It was close to a week after the new weapon's invention and testing. Besides, Long-fall pass had quieted down, and the beast hasn't attacked. The major business in Long-fall Pass was beast body processing and herbs gathering.
Since Long-Fall Pass was surrounded by forest on both sides, they didn't have a shortage of those two things. Right at the outermost part of the forest, a group of people was fighting fiercely with a pack of wolves.
"You, idiot, don't stand there and look like a moron. We need to capture these wolves today." Tami shouted furiously. Today was the last day of their training and there are still a couple of wolves that need to be captured.
"Captain we're trying. Most of our squad are injured." Rosa shouted, rolling on the ground, dodging a dangerous wolf attack. A wind blade appeared in hand and sent it toward the beast.
Tami clenched his fist and send a fireball toward another wolf. 'If not that we are not to kill these goddamn wolves. It would have been quite easy.' He thought in indignation.
...
In another area of the forest with tall trees and broad leaves. A group of people was running with their heels on their heads. A loud cry echoed far in the sky. In front of the group was a young woman with bruises all over her face.
Her chest was moving up and down, sweats pouring from her forehead like open damn. Besides, her squad was not any better.
"Captain, why are those eagles so fierce." A young man asked in a raspy voice.
"I don't know. Maybe they are territorial." Damie gasped while she was looking at her surrounding for any beast.
"How many of us are still fit to hunt the eagles." She looked at the young man.
The young man rolled his eyes and looked at the people behind and sighed. Most of them were on the grounding, trying to catch their breath. Thus, after giving it a deep thought. He finally uttered.
"Probably, 50 or less."
"50!" Damie screamed. She widened her eyes. "That… too small. Today is the last day." She shook her head vehemently.
"We need to do something about it. We can't fail"
Inside a clean room with a lot of beakers and test tubes. Al Casendra's gaze was fixed on his research and didn't care about the passage of time. 'I need to find a component more volatile to substitute for gunpowder.'
'What I need is something that will create an explosive chemical reaction.'
'With my last discovery. I knew both magic and science work in tandem.'
'I need to think after the box. Rapid Fire bow will only work on rank novice mage and rank 2 beginner middle stage.'
'With the premonition I'm having this couple of days. I need to have a weapon to deal with rank 3 elite mages.'
'I need to bring the big guys.'
He straightened his back and looked at the series of analysis on his table and a light sigh escaped from his mouth. Hence, he left his hidden lab and step into his wide office. He sat at his table and adjust his bearing and tapped the table twice.
At once, a middle-aged man rushed into the room. He stopped a couple of meters from Al Casendra and bowed. "Your highness. What are your orders."
Al Casendra looked at the middle-aged man for seconds, before returning his gaze to the pile of parchment on his table. He picked one of the parchment and ink brush. His hands danced on the parchment for a brief moment before he gave the parchment to Cole.
Cole took the parchment and looked at the words written on the back of the parchment. He nodded and said.
"I'll dispatch the information quickly." With that, Cole rushed out of the room.
Suddenly, a heavy step came from outside. After a couple of seconds, a light tap echoed on the door.
"It's Sir John." Sir John announced his presence.
Pa Pa.
Hearing the sound, Sir John dragged his exhausted body into the room with a dim eye. He stopped a couple of inches from Al Cassandra and looked at him with a conflicted expression.
He almost died from the previous attack. If not for the immediate attention from the healer. He would have died from blood loss. 'He wanted to beat some sense into Al Casendra, but he dares not.' He swallowed his grievance and opened his mouth slowly.
"The first merchant we sent to the other cities has returned. Madam Millie is handling it right now."
Al Casendra nodded and wrote on a parchment. "How is the business. Besides, did he fulfill the mission?"
"Yes. The spy we sent after him report the man did a good job in broadcasting about our cities. Though not many believe him. But I think if we sent two or three more merchants. Things will start to change."
"We don't have time for that. We will create our store in the three cities closest to us. There we can take a foothold in other cities with stores. No one in the surrounding could match us in beast materials and herbs. We need to leverage on that." Al Casendra wrote a long text on the parchment.
"Yeah. That will work. Instead of our merchant going back and forth. We could easily expand through that method." Sir John nodded. 'How can he think of this quickly.' He cried in his heart.
"Tell Millie to send three merchants to different and one proxy. And don't forget the monitoring unit." He wrote.
"I will see to it."
"Your highness. Old James has arrived."
Pa Pa.
"Then I need to get going." Sir John dismissed himself. He needed to rest. He hadn't recuperated completely, but couldn't stay put in his room without doing anything or not knowing the welfare of the prince.
"Your highness." Old James matched in a large step.
...
Tens of miles from Long-Fall Pass, inside a courtyard. A young man received a scroll entwined with a red thin rope. He loosened the rope and read the content of the scroll. Suddenly, the casual expression on his face changes to a frown and then to disdain.
"I guess my brother is trying a last effort to safe his life." He whispered in ridicule.
"Send ten men to take care of him." He said to the middle-aged man behind him.
"Discrete?"
"No. Why would I assassinate the trash with an underhand method." Wood stood proudly and looked at the quiet pound in front of him, and an evil smile crept onto his face.
"All the little things he thought he renovated and created. I want them to be destroyed in his presence and make him wallow in misery and he will beg for mercy. And lastly, they should end his pathetic life while bringing his head for me to see." Wood announced.
*****
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