Betrayal

Betrayal

Outside the castle, everything for Luo Ning's journey had been prepared.

Besides food supplies, the six cargo wagons were loaded with books, bedding, and other items. The weight had been distributed perfectly, so no single horse would be overburdened.

If not for the limited carrying capacity of the carriages, Luo Ning would have wanted to pack up even the murals in his room. After all, they belonged to Wushan Castle. They had to be worth something if sold, right?

"Baron, the Marquis asked you to come back and visit whenever you have time."

Most, Rulans's servant and the castle's old steward, had come to see him off on the old Marquis's behalf. Holwart stood beside him, though he represented not Wiggins, but Diane.

"I will."

Luo Ning looked up at the magnificent castle, wondering what state it would be in when he returned.

After waving to the two stewards, he had Chahar drive the carriage. Under the escort of nine guards, they began their journey to Mountain Forest Town.

Wushan Castle had not been built within Wushan City. Instead, it stood on a hillside to the southwest, connected to the city by Wushan Avenue.

There were several estates along both sides of the avenue, somewhat similar to villages.

Some of those estates belonged directly to the castle and were managed by servants, while others had been bestowed upon Ennobled Knights who had rendered meritorious service—the lowest rank of nobility.

Following Wushan Avenue northeast for five or six li would bring one to Wushan City.

This was a Great City with nearly a hundred thousand residents. Including the subjects living in the surrounding estates, Wushan City's population definitely exceeded one hundred thousand.

Since his Previous Self had rarely gone anywhere in the city, Luo Ning was eager to see a city from another world with his own eyes.

However, the closer they came to Wushan City, the stronger the stench in the air became.

"What's going on? Is there a pig farm nearby?" Luo Ning instinctively assumed.

Very soon, the sight before him left him stunned.

At the end of Wushan Avenue was a broad yet winding long street. Houses of varying styles stood unevenly along both sides, nearly all of them single-story buildings. Even two-story buildings were rare.

If that were all, it would merely have been backward and shabby. But what Luo Ning found most unbearable was the sanitation!

All over the dirt road were all kinds of feces—runny, solid, yellow, black, tiny piles, huge heaps, every kind imaginable.

Luo Ning had the misfortune of seeing an old horse step through a pile of dung, flattening it against the mud.

The sight practically blew apart Luo Ning's visual nerves!

"Is this a place for people to live?"

Although some rooms in Wushan Castle were damp and run-down, the sanitation was still acceptable. At the very least, there was not feces everywhere. But this place... it was simply indescribable.

"Could the castle have been built five or six li away from the city just to avoid this stench?"

Pinching his nose, Luo Ning withdrew his gaze. "Chahar, why is it so filthy here? Doesn't the castle do anything about it?"

Chahar, who was driving, found the question strange. "Master, why would the castle manage the sanitation here?"

Chahar's wise retort left Luo Ning momentarily unable to answer.

Yes, why would the castle manage the sanitation here?

Would it gain anything from doing so?

The nobles cared only about their own lives, and the lords cared only about their taxes.

Commoners and serfs were merely tools of the nobles. As long as they did not die, that was enough. Whether they lived well or poorly, whether their environment was filthy or clean, no one cared.

Just as pig farmers did not care whether pigs living in Pig Manure found it unpleasant.

For a moment, he felt miserable.

Even a Great City like Wushan City was like this. What would his tiny Mountain Forest Town be like?

Luo Ning did not even dare imagine it.

"Leave Wushan City faster. I can't stand this smell at all!"

"As you wish, Master!"

Chahar cracked his whip, and the carriages picked up speed.

From Luo Ning's Earthly perspective, what did a population of over a hundred thousand amount to? It was not even as large as a county's population.

However, Wushan City covered quite a large area. The caravan traveled with stops and starts for more than three hours before finally leaving the city's territory.

The farther they got from the city, the rougher the road became.

Luo Ning raised the carriage window and found dense forest on both sides of the road. Unlike before, there were no longer any estates or fields in sight. They had entered a mountain road through the wilderness.

Considering that the horses had traveled continuously for more than an hour, Luo Ning ordered, "Chahar, stop and rest. The horses are tired, and we need to prepare lunch."

"Yes, Master!"

Chahar shouted and relayed Luo Ning's order.

The six carriages ahead and behind them gradually came to a stop as well.

