Fighting the City Lord: Part One

Going toward the inn Bobby pointed out, Xiao Ying decided to go there first to gather information.

As he walked down the street, he noticed that all of the buildings around were dilapidated and falling apart. It seemed as if the whole town was in a bad condition.

After a few moments of walking and looking around, he finally reached the general store, like Bobby had said.

The general store was in relatively better shape, but it wasn't by much. Walking even further, Xiao Ying managed to reach the inn.

Once he got inside, he picked a table in the corner with no one around it and sat down. After that, he started listening to the conversations around him; people tend to get drink their problems away, so all he had to do was listen to the mumbling of those around him.

"These fucking taxes are getting out of hand. We can't even eat, much less keep our houses from falling apart. The city lord has to lower the town's taxes, or else we're done for." One voice said.

"Not only that, the city lord's son is making everything worse. Raping our women, taking our money and possessions, as well as killing those that stand up to him. This whole city is falling apart, and the city lord is doing nothing to stop it." Another voice spoke to the first one.

"Something has to change." The first voice replied.

After Xiao Ying heard this little exchange, he walked into the bathroom, and started putting on his armor and hood. This was going to be easier than he thought.

Using "Traceless Shadows", he went to the table that the two voices came from, before sitting down unnoticed.

The two people who were speaking before were startled, but before they could scream, Xiao Ying said, "Something has to change right?"

To the two of them, it seemed as if he had just appeared out of thin air, before speaking.

"Where is the city lord's manor?" he continued.

There was an awkward silence before one of the answered.

"It's the huge house in the middle of the town; the one with guards stationed all around it."

Without needing more information, Xiao Ying disappeared right before their eyes, as if he never existed in the first place. Evidently, he used "Traceless Shadows" to get out of the inn.

Still using Traceless Shadows to get to the manor, he began looking for a vantage point.

After finding one, he started observing and making a plan.

'The best way to get in is to use Traceless Shadows. After that, I'd need a way to find where the target is. Searching every room wouldn't be efficient. Maybe I should listen in on the maids, or servants, and find one that often attends to the target. That's probably my best bet. I can always escape the same way I came in.'

'The guards only seem to be at the Mid Meridian Awakening Phase, while the city lord is most likely at the Peak Meridian Awakening Phase; this town is pretty far from the capital, so the people here shouldn't be too strong. As long as I don't run into the city lord, I should be good.'

With a plan set in stone, he began to move, as it was now time to kill the son of the city lord.

____________________________________

____________________________________

Quest received!:

Contract

Quest Details:

Kill the city lord's son

Quest Rewards:

4 stat points

20 exp

1 Skill Point

Quest Failure Consequences:

Host will die

____________________________________

____________________________________

Infiltrating the manor, Xiao Ying did as he planned and found a servant that led him to the city lord's son.

"Here you are, Young Master Jack." The servant said, handing the son of the city lord a bottle of wine. It seemed that his name was Jack.

At the moment, Jack seemed to be busy.

"Set it on the nightstand. I'll get it when I get done with this whore." he said while grunting.

He was currently very, very "busy".

Using Traceless Shadows, Xiao Ying managed to enter the room, still not discovered by the guards or the city lord.

Looking at the woman that Jack was "busy" with, he could tell that she was crying. She had tears in her eyes, as well as streaks running down her face. It seemed that she was being forced.

'Despicable!' Xiao Ying thought.

Without further thought, he rushed up to the bed while still using Traceless Shadows, and beheaded Jack.

As Jack was on top of the girl, his head fell onto her as blood sprayed everywhere. Jack's face was still twisted in ecstasy even as he died.

"You have been sentenced to death for your sins by the Crimson Shadow. May your victims rest in peace." A voice was heard, before the body materialized out of thin air.

Suddenly, a piercing scream sounded from the frightened girl.

Hurriedly, Xiao Ying grabbed the head, before using Traceless Shadows to try to escape.

"MY SON!!!!" A crazed roar was heard. It was the city lord.

'Damnit! I guess I underestimated the city lord! I've already been made!' he realized.

"How dare you come into MY city, try to kill MY son, and then try to escape without leaving your life behind?!" Xiao Ying heard the voice behind him.

'Fuck!' turning around, Xiao Ying brandished his dagger and tried to block the incoming blow.

Suddenly, a heavy weight hit his dagger before launching him backwards. His eyes widened due to how much strength he was behind that blow.

He flew a few meters back, before hitting the manor wall, causing cracks to be made in it and dust to fly up everywhere.

"Gah~~~!" Xiao Ying coughed up blood.

'Damnit! My arms are fucking numb! I should have been more careful!' He regretted.

Standing up, Xiao Ying prepared himself for a fight.

"Oh? You're still alive?" A voice filled with cold rage sounded out.

"I was sure that blow would have killed you. Well, no matter. You'll join my son in the hell, you bastard." The voice continued.