Versatile Mage

Mo Fan wondered what bet Lingling had made with Ozawa. When they returned to the house, there was no one at the entrance.

“It seems like Ozawa didn’t come,” Mo Fan said in resignation.

Without Ozawa’s help, they had to enter the towers by force. The East Guardian Towers’ system was very robust. Barging in by force would be Mo Fan’s last option, if at all.

“Ms. Lingling.” Just then, a whisper rose from the narrow cobblestone canal outside the long corridor. It was Officer Ozawa’s voice.

Mo Fan and Lingling’s eyes lit up. They walked to him.

Ozawa sat there. He looked depressed. Lingling was right.

“Mr. Mo Fan.” Ozawa smiled wryly at Mo Fan. He said, “Although I’m not sure who I should put my trust on, or what to believe anymore, I want to find out the truth as much as you do.”

“We want to enter the East Guardian Towers. Officer Ozawa, we need your help. We know most about the West Guardian Towers’ situation,” said Mo Fan to Officer Ozawa.

“I can help you, but I’ll have to come with you,” said Ozawa.

“Okay.”

“So, when are we taking action? We don’t have much time left.” said Lingling.

“Now. The guards on duty late at night will be having their dinner. You can disguise yourselves as kitchen helpers,” said Ozawa.

Mo Fan and Lingling nodded.

…

They put on the uniform of kitchen helpers, complete with the identity tags. Mo Fan was curious how Lingling convinced Officer Ozawa to make such a decision.

Officer Ozawa was a crucial member of the middle and upper management in the West Guardian Towers. Taking outsiders into the East Guardian Towers without permission was considered treason.

After they got ready, Officer Ozawa led the way. Mo Fan pushed a heavy food cart and walked toward the drawbridge.

“The Chief asked me for a name list.” Officer Ozawa walked ahead of them.

“It looks like he’s planning to let you take the fall. Regardless of the name list you provide, it will eventually be twisted to do the Chief’s bidding. The same tragedy is about to happen again,” said Lingling.

He had used the same trick!

Back then, the leader of the Evil Gang had manipulated the Guard Regiment and asked the guard for a name list that allowed him to wipe out all the dissidents. As a result, the entire East Guardian Towers were occupied by the Evil Gang.

Today, Chief Shigekyo once again proposed to eradicate the Evil Gang by asking Ozawa for a name list.

Who were the people on the name list? Were they truly people from the Evil Gang, or those from the West Guardian Towers who refused to obey the Chief’s instructions?

The Twin Guardian Towers had been sealed off. How was this different from sealing off the prison back in those days? What would happen in the end? The decision would all end up on the person with power.

What was the Evil Gang anyway?

A member of the Evil Gang did not necessarily have an evil mark on his head. Anybody could be one of the Evil Gang members. Even though Chief Shigekyo appeared to be a righteous man and had the intention to get rid of the bad people from the towers, at the end of the day, he was the one to make the decision which would condemn people whether they were guilty or innocent, just like the innocent prisoners in the past…

The job she had assigned Ozawa to think about was simple.

What the Chief had said during the emergency meeting were facts, but they were just a small part of the truth. Most people followed the crowd.

The Evil Gang occupied more than half of the total number of people. Thus, the remaining people were considered deviant.

The name list that the Chief asked for was exactly the minority people of the West Guardian Towers that were not part of the Evil Gang!

“You’ll find the answer after you arrive at the East Guardian Towers,” said Lingling as she patted Officer Ozawa’s shoulders.

“Why me? Why must I be the one to draw up the name list?” Officer Ozawa could not understand.

“Probably because you’re a trusted man for both sides. The Evil Gang trusted you, the crowd who fought against the gang trusted you, so did Mo Fan and I,” said Lingling.

“Being trustworthy turned out to be a bad thing. Will I eventually lose the battle with my conscience over my indifference to the towers and become just like Nagayama’s uncle?” Officer Ozawa sounded frustrated.

“Maybe. The truth will be harsh. It might cause you endless pain. Your conscience will constantly torture your spirit,” said Lingling.

Officer Ozawa did not say anything.

In fact, he did not expect he would be caught between the two parties. No one had ever told him anything. Even though the West Guardian Towers were different from the past, no one had informed him which side he was on. He only worked hard to do his job and helped those who sought his help.

He could not tell the difference between the two parties. Perhaps his ignorance was the reason he had obtained the approval from both parties.

“You’re a little late today, Ozawa. We’re starving. Uncle, what have you prepared for us tonight? I can smell something delicious!” The guard on the drawbridge smiled when he saw the three people approaching.

“Curry.” Mo Fan used the Eye of Deception to disguise himself as a middle-aged chef.

“Haha! I guessed so. Please save more for me,” said the guard on the drawbridge.

“I don’t think so.”

The guard glanced at Lingling. However, he did not find her to be suspicious.

Ozawa was usually the one in charge of dinner delivery. He would personally deliver dinner every week. Meanwhile, the middle-aged chef uncle had always been the same man who brought the food for several decades. As for the female kitchen helper, they changed every few months. Hence, the guard was not surprised to see Lingling. He knew the middle-aged cook and Ozawa, after all.

The soldiers conversed with Ozawa and his company, but carefully examined the food cart. After they had checked everything, they used a device to scan the food cart once more in order to catch anything amiss. It would reveal anyone using magic to conceal themselves.

The guard allowed them to cross the drawbridge after making sure everything was okay.

After crossing the drawbridge, there was a small door under the large entrance. They entered through the small door that could fit the food cart.

Four guards stood by the side. They followed them until Ozawa and his group placed the utensils and food on the designated place.

…

Another guard in a brown uniform approached them from the opposite end of the bridge at the same time. He walked toward the East Guardian Towers. The guard at the drawbridge bowed to him.

“Sir!”

“Was that the middle-aged chef who entered the towers?” asked the head of the Guard Regiment.

“Yes. Officer Ozawa personally delivered supper. There’s also a new girl,” said the guard at the drawbridge.

The leader of the Guard Regiment frowned and fastened his pace toward towers.