The Card Apprentice

Andre patrolled the streets with his men. “Sir, do you think that the rumor is true?” one of his men approached and asked softly. The topic immediately sparked the other member’s interest. Everyone gathered over and started gossiping.

“The rumor is too strange. I think that it’s fake.””I don’t think so. Many described it vividly. I don’t think it can be faked.” With a fit of annoyance, Andre couldn’t help scolding his men, “Shut up, all of you!” Finishing his sentence, he moved on with a grim expression. Realizing their leader’s rage, the others went silent and followed him quickly.

Andre had a sturdy build. At almost 1.9 meters tall, he was like a small hill. The muscles on his body were strong like iron. From his physique, nobody would’ve thought that he was from the Sword and Shield Sect. His maroon hair was messy like weeds, and his eyes were sharp and intimidating, forcing others to avert their gaze.

He was a peace officer in Fort Mendelssohn, mainly in charge of daily patrols. Fort Mendelssohn was not a big city, but it was nearest to the outskirts of the Hundred Depths. Those entering the outskirts of Hundred Depths would pass by. Though it wasn’t large, but many complicated characters ventured here, and the public safety was terrible before he took the post as a peace officer. After he took up the role though, security improved drastically. His iron fist policies intimidated warriors from everywhere.

Recently, the rumor about a murderous man and woman duo caused an uproar. The rumor that the entire Nine-tails Bandits had been wiped out, spread fear among the people. Andre knew that this was not just a rumor. A friend of his witnessed the events on the spot and verified it with him.

This worried him a lot. He knew the strength of the Nine-tails Bandits. If two people could defeat all of them, they must be terrifyingly strong! Furthermore, based on how the corpses of the Nine-tails Bandits, they were clearly merciless.

Fort Mendelssohn was the nearest town to the outskirts of the Hundred Depths, and it was also the place with the highest possibility where the duo would go. Without realizing it, the troubled Andre walked outside the city door with his men.

An Acacia flower floated over out of nowhere and flew across his eyes. His pupils contracted instantly. Two shadows were moving toward him at a shocking speed from afar. “Retreat! Close the gate!” Andre yelled abruptly. Then, his figure retreated into the town at the same time. His men were stunned for a moment before their faces changed in horror. They retreated into the town, almost on all fours.

Creak! The city gate closed slowly, and sirens shrieked within Fort Mendelssohn. Inside the fort, regardless of what they were doing, the people were stunned when they heard the sirens. Although there were various complicated forces in Fort Mendelssohn, they had never faced an external threat. The siren had not been sounded in the past 20 years.

The whole town turned chaotic in an instance. “Andre! You owe me an explanation!” Sir Elmo rushed to the city gate menacingly. He frowned while looking at the terrified crowd unhappily. He was, in fact, the true ruler of the Fort Mendelssohn. Andre’s act of activating the siren and closing the city gate without asking for his permission annoyed him. God damn it! This brat even maneuvered the city army. Does he really think that he has authority here?

All these years, as Andre’s influence in Fort Mendelssohn grew, he heavily threatened Sir Elmo’s position. Behind Sir Elmo was a bunch of influential locals who came over after hearing the sirens. Alerted by the sudden sirens, they came to find out what happened. Facing Sir Elmo who looked unfriendly, Andre didn’t explain. He pointed towards the outskirts and said. “Sir, look.” Everyone followed Andre’s finger and looked outside the fort.

“So, this is the Fort Mendelssohn?” Chen Mu raised his head and looked at the small town in front of him, seemingly slightly disappointed. Compared to the federation, which easily had over ten million people, Fort Mendelssohn was like a small base in the woods. The low city walls were all worn-out. Some people stood on the city walls; they seemed to be discussing something.

“Yup,” Zara replied, “I came here a few times before.” Nostalgia flashed in her eyes while she was finishing her sentence. “What are they doing?” Chen Mu realized that the people upon the city walls seemed to be quite nervous about them.

On the city wall, Sir Elmo laughed loudly with a sneer on his face, “My beloved Andre, just because of these three people, you closed the city gates, rang the sirens and maneuvered the city army?” Andre’s face was expressionless, yet on the inside, he decided that after this incident, he will leave this place. He couldn’t take any more from this idiotic fool!

“Sir, I think that you need to look a little more carefully,” He reminded. “There’s no need to look anymore! Andre! I’m telling you in all seriousness, due to your foolish acts, you are now fired!” Sir Elmo raised his voice and yelled. He wanted to prove that he’s the true ruler at Fort Mendelssohn with actions! However, to his surprise, Andre displayed a relieved expression.

