infodatos Chapter 174 Giving You a Way Out
Chapter 174 Giving You a Way Out
Chapter 174 Giving You a Way Out
As night deepened, Kane drove the carriage alone.
He donned a black cloak and quietly left the manor.
Old Jack's tavern seemed to have been planned all along.
Kane reined in the car at the door, opened the door, and stepped inside.
The two mercenaries immediately opened the door respectfully and whispered, "The boss is waiting for you inside, Lord Kane."
Kane nodded slightly, his expression calm.
He was not surprised by this.
In the underground world, the strong should enjoy more resources and preferential treatment.
He walked through the empty lobby, where old Jack was sitting in the inner room, smoke rising from the pipe he was smoking.
Seeing Kane enter, he raised his glass in a gesture of respect: "Want a drink?"
"No need, thank you."
"You don't drink?"
Old Jack chuckled. "You're really not like a Nord."
He put down his glass and said bluntly, "Speak, what do you want from me?"
"I need your help, old Jack."
"Didn't I already accept your order and promise to get that person into the city for you?"
"I know."
Kane watched him calmly.
"But I need more help. And this is for Nord."
"For Nord?"
Old Jack's eyes suddenly sharpened.
"What exactly are you trying to say? Don't think that just because you know a little about Shantar's specialties you can spout nonsense in front of me."
Kane shook his head, meeting the other's scrutinizing gaze, and said in a deep voice, "Then, in the name of the Night's Watch, is that enough?"
Old Jack's gaze suddenly sharpened.
The next second, with a loud crash, the wine glass in his hand shattered on the ground.
He practically sprang to his feet, grabbing the sharpest shard of glass and pointing it at Kane's throat, his voice filled with coldness and wariness: "You're not a member of the Dark Brotherhood—who are you?"
"Then why can't I be both?"
Kane remained unmoved, his tone still steady.
"But just like you were born in Nord, but have lived in Sussas for many years."
Tell me, old Jack, do you consider yourself a Nord or a Sussarian?
Old Jack did not answer, but the veins on the back of his hand, which was gripping the fragments tightly, bulged slightly.
Kane continued, "I don't have any proof yet, but if you have connections in War City, you can go to the Night's Watch headquarters and ask a captain named Reed for verification."
Old Jack stared intently at Kane, seemingly trying to determine the truthfulness of his words, the ferocity in his eyes gradually replaced by surprise and uncertainty.
He slowly released his grip, and shards of glass fell onto the table.
"—What do you want me to do? Listen, kid, I'm going to live in this place too, I'm not going to risk my life for you."
"It's not about risking your life, it's about saving yourself."
Kane took a half step forward and lowered his voice.
"A storm is brewing in Sussas, and if it gets out of control, the flames of war will surely spread to Nord."
"If the two countries go to war again, do you think someone like you, born in Nords and raised in Sussas, can escape a thorough investigation and purge by the royal court?"
Old Jack's face darkened, and he fell silent in the smoke.
After a long silence, he finally asked in a hoarse voice, "—What can I get in return?"
"Right now, I can't give you gold, silver, or status."
Kane said frankly.
"But if you help me stop this plot, I will give you a letter after it is done."
"letter?"
"Yes. If one day in the future you have nowhere to stay in Sussas, you can take this to the City of War and find the person I mentioned in my letter."
He will arrange a safe way out for you.
back road.
This word struck old Jack hard.
This is what people who operate in the gray area crave most.
His cheek muscles twitched a few times, and finally, as if he had exhausted all his strength, he sat back heavily in the chair.
"—I understand. What do you want to do?"
Kane was not surprised.
"The original infiltration plan remains unchanged, but we must prepare a backup plan. Listen—"
He leaned down and began to explain in a low voice.
Old Jack listened, his expression growing increasingly grave.
The next day, at the dock outside the city.
Inside the cabin, Arundel, Risa, and Ella were waiting.
