Chapter 171: The Rebel's Plot

Chapter 171: The Rebel's Plot

Previously, Alonso had considered participating in the Black Flame Prayer Ritual, but only with the intention of slightly borrowing the power of the gods to enhance himself.

Alonso was not willing to undergo a complete transformation by the power of the gods! Although it would grant him immense strength, he was also well aware of the potential dangers.

He would not choose this path until it was absolutely necessary.

Additionally, the previous Black Flame Prayer Ritual had not gone as planned, so even if Alonso wanted to accept the power of the gods, he would have to wait for the next ritual.

Thus, Alonso was on his way to meet a secretive individual in a specific location.

Normally, he would be reluctant to meet such a person.

This individual was a spy for the Zalar Rebellion Army, operating undercover in Myester County under the alias 'Magus.' It was clear that this was a pseudonym.

On the other hand, meeting with a rebel spy also posed a significant risk for Alonso.

The carriage made several turns before arriving at a low-lying yet heavily guarded building. On the door was a sign that read 'Myester County Prison.'

After disembarking from the carriage, Alonso was escorted by a guard to an office.

Shortly after, a middle-aged man dressed as the prison guard captain entered, followed by a trusted subordinate. Upon seeing Alonso, he smiled.

He scanned the room, confirming that Alonso was the only one present, then stationed his trusted guard at the door with strict instructions to allow no one else to enter.

Immediately, he closed the office door.

"Look who's here! Is it the esteemed Baron Alonso? Have you finally made up your mind?" Magus asked with a smile.

Alonso waved his hand dismissively, "Listen, Magus. To prove your strength, I need you to kill someone for me—a newly knighted knight named Rain."

"If you can accomplish this task, I might be able to help with the deal we discussed last time."

Magus's expression brightened at Alonso's words, clearly more receptive than he had been previously.

However, Magus's curiosity was piqued. If the target was merely a newly knighted knight, he wondered why the baron before him couldn't handle it himself.

"Baron, is this Rain just a newly knighted knight?" Magus asked, his suspicions growing.

Alonso thought for a moment before replying, "Rain is a formidable opponent. I believe he now possesses the strength of at least a senior knight."

"A senior knight? Haha, that's no problem. Rest assured, Baron Alonso, we will take care of this." Magus was relieved to learn that the target was a senior knight, which explained why Alonso had sought their help.

"But don't forget the favor you promised us," Magus added.

"Of course!" Alonso stood up, intending to leave.

But before he could take a step, he added, "By the way, I should remind you that Rain has killed a Black Flame Acolyte before. So, I suggest you not underestimate him. If you suffer any significant losses, don't blame me for not warning you."

"What? You're sure it was an acolyte, not an adept?" Magus's expression turned serious as he questioned Alonso.

"Yes, an acolyte," Alonso confirmed with a nod.

"That might be a bit troublesome, but it's manageable," Magus replied. As someone who had been in Myester County for nearly two years, he was well aware of the Black Flame Church and the varying strengths of its members.

"Oh, and there's one more thing I should tell you. Rain recently participated in the ennoblement examination organized by the Minster Province, where he received an excellent evaluation and was granted a baronial title."

"Don't you rebels always want to weaken the Empire? This is your chance to eliminate a promising newly-titled baron." Alonso shared this information to avoid any further complications.

"What?" Magus's expression changed, and he couldn't help but blurt out, "Baron Alonso, are there any other details you haven't shared with us?"

Magus now looked at Alonso with suspicion, wondering if he had an ulterior motive for gradually revealing information about the target.

"That's all. Rain should currently be on his way back to Shangjin Town from Rosby County."

"However, out of concern for our alliance, I hope you'll send your best men to handle this. Otherwise, if he has another opportunity to grow, he might become a significant problem for you in the future." Alonso shrugged.

"Thank you for your concern, Baron Alonso. Rest assured, we will take responsibility if any issues arise." Magus's expression finally relaxed, feeling he had almost fallen into Alonso's trap by agreeing too readily and then being led into increasing difficulties.

However, thankfully, this Reyn was at most a Master Knight! With the power of the nearby Meyster County stronghold, it should be completely manageable.

On the other hand, Alonso was also satisfied with what Magis had just said.

As for why they didn't seek out an assassin organization, the difference lies in the fact that if an assassin failed, Reyn would immediately realize it, easily drawing the fire onto himself.

