Chapter 28 Empty Box Trap

The next day, Lynn, who hadn't slept all night, got up early. He randomly found an ornate empty box, stuffed it into his pocket, and walked out the door.

Outside, in the spacious training grounds, the crisp sound of clashing could be heard continuously. Lynn glanced over and noticed that "his sister" Ivina had been there for quite some time.

The young girl held a wooden sword, delivering swift and sharp strikes to the critical points of the target without any hesitation. Beads of sweat were trickling down from her forehead to her neck...

So diligent... Lynn thought to himself, given the unpleasant experience from last night, he didn't greet her and walked straight past. He didn't notice Ivina, who was training hard behind him, had stopped and was watching him with a complex expression.

Why...

Why, after such an incident, can he still act so indifferent when he sees me?

A look of confusion appeared on Ivina's face, but recalling Pedro's words from last night, her gaze became firm again. She swung her sword horizontally with her right hand, shattering the strong wooden target in front of her.

...

Lynn, who had already left the mansion, was unaware of what was happening back home. After purchasing some necessary supplies in the market, he returned to the dockside shop he visited the previous day.

"Welcome to Bill's... Ah, it's Lord Loth!" The elderly halfling greeted out of habit, but upon recognizing Lynn, he eagerly approached and said warmly, "You mentioned that shipment yesterday. We can discuss it more... There's absolutely no better partner in Harbor Town than the [Shipping Gang]!"

Lynn didn't rush to respond. He leisurely glanced around the shop and said regretfully, "What, Mr. Laud still doesn't want to see me?"

Bill quickly explained, "No, no, no, I believe Mr. Laud very much wants to see you! But unfortunately, he is currently not in Harbor Town. Even using the fastest messenger raven would take several days to deliver the message!"

"If Lord Loth is worried about safety, the [Shipping Gang] can provide collateral goods corresponding to the value!" The elderly Bill pounded his chest repeatedly, making drum-like sounds.

Lynn feigned hesitation for a moment before finally waving his hand and saying, "Alright, if that's the case, it's not unacceptable..."

"Who's in charge of the [Shipping Gang] now?"

"Of course, it's Rabour! Please wait, I'll get him right away..." Bill hurriedly ran out, called a dockworker, whispered a few words, and then returned, standing attentively on a small stool, pouring fruit wine for Lynn.

Lynn took the cup, set it aside without any intention of drinking, and pointed to the iron barrels piled in the shop's corner, inquiring, "What are these?"

"Just some worthless yellow ore. A group of prospectors dug them out from a barren mountain near Harbor Town. They gathered a whole shipload." Bill said gloomily.

This stuff usually only sells to herbalists, but this year the yellow ore market in Vicnys is already saturated, meaning they have to store it until next year to sell it.

"Lord Loth, if you're interested in these yellow ores, I can give you a cost price. A huge barrel for just nineteen copper coins. I heard it's quite effective for repelling insects!" Bill rubbed his hands eagerly and promoted.

"No, I'm just curious as I've never seen it before." Lynn shook his head and replied calmly.

While they were chatting, a tall, brawny man led a few helpers into the shop from outside.

"It's an honor, Mr. Loth. I heard from Bill that you have something important to discuss with me?" Rabour pushed open the door and immediately showed a genuine smile on his burly face.

"That's right, I'm planning to rent a large ship to transport some very important supplies!" Lynn said, taking out a delicate box from his sleeve and placing it on the table earnestly. "This is a sample; I need a private place to discuss it with you alone!"

Everyone present glanced at the palm-sized exquisite box in unison.

Bill, the halfling, secretly wondered if it might contain some rare gemstone, but quickly dismissed the thought, considering Lynn needed a large ship to transport it.

Rabour, on the other hand, looked quite serious. Unlike Bill, he had worked with the [Shipping Gang] for over a decade and occasionally helped nobles handle some illicit items.

For instance, Duke Nord had been privately selling an addictive substance called Soul-breaking Grass. If the church caught wind of it, small fry like them would likely be dragged out to take the blame.

Of course, risks and rewards come hand in hand. If the goods were delivered successfully, the profit from one shipload would sustain the entire [Shipping Gang] for half a year.

"No problem! We can discuss it slowly in the side room!" Rabour's face lit up with an even broader smile as his thoughts raced.

Lynn put away the box and followed Rabour out of the shop, crossing more than half a street, finally stopping at a seemingly ordinary house.

Understanding the importance of secrecy, Rabour stationed a few helpers at the door and led Lynn alone to a well-hidden basement.

The space was quite spacious, with only a few simple tables and chairs, but it was very clean.

From the moment Lynn entered, he kept observing the surroundings, which further confirmed Rabour's suspicions. Smiling, he assured Lynn,

"Please, have a seat, Mr. Loth. It's very safe and quiet here. No one will disturb us!"

"In that case, I'm relieved!" Lynn smiled, pushing the box towards Rabour. "You can take a look first, and then we'll talk!"

With a mix of anxiety and excitement, Rabour placed his hand on the box, extremely curious about what kind of contraband it contained.

Soul-breaking Grass? Heim Stone? Surely not a statue of some evil god?

It was said that the nobles on the western side of the Sekas Empire had a penchant for such sinister things.

However, when he opened the box, Rabour's expression froze in an instant.

Because the box was empty, absolutely nothing inside!

Tricked?

Rabour instantly sensed something was wrong. His left hand instinctively reached for the dagger at his waist, but it was already too late!

The moment he opened the box, Lynn went into a brief overload mode. His right hand swiftly and precisely grabbed Rabour's elbow, bending his entire arm at the exact angle.

Accompanied by the dull sound of a dislocation, searing pain flooded Rabour's mind. Before he could even scream, he was grabbed by the neck and slammed heavily to the ground...