Thousand-Faced Dragon

Chapter 190 Dark Night
Rean held the torch, his footsteps carrying far through the dark cave.

But he doesn't actually need much light; the longan's field of vision extends far beyond this darkness.

If it were just him...
"Friend, it's so dark."

Little Lana dragged his cloak, looking a little uneasy. But the excitement in her eyes was impossible to hide.

Rean glanced back at her, saw her dragging a real sword and walking quickly, and smiled.

His gaze shifted forward, glaring at the lurking figure in the shadows!
“I meant no harm.” The thief stepped forward, holding his sheathed dagger downwards, indicating that he did not intend to cause trouble.

“My team is nearby; I was just passing by.” He slowly backed away, gradually disappearing into the shadows.

The rest of Rean's squad glared at him menacingly. After a certain incident, they weren't exactly friendly towards thieves.

Even after the thief disappeared into the distance, they remained intently focused on his direction.

"Damn stray dog."

“If we’re not in good shape, they’ll make their move. What do you mean by just passing by? Only a fool would believe that.”

Rean turned around, slightly surprised.

We've only been inside the underground ruins a short while, and things are already this complicated? Weren't the adventurers supposed to have a good relationship?
"It is precisely because they are in shallow water that they are active. They are organized both on the ground and underground, specializing in activities similar to those of vultures and wild dogs."

Vultures and wild dogs? Do they eat corpses, and also bully the weak and take advantage of the strong?
I'm afraid that if adventurers coming up from the lower levels are in poor condition, they will also be robbed.

"Is nobody going to do anything? Oh, I'm so stupid."

Who's in charge? Given the local government's inability to even manage matters above, it's even more impossible for it to manage things below.

"They don't dare to go too far. For returning wounded teams, they usually just dare to charge a small toll. But if you die inside, they will take everything from you. Sometimes, they will even steal supplies and loot."

Parna was furious; she was mostly injured by these thieves.

These guys will deliberately create falling rocks and traps, causing trouble for other adventurers.

They didn't dare to kill indiscriminately, at least not murder that would leak information, since this was still just the surface level.

If a murder actually occurs, the relationship between the two sides will be even more antagonistic than it is now, and then they really won't be able to make money anymore.

"Actually, Lord Rean could have attacked us directly. He approached us while in stealth mode, which can be considered as him already attacking. We should have cut him down with one strike; he deserved to die."

Every region has its own "housing rules," so if these thief organizations dare to play these games, it's no wonder that adventurers and explorers are overreacting.

"I see, no wonder he was so scared."

Rean's Snake Eyes of Desire could see the thief filled with fear and unease when he was watching him.

Little did Rean know that when the other thief met his dragon eyes, he was so frightened by the bloodlust in them that he lost the courage to run away and obediently revealed himself and surrendered.

In their line of work, this is the most shameful thing to do if it gets out.

I'm afraid that soon, news will spread from the lower levels that "a very troublesome person" has entered.

Rean sighed. The original idea of ​​"everyone working together to explore the underground ruins" was gone. Sure enough, in most cases, the biggest opponent is still one's own kind.

"The situation on the lower levels is relatively better. The pressure from the monsters is immense, and everyone is quite friendly. Giving others a way out is also giving yourself a way out; most people don't come down here just once. Many even proactively inform others about traps and mechanisms."

"Pfft." At that moment, the snake on Rean's shoulder suddenly laughed.

"Do you have any insightful opinions?"

"No, no. What upper and lower levels? They didn't even break through the top layer of the seal. It's as if they've gone a long way."

The snake scoffed at the adventurer's mistake, but Rean knew he definitely had his own agenda.

Do you have the following information?

"I have all the maps, which I drew myself. I can reveal that what they thought was the deepest man-made structure is less than one-tenth of the entire underground ruins. Below is a completely different terrain, with snow-capped mountains, volcanoes, and even interdimensional passages. You might get lost in another world if you're not careful."

The snake flicked its tail and said cheerfully.

Rean continued to explore the path, communicating with the snakes using his telepathic abilities.

He hesitated, though he was well aware of the importance of a complete map to the entire exploration plan.

It's fair to say that activating the full map cheat increases the success rate by at least 50%.

However, precisely because it is so important, can I bear the consequences?

Rean ultimately paid for every bit of help the snake offered.

"cost?"

"Um, let me think of something like this: the same promise, that invitation to 'I love you and spend my life with you,' said to the designated person at the designated time and place."

That's it? Rean became even more hesitant to agree.

“Danya?” It seems that only this person is worthy of the title.

"I'll give you a choice. I'm so much better." The snake flicked its tongue, tempting Rean to agree.

"The Queen and Dania? Don't tell me the time and place of the confession. It was the day the Queen came, okay? I understand. I refuse."

