Chapter 244 Chapter244-The Assassin
Howard was acutely aware of the undercurrents swirling in this complex web of power.
The death of a mercenary group leader like Kellman barely causing a ripple was telling.
It suggested someone was suppressing information about Kellman's death, even managing to leave no trace behind.
Now, Howard even worried that whoever was behind the attack on Kellman might target him, especially since he was investigating the incident.
That was a distinct possibility.
The reason they hadn't acted yet was likely due to fear of Chris's strength.
After much deliberation, Howard increasingly felt that staying in Holy Light City was untenable.
His involvement in Sedge's death and the possibility of the fleeing mercenary leaking information posed a deadly risk.
That very night, the trio decided to leave the city.
With Chris's presence, Howard wasn't concerned about encountering Night Demons; ordinary ones no longer posed a threat to them.
They left the city and hurried to the inn that belonged to Kaedwyn.
Upon seeing Howard and the others return, the old man, fearing a final reckoning, was extremely nervous.
He pleaded with Howard, "Kaedwyn is already dead, there's no need for further bloodshed."
Howard smiled, reassuring the old man that he was worrying unnecessarily.
"Please arrange some rooms for us. Also, I'd like to know where Kaedwyn's former subordinates are now."
Kaedwyn's forces had nearly a thousand members.
Such a large organization wouldn't just dissolve with Kaedwyn's death.
Despite losing Sedge's protection, they remained a force to be reckoned with.
The empire wouldn't dare provoke them lightly under the current circumstances.
If Howard could find a way to rally this power, he would no longer need to fear the forces within the city.
When Howard posed his question, the old man immediately guessed his intention.
The old man's expression grew serious as he led Howard into a private room.
"I know you're no ordinary man, but you should abandon the idea of rallying Kaedwyn's subordinates. The situation is entirely different from what you might think," he advised Howard sincerely, not seeming to lie.
Howard was taken aback.
Logically, with Kaedwyn dead and their leader gone, offering them substantial benefits should make rallying them possible.
What did he mean the situation was entirely different from his expectations?
"Who is their current leader?" Howard asked.
Apart from Kaedwyn, was there someone else capable of uniting them?
The old man sighed and shook his head, "His name is Phileste, once Kaedwyn's archenemy. He hasn't been seen for many years, and if you had acted two days ago with a lucrative offer, it might have been possible, but now..."
"Phileste?" Howard mulled over the name, which sounded vaguely familiar.
He seemed to recall hearing it mentioned in the city.
After a moment, he remembered.
Phileste was a notorious bandit, even more infamous than Kaedwyn, known for his ruthlessness.
He was once part of the Black Hawk Mercenaries and served as their deputy leader.
Following a fallout with Kaedwyn, Phileste was expelled but had held high prestige within the Black Hawk Mercenaries and was no less capable than Kaedwyn.
Howard's heart clenched at the thought.
If it were Phileste, it was indeed possible for him to have effortlessly taken control of Kaedwyn's former subordinates.
Just when he thought he had dealt with Kaedwyn, Phileste emerged, complicating matters further.
Howard looked at the old man and asked, "Is it possible to arrange a meeting with Phileste?"
He believed that since Phileste had only returned recently, if he were eliminated, Howard might have another opportunity.
This plan wasn't solely for his benefit but also to eradicate the bandit threat outside Holy Light City, preventing further harm to the people.
The old man clearly understood the benefits of such a move, but he remained pessimistic, mainly due to a lack of hope.
"The reason you could easily kill Kaedwyn was his momentary carelessness and lack of preparation. But Phileste is different," he cautioned.
"He is much more cunning, and his strength is even greater than Kaedwyn's. The only reason he was the deputy leader of the Black Hawk Mercenaries is that Kaedwyn was more charismatic. Now that Kaedwyn is gone, everyone has no choice but to follow him. The tactics you used on Kaedwyn won't work on him; he already knows about your assassination of Sedge and has been on high alert since taking power."
Howard's brow furrowed.
"High alert?"
