BXBX NOVEL Chapter 72 - 72, The Same Goal l
Last time, the fourth squad was making arrests in a tavern.”
Wu Heng came in to gather intelligence, acquiring some news from her.
Even though no one knew, she did not want to get involved.
Provision of intelligence to guards and professional squads could incur the wrath of freelance mercenaries and some gangs.
And then she would no longer be able to work in the tavern.
“This is your share from last time.” A money bag was stuffed into her hand from under the table.
Bella, feeling the hefty money bag in her hand, her eyes widened in surprise.
“What…what are you talking about?”
“The bounty from the last intelligence you provided. No one knows, don’t worry,” whispered Wu Heng, leaning in close.
Someone had noticed this exchange.
Agaze came their way, followed by a shout, “Bella! What’s wrong?”
Bella, with an indifferent expression on her face, squeezed out a smile, “Nothing, just a friend of mine. I’m joining him for a drink.”
Seeing she knew the person, no one else paid any further attention.
But Bella’s hand, hidden beneath the table, was still gripping the money bag tightly.
“What are you really trying to do? Don’t get me into trouble.” Bella tucked the money bag away and spoke directly.
“I can’t hurt you,” Wu Heng continued. “Have you noticed a man, probably, speaking with a southern accent and always has a smell of smoke around him?”
Bella frowned and shook her head.
“Think hard,” Wu Heng urged.
“As you know, the tavern is always bustling, and aside from ordering drinks, there are no opportunities for small talk, let alone noticing any particular smell.”
A pub, where various scents all mix together, wasn’t an ideal place to identify someone by their odor.
Continuing, Bella said, “But I’ve heard that there is indeed a group of mercenaries from the South, and they’ve rented a warehouse in the west.”
Wu Heng’s eyes lit up as he asked, “Is there any other information?”
“That’s all I know.”
“Thanks.” Standing up, Wu Heng headed for the exit.
Bella put away the money bag and walked toward the newly arrived guests with her tray.
Nightfall descended on the West Warehouse District.
Wu Heng, Yuli, and Basen were swiftly weaving through the maze of alleys.
“Are you sure it’s here?” Yuli asked.
After they finished dinner, the two of them hurried over here based on the information Bella provided.
“I’m not sure. Let’s check it out first!”
“Okay!”
Chatting in hushed voices, they quickly crossed the alley. However, just as they had passed through…
Whoosh!
A flock of birds approached, landing on rooftops or circling in the sky.
“Those are the Ranger’s birds. We’ve been spotted,” whispered Yuli.
At the same time, the sound of footsteps could be heard from one side.
Wu Heng instantly drew his gun, and Yuli was also prepared for a fight.
In the moonlight, the figure of the squad leader, Anel, appeared before their eyes.
“What are you doing here?” Yuli asked in surprise, a frown creasing her brow.
“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that? What are you skulking around here for?” demanded Anel.
“Why should I tell you?”
Anel glanced at the pair, “Come on, the Vice-executive wants to see you.”
The Vice-executive?
Wu Heng and Yuli exchanged looks, confusion apparent in their gazes.
It seemed that they had gotten entangled in some sort of incident.
They followed Anel inside a nearby building.
In the large room on the first floor, the members of the three squads, aside from the fourth, had gathered, along with some guards.
The small room was now somewhat crowded due to its packed occupants.
Wu Heng and Yuli followed Anel upstairs.
As the door opened, three professional squad leaders and the guard commander were seen inside the room. There was also Vice-executive Slyther sporting leather armor and with a Cheetah crouched beside him.
The door closed.
“What are you doing here?” Slyther asked sternly.
Yuli nudged him with her elbow. “You tell him!”
“Erm, we received intelligence that someone stole a child from the civilian area. We traced it all the way here,” said Wu Heng plainly.
The other squad leaders exchanged glances.
The two most recent additions to the squad, investigating a case privately?
“What did you find?” Slyther asked.
“The person who stole the child sold him to someone with a southern accent. We suspect it may have been the work of that foreign mercenary group who recently arrived here, so we came with Yuli,” Wu Heng replied.
“Travel this far to save someone?”
“Investigating, not sure if they are involved.”
“How many days have you been investigating?”
“Started this morning.”
While they were exchanging these words, the other squad leaders exchanged surprised glances.
Although they had different cases on their hands, they all pointed in the same direction.
That same foreign mercenary group.
However, they had been investigating for quite some time and had used numerous informants to get some leads.
These two…
New recruits had traced the case here in just one day?
Slyther was about to say something when a voice came from the outside, “The target has been located in the fourth house. There are currently around eight people that we know of.”
“Hmm, have everyone prepare.”
“Yes!”
Slyther glanced at the duo, “You don’t need to worry about this matter. We’ll handle it. Just stay put.”
“Okay.”
It was clear the others were about to go apprehend the culprit. Leaving this to them was better and it would also spare them the risk.
Slyther left the room with the rest of the squad leaders.
Wu Heng and Yuli stood by the window, watching a large group of people rapidly assembling from all sides and rushing towards a distant building.
After some thought, Wu Heng quietly released ‘Xiao Xiao’, who invisibly followed the squad as they quickly departed.
Yuli sat down at the table and yawned. “We have been searching and searching, only to bump into them in the end.”
“That’s quite good actually,” Wu Heng reasoned. “We won’t have to risk breaking in to save someone now. We can leave it all up to them.”
“That’s true!” Yuli nodded, but then something seemed to strike her. She banged on the table, “Wait a minute, they are all taking action together. Why didn’t we know about it?”
“Aren11 we on vacation?”
“After capturing a wanted criminal last time, what vacation are we talking about? Why didn’t they take us along?”
“Are you crazy? Being on vacation is the best…”
“They are ostracizing us!”
Meanwhile.
Professional squads and guards quickly maneuvered in the dark.
While surrounding the target building, the guards also blocked all the roads around it.
Boom-!
Anel kicked open the courtyard gate, and the squad members entered one by one.
Opposite to them, the door to the building opened, and several people armed with weapons emerged.
The man at the front was of medium build, with lean cheeks. He stood with his hands clasped behind him, showing no significant fear amidst the encircling crowd.
“What’s the meaning of this, Black Stone Town?” he asked nonchalantly.
Slyther, in the front, scanned the man from head to toe, and said coldly, “The town hall and the local association suspect that you are involved in dangerous activities in Black Stone Town. Come with us please!”
The man’s eyes narrowed as he glanced over everyone present. “We were merely conducting some business. Could there be a misunderstanding?”
“We also hope it’s just a misunderstanding. This is just a simple interrogation,” Slyther continued.
The Cheetah at Slyther’s side paced back and forth, staring ahead as if ready for a hunt.
“Fine, we will cooperate!” the man finally consented.
Suddenly, two round objects rolled from behind them and stopped before them, emitting white smoke from their fuses.