handle everything." Rosen bluntly said.
"Fine, you have plenty of revival scrolls. If you die, you can always resurrect, and if you can’t win, just run away. Handling this issue is most suitable for you, but we still advise acting wisely; with a significant power gap, the revival scrolls will be quickly depleted."
"Then you’re underestimating ; I can last at least a minute, right?" Rosen ambiguously replied.
"A minute? Are you trying to be funny? Perhaps an S-ranked hero could send you away with just one skill."
"Then two minutes, or maybe, three minutes?"
Seeing their disbelief, Rosen exaggeratedly said.
The accompanying seniors reined in their ridicule, changing to a look as if asking if he was crazy.
Rosen paid no attention to them anymore, but instead took the initiative to get the bodies down from the tree and buried them right there.
"Is this kid really not afraid to die?"
"If they start fighting, wouldn’t it be wrong not to help? What should we do?"
"What else can be done? Let’s assess the situation. If he doesn’t even have a chance to escape, we should offer so support. After all, the young are bold and fearless; newcors are just like that."
The seniors talked among themselves, but their words fell on Rosen’s ears, regarded simply as ignored noise.
Anyway, joining the Guard Team would naturally be regarded as being weak. Those who join the Guard Team are those whose territories have been destroyed, unable to protect even their own lands.
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