The Great Thief

”Stormwind City... probably.” Lu Li hadn’t said anything for a while, so just made something up.

”Stormwind City? Pah, nonsense!” a cold voice snapped behind him. Lu Li turned around to see a fully-geared woman standing behind him.

”Greetings, I’m not sure what you mean,” Lu Li said, maintaining his composure.

”Stormwind has long since withdrawn their troops from here, and we can now only rely on ourselves,” the woman said indignantly. ”Why would someone place a bounty on Mor’Ladim now?”

Aorinana Goldtooth introduced this woman to Lu Li, ”This is Althea Ebonlocke, commander of the Night Watchmen, and a brave and pretty woman.”

”Esteemed Warrior, I extend my highest respects to you.” Lu Li’s formal greeting wasn’t in vain as he spoke honestly, ”My quest really does come from Stormwind City and it is from a businessman whose son was killed at the Twillight Forest. The businessman who lost his only son issued the bounty.”

The best way to tell a lie was to believe it yourself. In that moment, Lu Li truly believed what he was saying.

Perhaps there really was such a person who had lost a loved one and had sent a note to the Assassins League for the assassination of Mor’Ladim.

There was nothing more saddening in this world than losing a loved one. Good guys and bad guys had nothing to do with it.

Althea was beautiful, but she had a cold temperament. Her dark eyes seemed to be able to see through a person’s heart. Fortunately, she didn’t continue to question Lu Li; she nodded and said, ”Alright, I believe you.”

”Can you give me the whereabouts of Mor’Ladim?” asked Lu Li in anticipation.

The person before him was definitely the leader of this town. If she didn’t know, then Lu Li could only count on a miracle to find and kill Mor’Ladim.

”You don’t even know what you’re facing,” Althea hesitated before shaking her head saying,” Young man, go back to your elven place. This is not your fight.”

”Please forgive my presumptuousness,” Lu Li said firmly, ”But I am going to kill Mor’Ladim, no matter what the price.”

This was an Assassins League Quest, not a small-town quest. Lu Li had attached a great importance to it and did not consider failure as a possible outcome.

”Are you alone?” Althea was clearly strongly disapproving of Lu Li.

”Yes, no matter what. Even until death.” Lu Li secretly hoped that the person before him would arrange for some men to fight the Boss until it was almost dead and allow him to take the kill.

Of course, he wasn’t going to reveal that shameless thought to anyone.

The determination and cunning of Lu Li seemed to contradict how comfortable he was right now.

”Even until death… Alright, come with me.” Perhaps Lu Li’s words had touched Althea, but she turned and led him out.

Lu Li saluted the inn’s Old Dwarf and followed behind her.

In the square outside of town, there was a group of rowdy NPCs waiting for their commander to arrive.

”Actually, things are not as simple as Aorinana made them out to be. But before that, I need to test your ability,” Althea said as she straightened her back. ”Go to the quiet garden south of the town and kill eight Skull Warriors and six Skull Mages. You have 15 minutes.”

Lu Li nodded and left without saying a word.

He knew the location of the quiet garden. It was a little south of the night town and had been a part of the front line during the Undead Invasion. It took Lu Li 2 minutes in Leopard form to get there, so if he accounted for the two-way travel time, he would only have 10 minutes to kill the monsters.

It would be difficult to kill level 35 Undead monsters unless he was a Paladin.

The Paladin’s Holy Harm was very effective against these Undead. Not only did it increase damage, but it also greatly increased critical hit chance. As such, this night town was actually very suitable for Paladin activity.

After two minutes, Lu Li encountered the first Undead monster. It was a Skull Warrior holding a sword.

It had quite a few simple skills like Charge, and a state that increased its own attack. Lu Li prepared his daggers and skills to properly farm it.

The Wristwraps of Undead Slaying on Lu Li’s wrists were an exquisite Silver equipment that gave 18% damage against the Undead..

It was easier for a Thief to fight the Skull Mages. They had less defense, so they died before he even got through a single rotation of skills.

He quickly defeated the required 8 Skull Warriors and 6 Skull Mages, but Lu Li didn’t want to hang around for any longer, so he left without picking up the copper that was left on the ground. The sooner he returned, the more qualified he would be.

When he returned, the watchmen were kneeling in a circle around a flag.

”The night is coming and I will now keep watch, even until Death. I will not marry, I will not have a wife, I will not have a child. I will never wear a crown and I will never have glory. I will be dedicated in life and death to the watch. I am a sword in the dark and a guard in the night against the cold until the light of dawn. Awaken the bugle horn and protect the kingdom’s stronghold. I dedicate my life to the Night Watchmen, tonight and the nights to come,” they recited.

As the cold wind blew over him, Lu Li opened his mouth and sheepishly joined them.

He felt like he was a mere shadow to these people who were real warriors.

”It looks like you’re stronger than I thought,” Althea said, interrupting Lu Li’s meditation. ”If you aren’t afraid of death, then there will be a lot of hunting for you to do tonight.”

After the plague had spread to this area, the night town was always dark.

”Rest assured, I am willing to contribute despite my meagre strength. Even if it means giving up my life,” Lu Li said generously.

With the help of an NPC, this quest was going to be much easier.

However, it was only by good luck that Lu Li managed to meet Althea.

Althea pointed toward the open desert outside of town and said, ”My spies report Mor’Ladim wandering through the Twilight Forest through a path that curves around the cemetery. He had buried his body in the mountain near there; it’s possible he is aware of it.”

”Enemies that are conscious are even more frightening,” Lu Li sighed.

”You’re right, but not exactly.” Althea beckoned as a Night Watchman ran over. She wore a hood over her head, but he could tell she was a female from her figure.

”This is…?” Lu Li didn’t quite understand.

”Morgan thought his whole family had died, but this is in fact his daughter, Sarah Ladimore. She is now a Night Watchman. After hearing about the things happening since her father’s death… it’s been hard for her.” Althea’s last few words were left ambiguous, as if she couldn’t bear to think back to what had happened.

”My dad killed innocent people, people who were kind. One of them saved me, so I owe very much to them…” Sarah Ladimore said painfully.

This was what they called the impermanence of fate.

What kind of effect would his surviving daughter have on the fallen Paladin?