Ye Chui and Debbie hadn’t expected to encounter Lord Kevin’s men here. These people, considering themselves of high status, made no effort to conceal their identities in front of the villagers, but they were clearly not so quick to lower their guard around Ye Chui and Debbie, two unfamiliar outsiders.
From the faintly menacing looks in their eyes, it was clear they were not to be trifled with. The group consisted of five people, four men and one woman. Three wore the robes of magic instructors, while two were armoured swordsmen. One of the swordsmen even had his hand resting on his waist, ready for action.
Catching each other’s gaze, Ye Chui and Debbie exchanged a quick look and then displayed their quick-wittedness.
With a whoosh, Ye Chui summoned his white-covered magic book and loudly addressed the surrounding villagers, “Everyone, no need to worry. I’m a magic instructor. With me here, I’ll ensure your safety.” He wore a smug expression.
Debbie chimed in, “That’s right, we’re seasoned adventurers. We got lost in the wild and happened to arrive at your village. We’ll take responsibility for your safety.”
Hearing their boastful words and seeing Ye Chui’s magic book, the villagers looked at them with awe. Though this rundown village once had a Tower of Magic Books, it had been dismantled long ago since no one had awakened a magic book in years. A magic instructor was a big deal to these people, and they held Ye Chui’s summoned magic book in high regard.
However, this only drew scornful sneers from Lord Kevin’s five guards. Hmph, they thought he was some dangerous figure, but it turned out he was just a lowly magic instructor with a white-covered magic book, and he’d gotten lost in the wild, yet dared to call himself an adventurer?
One of the guards, a tall swordsman, stepped forward and approached Ye Chui and Debbie, saying loudly, “You don’t look like villagers. You must be from Stan Town, right?”
“That’s right. We’re members of Stan Town’s top guild,” Debbie said proudly. “Our Random Magic Guild is quite impressive. The guild leader and deputy leader are our good friends. Hey, you’ve heard of our guild’s name, haven’t you?”
Ye Chui puffed out his chest, looking equally proud.
“I’ve heard of it,” the tall swordsman said, his face twitching slightly. Random Magic Guild, a name hard to forget. He continued, “We’ve heard of this guild. It completed a five-star mission in one go, becoming a three-star guild. That’s quite impressive.” He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. “And I’ve heard the guild leader and deputy leader are very close to Mayor Cass?”
“Exactly,” Ye Chui nodded, his eyes lighting up. So they were indeed here for Cass.
“So, how are your guild leader and deputy leader?” the tall swordsman pressed, his expression growing serious. The other four leaned in to listen.
“You’re asking the right person,” Ye Chui said, suddenly animated. “Our guild leader may be young, but he’s dashing and handsome, absolutely charming, captivating countless girls. In Stan Town, he’s every girl’s idol. Every time he appears in public, he causes a frenzy of screams.”
“That’s right,” Debbie added, not to be outdone. “And our deputy leader is a once-in-a-millennium invincible beauty. She’s gentle, with a stunning figure, utterly captivating. Her suitors could line up the entire Blue Road Street. In Stan Town, she’s the one and only heartthrob.”
The tall swordsman was stunned, staring blankly at their fanboy and fangirl act. He’d asked about their strength, not their looks. And why were this boy and girl talking about their male leader and female deputy with such enthusiasm? It felt odd.
Thinking of certain groups with peculiar tastes, the swordsman shivered and took a few steps back. He decided to change the subject. “Why are you here? This place is a hundred miles from Stan Town.”
“Ugh, it’s frustrating to talk about,” Debbie said, looking annoyed. “We were out on a mission today when we ran into a rabbit. It dared to provoke us, hopping around in front of us, as if we wouldn’t kill it. So we chased it, and chased it, but ended up losing it.”
Ye Chui added, with an equally frustrated expression, “After losing the rabbit, we decided to head back. But guess what?” He paused, sighing dramatically. “We got the direction wrong and ended up a hundred miles from Stan Town.”