"I have no quarrel with him, and logically, he should even be thankful to me for getting rid of Kaedwyn. Without me, he wouldn't have been able to take over Kaedwyn's men so easily," Howard argued.
The old man shook his head again, explaining, "But now, among his men, there are those who were loyal to Kaedwyn. If Phileste wants to establish his authority quickly, he needs to avenge Kaedwyn. I heard he has already sent people into the city to kill Kellman."
Howard stood up, agitated.
"What, Kellman was killed by him?"
Initially, Howard hesitated about whether to eliminate Phileste, considering it an excessively risky move.
If Phileste was as formidable an opponent as the old man described, Howard preferred not to confront him unless absolutely necessary.
However, upon learning that Kellman's death was at Phileste's hands, Howard's decision became resolute.
Phileste had to die.
He had promised Kellman he would avenge him.
Even without this promise, Howard would not let Phileste live.
Merely out of gratitude for Kellman's past aid, Howard had reason enough to kill Phileste.
Seeing the change in Howard's demeanor, the old man furrowed his brows, realizing his mistake in mentioning Phileste's involvement in Kellman's death.
He shouldn't have brought it up, fearing now that an unavoidable conflict loomed.
Although Howard had killed his son, the old man didn't despise Howard; in fact, he hoped Howard would survive.
After a moment, Howard calmed down and sat back down.
He asked, puzzled, "If Kellman's death was at the hands of Phileste, why couldn't I find any clues?"
Howard had sent Chris to investigate.
Given Chris's exceptional capabilities, it was perplexing that after several days of continuous investigation, there was no result.
Suddenly, Howard's eyes widened.
Could it be...
An unwelcome realization dawned on him.
Phileste must have established cooperation with a significant figure in Holy Light City, someone of much higher standing than Sedge.
Only such a scenario could explain how information about the assassin was perfectly concealed.
If this was true, Howard was about to face a far more dangerous situation than before.
His new adversary would be much stronger than Kaedwyn and Sedge.
"You must have guessed by now," the old man said, looking at Howard with an expression that seemed to urge him to give up.
'I advise you to leave this place of trouble and abandon thoughts of revenge.'
"Thank you for the warning," Howard said, bowing respectfully.
If it weren't for the old man's advice, he might have blindly sought out Kaedwyn's subordinates, which would have undoubtedly led to a fatal outcome, endangering both Tina and Chris.
For the time being, Howard decided not to take action, realizing he lacked the strength to oppose both Phileste and the significant figures of Holy Light City.
To avenge Kellman, what he needed most was to stay calm.
A temporary retreat didn't mean Howard was conceding.
Only by ensuring his own safety first could he hope for an opportunity.
After saying goodbye, Howard discussed with Chris and Tina and decided to leave Holy Light City temporarily.
Howard sent Chris back to the city alone to hire some people to pose as a trading caravan.
This was because Howard needed to take the treasures acquired from Kaedwyn with them, and disguising as a merchant caravan was the best way to do this.
The hired individuals were ordinary people, so there was no need to worry about them turning against him upon discovering the secret of the treasures.
Once the preparations were complete, Chris led a group of about twenty or thirty people out of the city.
These were civilians from Holy Light City, eager to earn a substantial amount by participating in the trade mission, making it easy for Chris to recruit enough hands.
They set off, with these people driving the carts laden with treasures, embarking on their journey.
Holy Light City no longer offered room for Howard's development, compelling him to seek growth elsewhere.
Chris suggested heading to Tarl City, not far away.
While it lacked the bustle of Holy Light City, it met Howard's current needs.
Most importantly, Howard needed to quickly sell the treasures in his possession; transporting them by cart was too conspicuous.
Once in Tarl City, Howard wouldn't need to be as cautious as he had been in Holy Light City, allowing for bolder actions.
This was because Tarl City, a small frontier town, couldn't compare in power to Holy Light City.
Although it had a significant population, it was quite impoverished.
However, the nobles of Tarl City possessed considerable wealth and could likely absorb the goods Howard needed to sell.
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