Chapter Eleven: The Suitable Collaborator

  A soft white appeared in this slightly dimly lit tavern, making the expectant Long Lang narrow his eyes and snatch it into his hands at lightning speed: "Oh, what a beautiful and round pearl! Look at its luster, and this smooth feeling, it's just like a girl's skin... Thirty gold pounds!"

  After a string of praise, Long Lang gave a deliberately low price, this kind of price-cutting was purely out of a merchant's instinct, and had nothing to do with anything else - as for the loot? This pearl was one of the few things that could be sold intact, while the gold necklace inlaid with the coat of arms of the Earl of Devonshire from Woburn County had long been put on Deane's list to be melted down.

  In fact, most of the metal items in that batch of loot were handled this way; while the remaining pearls and gems, the former because most of them had similar shapes and were easier to get rid of, and the latter needed professional personnel to be cut again - fortunately, Dean knew many such people, and even he himself could do it.

  However, he didn't have such time in a short period of time.

  Therefore, the better pearls became the most valuable items on him.

  Dean smiled at Long Lang and quoted a reasonable price: "Forty gold coins, and the remaining two Gold Pounds and eight Silver Angles will be your reward for expediting the preparation, as well as a tip for finding me a carriage; of course, you must have everything ready before dawn tomorrow..."

  "No problem! By dawn tomorrow, you will see everything you need!"

  At such a satisfactory price, Long Lang naturally wouldn't refuse, he nodded repeatedly, and even looked at Dean with increasing favor. As Dean prepared to leave, he didn't forget to strongly recommend his other services: "Respected and generous customer, on a night like this, do you need the company of a beautiful young girl? For two gold pounds, I'll find you the most beautiful girl in town - of course, I guarantee she's a virgin!"

  "It's been a long enough journey, I'm already very tired, and next I still have to prepare for an even longer journey... However, thank you for your kind intentions - I think everything we discussed is between us privately; so..."

  A crisp, melodious sound, a silver corner cut through a beautiful arc, was caught in his hand. His chubby face with smiling eyes almost narrowed to a slit, and he walked out of the counter with an unexpectedly light step. He bowed slightly and continued Dean's words, saying earnestly: "I swear on my name, everything you do here is a secret!"

  "This is the most reassuring promise I've ever heard!"

  Leaving behind those words, Dean once again pushed open the door of the tavern, and disappeared into the creaking sound.

  And when he came back to report Dean's true departure, and then went out again on patrol, Long Lang finally narrowed his eyes to confirm the previous account - if he wasn't careful, he would have died countless times doing such business.

  Obviously, Long Lang was careful enough.

  However, Long Lang suddenly took a deep breath as if he had a toothache: "One crossbow, two longbows, two doses of Wolf Moon Grass, three doses of Lizard Flower... Wolf Moon Grass and Lizard Flower should be the main ingredients for mixing various poisons and anesthetics, right? Hmm, this guy shouldn't be an assassin, should he? Has that second son of the York family offended someone again?"

  However, the merchant on horseback shook his head and said indifferently: "Whatever, as long as I can make money; a 40-gold-coin deal is a big business for this month! Hmm... should I recommend some reliable helpers to that generous customer tomorrow morning? Maybe it's another unexpected brokerage fee... yeah, that's what I'll do!"

  ……

  Even in the dark, Dean could clearly 'see' the subordinate who belonged to Long Lang on sentry duty; however, in order to get things smoothly in the morning, Dean simply ignored him - such a sentry was common in every special store and black market, and he had long been accustomed to it in his original experience.

  However, Long Lang's subordinate was obviously a good hand.

  Not only was he completely immersed in the shadows, but his breathing had also become imperceptible. If it weren't for the countless near-death experiences he had accumulated over the years, he wouldn't have been able to detect the other person at all.

  As a result, Dean was more confident in getting what he wanted on time.

  As for why emphasize that time?

  Something terrible happened in Hornstown - a brutal robbery and murder took place!

