United in Hatred Arc: Chapter 25.
(Starting right now, I'll post two to three chapters a week. However, each chapter will have 2100+ words. I'm sorry, but I have a part-time job... )
"It's the Night Generals, specifically that woman called Antoinette." Virgin Besong declared. She was the one who heard the hushed conversation by accident.
The revelation didn't surprise Winter, not one bit. In fact, he kind of expected it since they were the only hostile group that he's ever met. However, it filled him with unimaginable stress and frustration.
Three days had passed since the revelation. Winter was now in the small, hidden hut, accompanied by Claudia Osser and Petel Stenenem. He spent the last three days deep in thought with a cup of tea in hand.
Within three days, he single-handedly burned through a week's supply of green herbal tea. He was using it as a coping mechanism, trying to ease his stress due to his overthinking.
If it weren't for the considerable amount of money that he acquired from the wolf culling job and the bounty reward, Petel would've been furious and accused him of being a freeloader.
Winter let out a frustrated shout and accidentally pushed aside his cup of warm tea. "Why the hell are they doing this to me!?"
"Fuck those guys, screw them, I hope they die. They're all so vindictive. What did I ever do to them!?" He shouted, slamming his fist against wooden railings. His voice echoed throughout the forest then faded.
In his past life, he didn't have any enemies, and he certainly didn't experience any attempts to take his life. This stressful sensation was all new to him. When he was thrown into this new world, he expected adventures and camaraderie.
Winter sighed, picking up the fallen cup. "Even in this fantasy world, there's just no escaping extreme greed and pride..."
"There's one way to deal with it..." A voice interrupted; it was Claudia. "There's a meeting tomorrow, a unit commander is here to give us a new job." She said with a thin smile.
"You won't be disappointed." With that, Claudia entered the hut and then prepared dinner.
A day later...
The three were on a riverbank, near a rather loud waterfall, and they've been waiting here for some time. Winter was now staring at the waterfall's sprinkling mist, somewhat in a trance.
"He's here," Petel said, hearing an approaching footstep.
A figure draped in a light brown cloak revealed himself, and his face was difficult to discern. The figure gave a small nod to Claudia and Petel, but Winter just stared without a single care.
"Is he the recruit?"
Claudia darted her eyes at Winter. "He's still on the fence, but he's willing to give a certain noble a black eye..."
"We need people committed to our cause, not circumstantial allies with personal vendettas." The cloaked figure said, lowering his tone.
"WE take what we can get. We can't choose our allies." Petel added, causing the cloaked figure to click their tongue and drop the issue for now.
The cloaked figure then tossed a pouch full of Pisas towards Claudia. "This is your budget for today's task. We need you to intercept an unguarded carriage. It's full of luxury goods, and it's disguised as a carriage carrying some refugees."
"The nobles do that from time to time, to mask certain goods. Bandits, guards, and spies tend to mostly ignore refugee carriages." Petel explained to Winter.
(Smart, I've heard of similar tactics during a war back in my world.)
The cloaked figure then retreated to the woods. "Remember to store the goods in the usual dead drop." He said and finally disappeared, but not before taking a glance at Winter.
Claudia exhaled and stretched her arms. "Finally, something to do. Winter, come, we have to prepare for this."
"Uh, yeah..."
(I hope that this is a Robin Hood type stealing... Steal from the rich and then give to the poor.)
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...
The three were now lying in wait, patiently anticipating the disguised and unguarded carriage. They were all cloaked and masked, disguised as common lowlife bandits.
Winter was prone and peeking out of a bush. He turned to Claudia and then asked. "You said I won't be disappointed. What exactly is in this carriage?"
Claudia chuckled. "Fine, if you can't wait, then I'll say it."
"In this carriage is a certain smuggled good that Feledil himself ordered. I don't know what it is, but imagine his frustration if something expensive that he ordered went missing or was stolen. It'd be like an invisible punch in his face."
Claudia said with an excited tone. If it involved hurting or inconveniencing the Night Generals or Feledil, she would grab that opportunity without a beat.
(Stealing something from him, huh? That stupid guy deserves a whole lot worse, breaking my goddamned honeymoon phase in this world. However, for now...) Winter thought, blowing away a ladybug that landed on his lips.
(I don't mind stealing something from him.) Winter thinly smiled as the sound of an approaching carriage grew nearer. "!?"
"That's it, that's the carriage. I know that driver." Petel said, tightly gripping the steel sword.
There was a hidden trap in the road, underneath a raised dirt. It would've been easily spotted if the terrain weren't craggy. The trap was simple; it was a small hidden mine.
The carriage slowly passed by the three, and when the wheel pressed on the raised dirt, the mine produced a small explosion that caused the wheel to shatter.
"Stand down, you stupid beasts!" The driver wrangled the horses. "Wyder, check the damned wheel. What the hell was that!?"
The carriage was then forcefully stopped despite the panicked horses. A man checked on the wheel, noticing the damage. "The wheel's broken- " He was cut off, knocked out by a stone thrown by Petel.
"What!?" The driver reached out for a dagger but was also knocked out by a thrown stone.
(Nice arm..) Winter thought.
Claudia slid down the dirt slope and hurriedly opened the carriage's backside door. She was met by a kick, but she quickly dodged it. She then grabbed the leg and forcefully dragged the attacker away from the carriage. "AH!" *Thud!*
She then stabbed the man in the leg; her dagger was coated with a tranquilizing liquid. The man rose, groggily moving before finally collapsing.
