The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 27 Arrested
"Stop the car! [Nova], go check the box."

Several fully armed mercenaries surrounded the oxcart, urging Catherine to drive it to the open space of the manor.

Tang Qi then saw a man in full plate armor, carrying a greatsword, waiting for a long time.

He walked straight up, the clanging of his armor creating a rhythmic sound, like the evening bells nearing the finish line.

The fact that the man didn't even bother with questioning meant that he knew all along that the oxcart was loaded with inferior 'fake goods'.

Tang Qi didn't understand.

Could it be that Black Snake is so short-sighted as to think that by shifting all the blame onto him, an outsider, he can absolve himself of responsibility for inadequate care?

But since things had come to this, he could only grit his teeth and bear it.

As they got out of the car, all they could think about was how to drag the black snake down with them.

"Get down here, don't try anything funny."

"Of course I wouldn't dare." Tang Qi truly didn't dare.

Regardless of the leader's skill level.

Several mercenaries rushed up and stabbed him, enough to turn him into a hedgehog.

The man escorted the three people out of the car, and a young man in a long robe ran up to him. Suddenly, the slender magic wand in his hand emitted a burst of light, which entered the young man's eyes.

Before encountering the caravan, Tang Qi, with a "nothing to lose" attitude, had Kulu release silent illusions around the oxcart.

This rising star clearly shot the arrow first and then drew the target.

The makeshift disguise couldn't fool their already suspicious eyes.

Xinxing looked around and finally fixed his gaze on Xingmei in the car—

"Only the magical aura of the illusion school."

Considering that the spellcaster did not chant any incantations or communicate with the magic network, Tang Qi guessed that it was a [Magic Search Wand] that could detect the source of magical aura.

It can consume spells stored in the wand to cast [Detection Magic].

Say something I can understand!

"That's why I suggested you read more books, [Wolf Warrior]. At least that will help you cover up your ignorance."

"Cut the fucking nonsense!"

Xinxing ignored the mercenary captain and instead looked at Tang Qi and his two companions with great interest.

Finally, their gaze settled on Kuru.

He ripped off Kulu's robe.

First, I exclaimed in surprise, then grabbed its head:

"So it really is a kobold? Come on, let me see where it is..."

"Rua!"

The new star attacked roughly, her nails almost digging into Kuru's scales.

"Sir, you..."

Tang Qi tried to step forward and grab the other person, but a giant sword immediately followed and blocked his way.

Explosive Wolf frowned deeply, as if he were holding back a fire that could ignite at any moment.

"Stand still if you don't want to die."

"Can't find it! Can't find it! How is that possible?! How could a kobold that can learn magic not have an intelligence headband?"

The new star fumbled around haphazardly, only feeling the cold, scaly texture on its fingertips. Finally, unable to resist, it grabbed the kobold's shoulder, looking somewhat deranged.
"Listen, little guy. Hand over all your treasures, and I'll make them spare your life, okay?"

The "Intelligence Headband" he mentioned is a magical item.

It has the effect of enlightening and inspiring, and may occasionally help highly intelligent beings have a flash of inspiration, but it only takes effect when worn.

So he heard about the kobold mage and began to covet this magical item?
However, Kuru is not yet able to make objects invisible.

Its wisdom is probably truly a gift from the gods.

Kuru was furious when he heard these humans threatening his life at the drop of a hat.

However, this does not affect its will to survive.

It didn't understand what the new star wanted to do, but it understood the word 'treasure'.

“Mercy, mercy!”

He then knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Hand over the treasure!"

It hesitated for a long time, but finally chose to sacrifice its most beloved treasure for the sake of its life.

"This is... a stick?"

The new star frowned as it looked at the wooden stick it was holding.

This is not what he wants.

Kuru nodded vigorously and raised his long staff to demonstrate:

"A straight stick!"

Dog-headed people are generally very cold towards kinship.

But Kuru is not ordinary.

Although it was just a magical artifact used to communicate with the magic network, it was a relic left behind along with the mage's spellbook.

