Chapter Thirty: Liaison

  When he realized the situation in front of him was extremely unfavorable for his future actions, Dean chose to give up very decisively.

  After that, he simply cleaned up the battlefield, mainly the custom-made crossbow bolts and the bodies of the thieves - the former was obviously extremely difficult to make in the vicinity of Tylor, if possible, Dean did not mind using them repeatedly; as for the latter, as a thief, they naturally had considerable search value.

  After a brief but thorough search of the latter's body, Dean found several bottles of unidentified medication and two knives of varying lengths and thicknesses, as well as several throwing knives. All that was left were a few gold buttons, with no proof of identity.

  "Very typical thief style!"

  With such an evaluation, Dean began to set up the scene for this time. After a simple setup, the entire room became chaotic, as if it had been through a sudden but slightly prolonged battle - making people feel that it was an internal struggle at first glance. However, undoubtedly, both sides have such mentality.

  So it will seem sudden yet lasting.

  Based on what Dean saw in the room and the appearance of the thief, it is clear that "the black eats the black" is the most appropriate.

  After utilizing the room, especially the bloodstained one, Dean divided his actions into two parts. First, he hid the thief's corpse in a bush at the corner of Mold's courtyard, making sure it was far enough away and would not be discovered. Only then did Dean truly leave - in fact, this way of handling the body was quite rough, but given that Mold, the tax official, might return at any moment, this was already the best solution.

  Of course, what's more important is Dean hinting at another thief leaving in a hurry.

  What's the reason for the hurry?

  Injured, it was a pretty good excuse - Dean dripped some scattered blood in the courtyard of this tax official, just like a bandaged wound bursting open from movement.

  Such an arrangement would undoubtedly mislead the opponent while gaining Dean a little time.

  "Mold returned home, found something was wrong, he would carefully search the house first, then expand to outside, and find the bloodstains I deliberately left behind - due to the sealed room, Mold's search time in the room would take at least five minutes, or even more... So, I could gain about ten minutes!"

  Dean mentally estimated, and his feet returned to the 'Snow Bear House' without stopping. It was obvious that for the small town of Thir, ten minutes were enough for Dean to return to the 'Snow Bear House'.

  "Did you gain anything?"

  The innkeeper, Hack, waved his only left hand at Dean as he walked in - not that Dean was anything special, but rather because Hack treated every guest with such friendliness and enthusiasm; of course, provided you didn't cross his bottom line.

  Otherwise, it would be just like that unlucky southern merchant.

  "It's tougher than I imagined!"

  Dean deliberately made a bitter face, shrugged his shoulders and sat down in front of the bar.

  "Don't worry, nothing is insurmountable!"

  The tall and imposing innkeeper was consoling Dean with words that were completely at odds with his image, while a few familiar merchants nearby whistled and jeered.

  "Our boss Hack has become a philosopher again!"

  "Come on, let's give a toast for our 'Philosopher Hac'!"

  "Cheers!"

  ……

  Facing the jeers of the merchants, Huck first shouted fiercely: "In that case, your wine money will be doubled!"

  However, he soon found himself laughing along with the numerous merchants - for Hack, a former knight and current innkeeper, such jokes were harmless, and even welcome, as they made him feel like he was back in the barracks.

  "Please!"

  Hawk burst out laughing and was undoubtedly in a good mood, directly pouring Dean a glass of rum - not the strong liquor that came with dinner, but a type of rum.

  In fact, not everyone can appreciate that kind of strong liquor. Compared to such throat-burning liquor, rum made from sugarcane molasses is more widely loved. Even the locals in Tyrol wouldn't refuse a cup of rum; however, most of the time, the price of rum also makes the locals hesitant.

  Perhaps in the three southern counties a cup of ordinary rum was only two or three coppers, but here in the North, especially in the vicinity of the snowy forest of Tiriol, the long and perilous transportation, including taxes and crises, was enough to triple or quadruple its price, or even more.

  So, having a cup of rum in Tiel is considered enjoyment.

  Thus Dean exhibited the cautiousness of a businessman.

  "Really? Really?"

  Dean asked cautiously.

  "Of course it's true!"

  "Our Hack is 'Generous Hack'!"

  Before Huck could answer, the merchants around them jeered again, and this time Huck loudly shouted at his own customers once more. Amidst the deafening shouts, Huck picked up the wine bottle again to prove himself in front of Dean and poured him a second cup.

  "Have another cup!"

  The hotel owner waved his hand and said so.

  "Lucky kid!"

  "You have won Hack's favor!"

  The drinkers in the hotel lobby were obviously accustomed to the boss's habit and didn't show much surprise; however, the teasing continued.

  But this time Hack's thunderous roar was not followed by another drink for Dean.

