novelnext Chapter 214 Reunion with an Old Friend and Recruitment
Chapter 214 Reunion with an Old Friend and Recruitment
Chapter 214 Reunion with an Old Friend and Recruitment
As a port city where two inland rivers meet, Twin Ports has a complex and ever-changing transportation system built by ships.
But this does not mean that ordinary people here must rely entirely on boats for their movements.
On some large floating islands, there are commercial areas, residential areas, etc., and the floating bridges form a complex regional system.
A burly man walked hurriedly through the streets and alleys with his head down.
Kane locked onto his target from a distance and followed him unhurriedly. Using his Spider-Like ability, he skillfully evaded the sheriff's patrol routes, silently lurking on the rooftops.
Thanks to his high agility at that moment, even though the burly man turned around to look back from time to time, he often found nothing.
"He went and bought bandages, medicine, and bread."
Kane's lips twitched as he watched the burly man's actions.
"Fools—no wonder Frankie doesn't bother with intelligence gathering. At this sensitive time, openly purchasing such essential supplies, their whereabouts have probably already been reported to the legion."
He shook his head, watching the burly man turn into the narrow gap between the two houses, walk into a dark and gloomy corner, and finally enter what appeared to be an abandoned building.
Kane looked at the dusty Finafenne family crest on the building, shook his head, and said, "It's a coincidence, I suppose."
As soon as he finished speaking, he quietly followed her inside.
On the other side, the burly man didn't go through the main entrance, but carefully slipped through a window on the other side of the wall.
Upon entering the house, a familiar scene came into view:
The ground and corners were crowded with wounded mercenaries, many with bandages wrapped around their arms. Dried bloodstains were congealed on the ground, and flies buzzed around in the polluted air.
Seeing this, his tense heart finally relaxed a little. He turned to look at the woman who was bandaging the wounds of the injured person not far away and reported, "Sister Sophia, I have bought all the supplies you requested."
The blonde woman looked up.
Her face was covered in dust, and she looked quite disheveled. She was none other than Sophia, who had introduced the mission to Kane at Twin Harbor.
She was no longer the same person she used to be.
He had a scabbed scar on his neck, wore tattered clothes, and was covered in dust, looking completely different from before.
-
She looked at the burly man, gestured for someone to take the supplies, and asked in a deep voice.
What's the situation outside right now?
The burly man shook his head and said, "The investigation is very thorough. There are now troops stationed along the main shipping lanes leading out of Twin Harbors."
And for some reason, starting yesterday, the sheriff has been asking questions more frequently, and some people have even deliberately carved our previous code words near the original contact points in various places.
Sophia's expression changed, and she said in a deep voice, "Inscribe a code? Are those people at headquarters not satisfied with abandoning us, and now they want to help the legion wipe us out?"
She suddenly locked her gaze on him, her expression turning grim: "Wait, were you being watched the whole way?"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked up at the burly man.
The latter immediately panicked and quickly said, "Don't worry, Sister Sophia, some people did ask me, but I kept it from them."
Sofia's face was grim. She looked at everyone and ordered in a deep voice, "Everyone, prepare your weapons, organize your supplies, and if anything seems amiss, immediately change your base."
tread.
Just then, a soft voice came from the ceiling above everyone's heads: "Sophia, long time no see."
""
Everyone's expression changed drastically. Sophia stared into the darkness on the ceiling, vaguely making out a strange man, and gritted her teeth, shouting, "Fire the arrows!"
Before he finished speaking, the mercenaries had already pulled the triggers, and crossbows and various hidden weapons were fired in succession.
However, all the ranged attacks were easily evaded by the attacker.
He darted away and walked straight down the wall.
The hearts of the crowd sank even lower.
Most of the people present were wounded or weak, and the fact that their combined fire could not harm the opponent in the slightest was enough to prove that the newcomer possessed at least the strength of the second tier.
This means that even if the enemy is killed, one's own side will pay a heavy price.
"Stop everything!"
Sofia raised her hand to stop the crowd. The other party did not retaliate at all, so it was clear that their purpose was not to kill.
She stared intently at the stranger before her and asked in a deep voice, "Who exactly are you? What is the purpose of your visit?"
I don't know why, even though it was a completely unfamiliar face.
Sophia felt a strange sense of familiarity and subconsciously said, "Kane? No, that's not right."
Kane smiled slightly and said, "What's wrong?"
With a thought, he chose to switch races, and his human appearance instantly changed into that of a drow.
Upon seeing this familiar appearance of the Zor, not only Sophia, but many others were stunned.
Some who had witnessed the Drow's strength before instinctively exclaimed, "It's Lord Kane! We're saved!"
"No!" Sophia waved her hand to stop her mercenary's words, her gaze still fixed warily on Kane. "Please state your purpose, Lord Kane."
"I believe my friendship with the Dark Brotherhood is enough to make these trivial matters unnecessary."
