Chapter 299: Scout
Northwind Keep, Municipal Plaza.
"Citizens, please abide by the Kingdom’s Order!"
Stuffed Bun, perched atop his Wyvern, circled the city sky again and again, his voice booming through a megaphone. Below, the crowd watched with either envy or awe.
As the number of Players surged, so did their antics—crafting ever more elaborate schemes, even exploiting loopholes in the Kingdom’s Edicts.
And as the Peacekeeper, Stuffed Bun’s workload had never been heavier. The western South District he oversaw now housed over thirty thousand souls, nearly five thousand of whom were Players.
"Hey! You there—no public nudity!"
"Trying to flee?"
Stuffed Bun urged his Two-Headed Dragon into a sharp dive.
The Wyvern extended its claw, snatching a naked Player mid-flight from the ground, caught red-handed in his attempt to disrupt public order.
Turning sideways, Stuffed Bun squinted—there it was, that familiar face.
"Again, Holy Light Guy? This is your third offense this month for intentional public nudity. Any excuses?"
Holy Light Guy, utterly bare, floated in the air, his body relaxed, his tone serene.
"I’m merely following the Path of Nature. We are all born naked—why should we hide behind crude, artificial garments? In my ideal world, everyone would stand bare before one another, open and honest."
Stuffed Bun clenched his jaw, suppressing the urge to rant.
"Enough. Citizen, you’ve violated Article 23 of the Kingdom Public Order Penalty Law. Choose: five gold coins in fines, or seven days in prison."
With only his legs guiding the Two-Headed Dragon, Stuffed Bun pulled out his notebook and a Feather Quill, ready to record.
Holy Light Guy sighed, calm as ever.
"Rather than pay for a crime I didn’t commit, I’d rather spread the Path of Nature inside prison—teach others the beauty of true freedom."
"... You’re impossible."
After a long silence, the words slipped through Stuffed Bun’s teeth like gravel.
After escorting the unrepentant Holy Light Guy to the Kingdom’s prison, Stuffed Bun resumed his patrol.
As a city Peacekeeper, he wasn’t just responsible for maintaining order among Citizens—he also had to scan for Status-unknown outsiders, ever vigilant against spies sent by the Northern Kingdoms, the Lute Players’ Alliance, or even the Faldran Empire.
Gazing down at the sea of people below, Stuffed Bun exhaled deeply.
"Man… so much to deal with these days. Honestly, it’s exhausting—just a bunch of petty little things, no real rewards, just wasted time."
"Awooo!"
His Wyvern, Noodles, let out a mournful howl in agreement.
The creature, too, missed the old days—standing guard at the Palace gates, lounging in the nest, eating free meals.
"Ugh… the air up here’s getting worse. Feels like breathing smoke."
"Never mind. Back to duty."
Stuffed Bun stroked Noodles’ slender, smooth neck, then activated the Crimson Scale Conqueror’s 【Aerial Reconnaissance】 skill.
Below, every individual’s head shimmered with an icon—revealing name, level, even faction.
【Citizen】
【Worker】
【Scholar】
【Tiefling Guard】
【Wealthy Merchant】
Stuffed Bun scanned the crowd. The sheer density of names made his eyes ache.
"Three thousand people in the South District… finding a spy is like fishing for a needle in a haystack. I’d go blind if I checked each one individually."
"Wait—what’s that—?"
Suddenly, a glaring red font caught his eye in the throng.
【Scout from the Bosk Duchy (Challenge Rating: 3)】
A plain-clothed Common man, blending in perfectly among the masses—just another ordinary Citizen. In the chaos of Northwind Keep, he’d be invisible. But he’d made one fatal mistake: crossing paths with Players who all had cheats.
Stuffed Bun’s heart leapt. He leaned forward, nostrils flaring as if steam were pouring from them.
"Speak of the devil… gold coins and Contribution Points, just like that?"
"Noodles—target that man."
"Awooo!"
The Wyvern nodded, accelerating its wingbeats.
Below, the Scout noticed the approaching Two-Headed Dragon. Without a flicker of emotion, he quickened his pace, aiming to vanish into a narrow alleyway, lost in the crowd.
But Stuffed Bun saw it all.
No way was he letting this prize escape.
"Damn it."
The Scout glanced back at the looming shadow descending from above. Realizing he was exposed, he pulled a small pouch from his coat and scattered a fine powder into the air—thick, choking smoke bloomed instantly, spreading chaos through the plaza.
"Cough! What is that?"
"Where’s this strange fog coming from?"
"Is there an enemy invasion?"
Panic erupted. People stumbled, blinded, coughing violently.
The Scout pressed forward, nearly swallowed by the crowd.
Stuffed Bun lowered his voice.
"No more waiting. Noodles—Dragon Roar Charge!"
"ROOOOAAARRR!"
Their combined roar shook the air.
In that instant, the Wyvern unfurled its wings and plummeted from the sky.
The Dragon Roar paralyzed most people—some froze in terror, others collapsed unconscious. The Scout’s plan to escape in the chaos was shattered.
Even a trained Scout, hardened by special training, staggered under the sonic assault. He stumbled, tripped, and crashed headfirst into a roadside stall.
Stuffed Bun roared, "Crimson Scale Conqueror Execution Mission! Civilians, clear the area!"
"He’s an enemy scout!"
Legs couldn’t outrun wings—especially not when the Dragon Roar had already weakened them.
In just a few breaths, the Wyvern soared past the Scout, its massive claws snatching him mid-air.
"Wooohoo! Take off!"
Stuffed Bun let out a triumphant shout, riding the dragon through the sky. He wasn’t just capturing a spy—he was claiming gold coins and Contribution Points.
"Damned Dragon’s Claws!"
The Scout writhed in midair, struggling against the iron grip of the Two-Headed Dragon’s claws, embedded deep into his flesh.
Within moments, they soared to several hundred meters above ground. Calm at last, the Scout reached into his sleeve and pulled out a hidden dart—aiming to pierce the Wyvern’s wing, dragging the Dragon Rider down with him in a final, vengeful death.
"Die, Dragon’s Claws!"
He raised his hand, targeting the Wyvern’s wing.
But the Knight atop the dragon’s back had been watching.
"Swish!"
In one fluid motion, Stuffed Bun drew his Longsword and severed the arm—along with the dart—cleanly at the wrist.
He wiped the blood from his blade, voice calm.
"Once caught, submission is the smartest choice."
"Still want me to crash? You really want me to hurt you?"
(End of Chapter)
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