The snake sighed, as if marveling at how clever Rean had become, avoiding the inevitable death line.

But after walking for a while, the utilitarian Rean was still a little unwilling.

"May I ask, if I actually did that, would I die?"

The deal between the snakes has taken effect, and Rean feels he might be able to exploit a bug.

But this time, there was no room for luck; once it was done, there were no other options.

"You will be impaled on a trident, from top to bottom, the tip protruding from your chest, and you will die screaming for ten days. There will also be a priest sent by the queen to heal you." The snake could not directly observe Rean, but the newspapers afterward and the impressions of others could roughly reconstruct that bloody scene.

Rean fell silent. "Then you want me to do it too?"

"There's no way around it, this karma is too heavy. You're willing to sacrifice yourself for the continuation of humanity, aren't you?" The snake remained cheerful.

"By the way, it would be even more interesting if you confessed to the Queen. Tsk tsk tsk, this death is truly rare."

"Take your map and get out!"

Rean sighed. He wasn't that noble; this was a death trap.

The first few hours of the journey were quite boring; the first floor seemed to have been thoroughly cleaned.

Occasionally, a thief would dart about at the edge of the line of sight, only to be glared back at by Rean.

Finally, we arrived near a checkpoint surrounded by rubble, the gateway to the lower level.

This is a relatively large stone chamber with some merchants setting up stalls, mainly selling supplies and materials from underground monsters. There are also signs on the stalls advertising the purchase of materials.

Their business wasn't good, but Rean did see some people at the gray goblin stalls.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear that they were selling emergency medical supplies and antidotes.

On the stall, there were also various maps and information from the lower levels, but the prices were as expensive as ever.

In the open space, there were a few scattered mercenary-looking warriors trying to sell themselves to passing groups. But since they were all reduced to recruiting random groups, and not even actively seeking out teams on the ground, their reputations and abilities were likely questionable. Rean and his group were in good spirits and prepared to continue their journey without stopping. Some people tried to stop the group to sell their wares, but Rean glanced at them and silently stepped aside.

To some perceptive individuals, Rean in battle mode is likely a dragon-slaying being ready to be activated at any moment.

This is also the result of his experience on various battlefields. Having gone through life-and-death battles against the Holy Mother, the Beast Prince, the Main Brain, and the Shadow Dragon, Rean has gradually developed a temperament that is more adapted to the battlefield.

After passing through this final safe zone, the rest of the team began to get busy.

The centaur knight, wielding a spear in one hand and a shield in the other, stepped in front of Rean. This was partly to fulfill his duty as the vanguard, and partly to lead the way. They were about to enter the underground ruins, which had many forks in the road.

The werewolf disappeared into the darkness; she was likely a part-time ranger and thief, also tasked with scouting ahead.

Dungeon adventures and wilderness travel are two different things; knowing in advance about potential opponents is extremely helpful.

Seeing that they were working together smoothly, Rean didn't try to take on any more tasks or clear the way. After confirming that they might not even encounter any enemies on the first day, he retreated to a position a little behind Parna and chatted with Dimon on and off.

"How's the situation at the docks? I heard your first shipment has been shipped. Hopefully no one's causing trouble. If any gangs or corrupt cops cause trouble, let me know."

Although it sounds like he's doing something unspeakable, the goods Rean is referring to are just normal textiles.

The first batch of goods was not high-end, and some were even of poor quality, but as long as it could be proven that it could make money and be sold, it proved that this path was viable, and many people had a stable way to make a living.

He had been watching closely, and calculating that the time was about right, he asked.

“There are troublemakers and people coming to collect protection money. But you don’t need to come. I’ve already thrown it into the sea. It’s no big deal.”

The rest of the squad were sweating profusely. Weren't they supposed to be two paladins? They sounded like gangsters discussing something unspeakable.

"Okay, remember to mention our lads if you need anything."

“Great, they’ve already started working on the streets and even got into a fight with some local police. Ha, they gave those bastards a good beating.”

The police in the dock area are basically the private property of certain forces; nine out of ten are shady.

Dimon wants order in the dock area, and these things are unavoidable. Some bastards don't care about your new order; they're only angry that they didn't get enough money for their monthly wedding gifts.

Where is our lovely police officer friend?

“She doesn’t want to get involved, and using her annual leave in advance is already a statement.” As the top police officer in the area, Talia’s decision to leave the conflict alone already subtly indicates that she is on Dimon’s side.

In chaotic times, extraordinary measures are needed. If the police department were truly operational, the dock area wouldn't be in such chaos.

"She even has annual leave. By the way, isn't there that nobleman above the police station, that Baron Pa... what's his name? Will he get involved?"

"We'll definitely find a time to get rid of him and let him drown in his own washbasin."

Parna was trembling. Were these really two paladins? What were they discussing?