"But even headquarters has abandoned our base."
, 7
Sofia gave a bitter smile and said.
"To avoid getting involved in the internal strife of Sussas, and also to find a scapegoat for the burning of the Duke's Chamber of Commerce, we, who have cooperated with the Finafen family, became the best choice."
As she spoke, her eyes turned cold as she looked at Kane.
"As far as I know, many of these things are related to you, right? In fact, I still can't be sure whether you are a drow or a human."
I'm not sure if the task you gave us to do—spreading rumors—was a deliberate setup.
Upon hearing this, everyone was in an uproar.
Afterwards, many people learned the reason for the attack by the military corps.
They were accused of involvement in the Finafenne family's conspiracy and the attack on the Duke's Chamber of Commerce.
But now Sophia is saying that all of this was done by the powerful drow in front of her who was previously on a mission at the Dark Brotherhood's stronghold?
The glimmer of hope that had just been ignited instantly cooled down, and the gazes of the crowd toward Kane became complex and difficult to discern, faintly revealing hostility and wariness.
Kane sighed softly and questioned Sophia with several questions.
"So, you think I would deliberately offer three enchanted items as payment just to scam you? Are you all worth that much? And was my advice to persuade you to leave Twin Harbor also part of my scheme? Was it something I could influence that your headquarters abandoned you?"
The barrage of questions made Sofia's face grow increasingly grim, leaving her speechless.
Kane glanced indifferently at the crowd and said, "Where is that Silent Assassin? Where is he? Could it be that he left Twin Harbor with enchanted equipment, leaving you unsuspecting people here to die?"
"Enough, Lord Kane!" Sophia lowered her head, her voice weak and feeble.
The others also understood Kane's implied meaning, and their gazes towards Sophia became somewhat different.
Upon careful consideration, given the other party's status, there was indeed no need for them to go to such lengths to scheme against a group of desperate and defeated soldiers.
Kane waved his hand and said, "Never mind, I still need your help right now. You guys move your base and hide where I told you to."
Sophia paused slightly, understanding that Kane was giving her a way out, but still asked疑惑地问道, "What happened?"
Kane looked at the bewildered, burly man and said, "Your new comrade openly went out to purchase bandages and healing potions when things were at their most tense. This unusual behavior has already exposed the location of the stronghold, and the legion will probably arrive at any moment."
Sofia paused, then glared at the burly man and snapped, "Didn't I tell you to buy bandages and similar supplies from the black market or some backwater? If all else fails, at least buy some clean clothes to cover it up!"
The burly man turned pale and quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, Sister Sophia, it was my oversight."
"Forget it, we can talk about accountability later. Let's get out of here quickly!"
Sofia knew the gravity of the situation. Her group had survived a near-death experience and were now mostly elderly, weak, sick, or disabled; they simply couldn't withstand another attack.
She looked at Kane, gritted her teeth, and nodded, saying, "I understand."
Everyone hurriedly packed up and left, while Kane remained alone in the abandoned building, waiting quietly.
Not long after everyone left, the sound of a group of orderly footsteps could be heard in the distance.
Before long, the sound of orderly and heavy footsteps approached from afar.
A troop of soldiers suddenly broke down the door and rushed in.
In the deserted, abandoned outpost, only Kane stood alone.
The officer in charge's face changed drastically, and he cursed angrily, "Damn it! The intelligence clearly showed there were more than a dozen people here. Did they all run away?"
Kane smiled slightly and raised the Shadow Blade in his hand to the crowd.
Just as the officer was about to question him sternly, he heard a sentence he couldn't understand.
"Fine, since we're already here, you can be my experience points."
The abandoned plantation of the Finafenne family has been desolate ever since the Finafenne family became wanted by the authorities.
The former prosperity has vanished, the furniture and utensils have been looted by servants and soldiers, and traces of the fire remain in various parts of the park, leaving it in ruins.
Sofia and her entourage quietly landed on a pre-prepared small boat and headed straight for the dense forest behind the manor, successfully entering a long-lost, abandoned secret passage.
"I can't believe there's a place like this."
After Sofia led her people into the passage, she carefully concealed the entrance.
A mercenary looked at her and asked with concern.
"Sister Sophia, is this Lord Kane truly worthy of our trust?"
"If we couldn't be relied on, we would be dead by now."
Sophia shook her head. She knew Kane's strength to some extent; he was someone they couldn't possibly contend with.
-
"Then why did he help us?"
The burly man scratched his head, looking puzzled.
Sophia said, "No matter what, let's focus on surviving first. He's working with Mrs. Ella of the Finafenne family and is currently at odds with Susas, so we don't need to worry about him harming us for now."
7
"Bang-"
Footsteps suddenly approached, and Sophia and the others immediately became alert. They only relaxed slightly when they saw Kane, who had switched back to his human form.
