Chapter 274: Who dares to act wildly?
“The Imperial weapons factory has developed a new type of chariot that can consecutively shoot bolts thousands of miles away. This secret a.r.s.enal was located in the wilderness to the north of the city and was originally under the responsibility of our Northern Guard. However, one night about half a month ago, a group of a.s.sa.s.sins suddenly snuck in and killed the guards, in addition to a dozen inventors there. They also took the blueprints of the chariot.”
“His Majesty the King was furious when he heard this news and gave me a month to arrest this gang and retrieve the blueprints at all costs. This matter is really stressing me out. If you can help me resolve it, I guarantee that you’ll easily receive the t.i.tle of baron!” Boris turned gloomy upon talking about this matter, his hearty laugh from earlier had long since disappeared.
“Mhm, I too am thinking of a way to resolve this. If we don’t capture those people and take back the blueprint within a month, it could affect my uncle’s career!” Lawrence sighed softly and turned to Han Shuo as he spoke, somewhat worried. Boris was his backer. In his struggle for the throne, whether or not Lawrence could stand out mainly relied on the power of his supporters.
First prince Charles currently had the biggest influence and also the most supporters. Lawrence had the weakest force due to him being an illegitimate child. His status would certainly be affected if the people closest to him lost their standing.
Han Shuo wrinkled his brows, thinking for a bit before opening his mouth to say, “If it’s been half a month, wouldn’t they have left the capital already? If they really did, it’d be like finding a needle in a haystack if we want to catch them!”
“They shouldn’t have. I immediately reported this to His Majesty before anything else when this happened. Master Candide, one of the three heavyweights of the Dark Mantle, took notice of this and ordered the guards to strengthen the defense of the four gates, not letting any suspicious character leave. I’m positive that they haven’t been able to leave Ossen City!” Boris said in a low voice, his face solemn.
“I see. Then did Master Candide tell you who was taking charge of this mission?” Han Shuo asked. Everyone with a high position all knew of the Dark Mantle’s existence. Candide was the most mysterious, most difficult to reach figure. Han Shuo understood the protocol of the Dark Mantle. An enemy country must be pulling the strings behind such a major matter, so the Dark Mantle couldn’t afford to not send anyone to handle it. Boris smiled wryly and shook his head as he replied, “I only know of his name, but didn’t have the honor of meeting him. I got this information from a higher-up. Although I tried to check afterwards, I wasn’t able to find out who’s in charge of this.”
Han Shuo nodded with a faint smile and said, “This I understand. I will try my best. When I see Master Candide, I will ask him about what’s going on.”
Boris was shocked, he urgently asked, “You, you know Master Candide?”
“I forgot to tell you uncle, but Bryan has another ident.i.ty as a Dark Mantle member!” Lawrence turned to explain to Boris, then asked with the same shocked expression, “Bryan, I only know you’re a member of the Dark Mantle, but can you really meet that old monster Candide directly?”
“He’s directly in charge for me!” Han Shuo nodded with a smile.
Lawrence was immediately ecstatic upon hearing this. He looked at Han Shuo with eyes full of excitement, “I really didn’t think that you had such a special position in the Dark Mantle to directly answer to that old monster. It seems like I’ve truly made the right choice!”
“Very good!” Boris was also overjoyed. He gave Lawrence a grateful look and said to Han Shuo, “Then I’ll leave this matter in your care completely. As long as you can handle it, I’ll take care of obtaining a baron t.i.tle for you!”
“I’ll do my best!” Han Shuo didn’t dare to guarantee anything. After all, he didn’t know the specifics of the situation. The Dark Mantle might have a wide network, but it wasn’t omnipotent.
“Alright. Uncle Boris, Bryan belongs to your magic corps only in name, so you needn’t a.s.sign him to any jobs. He won’t come to the Northern Guard if there’s nothing else. We’ll be going for now.” Lawrence stood up and said straightforwardly. He didn’t mouth empty pleasantries in front of his uncle.
“Rest a.s.sured, I know what to do. Helping him is helping you, and also helping myself. I understand this clearly!” Boris obviously wouldn’t keep Han Shuo in the camp to do petty ch.o.r.es after knowing the latter’s ident.i.ty as a member of the Dark Mantle. He understood Han Shuo had joined purely to acc.u.mulate military credit and rely on the Northern Guard for a quick promotion. Han Shuo absolutely wouldn’t stay for long.
Lawrence and Han Shuo left the Northern Guard together. As they exited through the city gates, Lawrence asked Han Shuo, “Are you certain you can handle this? This matter is related to my uncle’s career, I’ll leave it in your hands!”
