CHAPTER 42: 042 DISPLAY

For the lower-class inhabitants of the Black City, having enough food was a luxury. Any expenditure unrelated to sustenance was deemed a shameful waste.

However, human nature does not change because of this.

Once they had enough to eat and drink, there would always be further demands.

Iron Fist Abei was no exception.

Alcohol! It is brewed from grain.

In the Black City, it absolutely belonged to the category of luxury items, but now, jug after jug was laid out on the table for him to drink to his heart’s content.

"Refreshing!"

The wine jug landed heavily on the table, and Abei, with a flushed face, bellowed loudly,

"This batch of booze has a real kick to it!"

"Of course," his right-hand man, Lais, said with a smile, holding a skewer of roasted meat.

"This was specially brought from Vitelli City by little Hend, and it’s considered a fine product even there."

"Leader," someone from below raised their head and asked,

"I heard Hend is doing well for himself?"

"Haha..." Abei laughed heartily, his expression more exhilarated than if he had drunk fine wine.

"That’s right."

"He has taken an esteemed Knight as a mentor. Since that Knight has no children, he’s being groomed as a successor."

"Great!" his right-hand man, Lais, cheered loudly.

"When little Hend becomes a Knight someday, we’ll have a place to turn to once we leave the Black City."

"Hmm."

Abei slowly nodded.

These people are my foundation in the Black City. In the future, they can also become a powerful aid for my son. My own people, trustworthy.

"Come on!"

"Drink up, feast on meat!"

"Even though conditions are harsh in the Black City, as long as you work hard, you can get your hands on many things that aren’t available outside."

"Like Exotic Beast Meat, weapons, armor, even Dharma Seals..."

"Yes."

Abei took another gulp of alcohol.

"In the next few years, brothers, please go to the trouble of getting more Exotic Beast Meat sent over, so my son can ascend to knighthood sooner."

"There will be no lack of benefits for you all when the time comes!"

This was also the reason he had stayed in the Black City all this time.

For the lower-class people of the Black City, leaving was almost impossible.

But for someone like Iron Fist Abei, leaving the Black City wasn’t difficult, and by staying, he could gain quite a few benefits.

"Haha..." The crowd laughed heartily, each assuring,

"Definitely, definitely."

"After we get out, I’ll definitely find a plush bed and sleep on it for days and nights."

"Hopeless! What’s so good about a plush bed? If you’re going to look for comfort, it should be with a soft woman instead, right?"

"Haha... if it’s a woman, do you think he would still be able to get up after several days and nights?"

"You underestimate me?"

The place was full of chuckles and messy banter.

Iron Fist Abei, cradling a wine jug, drunkenly leaned back, his consciousness hazy, drifting between sleep and wakefulness.

Suddenly, a muffled sound came from outside.

THUMP...

He struggled to open his eyes. Before his senses fully returned, he saw more than a dozen streaks of cold light shooting in from outside the building.

Several figures followed closely behind, charging into the venue and embarking on a killing spree.

In just the blink of an eye, several of his comrades, with whom he had shared brotherly ties for many years, lay in pools of blood.

Even his right-hand man, Lais, was in a precarious situation, besieged by several assailants.

Huh?

"Audacious!"

With a roar, Iron Fist Abei slammed the table and shot to his feet.

Ayala came prepared.

Perhaps she wanted to use this opportunity for Carl to re-evaluate her, as she had summoned more than ten accomplices.

Besides the previously seen Eve Donne, she had also brought a black-haired man.

Together with little Ben.

There were three Knight Attendants alone. In terms of sheer numbers, they were not inferior to Iron Fist Abei’s group.

"Attack!"

Ayala leaned forward, her gaze icy. In a flash, she appeared inside the manor, behind a patrolling guard.

Her wrist flicked, and a dagger shot out, slicing across the guard’s throat.

Anyone who had managed to survive in the Black City this long was no easy target, and Ayala was no exception. She killed without blinking an eye, as if slaughtering a chicken.

