The death of Lina

Outside the room, the bundled people were standing one by one, waiting for Lee's question. Two groups of guards were ordered to search every corner of the inn.

Inside the room, Lee sat on the bed, Tang stood beside him, and other guards surrounded Lina and Anthony.

Lina did not seem worried about her life. She spoke slowly to Lee, "A robber, a murderer, or even a mad man could do such a thing. In Gady, there are several fighting masters and many weirdos. You know, there are always people better than you, beyond your understanding."

"How dare you?" Tang drew his sword and pointed it at Lina's neck.

Lina said nothing but stared at Tang coldly.

"Why aren't you afraid?" Tang asked.

"Being afraid is useless, right?" Lina replied.

"Yes, you are right," Lee said. "Tell me what you did tonight."

"Nothing, I just stayed at my room."

"Lie!" a guard said. "We saw her outside the room."

Tang's sword pressed further, and blood was already visible on Lina's neck. Now Lina dared not move, feeling very uncomfortable under the threat of Tang's sword.

"You were making such a big noise. I had to come out and figure out what's going on," Lina's words were light and airy to avoid the large vibration of her throat.

A group leader of guards, Eric, came in, throwing a bow and several arrows on the ground.

"Found in her room," Eric said.

"Impossible!" Lina lost her calmness for the first time. Her expression changed several times.

"You are an archery master," Lee said. "Can you explain?"

Lina seemed to accept the truth. She said, "It is not me, I can't shoot arrows at all. Someone framed me."

"Save the words!" Tang roared, then told Eric, "Leave it to you. Use all means to open her mouth."

Then Eric took Lina away. Soon, everyone could hear the heart-wrenching scream of Lina.

Anthony recovered some strength, but he fell to the ground again after hearing it. Lee ordered the guards to carry him out.

Then, Lee questioned each person at the inn. In the shadow of fear, they answered Lee's questions truthfully, telling him everything, even their grandfather's name.

"Lina should be the only attacker. Otherwise, more arrows shooting, I would have died," Lee said, "What's going on over there? Tang, go take a look."

Before Tang walked out of the room, Eric came in.

"She's tough. I am afraid she may die if I torture her further." Eric said frustratedly. 

"Then let's have a look together," Lee sighed and said, blood seeping out of the white clothes wrapped around his waist. The wound hindered his actions so he moved slowly. 

In the backyard, Lina lay on the ground with messy hair. Under the illumination of the surrounding torches, it was seen that blood was all over her body. All her nails were pulled out. She fainted. 

One guard brought a bucket of water and poured it on Lina. She was awakened by the pain.

"Well, just tell me everything and I'll give you a quick death. I think it's a good deal for both of us," Lee said.

"I ...did nothing," Lina spoke incoherently and was dying.

"Kill her," Lee said, obviously he had lost his patience.

"Ba...Baron will..."

Before she could finish, Eric's sword had already pierced her chest. Lina was no longer breathing.

"Who is Baron?" Lee glanced at these waiters and asked.

"He is the owner, also Lina's brother," One waiter said.

"Maybe we can help him meet his sister at Cactus," Lee spoke lightly.

"Eric, deal with her body, and lock the rest people in a room," Tang said.

Tang arranged a new room for Lee. Lee said to Tang, "I was assassinated after we just arrived. Lina's already prepared. How can she know we'll be here?"

Tang answered qucikly, "Two possibilities. One is she is waiting here all the time. Another is the enemy got our information from the missing group, our people have been caught or killed. 

"The first one sounds unrealistic," Lee shook his head and continued saying, "The second should be the truth." 

"What should we do, general?" Tang asked.

"The enemy is in the dark and we are in the light. Instead of passively taking the beating, we must take the initiative," Lee said. "Go to find the missing group, to the west, following their route."

"But it is too dangerous. You're injured, we can not take risks anymore," Tang disagreed.

