116: Entrapment and military force

“The Porcupine Thieves Guild kidnapped me; I witnessed it with my own eyes and experienced it personally,” I said, staring at Kovenreid. “Soon, I plan to send people to eradicate them. Does Fuel Flame intend to assist?”

“It is my duty, and I will not shirk it!” The Flame Fist Commander’s knuckles whitened as he pressed them against his sword hilt, his left hand covering the Flame Fist emblem on his chest.

I nodded and turned to Kedas, “Lord Kedas, if the letters are found, how do you intend to deal with Gray Scale? If he succeeds…” The silver key in my hand reflected the sweat on the Lord’s forehead. “Not only will Gorebest be in chaos, but who knows how many innocent people will die. By then, you will no longer be the Lord.”

“Fuel Flame,” the Priest Lord suddenly crushed his ceramic cup. “Immediately assemble the Flame Fist army. I will also immediately gather the temple personnel remaining in Kedas. Once we have the letter as evidence,” Lord Kedas said with a grim face, “I will immediately announce his treasonous crimes and move to arrest him. Is Lord Lion willing to fight evil with us?”

“In what capacity would I participate in your struggle?” I asked with a smile.

“As long as the evidence is conclusive, the newly formed coalition will complete the subsequent cleanup of the Gnoll fortress. As for sealing the planar rift, I will do my best to find a Grand Mage of level thirteen or higher, as you described. If these matters are indeed confirmed to be the Duke’s doing, you will be Gorebest’s next Councilor, and simultaneously the Lord of the newly developed South City… provided you help me eradicate the bandits, and eliminate the Baal Believers and Bane’s Believers within the city…”

“Good!” Lord Kedas’s decisiveness at this moment thrilled me.

After the three of us discussed the action plan, we each went to make arrangements.

…

More than an hour later, everything was ready.

I removed all the mist from the mall building, the plaza, and the roadside.

People holding promotional flyers had already blocked Wan'an Highway outside the mall’s gates.

Lord Kedas personally went to the North Gate to welcome the three Councilors and Baron Han Ting inside.

His reason for summoning the three Councilors was that he intended to agree to Lord Lion’s South City development proposal and wanted them to show their support for Black Panther Mall.

His reason for summoning Baron Han Ting was that Lord Lion had disappeared last night and was still missing. He asked him to come and help supervise the mall’s salt business.

As soon as they entered the private room on the second floor of the mall, I, in my invisible state, cast the “Charm Person” spell, turning Baron Han Ting and Duke Gray Scale into captives.

The moment Baron Han Ting was struck by the magic, he immediately expressed submission.

Duke Gray Scale was a resolute, bald old man, but he showed strong willpower, his body constantly trembling and resisting.

Just as I thought the spell would fail, Duke Gray Scale bowed his head, showing me submission with a respectful posture.

Subsequently, Kedas, the Priest Lord, personally cast a Zone of Truth on the two of them to discern whether anyone within the zone was lying.

The Priest Lord did not question them first; instead, he began by asking me, “Lord Lion, can you guarantee that you have not instructed these two to lie, and will not instruct them to lie to the public in the coming period?”

“I, Lion Black, have not instructed Baron Han Ting and Duke Gray Scale to lie, and will not instruct them to lie to the public in the coming period,” I replied.

“Truth.” Kedas nodded, stepped aside, and began to question Baron Han Ting and Duke Gray Scale.

The outcome was predictable; all facts were revealed.

When their own misdeeds were involved, both would prevaricate, but the Priest Lord managed to extract their confessions through other questioning methods, or their silence was taken as an admission of guilt.

The three secret letters were indeed carried by Baron Han Ting.

The evidence was irrefutable!

Under the witness of Kovenreid, the supreme commander of the Flame Fist in Gorebest, Priests Plum and Bran of Morning Song Temple, Sha Ruiwen, I, and Holy Knight Randall, Lord Kedas and the other two Councilors, 布恩·崔文赫斯特 and 查理斯·卡贝, jointly pronounced the two guilty.

Baron Han Ting was found guilty of masterminding the kidnapping of Lord Lion and colluding with the Porcupine Thieves Guild!

It was announced to the eighteen cities of the North: his noble title was stripped, all his property was transferred to Lord Lion, and Baron Han Ting and his relatives were expelled from the city!

