Chapter 245 Chapter245-Ambush and Assassination
For Howard, another advantage of Tarl City was its distance from the empire's power center, offering a degree of separation from the intricate political machinations he sought to avoid.
In Tarl City, the influence of the empire was weak, with even the Empire Knights Order lacking a garrison there.
This meant Howard could disregard the empire's prohibition on recruiting private soldiers, fulfilling Kellman's last wish and keeping his own promise to rebuild the Frostwolf Mercenaries.
Despite some risks, it was worth a try.
With the empire's limited military presence in the area, Chris's strength alone could give Howard confidence.
The journey to Tarl City required three days of travel, with the group taking less-traveled paths and setting out at night.
Traveling in the dark terrified the hired civilians, especially after encountering their first Night Demon, leaving some in a state of panic.
It wasn't until Chris effortlessly killed a Night Demon with her bare hands that they felt reassured, realizing they had a formidable warrior among them.
One burly man in the group looked suspiciously at the five heavily-laden carts.
The slow pace indicated the cargo's weight, sparking his curiosity about its contents.
He wondered if it could be metal goods since Chris had previously mentioned they were transporting food, which wouldn't account for such weight.
However, he didn't dare harbor any ill intentions, considering the generous payment promised for safely reaching Tarl City - a gold coin each, an amount he might not earn even after a year of hard work.
Upon daybreak, Howard allowed a brief rest.
The ample food supply for the caravan boosted everyone's spirits, with some even declaring their willingness to serve Howard indefinitely.
These individuals were not particularly strong, and Howard didn't show much interest.
However, Chris suggested that they could be useful for logistical support in the future.
Howard expressed his desire to observe these people for a while to ascertain their reliability before making any decisions.
Surprisingly, Chris suggested they could test their loyalty by deliberately letting them discover the treasure in the convoy.
Both Howard and Tina were taken aback by this suggestion, not expecting the seemingly straightforward Chris to come up with such a cunning plan.
This method would indeed filter out the trustworthy individuals, but they wondered how many would remain in the end.
It was possible that not a single person would withstand the temptation of the treasure.
After all, even mercenaries could go mad over such wealth, let alone these common folks.
Tempting human nature could be risky.
Nevertheless, Howard was intrigued and decided to give it a try upon reaching Tarl City.
He chose to wait until then because he still needed these people for the journey.
After a short rest, the caravan set off again.
The thirty-person group easily attracted attention, and they encountered bandits soon after leaving Holy Light City.
However, all attackers were defeated by Chris.
The journey was smooth until the early hours of the second day.
During a rest, they were discovered by a mercenary band of about two to three hundred members.
Tina, upon seeing them, expressed surprise to Howard, "They are the Black Hawk Mercenaries?"
"Black Hawk Mercenaries? The same ones from Kaedwyn's time?"
Howard looked at the approaching group as if he had seen a ghost.
His mind raced, trying to piece together what was happening.
The Black Hawk Mercenaries had long since become mere bandits and raiders, with their remnants supposedly near Holy Light City.
Why were they here, so far from their usual territory?
Seeing Howard's confusion, a young man stepped out from the ranks of the Black Hawk Mercenaries.
He glanced at Howard's caravan and eventually fixed his gaze on Howard, his lips curling into an enigmatic smile.
"So you're Howard?" he asked.
"And you are?" Howard replied, maintaining composure despite the anxiety evident among his convoy at the sight of the hundreds of fully-armed mercenaries.
"I am Phileste," the man announced.
"Phileste!" Howard's pupils constricted in realization.
He understood he had been deceived.
He had been too careless.
If Phileste was indeed in cahoots with a powerful figure in Holy Light City, as Howard had previously suspected, then their every move in the city must have been under surveillance.
From the moment they left the city, Howard had been a target.
In reality, if Phileste could kill Kellman, he certainly had the capability to kill Howard as well.
Yet he hadn't, and Howard pondered his motives.
It must be for Kaedwyn's treasure!
