I Become a Landlady in the Game World

These few were Maimaiti's confidants, also key figures within the mercenary team, and they had a decisive role in Maimaiti's decision-making.

When Maimaiti mentioned Hope Village just now, the mercenaries' reactions were much stronger than Maimaiti's.

He believed that they too were moved.

So, he harbored a bit of a malicious intent, wanting Maimaiti to experience the "helplessness" he had once felt.

Is it feasible for his subordinates to plan on "running away?"

"Okay." Maimaiti didn't know Watt's sinister intentions, but looking at Watt's meaningful gaze, he felt somewhat odd, yet he nodded anyway and personally saw Watt out.

After Watt left, Maimaiti turned around to meet the sparkling eyes of his subordinates.

"Captain, let's go to Hope Village!"

"The situation in Barnes Village is likely going to deteriorate."

"Staying would only mean pointless sacrifices."

"Moreover, with so many having gone to Hope Village and never returned, I think the rumors about Hope Village must be true."

"It's better to leave sooner if there's a chance."

"Otherwise, when the real fighting with other territories starts, we are likely to become cannon fodder."

...

The men persuaded him one after another, their implications quite clear.

Leave, let's hurry to Hope Village!

Maimaiti: "..."

—He seemed to understand what Watt's gaze had meant.

Could that guy have ended up in a similar situation?

"Captain..." while Maimaiti was pondering, his men called out again, their voices noticeably drawn out.

Maimaiti was silent for a moment, then said, "Who do you think is suitable as a point of breakthrough?"

After determining the list of people who could be swayed, he would talk with Watt.

The men, upon hearing this, immediately understood Maimaiti's intention, exchanged glances, and started discussing.

Meanwhile, Watt, who had left, didn't immediately reach out to other mercenary teams. He felt that people in Barnes Village were watching them.

Approaching one Maimaiti was like encountering an old acquaintance; finding a few more, and others would start suspecting.

So, his words were actually just meant to make Maimaiti anxious.

After leaving, he had his team sell some food, fruits, equipment, and weapons in various shops of Barnes Village.

Due to restrictions on mercenary movements in Barnes Village, the prices of local food and fruits had risen recently. He had bought a lot in Hope Village earlier, planning to resell them for a quick profit without much hassle.

As for the equipment and weapons, he sold those that his team had phased out.

Hope Village, ever since it got the advanced alchemy and textile workshops, the blacksmith shop and tailor shop had been producing a continuous stream of various weapons and equipment, overwhelming many professionals.

After all, as professionals, who wouldn't be interested in better weapons and equipment?

Eventually, the team had indeed accumulated many pieces of equipment they could no longer use.

It made more sense to just sell them and use the money to buy better ones.

Thus, Watt, leading his team, not only cleared a path but also made a tidy profit and managed to lower the guards of those secretly watching them.

And Ellis was doing something similar.

After arriving in Barnes Village, he didn't seek out anyone; instead, he just went on a shopping spree with his team like he was on vacation.

Of course, he didn't buy cheap items, only expensive, special ones, and quickly made his mark on the Barnes Village market.

Notably, his team, all intermediate-level professionals and higher-ranked ones at that, notable and eye-catching.

Under these circumstances, he didn't need to make moves himself; other shops and mercenary teams continuously brought their hidden treasures to Ellis, hoping to fetch good prices.

At that moment, Ellis was entertaining the visiting mercenary teams in a vacation estate.

"I'll take this platinum weapon," Ellis said, genuinely surprised.

To obtain a platinum weapon here was unexpected.

After all, in the villages, platinum weapons were quite rare.

Generally, they were held by high-ranking officials in the territory.

This could explain why this mercenary team sold one in secret.

After buying it, Ellis knew the moment he had been waiting for had come.

"This weapon must be quite rare in Barnes Village as well, right? If sold within the territory, it could fetch a very good price, couldn't it?" Ellis asked Lucian, the captain of the mercenary team, his tone meaningful.

Lucian paused momentarily, then smiled, "I thought you'd understand, Captain Ellis, since you've stayed in Sorrel Town."

Ellis was instantly taken aback; he had never mentioned coming from Sorrel Town.

Speaking of which, the name Sorrel Town had become somewhat distant for him.

They had once come to Hope Village because of Captain Bayle, and until now, they had no regrets about this choice.

Because they firmly believed that Hope Village would eventually surpass Sorrel Town.

Therefore, when Lucian mentioned it, he was slightly caught off guard.

It seems not that he had waited for the right party, but instead, the party had come to him.

"Did you intentionally seek me out?" Ellis asked.

"Yes," Lucian nodded, "I thought that Hope Village, which made you leave Sorrel Town, must be a promising place. I also guessed that you, Captain Ellis, had a purpose for coming to Barnes Village, possibly even targeting it. So I came."

Ellis, looking at the spirited Lucian, smiled.

The opportune entry point had voluntarily presented itself, and his luck seemed truly good.

However, he could also see that Barnes Village likely had internal issues.

Their arrival merely acted as a catalyst, igniting the situation prematurely.

And similar to the efforts of Zhong Yongnian, Yun Juncai, Watt, and Ellis, Brooke too was making smooth progress, as he had already seamlessly integrated among the ordinary people of Barnes Village.