Chapter 6: Fallen Species (13)
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“Bang!”
In the quiet restaurant, Little Musashi couldn’t help but slam her hand on the table.
“What, are you trying to intimidate us with a head on a platter?
You don’t even bother opening your dog-like eyes to see we’re not the type to be scared so easily, do you?”
Li Hanbo chuckled, “Calm down, Little M. How could I mean that? Am I that shallow?
The reason is quite simple—after finally getting a duck, this idiot ruined it! Who could stand that, right?”
“Little M, sit down!” Lin Nan commanded.
Little Musashi angrily turned her head away, only for Jing Feng to yank her back into her seat.
She couldn’t quite wrap her head around why their lord knew that guy had bad intentions yet still treated him so politely.
In her opinion, trash like him should have had his throat slit ages ago, and taking over the castle would be a breeze. Those following him probably despised him already—once they acted, it would be like a chorus!
Lin Nan said, “You killing your own person really has nothing to do with us. Tonight’s dinner was pretty good except for that plate of roast duck, thank you.”
Li Hanbo replied, “If it tastes good, eat more! It’s my honor to host such beautiful ladies. I’m sure tomorrow’s menu will be even more to your liking.”
“Now that we’ve joined the guild, we’re under the guild leader, no need to be so polite.”
“Miss Lin, you jest. In my judgment, all three of you are top-tier… the whole Heavenly Sword Sect guild has barely anyone who can match your skills! So, why should you be modest? In this age, those with strength rise above, and whatever privileges I offer are still insufficient to express my joy at having discovered you three.”
Li continued, “I can assure you that as long as you’re in my guild, the treatment will never be worse than today.”
Lin Nan replied, “No free meals, Guild Leader. If you need us to do something, just say it.”
“Miss Lin, there’s no need to rush. As the saying goes, train soldiers for a thousand days and use them once—when the time comes, I’ll explain everything to you three.”
The matter of the chef being killed soon dropped like a stone tossed into a still pond, quickly forgotten.
Everyone acted as if nothing had happened and finished their meals normally.
But when they returned to their rooms, Lin Nan’s expression was less than cheerful.
She ordered Jing Feng to take Little Musashi to another room. She wanted to think carefully about where Li Hanbo had learned about her brush with temptation over that roast duck in the thirteenth district.
If Li Hanbo were also a Fallen Species, the answer would be straightforward—perhaps there are connections among the Fallen Species. Liu Fei’ang must have told Li Hanbo everything before he died.
So, he was using that roast duck to test her, to determine if she was the one who killed Liu Fei’ang.
Of course, drawing conclusions solely from a shared liking for roast duck was merely a reference point; Li Hanbo wasn’t foolish enough to make a direct move against the three of them.
He had concerns.
Indeed, anyone capable of killing Liu Fei’ang would easily deal with the Heavenly Sword Sect guild.
So, what was he waiting for?
Reinforcements?
But those Fallen Species reinforcements would also be Fallen Species.
In this tightly shut Sky Sword City, aside from the endlessly battling guilds, where were the outsiders?
The answer was frightening.
Before entering the Small Thousand World, the number of people lured by that Exile must have been substantial.
Perhaps the leaders of several major guilds had already become Fallen Species.
Thus, their consumption of newcomer players was not merely for the survival of food supplies; it was also to secure a legitimate channel for obtaining food.
The dead and wounded from the sieges were undoubtedly their prime targets for dining.
Coming to this conclusion, Lin Nan gradually devised a plan.
She merely needed to confirm whether there were any camps for the wounded or burial grounds in this castle to see through the true nature of Li Hanbo and his ilk.
Late at night,
Lin Nan stored Little Musashi and Jing Feng back into her card pack. It was better to keep their presence low until the moment they were needed.
Donning a mask, she switched into a tight black leather outfit.
Moving across the rooftops, she almost melded with the night.
The City Lord’s Mansion was vast, and by day, she had let Little Musashi roam around pretending to be nonchalant, thus firmly imprinting the castle’s structure in her mind.
Now, throughout the castle, players were sprawled everywhere, huddled together in blankets due to the cold. Some rooms were crammed with over ten people.
By just listening for faint breathing sounds from inside, one could gauge the number of occupants.
Although there were patrolling guards, their rounds were merely for show; after taking a few steps, they’d find a wind-sheltered spot and fall into a deep sleep.
Therefore, Lin Nan encountered almost no obstacles on her way.
And it turned out her suspicions were correct.
She truly didn’t find any designated rooms for the wounded in the castle, nor did she see any signs of bodies being dealt with from the morning’s events.
This was odd.
As a newcomer who had just arrived two days prior, she could sense something was off—there was no reason others hadn’t noticed it.
Unless Li Hanbo had provided them with a perfect and foolproof explanation.
Lin Nan glanced around and spotted a guard dozing off in a corner.
It was someone she recognized, the same one who had introduced them to the castle.
“Xiao Ai… wake up, Xiao Ai… it’s Lin Nan.”
Lin Nan whispered near his ear.
He jolted awake, wiping his nose that had leaked due to the cold, still in a daze, mumbling, “Is it shift change time? Just a moment, I’ll be right there…”
Wait! He suddenly reacted.
“Lin… Miss Lin.”
He stood up straight, looking at her, trembling slightly.
Everyone had heard the rumors;
because Miss Lin was unhappy with the roast duck, the Guild Leader killed the chef out of anger to vent for her.
This showed just how much the Guild Leader cared for this stunning beauty.
He, a mere foot soldier in the guild, wouldn’t dare to touch this hotshot. If the Guild Leader found out, he wouldn’t know if he’d even keep his head.
Things were different now; killing someone didn’t come with a shred of hesitation.
“Xiao Ai, I’ve seen your videos before; consider me your fan,” Lin Nan said.
Xiao Ai couldn’t help but get excited, “Really? That’s awesome! Finally found someone I can relate to… No, wait, I mean, I’m honored!”
Lin Nan smiled, “Can I ask you a question?”
Xiao Ai hurriedly nodded, “Of course, of course! I’m an open book on the topic.”
“Where did all the wounded soldiers go this morning?”
Xiao Ai stammered, “…Miss Lin, it’s late; you should head back and rest.”
