Chapter 103: Meeting With A Beggar II

The tattooed mercenary stared at the old man’s blatant gesture, his eye twitching with mild annoyance. Reaching back into his pouch, he pulled out four more silver coins and tossed them into the dirty clay bowl with a loud clatter.

The beggar didn’t even flinch. He merely glanced down at the silver, shook his head slowly, and let out a dry, raspy cough. "Tiger Head, you are asking for intelligence on someone walking through the high districts while paying me pocket change. You’ll have to do much better than that if you want my lips to keep moving."

The bald brute let out a heavy sigh, grinding his teeth in frustration. He hated dealing with information brokers, especially the ones disguised as destitute panhandlers. With a growl, he reached deeper into his vest, pulled out a single, heavy gold coin, and dropped it into the bowl.

The golden gleam stood out brilliantly against the dark silver and grime, catching the faint flicker of moonlight filtering into the narrow alley.

Seeing the gold, the beggar’s eyes lit up slightly. He leaned his head back against the brick wall, cleared his throat, and picked up the story right where he had left off.

"I have personally seen this drawn figure twice within the city of Crimson Vale," the old beggar murmured, his voice dropping to a low whisper that barely carried over the night breeze. "Word on the street says his name is Lu Feng. He is closely affiliated with that wealthy merchant, Lin Laifu, and he currently resides in the upper Eastern district, having claimed a mini-estate entirely for himself."

The tattooed man listened intently, his brows knitting together. "A mini-estate in the Eastern district? That whole sector belongs to high-ranking families, powerful cultivators, and rich merchants. How does a newcomer secure land there so quickly?"

"Precisely," the beggar continued, nodding slowly as he picked up a silver coin and absentmindedly flipped it between his knuckles. "This Lu Feng is believed to be exceptionally wealthy himself. Although he prefers to keep a low profile and avoid unnecessary attention, those who watch the gates suspect he is related to a powerful noble family—either from a prominent neighboring territory or perhaps from the Imperial Capital itself."

The mercenary raised an eyebrow. The Imperial Capital was the supreme ruling seat of the entire kingdom, holding absolute authority over all surrounding territories, including Crimson Vale and Silver Jade City. If the target was a high-born noble from the capital, striking him would carry immense risk. A single mistake could draw the wrath of court enforcers down upon anyone involved in the hit.

"He only entered Crimson Vale slightly over a week ago," the old man added, his eyes narrowing as he leaned closer to the mercenary. "Yet in just a few short days, he established himself firmly without provoking any of the local factions. But that is not even the most interesting part of his short stay..."

The beggar suddenly went dead silent, closing his mouth and staring blankly into the dark alleyway.

The tattooed brute frowned, his patience wearing thin just as the narrative was getting good. "Why did you stop? What else is there?"

Instead of answering, the old beggar slowly lowered his gaze back down toward his dirty clay bowl, his bloodshot eyes sparkling with a subtle, greedy glint that made his wrinkled face look ten years younger.

The mercenary immediately caught the hint. He suppressed a furious groan, reached back into his purse, and pulled out two additional gold coins. He dropped them into the bowl with a heavy thud, the gold clinking loudly against the rest of the fortune sitting inside.

"These two gold coins should be more than enough to pull the rest of the story out of your mouth," the bald man growled, glaring at the old man with a lethal coldness. "Spill it before I decide to take all of it back."

The beggar quickly scooped the gold into his tattered sleeve, his weathered face breaking into a satisfied, toothless grin. He nodded repeatedly, then leaned in close to the mercenary’s ear, making sure none of the other sleeping beggars scattered around the dark alley could hear a single word.

"Rumor also has it," the beggar whispered in a hushed, trembling tone, "that he was seen entering the Crimson Pavilion entirely alone, carrying luxurious gifts for the Pavilion Owner herself. We both know who owns that establishment, don’t we?"

The tattooed man froze for a fraction of a second before a slow, dark smirk spread across his broad, scarred face.

Big Sister Su Rong. The sister of the City Lord himself, and one of the most dangerous, well-connected figures in the entire region. To walk into her domain with gifts and leave unscathed meant Lu Feng either possessed immense backing or had earned her personal favor.

Everything suddenly clicked into place in the mercenary’s mind. The target wasn’t just some random noble kid with deep pockets; he was a young man backed by merchant wealth, high-tier political standing, and direct ties to the local rulers of Crimson Vale. Striking someone with that level of protection meant risking the wrath of the city’s highest authorities.

Now he fully understood why that robed figure at the tavern was willing to part with four spirit stones just to have the boy crippled. The pay was astronomical because the danger was equally lethal, requiring a shadow operator who could strike without leaving a single trace back to the employer or even the striker himself.

"I see," the tattooed man chuckled softly, rubbing his bald head as he stood up from the damp ground and brushed the dirt off his trousers. "No wonder he paid so generously..."

Hearing that the tatted man had paid generously, the beggar grinned and asked the tatted man a question of his own. "Does this mean I’ll also get paid generously too?"

The tatted man stared at the beggar and smiled slightly. "It’ll depend on your performance, old man. It’ll all depend on how true and accurate your information is."