Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 283 A Little Bit

Although I don't know what this is all about, even a fool would know it's definitely not a good thing, and I would never dare to let my magical pet get even a speck of it.

Wave pattern!
The Morphling, which had been lurking beneath the surface of the sea, activated its chess piece skill, transforming into a torrent that rushed straight towards the other Water Elemental that was waiting to intercept it. The waves it created were like a blade forged from the spray, splitting the calm sea in two.

This skill, which combines lethality and mobility, proved invaluable at this moment, enabling a tactical maneuver of over a hundred meters in the blink of an eye.

Oh?
The old beastman was somewhat surprised, but then regained his calm and silent demeanor and followed his clansmen into the cabin.

Everything that happened in the blink of an eye subsided silently in an instant, returning to normal, with not a ripple appearing at all except for the wave that cleaved the surface of the sea not far away.

Besides being covered in wounds, the sea fish, floating belly up to the surface, are making a silent accusation.

Howard, who was startled by the water elemental's wave-like movements, was somewhat concerned, but by now the other party had already gone far away, and his own fleet was about to set sail, so he didn't have time for that.

The water elemental who had successfully escaped reunited with another chess piece, and together they sailed back to their base against the current, bringing the little ferret back safely.

Sherry threw herself into her master's arms, acting all cute and playful, her adorable and pitiful appearance leaving the mage with no choice but to let her be.

While comforting his magical pet, Zhang Yuan thought about what he had just witnessed.

There must be something fishy about this matter!

When did Mara's followers become so easy to talk to? Especially since they are beastmen and ogres, races that are inherently frenzied.

He is Mara, not Irmat. Even believers in the suffering god would not accept being a slave trader as a fate they could calmly accept, unless...

Unless what?
The monk himself couldn't explain it; he knew there was a conspiracy, but without enough information, he could only stare helplessly.

This unexpected incident may have shown me just the tip of the iceberg, but it also revealed how deep the waters run. I'm afraid I'm not qualified to get involved in this game.

Moreover, this was not his main purpose in coming to Luskan. His real targets, the Bloodsail Gang and the two noble families, had not given themselves away at all.

There's nothing I can do; they don't do business, so I can't exactly do it for them, can I?

Two short weeks flew by like water. On one hand, he studied magic and practiced martial arts, on the other hand, he monitored the port and occasionally kept an eye on the progress of the gang's insurance business. He was quite happy with it.

Incidentally, although the Canaan Squad's sphere of influence did not expand, the Maginot Gang made a comeback with the secret support of a certain unscrupulous mage and conquered a considerable amount of territory.

Arden and his underlings were riding high these days. Although they didn't know how the mysterious mage did it, the mysterious guys sent by him were not only powerful, but sometimes they could also show some amazing abilities.

What's even more admirable is that these people, who are strong enough to be called powerful, have no arrogance at all and are almost completely obedient. Their only shortcoming is that their intelligence seems to be quite average, and they need to be guided and assisted by others.

Of course, this is harmless and cannot even be called a flaw. On the contrary, if a few old men really came, it would be hard to say who would have the final say among them. It would be much more comfortable than it is now.

As for how these people developed intellectual impairment?

I'm sorry, Mr. Arden has absolutely no interest in prying into a mage's secrets. Otherwise, who knows if he, Arden, might be among these kind-hearted people offering friendly assistance to others?

Although they didn't dare to extend their reach into the North Wharf area, which was the private territory of the five major gangs, Arden still managed to make a fortune in the transshipment and storage area adjacent to the North Wharf area, thanks to the strong support behind them.

Although it's said that you don't have to share the profits with the master, Aden has been in the martial arts world for so long, and he's not the kind of stupid person who has no sense of propriety. Just because the master is being polite to you doesn't mean you have to be polite to him.
If this territory had been conquered by Arden himself, he wouldn't have cared about anyone's feelings, and he would have even dared to suppress the tribute from the Bloodsail Gang. But that's not the case.

The more they encountered tough opponents in their expansion and infighting, the more they felt the strength of these outside reinforcements. Several times, their actions either turned the tide of battle or swept away the remaining enemies like autumn leaves in the wind, leaving them to simply take advantage and fight peacefully. "Your Excellency Chanem, this is this month's bonus. Please accept it."

"How did your matter go?" The monk didn't respond to this question, his expression remaining calm: "It was already agreed that our assistance to your gang was not for this little bit of money."

"Please rest assured, sir. Ever since we established ourselves in the warehouse area, those bastards from the Bloodsail Gang who received our share of the profits have been very friendly with us."

Although Arden was unclear about the mage's intentions, he could not afford to neglect the few instructions the mage gave him.

As for whether this is a betrayal of the Bloodsail Gang?
Screw them, they didn't treat us well when we were in trouble.

"Hmm, very good, but what do you mean by this?" Master Zhang's face showed displeasure.

"It's just a token gesture."

"How could I possibly accept this?" Master Zhang declined earnestly.

“This is also a small token of our appreciation from the brothers,” Arden flattered. “We understand in our hearts that this territory was actually bestowed upon us by Your Excellency, and whatever amount you give us is a blessing.”

"You... oh!" Master Zhang's expression changed drastically, and his finger trembled as he pointed at the other person.

"This is the last time!" His tone was stern, showing no mercy even to his closest relatives.

"Definitely, definitely." Arden understood immediately; this meant "definitely next time."

After seeing off the sensible Maginot gang leader, the mage's feigned anger, smugness, and all other expressions vanished in an instant. He remained silent, tossing himself onto the recliner and staring at the ceiling.

Just as a boss doesn't like a subordinate without weaknesses, a boss who has no emotions will also bring a lot of fear to his subordinates.

He had already used intimidation tactics enough; further coercion and intimidation would only backfire.

No matter how much the Maginot Party develops, it will ultimately be difficult for them to access the Bloodsail Gang's core secrets.

Just as Zhang Yuan was pondering the matter repeatedly but still felt at a loss, a knock sounded on the door. After saying "Come in," Lawrence, who was on duty that day, appeared before him.

"Boss, it's me."

The old lecher's face was filled with undisguised envy and sleaziness.

"Let the fart go."

The monk was annoyed by the other party's sleazy behavior.

"Boss, this is great news! It's fantastic news!"

The old lecher winked and made some faces, then, without keeping them in suspense any longer, handed over a letter in his hand.

The monk casually took it, opened it, and upon closer inspection, found it to be an invitation.

Thank you to Eberlus and Ice Seal for your monthly ticket support, thank you!

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(End of this chapter)