Fate's Targeting

It took Heka a while to confirm that Tuft of Hair had really swaggered out of the shelter just like that, then swaggered right back in.

"They didn't stop you. They probably mistook you for someone delivering supplies to the people below, which was why they asked whether you were one of Cripple Boss's men."

Heka sat on the ground and looked up at the sky. Logically, it made sense: after the other side flew into a rage and issued a warrant for his arrest, the people above had started coming down to prospect for gold.

But with more people around, the mixed crowd had made it harder for the gang and other interested parties to control the sewer entrance. That was how Tuft of Hair had entered this place smoothly, by a twist of fate.

Heka considered the situation. After confirming with Tuft of Hair that wanted posters bearing his portrait were already up above, he sighed.

By now, he had gained some ability to protect himself. His Strength of less than 0.5 was still inadequate, but his maxed-out Slashing made up for that shortcoming nicely.

Once this wave of chaos passed, the gangs, having learned more about the situation, would probably seal off the sewers completely and search through them inch by inch. By then, there would be no opportunity left.

Having made up his mind, Heka stood and went to the toolbox he had left here before.

This was the only box he had not let Tuft of Hair touch. Since he could not leave the shelter at present, he could only pretend to be taking something out of it.

Heka took out the crossbow and toolbox. He first cocked the crossbow, then pulled out a whetstone and began sharpening the simple dagger.

Tuft of Hair waited quietly beside him, just as before.

After sharpening the dagger, Heka used the toolbox as cover and took out the damaged wooden chest from his backpack.

"Go boil a pot of water. We'll have a proper meal."

Heka pointed at the chunks of meat in the sack, then placed the salt jar, which was still more than half full, beside Tuft of Hair.

"Boss, it still isn't raining."

Tuft of Hair looked into the distance, toward the drainage hole above the shelter. Only a thin drizzle of filthy water was falling from it now, probably the handiwork of the small shops lining the street.

"We don't need to wait for rain. We're getting ready to leave."

While Tuft of Hair carried the damaged wooden chest over there to start a fire, Heka replaced the half-barrel of water in his backpack with the full bucket.

After using the wooden chest to evade an enemy attack, Heka had discovered how useful this thing was. Although it would directly expose his spatial ability, if used well, it could catch people off guard.

Storing and releasing items both required bodily contact, but the place where an item appeared did not have to be the ground. He could take a bucket of water out of the air right in front of an enemy. A bucket of water was surprisingly heavy—enough to make any ordinary person choke down a bitter cup.

After taking out the temporarily useless hand-crossbow bolts and putting the dagger into his backpack, Heka looked at the backpack, neat once more, and nodded in satisfaction.

[Backpack] (10 slots)

Standby-issued simple crossbow ×1

Poor-quality water bucket filled with water ×6

Walin Copper Coin ×400

Walin Silver Coin ×67

Huika Gold Coin ×23

Sharp simple dagger ×1

His Slashing passive could also be triggered with a dagger. A short sword might not be up to the task in the scenes ahead, but this dagger had not been in good condition to begin with. If it struck bone or another weapon again, it would probably develop a huge notch.

Heka stood, spread out the bloodstained cloak, and draped it over himself. Then, carrying a rolled-up sheet of paper, he walked over beside Tuft of Hair.

Orange-yellow flames leaped between the two of them. The wood was gradually conquered and claimed by the fire, finally turning into pale-gray ash and blackened clumps.

At that moment, the water in the pot hanging over the flames had begun to boil slowly.

Heka tucked the scroll under his armpit, then took the chunks of meat from Tuft of Hair's hands and dropped all the food—something they had only dared eat a little of when injured—into the pot before them.

Hunger was the best seasoning. Though they had only salt and cheese for flavoring, when the smell of meat spread through the surroundings with a wave of white steam, Tuft of Hair immediately began swallowing saliva.

"Eat."

Heka tapped the pot. With his permission, Tuft of Hair immediately began wolfing down the food.

"After this, we'll be risking our lives. The people coming for us will only increase, never decrease. We need to get out while this chaos lasts."

After speaking, Heka wiped his palm clean on his clothes, then opened the sheet of paper tucked beneath his armpit. It was a crude map drawn in pencil.

"I originally planned to leave through the port. After all, traveling by land was too risky. We don't know what checkpoints might lie along the road ahead, while the harbor route has at least some chance of working.

"If we can find a cargo ship heading to a nearby region, perhaps we can hide in the hold and hitch a ride.

"But there are too many gang enforcers at the port. It is the main source of income for the Graytooth Gang and several other gangs in the city, including smuggling and their monopoly over the port's labor market.

"This is the map from here to the port district through the sewers.

"Only the final stretch is missing. I discovered this shelter while exploring before."

Heka tapped the last areas that had yet to be drawn.

"So we're taking a ship?"

Tuft of Hair's eyes lit up. He had never been on a ship before.

"No. We can't leave by ship now.

"To stay aboard, we'd have to recruit a crewman as an inside man. But right now, we're a piece of prime meat, and there isn't anyone we can completely trust.

"Simply sneaking aboard wouldn't be difficult, but avoiding discovery afterward would be nearly impossible. I might have some room to maneuver alone, but two people would make too large a target.

"Besides, that's the area under the gang's tightest control. If we couldn't get away before, then now it'll be even more impossible."

Heka took one last look at the map he had spent so much effort drawing. After running through it once more in his mind, he tossed it straight into the fire.

The flames devoured the map in an instant, and Heka did not care in the slightest.

"We won't wait for them to come find us. We'll go find them instead. Their own ranks aren't a solid block, either.

"The Black Mountain Merchants, huh?

"I never thought the place that would break this deadlock would be here."