One-Eyed Monster

Luona, Twin Star Grand Hall.

Aevernan was hurrying along, his face stern, seeming as though he had run into a vexing issue.

The Chief Steward of the Imperial Capital led the Minister of the Department of Roads with utmost respect. He wondered what could cause such an accomplished politician to lose his composure to such an extent, disregarding even his most basic control over his emotions. Under normal circumstances, it would be rare to see a politician with a panicked expression and unsteady footsteps in this grand hall.

Aevernan held a letter in his hand, which had been sent by the Administrative Office via the Mail Bird System not long ago. When that chubby Mail Bird flapped its wings and bolted towards him, he was meticulously rolling some tobacco with rolling paper. He hadn't forgotten his smoking habit, and he was grateful that his old friend Estev had sent him tobacco from Liuli City. Even though this rough tobacco was far from premium grade compared to what could be found in the Imperial Capital, its strong taste was irresistible to him.

The Mail Bird's intrusion disrupted his enjoyment of his smoke, but the letter quickly wiped away his annoyance. When he saw the sender's name—Estev—at the bottom of the letter, his spirits lifted. My old friend is indeed extraordinary, he thought. He's never been one to use the Mail Bird System of the Administrative Office. But when he does, it's certainly unique. The Mail Bird was notably plump and seemed slow in its movements, prompting Aevernan to wonder, How much Spirit Power has Estev been feeding this bird?

However, as he read the letter's contents, his spirits gradually faded. His eyebrows began to twitch and soon knotted together.

Estev's letter about Guru Mountain and the Black Crow is too extraordinary! Aevernan thought.

Aevernan had never thought Guru Mountain held any significant secrets. He'd always regarded it as a savage, uncivilized place, inhabited by nothing more than a bunch of sleazy swindlers. The County Commissioner of Gaga County was a typical example of this—a County Administrative Office official whose world revolved around money. As for what kind of resources he could control, if there were any of value, they'd have been devoured by that vulgar man long ago, Aevernan mused.

As for the Black Crow, Aevernan didn't know much. After all, he didn't come from the Court of Guards or the military, so his understanding of such violent and dark organizations was only based on hearsay. He had, however, been to the Dark Market, where the things for sale were certainly shady. The Black Crow, being a kindred organization, likely wouldn't be much better, he surmised.

Aevernan had written to Estev previously because he considered his old friend reliable. When the Lord Governor summoned him for another meeting at the Twin Star Grand Hall the day before yesterday, he felt the weight of his responsibilities growing. Not only had Young Master Hustace disappeared on the route Aevernan had arranged, but the Lord Governor had also recently become highly focused on Guru Mountain—a place Aevernan used to govern.

He used to be the mayor of Liuli City, overseeing Gaga County and Guru Village. Yet, he had never set foot in that remote borderland during his tenure.

The Lord Governor had summoned him for this meeting largely because Aevernan was more familiar with the area and still had some connections there.

Governor Rostov must suspect the Black Crow's motives for wanting to collaborate with the Imperial Capital are impure, Aevernan thought. This Dark Organization has been trying various ways to gain Luona's support. The Lord Governor probably doesn't understand why this Dark Organization has suddenly started caring so much about appearances. That skeletal messenger's zealous promises of permission and cooperation likely made the Lord Governor suspect there's more to this than meets the eye.

What Aevernan didn't know was that Governor Rostov had already deemed this matter a high priority. If it weren't for the time constraint to reach Guru Mountain (a journey of about half a month), the Lord Governor would have already dispatched his Thunder Army to investigate.

After the first read of Estev's letter, Aevernan found it absurd. But upon a second reading, he suddenly felt that things weren't so simple. He recalled his old friend's character: Estev didn't like to argue, wasn't talkative, enjoyed gambling on his luck, and generally wouldn't sensationalize things...

To be honest, this isn't how I expected things to unfold at all, Aevernan thought. Back in the Small Council Hall of the Grand Hall, he had almost lost his composure and argued with Court Chief Aymond. At the time, Court Chief Aymond's stance was that to uncover the Black Crow's ultimate goal, they should directly order the Liuli City Court of Guards. Moyes should then be instructed to keep a close watch on Guru Mountain and immediately arrest and report anyone unusual.

Aevernan felt this approach wasn't ideal. The Court of Guards taking direct action would likely tip them off, he thought. Currently, the Lord Governor has given the Black Crow a condition, which they'll surely consider, so they're unlikely to act rashly for now. Aevernan had suggested finding a reliable person to investigate first. If any unfavorable news came back, they could immediately issue an emergency warning and then adopt Court Chief Aymond's plan.

Subsequently, they had a minor disagreement over selecting this "reliable person." Aymond felt that Moyes was the only one for the job, as Moyes was a strong-willed individual he had chosen, absolutely capable of completing the mission. Aevernan, however, thought this arrangement was unsuitable. Although Moyes is highly capable, he's not a local, Aevernan had argued. He doesn't fully understand some of the unique aspects of Guru Mountain and Liuli City. That border county might seem ordinary, but it's teeming with diverse Treasure Hunters. Without certain covert methods, it would be difficult to uncover anything significant near that untamed mountain. He believed his old friend, Estev, the Deputy Court Chief of the Court of Guards, was the perfect candidate for this task.

Aymond had countered that Estev was too lax and unsuitable for executing orders.

Aevernan had always defended his old friend. Estev just prefers a relaxed approach, but his strength is undeniable. He's a High Rank Fighter, a whole rank above Moyes!

Yet Aymond had staunchly supported Moyes.

Aevernan had fought for his old friend to get the opportunity...

Ultimately, the Lord Governor accepted Aevernan's suggestion. This was primarily because it was the most moderate approach and would send a misleading signal to the Black Crow—that the Imperial Capital wasn't taking this group of mercenaries seriously. If they lacked sincerity, they shouldn't bother approaching Luona.

However, Estev, his old friend, hadn't acted according to Aevernan's plans. Instead, he had unexpectedly used a Mail Bird to send back a letter filled with alarming claims.

The letter mentioned Willem, the leader of the Black Crow—a name Aevernan was hearing for the first time. The same was true for terms like 'Puppet' and 'walking dead' used to describe figures within the Black Crow's ranks.

To verify the letter's credibility, Aevernan made several trips to the Court of Guards in a short span. When he confirmed that the Court of Guards had not, to this day, captured a single Black Crow elder, Aevernan suddenly found himself believing Estev's descriptions completely.

I must inform the Lord Governor about the Black Crow at once, Aevernan resolved. He felt the situation was critical and that the Lord Governor had to be told as quickly as possible.

This was why he looked so stern. Whatever the Black Crow is planning, every move of this 'Black Bird' must now be taken seriously, he thought grimly.

Aevernan followed behind the Chief Steward, his mind racing, pondering how he should broach the subject with the Lord Governor.