Faerun: The arcane mage is still too imprisoned.

Balfour was stunned.

He sat in the chair, motionless.

Countless thoughts raced through my mind—

Lance? The mage who destroyed the Thirsty Hand? What's he doing here? Here to ask for money?

That makes things easier.

"Master?" the butler's voice rang out again, "Do you wish to see him?"

Balfour took a deep breath and stood up.

He walked to the door and opened it.

The butler stood outside the door, his face pale.

"Let him in," Balfour said.

The butler nodded and turned to leave.

Balfour returned to his desk, shoved the ledger into the drawer, and sat up straight, trying to appear calm.

Footsteps came from the corridor.

The door opened.

A half-elf with long, silver-white hair stood in the doorway, her sky-blue eyes calmly watching him.

"Balver Hagen?" the half-elf asked.

Balfour swallowed hard. "It's me. You are... Mage Lance?"

"Yes." Lance walked in and closed the door behind him. "I need to talk to you about something."

Balfour stood up, forcing a smile: "Please have a seat, I'll have some tea served—"

"No need," Lance interrupted him, sitting down in the chair. "I came to ask you something."

Balfour's heart tightened: "Please speak."

"What is your relationship with the Thirsty Hand?"

Balfour's smile froze on his face.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but it felt like something was blocking his throat.

"I...I don't understand what you're saying..."

Lance looked at him without saying a word.

Those sky-blue eyes were as calm as a deep pool of water, without any ripples.

Balfour felt uneasy under his gaze, and cold sweat broke out on his back.

"I really don't understand..." His voice trailed off, "I'm just a casino owner, what does that have to do with a cult..."

Lance sighed.

"You know what," he stood up, "I hate people like you the most."

Balfour took a step back: "Wh...who are you?"

"It's someone who, despite having irrefutable evidence, clings to unrealistic fantasies and insists on being stubborn."

Lance walked to his desk, tapped his fingers on the surface, and the scout mosquito flew back.

"Would you like to take a look at that ledger in the drawer?"

Balfour's face turned pale instantly.

He instinctively reached out to cover the drawer, but pulled his hand back halfway through.

"I..." His lips trembled, "I can explain..."

"No need to explain," Lance waved his hand. "I just want to ask you one thing."

Balfour looked at him.

"How many children have you helped the Thirsty Hands capture?" Lance asked.

Balfour paused for a moment, then shook his head frantically: "No! We didn't kidnap any children! We were just helping them move some...some goods..."

"What goods?"

"It's...it's..." Balfour's voice trailed off.

"Just some kids..."

"6".

Lance looked at him.

Balfour's knees went weak under his gaze, and he knelt down.

"My lord! My lord, spare my life!"

He lay on the ground, his voice trembling with tears.

"I only helped them transport the children; I didn't arrest them myself! Those children were brought there by themselves; I was just responsible for arranging the carriages to send them out..."

"Send it out?" Lance raised an eyebrow. "Send it where?"

"N-no, I don't know..." Balfour shook his head. "They only said to take you to a certain location, not a fixed one, someone will meet you there..."

Lance remained silent for a few seconds.

"That's all?"

"That's all!" Balfour nodded frantically. "I really only know this much! Sir, I was wrong, I'm willing to pay! As much as you want!"

Lance looked down at him.

"Losing money?"

"Yes! Yes!" Balfour looked up, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "I have money! Lots of money! Name your price, and I'll pay right away!"

Lance smiled.

He raised his hand.

Balfour's pupils constricted sharply: "No—!"

[Magic Blast!]

A ghastly green beam of light pierced his forehead.

Balfour's eyes widened, his body stiffened for a second, then he leaned forward and crashed to the ground with a thud.

[Defeat 1 Level 1 Human Warrior, gain 10 experience points!]

Lance glanced at the panel and pursed his lips.

He walked to his desk, opened the drawer, took out the account book, and flipped through it.

It contains records of the Hagen family's dealings with the Thirsty Hands over the years, with the time, place, and quantity clearly documented.

"The evidence is conclusive." Lance stuffed the ledger into his pocket.

He searched the secret room again and found a small box containing three thousand gold coins, some jewelry, and two magical items.

Stuff them all into your pocket.

Then he walked to the door and opened it.

The corridor was empty except for the butler standing at the top of the stairs, shivering.

Lance walked over and patted him on the shoulder.

The butler looked at him tremblingly, unsure how to react.

"Click"

After a crisp sound, the butler fell asleep.

Lance went downstairs.

After cleaning and purifying this place, I walked out the door.

The street across was deserted, with only the night wind blowing.

Margaret Wayne's manor was located in the west of the city; it was a small to medium-sized estate.

When Lance arrived, the manor was still lit.

Instead of going through the main entrance, he went around to the side and climbed over the wall to get in.

[Invisibility Technique!]

His figure disappeared into the night.

On the second floor of the mansion, in the study, Margaret was sitting at her desk writing a letter.

She was so focused on writing that she didn't notice there was someone behind her.

Until Lance's voice rang in her ears:

"Who is it addressed to?"

