Chapter 268: Chapter 267: Lurans’s Countermeasures

“Sir, Warwick is missing!”

Hodan, the Vice Leader of the Polante Thief Gang, reported with a grave expression.

Amicus frowned, pacing back and forth in the room. “What happened? What do you mean, ’missing’?”

“Just… gone.”

Hodan was baffled as well. “The captain of the iron ore transport team needed to see Warwick tonight but couldn’t find him anywhere. According to the people at the iron mine, Warwick left in the evening before it even got dark.”

“Doesn’t he have several lovers in Chishan Town? Did you check with them?”

“We checked with all of them. He wasn’t there.”

Hodan’s expression grew heavy. He hadn’t thought much of it at first, assuming Warwick was just out having some fun somewhere. But after sending men to search for several hours, there was still no sign of him.

As a newly promoted core member, Warwick was responsible for inspecting and tallying the day’s mining output every evening. For him to be completely gone today was extremely unusual.

“Do you think… Warwick could have betrayed us?”

Hodan was worried. Although Warwick hadn’t been promoted long ago, he still knew a few things.

Amicus mulled it over for a long moment before shaking his head. “The guy is a coward and doesn’t have the brains for anything complicated. It’s impossible for him to have orchestrated a betrayal.”

He stopped pacing, stood firm, and said decisively, “Find him. Send more men to search. I want an answer before dawn!”

Under normal circumstances, they might not have paid much attention even if he’d been gone for a day or two, let alone a few hours.

But these were critical times. The Noble Alliance Army from Wushan Ridge was stationed right on Giant Stone Ridge. Even with Baron Coren as their inside man, they couldn’t afford to be careless.

For Warwick, one of their newly promoted leaders, to suddenly disappear at a time like this was enough to command their full attention.

The night was more than half over, and Wushan Castle was utterly silent.

On the mountain behind the castle, the Thunderbolt Wind Chasing Beast was resting comfortably in its den when it suddenly sensed an unsettling pressure descending from the sky. Immediately after, a massive black shadow appeared before its home.

It leaped up in alarm, staring in terror at the ferocious dragon head outside.

Carlos grunted and snorted, making noises that were hard to decipher. Finally, he opened his claw and dropped a pouch-like object.

The Thunderbolt Wind Chasing Beast seemed to understand Carlos. It immediately snatched up the pouch and galloped down the mountain, soon appearing outside Lurans’s courtyard.

The uninvited appearance of the Thunderbolt Wind Chasing Beast startled the Guards on duty, who immediately went on high alert as if facing a great enemy.

Some of these Guards were not from the First Knight Order permanently stationed in Wushan City. Although they had heard that the Marquis had a powerful Magical Beast mount, they had never seen it before.

However, an imposing figure appeared at once, dispelling the tense atmosphere.

“It’s the Marquis’s Contracted Magical Beast. Everyone, stand down.”

The man could truly be described as built like a bear. Even without Armor, he exuded a powerful sense of stability.

Melonika, Leader of Wushan Castle’s Third Knight Order, was currently guarding the castle.

He frowned at the Magical Beast, wondering what it was doing here so late at night. What was even stranger was that it was carrying something in its mouth.

Regardless of whether the Thunderbolt Wind Chasing Beast could understand him, Melonika said, “Wait here. I’ll go inform Lord Lurans.”

“There’s no need.”

Lurans’s figure had emerged from the house at some point. Leaning on his cane, he slowly walked over to the Thunderbolt Wind Chasing Beast and took the pouch from its mouth.

“I sensed its approach.”

He seemed to be explaining to Melonika as he spoke, simultaneously opening the pouch and reading the letter inside.

It was, of course, from Ronin, reporting the situation on the western front to Lurans and also asking him to warn Kabil and the others fighting on the eastern front to be wary of any schemes.

“Hmph!”

For the first time, a look of anger appeared on Lurans’s face. He glanced around. “You, come with me.”

Melonika was a little confused. ’Since when did the Marquis’s Magical Beast work as a messenger?’

’Logically, it couldn’t possibly be faster than a Message Bird.’

The two entered the study. Lurans placed the letter on the desk. “Coren has betrayed us.”

“What?”