Sofia looked at Kane's clothes, which were almost completely free of blood, and asked in confusion, "Where are the pursuers?"
"Yes, it's cleaned up."
Kane's tone was flat.
Among the pursuers, only the captain was a second-tier expert, and he was instantly killed as soon as they engaged in combat.
After losing their commander, the other soldiers instantly collapsed and were easily dealt with by him.
Sophia sighed and said, "Lord Kane, although I don't know your intentions, please speak frankly. Out of gratitude, we will do our best to repay you."
Kane nodded and said, "I'd like to know, besides you, has the Legion issued any other warrants for arrest at Twin Harbor recently?"
Seeing Sophia's puzzled expression, Kane added, "The other party is a grassland person named Zeno, and his identity is a spellcaster."
""
Sophia shook her head and said, "I'm sorry, we're too busy taking care of ourselves to pay attention to these kinds of wanted notices, but what I can confirm is that the Legion has wanted more than just us—"
Kane frowned slightly; he had originally planned to use the Dark Brotherhood's intelligence to find Zeno.
It now seems that this idea is likely to fail.
Just then, the burly man scratched the back of his head and said, "However, I saw something strange before."
"Something strange?" Sophia looked up at the sound, and Kane followed suit.
"A week ago, the military sent out a lot of people, along with the sheriff, to search for someone. Later, I heard several explosions in the commercial district," the burly man recalled.
"I was also puzzled at the time, but I didn't dare to go closer to take a look."
"An explosion?" Kane fell into deep thought.
The explosive effect resembles a hypnotic spell, but according to Lux, Zeno is an illusionist.
But that's not necessarily true, just like himself, who has mastered spells from multiple schools of thought.
After thinking for a moment, he said, "Thank you, this information is very important to me."
The burly man chuckled, and the expressions on the faces of the others softened considerably.
Being able to help Kane also means they have an extra layer of security.
Sophia looked at Kane and asked bluntly, "Lord Kane, you told us to escape that stronghold and hide here, surely it's not just about finding Zeno? What exactly do you want?"
Kane looked at her.
After experiencing many changes, the eyes of this former leader of a branch of the Dark Brotherhood have become increasingly resolute.
He spoke slowly, saying, "It's very simple. I want to recruit you all and bring you under my command."
"Recruitment?"
Everyone was stunned, and many people's eyes revealed joy.
After all, they had become undocumented residents in Sussas after being wanted by the authorities. If they could join Kane's forces and settle in the Dark Forest, it would be a way out.
Only Sophia frowned and said in a deep voice, "I'm sorry, Lord Kane, I cannot agree."
"Big sister!" The burly man and several others hurriedly tried to dissuade her.
Sofia, however, remained focused on Kane, unwavering.
Kane remained expressionless and said, "Please tell me your concerns."
"Lord Kane, until now, I still do not know your true identity. Are you human or drow? Do you represent the Spiderblade family, or some other faction?"
Please clarify, otherwise I fear we will be exploited again and suffer an irreparable fate.
Kane smiled slightly at her wary expression and said, "What if I told you I was recruiting you on behalf of Susas's side?"
"Susas?"
Everyone was completely stunned, including Sophia, whose faces were filled with disbelief.
She even thought Kane was joking.
Kane has clearly implicated the Finafine family in the assassination of the Susas heir, and has also become an enemy of the Duke and burned down the Duke's Chamber of Commerce, yet now he wants to recruit them in the name of Susas.
Sophia's expression turned cold, and she said, "Lord Kane, if this is a joke, please stop. We will remember your kindness and repay you in any way we can after everyone has recovered from their injuries and left Twin Harbors safely."
The group exchanged glances, a hint of disappointment in their eyes.
Kane didn't say anything more, but simply said, "Logan, as the mage who's working with me, you talk to them."
"Are there other people?"
Sophia and the others immediately became alert, their eyes fixed on the darkness.
Then, another group of people appeared from the darkness.
They were all dressed in red robes, and were all dressed as monks.
The woman at the head of the group had a cold and aloof demeanor and a powerful aura. Beside her stood two lifeless, corpse-like warriors.
Logan Susas coldly looked at Sophia and the others and said, "The esteemed person who invited you is the Dean of the Prophecy Division of the Susas Mage Academy. His words represent the will of the Susas Mage Academy."
"If you wish, you can become a subordinate force of the Mage Academy, no longer be wanted, and receive the academy's protection."
"The headmaster of the Mage Academy!?"
The mercenaries were instantly shocked and confused, and Sophia's eyes were filled with deep awe.
She would rather believe that Kane was a high-ranking assassin sent by headquarters than believe that he was actually the dean of the mage academy.
The genuine respect and reverence shown by the group of red-robed mages when they looked at Kane further confirmed the truth of these words.
Kane looked at Sophia, whose expression had changed drastically, and asked again in a calm tone, "Now, Miss Sophia, are you willing to accept my invitation?"