Chapter Nine: Black Locust Town, Part Two

A flood of whispers rippled through the tavern, then the drinking began in earnest, one cup after another.

One of the thieves took a sip, frowned, and muttered, “This fruit wine has no kick at all.”

Leiler shot him a glance. The man shivered and hurriedly added, “Oh, I mean, I actually rather like fruit wine. A little sweet, like drinking—”

“Like drinking what?” The thief could not recall the word he wanted and jabbed the man beside him with his elbow.

“Honey, you brainless weed.” His companion answered impatiently.

“Oh, yes. Honey.”

Old Bill stared at them in bewilderment. After a long pause, he nodded. “So you’re not planning to explain anything to me.”

“It’s not that we don’t want to,” Leiler said quietly. “It’s that we can’t.”

Old Bill understood at once. “Very well. You honest little lambs. Let’s see how long you can keep being honest.”

It sounded less like a curse than a prophecy.

Acacia Town welcomed neither gentlemen nor nobles, nor any of the refinements of polite society. In a savage land where evil flourished, manners themselves were an annoyance, and any display of gentlemanly grace only made a person a target.

As though, in a world of lunatics, the only sane man were the one deemed mad.

So when Leiler and the others arrived dressed and speaking as they were, it was like a swan wandering into a chicken coop, and they immediately drew everyone’s attention.

Especially since, half a month ago, that swan had been a common yard chicken just like the rest of them.

The townsfolk began to take notice, eyeing them with curiosity.

Soon the jeering started. “Look at Leiler, that bastard. What’s he up to? He and his men turned themselves into gentlemen?”

“This is unbelievable. Say, mate, where did you get those clothes? That fabric must be worth a fortune.”

“And look at that, a necktie. Good heavens, I thought you lot only knew how to make nooses. I wonder what it feels like to strangle someone with one of those.”

“Oh, and those sticks in their hands—damn it, not one of them has a real weapon.”

“Maybe they’re carrying magic wands instead of walking sticks.”

“Really? Hey, mate, can you cast a spell for me to see?”

More and more people gathered outside the Fighters’ Tavern.

Several thieves from other gangs shouted, “Hey, Leiler, what madness has gotten into you today? You’re drinking fruit wine? I thought that stuff was for women and those lordly noble types.”

Leiler Yesa lifted his hat to the crowd in a strange, clipped manner. “In fact, nobles usually drink rum. It’s stronger than fruit wine. At banquets they drink cocktails.”

One thief gaped and shouted, “My God, he waved that hat at me! What does that mean?”

“I heard that’s how gentlemen greet one another.”

“And he’s even explaining what kind of liquor nobles drink? Has the man gone insane?”

“I think he has.”

Leiler muttered in exasperation and put his hat back on.

He knew that although Shuyi was not here, he could see and hear everything.

That damned bastard.

So this was deliberate—he meant to watch them make fools of themselves.

The thief beside him, Basi, could not bear it any longer and leaned over. “Boss, I can’t take this. We’re like monsters locked in cages here, and those bastards are laughing at us while we can’t explain a thing.”

“So what do you want us to do? What can we do?”

“I don’t care anymore. Feels like fire is burning under me. I need to find a few whores and blow off some steam. I’m not staying here to be laughed at.” Basi roared as he stood up.

“But Shuyi forbade it—”

“So what? I don’t give a damn.”

It was clear he intended to ignore Shuyi’s order.

He strode toward the tavern door, with several other thieves following him.

Watching Basi and the others leave, Leiler merely sighed.

He knew trouble was inevitable today.

A crowd had already gathered outside the tavern. They whistled loudly at Leiler and the others.

A tall scar-faced thief shouted at them, “Hey, Leiler, want to fight me again? I still wasn’t convinced I lost to you last time. This time I’m betting five gold vits on myself.”

“No, Inigo. Gentlemen do not brawl.” Leiler forced out a stiff, ugly smile.

The other man laughed even louder. “Gentlemen? Maybe you mean women? Leiler, you’ve turned into a girl. Good heavens, Acacia Town’s been invaded by a troop of ladies. Look, Leiler Yesa’s become a woman!”

A great many bandits, ruffians, and scoundrels from the town all pointed at Leiler and the others and roared with laughter.

The fury in Leiler’s chest swelled and swelled until, at last, he could bear it no longer. He charged out of the tavern, bellowing, “Damn it, I’ve had enough! I’d like to beat the life out of you, you son of a bitch, for daring to challenge me, Leiler Yesa. I’ll tear off your head and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine!”

The thief called Inigo narrowed his eyes. “Leiler, have you finally started acting like a man? Have you finally ripped off that hypocritical mask and dared to step forward? Yes—that’s more like you.”

