Unlike the rest of the camp, the inside was surprisingly clean, furnished and decorated - at least the "office" side of the building where the leader awaited was, while the other side served as a space to store the stolen goods. When Bones entered, he saw multiple boxes of different sizes stacked on top of each other. Most were close shut but some were pried open and Bones saw the assortment of merchandise inside. From silk cloth, jewelry and food, to mana stones, ores and raw materials he couldn't identify.

The leader was a huge burly man with slick back hair and full beard - sitting behind a desk positioned in the center and observing Bones as he entered the office. Next to the leader on both sides stood a brigand equipped with a longsword and shield on their back. Bones wasn't the first one to speak. He looked around the office and what drew his attention were racks full of weapons hanging on the walls.

Bones used the opportunity to Identify the weapons while the bandit that led him inside briefed the leader.

Steel longsword

Steel longsword

Steel mace

Steel shield

.

.

.

Every weapon and shield is crafted with steel, decently made but of average quality at best.

"-re you talking about? Two are dead and John is heavily injured? Idiots!" The leader exclaimed, then turned to Bones and asked. "Who are you?"

Bones turned away from the rack, said his name was Jones and that he was merely a passerby when he came upon the scene of an overturned wagon, dead bodies and two figures leaving in a hurry. The leader questioned who the two figures were but Bones gave vague answers. The made up hooded figures were dressed in black and they took something out of the carriage before quickly running away. Shortly afterwards, Bones inspected the bodies and found one of them still breathing, albeit barely. At least that’s what happened according to Bones.

The story was somewhat plausible and the leader nodded his head in assent - then turned to the bandit that briefed him and before dismissing him told him to make sure John would be ready for the upcoming robbery. After the man left, the leader turned back to Bones and regarded him with a contemplative eye. The few seconds of silence between them seemed to stretch before he stood up from his desk and approached Bones.

"While I do believe your story, for now - why would you go out of your way to save one of us? I'm sure you're not stupid you couldn't tell who we are?" The leader narrowed his eyes and remained skeptical. Depending on how Bones replied, things could go sideways real quick but he wasn't worried - even after identifying the leader and seeing his level.

Iam Broke, level 51 Brigand Cutthroat Captain

"Allow me to explain…" Bones said and explained he was in similar business and headed to Remore Kingdom in search of new business opportunities. He recognized the tattoo on the man he saved to be a mark of the Thief's Guild so of course, he helped him. Iam asked him if he was a member of The Guild too but Bones denied, to the leader's disappointment. Bones did add right after that he did a few break and entry jobs in Hagos - somewhat alleviating the leader's mood.

"Say, if you have the lockpicking skill I might have that business opportunity you've been looking for. I am in need of someone that can pick an advanced lock now that John is… indisposed."

This bandit's den had a few members capable of picking locks, but none except John at the level of picking advanced locks.

Bones shook his head and with a regretful tone replied he didn't have a picklocking skill, but he did have something that could be of use. He reached inside his jacket, rummaged through the "inside pockets" and pulled out a key made of bones. Iam looked at the key, puzzled, then his eyes widened when he Identified the item and burst into a loud guffaw.

"A Skeleton Key? You have a Skeleton key?" He repeated in disbelief.

"An Incomplete Skeleton Key!" Bones quickly corrected, but confirmed the key can open advanced locks. Iam looked pleased - very pleased but did wonder how the key came into Bones' hands.

"I made the key using Bone Shaping. The group I used to run with needed to open an advanced lock…"

"I see. Bone Shaping? - What an odd ability.” Iam commented but Bones noticed a spot of gleam in his eyes. The man contemplated on taking the key for himself but realized to use the key, he needed Bone Shaping. “Nevertheless, as long as you can open the lock, you're in!" He added after a second and escorted Bones out.

"Graham, good news! Jones here will join us in the robbery instead of John. Show him his accommodations!"

Graham, the bandit from before, looked a little puzzled hearing the leader, then sheathed his weapon and motioned for Bones to follow.

Bones was speechless and simply followed after Graham.

Iam, that oversized gorilla planned to have Graham kill me once I left the building if I hadn't had anything of benefit to offer. In the end, he didn't even ask me if I wanted to join the robbery or not. No matter - everything worked out well.

"Say Graham. Do you happen to have the cream, John was it? - used to disguise his face?" Bones finally asked. The whole reason he was willing to go through all this mess was just to find the bloody cream.

"Hm? Ah, that cream. No, John is the only one using the concealing ointment and is also a member of the Thief's Guild."

So it's called a concealing ointment.

"I see, could I visit John and ask him if he had any left? I think I may develop an interest in joining the Thief's Guild."

"Right… John is out of commission - as in, he isn't waking up anytime soon. You'll find shops selling the ointment if you visit the Guild so - good luck with that." Graham replied indifferently.

Bones' accommodation was an empty tent on the far side of the camp, surrounded by other tents and a wooden fence, with any notion of escape cut off. Not that Bones had any plans to escape. The planned heist Bones will be forced to participate in was scheduled in two day's time. Bones probed Graham for more information about the heist, like who and what was the target or the number of escort guards, but the man was either really good at keeping his mouth shut, or really nonchalant about everything and didn't bother to answer any more questions.

Graham left Bones shortly after, giving him one last word of caution not to wander around and Bones took his advice to heart. He closed the door to his tent and didn't come out till evening when one of the brigands came and invited him to join the leader for dinner.

Thinking quickly on his feet, Bones used a white piece of fabric to wrap around his head - leaving a slit for the mouth. Before, he had a hood, a scarf and goggles on, and refusing to take them off during dinner would definitely raise suspicion. Iam wasn't amused to see Bones either way.

