The Lurking Thief

Amidst the clatter of hooves, the carriage pressed on.

About an hour later, the driver knocked on the door. "Eastvale Logging Camp's here. Anyone getting off, hurry up—I've still got to get to Lakeshire!"

Li Shaolin jumped down and handed the driver a silver coin. Looking around, he found himself at a three-way fork in the road. A signpost stood in the middle, with arrows pointing to Goldshire, Redridge Mountains, and Eastvale Logging Camp. A brownish-yellow dirt road wound from the Official Road into the forest, with fallen Elwynn Ancient Trees scattered along the edges.

Following the dirt path, he saw that most of the trees on either side had already been felled. Lumberjacks carrying timber or axes passed by now and then. A few more steps, and a village came into view.

Quickening his pace, he entered the village. On the cleared flatland, sheep, cows, and sika deer grazed leisurely, while groups of children played and laughed.

"I wonder where Jack and the others went after they got here. How am I supposed to find them in such a big village?" Li Shaolin frowned, staring at the rows of wooden cabins.

Just then, he spotted a small cart ahead where lumberjacks were stacking wood. A middle-aged woman paced nearby, her face full of worry. Maybe he should ask her?

He walked over, and the woman turned to look at him. "Hello, young man. Are you an adventurer? Could you help me with something? I'll pay 80 copper coins." She seemed to have mistaken him for a professional looking to pick up quests for money.

"Uh, ma'am, what's the matter?"

"I'm in a real bind right now. I have a timber order due soon, but I can't spare the time to deal with this. The wolves and bears up north have my workers running scared—otherwise, they'd have finished the lumber by now. I talked to Deputy Renir about clearing out those animals, but for now, I need someone to gather enough wood for me. If you can collect eight bundles of timber, I'll be able to complete the order on time." The woman looked at him with a worried expression.

"You're kidding me? Collecting timber? That's not a job I want." Li Shaolin found the work utterly unskilled and boring. "Ma'am, I don't have enough storage space—can't help you with that. How about I go chase off those wolves and bears for you, and then you can send your workers in?" It was true; his Space Belt was nearly full after storing gold coins, the deed, and his schedule.

"Fine," the woman sighed reluctantly. "Young people these days have no patience! If you want to take on the wolf and bear quest, go find Sheriff Hagard. Just follow this path." She pointed to a small trail.

"Thanks," Li Shaolin said with an apologetic grin, nodding as he headed off.

Two wooden posts held up lanterns, and a hollow fallen Elwynn Ancient Tree formed a tunnel leading into a small estate surrounded by fences. The ancient tree was still alive, its branches lush and green.

"This sheriff lives pretty well. Looks like he's been taking bribes." Li Shaolin immediately decided the owner was no good.

He knocked on the small, closed gate in the fence. After a moment, an old man opened it. Looking up, Li Shaolin was startled. The old man wore a blue leather vest and carried an axe. His white hair was mostly gone, and a black eyepatch covered one eye, making him look like a bandit.

"Uh, sir, I'm looking for Sheriff Hagard?" Li Shaolin asked nervously.

"Oh, that's me. What do you need?" The old man opened the gate and gestured for him to come in. The yard was full of firewood—he'd been splitting logs.

Li Shaolin cast Detection, and a line of text appeared above the old man's head: Hagard, Level 20. This guy was tough—on par with Sheriff Duhan of Goldshire. No wonder he could still serve as the village sheriff at his age.

"I wanted to ask—did a team led by a captain named Jack come by a few days ago to take a quest?"

"Let me think... Yeah, there was a young man like that. A Paladin, right? They went to help Deputy Renir by the bridge deal with those damn Forest Wolves and Forest Bears." Hagard tilted his head as he spoke. So that's it—the little bridge was on the way here. Damn, he'd missed them. Li Shaolin felt a pang of regret.

"Alright, I'll go find them then!" As he turned to leave, the old man gently grabbed his arm. "Young man, I'd say you're about Level 8, right? I've got a quest that needs one person to handle. Can you help me?"

"Uh, is it dangerous?" Hearing it was a solo job, Li Shaolin immediately grew wary.

