Leaving the City

The rain stopped, and a southerly wind sprang up, scattering the clouds. The flags atop the city walls fluttered beneath the starlight.

Inside the city gate, the old man who collected garbage and his family shivered as several City Defense Force soldiers surrounded them under the lead of a sergeant.

Frederick had overlooked one thing: the old man was so nervous that he had actually wanted to leave the city early.

There was a small gate beside the city gate. It was opened at night for urgent military business or when high-ranking officials needed to travel, but they certainly wouldn't open it for a garbage cart.

The old man was in a hurry to leave, and their expressions were unnatural. The City Defense Force immediately sensed something was wrong.

They didn't suspect that the old man was smuggling the Schneider family out. They were wondering what stolen goods might be in the cart.

The sergeant waved, and a soldier immediately moved to prod the garbage heap with his spear.

A hand reached out and grabbed the spear shaft.

The sergeant's heart tightened. He had been wary of the garbage collector having accomplices, and this person in a black cloak had appeared without a sound. Clearly, they were an expert.

Bellberk said nothing. She pushed the spear aside, forcibly pulled the soldier's hand off it, and tossed several gleaming gold coins into his palm.

She walked up to the second soldier and raised her hand. He instinctively raised his, and gold coins fell into his palm as well.

The third, the fourth... and finally, the sergeant.

He gritted his teeth. This was definitely no ordinary petty theft; the city's big shots were fighting among themselves, and it was nothing he could afford to get involved in. When the black-cloaked figure approached,