Chapter 111: Release bait to lure

Phield kept Flat-Nose alive to guide the way but didn’t have him trick open the gates. There was no need.

Agim’s mansion was hidden deep within a stretch of reeds, guarded by twenty underworld thugs. They were no match at all. Kai led the charge straight in. In less than a quarter of an hour, the mansion fell.

Lumi stubbornly pulled through. Half-conscious, she was carried into the mansion and even given food.

Now she sat in a corner of the main hall, her airplane-like ears drooping, looking utterly listless. Curled up, she stuffed barley flatbread into her mouth and swallowed slowly, yet her eyes remained fixed on the large pots set up in the hall.

The cauldrons simmered with fragrant meat—beef and lamb alike. The mansion’s luxurious furniture had all been chopped up for firewood.

A torrential rain poured outside, but indoors the atmosphere was lively.

Kai and the others gulped down cool olive wine from the mansion’s cellar. Kai tore a roasted goose leg from the spit and bit off a huge mouthful, the rich aroma of meat filling his mouth instantly.

“Haha! I never dreamed I’d live this well.” Having eaten meat every day lately, Kai looked radiant, even the fur on his tail noticeably glossier.

“Yeah. Back in the wolf tribe, it was feast one day, famine the next. Compared to this perfect life, it’s not even close.”

“Becoming the lord’s soldier was the wisest decision I’ve ever made.”

“Praise the lord!”

They clinked cups, wine sloshing, the mood exuberant.

“Lumi wants meat too.” The little cat-eared girl was practically drooling.

“Of course you’ll get meat. This meal is on me. Work hard from now on, and you’ll get meat again.”

Phield guided the black crow down beside her. Though Lumi was still weak, she forced out a silly little smile at the crow.

“Really, Mr. Crow?”

“When the meat’s done boiling, everyone gets a share. Vegetarians excluded.”

Phield was astonished to discover that quite a few rabbit demi-humans were genuine vegetarians. He had thought their animal traits were merely decorative—but their habits truly differed.

“Mhm! Thank you, sir. Lumi will work hard.”

Soon, Phield fulfilled his promise, distributing the meat among the demi-humans. After all, it had been seized from his younger brother’s territory—he felt no sting in giving it away. They could eat their fill.

The demi-humans gathered in small groups, offering prayers. They cherished this hard-won feast. To them, today was more grand than the New Year.

Lumi held a steaming chunk of lamb in her hands, gnawing away enthusiastically. Every so often, she looked up and flashed Phield a blissful, foolish grin.

“Heh heh heh. Eat up, eat up. From now on, work your hearts out for me.”

Phield rubbed his hands together, grinning like a villain.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Phield summoned Kai.

“My lord, you called for me?” Kai knelt respectfully.

“I need you to do something.” Phield beckoned him closer, his face mysterious. “Something very interesting.”

…

Agim and his servants were locked in the basement, staring at one another in panic. They had been producing and consuming Moon Sugar, indulging in a shameless revel, when suddenly a group of demi-humans stormed in. Most were dressed in rags, but among them were several vicious-looking warriors who subdued them with ease.

“What do we do?” A maid wept helplessly.

“Those demi-humans escaped. They’ve gone insane. Instead of behaving as slaves, they dared to rebel.”

“Quiet! I’m thinking!” Agim roared. “As long as someone informs the guards in Wind Orchid City, Moan will come save us!”

“But this place is in the middle of nowhere. Who would pass by?”

“We’ll starve to death before anyone finds us!”

“Damn it, I’m tied up so tight—I need Moon Sugar!”

A few addicts shrieked hysterically.

Bang!

The door was kicked open. Reeking of alcohol, Silver Claw strode in with two equally drunk cavalrymen.

“Haha—hic—you humans finally fell into my hands.”

Kai sneered and stepped forward slowly. With a false smile, he raised an eyebrow at a male servant. The man trembled violently; the stench of urine quickly spread from his trousers.

Kai then turned to a maid, grinning maliciously.

She forced a coquettish smile. “As long as you don’t kill me, I’ll do anything.”

“What are you thinking? Shameless human.”

Kai rolled his eyes and tugged at her cheek twice. “Hm. Still fairly young.”

Burping, Kai waved dismissively, rejecting her outright. Then he walked over to the plump, fair-skinned butler.

This time, Kai’s smile turned satisfied. The scar on his face creased with it.

“This one’s nice. Full curves, pale and tender.” He licked his lips, his greedy gaze roaming up and down, looking utterly perverse.

“What the hell—”

He actually likes that type?

Everyone was stunned, looking at the butler with newfound sympathy—and a strange expression.

The plump butler gritted his teeth and forced a bashful expression, wriggling his body and striking a seductive pose. If it meant staying alive, sacrificing his looks was nothing.

A snort shattered his illusion.

“Tie him up in the kitchen. Starve him for two days. Once everything in his belly’s cleared out, skin him alive. I want to eat his heart and liver raw.” Kai patted the fat on his stomach with a chilling grin, practically drooling.

That drove everyone nearly insane. So after all that choosing and inspecting—he had been picking someone to eat.

Agim shouted desperately, “My lord! I have plenty of ways to make money. I know many nobles—whatever you want, I can provide!”

Kai didn’t even look at him. He and his companions grabbed the fat butler.

“No—Goddess above, please, I don’t taste good!”

