“Watch out on the left wing!”
A sharp cry interrupted Matthew’s thoughts.
Two bandits suddenly rushed out from the side, bypassing the shield wall and lunging toward a wagon. One of them swung a blade to force back the guards, while the other didn't continue the attack. Instead, he dove under the wagon.
In the next second, he pulled a palm-sized black cloth bag from beneath the axle and turned to run. The entire process took less than two seconds.
Hudson’s expression changed drastically. “Stop him!”
That shout finally confirmed Matthew’s suspicion. From the very beginning, these people’s target hadn't been the caravan itself, but... something else. That bag was the true objective.
...
Without any hesitation, Matthew kicked off the ground and shot forward like an arrow from a string. He moved so fast that he left a trail of afterimages on the ground.
The bandit had only leapt a dozen meters when he felt a chill down his spine. He spun around, only to see a cold flash of light closing in.
Clang!
Matthew’s sword left its scabbard in a horizontal slash. The bandit hastily raised his blade to block.
Ding—
The massive force instantly split the webbing between the bandit’s thumb and forefinger, sending him flying backward. The black cloth bag slipped from his hand and flew into the air.
Just as the bag was about to hit the ground, another figure darted out from the forest. This person's speed far exceeded that of an ordinary Silver Rank. They reached out to snatch the bag.
At that moment, the true expert finally made their move.
The figure was incredibly fast, reaching the bag in mid-air almost in the blink of an eye. Their goal was clear: not Matthew, not the caravan, but that black cloth bag.
Matthew’s gaze darkened. He exerted more force through his legs, abruptly changing direction.
Bang!
The stones on the ground shattered. Using the recoil, his speed increased yet again.
In mid-air, both men reached out at the same time. Just as the black bag was about to fall into the opponent's palm, Matthew’s left hand shot out, beating them by half an inch and grabbing the bag firmly.
For the first time, a hint of surprise appeared in the black-clad man’s eyes. He clearly hadn't expected a young Silver Rank Knight to be capable of such a burst of speed.
However, he didn't hesitate. His right hand curved like an eagle's claw and lunged directly for Matthew’s wrist. This grab was executed at a tricky angle with ruthless force. It clearly wasn't a battlefield sword technique but a close-quarters grappling style designed to seize enemies.
Matthew didn't take it head-on. He flicked his wrist slightly, swinging his longsword in a horizontal sweep that forced the opponent to retreat half a step.
Both men landed at the same time, standing barely five meters apart. Only then did Matthew get a clear look at the other man. He was about thirty years old, lean, and masked with black cloth. He held no weapon, but his palms were covered in thick calluses.
Especially his index and middle finger joints—they were significantly larger than those of an ordinary person. These were marks left by long-term use of short blades and throwing knives.
“Not bad,” the man in black spoke for the first time. His voice was raspy, as if he were deliberately disguising it. “No wonder you dared to take this commission.”
Matthew didn't answer. He simply stored the bag into his storage ring. This action caused the man’s eyes to turn cold instantly.
“Young man. Some things... are not necessarily good to keep once taken.”
Matthew said calmly, “This belongs to the caravan.”
The man in black chuckled softly. “The caravan? Do you really think this belongs to them?”
That single sentence caused a ripple in Matthew’s heart. As expected, there was something wrong with this bag. But his expression remained unchanged as he slowly raised his longsword.
“If you want it, come and get it yourself.”
...
In the distance, Hudson had already arrived with several guards.
The man in black glanced at them and immediately assessed the situation. Their greatest advantage in this operation was the surprise attack. Now that the target had been exposed, continuing the fight was pointless.
He took a slow step back and suddenly blew a sharp whistle. “Withdraw!”
In the woods, all the masked men disengaged from combat simultaneously. They didn't linger, didn't try to steal goods, and didn't even bother with their companions' corpses. In an instant, they retreated into the forest.
Their movements were perfectly synchronized, leaving everyone with a solemn expression. This level of discipline didn't look like bandits; it looked like a small army.
The man in black gave Matthew one last look, his gaze lingering on the storage ring, before flickering away and vanishing into the depths of the forest.
...