Behind him, a large group of thieves drew their swords and daggers.

Inigo smiled with great satisfaction. “I noticed that you and your brothers didn’t bring weapons this time. That’s a lucky break for me.”

Leiler froze slightly.

A large number of thieves were already closing in.

Old Bill watched the scene and quietly ordered, “Nathan, go inform Boss Buckler. Tell him there may be trouble in town.”

“Boss, are you sure something like this needs to be reported to Buckler?”

“This time it’s different.” Old Bill’s voice turned cold.

He knew all too well what kind of man Leiler was.

He was sure he could kill Leiler, but he could never force Leiler and his men to become that way.

Killing a man was easy; changing a man was much harder. To transform a group of men so drastically, and in such a short time, was almost impossible beyond imagination.

Old Bill could not fathom what sort of person could accomplish such a thing.

So he could only leave it to Buckler, the most powerful figure in the Acacia Town region.

He only hoped that before Buckler arrived, the two sides would not descend into irretrievable chaos and give the hidden hand in the shadows any opening.

On the little hill outside town, Shuyi stood with Xu in his arms, admiring the scene through the eyes of Wind-Chime.

“Just as I expected, right?” Shuyi asked Xu.

The little fellow clearly did not understand why.

“This is their home,” Shuyi explained. “Humans always have a special feeling for home. They are attached to it and dislike leaving it. For Leiler and the others, the Valiars Mountains are home. Here they are free, just like the other thieves, able to do as they please. Their lives are not good, but at least this place makes them feel safe, and they have grown used to it.”

“Of course I could use force to compel them to follow me away, but that would mean I was severing their roots by hand. You wouldn’t understand this feeling, because dragons always prefer to soar freely through the sky rather than hide themselves in some corner. But humans... there has never been a human who truly likes wandering from place to place.”

At that, Shuyi gave a faint sigh. “So even bandits have their own nest; even bandits have their own territory; even bandits have places they are unwilling to plunder and instead choose to protect. Acacia Town is such a place.”

“In the days to come, I will cross blades with the Lancel Empire again and again. I do not want someone stabbing me in the back. Intimidation is a necessary way to subdue thieves, but intimidation alone cannot truly control them. Favor is also only one tool, and even with both kindness and severity together, it is not guaranteed to work on a band of lawless brutes. Every ruler understands the use of mercy and force, yet the world has never lacked rebellions. If you want certain people to follow you willingly, the best way is to make them depend on you, beyond both reward and threat.”

“Right now, Acacia Town is their tree. In their hearts, they still depend on it and do not want to leave. But if one day they find themselves out of place here, scorned by every thief in town, with nowhere left to go and no one left to rely on except their master—me—then they will truly begin to accept me. Even if they are unwilling in their hearts, they will still follow me. Being rejected by their own kind means they can never again fit into that circle. For a thief, that means the end of his road.”

Shuyi smiled at the little fellow. “Yes, I cut off their retreat, and at the same time gave them a new way forward. They will have no choice but to come with me in the end. As for those who remain here... we will make them serve us in another way.”

The little fellow let out a soft murmur.

“It looks like they’re about to fight. Come on, Xu—now it’s our turn to step in.”

In the distance, the thief leader named Inigo and his men had already surrounded Leiler and the others.

Licking his lips, Inigo laughed wildly. “Brothers, take them down.”

A great mass of thieves drew their blades and pressed in on Leiler’s group, making a low chorus of ugly laughter.

Old Bill shouted from the side, “Inigo, you’d better think this through. Without Buckler’s permission, you can’t kill anyone here.”

Inigo sneered. “Buckler won’t care. Kill Leiler, and I’ll give him double the reward.”

“Don’t be reckless, Inigo. I’m doing you a favor!” Old Bill cried. “Look over there.”

Following Old Bill’s pointing finger, Inigo looked beyond the town.

Walking along the mountain path was Shuyi, his steps easy and light.

He looked like a youth strolling at leisure in his own garden, his face bright with a youthful smile.

Scar-faced Inigo narrowed his eyes. “Damn it, where did that kid come from?”

Old Bill’s voice turned faintly sinister. “You’d best not underestimate him, Inigo. I can guarantee you, that boy is not to be trifled with.”

“Is that so? I don’t believe it. This is Acacia Town. Aside from Boss Buckler, I fear no one.”

By then Shuyi was already close to the town gate.

A mysterious youth had suddenly appeared, drawing every thief’s attention.

The thieves might have been busy with their own feuds in ordinary times, but the moment an outsider arrived, they would unite as one. Yet none of them noticed the easy expressions on Leiler and the others’ faces as the boy appeared.