The long staff is exquisitely crafted, straight yet wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, with a gnarled texture extending outwards from the top, twisting into a claw pointing towards the sky.

It couldn't resist such a straight stick. It still remembers that when it first picked up this straight stick, it happily danced the claw dance for three days, which was more exciting than eating fresh pork.

It accompanied me as I learned my first magic trick.

I would hold it and fall asleep every night.

They are my most important partners.

If it's to save their own lives, as a partner, they would probably be happy to sacrifice themselves...

However, the naive and inexperienced Kuru doesn't understand yet.

What it treasures may be worthless in the eyes of others.

"Are you kidding me?"

Nova never expected that this low-intelligence creature, which should have had its scales stripped off and been used as a material for his spellcasting, would one day use such a low-class joke to make fun of him.

People laugh when they are extremely angry.

Then, with a "snap," he laughed and broke Kuru's long staff in two.

"Rua!!!"

The straight staff split in two before Kuru.

It crawled crying to the broken staff, trying to piece it back together perfectly, but no matter what it did...

Looking at the broken crack, it's like my own heart being torn apart.

"Where exactly did you put your headband? Or is there some other strange object...?"

Seeing that the spellcaster was about to cause trouble, Tang Qi disregarded the longsword blocking his way—

He hasn't seen the ruins and the 'dragon egg' behind Kuru yet.

So he quickly explained:
"My lord, it is a naturally intelligent kobold and is not wearing any magical items."

"intrinsic?"

Nova gave Kulu a strange look.

He had actually seen special cases like Kuru—

It was a troll that wore a headband and loved reading.

When analyzing and studying spells, possessing such a treasure that can give one a flash of inspiration can often achieve twice the result with half the effort.

But he had no way of snatching the magical item from the other party.

That's why they set their sights on Kuru.

Now that I realize it is inherently intelligent, I've lost my previous interest.

But the wolf grabbed it by the scruff of its neck:

"A talking dog-headed man... those wealthy people with a sense of curiosity would probably be interested in buying one. It could probably offset its crime of stealing Xingmei."

Put it in shackles, throw it on the truck, and take it there.

Several mercenaries grabbed Kuru's limbs and locked him to the car.

Finally, the wolf looked at Tang Qi:

"As for you, a bard, huh? Before meddling in other people's business, you should think about what price you'll pay."

Where will I be taken?

Tang Qi knew that as an accomplice who devised the plan, he probably wouldn't escape punishment either.

"Of course, in front of the employer."

As land under the jurisdiction of Longjin City, everything in this town is protected by the laws of Longjin City.

Then I will most likely be taken all the way to Dragon Gold City to be judged by the city's laws—

This is a good thing; at least these people are reasonable.

After all, even if they drew their swords and took their own lives, no one in this secluded town surrounded by mountains on three sides would say a word.

"Ok."

Since he was going to be captured anyway, Tang Qi simply raised his hands and gave up on futile resistance.

"No need for you to do it, I can do it myself."

He walked directly to the mercenary holding shackles, stretched out his hands, and once his wrists were firmly locked, he followed closely behind the mercenary.

Catherine, who arrived by car, knew she couldn't escape either, so she simply followed Tang Qi's example and saved herself some time.

"Indeed, knowing when to be tactful is a kind of wisdom. It will save you a lot of physical suffering."

The wolf was delighted with this outcome.

He was just a mercenary hired to escort a caravan, and he was paid to escort Xingmei.

If the employer hadn't promised to increase the price, what were these prisoners planning, and what did that have to do with him?
With a feeling of unease, Tang Qi was pushed into the manor's stable.

He looked ahead amidst a stench of excrement.

Unexpectedly, I ran into someone I knew.

Tang Qi couldn't help but lean closer and say:

"What a coincidence, you're here too?"

Caged firmly by familiar shackles and handcuffs, Black Snake, sitting in a corner of a haystack, couldn't help but twitch his lips:

"..."

(End of this chapter)