Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 268 With sword in hand, follow me
Pierre immediately realized what was going on.

It is Mr. Arden;
Mr. Arden of the Maginot Line;
Mr. Arden, who was using the name of a branch of the Bloodsail Gang;
Mr. Arden usually bullies people in the east side of the market area, extorting protection money and causing a lot of trouble for merchants. Stealing is nothing to him, and he takes advantage of any opportunity to plunder. When he encounters a pretty young woman or wife, he will rub his palms until they are shiny with oil.

That's it!

The small business owner, finally understanding the reason behind the situation, wore the same expression as his good colleagues.

Before the smile could fully grace his face, Pierre's initial smugness and delight vanished as he suddenly recalled the conversation and the other party's intentions, leaving only deep shock and fear.

One ruthless one left, but the new one seems even more ruthless.

"Mr. Pierre, how much protection money do you pay to the Maginot Gang each month?"

The sudden loud question startled the small business owner, who didn't understand why he dared not refuse to answer a question that was repeated.

"Sir, it's fifty gold coins a month!"

"So, would you be willing to entrust the security of your store to the protection of Shining Coins?"

Do you dare not refuse?
Upon hearing this, Pierre's old face contorted with bitterness. He was about to agree, pondering how to squeeze out another protection fee, when what he heard next made him unable to believe his ears.

"If you agree, the fees previously collected by Arden will be refunded in full. After deducting the 30 gold protection fee for this month, you will receive the remaining 20 gold."

Upon hearing this, not only Pierre, but also the surrounding onlookers and merchants were all in an uproar, their eyes wide open!
I've only ever heard of paying protection money to gangs before, when have I ever heard of paying merchants instead?

Don't say that the wool comes from the sheep. It's already good enough that they didn't slaughter you and eat your meat. If they're willing to use the leftover wool to make you a scarf, that's more than enough to be considered kind.

Pierre, who was already hesitant to refuse, paused for a moment before quickly nodding in agreement.

"Yes, Your Excellency, I am willing."

Seeing the other party's cooperation, Master Zhang smiled with satisfaction, took out two platinum coins, held them high, and let them shine brightly in the midday sun, attracting everyone's attention before handing them over to the other party.

“Mr. Pierre, the safety of your shop is entrusted to Shining Gold Coins. All losses caused by external forces can be compensated in this fee.”

After saying that, he took out two copies of the contract, signed them in front of everyone, and each person received one copy, and everyone was happy.

Such a formal business contract naturally sparked another wave of discussion.

As the saying goes, words spoken are like the credibility of a tanari—worthless.

But this newcomer was far more than just impressive words; it was the strength and decisiveness he displayed in defeating the Maginot Line, and...

It was real money that they actually took out.

Even if we take a step back and assume the worst, these small business owners don't have many other options. At least the people in front of them have big fists and are decent at doing things.

Just as everyone was discussing it and many were hesitating about whether to join, a voice suddenly came from the crowd:
"I've also paid protection money to Maginot. If I join now, will I get paid too?"

The single sentence stirred up a thousand waves; it concerned real interests and made everyone even more eager, and their gazes were filled with even stronger expectations.

"Cough!" The cough amplified by the illusion spell brought a brief silence to the arena. The mage seized the opportunity to speak: "Everyone, I believe you have all witnessed our strength. The Maginot Gang, who used to be known as an iron wall, is as weak as goblins to us. In the process of wiping out these guys, they couldn't even hurt us."

This statement is absolutely true. After two days of reconnaissance, the Canaan team found the Maginot Gang's base early this morning.

Zhang Yuan and his entourage, who had come to pay their respects, waited with great courtesy for the flustered Maginot members to finish dressing before explaining their purpose and proposing a peaceful handover of the northern part of the market area.

Unfortunately, this highly creative and feasible proposal did not receive Maginot's cooperation.

Centered around the two mid-level shield warriors, the leader and deputy leader, a group of more than ten professionals had earned the nickname "Iron Wall" in the small circle of the market area. Dressed neatly, they felt their courage return.

"Now I'm giving you a chance. Get out of here and abandon your ridiculous delusions, and you'll have a chance to live. Otherwise, the Blood Sail Gang's blade will be stained with blood."

Arden glanced warily at the group of burly men and tried to scare them off with words.

puff~
The reaction of these uninvited guests was beyond Arden's expectations. They showed no respect whatsoever for his boastful act, but instead laughed freely, their eyes filled with mockery.

Arden's heart sank. He knew this was going to be a disaster. He gave his second-in-command a wink and yelled, "Attack them all! Kill these bastards!"

As soon as he finished speaking, two shield warriors stepped forward with their shields raised, while the rest of the gang flanked them from both sides. This was a tactic that had worked every time, especially in the limited space of an indoor environment, where its advantages were even more apparent.

Iron Wall, that's no exaggeration.

Unfortunately, as the saying goes, even a tortoise is afraid of a hammer.

The two gang leaders, who used to arm themselves like iron turtles and always left their opponents helpless, are now in big trouble.

No matter how well armed you are, if you encounter half-ogre brothers wielding heavy spiked clubs and whose physical strength far surpasses that of ordinary people, you'll have to swallow your tears and break your teeth.

After only a few rounds of fighting, his usually steady left hand, which held the shield firmly, went numb and his arm bones went numb. His steady body became unsteady and he was suddenly weak and numb, and his heart and courage were shattered.

The idea of ​​advancing along the center line and flanking from both sides was good, but in the first step, the center line was almost lost, and the flanks failed to gain any advantage.

The gang members who rushed in from both sides were like waves crashing against rocks, smashing themselves to pieces.

Two dwarven shield guards, along with two pawns named Mars who had been summoned beforehand and disguised as shield warriors, directly blocked the attack of nearly ten gang members.

Seizing the opportunity, Mars unleashed a massive shield strike, turning the group of henchmen in front of him into a rolling mess.

Translate this: what the hell is this "Iron Wall"?

As the captain, Zhang Yuan barely had a chance to make a move. The Maginot members were routed and fled in disarray under the combined assaults of Münster's greatsword, Nancy's flanking maneuvers, and Tallinda's agile attacks.

These henchmen were of no interest to Master Zhang, so he ignored them and pointed at the two gang leaders who were lying on the ground, almost suffering from concussions, and shouted: "Tie them up and put them on, we're going to return in triumph!"

Thank you, Alukard, for your monthly pass!

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(End of this chapter)