Perhaps the only one who saw it was Old Bill.

The old man immediately realized that the youth before him was likely the very mastermind who had turned Leiler and the others into this.

Reaching the gate, Shuyi stopped.

The arrogant thief leader Inigo rolled his head, his joints cracking sharply, and then he said with a cruel smile, “Hey, kid. At your age, you shouldn’t be out here alone. Didn’t your parents tell you how dangerous Acacia Town is? Look at that soft skin and pretty face of yours—you’ve got the look of someone made to be bent over and ridden. Say, why don’t you let me have a proper look at what you’re packing?”

Old Bill shouted, “Inigo, don’t be stupid! That boy is no ordinary person!”

“What did you say?”

“If you don’t want to die, apologize to that young man right now!” Old Bill’s expression was grave. “Look at Leiler and the others—can’t you see it? They have a new master now. That young man.”

“That’s impossible!” Inigo roared.

“Nothing is impossible! I think I know who our guest is. If you don’t apologize immediately, I’m afraid even if Lord Buckler comes, he won’t be able to save you.”

Those words sent a shock through every thief in town.

Old Bill had always been known for his swagger and arrogance. Aside from a few especially vicious bandits, there were very few people he feared. Why would he be so terrified the moment he saw that boy?

And now, looking again at Leiler and the others, seeing the ease on their faces, even Inigo could sense that something was wrong.

But apologizing to a stranger was still a bitter pill for him to swallow.

He put away his contemptuous stare and fixed his eyes once more on the youth in the distance.

The boy stood there without moving, his cold gaze locked on him, and a chill rose from the depths of Inigo’s heart.

Then, seeing the boy’s golden hair, he suddenly remembered one of the names whispered across the empire of late. Fear burst into his eyes before he could stop it.

Pointing at Shuyi, he trembled and shouted, “You... you are...”

Shuyi’s golden hair streamed in the wind. “I’m afraid I already gave you your chance to apologize, and you squandered it.”

The golden-haired youth suddenly flung both hands wide. A violent storm erupted from his palms, and the waves of wind instantly swept across the land, surging and roaring in all directions. His body flashed like lightning, and a razor-bright glint appeared within the storm, stabbing straight for Inigo’s brow.

Inigo cried out and dodged sharply aside, his great blade whirling madly.

Then a low voice sounded in his ear: “Sink into the sea of darkness, awaken when all things are silent, and let the will of emptiness command all... Dance of Loss!”

Inigo felt as though something had slammed viciously into his mind. The world spun wildly before his eyes, and he could no longer tell up from down.

“A soul spell!?”

The thought exploded in terror within him.

He bit hard into his tongue and spat out a mouthful of blood. That pain steadied his will, and the whirling scene before him slowly began to clear.

Then he saw the youth’s savage face, and the longsword in his hand, flashing with deathly cold light as it drew inexorably closer to his eyes...

“No!”

He screamed.

Splat.

Blood burst forth.

Inigo’s throat was pierced through by the longsword and he was nailed fast to the wall of the Fighters’ Tavern.

In the blink of an eye, he had been killed with effortless ease.

Many people did not even see how it was done before they saw their leader lying in a pool of blood.

The sight left everyone stunned into silence.

Slowly drawing back his longsword, Shuyi stood among the thieves and said softly, “I have never liked to use slaughter as a greeting, but I must admit that under the present circumstances, it is the best way to quiet everyone down. Hello, everyone. My name is Shuyi Glaire, and I am now the leader of Leiler’s group. So, by rights, I suppose I count as one of the people of the Valiars Mountains. You may not know me very well yet, and you may not welcome me, but as I have already done once before, I have come uninvited.”

Shuyi Glaire?

The name caused an immediate uproar in town.

If Shuyi’s killing of Inigo had merely made some of the thieves think of swarming him to avenge their leader, then the moment his name was spoken, every one of them abandoned the idea.

The boy who had killed a sixth-rank spatial master like Abrit was not someone they could contend with.

Just as everyone reeled in shock, unable to fathom how he had appeared in Acacia Town, a majestic, thunderous voice rolled out:

“Shuyi Glaire? What are you doing in my town?”

Shuyi slowly turned around.

Behind him stood a huge man in a red cloak, arms folded over his chest, a dragon-shaped totem carved upon it, and a sword scar slashing across his face so violently it seemed to split him in two.

What surprised Shuyi somewhat was that he had not sensed the man’s arrival at all.

He narrowed his eyes slightly and smiled. “Bryan Buckler of the Wild Wolf Band? It seems it is not easy to meet you.”

The big man’s eyes suddenly widened, and his sharp gaze shot toward Shuyi like needles.