104 Old Mans Advent 2 (2/2)

”Huh? Where did the Old man go?”

The crowds rubbed their eyes but couldn't find any trace of the Old man. The Old man had seemingly vanished from right before their eyes. How can someone just vanish like that!?

”G-Ghost!”

Someone blurted. These young masters and misses were spooked and soon became a disorderly mob. The bedtime ghost stories were true! Ghosts are real!

”Wahhh!”

…

At the top of a building, Kasif looked up at the night sky. His figure looked lonely, haggard and unaware of the small chaos he created in the food market due to his disappearance.

”Haih… there is no free lunch in the world. How can I forget such a simple truth?” He sighed.

He wasn't sure what the Queen wanted him to achieve on this task, but he realized being the leader of the Shadow Guards weren't all that great and glorious as he thought it should be. When he is gone, a new leader will step up to replace him. Who will remember him then? He had no kin.

”Leader.”

A shadow guard suddenly flickered before him.

”Hmm… what is it?” Kasif was unaffected by the person's presence and continued to gaze at the night skies with a lost expression.

”The Shadow Guards needs you. Strange things have been happening in the Capital and we have already lost all contact with three of our squads.”

”You are the current leader in charge, Mark. How could you let such a thing happen?” Kasif turned around and questioned his vice-leader with a sharp expression.

”Your subordinate is incapable. Please punish me.”

The vice leader dropped to his knees. He didn't make excuses for his incompetence.

”…”

”Never mind. The four great families had been quiet for too long. What have they been up to?”

Mark blushed with shame when he was asked that. The corrupted noble families seemed to have hidden themselves and their homes seemingly empty. But he sent his men to investigate, they never came back. The situation was bizarre. Shadow guards were trained to be adept at stealth and assassination. They should be nimble and fast. Even if they were discovered, they should have been able to escape. But since they didn't return to report to him, he couldn't gain any information.

Kasif looked his vice leader with speechlessness. He closed his eyes to settle his emotions before reopening them.

”Go back and handle the other matters. I will be going for a stroll.” Kasif said. He was suspended from duty so he couldn't be involved with the shadow guard's work. However, it should be fine if he was just casually looking, right?

Mark took a moment to understand the underlining message; Leave the corrupted nobles to the leader.

”Yes, leader!” Mark answered with relief. A burden was lifted off his shoulders.

After the vice leader left, Kasif headed straight for the manor of the Esmond family, located within the Upper South District and the closest to his current location.

He frowned upon arrival. There were no people, but there was a strong lingering scent of blood and gunpowder in the area! He didn't have much hopes that the shadow guards sent here was still alive. He focused on the lingering gunpowder.

There was no gunpowder in the area, but such a strong lingering smell of gunpowder implied that a large amount of gunpowder was here, but it was moved.

”How can the Esmond family get they hands on such a large volume of gunpowder?”

There was strict regulation on gunpowder in the Capital!

Kasif frowned in thought. But more importantly, where did the gunpowder go? This wasn't good news. He scanned the entire area with Earth Pulse and found a large underground passageway that could possibly lead all the way outside the capital.

”This must be how the Esmond family smuggled items into the capital and also quietly disappeared.” He concluded with a serious expression. ”The four great families were planning something big! I have to report to the queen immediately!”

The matter could no longer be treated lightly! Kasif was willing to disobey the Queen's previous order to bring the news to her. He understood the Queen's attitude towards the nobles.

The Queen treated had the noble's uprising with contempt! She wasn't as strong as she was now when the first rebellion occurred and a 9th step awakener was quite powerful for her. But now they were just nonentities she could wipe out at any time.

If they want to seek death, then they can come. She wouldn't leave her defenseless husband behind to go out of her way to kill them all.

The Queen would not act personally if it didn't affect the foundation of the capital.

Kasif believes, with the large amount of gunpowder hidden somewhere in the capital, it was like a ticking time bomb, threatening to destroy the foundations of the Capital at any moment!

He quickened his steps towards the royal palace. Unfortunately, his expression took a drastic turn in the next moment.