A sinister plan to seize control of the dock area? Invading territory, attacking the police station, and even daring to murder a nobleman who stood in their way?
Upon hearing this, Rean was somewhat surprised.

“That won’t do. We are paladins, we cannot commit murder.”

You now think you're a paladin?! Weren't all those things you said before criminal?!

Several people in the team wanted to complain, but they didn't dare to.

"That's a bastard. He takes money from the slave market and is a shareholder and protector of the slave market."

"Is the news confirmed?"

"Confirmed. The ledgers have been found, which is the main reason why Sister Talia was ignoring things; she now wants to take matters into her own hands."

"Alright, since it's evil, let's deal with it. Just let me know if you need my help."

In a sense, Kuku is absolutely right.

Putting aside their rather noble motives, just looking at their style and methods, many paladins are not much different from bandits, and are even more direct and unreasonable than bandits.

In particular, these two who chose the path of trial had no intention of following the "unspoken rules" of the local aristocratic circle.

Rean asked about the weaving factory, and Dimon responded to each question.

These things relieved the surrounding team members; it turned out to be a legitimate business.

The textile factory has already shipped out its first batch of goods, and the selling price was decent.

However, since it mainly relies on Labor's commercial channels, Dimon is not very comfortable with it.

"Of course I don't doubt the Larry brothers, I'm just worried about Labour."

“It’s good that you have this suspicion. Labor is indeed not trustworthy, but as long as Dania has a good relationship with us, he will be quite friendly to us.”

When the topic turned to Her Highness the Princess, Rean lowered his voice, but Parna was still too frightened to turn around.

Could this knight who's being lifted up really be the legendary Princess Black Gloves?

Dimon was still somewhat hesitant. He felt that Labor wouldn't give up this part of the market so easily. Rean explained that Labor had long since stopped caring about this business; he aspired to become a powerful nobleman and begin to get involved with the kingdom's upper echelons.

The low-end weaving industry they abandoned doesn't make them feel bad; in fact, they might even be happy about it.

"I've actually inquired about it; they themselves think that the profits from these low-end fabric weaving projects are too low, and it's a waste of their human resources. Their main business is still various kinds of 'magic fabrics,' industrial fabrics, and high-end fabrics."

The robes of nobles and the cloth clothes of commoners use roughly the same amount of material, but the material used in the finished product is five to ten times more expensive, while the finished product is easily over a hundred times more expensive.

If you actually sell clothes that cost copper coins to a nobleman, he will feel that you are humiliating him.

Therefore, it is normal for the same labor force to prefer producing high-value-added products, which is just another way of eliminating outdated production capacity.

Meanwhile, all sorts of flags, armor linings, house decorations, high-end tablecloths and carpets are supplied by Labor's material industry, only...
"Labor doesn't even want to make these mid-range products; they only want to make aristocratic clothing and magic cloth."

There are some things that Rean only knows part of, and even Larry, one of his own, doesn't know them.

Labor's main funds have long been invested in lending, targeting the high-end market. Their real businesses are merely a facade for credit guarantees, and the funds they operate with are already more than ten times the family's total assets. This is one of the main reasons why they need the support of the kingdom's top leadership.

Rean's words put Dimon at ease.

He is in a delicate situation where he wants to expand production, but is worried that consuming too much will offend his "allies" at once.

It's not that we're afraid of Labor, but there are too many people tied to this industry now, and it would be too much of a loss to fall out with Labor now.

Rean and Dimon chatted casually, but when the topic turned to the dock area, there were some things that couldn't be avoided.

"Senior Brother Rean, can't you talk to Princess Dania about closing down the slave market? If you really need economic benefits, the underground ruins alone would be more profitable. The kingdom doesn't need to maintain this thing right now." Dimon still gritted his teeth and asked.

The slave market in the dock area was a huge nuisance; it was an intractable problem.

Dumon knew that the slave market was in cahoots with the high priests and nobles, but he wondered if the royal family could get rid of this cancer if they intervened themselves.

Rean shook his head. It seemed that Dimon hadn't communicated enough with Dania, and Larry hadn't explained things to him clearly either (it was later confirmed that Larry himself wasn't very clear about it).

“Danya hates the slave market, but she doesn’t have the power to shut it down.” Rean sighed, noticing that the adventurers were all listening intently.

After thinking it over, he decided to say it anyway, so that the little ones wouldn't be unaware of the significance of this information.

"The largest shareholders in the slave market are transnational organizations and churches. Three major churches hold more than 40% of the shares and are the de facto power holders. They need some people to do the dirty work and some stable 'human resources'."

Seeing the shocked expressions on the adventurers' faces surprised Rean. You actually think this is outrageous? You're too naive. You don't actually believe that those so-called Churches of Goodness are without blemishes? Those things employ professionals to do the dirty work.

(End of this chapter)