Utterly Defenseless
Stunned, Brody exclaimed, “What happened to you, Rayleigh? Your powers seem to have
disappeared!”
Rayleigh smiled weakly and replied, “Brody, I’m just an ordinary person now. I brought Jared over so
you all could look after him. I apologize for troubling you.”
“Rayleigh, Oakley has already told me about this, which is why I’m here. Don’t feel sorry for troubling
us. We’re as close as brothers!”
As Brody spoke, he led Rayleigh’s group into the Village of Villains.
When Oakley noticed their arrival, he immediately ordered his subordinates to lay out a feast.
At the same time, he addressed Rayleigh, “We haven’t had a gathering like this in twenty years,
Rayleigh.”
“Oakley, while the rest of you are leading increasingly colorful lives, I’m just an ordinary man now.” With
a wry smile on his face, Rayleigh continued, “I’m here today because I hope you can look after Jared.
I’ll never forget your kindness and generosity if you do me this favor, Oakley.”
“What are you talking about, Rayleigh? Jared’s safe with us. Whoever dares to cause trouble on our
turf is asking for their death on my hands!” Oakley even patted his chest for good measure.
Suddenly, Rayleigh’s eyes glistened with tears. He never imagined his old friends in the Village of
Villains still treated him like their family and agreed so readily to help him.
Unbeknownst to Rayleigh, Oakley’s promise stemmed more from the fact that the Village of Villains
was a regiment under Dragon Sect, effectively making them Jared’s subordinates.
Rayleigh left after a quick meal at the Village of Villains.
After his departure, Oakley dismissed everyone else except Travis, Brody, and Quad. Then, the four of
them knelt before Jared and said, “My Lord, please accept this humble welcome from The Villainous
Four of the Village of Villains.”
They pressed their foreheads against the ground in deference to Jared.
Their actions would undoubtedly stun the average observer.
Jared waved his hand and invited The Villainous Four to rise to their feet.
Then, he asked, “Oakley, how are the abilities of the men in the Village of Villains? Are they able to put
up a strong fight against the Warriors Alliance in Jadeborough?”
He wanted to gauge their standards and evaluate the possibility of borrowing the Village of Villains’
manpower to rescue Josephine.
Oakley’s expression changed slightly at the question. He explained, “My Lord, although the Village of
Villains is strong in its own right, we are still no match for the Warriors Alliance of Jadeborough. After
all, the Warriors Alliance also has the help of various powerful families and sects. If they unite, we will
be utterly defenseless against their attacks.”
He had provided an objective view of the situation. In a one-on-one duel, the Village of Villains and the
Warriors Alliance would end up in a close fight.
However, when push came to shove, the Warriors Alliance would undoubtedly engage the help of
powerful outsiders, extinguishing any hope for the Village of Villains to make a comeback.
Jared mulled over Oakley’s explanation in silence. He also knew taking on the Warriors Alliance was
akin to declaring war against half of the martial arts world in Jadeborough.
Even if he gathered every fighter under his command in Dragon Sect, he was still no match for the
Warriors Alliance.
At last, Jared released a heavy sigh and decided his best shot was to quickly improve his abilities and
discover more regiments under Dragon Sect’s command.
And since he had no idea where the other regiments were, Jared’s most immediate plan was to
cultivate.
With that in mind, Jared said, “Oakley, help me find an isolated and vast space. I need to cultivate for a
while, and no one is to disturb me.”
“My Lord, we have such areas in the Village of Villains, but…” Here, Oakley trailed off hesitantly.
“Out with it!” came Jared’s stern order.
With an expression full of regret, Oakley mumbled, “The Village of Villains barely interacts with the
outside world. Over the years, we’ve consumed almost all of our resources in this valley. I fear we may
not have many resources to aid your cultivation, My Lord!”
Jared laughed at his apologetic words.
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