Misunderstandings, All Misunderstandings!

Aoba smiled and took out several copper coins. "Just doing a little business.

Innkeeper, two superior rooms."

The innkeeper accepted the money and counted it before saying, "There's only one superior room left. How about..."

"One room is fine."

Asuma cut him off. "The two of us can squeeze in."

Once inside the room, Aoba immediately shut the door and watched the activity outside through a crack in the window.

Asuma sat at the table, carefully studying the map.

"Why exactly does Iwagakure want Red Scale Flowers?"

Aoba suddenly spoke up. "From what those people said, they seemed to be in quite a hurry."

Asuma shook his head. "I don't know.

But one thing is certain: it has something to do with the recent situation in Tuyuan City."

He pointed to several locations marked with red circles on the map. "These are all areas where Red Scale Flowers might grow, and they're also the focal points of contention between the various factions."

Aoba leaned over for a look. "Where do we start investigating?"

"With the herbal shop owner."

Asuma rose to his feet and rolled his shoulders. "He's been in Tuyuan City for so long—he definitely knows quite a few inside details.

At midnight tonight, we'll sneak into his shop and see if we can find any clues."

Night gradually fell. There were few pedestrians left on Tuyuan City's streets, and only a handful of taverns still glowed with dim light.

Asuma and Aoba changed into dark night clothes, avoided the patrolling guards, and quietly made their way to the back door of the herbal shop.

Aoba gave it a gentle push and found that it was locked from the inside.

He pulled a long, thin iron wire from his clothes and skillfully inserted it into the keyhole.

With a