Luo Ning stepped out of the carriage and took deep breaths of the fresh air outside. It was far more refreshing than being in Wushan City.

Looking at the distant mountains, he ordered, "Send six guards into the mountains to gather some fodder for the horses. The rest can prepare lunch. We'll set out after everyone has eaten their fill."

"Yes, my lord!"

Chahar walked toward the carriage carrying miscellaneous supplies, preparing to take down the only iron pot and cook some meat soup.

After giving his instructions, Luo Ning strode into the forest.

He intended to use this opportunity to claim the first day's reward from Seven-Day Login.

That way, there would be another knight among his subordinates, and the group's safety would be more assured.

But before he had taken even two steps, Chahar cried out in alarm behind him.

"What are you trying to do?!"

This was followed by the Impact Sound of the iron pot falling to the ground.

What was going on?

Startled, Luo Ning turned around and saw Chahar sprawled on the ground, the iron pot lying off to one side. The guards who should have been busy at work had drawn their swords and were walking toward him.

Was this... a rebellion?

Luo Ning had seen plenty of dramatic scenes in television dramas. He immediately realized what these people intended to do.

Still, he instinctively demanded, "What are you trying to do?"

"What are we doing?"

The leading man wore a mocking expression, showing none of the respect a servant should have for his master.

"My lord, Mountain Forest Town is too remote and too barren. We don't want to go there with you, so we'd like to borrow some money from you and leave."

"This is betrayal! Betrayal!" Chahar understood, and his anger deepened.

"You're not only betraying Baron, you're betraying the Wushan Family as well! Aren't you afraid of death?"

Not only Chahar, even Luo Ning had not expected these nine "Elite Soldiers" to betray him.

In this world, serving the nobles in a castle was something many people could only dream of. Betraying a noble was generally something only people with strength or status would dare do.

What did this bunch have?

Luo Ning narrowed his eyes. "You want to kill me?"

Those words shocked Chahar so much that he forgot to continue his accusations. Kill a noble? They actually wanted to kill a noble?

How Could He Be? How could they dare?

"Hehe, everyone says Baron is a stupid donkey. Now it seems you're not quite that stupid."

The leading guard revealed a cruel smile. "If you want someone to blame, blame your father for looking down on you. He gave you so much money, yet he didn't choose a loyal Professional Knight to protect you."

Hearing that, Luo Ning laughed instead. "Then I'm relieved."

Luo Ning truly was relieved.

When he first saw the guards trying to kill him, he had instinctively assumed it was Wiggins's arrangement. If a Count was determined to take his life, that would be a truly terrifying matter.

But from what these people had said, they were merely tempted by wealth, not acting on Wiggins's orders.

That melodramatic plot of a father determined to kill his own son had not happened.

That was why he said he was relieved.

Yet the betrayers found his words incomprehensible. In their eyes, Luo Ning was about to die, so what was there to be relieved about?

"I think you've been scared stupid and are spouting nonsense."

The betrayer raised the longsword In His Hand. "Brothers, kill him! The supplies and Gold Coins on the carriages will all be ours!"

With that rallying cry, whether they had hesitated or trembled in fear, the guards all hardened their hearts toward Betrayal. Roaring, they charged at Luo Ning.

"My lord, watch out!"

Chahar did not know where he found the courage. He pulled out the dagger he carried with him and tried to rush over to help, but after taking only two steps, he fell to the ground. He tried to stand, yet his legs refused to obey him.

He was simply too nervous.

Luo Ning was nervous too. He had never seen a scene like this in all his life.

But as a Dual-Class Transcendent, he would not lose the ability to act merely because of an adrenaline rush.

With a cold laugh, he turned and ran into the forest so quickly that all nine guards failed to react in time.

"How is he running so fast?"

The guards were baffled. Hadn't they said the Marquis's Legitimate Grandson had been drained by wine and women, leaving him extremely frail?

They could not compare to the speed he had just displayed.

At that moment, they sensed that something was wrong.

But now that they had laid their cards on the table, there was no turning back. Luo Ning had to die today!

"Kill him! Kill Luo Ning!"

The betrayers gathered all their strength and roared as they charged into the forest.

A burst of light suddenly erupted from the mountains, followed by a steady, resounding voice:

"Macken Saliton greets you, my master!"