Chapter 74 - Vigil
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Lin Mu felt strange about the clerk’s words. He thought that he may be lying at first, but then looking at his face made him think differently. Though he thought he should listen to the complete story first.
"The report about the spirit beast was given by a mercenary to the second vice-captain. The second vice-captain thus issued the order to close the town and the routes leading to it. But later, when he didn’t return, the other guards went to talk with the town head about the mercenary who gave the report. The town head told them that the mercenary who reported it disappeared too and they can’t find him." The clerk explained.
"Is that why mercenaries are standing outside the town center?" Lin Mu asked.
"Yeah, they’re angry that more of their mercenaries disappeared and the town head is not responding to their complaints." The clerk answered.
"And what does the second vice-captain look like? Because I don’t think I’ve seen him before." Lin Mu asked his main question.
The clerk did not seem like he minded Lin Mu’s question and just spoke honestly.
"Oh, let me just get the identity register. We have portraits of all the town’s cultivators in it."
"I didn’t know there was an identity register for cultivators." Lin Mu said curiously.
"Oh no, it’s actually for all people that the town head considers important, there are other normal people in it too that are not cultivators." The clerk answered and then went away to get the register.
’This is news to me. I didn’t know that there was something like this.’ Lin Mu spoke inwardly.
"It is technically necessary. Every establishment needs to keep a record of important people." Xukong spoke in Lin Mu’s mind.
"I guess the portrait will make it easier to identify the man than just by a vague description." Lin Mu spoke to himself.
The clerk soon returned with the register and showed it to Lin Mu. He flipped it to the page where it showed the second vice-captains portrait. Lin Mu saw the portrait and instantly recognized the man. The person that tried to kill him yesterday was the vice-captain.
"Han Xu?" Lin Mu muttered the name written on the register.
"Yes, that’s the vice-captain’s name." the clerk responded.
Even after completing his main task, Lin Mu still felt curious about the situation, thus he decided to get more information.
"I also heard that some guards and townsmen disappeared."
The clerk did not straight away answer Lin Mu’s query, but instead looked at his coin pouch. Lin Mu understood this and pulled out another silver coin before passing it to the clerk, who swiftly hid it in his sleeve.
"We have some contradicting statements about that. Some people say that they saw the townsmen enter the town safely, while the guards say that they never returned. As for the guards, we don’t know what happened, but the current theory is that they saw the beast and went after it only to never return." The clerk spoke.
"So they’re not afraid anymore?" Lin Mu asked jokingly.
"They are, that’s why we are making teams of four people that will keep a vigil at night. Everyone has to participate, thus I’m here to inform you." Xiao Lu answered.
Lin Mu did not want to do this as it would interfere with his cultivation, but he did not think he really had a choice. He also did not feel good rejecting the people he had grown up with.
"Just take it, I think you may be able to discover some things. You will have an excuse to wander in the night, also with the person following you today, I don’t think they will leave you alone." Xukong spoke in Lin Mu’s mind.
’Yes senior.’ Lin Mu spoke inwardly.
"That’s okay, but when will my turn be then?" Lin Mu asked.
"The day after tomorrow. You’ll be teaming with me and two other people." Xiao Lu answered.
"Okay then." Lin Mu replied.
Xiao Lu nodded and went away. Lin Mu returned to his room and closed the door. Not wanting to waste any more time, he sat down to cultivate.
*****
In Wu Lim city, at a large manor located near a lake.
A thin man was sitting at a desk and reading from a scroll. The man had a short beard and well-groomed hair. He was dressed like a scholar and had the bearing of a cultured person.
A woman was standing next to the desk with her head bowed. She was dressed in a long black-robed that covered her body and hid her figure. Even her face was covered with a thin grey veil.
The thin man read the scroll for a few minutes before putting it away and then rubbed his forehead as if he was stressed. He let out a long sigh before speaking,
"Is that all you’ve found?"
"Yes, my lord. Though there are some more reports, but I didn’t think they would be worth your time." The veiled woman spoke.
The thin man let out another sigh before speaking.
"You may as well tell me. This information was nearly useless as well."
"Some townsmen have disappeared from the Northern town and a new cultivator has appeared as well." the veiled woman spoke.
The thin man looked up at the woman with an annoyed look and spoke,
"And you only report this to me now?"
"But my lord, cultivators appear in other towns regularly, and also there are many mercenaries in Northern town right now. We don’t know if they belong to some mercenary group." The veiled woman spoke with a pleading tone.