Book 1: Chapter 18, Warning

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Inside the town council estate, the mayor's room.

There were two men on chairs in front of each other with a table in between them.

One of them being the mayor and the other was a spy.

Having a plump body, semi-bald head, fur attire and black resolute eyes. The mayor was living his life to his satisfaction.

On the other hand, the man who doesn't tell his name but that's his duty as a spy. Wearing a black leather jacket with iron platings around it; No hair similar to a monk; Eyes that shows kindness and a bow to his back.

The Mayor ruffled his white bushy beard before asking, "So how was Xuanqihar's soldiers helping?"

The spy removed a note before reading out what it contains "Currently they have found three individuals who worked with 'An Yue' Guild. As we speak, they are extracting information by inhumane means."

The Mayor nodded in satisfaction before saying "I see, it was worth investing on them." Afterwords he looked through the report on his hands and couldn't help but complain, "Though we used all of our guards to secure the dark area of this city, it doesn’t still make sense as to why rape cases increased. Don't we have brothels for a reason?"

A sigh could be heard uttered by the spy before replies back, "I know what you mean. When I was snooping around there... I have found so many of such incidence and some where young..."

There could be seen a hint of anger on the Mayor's eyes from the Spy's last words.

The bald man rubbed his chin before muttering, "Drugs could be found along side those victims though."

A knock was then heard before the Mayor granted the person's permission to enter. A maid then entered before leaving a pile of paper on top of his desk.

The spy stood up before saying "It's getting late it seems. I'll be going now, Chief."

"Sure, just make sure to get info about that lady." The mayor replied before watching the spy make his leave.

The young maid stood beside the mayor. Quietly waiting if the Mayor needs her to do something.

The Mayor looked at his maid before saying, "Now a days, it's not safe for women to be out without someone to protect them."

"We're not weak enough for people to push us down every time, Sir." Replied the maid.

"That's your mind set but what about others? They're not like yours always." He started signing through each document from the scaffold.

"Indeed, they're not like mine." Said the maid before she inserts a needle into the mayor's neck. It was so fast that the Mayor didn't have time to react.

The mayor spasmed before thudding on the desk. He stayed motionless and only his eyes could move.

"Normally you would be shouting by now if it weren't for my special concoction. I luckily stumbled across a certain stage two lightning core and some throat numbing plants." The maid said.

She then moved around the room looking for something, after a while, she finally found it.

"Hmm, even though I expected that you were hiding something, I didn't expect to find this." Said the maid.

The mayor's eyes widened from witnessing what she was holding.

She unsealed the scroll before reading it.

--"Sir Xua Qinghei, being a mayor for such a terrible accursed town must be taxing. I have received your message and with haste, already dispatched my knights and their squires with some soldiers to your aid. Fear not, as even though those knights are few in number... They were specially trained and also cladded in iron which has been enforced with magic resistance. Highly skilled in combat, the best I could find. Also, their leader being one of my most trusted pawn.

To be frank with you, I till this day don't understand the way your family and fellow similar countrymen could form magic. Resembling those archaic voodoo witches in our forests which yet to be cleared. In our country, people who display such prowess would either be eternally condemned as the vile spawn of the devil himself or sent to the Mage Circle association. They then would be trained for god knows how long until they finally be done. Either turning out to be a sorcerer or enchantress which depends on gender.

This type of individuals proved to be useful for my country as they would be used to fend of invading armies due to having the strengths of a battalion.

I to this date didn't witness the type of magic that belongs to people who have similar sounding names to yours. Though I have heard some rumors. They say that the way your kind addresses magic similar to ours, having the same method of drawing signs in the air with mana... or should I say Chi in your language.

I don't want to delve further into this topic and so I hope that I fulfilled one of your questions regarding our system. Having not much to say, just remember the deal we made regarding with the rodent issue of your town. Make sure to seal of every trade deals with that country. -Translated to Kian words by an anonymous official-"--

Regards, King Elric.

After reading through, she couldn't help but knit her brows as she clenched the scroll tightly. Her lips were pursed and has an urge to scream.

The maid turned to the Mayor's direction to find him motionless. She quickly rushed to him but in the end, he was dead.

Thinking as to how he died, she moved his body to find that his torso was opened inside out. His rib-bones were erect out and internals slushing down. She couldn't help but notice the smile on the Mayor's face. The maid cursed with no restraint. She then thought 'This mayor anticipated something would happen to him and hid an explosive seal inside him. A deadly curse that usually spy's and assassin's stich into their chest in order to prevent leaking information...'

Suddenly the door was knocked down by someone. The man was the spy from earlier and he had drawn his bow pointed at her.

Without any time to waste, he loosed the arrow which barely scratched the maid's skin. Reason being due to her keen reflexes. Before he could nock another arrow, the maid pointed her hand which had the ring and then inserted her chi/mana into it. The air around her turned cold as she makes a gesture of raising something.

A white ice wall was then raised in between both of them. Though the arrow which was released wasn't stopped by the wall but instead gone through it like butter. It then struck the maid's shoulder, piercing her muscle tissue, and finally shattering her bone. She screamed in agony and felt the sharp unbearable pain.