The battle ended, and the forest grew quiet once more. On the caravan's side, two were heavily injured and four had light injuries. Fortunately, no one had died.
Hudson walked quickly to Matthew, his expression complex. “Where is it?”
Matthew nodded. “I have it.”
Hudson let out a clear sigh of relief. “Good. Very good.”
He didn't ask for it immediately. Instead, he lowered his voice and said, “Keep moving. We can't stop here.”
Matthew was somewhat surprised. Logically, the safest thing to do after an ambush was to regroup on the spot. But Hudson chose to move immediately, indicating he wasn't worried about these attackers, but rather that more were coming.
...
The caravan set out again, moving significantly faster than before. They didn't reach a small town until the sun was about to set.
Falling Leaf Town.
This was an important transit point northwest of the Royal Capital. The merchant group had its own outpost in the town. Upon entering the outpost, the first thing Hudson did was order the gates closed. Then, he found Matthew alone.
In the room, there were only the two of them. Hudson remained silent for a long time before finally speaking. “Today... thank you.”
Matthew shook his head. “Just doing my job.”
Hudson gave a bitter smile. “If it were just ordinary goods, they wouldn't have deployed such a lineup.”
He looked at the storage ring on Matthew’s hand. “Take the item out. It’s about time I told you a little more.”
Inside the room, the oil lamp flickered gently. Hudson stood by the table, his expression much more solemn than during the day.
Matthew didn't speak. He simply raised his right hand, and the storage ring flashed with a faint light. In the next moment, the black cloth bag reappeared on the table.
The bag wasn't large, wrapped in waterproof black cloth with fine silver threads sewn into the corners. Matthew noticed at first glance that these silver threads weren't just for durability; they looked more like a seal, or a measure to prevent anyone from opening it.
Hudson didn't reach for it. Instead, he took a step back. “You don't need to give it to me.”
Matthew raised an eyebrow. “Aren't you in charge of the transport?”
Hudson smiled bitterly. “Being in charge of transport doesn't mean being in charge of safekeeping.”
He pointed at the bag. “From the moment I took this commission, no one told me what was inside. I only know that once I deliver it to Falling Leaf Town, someone will come to collect it.”
Matthew nodded. So that was it. Hudson was just the person in charge of transportation; he didn't know the true secret.
...
Hudson sat down and poured himself a cup of water. He finished it in one gulp before continuing. “Actually, today's group wasn't the first.”
Matthew’s gaze narrowed. “There were others before?”
Hudson nodded slowly. “In two months, this is already the third time. The first time, a batch of goods was lost. The second time, six people died. Today was the third.”
Matthew fell silent. Three attacks meant the opponent had never given up. These weren't ordinary bandits; it felt more like they were executing a long-term plan.
...
“Then why did you still take it?” Matthew asked.
Hudson paused, then smiled bitterly. “Because the money they offered was simply too much. Besides, this was a commission issued directly by the Royal Capital Class Holders Guild. No one dares to refuse.”
His voice was very soft when he said this, but Matthew keenly caught a piece of information. Issued directly by the Guild. In other words, this task wasn't a commission from the Green Rock Merchant Group itself, but from the Class Holders Guild—or rather, the people behind the Guild—who had commissioned the Green Rock Merchant Group for transport.
...
Just then, a knock sounded at the door. “Manager, the person is here.”
Hudson immediately stood up, his expression relaxing significantly. “Please enter.”
The door slowly opened, and an old man around fifty years old walked in. He wore a plain grey robe, was of average build, and had a gentle smile on his face. He looked like an ordinary scholar.
But Matthew immediately noticed that the old man’s footsteps were almost silent as he walked, and his breathing was long and steady. This was a sign of someone with extreme control over their body.
Upon entering the room, the old man’s first look wasn't at Hudson, but at the black cloth bag on the table. After confirming the bag was intact, the smile on his face became a bit more genuine.
“Thank you both for your hard work.”
His voice was gentle, without the slightest hint of arrogance. Hudson quickly stood to the side, clearly showing great respect for the old man.
The old man walked slowly to the table but didn't pick up the bag immediately. Instead, he turned to look at Matthew, studying him seriously for a few moments.