Melonika thought he had misheard. He snatched up the letter in shock, and even after hastily reading it, his face was still a mask of disbelief.

“My lord, is this letter credible?”

There were no words on the letter to reveal the sender’s identity; only Lurans would know who wrote it.

“This is a letter from Ronin. There’s no question of its credibility.”

Melonika was taken aback for a moment, then nodded.

He knew the Marquis currently held his grandson in high regard and trusted him deeply, and Ronin’s performance so far had indeed lived up to that trust.

“My lord, what are your orders?”

Lurans pondered for a moment, then picked up a pen and began to write on a sheet of parchment.

“Ronin says he is confident he can handle the situation in Chishan Town, so we’ll leave it entirely in his hands. As for the east, I plan to send you.”

He glanced at the Knight Order Leader. “Your Power is the highest of anyone, and you are on the verge of becoming a Meteor Level Knight. Sending you there will be enough to intimidate Barrington.”

Melonika frowned. “Is that appropriate? If I leave, what about Wushan Castle’s defenses?”

With the Knight Orders split between two fronts, only three Knight Squads were left to guard Wushan Castle.

While that was enough to deal with ordinary assassins, they lacked high-end combat strength.

With Melonika present, it wasn’t a problem. But if he left, the strongest combatants remaining would be just one Silver and one Bronze Knight.

Oh, and the Thunderbolt Wind Chasing Beast, a Fifth-level Magical Beast.

“I will move into Wushan Fortress. Even if a Golden Knight were to show up, it wouldn’t be a problem.”

Lurans was confident. “As for anyone at the Meteor Level, after what happened to Ossen, they won’t take such a risk easily without sufficient incentive.”

Although Ossen didn’t die, Lurans had crippled him using a bizarre method, a fate worse than death.

Any Meteor Level expert who wanted to assassinate Lurans would have to risk being crippled themselves.

Without enough to gain and no guarantee of success, they wouldn’t make the attempt lightly.

“Perhaps, but I still think it’s enough to just send someone to inform them.”

Lurans shook his head, insisting on his plan.

“Kabil’s and Sandro’s Power is said to be comparable to a Golden Knight’s, but there’s still a gap between them and proper Golden Knights like Barrington and Negan. You have to go.”

Lurans folded the parchment, put it in the pouch, and handed it to Melonika. “Give this to the Thunderbolt Wind Chasing Beast. You should also prepare to head to the front lines as soon as possible. Kabil and the others probably haven’t arrived yet.”

“I understand, my lord.”

Melonika took the pouch, bowed, and left the room.

Lurans leaned back in his chair and sighed.

He was saddened by Coren’s betrayal.

The man had once been the young person he had the highest hopes for. He never imagined it would end like this.

He had also wondered if Ronin might be mistaken, but when he connected it to the sudden loss of Chishan Town and the death of Hahn Knight in battle, he too felt that something was amiss.

’I’m really getting old. If I were in better shape, I probably would have noticed something was wrong with Coren.’

When people get old, they tend to place extra trust in the people or things they once favored, much like how first impressions have a powerful influence.

Over the years, Lurans had known about the shady dealings between Coren, Hahn, and Wiggin, but he couldn’t be bothered to intervene.

But he never thought Coren would betray him.

’Thankfully, Ronin discovered it in time to avert a disaster.’

He was also glad that Ronin had gone to the battlefield this time.

“Mosite, make the arrangements. Have Wiggin, Dianey, and Bretton all move into Wushan Fortress tomorrow.”

“Yes, Master.”

That night, while much was happening in Chishan Town and Wushan Castle, the camp of the Giant Stone Territory’s Noble Alliance Army remained as quiet as ever, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

Early the next morning, Ronin summoned a Knight from Giant Stone Castle who was stationed in the camp and had him inform Coren to come to the camp as soon as possible to discuss a new battle plan.

Since Toru, Marvin, and the others made no moves, Coren’s men suspected nothing. They accepted the order and went to deliver the message, ensuring they wouldn’t arouse Coren’s suspicion.

Ridder, Tarren, and the others began to deploy their men and set up defenses to prevent the Knight Squad from Giant Stone Castle from causing a disturbance.

Everything was ready. All they had to do was wait for Coren to arrive.

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