Chapter 69: Clue That Came To Them
"We have to give it a try…..the pattern and password, you remember it, right?!"
Lee nodded at An as she drank a bottle of Horned-Mow milk. She was sitting on the chair. Lee was chewing down a loaf of Honey Bread as he stood near the window.
Lee had been noticing some red dots on his Map for the last 10 minutes. He glanced out to see a pair of women, when the dots came near. They did not look suspicious in any way. But the women were glancing at the first floor regularly. Lee understood that they are under observation. As he peeked at the Map, the building across the street had a man with a telescope. Lee quickly moved out of the way and the man only saw a window and the floor through it.
"An, we are being watched. I think that man wants you so badly."
An stood up as her hand was placed over the pommel of the sword.
"Then…..let him come!"
Lee smirked and peeked through the window. The man on the building was not there. The women came back walking while glancing at the window where Lee stood. From their lower elevation, they could not see Lee. He glanced at the Map and saw the red dot moving away.
"Let's go out and have dinner!"
Lee walked towards An and took her hand before walking outside. She gripped his hand firmly as they descended the stairs.
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9 P.M.
3980 Essence harvested.
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The reminder popped up as the pair reached the Old man Li's restaurant. An was walking in the front as Lee followed her close behind. The burning lamps illuminated An's cute dimples as she wore a smile. Lee glanced at the Map and confirmed 3 red dots following them in a distance.
Except for two tables, the diner was full. One of the two was completely empty while the other had an old lady sitting with her legs crossed. An merrily walked towards the empty one and sat. Lee obediently followed her like a.....puppy?
"That table's not for kids. Get out!"
The old lady scoffed at Lee as she glanced at An. Lee did not mind those words as he began to converse with An. The old woman became enraged as she stood up with a powerful stamp to the ground. The discussions and talks going on became silent. She strided at the pair and smacked the table where An and Lee sat. Her strength uneven for her age paused their merry chat.
"I SAID….GET OUT!!!"
The loud yell at close quarters irritated both as they glared at the old female in a cultivator outfit. An clenched her fist, but it was Lee's knuckles that produced faint cracking sound that heard throughout the room.
"You think you can scare me, kid? Get out! This table is reserved."
*smack*
A loud slap resonated through the air as An's right hand came down to the table.
"Go away."
The old lady was stunned by the slap. Her eyes went wide as she took a step backward. She felt pain, not from the slap, but from humiliation. Her face became red with anger. She almost pulled her short sword, but the restaurant's door opened wide.
A pot-bellied and luxuriously clothed middle aged dwarf entered with a few hobgoblins in tow. The dwarf's appearance brought a relief to the old lady's embarrassment. The old lady quickly reached the dwarf's side and whispered what had happened in his ears. Lee noticed the ragged outfit and the black collar on the necks of the hobgoblins. He can guess what they were!
The dwarf's eyes caught An's stunning physique. A desire to snatch her sprouted in his mind. He signalled at his guards to throw Lee out.
The hobgoblins were larger than an ordinary human, but Lee threatened their stature. The hobgoblin paced towards Lee and got hold of his shoulder. The guard applied his arm strength, and expected Lee to writhe in pain. Unfortunately, Lee sat unfazed. He let the hideous humanoid have a moment of surprise before Lee grabbed his wrist.
*crack*
The cracking of bones fell in the ears of the dwarf as the hobgoblin fell on his knees as Lee released his grip. Everyone saw the disabled wrist which poked out its white bones. A gasp rose as Lee stood up from his seat.
"If you think you can corner me with strength.....then you have written your death will!"
The nunchuck appeared in Lee's hand and one of his handle hung free. The strange weapon and Lee's imposing manner intimidated others. Hobgoblin guards could not help, but charge at Lee as their master yelled. One of the hobgoblin hesitated, and the collar on his neck began to burn and hurt him. With pain, he charged ahead blindly. Lee confirmed his guess as that was a slave collar!
Lee stepped forward and his nunchuck flashed at the reluctant hobgoblins. The nunchuck precisely hit the thighs, hind-arms and stomachs of the hobgoblins. The hit was relatively soft, but visibly ruthless. Hobgoblins sensed that Lee had intentionally avoided their vital parts as the thigh, hindarm and stomach of hobgoblins were relatively dense. They acted to be in pain and kneeled down squirming.
The dwarf's eyes burned with rage and Lee noticed a black coloured asymmetrical brand on the outside of the dwarf's palm faintly shining. The very moment, hobgoblins on the floor began to twitch as they were forced to stand up.