  ……

  In the early morning, in Hornburg, one by one carriage was pulled out from behind the inn by coachmen amidst the shouting of merchants, and then under the escort of guards, they headed towards the two exits in the south and north respectively according to their own purposes - this is really too normal for Hornburg, as the northernmost town of the Emerald Capital, it has always played a pivotal role.

  Merchants coming from the south to the Emerald City, or those going north from the city and further south, all set out at dawn when the sun has just risen and the dew has not yet dispersed; and if he mixed in with them, Dine naturally had a grasp of being unobtrusive.

  So he emphasized time with Long Long -

  While facing the temptation of Kimpton, Long Lang was fully motivated and had everything Dean needed ready before dawn, including a carriage, and also found an honest and reliable coachman. However, after Ye Qi took out another pearl that was one circle smaller than last night's, this coachman immediately happily handed over the horse pulling the carriage and the nearly new single-person carriage, as well as the dry rations and water inside, to Dean.

  "What a foolish transaction! If you needed the horse and carriage, you should have told me in advance. I would have offered you something even better!" Longlong was indignant about missing out on a deal - although the pearl was a bit small, selling it for twenty-five gold pounds was no problem, while the horse and carriage in front of him were worth only twenty gold pounds at most.

  Among them, horses accounted for more than 90%, and what about those new single-person horse-drawn carriages that accounted for 70%?

  Give a gold pound, Longlong can find you an eighty percent new one. If you are willing to pay two more silver corners, even a brand new carriage is negotiable.

  "If you have dietary needs, I can also prepare something suitable for you!"

  As Dean loaded the disguised crossbow, longbow and herbs onto the single-person carriage seat, and checked the dried rations and water under the seat, Long Lang started talking again - a single-person carriage was not like a traditional closed car with four to six seats, but rather had a simpler structure, except for the small area behind the driver's seat where one could only put their feet, it only had a single seat that could hold one person and some luggage, and was semi-open.

  Of course, as the favorite of travelers on the go, such carriages are more for storing some items, and the coachman is usually the owner of the carriage and goods; however, there are also exceptions, in some special trips, a knowledgeable coachman is still in high demand.

  However, the journey was apparently no problem for Dean, who had once traveled alone through almost the entire Goetz; and, because of his own secrets, Dean bought a horse-drawn carriage without hesitation. However, what Dean did not expect was Longlong's nagging.

  Looking at this big businessman who would later be famous on God's, chattering endlessly for a few gold buttons, Dean really felt a different feeling - of course, if possible, Dean didn't mind watching for a while, but looking around the merchants who were leaving one after another, Dean, who had made up his mind to mix in with them, didn't want to miss the timing and stand out too much.

  "Our business has just begun - this is a letter I left for you, please open it after I leave... Trust me, this is a rare opportunity for either of us!"

  Deen handed the letter he had written overnight to Longlong, who was somewhat stunned, and then, without waiting for the other party to react, he shook the reins and quickly merged into the surrounding merchant team that was advancing in the same direction, soon disappearing without a trace.

  Only Long Lang was left, staring at the letter in his hand with a look of astonishment.

  "Boss, this letter?"

  The subordinate who had been quietly standing behind Long Lang stepped forward, eyeing the letter in Long Lang's hand with caution - although it seemed harmless at first glance, a skilled thief could turn such an innocent-looking letter into a deadly weapon.

  Whether it's applying poison or putting in some magic-related things, wanting to achieve this is not very difficult.

  Even Longlong himself sells such medicines and magical traps.

  "No danger, but... it's quite interesting!"

  After confirming several times, Long Lang calmly tore open the envelope. When he saw the contents of the letter, his face changed color and he was stunned for a moment. After a long silence, the merchant's smile finally reappeared, and he muttered to himself before turning around and walking towards his small wine shop.

  And the subordinate who had been standing behind Long Lang, although he saw the change in the former's face, did not ask any questions; after all, as a guard, he only needed to clearly remember his duties.

  As for beyond duty?

  That's absolutely none of his business.

  ……

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