Chapter 56: Antonio “Loyalty” (Bonus - Thanks to Samhain666)

Antonio was feeling beyond frustrated.

He had just been patrolling the streets, trying to find a quiet corner to rest.

After all patrol nowadays can be pointless anyway, this was a famine year like never seen before.

Most people had already starved to death, and the remaining refugees wandered the streets like walking corpses.

Whether he patrolled the city or not made little difference.

Besides, the government authorities barely had enough silver left to pay wages to them.

Then, Why should I risk my life for a few coins?

But just as he turned a corner, a burly savage looking man suddenly blocked his way.

Antonio froze as he instantly recognised that he was the same serial killer who should be locked up in the cells.

Then who the hell let the killer escape?

Before he could even fire the alarm flare to warn the others, a fist like an iron hammer smashed into him, and the world went dark.

When Antonio regained consciousness, he found himself tied to a chair in a shabby looking house.

Antonio panicked, immediately started to shout trying to look confident

"I’m an officer of the government!"

"If you dare kill me, it’s a capital crime and you’ll be executed for it! Do you hear me? Is anyone there? Let me go at once!"

Alex and the others exchanged glances but said nothing.

Then Jacob chuckled coldly. "Do you really think a serial killer cares about your threats?

This is a famine year where bandits run wild, corpses litter the countryside. Who would even notice if one or two government officials went missing?"

As he spoke, he raised his massive fist, waving it lazily in front of Antonio’s nose. The fist was so big that it looked like a hand of a giant.

Antonio’s throat went dry. He swallowed hard.

For once, words failed him.

It was a clear warming one wrong sentence, and that monstrous fist would smash his skull.

Heavens, why did I leave the station today?

If he had checked the almanac before going out, he might have known it was an unlucky day.

Antonio felt like he was cursed by fate.

He had no idea what these men wanted from him, but one thing was certain that his life might be in danger today.

"Although the method seems rough but," Alex continued calmly after a dramatic pause, "our goal is simple. We want information about your chief constable. Share what you know, and we won’t harm you."

He leaned closer.

"Let me be blunt. We plan to kill Chief Constable Simon. Do you have anything useful to tell us?"

Alex’s faint smile didn’t waver. Fortunately, Jacob’s formidable martial skills made capturing this official gone unnoticed.

Without such talent, the plan might have collapsed before it began.

Simon Reed, however, had to die.

By knowing how ruthless and unyielding he is, he would have killed Nathan without hesitation.

If Nathan himself had walked into Simon’s grasp, he would have been already dead.

"I never provoke unless I’m provoked first, this is my motto," Alex murmured. "Since Simon wants us dead, we’ll strike first. There’s no other way."

Lucy: !!!

Mr. Hartwell : !!!

Hearing Alex declare his intent to kill Simon shocked them deeply.

Though they had guessed it, the blunt confirmation still left their hearts trembling.

In truth, they agreed. The thought had crossed their minds before, but as ordinary citizens, they lacked the courage to act. Alex’s decisiveness filled them with both awe and relief.

"Even someone from the government office isn’t safe from him," Lucy whispered in disbelief.

"This boy’s courage is remarkable," Mr. Hartwell sighed. "His future will be limitless if he survives."

If it had been him, Mr. Hartwell admitted, he would have fled. He would have taken Lucy and Nathan far from Ironhold City to escape the reach of the government officials.

Now, though, he was both shaken and amazed.

Alex choice meant they wouldn’t wait like prey. After all, if the enemy came to kill them, why should they remain afraid?

Tooth for a tooth—nothing less

"No!"

"I, Antonio, am a man of honour and will never reveal anything about Chief Constable Simon!"

"Even if you give me five taels of gold, I will never tell anyone that Simon Reed is colluding with the Maxwell family! He visits them every few days!"

Antonio stood firm, appearing unshakable in his resolve.

Lucy and Mr. Hartwell exchanged strange glances, realizing this man not only confessed but volunteered additional information with surprising eagerness, something is odd.

"What a strange man!"

"Lucy, just untie him, but bind his feet, and give him the five taels of gold first," Mr. Hartwell suggested calmly through his experience, noticing Antonio’s odd form of cooperation.

Alex also understood, genuinely amused.

He had expected a struggle or torture to make the officer talk, but instead, this man confessed everything freely, as if he was waiting for the moment.

"Strange indeed!"

Lucy followed orders, untying Antonio’s hands and tossing five taels of gold at his feet.

Antonio sneered, pumped up with pride at his supposed to be incorruptible spirit.

"Haha, do you think gold can bribe me? Never!"

"Even if you gave me five taels..no ten taels, I wouldn’t tell you that Simon drinks at the Maxwell house every noon on the sixth day of the month!"

"I will also not tell you anything about that he only brings two close aides to avoid suspicion!"

"And don’t even think about attacking my chief constable! He is secretly a Martial Artist, he is able to kill several men with ease!"

"Also! Simon fears snakes so don’t let that distract him!"

Antonio rattled off all the details in one dramatic breath one after another, then quickly pocketed the gold from the ground, his supposed to be pride is not to be seen anywhere close now, dissolving under the glint of treasure.

"He truly is a man of his word, he really didn’t tell use anything ," Lucy muttered, wide-eyed, half amused and half baffled at the sight of such shamelessness.

"Haha, you’re truly entertaining," Alex laughed.

"Mr. Hartwell, please give him another five taels of gold. With Simon so careless to have such a subordinate under his wing, our next move will be far simpler than I expected."