Courtyard House: My Long and Hard Body Makes Me Play with All the Women in the Courtyard

“Perhaps.” Amu stood up. “It’s getting dark. We’d better sneak into the city under cover of darkness.”

They proceeded cautiously along the stream, avoiding open areas. As the sun set, the silhouette of Blackrock City grew even more somber in the twilight. Torches on the city walls were lit one by one, illuminating the patrolling soldiers.

Chapter 849 A Shop's Warehouse

Chapter 849 A Shop's Warehouse

Just as they approached the slums outside the city, a whistle sounded from behind. Turning around, they saw several men in black leather armor appear on the ridge, pointing in their direction.

"We've been discovered!" Amu cursed. "It's the people who were following us!"

"How did they find us?" Xiao Shi asked in a panic.

“There might be someone waiting for us in Blackrock City,” Amu quickly assessed. “We need to split up. Su Ting, you and Xiao Shi go into the city from the slums, I’ll distract them.”

"It's too dangerous!" Su Ting objected.

"There's no time for arguing!" Amu said firmly. "Meet me in town, at the Gray Tower Inn in the north. Remember, don't trust anyone!"

Without waiting for a response, Amu rushed off in another direction, deliberately exposing himself to attract the pursuers. As expected, the pursuers diverted most of their forces to chase him, leaving only two people to continue searching in the direction of Su Ting and Xiao Shi.

“We have to go,” Xiao Shi said, pulling Su Ting along. “Trust Amu; he knows this area.”

Su Ting glanced uneasily in the direction Amu had disappeared, then followed Xiao Shi stealthily into the slums. Night had completely fallen, and the outline of Blackrock City in the darkness resembled a lurking beast, waiting for its prey.

The slums of Blackrock City were like abandoned appendages of the main city, with crooked wooden huts and tents haphazardly crammed outside the city walls. There were no streetlights, only scattered torches and the faint light filtering through windows. The air was thick with the stench of rotting garbage and drains, mixed with the smell of cheap liquor and roasted meat.

Su Ting and Xiao Shi mingled among a group of laborers returning to the city, heads down as they passed through the south gate. The guards gave them a lazy glance and let them in without much questioning.

“The city’s defenses are looser than I thought,” Su Ting said in a low voice.

Xiao Shi shook his head: "Don't be too happy yet. The inner city is the key area for defense. There are guards patrolling there, and there's also a magical barrier."

They avoided the main street and walked along the dark alleys. Most of the buildings in the city were built of black stone, and most of the shops along the street were closed, with only a few taverns still brightly lit and noisy. Occasionally, a patrolling guard would pass by, and Xiao Shi would always pull Su Ting to hide in the shadows until the guard was out of sight.

"Which direction is the Grey Tower Hotel in?" Su Ting asked.

“North District, near the commercial street.” Xiao Shi pointed to a faintly glowing tower in the distance. “See that glowing spire? That’s the Mage Tower, and the inn is nearby.”

They continued onward, the streets gradually becoming cleaner and wider, the buildings more exquisite. The light from the mage tower drew closer, and Su Ting noticed that the fragment on his chest was beginning to warm slightly.

“The fragment is reacting,” he whispered. “Another fragment should be nearby.”

As they were talking, a squad of fully armed guards suddenly appeared from around the corner ahead. The guards were carrying torches and seemed to be searching for something. Su Ting and Xiao Shi quickly hid in a narrow alley next to them and held their breath to wait.

"Intensify the search!" the lead guard ordered. "The lord said they'd definitely come looking for that thing. Examine every corner carefully!"

The guards scattered, and two of them walked toward the alley where Su Ting and Xiao Shi were hiding.

"This way!" Xiao Shi pulled Su Ting through a low window. They found themselves in a storage room, surrounded by boxes and sacks.

"Where is this?" Su Ting asked in a low voice.

"I'm not sure, it looks like a shop warehouse." Xiao Shi cautiously looked around. "We need to find an exit."

Chapter 850 The Reaction of the Fragments

Chapter 850 The Fragment's Reaction.

They carefully made their way through the storeroom to a door. A sliver of light shone through the crack, and they could vaguely hear voices. Xiao Shi gently pushed the door open a crack and peeked out.

“It’s a pharmacy, it’s closed, but there are still people inside,” he said in a low voice. “We can go out through the back door.”

Inside the pharmacy, a slightly hunched elderly man was talking to a customer dressed in a black robe. Their voices were very low, yet betrayed a hint of tension.

"I heard the city lord's mansion has been heightened with security and searched overnight," the old man said. "Are they looking for some treasure?"

The man in black sneered, "Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask. Take your money."

Su Ting and Xiao Shi held their breath and waited quietly. After the man in black paid, he turned and left. The old pharmacist locked the door and went back to the inner room.

"Let's go now," Xiao Shi said softly.

They slipped quietly through the pharmacy and out the back door. The back door led to a narrower alley, where the buildings on either side were almost touching.

“This should be safer,” Little Stone said, looking around. “We need to take a detour to the Grey Tower Inn.”

Patrols on the streets had noticeably increased, and there seemed to be guards at every corner. The shard on Su Ting's chest was getting hotter and hotter, almost burning his skin.