Risa paced impatiently: "That Kane guy's been in town for three days, and we haven't heard a thing!"
"Don't rush,"
Arundel frowned, his heart filled with worry.
After Kane left, he did not wait idly, but instead used magic to summon a messenger hawk and sent several secret letters to the academy's liaison.
However, the replies were either vague or directly asked for their exact location.
For security reasons, he has never disclosed it.
"We can't wait any longer."
He made up his mind.
"If there is no progress by sunset today, we must report our location and request support."
Ella asked worriedly, "Could Lord Kane be in danger?"
Don't worry.
Risa leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, her tone complicated, "That guy—even if we all die, he'll probably still live a good life."
She had witnessed Kane's inhuman regenerative abilities, which resembled those of a demon.
Suddenly, Arundel's expression hardened: "Silence! Someone's coming."
Risa and Ella reacted quickly, swallowing the disguise potion.
Arundel chanted the spell quickly, and the illusionary aura swept by, gradually blending the three figures into the shadows and wood grain inside the cabin, making them indistinguishable from one another.
"Squeak—" The hatch was pushed open.
A Sussah sheriff walked in with a frown, his gaze sweeping over every corner like a hawk's.
He walked around the cramped cabin twice, poked at several burlap sacks with his sword sheath, but found nothing, and left.
The hatch closed again.
After waiting a while, Arundel dispelled the spell, and the three figures slowly appeared.
"These sheriffs are conducting searches more and more frequently."
Arundel had just breathed a sigh of relief—
"So that's how you hid for three days."
A calm voice suddenly rang out in the empty cabin.
"Who?!"
Arundel's staff instantly pointed in the direction of the sound, and Risa and Ella simultaneously drew their daggers. However, the place was empty.
"above."
The three looked up and were shocked to see Kane clinging to the ceiling beam like a gecko, looking down at them.
"Kane!" Ella exclaimed in surprise.
Kane landed lightly, the Spider Spell's effects quietly dissipating.
"Time is of the essence."
He didn't give the others a chance to ask questions, "Get ready, and come into the city with me immediately."
"Now? It's still daylight." Risa looked out the porthole.
"Right now, it's safest to stay in the convoy."
Kane walked towards the hatch first. "Follow me."
The three followed him out of the cabin.
At the dock, a sizable caravan was making its final preparations before setting off.
More than a dozen trucks lined up in a long row, piled high with bulging stalks of wheat, the faint aroma of wheat wafting in the wind.
A group of about twenty mercenaries stood guard on the side, led by an exceptionally tall and burly man, and an old mercenary with a sharp face who was checking the list.
Arundel's gaze swept over the trucks, then at the mercenaries, and he instantly understood: "We're going to infiltrate this supply convoy?"
"That's right." Kane nodded.
"Grain carts use the west gate for goods, where inspections are more lenient than at the regular gates. They'll sneak us in."
At this moment, the wiry-faced old mercenary, none other than Old Jack, walked over and nodded slightly to Kane: "Everything is arranged, sir."
As you instructed, two vehicles have been prepared, and the subgrade is ready.
Kane turned to his three companions and quickly instructed them: "Arundel and Risa in one car, Ella in mine."
Once you're hidden, no matter what you hear, don't make a sound or move.
Under the cover of the mercenaries, the four quickly climbed into the designated truck.
The heavy sacks were cleverly stacked to create a hidden space inside the carriage large enough to accommodate two people, and from the outside, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
The caravan began to move slowly.
Among the mercenaries, there was one who was exceptionally tall.
Oliver exchanged a glance with the flying squirrel.
The flying squirrel couldn't hide its excitement and licked its lips.
Oliver glanced at old Jack, who was directing from a distance, a complex struggle flashing in his eyes, but in the end, he lowered his head.
He gripped his weapon tightly and stepped up to catch up with the marching group.
The wheels rumbled, and many different caravans headed toward the towering city gate.