Chapter 662: Connections

At sunset, the Public Prayer Day of the Emerald Celebration was about to end. But all of Jade City was brightly lit. Many streets remained exceptionally lively, with gongs and drums shaking the sky. From time to time, fireworks shot into the night sky from every direction, as if the revelry had only just begun.

But Prince Thales was not in such a good mood.

When Glover, Doyle, and the squad sent to support them returned to Emerald Palace, almost all of them carried injuries.

Toledo's knife hand was dislocated, and there was a long gash on his shoulder. Morgan said nothing, silently applying medicine to his own wound. The dusty Ralf needed a new prosthetic limb. Neshy had split his head open and seemed to have a mild concussion. Miranda had several minor scrapes, but she refused treatment and merely sat to one side in silence, holding her sword. Paul had fired ten arrows in a short time, straining his muscles, and his fingers also needed bandaging. Glover was covered in blood and looked extremely frightening, second only to the terrifying expression he wore after returning, as if he wanted to swallow everyone he saw alive.

Morale was low, and the atmosphere was heavy.

"When we arrived, the wool merchant named Diop had already been silenced, along with his mistress."

Mallos followed behind Thales, reporting with a gloomy face.

"We saved Glover and Doyle, and also fought the black-clad murderer with the ability. In the end... in the end, as you can see, most people only have light wounds. The most seriously injured is Glover. Fortunately, he has thick skin and tough flesh. It is only..."

"Only?" The prince finished comforting the dizzy Neshy and turned to Mallos.

Mallos paused for a second.

"Only that assassin's ability... Toledo has been nauseous and vomiting. Arunde has symptoms of headache and auditory hallucinations. Neshy is somewhat anxious, and every few minutes he has to pinch himself to confirm he is not dreaming.

"Glover is the most serious. He was unconscious for an hour before waking, and the process of waking him was rather frightening. I nearly had to write Piloga's family an obituary saying he was 'accidentally killed while caring for the wounded.'

"Morgan has said nothing since returning, but he has already been silent like this for two hours. Ralf's symptoms are the lightest. After changing legs, he can already walk. Of course, even if he really has some symptoms, he probably cannot explain them clearly."

Thales frowned, and Mallos' expression grew colder as he spoke.

"Although everyone is gradually improving, clearly, everyone, everyone who came face to face with that assassin..."

"Holy shit, you cannot imagine how tense that moment was. It was a hair from disaster!"

A voice whose emotional color was obviously different from everyone else's sounded from the other side of the room, drawing Thales and Mallos' attention.

"I know, I know, Guard Officer Doyle." Wya frowned, holding a notebook. "It is just, could you say a little more about that black-clad assassin? Especially his ability?"

"Of course!"

Doyle, whose head was wrapped in bandages, slapped his thigh, spit flying.

"I saw him holding Zombie in one hand and Lady Miranda in the other. He was about to raise his hand and bring down the blade, but I shouted, 'Halt, Doyle is here!' Then I stepped forward and fought that assassin. Blades and sword shadows flashed. The situation was intense..."

"Wait. If he was holding people in both hands, how was he going to raise his hand and bring down the blade?" Wya questioned.

"Oh, really? Then perhaps I remembered wrong. Hey, stop interrupting. Once you interrupt, I remember wrong..."

Thales and Mallos stood in the distance and narrowed their eyes together.

"All right," Mallos' brow curved almost imperceptibly, "perhaps not everyone."

Thales pinched the cloth bear in his hand, his expression unreadable.

"It is fine," the prince said faintly. "As long as everyone is alive."

Mallos glanced at his battered subordinates, and many of them turned their heads in shame.

Among them, Glover clenched his teeth fiercely and stood.

"Your Highness, it was my..."

"It was my mistake," Mallos said, turning back. "My arrangement underestimated the enemy. Although that murderer took an arrow, he was both cunning and agile. The route he chose was extremely tricky. He either broke through windows and doors to use indoor cover, or hid himself in the shadows of courtyard walls or eaves. Italiano and Paul's bows and crossbows failed to hit him, and intercepting him was extremely difficult for us as well."

Thales tightly gripped the cloth bear, remaining composed.

"At that time, the patrol hall and Jade Legion teams arrived. Captain Cecil personally led them, and quite a few citizens were alarmed and came to watch."

Thales exhaled.

"They arrived very quickly."

Mallos nodded.

"To be safe, I had everyone give up pursuing the murderer, immediately hide their tracks, scatter into the crowd, and withdraw. After all, if the Star Lake Guards, covered in blood and acting suspiciously, especially Glover and Doyle, were caught at the murder scene, it would be impossible to explain. The trouble and losses this would bring Your Highness would be far greater than letting that murderer escape."

Mallos raised his head.

"Therefore, the responsibility for letting that murderer go is mine."

When his words fell, no one in the lounge dared speak. Everyone nervously watched the prince slowly rubbing the bear, waiting for his response.

"Your decision was correct, Tor."

After several minutes, Thales shook his head.

