Barracuda Bay, Saltwater District, Rope Street.
Standing beside the crowded road, the Dual Blades on his back rose and fell faintly with his breathing.
Xia Nan held a small bag of Honey Tangerines he had just bought from a roadside stall in his left hand, and in his right, a tangerine already peeled halfway open. His mind drifted back, unbidden, to what had just happened at the "Salmon Roe" General Store.
He had happened to run into a local gang collecting protection money, and then, because of his relationship with the shopkeeper, the little thugs' attitude had changed right in front of him.
The same thing had happened once before, back when he had gone to Newm for his promotion mission. He remembered that afterward, he had even had some dealings with that thug's gang during a commission. It had been called something like the "Black Badger Gang" or the "Grey Badger Gang." Who knew how they were doing now?
In truth, Xia Nan did not mind using his reputation or his status as a Professional to let Paddy, Colin, and the others gain a little help in their everyday lives.
He had merely discovered, through his own keen Perception, that those little thugs—especially the short man who looked like their leader—seemed to be in a somewhat strange state.
But since it had nothing to do with him, and the other party had long since fled, he could not be bothered to dig any deeper.
"You! Come here!"
"What's your name? What do you do?!"
A stern interrogation suddenly rang out beside his ear.
His brows furrowed slightly, and his gaze instinctively turned toward the source of the voice.
On one side of the crowded, bustling street ahead, several Guards in the standard armor of the Governor's Residence had surrounded