Chapter 15: The Bait
Chapter 15: The Bait
Being able to leave the banquet midway was a relief for Karl, especially if it wasn't because of a murder.
A mile outside the city, a victim whose life force had been mysteriously drained lay in the grass, while a passerby who had reported the incident was making a statement nearby.
The victim's identity had been confirmed.
It was none other than Ham, who had come to attend the banquet! Seeing a fellow officer he had interacted with just a few days ago lying dead in the wilderness, even Karl, with his indifferent temperament, couldn't help but feel a surge of anger, his face turning grim.
"The same method was used, so the murderer must be the same person."
Dena's beautiful eyes narrowed with killing intent as she spoke in a cold voice, "All the previous victims were women, pure virgins, and Ham is the only exception."
"Could it be that Ham discovered something, and the murderer killed him to silence him?" Kerry, who was also present, speculated.
Karl remained silent.
The perpetrator dared to kill an officer, and he wouldn't hesitate to kill an inspector. Karl valued his life, and although he felt anger, he didn't want to recklessly get involved.
"Hmm."
Dena nodded and asked, "Did Ham come to the banquet alone today?"
"No." Kerry's gaze was peculiar. "Ham's colleague mentioned that he had been getting close to Lady Anne recently. They had planned to attend the banquet together, and Ham even boasted about it in front of his colleagues."
"Lady Anne?" Dena's eyebrows furrowed.
This noblewoman had a complicated background, and even she wouldn't want to provoke her without good reason.
But how did Ham get close to Lady Anne?
Was it for the investigation?
Or something else?
As these thoughts crossed her mind, she glanced at the idle Karl by her side, as if an idea had suddenly struck her. "Karl!"
"Yes, Officer." Karl snapped out of his thoughts.
"I need you to get something for me." Dena took a key from her pocket. "The location is 17 Saffire Street. Give the key to the owner of the room, and he will hand over the item to you. Remember to bring it to me tomorrow."
"You don't want to stay here anyway, right?"
"Er..." Karl gave an awkward laugh, glanced at the darkening sky, and reached out to take the key. "I'll make sure to complete the task!"
"Hmm."
Dena nodded and watched as Karl's figure moved away into the distance. Her beautiful eyes slowly narrowed.
Night was approaching.
The sky had already darkened.
The old lady held an oil lamp, signaling Karl to take the package from the table with the dim light.
"These are Dena's old clothes. I thought she didn't want them anymore, so I was going to throw them away."
"Take them, take them."
Old clothes?
Was he being treated like a mere errand boy?
Karl shook his head in disbelief, took the items, and bid farewell.
A crescent moon hung in the sky, casting a faint glow that was obscured by a layer of mist above the city.
'I heard that a coal-burning factory was built in the north of the city, and this mist is from the factory's emissions. Such pollution in just a few months!'
"Environmental destruction..."
'Could this world be on the verge of an industrial revolution?'
Karl looked up at the sky, letting his thoughts wander. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and drew the short sword from his waist.
He had only brought a short sword for self-defense when he attended the banquet today, leaving his broadsword behind.
"Who's there?"
Staring into the darkness ahead, Karl's face turned cold. "Come out!"
"Huh?"
Shadows shifted in the dark alley, and two figures emerged side by side. One of them, a robust man, sounded surprised, "Such keen perception to have noticed us."
"Who are you?"
Karl's eyes narrowed, and the special sensitivity he gained after learning the Poison Wolf Breath Technique made his skin tighten.
"What do you want?"
Malice!
Danger!
The visitors had ill intentions! But Karl couldn't recall offending anyone recently, so why would someone target him?
"What do you want?"
The robust man among the two chuckled coldly and took two steps forward, his gaze momentarily resting on the short sword in Karl's hand. "Put down the package you're carrying."
A package?
Karl raised an eyebrow.
Could this be related to Dena?
"Very well."
Taking a step back, Karl spoke, "I'll put down the package, and then we'll go our separate ways without disturbing each other."