Margaret's hand trembled, and the pen tip drew a long ink mark on the paper.

She turned around abruptly and saw a young face close behind her, with a smile in his sky-blue eyes.

"You—!" she cried out, but before she could utter a single syllable, a hand covered her mouth.

"Shh." Lance held up a finger. "Don't scream, it won't be fun if you do."

Margaret's eyes widened, and she trembled all over.

Lance released his grip and sat down opposite her.

"Margaret Wayne?" he asked.

Margaret nodded, her lips trembling as she couldn't speak.

"Lance," he introduced himself, "you should have heard of me."

Margaret nodded vigorously.

"That's good, saves me the trouble of explaining." Lance leaned back in his chair. "I know about you and the Thirsty Hand."

Margaret's face turned deathly pale.

"I...I can explain..."

"No need to explain," Lance waved his hand. "I just want to ask you one thing."

Margaret looked at him.

"Your orphanage, 'House of Dawn,' is nominally a charity, but in reality, it's helping the Thirsty Hands select sacrifices, right?"

Margaret's face turned even paler.

She opened her mouth, wanting to deny it, but when she met Lance's eyes, all the words stuck in her throat.

"Yes..." She lowered her head, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible, "Yes..."

Lance nodded.

"That's fine then."

He stood up.

Margaret jerked her head up: "Wait! I'm willing to pay! I have money! Lots of money!"

Lance looked at her.

"Why is it always the same line?"

"You know what," he said, "you're the second person to say that today, and maybe a third will follow."

Margaret was stunned.

"The last person to say that is long gone by now." Lance raised his hand.

Do you think you might be the second one?

Margaret's pupils contracted sharply.

[Magic Blast!]

A ghastly green beam of light pierced her chest.

Her eyes widened, and she fell backward, knocking over a chair and crashing to the ground.

[Killed 1 level 0 human, gained 1 experience point!]

Lance glanced at the panel.

"Not even a professional?" He shook his head. "With this level of skill, you dare to collude with a cult? You're really audacious."

They stuffed all the loot into their pockets and completed the process.

Then he walked to the window, opened it, and jumped out.

The night was deep outside, and the streets were deserted.

Corwin Stone’s mansion is in the north of the city, near the Lord’s mansion.

This is a three-story detached building with two guards standing at the entrance.

Lance didn't turn invisible; he walked straight over.

"Halt!" The guard stopped him. "Who goes there?"

Lance glanced at them.

[Bewitching humans!]

A pink light flashed in their eyes.

Their expressions turned blank, then they broke into fawning smiles: "Sir, please come in!"

Lance swaggered in.

The mansion was quiet; the servants were all asleep.

Lance went up to the third floor and found his bedroom.

The door wasn't locked.

He pushed the door open and went in.

Corwin was lying in bed asleep, snoring loudly.

Lance walked to the bedside and patted his face.

Corwin groggily opened his eyes and saw a face close to his.

He froze for a moment, then sat up abruptly, as if about to shout.

But Lance had already covered his mouth.

"You nobles are no good either, you have no self-control at all..."

Corwin's eyes widened, and he trembled all over.

Lance released his grip and sat down beside his bed.

"Colwin Stone?" he asked.

Corwin nodded, his lips trembling, "You...you are that mage..."

"Yes." Lance nodded. "I've come to talk to you."

Corwin shook his head vehemently: "I didn't! I wasn't involved! I just helped them loosen the rules when collecting taxes, letting their people slip through! I wasn't directly involved!"

Lance looked at him.

"That's all?"

"That's all!" Corwin nodded. "I swear! I really wasn't directly involved! I just... just took some money..."

Lance remained silent for a few seconds.

"What about the children?" he asked.

Corwin was stunned.

"What...what child?"

"Those children seized by the thirsty hands," Lance said. "You let the water flow so your people could slip through, and those children were sent to the altar as sacrifices."

Corwin's face turned pale.

"I...I don't know..."

"You don't know?" Lance raised an eyebrow. "You're the deputy tax officer, in charge of taxes in the slums. So many children have disappeared from the slums, and you say you don't know?"

Corwin opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

Lance stood up.

Corwin's pupils constricted sharply: "Wait! I'm willing to pay! I have money—"

"Why is it that line again!"

[Magic Missile!]

Three large holes appeared in Corwin's body.

Breathing has stopped.

[Killed 1 level 0 human, gained 1 experience point!]

Lance clapped his hands, searched the room, and found a secret room.

Inside were five thousand gold coins and some documents.

He stuffed the documents and coins into his pocket.

Same process, same pop-up window.

As night deepened, the streets were deserted.

The city lord's mansion in the distance was brightly lit.

Lance glanced over there, then looked away.

"Go home and sleep."

Inside the villa, Xiao Hei was still curled up in its cat bed, fast asleep.

Hearing the door open, it looked up, saw Lance, and immediately got up and ran over to rub against his legs.

Meow~

Lance bent down and scooped it up, and Little Black immediately burrowed into his arms, making gurgling noises.

Outside the window, the night was deep.

The city in the distance quieted down, with only a few scattered lights flickering in the darkness.

A new day has begun.