Chapter 195: Finnie.

Chapter 195: Finnie.From what Lee could tell, the inner city only differed from the outer with taller houses and cleaner streets. And with many guards patrolling around. The lasciviousness of the real estate was limited by the set area the city occupied, but Lee was not here for sightseeing.

The infiltration through sewers was short enough for his clothing to not soak the disgusting smell, and he was expectant to finally find out the real identity of the elemental master. The intrigue intensified after Shade led him to a house right next to the inner city wall.

It was obvious no one important could live here and the owner kept this place only for meetings like these. And now the guy stood in a large room on the ground floor, waiting for them under the light provided by a sole candle.

Unfortunately, even though Lee met the mysterious man again, his mood was dampened in an instant.

"Here’s the promised payment. I’m sure you’ll find the compensation to be sufficient." The elemental master passed a small pouch instead of greeting Lee.

From what Lee could tell, it was filled with gemstones, but it was too dark to check it and it kind of might’ve seemed too impolite.

Before he could say anything, the elemental master continued, "I have another job for you. In a way it will be harder than the previous one even though the heir of the Han family is less guarded than Thorne Evergale."

’Damn it!’ Lee cursed to himself. Not only he didn’t intend to kill anyone, he wouldn’t try to attempt to assassinate the heir of the clan who owned the city.

"Give me more details so I can thing about it." He said.



"I just did. You’ll be payed the same as for the previous job, but there is a problem." The elemental master said.

’No shit!’ Lee bitterly laughed to himself, noticing Shade inconspicuously stepping towards the door, as if blocking it.

"I’m sorry I’m imposing this way, but tonight is a unique window of opportunity we must use to get you inside." The elemental master said, "One of the maids has gone missing and will be replaced tomorrow if you don’t take her place."

"It’s rushed. I hate rushed jobs!" Lee said.

"There’s no way around it." The elemental master said with a shrug, "You being here is a chance we have to use. Han Jin is being guarded by an elemental lord at all times and no cultivator is allowed to get close to him. Besides, the kid is being well groomed and already immune to most poisons, as expected from the heir of an alchemist clan."

"How much time do I have? ... and how the fuck do I get out afterwards?" Lee asked.

"I’m sure you’ll be done in few days." The elemental master said, "But the answer to your second question you will have to find out yourself."

Lee thought for a bit, then threw the pouch with gems to Shade, and said, "I booked a room on the second floor of the Bubbling Cauldron for ten days, on the right, next to the stairs. Hide this under the floor planks along with the rest of the payment – I’ll get it after I’m done. Ten days should be enough for me to complete the assignment."

It wasn’t that he intended to go through with the assassination plan – the guys obviously intended to dispose of him afterwards. The play was only an attempt to muddy waters a bit and introduce a few variables the elemental master couldn’t control.

Shade was taken aback since they weren’t prepared for this seemingly reasonable demand, but the elemental lord gave a nod of agreement, and said, "Alright. You’ll go to the Han clan’s manor, the servant entrance. To the guard there you’ll show this token and say that you’re there to see Finnie. She’ll tell you about your cover duties."

Seeing Lee nod, the elemental master said, "I guess I don’t need to tell you that you can’t trust anyone. In fact, I’d suggest you don’t talk to anyone at all until the deed is done."

Then the elemental master left, and Shade followed right after. Lee was left standing in the middle of the room, fiddling with the token the elemental master gave him, deep in thoughts.

On one hand he could activate a beacon here – it was highly likely the elemental lord used the place for secret meetings. But what if he didn’t? Or what if those meetings happened once in a year? Lee wasn’t sure he had done his part of the deal for the sect master to open him a rift to the Celestial Abyss.

In the end he sighed, hid the four rings in his pocked, and left.

***

The Han clan’s manor wasn’t located in the geographical center of the inner city. It was on top of a cliff further to the west side, and while Lee couldn’t observe it in detail under the cover of the night, it was clear he was on a suicide mission.

The problem was – it was way too late to turn back. Surely Shade was observing him from somewhere, and if he did anything suspicious, the guy would take care of him for sure. The fact that he currently held the Han clan’s token in his hand, proved that the earlier endeavor with going through the sewers was also only a charade.

’What would’ve the real Blackbird done in my place?’ Lee pondered, and walked towards the manor on the cliff. Even if he intended to kill the Han clan’s heir, it wasn’t possible to run away from this place no matter how he looked at it. It had the perfect defensive location and so many guards Lee wasn’t sure he could fly away unscathed – that is, if he could fly.



On the way he was stopped multiple times, but after the token was presented, the city guards politely apologized, even though Lee was supposed to be only a maid.

The guard at the servant entrance wasn’t as polite, but guided him to the person named Finnie nevertheless. It was an elderly lady, of small and thin stature, but lively eyes and very talkative.

From the moment Lee entered, she kept blabbing non stop, but mostly some random nonsense. Only after Lee was shown to his room, before leaving she whispered, "How was he the past ten years?"

She was likely talking about the elemental master, but while Lee had no clue what the guy was doing, he said, "He missed home."

"Sigh ... poor kid!" Finnie said, "He never should’ve argued with the patriarch!"

Lee would’ve loved to hear more, but she left. Apparently the granny has been close to the elemental master, or liked him when he was younger, and Lee decided to pull more information out of her during the following days.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be impossible. The next morning he heard from the other maids that Finnie died in her sleep last night. Obviously it wasn’t a coincidence, but Lee couldn’t do anything about it. Not only she was old, his cover depended on the fact that she hired him.

He mourned the granny along with the rest of the maids, sobbing and doing his best to cry, but in the end gave up on the pretense and got to work. Washing hallways wasn’t the fanciest job in the world, but at least he could explore the residence while doing it.

As it turns out, the elemental master had underestimated the effect that Finnie’s killing will have on the household. Apparently she had been something akin to a mother or grandmother to the most employees in the manor. She had personally hired every single one, taking care of all as if they were her blood relatives.

While the true head of the Han clan was their patriarch, in the eyes of the help, Finnie was their matriarch and the one who took them in. As the result, most, especially the women, were struck by grief and couldn’t fulfill their duties properly.