"Again, apologies for my appearance. I don't mean to hide but my face was scarred and disfigured to the point even a healing potion couldn't restore my face." Bones pleaded with the leader. Iam twisted his face in disgust for a moment, then exhaled and sympathized, but wouldn't invite Bones to dinner again.

Bones excused himself to his tent after a brief dinner and left Iam alone in his office.

*knock knock*

One of the brigands from earlier entered.

"Boss, about the new guy. He seems off no matter how you look at him! Do you really plan to have him join us?"

"Of course not Reggie. I'll dispose of him as soon as he opens that lock. The amount of bullshit - even if that story with Marv and Leo was true, which I'm starting to doubt it is, I don't like Jones' attitude."

Reggie nodded and said he'll have guards patrol around the tent and report any remotely suspicious behavior. Iam nodded, took a bottle from the drawer and poured them a drink.

Bones didn't stay in his tent long that night. He sensed the guards stationed nearby but he had absolute trust in his ability to sneak unnoticed. He changed his clothes into a full black outfit and crawled under the sidewall of a tent, his slim figure allowing him to do so. The camp was fairly large and reminded Bones of a military camp. He stayed close to the fence and moved silently. It was well after midnight and most of the bandits were sound asleep.

When it was still daytime, he noticed cart tracks going through the camp and toward the opposite, far side of the camp he wanted to explore. The patrols couldn't be said to be vigilant. Heck, he even saw one patrolling with a mug in his hands. Suppose it was cold enough the guards needed something to keep warm. Within twenty minutes, Bones reached the other side of the camp and saw a single guard guarding an entrance to the tunnel built beneath the hill - and leading underground.

There was no way to pass the guard without being noticed. The area was well lit as well, so Bones resorted to using soul magic. He established the Soul Link, felt how bored the man was and focused on applying the pressure with Soul Gaze. The guard weebly leaned on the wall of the tunnel and then Bones increased the pressure in one swell swoop. The guard slid down the wall, passed out and Bones felt the backlash he hadn't experienced before. Like something held a grip on his soul. The nauseating feeling passed in seconds and wondering what was that about, Bones entered the tunnel.

The passage underground ended in a spacious area Bones realized was the location where the bandit's real business operated. The gang wasn't restricted to robbing and murdering. Dozens of figures sat on the ground, grinding crystals of different sizes into a fine powder - which was then transferred via an automated conveyor system to an enclosed area to the side. There, through alchemical methods the powder was processed and manufactured into a drug. The whole area beneath the hill was an underground drug processing and manufacturing facility. At the far end of the facility was another enclosed area that looked very much like an office, and on both sides were cages with humans and elves shackled to the stone walls of the facility and looking better for worse.

Slavers too? This lot -

Bones didn't head further inside. The facility was heavily and properly guarded, unlike the upper layer. He turned around and retraced his steps back to his tent. Early in the morning, he took a walk around the camp and saw the guard that was posted at the entrance to the tunnel, whipped and lying in a pool of blood in front of the mess hall. Due to Bones’ actions the night before, the man was found unconscious on guard duty and whipped to death. The others seemed non turbulent by the extreme ways his punishment was handled, as if it was a common sight.

"His punishment was well deserved. Don't give him a second thought Jones."

Bones glanced at the brigand beside him.

"Not really the sight I'd want to see in front of the mess hall, mr…"

"Reggie. The leader would like to have a word."

Bones nodded and gestured to Reggie to lead the way. Iam was in his office going over the schematics on his desk. When Bones entered, he told him to come over and take a look. The schematics were of a lock and Bones had no idea what exactly he was looking at. Iam had misinterpreted the knowledge Bones had when he showed him the Skeleton Key. So he expertly went over the rather complicated details of the lock mechanism while Bones, from time to time, nodded in understanding.

When he finally finished, he indulged Bones with an important piece of information about the target of the heist.

"The target is a wealthy merchant named Horace, a high standing member of the Merchant Guild and the object of our heist is in the chest you saw the schematics for. According to our informant, the chest is always with Horace and we need to get our hands on it - no matter the cost!"

"If it's with the merchant at all times, the chest must be small enough to be portable. What's in the chest?" Bones asked, the chest piquing his interest.

"The chest is small and its content is on the need to know basis - which you don't need to know!" Iam briskly replied.

"The merchant has left the city with an escort of twenty of his personal guards and ten hired adventurers. We move tomorrow at dawn and we're setting up an ambush at the Shimmering Bluff or Hilshall Ravine - depending which route our target takes."

I don't know any of the names he just mentioned. And the merchant hired adventurers?

"It sounds like our target is well guarded. How are you going to deal with - "

"You don't need to worry about the escort, or the merchant for that matter." Iam interrupted, then explained - sort of.

"Most of us were adventurers once and we know how to deal with the kind." Iam assured and with a bit of nostalgia continued. "It was restricting work that didn't pay much - so we ditched the job and found a new line of work, robbing and stealing. Problem was, that didn't pay much either!" He finished laughing.

"I suppose it doesn't." And that's why you're in the slave business and manufacturing drugs! I should be the last one to judge the others but he pisses me off!

"What I'm trying to say is when the time comes, you just focus on opening that lock! You can open that lock, right?" Iam briefly glanced at the schematics, then turned to Bones and asked.

And only now he asks me if I can actually open the lock? I thought that was a given since I had the Skeleton Key with me.

"Of course I can open the lock!" Bones replied as confident as ever.

Probably…