Chapter 1096: Chapter 78: Inexplicable Human Sentiments
Yan Shi’s heart skipped a beat, thinking, "They’re here so quickly!" For the first time, he felt some fondness for the steward. Smiling, he said, "We aren’t afraid of an inspection; it’s just a bit of a hassle. Thank you for the notification. This is for you." Finishing his words, he reached into his bosom and tossed two amethyst coins to the steward.
The steward’s face immediately lit up with a smile, and the unpleasant expression disappeared completely. In a low voice, he said, "Don’t worry, sir; our boss has a very strong backing. In Sunset City, who doesn’t know of the Tongxin Inn’s reputation? I believe those soldiers wouldn’t dare to mess around. When they come here for the inspection, I will make sure to look after you particularly. Anyone who can stay here has their secrets, which naturally shouldn’t be known to those soldiers. As long as you give those poor devils a little incentive, they should not trouble you."
Hearing the steward’s words, Yan Shi felt somewhat relieved. He took out a bank card from his bosom and handed it over, saying, "Right! Dealing with officials is the last thing we want. Help me withdraw a thousand Gold Coins; I know what to do when those soldiers come. If they don’t search our room, I’ll give you something extra. I’m never stingy with friends."
Upon hearing Yan Shi’s words, the steward’s eyes gleamed. He took the bank card and scurried out with excitement. Yan Shi quickly gathered Ah Dai, Zhuo Yun, and Xing Er from the other two rooms.
"Miss Zhuo Yun, Princess Xing Er, you must be careful when those people come to search. Don’t reveal your identities, or it will be very difficult for us to escape Sunrise City. Ah Dai, if the soldiers discover Princess Xing Er and Miss Zhuo Yun’s Elf heritage, you need to take action immediately. We will have to kill everyone who comes in and then find a way to leave Sunset City as soon as possible."
Just as the steward had said, in a short while, dozens of fully-armed soldiers entered the VIP floor, searching each room without letup. When they reached the room where Ah Dai and his companions were staying, Yan Shi hurriedly handed over the prepared Gold Coins. Although the captain of the soldiers pocketed the Gold Coins, he still made sure to confirm their numbers before leaving. Of course, in light of the money, they did not search their possessions. The group only relaxed after the soldiers had gone.
Ah Dai watched from the window as the soldiers left before letting out a sigh of relief, and said, "It looks like we’ll have to stay here for a while. I wonder how long the lockdown of Sunset City will last." This wait lasted a month. Unbeknownst to them, this month not only helped them avoid the Empire of Sunset City’s searches but also the pursuit by the Assassin’s Guild to eliminate nineteen individuals.
Mie Yijiu arrived at Sunset City two days after the attack on The Imperial Palace of the Sunset Empire. After gaining some information from the city guards, Mie Yi felt that the attack on The Imperial Palace of the Sunset Empire must have been the deed of Ah Dai and his companions. Given that two days had passed, they must have already left. Furthermore, the tight security of Sunset City prevented them from obtaining any concrete information. After waiting outside for ten days, they finally left Sunset City and reported back to the head of the Assassin’s Guild.
Upon receiving the news, the Guild head found the situation strange and ordered Mie Yi and others to return to headquarters to reevaluate the situation before deciding on the next step. In the past year and more, the darkness within the noble society of the Empire had been greatly disturbed by Ah Dai and his companions, affecting all Dark Forces to varying extents. Now, the business of the Assassin’s Guild had become much less active than before. The most pressing matter was to kill Ah Dai, and it had to be a lethal blow. By waiting for the perfect opportunity, they aimed to kill the so-called Grim Reaper, which would surely elevate the Assassin’s Guild’s reputation to unprecedented heights. After a month, the lockdown of Sunset City was finally lifted.
Carefully waiting another three days, the group of five eventually left the Tongxin Inn. By then, they had spent as much as one hundred thousand Gold Coins.
Although the lockdown of Sunset City had been lifted, the guards at the gates remained incredibly strict. Approaching the city gates and observing the hundreds of soldiers incessantly inspecting passers-by, they couldn’t help but halt their steps. After watching for a while, they were surprised to find that these soldiers could not be bribed. Regardless of who it was, anyone entering or leaving Sunset City was subject to rigorous screening, including the nobles themselves.
In a quiet voice, Ah Dai said to Yan Shi, "Big Brother, what do we do now? We can’t wait any longer. Princess Xing Er’s Bloodline of the Elf King is weakening day by day. If we wait much longer, I’m afraid she won’t hold on."
While in the Royal Palace of the Empire of Sunset City, Xing Er’s abilities of the Bloodline of the Elf King had been greatly diminished due to Byinlog’s magic probing, contrary to what the Elf Queen had said about lasting three years. Since discovering this issue, their initially calm demeanor had become tense, and they had spent the past few days considering ways to leave.
Yan Li said firmly, "If it comes to it, we’ll just have to break out. I don’t believe these soldiers can stop us; as long as we get away from here, they surely won’t be able to catch up."
Yan Shi shook his head and replied, "No, we can’t resort to force unless absolutely necessary. Right now, it’s not just The Empire after us, but also the Assassin’s Guild, lurking in the shadows, watching us like a hawk. If we force our way out, our identities will certainly be exposed, and we will become the target of all. Sunset City is at the very western edge of the continent, with a long journey ahead to the eastern border of The Empire. If we reveal our identities, we will face even more difficulties. Ah Dai, do you have any good ideas?"
