ebookslot Chapter 176 I Only Need One
Chapter 176 I Only Need One
Chapter 176 I Only Want One
Evening, suburbs of the southern district.
Two figures were running desperately through the streets and alleys.
They were two mercenaries, one tall and the other much thinner.
The half-elf residents by the roadside cast questioning glances at them, but the two had no time to pay attention.
They are Oliver and the flying squirrel.
The two men walked in a hurry, their faces looking unusually pale in the fading light of the day.
"Damn it, where the hell are they hiding?!"
Oliver's heart sank heavily, and regret tightened in his throat.
The brief eye contact at the city gate, the icy chill in Old Jack's eyes, still sends a chill down his spine.
Betraying a mission is one thing, but betraying one's direct superior is another, according to the rules of the black market and many underground forces.
It is a serious crime that would earn one the contempt of all colleagues and even lead to their persecution.
After leaving the city gate, the two of them were surrounded by a large number of mercenaries and even had a brief conflict.
In his desperation, he swung his greatsword, which grazed old Jack's arm.
In that instant, what he saw in the other person's eyes was not pain, but a chilling realization of "I knew it."
"I shouldn't have believed your nonsense!"
Oliver lowered his voice and squeezed out the words through gritted teeth, "What about reporting for rewards, changing allegiances—and now?"
Old Jack won't let us go, and the other gangs, in order to uphold the rules, won't let us live to see tomorrow's sun!
The flying squirrel sneered, "Now you're talking about this? We had an agreement before. First, we'd report those people to get the bounty, and then, with this 'pledge of allegiance,' we'd go to that merchant guild and serve the Duke."
"You chose this path, Oliver. Stop putting on that victim act. Think about how to survive!"
Oliver shut his mouth, leaving only the heavy breathing of running.
The flying squirrel is right; turning against each other now will do no good for anyone.
His strong physique could easily snap a flying squirrel's neck, but what happens after that?
Facing the relentless pursuit of the entire royal court's underground forces alone?
The flying squirrel chuckled.
The two said no more and kept running, finally arriving at the commercial district when it was completely dark.
The chamber of commerce is closing down.
The flying squirrel braced himself and stepped forward. Just as the guard at the door was about to reprimand him, he hurriedly handed over the crumpled contract.
The guard frowned, glanced at them a few times, and impatiently tossed out, "Get in."
The flying squirrel lowered its head, Oliver gritted its teeth, and the two of them quickly walked into the Chamber of Commerce under the strange gazes of several guards.
A wave of intense regret washed over Oliver. How could he have been so—
Passing through the shops in front and walking deep into the building, through a corridor guarded by many guards, a magnificent door appeared before us.
Just as the two were about to enter, the guard standing by the door raised his arm and stopped them.
"Wait."
This wait seemed to have no end.
Time stretched out, each second agonizing their already taut nerves.
After an unknown amount of time, a calm and even voice finally came from inside the door: "Come in."
The door was opened by a guard.
The room was more spacious and luxurious than I had imagined.
Silk curtains, heavy carpets, and exquisite decorations hanging on the walls.
In the center of the room, a fat man sat in an exaggeratedly large high-backed chair.
He wore an exquisite silk robe, several rings on his fingers, and a friendly smile on his face, looking like any successful, slightly overweight businessman.
But Oliver's hair stood on end instantly.
That was the intuition he honed through his struggles in the underground world.
This fat man had a smell, not perfume, but the smell of blood.
This is a kind of indifference born from long-standing positions of power and control over life and death.
He even had a vague feeling that the other person didn't seem to be human.
"President Benny."
The flying squirrel immediately bowed deeply, its voice filled with obsequiousness and a barely perceptible tremor.
President Benny slowly scanned the two of them.
His gaze wasn't sharp, but it made Oliver feel as if he had been stripped naked.
"I've heard the news from the city gate."
Benny spoke, his voice flat.
"They tried to betray their leader for the bounty—and failed."
Oliver clenched his teeth, while the flying squirrel's face turned pale and then red.
"Your Excellency," the flying squirrel said urgently.
"We can take some men and arrest Old Jack now! He definitely knows where those guys are!"
Benny laughed, his voice full of mockery: "You think I wouldn't? Your leader, Old Jack, has been hiding for ages."
His tavern is still open, but he has handed it over to someone else to manage. And—”
He paused, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his small eyes.
"What makes you think that a tool that's been used and discarded would know its owner's true secrets?"
