Chapter 102: Zelia

The provincial underworld was tearing itself apart...

Word spread through the taverns and courier stations like a raging wildfire. Just yesterday, an out-of-town killer, entirely unaware of the new economic landscape, had drawn a poisoned dagger near Theo’s estate.

Before the killer could take a single step, the "beggar" across the street threw a cleaver into his back. The "fruit vendor" next to him drove a poisoned needle into his neck. A dozen disguised assassins swarmed the dying man, desperately arguing over who had landed the fatal blow and earned a cut of Theo’s vast protection payout.

...

Miles away, in a fortified private estate overlooking the river, Archon Zelia was in secluded cultivation. Outside her chamber, her loyal handmaiden paced nervously, her hand resting on the hilt of a concealed blade.

A figure clad in Syndicate armor tumbled over the courtyard wall. He hit the path hard, coughing up black blood.

The handmaiden drew her blade. She recognized him instantly. He was a trusted lieutenant from Zelia’s inner circle.

"Help... me..." the lieutenant rasped, reaching a trembling hand toward the chamber doors.

The handmaiden did not move. Her eyes were locked on the shadows gathering along the courtyard wall.

A tall man wrapped in a raven-feather cloak stepped into the moonlight.

"Overseer Corvus," the handmaiden hissed, taking a defensive stance. "Archon Zelia is in seclusion. You are trespassing."

Corvus did not acknowledge her threat. He stared at the dying lieutenant on the ground.

"The local branch has always tolerated Zelia’s arrogance," Corvus said. "But you turned our own blades against us."

"We represent the central authority!" the handmaiden countered. "You dare betray an Archon for a provincial bounty?"

"We are mercenaries," Corvus replied. "Right now, Theo is the richest man in the province."

Corvus flicked his wrist. Three steel feathers shot from his sleeve, burying themselves deep into the dying lieutenant’s neck.

The man went limp instantly.

The handmaiden took a step back, her face draining of color.

"The local Branch Master sends his regards," Corvus said, turning to leave. "He is using Theo’s protection gold to fund a purge. Any assassin loyal to Zelia will be butchered by sunrise. Tell your Archon her coup is over."

Corvus melted into the shadows, leaving the corpse bleeding on the path.

The doors of the cultivation chamber swung open.

Zelia stepped out. Her aura had stabilized; she had broken through to the peak of the Inner Scenery realm. Yet, the murderous intent radiating from her eyes was potent enough to chill the air.

"Archon," the handmaiden knelt, trembling. "We have lost the province."

Zelia stared at the corpse of her lieutenant. The Branch Master was right...

Theo’s absurd wealth had given the local faction the perfect excuse to eliminate her loyalists while turning a profit.

"Theo’s bounty is the catalyst," Zelia whispered. "As long as he lives, his ledger remains open. If I kill him, the contracts default. The money stops flowing."

"But Archon, we have no manpower left. The entire capital is guarding him."

Zelia sighed. She turned back toward her chambers. "Prepare a civilian disguise. A merchant’s daughter or a traveling scholar. I will butcher the boy myself."

---

The capital’s Merchant Ward had never been so vibrant...

Theo strolled down the street, his hands clasped loosely behind his back. Elara walked beside him, clutching a small wicker basket filled with fresh pastries.

"Sovereign, the city is so lively today!" Elara marveled, looking at the bustling stalls.

"Indeed," Theo smiled, noting the unusual density of the crowd.

The street performers were particularly zealous. Theo watched a man swallow three flaming swords simultaneously, while another bathed in a tub of venomous centipedes. The performance industry had grown fiercely competitive overnight, as undercover Syndicate assassins desperately sought convincing civilian cover identities near his patrol route.

"Sovereign, look!" Elara pointed to a baker offering a tray of sweet buns.

Theo accepted a bun, flipping the baker a silver coin. He noticed the baker’s knuckles were deeply calloused from years of sword training, and the flour on his apron poorly concealed a subtle bloodstain.

"Keep up the good work," Theo told the baker.

"May the heavens bless you, Young Master Theo," the baker bowed deeply, his eyes darting to scan the surrounding rooftops for snipers.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted near the intersection...

"He’s acting suspiciously!" a burly blacksmith yelled, pointing a hammer at a scrawny teenager.

"He looked at Master Theo! He is an assassin! Take him down!"

A passing scholar screamed, dropping his books and drawing a hidden short-sword.

Before the scrawny teenager could even blink, fifteen "civilians" dogpiled him.

The blacksmith, the scholar, three seamstresses, and a fishmonger pinned the boy to the ground, pressing an array of concealed daggers to his throat.

"I... I just wanted to steal an apple!" the teenager sobbed, terrified out of his mind.

Theo sighed, shaking his head.

He had accidentally transformed the capital into the safest, most heavily policed city in the empire.

"If the provincial governor knew about this, he would hand me a Model Citizen Award," Theo mused aloud as they continued walking.

"What is a Model Citizen Award?" Elara tilted her head, chewing on a pastry.

"It is a ceremonial honor given to someone who makes the community a better, safer place."

Elara’s eyes lit up. "Can I give you one, Sovereign? You are the best person I know!"

Theo chuckled, patting her head. "I would be honored, Elara."

When they returned to the leased estate, the atmosphere was relaxed.

The elders were gathered in the main hall, reviewing alchemical formulas and sect business.

Corey immediately ran up to Theo.

"Theo!" Corey bounced on his heels. "How was my disguise at the Obsidian Vault? Did I look like a convincing dwarf? I practiced the accent for a whole hour!"

Theo paused.

It was true...

Corey, Vespera, Liana, and Thorne had played their parts perfectly, sparking the frenzy that saved his life.

They deserved recognition.

An idea formed in his mind.

Theo walked over to the tea table. Liana was sitting there, quietly sipping a cup of Silver-Needle tea.

Theo grabbed a carved wooden figurine of a guardian beast from the center of the table and held it up like a ceremonial scepter.

Liana frowned slightly at his childish behavior, but she did not stop him.

"Attention!" Theo announced, projecting his voice across the hall. "Considering the flawless execution of our infiltration at the Obsidian Vault, I have decided to host an event. Life is but a stage, and you all played your roles brilliantly."

The elders looked up from their scrolls, confused.

"I hereby announce the first annual Silent Thunder Acting Awards," Theo declared grandly. "We will be presenting honors for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and, of course, Best Actress!"

The response was incredibly underwhelming.

"I have pills to refine," Thorne grumbled, turning back to his cauldron.

"This is stupid," Vespera yawned, tossing her empty gourd to the side and walking toward the cellar for a refill.

Corey looked disappointed but quickly got distracted by a passing butterfly.

Within seconds, Theo lost his entire audience...

Except for one.

Liana remained seated at the tea table. She stared straight ahead, unbothered by Theo’s nonsense.

Yet, as Theo lowered his scepter, Liana’s hand moved.