Chapter 20: Deception and Blood Money
"Boom, boom, boom…"
A continuous series of explosions echoed from outside the city.
The Kreig Pirates had ignited the Waste Terminal, and the time limit for his main mission was only a few hours away.
After three consecutive days of setup, it was finally time to reap the rewards.
Su Xiao moved through the gradually falling night, beginning to approach the city gates.
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Outside the city, the Waste Terminal.
By now, the explosions had merged into a single roar. Flames shot into the sky, and large chunks of burning garbage were blasted high into the air.
The refugees resting in the Waste Terminal were jolted awake by the sudden explosions. The fire began to spread across the mountain of trash.
By the time the refugees reacted and tried to flee their shelters, the flames had already spread completely.
Screams of terror intertwined with the explosions, painting a scene of hell.
If hell truly existed, the Waste Terminal at that moment was it.
The members of the Kreig Pirates watched the fire gradually engulf the Waste Terminal and began moving quickly toward the city gates.
Earlier, they had agreed with Su Xiao that once the Waste Terminal was ignited, they would immediately head to the city gates, and Su Xiao would send someone to open them.
Kreig, of course, wouldn't agree to entrust his life to someone else.
So, after their meeting, Su Xiao sent his trusted subordinate 'Hank' to accompany the Kreig Pirates.
At that moment, Hank was disguised as a pirate, following behind Kreig.
"Hurry, the fire is about to spread. If it does, we'll be in danger."
Kreig roared, and his subordinates quickened their pace.
Three minutes later, the Kreig Pirates arrived outside the city gates.
Standing before the gates, smiles spread across the pirates' faces. They had done their part. Now, all they had to do was enter the city and welcome a better life.
Kreig himself was already fantasizing about life as a noble.
Luxurious residences, exquisite food, and the bodies of countless soft, tender women.
At that moment, Kreig even considered completely abandoning his identity as a pirate.
"Bang, bang, bang~." Kreig pounded on the city gate.
"Open up! We're the Kreig Pirates! The Waste Terminal has been set ablaze!"
After Kreig knocked, there was dead silence. Aside from the sound of the wind whipping the flames, the city was eerily quiet.
"Hey! Open the damn door! The fire is about to reach us!"
Still, there was no response. A sense of panic began to creep into Kreig's heart.
Behind them was an all-consuming inferno. In front of them was a solid city gate. They were trapped.
It wouldn't be long before they were burned alive.
"What's going on? Why isn't the gate opening?"
Bloodshot veins bulged in Kreig's eyes. Like a provoked beast, he spun around and glared at Hank.
Hank's lips were pale. He was just an ordinary guard sent outside the city by Su Xiao. He had no idea that the king didn't intend to keep his promise.
"No, no, it can't be. Wait, just wait for me. Let me try."
Hank could barely speak. He had a vague suspicion of what was happening.
"Bang, bang, bang~! Open the gate! I'm Hank from the Guard! Bai Ye! Get out here! Come out!"
Hank began to roar, dropping any honorifics from his address.
"Bai Ye! I'll kill you!"
Kreig had already figured it out. He had been deceived by Su Xiao. They were nothing but pawns, sacrifices.
His bloodshot eyes locked onto Hank.
"Burn... him... to... death!"
As Kreig uttered those words through gritted teeth, his subordinates immediately tied Hank up. Several of them worked together to throw him into the nearby sea of flames.
"Ahhh~! It's not my fault! Bai Ye, you'll die a horrible death!"
The flames began to 'kiss' Hank's skin. His agonizing screams lasted for over ten seconds before falling silent.
Just as the Kreig Pirates were on the verge of despair, a low, male voice came from atop the city wall.
"Hey, you people down there. Want to live?"
Everyone in front of the gate shuddered.
"Who's that? Show yourself!"
Kreig, on the verge of losing his mind, looked up at the city wall by the firelight. He saw a thin, middle-aged man.
Just as Kreig was about to speak, several barrels of gunpowder were thrown down from the wall.
Seeing the barrels land, Kreig felt a chill run down his spine. Behind them was a sea of flames. They were trying to blow them up.
"Blow open the gate, and you'll have a sliver of hope."
With that, the middle-aged man on the wall pulled back and disappeared into the darkness.
After hesitating for less than two seconds, Ah Jin was the first to rush toward the gunpowder barrels, arranging them at the city gate.
Anxious voices could be heard from inside the gate. It seemed they had discovered what was happening outside.
Kreig tore off his black robe, revealing a suit of yellow armor. He raised his arm, and a bullet shot toward the gunpowder barrels.
"Boom!"
The shockwave from the explosion sent the Kreig Pirates stumbling backward. Some unlucky pirates were pierced by debris from the blast and fell dead.
The several-hundred-strong pirate crew lost at least a dozen men from that single explosion.
But it was worth it, because the city gate had been blown open.
Behind the shattered gate lay several broken bodies—the guards of the gate patrol.
The Kreig Pirates stepped over the ruined gate and entered the royal capital.
They were a band of angry pirates, and they intended to burn, kill, and loot within the city.
"Hey, you. Stop right there."
Kreig looked toward a dark corner, leveling his arm, the gun barrel on his shoulder aimed ahead.
"Don't shoot! I'm the one who saved you."
The middle-aged man from the wall stepped out of the darkness, fear in his eyes.
"Why did you save me? I don't think I know you."
Kreig didn't lower his weapon.
"I have a grudge against Bai Ye. An enemy of my enemy is my friend."
A cruel smile curled at the corner of Kreig's mouth.
"Where is Bai Ye?"
"In the royal palace. He's receiving the king's reward. I heard he's being granted a noble title."
The words 'reward' and 'noble title' stoked Kreig's fury. Those were supposed to be his.
"Bang." A gunshot rang out. The middle-aged man's chest was blown open, a fist-sized hole punched through it. Kreig had shot his own savior.
"You bastard! You dared to throw gunpowder at me? Were you trying to kill me?"
With that, Kreig led his men charging toward the royal palace. He was going to kill Bai Ye, kill the king, and ransack the palace to make up for today's losses.
The middle-aged man lay on the ground, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his body twitching uncontrollably.
As the Kreig Pirates disappeared into the distance, the man's eyes began to glaze over.
Just then, a young man with a cigarette dangling from his lips stepped out from a dark corner.
"Give... give the money to my wife and daughter. I did exactly as you asked."
Su Xiao crouched in front of the middle-aged man and exhaled a plume of blue smoke.
"You did well. The money has already been given to them."
"That's... that's great. Thank you, thank you..."
With that, the man's eyes went completely dark. He died from Kreig's gunshot.
This middle-aged man was a death row inmate Su Xiao had rescued from prison. What had just happened was merely a transaction.
Su Xiao paid with money; the man paid with his life. A transaction that was both fair and unfair.
Watching the departing Kreig Pirates, Su Xiao tossed away his cigarette and crushed it under his foot.
"Kreig Pirates... don't disappoint me."
Su Xiao vanished into the night, racing toward the royal palace.