"We are not safe here either. We don't even know who our enemies are," Lee insisted. "Listen, if they want to kill me, the only possibility is that they are from the True Kingdom. They know I am here. Now we don't know if they have reinforcements on the way. We cannot wait anymore. We are really strong, right? We must take control of our fate."

Seeing Tang wanting to refute again, Lee said, "This is my order."

The second day, Lee called Anthony over. Anthony did not know what will happen to him, shivering all the time. 

"Is there anyone I can get information from?" Lee asked. 

"Mark! Mark! He is the guy. You can get any news from him as long as you provide him appropriate exchange," Anthony said with a sigh of relief, "He has a pub in the north."

"Then let's go," Lee said.

Before departure, Lee thought he needed to collect enough intelligence for preparing potential enemies. 

This attack was a lesson to him. Before he was confident and a bit arrogant, considering that nobody would dare to against him in the Big Desert. Now he reckoned that he was so naive. He, as a minor character in the City of Victory, had been involved with an invisible conflict between different powers. Although he was adopted by the Commander, the enemy did not care and just tried to kill him at once. 

To avoid attention, Lee just ordered Tang and Eric to follow him and all of them changed into coarse clothes.

Mark's pub was not very big. The door was not wide, and it would be a bit crowded for two to walk in side by side. 

Anthony came into the pub, he looked around and then pointed, "This big beard is Mark." 

Mark obviously noticed Lee's arrival. He's medium size with short hair, wearing a brown robe. He walked towards them and laughed at Anthony, "Anthony, you are still alive? Why don't you die with your beloved Lina?" 

"Nonsense!" Anthony shouted. 

Tang and Eric took a step forward, separating Lee and Anthony. Lee was surprised that Mark knew Lina's death. 

"You're always so angry but just a coward. No wonder Lina ignored you at all." Mark said.

Anthony's eyes turned red with anger, but he didn't dare to fight with Mark. Mark is one of the strongest persons in Gady. Some people attempted to challenge the rules of his pub but all disappeared. It was said that Mark had already been a fighting master.

"Mark, I want to get some news from you," Lee stared at Mark.

"So you guys killed Lina, How bold!" Mark talked to himself, "Baron is a tough guy, I hate to deal with him."

"I want to get some news from you," Lee repeated.

"Young man, obey my rule," Mark told to Lee, "You can ask me and show your price."

"Lina's details." 

"Uh, this is expensive, you know," Mark responded, "She is not as simple as you think."

Lee nodded and Tang handed a gold badge to him. Lee shaken the badge in front of Mark.

"Enough?" Lee asked.

Mark immediately snatched the badge away. 

"Good, good, so generous of you," Mark was beaming with joy. He touched the badge with blurred eyes, as if looking at his lover. "Yes, so beautiful. It must be from the royal family."

"Tell me everything about Lina," Lee snorted.

"Don't rush," Mark was unsatisfied. He found a small wooden box from the counter and carefully put the badge in it. The he grabbed a bottle of wine and took a gulp of it.

"Do you know the rebellion in the True Kingdom eleven years ago?" Mark asked.

"Of course." Lee said. In fact, he remembered it clearly because it was the first time Windyce took him to the real battleground. The rebellion happened in Atulus, which was located in the northern territory. Local officials conscripted hundreds of peasants to build houses for local tycoons, and then pocketed all their salaries. Peasants were out of anger. They killed local officials as well as tycoons and started an riot. Soon thousands of people joined the rebellion, which swung the City of Victory. At this time, Windyce was the Grand General of north territory. He led his army to suppress the rebellion day and night. 

As a twelve-year-old boy, Lee could not stand the brutality of the battlefield. There were blood and broken bodies everywhere. The rebellion was over with a bloody suppression. Lee had no appetite for several days.

"Baron and Lina's father was one of the rebellion leaders. Their parents were killed by Windyce's army. In the chaos, Baron fled from Atulus with Lina, and then they fled from the True Kingdom, finally settled down here," Mark spoke slowly with hoarse voice.