Chapter 16

In the dark, deep alley, someone was crying out for help.

At the end of the alley, a small mountain of garbage and debris had been piled up, and the sound came from there. A few young men, armed with wooden sticks and iron bars, were viciously beating someone.

This was the Gottedan district, where such occurrences were normal, so no one paid attention to the man's cries for help, even if someone heard them.

The middle-aged man who had disappeared from the front of the alley arrived here. His steps were light, and the young men, focused on their beating, did not notice his approach. However, the man being beaten did.

"Save me—" The beaten man looked at the middle-aged man and with his last strength, he screamed.

The young thugs stopped their beating and turned their heads, noticing the middle-aged man.

Titch took a step forward, resting the iron bar on his shoulder, and with a defiant and disdainful tone, said, "You want to save him?"

He was their leader and naturally stepped forward to ask.

The middle-aged man shook his head, his voice low and hoarse, "I'm looking for you."

"Huh?" Titch leaned his head slightly, puzzled and confused, "What for?"

"Take me to see your boss."

"Ha ha ha—" Titch burst into laughter after a brief moment, and his companions joined in. "Who do you think you are? Want to see our boss? With what?"

The middle-aged man, with his ordinary face, pulled out a knife from his hand, "With this."

Seeing the knife in the middle-aged man's hand, Titch and his companions laughed even more wildly, and Titch couldn't stop the tears from streaming down his face because it was so funny.

"Are you sure that's a knife?" Titch said between laughs.

"Are you sure you want to try?" The middle-aged man lowered his head slightly, making it hard to see his expression.

"Hey—" Titch stopped laughing, put down his iron bar, and with a grin, said, "Looks like you want to die, and I can't stop you. I am—"

Titch didn't finish his sentence. The middle-aged man had already rushed forward, his speed was fast, and Titch's iron bar couldn't block in time. He was suddenly hit hard on the side of his body and slammed against the wall of the narrow alley.

It was a slap, not a slash or a stab. A slap indicated that the other party didn't want to kill him yet.

But his companions weren't so lucky. They were slashed or stabbed, and they died.

Titch's head was shaking at the base of the wall, dazed from the hit. His entire body was dizzy, and his vision and hearing were still blurry, but he could still see his companions being killed and hear their dying screams.

The beaten man collapsed on the ground, his already weakened body even more powerless. He saw the real killing, and even the blood of the dead man splattered onto his body and face.

"Maybe you'll take me to see your boss." The middle-aged man came to Titch, grabbed his hair, and lifted him up. His voice was low and calm, as if stating a fact.

Titch felt a sweetness in his throat and spat out a mouthful of blood, but it didn't hit the middle-aged man. His body was still injured, with significant internal injuries. Hearing the other man's words, he still resisted and struggled, "Our boss will kill you when he finds out about this."

"If you're dead, he won't know," the middle-aged man shook his head and said.

"At least that man knows," Titch's eyes glanced at the man who had collapsed on the ground not far away.

"Now he doesn't know." The middle-aged man threw the knife in his hand, and in an instant, it pierced the heart of the man on the ground. The man didn't even make a sound, dying mysteriously.

"You—" Titch truly felt fear.

"Take me to see your boss. He won't know how to avenge you, right?" The middle-aged man's voice was still low and calm.

"Fine! I hope you don't regret it!" Titch bared his teeth, filled with hatred and fear.

The middle-aged man let go of Titch's hair, pulled the knife out of the innocent man's chest, and looked at the man's eyes, which were dim, unwilling, and strange.

Human eyes are very mysterious; you can see many things in them, even in the eyes of the dead, as long as you can see and understand.

"Are you that cold-blooded?" Titch's body had recovered somewhat, and he stood unsteadily, looking at the middle-aged man as he pulled out the knife.

"You're the cold-blooded ones, not me." The middle-aged man didn't look at Titch but raised his head slightly because there was a moon tonight.

"Tch—" Titch was somewhat disdainful, thinking the man was justifying his actions.

"He was sick, a terminal illness, and you accelerated his death. I—" The middle-aged man turned his head to Titch and said, "helped him find peace."

"How do you know?" Titch's voice was somewhat surprised.

The beaten man had borrowed money from his boss to treat his illness. Now, he had no money to repay it. Although he had no money, he had a beautiful daughter who could pay off the debt. The man knew where his daughter was, but he refused to say, so they beat and interrogated him.

"Dead men's eyes don't lie." The middle-aged man looked at the dead man's eyes one last time, shook his head, and said, "Let's go. Take me to see your boss, and don't think too much."

