There were almost no signs of use.
The longsword was still clean.
The shield bore no new marks from impact.
It didn't look like they had been through a battle. Yet, the man was gravely injured. It was a contradiction.
Before long, a physician dressed in white robes arrived in a hurry. After a brief examination, he immediately began to staunch the bleeding.
The crowd of onlookers grew, and whispers began to ripple through the hall.
“How did he get hurt like this?”
“Did he run into a magical beast?”
“Doesn't look like it. His weapons weren't even drawn.”
“Then what could it be?”
...
The discussion grew, yet no one could offer an answer.
Just then, the injured mercenary suddenly opened his eyes. His gaze was hollow, and his lips trembled slightly. He seemed to want to say something.
Several of his companions immediately leaned in close.
“Don't talk. We need to treat your wounds first.”
But the mercenary acted as if he hadn't heard them. He gripped his companion's wrist tightly, and a few words were forced out of his throat with great difficulty.
“Eyes... eyes...”
“Red... Its eyes...”
Before he could finish his sentence, he lost consciousness completely.
The surroundings fell silent instantly. Everyone looked at one another in confusion. No one knew what the “it” he spoke of actually was.
Standing by the second-floor window, Matthew slowly narrowed his eyes. This was the first time since arriving in the Royal Capital that he had encountered a real event related to those rumors.
Matthew didn't go downstairs immediately. Instead, he stood on the second floor, quietly observing everything below. This had always been his habit. When the situation was unclear, he would watch first rather than act.
...
In the center of the hall, the injured mercenary had been placed on a long table. The physician quickly cut open his shirt.
Immediately, several gasps rang out in the hall.
“Sss—”
“What is this...?”
“How did this happen?”
Matthew's gaze sharpened. On the mercenary's chest, there wasn't the massive wound one would expect. Instead, there were only three extremely thin puncture wounds.
The wounds were no thicker than a finger and arranged very neatly, as if pierced by some sharp object. What was truly eerie was that the skin around the wounds had turned a grayish-white.
The flesh hadn't rotted, but it looked as if it had lost all vitality. Even the blood flowing out was several shades darker than that of a normal person.
The physician's expression changed noticeably upon seeing this, though he quickly regained his composure.
“Get the hemostatic medicine. Quickly! And get a recovery potion.”
His assistant hurriedly handed them over. The physician's movements were practiced and fluid; clearly, this wasn't the first time he had dealt with such an injury.
Matthew's eyes narrowed. Not the first time... which meant this kind of wound had appeared before.
...
On the other side of the hall, several mercenaries gathered and spoke in hushed tones.
Though they kept their voices very low, Matthew's Spirit was far superior to that of an ordinary person, and he could still hear their fragmented words.
“What did he actually see?”
“I don't know. He was walking at the very back. Suddenly, he screamed, and by the time we turned around, he had already collapsed.”
“What about the enemy?”
“We didn't see anything. There was nothing there.”
At this point, one of the mercenaries suddenly shivered, his voice dropping even lower.
“But... I felt like someone was watching us at the time.”
The others stiffened. No one responded.
“Don't talk nonsense,” the oldest mercenary in the group suddenly spoke up, his tone stern. “We didn't see anything. We were just ambushed by bandits. Do you hear me?”
The others were taken aback for a moment, then immediately caught on and nodded one after another.
“Right. Bandits. It was bandits.”
“Exactly.”
In the hall, some of the other guests believed it, while others didn't. But no one pressed further.
Matthew let out a soft chuckle. Bandits? If it were truly bandits, why weren't the weapons drawn? Why was no property missing? Why were there only three wounds? And more importantly, why would the mercenary say “red eyes” before he fainted?
...
Just then, the inn manager walked over and said in a low voice, “Gentlemen, don't block the hall. Take him to the backyard to rest.”
The mercenaries nodded quickly, lifted the stretcher, and prepared to leave. As they passed the stairs, Matthew walked down, with Aidan following close behind.
Seeing Matthew, the manager smiled and said, “Sir, that must have given you a fright.”
Matthew shook his head slightly. “I’m just a bit curious.”
The manager sighed. “This isn't the first time such a thing has happened lately.”
Those words made Matthew's gaze flicker. “Oh?”
