The Lord Of Blood Hill-Chapter 133: Undercover Investigation
Half a month later, Henwell watches as the caravan sets off, but he doesn't join them. Instead, he heads into the Billie Kingdom ahead of them, avoiding a direct return to Divine Revelation City. After a bit of disguise, he arrives at a city in the southwest of Billie.
Henwell strolls through the city, visiting shops one by one to pitch his goods. This time, he drives a large cart alone, presenting himself as a small-time merchant.
Henwell's imitation of a small merchant is spot-on, with no one suspecting his true identity. After selling some goods during the day, Henwell leaves the city to rest in the warehouse district outside. That night, someone sneaks into Henwell's room. The visitor is Chick, formerly a young gladiator known by the nickname Jar. He's part of Pi's external operations group and one of two youths with hidden injuries.
In the darkened room, Henwell waits for Chick's . Chick whispers, "The Flash, we have figured out the opponent's movement patterns. Shall we act tonight?"
Henwell hands him a cup of water, asking, "Have you identified his contact?"
Chick replies, "There are many candidates, all his shady contacts, but none linked to the Forge Furnace training camp." Henwell nods slightly, "Alright, get your team ready. Tomorrow, I'll meet this Spider, and we'll act tomorrow night!"
The next day, Henwell enters Southwind City once more. After selling most of his goods from the cart, he arrives at the entrance of a shop. He sets down his cart and enters, bowing slightly as he greets, "Boss, I have some top-quality goods from the western regions. Great value for money, come take a look and see if there's anything you need."
The shop assistant frowns, "We don't need anything, move along!"
Undeterred, Henwell skillfully pitches his products, while the shop owner, busy entertaining a pet bird, grows impatient. "We don't want anything! This is an oil shop, not a general store!"
"Boss, even if you don't sell general goods, it doesn't hurt to look. You might find something useful. I've got scissors, sewing needles, pots, and porcelain. Plus, finely milled flour and fine wine from the west, and this round millet—it's great for cooking!"
Just as the shop owner is about to dismiss him, he suddenly asks, "You have round millet? Is it from the western regions?"
"Authentic round millet from the Tosi River, top quality!"
The owner steps to the door, "Let me see it!"
Henwell hurriedly retrieves a small bag of round millet from his cart. The owner takes it, examining a handful. It truly is top-notch round millet, a crop from the kingdom's western regions. Though not a staple, it's a coarse grain known for its sweet, soft, and glutinous texture when cooked, favored by children.
The owner grabs a handful and heads to his bird's perch. The colorful bird, previously listless, now flaps its wings excitedly, chirping crisply. As the owner extends his hand, the bird eagerly pecks at the millet.
Stolen from NovelFire, this story should be ed if encountered on Amazon.
Watching the bird eat happily, the owner feels delighted. The bird, originating from the western regions, has been a picky eater until now. Finding this round millet, its favorite food, is a stroke of luck.
The owner waves his hand, "Not bad! I'll buy all your millet!"
Henwell feigns a bit of hesitation, "This is all I have left! If you need more, I can fetch some and deliver it later, but the price..."
The owner tosses him two silver coins, saying generously, "Bring it all, I'll take it! I'll pay extra!"
Henwell fumbles to catch the coins, "Thank you, boss! I'll fetch it right away! I have another twenty pounds. Are you sure you want it all?"
"Of course! I want it all!"
With a joyful expression, Henwell pushes his cart towards the city outskirts. Meanwhile, the shop owner is happily playing with his bird, which eagerly seeks food from him. The distance to the warehouse district outside the city is considerable, and by the time Henwell returns, the city gates are about to close.
Carrying a sack of round millet, Henwell re-enters the city. He stops at a small food stall and orders a dish resembling noodles. The stall is frequented by the city's lower-class residents, who enjoy this hearty dish, rich with oil, salt, and bits of meat.
Henwell eats with focus, while another diner at his table whispers, "Everyone's in position. When do we move?"
Henwell takes a sip of the broth, "Leave the people in that shop to me. Once I'm inside, you handle the rest. Make it look like they had to evacuate urgently but in an orderly fashion. Don't make a mess of it!"
"Got it!"
A moment later, Henwell finishes his meal, stands up, shoulders his sack, and heads towards the shop he visited earlier. Walking through the moonlit streets, he is flanked by two teams of black-clad figures moving silently along the rooftops.
Reaching the oil shop's entrance, Henwell glances up at the sign. "The Good Folks Oil Shop"—quite the name! He reaches out and knocks on the door.
Moments later, the door opens slightly from within, and a shop assistant peeks out. "Who are you?"
Henwell gestures to the sack of grain on his back. "This afternoon, I spoke with the boss about delivering round millet. I almost missed the city gate closing, but I've finally brought it!"
The assistant recognizes Henwell as the merchant from earlier and reaches for the sack. "Alright, you've delivered it, now leave."
Henwell steps back, avoiding the assistant's grasp. "No way! I need to hand it to the boss personally. I run my business with integrity, can't have any disputes!"
The assistant eyes him with annoyance and opens the door wider. "Troublesome, come in then!"
Henwell bows in thanks and enters the shop, following the assistant to the back courtyard. The shop owner tosses over ten silver coins. "Leave the goods and go."
Henwell sets down the sack but doesn't leave. Instead, he looks at the shop owner. "May I know your name, boss?"
"What? Planning on doing long-term business? As you saw, I'm using the millet to feed birds, and this amount is enough."
Henwell shakes his head. "No, I just wanted to ask if your name is Abe?"
The shop owner turns to Henwell with a puzzled expression. "No, you've got the wrong person!"
As soon as he speaks, the shop owner raises his left arm, aiming at Henwell, and slaps his right hand against the crook of his left arm, releasing several cold glints towards Henwell's face.
Henwell swiftly raises his hand, catching three bolts fired from a wrist crossbow. "Mr. Abe, why the sudden hostility? I've gone through so much trouble to deliver these goods late at night. Instead of gratitude, you try to kill me, which surely doesn't reflect well on your shop's reputation!"
Abe hisses quietly, "You're here to cause trouble! Attack!"
Before the assistants can react, they all fall backward to the ground, each pierced through the neck by foot-long bolts. A second volley of arrows follows from the rooftop, striking precisely into the assistants' hearts.
Chapter 133: Undercover Investigation
Comments