“Gladly!” Andre smiled and took a bow with a relaxed expression. He then turned around and left quickly. Sir Elmo’s sight dimmed. Andre’s actions in front of the crowd caused him to rage! “Guards! Kill the three down there! Any enemy of our Fort Mendelssohn will only have one ending!” Sir Elmo roared. Andre had connections in Fort Mendelssohn, and he couldn’t kill him personally in front of so many people. “Yes, Sir! ” The flexster bodyguards beside Sir Elmo didn’t hesitate to respond to his order and moved towards the outskirts in an instance. Andre’s face changed drastically.

Zara’s glance was cold; the intention of murder flashed in her eyes. “We’re not welcomed by them.”

“We’re not welcomed?” Chen Mu was confused, “Why? We haven’t even talked yet.”

“I don’t know.” Zara shook her head. “How far is the nearest city from this place?” Chen Mu asked.

“Quite far.”

“Then let’s just break in,” Chen Mu said with a faint expression. “Okay.”

Behind the two, Kathleen’s face was pale. She roughly knew why the people in Fort Mendelssohn were nervous, but she couldn’t break it to them. Her heart jerked when she heard Chen Mu suggested to break in.

On the city wall, Andre was burning with rage, his face red. Disregarding his image, he rushed in front of Sir Elmo, grabbed his collar and roared, “You pig! Do you want to kill everyone here? Open up your pig eyes and look at who the f*ck they are!”

Sir Elmo was deeply terrified. He didn’t think that Andre would lose his mind completely like that. “Andre, who are those three?” The question was posed by a middle-aged man with a calm expression. He was the head of a local commerce chamber, so he was respected by the people. Andre let go of Sir Elmo and went a step back, then he said coldly. “I’m sure everyone heard how the Nine-tails Bandits perished.”

“You mean…” The face of the man that questioned Andre changed drastically. The faces of the people beside the man have also turned pale. As if attracted by some kind of magnet, the crowd couldn’t help throwing their sights on the three as the four flexsters jumped down the city walls and rushed towards the three murderously.

“Oh, no! Sir! Stop them!” Someone in the crowd shouted in panic. “Too late.” Andre’s seemed to be teasing Sir Elmo, yet hints of terror seeped through his words.

Chen Mu looked at the four people jumping over the city walls and ran towards their position. The unfriendliness in the opposing party’s expressions was clear in his eyes. If he was younger, he would’ve asked the opponents about their motive, but he gave up on that. He made it a habit in the past two years: strike first at any opponent who might be a threat to him. Whoever strikes first gains the advantage. In the cruel world of the Hundred Depths, the difference between seconds could mean life or death. Chen Mu entered his battle status in an instance. Without any hesitation, he reached for the White Midges Bone at his back.

Zara stood beside him in silence. Behind them, Kathleen seemed like she wanted to say something, but she didn’t. He bent his elbow outwards, arched his body to the back, and exerted a force all of a sudden! The White Midges Bone in his hands disappeared in thin air!

Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff! Four frightening puffs of blood mist exploded in the air! Wounds the size of a bowl appeared on the four menacing flexsters’ bodies from a distance. The considerable impact knocked them back as if an asteroid hit them. They were so hit so hard they flew backward!

Swoosh! A few seconds later, a strange swishing sound brushed past the city wall like a late hurricane. Dead silence filled the city walls. Although they heard rumors about the man and the woman before this, witnessing with their own eyes was many times more shocking. The four flexsters were Sir Elmo’s personal bodyguards, and they were the absolute strongest in the entire Fort Mendelssohn. However, they didn’t manage to tackle the opponents, and they were slaughtered with ease.

Aside from their relaxed look, the man and woman’s indifference made a deep impression on the others. They didn’t say a word throughout the whole thing, had no hesitation before they make their move as if they were doing something so ordinary. When the four bodyguards died, they didn’t even blink or expressed a tinge of joy, as if it was just something common.

Their indifference towards death, as if it is an everyday occurrence, broke the mental defense of the leaders, just like a sharp knife puncturing through their walls effortlessly. Not one person on-site would’ve suspected the legitimacy of the rumors anymore as killing didn’t seem like a big thing for the pair. They must be ruthless murderers! On the city walls, everyone was terrified, their faces filled with fear and despair.

Chen Mu and the demonic woman started approaching Fort Mendelssohn slowly. Chaos erupted from the crowd on the city walls. Chen Mu and Zara picked up their pace. The terror and despair on the faces of the crowd on the city walls got heavier. Many of them started to shudder. Everything was happening in front of them so quickly, but also so slowly. They could see every detail; clearly, their fragile minds were being wrecked gradually.

While running with high speed, Chen Mu held the Lotus Leaf Shield in front of him while holding the Golden Ring Woodspear in his left hand. The Blood Eyed Dart on his arm, slowly hovered beside him. Zara maintained a calm expression. Following beside Chen Mu closely, she started releasing various silk ropes of various colors off her body. Thump! Thump! Thump! The two of them heavily stomped once, and it echoed a cruel thump on the hearts of the people. It was almost suffocating!