Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 289 Restoration
Like a tiger descending the mountain, or a vicious dog pouncing on excrement.

Having received their orders, the Finger Gang was in high spirits, shouting slogans that shook the heavens, except for their pace...
He lifted his feet high and lowered them gently, his steps as light as a stilt chicken's, refusing to rush ahead of Maginot's allies.

Too lazy to bother with these guys, Arden led his teammates and the mage's support pieces across the bridge and rushed towards the market area on the other side.

Regardless of the Finger Gang members who finally stopped their gait and hurriedly followed behind, the Maginots looked at this familiar place they hadn't seen for two months and felt a pang of sadness.

The roles of offense and defense have reversed, the situation has reversed, and even the camps have reversed, which makes one sigh with emotion.

These roughnecks are just uneducated and can't utter classic lines like those in Infernal Affairs, let alone recite the famous lines like "Returning to the old place, I should laugh at my sentimentality." At most, they can only shout in their hearts: I, Maginot, am back!

Their hearts are complicated, and some people's hearts are even more complicated than theirs.

Within the territory of Shining Gold Coin, the various vendors and shops that opened for business early in the morning all sensed something unusual. Having heard that the situation had escalated in the past two days, they could only hope that their small businesses would not be dragged into the terrible vortex of gang warfare.

However, as the fires ignited in the southern part of the market area, a terrible message spread even faster among the anxious crowd.

"The Maginot Group is about to attack!"

Although it's unclear why the Maginot Group, which had initially fled in disarray, dared to retaliate, and most people don't understand the intricacies involved, judging from the current situation, it seems to be more than just a rumor.

After two months of relatively stable conditions and less exploitation, no merchant was willing to be a remnant of the Maginot Line.

For example, Pierre was chatting with a nearby small merchant.

"Those damned scum dared to retaliate; the gentlemen of shining gold coins will crush them like bedbugs."

"The Maginot's gangsters have already crossed the bridge and are heading towards the south district. Shining Coin may have been distracted by the fire, but they will eventually find time to teach them a lesson."

"The Maginot gang has already crossed the bridge and is heading towards the market area."

"Ah, esteemed Mr. Arden, it is a great honor to have you visit our shop. Your loyal Pierre congratulates your team on the victorious recapture of the market district."

Looking at Pierre, who had come just as he had months before, with respect and fear written all over his face, Arden himself could no longer feel the smugness he once had.

Gazing at the other person's face, so different from his own, he felt as if he were looking in a mirror, his emotions beyond words.

"Okay, don't forget the monthly fees."

Arden casually uttered a remark and walked away, leaving Pierre somewhat stunned, seemingly unable to believe that it had ended so easily.

This bizarre behavior was not only seen in Arden, but also in every member of the Maginot's gang.

In the past, these guys would act like old lechers who had been locked up for decades and then went to a brothel, their faces were utterly disgusting. But now they are surprisingly well-behaved.

He actually looks quite like a respectable person!
As for the Finger Gang, who aren't particularly particular and don't care much about appearances, there are naturally people who will help them maintain their dignity.

Several chess pieces, appearing exceptionally tall due to the Orcish bond—their robust physiques—deliberately retreated and squeezed into the Finger Gang's ranks. Anyone who acted improperly or disrespectfully immediately received a warm greeting from their strong arms. The Finger Gang members, intimidated by the pressure of these burly men, dared not retaliate, watching so many easy prey slip through their fingers with some resentment. Dom even found Arden and complained a bit, his words clearly implying that Arden was hogging the spoils.

"This is Maginot's former territory. There are still areas you can touch. Besides, it's absurd to be thinking about spoils of war before even encountering the enemy."

Arden, however, did not back down and directly refuted the idea of ​​his allies trying to get their hands on the food.

He said this with absolute certainty and decisiveness, leaving no room for negotiation.

The Finger Gang's expressions turned somewhat grim, but Arden had no choice. The mage had instructed him beforehand to avoid causing excessive losses to trade operations in the Shining Gold Coin territory.

After all, when the merchants who suffered losses come to Mr. Zhang with their contracts to ask for the insurance premiums back, it will be a considerable expense.

As for defaulting on the debt?

It's not that it's impossible, but is Master Zhang's reputation only worth a few coins?
The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat stiff as the group moved forward listlessly. The once jovial Finger Gang members were now reduced to occasional whispers and resentful glances.

That's the kind of behavior you have.

Arden, who witnessed this scene, shook his head inwardly. Luckily, this was a play he had staged with the other side, otherwise he would have been utterly ruined by these "friendly forces".

Just as the team arrived at the gate of the Shining Gold Coin base with the speed of a picnic, Master Zhang was getting impatient.

Because of the presence of the chess pieces, the movements of Maginot and the entire Finger Gang were under Zhang Yuan's control, and the Finger Gang's forced dignified actions were naturally his doing.

The ensuing farces were truly laughable; the group dawdled for quite a while before finally completing the short distance, and their morale was extremely low.

"What a bunch of good-for-nothings!" Zhang Yuan wasn't thinking about defeating this rabble; instead, he was worried about how to prevent them from collapsing and scattering after the first contact.

Ideally, the enemy would retreat but not disperse, following Maginot back to the north of the city, where they would take advantage of the terrain and engage in a stalemate with the counter-attacking Canaan squad. In this way, the enemy's forces would not suffer fundamental damage and would not likely seek reinforcements or allow other "friendly forces" to occupy their territory.

They're all old foxes; what are you talking about, this "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio"?

If other vassal gangs were allowed to come and fight on their own territory, who knows what kind of mess they would make of it.

With his mind racing, the mage arranged a completely new lineup to await the arrival of the enemy.

The Finger Gang never expected that their incompetence would prevent them from receiving a severe beating, and instead lead to a more lenient approach from the other side.

This is just a case of fools having good fortune.

"So this is the headquarters of the Money Gang, isn't it? Please, Mr. Arden, we're waiting to see the power and prestige of your gang. You might not even need our help to take care of these guys with a wave of your hand."

Dom's opening remarks were sarcastic and sarcastic, and the Finger Gang members beside him gave him forced smiles, showing no intention of helping at all, just waiting to see the Maginots make a fool of themselves.

(End of this chapter)