"Think about it. 'Prince Thales indulges his subordinates in breaking into a home to murder.' Zayen would certainly be happy to see that scene. And if any of you fell into his hands, not only would things go badly for you, you would become the best leverage and bargaining chip."

Only then did everyone breathe in relief.

"And not only that," Thales said, his expression deep. "Think about it. You found the murderer's silencing scene, but he just happened not to have left. How likely is that?"

Miranda's gaze sharpened.

"Your Highness, you mean that black-clad assassin was specifically waiting there for Zombie and Doyle to come?"

Hearing this, Glover frowned, and Doyle also stopped his endless stream of words.

"If you had not arrived to support them," Thales raised the little bear in his hand, his gaze flickering, "I guess the two of them would have ended up one dead and one injured, unconscious, then been captured by the patrol hall that 'just happened to arrive' and sent to trial for murder."

Glover spat, and Doyle's eyes widened.

"But fortunately," Thales raised his head, "Tor, you decisively retreated and did not let everyone get swept up together."

Then the days Prince Thales could bounce around Jade City would have ended with the shocking headline, "Star Lake Guards Break Into Home and Kill."

Thales thought:

Hilley was right. In Jade City, no movement could be hidden from Zayen.

From Moss, to Diop, to now... he was in an absolute disadvantage.

"Only good luck," Mallos shook his head. "And we should have done better."

"Forgive me for interrupting, Your Highness, everyone."

Wya stood and raised the notebook he had filled densely during his questioning.

"So, the Covendier family secretly keeps a swordsmanship expert with an ability, who can create illusions, and who is responsible for silencing and murder?"

Wya's question made everyone fall silent. Many who had gone to Diop's residence lowered their heads.

"No."

Miranda suddenly spoke.

"Mira?"

"I have seen true supreme-class experts, and even fought them. I know what that feels like." Miranda held Eagle Soar in her arms even more tightly. "But that black-clad assassin gave me a very strange feeling."

"Lady Arunde?" Mallos asked.

"His swordsmanship is exquisite, and his awareness is sharp. They are the best I have seen in my life, even surpassing some supreme-class warriors I know."

Miranda shook her head.

"But his movements, strength, and physical coordination can only be described as ordinary. They are far inferior to his swordsmanship and awareness, as if he once suffered some severe injury that affected his health and prevented him from using his full strength."

Miranda stared at her gloved hand, her gaze distant.

"Thank the heavens," Neshy said weakly. "Fortunately."

"But he is very young," Glover added. "Based on his voice, probably in his thirties, not over forty."

Wya thought and quickly wrote something.

"So, a rising star one step away from the supreme class? Or a supreme-class expert who was once injured?"

"Not a rising star," Italiano sighed. "I do not want to say this, but I saw it clearly from the roof. When he broke through the encirclement of the four of you, that scene was like a cat playing with mice."

Toledo, Neshy, Morgan, and Ralf's faces all became ugly.

"I think he definitely has combat experience far beyond imagination. Perhaps he is a battlefield veteran," Italiano concluded.

"Not a veteran," Morgan snorted coldly. "Veterans who have been on battlefields, stabbed through crowds, and understand group combat do not fight like that fellow. That guy is more like someone trained on training grounds and dueling platforms."

"Swordsmanship expert, extraordinary awareness, not supreme class, held back by the body, injured before, around thirty, young rising star, experienced, but not battlefield veteran..."

Wya read the main points he had just written down and said with a headache,

"Damn it, why does all this information contradict itself?"

"There is one more point," Mallos suddenly said. "The limitations of ability users."

Thales looked at him.

"Tor?"

The Watchman took a deep breath and looked at everyone.

"The world is fair. If a person wants to train an ability to a level sufficient for combat, the effort, focus, and time they need to devote is no less than what is required to develop the Power of Eradication and become an extraordinary swordsman. If you are greedy and train both an ability and swordsmanship at the same time, the most likely result is that both will be ruined."

Thales asked,

"In other words, it is very difficult for a person to become both an expert ability user and a warrior with the Power of Eradication?"

But Wya became even more puzzled.

"But that black-clad assassin, his swordsmanship was good, and his ability..."

"I remember now," Miranda's gaze flashed. "He did say that he could not control his ability well."

"But it was enough to knock down everyone who got within one foot of him, faster than taking drugs," Glover said, hatred flashing in his eyes.

A gust of wind rose, drawing everyone's attention. Ralf gestured by the wall.

"What did he say?" Mallos asked.

Thales looked at Ralf's gestures and asked doubtfully,

"He said abilities that affect others... oh, mental abilities are very rare, and often come with a heavy price and serious aftereffects. Even among ability users, few can achieve that kind of effect."

At that moment, an unexpected voice sounded, hesitant.

"Your Highness, sir, I think I might know who that fellow is."

Mallos frowned.

"Doyle?"

Everyone's gazes turned toward Doyle. He took a deep breath, his expression complicated.

