Chapter 549: Culprit of Stealing Away the Cub (One)
Chapter 549: Culprit of Stealing Away the Cub (One)
Jian Chen’s face grew progressively darker and more malicious as he whirled into a different direction. He then lead the group toward the city lord’s mansion.
The group was confused by Jian Chen’s sudden transformation. None of them were able to tell just what could happen to make Jian Chen act as such.
Despite their befuddlement, the look on Jian Chen’s face was enough to make them silent and follow from behind.
The mansion of the city lord was located at the center of Wake City, so Jian Chen rode his magical beast mount through the streets to his destination much to the curious but envious eyes of every spectator around. In the small city that was Wake City, a Class 3 Magical Beast mount was an extremely rare sight to behold and could hardly be seen at all. Seven of them appearing at once was a very eye-catching sight for every person on the streets. It called for many mercenaries to begin to talk to themselves.
“Look at those youths riding on top of the magical beast mounts, and look at their rich-looking clothes! These men have to be the young children of some sort of powerful family.”
“Look! Look how pretty that female in the middle is, she’s practically a fairy! I swear on my wretched life that she has to be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I can barely even breath!”
“Eh? Aren’t those four the heads of the Flame Mercenaries standing right behind them? Strange, why do they look like they’re servants for that group?”
“I’ve heard that the captain of the Flame Mercenaries came back out of the blue last night. Could the men on top of the magical beast mounts be related to the captain?”
“I’ve heard that the captain is very strong, especially at his age. Wouldn’t that person leading the front up there be him?”
“I think I heard someone say earlier today that the One-armed Warrior of the Defiance Mercenaries was crippled by the captain. All of the remaining experts of the Defiance Mercenaries were killed and the group was dissolved. I wonder if that rumor is true…”
As Jian Chen and his group traversed the streets, everyone turned to look and chatter among themselves about this phenomenon in front of them. However, Jian Chen turned a deaf ear to their words and didn’t bother to pay attention to them at all.
Soon, the group arrived at the city lord’s mansion where Kai Er immediately strode forward to negotiate with the guards at the gates. “The captain of the Flame Mercenaries has come to pay a visit. Please notify the city lord!”
The Flame Mercenaries were very well known throughout Wake City, so when the guard heard that the captain had come to pay a visit, he didn’t dare to neglect his duties. He immediately went off to report to the city lord.
When Yun Li had received news that Jian Chen was here, he immediately threw whatever item he had down and went out to receive him. After several words of greeting, Jian Chen and Yun Li both walked into the greater halls.
“Brother Jian Chen, I didn’t think that you would come to the mansion in person. What an honor it is to receive you in my home.” Yun Li laughed with happiness.
The dark expression on Jian Chen’s face was nowhere to be seen since his arrival. Smiling in reply, he said, “When you visit a temple, you visit with a reason. Here I am today with the hope that the city lord will be able to help me with something.”
“Hahahaha, brother Jian Chen, you are far too polite. Whatever it is you need assistance with, I will do my best to assist. There is no need for this politeness.” Yun Li laughed.
Pausing for a moment, Jian Chen replied, “City lord, my Flame Mercenaries were once in possession of a Class 5 Magical Beast cub before, but it was unfortunately stolen from a thief one night. Not only did he kill a senior figure of my group, the Flame Mercenaries had spent a tremendous amount of time and energy to find the culprit to no avail. This, this one hopes that the city lord will help assist our Flame Mercenaries to bring this assassin to light!”
“That’ll be no problem at all! Rest assured, brother Jian Chen. I will dispatch my men straight away to search the city to help find this assailant to bring them to justice.” Yun Li waved his hand without hesitation to help coordinate with Jian Chen.
“Then I’ll be troubling you with this task.” Jian Chen cupped his hands with a smile.
Yun Li laughed, “It’ll be no trouble. It’s a small matter to me. Brother Jian Chen, I am twenty or so years older than you. If you don’t mind, please just think of me as your brother. In the future, should you ever have any need for this older brother, please allow me to help you.”
Kai Er, Qingfeng, Mo Tian, and Charcas snorted to themselves in secret as they gave disdainful glares at Yun Li behind Jian Chen’s back.
They didn’t know what level of strength Jian Chen was now, but if Jian Chen was capable of being able to give out a Heaven Tier Battle Skill, then his strength definitely couldn’t be belittled. Seated at such a high level of power, a small city ruler like Yun Li was in a completely different field of influence than Jian Chen.
“City lord, let us talk about that after we find the culprit responsible. With that assailant being the one responsible for killing a senior figure of the Flame Mercenaries, I swear on my name of Jian Chen that I won’t let them go unpunished. Right now I only wish to dedicate myself to finding that man.” Jian Chen’s words were tantamount to a refusal of what Yun Li had asked.