Titch didn't dare to think too much because the knife in the other man's hand flashed and stabbed his eyes. He also didn't plan to think too much; he wanted revenge, for himself and his companions. He believed the boss would avenge them.

Bright, luxurious, and exquisite, this was a room in a house in the Gottedan district.

Anyone who could own such a residence in the Gottedan district was certainly extraordinary, and its owner was indeed extraordinary. It belonged to Andien, the most powerful person in the entire Gottedan district, but no one knew he was just someone's subordinate.

Andien sized up the man in front of him: rough black hemp clothing, a short knife, middle-aged, and down on his luck. Such an ordinary person didn't seem worth his time, no matter how he looked at him.

But he appeared in front of him because this man had killed his subordinates, and he had a purpose. Andien was somewhat interested.

"Killing my men makes it hard for me to explain to my boss," Andien leaned back on the soft sofa, holding a cup of fragrant tea, sniffing it, and sipping it slowly.

If Titch were here, he would have shouted loudly for revenge, but he wasn't here because he didn't have the right to enter.

"Take me to see Old Shaker. I have a business proposition," the middle-aged man got straight to the point, seemingly ignoring Andien's pursuit.

"Seems you know a lot," Andien put down his teacup, rubbed the large purple flame crystal ring on his thumb, and looked at the middle-aged man with a slight smile.

Those familiar with Andien's manner knew he was thinking of killing, and the two guards behind him were already prepared to act.

"Not much, not little," the middle-aged man said calmly.

"What kind of business?" Andien asked.

"Royal affairs."

It seemed he had heard something significant. Andien's hand, which was rubbing the ring, trembled slightly, though he quickly regained his composure. He knew the other man indeed had a deal, a big deal.

"I need to report to Old Shaker. Wait here."

Andien and his guards left the room without hesitation.

Not long after, a servant entered, bringing a message.

"My master has instructed me to take you to see the person, but on the condition that your eyes are blindfolded."

The middle-aged man didn't refuse. He knew the other party didn't want to be exposed, and to see him, he had to pay a price, a dangerous one.

His eyes were wrapped several times with a black cloth, tied tightly but not uncomfortably. It seemed the servant was used to tying people's eyes.

After an unknown amount of time and an unknown location, when the middle-aged man's blindfold was removed, he had arrived at his destination. He didn't see Old Shaker but heard his voice.

An empty, dim, and clean small room, with no one else present.

"I am Old Shaker."

A voice suddenly emerged in the room, old and authoritative. The room was empty except for him, a scene that was eerie, but the middle-aged man knew the other party was in another room, transmitting the voice through some means.

"I need something," the middle-aged man said directly, without any unnecessary actions.

"What do you need?"

"Royal intelligence."

"What kind of intelligence?"

"Current intelligence."

"What can you offer me?"

"What you want."

The conversation in the secret room suddenly paused. The middle-aged man remained calm, knowing the other party was thinking.

"Do you know what I want?" Old Shaker's voice appeared again suddenly.

"I do," the middle-aged man's tone was firm.

"What is it?" Old Shaker asked quickly.

"The king's life!"

The room fell silent again after the middle-aged man's words. After an unknown amount of time, the door suddenly opened, and a servant, the one who had blindfolded him, entered.

"My master has agreed to your deal. You can get the intelligence from Andien in three days."

The middle-aged man, who had been calm, couldn't help but smile at the servant's words. He had succeeded.

On the way back, the middle-aged man was still blindfolded. When the blindfold was removed, he found himself back in the room where he had spoken with Andien, as if nothing had happened.

"Seems you made a deal," Andien crossed his hands and smiled at him.

"Yes," the middle-aged man nodded.

"See you in three days."

"Goodbye."

The middle-aged man left Andien's room, walked out of his house, and saw a young man looking at him in surprise.

"You weren't killed?"

"Why would I be killed?" The middle-aged man looked at the young man and asked.

"But—" Titch clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, looking at the middle-aged man. He didn't understand why the boss didn't kill him, especially after he had killed his subordinates. Killing should be repaid with death.

"Goodbye." The middle-aged man ignored the young man and walked away.

There were many young men like him who wouldn't understand the thoughts of important people. Perhaps many years later, he would understand that for some, interests were more important than everything else, but he didn't understand now, so he was in pain.

---

PS: Suddenly received a contract from Qidian, very happy. I'll handle the procedures today and resume normal updates tomorrow. Since I don't have any saved drafts, I'll try to write as much as possible to celebrate. I hope those who like this work will continue to support it. Thank you.

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