Chapter 173

"Baron Gervas, here are the signatures and seals you requested!"

Neo, having received the money, was in a good mood, so he didn't further harass the young noble.

I have to say, this young noble really has something going for him.

One hundred gold coins—he pulled them out without even blinking, and didn't even try to haggle with me!

Having confirmed the second document in his hand was complete, Gervas didn't linger; he turned and walked away immediately.

Seeing this, Mi Gen and the others shot hostile glares at Neo's group, then quickly followed Gervas away.

Only Old John remained: "Secretary Neo, since this matter is settled, won't you stay for dinner before leaving?"

"No need, I'm leaving right now!" Neo chuckled.

Joking? With a hundred gold coins in hand, I'm going as fast as I can.

Though I'm certain they won't dare harm me, caution is still best.

Hearing this, Old John said nothing more and followed his own retinue away.

Only after watching all of Stormhold's people depart did Neil's lips curl into a sneer.

"A bunch of uneducated country bumpkins! I'm robbing you blind!"

"Secretary Neo, what do we do now? That Baron Gervas seemed furious—do you think he'll come after us?" His assistants weren't as relaxed as Neo.

"Relax. That country bumpkin won't dare touch us. The Cabinet official is already eager to find fault with him. Besides, we're leaving now—directly for Lord Pa Ke's fief. It'll take just over an hour, and we'll be safe!"

In truth, Neo had already planned his escape.

"Secretary Neo is wise!"

"Secretary Neo, it's our fortune to serve beside you!"

"Hah! Look at you all drooling! Don't worry—you'll all get your share. Let's go!" Neo grinned broadly and led everyone toward Lord Pa Ke's fief.

…

"My lord, let me take men and eliminate them outright!" After leaving Baron Cain's castle, Mi Gen grew angrier the more he thought about it.

They didn't just extort a fortune in gold—they deeply humiliated our lord.

This was the greatest disgrace any knight could suffer.

"Mi Gen, don't act rashly. Do you really think our lord willingly handed over a hundred gold coins?"

"If force could settle this, our lord would have ordered it already!"

"That Neo is only a lowly secretary, but if he's killed, Eagle City will launch a full investigation!"

"Besides, Fariao's father is a Cabinet official. If he gets this chance, he'll spare no effort to trace it back to our lord!"

Seeing Mi Gen and the other knights eager to act, Lei Meng immediately halted them.

Others didn't understand Neo's backing—but Lei Meng saw it clearly.

Neo and his group acted so brazenly because our lord had angered the Cabinet official.

In the end, the Cabinet official would surely protect them.

"Damn it! Are we just going to let them swagger off like this?!" Mi Gen bit his teeth in frustration.

Of course, he no longer dared mention revenge.

Then Gervas suddenly smiled: "Mi Gen, you want to avenge our lord?"

Mi Gen blinked. "My lord… is that allowed?"

"Of course it is!"

"But Knight Master Lei Meng said…"

"Knight Master Lei Meng is right—if we strike, Fariao's father will spare no effort to trace it to us!"

"But if it's not us who strike, then there's no problem!" Gervas smiled brightly.

The reason he handed over the hundred gold coins so readily

was not only to resolve the fief grant quickly, but also because he'd already planned to reclaim the gold—and eliminate Neo.

Not us who strike?

Mi Gen froze, feeling his lord was inscrutably cunning.

But it didn't matter—he asked bluntly: "My lord, what do you need me to do?"

Gervas wasted no time and immediately revealed his plan to Mi Gen.

And Gervas's plan was simple: use another's blade to kill.

According to morning intelligence, a band of greedy goblins lay hidden at the edge of Baron Cain's fief.

If we could lure them to attack Neo, even if Fariao's Cabinet official father tried to exploit it, he'd find no trace linking Gervas.

Mi Gen and the others grew more excited with every word: "My lord, you're brilliant! I'll set it up at once!"

"Go. I've already had Eveleen track Neo's movements—you only need to watch the sky!" Gervas nodded.

"My lord, may I accompany Mi Gen? It would be safer," Lei Meng suddenly requested.

"Fine. Go together. I've already prepared the carts and cargo."

Immediately, Mi Gen and Lei Meng and the others moved.

They drove five carts Gervas had prepared ahead of time toward the border.

The goblin band was hiding in a black pine forest at the edge of Baron Cain's fief.

When Mi Gen and Lei Meng deliberately halted their convoy at the forest's edge, resting and letting it be known the carts carried only wheat, the hidden goblins could no longer resist—they surged forth and surrounded Lei Meng's group.

Seeing so many goblins, Lei Meng and his men trembled with fear and immediately surrendered and begged for mercy.

Of course, goblins normally don't leave survivors.

To them, humans are no different from beasts or demons—they're food.

So letting a meat source escape would be a massive loss.

Seeing that begging for mercy was useless, Knight Mi Gen immediately thought of a way to save his life.

"Great Goblins, please do not kill us. We are willing to lead you to more wealth. I know a group; they have only a dozen people, yet they carry over a hundred gold coins!"

"That is over a hundred! It could buy a hundred carts of grain like this!"

"Orc! Stop!"

Hearing Knight Mi Gen's shout, the Goblin leader immediately ordered the Bugbears who were about to smash Lei Meng and his party to death with bone clubs to halt.

"Human, are you sure what you just said is true? Know that if you dare deceive the Great Goblins, then you will die a wretched death. I will first flay your skin, then let you die slowly! Orc!"

"Great Goblin Leader, I dare not deceive you. However, your speed must be fast, because they will soon arrive at a Viscount's town; by then, it will be impossible to catch up with them!"

Tempted by the hundred gold coins, the Goblins indeed did not kill Lei Meng and the others immediately.

Instead, they escorted Lei Meng and his party to find that Niao group.

Of course, during this process, the Goblins also split into several batches to avoid being outmaneuvered.

And Lei Meng and his party remained bound, with long blades held at their necks.

"Great Goblin Lord, it is them. They have many, many gold coins on them!"

Guided silently by the Magic Swift Eagles in the sky, Lei Meng and his party quickly led the Goblins to find Niao and the others.

At this moment, Niao and his party were walking on a dirt road several hundred meters away, only four or five li from the nearest village of Lord Pa Ke's Viscount domain.