The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 149 The Red Turban Gang's Work (5k1w)

Second-circle spell, [Animal Messenger]:
Ritual casting. Designates a small, visible beast (such as a squirrel or bat) within casting range to deliver a message to you.

The destination must be a place you have visited before. The recipient's basic information should be given verbally, such as 'a dark-haired man carrying a lute'.

The beast will travel to your chosen location during the spell's duration and mimic your voice to deliver the message. Flying messengers can travel 25 kilometers within 24 hours, while non-flying messengers can only travel 12.5 kilometers.

When the mustache's voice abruptly stopped, the bat flapped its wings, trying to return to its original position.

The air fell silent for a moment.

When Hope saw Tang Qi turn around, she instinctively took two steps back, only to find herself back in the filthy swamp she had come from. If she took just one more step back, she would fall into the mud.

She smirked and raised her hands in an attempt to prove she was harmless:
"I can explain."

"I can choose not to listen."

Tang Qi glanced at Chen Xi, who was still recovering beside him, and gripped his scimitar tightly with vigilance.

"I am indeed a member of the Red Scarf Gang, but I really didn't intend to do anything to you—"

"I'm not some blind, frozen monster. Who would bother you for no reason after witnessing your strength?"

Hope quickly offered an explanation.

These mud monsters that roam the underground city are mostly blind, relying entirely on their perception of the surrounding environment and even their 'hearing' to determine direction.

“Yes, you wouldn’t normally do that. But now, after we’re exhausted, the Red Scarf Gang will come knocking on our door, right?”

"That's why I kept reminding you to rest along the way! I even kept explaining the Red Scarf Gang's robbery logic to you—the 'exhausted and coming to your door' thing you mentioned, I was the one who told you that!"

Hope also had something to say.

"But who knew you guys were like you'd 'drunk on the blood of the snake-chicken beast'? You'd already been wandering around the second level all day, yet you still insisted on going to the third level despite your exhaustion?"

The snake-chicken is a hybrid wild animal with delicious meat, and it frequently appears in the recipes of various races.

It looks like an ugly hybrid of birds, lizards, and bats, and because every part of its body looks like it was pieced together, people suspect that its consciousness is also pieced together.

As a result, their emotions are extremely unstable and they are extremely manic. Their blood is often used as an auxiliary material for some stimulants.

"Do you know how green the gangs stationed near the waterfall were when they heard you insisted on going to the third level? —"

"They gave me the antidote for thirty gold coins for free, and even promised to let me keep one-tenth of it, all so I could intercept you on your way back."

"You agreed?"

"Can I still refuse?"

Hope spread his hands and sighed.
"This is my job."

"I understand. So your job is to impersonate a guide, help the Red Scarf gang stationed in the underground city find suitable targets for robbery, and tip them off when appropriate."

This would allow them to catch the adventurers when they were exhausted and then reap the corresponding profits.

Seeing that Tang Qi didn't seem to intend to attack directly, Hope finally breathed a sigh of relief, squatted down, propped her chin up, and stubbornly argued:

“Okay, you could say that. But this is just a side job that the Red Scarf Gang arranged for me. My real job is as a guide—a guide for the first and second levels. Recently, I've been trying to expand into the third level. After all, good opportunities don't come every day.”

"Let me think about it. You went to that adventure team twice under the pretense of 'buying antitoxins.' But you were actually exchanging information with them both times."

"That's right. Their initial target was actually another team—the one from Sandalwood Forest. But they saw us setting up camp not long after, so they couldn't openly attack us."

Hope drew a symbol of faith in front of her, then raised her hand and said,
“I swear, ever since I heard you were ‘a group of adventurers’ who crossed the Dawn Forest and dealt with the necromancer before I even stepped into the dungeon, I have never had any intention of opposing you.”

I was just thinking that maybe I could sneak in some easy money by following your team without risking my life—

Even those gang members, after listening to my advice, didn't plan to take action against you, feeling that this was not worth the risk.

But who knew you were in such a hurry to continue exploring? This actually changed their minds, and they switched their focus.

"So, they should be lying in ambush on our way back?"

"They told me to give the signal at the right time."

Hope pulled a cylindrical metal tube, no bigger than the palm of her hand, from her fanny pack.
“When I confirm that you are not in good condition, I will open it at the suspension bridge on the second or third floor. That suspension bridge is not conducive to your use of your skills, which gives them the advantage of initiative.”

Tang Qi narrowed his eyes, focusing on the key point, and asked:

"So they're convinced we'll definitely encounter danger and become exhausted?"

"Yes."

"What is this? Foresight? Or did they use some kind of divination magic?"

Tang Qi then thought of the witch gathering he had encountered this time—

The witch who should have appeared at the entrance to the second or third floor suddenly appeared in the swamp, which was quite far away, and caused them a lot of trouble in just one day.

Can this be considered a coincidence?
“I don’t know,” Hope shook her head.