D informed him that the brand is the controller of the slave collars. Instantly, Lee flashed forward and his right hand gripped on the dwarf's neck and held the figure in air. The brand lost its luster as the dwarf began to choke. He gasped for breath for sometime. The old lady saw this and jumped at Lee with her short sword, but An hit her behind her neck with the scabbard. The women fell as her face hit the ground. Those around felt pity for her.
The dwarf lost consciousness a few seconds later. Lee dropped the dwarf on the floor and turned around to look at the hobgoblins. He saw gratitude in their eyes. An told them to take the dwarf and follow her. The hobgoblins obeyed her without a doubt. The left the diner and vanished into the darkness. Old man Li came out of the kitchen the very moment they left the diner. He frowned as he enquired what happened to a customer. The detail account of the incident made him smile wryly.
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A distant alleyway.
Five hobgoblins with the dwarf's unconscious body stood before An and Lee.
"How did you end up as a slave?!"
Lee asked in a voice that was only audible to those around him. The hobgoblins hesitated to answer, but gave in eventually.
"We were a nomadic tribe of goblins. We were ambushed two days ago and our old ones were killed. Our females and children were sold to the slave trading platform along with us."
"Are your females still in the town?"
"They are being kept for the auction tomorrow. They would be unharmed till then."
Lee knelt near the dwarf's body and probed for information regarding slave trade. Lee instantly turned his head at An as he hit the jackpot. This dwarf was one of the elite in the trade circle. His memories contained exclusive information regarding the trades, and its trade routes, which are only known to a few. The information cluster also contained many contacts of slave hunters of all mainstream races.
"We can help you rescue your companions. But can you help us to completely eradicate this unnatural organisation?"
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10 P.M.
3980 Essence harvested.
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An stepped in front of Lee and asked the hobgoblins. These well-built and robust beings began to tear up like little children. They had already lost all the hope of escaping this fate. And here are two angels from heaven offering help! They kneeled in front of her with tears raining down from their eyes, as they said-
"Please…..please help us. We promise to help you with all we have!"
The declaration from their hearts woke up the dwarf. When he saw the hobgoblins kneeling to the pair, he furiously stared at the brand. D warned Lee before he could activate it. Lee caught the dwarf by his colour again and lifted into the air. The dwarf began to gasp as the activation failed. When the living mass of fat almost passed out, Lee stored him into the EsGen storage after using the 'De-Spell'on the brand. Fortunately, the brand vanished and the collars came loose. D happily accepted Lee's decision to increase the Essence production.
When the dwarf disappeared, hobgoblins were stunned as their collars fell to the ground. Their spirit rejoiced as they visibly confirmed the might of the young man. The hobgoblins offered to show the way, but Lee stopped them and informed that the facility has more than one entrance. He made up a story that he had been investigating the mysterious slave trading agency. Lee imparted the information regarding the two entrances in the town and one that opened up deep in the jungle. Lee spent 550 Essence to buy 5 short swords of good quality. The additionally brought 5 water pouches from the Shop, which he filled with poison to the brim. The hobgoblins were terrified to see Lee produce such massive amounts of poison, but An calmed them as she explained lee as a cultivator with poison attribute.
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Name: Lee
Age: 20
Title: Grim-reaper, Soul Liberator
Fame: 3150
Essence: 72310 (10 P.M.)
Money: 951 Gold, 96 Silver, 86 Copper
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Partner: An
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Health: 320
Strength: 320
Vitality: 320
Agility: 320
Defense: 320
Endurance: 320
Sense: 320
Intelligence: 320
Resolve: 325
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Immunity:-
• Greater Poison Immunity (1887/1000000)
• Medium Lightning Immunity (3229/10000)
• Medium Air Immunity (200/10000)
• Lesser Sedative Immunity (35/100)
Affinity:-
• Greater Poison Affinity (11885/1000000)
• Greater Lightning Affinity (12393/1000000)
• Medium Fire Affinity (0/10000)
• Medium Water Affinity (0/10000)
• Medium Ice Affinity (0/10000)
• Greater Rock Affinity (11975/1000000)
• Greater Metal Affinity (11974/1000000)
• Medium Sand Affinity (286/10000)
• Greater Nature Affinity (11984/1000000)
• Medium Air Affinity (1165/10000)
• Greater Sound Affinity (12371/1000000)
• Greater Dark Affinity (11797/1000000)
• Medium Light Affinity (0/10000)
• Medium Death Affinity (286/10000)
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Mastery:-
• Absolute Blade Mastery
• Absolute Nunchuck Mastery
• Medium Bow Mastery (796/10000)
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Cultivation: Peak stage Core Formation realm
Qi: 0/1100
Mana: 0
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Skills:-
• View
• Foresight
• EsGen
• EsConv
• Flight
• Spotless
• Information Transfer
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INVENTORY:-
QUESTS:-
MAP:-
SHOP:-
ALTER:-
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