A Contest in the Shadows

Watching Li Lin and the fat boss, whose face was confined under the guards as if he were about to be hanged, the half-elf standing at a distance withdrew his gaze, gently picked up the wine glass beside him, and raised it behind him in a gesture of respect.

"It seems our plan is progressing smoothly."

"That's right."

Behind him, another half-elf man dressed in luxurious clothes nodded in agreement.

"We never expected that the man who came here with Golden Leaf Mage would actually break the laws here. This is a golden opportunity for us. If we can seize this chance and cause some trouble for those high and mighty figures, that wouldn't be bad."

"That's exactly right."

Swirling the wine in his glass, the young half-elf wore an expression of smug satisfaction.

"Those guys up there have been taking up positions for far too long. It seems necessary to show them the power we possess."

At the guard's polite but firm signal, Li Lin and Boss Pikachu were locked in an ordinary guest room. This did not put the fat boss at ease; instead, he paced around anxiously on the floor, like a mouse cornered by a cat.

"It's all over, it's all over, it's all over."

"I don't think things are that bad."

Li casually remarked as he sat down on the chair next to him.

"The place isn't too bad; we shouldn't encounter anything serious."

"Oh my goodness..."

The fat boss's voice at that moment perfectly represented the extreme of "wanting to cry but having no tears."

"If I had a choice, I'd rather be locked up in that filthy underground water dungeon for a few days. This place is only for hardened criminals... You wouldn't believe it, I've seen it countless times. Those who come out of here are either beheaded or exiled... Sigh, I've worked so hard, spent most of my life building this little bit of property. If it gets confiscated, I might as well be dead... Oh, by the way, here's your merchandise, please keep it safe."

Even on the verge of death, he didn't forget to do business; that's the true nature of a businessman.

Taking the spatial bag from the crestfallen, portly merchant, Li Lin carefully examined its contents before casually putting it away. He understood, of course, that the merchant's current meticulousness wasn't just a matter of business acumen; he probably wanted to shift all the blame onto himself. After all, possessing contraband wasn't illegal, but buying and selling it was. As an outsider, Li Lin had no connections here, so even if something went wrong, he'd only have to accept his fate. Even if nothing happened, if a conflict arose, he had no grounds to cause trouble for the portly merchant.

However, Li Lin didn't care about this; he didn't take the businessman's little scheme to heart.

"But speaking of which, Mr. Businessman, your secrecy measures are really poor."

How would I know what's going on?

The businessman's face fell again at this point.

"This has never happened before. We, 'Old Pikachu's One Hundred and Eight Thousand Thunders,' are the most trustworthy. How could we let others see us so easily... Sigh, it's strange, how did these guards know we were trading these things?"

"I don't think they know."

Sitting in the chair, Li Lin casually began to fiddle with the wooden cup next to him.

"However, things seem to have gotten quite interesting this time."

"Interesting? I don't find it that interesting at all..."

The merchant instinctively wanted to say something, but ultimately gave up in despair. Perhaps even he didn't know what else he should say. Oh well, saying anything here was pointless; he'd better save his breath and plead for leniency at trial, hoping those powerful figures would show mercy and spare his life—or, of course, it would be even better if he could keep his shop along with him...

Li Lin observed the fat boss's expression and couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing. However, he quickly composed himself.

"Angela."

"Here I am, Master."

The sudden sound from behind the fat shopkeeper startled him, making him jump up from his chair. When he turned around, he saw the cute girl who had appeared in the store with the man and then mysteriously disappeared was now sitting on top of the wardrobe, giggling and looking down at them.

"How's the situation?"

"Sister Nia asked me to tell you that you should wait patiently, and she will definitely handle things satisfactorily."

"That's good..."

Li Lin gently tapped the armrest of the chair.

"And you?"

"If it weren't for this fat pig, I would have liked to use this time to enjoy myself with my master. Unfortunately... for me right now, finding a good spot to watch the rest of the show is the most important thing."

With Angela's silvery laughter, a dark Black Mist vanished in an instant, and the girl's figure disappeared without a trace.

The portly boss stared in astonishment, rubbing his eyes. He looked at the now empty space, then turned to look at Li Lin, who remained calm and composed, sitting in his chair enjoying the scenery. He finally decided to keep his mouth shut, refusing to utter anything that might cause him trouble. Life is only once; wasting it anywhere is not worthwhile.

Just as Li Lin was being detained in the "VIP room," Nia appeared on the floating disc. She showed her badge to the guards and then stepped onto the stone disc floating in the air. As she uttered a low, Magic Power incantation, the stone disc slowly rose, carrying her upwards. After some time, the magically stabilized stone disc was firmly anchored on the rooftop, where three elderly men of different races, dressed in mage robes, bowed to Nia in unison.

"It's been a long time, Miss Golden Leaf Mage."

The elderly man at the head of the group gave a kind smile.

Why didn't you let us know before you came back so we could have been prepared?

"I think this is unnecessary."

Nia did not remove her cloak, maintaining her mysterious style.

"It seems that entrusting this city to you was indeed the right decision. Warsaw has lived up to its reputation as the 'City of a Thousand Towers,' becoming the pearl of the North. I have heard about everything you have done on my way here. Expanding trade, developing domestic production, and at the same time beginning to break free from your last dependence on the Five-Nation Alliance —this is truly commendable."

"It is our honor to receive your praise."

Another elderly man, only half the height of the others and even shorter than Nia, spoke up. His voice was high-pitched and thin, yet it carried a captivating warmth.

In fact, decades ago, with Nia's help, a coup d'état was secretly staged in the City of a Thousand Towers, securing its autonomy without alerting the Five-Nation Alliance. Led by the three mages, they established a new governing center. However, Nia politely declined their offer to become the governing official; finding Li Lin was clearly more important to her. Furthermore, the location of the City of a Thousand Towers meant she wouldn't receive timely information about the Capital of the Magic Empire. Even so, Nia still wielded considerable influence there.

"May I ask where you've come from this time...?"

"Do you still remember the promise I asked of you all when I left?"

"Certainly."

The third monk answered respectfully.

"We will never forget our promise, a vow we pledge with our lives. Unlike short-lived humans who only have a short-sighted view of the past, we are not here to forget what you ask of us. Whatever you ask, it is our duty."

"Thank you so much for remembering my request."

Nia nodded slightly, but the next moment, her tone became much more serious.

"However, to my disappointment, I encountered a very unpleasant thing as soon as I returned to this city."

You mean...?

Hearing Nia's slightly displeased tone, the three mages were taken aback. Even when they were plotting the coup, they had never sensed such obvious emotion from this young mage. However, they no longer needed any answers. At that moment, a high-ranking officer jogged up to the three mages.

"Reporting to Elders, Lord Huoteman intends to convene a trial and requests that the three elders prepare to attend."

"Trial?"

The three mages exchanged puzzled glances.

What is the charge?

"The unauthorized sale and trade of spellcasting materials, which are strictly prohibited in the city, is a crime that Huoteman hopes will be dealt with severely, as it could endanger the city's order."

Hearing this, the three mages frowned. This kind of crime could be serious or minor, so why did the three of them need to participate? Huoteman was no longer a child; he should know very well that he should make his own decisions in this matter. After all, they couldn't solve every problem for him. He had grown up, and the city didn't need a muddle-headed administrator in the future.

"We're not going. Tell Huoteman we're welcoming an old friend."

"But..."

The senior sergeant hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.

"The person being tried this time is a companion of this Golden Leaf Mage..."

At this moment, the three mages finally understood the source of Nia's dissatisfaction.