Investigation

"I never expected Uncle to be so rich. What a pity.

"But it made sense. He controlled the Lineage's trade at the port, so having some savings was only natural."

The victim's nephew drew back the carriage curtain and looked through the narrow gap toward the sheriff's office gradually receding behind them.

"Thirty gold is no small sum. Is it really all right to just leave it there?"

A young man sat across from him, silently reading the book in his hands. Hearing this, he looked up at the man and asked,

"With him dead, the task is complete. I hadn't actually wanted to kill him. After all, he was my own uncle.

"But unfortunately, he chose the wrong side. Back then, Father was driven out of the Lineage the same way, only to work his way back step by step. You don't know this, but the Lineage was purged once back then.

"Having witnessed that, how could we allow the seeds of danger to keep growing?"

The man lowered the curtain and leaned back into the soft, comfortable cushions behind him.

"You still haven't answered my question. Thirty gold is nearly a year's tax revenue from a knight's fief. The Lineage isn't wealthy enough to be this extravagant, is it?"

"A year's tax revenue from a knight's fief without a dungeon."

The man seated opposite the young man smiled as he added,

"The reason is simple. The Lineage's power isn't here, and Seapeak Port isn't one of our main trading partners.

"So the Lineage has little influence to wield here.

"Uncle chose this place as his first foothold after leaving the Lineage for that very reason.

"Haven't you noticed? Since we arrived, the families of Seapeak Port have only sent a few juniors with no authority to deal with us. Now they've even pushed the Wealth Church's people in front of us.

"They neither care about us nor welcome us. The people below see the Lineage's prestige and either hope to gain some benefits or fear its power, so they choose to curry favor with us. But that intimidation is fragile.

"Once money is involved, it will crumble at once.

"Like I said, don't go looking for money that has fallen into a filthy gutter.

"Besides, even if we found it, the money wouldn't belong to either of us. But any trouble would be ours. You should start planning ahead for yourself, little brother."

"Running away like this, like a stray dog... the Lineage's honor has been completely thrown away."

After complaining, the young man fell silent and lowered his head to continue reading the book before him.

"It's not all a loss. Before we leave, remember to share the information with that adventurer group we work with. Tell them that if they get the money, they can keep it for themselves.

"Whether they can kill that thief will determine how deeply we cooperate with them afterward."

Elwin withdrew his gaze from the carriage that had already gone far away. The people who had gathered because of the case gradually dispersed with the departure of the central figures.

Yet everyone who knew about it felt their hearts pounding fiercely. Thirty gold was simply too much money. For an individual, it could almost change their fate.

"I've been following this case. I need to take part in the investigation from here on."

Elwin frowned and stopped the sheriff responsible for continuing the investigation.

The man with the neatly trimmed little mustache narrowed his eyes. After a brief pause, he nodded.

"Please, go ahead."

Elwin followed the sheriffs through twisting streets until they finally entered a courtyard within the district.

The sheriffs had moved quickly. Everyone inside had already been brought under control. Elwin frowned, because the people guarding outside were not sheriffs, but gang thugs.

When they saw the sheriffs arrive, they even gave a roguish salute.

"It's dirty inside. If you don't want to go in, that's fine too."

The sheriff leading Elwin stroked his little mustache, then stepped inside first.

Elwin did not hesitate and entered with him.

At last, a few people in sheriff uniforms appeared in the courtyard. But they were merely sitting in the shade. Under the blazing sun, a fat man had been stripped naked and tied upside down to a pillar in the courtyard.

His body was covered in wounds. Clearly, he had already been tortured before being bound like this.

Several sheriffs who had been sitting in chairs immediately stood when they saw Elwin enter with their boss. One sheriff, whose shirt had already been unbuttoned to expose his belly, awkwardly tugged down his hem with one hand.

Elwin turned his gaze toward the man hanging from the pillar and said nothing.

The collusion between Seapeak Port's sheriffs and the gangs had long ceased to be a secret.

Its roots could even be traced back to the founding of Seapeak Port.

"Talk."

The sheriff walked over to the man, who was nearly unconscious, and waved for a subordinate behind him to splash a bucket of water over the man's face.

The icy sensation instantly woke the Graytooth Gang's leader. His fat tongue immediately pushed past his shriveled lips, searching for every trace of moisture.

"Then ask already! What am I supposed to say if you don't ask?"

The man tied to the pillar had bloodshot eyes, and even his head was swollen and red.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot to tell them."

The sheriff crouched down, first toying with his mustache using his fingers, then looking at the Graytooth Gang leader, who was half dead already.

"Can't be helped. The kids under me are new, so they don't know their own strength.

"But there's nothing to be done now. I'm afraid you'll hold a grudge against me afterward, so I can only kill you later.

"Still, if you cooperate, you can suffer a little less. Room 117 on Ironthorn Street, right? Your daughter is very pretty, and your wife is lovely too. She even specially gave me some cookies she baked herself."

Seeing the man on the pillar begin to writhe, the sheriff lowered the fingers that had been pinching his mustache.

"Six days ago, a bloodstained money pouch was lost in territory under your control. A hideously ugly kid created a distraction up front, while someone approached from behind, cut open the pouch, and took the money bag.

"This happened on your turf. You should know exactly who did it."

"Just for that?"

The man's shriveled lips moved, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Of course not just for that. You should know that the people above are sorting through the things in the Household to make room for the Wealth Church. Inevitably, some old skeletons are being dug up. You're just unlucky."

"Let me down first."

The Graytooth Gang leader looked at the old friend before him with bloodshot eyes. Beyond the hatred in them was a measure of confusion.

"Go bring Heka, Bell-Bottoms, Big Tooth, and Dogtail here."

Finally allowed to sit down, the man steadied his ragged breathing, then looked at the trusted subordinates hanging below, as well as the men standing nearby who ignored him and merely watched the sheriff.

After the sheriff nodded, several thugs left the small courtyard.

By the time they arrived, the gang had already sent the pickpockets out to work. Less than half a day had passed since the murderous coachman had been caught and revealed that the stolen money on him had been taken.

They had only had time to seize the original boss and his confidants. They had not even finished venting the resentment built up over the years, so how could they have had time to deal with those petty pickpockets?