To obtain the wealth Howard held from Kaedwyn, brute force wouldn't suffice, so he had employed this stratagem, forcing Howard to relocate, and then ambushing them when they were most vulnerable.
This way, Phileste could secure Kaedwyn's legacy while eliminating Howard to solidify his control over the troops.
Howard couldn't help but inwardly admire such a cunning plan.
"Now, Howard, hand over the goods, and I can grant you a swift death," Phileste said, revealing his deep scheming nature, having thoroughly investigated Howard.
Howard even suspected that during his time in the city, he had been constantly watched by Phileste's spies.
Chris whispered to Howard, "There's no chance of winning this fight. Maybe we should..."
Her words trailed off, but Howard understood her meaning.
Compared to their lives, the treasures were less significant.
However, Howard had his plans.
A confident smile played on Howard's lips, assuring Chris and Tina that he was not unprepared for this confrontation.
Tina, recalling their past experiences and Howard's usual cautiousness, wondered why he had taken such a risky step this time.
Could it be that the ambush by the Black Hawk Mercenaries was part of his expectation?
But another question loomed - even if Howard had anticipated this situation, how would he respond?
Given the current strength of their convoy, apart from Chris, the rest hardly possessed any combat ability and would not risk their lives for Howard.
In a fight, they would likely surrender immediately.
Such strength was no match for Phileste.
Breaking the tension, Howard called out to the trembling crowd behind the convoy, "Come out, Kariov!"
Phileste's expression tightened.
At the mention of the name Kariov, he and his Black Hawk Mercenaries flinched.
After ascending to power, Phileste had disdained the life of a bandit and reestablished the Black Hawk Mercenaries, preparing for grander exploits.
But now, hearing the name 'Kariov', they regretted their actions.
Could it really be that Kariov? The very same Kariov they knew?
The atmosphere became thick with suspense and uncertainty.
"Kariov… could it really be him?" Tina exclaimed in surprise.
Chris, too, was lost in thought, aware of every move Howard made.
When had he made contact with Kariov?
Moreover, hadn't Kariov left Holy Light City three days ago?
How could he possibly be in Howard's convoy now?
"Kariov, the mightiest warrior of the empire," Phileste said, his expression extremely serious.
Given Howard's cunning and the financial resources at his disposal, hiring the avaricious Kariov wasn't impossible.
Could it be that Kariov's sudden departure from Holy Light City three days ago was because of Howard?
Cold sweat broke out on Phileste's forehead.
The physique of the figure emerging from the convoy...
it did resemble Kariov.
He immediately ordered a retreat, "Withdraw, quickly!"
Kariov was rumored to be a powerful warrior capable of taking on a thousand enemies single-handedly.
Phileste knew he stood no chance against such strength.
Though he was reluctant, he realized he had lost this battle and could not turn the tide.
He had not anticipated Howard being so well-prepared.
As the Black Hawk Mercenaries retreated, everyone looked at Howard with a mix of surprise and admiration, especially Tina and Chris.
Howard had anticipated everything.
What they didn't know was that while Howard had indeed foreseen this scenario, he hadn't actually hired the real Kariov.
The figure in the convoy was an imposter, someone Howard had found in the slums.
After being fed a hearty meal, the man had become wholeheartedly devoted to Howard, agreeing to stay hidden in the convoy and to impersonate Kariov, the formidable warrior, when needed.
This strategy was incredibly risky, and Howard had resorted to it out of sheer necessity.
Fortunately, Phileste's suspicious nature played right into his hands.
It was a classic case of being too clever by half.
Had Phileste been less cautious, Howard's chances of survival would have been slim.
Originally, Howard did indeed intend to hire Kariov for the escort.
He had heard that Kariov was the empire's mightiest warrior, with combat skills equivalent to a thousand imperial knights, and known for his avarice.
As long as the price was right, Kariov was known to take on almost any job.
Despite his greed, Kariov was known for keeping his promises and never failing a mission he accepted.
With the wealth at Howard's disposal, hiring him would have been entirely feasible.
Unfortunately, by the time Howard went to seek him out, Kariov had already left the city, and they missed each other by a narrow margin.
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