The manager looked left and right to ensure no one was paying attention before lowering his voice. “In the past month, there have already been four or five cases. Always at night, and always these inexplicable injuries. Some survived, some didn't. But the City Guard always takes over quickly, so no one knows exactly what happened.”
Matthew's expression remained unchanged as he continued to ask, “No investigation results?”
The manager gave a bitter smile. “How would we be allowed to know? Every time, the City Guard seals the area. After that, there’s no more news, and everyone gradually stops asking.”
Matthew nodded and didn't press further. He knew the manager had already shared everything he knew. Asking more would be pointless.
...
Just then, the sound of rhythmic footsteps came from outside.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Several City Guard soldiers in silver-gray armor marched in. Leading them was a middle-aged officer with a sharp gaze. His first words upon entering were: “Everyone, do not crowd around. Continue with your own business.”
His voice wasn't loud, but it was full of authority. The crowd in the hall dispersed quickly; clearly, they had seen this more than once.
The officer approached the injured man and looked down at the wounds. His expression didn't change at all, as if he were already accustomed to it.
Then, he simply gave a calm order. “Send him for medical treatment. Also, notify the Third Patrol Squad to increase night security in the West District. Starting tonight, all solo patrols are canceled.”
Hearing this, a strange look flashed in Matthew's eyes. Third Patrol Squad. West District. It was the West District again. This was the fourth time today he had heard that name. Once might be a coincidence, twice was suspicious, three times indicated a problem, and four times... that was definitely no coincidence.
His gaze slowly turned toward the west. Beyond the countless buildings, nothing could be seen, but Matthew knew the real story was likely about to begin there.
Matthew didn't continue standing in the hall. The City Guard had taken over, and staying longer wouldn't reveal anything more. He simply committed everything that had just happened to memory.
The wounds. The red eyes. The West District. The Third Patrol Squad. And the flicker in the physician's eyes when he saw the wounds. These details were more valuable than any rumor.
...
The officer waved his hand, and several City Guard soldiers immediately escorted the stretcher out of the inn. The hall returned to its previous calm. Travelers continued eating, merchants continued their business, and mercenaries continued drinking, as if what had just happened had never occurred.
Aidan couldn't help but look back several times. Only after the group disappeared around the corner did he lower his voice.
“Brother Matthew, that injury... it didn't look like it was caused by a magical beast at all.”
Matthew nodded slightly. “Of course not. If it were a magical beast, more than one person would have been hurt, and they wouldn't have been unable to even see the enemy.”
Aidan's expression was solemn. “Then what could it be?”
Matthew didn't answer because there were too many possibilities, and any one of them could be wrong. Guessing was meaningless without evidence.
The two returned to their room, and Matthew brought out the map again. This time, he didn't draw a circle. Instead, he slowly wrote a line of text on the outskirts of the West District.
【Continuous anomalies occurring.】
Then, he added more notes beside it.
【City Guard involved long-term.】
【Class Holders Guild offering high pay for night patrols.】
【Ordinary residents avoiding the topic.】
【Suspected activity of unknown creatures.】
After writing, Matthew looked at the map in silence. The room was so quiet that only the sound of the quill being set down could be heard. Aidan stood to the side, not daring to disturb him.
After a long while, Matthew suddenly laughed. It was a very soft laugh.
Aidan was somewhat confused. “Brother Matthew?”
Matthew reached out and tapped the map. “Have you noticed? We haven't actively looked for any secrets all day, yet the secrets have found their own way to our door.”
Aidan was taken aback. He carefully recalled the day's events. The bulletin board. The mercenaries. The Class Holders Guild. The injured man in the inn. Almost every step they took, they encountered a clue. He suddenly understood.
“Is it because something really has happened in the Royal Capital recently?”
“Correct.” Matthew nodded. “If everything were normal here, it would probably take us months to find a clue. But now, it shows that this matter has already affected ordinary Class holders and even ordinary residents. This is actually our opportunity.”
Aidan's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Matthew continued, “However, the greater the opportunity, the greater the danger. Therefore, until we have absolute certainty, we must not go near the West District.”
Aidan immediately nodded. “I’ll remember that.”