Though she at least made sure to not fall or else, she would be dead. The maid ran and jumped out the window and while mid-air, pulled out the bloody arrow.

The ice wall was shattered by a single movement with his hand that had colorful stones in them before he swiftly chased after her. He threw the bow away before jumping off. With one hand carrying an arrow, he dived towards the maid on the cobbled ground, aiming to impale her.

Luckily, she rolled away in time. Though with the price of making her wound worse.

The maid then ran while swiftly going through the crowded area. The lady's shoulder was bleeding and the only thing keeping her from falling was covering it with her hand.

The spy swiftly followed her but felt annoyed from hearing her loud whistle. He then stopped in place before pulling out two daggers from his boots and with a swift movement, blocked the two incoming attacks from strangers.

He pushed both back with his strength and eyed both of them respectably while pointing both of his blades at each at them.

Those two individuals were there just in case the mission needs back up. Being clothed in leather and iron while having animal masks. They had the feeling of veteran mercenaries. Hardened for years.

Knowing that he couldn't continue in his pursue without dealing with this two. He showed annoyance by snickering.

He spun both of his blades before launching them at both of his foes. Each deflected it with ease though they didn't expect that he would follow up with monstrous speed. Before one of them could react, he was already coughing out blood as the thick metal claws pierce inside his throat.

The masked man tried to swing his blade with his last seconds of life... but failed. His armed elbow was twisted before he was pushed back falling to the ground. The dying man's last sight was the clouds, he couldn't help but embrace death and hope to meet his family again.

The other masked man showed anger with his precise barrages of swings towards his friend's killer.

Though, the spy dodged and also parried all incoming slashes before kicking him forward. The masked man staggered before panickily blocking the vertical slice intended for him. Alas, the spy's strength overcame the block before slicing his body horribly.

Blood gushed out, as his right subclavian artery ruptured. Behind the mask, his eyes widened before closing. He though before succumbing to the cold ground, 'Sorry friend, he's too strong even for me. I failed, young mistress.'

The common people around were circled around them, far away, with panic in their eyes.

After looking around, the spy jumped and climbed the nearby house. When he reached the tiled roof top, he looked around carefully but couldn't find his target. Though observing carefully, he found a trail of blood.

He dived from the roof before landing and afterwards, ran with haste. Following through the trail like a dog who was looking for narcotics.

Though at the end of the trail, something surprised him and even cursed terribly. He eyed the man pushing a cart filled with fresh meat with anger before disappearing.

In the other side of the town, the maid was currently panting with a pale face. She already ripped of her sleeves to cover the wound though it was not enough. He couldn't help but think 'Who was that man!? His arrow can easily pierce through my barrier... and can chase like a nothing I've seen before. What was someone like him doing with the Mayor?'

She looked around before continuing, 'Anyhow, I'm safe for now. I better tell of this event to father.' The maid then removed her face mask to reveal her long black hair and dead eyes. Her expression showed her pain.

Three masked women appeared before kneeling. They were worried for the Maid's wound, but they couldn't move until she says so.

"Help me... and bring me to my father." She said before thinking out 'Looks like for this coming week, I wouldn't be working as a waitress at least.'

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Inside The Inn

Tengfei slammed the door behind him before yelling out, "Fine! I'll get the damn medicine!"

He cursed before walking to the nearby herbal store. On his way he couldn't help but notice the damaged stalls, crowd talking, blood splatters, and not to mention the large amount of guards.

He overheard one of them mentioning out, "The mayor died awfully recently, and not only him but also two other man. It seems like this town is getting more dangerous as days go by. We better plan to move somewhere."

Tengfei didn't know what happened to the town when he was busy arguing with Lihua, he was struck puzzled. He then remembered Huan's words, 'You can't get information without first being strong.'

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Inside the Herb Shop

He entered before greeting. This was not his first visit. Before, he used to sell the rare herbs and vials of rare fish blood to them. The place was run by a person who was from the knightly Kingdom Krehor. Their normal trait was being blonde or a brunette, with green eyes. Being one of the most fearsome country with its military oppression. His eyes were mudish green and had a short blondish hair. His name was 'Reesh Levy', though it was hard to pronounce his name as it was not part of Kian language

He showed years of reading books from the glasses hanging by a string on his neck. The man didn't reply to Tengfei's kind greetings and continued scanning a book. He brought out a pouch and made sure that he could hear the sound of moving coins.

Finally, Reesh raised his head before asking with a rough Kain accent, "What is it this time?"

Tengfei smiled before telling his needs and the situation of the person he wants to help.

Reesh went to the store room and then the sound of him going through containers could be heard. He finally returned with a large beaker, filled with all sorts of herbs and a green liquid. He looked at Tengfei before saying lazily, "Inside here contains Heverildae needled leaves, Deflore seeds, Popperi herb and finally sap from an Elder Frasek tree. Having the mixed properties of numbing the pain and also increasing the healing rate of bones and much more." He continued after giving the bill "Just mix the contents and rub it along the person's body twice a day for a week straight."

Reesh then said, "That'll be 9 silvers and 4 copper."

Hearing the amount, Tengfei cursed inwardly before handing the amount.

He was about to exit the shop, before he bumped into a young man.

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