NOVEL WEB chapter 184
109, Reappearance
“Alright, classmate Shali has a certificate from the administrative office to leave through the front gate. How am I supposed to get out?”
At the edge of the academy, Mu’en looked at the patrolling teachers and golems, starting to worry.
Even without the blockade of the second-level great magic, perhaps due to the increasingly tense situation recently, the academy’s defenses were noticeably tighter.
Basically, as soon as night fell, there would be many more patrolling teachers.
In such circumstances, trying to sneak out of the academy with his late-stage second-tier embarrassing realm was basically impossible; those teachers were not to be trifled with.
—
But he couldn’t openly follow the normal procedures; after all, this trip wasn’t just for shopping for gifts.
“It seems I can only use my secret weapon.”
With no way out, Mu En could only pull out his last resort. He took a deep breath and looked at the patrolling teachers, who were getting closer, a certain determination and fervor flashing in his eyes.
“Teacher Meila, help me!”
“……”
“Please, I’ll buy you your favorite candy later!”
“Get lost.”
A voice echoed from the void, laced with the tone of “How could I have such a disgraceful disciple?” A small, delicate foot suddenly appeared from the emptiness and kicked Mu En hard on the backside.
Mu En winced in pain, feeling as if he had been thrown into a washing machine set to a heavy-duty cycle, the world spinning around him.
As he rubbed his sore bottom and got up from the ground, he found himself on the street outside the academy.
Due to it being a school day, the street that thrived on the academy’s presence appeared extremely desolate. The windows of closed shops leaked a dim glow, casting shadows on the pristine bluestone pavement.
Night fell, and the street was empty.
Only a pitch-black carriage, devoid of any markings, waited silently.
Mu En stepped into the carriage.
The person inside had been waiting for a long time.
“Young Master.”
An rushed over, wrapping her arms around Mu En’s waist:
“I’ve been waiting for you for so long.”
“Alright, save the charm for later.”
Mu En inhaled the familiar scent, ruffling An’s hair,
“Let’s get down to business.”
“Okay.”
An straightened up, sitting with a posture as if measured by a ruler, her previously gleeful expression returning to its usual solemnity.
Tap tap.
The carriage began to move automatically, heading towards the lower district.
“This is what you need, Young Master.”
Amidst the rhythmic sound of hooves, An handed a document to Mu En.
Mu En took it, opened it, and quickly scanned through.
“So this is all the information on the major gangs in the lower district?”
“Exactly.”
An Qing nodded gently: “As long as they have a name and territory, they’re all up there.”
“The number is fewer than I imagined.”
“After all, those who can stand out from the mud of the lower city are still a minority. Most in the lower city are scattered organizations that rely on the big gangs for survival. But I think those won’t be of much use to the young master.
Moreover, for the lower city, what’s important isn’t what’s below, but what’s above.”
“Above…”
Mu En murmured.
“Then the information from above…”
“All that can be investigated is marked up there. The rest are just cautious fellows who are truly hard to pin down,” An said with a hint of self-reproach.
“That’s not your fault. If it were that easy to catch a lead, those greedy fellows would have been wiped out by the royal family long ago, and they wouldn’t be so arrogant now.”
Mu En sighed.
Although in his memory, his cheap father looked down on those nobles whose minds were filled only with money and desire, there was one thing he had to admit.
—That is, when doing bad things, those people are really clever. Among the gangs in the lower city, who knows how many have layered on one disguise after another.
The money that the rats earn through smuggling and selling forbidden drugs, who knows how much has gone into those people’s pockets.
“But during this time, there shouldn’t be any influence from above in the lower city,” An suddenly said.
“Hmm? What does that mean?”
“Because most of the nobles from the upper city have been summoned by His Majesty.”
“Summoned?”
Mu En frowned:
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps it’s because the master is not here; the Campbell family hasn’t received any notice. But I visited several noble families, and most of their heads and able-bodied men are gone, leaving only some old, weak, women, and children.
From my inquiries, it’s His Majesty’s summons. It seems something big is about to happen.”
“Something big…”
The only recent big event is…
It seems that the moon’s movements are even greater than I imagined.
“But those nobles actually obey so readily? When faced with big events, don’t they think of fleeing at the first opportunity?”
“I don’t know either,” An said, touching his cheek, looking troubled.
“But generally speaking, when a knife is drawn at your throat, it doesn’t tell lies, right?”
Eh?
Wait?
An?
I just heard something extraordinary, did you really go to pay a visit?
…Or maybe I should pretend I didn’t hear it.
“However, according to the information from the duke’s residence, recently Belrand has begun a severe crackdown on smuggling, and the city gates are temporarily closed, basically allowing entry but not exit.”
“I think I know why those nobles are working so hard.”
Mu En’s lips twitched.
Truly worthy of His Majesty, who has washed away the dark forces of Belrand several times; his methods are indeed ruthless.
If the moon really intends to take some desperate measures, then the entire Belrand has become a grasshopper on the same rope, and those guys have no choice but to exert themselves.
“But for me, this is a good thing.”
Mu En put away the documents: “Without the dog owner holding the leash, those house dogs are even less significant than wild dogs.”
“By the way, is the other thing I asked for ready?”
“Of course, young master.”
An took out a box and opened it, revealing a black formal suit and an exquisite human skin mask in Mu En’s line of sight.
“The suit was made overnight from a special fabric that can withstand most cuts, flames, blunt impacts, and even magical attacks below the third-tier secret arts. Most importantly, it is incredibly lightweight, weighing even less than half of ordinary clothing.
And this human skin mask was crafted by a professional artisan, almost indistinguishable from a real one…”
“…”
Watching An seriously introduce the items in the box, Mu En couldn’t help but feel warmth in his heart.
His original request was just for something light and capable of disguising himself.
But An always manages to prepare these things so perfectly.
Perfect beyond imagination.
“Thank you, An.”
“Young master, this is what I should do.”
“Then help me put it on, just like at home.”
“Mm.” An smiled.
“Alright, young master.”
……
……
A few minutes later, when Mu En stepped out of the carriage, his appearance had undergone a tremendous transformation.
His height and build had grown a whole circle, with a prominent nose and deep-set eyes, making him look as cold and arrogant as Lady Ras from the North.
The pure black fitted suit resembled the shadow of a beast, exuding a noble yet fierce beauty, while the dangling golden ornaments highlighted the owner’s wealth and distinction.
His golden short hair was hidden beneath a wide-brimmed hat, and as he slightly pressed down the brim, all emotions and gazes were rendered chillingly cold by the darkness.
“Alright, gentlemen.”
Mu En gripped his cane, gazing at the silent streets of the lower district.
“Let us begin the second round of the game.”