Chapter 108: Divergent Paths

When Zhao Xu served as a sheriff, even though the town was never short of bold and reckless adventurers, murders like this were rare.

Seeing the scene before him, he knew clearly there was no need to search for any proof of clearance or intelligence.

The entire inner room was ransacked; every drawer and cabinet had been emptied, and the books on the large desk were pushed about in disarray.

An ink bottle on the desk had been knocked over, the ink seeping down the table’s leg and dripping beside the victim’s feet.

“A burglary?” Maple Leaf whispered softly upon witnessing this.

The situation indeed resembled a case of home invasion and murder. Given the remote, cold, and damp environment, it was the perfect place for an attack.

Zhao Xu shook his head. Though the underground factions were closely tied to the Wanderers’ Association, they were not entirely the same.

Among the underground forces, there was a clear distinction between thieves and assassins.

During his past life as a sheriff, Zhao Xu had once infiltrated the underground for training and was somewhat familiar with these inner workings.

“This is different. The traces here suggest a very specific target. The assassin entered and delivered a fatal strike immediately, then took his time searching the room for what he wanted. That’s why the ink spilled over the blood.”

Zhao Xu approached the deceased fortune teller—the very person they had intended to meet to exchange information.

He gently examined beneath the man’s sleeve, his pupils narrowing slightly. “No signs of restraint; clearly, they didn’t even bother with interrogation.”

“Let’s leave Crescent Moon Town immediately,” Zhao Xu said.

“No need to look for more intelligence?” Rainbow of the Wanderers asked, hesitating as he surveyed the room. “Maybe we can still find something here.”

Zhao Xu shook his head. “It’s pointless. This won’t just be a simple murder case. The caravan will likely have to turn back too.”

His decisiveness proved right as subsequent events unfolded.

Maple Leaf and Rainbow said nothing further and followed Zhao Xu out of the place.

Luckily, Zhao Xu had previously used his mage persona to scare off the thieves from the Tarlin Brotherhood, preventing them from tailing them.

Had they been noticed entering this room, once the murder was discovered, the three of them would have surely been wanted for questioning.

Once outside, Zhao Xu, Maple Leaf, and Rainbow took great care to employ anti-trailing measures.

Only after making several detours and doubling back did they confirm they were not being followed, then blended into the crowd leaving Crescent Moon Town.

Upon returning to the caravan’s hidden location, the three finally exhaled deeply and recounted the day's events to Roya.

Roya’s expression shifted several times during their report, his breath uneven.

“Perhaps this was just a crime of opportunity. Even if the trail has gone cold, it doesn’t hinder our plans going forward,” Roya said slowly after a deep breath.

Zhao Xu’s heart tightened at these words.

It seemed their fate together had come to an end.

“Do you still believe that?” Zhao Xu asked. “I don’t think a Wanderer of at least level two would be killed with a single strike so easily.”

Roya’s eyes showed disbelief but he quickly suppressed his tension and explained, “Mr. Midsummer, you misunderstand. The person you met was only an expert in ‘forged documents.’ He was an ordinary man with no combat ability.”

Zhao Xu shook his head and raised a hand to signal Roya to listen.

“Leader Roya, I don’t know why you’d choose to hide this, but some details are obvious.”

Zhao Xu said calmly, “Calluses formed from practicing ‘ambush’ with weapons differ in position and size from those formed by forging documents.”

Roya was stunned, never expecting his explanation to be immediately exposed.

Maple Leaf and the others looked on in surprise, not expecting Zhao Xu to have noticed such a subtle detail.

“That man was likely a covert agent sent by Kartan and Busuo City to Crescent Moon Town,” Zhao Xu slowly revealed his theory.

“If I’m right, it explains the entire logic. Why the fortune teller wasn’t chased by the Merchant Guild’s guards in Crescent Moon Town but was instead killed outright by an assassin. Some already know the town’s vulnerabilities and don’t want leaks, so they resorted to underworld methods.”

Seeing Roya’s weary expression, Zhao Xu added with a hint of pity, “This also suggests that Kartan and Busuo City may be heavily infiltrated by the Merchant Guild. Otherwise, I don’t believe the Merchant Guild would have the confidence to sever their pawns in Crescent Moon Town rather than detain and interrogate.”

A Wanderer above level one serving as an ordinary contact in a remote town was already extravagant.

A Wanderer skilled in ambush techniques could almost qualify as an assassin.

Even the most naive Youyou fell silent.

The danger of the situation was now unmistakably clear.

“Mr. Midsummer, it’s surprising that as an adventurer from Earth, you possess such keen sensitivity to the ecology of a town. I apologize for not—”

“Do you still want to proceed?” Zhao Xu interrupted coolly. “I don’t believe that the Merchant Guild, knowing our smuggling caravan is here, would fail to deploy even the most basic reconnaissance.”

Zhao Xu refrained from voicing his remaining thoughts, lacking sufficient evidence.

Silence fell over the tent.

Zhao Xu had never engaged in smuggling before, but Roya was different. He sensed the tension but refused to give up, clearly betting on success.

Zhao Xu’s three trump cards were meant for gaining experience, not providing shelter for anyone.

Otherwise, he could have simply demanded the Mage Association of Crescent Moon Town issue them a certificate.

That way, the entire smuggling caravan could have openly and legitimately reached the frontline.

“Now there are two choices,” Zhao Xu said after some thought. “Either return the supplies and admit failure, or bury them here and wait for the situation to change before taking further action. You can discuss it with your leader first.”

His words implied waiting for Kartan and Busuo City’s plan to fail.

Roya stood up, emotion in his voice. “Trust me, Mr. Midsummer. I have confidence in leading the caravan safely to the frontline. With your help, we have this assurance. And we will reward you handsomely. I can start right away—”

“Then so be it,” Zhao Xu interrupted him coolly.

“At this point, it’s better we part ways,” he said.

Raindrops began to patter on the tent.

The long-suppressed clouds could no longer hold back; the gentle rain spread through the South Isle Forest.

The midsummer rainy season had finally arrived.