My exclusive card pool

Chapter 17: Aquaman's Self-cultivation

"Defeat the target!"

"Should we capture the ability of 'Polka'?"

'Yes. '

Wang Xi replied with his mind.

Immediately, two balls of white light flew out from the guard who had just stood up and penetrated into Wang Xi's eyebrows.

"Only two cards were used to defeat him this time?"

Wang Xi said secretly.

He speculated that this ability to capture also varied from person to person. Some were stronger and possessed more skills, while others were weaker and had fewer abilities to capture.

But at the same time, he basically confirmed his previous guess, that is, simply defeating would bring higher benefits than killing.

"Young man, you have proven your strength."

The steward in the hat came forward, clapping and laughing.

"On behalf of the Spinning Wheel Merchant Guild, I am willing to pay you 20 gold coins as a reward and recruit you as a temporary guard. The agreement will end after the caravan arrives in the capital. What do you think?"

"can."

Wang Xi smiled back.

The steward made a gesture, and the guard beside him handed over a small leather bag the size of a palm.

"I'm the leader of this caravan, White. Here are 10 gold coins. The remaining half will be paid after we arrive in the capital."

"Row."

Wang Xi took the leather bag, opened it and took a look.

There were indeed 10 button-sized gold coins piled up inside. He then put them away.

"When do we leave?" he asked.

Steward White's expression became a little serious. He said:
"This afternoon."

In such a hurry?
Wang Xi was surprised, but didn't ask any more questions.

No wonder he was offering such a high price to recruit guards. He must have an emergency and needed to rush back to the capital, so he wanted to replenish his manpower as soon as possible.

Just as Steward White was about to introduce the rest of the guards to Wang Xi, the crowd nearby started to make a noise.

Wang Xi turned his head and looked, his eyes fixed.

The crowd was violently pushed aside by several fully armed knights, and a noble lady wearing a blue velvet dress and with her blonde hair tied up walked out slowly.

"Sera?"

"Gai, I finally found you!"

The noble lady's face was slightly tired, and her cold expression was mixed with a hint of anger.

"Aren't we going hunting? Why are we going so far to hunt?!"

Said, Sera approached.

She looked around at the crowd and noticed the people from the Spinning Wheel Merchants Guild, and her eyes narrowed.

"You are still injured. Don't be so stubborn. Come back with me."

Sera came and stood three meters away from Wang Xi, her expression relaxed a little, and she spoke in a soft tone.

Wang Xi glanced at the knights behind her.

"Barto's Royal Guard Knight Karl (Light Red/Two Star)"

"Barto's Royal Guard Knight Isaac (Light Red/Two Star)"

"Bator's Royal Guard Knight Brick (Light Red/Two Star)"

"..."

Wang Xi was quite frightened.

These five knights are all two-star strength, and are obviously the elite around Count Barto.

To be honest, he still had some chance of winning in a one-on-one situation, but when facing five two-star knights at the same time, he knew he was no match for them.

If we go head-to-head, the chances of winning are too slim!
Wang Xi was thinking about a solution.

Perhaps because of the noise, more and more people gathered around, pointing and talking. It even caught the attention of Buchanan's patrol guards, who were heading this way.

Manager White frowned, waved his hand to stop the guard captain Bennett, and watched in silence.

Godalil stood there in a daze, her face full of tension.

"Sierra."

At this time, Wang Xi suddenly spoke.

He glanced around and said in a firm and resolute voice:
"I will not go back and marry you!"

"Um?!"

Sera was stunned.

Even the people around were quite surprised, as if they finally understood what had happened...

It turns out to be a young noble’s emotional problem!

Suddenly, curiosity and inquiry filled the faces of the onlookers. They normally had little access to the secrets of the aristocratic world, but now they had to listen closely.

Wang Xi tilted his head slightly, his voice gradually becoming low and restrained, with a deep sense of guilt:
"You shouldn't have come to me, Sera... I'm no longer worthy of standing in front of you."

"..."

Sera frowned slightly.

Wang Xi paused for a moment and clenched his fists.

He put his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist again.

wow——

Suddenly, the knights behind Sera stepped forward, staring at Wang Xi, ready to draw their swords and subdue him at any time.

But Wang Xi turned a blind eye and said to himself:
"I swore to protect you with my sword and my life, but I failed. I was defeated by the Northmen, and you were put in danger, suffering humiliation and pain that you should never have endured."

"All this is due to my incompetence!"

Clang!
Wang Xi drew the long sword from his waist, his face full of grief and anger.

Almost at the same time he drew his sword, several of Barto's personal guards also drew their swords and protected Sera.

Sera's eyes flickered slightly.

She reached out to stop the knight, looked at Gai quietly, and waited for what was to come.

Wang Xi avoided her eyes, and said with a trembling voice, hinting at pain:

"I will cancel the engagement. Your freedom and dignity are more important than my vows."

"I will give you my possessions and lands in Randall, along with my remaining honor. You deserve a better fate than to be bound by a mortal wretched creature."

"I have lost the qualifications to be your fiancé, and I have lost the courage to face you."