SPLAT!

Blood splattered.

Others also sprang into action, pouncing on their intended targets, swiftly taking care of the perimeter personnel.

Eve, with two short swords in hand, and the black-haired man, wielding a scimitar, both moved with exceptional sharpness.

Hmm... Watching this scene, Carl was lost in thought. Compared to the Knight Attendants of the Patrol Department, the people living in the Black City were even more ferocious when they moved. Not to mention one-on-one. Even in one-on-two or one-on-three situations, those pampered colleagues from the Patrol Department probably wouldn’t stand a chance against these folks.

In the blink of an eye, a group had already charged into the heart of the estate. Ayala waved her hand, signaling for those in the rear to follow.

Immediately thereafter, a group of people raised their arms, brandishing weapons like sleeve arrows and short crossbows, cautiously approaching the windows to aim at their targets.

Then they pulled the triggers.

TWANG!

SWOOSH! SWOOSH...

THUD!

In an instant, over a dozen powerful bolts penetrated the room, followed by a series of screams and thuds as Ayala and her group boldly stormed inside.

"Kill!"

"Die!"

CLANG...

One side was fully prepared and energetic for battle. The other, caught off guard and still bewildered, engaged in close-quarters combat that quickly became one-sided.

Ben held a wooden shield in his left hand and an axe in his right, roaring as he furiously attacked his opponent.

He was born with Divine Power.

By Carl’s estimation, Ben’s strength is now likely not inferior to my own. It’s comparable to many who have been Knight Attendants for years.

In one charge, three people had already fallen at his feet, drawing most of the attention in the room.

Eve and the black-haired man, without uttering a word, took advantage of the chaos to surround a Knight Attendant.

Their coordination was seamless, clearly not achieved overnight—one attacking fiercely from the front, the other assisting from the side, both targeting vital spots.

They even had crossbowmen assisting...

THUD!

The scimitar pierced the opponent’s heart.

Target eliminated!

But after the brief confusion, the others in the room had also come to their senses and roared as they launched a counterattack.

The people of the Black City, accustomed to slaughter, fought back with wild ferocity.

Even if stabbed several times or struck in a vital area, they would try to grab their opponent in a death grip before dying. They attempted to drag them down together.

None thought to flee. Incredible! To call these people human is an understatement; they are more like wild beasts, with ferocity overwhelming their reason.

"How dare you!"

Amid the roar, Iron Fist Abei swatted away incoming arrows with a slap of his hand and slammed a man fiercely to the ground.

His strength was terrifying; he smashed a living person weighing over a hundred pounds into pulp.

"Leader!"

His deputy Lais, who was being besieged, yelled out upon seeing this,

"It’s Ayala!"

Ayala? Iron Fist Abei’s eyes glazed over. Then he recalled the name that had often reached his ears of late. That little girl? How dare she?

"You’re asking for death!"

With a roar, the ground beneath Iron Fist Abei’s feet shattered, and he shot out like a cannonball.

His target was Ayala, on the outskirts of the crowd.

"Get out of the way!"

Ben tried to intercept but was knocked away, shield and all, by Abei’s fist.

As for Eve and the black-haired man, they exchanged a glance. They chose to abandon Iron Fist Abei and instead rush toward his deputy, Lais.

If they could kill Lais and then unite with the others, even if Iron Fist Abei was strong, victory would be impossible for him.

As for Ayala... They had only been invited to deal with Iron Fist Abei. There was no guarantee that Ayala would not get injured.

"Get out of my way!"

"Stay where you are!"

Iron Fist Abei charged through, shrugging off several blows from weapons, and chased after Ayala, who was trying to escape.

His speed was astonishing. Within a few breaths, he burst out of the courtyard, only to see Ayala stopping ahead.

Besides Ayala, there was another person in the field.

"Iron Fist Abei?"

Carl eyed the man, then raised his left hand.

Fire Seal!

BOOM!

A burst of raging fire roared out.