42: Chapter 42 The Shadow Guards Cause Trouble and Are Caught on the Spot

Night had just fallen, yet Luofeng Village was brighter than it was during the day.

Long queues formed at the entrance of the public warehouse—people collecting potions, exchanging for white-tier equipment, or submitting tasks for contribution points; people were constantly coming and going. The number of patrolling casual players had also increased, moving in groups of three or five along the warehouse, the teleportation array, and the dungeon entrance.

On a dirt slope at the village entrance, Lin Zhe leaned against a maple tree, motionless.

Lin Chen was nestled in his arms, his small face quiet, though the faint golden mark on his forehead flashed from time to time.

Just then, the golden patterns in Lin Zhe's eyes flickered slightly.

Someone had entered the village.

They didn't use the teleportation array.

Nor did they register normally.

The aura was very thin and cold, like a snake slithering along the ground. It bypassed the patrol teams and the dungeon entrance, slowly creeping toward the public warehouse.

Lin Zhe didn't speak.

Lin Chen, however, opened his eyes first and let out a huff in a childish voice.

"Bad guy."

Standing nearby, Xing Jianwan's gaze turned cold. "Another one here to steal things?"

Lin Chen lightly raised his small hand, and a faint golden regional map immediately floated in mid-air.

In the shadows of the warehouse's side wall, an almost invisible figure was sneaking along the wall.

[Target: Shadow Seven]

[Identity: Holy Light City Shadow Guard Deputy Commander]

[Level: 15]

[Status: Max-level Stealth]

[Objective: Theft, Reconnaissance]

Xing Jianwan's eyes narrowed.

"Someone from Holy Light City."

Lin Zhe's expression remained unchanged.

"Let's watch him perform."

On the other side, outside the back door of the public warehouse.

Shadow Seven was sneering in his heart.

A mere novice village.

A bunch of low-level players plus an NPC who knows a few weird rules—did they really think they were some holy land?

He was the Deputy Commander of the Holy Light City Shadow Guard. Once his max-level Stealth was active, let alone these novice players, even ordinary main city guards wouldn't be able to catch his shadow.

The Queen's orders to him were simple.

First, investigate Lin Zhe's background.

Second, conveniently bring back some rare forging materials.

Luofeng Village had become too famous recently. The warehouse was filled with crates of materials turned in by guilds; just swiping a little bit would be enough to fetch a high price on the black market.

Shadow Seven licked his lips, his fingers already touching the warehouse door handle.

"Got it."

The next second.

Buzz—

The entire warehouse door frame suddenly lit up with a golden pattern of rules!

[Alarm: Illegal intruder has triggered the public warehouse restriction]

Shadow Seven's face changed instantly.

"What?!"

Before he could pull away, a faint golden halo lit up on the ground beneath his feet.

Freeze!

His entire body was pinned to the spot like he was held by invisible iron nails; he couldn't even move a finger!

Immediately after, a row of crimson prompts slammed into his face.

[Penalty 1: Immobilization]

[Penalty 2: Stealth skill banned]

[Penalty 3: Temporary deprivation of all skills]

Swish!

The black mist on Shadow Seven's body dissipated on the spot.

In the corner that was originally empty, a tall, thin man wearing dark leather armor appeared.

The surrounding patrolling players were stunned for a moment, then they all exploded with excitement.

"Holy crap! There really is someone!"

"Catch the thief!"

"The warehouse alarm went off! Pin him down!"

A dozen or so casual players rushed forward in a swarm.

Some pinned his shoulders.

Some pulled his legs.

There was even a Warrior who slammed his shield directly onto Shadow Seven's chest.

Bang!

Shadow Seven was already immobilized; he couldn't even scream properly before being pinned to the ground.

"Insolence! I am—"

He wanted to reveal his identity, but before he could finish, Lin Chen was carried over by Xing Jianwan.

The little fellow looked down at him, his small face completely expressionless.

"Stealing from the warehouse."

"And sneaking into the village."

"Bad."

Shadow Seven gritted his teeth and spoke: "I am the Shadow—"

"Noisy."

Lin Chen raised his small hand and pointed.

[Additional Penalty: 72-hour Silence]

Shadow Seven's mouth hung open, but his voice was cut off as if strangled; he couldn't make a single sound.

The surrounding players instantly burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! Still trying to announce your identity?"

"Someone from Holy Light City coming to rob the warehouse? How shameless!"

"Caught the moment he stepped in, this is killing me!"

Lin Chen gave the order in his childish voice: "Tie him up and take him to the village entrance."

"Hang him on the maple tree for three days."

"Let everyone see."

At these words, the eyes of several patrolling players lit up.

"Understood!"

"Come on, carry him away!"

Soon, Shadow Seven was tied up securely and dragged directly to the old maple tree at the village entrance.

The rope was looped around, and he was hoisted up.

He hung in mid-air like a salted fish.

A line of golden text even appeared above his head.

[Warehouse Thief]

As the news spread, players from all over Luofeng Village ran over to watch the spectacle.

"This is the Holy Light City Shadow Guard?"

"With only this much skill, he dared to come touch the warehouse?"

"He looks the part, but he looks even better hanging up there."

Some people looked up intentionally as they passed by.

Some took screenshots specifically to post on the world channel.

In less than half an hour, the world channel was exploding.

[A Holy Light City Shadow Guard sneaked into Luofeng Village to rob the warehouse and was caught and hung from a tree on the spot!]

[He was caught by Little Archon Lin the moment he activated Stealth!]

[He's still hanging at the village entrance right now, everyone's welcome to come watch!]

Players across the server were dying of laughter.

"People from Holy Light City are going there just to get slapped in the face too?"

"One envoy wasn't enough, so they sent a Shadow Guard?"

"Did you really think you could steal from the Luofeng Village warehouse?"

For three days, Shadow Seven remained hanging like that.

He couldn't speak.

He couldn't log off to hide.

His skills were all grayed out.

Every time he tried to force a disconnect, the same prompt would pop up.

[Public display penalty in progress]

[Leaving the scene is prohibited]

By the end of the third day, Shadow Seven was on the verge of insanity.

Only then did Lin Chen raise his hand.

"Time's up."

A sliver of hope had just risen in Shadow Seven's heart.

The next second, a new prompt slammed into his face.

[Penalty complete]

[Additional Final Ruling: Permanent expulsion from the Novice Area]

[Permission to use Town Portal Scrolls revoked]

Shadow Seven's eyes widened.

"Mmph! Mmph mmph—"

He still wanted to struggle.

But it was useless.

Swept up by a golden light, his entire person was thrown directly outside the boundaries of Luofeng Village.

The Town Portal Scroll was grayed out.

The teleportation array was banned.

All entrances to the Novice Area were sealed.

He could only grit his teeth, crawl up from the overgrown grass, and walk step by step toward Holy Light City.

Dozens of miles.

The whole way, passing players were pointing and whispering.

"Look, isn't that the guy who got hung from a tree for stealing from the warehouse?"

"Tsk, someone from Holy Light City, how pathetic."

"He actually has to walk back, hilarious."

On the dirt slope at the village entrance, Lin Zhe watched the distant receding figure, his expression still indifferent.

Xing Jianwan withdrew her gaze and said softly, "Holy Light City probably won't just let this go."

Lin Zhe patted Lin Chen's small head.

"Then let them come."

Lin Chen lay in his arms and added in a childish voice.

"If they come to steal again, we'll hang them for even longer."