  Although Hack is tall and looks rough, he's not really stupid. He knows exactly how much his hotel earns in a day and how much he spends.

  Occasionally being generous is fine with Hack, but being generous at a loss, Hack won't do.

  "I'm really grateful to you!"

  Dean showed the naivety of a young businessman on his first time away from home, holding a cup full of rum to his side while pulling out his wallet, insisting on paying; unfortunately, the young man who was being treated for the first time after leaving home was flustered, not only knocking over one of the cups but also dropping his wallet on the ground.

  Bang!

  Splash!

  In front of it was the sound of a wooden cup falling to the ground, while the latter was a purse. Undoubtedly, compared to the former, the latter was more attractive to people, especially when a golden light flashed from the mouth of the purse. The businessmen in the hotel lobby stared at it without blinking, as if they had seen hungry wolves staring at meat.

  And such a scene, undoubtedly made Dean, this young man, even more 'flustered', and at a loss for what to do, until Hack put the money bag in his arms, he seemed to have come back to himself.

  "Thank you, thank you!"

  Dean nodded in gratitude.

  "Take care of your wallet, be careful when you're out alone!"

  Hawk nonchalantly waved his hand, and then the massive remaining left hand slapped heavily on the counter, "Bang"! The surrounding businessmen were suddenly awakened. Hawk scanned these people and said seriously: "The Snow Bear's home is my territory, and the rules here are mine to say, understand?"

  "Of course, of course!"

  "That's right! That's right!"

  Those merchants who were attracted by Jin Pudun's gaze, even staring blankly, suddenly nodded repeatedly, after all, they didn't want to be thrown out.

  However, when Hack withdrew his gaze, these people were winking at each other, and one or two of them even chose to get up and leave. Moreover, the originally noisy atmosphere in the hall also became eerily quiet.

  No doubt this made Dean, a young man 'away from home' for the first time, feel very uneasy.

  "I want to go back to my room!"

  After finishing off the last cup of rum, Dean said to Hack.

  "Hmm, it's good there... If nothing is needed, don't leave your room - until you know what you're doing!"

  The innkeeper nodded, kindly reminding Dean, who looked distracted and rushed upstairs, tripping on the stairs and almost falling - accompanied by a crisp "clunk" sound.

  Once again attracting people in the hotel lobby.

  Hark let out an involuntary sigh at this - he had only been protecting the poor little thing's safety in the inn, but once they left...

  Hawk let out a helpless sigh as he glanced around at the guys in the hall.

  There are several people in here who are doing "double business", and they have obviously set their sights on that little guy - and he can't really stop them.

  After all, Tielu has its own rules, and there are different rules for day and night.

  He is a cripple with one arm missing and still can't ignore these rules, whether it's daytime or nighttime!

  He reached out and touched the empty sleeve of his right shirt, and Hack's originally decent mood suddenly turned bad.

  ……

  And after returning to his own room, confirming that there was no surveillance or pursuit, Dean then quietly apologized to Hack in the depths of his heart at the same time as he let out a sigh.

  After all, Dean was very clear that his previous actions would cause the man who seemed to be indifferent to the loss of his right arm but actually had a grudge against him to suffer from what kind of pain - the feeling of powerlessness. Dean had also experienced it before, so he was very clear about it; therefore, he decided to compensate the inn owner, a former member of the Knights, afterwards.

  But that's all after the fact!

  How about now?

  Dein needed was to wait for nightfall - to wait for a meeting with the high-ranking spies lurking in Tyl's domain after dark.

  No mistake, the previous scene, apart from letting him smoothly 'die' in his current identity, is more about leaving a hidden code to attract Gao's spies and meet with him.

  Using one or two spy assassins to take out the tax official, although not cost-effective in the long run, was still a top priority for Dean - if he couldn't even handle things right in front of him, then there was no point in talking about the future; therefore, Dean wouldn't hesitate, even if it wasn't worth it.

  But wanting to leave a secret signal under Hack's eyelids is not an easy thing to do.

  So Dean had to throw out 'eye-catching' items.

  And what could be more fitting than a golden Gump in the tax official's private room?

  As for giving up one's current identity?

  A murder took place in the tax collector's house, and a merchant who had just checked into the "Snow Bear Inn" disappeared. Even ordinary people would be suspicious - although the tax collector himself would be suspicious of the local thieves' guild, the owner of the "Snow Bear Inn", Hack, was an unknowing person, and he was also rough outside but delicate inside.

  Deane absolutely didn't want any accidents in his plan, so it's better for this newly appeared 'identity' to be 'dead'.

  After all, death is without witness, isn't it?

  PS: The second update will be a bit later... The third update will be even later... Thank you for your support again!