"I suspect there's a traitor in the village colluding with the Defias Brotherhood, or maybe a Defias member has already infiltrated this camp. But too many people know me, so I can't investigate openly, and low-level adventurers can't handle it. How about it—can you scout it out for me?"

"Is that all?" Just scouting one person? With Detection on his side, what was there to worry about? Li Shaolin chuckled inwardly.

He said goodbye to Hagard and headed for the house the sheriff had described. According to Hagard, it was best to go during the day, so even if the hidden Defias member spotted him, they wouldn't dare expose themselves, making it much safer.

Arriving at a wooden cabin, he knocked lightly. "Anyone home?" No answer after several knocks. He pushed the door, and it creaked open on its own.

"That old man better not be messing with me!" He poked his head in—no one was there. He called out a couple of times, but the place was empty. Screw it, he'd go in anyway. If the owner got mad, he'd just blame Hagard.

Decision made, he pushed the door open and stepped inside, muttering a spell as a Bone Shield materialized around him.

"Buzz!" A ringing filled his ears, and his head spun as if struck. He couldn't move, frozen in place. The wooden door slowly swung shut on its own, as if pushed by some unseen hand.

"What the hell—ghosts?!" Li Shaolin regretted not summoning his Golem first. Such carelessness! As the door closed, a glint of steel flashed behind him, and he felt a dagger aimed at his back.

That stance looked familiar. A Backstab? Back when he'd explored the Fargodeep Mine with Jack and the others, the team's only rogue, Mogaban, had used that skill. He'd mocked it at the time, but now it was all too familiar. He must have been hit by a Sap.

"Clang!" The blade stopped mid-strike, blocked by three bone plates that materialized out of thin air. The rogue, wearing a red linen mask and light leather armor, dagger in hand, fully revealed himself.

The Defias Bandit's eyes widened in surprise as his first strike failed. He slashed again!

The first blow had shattered one Bone Shield, dissipating it into the air. The second strike hit with a crack, breaking another! He raised his arm again, and a third slash followed!

Luckily, before the third strike landed, Li Shaolin broke free of the Sap. With a thought, he summoned the Book of the Dead, and two white Skeleton Warriors appeared, their Bone Blades meeting the attack.

The third Bone Shield shattered, but the two skeletons closed in, blocking the rogue from advancing. At the same time, Li Shaolin summoned a Clay Golem, cutting off his escape route.

Only then did he relax and cast Detection: James Clark, Level 10! A Level 10 rogue. If he hadn't put up the Bone Shield in time, he'd have been done for. Li Shaolin gritted his teeth. He chanted another spell, summoning a Venomous Dagger, and the skeletons' blades turned a shimmering blue. "Thud!" The Clay Golem punched the rogue in the side, staggering him. A Bone Blade slashed across his shoulder, blood spraying as the blue venom spread down his arm.

The rogue was tough. He shook his body, seeming to phase into nothingness, his movements speeding up. The Golem and skeletons couldn't land a hit—this was the rogue's survival skill: Evasion. He gritted his teeth, sliced off the poisoned flesh from his shoulder with his dagger, then hooked the blade back and kicked backward. The Golem let out a dull "thud" and staggered, stunned by a Kidney Shot. A flash of light at his feet, and he broke free of the skeletons, bolting upstairs.

"Think you can outrun me with Sprint?" Li Shaolin pointed, and two Bone Fangs shot out with a hiss, hitting the wooden stairs. "Crash!" The staircase collapsed. "Where do you think you're going, kid? Get him, boys!" The Golem shook off the stun, and the two skeletons moved in, surrounding the rogue. Li Shaolin's hand glowed as he cast another Bone Shield and readied two Bone Fangs, locking onto the rogue with magic.

The rogue's Evasion had worn off, and Sprint was useless now. He brandished his dagger and shouted, "Wait! Why are you trying to kill me?"

"Why? Because you're with the Defias Brotherhood. Enough talk!" Li Shaolin smirked. Cornering someone felt good.

"I've got a huge secret. Want to hear it? I'll trade it for my life. It's about a gold mine!" the rogue yelled.

"A gold mine?" Li Shaolin hesitated. That meant money. Just as he was considering it, the rogue suddenly vanished into thin air!

"Six-Second Rule!" Li Shaolin gasped.