Chapter 40: My Lord, Rose Town Can’t Do Without Us

Chapter 40: Chapter 40: My Lord, Rose Town Can’t Do Without Us

The carriage moved forward slowly.

Just then, several figures shot out from the shade of the trees to the side.

Leading them was none other than Wilson, clad in his old, black Leather Armor.

He dashed in front of the carriage in a single bound, brandishing a Curved Saber. With arms spread wide, he menacingly blocked the middle of the road.

"Halt! Stop right there!"

The coachman, Fred, was startled and immediately pulled the reins tight.

"Whoa—"

The tall, black horse, Dark Night, let out a displeased snort as the carriage came to a halt.

Inside the carriage, Hesia immediately recognized the hapless fool cowering at the very back—Dimi.

’He really went and got help?’ he thought, turning to Annis inside the carriage and whispering, "The one at the back is the guy who lost all his money at the inn last night and tried to steal our carriage."

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Annis showed no fear. Instead, a glimmer of amusement flashed in her eyes. "He’s the one who wanted to steal my Dark Night?"

Hesia nodded, his hand already on the door handle, ready to get out and deal with the situation.

However, Annis gently wagged her index finger, stopping him.

"Relax, Galen. Someone will take care of this little problem for us. Just watch."

Hesia followed her gaze and noticed the burly men in blue coats from the town gate were already closing in. Understanding dawned on him.

But his hand on the door handle didn’t immediately let go.

Annis saw through him and rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Don’t worry, you won’t be short a single copper nail of your payment."

Hearing this, Hesia’s worries vanished, and he settled back into his seat, reassured.

What could he do? That was 30,000... Bah, I mean, one Golden Shield!

Outside, seeing the carriage stop, Wilson grew even more arrogant.

He pointed his Curved Saber at Fred the coachman and yelled, "You’re the one pretending to be some mysterious Undead Mage, right? Come on, get down here and spar with me!"

The words had barely left his mouth when he keenly sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere behind him.

He spun around, and his eyes nearly popped out of his head—

Dimi and his other two companions had already been effortlessly subdued by the burly men in blue, pinned to the ground like chickens.

To the side, Mr. Ford, the agent-manager of Four Seas Currency whom he recognized, was now staring at him with a grim expression.

Wilson’s mind went blank. Thinking he had blocked the path of an important person, he quickly put on an obsequious smile and said, "Ah, my apologies, Mr. Ford! I’m in the way of you welcoming your distinguished guest. I’ll have this piece of junk move aside right now!"

With that, his expression changed in a flash. He turned and roared viciously at Fred, "You hear me?! Pull the carriage over to the side! Everyone on board, get the hell out! And that damn dog! I’m confiscating the carriage and the horse!"

Before he could finish, two of the blue-coated men descended on him like Iron Towers, grabbing him from both sides and instantly pinning him in a vice-like grip.

His Curved Saber fell to the ground with a CLANG.

"M-Mr. Ford? Wh-what is this?"

Before his disbelieving eyes, the man he called Mr. Ford completely ignored him. Ford strode quickly to the side of the carriage, adjusted his collar once more, and put on an incredibly deferential smile. He bowed slightly toward the carriage window.

"Good day, esteemed Miss Annis. I am Ford, the Steward of Four Seas Currency in Rose Town, here to welcome your arrival! Welcome to Rose Town!"

The carriage curtain was slightly lifted by a slender, fair hand, revealing half of Annis’s pretty, somewhat impatient face.

She glanced at the chaotic scene outside and the men pinned to the ground, then pursed her lips.

"Steward Ford, the ’welcoming ceremony’ in Rose Town is certainly... unique. I’ve just arrived at the town gate, and someone is already eager to confiscate my carriage and my Dark Night?"

Cold sweat instantly beaded on Steward Ford’s brow, and he bowed even lower. "Miss, Rose Town may have all sorts of people, but they’re not usually this brazen. I don’t know what dark corner these idiots crawled out of. Please forgive us!"

At this moment, several Guards from the town gate also ran over quickly.

The leader, Guard Captain Ande, asked, "Mr. Ford, what’s happening here? Do you need help?"

Ford hurriedly pointed at Wilson and his men. "Captain Ande, these foolish thieves were trying to extort and rob people right at the town gate!"

Hearing this, Guard Captain Ande’s expression turned stern. He nodded heavily. "Understood! To commit such a crime at the town gate! Leave them to us, Mr. Ford!"

Wilson’s face was now ashen, and cold sweat soaked his back.

No matter how stupid he was, he understood now—he had kicked a steel plate, and an enchanted one at that.

’What kind of magic does that rundown roadside inn possess? How could even the young lady of the Tide Merchants Association stay there?!’

Dimi and the other two members of the Shadowless Team were scared out of their wits. When the burly men handed them over to the Guards, their legs were so weak they could barely stand, and they had to be dragged.

"A mis... a misunderstanding! Sir! Sirs!" Wilson struggled desperately, making a last-ditch effort. "It’s all a misunderstanding! We... we got the wrong carriage! We’ll leave right now! Right now!"

The burly man holding him snorted coldly and tightened his grip, making Wilson grimace in pain.

Guard Captain Ande went a step further, drawing his Longsword with a *SHING*. The cold, gleaming blade was pointed at Wilson.

Wilson shivered in fear and hastily yelled at Ande, "Captain Ande! Captain Ande! We’ve met! I’m Wilson, the captain of the Shadowless Team!

Don’t you remember? Last time, wasn’t it our team that helped you find your pocket watch in the sewers? Rose Town can’t do without the Shadowless Team!"

Hearing the name "Shadowless Team," Ande first frowned, as if searching his memory for the name.

A few seconds later, he remembered. But instead of the leniency Wilson had hoped for, a look of disgust appeared on his face.

"So it’s you lot! Tie them up tight! Take them all back for a thorough interrogation!"

Wilson and the other three were tied up with thick ropes by several Guards and dragged to the side of the road like dead dogs.

Steward Ford sidled up to Captain Ande and asked in a low voice, "Captain Ande, what’s the deal with this ’Shadowless Team’? Will they cause any trouble?"

Captain Ande sheathed his sword and snorted with contempt. "Don’t worry, Mr. Ford.

They’re just a small team registered with the Adventurer Association, made up of a bunch of third-rate Stalker Apprentices. They specialize in taking on commissions like finding lost cats and dogs, picking locks, and clearing sewers."

He thought for a moment, then added, "Speaking of which, the Adventurer Association has been complaining recently that commissions for lost items and lock-picking have mysteriously increased... We’ve privately suspected that it’s likely this very group staging the whole thing—they steal the items first, then ’help’ find them to get paid from both ends!"