Another man then came out of the carriage and tried to attack Claudia, but with a swift punch in the throat and a stab in the right arm, the man collapsed.
The two men were dressed in refugee tatters, but they moved like experienced combatants or soldiers. "Those are some very poor disguises. No way a refugee is that bricked..."
"Bricked...?" Claudia asked, not understanding the term.
"Ah, never mind..." Winter waved her question away and then turned to the two men's stab wounds. "I get the non-lethal approach, but isn't that stab dangerous?"
Claudia gave a thumbs-up and a wink. "They're not deep. I made sure to avoid any critical veins. The oil that I use can induce sleep and stop bleeding." She said, entering the carriage.
Claudia hurriedly threw several small containers outside. *Plop!* *Plop!* *Plop!* *Plop!* *Plop!* *Plop!* *Plop!*
Winter and Petel grabbed some of the containers and then ran away from the scene, splitting up, planning to meet in their designated hiding spot later.
After some time of running and slightly getting lost, Winter finally arrived at the location. The two were already there, concern flushing away from their faces.
"There you are now, let's see what we got."
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...
The bonfire cracked in response after adding more dried branches and sticks. Winter sat near the fire, watching as Claudia and Petel sort out the loot.
An expensive, rare wine, several large pouches of varied narcotics, some rare magical ingredients, banned magical scrolls, several banned books, and a sizeable amount of Pisas.
These were all the items that the three had looted from the disguised carriage; they were sprawled out all over the ground.
Petel had an inscrutable expression on his face, whereas Claudia was a bit disappointed yet relieved. "Thank god that these are all rather lowly luxury goods." She said with a smile.
Winter raised a brow. "What if it isn't?"
Claudia scratched her hair and began explaining to him. "Well, that would mean it's hard to make money out of it."
"The black market may be full of illegal goods, but that doesn't mean it's not controlled. Any well-connected black market dealers will be informed about several missing or stolen items."
"If they were ever to come across one, they'd instantly alert their connections at once. The more unique or expensive a good is, the more heat it brings, and with heat, it brings eyes."
Claudia then pointed at the loot one by one. "For example..."
"This wine is better off consumed. You can't find these back in the city."
"See these magical scrolls and rare magical ingredients? They're hard to sell, at least for a few months."
"Same goes for these books, I think...?"
"These drugs, however, are an easy game." Claudia rubbed her hands, smiling. "Give me two weeks, and I can turn these into a decent profit." She said as she gestured for Petel.
Petel then stored the loot inside a big bag and left the expensive bottle of wine on the ground.
Claudia then picked it up and sniffed it. The bottle had its own sweet fragrance, further complementing the wine bottled inside.
"This is Feledil's smuggled goods," Claudia said. The already burned storage containers had specific initials written, and she easily recognized one of the aliases. "NG, that's the initials that Feledil uses when buying illegal goods..."
Claudia then handed over the expensive bottle of wine to Winter.
"I'll move ahead of you both...." Petel said, waving a polite goodbye and heading towards the dead drop.
"Want to drink it? Celebrate your first victory against the tiring noble class?" Claudia offered, but Winter was hesitant.
"Is this what your group mostly does? Ambush carriages and steal luxury goods to sell or use?" He asked, still reluctant to fully commit to the group.
Claudia hummed and adjusted her wavy hair while sitting on a tree stump. "I won't lie, stealing is one of our main ways to rebel, but there are some other things too."
"We don't steal from the commoners, working class, and even the merchant class. In most cases..."
"Stealing is an easy way to fight back against the nobles, also a very easy thing to do, provided you have some information."
Claudia crossed her legs and leaned back. "As I said, we don't really have a lot of numbers. Most people sympathize with us, but they don't really quite support us."
"They're content with the small yet extensive welfare that the kingdom gives out, and some are scared to lose that. So they won't risk an open rebellion. Or they're just scared." Claudia then extended a hand, motioning for the expensive bottle of wine.
"It's okay if you won't join us, but at least for now, let's celebrate a win, yeah?" Claudia said with a smile. The bonfire cracked as its flames swayed, softly illuminating half of her face.
Winter sighed and handed over the expensive bottle of wine.
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Two days later...
"What the fuck do you mean that the wine I ordered is delayed!? How is that a fucking apology? You won't even give me a proper reimbursement of my purchase!?"
Feledil shouted, throwing away a cup full of coffee. *Clank!*
The messenger had an infuriated expression; he was loyal to his employer, and his employer was well-known throughout the city.
One of the best delivery businesses out there, be it illegal or legal.
The black market business along with the messenger never failed to deliver a single parcel without any issue for Feledil, until now. Several successful deliveries yet one unfortunate mishap and all good will from a single customer is lost.
Thankfully, it's just this customer.
The other customers were miffed but still kept a professional approach, confident that their bought items would be delivered shortly.
"Well? What are you going to do about it!?" Feledil shouted, spewing saliva. The messenger's patience was running thin, but he needed to be professional, lest he return to his employer with injuries.
The man in front of the messenger right now, an accomplished and competent gold-ranked adventurer, can fold him if need be. He needed to be polite, for the sake of the business.
"We'll deliver it within this week and a small reimbursement for the delay, along with a token written apology from the boss himself." The messenger said, forcing a smile.
"He fucking better apologize, now go and get my damned wine. Minimum wage!" Feledil violently slammed the door, knocking away the messenger's small white hat.