Matthew slowly stood up and walked to the window. The sky outside had turned completely dark. The number of pedestrians on the street had noticeably decreased, with only patrol squads and a few Class holders still active.
Just then, a group of people wearing black cloaks walked slowly past the other end of the street. There weren't many, only four of them. They weren't riding horses, nor were they wearing any family crests.
Strangely, when the patrol squad ahead saw them, they actually moved aside to let them pass. There was no communication between the two parties; the black-robed figures simply walked straight through. The entire process was very natural, as if both sides were already accustomed to it.
Matthew's gaze suddenly sharpened. Finally, for the first time today, people who truly interested him had appeared.
These four people didn't look like nobles, mercenaries, City Guard, or merchants. Their heads were bowed, their cloaks obscuring most of their faces. Their pace wasn't fast, yet they gave off a sense of being completely unapproachable.
Aidan followed Matthew's gaze but only scratched his head. “Strange. Who are those people? I haven't seen them before.”
Matthew didn't answer. His Spirit was far more sensitive than Aidan's. As those people passed the inn's entrance, he vaguely felt an extremely weak spiritual fluctuation from one of them.
It wasn't a mana leak, but rather an aura naturally formed after long-term spiritual strength. It was very subtle; if Matthew hadn't also cultivated his Spirit, he wouldn't have even noticed it.
He didn't continue watching. Instead, he slowly drew the curtains, completely blocking the figures from view. After a moment, he spoke softly.
“It seems... the real night of the Royal Capital has begun.”
Matthew didn't look again. The curtains were slowly drawn shut, and the figures of the black-robed men completely disappeared from his sight. The room returned to silence.
Aidan was still curious. “Brother Matthew, is there something wrong with those people?”
Matthew was silent for a moment, then shook his head slightly. “I don't know, and I don't need to know.”
Aidan was stunned. “Huh?”
Matthew sat back in his chair, his voice very calm. “Truly dangerous people never wear their danger on their faces. Since they can make the City Guard move aside, it means their identities are beyond what we can interact with right now. Rashly following them would only get us in trouble.”
Aidan was startled, and the slight curiosity that had arisen instantly vanished. He suddenly realized that the biggest difference between him and Matthew was that Matthew knew when to stop and when not to continue.
...
Matthew picked up his teacup and took a sip, but his mind kept replaying that faint spiritual fluctuation. It was weak, but he definitely hadn't been mistaken.
Since his Spirit breakthrough, his perception was far sharper than that of an ordinary Class holder. This was the first person in the entire Royal Capital today who had allowed him to sense a spiritual anomaly.
Even so, Matthew still had no intention of following them. The reason was simple: being able to discover others didn't mean others couldn't discover him. If the other party were truly an extraordinary, their Spirit would only be stronger than his. If he followed them, he would likely be exposed immediately.
Such a risk was meaningless.
Thinking of this, Matthew couldn't help but smile slightly. “We’ll meet sooner or later.”
He believed that since he had already discovered a corner of the extraordinary world, the two sides would eventually cross paths. There was no need to rush.
...
The night grew deeper, and the inn's hall gradually fell quiet. Occasionally, the sound of guests clinking glasses could still be heard from downstairs. Aside from that, the entire inn was very still.
Aidan stood up. “Brother Matthew, then I’ll go out to gather information tomorrow as you said.”
“Mm. Remember, don't be deliberate, and certainly don't press for details. Listening is more important than asking.”
Aidan nodded earnestly, then stepped out of the room and gently closed the door.
Matthew was finally alone in the room. He walked to the window and lifted a corner of the curtain once more. The street was much emptier now, with only the occasional patrol knight passing by. The black-robed figures were long gone.
Matthew looked into the distance, his gaze calm. Today, the harvest had already far exceeded his expectations. The Royal Capital was indeed incomparable to the County Seat. Every street, every tavern, every mercenary, and even every casual conversation here could hide certain secrets.
And he had already found a way to enter this secret world. Not by brute force, not by searching, but by observing, waiting, and observing again.
One day, those hidden in the shadows would reveal themselves.
Matthew slowly closed the window and blew out the magic crystal lamp. The room fell into complete darkness. Meanwhile, the other side of the Royal Capital had only just begun.
Rate on N.U.
