Over the past few days, Felix and the others had continued practicing killing techniques such as Stealth, Sap, and Kidney Shot under VanCleef's guidance. Now they were equipped and ready to set out.
"Is everyone ready?" Felix asked the twenty-odd brothers beside him solemnly. "This will be another excellent opportunity to secure a new source of funds and strike at Stormwind City's rule."
By the faint candlelight, he surveyed the people before him one by one. Fearlessness and anticipation were written on every face. They were all named NPCs whom Felix had carefully selected for this mission, and their loyalty to the Brotherhood could be trusted.
None of those taking part in the operation avoided Felix's scrutinizing gaze. They answered quietly but firmly, "Ready."
"Then let me make the plan clear." Felix crouched down, set the candle on the ground, and pointed at a simple, roughly drawn map of the Kingdom of Stormwind. "There's only one main road from Goldshire to Stormwind City. Their tax money has to be transported by wagon, so they can't take the side roads. That means their convoy will definitely follow this route. We'll set out now to scout it. As I see it, the road bends here, and this would be the best place for our ambush."
"Do we need to go so early?" Erlan yawned. "They won't leave until the morning after tomorrow. If we go now, we'll just be sitting around waiting."
"It takes us a day to reach Goldshire from here. If you think we can stroll through the searches at Westbrook Garrison in broad daylight dressed like this, then of course we can leave later. If we leave too late, I can't guarantee that SI:7's spies won't learn of our movements, so it's better to prepare early."
Erlan sullenly shut his mouth.
Felix continued, "Everyone should choose a code name, and you must never call another brother by his real name, so we don't end up directly listed as wanted men. For example, you can call me 'Hawkeye,' Erlan can be 'Big Eyes,' and Joseph can be 'Big Beard.'"
Once everyone had settled on a code name, the group skirted Westbrook Garrison's sentry posts under cover of darkness, crossed the clearing at the forest's edge, and headed toward Goldshire.
On the morning two days later, a convoy from Goldshire was making its leisurely way northwest.
Compared with the time specified on their schedule, they were already several hours late. But that couldn't be helped. The weather was gloomy today, with hints of rain in the air-perfect weather for sleeping.
The guards from Goldshire all felt they would be doing their meager wages a disservice if they didn't sleep in a little longer.
The weather was gloomy today, but to the guards, it might as well have been bright and sunny.
Their luck had simply been too good. They had encountered nothing along the way: no murlocs, gnolls, kobolds, elemental creatures, or scattered orcs. Nothing at all.
Today, Elwynn Forest looked beautiful and peaceful.
The convoy's escort numbered around twenty people. A few were fully armed soldiers who belonged to the regular force, while others were adventurers recruited temporarily for escort duty-temporary workers, in other words.
The soldiers were all equipped with standard-issue longswords and lion-emblazoned shields. They also wore fully enclosed helmets that exposed only their intimidating eyes. They rode on horseback or sat on the wagons, perfectly at ease.
The adventurers, those hired hands, were not so fortunate. They carried only crudely made weapons and wore no armor at all, trotting along behind the soldiers. The difference in their standing was plain to see.
Everyone was in a good mood. This mission would go more smoothly than previous ones, and afterward, they could collect the payment they were due-
Suddenly, just beyond the bend in the road, a man wearing a red mask appeared. He unhurriedly lit a cigarette, lifted one corner of his mask, and brought it to his lips, smoking at a leisurely pace.
A soldier's horse immediately shied, rearing sharply. He hurriedly hauled on the reins and veered aside, cursing, "Idiot! What are you standing here for? You're blocking our way!"
The man in the red mask said nothing, which only made the soldier angrier. He raised his sword and urged his horse forward, trying to drive off or kill this fool who didn't know to get out of the way.
Suddenly, with a soft sound, his throat was slit, and red blood sprayed everywhere. At the same time, another figure wearing a red mask appeared beside his corpse.
"By the holy light, it's a rogue!"
Frightened cries rose one after another, in contrast to the Defias Brotherhood's composure.
"Brothers, wipe them out! Wipe out these Stormwind City lackeys!"
"Heavens, they're a gang of bandits!" a soldier cried out loudly.
Nonsense! You're the bandits, plundering the farmers' blood and sweat!
Felix wasted no words on them. He sprang out of the woods beside the road, then swiftly charged into the escort convoy and grappled with the guards.
Joseph shot a guard in the head with his musket, the force of the black powder denting the guard's fully enclosed nasal helmet. Immediately afterward, Felix rushed to his side and thrust his sword down into the neck of the soldier, who was trying to flee, leaving him to collapse writhing on the ground.
"Damn it, that bastard's trying to run!" Dudmore pointed at another adventurer ahead and roared, "The brown-haired one! He's trying to warn Stormwind City!"
"I'll stop him!" Lightfinger shouted. Then he used Sprint, rushed up beside the penniless adventurer, and reached out to seize him by the throat.
"Good sir... spare me. I only..." The adventurer struggled to force a few words through his teeth. "I only wanted... to make a living-"
His voice cut off abruptly, because Lightfinger had already slashed his throat with a dagger. Lightfinger had no time to waste here listening to the desperate excuses and pleas of a lackey who had chosen to serve Stormwind City.
"Fuck, there are even a few dwarves in here!"
The hatch on top of the money wagon opened, and several dwarves poked their heads out and fired.
Felix cursed loudly as he struggled to dodge the bullets from their muzzle-loading guns. Then he jumped onto the wagon, kicked a dwarf musketeer in the head, and drove his sword hard into his back. The dwarf let out a wail, and his gun fell into the wagon.
"Big Beard, get over here! Kill them!"
Joseph jumped onto the money wagon at his call, and the dagger in his hand swept swiftly across the throats of the two remaining dwarf musketeers.
He turned and looked closely. On the neighboring money wagon, Jack was still locked in a struggle with a guard and was gradually losing ground.
Felix suddenly leaped onto the wagon and attacked the guard from behind and to one side.
Although the soldier was fairly well trained, two fists were no match for four hands. Soon, Joseph's longsword pierced a gap in the armor at his knee, leaving him to sink helplessly to his knees.
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