Duke Gray Scale was found guilty of masterminding the kidnapping of Lord Lion, colluding with bandits, Baal Believers, and Bane’s Believers, forming a private army, blocking roads, robbing merchant caravans, leading to multiple deaths, carrying out serial murders and Baal sacrifices within the city, inciting rioters, and attempting rebellion, thus the crime of treason was established!

It was announced to the eighteen cities of the North: his noble title was stripped, one-fifth of all his property was transferred to Lord Lion, and four-fifths to the Gorebest City Hall. Duke Gray Scale was sentenced to death! His relatives were expelled from the city!

Subsequently, the two were confined to a private room, guarded by men dispatched by Kovenreid.

They would await the completion of subsequent procedures before a public trial and execution.

While everyone was mobilizing troops, I invited Lord Kedas, Councilor Boon, and Councilor Charles to attend the mall’s opening ribbon-cutting ceremony.

I remained hidden and invisible on the second floor, with Old Hather attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony in my place as the mall’s owner.

With the melodious chimes and songs from Morning Song Temple on the eastern mountaintop, the ribbon-cutting ceremony was successfully completed.

Crowds surged into Black Panther Mall, and some nobles who arrived late also entered the mall to shop.

Amidst the scene of prosperity, Holy Knight led his subordinates to quietly arrest Miss Viola, the Bard previously hired by the mall.

According to the confession of the former Duke Gray Scale, she was a Baal Believer.

Kovenreid returned to the Flame Fist garrison and arrested the Flame Fist’s Deputy Commander, Blackwen Sk.

According to the confession of the former Duke Gray Scale, he had pledged allegiance to him.

The second-floor banquet hall was converted into a temporary command center.

Using salt grains, I drew on the map of Gorebest, marking five locations based on the confessions of the former Duke Gray Scale and others: the Duke’s Mansion, the Baron’s Mansion, the Porcupine Thieves Guild’s lair, the Baal Believers’ hiding place, and the Bane’s Believers’ hiding place.

We just tallied the military strength of our three factions—

Flame Fist Faction:

Commander: Fuel Flame Kovenreid

Deputy Commanders: 2 Flame

Elite Guards: 18

Iron Hands: 34

Flame Fists: 160

Total Flame Fist Faction: 215 people.

Lord’s Faction:

Commander: Cedas Ohmri (Lord himself), 10th-level Priest

Deputy Commanders: 布恩·崔文赫斯特, 5th-level Mage; 查理斯·卡贝, 3rd-level Knight;

Priest Corps: Plum, 6th-level Dawn Priest; Bran, 5th-level Dawn Priest; 3 Apprentice Priests;

Lord’s Guards: 10 1st-level Warriors, 2 2nd-level Warriors;

Councilor’s Guards: 28 1st-level Warriors, 6 2nd-level Warriors;

Total Lord’s Faction: 54 people.

My Faction:

Commander: Lion Black, 3rd-level Hunter and 1st-level Mage

Deputy Commander: Randall Barkman, 7th-level Holy Knight

Messengers: John, George, 0th-level Holy Knight Attendants

Mage Corps: Wesley Sharuiven, 3rd-level Abjurer; Lucie Sharuiven, 2nd-level Evocation Specialist;

Flame Fist Mercenary Group: 22 Flame Fists, 6 Iron Hands

Hired Adventuring Teams:

First 6-person team: 1 5th-level Northland Barbarian, 1 7th-level Sword Saint, 1 5th-level Sorcerer, 1 4th-level Bard, 1 4th-level Shaman, 1 4th-level Warrior;

Second 4-person team: 2 5th-level Halfling Rogues, 1 3rd-level Halfling Priest, 1 4th-level Halfling Mage;

Third 4-person team: 2 6th-level Mages, 1 5th-level Ranger, 1 5th-level Warrior;

Fourth 1-person team: 1 5th-level Druid, 1 Falcon.

Natural Allies: 2 Forest Nymphs (can summon 6 Forest Wolves, 1 Pixie), 1 Lake Water Sprite (can summon 1 Miniature Water Elemental).

Total My Faction: 52 people (summoned creatures not included, with summoned creatures and animal companions, a total of 61 independent combat units).

Total Coalition: 325 people (plus 9 summoned creatures and animal companions, a total of 334 independent combat units).