The butler went pale, losing control of his bowels in sheer terror. He struggled frantically, but it was useless. The three men hauled him away, tied him up, and dumped him in the kitchen.

When Kai and the others staggered off, reeking of wine, the butler wailed for a while. No one came. Gradually, he began pitying himself. After clawing his way up to become a butler, with a bright future ahead, he was now going to be eaten. Eaten was one thing—skinned alive was beyond imagining.

By nightfall, he realized no one was watching him at all. Glancing around wildly, he spotted a cleaver in the corner.

After grinding the rope against the blade for a while, he felt a sudden looseness. The ropes dropped to the floor. Ecstasy flooded him.

He immediately climbed out the window. Relying on his familiarity with the mansion and the cover of the torrential rain, he slipped away, then broke into a full sprint, vanishing into the reeds.

All of it was seen by Phield.

The black crow sliced through the night sky and landed beside Ashina. She was sitting atop a pile of gold coins, counting them on her fingers.

“My lord, why let him go?” Ashina leaned forward, her wolf tail swaying, confusion in her eyes. “And during the assault on the mansion, you didn’t let me and the main force take part. You must have had a reason.”

“Yes. I did.” Phield replied calmly. “That butler, if he wants to keep living his comfortable life, will certainly run to Wind Orchid City and report this. He’ll beg them to rescue his master.”

“Mmm…” Ashina nodded thoughtfully.

“From beginning to end, we haven’t displayed overwhelming strength. The demi-humans we’ve incorporated look like nothing more than a rabble. Wind Orchid City’s forces won’t fear us.”

“Oh!” Ashina’s eyes lit up. “So Wind Orchid City is very likely to send troops. First, to protect their territory—it’s their duty. Second, their advisor Moan will be extremely concerned about his Moon Sugar profits.”

“Exactly. Then we wait here for Wind Orchid City’s army to deliver itself to us.”

“And if they send few, we annihilate them. If they send many, we take a bite out of them anyway. Either way, we don’t lose.”

They had limited numbers. Launching a direct assault on Wind Orchid City was impossible. But eliminating part of their mobile forces—that was very feasible.

Phield had considered using Agim to blackmail Moan, but that didn’t fit the “enslaved demi-human” image. It would arouse suspicion. Demi-humans were generally seen as simple-minded—not cunning and ruthless.

“Then I should have the demi-humans begin constructing defenses at once.” Ashina tossed aside the gold coins and hurried to make arrangements.

Phield smiled. “No rush. Follow my plan.”

…

The first thing the fat butler did after escaping was pull every string he could to secure a fast horse, then gallop toward Wind Orchid City at full speed.

Wind Orchid City was already under heightened security. The recent string of raids and massacres had thrown the populace into panic.

Several remaining advisors, retainers, and knights were at their wits’ end.

“What do you make of these recent killings?” one advisor asked, standing by a table spread with a map of Wind Orchid City. More than a dozen small red flags were pinned into it. “The attacks are almost random. No survivors. Even third-tier knights haven’t been spared. And at every site, there are piles of severed heads stacked up. If not for the fact that all valuables were looted, I’d think it was demons.”

“They are demons from hell. I’ve seen the scenes myself. The position of every corpse—it’s as if the attackers knew exactly where they would stand. As if someone was watching from the sky. Even those hiding couldn’t escape pursuit. They’re omniscient!”

A chill ran through the room.

“We stick to the previous strategy. Wait for the baron and the Divine Chosen to return before taking action. All of Wind Orchid City’s strongest forces are deployed in the war zone,” the chief knight said gravely. “For now, guarding the city and key facilities is our top priority.”

“Have we contacted my lord?”

“Messengers have been sent. It’s not easy to locate someone on the battlefield.”

Silence fell.

“Report! A man claiming to be a butler seeks an audience with Lord Moan. Says it’s urgent.”

Moan frowned and went to see the butler. Less than five minutes later, he hurried back, his voice low and tense.

“A manor near Goat Hoof Village has been attacked by demi-humans. I demand immediate deployment of troops.”

“Demi-humans?” Some were bewildered, even amused. “Those useless creatures attacking humans? A village militia can drive them off.”

“They’re escaped demi-human slaves. Raggedly dressed. Fewer than a hundred, according to reports. Likely they killed a slave-catching party and rebelled. A survivor confirms they have cannibalistic tendencies. If left unchecked, they’re dangerous.”

“This is not the time to divert troops to suppress demi-humans.” The chief knight shook his head. “Nearby garrisons or local knights will deal with them.”

“Have demons frightened you all into cowardice?” Moan narrowed his eyes, idly twisting a ring on his finger. “If my lord learns that we didn’t dare suppress even a demi-human slave revolt, how do you think he’ll punish us?”

Agim had to be dealt with—not out of friendship, but profit and self-preservation. Their transactions were meticulously recorded in Agim’s ledgers. And Agim was ruthless; they held leverage over each other.

If anyone else wiped out the demi-humans first and discovered that evidence, it would be over.

Blackmail. Accusation. Threats. He wanted none of it.

The others fell silent, unwilling to provoke the baron’s favored retainer. Adrian Baron was indeed notoriously brutal.

“Give me two hundred infantry. Have third-tier knight Unova lead fifty light cavalry to accompany me. We depart at once. Suppress them today. Return the day after. There’s nothing to worry about.”

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