"Hey, what do you think you're doing? It was clearly your men who stole my pouch! This is entirely your fault!" General Lei turned to look at the people who had surrounded him from behind.
"Indeed, it was my men who took your pouch, but this is the slums. Do you really think anyone will come to your aid?" The man standing opposite General Lei, who appeared somewhat aristocratic with his cane, revealed a sinister smile.
"Seems like you wield quite a bit of power around here," General Lei suddenly said, feigning a timid expression.
"Hmph, no one dares to cross me in the slums," the man opposite Lei said, pushing his top hat down smugly.
"Ah, judging by your attire, you must be the so-called 'King of Beggars,' Shaon," General Lei said with a cold smirk.
"You know me? How honored, it seems you're one of us," Shaon, the so-called 'King of Beggars,' replied.
"Of course, I am General Lei of the Arus Empire," said Lei, pulling off his hood and cloak. At that moment, those who had surrounded him widened their eyes in surprise and slowly began to retreat. They knew that, by themselves, they could never defeat a general of Arus.
"General Lei? Weren't you supposed to still be in the Paralar Empire?" The King of Beggars, Shaon, asked in confusion.
"Didn't expect you to know about that," General Lei sneered.
"Of course, aside from the aristocratic districts and the palace, the eyes of my network are everywhere in Arus," Shaon boasted proudly.
"Very well, Will, Lisa, it seems we've found the right person," General Lei turned and smiled at Will and Lisa behind him.
"You sought me out? So, you deliberately lured me here," Shaon sneered.
"Indeed, I have a rather important task I need your help with," General Lei said.
"Oh? Is it true that the distinguished General of Arus seeks the aid of a beggar? Hahaha," Shaon laughed boastfully.
"You may say that to others, but you'll need to help me first," General Lei retorted coldly.
"Interesting! I agree. Now, may I invite you three to my 'palace' for a more detailed discussion?" Shaon said as he walked toward the shadows of the alley, bending down to open a manhole in the ground. General Lei nodded, and he led the way down into the sewer. Will and Lisa, who had been silent up to that point, exchanged puzzled looks before following General Lei into the sewer.
Meanwhile, in the palace of Arus, the mages were deliberating on how to gain complete control of the Arus Empire in the shortest time possible.
"Captain, we have already gained control of all the nobles and ministers within Arus. Soon, the entire empire will fall into our hands," one mage said, excitedly addressing the mage captain at the front.
"No, not yet. While we have control over all the resources of this country, there is still one person—one very crucial person we have not yet subdued," Merlin suddenly interjected with a serious tone.
"Are you referring to General Lei?" the tall, thin mage captain asked Merlin.
"Yes. He controls the entire military force of this country. If we don't control him, his soldiers will certainly revolt. That would be a nightmare to handle," Merlin answered.
"But aren't General Lei's family in our hands?" another mage suddenly inquired.
"That is far from enough. I have spent time with him, and I can tell he is deeply dissatisfied with us—perhaps even hates us. I believe his subordinates feel the same. If we threaten his family, not only will he go berserk, but so will his soldiers. That would be far too risky for us," Merlin responded.
"Merlin does have a point. So, Merlin, what do you suggest we do?" the captain asked.
"The Paralar Empire will release its prisoners in four days. When they do, we can secretly assassinate General Lei and blame his death on the Paralar Empire. All the resentment of his soldiers will be redirected at the Paralar Empire. Once both sides are weakened from fighting each other, we can step in and eliminate both forces in one fell swoop," Merlin said. As soon as his words finished, the mages gasped in awe, casting fearful looks at Merlin. Indeed, when it came to strategy and intellect, none of the people in the palace could compare to Merlin.
"Hmph, Merlin, you are as reckless as ever," the captain sneered, shaking his head in disbelief.
...
In the sewers of the slums.
The moment Will and Lisa stepped into the sewer, they were taken aback. Though there was no foul stench, the place was cold, damp, and shrouded in darkness. Shaon had ordered his subordinates to light torches and lead the way, while Will and Lisa looked around as they followed.
"Your 'palace' is rather grand, King of Beggars. We have to walk such a long distance before we even get there," General Lei joked as he walked alongside Shaon.
"Ah, General Lei, this was a precaution to avoid being hunted down by you high-and-mighty people. The nobles and ministers of Arus would never come to a place like this, so we built our hideout here," Shaon explained with a smile.
"Hmph, you're truly cunning," General Lei sneered.
"Heh, you're too kind. But for a dignified General of Arus to come down here, it seems you really are in a great deal of trouble," Shaon said, his eyes narrowing as he gazed at General Lei, his face breaking into a sinister smile. General Lei sneered once more but said nothing. He knew that the more Shaon knew, the more trouble he would cause them with his underhanded nature.
After several minutes, they walked through the long, damp, and dark passage, finally arriving at Shaon's lair. It was an expansive, well-lit area, completely unlike the path they had taken to get there. It looked like an underground mansion, complete with a gate, rooms, and Shaon's subordinates.
"So, there's such a place in the sewers?" General Lei, who had seen much in his life, couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
"Heh, thank you for the compliment, General Lei. You must be very familiar with the area above," Shaon said proudly.
"Above? Where?" General Lei asked, confused.
"Right above... the palace," Shaon said, emphasizing each word as he grinned.
"We're under the palace?" Will asked, astonished.
"Yes... Ha ha ha!" After holding back his laughter for so long, Shaon finally couldn't contain himself and burst out into loud, maniacal laughter.