The two performed their story like a comedy duo, sighing in unison, “That blasted rabbit.”
Everyone in the cellar fell silent.
The tall swordsman glanced at his companions, his expression as if to say: These two are just unreliable clowns. No need to be wary of them. And if their guild, which is close to Cass, has these two idiots, the leader and deputy probably aren’t worth worrying about either.
Noticing the five guards relax, Ye Chui and Debbie exchanged a knowing smile.
Their seamless performance had successfully defused the tense situation.
The tall swordsman gave a faint smile and continued, “We’re Lord Kevin’s guards. My name is Leon, a senior swordsman. We’re heading to Stan Town to deal with some matters concerning your Mayor Cass. Since you’re from Stan Town, you can guide us there.”
“Guides?” Ye Chui feigned surprise. “No problem, I know the way well.” The surrounding villagers gave odd looks, thinking: Weren’t you just saying you got lost chasing a rabbit? Are you sure you’re fit to guide? Ye Chui then adopted a greedy expression. “But about the travel fee, heh heh.”
“If you can lead us to Stan Town, this gold coin is yours,” Leon said, pulling out a gold coin and flipping it in his hand. Seeing Ye Chui nod eagerly, as if he’d never seen a gold coin before, a cold glint flashed in Leon’s eyes. Whether you’ll earn this coin depends on whether you’ve got the guts.
Debbie, adopting a gossipy tone, asked Leon, “What are you going to Stan Town for?”
“Hmph, it’s best you don’t pry into confidential matters,” Leon said, his face hardening. He paused, then asked, “Your town has an old swordsman named Terry, the mayor’s assistant. Is he doing well?”
Terry was the alias used by Tumu.
Ye Chui and Debbie exchanged a glance and nodded together. Ye Chui answered, “He’s fine, but he got injured a while back and has been bedridden. I even delivered meals to him.”
“Oh, I see,” Leon nodded. No wonder Tumu hadn’t contacted them for over half a month; he was injured. Smiling, he patted Ye Chui’s shoulder. “Looks like this awful weather won’t clear up anytime soon. Let’s rest here tonight and head to Stan Town first thing tomorrow.”
“Sure, no problem,” Ye Chui replied cheerfully.
Leon returned to his companions, exchanging a few quiet words. They visibly relaxed toward Ye Chui and Debbie. After all, the two were only fifteen or sixteen. Unless they were prodigy geniuses, they posed little threat. Plus, Ye Chui’s white-covered magic book was quite misleading.
Ye Chui and Debbie greeted the villagers in the cellar and sat down near the five guards, hoping to eavesdrop. Unfortunately, the guards either didn’t speak or kept their voices too low to hear.
Outside, the wind howled, and the sound of pouring rain filled the air. A few farmers sighed, worrying how much of their wheat fields would survive the storm. The farmer who’d brought Ye Chui and Debbie here offered them some dry rations, but the five from Windrock City clearly disdained the villagers’ food, eating only their own supplies.
It was likely nighttime now. A large fire basin burned in the cellar, its flickering light adding to the stifling heat.
Suddenly, Ye Chui’s iPad magic book vibrated. Old Merlin had sent a message.
Sitting close to Debbie and dozing, Ye Chui’s eyes lit up. He glanced at the five from Windrock City, then opened the message on his iPad. It was a voice message. Keeping the volume low, he played it, and Old Merlin’s voice came through: “What trouble have you two kids gotten into?”
Ye Chui could use WeChat to communicate, but his magic wasn’t strong enough to contact others freely. However, the spatial magic instructor Merlin could reach him. He’d known that if he and Debbie didn’t return, Resha and Green would ask Merlin to contact him.
Glancing again at the five from Windrock City, Ye Chui quietly recorded a voice message.
“Everyone, get ready. Lord Kevin’s people from Windrock City are coming to cause trouble…”
