Chapter Nine: The Cavalry from Blackstone City

Inside the carriage, Chu Yun was idly chatting with the caravan leader, Parker.

Parker was a merchant from Blackstone City. Every so often, he would travel to Rockridge Town to purchase goods and sell them in Blackstone City, then bring supplies from Blackstone back to Rockridge to trade. A single round-trip could earn him a tidy profit.

Near Rockridge Town lay a mountain range rich in fire element crystals. These crystals were essential for crafting magical equipment and inscribing magic scrolls, making them highly sought after and perpetually in short supply in a metropolis like Blackstone City.

“Master Chu Yun, are you also heading to Rockridge Town for the fire element crystals?” Parker inquired.

Naturally, goods were cheaper at their source. Moreover, the crystals collected by the townsfolk were generally of lower quality and grade; to obtain high-grade ones, one had to venture deep into the mines.

Chu Yun shook his head. “In truth, I only just arrived here and am not yet familiar with the area.”

Parker was unsurprised by this and began introducing Chu Yun to the circumstances of Rockridge Town and Blackstone City.

It was clear Parker was a worldly merchant. Even when conversing with a mage like Chu Yun, he remained composed and unflustered, unlike others who were overly deferential.

Their conversation was pleasant; though Chu Yun knew little of this world, the occasional insights and perspectives he offered piqued Parker’s curiosity.

Just as Parker was animatedly describing the demi-human quarter of Blackstone City, the carriage suddenly halted.

“Hm? What’s going on?” Parker hurriedly pulled aside the carriage’s curtain.

Hansen came running up, sweat streaming down his face, and said anxiously, “Boss, the wooden bridge up ahead is broken. The carriage can’t cross.”

“Broken?” Parker was puzzled.

Hansen continued, “Yes, and judging by the marks at the scene, it looks like it was deliberately sabotaged.”

A chill ran through Parker. “Could it be bandits?”

“Unlikely. If it were bandits, they’d be upon us by now.” Hansen was sweating nervously as well.

Parker hastened out to inspect the situation, with Chu Yun following suit.

The river ahead was more than ten meters wide, its waters deep enough to prevent passage by carriage. The bridge’s pillars had been deliberately destroyed, the planks swept away by the current, and repairs would take considerable time.

“Who would do something so malicious? What’s the point of destroying a bridge! And Rockridge Town is so stingy—so much tax every year, yet they won’t even build a sturdier stone bridge.” Parker was beside himself with frustration.

This bridge was the fastest route to Rockridge Town; any detour would cause significant delay, and the safety of alternative paths could not be guaranteed. The main road was regularly patrolled by adventurers and guild-issued monster-clearing missions, making it relatively safe overall.

“Boss, what should we do? Detour or repair the bridge?” Hansen preferred the latter.

Though repairing the bridge was strenuous, it was still safer than risking an unknown route. Safety came first on the road.

Parker glanced around. There was a forest nearby—materials could be gathered on the spot. “Let’s repair the bridge. We’re carrying plenty of tools among the goods.”

Hansen breathed a sigh of relief and was about to organize the repair crew when Chu Yun suddenly interjected, “Wait, someone’s coming!”

Everyone was momentarily confused, but soon they saw what Chu Yun meant.

The ground began to tremble, the sound of hooves echoing from afar. A squad of cavalry appeared before them.

The group tensed, but Parker quickly recognized their uniforms.

“Aren’t these Blackstone City cavalry? What are they doing all the way out here?” Parker was puzzled.

“Clear the way!” shouted the lead soldier upon seeing the caravan blocking the road.

Yet this time, the caravan did not yield as obediently as usual; they stood their ground.

The soldier halted, ready to lose his temper, when he noticed the state of the bridge.

“What happened here? Did you destroy the bridge?!”

The soldier wasted no time with accusations. Parker hurried forward to explain, “No, not at all! We just arrived as well. I’m a merchant—why would I destroy a bridge?”

The hapless soldier, though angry, realized the caravan was unlikely responsible.

The rest of the cavalry arrived. The squad captain, upon seeing the scene, turned gloomily to Parker. “Did you see anyone suspicious along the way? We’re hunting a dangerous criminal wanted for a grave crime in Blackstone City.”

Parker’s heart skipped a beat, and he glanced nervously at Chu Yun, who—dressed so strangely—seemed the most suspicious of them all.

Chu Yun rolled his eyes. He had crossed over with his body, not just his soul, and was certainly no criminal.

The cavalry captain clarified, “It’s a female swordsman—red hair, golden eyes, dressed in black leather armor.”

A look of apology crossed Parker’s face toward Chu Yun; then he slapped his forehead in realization. “Ah, are you speaking of the Red Dragon Swordswoman, Shivana?”

“Oh?”

“Yes, yes, I encountered her. She passed by my caravan a few hours ago.” Parker hesitated to say more.

In truth, Shivana had bought quite a few things from him, paying generously enough to give him a windfall.

Shivana was somewhat well-known in Blackstone City, with a solid reputation, so Parker hadn’t thought of her as a suspect at first.

“What did you say? A few hours ago?!” The cavalry captain felt a sinking sense of dread—clearly, their information was outdated, and she had outpaced them.

“Yes, about three hours ago. If she’s a fugitive, then she’s probably the one who sabotaged the bridge,” Parker added, then asked curiously, “Sir Knight, may I ask what crime Shivana committed? As a merchant in Blackstone City, I never took her for the type.”

The captain, still hoping to recruit Parker’s help with the repairs, replied with some impatience, “She killed a noble!”

That brief statement made Parker realize the seriousness of the matter, and he immediately ordered Hansen and the others to start repairing the bridge.

The cavalry captain also had his men assist. Though the fugitive had likely already vanished into the depths of the mines, they were not the only squad; reinforcements would soon arrive to launch a large-scale search.

Besides repairing the bridge, the captain dispatched a swift rider, disguised in clothing “purchased” from Parker’s caravan, to swim across the river and scout ahead to Rockridge Town.

Once these arrangements were made, the captain turned his attention to the women Chu Yun had rescued.

“What’s with these people? Why are they all wearing masks? Have them remove them!” While unlikely, he had to eliminate the possibility that Shivana was hiding among them.

Parker stepped forward to explain, “Sir Knight, these women are the poor souls Master Chu Yun rescued from the goblins.”

“Enough excuses. Do you not understand my orders?”

With no choice, Parker instructed the women to come forward for inspection.

Naturally, nothing suspicious was found, but soon the captain’s gaze fell upon Xiya.

“You, come here!”

“Huh? But Xiya’s a demi-human. Do I have to be checked as well?” Xiya exclaimed in surprise.

The captain grinned. “That mark on your forehead is a slave’s brand, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is.”

“It seems your mark is fading. Where is your master?”

Where there is oppression, there is resistance. Though slave contracts allowed masters to control their slaves, if a master were attacked in their sleep, they’d have no time to activate the contract—a dangerous prospect.

Therefore, most slave owners chose to restrain or imprison their slaves when sleeping or otherwise vulnerable. Cases of masters killed by slaves they trusted too much occurred daily.