"That assassin knows the Legion's Ten Forms. Teacher Joaquin's Legion's Ten Forms."

When these words came out, most people were confused, and only a few had slight changes in expression.

"Who is Joaquin?" Thales asked.

"Knight Joaquin, or rather, Master Joaquin," Mallos said in a low voice. "He was once Prince Attendant to the late King Eddie before his coronation. Later, he became the Jadestar royal family's chief swordsmanship instructor and the chief swordsmanship instructor of the Royal Standing Army. He was a famous swordsmanship master in the kingdom and one of the representative figures of Imperial Wind swordsmanship. Of course, he was also Guard Officer Doyle's teacher."

When the words fell, many people, including Thales, changed expression. The way they looked at Doyle also changed.

Attendant to the late king.

Chief swordsmanship instructor of the Jadestar royal family.

Chief swordsmanship instructor of the Standing Army.

Swordsmanship master.

And Doyle's teacher.

Wait, was the last title misplaced?

"Judging from his tone, he knows Teacher Joaquin," Doyle said faintly, his gaze distant. "Their relationship was not shallow."

The Watchman frowned.

"But precisely because of Master Joaquin's identity, those who received his instruction, were influenced by him, and drew nourishment from the Legion's Ten Forms number in the thousands, if not tens of thousands. And that does not even include those people later passing the skills on. Doyle, are you perhaps..."

But Doyle shook his head.

"I know what you mean, sir. But Master Joaquin's other students or students of students all had more or less developed their own swordsmanship styles after finishing training."

Doyle's gaze slowly focused, showing a seriousness Thales had never seen, and could hardly imagine seeing, on Doyle.

"But that black-clad man's Legion's Ten Forms was absolutely the purest, Teacher Joaquin's style," Doyle said absently. "Only someone who stayed by his side year after year, taught by his words and example and corrected day and night, could do that."

"Year after year. You mean..." Mallos said.

Doyle took a deep breath and looked at everyone.

"Yes. Those knight squires who once followed Teacher Joaquin, honored him as their knight master, and were taught one-on-one by him according to the ancient knightly method, receiving his inheritance. Only they could do it."

Mallos' expression changed slightly.

"If that is true, then... are you certain?"

"I am certain," Doyle said, rare worry appearing on his face. "In the name of the little bear by the bed."

Thales instinctively looked at the little bear in his hand.

Everyone was silent for a while. Mallos raised his head.

"As far as I know, before Knight Joaquin died, he took in nine squires..."

"Eight and a half."

Doyle rarely interrupted Mallos.

"He died before I completed my training."

Doyle still had a distant expression. At the end, the corner of his mouth hooked with an unclear meaning.

Everyone looked at Doyle's expression at this moment strangely and began whispering. "I said it, that ability still has an effect..."

"All right. We need the relevant intelligence."

Mallos nodded to Banner Wing's Hugo Fubi.

The banner officer heard this expressionlessly and turned to leave the room.

Everyone fell silent. For a time, only the rustling of Wya taking notes could be heard.

"All right. Leaving aside this black-clad assassin for now," Thales sighed, sensing everyone's gloom. "Now, Dagori Moss visited this Diop, and then both of them died."

"Both silenced," Miranda said coldly.

"He must have had a problem." Glover clenched his fist.

Mallos nodded.

"Diop is dead, but he must have left something behind. I will have others go look again for any clues."

But Thales raised the little bear and shook his head together with it.

"No. First, the Jade Legion and patrol hall will leave you nothing. Second, we nearly fell into Zayen's trap. We cannot make the same mistake again."

Everyone looked at each other.

"Someone told me that Zayen's control over Jade City exceeds imagination," Thales said. "Now I understand."

"Your Highness?" Mallos asked.

Thales came back to himself and looked seriously at his subordinates.

"I remember Moss mentioned that if he needed to do things not known to the authorities, he had 'connections' in the New Suburb and Canal District."

"Connections?"

Thales nodded.

"Head Wolf Razanchi Fesol, and Wanderer Fogg. Try finding these two."

Glover's expression changed.

"Head Wolf, Wanderer. Your Highness, they are..."

"Blood Bottle Gang and Brotherhood. Correct. Underground gangs," Thales said with certainty. "Outside Zayen's field of vision."

Mallos was silent for a while, then looked at Glover and Ralf.

"Now, forget today's matter and rest properly," the prince said in a low voice. "And I am going to meet Zayen and ask him for some interest."

Mallos acknowledged the order.

Thales stepped forward, and Wya hurriedly put away his notebook and followed.

But after Thales took only two steps, his feet paused.

Doyle was lost in thought, but suddenly felt something heavy in his arms.

He hurriedly stood and discovered that what appeared before him was something he could not be more familiar with.

The cloth bear?

Huh?

Danny Doyle looked up in surprise.

"Tsk, tsk. Do you never look in a mirror?"

Under everyone's astonished gazes, Thales clicked his tongue, shook his head, and walked out of the room.

"Your eyes are that red. Sleep properly. Stay up less."