Tang Qi expressed his doubt: "As a member of the Red Scarf Gang and an important part of their robbery and plundering, you're telling me you don't know?"

"I really don't know!"

Knowing she was no match for Tang Qi and unwilling to clash with a seasoned adventurer, she tried to persuade him to trust her through sincerity.
"Not every gang member has access to these secrets."

I'm just an unofficial member of the Red Scarf Gang, or rather, most of the guides you see, and even some of the adventurers' guild staff, are unofficial members.

If you're not an adventurer and don't work for the Red Scarf Gang, then you can't make a living in the Deep Well!
The 'unofficial members' on the surface select suitable targets and intelligence for them.

After entering the dungeon, and following a certain selection process, the target is finally identified and the operation is carried out to ensure the safe, efficient, and quick completion of the mission...

You could even say that everyone is a crucial link in this process, but if everyone knew the specific procedures, it might easily reach the ears of adventurers, and then this line of work would become unsustainable.

"It sounds like a mature industry chain."

Tang Qi even suspected that this was the Red Scarf Gang's main business—

He had been curious before about why, given the relatively good security on the surface, there was still a place where the Red Turban Gang could be born.

His guess at the time was that the top leader of this gang must have some powerful figures who could influence city decisions and protect him.

It may seem that there is more to it than that now.

No wonder that thug who caused trouble at the Golden Oak only needed to throw a short sword to quell the arrogance of most adventurers.

It was precisely because they knew this gang held considerable influence in the dungeon that they didn't want to be constantly targeted when exploring it in the future, lest their source of income be cut off...

Thinking of the conflict that had occurred at the Golden Oak, Tang Qi then glanced at the Mind Shield Ring in his hand:
"I was wondering why a spellcaster with a wealthy family background would be 'killed' by a few weak thugs. So that's how it happened..."

"Don't they ever have moments when they unexpectedly fail?"

"Of course there will be, but when they realize their idea is too difficult, they always manage to use the complex underground environment to escape unscathed."

"You've never been discovered?"

"No, because I'm usually targeted for robbery too, to avoid alerting adventurers—but they always manage to find me afterward and compensate me with gold coins. I even make a little money from it."

Tang Qi was not surprised by this.

A gang that can last a long time never relies on absolute force.

Coercion and bribery.

These are actually two words.

Hope frowned, patted his boots, and winked at Tang Qi:

"Actually, when I realized that the knife was missing, I thought it might be discovered—but I thought you were a reasonable person and would definitely let a working person like me off the hook, right?"
I didn't mean to lie to you, I just wanted to make a living.

Look at this horn on my head. Not many people will accept a Tyflin, except for the Deep Well.

"Playing the victim won't earn you any pity from me."

"But what if I'm really pitiful?" She looked at Tang Qi with pleading eyes, her voice soft and weak, as if she were trying to please him.

Tang Qi admitted that this beautiful face, with its hellish allure, was indeed deceptive:

Do you know about a type of rodent called a weasel?

“I’ve heard of it, but it’s not common in the city.” Hope seemed to recall it.

"Yes, compared to other rodents, weasels have a more slender body, a more elegant posture, and an appearance that is more in line with most people's aesthetic standards."

But unlike rats that burrow and hoard food, they are better hunters—they will feign a cute and innocent appearance to lure their prey, then bite off their necks when they are not paying attention. Sometimes they will even take over their nests and divide up their possessions.

Looking at her beautiful face and fiery red eyes, Tang Qi suddenly burst out laughing.

"You keep saying how pitiful you are, but I haven't seen you skimp on the Red Scarf Gang's share of the spoils—don't you think you're a bit like a 'red weasel'?"

Perhaps it was the relatively calm tone, or perhaps it stemmed from Tang Qi's inexplicable affability, but Hope, though sensing the sarcasm, felt it was more like a joke.

This made her feel that her situation was no longer dangerous.

The bard before me was certainly not one of those adventurers who would draw their swords at the slightest provocation.

So she simply accepted Tang Qi's assessment:

“I can be a weasel, but you’re not a mouse—I can’t eat you.”

"Whether I can eat it or not, I have to think about what to do with you."

"Can we make peace? I really didn't mean to lie to you. I never intended to use a flare in the first place; I was only thinking about how to get back to the surface safely."

"Okay. But you have to answer one question for me first."

"you say……"

When was the last time you did something for them?

"It's been a while..."

Hope blinked, recalling her previous experience.
"About two weeks ago? The same one we encountered today, the [Goblin Slayer] that was carried out on a stretcher by medical staff—"

They were indeed skilled at killing goblins, and had looted a large amount of goblin equipment on the second floor, only to have all their spoils stolen by the Red Scarf Gang.

"Have you seen these faces before...?"

Tang Qi took out several portraits from his dimensional bag. They were portraits of Red Scarf gangsters that he had asked Merlin to draw on the eve of his decision to go to the Deep Well.