“So it was you who snatched the item back?” he said with a smile.
Matthew didn't deny it. “Just doing my job.”
The old man nodded slightly, a hint of approval in his eyes. “Very good. Young man, sometimes the word 'duty' is more important than many other things.”
With that, he finally reached out and picked up the black cloth bag. His movements were exceptionally careful, as if what he was holding wasn't goods, but something extremely precious and dangerous.
Just as the old man was about to leave, he suddenly stopped and looked back at Matthew.
“By the way, a word of advice. The people who attacked you today will probably come again in the future. If you encounter them again, do not pursue them.”
Matthew asked, “Why?”
The old man was silent for two seconds before slowly saying, “Because what they truly want might not be the goods.”
With that, the old man clutched the black cloth bag and turned to leave. The door closed again, and the room returned to silence. Matthew stared at the slowly closing door, his gaze lingering for a long time.
The old man’s final words didn't sound like a reminder; they sounded more like a warning.
After the old man left, the room remained quiet. Hudson stood where he was, waiting until the footsteps outside had completely vanished before letting out a long breath. It was as if a giant stone had been lifted from his chest.
Matthew glanced at him. “Do you know him?”
Hudson shook his head. “No. The person who comes to collect the goods is different every time. I don't even know their names. They only show a token and then take the item away.”
Matthew didn't press further. Some things wouldn't have answers even if asked.
...
Early the next morning, the caravan set out again. The return journey was exceptionally peaceful. The group of attackers from yesterday never appeared again.
By evening, the towering Royal Capital city walls came back into view. As the heavy gates slowly opened, the caravan entered the city smoothly. Hudson breathed a clear sigh of relief. It wasn't until the wagons drove into the Green Rock Merchant Group's headquarters that the tension on his face finally dissipated.
...
At the Class Holders Guild, they turned in the mission. The deacon checked the mission tokens and then looked at the report submitted by Hudson. His expression grew notably more serious.
He looked up at Matthew. “Repelled attackers during the commission and protected important cargo. Evaluation—Excellent.”
With that, he pulled out a heavy coin pouch and placed it on the counter. “Forty-five gold coins. Additionally, based on the merchant group's application, there is an extra reward of twenty gold coins.”
Aidan’s eyes widened instantly. “Sixty-five gold coins!”
Many Class holders nearby also cast envious glances. To receive an Excellent evaluation on one's first formal commission was quite rare.
The deacon continued, “Furthermore, your Guild Rank has been promoted to Three-Star.”
As he spoke, he handed over a new identity badge. Compared to the previous one, the edge of this badge now featured three tiny silver stars. This wasn't a power rank, but a measure of guild credit. Three-Star credit meant he could take on more commissions in the future and would more easily gain the trust of merchant groups.
Matthew took the badge and nodded slightly. “Thank you.”
...
Just as the two were about to leave, a flurry of urgent footsteps came from near the counter. A young deacon ran over, looking quite anxious. “This is bad! Something happened in the West District again!”
The hall instantly fell silent. All the Class holders looked over. The older deacon frowned. “What is it?”
The young deacon caught his breath. “The patrol squad found that an exploration squad has gone missing. It’s the one that entered the underground drainage channels yesterday.”
The hall went deathly silent.
Matthew’s gaze narrowed slightly. Underground drainage channels... entered yesterday... A familiar number immediately surfaced in his mind: 317.
The young deacon continued, “The Guild has decided to organize a search and rescue team early tomorrow morning. All Class holders at high Silver Rank and above can sign up. The reward...”
He looked down at the parchment that had just been delivered, his voice pausing slightly. “The reward has been increased to... two hundred gold coins.”
The entire hall erupted into a clamor. Two hundred gold coins was enough to tempt many Silver Rank Class holders. However, none of the truly experienced people showed any joy. They all knew that a doubled reward often meant the danger had also doubled.
Ryan had appeared in front of the mission wall at some unknown point, quietly staring at the new commission. After a long time, he let out a soft sigh. “Something happened after all...”
His voice was very light, but it made Matthew’s heart sink slightly. It seemed Ryan had long guessed that Mission 317 would eventually turn out like this.
Rate on N.U.
