"So why did you come to us this time?" Mark looked at Ruby puzzled.
It wouldn't be that he just came to thank me verbally and then reveal some useless news to me.
Ruby looked at Mark in surprise. The situation was so obvious, did she need to say more?
"Of course, I'm inviting you to join me in fighting against Ben Fuller and his group of conspirators! They enjoy the blessings of the Holy Light, but they only know how to play with power and pursue status!"
"As the new generation of the church, we must move closer to Master Alfonso, establish a power under our own control, and realize the true goal of the Kingdom of God on Holy Light Earth!"
The muscles on Mark's face twitched slightly, expressing his disapproval of the fanatical Sister of Flame.
He picked up the beer that his boss Lisa had just brought him and took a big gulp. The cold liquid slid down his throat, but it couldn't extinguish the sense of absurdity in his heart.
"Miss Ruby." Mark put down his glass, his voice with a deliberately suppressed calmness, "I am grateful for sharing this information, and I also... sympathize with Bishop Ben Fuller's experience. But..."
He emphasized his tone, his eyes sweeping over Ruby and Kyle. "How are the camps divided within the Church of Holy Light? Which lord represents the 'true will of Holy Light,' and which 'only desires power, status, and wealth'... This is too far-fetched for me."
He spread out his hands, his expression sincere and even a little helpless:
"I, Mark Stewart, am just a lucky adventurer who happened to awaken some affinity with Holy Light. I make a living in this small place called Osborne.
"My biggest dream is to lead my team to hunt some valuable monsters in the Monster Mountain Range, research some new recipes, and make the daily menu more diverse.
"As for the policy of upholding the Church's 'true path of peaceful and stable development' and eradicating heresy, with Monsignor Alfonso at the core and the Thirteenth Holy Knights as the foundation?"
Mark shook his head, his smile a little self-deprecating:
"Miss Ruby, you think too highly of me. In a 'big chess game' of this magnitude, I'm not even qualified to be a chess piece, let alone watch the chessboard from the sidelines. If I'm not careful, I could be swept off the chessboard like dust without even knowing what happened."
Mark didn't notice that Ruby's eyes brightened a little after he finished speaking.
He was still repeating silently what he said, 'With Alfonso the Great... insist on maintaining...'
Mark stood up with unquestionable determination:
"Brother Kyle, Miss Ruby, thank you for your concern and for informing us. We are all very happy that peace has returned to Osborne.
"As for the future of the diocese... I believe the Holy Light will provide guidance. Yes, there's no need to doubt it. I'm guided by the Holy Light to stay out of this matter. If you don't believe me, you can ask the Holy Light..."
Mark turned to his teammates: "Enzo, Monica, Anna, Xiao Mu. Pack up, we're heading into the mountains right away. We just accepted a guild mission, so time is tight."
"Ah? Now? We just sat down..." Enzo was chewing on a piece of grilled meat that Lisa brought, his mouth full of oil, and was stunned when he heard this.
"Yes, that's right, now." Mark's tone was firm. "The mission location is in the middle of the Monster Mountain Range. The journey is long, so we have to hurry. Boss Lisa, check out! Pack up the food you just ordered and take it away!"
A flash of understanding flashed across Monica's wine-red eyes. She gracefully put down the teacup and picked up Xiao Mu.
"Okay, Captain. I'll go get the potions and rations."
She turned around and walked towards the room on the second floor, moving quickly and decisively.
Anna silently shouldered her longbow, her emerald eyes scanning Ruby and Kyle, and followed Monica upstairs.
Although Enzo was full of doubts and reluctant to give up the barbecue, Mark's tone told him that there was no room for negotiation.
He tore off the last chunk of meat and stuffed it into his mouth, mumbling incoherently:
"Fuck... I'm not full yet... Okay, okay, you're the captain and you have the final say! Boss Lisa, pack me ten more pieces of barbecue! I want big ones! Put the money in Mark's account!"
While complaining, he also ran upstairs to pack his few clothes.
Seeing Team Mark's reaction, Ruby's expression quickly changed from shock to anxiety and a hint of earnestness:
"Mark! Don't you understand the seriousness of this matter? This isn't something you can just hide from! If the forces represented by Ben Fuller succeed, the morale of the entire parish will be corrupted! It's only a matter of time before they reach out to places like Osborne Town! And then..."
She took a deep breath, her eyes gleamed with a fiery and serious light, and her voice lowered a little:
"Mark, I actually expected you to choose to avoid it. But someone like you who can truly receive the attention of the Holy Light is exactly the fresh blood that we and Lord Alfonso need most, and you are also the guardian that the human race needs most!
"Join us! Instead of passively waiting to be swept away by the storm, why not join us and personally build a more solid barrier for the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth!"
"We'll talk about it later," Mark interrupted her. His tone remained calm, but his eyes held a distant expression that brooked no argument. "Miss Ruby, Brother Kyle, I wish you both... great luck in your military endeavors! Protect the true Holy Light. We have a mission to accomplish, so we'll take our leave."
He didn't even wait for boss Lisa to bring the packed food over. He threw a few gold coins on the table, nodded to the boss who was still in a daze, turned around and strode towards the stairs, his figure disappearing around the corner.
Kyle looked in the direction Mark disappeared, then looked at Ruby, who was stomping her feet so angrily that her jelly was shaking. He sighed and gently patted her shoulder with his broad palm.
"Ruby, you shouldn't push Mark like this. He's not from the Holy City and won't understand what you're worried about."
Ruby bit her lower lip, her eyes complicated, and finally turned into an unwilling whisper: "But... he has obviously been chosen by the Holy Light..."
Just as Mark's team packed their bags like a whirlwind, in less than a quarter of an hour they hurriedly left the back door of the hotel with bulging backpacks and packed food, heading straight for the north gate outside the town leading to the Warcraft Mountains.
At the front door of the hotel, the six Oak brothers were coming together excitedly.
Oak was holding a small barrel of the best beer in town, intending to welcome Brother Mark.
"Hey! Boss Lisa! Brother Mark and the others are back, right? Are they in the hotel now?" Oak's voice was loud, with the anticipation of seeing Mark again.
Boss Lisa had just come out of the kitchen, holding the extra barbecue that Enzo had ordered. She looked at the six familiar figures at the door, stunned for a moment, and then pointed helplessly in the direction of the back door:
"Just left! In a hurry, like his butt was on fire. He said he accepted an urgent guild mission and went into the mountains! He almost didn't even take the meat he packed!"
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