Walsh took out his identification and the trade association's travel permit and handed them to the bearded officer.
"I'm one of the managers of the Silver Dragon Trade Association, sir. You can call me Walsh... May I ask what's happened in Jadeite Town?"
Walsh noticed far more guards gathered at the checkpoint than usual. The irregularity caught his attention.
The bearded man took the documents, gave them a cursory glance, and handed them back to Walsh.
"Nothing much. Brother Stuarton of the Red Apple Church merely informed us that a vicious murderer is lurking nearby.
We'll have to search your association's carriages."
"Sir, that's against regulations."
Walsh voiced his displeasure.
The bearded officer shrugged and stepped aside, clearing a path.
"Sorry. I believe your caravan is fine, but these are the Red Apple Church's orders...
Under the Sun Codex, they have the authority to do this."
As the bearded officer spoke, a fat man in a dark red robe approached the caravan with a group of church guards behind him.
A tall guard in heavy armor was also leading two large dogs draped in red cloth.
The Rotting Hounds were probably covered up to prevent ordinary people from panicking at the sight of them.
The Red Apple Church had nothing to fear, but Brother Stuarton still wanted to avoid unnecessary trouble.
"Move aside!"
Several Red Apple Church guards in leather coats and brimmed hats barked orders, swords in hand. The caravan guards backed away.
As he watched the church guards inspect their three carriages and the cargo, the assistant, Jit, felt no resentment. Instead, he was strangely expectant.
He looked forward to seeing the guards drag that kid out of the carriage.
Maybe some country bumpkin from the fields abducted a church nun, even stabbed out her eyes, and then defiled her...
Jit's imagination ran wild, and excitement stirred within him.
As for the vicious murderer the Red Apple Church had mentioned, Jit hadn't considered that possibility.
No matter how he looked at it, that kid didn't seem like one.
Soon, a church guard reached the last carriage.
Under Jit's expectant gaze, the guard raised his short sword and lifted the curtain with its tip.
There, inside the carriage, lay a nun from his own church, along with a young man in ragged burlap clothes who looked like a beggar.
The young man looked at him with a polite smile.
"Hello."
Chapter 18: You Little Bastard, You're Trying to Get Me Killed
"No suspicious persons."
The guard moved his short sword away, and the curtain fell back into place.
"None here, either."
"Same here."
The other guards called out their reports one after another.
Brother Stuarton wiped his sweat with a handkerchief and waved them through.
"All right. Go on in."
"Praise Rose."
Walsh let out a long breath, removed his hat, and bowed slightly to the fat man before telling the caravan to move on.
Jit stood to the side, dumbfounded.
What's going on?!
No suspicious persons?!
My God, a nun from your Red Apple Church is lying right beside a vagrant, right under your noses!
Are you blind?! Open your eyes and look!
Jit screamed inwardly.
Half the caravan's carriages had already rolled onto the bridge when the Rotting Hounds held by the heavily armored guard began to grow restless.
Woof! Woof, woof, woof!!
Just then, the Rotting Hounds suddenly began barking furiously at Chen Lun's carriage.
Inside, Chen Lun frowned.
Did they notice? These dogs really are a nuisance...
He had just used [Siren's Song] to hypnotize the church guard and evade the search, but doing so had inevitably caused fluctuations in supernatural power.
Ordinary people couldn't sense them, and neither could most supernatural beings, but supernatural creatures like the Rotting Hounds had keenly sniffed out the faint traces.
The guards immediately started in alarm.
As though facing a formidable enemy, they drew the short swords at their waists and warily watched the carriage before them.
Two heavily armored guards carrying spears advanced with ponderous steps, one from each side, moving to surround it.
Jit watched excitedly from the sidelines, practically ready to applaud the dogs.
Well done! What good dogs!
Sitting in the carriage, Chen Lun slowly straightened and tilted his head to listen to the commotion outside.
I still have seven thousand experience points in reserve, enough to max out my secondary class and boost my attributes again... Fighting my way out won't be too difficult.
He remained utterly calm, ready to spring into action at any moment.
"What are you doing?!"
Brother Stuarton suddenly roared at the guards.
His men froze.
"I told you to let them through! Are you ignoring my orders?!"
The fat man angrily berated them, then ordered them to get out of the way and stop blocking the road.
Jit was stunned.
Has this fat bastard eaten so much that he's stuffed his brain stupid?
There's obviously something wrong with that carriage!
"Brother, I have something to report! Inside that carriage..."
"Seize him!"
Stuarton abruptly turned and fixed Jit with a hard stare.
Two church guards immediately stepped forward and pinned Jit down, leaving the bowl-cut young man completely bewildered.
"I suspect this fellow has ties to the murderer. Detain him here for now and gag him!"
"N-no, Brother, I..."
Stuarton ignored him and waved for his men to gag him.
Walsh, the caravan manager, was startled. He had no idea what had gotten into his assistant to make him provoke the Red Apple Church.
"Sir, Jit..."
"Enough! Not another word!"
The fat man kept wiping away his sweat, his face full of impatience.
"Go on in. Come back for him later."
Walsh seemed to have picked up on something and fell silent for a moment.
He thanked the fat clergyman, bowed, and turned to leave.
Before leaving, he gave Jit a look that said there was nothing he could do.
Watching the caravan slowly disappear beyond the far end of the bridge, Brother Stuarton let out a long breath.
He had only intended to go through the motions in the first place, so the bishop wouldn't reprimand him.
Such a major incident had occurred at the Jadeite Town branch, and Apple Orchard Prison had been almost entirely wiped out.
Father Carter had been killed, and the sacrifices had been released...
Worst of all, two [Mysterious Objects] had been stolen, especially that potted Sunflower!
He knew just how much importance the church's higher-ups attached to that thing.
The affair had already blown up, and the mere thought of it frightened him.
But he had no desire to confront the culprit behind it all, either.
Whether that supernatural being was hiding in the caravan or not, Stuarton refused to gamble. His own life mattered more!
I'm not getting involved in this mess... I'd better report it to the bishop as soon as possible.
With his fat hand trembling, Stuarton tossed the soaking handkerchief onto Jit's head.
Rose above, this fellow nearly got me killed...
"Give him a good beating! That hairstyle reminds me of those disgusting roasted mushrooms yesterday! It makes me sick!"
Jit immediately burst into aggrieved tears.
You're going to beat me just because of that?
After entering the town, Chen Lun parted ways with the caravan.
Before you continue