Chapter 173: Use Another

Baron Gervas, here are the signed and sealed documents you requested!

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

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

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

After confirming 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.

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 getting as far away as fast as I can.

Even though I'm certain they won't dare harm me, better safe than sorry.

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

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

"A bunch of country bumpkins with no sense! 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 itching to find fault with him. Besides, we're leaving now—straight to neighboring Baron Parker's territory. In just over an hour, we'll be safe!"

In truth, Neo had already planned his escape route.

"Secretary Neo is wise!"

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

"Hah! Look at you all buttering me up! Don't worry—you'll all get your share. Let's go!" Neo grinned broadly and led everyone toward Baron Parker's territory.

…

"My lord, let me take a squad and eliminate them outright!" After leaving Baron Cain's castle, Mi Gen grew angrier with every step.

They didn't just extort a fortune—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 were an option, 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, Farrio's father is a Cabinet official in Eagle City. 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 men acted so boldly 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 Captain Lei Meng said…"

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

"But if we didn't strike… then it's perfectly fine." Gervas grinned broadly.

The reason he handed over the hundred gold coins so readily

Wasn't just to settle the fief grant quickly—it was also because he'd already planned to get the coins back and eliminate Neo.

Not by our hands?

Mi Gen froze, sensing his lord's strategy was beyond his grasp.

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

Gervas wasted no time and laid out his plan to Mi Gen.

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

Morning intelligence revealed a band of greedy goblins lay hidden at the edge of Baron Cain's territory.

If we could lure them to attack Neo, even if Farrio's Cabinet official father tried to exploit the incident, he'd find no trace linking us.

Mi Gen and the others' eyes brightened with each word. "My lord, you're brilliant! I'll handle it immediately!"

"Go. I've already sent Evlan to track Neo's movements. Just watch the sky for signs!" Gervas nodded.

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

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

Immediately, Mi Gen and Lei Meng and their men moved out.

They drove five carts Gervas had prepared in advance toward the border.

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

When Mi Gen and Lei Meng deliberately halted their convoy at the forest's edge, claiming the carts were full of wheat, the hidden goblins could no longer resist—they surged forward and surrounded Lei Meng's group.

Seeing so many goblins, Lei Meng's men trembled and surrendered at once.

Of course, goblins rarely spared captives.

To them, humans were no different from beasts or monsters—just food.

Letting a meat source escape was a massive loss.

Seeing pleading was useless, Mi Gen thought of a way to save himself.

"Great goblins, don't kill us! We'll lead you to greater wealth—I know a group with only a dozen men, but they carry over a hundred gold coins!"

"A hundred coins! That's enough to buy a hundred carts of grain!"

"Ook! Stop!"

At Mi Gen's shout, the goblin chieftain halted the ogre about to crush Lei Meng's skull with a bone club.

"Human, are you certain what you just said is true? If you dare deceive the great goblins, you'll die horribly—I'll flay your skin first, then let you bleed out slowly! Ook!"

"Great goblin chieftain, I wouldn't dare lie. But you must move fast—they'll reach a baron's township in moments. After that, you won't catch them!"

Tempted by the hundred gold coins, the goblins didn't kill Lei Meng's group.

Instead, they forced them to lead the way to find Neo.

Of course, the goblins split into several groups to avoid being tricked.

Lei Meng's men remained bound, knives pressed to their throats.

"Great goblin lords, there they are—they carry many, many gold coins!"

Guided silently by the skyborne Swifthawk, Lei Meng's group soon led the goblins to Neo's party.

At that moment, Neo's group walked along a dirt road several hundred meters away, just four or five li from the nearest village of Baron Parker's territory.