"Not bad, I like that you're a sensible person." The tall, robust man smiled and nodded in satisfaction. "Put down your things, and you can leave."
"Wait a moment!"
Just as Karl was about to put down the package and leave, another person suddenly spoke up.
"We need to search you before you go!"
"That's fair."
The robust man nodded. "What if you've hidden something crucial on your person? It'd be a waste of our efforts if we let you go without checking."
"Don't push it too far," Karl's face darkened.
"What do you mean, 'push it too far'?" The man's voice grew impatient. "When I say take it off, you take it off. No need for all this chatter."
The next moment, the man made his move.
With a powerful stomp, he shot forward like an arrow, exuding a cruel and vicious aura.
The mere contact of their gazes made Karl's heart skip a beat.
A killer's intent! This was the kind of ruthless gaze that only came from someone with blood on their hands, perhaps even multiple lives. A person who would resort to violence at the slightest provocation.
Karl had trained in martial arts for many years, strengthening his body, but he had never engaged in a life-or-death struggle with anyone else.
As the distance between them closed, he could see more clearly that the man's face was covered by a mask that adhered to his cheeks.
"Shua!"
Karl swung his sword, intercepting with the Iron Gate Style.
His target, however, was not the masked man charging towards him but the one behind.
"Ding..."
A dark shadow wielding a sharp blade clashed with the short sword, causing both individuals to stagger backward from the powerful impact.
An ambush!
There was another person hiding behind, who struck simultaneously as the masked man made his move.
Fortunately, Karl's senses were sharp, and he had anticipated the attack, allowing him to defend himself in time.
"Be careful!"
The ambusher, having failed to land a hit, shouted, "He's a Knight Attendant!"
Before coming, they had never expected their opponent to be a Knight Attendant who had trained in the Breath Technique.
But even if he was a Knight Attendant, what could he do?
As long as he wasn't a Knight, there wouldn't be much difference in physical abilities between him and an ordinary person.
Moreover, the current situation was three against one.
"Huff..."
The masked man continued his relentless charge, and in his hand appeared a steel rod, which he brought down on Karl with force.
The last robust man also rushed forward silently, brandishing a greatsword and thrusting it forward.
Their movements were swift and vicious, and their coordination was seamless. When they attacked, it was with deadly intent, aiming to take down their opponent.
"Ding..."
"Bang!"
Karl brandished his short sword, desperately blocking the attacks.
However, facing three people with lethal attacks, despite his best efforts to defend himself, he was forced to retreat continuously.
Karl had only recently become a Knight Attendant, and while his physique was stronger than an ordinary person's, it had its limits.
Moreover, his opponents were all fierce warriors, and the weapons they held were not in his favor. For a moment, he found himself in a precarious situation.
"Ah!"
Karl's chest heaved, and with a roar, a surge of power erupted from within him.
Swinging his short sword, he deflected the incoming attacks, causing the sword to tremble slightly in the air. Instantly, three afterimages appeared, swirling towards his front.
Battle Technique!
Gale Slash!
"Ding-a-ling..."
"Pff!"
The short sword slashed through skin and flesh, causing one of the attackers to stumble backward.
However, after executing the battle technique, Karl felt his internal energy weaken. Just as he was about to take the opportunity to flee, his expression suddenly changed.
"Huff..."
A dark shadow descended from above, and from the person's hand, a fine sword unleashed a shower of sword shadows, enveloping the robust man.
As the sword shadows were retracted, blood splattered.
"Thud!"
The robust man fell heavily to the ground, devoid of any resistance.
"Lady Dena."
Looking at the newcomer, Karl's face did not show relief from his narrow escape. Instead, his voice carried annoyance. "You used me as bait!"
"This isn't the time for that," Dena shrugged, glancing at him with surprise. "Your swordsmanship is impressive."
"Pursue them!"
"Don't let them get away!"
(End of Chapter)
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