Although the corpses were covered in mushrooms, it did not stop professional painters from using their imagination to create these figure sketches that were about nine-tenths similar to each other.

"No."

Hope shook her head.

"Members of the Red Scarf Gang mostly operate masked in dungeons, effectively avoiding being recognized by adventurers on the surface. Gang members identify each other using short blades wrapped in red scarves."

That short knife was processed using a special technique, and each one bears a unique personal mark, making it very difficult to counterfeit.

"Is that so...then do me a favor."

As Tang Qi looked him up and down, his gaze gradually became meaningful.

Hope unconsciously crossed her arms: "That's going too far."

"Is it too much to ask you to act according to the predetermined plan?"

"What do you mean?"

"Of course you'll send out the signal. But only after we're fully charged."

"no!"

Hope knew what that meant.
"Are you trying to make me offend the Red Turban Gang? They'll definitely find out I'm deceiving them."

You might as well make me do something even more outrageous—

I want to live a long and healthy life, and earn as many gold coins as I can while I'm still alive!

"This isn't a choice," Tang Qi said, half-threateningly.

"Why don't you find another guide to help you, or I can recommend one for you? I've hated this guy who's been stealing my business for a long time, I don't care if he gets blamed for this."

"I don't have that much free time, so you're the one."

This is a good opportunity to confirm the identity of the assassin from that night.

If the other party is seeking revenge for a gang member, confirming the deceased thug's status and connections within the gang is sufficient to find the mastermind.

Even if it is eventually found that they have no connection with the Red Turban Gang, it can be considered that one target has been eliminated, and the subsequent investigation can be directed to the council.

Identifying your goals early allows you to understand your current situation sooner, giving you confidence when making any decisions.

Thinking of this, he immediately took out a bundle of hemp rope and approached Hope.

Tiffilin panicked, wanting to back away but not wanting to fall into the swamp:
"Isn't there any room for negotiation?"

"No."

"Could you tie me up somewhere else? This swamp is smelly and dangerous; you don't want to camp here, do you?"

"you're right."

Using the glow of the ring and the seaweed to survey the swamp, besides the stench of the pool water and the mud, one could see a few scattered corpses of adventurers. As the marks of lividity grew thicker, the spores in the air began to infest their flesh.

Thinking about it this way, Chenxi's physical body must be suffering too.

Once the electricity on her plate armor gradually dissipated, Tang Qi helped her up and, using the earthen path created by Kuru's [Earth Shaping Technique], they left the swamp first.

In areas farther from the river, you can occasionally see some slopes that are drier than the soil along the riverbank, making them suitable for short camping trips.

After simply setting up the tent, to prevent Hope from escaping midway, he first tied him up tightly, placed him inside the tent, and handed him over to Kulu and Iu to guard.

He then led Chenxi outside the tent to remove her armor and examine her injuries:

"800 gold coins, all gone in one battle... What's most infuriating is that these old hags don't have any decent treasures on them."

But once we leave the dungeon and record it in the [Log], we shouldn't have to worry about any rewards, right?

Tang Qi tried to remove some scalp from the dead witch's head, but the log showed that it didn't seem to have any special effect.

Meanwhile, to ensure he could obtain more rewards, he decided to leave the story of what happened in the dungeon until after the guide was released.

Although he inexplicably gained dozens more followers, he is still considered to be at the level of being "unknown".

But all of this should improve after the book is released.

His current patience is all for the sake of an even greater reward later.

After being engulfed by the [Lightning Beam], Dawn's body turned a burnt brown color, as if it had been electrocuted.

Now, including the cracks on my wrist caused by the Holy Light when I unleashed the Holy Slash, it wasn't until I used up two-thirds of the restoration glue that they were completely repaired.

But what puzzled Tang Qi was that the spores that permeated the third layer did not seem to have taken root in the 'corpse' of Dawn:

"I thought that after spending so much time in the swamp, you would be covered in mushrooms."

Chenxi explained:
“I was able to communicate with the spores that remained on my arm and prevent them from invading.”

"Oh right, I almost forgot, you can connect to the spores' neural network—so can you also use that to track down the mushroom community in the dungeon?"

"it should be OK."

"Perfect timing. I'll collect some spores along the way to power up the [Replicator]."

"I don't recommend doing that."

"why?"

"Because from my experience communicating with them, they seem to be in a state of anger."

"Anger? Why?"

"Perhaps they realized that their population was declining rapidly—"

Therefore, I believe that blindly absorbing spores may incur their hatred and cause unnecessary trouble.

"It sounds like the adventurers picked too many mushrooms and angered them..."

Remembering the spores' ability to 'activate corpses,' Tang Qi, who was single-mindedly devoted to the Red Scarf Gang, finally accepted her suggestion.

"Then let's not create any more trouble."

Let's go and find out about the Red Turban Gang first.

(End of this chapter)