Oliver remained silent, hesitant.
The flying squirrel, however, grasped at the last straw and gritted its teeth, saying, "Chairman, I know we failed to complete your mission this time—"
However, the bounty contract issued by the Chamber of Commerce seems to be recruiting suitable personnel to go to the duchy.
"If we could, we would be willing to serve His Highness the Duke!"
Oliver remained silent.
In the current climate of unrest and delicate situation within the duchy, this choice could mean turning against the royal court, or even being sent to the battlefield as cannon fodder in the future.
But they had nowhere to retreat. If they stayed in the capital, they could be "cleaned out" by some underground force at any time, becoming a typical case to deter traitors.
Benny's smile deepened, a smile that sent a chill down Oliver and the flying squirrel's spine, filled with mockery and ridicule.
Oliver was no stranger to that look.
He had this same look in his eyes when he set a trap and watched his enemy walk step by step into a dead end.
"Okay." Benny looked at them and slowly uttered two words.
A look of surprise instantly spread across their faces.
But the next sentence plunged them into an icy abyss.
"But," Benny said casually, as if discussing the weather, "I only need one."
"Just one?
The two were stunned, not immediately understanding the meaning behind the words.
The flying squirrel stared in disbelief at Chairman Benny's fleshy, unyielding face: "Chairman, I—"
Benny smiled, as if watching an amusing performance: "The logic is simple."
His Majesty only wants the strongest, the smartest, and the most decisive dog.
Since we can only take one back, then the other one—"
Oliver seemed not to have fully recovered yet, but the flying squirrel beside him had already glanced at his tall figure and its eyes flashed with a fierce light.
He quietly took a half step back, drew the dagger from his waist, and viciously stabbed Oliver in the lower back, near his kidney!
That was a fatal spot on the human body. Even if Oliver had inherited a small amount of the mountain giant's bloodline, he would still be severely injured if stabbed.
However, before the dagger could touch the flesh, a faster and sharper flash of cold light suddenly appeared!
"Whoosh"
The dull thud of flesh being torn apart by a sharp instrument was even faster than the screams.
A tragic arc of blood was splattered on the dark red, luxurious carpet.
An arm, still tightly gripping a dagger, spun and flew up before falling to the ground with a "thud".
"Aaaaaah—!"
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The belated scream finally burst from the flying squirrel's throat.
He staggered backward, half of his body instantly soaked in gushing blood.
He raised his head and looked at his former companion, his eyes filled with disbelief, horror, and twisted resentment.
"You—you're even better than me—"
Oliver slowly turned around.
The tip of his two-handed sword was touching the ground, and blood was dripping down the blade.
His tall body was now mostly stained red, and his face was splattered with warm blood, making him look like a demon who had just crawled out of a pool of blood from hell.
"You taught me that, flying squirrel."
Oliver's voice was hoarse from his rapid heartbeat and churning emotions.
"In the face of a sufficiently great temptation, companionship and morality are as insignificant as bullshit."
Even noble knights betray for status, while we, the rats wallowing in the mud for survival—
Why would they care about killing one more of their own kind?
The flying squirrel gave a bitter laugh, using its remaining hand to desperately cover the wound on its severed arm, but blood continued to gush out.
He looked at Oliver, who was approaching step by step, wielding a greatsword, then glanced at Chairman Benny, who sat in his chair with an admiring expression, and his eyes flashed with the deepest malice: "I'll be waiting for you—in the deepest part of hell—"
"Whoosh!"
The greatsword swung out in a tragically beautiful arc.
The screams abruptly stopped.
A head flew off, and blood rained down, completely turning Oliver into a blood-soaked figure.
Oliver stood there, his chest heaving violently.
He took a deep breath, the strong smell of blood filling his nostrils.
Turning to face Benny, he knelt on one knee and bowed his head: "My lord—now, I am all alone. Please arrange for me to go to the duchy."
Benny laughed heartily, his laughter echoing in the empty room.
He clapped his hands, like an audience member watching a wonderful play.
He sized up Oliver's tall, strong body, which now exuded an even more menacing aura, and a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.
"very good."
Oliver secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but Benny's words stunned him again.
"Please stay here for now. I'll have someone arrange a room for you."
"Sir?" Oliver looked up, somewhat incredulous. Was the other party going to back out?
But just then, Benny's seductive voice slowly drifted over: "Don't rush, before you shed blood for His Majesty the Duke—"
"Do you want to make yourself stronger first?"
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