The people around them let their gazes sweep back and forth between Lin Gui and Elvia.
They were searching for something.
Specifically, they were looking for a transport team badge.
The Transport Guild generally required that transport teams wear their badges at all times when entering or leaving a city-state.
However, on these two...
There was nothing.
Not on the mage robes, not on the dress, and not at their waists.
Yet, the presence of Levitation and the almost fawning intimacy from the Morningstar Caravan...
Seemed to confirm that Lin Gui was indeed a member of a transport team.
The female mage stood where she was, her face ashen.
She looked at the burly man with his arm around Lin Gui, her voice dropping very low:
"Raymond."
"Do you intend to stand up for him?"
The burly man—Raymond—waved a hand and shook his head.
"No, no, no."
"I'm just a small fry; how could I possibly have the ability to stand up for this little mage?"
He smiled, but the warmth did not reach his eyes.
"However, as a former client, I can offer you a word of advice."
He paused, his voice dropping further.
"When you revealed the power behind you..."
"And the other party didn't back down."
"You should have known right then who it was that actually needed to retreat."
The female mage’s pupils constricted slightly.
She stared at Raymond and then took another look at Lin Gui.
There was no expression on that young face.
His black eyes were as calm as a pool of stagnant water.
She clenched her teeth.
But she did not say anything more.
Turning around, she supported the limp fat man as they walked out of the gambling house.
The fat man was still mumbling to himself, his steps floating like those of a walking corpse.
The back of the female mage—Lisa—paused for a moment at the door.
Then she disappeared into the sunlight.
Raymond retracted his gaze and looked down slightly at Lin Gui while still holding his shoulder.
"I heard..."
"That fatty lost that thing to you in a bet?"
Lin Gui lowered his head and cast a glance up at him.
"You 'heard,' huh?"
He thought to himself.
This guy was probably peeking from outside the whole time.
He was likely just waiting for this critical moment to appear so he could sell Lin Gui a favor.
Or maybe...
Raymond didn't notice Lin Gui’s gaze and continued on his own:
"That fatty is named Victor Windsor."
"The woman beside him is Lisa, a mage kept by the Windsor family."
"The Windsor family holds quite a bit of power in the City of a Thousand Towers."
"That thing you won..."
"The Windsor family won't just let it go."
"If you hit the road alone with that thing in your possession..."
He paused, looking meaningfully at Lin Gui.
"It's very dangerous."
"Our Morningstar Caravan just happens to be heading to the City of a Thousand Towers."
"If you're willing to join us..."
He did not finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.
Lin Gui did not answer.
He took the black box from Elvia and held it in front of Raymond’s eyes.
"You know what this is?"
Raymond’s gaze landed on the box.
A flash of greed flickered in his eyes.
It was lightning-fast.
But Lin Gui still caught it.
Raymond quickly covered it up, saying with a smile:
"Of course."
"This is an exchange voucher issued by the Mage Guild to those who complete certain special commissions."
"There are many, many things it can be exchanged for."
"As long as the business is an industry under the Mage Guild’s name..."
"Anything can be exchanged for it."
Lin Gui raised an eyebrow:
"Special commissions?"
"What kind of special commissions?"
Raymond waved his hand:
"That involves some matters that aren't very convenient to discuss."
He paused.
"Of course, if you're willing to join our transport team..."
Lin Gui said flatly:
"Forget it then."
He tried to pull away from Raymond’s arm.
However, Raymond’s grip tightened, pressing him back down.
"Are you sure you won't consider it?"
He paused.
"By the way..."
"The priestess in our team is a very beautiful sister."
"And she's big, too... I don't mean her age, I mean her..."
He gestured a very large arc in front of Lin Gui.
Then, he wore a slightly lewd smile.
"If you join, I'll help set you two up."
As the words fell...
A slender hand reached over from the side.
Elvia’s face appeared between the two of them.
She looked at Raymond, her voice not loud, but every word articulated clearly:
"Hey."
"His woman is still standing right here."
Raymond blanked.
Only then did he notice that a woman was indeed standing beside Lin Gui.
Golden hair and an exquisitely beautiful face.
Those eyes were currently staring at him with a hint of displeasure.
He laughed awkwardly and released his grip.
"Ah, this..."
"My apologies, my apologies. I wasn't paying attention..."
Elvia ignored him.
She reached out and pulled Lin Gui away from Raymond.
Pressing against his arm, she interlaced her fingers with his.
Then she looked up at Raymond with a brilliant smile:
"Alright."
"Right now is our date."
"If you want to get drinks or discuss something with him..."
"Make it next time."
With that, she tugged Lin Gui along as they walked out of the gambling house.
Sunlight fell on them, casting long shadows on the ground.
Raymond stood where he was, watching their backs until they disappeared around the street corner.
Behind him, a tall, thin man approached and whispered in a low voice:
"Should we... intercept him midway?"
"The Captain just happens to be missing a handy demi-artifact weapon."
Raymond didn't turn around.
His gaze remained fixed in the direction Lin Gui had disappeared.
He fell silent for a moment.
Then he spoke, his voice cold:
"Don't act rashly."
The tall, thin man was confused:
"We checked his post office..."
"No one else has arrived."
"That guy might be lying; he might not be part of a transport team at all."
"Or maybe he is."
Raymond interrupted him.
He turned his head to look at the tall, thin man, his gaze as sharp as a blade.
"The words I said to Lisa..."
"Actually apply to us as well."
"Haven't you noticed?"
He paused.
"That little guy has never once been afraid of us."
The tall, thin man was startled.
Raymond retracted his gaze, looking as if he were recalling something.
"A few days ago, I personally went to his post office to recruit him."
"Can you guess what his attitude was?"
The tall, thin man shook his head.
Raymond gave a cold laugh:
"He didn't act superior or arrogant just because he can use Levitation."
"Nor did he show the slightest bit of fear or awe when facing someone whose strength far exceeds his own."
"The look in his eyes when he watched me was only one of calm scrutiny followed by... wariness."
"That kind of wariness wasn't fear; rather, it was him judging whether I was worth trusting or whether I posed a threat."
He narrowed his eyes.
"How could a wandering mage with no background achieve such a level when facing a transport team member?"
"That expression only appears on those who have seen truly great people and have weathered truly great storms."
The tall, thin man fell silent.
Raymond retracted his gaze and looked out the door, where the sunlight was intense.
"I have a feeling..."
"Before long, we'll know his true identity."
He gave a mock laugh.
"That post office that’s being run almost as a charity."
"It’s definitely going to stir up a fair amount of trouble."
"Just wait and see."
Rate on N.U.
