"Hello, sir! Would you like to experience the speciality of Pushpam?" The sweet aroma of honey drifted towards Alex, enticing his senses, while a scrawny street vendor retrieved a glass jar from his bag. The jar contained a thick, viscous liquid.
As the street vendor shook the jar in front of Alex, the liquid slowly and gracefully swirled to one side.
"This is honey, gathered from the vast central plains. It is produced by a rare species of magical bees that can only be found here. If this is your first visit to our city, I highly recommend giving it a try," the vendor persisted, making a persuasive sales pitch upon noticing Alex's intrigue.
"Don't worry, sir. I can offer you a discount. You need only pay a single gold coin for the entire jar. It's an incredible deal if you make your purchase right now. I'm extending this special offer exclusively for you." The vendor said when he saw Alex stop.
His gaze swiftly fixated on the sizable money bag dangling from Alex's belt. Recognising Alex as a first-time visitor and perceiving his affluent appearance, the street vendor identified him as the prime target for the potential scam.
The honey he was selling was worthless, as it was merely a concoction of sugar syrup infused with a hint of flower essence to impart a golden yellow hue. A small amount of genuine honey was added to lend it a fragrance reminiscent of fresh honey.
By comparison, the slightly clouded glass jar itself held more worth than the actual liquid it contained. And he was trying to sell that worthless honey to Alex.
However, Alex saw through this deceptive ploy in an instant. Having recently visited the spice garden, he possessed a comprehensive understanding of market values, particularly when it came to Pushpam-honey.
Even the lowest quality of genuine Pushpam honey would command a price of around ten gold coins, while higher quality variations could range from a hundred to a thousand gold coins.
As Alex detected the vendor's fraudulent intentions, a silent chuckle escaped his lips. He couldn't help but find the situation rather amusing.
Little did the vendor know that the very reason Alex came to the market was to encounter this particular street vendor. Unexpectedly, before Alex even had the chance to seek him out, fate had brought the vendor right to his doorstep.
"It seems like you have ten jars with you. Can I buy it all?" Alex spoke fluently while fiddling with the small money bag tied to his waist.
"Of course, you can," responded the exultant street vendor, swiftly arranging the jars into a spacious and attractive satchel. "Sir, if you desire additional jars of honey, I can certainly acquire them for you," he added, eagerly anticipating an order for more honey.
"If fate permits, perhaps we shall meet again. And then, I can make another purchase from you. However, today, I am occupied," Alex replied, handing over ten gold coins to the street vendor. He chose not to haggle, fully aware that he was being deceived.
"Hm… If fate permits…" The vendor said.
While concealing his true intentions, the vendor smiled at Alex, though secretly harbouring the wish to never cross paths with him again. After all, once Alex discovered the extent of the deception, it was unlikely he would depart unscathed.
Efficiently gathering his now empty bag, the vendor hastily departed from the bustling market, skillfully navigating through the alleyways.
Unbeknownst to the vendor, Alex trailed closely behind him, adeptly concealing his mana. He moved with agility, discreetly shadowing the scammer through the convoluted twists and turns of the alleyways.
Based on the insights obtained during his visit to the spice garden, Alex had learned about a network of criminals operating within the city. This nefarious group dabbled in a wide range of illicit activities, ranging from simple scams to the abhorrent practices of kidnapping and slave trading. Their reputation was notorious, and their influence extended throughout the city, tightly gripping the underbelly of the city in their arms.
So, they were named appropriately the Spider Gang. Signifying that their webs were spread all across the city.
The scammer, Alex had met was just one link that could connect him to the spider gang. The real person Alex was after was not the scammer street vendor. It was the unknown leader of the spider gang.
The ledger Alex had obtained shed light on the deep ties between the Spider gang and the elder of the thousand-headed serpent tribe. So, there was no doubt in Alex's mind that they were working with the evil organisation.
Knowing that an entire gang would find it difficult to evade capture and go into hiding, Alex deduced that the criminals sought refuge within Pushpam City. This city is the closest location to Thira and the only place willing to harbour them due to their connections.
The leader of the spider was extremely reclusive, with his identity that has never been exposed. From what Alex could understand, he had deep relationships in the city that aided him in taking over the entire underground market of the city.
Through the street vendor, Alex was hoping to unravel the inner workings of the spider gang, find their leader's identity and if possible, destroy them from the ground up.
—-
Contrary to Alex's expectations, the street vendor's first destination wasn't to meet his superiors and share the ill-gotten profits of the scam. Instead, the vendor made his way to a dilapidated, single-room house located in the impoverished section of the city.
Curiosity piqued within Alex as he quietly observed from a safe distance, wondering about the purpose behind this unexpected visit and the nature of the connection between the street vendor and the humble abode.
He swiftly climbed atop the house, curiously peeking into the room. The roof was patched with wood leaving ample room for him to peek into it.
Inside the room, Alex's gaze fell upon a young child, no older than five, slumbering on a humble mat. A damp cloth rested gently upon the child's forehead, offering some relief from the fever that afflicted him. Beside the child was a b
The porridge in the bowl has already cooled down forming a thick paste. It was inedible anymore.
As Alex absorbed the harrowing sight before him, the gravity of the child's condition became starkly evident. Gasping for air and exhibiting signs of severe weakness, the child's condition tugged at Alex's heart. The child's complexion, pallid and lacking any trace of vitality, spoke of its dire state.
Caught in a moment of confusion and conflicting emotions, Alex found himself at a loss, unsure of how to respond or what course of action to take. He had anticipated encountering a despicable individual affiliated with the Spider gang, but instead, what he saw were a kind and caring father.
As soon as the street vendor entered the house, his attention immediately turned to his son, tenderly assessing the child's condition. Retrieving something from his pocket, he delicately mixed it with water before gently administering it to the child. Perhaps it was a form of pain relief medication, for the child's visage began to regain a hint of colour.
A transformation unfolded before Alex's eyes—the child's pained expression melted away, replaced by a joyful smile upon seeing his father's face. In this unexpected turn of events, Alex's perception of the street vendor shifted, leaving him grappling with a newfound understanding of the complexities underlying the lives of those involved in the city's underbelly.
Alex found himself grappling with a moral dilemma. Previously, he had firmly believed that scamming others was a deplorable act, one of the worst ways to make a living. However, witnessing the genuine care and love exhibited by the street vendor towards his sick child shifted Alex's perspective.
Despite being a victim of the scam himself, Alex no longer considered his monetary loss as a defeat. He felt it was worth it to be scammed by the street vendor.
The sight of the street vendor tending to his child's well-being struck a chord within him, creating a conflict between his pursuit of justice and the empathy he felt for the vulnerable family.
Deep within, Alex questioned whether he should involve the child and the father as pawns in his scheme to uncover the leader of the Spider gang. He recognised that his actions would undoubtedly have a detrimental impact on their lives. This realisation weighed heavily upon him, stirring a sense of guilt and remorse.
If only everything had gone according to his meticulously crafted plans, perhaps he wouldn't be grappling with such internal turmoil about exploiting a scammer as a pawn.
As he gazed at the family inside the house, he once again saw the forced smile of the child. Trying to convince his father that he was not in pain.
It dealt the final blow to Alex's resolve, causing him to abandon any intention of involving the father and child in his scheme. He couldn't bear to subject them to further harm or jeopardise their well-being.
However, not everyone came to the same compassionate decision.
In a matter of moments, a pair of intimidating, muscular men converged upon the rundown house. Their angry voices reverberated through the air as they confronted the street vendor with hostile intent.
A surge of concern coursed through Alex as he observed the unfolding scene.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