"Go ahead! Sera!"

Wang Xi suddenly shouted.

"Go and pursue your own future... and I will spend the rest of my life wandering and atonement!" After saying this, he raised his hand, grasped the sword, and slashed it fiercely.

Sera and Godalil's pupils shrank.

The people around exclaimed.

laugh--

Wang Xi drew his sword and blood foam splattered on his palm.

The corner of his eye twitched slightly, but he still maintained that self-deprecating and sad expression.

Bang!

The blood-stained sword fell to the ground.

"Gai!"

Godalil rushed out of the crowd and supported Wang Xi.

Her face was filled with heartache as she held her bleeding hand. Immediately, she raised her head and glared at the noble lady and the group of armored knights.

"Sierra Crawford! Are you trying to force Guy to death? He's suffered enough and sinned enough!"

Godalil didn't know why she could muster up so much courage, and she scolded the count's daughter with red eyes.

Perhaps it was the jealousy that had once been buried deep in his heart, perhaps it was the worry about Gai at the moment, or perhaps it was the vision for the future that could not be shattered.

"I……"

Sera opened her mouth, her eyes still a little confused.

The discussions around were getting more intense.

The harsh voices about Randall, Earl Barto and the Crawford family made several knights of the royal guards look unhappy and frown.

Sera looked at the young man with a dejected face, bleeding palms, leaning in the arms of the farm girl, and her originally firm belief began to waver.

Especially what Gai just said.

It made her feel mixed emotions and confused.

All the scenes from the past, the attachment and admiration I once had, flashed through my mind again.

"Miss, Master Barto said..."

At this time, a fully armored knight with a square face and stubble came closer and whispered.

Sera immediately raised her hand, signaling him not to say anything more. The knight hesitated, but finally stepped back silently.

"Gai, have you really thought it through?"

Sera took a deep breath and asked with a complicated look in her eyes.

Kai silently picked up the sword, turned his head away, and didn't even look at the noble lady, as if responding in this way.

With Godalil's support, he slowly walked up to Manager White.

"Does the agreement just now still count?"

He asked the steward in a deep voice.

White glanced at the noble lady and the armored knights not far away. As the steward of the Royal Capital's Grand Chamber of Commerce, he wasn't particularly impressed by the nobles of this remote area, nor did he hold them in high regard.

He only cared about whether this batch of important goods could be delivered back to the capital quickly and safely.

"Of course it counts."

White retracted his gaze and smiled at the young man.

Wang Xi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said:
"Then can you bring one more person? I don't need the other half of the reward."

"You want to take this girl with you on the road?"

White looked at Godalil who was supporting the young man.

The girl looked nervous, but after hearing the conversation between Gai and the steward, she felt relieved and moved.

"Yeah." Wang Xi nodded.

White looked at the two of them with interest, as if he had imagined a love triangle that broke the conventional ethics.

"You remind me of my younger self."

The steward smiled, shook his head and sighed.

"But I lack your courage and ability, leaving behind many regrets... Young man, you are a qualified noble knight. I agree that you can take this girl with you on your journey. I will also give you the 10 gold coins as agreed upon upon our arrival in the capital."

"Thank you." Wang Xi said.

"Bennett, go bandage his wound. We'll wait until noon, and then we'll set off regardless of whether we can recruit more men or not."

White turned and said to the captain of the guard.

The latter nodded and took Wang Xi to the caravan's carriage.

Wang Xi was supported by Godalil, holding a sword and following Bennett, passing through the crowd.

Sera pursed her lips, but did not stop him. Instead, she and the knights beside her moved aside.

The two passed each other.

"I'm leaving, Sera. Be good to yourself from now on."

Wang Xi spoke softly.

The voice was like a breeze, brushing past the blonde lady's ears and making her whole body tremble.

Sera stood there in a daze, lost in thought. When she raised her complicated eyes again, her fiancé's back had already disappeared into the distance.

...

...

"what!"

Wang Xi held his breath and let out a suppressed scream.

“It hurts, it hurts!!”

In the carriage traveling on the dusty road, Godalil was carefully checking the young man's wound. When she pulled the painful spot, blood oozed out again.

"I'm sorry, Gay, I didn't mean to."

The girl quickly apologized and blew on her hands.

"It's okay." Wang Xi smiled and shook his head.

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, they got rid of Sera and the group of knights, left Buchanan with the caravan, and officially set off.

With the exaggerated acting skills of the retired Aquaman, he successfully avoided a conflict that would have resulted in more losses than gains. Although it was a small sacrifice, it was worth it.

Looking back on the whole process, the only thing that annoyed him was that he swung the sword too hard, causing the wound on the palm of his left hand to be too deep, and it might not heal in a short time.

Fortunately, he was right-handed, so it didn't affect the fight much. He could probably still use 70% to 80% of his strength.

Dealing with some highway robbers is not a problem, and he is not the only one in the guard team.

"I heard from Steward White that the journey to the capital is about twenty days... Let's leave it for now and return to the main world."

(End of this chapter)