Yun Li had remained unruffled despite the refusal Jian Chen handed out. “If brother Jian Chen wishes to find that assailant, then your older brother will naturally help you. As long as it is within Wake City, there is nothing your older brother cannot resolve.” He smiled. Waving for several of his soldiers, Yun Li commanded them with a serious expression, “Go and notify commander Duo Li. Have him lead a detachment of troops through the city and check the experts hidden throughout the city.”
“This servant will do as instructed!’ The soldier replied before retreating.
“One moment!” Jian Chen suddenly called out. “City lord, there is no need for such an inconvenient way of searching for the culprit. That unknown expert has most likely changed his face so we wouldn’t know what to look for. However, there is a definite method to find them. The Class 5 Magical Beast cub is still with them, so we just need to focus our efforts on finding the cub. This way our goal will be much easier.”
“That’s right, absolutely right!” Yun Li completely agreed. “As expected from the intelligent Jian Chen! What quick-witted thinking. This way, our troubles will be lessened. After stealing a Class 5 Magical Beast, there would be no way that the culprit would let it escape his control so easily. As long as we find the Class 5 Magical Beast cub, then we will find the culprit with it.”
“It is as the city lord says. As long as we find the cub, we will find the assailant that dared strike at my Flame Mercenaries and kill a senior figure. Furthermore, the city lord’s information network is quite effective, would you happen to have information of what happened with the cub in the few days after it was stolen from my Flame Mercenaries?” Jian Chen’s eyes attentively stared down Yun Li as he questioned.
Yun Li’s expression remained unchanged. Letting out a sigh, he replied, “Brother Jian Chen, you overestimate your older brother’s spy network. It isn’t able to delve too deeply into anything, and for something like the Class 5 Magical Beast cub, this older brother knows nothing about it. Perhaps the thief has already left Wake City?”
“Left Wake City, is that true?” Jian Chen muttered with a glint of ice flashing through his eyes. “Everyone, with me!” Without informing Yun Li, Jian Chen began to leave the halls.
Yun Li’s face faltered slightly after seeing the retreating back of Jian Chen. Quickly recovering, he chased after him with cordial urging, “Brother Jian Chen, why leave so soon? Come and sit for a while. Your older brother will have some of my men prepare a feast to welcome your victorious return from Mercenary City.”
“Who said I was leaving? I only wished to turn around. Lord Yun Li, if you don’t mind, please accompany us!” Jian Chen spoke, but this time, his voice was considerably more frigid than before.
“Haha, then allow your older brother to be your guide around here. The flower garden is this way, why not take a seat there?” Yun Li began to pull Jian Chen’s arm in the direction of the flower garden.
Jian Chen shook his arm to force away Yun Li’s palm. “Who said I wished to go to the flower garden? Lord Yun Li, you should follow us quietly.” Jian Chen didn’t even spare him a glance as he spoke to him with an even colder tone. He walked to the second story of the building.
Troubled by the sudden change in the tone of Jian Chen’s words, Yun Li was further shocked to realize just where Jian Chen was walking. Hurriedly running after him, Yun Li said, “Brother Jian Chen, that is my resting room. Why are you going there?”
This time, Jian Chen did not pay attention to Yun Li. Yun Li had originally wanted to stop Jian Chen from walking into his personal chamber, but how could Jian Chen be stopped by someone like him?
The smile that had been on Yun Li’s face had finally disappeared now that he was exasperated with Jian Chen’s actions. Staring hard at Jian Chen, he said with a low voice, “Jian Chen, just what are you doing? Explain your actions.”
“You’ll find out in a moment.” Jian Chen laughed. They had by now reached his resting rooms. Jian Chen then kicked down the door to walk in.
Blanching, Yun Li immediately strode forward to stop Jian Chen, “Jian Chen! What is the meaning of this!? This is the home of the city lord, for what reason could you have to act as you please here!?”
A cold sneer appeared on Jian Chen’s face as he stretched out his arm. With a single swipe, the energy of the world quickly gathered in his palm, and slammed into the ground before Yun Li could react.
A single explosion could be heard as the entire building creaked from the boom. Dust flew into the air and obstructed everyone’s vision.
Following a gust of wind that blew away the dust in the air, everyone could see the entire room without trouble. In the ground at the center of the room, there was a pitch-dark hole leading down.
Seeing this entrance, Yun Li’s face seemed to be stricken with fear, and his body went slack.
Jian Chen’s icy stare made its way to Yun Li before snorting, “Kai Er, Qingfeng, Charcas, Mo Tian. You four go in!”
“Yes!” The four replied before leaping into the cellar below.
Several moments later, the four reappeared from the hole with extremely serious expressions. In Qingfeng’s hand was a cubic meter cage where a little cub with golden fur, not even half a meter long, could be seen. From within its cage, the cub’s eyes roamed timidly over everyone while it cowered in a corner.