But the rebels were perfect for this.

They themselves were a magnet for the Empire's forces, and even if they failed, Reyn wouldn't be able to trace it back to him. Instead, he could divert Reyn's attention to the rebels.

At the office door, Magis stared at Alonso's departing figure, deep in thought.

"It seems we need to make a trip outside the city."

"Although the organization and Alonso are mutually beneficial, his contact with us is already a taboo. Soon he will discover that besides getting on our ship, there's no turning back."

Magis took out a strange stone block emitting a faint bluish light from his pocket and murmured softly.

Not long after, a gray falcon swiftly flew towards the mountains outside Meyster City.

To the east of Meyster City, there was a vast expanse of undulating hills, and a muddy forest path led to the east.

This road was the only way to Fishport Town, but the area was lush with vegetation, dense forests, and hidden within were bandit groups like the Zalar Rebellion Army, who had taken over an abandoned mine.

Meyster County had attempted to eradicate these bandit gangs before but failed due to the complex terrain.

The gray falcon swiftly flew into the depths of the mine. If one could shift their gaze to the falcon, they would see that the mine was not just a simple cave.

After passing through a hundred meters of dim tunnels, a spacious underground hall appeared. Torches lit the area, and many mercenaries gathered in small groups. Some were cleaning matchlock guns, which, if Reyn could see them, would look almost identical to the ones he had seen on the 'Shipwreck' before.

Others were gathered around a knight in plate armor, listening intently.

"During the Empire's two-thousand-year rule, its internal corruption has worsened, and many nobles have begun to oppress the people."

"With the dense occurrence of mysterious incidents, it became the final straw that broke the camel's back. This is why we, the Zalar Rebellion Army, were established—to overthrow the Empire's corruption and establish a new, enlightened nation like the Eagle Federation that considers the people's welfare."

This kind of preaching wasn't limited to this hall.

There were at least four or five groups in the hall, all discussing or listening to something.

"For a new nation, we need to fearlessly fight against the Empire! Additionally, many nobles secretly support us. Look at those matchlock guns; they can quickly bridge the gap between our strength and the Imperial Army."

Some showed fanaticism, while others had expressions of realization.

Next to the underground hall, a single room was created by partitioning the original mining tunnel.

Inside, two burly men were guzzling red wine. The red, crystalline liquid overflowed from their mouths, dripping down their necks, and emitting a rich aroma.

At their feet were ten or so wooden crates with a falcon shield and rose-like floral patterns. Inside were neatly arranged bottles of twenty-year-old Bordeaux wine.

"Haha! This time, we managed to snatch a cartload of precious twenty-year-old Bordeaux wine while pretending to be bandits." One of the bearded men laughed.

"We can sell the remaining wine and exchange it for weapons and funds!"

"We owe this to our well-informed sources in the city; otherwise, we wouldn't have known that an inconspicuous caravan carried such valuable wine."

At this moment, a gray falcon landed on a nearby cage.

"Oh! More news has arrived." One of the burly men walked over and took a small bamboo tube from the falcon's leg, retrieving a small note inside.

After a while, he turned to another man and said, "Margen, it seems we have a job to do. The city wants us to eliminate someone named Reyn, a formidable opponent with the strength of a Master Knight. So, we need to mobilize everyone."

"The target is currently on the road from Rosby County to Shangjin Town, not far from here."

---

Rosby City.

Norman Viscount's Mansion.

Reyn politely declined Norman Viscount and Evelyn's invitation to stay longer and mounted his robust black horse, beginning his journey back.

As Reyn returned to the spot where he had met Has before, a mix of emotions flooded his heart.

A week ago, under the freezing drizzle and cold, damp weather, he had traveled to Rosby City to participate in the Noble Ennoblement Examination. At that time, he had confidence in his path ahead but still felt apprehensive.

But now, as he embarked on his return journey, the winter sun shone brightly, and the once dark and damp path ahead was now bathed in a golden glow, like a path strewn with gold, leading him back to Shangjin Town.

From the boundary's perspective, Rain had already reached the outskirts of Shangjin Town.

As he stepped onto the path leading to the town, Rain felt a sense of relief and an urge to share his joy with his parents.

They would never have imagined that in just a few days, they would become the parents of a baron.