“The fragment’s reaction is getting stronger,” Su Ting frowned. “Another fragment must be nearby.”

“It might be in the Mage Tower,” Little Stone pointed to the glowing tower. “The problem is, it’s heavily guarded there, and you can’t get in without a pass.”

They turned through several alleys and finally saw a three-story building with a gray tower sign. Several burly men stood at the entrance of the hotel, watching every guest who came in and out.

“Amu hasn’t arrived yet,” Xiao Shi said, biting her lip. “I hope he’s alright.”

"How do we get in? Those people don't look very friendly."

Xiao Shi pondered for a moment: "From the back door. These kinds of hotels usually have a kitchen and storage room at the back; we can sneak in from there."

After going around to the back of the inn, they found an open kitchen door and several workers carrying ingredients. Taking advantage of a moment when one of the workers turned around, Xiao Shi pulled Su Ting inside and hid behind a mountain of sacks.

"What's the plan?" Su Ting asked in a low voice. "We can't keep hiding here forever."

"First, find Amu," Xiao Shi looked around, "then figure out a way to get into the mage tower. The fragment we're looking for is definitely there."

The kitchen was steaming, and several chefs were busy chopping vegetables and cooking soup. No one noticed the two people in the corner. Xiao Shi seized the opportunity and led Su Ting to the stairs leading to the hotel lobby.

The lobby was dimly lit and filled with smoke. Groups of two or three travelers and businessmen sat around tables, talking in hushed tones. Behind the bar stood a burly middle-aged man, warily scrutinizing each guest who entered.

"Do you see Amu?" Su Ting scanned the entire room.

Xiao Shi shook his head: "No. Let's find a place to sit down and not attract attention."

They chose a corner table to sit down. Su Ting stood with his back to the wall, while Xiao Shi faced the doorway, making it easier to observe people coming and going. A maid came over, and Xiao Shi ordered two glasses of ale.

After the maid left, Xiao Shi lowered his voice and asked, "Is the fragment's reaction still strong?"

Su Ting nodded: "It's even hotter than before. I feel like it's not just in the direction of the mage tower, but also around this inn."

As they were talking, a man in a tattered cloak entered the inn, his face mostly hidden by the hood. He looked around, his gaze lingering on Su Ting and Xiao Shi for a moment, before walking straight toward them.

"It's Amu!" Xiao Shi breathed a sigh of relief.

Chapter 851 Private Escape Route

Chapter 851 Private Escape Route

Amu sat down, pulled back his hood to reveal a dusty face and a fresh wound. "We've shaken them off, but not for long. The whole city is searching for us."

“You’re injured,” Su Ting asked with concern. “Is it serious?”

“It’s just a superficial injury.” Amu shook his head and took a big gulp of the wine brought by the maid. “The situation is more complicated than we thought. It seems that Lord Drucker knew we were coming all along.”

"What are they looking for?" Xiao Shi asked.

“Tears of the Silver Moon,” Amu said in a low voice, “rumor has it that Drucker has found the second fragment and is looking for the third, which is the one we have.”

Su Ting touched the fragment on his chest: "This fragment has been reacting, so the other one must be nearby."

Amu nodded: "The Mage Tower. Drucker's treasure vault is at the top of the tower, where all the precious items are stored."

"But how do we get in?" Xiao Shi frowned. "The place is heavily guarded."

Amu lowered his voice: "I have a plan. In the middle of each month, the Mage Tower will hold a lecture for mage apprentices in the city. Tomorrow happens to be the middle of the month."

"You mean we can disguise ourselves as apprentices and sneak in?" Su Ting's eyes lit up.

“It’s not that simple,” Amu shook his head. “Entry requires a pass and a mage’s robe. But I know someone who can help us get those things.”

Xiao Shi suddenly reached out to stop him: "Something's up."

A squad of guards dressed in identical black leather armor entered through the door; the leader was the same man who had previously pursued them. The guards dispersed and searched the inn, questioning the guests.

"Back door." Amu quickly got up and led the two of them back towards the kitchen.

As they approached the bar, several guards looked over. The lead guard's gaze sharpened; he clearly recognized them.

"That's them! Catch them!"

In the ensuing chaos, glasses were overturned and chairs were knocked over. The three men rushed into the kitchen, and several chefs scattered in alarm. Heavy footsteps and the clanging of metal echoed behind them.

"This way!" Amu pushed open a side door, behind which was a narrow corridor.

They ran down the corridor, turned several corners, and finally rushed into a storage room. Amu quickly locked the door and moved several wooden crates to block the entrance.

"Not the back door?" Su Ting asked, panting.

“That’s too obvious,” Amu shook his head. “They’ll definitely set up an ambush there.”

The storeroom was dark and cramped, with only a sliver of light filtering through the crack in the door. Outside, footsteps were hurried and chaotic; the guards had clearly spread out to search every corner.

“We’re trapped,” Xiao Shi said worriedly. “We can’t keep hiding here forever.”

Amu looked around and said, "These kinds of hotels usually have secret passages in case of emergencies."

His hand touched a loose floorboard. With a strong pull, the floorboard lifted up, revealing a dark hole.

“Found it,” Amu laughed, “the underground passage!”

Just then, a loud knocking came from outside the door. "Search every room! Break down this door!"