“I can only try my best. After all, I don’t know the specific details yet.” Han Shuo replied. At this moment, when he was getting onto Lawrence’s carriage, Han Shuo suddenly frowned and whispered, “Lawrence, be careful on the way!”
Lawrence was stunned and asked in a low voice without a flicker in his expression, “Is someone attempting to kill me?”
“You get in the carriage first, I won’t leave together with you, but will protect you from the shadows!” Han Shuo nodded, indicating that Lawrence shouldn’t act rashly and alert the enemy.
“Alright, then I’ll be going first!” Lawrence said loudly, his face flas.h.i.+ng a smile like nothing had happened as he got into the carriage and left.
As soon as Lawrence had left in the carriage, Han Shuo turned down another street. He walked dozens of meters before seeing a carriage in a corner. He shouted lowly, “Chester, why are you here?”
Chester, wearing a coachman outfit turned his head upon hearing the familiar voice and exclaimed in delighted surprise, “Bryan, why are you here?”
Two small hands suddenly lifted the curtain. The touchingly charming Emily appeared, covering her mouth as she lightly shouted in joy, “Rascal, what are you doing here?”
After a long time, Emily was ever heartbreakingly beautiful. Her long hair was done up high, and she wore a long purple dress, along with her figure elegant and solemn eyebrows revealed an inviolable holiness. Her presence was completely different from the flirtatious manner the first time Han Shuo had met her.
“I went to the Northern Guard for a job. I discovered Chester looking around so I came to see. What are you guys doing here?” Han Shuo wrinkled his brows, asking urgently.
“The Northern Guard lost a chariot blueprint. I’m in charge of this mission and have sent people to inquire about the details of the situation.” Because of their relations.h.i.+p, Emily told Han Shuo about the secret mission without hesitation.
Delight flooded his heart, Han Shuo said, “So that’s why. Haha, we are really destined to be together! Okay, I’ll talk to you when I come to the Dark Mantle’s base in the city’s northern castle tonight. Now I have some matters to deal with, see you tonight.”
As he finished speaking, Han Shuo nodded towards Chester and quickly vanished into the night, not paying attention to Emily, who was full of confusion.
“Master Bryan is becoming more and more mysterious these days. I heard he made a great achievement again, the Dark Mantle network is spreading legends of his power!” Chester couldn’t help but say in admiration upon seeing Han Shuo disappear in the blink of an eye.
“He only pretends to be mysterious. Why hasn’t that brat returned yet? We need to quickly handle this matter and return to the base in the northern stronghold as soon as possible!” Emily was impatient when she saw Han Shuo appear. She began to begrudge her man who’d gone over to the Northern Guard.
“Be careful!” Sitting in the carriage, Lawrence lifted the curtain to speak softly to earth rider Jino, who was riding a horse beside him.
“Rest a.s.sured, we will protect the young master well!” Jino rode a war horse. He wore s.h.i.+ny silver armor, his hand grasping a silver spear.
“Mm, just be very careful!” Lawrence was completely calm, but still repeatedly advised.
After his partners.h.i.+p with Han Shuo in Valen City, Lawrence knew very well about the latter’s miraculous ability, so he had no doubt about Han Shuo’s words. With Jino leading the experts out in the open and old a.s.sa.s.sin Lucky near him for personal protection, Lawrence wasn’t too worried.
Moreover, Han Shuo had told him he’d secretly protect him before leaving, so Lawrence was even more a.s.sured, given his understanding of Han Shuo’s strength. After all, Lawrence had personally seen his terrifying power.
When the group reached a long alley, a long, shrill whistle suddenly resounded. The ground violently shook before a three meter long earth spikes shot towards Lawrence’s carriage. The spikes also ambushed Jino’s group on war horses at the same time. The horses were pierced and killed in the blink of an eye.
Fortunately, Lawrence’s group had been on alert. As soon as the ground had trembled, they’d immediately jumped out of the carriage and off their horses to an area free of the earth spikes.
Several archers shot a series of sharp arrows from the rooftops around the alley. The arrows howled through the air as they whizzed straight towards Lawrence’s group. Jino and the knights quickly spread out to surround Lawrence and raised their s.h.i.+elds in defense.
“Pollak, continue to release the earth spikes!” A black robed mage shouted towards another rooftop.
“I’m Bryan from the Northern Guard’s magic corps. Who dares to act wildly in my jurisdiction? Are you tired of living?” Bryan came out from another direction, laughing coldly, his hand holding a head dripping with blood.
“Pollak!” The black robed mage immediately screamed in shock upon seeing the head in Han Shuo’s hand.