Thinking of this, Rain couldn't help but smile.

Shangjin Town.

A luxurious carriage was parked in front of Rain's house, with two cavalry guards in front and behind. The chest armor of both the carriage and the cavalry bore the noble emblem, featuring a falcon shield with a rose-like flower.

A graceful noble maiden, holding up her white dress, walked disappointedly from Rain's house towards the carriage. It was Jenny.

Soon, after boarding the carriage, Jenny furrowed her brows and asked the lady in the carriage, "Mother, Lord Rain still hasn't returned, and the delivery deadline is approaching. What should we do?"

Lady Crowley, despite having weathered many storms, found this situation particularly challenging.

Since the Crowley family had made their fortune in the wine trade, when several nobles from Myester County requested a batch of top-quality Bordeaux vintage, they were naturally delighted, seeing it as a lucrative business opportunity.

However, just a few days ago, as the Crowley family was preparing to transport this batch of Bordeaux vintage from Fishport Town to the county town, it was unexpectedly hijacked.

The two escorts, who were among the Crowley family's remaining servants with the strength of full knights, ended up with one dead and the other severely injured.

When this news first arrived, it was like a bolt of lightning striking Lady Crowley's heart!

Upon learning of the incident, Lady Crowley immediately visited Rain's house with Jenny, but when she found out that Rain had gone to Rosby City for the Noble Ennoblement Examination, she returned disappointed.

Since the 'Wolfhill Ridge' bandits were rampant in the nearby area, Lady Crowley had visited the city guards and the county sheriff multiple times, but she couldn't convince them to dispatch troops to eliminate the bandits and retrieve the goods.

When she turned to finding a mercenary group, she discovered that Myester County didn't have a single mercenary group capable of taking on this highly challenging task.

Time was running out.

Once the deadline was up, the Crowley family would have to compensate these nobles with twice the value of the goods, which, without exaggeration, would deal a severe blow to the Crowley family.

"Perhaps we should seek Baron Alonso," Lady Crowley said, her brows furrowed in thought. When she spoke these words, to Jenny, it seemed more like self-encouragement.

"Mother, let's wait a little longer. Who knows, maybe Lord Rain will return in time," Jenny suggested.

Jenny knew that Alonso had ulterior motives towards her mother.

If her mother sought him out, it would be like sending a lamb into the tiger's den.

"Alright, then we'll wait one more day, otherwise, even if Lord Rain returns, it'll be too late to retrieve the goods," Lady Crowley nodded, still unable to hide her worry.

Meanwhile, as Rain walked along the path, he suddenly squinted and pulled the reins, stopping his black horse.

He had sensed something amiss; in the dense forest on both sides of the path, several dozen people were hiding, obviously setting up an ambush.

Although Rain didn't know who their target was, he had no intention of experiencing the feeling of being suddenly ambushed.

"Come out!" Rain called out sternly.

Several seconds passed.

But the ambushers remained hidden in the forest, without any response.

However, Rain's keen perception detected a faint hissing sound of burning, and simultaneously, his level 3 'Danger Perception' began to issue a subtle warning.

He immediately realized what was happening and quickly dismounted his warhorse, dodging into the nearby forest.

Suddenly!

"Bang bang bang!" Multiple gunshots rang out in succession.

The ambushers' response further inflamed Rain's anger.

Seeing that they had missed Rain, the ambushers in the forest seemed to mutter in disappointment.

Immediately after, a rustling sound filled the air, and a group of men wielding various weapons and wearing chainmail and leather armor burst out of the forest.

Among them, Rain immediately spotted four or five men holding matchlock guns and four or five more in plate armor, one of whom seemed to be a Master Knight.

Indeed, they had matchlock guns.

Although one of them was a Master Knight, that didn't matter!

What mattered was Rain's mood, which was far from pleasant!

Who wouldn't be upset when suddenly ambushed just as they were about to return home?

Especially when the ambushers employed such underhanded tactics!

Rain drew out the pig-headed mace from his back while silently reciting something.

Soon, through the refraction of light in the air, one could vaguely see something different within a few meters of Rain.

It was the wizardry 'Heat Field'!

The next moment, Rain burst out of the forest, charging straight at his assailants!

At this moment, only a thrilling slaughter could assuage Rain's anger!

There will be another chapter before 12 noon, ^_^

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end